The Power of the team

I was checking my facebook page and there are tons of posts from the folks I have ridden over the years with as part a charity ride from Toronto to Montreal.  Yep, that is over 600K but its very manageable as its over six days.  The longest day is 126K and the shortest is 50K.  When I made the decision not to ride this year I did not realize how much I would miss this adventure and my fellow riders.  I often post on facebook my excitement about Wednesday night and Saturday morning spin class and sometimes but not that often about Thursday night swim.  It isn't just the challenge of the class that gets me motivated its the people I'm with.  Like the bike rally we are all like minded and trying to reach a goal.  Yes, Coach Paul puts us through our paces but it just seems so much more doable when I'm with my tri-buddies.  I am looking forward to the Durham Triathlon Club starting its season.   We have a great club here in Durham Region and if your interested in joining see: www.thedrtc.ca. 

The DRTC provides a track night to work on our running and biking skills plus two outdoor swim nights.  From what I hear we are very lucky to have the outdoor swim. Our coaches set the marks and are in their kayaks watching us along with one or two people keeping watch on shore.  Sometimes it takes a few minutes to get started as we count the number of swimmers in the water to ensure the number matches the count on shore. One would think this would be easy but sometimes its the hardest part especially if one is vertically challenged.  It seems our start point is always at chest level for a normal person so I'm bobbing away in my wetsuit as I can't touch the ground while everyone else is standing. To give you an idea here is my friend Jeff and I at our last race in 2011 - Wasaga beach.  I would venture to say Jeff is a wee bit taller than the average person but honestly I don't have a true perspective on that.  As a child I wanted to be taller than my mom and I made it by a whole 2.4 inches.
 

My next race for Gate 3:16 Outreach Center is in five weeks. Wow that put some butterflies in the tummy.  I know my training schedule will let me succeed the only challenge is that outdoor swim.  I hope to get into the lake before the race because if I don't it will be my first outdoor swim of the season.  As Coach Paul says I have a job to do so even if its the first swim I got to get it done. My friend Ron will be there along my side. He helped me conquer the Guelph try-a-tri, my first triatholon, so that will help for sure. I'm a little behind on my funding as I hoped to be at $2000 by my second race and only at $750.00.  I have challenged myself to race $1000 per race.

An update on the nutrition front.  Although not 100% I do feel that it was much better than previous weeks.  Posting it here seemed to help to keep me on track a bit better.  I had a big treat last night.  A craving for chocolate came over me at Buckingham's Meat and I broke down and had a Crispy Crunch.  I don't recall the last night I had a chocolate bar - mmm good.  I'll be heading home, Ottawa/Almonte, this week for business which can prove a challenge for eating.  We will see how it goes.  The plan is to swim at the Nepean sportsplex which offers a 50m lane swim.  I will only need to count 40 laps versus 80. Wohoo

Until next week get out there and put a bit of fitness in your life.
  

The importance of goals

Hello All,

Its hard to believe we are in heading into the third week of April.  The new training schedule has me running, swimming and in the gym three times a week.  Cycling and yoga twice a week.  I should clarify my yoga is a class called Flow which a combination of  tai chi, Pilates, yoga and balance. 

Saturday starts with a two hour spin class followed by Flow.  As I have a hour between the two I spend the time on another weight session.  At the end of class today my Flow instructor asked how the training was going and I mentioned about my upcoming race in May.  She asked how did I manage to find the time to train.  I explained how I have a coach and he puts together my schedule for the month.  I could not do it without that schedule.  The one of the fridge gets checked of each day and the one in the office is for reference only.  In Coaches blog he mentions the importance of having a plan.  Having the training schedule is part of the big plan to make the goal.  

When I started this fitness journey my goal was to loose 30 pounds and get in shape.  Then I decided to participate in an organized 5k charity run, then a few 10K runs, then the bike rally, then a few smaller distance triathlons and now larger distance triathlons.  A goal gives me something to work towards and to become stronger for.  Often they are small goals leading up to one huge one.  Yesterday I spotted a GrandFondo, cycle race, in Ottawa which has a 220K distance option.  Not this year but it might just go into the 2013 schedule.  Just thinking about it made me work even harder in spin this morning. 

I have a school chum who has started her fitness goal with 10K run in Ottawa.  The race is just around the corner and I know she will compete it.  There is no feeling like crossing the finish line.  That feeling is worth all the hours of training and the pain. 

Why not think about setting a goal for yourself?   It could be charity walk like the one coming up for Gate 3:16 Outreach Center in Oshawa.  If you choose a walk that is just a bit longer than you are accustomed to walking then to complete it you will need to get out there and do a bit of training.  The best part is you will meet new people and help people at the same time. 

For me I have the fitness goal sorted but need to work on my nutrition goals.  I love food and although I have been able to keep 20 of those 30 pounds off I would like to shed those 10 pounds again.  Learning to fuel the body right for all this exercise is a challenge. If I don't fuel it right then I get ravenous and can pack back a huge amount of food in one sitting.  This week my goal is to eat right and keep my hands out of hubby's snack cupboard. 

What are your short and long term goals?  As coach says if you create a plan and act on the plan then an amazing thing will happen you'll make that goal. 

Gate 3:16 Outreach Centre's walk-a-thon is May 12.  To learn more or to register call 905-432-5315 x22.

Have a great week,
Liz

Ironman athletes eat marathoners

While checking facebook yesterday this came up on the side view "Ironman athletes eat marathons for breakfast".  I thought it amusing but I know from the run last week a marathon isn't anything to joke about it and requires a very special person to train and complete them well.  My neighbour is one of those fellows. He has qualified and completed 25 Boston marathons.  To qualify once, in my opinion, is amazing, but to qualify 25 times is wild.  This feat has placed him in an elite club which I believe is called the Quarter Century Club. Once in awhile we cross paths as he is starting or ending his run.  I wish him well this year in his 26th Boston Marathon. An amazing athlete.

When I think about it a triathlete is a runner or cyclist or swimmer who seriously cross trains in the other disciplines.  For me being a triathlete is very beneficial for my health.  I won't down play running - it is darn hard. To some it comes easy but to me of the three it is not my favourite.  When I first started running I loved it but then biking became my love. It seems my body is made for the bike and I know as I continue to train it will become made for swimming but running might always be a challenge.  With that said I must say my attitude has changed after running with Lisa last week.  If I can keep running rather than plodding I might learn to love running again and it might not be as painful.  My friend Jeff mentioned in one of his blogs that we should try to keep our childhood enthusiasm when we are out their training.  So next time I'm not running I'm just playing hide and seek with my friends or baseball.

April Fool's Day brings a new training schedule with reduced running mileage but increases swimming mileage. The challenges of March are behind me and here's to taking everything I learned and applying it to April. 

Have a wonderful day !