Off-Season Progress

I'm sitting in the airport at St Louis with still another hour before my flight leaves (I've already been waiting 2) and figured I should use the time to update my blog since the last half hour was spent reading everyone elses' more diligently posted and colorful entries.  I really need to take more pictures.  Maybe my new Mac will inspire me.

Even though it is the off season, I have been making progress on some of my off season goals.  Priority number one is to get healthy again.  I saw Dr. Dec again this past Monday.  She is happy with my progress in PT and has officially released me to do 15 minutes of running, outside, on flat surfaces only sandwiched between walk sessions, a few times a week.  She also didn't scold me too badly for trying to run a few times for a limited number of minutes before I was officially released.  I still have 6 more sessions of PT to attend and then, if I feel good, I am released to my own plan and don't even have to come back in to see her.  So, even though PT has seemed slow and a little unstructured for my taste, I plan to stick with it and hopefully be back on the roads in January.

My post Ironman lbs are also slowly coming off and I'm continuing to reshape my body.  The pounds aren't falling off as fast as they do for those Biggest Loser contestants, but I have managed to lose 6 since October and my suits are baggy again.  My biggest challenge is still the glass or two of wine, particularly in the holiday season.  I know it is unrealistic to cut it out completely with the holiday party circuit starting in earnest, but I've at least vowed to cut all non-party wine.  For some reason, which Tina explains much better than I ever could, my body metabolizes wine like fat and I can't lose or get leaner while drinking wine.  So, the plan is to maintain or maybe even drop a pound or two more between now and the New Year and then come January, its time for some real focus and hopefully those last 9 lbs will disappear.  I wish Subway would pay me $1000 for every lb I would lose.

As for the bike, I'm spending lots of time with it and my new power meter.  I still haven't quite figured out training with it.  The first few rides, my HR zones and power meter zones didn't match up well so we've had to do a bit of adjusting.  And, unfortunately, or fortunately, my power zones have gone up which only means I have to work out harder.  Right when I was starting to get the hang of it, my Quark started acting a little crazy and sending out numbers that the pros generate.  While I would love to generate those numbers, they are no where in my repetoire and so it is back at the manufacturer this week getting a tune up.  This month's progression on the bike has had lots of threshold intervals  -- no fun, but hopefully they'll help me build some more speed for next Spring.

Finally tennis. . . I've been really enjoying spending a little time on the courts during this off season.  I pretty much stopped playing this summer while training for the Ironman for fear I'd injure myself.  Now that the off-season is here, and mixed doubles season starts in January, it was time for me to get back out there.  Bart and my ratings both got bumped up this year so we'll be playing on a higher level team this winter.  This means we both need to find our A games if we are to have any chance to win.  Bart's A game is at least close by.  Mine will take some work to find.  Thankfully all of the work with triathlon training has made me faster on the court and more aware of my surroundings.  So if I can get some timing back and learn a few new skills, I might be okay. The last few Monday night's I've skipped my cycling and instead opted for an intense set of drills and clinic with 3 other gals.  The change of pace has been great and I've realized I missed the sport.

Will have to get on the Christmas wagon this week and finish up some shopping.  That is, unless I decide to head to Philly on Friday to watch the Tribe play their nemisis Villanova in the semis of the FCS playoffs.  GO TRIBE!

Even more about THE BIKE

When I posted Sunday about the Bike, I didn't realize how much "the Bike" would be the focus of my off season.  Then came Monday and my visit to Dr. Dec.

Since April, I've been struggling with hip pain and before that plantar fasciatis. Dr. Herring and Dr. Green got me through training and to be honest, both felt pretty good come time for Ironman.  I fully expected the tweaks of pain to go away completely in my rest weeks.  But they haven't.  And, in fact, my left side has become more plagued than it was before.

So I made my appointment and kept my fingers crossed that she would have my magic cure.  Maybe not a magic cure, but she does have a plan.  Unfortunately, I don't like it.  It seems my right weak side and my rather immobile left foot have lead to huge kinetic issues on my left side  -- my left hip, my left foot and a bunch of places in between.  So until I fix those issues with PT, I'm on "no run" orders.  I can cycle all I want, swim, strength train, run in the pool, do the elliptal but no running. 

It stinks, makes me anxious and I don't like it at all, but at the same time, I want to start January feeling like a million bucks.  Strong, injury free and ready to put in a hard season without getting sidelined.  So, I'm trying to keep an open mind.  I'll listen and put my efforts into getting better and riding faster.  I've got a fun new mountain bike to ride and a new road frame on the way so its a great time to be all about the bike.  Anyone up for a ride?

Detox Diet and "The Bike"

This week has been busy.  Winter workouts started at EF and its been so much fun to train with friends again.  Somehow planks and time on the trainer seem to go a little faster when there are friends to groan with you and hear your sore muscle complaints the next day. 

My focus this week has been on two things -- detoxing my diet and the bike.  As for the detox, I have now been 8 days without alcohol and 7 days without candy and 7 days back on my "diet."   I think the first few days were the worst although Friday brought some serious candy cravings and Saturday night out at friends without any vino was challenging.  But, I am seeing some success and that is keeping me going.  So far, my weight is getting close to IM weight again and my stomach is feeling great.  Not sure if it is the detox itself or the addition of my shakes made with UltraInflmx back in my daily routine.

The weather this weekend has been perfect.  Sunny skies, great temperatures.  Perfect for being outdoors.  Saturday morning SanDee, Kate, DB and I went for a long ride out onto the rural roads of Goochland and Rockville.  Nothing too crazy and a great fall ride.

After our ride, I headed to 3 Sports to pick up ... "The Bike."  Much to my chagrin, when we went into pick it up and handed Ben my normal, regular old pedals, he exclaimed, "No way.  I'm not putting those on this bike.  Where are your clipless pedals?"  "At home,"  I meekly replied.  "Well you need to put them on your bike.  I'm taking this pair."   So. . . after jokes about life insurance, I walked out of the shop with my beautiful new Titus and even more scared about my MTB escapades that were scheduled for Sunday.   Bart "kindly" put my new pedals on my bike when we got home and my cleats on my new yet to be worn MTB shoes and I headed off ot the pool for a swim and tried to put them out of my mind.

This morning, we put my bike on the trainer and I practiced clipping in and out of my new pedals.  They feel tighter than my road pedals and I'm definitely not as skilled at getting in or out of them.  After about 10 minutes of in and out, I figured I probably will go down at somepoint.  So, it might as well be my first day.  Bart and I met Shelley and Karen at Pocohontas for the ride.  After a tour of the parking lots so I could practice my pedals and we go use the bathrooms one last time, we headed out for the easy singletrack.  Shelly hung back during the beginning and game me my first lesson in handling -- stand with your pedals even when you aren't pedalling.  Easier said than done for a non-stander like me but it definitely made sense.  Karen rode lead so that I could see someone's lines and Shelly followed with advice.  Standing definitely felt wierd - particularly going down hill which I already dislike anyway -- but I did okay and my first topple over was a pretty soft fall.  Then we came to the creek.  At the creek, the trail winds down a fairly big right turn, over a narrow bridge and then up a fairly sharp climb.   The last time Bart and I rode and we came to the creek, I got off, walked my bike across the bride and up the hill and remounted.  This time I intended to do the same thing.  But my teachers had other things in mind.  My refusals fell onto deaf ears and soon I was on my bike with Shelly in front holding me back and she and Karen guiding me slowly down towards the creek.  At the bottom I pedaled hard up the other side, and ... ooops, over Karen's wheel before I went down.   Once on the other side, they made me do it again.  They tried for a third, but I drew the line and just kept riding, after I denounced them as friends.

After my hands stopped shaking and my breathing leveled, the rest of the ride was less dramatic.  I felt a little steadier as the ride continued but still not at ease.  After one loop, and no injuries, we headed back to the cars.  I love my new moutain bike and despite the fear am having fun pushing myself so far outside of my comfort zone.  Next week, we have a plan to meet again.  They tell me we'll ride longer and on a little harder trails which is intimidating but at the same time, I can't wait.