Have I lost my mind to consider a HIM? (Page 30)

Leah how was your 10K? I have one tomorrow. Today it's snowing in NY but not sticking. I am wondering what I will need to wear for the 10K tomorrow. I have to take the train because it's in NYC, makes it more complicated, otherwise I just have everything in my car.

When I went to pick up my number today I ran into one of the people I know from the old days at NYRR. She said she will get me into the NYC half marathon if I want, it's March 21 and normally a lottery to get in. We'll see how I feel during and after the 10K tomorrow.

I'm taking it easy today, I'll do a short indoor bike later just to get my legs moving and get a peach.
I listen to music on my ipod when I run, sometimes just regular music playlists I make, sometimes a Nike workout music I downloaded from iTunes that have coached intervals with Lance, Serena and others. I also have iTrain music which is canned coached indoor training but it keeps you motivated. I think I found out about that through someone here in the thread.

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend and getting some good training in.

Wow 35 miles on the trainer! I've haven't made it beyond an hour on the trainer yet.

No, you had it right the first time.  That's cold, as in really, really cold.  It was high 50's here this morning I dressed myself in shorts and a long-sleeved technical (meaning lightweight) shirt for my race.  I thought it would heat up by the time I finished and didn't want to be over-dressed.  A smarter person would have worn running tights and a heavier shirt.  That smarter person was not me and I was cold for the entire bloomin' race.  And then I waited around for race results because there are not many women in the 50-54 age group and I figured I had a good chance of placing.  I waited, freezing, as long as I could, but they were having some sort of glitch with the results and I finally left.  And yes, the use of the word "freezing" is somewhat liberal because by then it was probably in the mid-60's. 

Anyway, my race really went well.  It is kind of a funky race in that the first 5K is essentially flat and then the second half comes.  The second 5K has two really long and steep hills.  It is like doing two different races.  I did it in 1:08:56 and last year I did it in 1:22:19 so it appears that there is something to training.  Who knew? 

I do not run with an iPod or with any kind of music.  I like to be out there with my thoughts.  I am also worried about safety issues and not hearing everything around me.  Even still, I tried running with music once and I just didn't like it. 

That was exactly my thought. 

Trainer or treadmill i don't have a problem going forever on either as long as my mind is occupied with music/intervals/movies/t.v. shows whatever. Plus I go on with the mindset that all of this no matter how unpleasant is nothing compared to what I would suffer in a race without it - FEAR is an excellent motivator for me

k

Oh yes, and have been trying the malto mixes for nutrition. So far I like it better than gels. More experimenting to follow.

k




Edited by kirih 2009-12-05 5:37 PM

I would definitely take the slot into the half marathon.  You've got plenty of time to train and besides, you get to skip the lottery and just get in.  How cool is that?  Do it.

And snowing, even if it isn't sticking, is also cold. 

And 5 degrees is also cold. 

And ha ha ha on your grandparents listening to TSO in their Sauconys. 

Good news Bad news . . . again

Good news!  I got my Personal Best time for the half marathon today!!  Hooray!  It was by 21 seconds.  The best part about besting my best is that my old best time was from 2004. I was stoked!  Leah is right . . . There is something to this training thing.  The last half marathon I did was January 2009 and my time was over 3 hours.  (I didn't train very well)  This is huge for me.  Not only did I have a decent time I felt good the whole run and had a little extra in me to push at the end.  I didn't hurt myself either.  I felt great!  Because this run went well, I am going to push through and gear up for the full marathon now. 

Bad news.  I am still way under on my training plan.  I need to kick it up like the rest of you wild ladies and start logging some serious time.  I'll try to hit it again this week. 

Congrats on your half marathon.  Yep.  There is something to training. 

That being said, may I make a suggestion?  I have been "peachy" since mid-March.  Not wanting to lose my peachy streak is a huge motivator for me to get in some workout, any workout, every single day. 

Now, we are training for a HIM and something, anything, isn't going to be sufficient.  For me, it isn't the same kind of rule as being peachy each and every day, but even if I can't get in the entire two-hour bike ride (for instance), if I get thirty minutes on the trainer, that's enough.  Well, not enough, but loads and loads better than nothing. 

Commit to getting a peach each and every day and doing at least part of whatever workout is scheduled for that day on your training plan.  You have a plan and you made the arrangements that would make it possible for you to follow your plan.  Those are two big hurdles and you have overcome them.   Now comes the next big step.  There are lots of distances/races where you can "wing" it, but, really, a HIM, and THIS particular HIM are not going to be easy to wing.  I think this is what is meant by "respect the distance."  I've done this HIM before and I was undertrained and it wasn't pretty.  It has taken me seven years before I felt like trying it again.  I did it.  I finished it.  I lived.  But that's about all I can say about my race in 2003. 

You can do this, Kate.  And you have the time and the resources. 

End of pep talk.

You didn't say what your time was and so I just went and looked at your log.  I am impressed.  Sub-2-1/2 hours is my FANTASY time for the Surf City Half Marathon in February.  You really did terrific!

Thanks for the pep talk Leah.  You are right.  I have everything in place to do this.  I just need to pull it together. 

My official HIM time was 2:26:05.  I realized I had a chance of coming in under 2:30:00 at the 8 mile mark.  Luckily I had some good pacers near me to push me. 

Leah - What ever happened when you did the Oceanside race the first time?  I know you had a hard time on the bike.  Was it just hard on your body?  

 

Elke - I'm glad you are in for the OLY in March.  It will be fun to meet everyone.  Looking forward to it.  Exciting that your hubby will be joining you.  Keep up the good work!  BTW - I could never work around pastry.  I would Overdose on Sugar!!

Congrats on the great runs everyone! Wow on the time Kate! That's pretty darn awesome.

I've had a not so stellar week in general. I've been hoovering between 188-192 for 3 or 4 weeks now back and forth like a ping-pong. There is no "Why" about it I know why... I just have to get things in check. I guess I'm letting it get to me a bit more then I should. I think Thanksgiving threw me off a bit letting too many things slide in. I'm working out just enough to try and beat back any weight gain.

I've been doing this weight loss thing mostly full blast for a few years now and I'm bound to have time where I'm just dealing with burn-out. In the past that would have meant giving up entirely... but I'm a whole new person these days. But old habits are there just waiting for me to turn my back.

Sorry I know this gets tiresome to hear, but it's all part of the journey here.

No Matter new week right? Why do I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately.

Anyway off to go do the bike I should have done yesterday.

Debb - I'm right there with you.  I feel like a broken record.  I need to lose weight, I need to put in more time,  . . .  A new week, a new start!!  Let's get fired up!! 

I had done several sixty-mile training rides on Pacific Coast Highway, which does have rolling hills.  So it isn't like I was completely unprepared for the race.  But I simply didn't have the bike fitness to do the 56 miles for time.  This race has (or had) cut-off times for each segment.  That might not be right.  It might be just an overall cut-off time.  Being absolutely and completely delusional, I had put myself in the lottery for Kona and this was to be my qualifying race, just in case I got in.  Technically, I did not finish in the allotted time, but they let me finish and gave me a finishing time, so I was not DNF.  Clearly this was a case of someone who had a few sprints and olys under her belt and thought that the HIM and IM was the logical next step.  That might very well be true, but it is a gigantic next step - way more than going from sprint to oly. 

Anyway, back to the bike.  I don't suppose it is the hilliest course around, but it is hilly.  It does have some notable headwinds and if you are fast enough, you get the benefit of them as tailwinds.  If you are slow, the wind will almost certainly change and you could have headwinds coming and going.  You might not have headwinds coming and going, you will almost certainly have them at the beginning and it just wipes you out, unless you routinely train with wind or you are fast enough to get past them before they wipe you out.  I had headwinds coming and going. 

I don't remember my times.  I suppose I could go on the website and find them, but right now I don't want to know.  I will probably go look for them eventually.  But I probably took five or six hours on the bike alone.  The swim was fine, not great, but OK.  I do recall being disappointed with my swim, but nothing major and nothing that interfered with the bike.

I was just dead coming off the bike.  I finally got into T2 and a woman who had already finished the run and the post-race festivities and was just leaving with her bike looked at me and said in disbelief, "You're STILL going out on the run?"  I have thought of many brilliant rejoinders since then, but all I said was "Yeah.  I'm still going out on the run."  .  Somehow or another I did finish the run, but like I said, not technically within the race cut-off time.  And believe you me, I was sooooo glad that I didn't make the Kona lottery! 

It is a doable race.  And I plan to do it in March and I plan to do it a whole heck of a lot better than I did back then, but I also know that I will have to do my part and train for it or there is no point in showing up.  Kate, you have a lot of biking and long-distance biking under your belt and I think that will help you a lot.   You're also young and that also helps.  But I just don't want you or anyone in our group to underestimate what it takes to do that race.  And that is only half of an IM.  Originally I did not want to sign up for an IM until I saw how well I did on Cali 70.3.  That strategy would have worked out if I was going to do a European race in 2010, but such was not to be.  Obviously, I had to commit to IMAZ on November 23 or wait another year.  I am by no means certain that I will be ready for IMAZ in November, but if Cali 70.3 goes well, then I think a good day at IMAZ is within reach.

All I am trying to say is that this is a doable race, but it does require preparation. 

I'm going to have to check out the bpm music.  I could have used a little extra push!!  I'm totally impressed you can take on the treadmill and trainer.  That is some kind of dedication.  You will rock at your first race. 

Leah - Thanks for the recap.  I've gotcha.  After reading your recap and hearing another lady's experience on the bike (walking up the hills) . . . I'm scared to death.  Hills are going to be my middle name!  I am immediately going to try to figure out the race cut offs. 

Lisa - How was your 10k?  Hopefully the weather worked for you.  I think you should take the NYC slot too.  At least you wouldn't have to worry about.  Thanks for the music into.  I like the idea of bpm option and the canned coaching.  I need to check that out.   

The waves are determined closer to race day. Last year the women were sandwiched between the men. If I remember correctly all the women went off between 7:20 and 8:00 with 4 or 5 mens waves behind us. If they follow suit for this year you shouldn't be last.

My recollection is that back then they had an Athena division and the Athena division went before the AG women.  I seem to recall that either they no longer have the Athena division or it goes the same time as the AG-ers.  The key to this was that the Athenas went earlier than the AG women and that meant you had more time.  It might be worth checking out.  I am no longer an Athena, but I was then, and I wished I had raced Athena.  As a point of pride, I have never raced Athena, but I would be willing to sacrifice pride if it got me an earlier start. 

Hi Jess!

Yep no Athena/Clyds at M-Dots anymore. I was kinda bummed about that.

I in no way underestimate these races Half nor Full. I'm prepared mentally that it might not happen the way I want it to, but all I can do is try. I don't underestimate the mental and emotional let down DNF creates, but I keep telling my husband that if the worst that happens is I DNF and just get really fit, I'm OK with that.

It's a hell-of-a-lot better then where I came from. The fact I'm fit enough to even dream of trying this is pretty cool in itself.

Hey everybody! I think I fought my cold off yesterday. I'm on a plane to Las Vegas (yes on a plane) Virgin America has free WiFi this month so BT is flying with me today. When I get to our hotel in LV I will check out the fitness center and pool and hopefully get a nice workout in, I have the address of some YMCA's incase the rooftop pool at my hotel is closed as I think it is fairly cold in Las Vegas. I am traveling with my Mom to visit my brother who is a chef there. I don't have a set schedule for the week but I hope to do swimming and running quite a bit.

I have my ironman 70.3 training for the middle distance and training and racing with a power meter books.
Her is an interesting quote from the 70.3 book:

"If you want to finish and Ironman 70.3, don't put fast athletes and scientists together, but concentrate on the desire to reach the finish line."

Have a good week everyone. I will be checking in regularly as I have my mifi for my computer once we are back on the ground.
Cheers!