The Silver Lining...

As we entered into our 17th week of training, I was actually super excited and nervous and mentally cocky.  My training had been going well, I have improved on all areas, not significantly, but enough where I noticed.

So when we prepped for a massive build week, I was ready.  Tuesday swim was great.  I think we swam 2500 yards or so and I was in the groove.  On Wednesday, Dani and I handle the Amalfi ride.  We had to bike up as fast and as far as we could for 10min and then bike back down and do that 4 times... it was tough, but we bared down and handled it.  and then on Thursday, we had a track workout.  Now, my asthma gave me a little problem, only because we had to do 30second all-out sprints, rest for 30 and repeat for 4min with a 4min jog in between 3 times...  its only about 45min total, but wow.. if you are not breathing right, it will get cha. .. and finally friday, we had a beautiful open water swim. the weather was amazing and the water was actually nice. we managed to squeeze in 1.3 miles in the hour and I loved every minute of it.

 Dani & I after Amalfi

 Santa Monica College Track

Tower 26 - Good Morning.

So, after that awesome week, I was beyond ready for what we had in store for the weekend, or so I thought.  On Saturday, we were set to bike 60 miles in 4hr and then a 30min run up in Westlake Village. I was ready. I honestly thought I would get closer to 70 miles in the 4hrs but reality set in and I completed the 60mi in 4:30min.  UGH.  What was that about?!?!

I know I was a little distracted given that it was the 6th anniversary of when my mom passed away, but I was channeling that into good vibes and supportive internal chats.  I honestly don't know what happened.  I know i ate enough food before and during the ride, yet i was starving the entire time.  I felt slightly dehydrated, yet I drank 3 bottles of endurance drinks and two bottles of water... my utility kits kept flying off my bike ... it was crazy.. luckily I didn't have a flat tire or anything, but everything just felt off.  Then of course we had to run after and my legs were like screw you.  i manage 2miles with a run walk combo in that 30min.  As I sat in my ice bath that night, I felt completely defeated. :-(

Mom & I 

 Bike Elevation and Map

Bike Route Through Westlake & Thousand Oaks

 Beautiful Westlake in Westlake Village

Ice Bath... Clearly.

On Sunday, I was determined not to let Saturday's defeat ruin my entire training weekend. I slept well and was up early in anticipation of our Open Water Swim and 10mi run.  Unfortunately, the wind and the current were too strong that the coaches opted for us to NOT swim.  After looking at the water, I was actually relieved,... but that meant the run was going to be my saving grace.  So I laced up and chomped on a few endurance jelly beans and mentally prepped for the run.  With my new intervals in place 8:1 at a faster pace, I headed out. I ran and I ran and I ran... and I had fun!   WHAT?!?!  Yes.. I had fun.  Running up San Vicente, that I hate, I actually enjoyed.  I glanced at my watch from time to time and I was sticking to that 10:30/10:40 pace up San V!  I am usually at 12+ on that run... and on the return, at times I was 8min!  I couldn't believe it.  This new interval was working.  When I finished the run and looked at the final time, I was astounded.. 1:47 for 10mi!! I shaved 7min off my time! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Coach Javier & Coach Riz are awesome... they saw how I progressed and modified my program to really benefit me.  I am so excited..... and I know that in time, I think I will have a 10min pace. WOW.

Talk about silver lining to a cloudy weekend. :-)

We ended the weekend with a swim marker set.... I did pretty well. I am still under a 2min/100yd pace, which is great.  I managed to do 1675yrd in 32:10 and 2150yrs in 41:01 at roughly a 1:54/100yd pace.  I am pretty happy about that. :-)

And now we are kicking off Week 18... in the words from Coach Riz.... So What does 18 weeks mean? 18 weeks means you have gone from running 30 minutes to 10 miles, it means you have gone from riding your bike for 60 minutes to riding 60 MILES!  It means you have gone from drills, drills and more drills to swimming upwards of 7000 yards each week, and that is just your pool swims. 18 weeks also means we have 8 more weeks until Vineman 70.3.  It means we have a ride to San Diego, Vineman Training Weekend, a mile swim in the ocean, a couple of half marathons to run and 8 more weeks of team bonding and training.

In the words of Rachel Griffin, I say BRING IT ON!

Training and Traveling... AGAIN

I think this has seriously become the mantra to my training.  For being in my "slow season" I am traveling more than ever.

The good thing, every time I hit the road has been a recovery week, so I am not missing too much and have been able to get in the workouts to some degree.

This recovery week was a little different as I was in NYC for work and then in Annapolis for my nephew's 1st Communion.

To start off, left on Tuesday, so I missed the swim. :-(  But I did arrive in NYC just in time to see my amazing and talented cousin Tom McGowan in the TONY Nominated play Casa Valentina with my family. It was so good.  If you are in the NYC area, go see it it.

Wednesday was NASTY out.  COLD and Raining. It was torrential, ugly downpour.  Ugh, not what I was used and not what I want either.  It made setting up for the TTPM event super hard and annoying.

Thank goodness for UBER! I was able to get all my samples to the event rather unscaved and the event overall was a success!  our Paw Patrol line was picked to the Hot List and the press and bloggers loved our summer toys which include, Paw Patrol, Wackytivities and How To Train Your Dragon 2.  And I do love this event as I get to see my industry buddies!!

TTPM

How to Train Your Dragon 2

 

Wackytivities: Spattter, Goozerk, Kinetic Sand & Chill Factor

Paw Patrol

 Meredith Sinclair

Harold Chizick

Given the rain on Wednesday... I was not motivated at all... but I did plug my earphones in and watched Survivor of all things and knocked out my 1hr bike ride  -- a little difficult to do intervals on a stationary, but I did my best and the run the following morning. 

I am so thankful hotels have gyms. -- Obviously not as amazing as outside, but it is sooo amazing that I don't have to go outside in the cold and rain to train! :-)

Friday i was able to get in my homework swim at Equinox, that gym in the West Village is AMAZING!! my jaw almost dropped when I walked through the door.  The pool was relatively nice, with only 3 lanes. I should have gotten there earlier, like I had planned, but whatever. :-)  so needless to say, it was crowded.  The good thing is they only allow 3 to a lane and but the bad news is it was full except the slow lane and i am a relatively fast swimmer, so my intervals we not quick as I had hoped.  But what can you do?

Friday afternoon, my brother and new sister-in-law headed to Annapolis for my nephew/godson's first communion.  It was such a nice weekend.  Despite the traffic getting down there, the weekend was gorgeous!  Don (my brother-in-law)'s dad brought a PIG up from North Carolina and we had a proper pig roast on Saturday afternoon after the ceremony.  It was delicious.

Before the ceremony, I headed out for my Brick.  Training peaks had us doing 35 miles on the bike and a 30min run.  Given I had an interesting ride, I only managed to get in 30 miles on the bike and a 15 min run, in order to get ready in time for the ceremony.

additionally, the bike I was on was  3 speed.  The gears only changed when they felt like it and constantly got stuck in between gears when they did attempt to change.  Also, the seat.  The seat kept sliding down to the tires, LOL.  I would start all tall and proud and 2mi later you would have thought I was 12... it was rather hysterical to stop every 2 miles to pull the seat back up or to fix the chain after it fell off.  BUT, it was a fun and comical ride... and I gave myself an intimate tour of annapolis... and along the way I saw all these street signs of my friends.  it was kind of nice, I felt as if they were there with me.

 Sunrise in downtown Annapolis

 Sunrise in downtown Annapolis

 These two were taken on Naval Academy Bridge

THE BIKE

The Fam... although its not everyone... 

 My brother Billy, my Dad and my Dad's girlfriend, Susanne

My sister-in-law Amy and my sister Jenny

Sunday was a tiny bit of a struggle to wake up, after all it was a celebration on Saturday! :-)  But that being said, I still got up and out and handled my run and even managed to rope my sister into coming with me, although she in turn roped the dog, Roxy in as well... so it was a family affair. We handled it.  Jenny through in a few hills, which I appreciated, beautiful views and my favorite, neighborhood gems including a trainset built year round in a yard and bears! Literally this one house had over 20 wooden bears carved out all over their yard.  It's pretty neat.

All in all, not too shabby of a recovery, travel week.  Tonight we kick off another build week.  I am excited to see what the coaches have in store for us.  

Now ... off to the pool!

Don't forget to donate. :-) http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/VineHIrn14/RachelHGriffin

Tri-ath-lete

Blowin' In the Wind

This is getting REAL!

Our build weeks are getting crazy. A couple of weeks ago (yes, i know i have not posted. sorry!) we were in another build week.  It was getting intense and exciting as our team was gearing up for the first of our Triathlons - Wildflower.  

At the pool we had intense drills.  I dont know what happened to me that night, but my right shoulder felt funny.  it is 100% fine now, it was like I got a kink in my neck, but it was my shoulder. I have no idea, but once we did our warm-ups, I was all wacky.  So weird.  Anyway, I continued to swim it out the best I could.  You know me, any opportunity to get in the pool, I am there, so I am sure you know the frustrations I had that night.

The next day was our biking session.  I was planning on biking with the team in the am, but i ended up having an early morning meeting, so I had to reschedule my work dinner to make the ride.  Amalfi 1-2-3.  WOW.

So you know the Amalfi loop that I have mentioned before.  The one with the hills, including Chain Break Hill, well... we had to conquer that and then some!  Basically, 1-2-3 is you bike as fast as you can up Amalfi for one minute, then you bike back down.  Then you bike up as fast as you can for 2 minutes and bike back down and then you go back up for 3 minutes... and then rest for 1 min... REPEAT 3 more times.  WOW WOW WOW. 

Now, I am not saying we are badass... but we are badass.  Laura, Dani, Keli, Eryn and I handled.  In fact we had to do Chain Break Hill 3 times - and we KILLED IT! it was tough, but we did it and man were we happy! After we had to do a quick and painless run.  Not too shabby!

Dani, Me, Laura, Kelie

Eryn, Me, Laura, Dani & Kelie

Thursday was the trackless track workout.  the one where you run as far as you can in 2min and then you have to run back and forth in less time.  Needless to say, since I had to reschedule my work dinner to Thursday night, I had to do this workout on my own.  It was awful and I honestly did not do that well.  This is a tough workout and you definitely need your team to support you.

Friday night we had a LLS team night at Dodger Stadium. It was so fun.  Of course the majority of us left by the 7th inning stretch, we had an awesome night.  Good Friends, Good Fun and Good Dodger Dogs! :-) 

Bucket, Kelie, Nicole

Becky, Me, Kelie & Nicole

Saturday... oh lordy Saturday.

Saturday was one of those days that you talk about for a loooooooooong time.  It was COLD and the headwinds and crosswinds ranged from 15MPH - 25MPH.  I swear I felt like when I was pedaling I was going no where or that I was running in place. 

Since the wind was so high, the coaches modified our 45mi to 37mi... but I promise you, it felt like we went 100 miles! :-) 

The run was 4 miles and literally I was pelted with so much sand that I think I still have some in my hair.

Now, I know the pictures below won't do the wind justice, but if you notice there are kite boarders in the water, that should help you. :-)

ZUMA BEACH

Sunday, continued to blow... windy that is, not training.  So, given the weather, we did not swim, but we did have to run 10 miles.  And after the bike on Saturday, all of our legs were a little wobbly, but we did it, especially with a little TNT Inspiration along the way.  In fact, I knocked a few minutes of my time and completed the 10 miles in 1:54!! WAHOOOOOOO!!!   Within my intervals, I had worked my way up to running 1mi then walking 1min... but Coach Javier thinks that I should run faster at an 8:1 interval... It will be tough, but I am looking forward to seeing how this works out.  Fast in the long run - for Cozumel sounds awesome in my book!