Cindy's Triathlon Blog - A Participants Perspective

AND LET'S BEGIN.... (again)

2012-01-28T14:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I survived the cold/sinus crap that was almost a "man cold". Back to my regular training schedule of triclub classes and work on my own.

I've really noticed my body responding well to recovery rides/runs and just the right amount of intensity. That was a hard lesson learned last spring with way too much intensity.

Had a little chat with Jon in regard to running. He suggested getting more, shorter runs in and not struggling to get in a long run on Sundays as much as just getting time on my feet. I'm going to take his advice and make my longest run 50 - 60 minutes, then keep the other 2 or 3 ~30 minutes at a comfortable pace. Need to get my Garmin heart rate monitor sorted as I replaced the battery, but couldn't get it to work - apparently it has to be resynched with the computer. Why are electronics such a challenge for me? Honestly, all companies should idiot proof their stuff through me first! So that will be my next little project.....

Settling into the 3 hour Sat bike class slowly. Managed not to die and complete a time trial this morning. Said yes to it, with great trepidation, as Grant went around the room to see who was in and who was out. I was so excited with my results from Dec, that I didn't want to spoil that feeling. Thought ok, maybe 5 watts more, and not count it at all if it was worse than Dec. I surprised myself and had another personal best!! 3 watts up (not quite 5W), but still the right direction. So happy with that.

All that after a nice evening out for the Triclub Social at Speed Theory Friday night. Good turn out and nice to meet some new members. Can't wait for the floatables in Feb!

Ciao, Cindy

PS: Almost died laughing watching the video link on Grant's blog this week - I had a very serious conversation about "carbon bells" with Cam and Darcy at Speed Theory when I bought my Argon 18... until they clued me in. They are so patient with me, thanks guys....

SCREEECCCHHH!!!!

2012-01-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

Oh man, it might be bad enough to be called a "man cold".....

OK, let's not get carried away, but I haven't left the house since Sunday, when I didn't get my hot tub after the track workout b/c I forgot my bathing suit.

Some observations:

3 days without work isn't too stressful, but having to get up to call in sick disturbs my rest and recovery.
The weather hasn't enticed me to go out, so it's been a "drug free" cold. Maybe that's the issue. I'm definitely a druggie when it comes to the sniffles. The more the better and in combination. (hmmm, should I be admitting to that and putting it in writing - obviously I'm delusional b/c I've had no drugs!)
Amazing how often the phone rings with stupid telemarketers when you're home during the day.
You can never underestimate the power of a nap or even 2!
Being home to allow the guy in to fix my lack of heat wasn't part of the plan, but having heat when it's been -30'C many days in a row has been helpful.

May have to leave the house tomorrow as I'm almost out of kleenex.

Needless to say, no gym workouts this week. Hope to get back at it on Sat. Not doing a time trial though, I'll still be recovering.... (glad I have good numbers from Dec.)

Happy training,

Ciao, Cindy

ALL SYSTEMS GO

2012-01-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's mid-January.... and I've been back at it for 2 weeks now. I seem to be carrying the same enthusiasm as I started the fall with. That's a good sign that I'm not overdoing it in regard to Tri Club and ETS classes. Had a strong finish to my swimming and biking in December. Jury is still out on the running ;)

I'm signed up for the same classes this term with a few minor changes. ETS bike on Tues night with Paul, Thurs swim/run with Jon, and Sat 3 hour bike/brick with Grant. I was thrilled to hear that Jon was coming back along with the added bonus of new Tri Club coaches - Heather and Ed. I'll get to know Heather on Thurs with Jon. I'll have to wait and see where Ed and I cross paths. I'm sure it'll be in the spring sometime as Jon and Grant ramp up for their respective race seasons.

Trying to get in a brick, 2 swims, and a longer run on my own. Since I haven't signed up for a comprehensive coaching package in a couple of years I'll have to pick the coaches brain on a regular basis to keep myself focused.

I'm even signed up for my races - Wasa (sprint) and Victoria Half Ironman. Chose to do the sprint at Wasa since Victoria is the weekend after. Excited to travel to do a race. Not sure if I'll fly or drive. I hate driving long distances unless I'm the passenger with my pillow in the back seat. Still considering a later summer race out east, we'll see what the finances dictate.

All that's missing now is some cross training on Sundays in the form of snow shoeing. Felix, Tushar and I did get out Dec 28, but the conditions were not great. Just not enough snow - we went to Upper Kananaskis Lk. The only thing to come out of that trip was a little "gift" in the mail from Calgary Police.... I'm sure our current, lovely weather will help remedy this..... at least we're getting some snow with the wicked cold.

Survived Grant's crazy, hard 3 hour bike class on Sat. Man, was that really necessary? I hope he didn't scare off any of the new people. Maybe they were lulled into an illusion of it not being too bad since a lot of them probably didn't have any training zones yet? Crap, I did - and I was able to hold them and they were my "new and improved" zones from Dec. Take that Grant!

OK, just to frustrate me, I have come down with a stupid cold. Walked on the track for 90 minutes on Sunday and had to miss my hot tub since I forgot my bathing suit. My head was still muddled after Sat bike....

So good to see everyone after the break. Happy training.

Ciao, CIndy

Seeking Inspiration

2011-12-21T18:32:00.001-08:00

The fall has flown by and I've been busy at the gym, but not crazy busy at the gym - some lessons have been hard to learn, but worthwhile in the big picture. Sticking to 3 coached workouts in a week and then doing workouts on my own has been great this fall.

To add to this success I had a new personal best in my 500 m swim time trial and my biking 3 minute / 20 minute time trial. Haven't hit my magic number of 200 watts yet, but I'm getting close. So rewarding to do the work and get positive results. Running is improving, but still up and down. I just seem to take forever to get going, but continue to push myself.

My other favourite thing this fall, getting my braces off!! Only 4 years, 2 months and 6 days..... Celery and Turtles never tasted so good (but not together, that would just be wrong). Four years without raw celery was odd, but I hadn't really thought much about it until I had a yummy Caesar the other night and ate the celery, instead of giving it away.

The pajama factory has been up and running for another Christmas season. I think it's the last year for the big boys (22 & 19 y/o) as I'm running out of ideas - but I think they'll like the onesies' with the matching blankets this year (Superheroes rock). I'll carry on for the 5 -> 10 year olds.

Looking forward to some time away from work over the holidays and hopefully getting in some cross training in the snow. Inspiration for the holiday season has been slow this year, but I have much to be thankful for and I'm definitely looking forward to what 2012 has to offer. Great to hear that Grant is still with us, Jon is back with us, and we have 2 new coaches, Ed and Heather, at Talisman Triclub.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Ciao, Cindy

Run Light, Run Heavy

2011-11-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

I have written ad nauseum about my lack of running prowess....

I think I have to say that compared to where I was, where I am now is lighter. If I look at my start in triathlon in 2005 this applies to my physical weight (that still has a lot of room for improvement) and in my ability to run.

I've had a really positive start to winter training this year. I'm still with the Talisman Tri Club/ETS. I love that I can train everything under one roof and free parking! I'm taking a swim/run class (Tues), an ETS bike class (Thurs), and Sat bike class (my fav), plus workouts on my own (I try for a total of 5/week). I completed a pretty solid bike time trial for this time of year. Then a surprisingly successful 1 km run time trial and a 15 min run time trial on the track. Last, but not least, a personal best 500 m swim time trial! I haven't seen an improvement in my 500 m time in ~1.5 years. I finally broke through with a new PB. I'm so happy with this!

I've learnt some great lessons in regard to consistency, intensity, and recovery this past season. And... if you don't train, you can't perform! This was brought to the forefront with the extra training that I completed with Jon (swim camp in the spring), Jack (bike camp in the spring) and tri club. I really enjoyed the running session with Grant last Sat. The group worked on several drills and one that really made me think about how my running has changed was a "run heavy"/ "run light" drill. I felt the difference in my body position, my ability to make my legs propel my body forward and how much posture affects the effort needed to run. I definitely started out as a "heavy" runner - hunched forward, shuffling, struggling with every step. Now I feel my fatigue almost immediately in a longer run b/c I revert to that "heavy" runner. I regroup and try to get back some form and carry on.

The other thing I like about the drills Grant has taught me is how they break down your stride and each drill focuses on improving that stride to become more efficient and faster. I sure have improved with Grant's great coaching. Coaching has allowed me to get over my fear of falling on my face - although Pauline has witnessed me do this too. (In my defence I was talking and running and tripped on a root on the trail.) I think that fear of falling prevented me from letting my feet leave the ground, therefore, the "fat girl shuffle" was the order of the day. Now I can think of driving my knee forward, squeezing my gluts to get a strong push off (which has eliminated a chronic calf pull), and pumping my arms to help with all of it while keeping my body tall and engaging my core. Man, running is as complicated as swimming. It's so rewarding to see improvement. I love the technical aspects of training and learning how my body can change and improve.

So, we'll see what the year ahead brings. I'm shooting for two half ironman distance races this coming season, one early and one later. Keeps me moving through the summer and getting outdoors. Loving my new bike - Cervelo RS road bike from Speed Theory, but time on the trainer means I have to get a new saddle to keep my butt happy!!

Ciao, Cindy

HMMM, in reading Jon's latest post I was sure we signed him to an exclusivity contract on coaching us and here he is coaching in Victoria. They're lucky to have him, but I wish we still had him.

I'm in Heaven.....

2011-10-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

OK, I may need to schedule my own intervention....

Went to Speed Theory to get some Hammer Recoverite, as all my Tri/ETS classes have started and my supply is low. They didn't have my flavour of choice - chocolate (is there any other option?). As I was chit chatting with Darcy and Cam; admiring their handy work on a new nutrition display; I may have mentioned I still really want to replace my road bike, but it's hard to find a second hand one due to my short stature. Suddenly, out comes a little (47 cm XS) Cervelo RS - just my size, just my price. (Darcy is very sneaky). Well let's look at this a little more closely. It's a full carbon frame, they can put an 11/27 cassette on it, it has a compact crank, SRAM Rival gruppo, 650 cc wheel - maybe the only drawback. I can take it for a test ride and see what I think. I decide to come back Friday and take it for a spin, as it's supposed to be nice and warm out.

Get to the store and Cam was able to check me out on the trainer and make the necessary adjustments. He DID NOT need to cut the seat post down!! (Maybe my legs have grown? Maybe it's fate?) So off I go to my test ride testing area - Edworthy and up the hill. Challenged right away by 10 Ave being torn up for repaving with some yucky gravel sections to negotiate on a brand new road bike with skinny little tires on uneven surfaces - crap! made it to the pathway finally. I got passed by a guy on the pathway, then kept up with him and he kept looking back to still find me their. I wasn't so close to be drafting, but he wasn't getting away on me (hee hee).

OMG, this is a nice ride - very smooth and it absorbs all the bumps on the pathway, even better than my Argon 18 E112 and definitely an improvement from my little yellow Cannondale. I also like the way it corners, quite different than my tribike. I thought I wouldn't like the 650 cc wheels, but I didn't feel they were any different. I know when I was looking at tri bikes in 2010 I didn't like the 650's. Maybe b/c I'm sitting more upright on the road bike? The different shifting mechanism b/w the Shimano and SRAM will definitely take some getting used to. Got caught on a few little uphills in the wrong gear.

Arrive at Edworthy, shift into an easier gear in anticipation of the "evil hill" when the chain comes off. Only it's come off at the back, b/w the top ring on the cassette and the hub. I can't, for the life of me, get it out and after several tries and stopping guys for assistance I give up and call Speed Theory.... I need to be rescued, on a Friday night, and the store should be closing, not sending out a posse. (Can a "posse" consist of 1 person?) Thank you Cam for coming to help me, but of course before he gets to me, another very nice guy stops, but knows exactly what to do and unsticks the chain for me. He used a fair amount of force, so without some sort of tool, I wouldn't have been able to do this myself. I did wait for Cam as he was on the road and not able to answer his phone. Friday traffic sucks and now I have Cam stuck in it....

Cam drives back to the shop and I cycle back, rather cautiously, afraid it may happen again as the rear derailleur needs adjustment. I was very discombobulated by this whole experience, it's not my bike, it's late, I don't want to scratch it or break it and I'm afraid to turn it upside down and mark it up. Arrive back at the shop, avoiding 10 Ave, but headed down 12th too far, so made my way back in the back alleys - that was interesting, and it's not even dark out yet.

Exhilaration overcomes any sense of common sense, but - the colour is right, no new accessories needed (red, white, black colour scheme) except pedals, can use my Garmin as a bike computer, will get some carbon water bottle cages off eBay for a reasonable price . I can't pass up this end of season, last year's stock, need to make room for 2012 stock, price. I buy it immediately as someone may buy it out from under me prior to my return after 12 noon on Sat. Only I needn't have worried, since I drove home in my bike shoes, I realized I'd left my street shoes and my pedals at Speed Theory. So.... no Tri Club ride for me on Sat am without pedals on my Argon - dang, I hate missing outside rides!! Missed one 2 weeks ago b/c I had to work the weekend.

Ahhhh, I swam instead on Sat am with Alan and Pauline. Picked up my new toy on the way home + 2 tubes, and some pedals. Now I have 2 lovely bikes in my house and no garage. Good thing I'm the only one to trip over them.

Real ride this afternoon was a great success - over to Glenmore Reservoir and back (~40 km). It was a glorious afternoon and I'm liking this new bike. I will not stop riding my tri bike b/c I will continue to complete triathlons, but would also like to so some grand fondo rides too. Even the seat on my new Cervelo seems OK.

Only 1 more bike left to buy - one for India in 2013...... (oh, and some Recoverite)

Ciao, Cindy

A new race format that I'm sure will be a hit!

2011-09-04T20:49:00.001-07:00

I've got to talk to a patent lawyer soon...... Anyone have a name?

I've had another solid week of training in preparation for getting back into the mix in mid-Sept with Talisman Tri Club. I've been on my bike, swimming and running - all more than once this week. (oops - I did miss Thurs swim b/c I overslept during my nap after work.) I've even done some combined workouts. Which brings me to my next brainstorm!

Pauline and I made a date for a run and bike this morning. I wanted to run first b/c I'm not always too motivated to continue onto a run after a bike. How the heck did I get into triathlons? I digress..... I don't like to eat much prior to a run and I prefer to run first thing in am.... (fewer stomach issues). So we go out on our epic 45 minute run - at a steady pace, which makes it epic in my books.

Finish the run, wash the hands, decide we're quite hungry and we are, after all, looking at an uphill start to our bike. So out come the eggs, veggies, frying pan and I'm off to the races to make a yummie frittata/omelette thing. Toss that down with a glass of milk and we're ready to roll.

What a novel idea - change all race formats to include a sit down meal in b/w disciplines. I think we're onto something. We both had an outstanding bike this morning with glorious weather that we were overdressed for. Since we started in Inglewood it really was uphill to get to Springbank Rd, so I wasn't fibbing. Good warmup to get to Edworthy and the climbing continued. I even added an extra hill to justify my breakfast. I didn't swim after, but felt the possibility was there.

So, I'll see how this goes. Tomorrow planning a swim, then bike again. We'll see what kind of meal I'll have b/w the workouts..... I can't deny myself a bike ride when the weather is so wonderful. I know before long we'll be inside, so gotta take advantage of it now!

BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all the Ironman Canada starters and finishers I have the pleasure of knowing - Cathy, Gerald, Jon, Kevin, Colleen, Christine, Ang, Ari, Mike, James, Brad, Faizel, Andrea, Ted, Laren, Rick, Dan, and David. It was a tough day in the weather department and I know some people went in injured, but everyone did so well. Good job!!

Ciao, Cindy

(see you in the fall - with my new "kit" - hope it makes me faster!!)

A Solid Week of Training....

2011-08-23T20:19:00.001-07:00

Here I go again.....

I love training. I do better when I have something to train for, with minimal distractions, but life does go on.

I've had a 2 week stretch of "return to training" - the first week, getting back into things. The second week -> solid effort with 2 swims, a brick, a couple of runs and a nice ride on Sat with Gerald, Cathy and Jon - who are all competing in Ironman Canada this weekend. Thank goodness they're all tapering and I had the illusion I could still keep up to some degree ;0! They were very nice to me and let me tag along.....

So happy to be enjoying our great summer weather and I can never get enough of biking.

Feel like I'm starting from square one again with running, but I will persevere! Back to shorter runs of ~30 min, but incorporating run school, some hill intervals, so at least it's coming along. I'll gradually keep increasing my distance. Injury free is where I want to be! I need to start pushing things in the pool again, maybe next week? I even did some core work after running - but crap, I can't do a freakin' push-up to save my life.

I looked anxiously for the results of the ITU Pan Am Triathlon on Aug 21 as both Grant and Jon were competing. Unfortunately, neither had a great race, but in reading their blogs, both seem to have come to terms with their season/results. Glad to hear they are still going to stay focused and move forward. I feel for them both as I know how hard they both train. Keep the focus and continue on is a good way to live life. Learn from mistakes to make the next race better!

I'm in no way, shape or form in their league, but they set a good example to follow for "wannabe's" (like me) to follow and are generous in sharing their wisdom - which I appreciate and have certainly benefited from immensely in my own little world of triathlon.

I'll be watching Ironman Canada from Penticton at home on the computer/tracking thingy....

Good luck to all of you!! Some I know have done multiple Ironman races and lots are doing Ironman for the 1st time. My hat is off to all of you and have a great day - Cathy, Gerald, Jon, Colleen, Kevin, Christine, Ang, Ari, Mike, Faizal, Andrea, Ted, Laren, Dan, David, Rick and James.

Ciao, Cindy

see you all in the fall....

How could this happen......

2011-08-10T16:11:00.001-07:00

Well, it happened pretty easily, didn't take much effort at all, and hopefully won't be repeated.

I completed the Olympic distance triathlon at Lake Chaparral on Sunday, Aug. 7 - perfect weather, the lake was warm, no significant wind. I, however, was not in "peak" form! I have a million excuses, but the only thing that would have changed the outcome was training. Admittedly, I've taken it pretty easy this summer. I did OK at Wasa, had a personal best, but expected more from myself. Chaparral - not so pretty. Three weeks of vacation prior, without any significant training showed - and made me say "My worst race ever, and I hate f*%$#ing running!" But I still love my very fast red bike, just the motor needs work!

I like to think every race provides opportunities to learn.....

My nutrition continues to improve: I don't have post race muscle spasms in my legs much anymore since I switched 1 bottle from water to electrolytes (minimal calories) on the bike and just electrolytes on the run. I still have my 2nd bike bottle with Gatorade (mmmm, sugar).

Consistency must be maintained to perform. I'm always amazed how quickly fitness/endurance slides if you don't train consistently.

Biking is still my favourite part of triathlons. I want more bikes - a cross bike, a road bike, a bike box for travel. This list could go on forever.

I also saw the 70.3 in Calgary from the other side this year - as a volunteer. It was so cool to see all the pros finish. But I think it was even better to see the people I know and also train with perform successfully. Congratulations to all who finished - you're all superstars in my eyes. Inspires me to get back on the horse and commit myself again.

I did have other summer highlights with my friend visiting from Sweden for 3 weeks. She is very well travelled and I was quite proud when she told me just before heading home that she had many "firsts" on this trip - Stampede (parade, rodeo, grandstand show), Tyrell Museum and Drumheller Valley, Banff & Lake Louise for hiking, biking, bears and photos, and decent weather!

So the fall will see me back at the Talisman with the Triclub. I will not give up on running.

Can't wait to see how my training buddies do at Ironman Canada!! Good luck to all of you - I'll be watching with anticipation and excitement. You're all going to do amazingly well b/c I've witnessed your commitment, consistency and hard work.....

Ciao, Cindy

Wasa Race Report

2011-06-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Mulling over my performance at Wasa for the past week. Looking for the positive b/c I inevitably get caught up on my run performance....I really like the Wasa Lake Triathlon - used to be b/c the race is a flat course. BUT not this year. In retrospect, I think I liked this bike course better! Who ever thought I'd say that about hills that I had to go UP!

Had a quick trip this year with going out Sat am and returning to Calgary on Sun pm. Traveled with Gerald, Linda, & Miriam, who made a great car pool partner. We had a good laugh on arrival when we thought we were booked into the cabin (sleeps 8) and ended up in a small'sih room with a double and single bed for 4 of us. Someone mixed up the dates, but it all came out in the wash.

We all went for a swim shortly after arrival to test our wetsuits - I have a new one and I was able to squeeze myself into it and still breathe, whew. The water was a very tolerable temp, although Linda wasn't sure and decided to keep her flip flops on for her swim. We had to break the news to her that it would be a no-no on race day. Then off to Cranbrook for the pre-race meeting. This is my 4th race at Wasa and the 1st one that the race meeting started on time - thanks Charlie!

Then it was my turn to add to the adventure of our weekend. Miriam and I headed back to Wasa and eventually I said, hmmm, I think I took a wrong turn b/c the countryside is quite different than I remember. Sure enough, it only took me 40 km (Cranbrook -> Wasa = 34 km) to realize this. Jaffre is a quaint little village on the way to Fernie; with a friendly guy at the coffee shop to give directions. We took another scenic route back to Wasa and did get their after an 80'ish km detour. At least it was early. No one believed me when I tried to tell them Charlie asked us to scout a new bike course for next year.

Race morning was quite relaxed. I try not to get too hyped up pre race and was happy to see so many familiar faces from Talisman Triclub and others that I recognize/know. I did make 2 changes this year - both after listening to Felix describe his viewing of himself at a triathlon and commenting on how long he fiddled with gloves in transition - both on and off. He also said he puts baby powder in his socks to allow them to slip on/off with wet feet. So - he shared his baby powder with me and my socks and I didn't bother with gloves on the bike. I'm positive I had a reasonable transition for the 1st time ever! Thanks Felix!

My swim was mediocre.... I did "steal some water" on the way, but then felt guilty and passed the person I was stealing from. Tried it a few other times for short distances. My swim was on the slow side, but I got going quickly on the bike . I even passed people on the UPHILL! This was definitely the highlight of my race. There were 3 girls I was back and forth with on the bike - I pass downhill, they pass uphill. Jumped off the bike very happy and thought - I'm putting it in "Pauline gear" - steady and consistant for the 10km. I didn't want to stress about my pace, just try to stay steady. I had my most consistant race run ever - walked briefly (like ~15 sec or less) for aide stations to drink and then kept running. I've been trying to push myself for the last 2 km of all my training runs, but I didn't have enough energy for the last 2 km during the race.

I did end up with a PB!! I did decide no 1/2 Ironman for me this year. The hardest part of the race for me was how many people passed me on the run - I find it quite demoralizing, but just keep moving. I do feel I run more efficiently now that I've been in Grant's swim/run class, and a pottie stop adds sooo much time.... (Thank goodness Pauline and Carol were home!) I compared my bike time from Wasa 2009 (flat course) and I was faster this year on my Argon 18 on a harder course. I think the swim was about the same (extrapolated my time + 250m more) b/c 2009 was when they shorted the swim course. My run was only 1 minute faster (Unfortunately I can't subtract my pottie break...), which I was surprised about. All in all a good race. Always a similar conclusion - get better on the run.

Big congratulations to Grant for finishing 1st!! I think the consensus was a successful race for everyone - I think the majority of racers I knew had great races (Miriam - continuous run! Kim - super fast sub 3hr! Hillary - 1st tri and on the podium!). Congratulations to all the finishers and good luck on the next one..... I need to pick a "next one". Maybe Coral Springs in July and Lk Chaparral in August?

Ciao, Cindy

Great Ride to Highwood Pass

2011-06-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

One of my goals for this riding season is to try to ride a different route most weekends. So far 2 for 2. There's absolutely nothing wrong with riding out to Bragg Creek, and the Cinnamon Spoon is very accommodating and cycle friendly, but variety is good too.

Our group gained 1 this week. We were 4 instead of 3. One person had to work, but we'll still let her come next time ;)

What a perfect day for a ride - sunshine, good company, and 50 km uphill in a headwind => 50 km home in a tailwind! Thank goodness, or I might still be out their. I think we had 1 flat, but that got sorted and we carried on. I still struggle on uphills - I just try to keep my cadence at ~90 rpm and spare my knees, but I'm getting so much better on carrying my speed on the downhill -> uphill transition. I will persevere. Glad we went out even though we weren't able to climb the pass. There were lots of people out and about, some people were carrying on up Highwood Pass from the gate, but we decided 100km would be enough for the day. I assume they were going as far as they could b/c many were on road bikes. That's a great ride, with beautiful scenery, although the only wildlife I saw this year was a marmot....

Next on the agenda is Wasa Olympic Triathlon in BC next Sunday. I want to do well, but must confess, training has been a bit lackadaisical of late. I've got to toughen up and get on with it! Good luck to everyone next weekend. I will enjoy the experience b/c this is a fun and well run race, although I'm a bit nervous of the bike course this year as they've changed it due to road construction....

Ciao, Cindy

Now I need to nurse my sunburnt arms - so many things to organize - arm warmers/no arm warmers, suntan lotion even if you're wearing arm/leg warmers?

Everybody's Racing!!

2011-05-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Race season has arrived!

My friend and running partner, Pauline, completed her 1st Marathon in Calgary, May 29, 2011!! Congratulations on a strong finish right on your time goal. Outstanding. I had a great day biking/stalking her on the course with Alan, along with our signs and a cow bell. Saw lots of people I knew - great work everyone. Congratulations on your efforts today.

Grant and Jon competed in their 1st ITU Pan American Cup race May 29, 2011 in Ixtapa, Mexico.

Unfortunately Jon crashed on the bike course and was unable to finish due to an injury. Grant placed 22nd overall.

Welcome to the season guys. That's one race in the bucket, more to come....

I had a great ride on Sat out to Cochrane with some Tri Club friends on Sat. We took the back roads and did a little "hike and bike" along the way when a road was submerged - even the giant speed bump in the middle was underwater. A bit windy, but NO RAIN, so a good ride overall. Love that Cochrane hill....

Grant's coaching and "the running gods" have been smiling upon me lately. I had my fastest 10 km ever last Sunday and a short route from Talisman over to Glencoe Club to do the stairs has become significantly faster for me. YAY! I'm hoping that this good work follows me to Wasa on June 12 - my first race of the season.

SLING SHOTS & CORNERS

2011-05-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

I attended Jack and Ashley's Vernon Bike Camp this year. It was outstanding, with a complete bike focus this year compared to last year's camp that had tri stuff thrown in too. I really enjoyed it and learnt some great new bike handling skills - important stuff, like how to use your brakes and possibly save your own life! I'm not sure why, but I was always under the impression to avoid using your front brake to avoid an endo over your handlebars. So my love of all out downhill was quickly tempered the first day, as Vernon is not only hilly, but has some great cornering opportunities as well. Then I deduced the fact that Calgary has great rolling hills.... on straight roads that are perpendicular to each other.

Our rides were great - through scenic back roads of Vernon, some of them familiar from last year. Ashley spent a lot of time with me, mostly getting me to draft off him, b/c I was always lagging behind the group. He taught me some really fun stuff - I call it being in a "sling shot" off the back down a hill, but I don't know the proper term for it, or if there is one....

Anyway, as we're coming off a flat and into a downhill, I'm drafting off Ash and we're increasing the speed, then once we start the downhill I ride for all I'm worth and sling shot forward of Ash off the draft and out to the front, then theoretically, I allow the rest of the pace line to draft me and it's a team effort (which makes me feels good as I'm always in the draft to keep up). My Argon rocks in allowing me an aerodynamic position to fly as it's so small and close to the ground - like me (well maybe not the small part ;p).

This was working great until I was heading down a hill with Ash and encountered a sharp corner at the bottom, hence braking in order to survive (quite literally). I know the concept of high into a corner, lean into it, and out low to avoid centripetal force throwing you off the road. So my first mistake was coming in too fast and too low, then trying to slow down and stay on the road in the corner. Another mistake - trying to brake while in the corner - I started to skid (OMG I'm going to die today), let off brakes, pick up speed, brake, skid; whew I made it through. I also got a healthy scare; I'm pretty sure Ash heard my inappropriate braking (back brakes squealing). He did do a review with the group later in the ride. I would've asked anyway b/c I knew I didn't play that well.

So.... using front brakes to supplement the 30% braking force of back brakes, prior to entering a corner, is a good thing! I'm pretty sure that info will stick in my mind FOREVER.

Next day we had a recovery ride and a late pub lunch. Jack, Ash, and Alan plowed up to Predator Ridge in the late afternoon. There were no other takers, but we enjoyed a relaxing evening with a massage, swim, & hot tub.

The other fantastic addition to the bike camp this year was a massage therapist who also drove our support vehicle - Kelly Michael Schwab, RMT. He was outstanding and everyone made time for him at the end of the day to provide some much needed relief after a hard day's ride. I'm sure the feedback that Jack and Ashley got will make massage an inclusion in all future camps! Thanks Kelly.

Sat was our last big ride in Penticton. The group consensus was to take a new route rather than complete the entire Ironman Canada route. We started with an uphill climb and came around to Twin Lakes, then completed the Ironman course in reverse from their. Ash was again stuck with me, but I appreciated the company, as everyone else went UP ahead. I complete climbs, and don't freak out about them,-> spin your cadence, just not with the same power as the guys. Some day.... I was pushing my E3/4 watts the majority of the climb as Ash had his power meter and we weigh about the same. Then, what goes up, must come down!! YIPPEE!! (in a controlled way). Leanne Manlove also joined us again this year for our Sat ride. She used to be a Talisman coach with ETS and she coached me for my 1st Olympic distance tri. She now lives and coaches in Kelowna at Pinnacle Ahhh, what a great way to spend a week.

My conclusion at the end of camp - quit my job and ride my bike. Hmmm, what about the mortgage? I'll figure something out - next big event is that I want to ride my bike the length of India with Tour d'Afrique 2013. I figure I can wrangle this amount of time off compared to the 4 months to ride the length of Africa. But I'm going to do that someday too.

Now back to reality. That little break was just what I needed as I returned to work feeling much calmer. We've had a major change in how we deliver our services, which may look good on paper, but no matter how many changes you make, if you don't have enough bodies to do the work, nothing really changes.

On a nostalgic note, I sold my little yellow cannondale yesterday. It was bittersweet, as it was my first road bike and I rode it faithfully for 7 years. I think it's gone to a good home, one of the triclub members bought it for his daughter. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did.

'til next time - ciao, Cindy

The Love Affair Rekindled

2011-04-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

I still love my very fast red bike! Especially off the trainer and outside - finally, some sunshine and no snow in the forecast. This weekend was a long time coming and I'm so glad it did. I was reading Holly's blog with longing - riding on the island with no snow for 2 days of solid training.

I feel so much better now..... I got out on my bike on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for consecutively longer rides each day. I was in long sleeves and long pants, but the point was I was out, the sun was shining, and I enjoyed the rides with minimal wind! Saw lots of familiar faces on the road and had great rides. Was pleasantly surprised at the road conditions too - hwy 22 has been swept and Springbank Rd. & Lower Springbank Rd. were in pretty good shape too.

Managed to get in a run on Monday to change things up a bit (as well as doing a very thorough cleaning of my home - long overdue), and try to remember I'm a triathlete, it can't be all biking, all the time. I made it through my whole run without any calf issues (cramping), which I attribute to poor posture when I get fatigued. I've been doing all right on the track or treadmill, but was back to square one with an outside run 2 weeks ago. Very frustrating, but I just need to pay attention and stand up.

Back to the regular workout schedule this week and try to increase my distances a bit with each workout since I'm going to go to Jack's Vernon bike camp again this May. I'll only be joining for the last 3 days, but I'm looking forward to it. I attended this camp last year and it was so worth all the effort.

I bailed on the Police 1/2 Marathon on April 17. Running in snow and slush when I flared up my calf wasn't at all appealing (as in - I don't want to walk 21.2 km). I admire the perseverance of all those who completed it. You're much tougher than me. Congratulations to everyone who finished in very challenging conditions.

Next up is Wasa Olympic Triathlon on June 12. My procrastination is getting the better of me these days as Wasa is the only race I've signed up for....

Ciao, Cindy

Happy 25th Grant

2011-04-17T10:17:00.002-07:00

We got a little creative with Grant's bike this weekend since it's his birthday and all....

After a challenging 3 hour workout, great yoga session with Hillary we had a fun Saturday (bike, yoga and cake). The real challenge was the parking lot; 800+ people expected at Talisman this weekend b/w volleyball tournament and swim meet. Would have been much easier to ride a bike to the Talisman to workout, but Mother Nature REFUSES to cooperate. I don't know about anyone else, but I want off the trainer!

Ciao, Cindy

Thanks for teaching my how to 2-step Grant - like everything else in my life "a work in progress" :)

All Catch, All the Time

2011-04-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

I just had to get this out their before I got scooped by Jon or Holly. Well, let's be honest, Holly is the threat, but I said it first. OK, enough grade school antics.

I worked pretty hard this weekend at Jon's swim camp. It was so worth the effort for many reasons:

Got to see Jon, and his lovely assistant, Holly.
Got some more feedback on my swimming - obviously, it was a swim camp.
Got to try some new pool toys - my arms are tired!
Will get to see some video of myself in the pool. I can compare it to old video from tri-swim when Ken Olson did that for us.
I now know how to steal your water....

Jon really focused on maximizing the "catch phase" of our stroke, which I guess is the whole point of swimming and being efficient. He had some good drills - wounded seal, sculling, 1 arm swim. (I stand corrected Grant and Ellen - the non-swimming arm is by your side - but I almost drowned doing this!)

Then we got to use some new paddles - just holding small ones in your palm with no straps and maintaining constant pressure while sculling and not losing the paddle. Big ones that covered your palm and forearm to emphasize the catch - that one was hard! Wouldn't want to do too much of it b/c it would kill the shoulders. And then the "wounded seal", which I think Grant calls "superman drill". Jon gave a good analogy for this - try to use your catch/pull to push your body up and over your arms. I'm not telling how to steal your water, but I'm going to try it at Wasa.

So, all in all, a great weekend. Jon's run school ABC's look as good as Grant's now. Jon also shared some of his day to day routines and how his diet and race preparation has changed. I don't think he has his race schedule for this season yet, but I'm sure he'll let us know when his races will be. It was so good to catch up with him and I'd say he's really getting a lot out of his time in Victoria!

I think this will improve my motivation for the next phase of training leading up to my first triathlon at Wasa on June 12, 2011. I have the Police 1/2 Marathon next weekend and I'm not feeling very prepared for it, but even if I use it as a "training run", as Dan suggested, that isn't a bad way to look at it.

I'm half way through my photography course now too - really enjoying it and am trying to get out and take some pics each week. It'll be easier now to get out and about since it's finally getting to be bike weather (for us fair weather bikers).

Ciao, Cindy

GRANT-A-LOPE

2011-03-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've just started my photography course at Mount Royal - 2 of 8 classes completed. I felt I needed a different mind set from all of my gym activity.

So.... each week the instructor gives the class an assignment - this week is "motion". Since I know Grant is a phenomenal runner, I asked him if I could take his photo while he's on the treadmill. He said yes, so here it is - Grant at 14 km/h at various aperture and shutter speeds, with the focal length (42mm) and ISO (3200) constant. See photos here. I think I know how to make people disappear......

Happy training, Ciao Cindy

(I was this close to getting outside on my mountain bike this week)

More Lessons Learned....

2011-03-04T20:53:00.002-08:00

Still in the "middle" of training, but getting closer to race season!

It's also time to sign up for a new set of "spring" (I use that term loosely these days) classes with the Talisman Tri Club.

So....

I learned that being a "class junkie" isn't always the best way to train. I was so excited about the swim/run class Grant was coaching that I felt I needed to do both sessions, in addition to my bike classes (2) and the workouts I do on my own. What was I thinking?

It lead to: Sat - intense bike, Sun - long run, Mon - another intense bike, Tues - swim/run, Wed - my own workout, Thur - swim/run, and Fri - total exhaustion.

Having 5-6 workouts in a week is not uncommon and I've done that in the past with comprehensive coaching packages through the ETS program at the Talisman. My error this last semester was the intensity of the workouts in the coached classes that I signed up for. It was overkill, of my own doing. I didn't have much balance, just a lot of really intense workouts that left me burnt out. This isn't good either as it's hard on this old body, and I've missed a few of my coached workouts. I'm disappointed in myself for not training smarter.

I'm going to try to have a more balanced workout schedule this next semester. I'm still going to do 2 bike classes (Tri Club Sat and ETS Tues) b/c I don't have a trainer at home and I love these classes. I'm only going to sign up for 1 run/swim class and that leaves me with time to complete a brick on my own and try to get in 2 other swims as well as a long run, tempo run.

I'm enjoying Grant's swim/run classes this semester. I feel my running is really improving and I don't do the "fat girl shuffle" so much any more (at least not until I'm tired). It sounds odd to me that I need to "learn to run", but there really is a lot to learn and Grant has been a great coach and helped me improve. Thanks Grant. I even had another person at the gym give me a compliment on how much my running has improved since I started walking on the track in 2005. This person and I deduced we had been members about the same amount of time, although she took the year off with the roof replacement. I think her compliment about made my year!

In regard to balance, I've got my photography class starting next week. I'm looking forward to that too. The other thing I've been spending too much time on is following several blogs by people that are doing the Tour d'Afrique bike race/ride from Cairo to Cape Town over 4 months. It looks amazing and hard. I want to sell my condo tomorrow and do something like this....

Ok happy training & cheers, Cindy

(PS - I have now downloaded enough songs on my iPod nano to last a whole bike class, but I think most of them were too slow... Then as they're playing I kept thinking - Oh, I really like this song, then I remembered I picked it.)

Cross training is FUN

2011-02-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

Had a great day of cross training last Sunday. Alan, Pauline, Digby (the dog) and I spent a great afternoon in Peter Lougheed Park snowshoeing into Chester Lake off Hwy 742. It wasn't super long trail, 3.5 km, but with the sunshine and a climb in, it was 1:40 in and 1:05 out. Stopped and had a snack at the lake. Beautiful, sunny day, and a tolerable temperature compared to what we've been experiencing here in Calgary. We met a fair number of people heading in as we were coming out, so we definitely timed it well....

I forget all the fun things to do in the winter when I'm always in the city. I love that there was lots snow and it was soft, no icy sections, not even crusty on the sides of the trail! A well marked trail is always helpful, but I rely heavily on Alan and Pauline in that regard. (My sense of direction is right on par with my "technical computer" skills ;p).

After snowshoeing we carried on to Canmore with a stop for coffee/hot chocolate at Mt. Engadine Lodge. We were too early for afternoon tea, but it's a beautiful location. Another time.... So a great day to be out and so much more fun than a run on the track at the Talisman.

Cheers and happy training, Cindy

(ps - my running continues to improve - yay!!)

BEST WORKOUT EVER!

2011-02-12T11:54:00.000-08:00

I'm not even joking, really.

I've had a bumpy start to my swim/run class with Grant.

First week - sea sick in the pool, what was that about? I was able to participate in the run portion of the class, but had to shorten my swim. No one wants to swim in a pukey pool... Eeewww gross.

Week 2 - leg cramps in the pool that followed me onto the track, while still "learning" my ABC's. Man, I can't seem to get through a whole class without something cramping up.

Week 3 - Success! I swam the whole swim without leg cramps after 1:15:00 in the pool. Then I got through the run too, without anything seizing up on me! YAY - best workout ever!

I think nutrition is playing a part in this.... I try to get enough to drink throughout the day (1 L water bottle during the day, in addition to: breakfast - milk & water, lunch - 2 glasses water). I'm addicted to blue Gatorade, although I do make it from powder, so it's diluted compared to bottled that you buy. I try to follow Kelly's advise - if the workout is less than 1 hour you only need water. Thank goodness all my scheduled workouts are 2 hours, I'd be in withdrawal. I'm thinking it's partly the food I'm eating prior to these evening workouts. I've now pared it down to just a yogurt and 1/2 banana.

My legs are fine with my bike classes, but I think it's because my "form" on the bike is not as big an issue as it is for me in the swim, and especially the run. My run mechanics are improving (I hope) but I really have to concentrate to use my gluts, not my calf muscles when I'm running. I've reinstated my "glut med" exercise again to keep me focused on where the power needs to come from. This is from Dave Holmes at Tower Physio and his Cycling Physio website. And you can never under estimate the value of ice post workout on your sore bits. I had my ACL reconstruction in 2004 and still have the same 2 bags of "peas for my knees" in the freezer that I use regularly, especially after my long runs.

Next on my agenda - conquer the iPod nano (I'm up to 18 songs on it at the moment and it only involved 2 phone calls to Apple support + Garrett's help so far). Also sign up for some races in summer 2011. Onward!!

Ciao, Cindy

Cindy vs. "The Computer" Part Deux

2011-01-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

Oh joy, oh joy, I win!!! I'm the smartest computer user ever!

HA, that's a stretch to say the least, however, I am the proud user of a new Apple Mac Book Pro laptop. I have to say thanks to Garrett for setting things up, including gifting me another cable, to allow a secure connection after resetting the router. Everything seems to be OK - YEAH!

AND......

I had a good bike time trial last week in my ETS bike class with Jack. It wasn't a PB, but it was acceptable, as only 5 W off my PB from last year and an improvement from Oct. 2010. I love training. I totally psyched myself out with my time trial though. Had a little nap last Monday, prior to my bike class at 6:30 pm, knowing it was time trial night. Woke up on the sofa at 6:30 pm - totally missed the class. OK, try to redeem myself and attend Wed ETS class instead. Thank you Jack for letting me in.... I was very happy with my performance, still lots of room to improve, but definitely a great way to start off the year.

Things are going to be really busy this term at Tri Club I have Tues & Thurs pm swim/run, Sat am bike and ETS bike on Mon. Pauline and I picked up our long Sunday run again this week. The weather has improved immensely from -25'C to +3'C. I thought I was going to get eaten by a dog at one point - I don't think I noticed his tail wagging, just that he was running at us and I freaked out. Yeah, I'm a big chicken with big dogs.... At work if I'm going to a new house to see someone I'm usually pretty good at giving the person a head's up prior to my visit and I always have my big bag with me to run interference b/w me and the dog at the door. Not so lucky on the pathways.

Since I'm so confident with my new computer, I'm going to try to track my workouts with my Garmin 305 Forerunner online. I'll use it mostly for my running, but I'll try to keep track of my biking too as I use my bike computer during bike classes on the trainer too. We'll see how that goes. I'm sure there's an "app" for that if I look.

Onward into the new year. First event of the season will be the Police Half Marathon on April 27, 2011. Still trying to finalize the rest of my races in regard to Olympic and 1/2 Ironman distances.

Happy training, Grant I have my new runners all ready to go....

Ciao, Cindy

Cindy vs "The Computer" (and back to training) Part I

2011-01-15T17:55:00.001-08:00

Monday 2:00 pm

Oh my, it never ends in my UN-technological world. OK, I finally bought a computer (and printer b/c they had a deal for a rebate for the total cost if you bought it at the same time), but I had all of it a little over 24 hours, at which point, I brought it back to the Apple Store.

My wireless router got me to step 2 after I plugged the computer in, then I came to my first impasse.... The Apple phone # people told me it was a router issue, not an Apple issue. The Belkin (router) people were sympathetic, but not only did I not know my "password", I was missing a freakin' cable. How is it wireless if you need cables? I'm not buying anymore crap and will attempt to borrow a cable to make my computer "wireless". Am I the only one to see the irony in this?

Monday 6:30 pm

OK, de-stress and head to ETS bike class, aaahhhh, I feel a little better.

I ignore the boxes and go to bed.

Tuesday 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Drop bike off at Speed Theory for full tune-up.

This is when I attempted to return the Apple, a perfect solution, unless they send someone to my house to get the stupid thing sorted. Oh no, just make an appointment and bring the computer in and they'll be happy to help me. Well I have everything right here with me, in my granny wagon, that I've just tromped through the mall with. Book an appointment over the internet...... Well, I don't have the internet do I, b/c I lost the password to the router, and that's why I need someone to come to my house to set the damn thing up! I may have shed ONE tear in frustration when I got home.

Head to the gym - run and swim..... thank God for training.

Wed 8:00 am

Pauline emails me how to "reset the router".

Wed 6:00 pm

Success! I have reset the router. I have taken the computer out of the box and plugged it back in. I just kept clicking "tell me later" until all the little icons appear across the bottom of the screen. While unpacking the box I found a black folder in the black box with little book inside (all you need to know about your mac). Reeaaally, a black folder in a black box, all matt so as not to be obvious?

I have internet, but no router, and so I don't believe I have a secure connection since my internet server is in the condo building and part of our condo fees. Hence, the need for the router and some security....

Thurs 12:00 (noon)

Email Logan to get Garrett's email or phone # to beg a "home visit" since he also owns a Mac.

Have email at home for now and some access to the internet.

Thurs 8:00 pm

Am almost finished reading the "book", but I put it down to zone out on the TV. Too cold to go to the gym! Get up courage to call Garrett. He's available Sun at 1:00 PM.

Friday 4:30 pm

Head to Speed Theory to pick up my very fast red bike b/c Cam has just completed a tune-up for me (free in the first year, as part of the purchase!) Adam also had a look at me on my bike b/c he noticed I had a bad pattern of wear on my tri bars. So he adjusted those for me too! Thanks Cam and Adam. I have this cool little link thing on my chain now too that lets me release the chain to clean it off the bike. I can clean my bike, but not so good with technology....

Fridays are gym free for me.

Sat 9:00 -11:00 am

Bike class - hurts so good!! I think Jack should have done a "pre" and "post" workout photo of us for Triathlon Magazine to show how legitimate (and sweaty) we are!

Stay tuned for an update next week.

My co-worker, Lora, has also listened patiently to my tale of woe and has offered her son as Plan B, in case Garrett can't help me. I've shed no more tears and think I may have a computer that works, a printer that works and an iPOD that works tomorrow!! Yippee

(I realize this post is quite pathetic, but again, training just picks me up and makes me feel good again - aaahhhh!!)

Ciao, Cindy

(Sat pm - pray to computer gods.....)

Jon's Farewell Soiree

2011-01-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hello again,

This time it's some photos from our farewell gathering for Jon, that Mike and Meagan generously hosted for all of us, to send good luck and good wishes to Jon as he continues on in his triathlon journey.
We all look so much better than we do on Sat am, or early morning swims - outstanding!

Cheers, Cindy

http://picasaweb.google.com/117269836584153408384/JonSFarewell#

(control "c" control "v", I remembered and it was so much easier than trying to type all that stuff for the link - thanks Jon & Grant.)

The Last Spin

2011-01-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from our last spin with Jon at the Talisman Jan 8, 2011.

http://picasaweb.google.com/117269836584153408384/TheLastSpinJan82011?authkey=Gv1sRgCLzV1672253672030722

"OOPSY, try the link again, I think I got it right this time....

We'll miss Jon, but still be able to keep our eye on him!

Best of luck Jon.

Cheers, Cindy

"I'm up and I'm down, I'm in and I'm out"......

2010-12-31T20:57:00.000-08:00

.... Is it bad to quote Katy Perry in a tri blog? Or does it just show I don't necessarily have great taste in music? I do give Jon and Paul endless hard times in their music choices during spin classes. You need the right song though.... It can't all be about "Barbara Streisand", as Jon accused me of having on my iPod. I quickly corrected Jon - I don't have an iPod, or an MP3, or a cell phone, or a computer. I have a digital camera now, but usually can't get it to download onto my borrowed computer.... Oh, oh, I must confess - I recieved an iPod Nano for Christmas from my Dad - thanks Dad. I still have to set it up - I'm going to download Barbara's entire music catalogue. I've decided I will be buying a computer too; an Apple something or other and by the end of Jan.

Up and down - end of term bike time trials -> disappointing not just once, but twice in December (ETS & tri club bike classes). I usually seem to peak in Dec with my time trials, but not this year. I don't think I missed a class the whole session, but I didn't perform when I needed to. This brings me down. Improved a little on my 500 m swim time trial (10 seconds) - I'll take it! Still not great but at least moving in the right direction.

I need to stay positive since I had lots of rest over Christmas as it was very quiet and spent with friends this year. We celebrated with family early b/c my Dad and his wife were out of town with Lise's family this year. Logan, Gavin and Kirby (Gav's girlfriend) really liked the housecoats I made for them this year. Haven't heard from the little ones about pj's, I'll assume they were OK. But really, what little kid gets excited about clothing under the Christmas tree anyway. I think I get more satisfaction creating the pj's.

I'm "in and out" of sync with my body... Some days lots of energy and ambition, other days not so much. And this is still "the middle" in the big scheme of training for a summer race season. I'm trying not to get too wound up about training and what I'm doing overall. I'm a little undecided about my tentative race schedule at this point. I'll probably complete the Police 1/2 Marathon in May; I'm definitely doing Wasa tri, and the new Grandfondo ride in Penticton - Axel Merckx (158 km); but now I'm undecided about which 1/2 Ironman race I should complete.....

I'm starting the new year on a good note though - in spite of a stupid sinus infection/cold, I participated in the 5 km run/walk Running Room Resolution Run tonight. I walked it b/c my head was going to explode if I tried running. I had the pleasure of walking with my friend, Carol, and Digby, (the dog). This was Carol's first foray into an organized race and I'm thrilled that she finished with a smile on her face!! Glad I was able to share the triumph with her. I thought this was the one run I'd beat Alan though b/c he's had a sore foot. Dang, I missed my opportunity.

I must try to stay "up" and "in" (sync) as I head into the new year. It has ended on an "up" note with the Resolution Run and so I will carry that momentum forward with me into 2011....

Happy New Year!

Ciao, Cindy

(Anyone have a kleenex? I like the ones with aloe in them - so soft for my sore nose)

WHAT'S GOIN' ON...

2010-12-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

hmmmm....

Haven't been blogging much of late, but I have been busy. Busy for Christmas! This starts in November for me because I like to make my Christmas gifts. They're not elaborate, but I really enjoy sewing and since I have 7 nieces and nephews (well 9 actually, but Angela and Amy both have kids now). I start my little "pajama factory" in November when Fabricland has a huge 50% off sale. I can't refuse a bargain, and I have a "one stop shop" for everything. I go their repeatedly though, which can be as irritating as a mall in December. Make a list for crying out loud...

The pajama tradition has been around for some time - Logan is now 21! (Angela and Amy were little when I was a teenager, so I don't remember if I made them PJ's, but I do remember making the occasional fancy dresses for them). The boys graduated from PJ's to sleep pants and then silly boxer shorts. Now the next generation are on the PJ tradition.... I wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not, but when Logan said - "I thought that was our thing Auntie Cindy" and I explained the little ones need the tradition too, he was ok to share. So the girls (Meagan 9, Gabrielle 7, and Claire 1) get a new pattern most years and I use the same patterns for Josh (5) and Ryan (4) as I used for Logan and Gavin at that age. I try to get everything done before December as most of it needs to get sent in the mail.

So..... that's what I've been doing. I have kept up with all my classes at the gym, but my independent workouts have suffered. Not getting in my runs - partly due to weather and the fact that the track at the gym is closed, so only getting 30 minutes on a treadmill is just irritating. I need to toughen up and get back outside. I took a break when Alan and Pauline went to Clearwater and that was my mistake, then the weather excuses started, then had to sew, and on it goes. I have been doing a good job of excuses though - just read this latest blog!

I do have some good news on the swimming front though. I think I've "got my arm back". Somewhere in the early fall/late summer, I lost all my speed and form, especially with my right arm. Then Jon pulled me out of the pool one morning and got me to reposition my arm - make your "elbow pit" face down as you initiate your catch. What's an elbow pit you ask? - bicipital fossa, inner elbow, or Jon speak = elbow pit. I feel my lats working now instead of killing my shoulders, so I think it's helped a great deal. I'm not really noticing much with my speed yet, but I feel more efficient. Thanks Jon (I gotta get my monies worth out of him before he heads west to Victoria in January).

Now that my gift making is completed I can get back to running. This will be good b/c I've signed up for the Resolution Run on Dec 31. It's 5km and you get a great jacket (I hear). So Pauline and I will get going again and Alan will be done in half our time, but it'll be fun. Since I also like to bake and will be getting that done in the next week - the majority for family and friends, that will keep me busy too. I'll get back to my routine and fit my baking in around my workouts.

I'm looking forward to the new year and have picked my classes for the winter session - swim/run on Tues/Thurs evening, Sat am bike, and an ETS bike on either Mon or Wed night. I love training and Grant has a lot of work ahead of him with me and my running. I'm going to get my monies worth out of him too!!

I'm not looking forward to seeing Jon go though :( But it's so cool that he's going to the National Training Centre in Victoria, BC in January - London 2012 here he comes....

I'm sure Jack will find a great replacement, but will he/she know how to "breathe through their legs"? Jon's not gone yet, so I'm sure he'll continue to work on that with all of us....

Ciao, Cindy

"Before and After"

2010-11-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

I love "before and after" decorating shows on TV. No bad news, no one incapacitated, no loss of life (unlike the evening news)..... just a change for the better and a process to get their.

However, there is a middle to get to the after, once the before is established. (Hmmm, sounds a bit like "who's on first").
Anyway, I feel I established the "before" in my previous blog, and set my goals to achieve the "after". Now I'm in the middle. Middle is hard! Middle can be a long time. I'm anxious for the after and with TV shows, I often watch a couple at once, so I don't have to get too involved in the "middle", but time things with channel surfing to get all the afters. Middle in my current state has no alternate channel - I'm it. I have to establish the process and follow it to get to the after that I want. I'm finding this a challenge at the moment. It's early in the training season and I know it won't all be perfect training, but I don't want to get derailed by frustration either.

My current challenges are - my swim is not great; I've lost form with my right arm, for whatever reason, and am so slow. I'm not sleeping terribly well these days - I think that's due to peri-menopause. (Dang, I'm only "27", so I don't know why that's happening). I may have to resort to speaking to my Doc about that one. Hard to get in my workouts when I'm almost comatose some days. This bugs me to no end as I hate missing my scheduled workouts (swim x2/week and bike x2/week). My weight is always an issue blah, blah, blah....

Now I have to adjust my process a bit to continue to my after. I'm going to make a concerted effort to get in my scheduled workouts, even if I'm sleep deprived. Missing workouts may even be part of the problem - not enough activity to tire me out in a regular day, therefore, leading to a restless sleep. These are established workouts and with the support of coaches and fellow athletes, all I have to do is get myself out the door! Because I'm a member of the Talisman Tri Club I have my coached workouts - which means I have assistance to improve my swim stroke and get back in the groove. My bike workouts are also coached and progressive, so again, just get out the door. I love my bike workouts, so this isn't as much of an effort. My running schedule has been a bit scattered, and my weight training workouts a bit inconsistent.

The other thing I must consider is getting back to Physio. This should help with my swim stroke as I think I'm having issues with my neck that are causing problems with my arm - numbness, not so good...

To finish on a bright note - my running is going pretty well. I'm working on gradually increasing my time without intervals. I've been increasing my time about 10 minutes a week (roughly a 10% increase) for 3-4 weeks, then a recovery week. I'm going to continue that for now. Pauline and I often have negative splits on our long run! I'm slowly chipping off seconds on overall pace - YEAH!!

To get to the after, I must go through the middle, there are no real short cuts and there is no remote, only 1 channel to chose from - ME....

Ciao, Cindy
(I'm going to take a nap now ;p)

PS
Good luck to Alan, Ari and Andrea at Clearwater Nov 13!! GO TEAM! We'll be watching online.

What's going to happen in 2010-2011?

2010-10-16T22:43:00.000-07:00

I'm always impressed and have alot of respect for the coaches at the Talisman - both ETS and Tri Club. My first exposure to coached workouts in cycling was with Jack VanDyk and Paul Robertson (and subsequent ETS/Tri Club coaches) at the Talisman. I've been hanging around their since 2005 and I've had the pleasure (and pain) of seeing my own success under the tutelage of the ETS Comprehensive Coaching packages, ETS bike classes and Tri Club classes. Having said that, I read Jack's most recent post on the Tri Club blog and thought I'd apply his recommendations to set out MY performance goals for 2011.

SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely)

I want to complete a 70.3 triathlon with a "6" in front of my finishing time at my goal race in August 2011.

I want to run a half marathon (during this 70.3 triathlon) around 2:15 during my goal race in August 2011.
I want to weigh 20 pounds less at the start line of my goal race in August 2011.
My races for 2011 will be Wasa (June); Olympic distance in July (Kelowna?); and a 70.3 (Calgary?) in August.

Train More

I'm going to do more structured training with my running this year. This will involve improving my base/technique and then gradually working on my speed/efficiency. I'm going to focus on my base and technique through the fall and add in speed/intervals in early 2011. I'm going to keep a better log of my training so I can see my progress. I'm going to continue 2 bike sessions, 2 swim sessions, 2 run sessions, 2 weight sessions per week through the winter and ramp things up in early May.

TechnicalPractice

This is where my Talisman Tri Club membership comes in.... I have coached sessions in swimming, cycling, and running. I have the ear of coaches who're always willing to share their knowledge, as well as gleaning info from my fellow club members. I've said before how valuable time in the hot tub can be after swimming.... Technical practice is going to be in all 3 disciplines throughout the year b/c I have lots of room for improvement in all 3 disciplines! Cycling is my favourite, and I love my new Argon E112 tri bike, but my weakness is running.

Dial in your nutrition

Even though I didn't lose additional weight this year, I still feel successful with this b/c I didn't GAIN back any of the 50# I've lost so far. I have had a slow, steady weight loss journey in that it was lose, maintain, lose, etc. I will probably always struggle with my weight. I love to eat and will exercise to manage my weight more willingly than watch what I eat. This only takes me so far, so I do have to manage my eating. Having worked with Kelly Drager (Registered Dietitian) as part of my ETS Comprehensive Coaching packages she has given me good objective data to look at in managing my eating - getting enough calories to sustain me with the workout schedule, while still allowing for healthy weight loss. (Like replacing 5 fruit servings a day with 2 fruit and 2-3 more veg servings). Keeping a food diary helps me to be accountable to myself.

Recover Better

One of the biggest improvements in my nutrition in the past year has been my recovery meals after intense workouts. I started to use Hammer Recoverite after workouts longer than 2 hours. I mix it up and bring it to the workout with me, so I have it right after a workout (getting the recommended carb/protein ratio of 3:1 within that 30 - 45 minute post workout time frame). I sleep better, I can do another intense workout the next day, ie: long bike Sat and then long run Sun, and find my energy level is greatly improved. This along with my "go to" snack of 4 dates and 8 pecans to have throughout my work day have been some of the "good habits" I've developed. I will continue to try to get that 4-6 servings of veggies each day. I like veggies, I have a hard time convincing myself to prepare them!

Strength and Core Training

Again, this is something I've taken advantage of at the Talisman. I'm a bit of a "class junkie" and I've participated in alot of the strength training sessions offered through ETS and Tri Club. I have added it to my fall training program (off season) as an independent workout. I try to get in a core workout after my runs. I'm also focusing on my shoulder external rotator muscles b/c I'm having a tough time in the pool getting my "catch" to be consistent.

Train with Others

Refer to admission above: "class junkie". I know all the coaches of ETS and Tri Club; I show up pretty consistently, although the early morning swims can be a bit of a battle, often with some sort of internal bargaining being undertaken with myself at 5 am; and I know how to "smack talk" and "throw down the hammer" now! One of the other advantages of the classes are getting to know others who're about your level to work out with once we're able to get outside in spring/summer/fall (summer, was there a summer this year?).

Train Alone

This isn't my favourite part of training, but I probably run most on my own. If I'm on my own for biking I often do a brick over at Edworthy or hill repeats at Edworthy (then it becomes known as that "evil" hill at Edworthy). Evening bike rides in the summer are great too.

Get Tested

This hurts!! I think the worst time trial I've done was a blood lactate running test. I thought I was going to die and get spit off the end of the treadmill at the same time. I think we all dread bike time trials, but I've done enough of them to know what to expect and do try to push myself on them. I think I have my "little pieces of paper" from all my time trials since 2005. I try to remember to put the dates on them. I like to look at them every now and then and see that objective data and how I've improved over time. Having objective data and TACX trainers for measurable workouts makes alot of sense to me. I know "perceived effort" has also been validated in studies, but objective watts to train in your zones has made me a stronger cyclist.

Hire a Coach

I have completed 3 ETS Comprehensive Coaching packages at the Talisman (2006, 2008, 2009). They were totally worth the money. The workout plan was taken care of; it was centered around my goal race; it was progressive with my input on what my goals were. The coaches used objective data from blood lactate testing (bike or run); and it took into account my life. What life? - all I do is train (eat, sleep, swim/bike/run, repeat).

The bottom line for me is: I really enjoy triathlons. I like the sense of accomplishment I get out of finishing a workout or a race. I have met great people and feel I have gained great mentors (Alan and Pauline especially). Talisman pretty much has all my money, so it keeps me out of the mall - too bad I didn't go for a workout instead of test driving cars (....but that was the off season).

Happy training..... Ciao, Cindy

GOOD DECISIONS VS. BAD DECISIONS (or sometimes, just impulsive decisions)

2010-09-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

Before I update my blog.... (my internet has been down for about 2 weeks - ggrrr)

I want to congratulate all the great athletes that I have the pleasure of knowing and who completed Ironman Canada in Penticton 2010:
Paul B. Dan B. Dorrie F. Kathryn J. Robert P. Kelly R. Ross S. Ari S. Brad S. James S. Greg S. Faizel S. Ted T. Ted C. Jack VD. Max L. Darren A. Leanne M. Ron. and Mike K., who completed Ironman Coeur d'Alene in June.
You are all amazing athletes and have put in the work to have great outcomes - outstanding!

Also congrats to Jon and Grant on the Subaru Banff Triathlon - you are now 1 win each, when will the tie breaker be???

As I continue into the fall, I've kinda "fallen" off the training regime. Good intentions most days, but not always so great on the follow through. COLD weather as an excuse for not being on my bike - bad decision. But I've been keeping up with my running - good decision. I'm now running 70 minutes continuously (with some negative splits!). Not really doing much in the pool - bad decision, but I've started doing weights and core workouts - good decision.

When it comes to gym/physical activity stuff I seem to make pretty good decisions most of the time, substituting one workout for another, that's the beauty of triathlons, the variety of training. For me this a big part of why I've been plugging along and steadily improving since I did my first tri in 2005 - see, good decision.

The start up of fall classes in ETS bike and Talisman Triclub swim and bike classes are going to be painful with time trials (skipping workouts - ouch, and bad at the same time). I'm going to be paying for some bad decisions come October.

The other bad, or rather "impulsive", decision I made this month involved my love of impulse shopping/buying - 2 pair of shoes on sale is one thing.... New vehicle on impulse, not necessarily a good or bad decision, just not one that should be made on impulse!

It started with working a weekend with only 1 person to see in the morning, but then being on my pager, "available", for the rest of the day.... OK, a new dress and pants at Cross Iron Mills, not so bad. But I still had the rest of the afternoon to kill. Why not just go test drive a new car? Off I went, but I didn't like the SUV I test drove. OK, that took care of Saturday, Sunday dealers are closed. But by Tues I thought I should go over to Toyota and test drive a couple of vehicles. This is when it all fell apart. I've owned/leased 3 new Toyotas since I graduated from University and have faith in their reliability. I also drive for work, so need a reliable car. So in the process of not doing enough research on my part (IE - looking at used car prices, not just the "black" book price) and making ill thought out comments to the salesman after he takes a quick call from a customer looking for a used car, "Well, sell him mine!" And he DID (well, let's be realistic, I DID). Oh crap, now I really do need a vehicle b/c I don't think my job description allows me to cycle house to house each day. So in my parkade is a lovely RED 2010 Toyota Rav 4. It's the 3rd Rav I've owned, so I think that was a good decision. Impulse car shopping - BAD decision. Matches my new red bike - good decision. (I think that makes 2:1, good:bad.)

I must develop new decision making habits that involve no BIG decisions unless you sit on them for 24 hours. Lesson learned, I hope so..... but I do love Red!

Some down time...

2010-08-16T19:31:00.001-07:00

My "down time" has been interrupted with obsessing about the 70.3, specifically my running....

My run predicament has been in my thoughts alot. I want my run to be as strong and consistent as my bike. I don't really stress about the swim, in fact I find it quite relaxing during the race.

I think I've developed a "run plan" since I had a chat with Grant on the pool deck last week. He made some good suggestions to work on - try to improve my running base throughout the winter without too much focus on speed, and try to do this by decreasing my intervals, to the point of getting rid of them. In the new year, work on speed and getting my time down. I think this will help me focus through the fall & winter. I still need to work on my form and efficiency. I'll have to talk to Grant more on these topics. Incorporating "run school" into my workouts will help with my technique. Not only doing "run school" (ABC's) but applying the techniques during a run. Definitely a work in progress.

Between all the obsessing, I have taken a break for the last 2 weeks. Finished up my swim classes with the Talisman Triclub last week, rode my bike out to Bragg Creek last Saturday and today. Yesterday, Pauline and I went for a short run (damn stairs, my legs are sore, again!) and an even shorter swim. Has that been a break?? Other than that, spending time at home and providing my condo with a little TLC has been good.

Taking a break from training is always interesting for me. I love taking classes, but when I'm away from the routine I think I need to balance things out a bit more. A few years ago I signed up for a "drawing for the totally intimidated" class. It was interesting and a nice break from the physical side of things. This year I'm going to try a photography class. I still don't own a cell phone, but I did buy a new digital camera before my trip to Europe in June. Slowly draggin' myself into the 21st century.

The other thing I'm going to focus on and change are my eating habits - mainly lunches. I eat out at restaurants for most of my work day lunches. Not only is this expensive, it's not always healthy. I'm trying to pack my lunch at least 2 of 4 days each week. I don't want to go cold turkey, I like the social aspect of the group I eat out with. But I also know that I pack a much more nutritious lunch compared to what I order off a menu. I'll have to work hard on this. I can easily be persuaded to leave my lunch in the fridge and give in to peer pressure. Wish me luck.

Ciao, Cindy

{Off to use my foam roller, I love my foam roller, it feels so good, it's my friend, (I am not convinced)}

70.3 RACE DEBRIEFING

2010-08-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

AAAAHHHH, FINISHED!

Relaxing by the pool, Mojito in hand, blue sky, sun shining..... (Oh, don't I wish)

I have been relaxing this last week since I completed my 2nd Half Ironman in Calgary (Viterra 70.3) on Aug. 1. I had a great race, although I didn't quite make my goal of 1.5 hours faster than last year - I was 57 minutes faster than last year. I can live with that.

My "Top 10" list of improvements:

I liked the change in start time/swim wave this year. My swim went well in calm waters and I relaxed into a steady rhythm.
I took a surprising 4 minutes off my swim = 39:24.
I was much more consistant on the hills on the bike and transitioning from downhill -> uphill.
I missed the tailwind from last year, but was even happier to not have to deal with a headwind instead!
I nailed my nutrition on the bike and didn't have to stop at any of the aide stations.
I gained 18 minutes on the bike = 3:25:01.
My legs were pretty solid coming off the bike -> run; I maintained my intervals of 9 minute run, 1 minute walk and carried my nutrition with me. 3:08:54 = 35 minutes faster than last year.
Didn't have to deal with constant leg cramps, but I did get caught at km 15 with leg cramps as I forgot to keep up with my electrolytes. Had to walk km 15 -> 16 as a result.
I was able to keep a positive attitude, especially on the run, b/c I watched all the people I passed on the bike pass me on the run, with words of encouragement. The volunteers were great!
I finished strong and was able to run across the finish line = 7:26:05 (57 minutes faster than 2009).

With every success comes "lessons learned" to improve on the next challenge....

I need to push myself harder on the swim.
I need to keep working on hills on my bike - 3:15 would be a better time.
200 Watts on the bike this year!
I need to run faster! My run time needs to match my swim and bike efforts (ie: another hour faster on the run).
I need to improve my efficiency on the run - is there a run coach in my future?
According to "others", 7+ minutes in T1 is still excessive. Can I help it if I need dry feet in my socks/shoes? (T2 was a little better.)
Continue to try to lose weight - this will make ALL of it easier.
Continue to encourage others and feed off this positive energy.
With steady improvements on form/technique, perhaps the need for Physiotherapy and Massage Therapy will decrease. This will allow more money for races!
Continue to love the training. (I think I've got this one).

I also want to say I was in awe of Jon and Grant. They had amazing finishes. I wish I could've seen their race (I was a bit busy) - congratulations to both of you and good luck in Kelowna!

Next up - cheer on the people I know heading into Ironman Canada at the end of August.

Ciao, Cindy

HICCUPS

2010-07-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

Thank you for Physios (Dave Holmes at Tower Physio) and Massage Therapists (Christine Leslie at Chiropractic Performance and Sport Centre).

First "hiccup" after my long run on July 18.....
Pauline and I did an 18 km run, all was going well (10 min run, 1 min walk intervals) until the last 1.5 km. Then my right hip started to ache. I thought - "Oh, you're just tired and we're almost done anyway."

Next day, not so happy body. Had a massage booked and thought, that'll be the ticket to settle things down. Major muscle spasm, even after massage. OK, I think it may be more than soft tissue if massage isn't settling things down. Panic call to Tower Physio and I was able to get in to see Dave. Diagnosis => likely irritated and inflamed hip joint, there's hope for me and I think Dave saw the terror in my eyes. My race is in 10 days!!

More physio and massage treatments (not on the same day though) and I feel ready. Hip is settling down, water running this week, swimming as usual, and biking is OK. I'm confidant I'll be "race ready" on Sunday.

Second "hiccup". Check the "final" athlete's list for the 70.3. Hmmm, my name's not there? Check the old Visa statement as I'm positive I registered in January. Nope, no charge on my Visa either. OK then, get out the Visa and register for the 70.3. WHEW!!! I have a confirmation email, so I assume I'm in. Had an email today from the Race Director - late registration so no package pickup until Friday. Better late than never. What would I have done if I went and no package for me? Who cares?! I'm in.

Good luck everyone - think good karma thoughts for me and my hip...

Cheers, Cindy

THE LOVE AFFAIR APPEARS TO BE OVER....

2010-07-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

Oh my, I didn't anticipate this would happen, just like that....

Before I left for Europe in early June I sent my little yellow Cannondale to Drumheller with my nephew Logan so he could train for our team triathlon in Canmore. I had just had it in to Cam at Speed Theory for a major tune-up. It was ready to go.

Logan did a fine job riding the little yellow bike in Canmore, with the seat up high, as I watched. I was proud of both of them.

These past weeks since Canmore, I've been on my "very fast red bike" (Argon 18 E112) and the little yellow bike has been in the storage room. This morning I thought I'd take it out for a spin b/c I was going for a leisurely ride with my training buddy, Pauline. We had to change our route near the beginning of our ride b/c we suddenly were getting swallowed up in a "sea of pink" by "The Walk to End Breast Cancer". A little crowded....

So we redirected ourselves out to Chestermere, via the pathway. We completed a 50 km ride and it was beautiful - sunny, hot, deserted. As we headed home, on a sore bum, sore shoulders, and a slower speed than I've become accustomed to (dare I say that out loud?) I realized maybe I didn't need to keep the little yellow Cannondale? Could it be? Was I ready to say, "Goodbye old friend?" Yup, I think so. I love my "new red bike".

My little yellow Cannondale is going to go up on eBay. It's a 2002 Cannondale "Warrior 700R", frame size small (~49 cm) with a Polar CS200 bike computer with cadence and heart rate monitor, Profile Design tri-bars and 2 water bottle cages. I'm not sure of the price, but I hope I can find a good home for it.....

Funny weekend for me and bikes. I felt like I had a stable of horses - all needed to be exercised. Saturday was a nice ride on my Argon 18 tri-bike, Sunday morning was my Cannondale road bike, and Sunday afternoon was my Trek mountain bike, which I consider "my commuter" bike.

All bikes accounted for and decision made. Any takers?

PS -1 week to Calgary 70.3, the count down is on.....

Ciao, Cindy

KEEP IT MOVING....

2010-07-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

An addendum to yesterday's post....
After talking to the Tri Club coaches, the advice given is -> keep building and not too much of a taper since I had a 3 week break - ie: get on the bike! OK then, I asked for the advice, so I'll do my best to keep up my killer hill repeats and running/brick workouts this week.
Gotta go, I'm busy.
Ciao, Cindy

REFOCUS, KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!

2010-07-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

Being back from vacation and back to training has been a bit scary these past 2 weeks. It's hard not to psyche myself out at times. After Canmore, I thought things would just fall back into place. I had a few days to acclimate myself prior to my return to work and training. What I didn't expect was some lingering jetlag? or just sheer exhaustion?

Swimming my first 2 weeks back has been disappointing. It's hard not to compare yourself to others, and I know I shouldn't, but I was discouraged to be passed by my lane mate in Talsiman Tri Club morning swims. Could I lag that much in 3 weeks? Apparently so... OK, never mind what your neighbour is doing, just get on with it. This person has been training hard and reaping the rewards - they deserve it. Jon and Grant (coaches extraordinaire) will help me work on improving my efficiency - thanks guys. I'm going to put in the work and make an effort too.

Biking hasn't been atrocious - I love my "new red bike" - it's very fast, and I love getting on it. A few challenging rides weren't necessarily the issue, it was the "3 hour nap" that progressed to not getting out of bed until the next morning that was scaring me - acckkk, do I really need 12 hours of sleep? I haven't been feeling "sick", so I guess it's just my body telling me to rest? My concern is that I had 3 days last week like that. Not really sure what that's been about, but I hope it's out of my system.

I'm going to end this post on a positive note.

Since I've been "well rested" I had a great bike on July 17. I repeated the previous weekend ride - 2 loops of the first 1/2 of the 70.3 course (1 loop forward, then reverse = 96 km); added in a convenient "recovery soak" in Ghost Lk post ride; nailed my nutrition on the bike; did a short run off the bike; and finished the day off with a healthy post ride meal and dinner that evening.

A good sleep led to the group run on July 18. I had so much difficulty last year getting a long run in the day after a long ride - I just didn't have the stamina. This year my recovery nutrition (immediately after a workout - Hammer's Recoverite, and a healthy meal at home) has improved immensely and I think that's been the biggest difference. Granted, running isn't easy for me, but I do enjoy it for the most part now. I still struggle with my longer runs (thanks Pauline for putting up with me), but I don't fall apart until farther in now....

I'm going to stay positive, complete some shorter, more intense workouts this week, then taper into the week before the 70.3 (where I'm going to be 1.5 hours faster than last year!)

CANMORE TRIATHLON JULY 4, 2010

2010-07-07T16:53:00.001-07:00

Team Cold Blooded was successful...

It was fun to complete it with Logan (my nephew) and Kunda (who stepped up when Gavin had to work). I keep telling those kids not to grow up - too many responsibilities.....

View pictures here

Since they're both new to triathlon I showed them "the ropes".

These prairie boys (ie: non-swimmers) live in Drumheller, so I picked up our race package on Sat am, and printed off the "Athlete's Guide", which I do read, especially if it's a new race/venue I haven't been to before.

We had a pre-race meeting (review/pack gear), a light dinner at home in Calgary on Sat night, then headed out to Canmore. They slept all the way, which was good b/c I headed out east on Hwy 1 initially. Since I forgot the paper with the hotel name and address on it we went to the Tourist Info in Canmore - they're open 'til 10:00 pm! (See, you can be blonde and resourceful). We then went to scope out the venue and drive the bike course - this map is included in the athlete's guide, along with swim location, T1 & T2 locations, bike course description & map, and usually run course too. We should have discussed pre-race apparel - early mornings are cool and I seemed to be the only one with a coat and long pants; hat and socks wouldn't have been out of place either....

The first thing they were really excited to hear was how early we had to be up and on our way (6:00 am compromised to 6:15 from 6:30) and be at the venue by 7:00 am. This cut into "texting" time that evening as we turned the lights out early - I'm sure they had their phones going under the covers though...

Race day! Arrive at the Nordic Center - set up transition area, get body marked (race # on arms, age on l calf, distance on other calf ("O"lympic vs "S"print) get timing chip, listen to pre-race meeting info (mandatory).

They had assigned spots in T1 so we racked the bike, set out the brightest, ugliest towel I own (pink floral), noted the bike rack row and # of supports b/w the end and our spot to find our bike after the swim. Bike helmet on tri bars with sunglasses and gloves; on towel - race # on race belt, bike shoes/socks ready to go, nutrition (gels, honey stingers, bottles - (2) gatorade + water) on bike.

Wet suits are fun to put on - "Body Glide" looks like deodorant, but goes on your skin to ease the "tight spots" for a more comfortable wet suit fit - neck, shoulders, front/back of armpits, wrists, thighs, ankles and makes getting out of the west suit easier too. Then we have goggles and swim cap (race issued and mandatory to wear). Get in the water about 15 minutes prior to your start - warm up, adjust goggles, GET FACE WET/HEAD IN WATER!

Out of water after swim, undo wet suit on way to TI/bike, strip off to waist, then remove goggles and swim cap (need 2 hands free to get wetsuit 1/2 off and run at same time).

Review order of getting going on the bike - helmet on & done up, exchange timing chip (L ankle) so if it gets loose doesn't catch in bike chain, sunglasses, shoes/socks, gloves, race belt with # on backside, run out of transition to "bike mount line". Follow the rules on the bike course to avoid penalties. Count your laps or use your bike computer to keep track of distance, thank the volunteers along the route.

Back to T2 after bike - rack bike, then helmet off, exchange timing chip & race belt - # on front of runner, change to running shoes, hat, sunglasses, hydration. GO! RUN! Remember to thank the volunteers on the route.

Cross finish line victorious - hands in air, crowd cheering, it's all good.

Get the t-shirt, enjoy the free post race meal (it was yummy at Canmore), and stick around for the awards & "swag" (you usually have to be present to be eligible for a door prize). AAAHHHH done! Bask in the glory that it's over and you survived.

A New Take on Bikes and Function...

2010-07-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

IS IT ART OR JUST A BIKE IN A TEA COSY?

Ahhhh, vacations are the best form of rejuvenation.

Now, if I could eliminate jetlag, all the better. We'll see if I have to use it as an excuse as I complete the Olympic distance triathlon at Canmore. Should be fine, I'm doing the swim on a team with my nephew, Logan, who'll ride my bike; and his friend, Kunda, who will do the run. The other nephew had to work.... (Nope, jetlag wasn't a factor and our team did just fine. Nice job boys.)

I did a pretty good job of keeping up training (mostly running) while away for 3 weeks. Interesting to run in a new place when English isn't on the street signs -> solution, only turn left or right and viola you are back to where you started. This actually worked in Finland! I can really relate to others who say running is so portable and easy. I found I was able to fit it in quite easily every second day in the am prior to activities for the day. I know if I had left it 'til the end of day I would've been whining -"My feet are tired". I had my Garmin 305 with me and it picked up satelites wherever I was.

Sweden focused on biking. I traded in my usual 20 gears for 3 on "cruiser" rental bike #32. I had a hard time braking, b/c it was pedal backwards. I was skidding my back tire just like a 10 year old! Rode my bike to IKEA; changed my friends flat back tire; road around the waterfront in Malmo. Put in about 150 km on very flat terrain with great vistas and interesting architecture over the course of the week. Saw some interesting "art" a bike in a "tea cosy"?

Had a few swims/saunas in Finland and swam in an outdoor 50 m pool in Sweden on a gloriously sunny, warm day.

I even got in a few runs in Ireland. Now that is dedication b/c there is good craic their that can certainly take over from training. Met some interesting people at my friends wedding - a marathon runner and another girl who did triathlons. They seem to be better at the "after workout" socializing than we are. I like their attitude - they have a favourite "post workout" pub that they go to! They are so into "sexy Itlaian" gear - Wilier bikes, Rudy project glasses, and the list goes on.....

Now I need to get refocused as Calgary 70.3 is only 4 weeks away! Canmore will help with that. Wish me luck....

Spring training

2010-06-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

Spring training started with a great camp May 4-9 in Vernon, BC hosted by Talisman ETS and Tri Club coaches Jack VanDyk and Jon Bird. Hard work, but really fun to ride new routes; have a focus each day/ride; support vehicles (ie: "Tour du France" - thanks to Jack's parents); add in some swim and run/hike options, and we covered it all. We also rode ~120 km of the Ironman Canada course. I have conquered Richter Pass (and it's likely the closest I'll ever get to Ironman, beyond spectating). I hope this camp is offered next year - definitely worth it. Check out these pictures from the camp.

A group of us have ridden the Calgary 70.3 Ironman course. I had my first flat tire EVER! This includes 7 years of riding my road bike. I had great difficulty getting the back tire off - thanks Don. As everyone gathered to watch me, Alan took over and finished, thanks Alan. I can do this - I've had tutorials from Cam at Speed Theory more than once. I proved this to myself the next day when my newly changed tire was flat again. I had no audience, and it took me forever to change the tire (like 20 minutes), but I did it. In my own defence, it was the back tire and a new tire and very tight on the wheel. Always good to practice this skill to get an idea of how hard it is to get the freakin' tire off the wheel, then on again.

The "tool kit" I carry on my bike includes - minitool (various sized allen keys), extra tube, 2 or 3 CO2 cartridges (16 grams = ~100 psi), CO2 cartridge dispenser (keep CO2 cartridge unattached to dispenser until it's needed), teeny/tiny patch kit, tire levers (2 or 3), a few dollars and the little carry case that attaches under my seat on the bike and holds all this stuff. I don't have a chain repair tool, and I don't know how to use one either.... I don't own a cell phone, if I'm on my own I borrow my Dad's so I can call in the troops if need be. Usually, I ride with others and someone (usually everyone, except me) has a phone with them. What, no duct tape?

I try to do hill training on a week night at Edworthy park - I can easliy ride their from home and it provides a good warm-up and cool down. I affectionately call it "that evil hill". There are always familiar faces - everyone smiling as they tell themselves "I love hills". My goal this year is to pass at least one person on that "evil" hill.

Onward to an open water swim at Sundance Lake. Thanks Chris - I notice you didn't get wet again this year.... It was cool outside and beyond COLD in the water. Jon and Grant made no bones about jump in and swim! They can be so demanding. I wore my very flattering "neoprene bonnet" along with a wetsuit. Getting that thing on is an adventure/workout in itself. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance from your fellow athletes in getting it done up - if you feel like you can't breathe, pull the body up higher. Impact Magazine (May/June 2010) has a good article about getting into a wetsuit.

My next hurdle is too have some sort of focus while in Europe for 3 weeks. I will have some pics of some great running spots in Finland, Ireland and Sweden. Although, I think I should have been training to increase my alcohol tolerance as I'll be attending a friend's wedding in Ireland!!

Cheers, Cindy

I love my new red bike!

2010-05-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation, test riding, and visits to multiple bike shops in Calgary (who knew I'd be on a first name basis with so many young, knowledgeable guys!), I took the plunge...

With the expert advice and assistance of ALL the SPEED THEORY staff - I finally chose an ARGON 18 E112 Triathlon bike. My trusty, little yellow, Cannondale road bike has served me well since I purchased it in Feb 2003. It has some major miles on it, but I was ready for an upgrade.

I love my new red bike.

Choosing a new bike is a process - these are some of the questions I asked myself.....

What is my budget? - include extra for helmet, pedals, computer, possible saddle options, water bottle cages, clip-in cycling shoes, basic repair kit, gloves... the list can go crazy, but some are essential (helmet & pedals). Go for the best components you can afford within your budget.

How much riding do I do? Up to x 3/week through the winter on a trainer (5 - 6 hr/week), and ~7-8 hr/week in the summer.

What is my primary focus? Triathlons and road riding, 150 -200 km/week through the summer.

What are my goals? GO FASTER! I love going downhill as fast as I can to make the next transition uphill less work - Talisman ETS and Triclub coaches know of what they speak! I'm not a "light weight" (although I've lost 52 lb in my 5 years of training - and kept it off), so I do have an advantage on the downhills and really work on the uphills.

My gearing (crank set on the front and cassette ratio on the back) also needed serious consideration. All my test rides included that "evil" hill on the south side of Edworthy Park. I went up and down that hill on a Cervelo P2, Trek Madone 5.1 & 5.2, Cannondale Synapse, and finally the Argon 18 E112. The conclusion was definitely a compact crank set (50/39) on the front and an 11/28 cassette on the back. This meant I was able to give up my "granny gear" (3rd ring on the front), but still not die on hills, or worse - get off and push. The 11/28 cassette is a new option available this year from Shimano. The crank set numbers of the front rings (50/39) refer to the number of "cogs" on the ring, same goes for the 11/28 - smallest ring has 11 cogs and each successive ring has more cogs on it with the biggest having 28 cogs.

Bike frame size/wheel size. My Argon 18 E112 is an extra small frame (I'm 5' 2" tall). All of the bikes I test rode were either 47 cm or 48 cm frame sizes. This limits options in regard to wheel size on some models. For example - Cervelo has a 47 cm frame, but only fits 650cc wheels. This is not an issue/disadvantage, but I have been used to 700cc wheels, so I wanted 700cc wheels on my new bike (really a personal choice). The fit of the frame is what's important. Many manufacturers have frames that are "women specific designs" (WSD), but I was able to be fitted on the Argon 18 E112 extra small frame without any problems (OK, they did have to cut the seat post down even more for me). Argon 18 doesn't make a WSD frame, but I did get a carbon frame!!

Bike fit. I did spend time with Adam Redmond of Speed Matrix. He also works out of Speed Theory. He did a complete bike fit with me using the Retul Bike Fit System. It was amazing. I had my Cannondale bike fitted about 3 years after I purchased it and what a difference it made - not only in comfort, but also in the power I was able to produce, so I knew from past experience how important this component is. Adam is a Kinesiologist with a specialty in Biomechanics, so I had great confidence in him. The "Physio" in me likes the science behind the fit process.

I've had my lovely new red bike for almost a month. I did fall off of it on my first ride outside - "OH MY GOD, I DIDN'T SCRATCH IT, DID I"? No, my butt and my knee saved me, but I see my new carbon water bottle cage is a little "scratched" - oopsy. I was so anxious to get a new bike because I was heading out to Vernon with the Talisman Triclub/ETS for a 4 day bike camp May 4-9, 2010. I think I drove Jon nuts for the 2 months prior to this - is the bike here, did you get it in yet, blah, blah, blah. But it arrived, I had a fit with Adam, and I rode it for 4 days straight ~400 km total. I completed a time trial and NO ONE physically passed me! (There were lots of the "big guns" who were faster, but I was first one off and everyone else went in 1 minute intervals and I got to the finish point just in the nick of time!) This was the highlight of my week - that bike is very fast!

Onward to a great summer of training!

A Bit Of History....

2010-05-17T17:08:00.002-07:00

Upon reflection on my first blog entry, I thought it was pretty boring.

So, I'm going to try again. Like most triathletes, I have a background in sports - mine was figure skating (grades 1-11); I also worked as a Lifeguard; (Oh, and I was in swim club in grade 3). Sport has always been in my life, and I think that's what led me to Physiotherapy as a career. I'm a bit of a late starter, as I graduated from U of A in 1994 when I was 30 - a "mature student".

I've always been drawn to individual sports, so triathlon has been a good fit for me. I enjoy the camaraderie of training and mutual support, but ultimately, it's your race. The other thing that brought me to triathlon was the variety of training - always something else to work on if you're "wounded". It's the variety of the 3 disciplines that has kept my interest since I did my first sprint triathlon in 2005 - Stanley Park, here in Calgary.

The lead up to that race was rather traumatic for me. My mom was diagnosed with Lymphoma in April of 2003 and passed away in Sept. 2003. Our family is very close and I was especially close with my mom - I lost my best friend. The other thing that we shared was genetics - apparently there is only so much weight the females in the family (ie: my mom and I) can lose; she lost 60 lb while sick - I gained 60 lb! Hmmm, an emotional eater - do ya think? Then a family ski trip resulted in a torn ACL, MCL, meniscus and a chunk out of my femur - shouldn't have been skiing in the 1st place (refer to 60 lbs above). Now I'm definitely the "physio who needs physio". So the crash was Christmas 2003, surgery was June 2004, and rehab continued until about Dec, 2004. My knee made a great recovery, but I really needed to reevaluate my lifestyle. All that weight doesn't come without it's own issues - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, borderline diabetes, always tired and lethargic.....

Enter the Talisman Centre. My dad gave me a gift of a 1 year membership in Jan. 2005 and some personal training sessions. I signed up for a bunch of Endurance Training Systems (ETS) classes - I especially love the bike classes. They make so much sense to me - get objective data ("evil" time trials on the bike) and train yourself throughout the year to those zones and watch the numbers improve as you produce more watts and get stronger. I worked on my running, swimming and biking throughout the winter/spring leading up to Stanley Park in the various classes I signed up for. To be realistic - I started at the bottom, literally. I couldn't run 5km, but I could certainly walk/run 5 km. I knew I would do OK on the swim (750 m) and bike (20 km), so off I went. I finished the race and loved it. I was 2nd last (... not last). My nephews couldn't quite see the accomplishment in that, but they're young (and skinny) - what do they know about fat girls? I knew I wanted to continue this sport. I love the training. I love my bike and everything is moving forward.

I have continued to increase my knowledge in talking with other athletes, (hot tub after swimming is so worth it), coaches and just learning by doing. I find it's a great community and supportive of the newbies/amateurs. I will probably have to wait until I'm in my 60's or 70's before I ever see a "podium finish" as an age grouper, but I might just be stubborn enough to hang around that long. So the journey continues and I'll keep adding to my blog as I learn more about the sport of triathlon because fellow athletes/coaches continue to share their knowledge (plus, I ask alot of questions). I want to share a perspective from a dedicated athlete's point of view, even if I'm not an elite athlete!

Cheers, Cindy

Welcome to my new blog.

2010-05-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name's Cindy and I'm a triathlete. I did my first Sprint triathlon in July, 2005 after having knee surgery to repair a torn ACL in 2004. I decided I needed a significant change in my physical health after this surgery because I was grossly obese! I've been a spectator at triathlons and thought I'd like to give it a try - I'm a pretty good floater, I can ride a bike, and I can walk 5 km. It's all in a straight line and shouldn't aggravate my knee and I needed to get moving. I was off and running (well walking fast...) and I completed my first race. I was hooked and had started losing some weight and feeling better. I spent a lot of time at the gym and signed up for a lot of classes - swimming in the early am, weight training for triathlete's, cycling for endurance athletes. I was becoming a class junky, but really enjoyed the training and still do. The next season I hired a coach and continued my classes. 2006 - first Olympic distance (running's getting a bit better, down 30 lb.); 2007 - 3 races; 2008 - 200 mile cycling event (Seattle to Portland in 2 days) with 9499 other riders (down 40 lb); 2009 - Viterra 70.3 Ironman in Calgary (hit 50 lb weight loss). 2010 - Viterra 70.3 Ironman in Calgary (1.5 hours faster than last year).