Alive and Well…

01 Apr 2013 8 Comments

by jnkmiles.org in General BS Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

It’s a good day!

I’ve made it through the biggest build phase for Gulf Coast 70.3 and so this week I’m rewarded with some well deserved rest….plus a little sprint tri on Saturday.

My last event was back in May, but March 2012 was actually the last time I took part uninjured. This was also when things began to fall apart. 2103 has been a year of change in effort to keep this body in motion!

images-2The most monumental thing I’ve done is hire a coach.

When I decided to race IMFL, I felt like I needed the help to get through the year uninjured. I really believed I trained fairly hard and so maybe a little help backing off would keep me in the game, so to speak.

Time would show I wasn’t REALLY working as hard as I thought!

It was fun and games through base training.

Then we began the building blocks. Every day was harder than the next and I started to quickly see where I had been slacking in the past.

I quickly learned it was a bad idea to look more than 1 day ahead in Training Peaks. It was just better NOT to know!

Amazingly, as hard as it was though, I was able to complete each session, recover, and get up and do it again. Most evenings I went to bed feeling like I’d been in MMA fight, but by morning I was ready, willing, and able to repeat the process. The ability to absorb what she was giving me was simply remarkable.

I wasn’t carrying residual soreness or on the brink of injury.

During this last week, which naturally contained the highest volume and intensity to date, my hips started to get a little snarky. I have to believe a 4 hour bike/run brick followed by a 2 hr run the next day would do that to most of us mere mortals though.

It was a very manageable snarkiness and as I come up for air (and coffee) today, I’m realizing how vital it was/is to have an experienced coach to guide me through the process.

The race results will be what they will, but to make it through these workouts successfully after the year of injuries I’ve had speaks for itself.

Everything happens for a reason….

If I hadn’t been graced with the stress fracture, I would’ve never understood how much day-to-day help I needed. I would’ve never made that step to align myself with what will, no doubt, end up being the most valuable training tool I have…..

My coach…

Yesterday, as I finished up my run…hot, exhausted, and with sore feet…it truly felt like the end of a long race.

It didn’t matter how fast I was going only that I was still able to go….

I knew the hardest of the work was done and my body had held up. I was so happy and so grateful to have been able to complete every single bit of it because you just never know.

Sometimes we take that for granted…

injury…illness….it changes perspective a bit.

So now it’s race week and ohhhh it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to chase that carrot!!

Time to pick a tri kit (blue or red??), get the pedicure, pull out the wetsuit, and grease the chain…

Good times are ahead!

Race Happy, My Friends!

racer

Better Not Bitter

29 Oct 2012 1 Comment

by jnkmiles.org in General BS Tags: , , , ,

A good friend asked me earlier today why I wasn’t writing much.

Truth is, what I’ve had to say hasn’t been too cheery. You can only bitch and moan about being hurt, healing, and regaining fitness for just so long…

Eventually, the world says, “ENOUGH ALREADY!”

I’ve been through this process a time or two, so I know this for a fact.

So while I licked my wounds and made the slow return back to the wide world of triathlon, I elected to keep things on the down low and focus on the work at hand.

I am very happy to say I’ve come out the other side a bit better than when I entered. I’m stronger and smarter than I was 6-7 months ago.

Ideally, the end result will show the same.

Time will tell….

159 days 14 hours 10 minutes and 32 seconds

But really, whose counting??!! :)

I imagine you’ll hear more from me in the coming weeks and months as things are finally trending in the right direction.

Good things are up ahead!

Ride Happy, My Friends!

Keeping Recovery Simple

16 Aug 2012 2 Comments

by jnkmiles.org in General BS Tags: , , , , , ,

Recovery is a discipline just like swimming, riding, and running yet very few of us have perfected it…

Maybe because it’s the most difficult.

There is no doubt about its importance, but all too often it tends to get pushed to the back burner.

Life takes over.

It happens.

And that can lead to a very unpleasant training cycle…or two….hundred ;)

NOT that I would know anything about that…..

Yesterday I was told to cut my workouts short if I wasn’t going to be able to cool-down, stretch, and eat properly following each session.

No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

So I started looking stuff up, as I tend to do, to see just how “off” things have been….

Then decided to share my findings, as I also like to do, because I KNOW y’all can’t be recovering like everyone says they are!!

Not judging, just saying’….

This is probably more than anyone wants to read, but for you scientific minds it’s the basic chemistry behind recovery and how to add up your recovery points.

This is the more simplified version.

Googling “TQR” or “total quality recovery” produces some nifty spreadsheets from various strength and conditioning sites that may or may not be useful as well.

The main point here is that these scales are EASY!

I can honestly tell you that unless I sleep with my HR monitor on, I am not checking my pulse in the morning. And I won’t even admit how many times I’ve done THAT!

This is a quick behavioral audit to keep recovery front and center….

FYI, my numbers have apparently been around 11 for as long as I can remember…and they should really be closer to 17….

YIKES!!!

Train Smartly, My Friends!

Hotter Than….

03 Jul 2012 2 Comments

by jnkmiles.org in General BS Tags: , , , ,

Hell in an oven right about now!

As a result, I was feeling my annual need to say something about how essential it is to adjust run paces to the heat, humidity, and overall misery of the great outdoors.

Every year twitter starts buzzing (twitting??) and the questioning starts on Daily Mile…

“Its so damn hot….How much should I slow down?”

Which really means,

“How much should I struggle to maintain my normal pace and hope I don’t keel over and die?”

It’s a given that we MUST dial things down a notch or two in the summer and if you’re the type that freaks (who me???) when the Garmin trends higher and higher as the temperature does the same,

Well, these two charts are for you…..

from RunOnTexas.com

Another way to look at it below from jeffgalloway.com

This was from long ago before he became the run/walk advocate he is today so this is geared more towards straight out runners….

Estimated temperature at finish – adjustment – 8min/mi becomes:

55-60 degrees – 1% – 8:05
60-65 degrees – 3% – 8:15
65-70 degrees – 5% – 8:25
70-75 degrees – 7% – 8:35
75-80 degrees – 12% – 8:58
80-85 degrees – 20% – 9:35
Above 85 degrees – Forget it… run for fun

You can check out the long version here: http://wp.me/p1lOIa-lt  if you’re so inclined, but the information isn’t new.

Keep in mind, these examples only factor the temperature. They are not adding time for long runs or recovery runs.

However, depending on where you’re reading this, some “experts” would argue that ALL summer running should be “easy” and that it’s a good time to put down the GPS for a few months.

Easier said than done, I know….I KNOW!!!

I tend to follow the 1st flow chart because heat and humidity combined tend to be our biggest issue down here in South Mississippi.

This morning, at 5:30am, our low was 88F and the humidity was 92%. Now when the sun rises the humidity drops a bit to the 70% range, but the temperature rises to the 95F range….

It usually only takes a week or two, struggling through June workouts, for me to realize why I consider the summer my “off-season.”

At the same time, it’s always good to keep things in perspective and realize it could always be worse!!

OUCH!

Y’all stay safe out there!

Run Happy, My Friends!

It’s the Law

20 Feb 2012 6 Comments

by jnkmiles.org in General BS Tags: , , , ,

I love coming off a recovery week.

It’s not that I feel all that spry and energetic, but it’s a chance to see what the body is truly capable of doing.

I always write a reduced volume week into my plan because I know, based on past experience, I need it to prevent injury. During the week itself I always tend to doubt its true validity….despite the science behind it.

But being the good girl that I am, I follow the rules of training and do what I’m suppose to do…

Which is not much more than sitting around wondering why I feel worse recovering than actually grinding my body down to the ground each day…

I tend to be achy, MORE fatigued, and generally feel “off”.

Wisdom prevails…

All part of the repair and adaptation process.

After weeks of challenging the body by continually increasing the stress it’s been asked to absorb, it’s now in recovery mode. Each and every tendon, ligament, muscle, and nerve bundle is gradually adapting and rebuilding a solid foundation. In principal, the body will also be able to continue to progress and perform without risk of injury or illness.

I does something else kinnda important too…

This recovery and adaptation not only returns the body to its previous level of fitness, but it will actually take it a step further to an increased level.

In this case, overcompensation is a GOOD thing!!

The overload causes the fatigue, then recovery and adaptation allow the body to overcompensate, and go on to attain a higher level of fitness.

Yesterday was my 1st workout coming off my recovery week. It was a long 50+ mile riding session. I completed it without any doubt or reservations plaguing my muscles or psyche. I can promise, without last weeks recovery, I wouldn’t have been able to do it with the same amount of physical stamina and/or the same mental outlook. Today I feel as fresh as I did yesterday. A good sign that the body is ready and willing to handle the increased load once again.

THIS is when you really notice the benefit of rest!!

So the next time you try to cheat your way out of a recovery week by sneaking in a few extra miles or picking up the pace think about the “law”.….

and don’t be tempted to break it!

You’ll be thankful, as you start the next block of training and can really FEEL your progress.

Train Happy, My Friends!


	


	

			




		
			




			
Peace of Mind
	
	
13 Feb 2012 6 Comments


			

			by jnkmiles.org
				in General BS
				Tags: , , , , , 
					

	
	

		
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7


 


It’s recovery week around here and that tends to mean there’s lots of catching up to do.


Catching up on sleep, cleaning, laundry, errands, and anything else that’s been neglected these past few weeks while swimming, cycling, and running for hours upon hours.


In addition to all that good stuff,  I’ve decided I’m also going on a quest….


I’m going to spend the week trying to find a little peace of mind.


Now I consider myself a pretty strong person. The type that doesn’t give up or give in easily….who perseveres in good times and bad….


But I have a little secret…


I really, really HATE to be uncomfortable!


Not like, “it’s kinnda windy and cold to be out running 10 miles” uncomfortable.


Or even, “there aren’t any bathrooms for 10 miles so I guess I need to pee in the bushes or on my bike” uncozy.


Naa, that’s a non-issue.


What I’m talking about is that down to my core discomfort.


The place where you know your head is going to ruin things long before your body ever has the chance.


I’m talking about the, “WTF am I doing??? I just rode 40 miles, into a constant headwind, at 20 mph and now I’m 3 miles into 6 mile run dealing with the heat, the humidity…I hurt like a son-of-a-bitch and I REALLY don’t like this shit anymore.”


Yeah, you know it! That’s the kind of uncomfortable I’m talking about!!!


I really don’t care for it much at all. To be honest, I don’t handle very well either.


I normally train to avoid this type of unpleasantry, at all cost, by building my endurance above and beyond race distance when at all possible.


That’s not really feasible this go round.


This time it’s different.


It’s unpredictable, it’s unfamiliar, and it’s starting to get VERY uncomfortable!


Every time I put on my shoes, get on my bike, or step to the pools edge I’m so consumed with fatigue I swear I’m not going physically be able to complete the task at hand.


Yet somehow I do.


This is how the program works. I know this. I studied it. I’ve implemented the protocol myself and assisted others numerous times. It works. You break the body down, rest it, and let it adapt to improve. It’s not a difficult concept and I can deal with that process just fine.




What I can not handle is the self-doubt when things hurt; when my legs and arms feel like steel beams, or when my paces and splits make it appear that my finishing time will be closer to a FULL Ironman as opposed to a HALF! ugh! :( 


So this week I’m on a mission….


To figure out a way for my mind to be ok with the discomfort my body feels and move past it instead of focusing on it.


To know that the discomfort is ok. It is not unbearable. It is temporary. And it will pass…


Somehow…


Someway…


Eventually…


I also need to get a good grip on reality and stop focusing so much on paces, splits, and averages right now.


The 1st step is to admit you have a problem….


Apparently everything I need to know is right here:




Doesn’t THAT look nice ‘n easy??


The fun never ends…


A constant string of parties, one after another, around here!! ;) 


I’ll let y’all know how it goes!


Run Happy, My Friends!



	


	

			




		
			




			
Back To Reality
	
	
07 Jun 2011 6 Comments


			

			by jnkmiles.org
				in Cool Stuff, General BS
				Tags: , , , 
					

	
	

		
Once a year I take a week or so off and really recharge. Last week was that week.


The combination of everyday stressors (work, house, family) plus training really start to take a toll. I doubt many of us realize how hard we push to get through the weeks, but it definitely has an effect on health, training and performance.


When we left for Aruba, I had just finished Iron Girl New Orleans and had tweaked a muscle in my hip just prior to the race.


One of my vacation goals was to read Sage Roundtree’s, The Athlete’s Guide to Recovery. I know I have a HUGE problem with training at too high of an intensity and after months of doing this I end up hurt and exhausted. So this was step 1 in creating my new training block.


It is a great book for everyone, not just triathletes. It covers every aspect of recovery and regeneration from water/hydration to the ways in which to incorporate active recovery into your harder interval/tempo sessions. It also touches on supplements, compression gear, EMS, and of course yoga. It really helped me write my training plan for my next race in July.


As far as the rest of the trip it was very relaxing and JUST what the Dr. ordered :)  .


We did manage a run on our 2nd day there, but my legs felt like bricks as we ran up the mountain and my husband runs at a pace that I could only keep up with in my dreams! So it wound up more like me running a mile or so, then stopping to walk while screaming at the haze of yellow sneakers far ahead to slowwwww down and wait up. I just know if I could run topless, like he does, it would make all the difference, but it is what it is! Obviously, my body needed more rest.


This is outside our villa where we ran. Not bad, even if your forced to walk!


This place is full of cyclist too. They were riding all day up out in front here. We actually watched a 40k race Saturday morning with teams from Aruba, Curacao, and Venezuela. AquaDoc walked up to the start/finish and chatted up some folks and actually spoke to the girl who finished 1st for the women. She had this cool pink helmet and I’d been watching her ride in front of the villa all week. She said there are ony 3 women on the ENTIRE island that cycle. ONLY THREE! Pretty good odds, eh?


We rented some mountain bikes for the week and I gave “off-roading” a shot. I quickly decided I will not be entering any Xterra events in the near future. My husband kindly refused helmets and I, in turn, refused to ride…WTF, who doesn’t wear helmets??? So he went back and got them and then I proceeded to walk my mountain bike down the boulder-like gravel path. If you have not been on one of these things, they are really HEAVY. I have  a whole new respect for those folks in the fat tire division. I doubt I could rack these things as I tore up my leg with the crank just trying to pick it up off the ground. We made it back to the road, but then we were faced with winds from hell. The kite-surfing guys told us winds in Aruba are sustained at 30 knots and gust higher. These islanders all ride old, beat up road bikes with NO aerobars and NO special wheelsets. And they average about 23-25 mph. Man, if they had technology on their side they would be crazy fast.




This was the extent of my open water swimming!  I’m getting some ab work in as well so bonus points for me!!


I snorkeled a few times as well (not as much as the kids who were on a quest to find Dory and Nemo) and we had every intention of logging some miles in sea, but that time simply got filled with better stuff.


And based on how I feel now, upon my return, I think it was a week well spent.


BUT…I never forget what looms in the future….always thinking…


I think I settled on Galveston 70.3 on April 1, 2012… I just love that it is on April Fools Day! AquaDoc is still trying to wrap his mind around it, but I have confidence he’ll get there  AND 


There is a sprint and olympic tri in Aruba every July. Mark your calendars! And train on HILLS and into a 30-40 knot headwind!! Oh, pack your bike too!


 Train Happy, My Friends!

	


	

			




		
		
 


	
	

	

	
	
	


		

							
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