Banana Death

Spread that Holiday Cheer!

2011-12-24T15:30:00.001-07:00

Nothing like a white Christmas (or Hanukkah!)

Happy 4th day of Hanukkah (5th night starts tonight so we're on the 4th day) and Merry Christmas Eve! I went for a run today at Fox Run Regional Park, a very hilly park a few miles from my house. I've done a lot of training runs here in the past, and it's great for building leg strength!

One loop of the park is about 3 miles with somewhere around 400 feet of gain. Today it felt like I was going up the whole time. But wow- what an amazing day - sun shining, snowy hills, and plenty of fresh air. I definitely appreciate my surroundings!

For the rest of the day I will kick back a bit and cook dinner for my husband and his parents. If you are interested, the menu is cornish game hens with a red currant & raisin sauce, roasted sweet potato spears with bacon vinaigrette, mixed vegetable, and french silk pie for dessert. His mom usually cooks a meal so this year I decided it was my turn!

I hope you all enjoy time with friends and family, and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings no matter where you are.

Happy Holidays!

Ironman Arizona - Part 5 - The Run

2011-11-23T20:09:00.001-07:00

The run, also known as a marathon, which by itself is an impressive endurance event. So after being in 60 degree water for over 90 minutes and on the bike for over 6 hours, it was time to start the marathon.

I came off the bike and felt OK! I ran through transition to get my run bag.

about to get my run gear bag

This time when I made it into the changing tent it was more like what I anticipated. A volunteer asked if I wanted help and I said yes. So she dumped it all out and I got what I needed. She filled my UCAN bottle with water (I had already opened the packed into the bottle earlier in the morning.) I used aquaphor on my feet to help prevent blisters and put on my fresh socks, tied my shoes, put a couple more gels in my pockets and was on my way. Sort of. Quick stop for some more sunscreen and then I needed to make a stop at the port-o-potty to take care of female business. Unfortunate timing, but as least I was prepared! I had to wait for one to open, but it wasn't long before I was running.
T2: 7:10

The Run of 26.2 Miles:
Lap 1: As soon as I started running and first priority was to start getting in some electrolytes. The first aid station was just a little ways up so I took a few of my endurolytes with some water. I had 1 packet of chocolate UCAN in my handheld bottle, Hammer Gels in my pockets, and I tried to go slow, which was harder than you might think! Just past the first aid station I found I was running pretty much the same pace as a guy so we started to chat. We both were hoping to start at a 10 min/mile pace or slower, so when our first couple miles were sub-10, we had to focus to back off. It was a challenge to run that slow but we knew we wouldn't be able to maintain that for a full marathon. I believe his name was Mark. We stayed together for most of the first lap. His knee was bothering him (ITB issues) so around Papago Park I showed him a quick stretch that seemed to help. After a while he wanted to stop and stretch and I kept going. I didn't get his race number so I hope he finished OK! I grabbed some pretzels every few aid stations, sipped at my UCAN and aimed to take in a gel about every 45 minutes or so, depending on how I was feeling.

another good race photo from Dad!

Lap 2: Each time I came through the park the family was there and I got to see the Swim - Bike - Run - Cake sign. Made me look forward to each lap. The sun was setting at this point which made the temps really comfortable for running. (Lap one I used water and sponges to help keep cool.) I believe it was this lap when I chatted with a guy who told me he was diagnosed with leukemia 3 weeks ago. The doctors OK'd him to start chemo after this race. The more I'm involved with TNT, the more reasons I get to stick with it.
When I hit the aid station between miles 10 and 11, I decided to stop a port-o-potty because I had to pee again. I figured it was a good sign of hydration. And geez - it seemed after this I had to pee several more times and opted not to stop for those. (it's an ironman thang, you wouldn't understand. hahaha.) I was feeling pretty good coming back over the Mill Street Bridge. TNT cheerleaders were everywhere! Just before mile 13 I got my special needs bag and refilled a UCAN, took a maalox that I had in there (thought it might help with some of the gas, although I was feeling fine, but still a little gassy...and to note, it's normal for me to get gassy on an empty stomach. My energy levels were good) I kept up with the pretzels, endurolytes, GenUCAN, and a gel every so often. When the chicken soup came out, I gave that a whirl. Salty goodness! I saw Kelly go by and guessed she was about 3-4 miles ahead of me. I also met up with Ron (@PunkRockRunner). He was hurting, but was hanging in there to rock this thing. Near the top of the hill around Papago Park I caught up to Pam Schuckies, a triathlete I know from Boulder. (She ended up 3rd in her age group!). Sarah and Darby were at the Cops & Robbers aid station and this lap I stopped to give Sarah a hug to thank her for volunteering. Charley (a TNT coach who was one of my coaches for my very first triathlon in 2006) was in the park area near the Mill St bridge and cheering as I was coming around to start my 3rd lap. Great to see him!

form is a bit sloppy here, but I am still smiling!

Lap 3: Things get a little fuzzy...I ran this one on my own, mostly. I think.Chatted around mile 19-20 with a guy from Canada who told me I was doing great. I was happy to be running the entire race and only walking aid stations. My body was definitely starting to hurt and I was slowing down. But I still stuck to the plan of going aid station to aid station and they did come up pretty quickly! I saw Kelly Ping one more time, pretty much in the same spot as before. I ran the Papago Hill with a gal from the LA Tri Club, although she was run/walking. She'd pass me running, and then I'd pass her while she walked. But at least I didn't have to walk up the hill! The downhill hurt a bit, but at this point there were only a few miles left! Once back on the Scottsdale Rd/Rural St. bridge I was soooo close. Team In Training supporters were cheering. The crowds were pretty thick and very encouraging on that last stretch. Charley was still there and I knew I'd see the family at the finish. The I heard someone yell, "Is that Nicole?" and it was Kelley Hess. Nice! I made the left hand turn to head towards the finish line and was greeted by more cheering spectators. A TNT person handed me a LLS/TNT flag to carry down the finishing chute. So now I had something to wave. My arms went up and I waved the flag. I was yelling at and waving my arms at the crowds and getting them to cheer even louder. An epic day requires a very enthusiastic finish!

I think this photo just about says it all.

Run Time: 5:00:49
run data

don't believe the HR for the first lap!

And the official finisher photo...

Link to official finish video and race photos
So I did it! I completed an Ironman in 13:09:59! I stuck to my plan as best I could, felt pretty good the whole time. Never did I question that I wasn't going to get this thing done. The weather cooperated, I had an awesome support crew there, I trusted the preparation I had done (thanks Coach Matt!) and really was out there to enjoy the day. I danced to the music at the aid stations, thanked the volunteers and probably felt as good as I can expect to out there! Huge, huge, HUGE thanks to everyone who helped me get here!

Ironman Arizona - Part 4 - The Bike

2011-11-23T10:03:00.001-07:00

white saddle, #374

As I made my was along the side walk to get my gear bag everything went as I expected. Volunteers yelled out your race number and grabbed your bike gear bag for you. I took it into the changing tent and...whoa. It was packed! People everywhere! I found a small space and did my best to get into a dry sports bra and top. Not the easiest thing when wet. Note: pack a small towel next time. I had some other athletes help me out, but this "glitch" in T1 made it a little longer than I wanted. I was thinking 7 minutes, it was 13:24, so almost twice as long. Once I ran out of the tent, I stopped at the sunscreen station to get covered and then headed towards my bike. The volunteers grabbed my bike and handed it to me. I ran to the mount line and was off!
T1: 13:24

Now to my favorite part...the bike! There were several other people getting on their bikes at the same time so I took it easy to get on the road. No need to break any records before you are really on the course. At least for me. So I cruised and let my legs and the rest of me warm up. I had my garmin on my wrist and watched the power numbers. I started drinking and eating within the first 15 minutes. I had some catch up to do since I am sure I burned a lot of calories so just staying consistent was my plan. I had a couple bites of a clif bar on the half and full hour, and on the quarter and full hour I took a few swallows of my Generation UCAN bottles. I had two bottles of those with me, each with two packets - a protein (chocolate or vanilla) and a non-protein (cran-razz). The rest of my fluids were coming from my aerodrink, which I would refill with water from the aid stations and drop in a Nuun or Nathan Catalyst electrolyte tab.

Lap 1: Skies were blue with some clouds, but the sun was out. Great day for riding! I was in the small chain ring for most of this keeping my watts in check. Legs and all felt good. I was eating and drinking to plan. Once I hit the turn around, I flew! Legs felt a bit sore, probably still warming up so I pushed a big ring for speed and allowed the slight downhill to propel me forwards. Then I had to pee. I decided not to do it on the bike so I stopped at a support station and had to wait a minute for a port-o-potty to open. I didn't mind the short break, and there was a lot there! Guess I was hydrating! I continued on my way and was back at the zig-zag part of the course. I decided it was time for more electrolytes in my aerodrink and when I grabbed them out of my little box I dropped the whole thing. Ooops. And remember those extra electrolytes I had with my bike pump. Yeah, they should have gone into special needs as a back up. At least the clif bar and UCAN contains some electrolytes so I wasn't completely in the negative. When I hit the turn-around, there was the family cheering for me! And I did the first lap in 2:04, so right on my expected pace.

heading out again

coming in for one more lap

Lap 2: More of the same, but this time it felt a little easier climbing the last little bit up the beeline. I was a bit gassy and had a bit of a side stitch in my right side, but nothing major. All manageable and not unexpected. I stopped at the turn around aid station to pee, which made me feel better..ahhh!) and was assessing my lack of electrolyte consumption. No issues yet, but my calves were getting tight and there was a pain in my glute. All I could think of was my PT Gloria sticking those dry needles in that glute! Hahaha. Special needs was on this lap so I stopped and got a fresh bottle of UCAN, put a honey stinger waffle in my pocket and kept going. Quite the wind on this lap, but not worse than what I've ridden in on training rides! Around mile 75 I caught up to Shannon, one of my athletes. She was doing well and smiling! So great to see! Before I knew it I was back at the turn around. This lap was also around 2:04. And the family was there cheering!

Dad snapped this good one!

Lap 3: Last lap! I finished off my smaller UCAN bottle and tossed it at an aid station so I could put a bottle of Ironman Perform in my cage in case I needed it. I also tried to get a banana but missed at this early aid station. Calves were still a bit tight, glute was better and legs felt ok. I was able to get a half a banana at one of the last aid stations but didn't tap into the perform. Stopped to pee one more time at the turn around. Much less windy on this lap but still a bit of a headwind at times. When I passed the 100 mile marker I looked at the total time and it was 5:30. My fastest century ride! I rode with Dan from the Tri Club for a few minutes before I think he dropped back a little. I did pass a lot of people on the bike. I backed off a bit for the last couple miles to get them ready to run. As I turned into transition I heard my sister-in-law Traci yell and the family was there. Nice! This lap was around 2:03. Very consistent pacing for each lap!

General comments on the bike course: Superb volunteer support. And wearing a TNT kit gets you sooooo many extra cheers! Tons of TNT supporters from the Georgia IronTeam chapter out and about. They ROCK. My friends Sarah Hunke and Darby Remly were helping out and it was great to see them. The banana and penguin were especially loud and enthusiastic. And of course there was tons of cowbell! Can't have a race without cowbell!

I hopped off my bike at the dismount line and headed down the grass hill to get my run bag. And into the changing tent I went...

Bike time: 6:11:59

link to datafile

Ironman Arizona - Part 3 - Pre-race and Swim

2011-11-22T21:31:00.001-07:00

How many race reports start with "my alarm went off at 4am"? This one is no different. I slept pretty well, or as well as I could expect, waking up a few times of course. I had done a good job of staying hydrated. Although I didn't mention this in my previous reports, I did have a bit of a sinus headache on Saturday so I did hope it would stay away on Sunday. It did. I woke up and started to get ready. Get dressed, eat breakfast, prepare bottles, and load up the car. The nerves were engaged, but manageable. I wanted to leave for the race site just before 5am and I was mostly on schedule. (I stress when I am late.) I figured if I got to transition at 5:30 I would have enough time to take care of everything before the start.

Once I parked in the garage across from the race site, I was a person on a mission. I carried my load of stuff down to transition I made several stops.

1) First stop was transition to put my nutrition and bottles on bike, as that would take a lot of weight away from what I was carrying. I had UCAN in two bottles in the cages and water with an electrolyte tab in the aerodrink. Then I pumped up the tires and loaded up my clif bars that I had already broken into pieces in plastic baggies. One of my athletes, Carley, was racked a few bikes from me and she showed up. She was excited and ready to get this ironman underway! I also found Kelley Hess and said good morning.
2) Next was a quick stop at the port-o-potty since the line was short. Good idea.
3) Headed over to the gear bag section to make some tweaks.
4) Then was the short hike to drop off my special needs bags.
5) Stand in line for the port-o-potty one more time before putting on my wetsuit. By now it was just after 6am and I had planned to put my wetsuit on around 6:20. The line didn't move as fast as I would have liked, but it worked out just fine. And it was a good idea to stop.
6) I put my wetsuit on (I went with the long sleeved), packed everything I had except my bike pump and some extra electrolytes into my morning clothes bag and dropped it off with the volunteers.

Now I was in line for the swim start! Carley found me again and we were ready to do this thing. We slowly made our way towards the start and chatted with a few other ladies around us. Carley wanted to be a bit further back, so I went ahead. I dropped my bottle I had been sipping with cran-razz UCAN, got on the dock and jumped in!

Jumping into the "lake" from the dock with spectators on the bridge above.

My half ironman swims are ~45 minutes so 90 minutes would be a good swim for double that distance. After I jumped in the water, I was ready to go. Time to make my way to the start, which was past the bridge. I worked forwards and found an open spot under the bridge. And then the gun went off!
Although a bit behind the line to start, I avoided the mass "washing machine" and fight for position. I also probably lost a couple minutes, but I wasn't concerned. I was here to enjoy the event and so I did. I swam along, bumping into a few people here and there, but I managed to stay really close to the buoy line. I had to stop once to let a small motor boat through (I believe he was race support) and yelled at a guy to stop for the boat. He asked if I was ok and once I pointed to the boat, he got it. Then we started swimming again and he clocked me in the back of the head. It wasn't hard and he apologized. I just kept swimming. Buoy to buoy.

A nice sunrise for the specatators

Swim start

I was a little cold and glad I had the long sleeves on. On to the next bridge and then a bit past it for the turn and then back. My left hip flexor felt a bit funky, like it wanted to cramp, so every so often I would do a bicycle kick to keep it loose. At one point I thought my calf wanted to cramp as well, but it didn't.
I really mostly thought, keep swimming and wow - you're doing an ironman swim! I was really comfortable the whole time and despite a few bumps into some people here and there, it was a good swim. I even got on someone's feet for a bit a few times.

View from the bridge at the turn around. We have to swim back under that other bridge in the distance.

Once I made the last turn I was pretty happy. Just a short swim back across the lake to the swim exit.

We had to climb these steps to get out of the lake. Volunteers were helping pull us out.

I was pretty darn happy to be done with my first ironman swim and feeling good. It was the longest swim I've ever done and I was glad that I was about to get on the bike. The wetsuit strippers did there thing (almost pulling a Justin Timberlake to Janet Jackson with my sports bra, but we got that fixed before I flashed the world!) I didn't bother with a space blanket and just walked/jogged with my cold, stiff legs to get my bike gear bag and get into the changing tent.
Total swim time: 1:36:37. Pretty close to target considering I was "behind the line" when the gun went off.

Ironman Arizona - Part 2 - The Day Before

2011-11-22T19:16:00.001-07:00

Saturday, November 19th
I woke up again on Saturday early and hungry (even though I ate a huge dinner the night before). Banana and Justin's Nut Butter were my morning snack to keep the growling stomach at bay. Then I took in a chocolate UCAN as I had my pre-race workout to do. They had Tempe Town Lake open with swim support (it is not usually a swimming lake, just boating) so we could check out the waters. I swam in my old long sleeved wetsuit since the temp was in the low 60s and I haven't worn this one in a few years. The water was cold when I got in and it did take my breath away slightly. My hands, feet, and face were cold at first, but after a few minutes it didn't feel so bad. It helped that the air temperature was warm. I was glad I got in the water so Sunday morning wouldn't be a complete shock to the system! I was also waffling between wetsuits. My long sleeved is old and takes on water, but it has long sleeves. My new XTERRA wetsuit is sleeveless but fits better. I was debating and talked to a few folks about it to get more input before making my final decision.

I met up with Kelly Ping again and we went on a short bike and run after the swim. And big thanks to her dad for keeping an eye on our stuff. Legs were feeling good! The line to drop off the bikes had diminished significantly so we checked in our bikes. Odd that they took a photo of the bike for "security reasons" but they do have a nice photo inventory of all the bikes!

Tachyon is racked.

Tandem bike for a blind athlete.

The transition area a little later...a sea of wheels.

Kelly, her dad and I had lunch at Ncounter and then I headed back to the hotel to shower up and then pack up my gear bags and get them back to the race site. I also started to get my food around for the special needs bags. Once my gear bags were packed up I went back to the race site.

Figuring out special needs

Gear bags are packed!

Gear bags for all the athletes!

I ran into a few folks I knew (Steve and Michelle Vaughan, and Warren and Pam Schuckies.) Race excitement was here. I always get more nervous the day before a race, and setting out those gear bags were a definite indication that I was going to do this thing! I then headed back to the hotel one more time to get off my feet and make sure I was there when Tim arrived. Time to go over my race plan one more time and make sure my lists were together. Tim showed up around 4:30 and we hung out until it was time to head to my pre-race dinner at P.F. Chang's. We met up with the rest of my family there. This was a popular place, because Shannon and her support crew were there, and Kelly was there with her dad.

my tried and true pre-race meal. salmon and brown rice. (lettuce wraps not shown)

This was in the mall so Tim took a photo of the Odell clan!

After dinner it was time for the final prep. Special needs bags and gear all set out so it was easy to access at 4 in the morning and so that I wouldn't forget anything. We turned on the Virginia-Florida State football game (what the heck, FSU?!?!) as I went through my lists and race plan one last time. I also had to pack up my things so Tim could change hotels. After the disappointing FSU loss, Tim headed down to the bar to use the free drink coupon we got and by 9:30 I was in bed...

Ironman Arizona - Part 1 - The Days Before

2011-11-22T18:04:00.001-07:00

Yes! I finally get to write an Ironman race report! But before that, let's talk about the days before the race, as they are part of the experience as well.
Wednesday, Nov 16th. Went for an easy 30 minute swim and did some stretching in the hot tub before packing and embarking on the journey. I loaded up my car and then picked up Kelly Ping. (Kelly is the sports dietitian who helped me get some good data on my metabolic efficiency study.)

my stuff (and we did get another bike and more bags in there)!

Kelly and I had driven to Arizona last year to be spectators, so it was great to be going down together as athletes! We wanted to stop in Las Vegas, but I got impatient when the Subway was farther off the interstate than anticipated. Unfortunately that was pretty much the last stop before Santa Fe. So just imagine two females, hungry, trying to stay hydrated with no bathrooms to be found. Yikes! Then we found a gas station and encountered a sign on the bathroom doors - all bathrooms out of order! Eeeeek! Fortunately we made it to a decent travel stop a few miles down the road with clean bathrooms and a Wendy's and gas station. We emptied one tank, filled up a couple others and continued on to Gallup, NM before calling it a night.

Thursday, Nov 17th. After chowing down on the free continental breakfast (yay for hard boiled eggs!) we were on the road just after 7am. The ride was another nice one and we found a Subway just outside of Phoenix for lunch. (There was an In-N-Out burger, but because we had a bike/run to do, we opted against that!) I checked into the Holiday Inn near the Phoenix Airport, we changed into our bike gear and headed to the race site. We checked in and got our race packets today to miss the lines that would likely be there on Friday. We also had about an hour to ride and 30 minutes to run so we checked out part of the bike course (yay flat course!) and some of the run (yay flat course!). And we felt pretty good with all the oxygen at 1500ft. After the ride we cleaned up at the hotel and then met Shannon and Cade at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant for some good chow.

Shannon is ready to rock her 2nd Ironman!

mmmmmm....gyro platter. An award winning one at that!

Friday, Nov 18th: Sleeeeeep was on the menu so we slept in. Although I was waking up at 5am feeling rested and hungry! Once we got up and ready, we stopped at the Essence Bakery Cafe and got some hearty food. With a Sunday race, Friday is the day to make sure to get in the calories, and for some reason I was starving and waking up with a growling stomach.

French scrambled eggs and toast. (side of fruit not shown)

Then we hit up the expo briefly and met up with Ron on his way to check in.

Punk Rock Racing ready to rock this thang!

Then Kelly and I chilled out on Mill St before our noon massages and then grabbed some lunch at Gordon Biersch. Don't have a photo of that. Back to the hotel for more relaxing and starting to get stuff around. Kelly met up with her Dad and I opted to meet Khem and Tod for some appetizers before heading to the athlete meeting. We caught the end of the dinner and I met Lori (@LJ3000 on twitter) who was there to support her husband. I also met up with Kelley Hess (@KHesser) and Girls Heart Rockets teammate. She was going to dinner with her family and I became famished. Although tired and it was late, I decided to tag along. We got a really great and filling meal at Frank & Lupe's in Scottsdale. Kelley pounded 3 sopapilla's! Back to the hotel it was time for more sleeeeep!

T-10 days!

2011-11-10T21:07:00.001-07:00

After today the countdown to Ironman Arizona is in the single digits. And only one more weekend before race weekend. It is starting to seem more real! I'm full on mid-taper as although I'm eating well and getting a decent amount of sleep, I'm still feeling a that tired feeling during the day. But all that is normal as my body adapts to all the training I put it through!
Today started with a 7am PT appointment for more dry needling. It's actually really helped my range of motion in my shoulders as my pecs and traps have been released. And it's great on the glutes and hamstrings, although leaves my calf feeling like it was hit with a baseball bat. I think in the near future I'll write a more specific post on my experience with the dry needling. Then I had a full day of work...
I left work at 5pm and made it home around 5:40. My goal was to be on the bike at 6, and I was close. I got my bike (Tachyon) set up on the trainer, filled my bottles, grabbed a gel and my mp3 player. My bike workout was as follows:
15 minute warm-up
3x10min Over-Under (4min Steady State / 2 min Climbing Repeat / 4min Steady State)*
with 10min recoveries.
10min cool down
*SS is just under lactate threshold, CR is just above
then I had a 30minute run, so I bundled up a bit and hit my standard neighborhood route.
I was really glad my legs were able to hit my power zones during the intervals and actually felt good! And my legs really flew along the sidewalk during the run! It was chilly and breezy, but I felt amazing. During my run, I got to reflect on a few things.
1) I just did a taper brick workout that took me the same amount of time as my first triathlon in 2006 (1:52).
2) I was running an "endurance run" at a pace faster than my first sprint tri where I was maxed out.
3) I was thinking how I want to enjoy my experience at Ironman Arizona, and I might go through ups and downs on race day, I've really enjoyed the training for it.

So while I might go through mini-"freakouts" (don't we all before we do something new?) I'm excited for the experience and journey! Stay tuned as we get closer!

Ironman Is Approaching!

2011-11-08T20:59:00.001-07:00

There are twelve days until I toe the line for what I've been preparing for over the past year. A challenge that is surmountable, but it hasn't been an easy journey. I've blogged occasionally throughout my triathlon season with race reports. I'm in my taper now, and feeling the mix between rest and that odd taper fatigue. Here's a random recap of my season and some thoughts going forward.

I started 2011 with some running races, including a very challenging 25k at Cheyenne Mountain State Park.
I've competed in 5 triathlons so far this season, with the first being in June. Ironman Arizona will be my 6th.
I raced my first criterium (and won!)
I continued to coach for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training Program. Check out my Challenge for all you who live in the Pikes Peak Region!
According to my TrainingPeaks logs, since January 1st, I've spent 200 hours on my bike logging 3115 miles, 108 hours have been spend running 568 miles, and 293451 yards were swum over 125 hours.
I've been a pin cushion for the last couple months while getting some dry needling therapy to help release some chronic trigger points.

I can honestly say I've enjoyed my training and the challenge that it brings. I'm surprised I haven't been more fatigued while working full time, being a wife, coaching athletes, and training 15-20 hours per week. I've been getting 6.5-8 hours of sleep a night (would of course like more!) I think a lot has to do with my improved diet as I worked to be more metabolically efficient. Honestly, it freaks me out a little when I read ironman race reports and they all end in GI distress...let's hope my nutrition plan works!

I'll post more over then next 12 days, but right now I need to get ready for bed, because I have to swim in the morning...

Turtle Challenge and Ride to Save a Suicide

2011-10-11T21:01:00.000-06:00

Ironman Training = a lot of time on the bike. Any break from the ordinary training ride is welcome, especially if it can help a great cause. Sunday's event was the Turtle Challenge and Ride to Save a Suicide, a fundraiser for the Suicide Prevention Partnership of the Pikes Peak Region. 155 people died from suicide in El Paso County, CO in the past year. 155 too many.

Since I need miles, miles, miles, I opted for the Challenge, a timed 40 mile race (although my Garmin only showed 35 miles?) I got up, had my usual Generation UCAN smoothie with banana and peanut butter. I got my bottles around, got dressed (bundling up with temps in the 30s!), put the Red Machine in the car and headed down south to the El Pomar Youth Sports Park. The skies were clear up north with the sun rising, but a cloud loomed over Cheyenne Mountain. Sure enough it was a bit cloudy there but thankfully no wind! I had about 20 minutes to get my bike ready with my race number, get the warm ride gear on. Rocked the pink Punk Rock Racing jersey (under a jacket for the start). The race went off at 8:00, with different age groups every couple minutes. The women was combined to a 19+ category and we started with the juniors. The Juniors,whom I'd seen before racing at the velodrome, took off pretty quickly and Brin, another female kept up with them. I was a little slower to start and my legs were feeling it! Pretty soon Stacey, the third female in our group, caught up to me. She was big ringing it on the dirt trail. Me, I just had to go my pace, spinning as we rode up the trail. I tried to keep her in sight, but I'm sure any chance of catching her fell by the wayside when I stopped to use the bathroom at a gas station. Let's just say, although I wasn't just cruisin' along, I wasn't going very fast on that first lap. It just felt hard.

The race route started on the Santa Fe trail (about 2/3rd dirt). The course was well-marked with bright green arrows spray painted along the way. One section that was weather destroyed asphalt had "Springs-Roubaix" painted in front of it. And they weren't kidding. Holy bumpiness! And with the chill in the air and body still a little stiff, that was one heck of a jarring ride - maybe 0.2mile but it felt like forever. Pedaled up through downtown and then we hit the Sinton Trail that took us west. I had flashbacks of marathon training in 2009, as that was the last time I'd been on that section of trail. One "creepy" section where we had to go through a narrow tunnel (focus on the light - focus on the light at the end of the tunnel !). Then the course followed the trail up through the outskirts of Garden of the Gods park. This is where we started going downhill and I picked up some speed. Then we were back on dirt by Rockledge Ranch for a half a mile or so. Picked up 30th and made a left onto Pikes Peak, then onto the Midland trail that hooks back up to the Santa Fe near America the Beautiful Park. This point was where we either went north or south - north for a second loop or south to go back to the start/finish. I headed north and started on my second lap.

Legs were MUCH happier on this lap so I pushed the pace where I could. I made a quick stop at an aid station to try a double espresso clif shot (not bad!) and top off my water bottle. I made it up the last hill and was on the home stretch. I caught up to the Team Lawrence, a family of 5 on a tandem. I passed them but then they caught back up to me when I missed the turn to the trail and ended up on a dirt road. oops. I got on the right path and then tried to drop them. :) Stoplights weren't necessarily in my favor and they were trying to catch me. We were almost side by side on the downhill stretch of Springs-Roubaix (still just as rough, maybe more going faster downhill) but then I broke free (I think one of them dropped a water bottle). Made it back in about 2:21.

We waited for both ride and racers to finish up, enjoyed an awesome barbecue, chatted with fellow cyclists and then we remembered those who have given up their lives to suicide by reading names and a balloon release. A simple, yet very touching ceremony.
Photo Gallery

Photo from Tim Bergsten of Pikes Peak Sports

...Then I went home and rode my trainer for another 90 minutes. Yeah - ironman training!

LB Sprint Tri Race Report - Part II

2011-10-08T10:32:00.003-06:00

not a bad setting for a race!

Last Sunday was another long training day, but this time I start it off with a local sprint triathlon. Nothing like some top-end work before a big endurance ride. This race, the Lindsay Brown Sprint Tri, is held on the Air Force Academy and put on by their triathlon team. Lindsay was a cadet who lost her life in 2007. This race has been held for several years and raises money for a fund that helps cadets in times of emergency. Even though the cadets might be new to triathlon, and some having no experience whatsoever, if you want great volunteers, get some cadets! More on that later.

As the AFA is only a few miles from my home and I need to be logging in lots of miles on my bike, it made sense to just ride there. So I got up at 6am (yes! finally a race that isn't a 4am wake-up call!) and finished up my race morning preparations. A breakfast smoothie of plain Generation UCAN, 16oz water, 1/2 scoop whey protein, cocoa, a banana, and some peanut butter - all that blended up gave me plenty of energy for the race. I double checked my bags, put on my jacket, strapped on my transition backpack and headed out. I left the house around 7:00 and was at the race site by 7:30. Riding there also allowed me to preview some of the hills that I would experience on the course.

I got my packet, set up my bike, and headed inside the natatorium. It was a pool swim in their newly remodeled facility. The first wave was to go off at 8:30 and it was going to be the women and relays. They had 16 25yd lanes with two per lane. Before the start I was just chilling by the pool side, feeling a bit tired from my last week of training and the 12ish miles I ran Friday night. But they called us up and I hopped in the pool. My lane-mate was Colleen, and I would see her later.

SWIM: 18:20
When the horn went off, I had resigned to not push too hard, but rather to keep my form as solid as possible. Colleen got a bit ahead of me, and ended up about a lap and a half ahead. But I felt good with my swim (no real warm-up) and after the first 500 yards (haha) I was settled into a comfortable pace. It was 825yd (750m) swim, so 16.5 laps of the pool. The race had lap counters (but I counted myself as well) and when I did expect it, the kickboard was in the pool, indicating I just had 25yds to go. So I pushed to the other end of the poll and climbed out as best I could. I had left my flip-flops, a small towel and my jacket on the side of the pool, grabbed them and dried off a little with the towel.

T1: 1:24 I walked quickly to transition and got ready to hop on my bike. It was a windy, windy day, but warm enough to not need a jacket. So all I really did was put on my helmet, shoes, and head out.

glad I used this bike!

BIKE: 47:22
Winds coming out of the west, and it seemed all the uphills were west. Here's my bike GPS data. Yeah, about 1300ft of gain in 12 miles. It started with a nice little climb before we screamed downhill. Then some more climbs. As I passed a couple people heading out onto the course, I noticed a girl in her big chain ring. This race does get a few cadets doing their first race, and I felt bad if she was going to grind the whole way, so I suggested she shift into a smaller one. She thanked me as I passed her by (I do hope she knew how to shift!) I am certainly glad I used my road bike with compact gearing, as the TT bike would have been a bit useless going 7mph up a hill. Half-way through the first lap I eyed a guy ahead of me in an Army kit and I wasn't too far behind. My plan was to catch him, and I did just as we started the second lap. I screamed down the hill a second time and started the climb back up. A couple guys passed me at this point, but I think those were the only people to pass me on the bike. On the second lap I passed a lot more people out there, but they were most likely on their first lap. A couple folks were walking up the steep hills, and I offered them words of encouragement, and always as I passed folks. The cadet volunteers were at every turn clearly indicating which way to go and giving positive words. When I came to the turn to head back to transition, I was glad to be done with the bike, but I knew the run wouldn't be easy, either. I misjudged the distance back to transition and slowed down to take my feet out of my pedals way too soon. So the Army Guy caught back up to me. Phooey! :)

T2: 1:20
The grass was still soggy as I ran barefoot back to my transition spot. I had to wipe my feet off before putting on my socks and shoes. I grabbed my garmin wrist strap, pulled the unit off my bike (thank goodness for quick release), hat, race belt, gels...it was a bit of a juggling act making my way out and I almost went the wrong way (but the volunteers were there to get me in the right direction!)

RUN: 26:33
GPS data. Another hilly course. As I started on the run, I saw a woman a bit in front of me. She looked familiar and it turned out to be Colleen, the woman I shared a lane with for the swim. She was in my sights and my plan was to just slowly reel her in. I made ground and by the 2nd aid station around mile 2, she was closer. But she realized I was chasing her down so she pushed the pace a bit. My strategy here was a little off...I should have tried to catch her sooner and not at the end. When we hit the track, the last time I did this race we had a lap of the track and then the straight-away to finish. This time the finish was just the straight-away...so I didn't turn it on until it was too late. 17s was all that she was ahead. I should have tried to catch her by mile 2 and then pushed to stay ahead and gain a lead. Oh well -next time!

Finish line on the blue track

Total: 1:34:57 and 3rd place overall female.
Full Race Results
My Photo Gallery

The competitors and volunteers were awesome for this race. It was well executed (although you'd expect that from the Air Force Academy!) and the cadet volunteers were extremely supportive and friendly. The competitors offered words of encouragement to others. The one that stood out the most was a young competitor who was about 15. As I was running down one of the hills, he was riding up it, and he smiled and cheered for me. These moments are awesome - everyone is out doing their own race, but supporting everyone else. After the race I chatted with other competitors, hung out for the awards and then rode home.
I was pretty exhausted, but still had an endurance ride to do. So I changed, ate a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, and headed out on the TT bike for 3 hours...

LB Sprint Tri Race Report & 24Hrs of COS - Part I

2011-10-04T13:07:00.003-06:00

Before I jump into the race, I'll write briefly about the weekend. Saturday was a recovery day for me (a 45 minute recovery ride) and since Sunday was going to be another big training day. But a really cool thing going on in Colorado Springs this weekend was the 24 Hours of Colorado Springs, which also happened to be the US National Championships for 24 hour mountain bike racing. I'd be a fool not to check it out. And for all you mountain bikers, I hear it'll be back next year! The weekend weather was phenomenal for October - highs in the 70s-low 80s and lows near 50. Anyway, I headed down to Palmer Park (an oasis of trails smack in the middle of the city), walked around, took a few pictures (see the gallery) and watched the start, which was a Le Mans-style start to help spread out the field. Here are some photos and a couple videos of the actual start:
Running
Riding

racers lined up (and I'm pretty sure the gal in the trucker hat is Rebecca Rusch - an endurance mtn bike superstar!

Rebecca Rusch, aka @thequeenofpain had a kick a$$ 4-person women's team. They won.

even a duck showed up to race!

Very, very cool race. Plus I ran into Tim Bergsten of PikesPeakSports.us, who was trying to cover as many of the events in town as possible (busy weekend here in the Springs!) And I met up with Senor David Pico, editor of The Peak Region Cyclist (for which I write a monthly column) and got to pick up a box of vanilla honey stinger waffles that I had won from a give-away they had. Sweeeet!

After I left I finished up some errands, got in my recovery ride, and then chilled on the couch watching college football for the rest of the evening. Oh, and I also packed up my transition bag and finished up my race plan for Sunday's sprint triathlon.... see part II for that report!

Red Rock Relay Report

2011-09-13T21:14:00.001-06:00

It's 2011 and that means Relay #4 with the "not professional" relay team Girls Heart Rockets. This year I joined the rocket loving girls for the Red Rock Relay in Utah and as usual had a blast! Here's a recap (as best I can remember with the lack of sleep) of my adventure.

At the start - I'm in the orange shirt as I didn't have time to find my purple one!

The Red Rock Team
Van 1 (Discovery): Jordan Wirfs-Brock, Stephanie Wuerth, Serena Eley, Henrietta Aiken, Jenn Burke, Stephanie Law
Van 2 (Columbia): Nicole Drummer, Clara Eng, Kelley Hess, Vicky Petryshyn, Kate Kostal, Laura Jakosky

Jordan, Stephanie W, and I road-tripped it out to Utah. We met at the Wooly Mammoth Lot Park-n-Ride near Morrison a bit after 7:00am and got rolling to southwest Utah. About 9 hours later we got to Cedar City, where packet pick-up was getting set up. A little weary from the long drive, but we met up with most of the rest of the team, got our race stuff, and enjoyed the pasta dinner put on for us by the local boy scout troop. Once satisfied, we made our way down I-15 to Hurricane and to our hotel. (note: Hurricane gets very, very windy in the evening.)

I knew some of the GHR-RRR team, others were new. We got everything around as best we could for the morning and went to bed. The alarms went off at 5:45am and it was time to load up the vans, decorate the vans, and partake in the complimentary continental breakfast before making our way to the start at Brian Head Resort (yes, it's both strange to say and type.)

The start line was a party, with good music, a fun race announcer, and many excited teams. Costumes were everywhere. We had Wonder Women, many gals in tutus, and an exposed (fake) rear on team Better than a Colonoscopy. (??!?!?!) We had just enough time for a group photo before Jordan began the relay for us. She hopped on the ski lift and went up to the top to then have to run down back to the resort to then handed off to Stephanie W.

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Van 1 left to get their runners on the course, and we, van 2, slowly made our way up to the first major exchange. It was there when the lightening, rain, and hail came. And I got to meet the Banana!

Around 2:00 we figured Stephanie L would be arriving any minute, so Kelley was my umbrellina and Kate and Laura kept me warm while I waited. (thank you Laura for letting me share your poncho!) We're at about 8500 feet so pretty chilly. Once Van 1 arrived, we knew Stephanie was nearby and a few minutes later she was running up the hill to the exchange. I grabbed the baton (slap bracelet) secured it to my wrist and headed off.

Up and up the hill!

Leg #7: Navajo Ninja, 5.8 miles of VERY HARD. The rain and wind had subsided slightly and it was actually a comfortable temperature for running uphill. I started off a little too fast, backed off a tad and then pushed myself up the hill. There was one guy ahead of me that I just couldn't quite catch, but I'm sure having him as a target allowed me to push a little harder up that hill. My first leg done and I changed into some dry clothes and hopped back in the van.

Back in the van, we went from exchange to exchange, enjoying the views and really glad we had Victoria the Geologist on board!

Once our van was done, we handed off to Van 1 back in Cedar City, posed for a group shot and went to find our resting place for a few hours until the next major exchange. I pulled a blanket into the grass (I think it was a church in New Castle.) We altered the rotation here a bit and Kelley took Leg #19 (8.5 miles) and I took #20 (Cap'n Kirk) - a 2.8 mile EASY flat, run as fast as you can at 11pm. So I did:

The profile here is deceiving. If you look at the scale it's only about 50 feet of gain. PANCAKE FLAT! I passed a few folks and really tried to catch one guy, but he heard me coming so he picked up his pace. He thanked me afterwards for the little push. I hand off to Clara and we do our leap to exchanges thing. The next major exchange is at a church and here our driver, Eric, had to leave us after we handed off to Van 1.

So we were on our own to find our resting stop/major exchange. He also took the GPS so we relied on poor cell phone navigation, went the wrong way for a bit, then finally found our stopping point at the Washington City Rec Center. A little bit of heaven! Showers for those who wanted, real bathrooms and places to snooze. It's 3:45am and we're anticipating the runners to arrive around 5:15. The pool deck was open for lounging and snoozing so I got a few minutes of sleep, but as I was once again the first runner for the van, I wanted to make sure I was ready. I'm usually up at 5am, but the sun wasn't. I made sure I was in order, had one more Cran-Razz UCAN (at this point I was pretty hungry but not ready for solid food).

Sure enough just before 5:15 Stephanie came blazing in and I headed out.

Leg #31: 5 miles of HARD. I took the downhill a bit conservatively and then gave what I had left for the rest of the 5 mile leg. I had a rabbit with a red-blinky light that I didn't want to let out of my sight. My quads were burning on the downhill section and a bit heavy on the uphill, but I made it to the gas station exchange and let Clara go on her way!

The sun was now rising, I started to eat some more solid food and was feeling pretty good. A bit tired, but good. Our last set of legs totaled about 35 miles so we had a good stretch of time before reaching the finish. We began to get more rural on the highway and had to climb up to Zion National Park. The views were phenomenal, and the gals still had some speed in their legs. They all hammered their way to the finish. We met the rest of the team at the finish line and when Laura was in sight, we all crossed together. It was 10:50am, just under 25 hours after we started. We were actually the 5th team to cross the line and came in 13th overall (teams started at different times between 6am-noon on Friday.) We indulged in the free snow cones, enjoyed the amazing views, got lunch at a mexican restaurant in Zion and then split up. Some explored the park and others who were too tired (like me) went back to the hotel. But, the group out and about did stop by In-N-Out Burger in St. George and brought back dinner for us all. Yeah I put down the double double animal style and a chocolate milkshake pretty quickly. Great way to wrap up an amazing weekend with amazing people and amazing views.

After a SOLID night's sleep Jordan and I headed back to Colorado and had to join the real world again.

Here's a link to more pictures.

Note on my fueling plan: I was to have a Cran-Razz Generation UCAN 30-60 minutes prior to each leg and a chocolate afterwards. Relays are tough on your system due to the lack of sleep, running, and deviation from normal eating patterns. My plan was for the UCAN to give me the energy so I could rely less on solid food. I did the UCAN before each leg and a chocolate after the first. I did eat a couple small turkey sandwiches, bananas and Justin's Nut Butters, hard boiled egg, and a few snack foods (brownies) throughout the relay. I ended up only having one chocolate after the first leg. In retrospect I should have stuck to my plan with having one after every leg, but this was by far the best relay I've had in terms of keeping everything in check!

Race Reports - USA Pro Cycling Challenge Ancillary Events

2011-08-29T20:07:00.001-06:00

Last weekend I put away my triathlete shoes for a couple days and played the part of a bike racer. With the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in town there were several 'ancillary events' and as I was swept up in the excitement, I signed up for two of them.

Saturday, August 21 - Race #1: A Criterium. (Crit HR/GPS data) What the heck was I thinking? I'm essentially trained as a time trial specialist. That means I just go, solo, for quite a while. My previous race was that half ironman - so 56 miles trying to stay 3-4 bike lengths behind any other rider. Now put me in a group of other riders and go around corners....and this course had three, yes, three 180 degree turns. Oy. So a week before the event, my coach and another client of his (they were out in Colorado getting in some altitude training) hit up some corners in the downtown neighborhood. I also spent time in a couple parking lots on some separate occasions. Race day comes around and I'm ready as I'll ever be, not training to race crits.
I got to the race site. I warmed up. They called my group (cat 4 women) and three of us showed up. Well, so much for worrying about riding in a group. With the shortage of cat 4 women, the officials made the race 20 minutes. All right, I can go hard for 20 minutes. It was the first crit race for all of us so we decided to take the first few laps easy, each taking a turn up front. I was 3rd to go and I picked up the pace a bit. Then they rang the bell for the prime lap (a massage) and one girl took off like shot. I didn't think I would catch her on that lap, but I didn't want her to get too far ahead. So I turned on the gas. She won the prime, but after the next lap right after the 180 degree turn hitting a short hill near the start/finish, I caught her and passed her. Then her coach/supporter or whoever yelled at the two girls - "you can catch her - she's got like 30 pounds on you!" Wow. To note and to be candid...I'm 5'6" and weigh about 135. 20% body fat. So I'm not sure if he motivated them or me more! At this point we were 7 minutes into a 20 minute race. Go fast for 13 minutes - sure! And I just raced as hard as I could - after all, I am a TT specialist! I worked on taking the 180 degree corners as efficiently as possible, and working on getting the right gear, as we had to climb out of two of them. Three laps to go...they haven't caught me yet. Two laps - I think I'm widening the gap....Last lap all out and Wheeee! I won! Got one for Team Stomach of Anger! We took a few recovery laps together and chatted. They were Air Force Academy freshmen - just barely 18. One asked if I was a college student. I guess with a helmet and sunglasses, it's hard to guess age...
Big thanks to Michele and Greg for coming out and cheering for me and taking some sweeeeeet photos!

Coach and I while I warm up

Early in the race we're still all together

having fun, are we?

Sunday, August 22 - Race #2 -The Cheyenne Canyon Time Trial. (TT HR/GPS data) 3.2 miles and 1200ish feet of gain. Yep. Hell. Time Trial or not - this is a tough climb. I rode up it a few times last year, my best time being 24:08ish (not chip timed). This was a chip timed race. Tom Danielson, a pro with Garmin-Cervelo) holds the record of 13:34. They offer $1000 for anyone who can beat his time. I'm not exactly going to chop 10 minutes off a 3 mile climb, but I at least wanted to beat my previous time.
I parked a couple miles away and used that as some of my warm-up. Once I got to the race site I got my chip and race number and went riding around for a few more minutes. My start time was 9:00 on the dot. About 5 minutes before, they start staging the next riders so I headed to the start. Time to collect myself. 24 minutes or less of all out pain. I got on the start mat, the guy held my saddle for me, I started my computer, and then it was GO TIME. First mile is "less steep" spin, spin, spin. Don't wear yourself out. I was hoping for 220W and of course I had taken off like a shot so it took a while for my average power to settle in. I was close to target and breathing as hard as I could. Go, go. One mile down...1.5. OK it gets steep here....mile 2-2.5 has some gnarly switchbacks. I don't know what the steepest short section is, but it's pretty dang steep. Alright - 2.5 it settles in and then a steady grind up some switchbacks past Helen Hunt falls. There were spectators cheering with cowbells! Yeah! MORE COWBELL!! And then I saw it - the finish... out of the saddle and hammer. and Phew! I was SPENT! The ride down was fun and a nice recovery back to the car. Then I drove downtown to get in a run on the Santa Fe Trail before the awards ceremony at 12:30. I didn't know my actual time since I started my timer before the actual start and didn't stop it until afterwards. So I found out at the awards ceremony that I won...

all smiles

23:51! Enough to take the cat 4 win by 4 seconds! (And I did stick to my plan as much as possible...I guess it worked!)

Boulder 70.3 Race Report

2011-08-10T12:46:00.001-06:00

All right - here we go. Another race report. This one will be another long one, but who can quickly recap almost 6 hours of racing, anyway?

Spoiler: I was still smiling after melting in the hot sun!

The trip to Boulder started on Saturday around noon, with Shannon (a friend and client of mine) driving up to Boulder for packet pick-up. Uneventful drive up there and no lines! We did a brief walk through of the expo, listened in on the athlete meeting while seeking shade in the Ironman Merchandise tent. It was melty hot and windy - and probably going to be the same on race day!

Shannon's ready to go!

Then we killed some time before Tom Danielson showed up at the TrainingPeaks booth. Wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to meet the top American finisher at the 2011 Tour de France, now would we? It was also super cool to meet the TrainingPeaks team (who of course drilled me on what I like and what I would want to improve with their software!)

THE Tommy D of Garmin-Cervelo

Once we got the photo and autograph, we went to check into the hotel. Ahhhh - air conditioning! We had about an hour to settle in the room, before it was time to meet the Pikes Peak Tri Club for dinner at Gondolier. Great food and great company, and everyone was looking forward to race day! I of course had my ritual salmon, rice and veggies. And this time I shared an order of garlic knots...it just sounded so gooood!

We were back at the hotel around 8pm after swinging by the grocery store for some needed breakfast food for Shannon. Dark chocolate sounded good so I picked up a bar. Only had one square! Discipline!

We were in bed by 9:30ish. It took me a while to fall asleep, but once asleep I slept pretty well. Got up a couple times, which meant I was pretty well hydrated.

RACE DAY!
Once we got to the res we parked, headed to transition and got set up. I had plenty of time so I wasn't hurried at all getting everything out of my transition bag that I would need. My clients, Carley and Shannon, also seemed to be doing well.

Carley and Tory are all smiles

After making sure I was satisfied with my set-up, I went for a warm-up run and the legs felt great. I was definitely hoping for a solid run today. Back in transition to drop off my shoes, I did one final check on my bike and saw my rear wheel wasn't quite aligned. When this happens I release the rear skewer and tighten it up. But of course my bike is hanging on the rack and when I release the skewer, the wheel pops out. "Five minutes until transition closes!" the race announcer was barking. After a couple failed attempts to muscle it back in while on the rack, I took off the bottles (including the aero drink) turned the bike upside down to have gravity help me. It was still being a pain, so I asked a couple guys at the next rack to help and we were able to get it in. For a fast bike, Tachyon can be temperamental at times! No doubt in this mess I knocked over my aerodrink spilling half the contents. Good thing I had extra water bottles and could top it off. Made it out of transition just in time, and fortunately not really frazzled at all.
It was then time to hit the line for the port-o-potty, which was pretty darn long! I had planned to take a 2nd UCAN (Cran Raspberry at 45 minutes before my start, but it was closer to 25 minutes by the time I was able to take care of business.) I had just enough time to get my wetsuit on, do a short (and I mean short!) swim warm-up and then join my wave in the staging area about 10 minutes before GO TIME.

Swim: 45:21 (61/94)
I was predicting a 45 minutes swim, so was pretty much spot on. My goggles worked great (changed straps on a good pair that had broken - and they worked like a charm!) The start was a mad-house, but I wanted to be in the fray because Ironman Arizona might be a litte chaotic. Probably had my head up for longer than ideal, but once I found some space it was smooth sailing. Well, until the lady doing the back stroke kept clobbering me. And it wasn't like she was going to find another path to avoid me. So I took a look around and got out of the way. This was probably my 21 seconds. :) But overall I felt nice and steady during the swim, trying not to sight too often. And if anyone reading this wonders why my swim is not up to par with my bike and run, check out this article. I'm probably a worst-case in terms of shoulder flexibility, and I have even been to physical therapy to release my pecs, lats, etc... I'm a work in progress, but I have some serious stretching/flexibility/massage work that needs to get done if I want to bring my swim times down. And that's a lot of time and $$$. (I feel better now after the little vent...I agree the potential is there, but I suppose I've put my priorities elsewhere in regards to my swimming performance. And to note for the fun of it, only one other person in my AG with a slower swim finished ahead of me...)

T1: 3:10 This includes the run up the beach and is on par with my other transitions this year. Not particularly speedy, but I certainly didn't lolly-gag around. I trotted up the beach at a comfortable but quick pace and found my bike pretty easily. Took the wetsuit off (a little slow getting it off the ankles) and then put on my shoes, glasses and helmet, and then grabbed my bike. On to the bike out I was ready to ride.

Bike: 2:49:01 (25/91) My goal was to stay in the mid-upper 140w to low 150w for my power and I did just that. This was the first time I actually watched my power while racing. I was comfortable so it seemed like about the right effort for this distance race. I might have dropped power a tad the second half (warmer and the wind was starting to pick up) but overall each lap was pretty consistent. The race timing has my first lap as 1:24:48, which is almost dead-on half of my total time. I saw Sonja pass me early on Hwy36 so I gave her a big shout out. I kept wondering if I'd see Mary, my TNT coach back in 2006 and 2007 (she knew me when I didn't know what the heck I was doing!) but she was just enough ahead that I didn't see her, even on the out and back. When I wasn't sipping at my UCAN or fluids, or trying to enjoy the scenery, I was singing this song, thanks to Shannon the night before, who said a PB&J would be her post-race treat.

T2: 1:48 Again quick but not super hurried. I made sure to grab my UCAN "gel" that I had in a carry flask, along with my container of endurolytes.

Run: 2:10:15 (not sure the AG run rank yet, the results page doesn't report it). I knew I was going to get HOT so I grabbed water and tried to get my hat wet in the "shower" they had set up for us. My hydration plan revolved around sipping the UCAN every other aid station and taking enduryolytes (2-3) at the other aid stations. I planned to walk each aid station (which I did, and unfortunately a little more). The run starts slightly uphill as you exit the parking lot, then you turn onto a dirt road, which then gives you a nice downhill for a bit. My pace started about where I had planned and felt good, so I was hoping to keep it. But man those hills that popped up between miles 1-3ish and lack of shade (one, maybe two, trees on the entire course). And it was HOT. The high was 95 that day and I started my run about 11am. No clouds, either. The word for the day was brutal. However, around the first mile a lady, thanked me for being a part of Team In Training. (I was wearing my TNT kit today.) Her son had a friend (7 year old) who dealt with Leukemia and didn't make it. (I think I'm recalling the details correctly.) Anyway, she asked me to run for Blake, so I did. And so did the lady who was just ahead of us and overheard the conversation.

"Run for Blake" popped into my head many times during the run...as I trotted along realizing my pace slowed more than anticipated. So was it fuel or was it the heat? Or both? I drank water at each aid station, alternating endurolytes and UCAN as planned. I made it to the second lap and ran under the shower again. I walked a bit more up those hills between miles 1-3. I decided to see if my slowing pace was fuel related so I took a gel that I had in my pocket. It did perk me up and I was able to keep moving. I did this about mile 8 or 9. I decided I'd take part of my other gel at the mile 11 aid station to get me through the finish. That got me there, along with Blake and Peanut Butter Jelly Time! The wind was picking up as well...I'd say 12-18" swells on the lake! Heat + wind = tough conditions for anyone! Fortunately, because my pace was much slower than I had planned, my legs didn't feel too bad at all - a bit tight the last 2 miles or so. In coming down the dam road at the end, trying to stay upright with the crosswind, I kept it as steady as I could. No more walking (except up the tiny hill going back on the paved road). Once on the paved road I set my sights on the tree, as once you get to the tree, it is all downhill into the finish chute. Coming into the finish chute I practiced my ironman finish line "let's get cheering" arm wave (it worked!) and did a few fist pumps across the line. And yes, that was part of my race plan. Another 70.3 in the bag!
Total Time: 5:49:35, 25/91 Age Group
Not a HIM PR, but still a solid race!
(fun fact: this was my first HIM way back in 2007. Time then was 6:33:36. And it was almost as hot.)

After finishing, getting my cold water soaked finisher's hat, medal, and not falling over when they took the timing chip off, I wandered to find the other peeps I knew. Mary came in about 5 minutes before me, so she was in some shade at the Rocky Mountain Tri Club tent. (I couldn't find the Pikes Peak Tri Club tent...hmmm). There was an awesome support crew there as all of us racers tried to get sorted out mentally and physically after that endeavor in the sun! I actually felt like eating so I made my way to the food tent. We "chilled out," if that's what you want to call it in that heat! I made it back over to the finish line to see Carley finish, and some other folks.

Always a party in Boulder, CO!

Once Shannon crossed the line and regrouped, we got our stuff around, showered up, grabbed an ice cold liter of water each and some salt & vinegar pop chips, and drove home. And then I went on a real drinking binge.

(For those interested in my nutrition "experiment" details, there will be another post soon on my coaching blog.)

Inaugural SoCo Ride for the Cure - Ride Report

2011-07-21T21:31:00.000-06:00

This ride was a the start to a very busy weekend for me! A 72 mile ride on the "flats" of Colorado would be a perfect training ride. AND since I know many, many people affected by breast cancer (my grandmother and mother-in-law included) it seemed like a no-brainer to ride. Thanks to David Pico of The Peak Region Cyclist who made it a little easier for me to get in. I'm still accepting donations so if you have a few bucks (every dollar helps!) let's see if we can't wipe out breast cancer! DONATE HERE! THANK YOU!!!

Once again I had to get up at the crack of dawn. Well, 4am is even earlier than the crack of dawn! It was going to be a cooker out there so a 6am start time was a good idea. I drove all the way down south to the Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, about 35 miles south of where I live. I'd forgotten how far south it really is! But I got there with enough time to get checked in and met up with Terri and Christi. Terri and I were both on TT bikes and are getting ready for the Boulder 70.3 so we rode together.

Terri and me at the first rest stop.

For Colorado standards the ride is flat, although the first part was the "uphill" part and it seemed going north we had a bit of a headwind. Nothing like it could be, but noticeable. The further north we got, the wind died down a bit and we figured it was shifting, as in the afternoons it usually comes out of the south. Sure enough, on our way back south we had another headwind. There is no escaping a headwind here in Colorado!

There we five, appropriately spaced aid stations along the course and we stopped at each one. All were well-stocked with goodies, although I was only going for the water, as I was testing out my Generation UCAN only fueling plan. (1 packet chocolate prior, 1 cran-raspberry and 1 chocolate during). It worked, although my stomach was feeling a bit empty. So I will need to incorporate a little bit of substance into my future fueling plan. But otherwise my energy felt great. I consumed additional electrolytes with Nuun.

Terri and I just rode along, enjoying the scenery a quality training ride. We had started our ride in the back of the pack, but made our way up front after a few miles. Being on the TT bike on those flat roads and slight wind was to our advantage! We also stopped for a photo op at an "impromtu rest stop," a recliner on the side of the road!

As we approached the 3rd aid station, my chain wasn't shifting so well (I had just put my 11-25 cassette back on after using the 12-28 for the Boulder Peak). Lucky for me the Bicycle Village crew was there and tweaked it for me and we were on our way shortly thereafter!

The next part of the ride was more downhill so I worked on keeping my cadence near 100rpm. I did a pretty good job at that (and going downhill makes it easier!) We made our way back south and hit up the final aid station at about mile 66. At this point my left calf and hamstring were pretty tight, and although I didn't need more water, I thought it would be a good idea to stretch. I also got some nice compliments on my bike at this stop!

We cruised the last 8 miles, and caught up with pro/olympian Alison Dunlap and a friend of hers. We could have passed them, but I told Terri - we never get to draft so why not draft off a pro!? So we cruised with them all the way into the finish.

Alison Dunlap and me after the race

The finish party was nice - food from Chick-fil-A, Rudi's BBQ, and Borriello's Pizza. There was great music from KRCC, free massages from the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy (much needed for my calf and hammy!) Oh, and beer from Colorado Mountain Brewery. And I did partake in that! I chatted with folks at the expo. Rocky Mountain Rags had made the sweet Pikes Peak Cycling Society jersey I was wearing.

All and all, a really great ride! Here's the GPS and Power data.
More photos from Pikes Peak Sports.

Then I went home, took a nap, and went with my buddy Khem to go see the Indigo Girls in Boulder at the Chautauqua amphitheater. It. Rocked.

had to wear my Stomach of Anger "Girls Climb in the Big Ring" to this show!

I was a bit tired, but.... I got to eat chocolate covered bacon before the show (at a place called George's in Boulder) and enjoy one of the best live acts ever!!

even chocolate is better with bacon!!!

my seat was a couple rows in front of the sound board

cell phones don't take great photos...i was only about 10 rows back!

Then I crashed at Khem's place in order to make the 7:45 TNT open water swim at Grant Ranch....just coached this one.

Boulder Peak Race Report

2011-07-14T20:44:00.002-06:00

This year was the 20th annual Boulder Peak Triathlon and my 3rd consecutive year doing this race. It never gets easier, that's for sure! This is going to be a long write up...be forewarned!

Saturday - the Day Before Race Day
Saturday is my pre-race prep day and it's packet pick-up day. So that means I get up, do my day before the race workouts and then head up to Boulder for packet pick-up. This went pretty smoothly and although a little behind schedule, I left around 11:30am. Made a quick stop at Chick-fil-A in Castle Rock for lunch (chargrilled chicken wrap for anyone who is interested). I hit the Res just after 1pm, and just in time to see 2x Boulder Peak winner Tim O'Donnell's Q&A. Barry Siff was asking him some questions and then opened it up to the audience, where he was asked about nutrition, pacing strategy and what was in his flat kit. After learning he was going to have a coke in his bottle on the bike, he was going to red-line the entire race, and that he was going sans flat kit, I got my packet and then headed to Downtown Boulder.
I found the coffee shop that I had spent some time in last year (Brewing Market), although they had a lot more customers in today. Even more showed up during the 30 minute deluge! It stopped raining in just enough time for me to meet the Pikes Peak Tri Club gang.

Pikes Peak Tri Club Dinner at Gondolino's

We, 11 of us, headed down to Gondolino's for dinner. I once again had the salmon, veggies and rice. I was eyeing the garlic bread, but since that's not a part of my normal diet, I skipped it. After an enjoyable meal with some new and familiar faces, it was time head to Jordan's place to crash. This time I brought the air mattress that didn't have a slow leak. Very uneventful evening while I put water bottles in the fridge to cool, put the stickers on my bike and helmet, and make sure I had everything I needed for the race. By 9pm I was definitely relaxing and ready for lights out.

Sunday, Race Day:
That good old 4am alarm was back! I didn't feel like springing out of bed, but wasn't feeling like I needed to sleep, either. Probably because it was 4am on race morning. Once I was moving around I had more energy. I drank some of my water, knowing that staying hydrated for today's race would be important. The forecast was for upper 80s, and the run course is totally exposed, so even between 9-10am when I would be running, it was going to be plenty warm.
I got the car packed up (several trips and being careful not to let the cat out) and headed to the Res at about 4:50. Two hours before go time and I drank a chocolate UCAN and had a packet of Justin's Maple Almond Butter. This worked well before Loveland, so I tried it again.

Shortly after 5am I'm parked, gathering my gear out of the car, and pumping up my tires. A short walk later I'm at transition and find a place to rack my bike. My pre-race routine is pretty standard. Once I get set-up, I go for a short run with some dynamic warm-ups. (somewhere in here I usually make the obligatory visit to the port-o-potty). I had a small gas bubble in my stomach, but it was pretty minor so I ignored it. My warm-up is done on the run course so I can visualize myself finishing the race nice and strong as I head back to transition.
Once I'm back, I leave my running shoes on my towel, make sure my bike is in the right gear, brakes are good and then grab my wetsuit, cap and goggles.
Just after 6:00am I took in a Cran-Razz UCAN with about 8oz of water. Yum. Then I met up with a couple clients of mine to make sure they were doing well. This was one's first triathlon since about 2005! Everyone seemed happy and excited, so I proceeded with my pre-race routine. Time to get the wetsuit on and head down to the water for a short warm-up. The bubble in my stomach was a non-issue at this point, so I'm guessing I just swallowed some air (what little we have here in Colorado!) My back and shoulders felt a bit tight so I tried to stretch them while waiting for our wave to get into the water.
The PA system wasn't working so well, and they didn't have a DJ like the sprint race, so it was an oddly calm race start. The only way to really know a wave was starting was the air horn. But the volunteers had signs for wave staging, and it was easy to find my fellow bright pink caps in the F35-39 age group.

So here goes the race part...
Swim: 36:05
I found myself in the front middle and stuck with the pack as long as I could. Pretty early on, my goggle started to leak so I did make a quick stop to adjust it and it held well enough for the rest of the swim. I bumped into a few people here and there, had some people's feet for a while. We we swimming almost into the sun so sighting was a bit challenging, as it always is! I felt like I was swimming this about has hard as I could to maintain my form and felt pretty comfortable. The course seemed to pass by pretty quickly, except for maybe the last 400m to the finish. I swam until my hands hit sand a couple times and then hauled it up the beach.

T1: 3:13 (not the fastest time, but the mat was very close to the swim exit. AND I had glitch #1 of the day.) My hair is a bit longer so I decided to put it in a pony tail. I meant to check the helmet fit before I left transition before the race start, but forgot. So of course it's too tight as I try to pull the hair through the back. When I went to adjust it, I pulled the sizing piece apart, which meant I needed to take the helmet completely off, put the plastic adjuster back together, and try again. No point in getting flustered over a small set-back (last race it was the shoes on the pedals!) but I certainly lost time messing with my helmet. But once the helmet was secured, I headed out to climb the hill.

Bike: 1:21:39
The mount line was a bit congested so I made sure to move off to the side to mount my bike. Once pedaling, I made my way out of the Res and tried to settle into a pace. I was breathing pretty hard, but my legs felt good (as they should at the beginning of a race) so I just kept at it. I passed quite a few people and started to drink my water. Needed to make sure I stayed hydrated today! This course has a gradual climb for the first 5 miles and then it gets steep. By mile 7ish you are 1200 feet above where you started. And about half that gain is in under a mile. It's just brutal (but "fun"). I'm so glad I put the compact cassette on my bike to give me a couple extra gears. I was only turning over 42 rpm or so on the steep part! I was jealous of the guys with the full compact crank as they had even more room to spin up the hill. Oh well - I still beat my time up the hill by about 2 minutes from last year! Once at the top of the steep one, there is a short flat section and one more climb that takes you to 7ish miles. Then it's FAST. The key is to gain as much free speed as possible (after you pass the 35mph speed zone on the initial descent). Nothing much else to report here - I felt good, I took a Gu (Chocolate Rasperry Roctane) at just past 1:30 into the race as planned. I drank all my water and about half my electrolyte drink (Nuun). Heading back along the diagonal we had a slight headwind, and even though I had a slight burn in the quads, I was having a great time. It felt much better thank the Loveland bike course. (and was about 14 minutes faster!)

Bike Power File

T2: 1:28
Pretty quick. I do wear socks so that takes a few extra seconds, but once I get my bike on the rack, I put on my shoes and then just grab my stuff. I can get everything else taken care of while running.

Run: 50:35
I was hoping to do a 8:00ish pace, and ended up with an 8:09. I walked every aid station to make sure I took in fluids (and I probably walked longer each time). My fueling/hydration plan was this: 2 Endurolytes at mile 2 and mile 4, and a gel (GU Espresso Love) at the turn around. Water at each aid station. I normally do hammer gels, but I didn't get a chance to buy more before I left town and relied on the expo (so not the ideal thing to do!). I picked up some chocolate, but also got the GUs due to the caffeine. Otherwise I would have done Hammer Espresso flavor gels. ** for any of my athletes reading this...this is why you should have what you know you like BEFORE heading to the race** On the run I passed a few ladies in my age group, got passed mostly by men (and really fast women in the 45-49 age group!) The last half mile or so is down hill (there's a tree that I use as a landmark) and just tried to go as fast as my legs would carry me.

Run Data

Total: 2:52:58 (23/92 age group, 121/461 females)
I beat last year by over 3 minutes - the bike and the run were my main savers of time! After the race I cooled off with the nice wet towel they gave us, grabbed a cold bottle of water and had a chocolate UCAN as a recovery drink. I then cheered on a couple of my clients as they finished. Well, I only saw one, and missed the other as she sped down the finishing chute. I caught up with her later and she had rocked the race, coming in 12th in her age group!

Dina and me after finishing the Peak.

More photos.
Next event for me...the Ride for the Cure on 7/16. Stay tuned...

Loveland Lake to Lake Race Report

2011-06-26T07:57:00.002-06:00

Last Sunday I raced in my first triathlon of the 2011 season - the 5430 Sprint. Today (Saturday) I raced in my 2nd. Loveland Lake to Lake is a beautiful, locally run race. It's well organized, the volunteers are great, the bike course is challenging but gorgeous, and the venue is fantastic. A lot of Colorado triathletes were in Loveland to race today!

Shannon, Chris, John, Nicole, Bridget, Kisti

Pre-race: I left yesterday afternoon with one a friend and client to make the 2ish hour trek to Loveland. It was about a 2.5 hour journey - Denver traffic was SLOW. It was moving, but slow. We caught the tail end of the pre-race meeting and met up with the Team In Training group. After scouting out the venue with the team, we headed to Mimi's Cafe for our TNT Inspiration Dinner. Mimi's rocks - a lot of options for pre-race foods, and a lot of us opted for the sweet & sour chicken. And what an amazing group of people raising money After dinner we all went our separate ways to get as much rest as possible! Transition opened at 5am with the first wave at 6:30am!

Shannon and I stayed at an inexpensive place in Ft. Collins, which was surprisingly nice. Clean, comfy, and a fridge for our water bottles. And thank goodness no rowdy neighbors! We got our bikes and race bags ready, worked on a race plan, and went to bed.

Race Day!
Alarms started going off at 3:50am. I got up at 4:00am and felt pretty good. It took me a while to get to sleep, and I woke up a few times, but for the most part a good night's sleep, although short. At 4:30 we were out the door towards Loveland High School. I downed a packet of chocolate Generation UCAN and a packet of Justin's Maple Almond Butter as my main meal. (Last weekend I just had the chocolate, but felt like my stomach was still a little empty, so tried the nut butter. It seemed to work!)

We arrived at the race site a little before 5am. Perfect. I found a sweet spot on the end of a row for easy access and got everything set up. Even though my rubber bands were a little dry, I went ahead and put the shoes on the pedals. All was good in transition, so I went down to where the TNT tent was getting set up and had my 2nd pre-race UCAN - the new Cran-Raz. This time I only used about 8oz of water and was able to consume the whole thing, unlike last weekend. Then I did my quick run warm-up, got my shoes back into transition and found one of my rubber bands had broke. So I did a quick tie-up job and went on my way back to the Team tent. Time to put on my wetsuit (an XTERRA Vector Pro X2). The swim start is about a quarter mile from transition, so the team and I hoofed down to the water so we could at least get in a little warm-up before the gun went off. I just wanted to have a fun solid day at this race. I had vague time goals and really wanted to enjoy the race!

At 6:30 sharp, the gun went off and I was off along with the elites and all men and women 35-39...

Swim: 36:45. I was predicting a swim of around 35 minutes in the water, and sure enough, when I reached the shore, my watch had 35:00. The entire swim felt really steady and comfortable (hopefully not too comfortable). I swam fairly straight and didn't have to sight as much as I had to in other races. As I mentioned, transition is about a quarter mile from the water, so the rest of the time is my run. I felt good and had a quick run up the grass, passing a couple people along the way.

T1: 1:38
My wetsuit came off easily, and I put on my sunglasses and helmet. Then I saw that the rubber band had broken so I opted to just grab the shoes off the pedals an put them on in transition. Probably lost about 15-20 seconds with that glitch.

Bike: 1:35:38
This ride was not as smooth as I would have liked. I never seemed to get my legs for very long and I was struggling to find the right effort level. It didn't help that the course profile looks like this (the green):

The bike leg is usually my favorite, but today I really couldn't wait for it to be over. Maybe that's because once we came down the hill and hit the rollers, there was a pretty decent headwind. That and I'm figuring out my fueling needs - so on the bike I had my aerodrink with water, a 18oz bottle with Nuun for electrolytes. I taped a honey stinger gel to my top tub in case I would need it, and at about 1:49 total race time, I realized I probably needed some calories. About 10 minutes after consuming the gel I was feeling better. My neck and shoulders were stiff from the steep descents, and my nose was running quite a bit. My calves were also starting to get a little tight. Lesson learned - that I probably need to make sure I'm fueling about 90 minutes into a race lasting 3 or more hours. Finally the rollers ended and we made our way back to the high school. I pulled my feet out of my shoes and had a pretty smooth dismount. Glad that was over!

T2: 1:18 (I wear socks for the run).
I grabbed my hat, another gel, my bottle of endurolytes, and of course my race belt. And I was hoping my legs would feel better on the run.

Run: 50:31 (8:08 pace)
The first part of the course is slightly uphill, but overall it's a flat run. It goes through a neighborhood and then meets up with the path around the lake. My focus at the beginning was quick steps and a tall posture. I saw a couple Pikes Peak Tri Club folks up ahead and slowly reeled them in. I made sure to walk each aid station to get in some fluid. Mile 2 I took my 2 endurolytes. At the turn around I took in my hammer gel (espresso flavor! probably about 2/3 of it) to make sure I had enough juice to finish. I was holding a nice steady pace, and felt strong so the last couple miles I gave it the rest of what I had and finished strong. It also didn't hurt to see Sonja and her friends and family at the corner with about a half mile to go cheering really loudly!

guess i was feeling better at this point!

Total: 3:05:51, 12/63 age group

The weather held out today - the high was to be in the upper 80s, but the morning was overcast and kept the temps down during the race. After I finished, I found all my Team In Training athletes as well as my NEO Endurance Sports & Fitness clients and cheered as they crossed the finish line. Everyone had a great day!

5430 Sprint Race Report

2011-06-25T20:50:00.000-06:00

It's only about a week late...but here's the race report from my first tri of the 2011 season.

5430 Sprint Triathlon - 750m swim, 17.2mi bike, 5k run

Part 1 - The Wheel Nightmare
My new wheels (which are nice Gray 50mm carbon clinchers) have been a "nightmare" from the get-go. They are nice wheels, but the process of changing the cassette from my other wheel, as well as the tires, brake pads took a lot longer than I had planned. I wasn't able to get the bike ready to ride with the new wheels until Thursday night, and my first ride on them was Saturday morning. I had a 60 minute ride, mostly easy, with a few pick-ups to prep the legs for race day. I was starting my last 30s burst, was just a few miles from home and pssssht....front flat! In the craziness I forgot to grab my CO2! So I rode home really slowly with my weight as far back as I could! I got the tire changed (took a while as the tires I have fit really tight on these wheels...part of the reason getting the bike set-up took so long!). But while changing the tire I apparently pinched the tube, so it wouldn't hold air. I needed to get up to Boulder, so I figured I'd find a bike person at the expo and they could help me out. The ironman wheel rental guy was really helpful, and one of the vendors had tubes with 80mm valve stems so I didn't need to use the valve extender...we got it changed and inflated and it held air!

Part 2 - The Fun Part
After that adventure (as well as getting my race packet) I met some Tri Club folks for dinner on the Pearl Street Mall. We had a nice dinner at Gondolino's and then went our separate ways for the evening. I headed to my Girls Heart Rockets teammate, Jordan's place. Nice place to crash about 10 minutes from the Res. I had a room to myself and my air mattress (which had a slow leak...better the bed than my tire!) But considering that, I actually slept pretty well for the night before my first race of the season!

Race morning - nothing out of the ordinary here, except that I was trying Generation UCAN as my fuel source. No peanut butter-banana-honey sandwich for me this year. I took a chocolate UCAN (one with protein) a little after 6am, and then about half a packet of the new Cran-Raz (which is a great new flavor sweetened with stevia). I would have liked to have had the whole thing, but I mixed it with too much water, and my stomach wasn't ready for that much fluid yet. Shortly thereafter I headed to the water to get my swim warm-up in. I got in several hundred yards and felt ready for race number 1!

750m Swim: 17:58
Started swimming in the pack (Ironman practice!) Eventually I had my own space as usual, but ran into a few people here and there. There was quite a bit of chop and the first half is always straight into the sun. I hit the beach at 17:00...glad it was over. But my fastest 5430 swim yet!

T1: 2:54 Super slow today - first race kinks.

17.2mi Bike: 50:26
I really was hoping to have a faster bike split today, and I felt like I was able to produce a nice steady effort. Matched my time from last year within a couple seconds. The first half is a gradual uphill on Jay Rd and Hwy 36, then Neva Rd...FAST! I had my coach compare my power files from this year and last year.

Similar power, slightly lower cadence this year (last year rode compact gearing) and lower HR. Which set me up for a nice run.

T2: 1:18 - pretty straightforward here - no issues.

5k Run: 23:42 (7:38 pace) Last year my run was an 8:07 pace...
I hadn't looked at my watch at all for total time until it buzzed with my first mile split. I was running sub-8 minute pace so I was happy and just kept going. My legs felt strong so I just ran and tried to ignore my lungs. I always look forward to the turn-around, as the first half is slightly uphill on the out-and-back course. It's nice to have gravity, even just a little bit, on my side.

Total: 1:36:12 (19/90 Age Group)
Note: I didn't consume any calories during the race - just water.

Some of the Pikes Peak Tri Club gang were there with the tent to cheer on our folks. We didn't have the club banner, but I had my NEO banner, so I had a tent for the race!

I also ran into Michelle and Sonja. I think the last time I saw them was Ironman Arizona! One of my clients did the race as well, and I always enjoy giving that extra cheer out on the race course!

Some more photos of the weekend here on PikesPeakSports.us.

Tour de Cure Ride Report

2011-05-14T18:35:00.005-06:00

getting ready to start in my Stomach of Anger team jersey

Now that I'm done with my early season run focus, it's time to spend a lot of quality time on the bike. Ironman Arizona might be 6 months away, but the stronger I am on the bike, the better that race is going to be. Instead of going my my typical solo long ride today, I signed up for the Tour de Cure 50-miler to get a great challenging ride in and support a fabulous cause. (note: Donations will be accepted until June 15th so if you've got $5, why not put it for a great cause? THANKS!!!) Also, as one of my triathlete clients (who will be racing his first tri tomorrow!) has diabetes, so it made signing up even more worthwhile.

I was hoping to be a little more rested going in to the ride and tried, to no avail, to get to bed by 9:30pm. It was closer to 10:30 by the time I got to bed and my alarm was going off at 5am... I was able to get out of bed around 5:15 and get ready. I got my bike packed up and everything I thought I might need, including extra layers. Highs were supposed to be around the mid-50s with clouds coming in and possible storms. Better to have too much than too little! Just before 6:30 I was on the road to Woodland Park. Heading up the pass my stomach started to feel a little weird so I made a pit stop at a gas station just outside of WP. Eventually it settled down so I was glad. Not sure what was going on there.

When I arrived at the ride site, I started prepping my bike and got a text from my mom that she was at the site as well. She found me and once I was ready we headed over to the start area. I found the tent of our team, the SnydeRemarks Ruff Riders and set down my bike and my other stuff. I saw Jennie Kiser from the tri club and let my mom know she could chat with her while she waited for me to finish (although she did head out and run some errands - would have been a long wait!) I then met Charlie, our team captain and a Red Rider (rider with diabetes), who I'd actually never met in person. The sun was out and it was looking like a great morning. Some other team members assembled at the tent as well and we were able to get a group shot:

Bill, Charlie, Alan, Madison, and Nicole

Shortly thereafter we made our way to the starting line.

Then we were off! The 50 miler was mostly downhill for the first half, and uphill for the second. It was a tad chilly on the first descents, but gorgeous scenery! I rode with Bill and Madison until about 10 miles outside of Deckers, where I pulled a little ahead. The last few miles before the turn-around, even though downhill, were rough as we were fighting a pretty substantial headwind. I saw Rick K from the tri club heading back up the hill. He started a little earlier to try to avoid the weather - not a bad idea today, although probably a bit chillier at the start. I stopped at a rest stop, made a quick pit stop, ate half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (stomach seemed just fine), refilled my bottle (of which I wasn't drinking enough due to the chill), and made my way the last couple miles to the turn-around. After the turn-around a couple guys caught me and asked if they could join me. Sure! Even though we had a tailwind to climb back up, working with others will make it a much nicer ride.

So up we went, climbing back out of Deckers. Great scenery and a fun climb. About 7 miles out of Deckers it gets steep and I lead the group of three to the top. The "tough" part was over but there would still be plenty of climbing left to get back to 8500ft. Up we went, happy when we got some relief from climbing, and working together. On the way back another guy joined us all the way to the finish. The more the merrier to share the load! The wind was picking up even more, clouds were rolling in, and the hills just kept on coming, but we all made it to the finish line smiling that we made it through a tough ride!

Brian from PikesPeakSports.us was out taking some pictures.
Here's the GPS data from my ride.

Finished!

Mom was there at the finish line and we waited a few minutes for the food tent to open, had a bit of lunch and then headed to a coffee shop to warm up!

yup, a mexican mocha and a treat for the week!

Then I headed back down the hill for a much needed nap!

Inaugural Cheyenne Mountain 25k (and 50k) Trail Race Report

2011-04-24T10:26:00.001-06:00

When you live in Colorado Springs and participate in endurance sporting events, you will eventually sign up for a trail race. And when you hear of a cool new event coming to town, you might just sign up for it. That's exactly what I did. I put the Cheyenne Mountain 25k Trail Race on my calendar a few months ago as a Spring endurance event before my triathlon season really kicks in. It would also be a good chance to put my metabolic efficiency training to the test.

This wasn't necessarily and 'A' race for me, just one I wanted to have a decent showing and enjoy. My pre-race planning wasn't as detailed as it could have been. Also, it's a local race and I have a busy work week. I did try to get a little extra sleep Thursday night into Friday, and also shoot for 8 hours of sleep Friday night. Didn't quite make that and I got up a few times in the night to use the bathroom.

Let's start Thursday with my eating. I ate well during the day, but went to a social event in the evening. I wasn't hungry right away for the food (but did have a beer).

at the Women's Mtn Biking Association of Colorado Springs membership drive

By the time I was ready to eat, all the food was gone, except for beignets. I decided those wouldn't make a good dinner, so once I got home (about 9pm) I had a banana peanut butter chocolate Generation UCAN smoothie and went to bed. I usually like to have a much more substantial dinner 2 days before a race, as usually the day before I eat a bit lighter.

You can imagine I was a little hungry when I woke up on Friday but cooked myself an egg and veggie scramble (cauliflower, kale, tomato) topped with a little shredded cheese. I ate to my hunger during the day, but my meeting schedule put my eating slightly out of whack in the afternoon. After work I was headed straight to a Pikes Peak Tri Club social, but didn't want to make hamburgers and hot dogs my pre-race meal. Plus I wanted to pick up my race packet the night before instead of race morning. I was craving sweet potatoes, but there wasn't a convenient place to get a baked sweet potato. Instead I stopped at Garbanzo's since I didn't pack that much food with me. I got a salad with chicken and falafel, along with some hummus and baba ganoush. The server put way too much vinaigrette dressing on it, and it contains quite a bit of pepper. I actually had to stop her from putting more on (note: next time just get it on the side). I had a few bites of the pita to help mute the pepper sensation in my mouth! (normally I skip the pita). This tided me over for most of the evening. When I got home, I got my race stuff around, thought through my race plan, and had a small snack of yogurt and blueberries. I was in bed by 10pm.

Race day:
My alarm went off at 5:40am after an almost restful night's sleep. My legs had been feeling pretty good the last couple days with some reduced training load. I felt ready to give this race a go! Because the start time was less than 3 hours from when I work up, I didn't eat too much. A bit of yogurt, banana, and chocolate hazelnut butter. I meant to grab a packet of peanut butter (Justin's Nut Butter), but opened the wrong packet. still tasted good!

I headed down to the race site a little before 7am and was parked around 7:30 as planned. Temps were in the upper 30s, skies were overcast and the wind was chilly. It was a little chillier than I had hoped, but still decent running weather. A quick stop at the port-o-potty and then I headed back to the car to mix up my pre-race Generation UCAN - chocolate with a packet of decaf starbucks via. I consumed this about 45 minutes prior to the race start, just as I had done in training. At 8am the 50k runners started their race and I had 30 minutes to get ready for my start. I went back to the car to stay warm and make sure I had my electrolyte bottle ready to go. I cranked up some Amy Ray and chatted for a few minutes with Tim Bergsten of Pikes Peak Sports. With about 10 minutes until the start, I headed over for the pre-race briefing. I was feeling a tad hungry, but hoped the feeling would go away once I started running.

At 8:30am the 25k we were off. I seeded myself somewhere in the middle, which was probably good so that I didn't start out too fast. I would be out on the course for a while so no point in starting the first mile (which was uphill) faster than I needed to. By mile 2 my heart rate monitor strapped had slid down and was no longer around my chest. So...any data isn't really reliable, and I really would have liked that data.

The race consisted of two lollipops and a bunch of trail to get there. The first few miles descend up the hill and then you drop back down, cruise on past the parking area (lots of spectators with cowbells) and head over to the south side of the park where the big climb begins.

Here was my pacing plan: Run the first uphill section conservatively, walk if anything got really steep, and cruise the downhills. Then on the second half with the bigger climbs I have a little more left to get to the top and cruise the final few miles downhill.

Here was my fueling plan: Carry a 22oz bottle with electrolytes (Nathan catalyst) in my fuel belt, along with a Larabar for an emergency. The aid stations had HEED and Hammer Gels (which I use and tolerate well) so I planned to get my calories from them. The aid stations were set up on the sticks of the lollipop loops so we'd pass them on the way up and on the way down.

I think I stuck to my pacing plan well. I passed a few people early on and was passed by a few as well (and I would see those guys later.) At the beginning there were a lot of us close together, but that spread out when the real climbing began. At the first aid station I just grabbed a cup of water since we were still early on. It was good to see Anthony there cheering for me! I was hoping to hit this aid station again at about 45min, as I was feeling hungry and wanted to do steady but small "feedings." But somewhere in this first section is where the course was long. My Garmin showed 7.1 miles at the 10k sign... It was an hour into the race before I saw the aid station again. Once I got there I opted for a vanilla hammer gel. It tasted good! One packet has 90 calories and since it was cold out, the gel was thick, so I didn't get everything out of the packet. I'm guessing 70 calories here.
As I was wiping gel from my face, Tim B. was there with his camera.

the guy behind me passed me shortly after this, but I caught up to him later.

The next aid station was at the transition point (near the starting line) and not too far from the 2nd stop so I just got a little bit of water at this one.

Now were heading into the "flat"section of the trail that takes us over to the next big climb. And here the head wind was brutal and the winds were cold. I had to put my gloves back on at this point. I caught up to a guy named Pete and he commented on how tough the first climb was. I laughed and told him it got worse from here. I then caught up to a woman who had a nice steady pace. I was tracking here from a while back (she stood out in purple) and slowly caught up to her and passed her on a downhill. Once we got into the hills the next few miles I was running mostly solo and came across people every so often. I remembered running this trail in January when it was snow-packed. It was tough! This section had 850ft in pure gain (almost 1000ft total gain) from the lowest point near the parking lot to the top of the ridge...in just under 4 miles. The good part (sort of) is that after mile 12, the last 4 miles are all downhill except for a few little bumps here and there. This is the section of the trail where the snow flurries hit.

a well-stocked aid station

When I arrived at the 4th aid station around mile 10, I grabbed cup of water and a cup of HEED and had a few sips. Probably only 10-15 calories here. Then it was the tough stuff. I would have to wait about 5 miles before hitting this aid station again, and was hoping for another calorie boost a little sooner. I met up with a gal from Wyoming and a guy from Kansas City at the top of the hill and we hung together down the hill. At this point my legs were hurting from the pounding so it was good to stay with a group and chat a bit.

Once I hit that final aid station, the guy and I stopped to refuel. I downed a cup of HEED (I'm guessing 20-30 calories - normal HEED is about 100 for 16oz and maybe I had 4oz of fluid. It seemed like a regular concentration.) I got just enough to carry me through the last few miles and I could turn it on (pretty relative on achy legs from the downhill pounding!) for the last little bit. The gal from WY had a camelback so she didn't stop...and gained a little bit of time on me (about 15s to the finish). I pulled slightly ahead of the KS guy at this point. The downhill slope eased up the last mile and I was able to kick into a strong pace (if 9mi/mile is strong) for the last 0.8ish miles.

After I crossed the finish line I walked around a bit to cool down and then my body realized how hungry I really was. I felt a little low blood sugar so I grabbed a bagel that they had out and had a few bites while I walked to my car. (Probably should have had the Larabar instead!) I also needed some more fluids and filled my water bottle. Once I got to my car I mixed myself another packet of chocolate Generation UCAN and downed it. Yum! I grabbed my change of clothes and headed to the massage tent. They spent quite a bit of time on me and unfortunately I got too cold and was shivering a bit. Every time they tried to do a stretch, the opposing muscle would start to cramp! Then I changed into my Zoot compression tights and had a few extra layers. I then decided some real food might be a good idea and went and got some Carrabba's from the food tent. Garlic bread, Caesar salad, chicken marsala and pasta. I ate the bread and the pasta, a few bites of the chicken (but most of the mushrooms) and a few bites of the salad. That was enough for me. I chatted with a few more people. By now it was after 1pm and I needed to head to a friends house for a Miche bag party....

Hydration and Fueling summary:
22oz bottle w/electrolytes, ~10oz water, about 6oz HEED
Almost 1 packet Hammer gel.
Total fluid: ~38oz
Total calories: ~120
No GI issues at all.

Summary of Event:
Course was very well marked except for one section up at the top of the last hill. Course was about 1.3 miles too long according to my GPS, but I'd rather have a course being too long than too short. Aid stations were well stocked with plenty of options (there was more food there that the 50k racers might want.) Fun race announcer, good post-race food. If only it weren't so windy and chilly.

Race Results:
Garmin GPS data
7/26 age group
19/64 all females
all results
Race coverage on PikesPeakSports.us

The Garden and President Circle

2011-04-09T18:09:00.001-06:00

Twice a year Tim's car club puts on a "Gimmick Rally." It's a fun trek through town, following a set of rally instructions with some sort of catch. It started at the Garden of the Gods and ended at Edelweiss, a local German restaurant. Since I needed to figure out how to get in a few hours on the bike and tomorrow's weather is not looking to be bike friendly, I decided to ride to the Garden of the Gods (about 20ish miles), do the rally, get a ride back to the Garden and ride home. I sent my Team In Training team to a nutrition clinic at Bicycle Village and a ride with the cycle team.

A little chilly at the start, but it was a beautiful ride. (GPS file of the ride.) Once I got down into the Springs, I took the hilly route, climbing up Rockrimmon to Vindicator, then up Flying W Ranch. I had a little bit of time before I needed to meet Tim (who had my clothes) so I did the small loop of the Garden. The early morning light on those spires was just amazing. Another reason why I love living and riding in Colorado!

The winds were whipping today!

I met Tim and the entrance to the Visitor Center and changed for the morning's event. A quick cup of coffee and light breakfast and we got the instructions for the rally. I think there were about 15 or so cars, so about 30 people participating in today's event. For the rally were given 16 photos along with the instructions and had to write down the odometer mileage we saw the landmark in the photo. The photos were not in order, and there was no guarantee that we'd actually even come across those landmarks (signs, houses, businesses). The instructions are such that you could possibly get off course and miss a landmark, but as long as you followed the instructions relatively well, you should get back on track.

A little after 10am we were on the road. The first part of the rally took us over to Cascade & Fillmore area- where one of the instructions was turn right at first opportunity after 10 different presidents. We wound around a little and did our best finding the landmarks. Some were easier than others. Then we ended up east of Circle drive going around in circles. Tim and I were pretty sure we got off course a few times and had to make mileage adjustments based on how far off course we thought we were. We knew we were in the right area and got back on track. We made our way through downtown and ended up at Edelweiss where we turned in our score sheet. Turns out we did pretty well, and even though we missed a few, we tied for 1st place. There was a tie breaker question and we got it, so we won!

My bike at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center

After we ate, Tim had to get to work, so I changed back into my cycling clothes and then got a ride back to the Garden of the Gods. My bike was still there locked up where I left it so I hopped on and headed home. The wind had picked up significantly but lucky for me it was a south/southwest wind and my route was north. I need to count my cycling blessings, as getting a 30+mph tailwind for 20 miles is rare! Usually the wind is a headwind no matter which direction you ride! Would like to have seen some of my speeds and power for this ride, but I didn't have my Garmin on the ride home (left it in the bag with my clothes). The only trouble I had was when my chain did a Schleck. Actually...it did several times - I was able to recover it a couple times without stopping, but not every time. At least I was only a few miles from home but was able to make it up the final hills. Guess it's time for a new chain and an annual tune-up...

Falcon Trail Run

2011-03-27T16:43:00.000-06:00

In a few weeks I'm running the Cheyenne Mountain 25k trail race (that's 15.5 miles). So when I have a 2hr 45min endurance run on the schedule, I better be hitting the trails. Today I decided to check out Falcon Trail at the Air Force Academy. It's not too far from my house and should be a good 13 mile loop. So off I drove to the trailhead of a spur near the B-52 lot (and yes, there is a big B-52 there). I got my bottles ready, put on my jacket, hat and gloves, as it was very foggy and probably only 35 degrees, if even that. I walked to the trailhead and it was closed. There is some construction going on and this short access trail apparently goes right through that. So...back in the car I went and drove up the hill to the main trailhead. Made sure I was ready again and off I went.

The main trailhead is up at the top of the hill, so I knew the first part of the trail wouldn't be too bad. It was actually a gorgeous run. I only saw a couple people the entire time I was out there, and the views (what I could see through the fog) were phenomenal! The first half felt good and my legs were hanging in there. I'm at the end of a 3 week block so my legs were already pretty beat up. Riding my bike over here yesterday on the roads with Team In Training on my first climbing session in about 6 months didn't help much either.

Some highlights...

Last week I ran 2:30 without any calories - just electrolytes. Today I stopped around mile 7 and ate half a LaraBar. I felt better and trotted along. I was also popping Hammer Endurolytes. I felt any bit of a hill and walked quite a bit between mile 9 and 11. Had a Mint Chocolate Gu somewhere in there as well. It gave me a little more energy, but my legs were just feeling toasted and roasted! Once the trail started slightly downhill again, I was able to pick up the pace and chug along to the finish. Glad to be back at the car - a great workout to end a 3-week block of training...and I do hope my recovery week is a good one! But I'll definitely be back on this trail, either running or with my mountain bike in the future!

Here's the Garmin Data.

Here are some photos from the trailhead - I didn't bring my phone on the trail to take pictures.

the clouds and mountains above the AFA

it was foggy/snowy/rainy

imagine the view without the fog...

clouds couldn't make up their mind

Juno

2011-03-27T16:09:00.000-06:00

I started this last Saturday and never published it...

Juno in her youth

Today was the dreaded day. You know it's going to come but when it finally does, you never know how hard it will hit. Today we put down our dog Juno. She was getting up there in years, almost 13, and for a Rottweiler that's pretty old. She's been struggling with some health issues the last year, but for the most part we were able to control it with medication. That medication, prednisone, causes other issues. She'd gone from over 70 pounds to 60. She'd recently caught some sort of infection and antibiotics just couldn't kick it. We did what we could to try to help her out, but once we realized she wasn't going to get any better, it was time to let her go easy. I will miss her tremendously. Juno was our first dog and was treated very well (spoiled). Hard to believe we had her for 12 years.

Tim and I had just moved into a small house in Urbana, IL, and as I was a grad student working long hours, Tim thought getting a dog would be a good idea to keep him company. I had dogs as a kid, so I was up for getting a furry friend. He wanted a Rottweiler due to their characteristics, so we contacted the Champaign County Rottweiler Rescue and initiated the process. They called us that they had a sweet 10 month old dog named Precious. We visited the dog and said "we'll take her!" It took us a week or so to figure out a new name (Precious just wasn't going to cut it) and we decided on Juno, the Roman Goddess of Heaven. We had to learn how to handle a dog and she had to get used to her new home.

Juno was food motivated and because Rotties are dominant dogs, we read it was a good thing to give them a command before feeding them so they knew who was in charge. So we taught her to bring us her bowl (it was a plastic one at the time) and then we would feed her. Worked great - until she was bored or hungry and would just randomly bring us her bowl and drop it at our feet. Feed me!

Then there was the time we were at a small lake with some friends and their dogs. Juno definitely liked the water, although she didn't really swim. But she'd splash and play around. The lake had a small and short floating dock so we walked out to the edge. The water level was only a few inches below the dock so Juno just walked right of the end of it! She was panicked for a few seconds until she figured out she could doggy paddle and I helped get her over to the shore. She didn't spend much time on the dock after that.

Juno also successfully made it through two ACL surgeries. When she was about 5 years old she blew one knee out just running at a dog park. As that one was healing and we were ready give her a little more freedom as it was healing, the other one went out. She didn't run so well after that, but she still was able to scramble around rocks and such when we went hiking. You'd never really know she had double knee surgery.

Our move out to Colorado allowed Juno (and Mars) opportunity to enjoy the outdoors even more. We bought some property in the mountains and would take them up regularly. We took Juno up one last time last weekend. We grilled steak and salmon and she enjoyed that very much! We'd hike around and let her play in the stream that was near by. She showed no fear climbing up some rocks and looking out over the edge and the views.

Juno in her favorite spot - right next to the kitchen table...

Juno enjoyed car rides and feeling the rush of the wind in her face with her head out the window. Her favorite toy was a kong because we'd put food in it for her. It replaced the bowl as the item randomly dropped at our feet. She'd walk up to us with that kong in her jaw, squeeze it a few times, and then - thud - it'd be at our feet. If we ignored her she'd pick it up and try again, this time making sure it landed with a louder thud. They myocitis affected her jaw and her ability to open her mouth, so the last few months she couldn't enjoy her kongs.

Here comes the kong!

squeeeze!

happy dog with kongs near by!

rough day - need a nap!

Juno - the best poochie ever!

We're really going to miss Juno. She was a very sweet dog and kept us company for 12 years. The house just isn't quite the same without her...

5k on St. Pat's Day Race Report

2011-03-13T16:00:00.000-06:00

The race that is the kick-off to the Colorado Springs Grand Prix of Running is my favorite 5k race. There are several reasons for this:
1) It's a flat course, and for Colorado that's rare!
2) It's a community event - over 2000 people come out wearing green and other fun St. Pat's Day spirit wear.

no lack of St. Patty's Day Spirit here!

Today started off pretty typical. I met the TNT team at Monument Valley Park for a run. I do this every year....they run 50-60 minutes, and I run 30-40 as a warm-up, along with anyone else running in the 5k. After my warm-up, I walk over to the starting line, which is less than a mile away in downtown Colorado Springs. Temps were near 50 and sunny with a bit of a cool breeze.

Chris, Coach (me), Kisti, Bridget - awesome TNTers!

I get to the packet pickup and within 1 minute I have my packet and get my bib and chip squared away. This year the race is start and finish chip timed.

Race number 1598. Love my rainbow injinji socks.

I then head over to the port-o-potty line and it is LONG! But moves quickly. When I'm done there I have 3 minutes until the start. I squeeze myself into a spot near the front and find Ken Boggs from Runner's Roost. He's wearing bib #1! He told me the store did it to him as a joke. I think he's coming off an injury and told me I'd likely beat him. Yeah right, I said. (but I did...)

The gun goes off and the crowd surges forward. I ran a 23:32 last year, so I'd like to match that. I haven't been doing any real speed work - lots of base miles - so I didn't know what to expect. Going into the race I was recovering from a cold from 2 weeks prior and not enough sleep. But my legs felt strong during the warm-up so I was hoping for a strong performance.

And here's what I got:

Here's the link to the file:
Garmin GPS/HR data

My time was 23:12 but the chip time was 23:08. A 20+ second PR over last year's race and a 5th place age group finish. I'll take it!

Here are a few more pictures of the day:

bouncy things for the kids

guys with bagpipes

hanging out before the race with Pikes Peak in the background

runners almost to the finish

gorilla bouncy thing...

people in green heading towards the finish

And a link to full coverage of the event on PikesPeakSports.us

Bike Shopping!

2011-02-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Shopping for new gear is always fun, and shopping for a new bike is very exciting! At the same time it is a bit of an intimidating process. For most of us, this only happens every few years and it's a significant investment so we want to do it right. It's time for me to shop for a new bike, as I've been riding the same Specialized Tarmac Comp since 2007. It's gone through different modifications, but I'm at the point in my performance where a real Tri bike is what I need for my triathlon racing.

Here's my process....
1) Identify my budget.
2) Get a "pre-purchase" fit so that I know what brands/sizes will be my best options. As much as I'd like to buy for looks, it's really the fit that matters.
3) Identify the models that fit in my price range. I am going to sacrifice some "upper end" components so that I can get a good set of wheels (still yet tbd) with a PowerTap. I'm going to put together a spreadsheet of bikes/components and then talk to the bike shops that sell them.
4) Test out as many of the models that I can.
5) Buy the bike that works the best!

I've done steps 1 and 2, and am in the middle of #3.

Last night I met with Branden Rakita, a local XTERRA pro who works at ProCycling here in Colorado Springs. They have a Serotta fit cycle, which is basically a contraption with a seat post and post for handle bars (or aero bars) that can get moved in all sorts of directions. The pedals are attached to a crank which is then hooked up to a computrainer so that power output and pedal efficiency can get monitored. Fancy!

the fit cycle, not really that blurry in real life.

Branden hard at work crunching numbers

After answering a bunch of questions about my athletic history, any issues I've had while riding, how much I train, and so forth, Branden took a bunch of measurements. He checked my flexibility and even measured my feet. Then I hopped on the cycle and pedaled. He made some changes. I pedaled and things moved some more. He measured some angles and distances and entered them into the software.

The cool thing was that the computrainer software has a module called the spinscan, which shows you your pedaling efficiency graphically. I was pretty smooth in the pedal stroke with power distribution, but I learned that my left leg provides 52% of my power, and my right leg only 48%. Interesting, but I'm not surprised, as my left leg is my stronger leg. (Extra motivation to keep up with the strength training to balance out a bit more!)

We then spent a little time looking at bike geometry tables where he picked out a few that would work for me. He'll email me the full results and I'll be able to keep working on item #3 in my process.

Steve gave a great clinic!

Today I actually was at a Bike Fitting Basics clinic run by Steve Vaughan at Bicycle Village after a Team In Training spin class with my team. He did a quick basic demo fit with me on the Trek in the photo above (per my request...heeheehee). It's one I'm considering...

Stay tuned for more updates as I dial in my bike selection!

Winter Series Race #3 - Race Report and Recipe!

2011-02-12T17:08:00.001-07:00

High five from Tim Bergsten of http://PikesPeakSports.us

Today was the Winter Series Race #3, also known as the wind tunnel. Or for me, a 10 mile aerobic run in the snow. Fortunately for me, the starting line was less than 2 miles from my house on a section of trail with which I am very familiar. It was a five-mile out and back course, which meant 5 miles uphill into the wind and snow, and five miles downhill with a bit of a tailwind but still in the snow. There was about a mile or so (each way) of cleared trail like the photo above. Otherwise it was running on several inches of packed snow in a narrow track. That took a toll on the legs keeping footing and balance!

Here's my HR and GPS data.

Shannon showed up to my house around 9:30 and we carpooled over to the trail head for the 10:15 start. I still had to register, but the Pikes Peak Road Runner volunteers are very efficient! The temps were around 40 degrees, and although the forecast was for sunny, the sky was a bit overcast. The wind was out of the northwest at about 10mph. Not too bad for this section of trail! The short course folks went off at 10:00, and us long course 10-miler crazies left on time at 10:15. North we went with several hundred running buddies. Shannon and I kept a 11:00ish minute pace on the uphill - very comfortable (sort of). Maintaining traction in the snowy track and the gradual uphill into the wind always makes it feel more challenging. I was glad to reach the turn around and head downhill.

I picked up the pace for the last mile as my legs felt pretty good, and I caught a lady that passed us around the 7.5 mile marker. Always fun to do! We didn't stay long after the race as I was hosting an informal potluck lunch.

Here's where the recipe comes in....I whipped up this delish Sweet Potato Egg casserole to share. Here's the recipe - hope you enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------

8 eggs

1 pint egg whites

1/2 c. plain soy milk

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, diced (I used my garlic press)

1T of butter (but you can use your oil of choice)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated (yay for my cuisinart)

4 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces

1 red pepper, diced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Saute onion and garlic in the butter until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes or so. Set aside to cool.

Beat eggs, egg whites, and soy milk

Add in grated sweet potato, cooled onion/garlic, red pepper, and bacon and stir until combined.

Pour into greased 13x9" glass pan.

Bake for about 45-60 minutes (I didn't keep track of the exact time - just kept checking until the center was set and cooked through.)

Cut into pieces and top with salsa or cheese (or both!)

-------------------------------------------------

Winter Series #4 is in two weeks... a hilly 20k.

Los Angeles!

2011-02-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

I arrived in LA around 8:30pm on Sunday the 30th and found my grandparents waiting for me at the baggage claim area. We made it back to the their house and enjoyed some cake. Who can turn down cake and coffee from their grandparents?

Oma's cranberry cake.

I didn't last too long before I needed to go to bed. My grandparents have been in the same house for a long time (since the 50s) and it was nice to be in a familiar place, even though the visit was short.

After breakfast on Monday, Oma and I headed over Coldwater Canyon to the Valley. We went to the mall and hit up a Coldwater Creek store, where she was nice enough to buy me a few things.

Beverly Drive and Coldwater Canyon

Palm trees at the mall.

Coldwater Canyon

Still on Coldwater...

Back at the house, I had a quick snack, crammed the new clothes into my suitcase. Not much room, but somehow I made it work! We then headed over to Santa Monica where I got to get my toes in the sand and the ocean. I soaked up as much sun as I could, as I would be returning to temperatures in the single digits in Colorado and snow! I really didn't want to leave the southern California sun! I had to leave paradise and I got on the plane back to Denver, where temps were heading below 0F.

G-pa

we were heading the wrong way. ;-)

Didn't see the Fresh Prince (Bel-Air)

Almost to the beach in Santa Monica

Waiting for the light to change...almost to the water

parking lots are for the birds!

Oma

sand and mountains

It was nice to see the ocean again!

and get my feet in the water

and in the sand!

Late lunch here before my flight.

And I get dropped off at LAX for my flight back to Colorado.

A TNT Weekend with Dave Scott

2011-02-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

TNT Tier 2 Coach Certification Day 1

I actually got a decent night's rest and got up at 6am for the start of a long day! The TNT crew gets started early and gets going. Lots of classroom time today. Dave Scott is the head coach for the TNT triathlon program and teaches this clinic. We get started with introductions and dive into the curriculum. We blaze through topics such as program structure, exercise physiology, marker sets, swim technique fundamentals, and bike fit. Excellent presentation (and very engaging) by Rand Libberton from Aria Velo in Santa Rosa.

You can tell that Dave enjoys teaching. He's got a natural charisma and delivery that keeps things interesting. He's well versed in exercise physiology and has a great grasp of how the body functions, both biomechanically and in regards to energy systems.

We finish the day with a group dinner at a store called Sports Basement. They provided some sandwiches and beverages and 20% off coupons. Everyone went went to town with the shopping!

Too bad one of these wouldn't fit in my suitcase!

Dave chatting with Justin and Josh

I was pretty hungry going into dinner, and didn't want to eat a lot of sandwiches, so I was a bit hungry when we got back to the hotel. Another coach, Regan, and I went to the hotel restaurant and got a couple appetizers to top off the evening. (Chicken Lettuce Wraps is what I had for those who are interested.) Then I chatted briefly with the TNT staff to ask about potential information for an article I am writing and then went to bed.

TNT Day 2

Another really long day!

Today we jumped into the practical right away with the swim. Since I wanted feedback on my swim stroke, I hopped in the pool with half the coaches. It was warmer in the water than on the deck, but if we stopped for very long we got a bit chilled. We were out there for over an hour going over drills, watching our fellow coach technique and learning ways to make corrections. We had more classroom instruction in mid-morning. After lunch we headed over to a local park for some running drills. We paired up and evaluated each other. The weather was cool and drizzly for this part so we didn't overheat!

Head up, Dave! And is that a "hot armpit??" :D

Drills on the ball field (to avoid the goose poop on the grass)

Back at the hotel there were two treadmills waiting in a room for us. I was asked to get on the hamster wheel for everyone to watch (along with a few others). I'll say it is a little intimidating to get on a treadmill with 20 coaches and Dave Scott watching your running and filling out a checklist. At least the flaws they pointed out were nothing that I didn't already know or at least made sense. Funny how tightness in different parts of the body really does affect technique. I knew this, but the weekend really highlighted how my tight hip flexors and chest/back affects both my running and swimming. A very practical and insightful day today.

coaches evaluating other coaches

another coach on the hamster wheel...

We did a question and answer session and then were done for the day at around 6:30. I had enough to take a quick shower before meeting Ron and his son, Nick, for dinner. They picked me up from the hotel and we hit up a sushi place, but the wait was going to be close to 2 hours. So we went next door to Silk Road, a mediterranean place. Great to chat and catch up with them!

I went to bed as soon as I could after getting back to the hotel, as we were starting tomorrow once again before 7am!

TNT Day 3

We're all pretty exhausted at this point, Dave included. But we got cracking right after breakfast. If anything, Dave definitely is one to start on time and to not waste time! After breakfast (a light one for me, as I was going to get in the water), we headed back to the pool. Good thing it was a rainy morning! Or not. About a third of the coaches got in the water for the first 40 minutes, where the rest of the coaches evaluated their technique from a checklist and worked on specific drills that Dave wanted us to use. Then the other group who wanted to swim got in the pool. I was in this group, a smaller group in the pool, so I had about 5 coaches watching me. Talk about being in a fishbowl! It was actually quite useful and insightful, and they did a good job of not overloading me with instructions.

After this wet session, we went back inside and discussed race nutrition. Then we had lunch (quite healthy I might add!) we had another brief session before heading to the studio for some strength training work. Let's just say we all have weak glutes, except for Dave. I think he enjoyed having us all collapse with fatigued muscles while he could do more reps. As painful as it was, it was a fantastic session to review exercises that we can use to help strengthen up our teams. After this we had some question/answer time and then got our completion certificates. Well earned, I might say!

We are about to enter a world of gluteal hurt.

Dave grins, we grimmace after that session!

DONE!

I changed into my traveling clothes and found out that Josh, who I had been sitting next to all weekend, had a flight out of SFO at about the same time as mine and was planning on taking BART to the airport so we rode the train there together. To tide us over, we both got $9 smoothies at the hotel smoothie bar before we left. They were good! It was nice to have a traveling partner in an unfamiliar place.

At the airport, I got on a plane to LA to visit my grandparents...

San Francisco!

2011-02-04T20:29:00.002-07:00

I flew out to San Francisco on Jan 27th for a weekend Team In Training Tier 2 Coach certification clinic (in Walnut Creek). The program didn't start until early Friday, but I decided to take an early flight to SFO so that my uncle, who lives in the wine country north of the city, could show me some of the sights.

It was an uneventful drive to the Denver airport, and except for the overhead bins filling up as I was half-way to my seat and I had to go back to the jetway (through all those people) and gate check my bag, the flight went well. We actually arrived about 30 minutes early, and because I gate checked the bag, it was one of the first on the carousel.

My uncle Mark, aka Mr. Mark.

My uncle picked me up and the first thing we did was navigate to a gourmet donut shop. A few years back he had tried to open up a similar shop where he lives, but the market was just too small to be successful. This shop seemed to be doing well. Dynamo Donuts. The treat of the day was the maple apple bacon donut. Yes. Bacon on the donut! I know this isn't metabolically efficient, but days like today, special circumstances, make it important to enjoy food opportunities.

Yes, those are bacon bits on the donut on the left!

After the donut shop, we hit up some of the museums. First up was the SFMoMA where we took in the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit, which was phenomenal photographic jounalism and some of the first work with 35mm cameras. We were in there for quite a while and both were getting hungry, so refueling was critical before hitting the next museum so we had lunch in the cafe. We actually both went with the BBQ shortrib sandwich. Another good choice!

After lunch we headed down the street to the Cartoon Art Museum. The main exhibit was comic strips from jewish women. These weren't your "light" comics. This museum also had some cool original drawings of the Warner Bros cartoons - Bugs, Sylvester, Tweetie Bird, tons! When we had enough of this one, we went to visit a friend of his at an art gallery.

Jack Fischer was putting together an exhibit from two artists, Richard Bassett and Chris Crites. It was an interesting take on violence. (Note: interesting is a word used to describe art when you don't know how to describe it.) One artist made these needlepoint crafted pillows of the Kennedy assasination and other pillows with surveillence camera images from gun-based robberies. The other had bright colored portraits of what appeared to be famous bank robbers. These were painted on a canvas made from brown paper bag (large yard waste bags).

After visiting with Jack for a few minutes, we took a quick walk through a photography exhibit - portraits of pretty unique characters found in major California cities. Then it was time for me to head to Walnut Creek so I got dropped off at Mission & 2nd and hoofed it a couple blocks to Market St where I could get a ride on BART to the hotel.

I don't use public transportation much, but I was able to successfully get on the right train (I didn't even have to wait but a couple minutes) and get to the right station, and then find the hotel a couple blocks from the station!

Perfect hotel for a 3-day coach training session!

Once I checked in - this is a sweet place- Renaissance Sport Club - I was able to relax some, get a metabolically efficient dinner (mixed greens with tuna salad and an apple), and hit the hay pretty early, as it was going to be a long weekend!

Winter Series #2 - Race Report

2011-01-23T16:52:00.001-07:00

Athletes getting ready to start!

GPS and HR data
Full race coverage (photos, video, results) from PikesPeakSports.us

Saturday, Jan 22 was the Winter Series Race #2. I'm running in the long series, so this race was 8 miles in distance. With a start time of 10:15am, it gave me enough time to wake up, eat a nice, metabolically efficient breakfast, and head down to the south end of town. Skies were blue, the sun was shining and the wind was a-blowin'! Love the north-west wind!
I wanted to get a 10-miler in today so the easiest way to do that was to do an easy 1 mile warm-up and a 1-mile cool down after the race. Hundreds of people of all abilities show up for the series, which is a great thing to see.
Right before the start, Shannon finds me and we agree we are taking it easy (gotta stay as close to my metabolically efficient zones as I can!) The first 4 miles are gradually uphill, but into that brutal head wind. We try to find someone tall to stay behind! We cruise along, thanking all the Search & Rescue volunteers along the way.

Shannon and I matching strides

Every two miles was a water stop, and every two miles we stopped to drink! It is a little odd not racing, but wow, so much more comfortable! At the turn-around it was smooth sailing since now we had the slight downhill and a tailwind!

no, i'm not running by a crime scene!

With a mile to go I decided to pick it up because, well, my legs were feeling good and a little speed work never hurts! (sort of)

hot chocolate and donuts after the race. i skipped these~

I skipped the hot chocolate and donuts after the race because I had a nice Generation UCAN pomegranate-blueberry smoothie made with some added protein and some frozen blueberries and strawberries. Yum! After the race I headed over to the nearby CS Rec Center to change out of my sweaty clothes. Then it's time to get the car washed:

Now I've got a happy clean car!

And then to Bicycle Village for an Off-Season Tri Clinic held by Steve Vaughan.

I couldn't stop looking at that new TREK!

After the clinic, I stopped by Starbucks for pre-swim snack. I had a fruit/nut bar, a banana, and a tall soy latte. That fueled me up for my 3000yd swim. Quite the day!

Winter Driving in Steamboat Springs

2011-01-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend my husband and I got the chance to attend a special weekend in Steamboat Springs with Porsche Cars of North America. They were hosting a winter driving event at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. There were about 35 of us on the trip from all over the state of Colorado.

Our journey started after lunch on Friday at Porsche of Colorado Springs, where a Ramblin Express tour bus was waiting to take us to Steamboat Springs. We stopped at Stevenson's Imports in Littleton to pick up a few more passengers.

Tim's ready to roll!

There were a total of nine of us on the huge bus!

We arrived in Steamboat at 6pm, and got settled in at the Sheraton resort. Tim and I grabbed some food at one of the hotel restaurants and then headed to the Porsche welcome reception.

Saddles bar at the Sheraton resort.

Nice and warm inside!

a few of the trouble makers on the trip

The hotel is right on the slopes. This was actually my first trip to a ski resort in the winter. I don't ski...

view from the hotel to the slopes

Saturday was the big event day. In the morning after breakfast I went for a run on the treadmill in the fitness center. I would have liked to have run outside, but finding an appropriate trail and no ice seemed like it might be more trouble than what it was worth. The fitness center was small but nice - check out the foam rollers!

stretching area in the fitness center at the Sheraton

After my run I got cleaned up and headed to the complimentary spa treatment all the women were getting. I opted for a massage, and got a fabulous one! Next up was lunch and our "briefing" before the ladies headed to the track. The men had a morning track session, and the ladies the afternoon.

Heather and Cass tell us what to expect.

We get to the track a little after 1:30 and spend the next three hours in the cars learning the tricks of winter driving in some high performance cars.

The fleet of Cayennes and Panameras

we didn't get to drive this one, but we did get a ride in it!

The group split in half - three cars with three people each went to one track, and three cars with another three people each went to the other track. The instructors were on radios and gave us instructions and tips as we drove. Every few laps we swapped drivers. My group (Ellen and Kathrin) started in a Cayenne hybrid. Very nice. According to the men, it didn't drive very well, but what would I know - it was my first time driving a Porsche an drives much better than my Mitsubishi Montero Sport!

We tested out the ABS and learned how to take corners with appropriate braking and accelerating. "Separation of controls" was the phrase of the day. It was tons of fun! After about 90 minutes on that track we went to the other track, although it wasn't as exciting. The curves were much more mellow.

The console of a Panamera 4S.

The Panamera 4S I drove

Once the groups had sufficient drive time, it was time for the "hot laps" with the instructors. Here are a few videos that'll show you what went on:

After all the driving was done, we were pretty exhausted! The men were snowmobiling around the Rabbit Ears Pass area so we were all wiped out. Tim and I grabbed a quick drink at the bar before dinner. I suppose this was the closest I got to the slopes with a Double Black Diamond Chocolate Martini! We then had a very nice dinner with the Porsche of Colorado Springs representatives and the other COS guests at Sevens, after which we called it a night.

Sunday morning Tim and I got up, hit the gym for a quick workout, had breakfast with the group and got back on the bus (a smaller bus this time) to Colorado Springs. Now back to the normal grind...

Winter Series #1 - Race Report

2011-01-08T21:12:00.001-07:00

Colorado Springs has a huge running community. One of the major groups is the Pikes Peak Road Runners, and they help coordinate a winter series. You might recall I ran the Fall Series at the end of last year. While the Fall Series is a cross-country series, the Winter Series is made up of a variety of terrains. This series also has a long and short option. The long series is for me this year, and today's race was 7 miles of trails at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. It has a reputation of being a tough race - they call it Hell's Hills.

Let's set the stage for the race. Cheyenne Mountain State Park is a relatively new park on the southwest part of Colorado Springs. It sits directly under Cheyenne Mountain (ever watch War Games?) and across from Fort Carson. Weather is unpredictable during winter in Colorado, but we were extremely fortunate to get sunny skies and no wind. It'd been a while since the last snow storm, but there were sections of some ice and snow on the trail.

I woke up at 7am with my alarm, knowing I needed to get up soon. After a quick shower and my standard metabolically efficient breakfast of yogurt, whey protein, fruit and peanut butter, I got ready to head down south. About 30 minutes later I was in the parking lot of the Safeway, where I was meeting a friend and client, Shannon. There is limited parking at the park, so it was highly recommended that we carpool. Shannon "picked up" a couple guys who asked for a ride. I had plenty of room in my car so Branden and Jared came with us.

Kelly and Jessica EXCITED!

We parked down the hill near the finish line, then walked not quite half a mile up the hill to the visitor center for registration. I ran into a few people I know - like Kelly Ping, the RD at the UCCS Peak Nutrition Clinic, and also my "rabbit" during the Fall Series. But there would be no chasing her today. I knew my heart rate zones based on yesterday's metabolic efficiency test, so I wasn't going hard today. The course is hard enough to keep the heart rate reasonable. So this was my first road race that I actually didn't try to race. And I succeeded, with the help of Shannon.

At 10:00 the short series racers started, and the long series started at 10:20. I positioned myself with Shannon towards the back. I had my yaktraxx on, as the race had recommended it due to potential snow and ice on trails. It was a little awkward at first as we ran back down the hill along the road before hitting trail, but I'm glad I had them on. As we hit the trail, which was near the finish line, the first short course racers were finishing.

can you ask for a more gorgeous day?

Once on the trail, we really went up for about 3.5 miles, and then came back down. My garmin shows 840 feet of elevation gain, although the race directors were claiming closer to 1100(?). The sun was out, there was no wind, and the scenery was amazing. We wound up the hills along the side of Cheyenne Mountain. I kept close eye on my heart rate so I wouldn't let it get too high. I walked some of the steep stuff. I didn't care if people passed me. Shannon and I stuck together for most of the race. I might have pulled a little ahead, but only by a few seconds. We stopped at the two aid stations (really the same place) at miles 2 and 5 to grab a cup of water. I actually stopped to drink it today. The trip back down the mountain was quite a cruise. I was in a comfortable heart rate zone and had fun bounding down the hill.

a few stairs to the finish line

Total time: 1:17:16, (avg pace 11:08min/mile)
Place: 10/18 age group
GPS and HR Data
Here's a link to full event coverage on Pikes Peak Sports.

Shannon and I met up with Branden at the finish line and walked back up to the visitor center to get my stuff. That was a nice cool down, especially since I got a glute cramp at the finish line! Once back down to the finish line we found Jared and headed back to Safeway and all went on our way. A nice (even though "slow") start to my 2011 race season!

Metabolic Efficiency - The Test!

2011-01-07T23:01:00.001-07:00

Today I headed up to Littleton to meet Bob Seebohar for a metabolic efficiency test. I've been eating "metabolically efficient" since the start of my study on December 1st, why not get tested and see the real numbers? Here's how the day unfolded. In order to do the test, I needed to be in a 12 hour fasted state (only consume water). So after dinner last night (arond 7pm) I didn't eat anything until after this test. Of course I woke up hungry around 6:20 am. I got ready and left the house around 7:45, allowing myself plenty of time to find Club Form Fitness and deal with any traffic. Fortunately the traffic flowed at the speed limit, so I arrived plenty early. Dina and Bob were getting the metabolic cart set up.

The treadmill and the cart (and Dina)

Bob explained the protocol to me, I changed into running gear and then got hooked up to the cart.

Let's rock-n-roll!

getting the tube just right

So what's it like to be attached to a metabolic cart? First, you breathe only through your mouth. Your nose is clipped shut so that all the air you take in and breathe out is through the mouthpiece. Like snorkeling. But no pretty fishes. A little strange at first, and try swallowing with your nose plugged and a mouthpiece like this. Your ears feel it!

the "snorkel"

Once comfortable breathing, I started with a walk, then a jog. As soon as Bob was satisfied with my warm up, the test started. We increased the pace by 0.3mph every 5 minutes. I was a little surprised that my heart rate popped up quickly and stayed high at what I would consider slow paces. There could be several reasons for this, one being that from July 12 through the end of Septemeber, I didn't run at all, and I didn't run much in December as well. My heart rate at the beginning of the test, before I started walking, was in the low-mid 60s so it wasn't overall elevated. We'll see how it changes with my training.

In mid-test.

Bob and Dina collected the data, and Dina took a few pictures as well. Running on a treadmill can be boring, but with activity around and knowing you have to go faster in 5 minutes made the time go by fairly quickly. There was also TV on the treadmill, I think on TBS. Commercials around 9:30-10am revolve around food. Like all you can eat pancakes at IHOP. Not exactly what I want to see when 1) I'm hungry since I haven't eaten yet and have been on a treadmill for almost an hour and 2) I've cut grains out of my diet...

Overall the testing went pretty smoothly. As I went past the MEP, my perceived exertion went up, and although it is a little odd breathing through the mouthpiece at high intensities. And the nose clips do get uncomfortable after about 30-40 minutes, exactly as I was told they would ahead of time.

Bob taking data...

One thing to note, and I was warned about this, is that with a mouthpiece in, you tend to drool. Fortunately a 'drool towel' was provided so I could wipe up as needed. When the test was over, after I reached my metabolic efficiency point, the contraption comes off.

Bucket to collect an hour's worth of drool...

all done!

And then I was done! And ready to eat!

In that bag is the food I was waiting for all morning!

After the test we went over the preliminary results. Bob sent me the detailed report and I've summarized it on my coaching blog. But all the work I've been doing paying attention to my diet seems to be working! And so for dinner tonight, I "celebrated" with a metabolically efficient meal.

chicken seasoned with turmeric, with tomato, kidney beans, cauliflower, mushrooms in a yogurt sauce over a bed of spinach

There you have it! My metabolic efficiency journey is off to a very successful start!

Snowmobiling!

2010-12-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

I had Friday off from work so my husband and I went snowmobiling. We haven't been in a couple years, but thanks to my dad who helped us get our two sleds back in riding condition, we headed to the mountains for some powder!

We left the house at 6:15am and the first stop was Sonic in Old Colorado City so Tim could get some breakfast burrito goodness. I had one of my metabolically efficient smoothies (though I will admit to snagging two tater tots).

Sonic good!

We headed up the pass. My cell phone camera doesn't do this justice, nor does it compare to the Pikes Peak Guy's photos, but Pikes Peak looked phenomenal with the way it was highlighted by the sunrise.

Pikes Peak heading west on HWY 24

The second stop was at my parents' house in Divide to get the snowmobiles! It was chilly - about 10 degrees F.

The sleds were waiting for some action!

The sun finally came up and we had some great views. Those are snow-capped mountains in the background.

I think this was just over Wilkerson Pass.

We made it to Buena Vista and got gasoline for the sleds.

Some of the collegiate peaks in the background

We head west from Buena Vista up the hill towards Cottonwood Pass. We stop in the Avalanche parking lot (but hope for no avalanches today!)

Ski pants and some good boots are a must!

I'm bundled up and we're just about ready to go!

Smile!

Tim's ready to go!

One of the amazing views over Cottonwood Pass.

The trail was nice and groomed and we headed over Cottonwood Pass, 12,126 feet. I've never been on this road in the summer.

the air is thin at 12,126ft!

That's me blocking the sign.

Once over the pass you have to go down the "chutes." It's pretty steep, but as it was nicely groomed I enjoyed the descent.

The 'chutes' just over the pass.

We keep riding the trails and actually pass the groomer. But because the area had some recent snow, the riding was superb. We make it to Taylor Reservoir and stop at the general store for a quick pit stop. It was about 8 degrees down there. Makes you appreciate indoor plumbing when it is available!

Parked at Taylor Reservoir

Our lunch buffet

After leaving the Res, we turned around to head back and stopped on a wide section of trail for our lunch buffet. For those following me the last few weeks - this was not metabolically efficenct, but good! Turkey and cheese sandwich, some cheetos, and some pretzel M&Ms. Good snowmobiling food! Next time I'll plan ahead a little and bring some better food, not what we get at 7-11. But I did have some trail mix, so give me a few points for that.

Perfect day to be on the sleds!

Tim wanted to play in the powder and ended up getting stuck. My sled should really stay on the trails, but he wasn't able to dig himself out so I tried to follow the tracks. This section was a little too steep for my sled...stuck in the powder about 10 feet from the top of the little hill where Tim was.

Great views even when you're stuck!

And of course just when I got there to help, a trio with real powder sleds showed up and helped get us unstuck.

Add caption

Here are a few more shots from the day:

amazing views!

Nicely groomed trails today!

We made it back down to the truck, loaded up the sleds on the trailed, dropped them back off in Divide and got home in time for Christmas Eve dinner with Tim's family. And I made some cookies:

Like I mentioned in a metabolic efficiency post, if you are going to deviate - at least eat something really good, like fresh baked chocolate chip cookies!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 21 - Three Weeks

2010-12-21T21:46:00.001-07:00

WOW. Really hard to believe I've been taking pictures of my food every day for the last three weeks! Today was the last official day of my Metabolic Efficiency Study. I'll post a more detailed summary of the experience tomorrow night (12/22).
Before I get to the food for today, some closing remarks:

I have noticed a change in how my jeans fit (and my belt). There are some slight changes in the mirror as well, which appear to be confirmed in the skin fold test from tonight (will detail all that tomorrow).
I enjoy what I'm eating and eat when I'm hungry.
Although my workouts are not intense or too long (yet!), I have energy for them.
I did not find this hard to do. Shop the produce, dairy, and meat section, and you've pretty much got all your food. Maybe hit up the frozen section for frozen fruit and some vegetables, and add some nuts and you're good to go. When I cooked, the meals were quick and easy.

I'm going to keep on this protocol, and when my training starts to add more intensity, then I'll add the whole grains back in per Bob's Periodization Plates. I'm finding it interesting to monitor the macronutrient content in foods through TrainingPeaks, so I will continue to do that. And TrainingPeaks is the platform my coach and I use for workouts, so all the exercise data will be there anyway. I'm going to be a bit "detail-oriented" (there might be another term for that) this year gathering data on how my body responds to food and ironman training - really out of curiosity and to learn things that I might be able to apply to the athletes I coach. I do have a Master's degree in Chemistry...so data collection and analysis is something I do enjoy.

OK, now on to the food. I finally remembered to take a picture of the smoothie I made today! Not shown is the whey protein and the cocoa. I actually skipped the banana and peanut butter (used milled flax seed and 1T of almond butter). Still yummy, though I guess I like the banana and peanut butter flavor a little better.

Can't go wrong with fruit, yogurt, whey protein, cocoa, and some nut butter!

makes quite a bit - made a little too much and needed a 2nd cup.

I "saved" the banana and peanut butter for my pre-swim/mid-morning snack. That's a cup of Pike Place roast. ...I added a small amount of half and half to mellow it a bit.

My workout for today was a 45 minute swim where I got in 1800yds. I don't want to swim too much too fast while I'm "re-training" my shoulder and back muscles. More PT tomorrow! After the workout I had a fruit salad with cottage cheese (just like yesterday).

Later in the afternoon it was time to eat again so I had this egg & veggie mixture I scrambled up the night before. Sauted onion and green pepper, then added radishes (the pink things) and kale and black beans. Scrambled in eggs and egg whites, then topped it with some shredded cheese.

eggs with veggies and cheese is just plain gooooood.

After work I headed to the UCCS Peak Nutrition Clinic where Kelly Ping, RD, did another ISAK skin fold test. The results were good, I'll share them tomorrow in my final wrap-up. She also did a DXA scan. It'll be interesting to compare these results to those I got 10 months ago when I participated in a female athlete study. It's not really a part of this, but it's interesting so I'll share in another post. When I got home I munched on some survival mix (not shown) and a few veggies while my salmon was in the oven.

I ate about half of this.

LOVE baked salmon! It's under there, I promise!

baked salmon topped with corn, tomatoes, green chilies, and avocado

So I told you my in-laws are visiting. I go into the pantry to get the can of diced tomatoes and I find this. No worries, I won't eat it. Not that I really bought these or ate many packaged cookies before, but I'm really less likely to eat this now. I suppose since eating mostly unprocessed foods, I really would like to have quality everything. If I'm going to eat cookies I want GOOD cookies. :)

hrrmmmm.

Oh, and this book came in the mail today. NICE!

Getting ready for Ironman in several different ways!

I hope you enjoyed the beginning of my metabolic efficiency journey, and the start of my Ironman journey. I'll report back tomorrow with my official weigh in and the summary post will be on my NEO Endurance Sports & Fitness blog. But now that the study is "over" these blog posts will not go away. I will keep posting my training and nutrition progress. I plan to do the Metabolic efficiency testing with Bob some time in early 2011 (fingers crossed it's a christmas present from my husband), so you can be sure of an update on that!

Thanks for following and I hope to see you back here often!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 20 - Leftovers

2010-12-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Two more days left in my metabolic efficiency study. Wow. Today and tomorrow and that's it. Well, as I mentioned earlier, it's not really it. It's the end of the formal study, so I won't be blogging quite every day with pictures of my food, but I like how I feel and what I'm doing so I will continue on this way and provide periodic updates. If you are interested in learning more about Metabolic Efficiency, check out Bob Seebohar's book, Metabolic Efficiency Training. He's also got a Metabolic Efficiency facebook community page. Check it out and join in on the fun!

Let's get to today....
7:00am-ish is breakfast time - I made a slight change to my yogurt/protein/cocoa/peanut butter mix and had mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries) with the banana. I buy frozen packages of fruit so it makes having a variety quite easy.

I went in for another PT session before work. We're adding more rotator cuff strengthening these days. I still haven't graduated from the 1lb weights, but I'm doing a few more reps and my form is good!

By 10:30 I'm hungry again, this time I eat the fruit salad with cottage cheese and cinnamon. That's pineapple, cantaloupe, green grapes and pomegranate in there, I promise! At least 2 cups of chopped fruit with about 1 cup of cottage cheese.

yum. just yum.

At noon I headed off to the gym for a run. 4.32 miles on the treadmill - max pace 5.8mph at 0.5% incline. The weather was warm, but the wind gusts were 50+mph all morning so I opted to stay indoors. Plus the gym has a foam roller so I'm more likely to stretch longer if I run on the treadmill. When I get back to work I am hungry so I eat both my salmon & black bean salad. I used the salmon leftover from Friday's lunch. Underneath is spinach, broccoli, and green pepper. The stuff on top is swiss chard and red onion. Used a wishbone red wine vinaigrette dressing.

Leftover salmon from Friday's lunch.

I'm still a little hungry so I eat the pear and walnut salad I brought.

Leftover pear and some walnuts

I'm a little hungry before I drive home so I have a small snack of a clementine and a few almonds. Not much, but enough to tide me over during the drive home. Before I eat dinner, I got some new music in the mail, along with a couple guitar picks (I actually do have an electric guitar...and drums, and a bass guitar, and a keyboard...anyone want to jam?), and a new shirt. Either it's a late Hanukkah or early Christmas present. Either way I'm happy.

a present I bought myself arrived today. :)

Hungry for dinner now, I reheat the leftover chicken veggie stir fry from Saturday and add some corn & blackbean salsa on the side.

Day 20 of this 21 day study is about over! I'll see you tomorrow and a final study summary will be posted on Wednesday (12/22) evening.

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 19 - Fruit of the Vine

2010-12-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

Today had a deviation meal in it. Ohhh but it was fun.
I had my standard fare for breakfast, but for lunch we went to D'Vine Wine in Manitou Springs, as earlier this year Tim and I got a 12-person wine tasting at a silent auction. We thought it'd be a nice family gathering with his parents in town, my folks and my brother and sister-in-law. And it was a great day!

the family tasting the first white wine

I had a few oyster crackers before we ordered appetizers

Round 1: bagel and pita chips, and some spinach artichoke dip

Round 2: some grapes, pepperocini, red pepper hummus, cheese, meat and crackers

Some almonds (and another pepperocini and some more hummus)

On to the reds

A little sleepy after tasting 7 wines.

the list - we had 3 whites, 3 reds and a warmed spice pinot noir

This was the extent of my exercise today (except the bicep curls lifting wine glasses)

Needless to say, after a lunch like that I was pretty tired in the afternoon! My husband and I wrapped some presents and then went to the grocery store. By then it was time for dinner and I was back on track. Baked BBQ chicken (I tried my best to take the skin off) with a big salad.

I used a red wine vinaigrette, not the ranch in the background.

I also threw in some green beans...

After dinner I made a HUGE fruit salad for the week (nibbled on some of the cantaloupe and pineapple) and got some meals around for tomorrow, as back to work I go!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 18 - Out Again

2010-12-18T21:03:00.001-07:00

With the arrival of my in-laws, I think the holidays have really begun. I "warned" them about my eating - I basically told them I am going to be particular about what I eat so I may not eat everything they cook or skip a dinner out. Hmmm...this seems like a good way to avoid my mother in-laws cooking. Actually, what it does mean, however, is that my house is going to get a lot cleaner. Yep, have company AND get a clean house. Can't beat that. But seriously here, they are great folks and I'm glad to have them visit for the holidays. And who knows, I might just throw a metabolically efficient meal their way.

On that note, I am definitely noticing that my jeans fit a little better and my ab muscles might be slightly (and I really do mean slightly) more visible. Even though there are only three more days of my study after today, I'm going to continue on this plan. I want to keep the momentum, I'm on a roll! (but not a bread roll!) I think it also works for me to have two allowed "deviation" meals each week, especially now that I have company for the next, oh, ten days or so. The sister in-law and nieces are supposed to arrive on Wednesday.

Now on to the meals. Today wasn't as ideal with meal timing. It started off OK but I wasn't quite as prepared in the afternoon as I should have been.

Breakfast was my standard yummy yogurt-whey-fruit-peanut butter bowl. It's like loaded oatmeal without the oatmeal. (See most any other day for a photo.) I really look forward to having this in the mornings.

That meal held me over about four hours today while I worked on my eBook (Coming Soon: The Triathlete's Guide to Race Week). My dog napped while I edited.

Juno loves a good nap.

Lunch was a warm cinnamon pear, raisin, and walnut salad with a side of scrambled egg whites seasoned with turmeric.

warmed pear, raisin, walnut salad with cinnamon and scrambled egg whites with turmeric

A couple hours after lunch I headed down to the Colorado Springs Rec Center, where they were hosting an ironman viewing party. Workout and watch the Ironman World Championships with other athletes, followed by a panel discussion with a few local Ironman athletes. I think that's a great way to spend the afternoon. I started to get a little hungry on the way down so I ate a couple clementines.

My workout:
20 minutes of leg strength exercises (a variety of body weight squats and lunges), followed by 45 minutes on a treadmill - walk for 10 then ease into a run. Max pace was a little faster than Thursday, 5.8mph! Keeping it EASY! Legs felt good though! Afterwards I was a little hungry so I ate two of the things on the right - PowerBar Oatmeal Raisin Energy Bites, before doing a light15 minute "cool down" swim.

you can usually skip sports nutrition products when trying to become more metabolically efficient.

Here's where I kind of missed the boat. They had food set out during the panel discussion, and although the fudge and cake looked tempting, I opted out. The spread just wasn't in my metabolic efficiency plan and I didn't have a snack for myself. The panel discussion was great (I asked them what their favorite post IM "recovery/celebratory" meal was, and they all seemed to contain fried onions or onion rings. Hmmm. But when I was ready to leave at around 5:45, I was pretty hungry. The plan was to now join my husband and his parents Fusion World Cuisine. I headed straight there.
I had a very similar meal to Day 9, with hot and sour soup and lettuce wraps, but instead of the black bean chicken I got the chicken stir fry.

Fusion World Cuisine does have great food!

I ate about half the plate. But I was definitely a lot hungrier going into this meal that I usually am. I made sure to eat slowly (and the hot soup helped) so that I wouldn't just wolf everything down. The lettuce wraps were brought out before the soup, and they were consumed pretty quickly.

Tomorrow has a "deviation" meal built in. We are doing a wine tasting at noon in Manitou Springs with the family. I'm looking forward to it and I'll let you know all about it tomorrow!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 17 - Keep on Smiling!

2010-12-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

This is the final Friday of my metabolic efficiency study! One more official weekend and a couple days next week and I'll wrap up the study.

Today started with a smoothie that I drank on the way to my physical therapy appointment. Bananas, strawberries and blueberries and pineapple! It actually made more than my standard cup full so I put the rest in another cup for a possible afternoon snack. I still need to get a photo of one of these smoothies for this blog!

My group at work went out for a celebratory lunch at Flatiron's Grill. I knew we were headed there so I looked at the menu online. If I am eating out and know where I am going, I always try to pick something out ahead of time when I'm not hungry so I'm not tempted by other goodies that might be on the menu! I got the cedar plank salmon with asparagus and artichoke hash. I ate until I was full, which wasn't quite all of it. Here's what was left. The hash did have potatoes, which I've been avoiding due to the starch, but it was plenty greasy to balance that out! The salmon was cooked perfectly. Finally a moist piece of salmon that didn't come out of my oven! I also had a garden salad - pretty standard fare.

Flatiron's cedar plank salmon

This meal really filled me up! It's definitely the "greasiest" meal I have had in 17 days. I didn't start to get hungry until after 5pm on my slow drive home. Friday traffic plus cold and snowy weather makes for a crawling commute. I finished off the smoothie and that tided me over a little longer. When I was ready for dinner, I didn't need a whole lot and as my veggie consumption was a little low, a big salad seemed the right thing to do. And eggs sounded good so I ate a spinach salad with 'roasted' beets, jicama and carrots and two eggs.

why not have a little fun with food?

That's it for today...I'll see you tomorrow when my in-laws show up.

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 16 - Thanks a Latte

2010-12-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

Sixteen days into my metabolic efficiency study and I'm really getting used to this! Packing my lunch is probably one of the more challenging tasks, as I need to make sure I bring enough food for the day. If I run out and get hungry before the day's up, I can either 1) go hungry (not ideal), 2) raid the vending machine (they do have trail mix) or 3) go out and buy something from somewhere... I actually try to keep a stash of raw nuts in my desk drawer to prevent 1,2,&3, which is why I think my fat intake was on the higher side for the first week or so - a relatively higher nut intake. It's really easy to reach for them when I start to get hungry instead of heading upstairs to the breakroom for my next meal. However, I think I've been pretty successful bringing enough food each day!

Today I actually was able to get a run in over my lunch break. I did 45 minutes on the treadmill. Before starting the hamster wheel session, I started with some neuromuscular warm-ups and then some dynamic warm-ups. I haven't run in almost 2 weeks so these were especially important (though I try to do them before every run). I also made sure to take it easy on the run. After the warm-up I walked for 5 minutes and then eased into a jog. Then I "ran," but I kept my pace low to keep me in my aerobic zone. I wear the heart rate monitor for this. It started to creep up towards the end of the workout (I have a lot of fitness to gain back from all my inactivity since the Fall Series!) Except for my hip flexors tightening up, my legs felt strong. And I had plenty of energy...I did not feel nearly as tired today as I thought I would from my limited sleep these last few weeks. I eased back down and walked the last 5 minutes and then did a few more dynamic exercises to cool down. I stretched out my hip flexors and foam rolled for a couple minutes and got back to work.

OK, so now on to my meals! Don't have too many photos since I ate a lot of leftovers.
Breakfast was the same as yesterday - banana, strawberries, and blueberries in my protein-cocoa-peanut butter yogurt mix. I have to say this definitely rivals cereal and oatmeal!

Around 11am it was time for a snack so I had some edamame and a couple clementines.

Nice pre-run snack!

When I got back from the gym, I grabbed my carrot/apple/pear/raisin salad topped with greek yogurt and cinnamon and headed to a meeting.
At 4:30 I was a bit hungry and due to my evening schedule, that was dinner time. I had leftover chicken w/swiss chard & kidney beans, tomatoes, green chilies, topped with a slice of gouda cheese. Again this was really good, even as leftovers! See day 15 for the picture.
After finishing this I went home to let my dog out and then headed back into town for a Pikes Peak Tri Club board meeting. I'm the outgoing president (going out to be VP) and we had our last meeting of the year. I wasn't hungry there, but was a little thirsty so after the meeting I got a medium soy latte to go and enjoyed this on the drive home. No flavor, no sugar added, so it's really just drinking a glass of warm soy milk with espresso. I do hope they made it decaf like I requested...

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 15 - Kitchen Nightmares

2010-12-15T20:37:00.001-07:00

Well, maybe it isn't as bad as the title suggests, but I did make quite a mess in the kitchen tonight!
Let's start with my weigh-in, as it is Wednesday. I weigh myself in the morning right before I shower.
My weight was 135.5lbs, Down 0.1 lb from last week. Well within normal day-to-day changes. My body fat came in at 23.6%, which is actually 0.2% higher than last week, but I think that's well within the normal error of the base-model body fat scales. The real test will come next week when Kelly from the UCCS Peak Nutrition Clinic does another ISAK skin fold test. But weight is relative, so even though we might have ball park numbers for weight targets, body composition should be more of a goal than specific weight due to the contribution of muscle mass!

Today was a "rest" day when it came to working out. I really wanted to go for a run over lunch, but if I don't get out in time, I can't go because I have a 1pm meeting every Wednesday, and I didn't make it out today.

On to the nutrition!
My breakfast was similar to yesterday, except I had strawberries and blueberries (microwaved to thaw from frozen) instead of the raspberries. This held me for over 4 hours - including a PT session! At 11am I had a can of Muir Glen organic tomato basil soup, most of the rest of the green and red peppers from yesterday and an egg/egg white scramble I made before work. I actually mixed the eggs into the tomato soup and that was really good!

soup is great during the winter months!

Once 2:30 rolled around, after my meeting, I had this carrot-pear-apple-raisin salad with greek yogurt and cinnamon. This was really filling, especially paired with 1/2 c. of edamame (no photo).

shredded carrot, apple, pear with raisin, greek yogurt and cinnamon

I also snacked on some kale chips that I made the other day. emptied this out.

kale chips are gooooood.

I got home and was a little hungry so I had a small bit of my "survival mix" before taking care of some dishes and getting tonight's dinner cooked. So what's for dinner?
I had chicken tenders and swiss chard I wanted to use so I googled 'swiss chard chicken' and many recipes came up. I never really follow them exactly, so here's what I did:
Cooked the chicken in the frying pan with some olive oil and once cooked, took the chicken out of the pan. To the hot pan (it still had enough oil in it) I added 1/2 yellow onion, chopped. Sauted for a couple minutes then added garlic. Then I added a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, a drained can of kidney beans and the swiss chard. Once the chard was wilted down I added the chicken back in and seasoned with black pepper and the juice from 1/2 a lemon. Here's what it looked like:

For my meal I had a spinach salad topped with beets I had sliced and sort of roasted (I say sort of because I didn't know what I was doing - I just put the sliced beets in the oven for a while). The chicken/swiss chard mix got topped with a slice of smoked gouda cheese. I loved the kick the green chilis gave, and the smoked gouda made for a nice flavor combination! I wasn't terribly hungry, which is why the plate isn't full, but it was enough to satisfy me for tonight!

But where is the nightmare, you ask? That comes in because I actually made spaghetti for my husband. The pot boiled over, and I got a dry strand of pasta on a burner, which, you guessed it, burns. The spaghetti sauce got a little messy on the stove as well. But my meal tasted great (and I'm guessing so did the spaghetti), which made up for any mess I may have made. And don't worry, he's getting the swiss chard chicken dish for lunch tomorrow.

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 14 - Chick-fil-A

2010-12-14T19:58:00.001-07:00

That's right, Chick-fil-A. But I'll get to that in a bit.

Today is day 14 of my Metabolic Efficiency Study. It's hard to believe it's already been two weeks! Have I found this hard to do? Surprisingly not at all. Do I miss whole grains? Sure - there are a lot of healthy ways to eat grains, but if you saw my summary report from yesterday, my activity levels is pretty low. And because for the time being I have a desk job, if I'm not working out, I'm pretty darn sedentary. At least the walk to the cafeteria and back to get coffee in the morning gets me about 2/3 mile round trip, so I'm able to get carbs from fruits, veggies and beans. Are the holidays interfering with my eating. Not really. I could be "super strict" and not enjoy the holiday parties, but what fun is there in that? The key is not to over-indulge, and I think I've done a pretty good job at that. We need to enjoy our food and not think about good or bad. And we need to think about why we eat the way we do. Is this plan for everyone? No. What are your end goals? Mine revolve around an Ironman race, so I'm taking some extra steps to be as fit and efficient (both metabolically and physically) that I can.

OK - now on to what I ate! My favorite breakfast: yogurt, whey protein, cocoa, fruit and peanut butter. Powerful way to start the day. For fun let's count fruit and veggie servings again. I'd say two servings of fruit.

Did I ever mention that I ~~like~~ LOVE peanut butter

Not shown is a mid-morning snack of grapes, cantaloupe and cottage cheese. Two more servings of fruit. Looks an awful lot like yesterday's afternoon snack.

I went to the gym over lunch and did a strength training session - body weight exercises. I'm working through a book called You Are Your Own Gym and really like how the workouts are efficient, balanced across muscle groups, work multiple joints and are body-weight focused.

Back from the gym I eat my "lunch." A carrot and spinach salad, the last of the pork tenderloin topped with salsa and a couple clementines. Let's go with two veggie and one fruit serving.

Salad and pork tenderloin with salsa.

A little later I reach for some green, red, pepper and jicama I had cut up last night. I ate maybe half, so that'd be the equivalent of one pepper plus some jicama. One serving on the conservative side.

one red pepper, one green pepper, and some jicama

4pm rolls around and I'm planning on hitting the pool after work so I eat an apple with some almond butter. One more fruit serving.

After work I do hit the pool and do about 30 minutes of easy swimming. I bet you're wondering where Chick-fil-A comes in? Right now! There is a CFA right by the pool and I wasn't in the mood to cook (happens to all of us every so often, right?) so I went inside. The photo below is one of the reasons why Chick-fil-A is one of my favorite fast foot chains. (Their cookies & cream milkshake is another, but I passed on that tonight). I got a grilled chicken garden salad and carrot-raisin salad. Yum! What I didn't notice is that they actually have a version of this salad with fruit on it. I'll have to try that next time. But let's say this is three servings of veggies/fruit.

I did not eat the croutons in the photo. Promise.

There you have it. I got to enjoy my favorite fast food restaurant and get a quick meal. And today I count 12 servings of fruits and veggies. Wow! Come back tomorrow - it's week 2 weigh in day!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 13 - Fruit & Veggie Count

2010-12-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Today was relatively uneventful and I didn't take many pictures today. So let's count servings of fuiMy morning started with a bowl of yogurt mixed with vanilla whey protein, cocoa, a banana, fresh raspberries and some peanut butter. What a delicious way to start a Monday morning! Two fruit servings here.

I had an early morning (7:45am) physical therapy appointment where they continue to work on my chest, neck, and upper back so I can gain some additional range of motion. No injury - I'm just wicked tight so I swim slow. But I really don't have normal range of motion. I aspire to be average one of these days. The session starts with a nice (relative term here) massage and then I do some strengthening of my rotator cuff and some core work. The core is not for my shoulders, but it's always good to do!

Back at work and around 10:30 am I eat the leftover eggs I had scrambled with spinach, zucchini and chickpeas. Two veggie servings here. A little before 2pm I had my second lunch of leftover salmon with the zucchini (guess I had leftover zucchini today!) and shitake mushrooms. I also snacked on a few regular raw mushrooms. One and a half veggie servings here. I headed back over to PT (it's right across the street from where I work) as I had a real massage scheduled. She just worked on my legs. I must have a really high tolerance for pain, as I was dozing while she dug her elbow into my calf. Yowzers!

More work and then I'm getting hungry before it's time to go so I get my fruit and cottage cheese. These grapes were really sweet! An awesome afternoon snack! Two fruit servings here.

the container was full when I started, empty when I finished.

Now I'm home and have to figure out what's for dinner! I have a fridge full of fresh veggies, so I get out the kale and make some kale chips. Snack on a few of those. I realized I never used the beets I got, so I sliced those up and baked them for a bit. I'll used them in a salad tomorrow night. I chopped up some red and green peppers, along with some jicama that will go in my lunch tomorrow. Does anyone else have a dog that loves bell peppers? They are Juno's favorite vegetable. Every time I cut one up she's right there so of course I share with her. Probably half a serving snacking on the kale and peppers.
My actual dinner ended up being leftover pork, cauliflower, and salsa from last night. A slightly smaller portion, but the same meal nonetheless. And it still tasted delicious. I'll go with one and a half servings of veggies at dinner.

Total fruit and veggie servings: 9.5
Not a bad day...See you tomorrow!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 12 - CAKE!!!

2010-12-12T20:21:00.002-07:00

the kid in the green was talking to himself all morning "i want cake, cake, cake" hilarious. That could have been me as a kid (and adult!)

Hope I got your attention with the title! Today was my nephew's third birthday party, so there was, you guessed it....cake. I have a saying..."where there is cake, there is Nicole." Yeah, I like cake. A lot. I'm the one who will take the big corner piece because it has more frosting. I don't think any cake is too sweet for me. You know those huge pieces of chocolate cake you get at a restaurant that should probably be shared with 6 people? I could down one of those solo if presented the challenge. Although now since I don't eat as many sweets it my be a little more challenging than in the past.

Here's how my day unfolded. I got up and did a short core workout (that I feel now, thank you very much). I had one of my delicious breakfast smoothies then headed to walmart to get Joey's birthday present. OK I spoiled him with this one.

can you say Buzz Lightyear?!

I arrived at the birthday party location, a place called My Gym - a fabulous idea for a birthday party for 3 year olds! They had a blast and we had fun watching them play on all the kiddie gym equipment.
Here's what was set out for the not-so-young kids:

Did I eat any? Nope! Passed the first test. The kids played for about an hour and then it was cake time. Buzz Lightyear/Toy Story cake time. Look at all the happy kids!

mmmmm....cake!

I am happy to announce that I only had one bite of cake. My mom shared with me and it was good. But that's it! One bite! Phew! After the party I headed over to their house to watch Joey open all his presents (and get the car). The 1-2-3 assembly that was stated on the box was really 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9...but my dad and brother got it figured out in not too much time. But on my way there, I realized I was pretty hungry. So I stopped at Albertson's and found some survival mix. What else do you need if you didn't eat cake?

dried fruit and mixed nuts

At their house I had a little snack of some ham and turkey lunch meat and a slice of cheese. This actually tided me over for quite a while!

On my way to meet a friend, I swung by Whole Foods and picked up a salad for later. Ate this after I got home later that afternoon. And I got some coffee. I don't mention it much here, but I do drink about a cup (a big cup) of coffee most days. Usually I mix half decaf and half regular, today it was all regular. Watching 3 year olds run around can really wear you out!

Feta cheese, pecan, cranberry on spring mix greens with creamy balsamic dressing

After this snack I headed to the grocery store to stock up for the week. I found this in the produce section. I think it's a new kind, but most people wouldn't have trouble getting in 5-9 servings of this each day.

why didn't I learn about this vegetable sooner?!

OK now I'm home and a little hungry, so I snack on some more of the survival mix and then start cooking dinner. I'm making two dinners, one for me and one for my husband. In the past I would have just been lazy and had what he wanted (hot wings, potato skins and beer) but since that's what he was craving for tonight, I heated that stuff up for him and made myself this:

That's pork tenderloin (oh so moist!) with the leftover avocado salsa from yesterday and some cheesy cauliflower. Childhood favorite way to eat cauliflower...delicious!

So...there you go! I made it through several temptations to eat not so well and came out successful! And I did really, really enjoy that bite of cake!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 11 - Half way there!

2010-12-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

Day 11. Only ten more days in my "study" after today. Am I noticing anything? Hard to say, but I do think my jeans are a tad looser. I definitely have energy despite not getting enough sleep all last week. I've been staying up too late (working) and only getting about 6 hours of sleep, which isn't ideal. I could feel that I am tired, but I think because my blood sugar wasn't going through surges, overall I felt I was able to get through it. I got 8 hours of sleep last night and hope for another 8+ tonight and through next week, which still might be hard due to everything I need to get done.

Alright, so let's look at the foods for today!
Breakfast started with just a banana and peanut butter. I wasn't terribly hungry after last night's meal (my estimates on TrainingPeaks have it at 1400 calories! yikes). But it fueled my strength training workout and my easy bike workout. After my workout I got showered up and then cooked up some eggs and veggies.

2eggs + 1 egg white, 1/2 zucchini, spinach topped w/salsa

Around 2pm I needed a snack so I chopped up an apple, mixed it with some raisins and a few pomegranate kernels I still had, topped with greek yogurt and cinnamon.

yum!

5pm I needed a snack so I made a smoothie with banana, frozen strawberries, soy milk, vanilla whey protein and a tiny bit of peanut butter. No photo of this but it was good!

8:30pm it was time for dinner so I made this:
Chicken tenders (you can't see it well, but there is ~3-4oz of chicken breast under the salsa. The salsa is avocado, corn, tomato, red pepper and red onion tossed in a tiny bit of olive oil and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. Tim really like this. It's good on salmon too.

there is chicken under there, I promise!

So that was today. I ate a bit less than usual today, but probably because I ate more than normal yesterday. Come back tomorrow for the day 12 update and what I did at my nephew's 3rd birthday party. Will I eat cake??

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 10 - Another Holiday Party!

2010-12-11T11:47:00.001-07:00

Here we go! Ten days into my metabolic efficiency study and I've got yet another holiday party looming in the evening. Shall we dig in to the day?

The day in the typical fashion, smoothie for breakfast. One of these days I'll remember to get a picture of these smoothies. I really enjoy consuming these - I could have these several times a day. every day.
That tided me over until about 11am, but I just had a quick snack before heading off to a meeting. A clementine and some mixed nuts. When I got back from my meeting I was definitely ready for a meal. Lunch was a spinach and baby carrot salad, leftover black bean chicken from the meal the night before with another clementine for "dessert." This was actually quite filling.

ahhhh I found the black bean in the black bean chicken!

When I got home ~5pm I was hungry and knew I needed a snack before heading up to Lone Tree for the holiday party. I had some greek yogurt with pineapple and strawberries (from frozen fruit so they look a little soggy but still delicious!), and used some cinnamon for extra flavor.

And here we go! Holiday Party #3 of the season...
First stop - the bar so I could enjoy a Fat Tire. I sipped this all night.

I didn't take pictures of the appetizers the waiters were walking around but here's what I ate:
2 deviled eggs, one salmon flavor, one chicken. Salmon was good, chicken not so much.
1 piece of proscuitto wrapped cantaloupe.
2 cheese stuffed mushrooms.

At around 7:30pm we sat down to dinner. The salad had some sort of granola with dried cranberries and mozzerella cheese (I think). This was really good!

The main course - salmon topped with pineapple salsa on a bed of wild rice pilaf with grilled vegetables. I'll just say that the salmon I bake is MUCH better. This was dry. I ate about 3/4 of the rice and salmon, but I did eat all the salsa and the grilled veggies.

It's not a holiday party without dessert, and when you are trying to eat metabolically efficient, isn't carrot cake the way to go? I'm guessing this cake was previously frozen. It tasted good, but not super fresh. But you bet I cleaned my plate!

I guess this was my deviation meal for the week. Overall it was actually pretty healthy and the portions were quite reasonable. I enjoyed it for sure, but I also am enjoying the meals I am eating during the week. I'll see you back tomorrow!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 9 - Eating Out

2010-12-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

Another day of successful eating (I think!) with a curve ball thrown at me in the evening! Here's how I got through. And let's count the fruit and veggie servings (best ballpark figure anyway) while we are at it.

What I ate:
Breakfast was an uber-delicious smoothie. I think the vanilla whey protein helps make them taste like milkshakes. I crammed 3 servings of fruit into this one - banana, blueberries and cherries.
Midmorning, some mixed nuts (keep 'em in the desk drawer) and leftover apple/pear/raisin/tofu salad from last night. Two more servings of fruit here.
I swam over lunch and when I got back to my desk I had some celery, almond butter and 2 clementines. One fruit and one veggie serving.

enough to get me through a 2pm meeting!

After a meeting I had my "lunch" (at 3pm). Spinach salad, 1/2c of chick peas and some scrambled eggs (made them last night). That's one more veggie serving.

made the eggs the night before. Filling meal, actually!

About 4:30 my husband calls to tell me he's on his way home and if he wanted to go out to eat to "celebrate" the bonus I got at work. Sure, as long as they have metabolically efficient foods! But the place he chose certainly did so I agreed. We ended up at Fusion World Cuisine. Plenty of options!

When we got there, I was hungry, but knew I didn't need a lot to eat. They had a three-course asian meal special - soup, appetizer and entree for a reasonable price. So that's what I did, except the entree is going to be lunch for both of us tomorrow! I ordered lettuce wraps, hot and sour soup, and black bean chicken. I'll add one veggie serving for the lettuce.
Total fruits and veggies: 9

the lettuce wraps and I "splurged" on two pieces of Tim's calamari!

hot and sour soup

the main course...black bean chicken (without black beans??) .

I ate about 3 bites of the chicken and a couple green peppers and called it good. I was full - no need to eat more. This plate of food is enough for both me an my husband to have lunch tomorrow. I'll just give him the rice that came with it (not in the pic).

My exercise: I swam for 30 minutes easy over my lunch break, about 1250 yards. Stretched for a few minutes in the not-so-hot hot tub.

And that's it! I was able to execute control at a restaurant by ordering reasonable options and only ate until I was full. We'll see if I can do the same tomorrow...it's another holiday party!! I do know I pre-ordered a salmon dish...

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 8 - More Carbs!

2010-12-08T22:09:00.003-07:00

Based on my summary profile from last week that showed I had eaten less than 40% carbohydrate intake, I focused on getting a few more carbohydrates in today. Let's see how I did!

Breakfast was my yogurt/whey/peanut butter/fruit mix. Today's fruit of choice was 1 cup of frozen blueberries (microwaved to warm goodness) and of course a banana.

I got hungrier earlier than usual today - maybe they worked me harder at my physical therapy appointment this morning? Or maybe it was all the sweets that were getting set out at the PT clinic for their holiday potluck. Brownies, danishes, apple cake, ... it looked really good! I kept asking if it was metabolically efficient, and the docs were trying to convince me that a cheese danish was. At least I'm not a sucker for cheese danishes or I might have believed them! Whatever the reason for my additional hunger, I ate my second meal/snack around 10am instead of 11am today.

This meal was fruit salad with greek yogurt. I also snacked on a a bit of my nut/raisin mix while sitting at my desk. A little after noon I was hungry again and was able to get my lunch eaten - a can of Amy's vegetarian chili - before a 1pm meeting.
That filled me up quite a bit and I didn't get hungry again until 5pm on my drive home so I munched on some carrots during my commute.

Dinner time! I had a spinach salad and half of my leftover zucchini and salmon from last night and then a great dessert. I chopped up an apple, a pear and added tofu cubes and raisins. Then I sprinkled it with cinnamon and a little cocoa and microwaved it. Not bad at all!

chopped apples & pears, raisins, tofu and cinnamon.

The results: 50% CHO, 24% fat and 26% protein for today. Success! I probably don't need to go over 50% carbs at this stage.

Today was also the weekly "weigh-in" day for my study. I came in at 135.6 lbs / 23.4%bf (vs. 136.2 lbs / 23.8%bf last Wednesday). It shows some slight improvement, but half a pound is within normal fluctuation. Certainly it is in a direction I don't mind going. But the number on the scale is just a number, which is why I'm having Kelly Ping at the UCCS Peak Nutrition Clinic perform the ISAK skinfold test before and after my study. That will be a better gauge of any body composition changes than my home scale.

See you tomorrow for day 9 updates!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 7 - A week!

2010-12-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

Wow - so I've made it through a week of metabolically efficient eating. And lived to tell about it. ;-) If you didn't see my summary post of the data so far, you can find it here. Based on that data I need to try to bump up my carbohydrate intake a little. Even so, my energy levels are stable and when I get hungry I'm not ravenous. It all seems so...simple. I'm getting used to eating this way, and except for the little bit of bread and cookies this weekend, no whole grains! Remember, this isn't because whole grains are "bad" (see this article on why foods are not bad) but we're backing off foods that might cause an insulin surge and be an instant burn. I want my body to learn to rely on fat burning, and I know it already knows how to burn carbs quite well.

So let's look at today's meals:
Breakfast (no photo): Banana-strawberry-cherry smoothie. (yogurt, soymilk, cocoa, vanilla whey, fruit in a blender). Heaven on my drive to work.
Snack #1: (similar to a snack yesterday - no photo): fruit salad of pineapple, clementines, cantaloupe, strawberries with cottage cheese. I'm sure I also grabbed a handful of mixed nuts at some point.
Lunch: "unstuffed pepper" I was scouring the fridge before heading to work and came up with this - green pepper and then the "stuffing" of my leftover black beans, salsa, and tofu. Microwaved the "stuffing" and alternated bites. Actually stuffing the pepper would have been too messy for my desk.

unstuffed pepper

Snack #2 (no photo): On my way home I ate some celery, carrots and almond butter. It was a quick trip home as I had to be somewhere at 5pm, so I made a quick protein shake (soy milk with vanilla whey powder).
Dinner: I was definitely a bit hungry when I got home at 8pm, so I quickly made sauted zucchini with shitake mushrooms (and some garlic) and baked salmon. Honestly, I think I make a darn good baked salmon. It was seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Not shown is a spinach salad topped with a few pomegranate kernels (or whatever you call the ruby red delights from the pomegranate). Note: my dad used to make veggie stir fry with zucchini, yellow squash, etc when I was younger and I never ate it. But look at me - I cooked zucchini and ate it...and it wasn't zucchini bread!

baked salmon, zucchini and shitake mushrooms

Exercise: I made it to the pool today! A good thing, especially because this month has a swim focus in the USAT National Challenge Competition. Thirty minutes of easy swimming followed by some stretching in the hot tub. Great way to spend my lunch hour!

I hope you are enjoying my posts. Feel free to leave comments and share recipes. Let me know how my blog might be helping you! See you back here tomorrow!

Metabolic Efficiency - Day 6 - Back to work

2010-12-06T22:05:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and after weekend of holiday gatherings and my "deviation" meals on back to back days, it was time to make sure I was back on track. But really, as I didn't deviate too much it is pretty easy to do! And since I'm back at work, as long as I bring enough food to keep me satisfied, I'm golden!
Today's nutrition:
Breakfast: greek yogurt with fruit, cocoa, and peanut butter. Similar to yesterday but with some blueberries in addition to the raspberries and banana.
Brunch/lunch: Leftover frittata from yesterday and mache salad.
Afternoon: mixed fruit salad with cottage cheese and carrots.

pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, and clementines.

Then there was dinner. The picture doesn't do justice to the yumminess of the chicken. Chicken tenders with sauted onions, garlic, rosemary, red wine vinegar, topped with walnuts. One of the recipes Kelly (the RD from UCCS Peak Nutrition Clinic) was Rosemary Chicken. I didn't follow the exact recipe, but it gave me the idea to do this! Sides are green beans and salad. I used my leftover cranberry sauce (which I did end up sweetening with Agave nectar) as the salad dressing.

Exercise for today:
A morning visit to the PT for more work on my neck, shoulders, and back. Of course she gave me some core exercises to do.
After work I decided to hop on my trainer and see how my legs felt. I aggravated a nerve at the end of September with all the cycling I did, so I decided to stay off the bike for a couple months (and the doc recommended that). But I talked to the PT about it as well and she gave me an easy exercise to do and in a week it is much improved! So I thought I might try some easy spinning today to see if it gets any worse even with the exercises. So far so good!

Let's see - otherwise, how am I feeling? Other than being a bit extra tired from not getting enough sleep, I'm feeling good! When I get hungry it is muted - I am not feeling hunger swings. I just get a bit hungry a few hours later and so I eat again. So for base energy levels, I'm doing well. I'll probably add more activity over then next two weeks of the study and see how it goes!