Adjusted Reality

More later, but this pretty much sums it up…

…and this is how I hope to spend the rest of my day.

I know I finished under 2 hours (which was the goal), but not sure how much.  More soon!

Training for this tri has definitely been a different experience than anything thus far.

All other big bad races thus far, I planned out my training to the day, and then by the time the race rolled around, I had checked each workout off the list and came to the end, and breathed a sigh of relief that training was over and it was time to rest up and get prepared for the race.   This one, however, I took a different approach.

Instead of a 3 month training plan, I sort of laid out overall goals:

-Be able to do the distance of each (done)

-Get more comfortable with swimming (done-ish)

-Learn how to do those distances together (done)

-Get comfortable with the conditions (outside in hot summer, open water, etc) (done)

-Go rock the sprint distance (Sunday)

Then there is a shortened cycle for the longer distance

-Be able to do the distance of each (done)

-Learn how to do those distances together (working on it – have done the bike/run back to back in the gym but definitely need more of these)

-Get comfortable with the conditions (it will be cooler, but a 25 mile ride/10k run outside != one in the gym)

-Rock an Olympic tri (Oct 3)

Then each week, I did about 2-3 key workouts that progressed me towards these goals and about 3 days of workouts to get some miles/calories/endurance but were kinda secondary workouts.

It’s been very relaxed, however, I almost feel like I want to lay out the next 6 weeks to make sure I’m getting what I need, but for this one, I feel prepared.  Then 6 more weeks and a half marathon (maybe, still haven’t registered for anything yet, but that’s the plan).  Then… a break.  I’d like to be able to not have to force myself to run outside all winter if I don’t wanna.  Maybe speed training to try and shave some 5k time off again?  Maybe become a yoga bum?  Perfect my swimming stroke?  Try kick boxing?  Reduce my workout scope and eating scope and make a real glorified push at losing some weight?  Pump some iron?  I mean who knows…

Oooh, look, it’s shiny syndrome.  I’ve not even gotten through this WEEKEND and I’m already planning life through next Spring.  Ooohkie.  Focus.

I think the problem is I’m feeling so not intimidated and I should be.  It’s like if I had a marathon on the horizon, and the goal was really the marathon, this is just the half I signed up for to tune up.  It’s my first race of this type, so I should be freaked.  I was 2 weeks ago.  Getting through the open water swim was huge.  Getting ok with being out in the hot sun again was huge.  As always with tapers, I feel like I haven’t done CRAP this week but I know it’s for the best.

However, there has been a lot of PREP this week.  Bike breaks fixed.  Emergency kit to change tires almost assembled.  Bike rack to transport it to the race obtained.  On the list still: a shammy (I know it’s spelled chamois but that’s just ridiculous and I protest) to dry my feet, something brightly colored to tie on the back of the bike, and an actual new tire in case I get a flat (and learning how to change it).  In preparation for the 5 am wakeup call on Sunday, I’ve been getting up early all week.

I’ve been reading lots of first time tri tips (mmm, tri tip) sites out there, and most of them say pretty much, in summary, just get through your first one, enjoy the experience, and don’t worry too much.  There are lots of people around to help and guide you if you’re flailing.  So, I think that’s where I’m at.  I’m ready to have a new experience under my belt, call myself a triathlete officially, and drink my celebratory mimosa.  Until it really kicks in and I start flipping the hell out.

So the week of hell and wellness is going fairly well.  I say hell and wellness because:

Monday – up early for an hour of outside run and bike, work, grocery shop, cook, chores, sleep.

Tuesday – up early for a 2 hour dentist appt, work/meetings all day, open water swim after wook, eat dinner, cook lunch for the next day, relax an hour, sleep

Wednesday – up early for a doctor appt, work/meetings all day, shopping for tri supplies, yoga class (which was actually HEAVEN), help cook dinner and relax an hour and then sleep

Today- up early to take my car in for service appt, work/meetings all day, having to deal with idiotic fax machines and bs all around (can you tell its about that TOM)…

…plan was spinning class tonight, and then I thought we had a party after but THANK THE DEAR FLUFFY LORD it’s next week.  Instead I did…nothing.  It’s that one day a month where I muster just about everything in me to not lay in the fetal position on the couch.  People at work asked me what was wrong.  I elevated the threat level from nominal/green this morning, to elevated/yellow by lunch and to high/red this afternoon (seriously, window crayons are the most fun).  It wasn’t completely due to hormones but I’m sure it didn’t help.  I figured if I was in that bad of shape, spin class wouldn’t be a great idea.  It wouldn’t be the end of the world if I popped some pain killers and sat on the couch.

What I wanted to do is sit out on my back patio with a) a cheeseburger b) a big slice of chocolate cake c) a bottle of wine or d) all of the above, but I decided it was a bad idea.  Instead, I had some lowfat hot dogs with whitewheat buns, veggie pasta salad, and some baked beans after a snack of baby carrots (I totally stress ate about half a lb of carrots, I am pathetic, tee hee).  And… I split a bag of coconut m and m’s with Zliten.  And had two thin mints.  And about a cup of frozen grapes.  I think I’m ok with less than 150 calories of sweets on a day like today.  I was in the mood to take down a half lb burger and fries and a couple slices of ooey gooey chocolate cake.  I think I mitigated my cravings pretty well.

Tomorrow, luckily, there are no more crazy appointments – I will be getting another short bike and run in tomorrow, gotta make it through work/meetings, then pho-riday, more work/meetings, and then relaaaaaax.  Up early Saturday so my clock’s not off – run errands, packet pickup, hang with the folks a bit, sleep early and then… RACE DAY!

Ok, writing about it is getting me excited.  Getting the race day prep packet in my email is getting me excited.  Honestly – thinking about a burger and fries and some froyo is getting me REAL excited.  Is it possible I might approach a new experience totally and completely excited and not nervous at all?  I mean, I get nervous going to a new restaurant or taking a new route to work, I swear…

So, I’ll see you on the other side.  With pictures, and race numbers, and finish times, and I’m sure one hell of a story to share.  So, I ask, what’s next for you?  What’s the new and shiny on your horizon?  Of course, any first timer tri tips more than welcome too. 🙂

So after my big wins earlier last week, I’ve been kinda coasting.

I weighed in for the first time in a while under 160 (159.8, but still).  I also ate pretty reprehensibly this weekend and ingested a shit ton of alcohol.  I managed to do two outside hilly rides since we last spoke and hit the pool for some laps yesterday, and did a short bike run brick outside this morning, but I highly doubt it’s mitigated much of the indulgence.  At least I have stuck to my guns and 1) ingested no fried food 2) only had a few bites of desert on Saturday (which I had planned on).  Also, all the sitting outside partying in the 100+ degree heat has honestly done wonders for my heat acclimation.

However, there was probably enough pitas and hummus Saturday nite for an army, washed down with a ridiculous amount of wine, preceeded by a chinese food feast of epic proportions (curry chicken, wonton soup, black bean noodle, oh my).  Friday night was tacos from the grill, vodka, and homemade salsa and guac with chips.  Thursday night was a full plate of chicken yakisoba and some whiskey.  Yesterday, we hit tex mex brunch until we wished for extra stomachs and then had some snax at the movies (more veggies/pita/hummus and split a bowl of chili) and THEN more chinese leftovers.

In a former life this would be a guilt-riddled experience, where I cursed myself for having such low self control and being a failure and yadda yadda yadda…  now, I realize I had a kick ass time all weekend, I didn’t eat anything that was NOT worth it, and the scale said 163.6 this morning, which is not optimal, but it is what it is, and it is a lot of salt, not 3 lbs gained or anything.  I definitely remember why I don’t do this all the time – my body feels much better when it’s not stuffed with indulgent food and booze for 3 days straight… I am so ready for a mellow week it’s not funny.

As of this morning, it’s ON – time to refocus – 6 days from now I’ll be a triathlete.  Last week was another good confidence builder, and I need to do just about the same this week, with a bigger dose of R and R near the end.  One more open water swim.  An outside bike/run brick.  Also, I need to go get some gear and do some prep.  One of my brakes on my bike isn’t working properly.  I need a bike rack for my car so I can transport it.  Debating on what I’m going to have in my transition area (do I need a water bucket for my feet?  a shammy to get feet dry quick? a shirt to throw on over my singlet with my number on it?  something brightly colored so I can see my bike?).

I’m feeling pretty zen about it now (which I’m SURE will change later this week), so that’s good.  I’ve put in the work, so I’ll be fine, right?  Right?  …ok, maybe a little nervous.

Only counted calories for half the week so there is no point in tallying those numbers, but here are the deets I have tracked:

Monday: 30 min swim (350)
Tuesday: 5k run morning, group power (700)
Wednesday: open water swim (600)
Thursday: 9 mile morning ride outside (400)
Saturday: 12 mile ride outside (600)
Sunday: swimming laps (400)

Avg burn per day: 435

Avg calories I would have to have had each day to maintain weight: 2247

Low/High Weight: 159.8/162.0

Next week, the name of the game is good, healthy food that makes my body feel good, rest, continue to heat acclimate and prepare, but also lots of rest.  The only exception is a party on Thursday night – we’re going, but plan to take it mellow.

Food/Exercise/Etc Plan below:

Monday:
lunch: salad bar
dinner: manwiches (96% fat free grass fed beef – though I do use the canned mix) and veggies

Exercise: short bike/run brick outside in the morning (done, yay!)

Tuesday:
lunch: tuna sandwich and salad
dinner: homemade chicken tikki masala with rice, peas, carrots, and a flour tortilla on the side

Exercise: open water swim after work

Wednesday:
lunch: chicken pasta veggie salad (fiber pasta, olives, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, green pepper, cilantro, celery, grilled chicken)
dinner: chicken caesar salad and soup

Exercise: yoga class after work

Thursday:
lunch: luncheon roulette (hope the dice are kind)
dinner: hot dogs and/or garden burgers, (maybe one of each, maybe one of the other), coleslaw (something easy and fairly low cal before the party)

Exercise: spin class if I can make it, arc trainer/random cardio if not

Friday:
lunch: pho
dinner: beef stew and salad

Exercise: short run to keep my legs loose, probably treadmill after work

Saturday:
lunch: out with my parents
dinner: lemon pepper mahi mahi, rice, veggies

Exercise: off

Sunday: Tri day!!!!

After the tri, I require 2 treats – a small frozen yogurt from a for real yogurt shop (not just soft serve vanilla somewhere), and a burger and fries.  There is a new place that just opened that is supposed to be JUST like my favorite burgers in Austin that just closed down.  Yes, I am aware that it’s no fried food month, but I am going to make one exception.  I plan to be in it for the long haul (until Vegas mid-next month).  The goal with these month-long abstainings is to be mindful, not perfect, so I’ll be ok.

So yeah, today’s workout was major, tomorrow is open water #2, and then it’s all downhill from there.  I’m ok with THAT kind of coasting.  So, dudes and dudettes, how is your week shaping up?  Perfect, mindful, or neither?

Today was my first open water swim in many, many, many years.  It’s been at LEAST a dozen years since I really swam in a non-chlorinated body of water.

I had not really faced the fact that I really had to do this until I found I was hesitating to sign up for the tri.  I literally waited until the last minute, Saturday night at around midnight (the price went up the next day).  I couldn’t figure out what the problem was, why I had issues clicking the button.  I’ve proven that I can do twice the bike and run distance back to back.  I’ve proven that I can swim WELL beyond the 500m required.  I wasn’t sure what the problem was.  Then I remembered the whole open water thing.

I decided to sign up anyway, figuring worst case I’d be uncomfortable, get through it, and be better next time.  I read up on forums and sites and everything, and heard stories and accounts of people freaking out their first time swimming in open water.  That made my decision easy – I had to find a way to try it before the race.  However, I convinced myself it was just in the spirit of not having any surprises on race day.  I’ve swam in my singlet, I’ve gone swim to bike to run, I’ve done just about everything to prepare I can think of – that was one of the only missing pieces.  I didn’t figure the open water would faze me.

I’ve got BIG PLANZ this weekend with friends in from out of town, so today was the day.  I was hoping to get into the facility up the street from work, but found out it was TWENTY BUCKS for a day pass, so I searched for another place – I was solo so it had to be somewhere with lifeguards and other people.  Barton Springs Pool it was.  Three dollars for entry is much more reasonable.  However, it’s 68 degrees in there year round.  For someone that runs about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the world, I expected that to be my biggest problem.

After work, I moseyed down there, paid my cash, and went in.  I was a little nervous by then but excited, as I always am for new and exciting experiences.  My toe dipped in the water and it was a bit freezy, but not as bad as I expected.  It took me at least 5 minutes to get down the steps, but once my bottom half was acclimated to the water, I dove in and got ready to swim some laps.

That’s when the totally unexpected freak out occured.  Holy SHIT there is nature here.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but this was so different than the bottom of a pool.  I was ok as long as I kept my head above water, but anytime I went under, I found it a little hard to breathe.  I tried to swim all the way to the end of the dammed off area but I just couldn’t make it and turned around and went back to the shallow side (I got in right about halfway between).  Every time I put my head under things were just too much.  Plants!  They even touched me in some spots!  Fish!  Living creatures!  Freaky, freaky nature all up in my bidness.

I retreated to the shallow, feeling sort of pissed off, disappointed in myself, and defeated.  I regrouped, and started again from shallow water, where I found I was actually fine.  The first drop off startled me, but I was able to keep my composure.  The next drop off wasn’t too bad.  The next fish I saw made me jump a little, and then I realized that I had this experience 13 years ago.  I even paid for it.  It’s called fucking snorkling.  I became more and more comfortable with everything and saw the end in sight.  I was going for it.

However, the plants kept fucking with me.  For some reason, more frightening then live things swimming around, more frightening than anything, was the areas where the plants reached almost up to the surface.  I had to summon logic-brain to talk sense into silly brain.  Plants don’t eat you.  Plants don’t harm me in any way.  Plants don’t even feel all that icky.  I felt a little less anxious, and silly for feeling that way, but definitely not comfortable swimming through the area with high plants.  I almost convinced myself I had made enough of my point and turned around again and then I looked at that wall.  It was maybe 100 feet away.  I decided I was not going to quit 100 feet from the wall.  I swam through all the NATURE until I touched that damn wall and turned around.

I felt awesome and accomplished but still had to navigate back through the plants.  Something happened though – I didn’t mind as much.  The fish started to become my friends, when I saw one, I would take a few extra underwater strokes so I could see it longer.  The plants, I realized, were just plants.  I took about 3 lengths down and back of the 1000 foot expanse, each time, it got easier until the last time I realized I was just about as comfortable as in the pool.  The first two laps, I definitely had to psych myself up and say little things in my head like, “I am kicking nature’s ass” and “I’m a fish!  Wheee!”  and “Yay for boobies, I have natural floatation devices”.   The last one, I was just thinking about my day and dinner and work tomorrow and then I knew I had done enough.  I looked around, and the sun was setting, and when I asked the lifeguard for the time it had been an hour.

Holy crap!  An hour swimming with nature and I had stopped all of twice – for less than a minute to adjust my goggles at the shallow side.   I didn’t feel tired at all… til I got out.   Then the muscle fatigue and shakiness set in (good to know for the swim/bike transition for the longer distance), but I was way too proud of myself to be buggered about it.  I was also happy that I realized that at no time was I freaked out because I couldn’t touch bottom.  The SANE thing to worry about didn’t really bother me at all.

I am so so so so so glad I decided to do this before the race.  I’m pretty sure I would have made it, I”m a tough cookie, but dang that would have been a WAY worse experience with a thousand people kicking me in the face.  Definitely doing one more sesh there next week before the race.

I’m also happy I *did* it.  It would have been so easy to just not sign up.  This was way out of my comfort zone.  Old me would have made some excuse about having to drive all the way across town on a weekday and that it wasn’t convient and I didn’t have enough time to really properly train anyway so I might as well do it another time.  Me this year put my foot down and said fuck it – I will conquer it, I will do what it takes, and there are no excuses.  Like nike says, just do it.

So, I mentioned ONE of the things was open water.  The other is heat training/acclimation.  I forgot how brutal it is when you’re not used to it.  As much as I thought “it’s only a 5k” and “I ran a half marathon in this” – I have to remember that I only succeeded at that half in 80’s (that felt like 90s with humidity) because I trained 100% outside.  I had a great and powerful slap in the face courtesy of a 5k I ran Tuesday morning.  It felt like I was wading through soup and it was all I could do to keep a 10 min/mile pace.  Tomorrow, I’m heading out in the morning for a bike ride in the heat as well.  It takes 2 weeks to get acclimated to exertion in the heat, and two weeks is what I got.  Can’t say I’ll be sad to bring my training back inside for the rest of August after this, but you gotta do whatcha gotta do.

If last week was the week of discovering new muscles and making them hurt, this week was the week of kicking nature’s ass.  Tuesday by surviving my run (seriously pukeworthy), today by swimming with living things, and tomorrow I’ll be terrorizing the ‘hood and tearing it up with a 12 mile ride.  What have you kicked in the ass this week?

Sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches.  On the heels of my two epic ride/runs last week, it was time for something completely different.  We started the new gym on Monday.  In some aspects, it was great.  I finally have a pool to swim in regularly.  Yoga, spinning, and weights classes have been fantastic.  They provide towels and everyone is very very friendly.  However, the whole 30 minute limit on cardio equipment is a huge buzzkill.  As well as said cardio equipment being older than sin (though they are replacing about half of it within the month, so I can’t bitch too too much).

My instincts told me to try out what the gym does WELL otherwise I would be completely dissatisfied, so my workout schedule was completely different than normal.  Even though calorie-burn wise it was definitely not my norm, my body feels WORKED, because it was all something different.  I haven’t lost any significant weight since I started at the old gym.  Maybe encouraging different types of workout will help.

However, I gotta get through the next few months before really giving that a go.  It was a nice break, but I’m 2 weeks out from my sprint tri and less than 2 months out from my olympic, and in 3.5, another half marathon.  Once it gets temperate again, it won’t be as important to have cardio equipment, but it’s going to be MAJOR important for this second tri.  So I’ll be keeping my 10$/mo gym membership at the cheap gym for the time being.  Zliten didn’t get a chance to check out this gym much because he got sick this week (boo), so I don’t think we’ll be signing up right away.

So, we’re down to t-minus 2 weeks and I need to get back to tri prep.  I just did a practice tri at the gym and knocked it out of the park.  I know I have the endurance, I just need to work out some of the details.  At least one run outside.  At least one bike outside.  At least one open water swim.   I know I can swim 500m, I know I can bike 12 miles, I know I can run 5k – I can do it with my eyes closed.  I just need to make sure that I remember how to do that in the hot Texas summer sun.  It’s hawt.

Sugar Rush:

Instead of fro yo, Zliten picked up some ice cream at the store.  It may sound gross, but I had about a cup of mixed java chip and mint chip and it was SO YUMMY.  But I felt SO YUCKY after.  I feel kinda grody today.  Every time I think about sweets today I just get….uck.  It’s totally a Pavlovian response, I know I LOVE me some ice cream and my mouth waters for it, but my body cringes.  Maybe I need to learn how to make some low sugar healthy type ice cream?  Anyhoo, the upshot is… I’m totally fine waiting til the weekend to have any more sweets during wedding celebrations part 2 time, if I even want any, and I will save the fro yo until after my tri unless something else sounds yummier.

Today is day 5 of no fried foods.  Last thing I had was half a cheese stick.  This is way easier since I hadn’t been in the habit of eating fried food all the time – just hadn’t made an effort to NOT eat it when it’s around.  I’m not going to really miss this or crave it probably for about 2 weeks, or until someone orders one of those great and terrible bar plates and wants to split it with me.

Weights and Measures:

I’m back to weighing most days and I’ll be reporting the lowest and highest weight each week.  I accidentally forgot to count calories the last few days, but I’ve been hanging tight around 1300 post exercise calories, so that works.  I’m not going to stop it long term, so I’ll be back to it Monday.  As much as I’m a little disturbed how high my weight is right now, nothin’ I can do but slowly chip away at it.  So there we go.

Weeklies:

Monday: bike 9 miles, run 2.3 miles (700)
Tuesday: power (weights) class, 30 min swim, 1 mile run home (700)
Wednesday: 35 mins arc trainer, 60 mins yoga (600)
Thursday: 60 min spin class (600)
Friday: off
Saturday: 2 hours DDR (600)
Sunday: swim 1/2 mile, bike 12 miles, run 5k (1100)

Average consumption per day: 1687
Average burn per day: 614
Average net per day: 1072
Low/High Weight this week: 162/164.2

A little low, but I seem to be doing ok since I wasn’t doing a lot of high intensity workouts. Next week is mostly focused on getting those experiences I need to feel ready for the tri.  I’ve got a LOT going on so we’ll see how it plays out, but this is the plan:

Monday: 30 min swim (350)
Tuesday: 5k run morning, group power (700)
Wednesday: open water swim (450)
Thursday: 12 mile ride morning OR spin class after (600)
Friday: 5k run, 30 min swim (750)
Weekend: outside bike ride one day (600)

Priorities: 1 open water swim, 1 run outside, 1 ride outside.  The rest is gravy.

Just in case you all are curious, I’ll post my eating plan for the week here too.  Mostly because it’s a good reference for me – but I know I love getting ideas from what other people eat.  This week is a little different than normal because we have out of town guest coming on Thursday, but here it is.

Sunday:
turkey/cheddar sandwich, carrots, watermelon
shake and bake, taters, broccoli

Monday:
chicken caesar wrap, side salad
fish rice veggies

Tuesday:
Fresh Choice (salad bar)
baked chicken parmesan w/fiber pasta, side salad

Wednesday:
pb honey strawberry sandwich on sprouted grain, side salad
canned tuna, mac and cheese, w/a buttload of frozen broccoli

Thursday:
turkey/cheddar sandwich, carrots, apple
out

Friday:
pho
chicken/beef tacos w/beans

Saturday:
out/scrounging

So, how’s your week looking?  Undertake anything that scares the heck outta you lately?  Any foods where your mouth says yes but body cringes even before you eat it?