marathon

My next marathon is…

October 1, 2013 by Asia

…Boston 2014!! I am so incredibly happy and grateful that my qualifying time made the cut!

As a “squeaker” (an endearing term coined by Boston Qualifiers that beat their qualifying time by 5 minutes or less), I wasn’t sure I would make the cut this year since there was such high interest in the race after the bombings. (Boston Strong!) I was glued to the Facebook message boards for support and encouragement from fellow squeakers.

After months of patiently waiting, Boston Marathon announced on 9/25 that anyone who beat their qualifying time by 1:38 or more could run Boston 2014. I had to read that statement over and over again multiple times before celebrating. I beat my qualifying time by 2:37. It felt so surreal. Literally every second of my Eugene marathon race counted towards my entry. I didn’t realize that at the time. All along I trained to break the 3:35:00 official qualifying standard which was my #1 goal. Luckily, I had a great race and finished with a 3:32:23.

Finishing strong

In adding 9,000 additional spots for the 2014 Boston Marathon and expanding the field size to 36,000 runners, organizers had to draw a line in the sand somewhere, but my heart breaks for those that qualified for Boston and were unable to get in; I could have been one of them. I know so many awesome athletes worked their butts off to qualify by 1 second or more and didn’t get in. My only words of encouragement are to keep training, stay positive, and get to the starting line in 2015! Hopefully I’ll see you there as well…Why stop at 1 Boston?

That being said, it’s time to identify my goals and lay it all out there so I can start preparing mentally and physically. Trust me when I say that the last 5 months of “training” have been lackluster at best. I took a very necessary break, enjoying leisurely 3-5 miles runs with Nicole, weightlifting, and allowing my body to heal from 2 years of back to back Ironman and marathon training. I also gave my mind a break. I just lost some running fitness and speed on the way. In other words, I know marathon training is going to HURT!

Apparently this was developing while I was running...sorry I just had to share.

Blisters! Gross!

Ice baths, buckets, and kiddie pools are not out of the question.

That being said, my 2 goals for Boston 2014 are:

Break 3:30 (for a PR & a 2015 qualifying time)
Enjoy every moment of the race

It’s going to be tricky to find a way for those 2 goals to work together (pleasure & pain), but I believe I can achieve it. It will take disciplined training, peak fitness, a positive mindset, and a great race to get there.

I’ve heard different approaches on running your first Boston. Some have said to just go run it, take it all in, and enjoy the awe-inspiring experience. In other words, do not race it. Trevor, who coached me to an Ironman and a BQ, had a different point of view. He asked me if I really think I’ll be able to run “just to finish” with no goal time in mind….yeah, probably not. I’ve tried “running for fun” before, and it didn’t work out so well for me. What I really want deep down inside is to strive to achieve my personal best. That’s what makes me feel alive. I also want to make Boston proud and treat the race with the respect it deserves. So many incredible athletes have hit that pavement and run the legendary Heartbreak Hill, past the girls of Wellesley, and I am honored to be just one among them. I have family in Boston and surrounding areas, and I cannot wait to run where my dad grew up. So many things to train hard for and look forward to!

After that, I want to be able to race Boston again, the next time with Nicole by my side. I do not want to stop at 3:32:23. Who’s to say I can’t make that time a sub 3:25, or better? I am hardwired to think this way, and I am really curious to know what my limit is because I haven’t found it yet. 4:02, 3:49, 3:32, X:XX. What time does marathon #4 have in store for me? I am so ready to find out! Bring on the pain cave!

Eugene Marathon 2013

Surf City Marathon 2012

Rock n Roll Marathon 2011

Next up, to train with or without a coach? That is the looming question on my mind.

Whether you are running, spectating, or watching from afar, thank you for your support, and I will see you in Boston!!

How the heck did I get that BQ?

May 11, 2013 by Asia

Race eve at Hayward Field

As my performance at Eugene marathon continues to sink in, I have thought long and hard about how I qualified for Boston Marathon. While I’m very happy with my performance & kinda amazed by it all, I also want to reflect on what I’ve learned about myself as a runner so I can continue to grow in the sport.

I keep asking myself the same question. What was it that made me cross the finish line that fast? Was it my training? My tolerance for pain? My experience with failure? My <3 for running? A combination of all those things with a lil fairy dust sprinkled in there? I don’t think there is a perfect formula to qualify for the much sought after Boston Marathon. If there was, everyone would be doing it! I do think there are a few things I learned along the way that helped set me up for a solid PR, and the rest of it, well, it just happened, and I will be forever grateful.

Steps from the finish line.

Things that helped me:

– 2 years of nonstop endurance work

In 2008 I ran my first half marathon and HATED IT and thought people who did full marathons were stupid/insane. Then, something inside me shifted, and I started training with Nicole for our first full marathon in 2011. Then it was triathlons all the way to an Ironman distance with Team WODS in 2012. The past 2+ years my life have basically been a nonstop aerobic, endurance-building, training fest, and I’ve been lucky enough to have great training buddies by my side the entire way.

– Training that emphasized recovery

In my early training days, I trained long and hard and didn’t take time off when my body needed it. I thought I needed to follow my training plans to a T. Then I learned about the concept of recovery. Ahhhhhh. I had rest days. When I felt like crap, I didn’t run. When I was falling behind on sleep, I didn’t run so I could get enough rest. I incorporated swimming and mobility sessions for active recovery. I also learned to love ice, epsom salt baths, compression socks, stretching, foam rolling, and massages/ART sessions. I didn’t overtrain. Sometimes less is more.

– Experience with failure

I trained for 1 year before I toed the start line at Ironman Coeur d’Alene. 9 painful hours later, I was pulled off my bike and told I had missed one of the time cutoffs by 10 minutes. My race was over. I experienced my first DNF and sheer disappointment sunk in. I cried and cried and cried some more because I felt like something had been taken away from me. It was MY goal to get. Why didn’t I get there?? I learned how to deal with failure and picked myself up and started training again. This time, with a little extra grit. (I finished my next IM 5 months later!)

– Mental preparation & visualization exercises

The plan was to not let my head get in the way of my body. (This has happened before.) Coach made me write down every last detail of how I’d be feeling and what I’d be doing pre-race and during the marathon. I wrote a novel. I started to belive it. I also wrote down my worst fears and anticipated every single thing that could go wrong. Then I identified which ones I could control, and which ones I could not.

– A certain race day state of mind

I was calm and focused and have never felt that collected. I even had some fun out there! This is important coming from someone who used to FREAK OUT before every triathlon. I ran with purpose and determination for all 26.2 miles and even made some new friends along the way. When it hurt and I started to slow down, I found ways to re-focus on my race and pick up the pace again.

– A passion for running

I love running more than I love any other sport. I’ve always kinda known that, but my experience at Eugene Marathon reinforced it for me. My experience with triathlon has also been incredible, and I learned a lot about myself in that sport as well. Still, running is where my heart is.

– Sufficient calories on the course

I upped my calories for this marathon. I used to take a GU every 40-45 minutes. Now I take one every 30 minutes so I’m taking in 200 cals/hour. Even I think that sounds like a lot for my little body, but my coach had me do it, and it works for me.

Things that I still need to work on include, but are not limited to, the following:

– My running form!

It’s grotesque. I may never be a “pretty runner” but I still have a LOT of work to do. Part of that will come with strength training which I’m excited to get back into! I told my coach that I need a six pack. He said more like an eight pack. Geesh. The other part will come with fixing these hip issues…

– Addressing my foot and hip pain

I’m still semi-injured 2 weeks post-marathon, and my feet hurt to the touch. I’m in the market for orthotics. My IT band still says hello from time to time as well. Not normal! I told myself while racing Eugene that I didn’t care if I finished injured. I just wanted to push myself and DO IT! Now I’m dealing with it.

– Pacing

It would be great to be able to KICK IT the last 10k of a marathon. Great runners are able to do that, and I want to be a great runner some day. I need to keep running and training to get there. (Check out how the London Marathon went down. The winner was able to come from behind and overtake the entire pack that all started off a wee bit too fast.)

– Salt & fluid intake

I drank when I was thirsty and ignored salt intake during marathon training this time around since it was so cool out. Coach was like ummm no you need something more than just water out there, so I made a last-minute change and started sipping Gatorade around mile 18/19 on race day. Luckily it worked out, but that was a lil risky! I don’t normally calculate how much water I drink on long runs or during races. I probably should since proper hydration is key to a good workout.

Stand up straight! Fix that form! Stop snapping your fingers! Fix that stride! SMILE damnit!

I think a very wise person once said, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to the circumstances. That’s definitely a big part of being an endurance athlete. The longer the distance, the more room for error and for crazy things to happen. You need to learn how to roll with the punches and deal with them the best you can.

Nicole and I have had many gchat convos and have ready many blogs to understand why some people qualify right away and why it takes others longer. It pretty much makes our heads spin because there isn’t a clear answer. At the end of the day, I think she summed it up perfectly. The marathon is a BEAST. Be happy with every finish because that in itself is a WIN!

Ready for Eugene!

April 26, 2013 by Asia

I’m sitting here in the Portland airport, anxiously awaiting my next flight. The one that will make this all real. The flight to Eugene.

I’ve been training for Eugene marathon just under 4 months now. I signed up over Christmas break, post Ironman finish, and during my 5 week training break. Nicole told me what a great race it would be, and we decided this would be THE ONE we qualify for Boston Marathon at. Just under 4 months to train for maximum speed? No big deal. I’m an Ironman! Actually, it has been a very big deal, and the last few months have been intense. I’ve been ramping up my speed quickly and trying not to injure myself in the process. Luckily I’ve had Nicole by my side for several training runs and coach Trevor, well, coaching me. He got me to the finish line at Ironman Cozumel and I know I will get there at Eugene. Still, I’ve done a lot in a little time so I’ve remained cautiously optimistic throughout my training. I’m happy to say I’ve definitely improved! I almost feel like I’m one of those “fast runners” now. I’ve done 7:30 tempos, a hilly 15k under 7:45 pace, long runs in the “8’s”,
and gained confidence in myself as a runner. What’s even more important, I’ve begun to love the sport even MORE.

With all of that, I am ready for Eugene marathon. I am ready to run faster at a longer distance than I ever have before. I am ready for an incredible day with my BFF Nicole and my new friend Page. I am ready to crush it, give it all I’ve got, go into the pain cave, and come home with a big PR. Hopefully it’s a PR so big that you will see me in Boston in 2014! No matter what’s in store for me Sunday, my goal is to enjoy every moment.

Mentally & Physically Prepping for Eugene Marathon

April 4, 2013 by Asia

T-minus 25 days until Eugene Marathon! How did THAT happen? Over the next few weeks, Nicole and I are #EatingCleanUntilEugene and I’m also trying to get extra rest since I can never seem to find enough hours in the day for that.

Here are my April goals to keep me on track until race day!

1. Sleep at least 8 hours each night.

2. Eat healthy to fuel my body with what it needs.

3. Avoid alcohol.

4. Don’t neglect ice, the foam roller, or stretching.

5. Think positive thoughts! (I WILL qualify for Boston! Pain is temporary! I am an Ironman! I can do this!)

I have been traveling and extra busy/stressed the past few weeks, so I’m considering this a reboot.

Jeremy & I bought a new Jeep last weekend and took an epic road trip!

Feeling “the hurt” during the last 10k of Surf City marathon in 2011. Ahhh memories.

How do you mentally and physically prepare for a BIG race?

My 2 Year Fitness Journey

February 4, 2013 by Asia

When I started this blog on Feb 2, 2011, I said “I never want to stop training!” Two years later, I still haven’t stopped. It is my 2 year blog anniversary (happy blogiversary to me!) so I’ve reflected on my posts and included some of my favorite training milestones from the past 2 years. Browse the titles and pictures, or click on a link for a deeper dive into my fitness journey. I’ve come a loooooong way. Thanks for coming with me!

“My 18 Week Fitness Journey” (My very first blog post!)

One day, I basically woke up and went from 0 to 60. I wasn’t always a workout freak, and I HATED my first half marathon (November 2008). I came back around in 2010 when I trained for and completed my second half marathon and found a new love for running…and P90X…and many other things! The possibilities are endless when you shift your mindset.

Day Zero (Aug 2010)

P90X Results

Jeremy and I did P90X together two different times, and saw fantastic results both times. I have never been more muscular than when I did P90X. I could do 50 push-ups and 7 pull-ups. What?! Beast mode.

P90X Masters!

I’m a marathon finisher!

Nicole and I crossed the finish line of Rock n Roll marathon together in 4:01:59. It was a great experience, but I always knew I’d do another one to prove (to myself) I could break 4 hours.

About to get on Highway 163

Celebrating our Finishi with Meb - The Half Marathon Champion

Celebrating our Finish with Meb (June 2011)

Beginner’s Triathlon (My first triathlon EVER!) and My First Sprint Triathlon

The pictures of me from my first practice triathlon are pretty hilarious. I didn’t own any of my own gear, and had barely just learned how to swim and bike again. I couldn’t even swim the 300m without a combination of floating, breastroke, backstroke, and finally, freestyle.

Slowly getting off the Bike

Before my First Sprint Triathlon (July 2011)

Insanity Results & My Half Marathon PR (1:51)

Insanity is one of my favorite at home fitness programs because it doesn’t require any equipment so you can take it with you anywhere. It also got me the closest to a six-pack and crush my half marathon PR!

Insanity “After” & “After” AFC Half Marathon! (Aug 2011)

Surf City Marathon Race Report – a big PR of 3:49!

Nicole and I set the bar for our second marathon at sub 3:50…not sub 4 hours as previously mentioned…and we did it!!

So nervous! (Feb 2012)

My current marathon PR is 3:49, and I need to go sub 3:35.

Mile 10

My First Half Ironman! Oceanside 70.3

I almost cried before we started; I was still so scared of the swim and the bike!

Body Marking

A moment of pure joy (March 2012)

Almost an Ironman: Ironman Coeur d’Alene Race Report

I will never forget my first Ironman attempt and DNF. I learned a lot about myself that day.

At least I conquered the swim! (June 2012)

Ironman Cozumel Race Reports: Swim, Bike, Run

I will also never forget the day that I became an IRONMAN!!! Never give up.

Ironman FINISHER!!! (Nov 2012)

I can’t wait to see what the next year brings!

What’s your biggest fitness milestone?

A New Approach to Marathon Training

January 15, 2013 by Asia

My first week of post-Ironman-Boston-qualifying-marathon-training had some ups and downs, but I’m proud of myself for getting out there and putting in the work. For starters, it was very challenging to get excited for my 5:45am cold, dark, San Diego winter runs. (Some of my runs were in the mid 30s which I consider to be cold, ok!?) I also started off the week with some kind of chest infection which I took antibiotics for. (Hot.) Overall, I’m verrrry happy to be focused on running again, but I just wish that my runs had some sunlight involved. Ahh the beauty of winter training…

Early morning running. I got my headlamp from Home Depot.

I got my headlamp from Home Depot! Industrial strength, baby.

I’m officially training with Coach Trevor again, and I am grateful to have the support. My marathon training structure is much different from my Ironman training structure where every workout was laid out for me, however, so I’m still getting used to it. Heck, it’s even different than my last marathon training plan where I followed a pre-set training schedule and everything was based weekly mileage. Here is what it the structure looks like so far:

1. “Key workouts” (tempo runs, long runs, etc.) spaced out in Training Peaks over a few weeks
2. Run and swim “tweener workouts” which I do in between my key workouts, depending on how I feel.
3. At least 1 rest day per week.
4. At least 1 swim per week (recovery or tougher hypoxic workouts).
5. Max 5 days per week of running.
6. Incorporate strength and mobility sessions.

If it sounds confusing, it was for me too initially, but it makes sense in the grand scheme of things. I’m trying to ramp up to race Eugene marathon on April 28 at a BQ (Boston Qualifying) pace, so I’m asking my body to do a lot very quickly. The last run that I raced was Surf City marathon in January 2012 (3:49:30). After that, bking and swimming were my priorities so I could become an Ironman…and my long run pace suffered. Now, I’m ready to focus on running again and get FAST!

This marathon plan is set up so that I can do workouts based on how I feel. If I don’t feel recovered or healthy enough to do a key workout, I will replace it with a tweener workout or take a rest day. If my legs are shot, I will swim or do the easiest tweener workout (which is a 30 min easy run). A common mistake that I’ve made, and I know plenty of other endurance athletes make, is push myself to do too much, too quickly, thus not reaping the full benefits of my workouts. Recovery is important so that I can push myself harder and progress faster!

I’m very type-A so Trevor knows this type of flexible plan is challenging for me, and during week 1, I made some mistakes…
1. I ran 6 days. Oops. One of those days I felt kinda sick. Double oops.
2. I didn’t swim. At all.
3. I added in a random strength training class 4 hours after I completed a tough run. Needless to say I was spent after that.

I was honest with Trevor, so this week, I am going to limit my running to 4 days, and make sure to incorporate at least 1 swim. (I haven’t been in the water since my Ironman in November!) Week 2 is not going to be as reckless as week 1. Eugene marathon is 14.5 weeks away, so I don’t have any time to waste!

Marathon Training Week 1
M: Tweener #1 – Easy 30 min run
T: Key workout – Intervals
W: REST
Th: Key workout – Up-Tempo 85%
F: Tweener #3 – 1 hour run at 75%, Strength class
Sat: Tweener #1 – Easy 30 min run
Sun: Key workout – 90 min run with 10 one minute fartleks

Total workout time: 6 hours 15 minutes

What kind of flexibility do you allow for in your weekly training plan?

Surf City Marathon Race Report

March 21, 2012 by Asia

6 weeks later, I am FINALLY completing this blog post! Excuse me for my blogging laziness, but I still remember this race like it was yesterday, (and this post has also been sitting in my drafts). That being said…

I loved Surf City Marathon!! It was a fast course, well-organized, and I got a personal record! I even had my driver’s license returned to me in the mail after I lost it somewhere along the course! The Surf City staff was very responsive on Facebook to all questions and concerns.. My only complaint? The 3:50 pacer slept in (or quit. I don’t know what happened to him.) Luckily, Nicole and I used the combined power of our Garmin and Timex watches to break our 3:50 goal without following a man with a stick. Here’s how it went down.

Saturday afternoon my race buddies and I drove to Huntington Beach to go to the expo and get situated for the race. The expo was well organized and buzzing with pre-race energy. I quickly picked up my bib, race shirt, and bought some last minute GU. (You can never have too much GU! Peanut butter is my new fave! Sometimes I have it for breakfast!) The expo was small compared to the Rock n Roll marathon expo I attended in June, so it was easy to collect my things and go.

Marathon Expo

We went to Macaroni Grill for a good carboloading and coloring session. (For those of you that have never been there, they have white paper tablecloths and crayons for your doodling pleasure.) Restaurant Tip: One part of their menu is fully customizable. You select your noodle, sauce, veggies, and protein. I felt like this was a safe choice, and I didn’t have any stomach problems that night. It took a little over an hour to get seated, but I was told the wait was an hour and a half at Olive Garden, so I guess it could have been worse! We should have known better. 20,000 hungry runners invaded Huntington Beach that night! Only 2,000 of them were full marathoners like me, but there were 18,000 half marathoners. This is a big perk of being a full marathoner at this race. Smaller number of participants means a less crowded course AND you get to start 1 hour before the half marathoners!

Race morning began at with a 4:15am wake-up call. We had no trouble getting to the free parking lots and shuttles, so we were at the race start 1 hour early. I was very nervous and went to the bathroom 3 times. Luckily the bathroom lines weren’t bad at all. I didn’t even have to use the port-a-potties because there were plenty of public beach restrooms available. If you’ve ever run a marathon, you understand how important this is! I just wish I didn’t have nervous stomach problems before the race, but I’m glad I got it out of my system because the nervous jitters went away once I started running. (That’s why I think it was just nerves and not my dinner from the night before. This happens to me often.)

The first wave of marathoners (sub 3:50 pace) took off two minutes before my wave, so Nicole and I got to start at the front of the second group. We looked for our pacer, but he wasn’t there! I’m convinced that there was supposed to be a 3:50 pacer, but we only saw times faster and slower than our goal. Not part of the plan! We had a backup plan though, so that was OK. I was still SO nervous waiting for the signal. My stomach was upset; I already felt like I had to pee again; my heart was racing (definitely not at my resting heart rate)! I felt good once we started running, even though the feeling of having to pee never went away…I was determined not to stop and use the bathroom because every second counts in a race. So, I learned that I can hold my bladder while running for 3:49:30. (No, I’m not one of those gross hardcore runners that can pee on themselves.)

So nervous!

Nicole and I worked together to stay around a 8:45 min/mile pace for all 26.2 miles. I kept my watch on the current pace per mile, and Nicole kept hers on the overall average pace. This strategy worked for us, and our pace was very consistent for all 26.2 miles. Most of the course was very flat which made it easy to pace. The first few miles were on the 101 which is a straight shot. Then we veered right into a neighborhood and then into a nice park which had welcoming patches of shade and windy pathways. This kept it interesting, and there were a lot of local middle schoolers on the course to cheer us on. The one short, but steep, hill fell around mile 8 and it was over with very quickly. About mile 10 we were on the 101 again where most of the supporters were located and I got to see Jeremy, my love, who wasn’t doing this race with us due to an injury.

The out and back on the 101 was my least favorite part. No shade. Minimal crowds. But it’s early enough when you can definitely power through it, and it’s flat and fast, so I can’t complain too much. There were also plenty of port-a-potties with no lines on this stretch, but I told my bladder it would have to wait. Again, every second counts!

Out and back on the 101

The final section of the course is out and back on the boardwalk. This is where it got a little crowded since apparently you can’t close that off to pedestrians, but it didn’t faze me. I was in the zone. Miles 18-26.2 were tough, but Nicole and I were still on pace as much as we could be, and we were dusting people! We passed countless men and women who had hit “the wall”. It felt good to know that we still had some juice left in the tank, but it was getting much harder and I made a comment along the lines of “This is getting hard.” That’s when Nicole told me “We only have 1 hour left in the pain cave! We can do it!” I later told her that wasn’t a helpful comment. The look on my face when she told me that probably looked something like this…

This is getting hard.

…Some time later, mile 25 appeared and I started to run with every ounce of energy I had left in me. I picked up the pace all the way until I hit the finish line. There was no stopping me. I started yelling “on your left!” as I passed people who were in my way. I think I even elbowed a couple of people on accident. I feared that I wasn’t going to break 3:50 (even though my Timex assured me I was on track). Needless to say, this was a much stronger finish for me vs. my first marathon in June. At mile 25 of that race, I wanted to walk SO badly. At mile 25 of Surf City, I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me, and it was totally worth it because I reached my goal of a sub 3:50 marathon by 30 seconds!! (Nicole was only 5 seconds behind me!) Imagine what my time would have been if I had stopped to pee or decided to walk at any point. Every second counts!! Next year I want to run this course again to qualify for Boston! That means my next goal is a sub 3:35 marathon….That sounds fast.

My official race splits

I was very pleased with my results, especially considering that I did this during Ironman training. I didn’t only run to train. I also had to bike and swim just as frequently. I had a lot more to balance this time, but it all worked out, even though I’ve heard that training for a full marathon while Ironman training isn’t recommended.

Happiness is setting a goal and reaching it. Sub 3:50 marathon goal achieved! Next goal: Finish Oceanside 70.3 on March 31, 2012.

Ironman Training Weeks 9 & 10 – Marathon Time!

February 12, 2012 by Asia

On our way to setting personal records at Surf City Marathon

Lately it has been all about my “C race,” Surf City Marathon. (My A race is the Ironman and my B race is my half Ironman. Yes, this is how triathletes talk. Don’t believe me? Watch this educational YouTube video!

Week 9 of Ironman training I set a personal record and ran 26.2 miles in 3 hours 49 minutes and 30 seconds, and week 10 I spent recovering from those 26.2 miles. It was a great two weeks dedicated to my passion – RUNNING. I’m thinking my next goal will be to qualify for Boston!! But first things first. I want to be an Ironman!

Smile! We all set personal records!

Week 9 Marathon Taper and Surf City Marathon: January 30 – Feb 5

Monday: 1 hour technique swim
Tuesday: 5 mile run, 1 hour masters swim
Wednesday: 1 hour spin, core and stretches
Thursday: 5 mile run, 1 hour masters swim
Friday: rest
Saturday: 2 mile run
Sunday: Surf City marathon!

Week 10 Marathon Recovery: Feb 6 – Feb 12

Monday: rest
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: yoga
Thursday: 45 minutes easy spin, 1 hour masters swim
Friday: Ab Ripper
Saturday: bike 30 miles
Sunday: bike 30 miles

Now that I’m fully recovered from my marathon, my next week of training will be back up in volume and I will focus on my weak spot – the BIKE.

Ironman Training Week 8 – Marathon Taper

January 31, 2012 by Asia

Ironman Training Week 8: January 23 – 29

Swimming, biking, and running on the coast is a beautiful thing!

I had a great week of training and got more sleep than the previous few weeks. Yay!! I’m going to keep tracking my sleep. Even though I haven’t gotten up to 8+ hours every night, I still generally feel refreshed and ready for my workouts when I make a conscious effort to get enough rest which usually means 7 hours/night for me personally.

This week I also continued to taper my running for my marathon which is coming up on Super Bowl Sunday!

Monday: 8 hours of sleep
AM: Rest
PM: Sufferfest “Angels”

I definitely recommend checking out the Sufferfest spin workouts. When you workout to them, it’s as if you are actually part of a cycling race! There is no talking; only music. All cues are written on the screen (cadence, perceived effort, etc.) I think this will help get my speed and power up, and I think it’s unlikely that I’ll get sick of these workouts because there isn’t an irritating leader to annoy me. (I have a different spin DVD in mind for that!) I haven’t gone to a group spin workout yet, but that’s something else I would like to try in the future.

Tuesday: 7 hours
AM: 8.5 mile run (mid-week long run taper)
PM: Solana Beach Masters Swim

Wednesday: 7 hours
AM: Sufferfest “A Very Dark Place”
PM: Swim 1,500m at gym

Thursday: 6.5 hours
AM: 10 Yasso 800s
PM: Solana Beach Masters Swim

My first time doing 10 Yassos was a success! Now I just need that to translate to my 3:50 marathon goal on Sunday!

I lead my lane in masters swim class for the first time. Even though I’m in the slowest lane, it still gave me a mental boost to be the leader! Plus I had to stay on top of my game for counting laps and remembering drills, so it was a good exercise for me.

Friday: 8 hours
REST

Saturday: 9.5 hours
12 mile run (marathon taper)

It was hot and windy from the Santa Ana winds, so what was supposed to be an easy 12 mile run turned into something with a lot more effort. I am praying for cool, calm weather for the marathon, but I don’t think that’s in the forecast!

On a random note, I caught a clip of comedian Whitney Cummings the other night. She was making fun of guys that holler at girls when they’re running…Nicole and I encounter this almost every time we run. Why do men yell or whistle as they drive by when you’re running the other direction and can’t possibly even stop to acknowledge to them? My boyfriend explained it to me like this. Guy sees hot girl. Girl is passing by quickly. Guy doesn’t know what to do. It’s all happening too fast! So guy yells at girl and says “Heyyyyyyyyyy!” into the wind. I guess I’ll just take it as a compliment. But the honking needs to stop because that startles me!

Sunday: 8.5 hours
Brick: 50 mile bike + 3 mile run

I’m the slowest of my training buddies on the bike, so long rides are always a little tough on me mentally. It’s not fun consistently being at the back of the pack! Overall, I felt really good on the ride, though, and practiced eating while riding. I was able to eat 2 GUs without falling off! Success! (I also got calories from CarboPro + Vitalyte as well as a Luna Bar.) I’m trying to increase my calories to about 60 grams of carbs/hour = 240 calories/hour. I was given those guidelines from a triathlon coach, so I’m going to follow them and see how I feel. So far, it feels good! At 120 calories/hour, I wasn’t eating enough previously.

TOTAL WORKOUTS
Swim: 3
Bike: 3
Run: 4
Strength/Core: 0

Ironman Training Day 5

December 10, 2011 by Asia

Day 5 – Saturday 12/10/11

Morning
8:30am – 16.5 mile run around Mission and Pacific Beach. (My old stomping ground!)
Nutrition:
Breakfast: 2 waffles w/ peanut butter & agave nectar = 400 calories(?)
During Run: 2 vanilla Gus, 1 shot block serving, and 1 scoop Vitalite mixed with water = 340 calories
Post Run: Big brunch! Scrambled eggs w/ spinach, mushrooms, and cheese, potatoes, onion bagel, fruit, coffee

Feeling hungry after my long run!

Ok – So this run wasn’t exactly for Ironman training. It’s for my marathon in Feb. We’re really starting to get up there in miles! Many triathlon experts will warn you not to do a marathon before or during Ironman training because there is a high risk of injury and a long recovery time after runs lasting over 2 hours. I definitely understand that, but I hope to stay strong and healthy during my marathon training. I want to do another marathon to break the 4 hour mark. (I hit 4:01:59 on my first one in June 2011.) It’s a great challenge, and I felt so incredible crossing the finish line. I LOVE running. It’s my favorite part of the triathlon.

I felt strong on the run today. This was definitely my best long run by far. My average pace for 16.5 miles was 9:15min/mile which is getting close to my marathon goal time. My hip didn’t bother me today which was HUGE because it hurt a lot during my recovery run last week. I am trying to pay extra attention to my hip (or IT band?) because it has been bothering me for a while. Today, however, the “pain” was pretty standard after the 1/2 marathon mark – sore knees, ankles, hip flexors. Nothing limiting. I did finish with salt all over my face…My face was pretty white, so I need to take in more sodium on my next run. Nicole and I had a lot to talk about and were both feeling like we had a good long run day. Now I’m feeling very optimistic about the marathon which is only 8 weeks away! There’s still a few spots available for the Surf City Marathon if you’re interested!