100 Bricks Complete!

In looking at my last post on 4/20, it would seem I am slacking a bit on the blog. However, the good news is that I have been dedicated to my workout routine and for the most part, to my dietary habits. My major accomplishment since the last post was hitting 100 perfect bricks for 2015! This means that for 100 days I woke up and did my fasted cardio, completed frequency push ups, and ate clean for those days. This is not an easy task, so I am thrilled to have hit the 100 mark prior to the summer. I have ambitions of completing the entire 150 by the end of the summer. June will be fairly easy as I am doing another round of the 28 day Arbonne detox and completing my third month of triathlon training. I already know that July will probably not add many bricks as we are traveling to New York for the triathlon and then heading to Spain for a week right after New York. Knowing these 10 days will be relaxed, I can prepare to eat as clean as possible before and after the trips. Vacation and relaxation are as essential as routine days--it is important to identify these necessities and move on.

Triathlon training has been going fairly well. I've just wrapped up month 2 of a 3 month training plan. The spinning and Thursday night rides have made a huge difference in my cycling this year. It could potentially be a better leg of the triathlon than the swim in the July race. My swim is fine, but I use the swim sessions as recovery from crossfit, running, and some of the cycling. The time I will be looking to beat is my 2009 time of 1:49:27. The 2009 Mini Musselman was my first triathlon ever and I was 23 years at the time. When I complete the race in July, I will be a youthful 34 years old ;) It will be interesting to see if crossfit, clean eating, and the training schedule make a difference. I still have some nagging pain in my left knee due to the patellar tendinitis. Unfortunately, it is something I have to manage and will probably never disappear. With stretching, rolling, and icing, I am able to keep it to a minimal amount. I do not expect that to be a factor until the last portion of the run. Hopefully, with a strong swim and bike, I'll have a few extra minutes to spare to take it easy on the knee. And, if it is a little sore after, no worries...it is the Finger Lakes wine region!

On another note, I've been quietly seeing gains in my crossfit training. In May, I hit PRs for several of my lifts. I completed the 1RM power clean @ 100lbs and the 1RM split jerk @ 100lbs. My strict press was 75lbs--not sure if this was a PR or not as I cannot find my old book! I am pleased with these numbers. While I try to get to crossfit 3 times a week, it sometimes ends up being just 2. Despite that inconsistency on my part, I am still making progress due to the incredible coaching and motivation of the coaches at Crossfit IronBorn. If you are in the Concord, NH area, this is a top-notch facility with friendly people and a no-drama atmosphere. We have fun, we workout, we support each other, and I always leave feeling a zillion times better than when I walked through the door at the beginning of class. Strength training is an absolute must in my training program and with crossfit, it is woven into my week in a way that best meets my goals.

Laura

June-30 Days of Clean

In June, I focused on cleaning up my diet and adding in plenty of morning cardio. As you can see from the photos in this post, I did  a lot of cooking. I'm glad it was cooler in June than now or I would have been very hot cooking all those delicious meals. I had 30 clean eating days and 29 sessions of fasted cardio. While I did not weigh or measure myself over the month, I noticed clothes getting loose, skin clearing up, and energy levels amped up.

Paleo Pizza

Wow! Just 30 days and I did not even go to the extreme of Whole 30 this time. I cut alcohol, most sugars, dairy, and grains. I stopped eating potato/starchy carbs and fruits by 2PM. Due to my knee injury, I did limited intensity for most workouts and focused primarily on upper body lifting. Morning workouts consisted of modified crossfit, swimming, yoga, pilates, and some interval training.

Egg, Sausage, and Vegetable Casserole

Zoodles

Despite the adjustments to my workout schedule, my knee continues to be a pain (literally and figuratively). Luckily, nothing is torn but I definitely have some funky tendinitis, etc. going on in my left knee. The physical therapist was able to pinpoint the cause to a weak core and weak hips. So, the next step is training my body to move in different ways to take pressure off the knee. I'll be in PT most of the summer and opted to switch from crossfit to pilates for a month or two. I'll still swim/yoga/walk in the AM, but since I can't run, squat deeply, or lift heavy weights with my legs, it seemed like I needed to change my emphasis for a bit. I am super bummed because I love crossfit (and running!) and the camaraderie of the gym, but this was the right thing to do in this moment. I earned brownie points with the physical therapist for signing up for pilates! Looking for a studio in the area? Try out Concord Pilates as it has some wonderful instructors.

Keep your eye (and social media feed) open for I Tri Training posts again in the fall as I am signing off the blog for the summer. I am going to focus on healing, enjoying some time with friends and family, and training our new Golden doodle puppy, Penny, who we bring home on July 27th! I'll be on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, so feel free to continue to follow me through those mediums. I'm also hoping to have a fresh look to the blog in the fall with the help of a fabulous graphic design friend. Enjoy a safe, happy, and fun summer--it is the most wonderful time of the year!

~Laura

Penny at 5 weeks!

Product Review: Vega Sport Sugar-Free Energizer

Fuel Your Better!

I've been a fan of Vega Sport products for years! Through FitApproach and my Sweat Pink Ambassador role, I was presented an opportunity to complete a product review for one of the Vega products. It just so happened that they had the new sugar-free energizer drink, which fit perfectly into my clean eating plan for June. Brilliant! When utilizing the product, I followed the recommend directions to drink the mixture 20 minutes prior to a workout.

Energy Boost. In late May, I began utilizing this product prior to my early morning workout sessions. The workouts consisted of crossfit, yoga, walking, pilates, HIIT, and swimming. As with the regular energizer drink, the sugar-free version provided me with a much needed boost to push through workouts that usually started at 6am. Since I am not a coffee drinker, I often look for options to assist in amping up my energy in the early hours of the day.

Clarity. Not only did the product provide an added spring to my step, but also it awakened my brain. After finishing a workout, I transitioned seamlessly into my role as a clinical placement coordinator. I accomplished a plethora of work in a short amount of time thanks to this fabulous cocktail of herbal ingredients.

Endurance. In terms of endurance, I found this product worked well. Unfortunately, due to some meniscus issues, I've been avoiding my endurance sport of choice, running. Nonetheless, I tried the sugar-free energizer prior to a morning swim. This was my first swim in nearly a year, so it was a bit of a shock when I knocked out a mile efficiently. I attribute some of that to the Vega Sport sugar-free energizer.

Taste. My sample contained the lemon-lime flavored packets. The first few sugar-free packets tasted a bit chalky and I found them to be less enjoyable than the regular energizer version. After several uses though, I acclimated to the taste and found it absolutely fine. It is definitely not something I'd drink in large quantities, nor do I need to. For comparison, I purchased a few of the acai sugar-free packets and found those to be more pleasant on the taste buds.

Cost. The Vega Sport Sugar-Free Energizer is reasonable for the benefits it provides at $1.69 for a single-serve packet or $49.99 for a tub. Considering most people spend this on a morning coffee (which I do not drink), it seems like a worthwhile expense. I plan to use it for my more intense morning workouts (every other day), which cuts down on cost as well.

Recommendation? I highly recommend the Vega Sport sugar-free energizer drink, especially if you are trying to cut down on sugar. You get the same benefits of the regular energizer with a lot less calories! I tend to use the product in the morning as I found it to be too much of a boost later in the afternoon! Each person and workout varies, so test out different times and workout levels to determine the best way to fuel your better!

~Laura

I am not receiving compensation for this review; however, I was provided a sample pack of the product for this review. The views expressed in this blog are my own opinion. Please read my blog disclaimer for additional information.

Transitions

While I did have good intentions for April, the month seemed to slip by without any major accomplishments in my workout regimen. However, I recently transitioned to a new role at my workplace, which will allow for me to work 75% remote and 25% at the office. For my workout routine, this is HUGE! I can now go to early morning crossfit, pop home for a quick shower, and get to work without the hassle of commuting and dragging all my gear for the day. Honestly, I have been hoping to find a position that would allow for a schedule that accommodates my most productive hours of the day. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could work when they know they are at their best? I’ll still have two mornings (Tuesday/Thursday) where I have to get into the office, but I head home midday, so I again don’t have to pack my whole house. Since moving to Hopkinton in July, I’ve had to carry 3-4 bags out the door in the morning to facilitate morning gym/shower, midday exercise (which rarely fit in), and then the gym after work. As you can imagine, this was tedious and required so much preparation that I often just opted out of everything for the day. Today marks my first day on the new schedule, so I’m looking forward to a renewed enthusiasm for morning workouts. In turn, this should amp up my energy levels and boost productivity!

On another note, my knee is being difficult this spring. As soon as I started to do some running, the left knee started to hurt. I’ve done some research on it and feel it could be related to weaker quads, poor focus on flexibility over the winter, and sitting at a desk WAY too much over the very long, cold winter. Therefore, it is time to get back into yoga and start taking care of myself. I contacted my favorite yoga instructor, Karen Kenney, and hope to get back into some of her classes in the next week or so. Additionally, I am considering Pilates, but I already have quite a bit on my plate for gym memberships, so I may need to work with what I already have. Ultimately, this means I am going to have to get over the fact that I put on some winter pudge and get into the pool again. Swimming will help the leg strength without irritating my knee. I needed some pool inspiration today and found a blog post from Gluten Free Running Mama called “I’m a VERY self-conscious swimmer!” It is a great post because she takes you through her stream of consciousness while she is attempting to get a swim in. Swimmers can be quirky—especially those that have been consistently in a routine. Since I’ve fallen out of my routine, some of my former confidence morphed into concern over what others will think of me. Oh well, time to get over that and back into the pool for some rehab swim workouts.

Finally, I’ve been making some progress with my pushups again since resetting in January. This week I’m doing sets of 13, so by the end of the week, I’ll have completed nearly 400 pushups. I’m glad to be back on track with this and it should be easy to maintain now that I’ll be in my home office without people looking at me like I have ten heads. Seriously, people have given me some bizarre looks in the hall at work when I drop and do pushups J

In June, you’ll be able to read about a Vega product that I’m testing out here on I Tri Training—stay tuned to #fuelyourbetter!

Check out my sweet office set up! I’ve got a stability ball to work on improving my core and posture. I have to alternate with a chair as it is way harder than expected—maybe I do need to get to Pilates.

 

 

~Laura

Milestones

This week I hit a milestone of 200,000 miles on my Honda Civic which I purchased new in 2003. In 10 and a half years, I have traveled up and down New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Most of the miles were from work commutes from NH to MA, but I also tacked a lot of miles visiting Mark up at Vermont Law while he was studying there. In the wake of this milestone, it seemed useful to reflect on some of my major workout milestones since it was not until about ten years ago that I started to seriously train and workout beyond some brief phases in college. During my senior year of college I dabbled briefly in lifting with machines and some light free weights, so it is hard to believe at 32 that I am more fit than I was at 21.

Highlights from 2004- 2013:

5 Half Marathons with a PR of 1:58:33 at Half at Hampton in 2012
6 Recorded (but several not listed in Athlinks) 5Ks with PR of 26:37 at Concord Rock N'Race in 2012
3 10Ks
7 Snowshoe Races
2 Olympic distance triathlon
4 Sprint distance triathlons
1 Half Ironman

Crossfit Gains from 2011-2013

Deadlift 130lbs --> 215lbs
Military Press 45lbs -->85lbs
Back Squat 90lbs --> 150lbs
Front Squat 65lbs --> 105lbs
Split Jerk 55lbs --> 100lbs
Power Clean 65lbs --> 95lbs
Push Press 55lbs --> 100lbs
Bench Press 67.5lbs -->105lbs


Being a Type A and an overachiever, I tend to think anything less than perfect is not good enough. Consequently, this past year has been a challenge because I focused on certain areas in my life more than others. We had a tremendous loss in our family, and I became a homeowner. Despite all of these changes, I still made huge gains in terms of my strength and conditioning. Last year, I hurt myself deadlifting and stopped doing that for about 6 months, yet now I am up to 215lbs for my one rep and am looking to top that in the next 4 week cycle. So, instead of reprimanding myself for failing at my 150 perfect bricks and nutrition, I think I should acknowledge that it has been a successful year in many ways. The failures are just opportunities to crush goals next year. I did hit #100 for perfect bricks in November and will focus on trying to clean up a bit on food for December before doing a Whole 30 reset in January.

Last weekend I participated in a partner workout(Erica and I pictured below) as a fundraiser for the Movember foundation. It is rewarding to give back while getting your butt kicked! I am so proud to belong to a crossfit gym committed to the clients and philanthropic causes.

Pumpkinman 2011--A Success!

As I am recaping my adventures at Pumpkinman yesterday, I realize that I can now say I have successfully completed a half ironman! I don't know the statistics on this multisport event, but I am thinking it is a fairly small percentage of people who actually complete a half ironman in their lifetime. So, I am actually feeling a little proud right now :) There are a lot of things I know I will never be able to do, or am not capable of doing for one reason or another. But I have accomplished something that many people would never even attempt to do. The training for a half iron race is extensive and arduous. It is sometimes very lonely on the long bike rides and runs. In addition, it can be very dangerous! Road biking is very enjoyable sport, but I've found a lot of drivers either ignore you or practically run you over--not so much fun! Despite all of these challenges: time, energy, motivation, and safety, I completed my full training plan. It began in early February when I met with S2 and discussed my plans. He was certain I would be able to complete a half ironman with the right training and attitude. At that time, I was just excited to take on a new challenge and face the big 3-0 with defiance! I did not really know if I'd actually be able to finish a race or not. We talked about various races and decided on Pumpkinman because it is a bit more beginner friendly than a Mooseman or Timberman course. Believe me, Mooseman would not be an easy first half ironman! Pumpkinman was also going to be held in mid-September, so I would have to whole summer to focus on training.

In early March, after a fun winter break in Taos, I jumped right into my training plan. I was ultimately training for Pumpkinman but I had several events before that. I completed the Big Lake Half Marathon in May, Mooseman international distance triathlon in June, Black Fly international distance triathlon in July, and then the Timberman sprint triahtlon in August. There was never a dull moment in the months leading up to Pumpkinman. If you follow my blog, you read about how I nearly dropped out of Mooseman, failed to hit my PR at Black Fly, and then PRed at the Timberman sprint. Based on those races, I really did not know what would happen for Pumpkiman. I knew I had done my homework--the preparation piece was complete. I felt mentally focused, but that could change on race day. All I could do was take it all in and hope for the best. I knew there would be a lot of S2 athletes at the race, so that made me a little less aprehensive.

On Saturday before the race, Mark and I left early to check in at our hotel in Dover so we would be able to get registered for the race and eat early enough to digest. Our night before meal was Moe's subs (yummy!) and plenty of water. After an early dinner, we registered for the race, checked out the transition area (and hill for the Powderhouse Dash), and discussed plans for the next day. We did notice that trains went through Dover and hoped we would not get stuck behind those in the morning. Our plan was to get up at 4:30AM, go to Dunkin Donuts, and then get set up at the race transition area.

When the alarm went off at 4:30, I was excited, jittery, and a bit nervous. We got ready, packed up, and headed to Dunkin. Of course, as we were leaving Dunkin, we got stuck at a train stop--luckily, we had given ourselves enough time. But I was a bit wound up so I did get annoyed by the situation. Anyway, when we did arrive, I also realized I forgot my body glide--this was not a major problem, but it would cause slight discomfort later in the day.

Mark and I set up in our respective transition spaces and then squished into our wetsuits. We grabbed our goggles and swim caps (mine was orange, how appropriate for the Pumpkinman!) and made our way to the swim start. As we looked out at Knight's Pond, we really did not know what the race officials were going to do...it was completely covered in mist and fog. The night before had dipped in temperature but the pond was still quite warm. I liked the water temperature, but we would have to be able to see our course or it would not be safe. The announcer covered rules, course, etc. and then there was a tribute for the victim's off 9/11. There was even a military relay team for this event. It is important to note that I am able to participate in these kind of events because I have the freedom to do so. My freedom is certainly due to those who fight for our country. Thank you to the brave military men and women who enable me to enjoy those freedoms. After the announcements were taken care of, we just had to wait and see if the fog would burn off. Mark and I swam around in the water a bit to get acclimated and I was pleasantly surprised to not have any anxiety in the pond. I couldn't see the bottom (which I prefer) and it was nice and warm. I felt ready for the swim!

Just before, 8am, the fog lifted enough for us to start the race and complete the whole swim. They had been talking about shortening it for visibility and I was really upset. I was there to complete a 70.3 race and I wanted to do the race in its entirety. Anyway, it cleared up and we were able to begin our swim. I felt strong and confident throughout the swim. I never worried about fish or drowning--I established a rhythm and stayed with it. The payoff--00:37:40.453 an 11th place age division swim.

I ran out of the water and jog/walked up the Powderhouse Hill Climb. I was not interested in winning this separate contest as it would have used up a ton of energy. I spent 00:04:52.604 in transition, which is awhile but I wanted to make sure I had everything ready for the bike--my goal was just to finish after all! Coming out of T1, I had a panic that I was not wearing my race belt. I turned around (just a few feet) to make sure I did not need the belt--I did not. I only needed it during the run, but I did not want to be DQed for something silly like that, so it was worth an extra minute or two.

The bike ride was honestly nothing special or exciting. It was a pretty course and it was fairly flat. Early in the ride, I passed Mark who had a flat tire. I was concerned for him, but I knew he'd make up the time and pass me once he fixed the tire--and he did :) In terms of the course makeup, I was happy it was flat because my small bike gear was acting up and I had great difficulty getting out of my big gear. That would have been a major problem if I had been on a hilly course, but I was able to adapt on this course. My chain did fall off when I shifted once; however, I was able to quickly get the chain back on (I was covered in grease though!) and continue with my ride. I worried that maybe I went too fast on the ride and would not save enough energy for my run. Final bike ride results were 03:23:58.265 with a 16.5 mph average. I was pleased with that!

My second transition was really slow because I had to use the bathroom, but I figured it was better than having to go out on the run course!!! My time in second transition was 00:06:23.364. I also really wished I had my body glide because I imagined running was going to cause some chafing--and it definitely did! Arghh, I will not forget that again.

And then there was the run. I knew it would be painful--I had been thinking about how painful it was going to be halfway through the bike ride. The first two miles were not too bad. I shuffled slowly along with the plan of doing that for the rest of the run. I made sure to drink plenty of water at the stops, took some salt tablets, and had plenty of GU shots. By mile 6, I was definitely questioning my sanity. Why would anyone do this?!!! Then I remembered how my coach said there would be highs and lows in the race. I needed to work through the lows. Since it was a loop course, I saw people finishing their second loop when I was still working on my first. That was a challenging thing to deal with. Mark and I passed each other twice and it was great to see him doing so well. I somehow slogged through the entire run. By mile 12, no one was around me (I knew a few were behind though), the sun was lower in the sky, and I heard crickets!!! At this point, I thought I must have taken four hours to finish the run. Luckily, that was just exhausted Laura thinking that. Once I passed the mile 12 sign, I said to myself, you will finish this race running (or jogging slowly) because you worked hard for this! And I did. I pushed my way up the last hill and then down the final grassy slope to the finish. My final run time was 02:41:33.642. This was not bad considering I had swum 1.2 miles and had biked 56 miles before the half marathon. I never walked--I jogged the whole 13.1 miles!

For the overall race time, I finished in 06:54:28.328. I am content with this time because my goal was just to finish and I did way more than that in the swim and the bike portions of the race. It was awesome to meet up with various team members after and have a yummy Thanksgiving style meal in the race tent with Mark. Pumpkinman was his THIRD half ironman and he had a very strong race despite the mechanical issue on his bike ride! I was so happy to be a part of another one of his accomplishments. We were able to share in the feelings of success yesterday :) Also, all the race volunteers were fantastic and the event really was organized and enoyable for all. I HIGHLY recommend this race for a first half ironman.

So, will I ever do one of these 70.3 half ironman races again? I'm not sure, but I definitely did gain a ton from this experience. For the moment, I plan on relaxing and looking ahead to yoga classes and snowshoe racing season. You may see the blog again next spring when I work towards a new goal. Stay tuned...

Timberman Sprint Summary

Timberman Sprint 2011 is in the books. This was my first time participating in this particular event (last year I watched Mark complete the grueling 70.3 course) and I have to say that it was a really fun race! This was also my first triathlon that I got to race in with my friend Melissa! Melissa has been my awesome training buddy for about two years now and I owe much of my triathlon success to her. She has been willing to get up early and go for long rides or early morning swims. In fact, I think this race went very well because of our 60 mile bike ride last week. That course was so hilly and challenging that Timberman felt like a mild jog in comparison. Melissa also had a great race with a very strong swim early on. Great job, Melissa!

Ok, so the race report. Melissa and I headed up to Gunstock for a 5:00am arrival. We gathered our gear, had our bikes jammed into the school bus shuttle, and hopped into the shuttle for our short ride to Ellacoya State Park in Gilford, NH. We arrived with plenty of time to spare--which was good because I had a snag in the beginning. In trying to get my bike into transition, I was stopped because the handlebar plugs had both fallen out. The volunteers couldn't get those to stay in, so I had to go over to the MC Cyclery tent for a quick tape fix. Crisis averted thanks to the helpful crew from MC--thanks guys! I was then able to get into transition and started to set up my little area. I didn't take any pictures this year, but it was definitely a tight squeeze with well over 1000 participants (I am still trying to find the exact # and figure out my overall rank). I waited in line for the bathroom for awhile, but decided it was not worth the wait and maneuvered into my wetsuit. Melissa and I had plenty of time to acclimate in the water as we were both in later swim waves. I think this really helped to calm my nerves. If you have been reading my blog, or know what happened to me in June, then you would know I have had some serious issues with the swim this year. However, this was not going to be one of those days! We observed the earlier swim waves and watched a lot of people running or dolphin diving because the water was very shallow. Luckily, I am short and can swim in super shallow water. When it was time for my swim wave, I stayed to the edge of the inside and started swimming early on. This really helped conserve my energy. I also breathed only on the right side as another strategy to calm my nerves. All of these seemed to work! I noticed I was ahead of most of my other age group swimmers, and then the passing began! I passed people of all different age groups and this really boosted my confidence. I had one little glitch in that I ended up veering way to the left (probably as a result of the one side breathing/lack of sighting) and had to quickly make up some time and return to the inside of the course. Once I did that, I pushed really hard to the finish. I noticed another white cap trying to catch me, so I pushed it even harder. I ended up 5th out of the water for my age group! This was my best swim to date! I am still waiting for the final rank on my swim, but I definitely was in the top 100 on this swim (men and women)! Considering where I was in June, this was a huge success. My total swim time for .33 miles was 9:50.

Next, the bike ride. As I mentioned earlier, Melissa and I have been doing some pretty intense bike rides over the last three weeks (including the 70.3 course), so this 15 mile ride was nothing to worry about. I did have another mechanical glitch in the beginning, before I was able to get on my bike, I noticed my chain had fallen off. I do know how to put it back on, but since I was in front of people and filled with adrenaline, I ran over to MC again and they quickly helped me out. After I jumped on my bike, I easily passed many riders on the hills because I've been training on huge hills lately. I knew where to gain speed and momentum. Overall, the ride was not overly eventful--I felt like it just kind of flew by. I completed the bike ride in 53:05 and averaged 17mph. I still was in pretty good shape in my age group on the bike.

Finally, the run. Oh running, how I loathe you. Ok, I don't totally dislike running, but I prefer a nice 2 mile decompressing jog vs. a fast run after swimming and biking, But it had to be done. I started out fairly slow, but as I noticed many of my age groupers (30-35) passing me, I knew I was going to have to step it up a bit. I am really not a fast runner. I do try, but I just never seem to get the results I want in the run. Anyway, I did pick up my pace and finished in 25:31 for a pace of 8:31. I actually consider this to be relatively fast, but it is definitely an area where I lose time to the other athletes.

My overall race time was 1:35:31, so I am pretty pleased with how the race went. I will add my overall age group rank when they post the results.

There is only one more race for the 2011 season and it is a big one--Pumpkinman 70.3!!!

Week 23 Workouts:
Monday-REST
Tuesday- 15 min swim/40 minute bike ride
Wednesday- 20 minute run
Thursday- 10 minute swim/20 minute bike ride
Friday-REST
Saturday- Timberman Sprint Triathlon!
Sunday-REST

Waterville Valley Weekend

Week 17 was a taper week before the Black Fly International Triathlon. Friday night, Mark and I met up in Waterville Valley and registered for our races. Mark competed in the 3 day Lord of the Flies competition, so I was there to cheer him (and the S2 crew) on in the time trial bike race on Friday night. The weather was iffy, but the rain stayed at bay. However, during the middle of the night, it poured! I was so bummed thinking that our race the next day was going to be a washout. Mother Nature was kind yet again and the rain stopped; the sun came out for the race. We left early in the morning from our hotel to get set up in transition. Mark had a much earlier start than I did in the swim, but I had time to wake up and hang out with Colleen who competed in her first international distance triathlon! Then, it was time to race...

First up, the swim. After my near DNF experience at Mooseman, I was a little leary of the swim. It is soooo annoying as the swim had previously been my strong event. It seems I have a bit of a mental block going on right now with that. Anyway, this swim went better than Mooseman, but it still was nothing to write home about. I actually was a minute slower than last year and I still had some moments of panic where I had to just slow to catch my breath. But, I did finish and it was in 8:12.

Next up, the bike. I have practiced on this course before, but I guess one more ride might have been helpful. I took off strong in the beginning knowing the course was difficult in the second half. I maintained a 20.4 mph average for the first half which is quite good for me. Unfortunately, the long flats, and gradual uphill of the second part took my average down to 16.3. I thought this was still pretty good, but apparently, I did better on this part last year as well. Maybe I went faster last year because it was raining and I wasn't taking any time to enjoy the course :) Oh well, I did pick up some speed in the end for a strong finish in the last quarter mile.

The transition from bike to run was relatively fast (especially considering I had to make a quick trip to the loo!) and I set off for the 5 mile run with my legs feeling pretty good. In retrospect, I probably could have pushed more, but I have been dealing with some digestive issues and I also had a side stitch that I did not want to make worse. I averaged 9:55 on the run, but I definitely was looking for a lower 9 minute mile average.

Overall, it was a 2:20:03 finish for me this year. I had a really fun time at the race, so maybe I relaxed too much. I always say I am doing it just to finish, but I think I'd like to pick it up next year! Maybe I'll even try the whole Lord of the Flies competition. It was great to be able to cheer on all the S2 team members, Colleen, and my boyfriend! Congratulations to all of the participants in the Black Fly 2011 :)

Taper Week (17) Workouts:
Monday- Rest
Tuesday- Bike 45 minutes
Wednesday- 20 minute swim/20 minute run
Thursday- 10 minute swim/20 minute bike
Friday- Rest
Saturday- RACE!
Sunday- REST :)

Long Swim

Last night was a long swim workout and I ended up completing it in between 8-9:30PM because I took a long nap right after school. Again, my theory is that at least I am getting the workout done! I swam 50 laps: 5 minute warmup, 10 X 200s (building on speed for each 200), and a 10 minute cool down. By the time I arrived home, I was too exhausted to blog, so here I am blogging during my Tech PLC at school :) Tonight I'm off to Quest yoga for a relaxing stretch!

Tip: The later swimming is really great because the pool is empty so you don't have to share the lane!

Late Workout

After dragging myself back to work today, I took a much needed nap after. Due to this little catnap, I missed spin class and had to do my own spin workout followed by a long/steady swim. So I defaulted to my cycling podcast and got through a decent workout with that. Then, I completed 40 laps in the pool. Now, I have a little time to relax and then it is time for bed.

Swimming Tip: The YMCA is VERY quiet at 8:15 PM--so if you like not having to share lanes, I highly recommend this time slot.