Slowly, Getting Faster

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. -- May Sarton

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master.  He told me to go slow to go fast.  I think that applies to everything in life.  We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress. -- Viggo Mortensen

And if Aragorn tells you, wearing that very earnest face, to go slow, well...you should listen.  Oh, wait - I mean if your coach tells you to go slow...you should listen.  After all, that's why I have a coach, right?  To listen?

It has been a hard change for me, going slow.  I'm not the first person, nor will I be the last person, to complain about heart rate training.  The whole idea of HR training is that we go too slow on our fast days and too fast on our slow days.  But if we use HR as a guide, we should end up pacing better for the various workouts.  The problem is, slow days feel AWFUL.  (So do fast days, but that's OK - that's the whole point.)  But slow days are supposed to be super-easy.  But super-easy, especially if you're not in the shape you want to be (or maybe even if you are, I wouldn't know!), is painfully slow.  Like snail's pace.  Like when I started out HR training this spring, I think a snail passed me.  :)

I am anxious to get back to fit.  Back into shape.  Back to not so damn slow.  And here my coach is telling me to run slow.  How's that supposed to work?  Besides, if it's this easy, how in the world is it working?  I mean, if leisurely walking would have gotten me into shape, I should be a fitness model, right?  Because leisurely walking is about all I could handle.  The whole system is counter-intuitive...and I never would have been able to do it without a coach.  (Thanks, Coach Kelly!)

Anyway, this past weekend I had a nice long run.  The first hour was supposed to be zone 1...leisurely.  The second hour, I was allowed to raise that a bit.  And you know what?  I loved it.  I enjoyed it.  And I ran faster than I have in a good year, probably - because my body is finally getting its act back together.  This HR training thing works.  Not only was I able to run faster for longer...but it felt great.  I didn't feel like I was dying the whole time.  This is the thing!

Now, don't get me wrong, I still have a long way to go...but I believe in my training and that's the first hurdle.  I am seeing progress and its starting to make sense, which should have the positive feedback effect of making it even easier to follow instructions.  Now...back to training.

(But first, HR training has me "Feeling Groovy"....slow down, you move too fast...)

RACE REPORT: Rumpus in Bumpass Olympic

Let the wild rumpus start! -- Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

This past weekend I did a triathlon.  It is the first one I'd done since the beginning of last June - eleven months ago.  It was hard, I finished, I know what I need to do better, and I probably shouldn't go nearly a year between races ever again.  :)  It's hard to get back on the horse!

Making things worse, I've never had a successful olympic distance triathlon.  I know - crazy, right?  I've done HIMs.  Early in my triathlon career, I DNF'd an Oly - the swim was rough and I wasn't ready.  I finished an Oly a couple years ago, but after the time.  I still got the medal, but it was a DNFTL (DNF Too Late) in my mind.  And then last year I had a DNS...we drove to the race site where I spent the morning hurling in the parking lot.  So, yeah - not a whole lot of great background when it comes to an olympic distance race.

But hey, let's not dwell on the past - because I had a successful (even if slow) race this weekend.  Time to get the oly monkey off my back!

Rumpass in Bumpass 4/30/16

The weather this spring has been crazy.  I've barely gotten out on my bike, I've only been OWS once (plus a few minutes on the Friday night before the race), and it was cold on race morning.

I ate an egg and sausage sandwich at home and drank a Mt. Dew Kickstart...because that's the breakfast drink of champions.  It was about a 45 minute drive to the race site - I'm OCD, so we got there super early - even before packet pickup, but that's OK.  I got my packet, set up transition, talked to some folks, had a Picky Bar and another Kickstart, hung out in the car freaking out, went back out and checked out my transition setup, freaked out a little more, talked to more people, and then it was time to go.

Swim

I was in the 5th wave (9:16AM start) - old ladies.  Only the novice wave was behind me.  Water temp = 67 degrees.  Air temp = lower than that.  BRRRR!

Here's the start of my swim wave - see the orange blur, about straight right from the buoy?  That's my arm!  My good-looking, powerful-stroking, efficient-swimming right arm.  IronSherpa didn't get a picture of my hideous velociraptor left arm...which is good, because no one wants to see that ugliness.  

Lesson #1:  It would be good to figure out WTH with my left arm and swimming.  Add this to the list of things to do, sooner than later.

The swim went well.  After a few minutes, the water didn't even feel cold.  I stopped at one far buoy because a) I could touch the ground and b) there was water in my goggle.  Fixed that and kept on going.  I felt really good about the swim - and I'm happy with my swim time.

And the creature emerges from the lagoon...

Transition #1

This was unbearably slow.  I couldn't get the water out of my ear.  I was confused.  I put on socks and a jacket because it was cold.  I forgot to eat my gel until halfway through, and then it was because an announcer was talking about the girl beside me eating a gel.  And it was a long run up a hill, in the grass, to get to the bike mount.  I could probably move faster, but I'm not sad at all about this.

Bike

So.  I haven't really ridden outside much because this spring has sucked.  And my shoulder has been a mess, so I opted for the road bike rather than the tri bike.  That was a good decision, because even the roadie was uncomfortable for 24 miles.  Not cool.  The bike loop was 2 laps - the first lap felt like forever, but I was fairly comfortable on the bike; the second lap flew by, but I was super uncomfortable.  I ate another gu partway through the bike and had water and Base Salt at regular intervals on the bike.  Happy with this, although I did get a little bit hungry towards the end of the bike.

Lesson #2:  I need more time in the saddle.  Desperately.  Must be more comfortable.

Transition #2

This was better than T1.  As I was leaving transition, a woman told me to "use the downhills..." - WHAT?  I was told the run course was flat.  Liars.  All of them.  But other than getting that little piece of news, T2 went just fine.  

Run

The run was not something I'm proud of.  I had a plan - run/walk Z1 for the first loop, Z2 for the out of the second loop, and then finish strong.  Yeah, well, that didn't happen.  First, there were hills.  Up, up, up, down, up, up, down, down, down, up, down.  Or something like that, and that's just the outbound of the first lap.  Anyway, the other problem is that my HR never got down to Z1 for the first lap.  I assume I am just out of shape and need some more base work.  But the run sucked.

After leaving transition, you run through quicksand for about 1/10 mile, then a gravel road for about 2/10, and then on the road for about 1.4 miles, turn around, back to the quicksand, and then repeat.  After the second loop, through the quicksand and to the finish line.

I walked way more than I wanted to.  I just didn't have it in me.  I did use the porta before I got out on the road, so that added a little time, but really, the slowness was all on me.  I tried to run the flats and downhills and walk the ups, but even that was exhausting.

Lesson # 3:  Base.  I need a better fitness base.  Which means I need to work harder and eat better.  Because this was harder than it should have been.

I took water & gatorade at the aid stations; brought some Gu Chews and ate one piece every couple miles, plus Base salt.

And then I finished.

And I got the most awesome medal.

I finished.  I wasn't last - although it was close.  I did finish in the alloted time, so victory - I got an Oly finish I can be happy with.  And I got back on the tri horse...that's the best thing of all. 

I have some thoughts on finishing last, but that's for another day.  Today it's about celebrating the finish and enjoying the medal.  I LOVE the medal.