Since IM training has taken over my life the last couple of months, my blog has been reduced to weekly summary posts only, and it’s just not cutting it. I feel like I have so much to say as the week progresses and then I am forced to condense it into a few lazy sentences in the last waking hours of my weekend. So I don’t know how often I’ll do this but today I feel the urge to just post about whatever, not even talking specifics about training. This is just random thoughts and probably some mild complaining, but no workout stats and no photos. Yay change of pace.
So here are a few items of interest in the format of Colorful Headings!
Keys
After Lake Stevens, Zach and I sat down and spent a long time talking about what my responsibilities and expectations for the final phase of my IM training (just less than 3 months to go, btw). We had a great conversation and came up with a bunch of good stuff. I don’t have the final list in front of me but it can be summarized with the following Key Points: 1. Do your training (no slacking, no skipping, suck it up princess) 2. Healthy Diet (no junk food, limit alcohol, lots of good fuel in the furnace) 3. Positive Attitude (don’t let negative thoughts sabotage my training). Beyond the Keys we came up with a few specifics for each thing: Swim, Bike, Run, Nutrition. Lots of work to be done on nutrition! More on that later. Not like today-later, but maybe-never-later.
EAT
Yesterday I totally pooped out toward the end of Masters, which was as always the second workout of my day. The problem was I was starving before I even got to the pool. After a big yummy dinner I felt better but woke up about 3:30 am with my stomach rumbling and couldn’t fall back asleep until I fed it something. I apparently need to eat more! Here is what I ate for the whole day and this is very typical for a week day (except the middle of the night feeding).
5:45 am: Trader Joes Fiber cereal with strawberries and skim milk, coffee
8:00 am: bagel with cream cheese from the deli downstairs (usually have oatmeal at my desk but I sub in a bagel a couple times a week)
11:00 am: fat free yogurt with Whole Foods Hemp Plus Granola
12:30 pm: Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, pretzels
4:00 pm: slice of whole wheat bread, toasted with a little peanut butter and jelly on top
((5:00 pm: Run 7 miles in about 1 hour))
((7:00 pm: Swim 2250 yards in 1 hour))
8:30 pm: Veggies and Ranch, Greek Salad Wraps (2 of them: lettuce, black olives, feta, kidney beans, Trader Joes Tuscan dressing, on Flat out Wrap)
3:30 am: chocolate milk
I drink a lot of water and usually a cup of tea during the day too.
The obvious gap is an afternoon snack (after lunch, before I get off work at 3:30) and also a between-workout snack. Any feedback on this? Snack suggestions?
Sleep
As glad as I am to have a good job, I do realize how nice it would be to have a little leave-o’-absense during this peak training. Not that I can’t get my training done in my free time, that is actually working out perfectly. But I could get soooooooo much more sleep. When I was unemployed I slept 10 hours a night and took a 30-60 minute nap almost every day. Sure I was bored as hell and verging on depression, but oh the rest I got! Now as a working woman, I go to bed at about 9:45-10:00 every night and I get up at 5:30 to leave for work at 6:30. To get more sleep, I’m thinking I’ll try going to bed by 9:15-9:30 and maybe I could modify my morning routine to sleep in like 15 more minutes. Is this worth it? How much sleep to you people need, and how much do you get?
Gear
- I need new bike shorts. I wore a hole in the ass of my favorite SheBeest shorts. All that I have now are two pair of tri shorts and a pair of nice Capri-length biking tights. I guess I’ll go to REI (see rant in next bullet pt).
- I ordered a new tri top online from Sports Basement, the best running/cycling/tri/outdoors/everything store in the world. They have a few locations in the bay area and I miss it dearly. There’s NOTHING good in Portland. I hate ordering clothes online but I had no choice. It should arrive today! Plenty of time to wear-test it and start putting together my race day outfit. I know I have 3 months but it’s a priority to me!
- I need new running shoes soon too. This is starting to add up.
- Zach is buying a fancy new digital SLR camera after months of research. Now that his goal race is over for the year, his focus is on helping me train and taking a crapton of awesome photos. He specifically wanted to have it for the Ironman but will try it out at the Aluminum Man Oly tri in a couple weeks and most definitely at Emily’s wedding! J Prepare to be even more bombarded with photos than ever! Hopefully he’ll let me play with it too as I fancy myself the artsy one in the family.
Ironchums
Two Ironman races are taking place this coming weekend: Canada and Louisville. I’m sick with anticipation. Possibly more so than the athletes themselves. Amy and Judi specifically (IMKY) GOOD LUCK! Please kick ass and then come back and tell me how easy it was and how I have nothing to worry about. Ha!
Hood to Coast
Zach is doing the Hood to Coast relay this coming weekend with his coworkers on a company-sponsered team. Awesome. I was going to be an alternate but withdrew my name after realizing I should ride 300 miles over the weekend instead. But next year we’re talking about putting together a team with the local gang of runner friends. It would be so fun! Local runner friends (and out-of-town volunteers?), are you in??
That’s It
That was fun. Thanks for reading!!!!!
18 comments:
jen, awesome job sitting down and mapping out the next few months. (although limiting alcohol is a poop!) you will be ready to rock and roll for IM before you know it.
and what is with us triathletes that we wake up at 3:30am and cant sleep until we eat/drink?!! i did it last night again too!
great post :) long post = long comment!
sounds like the list making post HIM was perfect! i love having a list :)
seriously i feel like i am eating all the time. i cant imagine when doing all those workouts you do! i usually have breakfast, yogurt, lunch, larabar, then 2 afternoon snacks (if i run banana and oatmeal, if not running fruit and cheese or something). eat eat eat, but thats the fun part right :)
i have been extra tired this week! i am usually in bed by 9, especially if i am waking up at 445, sometimes i will even get to bed earlier. i need my 8 hours and would like more!
yayyy sports basement!! have a great weekend :)
I'm all about Hood to Coast for 2010.
I go to bed at 9:00 - 9:30 and NEED at least 8 hours to function normally.
Definitely work on an afternoon snack. I am A HUGE fan of graham crackers with PB and sometimes cool whip! OR Chocolate soy milk, PB smoothies...mmmmmmm!
As for bike shorts, I got a pair of tri shorts that i really really like at Rei. Sugoi Lucky Spyn, they are great! I also bought regular bike shorts there some weird brand but they were cheap (under $30).
I love that you made a list and that Zach's priority from here on out is to help you train! LOVE supportive hubby's!
The rest of the PBR crew is here for you too. I told Amy/Sarah I would set up a water stop for them on their 20 mile run =). If you need a "special needs" station, I'm your gal!
I am actually going to a sports nutritionist soon, because no matter what, I never feel quite right. I'm hoping for some insight and will definitely pass that along. I'm not quite as active (I almost typed insane) as you, but am pretty excited to learn a little bit more about fueling.
Sleep - I can function on a minimum of 6, but really prefer 8-9. However, between training, work & school, I'm averaging 7-8 instead, which is SAD!
I love my bike shorts, and was going to go look at them RIGHT NOW, and then remembered that I wore my tri shorts today, in case of spontaneous open water swims, so that is not as helpful. Is there a good tri- store in Seattle? Should we road (or train) trip? I'd be down w/ that.
What camera? I love our DSLR, although Brad's really the one who knows how to use it adequately. Anything beyond point & shoot is really lost on me.
I'm down w/ H2C 2010, probably. That sleep deprivation stuff doesn't sound fun, but I'll do anything once!
I would also like to echo Alisa - if you need any support during your IM training - like people to meet you in specific places with fuel/water/pep talks, let me know! I was a cheerleader in 6th grade & can probably still bust out a great toe touch.
I'm on the first part is all, but yes, absolutely you need more food. You're not eating enough... and you're eating a lot of carbs and I know for an endurance athlete that's normal, but you're getting very little protein. I wouldn't go ape shit (haha) but you probably need a bit more to sustain your muscles longer.
Okay, back to your post...
Snack options:
We eat South Beach high protein bars... they're super easy, grab and go, and they're tasty. You can find them in the cereal isle...and by "high protein"- they're not PROTEIN bars, they just have a bit more than regular granola bars.
We do cottage cheese and fruit, muffins made with some protein powder, edamame (YUM!), ...
one of my go to snacks is laughing cow cheese on sesame crackers. and maybe some roasted almonds. i also like an avocado with cherry tomatoes with a light soy dressing on top.
lately, i've needed a lot of sleep; any less than 8 and i feel pretty bad.
i tried on a pair of dudegirl bike shorts. they are very very flattering from the front--from the rear they appear to be see through especially over one's buttcrack. don't recommend these.
Great post. I can barely manage to post on my blog on a regular basis and I am NOT training for an IM!
Some quick and easy snacks that I like are string cheese and pretzels, or fresh fruit or veggies.
Definitely looks and sounds like you need more during the afternoon to keep your energy levels up. I would treat the run and swim workout as being sort of like one long 3 hour brick workout as there is not much of a window in between to really completely refuel and your HR will still likely be elevated anyway so you'll still be burning more cals than at rest. So I'd eat a 400-500 cals meal or snack 1- 2 hrs before the run (add an energy bar or have 2 WW w/ PB) and try to keep topping off my energy reserves by eating an energy gel and drinking a sports drink during the run (even though it's fairly short), and between the run & swim, eat another gel (or other very easy to digest snack) and take in more sports drink before your swim as well as during the breaks too, if possible. Not sure what temp your pool is but I can lose 1.5-2# just from swimming an hour and really need to make sure I'm well hydrated before swimming too!
John (Tales From The Mid-Pack) and I and a group of people are going to put in for the lottery for Hood to Coast for next year.
Snacking is good. I do a lot of it and I'm not even IM training!
Great post. It is hard to try and post a couple of time during the week. I am down to about once a week too.
You are doing so well with the training keep it up. I think is was smart to write down and hash out what you want out of the next 3months.
As for sleep, I need lots although I don't get it all:(
Do you have any tips for OWS and sighting? Thanks.
OMG! I went to Sports Basement in Sunnyvale when I was on vacation in CA recently. I asked my running buddy where I could go for some Gu for our monster trail run the following day and he told me to go there. When I walked in I swear I heard a heavenly chorus singing. I found my Gu and some other things besides...I think it's actually a miracle I only spent $94 when seriously...it could have been much, much worse. AND NOW YOU TELL ME THEY SELL STUFF ONLINE??? Oh no...
I have the solution for you on your feuling: Eat two lunches. One at 11am, and then again at 2pm. When I was training for the marathon last year, I was feeling exactly like you. I would wake up nearly everynight around 3 or 4 STARVING. I got the idea from a Nancy Clark's endurance athlete nutrition book. Tried it and loved it. You should give it a try. I am a snaker too. All day small meals, but when your constantly burning more calories - just as you said, gotta add more feul to the furnace.
My weight dropped quickly for the first few weeks of marathon training, then it held steady, then it kinda krept back up a little, now it's holding steady agian. It's gotta be from the vast amounts of calories my body is craving. I imagine yours is doing the same.
I am so in for Hood to Coast next year!!
...oh yeah, and I'm a sleeper. In bed by 9am hopefully asleep by 10. This is usually non-negotiable.
I agree with the two lunches idea, Jen - it can be a bit of a bother at work (people think I do nothing but eat all day!), but the extra calories will lead to more energy during the day and more/continuous sleep at night. Good luck!
Good post Jen.
For a 'between work' (during work too!) snack, make up a mix of dried fruits (apples, sultanas, pears etc), nuts, and maybe grapes or cherry tomatoes. Keep an eye on your iron intake.
It's 100% worth it to get more sleep. Adaptations to training only occur during rest/recovery. The more rest you can get, the better you'll adapt. Get to bed an hour earlier. Look at sleep like an extra training session - wouldn't you do an extra session if you could?
Have fun with the new camera. No excuses for poorly exposed or blurry photos now!
Looks like 2 lunches are your way to go.. I've been starving recently - just training for marathons I'm finding I need more meals...
It's wonderful that Zach is so supportive of your goal - and I definitely think that more sleep is essential. Whenever I feel that it is all getting too much I try to get to bed for 8ish a few nights and I'm fine again. Seriously I'm frequently asleep before my 9 year old. I just stick her in bed with me and she reads Judy Blume while I sleep..
Finally - I might be able to come out to Hood to Coast next year - depends on whether I BQ in 3/6 weeks or not. It would be a GREAT consolation prize..
Seems like something that I would do breaking everything down how you summarized everything. Seems like things are going well!
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