I survived.

Thank goodness I have done nothing but rest over the last day and a half as this evening was reserved for my track work with Panther's Tri Club members and TopNotch coaches. I must admit I was extremely hesitant going into this for numerous reasons:

1. Never done track work before
2. Feel self conscious of my running dis/abilities
3. Worried I would get injured
4. Hate feeling out of my depth

I tried to keep my self defeatist attitude in check by repeating to myself that this is what was going to help me to get better and faster and fitter. By doing this I was going to finally get my running under control and I would be able to hold my own in the run leg instead pulling all out on the swim and bike and dying a slow painful death on the run. I was hopefully now on my way to becoming a worthy competitor.

When I got down to the grass track as usual I was early. This is another unmistakable Barbie trait. If I am not there early at any training or meet then there is something wrong - so come looking for me. Within 10 minutes the coaches pulled up and shortly there after other members started turning up one by one. Always nice to see familiar faces who can share in the joy and torture.

We started off with a 1200m warm up - nice and easy we were told. Running on grass is so very different to bitumen. It's uneven and really soft underfoot so I really had to focus where I was placing my foot. The lines on the track have no grass so it kind of hollows out inbetween lanes. I found myself running in these grooves just trying to find stable footing. When we finished the warm up it was time for some dynamic stretches. We did a couple 20m high knees, kick backs, and some side running where you kind of do a zig zag with your legs (not sure what that's called), sorry for the lame description.

We got to have a bit of a rest and then I got hit with our main set. I nearly keeled over - 10 x 400m continuous done as 200m race pace and 200m recovery run. Never ever in my wildest dreams did I think I would be asked to do this. I was having trouble digesting that piece of information until it finally hit me - I was going to have to run that oval 10 times. Did they get me confused with some All Star track athlete? My name is not Florence Griffith Joyner, it's more like Elmer Fudd!!!!

After procrastinating like a big girl, Chris the coach said to me "it's only 4km, you have run 4km". He was right - I had, it was just the way it had been presented to me that scared the living daylight's out of me. So, I finally sucked it up and started.

As usual I went out too hard and did my first 200m a bit too fast and knew that I would not be able to maintain that tempo for all of them. The recoveries felt really nice and it's funny cause after you have run a race pace 200m when you get to go slower it feels like you could almost walk faster. As each race pace 200m went by I could feel myself getting slightly slower but not by too much. What was really starting to show was my lack of form.

I think I have described my running style previously as a bit of an Olympic walker, well it showed again tonight. So what Chris got me to focus on was trying to place my feet on either side of the track line versus on the line - which is what I was doing. It seemed to work but it was not an easy thing to do. It really took all of my concentration to master. As did relaxing my shoulders and pumping my arms in a forward motion versus swinging them from side to side.

In saying all the things I did wrong, I did do alot of things that I am proud of:

1. I didn't quit
2. I smiled and laughed ALOT
3. I attempted everything
4. I ran faster than I ever have before

Am I looking forward to next week? You bet your bottom dollar I am. I had a ball. I can really see how this is going to benefit me. I am already sore in my glutes, hammies and quads. But not a bad kind of sore - more like a 'your muscles have been lying dormant kind of sore'. The only thing that is sore that I am now icing is my left Achilles. It is not horribly painful but rather a bruised sort of feeling. Other than that - I am on top of the world.

40 Winks

Think I have had about 100 but who's counting? I'm certainly not. My body has never required so much rest and sleep, it has actually taken me by surprise.

I thought last night after going to bed at about 7:30pm and leaving hubby with the kids that I would have a decent night's sleep and I did up until 11pm. And then I kept waking up crying. Not just a little boohoo kind of cry, but a full on wail. I can't even remember what I was dreaming about to make me cry like that, the only thing I remember is waking up and being all chocked up and my face was wet with tears. This happened about 4 times and it would take me a a while to get back to sleep and then the process would begin all over again.

But when I finally got up this morning I surprisingly felt refreshed. My eyes didn't have that burning feeling anymore and I was feeling slightly back to my usual self. So I took full advantage of what energy I had and did the usual morning routine with the family, did the grocery shopping and then came straight home and rested some more.

The couch and I have had a close relationship over the last day and it's not often we spend quality time together - so it was nice to snuggle and just be at one with another whilst the kids were at school. Once again I found myself dozing in and out of blissful sleep and making the most of this recovery process. I must have really needed it.

So as I write this post I find myself feeling sleepy again and know that I should really get a set of fasting bloods done tomorrow. A good set of baseline bloods will pick up any deviations in blood chemistry, and it will help me in the future should I start to feel fatigued again. I need to pay close attention to my body inside and out.

Tomorrow is also my first Track Session with TopNotch. Should be interesting to say the least. I am afraid that Chris will have his work cut out for him. It will be like trying to teach a giraffe to run like a gazelle - never going to happen. But maybe this giraffe could get close.....

I also want to give a shout out to one of my blogger buddies Dawn at Puzzle Pieces, her postings always put a smile on my face. She has such a unique way of viewing the world and life in general and as such pieces it together beautiful in the written form as well as visually through her pictures. Jump on over and enjoy her blog.

Energizer Battery anyone???

I am sleepy, sleepy, sleepy. Haven't felt this tired since becoming a new parent. I was tired when I woke up this morning but put it down to waking up at 5am for my pre-dawn run. Which I am pleased to say I completed a new distance for me - 5km. But I was still so very tired. The fatigue is ridiculous - my eyes are burning like I haven't sleep in I don't know how long. Didn't know how I completed it really.

I am also struggling a bit lung wise, as after this run I was coughing for about 10 minutes post run. Not sure if it was the cold air - which is was quite chilly this morning or my exercise induced asthma playing funny buggers again. Will have to keep an eye on this cause if it continues may need to go back on my preventer.

This fatigue I am feeling is really unnerving and I wasn't quite sure how I would pull out a 3.6km swim. And the fact is I didn't. I got to the 2km mark and my arms just did not have anything more to give. It was like watching a steam train run out of fuel. The plumes of smoke which were initially nice, strong and consistent were now fading to intermittent little puffs until finally - nothing. I thought I would atleast try to squeeze in a 500m kick with fins but I started cramping too. So the only thing I could do was get out. Not my desired outcome at all, but I had nothing left to give.

On the way home I rang my coach and told her what was going on and the first thing she said was "I am glad you didn't keep going". I was instructed to go home, have something substantial to eat and try to get a nap. Which is what I did. But I must say I still don't feel crash hot. I am still super drowsy and after enduring 30 minutes of physio this afternoon I am also sore. Coach also said that if I wake up in the morning still fatigued to give tomorrow a miss as well. There is no point pushing myself too far or I will just end up caving in and not reaching my goal.

Good thing that happened today though was that I got my bike fitted for some TT bars.
Will hopefully have this baby paid off next week and I can start practising with them. I will also be getting a different bike post as my saddle needs to come closer.

Hopefully this tiredness will settle or I will just get used to it.

Totals for the week.

Have decided to start adding this as a regular section to my blog postings. Will be good to see the km's going up.

• Swim - 10.2km in 4hrs 58mins
  
• Cycle - 50km on road and 2 spin classes in 3hrs 28mins
• Run - 11.9km in 1hr 12 mins

I really should have started this in Week 1 but it hasn't changed much yet so what the heck. End of Week 2 it is. The cycle leg this week wasn't a good representation of what I should have done just simply because yesterday's ride was missed. I would have actually ridden 115km. Next week should be a good number's week.

What an obstacle!

This morning was meant to be a 65km aerobic bike ride, however yesterday afternoon the winds started and they did not look like they would subside. So I organised with Mel to do an indoor spin. We did a 1hr 30min Spinervals DVD, but cut it short to 1hr 10min as per my coach. It was hard, hard, hard. But I loved every minute of it. After that I was treated to a scrumptious poached egg and avocado on toasted bread x2. Your the best Mel - THANKYOU. We were joking (not really) about downing a T-bone steak at 9 in the morning. When I was younger and in heavy training Mum would make us steak and pasta for breakfast, or pancakes with rice. YUM.

Then when I got home it was time for stretching, shower and time to get ready for the afternoon swim session with TopNotch. Another good session and even though I was feeling tired I still managed a really good, strong set. I am really starting to feel the difference in my strength and stamina in the pool. The longer sets don't seem to bother me as much as I am really able to maintain good form in my Freestyle.

Here's my session:

• 300m Fr/s Warm up
• 200m - (25m Front scull, 25m Fr/s)
• 8 x 50m Fr/s with 5 sec rest between sets
• 400m Fr/s (using kickboard for 50m, then board tapping for 50m)
• 7 x 200m Fr/s on 3:30. 1st one I did on 2:40, rest on 2:55
• 4 x 25m Fr/s sighting every 4 strokes
• 2 x 50m Fr/s swimming blind for 10 strokes, then normal for 10 strokes
• 200m cooldown

I am starting to get really excited about how I am progressing. Loving this strength and endurance I have in the water, just need for this to transfer over to the run. I am definately getting stronger in my legs in the cycling.

This is exciting.

Close call.

Yesterday was another tough session in the pool as it called for another 3.5km, with the 500m sets. I do feel though that I am getting better at the longer sets and seem to fall into a good pattern of breathing by about the second 500m. The first 500m always feels like a bit of a hard slog but once that initial warm-up is done it feels better.

I also had some sprints in there as well just to see if I had some left in the tank, and surprisingly I did. I have noticed that my shoulders are starting to get broad again, like when I was younger. I was a really skinny kid but had these very broad shoulders and my ballet teacher was always making me choose between swimming and ballet. Guess what I chose? Yep, you guessed it, I am a fish at heart.

So here is my session:

• 400m Warm up
• 6 x 50m Drills with 15 sec rest
• 4 x 500m. 1st 100m hard then the rest aerobic
• 8 x 50m Odds hard, evens easy on 50 secs
• 400m Cool down of choice - I chose kick with fins.

Those last 50's were hard and my times weren't to different from the easy to hard. I was kind of finishing them all on about 35-40 secs. When I finished up with it all and was heading to the change rooms my right ear started to ache. Not a piercing earache but rather a deep nagging pain that branched down into my neck. And as the day progressed it got worse to the point that I was feeling slightly deaf in that ear. The glands all on that side of my neck were tender to the touch, so I took some Nurofen, got a gentle neck rub and applied some heat. And this morning - hey presto, all gone. I know it's quite common to get sick when you are in training but I didn't want it to happen so early on in the piece - so I am very relieved that it has subsided.

Next on the program called for another 4km run. I chose to do it early this morning and I have decided that early morning runs are on the list for me. I felt so alive and my breathing was not at all laboured like it has been. It was cool but not too cold and there was just the right amount of humidity to make it okay on the lungs. There was one point at about the 3km mark where I was starting to get a bit tired and my favourite song came on "I am a woman" by Gabrielle Cilmi and it spurred me on and made my last bit feel effortless again.

I followed this up with a 1hr spin class and boy did this hurt. I could tell I hadn't been to a spin class in a while. And the fact that it was a new program didn't help one bit. The 3rd last song was one continuous hill climb with no recovery at all. You were either up and out of the saddle pushing hard or climbing that hill seated. It was murder but I kept repeating to myself - if you can climb the hills at Kiama you sure as hell can do this. And that is what I did. I drank 1.2litres of water during this session - I was dripping like a leaky faucet.

Needless to say when I got home I had a much deserved shower. One thing I have also noticed since upping my training is that my veins in my arms and hands are becoming much more pronounced. Not sure if it's a look I like but I think it may only get worse. What do you think?
I thought I should also post a photo of my Tri Club. Take a look at yours truly - eye's shut. What a doofus.

I LURV PANTHERS TRI CLUB.

The rains are here

The weather has been getting gradually warmer and alot more humid, so it really was just a matter of when- not if it would rain. I have noticed it especially on my last two runs. I leave the house looking all fresh and fine and come back looking like a drowned rat.

This morning I went out a little early, not long after the kids left for school and it was so hard to breathe. I could make out a bit of a haze in the air and knew that the air was thick with moisture. I will need to remember to take my inhaler with me for all my runs from now on - just in case.

My program called for a 25min aerobic run today. Jodie wants me to be able to speak the whole way through my runs for now. I find talking to myself slightly embarrasing and a little one sided really. So instead I choose to sing songs. I can still keep track of my breathing that way and find it far more distracting then listening to my feet pound on the bitumen.

I am still wearing my SLS3 compression socks and really don't know what I ever did without them. My lower legs feel absolutely awesome when I wear them and I don't have that soreness and fatigue afterwards. I guess that's what they are meant to do, but I just guessed that maybe it was all a big gimic. Turns out they work so well on me I now want another pair but in black now.

The rains started this afternoon but only lasted briefly. So it is now even more humid BLAH. Predictions for summer in Australia are wet, hot and humid. Will be a challenging training season for me, but what doesn't kill me will only make me stronger. Atleast that what I keep telling myself.