The Tears Were Worth It...

Just short of a year ago, I started on a new venture in triathlon - working with a coach.  Not just having a coach give me a training plan and leave me to my own devices, but really committing myself to her plan, communicating regularly, and putting all my trust into her that I would come out a better athlete for it.  The truth is, it wasn't easy - mentally, physically, emotionally, any and all of it.

Scared and frustrated....

We started with a couple preliminary phone calls to get to know each other.  I knew I liked her, I was confident I had someone who knew what she was doing, passionate about the sport and her clients, and willing to take this journey with me.   Not only that but they say the best people to learn from are people who have made it to where you want to be.  Done and Done.

One of the first things we did was establish preliminary HR zones.  She gave me zones and each bike and run were to be done in said zone.  I had never really used my HR monitor before - it just laid around and occasionally I'd put it on for a run just to see what my heart was doing.  After less than 2 weeks I had had it with these 'zones'!  I was running slower than I'd ever run before (11-12 minute miles), I was having to walk uphill.  I was confident that these zones were drastically off.  I had spent the fall prior to starting with my coach working on my running and setting a shiny 2 minute PR in the 10-mile run.  I had my heart set on a nice new PR for a half-marathon in March and I was running so slowly I began to doubt whether or not I'd even be able to finish.

I began to doubt the plan, the coach, the thought that I even had a chance of doing decently well at IMLP.  I went out for a run one morning, wearing HR monitor and watch, and said 'screw it'.  I
wanted to run, and so I ran - with a skyrocketing HR and positive splits.  Later that day, I got a nice little email reminding me that I needed to stick with the zones we'd set forth or this would be a waste of time.  Ok, ok - another week went by.  I stuck to the zones, but I was upset.  I no longer looked forward to working out.  Runs became a source of stress and confidence crushers.

If you don't have one, get one.

I came back from a run feeling completely frustrated and upset.  I sunk into my comfy sack (bean-bag type chair) and sulked.  Adam was over and said, 'why don't you make a list and tell Kim you want to talk?'  I pulled out my phone and started making a list.  While I was deep in concentration working on my list, Kim texted me.  She wanted to talk, and wanted to know if I was available then or that afternoon.  I'm still skeptical that Adam wasn't secretly communicating with her, but he denies it, and I've always been told I wear my emotions on my sleeve.  Not to mention Kim is pretty in-tune with her athletes, I just didn't know it...until that day.

After a couple minutes of hesitating on whether or not I was available.  I was available, but was I ready to enter this conversation?  I didn't know, because I was truly thinking I might give up on the coaching thing and just do this on my own.  Afterall, IM Louisville 2012 didn't go too horribly awful.  I decided to be honest and tell her that I was available.  Five minutes later, my phone was ringing.  It was during that phone call that I realized and decided I was letting go.  I was going to stick to the HR zone training and give this method an honest and dedicated try.  I had one of the best female athletes in the sport guiding me, and giving up after just a few weeks wasn't what I really wanted.

After we chatted for a good while and went over what purpose of this HR training was, where we were headed and how this works.  She put me in touch with one of her athletes that'd she been working with.  Emailing back and forth with the athlete was helpful but ultimately I was still on edge about staying with my coach.  I had drafted up an entire email to another coach and was skeptical that running 11-12 minute miles was somehow really going to lead to faster times and a better aerobic engine.  As I had decided though, I was going to give this whole thing a true and honest try.  I was putting my training, my fitness, my control in her hands.

******

Well news flash, if you're going to adjust your zones and do true heart rate based training you have to check your ego at the door and drink a big glass of patience.  You'll probably have to walk up hills to stay in some zones, you'll have to run 10-12 minute miles at the beginning.  I thought my coach was crazy when we started this process.  I trained mostly by myself for the first few months, getting used to staying in a zone and nailing the middle of the zone as my average while speeding up as I worked toward the top of the zone throughout the workout.  It took me a good bit of time to really be able to 'run' and start at the bottom (or even below!) of the intended zone and work towards the top throughout the workout.

For me, heart rate training was all about developing the aerobic system.  Sure, I was a collegiate soccer player - an aerobic sport, right?  Not so much, I was well trained to go hard and fast for short bursts with slow jogging and some resting in between.  Sustained running (Half-marathons) meant I was running with a very high heart rate the entire time.  Probably one of the reasons my 10 mile time/pace was much better than my half-marathon time/pace.  It was difficult and is difficult to do any anaerobic activity for much longer than 90 minutes.

PR's, World's, Podiums...

With a sincere try and effort your aerobic system will develop.  You'll get faster in lower zones.  Over time the zone that you were running 10:30/min miles in will become 8:30/min miles.  I explained this to one of my friends as moving the floor down instead of trying to push the ceiling up as she struggled with the same thing just this past fall.  If we think of the ceiling as our max heart rate there is really no way we can push that up.  With age our max heart rate will even begin to decrease, so it is in our best interest to move the floor down and teach our bodies to run at lower heart rates, thereby creating a more efficient aerobic system.

Almost a year ago my coach asked me to trust her and give her just a few months.  I did, I went all in (I was nervous as heck I'd come out slower than molasses)....and it's all been completely worth it.  In 2014 I made more improvements than I ever thought possible.  I PR'd every distance that I raced.  My race results were better than I had thought possible at the beginning of the year.  As difficult as the first couple months were, the results and the fitness gains made were completely worth the struggle at the beginning of the year.

******

I just finished my first week of lactate threshold testing for 2015.   It's amazing looking back and comparing the results to my first tests of 2014.  There's still plenty of room for improvement but it's nice seeing things come along in a concrete sort of way.  I spent the first few weeks of the year slowing down, getting back into the zones, and getting prepared for an exciting year ahead.

I've also had the privilege of helping or at least attempting to help a few friends, patients, training buddies along that have recently started with heart rate training.  The first few months of 2014 there were plenty of doubts, plenty of tears, and more than enough frustrations on my end.  There were even some doubts as I started back to it this year and some disbelief that my body would come back around.  Once again, I was reminded, it truly is amazing what this incredible machine (aka the human body) is capable of.

Double the Fun in 2015

2014 was a better year than I ever would have expected.  I started working with a coach, I raced/trained with the DC Tri/Snapple Elite team, started working at a new clinic (Rose Physical Therapy Group), raced my 2^nd Ironman, qualified for 70.3 World Championships and…set a new PR in every distance I raced.  The start to 2014 wasn’t really all that glamorous and had its fair share of tears, frustration and 2^nd thoughts.  All in all 2014 was a great year and you can read all the race reports here.  How could I have even more fun lined up in 2015 you ask?

To start MR. is getting a bit of a makeover.  A new cockpit and a new crank – Quarq Power Meter – will be ready to go when I’m ready to kick off my 2015 training.  I’ve gone back and forth on the decision to put money in to MR. or sell the bike and put all the money into a new bike.  I love this bike and right now the biggest improvements will come from improving the engine not the machine.  MR. and I are together for another year!

The 2015 race schedule will look a bit different than previous years.  Much less racing, more focus on A races, and minimal short course racing.  Racing is fun and I think a couple of years ago it was good for me to go out and race (almost every weekend) just having fun and landing a spot on the podium at local races.  I currently don’t have a single local race on my schedule for 2015.  2015 will be my first double Ironman year.  I’ll race my first foreign race at the 70.3 World Championships in Zell Am See, Austria.  It will also mark a complete year working with my coach – which means she’s seeing me through my off season and the beginning of my 2015 training (unlike last year where I got some crazy rides/runs out of my system in January before beginning with her). 

The 2015 races involve flying…with my bike!  I’ve flown to triathlons before, but I’ve always lucked out in that MR. has been privileged enough to get a ride in one piece.  I’ll be getting a bike case, learning some more about MR. and practicing packing him up and getting him back together – race ready part.  I know this is doable, as I have many friends who have done this successfully, multiple times, but it still makes me nervous.

Zell Am See 

In 2015 I’ll be racing on the Snapple/DC Tri Elite team (yes, I did this in 2014)…alongside Adam!  I’m pretty excited about some training weekends, race weekends and team events in 2015.  This will also be the first year where I won't be transitioning from school to work or old job to new job.  I'm looking forward to some consistency (even if it means I won't have a random couple weeks off during peak training).

2015 will be the first year that I start a training cycle after taking a couple complete weeks off of training.  I honestly don’t know the last time I had  ‘real’ off-season.  In college I always used the off-season to improve my fitness.  Past years in triathlon I’ve gotten caught up in the USAT National Club Challenge competition and in 2012 probably logged some of my biggest months in the ‘off-season’.  I’m all for off-season fun but some people take that thing way to seriously – it doesn’t do any good to be a January champion.

For now, I’ll keep enjoying my time off and working on some non-triathlon related projects.  Here’s a peak at what the 2015 race schedule is lining up to look like.

4/18/15 – TryCharleston ½ Iron Race

5/16/15 – IRONMAN TEXAS

7/19/15 – New Jersey State Triathlon (Regional Club Championships)

8/30/15 – 70.3 IM World Championships – Zell Am See, Austria
9/28/15 – IRONMAN CHATTANOOGA

2014 Annapolis 1/2 Marathon Race Report

Every year I tell myself I'll run a flat-ish 1/2 marathon course and really see what I can do...and somehow every time I end up running up and down hills!  I signed up for Annapolis without knowing much about it except it was cheaper than Philly, closer than Philly, and our good friend Mark lives less than a mile from the race start.  When I registered I was pretty sure it would be flat, being a coastal town and all.  After reading some race reports and hearing stories of this race from friends I knew I'd be in for some hills.  At least the hills have a way of keeping it interesting.

Some race reports and stories that I'd heard didn't have much good things to say about the course.  Long, hilly, windy, never running this race again, etc.  I decided I needed to check it out for myself.  I started the 2014 season off with a 1/2 marathon at Rock n'Roll DC (also not really flat) and wanted to close it out with one as well.  All in all this race wasn't bad.

Adam and I headed up to our friend, Mark's house on Friday afternoon.  I made a quick stop for some homeopathic cold remedies as I'd felt a tickle in my throat all day at work.  Zicam, Airborne, sore throat lozenges, etc...I was avoiding the 'good' stuff until post race as to not wreck havoc on my heart rate.  I'm pretty good at rating my RPE, but heart rate really keeps me honest during a race, especially from going out too fast, so wanted my HR to be as reliable as possible for the race.  I probably had the most expensive urine at the race on Saturday morning from the pure amount of vitamin C I took in on Friday.

After hanging out a bit with Mark, Donner, and Heather we all went out to meet up with more DC folk for dinner.  Mark lives close to just about everything, so we walked the 2 blocks to dinner...and it was super cold out.  I started my night with some hot tea to clear the sinuses and keep warm.  I knew the forecasted low of 37 for race morning was likely too good to be true.  Dinner was great and of course entertaining with the crew that accompanied us.  Adam and I headed back to the house after dinner so I could attempt to sleep some this cold bug off.

Race Morning

With a 7am race start I woke up about 2 hours before to get in a decent breakfast and slam some more immune system boosters!  I checked the weather hoping that it would be mid-30's (or warmer! ha) and found 27 degrees.  Oi, not ideal, but at least I'd been running in some colder weather to figure out if my lungs would cooperate and not go into full bronchospasm/exercise-induced asthma mode.  We were able to leave the house at 6:30 and do our warm up jog to race start, check our jackets/extra clothes, and jump in the start corral leaving us with only 3 (actually 7) minutes to wait for the starting gun.  I lined up with Mindy, said a quick hello & good luck to Katie T, and sent Adam off to the front with a good luck kiss before the starting gun.

Float Phase! Thanks for a great pic, Lee!

The Race
My hands were freezing during the first 2 miles, but as the sun came up and my body warmed up I felt great by mile 3.  The course started out fairly flat and I was able to work into my race effort.  I was really also really appreciating the ability to take a full deep breath while I was running -- in the cold!  I'm not sure this is something I've ever been able to do, until recently.  If you missed my post 'The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway' check it out.  The course does have a very interesting intersection during mile 5 in which runner's cross over each other's paths as the volunteer's jump to the side and say 'find a way through, you can do it'!  Very interesting, it really only take a simple change of direction for the out and back/loop runners to mitigate this course issue (maybe other issues then arise).  Seems like something you'd figure out as you design the course and get athlete feed back year after year.  Once past that small obstacle we headed for the Naval Academy Bridge and the land of hills that exists beyond it.  I will say it was more hilly over there than I ever would have expected.  Once we came back across the bridge it flattened out for the last 1.5 miles back to the stadium.  Thank goodness Lee was at mile 11/12...he was probably singing Eric Church songs but I didn't stick around long enough to listen.  I felt great pretty much the entire time (yes, in spite of this illness I'm trying to kick!).  My legs were feeling it by the end, but being able to breathe makes a huge difference.  I decided to carry a small handheld bottle with me and I'm glad I did.  The aid stations had cups full of ice water and iced Gatorade, all the while ice was forming on the roads where water was spilt!  I wanted nothing cold, so my room temperature Osmo Active was perfect.  The finish is a bit anti-climactic as you run through a large parking lot for about a quarter mile before you come around to the side of the finish line and cheering fans.  I chased our friend Caroline into the finisher's chute and was happy to see I'd be finishing with a 4 minute 1/2 marathon PR.  Not too shabby for 27 degrees and sick.  I didn't look at my pace or time once during the race.  I used HR and RPE to guide my effort level, which all and all worked out pretty well.

Disregard the first 2 spikes! Static electricity!

The multiple out and back designs offered ample chances to cheer for friends, which was great.  The race course itself was gorgeous, we got to run through the quaint downtown of Annapolis, around the hills of Annapolis and into the sunshine as it came up over the water.  The course was almost spot on distance wise - maybe a tad long, but nothing like the years before where it was 13.4 miles.  I didn't love the hills while I was running up them, but they really weren't that bad.

Myself, Mindy and Caroline post race

Post-Race
This race is somewhat known for its post race festivities.  Finishers all get a nice half-zip (complete with thumb holes!).  There is hot tomato bisque soup, all you can eat oysters, and all you can drink beer,  along with some staples like bananas and bagels.  There was a great folk band playing, Dublin Five, and the tent was heated!  We hung out for a little while as all of our friends met up and enjoyed the band for a bit before heading back to the house to get cleaned up for a day on the town.  Annapolis was great because there are plenty of local brunch/lunch places and once the sun was shining it was pretty nice to walk around outside during our brief tour of The Academy a la Mark.

DC Tri Crew and Friends!

So...would I do this race again?  Yes, it's convenient, cheaper than most 1/2's and Annapolis is a great town to spend the day in (probably better when you're not sick).  The drive from DC on race day also isn't bad at all, so it doesn't require an overnight stay.

First off thank you to Mark and Donner for being awesome hosts.  Thank you to the DC Tri group and friends (Caroline, Andy, Heather) who made the weekend even better.  Thank you to sponsors Snapple/DC Tri, Osmo Nutrition, RosePT and Louis Garneau that kept me moving instead of freezing! Thank you and congrats to Adam for always being supportive and super fast!