Monday, March 29, 2010

IM Oceanside 70.3- 2010 Race Report

What a relief!

Going into the race, I didn't feel quite ready for a 70.3 distance. I hadn't been training consistently this year due to illness or the most recent rib displacement..was feeling very doubtful due to lack of consistency. Spoke to coach about maybe not doing Oceanside this year and he looked at me as if I was crazy to think such a thing. According to him, I should still go and give it a try.. at the very least I would learn something... even if it was extra level of pain. Anyway, race morning approaches and here it goes...

Upon arrival, my priority was finding out what the water temperature was-- 59F-- sweet! Anything above 56F is good enough for me!

Swim- 56:25 - officially my slowest swim time for a half- i know your eyes are bleeding- ouch! (51:04 last year). swim was a bit rough once the guys behind me caught me and on the way back was probably not swimming in a straight line.. AND not consistently swimming as of late due to rib may have had an overall effect? AND to the guy who kicked me on the right side of my goggles with your breaststroke kick-- come on buddy!! Waters were too rough to be breast-stroking it!

T1- 5:34 (7:38 last year) - took 2 minutes off my T1 :-)

Bike- 3:32:14 (3:31:15 last year) Oh the bike was windy!! Windy! I had real trouble getting my heart rate into z3. I spent most of my time in mid z2++ bordering into z3. I had a tough time getting my heart rate into race zone even on the climbs but I didn't force it.. just went with it and worked with what I could.

Wind was unexpected compared to last year but just put my head down and got through the mid section - Camp Pendleton- in the shortest time I could. I did have enough in me to speed up on the last section and into T2.

T2- 3:13 (4:07 last year)

Run- 2:24:30 (2:23:23 last year)- confession this includes 3 potty pee stops!! I tried to run and pee but couldn't do it. Run felt TOUGH for me but my mantra was "the fastest way home is to run" and that's what I kept repeating to myself especially during the second loop when knee/hip joints were starting to sore.My neck for some reason was really kicking in with soreness.. maybe because I felt the need to keep my back straight during the entirety of the run due to rib? On the flip side, may have helped with my run posture!

Overall- Mixed feelings. I am not thrilled with my time on the other hand I know I haven't been training as consistently. So mixed feelings.. I know I have better in me but just not yesterday...onward to IM St. George! According to my coach, I am going to give that a go as well!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

1st race of the season!

It's here already.. Oceanside 70.3!

Last year, this was my favorite race. I hope it's equally as exciting for me this coming time! I am not sure how it's going to go with my back not having healed yet but I'll do my best.. give it go and see what comes of it! My top wish for Oceanside... please let the water be warm! And by warm, I am thinking 58F or above! Beyond that, I hope for sunshine and little wind.. don't we all?!

So more details about my injured back. Weak back muscles + stronger shoulder muscles as I started to pick it up in swimming + poor posture at work from sitting in front of a computer all day long = displaced rib. Displaced rib = inflamed T7 vertebrae. I can still swim, bike and run but swimming causes slight pain... post swimming causes an increased feeling in the pain... biking is fine unless if I have to take deep breathes.. usually happens when coach puts the hammer down in the pain cave and painless during the run except post run.. I usually REALLY feel it especially if run includes intervals.. needless to say.. I've been keeping my run workouts mostly steady these days.

Anyway, best of luck to those of you heading down there! See ya out on the course!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

How does one displace a rib?

No idea but that's what I did.. apparently...


So the past week, I’ve been feeling this BIG knot in my back muscle. It never went away like I thought it would and it bugged me to the point where breathing while cycling was tough which made for the 4+ hours that I was out there on Saturday a bit difficult. It was a beautiful day nonetheless so the weather didn’t make it seem too bad and plus I had the company of Raf and Mary which made time pass by that much more pleasantly. I had my long awaited massage appointment with my magician of a masseuse, P.Whiting, on Sunday and the first thing I told him about was my back muscle. I was looking forward to him using his magic hands to make it go away. I came away learning that I actually displaced one of my ribs!! Go figure?! I’ve never done that before hence the pain I was feeling was foreign to me but being like most other athletes in training.. it much be a sore muscle!


Lesson for the week- time to see my masseuse more regularly- hopefully every other week and if I can fit in an ice bath beforehand.. all the better! Getting beat up on the table this past Sunday wasn’t very enjoyable- progressive but painful!! I was actually gripping onto the sheets underneath the massage table .. more frequent visits should mean less gripping!!


Cheers!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Oceanside Countdown...

3 weeks an a few days..

Just enjoyed a long weekend getaway to Puerto Vallarta! I highly recommend it!!

Photo: Los Yelapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Anyway, as I was saying.. 3 weeks and some... Oceanside 70.3 will be here! I started my season last year with Oceanside and absolutely loved the race. I was very close to not starting the race last year because of an open water scare I had the week prior at a training weekend (allergic reaction to something that was in the lake water). I remember getting to the start line and thinking.. "i can't do this!" And then I thought, "Sh*t my coach is here.. I have to do this!" I laugh about that now but I should probably get in open water before my race just to get acclimated to the water temps!

Training lately has been getting better and better. My body has forgotten how to swim but my cycling and running is beginning to come around. The biggest difference I am currently feeling is in my runs. Last year, I was barely able to hit my z3 heart rate zone during my run sessions. Lately, it's been pretty attainable! Doing them on a treadmill helps me tremendously! Too bad I didn't discover this last season but better late than never!

I've been feeling better with my cycling but this morning's pain cave session would not support that! Coach gave us 6 x 5' at about 125% of our T1 effort- OUCH!! I was barely able to hold on, probably from my run efforts lately. Anyway, the funny thing about class this morning, after the 5th interval, I was excused to go pay the meters while others still kept on. I never got off my bike so quickly- don't have to tell me twice- my quads would not fire- painful! Odd thing is that my run off the bike felt pretty strong- I'll take it!!

I heard a funny quote today from my friend Julia, "If your relationship still works, you could train harder." This made me laugh. Lucky for me.. I have a partner that drags me out the door to do my training and he even does them with.. even though I know it's painfully slow for him sometimes!

So bike is coming around.. run is feeling pretty good.. now waiting for my swim to make it's appearance!