Three Things Thursday!

1. Blogger! For some reason I can't comment on a lot of people's posts. Not sure what's going on, but I am reading and following you all!

2. More Triathlon! I've signed up for the Okotoks sprint tri on July 9 to get more open water and transition experience after Wasa (race report is coming!). I have a lot of work to do in these areas - any tips??

3. Rain Rain Rain is ruining my commitment to bike commuting! I'm such a baby when it comes to rain and took a ride into work this morning. I'm already dreading tonight's sloshy run as well. Will summer ever get here???

Three Things Thursday!

1. I biked to work! I love biking to work in the summer. It feels so good to get some exercise in first thing, even if it's only 10k. Plus I feel like I'm helping the environment and I don't have to deal with dirty stinky people on the bus! I'm hoping to ride in 3-4 times a week until fall! The only thing I don't like is the attitude of some commuters - they can be a bit mean. But, that's their problem!

2. I'm running again. I usually find the path back to running is slow, frustrating, and painful, but this time it seems to be coming back quickly. I finished off 4km in 30 minutes last night, which is slow, but I feet pretty good about it. I'm taking care of my knee with lots of yoga, stretching, and ice, and I think I'll be in good condition to start half marathon training in a few weeks.

3. Caffeine + Sugar. I have a problem with both! Time to do a small cleanse? After Wasa this weekend I intend to start a two week holiday from caffeine, sugar, processed grains, and alcohol. I know I will feel better and I need to prove to myself that I have some self control! Otherwise I fear it will be a summer of indulgence!

We're off to Wasa tomorrow for triathloning! I'm hoping it will be a sunny weekend, but it's not looking good. Happy weekend everyone!

Summer is Here!

And so am I! haha! After a few medical incidents to deal with, including gall bladder removal, hip and knee issues, and an assortment of other things, I'm so ready to get back into training! I never thought I'd come to love fitness so much! And I have missed my blogger buds - but I have been lurking and reading and following along on everyone's racing and training!

I've revamped my race schedule for the rest of this year and sadly, there are no triathlons for me this year :( I haven't been on my bike or running at all in the last 2 months, and I don't want to risk injury by doing too much too soon. I had hoped for a sprint, but there just aren't any that fit into my summer schedule. I am completing the swim and bike portion of the Wasa triathlon next week, but will be DNF for the run - there's just no way I'm ready and don't want to risk further injury/setbacks! Since it will be my first time out on the bike, I'm not expecting fantastic results!

What else have I been up to? Let's see!

- Raced the swim portion of the Vulcan Tinman last weekend - 13:22 time which isn't my best but considering my lack of training combined with cramping issues not too bad!

- I bought a wetsuit!! So I am now committed to this sport!

- Spent May long weekend in Penticton with cycling friends. I spent most of the time hiking, but my one ride (a whopping 7km to a winery) involved an embarassing fall on some gravel! oops. I opted to drink wine and catch a ride home after that!

- Planning my comeback!! haha! Getting back into shape is frustrating, but I'm hoping it will come quickly. DH and I have planned lots of fun hiking and backpacking trips along with bike rides and races, so I'm hoping it will be a great mix.

I'm definitely happy summer is finally here and ready to enjoy it!

First run Back!

Yesterday I headed out for my first post-surgery run. I hadn't run for 5 weeks and was expecting it to be a slog but it wasn't nearly so bad! I had planned an easy 3km but ended up completing 5.5 with a lot of walking thrown in. Not bad after 5 weeks of laziness and a surgery!

Of course the extra 2.5 km may not have been the brightest idea - I was pretty tired for the rest of the day and felt like I'd run 18! But today I'm feeling good and my legs are happy to be functioning again. I was secretly hoping that a lack of nasty gall bladder would make me 20 - 50% faster, but that sure wasn't the case! Maybe it's too early to tell??

After the run I headed to the pool for a quick "test run" before I drive out to Cochrane for my triathlon swim tonight. I was worried the chlorine and chemicals might agitate the incisions but 1 lap and 20 minute soak in the hot tub later I declared myself good to go!

Now comes the tricky part of easing back into a training routine without overdoing it and setting myself back!!

Three Things Thursday

1. I'm Gall bladder Free! I had it removed last Monday. After a rocky start I'm feeling better than ever! It's amazing how losing an organ can actually improve your life! Hopefully I'll continue to feel this way even after I'm back at work next week.

2. Time to Run I haven't done anything physical run since the disastrous half marathon, and I'm itching to get out there, especially with the amazing weather we've been having! I also haven't been able to enjoy the extra daylight yet. I'm trying to be good and will wait until Sunday before starting back into a training program (I did sneak a quick 30 minutes in on the elliptical today though!).

3. Bike Fit My knee hurts every time I ride my bike for more than 45 minutes or do anything intense, so I've decided to suck it up and get a bike fit. I've been avoiding it and that can't go on for much longer if I'm going to be doing a triathlon in a few short months! I got a good recommendation so I'm hoping for excellent results!

Happy Friday!!

A First - Hypothemic Half Marathon Race Report

Early Saturday morning I geared up, packed my stuff, and headed to Eau Claire Market downtown to run the Hypothermic Half - my very first half marathon! Unfortunately, the stars were most definitely not aligned in my favor, and I received another type of "first" instead...my very first DNF.

Things started to go wrong on Friday night. I have been having a lot of trouble with my gall bladder recently, and am scheduled to have it removed in a few weeks. Of course, by 9pm Friday night, I was in agony. By the time we got home from the restaurant, I was vomitting what little food I had eaten. I crawled into bed hoping the attack wouldn't last long and somehow managed to fall asleep. At this point I wasn't sure if I would be able to start the race, but wasn't willing to give up entirely yet! I kept thinking I could still finish even if I was tired, although at a much slower pace than I had hoped.

After tossing and turning all night, I was out of bed earlier than planned, exhausted, and still in mild pain. I made breakfast and argued with myself about what to do. Mostly I wanted to call it quits and go back to bed, but I also knew that often it's the days that start out horridly when I have my best runs. I decided to start the race, knowing that hubs was planning to meet me at the turnaround. I could always call it quits then if I was in trouble.

I got to the race start early and was already feeling dejected. As hubs was meeting me later in the race and none of my running buds had signed up for this one I was alone which didn't help take my mind off how tired and sore I already was. I tried to find Nicole but somehow missed her! I argued with myself some more and tried to get into a more positive mindset. Finally the race was starting and we headed out into the warm sunshine! The pathways were nicely cleared and it wasn't too congested. I focused on enjoying the beautiful day and settling into a nice easy pace.

The first 5k I was right on my "target" pace of 7:20 /km. There were two girls dressed in pink right ahead of me (Holler to my sisters!) and I focused on keeping pace with them. The distance wasn't going by as easily as I had hoped and I knew it was going to be a struggle to keep it up, but I tried to stay positive. At km 5 the area around my gall bladder started to cramp and I decided to walk, stretch, and turn on my i-pod for distraction.

Km 1 - 7:21

Km 2 - 7:15

Km 3 - 7:20

Km 4 - 7:18

Km 5 - 7:52

The music helped me a lot and I was feling better through the next 2 km. At km 7 I was nearing the water station and saw my friend Heather. She walked with me a few hundred meters while I sucked down my first gel. Thanks Heather!! I was really hoping the energy I got from seeing her would carry me through the next 4km to where hubs was waiting. I was definitely tiring at this point and the reality of how far I had to go was sinking in. I just tried to stay focused on making it to the halfway point.

During km 9 things took a turn for the worse when I FELL on some ice. There was a long patch of pathway that was sheer ice and hadn't been salted or sanded, or marked! I'm pretty sure a lot of people fell here, and I think it was re-routed for the later wave. Fortunately it wasn't a bad fall, but I did land on my tail bone and elbow, felt mortified, and it really shook me up. I had a hard time finding my focus and getting back into a good groove after that. I knew I was way off pace by km 10 but thought I could still get it back and hoped having Hubs run with me would boost my energy and offer some distraction. Somewhere around this time I saw Nicole and knew she was having a good race - she looked so fresh!

Km 6 - 7:20

Km 7 - 7:17

Km 8 - 8:27

Km 9 - 8:23

Km 10 - 7:58

I met up with hubs around 10k and it was a good mental boost. After rounding the corner at the turnaround I tried to stay positive and waited for the energy I usually get at the halfway point of long runs to kick in. Unfortunately it never came! I was feeling really tired and couldn't hold on to a good pace. I was taking too many walk breaks and the right side of my leg where I had fallen was stiffening up pretty quickly. Hubs was doing his best to motivate me but I just couldn't get into a groove. At km 14 I saw Heather again and sucked down another gel. I was so happy to see her and it meant so much to me she was there! Unfortunately I didn't get the same boost from her or the gel this time around.

By km 15 I was being passed by walkers. I knew I was way off pace but for some reason my irrational brain kept telling me "you can still get this back! Just keep trying!! You can do better than this - what's wrong with you??" Between the gall bladder pain and the stiffening of my leg the entire right side of my body was in pain, I was tired, under nourished, and done. Hubs suggested we try walking 1 min/ running 1 min as I was walking way too much. I started to catch up with some of the walkers but knew I was going to end up walking a significant portion of the last 6 km. It seemed so far and it was taking so long. I have never felt so discouraged on a run before!

Finally, just after km 16, Coach A from swimming ran past in the opposite direction. Hubs stopped to chat but I kept on going - I didn't have precious seconds to waste on anyone! Hubs filled her in on my situation and she called out to me to stop. This woke me up to a harsh dose of reality: At this point, there was no good way for the race to end.  I was 2:20 in, had 5km to go, and was averaging 9 min/km. That meant a 3 hour + finishing time, which would be just as devestating as quitting. Given I was in so much pain and having a gall bladder attack, she strongly advised me to throw in the towel and not risk making the situation any worse.

Km 11 - 8:18

Km 12 - 8:35

Km 13 - 9:09

Km 14 - 8:24

Km 15 - 8:43

Km 16 - 9:01

This is when the tears started flowing. I was devestated, frustrated, and annoyed. I'd had such a good training cycle and there wasn't a doubt in my mind about my ability to complete the 21.1 distance. Coach A was great though, and took my sobbing, sweating, mess over to Tri-it while hubs ran to get the car. The staff at Tri-it let me hang out in the back office and offered water and jackets to keep me warm while I waited for hubs to pick me up - THANKS so much to Saturday's Tri-it staff!

As devestating as it was to walk away from the race, I know it was the right decision. As it was, I was sick for the rest of the day and couldn't get out of bed until the next morning. I'm still having minor pain from that gall bladder attack and am starting to accept that it probably won't completely go away until it's removed. Even starting the race was probably a mistake but I'm so glad I did; at least this way I know I tried. I think it would have been worse to stay home and always wonder what would have happened if I'd started.

I'm consolling myself with the knowledge that if I could complete 17km with an inflamed and angry gall bladder, I would have had no trouble finishing the 21.1 under other circumstances! I had a great 16k the week before and two decent 18k training runs. It definitely wasn't my physical fitness that held me back! I'm also trying to remind myself that the main goal all along was stay fit and healthy through the cold winter months and holiday season when I am usually lazy! I haven't gained a pound since I started training in November, even with the holidays and a trip to Hawaii.  

I also know I`m so lucky to have such great friends and family who were there to support me, and to live in a city where the running community is so amazing and supportive. Special thanks to Heather, Hubs, Coach A, and Tri-it for helping me make the best of a crappy day!

One More Sleep...

My nerves are starting to kick in about this half marathon tomorrow! I feel like I've been so busy and stressed at work this week I haven't really even thought about it - YIKES! I have no music on my i-pod, no gu's, no outfit selected! Guess I know what I'm doing tonight ;)

Unfortunately, this past week has also brought some other troubles, specifically: Knee/quad/ITB pain. I'm not thrilled about this, as I worked very hard to stay injury-free while training for this race. While running on Tuesday night I definitely felt some twingeing and pulling, and my right quad has been tight, stiff, and sore ever since. I've been resting a lot this week and haven't run since Tuesday, but I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing! It doesn't feel like it's "broken", but I'm definitely concerned about how it will hold up tomorrow!

I've also been having issues with gall bladder pain. I've been having minor episodes and attacks for about a year now, and two weeks ago brought on a serious attack that sent me to Urgent Care. They didn't do anything for me at the time, but I was able to get a surgery scheduled for it's removal! However, I have been having minor attacks since then, which usually come in the middle of the night and leave me exhausted!

So, between work, quad pain, and gall bladder issues, I've decided not to set any goals for this race other than to FINISH! It's my first half marathon, and it doesn't look like the stars are aligning for a perfect day for me. Luckily, the weather is shaping up for a warm sunny day, so I plan to just enjoy being out and see what the race brings. Hopefully there are many more half marathons in my future!

Happy Weekend Everyone!