Motivations and Inspirations

I have a great life and feel very fortunate to have the things I do.  A lot of times, I need to remind myself of this because I get sucky when things don't go as planned.  So I look to my friends and family, near and far, real and virtual, for some added inspiration and motivation.

Biggest Motivation for 2013:  I am on a quest to qualify for Boston in May. 

To that end, I've embarked on a new training plan and trying to qualify is a huge motivator for me to stay on track through the winter.  I haven't raced a marathon (other than in Ironman -- and there's no racing going on there) in over two years.  This will be my first attempt at taking on a BQ and I'm overwhelmed at the support I'm getting from my fellow runners.  Their offers of pacing me on some of my training runs is much appreciated.  

I'm even making my husband pull out the treadmill from the corner of the basement and set it up because there will be no excuses this winter that it's too icy and snowy to run.  Just an FYI, I hate winter and I hate treadmills.

But I love to run and I love to run with people and on my own.  I'm inspired by new runners, especially when they have that first moment of  "Yes, that felt awesome!"  I want that feeling to stay with me as I continue to age.  I've started doing some solo runs on Saturday mornings on a path near my home, and the first time I went, I ran into three running friends I hadn't seen in years.  They are my inspiration to keep on keepin' on.  The "youngest" is in her 60s and the oldest is in her 70s.   I want that in my life when I hit their age and I hope to still be running with the people I run with now.

I'm also inspired by my friends who have had spectacular success in racing this year.   I want to see them continue on that path to greater accomplishments because they deserve it after all the hard work they've been putting into their training.

The past few months that I've been logging my workouts on Daily Mile, I've "met" a great group of people that also inspire me everyday.   A lot of them have children (I don't) and they manage to fit in many workouts nonetheless.   So I'm grateful to them for kicking me in the pants even though they don't know that they do.

I am constantly reminded that in this crazy world there are many people who have amazing souls.  We are fortunate to have our health and to use that for the good of others.  I am proud to be surrounded by philanthropic people who use their passion for fitness to raise funds and awareness for causes like The Ride to Conquer Cancer, The Healing Cycle (which raises funds for palliative care in Ontario), Craig's Cause Maritime Bike Tour (which raises funds for the severely underfunded area of pancreatic cancer), to name a few.   They inspire me to be a part of this incredible community.  I have participated in all of the above and will continue to do so in the years to come.   And if there's something else that has an event that strikes a chord with me and raises awareness and requires funding, I'll probably do that, too, because we can all use a little help sometimes.

Long Overdue, I Know...

...but here it is anyway.  My race report for Ironman Lake Placid.

Cole's Notes Version:  It was the hardest race I've ever done, but it was the most fun, most fulfilling and best experience I've ever had.

If you plan to read on for the full report, you may want to grab a coffee/tea/wine/beer -- whatever.  It's a long one.

The first and most important thing for me to say about this race is that I had the BEST support crew -- both at the race and at home.  Other than my husband, four friends came down to cheer me on and support me.   It's trite to say that I couldn't have done it without them.   Starting with my husband who did not complain, even once, at the endless hours away from home life that my training took me.  Weekends?  For any triathlete training for an Ironman, you know that the weekends leading up to a race are consumed with hours on the bike one day and hours on the run the next.  The weekend is shot. Exhaustion is just assumed and expected. 

Secondly, my friends.  Well, they are just incredible.   They rode and ran countless hours on the bike and run with me (so did my husband.  He was training for his first sprint tri -- a funny race story in itself).  There were some friends that wanted to travel to Lake Placid, but for many various reasons they couldn't make it.  It ain't easy to fly into Lake Placid for the weekend.  The fact that they even made efforts to get there is just so awesome to me!  So, instead, they sent me numerous emails and Facebook messages to encourage me and keep me motivated.   My two girlfriends that came down (I'm the shorty on the left):

The week before my race, my husband and I travelled to Geneva, NY with a couple of friends.  My girlfriend was doing her first Half Ironman at Musselman (above, on the right) and my husband was doing his first sprint tri.   All I will say about my husband's race at this point is that he acknowledged that he needs to do more swim training.  Thank you, Steve, the 80-something-year-old kayaker for saving my husband's ass.

The only thing missing from my girlfriend's race (held the next day) was the swarm of locusts, that's how bad the conditions were for her on race day.  The skies literally opened up just after she got on the bike and it poured -- with thunder and lightning for good measure.  Don't know how she did it, but she did.  To say that I was proud of her is an understatement.

On to Lake Placid after Geneva's races were done.   We rented a beautiful cottage just on the outskirts of Lake Placid in Wilmington.  I had no desire to be near the mayhem and anxiety-riddled Ironman racers by staying in town.  Besides, I was having my own meltdown after seeing the hills while driving into town.  Thankfully, I found out that I would be riding down those particular hills, not up.    I LOVE riding downhill.  Wheeeeeeeee!!!!!!  (Wussy boys, move out of my way!)

After settling in for a few days and sightseeing around town -- and researching the "Three Bears" of hills -- it was finally time for athlete check in.  The volunteers are amazing and check in was a breeze.  There were still lots of insurance forms and liability waivers to sign -- I thought I did that when I registered??

Until race day, I did a little bit of training and relaxing and did a whole lot of nothing really the day before the race, other than taking my bike and gear bags to the race site.  There was a photographer at the entrance to the bike check-in asking all the athletes if we had Ironman tattoos.  I did and he asked if he could take a picture.  I said sure.  Who knows?  Maybe it will end up in the 2012 Ironman race memory book that's coming out at the end of the year.  My husband bought me one!!

My two previous Ironman races, I was a nervous wreck race morning.   Not wanting to have breakfast and gagging through every bite and feeling nauseated right up until I got into the water.

I don't know why, but this year I was amazingly calm.  I kept waiting for the nerves to kick in, but they never did.  Even as we were waiting to get in the water -- my worst discipline -- I never freaked out. 

I stayed at the back of the group so that I wouldn't get kicked in the face or body.  The swim is definitely a contact sport!  If you've ever opened the lid of a washing machine while you have a load in, that's what we look like when the gun goes off.

I had a pretty good swim, but not the goal finish I wanted.  I was hoping for a 1:35 but ended up with 1:38.   I'll take it.  Certainly better than the 1:50 at Arizona three years ago.  Worst swim ever and couldn't feel my limbs for another 45 minutes after that debacle.  Sorry, I'll leave Arizona behind and carry on with Lake Placid.

The bike is a bit of a sufferfest.  180K, it's a double loop and the last 16K of each loop is ALL uphill.  It is by far the most beautiful bike route I've ever done and I didn't get delusional enough not to notice how spectacular Lake Placid and the Adirondack mountains are.  I'm sure I gave them a few choice words on the second loop, but forgave them after the race.  I did better than I initially thought I would do on this bike course, but I was secretly hoping for much better.   Had some nutrition/hydration issues on the second loop and needed to stop at a couple of aid stations to make sure I fuelled up.  Rookie mistake.  It was also a very hot day. 

Goal:   8:00. 
Actual:   7:54.

Thank god it's run time.  Generally, this is my best discipline.  I love to run and I've been doing it longer than the other two.  Not that I'm a great runner, but it's my favourite part.  The run was a double loop, too.  I am so freakin' grateful I did endless hilly long runs and did hill repeats on the Around the Bay Valley Inn hill.  This run course had one mother of a hill right in town where everybody cheers for you.  That part is great, but not so much when you're hurting like a mofo and all you want to do is walk up that hill.  Nope.  Those spectators will have none of that.  I am definitely the type of person that gets motivated by people cheering for me.   I would have walked that whole damn hill but for those people that were still out there at 9:00 cheering and yelling and ringing cowbells.  I didn't quite make it the whole way, but 3/4 of the way up was good enough for me at that point in the game.  I was hurting and hurting bad.   I can fake it for a picture, though.

It's amazing how I don't "feel" pain when I'm running down that finish chute to that big banner that says Ironman.  All I'm feeling at that point is the goose bumps all through my body knowing that every single step, every single pedal stroke, every single swim stroke culminated in this finale and that announcement of, "Mari XXXX, you ARE an IRONMAN!"  I've heard it before, but it doesn't get stale. EVER! 

Goal Time:  15:30
Actual:  15:17:10

This race meant more to me than any other.  I was the most emotional after this one and so incredibly grateful for my training partners, my friends, my family and most importantly, my husband.  I could barely walk after I crossed the finish line and it took me at least 30-45 minutes to find everyone.  I practically fell into my husband's arms when I found him. 

Pizza and beer followed.  My hubby and buddies know how to take care of me :-)

Eight Weeks to Ironman

I have been very negligent in writing this blog, and I could say that I've been busy, which I have, but no busier than anyone else in my life.  Training has been keeping me very busy.  I expected that to happen.   How else am I going to get Ironman done?

In my last blog I wrote about the demise of my old bike and posted a photo of the bike I was looking at.  Thanks to some awesome people at Wheels of Oakville and the great policies that American Express has, I was able to get my full money back for the dud of the other bike and purchased my new Cervelo S2.   All I can say is we were made for each other.  I absolutely love that bike and I feel so much stronger and powerful on it.  It's a good thing because I'm only eight weeks away from Lake Placid and that bike course isn't getting any easier.

I've been riding lots and lots of hills and I really felt it this past weekend when I did a hilly bike ride on the Saturday and then I did a hilly run the next day.  I'm still feeling it today, but that's why I get a recovery day.   What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and all that.  I totally believe that and remind myself of it every time I waver.

I've been enlisting people to assist me in my training and make them do long distance rides that they don't need to do.  For that, I am truly grateful.

I'm getting those required swims in.  I don't like them much, but they are a required element of Ironman so I do them.  I won't know until the race whether I've improved because I'm not doing any other racing before the big one.  Not the best move, but because of the timing of Lake Placid, there really isn't anything that fits into my training schedule living in the great White North.  As long as I come out of it alive, I'll be happy.  If my training is any indication, I expect to have at least a slightly better time than my Vineman race -- or similar -- but a much better time than Arizona.  That was just all kinds of cold and very, very miserable.

Running is my comfort zone.  I never mind training this discipline because I feel the most alive when I run.  Most of the time I feel at peace, especially on the long runs going through the beautiful area of the North Shore hills.

I just got back from an amazing vacation in Arizona with my husband and awesome friends.  While  my friend and I did some bike riding there -- and climbed South Mountain -- my husband and other friend got some golfing in.  I think we both won.   South Mountain was a challenge, but I found the descent most difficult.  It was a pretty windy day and I'm afraid of heights.  Not a good combination on a windy, kinda steep downhill.  I stand behind my statement that I came down slower than going up. 

It wasn't all training, though.  Although I worked out almost everyday, we did indulge -- lots -- in wonderful cuisine and delicious margaritas.  Margaritas in Arizona just taste better.  Maybe because they have such a vast selection of tequilas.   Of course, my friend is a bit of a tequila connoisseur so we didn't have any run-of-the-mill tequilas.  I think the most expensive margarita we had was $25 a pop, but so worth it!  I want to go back!!

You have to have a little bit of fun mixed in with all the craziness of training or else it becomes a drain on your life and your marriage.  Thank goodness I have the support of everyone in my life, even my parents who don't understand any of what I do.  They just worry that I'm going to get hurt.  If they really saw all that I did, they'd faint.

Next up will be my "I'm Grateful For" posting.  Thanks for reading the ramblings of someone who doesn't really know what they're doing in this blogging adventure.

"The body achieves what the mind believes."

Sometimes, it's just hard

I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend.  The weather was good for us here in our neck of the woods and I managed to get out to enjoy it.  Sunday's long run was absolutely glorious -- despite snacking on the gnats.   I did a much longer run than necessary but it was just too nice out to cut it short.

This past week was not a good week for my training.  I only missed my long bike workout due to bike difficulties which I will explain later, but every...single...workout felt like a struggle.  My body seemed to be rebelling against me.  I tried to do my zone (interval) workouts, but I had nothing in the tank.  I was fuelling properly and I couldn't figure out why this was so difficult, so I had a couple of mental breakdowns this week.   Add to that the fact that my bike mechanic discovered a six-inch crack in my carbon fibre bike frame that is beyond repair and I'm ready to snap.   This means the purchase of a new bike, which, in itself, is not a terrible thing.  I just didn't want it to happen this way and certainly not three-and-a-half months before my Ironman race. 

I know I shouldn't be panicking, but this bike course in Lake Placid is new territory for me and I'm a tad obsessed about being prepared for it so missing a four-hour bike ride is a big deal for me right now.   I'm trying to stay positive and I keep reminding myself that there's plenty of time to train, but every once in a while the doubt creeps in. 

My husband and friends help me keep things in perspective -- at least they keep trying to remind me.  Thanks, you guys.  You're the best!

I'm taking donations to the Get Me a New Bike Fund ;-)



It sure is pretty, isn't it?

Around the Bay Race Report: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

This was my seventh Around the Bay 30K.  Here are some of my thoughts on yesterday's race:

The Good:

• Awesome weather.  Running in a tank and running skirt in March:  priceless!
• Free parking and change area at a local news station, thanks to some running friends
• Tons of family/friends doing the race, too
• Friends and spectators along the route.  Nothing gives you a boost better than that!
• No black toe nails.
• Hearing about people's PB's after the race
• Dinner and drinks after with the same amazing friends and family
• My own 12-minute PB -- still grinning ear to ear

The Bad:

• Running alone for 30K.  It was my choice.  I was running slower than some friends and faster than others so I decided to go it alone
• Fighting the gerbil in my head when it was getting tough
• Hmm....thinking too hard if there was other bad stuff, so I guess there isn't any more

The Ugly:

• One woman running behind me 10 feet from the finish line yelling:  "Get out of the way.  Get out of the way.  Get the f^#k out of the way."   Completely uncalled for.  This isn't a BQ race, for Pete's sake.

Clearly, the good outweighed all the bad and the ugly and I'm proudly walking gingerly, like many of my friends.  I'm looking forward to scaling back on my run distances now that my total training focus will be Lake Placid. 

Here's a photo of some of the gang that ran yesterday.  So proud of them!

NYC Race Report

I love NYC!  I think I've said that before, but it's so much fun when you go with a bunch of gal pals and shop till you drop and then throw in a half marathon just for fun.   I don't know how New Yorkers do it, but this past weekend saddled them with a double whammy:  St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday and then the Half Marathon on Sunday.  Lots of road closures and lots of congestion.  Lots of fun for us, though.  Lots of drunken fools at 9:30 a.m. the day of the parade and it hadn't even started yet!  Everyone's Irish for a day on the 17th.

So...race report.  Sunday morning started off a touch cooler than predicted.  According to the weather report before leaving home Friday, it was supposed to be 17-19C and sunny.  Actual race day weather, at 7:30 in the morning, was more like 5-7C and cloudy.    Not bad, but I'm glad I brought a fleece throw-away.  I took it off at 7:30, but since we still hadn't moved for 15 minutes, I put it back on. 

Last year it only took us about 10 minutes before we got to the start line.  This year, the elites passed us before we hit the start pad!  That meant they were done 10K before we even started.  Just an FYI that the guy who won the race finished in 59:49 -- holy Speedy Gonzales!

The course was slightly different this year.  They reversed the direction in Central Park and we only did one full loop instead of one and a bit.  They cut out the loop up along the Hudson River to add the extra distance, but we went further down along the River and passed the partly built Freedom Tower where the Twin Towers used to be.  Very cool!

We finished in Tribeca in Fulton Market.  It's pretty crowded at the finish line, but that's what happens when you have 18,000 runners.

This race is so well supported and there's tons of entertainment along the way.  The ladies have decided that this is going to become an annual event -- providing we get into the lottery again.  We're keeping our fingers crossed.  If we don't get in, we'll just go down and shop anyway.  Speaking of shopping, here's one of my purchases that I just love:

No, I didn't wear them after the race.  I don't think my feet would fit in them.

 
This weekend is the Around the Bay Race.  This is my target running race this spring.  I hope to PB here which would mean sub 3:07, but I'm secretly hoping to be sub 3:00.   Yikes!  I've put it out there so now the pressure's on to follow through.

Hope everyone who is doing the Bay has a fabulous race!

"Strength does not come from physical capacity; it comes from an indomitable will."  Gandhi

New York City Half Marathon, Here I Come!

I'm leaving for New York City tomorrow morning with two of my girlfriends.  We're heading back to do the Half Marathon.  I LOVE NYC!


Last year the weather was cool, clear and absolutely perfect for running.  So far, the weather reports are calling for 19C and sunny for race day.  Shorts and tank top is definitely called for.  I know I shouldn't like global warming, but if this is one of the benefits, then I'm ashamed to say that I'll take it. 

This is going to be a fun run for me again this year.  I'm not looking to book it for a PR because I'm saving that for next week's race at the Around the Bay. 

I love this race and I am definitely looking to beat my best time here.  

NYC will necessarily involve shopping, too.  One of the ladies coming with me should be a professional shopper.   She can spend money like nobody's business.   It didn't surprise me when she sent me an email with the subject line, "Our Biggest Sale of the Season..."  Lord and Taylor, watch out!  The ladies from Ontario are doing some damage. 

LRM, are you sure you can't come?  I'll be sure to take pictures of pretty shoes and text them to you ;-)

Ironman training continues and I'm looking forward to reducing my run distances after the Bay race.  I've been doing a lot more distance than necessary at this point in my training so I'll be cutting back after next week.  I can't say the same about the swimming and biking, though.  Those continue to increase, especially the cycling.   If this weather keeps up, I may be riding outside sooner than I thought.  All is still going well there and I'm feeling stronger and stronger every week.

Next post:  NYC recap and update on the Bay.  Enjoy the gorgeous weekend.