Sunday – 34 mile ride

I’m going through a creative writing block…I can’t write or document for shit right now so I’ll just bullet point some highlights

• To my surprise many people showed up to the Rebel Ride, even after the weatherman said there was black ice and a chance for snow, afternoon thunderstorms and hail.
• The Pumpkin Ridge hill was not as bad as I had thought. It was just a long moderate climb….I guess time flies when you talk the whole time going up.
• Worked on training in the “heat”. Lol, kind of…sort of. It was in the high 30s….add wind chill and that is pretty damn cold. To make sure I was warm enough I wrapped my shoes in plastic wrap, covered by booties, wore arm warmers, a fleece and a wind breaker. I was warm : ) a little too warm as I started climbing that damn hill. I started sweating bullets and there was nothing I could do about my layers…they were too bulky to take off. Oh well, I survived and at least I wasn’t cold.
• I finally did it! I got AERO!!!!! After a month or two of trying to hit my aero bars I finally did it with stability and control. River City fitted and installed my bars to give me the best aero dynamic positioning….well that’s all good but not really for someone who has NEVER ridden aero before and has issues with balance. Up until now I have been able to drop an arm down and that was it…I had to keep balance with my other arm on my regular bars. BUT not on Sunday. I managed to ride aero 2 x 3-4 mins. Sure it wasn’t that long but it is a start….I’m going to work on it more on Wednesday’s flat ride out along Marine Drive. It’s an odd feeling being so low and the breathing is much different.
• Thanks Lindsay for giving the option for a few extra miles. I felt so good during that ride I really didn’t want it to end and it was nice to take an option to extend it. The added hills were good too.
• The shit weather held off for the most part. It misted as we rode up Pumpkin Ridge. As we hit our turn around the road was dry but the nearby grass and trees had snow all over them….and then it started lightly snowing. It was kind of cool to ride in. About 400 meters from our finish it started hailing, thankfully it was small hail and only lasted 60 secs. Even little hail hurts.

12 mile LSD run...It’s snowing at the end of March..WTF?

So glad I took an extra recovery day off. I needed it and today I felt great.
We did an easy 12 mile hill run, Avg'ing 9 miles going up and bit short coming down. I'm finally enjoying the long slow distance pace....whew...I thought it would never happen. I came to realize something, I am fast. For the longest time I have felt I am slow, I run and run and run and it never feels fast enough. I think this might be because I usually try to run with people faster then me. I want that extra push....in return it makes me feel as if I'm not up to "par" per say. But I started running just 18 months a go, within a year I've cut my 5k PR from a 8:45 pace to a 7:15, a min and a half in just a year. Why is it progression feels so slow when in all actuality it's fast? Perception....it can really be a mind fuck. I am now eager to run these LSD runs...take my time and build my aerobic "plumbing".....which has a lot of holes and cracks in it at this time. I want to hold my faster pace longer and longer and longer.....I am so intrigued how running slow will help me achieve this. I got so much from this run today. I ran at the head of the group with Coach Seth and Kyle. We talked about racing and training the whole time and not once did I get tired, bored or "think" too much. Instead I enjoyed hearing the stories, listened (not a big strength of mine) to training advice, and soaked up the sun....ok that last part was a lie since it was partially snowing/raining....but I soaked up a whole lot. I really feel alive today....I have a refreshed view on everything. Running is good.

Slow vs. Fast....its all relative.

PS
We went to The Stepping Stone post run to refuel and team bond. Nate one of my team mates ordered the full stack of Man-Cakes....my tummy cringed when I heard him order. It was nice to see a man 100+lbs up on me had a hard time finishing them all.....made my accomplishment that much greater.
Hard time or not he did finish them....I mean come on now, he's triathlete, we don't quit ANYTHING.

Kat AKA "Man-Cake" eater

I got OWNED in Track ~ Thursday Triple

Noon – 60 min Pilates

Evening Track –
The track workout for the night was 3 x 1600’s with a 90 sec recovery float. I will start off by saying this is one of the worst track workouts I have had in a looooong time. Track worked me and made me its bitch. I think this was due to several factors; not enough nutrition, going out too fast, leg pain, negative mental thoughts, and digestive issues. I firmly believe they all feed off each other and it was a downward spiral from the start. Usually I’ll start with my warm up mile, stretch, 15-20 mins of drills and get into the speed work. I really need to do drills first as they open up hips and stride. BUT today my energy was lacking….I’m not eating enough. I’m trying but have been waking up in the middle of the night to a growling tummy. This has been going for about a week and a half now. At first I just thought it was on light caloric days, then I had those monster pancakes and figured my tummy was just pissed at me. It did have every right to be. It took until Tuesday for my tummy to recover from the sugar poisoning and I’m still waking up….so I need to up my calories. Since my calories were low as was my energy level I thought I’d just cut straight to the speed work and do the drills if I had spare energy to burn. Not a good idea. The first 1600 I went out too fast. My stride was short and I felt tight and tense. This made me turn over more to compensate my stride, which made my HR sky rocket and I shot my 7:40 goal with a 7:00. I knew pushing 3 more miles was going to be difficult. Plus my legs were getting pain in the shins. %^$%$##$@!! Drills help alleviate any pain in speed work. Oh well, on I went. 90 sec easy jog. 2nd 1600. I burned out at 800. I don’t know what happened….I just stopped and said “fuck it”. VERY unKat like. I can’t explain it. I slowly trotted along thinking, I’ll pick it up again, it will be ok. My shins are now screaming as I’m telling them to STFU. I try to finish the 800. Ok, I’m able to do that but now my tummy is pissed. WTF? Can’t my body just work with me? I make my way to bathroom pit stop #1. Hit the track again and opt for some drills. Tummy is not happy and is now going off on a fucking tangent, so for the next 20 mins of sprints and drills I make 4 more freaking bathroom breaks before I said “fuck it” for the second time and gave up. Blah. Track OWNED me tonight. I went out too fast without enough nutrition and then allowed negative thoughts to stop me, then my digestive system turned bitch.

Post Track – Team Swim
200 warm up
100 Farlech
6 x 25s fast
6 x 25s breaths: 3,2,1 per length.
1 x 150 easy
5 x 100s descend 1 to 5.
1 x 150 easy
5 x 100s with buoy, focus on rolling
1 x 150 easy
5 x 100 with zoomers/fins, light quick arms
1 x 150 easy
4 x 25 half catch-up freestyle
Total meters 2800

Swim went great. I had a nice challenging workout that didn’t tax me too much. I think I’m starting to get this technique thing.

The tops of my quadriceps are swollen and a bit inflamed. I usually get these lumps or knots from doing hard bike work, yet I haven’t done any since Sunday. Tomorrow I have a 6 mile tempo run scheduled. I think I’m going to take the day off and do some Yoga instead. We have some nasty hills to climb on Saturday and I want to make sure I’m 100%. I like to give it to them hills :P

Run drills/Swimming and a very odd dream

Tuesday morning
1 mile easy warm up run
20 min run drills across the gym floor
A$$ kickers, strides, high knee, skips, side strides

Followed up with swim
Warm up 200 easy
10 x 25s, 2 easy, 2 fast, rest :10 between each
4 x 100s, 50 drill/50 light quick turnover. Drills: fist free, long glide, or half catch-up. Rest :15
1 x 600, at 60% effort,
breathe every 5 or 6 strokes; rest 20-30
1 x 50 easy
2 x 200s, at 70% effort,
breathe every 4 or 5 strokes; rest 20-30
1 x 50 easy
4 x 75s at 80% breathe every 3 or 4 strokes; rest 20-30
1 x 50 easy
1 x 200 easy with a buoy, roll your hips through to both sides.

Warm-down
25 w/ 5 pool pushups
50 w/ 5 pool pushups
50 w/ 5 pool pushups
50 w/ 5 pool pushups
25 w/ 5 pool pushups
Total mtrs:
2700

I almost rolled back into bed this morning, I was tired. I'm glad I got up though, I had fun with the run drills and a great swim. I'm going to cut out my second workout for the day and focus on packing...besides I need the extra rest

On an odd note; I had a really weird dream last night. I dreamt I was in a house that was on a hill and the land was flooding. Water was slowly rising and we (friends) were all sitting around drinking just waiting to die as the water rose. Then when it was almost at the top and we were swimming around to keep our heads above water, we swam up and out of the house, and ran up to a higher hill, as the water continued to follow us. Throughout the whole dream I was running and swimming from the water on the verge of drowning while being semi intoxicated. It was sooo weird. At each point I was about to give up and just die and I found a way out......

I don't dream much so I found this to be interesting.

Riding in sideways Rain

I'm really too tired to write up a quirking training recap.

34 miles hilly in sideways rain and cold, 3.5 hrs. What is side ways rain? Rain that hits you from the side because the wind is so strong. For anyone that knows PDX we rode from Johnson Creek, down Spring Water Corridor across the river, up to Washington Park, Up Sylvan, Up to Council Crest, Up Skyline, Back down to Naito Pkw, hit Spring Water (massive head wind) back to Johnson Creek. Damn, it was cold, wet and windy....BUT you know what? I was riding with AWESOME people and that made the ride the BEST.

Post ride we recovered at Julie & Pascal's Easter Brunch Fundraiser. Bloody Mary's, Crab filled deviled eggs, the BEST au gratin potatoes I have ever had!!! and pastries, great recovery for burning 1200+ calories. I <3 TNT.
Thanks to Michele and Johann for carpooling

Training and Too Many Damn Pancakes!!

Just the typical Saturday….ok maybe not

So the day has arrived that I have to buckle down and eat a full stack of those giant man-cakes to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I was going to eat lettuce all day on Friday to try to “train” for the event and stretch my stomach out. But that ended up not happening. My training has been ramping up and I’m suffering a nasty allergy cold so my energy levels area bit low. I need to eat to keep Kat healthy, not to put me out of commission for a week. Another factor is I have been again experiencing insomnia and waking up to a growling tummy. 3 nights this last week I have woken up 3-4 times through out the night, usually at least once to a growling stomach. This happened a lot last year so I figure I just need up my caloric intake. I’m hoping the insomnia is just do to my cold/allergies I have. So I went to bed at 8pm last night. I woke up 4 times throughout the night, I had dreams of pancakes chasing me and blueberries dancing circles around me, this can’t be a good sign. At 4:30 I finally said screw it and got up and made my way to the gym to do the following swim workout. Oh and I had a few pieces of home made trail putty, factoring in about 200 cal

Warm up 200 easy

10 x 25s, 2 easy, 2 fast, rest :10 between each

4 x 100s, 50 drill/50 light quick turnover. Drills: fist free, long glide, or half catch-up. Rest :15

1 x 600, at 60% effort,
breathe every 5 or 6 strokes; rest 20-30
1 x 50 easy
2 x 200s, at 70% effort,
breathe every 4 or 5 strokes; rest 20-30
1 x 50 easy
4 x 75s at 80% breathe every 3 or 4 strokes; rest 20-30
1 x 50 easy

1 x 200 easy with a buoy, roll your hips through to both sides.

Warm-down
25 w/ 5 pool pushups
50 w/ 5 pool pushups
50 w/ 5 pool pushups
50 w/ 5 pool pushups
25 w/ 5 pool pushups
Total mtrs:
2700

The swim felt great. I had a good amount of energy and I am no longer experiencing shoulder pain. Post swim I shower and down a Lara Bar (200 cal) and head up to Germantown and Skyline Rd to meet the team for a 10 mile LSD trail run. Holy mother of God! It was freezing up on the hill. I realized one I arrived my energy was dragging and I was getting hunger. I couldn’t very well run with zero calories, I mean come on, I’m high off of Sudafed, lacking hydration (got to leave room for pancakes), and can’t breath for shizznit. I down a mini LaraBar (100 cal) right before the run. Then we’re off. LSD trail runs were meant to go slow and that is what I did. I ran with Fred for a good 30 mins and then caught up to Chris and Randle with whom I stuck with for the rest of the run. We reach the 5 mile ½ way point and I’m feeling it, I’ve only had a sip of water and my head was really dizzy. I take down a little more water and about 120 cal of trail putty, we make our way back. The first two miles felt great. The water and trail putty kicked in and felt grand…..that was short lived. The last 2 miles were two of the longest miles I have run in my life. I can’t say the longest because there are a few other runs that can top the worst on many different levels but this was not pleasant. I was dehydrated…..I had maybe 4 oz of water during the run and not much prior, cotton mouth and Sudafed head from my allergies/cold, and I was caloric deficient, my tummy was growling…and yelling at me as long as it could (this will not be the last time this happens today), plus I almost ran into a tree a few times and during the last mile I actually thought a tree started talking to me, then I realized Emily had caught up to me. I was very thankful to reach the trailhead. Coach Jane drove me back to my car and then I made my way down to training session part 3, Pancake Thrown Down.
Driving in my state was not a good idea. I was dizzy and shaking and yelling at traffic. I arrive at The Stepping Stone and am happily greeted by some friends/team mates and my mama! Carly was a doll and placed my order so that I could eat immediately. I still had to wait a few minutes to change and have the food come out and I was not in a good state. Changing seemed to take an eternity…it might have helped it I didn’t put my pants and shirt on backwards….yea I was a bit out of it. I get back to the table and the pancakes had arrived. Yay! Food! I dived right in. Now, call me lucky but these pancakes were not as big as I had remembered. Did they use less batter? They did know it was a fund raiser. Carly had ordered me 5 pancakes. WTF?! I swore a full stack was only three!!!! Which after I got home I checked online and yes ladies and gents, three Man-Cakes do equal a Full Stack. The first few bites were like heaven on earth. I opted for those evil little blueberries that taunted me in my sleep over the buttermilk. It was time to unleash the wrath! I started to devour them, Brian made a comment how I should chew slowly for digestion. But I thought about that and my brain has a 20 min delay from my tummy and if I did that my brain would be like “WTF are you doing?” and I just wouldn’t make it. So I proceeded to inhale them. The first 1/2 were delightful , the syrup, blueberries, whole wheat goodness was just what I needed. It was about the last ¼ that really kicked in. My tummy started grumbling and things were not feeling so well. I was so dehydrated I needed to start drinking water, not a good idea. I’m looking at the last ¼ thinking to myself “I know I can do this.” As my tummy is yelling back “No, No, No you can’t. Let’s be reasonable here. Let’s talk things out….” I asked my table, “What do I do? Do I take the last few bites slow and take my time or do I just go for it and not think, just do?” The consensus was to “Just Do”. My tummy was already arguing with my brain and this was a battle I was not willing to give up. Stupid stomach, have I mention how much I want a transplant? Anywho, push came to shove and I finished them all. Each pancake was weight out prior, 10 oz each = 30 oz plus ½=3/4 of a cup of Maple syrup = 34-36 oz of food, 2.2 lbs. I don’t know what was worse, the lbs of whole wheat carbs and blueberries or the evils of the syrup. I’m pretty sure it was the syrup. Approx 4-6 oz of syrup = 300-500 cal and 80-120 grams of sugar. Do you know what that looks like weight out in white sugar? 28 in an ounce = 2.8 – 4.2 oz of freaking sugar. This is not good for a girl whom is 99% sugar free. I hit comatose state within an hour…..then for the next 6 hours I felt like I was going to puke. I never did, but I’m sure it would have helped things….I was surprised that my weight only increased by 1 lb. I was 134 pre swim and 135 when I got home from the Stepping Stone.

So for $275 in donations…..was it worth it? Hell yea, that’s money to find a cure for cancer!!! Thanks for supporting me!

Multi-Sport...always something different.

Thursday – Lunch time 60 min Pilates. My core is starting to feel like a board  Yay me!

Post work evening Track
1 mile track warm up
20 min drills
200 leaps / 200 recover jog x 4
25 step a$$ kickers/ 50 recover jog x 4
30 skips /200 recover jog x 4
30 side leaps / 200 recover jog x 4
25 step high knee/ 100 recover jog x 4

7:20 20 min time trial pace
400 (1:50 pace) (1:45 actual)
200 float
800 (3:40 pace) (3:30 actual)
400 float
1600 (7:20 pace) (7:15 actual)
400 float
800 (3:40 pace) (3:40actual)
400 float
400 (1:50 pace) (1:35 actual)
400 float (recovery)

Total 6.6 miles, 2.5 of speed work.
We had a monsoon on the last 400 float. Seriously I was drenched within 30 seconds, it felt good through. I was surprised at my speed work. I have started to feel like I’m getting sick, swollen lymph nodes and stuffy nose….but I keep telling myself it is allergies so I’ve been training as normal. I wasn’t sure if I would hit my speed, but I did, in fact I went I went faster. The italic was my actual versus my time trial pace. I don’t think it was necessarily a good thing that I was faster but I am happy I didn’t burn out and I kept the pace.

Post Track Team Swim
200 warm up
10 x 25s, 2 easy, 2 fast, rest :10 between each
4 x 100s, 50 drill/50 light quick turnover. Drills: fist free, long glide, or half catch-up. Rest :15
No intervals, just regroup before starting again.
1 x 600, at 60% effort, breathe every 5 or 6 strokes
1 x 50 easy
2 x 200s, at 70% effort, breathe every 4 or 5 strokes
1 x 50 easy
4 x 75s at 80% breathe every 3 or 4 strokes
1 x 50 easy
1 x 200 easy with a buoy, roll your hips through to both sides.
Total 2500 meters.
I had a great swim! Again I was worried about energy from allergies/sickness and then the pre track workout, BUT Jane has done wonders in helping me change my stroke. Effortless baby, effortless.

Friday morning 90 min “easy” spin
Mother of God. I didn’t get to bed until 10:30. I slept like shit, woke up every 2 hours from nasal congestion. Finally at 4:45 I decided I had enough, got out of bed and headed to the gym. I did a 90 min easy spin on the spin bike. This workout was supposed to just keep my legs moving and staying on the bike for a while without much effort, it was a recovery workout. Again surprisingly enough it was EASY. I kept my HR between 130-150. The first 30 mins I spent talking with a guy next to me who was in a row club. I like learning about different sports. He left me and for the last hour I read Michael Carmichael’s Triathlete’s Training Bible Part 2, nutrition portion. I also caught up on the latest and greatest edition of Runner World. Time just flew by……

I’m tired now, from lack of sleep I believe. I was going to feast on lettuce all day to try to expand my tummy lining to pack in 3 lbs of pancakes tomorrow morning but I decided to say “Screw That”. I’m a bit tired and weak today and I have to swim an hour tomorrow morning and then go on a 10 mile LSD run, I can’t afford to be weak. Also if I am fighting a cold I need good fuel to kick it in the ass. So screw training for inhailing 3 lbs of pancakes, I’m just going to do it. The mind is a powerful thing.