Try Everything

Good Morning
Heat wave in LA for the World Series and winter has said hello here on the Canadian prairies.  Don't you love the unpredictability of the weather!

Today's agenda was making homemade Borscht Soup.  2 big pot fulls using fresh beets, carrots, celery, cabbage, onions and dill.  Lots of cutting and chopping but it sure tasted good.  Lots to put in the freezer for the winter.

I am doing some last minute packing for an event we are heading to tomorrow.  We are driving to Grand Forks ND to attend the END TOMBED and END TRAILS events on Sat and Sun.  12 hours of biking on Sat and 12 hours of running on Sunday.  We attended the END TOMBED event last year and you can read about it here.  Finished 8 laps and the goal was 10.  Hoping this year I can pull off the 10 laps.  Going to be riding a more suitable bike and have a better game plan as well as a light for in the dark. Weather is supposed to be around 0 - 9 C so should be nice.  Had my fat tire bike at the city last weekend to get my tubed tires converted to tubeless.  Fastest 5 lbs I have ever lost!

Changing gears a bit- with having 4 children in 6 years, I have seen my share of animated shows.  Disney everything around here for awhile.  I thought maybe as the kids got older their love for those types of movies would give way to real life type shows.  BIG misconception.  Lots of animated movies still showing over here.  Truthfully, great messages in these shows.  Oh of course there is always a villain but isn't it refreshing in today's world to somewhere know that good always comes out on top?
On the way back from our camping trip this past summer I was driving and my daughter was riding shotgun, playing her 50 million favourite songs from her phone. " Try Everything" by Shakira was one that instantly became my favourite too.  This was less than a week after completing Ironman Canada and I was still high on mountain air and ironman love.  But I was also reminded how important it is for me to have goals, dreams and plans and to keep challenging myself, putting my feet at the starting line and striving to achieve these goals even if it means getting shut down, run out of town, falling on my face results.  Keep trying.
Watched the movie Zootopia a week ago and loved the song even more.  If you have not seen it, kids or not, watch it.  At least watch the video clip below for the song.  I bet you will enjoy it.

Had to also include the lyrics- motivating and positive.

Try Everything

Shakira

I messed up tonight
I lost another fight
I still mess up but I'll just start again
I keep falling down
I keep on hitting the ground
I always get up now to see what's next
Birds don't just fly
They fall down and get up
Nobody learns without getting it won

I won't give up, no I won't give in
Till I reach the end
And then I'll start again
Though I'm on the lead
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't give up, no I won't give in
Till I reach the end
And then I'll start again
No I won't leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail

Oh oh try everything

Look how far you've come
You filled your heart with love
Baby you've done enough that cut your breath
Don't beat yourself up
Don't need to run so fast
Sometimes we come last but we did our best

I won't give up, no I won't give in
Till I reach the end
And then I'll start again
Though I'm on the lead
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't give up, no I won't give in
Till I reach the end
And then I'll start again
No I won't leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail

I'll keep on making those new mistakes
I'll keep on making them every day
Those new mistakes

Oh oh, try everything

Songwriters: Tor Erik Hermansen / Mikkel Storleer Eriksen / Sia Kate Isobelle Furler

Try Everything lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company

Well on that note, get off the couch and go try something.  Have a great adventure!

My Happy Things #1

These happy moments are things might be things I am digging right now, events that are happening or a past memory that is on my mind.

Our treat after Challenge Peneticton's 34 C 1/2 Ironman  triathlon.

Vancouver, you took my breath away!

Lunch with my guy at Jericho Beach. 

Ironman Canada- what a day!

River fun

Supper in the field with the kids and Grandpa and Grandma out visiting from the hospital.

A family pic before the 3 older kids left for school.

Apple pie making day!

An easy Sunday morning fat bike ride with my husband.

Walking in the backyard, enjoying the fall leaves.

Spent 15 min in 12 ish C water helping get the dock out at the lake.  So peaceful.

Quick Catch Up

Oh my gosh has it ever been a long time since my last post!  Vacation, training and races, lots of catch up when I got home then moving 3 kids off to the city.  So just a few words about each as teasers.

1. Vacation was a 2 week, 25th anniversary trip, with only me and my guy to British Columbia.  Lot of fun in the mountains and by the ocean: 2 of our favourite places.  No kids for about 9 or 10 days- I love my kids but it was heavenly.

2. Races kept us busy for 3 weekends in a row.  A tad bit ambitious I know.  Maybe common sense missed me when it was being handed out.  Maybe even a bit more unbelievable is the fact that we didn't really taper for any of them but swam, biked, ran, hiked everywhere and anytime we wanted to.  So hard to let an opportunity to explore pass me by.  Challenge Pencticton for a half ironman triathlon the first weekend followed by Ironman Canada then Spoke 'n Hot Grand Fondo.  Race recaps for each of them coming soon.

3. Catching up.  Funny how the weeds in my garden didn't go on vacation like I did.  Nor did the grass stop growing or the house stay clean.  I always think it is a good thing I have a mental break from the everyday when I go away.  A bit more vigor and enthusiasm to handle the challenges when I return.  We also took over a rental house from my in-laws.  A lot of cleaning, painting, removal of trees etc.  I am pooped just remembering everything I did.  No criticism intended to anyone in terms of cleanliness but man it sucks to have to clean up someone else's grime, grease, dirt and junk.

4.  Kids moved to the city.  We have always tried to get the kids settled in the city mid to late Aug.  Later than that is really busy for us on the farm and it is so much nicer to get the moving out of the way a bit earlier.  A weekend of loading, hauling, unloading, cleaning, organizing, more cleaning.  But it is done.  Normally, in my part of the world, school in the public system as well as most post secondary starts the beginning of September usually after labour day weekend.  Now we can get home and concentrate on the start of our farm harvest.

Have a great week, enjoy some sun and laugh.  

Training Update

Happy Monday!

Another wonderfully sunny day here in the Canadian prairies.  I'm in the process of packing the camper to head out sometime in the next couple days.  2 triathlons in the next 2 weekends.  Hubby and I getting away for a bit without kids was our anniversary plan.  Always makes me both excited and nervous at the same time.

Nailed the last long ride of the training plan this past weekend.  Didn't nail my hydration/nutrition plan though.  Big bonk that took me almost 20 miles to get back on the good side.  But I covered the 100 miles I wanted to, it was hot and I needed to find a way to pull myself out of the bonk.  Lots learned and experienced.  And as always, lots of mental hurdles to overcome.

My goal is always to empty my hydration bottle every 1- 1/2 hours.  It has a combination of Generation UCAN Hydration, HydraMag and BCAA powder.  I also planned to empty my nutrition bottle of Generation UCAN Superstarch 2x for the ride.  I had a banana, peanut butter honey sandwich and quest protein bar.  So what did I actually do and what would I do differently?
I didn't feel like eating before leaving in the morning and I should have had something.  Terry ate some overnight oats.  Should have had some too.  I also needed to get on the hydration right away until the first stop almost 2 hours into the ride so that bottle was empty.  I didn't eat my sandwich until the 1/2 way point and that was also too late.  Needed that second stop sooner.
I did bring along a cooling cloth for the back of the neck and it worked awesome.  It really helped me from overheating during my slump.  It didn't get me over the wall but it did keep things from getting worse.  We stopped 4 times to get water/bathroom.  I did eat at each stop but needed to have had more right from the beginning I think.  I should have also had a gatorade at our last water stop.  I think that would have helped also.

Still planning to get 1 last long open water swim in today or tomorrow.

With my health being so uncertain the past couple months, I wasn't sure what to expect or hope for going into these next 2 weeks.  I felt like I turned a corner to the good side about 10 days ago and so far it has been holding.  For the first time, I have felt like being able to race both these triathlons is a very good possibility.  I use the term "race" very loosely.  In some ways, I am better prepared this year than for the ironman last year and in other ways, I feel less prepared.  I do feel very confident though that for me, I am better a bit under trained than over trained.  My energy is good, obviously there will be tough moments mentally; this is Ironman Canada which has 5000 ft of elevation change.  My ride on Saturday was 3000 ft, pretty good for a prairie ride.

My goal is what will always it: enjoy the journey.  Savour every moment and not wish time away and not let what is before me get the best of me.

Things I am Loving Lately- Food Edition

Morning

I wanted to share with you some of the things I am loving lately in the food/supplement world.  I am all about building my body stronger and keeping my immune system healthy.  But I have a budget, like everyone else does and I want to enjoy what I am eating/drinking too so nothing too expensive nor ugly tasting.

1.  Progressive's Phytoberry is the grand slam when it comes to building the immune system.  I mix 2 scoops full and put it into a 28 oz Popeyes bottle (where I buy phytoberry).  It has a delicious berry flavour and mixes in really easily. It is totally my jam.  Can't get enough, can't say enough good about this product.  After hard training sessions, I always hydrate with a couple bottles of water with phytoberry.

"PhytoBerry is a highly concentrated berry based whole food supplement that is loaded with natural antioxidants. Featuring over 40 high ORAC value fruit concentrates, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids and herbal extracts, PhytoBerry is specifically designed to offer whole body antioxidant® protection. A single serving has the equivalent nutrient content of 6 to 8 servings of fresh fruit."

2. Brain octane can be mixed into anything.  I have put it in my oatmeal, in smoothies, my husband uses it in his bulletproof coffee and I also add it into my water/phytoberry mix.

"Brain Octane is your go-to fuel source for performance.  Brain Octane is naturally found in coconut oil in small quantities, and we concentrate it to provide you with the purest energy source possible. Brain Octane rapidly provides mental and physical energy, powering your day by keeping you satisfied and free from food cravings. Add it to your daily routine, and experience the state of high performance.

As soon as you consume Brain Octane, it is rapidly absorbed and changed into ketone bodies – providing instant energy to the brain without breaking down glucose from sugars or carbohydrates. Brain Octane produces 4x the ketone energy of plain coconut oil, and also supports healthy digestion and immune function.

Experience the power of using quality fats for fuel, keeping you full and focused for hours.

Contains at least 10x the (C8) Caprylic acid (14g) per Tablespoon as in one tablespoon of Coconut oil (1.4g).(+)"

3.  Moxie HydraMag is a very soluble, smooth, fresh and light tasting beverage that can be used before, during and after exercise.  It's pomegranate flavour is amazing.  It can be added to your favourite electrolyte mixture or used by itself.  I use it mostly after I exercise and I have most certainly noticed an improvement in my recovery in terms of muscle tenderness/soreness and energy right after and the next day.  
I am an ambassador for this company so go order some for yourself and use code LB15 to save 15% off your purchase. 

"HydraMag® is formulated specifically for endurance athletes, and any athlete or individual questioning their Magnesium intracellular levels.  Magnesium enhances exercise performance via increasing glucose availability in the blood, muscle, and brain during exercise.  HydraMag® is a strategic solution for increasing your magnesium intracellular levels.

Intracellular magnesium deficiencies contribute to; leg cramps poor digestion, low energy, tight muscles and twitchy eyelids."

4. Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate is added to anything and everything; smoothies, oatmeal, water/drink powder, warm beverages.  Anything.  It does not congeal but mixes in smoothly although it does take a little more shaking to incorporate it into water.  I also use this after hard workouts to give my body more amino acids to make me strong like bull😉  I usually buy this product through Amazon or Iherb as it is easier for me in Canada.

"Beef Hydrolyzed Collagen is the unique combination of amino acids in concentrated levels that can promote healing and conditioning over other proteins especially for bone and joint health care. This low molecular weight protein is easily digested for healthy enrichment in minutes after ingestion. It will not congeal because it has been hydrolyzed for quick assimilation and improved hydration to the connective tissue. Collagen is important to nitrogen balance, now considered an anti-aging product as it supports age related cartilage damage, and collagen loss."

5.
5. Sambazon Acai Powder delivers all the benefits and taste of acai in the convenience of a powder.  I have tried the Sambazon frozen packs to make my acai bowls but they aren't the easiest to find nor transport with long distances.  Instead of the frozen acai packs, I either freeze the almond/coconut milk in ice cube trays or use more frozen strawberries and blueberries.  Just thinking about it is making me crave one.

6. Quest bars- oh boy.  Chocolate chip cookie dough and I have had a passionate love affair for more than 2 years and it doesn't seem to be fading.  It is such an easy thing to grab as a snack or for whatever.  It is always in my back pocket of my bike jersey on bike rides, always have 1 in my purse and usually in my desk at work also.  The taste is so much like cookie dough but isn't too sweet.  It is soft and some people say they put their bar in the microwave for a few seconds to really soften it like an out of the oven freshly baked cookie.  My problem is that I love it so much right out of the package, I can't wait the 20 seconds for the warming process.
And along the line of bars, I also included the One bar in salted caramel flavour.  It is really good also though nothing yet has outshone the Quest.  It does make for a nice change and is my daughter's bar of choice.

7.  I LOVE hemp. In everything, all the time, straight up and this Hemp Granola has totally hit a home run.  Granola typically goes on my yogurt and since dairy and I are on a brief (I hope) hiatus, I wasn't sure I should even buy this.  Holey cannolie- ate it right out of the bag.  I tried it a couple times on my morning oatmeal and it was very tasty but gosh darn it tastes good right out of the package.   I found this product at Costco.

8. This product is also a Costco purchase- Coconut Clusters.  Coconut, chia seed, pumpkins seed goodness.  A addictive but satisfying snack.

9. Nuts for Nature Seed Butter has been a nice addition to my morning oatmeal, in homemade protein balls, in a smoothie or in a sandwich.  It has a nice mix of flavours of cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds and chia.  Mild and tasty.

That's the countdown of my 9 most popular favs right now.  What's yours?

Reminders of Our Strength

Like many other fitness/endurance/adventurer enthusiasts, I confess to loving my active wear.

If you need to borrow a pair of runners, I have you covered.  Dress shoes not so much.  It would be really hard for me to find more than 2 "dressy" combinations of clothing from my closet.
I have embraced the fact that I am a jeans wearing, hiking boots, leggings, wicking shirt kind of gal.

My favs come from many different companies.   I will try to put together a post of my favourites.   I love looking at what other people can't live without.

While we were in California a couple months ago and my husband and I were engaging in our favourite pass time-  riding south on the PCH and stopping for coffee where ever we please.  One day, I stumbled upon a new brand of active wear.  I noticed this business a couple times riding past and today was the day to stop in and check things out.

I enjoy knowing the beginning of a company and especially how the name was chosen.  There have been a lot of new and interesting retailers I have discovered in California; Coeur Sports, De Soto, Wattie Ink, Oiselle, Betty Designs, and Soas to name a few.

GRACEDBYGRIT is a company started by 2 women who wanted women to feel empowered and safe.  What I love the most though is this quote that comes directly from their website.

"Every woman has experienced that difficult moment that she thinks might just break her. How we make it through those moments defines us. We have realized that our grittiest moments give us our grace. Every woman has been GRACEDBYGRIT." 

Does that hit real close?

You hear a lot about having a mantra to get you through tough times.  I don't exactly have 1 mantra that follows me wherever I go.  Most of the time, I get my encouragement from the things surrounding me right then and there.  My GRACEDBYGRIT delicious tank helped me muster up some grit and determination at mile 18 while running my marathon last month.

Or how about Oiselle.

"But perhaps most powerfully, it's been about celebrating a sense of freedom. And thus the name Oiselle (pronounced wa-zelle). A French word for bird, it alludes to that feeling of weightlessness that most athletes know and love. That sense of flight - when the legs go fast and the heart goes free."

When I wear my Roga shorts, I remind myself when my legs are tired that they are free, not tied down and they can fly.  I see myself running with high legs, barely touching the ground as my feet fly.  I swear, I find new energy.

My most favourite tri/biking shorts are from Coeur Sports.  They are just plain awesome.  

"Coeur is French for heart & the root of the word courage. And that’s what we put into our collections and our sport. As an athlete, you know that athletic performance is about so much more than genetic talent. Its also about heart. Heart is about digging deep and being mentally tough. Heart is what gets you to the finish line when all the body wants to do is lay down.  Heart is at the center of the community and the friendships you find in sport. Heart is what makes you give back to the community that has given you so much. Everything we do at Coeur - from our designs to how we play a role in our community - should reflect our values and how we aim to conduct ourselves. "


Most miles during an Ironman triathlon need a reminder to be courageous and brave; to have heart.

These are just a couple of my favourite companies that produce awesome athletic wear that don't just perform well and fit right, but they make me feel empowered, strong, brave and remind me that anything is possible.

This is what I need to reflect on when I am in tough moments.  This is what pulls me along when I want to slow down; what helps me get up when I stumble;  and what keeps me thankful for the strength of my body and what it can do.

What are your favourite reminders of strength?

Rocky's Motivational Punch

I hate to start anything out on a negative note because I am a really positive person but I need to get this off my chest.
I have been pretty discouraged.
In the dumps in fact.

The stomach infection that took me YEARS to figure out and then months to get rid of is back.
 Insert big, heavy sigh.  

This is way more complicated than a 2 week dose of antibiotics.  It affects my entire body in so many ways and takes a ton of effort in a lot of areas to get back on track.  It will change my training and affect my day to day life in pretty big ways.

I wasn't going to bring this up.  I thought I would just bide my time until things starting feeling better and my emotions were a bit more in control before I shot out a blog post.  Like who really wants to spend their free time reading a blog post about someone who is scraping the bottom of the barrel?  Heck, I don't think a day goes by that we all aren't faced with some conflict and negativity.  No one wants more of it.
I changed my mind about staying quiet about it when I realized there is more to this story than me being a debbie downer.

I have a challenge to face, a mountain to climb, a demon to fight, a wall to bust down.  And I will do it one step, one stone and one brick at a time.  With that will come a soul that will be empowered,  a new sense of awareness, more strength, courage and determination.  I will find more pieces to my puzzle.  This part of the journey might not be of my choosing but I am confident that there will be many gains along the way.


In 2016, I had the most amazing year as I could train, race and live "like a normal person" having energy, health and a body that did what I wanted it to do.  For the first time in a long time.  And it was awesome.

Some of my recent discouragement was thinking that would be gone.  I love adventures and have a few of them planned for this year and I was already mourning the loss of them or maybe what they could have been.
Don't do that. It's stupid to mourn something that isn't dead yet.  There is time and things can change.  It might not but it might.  I need to remain positive and concern myself with things coming up when they come.

Life doesn't come to us without obstacles.  I sometimes used to wish for that red easy button you see on the Staples commercials and could just push it and everything would be good, done, just how you want it.  It would be that easy.
But life doesn't always deal cards fairly and add to that a mixture of genetics, environment, stress, relationships and other factors and you sometimes get the perfect storm.
A storm that changes it's appearance steadily; to some it is a physical storm like an infection, autoimmune disorder, cancer, or heart troubles. To others it may be a relational storm that leads to divorce, estrangement, issues with your kids or troubles at work.  Or it may also manifest in an individual as unhappiness, anxiety or depression.

A few things through all this tie us as together as people;
1. we are not alone, people everywhere are experiencing difficulties (even if it looks like they have their crap together) so take strength and comfort in number.
2. we all have the same questions to answer- "Will I let this ______define me?  I may fall but am I getting back up? Am I going to remain positive and thankful or become jaded and bitter?"
3. the journey continues and our choice in how we live will influence and affect countless numbers of people

My favourite words of encouragement have always been from Rocky.



I have watched the Rocky movies years ago.  I can't remember that much about each movie and I it has been my plan to spend some winter trainer rides re-watching. It hasn't happened yet but will someday.  He can pack quite a motivational punch (no pun intended) about the tough moments in life, about choices in life and about being a fighter.






 

Weekend Roundup and a Weird Anniversary

Hello May! and holy mackerel where did April go to?

We had a smashing good weekend.  Had all 4 kids home together for a few hours, celebrated my husband's birthday, went on my first road bike ride this year early Sat morning, did a bit of relaxing and made a good dent in the yard/house spring cleaning.

It was fantastic to get back on the road bike again.  It was only a month ago while away on vacation that I rode it almost everyday.  In fact, I rode 500 miles in the 2 weeks while I was away.

My bike missed me I could tell.

The ride was a bit cool with temp just over the freezing mark but with little wind.  I wore gloves instead of mitts- bad decision but I survived and still have all 10 digits.  Toes got pretty cold on the way home even with toe covers  but they survived too.  I have 2 black toe nails from my marathon a couple weeks ago so maybe they are toughening up.

Hubby's birthday cake was a peanut butter cup pie.  It was the first time I made this particular recipe and I was skeptical about the filling but after licking the spoon and then the bowl, I knew it was a winner.  I will be making it again.

On the training front- I have to confess, things have been pretty sporadic.   I feel like I am just not on my feet again and recovered from my cold.  I am still blowing my nose endlessly and just feel so tired out a lot of the time.  It has been just over 2 weeks and quite frankly, I am getting tired of being tired.  I need my energy back.
I had some nice runs and bike rides but they have been easy and I have stayed pretty close to home.

I was pretty darn serious about running in the Spruce Woods Ultra held on May 13th but my daughter is in a major drama production "The Lion King" at school and they are performing that weekend so we will be opting out of the ultra this year.  I was a bit unsure about it at first but was truly disappointed when I found out the date of the drama and knew that I couldn't run.  The drama is typically the 3rd weekend in May so I had not even thought about it interfering.  Oh well.  With the way I have been feeling, sometimes things just work out the way they are supposed to right?

A couple days ago marked the anniversary of my daughter having her wisdom teeth removed.  Normally, this isn't really an anniversary to remember but later that day (2 years ago) after the extraction, she lost consciousness and suffered a concussion that has had lasting effects.  The worst of these effects has been chronic migraines.  She has had a headache everyday since her concussion and usually about once every month or so, suffers with a severe migraine that takes up to a week to break.  Interesting enough, she is in bed as I write this, waiting for the migraine to break.  It has been painfully hard to see my child suffer and have to rearrange her goals and plans for post grade 12 and her future.  We have sought out medical assistance in every imaginable way to find few answers and no solution to her headaches.  Last year alone, we travelled almost 11 000 kms to attend various appointments.  Only to really be told to give it time.
A weird anniversary to think about and when she reminded me of it the other day, I told her I didn't want to talk about it or think about it.  It was a horrible time and I still can't think of that 24 hours of stitches, ambulance rides, testing and her unbearable agony without getting really upset.  I try to forget and here she is asking me to remember.  I began to understand that in her mind and those who have also suffered injury, loss, rehabilitation or other life changing event, the anniversary marks something very special.  She has had to fight really hard.  Lots of appointments, constant road blocks and dead ends.  Not to mention the loss of friends (who don't understand), the loss of her planned future and the loss of the the joy of young adulthood.  It has been a real roller coaster.  And somewhere deep inside, she has had to dig real deep, many, many times to stay positive and upbeat, to have patience and faith.  The burden has been many times overwhelming and in her words she said "I have had a headache for 730 days but I have also been courageous, shown perseverance and been tested to my limits in those 730 days and I have survived."

So for those of you who are in the trenches and those fighting along side their loved ones- don't give up, stay strong and celebrate the victory of courage and determination.  I think I will take her flowers and a Dairy Queen blizzard tonight and tell her how proud I am of her.

Hope you have a great day!

Recovery and What I Don't Know

Recovery is a tricky thing.  Everyone's body reacts in different ways so how do we know exactly how to recovery properly from endurance activities.
This is what I noticed, what I did and what I don't know about recovery.

Friday
-marathon from 7 am-11 (UCAN, NUUN water and a bit of gatorade)
-drank gatorade, chicken noodle soup and had a protein bar immediately after run
-slightly swollen fingers part of the day
-slept for an hour 12:30-1:30 (the real definition of tired and gross when the sleep happens before a shower)
-protein bar and water right after nap
-compression socks on the rest of the day
-legs didn't feel sore but just a bit tired
-supper of ham, potatoes and green beans

*My thoughts- I didn't drink enough water or fluids of any type or maybe it was that I was getting sufficient water but didn't have the correct electrolytes to be able to utilize the water (before, during and after event).   Probably  took in 32-40 oz when it should have been double that.  The nap was good. Compression socks a good idea but could have brought compression tights.  Should have ate more but didn't really have an appetite.

Saturday
-slept really horribly the night before
-legs hurt EVERYWHERE
-very puffy eye lids and face but not swollen fingers
-stairs were agony
-walked 4 miles in the morning and 3 miles in the afternoon and walked in between while doing errands
-compression socks again all day
-less than my usual amount of food consumed but still no appetite but what I did eat was very nutrient rich (protein, good carbs, good fats)
-drank water but didn't make a good enough effort to have the bottle right by my side always
-extremely chapped lips
-early to sleep

*Bad sleep negatively impacted my recovery but not within my control.  By the evening, my legs were tired from all the walking but I am certain that walking (gentle cycling would have been better) was very beneficial to flushing out the lactic acid.  Still didn't drink enough to offset the constantly running nose and the general fluid requirements of my body.  But also still sure the balance of electrolytes and water is not what it should be.  Not looking forward to how much I will be hurting the next day

Sunday
-better sleep but cold even worse
-amazingly legs not sore in the least, anywhere I squeezed had no tenderness, good range of motion, no tightness and good flexibility
-4 mile walk
-food wise same as Sat.: didn't eat much but choices were good foods

Good Recovery Tips for Me 
-nap the day of big effort
-fluid with electrolytes (I have to find the balance)
-eat within 45 min after effort
-nutrient dense food, lots of protein
-easy walking or cycling (active recovery) for next 2 days after big effort
-compression socks and tights for leg recovery
-more sleep than usual at night
-branch chain amino acid suppliment
-vitamin C



What I Don't Know
-why my eyelids get so puffy for a couple days after a big effort (has happened before to me)
-why my finger get swollen many times while I am exercising (imbalance of what specifically and how to find the right combination)
-why I seemed to be so dehydrated through the run and for days after (can blowing your nose a thousand times a day do that?) or was I over hydrated and my body couldn't utilize the water
-sometimes after a run or bike, my legs will ache, not hurt but ache; I need to figure out what they aren't getting that they need

I found this neat chart (encouraging the consumption of milk after effort) that shows the role and purpose of some micro and macro nutrients.  Thought it was interesting and gives me a starting place to find my balance.




I had hoped by thinking through what I did and felt I would be able to see what to do or not do a bit better but I still have some learning and investigating to do.

I tried Poweraide Zero when we were just recently in California and in the short 2 weeks of use, I had less swelling, bloating, aching legs etc and I did some long, pretty hard efforts many times. It seemed like it was a good choice for me to use for hydration.  I was planning to use it before, during and after this marathon but we couldn't find it anywhere in the city.  Maybe not available in Canada.  Very disappointing but will look at the label online and try to match the ingredients and their proportions.  

If you have any suggestions, tips, ideas or if this happens to you, please share.

The Morning Before

Well, it is the morning before my run.  A full work day followed up by a 3 1/2 hour drive, hopefully a decent sleep, a 5:30 am wake up call and a 7 am marathon tomorrow morning.   A few months of base training and 14 weeks of speed work, tempo run and long runs in my marathon training.  A couple triathlons and a winter ultra bike event thrown into the mix.  I hope I am ready.

 My first stand alone marathon and probably the first race in a while, where time and pace have been so important.

The weather report for the day has flipped flopped all week long.  This is what is currently being predicted for the 4 hours I will running:

Not ideal but neither is the fact that I have a sore throat, runny nose  and a sore leg either.

I spent a few moments last night feeling sorry for myself.

And in all my self-pity and doubt I realized once again that I am focusing on the wrong things.  Of course there is a million things that can go wrong, mess up my plans and blow me off course.

I have made a decision to chose to enjoy the journey of life though.  Not just when the flowers are blooming and when things are going well but also through the rain clouds and dark skies.

This race is just one part of the trip.  Things change up our plans all the time.   It is my job to roll with it and stay focused on what I believe and how I want to live my life.

And I want to live joyfully.



So tomorrow I will take some cold medication, stuff my pockets with kleenex, wear some compression gear and run my little heart out, enjoying every moment, regardless of the outcome!

Superseal Triathlon Race Report

Superseal Triathlon, Coronado California

Sunday, March 19, 2017

We flew into San Diego on Friday, March 17, picked up our vehicle and got settled in our rented condo in Oceanside late afternoon.  Terry and I unpacked our bikes that evening and got a decent ride in the next morning to ensure things were working well.  Mine needed a couple adjustments to the derailer.  Getting a bit better at this packing and unpacking business. 

We drove back to San Diego over the bridge to Coronado for athlete check in.  It would have been very nice if we could have checked in the next morning before the event but unfortunately we couldn’t.  The drive was really nice and it was great to see where the event swim/bike/run was going to be. 

The really early morning and busy day prior just had us wishing we could have had a quieter day today.  All was good though.  We only spent maybe ½ hour at the check in as there was no expo with booths just the check in. 

Another early alarm for Sunday; up at 4 am with plans to be on the road by 4:45.  It was closer to 5 when we left;  not from disorganization as we had set our stuff out the night before, I think we were just tired.  Hard to get up.  Just over 1 hour of driving and we parked and rode our stuff to transition.  It was still dark and pretty warm +14 with little wind. 

Transition became more of a rush than anticipated as closing time was now moved to 6:30 instead of 6:45.  Our waves were 6:55 (Terry) and 7:05 (mine).  So a quick set up, tires pumped and off to find the water start.  The transition area was in a parking lot on the west side of the highway by the ocean and we needed to cross the highway by way of an underpass to get to the east side of the highway  by the harbour where the swim was.

The swim was a 1500 m swim in the Silver Strand State Beach Bay which had amazing views of downtown San Diego.  It was calm and pretty warm.  They announced water temperature was 63 degrees F (or 17 C) on race morning. With the wetsuit, it was the perfect swimming temperature in my books.

The course was very well marked with red buoys showing a turn and yellow/orange buoys to use when sighting.  It was a clockwise swim.  There was no warm up swim so going in cold was a bit of a concern but at no time that morning was I cold or chilled so I knew that would be to my benefit.  

The wave I was in was the last wave of the Olympic distance which I liked knowing there was no pressure that I would be cramped by upcoming swimmers.  Still, all it took was a couple mouth/nose full of water and I was sputtering and gasping.  After having a couple swim starts (in the past) with bits of an anxiety attack, I was fighting hard to not get caught up in one.  Telling yourself to calm down a million times does work eventually.  Anything new with a swim and I get in a fluster and this time the salt water did it to me.  Within minutes I was fighting a revolting stomach that didn't apparently like the inclusion of the salt water to race day nutrition.

But the 1 thing that up until this day has never failed me is the reminder that nothing feels good for the first 20 min.  I just needed to concentrate on getting through that and it seems my body finds its rhythm and stops freaking out.

So my rhythm was found and it became very enjoyable.  I hated to be finished if truth be told.  You might have though I was crazy before but that confirmed it didn't it. Swim 38:38.  

I was a bit of a run to get to transition (as it was on the other side of the road).  I didn't dawdle but I did make sure I did everything the way I wanted to.  Wetsuit off, a quick dry off, sat on my towel to dry my feet and put socks and bike shoes on, helmet and sunglasses on and off I went.  T1 6:33

The bike is a glorious 2 loop course along Silver Strand Blvd.(highway 75) that offered amazing views of the ocean, downtown San Diego, the harbour and Coronado.  It was a flat course.  I enjoyed every moment.  There was so much to look at.  I passed hubby as I was 1/2 was through the first loop and he was just starting his second.  Didn't expect him to see me and he didn't. He is a heads down, game on, focused to the max rider.  We always compare experiences and the things I see that he didn't is unreal.  His time is always way better than mine though.  

I had 1 bottle of UCAN with 2 scoops of powder on the bike as well as my front xlab hydration bottle with water and NUUN.  I refilled water once at an aid station.  I also ate 1 payday snack size bar.  1:25 bike done

The out and back run was  along a paved path beside the highway.  The first quarter of a mile was along a dirt path with some sand but the rest was on pavement.  

There was an aid station at the mile 3 turn around point where I drank some gatorade.  My goal was to really push it.  I wanted to hold around an 8 min mile.  It was sunny and warm but nothing crazy.  I felt like I was passing everyone that I came up to.  So many stronger swimmers and bikers and with being in the last wave, there was more people in front of me than behind me.  I was happy with my effort with the run.  51:18 

Superseal website showed just under 900 registrants so it is a really nice early season triathlon without an overwhelming number of athletes.  It offers both Sprint and Olympic distances, has amazing views, a great swim, fast bike and nice run course.
Truth is, I would never have gone in this triathon had it not been partnered with Oceanside 70.3 and though it was a bit tight arriving in San Diego on Friday and having the triathlon on Sunday and I was a bit tired, it was totally worth it and a lot of fun.  A great warm up for Oceanside.

The most inspirational part of this event however, was the fact that it is held at the birthplace of the Navy Seals and throughout transition, there were huge banners of fallen seals that were being honoured.

A lot of times I think "oh ya I will totally do ______ again" and don't take the immediate experience and appreciate every moment of it.  I think I will have more and more chances, opportunities etc.  But the timing of things doesn't always work and I am trying to enjoy every moment and not take anything for granted.  I certainly appreciated and enjoyed this event.  It was breathtaking and a lot of fun.  I encourage you to try it out if you are in the area.