hello there burnout, I've been expecting you

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out
how far one can go."

- T.S. Elliot

August started out with a bang!  A fantastic long run through the nation's capital and along the Mt. Vernon trail.  Under 14 minute miles, even doing my 2/1 intervals (2 min run, 1 min walk). 

Longest run AND fastest pace!!

Of course the chaffing that resulted from that run was one big fat FAIL.  Ouch!

The next day, I met a few of the self-proclaimed back of the pack ladies from Team Z for an unofficial ride, and ended up riding with Maddison.  It was the first time since joining the team that I had a riding partner who was exactly my pace, and we stayed together from start to finish!  Maddison, where have you been on all my other rides?!

Ignore the nail polish.... who's got time to get to a nail salon these days?!

A minor setback came during recovery week when I found out I have extensor tendinitis on the top of my foot.  No idea how it happened, but it's painful.  Rest, ice and ibuprofen is what the doctor ordered, so I took a few days off of running and biking (the bike shoes are too hard and aggravate the foot).  The doctor also suggested that I get another steroid injection at the location where I had surgery as it's still a little inflamed, but it only really hurts when I try to stand on my toes (think yoga), so I decided to wait until after the race to deal with that.

Check out those paces!!  I was downright giddy about this!!

But.  I bounced back from that injury and had a great Power Run workout.  What's a Power Run?  Well, it's a run and boot camp combo.  We start with a one mile run, then do a 10 minute boot camp circuit, and then repeat that three times.  On the first night of this workout, Kerri, the workout leader, gave me a goal to not walk at all during the mile repeats.  Boy, that was going to be a challenge!  I was successful, even that first night, though my mile pace was close to 14 minutes per mile.  I didn't care because the goal was to run the whole thing, and I did that. But... look at these paces!!  If there is one thing I can say about training this season it's that my running is getting better.  I'm not promising anything more than a death march in Ironman, but I am going into that race with a much better run base than I had anticipated, and that makes me happy.

Then there was the Poconos fail.  August sure was filled with ups and downs!  I was told that I should absolutely not worry about making up the lost long run and long bike from that race.  So I didn't.  Instead I shook it off and concentrated on the peak training weekend, the 120/20.  And no, I didn't get to 120 miles on the bike, but I am still calling that a success -- everyone says 100 hilly miles is the same as 112 flat miles.  I sure hope that's true!  And the run.... meh... my great run from earlier in the month was on fresh legs, I can't possibly think I'd repeat that the day after a century ride.

I will say though, I am tired.  All the time.  Even if I get 8+ hours of sleep per night.  If I am not at work, swimming, biking or running, then I am sleeping.  My friends might actually start to forget what I look like.  I'm kind of sick of swimming.  And biking.  And running.  I wish I had time to do other fun activities like hiking or kayaking or paddle boarding.  I miss hanging out at wineries on the weekends, and happy hours during the week.  I think I am ready for this race to be over.

Me testing out my new seat during an after work ride on the W&OD

Oh, but in awesome news, Bonzai bike shop let me return the bike shoes that hurt so much last weekend!  Even though I'd worn them on a long ride!  They also helped me pick out new shoes (same model but wider) and modified my old shoes to give the right one more ventilation, just in case I need a backup pair.

Holy shitballs, 30 days... THIRTY DAYS... One month!!  I've got my bib number... lucky 961!  It's getting real. 

just plugging along

"Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic."

- Tim Noakes

To kick start July, I did my longest ride ever.  80 miles!  I'd had enough of all the hills and decided to do this one on my own, starting in Shirlington and riding the W&OD trail all the way out to Purcellville and back.  I also got my first Ironman training injury, around mile 60 of this ride:

This HURT!  It was a long 20 miles back to the car!

The next morning, it poured rain on Paula and me as we did our long run and crossed 3 states -- started in Virginia, ran through Georgetown in DC, and then up the Capital Crescent trail and into Maryland:

The picture does not do justice to how wet we were!

One week later, I did my new longest ride ever, my first century!  100 miles!  And I ended up with my second training injury:

No idea how I hurt myself - it didn't hurt - I had to be told I was bleeding.

Sometimes we did our long runs in the evening after work -- a makeup run after skipping it the previous weekend -- oops.  That might have been a lesson learned based upon how sore I was on Friday at the office.  People stared at me using my stick roller on my calves and ice pack on my ankle all day!  I did this run with Paula, but only took a selfie as I finished a few minutes ahead of her.  I was pleased with this performance, being able to go under 15 min/mi while doing 2 min run + 1 min walk intervals:

Holy blisters!  Luckily none of them hurt, just make my feet look disgusting.

We also ran in very HOT weather!  This was a mid-week run and I opted to skip the team's Power Run that was on the schedule (1 mile run + 10 min boot camp circuit, repeat 3 times) for a shaded trail run with Jessie, Eileen and Henry.  It was still ridiculously hot though:

This was the one time I forgot my Garmin... luckily I had my phone, but it's WEIRD running without my Garmin!

I drove down to Cambridge with my team to ride the Ironman Maryland course.  Of course it was another hot day!  It was supposed to be a 110 mile ride, 2 laps of 45 miles each plus 1 additional 20 mile loop.  I only made it the 2 loops of 45 miles.  One of my teammates, Adele, talked to me and told me I needed to listen to my body, that I seemed dehydrated and done.  I'd wanted to do triple digits though, so I climbed back on and set out for an out-and-back.  About a mile and a half down the road, I realized that my will to be off that bike was greater than my will to do triple digits.  So, 93 miles it was.  I don't regret it:

Love how they label the one hill of the course :-)

And that wraps up July.  Plugging along, plugging along.... I've actually biked over 1100 miles so far this year, by far the most bike mileage I've ever done (In 2014, I was just under 700 miles for the year).

It's hard to believe there's less than 2 months to go.  I'm not sure if that excites me or terrifies me...  one more month of hard work and then taper! 

sometimes the bear eats you

"Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you."

- The Big Lebowski

June was a weird month.  It was book-ended by recovery weeks, and included Eagleman, which subsequently included a small taper and small recovery.  I also experienced some of the hottest days of my life.  This means there was not a whole lot of mileage done this month. 

Not all training days go your way.  I had my first bad day about a month ago which I posted about along with my Herndon Festival 10K race report.  That should have been an 80 mile ride.  Then week before Eagleman was a recovery week, but I did an open water swim and which didn't exactly go completely my way.

I wrote about how I struggled with the bike at Eagleman.  I'm not upset with my performance at Eagleman.  I know the conditions were brutal.  And I finished.  But I had hoped to do better, so that sits with me a little.

Not only taking a break, but leaning Xena against a tree and sitting down!
It was just so hot!  This was maybe 40 miles in at Riley's Lock.

Then the week after that should have been a 90 mile ride.  But it was hot.  So very hot.  And humid.  And we biked at Riley's Lock which is hilly.  It was the trifecta of things I hate (heat, humidity and hills).  I struggled through that ride and threw in the towel after 50 miles.  Then I went home and laid in my bed.  All damn day.  Just trying to cool off.

It's funny how I am frustrated that I *only* got in 50 miles when just a year ago I was so freaking thrilled with myself for being able to bike 50 whole miles!

So there I was at the end of June with my longest ride to date being just over 70 miles, and that was done over a month ago.  And July looms with two 100+ mile rides on the schedule!!  I'm not saying June was a *bad* month.  I got myself out there on the hottest of days, even when I didn't feel like it.  The workouts just didn't always go my way.  I guess that happens.  You can't always feel like a rock star.

We paused just beyond the Lincoln Memorial about 8.5 miles into our long run!

The bright spot of the month was doing my first long run with Paula the week after Eagleman and feeling good for the whole 10 miles, despite the humidity!  The last recovery week in June, I took a much-needed break and went hiking with Sweeney - it felt fabulous to do something different (and we still covered over 6 miles)!

During that ride at Riley's Lock, as I was mentally preparing to stop after 50 miles instead of going out for that second loop, I made a plan for myself to get in a nice long ride over the Fourth of July weekend.  I am happy to say that I *did* get in that ride (82 miles!), and am feeling a little better about the weeks to come.  So that's something.

I used to post these countdowns to the big day with excitement and anticipation.  These days looking at how close we are actually getting freaks me out a little.  Double digits!  Yikes!  Will I be ready?

fighting the gorilla

"Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired."

- Greg Henderson

I'm tired.

I am always tired.

My alarm goes off in the morning and before I can get myself out of bed, I have to mentally plan for the next time I will be able to get into my pajamas.  Sometimes it's a nap before my evening workout.  Sometimes it's an 8pm bedtime.  For real.

And I hurt.

Thanks, Mom, for the compression socks!

My whole body hurts. All the time. My calves, my quads, my arms, my shoulders, my back.  Massages hurt.  You know you're in trouble when massages hurt!

Heidi, Darcy, Me, Joann, Angelika... wineries the day after Kinetic!

My friends have started seeing a grumpier version of me.   I am always complaining. I am always hungry.  I even ate McDonald's once!!

Ironman is my gorilla!

But Ironman doesn't care how tired I am.  Ironman doesn't care how sore I am.  Ironman doesn't care if I get to hang out with my friends, or if I get all of my housework done. 

Though... despite being tired and sore, I am making progress.  In May I took my first vacation day from work to get in a ride before a weekend getaway... and did my longest bike ride ever!  Solo! 

And then I hopped on a plane to celebrate Heidi and Dan's wedding (and a bonus reunion with Chris and Meredith - Go Hoos!).  Travel during build weeks takes a special kind of effort (exhibit A: girls weekend in Vegas).  But I got it done, including a beautiful run along the coast of Narragansett.

May was a big month with 4 build weeks and only one recovery week:

Some other firsts (during May and the first week of June):

I had my first Ironman meltdown following a terrible, terrible ride in 100 degree weather.  This was recorded as either the hottest or second hottest May since they started recording weather.

I also had my first Ironman dream.  I'd heard of this happening.  I had finished the swim and headed into the T1 changing tent.  I saw a bunch of people sitting on folding chairs changing into their bike stuff.  I went to get my gear bag, but couldn't find it anywhere! Rather than a tent, we were in a large warehouse with racks of clothes and I was tearing through all of them trying to find my bag. Then the other athletes kind of disappeared and it was more like a real warehouse and I kept trying to get someone to help me, but everyone was too busy. I woke up in a panic that I had spent over an hour in T1 and there was no way I was going to make the cutoffs. It actually took me a minute to realize it wasn't real.  Strange!

And this is only just beginning.  I still have the whole summer to go.

Can someone please slip this gorilla a Xanax or something?!!

hooray for warmer weather! finally!

This was a rough winter. I did a total of THREE outdoor rides all winter.  And [mostly] not because I was lazy.  Many of them were simply canceled for shitty weather.  Seriously, it seemed like every. single. weekend. there was rain.. or ice.. or snow.. or some combination of all of that.  Yuck, yuck, yuck!  It was cold and rainy for the Lucky Leprechaun 5K on St. Patrick's Day.  It even snowed on the first day of spring!

March 20, first day of Spring.

But then April arrived, and it was warm enough to wear shorts for the Charlottesville 8K, and it only got better from there.  Good thing since Ironman training officially started on April 6!! I traveled a lot in April, to the Vegas desert and to the Florida rainforest (kinda...that's how it felt), but got to enjoy some of springtime in DC.

40 mile ride on W&OD trail

I love being outside, and not all bundled up and freezing!  I did not make it to any of the midweek team rides (got them done on my trainer), so that will be a goal for next month.  I did however, get in my first two long(ish) rides of the year!

Look how green the lake is now - where I do my mid-week runs!

Running is so much easier when I can come home and throw on some shorts and not have to consider the treadmill!  It definitely makes it easier to get outside!  The numbers are starting to build...

April by the numbers.  This is only going to grow!

Oh and for the foot update that I know everyone is sitting on the edge of their seat waiting for... no stress fracture!  The MRI revealed a stress reaction... yeah, I don't really know what that means either.

Dr. Lutta showed me the areas of fluid in my foot that he believes is causing the pain, and wonders if perhaps a Vitamin D deficiency is to blame.  Interesting considering how much time I spend out in the sun!  I won't go back to see him until early June, so until then I'll be icing and I guess eating more vitamins?  The good news is I can't damage it any more by running on it.

Then May started out with a great training ride in beautiful Frederick, MD.  It was a team ride, but I did it mostly by myself, which I am fine with.  For this ride, I didn't take any unscheduled rests (there was one rest stop built in), and didn't have to walk or break on any of the hills.  It was my longest ride to date and I was consistent the whole way.  I'm starting to feel good about my training.

Now let's just hope it doesn't get too hot too fast!

he called me a runner!

When I went in for my vo2 max test for running, the instructor (tester?), Ken, not only called me a runner...he called me a good runner...and a strong runner. Make no mistake, he didn't call me a fast runner...but a runner nonetheless. This makes me happy.

Home of the Vo2 Max test.

It's always kind of irritated me when I hear people say they are really slow... at 10 or 11 minute miles.  Kind of like when I was in school and people would say they did awful on an exam, only to find out they are the ones that ruined the curve.  Anyway, no, sorry, a 25 minute 5K is not slow.  I'd feel like a complete and total rock star if I could pull off those times.  There's a difference between "not fast" and "slow" and it's called middle of the pack.

But... we are all individuals and created differently.  To the people who are running 10 or 11 minute miles but know they can do better, I suppose that IS slow.  It's all relative.  Meanwhile, I have apparently been running too fast.  Yes, that's right, my 13+ minute miles have been too fast.  Seriously?  If I slow down any more I'm going to have to speed up to stop!!  #kidding #notkidding

Anyway.... my vo2 max test revealed that my zone 2 is a nice 13.5-15 minute per mile pace.  That's walking for most people.  You have to work hard to *run* at that pace.  But alas, that's where I'm at.  And training in my appropriate zones will make me a better runner.  We'll see...

So here I am, trudging along at my slower-than-molasses pace, doing my 30 runs in 30 days challenge.  It's been interesting trying to map out my perceived efforts with the appropriate heart rate zones.  I've been doing more running than walking though, and even dropping a lot of my walk intervals, only walking when my heart rate gets too high.  My long runs can continue to be run/walk intervals, but Coach Ken suggested that I start increasing the run/walk ration to 3/1..5/1...7/1... 10/1?

And then, wouldn't you know it?!  Right before I was supposed to run the Schaeffer Farms 5K.... another injury!  At some point the outside of my left foot around my ankle started hurting.  After a little internet investigation, I self diagnosed myself with peroneal tendonitis. Humph.  At least this is just an overuse injury that I am hopeful will heal on its own with ice and the use of a brace, though it did mean I had to walk a few more of my 30 "runs" than I had initially intended.  Though for full disclosure, this was not the main reason I skipped that 5K... such a long drive to Germantown, MD for only 3 miles, and I had plans that would prevent me from having brunch with the girls afterward so really, what's the point?!

Beautiful Saturday morning run!

The 30 runs challenge also sparked some creativity.  I've started taking advantage of the treadmill in my office gym (usually those are just walks so that I don't have to take a shower when I'm done).  I have had Jon drop me off a few miles away from home after we've been out.  There were beautiful days on the trail when I got to catch the last of the leaves changing colors, and there were freezing days when all I could think of was a hot shower.  There were days when my heart rate would sky rocket and I was "running" an 18 min/mi pace (too many layers of clothing??) and days that I was just cruising along able to keep my heart rate in zone 2 with no problems.

This is also the field where I used to play soccer with Joann...miss those days.

Luckily, that pesky little injury didn't take long to heal.  Oh, and remember those hard track workouts I was so nervous about?? No biggie!!  It's hard, no doubt, but doable.  I struggle with the heart rate though.  Often when the plan calls for zone 3, my heart rate jumps into zone 4 and stays there, and sometimes even gets as high as zone 5.  When I'm supposed to be in zone 4, forget it, I'm off the charts.  Then, Coach Ed has been talking to me about my running form and cadence, but as I try to increase my cadence, my heart rate gets even higher.  UGH.  I guess I just have to work at it.  Coach Ed reiterated to me that I just need to suck up my pride and slow down - even walk - to keep my heart rate where the plan calls for, and that if I stay with the science, I will improve.  Trust the training.  And.. if/when I get *too* frustrated, I can get tested again in 6 to 8 or 12 weeks.

Number of runs per day in November...
Had to double up those last couple days thanks to my New Orleans adventure!

I must say, I feel I ran a successful Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, and probably have the training to thank for that.  Patience, Jen.  I do wish it had been a 5K so that I might've been able to run the entire thing (instead, I took 2 walk breaks).  As such, I signed up for a Jingle Bell 5K next weekend to see if I can do it.  Anyway, another successful challenge is in the books.  30 runs in 30 days completed.  November totals:

• Swim: 2h 42m - 5750 M
• Bike: 4h 15m 22s - 58.42 Mi  (it's a start)
• Run: 15h 19m 27s - 53.54 Mi  (so much time, so little distance) 

Not really running related, but the highlight of my month was my trip to New Orleans
to cheer on my Ravens in Monday Night Football!!  Thanks Tommy [and Paula]!!
Final score?       Bourbon St: 1       Jen: 0

I'll tell you what has definitely improved though, is my run endurance.  I can now go out for a 30-40 minute run and actually run the entire thing without walking (disclaimer: the term "run" is used rather loosely here; most would call it a jog, or a walk with a bounce... still, it's a distinct difference in movement from just walking). I'm also enjoying it more, now that I don't feel like death after every workout!

Maybe Ken is right.  Maybe I am a runner.