This weekend my training got kicked up a notch.  Yeap- the serious part of Ironman Training is ON!  I mean ON!!!  E-Rock (Elephant Rock Century Ride) was the kickoff to back to back to back fun! 

Saturday I warmed up for E-Rock with a 15 mile run on the Highline Canal.  Another wonderful shaded run in scorching heat.

Sunday morning found me waiting in a long line of cars to get to the fairgrounds in Castle Rock to start the ride.  I was riding with my bud Sharon again.  We weren’t so green and took two cars.  Sharon was doing her first century and my instruction was to “race” this ride. 

Ready to Ride!

 We got our selves and our bikes ready and started rolling at 7:00 am.  Now Elephant Rock is an event.  It’s not a race, it’s an event.  There are people riding who are doing a 65 or 100 mile bike ride for the first time, and some who are have done E-Rock a few times. 

What beauty!!

The reason I bring this up is that many people complain about how crowded it is; how people don’t know how to ride correctly…Heck, there are even  bad-a$$ cyclist (or so they think) who come by screaming at people for doing something they don’t like.  IT’S AN EVENT PEOPLE!    CHILL OUT!  Everyone is doing the best they can on that day and for each person it’s their own personal challenge, even hell at times.  I am sooooo much more impressed and inspired by an overweight person on a mountain bike riding the 65 mile course than I am of some 6% bodyfat athlete in their cycling kit!!!!  Who gives a crud if you don’t like how people are riding.  This day is NOT about YOU! 

This day IS about camaraderie and friendly people though.  This day IS about wonderful volunteers and hard working regular folks.  It’s about making a new friend as you pedal hard up a hill or fly on the downhills.  It’s about saying “Thank you” to every volunteer you meet.  It’s also about giving encouraging words to those you pass.  It’s about doing something that challenges and pushes you.  It’s about 6000 feet of climbing and 100 miles of pavement.  It’s about giving your all AND having fun!

One of the Aide Stations

 E-Rock was like that this year for me.  I had a wonderful time and once again met some great people.  Riding E-Rock hard this year was tough at times.  I remember thinking to myself as I was climbing some hill, “Am I going to be able to make this?”  “Am I going to be able to finish?”  I was able to make it, and I was able to finish. And I had a fabulous, hard time! 

The nice thing about E-Rock is eventually the crowds thin out and you end up riding alone often.  It really is just you, your bike, and your mind for most of the ride.  I didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy the views or chat much with people (another one of my instructions was “NO Lollygagging!”).  And me being the “good” athlete :) I tried to keep that to a minimun. 

A perfect day

Elephant Rock was wonderful and I highly recommend it.  Yeah it’s crowded, just bring your patience for the first 20 miles….Remember it’s an event and there are people who are doing something this hard for the first time.  Be Kind, Say Thank You, and most of all Enjoy Yourself!

It’s the official, unofficial start to SUMMER!  Can you say…it’s about time???  And this weekend did prove to be a summer weekend.  No rain, snow or howling winds!  It was spectacular…and long!  Four days of pure -heavenly training and recovering bliss!

Friday started out with a 30 mile run with the temps forecasted in the 90’s.  I hit Highline Canal at the Goodson Rec Center and was on the trail by 6:30am.  The sky was slightly overcast and the temp was already 60 degrees. 

Early Morning on the Highline Canal

At first I thought that I would run 3 x 10 miles.  Out 5 back 5- 3 times….About 4 miles into the run I decided I would rather get 15 miles out of the way my first time out, then run 10 miles and then finish off the 30 with the last 5. 

Sounded like a great idea and it actually was!  Mostly because of the mind game I was playing with myself.  Do you ever do that?  Play games with your perception?  It seems like a pre-requist to racing and training long distances….ya know…a 15 mile run, no problem; a 10 mile run, no problem; a 5 mile run, piece of cake….they just happen to all be in a row!!!

15 Miles and smiling

I knocked out the 15; reloaded at the car; knocked out the 10; got back to the car and had a Humongous blister on the bottom of my foot from a iny-tiny grain of dirt.  The blister started to change my gait around mile 23 and when I got to the car, I took a look at my foot and decided to go for my post-run swim…..didn’t finish the 30 but had a successful 25 miles of running.  Plus the temps were officially in the mid 90’s.  Did I mention how refreshing my 20 minute swim was?????  Ahhhhhhhhh

Saturday was a rest day!  I went to Boulder, got my weekly body work, enjoyed the festival and relaxed!

Sunday was back at-it!  4+ hour ride with a bunch of women! Oh yeah- remember that sore throat I had last weekend…well Sunday morning it decided to become a sinus infection……When I met up with everyone at Boulder Res I felt like crap.  I decided to start off easy and ride what I could. 

Lucky for me even though the sinus infection didn’t go away, I was eventually able to feel good enough to have a stellar ride out to Carter Lake and back.  I had a blast.  I was back on Black Betty (my Ordea Ordu) and we were flying! My training buddy, Sharon, and I rode the whole way together and just enjoyed the heck out of the day! 

Who's having FUN??? Not us :)

Back at the Res after 56 miles of pavement under our tires, I threw on my Newtons and hit a  hard 10 minute run.  I have NEVER run Hard off the bike- I was blown away by how I actually felt fine!  I was surprised!  I always thought I couldn’t run that fast off the bike…..but then- that’s why I have coach Andrea!  To help me learn new things about myself!

And then there was Monday.  Monday was all about the Honey-Do-List.  Can a  Honey Do List be a HDL when you’re writing it for yourself????  Anyway- I got through pruning trees and bushes in the front and back yards, and did all those piles of chores that I didn’t get to in the last year.  It felt fabulous to look around and see the piles gone and the trees trimmed.  I settled into my chair in the back yard and enjoyed the waterfall and the cool shade of the trees.  Another one of those AHHHHH moments.

I have the best backyard ever! Kai agrees!

For me, this was the best start to summer I can ever remember.  Two hard training days and two awesome rest days.  There is something to be said for having your “house in order” so that your training can just take off.  And with that….it’s time to take out the big guns and hit some pretty tough training in the next few  months…..but I’ma ready!!!

I just finished my last run before Colorado Marathon.  And what a run it was!  23.47 miles to be exact.  Yeap…In two weeks I did all my training for this marathon.  How funny is that?

My last long run previous to the last two weeks was Jan 30 when I ran 28 miles.  Since then the longest run I did was 10 miles.  Then two weeks ago I began my training for the marathon and did my first long run of 20 miles.  I felt good, hit a good time….struggled a bit  towards the end…but finished strong.

Then this past weekend I ran 24 miles.  Crazy you might think.  I know I did!  I thought- what the heck- running 24 miles the week before a marathon???  Well luckily I have the best coach in the world who knows just how to train a person!!!  She had me run the whole 24 slowly “just to get the mileage on your legs. “  This was a very very slow run…but it was fun!

I was able to run with some friends and have great conversations.  The perfect example of Long SLOW Distance.  Never once did my breathing get a hint of labored. 

I found myself enjoying the run…even though it was sooo slow.  It’s strange when your perception gets skewed.  For example- I finished 11 miles with my friends and then thought   “nice, I only have 13 more to go.  That’s 7.5 out and back.  I can do that easy”.  There’s just something wrong with that kind of thinking!  Really!  What has gotten into me????  Only 13 more miles after just finishing 11???  Weird right?  Go figure…..

Well, now it really is time for the taper.  1 hr bike rides and a 4 then 3 mile run…..I’ll let you all know how I do after Sunday.  We’ll see how this two weeks of training for a marathon suits me. No matter what…I’ll make sure to have FUN!

This weekend was all about the run…a 20 miler to be exact.  The run was scheduled for Saturday with a 3 hr bike on Sunday.  Well, being spring and all here in Colorado, Saturday started snowy with 40 mph gusts forecasted.  I opted for a 1 hr trainer ride and a trip to the movie theater instead.

Sunday I woke to clear blue skies and no morning percipitation forecasted.  I headed down to Waterton Canyon for my 20 miles.  As I headed up the canyon I got into a good pace.  I looked at my Garmin and noticed I was hitting at 10 min pace.  I thought to myself , “slow it down Sparky! You’re doing 20 today….not 10 miles like you have been for the past 2 months.”

Slow....the new hard

 I had an absolute great time on the run.  Every imaginable waterfall up the canyon was running and everything was green.  The road was dry except for the occasional mud hole.  The fellow runners out where friendly and ticking off their mileage. 

My friend Kendra caught up with my on my way back down the canyon and we ran together.  I noticed I was having a hard time feeling my own zone once I began to run with her.  It was like my body was imitating her running form.  I kept trying to get into my own grove again but that never really happened.

We hit the parking lot at mile 13; I reloaded my water bottles and headed back out solo for my last 7.  So this is where it got a bit tricky.  See, I haven’t run more than 10 miles in over two months.  As I hit the road again I was having a hard time.  I was struggling to  find my form and my groove.  I kept adjusting this and that and finally somewhere around mile 15 I found my sweet spot.

At mile 16.5 I turned around and headed for the barn (car).  And this is when I realized that somewhere in the last two months running slow got hard!  You see.  Throughout the whole 20 miles, whenever I slowed down to the pace I ran all last year….it felt HARD.  It felt like Torture!  The moment I picked up my pace and held it right below threshold….running felt MUCH EASIER! 

I don’t know how in the heck this happened…but it did!  I got faster!  Not only did I get faster but running faster got easier than running slower!  WTH?  I never would have expected that!  I had no idea that one day running right below threshold would be easier for me than running at a slower pace?  I mean, I PRed  my time on a 20 mile training run by 15 minutes!!  HUH??? WTH?? 

While I was running I would experiment with running slower and it just felt hard.  The minute I picked up my pace and ran faster, running got easier.  Now part of this I attribute to my Newton Running Shoes!  I am sure that the shoe helps propel me forward when I run faster!  (Did I mention how much I love my Newtons??)  And now that I can run faster the shoes help that much more!

I never would have imagined that running faster could be easier than running slow.  But it is.  At least it was Sunday.  In the next two weeks I have a 24 mile run then the Fort Collins Marathon on May 9th.  I’m building my run and the next two weekends will tell if this is just a fluke or if I truly am a faster runner this year. Only time/mileage will tell…..until then…..

Faster just got easier

This weekend was all about multi sportin.  There was some Splishin, some Splotin, and some heavy duty windy Woshin to be had. 

And speaking of WOoooSSSHHIN…how about that wind this weekend.  How many of you got caught out there on your long Saturday bike ride?  Pretty fun heh?  (ok maybe NO fun).  For all of us brave soles (or is it silly soles) who didn’t change our workouts around, for those of us who rode parallel to the road….this one’s for you!

There was a group of us brave soles who drove down to Castle Rock to ride the 62 mile E Rock  course. As we all gathered our gear and headed out on the rode the wind was just starting to blow.  The further we got out on the ride- of course- the windier it got! 

By mile 15 we decided to call it quits and head back… I have to be honest- I was kinda disappointed, if someone else had said “yes” to continuing I would have been all over it.  Luckily for me, no one was dumb enough to want to continue!  Once we turned around we quickly realized we would have 15 grueling miles into the wind.  I’m talkin full on head wind- and cross winds that left you riding parallel to the road if not splot on the road.

Delinda, Doreen, Liesl, Sharon...check out the sideways hair!

We made it back to the parking lot, after a few minor wind epics.  Next up for me was to finish off my mileage with a basement trainer ride and NCIS!  Oh yeah, followed by my second 20 minute run of the day.

Sunday was all about the run and swim.  And of course, being spring and all , here in Colorado…there had to be some wind again.  I headed up Waterton Canyon for a quick 5 and back down, meet some friends along the way…and was grateful it was’t as windy at the day before!

I finished the run off, jumped in my car, downed some Mix1 (love the Mango) and headed to the pool.  That’s were I spent the next 30 minutes Splishin.  And did it feel good!  After Saturdays windfest and Sundays run, I was ready for my favorite- swimming!

It was a perfect weekend….great friends, great workouts, and some splish, splot and wosh….who could ask for anything more…..except maybe a bit less wind next weekend  

This weekend was a perfect example of Denver weather.  It’s almost spring!….No wait a minute…It’s still winter! 

Spring hasn't quiet Sprung....

We have sprung forward and the hint of races and spring are in the air.  What a glorious time of year!  Nerves start to set in as race season approaches and we inch our ways towards that “A” race! 

Saturday was my first outdoor bike ride since Ironman Cozumel.  We started off with a warm up around Chatfield Res via Waterton Canyon, then climbed our way to the top of Deer Creek followed by an all-out-effort down Wadsworth and then an  easy spin back to the car.

 As I rode past the Gravel Pond (where we do our open water swims all summer long)…I was amazed that the pond was still frozen solid!  Yes, it felt like spring today as I sweated my way up Deer Creek, taking off my wind jacket and rolling down my arm warmers.  But then I saw the Gravel Pond, and realized it’s not quiet spring yet! 

The ride was fabulous and the feeling afterwards was even better.  This ride helped me feel like a real athlete again.  I mean- because it was outdoors instead of on a computrainer.  I got to feel the breeze and have the sun on my face.  I needed to balance as I raced down Deer Creek.  I had to remember what it was like to use all my gears.  It was simply glorious!  Summer was-a-comin!

And then there was Sunday…..how quickly the weather in Denver can go from 62 to 34 degress.  Like in 10 hours!  So I met Kendra at 10:00 am for a 10 mile run with speed work.  We decided to run in Waterton Canyon. 

Our run started off with overcast skies, the river to our left, and the occasional Big Horn Sheep.  We chatted as we warmed up and had a jolly good time.  When we hit mile 5, we turned around and started our first 1/2 mile of speed work.  Right about then is when the skies opened up and the weather moved in!  We ran our butts off- downhill, both ways, in the blowing snow and howling wind.  No really!  The wind was blowing so hard that snow was landing in our eyes and we couldn’t see.  It was hilarious! 

Here we were the day before sweating our way up Deer Creek, and then a mere 20 hours later we were covered in snow and soaked to the bone!  Winter was back in all it’s 30 degree glory!  But we finished our run, maxed out our heart rates and shivered back to our cars! 

All in all, this was one of the most confusing weekends I’ve had in a long time….I mean…it was warm, sunny, almost down right hot…it was SPRING…but psych!  Fooled ya….winter still has it’s grip on Denver.  Versatility is a virtue if you live and train at 5280.

sore legs! 

Here I sit on Monday with the sorest legs I’ve had in ages!  Yeah sitting…not such a good idea today, as every time I get up it takes a few minutes for my quads to work.  And the thing is, my legs are sore in places they aren’t usually sore! 

So what’s the culprit you may ask.  How’d I get my legs so sore anyways….I mean, they are more sore than after my 28 mile run!

One word- STAIRS!  Red Rocks Stairs to be exact.  That’s after running over Dinosaur Ridge and up into Red Rocks!  This was the strength workout my coach had mapped out for me on Saturday.

We started at 8:30 at Conoco (I actually roped Liesl into joining!)  The skies were slightly overcast with the promise of sun later, temps in the high 30’s!!!   I threw on my Newton shoes and we made our way up Roney Road, over Dinosaur Ridge and up to the amphitheater in Red Rocks. 

The Red Rock Crew

That was just the warm up….Then the fun began.  Next we had 10 sets on the infamous stairs!!!!!  What a blast!  Really, it was!  It’s one of those “hurts so good” kinda feelings.  Yah know, where your pushing yourself, and your lungs are exploding, and your legs are crying….Yeah, it was that kinda blast.

That’s how we spent the next 50 minutes…up and down the stairs!  I love going to Red Rocks.  The view is so spectacular and there are all these other people who are purposefully inflicting excruciating pain on themselves also!  I mean, where else could you find so many different people working so hard to get fit????? 

All done and taking in the view

We celebrated at the top with a picture and then refilled our water bottles and headed back down into the town of Morrison and to our cars.  It was truly a splendid way to spend the morning.  And it was a phenomenal workout!  I feel as if my legs are 10 times stronger already!  I highly recommend this workout for anyone who wants to build strength (and character).

Sunday rounded out the weekend with a 3 hour Computrainer course.  We rode the Ironman Australia course.  That course has a kick butt climb right off the start….

All in all, another great training weekend, with some time outside in the sun and sore legs in the end.  What more could an Ironman want??????

SAD….I’m SAD…..I’m Surrly, Anxious and Depressed because I’ve had to do every long run and long ride indoors for the last 3 weekends!

SAD…this stuff is real!  I’m Seasonally Affected with this Disorder.  I am craving a weekend day that is sunny and not snowing.  I don’t even care if it’s not warm….just give me the darn sun!!! 

Why is it that durning the week, when I’m working indoors the sun is out and the temps hover in the 40’s?  But come Saturday morning it snowing?  Who’s idea is this anyway.  It’s tough when the weather in Denver gets in these patterns.  I always begin to find myself getting a bit surrly and chompin at the bit!

SAD

As a mental health therapist, I know the role that exercise in the sun can play on mood and brain chemistry.  But darn if the sun isn’t cooperating these days. 

So since the sun doesn’t find me…I try to find the sun in my own way.   I’ve begun a game with myself.  I tell myself I am training my mind.  Yeap.  I take these endless weekend indoor training sessions as an opportunity to toughen my mind.  I grit through the pain of the endless hours of boredom and tell myself I am mentally getting tougher to handle things that might come up in a race.  I figure if I can endure another 2-3 hour treadmill run I can endure anything.  I mean anything! 

Sometimes the hardest part of racing is getting through the training.  If I can keep with my training, no matter what, no matter the season….then when it’s time to be standing in the water on that chilly morning- I’ll be ready!  I’ll have gotten through the hard part…..And the SADness will be gone!  Plus it helps knowing better weather is just weeks away!!!!

Where'd It Go

On tap for Saturday was a run from the Conoco Station, over Dinosaur Ridge, into Red Rocks and up to the Amphitheater for the Boot Camp that goes on there, and then run back through the town of Morrison to the car. 

I had two friends who were going to join me.  One called the night before to cancel (problems with her knee).  Ok…no problem, I still have one person to suffer with me…..

Well Saturday morning rolls around and my alarm clock goes off at 6 am and all I want to do is stay in bed.  I’m sleepy and don’t want to get out from under the warm covers.  But I do, and make some tea, eat some breakfast and call my friend to check in. 

Yeap, we’re still on track to meet at 8:15.  Only thing is I’m already not “feelin” the mojo to do my workout as it’s written.  But then….I start to feel guilty about wanting to changing it!  I mull this around in  my head a bit.  A few minutes later I get a phone call…my friend can’t make it because her dog just had a seizure.  No problem, I totally understand!

Where'd My Mojo Go?

 But then, I’m left with a dilemma.  I absolutely don’t want to workout!  I don’t want to leave the house.  I don’t want to run.  I don’t want to go to the friggin Boot Camp at Red Rocks.  So….Where’d my Mojo Go???? 

I have to admit this was tough.  To get myself out the door was a struggle.  I told myself I would go to Green Mountain and run the trails there.  OK- I was feeling a bit more motivated for that.  This was enough to get me into my car and driving to Green Mountain.  As I passed Green Mountain (which happens to be on the way to the Conoco Station) I saw that the trails were covered in snow……guess it was going to be the Conoco Station!!

I made it to the station, got my stuff out and ready, (still not feelin’ it) and right before I started running I got a call from my friend saying she was still going to join me!  What sweet music to my ears!!!!  I began an out and back run and 30 minutes later I was back at the car and we were off together headed into the hills of Red Rocks. 

 We made it up to the Amphitheater and found out the class was canceled due to the snow.  We did an obligatory lap on the icy stairs and headed back down to the car.  We had a good time, worked the hills hard and enjoyed the downhill back to town.

Now here’s the thing I was contemplating.  It’s hard to stay motivated and keep my “mojo” sometimes when I’m training by myself.   Just knowing I’m  going to meet someone helps get me out the door, even if I’m a bit tired.  Saturday- I didn’t have that someone, and it was tough!  It can be downright tough sometimes to WANT to go train! 

I know when training for an Ironman, EVERY workout counts!  I can’t afford to cut them short or blow them off.  It WILL make a difference 6 months from now when I’m cranking out a 140.6 miles. Thinking this is one way that gets me out the door.  Another way that helps is to just start.  Just start running, biking or swimming for 10 minutes or whatever- and somehow it’s ok…..Telling myself I was going to run at Green Mountain really helped get me out the door Saturday.  Not that I was psyched about it…but it helped. 

Making plans with friends is the best way to make sure I show up for a workout…but when that falls through…and the MOJO is just plain gone…..it’s good to try and come up with ways to get out the door anyway.  Caz even if I can’t find it before I leave the house, chances are high that I will find it once I’ve started!!!!!!

There It Is!

It takes a village to be a triathlete!  Yeap- it really does. 

It Takes A Village

What got me thinking about this was what my day was like this past Saturday. 

I started the day at Doudy Draw in Boulder with my friend Brenda who I wrangled into joining me for a 13 mile run along trails I hadn’t explored before.   She was only going to join me for 7 miles, but after taking out the map and trying to explain where I would run, some puppy dog eyes and probably the fact that I was running pretty slow….she decided to join me for the whole run.  So- there’s Villager #1.

Next, after a quick swim, I was off to Active Imprints to meet with Danny Abshire (Newton Co-Founder)to have him help me with a final tweak to the orthotics he’s been making for me. 

I happen to be VERY fortunate and am sponsored by Newton Running Shoes.  These shoes have transformed me from a heel-striking-wannabe-runner, into a (almost) real runner!  I was having a problem with pain in my achilles and after Ironman decided to meet with Danny to have him help me with orthotics.  Within 2 minutes he figured out what was wrong with my left foot (something to do with metatarsal bones) and began working on an orthotic.  So- with this new orthotic coupled with my Newtons- I am golden again and running ultra-distances sans pain.  And did I mention Danny fixed my inserts for my bike shoes also?!!!  Voila- Villager #2

From Active Imprints I was off to Colorado MultiSport to meet with Jeff for some help with my road bike.  After a summer of switching my road bike from TT back to road…I wasn’t sure how the bike should be set up.  Plus it was time for a new saddle. 

After shooting the breeze and visiting with friends, Jeff and I got down to business.  Jeff spent an hour plus, moving this and moving that; adding this and changing that; and when he was done- I was feeling like I had the perfect bike fit again!!!  I have to say- the guys at CMS are so unbelievably patient!  They will work with you for hours and always make you feel like you are their most important customer!  I don’t know how they do it.  Alright- Villager #3

In one day- I had three different people help me on my road to being a long distance triathlete.  And that’s only ONE days worth…..there are others who keep me going- like….

Dr Ken Sheridan from Active Care.  He’s my chiropractor and without my weekly visits to him, I would not be able to keep running and training the way I do.  See, I have SI joint problems (as in they don’t stay where they’re suppose to), and Dr Ken is able to keep me from locking up…literally!  There ya go- Villager #4

Along with Dr Ken- I get regular bodywork by Brian Ray.  Now this guy is amazing!  When I first went to him 3+ years ago, I had back pain that wouldn’t quite.  I would get out of bed in pain, I took Celebrex daily….it was bad.  Brian was able to get my back working great with in few months (no more pain!).  He also keeps me going.  I mean at 50 years old and just starting this long distance stuff- there have been a few times where my body needed some help getting itself working.   And Brian is the man for that!  Yeap- we have Villager #5

One person I can’t forget to mention is my coach Andrea Watkins!  Not only does she write my training programs, but she works out with me, helps me through the mental stuff, and has become a good friend in the process.  She has taken me from a overweight 48 year old- to a descent long distance triathlete in two short years!  Now that is amazing!  Not sure how she does it….but her approach to training sure works great for me!!  Here ya have- Villager #6

Now there are many, many more Villagers who support me in many ways.  Whether it’s joining me for a workout, going to a race with me, calling to check on me, getting together for dinner….You name it.  The list goes on and on.  I never realized when I took up this sport what a great community I would be getting involved in…..and as we all learn in this triathlon life….It TRUELY does take a VILLAGE to raise a triathlete!!!!!!!!!!!