My 2009 training graph

Fred Brown Relay around the Lake race report

This was fun. I organized 2 teams for GSTC and we had a good time, hanging around with both teams plus the team from Fitness Edge which had some of our members on it, and the LASC/CLub Northeast team. John was on this and he ran the same leg I did: the sixth leg from Morgan Farm to Moultonboro Central School. We were scheduled to run at the same time but I started 10 minutes before he did. I ha no way of knowing this while running. I called it running, but it was really hobbling. My calves were knotted from the beginning, I hope from RTB. I didnt feel very fast at all, I was in pain the whole way, and for once, it wasnt my breathing that kept me back. I still ran an 8:26 pace though, 54 minutes. After the race I was totally locked up in my calves and quads. Surprisingly, the right arch, which had been hurting since the end of RTB, didnt bother me at all, but I wore my Pearl Izumi shoes which always fix any aching feet problems. This was a tough race emotionally because it was on Torre's birthday and I felt really bad about being away all day, when I had been gone the day before, his actual birthday, because I had to work and go to the meeting to plan this whole race logistically. It is a big race to plan who gets where how and how they get back to their car. I am glad I did it though, it was a great group GSTC fun experience.

Reach the Beach Race Report

This is just the funnest, hardest, most painful race ever. I did 17 miles this year total, in 3 legs, 5.5 miles at 45 minutes, 8:10 pace, 7.4 hilly miles, Prescott Park in Meredith to Robbie Mills in Laconia, 68 minutes, pace of 9:10 and 4.08 miles, 36 minutes, pace of 8:36. We saw blow up dolls, men in nothing but girls undies, vans decorated in toilet plungers, bedpans, old running shoes. There were pirates, cougars, kitties and more. We need to do costumes and a theme for next year. Running on my first leg, I ran hard and thought I could never run another leg, especially not like the hard one that was coming up for me. That leg started at 2:30 am, 48 degrees, clear beautiful sky full of stars, quiet peaceful. After the first steep long downhill the uphill felt like I was still going downhill but with resistance. I actually really enjoyed this leg, except for Lane Rd, uphill on busted pavement in the dark, gave it some dry heaves at the finish, showing I was working as hard as possible. The third leg hurt all over and was hot but not as bad as last time as I had no blisters this time. Our team was great, I met great people and people I had not really seen since 2 years ago. We had a van that Irwin Motors was nice enough to lend us, it even had a DVD player (not that we had any DVDs). I want to do this culty race every year! And I need to bring a camera, that can take tons of pics!

Farnham 5.5 race report

This was hard! Very uphill, on the downhill I wish I had worn my contacts. Note to self, running fast downhill on trails requires vision so wear contacts! Got stung 5-6 times, mostly in the head, at around half way, running over a yellowjacket nest, good and plentiful raffle prizes and right near an apple farm at apple season! I couldve run faster, not too thrilled with my time but very fun. About 1.5+ hours from home. I would do this one again, but need to add more endurance training this year!

Laconia XC trail race

This was a fun race! Jen and Alex and I ran the course 2+ times before the race. It was super muddy and very slippery in places. Lots of fun and great fundraiser for Laconia XC. I will try and do this one every year.

Weight lifting thoughts

My left side is stronger than my right. I guess I knew that, but now I really know that. My right side was sorer, more knotted, and had more trouble with the same weights. I sprained my right ankle repetetively and I fell on my left side, my lead and dominant side.

It has been 1.5 weeks since I started my new weight program (Power lifting!). I am no longer sore to the touch or just to walk. I feel stronger when swimming, for a few hundred yards, but my muscles get tireder sooner. This will go away and I will be stronger and faster soon I hope.

I am enjoying the new program, it takes a lot less time and it is different so it feels good. Also, I think I will make quick progress, which makes me happy.

Aftermash of the crash, random thoughts, weight training

5 days after the crash I thought I was having a heart attack, turned out to be a cracked rib. It gave me 24 hours of excrutiating, I cannot move, or sleep, pain. It did allow me to take some time off from training/racing and finish my now favorite wool sweater. This was the first time that I have been forced to take time off from training that I enjoyed it and was not chomping at the bit to get back to it. It was nice to laze around, spend time with the family and rest. After 3 weeks of riding the couch, I went for a 65 mile bike ride. I felt so good the first 45 miles. It was either the sport beans or the rest. I thought, "wow, I feel so great, I must have been overtraining all this time" By 60 miles though, I was all done. I had been down to 6-8 mph and finally got off the bike and called Dan to come pick me up. I have never had to do this before. I was shaky and couldnt even stand, and starving! I was only 4 miles from home! It had been nice to get out though, and it was my first time back on the bike so I managed to ride! I drafted, I aerobarred, I seemed recovered.
This all got me thinking... I feel like I subconsciously intended to crash. Not exactly, but I really needed the rest, and hadnt been in a racing mood all season. Long rides were torturous. The bike was not running perfectly. I didnt feel like stressing about races, or having to do any scheduled trainings, or early morning stuff. I was finally relieved by all the worry about what was wrong with my after a talk with Suzan. I had noticed lots of people stepping back a bit this year. Suzan 'gave me permission" and solidified an idea in my head that I had been toying with ....weight lifting. Swim coach Bill said I had perfect swim form but wasnt faster as I lacked the upper body stregnth. Suzan said I could lean up with weight lifting. Why not try something new and see where it led?
Talking with Celeste St. Pierre, she recommended Sarah Crane. I started my first weight workout from her on July 16th. The whole workout takes me less than an hour and my butt is whooped by the end of it, I can barely walk home from the gym! I am so excited to see what happens! This is sooo different from working out 3 hours plus and feeling fine! That was so much steady energy output, endurance. This is High Intensity training. I am still doing plenty of tri workouts but for the time being, I am really sore and tired, too sore and tired to do what I used to do . Suzan assures me that is still there and I will be back to it in about 3 weeks, I just need to get somewhat used to the new program. I am very excited to see what happens!

Black Fly Race Report

Saturday I volunteered at the Black Fly Triathlon in Waterville Valley. Volunteering is always fun! ANd the excitement there from all the athletes, well, I caught it. I also had a free entry to the race so it didnt make sense not to use it. I decided to do a relay team in the next day's sprint. Jen volunteered for the bike but I couldnt get a runner. Later Saturday I decided I would do the run myself, as well as the swim.
The water did not smell, but I didnt know how to get in. I was one of the last to enter the water (time trial start) but the line moved faster than I had thought it would and I was messing with my goggles ( I had to rinse and spit with water from a water stop which was nearby) I didnt get a chance to see how deep it was at entry and how to enter. I didnt think it was deep enough to dive, so I jumped. The water was cold! 58 degrees they said. I was discombobulated from the start. It was my first time in open water this year, first time in a wetsuit and I got off to a rocky start. I didnt feel like I was pulling too hard and down by the beach it got warmer. After that I didnt notice the temperature but there were so many buoys, I spotted on the wrong one and went way off course. My swim split was 7:07, not great, but hey, I can't be too hard on myself, I just cracked a rib! Jen took off the timing chip and got on the bike. She told me she thought we had competition but it was so hard to tell. All the other relays left long before we did. She had done the whole race the day before, the longer course so she was tired, but had a good bike. I left for the run and felt great. I felt light and strong and there was a picture of me running....and smiling. I had been feeling really discouraged since my times were so much slower but I passed 11 people, some strategic people and was happy with my pace of 8 minute miles for the 3.4 mile race. And then to top it all off...we won first place for a women's relay! What a great day!

Bike Crash

Well, I knew it had to happen eventually. Hopefully, I have paid my dues now. I was coming down the Kanc, in the pouring rain, low vis, following and fell in a hole while in the aerobars. I lost control, went down and skid across the yellow line, jumped up, saw cars coming in the distance, grabbed my bike and ran to the other side of the road which was closer. I paced, walking, wondering how I felt ok. Then I wanted to lie down, so I sat. My hand hurt, it was cut up, one really deep one, but I was so lucky! No cars ran me down, the wet roads made me slide well enough to get very light road burn, and my GSTC heavy jacket took the brunt of the tearing on my arm. Only my left elbow got torn up. My ribs hurt, my left leg had some burns, but now I know why I am called Luckee triathlete! My bike had not a scratch to the new frame, just the left handlebars got torn up, nothing some new tape cant fix. My friends were wonderful, flagged down a ride, checking me, driving me, calling me.
The Kanc has scored 2 points on me. I can still remember the freezing cold dark ride down the Kanc 2 years ago now. This time it was horrible pavement. And they sell the Kanc as a great ride for bikers, of the cycling variety.

Canterbury XC 5k at Shaker Village

Great course! Great cool day! looked like rain but didnt happen during the race. Usually this kind of weather gives me a great race but not today. Loved the course! All off road, hilly, all different terrain, mud, but even with a nice warm-up, I had some breathing issues the whole race. I started with a 4 count exhale, 1 count exhale, determined to see how well I could run a race with my breathing under control. I realized after 1-2 miles that I needed to do 4-2 for a race. I felt better but then up the last hill, I mustve picked it up some, thinking it was near the end, when a bit attack hit, dry heaving over and over, gasping desperately for breath inbetween heaves, I had to stop then walk a bit. it went away and i went back to running but came in 22nd in my age group with a final time of 29 minutes! I do not know why I had this asthma attack! It was not hot, it probably was humid, I warmed up, I was dressed properly in shorts and a tank and it was maybe 55 degrees. I did my buteyko breathing. I havent taken any asthma meds in a long time, almost a year. Here was the days allergy forcast/pollen count:

Predominant Pollen: Oak, Birch and Ash.
Outlook
Concentration of pollen grains in the air for Tuesday will be unchanged in the high range. Constant and seasonally normal weather conditions tend to stabilize pollen concentrations in the outdoor air.
Today
Concentration of pollen grains in the air for Monday will be increasing in the high range. Since the weather has a major influence on pollen dispersal, this increase is due in part to drier air.The increase Monday could spell trouble for allergy sufferers.
Allergy Fact
The greatest danger to allergy sufferers in the garden is not pollen from ornamental plants, it is mold that can grow on the surface of the dirt. When soil is disturbed by digging or weeding, mold spores are released into the air. To avoid undue exposure to mold, gardeners sensitive to mold should not dig just after it rains, when mold is at its peak.

The mold thing is interesting, the race was just after rain, and the ground was all mowed and mixed up by all the runners. Maybe I really do have an allergy?

The whole race my body was not in any pain, not even from doing Crank the kanc the day before, but my breathing was labored from the start. hard to breathe. Frustrating.

Crank the Kank '09 Race report

I noticed, while lubing my bike first thing in the am, that the deraileur had fallen again, not too bad, but once it starts....it hit when changing from ring to ring ont he front. I thought Brian would be at the race but he wasnt. I did the fix myself, and it held the whole race but in the process I stripped the deraileur bolt. I also screwed up the tire size on the computer while racing and played with that during the race. I learned how to change it from kms to miles which I had screwed up earlier, but as a result I had no usable mileage readout or speed during the race. My race number was 182 out of 200 so I had to wait a long time before I started. I used buteyko breathing the whole way, except maybe I forgot on some of the final hill. I had a small attack at the top, but it was no biggie and ended quickly, using buteyko to stop it. I had a time of 1:31/1:32 but officially they said I did 1:26. Their time was 16 minutes better than last year! I thought it was 11 minutes better. I reached the bottom of the hill at 59 minutes, where last year I thought I had hit it at 1 hour but it is no definite point that I can think of now. I never felt like I worked as hard as I did last year, could be breathing? The new bike? The new helmet? My legs were tired during the first hour and I couldve gone faster probably, having a properly working computer and deraileur would help alot. My goal for next year: 1:26 or better.

Swimming thoughts

I discovered how much faster I can go if I keep my head down and use my wrist to start the catch up farther (which Suzan kept telling me), being careful to keep my hand up at the top of the water in front.

breathing thoughts

I think I got it. I need to exhale all my air while running, it makes the inhale automatic, I have to do nothing. Sometimes thinking about it messes it up. Sometimes all that exhale is hard but that is the key, get all the old bad air out. It really feels incredible when it all comes together. Open up the fingers wide to help open lungs. Feels good. I had a great run, long, hard, no soreness. It all came together. No overbreathing, but not necessary to go through the nose. Also a slow warmup is good to try and get breathing going before running hard. In fact, a breathing warm up with reduced breathing prior to the running warm up is even better. Longer Cps after a good breathing workout.

Running with my mouth shut!

I went for a 5 mile run with my mouth closed! I breathed through my nose the whole time. I didnt think I could but I have been doing the same thing for years with the same results, so what do I have to lose? First the volume of air through my nose hurt! I went slow too! Really slow. Occasionally walking. I realized though, that I do not need that much air. I can almost not breathe. Very lightly is fine sometimes, as long as I dont think about it. I need to think about a song, or the scenery. If I can get lost in other thoughts, and not think about the breathing, I barely need to do it. I was told 3 runs like this and then I would be free of the heavy, crazy breathing. Maybe even free of asthma, because who has ever had an asthma attack while breathing through their nose? Could I actually breathe through my nose in a race and still go as fast as possible for me? I am giving it a shot.

New Years Ideas (not resolutions)

Well, I know it cannot be done, but here it is, the 4th of January, and I am on a roll. How long can I go into this new year and run EVERY SINGLE DAY? I am going to see. I am 4 for 4 so far!

Also, I want to get to 2000 miles by December 31, 2009. That will be 1000 miles in a year. My last 1000 miles took me just over 13 months. I think I can do it.

Other 'ideas' for 2009? The usual, less junk food, less sugar, squeeze my kids more (even if they try to stop me) eat healthier, lose a few pounds, get a six pack, get faster, get my breathing under control, grow my hair to my knees, knit a few sweaters and socks, read a few hundred books, so a few thousand sudokus, go to a wine tasting and learn about wine, I could go on and probably will, give me some time!

Except for the hair to my knees, all doable! But I do not want to call them resolutions. How many times can I not carry something out, and still attempt?