Yoo 359 - Weekly Mileage Report

Longest week so far. Saturday was a 7 hour training day by itself. Not including transitions. Four hours on the bike and 3 hours on the run. I was so naive when I registered for this thing! I knew it was going to be a lot of training but you don't really comprehend it until you get up before 5am on a Saturday and do nothing but bike and run until 12:30pm.

And then you think to yourself, "Wow, this is only half of what I need to build up to..."

Oy vey!

But I'm going to do it. I just keep envisioning what it will be like to cross that finish line. To have pushed and tested my limits beyond what I think is possible. There is something so raw and revealing about that kind of effort.

But only once.

After this Ironman I'm determined to go back to "normal" workouts that don't qualify as a part-time volunteer job.

A few things learned:

• Many have said it before and I will finally add my voice to the chorus: "Vaseline is your friend!"
• Having a bike computer has turned me into a cyclist. Throw numbers into the mix and suddenly it's fun!
• Runner's World has an article after my own heart: "How to Deal with Snakes". The article is one thing. What really got me was the comments!
• After long Saturday workouts, just take some Tylenol and nap. For as long as you need to. Do not try to function as a normal human being. Or plan a wedding. It is futile and potentially disastrous.

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 343 - Weekly Mileage Report

It doesn't look like much but this week was PROGRESS! I can say that because last week, my bike total just barely made it into the double digits...and I only ran a half-marathon. Remember, that is over the course of 7 days.

Plus, the fact that I even got a swim workout in? Major plus!

The motivation is slowly returning. Probably because I know I get to take a week off for vacation soon.

I spent my Friday night wrestling with my bike in preparation for my long Saturday ride. Did you know you can patch small tire holes with a dollar bill? True story. I'll just keep patching them and then one day, when the whole tire finally explodes...it'll go down in a momentous display of flying money.

Cool, right?

And, just to reiterate how expensive and high-maintenance road biking is, necessary bike purchases this week:  new bike seat, headlamp (i settled for just 300 lumens...the 750 lumen light cost $250...on sale!), tire tubes, new taillight.

Yeesh!

All worth it though. The seat made a world of difference on my long ride and, if I'm going to be riding in the dark, it's generally safer to see and be seen. Especially with all the darting bunnies around here...those will take you out!

I ditched meeting up with my biking group on Saturday to avoid starting my long run at noon. Something about running around in tortuously hot weather during prime weekend hours was more than I could bear. Instead I got up super early and finished most of my bike ride and run before my mind woke up and realized what I was doing.

My "day" started at 5am and by 9:30am I was half-way thru my run and having fantasies about jumping into the pool. That got me thru the last hour and oh was it sweet relief to finally jump in!

This Ironman training is no joke. I haven't even hit my long days yet...

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 298 - Oreo Legs and Cinnamon Rolls

Wednesday "date night" was a fun little two month spree.

Oh what an adventurous mid-week reprieve that used to be!

But then I registered for an Ironman (could this post get any linky-er, you ask?) and the Gregbeau got all these grand ideas about doing a sprint triathlon and so Wednesday nights are now reserved for "swim training".

Isn't this exciting?

Once a Wednesday we suit up and join the locals at a pool downtown, usually fighting for an open lane. It's mostly older men taking up the non-swim-team-practice lanes, so you'd think I'd be able to flash a little leg or something to get my way.

I thought that too.

But then I looked down at my legs and realized that even if they were "shapely" (they're not) they still have the runner/bike nerd tan line right smack dab in the thigh middle.

It's hard to bring sexy back when you look like half an Oreo.

Actually, if you count my sock tan line, you could say I'm a double-stuffed Uh-oh! Oreo.

Now I sound cool...

Where was I going with this?

I don't know. But I swam 2 miles (and 80 yards...) tonight. Partially drill. Entirely in a lane with the Gregfish. (and, just for the record, sharing a lane with him counts as open-water triathlon practice...). It took me a little over an hour and I didn't feel tired so my confidence level on the swim portion is still high.

The bike though...well, lets just cue the bomb dropping sound effect and say I was walking funny after another hilly ride yesterday.

Is this terribly boring you to death? Yes? Ok, in an effort to salvage this post, I didn't find $5 but, on the post-swim Schlotzsky's run, we got a free cinnamon roll.

 All because we couldn't make up our minds, too!

We eyed them, drooling and aimlessly debating aloud, while they made our sandwiches. Then we wandered to our table with those sandwiches while little thought bubbles of cinnamon rolls floated above our heads. And then as we sat there, happily devouring those deliciously over-priced creations, the cinnamon roll thought bubbles kept giving us away like blinking neon signs. So much so that the cashier lady swung by and asked if we were surely sure that we didn't want a cinnamon roll.

She was very convincing but I instinctively gave the Gregchild "the eye" and he gave the cashier a dejected "no".

And then there was this long, but happened in an instant, debate between my left shoulder devil ("indulge!") and my right shoulder angel ("huge thighs!") in which I caved hard for the left dude and in turn set the Gregdude chasing after the cashier.

But! We were too late! They'd already closed the cash registers.

(cue the Gregactor's kicked puppy dog face).

And just like that, they just gave us one. A fresh and goey and warm (just like that shoulder devil said it would be) cinnamon roll.

And now you know.

How's that for a Wednesday night?? Yeah, I think I miss our real dates too...

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 248 - My Exercise Routine and Motivators

I'm sort of sorry this post is mostly serious and not pictorially blessed (I'll throw some random ones in...), but it's going to be life-changing, so can we still be friends?

Plea bargain, maybe?

Ok...maybe not life-changing...but it might give you ideas. Or motivation. You know, if you're looking for those sorts of things. And even if you're not. Plus, I write a lot about my races, but I don't comment much about the daily grind.  That's the 99%, camps and protests if we don't credit it!

Also, if I get lazy again, I can look back at this and remember what I "used to be like" and most likely it'll kick my competitive drive into gear which will spur me back into activity.

All chain reaction and Mouse Trap like. (LOVED that game when I was a kid).

Random landscape picture:

So let's get going!  First an overview of my weekly training schedule followed by my motivators.

The Kyoo Weekly Grind

Monday
1-1.5 hours full-body weights
3-5 mile "fun run"
My weight workouts are pretty intense. But I love lifting weights and I have a great group of buddies I lift with so I thoroughly enjoy these workouts. It's a full-body circuit that's usually divided into 3 20-minute segments repeating 3-5 different exercises. We do all sorts of lifts too. No two weeks are the same. But there are always variations of pushups, pullups, and lunges.
My Monday run is usually a jog on the trails by my condo and I have a new rule that I can't bring my iPod on this run. I'm usually recovering from a weekend long run or race so I use this run as active recovery and try to listen to my body and enjoy the run.

Tuesday
6-10 mile run
My Tuesday run is the "midweek long run". The mileage all depends on where I am in my training and how close my next race is. I try to throw longer "fartleks" into this run to work a bit on speed or just aim for negative splits (run 2nd half faster than the first) if I'm feeling really sore starting out.

Wednesday
3-6 mile hill repeats or speed work
45-minutes cycling (sometimes)
My Wednesday run is usually my most intense of the week. Either hard speed work or hard hill work, depending on which race I'm training for. Some weeks I'm on the treadmill, some I'm outside, it depends on how I'm feeling. (and maybe a little on the weather). If I'm training for a triathlon, I'll spend some time on my bike before the run as a sort of "brick" workout.

Thursday
1-1.5 hours full-body weights
45-minutes cross training
More weight circuits on Thursday and then cross-training in the evening to give my legs a break. I usually swim laps at a local pool. Sure love swimming!

Friday
4-10 mile race pace run
Friday runs tend to be my least favorite. I think it's a combination of it being Friday and a long pace run on the treadmill.  I'm almost always on the treadmill on Friday. The "20-minute" and "5 more minutes" mind tricks are often employed.  (see below).  It's my mental fortitude and monotony training run! Ok, maybe it's not that bad but running as many as 10 miles at the same pace (and usually a hard pace at that), can be a struggle.  But I know it helps my running so I won't quit them any time soon.  I usually reward myself with chocolate milk after...and sometimes Pasha!

Saturday
Long run!
Oh how I love my Saturday long runs! Seriously.  I try not to schedule things in the morning/early afternoon so I have plenty of time and don't feel rushed. These are the runs I run for. Just getting lost in the run and exploring and pushing limits. Not easy but so rewarding.

Sunday
Rest
A vital part of any exercise routine!  And it's the Sabbath.  I might use my foam roller a bit if I'm feeling particularly achy or go on a walk to loosen up but nothing else.

And that's that. It took a few months to get settled into this, but I've kept it up for the better part of 10 months now and it works for me. I will note the running schedule is patterned closely after Hal Higdon's schedules and a colleague of mine comes up with the weight workouts. So I won't take any credit for "inventing" this regime...just sharing what I do.

Second random landscape picture:

So what gets me up and going day in and day out?  Glad you asked!

The Kyoo Motivators

1) I love running. I love the challenge. I love the thinking time. I love the way it makes me feel. Even on "bad" run days, I feel better after running than I did before. Trust based on past experience? Like any good relationship, this love developed over time and with lots of work. I think it's worth it.

"I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!"

- Buddy the Elf...you should know.

2) The 20-minute "mind trick". If I'm having a hard time getting muhself on the treadmill or out the door on a run, I use the 20-minute mind trick. I tell myself, "Kyoo, just get off your butt and jog (or on really, really unmotivated days, walk) for 20 minutes and then you can stop." 20 minutes sounds so much easier than 60 minutes or 10 miles or whatever I have planned! This usually gives me the activation energy necessary to get dressed and put my shoes on and start the darn workout. Which is most of the battle! Once I'm on the run, I'm almost always into it by 20 minutes and ready to keep going. If I'm not, I decide if it's because I need a day off or if it's just a bad day. If it's just a bad day (yes I do have those!), I keep telling myself "5 more minutes" as long as I can. Build that mental fortitude!

"Your body wants to tell you that you're weak. That's when you tell it that you're strong."

- some drill sergeant on a TV show

3) Muh-u-sic! I have a constantly "evolving" workout playlist with all my "favorite jams". They range from country to classical to pop to reggae to film score and beyond. Whatever is striking my liking at the time. And I only let myself listen to this playlist when I'm working out! It's a type of reward that gets me all sorts of eager to run. Nothing like getting lost in your favorite tunes while on a run!

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."

- credit to the Bob Marley for that one...

4) My competitive drive. I'll be honest, sometimes hearing what other people are doing motivates me to want to do more.  Like reading any of Dean Karnazes' books.  It's not a bad thing, but I try to suppress the "beat people" mentality and substitute it for the "beat yourself" mentality.  There's so much more to gain and be proud of by trying to be better today than you were yesterday.

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.  Try to be better than yourself."

- William Faulkner

5) Mirror time. Call me narcissistic or vain or whatever you will but it works. I'm not talking about hours in front of the mirror, but I step in front of it to "face myself" every once in a while.  When I don't like what I see, I want to fix it. When I like what I see I'm like, "Yeah! Lookin' good!  *arm flex* This is totally worth it!". I don't run solely to look better in jeans, but I'm not discrediting it as a motivator.  Also, gotta use a full-length one...don't cheat.

"Pain is weakness leaving the body."

- ??

6) Races.  Having a race on the calendar that I'm excited about and training for is huge.  It gives me focus and keeps my running interesting.  I try to pick a variety of races, some I've done before and some new, to keep me busy.  About one a month.  It's a good way to track progress too.  Personal bests!  I'm a hamburger.

"I still bother with runners I call hamburgers.  They're never going to run any record times, but they can always fulfill their own potential."

- Bill Bowerman

Third random landscape picture:

Wow, if you've made it this far....gold star!  Are you just dying to exercise now??  I am.  But I have a race this Saturday so I'm resting up.

Go run for me!

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 234 - A Little Backwards

I've always been a little backwards.

I mean, let's look at this.

• Apollo 13 inspired me to want to be an astronaut. 
• Most of my really productive study sessions in college were on Friday nights (annnnd possibly the reason I'm still single at 24?).
• It's not about the fries, it's about the ketchup.
• Parents are usually right, and I'll admit it (Kyoo mom, don't take this too far!)
• I procrastinate opening my presents on Christmas morning as long as I can (savor the moment!).
• Scrubs were the pants of choice all through high school (still embarrassing).
• I wear my sunglasses at night.

Ok, maybe not that last one.  But I guess it really shouldn't surprise me that, after finishing one of my hardest weight workouts to date and then spending a lengthy session in a cold one of these today:



...I was all sorts of itching to register for this:

I've had my eye on a full Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) for years.  And 2012 might be the year.  I need to amp up my bike (a lot).  (like a lot a lot).  (just not a lover of the biking yet).  And I also need to come up with $600 for the registration fee.  (ouch, right?  pricey).

And maybe convince the Gregworryer that it's a good idea, too.  Because sometimes he thinks I'm a little over-ambitious.   Like he has any basis for that conception...

But don't worry, I'll keep you posted.

Can I also say that my striking Gregswimmer freestyled and backstroked his way across the pool 40 times today??  1000 yards for him!  It was triumphant.  We celebrated the only way you can celebrate such an accomplishment.

At Fuddruckers.




Your tip of the week is to spring for the kids hamburger meal there.  It's 4 bucks and the burger is just the right size.  Plus you get their big steak fries and a cookie.  Way better than spending 7 bucks for just the burger!

Have a great day :-)

Kyoo 196 - Gatorbait Triathlon

I did a little triathloning for the first time last Saturday.  It went a little something like this:

There was a little bit of nervous Kyooyoo posing for cheesy pictures while waiting for the start in make-shift swimwear...

I had no idea how to dress "cool" for my first triathlon...except shell out a lot of $$ for those fancy suits....which isn't really an option on my current "pay-off-the-condo" budget.

There was a struggle with a stubborn swim cap...

There was some swimming.  Into people.  Spot the buoy.  Over people.  Spot the buoy.  Swim around the giant yellow floating buoy.  Into more people.  Spot another buoy.  Over more people.  Spot the big yellow finish arch.  More swimming...

...until finally...

...there was a race to the first transition (and a chance to finally remove that annoying swim cap)!

There was some shoe-tying and shirt-changing in the elusive transition area and an eager rush to the bike mount.  So eager in fact that I forgot to put on my padded bike shorts...

So there was an un-enjoyable and mostly painful bike ride.  Despite the pain, I did make it up "heart-break hill".  The challenging incline half-way through the course that about 60% of the other athletes had to walk their bike up...

There was another quick transition (4th fastest T2 time out of all 300 competitors!)...and some running.

Yes, I passed that girl.  And tons of other people, of course...

There were happy body-marked-bicep poses...

There were "serious" body-marked-bicep poses...

There were ridiculous body-marked-bicep poses with friends...

There were body-marked-bicep poses with the bike...

And then there was relieved (and stinky) Kyooyoo when it was all said and done.  Or swam, biked, and ran.  (At least it's not another body-marked-bicep pose... :)

And some video!

And for the record, I thought Sidekick was taking pictures...hence why I kept striking random "Victory!" poses during the video...

In conclusion, I've decided that I am a fan of triathlons.  They're a lot more high-maintenance than running races but so much more exciting!  I didn't do too bad either.  I placed 2nd in my age group and 19th overall.  I was quite pleased.  Especially since I ended up having to work until 10 the night before (not planned), carbo-loaded on crazy bread from Little Caesars (not ideal), and was on a mountain bike amongst all the fancy tri and road bikes (not fast).

Have a great day :)