[2/1/06 Wednesday]
Swim - 2750 yd, 51:47 - mixed workout with 4 x 400
Run - 2 miles, 20 min - treadmill workout
Hip/Core Series
My runner's knee is a symptom of weak hip muscles that result in extra stress being put on the knee. In physical therapy I have been given a series of hip strengthening exercises. Regular lower body weight-lifting exercises that involve bending the knee are not good for my knee right now, so I have replaced it with a series of natural movement exercises for the lower body that target primarily the hips and core. This is my current routine:
1. Side step with elastic band around ankles (3 x 20 steps each direction)
2. Raised-knee walk with elastic band around ankles (3 x 20 steps each forward/backward)
3. Walk and raise knee as high as possible on each step (around 250 steps)
4. Side lunge (3 x 20 each direction)
5. Speed-skater step (3 x 10 each direction)
6. Speed-skater step and touch opposite side (3 x 10 each direction)
7. Speed-skater step and touch same side (3 x 10 each direction)
8. Outer adductor weight machine (4 x 15)
9. Standing calf raise (4 x 15)
[1/31/06 Tuesday]
Swim - 1750 yd, 33:41
Bike - 60 minute spin class
Upper body weights, Abs (300)
I went to the west side Princeton Club to swim this morning, which I don't usually do. I guess I should have checked the pool schedule because my swim got cut short when a water aerobics class started at 8am. I was planning to swim 3000yd but only made it to 1750. Sadly, I was totally in my groove of doing 400yd repeats with negative splits at the time.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
eating for performance
[1/30/06 Monday]
REST Day
I am gradually working on optimizing my diet for performance. Generally I eat very healthy, mostly vegetarian, with occasional salmon or tuna. A rule of thumb that I attempt to go by as much as possible is 'if it does not occur in nature, don't eat it'. That means I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, plain yogurt, egg whites. My daily caloric intake during base training period (right now) is usually 2000-3000 depending on how long the day's workout was. During the summer when I do high volume training, my daily calories are more like 3500-4000.
This is a typical weekday for me:
Breakfast (7 am) - 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal (measured dry) with flax meal and wheat germ, small glass of orange juice
Morning Snack (10 am) - piece of fruit
Lunch (noon) - Hummus, spinach, sprouts, avocado sandwich on whole wheat, piece of fruit
Afternoon Snack (3pm)- handful of almonds and dried apricots, Clif Bar (post-workout)
Dinner (6:30pm)- sliced tofu fried in Indian spices and olive oil, steamed kale, sweet potato (plain)
Evening Snack - (9 pm) air-popped popcorn (plain or with brewer's yeast), decaf green tea
I am reading a book now on how to be a vegan and an endurance athlete - Thrive by Brendan Brazier. This is a great book and I would recommend that all athletes interested in nutrition read what Brendan has to say (look at www.brendanbrazier.com to get started). I saw Brendan speak at last year's Vancouver Marathon expo where he demostrated making homemade vegan energy bars. A main point he makes is that to enhance daily recovery, it is important to choose foods that do not create further stress within the body. It is important to choose foods that create an alkaline state within the body since hard exercise makes the body acidic.
REST Day
I am gradually working on optimizing my diet for performance. Generally I eat very healthy, mostly vegetarian, with occasional salmon or tuna. A rule of thumb that I attempt to go by as much as possible is 'if it does not occur in nature, don't eat it'. That means I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, plain yogurt, egg whites. My daily caloric intake during base training period (right now) is usually 2000-3000 depending on how long the day's workout was. During the summer when I do high volume training, my daily calories are more like 3500-4000.
This is a typical weekday for me:
Breakfast (7 am) - 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal (measured dry) with flax meal and wheat germ, small glass of orange juice
Morning Snack (10 am) - piece of fruit
Lunch (noon) - Hummus, spinach, sprouts, avocado sandwich on whole wheat, piece of fruit
Afternoon Snack (3pm)- handful of almonds and dried apricots, Clif Bar (post-workout)
Dinner (6:30pm)- sliced tofu fried in Indian spices and olive oil, steamed kale, sweet potato (plain)
Evening Snack - (9 pm) air-popped popcorn (plain or with brewer's yeast), decaf green tea
I am reading a book now on how to be a vegan and an endurance athlete - Thrive by Brendan Brazier. This is a great book and I would recommend that all athletes interested in nutrition read what Brendan has to say (look at www.brendanbrazier.com to get started). I saw Brendan speak at last year's Vancouver Marathon expo where he demostrated making homemade vegan energy bars. A main point he makes is that to enhance daily recovery, it is important to choose foods that do not create further stress within the body. It is important to choose foods that create an alkaline state within the body since hard exercise makes the body acidic.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
nothing special
[1/29/06 Sunday]
Run - 2.5 miles, 25 minutes
Swim - 2000 yd, 36 minutes - with 1 mile time trial and short warm up/cool down
Run - 2.5 miles, 25 minutes
Swim - 2000 yd, 36 minutes - with 1 mile time trial and short warm up/cool down
Saturday, January 28, 2006
biking hat makes the day
[1/28/06 Saturday]
Bike - 1:05, spin class - various terrain while attempting to stay in 65-75% heart rate zone
Run - 1 mile, 9:30
Abs (300), Lower body strength and hips
I know I am not supposed to be doing bike/run bricks right now, but I couldn't help doing a mini run after the bike. My legs and knee were feeling good... well, my knee was ever so slightly tight, but like I said, I couldn't help it. I feel like I am in great shape and it is hard to hold back sometimes.
I got a cute biking hat that keeps my hair out of my face. When I gave myself a haircut a few weeks ago, I cut it too short to put back, but it is still long enough to get hot. A biking hat is the kind of detail that can make all the difference in a workout.
The winter regulars are gradually starting to come back to the saturday morning spin class. Several of them are training for Ironman. I like training with others around that are strong athletes and I like feeling like part of a gym community.
Bike - 1:05, spin class - various terrain while attempting to stay in 65-75% heart rate zone
Run - 1 mile, 9:30
Abs (300), Lower body strength and hips
I know I am not supposed to be doing bike/run bricks right now, but I couldn't help doing a mini run after the bike. My legs and knee were feeling good... well, my knee was ever so slightly tight, but like I said, I couldn't help it. I feel like I am in great shape and it is hard to hold back sometimes.
I got a cute biking hat that keeps my hair out of my face. When I gave myself a haircut a few weeks ago, I cut it too short to put back, but it is still long enough to get hot. A biking hat is the kind of detail that can make all the difference in a workout.
The winter regulars are gradually starting to come back to the saturday morning spin class. Several of them are training for Ironman. I like training with others around that are strong athletes and I like feeling like part of a gym community.
Friday, January 27, 2006
shorts in january
[1/27/06 Friday]
Run - 2.3 miles, 20:40
I did today's run outside thanks to another 50 degree January day in Wisconsin. I even wore shorts. I ran the whole way with no knee pain and felt good.
[1/26/06 Thursday]
Swim - 2000yd, 39:08 - main set as 7 x 150 build w/ fastest split 2:15
Bike - 60 minute spin class
Abs (300, again!)
Run - 2.3 miles, 20:40
I did today's run outside thanks to another 50 degree January day in Wisconsin. I even wore shorts. I ran the whole way with no knee pain and felt good.
[1/26/06 Thursday]
Swim - 2000yd, 39:08 - main set as 7 x 150 build w/ fastest split 2:15
Bike - 60 minute spin class
Abs (300, again!)
breakthrough discoveries
[1/25/06 Wednesday]
Swim - 2200m, 41:00
Run - 2.6 miles, 27:41
Abs (300), Hips
It was a great day for workout discoveries today.
1) I think I finally figured out how not to drop my elbow in my freestyle swim stroke. This is something I never really understood how to do before. I realized that I have been bending my arms too much on the catch phase of the stroke. If I keep my arm straighter and reach more as though I am trying to touch the bottom of the pool, I can generate noticeably more power. I have long arms and this allows me to take full advantage of them by pulling more water with each stroke.
2) If I run as part of a bike/run brick, my knee is going to hurt. If I run on days that I don't bike, I will be able to run without pain. I don't know why I was doing all those bricks for the past two weeks. It is not necessary at this point of the year, and it just puts extra stress on my knee.
3) Running slow is better than not running at all. I need to fight the urge to run at an 8 minute pace at all times. Going at a 10 minute pace right now seems to be ok for my knee.
4) My ab routine has been getting stale and too easy lately. The author of a book I have been reading on how to coach swimming says that he has his swimmers do a minimum of 300 sit-ups and 100 push ups each day. I am going to incorporate that strategy into my training, but gradually. Today I started with the 300. I like to do a variety of exercises that work different parts of the abs, so instead of just sit-ups I am going to do 300 reps of any combination of ab exercises. It was a challenge to get to 300, but I made it and felt the burn.
Swim - 2200m, 41:00
Run - 2.6 miles, 27:41
Abs (300), Hips
It was a great day for workout discoveries today.
1) I think I finally figured out how not to drop my elbow in my freestyle swim stroke. This is something I never really understood how to do before. I realized that I have been bending my arms too much on the catch phase of the stroke. If I keep my arm straighter and reach more as though I am trying to touch the bottom of the pool, I can generate noticeably more power. I have long arms and this allows me to take full advantage of them by pulling more water with each stroke.
2) If I run as part of a bike/run brick, my knee is going to hurt. If I run on days that I don't bike, I will be able to run without pain. I don't know why I was doing all those bricks for the past two weeks. It is not necessary at this point of the year, and it just puts extra stress on my knee.
3) Running slow is better than not running at all. I need to fight the urge to run at an 8 minute pace at all times. Going at a 10 minute pace right now seems to be ok for my knee.
4) My ab routine has been getting stale and too easy lately. The author of a book I have been reading on how to coach swimming says that he has his swimmers do a minimum of 300 sit-ups and 100 push ups each day. I am going to incorporate that strategy into my training, but gradually. Today I started with the 300. I like to do a variety of exercises that work different parts of the abs, so instead of just sit-ups I am going to do 300 reps of any combination of ab exercises. It was a challenge to get to 300, but I made it and felt the burn.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
kona, here i come
i just bought my ticket to hawaii... kona, here i come!
in february i am going to hawaii for 3 weeks to swim, bike, and run the Big Island, and do some sightseeing in Oahu. it can't hurt to test out the Ironman World Championships course now... even though I won't be participating for a long long time.
in february i am going to hawaii for 3 weeks to swim, bike, and run the Big Island, and do some sightseeing in Oahu. it can't hurt to test out the Ironman World Championships course now... even though I won't be participating for a long long time.
protein power banana bars
[1/24/06 Tuesday]
Swim - 3000m, 55:43 -
450 free, 100 kick, 450 pull, 6 x 25, 4 x 50, 400 pull, 2 x 200, 500 free, 14 x 25 as 2 easy, 3 B5, 2 B7, 3 B3, 3 B5, 2 easy
Here's a tidbit from issue 2 of my unpublished zine Trigirls:
Last issue included an article reviewing various commercial energy bars. It got me thinking, if I eat so many of these, couldn’t I come up with a few good homemade recipes and make them in mass quantities? For me, the perfect energy bar has lots of protein, is not overly sweet, has a moist texture, and contains no partially hydrogenated oils.
Protein Power Banana Bars
I came up with this recipe myself. I started with a basic recipe for banana bread and substituted whole-grain and higher protein alternative ingredients. The bars are dense and cake-like.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup protein powder (chocolate is good)
about 4 ripe bananas
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water (or adjust to get batter-like consistency)
mini chocolate chips (as many as you like, optional)
Mix together dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine them. Put in a greased pan (13 x 9). Bake for around 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, cut in squares, and wrap each square in plastic wrap for portable individual treats. Makes 15 bars.
Swim - 3000m, 55:43 -
450 free, 100 kick, 450 pull, 6 x 25, 4 x 50, 400 pull, 2 x 200, 500 free, 14 x 25 as 2 easy, 3 B5, 2 B7, 3 B3, 3 B5, 2 easy
Here's a tidbit from issue 2 of my unpublished zine Trigirls:
Last issue included an article reviewing various commercial energy bars. It got me thinking, if I eat so many of these, couldn’t I come up with a few good homemade recipes and make them in mass quantities? For me, the perfect energy bar has lots of protein, is not overly sweet, has a moist texture, and contains no partially hydrogenated oils.
Protein Power Banana Bars
I came up with this recipe myself. I started with a basic recipe for banana bread and substituted whole-grain and higher protein alternative ingredients. The bars are dense and cake-like.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup protein powder (chocolate is good)
about 4 ripe bananas
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water (or adjust to get batter-like consistency)
mini chocolate chips (as many as you like, optional)
Mix together dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine them. Put in a greased pan (13 x 9). Bake for around 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, cut in squares, and wrap each square in plastic wrap for portable individual treats. Makes 15 bars.
Monday, January 23, 2006
shred of hope
[1/23/06 Monday]
Rest Day
My knee feels better with an ace bandage on it. I am not limping at all today. This gives me a shred of hope.
[1/22/06 Sunday]
Swim - 3000yd, 58 min - Main set as 4 x 200, did some drills with hand paddles
Lower body weights, abs
I did the entire swim with a pull buoy to avoid any stress on my knee. Even swimming with a normal kick irritates it now. It is frustrating because for the past two months I have been taking it very easy, and still my knee is not recovered. This makes me cranky.
I attempted to do lower body weights without affecting my knee today. That was kind of challenging. I basically just did isolation exercises for everything except my quads and hamstrings. I walked one lap around the track bringing my knees up as high as possible on each step. That was great for my hip flexors which were feeling the burn by the end.
[1/21/06 Saturday]
Bike - 75 minutes - easy aerobic (indoor, spin class)
Run - 2.8 miles, 25 min - 2 x 1 miles @ 8:37, 8:47 with recovery
Weights (shoulders, arms), abs
This felt like the closest thing to a real workout I have done in a long time. 1:45 of good old biking and running, then weights to top it off and completely tire me out. It was a lot of fun. The only problem was that I started feeling my runner's knee about 10 minutes into the bike. Maybe I should have stopped right away when I felt it, but I kept going and just did high cadence spinning instead of the hills. I really wanted to run, so I did, but it got worse the more I did. As I was running, I was wondering how many weeks of no running would have to follow this workout. It is really hard to not run when all I want to do is run. I am jealous of people who can. Going only 2 miles at a time feels like nothing. After I am healed, I will be grateful for every normal run I can go on.
Rest Day
My knee feels better with an ace bandage on it. I am not limping at all today. This gives me a shred of hope.
[1/22/06 Sunday]
Swim - 3000yd, 58 min - Main set as 4 x 200, did some drills with hand paddles
Lower body weights, abs
I did the entire swim with a pull buoy to avoid any stress on my knee. Even swimming with a normal kick irritates it now. It is frustrating because for the past two months I have been taking it very easy, and still my knee is not recovered. This makes me cranky.
I attempted to do lower body weights without affecting my knee today. That was kind of challenging. I basically just did isolation exercises for everything except my quads and hamstrings. I walked one lap around the track bringing my knees up as high as possible on each step. That was great for my hip flexors which were feeling the burn by the end.
[1/21/06 Saturday]
Bike - 75 minutes - easy aerobic (indoor, spin class)
Run - 2.8 miles, 25 min - 2 x 1 miles @ 8:37, 8:47 with recovery
Weights (shoulders, arms), abs
This felt like the closest thing to a real workout I have done in a long time. 1:45 of good old biking and running, then weights to top it off and completely tire me out. It was a lot of fun. The only problem was that I started feeling my runner's knee about 10 minutes into the bike. Maybe I should have stopped right away when I felt it, but I kept going and just did high cadence spinning instead of the hills. I really wanted to run, so I did, but it got worse the more I did. As I was running, I was wondering how many weeks of no running would have to follow this workout. It is really hard to not run when all I want to do is run. I am jealous of people who can. Going only 2 miles at a time feels like nothing. After I am healed, I will be grateful for every normal run I can go on.
Friday, January 20, 2006
is there such a thing as "fast" water?
[1/20/06 Friday]
Swim - 2000m, 40:10 - with 1000m time trial (16:40)
This is the second fastest I have done this time trial. The fastest was last November when I clocked in five seconds faster at 16:35. I went to the university pool today and was reminded of how much I like that pool. It is meters (not yards), the lanes are wide, it is not too chlorinated, and it is deep. I have heard that deep cold pools are "fast". That might be true because my meter length swim times are always comparable to my yard length swim times in the usual warm shallow pool that I swim in.
I am starting to feel my runner's knee a little in the past two days. It is not painful at all, but it worries me that I can feel it. I think that the long swim kick set I did early in the week may have been hard on it.
[1/19/06 Thursday]
REST DAY
I had three hours in the middle of the day scheduled to do my workout today. I was planning to go to the gym to do a bike/run brick. My other option was to stay home and crawl into bed for a nice long nap. This is rare for me, but today I picked the nap and called it a rest day. My body was feeling tired and my eyes were sleepy, so I think it was a good call.
Swim - 2000m, 40:10 - with 1000m time trial (16:40)
This is the second fastest I have done this time trial. The fastest was last November when I clocked in five seconds faster at 16:35. I went to the university pool today and was reminded of how much I like that pool. It is meters (not yards), the lanes are wide, it is not too chlorinated, and it is deep. I have heard that deep cold pools are "fast". That might be true because my meter length swim times are always comparable to my yard length swim times in the usual warm shallow pool that I swim in.
I am starting to feel my runner's knee a little in the past two days. It is not painful at all, but it worries me that I can feel it. I think that the long swim kick set I did early in the week may have been hard on it.
[1/19/06 Thursday]
REST DAY
I had three hours in the middle of the day scheduled to do my workout today. I was planning to go to the gym to do a bike/run brick. My other option was to stay home and crawl into bed for a nice long nap. This is rare for me, but today I picked the nap and called it a rest day. My body was feeling tired and my eyes were sleepy, so I think it was a good call.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
walkers in the pool
[Wednesday, 1/17/06]
Swim: 2600yd, 52:50 - with 700 kick drills, Avg Heart Rate 131/ Max 146
I took the day off from work today and got to go swim early. I forgot that the crowd at the Princeton Club pool around 8am is mostly walkers... very slow walkers, and none of them seem to like getting wet. This morning I was surrounded on both sides by people doubled up in lanes walking. It was hard to do my hard kick sets and not splash anyone, though I tried to dodge them by moving back and forth between the sides of my lane. During the freestyle sets, it is good practice to try to swim without making any splash. I think that if you are in a pool though, you can't be too upset if you get wet. I try to be courteous though, because I have gotten some pretty bad looks.
I don't usually weigh myself, but I did today and I am one pound less than I have ever been... I am down to 136.
[Tuesday, 1/18/06]
Bike (indoor) - 30 min - with 8 min in a hard gear at low cadence
Run - 2.4 miles, 23 minutes - with 2 x 1 mile at 8:25 pace
Bike - 30 min - with 8 min in a hard gear at low cadence
Weights - Chest, Back, Abs
Breaking up the brick into Bike/Run/Bike was a fun way to work out. Biking inside on a spin bike gets a little mentally tough after a while, so this gave me a way to not get bored. Plus, the biking acted as a good warm-up and cool down for the run. Today's run is the farthest I have gone since recovering from my knee injury. My knee was feeling fine, so this is a good sign. Doing weights after the bike/run/bike made this workout get kind of long but I made myself do it. I guess I am getting stronger, because I was able to go up in weight on almost every exercise I did. All in all, this workout was great because the visible improvements I am making at this time of the season make me optimistic for what I am goingn to be able to achieve later in the year.
I gave myself a haircut tonight. My shoulder length hair has been dragging me down and becoming more and more of a pain to deal with before, during, and after my workouts. I cut it to chin length and layered the back substantially. It feels a lot lighter on my head now... maybe that will make me faster :)
Swim: 2600yd, 52:50 - with 700 kick drills, Avg Heart Rate 131/ Max 146
I took the day off from work today and got to go swim early. I forgot that the crowd at the Princeton Club pool around 8am is mostly walkers... very slow walkers, and none of them seem to like getting wet. This morning I was surrounded on both sides by people doubled up in lanes walking. It was hard to do my hard kick sets and not splash anyone, though I tried to dodge them by moving back and forth between the sides of my lane. During the freestyle sets, it is good practice to try to swim without making any splash. I think that if you are in a pool though, you can't be too upset if you get wet. I try to be courteous though, because I have gotten some pretty bad looks.
I don't usually weigh myself, but I did today and I am one pound less than I have ever been... I am down to 136.
[Tuesday, 1/18/06]
Bike (indoor) - 30 min - with 8 min in a hard gear at low cadence
Run - 2.4 miles, 23 minutes - with 2 x 1 mile at 8:25 pace
Bike - 30 min - with 8 min in a hard gear at low cadence
Weights - Chest, Back, Abs
Breaking up the brick into Bike/Run/Bike was a fun way to work out. Biking inside on a spin bike gets a little mentally tough after a while, so this gave me a way to not get bored. Plus, the biking acted as a good warm-up and cool down for the run. Today's run is the farthest I have gone since recovering from my knee injury. My knee was feeling fine, so this is a good sign. Doing weights after the bike/run/bike made this workout get kind of long but I made myself do it. I guess I am getting stronger, because I was able to go up in weight on almost every exercise I did. All in all, this workout was great because the visible improvements I am making at this time of the season make me optimistic for what I am goingn to be able to achieve later in the year.
I gave myself a haircut tonight. My shoulder length hair has been dragging me down and becoming more and more of a pain to deal with before, during, and after my workouts. I cut it to chin length and layered the back substantially. It feels a lot lighter on my head now... maybe that will make me faster :)
Monday, January 16, 2006
adventures in buying gear: the bike
Last year I started a zine called TriGirls and published a great first issue... but then financial constraints and some mental blocks prevented me from publishing the next issue. I wrote the second issue almost to completion and several readers have asked me to publish it. I like the idea of having a piece of paper in hand to read rather than just reading something online. Alas, I am going to do what I don't like and put the articles online because it is easier and cheaper. This is the first one.
Adventures in Buying Gear: The Bike
(written in february 2005)
In mid-January 2005, I went to the Cronometro Bike Swap, a local bike shop’s expo of used gear and sale stuff with booths by individuals and retailers. This is a paradise for bikers in need of gear. You can get padded shorts, slightly used jerseys, and other clothes for as low as $10. I saw a complete set of used panniers for $20, tons of new and used shoes around $30, and pretty much everything a biker would need. You could build a great bike from scratch by buying parts at the Bike Swap, if you were so inclined. And yes, they also had complete used bikes for sale by individuals. I went in with the idea that I would buy a triathlon bike if I found the right one. After a cursory browse through the booths, I had narrowed it down four contenders which I then checked out in full detail:
1. Quintana Roo tri bike $1500
It was a beautiful dark blue (my preferred color), had full aerobars and aeroframe, had a rear disc wheel, and included a computer. The guy selling it clearly loved the bike and told me he had done several races on it. It was in very good condition and looked like it might fit me, but sadly turned out to be way too small. Given that it was a size 53 and the owner was several inches shorter than me, this wasn’t very surprising. According to my biodynamic fitting, I am more like a size 56. In every instance that I have talked about buying a bike with male salesmen who are also bikers themselves, they cannot believe that I need a bike that large. Who knew that so many male egos are connected to bike frame size? Anyone ever heard of a woman with long legs? This bike was definitely out.
2. Cervelo P2K tri bike $1900
My second contender was a bright red Cervelo P2K, size 56. It could have been my dream bike, but closer inspection revealed that it wasn’t in very good shape. It included disc wheels, aerobars, and computer, but had clearly been ridden a lot and/or not taken very good care of. The brake pads were worn, and there was duct tape holding a cable and part of the aerobars together. The wheels weren’t exactly straight, as when inspected with frontal view while spining, they were dented, maybe from a pothole. Disk wheels are not good for everyday training rides, so this bike would require a whole new wheelset. The frame was also somewhat scratched up. Not worth the price. Oh well.
3. Fuji road bike $1200
This bike looked brand new, despite the fact that the owner had ridden it over a thousand miles and used it in last year’s Wisconsin Ironman. It was a road frame though, not specifically a triathlon geometry, and only mid-range quality. The components were Shimano 105, which is what I was looking to upgrade. After measuring the frame with a tape measure and referring to my biodynamic fitting report, a knowledgeable salesperson determined that the size could work with some adjustment, but it would never fit me like a glove. The top tube was too long for my short torso and therefore the reach would never be quite right. This just wasn’t the perfect bike for me.
4. Cannondale tri bike $1600
My final contender is the bike that I purchased, and it was an extremely lucky find. The frame is a Cannondale Multisport 700, 2002 model in bright yellow with silver and black. Nothing from the original setup remains other than the frame, because everything else had been upgraded by the previous owner. It was a steal for $1600 (including everything but the handlebars). The frame and components are in perfect condition, taken very good care of. It has a full aero frame, carbon aero fork, Selle Italia carbon seat, Thompson carbon seatpost, Mavic Kyserium SSL wheels, complete Dura-Ace components, and Cane Creek 200SL brakes. The aerobars it came with were uncomfortable for my wrists when I test rode it, so I purchased it without them. The seller agreed to reduce the price from $1800 to $1600. I test rode the bike indoors in the exhibition space, up and down the aisle. This wasn’t much, but I got a sense that it fit well even with no adjustments. The frame measurements matched those on my biodynamic fitting report. (Later, while doing my final adjustments at the bike shop, the mechanic told me that other than a custom frame, no bike could fit me better. Awesome!) This bike is so light, I can bicep curl it with one arm. For the aerobar setup, I decided on a Profile Design bullhorn bar (40 inch), and Syntace C2 Clip aerobars. I wanted my aerobar setup to be comparable in quality and proportional weight to the bike itself. It took about a month and a half to get all the parts I needed and have the final adjustments made, which seemed like an eternity of looking at an unbelievablely fast yet unrideable racing machine sitting in my living room. There was snow on the ground so I couldn’t have taken it out anyway. It was a complete stroke of luck that I found this great bike with high-end components at such a good price. It would have cost probably $1000 more had I bought everything new.
There was some tweaking and additional parts to get besides the bike itself. This will be a continuous work in progress. Here is the complete rundown of my bike setup (as of Feb 2005):
Cannondale 2002 Tri-bike (used) $1600
Profile Design Bullhorn handlebar $30
Syntace C2 Clip-on Aerobars $150
Profile Design Stem $30
Speedplay X2 Pedals $165
SIDI T-1 Shoes $150
Water System: aero bottle, regular water bottles, carbon cage, dual rear cage $100
Bento Box $15
Computer $35
Biodynamic fitting $165
Labor for final setup and adjustments $70
Adventures in Buying Gear: The Bike
(written in february 2005)
In mid-January 2005, I went to the Cronometro Bike Swap, a local bike shop’s expo of used gear and sale stuff with booths by individuals and retailers. This is a paradise for bikers in need of gear. You can get padded shorts, slightly used jerseys, and other clothes for as low as $10. I saw a complete set of used panniers for $20, tons of new and used shoes around $30, and pretty much everything a biker would need. You could build a great bike from scratch by buying parts at the Bike Swap, if you were so inclined. And yes, they also had complete used bikes for sale by individuals. I went in with the idea that I would buy a triathlon bike if I found the right one. After a cursory browse through the booths, I had narrowed it down four contenders which I then checked out in full detail:
1. Quintana Roo tri bike $1500
It was a beautiful dark blue (my preferred color), had full aerobars and aeroframe, had a rear disc wheel, and included a computer. The guy selling it clearly loved the bike and told me he had done several races on it. It was in very good condition and looked like it might fit me, but sadly turned out to be way too small. Given that it was a size 53 and the owner was several inches shorter than me, this wasn’t very surprising. According to my biodynamic fitting, I am more like a size 56. In every instance that I have talked about buying a bike with male salesmen who are also bikers themselves, they cannot believe that I need a bike that large. Who knew that so many male egos are connected to bike frame size? Anyone ever heard of a woman with long legs? This bike was definitely out.
2. Cervelo P2K tri bike $1900
My second contender was a bright red Cervelo P2K, size 56. It could have been my dream bike, but closer inspection revealed that it wasn’t in very good shape. It included disc wheels, aerobars, and computer, but had clearly been ridden a lot and/or not taken very good care of. The brake pads were worn, and there was duct tape holding a cable and part of the aerobars together. The wheels weren’t exactly straight, as when inspected with frontal view while spining, they were dented, maybe from a pothole. Disk wheels are not good for everyday training rides, so this bike would require a whole new wheelset. The frame was also somewhat scratched up. Not worth the price. Oh well.
3. Fuji road bike $1200
This bike looked brand new, despite the fact that the owner had ridden it over a thousand miles and used it in last year’s Wisconsin Ironman. It was a road frame though, not specifically a triathlon geometry, and only mid-range quality. The components were Shimano 105, which is what I was looking to upgrade. After measuring the frame with a tape measure and referring to my biodynamic fitting report, a knowledgeable salesperson determined that the size could work with some adjustment, but it would never fit me like a glove. The top tube was too long for my short torso and therefore the reach would never be quite right. This just wasn’t the perfect bike for me.
4. Cannondale tri bike $1600
My final contender is the bike that I purchased, and it was an extremely lucky find. The frame is a Cannondale Multisport 700, 2002 model in bright yellow with silver and black. Nothing from the original setup remains other than the frame, because everything else had been upgraded by the previous owner. It was a steal for $1600 (including everything but the handlebars). The frame and components are in perfect condition, taken very good care of. It has a full aero frame, carbon aero fork, Selle Italia carbon seat, Thompson carbon seatpost, Mavic Kyserium SSL wheels, complete Dura-Ace components, and Cane Creek 200SL brakes. The aerobars it came with were uncomfortable for my wrists when I test rode it, so I purchased it without them. The seller agreed to reduce the price from $1800 to $1600. I test rode the bike indoors in the exhibition space, up and down the aisle. This wasn’t much, but I got a sense that it fit well even with no adjustments. The frame measurements matched those on my biodynamic fitting report. (Later, while doing my final adjustments at the bike shop, the mechanic told me that other than a custom frame, no bike could fit me better. Awesome!) This bike is so light, I can bicep curl it with one arm. For the aerobar setup, I decided on a Profile Design bullhorn bar (40 inch), and Syntace C2 Clip aerobars. I wanted my aerobar setup to be comparable in quality and proportional weight to the bike itself. It took about a month and a half to get all the parts I needed and have the final adjustments made, which seemed like an eternity of looking at an unbelievablely fast yet unrideable racing machine sitting in my living room. There was snow on the ground so I couldn’t have taken it out anyway. It was a complete stroke of luck that I found this great bike with high-end components at such a good price. It would have cost probably $1000 more had I bought everything new.
There was some tweaking and additional parts to get besides the bike itself. This will be a continuous work in progress. Here is the complete rundown of my bike setup (as of Feb 2005):
Cannondale 2002 Tri-bike (used) $1600
Profile Design Bullhorn handlebar $30
Syntace C2 Clip-on Aerobars $150
Profile Design Stem $30
Speedplay X2 Pedals $165
SIDI T-1 Shoes $150
Water System: aero bottle, regular water bottles, carbon cage, dual rear cage $100
Bento Box $15
Computer $35
Biodynamic fitting $165
Labor for final setup and adjustments $70
Sunday, January 15, 2006
as promised, boot camp class made me sore
[1/15/06]
Swim - 2000yd, 36:52 - main set as 5 x 100 build, 10 x 50 alternate easy/hard
[1/14/06]
Cross country ski - about 60 minutes
Bike - around town, around 10 miles i think - about 60 minutes
At my boot camp workout on Friday, the trainer said that since it was my first time at the class, I should go easy or I would be so sore that I wouldn't be able to do anything for a week. I only partially listened to this... and now only some of my muscles will be out of commission for a week. My hip flexors, glutes, and calves feel like I just ran a hard marathon. I had trouble walking yesterday. I actually think of it as a good thing because the class allowed me to find some weak spots in my body that need to be worked on. The fact that my upper body is not sore at all makes me think I have been doing a good job strengthening it with weight-lifting. I'm glad tomorrow is a rest day because I feel pretty toasted overall after pushing my body through the weekend workouts despite my sore legs.
Swim - 2000yd, 36:52 - main set as 5 x 100 build, 10 x 50 alternate easy/hard
[1/14/06]
Cross country ski - about 60 minutes
Bike - around town, around 10 miles i think - about 60 minutes
At my boot camp workout on Friday, the trainer said that since it was my first time at the class, I should go easy or I would be so sore that I wouldn't be able to do anything for a week. I only partially listened to this... and now only some of my muscles will be out of commission for a week. My hip flexors, glutes, and calves feel like I just ran a hard marathon. I had trouble walking yesterday. I actually think of it as a good thing because the class allowed me to find some weak spots in my body that need to be worked on. The fact that my upper body is not sore at all makes me think I have been doing a good job strengthening it with weight-lifting. I'm glad tomorrow is a rest day because I feel pretty toasted overall after pushing my body through the weekend workouts despite my sore legs.
Friday, January 13, 2006
boot camp
[1/13/06]
Swim - 2500 yards, 46:32 - main set as 2 x 500 with negative split
Strength and Power workout (Monkey Bar Gym) - series of push up, overhead pull, and box step intervals
Ab workout with oblique focus
The boot camp workout at the Monkey Bar was a great way to exercise in a new way that my body was not used to. It was 30 minutes of fast paced intervals, going from station to station, working with a partner. Strength and cardio were worked together. This was my first time doing this class and I had heard how difficult this workout is, so I was kind of nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep up. I guess I am in better shape than I give myself credit for, because I had no trouble keeping up. I think this is exactly what I need to be doing more of to strengthen my body overall with motions that aren't necessarily triathlon-specific. They are the kind of exercises that would probably be useful to someone in any sport. I am not sore yet, but I'm wondering how I'll feel tomorrow.
I swam after the Monkey Bar workout. Sometimes I amaze myself at how I when I start out a workout somewhat tired, after I get going, I feel great and I forget that I am supposedly tired. That's how this swim was today. This was a longer swim for what I have been doing recently, and it felt easier than the one I did as the first workout of the day earlier this week.
Swim - 2500 yards, 46:32 - main set as 2 x 500 with negative split
Strength and Power workout (Monkey Bar Gym) - series of push up, overhead pull, and box step intervals
Ab workout with oblique focus
The boot camp workout at the Monkey Bar was a great way to exercise in a new way that my body was not used to. It was 30 minutes of fast paced intervals, going from station to station, working with a partner. Strength and cardio were worked together. This was my first time doing this class and I had heard how difficult this workout is, so I was kind of nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep up. I guess I am in better shape than I give myself credit for, because I had no trouble keeping up. I think this is exactly what I need to be doing more of to strengthen my body overall with motions that aren't necessarily triathlon-specific. They are the kind of exercises that would probably be useful to someone in any sport. I am not sore yet, but I'm wondering how I'll feel tomorrow.
I swam after the Monkey Bar workout. Sometimes I amaze myself at how I when I start out a workout somewhat tired, after I get going, I feel great and I forget that I am supposedly tired. That's how this swim was today. This was a longer swim for what I have been doing recently, and it felt easier than the one I did as the first workout of the day earlier this week.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
flying through the winter
[1/12/06]
Bike - 14 miles, 55:39 - 12 x 1 min alternating single leg drills
Run - about 2.5 miles, 24:50 - walk 4 min, run 15 min, walk 5:50
Today's ride was awesome. It was sunny and 50 degrees with a light wind. This is like spring, not like a typical January in Wisconsin where it is 0 degrees with icy roads. There were other bikers, runners, and walkers out. I took my gloves off for the second half of the ride because my hands were too hot. I did an out and back route from the UW campus through the arboretum and down seminole highway. The wind was at my back for the second half and I was really flying. With my new deluxe sunglasses, I felt like a real biker.
I know it is important to develop a smooth pedal stroke, and that the single leg drills are the best way to do it. I noticed right away that my stroke is not as even as it could be. It took me a few repetitions to get the feeling of the perfectly smooth round stroke with even pressure throughout. I can tell my hip flexors are working a lot harder to get that upstroke. This is something I am going to need to practice more because I had to think about it to do it. When my mind wandered off to the beautiful sunny day, I would lose the upstroke.
I had planned to run inside on the treadmill today, but how could I with the great weather? What a treat it is to do a bike/run brick outside in the winter. I ran past the Monona Terrace and looked out on the lake (now frozen) where the Ironman will be in September wondering if it would be safe to run the swim course...
Bike - 14 miles, 55:39 - 12 x 1 min alternating single leg drills
Run - about 2.5 miles, 24:50 - walk 4 min, run 15 min, walk 5:50
Today's ride was awesome. It was sunny and 50 degrees with a light wind. This is like spring, not like a typical January in Wisconsin where it is 0 degrees with icy roads. There were other bikers, runners, and walkers out. I took my gloves off for the second half of the ride because my hands were too hot. I did an out and back route from the UW campus through the arboretum and down seminole highway. The wind was at my back for the second half and I was really flying. With my new deluxe sunglasses, I felt like a real biker.
I know it is important to develop a smooth pedal stroke, and that the single leg drills are the best way to do it. I noticed right away that my stroke is not as even as it could be. It took me a few repetitions to get the feeling of the perfectly smooth round stroke with even pressure throughout. I can tell my hip flexors are working a lot harder to get that upstroke. This is something I am going to need to practice more because I had to think about it to do it. When my mind wandered off to the beautiful sunny day, I would lose the upstroke.
I had planned to run inside on the treadmill today, but how could I with the great weather? What a treat it is to do a bike/run brick outside in the winter. I ran past the Monona Terrace and looked out on the lake (now frozen) where the Ironman will be in September wondering if it would be safe to run the swim course...
new sunglasses
[1/11/06]
Swim - 2000yd with main set 6x200 build - 38:30
My upper body was feeling pretty sore today so this was a good recovery workout. I practiced some B5 and B7 breathing during repetitions 4 and 5 of the main set.
The highlight of the day was getting new sunglasses - Rudy Project Kerosene in matte black with racing red lenses. I tried on just about every pair of Rudy Project glasses in the store and this model worked the best. I have seen lots of good reviews about them from triathletes and bikers. The glasses fit so well to my face that it hardly feels like I have them on. Things look clearer with them on than without. I have never owned sunglasses this nice and have been wearing them around the house for fun.
Swim - 2000yd with main set 6x200 build - 38:30
My upper body was feeling pretty sore today so this was a good recovery workout. I practiced some B5 and B7 breathing during repetitions 4 and 5 of the main set.
The highlight of the day was getting new sunglasses - Rudy Project Kerosene in matte black with racing red lenses. I tried on just about every pair of Rudy Project glasses in the store and this model worked the best. I have seen lots of good reviews about them from triathletes and bikers. The glasses fit so well to my face that it hardly feels like I have them on. Things look clearer with them on than without. I have never owned sunglasses this nice and have been wearing them around the house for fun.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
So Far So Good
[Workout 1/10/06]
Bike: 90 minutes with Fast Pedaling drill 9x[1 min work/1 min recover]
Run: Walk 4 min warm up, Run 12 min, Walk 6 min cool down
Weights: Chest, back, abs
January 1 was my first official day of training after several weeks of rest. Last year I started out too hard, got overuse injuries in my feet and arm, and spent the entire month of February trying to recover. It set me back from doing early season races that I wanted to do. I am going to be very careful this year to make sure that doesn't happen. My body is well-rested and I am eager to get back to training, so it is harder than it sounds. I am recovering from a moderate case of runner's knee that came on last September as I had just finished doing the Wright Stuff Century Ride and was training for the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon on October 2. I ended up limping through the last 8 miles of the marathon. I am doing physical therapy for it now, trying to strengthen my hips in order to take stress off my knee when running. My knee is finally feeling ok so that I am able to start running again. I am thrilled that I can run 1 mile 3 times per week.
I am being very cautious about rest and recovery and being good to my body. I am ten days into the season, and so far, so good.
Bike: 90 minutes with Fast Pedaling drill 9x[1 min work/1 min recover]
Run: Walk 4 min warm up, Run 12 min, Walk 6 min cool down
Weights: Chest, back, abs
January 1 was my first official day of training after several weeks of rest. Last year I started out too hard, got overuse injuries in my feet and arm, and spent the entire month of February trying to recover. It set me back from doing early season races that I wanted to do. I am going to be very careful this year to make sure that doesn't happen. My body is well-rested and I am eager to get back to training, so it is harder than it sounds. I am recovering from a moderate case of runner's knee that came on last September as I had just finished doing the Wright Stuff Century Ride and was training for the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon on October 2. I ended up limping through the last 8 miles of the marathon. I am doing physical therapy for it now, trying to strengthen my hips in order to take stress off my knee when running. My knee is finally feeling ok so that I am able to start running again. I am thrilled that I can run 1 mile 3 times per week.
I am being very cautious about rest and recovery and being good to my body. I am ten days into the season, and so far, so good.
What This Is All About
One forty point six is the number of miles in an Ironman triathlon. It is a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run. In that order, in one day, as fast as possible.
I am training for Ironman Wisconsin, September 10, 2006 and this is my training journal. I have been running for seven years, doing triathlons for two years, have done three marathons, a half ironman triathlon, and many shorter distance races. Before I started running, I had never exercised in my whole life. I ate poorly, was overweight, was unhappy in my body, and was dreadfully out of shape. I have completely transformed myself and my body through running and triathlons. I love getting outside to workout, and feeling strong. Confidence in what my body can do transfers to other parts of my life in ways that I didn't realize it would. The Ironman is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one.
This will be my first Ironman. When I first watched an Ironman four years ago, it seemed like a crazy thing to do. I couldn't imagine being able to go that far in one day. At that point, I couldn't even imagine doing the swim bike or run distance alone in one day. It was inspiring to see that not only professional athletes, but also "normal" people were doing it. It made me think about what I could do, but I never thought it would be in the realm of possibility for me. As I look back on the past seven years, everything I have done has been leading up to this. I have consistently and gradually increased the distances that I am able to race. I started with the goal of being able to run one mile without walking, then progressed to do a 10K race, then did a half marathon the next year, and a full marathon the following year. Then I started doing sprint distance triathlons, then a half ironman the following year, and here I am this year looking the Ironman in the eye. I think if I can do an Ironman, I can probably do pretty much anything I set my mind to.
I am very determined, disciplined, and consistent. Other than some help with my swim technique, I have not had any help with my training. I put together my own training plans after reading everything I can get my hands on, and carefully studying my progress as I record my workouts. I know I will get myself to the Ironman finish line. I am hoping to do it in under 13 hours.
I am training for Ironman Wisconsin, September 10, 2006 and this is my training journal. I have been running for seven years, doing triathlons for two years, have done three marathons, a half ironman triathlon, and many shorter distance races. Before I started running, I had never exercised in my whole life. I ate poorly, was overweight, was unhappy in my body, and was dreadfully out of shape. I have completely transformed myself and my body through running and triathlons. I love getting outside to workout, and feeling strong. Confidence in what my body can do transfers to other parts of my life in ways that I didn't realize it would. The Ironman is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one.
This will be my first Ironman. When I first watched an Ironman four years ago, it seemed like a crazy thing to do. I couldn't imagine being able to go that far in one day. At that point, I couldn't even imagine doing the swim bike or run distance alone in one day. It was inspiring to see that not only professional athletes, but also "normal" people were doing it. It made me think about what I could do, but I never thought it would be in the realm of possibility for me. As I look back on the past seven years, everything I have done has been leading up to this. I have consistently and gradually increased the distances that I am able to race. I started with the goal of being able to run one mile without walking, then progressed to do a 10K race, then did a half marathon the next year, and a full marathon the following year. Then I started doing sprint distance triathlons, then a half ironman the following year, and here I am this year looking the Ironman in the eye. I think if I can do an Ironman, I can probably do pretty much anything I set my mind to.
I am very determined, disciplined, and consistent. Other than some help with my swim technique, I have not had any help with my training. I put together my own training plans after reading everything I can get my hands on, and carefully studying my progress as I record my workouts. I know I will get myself to the Ironman finish line. I am hoping to do it in under 13 hours.
Friday, January 06, 2006
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