Be Training like a Pro…Kinda…Part 2

*Caveat: I am not, nor do I think I will ever be an actual professional athlete. That being said, it’s kind of fun to get to train like one.

It’s been a blast to be out here. I know that this is something I'm fortunate to do and I’m glad that months ago I saved and planned these vacation days to take now and spend my peak training days in the heart of IMAZ country. It’s been really good, not only for my training, but also for my psyche to experience all I’ve gotten to experience in the past 8 days.

Days 5-8 have been challenging to say the least. I can’t imagine doing this amount of volume AND holding down a day job. I remember saying to someone the other day that usually when I come out to visit Phoenix I have much more “down time” then I’ve had in this visit. And that’s ok. I’ve been training like a pro, getting my workouts in and eating/sleeping/recovering as best as I can and loving every moment of it.

Day 5 was Tuesday and included a long 4100 yds swim and 2 hour bike. I managed to pull myself up early enough to start the bike when it was still cool, about 7:30am and finished to some amazing blue skies and beautiful desert views. Have I mentioned how awesome bike lanes are around here? After some fuel and rest, I took off for the pool. After my tough workout there, I was walking to my car, tired and hungry, and almost walking into another guy. I totally wasn’t paying attention! That afternoon I took in some good recovery and watched “Gone Girl” with my Dad at a local theater followed by dinner at a great restaurant called the Yard House….lots of good beer samples and a yummy veggie burger on a lettuce bun for my GF tummy! Perfect!

Day 6 included a swim. Just a swim. And I was grateful for it. I knew this day would be lower in volume because of the following day being so intense. I slept in a little bit, went to my swim and caught up on phone calls, emails and things from work. I guess I really can’t fully “stay away” even on vacation! I got a card today in the mail to encourage me in my training! I seriously have some loving peeps! Wednesday evening I stocked up on good food and planned for the next day….it was going to be BIG.

Day 7…...I got up at 4:30am and planned to meet my friend Sean, who I only knew from the IMAZ Facebook group I’m in, to ride the IMAZ bike course. We met at a portion of the course I knew from spectating last year and planned to ride up and down the Beeline, the major portion of the IMAZ bike course. I was warned to be prepared for strong headwinds and at least a few flat tires. This made me nervous to say the least. The sun doesn’t rise around here this time of year until about 6:30am and it was windy when I met Sean at the Shell station at McDowell and Beeline Rd. He had planned for everything and had been there waiting for me since 5:30am! What a guy!

We started out down the road and I immediately got a bit discouraged…..this was literally uphill and windy….AND it went on that way for 11+ miles before we turned around! What the what?!?!? Ugh! Sean was great though….the company and conversation made the time pass quickly. When we turned around to come back down the Beeline, we were going downhill and I made up for the speed I lost on the way up. Good to know. Plus, I’m much happier and a better riding companion when I’m descending. Sean came out with me a bit further and then I was on my own for the rest of the ride. I had 6.5 hours on the schedule, plus a 45 min run after and I finished it all! I turned the average mph off on my Garmin and just rode…..it was good for my mind and my heart to do this. I got out of my head and just rode….must have gone up and down the bike course at least 4 times and in the end I finished that ride….sunburned and all! Very proud of myself, not only for finishing but for getting out of my head and just enjoying the world around me. I kept having Tom Petty’s song in my head:

“Into the great wide open….under the sky so blue….out of the great wide open…..a rebel without a clue.”

Came back home, ran my 45 min in the hottest portion of the day and got more burned. Didn’t care. I finished, had a few drinks with my Dad and got in the hot tub. Gluten free pizza for dinner!

Day 8: 16 miles on the schedule. I wanted to run the IMAZ course again and get in the portions I missed last Sunday. Met my dear friend Jamie at 6am when it was still somewhat cool and she showed me around the “north” portions of the course including Curry Road, which is a steady incline we have to do twice during IMAZ. I was told it’s challenging, especially after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112, and that’s exactly what I experienced. Wow. Jamie is a killer amazing gal. Met her almost a year ago when we were standing in line to sign up for this madness in 3 weeks and we’ve stayed good friends. So excited for her to cross that line! I ran the course 2 times and Curry Road 2 times especially! Again, glad I know what I'm getting into, even if that won’t make it easier come race day.

I had a 3600 swim this afternoon which was nice to flush out my legs and have one last time at the DC Village Ranch, a place with a great outdoor pool, a place where  I’ll never be able to afford to be a member. Grateful for the 7 day free trial!

Had good chinese with Dad tonight while doing loads of laundry, packing up my bike and getting ready to depart to Columbus at the ass-crack of dawn tomorrow. Again, it’s been good to be out here, somewhat on vacation and somewhat on assignment….I love this area and this part of the country….can’t wait to see what November 16 brings.

I’ve been fortunate to be embraced by both One Multisport and Destination Kona Triathlon Store while here in town. I’ve met people that I know I’ll stay in touch with and I hope that’s indeed the case. Still have 3 weeks until IMAZ which includes more training and active recovery. No matter how things on race day go, I’m going to be embracing the gift of racing and loving the fact that I’m out here racing.

A rebel without a clue. I like that.

Be Training Like a Pro…..Kinda. Be Brave.

Be Training Like a Pro....Kinda.

*Caveat: I am not, nor do I think I will ever be an actual professional athlete. That being said, it’s kind of fun to get to train like one.

I love Arizona. Granted, I’m usually only here when I’m not working and on “vacation” but that’s beside the point. It’s gorgeous out there. And due to my love for this area, I signed up for my second Ironman triathlon almost one year ago. Fast forward to today and I’m less than 28 days away from the gun going off.

Many many months ago I planned to take my highest training volume week and come out here to train in the elements that I would encounter on race day. This meant saving lots of vacation days and I was happy to do it. Training in Ohio during this high volume week would have been challenging. Not impossible, but challenging. Plus, for me mentally I do better when I’m able to experience the course ahead of schedule. Riding the bike course in Louisville the year I did IMKY in 2012 was really helpful.

I arrived here on Saturday and met my Dad at the airport. I’ve never been more nervous to see my luggage rolling off the carousel. I anxiously awaited that big black bike box to appear and after lots of nail biting, it came! I immediately knew it had been opened: the straps were a bit loose. Just like I suspected after getting it home to my parent’s place, there was a lovely note from TSA inside saying they had inspected my box. I opened it immediately and everything looked safe and sound. Putting Killer (my bike) back together made me nervous. I had rehearsed it but now was the time to see what I could do. I was literally shaking while piecing her back together again, so much so that my Dad had to remind me to “calm down.” It worked! I was so relieved. Even went out to ride that later afternoon and everything seemed to be working well. Phew! Day 1 was complete with a bike/run brick. The beauty of the desert continually inspires me. Still adjusting to heat!

All together again!

Happy girl! Love the weather!

The desert is gorgeous!

Day 2 came early. I was meeting Jozsef Major at 6am to get some riding in before the triathlon group I was riding with began at 7am. Jozsef is a professional athlete and an all around awesome guy. Ever want to know how you can tell you’re riding with a professional triathlete?  It’s when he can talk without gasping and you’re gasping for air and trying to crack jokes to avoid the reality that you feel super nervous training with someone who consistently places in Ironman races and has sponsors! Wow! I soon realized that my riding pace meant he was spinning in his small chain ring and barely breaking a sweat. I was chugging along just trying not to look like an idiot. We met the rest of the group at 7am and I rode with them for another 2 hours then headed out for my last solo hour. One Multisport is a local tri group with about 300 members! I’m grateful they allowed me to join them for this week of training. Awesome folks! 4 hours of riding was done! Then onto the 30 min run after! Long morning. Riding in Arizona means spinning…..a LOT. There are a ton of “false flats” here and you can’t feel them unless you’re on a bike. Spinning non-stop is no joke. This race won’t be a piece of cake and will have it’s own challenges, that’s for sure!

One Multisport group at Cyclologic

Day 3 was another early one. I slept a bit later than I wanted to but began my 20 mile run at about 8am down on the IMAZ run course in Tempe. There was a triathlon going on during this time, the Soma Lifetime Tri, which many IMAZ racers do. Being that it was 4 weeks out from IMAZ, my coach and I decided it was better to train for IMAZ right now than do another race and risk injury, etc. I ran on the IMAZ course for most of the 20 miles and it was nice to have lots of other folks out there. I finished about 15 miles before the course got crowded with “actual” racers.  Ended up meeting a guy from California who was running while his son did the Soma race. Was nice to have come company for a few miles. A few hours later I had a 2100 yard swim. Having obtained a 7 day free pass at the DC Village Ranch in Scottsdale means outdoor swimming for the week! After those long workouts I joined up with the One Multisport triathlon group that I rode with yesterday for a little gathering at a local distillery. Met some great people...hopefully I can stay connected with them. They have a HUGE cheer station on the IMAZ run course….can’t wait!

20 miles: DONE!

Outdoor heated pool!

Today, Day 4, has consisted of a 2 hour bike/run brick and a 4100 yard swim. I’m learning here that riding earlier is better and even riding early means dealing with warm temps. When I started out this morning the temps were in the 70’s and into the 80’s when I was done. Again, I'm working hard to pace myself on these roads….the false flats and headwinds can make riding more challenging. So overall it’s good mental training too...I’m trying to focus on the process of my riding/running/swimming than the overall times. Sometimes spinning can reduce speed, which if I focus solely on that, it gets ugly for me mentally. So I’m enjoying the scenery and loving the fact that I get to do this in such amazing weather. Tonight I joined a group of folks at a local tri store, Destination Kona, for Yoga for Triathletes, led by Mark Williamson. Since everyone was mostly in recovery mode, it was perfect for me and a great way to stretch out after a challenging few days.

So far, training like a professional athlete is pretty cool. I’m glad I saved those vacation days and made this work. IMAZ will be a challenge, despite the fact that it’s moderately “flat.”  In the days ahead I have a few more bikes and swims, and my largest training day is Thursday, when I’ll ride the IMAZ bike course for about 6 hours and then run an hour after. Yikes!

One thing I’m working on this week: emailing friends to send me inspirational messages I can read each mile on the IMAZ run course. That’s where I need the most mental strength and the most encouragement. Hoping to put them together into some sort of order that I can read an inspiring message at each mile marker. Get out of my head and into my heart!

 

Be Training Like a Pro. Be Brave.

Be Flippin'

I love flipping my calendar over the to the next month. Something about it feels like a fresh start...and honestly I love to see a new picture! I had a superviser a few years ago who always used to tease me about flipping the calendar a bit too early…..he was very focused on being mindful and present in THIS moment, without pushing time forward before it arrives or demanding that things be different than they are.  “It’s not April yet, Amy!!!! You can’t flip until April 1!” He probably had a point…..I should stay more present and enjoy the current opportunities life gives my way...even on the 30th or 31st of each month (or 28th and 29th in Feb!)

September was a challenging month for me personally and as an athlete. The month started off with a difficult finish at Rev 3 Cedar Point. I have an earlier blog post about that race so I won’t rehash the chain of events. It was indeed both frustrating and yet also encouraged me at the same time. I saw what I could do when my brain had the option of quitting or pressing on; and thankfully I pressed on. Do I still wonder what I could have done if I had made it out a bit further and not gotten swept up in the current? Yep, definitely. But I have no regrets about the way I handled myself that day. A year ago I was crying after finishing Rev 3 Cedar Point without a PR….this year I was proud I had the gumption to keep moving forward, even knowing I would have “DF” by my name in the results.

On the bike at Rev 3....a new half distance PR!

Pushing it on the run! Was happy to see Ann :)

After Rev 3, came a truly personally challenging day: the day of my divorce. This isn’t something I’ve talked much about publically and probably won’t go into too much here either….just not ready yet. But for me, this was a day that was on my calendar for months and those closest to me knew how much agony, pain, guilt, fear, worry, judgment, tears, and sadness went into this decision. Nobody ever chooses divorce or thinks that will be how their marriage ends when they head into a life together. It just sucks.  Thankfully I had some amazing supportive friends that day who carried me literally from the beginning of the day until the end. There were so many hands involved that I marvel to think I could possibly be that loved. It made a big difference, and my heart will always be utterly grateful.

Amazing cake. Perfect message.

Can't believe all these amazing gals came out for ME. :)

That same weekend I ran the Lucky Buckeye 8 Miler down in the Grandview Yard. This was meant to be a tempo run for me anyway and I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was a great day to run! As the gun went off, I started to realize I was out in front with the lead police vehicle. Say WHAT?!?! Yeah, that’s what happened. For about 7.8 miles of the 8 mile race, me, Amy Avery, the girl who was teased in gym class growing up, the girl who used to be unable to run a mile without stopping, the girl who consistently doubts her abilities to set out and achieve anything, was the lead runner in an actual race! It was truly unbelievable and every time I would look back to see if I was going to be passed I realized I was still out in the lead...and THAT would make my heart rate jump too! Towards the end, I didn’t have enough “kick” left in me and 2 other amazing gals overtook me and I ended up in 3rd place overall. Nothing to be ashamed about.

I'll take it :)

Moving on in September I had the fortunate ability to officiate my dear friend Stephanie’s wedding. She and her husband Martin put on a simple, personal and beautiful wedding and it was a real honor to be officiating for them. We had a blast! In the next part of that week my counseling practice moved into a new building up by the 270/23 construction madness. Moving was a chaotic time, but we’re settled into our new space and loving it. I’m sure we’ll love it more when the construction is over…...anyone know when that is actually meant to happen?

MIT crowd with the bride and groom, Stephanie and Martin

My counseling practice's new building!

The last weekend in September allowed me to be able to finish some long run and bike workouts and then take a night out of town to attend a friend’s wedding in Cleveland. It was a fun time to be away and just relax after a challenging week of workouts.  Fun times.

Cleveland Rocks!

It’s October and officially the largest and most demanding month for me leading up to IMAZ. I’ll have some majorly epic weeks of training this month and lucky for me, I get to spend a full week in Arizona just training! Saving up that vacation over the summer months will be worth it…..or it’ll really hurt. Probably both.

Be Flippin’. Be Brave.