Made2Move Performance Training

Forget about the Dang Numbers for Once

Freedom = a run on the trails (or road!) without GPS, a watch, or any other fancy equipment. Get out there and just GO. Enjoy it. Get back to doing it the way you most likely started: FOR FUN.

This is an especially important tactic on recovery weeks, and I try to encourange anyone to ditch the watch, because when it is time to recover, it is for both body AND mind, and you can’t do both if you are too absorbed in some dang numbers; you cannot pay attention to what your body is trying to communicate to you if all you are concerned with is your pace and time and numbers on a watch that will change with every training session. There are times when it is appropriate to pay attention to numbers, and times – like recovery weeks, times of stress, or times when you are supremely busy – when it is not. The numbers don’t mean anything. How your body feels is what means something.

Now get out there and try it! Today is a perfect day for that!

Where have you been, Tina?…

Believe it or not, I do still exist. I am still alive.

And so aren’t the thoughts about my blog. Yes, I did finish Ironman Lake Placid, and it was an amazing experience. I have started a draft of the race report (all of the relevant pictures are on my home computer, so I can’t quite get to them from here).

Post-Ironman life has seen me taking a break; taking a break from a lot of things. No more structured training – I just get out there and do as I please, and I make sure that the most important part of whatever activity I choose to do is to have fun, to enjoy it. My running is better than it has been in a very long time – I feel faster, more relaxed, pain-free, and, most importantly: I am actually enjoying running again. I haven’t actually enjoyed running in a long time. It became something that I did, not something that I enjoyed or really wanted to do. For the first time in quite a few years, I look forward to getting out there. It is a wonderful thing.

I needed a break from my blog writing. I had so many things going on, and was so fatigued – more so from the mental stand point – that I needed time to not think about anything, to just go with the flow and do what I needed to get back to being myself and get my life back in some sort of order.

I needed time to figure out where my blog was going to go next; what was I going to write about, what direction was I going to take? As the title states, it is the “Road to Ironman (and the rest of life)”, and I will indeed begin that journey down the road titled “and the rest of life”. We’ll see where it goes.

I’ve spent a lot of time working on my yoga – my strength, endurance, and flexibility have increased greatly.

For now, I am enjoying doing whatever it is I decide to do. I have no races planned for the remainder of the year, and I’m not training for anything specific. Sure, I will probably throw a road race or a cross-country race in there, but there is nothing definitive. What is definitive, however, is that I am thoroughly enjoying my training right now, the level of fitness and conditioning I am at, and continuing to do what it takes to feel good about these things and to improve along the way.

And yes, I did get the tattoo…

Drum roll, please…

The results are in.

I made my way up to Lake Placid Friday morning, and arrived to sunshine and cool – but comfortable – temps in the early afternoon. I unloaded all my gear, and set out to get myself acquainted with everything and to find some food. It didn’t take me long to find someplace good to eat, and I ordered up a nice, big, meatball sandwich. I ate all of it. I had to make sure that I would have enough in the tank for what was going to transpire in the morning!

I awoke at 4:45am Saturday morning, with every intent of getting myself ready and out on the road by 6am. It was 36 degrees. I knew it was going to be chilly, but I wasn’t quite prepared to go out in 36-degree temps. I would have to wait.

7:30am approached and I could wait no longer; I wanted to get out there! I wanted to get going! I had some serious miles to get in today! I start getting myself ready – again – pulling out some layers and chomping down on one of my PowerBars, all the while thinking that I should probably also be having another bottle of water while doing so (remember this).

Sometime around 8:30am (slightly before), I finally hit the road, with a starting temperature somewhere around 43 degrees. Or so all means of measurement told me. Five miles in, I was already warming up. The sun was out, and there was a slight breeze. I took off my hat and gloves and shoved them in my already pretty full pockets, and pedaled along some more.

The view of Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington. This was my last stop before beginning the final 12-mile climb to the finish.

Well, let me tell you, it may have started out cool, but it got HOT. FAST. I ran out of room to stuff my extra layers, so my remaining options were peeling back my sleeves as far as they would allow, which was barely to my elbows. Just past the half-way point on the first loop, I looked down and and could see the sweat pouring – quite literally – out from under my sleeves. And I was starting to feel a little dried up. Remember that water bottle? Yea, here is where I really regretted not drinking it. I knew I was going to be in trouble, but thankfully it is a two-loop course, and I was able to change into my shorts and short-sleeved jersey before heading out for the second loop. BIG difference. It took me some time to get my hydration status back up to normal, but I remained patient. I made a stop in Wilmington on the second lap, just before beginning the final 12-mile uphill climb to the finish. I re-stocked my water, dumped half a bottle over my head, and set out on the final stretch.

The bike course is not as challenging as I had anticipated it would be. I have been training hills religiously and doing my strength training very regularly, but my specialty is also climbing. Do not get me wrong, the course is certainly not easy, but I now know I will be able to keep a faster pace than I had thought – keep a faster pace on the bike, and still come off strong for the run.

I started my run feeling the effects of just having put 112 miles on my legs, so I started easy – EASY. The first mile my legs felt as if they would never be able to turnover faster. That’s ok, I told myself, because they just need to be able to get through 26.2 miles, and it doesn’t have to be fast. I kept my effort level the same, and when my watched beeped to notify me I had run another mile, I glanced down. My pace had increased by 30 seconds. By the time I had finished my run (shorter than I had intended, knowing I had dehydrated early on the bike, I didn’t want to push things on the run and get myself further into a hole that I may or may not be able to recover from before race day), my pace had dropped 90 seconds from the first mile, and two minutes from what I had started at. That was all I needed to know. My legs felt AWESOME. And I finished that run without a doubt in mind that the pace I was running was going to stick – slow down at times, yes – but I knew I would be able to get through that marathon feeling much stronger than I had thought.

Post-workout meal. Bacon cheeseburger. I ate every last crumb. And it was EXCELLENT.

I couldn’t have asked for a more successful weekend. I learned some things, did what I needed to do, and – drum roll, please – I left knowing that I am, without a doubt, completely and confidently ready for race day. Ironman Lake Placid, I am ready. Here I come.

Still on that road…

It has its twists and turns, and it has its hills. There are stops and starts – but the road, itself, does not discontinue.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am still very much on that road – The Road to Ironman. And thus far, it has been quite a superb journey. I’ve had some races – some good, some not so good, some really quite good. I’ve had some great training days (and some not so good ones in that department, too). We have 32 days left before the race begins, and one more test to see if I really, truly, am ready. That test is this weekend, as I head up to Lake Placid to go over the course. I’ll keep ya posted!

Decided to try something new. Instead of my usual bright orange transition towel, I went with the good 'ol NASCAR Jeff Gordon towel. I think some of the speed seeped into my bike; it seemed to work. — Decided to try something new. Instead of my usual bright orange transition towel, I went with the good ‘ol NASCAR Jeff Gordon towel. I think some of the speed seeped into my bike; it seemed to work.

Recent bike ride to Sodus Point - the famed lighthouse is in the background. — Recent bike ride to Sodus Point – the famed lighthouse is in the background.

86 days

I don’t know how people do it: how they can manage a full-time job, the rigors of an Ironman training schedule, and…keeping up on a blog! I get home, get on my bike for a couple of hours (or more), then throw my sneakers on and go run for an hour (or more), then I’m in and out of the shower and eating dinner ravenously like a competitor in a hot dog eating competition, and then it’s to bed I go. Trying to fit anything else in just doesn’t quite happen. But I’m putting my training time in, let me tell you. There’s no slacking going on there. We are 86 days out from the big race day, and training is going absolutely superb. I put in a nice little 50-miler yesterday afternoon, and a nice IM workout in the pool this morning. It is awesome to finally be able to get out on my bike, and have enough daylight left at the end of the day to be able to stay out there for awhile. Here concludes my quick little update – on to the next thing! Keep plugging along! 86 days away…all systems go!

Samantha

Out come the dogs.

You can tell that it’s spring, and that we have not experienced formidable weather in quite some time when hoards of people – runners, walkers, cyclists, anyone and everyone who has been cooped up suddenly rushes to experience the great outdoors.

You can tell that it’s spring when the birds chirp earlier, the peepers are out, and baby animals start to appear from hedgerows, fields, and forest.

But another – rather big – way that you can tell that it’s spring? When all the dogs come out. This was especially noticeable as I took my bike out for a pedal Sunday afternoon, and was chased, barked at, and nearly eaten (ok maybe not quite), by no less than half a dozen furry canines. I don’t like dogs. Well, let me rephrase. I like dogs, I am certainly an animal lover, but I am also quite certainly not a fan of dogs. I don’t like them barking at me, jumping on me, biting at me, slobbering on me; I’m just not the social acquaintance that they are looking for. After all, I have to remember: they are just as excited to be getting outside as I am, and I cannot blame them for that. So I continue on my way – I don’t acknowledge them, change my gaze or my pace, and they will eventually give up.

With the exception of one. Samantha. The happy, chocolate lab whose house I can see across the big ‘ol field from my house. On occasion – usually on recovery runs – I do and out-and-back run on that road, the old dirt road, and I pass by Samantha’s house. And most every time, out she comes, favorite beat up old baseball in her mouth, looking for someone to give it a toss. She doesn’t bark, she doesn’t jump, invade, or attack. Every time I pass by and see her come out, I feel a bit of happiness and a bit of sadness at the same time. Why sad? Because clearly, she does not get the attention she needs. No one plays with her, takes her for a walk, or dotes upon her.

So when she comes out, looking as happy as can be, I gladly oblige to give the ball a toss. Or two. Or three. I do this for a short while, until I’ve cleared the area around her house, give it one more toss, and tell her “No, Samantha, no more for now, I have to keep going.” She never gives me a dejected look. She just heads back to her yard. When I make my turn and come into view of her house again, there she is, waiting, and the moment she spots me, the scene replays. Sometimes, I’ll even stop to throw the ball for her. It’s fun, she enjoys it, and I want to give her that moment of happiness (and for myself too, I suppose), while I am able.

Every time I part, I leave with a little more happiness inside. How something can come from so little, yet be so happy, reminds me that we all need to take a step back once in awhile, take a breath in, exhale, and relax. We get so caught up with things, superfluous things, we get too competitive with ourselves and with each other that we forget about those most important things – those things that are bigger than us all.

Every encounter with Samantha reminds me that there is something out there that has a much greater hand in what we do than what we ourselves ever will. Stop trying to control it, because you only limit yourself from what you are fully capable of. Enjoy your time out there. Life is both short, and the longest thing we will ever do.

Finally!

It’s been a busy past few weeks, but I’m finally getting caught up on things and around to others – like my blog! My race-cation to Florida left me significantly behind when I came back, combined with my brother buying a house and helping him move, the online course I’ve been taking, and – of course – my increased training load! I’ve experienced some PR’s in my swim times, some new PR’s in my bench press and deadlifts (since my back-hip-hamstring fiasco), and some super-strong running. I’ve got a string of races coming up, so there is plenty of action and excitement around the corner! We are just under four months until the big day – and it won’t take long to get here!

Spring! (in my step)

Alas! The weather has begun to recede it’s tempestuous hold on the Finger Lakes region of New York State, the sun has gotten up the gumption to show itself a bit more often, to shine more resplendently, and – best of all – to begin the process of warming this lovely earth up. To step out into this warmth – a whole 45 degrees as of late – you can feel it right down into your soul, into your bones, and not so much because it is physically warming you up, but because it is warming your mood, your demeanor, your outlook. Finally, relief. Your spirits lift, you smile, and everything begins to look upward. It is amazing what the sunshine and the great outdoors can do for your body, for your mind. I think it is absolutely refreshing and reviving, the changing of the seasons. I absolutely love it, and I absolutely would not change anything about the seasons here, or where I live. I cannot imagine not experiencing the changing of the seasons – especially winter to spring – experiencing the renewal and the lift of spirits! It is a blessing, this life. Don’t ever forget that. Open your mind and you’ll see, you’ll realize, how not-so-bad everything really is.

I have been able to take full advantage of the past few days that we have had with dry roads, warmer climes, and a little less snow. I have begun my final cycle of the base period, although much of it will be transitional – I am beginning to incorporate new exercises into my strength training routine, with a new focus now on power development, so that I can maximize the strength gains I have experienced, and I can now start to add some true speed and get faster.

Yesterday I bounded out the door – spring in my step! – for a 9-mile tempo-effort run. I call this tempo-effort because it is not yet a full-on tempo run. That comes in the next cycle. Right now, the focus is slowly increasing and sustaining speed over a given distance. Yesterday, I did just that. Perfect. Nailed it. Hung it on the wall. And boy, did that ever feel good. Yes, it started to get a bit uncomfortable those last couple of miles, when my lungs were starting to tell me to slow down…because it would be easier. But I knew full well that they could continue their gas exchange perfectly fine at the effort I was at, and as a result the rest of my body would comply as well. It just meant that my heart was going to beat a little faster and my breathing was going to get a little heavier. However, that’s just what I wanted – that drift – into the next physiological effort zone while my pace stayed the same. And then got faster. I carried on, with the feel of spring in my body, and a note of spring in my step. Nothing was going to get the best of me today! My strength was evident, my solid base of training shone through, and my body told me it recovered well on recovery week last week, and that it is ready for more. Excellent. Because next week is race week. And we are ready.

All for a cause

I work in a corporate fitness facility, and today we were holding a “treadmill relay” in an effort to raise money for the American Heart Association. Our goal was to keep the belt in motion from 5:10am until 7:40pm. Ten dollars gets you ten minutes; you can choose to walk or run yourself or sponsor someone. One individual kept it going for 90 minutes straight – and got a half-marathon in. The treadmill was placed in the atrium of the company to better raise awareness for the event, but that also served as a bit of a deterrent for some people. Nonetheless! When my manager asked me yesterday if I would get on and “speed walk” if she sponsored me, I couldn’t exactly say no, so I obliged. When I arrived for my time slot, I was already bumped up to 20 minutes as a result of the donation of another sponsor.

My manager got a short video in, so I thought I would share it with everyone. I have not partaken in any race walking events since high school, so I was a tad on the rusty side, but not too bad. With race walking – as with walking in general – one foot must remain in contact with the ground at all times. Maintaining contact is what makes walking at a faster pace more challenging, because you do not have the flight phase of a stride; walking fast is significantly harder than running – much more work must be performed by the upper body to propel you forward, and the muscles of the anterior lower leg (shin – anterior tibialis), work significantly more to make sure that you roll heel-to-toe in an effort to keep contact. The knee of the leg that is in contact with the ground is not allowed to bend. Strict rules!

But it was all for a good cause! That’s what matters. It is always good to do good for others.

AHA Treadmill Relay – Race walking action shot!

Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

Ahhhhh yes, recovery. That week where training volume is decreased to allow my body to build up stronger than it was before so it can handle an even greater training load the next time. That week where my hunger levels and need for edible substance skyrockets. That week where my body wants to sleep, nap, and do as little as possible.

That week where I let it.

The human body is an incredibly responsive, incredibly adaptable, organism. However, in order for it to be that incredibly responsive, incredibly adaptable, (healthy) organism, we have to give it a break every once in a while and cave in to what it is telling us. Not what you want, but what your body is telling you that it needs.

The harder you work out, the harder you exercise, the harder you train, the harder you have to recover; the more important it becomes and the greater the value it serves. Recovery is a hard thing for people to master – and I’ll admit, it took me quite a few years before I finally was able to fully embrace recovery periods, properly incorporating them, and the power they hold.

When I arrived home after work Monday afternoon, and my body was hungry, I didn’t resist my urge to eat. I poured a bowl of cereal. And then I had ice cream. And then another bowl of cereal. Not the best options, I admit, and I usually do a bit better, but I wasn’t concerned with that at this point. I had a big dinner of chicken, potatoes, carrots, and rice – with lots of water to wash it down – to cap off my day, and I went to bed at 7:30pm feeling quite full – something I usually don’t like to do during my regular training weeks. Now it was time for the real work to begin. My body had from 7:30pm to 3:00am to put everything I had consumed to use – building, repairing, strengthening. If I hadn’t consumed enough, it would start to use those very things I am trying to strengthen and adapt – my muscles! – to use as fuel for these metabolic processes. Obviously, that is not what we want. That is exactly what we DO NOT want!!

When we sleep, the great, wonderful, magnificent process of repair begins. Sleep allows our body to work on repair without the distractions of our waking cycle. This is why sleep is an impertinent part of our life – and training plan. I just came off an extended build cycle, with three weeks in a row of heavy lifting, high-volume, and higher-intensity training. You better believe some repair and restoration was necessary. When I get a craving for food, or start to feel hungry, it is my body’s way of informing me that it needs fuel – and fast – so I better consume something quick to digest so repair can continue, continue properly and continue adequately. A short while later, when my head begins to nod and the energy I exhibit begins to fade, I know that it is time for the ultimate part of the process to get underway: sleep! I’ve fueled up, now it’s time to work (from the metabolic and muscle repair standpoint).

I awoke Tuesday morning still feeling a bit sluggish, tired, and fatigued – similar to the way I felt when I woke up Monday morning. I was still hungry – but not as much – and my food choices were improved. This is typical of how I respond during recovery weeks, and it signals to me that my body is indeed recovering. When my alarm went off this morning (Wednesday) and I opened my eyes, I was ready to roll. My body is recovering with a bang! Now, this does not mean I can skip the rest of my recovery week because “I’m feeling better, I’m feeling stronger”. Au contraire – that is exactly what I should not do. Now that the outward processes are (for the most part) restored, there is still work to be done on the inside. The body cannot take a beating for a few weeks and recover – adequately and completely – in just three days. Besides, I am also not ready to get back to the tough stuff from a mental standpoint – my mind just does not want to get prepped for another speed session, another heavy lifting day, another session of race-pace intervals on the bike, or another dip in the pool. No. No way. This is where one of the most important aspects of recovery is found – an aspect that we all too often ignore. My mind is giving me these signals because the rest of my body is still not ready to take on these challenges; it is telling me to back off and let it do the work it needs, so that next week, when it’s time to get back at it again, I will be completely ready. Mentally and physically.

A large part of endurance training resides in our minds, so we need to give our brain a break, too. Recovery week is a great time to unplug a bit more, relax a bit more, reflect inward, and just relax. We need all of these things – regardless of training or work out level – to keep functioning in a healthy manner every day. So that is what I am doing this week: eating, sleeping, and rebuilding. Because next week, we begin again! And I want to be ready. I WILL be ready.