When you put as many miles on the road (and in the water) as my workout friends and I do, sometimes you just have to shake things up a bit to keep things interesting.  That is why I make sure and schedule fun races every couple months and why we continually try to find new and exciting ways to keep it fresh.  Lately, on the weekends, I have been running some long miles with friends who are training for full marathons.  I won't be doing my first full until January, but when you are running 18+ miles it is nice to have company.  So, I have been trying to support them by running at least 10 miles of their mileage along side them.
          A couple weeks ago we had an interesting adventure.  Now before I share this story I need to point out something that is important to understanding our perspective on training.  My friend Karrie puts it best when she says, "There are 'competers' and then there are 'completers'...we are completers."  So while we take completing our miles pretty seriously, and we push ourselves to get faster,   we don't always stress if our times are not perfect. We realize that it is more important to enjoy what we are doing, or we might be apt to quit doing it altogether.

          So back to my story.  A few weeks ago we were running 13 miles on the back road hills in Temecula.  Joe and Darcy are pretty quick so after about 5 miles Karrie, Leslie, and I lost sight of them.  Truthfully we were not that far behind, but because it was over 90 degrees, Karrie and Leslie decided to make a short stop at a park along the way to run through the sprinklers.  We weren't there more than a few minutes, but it gave us that energy needed, and cooled us down enough, that we were ready to tackle the rest of our miles.           Karrie was pretty sure she knew the route to catch up with the others, so when we came to a dead end, we decided to go straight into this new development and explore a little while we ran.  It ended up that the road had not yet been completed, but instead of going back where we started, we thought it would be fun to run up the hill you see in the picture at the top of my blog.  It was so steep that near the top we had to grab onto the ground a little, as it was almost perpendicular to the bottom where we started.  When Joe and Darcy called to find out where we were, they were surprised to see that we were high above their heads on a adjacent hillside.  Like I said, sometimes the running is so much more fun when you do something unexpected.  Sometimes, it is important to get off the beaten path.

        We have been lucky enough the last few weeks to have Kay feeling well enough, despite her recent cancer diagnosis, to run with us.   Behind my house there is this amazing creek bed that leads up into the local nature preserve.  We have spent much of the last year exploring as much of this area as possible.  But on Thursday, Emily took us on a route we had never been before. We headed down a familiar road but then turned toward a spot that was brand new to us.  We ended up running down a leaf blanketed hill through some thick brush, and then up a steep incline where we then emerged into our familiar creek bed.  We had so much fun that we ended up doing almost 6 miles without realizing we had gone that far.  Doing novel routes a few times a month ensures that we are never bored.

          I have shared in the past that one way I keep myself accountable to my training is that I schedule races every month or so.  In addition, I try to pick novel races I have never done before--my philosophy is that if I am paying money I want to try new routes as well as new experiences.  That is why I do anything from mud runs and the Tough Mudder, to triathlons, as well as half-marathons in varied places like North Carolina, Arizona, and Oregon.  So when I saw an 80's inspired race in my hometown of Pasadena, I knew this was just the race for me.  And while it was one of the most poorly organized races I have ever run (not enough water stops for the over 90 degree weather and then they ran out of water), I had a great time.  There was 80's music blasting from various spots along the route, people were dressed in bright, neon colors, and the costumes were unbelievable.  I got very lucky to find a person who was my pace to keep me going despite the heat and lack of water.  Cindy (dressed in the Candyland costume) and I spent the first 3 miles of the race running past each other at different points, and at about mile 4 we decided to finish strong together.  We kept reminding ourselves that the sooner we finished, the sooner we could both get water.  So we pushed it up the last hill, through the finish line, and straight to our cassette tape shaped medals--the cool bling is also a motivator, don't judge me.

         One final example of how getting off the beaten path makes exercising more enjoyable took place today.  Karrie and I had the opportunity to ride through the Temecula vineyards with some of the most beautiful cloud formations I have seen in years.  In addition, there were tons of hot air balloons floating through the sky to make it look even more spectacular.  It could not have been more beautiful for my inaugural ride on my new racing bike (yes, I finally got it paid off and brought it home). We did 36 miles up and down some pretty intense hills, but when you have so much to look at, and such good company, those thirty plus miles go pretty quickly.  And while I know that when my Ironman training has me biking three days a week at high mileage I will be forced to do some spinning classes indoors, I will still find time to get outside and enjoy the gorgeous landscapes around me.
          My inspiration for this week's blog was my wish to share how you, too, can get your exercise in and still have fun.  I have had two friends share with me in the last few weeks that when they start new exercise, within three months they are already bored and are giving up on that form of exercise. What you can see from what I do is that I am constantly trying to mix things up so that it is never boring.  I have been consistently exercising for almost three years now and I have never felt the need to quit--I am having too much fun!  So mix it up, find new places to move, and you will find it is a lot easier to stick with your fitness plans.

          Being the oldest child, I have always been the one to take care of my family, to avoid conflict, and to try to fix things when they go wrong.  I dislike conflict and am not happy when things are out of my control.  I always want to make things better, so when Kay shared her cancer news with me, I felt terribly helpless--what could I do to make this better for Kay? I couldn't take her cancer away, so I was at a complete loss for what to do to help.
          Once the initial shock wore off my brain began to work, and I realized there were so many things we could all do to support her.  One thing Kay said to me that Sunday morning has really stuck with me.  She said that while Karrie, Leslie, and I were fighting to train for our Ironman race, she would be fighting the race for her life.  She told me that while she might not be able to train with us as much as she had planned to, she would be our biggest cheerleader.  That got me thinking, "No one fights alone!"  Kay would have all of us to keep her strong through a race she never asked to be entered into, and she can have something positive to focus on by pushing us in our training.
          One thing I was able to do to support Kay was to find people I knew in the school district where we both work who could give her guidance.  I do not know anything about fighting cancer, but I was able to put her in touch with people who could coach her along the way.  One of these people also told me about a website that I should visit to find another way to support Kay.  Choose Hope is a website where I was able to purchase bracelets that we could all wear to let Kay know that we were on her team, and it also reminds us to send prayers and good wishes to her on a regular basis.  In addition, Choose Hope donates a portion of all purchases to a variety of leading cancer research institutions, which is an added bonus.  So we are all wearing dark blue plastic bands to remind us that we are a team behind Kay...because no one fights alone.       

          That is the beauty of having such an amazing support system--there is always someone there to remind you to keep pushing forward.  On our long training runs and bike rides we consistently push each other to do more and to push harder. If one of us looks like they are petering out on the the bike ride, someone will ride alongside and help keep them going.  On our high mile runs, if we one of us loses steam and walks too much, there is someone there to remind them to keep going.  During our early morning swims when I feel like I am going to drown, Karrie, Leslie, and Emily not only give me tips on how to improve my technique, they give me positive feedback so I don't get too frustrated--no one fights alone!
          We all have our races we have to run...some we sign up for, and others are forced upon us.  But the important thing to remember is that we do not have to face these challenges alone.  During these times of trial and stress we need to remember not to be too proud to allow others to do nice things for us.  That is the great thing about the relationship I have with Kay and my Ironman teammates.  We realize that it feels great to give to others, but we also realize that we must allow others to feel that same goodness by giving back to us. No one fights alone, and thank God I have my team behind me and Kay to remind us of this on a daily basis!

          For most of my twenties and thirties I was unhealthy, unfit, and unhappy.  Looking back I am sad that I wasted so much time being uncomfortable in my own skin when just by making healthier food choices and moving my body more I was able to improve my quality of life by leaps and bounds. I fought hard to get the life I have now,  and one of my greatest wishes is that by writing this blog I can encourage others to fight for their lives as well.
          I truly don't think that it is an exaggeration when I say we have a battle on our hands when it comes to making healthy food choices.  We are surrounded by advertisements in television, radio, and print that make junk food look so appealing that many of us have a hard time not wanting to go right out and purchase the food they are pushing.  Thank God In-N-Out does very little advertising, or I might be tempted to eat there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Also, the junkier the food is, the cheaper it is to purchase.  If you are on a limited budget, as so many of us are these days, it can be difficult to purchase as many fruits and vegetables as we like let alone purchase the organic versions that are even healthier for our bodies.  Also, with our busy lifestyles it is difficult to find quick and healthy versions on the run.  That is why it is a good practice to include packing your lunches and snacks as a part of your daily routine.  Not only will you be less likely to cheat on high fat or sugar-loaded food, but bringing your food with you each day will actually save you money as well.  The thing I love most about my new healthier lifestyle is that I see my kids making good food choices as well. 
          For those of you that have been following me from the beginning, I have not always been the picture of fitness.  I think anyone who knew me three years ago would never have imagined that I would ever finish a half-marathon, let alone be training for an Ironman.  It has been a long fight to get in shape, but a fight that has been well worth the effort.  I started with walking, moved to wogging (walking/jogging), and now I can officially call myself a runner.  It was not easy in the beginning.  My body ached, I was sometimes frustrated by my progress, but I have come a long way in a little over two years.  And like my healthier eating, my exercise has rubbed off on my family as well.  I can't take credit for my daughter, Siobhan, because she has always been active with her volleyball.  Now my husband does Crossfit at least three days a week, my oldest son is running and lifting weights at the gym, and even my four-year-old son has stated that he wants to do an Ironman with me some day.  So my fight to fitness has been well worth all the effort.
          I am sad to say that sometimes even if you do all of the above, it is not always enough.  That is why it is so imperative that we make good choices when we have control like we do with our diet and exercise.  This week I was once again reminded of how important a healthy lifestyle is when one of my healthiest friends was diagnosed with colon cancer.  She is honestly the complete picture of health: extremely healthy food choices (she eats very little meat and purchases almost all of her organic produce at the local farmer's markets), she moves her body almost every day, and she has taking supplements down to a science.  She also makes sure to get plenty of rest.  Because of her overall fitness profile, this diagnosis was a huge surprise for all.  So one last way you can fight for your life is to get your cancer screenings on a regular basis.  Her colonoscopy caught something that could have gone undiagnosed because she was experiencing absolutely no symptoms.  And because she is so fit and healthy (both of mind, spirit, and body), I know her recovery time will be improved, and she will be out on the road running and biking with us in no time.
          So fight for your health, fight for your fitness, and fight for your life.  You are so worth it!

All photos and captions provided by my friend Kay who will be running the race of her life this year.  “True friends are families which you can select.” ― Audrey Hepburn  Love ya Kay!

          I must admit that I am being really hard on myself for my performance at the triathlon last weekend.  Sometimes, I am my own worst enemy.  I completely forget how far I have come and judge myself harshly when my performances don't measure up.  But measure up to what?  What exactly am I expecting of myself and are those expectations even realistic?
          Lately, I have been reading anything I can get my hands on to give me information on what I need to do to train for an Ironman. My favorites have been books that features stories of the experiences racers have had in their training and completion of this event.  The stories range from people like me who take on a challenge that they never thought they could accomplish, to elite athletes who take on Ironman with varying of degrees of success.  Several of the stories have featured competitors who do their first Ironmans, get amazing split and finish times, realizing that they are actually really good at triathlons, decide to turn pro.  I am not sure if I had this type of story running through my head and thought that perhaps it might not be as hard as it appeared, or that somehow I was secretly really a pro-triathlete in the making (yeah, right!?).  Who knows what I was thinking because, rationally, I should really be proud of myself.  Yes, it was only a sprint triathlon (and I say "only" with complete sarcasm), but I didn't merely set the goal of completing this race, I had actually set myself the goal of finishing in under 2:30:00.  At 2:21:39 I was well under that time limit.  So why, oh why, am I not 100% proud of myself?  I may never understand this because, as I said above, I am my own worst enemy.
          It is funny how sometimes you come across something that gives you the perfect advice just when you need it.  I think the key is to recognize that the advice is for you and that you must try to act on that advice to improve your situation.  I was reading the book Becoming an Ironman: First Encounters with the Ultimate Endurance Event by Kara Douglass Thom when I came across a quote by Lyn Brooks, who has completed at least twenty Ironmans in her career.  She shares, "...I ask people, 'Were you happy with how you did in the event because I don't care about the times. Were you happy?  Was it satisfying?'  I think when you go back to numbers and times and places, you set yourself up to fail or to feel like a loser because chances are whatever plans you lay out, they're not going to play out that way.  I've seen so many people train so hard and then they piss the whole experience away because it wasn't what they wanted to do.  It's not how fast or how slow, it's just, are you present?  Are you appreciating the fact that you have a healthy body that gives you the privilege of doing something like this?  I am very appreciative because I also know it can turn on a dime--on a dime." I don't want to "piss away" this wonderful journey I am on by letting the race numbers measure my success. This reminds me a lot of how I sometimes let the scale's numbers determine how successful I feel with the progress I am making on improving my body.  Again...I am my own worst enemy!
          I have made a lot of progress this summer--I completed my first triathlon; I have been taking supplements every day for more than a month now; I play in the water with my family at the beach instead of sitting on my chair watching the action; and I even wore my bikini to the beach (miracle of all miracles).  I know I have said it before, but I need to focus on the huge progress I have made and not worry about being perfect.  I am hoping that if I repeat it enough it will eventually sink in, and I will learn to be present as I experience all the amazing things I will encounter over the next year. "Focus on your progress--you don't have to be perfect.  Focus on your progress--you don't have to be perfect. Focus on your progress--you DON'T have to be Perfect!"  There, now...maybe I will believe this advice enough to finally live it.

Before

          Preparation: One day I was running through the back roads of Temecula.  In a moment of weakness, my friend Karrie talked me into doing the Ironman. She tells a different story where I volunteered to do it, but really, who would be crazy enough to do that? (Sorry Karrie, this is my story and I am sticking to it.)
          No matter how I came to be doing this very challenging race, one thing is for sure...once I decide to do something I don't do it halfway.  Anyone who has trained for an Ironman will tell you, the training for the Ironman is almost more difficult than the actual race itself.  I will tell you that I purchased a calendar just for my training, and as I filled in all the exercise I will be doing from now until July 2013, I can see that this training is rigorous and will definitely prepare me for swimming 2 1/2 miles, riding 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles.
          The first task on my road to Ironman is to complete my first triathlon.  We chose a sprint triathlon (3/4 mile swim, 18 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run) at Camp Pendleton.  I have been running for over two years now, have been biking for years, but need some work on the swimming.  Therefore, I have been trying to swim at least three times per week including some ocean swims to allow me to practice diving under waves and back and forth through the strong currents that are sometimes present.  I also continued with my three day a week running and added a few long rides in between.
          The other preparation I required was gathering necessary equipment.  One thing I needed to aid in all three sports was a tri-suit.  This one piece of clothing is worn as a swimsuit, can then be used for biking because it has some light padding in the shorts, and is comfortable enough to be worn through the run portion as well.  I had to borrow a wetsuit (thanks Darcy) to keep me warm through the ocean swim, and because my legs are still dragging when I swim.  The buoyant suit will keep my legs parallel with the rest of my body.   

          Concerns: I think my number one concern is being able to complete the swimming portion of the race--once I get to the bike and run portions, I know I can complete the triathlon, because I have ridden and run many more miles than this race is asking of me. Today, I practiced running into the surf with my wetsuit, swimming out beyond the waves, across from one life guard tower to the next, then swimming back to shore.  It was not pretty, but at least I was able to complete a mock swim leg.
          My second concern is the transitions between each leg of the race. I am extremely worried that I will forget to bring some major piece of equipment I need, like a helmet, goggles, or running shoes.  I found a check-off list online to help me remember everything (sprint triathlon checklist), so hopefully this will not be an issue.  Camp Pendleton Sprint Triathlon, here I come!

After

          While the photo to the left is not the most flattering photo ever taken of me (tri-suits love to hug my areas that still need work), I think that this picture best shows how I truly felt at the end of this race.  I have never had to fight so hard just to complete a race before.  In fact, I even think that this race was more challenging for me than the Tough Mudder, which included over 12 miles of massive hills all while tackling some extremely difficult obstacles (for more Tough Mudder details so my 2/26/12 blog).  But not once during the Tough Mudder did I ever think I wouldn't finish...not even when I was zapped so hard by electricity it caused both my calves to cramp and I fell hard to the ground.  But I get ahead of myself...
          The day started off very early--like 3:30 am early.  While all my triathlon gear had been carefully packed the night before, I still had to eat a light breakfast, have my morning coffee, dress for the race, and do some light stretching. All of this had to be done so we could all leave the house by 4:25 to pick up my friend Emily and her bike.  One of the best things about today was that our car was not just filled with racers and gear, I also brought a cheering section--my husband Sean, my daughter Siobhan, and my son Eoin.  I was so excited to have them there to see me complete this course.
          We all arrived at the front gates of Camp Pendleton in plenty of time.  The drive from the gate to the actual course was about thirty minutes, and while our wave was the last to take off at 8:30, we had to get our timing chips, swimming caps, get marked with our numbers, and set up our bike and transition area (all the gear we would need for our bike and run legs) before 7:20 am. 
          Once we had everything ready to go, we threw on our wetsuits and went out in the surf to test out the water conditions.  I felt great.  The waves were fairly easy for the day--about three bigger sets of waves and then some very flat surfaces.  There was a strong current, but my buddy Leslie figured out we could move about 100 yards left of the start line and then the current would pull us toward the first buoy.  Thank God she made this suggestion, because the group of racers before us did not make this correction and many of the swimmers went so far right that they actually ended up between the two buoys and had to swim back to the first one.
          When the gun went off, my swim plan played over and over in my head, "Swim ten to twenty strokes, and then take a couple breast strokes to catch my breath."  Unfortunately my body had other ideas.  Once I got past the first couple waves, I completely lost my breath and had a panic attack of sorts.  Instead of sticking to my plan, I resorted to doggie paddle, which has absolutely no power, and the longer I struggled, the more I couldn't catch my breath.  My breathing got so heavy that I had a couple lifeguards come up to me wondering if I needed some help.  If I allowed them to help me even just a little, I would be disqualified, so I very nicely asked them to stay away from me.  Every ounce of energy I had went into completing that swim, so by the time I hit the beach, I could hardly even walk across the sand to the transition area.  I felt nauseous and dizzy, but I knew I couldn't quit.  Just then I heard my name being called from the spectator area on the cliff.  I could hardly raise my arm  to wave because I was so tired, but that cheer gave me the strength to push through this rough spot.  I couldn't quit--not with our cheering section behind me.
          I took longer than necessary to transition to the bike, but I was hoping the nausea would subside.  I finally just decided it was time to move on--I had more than 18 miles of bike ride ahead of me, and I was shooting to come in under 2:30:00, which I know is slow, but considering my weak swimming I had to set a reasonable goal for myself.  In the end I was very pleased with my bike leg.  While coming out of the transition area there were only two bikes behind me, but I was able to push through and pass a handful of mountain bikes and even a road bike or two.  The problem was that the swim had taken a lot out of me, and what energy I had left I used to go hard on the bike.  When it came time to run, I had very little left in me. 
          My transition was actually pretty good from the bike to the run, but my legs felt like lead and I had trouble getting them to move faster than a quick walk.  I finally started setting goals for myself.  I had to run from the light pole to the final cone.  I could walk through the water station, but I could not walk anywhere near the photographer (who wants that documented).  When I thought I was almost done, I hit the 2 mile marker.  I couldn't believe I had more than a mile left to go.  I continued to set small running goals for myself and just when I thought I couldn't go one more step, I turned the corner and my racing friends and most of our spectators were there to run the last 100 yards with me.  I can't tell you how much that meant to me, and I knew then that I was going to complete my first triathlon (and I did it in 2:21:39, more than 8 minutes faster than my goal).  It was not my best race, but I think I am more proud of this race than any other.  I had to dig deep, and when I had nothing left, my friends and family were there to spur me on.  I am definitely a lucky girl!
          So, while I don't want to scare anybody off of triathlons because of my experience (because I would do it again in a heartbeat), or make you think that choosing an Ironman is for everyone, I do think that training for triathlons is a great way to plan a well-rounded exercise plan.  With a little swimming (one of the best low impact exercises), some bike rides, and some reasonable run mileage, you too can do a sprint triathlon in as little as 8-weeks.  This resource can help you to achieve this goal if this is something you aspire to do (Beginner Triathlete Resource).  You just may want to choose a little easier course for your first triathlon.  :)