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Mulligan...

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KBFitz
Tim C
Michele "1L" Keane
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Post  nkrichards Sun Apr 15, 2018 10:37 pm

ounce wrote:I don't know that protein is going to do a lot for you during a race.  Afterwards?  Absolutely because it'll rebuild the mitochondria damaged during your race.

You're right that you need to train with whatever you choose.  I wouldn't choose anything with very much fiber because that gives the potential of a code brown during the race.

If you're going for clarity of mind, anything with sugar will do, from cookies to expensive stuff.  My personal favorite was Fig Newtons because they don't make your fingers sticky.  Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Sweet Tarts, peppermint candy.  Junk food.  

For me, even a S!Cap capsule gives me some clarity.  I think because it's just something in my belly.  Even Gatorade would work.  Sure, you'll pee or sweat the salt away, but the sugar is for clarity.  You want a processed dessert item that's easy on your system, but accomplishes getting mental clarity.

You're set on potassium, so you don't need it.  Not even a banana.

Just my thoughts.
There is so much information out there that it's hard to find a definitive answer.  I'm not a big fan of real food during a race.  It's just to hard to carry, eat, and digest.

I've been reading as much as I can about the idea of adding protein.  Some studies show that for long events that protein will extend your endurance and hence your performance.  It also helps keep you from feeling hungry.  The Infinit that I ordered has some protein in it...it should arrive any day.  We'll see how that goes before I make a decision.

I've been having trouble with cramps again...a lot.  I read something this evening that states that the electrolytes job is to transport the water from your gut to your blood.  If you don't have electrolytes in your stomach the water will just sit there and you'll become dehydrated no matter how much you drink...and the result will be...yup...cramps.  So I don't think I'm going to mess with lowering the electrolytes in whatever drink I choose but I probably won't supplement with capsules.

***

I'm way behind with updating this blog with my actual training.  There are a few reasons why.  I've been really battling to find time to fit in training let alone blog about it.  I've been preoccupied with this nutrition stuff.  My weekly training is posted elsewhere here so I'm not going to worry about updating it here.

But...the real reason I haven't been on here much...it's Boston week.  This is always a tough week for me.  This year is no different.  I fully intended to move on after my poor marathon last November...start a new blog...give up on this marathon thing.  Truthfully...there is a reason that I'm still posting in my Mulligan blog.  I know I need to move on.  I haven't been able to fully do that.  Am I enjoying triathlon training.  Yes.  Will I try another marathon.  I don't know.  My family hopes not.

Enough whining...

***

Struggling to find time to fit my training in but I did manage to get in a couple medium/long bike rides this week.  Not as long as I would have liked but better than last week.  My training is going well overall.  I'm not going to be fast by any stretch of the imagination but if I can survive the bike ride I'll finish.  I still have a few more weeks to prepare.  The race is the first weekend in June.

My RHR was up a bit this week...I think the cause was carrot planting not training but I'm going to keep an eye on it.  Took a full rest day today.  Ready to hit it hard this week.

Ultreya...
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Post  ounce Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:51 pm

nkrichards wrote:
ounce wrote:I don't know that protein is going to do a lot for you during a race.  Afterwards?  Absolutely because it'll rebuild the mitochondria damaged during your race.

You're right that you need to train with whatever you choose.  I wouldn't choose anything with very much fiber because that gives the potential of a code brown during the race.

If you're going for clarity of mind, anything with sugar will do, from cookies to expensive stuff.  My personal favorite was Fig Newtons because they don't make your fingers sticky.  Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Sweet Tarts, peppermint candy.  Junk food.  

For me, even a S!Cap capsule gives me some clarity.  I think because it's just something in my belly.  Even Gatorade would work.  Sure, you'll pee or sweat the salt away, but the sugar is for clarity.  You want a processed dessert item that's easy on your system, but accomplishes getting mental clarity.

You're set on potassium, so you don't need it.  Not even a banana.

Just my thoughts.
There is so much information out there that it's hard to find a definitive answer.  I'm not a big fan of real food during a race.  It's just to hard to carry, eat, and digest.

I've been reading as much as I can about the idea of adding protein.  Some studies show that for long events that protein will extend your endurance and hence your performance.  It also helps keep you from feeling hungry.  The Infinit that I ordered has some protein in it...it should arrive any day.  We'll see how that goes before I make a decision.

I've been having trouble with cramps again...a lot.  I read something this evening that states that the electrolytes job is to transport the water from your gut to your blood.  If you don't have electrolytes in your stomach the water will just sit there and you'll become dehydrated no matter how much you drink...and the result will be...yup...cramps.  So I don't think I'm going to mess with lowering the electrolytes in whatever drink I choose but I probably won't supplement with capsules.

***

I'm way behind with updating this blog with my actual training.  There are a few reasons why.  I've been really battling to find time to fit in training let alone blog about it.  I've been preoccupied with this nutrition stuff.  My weekly training is posted elsewhere here so I'm not going to worry about updating it here.

But...the real reason I haven't been on here much...it's Boston week.  This is always a tough week for me.  This year is no different.  I fully intended to move on after my poor marathon last November...start a new blog...give up on this marathon thing.  Truthfully...there is a reason that I'm still posting in my Mulligan blog.  I know I need to move on.  I haven't been able to fully do that.  Am I enjoying triathlon training.  Yes.  Will I try another marathon.  I don't know.  My family hopes not.

Enough whining...

***

Struggling to find time to fit my training in but I did manage to get in a couple medium/long bike rides this week.  Not as long as I would have liked but better than last week.  My training is going well overall.  I'm not going to be fast by any stretch of the imagination but if I can survive the bike ride I'll finish.  I still have a few more weeks to prepare.  The race is the first weekend in June.

My RHR was up a bit this week...I think the cause was carrot planting not training but I'm going to keep an eye on it.  Took a full rest day today.  Ready to hit it hard this week.

Ultreya...
As far as curing the cramps, just change 1 thing at a time while you're training so you can see if there was any change.  If you change two things, you won't know which item caused a change, if any.

Maybe think about it like you would with a less than 5 year old child and a tummy ache.  I remember the pediatrician calling it either the RAT diet (rice, applesauce, toast) or BRAT (banana, rice, applesauce, toast) to help the kid hold food down.  You may need to eat a part or all of a banana, after all.  Whatever lessens the cramps.  Even go back to what you were eating during a race, when you weren't cramping.

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Post  nkrichards Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:32 am

ounce wrote:
As far as curing the cramps, just change 1 thing at a time while you're training so you can see if there was any change.  If you change two things, you won't know which item caused a change, if any.

Maybe think about it like you would with a less than 5 year old child and a tummy ache.  I remember the pediatrician calling it either the RAT diet (rice, applesauce, toast) or BRAT (banana, rice, applesauce, toast) to help the kid hold food down.  You may need to eat a part or all of a banana, after all.  Whatever lessens the cramps.  Even go back to what you were eating during a race, when you weren't cramping.

What works for you may not work for an author writing a story.

Yes, Doug...I'm making changes slowly and one at a time.  I like your comparison to a young child.  I don't feel like a young child but my family says I sometimes act like one. What a Face

The cramps are an interesting beast.  I only cramp badly during swimming...especially when I swim with fins for to long.  I do get the occasional cramp at night and once in a while I'll cramp during Pilates...the arches of my foot cramp when I point my toes...hence the trouble when I wear swim fins.  Once I start to cramp then the cramps spread.  I don't seem to have any trouble while running or biking.  After doing some research I'm pretty much back on the diet was on before I found out I had high potassium.  I do limit the extra electrolyte capsules but I don't worry about the potassium in the food I eat or the sports drinks I consume.  I think the key for me is staying hydrated and the electrolytes are a key part of that.

***

So...a quick update. 

I've been able to spend the time in the pool necessary to prepare for the swim portion of the race.  I won't be fast but I'll be as prepared as this old tired body can be.  We're trying to figure out a time/way to get in at least a couple open water swims before the race.  We still have time.

As I've mentioned I don't have the time on the bike that I would like.  The weather (wind) has made biking outdoors unsafe.  I did finally accept that I would have to do some indoor bike training and I think it was helpful as I could concentrate on cadence and intervals.  I do have a couple nice long outdoor rides in and we have more planned.  The bike portion of the race is going to be long...and a mental challenge.  I'll be prepared for the challenge.

My running is going extremely well.  I almost wish I was running a marathon this spring!  I think the strength training that I've been doing has really helped.  I ran 7 w/2x2 (rest 800) in the gusty wind yesterday.  My intervals were @ 9:23 and 9:25 pace and didn't feel hard.  My long runs are only 10-12 miles but they are fun runs.  Even my brick runs have been comfortable.  I'm not saying that I'm running at an easy effort but definitely not a hard can I finish this effort and the pace has been encouraging.  Running a half marathon after I've been out there for 5 hours is going to be tough but doable if I pace myself well.

I need to work on transitions and nutrition.  I need to get my bike cleaned and tuned a couple weeks before the race.  I still have time. 

***

So this week started with Total Body Conditioning followed by 2400 yards swimming on Monday.

Tuesday was Pilates and then my 7 w/2x2 run in the gusty wind.

Today will be TBC and swimming again.

Thursday's weather looks good so maybe a long bike ride or a brick.

Ultreya...
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Post  Mark B Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:43 am

Electrolytes might not be the problem. Ask your swim coach about leg/foot cramping caused by swimming -- especially using flippers. I've used them before and oh, boy, did they stimulate all those little secondary muscles in my feet and lower legs. Perhaps you're doing something with your feet (curling your toes in too-big flippers, maybe?) that overworks them and sets them on edge. It's worth checking.

We have not had the winds you mention, except for a couple of days of windier weather. I can imagine that'd make biking not much fun.

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Post  nkrichards Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:24 am

Mark B wrote:Electrolytes might not be the problem. Ask your swim coach about leg/foot cramping caused by swimming -- especially using flippers. I've used them before and oh, boy, did they stimulate all those little secondary muscles in my feet and lower legs. Perhaps you're doing something with your feet (curling your toes in too-big flippers, maybe?) that overworks them and sets them on edge. It's worth checking.

We have not had the winds you mention, except for a couple of days of windier weather. I can imagine that'd make biking not much fun.

Yes, Mark, the fins are definitely part of the problem.  There was a very interesting article in the swim magazine a few weeks ago.  I'm not the only one who struggles when wearing fins.  Apparently one reason fins are recommended is to increase ankle flexibility and runners inherently have very inflexible ankles.  I do cramp at night as well though.  Coach Sara and Coach Tim both think it's related more to dehydration that electrolytes but apparently electrolytes are an important component of fluid absorption so it's all related.

***

Good week this week.  It was a tough one.

Mon - TBC, Swim 2400 yds
Tue - Pilates, 7 w/2x2 (rest 800) Windy but very pleased with run.  Avg. intervals @9:24  Avg HR 154
Wed - TBC, Swim 2950 yds  Tough swim...struggled to maintain pace at the end.
Thur - Pilates, Swim 2300 yds (including race distance time trial @ 2:25/100 meters), Bike 20 miles...hills & wind.
Fri - 52.6 mile group bike ride.  @ 14.7 HR 139  Didn't quite make race distance but I got the elevation in and did well.  We had a couple short stops that affected pace.
Sat - 13.4 mile Canyon Rumble.  @10:05  HR 149  Untimed event down the Willow Creek Canyon with a taco bar at the finish and a bus ride back up the hill.  The event is actually only 7.2 miles but I ran from home to get in enough miles.

So...I completed my triathlon this week...over the course of 3 days!  It may be slightly different when my transitions decrease from 18 hours to just minutes but I feel more confident that I can go the distance.  My paces weren't great but were actually better than I expected.  I was able to practice my nutrition/hydration and realized that I can push through leaden legs and run 13+ miles.  I'm exhausted today...totally expected.  Today will be a rest day as much as possible but I do have some yard work that needs attention.

Ultreya...
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Post  Mark B Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:11 am

Nice work this past week! I'm sure you'll be able to improve on your T1 and T2 times on race day. Very Happy

It's funny you mention dehydration, because you never think about talking fluids while swimming, even though you're working much more of your muscles than in the other two disciplines. It follows that you'd need fluids. How do swimmers deal with that?

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Post  nkrichards Sat Apr 28, 2018 8:29 pm

Mark B wrote:Nice work this past week! I'm sure you'll be able to improve on your T1 and T2 times on race day. Very Happy

It's funny you mention dehydration, because you never think about talking fluids while swimming, even though you're working much more of your muscles than in the other two disciplines. It follows that you'd need fluids. How do swimmers deal with that?

Well it was an interesting week this week!  Spent some time in the tractor, got caught up on yard work...pruning roses, planting garden, pruning fruit trees, helped with irrigation, mopping up after the sewer backed up and flooded the break room in the shop, and learning to drive the Bad Boy (new zero turn mower).  That's a totally different concept and mentally exhausting!!!!!  But I did manage to find time for some fun training...

On Thursday we did a T1 workout that Maura found online.  After a warm up you swim hard 400 yards and then jump out of the pool slip on your shoes, hat and sunglasses and run a mile...then repeat 2 more times.  It was hilarious.  We had everyone at the pool laughing and asking questions about our training and our race.  Definitely brought the fun back into training.  BTW the purpose was to get your body used to transitioning from horizontal to vertical as you leave the water and run into T1. 

On the subject of dehydration...it is kind of odd when you realize that you are swimming hard enough to sweat even though you're in the water.  In the past I didn't swim long or hard enough for hydration to be an issue.  Things have changed.  I now bring a bottle with sports drink and set it at the end of my lane.  We normally swim intervals so we just grab the bottle and swallow a couple swigs during our rest period.  When we do 1 hour swims with no stopping I just hydrate before and after.  I hope to finish my 1.2 mile swim in around 45 minutes so I'll be fine if I hydrate well before and then again in T1 and during the early stages of the bike ride.  In the case of very long open water swims they normally have a support boat that supplies hydration and nutrition to the swimmer.  I guess the rules are very strict about how things are transferred to the swimmer...no touching allowed!

***

So the training part of my week went like this...(pool was closed Mon-Wed for maintenance)

Mon - Total Body Conditioning in the park!
Tue - Brick 21 mile bike w/hills and 4 mile run
Wed - TBC in the park
Thur - Pilates, T1 workout
Fri - Group bike ride 30 miles, swim 2300 yds
Sat - 7 w/4x1 Avg interval 9:17.  Felt good to run hard but my legs are trashed.  It's amazing how much all the other stuff I did added to the stress of training.  Marty prides himself in providing opportunities for me to cross train.

Sunday is a planned rest day.  Next week I need to hit it hard and get in some good tough training.

Tired but pleased with where I'm at...
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Post  ounce Mon Apr 30, 2018 9:32 am

At the risk of telling you something you already knew, I went looking for what makes up 'electrolytes,' because I didn't know.

Scientific American says: "The electrolytes that are the most important in nutrition are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate."


Health.com:  (think calcium, potassium, magnesium, and plain old table salt)


medicalnewstoday.com "sodium, potassium, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride"


and WebMD.com:  "Electrolytes exist in the blood as acids, bases, and salts (such as sodium, calcium, potassium, chlorine, magnesium, and bicarbonate) and can be measured by laboratory studies of the blood serum."


So maybe look up your levels on your latest lab work and go from there.  Your potassium is fine, so you could take a lot of sodium and not waste it, even though you'd only need a little (<1/2 tsp a day), unless you live in tropical environs like Houston in the Summer.  I took a 1/4 tsp, after my run because I could feel the dizziness coming on after the run, just laying on the floor.  So, I'm doing preventative maintenance with a little sodium from here until October.


Keep ultreyaing!
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Post  nkrichards Mon May 07, 2018 5:39 pm

Doug...the electrolyte thing is sort of confusing but I'm getting it figured out.  I don't think I actually need to change as much as I originally thought.  Maybe cut back on the extra S-caps but keep the sports drinks with electrolytes in the plan for long training and racing.  I'm liking the Infinit product.  My custom blend should arrive any day.  I actually made very few changes to their off the shelf women's product.  They tailored it to my calorie needs based on weight and pace, I asked them to go easy on the flavor, go easy on the electrolytes, and add a touch of caffeine.  I'm learning more and realizing that I don't want to make any major changes at this point.

***

I had a pretty good week...

Mon - TBC followed by 2350 yard swim.  I cramped pretty bad and couldn't finish the workout.

Tue - Pilates, 7 mile run w/2x2 (800 rest)  Average interval @ 9:30. Avg HR 148.  Most importantly, it felt good.

Wed - Swam early. 3050 yards...no cramping.  TBC then off to Bend for an appointment with our financial guy.

Thur - Pilates, Swim 1500 yds...short but hard intervals.  Felt good.

Fri - Group Brick.  I biked 5.6 miles to the pool where we met.  Fannie led us on a 30 mile bike ride that turned into 38 miles. Shocked  Sara and I changed our shoes and headed out for a shortened run as we were short of time.  I was nervous about running to slowly for her...she's younger.  She was nervous about running to slowly for me.  We ran way to fast!  3 miles @ 9:18 pace on a hilly route.  What a Face We stopped at 3 miles and walked the last .25 to the pool to cool off.  Then I biked home.  So I ended up with 49.5 miles biking and our 3 mile run.  It felt pretty good overall.

Sat & Sun was a three generation trip to the coast.  Katie and I picked Mom up on Saturday morning.  We drove to Depot Bay for clam chowder and a view of the bay.  Then continued south.  A quick stop at the Sea Lion Caves turned into an awesome whale experience.  There was a pod of 5-6 whales just off the shore spouting and surfacing.  Best whale viewing I've ever had on the Oregon coast.  Kept going south...ice cream...elk viewing...and then the purpose of our trip.  The Hinsdale Rhododendron Gardens.  It's an old homestead that was donated to the BLM and is now public.  It was in serious disrepair but wasn't looking to bad on Saturday.  The plants and trees are all labeled.  It was nice weather and easy walking for Mom.  We all enjoyed it.  Next stop Glamping in a yurt on a winery.  (None of us drink wine...it was a friend of Kevin's)  It was very nice.  We did open a bottle of Rose and I had good cheese in the cooler.  It was a nice quiet evening until a thunderstorm woke us in the early morning hours.  The yurt shook.  We could see the lightening through the dome.  It was an impressive storm but we were warm and dry.  It was a really good weekend.

Didn't feel very well when I got home yesterday...and the grandkids have been passing bugs around.  Felt a bit better this morning and even better after TBC and swimming this morning.  Hopefully I was just out of my normal routine and not coming down with something.

Life is good...
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Post  nkrichards Mon May 14, 2018 11:12 am

Definitely caught Connor's bug.  I didn't get sick enough to stop me from doing anything.  I just don't feel great and my RHR is up 5-6 bpm.  On top of that family stuff has kept me from getting the sleep I need.  Not feeling great.

I did get some decent training in...

Mon - TBC followed by 2250 yd swim.  Went well even though I wasn't feeling great.

Tue - Pilates followed by 20 miles on the bike with some hard efforts on the hills.  Pleased with ride.

Wed - TBC followed by 2200 yd swim.  Short but hard.  Good swim.

Thur - Muffins for Mom's with Owen. Very Happy  Followed by 7.5 mi w/3x1.5  Wasn't feeling very well at all but still managed to improve my pace each interval and ended up with an average interval pace of 9:36.  HR 149  I'll take that on race day!

Fri - 63 mile group bike ride.  Maura opted for a tougher ride.  Fanny led Sara and I on a figure 8 double loop with a couple nice hill climbs.  We kept the pace pretty easy but got some good time in the saddle.  We stopped at Sara's house for a potty break and to refill our water.  Definitely not a race pace ride but a confidence booster...I wasn't feeling great at the start but actually felt better half way through and wasn't sore after.

Sat - Family stuff

Sun - More family stuff followed by an Open Water Swim practice.  I was pretty disappointed.  I couldn't find my rhythm and my HR was soaring.  I struggled to sight and swim straight.  We only swam 700 yds as it was COLD.  Probably a good thing we cut it short as it just wasn't a good day for me.  I did better in the open water last year.  We'll practice at least once more before race day and then I'll cross my fingers and hope I have a better day at the race.

Still not feeling great.  I don't feel really sick but I definitely caught Connor's bug...sore throat, stuffy nose, plugged ears.  I'll keep training enough to maintain the fitness that I have but won't push hard this week.  The priority will be catching up on my sleep and going into taper feeling healthy.

Marty left for bear hunting this morning.  That required me to do a lot of meal preparation and packing for him the last few days...while entertaining his Mom.  I'll need to step up and help Kevin on the farm a bit this week but I will be able to get to bed earlier while he's away. 

I have 3 weeks to get my RHR back down where I like to see it, rest up while maintaining my fitness and mentally prepare for 7+ hours of race effort.

Ultreya...
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Post  Michele "1L" Keane Mon May 14, 2018 4:59 pm

I'm pretty much in the same boat with my tri training -so no worries.  Question:  How cold do you think the water will be in Victoria?  I'm sure I'm more used to heat and humidity already and our lake is in the low 70s already - so I'm just hoping it isn't too ridiculous.

When you gt a chance PM me your email address - then I can get you, Carol and myself on a thread and finish all our logistical planning.

See you in a couple of weeks.
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Post  nkrichards Tue May 15, 2018 10:53 am

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:I'm pretty much in the same boat with my tri training -so no worries.  Question:  How cold do you think the water will be in Victoria?  I'm sure I'm more used to heat and humidity already and our lake is in the low 70s already - so I'm just hoping it isn't too ridiculous.

When you gt a chance PM me your email address - then I can get you, Carol and myself on a thread and finish all our logistical planning.

See you in a couple of weeks.
I'll PM my email Michele.

I'm not real sure about the water temperature.  On the swim course map it says "Average temperatures are fairly warm, while still allowing for the use of wetsuits."  According to the rules wetsuits may be worn in temperatures up to and including 76.1 degrees.  In the FAQ it says temperatures are 15-22 Celsius (59-72 Fahrenheit).  That's a pretty wide range and doesn't really tell you much.  Every year is different of course but when a local did it 3 years ago he didn't complain about the water temp.  What does Carol say...didn't she participate last year? 

Our swim was in a reservoir on the Deschutes River.  Even though the water is in the river for a couple days before it gets there, it is snow melt...  It was a bit of a shock getting in but I was surprised how quickly I warmed up once I started swimming.  My problems were primarily unrelated to the cold I think.  I did panic a bit at first which Maura said may have been due to the cold.  But the biggest problem was I just couldn't get into a rhythm and calm my HR down.  I was trying to hard to keep up with Sara and Maura and just got flustered.  The race is self seeded so I'll make sure I start back in the pack so I don't feel pressured to keep up with other swimmers.  I finished my Olympic distance (1500 meters) swim in 35:29 last summer.  That translates into 45 minutes for 1900 meters which gives me a good buffer (swim cut-off is 1:10) if I get off course or have to stop and tread water for a few seconds to calm down.

I'm very glad that Sara has been training with me.  Maura is very competitive, very experienced, has an active husband who bikes and runs with her, and has no kids or any family in the area.  She is training much harder than Sara and I and way above my abilities.  Sara on the other hand is younger...45 I think...and a super fast swimmer but we're actually fairly even on the bike and run.  She did a couple triathlons but it was 20 years ago...pre kid era.  We've got similar goals...to be prepared enough to finish feeling as well as we can after (+/-) 7 hours and still maintain a family life during training.  I'm actually pretty happy with where I'm at in my training.  I'm not going to be fast by any stretch of the imagination but I feel like I've spent the time and put in the effort to prepare the best that I can.  I just need to shake this bug that Connor shared and then cross my fingers that race day goes well.

Off to a board meeting this morning and then I'll pick up my bike.  I dropped it off for a good cleaning, service and new chain yesterday.  I'll try and get in a short ride this afternoon to check it out.

19 days to race day!  What a Face
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Post  nkrichards Fri May 18, 2018 5:54 pm

So far so good this week.

My cold isn't completely gone but I'm pretty close to back to normal.  And my RHR has responded accordingly.  I'd like to see it a couple beats slower but it's headed in the right direction which is a win at this point.

I've been able to get pretty much all my scheduled training in this week. 

Mon - TBC  I love it when we jog to the park and do our class there!

  • Swim 2200 yards  Solid swim.  I used some of the warm-up and easier lengths to practice lifting my head to sight occasionally.  I should have been doing this earlier.

Tue - A board meeting trumped Pilates. Sad  But I picked my bike up while I was in town.  (prerace clean & tune up)

  • Bike 14 miles on hills.  Would have liked to ride a bit longer but I ran short on time.  Nice ride.  I love it when they clean and lube your bike...it's amazing how much a bit of dirt clinging to the gears and chain can slow you down! 

Wed - TBC  No park today as it was raining.

  • Swim 2900 yards.  Distance day.  Not super fast but comfortable and HR was good.

Thur - Pilates

  • 7 w/4x1(rest 400) It was getting warm but I was pleased with this run.  Avg pace for the intervals was 9:31 and each one was slightly faster.  HR 158/177 was higher than I'd like but it was a warm day.  It didn't feel that high during the run.  I don't always trust the HR monitor.

Fri - Swim 1225 yds.  This was an easier day than I would have liked as I had to sit home and wait for the dishwasher repairman.  Good news is he thinks he found and solved the problem.  I was able to swim with Janice and we did a nice steady 1000 yards at a bit faster than race pace plus a warm up and cool down during which I practiced breathing on my bad side and lifting my head to sight.  We may have spent a few minutes in the hot tub after...we've both been to busy to visit lately.

I wasn't able to do my brick with Sara today so I'm on my own for tomorrow.  I can choose my own pace so that's not all bad but I do enjoy the company on the bike.  I'll let you know how it goes...

Taper officially starts after my brick tomorrow.  
15 days till race day...
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Post  nkrichards Sun May 20, 2018 10:55 pm

My long brick went surprisingly well!  I tried to practice race pace and race day hydration/nutrition.  I wore all the clothes that I'll wear on race day.  All went well.

50 miles on the bike @ 15.3 mph.  Not super fast but if I can maintain that on race day I'll be well under the cutoff.  Avg HR 138.

6 mile run @ 10:00.  Avg HR 157  Pleasantly surprised that I was able to maintain that pace after my bike ride.  Not sure I can manage that pace for the entire 13.2 but I'll take anything even close to that.  I didn't have to walk or crawl!!!

Now the question is...Can I put it all together again in two weeks after I swim?

I'm ready for and looking forward to taper which officially started today.  Next week is just a slight decrease in distances.  I think we're all going to try and get to the lake for another open water swim.  Hoping it goes better than the last one.

Taper madness here we come...
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Post  Michele "1L" Keane Mon May 21, 2018 8:30 pm

Yeah - we got this.  I rode 50 miles and followed it with a 3 mile run on Saturday.  All I could think of was - thank God there are only 6 more miles than that.  

We will be fine.  That is if I don't freeze to death since our lows are now 60s here and lake temps are in the low 70s.  Wet suits feel warm.
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Post  Mark B Mon May 21, 2018 8:57 pm

I can see the excitement starting to build. You're going to rock this!

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Post  nkrichards Tue May 22, 2018 10:41 am

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Yeah - we got this.  I rode 50 miles and followed it with a 3 mile run on Saturday.  All I could think of was - thank God there are only 6 more miles than that.  

We will be fine.  That is if I don't freeze to death since our lows are now 60s here and lake temps are in the low 70s.  Wet suits feel warm.

Mark B wrote:I can see the excitement starting to build. You're going to rock this!

  I don't know about rocking it.  I just want to finish under the cutoff times and be able to still walk under my own power.  Katie said a goal of not ending up in ER wasn't good enough as in Boston I bypassed ER and went straight to the cath lab!

I'm more worried about it getting warm during the run than getting cold during the swim.  And I also realized that I have no experience biking in the rain.  What a Face

What ever will be will be.  I feel relatively good about my training.  Some things are out of my control.

Feeling cautiously optimistic but very nervous...
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Post  nkrichards Thu May 24, 2018 10:12 pm

Definitely in taper mode...

Mon - TBC at the park.

  • Swim 1750 yards.  Kept the distance short but got in a few laps of faster stuff.  Also practiced lifting my head to sight...hope it helps in the lake.


Tue - Pilates

  • Bike 15 miles.  A few hills but mostly moderate effort.


Wed - TBC in the park.  Last class till next September. Sad

  • Swim 2000 yards.  Shorter stuff with a bit of intensity again.


Thur - Pilates

  • 1875 yards.  Open Water practice.  Very Happy Much better swim this time.  I very specifically tried not to worry about keeping up with Sara and Maura...not that I could if I tried.  I sure do appreciate them including me!  I got into a much better rhythm and was able to do a better job of sighting and swam relatively straight.  We didn't go quite the race distance but we were only a 200 yards short.  I felt good both during and after the swim.  I'll be happy if I swim that well on race day.


I plan to get in another brick this week...shorter than last weeks.  I'll do it Friday unless it rains.  I may sneak in a short run this weekend if it works out.

I load up and head to Canada a week from today. What a Face
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Post  Michele "1L" Keane Fri May 25, 2018 9:52 pm

Just think - next week at this time we will be in Canada!

And isn't the swim 1.2 miles or 2112  yds?  I'd prefer it was only 2075 yds (hehehe)  Glad that I swam 2100 this evening in a slighlty choppy lake.  Worried about the water temp though as the lake here is already in the 70s temp-wise and the air was 78F when we started.  The 55F air temp is going to make me feel like I'm freezing!

What is your lake temp?  Does it feel cold?
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Post  nkrichards Sat May 26, 2018 10:11 am

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Just think - next week at this time we will be in Canada!

And isn't the swim 1.2 miles or 2112  yds?  I'd prefer it was only 2075 yds (hehehe)  Glad that I swam 2100 this evening in a slighlty choppy lake.  Worried about the water temp though as the lake here is already in the 70s temp-wise and the air was 78F when we started.  The 55F air temp is going to make me feel like I'm freezing!

What is your lake temp?  Does it feel cold?


I can't believe it's only a week away!  I'm finally starting to feel ready though...or as ready as I can be.  I won't be fast but Sara keeps reminding me that I put in the work and I'm prepared to participate.  I'll leave the racing to the more experienced athletes!

As far as the yardage goes it all depends on how you round the numbers.  1.9 kilometers per the course map converts to 2078 yards.  It also converts to 1.18 miles...or if you round it off to 1.2 miles then 2112 yards.  Or did they round 1.2 miles down to 1.9 kilometers????  Doesn't really matter as I'll probably swim crooked and go even longer than that!

It was in the mid-upper 70's when we swam on Thursday.  It was gorgeous.  I haven't been able to figure out the actual water temperature.  It felt cold when I first got in...mostly my feet.  But I warmed up quickly and was comfortable.  I did wear two caps.  Maura wore a wet suit hoody but said she really didn't need it.  Tom did the course in 2015 and he claims that the water at Elk Lake will feel pleasantly warm compared to our training lake.  I'm not worried about the swim feeling cold but the first few miles on the bike will be chilly until we dry off and it warms up!  I'm not sure what I own that I could wear for the first few miles and I'm not sure I want to hassle with stopping to take something off.....

Maura suggested that we swim at 6:00 am this morning to prepare for the early swim start.  Sara looked at the forecast temperature and opted to sleep in instead. (Sara's race is in Spokane on Saturday.  It's an 8:00 start and is predicted to be much warmer.)  I felt like I needed to support Maura if she really wanted to do that as she's been very patient with me during my training.  I wasn't disappointed when she looked at the temperature (46 degrees) and decided it wasn't really necessary to practice feeling cold!

We did our last group bike ride/brick yesterday.  Maura and I wanted 20-25 miles followed by 3-4 mile run.  Sara wanted a bit longer distances...she's younger.  Fanny was just along for the bike ride.  Sara got in a few miles before we all met up.  I ended up with 22 miles on the bike and a 3 mile run.  We took a group photo at the pool after the bike portion.  We've been riding together once a week and I've really started to enjoy it.  This was pretty much our last group ride.  Maura is moving back to DC after the race.  Sara plans to give up biking/running and concentrate on just swimming again.  Fanny just rides and it may work out to do a ride with her occasionally on her easy days.

So today will be a rest day although we're really getting busy on the farm so I won't lack for something to do.  I knew that the timing might be a problem and it is...we're going to start swathing hay today.  Not only will I be away during the time they need drivers to rake and bale but I'm taking Katie away as well.  Marty and Kevin are going to have their hands full.  Gary has offered to help cover for me when he can.  Natalie realizes that Kevin is going to have to work long hours and won't be home much.  Everyone is very supportive even though it's going to be tough on them.

I'll try and find time to get in a swim, a ride, and a run over the next few days...all taper appropriate distances...and get everything organized and packed.

Feeling much better about my preparation this week.  Probably partially because I've accepted more realistic goals.

Race day will be here before I know what happened!
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Post  Michele "1L" Keane Sat May 26, 2018 9:17 pm

Taper?  What the heck is taper?  I ran 12 miles in the 70F and 88% humidity this morning and I am due for a 48 mile easy ride and 3 mile run tomorrow.    

I'm very worried about the temps and cold water as I am definitely not used to it.  I only have a sleeveless tri top - so I am bringing a throw away Tyvek jacket to wear at the start of the bike.  It will keep me warm an insulated and you don't need to show your number for the bike portion.  

As for the swim - if the water was 70, I'd rejoice, but with predicted air temps lows of 47-49F - I doubt that will happen unless it has been real warm out there, and I'm guessing that has not been the case.

If I'm dead from hypothermia - I guess the trip was worth it.
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Post  nkrichards Sun May 27, 2018 11:32 am

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Taper?  What the heck is taper?  I ran 12 miles in the 70F and 88% humidity this morning and I am due for a 48 mile easy ride and 3 mile run tomorrow.    

I'm very worried about the temps and cold water as I am definitely not used to it.  I only have a sleeveless tri top - so I am bringing a throw away Tyvek jacket to wear at the start of the bike.  It will keep me warm an insulated and you don't need to show your number for the bike portion.  

As for the swim - if the water was 70, I'd rejoice, but with predicted air temps lows of 47-49F - I doubt that will happen unless it has been real warm out there, and I'm guessing that has not been the case.

If I'm dead from hypothermia - I guess the trip was worth it.

 No that does not sound like taper Michele!  My legs were begging for some recovery time so I'm going to take it pretty easy until the race.  Short outings but I'll include a bit of intensity.  I won't get to lazy.

I'm not worried about being cold during the swim but I could be surprised on race morning.  Like you, my concern is the first few miles on the bike.  I hadn't thought about a Tyvek jacket.  I was struggling to figure out something that I was OK with throwing away.  I don't want to carry something throughout the ride.  The rules about littering are very specific and include clothing...5 minute penalty if you get caught littering.  So the first opportunity to toss the jacket would be at the first aid station just shy of the 25K point on the course.  That would probably work out OK.  It would take a bit of time to remove and toss it but not to much.  Might be a better option than freezing!

Decisions!  I think the thing that I'm most paranoid about at this point is forgetting to bring something that I need!
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Post  Michele "1L" Keane Mon May 28, 2018 1:20 pm

As Carol said in her email - it it's worth owning, it's worth bringing - lol.  Wish I had that luxury!

I think I'm taking the full day off today as the weather is really rather sucky.  Was just going to move Wednesday's run and swap with today's OWS - but just might skip the whole darn thing.
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Post  nkrichards Mon May 28, 2018 4:23 pm

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:As Carol said in her email - it it's worth owning, it's worth bringing - lol.  Wish I had that luxury!

I think I'm taking the full day off today as the weather is really rather sucky.  Was just going to move Wednesday's run and swap with today's OWS - but just might skip the whole darn thing.
My problem is that I don't own much anyway.   Wink

I took both Saturday and Sunday off.  4 mile run this morning with a bit of faster stuff but not a lot.  I'll ride my bike to/from Pilates in the morning which will be 12 miles.  Masters swim is Wednesday so I'll drop in for a short swim and say hi.  I'm going to have to spend some time in the swather between now and Thursday morning so I want to make sure I don't get to stiff.

As I said my biggest fear is packing...actually NOT packing something.  I have my list started and will work on it more this evening.

This seemed like it was a long way off last week...where did the days go?
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Post  Mark B Wed May 30, 2018 5:48 pm

Oh yeah! Taper madness in full bloom.  bounce bounce bounce

When do you head north?

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