Seattle Ironwoman

I've been spending my weekends lately hitting the trails up at Cougar Mountain. I've always loved trail running - the constant need to focus on the path right ahead, really live in each moment as you make decisions about what path to take, where to step, make sure you're understanding each step as you run, otherwise roll your ankle or wipe out. I've been struggling lately with this ultra training. It isn't nearly as intensive and time consuming as Ironman training. When I'm finishing my long weekend runs, I feel like I've checked off a thing to do, but not like it really registers with my soul. I'm usually so happy when I finish a tough workout that despite being depleted, my bucket is filled. I'm not sure I really have that same feeling at the end of these runs this fall. W hen I've been at the mountain the last month, it's been a mixture of some enjoyment, pain, anger, dread, frustration, exhaustion, and depletion. I'm not sure I a

I'm now over a month out from Ironman Boulder. It already feels like a lifetime ago. I'm turning my training focus to my 50k (31 miles) in 14 weeks. I'm a little scared but it's that fear that drives me, so I'm also excited. This will be my longest run race to date! My training plan's longest run is a trail marathon, which I've also never done...looking forward to spending some quality time up at Cougar Mountain getting ready!! I've reflected a lot on why I love endurance racing the last couple weeks. Whenever people ask, I have such a hard time articulating why I keep signing up for these long races. Why I push myself through grueling training plans when I could just be brunching, day drinking, shopping, sleeping in, Netflix binging ... all things that sound fun. But doing those things doesn't fill my tank. It doesn't build a fire in me. Living that life makes me feel empty. Unfulfilled. Bored. Sad. So that's why I am always training. I a

Morning of: Woke up at 3:40am. This race started at 6:20am due to the rolling swim start, so we needed to get there extra early. Downed 1 1/2 English muffins with pb+j and drank some grape pedialyte. Put sunscreen on my face and arms. (mistake #1 of the day - not having Isaac put sunscreen on my back!) We had to walk a half mile to the high school, drop off our special needs bags (bags halfway through the bike and run you can fill with things you might need but can't carry on you all day) and then hop on the bus to take us to the reservoir. I have not felt that nauseous for a race in yeaaaars as I did walking to the high school. I thought I was going to throw up on the way. When we got to the res we all headed over to our bikes to put on nutrition and check tire pressure. Threw on my swim skin and got ready to swim! Swim: This swim was a rolling start, which means you seed yourself based on your anticipated finish time. The options were less than an hour, 1hr-1:15, 1:16-1:

Publishing late since I never did.... pre-race! Countdown till I leave for Boulder is now single digit days away and the race is less than two weeks away. Isaac stopped making our training boards since he was injured and wasn't able to follow the workouts, so no boards to post for you. The last few weeks have been hard, long, painful, but I hit every workout and am feeling as prepared as I can for Boulder - while still being completely terrified for the long day. I spent this last Sunday tracking my amazing friend Jocelyn who finished her FIRST Ironman in Whistler!! She killed it!! Tracking her throughout the course of the day reminded me truly what a long day it is, which is something I obviously know but had kind of forgotten... no matter how much you prepare, you can't predict everything that is going to happen that day. It has not been super hot here in Seattle this summer, so I have not been able to train in 90+ degrees. I'm hopeful I'll adjust to the hot temps A

Training Logs: Week 18: Mon: 4200m swim Tues: 90min turbo trainer, 40 minute t-run Wednesday: 3800m swim Thursday: 80 minute run, 30-60 chisel phase lifting Friday: off Saturday: 2.5-3 hour run, chisel phase lifting Sunday: 5-6 hour ride, 15-20 min t-run <3 family time :) First tri of the season - took 4th in my age group! wetsuit chafe - ouch! Father's day - love him! Turned 29 this month - rang it in on the trails... It's been a busy month! Training has continued to ramp, and I hit my first burnout of this training cycle. I was so proud of myself for not missing workouts up until week 17, and for one week I skipped ALL of my swims. I don't know if I hit a point of over-training, but I felt really sick, nauseous, unmotivated to train, weak and swollen -  physically in a bad place. I started questioning why I was doing this to myself, do I even LIKE this sport, feeling like I for

Week 13 started the REAL Ironman training. Everything else these last three months have just been building up to starting this phase of Ironman specific training. Intensity is higher. Workouts are longer. Lifting is heavier. This part of training is what I feel differentiates what I do from other athletes. This is what makes me an Ironman. I don't have anything motivating to share with you this post. I'm definitely tired, physically and mentally. Outside of training and work, I have little energy to do much else. I'm always proud of myself when, despite the fact that I feel sore most days like I got in a minor car accident, I still manage to hop on my bike or lace up my shoes and hit the pavement or throw on my suit and jump in the pool. I can't seem to get enough sleep. I think I could sleep for 13 hours if I had the time! Less than 70 days until Ironman Boulder. I feel like I'm getting closer to being ready - what I need is a couple 3hr+ runs and a century ride un

accidental picture in the woods Officially at that midpoint of training. Three months behind me, a little less than three to go. Actually, the race was three months from last Saturday! Feels good to be getting closer to race day. Gives me more optimism towards training -  light at the end of the tunnel. I haven't missed any workouts, I'm feeling strong in all three sports - still the least strong on the bike but at least I have enjoyed training more with my gorgeous,comfortable and sleek Quintana Roo.  My confidence is high this time around about training and the race which is surprising - this time last year I was so scared. I feel like now I know what I'm doing. I know what I need in terms of nutrition, hydration, and that the training I'm doing will get me where I need to go. I still have a lot of building to do for a run distance - the most I've run in the last 3 months was 2 1/2 hours, we'll hit at least 3 hours by

  Ran my first ever trail race this weekend! It was a half marathon at Tiger Mountain. It was challenging and was further than I was supposed to go for training, but I love adding in events to make training a little more interesting.  I know I'm behind on posting... a s training ramps up, I'm a little more strapped for time. Below are the boards from week 8, 7, and 6. As training continues to ramp, what changes the most are the weekends but our weekdays are getting a little longer too. It's been a struggle to fit in 2 hour workouts in the morning before work, but I'm managing and adjusting. I'm proud to say I haven't missed any workouts. Even if other things got in the way, I moved things around and still hit them later on in the week. Pretty proud of that. It's so easy to think about skipping a workout but if there's one thing I've learned - consistency is key, and when I approach that start line at altitude in a little less than 4 month

Another build week. Hit all my workouts AND added an extra bike on Wednesday morning. I've been pretty busy this week, lots of nights where I'm not done working out until 8pm or getting home around that time. I have only been getting about 6 hours or so of sleep during the week so my energy wasn't super high. One good thing that starts to happen the better shape I get into as we build in this training plan - no matter how low I think my energy is, as soon as I start working out my body shifts into gear and seems to have limitless potential. I love that. It's just the mental battle to get started despite my muscle fatigue, mental fatigue, soreness... which luckily this week wasn't hard at all. I've hit that point where I don't think about wanting to workout or not - it's not an option, it's just what I do, "sometimes you just do things"... Feels good to be getting back into that mindset instead of dreading going to the pool or getting o

Week 4 - TESTING WEEK! This week focused on determining target heart rate zones in each sport to be able to better push in future training. Last year I didn't do heart rate testing. Many Ironman athletes base their workouts and heart rate zones based on perceived effort which is how I trained last year. In an attempt to stick to my goal to improve on the bike, I knew that this year I needed to do the bike test and find my true target heart rates instead of just listening to my body. It was scary to do this test - because Isaac and I tested the same night, and it's a little embarrassing to see how weak I am at cycling compared to him. I hate being weaker and slower... For testing, you have to have someone there with you to write down your heart rate and perceived effort at each MPH increase. I'm hoping that having done this test and knowing my target heart rate zones moving forward, I will improve my bike time and skill. Also, Isaac ordered me a new triathlon bike onli

Week 3: "Recovery" week. Workouts are either shorter, less intense, or some optional workouts aren't even an option this week. No 60-90 minute ride on Wednesday, no optional swim on Thursday, no transition run on Saturday or spin before the run on Sunday. Overall, a few hours less volume. Tuesday's trainer ride had a lot of fast spin - which is not something I'm great at. I can churn through tough gears all day, but to really increase my cadence takes a lot of effort and attention - if I'm not watching my cadence the entire interval, I always seem to sink below 100 RPM.  Wednesday's swim felt just as hard as a normal swim but was a lot easier than it usually is with a 90 minute morning ride.  My run on Thursday morning was in CRAZY wind. I got blown into a cement wall. It was not ideal weather conditions, but rain or shine or storm we run!  I took my rest day on Monday, so I was supposed to swim Friday, but I skipped the technique swim this