Postscript
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Oh, and in light of the last post...and also just in general...this makes me sick. One of Wisconsin's own delegation could be the reason that Michael Vick could (should he be found guilty, blah, blah, blah) get off with a slap on the wrist.

Way to go Big Jim.

Posted by Erin 1:35 PM 1 comments

Ode to Leonard

I would plan out my morning according to if I'd be able to get home over the lunch hour to let him out, if he was going to daycare, et cetera. If he was going to be alone most of the day, I'd set my alarm clock extra early, rise (no shining with this girl) and don a pair of old shorts or sweats and an either short or long-sleeved t-shirt, grab his chuck-it, and head out the door with Leonard for the dog-park. If I was going to be home at lunch or if he was headed to doggie daycare for the day, we'd both sleep in (he loves sleeping as much as I do) and I'd give him a quick four-block walk and a bowl of food before turning on the TV for him (he watches C-Span; we don't have cable so, unfortunately for him, there's no Animal Planet watching to be done) and heading off to work.

Happy hour right after work has never been a part of my routine -- or even an occasional thing -- because of Leonard, and I'm glad for it. Like working out itself, there are times when I'd rather go out for drinks instead of going home, but by the time I open my door to find a wiggling, tail-wagging, trout-carrying Vizsla, any desire for a (sometimes much-needed) cocktail just up and vanishes.

And inevitably, while others I know are sipping vodka tonics and bottles of beer on patios all around Madison, Leonard waits patiently while I change from work clothes to workout clothes and loses all control when I reach into my closet and pull out a pair of running shoes.

After he dances around and I finally get his running (choke) collar fastened (necessary for preventing the loss of limbs from Leonard's sudden bursts of squirrel-hunting), we head out the door.

He has a hard time at first. Surging ahead, wanting to rid himself of all the extra energy that's been building throughout the day, excited that he's outside and, I like to think, with his favorite Person (me). "Back!" I tell him. And he gets back. For like three steps. Then he surges again.

For three miles or so, it goes like this. I'm not sure what people must think, me running up on them yelling, "Back! Back! Back!" But in front, Leonard wanders and I trip over him. So he has to stay by my side. Besides, it's just good obedience.

And eventually, he falls in. We match our strides, and he trots along happily, noticing squirrels but not acting on the desire to tree each and every one. Every once in a while -- if we're on a familiar route -- he gets excited at the sight of a tree. A tree where he previously corned a squirrel. Object permanence, my mom-the-former-psychologist, told me.

Sometimes, it's only possible to focus on the hardness of the run. On not wanting to do it or on having to get it done and out of the way so I can move on to checking off other errands and to-dos for the day. But once in a while, I get caught up in the spirit of being outside. In being able to run. In having been blessed with not one amazing dog in my lifetime, but two, and in having the second right beside me. My buddy. And times like those, I stop and crouch down in the grass or snow and I rub his shoulders, and he puts his front paws on my shoulders and licks the salty sweat off my face and I tear up because he makes me so gosh-darned happy and gives out such unconditional love.

I just started running again. This weekend, really. And last night I did an easy four-miler with CoS. Leonard would've loved it. And last night I realized, as I have been lately, that I'm looking forward to getting my old life back post-September 9th with every last sinew of my body.

I know I'll look back on this Ironman experience (given that I actually finish the race) with great memories. I know that there will be days I'll long for having a goal to push myself toward, and that in a sick, weird way, I'll miss giving up my Saturdays to double-bricks and my late nights to Masters workouts. But I don't know if I'll go back for a second round anytime soon, if ever.

Right now I'm pushing through and doing what needs to get done so that I can reach this goal. But I'm looking forward to a life more balanced. I'm looking forward to riding my horse -- newly broken out -- for the first time and readying him for my first show season in nearly five years. I'm looking forward to a meal cooked by me and served for friends mid-week. I'm looking forward to bringing back group viewings of Grey's Anatomy (will Lexie Grey come between Meredith and McDreamy? Drum roll...), to Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market, and Friday nights that don't include laying out Clif Blocks, salt tabs, and cycling gear for the next day. And most of all, I'm looking forward to reuniting with my little brown buddy.

I don't know if this makes me less of an Ironman-in-training...if it makes me less dedicated or less worthy of the goal I'm god-willing trying to accomplish. But if I'm honest with myself -- really, really honest -- it's all true. I don't know if I'm okay with that, but I suppose I eventually will be. And until then, for now, the knowledge that my old life is waiting right around the corner for me is the carrot I'm dangling for motivation.

Posted by Erin 12:23 PM 3 comments

Brick in the Wall
Monday, July 23, 2007

The last two weeks are not what anyone would likely call smooth training.

There were workouts cut short because I had to wait 30 minutes to get a swim lane and/or because some kiddie tossed his/her cookies in the pool and everyone had to evacuate for an hour (which conveniently ran right up against closing time) so staff could clean and disinfect. There was too much celebrating of my own birthday on my part. There was work craziness. And there were impromptu naps, where a quick "I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes" turned into an hour. I had decided that all of this would be okay, because I had a grrrrr-eat weekend workout planned: a 50-miler for the Trek Bike for Kids on Saturday, followed by the Spirit of Racine 1/2 Iron on Sunday.

But, like the rest of the previous two weeks, that plan was hijacked when I waited too long to register for Racine. I was holding off in hopes that I'd be cleared by my PT to do the entire race, and not just the Aquabike. In the meantime, both closed.

So there I was without a planned swim start in a packed field, with half of my weekend workout missing, and with Ironman only seven weeks off. And then I did what Ironman teaches you to do: improvise.

I started by accepting the situation and acknowledging that I was partially relieved. A long- standing commitment on Saturday night would've required that I do the Saturday ride, then drive to Racine to check my bike in, then drive back to Madison to attend my Saturday-night festivities, and then drive back to Racine either that night or later that night -- at like 3:30 in the morning -- all to only do a portion of the 1/2 Ironman, as I hadn't been cleared to do the run. A little crazy, even by my standards of late.

Instead, I devised the following plan:

First, I will do this 2.4 mile open water swim on the IM-Moo course (or thereabouts) in lieu of a 1/2 Ironman (or two), since that's really what I was gunning for in doing a half: getting a good swim start in, seeing how it would feel, etc.

Second, and more immediate, I decided to turn my Saturday 50-mile ride into a double-brick workout: bike, then run 40 minutes off the bike, then another 1.5-2 hour bike, then another 40 minutes off.

This went fantastically well. The ride was really enjoyable, incredibly well-run, and it was great to do 50 miles where I a) did not have to chart out the course and check directions on my own, and b) could enjoy some change in scenery (well, there were still a lot of cows and trees, but at least I couldn't tell you what was coming up around the bend down to the quarter mile). The terrain was challenging, and I pushed the pace (for me) so that I ended up finishing in 3:06 and averaging 15.8 mph.

I finished the ride with slightly tired legs, changed into running shoes, grabbed my garmin and ipod, and set off. And except for overheating a bit (happens often to me -- I just don't sweat enough), it felt great: good rhythm, good speed (about 9:15 minute miles), and most importantly, no hip pain. Hurray!

After an hour stop-off to fuel up at the amazing after-party for the ride (burritos from Qudoba, beer from the Great Dane, burgers from Fudruckers, ice cream from Culvers, plus water, oranges, cookies, soda, and you name it from the race -- although I didn't eat ALL of this), it was back home to put my bike on the trainer and continue the brick.

Now, I know it was a beautiful day out and I should've just ridden outside, but I didn't want to. I didn't want to do Seminole Highway to Whalen Road for the third time that week, I didn't want to figure out a new and interesting route, and I really didn't want to worry about water and Gatorade fill-ups. So, I got in a solid hour and fifteen minutes back on the bike, and then another solid four mile run in immediately after.

This, my friends, was all preceded on Friday by a two-mile swim (straight laps), and followed on Sunday morning by another mile swim (main set of 10x100 -- 25 easy, 25 build, 25 easy, 25 hard).

All in all, I felt good about the training I got in. Although not necessarily lightning-fast, I feel strong and, with each passing day, increasingly confident. If I needed to, I think I could manage a solid race-day performance tomorrow.

Thankfully, though, I don't have to. I still have four super-intense, 20 to 25+ hour training weeks to get through before I start to taper. I still have an open water swim, the Dairyland Dare (which I'm turning into a brick workout with an hour run off the bike), and I also have time to work out a written race day plan, which is in the works and I'll post soon.

I'm not necessarily refreshed. But I'm looking at this next four weeks not in context of a year's worth of training, but in isolation. Tomorrow is the first day of training for the next month. That's all I have. Every day counts now, and I just have to focus on the day ahead. Like Pam Reed said, when signing her book for me back in May, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other."

One arm, then the next. One pedal stroke, then the next. One foot in front of the next. Four weeks. The countdown is on.

Posted by Erin 7:37 AM 2 comments

Slacker
Friday, July 20, 2007

When the going gets tough, the tough...sleep.

This week, I've done about one-third of the workouts I was supposed to. Tuesday? Scheduled for a swim, bike, and short run-off. Actual? Bike. Wednesday? Nada. Thursday? Three mile run.

And Ironman? Oh, only EIGHT weeks off! Arrrghhhh! What in holy hell am I doing?

In my defense, I didn't plan to skip these days. Mid-week visitors, combined with birthday celebration, combined with a crazy-ass work week, combined with my complete inability to get myself into a morning workout routine has resulted in a poor (pitiful?) showing on the "actual hours logged" portion of the workout chart.

Wednesday, my sister and brother-in-law, my dog, and my adorable fur-nephew Nolan (below), came to visit. I got out of work late, they arrived in Madison early, and (as one of my fav political bloggers would say) wallah! No workout.

Leonard and Nolan.

Then, up early yesterday to get the dogs to the park, have breakfast with the sister, and get on the road to Wausau for work. I should have been at the pool at 4:30 after driving back. I even had my gear with me. But a work crisis arose, and since I can't very well swim with my blackberry or take it biking with me and needed to be near a computer when I got the call I was anticipating, I was relegated to a quick three miles on the treadmill. Now, in full disclosure, I was done with everything by 8-ish. I should have hauled myself to the pool. I should've gotten my ass on the bike. But what did I do? Ate Thai food in bed and went to sleep at 9:30.

This, I've sternly told myself, is not very Ironman-ish behavior. I'm disappointed in myself, and frustrated with all that I didn't do.

I'm trying not to beat myself up over this. Better ten percent undertrained than ten percent overtrained. Must've needed the rest. Tough weekend coming up. And all that, et cetera. But it's definitely weighing on me.

I vow right now to do better next week. And the week after that. And the week after that. Right up until THE day. I will do better.

Posted by Erin 1:45 PM 1 comments

R&R
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Today, I feel rested.

This, to most people, isn't a big deal. But to me? This year? Huge. Or, bigger than that, even -- ginormous.

You see, I've been tired for so long that I've pretty much forgotten what it felt like to wake up willingly in the a.m. ... or to not crave a nap more than anything else in the world almost daily... or to think how I can't wait to crawl into bed and fall asleep as soon after dinner as possible.

My dad, now a judge, used to tell my sister and I stories about law school. One particular story, told when both of us were considering law as our chosen careers, involved his group's weekly outing for beers, during which -- according to my dad -- they would all sit around and sleepily ask themselves if they were having enough fun to justify being out.

These days -- these past handful of months or more of Ironman training -- I can relate. Because going out for a drink or two, or catching a late movie, or just plain staying up too late now doesn't result in just being a little tired the next day. Rather, it's a push over the line into exhaustion.

I don't mean to whine. I know -- just like Chief of Stuff said -- that I chose this. And I have also chosen to have a couple of drinks or accept an invite out even when I knew I should be heading to bed instead, just to salvage some semblance of a social life. I've tried hard to do it all, and as anyone with half a brain cell will attest, that's just not possible. Something's gotta give. It always does. And with me, as an attempt to keep a bit of a balance in my life, that something has been sleep.

So, this weekend, I got what was possibly the Best Ever birthday gift that someone attempting an Ironman could get: two nights at what is, quite possibly, the most relaxing place on earth -- Sundara.

Any description of this place will fall short. It's an absolute pine-tree-surrounded oasis in the midst of the kitchy craziness that is Wisconsin Dells. There's no smoking, no cell phones, and thanks to the feng shui design, minimal corners or straight lines. This -- along with the unbelievable beds (featherbeds, fluffy down comforters, and gazillion-thread count sheets), the out-of-this-world robes that the resort encourages you to wear everywhere, and the self-guided Purifying Bath Ritual (a succession of different temperature showers, a sandstone scrub, steam room, hot tub, cool tub, and hydrating mist) that you can do to your heart's content -- creates what is, quite possibly, the epitome of relaxation.

Sunday was a pool day. Lounging in the sun, reading trashing magazines (throughout the weekend, I binged on US Weekly, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Glamour, and People, with some Stuff and Maxim thrown in for good measure), sipping on mojitos, and taking cat naps on the uber-comfy pool chaises. That was followed by being taken by Town Car (the spa provides transportation in town) to a great dinner at the Del Bar (good wine and lobster...yumm), and back to the spa for a nightcap and some sleep.

Monday morning, I woke at 8 a.m., raring to go, as this has been my weekend M.O. for as long as I can remember in this process. There's always a workout to start so I can get to something else later in the day, or a full day of errands to fit in. But Monday, I had nothing to do. Nowhere to be. And it felt great. Glorious. So I curled back into the massive nest of feathers and promptly fell back asleep until 10 a.m. I don't think I've slept that late in more than a year.

Then it was off to breakfast at The Cheese Factory -- an amazing little vegetarian restaurant with a funny name and an outstanding menu. I had Eggs Montery -- poached eggs over tomatoes and avocado on a croissant and topped with hollandaise -- and split the grilled cornbread (smothered in maple syrup) with CoS. Yummm. The rest of the day was spent wandering around the local outlet mall until the sun broke, then back to the spa for some pool time before getting a Sandstone Polish treatment and massage. Then sushi and champagne for dinner.

Notice how, in the above two graphs, there was not one mention of anything Ironman-related? That's because the two days at Sundara were totally devoid of anything to do with miles logged, miles yet-to-be-logged, average pace, heart rate, rpms, Clif Shots, Gatorade, endurolytes, or recovery drinks and icing.

This was, in short, just what I needed. Sundara wants visitors to "rejuvenate your soul"... and I'm sure that happened. But more importantly, my mind and body finally feel whole again, and ready to tackle the remaining eight weeks until race day.

Anyone close enough to the Dells should make a point of heading to Sundara, even for a day trip, pronto. And any 2007 Wisconsin Ironman-ers out there? Seriously consider a post-race trip. It's only an hour up the road from Madison and might be just the recovery you need. I'm not even close to being a spa-type girl, but this place? It's just that good.

Posted by Erin 8:53 AM 5 comments

Thievery
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Just saw this on one of my favorite IM-related blogs, and I love it, especially because I loathe mornings more than any single, solitary person I know:

Get up.

It sucks. Then it doesn't.

Go train.

It sucks. Then it doesn't.

Always in that order.

Yes. Yes. Yes. I guess if it was easy, everyone would be doing it, right?

Posted by Erin 12:53 PM 0 comments

More Vicarious Blogging - WIBA
Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Below is CoS's recap of the weekend ride.

*********************************************

The 75-Mile Cycling Report Card: Grades by Chief-of-Stuff

Clipping In: B- (necessary, but difficult to do with consistent grace)

Clipping Out: A- (even more necessary and learned quickly)

Being Clipped In: B+/A- (seems like it should help even more, but you definitely look like a real cyclist)

Aerobars: C+ with room for improvement (surprisingly hard to balance in, but much easier to catch up to the Ironites when down in aerobars)

Pro-cyclist Nutritional Guidelines from Erin's Friend, Frank: A+ (Coke and a Snickers Bar...Get the man a MacArthur Genius Award!)

Biking Outbound Through Suburban Sprawl: D- (Whoever invented strip malls should be forced to spend their remaining days someplace soulless...like JC Penny)

Biking Inbound Through Suburban Sprawl: B+ (Nothing like 90 degrees, 300 minutes, and 75 miles to make you happy to see Fitchburg again)

Fancy Bike Shorts Recommended by the Trek Guys: AS (as in Ass Saver)

Pre-ride Respect for Erin: A (Just hearing about her schedule makes me tired)

Post-ride Respect for Erin: A++ (God, she does this every week!)

Posted by Erin 7:12 AM 1 comments