Filles de Fer

It’s tapering time for the Chicago Marathon, so I won’t be going on any more long runs. I can’t just be a total slacker, though, so last night I hopped on the bike and took a nice, leisurely (~10mph) ride over to Target to get a new bike lock. I definitely need some reflectors and a new headlamp, so my vintage Schwinn Catalina doesn’t get crumpled by a car (I’m still shopping for a road bike, so for now I’m just pedaling around on my electric blue cruiser).

I’m not gonna lie, I kind of didn’t think that cycling would kick my butt like it did. I know it works different muscle groups, but wow. I’m definitely feeling it this morning. At least I don’t feel like I’m slacking!

20.16 miles in 2:35:01. If that’s not a PR, I don’t know what is.

(Click on the graph to enlarge.)

I’m not gonna lie, I’m still shocked that I finished a 20-mile run that quickly. My experienced marathoner friend ran his 20-miler earlier in the day in 3 1/2 hours. My half-marathon in Cincinnati this past May took 2:03:44. I was fully expecting to spend at least 4 hours on this run.

In fact, I almost cut the run short because I didn’t start until after noon, and I had to be ready to go to the Chicago Fire game by 5. Note on the Nike+ graph above that the workout is classified as a half-marathon. Yeah, I was going to bail after 13.1 miles. I’m really glad that I didn’t. I was totally hurting at the end (note how my speed tanked during the last three miles), but I feel like I accomplished something. Expectations surpassed.

In case anyone was curious, my playlist was comprised of music by Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Ludacris, Jay-Z, Nelly, DMX, and Kanye West.

I’m psyched for this marathon.

To quote NBA Jam (Yeah, that’s right. NBA Jam.)

Is it the shoes?

I like to plan ahead. I’m not going to be doing the 1/2 Ironman until next summer (right now, I’m aiming for the one next July in Racine), but since I’ve never done a triathlon before, I need to start preparing ASAP.

I found a 20-week training plan online, and I think I’ll give it a try. I’m going wait to start until I’ve finished my upcoming road races (Chicago marathon on 10/7 and Nike Women’s half marathon on 10/21), but it looks pretty reasonable. I might even start to do a few of the early workouts on my gym/pool days.

The plan breaks down into 6 phases: prep, base 1, base 2, base 3, build, and taper/race. Each phase has a set of “Complete Athlete” notes. Let’s take a look at the first phase, prep:

Racing Prep: No racing planned for this period, but since you’ve probably identified your key half IM race, take a look at the course, predicted weather, swim conditions, articles on last year’s race. Compare all these race components with your own strengths and weaknesses. Use online bulletin boards to get course tips from previous competitors. Know thy course.

That race would be the Spirit of Racine Triathlon, on July 20, 2008. Obviously, summertime = hot. The swim is in Lake Michigan (hey, I can practice there!) and I’m going to need a wetsuit because that’s some chilly water. The bike is a hilly ride, but the run is flat. I like flat runs! I’ve found some reviews here, and it looks like my biggest challenge is going to be the bike (surprise, surprise). Maybe that spinning class is a good idea, after all!

Training:
This period is “preparing to train”–building base endurance through work and recovery. We’ll keep the same number of hours throughout the period and approximately the same schedule. The goal is consistency and getting the body warmed up for the longer periods ahead.

Sounds good to me. Hopefully I’ll already be at a decent base endurance level after the marathon (at least in terms of running).

Mental Health: Try to get in outdoor workouts in the best and worst weather possible. The more cold, wet, windy, and sweltering conditions you experience while training will carry over to much higher confidence come race day. You can’t prepare much physically on race morning, so confidence and motivation reign supreme.

Cold, wet, windy? Chicago in late fall…hmm, that sounds about right.

Efficiency: Form, form, form. If your swim stroke needs work (that’s all of us), find ways to improve technique in these early weeks-hire a local coach to video and give feedback, take lessons, read, watch videos. Form, form, and form are the keys to swimming fast.

Ouch. My form does need work. I have really poor breathing technique (I hold my breath instead of exhaling naturally) and I’m totally inexperienced with lake swimming and swimming in a wetsuit, so that’s a hurdle. For now, I guess I’ll focus on breathing, since the wetsuit isn’t happening quite yet. I’ve been reading about tri swimming techniques, and something I always thought was a disadvantage/poor form - a small kick - is actually considered a great energy-saver. The swim is first, after all. I think I’ll try out those hypoxic sets when I swim on Monday, and hopefully I’ll be able to get my breathing up to speed by the time I start the training plan.

I have a 20 mile run scheduled for Saturday morning.

What kind of playlist should I make? I need a solid couple of hours’ worth of music to keep pace to.

I’ve just started swimming again recently. It’s been a few years. By “a few years,” I mean since high school. I used to be a pretty decent swimmer, but being out of the pool for so long has been kicking me.

One thing is for sure - I missed the smell of the chlorine. It’s probably better than caffeine for waking me up.

The pool at the fitness center at school is pretty nice. I’m never sure whether I belong in the beginner, intermediate, or advanced lane, but I suppose that’s all relative to the other people in the pool at the time. I usually start out doing long, slow sets in the beginner lane and sprint work in the intermediate or advanced lane. Eventually, I’m going to swim in the fancy little pool that has a current, and in the spring, I’ll get a wetsuit and try the lake.

My first swim was last week. Here are my workout notes:

2×50 - I hop in the beginner lane and try a couple of 50s, mostly to see if I can still swim. I can. I even remember how to do flip turns!
2×200 - Now that I’m not drowning, a couple of quick 200s to warm up. I’m on the heels of the kid in front of me, and if it weren’t for the pulls I’m about to do next, I’d switch to the intermediate lane.
3×250 pull - I’ve been running plenty, but my upper body needs some work. 750 yards of slooow, exaggerated pulling should be good for that, eh?
7×50 - Some quick 50s. I’m racing against the Bulgarian kids in the intermediate lane next to me.
4×100 - At this point I notice the giant clock, and can time my sets. Wish I’d noticed it for those 50s. Oops. 1:40 cycles, plenty of time to rest in between.
1×500 - Probably not the most effective cool-down, but if I’m going to swim in a tri, I need to work on my continuous distance swimming. A 500 was ok for the first time in a pool, I’ll step it up next time.

Total yardage: 2,500

Today’s workout was a short one. I didn’t have as much time in the pool as I wanted to.

I’ve been running for so long that swimming makes me sore in muscles I’d forgot I had. I feel like I’ve been sledgehammered between the shoulders.

I’m thinking about dropping in some Tuesday morning for a 7am spinning class. I’ve never done spinning before, but anything I can do to ramp up my cycling training is awesome.

Or Iron Chick, whatever. 

I want to do a full Ironman triathlon by my 25th birthday (summer of 2009). That’s going to take some serious work. The plan is to work up to a 1/2 Ironman by next summer, and build from there. I’ll be using this blahg to record my runs, swims, bikes, and other workouts, as well as assorted nutrition tips, workout playlists, and other random things. I’m going to invite my little cousin to the blog, too. She’s my running buddy and she keeps my pace up! We’ll probably do our fair share of taunting, but it’s all in good fun.

Let the training commence.