Treadmill and Terrain – a match made in heaven

Today was to be a long slow run.  I woke up feeling achy, tired and thinking about everything I had to get done.  I turned on the bbq, oiled up the tomatoes and tossed them on. Then I grab something to eat and figured I had one hour before I could head out for a run.  Then I chop the butternut squash for soup.  Then I try to focus on the run I really want to do.  I think about mapping it out and get distracted by something, probably the dog or cat.  I grab the tomatoes, puree the soup, which is a little runny so I add some more chunks of squash and watch the clock go by as I procrastinate running even more.  Finally, soup done, veggies chopped and I should get out on the road.  Nah, I am going to head down to the treadmill and run the 10K part of the Giant Race.

I haven’t set foot on my treadmill since before the snow melted so long ago.  I program the run in and get stared at 3 mph.  Feels kind of fast for me, but after a few minutes I up it to 4 then 4.5.  As I am running I have realized that I have been very slack in my outdoor running.  I am a slow poke.  Last time I was on the treadmill, I could run 6.0 mph fairly easily.  Now I am sucking wind at 4.5.  I won’t kid you I am saddened by this revelation.  No wonder I have packed on some poundage. I eventually crank it up to 5.0 and I know I won’t be able to carry a conversation with anyone if I keep going at this pace.  I attempt 6.0, I last 60 seconds and think about bailing because I my need a bucket. Instead I slow myself down to 5.0 and finish my 40 minute run.

I do enjoy watching where I am running on my screen, I see the satellite, the google map and the street view.  I can also see the laps, my heart rate, calories etc..  I remember that I really do love this treadmill.  It tells me how slow or fast I am going, it follows the terrain of any route I program in.  I don’t have to worry about cyclists on the sidewalk, or rolling over on my ankles or what I look like.  The downfall, I have the attention span of a pea when I run inside. There is nothing to distract me.

I love running outside too.  It is more about being outdoors in the fresh air. The downfall, I find I spend a lot of time with my head down looking for cracks, holes and just where I am going.  That and I don’t like to be out of breath. But I am outside. So I  run with no idea what my pace or distance is.  I just listen away to the music and enjoy the time out on the road. Even in the rain, I enjoy being on the road!

Any how..... I made the realization that I really need the treadmill year round and not just in bad weather.  I like to run with as little stuff on my body as possible, from spandex to belts for water bottles to watches on my arms! The least amount of stuff on me the better.  Helps me with my speed! So my running schedule will be changed – Long Slow Distance for my running outdoor pleasure and will be one day a week.  The rest of the week I will be running on the t-mill.  I am not a competitor, I am a completer. However, I still want to lose weight, be healthier and yes beat a few of my PBs, and so yes indeed, I am competitive when it comes to my personal performance.

I will do my tempo and speed work indoors, I will do my LSR on Sunday outside and my hills will be outside as well.

Momma needs a new bike

So this past week was a little crazy, training for the Canadian and a long weekend.  So much to do.

Wednesday’s open water swim was a good eye opener for me.  It was tough and a clear indication that I really need to work on my swimming strokes.  Of course practice and training will help with that.  I was a little shocked when our coach said no heavy training Thursday or Friday.  20 minutes on Thursday and 10 on Friday – MAX. Good thing, turns out I was so swamped I barely had time to think!

Friday I pick up my “kit”.  This is my 4^th somersault event this year.  I really only want my bib and numbers, but I am told to take the whole bag.  I have all these papers, it’s a bit frustrating that I am wasting the paper that I am not going to even look at.  So I just take it, no point in fussing about it. Oh almost forgot – the hideous orange swim cap the women get to wear.  Really – that colour of swim cap should be banned. I know it is so you can see the swimmers in the murky waters of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers, but still Orange.  Yucko – I have no swimming gear to match that!  Looks like I will stick with my purple one!

I don’t sleep well Friday night – I never do before a race.  That and the fact that I forgot to pop in my night guard.

Up early on Saturday, I want to go for a pre-race run, but remember what Geordie said – save your energy for your race.  I have a peanut butter honey bagel and a glass of milk for my meal wait for my hubby.  Meanwhile, I think long and hard about how long each leg should take me, how long I really want to be and how to swim well in the weeds.

I am nervous, as per the usual pre-race jitters.  I get into the water for a warm-up swim, however I am trying to not get caught up in the weeds.  I decide that laying on my back and avoiding the weeds is a good enough warm up for me since my arms are on the move non-stop.  The water just feels gross! I hit so many weed doing the crawl I opt for the breast stroke.  I may freak out if I keep getting loaded with weeds.

As I exit the water, I see my husband, get my kiss and my shoes, I was going to put them on and decide I want a good transition time so I won’t bother.  I come up the hill and there is the OTC tent and Geordie cheering me on (everyone really, but he shouts my name).  I am moving slowly, because I want to get my breathing under control.  I come around the corner to get to my bike, I know it is in row 13 but I can’t find it.  Panic sets in.  I know nobody took it, and it is here.  I take a minute to calm down and then I walk slowly eyeballing the row.  Takes a few minutes but I find it.  Calming myself down, I dry my feet, sock myself up, pull on my shorts and top then helmet and my water belt.  As I head out some guy is holding on to his bike having a conversation with someone and blocking the way.  I ask him to move his bike out of the way, he looks at me like I asked him to kill his buddy.  Really dude!

I grab a wafer figuring I should get energy while riding.  I even put electrolyte stuff in my water.  I run through to the start line for the bike and hop on the bike.  It’s a shorter than Brockville ride, closed road and much smoother.  I just seem to be very sluggish on this ride.  Almost like I am moving in slow motion.  Since I was moving at the turtle speed of mach -10, I finally figure out how the gears on this bike work and try to find my rhythm, by the time that all happens I am at the turnaround point.  Thankfully nobody cuts me off and I try to stay as close to the outside to avoid all the speedsters!

My arms got numb, my focus was out of whack, and it was like I was lollygagging my way through the bike ride.  Wow could I go any slower, yet my legs never seemed to stop moving.  I tried mimicking other riders pace and I just couldn’t get anything going.  As I approach the end I am thinking – Wow my bike skills are definitely lacking.  As I get to the dismount there’s my hubby again, cheering me on.  What a trooper that guy is.  He’s everywhere!

I run my bike back in, change shorts – yes I think I need to rethink my clothing options for triathlons.  I come out of the track and think I should stay right – that way I am not crossing paths with incoming runners, but no, I have to cross over to head out and those running in have to cross over.  Seems weird.  There I hear the OTC crew, cheering everyone on and bam, there’s my hubby again.  I feel drained.  Like the life has been sucked out of me.  I slow to grab a kiss from him and get a little more energy.

As I run, or walog as I prefer to call it, I think of what I need to do to improve.  First things first – swim, I need to work on that first.  That and I need to start training as well. Boy it’s hot, drink up I say.  Next thing I know, I have no juice left in my bottles.  Oh well, there should be a water station along the way.  And sure enough, just before the 1.5 turnaround there it is.  I actually had some Gatorade – I am not a Gatorade lover by any means, but it was helpful this time around.  I poured water all over my face and head and carried on.  I see the 1.5 turn around and think, hmmmmmm, should I.  Nah, it’s only yourself you are hurting by doing that.  I get through the first 2K and suddenly I feel some energy coming on and I pick up my pace a little.  And by little I mean little.  Then I start thinking about mantras and how I really ought to come up with one, other than “this is it, I hate this sh&^%t” although this mantra does add a little smile to me and lightens up my mood, because right after I think that I say, ya right.  You hate it so much you keep doing it!

I pass a few people who are heading back to the finish.  There’s that old timer from last year.  At least I think it was him. He smiles at me as says, don’t worry it only gets worse.  Great! I think there must be a huge hill coming up.  I hit the turn around and I pick up my pace. There was no hill in sight.  I get to the water station, swallow down some more Gatorade and along with a lot more water to wash it down and off I go.  There he is old timer.  He looks familiar from behind.  I am pretty sure he is the same guy I chatted with last year on the run when I did the Try a tri and he was telling me how much he loved doing these.  I spot my husband with the camera and I catch up to the 76 year old man.  I slow down and take the time to chat with him a bit and get hubby to take our picture.  I tell the man how awesome he is and he tells me to get going and not lose my time on him.  I promised to wait for him at the finish and head off. 

I round the bend and there again is my hubby, I get my final kiss before the finish and the OTC crew are cheering and one coach is yelling for us to get a room, I guess there’s not a lot of romance on the racing field!

I finish, not pretty but I finish and I beat my previous SS time by 13 minutes or so.  Pretty sure that this is because I didn’t come across any people drowning themselves in the water. I stand at the finish line waiting for the old timer.  He finishes, we hug and chit chat while having a post-race drink and snack.  He’s done nine of these.  I am stunned and amazed, thinking of how many I will have done by the time I am 76.  As we part ways he says – see you next year.  If only to see him race, I will go do it again next year!

I head to the OTC crew tent where Bacon Brent is and other OTC members.  I am wiped and ready for chocolate milk and a nice post-race meal.  We head out and all I can think of is how I am really looking forward to improving my swimming over the next eight months and how I really need to get a road bike.  More so now because we are off to deliver my daughter her bike (the one I have been using) so she can get to school over the next couple of weeks.

I start planning my training in my head and doing the numbers, I have two whole years to get to my goal, so I have to really kick it down.  The next eight months or so will be to focus on my swimming technique and speed.  I have to work on improving my cardio and my endurance for running.

Then I realize, I need to focus on running for the next month - I have a ½ marathon coming up in a month and a half.  Time to get my but into gear!

Sunday was a nice day, we raided my MIL garden and hung out and talked about our upcoming vacation.  By Monday, I want to run some more.  I head out to do a 7K lap and while exhausted and a little stiff, I am glad I got out there. I need to push myself harder than what I have been doing, only because I feel so much better after I do.