Injury Prevention Clinic

Earlier this week, the Luna Chix held an Injury Prevention Clinic at Runners Grove. This was the first occasion in which we had the entire 2009 team together. Marguerite Ruminski of Healthy Sins (708-227-7177) provided us with a fantastic spread of delicious, healthy snacks. Of course, there was also plenty of Luna Electrolyte drink and Luna bars for each participant.

The clinic started off with one question. What is the number one cause of running injuries? Overuse. We then covered the top 5 ways to prevent running injuries:

• Avoid the "toos": too much, too soon, too intense


• Proper shoes


• Right surface


• Keep the balance


• Stay loose - STRETCH!

All stretching should be done with warm muscles. This means you should stretch after a brief 10 minute warm up or after your workout. You should never stretch cold muscles. All stretches should be held for 30 seconds. The main stretches covered were:

• Hamstring - place one leg on a chair, step or bench. Straighten leg, flex foot, keep back straight and lean gently into the stretch toward your toes


• Calf - Stand on a curb or step with heel over edge, keep knee straight, push heel slowly down; Using a wall, place your toes on the wall with heel on floor, gently lean in toward the wall


• Quad/Hip Flexor - Stand on one foot, bend knee of opposite foot and grab foot - not toes - with the hand on the same side of the body. Keep knee directly down, do not push out to the side or lean. Keep standing foot pointing forward.


• Hip Rotator - Cross one foot over opposite knee. Brace yourself on a steady object and move to a sitting position. Point the bent knee down.


• Groin - sit with bottoms of feet pushed together, knees to sides; move feet in as close to groin as possible, lean forward keeping back straight - do NOT overdo this stretch!

With each of these stretches, the audience got up and performed them - and held each stretch for 30 seconds. We covered some of the most common running injuries and what stretches runners can do to help prevent those injuries. After a brief question and answer session, we raffled off some great Runners Grove prizes. As a "thank you" to all participants, everyone walked away with a goody bag full of a variety of items.

If you were unable to come to this clinic, we certainly hope you'll consider joining us for the next one!

Indoor Triathlons

Here in the midwest, the time is ripe for the Indoor Triathlon. With just a little investigation, you can find an indoor triathlon somewhere near you. So what is an indoor triathlon? Well, an indoor triathlon is a bit different from an outdoor triathlon. The biggest noticable difference is that you do each event for a designated amount of time vs. trying to cover a certain distance. Another major difference is that the transition times are set (i.e. 10 minutes) for all athletes, so there is no advantage to moving on to your next event - everyone starts at the same time.

Overview

The Swim: The number of lanes in the pool typically dictates how many triathletes can start together. Many of our local indoor triathlons will put two swimmers in each line to swim side-by-side. Circle swimming is not allowed. Each participant swims for the designated time, while “counters” assigned to each lane keep track of laps. When time is up, participants exit the pool and the next wave of swimmers begins.

The Transitions: After the swim, participants have the opportunity to go to the locker room and change out of their wet swimsuits. Most indoor triathlons allow 10 minutes for each transition which is like "free" time. After the bike, athletes are once again allowed 5 or 10 minutes to get from the bikes to the treadmills or track, depending on the race. Be sure to hydrate well during these periods.

The Bike: Stationary bikes are most commonly used for indoor triathlons. Make sure you give yourself ample time to adjust the bike seat and bars so you’re comfortable riding. The stationary bikes have built-in computers that will show you speed and distance. You will be allowed to adjust your resistance as needed and your goal is to ride as far as you can in the designated time period. In most indoor triathlons, the same "counter" (volunteer) will follow you throughout the day to record your distance in each discipline.

The Run: After getting from the bike to the track (or treadmill), the run begins. You are to stop when the designated time elapses. Again your "counter" (volunteer) is there to count your laps so you don't have to count. At the end of the event, this person will add up all your distances, show you the card and you are to sign off on it before having the card turned in to be recorded in the official results.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

While the formats for indoor triathlons can vary between indoor triathlons, most are developed to remove certain “barriers to entry” that prevent aspiring triathletes from participating in outdoor events.

Swim is in a pool. One reason many people hesitate to sign up for a triathlon is the swim, which usually occurs in open water with a mass start. Triathletes often describe the experience as “swimming in a washing machine.” Indoor triathlon participants swim in a pool, sometimes in their own lane, allowing enough space to swim at their own pace with the option to stop and regroup if necessary.

Transitions are less stressful. Most people define triathlons as swimming, biking and running, but a major part of the race is the transition between events. The clock doesn’t stop as you race to your gear, change equipment and set yourself on the right course. In many indoor triathlons, however, the clock does stop — for a short period — to allow you to move on to the next stage.

Predictable bike ride.
Since you’re not riding a bike on the road, you don’t have to worry about getting a flat tire, wiping out, navigating around other cyclists on the course, or perfecting some of the rules of conventional triathlons, such as drafting and passing.

Perfect weather conditions. Some outdoor triathlons have become duathlons because of dangerous swim conditions. Severe heat can shorten the run course. You don’t always get what you expect, and your own race results from the same outdoor course each year can vary because of weather. Not so with an indoor race. The conditions are always the same.

No one gets left behind. Everyone races in the same building, in the same area. Even if another competitor is running faster than you, you're on the same indoor track (or treadmill) next to you runs a mile in half the time it takes you to get there, you won’t be left in his dust. Because of this proximity, it’s an ideal format to race with friends and family.

So should you participate in an indoor triathlon?

While participating in an indoor triathlon will not significantly advance your training or fitness, it can be a fun event to add to your training schedule when working out indoors becomes monotonous. So if you're feeling like adding a little spice and excitement to your indoor regimen, go ahead and sign up for an indoor triathlon. You're bound to have fun!

Planning the Season

I was just asked yesterday what races I planned to do this season. While I've already signed up for a few (see list on the left), most of the season is still up in the air. A couple of years ago, you could have asked me in December what my upcoming season was going to be like and I'd have every race listed and every weekend was accounted for! By the first of January, I would know exactly what races I planned to do for the entire year.

Last year, still fighting the hamstring injury, I had registered for several events only to sell off my entries knowing I would not be ready to compete. I did not regret one entry I ended up dumping (including Tri Shark which turned out to be a duathlon because of weather). So this year, once again, I am entering races slowly and deliberately. I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to get money back or selling an entry, and I really don't have extra money to just let a registered, paid event go to waste.

My focus now has become to race more strategically. In the first few years, I think I raced anything and everything that was convenient or went when I knew a group of friends heading out to the event. I have now become a little more "big picture" in terms of how each race might help me in my "ultimate" race. But that doesn't mean that there should be only one "A" race per season. There is room for at least 2, maybe even 3, "peak" events in each athlete's season. Much of this depends on the experience, motivation and ability of the athlete.

In some ways, not having the whole season nailed down makes me feel a little like a slacker - but knowing how well things turned out for me last year, I think I may be on to something. How many times have you signed up for an event 6+ months in advance only to find out there is something else you must do, family-wise or another, even better, event that now you have to miss out on? Sure, you might miss out on some of those events that close very quickly (i.e. the March Madness half marathon), but I think waiting to decide gives you a little more "racing freedom." Now, if you have your heart set on a race for the season, by all means, you'd better be logged in, at the computer, credit card in hand when registration opens up (think Ironman events, or even Tri Shark). But there are still plenty of well-run events that you can sign up for as close to a week before the race.

The 2009 season is just around the corner. If you haven't taken the time to plan out your season, now would be a great time. Even if you don't sign up for every event this month, you could keep something on the "back burner" and keep an eye on registration. You'll know how bad you want to do the event when it starts getting close to being filled. Try to think of how you would take the news if you found out the event was filled and you weren't in. No big deal? I'd probably hold out for another event. On the other hand, if you feel like, "Shoot, NOW what am I going to do that weekend?" or "NOW what half ironman can I get into before XYZ race??", well, then, I think that's probably the event I'd put my money in to.

And if you happen to get shut out of an event you really, really wanted to get in to, you have just two options: 1)as the event gets closer, keep your eyes and ears open and ask around if you can buy an entry from someone who has to bail (of course, some events don't even allow this), or 2)there's always next year.

13.1 Marathon

A few weeks ago, my friend Mary and I drafted this note to the editor of one of the local athlete publications. I ended up never sending the email, but I still think it has validity.

Call it what it IS!

There is a need to speak out about the advertisement published in your December 2008 issue for the “13.1 Marathon Chicago ”. 13.1 miles is a HALF marathon. This is just some gimmick for event directors to get more money by preying on athletes by using the allure of “marathon” in the title of the event without it being the actual 26.2 miles. There is a certain prestige that goes along with saying one finished a Marathon . So why are we cheapening the accomplishment by coming out with races with the title of Marathon if the race is not the actual distance? But if that’s how you roll, I’ve got some suggestions for you. Let’s have a Shamrock Shuffle 4K. Or let’s have the Chicago Half Marathon 6.55. And for your short course specialists, we should have the 2.5K Ravenswood 5K. Personally, I would like to be called an Ultramarathoner – so I’d like to request we have an Ultramarathon 26.2.

New year, commiting to the blog

Yes, I'll admit it. I've been much of a slacker when it comes to keeping this blog updated. One of my projects for the year will be to get back into regular blog posting. I was talking to a good friend of mine, someone outside of the triathlon world, and he gave me a new perspective.

All this time, I've been keeping this blog pretty much focused on race reports and workouts. But you can only race so many times a year and, honestly, most workouts are not blog-worthy. So in our conversation, he made me realize how many things I really could blog about and still have it connected to triathlon and or/training. Why this never occurred to me before is a mystery.

Things have been busy and I've been doing a lot of work towards my coaching business, Tri Smart Coaching. Just when I think I've got some free time, something hits me and I realize there is always something more I could be doing. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be focused on some deep base training to prepare for the 2009 season. I still have not selected all of my races for the year, but I've got ideas floating around in my head.

So be sure to start checking back more frequently. I will be posting on a more regular basis and hope you find it of some value (even if it's enteratainment value!). And if you don't really want to read anything I post, you can always just click on for the music!!

Dark, icy and sub-zero windchill...LET'S RUN!

Every week, the Luna Chix host a run at Runners Grove. For the last several Mondays, the weather has been less than ideal. As the days get shorter, it gets darker earlier and the sinking temperatures are not enjoyed by many. Sunday night's ice storm did not help conditions. The streets were covered with a very thin, very slippery layer of ice all day that wreaked havoc with commuters, whether they were in their cars or walking to the train.

I had hoped that things would get better before Monday night. However, as I drove to the store, it took me significantly longer than usual and as I rushed from car to doorfront, the temperature down to the single digits, I shivered to think about running this evening. A quick check of weather.com and it predicted the temperature to drop a few degrees and, with the windchill, it would be feeling about -8 for our run.

But runners are some of the most loyal, dedicated, don't-interrupt-my-schedule type of people. A little darkness, icy surfaces and below freezing windchills are not enough to stop us. We are prepared with our double and triple layers of technical clothing, reflective vests and headlamps all designed to keep us moving during the most treacherous conditions. So off we went!

Surprising even myself, I found myself overheating in the first mile of the run. I had to unzip my jacket to let the bitter cold come just a little closer to me. Unfortunately, the damage had been done - I was already sweating! And once you sweat in these obnoxiously cold temperatures, it's pretty difficult to keep warm because your clothes are now wet. So now we picked up the pace just a little bit. Believe it or not, the rest of the run was rather comfortable. I'm sure we got plenty of stares from people in their cars with huge, warm jackets on and heaters a blazing, but it didn't matter. Another wintry run is in the books!

Ironman Arizona Race Report

Some of you asked for it - this is the long version....

I didn't need the alarm to wake up this morning. In true Type A fashion, I was awake just about every hour looking at the clock. I quietly got dressed and headed down to the hotel-sponsored breakfast. I wasn't the least bit hungry, but I know I need to pack in my food now for the long day ahead. I went to drop off breakfast for the Saint (whohad a late night the evening before) and tell him he needed to get up soon. I picked up my bags and pump and headed down for the hotel shuttle to the race start. There were 7 athletes on this shuttle and I was the only female. We had some nervous chatter as we rode to the race start in the dark.

It was cold out. I had forgotten to bring warm up pants so I threw on the only pair of jeans I brought to AZ. I didn't realize how cold it got at night there! I pumped up my tires, was asked about 9 times to borrow my pump, to which I quickly replied "someone's already got it next." It got really irritating. Sally and I had talked about pumping up her tires in the morning - and besides, I didn't have time to wait around for all these people to use my pump and return it to me! I put my bottle of Perpetuem on the bike and filled the aerobottle with water.

Next stop was the transition bags, which were very close together. I had some last-minute things to place in each of them. Back to my bike - I forgot to attach my power meter. On to a potty break - holy cow, the line was long! I ended up putting my wetsuit half way on while in line because at 6:40, I was still in line and the race started at 7:00!I wished good luck to all my Ironman friends and scooted out to try and get a good spot in the water.

The water temperature was a crisp 63 degrees and I was happy to have survived Racine (54 degrees) earlier this year because that made this 63 not so bad. I jumped in off the pier and quickly came up for air from the shock of the cold. Idon't care if you know how cold it is, it's always a shock when you first get in! I swam tarzan-style over towards the front and close to the water's edge. Despite being a strong swimmer, I get a little freaked out in the washing machine of arms and legs that is the Ironman swim. I asked a girl up front what she expected to swim and she replied ":58". I asked another guy and he said "1:30". Me and “:58” quickly told him he may want to reconsider his positioning.

We treaded water for close to 15 minutes. I don't know how, but I managed to spot the Saint along the sidelines where he snapped a quick picture. One of the coolest sights was when I turned around to look and saw both bridges lined with spectators. I defogged my goggles for the last time and the cannon sounded - AW CRAP!

Almost immediately I was clocked in the head. I fought for my position as best I could, but I also know when to let an adrenaline-rushed swimmer with arms-a-flailin' to go on past me. Those are always the guys that run out of gas about 600-800 yards in, anyway. I think I was caught up in traffic for about 7-10 minutes and then I was able to get clear water. I did hug the side and know I was adding yardage to my swim, but I prefer that to the alternative, which is to get beat up. One negative: no draft - no one was out there with me.

Unbelievable, I have to pee! At the turn around (which felt like an eternity), I decided to cut in and find some feet. Unfortunately, people are now losing steam so just when I thought I found a nice spot, it would be too slow and I'd start clipping the feet in front. I then found a nice guy swimming to the outside - I had to kick it up a notch to catch him, but once I did, the pace was good! Didn't last long, guy couldn't swim a straight line if you paid him. I ended up swimming alone for the remainder of the 2.4 miles. I tried to pee while swimming - can't do it.

Coming to the finish, they have aluminum stairs dropped in the water. You cannot see the bottom stair and if you try to grab the rail and pull yourself out, it's very likely you'll slam your shin on the bottom stair. This is why it always looks like everyone coming out of the water at IMAZ is crawling out - they are. The advice we were given was to grab the stairs with your hands and pull yourself up until your feet hit the bottom stair. Looks funny, but it was effective.

Got to the top of the stairs, checked the time, business as usual. Headed to the wetsuit strippers and the woman who helped me really was not good. I think I could've gotten the stupid wetsuit off faster myself! It was clear she hadn't done this before. Ah well. Wetsuit in hand, I started the long jaunt to my transition bag. Between the chilly water and the cold ground, my feet were completely numb before I picked up my bag. I ran right over to my bag, picked it up and headed into the changing tent. There were a few other women in there, but relatively quiet.

Should I pee? No, I'll get on the bike, maybe the urge will go away. The volunteer helping me dumped my bag - which I wasn't happy about. All my stuff came flying out of my bike jersey pockets. I bit my tongue remembering how one lady yelled at me when I volunteered - I know she wasonly trying to help. I crammed all my stuff back in the jersey, just the way I had it before. It was difficult to get my socks and shoes on. My feet were just so cold. Volunteer loses one of my bike gloves so I was scrambling to pick it up. Then she couldn't figure out how to put the race belt on me while I was snapping on my helmet. I just grabbed it and ran.

Not sure if it was planned this way or not, but I was simply directed to my bike. No volunteer handing it to me like has been done at previous races. The unfortunate part about this was that I was the furthest away on the rack that you could be - last bike on the row. I grab the bike and run out wondering if I'll ever feel my toes again. Get to the mount line, not very many people, and I easily get on and take off. I don't remember anything being cold at all - except my feet.

Out onto the course, I smile at the familiar streets and sights. I was fortunate enough to have ridden this course (or close to the exact course) twice this year. I knew when the turns were AND - I actually knew which WAY we were turning! Pretty exciting for this directionally-challenged triathlete!! I felt great. Holding my power exactly where I wanted it and it felt easy. My right contact now was bothering me. I kept blinking to see if I could get it to go back into place, but that wasn't happening.

For the first 10-15 miles, I did have to purposely slow myself down. My legs just wanted to go. I was uncomfortable now - but only because I really had to pee!! I make it to the Beeline Highway, which is a long, gradual uphill. It felt like the wind was coming straight at us, but looking at the bushes (or tumbleweeds or whatever it is they have there in the desert), they were not moving. I don't think there was ANY wind. Yet, I was riding on what looked to be flat, at my designated power, andsaw my miles per hour at 13. OUCH! "This is going to take me forever," I thought. Saw my first HUGE pack of drafters and wonder why people do that.

Now I really have to pee. I decided to hit the aid station at the turn around which was at the top of Beeline. I figure, do the work, use the bathroom, then haul it on the downhill back in to do the loop again. BONUS - going to the bathroom this early in the race is good - no waiting for a porta potty! While in the porta potty, I hear an athlete who just came out of another porta potty start swearing. Apparently, he broke his cleat. He’s screaming at the poor volunteer, who really has no idea what to do, nor is it his job, and I am happy I just don’t take myself that seriously.

Back on the bike, the ride back into town was SO MUCH FUN! I was flying down, in my biggest gear, having a hard time keeping the watts up. WOO HOO - I get to do this 2 more times! The spectators on the bike course were non-existent. About a mile before the turn around back into town, the people were lined up, cheering, ringing those beloved cow bells. I make the turn and I'm off on loop 2. Still can’t see out of my right eye. Gotta get that damn Lasik.

I was very comfortable temperature-wise and my legs felt great. On up the Beeline, I just told myself how great the return trip would be. It felt like it took me a long time on this second trip up the long, steady hill, but I just stuck to my plan. I was being passed by many men, sometimes riding way too close or cutting over before they should have - again, I wonder why people do that? I mean, it's a pretty big road! And with my right contact still not in the right place, it wasn't a good situation.

On to my third lap, I realize I drank my Perpetuem much too fast. I only have a couple of sips left and I have over 30 miles to go. For a split-second, I wonder if I just screwed up my race. I am no longer comfortable in the aero position. I had to get off the saddle and re-adjust every 10 minutes or so. One of my projects for next year is to find SOME WAY to remain comfortable for the duration of one of these rides! Now I'm at mile 90 or so and out of nowhere, both legs cramped up. OWWW!!! I quickly stood up on the pedals, stretching out the calves. This happened to me briefly, once, in Ironman Wisconsin. I think - OK, what does this mean? Salt. I whip out the Endurolytes Sally so graciously gave me in the minutes before the race started. Worked like a charm - thank you Sally!!

I pushed a little bit on the last 5-6 miles, just because I could. I now started to think about my run and wondered if the legs were going to hold up. Up to the dismount line, a nice volunteer grabbed my bike and I ran over to find my other transition bag. Again, I grabbed it myself (soooo glad I memorized where my bags were) and headed to the changing tent yet again. Full wardrobe change, including throwing on my really cool compression socks and I was off and running.

Almost immediately, my legs feel heavy. Uh oh. What did I do? Bike too aggressively? Not really, I stuck to the plan. Well, let's just go with a comfortable pace. About 1 mile in, my feet start burning. I think they were first NOW thawing out!! I take a minute to take off my sunglasses to rub my eye to get the contact back in place, but something is still off. I put the sunglasses back on and just kept blinking. The Saint was there at the second water station (close to our hotel) with my brother on the scooter cooler. It was a pick-me-up to see them both. I managed a thumbs-up, but I was already bumming with the lack of pep in my step.

The run is another 3 loop course and it was really, really difficult (mentally) to see the mile markers for all the loops on your first time around. So, you'd see mile 2...and then you'd see the mile 11 sign or something right after that and you wished you were on that second loop! It especially hit in when I saw “Mile 23” and I was on mile 6. Now I was getting passed left and right, by just about everyone. I knew I was slow, but I just kept moving. I thought about all the people who said they'd be watching online (damn you, Parello!) and it kept me going. Once again, this was a spectator-less course aside from the area near transition, which was also near the finish. Even "inspiration station" wasn't very inspiring. It was just one woman with a megaphone, yelling "Go runners" every minute or so. Very weak compared to what I’ve experienced in the past.

Heading around for lap 2, I now know what is in store for me. There are more hills than I realized. There were a couple sections of gravel – one with big, loose rocks. It was a very short section, but it was on a steep downhill and because I could only see with one eye, I slowed a lot for fear of tripping over a rock. On this second loop, the Saint and my brother were joined by Sally’s crew and they were all cheering me on. It was another little boost for me, but I knew I was slowing down. My face was covered with salt. I’d take a sponge every few aid stations to wipe off my face, but then I saw them recycling sponges. That ended that little ritual. There wasn’t much music along the course and I didn’t care for much of what I heard. I played my favorite iPod playlist over and over in my head to pass the time.

Third loop – right contact is beyond irritating, so I just ripped it out. I’m almost done, anyway. The sun is setting and I wondered if I should’ve put a long-sleeved shirt in a special needs bag for this (I didn’t even do special needs bags). The last pass I see my “fan club”, I smiled and said, “Only 8 more miles to go!” I felt better on the last loop than I did on the second loop. My legs are still heavy, but my pace is staying constant. With 10K left to go, I realize I could break 11:30 if I didn’t walk. I started skipping aid stations just to make sure I didn’t run out of time!

Somehow, I missed the mile 25 marker, but I knew I was close because I was getting near the group of spectators. There is one point on the course that has 2 signs. One said “Laps 1, 2 and 3” with an arrow. The other sign said “To Finish” with an arrow. I was DELIGHTED to be on the path “To Finish”!!! The fans are cheering and I am trying to pick up my pace. My legs hurt but I am so close now. A quick little detour through a parking lot, back out on the street and then one sharp left turn to see the finish line. There it is! I cannot help but smile. I am going to break the 11:30 mark! And for the very first time, I actually heard the announcer say my name and call me an IRONMAN.

Ironman Arizona 2008

Is now in the books. I wrote a full race report on the way home, and looking over it this morning, it's much too long to post. I have been accused of putting in "every excrutiating detail", so I'm going to spend some time condensing my first draft and will get something up shortly.

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. I cannot believe how many people either wished me luck, followed me online, or congratulated me afterwards. I appreciate each and every one of your kind words.

Report will be up in the next day or two...stay tuned.

Compression Tights

Yes, Peeps, you've heard me rave about the compression socks I invested in a couple of months ago. Well, now that the temperature has dropped below 32 degrees here in good ol' Chicago, I've moved on to compression tights.

These are the CW-X Insulator Stabilyx Tights. You've probably seen the advertisement...some guy has a piece of sidewalk with the mailbox attached and it says something about the speed of his run....or another one has a guy holding (on one arm, mind you) a pile of people he passed during his run because of these tights. Well, I can't say I've ripped out a piece of road or passed a ton of people wearing these tights, but what I can tell you is - WOW - do my legs feel energetic while wearing these tights! The key is to get the right size - they are compression tights, so you will be squeezing into these a bit - and then you need to make sure the diamond part in the stitching is over your kneecap. This gets the compression part over the right places in your leg.

These fantastic little tights have this "wind proof panel" covering your thighs so they will be warm in the chilliest conditions. (wish they'd put a little of that over the butt cheeks!!) They seem to support your legs exactly where you need it and they are just so comfortable, you'll want to lounge around your house in them (okay, maybe not).

They're a little pricey, but I've found that with technical apparel, you get what you pay for. I had to shell out just over $100 for them, but the comfort they'll bring me in the upcoming chilly months will far outweigh the cost.

I'm still not happy about it being so cold out here. It seems every year around this time, I wonder why the heck I live here. If I wasn't able to dress warmly enough to run comfortably outside, I'm thoroughly convinced I would no longer live in the midwest.

Keep warm!

2345

That's my bib number for Ironman Arizona.

'Nuff said.

AZ Training Trip

When I say this outloud, I almost can't believe it, but I went to Arizona last weekend just to train. Sounds like I belong on the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous or something, but the cost of the trip really wasn't all that much. When I planned the trip several months ago, I figured long bike rides were going to be brutal this time of year here in Chicago and I wasn't really that far off. The weather prediction for this weekend isn't making me look forward to my last long ride in preparation for this race. Sure, there's always the trainer, but....

Of course having someone to share the experience with makes it all that much better, so another fellow IMAZ competitor (SH) flew down to AZ for the weekend also. We arrived on Friday night and, trying to keep expenses to a minimum, we opted not to rent a car and decided to walk to dinner. This was Halloween night and I am now convinced that girls in college use Halloween to get away with dressing like hoochies. We also had some drunk college student talking to us as we walked past and actually burped as he was speaking. It was impossible not to laugh.

The two hour time difference screwed with us a little, but it allowed us to get a good night's sleep before the ride on Saturday. We headed down the street to get some bagels, bananas and peanut butter to fuel for the long ride. After clearing out the couple of ice machines the hotel had, our Camelbacks and water bottles were full and we were ready to go. It was already warm by Chicago standards - a balmy 68 degrees or so.

I'm not going to give a long, detailed description of the entire ride, but know these important parts:

• The Beeline highway has a very deceiving incline
• You get hot even in a dry heat
• Wind and desert can make for a nasty combination

Though the ride was not brutal, it was tough. The drastic temperature change from the 32 of Chicago to the 97 of Tempe was hard to deal with...and I love the heat. At each stop, we filled up the water bottles and Camelbacks with ice, but our fluids never really seemed to stay cold. Biggest disappointment: I don't even have any tan lines after being out there all day.

Had my brother come and pick us up for some dinner. It was great to see him and AZ seems to be treating him well. Dinner was fabulous and we ate every bite. It was our first real meal of the day. Another early bed time.

Got a little confused because now the time had changed. But it doesn't change in AZ. So weird, I walked around the rest of the day not really being sure of what time it was. We ran 1 loop of the 2 loop run course (or something close to it). No real challenging hills, but definitely some ramps that will probably not be all that fun come race day. It was fun to see so many other people out there - on what was Nov. 2 - outside enjoying the day. There was an Autism walk this day and had an amazing turnout! We thought about snatching some water from some of the sponsors, but decided to head over and grab some recovery food at the Einstein's on the way back to the hotel.

Sunday night brought us right back home. It was not as cold back home as I expected. Of course, I was hoping for freezing, sleeting conditions here while I was away!! This time, my bike and box made it back safe and sound (huge sigh of relief!) and now my hardest training weekend for IMAZ is complete.

And The Countdown Continues

Time is just flying by as Ironman Arizona gets closer each day. I don't really have much to comment on except that training is going well. The hardest part is that the weather really hasn't been cooperating all that much. The wind gusts of up to 50mph were enough to keep me from my scheduled long ride last Sunday. It seemed the smart thing to do to cancel the ride, but the guilt that forced upon me had me questioning my decision for days. I was still laying in bed around 7:15am wondering what I was going to do with myself all day. It made me wonder what the heck I did with my weekends before I started all this triathlon business.

Training for such a late season Ironman is not fun. Most of my training buddies have long since called the season a wrap. Not many people want to do a nice 20 mile run just for fun. Can't say I blame them. If I was finished with my racing for the year, I would be doing the same thing as them! On a positive note, the time change this weekend will help with the next couple weeks of workouts. And then it's time to taper so the need to start at the crack of dawn isn't there any more.

This is normally the time of year to start thinking about the schedule for next year. And while I have my "main" races targeted, I'm sure I'll be playing around with what works and what doesn't for 2009 in terms of races. One thing for sure is that the season has, once again, begun to feel like it's never-ending for me. I tend to fall into the trap of starting early, like everyone else, because I'm anxious to take advantage of the small window it seems triathlons are locked into. But most others seem to finish around the end of August. While my training volume has been pretty large the last couple of weeks, I am hearing rumblings of people who feel they've "lost it" from the summer and are now ready to start training again!!

So just a little over 3 more weeks to go. I'm sure it will just fly by and I'll have to keep reminding myself to back it down. I'm looking forward to a little desert heat!

20 at Chicago Marathon

Though the Chicago Marathon isn't scheduled perfectly with the 20 mile run in my training program, I decided not to waste the opportunity to get in this long run because of its convenience. How many times can you do a fully-supported long training run with plenty of company??

I arrived plenty early at the Hospitality Suite hosted by a local running group to meet up with the "gang". Little did I know this would be such a hot spot for seeing other people I knew! It was like every time I turned around, there was another familiar face! It was fun to see everyone and the room was just buzzing with energy, but I will admit that made it a bit distracting. Even though this was just a training run, I still wanted to be prepared.

Several trips to a nearby bathroom were necessary because I knew the porta potty line down near the start would be a zoo. It was very convenient and, despite my multiple trips, I never had to wait in line. Bonus! I went over and over and over all the nutrition and supplements I had brought along to get me through the race. Meticulously, I placed everything into my pockets in the opposite order I'd need them in to make for easy access while running. Donna even decked me out with one of those pace tattoo thingys.

With about 40 minutes to go, we headed out toward the start. I had already ditched my throw-away shirt because it became a little toasty in the hotel. Once outside, I didn't even miss the shirt, a sure sign of the warm day ahead of us. Of course, I had my compression socks on and wasn't even feeling self-conscious about them. This year, they had the starting chute blocked off for what seemed like FOREVER and we ended up entering in at the 13 min/mile pace. This meant we had to zig zag our way through the dense crowd to try and squeeze up into a more adequate running pace.

Once in a position where all of us agreed we should be, we joked and laughed and tried to take our minds off the upcoming run. We paused for the national anthem (GUYS - PLEASE take your hats off during this!! I was shocked at the number of men who left their hats on during the anthem!) and the crowd moved up slightly toward the start line. I don't even remember hearing the official start, but soon everyone began walking forward. Next thing I know, RT is pointing to me where the "official" start clock had been running for some 5+ minutes. Huh. Ah, it doesn't matter.

Crossing the start line is always a little chaotic. People every which way, dodging the left over water bottles athletes just placed on the ground and jumping over piles of clothes kept on to keep warm (I don't advise jumping over anything at this point). There were spectators lined across 2 bridges right away that gives you a little boost. Not much cheering this year, though, as we ran under those. Sometimes, because of the echo, people like to make a lot of noise over there. If you're lucky and a lot of people are feeling overly enthusiastic at this point, it can be deafening and motivational! Today, however, that wasn't to be.

The pace seemed to be a little quicker than I thought it should be, but I didn't want to run alone, so I stuck with BC as he dodged his way around the slower people who had lined up a little ahead of us. Within 2 miles, I was already sweating, which is very unlike me. Another telling sign of the heat to be experienced this day. NOTHING like last year, but definitely warmer than ideal marathon conditions. Another mile or 2 pass and we see JM just ahead. A couple of strategic moves and we ran up on each side of him to start up a conversation. He seems to be running well, but really just wants to listen to his tunes. We run with him for about a mile or so and press on.

The pace still seems quick, but my Garmin is malfunctioning. I keep losing the signal. I am happy I'm trying to keep splits on my good ol' Timex and note that the pace is about 15-20 seconds faster than target. I wonder how this will bite me later on, but still don't want to run alone, so I press on. A few people here and there commenting on the compression socks - then I notice they have them on too, so then I don't feel like they're making fun of me. I pass Elvis - in a very heavy blue outfit studded in gold...he's shuffling along, though!

I'm having a bit of a hard time trying to keep up my end of the conversation and wonder how much longer I'll be able to keep the pace. I think we were at mile 9 when I asked if we were coming up on mile 12. My Garmin said we had 11.23 miles in...how frustrating! My heartrate is in zone 4 and I'm concerned, but I don't want to give up. I pass Elvis again...now how did that happen?

At each water stop, I fall behind quite a bit and have to quicken the pace to catch up. It's at this time I believe I lengthen my stride and the hamstring starts talking to me. Once I catch up, though, the pace isn't slowing down. Now we're progressively running each mile faster. Around mile 15, I'm ready to slow down. Now the pace is about 25 seconds faster per mile than planned and I am struggling. Can I do this for 5 more miles? BC had pulled out the metronome and it was funny watching people look around trying to figure out what the heck it was. Better than that, it made me focus on smaller steps and made the run go by just a bit easier. Another bonus was that when we had to split up for a while, I could always hear if he was next to me or behind me - so I never had to look. Just focus on keeping that sound nearby.

By mile 18, I knew I had it. No, it wasn't getting easier, but I knew I was stopping in 2 miles. Just 2 miles! No problem. In fact, the last 2 miles were 2 of the fastest miles of the run! And though I seriously thought about continuing on to the finish, I knew that just wasn't smart training. We finished the 20 in what was one of my strongest runs of the season. The heat was a factor, but didn't seem to cause a problem. I was happy to stop at 20 and call it a day!

Compression Socks

Yes, the year is 2008 and I'm sporting those socks like I did back in grade school. Only those had the cool stripes in different colors at the top. I remember I had at least one pair in every color - an 2 pair of green striped ones because I liked them so much.

I did my first run in these compression socks on Saturday. Why, you ask? Well, compression socks are designed to strengthen and stabilize muscles, tendons and joints. They increase blood circulation therefore getting more oxygen through the blood and giving you more energy. I first saw these about a year ago during my last Ironman. As I go to events, I'm starting to see more and more people sporting these attractive little garments. I've been wearing compression shorts since I was diagnosed with the hamstring injury...so I decided to try the socks. What could it hurt?

The result? I found the socks quite comfortable! I was a little warm in them after a few miles, but very tolerable. I did find myself a tad itchy toward the end of the run, also. Could just be me not being used to having anything covering my shins when I run. All in all, my legs felt great and totally fresh for my ride the following day. Might just have to incorporate these socks in to my regular training wardrobe. Don't they look hot?

Runners are Crazy People

It was already raining when I went to bed on Friday night. Because I enjoy cool, fresh air, I slept with the windows open that night. Somewhere during the night, the rain became heavy and I rushed around closing some of the windows, but keeping the bedroom windows cracked so I could listen to the steady beat of the raindrops.

Hours later, it was still raining. Now I wanted the rain to stop. I was to be meeting up with some people to get in a long run on Saturday morning. This rain wasn't just a sprinkle, it was steady. I shot out a few emails to see if I could get anyone to commit to running....after all, I didn't want to drive all the way out to be the only goof ball that showed up! I ended up calling Sally, who confirmed that she was going - after all, it wasn't lightening, and I packed up my things (with a couple of extra towels and an extra pair of shoes) and jumped in the car.

Amazingly, there were already a handful of people there. Sure, everyone was just sitting in their cars, but the dedication of this group surprised me. I couldn't believe there were other people so obsessed with getting in their long run that they'd come out to run in this rain. I worried about my shoes and socks getting so wet that I'd develop blisters. Fortunately for us, the air temperature was around 70.

The group was not the regular size, but still a good, solid showing for this rainy day. Another positive, the trail drains quickly and we reached mile 3.5 (Turtle Pond), a place that's known for flooding, and it was free and clear. Excellent! We ran on, not a dry stitch of clothing on any of us. Thankfully, the air was warm enough that even I wasn't complaining of being cold. As we passed mile 4 or so, another runner coming the other way said the trail was flooded out at mile 5.7. OK, well, we could get to that point and just turn around if it's that bad, we discussed.

At mile 5.7(ish), there is a small bridge. For most of the year, there isn't even much water flowing through there. In fact, it's such a small bridge, it's easy to forget about. I'm not even sure how long it is, maybe 25 feet? Well, we get there and it's covered with water bursting from a higher section of the forest preserve. It's loud and rushing by us quickly, pushing broken branches up against what is supposed to be the railing. You can barely even see the railing at this point. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen in this forest preserve.

Being the only female in our group, everyone looked at me to see if I'd go through. OF COURSE! We took off our shoes and socks and made our way across the bridge. Slowly, to make sure we didn't lose our balance, we stepped very carefully across the bridge, one by one, to the other side. The water was cool and rather refreshing! Once across, I squeezed out my socks (I can't believe how much water was in them) and waited for everyone to cross.

We're lucky one of our runners, Jim M., had a cell phone on him and we were able to get this quick shot. The picture doesn't really do the water in the background justice, but if you've ever run at WFG, you might recognize this spot and have a better idea at how amazing this was. You can just barely see the railing of the bridge if you look to the right of the guy (Jason) in the orange shirt. I'm sort of surprised Jim's camera didn't fry out. You can't tell in the picture, but it was still raining hard when we took that.

We continued on through the rest of the trail with just minor little puddles to go around. We were again surprised there was no water collection just before mile 8 - another area known for flooding. The rain continued for the duration of this run (and for days afterwards!), but everyone made it through without incident.

Definitely a run I'll never forget. I've always known that I'm a little "too" addicted to this stuff and sometimes don't know when to quit. Well, the group of runners that ran outside in Chicago on Saturday morning - whether at WFG or anywhere else - are truly a crazy group of people.

Great Illini Half Ironman Race Report

Though I'd had this race in mind for the last couple of months, I just signed up about a week ago for this event. I was tossing around the idea of doing the Full Ironman Aquabike here (2.4 swim followed by 112 run), as I did last year. However, the thought of getting in another half ironman in this year to prepare for Ironman Arizona sounded appealing.

Unlike last year, the predicted weather was just perfect for racing. We picked up Jess and arrived in transition at about 5:15am. We pulled up right next to AJ and then Caroline pulled in rightnext to us! Not sure how many total participants in this race, but transition is tiny. I like tiny - fast transitions! I was too late to get the first spot on the rack, but second wasn't bad. Truthfully, there is not a bad spot in all of this transition area.

I helped Elizabeth with a little tire problem and was pretty distracted...so distracted that when I was about to get into the water, the Saint asked, "hey, where's your chip?" I HAD FORGOTTEN TO PICK IT UP! Yikes! I ran over, pickedit up and slapped it on my ankle. I skipped body marking all together. (did I mentionI was distracted?) My feet were really cold, so I got in the water to warm them up. Swam a couple strokes and the water was a good temperature. Walked over to Caroline, got this quick photo and jumped over to line up for the start.

The first section of this swim is directly into the sun. The buoys are pretty far apart and it was a bit difficult to see them with the sunglaring in my face. After the first turn, I was already running into people from the previous wave. It was easier to see now. After the second turn, I had to stop more than once to find the next buoy...spaced too far apart. I didn't trust that the swimmers in front of me were on the right track. The swim felt good and I ran into transition and got out of there in a hurry. Nice to have small transition areas!

This was my first race on the new aerobars. I know I didn't put in as much time on them as I should have, but theyfelt pretty good. I had to rearrange the aerobottle and computer, so the whole set up was a new experience for me. Seems to have worked out! The first 10 miles of the course was turn after turn after turn. There was no time to get up to speed before having to slow down to go around a corner. Thankfully, the volunteers learned this year that we do not want unopened water bottles on the bike! They still don't realize it's easier to hand us bottles as they run in the same direction we're riding, though. My handoffs were pretty good because they had the stops right after the U turns on the course. I need to practice getting through those faster!

Once we got out further into the course, it felt windy in almost every direction we rode. Not terrible, but enough to make it loud in my ears. Lots of unleashed dogs running out onto the course. Very dangerous! I heard one run up barking after me and I freaked out a little and started riding faster to make sure he didn't take a chunk outof my leg! I yelled at several others as I rode up to them...they were just standing in the street and would begin chasing biker after biker as we rode by. Insane! I was working on keeping a steady power output. It turned out to be not quite what I was looking for, but taking into consideration all the slowing for the turns and U turns on the course, it wasn't too bad. Not a very fast bike split for me. I was getting uncomfortable in places I don't want to talk about and was happy to see transition up ahead.

Super fast transition (about 40 seconds I think) and I was off and running. My toes on both feet were numb. It's not fun to run when you can't feel your toes. I think it took until mile 3 for them to warm up. Note to self: put on toecovers when it's below 70 degrees in the morning! I've never complained of my feet being too hot during a race. The run course was rather boring. It was a "C" shape and to cover the 13.1 miles, you had to go out and back and out and back...I cannot imagine the people doing the full ironman today...they had to do that FOUR TIMES! Good God! Had some pain in one foot...something I've never felt before, but it didn't seem to slow me down. I stuck with my regular nutrition on the run and felt good until around mile 10 when the hamstring pain kicked in. I slowed, but not too much. I only ran the second "lap" 1 minute slower than the first one. I was happy to be done.

Weather conditions were perfect...aside from the little wind on the bike, the day was just beautiful. Don't get many days like that, so you have to enjoy them when you get them! I'm now suffering from a considerable amount of chafing. And now the Ironman training begins.

Accenture Expo

Even though I did not participate in the Accenture Chicago Triathlon this year (first year I've NOT done this race!), I was at the Expo on Friday night to help staff the Luna booth. Some might look as the obligation to participate in staffing the booth as "work". However, nothing could be further from the truth for me!

First - the Luna Chix are just an amazing group of energetic, positive, fun women to be around. Second - I get to give out free products and collect the hundreds of positive comments (the Luna Moons are a huge hit, so if you haven't tried them, go out and buy some!). Third - it's sort of like a high school reunion for me. Triathlete friends are all around - those I haven't seen in years, those I just saw yesterday and those I'm just meeting for the first time. The room just buzzes with excitement non-stop and it's so easy for me to get caught up in it all.

My shift went by quickly and I was able to top it off with a little Luna bonding. I'm only a little sorry I didn't sign up for the race this year. But being able to work the expo and be so close to all the action is not half bad!

Pleasant Prairie Triathlon

Of all the triathlons I've been fortunate enough to participate in, Pleasant Prairie has always been among my favorites. It's close to home, very well organized, the swim is one of the best venues, the bike course is mostly flat and the run takes you around the lake. Last year, it was pouring rain for about 18 hours before and up until the original race start. I dreaded racing last year because of the wet pavement.


Talk about an absolute opposite change in conditions today! It was chilly, maybe 62 degrees at the start, but the ground was dry as a bone and there was not a cloud in the sky (the sun wasn't up yet!). I forgot that transition closed at 6am because the race started at 6:30am! I think that's the earliest race start I've ever seen.


The racks were pretty jam-packed and there were a few women nearby complaining about it. What are you gonna do? You don't like it up where it's crowded, move your bike. I tried to ignore them, but I couldn't...I knew these are the same women I'd be battling it out with on the course. I tried not to let them bother me.

Almost brainlessly, I set up transition and waited for MN to finish setting up her stuff. A quick walk over to the "secret" porta potties revealed they weren't so secret. We had about a 15 minute wait and transition was closed before we got back. I then realized I had forgotten to leave a gel in there for the run. I easily snuck into transition to leave a gel with my running shoes, then began peeling off my outer layers to squirm into my wetsuit. A little mishap with the wetsuit zipper stressed me out for about 5 minutes, but it was under control in plenty of time before the race started.

In order to get to the front of the swim start, I camped out by the rail that corraled the upcoming waves. Piece of cake, I was in the front row on the outside for the start, right where I like to be. The horn went off and some girl ran in 3 big steps and took a huge dolphin dive and immediately got a good lead. DAMN! I swam along side one woman for about 200 yards until she petered out...then I just happened to see a light purple cap (my color) in front of me. Well, we must be about the same ability if we're both out here, so I jumped on her heels. She was quick and I was working harder than I'm used to, but I knew the draft was a good thing. She was swimming a little crooked, but every time I tried to get around her, I never made up ground. I decided it best to just stay on her feet. She was doing an awesome job navigating around the other swimmers and once she cleared the way for me, I had less effort to put in.
I stayed on her heels until the finish. One of the best swims I've ever had in this distance. Thank you, whatever your name is!

I was able to get out of the water and had the wetsuit half way off before I reached my bike. My breathing was a bit labored, but I knew I'd settle in on the bike after a few minutes. I seemed to be the first bike off my rack, but I still had this feeling that first dolphin-swimmer-girl was out there somewhere.

Due to construction, the bike course was changed this year. It was 2 loops of the sprint course, which I wasn't really happy about. The first half of the ride was more scenic. All too quickly, I was making my way up the overpass and the quads started burning. I just pushed the chain down to the easiest gears and tried to spin up so I could catch my breath from the swim. I was breathing too hard. Then a nice little downhill and we're already making our first turn. This year, the wind was steady and I questioned the use of my disc wheel. The turns were plentiful and though the first loop was easy (and a little short, I noticed), the second loop was majorly crowded and I was tired of yelling "on your left!" just to have few people move. It's like they never heard it before. Many, many riders riding just to the right of the double yellow, so I'm forced to sit back, pass on the right (illegal) or cross the double yellow (also illegal). It was frustrating after a while. The entire bike leg, I felt sluggish, just never found my rhythym, I guess. I was happy to be off the bike and this was a short ride for me. Just not a bike day for me.

On to the run, I felt pretty good. No hamstring pain and my breathing was under control. I thought I could push harder, but I knew I was off the podium already. With 1 swimmer ahead, 1 passed me on the bike and then another passed me immediately on the run, I just decided to do my own race. I was comfortable all the way around. It was great to be able to see so many friends on the out-and-back-and-out-and-back course. You wanted to look strong at all times because you couldn't be sure who'd see you next!

Other than the wind getting a little gusty, this was just a beautiful day. Some thought it to be a bit warm on the run (there is absolutely not one speck of shade for you), but I found it nice. The wind actually cooled me off just enough. My last Olympic distance race was this same race last year. Hard to believe a year has gone by so fast.

Closing the Pool

Since June, I've had the opportunity to swim in an outdoor 50 meter pool on a daily basis. No, I don't go to the pool every day, but 2 or 3 times a week, you'd have been able to find me and a few other lap swimmers at this outdoor pool in Palos.

On some mornings, it was humid and sticky and the cool pool water felt refreshing. I think we were kicked out of the pool 3 times over the course of the summer because of thunder and/or lightening. Yesterday, the combination of the warm water and chilly air temperature caused a constant steam.

An outdoor pool gives you a great change of scenery from the indoor flourescent lights to the bright morning sunshine. You get to change the stale, chlorine-filled air to fresh summer breezes. The fact that this pool is 50 meters vs. the standard 25 yards just makes it better for long distance swimming.

The pool water was crystal clear throughout the summer. However, keeping the bottom of the pool clean of debris was a challenge for the lifeguards. I've seen numerous items down at the bottom: dirt, coins, the rubber gasket from a goggle, diving rings, leaves, bandaids, hairbands and something that looked like a dryer sheet. But all of that stuff stayed on the bottom so it really didn't bother me. In fact, it gave me something more to look at than the solid black line I was following down the pool.

So now it's over and we say goodbye to another season at the outdoor pool. They have threatened to close this pool down for a few years now, so I can only hope it will be open again next year. I am dreading going to my next swim indoors. Memorial Day 2009 seems so far away....

Monday Run at Runners Grove

The weather has been all over the place here in Chicago lately. We've been having some really sticky, hot, humid weather for the past week or so. Saturday morning's swim at Ohio Street Beach was the roughest water we've seen all year and the wicked thunderstorms have been more frequent than usual. (I think all this extra rain is the reason for the influx of frogs in the yard...I think I have about 3 dead frogs floating in my pool every day now)

Our Monday run at Runners Grove was no different. The first Monday of every month, the Luna Chix have a fun run. Everyone is welcome, regardless of ability. Given the start of the day yesterday, I was worried about attendance. There were thunderstorms predicted throughout the area all day long. It was hot but very humid as we gathered for the run. There were a couple of new people, so we had some introductions, took a quick photo, and went outside to begin the run.

The sky was dark and threatening. Were we going to be able to get this run in without being poured on? Guess we'd better run fast! We had 3 different pace groups going out this night. Extreme Liz lead out front, Mel and I clipped along in the middle and Hammer rounded out the group. We were absolutely dripping at the end, but not from rain. It was so humid, we were soaking the sidewalk out front of the Runners Grove store!

Thankfully, the people at Runners Grove know how to take care of us - we had ice cold water and Gatorade waiting for us at the end of the run as well as sliced oranges. Even more fitting, one of the owners brought out wipes and paper towels! We needed these! After all, we were headed to Ballydoyle now to celebrate our run!! Almost everyone came next door with us and, despite the tornado warning that forced us to give up our spot on the outdoor patio, it was a great time! Looking forward to the next one!!