Monthly Archives: June 2011

Feeling the Burn and Bringing it!

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Bringing It on the Pull Up Bar!

I did some self reflection this morning during my P90X Plyometrics workout and realized some things about myself. I am an endurance athlete to the core – I tend to take it easy in the beginning of a race or workout in order to save energy for the end. I tend to hold off on pull-ups at the beginning of P90X Legs and Back so that I have enough energy to do an unassisted one throughout the workout. I always want to make sure that I finish strong. Although I think that my strategy is practical and probably very beneficial during races such as marathons and half marathons, I think that I am doing myself some injustice by not pushing myself to the brink during my weekly training workouts. I need to work on my “mental toughness.”

Mental Toughness

During Yoga X yesterday morning I tried to focus on mental toughness. I decided that I would stay in some of the most uncomfortable positions for the entire duration of the exercise, even if I was in pain. When all I wanted to do was break from the position, I told myself to focus on something else and ignore the pain. It worked! During marathons or races I try to repeat a mantra in my head to get through tough spots. My most recent favorite is “Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.” I tried tofocus on a similar mantra during Yoga.

There have been many case studies that cite the importance of mental toughness, or “grit” (ironically we watched the movie True Grit on Saturday night and maybe that’s where all of this is coming from). This mental toughness can be used to overcome great hardship and even physical torture if necessary. Most commonly though, mental toughness is referenced in connection with athletics.  According to Livestrong.com, mental toughness is “the psychological attribute that separates greatness from  mediocrity.”

Training for Mental Toughness

These thoughts were sparked due to a conversion that Mike and I had last night about our race strategies for the upcoming sprint triathlon. Basically, since the race is so short, you push yourself to your max on the run. Then we discussed that only way to get faster at running fast is to run fast! Make sense? A few of the reasons that some can run faster than others is because they have a higher VO2 Max (how efficiently your body processes oxygen during exercise) and their body can process lactic acid faster. When you run very hard, your legs fill with lactic acid and if your body can’t remove the lactic acid as fast as you are producing it, you will bonk. Therefore, if you want to be able to run fast, you need to train at a level that allows your body to become more efficient at processing oxygen and lactic acid.

Mike and I made promised to ourselves and each other last night to really work hard this morning during Plyo. Rather than focusing on getting through the workout, I focused on each move. I got as deep as possible, jumped as high as I could, and moved as quickly as my legs allowed. When the burn set in, I reminded myself that the burn now means less burn during the race and that less burn during the race means a faster run. The result? I had a fantastic workout AND I finished strong.

Bring It Every Time!

I reminded myself afterward that with the variety of training that I’m doing, I need to make every workout count. 80% effort isn’t enough, I need to be 100% every time. That doesn’t meant hat I need to burn myself out and overexert myself, it means that I need to focus on only that which will make me stronger. That means that when I swim, I need to focus on form, and when I do plyometrics, I need to focus on the burn and when I do a 14 mile training run, I need to focus on pacing myself and nutritioning right.

Tony Horton was right on the money when he coined that term, “Bring It.” It is an absolutely fantastic motto for a workout program and a great reminder that just because you are doing the moves or running the miles it doesn’t mean that you are improving. A jogger could jog the same course for 10 years at the same pace and never get any faster. Not only do you need to change up your routine to see results, you have to push yourself hard to get where you want to go.

With three and a half weeks until my first triathlon, it is time to bring it!!!

Beachbody Breaking News at Super Saturday San Diego

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On Saturday I attended my first Beachbody Super Saturday. Each
quarter, a local group of Beachbody coaches get together to share success
stories, share Beachbody breaking news, and support other coaches with helpful
tips and strategies for expanding your business and supporting the fight
against obesity.

I was overwhelmed by the success of the many coaches at this
event. There were several coaches there that have become so successful in
spreading the word about these wonderful products that they are able to stay at
home with their families full time as a Beachbody Coach. All coaches there were
so full of energy and so excited to be part of this fantastic team that is
pulling together to help stop obesity in America. This topic is very close to
my heart as many of my family members struggle with obesity. I am glad to be
part of a team whose mission is in line with my own.

Inspirational Stories

The event started with a few coaches telling their personal
fitness stories. Also, there were a couple of inspirational coach stories in
the video we watched about Summit. Here are some of the highlights:

  • One man started getting into Beachbody when he
    attended a weekly Fit Club (a coach hosts a group workout at a local venue).
    After continued attendance and buying P90X he lost 40 lbs!
  • One coach had extreme digestive stress and was
    on several medications and popping Tums daily until she discovered Shakeology. Now,
    several months later, she is about to go off her last medication, has stopped
    taking Tums, and lost 25 lbs!
  • One woman started with P90, then P90X and lost
    50 lbs and was successful enough at Beachbody coaching that she was able to
    quit her job and do it full time while she stays home with her children

As you know from my blog, I lost 11 lbs on P90X, 1.5-2
inches off my waist, hips, chest and legs and decreased by half marathon time
by over 5 minutes. I am so thankful for my results, but hearing such dramatic,
life changing stories was absolutely inspiring!

New Products!

Several of the coaches in attendance had just gotten back
from the Beachbody Summit which is a four day conference held in Los Angeles
that is a mix of product and coach training, networking and socializing, and workouts
led by the pros themselves – including Tony Horton, Chalene Johnson, and Bret
Hobel, among others. It sounds like a great weekend and I wish I had been able
to attend.

The most anticipated part of the Summit was the announcement
of several new products and changes. The following are some of the most exciting:

  • P90X2 will be available for pre-sale starting
    August, 2011. See a promo for this amazing new workout here. And the best part is, it’s only 5 days and the Yoga is less
    than 60 minutes (most P90Xers bemoan the length of the 1:32 minute Yoga X
    workout)!
  • Shakeology has announced a new flavor: Tropical! This flavor will be out in December 2011
  • There will be a new Tai Chi inspired workout series available soon
  • Active Duty Military and Active Duty Military
    Spouses can now become Coaches and have all business fees waived for the
    duration of their Active Duty Orders!
  • Team Beachbody.com got a facelift – new design and
    training for coaches.
  • A vegan/non-dairy version of Shakeology is in
    the works.
  • P90X Espanol is now available (previously
    announced).

I am so excited for these new products because they will
further enhance Beachbody’s ability to create positive change in people’s
lives. I left the Super Saturday super amped to spread the word about Beachbody
and it’s incredible products. I am someone is who is very brand loyal when I
find something that I believe in but it also takes me a while to find products
that deserve that loyalty. Although I don’t personally use all the Beachbody
products, I am confident that they are the best because I know that Beachbody
is a high quality company that puts out only the best products.

As usual, please do not hesistate to email or message me with any questions about P90X or any other Beachbody product (or if you are interested in becoming a coach!). You can check out my Beachbody profile and order from me at http://www.teambeachbody.com/fitnessfatale .

My First [Practice] Triathlon!

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 Last Saturday I was fortunate enough to participate in a beginner triathlon put on by the San Diego Tri Club. The Tri Club is so supportive of beginner triathletes and this monthly summer event is just one of the ways that they support us newbies. The event actually seemed to be very similar to a real triathlon – with a finish line including a clock and all. However, I didn’t use a chip, didn’t have my number marked on my leg and didn’t wear a bib of course.

Transition Prep and Course Talk

Getting My Transition Ready!

Mike and I  arrived at 6:10 a.m. to prepare for the 7 a.m. event. Mike was there to support me, not to race, as he has completed several triathlons on his own, including Ironman Cozumel in 2009. There weren’t any stands for bikes like there will be at a real triathlon so many people just laid their bikes on the ground. I found a pole to lean mine on. I pulled everything out of my bag and started arranging it. Shortly afterward, my good freinds Asia and Jeremy showed up. I was thankful to have friends joining me in this adventure! After chatting for a bit, one of the Tri Club organizers called us over for a talk on how to set up your transition area. He explained that when you come out of the water you are quite disoreinted and may forget things. He said to make two piles on top of your towel at your transition zone - one pile for all necessary bike gear and one for all necessary run gear. Leave all “maybe” items in your bag (such as Gu or an extra shirt or something like that). Set out your towel and put your cycle shoes, cycle socks (if applicable), and sunglasses (if applicable) in a pile with your helmet on top. Next to it put a pile for your running gear, including your running shoes and a hat (optional). After the talk, I went back to my transition area and set it up accordingly.

My Bike Pile and Run Pile

Next was the course talk. The race director had us raise our hands if we were first timers. I’d say at least 50-60% of people raised their hands. He then explained that the swim course was a 300 meter swim in the bay, with two buoys. It was a simple course but the bay was very muddy. The bike portion was a 7 mile there and back down the Silver Strand in Coronado. He explained that we must stop at stop signs and red lights and yield for cars. This made me nervous since I literally had only just learned to ride the bike on pavement the night before. Stops were still not my strong suit. The run course was just a 2 mile there and back down to the Coronado golf course and back. Easy enough.

The Swim

Getting Ready to Enter the Water

Although I had the foresight to order my Xterra wetsuit over 2 months prior to my race, unfortunately my size was backordered and had not been shipped as of the practice triathlon. I also hadn’t had time to purchase a tri suit, so luckily for me, tri suits are made of spandex and can esentially be one size fits all. I borrowed Mike’s tri suit for this event (a tri suit is either a one piece or two piece suit worn during races and is a stretchy, lightweight material so that you swim in it and it will dry quick enough for the bike and run. It also has some padding on the butt to protect from saddle sores but not as much padding as typical bike shorts) and although the top was a bit large on me, the pants fit pretty well! Although the bay was muddy, it was warmer than the ocean and I was thankful for that since I didn’t have a nice wet suit to protect me.

Swimming!

They weren’t kidding when they said it was muddy. As I reluctantly stepped out off the beach into the water, my feet sunk several inches into the mud with each step. It was cold, but not as cold as I had expected, which was nice. Some of the participants walked deeper into the bay and did a few practice strokes. They advised that you should dunk your entire body in the water prior to the start, but I was too cold to do that. I decided to just go for it. Shortly after I got in the water they announced that everyone needed to come back in and get to about waist deep to start the swim. Very quickly after that, they counted down and blew the horn. We’re off!

Exiting the Swim

300 meters is a very short swim. It is only 12 lengths of a standard, 25 meter pool (6 times there and back). At first all I could focus on was not running into other swimmers. I kept my head up for nearly the entire time on my way to the first buoy and didn’t get much quality swimming in. However, once I rounded the second buoy, the crowd had cleared a bit and I was able to get some quality swimming in. Not much though because I had to navigate the second buoy. After the second buoy I was headed home and I really kicked it up a notch, swimming in freestyle for quite a while without looking up. As I got closer, I started looking up to the shore to make sure I was on track and luckily I was. I swam until my fingers touched the muddy ground, got up, and jogged slowly up the shore to avoid slipping in the mud (I don’t like mud).

I made it out of the water and to my bag within about 6 1/2 minutes and was surprised that it had only taken that long. Shortly after I got to my area, Jeremy came up behind me and we chatted about the swim as we got into our bike gear. I left the transition area ahead of him as well.

Bike

Transitioning from Swim to Bike

Although most find the swim to be the most intimidating leg of the tirathlon, for me it is the bike. Mostly becuase I am comfortable in the water and swam in high school, but also because I have a fear of hurting myself (although I did ride a motorbike 7 hours through the cities and countryside of Vietnam without having had more than a 3 minute lesson, but that was a different -i.e. more crazy- time in my life!). This was similar to my Vietnam motorbike experience in that I had absolultey no road biking experience prior to this trithlon. I had a lesson on clipping in on Tuesday and a lesson on shifting on Friday, and that’s it.  I clipped in pretty smoothly and started to make my way onto the bike path. I got passed by several people right away. I wasn’t about to pusht he pace here. I had no idea where these stop lights and stop signs would come from, and I wanted to make sure that I could clip out and not fall on my face.

Finishing the Bike

After a few minutes of riding, I loosened up a bit. I was very cold, my arms covered in goosebumps at first, but those went away about half way down the strand as I warmed up. More and more experienced bikers passed me, but I kept the satisfaction that I outswam them at least! Eventually I got up more courage to go a bit faster. About this time, a woman passed me and then reached down for her water bottle. She drank out of it, then put it back. About 15 seconds later, she veered to the side, road onto the gravel and fell over into the bushes! I have no idea why/how she fell, but I felt bad for her. That is my worst nightmare!

Besides having to dodge a car coming out of a parking lot, the ride to the turnaround was smooth sailing. By the time that I turned around, I was feeling better and knew that I had a lot of gas left in my tank. I definitely cruised the first half. I turned on the jets and started passing people. I think I may have passed about 7-10 people that had passed me. However, about 1/8th of a mile to the finish, I hit a stop light and had to unclip. Three people caught up to me at this point – 2 were the ones I had passed and one was Jeremy!

Run

I unclipped quickly at the finish and ran my bike to the transition. There were race supporters on the sidelines cheering me on and telling me what a great job I was doing. It felt great! Jeremy hadn’t been wearing bike shoes so his transition was super smooth. He was off and running in seconds. I had to change my shoes and put on my hat. I was glad to see the clock was only at 37 minutes when I left transition. I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this triathlon but I had guessed my finish would be about an hour. Now all I had left was a 2 mile run, and I was confident I could do that in less than 23 minutes.

Finish Line!

My feet were completely numb from the bike. I’m not sure if it was the cold from the swim, but my feet felt very bizarre when I started running on them.  However, all that marathon training came in handy becuase I started passing people left and right on the run. I’m so used to running with my Garmin GPS watch which tells me my pace instantly, that I had no idea how fast I was going. My legs felt a bit heavy and my breath was very hard, but I figured I was running a 8:30/9 min/mile. I was very out of breath and very excited to see Jeremy rounding the cones and heading back for the second leg of the run. I was nearly halfway!

We Finished!

The second half was tough but I just focused on going as fast as I thought I could maintain. I passed several more people on the way back. Toward the end, a woman on the side of the road, said “Oh yeah! Looking strong! You got this!” I powered through the last bit of the run and came in at 52:15, which meant that the run only took me about 15 minutes, 15 seconds, which is a 7:37 pace (I didn’t actually look at the clock when I started the run so I can’t be sure but I know I came into transition from the bike at a little over 36 minutes). After I finished I gave the volunteers my name and they filled it in under 27th place. Not too bad considering there were about 100 participants!!!

Now the Real Training Begins!

Last week was highly focused on learning – learning to change a tire, learning to clip in, learning to shift, learning swim technique, learning to enter the water (we did that the day after the practice tri), learning how to transition, etc. Now it’s time to really start training – swimming workouts, bike rides, spin class, interval and long runs, etc. I was very relieved that I really enjoyed the triathlon. Although the bike was a little boring at times (due to the fact that the Silver Strand is barren and straight and flat and boring), overall I had a great time and really enjoyed myself. At this point I’m pretty invested in trying a few races since I’ve purchased quite a bit of gear and I want to get some use out of it! Luckily, it seems that I’ll enjoy the races and the training, as I have already. Stay tuned for plenty more blog posts on my triathlon adventures!

P90X Round 2 Progress

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We are 9 days into P90X Round 2! I honestly already feel
100% better. Well, maybe not 100% because I don’t think I’m back at my strength
levels that I achieved at the end of Round 1 (last day was April 24 so we had 7
weeks in between), but I definitely feel stronger in only one week. during the
7 weeks in between finishing P90X and starting it again, we ran a marathon. I
also incorporated several P90X workouts into my weekly routine, but never
completed all five workouts (we never do Kenpo). We didn’t even do Yoga once!
Yoga was the one workout that I really wanted to keep up with during marathon
training since core strength and flexibility are both very important to
running. However, the workouts we ended up doing the most were the upper body strengthening
workouts to maintain our strength in these areas. Overall though, we weren’t
dedicated to the program, and I definitely saw muscle definition loss and
weight gain. Additionally, we were derailed from our workouts for a solid two
and half weeks due to illness and taper/recovery for the marathon.

So despite the fact that we’re training for a sprint triathlon
(my first) and a half marathon, Mike and I decided to start P90X over from
scratch and really dedicate ourselves to the workouts and the nutrition plan,
starting last Monday, June 13. I jump started my weight loss with the
Shakeology Cleanse, and then starting Wednesday I moved back to one
carbohydrate/day in the Phase 1 diet. The weekend, however, was a little shaky
nutrition wise, although overall we didn’t splurge on any one thing. We just
made a few exceptions here and there.

Here are my observations on each of the workouts, for the
second time:

Yoga X

We are doing things a bit out of order this time. We have
Yoga X scheduled for the first day of the week (Monday), because it works out
better with our triathlon and half marathon training schedule. Last Monday we
did this workout for the first time in seven weeks and believe me, we could
tell!! Within fifteen minutes I was sweating and my legs were aching within
twenty. I wanted to start off P90X well so I really got deep in my warrior positions
and did all the push-ups in between the flows, as usual. I was able to hold
Crow for quite a while but Wheel was much more difficult. I couldn’t hold it
for the entire minute like I used to be able to do. Yoga Belly 7 was really
hard and of course, the Warrior 3 sequence seemed impossible. However, by the
end I felt refreshed, stretched and wonderful. We were both in a better mood.

Chest and Back

Wow! Although we did this workout sometimes during our time
off, coming back to this workout was hard. Push-ups and pull-ups are really not
a half-ass exercise. You either do them or you don’t, unlike bicep curls or
tricep extensions where you can lower or raise your weight to achieve your
desired level of comfort. I was happy to report that the first week I was still
able to do 23 push-ups and the second week I was able to do 25. As for
pull-ups, I couldn’t do any during Week 1 of this workout (but I did do one
during Chest and Back the 2nd time we did it). Chest and Back has always
been a hard one for pull-ups, mostly because the push-ups use many of the same
muscles and they  are exhausted by the
time you get around to the chin-up (first round of pull-ups are wide grip which
I’ve never been able to do anyway). The consensus between Mike and I at the end
of this workout was that we had forgotten how much it kicks your butt!

Plyometrics

Tony isn’t joking when he says this is the “mother” of all
workouts. I would equate our endurance and the perceived intensity of this
workout to how it felt during about week 9 – we definitely are in better shape
than Week 1 of Round 1 (when I got nauseous and had to modify moves!), but we’re
not where we were at Week 12. However, overall we felt pretty good and we were
able to get through the entire workout.
Mike was literally dripping in sweat by the end – his shirt and shorts
were so drenched that water was falling to the ground in a puddle underneath
him by the end.

Shoulders and Arms

This workout was hard, but definitely the easiest of all
five, just as I remember. However, I definitely lost some of my strength. By
the end of P90X Round 1 I was curling 15s throughout the entire workout and now
I curl mostly 12s with a few sets of 15s, but not many. I use 10s for the
shoulder moves and 8s for the triceps. I know I took a little step back in arm
and shoulder strength, but know it’ll come back quickly. We weren’t able to
beat Tony with over 25 Side Tri Rises either, but I got in nearly 20 so I felt
good about that.

Legs and Back

Ah Legs and Back. I may call this the step-mother of all
workouts because it is definitely the most pain-inducing other than
Plyometrics. The wall squats were torturous (granted I did this workout after
my practice triathlon that morning so I’m sure I wasn’t at 100%). I was pleased
that I was still able to do six unassisted pull-ups which is the most I could
do at the end of P90X Round 1 as well (I can do 1 chin up, 1 pull-up and one
close grip pull-up at the beginning of each of these sets. I still can’t do
more than one in a row). I decided to use 8 lb weights instead of the 10 lb
weights that I was using at the end of the first round, mostly because I knew
that I had a 7 mile training run the next morning. However, it didn’t really
matter because I was unbelievably sore the next day. I was actually sore by
that evening! My glutes were by the far most sore (mike’s too) – literally sore
to the touch! What a workout!

Ab Ripper X

Ab Ripper really showed us how much we have atrophied from
our P90X heyday. By the end of our first round I was able to complete every
single move with great form, always choosing the advanced version (i.e. arms up
during In and Outs and Bicycles, crossed legs for Cross Leg/Wide Leg Sit Ups,
no touches for Leg Climbers, and all 50 Mason Twists, including the bonus).
However, I found that this week it was much more difficult to get through this workout.
I had to stop during Bicycles and Crunchy Frog (always been a hard one for me),
although I did keep my arms up for most of these. I was able to do crossed legs
and no touches for Cross Leg/Wide Leg Sit Ups and Leg Climbers, respectively,
but couldn’t pull out the Mason Twists! The first time my stomach was literally
burning. I got through the first 40 Mason Twists after Legs and Back but had to
break for a second before getting to the bonus round.

Body Changes From Day 0 to Present (Day 9)

I do have to say that I’m already seeing positive changes in
my body in just nine short days. The Shakeology Cleanse really helped with
that, but I’ve also noticed more definition in my arms and stomach. The day
after the cleanse was over I gained back 1 lb (to be expected considering my
stomach was so empty before) from my 5.8 lb weight loss, but this morning I was
back down to a total of 6 lbs lost in nine days. I’m hoping to lose an
additional four to five pounds. I told myself that I will reward myself with a
new pair of designer jeans when I hit my weight goal. So far I’ve had to
purchase new jeans but I didn’t want to splurge until I knew I was finished
losing (or wouldn’t gain it back) so I bought some cheap pairs.

In sum, P90X is HARD. I forgot that during my little break
and now that I’m back at it, I’m feeling strong, energetic and excited to take
on the next challenges! Bring it!

Workout Log

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Upcoming Races:

Surf City Marathon: February 5, 2012

Ironman Oceanside 70.3: March 31, 2012

Ironman Coeur D’Alene: June 24, 2012

Week of 12/19 – 12/25

Monday: 60 min Sufferfest “The Hunted” cycling workout (easy effort)

Tuesday: 8.5 mile run + Ab Ripper AM; Sufferfest “Downward Spiral” spin workout PM

Wednesday: Easy 45 minute spin & push-up/core exercises AM; 5 mile run at lunch

Week of 12/13-12/18

Monday: P90X2 Yoga

Tuesday: Sufferfest “A Very Dark Place” spin workout on trainer AM; 7 x 800 Yassos PM (6.3 miles)

Wednesday: 45 minute easy cycle on trainer + P90X Ab Ripper AM; 8 mile run PM

Thursday: Rest (Mike’s Holiday Party)

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 18.5 mile run

Sunday: 28 mile bike + 3 mile run

Week of 12/5-12/11 (Recovery Week)

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Insanity Fit Test & 6 mile run

Wednesday: Sufferfest – Angels Cycling video

Thursday: 6 mile run

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 16.5 mile run

Sunday: Girls on the Run 5k; 28 mile bike ride

Week of 11/28-12/4

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Run 3.1 miles with Girls on the Run (practice 5k) + Insanity Max Plyo

Wednesday: Sufferfest “Angels”

Thursday: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning and Cardio Abs AM; 7 x 800 Yassos PM (6.5 miles total)

Friday: Insanity Max Interval Circuit

Saturday: 38.5 mile bike (new route!) + 4 mile run BRICK

Sunday: 11.5 mile run (recovery)

Week of 11/21-11/27

Monday: 50 min Sufferfest “Very Dark Place” – easy effort AM; Insanity Max Plyo PM

Tuesday: 6 x 800 Yasso 800s – 6 miles total plus Insanity Cardio Abs

Wednesday: Insanity Max Interval Circuit

Thursday: Father Joe’s Thanksgiving Day 5k

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 43 mile bike ride

Sunday: 15 mile run

Week of 11/14 – 11/20

Monday: Insanity Max Plyo Circuit

Tuesday: 6 x 800 Yasso 800s intervals w/ warm-up and cool down – 6 miles total

Wednesday: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning and Cardio Abs

Thursday: 5 mile easy run AM; Yoga at lunchtime

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Insanity Max Interval Circuit; 25 mile bike ride

Sunday: 13 mile run

Week of 11/7 – 11/13

Monday: Rest (Vacation)

Tuesday: Insanity Max Plyo Circuit, 1.5 mile run (with Girls on the Run)

Wednesday: 60 minute Sufferfest Spin Workout on Trainer – “Fight Club”

Thursday: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning AM; “Yasso 800s” on treadmill PM – 5 min warm-up, 5 x 800 with 400 recovery jog, 5 min cool down jog

Friday: Insanity Max Interval Circuit

Saturday: 85 minute Sufferfest Spin Workout on Trainer – “Local Hero” and 4.3 mile run (Brick)

Sunday: 12 mile run

Week of 10/31-11/6 – “Recovery Week”

Monday: Insanity Core Cardio & Balance

Tuesday: 6 Mile Run

Wednesday: 60 min “Sufferfest” Cycling DVD -”Fight Club” AM; 60 min Dailey Method class PM

Thursday: 55 min moderate intensity spin on trainer PM

Friday: Insanity Core Cardio & Balance AM; 8 mile run PM

Saturday: Rest (Vacation)

Sunday: Rest (Vacation)

Week of 10/24-10/30

Monday: 60 minute Spinervals “Threshold Test and Sufferfest” DVD workout on trainer.

Tuesday: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Wednesday: Insanity Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs AM; 5 Yassos 800s PM – 10 min warm-up, 5 min cool down jog – 5 miles total

Thursday:  50 min Sufferfest (“A Very Dark Place”) Cycling Workout on Trainer AM; 5 mile easy run PM

Friday: Insanity Cardio Power and Resistance

Saturday: 42 mile bike ride + 3.5 mile run (brick)

Sunday: 10 mile run

Week of 10/17 – 10/23

Monday: 5 mile run at lunch; Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit PM

Tuesday: Insanity Fit Test

Wednesday: Insanity Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs AM; 4 x 800 (Yasso 800s) w/ warm-up and cool-down jog PM – 4.5 miles total

Thursday: Rest

Friday: Insanity Cardio Power and Resistance

Saturday: Brick workout: 43 mile bike ride (flat) and 3 mile run

Sunday: 4 mile Tempo Run. Mile 1: 9:20 Mile 2: 8:40 Mile 3: 8:20 Mile 4: 7:58 + 5 min cooldown

Week of 10/10-10/16

Monday: Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance

Tuesday: Insanity Pure Cardio AM; 6 mile run PM

Wednesday: Insanity Plyometric Circuit

Thursday: Rest

Friday: Insanity Plyometric Circuit; Cardio Abs

Saturday: 50 mile bike ride

Sunday: 9 mile run

Week of 10/3-10/9

Monday: Insanity Fit Test

Tuesday: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit AM; 5.8 mile run PM

Wednesday: Insanity Cardio Power and Resistance

Thursday: Insanity Cardio Recovery AM; 5.5 mile run PM

Friday: Insanity Pure Cardio

Saturday: 53 mile bike ride

Sunday: 8 mile run

Week of 9/25-10/2

Monday: P90X Shoulders and Arms/Ab Ripper AM; 1 hour Spin Class PM

Tuesday: P90X Plyometrics

Wednesday: 8 mile run (including 10 x 0.25 intervals) and Ab Ripper

Thursday:P90X Core Synergistics

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 25 mile bike ride

Sunday: Rest

Week of 9/18-9/25

Monday: 16 mile bike ride AM; 5 mile run PM

Tuesday: P90X Legs and Back/Ab Ripper AM

Wednesday: 1 hour spin class with 15 min warm up on own prior & 2 mile treadmill run brick

Thursday: 1 hour Daily Method Class

Friday: 5 mile run

Saturday: 45 mile bike ride

Sunday: Rest

Week of 9/12-9/18

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 16 mile bike ride

Wednesday: P90X Yoga

Thursday: Aquathon – 1000 m ocean swim; 3 mile  beach run

Friday: 15 mile bike ride

Saturday: 45 mile bike ride

Sunday: Rest

Week of 9/5-9/11 (End Modified Round of P90X)

Monday: 5 mile run

Tuesday: P90X Core Synergistics

Wednesday: P90X Yoga X AM; Master’s Swim PM (200 warm-up, 3 x 200 with drills, 8 x 100 medium-hard, 4 x 50 medium, 4 x50 hard, 4 x 50 sprint, cooldown)

Thursday: 4.25 mile run

Friday: 15.5 mile bike ride

Saturday: Walk

Sunday: TriRock Olympic Distance Triathlon – 1500 m swim, 14.5 mile bike, 6.2 mile run

Week of 8/29- 9/4

Monday: Run 5 miles & Technique Swim PM (less than 1,000 meters)

Tuesday: P90X Chest, Shoulders and Tris/Ab Ripper

Wednesday: 15 mile bike ride AM; 3 mile lactate threshold run PM

Thursday: P90X Back and Biceps/Ab Ripper

Friday: 60 minute spin class; 30 minute swim (focus on the catch)

Saturday: 32 mile bike ride

Sunday: 22 mile bike ride & 4.5 mile run brick

Week of 8/22-8/28

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: P90X Chest and Back/Ab Ripper AM; 17 Mile Bike Ride PM

Wednesday: P90X Plyometrics AM; TriClub Master’s Swim PM (300 warm up, 4 x 100 – 50 kick, 50 moderate, 10 x 100 base, 8 x 50 base, 6 x 50 kick, 4 x 50 fast/easy, 2 x 50 all out)

Thursday: 18 mile bike ride AM

Friday: 5 mile run and P90X Shoulders and Arms/Ab Ripper

Saturday: 40 mile bike & 3 mile run brick workout

Sunday: 19 mile bike ride

Week of 8/15-8/21

Monday: P90X Legs and Back/Ab Ripper AM

Tuesday: 17.5 mile bike ride AM; 4.3 mile run PM

Wednesday: P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps/Ab Ripper

Thursday: Lunchtime Yoga class; TriClub Aquathon PM (1,000 m ocean water swim; 3 mile beach run)

Friday: P90X Back and Biceps

Saturday: ~1.5 mile jog and stretch

Sunday: AFC Half Marathon – 13.1 miles

Week of 8/8-8/14

Monday: 6 Mile Run AM; Tri Club Master’s Pool Swim 1 hour PM (~2,000 meters – lots of speedwork)

Tuesday: P90X Chest and Back/Ab Ripper AM; 14.5 Mile Bike PM

Wednesday: 10 mile run AM

Thursday: Rest

Friday: P90X Shoulders and Arms/Ab Ripper AM

Saturday: TriClub Beginner Triathlon (300 meter swim, 7 mile bike, 2 mile run); 15 mile bike ride

Sunday: 8.75 mile run

Week of 8/1-8/7 (Vacation)

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Spin Class

Wednesday: Spin Class & Core Workout

Thursday: 4 Mile Run, 10 Minute Elliptical

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Spin Class

Sunday: 24 mile bike ride

Week of 7/25 – 7/31

Monday: AM P90X Legs and Back; Ab Ripper; Tri Club Master’s Pool Swim 1 hour PM (~2,700 meters)

Tuesday: Belly, Butt and Thighs Bootcamp (30 min) & 6 x 0.25 mile intervals (8 -8.5 mph) on treadmill with 0.10 mile recovery jog (6.3 mph) & cooldown (2.5 miles) at lunchtime; 16.4 mile bike PM

Wednesday: P90X Chest, Shoulders & Tris/Ab Ripper AM

Thursday: Plyometrics

Friday: P90X Back and Biceps/Ab Ripper

Saturday: 12 mile run

Sunday: 18 mile bike ride and 1 hour Dailey Method class

Week of 7/18 – 7/24

Monday: P90X Chest, Shoulders & Tris/Ab Ripper AM; Tri Club Master’s Pool Swim 1 hour PM (~2,550 meters)

Tuesday: 9 mile cycle AM (race course)

Wednesday: P90X Plyometrics

Thursday: P90X Back and Biceps/Ab Ripper AM; Tri Club Aquathon PM (1,000 meter swim; 3 mile run)

Friday: 9 mile cycle AM (race course)

Saturday: Open water swim clinic – short swim; 1.5 mile easy run

Sunday: Solana Beach Triathlon – 400 meter swim (plus uphill run to transition); 9 mile bike; 3.1 mile run

Week of 7/11- 7/17

Monday: P90X Chest, Shoulders & Tris/Ab Ripper AM;  Tri Club Master’s Pool Swim 1 hour 10 min PM (~2,700 meters)

Tuesday: P90X Plyometrics AM; 16.4 mile bike ride PM

Wednesday: P90X Back and Biceps/Ab Ripper

Thursday: 9 Mile Interval Run (1 mile warm up followed by 1 mile hard/1 mile medium intervals)

Friday: P90X Legs and Back/ Ab Ripper

Saturday: Rest (Vegas)

Sunday: Rest (Vegas)

Week of 7/4 – 7/10

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 16.4 mile bike ride

Wednesday: P90X Yoga AM; Tri Club Master’s Pool Swim 1 hour PM

Thursday: P90x Core Synergistics AM; 5.3 mile interval/hill run on treadmill at lunch (30 min “Tread and Shred” class plus 20 min on own)

Friday: Yoga X

Saturday: 12 mile run

Sunday: Core Synergistics

Week of 6/27-7/3

Monday: Yoga X

Tuesday: Plyometrics

Wednesday: Cycle 7 miles AM; Chest and Back/Ab Ripper PM

Thursday: P90X Shoulders and Arms/Ab Ripper AM; 5.3 mile treadmill interval run at lunchtime

Friday: Swim – 100 m warm up; 5 x 4 of 50 m drills with 10 seconds rest (Thumb to Thigh, Catch Up Stroke, Closed Fist, Sprint); 50 m breaststroke, 150 m cooldown – 1,300 meters total (~30 min)

Saturday: 10 mile run (9:05 pace)

Sunday: P90X Legs and Back

Week of 6/20-6/26

Monday: Yoga X AM; Swim 1,300 meters PM

Tuesday: Chest and Back/Ab Ripper AM; Cycle 12 miles PM

Wednesday: Plyometrics

Thursday: Arms and Shoulders/Ab Ripper AM; Aquathon PM (1000 meter ocean swim and 3 mile run)

Friday: 70 minute spin class; 10 minutes of stretching

Saturday: 9 mile run (hilly route up Torrey Pines)
Sunday: P90X Legs and Back/Ab Ripper

Week of 6/13 – 6/19 (Start of P90X Round 2 and Triathlon/Half Marathon Training)

Monday: Yoga X

Tuesday: Chest and Back/Ab Ripper AM; Learn to ride road bike PM (not much actual riding)

Wednesday: Plyometrics AM; Swim Technique Workout PM

Thursday: Arms and Shoulders/Ab Ripper AM

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Beginner’s Practice Triathlon (300 meter swim, 7 mile bike, 2 mile run); P90X Legs and Back/Ab Ripper

Sunday: Beginner’s Ocean Water Swim Clinic; 7 mile run

Learning to Swim Again

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When I tell people that I am going to be competing in a sprint triathlon, most people say that the part that would scare them the most is the swim. It is commonly mentioned that the swim leg is the most difficult for most triathletes, mostly because it is so entirely different than biking and running and also because many people don’t even know proper freestyle form.  The majority of the population’s swim experience involves playing Marco Polo in your neighbor’s pool or working up the courage to do a back dive off the community center’s diving board. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the American Red Cross, two in ten people that plan to swim, boat or fish this summer don’t even know how to swim!

Lucky for me, I swam on the swim team in high school, so I have been fairly confident in my ability to complete the 1/4 mile (about 400 meters) swim that is required in the Solana Beach Triathlon. This past Sunday I decided to get back in the water at my local gym and do some laps. After a couple laps, I was surprised at how winded I was. However, I was able to stay in the pool for about 40 minutes, swimming back and forth, mostly freestyle.

Refreshing My Technique with the TriClub

In order to ensure that I’m as prepared as possible for the race, I signed up for the San Diego Tri Club, which puts on various events each week that support swimmers, bikers and runners (literally there are 15 events a week it seems ranging from open water swims, a pool swim, group rides, beginner riding clinics, track workouts, etc). Each Monday and Wednesday, the group meets at the local JCC pool for a group swim. I put together a weekly routine for myself to ensure that I can get all my P90X workouts in as well as at least one long run, one short run, one bike and one swim per week. I decided to make Wednesday nights my group swim night.

This Wednesday I arrived a little early and was glad that my friends Asia and Jeremy were also going to be participating (they are doing the triathlon as well). The swim is split into two groups: Masters and Technique. The Masters lanes, which take up the majority of the Olympic distance pool (50 meters long – my high school pool was 25 meters), is for swimmers that want a drill-oriented workout. They pretty much swam the entire time. Our group, the technique group, was about 60% instruction, 40% swimming. The instructor, who was very frank and not very sweet, walked us through different elements of swim form, from the way you should kick your feet to the way you should breathe. It was definitely informative and useful, but I was absolutely freezing! Being in the water at 7:30 p.m. on a cold June night (ok it was in the low 60s but that’s cold to me), isn’t my idea of a fun way to spend the night. Although I was thankful to have learned proper technique, I was ready to get moving! We started with a 200 meter warm-up but the most we swam at one time after that was 100 meters. Many times we would just swim the 50 meters to the one end and listen to another technique talk and then swim 50 meters back.

Overall, I feel that I picked right back up with my form, just like how you can still ride a bike even if you haven’t taken a spin around the block in years. I am going to have Mike take a look at my form while I swim, but I think that everything she was telling us to do I was already doing. The most useful part was that it got me to think about my form and really concentrate on pushing my arms out as far as possible so that I could move as much water as possible. I also felt that it was useful to go over hip rotation and breathing.

Beginner Swim Technique Pointers
 
All of this technique talk got me to researching on proper form. Here are some tips that I picked up in my online research:

  • Focus your eyes on the bottom of the pool while swimming – don’t look up toward the wall or buoy or down toward the ground.
  • When reaching forward to perform a stroke, your body should pivot in the direction of the arm that is reaching forward.
  • When making a stroke with your arms, your fingers should be together so they can displace more water.  Your hands should make an ‘S’ motion underneath your body, first coming in towards your abdomen, then quickly changing direction and pushing the water out and behind you.
  • The main goal of the flutter kick is to keep the legs elevated so that they are inline with the rest of the body. Kick ffom your glutes, not from your calves/lower leg.
  • Exhale while your face is underwater. When you turn your head to breathe, you’ll only have a second to inhale. You do not have time to exhale completely and inhale while your mouth is clear of the water.
  • Rotate your head until your mouth just clears the water, and inhale sharply. Do not lift your head. The passage of your head and body through the water forms a bow wave as you swim. A pocket, or trough, then forms behind the bow wave, so the water level beside your head is lower than the surrounding water. If you keep your head properly positioned, your mouth will be in the trough, making it easy to breathe.

Benefits of Swimming

Although swimming may be the most daunting aspect of a triathlon, there are several benefits to swimming over other arobic exercises. First and foremost, it is a great way to get your heart rate up without the high impact pounding of running. Swimming is gentle on your body while working your heart and lungs. Also, it’s a great calorie burner. According to my favorite calorie calculator (here), a 150 pound woman would burn 414 calories swimming at a moderate pace for an hour and 666 calories swimming at a vigorous pace. Swimming is also a more relaxing sport and has been shown to relieve stress.

Although I thought I left my swimming career behind 10 years ago in high school, I’m excited to have swimming back in my life. I am looking forward to improving my technique, endurance and pace over the next several months. Stay tuned for plenty more swim adventures (including a beginner’s practice triathlon with a 300 meter swim in the bay and a open water swimming lesson from the TriClub).

Shakeology Cleanse – 5.8 lbs Down in 3 days!

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I survived the Shakeology Cleanse! As I mentioned in a recent post, I gained a few pounds after we finished our first round of P90X. It
wasn’t due to inactivity – I was running 4x/week and training for a marathon.
It was from eating too much! Anyway, this Monday we started P90X Round 2
(intermixed with triathlon and half marathon training) and I wanted to
jumpstart my phase 1 nutrition plan with the Shakeology Cleanse.

I’ve done a cleanse before – the infamous and downright miserable
Master Cleanse. After researching fasting and flushing cleanses such as this
one, I told myself I’d never cleanse like that again. The Shakeology Cleanse is
a healthy cleanse because it not only is very nutritious, it only lasts three
days, which isn’t harmful to your body.

Shakeology Cleanse Instructions

Here’s what you eat each day for three consecutive days:

  • 3 Shakeology Shakes – any flavor, mixed with water (and ice
    if you prefer).
  • No milk of any kind is allowed – dairy or not.
  • 1 vegetable salad with 4 oz of protein (recommended for
    dinner but you can eat at lunch if you’d like) and 2 tbsp of a non-fat or low fat dressing
  • Plenty of water
  • 2 cups of green tea (I don’t like tea so I didn’t have any)
  • Optional: 2 pieces of fruit
  • Total calories: ~600-850
  • Repeat these meals for three days.
  • Heavy exercise is not recommended. Light exercise (stretch,
    Yoga, walking) is preferred

Day 1

I set out on Day 1 with the intentions of following the
cleanse to a tee for at least this day. I was ready to shed all the nastiness that I put in my body
for the last three weeks and I wanted to put my will power to the test. I
started out the morning with Shakeology blended with ½ banana and ice. It
tasted pretty good! I wasn’t even hungry to start, still full from Mexican food
at cake that I ate at Mike’s graduation party the night before. But, by 11 a.m.
I was pretty ravenous. This is typical – I usually eat a very large breakfast
and a recovery shake (if I worked out) and then I have a mid-morning snack. If
I don’t have a snack, I’m more than ready for lunch at noon.

I must admit it was hard for me to get down the shake at
lunch. My stomach just wasn’t feeling great. I had it with a nectarine which
helped. I was busy at work so I didn’t think about food and I wasn’t tempted by
any treats at work mostly because I was so sick of junk food from the prior
weeks. By mid-afternoon, I was hungry again and had 1 cup of grapes. At about
five p.m. I had my third shake of the day, knowing that I needed energy for
Yoga X (we started our 2nd round of P90X on Monday with yoga first
due to our triathlon and running schedules but plan to do the rest of the
workouts in the correct order). Right before Yoga, I had a kiwi as well.

That evening Mike and I did Yoga X and I had
plenty of energy, although the workout was very hard! I forgot how difficult
yoga can be especially when you haven’t been working at it for a while. I knew
I’d be sore the next day. After Yoga, I made a big salad with 4 ounces of
chicken that I seasoned with Italian seasoning and a bit of salt. The salad had
red bell peppers, onion, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms and 2 tbsp of Trader
Joe’s Cilantro dressing (which afterward I realized has a bit of dairy which is
a no-no). A salad has never tasted as good as this one did! I had one
strawberry for dessert. I felt totally satisfied right afterward; however about
45 minutes later I was pretty hungry, but I pushed past it and went to bed.

Total calories: ~980

Day 2

I woke up on Tuesday feeling much lighter. Monday morning
was definitely a heavy weigh in for me (I was 6 lbs more than my P90X Round 1
final weigh in which is 2 lbs more than I’d seen on the scale for months), so I
was definitely expecting a different number on the scale on Tuesday. Sometimes
I weigh myself on Monday and then Tuesday I’ll have dropped 2 lbs – I think I
retain water on Mondays from all the carbs I eat over the weekend! Anyway, the scale dropped four pounds! Four pounds
in one day! I was pretty happy. I definitely felt lighter and smaller. My pants
even felt looser (my boss tried the cleanse last week and also reported her pants fitting looser on the 2nd day).

My big weight loss gave me extra motivation to work hard on
Day 2. However, I knew that Day 2 would be harder because I had P90X Chest and
Back scheduled for the morning and also planned to learn to ride my bike after
work. I knew I’d need a little more energy. Chest and Back and Ab Ripper were
very hard that morning, but I didn’t lack energy – just strength. I can
definitely tell a difference in my strength level from when we finished P90X at
the end of April. I definitely think I’ve still retained a lot of my strength,
but by no means all of it. Ab Ripper was pretty brutal – I couldn’t’ even
finish the Mason Twists! My stomach felt like it was on fire.

On Tuesday I had Shakeology with half banana and ice again
for breakfast. Mid-morning I couldn’t handle it any longer and I had to eat the
two boiled egg whites that I brought (big splurge – 40 calories! Haha). By noon
I was ready for my second Shakeology. I mixed it with water since I was at work
and paired it with about six fresh strawberries. I swear the strawberries
almost tasted like they were chocolate covered! I wish!  In the afternoon I had about a cup of
cantaloupe and also some carrots. At 5 p.m. I had my last Shakeology mixed with
water. At about 7:30 p.m. I had a big asian chicken salad made with red
peppers, cucumbers, tomato, onion, carrots, 4 oz of chicken coated with yellow
curry powder, and 2 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s spicy Asian salad dressing (70
calories). It was delicious!!! However, within 20 minutes of the meal I was
really hungry so I had a few strawberries and a nectarine.

Total Calories: ~1195

Day 3

I was excited to get back on the scale Wednesday morning and
was pleased with another pound lost for a total of five pounds lost in two days. My stomach felt flatter and I felt
lighter overall. We started the morning with the mother of all P90X workouts,
Plyometrics. My energy level was fairly good, but definitely not 100%. I think
the workout was also difficult because it had been about six weeks since we’d
done it. Mike and I were both dripping with more sweat than usual afterward.
Surprise surprise, for breakfast I had Shakeology blended with half a banana,
ice and water. For some reason, this was the tastiest shake yet.

I was pretty hungry by mid-morning and had a kiwi. I decided
to have my salad for lunch because I knew I’d be starving from a hard interval
workout that morning. Additionally, Wednesday night was my first TriClub swim
workout. I knew that I’d need to eat a real meal before a workout like that. I
made a tuna salad with a little more protein than recommended. I mixed 1 can of
tuna (150 calories) with some low-fat mayonnaise and added it to greens with
cucumber, red pepper, onion and tomato. I mixed it all up with standard, calorie-free
yellow mustard. This is one of my go-to salads for Phase1 of P90X as well. I
absolutely love tuna (and mustard) so it actually tastes really good to me! At
about 2 p.m. the hunger hit again and I went for my final fruit of the day, a
cup of grapes. Then it hit again – and luckily I had packed some extra snacks.
I had two boiled egg whites and some carrots. At 4 p.m. I have my second
Shakeology of the day because I was really hungry. I had hoped to hold out til
6 p.m. since I had a 7:30 swim scheduled. Since I was still hungry a 6 p.m. and
knew I had a workout to get to, I ate a Kashi protein bar to help keep me from
fainting in the pool (especially since it was my first group swim and I had no
idea what to expect). The workout ended up being mostly instruction and not as
much swimming (although still at least 1,000 meters), and by the time I got
home and showered it was 9 p.m. I happily made my last Shakeology with ice and
half a banana and went to bed.

Total Calories: ~1270

Final Results:

On Thursday I weighed in at 5.8 pounds lighter than Monday.
Success!

Although I know that I didn’t lose 5.8 pounds of fat in
three days, the cleanse was a success in that it made me feel refreshed,
lighter, and better overall. My stomach is back to being perfectly flat as
well. I wish I had taken measurements to see how many inches I lost, because I
can guarantee that I lost a bit. I was feeling very bloated, heavy and bogged
down from all the heavy meals I had been eating, and the cleanse rid me of all
of this! I now feel great about where I am – back at my P90X final results
weight. I’m ready to work hard to build up some of the muscle that I lost
during our nearly seven weeks off of P90X and get ready to film my infomercial
video!

Now, would I do it again? Yes. Although some of the shakes
were harder to get down than others, this cleanse was nothing like the nasty
Master Cleanse (I lost 5 lbs in 5 days on that one and that was a digestive
cleanse as well – i.e. you drink salt water to flush everything from your colon
- gross). This cleanse was only three days and although I was pretty hungry at
times, overall I didn’t feel famished. I got to eat real food (fruit and salad)
so I didn’t feel like a freak mixing lemons with water, maple syrup and cayenne
pepper in the office kitchen. My energy levels weren’t bad – definitely not
100% but I was able to complete four workouts while cleansing.

Try the Cleanse!

If you’d like to order Shakeology and try this cleanse for
yourself, you can order a month’s supply from my Beachbody site (if you want free
shipping, sign up for Home Direct – you can later cancel it before the second
shipment comes) here: http://myshakeology.com/esuite/home/fitnessfatale .

My website also contains all the information you need to know about the nutrition content of Shakeology. Take a look here.

Becoming a Triathlete

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Ready to Roll!

With the Solana Beach Sprint Triathlon only six weeks away, I’ve had to dive straight into training even though I’m only a week out from my first marathon.  Luckily, I’ve got the run part of the triathlon covered with my marathon training and I was on the swim team in high school so I have a slight advantage there. The bike is the going to be the biggest adjustment for me.

My First Swim and Spin

On Sunday I started my triathlon training officially with a spin class and my first swim in 10 years. I got to the gym early so that I could reserve a spot in the coveted 8:30 a.m. spin class and then went to the locker to room to change into my swim gear. After putting on a one piece bathing suit and swim cap for the first time in the last decade, I made my way to the pool and got in. It didn’t take long for me to warm up and get back into the familiar rhythm of freestyle stroke. I even was able to remember how to do a flip turn without getting water up my nose!

I started out with a few easy laps. The pool was 25 meters long and at first I took breaks after each there and back. After a while I started going even longer, to 50 meters, and by the end, I completed a 200 meter swim without stopping, flip turns and all. I did a few laps of breast stroke as well (my main swim event in high school). I cooled down after about 35 minutes, for a total of a 40 minute swim. Not too bad for my first swim back! Overall, I was surprised by how winded I was by swimming laps. For some reason I don’t remember it being such a great cardiovascular workout.

After changing back into my normal gym gear, I hopped on a stationary bike in the group fitness room and did a 60 minute spin class, complete with standing and sitting sprints and lots of very steep hills. It felt great to be back in class. For a while last year I was a regular at a 6 a.m. spin class at the gym near my old house, attending about two classes per week. However, since I moved away from that gym and really started training seriously for marathons (and started P90X), I haven’t been back.

Learning the Basics

Pumping the Tire

Luckily one of the things that I don’t have to buy for this triathlon is a bike. My dad is only slightly taller than me (bike frames are sized mostly based on your height), and he agreed to lend me his road bike. A month or so ago Mike and I went to the bike shop and purchased a helmet, shoes, and bike shorts for me. We also got two new tubes and tires, because both of the tires on my dad’s bike were flat.

On Monday night, Mike gave me my first real lesson in triathlon training – how to change a tire. If you happen to get a flat tire during a race, you have three choices: 1) ride on the flat, 2) walk or run your bike, or 3) change the flat. On a short course like a sprint, I’d probably chose 1 or 2, but on a longer race like a 70.3 mile half Ironman, I’d have to change it myself. Not to mention if I ever start riding my bike to work, I’ll have to change a flat if I get one on the way. Unfortunately, flats are very common so I will definitely need this skill several times during my triathlon career.

Used Supplies

Changing the tire was much more difficult and time consuming than I anticipated. Luckily, most of the time you only have to change the tube that is inside the tire and it is easier to fix. Replacing both the tube and the tire like we did is more difficult.  Although I think that I picked up most of what he taught me, I may need a refresher. I really hope that Mike is around for my next flat!

Learning to Clip In

Curious Bum

Triathlon training 101 continued on Tuesday night with my first ride on the bike. We didn’t schedule a serious ride, just a training session on how to clip in and out of the bike pedals and get it going. We went to a local park and got the bike on some hard grass. First Mike gave me a lesson on how to get my shoes in the clips. As soon as he started talking, a curious bum came over and stared at us for a while, standing a little too close for comfort. Eventually he started asking a ton of questions about what we were doing biking on the grass. He had no idea what clips were. He also asked us how much the bike cost, how many gears it had and how much it weighed.

Clipping In

Once our new friend got distracted and left, we went on with the lesson. I was very nervous that I was going to immediately plop over, but with a lot of luck and some skill, I got my feet clipped in on the first try and was riding the bike across the grass! I even was able to slow down and clip out without falling. I practiced this maneuver over and over again, probably over ten times.

My Fall!

Once I had a bit more confidence, I decided to try to brake harder to stop and when the bike stopped suddenly, I wasn’t able to get my feet out of the pedals quickly enough and I toppled over. It was exactly like everyone said it would be – I felt myself falling but there was literally no way to stop it. Just embrace the fall.

Group Support from the San Diego Tri Club

Overall, I’m feeling both nervous and excited for the race. I’m glad that I have several weeks to practice but I’m not 100% confident that it will be enough time for me to get completely comfortable on the bike and swim portions. However, we (Asia, Jeremy, Mike and I) joined the local Triathlon Club and there are a ton of resources to help us get better (Mike has already done an Ironman so he doesn’t need the help but the rest of us are all newbies!).

The first event we are attending is a group swim tomorrow night at a local community center. The second event will be a very informal practice triathlon for beginners this Saturday. The “race” will be very short and very informal. My main fear is that I will fall over while clipped in. Luckily the swim is in a bay so we won’t have to deal with the waves.

P90X and Triathlon Training

As previously mentioned, Mike and I have also started our second round of P90X. We will be training for a triathlon and a half marathon (in August) while we do this round. We’ll be getting a minimum of one bike, one swim and one long run in per week on top of five of the six P90X workouts (no Kenpo). I hope that this schedule isn’t too difficult to maintain because I really don’t want to give up any of the workouts! I would have a hard time choosing which P90X workout to skip.

Here we go! Swim – Bike – Run!!!!

A Fresh Start

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It should say "as FIT feels" but you get the pointMy Love/Hate with Food

If you haven’t picked up on it already by reading my blog, I have a love/hate relationship with food. I absolutely love good food – I expect high quality ingredients in everything I eat and I expect every meal I have to be delicious. I’ve always been quite high maintenance when it comes to food – always voicing my opinion where and what to eat. It is something that I struggle with because I would like to be seen at someone who is “easy going” but when it comes to food, I’m not.

Well, since we finished P90X and I no longer had those final results and pictures to aim for, I’ve definitely let my love of food take over. In addition, we’ve been training for a marathon so I’ve justified eating high calorie foods as part of “carbo-loading” or just because I deserved them for my hard work. Unfortunately, I didn’t always deserve them because about 10 days before the marathon I got sick and took about five days off of working out (with one long run in between) because of it. Instead of cutting back on my consumption, I ended up increasing the calories I was eating due to social obligations that had me eating out frequently  (and let’s be honest I just didn’t really try).

Can Marathons Make you FatMarathons require a taper which includes carboloading and also require rest afterward. It is advised not to cut back on calories before or after a marathon because you body needs the fuel. More excuses for me to overindulge. It doesn’t help that June seems to be the busiest month of the year with the exception of December when it comes to food-oriented social obligations – weddings, graduations, dinners out, etc. So where did all this lack of exercise and overindulgence put me? With a 4-5 pound weight gain and a lot of guilt.

I am mostly disappointed in myself because I was so amped on my results and nutrition changes during P90X that I proudly proclaimed how this was a lifestyle choice and I was no longer excited by sweet potato fries, pizza and beer. Yeah right.  

Well, the lesson has been learned. Training for a marathon doesn’t warrant excessive overindulgence. Even my running coach mentioned at our pasta carbo-loading dinner that it is nearly impossible to lose weight during marathon training. There is just too much food around (not to mention you eat a solid breakfast pre-long run then several Gus during the run and then a recovery drink after the run followed by a large meal and several other snacks/meals throughout the day due to intense hunger).

Round 2 of P90X Here We Come!

Mike is also feeling out of shape (we haven’t done any weight lifting in weeks), so we set our sights on starting back on P90X full swing starting tomorrow, Monday, June 13. Originally we didn’t plan to do P90X all out until after September due to the fact that we have a couple of triathlons planned plus we’re running another half marathon in August. However, as vain as it sounds, Mike and I both want to look good for our week long beach vacation in the Dominican Republic the first week of August and we know that swimming, biking and running isn’t going to get us where we want without a proper diet and weight training. So the plan is to put P90X first, and add in at least one bike, swim and run per week (no Kenpo again).

I’m Going to be on TV!

Another HUGE reason I want to get back onto P90X and the nutrition plan is that I have been selected to be in the new P90X infomercial. I submitted my before/after pictures for a random drawing for $400 that Carl Daikeler tweeted about, and was soon contacted by a representative at Beachbody that said she would like to use my pictures for the infomercial. I agreed and sent in the required paperwork. Then, this past week she called me and told me that they want me to also create a video for the infomercial! I immediately told her that I wasn’t’ in the shape I was in when I took the after pictures and asked for some addition time. She said I could have as long as I want, as they are early on in putting it together. 

Get Back in Shape Plan

The informercial and the beach vacation are just the two motivators I need to not only get back to where I was, but to get even better! Starting tomorrow, I am going to start P90X and triathlon training. Additionally, I am going to try to do the Shakeology Cleanse. I’m not sure that I will be able to do the Shakeology Cleanse perfectly for all three days because I have several workouts scheduled (it is calorie restrictive) but I plan to follow it exactly for Monday at the least, and perhaps modify it for Tuesday/Wednesday with additional fruit, veggies and protein (it’s only 3 days – I will do a separate blog about it). After the cleanse, I plan to follow Phase 1 of P90X (I lost 8 lbs in 4 weeks last time) with one cheat meal/week. I am going to try to cut back on alcohol significantly as well, but not completely give it up.

Stay tuned for some new blog posts about the cleanse, our second round of P90X, AND triathlon training. I’ve got a lot of my plate but I am ready to conquer these goals and get back on track!

So You Just Ran a Marathon…Now What? (Post-Race Recovery)

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Don't Sleep Before Properly Recovering From the Race!

Wow! I knew training for a marathon would be a lot of work,
but the one thing I didn’t think about was how much work it would be to
recover! You can’t just run a marathon and wake up the next day and go back to
normal life. Well I guess you could, but normal life would be full of pain and
it would take you longer to get back to running.

According to my running coach and several articles I read, it
can take two to three weeks to fully recover from a marathon. Some say that you
should take one day off for each mile you have raced – i.e. 26 days. Hal Higdon
takes these 26 “rest” days to mean that you shouldn’t run hard or race for 26
days. This doesn’t mean you can’t do some easy runs; just don’t overdo it. The
training after your marathon should near mirror your taper before the marathon
– i.e. the week following the marathon should involve a lot of rest and some
running but not much. The weeks that follow can include more running but no
intervals or hard workouts.

The Day of the Marathon

In an ideal world (i.e. you have unlimited time and
resources to actually accomplish all of these tasks), the day of the marathon
should consist of:

  • Eating healthy, high carbohydrate foods
  • Drinking a lot of fluids, including sports drinks with
    electrolytes (avoid alcohol)
  • Getting into warm, dry clothes
  • A long walk before any long term sitting
  • Elevation of legs/feet
  • A lukewarm or cold shower with Epsom salt (no hot showers
    which can further damage lactic acid-soaked muscles)
  • A light massage (but no vigorous stretching)
  • A good night’s sleep

As for my race-day recovery, it went a little like this:
immediately following the finish, I walked around a bit, bent over and
stretched (realized this was painful and quickly stopped), grabbed a couple of
water bottles and ate an orange (it took me about 20 minutes to want to eat it
though). I stood at the finish area for about 15 minutes, talking to friends
and recapping the race, then headed over to the VIP tent which was quite a
distance away. Once we got to the VIP tent, we sat down for a bit and then I
got a plate of food from the free buffet and ate a little bit of macaroni and
cheese (the other food was pretty gross). I also drink some cytomax recovery
drink.

After a little more race recap (and meeting some of the Kenyan runners
who were eating at our table, including the 3rd place marathon
finisher), I changed into dry, warm clothes. About a half hour later we took
the trolley back to our car and then drove to the harbor where we had an all
you can eat champagne brunch (oops broke the no alcohol rule) which definitely
included plenty of carbs (pancakes, fruit, breakfast potatoes, cookies, ice
cream, you name it). Since it was a buffet, I wasn’t sitting down for all that
long (plus this is when the 16 water stops during the race finally caught up to
me and I was in the bathroom every 30 min). Afterward, Asia, Jeremy, Mike and I
went to PB and had more drinks at a restaurant near the beach. When we arrived
home at about 6:30, I took a warm shower, relaxed for a bit and then we walked
to a local restaurant for a chicken, veggie and brown rice stir fry bowl. We
were in bed by 10 p.m. and slept until 8 a.m. (10 hours!) So I hit about 4-5 of
the major points (I got the high carb but not the healthy part of the food)
above. Not too bad.

The Two-Four Days After the Marathon

Basically, all articles point to REST for these days in addition
to some short walks. Most say to not even cross-train. Blake did say that we
could do some light cross-training. On Monday and Tuesday I went for about a 2
mile walk and also tried not to sit for too long. On Tuesday night I stretched
for the first time.

The perfect time for a massage after the marathon is between
24-48 hours. I had my massage at 3 p.m. on Monday, about 28 hours after the
race. Perfect. It felt amazing, although I wish that she had focused more on my
legs. It wasn’t a sports massage, just a relaxation massage, although sports
massages are recommended.

On Wednesday I was feeling much better and did Core
Synergistics in the morning. This is usually part of P90X’s recovery week, so I
figured it was a good cross training exercise. I felt great doing it and made
sure to stretch afterward for longer than usual.

As for nutrition this week, it is emphasized not to diet.
The scale may actually indicate a 2-4 pound weight gain right after the
marathon due to water retention to help the body repair. Since the body is in
full recovery mode, you need to listen to it and eat what it wants you to eat,
in moderation. Don’t count calories or diet, just listen to what your body is
telling you and always eat when hungry.

I definitely followed this advice – there was no P90X
nutrition plan in store for me this week with several social obligations that
had me eating lots of pasta (I was not happy about a required work dinner at a
pasta restaurant – I was so sick of carbs after eating them non-stop for a full
week before the marathon). Although I did make myself a healthy salad for lunch
a couple of days, overall I didn’t create any calorie deficits (pretty hard to
do when you aren’t working out and you have to eat out several times).

When Can I Run Again?

Since I am ramping up for more training (my first triathlon
in July and a half marathon in August), I wanted to recover was quickly as
possible. Recovery will vary based on whether or not you have another running
race to get to. If your latest marathon was the last you plan on running for at
least several months or more, you can literally just stop running. But if you
plan to run again, the absolute earliest you can consider going for a run is
Thursday, i.e. 4 days after the race. I decided to wait until Saturday to try
my first run. On Thursday instead I participated in my office lunchtime yoga
class. I listened to my body on Friday and took the day off of exercise and got
9 hours of sleep Thursday night.

Up until I began researching for this blog post, I was
planning on starting P90X, Triathlon and Half Marathon training hardcore on
Monday. Well, although I still plan to start P90X and tri training on Monday,
I’m going to take it easier than planned. According to every article I read,
you should not do any intense training (i.e. intervals or anything that gets
your heart rate about 75% maximum) for at least 3 weeks post marathon. Some
recommend waiting up to six weeks before
incorporating hard workouts. The body is very prone to injury after a very
intense race. I plan to do a nice and easy 5-6 mile run tomorrow (Saturday, 6
days from the race) and then start working my way into half marathon training
with 7 next week.

The important part to stress in marathon recovery is that
you need to listen to your body. If your body feels exhausted after 9 hours of
sleep, then sleep 10 hours. If you don’t feel like working out one night, then
don’t. This is the time that you are most prone to injury and it’s important to
listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Personally, this is the hardest
part for me because I am VERY antsy to get back into my workout groove. I got
sick a week and a half before the marathon and took several days off and then
started the taper and then took a few days off after the race. I am craving a
hard, sweaty workout and it will be hard for me to hold back!