Monthly Archives: July 2012

Patience is a Virtue I Lack

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So one thing that I did not anticipate about this whole Ironman recovery thing is how long it would last. I figured, a few weeks of sleeping in, and a few more of light workouts and I’d be good as new and ready to crush my former PR at the America’s Finest City Half Marathon on August 19. Unfortunately my body isn’t on the same page as my mind.

After taking 2 solid weeks off of all working out and then spending the next two weeks slowly getting back into things with some running,  yoga and random workout classes (about 5 hours of workouts per week with lots of sleeping in), I thought that all that rest might add some pep to my step by week 5. During the first few runs I had after the Ironman, I felt pretty bad. My pace was slow, my heart rate high. I expected this. Luckily most of the runs were with friends so I could chat it up and ignore the discomfort. I didn’t push the pace and ran at paces I haven’t seen on my Garmin in a very long time (with the exception of some of those dreadful 16-20 mile Sunday runs following a 80-100 mile Saturday bike ride). I was ok with this since I knew that I was still in recovery mode. My body just went through something pretty epic and it’s probably pretty freaking tired.

However, now that we’re in post-race week 6, I’m ready for my body to snap out of the funk. I’m not quite so patient anymore. I’m eager to get back into some solid running and I’m ready to start seeing some encouraging heart rates and average paces on Garmin Connect. However, my body isn’t on board with my plan. Although last Monday I did have a nice, pretty comfortable run without focusing on pace, I was running at a 9:50 min/mile! Not even close to the 8 min/miles I need for a sub-1:45. Then Friday Asia and I ran 60 minutes together with a negative split on the 2nd half (per her coach) and we felt like we were really pushing it on that second half only to find our average pace for 7 miles was 9:10. Both of our average heart rates were way too high. It’s clear I need more time to recover.

As of now, my goal of a sub-1:45 half marathon is no where in sight for AFC and honestly, I’m not sure I will even PR. This bothered me quite a bit in the beginning and now I’ve become slightly more accepting of it, but it still is hard for me to deal with. I’ve never not PRed in a race and next year I want to qualify for Boston. To qualify for Boston, I need to run a 8:15 min/mile for 26.2 miles. According to McMillan, this means I should be able to  bust out a 1:42 half marathon. I was hoping to run a 1:45 half at AFC to give me the confidence that I can run a 1:42 later in the season and also qualify for Boston in early 2013.

You may say, “WHO cares how fast you run!? Does it really matter?” No,  it really doesn’t. And I’m working on being ok with it not mattering. When I start the AFC half marathon it will have only been 8 weeks since the Ironman and I need to remind myself that my time isn’t going to be an indicator of whether or not I can qualify for Boston next year. Instead, I need to remember that my body is STILL recovering from the Ironman and if I push it too hard now, I’m going to mess it up. My thoughts need to be on the long term, not short term. Easier said than done but I’m working on it!

Are you as impatient as me when it comes to recovery? If you have raced an Ironman, did it take you this long to recover? 

Recipe – Scott Jurek’s Lentil Mushroom Burgers

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Since moving toward a more plant-based diet, I’ve been discovering an incredible amount of delicious recipes. It has been really fun to try them all out and figure out which ones we like and which we don’t. Surprisingly, we’ve liked all the recipes we’ve tried so far! My co-worker yesterday called vegan food “cardboard” but I have to say that every home-cooked meal I’ve had so far has been even more flavorful than my routine meals. Since starting this lifestyle, we are eating a much wider variety of foods, we’ve bought at least 5 new spices and we always have fresh herbs on hand.

Scott Jurek’s book Eat And Run finishes each chapter with a vegan recipe. So far I’ve tried two and they have both been delicious. The following recipe is the first that we tried since we switched to a plant-based diet just before the 4th of July and we wanted to bring something tasty to the BBQ we attended. Since many veggie burgers on the market are actually not vegan (often they contain eggs or some sort of dairy so always read the ingredients before purchasing!) and I love to cook, I decided to make our own. Although the burgers do take a while to prepare (give yourself at least an hour and then another 20-30 minutes for them to cool) and there are a lot of ingredients, once you have everything you need, there isn’t a lot of extra things to buy. ‘

Recipe: 

Here is the recipe, thanks to Scott’s website (I recommend buying the book even though some of his recipes are online-it’s a great story):

Ingredients: 

    • 1 cup dried green lentils (2 1⁄4 cups cooked)
    • 2 1⁄4 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 1⁄4 cups finely chopped onion
    • 3⁄4 cup finely chopped walnuts
    • 2 cups fine bread crumbs (see Note)
    • 1⁄2 cup ground flax seed (flax seed meal)- I accidentally bought whole flax seeds and it still worked
    • 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms
    • 1 1⁄2 cups destemmed, finely chopped kale, spinach, or winter greens- I used kale
    • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika

In a small pot, bring the lentils, water, parsley, 1 garlic clove, and 1⁄4 cup of the onion to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the lentils are soft.

While the lentils are cooking, combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, and flax seed in a bowl. Add the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and paprika and mix well.

Sauté the remaining onion, remaining garlic, the mushrooms, and greens in the oil for 8 to 10 minutes, then set aside. Remove the lentils from the heat, add the vinegar and mustard, and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon to a thick paste. I don’t have a potato masher so I used a big spoon to mash them but many were still left in tact – it seemed to still work without completely mashing them into a paste. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the lentils, sautéed veggies, and bread crumb mixtures, and mix well. Cool in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes or more.

Using your hands, form burger patties to your desired size and place on waxed paper. Lightly fry in a seasoned skillet, broil, or grill until lightly browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Extra uncooked patties can be frozen on wax paper in plastic bags or wrapped. The first time I made this recipe, it made 9 big burgers. The second time, 8 even bigger ones. Apparently you can make 12 if you make them small but I prefer big ones!

Taste & Tips: 

These burgers tasted amazing. The first time we had them was at a BBQ so they were on a soft, white bun. The second time we had them on Ezekiel bread and they were still good. They are very dense and filling and absolutely delicious! They nearly taste like meat – no joke! You can clearly tell they aren’t, but they definitely satisfy. The first time I made them we were in a hurry so I formed them while they were still semi warm and I had left the mix as is while refrigerating. The second time, after I mixed them all together, I kneeded them a bit with my hands so that it was a big ball and everything was stuck together. The second time the patties stayed together much better so I definitely recommend that method.

Do you have any veggie burger recipes? Let me know if you try this recipe and enjoy it! 

No Post IM Depression Here!

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The Post-Ironman glow has rubbed off. Yesterday marked one month since I crossed the finish line at Coeur D’Alene. My day to day life is pretty different than it was for the last 6 months and I’m really enjoying it. I’ve read things about Post Ironman Depression that sets in due to the fact that the goal you’ve been working toward for so long has passed and now you are left without anything to aim for. Although there are moments where I miss being back in the mindset of training for a big event, all in all I’m pretty happy with my extra free time and have been enjoying doing whichever workouts I feel like (or skipping them all together and sleeping in).

Ironman.com has an entire article dedicated to Post Ironman Depression which includes the following tips for combating it:

  1. Expect to suffer a bit of a letdown. You’ve poured yourself into attaining this goal. The mood probably will last longer if you did not perform as well as expected.
  2. Establish a new goal. Preferably, have that new goal in place before your Ironman race.
  3. Reward yourself upon finishing an Ironman. Two-time Ironman Hawaii champion Scott Tinley used to treat himself and his family to a Kauai vacation after the race. For some it might be a shopping spree or as simple as permitting yourself to sleep in.
  4. Get away from your triathlon base and socialize with your non-triathlon friends

Personally, I wasn’t let down with my performance at the Ironman. I wish I had been able to run a bit of a faster marathon, but I still accomplished my goal of finishing! I also accomplished my personal goal of a sub-14 hour Ironman. I am satisfied with the way I raced and I’m not really putting any pressure on myself to ever do another Ironman again and improve my time. I may end up doing one,  but if I don’t, I’ll be satisfied with my performance at my one and only.

I had actually been advised during training that it is a good idea to sign up for a race post-Ironman to give yourself something to work for after the big race. I signed up for the AFC half marathon and the Long Beach marathon which will both be stepping stones to my potential Boston qualifying marathon in 2013. I had originally thought that I could go for a big PR at AFC and possibly run sub 1:45  but my recovery has taken longer than I expected and my pace on runs has been nearly 2 min slower than the pace I’d need to hold for a 1:45, so I’m not getting my hopes up for conquering that goal at AFC. Although it is frustrating that it is taking so long to recover, I know that eventually I’ll be back to my normal self and ready to train hard again.

In Vegas – I haven’t gotten this fancy in a while!

As for the third suggestion – rewarding yourself – I’ve got that covered! The few days after the race we indulged in delicious food and beer and a week and a half later I went to Vegas for some girly shenanigans on the strip. This goes along with the fourth suggestion as well – socializing with non-triathlon friends. It has been pretty awesome to have enough time to catch up with all my friends and spend quality time with them. Although I took the first two weeks completely off of exercising, since I’ve been back I’ve been doing group fitness classes with friends and co-workers and tagging along with Asia on some of her trail runs. I’ve been really enjoying sleeping in and only doing workouts that I feel like doing. I’ve done yoga, a belly,  butt and thighs boot camp, Pilates, spin classes and several runs along the coast or on the trails. Mike and I went for a group run at our local Moving Shoes with another couple training for AFC and another night we did the Road Runner Adventure Run. I haven’t put the pedals back on my tri bike yet and I haven’t sported a cap and goggles since race day. I’m just doing what sounds fun and loving it!

Trail Running!

The San Diego Classic Triathlon Info & Discount Code!

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After Coeur D’Alene, I reassessed some of my 2012 goals and mentioned that I would most likely not be racing another triathlon this year. The decision had much to do with money but partially with a lack of motivation to get back into swim/bike/run so soon after the race. After cheering on the rest of Team WODS the Solana Beach Sprint Triathlon yesterday, which was my first triathlon last year, I got more excited to possibly add one more race to my 2012 schedule.  I have been working with Moment Cycle Sport, the company that puts on the San Diego Triathlon Classic, to get a discount on this race and they were nice enough to not only get me a discount but also share one with my readers!

Although I’m pretty new to the San Diego Triathlon scene, I have heard good and bad things about local races. One of the recommended races that I’ve been looking forward to racing is the San Diego Triathlon Classic because I’ve heard it is well organized, scenic, and has an awesome beer and mimosa garden post race! Personally, the timing is great for me since this race is on Saturday, September 8 which is just about 11 weeks post-Ironman and also happens to not be a weekend I have a wedding or bachelorette party. Score! I also like the fact that it is a  Saturday race which means I can still get in my marathon long run the next day if I”m feeling well enough to do so.

Race Details

The 750 or 1500 meter (sprint vs. Olympic distance) swim is a rectangular, calm course in San Diego Bay with water temps in the high 60s. The 20k, one loop or 40k, two loop bike course is hilly but not overly challenging. Cyclists will ride through the scenic Pt. Loma to the Cabrillo National Monument. The 5k or 10 k run takes place within the beautiful NTC park at Liberty Station which means runners will never be missing a view of gorgeous San Diego harbor.

Beautiful Run Course

According to Active.com , the San Diego Triathlon Classic boasts the most spectator friendly transition and course areas in all of Southern California. A unique multi-loop course allows spectators, families, and friends to see participants multiple times during the course of the event, as well as at the finish line. In addition to the beautiful views of the downtown skyline and San Diego Bay, there are restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, a children’s playground, additional park space, and additional shopping opportunities within walking distance of the start/finish area.

The race is known for some pretty cool looking medals and a sweet beer, wine and mimosa garden.

Registration &  Discount Codes

To register for the San Diego Triathlon Classic, click here: http://bit.ly/SDClassicTri

Discount Code for Sprint ($5 off):  FATALESPRINT

Discount Code for Olympic ($15 off): FITNESSFATALE

Come join me for this fabulous race!!!

Plant Based Living

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About a month ago, Mike and I watched a documentary that I believe will change the way we eat for the rest of our lives. The movie is called “Forks Over Knives” and it is an extremely provocative argument against eating animal protein, including both meat and dairy. Although I have watched a few food documentaries in the past, including “Food Inc” and “Super Size Me,” they didn’t change much about my eating habits. I already completely avoid fast food (with the occasional In & Out) and in general ate a diet of fruits, veggies, nuts, healthy fats, low-fat dairy and lean protein, with the exception of when I attended BBQs, weddings or family parties or the occasional pizza or burger. I justified eating more of the later during Ironman training due to what seemed like a never-ending caloric deficit from up to 22 hours of training per week. However, we still ate spinach and other healthy foods in bulk.

My diet has truly evolved over the years, as I outlined in a post last year called The 5 Foods I Won’t Leave the Grocery Store Without.  Two of those foods were eggs and turkey breast and now if I were to update that list, those would be replaced with black beans or lentils and oatmeal (although I always ate a lot of oatmeal now we eat it 6 days a week). In America we are constantly bombarded with nutritional information that contradicts each other – red meat is bad vs. women should eat red meat for iron, saturated fat is bad vs. saturated fat is ok depending on the source, olive oil is healthy vs. olive oil turns to saturated fat when cooked over a certain temperature. I could go on and on.

Fad diets proclaim health  benefits of eating right for your blood type, cutting out carbohydrates, drinking shakes for two out of three meals, replacing meals with cereal, or eating like a caveman. I’ve fallen victim to many of these diets over the years as I’ve struggled with my weight and my acceptance of my body. However, in the most recent years, I’ve begun to eat food for reasons other than keeping my weight in mind. Whereas in the beginning of my life I ate just what tasted good, soon I ate what I thought would make me skinny (even if it was full of artificial ingredients), later I began to eat to fuel my body for workouts and now, I am eating food that will not only fuel my body better but also help me avoid disease and live a long, happy life.

Forks Over Knives does not promote a fad diet. Rather, it presents the results of years and years of research, including the most provocative led by Colin T Campbell called The China Study, that prove that eating animal protein is the cause of many of the most of common diseases that Americans suffer from. These diseases include cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, MS, diabetes (types 1 and 2), lupus and more. The good news is, that we can actually reverse these diseases with a healthy, plant-based diet.

Mike and I watched the movie prior to Ironman but decided to continue our normal diet leading up to the race and the few days after the race. Meanwhile, Mike read the book “Eat and Run” by Scott Jurek, an elite Ultra-runner who is also vegan. Scott Jurek believes that a lot of his success is due to his vegan diet. Mike was especially motivated to make the change when he read that it could have a positive affect on his athleticism.

My first vegan dinner from Whole Foods!

When we got back from CdA we went to Whole Foods that night and decided to only get vegan food from the hot-food bar. The mostly Indian-inspired food was delicious and flavorful and we were excited to start our journey toward a more plant-based diet. Once I researched recipes and went grocery shopping (and bought a lot of spices I didn’t have!), I started making us  healthy, vegan meals that tasted surprisingly amazing. I found that I wasn’t missing meat at all but that I was still cravings eggs and dessert (duh). Although eating more veggies and grains takes a bit more work in the kitchen, it’s actually not all that much more time consuming than usual to cook. On the 4th of July I even made homemade mushroom-lentil burgers from a recipe I got from Scott Jurek’s book. They were amazing and super filling.

Ingredients for Lentil Mushroom Burgers

We both decided from the get-go that we wouldn’t label ourselves as vegan or even vegetarian. We plan to still eat dairy and meat on occasion, but in situations that we can control, we’ll opt for the meatless, dairy-free option. I enjoyed a wonderful steak dinner with all the fixings in Vegas while I was there for a bachelorette and I have had cake twice. I’m not going to get upset if the bun on my veggie burger at a restaurant has butter and I’m not going to scrutinize every little ingredient in everything. On occasion I plan to have pizza (my favorite!) and chocolate (couldn’t live without it), but all in all, meat and dairy won’t be a regular part of my diet. If, over time, we both decide that going completely vegan is in our best interest, we may make the switch, but for now, we aren’t going to that extreme. Although personally I believe that a plant-based diet is right for me, I’m doing my best not to make others uncomfortable when they offer me non-vegan food or are eating it in my presence.

If you want to see for yourself, I highly recommend watching the documentary “Forks Over Knives” and/or reading the books “The China Study” and “Eat and Run.”

Stay tuned for some yummy plant-based recipes!

The Cost of Zero to Ironman

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Had someone told me last June when I was contemplating whether or not to not only sign up for my first sprint triathlon, but also my first Ironman, that the cost of the adventure would be enough to go on an all expense paid two month European vacation or pay off my car loan, I might have chosen the vacation. Now that I’ve accomplished my goal of becoming an Ironman, I don’t regret the sacrifices I made to get there, but I am quite shocked at how much money I forked over to do it. I use Mint.com for my finances and therefore it was fairly easy for me to track my spending on triathlon over the course of the last year. I think it will  be helpful for others considering entering triathlon and/or training for their first Ironman to see what the costs add up to.

Disclaimer: These are the actual costs that I spent for my personal journey to becoming and Ironman and they will vary from person to person depending on your individual needs and preferences. In some areas I spent more than the average person (expensive Garmin, Lululemon running clothes, VO2 Max test, nice bike) and in some I spent less (not that nice of a bike, didn’t buy power for my bike, didn’t get a coach). If talking about money makes you uncomfortable, then don’t read on!

Costs – June – August: Entering the World of Triathlon

When I started triathlon, all I had to my name related to the sport was a pair of running shoes. And even those had to be replaced. Luckily my Dad let me borrow his road bike and Mike bought me some new tires and tubes for it, but I still needed gear to be successful in the sport. At first I tried to buy the bare minimum – I didn’t even buy a cycling jersey for the first three months and instead I wore running tanks on the bike. Despite that, here’s how much I spent on triathlon those first few months:

My Very First Triathlon Purchases!

  • Bathing Suit, Swim Cap and Goggles: $29.99 (Had an Active Schwaggle Deal for TYR – expect to pay more than I did).
  • Tri Suit: $99.65 (I also had a $50 gift certificate so this was less than the actual price)
  • Cycling Helmet, Cycling Shorts, Cleats and Cycling Shoes: $200 (rounded)
  • Triathlon Club Membership: $55
  • XTerra Wetsuit (Long sleeve): $200
  • Supplements & Nutrition (Gu, Cytomax, Recovery): $91.13
  • JCC Master’s Swim Card (10 swims): $20
  • Other (Running shoes, 1 massage, etc): 217.65
  • Total Spent June-August (Excluding Race Fees) for Triathlon Gear: $913.42

Race Entry Fees:

  • USAT Membership – 1 Year: $39
  • Sprint Triathlon: $88
  • Olympic Distance Triathlon: $188.06
  • Surf City Marathon: $112.83
  • Ironman California 70.3: $321.51
  • Ironman Coeur D’Alene: $630
  • Total Race Entry Fees: $1,379.40

Buying a New Bike & Becoming a “Real Cyclist”

Bikes Can Cost As Much as a Car

In the Fall I realized that I needed to stop looking like a “Fred” (Thank you Page for the reference) and should probably buy some real cycling gear instead of sporting running tank tops and designer sunglasses on every ride and wearing the same pair of shorts over and over (Febreeze is my friend). I dropped another $175 at a local female bike shop on cycling jerseys and things like Ho-Ha ride glide. Next up was a spiffy jacket to keep me warm during the winter rides as well as some long cycling pants. Add another $83.38 to that (I had a gift card from Christmas for REI so really this should have been more!). Eventually, I broke down and stopped wearing my designer sunglasses on the bike and swapped them out for a pair of Oakleys, setting me back another $100 (scored a great deal on these too!). Cycling gloves added another $10 (I had a Living Social Deal again!).

As for the bike itself, I was fortunate enough to get a pretty amazing deal on my 2012 Cervelo P2, which is normally $2,800. Cervelo ran a deal around December-January where they offered $1,000 offer per bike if two people purchased bikes together. I worked my magic at our local bike shop to find a random person to split the deal with me and we both walked away with Cervelo’s, mine only costing $1,992.74 (including tax). The P2 is a quality, carbon-fiber bike and is a steal at $2,800, let alone $2k.

Mike actually bought my pedals for me, which were another $100 and then I had to buy myself a woman’s seat since the one that came standard really hurt my hoo-ha. That was another $94.24 (which is inexpensive as far as seats go).

After Oceanside, I bought a new cassette to make hills easier as well as a new chain, adding another $96.63 to the total.

Last, but certainly not least, was a professional bike fitting from a very reputable fitter here in San Diego. I believe everyone should get a good fitting (not a 15 minute one from your local bike shop) and I really regret not getting mine sooner. That set me back $250 but it was well worth it!

Total Bike Expenses: 2,801.99 (not including pedals)

Ironman Training, Travel &  Apparel Costs

Here’s where things get crazy! Here are some of my regular costs associated with Ironman that I would expect anyone to also have:

Workout Fuel and Recovery Costs Add Up Fast

  • Gym Membership ($10/month) for swimming and treadmill running if raining: $120
  • Master’s Swim Classes ($6/class, about 2x a week for 3 months): $114
  • 2 more pairs of running shoes: $196.52
  • 9 Months of Nutrition (Gu, CarboPro, Glutamine, BCAAs, Stinger Waffles, Nuun): $966.41 (~107.38/month)
  • Bike Trainer& Computer for Indoor Riding: $367.74
  • Neoprene Cap and Booties: $86.66
  • Extra food purchases due to increased hunger and calorie burnage: unable to track, but my monthly food allowance did go up about $100-200/month (this isn’t include in the total below, however).
  • Total Necessities: $1,851.33

Here are some of the optional costs that I decided to partake in, that you may or may not want to:

Garmin – Necessity for Some, Luxury for Others

  • Vo2 Max & Heart Rate Zone Testing  (Holiday Special – Regularly $200) $95
  • 1 Video Swim Stroke Analysis & Swim Lesson: $120
  • 5 Massages, including tip (1 post Marathon, 4 during Ironman Training – I got a deal for buying a package):  $348
  • New Garmin Watch: $479.38
  • Lululemon Apparel (ie expensive running clothes): $273.69
  • Total Extras: $1,116.07
Most Ironman Triathlons aren’t in large metropolitan areas. If you are fortunate enough to live very close to your race,  you will be able to forgo some of these travel costs. We were fortunate enough to participate in a very close 70.3 race, and therefore avoided all costs for travel for this race. However, we had to travel to Coeur D’Alene. Since we had to fly, we also had to ship our bikes.

Start Saving for Your Gear NOW!

  • TriBike Transport for Bike Shipping $300
  • Hotel for 6 Nights (6 night minimum stay at nearly all hotels in CdA – this is my half of the room I shared with Mike): $650
  • Flight to/from CdA (For me this was free because I opened a Southwest Credit Card and used points to book a flight. However, since I could have used this flight for another trip, I added it to my cost of Ironman): $300
  • Ironman Apparel: $281.61 (I went pretty crazy at IM CdA  but didn’t buy much at Oceanside 70.3. However I did refrain from buying the Finisher’s Jacket which is I believe $160. I got a finisher’s sweatshirt for $70 instead).
  • FinisherPix Photos: $30 (for one download- expect to pay about $170 if you want all the photos)
  • Total  Ironman Travel/Apparel: $1,561.61
Total 1 Year Cost To Transform From Runner to Triathlete to Ironman: $9,623.82

Price Tag For This Finisher Photo: $10k

I knew that triathlon was expensive but after looking at the actual costs all together, I really can’t believe it. Was it worth it? Yes. I really enjoyed the year I trained for Ironman and most of the time I had fun doing it. I enjoyed learning the sport and spending my mornings, nights and weekends training with my boyfriend, best friend and her boyfriend. We bonded over dissecting our heart rates, improving our base pace in the pool, geeking out of pro-triathletes, analyzing the elevation gain of our rides, and chowing down on seriously large burritos. Crossing the finish line at Ironman CdA was one of the proudest moments of my life and it really proved to me that my body is strong and it can take me places if I push myself.
Do I plan to do another Ironman any time soon? No. Now that I have all the gear, I know that I can race shorter distances which don’t require as much bike maintenance, nutrition, massages, etc. I’ve invested a lot in to this sport and I don’t plan to quit it all together, but I’ve definitely changed my perspective on how I will approach my future in this sport. I know that I have it in me to improve quite a bit in triathlon and possibly could do really well at it which some coaching and focus on technique and a lot more time on the bike.
However, I’m not sure that improving my time in triathlon is all that important to me. It’s certainly not worth another $10k to me. So for now, I plan to focus on running (the cheapest of all three sports) and next year I’ll probably do a Wildflower (a non M-Dot event with cheaper registration that I can also drive to) and a few local sprints and possibly an Olympic. I am not going to spend a lot of money on a coach or pay for more swim lessons or buy a power meter. I love running and I love triathlon but I also want to have a house that my future family can live in, and I need to be saving more money to make that happen. I was able to still save money during my Ironman training but looking back on these costs, I realize I could save a lot more.  For now, I will work with the thousands of dollars worth of gear I already have to get me to the finish line at some local races.
 Do you think Ironman is worth these costs? Do you have any tips for saving money while training for Ironman? 

Recovery from Ironman

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It’s now been three weeks since I raced my first Ironman. People who are not familiar with racing or know much about the Ironman distance, are surprised when I tell them that I’m still recovering from the race. According to a lot of research I’ve done, it actually takes about 6-8 weeks to recover from an Ironman.

Immediately Following the Race

Immediately following the race, I sat down in the medical tent for a few minutes, declined the free 10 minute massage (there was a wait), and then got up and found my family. We found a bench and I drank water until my stomach finally felt hungry. Then I ate a piece of pizza and later, some fruit and then even later, a lot  more pizza. I didn’t get a good night’s sleep that night but did manage to get in two naps the following day. I didn’t get a massage and I didn’t go for a short recovery swim in the lake. Instead, I ate fattening food and drank beer for the next two days. Luckily  being in a small city with no car meant that we did quite a bit of walking, which helps aid recovery.

Celebratory Drinks!

Don’t do as I did, do as I say. According to articles I found on Active.com, Ironman.com and Cycleops.com, after the Ironman you should get a massage, get a good nights sleep, avoid fatty foods and refined sugars, avoid alcohol and rest rest rest. Ironman.com argues, “The body must go into overtime to repair the damage from the race in terms of the muscular and cardiovascular systems.  Your immune system will work overtime as well to help heal you internally along with trying to keep the variety of germs and virus’s from getting you sick.” One thing I did do that is recommended is drink plenty of water- I am pretty much an expert at water consumption.

Although I’m sure that doing all of the above will speed up recovery, it’s really no fun. Personally, I think that you should kick back and relax and enjoy your hard work with a hard-earned beer and plate of french fries. But that’s just me.

A Couple Weeks Post Race

Despite a rocky start to my Ironman recovery, I think I did a good job at recovering for the next two weeks. As soon as we got back to San Diego, Mike and I adopted a mostly plant-based diet and have been eating more lentils, quinoa, spinach, garbanzo beans, bell peppers, hummus, broccoli, avocados, almonds and fruit than ever before. Although I did buy Almond Milk ice cream to supplement to sweet tooth, my sugar cravings are much lower and I’ve been able to cut way back on my sugar intake.

VEGGIES!

In addition to a healthy diet, we’ve been sleeping in every day, getting at least 8-9 hours of sleep each night. For the first two weeks, we avoided exercise entirely, although we did take quite a few long walks and I don’t feel like we just sat on the couch every night. We caught up with friends after work and on the weekends, cleaned our house, frequented farmer’s markets, and finally felt like normal human beings again.

According to Active.com,

Week 1:  As the initial days pass, you actually feel better. You are psyched about your Ironman finish and excited about the future. Maybe you even signed up for next year’s race. Whatever is on your mind, chances are—exercise isn’t. And that’s a good thing. Your biggest workout right now should be some quality walking with one or two very short swims.

Weeks 2- 3: This is the Honeymoon Phase, where you feel good enough to work out, but really shouldn’t. If you actually push yourself here, you’ll find that after 45 minutes to an hour, you simply run out of power. Your heart rate will drop and no amount of food or coffee will revive you. Exercise in this period should be no longer than an hour and should be done at a very light intensity. Overdoing it here can really set you back later in your year. Extended swims and light cycling should compose the majority of your program.

I experienced this “Honeymoon Phase” this past week. After two weeks of no exercise and a big weekend in Vegas for a good friend’s bachelorette, I was more than pumped to get back into working out. I missed the feeling of a good workout session and was looking forward to being sore from a workout again. Before I even did the Ironman I told myself that for the first month post-Ironman I would only workout if I felt like it and would only do workouts that I wanted to do.

Monday night I decided to do a Turbo Kickbox class at my local gym. I used to frequent these classes 2-3x a week and was really good at all the moves. I got a friend to join me and we had a great time jumping around, punching and kicking the air, confused about the moves (the teacher wasn’t very good at explaining and we had never done the routine before). I felt good for my first workout back and that night decided I’d do a Body Pump class the next night at the same time. However, come Tuesday I was super sore! My 60 minute cardio workout that was previously a walk in the park apparently was a bit much. I decided to skip the weight lifting class. When I got home after a 10.5 hour workday, I was antsy to get my body moving so I went for what was supposed to be a 3 mile run (I probably should have opted for a easy spin or swim but I had no desire to do either!). The first .3 miles I felt great but soon my legs felt heavy and breathing wasn’t as easy. I made it about 1 mile and then took the stairs down to the beach and ran on the sand home. This workout is what really proved to me that I was still in serious recovery mode!

Wednesday night Mike and I went for a walk instead of any exercise and Thursday we joined some friends for a Road Runner Sports Adventure Run. The Adventure Run was really fun – it’s basically an informal scavenger hunt for raffle tickets. At the end, everyone drinks a free beer and they raffle off prizes. We ended up running about 3.5 miles all in all and did some push-ups, squats and burpees at some of the stations. Running was much easier this time and I had a great time with my friends. Friday I rested again and was feeling way better. Saturday I went to a spin class and did some upper body lifting and Sunday I went for a run with Asia. During that run on Sunday I felt nearly back to normal – our pace wasn’t fantastic but the endurance was there.

Week Four and Beyond: This is the Transition Phase. If you have been recovering well and have felt good enough to include some consistent aerobic activity, then you could be ready to transition back to your regular training.

Back to Racing?

Although the Active.com article I mentioned above indicates that after week 4 you are in the clear to get back to regular training, many other articles I read caution against immediately jumping into racing and/or hard training.

Since I have a half marathon that I hope to PR big time at 8 weeks out from my race, I was very curious on whether or not that was a reasonable expectation. Here’s more advice from Active.com on getting back to racing:

    • 4 Weeks: Frankly, waste of time and money unless it’s something cool you want to do. You will have a tough day, unless you are a true freak.
    • 5 Weeks: See above, but less so. Your mileage will vary.
    • 6 Weeks: This is the absolute minimum time required to “maybe,” on your absolute best day, have a repeat performance of your Ironman. There is a reason why Ironman Canada, usually about six weeks out from Kona, is the last qualifier: six weeks is the minimum to have realistic expectations of maybe repeating your Canada performance.
    • 8 Weeks: You have a better chance of having a good, PR race, but it’s still a tight turn. Eight weeks is the minimum amount of time we would recommend you schedule a race that you wanted to do well in.
    • 12 Weeks: This is doable. You’re back on your game and you can realistically schedule and expect to have an A-race with a PR-potential experience.

According to this, I should be ready to have a solid race at my half-marathon 8 weeks out from Ironman, although it’s a possibility that I’ll still be recovering a bit.

As for triathlon – as of now, I’ve decided not to do the Olympic triathlon in September that I had planned to do, mostly due to the high registration fee. Although I am still staying true to my word that I wouldn’t do any workouts that I don’t want to do in the first month post-Ironman, I have little voices in my head that tell me I should get back to the pool even though I have no desire to do so. Now that I have decided most likely not to do another triathlon this season, it’s even harder to motivate myself to get back to masters swim. However, I’m not going to worry about any of  that now – I’m still recovering and working out purely for the joy of it.

How soon have you raced post-Ironman? Or, how long did you go before swim/bike/run after a big race? 

Chrissie Smiles

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This post is very late, but I didn’t want to skip it! As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a big fan of Chrissie Wellington. I think she is an incredible inspiration and had quite a fascinating and atypical path to Ironman success. We met Chrissie for the first time at Nytro, our local bike shop, where she was signing autographs. At the time, I didn’t know all that much about her other than the fact that she had never been defeated at the Ironman distance and was a 4 time world champion.

However, I learned a lot more about Chrissie when we she came to speak at the San Diego Tri Club’s June Meeting. Mike had already purchased and read her recently published book, A Life Without Limits, but I hadn’t had the chance to start it yet so her story was mostly unfamiliar to me.

Chrissie and Bob Babbit

Chrissie’s talk was led by Bob Babbit, founder of Competitor. Bob basically led Chrissie through a lot of the stories from her book (so Mike told me and I later learned when I read it), starting with her fairly normal childhood, her beginnings in sport, her atypical entrance into the world of triathlon and her incredible accomplishments as a pro. Every topic was accompanied by an honest and entertaining antidote and it was quite captivating to listen to her tell her stories.

A common theme among all of Chrissie’s stories was her constant quest for perfection. Chrissie is very honest – she admits to struggling with both bulimia and anorexia at separate times in her life and she confesses that she has always been riddled with thoughts of self-doubt. She has been an overachiever in every aspect of her life – from her student life, to her professional life and most obvious, in her athletic career. Although the way that Bob Babbitt told the stories of Chrissie’s accomplishments it sounded like all of it came easy to her, in reality her success is largely derived from her intense determination to be the best.  To call Chrissie Wellington hardworking would be an understatement.

I won’t ruin the book for you by recapping the stories. I will say, however, that the most prominent things I learned from reading Chrissie’s book are 1) being a professional triathlete is even more intense than I ever could have imagined, 2) mental toughness is equally important as physical prowess, and 3) Chrissie (or any triathlete for that matter) doesn’t stop for the porto-potty for ANYTHING during a race (I told you she was honest). For more information on any of these three revelations, I recommend purchasing this book.

After the talk, Chrissie posed for a picture with every single person who wanted one. Then she signed an autograph for each and every one of us. We got our book signed. She also brought along a journal and asked that each of us sign it, if we wanted. I wrote her a message letting her know that she inspires me.

Chrissie Wellington is not only an inspiration because she is a 4 time Ironman World Champion, but also because of her incredibly positive attitude. Chrissie is constantly smiling (hence her twitter handle @chrissiesmiles) and she seems genuinely excited to meet each and every one of her fans. She has a very positive outlook on life and has used her fame to promote “development” as she calls it (we Americans would call it charity).

Chrissie writes on her website, “Champions come and go, but to me the real judge of my success will be whether I actually do something positive with the opportunities I have been given, and I sincerely hope that, as World Champion, I can be a role model and ambassador for the sport that everyone can be proud of. ” Personally, I believe Chrissie has achieved her self-proclaimed standard for success.

Have you met Chrissie or read her book? Do you have an athlete that you particularly admire?

 

2012 Ironman CdA Race Review

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I thought it’d be helpful for others that are choosing which Ironman to compete in for me to write up some thoughts I had on this race and on the city of Coeur D’Alene in general. As soon as we arrived in Coeur D’Alene we were thankful that we made the choice to race there. Not only was it an absolutely gorgeous city, but the people of the town were welcoming and supportive. The race was well organized and the volunteers were absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better race experience than I got at Ironman Coeur  D’Alene (granted – I have no other IM events to compare it to!).

Race Timing & Weather

Beautiful Coeur D’Alene

One of the main reasons we picked Coeur D’Alene was the time of year. Since San Diego weather allows us to train outdoors for much of the winter, we knew that although we’d be starting training in December, we’d be finished in June with enough time to enjoy the summer. It ended up workout out especially well for me since 7 of our friends got engaged last year and we are attending each of their weddings from August – October (and bachelorette parties and bridal showers). It also worked perfectly that there was a 70.3 race nearby that we could use for practice for the 140.6. We didn’t have to pay for travel expenses when we did Oceanside 70.3 in March and it was the perfect tune-up race for CdA.

Another reason we chose Coeur D’Alene was that isn’t particularly hot in June (as compared to other summer races like Wisconsin, Texas or Louisville). However, we learned that the weather in CdA is VERY unpredictable. The day we arrived it was 88 degrees at 5 p.m. and the day we left it was 48 degrees at noon. Do not chose this race based on either hot or cold weather – expect a cold lake swim and air temps anywhere from the 40s to the 90s on race day. We were lucky enough to have a 58 degree lake and a range of 50-75 degrees throughout race day,  but the lake can be even colder (it was 52 the week before the race!).

 Course

A large factor in our decision to race at Coeur D’Alene was the beauty of the course. Mike Reilly (who has been to a lot of Ironman races!) told Mike that his two favorite IM races were Lake Placid and Coeur D’Alene. We had heard that Lake Placid was hard to reach from the airport and it also would require a cross-country flight. Instead, we chose CdA which was a short, inexpensive Southwest flight within the same time zone. The race is set on the breathtaking Lake Coeur D’Alene and much of the course winds through the quaint downtown area or down a lake-front road or highway.

Crazy CdA Mass Swim Start

CdA’s swim has been called one of the most challenging in Ironman due to the mass beach start, often being described as being in a “human washing machine.” This washing machine effect can partially be avoided by starting at the very back of the beach and wading into the water, but there is no doubt that you will be fighting for swim space for the majority of the swim (as is with any Ironman event). In addition to a rough start, the swim at CdA adds a few more obstacles – cold water and quite a bit of chop. The Ironman website claims that Lake Coeur D’Alene’s average temperature on race day is in the mid-60s, and it can be, however, in 2011 and 2012 the lake was in the mid to high 50s on race day. This makes for a cold swim which can affect energy levels throughout the day. Be sure to purchase a neoprene cap and booties if you will be doing this race. Also, both in 2011 and 2012 swimmers reported waves in the water which affected their ability to swim straight.

Thanks Rachel http://rachelmakesarunforit.blogspot.com/ for this photo of the bike course!

We knew that both the bike and the run course were hilly before we selected this race. Every time we told someone that was familiar with CdA that we were doing it, they never failed to mention the difficult of the course. In 2011 the run course was changed and the new course included a large hill that had be run up a total of four times during the marathon. In 2011 the bike course was changed to what I had considered would be an easier course – however, finish times were slower in 2012 than 2011, indicating that despite the lack of technical turns that the old course featured, the new course was a bit more challenging. Personally, the course was less hilly than I had expected since I was preparing for the worst. It really just features two very long climbs and several small rollers. If the course officials decide to keep the same bike cut offs as this year in the future, be warned that the bike cut off at mile 90 is at the the top of a very long set of hills so it will take you much longer to reach mile 90 than you may think. If you are a slower cyclist, work hard to get to mile 90 with the knowledge that you can coast the last 22 miles back to transition.

The run course is a double out and back which features a few small rolling hills and one large hill (over 6% grade) that you must run up and down before reaching the turnaround, for a total of 4 significant ascents during the 26.2 mile course. Most runners chose to walk these hills due to their difficulty. There are aid stations every 1 mile on the course and plenty of porto-potties (never saw lines on the run but did see significant lines at the 2nd and 3rd aid stations on the bike).

Finish Chute

The finish chute at CdA is unbelievable. The final 1/5 mile or so is on the main drag and there are  thousands of spectators cheering you on.  This street is on a slight decline and mixed with adrenaline, you will likely run your fastest pace of the day at mile 26. You will feel like a champion as you run toward the finish line. Another bonus, Mike Reilly usually announces at Coeur D’Alene so you will most likely be called in by the Voice of the Ironman if you chose CdA.

Volunteers and Crowd Support

Since CdA is a fairly small town (~50k) and the Ironman is set in the quaint downtown area, it seems like the entire city shuts down to accommodate the race.  And the best part about this is that no one seems to resent the Ironman for coming to their town – rather, they are inspired by the athletes. Spectators are not only friends and family of athletes, but thousands of CdA residents as well. A few miles of the run and bike course weave through downtown CdA and some residential neighborhoods and families are out on their lawns cheering on each and every athlete. It was incredible to see the same people standing in the same place, cheering for every single athlete that walked, ran or rode by. Some of the houses have parties where people are drinking beer, playing games, and blaring music. The support is truly incredible.

The volunteers at CdA were UNBELIEVABLE. From body-markers, wet-suit strippers, changing tent assistants, aid station attendants to finish line catchers, every volunteer has a smile on their face all day. At the bike aid stations someone would rack my bike for me and would always ask if I needed my water bottles filled. At the finish line a volunteer waited with me in line for my finishers photo to make sure I was ok. I cannot begin to thank them enough.

Event Organization

Athlete Check In

The event was extremely well run. From pre-race logistics like the Athlete Guide, Athlete Village, and check-in to race details like well-stocked aid stations, you could tell that the event organizers knew what they were doing. It helped that this was IM CdA’s 10th year. The only thing I was disappointed in was the Athlete Dinner. The food (which was free for athlete’s and $30 for guests) was pretty bad and not even conducive to carbo-loading. There was only one type of pasta and it was loaded more chicken and cheese than noodles. The veggies were soaked in oil. The only good part was the dessert! I’m not asking for a fancy meal but honestly a plain plate of pasta with marinara would have been better.

Start Saving for Your Gear NOW!

One little tid-bit of advice I have for future IM CdA (or any Ironman for that matter) participants is to buy your M-Dot gear AFTER the race. At both Oceanside 70.3 and IM  CdA I bought a hat at the merchandise tent and then we were given a hat at the finish line. I now have 4 Ironman hats (you can return items for a credit but I lost my receipt of course). Also, certain finishers items (like the finishers jacket and sweatshirt) are only available the day after the race (get there early to make sure you get your size – people start lining up  before 7 a.m.).  Budget at least $200 for gear – the sweatshirt was $80 and the jacket was about $150.

Lodging

There are several options for lodging in CdA,  but be warned that nearly everywhere has a 6 night minimum. You can chose to stay for a shorter period of time, but you will be paying for 6 nights. Several people I knew rented houses, but we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast called The Greenbriar Inn which was about a 0.4 mile walk from the race start. We paid a premium of about 120% on our room since it was race week, but we were happy with our choice. We had access to a fridge, coffee maker and microwave and we had delicious breakfast each morning. Despite the small rooms (#1 and #2 are the smallest but also the cheapest),  it was totally worth being walking distance from the race start. The local and beautiful Coeur D’Alene Resort is very pricey but even closer to the start (prices were about $500/night when we checked and you must book VERY far in advance).

Dining

We had some good food in CdA. It would be hard to be vegetarian or Vegan here, so I’d recommend bringing some of your own food if you have dietary restrictions. Downtown CdA had a lot of typical “bar food” but we did find some other options. Our favorite restaurants were:

  • Fire Artisan Pizza -unique and delicious pizzas & beer
  • The Moontime -we went here two days in a row for lunch becuase the Butternut Squash Ravioli on special was SO delish
  • Tito’s Italian Grill -we had our pre-race meal here. It wasn’t the best Italian food I’ve ever had but it was good and right in town. I just had plain spaghetti and it was tasty despite being plain. the breadsticks were good too – and I judge all Italian restaurants off of their bread! We actually ate here again after the race.
  • Calypso’s Coffee -cute, large coffee shop with lots of fluffy couches and tables scattered throughout. The menu, in addition to coffee, has paninis, salads, soup and sandwiches. We also ate here twice and spent several hours using their free wi-fi the Tuesday after the race.

Other Services

We used Tri-Bike Transport to ship our  bikes. It cost $300 for round trip transportation. They will take your bike as is (minus pedals) so you don’t have to pack it in a box. The best part was that we were able to drop it off immediately after the race for shipping so we didn’t hav eto worry about our bikes for one second! We also went on a group ride with Tri-Bike once we were in CdA which was helpful in learning the run course (and part of bike course) without having to navigate on our own.

IM CdA employed FinisherPix as their race photographer. Expect to pay $25 per image download, or purchase all your photos for $175. I just purchased my finishers photo since my parents got so many great race pics.

Final Thoughts

Although I have only raced one Ironman and don’t have much basis for comparison, I was extremely happy that I chose Ironman CdA as my first Ironman. The beautiful course, friendly city, and amazing volunteers made it an incredible day. Yes, the course is difficult, but that makes the accomplishment even better (not to mention all Ironman races have their own challenges).

If you have any questions about my experience at CdA or with Ironman training in general, I’d be more than happy to answer them! Just leave me a comment! If you want to read my race reports, check out the “Upcoming and Past Races” tab above for the links.

2012 Goals – Progress Report

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Now that half the year has passed (can you  believe it’s July!?!) and I’ve accomplished my #1 goal of the year, I thought it’d be a good time to reassess where I am on my other 2012 goals and make some plans to complete them and/or change them.

Goal #1 – Finish Ironman Coeur D’Alene. Check! Race report starts here.

Goal #2 – Run a sub-1:45 half marathon. I am currently registered for the America’s Finest City Half Marathon which is August 19. I have yet to get back to running after the Ironman and I don’t foresee myself having a TON of time to train for this race, but it is “only” a  half marathon and I think that my endurance and stamina has increased significantly so I could possibly squeak this one out at AFC. I plan to do the majority of my running during the week since my weekends are pretty booked but I also plan to incorporate some speed work (once I’m fully recovered from IM that is) and run hills, since the finish line of AFC is right after a pretty significant climb. The last two years that I ran this race I cursed that hill and vowed to get better at running them. If the sub 1:45 doesn’t happen at AFC, I’ve entertained the idea of adding a 2nd half marathon in November to the schedule, most likely the Silver Strand Half Marathon in Coronado.

Goal #3- Complete P90X2. Last Fall when P90X2 went on pre-sale, I purchased it despite the fact that I wouldn’t be able to actually complete the program for at least 6 months. Since I”m a Beachbody Coach I was given free shipping and some other perks during pre-sale so it was worth the early purchase. Mike and I have had the intention to complete the program start to finish, just like we did P90X, but I have a feeling this one is going to get put on the back burner. I do plan to do the workouts, but I’m not sure that we’ll be following the strict 90 day plan. This one is still TBD. I definitely plan to focus on strength training for the next 6 months, however, so I know I will be utilizing the P90X2 workouts.

Goal #4 – Run a Sub 3:50 Marathon. Check! At the Surf City Marathon in February I ran 3:49:36. Race report here.

Goal # 5 – Podium at a Triathlon. While it would be wonderful to place in my age group at a triathlon, we all knew that wasn’t going to happen at any M-Dot event. So, this goal would require that I do a more local triathlon. I had the intention of doing the San Diego Classic, an Olympic distance event, but now I’m questioning if I want to pay the $185 entry fee to compete. I’m still on the fence on whether or not I will have another triathlon on the books in 2012, so this goal may have to be postponed until next year (although next year I enter the 30-35 age group which is even more competitive!!! I’m born on Dec 25 so although I will be 29 for all but 6 days of 2013, I will still have to race as a 30-year-old thanks to USAT rules).  I’m also not sure that my speed is where it needs to be to podium again – it would have to depend on the field that chooses to race that event. At the end of the day, I really compete in triathlons to have fun anyway and this goal isn’t that important to me.

The Rest of 2012 …

So what does the rest of 2012 hold? Well in addition to all the fun wedding events and a trip to Belize with Mike in November, I plan to focus primarily on strength training via P90X and P90X2 and running. Next year my big goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and the rest of this year will be preparation for that goal. I am going to aim to continue to swim and bike at least one time a week (starting in August at the earliest) to maintain that fitness as well.

As for another Ironman – it won’t be in 2013 but I wouldn’t count it out yet.  It will depend on what life throws us!

What are your plans for the rest of 2012? Have your goals changed over the course of the year?