Tag Archive for cycle

The Triathlon Rx | January 27, 2012
19 comments

Friday Confessional: 01.26.12

Forgive me father (/fellow gym members/ego/PT Ben), for I have sinned. It has been thirty-five days since my last confession. And it’s about dang time!!

[If you're new to Friday Confessionals, you can check the 101, or pretend that you did and just know that there are no rules - anything goes. No judging!!]

1. Worked out in Uggs…

I got to the gym around 5:45am, rearin’ n ready to go. Pulled my shorts out of the bag, put em on. Pulled my tank out of the bag, put it on. Slipped the Uggs off and pulled out the Sky Speeds… ⠋ ⠥ ⠉ ⠅!!!! (Should I also confess to swearing in braille?) My Asics were sitting happily on their shelf in the closet at home, warm, dry, and sweat-free. So I did what any stubborn redhead sensible young lady would do and worked out in the only shoes I had… the Uggs.

Kid you not, I got an awkward stare from every single person I had to walk (/crutch) past. Their facial expressions said something like AYFKM?!? (Go ahead. Urban Dictionary.) What I really wanted was a sign to hold up saying IT WAS A MISTAKE!! FORGOT SHOES AT HOME!! I DO NOT THINK IT’S CUTE TO WORKOUT IN LAMB BOOTS!! Instead, I swallowed my pride and made my way to the arm ergometer. After 40 minutes of a slow and excruciating death (with nary a drop of sweat), I switched to the recumbent bike for the remaining 20. This time I decided just-socks was the better option, at which point THREE people (in twenty minutes!) asked me where are your shoes? One of whom was wearing Vibrams. :???: I forgot em’ at the sheep farm homie… don’t worry about it.

2. I can only last 20 minutes…

:shock:  On my bike, that is. If someone can scientifically explain to me WHY riding your own bike on a trainer feels 20x harder than riding outdoors, or riding a spin bike, or riding a stationary bike, I would greatly appreciate it. Once I got clearance from the doc to get on the bike, I thought it would be smarter to ride my own bike on the trainer since the geometry would be the right fit.

tic tic tic – 20 minutes later

Either my fitness has tanked, or… yep. Even in the easiest gear it took MAJOR effort to make it to 20 minutes on the QRoo. Frustrated and determined not to quit, I replaced it in it’s rightful home (expensive living room artwork here!!) and got on the stationary bike. Whattya know. 40 minutes later and I felt like I had “worked” the muscles, but not like I was run over by a bus. Riddle me that, Batman….

3. Electrocuting my glutes…

Physical therapy has been going well. Exceptionally well since we brought out the electrodes!! Electrical stimulation, affectionately known as “stim”, has been used since 1791 shocking frogs in the laboratory. Its use in physical therapy and other athletic medicine settings is more recent… around the 1960s and 70s. (Never ever cite wikipedia!!)

Its use in reactivating the gluteus maximus however, at least at TRIA Orthopedic Center, is something I am delighted to set the precedent for. I’ve had big problems with my left glute ever since my first hip surgery in December of 2008, and my PT Ben and I decided enough was enough. Clamshells, side-lying hip abduction, bridges, fire hydrants… they weren’t doing squat. And I didn’t have the weight bearing ability to do squats or DLs. PT Julia, what are we missing?

So although PT Ben had never used stim on the glutes, we figured trying it couldn’t hurt. And by golly, I do think it’s starting to work! We have been combining Russian stim (which uses a slightly higher frequency) with the previously mentioned exercises, doing a 10 second on / 10 second off protocol. It is probably too early to call it a “success”, but I will say I haven’t been able to get that deep of a glute contraction in over 3 years.

“Hey Ben… can you take a picture of this? For the blog…”

Which reminds me, if you haven’t seen the YouTube video “Sh!t Triathletes Say” yet, I recommend you get on it. My buddy Steve posted it over at I Wanna Get Physical, and it is definitely worth a chuckle.

ALSO to check out if you feel so inclined: Exercise Physiology, Winter Edition on Groucho Sports, and a Workout for Super Bowl Sunday at Minnesota Tri News!

Reader Qs:

Do you have anything to confess this Friday? Share em.

-E

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | December 9, 2011
14 comments

Friday Confessional is back! 12.09.2011

Friday confessionals returning with a vengeance!! If you’ve never played before, do a quick check of the 101. Anything is fair game, and it really is more fun to play along! ;)

1. Sick chick.

And I don’t mean sick in the way cool / sick / tight / wicked / sweet / dope / fresh / anything that doesn’t actually mean “awesome”  but yet is somehow used interchangeably. Between last Wednesday (on my birthday. Not sweet, nor dope.) and this Monday, my temperature was bobbing between 102.5 and 100.7. What started out as a Dx of strep throat turned to a prescription for amoxicillin that wasn’t making me feel any better (or cooler). Turns out that I had pneumonia, which may or may not have been due to the strep that was or was not even there to begin with. So I’ve spent a lot of time here:

   

Influenza test -> Strep test -> cute note from “Kathryn” en español!

By the fireplace, under the covers, in the dark. (Creeper.)

Thankfully, since going back to the clinic on Monday and confirming pneumonia with the chest x-rays, they switched me to levoflaxacin and I’m feeling 97% better. My grandma has had pneumonia so many times and I never had any idea how miserable she felt!! :( It was I imagine a collapsed lung feels like. (My surgeon would not have been impressed with that come Wednesday….)

2. Five days until they cut my leg off.

Yes, the countdown is going strong. With all this sick business over the last week, I can tell you I was pissed bummed about missing gym time. And I have no problem fully admitting to hitting the gym the second my doctor said “I guess if you’re feeling bett…..” I have been asked multiple times by several friends:

You just can’t give it a rest, can you?!

Not today my friend. And I will tell you what… when you have two months of ass-to-couch time staring you down, you can make whatever decision you want concerning your last five days. But as long as I have been given the green light to exercise, and am not by any chance contagious, I will sweat it out until the very last possible minute.

3. I am actually scared to death for surgery.

Sure, it’s easy to look brave behind words… to say well, you can’t always chose the cards you’re dealt and there’s no way around it, so let’s do this thing! Slowly over this last week, the reality of the lifestyle changes I’m about to face has really started to set in. We have such a small amount of snow right now here in Minneapolis, and I know it’s only a matter of time before mother nature decides to unload 2 feet on us. Thinking about crutching out to my car and trying to scrape it off… thinking about crutching downstairs to/from my apartment… thinking about how the DUCK do I carry a coffee cup!?!?! All hitting the fan.

This is a rough estimate of the procedure they are doing… which I wrote more about in this post.

The wedge that you can see gets removed, leaving a brand new, fresh surface that needs to heal together. Along with the bone healing around the screws. And plate running along the lateral side of the femur. Not to mention there is a big unpredictable tumor chunk that has, until this point, proven to do whatever the heck it wants…

It never asked me if I liked the question “Why do you walk with a limp?” (No.) It never asked me if I wanted to run just one last marathon. (I started my list when I was 10.) It never asked me how I felt about crutches when it’s -20°, icy, and snowing. (Can I take coffee with me? No? Ok, angry.) It never asked me if ever wanted to sleep on my left side again. (How about just through the night?) It never asked me how I felt being left out of any/all plyometrics. (Like I’m defective.) It never asked me how it feels to explain what fibrous dysplasia is 100billion times and have every single person you just explained it to look at you and still not get it. (#GTFOH)

4. I feel super selfish.

Reread last paragraph. I can think of an equal 100billion ways it could probably be worse.

5. The Hand Crank…

- Is really kind of harder than you’d think.
- Burns like 1/3rd of the calories you can burn while running, and still feels kind of harder than you’d think.
- Is quite possibly more boring than pool running…
- Unless you find a good song that you can get krunk to crank to… in which case it might not be so bad.
- I’m going to need a lot of new songs on my iPod.
- Is kind of lonely, since there are only two in the gym (attitude correction: there are two in the gym!) and I don’t see anyone else on them.
- Which may be a blessing in disguise because I’ll never have to wait for it.
- Unless it snows two feet, in which case my butt ain’t gettin to the gym in the first place.
- Mmmm yep, still waiting for that attitude / perspective / expectations adjustment.

And that my chicostix… is about five things more than I’ve ‘fessed up to until today. And it does feel BETTER. :) Especially number 4. It’s good to get things off your chest….

#feelsgoodman

(1000 bonus points for the right reference.)

Reader Qs: Your turn!

-E

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: , , , , , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | November 14, 2011
14 comments

Train on Top: Morning Workouts

And by “morning” … we are subjected to a little individual interpretation here. To some people early morning could mean 8am. When I say early morning I mean like before the @$$crack of dawn. 4am. 5am. 3am? However, it was brought to my attention that not everyone likes this early morning business.

He did not much like this early morning business, but the idea of forgoing it, even for one morning, never crossed his mind.
-Once A Runner

Love that quote!!!

I have received several tweets/emails/questions regarding morning workouts, and “becoming a morning person.” These may or may not have been in response to 4am foursquare check-ins at Lifetime Fitness. I can’t claim that I can make anyone into a morning person, but hopefully some of these suggestions can make mornings (and morning workouts) a little more tolerable.

Downtown Minneapolis sunrise

Dome inflated… Downtown Minneapolis edited sunrise! Still pretty!

1. PACK YOUR BAG THE NIGHT BEFORE

This includes laying out your workout clothes and whatever else you may need for that morning’s workout. Shorts, sports bras, which SHOES you’ll need, swim cap, pull buoy, HEED for your water bottle – whatever. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten out of the shower after practice, only to find I don’t have underwear. Or didn’t bring spin shoes. Or ______.

2. SET UP YOUR COFFEE THE NIGHT BEFORE

If you’re a coffee drinker. If the blaring alarm playing Good Feeling isn’t enough to get me out of bed, the smell of fresh brewed coffee and knowing it’s hot and ready waiting for me will do the trick. If you’re not a coffee drinker… that’s unfortunate one less step for you.

3. TURN LIGHTS ON RIGHT AWAY

It’s probably one of the last things you want to do. You’re in your warm, cozy bed. Your eyes are only half open. You want a nice gentle awakening, right? Wrong. Get your butt out of bed and turn your lights on bright to signal your brain that it’s time to WAKE UP!!

4. MOTIVATION

Play your pre-game playlist or something upbeat. If you are in a situation where you need to be cognizant of others (hmm.. Dear upstairs neighbors, can you hear me in the morning?) you could listen to an iPod, dance around your kitchen, get the RW Quote of the Day, do SOMETHING to trick your brain into thinking WOOOH it’s 4am let’s DO this!

5. NUTRITION

This one is pretty individual. Some people can’t fathom a workout without something in their stomachs. Some people can’t fathom the idea of something in their stomachs before a workout. I tend to fall into the latter camp, but after working for a long time with a sports nutritionist, have finally bent a little on that. I typically mix a Carnation Instant Breakfast into my coffee (don’t knock it till you try it…) and that’s my “topper” to the fuel stores. I also tend to eat a pretty late dinner, so rarely ever wake up feeling “hungry.” Long story short: do what works for you. It’s worth experimenting and playing with…

(Side note: there are definitely benefits of doing the occasional fasted wko. Enough material there for a separate post, so I won’t get into it now.)

6. GET YOUR SLEEP

If you rolled in at 1am, and are planning on getting up at 5, your chances of actually abiding by that alarm are diminishing quickly. I will absolutely admit to being a 22 year old granny and going to bed ridiculously early. I take my wake-up time, subtract 8 hours, and make sure I go to sleep by that. There are definitely occasions where I’ve had to pull off above-mentioned situation on 4 hours of sleep, and it’s usually not a very productive or beneficial workout.

7. MAKE IT EXCITING!

If you have any say in your weekly workout schedule, make it something to look forward to. Take a spin class. Try Zumba. If you’re looking forward to whatever workout you have ahead of you, the temptation to hit snooze will likely diminish.

8. FIND A COMMITMENT BUDDY

Were there not people expecting me to show up every morning… would I? OK, probably. I’m one of the people that enjoys and prefers 5ams over anything else. BUT there have definitely been occasions where I have had to convince myself, “Tom is expecting you to be there today” or “You told Michelle you’d meet her on the mats at 5:30!!” If you have committed to meet someone else for your early morning sweat session, you probably won’t leave them hanging.

9. REMIND YOURSELF WHY YOU DO THIS

Because it’s your quiet time. Because it’s your natural “energy drink” to keep you going the rest of the day. Because you have meetings until 8pm. Because you want to see the sun rise. To take advantage of the early morning light (now that it gets dark at 5pm). To get it out of the way. Because the gym is less crowded. To stay consistent (because you never know what the day will bring). To clear your mind. To refocus. To regulate your sleep. To jump start your metabolism (not sure I believe this one, but if it gets you goin…).

10. SAFETY PLEASE!

This one isn’t exactly a tip to help you get in your morning workout, but just a friendly PSA. If you’re going out on your own in the still-dark morning hours, be smart. Where something reflective. Let someone know your usual routes. Consider carrying a phone. Consider carrying mase. ;) Consider bringing your dog. Run with one earbud out or no music at all.

Annnd that seems like a good place to stop. Morning workouts might not be for everyone, but if your schedule requires it or you think it’s something you’d like to try, these ideas might make it a little more enjoyable.

Reader Qs:

Anything I’m missing? Do you workout in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Without limitations of schedule, when would you work out?

-E

Category: Thoughts on a Thursday | Tags: , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | September 28, 2011
5 comments

Workout Wednesday: Long Ride Trainer Workouts

With all this trainer talk, I thought it might be a good time for a Workout Wednesday!

There are a few people, who in a moment of delirium decided to sign up for a late winter or spring Ironman. If you’re from this beautiful[ly frozen] state of Minnesota, you’re obviously not racing here. But perhaps you’re planning on heading south… 70.3 San Juan (Mar. 18th), Ironman Cozumel (Nov. 27th), Rev3 Costa Rica (Mar. 17th), Australia Ironman (Dec. 4th), 70.3 California (Mar 31st. OK, that’s west.)… you’ve got options. With a race of this distance – a half or a full – you can guarantee you will spend a significant number of winter hours working out!

Time in the saddle will be a requirement whether you like it or not, and after the pro’s and con’s of indoor riding, you might even be a little excited to get on the trainer! If excited isn’t the first word that came to mind though, going into your longer workouts with a plan can definitely help pass the time.

Here are a couple trainer workouts I’ve used (and enjoyed) for some of the longer rides. Keep in mind that if you’re going to be in the saddle for 3 hours or more, your goal probably isn’t to push anaerobic intervals. The focus is more to stay consistent and to continue workout throughout the course of the entire ride.

5 x 0:30

Total time: 2 hours 30 min Pretty simply, 5 thirty minute chunks.

0:00 – 0:30 Warm up: Get the blood flowing. If you’re starting off just spinning easy, you will probably want to gear down one or two by the end of the 30 minutes. For simplifying the explanation, we’ll call the gear you end your warm up at the “base gear.”

0:30 – 1:00 Stacks: Climbing up, and climbing back down. Starting in the base gear, shift one gear down at 5 minutes. Shift down again at 10. Down again at 15. Shift up at 20. Shift up at 25. This last gear will finish your 30! And you are now done with… only an hour. :P

1:00 – 1:30 Intervals: Don’t be intimidated. These are not (/should not be) anaerobic intervals… especially considering you still have an hour and a half to ride. 5 minutes in the base gear, followed by 5 minutes one gear harder. Repeat two times to finish out the 30 minutes.

1:30 – 2:00 Climb: Starting with the base gear, shift one gear down (the “harder” direction) every 10 minutes.

2:00 – 3:00 Cool it down. Same protocol (only backwards) as the first 30 minutes. Keep your cadence the same, but you might want to shift up one.

The Football Workout

Total time: depends on what game you’re watching

First things first, pick a team. 150% more fun with a buddy, who is cheering for the other team.

Use the first quarter as your warm up. For the rest of the game:

Your team is on offense = zone 3

Your team is on defense = zone 2

Half time = zone 2

Kicks = 30 second sprint

Commercials = standing climb

Spinervals Hard Core 100

Total time: as short as you want to 5+ hours

I know you’re shaking your head right now. Don’t knock it until you try it. “If done at a speed of around 18 mph, experienced cyclists can ride over 100 miles, simulating an actual Century Training Ride!” You can check out a preview of the video on their website.

The Tivo Tres

Total Time: 3 hours

Three hours of any of your favorite 1 hour show. I actually don’t have Tivo, but life is a little more fun with alliteration. ;) I’ve currently been catching up on nip/tuck, but have watched pretty much the entire history of House MD and The West Wing. For these, I try to stay within zone 2 – zone 3, with a standing 1 minute every 10 minutes. Set your watch on 10 minute intervals for a reminder.

I’m not sure what that face means… other than I feel like I just got off a horse. First 3 hour indoor ride of the season! Hopefully some of these ideas will help get you through your next long ride stuck indoors.

Reader Qs:

Have you ever trained through the winter for a spring Ironman or long race? If you have any trainer workouts or ideas you use, please pass them on!!

-E

Category: Workout Wednesday | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | September 25, 2011
10 comments

Train on Top 5.2: Pros and Cons of an Indoor Bike Trainer

No, it’s definitely not cold enough to hang up the wheels for the season just yet. I’ve gotta get to 32° and/or snow before making that call, and I’m hoping in Minnesota we’ll have at least another month until that point. But I will admit that I’ve had my trainer out several times within the last month, and truthfully, don’t hate it! If I had it my way, it would be a permanent fixture in the living room – if the bike isn’t being ridden out on the road, it’s waiting to be ridden inside. Unfortunately <<siiigh>> not everyone appreciates their living room being turned into a cycling studio. But I do what I can. ;)

[Busted!! Absolutely nothing wrong with a little nip/tuck at 5am.]

Using an indoor trainer has many benefits, but there are disadvantages as well. Maybe you already use one, and use it religiously. Maybe you’re thinking about buying one this year. Or maybe you take winter as an opportunity to strengthen your other sports. No matter the case, let’s look at some of the pro’s and con’s:

ADVANTAGES OF USING AN INDOOR BIKE TRAINER

  • Maintaining your cycling fitness throughout the winter, and getting to skip that “base 1″ or “build” phase come March.
  • Ability to focus on drills (single leg, high cadence spinning, focus boxes, etc.) Improve your efficiency and economy.
  • Avoid road hazards: traffic, pot holes, wet paint lines. (#FML. Dear Road Paint Manufacturer, Have you ever ridden a bike??)
  • Winter cross training for those who are “strictly” runners. No pulled hammies from slipping on the ice!
  • Immediate workout. No drive to the gym. (No risking your life to get a seat in EJ’s spin class… ya hear me SLP?!)
  • In comparison to a spin bike, using your own bike on a trainer allows you to maintain your own bike fit and geometry.
  • “An hour on the trainer is worth two hours on the road.” While I’m not sure I 100% agree with that statement, you take less breaks on a trainer than you would get outside (no coasting, downhills, stoplights, etc.).
  • As noted by the above photo… you can catch up on House MD. Or Modern Family. Or Mystery Diagnosis. Or I guess you could watch CNN or something… ;)

DISADVANTAGES OF USING AN INDOOR BIKE TRAINER

  • On race day, you’re not going to go set up your CycleOps on the starting line. Using a trainer eliminates some of the adversity you may have to face in the “real world”: wind, hills, rain, corners, etc. Solution: I can’t give you anything for technical/handling skills, but you can certainly include resistance and “hill” intervals by playing with your gears.
  • The trainer can wear down your rear tire. Solution: pop on a trainer tire during the winter. Especially if it’s going to get heavy use.
  • “Boring.” So they say… Solution: see last point of “advantages”. Set up trainer party in the living room. Check out The Sufferfest.

Clearly, you can tell by my “solutions” that I am slightly pro-trainer. ;) As a matter of fact, more and more pro-triathletes are reporting that they do the majority of their training indoors. Andy Potts, Chris McCormack, Nicole DeBoom, Tyler Stewart, and more. It’s clearly working for them. ;) The Sufferfest is something I’ve found just recently, and I only have two words on that: @$$. Kicking.

Reader Qs:

Do you ride a trainer in the winter, or do you pick a different activity? OR do you bust out the studded tires and ride all year round? If you do have/use a trainer, what brand and model do you have? I’m currently using* a Cyclops fluid. The Kurt Kinetic Rock & Roll trainer looks pretty cool, but I don’t know anyone who has one to let me try it. Do you have a “trainer season” or do you use it year-round?

-Erika

*Using ≠ “mine”. Time to give the baby back.

p.s. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve done a Train on Top post!! This will be linked with all of the rest of the Train On Top editions, which you can find by clicking on the Train On Top tab (or right HERE) at the top of the page.

Category: Workout Wednesday | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 4, 2011
9 comments

Thoughts on a Thursday // Bikes & Baseball

(For those of you that follow my Groucho Sports posts on Thursdays… you get a week off! Hope no one minds the crossover posting, but I definitely felt like this one was worth sharing in both places. Check over there next week for something new. LET’S GO TWINS!!)

There is one thing in this world (/state) that I love with a burning passion. One thing I’m willing to buy fan-gear for, put on body paint, cheer until I lose my voice, and maybe even lose my temper over. (If you want to argue with me, claiming we lost the first series against the Royals, make sure you know your stats first. For the record, we beat them in all 4 games in June.)

Yeah – I can get a little emotional.

So imagine my response when I went to my first game of the season, to see the bike racks surrounding Twins stadium OVERLFLOWING with bikes. Big bikes. Little bikes. Bikes with a tag-a-long attached. I even saw one really sweet bike with race wheels on it (note that I am not commenting on the stupidity lack of thought on the part of the owner…). There were so many bikes that people were locking up on railings, trees, and light posts! It was AWESOME.

(Target Field Bicycle Routes & Parking Map – click for full size!)

Although that might make it sound like Target Field doesn’t have enough racks, I definitely want to commend them on their support and encouragement for human-powered transportation to the games. Truthfully, there is a lot of bike parking, which just means that there are a lot of people riding to the game! The Twins’ MLB site even has a page dedicated to “Getting to Target Field by Bike or Foot” which not only has this sweet bike route/parking map, but also information about walking routes, the downtown Skyway system, and the Cedar Lake Trail.

And speaking of the Cedar Lake Trail, please tell me you’ve ridden the new extension!! It runs underneath Target Field, connecting the existing Cedar Lake Trail with the Mississippi River! No more wandering your way through downtown, questioning whether you’re going left or east or on your way to Wisconsin. Ignore the ugly white stuff in the photo below… but YES that trail goes right under the stadium!!

Much unlike last year, I’m slacking on my home-game attendance this season. I’ve been to only four games so far, compared with over three times as many in 2010. But mark my words – I will be attending at least three more games, and I will bike to the stadium. I don’t know if I could imagine a more perfect day…

What about you? Have you ever biked to a Twins Game? Do you frequently ride for transportation, or is it just for fitness? Either way, it can definitely help you towards your weekly 100 miles!

Ride on!

-E

Category: Thoughts on a Thursday | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | July 8, 2011
6 comments

Friday Confessional // 07.08.2011

Despite doing an early confession yesterday I still have plenty of things to get off my chest. If you’ve never played the Friday Confessionals game, check out the 101 HERE. Or don’t… the only rule is that there are no rules. Anything goes! (Just keep it PG-13. My parents read the blog. ;) ) Ready…? Go.

(1) You know how they say that when a tornado is coming, it sounds like a train? Well if you didn’t, that’s what they say. A few weeks ago (shortly after we just had a tornado touchdown in North Minneapolis), I was out on a ride. The weather had been kinda iffy when I left the house, but it wasn’t actually raining yet. Just humid, windy, and HOT. But I had miles to get in and riding the trainer in the summer is against my religion, so off I went. And I’m going along on my ride, just trying to pedal through the wind and stay aero and upright, when all the sudden I hear a train coming. And immediately my mind jumps to ohhhh $#!&. Saying prayers. <<And the train is getting louder.>> Wondering who I last told “I love you.” <<And louder.>> And I decide it’s pretty much over and sure enough…

A train passes me.

A real train. I was riding the north Cedar Lake regional trail, which happens to run parallel to a rail road track. Which is still used to carry stuff. By trains. Which sound like…. trains. Fortunately I’m not neurotic about dying in a thunderstorm or anything… ;)

BTW, if you want to make sure you don’t get hit by a train, or a tornado, you can check out this sweet Hennepin County trail map (PDF).

(2) I watched this video of a little kid doing bowers – a super advanced pushup, done from a plank, requiring ridiculous amounts of balance and jacked triceps. I used to be a gymnast, I thought. So I go on the porch and try to recreate the bower. And proceeded to crash and smack into a wooden futon leaving a rather large bruise. For the next hour I was trying to put together a strength program from all our old gymnastics workouts.

(3) My month-long intensive physics class started on Tuesday, and I have already skipped lecture. Twice. On the first day we got out early. On the second day, I left after lab and went on a bike ride with my boyfriend. And on the 3rd day, I left after lab and went on a run. !! Parents of college students (including my own who are reading), please do not turn your back on my blog! In no way am I condoning or promoting skipping class – especially class costs money, and tuition is expensive. BUT, when you’re covering the very basic of basics like UNIT CONVERSION, and the professor gives permission to leave to those who have already covered such material [in 5th grade], then by all means, go enjoy your day outside.

Reader Qs:

You know how to play. Let it out!

And with that, my friends, “I said GOOD DAY sir!” (Bonus points for the original reference!!)

-E

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | May 27, 2011
5 comments

Friday Confessional // 05.27.2011

You know how to play. (What? You don’t? Check here for the 101.) I only have one for you today… so the rest of the ‘fessin up is up to you!

1. // In just a few hours, I’m taking my bike, my boyfriend, and a book (non school related!) and running away. [Until Monday.] No email, no computer, no cell phone. And hopefully, no stress. [Until Monday.] At which point I will return with a Medical Monday (which likely won’t go up until Tuesday), some x-ray film, and an update on the race calendar. All in response to THIS tweet:

Thanks so much for all the good vibes sent via tweet, text, and facebook! In the mean time, I’d really appreciate your answer to my question on my Groucho Sports post from this week, as I’ve lost my little friend and am not sure where to turn next!

READER Qs:

Any fun plans for the holiday weekend? This is the first year I’m not WORKING on memorial day! Woooo hooo!!

OK chicos – the rest is up to you! I hope you all have a wonderful, happy, healthy weekend!

-E

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | May 10, 2011
5 comments

BRICK season

No time for a real post… need to just finish this dang study guide for my last EVER exercise physiology exam. (Woooah there! Kidding. Masters program.)

HOWEVER, I felt the need to update quickly and say…

IT’S BRICK SEASON.

(Yes. I really did go outside and pull a brick out of our patio border just for the purpose of taking this photo. I think there’s a small animal in that 4th hole.)

((TWSS.))

(((So. Sorry. Had to.)))

Don’t know what a “BRICK” is (outside of the patio paving variety)? Handy. Here you go. This was by no means my first brick of the season. But it was definitely the first one that left me feeling somewhat like I could race again this year. Maybe. ;) Here are the breakdowns:

Bike 20.4 miles – 1:02:13 (3:02/mile or 19.67 mph)
Run 5K –  0:21:24 (6:54/mile or 8.69 mph)

Given that this 20 mile loop is within the box of the city (read: has some slow traffic spots, like going under the bridge from Calhoun to Isles behind someone with a dog in their bike basket…) I will totally take a 19.67 mph average. The run? Not super impressive. But again, considering that quite recently I thought running and I had broken up for good, anything sub 7, even if it’s just barely, is enough to put a smile on my face. See it? :D

And because today is a Tuesday, meaning this should technically be a Tried It Tuesday, I have a review for you. On the Asics Sky Speeds.

(Only it will have to wait until this final is DONE… hahah I had to include the link somehow!)

I will in short say that I like ‘em. A lot. More than the Brooks Green Silence and more than the Asics DS Trainer. Could the Sky Speed really be “the one”?? Will have to wait for a conclusive answer on that one until the end of the racing season…

READER Qs:

For my triathletes, what’s your favorite brick workout? I know it breaks the order, but there is a certain swim/run wko that I LOVE and will be returning to the second my lake warms up enough to swim in! On the Tried It Tuesday note, are there any products anyone is curious about or would like to see reviewed here at DTR? Or any product category (rehab, compression, shoes, nutrition – you name it) in particular?

And finally, one word of advice:

Sweat in the eyes. It happens frequently, and aside from wearing a 80s-esque headband, all I can say is roll with it. Let your tear production kick in and rinse it out. Do not try to rub sweat out of your eye. It will most certainly fail. And if you are wearing contacts, you may fail as well by rubbing your lens out with still 3/4 mile to go. Just. Don’t. Do. It.

That is all!

-E

Category: Tried It Tuesday | Tags: , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | March 18, 2011
8 comments

San Juan // vacation + 70.3 preview

While there is something very special about having a “home base” to come home to after time away… I’ll tell you – I have never wanted to not leave a country as much as I didn’t want to leave San Juan. Mom, I know it will pain you to read that – I’m sorry. Minneapolis will always have a special place in my heart. But the people, the culture, the LACK OF  stress (and that’s not because I was on vacation – I was working on research every single night!), the pace of life, ok ok ok – the WEATHER, everything in Puerto Rico – I love it there!! And there happen to be three accredited medical schools in Puerto Rico… just sayin’ :D

(p.s. If I have any readers who live IN Puerto Rico or anyone who as attended one of those schools – Universidad Central del Caribe, UPR, or Ponce – please please please contact me!! I would love to talk with you about it!)

SO. First of all we have a brief (mmm, maybe) rundown of the trip, with commentary kept to a minimum. Truthfully I had a very athletic week while there, and knowing that 99.9% of my readers are athletes, I hope my “review” may help you in preparing for a trip to PR or in narrowing down your vacation options. Secondly, the Ironman San Juan 70.3 is TOMORROW (Sunday – 3/19), and my hotel – the Caribe Hilton – happened to be the host hotel for the race! So for anyone considering the San Juan 70.3, I have a little “course preview” and race info for you as well. AND lastly because it’s Friday, you get one confession. ¡Vamos!

From Minneapolis it’s about a 5 hour direct flight to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport… which is the “big one” that you would likely fly into. Even though San Juan (the capital) is on the northeast side of the island, the sweet thing about Puerto Rico is that the entire place is just about 3x the size of Rhode Island. MEANING you can rent a car and be to any of the other coasts in about 2 hours max. Which I did when I went to el Yunque National Forest (see photos below)!

In terms of things that travelers/tourists may want to know:

  • I can’t speak for all of PR because I was staying in San Juan, but IMO it was VERY safe. I ran alone, I ran with random locals, I ran with other travelers, I took off exploring on my own. Sin problemas. Granted, I don’t do dumb $#!& to put myself in dangerous situations… but nonetheless, I felt safe the whole time.
  • You don’t need to speak Spanish… at least in San Juan. Just about everyone can speak English at a functional level where you can order food/get directions/get a taxi, etc.
  • That being said, if you do speak Spanish (or are learning?) … GO FOR IT! Aside from talking to the people I was traveling with, I spoke Spanish the entire time. Even if you are just learning, don’t be shy! Being immersed in it a foreign country is hands down the best way to learn a language.
  • Typical Puerto Rican food has a lot of rice and beans and plantains. But if that’s not your thing there are plenty of options. (siiigh) They too have Micky D’s, KFC, etc.
  • There is a lot to do! National rainforest, beaches, parks, old forts, restaurants, the bioluminescent bays, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking… there is really no reason to be bored.

(On the way to the rainforest and it definitely looks like it’s going to be wet!)

(so much green!! // repping Ragnar in the rainforest (note the footwear!!) // whoever lives there has a pretty sweet view)

(I found some gallinas in the rainforest… wanted to bring them home for my friend Willie but thought customs might pose a problem.)

And now para mis atleteas – what can you do to keep up your training in Puerto Rico? You’ve got options! I guess my only disclaimer would be that if you’re on vacation, don’t let stress about getting your training in ruin your time. Know that you might not get in your “usual” volume… know that you might be enjoying some, um, late nights out in Condado. The point is you can still keep up your fitness on vacation without sacrificing the fun! This info is also for any prospective Ironman San Juan 70.3ers – information on pre-race course access and what’s available in San Juan!

  • SWIMMING: Is definitely doable. Lots of the hotels have pools… I was thinking mine had a lap pool but found out I was WRONG when I got there. I got some good ocean swimming in though… aside from the part about my Timex Ironman Racer flooding with water and dying the second I hit salt water. (Not kidding… I wanted to cry. [No - that's my Friday confession] I use that watch for EVERYTHING!! NTM I don’t really have $200 to drop on a new HR monitor/watch.)
  • SWIMMING IMSJ 70.3: If you get to Puerto Rico and you see the wind and the waves and your thinking oh hecccck no… don’t worry. The swim is protected in Condado Bay, and goes from there for 1.2 miles over to DIRECTLY outside of my hotel lobby. The exit swim exit is up this ramp… which when I took this photo (below) looked kinda iffy. They guys building it said they were going to put something over the wood to make it a) non slippery, and b) not splintery. I would recommend NOT standing up anywhere along the swim, even though at times it is like 3 feet deep, because there are rocks and you could easily cut yourself. The water is very nice and you should NOT need a wet suit at all. It’d just add time to your T1. Also be prepared for a good distance jog from the water-exit to the transition.
  • BIKING: I didn’t ride at all while I was out here, but my dad rode with me for one of my runs!! (We’ve been doing this for a long time together (see PHILLY 2009) … it’s kind of “our thing”. I miss you dad!) My hotel had bikes to rent for $15/hour or $25/day. I was expecting them to be huge slow beach cruisers, but we were pleasantly surprised to see some nice Treks!
  • BIKING IMSJ 70.3: If you want to ride the course pre-race, please BE CAREFUL. The first 5-10 miles of the bike course are in an area with HEAVY TRAFFIC. There is a reason they’re closing the road for the race!! The bike portion starts out going south out of San Juan, and then rides west along the coast. At about mile 12.5 you start a loop – of which you’ll complete 2 – before retracing your steps back to SJ. Personally, I wouldn’t ride with a disk because the winds can be pretty strong coming off the ocean. But that’s coming from someone who weighs under a buck and would probably blow to the south coast of the island. The choice is totally up to you, but know that there WILL be wind.
  • RUNNING: You can run your heart out in Puerto Rico… and I happened to do just that! There are plenty of miles of paved paths to get in whatever you need. Know that it is HUMID so if you are coming from a place like, oh… Minnesota, it might take some acclimating. I was staying in between Old San Juan and Condado (which is convenient, because those are both the neighborhoods with the “things to do”), and you can run either direction. There were so many other runners out too!! That was in part due to the fact that triathletes were arriving for the weekend’s race, but also because people are active in PR. :D I joined up with some local guys who happened to be running at the same time on a couple of the days (HI if your reading!!), and the other days I ran alone. Shortest run: 7. Longest run: 14. Every run: BEAUTIFUL.
  • RUNNING IMSJ 70.3: You have open access to run the course at any time. The run course starts at the Sixto Escobar Stadium (which was literally a minutes jog from my hotel lobby) and head west along the Atlantic coast (during this part you will hopefully get a nice breeze off the water to cool you down) to an old fort (San Felipe del Morro) before turning back. I think it’s a DOUBLE loop out and back… just an FYI.

(Run map going out through Old San Juan. While it was fun going running over in Condado and even to Isla Verde, Old San Juan was definitely my favorite place to run. They have a paved path that goes outside of the old city wall which is pretty cool too. You can also check out the official swim map and bike map for the 70.3)

I know it’s a little early to start building a 2012 race calendar, but unless I face grave injury or severe financial instability, I will definitely be returning to San Juan next year for the Half Ironman. (In bold because I need a commitment, dangit!) It’s kind of at an inconvenient time if you live in a cold state, since you probably won’t have ridden your bike out on the real roads in a few months. And you for sure won’t have been swimming in any open water! Which sounds to me like all the more reasons to make a week out of it and get acclimated. ;) I’ve already put the word out to a few of my MN tri buddies and it seems like there is definitely interest there. Julia? Steve? Whattya think…? March is a good time for a family vacation!

This San Juan 70.3 is part of the Ironman 70.3 series – so as all other Ironman events, you can expect a very well put on race. They’ve obviously put on enough races by now to know how to make sure everything is organized and running smoothly, and there are volunteers galore to help ensure a successful day! I, however, have not done any races that far away. So if anyone wants to give me advice on shipping/flying with a bike, I’d definitely appreciate it!

Some more photos from the trip:

(El Fortin de San Geronimo – right outside my bedroom! You can also watch the swim portion of the 70.3 from here.)

(L: This guy is kayaking in the proctected lagoon that the swim is held in… also right outside my room! Just for an idea of how smooth the water is. // R: The Caribe Hilton’s protected bay. Nothing too exciting in terms of marine life in there, but nice that it cuts the waves!)

(PEACOCK! Totally not phased at all..)

(Go ahead… ♪ shake ya tail feathers ♪)

This is my one Friday Confession. You guys know how big I am on sun protection and usually I am SO good about it! On this trip I had my faithful Kinesys packed, including my 30spf spray bottle and the sunscreen “stick” for lips n’ face. And both of these products worked without fail… when you remember to put them on!! DOH! On ONE single day I forgot to put on sunscreen, and yes I did burn. That nice little quemadura there is from like two hours without sun block.

Of course my face is peeling now, which I’m sure looks super attractive. I feel the need to explain myself wherever I go… like “oh, just ignore the layer of skin coming off my forehead – I just got back from a trip.” Cuuuute.

I think that about wraps it!! At the time I hit publish, San Juan 70.3 is 13 hours and 21 minutes away!! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE RACING TOMORROW!! See you next year! :D

  • Reader Qs:
  • Have you ever been to Puerto Rico?
  • Where did you stay and what was your favorite part?
  • Have you ever raced in a different country or over seas? What can you tell me about shipping/flying with my bike!? Seeing as how MyCardCan’t (%&@# you Delta!) I am expecting some large fees. :(
  • Anyone out there gone to medical school in Puerto Rico?
  • Any other fun spring break / race trips this spring?

Ohhh Minnesota. It feels about 33% good to be home. Warm up a little and we can readdress this. Totally unrelated, but for you locals – GOOD LUCK GET LUCKY RACERS!

-E

Category: Friday Confessionals | Tags: , , , , ,
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