Week 5: When Life Gets in the Way

This week was a lesson in one of those trite expressions that you hear all the time, but rarely think about: "You can't do everything" - or, said another way, "Something has to give."  Last year when I was training for Ironman Florida, these expressions rarely proved true for me.  Work was somewhat easy, as I was in a routine, I had plenty of people to help with Sierra on my long training days, and my boyfriend was my main training partner.  It was truly realistic to make my training my number one priority.

But this year, I am faced with the challenge that 99% of the age-groupers out there who take on the Ironman challenge - I will often need to give more priority to pieces of my life other than my training.  This week was a good wake-up call to this fact.

• Monday was moving day!  Very exciting!  But I started early, getting out of bed at 5:30am, packing up my corporate housing apartment, and headed over to my new place to take pictures before the movers were scheduled to be there at 8am.  As Monday is my typical rest day, I was ok to not train.  But even though I had a couple of nice young gentlemen moving all my boxes for me, and reassembling furniture, I was still on my feet all day - unpacking, and wracking my brain for where to put everything in my new place.  I went to bed completely wiped out at 9:00pm.
• Tuesday was a good day for a recovering swim before work.  I took it pretty easy, swimming for about 45 minutes.  After work, I spent an hour on the phone with my boyfriend in Boston, giving him a Facetime tour of our new apartment before heading out for hill repeats.  I managed to get in hill repeats on the 65th St. hill between Ballard and Phinney, between 3rd Ave NW and Greenwood Ave.  It's a .25 mi. hill, and my training schedule called for 8 repeats, but my legs were still aching from Monday, and on repeat #5, I felt my knee buckle and knew that 6 was all that I was going to do.  I was proud of myself for getting out there at all.  Before going to bed on Tuesday, I made it a priority to set up my trainer for a Wednesday AM workout... 
• Wednesday worked out great, with a trainer ride in the morning focused on long threshold intervals (two intervals, 20 min. each).  Feeling good up to this point, even though this day was supposed to be a brick workout.  I skipped the run because I slept in a bit and couldn't fit it in (yes, still recovering from the move, I felt!).  I had a work dinner on Wednesday night, which kept me out until 11pm, so needless to say, I didn't sleep well that night.
• Thursday was feeling like it was going to be a wash because I only had five hours of sleep and wanted to get in a morning workout because I had plans for drinks after work.  I had planned to do a swim, but ended up prioritizing a strength workout - a whole 50 min, full-body session.
• By Friday, I was feeling a bit back to normal, with my regular Friday morning run around Lake Union.  I took advantage of feeling relaxed on Friday night, and had an easy evening at home, making dinner for myself in my new apartment.
• Saturday and Sunday included two of my four planned workouts - a long run (10 mi.) and a long ride on the trainer.  But I skipped the extra swim session and the extra strength session after my Saturday 10-miler wiped me out more than I could imagine, and my Sunday group ride got hijacked by my inability to find the right gear amongst my unpacked boxes.  I used Sunday to go to the bike shop to buy what I needed to get myself organized, and managed to get in a 2-hour ride on the trainer.

All said, I did better than average.  But I'm not used to not following my plan 100%, so it feels like I let things slide.  But, in the spirit of the lesson of the week, I'm truly ok with this and feel like I did what was best for my physical and mental health.

Plan vs. Actual:
Swim:  plan 1:30:00, actual 0:45:00
Bike:  plan 5:15:00, actual 3:05:00
Run: plan 4:45:00 (28 mi.), actual 3:18:00 (21.5 mi.)
S&C:  plan 1:00:00, actual 0:50:00

Week 4: The Joy of the Running Group

Now I know I'm in a routine because the weeks are starting to go by faster.  And just as I am starting to feel settled in my temporary apartment, it is time to move on.  Tomorrow, I move out of corporate housing and into my rental in Ballard, where I will stay put for at least 12 months.  I am looking forward to that.

In terms of my training, this week has been amazing.  Yes, amazing.  Not only did I keep up with the plan (I always see this as a success), I had two significant happenings:
1.  I found a group to run with, and
2.  I got another PR.

This week, I learned what SGLRG and FLUR mean!  I joined the Seattle Green Lake Running Group (SGLRG), and did their regular "Wake-Up Wednesday" run around Green Lake, and their Friday Lake Union Run (FLUR), followed by coffee at Milstead.  They seem like a good group - one that I want to get to know better - and running with them made me realize how much I miss running with people.  Or at least having running peeps to turn to when I want motivation, support, or just to geek-out on some running talk.  The group has a triathlon spin-off group, the Seattle Green Lake Triathlon Group, which I have not become acquainted with yet, but will in the near future.

For new, and old, runners I can't recommend finding a group to run with highly enough!  There is nothing more energizing than running with people.  And, although I enjoy my quiet, alone-time runs, there is something incredibly fulfilling about having a group of people to turn to when you need that extra push.  And as much as I do like running by myself, the time always goes by faster when I'm running with others.

There is a lot more I can say on the topic of social running, and maybe someday I will.  For now, I will touch on #2 - my PR.

I ran a small 10K race in Seward Park today, put on by Fitness for Vitality, and ran a 47:53, coming in as the 3rd place overall female!!  Not only does it feel great to get a PR, and come in 3rd overall, but I also have always had this barrier in my head about the 8:00-mile - thinking that if I could ever run a 10K in under an 8:00 average pace, I would be a "real" runner.  Today, I became a "real" runner, with an average overall pace of 7:43.  I am amazed and proud.

Week 3: Two Weeks is all it takes

Two weeks seems to be the amount of time it takes to get over the discomfort of something new, and settle into it - move into an acceptance of it.  Although this is Week 3 of my training, I feel like it is only the second week of true momentum.  Coincidentally, it is also the end of my second week at my new job.  Both my training and the new job feel familiar.  I have a long way to go and a lot to accomplish yet with each, but I have my bearings.

• Strength Training: Reminder to myself - I fell off of the strength training wagon this week.  I blame my lack of transportation.  I had to rely on the bus to get to the gym, which was possible, but certainly not convenient, taking 1-hour+ each way.  This is not ok.  I need to get back into the habit of 2 solid days of strength training each week.
• Fueling with chocolate.  Ok, I admit.  I ate a LOT of chocolate this week.  Every night.  A half a Theo bar each night.  As I sit here and type this, I am stone cold OUT of chocolate, but I want some badly.  I am tempted to go to the store to get some, but realize that I have reached my quota for the week - probably for the month.  Other than this, I think I'm doing fine with my diet.  I'm still finding it very easy to eat vegan at home, and eat light and healthy when I go out.  I have no idea if I'm losing weight, but I feel good.
• Ramping up too quickly?  I ran hills on Tuesday this week, and for my "easy" run on Wednesday, I ended up running more hills.  My shins are starting to bother me, and I'm reminded to take it easy.  I am excited about my strength and the fact that I'm running so fast, but I need to be mindful of taking it easy so I don't strain anything.
• Making time.  I had a weird work schedule on Wednesday this week where I had to be at work earlier than usual and stay later than usual.  It would be easy to just say that I didn't have time to work out that day.  And the truth is, unless I woke up at 4:00am, or went to bed at midnight that night I did not have time for my planned workout.  But I'm giving myself a pat on the back for fitting in a 30 min. run and a 15 min. core strengthening session.  Validating that anyone can fit exercise into their life, no matter how busy their schedule is.
• Slower runs.  A friend of mine from my Boston running club was in town this week, so I had company on my long run.  Even though she is a 3:20 marathoner, she does her long runs at a 10-min. pace.  This reminded me that slow, easy runs are never a bad thing - as long as I'm not wimping out on my interval workouts.  This was a great thought to end the week on, as I started the week too aggressively, potentially putting myself on the brink of injury.

Week 2: Back At It, For Real

Highlights of Week 2

• I started a new job, and I secured a place to live (starting Feb 1) which means I started a new workout routine.  I got myself a membership at LA Fitness in Ballard.  I don't love the club, but it is less than a mile from my new apartment, and it is one of few options for a pool in the area.
• The vegan thing isn't going to happen - Again this week, when I went out to eat - not to a place of my choosing, but for a work lunch - the vegan options were non-existent.  I'm ok with this.  It has been easy to eat vegan with the foods that I buy and eat at home, which is 90% of what I'm eating right now.
• I stuck to my Ironman and half-marathon training plan.  I had some tough workouts, but not too tough for this early in the season, so I know I have a good plan.  I successfully completed my first marathon-pace workout, running 3 mi. at marathon pace! 
• I made a promise to myself to run around Lake Union every Friday morning - rain, or shine, or sleet, or snow, or sun.  On my first attempt this week, I turned a 6.5 mi. run into a 9.7 mi. run by missing the turn for the University Bridge and going over the Montlake Bridge, which led me through Portage Bay and got me all turned around a lost, as I'm not real familiar with this area.  It will be better next week.
• I'm feeling better, but I'm not totally happy with the way I look and feel.  I'm extremely bloated and feel like I am carrying extra off-time weight.  I weighed myself at the gym today at 122 lbs.  I'd like to be 116 lbs. for racing season.
• I studied the Ironman Lake Placid and Whistler bike courses and created trainer workouts that simulate the course.  I haven't done the workouts yet, but plan to for my long trainer rides in the coming weeks.

Weekly training looks like this:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
REST	AM - swim PM - run - track or hills	AM or PM - bike-run brick	AM - swim PM - bike, S&C	AM - run - tempo (Lake Union, 1 hr.)	AM - bike - long endurance ride, S&C	AM - run - long easy run with pick-ups

Vegan in 2014? Week 1 in Review

One of my 2014 New Year's resolutions is to become more vegan.  I have not committed to eating exclusively a vegan diet, but I have committed to eating vegan whenever possible.  My sole exception is eating eggs from my friends' chickens.  The rationale is that, by eating these eggs, I am not contributing to any corrupt corporate farming practices, nor am I participating in animal cruelty.  I also do believe that eggs are a great source of nutrition, so by eating eggs, I am making a decision in favor of my health.

Here is a summary of Week 1.  As you'll see, everything was fine until I went out to eat.  This may be a non-vegan bullet I will have to bite, as I don't want my veganism to exclude me from having a social life.

• Jan 1
• breakfast: half a bagel with peanut butter, coffee with soy creamer
• lunch: Racha Thai - green curry tofu with brown rice, Racha special noodles with peanut sauce; soy latte from Cafe Lladro
• dinner: Blue C Sushi - sesame green beans, seaweed salad, V-8 roll
• Jan 2
• breakfast: oatmeal with hemp milk, almonds, blueberries, and raspberries; coffee with soy creamer.
• snack: peanut butter Pro Bar
• lunch: kale and potato curry soup with house salad (minus the feta cheese) at Naked City in Greenwood
• snack: peanut and chocolate chip Clif Bar
• dinner: potato poblano tacos at Cactus in South Lake Union (minus the cheese), with black bean and rice, guac, salsa, and chips
• Jan 3
• breakfast: oatmeal with hemp milk, almonds, blueberries, and raspberries; coffee with soy creamer.
• lunch: Trader Joe's whole grain tortilla with mediterranean hummus; mixed green salad with TJ's baked tofu, shitake mushrooms, carrots, sunflower seeds, broccoli, and goddess dressing
• snack: apple
• dinner: TJ's garlic herb pizza crust with TJ's pizza sauce, potatoes, and kale; red wine
• Jan 4
• breakfast: raw oats with hemp milk, almonds, sunflower seeds, blueberries, and raspberries; coffee with soy creamer.
• lunch: veggie burger at Greenlake Bar & Grill **Despite my ordering this burger without cheese and aioli, it was served to me with cheese and aioli, and I'm almost certain that the burger itself was not vegan.**
• dinner: TJ's garlic herb pizza crust with TJ's pizza sauce and potatoes; sauted kale and brussel sprouts in veggie broth; red wine
• Jan 5
• breakfast: raw oats with hemp milk, almonds, sunflower seeds, blueberries, and apples; coffee with soy creamer.
• snack: whole wheat tortilla with hummus and tofu
• lunch/dinner: Veggie Delight with brown rice at Jhanjay Vegetarian Thai

Week 1: 5K PR and Maiden Mountain Biking Voyage

Week 1 in Review: 5K PR and Mountain Biking

• January 1: 5K PR at Resolution Run in Magnuson Park!  7:22 pace = 22:53
• January 2: First time mountain biking at St. Edwards Park in Kirkland.  I went out too fast and had no idea how to handle my bike and bit it while crossing a wet wooden path.  I got a nice puncture wound on my left hip (saw my insides for the first time!) - but luckily didn't realize this until the end of the ride, so it didn't stop me too much - and a new hematoma on my left leg, just above my knee on my quad.  This means that I won't be running for at least a couple days, and won't be swimming until the would heals - maybe a week.
• Training goal this week: heal
• January 5: Started running again after two full days of allowing my mountain biking wound to heal.  I took it easy, doing a 60 min run, mostly easy.  I did 10 min at goal marathon pace at the end of the workout, and felt good.  I think I can pick things up next week, back to 85% of normal volume and intensity.

If you want to be happy, be active

During 2013, I pushed myself to a physical limit I didn't know that I had by training for and racing in my first Ironman race.  I learned about the complete exhaustion that comes with 20+ hours of training a week, but I also learned that the more active I became, the more conscious I became of all choices I was making about my health, and as my health increased (fewer injuries, sicknesses, and bouts of depression), the happier I became.

In 2014, I believe that I have built the habits that will ensure that an active lifestyle is a cornerstone of my life forever, but I have a stressful year ahead.  I am starting a new job, I just moved across the country, I am moving in with my boyfriend, and I am training for my second Ironman.  It will be challenging to remain unstressed, but I want to monitor how I navigate this stress and how I rely on my habits of an active and healthy lifestyle to keep a smile on my face.