Top Pot Doughnut's 5k Dash, 2014

The Top Pot Doughnut 5k Dash occurred this past Sunday, April 27th, 2014. While I was not planning on running a 5k, or any other events in between my three triathlon races, I can not say no to doughnuts. So at the last minute I adjusted my schedule to incorporate the run. (Really all I had to do was flip my Saturday and Sunday workouts because my schedule has me run on Saturdays and bike on Sundays; easy switch.)

Here is a photo of three doughnut lovers pre-race; Happy and eager for the promised doughnuts at the end. 

One day my selfie skills will improve

The official start time was at 8:30 a.m. and while it did not rain there was a good breeze, which would switch our weather from sunny to cloudy.

Normally I hate any type of wind but the breeze gave a slight chill to the morning, unintentionally making you run in place and resulting in a nice warm-up.

The event set-up was nice. Looking at the picture on the left, to the right of the runners are all the booths with food and non-food being alternated in order to prevent crowding. And of course, the ultimate Top Pot Doughnut silver streamliner was at the very end of the booth row.

Once you ran through and out of the starting shoot the route turned right and had you go clockwise around Greenlake. Having ran around Greenlake a month ago for the tri, it felt a little funny to run in the opposite direction and on the road. A perk to being in a popular event is the amount of sectioned-off space for the participants.

Here the route is taking us from the street to the paved path around the lake. This 30 yard stretch of trail terrain was quite enjoyable. A nice thing about being in a race with a route that you've done before is that you can pace yourself quite well. I tend to always get caught up in beginning of the race pace and everyone wanting to go at full-speed. This time however, I felt that I went at my own pace from the beginning, and I'm going to thank swimming for that. Since all my swim practice is in a lap lane, and there's almost always someone in the next lane, I quickly learned to ignore people and do my own thing.

I am happy with my overall performance as I have always been more of a jogger than a runner. My run practices lately have been focused more on increasing my pace than anything else. Here are my results:

Time - 29:11

Pace - 9:24

Division Placement - 55th, out of 204

     *Side note: I got to test the Nike+ app (for the first time) with the races timing chip. The stats above are from the chip       and my Nike+ time was 29:18, with a pace of 9:26. While I never doubted the app, it still is reassuring.

Of course, you can not forget why you would run the Top Pot 5k in the first place; Fun and Doughnuts.

Olympic Distance Training

It has been a few weeks since I last shared my sprint race experience, and while I enjoyed the following week after the race off for recovery by Wednesday my body craved a workout. Instead I spent my time reading but maybe I needed a sandy beach with unlimited sun because I sure wish I was the lady in the picture below right now. Not that it matters right now because there is no time to think about leisure-filled days.

Currently I am on week four of my olympic distance training. Here's a quick look at a week's worth of training. (Note; the double training sessions in one way are not meant to be back-to-back. I do one in the morning and the other at night.)

Week 3

Monday:

Bike: 15 miles

15 min. warm-up, ride at low HR, cool down to 100 bpm

Swim: 750 yards

warm-up: 200 easy

Main set: 8 x 50’s, 10” rest between each

swim down: 150 easy

Tuesday:

Run: 20 minutes

5 - 10 - 5, warm-up for 5 minutes, run 10 min. mile, cool down for 5.

Swim: 1000 yards

warm-up: 300 easy

Main set: 10 x 50’s, 10” rest between each

swim down: 200 easy

Wednesday: Bike 15 miles

Warm-up for 15 min., ride at upper HR, cool down

Thursday:

Run: 20 minutes

5 - 10 - 5, warm-up for 5 minutes, run 10 min. mile, cool down for 5.

Swim: 1250 yards

warm-up: 300

Main set: 16 x 50’s, 15” rest between each

swim down: 150

Friday: OFF

Saturday: Run 35 minutes

7 - 20 - 7

Sunday: Bike 25 miles

Warm-up for 20 minutes, stay within HR, cool down.

This training plan is comprised of 18 weeks and stays pretty much the same, with the exception of the fluctuation of distance and time. Click Here for the whole plan. It is also recommended to incorporate two sessions of weightlifting, I will most likely do so on Wednesday and one of the weekend days (first I have to find three pound weights since my arms are very weak.)

So far sessions are good. I think my strength is the bike. Time for practicing in a wet suit is near. Here's to always moving forward.

My First Triathlon: 2014 Seattle Rainman Indoor Tri

9:20 a.m. - Arriving at the Seattle Ferry Terminal.

Sunday, March 23rd, was my first triathlon. I was eager to test myself and see the results of all the workout sessions I had done since September. Being new to the sport I chose the Seattle Rainman Indoor Triathlon for a few reasons: the location, the swim portion, and the brevity of the race.

When I registered for the race I chose the 10:40 a.m. wave for my start time; much later than my usual workout times but that meant I would not have to wake up before 7:00 a.m. Green Lake, a neighborhood just north of Seattle, is only a fifteen minute drive (without traffic) from the ferry terminal which makes travel time short. The photo in the top-right corner shows the fabulous weather I had and was a great omen for the day ahead.

Right before my wave ...

10:20 a.m. - Ready to warm-up, but first we had to capture the environment.

The Seattle Evans Pool holds six lanes and is twenty-five yards long. According to the pool's website, the water temperature is eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit. To swim laps that temperature is very warm, but it sure sounds nice and gave me a nonchalant feeling before the swim.

Almost time ...

10:39 a.m. - Am a little anxious - happy for my love's support.

 At this triathlon, the pool portion would be measured in laps. My goal was to swim twelve laps in fifteen minutes; or six hundred yards, if that gives you a better idea regarding distance.

The first length ...

10:40 a.m. - Look, I can swim.

The above photo shows me being on pace with other participants. Shortly after I slowed down and it is most likely that everyone was one whole length ahead of me. However, I have never had a better swim session. There was no crazy splashes, water swallowing, extreme hip-sinking, or zigzags. Everything felt coordinated and all I had to do was swim.

Now we bike ...

Once out of the pool the thirty minutes for the bike portion started. So, as I walked quickly (running is not allowed on the pool deck) to my spot I took off my swim cap and goggles. When I reached my stuff I gave my feet, and any bare skin, a quick brush with the towel, put on socks, and shoved my feet into my biking shoes. Then I grabbed half of a Snickers candy bar and was the fifth person to start biking.

Time to run ...

Do not let all the sunshine deceive you, it was quite brisk outside and I was happy to have grabbed my sweater. This run was easy for a 5K; one lap around a lake and a flat course, but I learned some interesting things.

1. Completely dry feet before putting on socks after the swim.
2. Five kilometers seem much longer when you are on a straight clear course.
3. Green Lake is huge but barely five kilometers around (sorry this is what happens when you run in the woods, your visual perception regarding distance is skewed).
4. Green Lake is the place to be and be seen - Last I knew my race was in Washington not California.
5. I hold myself back on the run; My body is physically fit to go faster, I just do not think I am able to sustain it so I never try. Must change that.

Mission accomplished ...

11:56 a.m. - I crossed the finish line and officially became a triathlete.

The triathlon was over. I had completed my first race and felt comfortable during all three portions. I could have pushed a little harder in every activity but my over all goal was to have fun and enjoy my first triathlon. After all the workouts and time, the last thing I wanted was a bad experience that could turn me away.

Official Results:
Swim - 12 laps; 600 yards
Bike - 7.19 miles
Run - 0:31:50 (time)

My number one fan ...

Cheddar Pancakes and I

Cheddar runs with me every single morning no matter if it is dark outside, rainy, windy, or icy. She also gets me out of bed on said mornings because how could I take her run time away. So, of course, we had to celebrate with a picture together.

After the race ...

1:15 p.m. - Ferry ride home.

Thank you to my husband, who always supports and nicely listens to all my daily training reports. To my mom, who over the phone gives me nutrition advice, which consists of 'Eat, eat'. To friends and family I appreciate all the happy vibes because as Cheddar will tell you, "Cheering is hard-work".

What to Wear for a Triathlon

Every sport has specific clothing and equipment that are best suited for said sport. Most are no brain-ers, ie.

Example of Swimwear

Swimming = one piece swimsuit, cap, and goggles
Biking = cycling shoes, bike shorts / tights, cycling jersey, and helmet
Running = running shoes, shorts / sweats, and jersey

But what does one wear for a sport that is made up of three different sports? Well, the answer to that question is very personal. (Don't worry I'm still going to share my answer.) What I mean by personal is that what you wear for a triathlon really depends on what type of triathlon you are doing (think distance), in what season, and what your goal is. Knowing the answers to those personal questions will help you navigate through the countless options our consumer oriented society provides us.

Example of Cycling Outfits

Being new to the sport of triathlon (and swimming) but an old friend of biking and running, I already had clothing that I liked to wear for two of the three activities and all I had to buy was a swim cap and goggles. (The one piece swimsuit I had tucked away in a box somewhere from when I decided that if I had a suit I would swim...never happened.) So, with my triathlon being only one week away I finally had to go out and buy the outfit that will, hopefully, see me through many future triathlons.

I had planned my first triathlon to be a sprint, the shortest of triathlon's, and in my search for sprints near Seattle I was lucky enough to find an indoor sprint (Yahooo! I wouldn't have to worry about researching wetsuits for open-water swimming, which has always freaked me out by the way). The swim would be in a pool, the bike would be on trainers, and the run would be the only outdoor portion exposing me to the PNW elements. Running in the rain; no problem, I always run outside in order to exercise Cheddar and to not incur the expense of a gym. So, the only thing left was my goal which was to be average and finish in the middle of the pack.

My goal meant that I was going to be looking for tri-shorts and a tri-top, or a tri-suit. One of these outfits would allow me to transition from sport to sport without having to change and saving me time. And, only being able to swim eleven laps, sometimes twelve, in fifteen minutes and averaging a thirty minute 5k, I need all the time saving I can get.

So, without further ado, here are my new goods.

Zoot Performance Tri 8" Shorts

Tri-shorts are formfitting which allows you to swim in them. They also have a very thin chamois (padding) to boost your comfort on the bike seat without bothering you on the run. Bonus: Two hip pockets!

Pearl Izumi ELITE In-R-Cool Tri Singlet

This tri-top is also formfitting and moisture-wicking to reduce chaiffing, has a built-in shelf bra, and two back pockets.

TYR Competitor Tri Shorts

These tri-shorts only have one pocket and it's in the back but feature a zipper, ensuring things won't fall out. Another difference are the elastic silicone leg grippers. It's an appealing feature, no doubt.

The reason I'm showing two shorts is because one of the things I learned as I've aged is that the only clothes worth buying and holding on to are those that fit you well. This lesson is crucial when it comes to sportswear as a bad fit or an element that is disliked can disrupt your pace and cause chaffing. No one wants to be tugging at their clothes or dealing with chaffing for miles / hours.

These pieces will be pretty much all I'll need as far as clothing goes. For the run portion my plan is to throw on my biking jacket (I get cold easily and so now I've made it a habit of running with some form of long sleeves).

So there you have it, what you wear for a triathlon depends on your goals for a particular race and what you're comfortable in.

Work Less, Swim Better

Work less, swim better. Ok, I definitely want to swim MUCH better and working less is always good, so that sounds like a good deal to me. If this sounds good to you too then you should check out this link: Part 6 - How to 'Work Less, Swim Better' in Triathlon.

The link is the 6th video out of an 8 part series. I chose to link the 6th video, Learn to Swim With your Body, because I feel it's the video that will intrigue most of you and hopefully you'll watch the whole series. The videos are fairly short, ranging from 5 to 9 minutes and should really be watched in order.

Reason behind my promotion: As most of you know, I'm new to swimming. Just learned to swim last September when I took a class and the whole time I felt like this...

Once the class was over I had learned enough skills to get me through swimming lengths (going from one end of the pool to the other end; going from one end to the opposite side and then back is a lap). I could do several lengths; 16 once, which I thought was pretty good for a beginner. But, every time I did a length I felt like this...

I knew I was swimming pretty slow for all the energy I was expending, but I figured that I just needed more practice. After all I had never swam before in my life, I expected the need to build endurance and stamina. That through sheer force and the will to push would, overtime, get my body into a condition where the crazy amount of energy I was expending would get me further and in faster time.

Well I was wrong. In my quest for improvement I was looking at youtube videos on swimming instructions and I came across the Work Less, Swim Better series. The next day was my swimming day and was doing 500 yards; 50 yd warm-up, 16 x 25's with a 10 second break after each length, and 50 yd cool-down. I applied what I learned from watching the series to my training session and I was, for the first time, able to swim the entire 500 yards in 15 minutes without needing the 10 second breaks. I felt great and like this...

She's was chosen to participate in 2012 Australian Youth Olympic Festival.
Looks strong and fast.

Last night was another swim session in which I used the knowledge I learned from the videos (I had watched them again over the weekend) and I managed to get in an extra lap in my allotted time of 15 minutes. That's 550 yards (11 laps)! If you're a swimmer or previously were a swimmer my times/distances are probably nothing to you, but to me, a beginner, I'm thrilled. Thanks to the information provided by the Work Less, Swim Better videos I've been able to swim easier, farther, and faster.

*These videos teach a technique designed for long-distance open-water swimming for triathletes.

Motivational Video: Cycling

Today was the 42nd (and my 2nd) annual Chilly Hilly. In honor of this spectacular ride, 33-miles around Bainbridge Island, here is a video from 2012 that will remind one that every now and then in training one just has to get out and ride, and conquer those hills!

To all the great riders, fun people, amazing bike support, and the tons of free baked goods from the girl scouts, until next year!

Chilly Hilly route, you better believe I'll be using you as a training benchmark. 2/23/14 - 02:44:06.9 time

Ride on!

5 Reason Specific Goals are Important

Goals are great. They're like dreams, in a more down-to-earth realistic version. Your goals can bring about the realization of your dreams. But just like dreams, if you don't specify on how you will accomplish your goal then it will gain the new title of wish or dream.

For instance, I dream of the day I will feel svelte and sexy in any type of summer attire. If I made it a goal to realize this dream come summertime, well I darn better come up with a system (or specific plans) that will get me to feeling svelte and sexy by summer. Otherwise, my dream will continue to be a wish I've had since high school (ouch, I hate to admit that length of time). But, don't worry about me because I love food and if my svelte and sexy summer dream ever trumped my love affair with food, well, it would have stopped being a dream by now. Besides, I would have never started on the triathlon path if I wasn't on the constant quest of exercising in order to eat more :) Anyways, here are 5 reasons specific goals are important for triathlon training:

5. You have an actual plan by which you can measure your progress and know that you're on track to be able to accomplish your goal, and you can feel like this the morning of:

I eat Tri's for breakfast!

4. Motivation is not lost when your training session is in weather like this:

And like this,

3. Self-control and Self-awareness are things you embody so that you can prevent this:

Over-indulging due to lack of a nutrition plan

Injury due to over-training

or 

2. You are mentally able to keep going even you feel like this:

Yes, there are certain hills on this island that make me feel like this on my bike.

1. The most important reason for making specific goals is so that we realize what we only dare to call a dream.

You got a dream, you got to protect it

People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you you cant do it

You want something, go get it

Period.

- The Pursuit of Happyness

Motivation Video - Schwarzenegger

With the temperature dipping back down into the 20's (F) I found myself in need of a little pep talk, and who better than Arnold Schwarzenegger to tell you what's what. Enjoy!







When you're out there partying horsing around, someone out there at the same time is working hard, someone is getting smarter and someone is winning, just remember that.



Now tell me, what are you going to do?

2014, Making the Most of a New Year

Two days ago we rang in the new year, 2014, and I tried to stay up I really did but once the proseco was opened around 10:30 pm my body quickly went into sleepy mode. Last year came and went like all the years before, me just letting life happen and enjoying the ride but not this year. So get ready 2014, this lady is motivated and will work, work, work to accomplish a few things this year. Ok you might be thinking, so what Elizabeth? How is that all different from most people's new year resolutions? Well friends, I'd like to share with you an article I read just before the new year turned, Forget Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead. http://m.entrepreneur.com/article/230333

The article goes on to list 3 cons with "goals" and how they work / don't work, and instead introduces a new word "system" as a way to accomplish what you want. Basically, my goal is an Ironman 70.3. My system is the training schedule and the smaller races that will give me experience/practice for it. Now I'm sharing this article because after reading it I felt like somebody gave me a high-five for the way I was doing my training, and thought maybe it would give some of you a little boost in your day or possibly help you see your training in a different way.

For example, I have struggled with swimming, and continue to struggle, and because of which there have been days that I have cut my training sessions short or done them differently than scheduled. The old me would have reprimanded myself for not doing as I was supposed to. My point is that I have never had day where I hated my training or questioned why I'm doing it. I enjoy my training and this road that will lead to an Ironman 70.3 because I know that it's the combination of training, nutrition, and rest that will get me there, and how that combination plays out depends on the day.

Here are some of my systems that I will be putting in place for 2014:

• Train daily for Ironman 70.3 (rest days are a part of training)
• Work on German and Spanish 30 minutes each day
• Spend 10% of this year outdoors with Cheddar (36 days)

So, what are your goals systems for this year?