Sunday, November 16, 2008

Coundown to Thailand!

Counting down to my annual backpack trip!

I am leaving for Thailand in just three days! I am so glad I didn't cancel this trip because I definitely need the time away to re-group...re-focus...re-energize! Once I get back, it's training in full for IM CDA!

Work was murder this past week! Had to knock out three big meetings in one week and all the prep that goes into it. Had a tension headache that I couldn't get rid of until I set foot into the pain cave Tuesday morning (disgusting I know..funny how that works) for a training session. The headache just disappeared when I was securing my bike onto the CompuTrainer.

Speaking of training, went to the pain cave (Chris' CT classes) twice this week..Tuesday was definitely more painful than Thursday due to the core work exercises that he incorporated in between spin sessions. I could hardly raise my arms to wash my hair after the Tuesday class! Pain..but it'll only make me stronger as I need all the strength building I can get!!

Took P2 (TT bike) out for a mellow 30 miler on Canada Road with Fern, Caesar and Fern's mentee Stephanie. Felt like crap for the first 7 miles but after a quick stop at Robert's Market, my legs found themselves and really had a bonding moment with P2.

Had a great Sunday afternoon...went out for a morning run and then went with Mel to the opening of our friend Rand's custom bike shop, Aria Velo. He got me thinking about getting a new road bike again but it won't be for awhile..probably not for a long while. I'd have to justify the new road bike purchase since Paris aka P1 is still in fine working shape. Yes, I name my bikes. I think all bikes should be named...don't laugh!

Workout Summary-
Swim- 0 hours and 0 minutes
Bike- 4 hours and 36 minutes
Run- 1 hour and 45 minutes
Strength- 0 hours and 30 minutes
Total workout- 6 hours and 51 minutes

Monday, November 10, 2008

Ironteam 2009 Officially Starts!

42 strong and counting in terms of participants!

So Ironteam 2009 officially started this week with Kickoff! Day started at 8am..but 8:30am for yours truly due to some confusion and lasted until about 5:00pm. Guess we should all get used to these long weekend days again! 1st impression of team? So far so good!

I started to train again with IM Coeur d'Alene as my target race. I wasn't going to to start until after I got back from Thailand but my body was itching to workout so I started. I figured I'll get a little head start before I relapse while I am in vacation...hopefully post vacation catch up won't be so painful!

I am truly excited for this upcoming season and my 2nd season training for an Ironman race. I've learned so much from last season about training, nutrition and the reactions of my body that I am anxious to apply this knowledge with the additional help of others and hope to see vast improvements!

Congrats to my friend Brian on the IM 70.3 Championships at Clearwater, Florida this past Saturday! Classic text message this week-

Brian: "Every one here looks so much faster!"
Me: "Just shave your legs Brian..that's all you have to do! Shave down!"
Brian: "No way!"

Workout Summary-
Swim- 0 hours and 0 minutes
Bike- 1 hour and 30 minutes
Run- 1 hour and 25 minutes
Strength- 0 hours and 30 minutes
Total Workout- 3 hours and 45 minutes

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Introduction to the Pain Cave!

"I want to see 22mph Yi..I know you're not at 22..get to 22!

So it's Saturday morning 6:30am..Caesar texts me and tells me that he is here...I grab my TT bike to load onto his truck. He questioned my choice so I went back in and grabbed my road bike instead and off to Chris' "pain cave" we went. I've been meaning to try out one of Chris' computrainer classes but never was really motivated enough to pack my bike in the mornings. M2 made it so much more accommodating with the CycleOps trainer. Anyway, Chris decided to offer a Saturday AM class due to the rainy forecast so I signed up. We arrived at Breakaway Performance where class was held but no sign of Chris just yet. Chris shows up but door was locked and he didn't have the key to get in. Joel, one of the guys that run Breakaway, showed up and doors were opened. Instead of 120 minutes of pain, we now had 100 minutes, sweet!

I had a little bit of trouble calibrating my bike as it calibrates once I pedal to 25 mph. Well, I haven't been on my bike since Ironman so I had a little trouble pedalingto 25mph..even with Chris standing next to me saying,"Yi..you have to pedal to 25..you can't start class until you hit 25!" I was trying! haha. I tried to tell him to that I haven't been on my bike for months but he wouldn't take it. Fine! I didn't think he would. Between having trouble calibrating my bike and needing Tom and Caesar's help to get me a different bike scewer and tightened, I've never felt like such a girl. Haha. Anyway, my legs decided to save me another minute of embarassment and pedaled to 25mph, got calibrated, class started and with that, pain did as well! It would be my luck that between Caesar and I was an empty bike spot because that trainer wasn't working and that empty spot would be Chris' standing spot every so often. Every now and then, Chris would say, "22 Yi..you're not at 22mph.. I can tell" Well crap, I can tell too! In the end, it was a painfully fun morning. I think I may be back to his classes and hopefully, it will do wonders to my cycling performance at IM CDA! By the end of class, I swear I would have nightmares that night of animals eating animals (he was showing National Geographic on the screen..it was quite disturbing!) with Chris' voice in the background telling me to get to 22!

Well, I organized my workout clothing and there is no longer just a HUGE stack of it in my room but while cleaning, I realized that I lost my sleeveless flames jersey. Where can it be?! I hope it will turn up soon!

Also heard from someone that I didn't think I'd ever hear from, Joe Vicker! I met Joe at mile 85ish of IM Loo's bike course. We were both fighting against the cut off clock and were encouraging eachother on when he road up to me and we started chatting. Shortly though, he sped away and I was on my own again but we managed to start the run together. We ran together up until about mile 7 or 10 when he needed a moment and I continued on. I didn't see him the rest of the night and wondered what could have happened to him. Well, he Facebooked me and it turns out that he ended up being driven away by an ambulance as his heart rate was way too low when the medics took his vitals at mile 14. He ended up taking in 8 bags of fluids. My goodness- EIGHT! I am glad to hear that he is okay and that he has a slot for IM Loo 2009...ready for a do-over with Louisville! I told him that I will be out there cheering him on and that I'll even run a few miles with him just for good 'ol times if he needed me to. That's what I love about the Ironman, the commaraderie out on the course, unlike any Spint, Olympic or Half-Ironman race!

Sending well wishes to Kara's friend Scott as he is recovering from a fall.