Suzanne's Ironman Training

You are an IRONMAN!!

2007-11-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

I can't even tell you how good it felt to hear those words when I crossed the finish line - You are an Ironman! After 7 months of grueling training, everything had come together in one exhausting and exciting day. I finished the Ironman in 12 hours and 26 minutes. I was really happy with that time and proud of myself for pushing through the entire race. My Dad ran across the finish line with me, while I was laughing and crying at the same time. Although I have been training for the Florida Ironman for the better part of this year, I have really been preparing for this since I started triathlons in 2001. The Ironman has always been my ultimate goal, and it felt amazing to run through that finish line with my whole family waiting on the other side. What an awesome journey.

Here is a summary of the race itself as well as the days leading up to it. I am excited to share it with all of you who supported me! It's a little bit long, but I hope you enjoy it!

Thursday - Ironman Registration (2 days before)
Johnce and I arrived late Wednesday night, so Thursday was the first full day we were there. I woke up to the sound of the ocean and a truly gorgeous view from our condo. There was turqouis water and white sand as far as I could see in both directions. Gatorade sponsored a practice swim in the ocean that morning, so Johnce and I drove over to the race area first thing. This was great because I was able to swim through the actual swim course for the race. When we got there, Ironman athletes were everywhere. I was so pumped up to see all these incredible athletes preparing for the race. Even on the way there we passed people biking and running down the road. The weather was amazing - the sun was shining and the water was calm as could be. I put on my wetsuit and jumped in the water. I swam around for about 30 minutes, just loosening up by swimming easy and enjoying myself. Starting the day off with a swim was a great idea because I was beaming with excitement afterwards. We went back to the condo to clean up, picked up my parents and grandparents (who had just arrived), and then headed back to the race area for registration. Registration was hectic. I had to stand in line for nearly an hour before being rushed into the athlete tent for weigh-in and packet pick-up. After signing some forms and collecting all my pre-race materials, I was free to go. My family and I walked around the Ironman Village for a while, bought some Ironman paraphanelia, and then went to lunch. We found a really neat restaurant right on the beach with a great view of the water and then walked down the beach for a while after eating. The rest of the day was spent relaxing. Johnce and I watched a gorgeous sunset that night (the first of many during the trip). That night I attended the Pre-Race athlete meeting where we received some last minute details/instructions and then we started packing my transition bags. This was a pretty complicated process. Unlike normal triathlons where you place all your stuff on a towel in the transition area, Ironman races require you to pack a bag for each stage of the race. I had to pack a Swim-to-Bike bag and a Bike-to-Run bag, as well as Bike and Run Special Needs bags (given to you halfway through the bike and run courses). I had a checklist written out so that I didn't forget anything, and I spent a good hour Thursday night packing for the race. Then I went to bed and tried to get some sleep..

Friday - Bike & Transition Bag Drop-Off (1 day before)
I started the day off with another Gatorade swim on Friday. I only swam for about 20 minutes this time, but I wanted to loosen up. It also helped to calm my nerves a little. It was another gorgeous day with perfect weather and calm water. I was getting really excited for the race at this point, and also starting to feel some nervousness. While I was swiming, Johnce did some research for me. I needed to get a new bike computer because mine had stopped working, so he walked around to find out where I could buy one later. We went home for breakfast and then headed back to the race area for the bike and transition bag drop off. Unfortunately, this was a little stressful. The first place we went didn't have the computer that I needed, so Johnce stood in line to talk to the mechanics while I ran around trying to find another computer vendor. I found a computer at a vendor down the road right when Johnce got to the front of the other line. So I ran back, found out my computer was definitely broken, and then ran back to the other place to get the new computer put on my bike. In the process, Johnce lost one of my transition bags and I almost had a heart attack. We collected ourselves, found the bag, and finally (about 1 pm) got my bike and transition bags safely in the transition area. When we got back to the condo, Katie and my other Grandpa had arrived. It was so fun to have everyone together! We had lunch and then played on the beach for a while that afternoon. I felt like the mom sitting carefully on the beach with my hat and sunglasses while Johnce and Katie played in the water. We got to see another incredible sunset that night too. My mom and my grandma cooked a good dinner for me that night (chicken and pasta) and I started to get focused on this task ahead of me. At dinner, Katie gave me one of the coolest presents I have ever received. Most of you probably already know about this since you participated, but she had collected note cards with words of encouragement from nearly 100 people - extended family, friends from high school, friends from college, friends from work, and more. At first I was confused because I saw a note from a friend at work and then a note from my grandpa, but when I realized that Katie had teamed up with Johnce and my mom to collect these note cards from everyone I know, I started crying. It was awesome to see all the support, love, and encouragement coming from people all over the country. In this emotional moment, I also asked my Dad if he would run across the finish line with me. He has been my biggest athletic supporter and teacher since I was a little girl, so I couldn't imagine anyone I would rather have asked to share this special moment with me. So, after we were all done crying, I went to bed and tried to get some rest for the big day ahead. It took me about and hour and a half to fall asleep, but I finally did and got a few hours of sleep before my alarm went off at 4 a.m. the next day....race day!!

Saturday - Ironman Race Day!
Race day started at 4 a.m. when the alarm went off. I jumped right out of bed since I hadn't slept much anyway and started to prepare my breakfast. My coach had instructed me to eat 800-1500 calories (60g carbs, 25g protein) that morning since I had such a strenuous day ahead. My stomach was a little too nervous to eat, but I managed to stuff down 3 mini bagels sandwiches with peanut butter and a banana. I had been drinking water with dissolvable electrolyte tabs for the past few days to stay hydrated, so I made myself one more of these "cocktails" for the road. I packed a PowerBar for the road as well, but I couldn't stand to eat any of it. When I got to the race area, I first had to drop off my special needs bags. Then I headed into the transition area to get body marked (my favorite part of the race!) and make sure that all my transition items were still in place from the day before. I double checked my bike and pumped the tires one last time. I also met a few girls that were racing in my age group - a few of them first timers like me. It was really exciting to be there and see all the athletes walking around. I wasn't nearly as nervous that morning as I thought I would be! Instead I felt more like a competitor than a first-timer. Once I had everything set for the transition area, I dropped off my "Morning Dry Bag" with my last minute items and clothes and then headed toward the water to start putting my wetsuit on. I found Johnce on my way out and we sat down together for a second so that I could collect my thoughts. I wanted to have a few minutes of calm before heading out to the water to line up. After I got my wetsuit on and headed over to the start area, I finally found my family. They were lined up along the railing that led down to the water. I got really choked up when I saw them and almost lost it! They were all wearing the Team Suzanne shirts that Katie and Johnce made and it was so awesome to have ALL of them there to cheer me on! I could see how excited they were to be there and to see me go by, so this really got me excited and calmed those last nerves. I gave everyone hugs and kisses and then headed to the starting line!

The Swim - Little Fish among the Sharks
I cannot even begin to tell you how pumped up I was right before the swim start. I was standing there with my feet in the water, realizing that I was about to start the IRONMAN!! I have been thinking about this moment for the last 6 years and it was finally here!! I couldn't even stand still. The pros started 10 minutes before us, so I spent that time until we started trying to soak in all the excitement. There were spectators lined up along the beach, helicopters flying around taking pictures of the battle in the water, and Ironman athletes surrounding me. It was amazing. I tried to position myself toward the front of the group but near the side so I wouldn't get trampled. I'm a strong swimmer, but I am also very small compared to all the men I was standing next to. When the gun went off, I started running into the water with the masses. We all started swimming and it was instant chaos! Every time I looked up all I could see were flaling arms & legs and churned up white water. I was smiling ear to ear under water just thinking that this was the coolest experience ever. I started getting worried that I was going too fast or too slow because I was caught in this chaos, but I just told myself to put my head down and SWIM! There wasn't anywhere that I could go anyway. About 5 minutes into the swim I swallowed a big gulp of salt water and had a moment of panic. I was trying to cough or throw up or something....I tried to raise up and catch my breath, but when I looked behind me I realized that I was about to get trampled by the masses of people swimming behind me. Somehow I managed to stick my head back in the water and start swimming again. The rest of the swim went really well after that. It thinned out a little and I was able to get into a good groove on the way back to shore. I thought that I might be doing well because I could see people still on their way out when I was heading back to shore. I also didn't see any women around me and realized I was in a big group of men. Women wore blue caps and men wore white, so it was really easy to tell. The swim course was two loops, so I kicked it in when I was heading back to the shore on the first loop. I kept thinking that people would be watching the Ironman website from home and I had to atleast put out a good swim time! When I stepped out of the water on the first lap, my watch said 27 minutes. I was really pumped up because I was hoping to finish my swim in a little over an hour and I realized that this was possible! I ran along the beach and then jumped back in for the second loop. It was a little hard to get started again since running on the beach had raised my heart rate quite a bit. I got into a good groove again about halfway out on the second loop though and really felt great for the rest of the swim. I actually think that the congested swim played to my advantage because I didn't have to worry about sighting. In most smaller races, we start in waves and I am usually toward the front of my age group. I have to sight the whole time, which can be exhausting and frustrating to swim in a straight line. In this race I was just able to put my head down and swim. As long as I could see someone on both sides when I breathed, I knew I was probably heading in the right direction. My family told me after the race that they were all going crazy when they saw me come out of the water so far ahead on the first loop and then again after the second loop! I finished in #145 out of around 2500 athletes, so I imagine that was pretty cool to see from a spectator point of view...a little munchkin among all those big, strong guys :) After I was done swimming, I had to run up the beach, through some sprinklers, and then into the transition area. I started pulling off my wetsuit in the transition area and actually threw up while I was doing it!! I didn't even realize that was coming, but I guess I had swallowed too much salt water. Ironman transitioning was awesome because they had volunteers to help you. When they saw me throw up, I heard someone yell, "Someone needs to go help her!!" They came over and led me into the transition tent. Someone had picked up my Swim-to-Bike bag and poured it out on the ground in front of me. I put on my socks while the ladies helped put my shoes on. There were only 2 other women in the tent since we were among the first women to finish the swim, so I got lots of attention...and it was much needed! Once I was all suited up, I ran out of the tent and found someone holding my bike for me. I just grabbed it and hopped on! Ready to start the 112 mile bike ride...

Bike - Fish out of water!
I felt great as I headed out of the bike chute. I was still pumped up from the swim and was ready to keep up the lead on the bike. I saw Katie and Johnce cheering as I was coming out of the chute and I gave them a holler. Then reality set in. My legs were really tight from the swim and I couldn't seem to loosen them up. I tried to spin them out, but I didn't feel like I had any power. The theme of my bike ride quickly became "Fish out of water." Since I had finished so far ahead on the swim, I was quickly getting passed by all the fast men on the bike. And I mean quickly! I was blown away by all the gorgeous bikes that I saw going by! I knew that this was going to happen since everyone starts at the same time for the Ironman (rather than in waves), so I wasn't too bothered by it at first. They were all really nice and they would encourage me as they went past (your name is on your bib, so people could cheer you on by your name rather than just your number). However, after about 30 miles I started to get frustrated because I wasn't passing ANYONE. Normal looking (non-semi pro) people started passing me too. I kept my pace (16-17 mph) and tried not to think about getting passed. Instead I concentrated on my nutrition and staying loose. After about 50 miles I started having some mental breakdowns. The wind was strong and I couldn't seem to get my mph over 16 or 17. I knew that this was slower than I had planned on riding, so I started to feel like it was going to take me ALL day to finish. I was getting frustrated with myself for not going faster, but I didn't feel like I had any power in my legs. I remembered my coach saying something about counting one time in practice, so I tried this on the bike. I would count to 100, then count by fives, count up by 2's, count to 30, etc. This actually really helped to take my mind off how fast I was going so that I could just ride. After a while I got tired of counting, my knees and foot had started to hurt, and then I started panicking again that I wasn't going to be able to run a marathon! I decided to stop for the bathroom and stretch my quads. This helped a little. The main difference between this ride and my training rides was that I didn't get to stop. On my training rides I would stop every 30 miles or so to stretch and get water. In the Ironman, they hold out water, gatorade, bananas, PowerGel, etc. for you so that you don't have to stop on your bike. It's great because you don't lose time, but I realized that I didn't practice staying on the bike for 6 hours straight! The other big difference is that there is no drafting, no talking, and no riding next to anyone, so basically you are all by yourself for the entire ride. This made for a very lonely 7 hours. I was starting to feel pretty loopy by the end of the ride. I kept counting off and on when I found myself getting frustrated. I also would read peoples names on their bib and then spell them outloud in my head...anything to keep me distracted. My nutrition went pretty well on the bike. I drank my Perpetuem (liquid carbs) and ate a PowerGel (Gu) every hour. I also took 2 electrolyte pills every 30 minutes. Toward the end of the ride I felt depleted, so I started eating bananas at the aid stations. I stuck to my plan of eating on the 0, 30, 60 and using electrolyte pills on the 15 and 45. It seemed to work well, although I ran out of Perpetuem early and had to start eating more PowerGel. Things went on like this for a while. I couldn't wait to be done. You have all that excitement coming out of the swim with so many spectators around, and then suddenly you are riding in the middle of nowhere with no one around. It's a strange feeling. Another issue I had was that my neck was so tired by the end of the ride that I couldn't even hold my head up. I didn't want to sit up on the bike because of the wind, but I couldn't hold my neck up in the aero position. This was very dangerous, but all I could do was lift my head enough to see the next 30 feet ahead on the road and then ride with my head down looking at the ground for that 30 foot stretch. I was so uncomfortable and this seemed to be my only option. Luckily the roads were pretty smooth. By 90 miles or so, all I wanted in the world was to be finished with that bike ride. I never felt like I was in a groove, and I was ready to be done. I kept thinking I would turn the next corner and get a strong tailwind, but it always seemed to be another headwind. Just keep riding...just keep riding. Finally I was almost done. I saw the end of the bike course up ahead and started getting all choked up. I couldn't breathe since I was starting to cry, so I had to make myself stop crying through that last mile. I didn't know how I was ever going to run a marathon at that point, but I motivated myself by deciding that I had to suck it up and pass all those people who had passed me on the bike!

Run- Passing people one cup of broth at a time
I think I was so happy to be finished biking, that I forgot how hard it had been. Somehow I felt like my spirits had been renewed by the time I handed my bike off (I don't even remember giving it to anyone). I was given my Bike-to-Run bag and I started heading to the transition tent. This time the tent was much busier and I didn't have anyone to help me at first. I started putting on my running shoes and finally a volunteer came over to help. She took all my biking gear and helped me figure out what I wanted to carry on the run. As I ran out of the transition tent, there were volunteers there to rub sunscreen on my shoulders. They really spoiled us! I stopped by the bathroom before I started the run, and then I headed out toward the course. I felt renewed and was excited to see Johnce and Katie at the start of the run. Several of the spectators were cheering for runners just getting started, and it made a huge difference that they were cheering for me by name! The first three miles of the run were pretty tough. My stomach started cramping from all the food I had eaten on the bike. I knew it would go away, as the first few miles of the run are always hard, so I didn't let it get me down. I made a promise to myself that I could walk through each aid station, but that was the only time I was allowed to walk. I kept this system through the entire marathon. I also tried not to think of the run as a "MARATHON." For some reason that is too mentally huge for me to think about, so I felt better just thinking of it as a long run. I knew I could get through a long run because I had done so many of these throughout my training. Once I got through those first few miles and had my stomach back in working order, I settled into a pace. I really felt surprisingly strong! I was passing people left and right and this helped to pump me up. I was surprised at how many people were walking on the run portion. My family was cheering around mile 5 of the run, so I was really happy to see them. The run course went through a residential area, through some condos, and then deep into a state park. There were lots of motivational signs posted in the state park area, as well as the turnaround mat. I concentrated on making my way to the first turnaround because I knew I could make it back from there. I saw my family again on the way back. My Dad later told me that he had never seen me looking so determined and "all business" in all my years of athletices. For the first loop, I mostly just ate PowerGel and drank water. I had a few bananas also and tried some cola, but I really wasn't that hungry. I saw Katie and Johnce again at the 12 mile turnaround. I really thought that running two loops was going to be very mentally tough for me (it usually is), but for this race I felt more confident on the second loop since I knew where I was going. I stayed positive and was able to mark my progress by remembering where the next aid station was. What helped me keep going the most was (again) counting!! I must have counted to 10,000 during the run. I would count 100 steps on my right foot and then 100 on my left. Then I would count to five on each several times, then ten on each. I know that sounds weird, but by the time I was tired of counting, I was usually in sight of the next aid station. I did this almost every mile, just counting my way to the next time I could walk! On the second loop of the run, they started serving chicken broth. I've never practiced with chicken broth, but it tasted like heaven on earth. It was warm and salty, and I started to look forward to it at each station. I would even get annoyed if they didn't have it at one aid station! I stuck to drinking a cup of water and a cup of broth at each station, and then eating half a PowerGel at every 2nd or 3rd stop. Somehow I was able to stay strong and I kept pushing for the entire marathon. My quads were feeling really tight, but I was keeping my strength knowing that I was still passing people throughout the whole run. I remember that I stopped for the bathroom a few times and I could barely stand back up! My knees also buckled a few times as I was walking through the last few aid stations. It's amazing what you can get your body to do by the power of positive thinking. After the turnaround in the back of the course, I knew that I just had to make it back to the starting area and then I would be done! I counted my way back and started to see mile 23, 24, 25. Oh my gosh! I was about to finish the Ironman. I got a little choked up around mile 25, but I was so determined to finish that it didn't last long. I kicked it in and and soon enough I saw Katie running along the fence telling me that I was almost done. Then I saw my family on the sideline and my dad standing there about to jump in with me...I knew it was time. I started sprinting toward the finish. My dad couldn't even keep up with me! It was so exciting to finish and hear them call my name as an IRONMAN. My dad had his arm around me and I just started laughing and crying. My whole family was waiting for me on the other side and there were hugs all around. It was one of the best moments of my life.

Finishing Time and Stats
I finished the Ironman in 12 hours and 26 minutes! I was really excited about my time. I felt like my training had paid off, and I couldn't have asked for a better first time experience.

Here are my splits:

Swim Time 58:11
Swim Pace (100m) 1:32
T1 4:12
Bike Time 6:49:25
Bike Pace 16.4 mph
T2 5:15
Run Time 4:29:47
Run Pace 10:18 per mile
Total Time: 12:26:48

I heard someone say that 99% of the Ironman race is getting to the starting line. It is not just about what happens on race day, but it is about the entire journey. This couldn't be more true. By the time race day came, I felt confident and prepared that I would be able to finish the Ironman. I could not wait to just get out there and tackle anything that came my way. Becuase of a grueling and challenging 7 months of training, I learned how to stay mentally strong no matter what is facing me, and I have grown so much through this experience. I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to race with so many incredible athletes and be supported by so many amazing people. The Ironman race itself was a fun way to end the challenging and life-changing journey.

I can't say thank you enough for all your well wishes and support! You have no idea how much it helped to know that I had so many friends and family encouraging me on race day.

View More Pictures!!!

Track Me During the Race

2007-10-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

If you want to keep track of my progress on race day, here's the information:

http://www.ironmanlive.com
Name: Suzanne Vernau
Bib #: 2096
Race: Ford Ironman Florida
Date: Saturday, November 3
Race Start: 7:00 a.m. Central

From the Ironman Website:
Real Time Athlete Tracking, the core product of Team Ironmanlive. Follow your athletes progress through the course, with split times, pace, transition, and position information. Our goal is to keep you connected to the race, from anywhere around the globe.

At the start of the race you will see a link for the Athlete Tracker under the coverage tab of the event on the home page of Ironman.com. You can also access the coverage by navigating to "Events", then choosing the race you are interested in.

Training Update 10/28

2007-10-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

Less than a week until the Ironman!! I can't believe it. This past week was great - less mileage and lots of rest. I swam twice, ran twice, and biked twice. The beginning of my week was a little heavier than I had expected, due to my knees hurting last weekend. However, starting Thursday I was able to get more rest. This weekend my mileage was much lighter than normal - 2 mile wetsuit swim, 40 mile bike, 7 mile run. I gave my bike over to Katie on Saturday so that she could meet my dad in Houston and hand it off to him. That was such a good feeling!! I completed my last long bike and long swim this weekend, and next week my mileage is very very light. I will run 30 minutes on Monday, swim Tuesday night, travel Wednesday, and then do a few short ocean swims in Panama City to get used to the water.

Here's my plan for Florida:
Arrive in Florida Wednesday night
Register and drop off bike on Thursday
Rest and get ready on Friday
Race on Saturday!!
Rest on Sunday
Monday and Tuesday resting in Destin
Heading back to Austin Tuesday night

I am really excited about the race! I feel ready and can't wait for it to just be here. Thanks to all of you for supporting me along the way. I couldn't have made it this far without all of your encouragement!

Training Update 10/22

2007-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing crazy to report this week. I am one week into my taper and it is awesome!! It is such a good feeling to be winding down. Last week was a little lighter than normal. I rested on Monday. Tuesday I did my normal morning swim, but got to cut my bike workout in half after work. Wednesday (my birthday) I did a 7 mile fartlek run, meaning I went race pace for a few minutes, then easy for a few minutes for an hour total. My knee has been bothering me a little the past week, so Thursday I rested all day....ahh. Friday I had the day off work, so I went on a 40 mile bike ride with my coach followed by a 2 mile swim in my wetsuit at Barton Springs. Saturday I rode on the Computrainer for 40 miles. This was pretty cool - my coach loaded the actual Florida course on this Computrainer which hooks up to my bike. I can feel all of the hills and road grades of the Florida Ironman course based on GPS, and we can track my average speed, RPM, calories, etc. This is great practice for my actual race because I know what to expect...the course is actually hillier than I thought it would be!

I will continue to taper down this week, and then next week my mileage will be really light. I am meeting my dad half-way between Houston and Austin this coming weekend to give him my bike (my parents are driving it to Florida - I am flying). Then next Wednesday I leave for the race!! I can't believe it is less than 2 weeks away. Almost here!!!!

Training Update 10/15

2007-10-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

I officially started tapering this week! How exciting! I had an epiphany this weekend that all my HARD training is behind me. I made it through 6 months of tough, intense training, and now the race is almost here. It's crazy for me to look back at everything I've done over the past 6 months - reaching new PR's in distance and time along the way. A few years ago, I trained for several months for a 70 mile bike ride. Now I ride 60+ every weekend. I trained for a marathon and thought my training runs were grueling. Now I do 100 mile rides and then have the same running distances to cover the next day. It's amazing what your body can handle if you put your mind to it. This probably all sounds corny, but it's pretty cool to be able to do these distances and realize that you have survived the hard part of Ironman training. Now I just have to put all this training to work at the race. I have 3 more weeks to go!!

I am focusing on nutrition, stretching and getting mentally prepared for the race at this point. Last week was my first week to really feel burned out. I was exhausted after the Half Ironman but didn't really get much rest last week following the race. I just went right into it. I had a hard time getting motivated for workouts, mostly due to my body being so exhausted. I was fine once I got going and this weekend I felt fresh. Over the weekend I completed 90 miles on the bike, 13 miles running, and my longest swim yet - 2.5 miles in my wetsuit. I am looking forward to this taper and getting things in order for the race. I am pretty sore from the weekend, but hopefully I can work some of that out this week. Wednesday is my birthday!! I took Friday off work, so I am planning to get a bike ride in that day and a run on Saturday, which leaves me time to rest and actually sleep in (amazing) on Sunday.

Thanks to all of you for supporting me through the toughest part of my training! I really appreciate all of your thoughts and encouragement.

Longhorn Half Ironman 10/7

2007-10-08T18:36:00.000-07:00

The Half Ironman went really well! I finished in 5:27:39 and placed 2nd in my age group out of 38 women (Age 25-29). I finished one minute faster than my previous fastest time for this distance, which is exciting considering this was a hilly course and the extreme heat we had yesterday. It was a really tough race.

SWIM (1.4 miles): I started around 8 am yesterday morning. My time out of the water was 32 minutes, not my fastest but I will take it. The water was too warm for a wetsuit (above 78 degrees), so that can slow you down a bit. I felt pretty good on the swim, relaxed and comfortable most of the way. I swam a little off course - need to work on that! I finished 3rd in my age group on the swim and 35th overall (out of about 700!!).

BIKE (56 miles): I really pushed the bike portion of the race. I rode 50 miles the day before the race (remember, this was a "training" race so I didn't get any rest) and I could tell that my legs were tired out of the water. It's always tough to transition from swimming to biking - I was really out of breath and it took about 6-8 miles before my body relaxed and settled into a pace. Also, I concentrated on my nutrition during the bike ride. I am working to find a system for keeping track of what I am eating. It's easy to get confused or disoriented when you are on the bike for several hours. My coach and I came up with the plan to eat on the 0, 30 and 60 of every hour (gel packs, shot blocks, and perpetuem (high carb drink)) and then consume electrolyte pills on the 15 and 45. It keeps me drinking every 15 minutes, always important. I averaged about 19 miles per hour for the ride. I was happy with that because it was rolling hills the whole way and you are not allowed to draft in triathlons...unfortunately!! I finished in 2 hours and 54 minutes - 8th in my age group. My new bike is holding up really well, and I still love it.

RUN (13.1 miles): The run was the toughest part of the race. It was close to noon by the time I started my run and the heat was out in full force. The course was not shaded and we were running on concrete for most of the way. It was really mentally challenging to keep going. I made mental agreements with myself not to walk on the uphills knowing that I could let my legs shake loose a little on the downhills. It's amazing what you can convince your body to do! The run course was two loops, and the toughest part was huge hill in the back of the park that we had to run up twice. It came along at mile 12 of the run course (2nd loop) and had most people walking the whole way. I also had to walk here and there on the way up that one to catch my breath. For nutrition, I mostly just drank water and took electrolyte pills, with a gel every 45 minutes. Run time was 1 hour and 55 minutes (8:51 pace). 3rd in my age group. 65th overall.

It was really fun to race again! I had forgotten how much harder races are than training rides/runs because you push yourself to the max. My T3 Training Team was out there cheering and volunteering, so that helped a ton. Johnce was also a trooper and came out to cheer and take pictures. After the race I even got to take pictures with two cute longhorns :) Overall, it was a great day.

Training Update 10/6

2007-10-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

Nothing crazy to report this week. I tried to take it a little easy in my workouts early in the week since my mileage last weekend was so high. I rested on Monday and got a massage - wonderful. Apparently I have a lot of scar tissue built up in my legs and shoulders, so I am supposed to get a massage every week until my race. I'm not going to complain about that! Tuesday morning I swam before work and biked after work. I was pretty dehydrated on Tuesday from the weekend, but my workouts went well despite a constant headache. Wednesday, I went to track practice followed by a 30 min recovery run. This was my first track practice since I started training, which I think is how I hurt my foot back in May. I'm a little weary of this idea, but my coach wants me to add a few of these track practices for the next few weeks to put some speed into my workouts. We did ten 2 minute intervals on the track. Thursday morning I rode my bike on the trainer before work, and then Friday I rested. I am racing in a Half Ironman (www.longhorntri.com) tomorrow morning, so I am trying to relax tonight. I did have to ride my bike for 50 miles today though. Not exactly what I like to do the day before a half ironman, but it is supposed to be a "training" race. My coach said that I should go into the race feeling tired to help simulate how the ironman will feel and to give me an idea of time. I am going to practice my race nutrition and my transitions. I am excited about the race - it's actually my first triathlon of the summer! My original plan was to race several short triathlons this summer to gear up for the ironman, but my trainig mileage was too long!!! Hopefully it goes well.

Training Update 9/30

2007-09-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

Wow. This was a really crazy weekend. I did a "3-day Ironman" so to speak..

Friday - 2.25 mile wetsuit swim
Saturday - 108 mile bike ride
Sunday - 18 mile run

I am feeling really good about where I am in my trianing. After finishing such a long weekend, I am much more confident about my training and being able to compete in the ironman (rather than just finish - my original goal) .

The beginning of my training week was normal - biked 60 min Monday, swam 2 miles Tuesday, ran 7 miles Wednesday, biked 90 min Thursday & 60 min yoga. I'm not sure if I am just getting used to these workouts, but I felt pretty rested and relaxed this week. (Swim) Friday morning before work was my 2.25 mile wetsuit swim at Barton Springs. First of all, jumping into 68 degree water at 5:30 am sounds like the worst idea ever. It is never fun to get going that early, but once I got started it was worth it. It's nice to actually see the sun rise! I had some trouble with my goggles fogging up, so I will admit that I ran into the wall at one point...oops! (Bike) My bike ride was pretty tough yesterday. It was an organized ride put on by the Lions Club in Liberty Hill - Rip Roarin Ride. They set up a course with rest stops and food along the way. It was really nice to have other riders out there with me on the course, although it seemed like most people weren't crazy enough to pick the 108 mile distance. (Run) When I woke up today after riding 108 miles yesterday, I felt like I had been hit by a truck :) I was not in the mood to run 18 miles, but I got myself going and had a pretty good run. That's where the mental toughness part comes into play! I stayed at a decent pace for the entire 3 hours.

I sat in an ice bath after my run today. I'm pretty sore, so I am trying to do lots of stretching. My hip flexor on the left side is also hurting a little. I think I strained it during the bike ride, but hopefully it will get better after a rest day and massage tomorrow. Otherwise, I am recovering better from such a long weekend than I expected. I am really happy about how this weekend went - my longest training weekend! Can't wait for my massage tomorrow :)

Training Update 9/23

2007-09-23T10:31:00.001-07:00

Training this week went really well. Monday was a wetsuit swim at Barton Springs (1.5 miles=12 lengths). Tuesday I did a 90 minute bike session on the trainer and then a 7 mile run on Wednesday after work. Thursday was a big day - 4 hours! I started with a 3500 meter swim in the morning, went to work, and then did 20 minutes core, 90 minutes bike and 60 minutes yoga after work. I learned some new stretches for my back, neck and hips during yoga this week that should help relieve some of the pain in those areas. Friday was Johnce's birthday, so I took the day off. Saturday I rode the bike course for the Longhorn Half Ironman that I am racing in two weeks. Today (Sunday) I did a 13 mile run. My ride and run went really well this weekend. Felt really strong on the run today and pushed it pretty hard. Oh, I have started taking ice baths after my workouts to help my recovery...YIKES!

Next weekend will be one of my hardest weekends yet...108 mile bike and 18 mile run.

Training Update 9/16

2007-09-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

This week started out pretty rough. I was exhausted coming off such a long weekend of training. I rested Monday and then had two workouts on Tuesday. My morning swim (2 miles) on Tuesday was tough to get going. It started pouring while we were swimming, which was actually pretty fun! I had a bike workout after work. Wednesday I ran 7 miles after work - did not feel like running but I had a pretty good run afterall. Thursday I did an early morning spin session so that I could get my bike seat switched out after work. Jack and Adams has become my second home (thanks Zane!). Things got a little crazy this weekend because I had tickets to ACL Festival!! I took Friday off work and did a super long workout in the morning. 60 miles on the bike followed by an hour run. This was probably one of my worst workouts yet. My waterbottle holders on the bike kept falling down, so I couldn't stay hydrated. I started my run around noon - super hot! Went to ACL Fest all day, then got up Saturday morning for a 12 mile run. Surprisingly, this run went well even though my body was fighting me for the first few miles. Got my first MASSAGE on Saturday morning, and it was amazing. She found muscles that hurt that I didn't even know I had :) Back to ACL and then had a rest day on Sunday morning. Good thing because my whole body hurts.

Training Update 9/9

2007-09-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

This week has been tough. My training is starting to peak, so my mileage is very high right now. After a long Labor Day weekend, I went into the week feeling mentally refreshed but physically tired. I had a normal workout week (bike tuesday, run wednesday, swim/bike/yoga thursday), but this weekend got crazy. I met Katie for a mile swim in my wetsuit at Barton Springs on Friday. Yesterday I went for a 20 mile run, followed by an 80 mile bike ride today. I am totally exhausted. Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!

Training Highlights

2007-09-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hotter than Hell 100
Last weekend I rode the Hotter than Hell 100. I drove up to Wichita Falls and rode with 6 of my girl friends. Hotels were hard to come by in Wichita Falls, so we booked a toy box trailer at the last minute. We laughed all weekend about our unpredictable trailer experience, which turned out to be great! The family that owned it was very sweet and invited us back next year. The race was so fun! Relatively flat with lots of great rest stops. Highlight of the trip was the endorphin high that Katie and I had following the 100 mile ride.

Longest Swim
Last month I did my longest swim ever – 3700 meters! I swim in the mornings before work, and this workout was particularly tough. Believe it or not, this isn’t even the full distance that I will be swimming in the Ironman. I was starving all day at work…swimming makes me very hungry :)

Muddy Buddy
The Muddy Buddy is one of my favorite races! This year I kicked off my training with this race. The Muddy Buddy is an adventure race – alternating mountain biking and trail running and then finishing by crawling through a 100 yard mud pit with your partner. My boyfriend and I teamed up this year and had a great time battling through the obstacle courses scattered throughout the race.

Crazy Bikers
Most weekends I ride with my T3 training group, but sometimes I like to switch it up and ride with friends. One weekend in June, I made plans to ride with a friend of a friend (Ryan) and his friend. I had never met Ryan’s friend, but I was told that he wanted to bike about 65 miles. Perfect! I met up with them on Saturday morning and soon found out that this guy had planned probably the steepest ride possible in Austin. He started by taking us up Mount Bonnell Road, followed by Mesa and then City Park Road. Halfway up City Park Road, Ryan and I practically passed out in a ditch on the side of the road. We had to tell his friend that we were about to die and refused to ride up Jester Hill (4 mile long hill going straight up). This guy was crazy!! To give you some perspective, this ride should have been done by about 11 am, but we didn’t finish until 3:30.

Test Riding My New Bike
When my biking mileage got above 60 or 70 miles, I realized that my neck and shoulders would start aching and that I was abnormally uncomfortable on my bike. I went to the local bike shop to get my aero-bars adjusted and found out that my current bike was the wrong size (too big). Without much convincing, I decided to test ride a new bike the following weekend. I rode the Felt B2, which is a carbon bike, and fell in love with it. The carbon fiber absorbs the bumps and cracks in the rode much better than an aluminum bike does. I could also tell a huge difference in having a bike that fit my body size. I rode the Felt B2 for a 75 mile test ride and agreed to buy it the following weekend. I am so excited to have a new bike to race for the Ironman and for many years to come...

Mental Toughness

2007-09-05T19:15:00.003-07:00

The Ironman distance has been more mentally challenging than I expected. I knew that I was in for long hours on the bike and long runs on the weekends. What I didn’t know was how much time it would take me to prepare for these workouts. A bike workout might take me 5 or 6 hours to complete, which means I need to pack enough calories on my bike to fuel my body for an extended, intense workout. This requires a lot of pre-planning and packing, several trips to the store to buy Gatorade, Gels, Bars, etc. as well as several loads of laundry per week. Some days I have more than one workout per day, so I have to make sure clothes are ironed for work and my bag is packed with shoes, socks, food, water bottles, helmets, etc. each day before I leave.

With a full work schedule and an active social life, this has been the most challenging part of training. It is the part that has required the most mental toughness for me – getting home from a long workout and packing, cooking, showering, ironing, etc. instead of sitting down to rest before bed. This also comes into play when my alarm goes off at 5 am. While I want to hit snooze and rest my sleep deprived body, I have to push myself out of bed and head to my workout. Each workout for the Ironman has a purpose, and there are no shortcuts for a distance this daunting. This is especially hard on the weekends, knowing that most people my age are sleeping until noon.

I have had to make sacrifices in my social life as well. With long workouts in the morning on the weekends, I can’t stay out as late with friends as I could in the past. I’ve also had to learn to listen to my body to know when I need to rest rather than play. Even though my training is tough and tiring, I still make a concerted effort to relax and have fun a few times a week. This summer I visited friends in Denver for a white-water-rafting trip, have attended 3 or 4 weddings, visited family in Pittsburgh, went to several concerts, and much more. I am lucky to have very supportive friends and family that continue to encourage me throughout this journey. I am learning a lot about myself and how to endure through any challenges that I face. I hope to inspire a few people along the way as well!

Nutrition

2007-09-05T19:15:00.001-07:00

Although I thought I knew a lot about nutrition going into the Ironman, this type of intense training has changed my diet and taught me how to fuel my body efficiently. Training for shorter triathlons and running races did not require me to pay as detailed attention to recovery and pre-race meals. With limited rest and recovery time between my Ironman workouts, I have to be especially careful to hydrate and eat well. I will feel a noticeable difference in my workout the next day if I do not fuel my body correctly. This is especially important on the weekends when I have back-to-back long workouts – for example a 75 mile bike ride on Saturday followed by an 18 mile run on Sunday. I have also incorporated all sorts of racing foods into my diet – Nutrition Bars, Gels, Shot Blocks, Carbohydrate Drinks, Protein Powder, Recovery Drinks, etc. I can easily burn over 1000 calories during one long workout, so I have to make sure to consume enough food and liquid calories while I am exercising. I am also careful to drink a recovery/protein drinks within 15 to 30 minutes after a workout to increase my recovery time and limit muscle soreness. This is a new strategy for me, but has made an incremental difference in my training. With that said, ice cream, pizza, and Dr. Pepper continue to sneak into my diet from time to time :)

Training Plan

2007-09-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Training for the Ironman has been challenging, yet rewarding. I train 6 days a week, with one rest day. This amounts to nearly 30 hours per week. Training for a triathlon involves practicing all 3 sports, spacing them out through the week. For example, I try not to run two days in a row or do back-to-back bike workouts. Another training technique I use is called a “brick.” This involves practicing running after biking and helps your legs acclimate to the “jello” feeling after you get off the bike. I do most of my training workouts with my T3 training group. This helps to motivate me, gives me access to great coaches and allows for feedback from other athletes.

A typical week of training looks like this:
Monday – 45-60 min run OR rest
Tuesday – 2 mile lap swim before work, 20 min core & 90 min spin after work (bike)
Wednesday – 45-60 min run after work
Thursday – 20 minute core & 90 min spin after work, yoga
Friday – open water swim (1-2 miles) OR rest
Saturday – Long Bike Ride (60-100 miles)
Sunday – Long Run (10-20 miles)

Signing up for my first Ironman!

2007-09-05T19:10:00.002-07:00

I decided this year that it was time to sign up for my first Ironman. I have completed 2 Half Ironman distances as well as two marathons and a century bike ride (100 miles), so I felt prepared enough to start the Ironman journey. There are 7 Ironman races in North America. I chose to sign up for Florida because it has an ocean swim and takes place at the end of the normal triathlon season. This allows me to train through the summer and compete in shorter triathlons to help practice for the transitions in the Ironman race. Sign up for the Florida Ironman took place the day after the race last year – November 2006. The Florida Ironman filled up in about 30 minutes, so I was very excited to have secured a spot. I spent the first few months of 2007 trying to increase my “base” shape and strengthen my core for the long workouts to come. I started my official training plan in May of 2007 and joined a group in Austin called T3 – Total Technique Training. This group has significantly enhanced the way I train – teaching me more about nutrition, core & strength work, and the value of training with teammates even though triathlon is an individual sport.

About the Sport

2007-09-05T19:10:00.001-07:00

There are several different distances to choose from in triathlon. They range from a sprint distance (shortest) to the Ironman (longest). The training time increases significantly for each distance, with Ironman training lasting about 36 weeks.

Sprint = ½ mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run
Olympic = 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run
Half Ironman = 1.4 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
Ironman = 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run

How I Got Started

2007-08-23T12:55:00.001-07:00

I started racing triathlons in 2000. I grew up swimming summer league and was a runner in high school, so I thought this might be a sport that I would enjoy. After watching the Hawaii Ironman on TV, I decided to learn more about triathlons. I researched on the internet and found an Olympic Distance race in Austin, TX that sounded fun. I signed up and started training. My first race went pretty well, although I raced on a mountain bike and soon discovered the need for a lighter, faster triathlon bike. My dad and I found a small Trek Hilo at the local bike store, and I raced another triathlon about a month later – dropping nearly an hour on the bike time. With 2 triathlons under my belt in the summer of 2000, I decided that triathlon was the new sport for me. I’ve been racing ever since – increasing my distances each year. I am now training for my first Ironman in Panama City, FL on November 3, 2007.