Photographic evidence

Here I am at the end of the triathlon, thinking ahead to the next race.

Mission Accomplished!

Yesterday was the big race. I woke up to rain here in Toronto and as I was leaving around 6:30 a.m. it got quite heavy and I was sorely tempted to turn around and crawl back into bed rather than brave the elements. But in the back of my mind I kept thinking, but what if in Grimsby this has all blown through already and the weather's fine? So I pushed on and sure enough by the time I got there the rain had stopped. The course site was a sloppy mess, the sun never did appear and there was a couple of short bouts of light rain during the race, but I'm glad I went. Here's the official breakdown:

1. The Swim - was relatively disastrous. I've been doing really well in the pool, my usual time to complete 750 meters is 16-17 minutes. Unfortunately swimming in an open lake is entirely different and as much as I had hoped to get at least one open water swim in before the race, my schedule didn't allow it. So cold lake water, waves and the restrictions of a wetsuit, made breathing difficult and I felt like I couldn't get enough air, which is a scary feeling when you're in deep lake water. Twice I had to stop and gasp for air while clinging to a rescue kayak and seriously thought I was going to have to abandon the swim. But thankfully, the kayakers were really great, calming and supportive and about half way through when my nerves settled and I got into my groove and swam quite well - if only I could have done that the whole way.
2. The Bike - went really well. I maintained an average speed of 26 km/hr throughout and so finished in under an hour which was my goal. As luck would have it, because of the rain they altered the bike course to remove the hill affectionately dubbed "The Beast", so the whole bike course was a nice flat stretch.
3. The Run - also went well. I managed to run at about the same pace as I had 8 years ago the last time I did a triathlon, so I was happy with that.

My goal had been to beat my time in my last triathlon which was 2 hours 27 minutes and 6 seconds. In public, I was aiming for 2 hours and 17 minutes, privately in my own mind I was hoping to finish in 2 hours and 5 minutes. My time (even with a horrible swim) was....drum roll please...2 hours and 7 minutes and 41 seconds. So all in all I'm pretty pleased and even after my near death experience in the swim, I'm trying to set my next race. There's a tri in Guelph lake at the end of August, but I'm not sure I want to do another that soon. I may aim for a duathlon in September. I'll keep you posted!

Some Thoughts the Day Before the Big Day - 1 day to go!

Since I haven't had time for blogging lately there have been random accumulated thoughts building up in my brain so here's the big brain dump:
1. As I previously mentionned, music like IPods etc are not allowed while racing a triathlon for safety reasons. So I've usually had a soundtrack for the race running in my brain. Those of you who know me well know that I love a band from Newfoundland called Great Big Sea. Previous races were run to the inspiration of lyrics like "and I say, way hey hey it's just an ordinary day, and it's all your state of mind" and "when I'm up I can't get down, can't get down can't get level, when I'm up I can't get down, get my feet back on the ground". This time around Great Big Sea has a new album out called Fortune's Favour that I absolutely love and so I think it will be lyrics from Walk on the Moon that inspire me - "this is my one small step, this is my walk on the moon". If you ever get a chance to see Great Big Sea live, it's the most fun you're likely to have at a concert and you'll pay for a seat, but not likely ever sit in it because they'll have you on your feet through the whole show.
2. I'm sad to report that my two friends that were going to race with me have had to pull out of the triathlon, so I'll be going solo - which is ok because I'm not sure I really want too many people I know to see me in full swim regalia with the goggles, swim cap and wetsuit - it's not really an attractive look.
3. On wetsuits - I tried mine on after 10 years of not wearing it and forgot just how tight these things are. I can get it up to my waist after considerable, sweat inducing effort, but I can't possibly zip the thing up myself. I went to Endurosport today to ask if that's how it should be and was assured that it was the right size for me and you do in fact have to be a contortionist to be able to zip it yourself.
4. This week - pre-race week has been ridiculously easy, I'm just worried that I've lost some of my endurance and I feel like I've gained 10 pounds from being (in relative terms) sedentary. Days that were consumed with a 600 m swim followed by an 80 minute bike ride are now just a 20 minute bike ride - it seems like way too little effort. My seasoned triathlon pals assure me that this is ok, but I'll actually be looking forward to picking up my activity level again next week - so I say now, perhaps I should reserve comment until after my 2 hour+ workout tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

Bring it on! - 13 days to race day!

This week is the last week of intensive training before the race. Next week is a pretty easy week to rest and gear up for the big day. I feel very ready to race, but there can always be some unknowns thrown in come race day - choppy water, a hundred other bodies kicking and flailing at the same time and currents to battle on the swim, a windy day for the bike ride, blisters and sunburn for the run. I'm on track for my goal to better my time in theory, but it'll all come down to the conditions on the actual day - bring it on!

Still Going Strong - Just 3 weeks to go!

Yes, I'm still training, just not blogging much these days. Last week the city of Toronto threw me off and closed all the pools for the week, so I didn't get any swimming in, but I'll be back in the pool today (and feeling it tomorrow I'm sure). Yesterday I had a great run down Yonge street from Forces of Nature to the beltline and across to Bathurst and back. I used to live closer to the beltline and really miss those runs across the beltline with all the other runners. If you've never been there, the beltline runs east and west from Mount Pleasant Cemetary to Eglinton and the Allen Road. It used to be railroad tracks, but was filled in and now it's a lovely tree lined park. When you get to the end, if you're really ambitious you can run south across Eglinton and into another big park there and come out at St. Clair and Bathurst. Until the next time I get a chance to blog - Happy Canada Day!!!

Where Have I Been? - 56 Days Left

As the training picks up, the time for blogging about it goes down. Last week's recovery week was a welcome break, but things have picked up again since this past Wednesday. This week and next week are the toughest of the whole training schedule and given that I've gotten through most of this week, I'm encouraged about the triathlon to come. Yesterday was a 500 m swim and a 30 minute run, just insert an hour plus bike ride in the middle and you've got yourself a triathlon. Today is a rest day which is great because bless his little heart, Brandon has given me his cold. With lots of echinacea, vitamin C, astragalus, colostrum and rest today I'm hoping to be fit to tackle the 500 m swim and 80 minute bike ride tomorrow. I'm getting hungry just thinking of all the calories I'm going to burn.

Recovery Week Here I Come! - 65 Days to go

The last two days have been pretty intense with an 80 minute bike ride at the end of the day yesterday and a 55 minute run this morning. I'm looking forward to the upcoming rest week that starts tomorrow with a day off training. There's been a low grade tightness in my left calf muscle that I'm hoping will go away with the rest day. I just took 500 mg of dimagnesium malate and 1 packet of Magnelevures to see if that helps loosen it up as well.

Triathlon Training Side Effects - 66 days remaining

1. I've lost about 5 pounds in the last month
2. I need to shop for new clothes, all my clothes from last summer are too big and baggy now
3. More energy - believe it or not, I have more energy than ever even with the demands of the workouts
4. I can eat whatever I want and as much as I want - not that I'm going crazy and eating unhealthy foods, but it's nice to be able to eat as often or as much as I would like and not worry about it
5. Nicer skin - all the exercise and sweating is flushing out toxins and bringing more blood flow to my skin, it's got a nice healthy glow

Running Inspires - 67 Days Left

One thing you have to get used to if you are competing in a triathlon is that that you are not allowed to use music during the race. I love to move to music and always found it put a little more bounce in my step when I was running. I've been trying to get used to running without it and I find the lack of distraction leads to inspiration. With no music to otherwise occupy my thoughts the creative juices start to flow and all kinds of ideas pop into my head while I pound out a half hour run.

Life Gets in the Way - 68 Days to Triathlon

I had a run in the afternoon sunshine planned for today that I was so looking forward to, but as it turns out there's been a bit of a family emergency, so no workout today for me. I'll have to try to make up the run tomorrow. Brandon and I did have a lot of fun at the Mooredale Mayfair this morning though. It's an annual spring fair held just east of Summerhill and Yonge with rides and games for the kiddies. Brandon loved the bouncy castles, the train ride, the elephant ride and the fun house.

Just Keep Going - 69 Days and Counting

I had to jockey the training schedule around this week to make it to the pool, so this morning was a 600 meter swim. One of the things I've found with any of the triathlon activities, is that once I get going, it's not that hard to just keep going. The toughest part is usually in the first 5-10 minutes when the body hasn't yet kicked into aerobic mode from anaerobic mode. Once that transition is made, it's just a matter of continuing to put one foot in front of the other, keeping your legs going round or swimming so many more lengths. It becomes quite automatic and in a way like meditation, freeing your mind to think deep thoughts or nothing at all.

Scheduling and Knees - 70 days to go

Today was supposed to be a swim day, but my schedule didn't mesh with the pool schedule, so I ended up switching workouts to a 30 minute bike ride and I'll swim tomorrow instead. One of my weaker areas, second only to my Achilles tendon mentionned earlier, is my knees. Too much running or cycling in the past has lead to Patello Femoral Syndrome (PFS). When it first happened 15 or so years ago I did the round of Sports Medicine doctors and physiotherapists. Physio gave me temporary relief, but it kept re-occuring and the doctors' advice was "well, you'll just have to give up running". I'm sure most avid runners have been given such advice at one time or another and for me, giving it up just wasn't an option. Fast forward to naturopathic college where I started training for triathlons and the trusty knee problems flared up again. I went to the naturopathic clinic and had a series of acupuncture treatments done and - voila! No more knee problems! Acupuncture is perfect for this type of problem, it helps reduce the inflammation, improve circulation to the area and stimulates the immune system to repair whatever damage has been done. I've not had a knee problem since, but if it crops up again I can just stick a few needles in my own knee and keep on running! My daily glucosamine sulfate probably helps too.

Bike, Run, ICK! - 71 days remaining

Today was another BRICK workout, this one 40 minutes biking followed by 20 minutes running. That's as tough as the Brick workouts are going to get - YAY! Today's was a gym workout due to scheduling and the weather. The outdoors workouts seem to fly by as fast as the scenery, while the gym ones are kind of boring in comparison. As I was stretching afterward I recalled some really good advice my favourite yoga instructor, Shehla, gave us over the weekend. She said to make sure the stretching stays inside the muscle belly and not on the attachments of the tendons and ligaments. Once you stretch out tendons and ligaments they don't spring back and you lose support and stability of the affected joint. So when you are stretching, try to keep the sensation in the middle of the muscle you are stretching, not at the nearest joint.

Running Loose - 76 days to race day

Today's workout was a 45 minute run, which I elected to do in Taylor Creek Park with the trees, birds and creek all around me. I find on a longer run like this by the time I'm getting to the end of it, muscles are getting pretty tight, especially in my calves. This is where I have to be cautious because twice in the past I've ruptured my Achilles tendon. So my mantra while I run is to "run loose" - to keep checking in on myself to see where the muscle tension is and let it go. It's a form of biofeedback where you identify areas of tightness and focus on releasing it. You can do the same while working at your desk, lying in bed or during any other type of workout. If you've ever watched the distance runners in the Olympics, they always look like it's effortless for them, that's the beauty of running loose.

25 km and counting - 77 days left

Today was scheduled to be a 70 minute bike ride. The longest ride so far has only been 40 minutes so adding an extra 30 minutes on the bike seemed like quite a jump. It actually flew by as I flew along the road. I've always considered bike riding to be my equivalent to flying. I feel like I'm soaring along with the wind in my hair above the ground. I rode down to Taylor Creek Park which joins up with Sunnybrook park. Towards my turn around point I could hear the horses whinnying in the stables. All in all a lovely day for a ride and a remarkably easy 25 km. That's as far as I'll have to bike in the triathlon, now I just need to add a 750 m swim and a 7 km run to that and I'm all set.

Catch up time - 78 days to triathlon

I've been away from the computer for a couple of days so it's time to get caught up on my training blog. Friday was a 30 minute bike ride that I did indoors at the gym because of the rain. I much prefer cycling outdoors because I enjoy the journey and like to feel like I get somewhere with all that effort. Saturday morning was a 25 minute run and was supposed to include a swim but my schedule didn't work with the pool hours so I've missed out on a 400 m swim this week. The run was lovely, just as I was running back home the rain started. Normally I wouldn't want to be out in the rain, but at the tail end of a run it's really refreshing. Today was a rest day so I took in an Ashtanga yoga class. I think the yoga is really important both for the relaxation benefits, but also to help keep me flexible and prevent injuries. My clothes all feel too loose these days, which is great, but now I need to go shopping - more tomorrow!

BRICK - 81 days left

Today was my first BRICK workout. The acronym stands for Bike, Run, ICK. It refers to the gelatinous feeling in your legs after doing a sustained bike ride then hopping off the bike to do a run. Your legs have been doing a circular motion on the bike and suddenly switching to a running stride takes a little getting used to. Today the bike ride was 40 minutes, then a 15 minute run. Looking ahead on my training schedule the bike/run workouts only get slightly more difficult by extending the run by another 5 minutes, so this is almost as tough as it gets - woohoo!

Let's Get Serious - 82 days left

After such an easy week last week, it was a bit of a rude awakening jumping right into a 500 meter swim yesterday. But I was amazed at how effortless it seemed. It's a testament to the value of taking a rest from time to time in order to regroup and make further gains. I have a tendancy to want to push myself without taking some downtime, so I'm glad to have learned this lesson through my training.

It Went Swimmingly - 83 days left

Among about a million other errands this morning I squeezed in my swim from yesterday. One of the nicest things I've discovered in my training is that the people at my local swimming pool (Leaside), are very friendly. Of all the places I've ever worked out I don't think I've ever had anyone engage me in pleasant conversation and make me feel so welcome as the ladies in the change room at this pool. It was just a short 250 m swim this morning and a short run still to do this afternoon.

Biker Bum - 84 days to triathlon

I decided on my 4o minute bike ride this morning that I really need a new seat and new padded biking shorts - need I explain why? The ride in the triathlon will probably be about twice that distance and to protect certain sensitive areas I think more padding is in order. I was supposed to do a swim this morning but slept too late to make it to the 7-9 a.m. lane swim at Cummer Park so I'll bump the swim up to tomorrow.

85 More Days to Go!

So today is officially a rest day and for once I actually don't have any workouts of any kind planned. Apparently yesterday's workout managed to uncover some muscles in the backs of my legs that I didn't know I had. Today they are making me fully aware of their presence every time I walk, sit, stand etc. So I'm thankful for the rest day. With the unexpected TTC strike it's a great time to be a cyclist so I'll probably get a little extra cycling in over the next few days.

86 Days and Counting

Today was a running day. Only twenty minutes and I ran on the treadmill at the gym since I had my son Brandon with me today. There was a bit of tightness in my left calf as I ran today, so I'll bump up my magnesium intake tonight in the hopes of relieving it. I brought home some Magnelevures from the office. It's a powdered magnesium with some B1, B6, glutathione and taurine in it. Since I only did a 20 minute workout today and I felt like I was slacking I added 30 minute core class to my schedule - 6 pack abs here I come! The lady who taught the class is an Iron(wo)man triathlete and while I can appreciate the discipline and dedication she has to be able to accomplish that, it's not something I ever aspire to. It just seems like too much punishment to the body. I would rather do the more moderate distances and work at improving on my time as much as possible.

87 days to go

Since I added an extra bike ride yesterday, I debated skipping this morning's scheduled ride. But it was so nice outside I couldn't resist the sun and the outdoor ride. It's so exhilarating on the road bike to go so fast and to feel at one with the bike. The only time I've ever not felt so at one with the bike was about 4 years ago when I was biking to an appointment downtown at Bay and Gerrard. At the time they were doing construction on Bay and had rerouted the bike lane so that it passed over the streetcar tracks. At about 30 km/h I caught the tracks the wrong way with my back wheel which pulled the bike right out from underneath me while I continued on at 30 km/h until my rear end made contact with the pavement. I have what's known as "clipless" pedals which means that my feet do in fact clip onto the pedals, don't ask me to explain the name. Well, one foot stayed clipped and the other didn't so I remained attached to my bike as we slid down Bay Street. I think it was a pretty spectacular crash, at least it seemed so from my perspective. Disappointingly, not one onlooker actually stopped to ask if I was ok. I was, nothing broken, just a few layers of skin left behind. I now steer clear of streetcar tracks, but still love to speed along as fast as my legs will carry me. That's one of the joys of triathlons, the road is all yours.

88 Days to Triathlon

Today was the first day of a recovery week. All that's on my training schedule was a 200 m swim - piece of cake! I felt like I was taking it too easy, so I threw in a 30 minute bike ride at the gym this afternoon for good measure. I've learned about myself that I'm not so good at relaxing and taking it easy. Perhaps a lesson that needs to be learned?

Thanks to all the well-wishers and friends who have decided to join me in the training and competition, it's so great to have your moral support.

I've added in some calcium/magnesium 1:1 to what I was taking because I kept feeling little muscle twitches and minor muscle cramping. I guess I've been losing more through sweat, so that has helped.

Training day #7 - 89 days to triathlon

Well according to the schedule today was another off day. So I took in a yoga class this morning again which felt great! So far training has been pretty easy and the coming week is a recovery week, so it won't be too challenging either. But the following weeks the workouts really pick up, so I'm going to savour the next week of relative relaxation.

You may wonder what my diet and supplement regimen is like in preparation for the coming triathlon. Here's the breakdown right now, this may evolve as my workouts change:

Breakfast
UltraMeal Plus 360 by Metagenics - two scoops in 1 cup of soy milk
UltraPreventive X by Douglas Labs - 2 with breakfast
ChondroCare (joint support) by Metagenics - to keep my back and knees healthy - 2 with breakfast
Scorbatate by Genestra - powdered vitamin C
Vitamin D3 1000 IU by Rx Balance - 1 tablet
ProOmega by Nordic Naturals - 1/2 teaspoon

Snacks - mid-morning, mid-afternoon and after dinner
Fruit - grapes, pears, cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries, plums, peaches
Nuts - almonds, cashews, pecans
Occasionally (maybe once a week) - 1 slice of gluten free brown rice bread with 1 tbsp peanut butter and honey

Lunch and Dinner
Generally 2 cups of cooked vegetables, a salad and a grilled protein source - pork chop, chicken, beef, salmon
UltraPreventive X - 2 with dinner
ChondroCare - 2 with dinner

Monday April 21 - Glorious Run!

Today's workout was scheduled to be a 25 minute run but I extended it to 30 because I was so enjoying it. I ran down by Taylor Creek Park which is in East York. It was lovely! The birds were chirping, the creek was burbling, the sun was shining and the air was cool and crisp. It was the kind of run that fills you with vitality and makes you feel so glad to be alive.

Sunday April 20 - Rest Day

According to my training schedule today is supposed to be a rest day. I decided to do an Ashtanga yoga class this morning just to keep all those hard working muscles stretched out and prevent injuries.

I sat down this afternoon to calculate some goals for myself for this race. There is a website that has stats for most of the races I did in the past:
http://sportstats.ca/find-an-athlete-find-a-race-search.php?lang=eng&first=pamela&last=frank&city=toronto&month=&year=&race=

My goal is to try to improve on my time in a comparable triathlon, the Northern Triathlon weekend. That one was in Orillia and I finished with a time of 2 hours and 27 minutes. I'm aiming to improve considerably on that time with a goal of 2 hours and 17 minutes. I remember that race well as I arrived later than I wanted to and was rushed getting set up. As a result, my back wheel wasn't on my bike properly and I spent much of the bike ride feeling like I was riding uphill because the wheel was rubbing on the brake pad. I'm pretty confident I can improve on that bike ride!

Decision Time!

After an 8 year hiatus from triathlons, I've decided to set my sites on the Niagara Sprint Distance Triathlon in July. At 44 years old, I have successfully completed about 5 Olympic distance triathlons, but since the birth of my son 2 1/2 years ago, I haven't had the time to devote to training. This year is the year I kick my fitness level up a notch! Having made the decision to register, every workout now becomes a step toward my triathlon goal. I got my road bike tuned up this week, got a new bike computer (may the old one rest in peace) and hit the pool for the first time in 8 years. It's amazing how everything comes back - muscle memory is truly one of the miracles of the human body. I was fully expecting to feel quite sore, but surprisingly have had very little muscle stiffness. I'm hoping with this blog, to inspire others to set a goal and take steps to attain it. I'll post my training regimen and keep you posted as to my progress and pitfalls.
This week's workouts were:
Wednesday 400 meter swim
Thursday 40 minute bike ride
Friday 20 minute run
Today (Saturday) 300 meter swim and 60 minute bike ride
If you want to join me in my triathlon quest, I would love to have running and cycling partners and even someone to enter the triathlon with me. Email me if you are interested.