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

So last night was the first night I met with my cycling coach -Barb, what a nice and delightful lady, oh and great rider to! There are about 6 other ladies in the group - 5 triathletes and one stinking fast road racer. First thing Barb noticed was my handlebars - too low but overall she liked my trainer. She actually said " that is a great bike" I had to laugh because it is older than god - it is a Bianchi that I bought second hand 8 years ago. A great bike in its time but compared to bikes out there now it is a dinosaur. So had the hubby change the angle of the bars last night when I got home. Looked at my road bike and the since I did get it fitted the bars are in the proper position. She talked about drills and cadence and had me do some drills and sprints. We worked on bike stability and she said that for never doing the drills before I was doing quite well. I am at the back of the group but that is okay since they have all cycled longer and trained with her for a...

So I have done it - finally hired a cycling coach. Last Saturday went for a ride- had been feeling pretty good staying true to the cycling portion of the program but after Saturday's ride the self doubts were going full tilt. The person who I was riding with gave me some tough love - I need to step it up- push harder, dig deeper, improve so that I do not have a repeat of Oliver. They of course are right - it is more than just logging miles so I have signed on for a 10 week session with ZImich coaching - they are a husband and wife team who come highly recommended. Tonight is the first session and I am a little anxious to hear what they have to say. But even more excited to hear their gameplan to help me improve and reach my goals. I will let you know how it goes. Shaun

People always ask why I train as much as I do. They say you are not going to win so why do it? Well good point - for anyone who knows me I am one of the most competitive people out there. I don't like losing - but there is definitions of losing - to me if you give it your all and don't quit then you win. I have no respect for quitters and whiners. Time is secondary - I mean lets face it I am NEVER going to win a half marathon, full or Ironman but that is not why I do this. As a coach I try to get this point across, to be in this sport you have to want it and stop competing with others, compete with yourself. Decide what your goal is for a race and go for it - whether it be to finish, or place or personal best. Stop worrying about what I or anyone else thinks, this is your journey because the one thing that will beat you is you. You have to be tenacious and a smidge stubborn and a competitor. If you have these and you do the training you will find success - sometimes not i...

Last night I went an consulted with a swim coach who taped my stroke. I know I have made lots of improvements in my stroke and felt like I turned a corner but the video shows I have a lot more work to do. I am seriously considering trying to find my swim teacher from when I was 7 and kicking them in the shin. I don't know what the hell kind of swimming they were teaching me but jeez after taking lessons all through my childhood I would expect to be a little better than I am. So my kick needs to improve - my masters coach said it was looking good this guy said it was not so great... do not bend the knee. I actually pull water now but apparently my arm strokes are not quite there. He did say my breathing was good but I need to keep my face in the water. Overall I think it was a very informative session that I hope I can take a lot from and apply to improve to ensure I am out of the water well before cut-off times instead of just scraping in there. Ciao S

As I have mentioned previously I coach half marathon clinics. I have another one that has just started with a bunch of new and eager faces looking to complete the Vancouver International Half in May. The first few weeks are always interesting, each clinic develops a personality a vibe but the one thing that is always consistent is how could I possibly know more than them. Irregardless of the fact that I have lost count of the number of half's I have run, that I have completed full marathons, or that if you could screw up or injure it I have done it and if I have not done it yet rest assured I will do it. From overtraining, to training too fast, to not eating properly, to not stretching, to not training enough and so on-and so forth. I got the bumper sticker or I am in the line at the cashier just waiting to pay for it. But I repeat WHAT COULD I POSSIBLY KNOW?!?! So because I am fully aware that it will take about 5 weeks - around the time we start running 14km and up before t...

So after my last post and feeing all uppity that I was doing so great - bam! They got me - I have been literally surrounded by cold and flu infested people for the better part of a month. I thought I might have dodged the bullet but a week ago today I woke up feeling a little wierd and thought hmmmm. So I dug out the COld Fx and decided I would take some just to be safe. By the end of the day my neck was killing me - but being the queen of denial I thought just tight muscles from swimming. Tuesday I got up and that ominous burning sensation in my nasal passages told me that I had been hit - so I immediately went on the acute Cold-FX treatment regime. I got through the day not feeling too bad but skipped both workouts still hoping that by doing that I would be good to go on Wednesday. No such luck by Wednesday I felt and looked like death warmed over. I made it through a 1/2 day and that was it. In an effort to beat this thing quickly I made the drastic decision that I was going to...

So this week I am pretty happy with my training. I feel like I have a rhythm and am in the training zone. While we are only 9 days in to the actual schedule I feel great. I am following the schedule and have not missed one workout yet, early days I know but last year I copped out a lot from the get go. It is wet outside (what you say in Vancouver - say it isn't so) I will just run a little longer and skip the ride. PATHETIC Yesterday was the second brick of the season and it was crappy outside. Just awful- I kept looking out and hoping it would change. It did not but no biggy I got changed at lunch grabbed the bike and away I went. At one point I thought sheesh this is wet and then I thought to myself but not nearly as wet as it was last June and you are only doing this for 45 minutes with a 20 minute run. Not 6 hours followed by a 3 hour run (LOL). That goes to show you how my perspective has changed - never underestimate the power of a DNF. As I said to a gal in my half m...