Quick blog today - which pretty much says it all.  How do you fit it all in?

I had a great training weekend - thanks to Doug and Liz for hosting us for our 2.4 mile swim in the West River and the beautiful 50 mile bike through the rolling hills of Maryland.  What a great day.  Of course it rained cats and dogs on Sunday - had to put off my long run until the afternoon because of Mother's Day (can't be out running while the Moms sit at home alone!) so I ended up getting 90 minutes in on the treadmill at Gold's. 

After a quick swim at lunch on Monday and an early run today I'm starting to worry again about getting it all in.  There is so much to do, so many miles to log, so many drills to do and intervals to complete - yet there is so little time left.  My Ironman is June 21 - which feels like just around the corner.  How can I get it all in?!!

I guess the key is to just stay on schedule - keep plugging along, keep doing the plan - but not to let stress about total miles and hours get to you.  We do this for the joy of it and that's what I have to remember.  I can do it, I've been training, I've done the plan...I can do the race.

That is the same for everyone.  Enjoy the ride, the process, the journey.  The race is the icing on the cake.  If it becomes work, its not going to be fun anymore.

So with that I head off to work satisfied with my morning run in the beautiful sunshine and looking forward to tomorrow's workout - whatever it is!

J

Its still dark, but that is normal for us - right!  We are off today to Annapolis to do a 2.4 mile swim and 50 mile bike.  I am pretty excited about the opportunity to get in the open water for more than 800 meters or so.  It is raining a bit, but that will be ok (at least on the swim).  I'm hoping that it will be clear enough for the bike.

Some people ask - why do you do it?  Why the sacrifice, the weird hours, the pain, the cost, and all the other negatives that go along with triathlon?  It is hard to answer that question, because the "why" cannot be put into words.  It is a feeling, a state of mind, that happens when you know you have accomplished something that so few people have done.  It is that feeling that you get when you know you have pushed yourself beyond your limit - that awesome high you get when you cross the finish line and you are DONE!  You can't explain that to someone who hasn't felt it.  You can only feel it yourself.

I also do it for another reason - to celebrate what God has given us all in the amazing human body and spirit.  The way I see it, I have been given this gift of the greatest machine ever created, a living machine with an iron spirit, and I should push it to its limits - if only to see where those limits are.  Make the most of what you have been given, whether that means a two hour sprint or a nine hour Ironman.  Do what you can do to maximize what you have to work with - that is the best way to celebrate life.

It is also great to enjoy this sport with so many other great people - to connect with others who seek that same feeling, and who share that same celebration of life (Hey Deb M!).  If we can all work together to help some others less fortunate physically, to let them participate through us in some way, and also to raise funds that help them in their struggle, then that is all the better to bring us all together as a community.

So - its 5 am and I'm off....how great is that!

JM

There are no hills near enough to my home (on the flat, flat, FLAT eastern shore of Maryland) to train on them while my twin pre-K daughters are in school for 2.5 hours each afternoon. So today was the next best thing on a lovely sunny day: intervals of one hard mile then one easy mile. My route today was U-shaped to a turnaround and the wind was a solid 10+ mph. The plot below is data from my beloved Garmin Forerunner 305 (which I plan to have surgically implanted in my wrist). My bike speeds (blue) varied widely even though the heart rates (red line) show a relatively consistent effort during the last five work intervals. That's six miles of hard riding to the good, and more than I would have been able to finish in a continuous effort! That's the whole foundation of interval training - let's not make it any more complicated than that!

Wow - you can't complain about being a tri-stud today!  The weather was perfect, so I headed out on a long ride (60) and ended up on part of the TNT course (Haines Point).  Did a bunch of loops and enjoyed the thrill of being passed by a pack of massively fast bikers several times.  Who are those guys!  Finished off with a nice run along the Potomac...how great is that.

The sun was out, there was a cool breeze (a wind if riding into it!) and people just seemed glad to be outside.

It hit me while riding what a wonderful thing it is to be fit, to be able to enjoy a brisk ride or run or even a swim in the Potomac.  Some of us are blessed with those abilities, and even though we work hard to hone them, they are still a gift - and that is why those who can should work for those who cannot. 

I hope that my fundraising for the Dana Faber Cancer Research goes well this fall...and that in some way all of our efforts at the TNT can inspire those who are sick to fight the good fight and keep plugging away at getting better.  It is hard, I can tell, to keep fighting when the news isn't always good.  I see that everyday.  Still, as in all things, the effort can be its own prize if done with spirit, with courage, and with joy.  Maybe someday we can beat this cancer thing altogether - but I am inspired by those who beat it a little bit every single day.

Pray hard, train hard, and let us make TNT 2008 the best race ever!

J

Results from my first 1/2 marathon, the Potomac River Run are in!!!

The top 3 winners are:

MOST PATIENT FRIEND AWARD goes to....Mrs. Tori Watson 

• This was Tori's 3rd 1/2 Marathon and showed only respect and encouragement (until mile 11...) during the race.  She stuck by me the entire time with her motivation and steady pace...and allowed me to walk more than I'd like to admit.  This race is dedicated to you, Tori!! (See picture below:)

ACTUAL WINNER AWARD goes to...Mr. Weston John Spece, I

• Wes is my younger brother and a stellar athlete.  He ran cross country in high school and at Longwood University and has not slowed down one bit.  He truly proved his talents by passing Tori and me at the halfway point (did I mention that I made Tori start 30 minutes early?) and finished 3rd in his age division, and 13th overall!!!                                                        

LEAST PREPARED AWARD goes to...Me 

• I earned this award by doing the obvious-training every 4th day, believing adrenaline would carry me through and maxing out my training regime at 6 miles prior to the race.   

Don't just be entertained...help me get there!

 

Time to start looking down the road to September 14, 2008, when I'll take the starting line of the Nation's Triathlon and setting off for the swim in the lovely waters of the Potomac River. Let's see, that's 19 weeks away. If I train hard this summer maybe I can stay out of the ranks of the hindmost stragglers and make it up to the back of the middle of the pack.

I'm a 50-year-old adult-onset triathlete. I'm overweight, and relatively slow, but I keep plugging away at them and I usually get the job done. It's fun and it's the only thing that has kept me motivated enough to work out consistently for several years. Besides, I have twin 4-year-old daughters at home, and I have to keep active in order to keep up with them! 

My first Olympic-distance triathlon was in May, 2005 at Columbia, Maryland, where I crossed the finish line 1205th out of 1227 finishers. I loved it. I was hooked. Since then I've done quite a few other triathlons, but the Olympic distance of 1500m swim, 24.8-mile bike, and 6.2-mile run has remained my favorite. Short enough that you can't sprint it, you aren't stuck in any one discipline for terribly long, short enough that you can walk relatively normally the day after, but long enough that you can still get a substantial workout and truly test yourself. 

In less than two weeks I'll be taking on that challenging course in Columbia again for the fourth consecutive year. I'm just coming back from a very nasty bout of pneumonia this spring, and my lungs are still not quite right, so I'm still in the process of figuring out how I'm going to survive those tough hills. I'm in an evolving state of mind - first thinking that I'll just drop out at the end of the swim and chalk it up to open water swim practice; progressing to thinking I might as well take the bike out for a spin and get some unaccustomed hill training and bag it after that; to thinking that if I'm going to do that much work I might as well slog around the run course and pick up my medal at the finish line.

But if there's anything I have learned in triathlon, it's that you can never predict how a race will go. You can only get yourself to the starting line in the best shape you can with the limited time we all have, and then let the day unfold as it will. In my book, the finisher who has the most fun on the course wins.

Hello Everyone!

This is my first entry, and I am excited about posting throughout the summer as we get closer to the Nation's Triathlon.  This year I'll be racing to raise money for Dana Faber Cancer Research in honor of my friend Tony Snow.  Tony is fighting the good fight against colon cancer - and he is doing great!  The fight is never over, however, and we need to continue to invest to see what more we can do to help stop and finally cure this disease.

I did my first tri of the season last weekend - the Smith Mountain Lake Sprint.  It was a beautiful day, and although the water was a bit cold getting in (64 degrees) it felt great to swim in the open water (no more flip turns!).  I had a good day - 4th in the age group - and a very good run (19:55).  All in all a good tune up for my next race - the Coeur d' Alene Ironman in June.  Today is a swim day (ran 2 hours yesterday).  I slept in, so I'll be doing the Masters swim tonight. 

I was so happy to see so many young kids at SML this weekend.  I saw one kid who was 12 completing the run and looking great.  There was a really young boy swimming with his Dad (he must have been 8 or 10).  I don't know if he finished, but he was there!  There were lots of college kids too.  I think its great that the sport has young members now.  I wonder if there are any high school programs out there?  My son did a few tri's - but he was the only one in his high school as far as we know.

Cheers!  More tomorrow....

 

As I approach my first ½ marathon this Sunday, the Potomac River Run, I’m trying to figure out at what point did I decide to become this super athlete? First a ½ marathon and now a triathlon? Can I really train for the Olympics starting at 27?

 

Let’s review the surrounding influencers-or take an optimistic view and call them “motivators”- that led to this ambitious quest…

 

1. Registration for the Tri took place on a gorgeous Friday morning, immediately after a cup of coffee and staff meeting showing the TNT Sizzle Video. I have since switched to decaf.
2. All four of my immediate co-workers talk about their workouts, marathons, triathlons and training in the same excitement I talk about the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
3. I have become one of “those” brides who have gained 10 pounds since getting married.
4. In a recent all-staff meeting, I was disappointed that the agenda did not include the new hire’s tips on how she keeps her arms so toned.
5. When running with my younger brother on the beach a while back, I came back and was fully convinced I had acquired asthma-I was later informed I was just out of shape.
6. I promised my husband that if we get a dog, I’d drop my gym membership (which he considered a part of his tithes, anyway) and take up running.
7. I heart comfy pants-and it doesn’t get any better than lycra!
8. Last month, when the elevators at work were broken, I seriously considered taking a personal day instead of taking the stairs to the 8^th floor.
9. I really shouldn’t be driving to the dog park down the street, anyway.
10. I have become one of “those” brides who have lied about how much weight they have gained since getting married.

 

While I have a few hurdles to cross (hurdles the size of the Atlantic) to be ready for this Tri, I am confident TNT will give me the preparation I need.  The past few months while I have tried to ready myself for this ½ marathon on Sunday, I can honestly say that I did not do the best I could have to prepare. The Tri will be different…I will have educated coaches, support from staff and a group, just like me, to do this with.

 

Don't just be entertained-please help me reach my goal!

While I am reassured by anyone affiliated with TNT that I will be more than ready for the 1.5k swim, 40k bike ride and 10k run by the end of my training, there is one huge aspect I need help with...

Can anyone show me which bike is mine in my townhouse storage unit? I've only ridden it once and, while locking it up, vividly recall making a promise to myself that I didn't have to go out on it again. Below is the visual of my first challenge as well as the help I received from my dog, Cole.

In 2006, the first Nation's Triathlon took place in Washington, DC, with an ambitious goal: to become the largest, most organized and best-produced triathlon in the world.

Now in its third year, this stellar athletic event has partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to become the first triathlon to help cure blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. The first Nation's Triathlon To Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will take place in Washington, DC on Sept. 14, 2008. To learn more about LLS, click here.

 This by-invitation blog is a means to encourage and faciliate communication within the triathelete community.

 

Thanks for visiting!