Swim, bike, run - How Bad ASS can I be?

The Oliver Half Iron is less than 2 weeks from now where we will have a rematch between me and my hubby - Joe. Last year he beat my by 15 min and more frustratingly grrrrr - still annoyed - by 2 seconds on the bike. This year that is NOT going to happen - no way - no how. (nope I am not even slighly competitive (LOL)). However victory will not be easy - Joe is also competitve AND one of those darn "natural" athletes - so annoying - you know the kind - oh I guess I will run a marathon - and starts to train 3 weeks out and still pulls a 4 hour off. But I am confident - last year he quasi trained - he swam a few times and rode with me pretty much every weekend from February on and ran a lot on his own and only pulled out 15 min on me. This year he has barely trained. Actually about 5 weeks ago I asked him if he felt so confident about last year's success that this year's plan was to not train at all (LOL) - which I guess goaded him because he started running and w...

This weekend I went up to the interior to ride portions of the Ironman Course. Coach had me down for a 3.5 hour ride/1/2 hour run on Saturday and then a 15 OWS (open water swim) with a 2 - 2.5 hour ride and a 15 min run on Sunday. Judith and Cindy - 2 ladies I ride with, were also going up and agreed to take me under their wing and show me the course. They have both done Ironman a couple of times, they are absolutely amazing women. Riding with them is always empowering as it shows me I am capable and they are always full of great tips. The plan was to ride from the Bear in Keremeos backwards along the rollers and down Richter’s to Osoyoos meet up with some other ladies riding the entire course and head back up Richter’s and over the rollers back to the cars. The reason - I was not supposed to be out for more than 3.5 hours, this would let me see the much talked about Richters hill and rollers, stay close to time and get me back to my car. As well by riding backwards over the co...

Ironman training - is all about balance and time management. I have always been one to do a 1000 things at once - yep in the dictionary under Type A - there is a little picture of me. Last year when I said I was going to register for Ironman my father-in-law, god love him, said to me very seriously,” you are going to have to quit your job if you want to do this.” I took a deep breath and said there are women with children and full time jobs that do this don't be ridiculous. But there are times when I do feel like it is all a bit much. There are times I feel in a constant level of not exhaustion but stress/anxiety trying to juggle it all. I love my sleep and find when not working or training I will nap whenever I get the chance. I really believe that this is one of the best ways to allow my body to recover so I am good to go the next day and it seems to be working. Now though it is even tough to get naps in. I train 6 days a week a minimum of 2 hours a day - weekends are,...

Yesterday morning I woke up and just did not want to ride. You know you wake up and revert back to 6 years old - I don't wanna go for a bike ride!! (stomp feet, insert pout). Yep today was going to be a grinder- crap. I looked at the schedule and thought crap ride 3 hours: intervals on the North Shore knowing that meant we were riding out to Whytecliff (rollers followed by more rollers) then probably up the steep hill to the highway followed by a climb up to the first lookout (at minimum) on Cypress. Hmmm I think my throat is itchy - cough cough. Then I look at the back of my bedroom door - my Ironman poster my husband got me in 2007 and crossed out the date to read 2009 – was hanging there. Right no, I don't have a cold. Grumble grumble. This went on for the next hour and a bit as I got ready and walked the dog. Fortunately, I have strategically placed notes and autographed posters of idols such as Michellie Jones and Dean Krantz, Ultramarathon Man, around my house fo...

It has not even been 24 hours since I officially took a LOA from my clinic coaching duties and I already miss it! The Running room has been my second home for the past 8 years I have pretty much been there EVERY Sunday and Thursday or Tuesday depending on the clinic over the last 8 years with a few exceptions. I have evolved from a wide eyed new half marathoner to marathoner, triathlete, pace leader and finally clinic leader. These people are an integral part of my life, they are some of the closest friends I have made in my life, they are like family to me and an integral part of my support network. The rational part of me knows this is absolutely necessary for me to take a break from leading clinics - it takes up a lot of time. I know that I need to focus on myself and the goals I have personally set. It is just hard. I have hired cycling coaches (wife and husband team - zimichcoaching.com - the best in BC - and it is time to actually work with them full-time so that I can get th...

Bunny Assignment Pace time: 2 hours 30 min, Race: Vancouver International Half Marathon Weather was awesome – nothing but sunshine. Got down to the meeting place to grab my sign and found a bunch of anxious faces with a complete look of relief – I knew about half of them as they were from the clinic I coach/lead out of the Denman Running room. We headed off to the start chute a few asked for my bunny resume – I assured them that yes I had run a “couple” of half’s and was pretty sure I could get the 2:30 time and yes we would be running the 10 and 1 format. During the first few km the group for the most part stayed with me- a few ran off ahead convinced I was going too slow. Off and on I would sing a few bars of the Sesame street tune – you know the one Mahnanah- doot doot de doot doot, Mahnahnah…. And tell a bad bunny joke every couple of km to keep spirits up. As we hit the half way mark the group all checked their watches and advised me that I was on time – whew that was a relief - a...