Trust, Strength, and Perseverance

I expected perfection and achievement of myself daily, but I hate repeated struggle, and I hate pain, especially the self-induced kind!  When a workout gets hard and painful, I struggle with continuing, can I succeed at this?  Did I really try hard enough?  Is it this hard for everyone?

Therefor, I really hate speed workouts and sharing my goals.  What if I don't reach them?  What if I don't have it in me to do the workout?  Which of course is why I announce them.  I need the accountability because without the accountability, I would never, never push myself this hard.

This morning was a struggle.  1) it was cold, and 2) Hill Repeats!  The training agenda was 2 mile WU followed by 6 X 400 hill repeats.  This is not just any hill either, it's a steep one.  56 ft elevation gain in 400 meters with a 3% average grade.  It qualifies as a category 5 hill, so a pretty good one.

I am an endurance athlete, I like it long and steady and below the level of pain.  Sprinting just hurts, and then you add hills, talk about insult to injury!  As I am running up those hills and feeling my legs burn, a different thought went through my mind on each 400:

1) This is working that saggy butt area, wow, you are out of shape!
2) Trust yourself, you can do this, you will not die!
3) I hate this, how much more to go?
4) My constant running verse:  Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Jesus Christ, who gives me strength.
5) Nope, no wine tonight.  Think of how much easier this will be in -5lbs!
6) You did it, way to be strong, finish hard, finish hard, love the pain!

On the run back, in the 35 degree wind, my mind was kind of drifting off in thoughts, and wondering how my legs were going to feel at TRX, and hating the fact that I would be drinking a smoothie when I got home to maximize recovery versus a nice hot bowl of steel cut oats or creamy buckwheat.  

All in All, it was great, smoothie tasted awesome and I was warmed up enough that the coldness didn't bother me.  My 400's were all below my LT, which means I could have pushed it a bit harder, my heart rate remained in zone 3, almost zone 4, but still zone 3.  This tells me that I need to reset my parameters of what pain is and it gives me a whole new respect for sprinters!  My time for all 6 hill repeats were within 4 minutes of each other, and the last one was as fast as the first and they were all faster than my MGP.  This is good news since there will be minimal hills in Eugene!  

As I review my run, I realize it didn't seem as hard afterwards as when I was doing it.  Somehow, I seem to be saying that a lot lately in other areas of my life.  When did I lose my mental edge and that can do attitude?  When it comes down to it, maybe I need to look at my attitude, have a little more trust in myself, and push through the pain with more praise and less complaints; and maybe I need to apply that in more areas of my life than just running.  There is hope, optimism, rewards, respect, and appreciation through pain and challenges.  

MMM, weight loss, and marathon training....  Is there something I need to remember?  Funny, the verse I found today:

John 16:33 I have told you these things so that you would find comfort in Me. In this world, you will suffer; but be courageous, for I have overcome the world!

Happy Running,
Tracy

Favorite Recovery Smoothie:
1 cup frozen blueberries (antioxidants and quick digesting carbs)
1 cup Almond milk (Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and easy digesting carbs)
1 scoop Whey Protein (quick digesting BCAA ~ 10g protein)
1 Tbs. activated Chia Seeds
Blend and enjoy!

VO2Max, Heart Rate, and Weight Loss!!

So, it's been awhile since I've been blogging....  Honestly this is my last ditch effort to maintain and actively keep a blog.  I think about it often, but finding the time between kids, training, husband, and my business, is my downfall!  When I have the time to sit down at the computer, there is always something more urgent on the To Do list and at night and, I'm just to tired to think.  So I've made a decision to move this up on the priority list, before I throw in the towel.

I participated in a study that allowed me to have my V02 Max, Lactate Threshold, and all that fun data analyzed.  It was a fun experience with some good news and some not so great news.  The good news, my VO2 Max is awesome, I'm in the 99% percentile, so not much room for improvement.  My speed at  Lactate Threshold is pretty good and my heart rate there is in very close to my max heart rate.  So this means, that I can run pretty close to my top speed for a good long distance....  Bottom line, if all conditions are ideal I should in theory be able to run a 3:30 marathon, according to my speed at LT.

So, for the bad news...  My running efficiency is good, but not great.  My body fat percentile is less than ideal.  I admit it, since IronMan, I've indulged more than normal.  I've had wine more in the last two months than I probably drank in the previous 12 months.  At 40, that all adds up.  Good news is my Lean Body Mass (LBM), the muscle and bones, are great and so is my body water.  The amount of LBM I have for my height and age is in the 85%, so again, really high.  What this basically means is that I have a lot of insulation.  Not that my body fat is all that high, at 23% it is still in the ideal range, but by losing 6 lbs, I would drop my body fat to 19% and increase my running efficiency and my speed at LT would increase and theoretically I should be able to run a 3:12 marathon...

So let's talk reality.  I know myself really well, and I know that mentally I'm not going to push myself to sustained pain, so a 3:30 marathon or better, no matter what I weigh is unimaginable to me.  On the other hand, yes, I admit, I am about 5lbs over my ideal body weight and the weight I've been at for the last 4 years.  Thank You 40 and Malbec!  So now it is time for the dietitian to put into action what she talks about all the time.

My training routine heading into Eugene....  Kind of late in the game to look at weight loss, but since it is a small amount, theoretically by March I should be at my IBW, which would give me 3 weeks before peak training, hopefully allowing peak performance at the end of April!

• Monday will be a simple run day
• Tuesday is quality and TRX
• Wednesday is recovery run
• Thursday is quality and strength
• Friday is rest
• Saturday is Long Run
• Sunday is stability and core

Right now my cruising pace is about an 8:30, which, would give me a BQ, and I'd be perfectly excited at achieving!  I'd like to drop that pace to an 8:26 by March, and hopefully run the marathon at an 8:22 pace, because of course, I am who I am, and want the best case scenario result!

Tune in to see how the weight loss and running are going!!  I'm sure there are bound to be some road bumps, but I'm hoping for smooth sailing!  :)

Happy Running!

Tracy

Reflections

Wow!!  I've been such an absent blogger!  I'm mean what is the point of having a blog if you don't ever post anything to the blog???  I've thought a lot about writing, and written many, many blogs in my mind out on my long runs and rides while training for Arizona.  It has been time to reflect....

It is almost a year since my Mother passed away and I just completed a half iron distance triathlon last weekend.  It was a tough, touch course primarily because of the wind and boredom of the run course.  But, I had to smile, because I could almost hear my mom cheering at me.  The funny thing was, as soon as I talked to my sister she said the same thing.  I spent a lot of time on that race thinking of my mom yelling at me to move it...The swim was long and choppy, so it was a tedious swim, but all the time I could just hear my mom saying "Just Keep Swimming" from Nemo and "Go Racy Tracy", the nick name she used to call me and how it would make me cringe.  Funny, now it makes me smile.  I'm so glad for the memories and presence she had in my life.  It got me through the run, I recited the Lords Prayer and Philippians 4:13 over and over in my head to account for a run/walk interval on the  boring windy 4 mile long causeway, we had to run across 2 times (8 miles) of our 13.1 mile run.

This was a perfect training day for Arizona.  It was terribly windy, choppy, and crowded on the swim, even though it was a small event.  It gave me confidence going into Arizona.  Even though it was the slowest swim I've ever done for a triathlon, It was a total success.  I kept it slow and steady, used breast stroke to sight over the waves and to avoid swallowing water.  I didn't breast stroke to much, but it was more than I've ever done in a race.  I just kept thinking slow and steady, get through this but keep it strong.  I came out of the water in 15th place overall with about 680 participants!!  That just goes to show you how hard the swim was, so I was very pleased about that.

The bike was just HARD.  There were traffic interruptions, and confusing turns.  Two participants were hit by motor vehicles on the course!!  Fortunately neither of them were hurt seriously.  There was a long slow uphill that lasted for eternity and we had to ride this part four times because it was a 4 loop course.  Anyways, a strong headwind!  I just dropped the gears down and took my time spinning up the hill.  I was so happy I played it smart.  Overall I had an excellent bike!

I thought nothing could be worse than the bike, that is until I hit the run!  My lack of transition training and pure laziness showed!  My legs felt like butter, for the first mile, and then we hit the causeway...solid, gusting, sidewinds for 8 miles total, it was awful, but I stuck to my guns and knew that God gave me a talent that was going to get me to the end, and it did.  First place masters division and 3rd place woman overall with a time of 5:38.  Only some 20 something women beat me!!  Here is a picture of my finish and winner's plaque:

Lately I've been realizing that the point of writing this blog is to inspire others and show how racing in these events can be a pathway closer to God.  For me, sometimes it is an opportunity to talk to others about the strength I get from Jesus and the awesome gift he gave us.  It is also my time to find my center and check my compass....am I walking the course of true north or have I gotten off path??

I thought I had lost my path over the last several months, but this event showed me I hadn't lost my path, I just didn't know where I was going because I was in God's arms, just like the poem Footprints tells us....it is during our toughest and lowest points that God carries us, only we don't see it until we stop and look at the footprints of our life.

Happy racing and blessings to you all!!

Triathlon Season

One month into triathlon season.  Training hasn't exactly gone well.....I've had a hard time getting into it and I went on vacation and decided to get a bronchial pneumonia along the way...

Things seem to have settled down.  Not all is bad though.  I did my first triathlon this season, the Pflugerville Tri.  It was a jam packed triathlon and I'm in a very competitive age-group.  The first place finisher in my age group won the race!!  I came in 8th place, and have to say I was super happy!  I had a great all around triathlon, though my transitions are indeed rusty with a 2:00 swim:bike and a 1:00 bike:run!!  Got to stop giving up those minutes!!!

My swim was surprisingly strong, even with being grabbed and pulled back (!!) and slightly over swimming the last buoy marker.  I came out of the 500 yard swim in 9:09.  I was very happy with that. It has encouraged me to get in the water and train....EGADS, swimming in a pool, and training...gives me nightmares, but I'm doing it...AGIAN!  Did you ever think you'd see me in the pool again.  Been out of the water for over 25 years!!

My bike was fast at 20 mph, it surprised me to find that it was such a great bike.  Especially since I had already biked 120 miles that week, run 15 and swam 5.  It was the fasted bike I've ever had.  Better yet, I was only passed twice.

My run was acceptable...it was hot and humid and I needed my inhaler...lesson learned here.  Take it with me, that's what pockets are for!  Honestly my goal was to come within 5 minutes of my teammate, and I was ahead of her and knew that I could take her on the run if she caught me, so I took it easy and cruised in.  I finished in 1:18:20 for the sprint triathlon.

Tomorrow is my first olympic....UM, yeah, mini vacation with the hubby wasn't planned, but I am pretty sure I can pull it off even with the little amount of training I've done.

Have to say though, from here on out, no EXCUSES!!  I've been given a chance of a lifetime, and I'm going to uphold my end of the bargain.

Happy Training!
Tracy

Well, the Livestrong marathon came and went.  I ran as best I could that day, but came up a bit short for the BQ time.....I ran 3:48, and needed a 3:45.  I'm happy with my run though, I haven't had a strong marathon, so this was great.

Alas...it was a bit too much on my calf, as I re-injured it about 3 weeks later.  I'm still dealing with the whole rehab thing and no running.  This whole experience has left me a bit disheartened and depressed.  It has also added to the already ample padding on my behind.

But looking ahead I have IM Arizona on the horizon.  I jumped into Quarry lake and swam for an hour 2 times this week.  I was able to just make 2 miles in the hour time frame.  As much as I hate to admit it, I think I'm going to have to do 3 swim workouts a week, and one of those will have to consist of a pool and sprints to get my stroke a bit faster and more efficient again.  My goal for the swim is to hold a 1:50 pace for the 2.4 mile open water swim.

The 6 month countdown starts on June 4th...Hopefully I will have some sort of a run going by then, but if not, I'm still going....There is this other great thing your legs can do...walk....  So If I can't run the IM, I'll just walk it.  So I'd better get my bike on!!

To account for the extra padding I've accumulated over the last 2 months, I've got to start hitting the nutritional training too!!  It doesn't say too much for me to be a Sports Dietitian and be overweight!  Today's stats:  138lbs and 23% BF.  This is on the Tanita scale, first thing in the AM, but I'm not really liking that 23% figure.  I'd like to see it down to 19 - 20% by July 1st.  So look for some fun training recipes and food log entries over the next 6 months....The accountability of putting it out there is a big part of me accomplishing it.  I have this terrible fear of not living up to my goals publicly!!

We are looking at doing the following triathlon's on our way to Arizona.  An olympic in New Branfuals on July 1st, and Praire Man in Dallas on Sept 9th.  Wish me luck!!

Tomorrow I have a BIG workout planned....a 5 minute run and a 40 mile bike....I hope that my hopes and God's plans are in sync, it would feel great to get back out on the road again.   It will also make it a bit easier to hit that 130 and 20% goals.

Healthy Training!
Tracy

It's Here!

Just picked up my packet for the race.  Didn't stay long at the expo.  Planned it so that I could go in and get my packet and meet the pacers.  I was in and out of there in 40 minutes, including parking time!  Woo Hoo.  I did see the Team 4:13 booth and they had a lot of cool new shirts this year, but that will have to wait until another expo.

I've decided to run with the pace group.  When they said 8:34 even splits, I wasn't so intimidated as I was by the 8:20 to qualify with that 5 minute window.  I can do this!!  There have been doors opened for me this running season that only He could open.


I plan to go out slow, keep the pacers in sight, catch them on the downhills, keep them on sight through the uphills, catch them again in the middle and hold on until mile 20 - 22 where I can turn it on.  Nutrition will be key, I hope my training will serve me well!

I'm nervous, excited, apprehensive all in one!  But win or lose, I feel very confident that I will run a strong race and that is what matters most for me.  It will be a race run with joy and gratitude in the awesomeness of our Lord.

Good luck to all you other runners out there!  Here are some great inspirational biblical quotes that I hope bring you strength!

Philippians 4:6 
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)

Philippians 4:13 
“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (NIV)

Isaiah 40:29-31
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (NIV)

Isaiah 40:31
“But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV)

Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (NIV)

Isaiah 41:10

“So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)

Exodus 15:2a

"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him ." (NIV)


2 Samuel 22:33-34 
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."  (NIV)




Dear Lord,


I pray today that the runners of the Livestrong Marathon are covered by you Lord.  I pray for strength, energy, and stamina for all.  I pray for hearts to be opened and touched by Your runners.  May they see Team 4:13 verses of your word and want more.  May they hear stories like mine and others and be brought to you.  It is in Jesus name I pray.  Amen.



Tracy

Time.....

Time, time, time....on my mind all the time right now.  What time do I need to be at mile 5, 15, 20?  What pace at what part of the course.  How much longer until the marathon?  Will this day ever end.  30 - 40 minute run at an easy pace....

When you are eager for time to pass, have you ever noticed how slowly it moves?  Why is that?  Torture??  I've been obsessing about time.  I just want Sunday to get here already!!  Tomorrow is Valentines Day and my husband wanted to go out to dinner....Is he nuts?  Where has he been the last 6 months.  Now is not the time to go out to dinner and tie one on at a fancy restaurant.  I'm already nervous about how much pounds I'm going to put on with this reduced workout load!!

At least I have time to get my playlist ready for the marathon!  I figure if I'm going to be running this baby solo, then I'll need something come mile 20 to get me to that finish line.  So I've gone and made a playlist of all the fast beet christian music I know, and of course the theme song from Rocky!!  LOL

Happy Running!
Tracy