A Bucket of Suck

Pardon the expression, but that's how I described my run on Sunday. 

My plan called for a brick - a back-to-back workout that included three hours on the bike and a solid 50 minute run. I treated the entire workout like a race day. I prepared the day before - hydrating, eating well, sleeping long.  I rode with race-day precision. Erica, Jen and I warmed up for seven miles and then split up for an hour. The goal: to ride at iron pace for two hours, regroup and then ride back to the start for the run. 

I had a solid, strong ride. My cadence was high, my spirits were high. I had a few transcendental moments. I quieted the monkey mind. I thought of games to play and songs to sing in preparation for B2B. When we regrouped, I was proud of my effort.

The success of the ride was reversed in the run. My workout included 2 x 25 minutes of running separated by five minutes of a walk break - to reboot my form. The first 18 minutes were okay. We ran across the drawbridge, towards Johnnie Mercer's pier and halfway to the north end of Wrightsville Beach. I slowed down at mile two

I'll admit the heat was stifling. The heat index was 89 degrees and the humidity was 74%.  I sang Alicia Keys: my skin is on fi-yah! My feet are on fi-yah-ah-ah-ah-ah. My heart was racing more than usual and I swear I could feel the hair growing out of my head. The five minute walk break equaled me standing in the carport of the nearest home and wondering if I should sneak a shower from their hose. 

The next 25 - 30 minutes were torture. I honestly don't think it was physical. I COULD run. I wasn't cramping. Nothing really hurt. I just couldn't get it together. I spiraled mentally and emotionally. I slowed to a walk and watched Jen melt away into the distance. When I walked I got mad: I can't believe this is happening again. This feels just like White Lake/Raleigh 70.3/Beach 2 Battleship Half Iron. I should be able to hold my race pace. When I stopped to get water I got sad. This is pitiful. What am I going to do? I can't believe this. I'm never going to make it.  I admit it: I cried. Right there on the loop at Wrightsville Beach. I tried to figure out who to call to come pick me up - and I didn't even have a phone. I started to play LET'S MAKE A DEAL. If I run for 100 steps, I can take a sip of water. If I run to the fence by the boat ramp, I can walk up the bridge. If I can run to the last stoplight, I can walk to the finish. I eased into a shuffle and finished - knowing it wasn't my best day.

Afterwards, I pouted for an hour. I had a cup of coffee and treated myself to waffles. I texted/whined to my coach. I took a hot shower and a long nap. I sang loud in church that night and allowed myself the last of the pina colada sorbet I made.

Coach and I spent time on Monday - and again yesterday -  troubleshooting. Was it the heat? Nutrition? Hydration? I've also spent some time working on my heart and my head this week. I am interested in the fact that my emotions were much like grief: denial (this shouldn't be happening), isolation (I pulled back from the other runner), anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I've been looking at ways to get out of the bucket - quicker. 

It's been a few days and I'm actually grateful for my bucket of suck. It was hard to shake the feeling that I had on Sunday. But, I know everything works together for good and I'm a firm believer that almost every moment is a teachable moment. 

I realize that there are more dark moments out there. I know that they will likely meet me somewhere on the bike or the run course of B2B. I know that there will be moments in training that I'll want quit. I hope I will remember this bucket of suck. I hope I only carry the memory of it and the lessons I learned from it -- and leave the bucket at one of the aid stations.

100 Days to Go

This week marked 100 DAYS to GO to the B2B Ironman! In fact today equals 96 on the countdown. I can't believe the summer is flying by............and so is my training. My miles are starting to build on the bike and the run and my technique is starting to improve in the swim. It's been a big weekend - a track workout after my 40+ mile ride yesterday and 120 lengths (3000 yards) in the pool this morning!

I thought I'd simply add a few pictures this week to get you caught up. I still owe you a report from my Raleigh 70.3 race and I can't wait to tell you about the coming three weeks. I've peeked ahead at my plan and it's going to be a doozy. I'll be doing an 11 mile run this weekend and four hours on the bike! At least it will be flat!

Last week's ride was NOT flat. But I loved it. I was in Raleigh for my sister's fortieth birthday celebration. On Sunday morning, I tacked on a metric century - 62 miles - in the triangle. It included part of the Raleigh 70.3 course and lots of countryside. I'm always surprised at the farms and acreage just a few miles out of population-heavy Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. The challenges, of the course, were the hills; especially the Col d'Lystra. A monster climb for this flatlander. Here's how another blogger described it:

It starts out around the 6-8% range and quickly pitches up to 10-11%. It doesn’t stay there long, leveling back out to around 6-8%. There is a false summit and an easier grade, then some up and down rollers with an upward trend. Overall there is around 300 feet of elevation gain. Not a bad hill for being smack dab in rolling hill central. It was big enough that I think it warrants inclusion in my NC Climbs section.

The best part of the ride was Marian Bergdolt (above). She is a fellow TriStacey athlete, an amazing runner and all-around athlete. She was great company - I loved getting to know her and loved that she pulled most of the way. [Don't tell coach.]

Tis the season for open water swimming. A few weeks ago, Erica, Ace and I jumped in Banks Channel for an excellent out and back. We swam against the current for 25 minutes. It was not quite mid-tide and it was a challenge, but it was a gorgeous day and a great way to find my stroke. When we headed back to the start, we eased up on the freestyle. We floated and side-stroked and made it back to the Seaside Club in only 10 minutes.

 

A few weeks ago, this little fairy popped out on one of my runs. She was propped against a fence near the boat ramp at Wrightsville Beach. I was in mile nine of ten and she was a sight for sore eyes. She gave me a little boost of energy right before I climbed the bridge and picked up my pace to the end. I went back to take her picture (and prove that she was not a figment of my imagination) and she jumped into my car. Her name is La-A.

[Pronounced:  Ladasha]

And finally, I've been obsessed with the Tour de France. I'm kind of glad that today is the last day. I might get my life back. If I haven't responded in a timely fashion to your email or call, it's because I've been watching Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana climb the mountains of France. I've been working downstairs at the kitchen counter in front of the telly. I even created a spin class -- complete with slides and graphics  -- around the Tour. I've won my Fantasy Tour League and I made dessert crepes on the day the riders climbed Alpe D'Huez! [I bought my first jar of Nutella and have put it to good use.]

Pain & Glory Since 1903

Speaking of.....I best go. I want to go watch the last few hours of the 100th Tour de France. They're riding into Paris at night. Love.   

Ironman Training Week One

Technically, this isn't week one. You could say that I've been training for the B2B since I signed up on New Year's Eve. But, this week marked a new beginning. I took two weeks off after Raleigh 70.3 to reflect, recover and renew my body.  It was a tough race [There will be a race report, I promise.] I spent some time playing - my swims and bikes were more for fun - not training. I ran once in those two weeks.  I spent a few days with the post-iron blues and then even more days with the half iron pride.  I recharged my brain, too. I'm reading non-sporty books and magazines like Pat Conroy's My Reading Life and Garden & Gun. 

This week kicks off a new adventure. For starters, I'm working with a coach full time! Back in January I joined TriStacey Coaching's Try-It program for Raleigh 70.3. Stacey Richardson set up a plan for athletes wanting a glimpse of her coaching. Each month, I received guidance and feedback on my planned workouts and a weekly chat to keep me on track. It was a success to say the least! I PR'd in my 5K and 10K races in the past six months and on June 2, 2013 I rocked Raleigh 70.3. 

That's Right, I Rocked Raleigh

For B2B, I'm working with her full-time. For the first time in a long time, I'm not using a plan out of a book. I'm trusting her with all my training. My first workout was an in-depth assessment and discussion about my goals, my medical history, my strengths and weaknesses and even my equipment and how all of that plays into my training for 140.6 miles. I'm excited to see what happens. This week, she  posts all my workouts on my TrainingPeaks calendar. In turn, I post all my data (splits, heart rate, comments on how it feels).  She sees what I'm doing - how I feel and perform and adjusts and tweaks my plan accordingly.

Banks Channel at Sunrise

So far this week, I've already done a two-mile open water swim (the B2B course backwards!), a breakthrough run (a fartlek ladder) and two VERY wet bike rides. Yesterday I came home soaked to the core.  One of the lessons Stacey taught at triathlon camp this spring: train harder than you race. You never know what the conditions will be on race day  - so be ready for anything. Yesterday, I showed up to a group ride - and only one other person showed up! We did 44 miles in what felt like a tropical storm:  10mph winds with occasional gusts and walls of water. On the way out of town, the rooster tail of water off the bike in front of me either landed in my shoe or on my face. My nutrition: Amino Vital, an Island Nectar Rocktane Gel and dirt.   Gross.

Train Harder than You Race

  

Stick around for more adventures!  

Race Week

It's race week! Sunday is the big day and I'm in full taper mode. Tapering is hard work. It's a period of time before an endurance effort where you reduce volume, allow the body to repair and rebuild and prepare mentally for the big day. Here are a couple of objectives (per Mark Allen):

1. Maintaining intensity while reducing the length or volume of the workload
2. Allowing the body to rebuild quickly (one to two days) after higher intensity workloads
3. Reducing the stress hormones that affect muscle performance; ultimately eliminating muscle soreness and heaviness
4. Maximizing muscle and liver glycogen stores
5. Allowing the body to repair and rebuild so the power output is maximal on race day
6. Performing recovery workouts
7. Maintaining "normal" number of training sessions per week
8. Fueling properly
9. Preparing mentally

RACE WEEK LEAD-IN

Monday ----------

Slept in! Well, until 6:30am anyway. Ace and I went out in the boat to Masonboro for a few hours.  My workout was a 300 yard walk across the island - from soundside to oceanfront. Ah! We spent the morning throwing the ball for Sugaree. Enjoyed plentiful sunshine and salt and fresh air. 

3:40pm Went to see the Great Gatsby. Visited with friends on the front porch and at the Brassierie.

Tuesday -----------

5:00am. Woke up with a nagging sadness.  Went to the bike track - which is really the parking lot of a local mall. It's lighted and flat and the road less traveled at 6:00am. Did 30 minutes around the parking lot - playing with gears and listening to music on the bike - a rare treat. I had Bad by U2 on repeat.

1:00p Still sad. Feel like I could cry at anything - but can't. Distract myself with laundry, work projects and cleaning out my sock drawer. Really.

2:00p Coaching Call with Stacey! An instant pick-me-up. We work through my race plan, discussing everything from what to eat 24 hours ahead of time to what I'm going to think about during the swim bike and run. She recognizes that I have the taper blues - and it's a good thing. She says I'm ready and wants me to empty the well on the run. Yeah, Baby!

Mental Training: Writing down song lyrics on the course maps. Encouraging mantras when the mind monkeys come calling.

4:00p Drop off my bike at Jen's. Coach Stacey has encouraged me to bring more bottles on the bike. Jen is going to use her mechanic skills to attach my new XLAB Super Wing - which will eventually hold two bottles and my tire changing gear. It was the BEST GIFT EVER from the YDubTriClub. It's going to be my saving grace in this race and all my B2B full training.

5:30p  Teach a spin class - the Happy Ride. A tour across North Carolina and back in one hour. I teach "off the bike" which really means I sit on the bike like it's a stool and coach the riders to fly on the flats, use the imagine Pinehurst and Sanford as rolling hill repeats and push hard up the Blue Ridge Mountains. Gets my mind off my taper blues and makes me want to go the distance.

WEDNESDAY  --------

4:35am     Wake Up. Head to Fit Center to sub for a spin class. Spin Easy.

6:30am     Head Home. Eat Breakfast. Work projects. Clean another drawer.

8:15am    Another Spin Class.

10:00a     Massage, Baby! Much needed massage at Massage Envy at Mayfaire. Ask for Michelle. She rocks.

11:30a     Start packing list.

3:30p      Picked up my bike from Jen's and took it to TrySports. Jen couldn't quite get the wing to work so, Charlie George hooked me up while we traded tri stories and  I chatted with Frances about race plans.

Watched this video:

 


THURSDAY  ----------

6:10am    Swim at Banks Channel. Ace and I and a few others swam with the current south for 10 minutes and back to the start (against the tide) for 15 minutes. Good hard effort at race pace as the sun rose over Wrightsville Beach. Glassy conditions and cool water. Love.

9:30am    Taught a yoga class. It was a weird morning. Some guy got miffed at me pre-class and I had to think kind, namaste thoughts in his direction.  PLUS, I was going to do a video for class and got incredibly freaked out by Wai Lana's contortions and outfits. Halfway through, I turned off the giant video screen and did a couple of my own flows.

10:30am - 3:00pm Most productive I've ever been. Cleaned out email inbox. Thought about the run. Prioritized tasks for next week. Thought about the after-party. Wrote a few thank you notes. Imagined my calmness at the swim start. Straightened my desk piles. Walked through Transition in my head. Tasked out a few work projects. Imagined the well being dry at the finish. 


8:35pm     In the bed.

FRIDAY   ------------

5:45a    Slept late! Walked two times around the block with my neighbor (less than a mile). Cut gardenias. Drank a smoothie. Read the paper.

7:00a    Met Jen for coffee at the new Starbucks. Yum. Listened to her convince me that I'm an a$$ kicking machine and that I should expect to blow my goals out of the water. I believe. Here are my time predictions:

8:00am  Cooked up a chicken and rice casserole and an orzo, tomato and spinach salad, made hard-boiled/baked eggs in the oven and gathered all my water bottles. Did a final load of laundry. 

We have a few hours in the car and the festivities begin. Look for my updates on twitter @GumboGirlBeth. Stop by the Amino Vital booth at the Athlete Village, too. I'll be there today from 2:30p - 3:30p! Here we go!   

Tour de Cure 2013

This past weekend - I participated in the NC Tour de Cure! I biked 82 miles - from Apex, NC to Pinehurst for the American Diabetes Association. My goal: to make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by diabetes. Each year it seems I choose to swim, bike or run for a cause. In the past, I've chosen Team in Training. It is close to my heart because my mom had leukemia. I ran my first half marathon in 2006 with TNT and rode my very first century ride last year in Asheville as part of the team.

Banks Wilson

This year, I was inspired to ride by BANKS WILSON.  He is the son of dear friends and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes nearly three years ago. He is a busy five-year old who must account for every morsel he eats, who gets a minimum of four shots and pricks his finger at least seven times each day, and who is often left out of play dates and other activities because of his diagnosis. His parents, Elise and Joel, spend hours counting carbs, worrying about his blood sugar levels, battling their insurance company over doctor's visits and remain ever on-call in case of emergencies. 

Joel, Banks and Elise Wilson

In my lead-up to the ride, I asked Elise how they were doing. She recalled a moment a few months ago: Right before having one of his many daily insulin shots, Banks looked at me with tired eyes and said, "Mommy, when will they find a cure?"  As my eyes welled with tears, my answer to him was, "Soon, sweetie, I hope it will be soon."

Chances are, you also know someone who has been affected by diabetes -- there are 26 million in the US who suffer from it! On the day before my ride, I posted this request on my Facebook page:

I was amazed by the number of people who responded with the names of friends and family. On the morning of the ride, I wrote the names of those on that list down my left arm. True to my word - when I struggled around mile 63 (and 70 and 75), I read the names of these boys, girls, men and women, sisters, friends, fathers, mothers, husbands and wives. Out loud. I spelled their names backwards and forwards. I prayed for their families (not out loud).   

I also thought of those parents who have to go the extra mile to count carbs, to be on-call, to endure the worry and the stigma and the.....extra. When I pulled into the finish line, I looked down at my bike computer. It read: 79.8 miles. What?!  I had promised to ride 82 miles for Banks, Maddie, Turner, David, Lorie, Beulah, Patricia, Molly, Mary, Michael, Mark, Amelia, Richard and Andrew. I would not let them down. I circled the parking lot and headed back out. 

I also met some amazing RED RIDERS - men and women who ride with diabetes. On Saturday night at the event party, we heard from Diana -- a red rider and member of the famous Cheetah team of cyclists in Raleigh.  She told her story of doing what she loves despite crashes (of the cycling and the blood sugar kind). She takes it all in stride and has learned to live and love and ride without this disease taking control of her life. Until they find a cure, the funds we raise can help families take control of their lives so it won't take over theirs.  

With your help, we reached the goal! I even raised the bar to $820 in the last week and you help meet and beat it!  You raised almost $1000. Our team raised over $9500 and we set a record for first-year team fundraising. 

With your help, I will do it again next year. I'm aiming to raise twice as much money and do twice the distance in two days! I'll ride to Pinehurst, spend the night and ride back to the Triangle the next day!

 

Banks and his sister, Lowman

With your help, we will fight for a future where a parent does not have to hear that their child has diabetes. A future where an adult does not have to face the uncertain times ahead after receiving a diabetes diagnosis. A future where you and I will know that we had a part in making this possible.
I believe Banks will see a cure in his lifetime. His mom, dad and little sister think so, too. With your donation the gap to a cure begins to close. Won’t you help me start a chain reaction?  You can still make a difference. MAKE A DONATION HERE or pass this on to someone who can!