Outta the Hot Box & into the Hurt Locker

 

That's where I found myself today. I opted for a change in scenery in an effort to vary and keep the head sane. Usually my wind-trainer sets are done in our garage which has been turned into a gym and the usual setup is a music dvd playing on the TV- on silent. Just pretty pictures flashing in front of the eyes and an ipod shuffle blasting through the earplugs a range of doof doof trance dance music to keep me pumping through the set. But none of that was going to get me through the 26 degree heat that was already peaking at 6am and the little fan was never going to keep up with the demands of cooling me. Sooo, I opted for lugging all of my equipment out of the hot box and out to the back deck where the breeze could do the job. And while the sun was rising and the temperatures continued to climb, I gazed at the trees and bushes, talked to the dogs who rolled around on the deck wondering what the heck mum was doing while the music blasting through my ears set the beat, I enjoyed the change and got ready to head into the hurt locker.

A 2 hour session on the program - I always have my computer on count down so I can keep track of the sets Coach plans for me. And if you look carefully at the time counting down on the computer you can see that I have 40mins to go. Still got a ways to go here team. So where is my head at???????

As I didn't know this photo was being taken at the time, I can only guess at where my head was. But I do remember thinking, "I'm over the hump."

• My butt hurts
• It's hot. I'm Hot!
• How much longer?
• Here comes the big part of the set.
• Hang on Sammi you can do it.
• I hate Triathlon.
• Why do I bother?
• I could have slept in.
• This too shall pass.
• So close, and I'm doing it easy.
• I'm hurting all over.
• I feel great.
• This is easy.
• I love my bike.
• I love being able to rock 60kms in 2 hours!
• Oh boy, Ironman is hard work and I have so far to go.

And that is just the half of it. I also sing a lot and it's always out of tune. It's a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions and it can change by the second. But I do know the satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment I feel when I am done and while I may be exhausted I am content and stronger for it.

Re-set, Re-focus, Reap the Re-wards!

This week I will:

• Stick to a clean diet (keep it clean, cals correct and timed across the day);
• Drink the right amount of water to stay hydrated;
• Have only one coffee in the morning each day;
• Sleep deeply and wake rested;
• Stick to the program Coach sets me and not miss one session;
• Put my program first over other happenings in my week;
• Use my Garmin to be accountable and give Coach the stats;
• Stretch and roll and massage daily; and
• Get up in the mornings and JFDI.......

Being, Becoming and Belonging to the Crew

The Crew? What? Who are they? They are 'A' type personalities that come in many shapes and sizes. Oh yeah and ages. Mostly sub 35. With one exception. Yep you guessed it.....Me!

I met Coach when I was being coached by another guy. He was/is an amazing athlete, person, all round nice guy. Struck down by a car while out on a training/recovery ride with his Dad. He has been left with a brain injury and that was last June. I like to think of Coach often and send him my thoughts and hopes that he will one day wake up again and be able to at least hold his baby boy. He got me to Ironman. He never gave up on me, never judged, always believed in me, and my memory of him that I look back on with a smile and a tear over.. was on my final lap of the run at Ironman. He was running beside me, beer in one hand, punching the air with the other, totally drunk and high on life shouting....'You're gonna be an Ironman Sammi, keep smiling, keep running'. As his curls bounced about his head. He was right!

Throughout my training leading up to Ironman I worked with the team physio and together they communicated about my progress (like I was a real athlete or something). This tall skinny dude with a deep voice, huge grin and contagious laugh worked on me tirelessly and again never judged, never questioned my motivations and was always positive and shared his experiences and volumes of knowledge with me as I lay there for hours on the slab with needles poking out of both ITBs.

When we all realised that Coach was fighting the battle of his life we also realised with sadness that we were alone. We? As in the athletes that he coached. We all still wear his colours when we ride. But the team has scattered to the wind and most go at it alone now. I guess that Coach gave them enough information that they could go on alone. But for me I was still so totally reliant on him I needed the accountability, the wisdom, the direction and everything else that comes with having a coach in your corner.

So, I asked the team physio if he would coach me. A Ballzy move I have to say. He had a stable of fine athletes that he was looking after. The Crew! These guys and girls are winners. And then there's me. When I asked I said it in a cheeky moment, laughing so that if he rejected me I could fob it off as a joke and he would never know that I was serious and would be left alone. BUT!!!!! When I asked he responded with 'Yup, I'll Coach you.' Are you serious? My head and heart did a jumping high 5!.

Yeah I'll coach you he said. Are you sure? I mean I am hardly a winner. I am an average age grouper and well past my prime with not much room for massive improvement as far as I am a late starter, no athletic background to speak of other than horse riding, rock climbing and sailing. But we had worked together for over a year and had a great relationship that was comfortable and easy. He responded with 'You have the right attitude. I can work with you.'            Sweet............

So Coach and I have been in this nutsy relationship now since December 2011. He is such a huge part of my life now. Sunday nights is program night. He emails me my program for the week and I dutifully read over it and ask any questions before setting off into my week. Texts, emails constantly across the week as needed and just a Howdy occasionally to check in with me. Physio sessions continue every so often as my ITBs have a tendency to tighten up over a few weeks and no amount of rolling and self massage can get deep enough. And then there are training days where we catch up either for a swim or of late, a ride. It is so amazing to have this guy around. Yeah I have some Coach love flying here...but it is out of respect for the time and attention he gives me. Yeah I pay the $$$$ to have him do the job. But he ain't the type of dude to take the money, shell out a copy of a generic program and then ignore me or leave me hanging.

Coach disappeared overseas for a while to work with the Aussie Olympic Triathlon team in prep for London, but every Sunday night my program rolled in. While he was gone I worked hard on a number of aspects of my training, diet and life in general. So that when he returned and I went to see him he noticed. He saw the weight loss (6.5kgs who wouldn't) but he saw the training and he saw the attitude was even more focused and positive.

Saturday long rides with the girls in the Crew have earned me some respect and a feeling that he knows I am deadly serious about the training and about Ironman 2013. While May next year is miles away, I have a feeling it will be here before we know it. There is work to do. And the motivation (even though its cold windy and yucky most days still) is up and ready to go. It is an amazing feeling being a part of a stable of athletes and holding my own. I belong in the Crew!

Setting the Pace Monday

Today is a special day. It's the first day of the 12 week body transformation program AND the beginning of some massive changes coming my way. I am so determined to get this Ironman thing happening and to get it right.

I was up at a reasonable 8am this morning. Tomorrow is a 5.00am start so I allowed myself the extra ZZds and enjoyed the lay in. Up and straight into making the first breakfast of the new program. No dramas, and easy. After breakfast and a quick F.B update I pulled on the running gear, did my pre run warm up exercises. We love clams, 1/4 squats and a quick roll. And then it was out the door and a warm up power walk to the top of the hill behind my house and then start the timer on the Garmin and we're off.

An easy run planned with 9minute run/1minute walk. I enjoyed the winter sun on my back, cool breeze making sure I didn't sweat and work to hard and a course that saw me running through streets that I knew as a much younger woman. Another life, another time, other dreams and thoughts long forgotten, and new directions. It was nice to remember and nice to run through and out the other side of those places in my heart and ease back into the present and back to my home.

Once home it was morning tea time and with the hassle of thinking out the way, I reached for the pre-planned snack and then stretched and relaxed a little.

After lunch I had made arrangements to meet a friend for my first (pop that cherry Sammi) Mt Bike ride. I had so much fun, scary fun and arghhhhhh moments as we hurtled down grass slopes, oh nooo moments as we slid into muddy puddles and laughs as my legs, that I thought were strong, let me down on the steeper up hill slopes. It was a great day and great x-training.

Home again, a quick change and it was off to the gym for a strength workout. Loads of bucks in the gym. Bugger! I slipped in amongst them vowing to come earlier next time as the gym is all my own. But we make the best of any situation and before long I have the beat blasting in my ears and the steel in my hand and I love the burning feeling my muscles are experiencing. Its a good burn. Torture the muscle so it comes back stronger.

Dinner and a few chores and now finally with my feet up, I can do the stats:

Calories in: 1200

Calories out: 1087

Run done, X-train done, strength done. I'm very happy with a great start.

Ouch....My Legs Hurt!

After a right off yesterday as far as a bike ride, due to weather. Foul weather that is. Winds up to 50km in the bullets, youch! Finally Sunday looked more promising and Hubby (Big Gazza) and I headed out for a 7am meet up with The Onion Man and Baby Bear.
The plan (Coach's plan that is) was to ride 100kms and once done do a 30min easy run off the bike. Well, that all came undone in the end. But I jump ahead.

So we headed North with a nice 15 knott wind at our backs. As it was Gazza's and Baby Bear's first ride back after a break we aimed for an easy ride any way, so we sat on about 25km average. The conversation was lively. Side note: I much prefer riding with guys than girls. The topics are much more livelier and appeal to me more than recipes and snotty noses. Anyhow, we cruised through the city heading North all the time. Passed by a poor fellow who forgot to uncleat as he drew up to a traffic light. You gotta hate the sound of carbon fibre hitting the tarmac. He was ok, though a little embarrassed. We pushed on and I admired the beautiful sea. Yesterday it had been a sea of galloping white horses but today it was smooth and blue as a saphire. Once we reached the turn around point we pulled up quickly to strip off long fingered gloves and a layer as finally it was warming up a little.

Homeward bound, Dextro bar and GU in and supping on my biddon the whole way didn't help at all. I was maxed out. And with 40kms to ride I knew I was going to have to dig deep into the "hurt locker" (Jon Gilchrist) I put my head down, hid behind The Onion Man so that I could draft off him and worked the little legs hard to keep up. Keep up! We were still only doing 25kmph. Gazza quietly asked me if I needed to tap out and call for a friend to pick me up. Hell's No! In other words by Jon - quoting Rocky "I aint heard no Bell" and so I pushed on ticking the legs over and feeling my quads straining with every stroke.

We said goodbye to Baby Bear at the 60km mark, the Onion Man at the 70km mark and hubby and I put our heads down and literally I limped home.

I'm not sure what went wrong today. Last weekend I rode a hillier harder course and managed an easy 10min run off the bike. I had a big week. A hard 2 hour session on the wind trainer and swims, runs and gym sessions have contributed to the blow out today (I assume) I can't pin point what else may have gone wrong. But its ok. We have days, even weeks where this happens. So I am going to go easy on myself and give myself a break. Its ok. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger and I managed to make it home to live another day.

The ride to Struggle Town on Shattered Legs

Back in the Gym

Very happy right now. I'm back in the gym. It's been at least 18 months since I have been in a 'proper' gym. I gave up the gym just after I signed up for my first Ironman in 2010 as I didn't have 'time' with all of the other training I needed to do. But to reach my current goals I realise I need to get back there. I have a gym at home, but the motivation I need right now is going to be at this purpose built gym.

 

I went back for the first time yesterday. It's a new gym so I did the whole ....."Yeah I'm as cool as cat shit!" look as I hid in a corner pulling out my ipod shuffle and scoping the equipment with my lazy eye.

 

I spotted the rowing machines and headed for the safety of the rower and while I warmed up for 5 mins I looked in the mirrors at the rest of the machines. They all looked familiar thank goodness. Not much has changed over the 18 month absence in the way of gym advancements. I wanted to start off with chest and triceps as the legs I needed to save for a ride I had planned to do today (which didn't even get started due to the winds).

 

I did the cruise over to the free weight area and lay out the towel. Checked a barbell loaded with about 10kgs and then found a pair of 8kg dumbells. Ok I was set to go. By the end of the session I had felt the muscle burn again. I hadn't felt that sensation in a very long time and today as I write this I can feel the DOMS even though really it was such a light weight set from what I had been used to previously. BUT! We gotta start somewhere and the beginning is about the right place I reckon.

 

After the weights I found a quiet spot on the carpet and did some ab work before heading for a 5min walk on the treadmill. I hate navigating new treadmills but I managed to find the start button and before long had cranked it up to 10kmph and had knocked over a half hour of easy running. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I ran. I remember the last time I run on a treadie I could barely run 10mins at 8.5kmph. But the half hour was done and dusted before I knew it and my breathing was easy throughout with just a light sweat under the bra line.

 

It's times like these that I enjoy a lot. Being able to recognise how far I have come in my fitness. It reminds me that I can improve despite getting older, but also it's a time to reflect on how far I have come and how much I have achieved. It's a good feeling indeed.

 

Heading for home I felt really happy and positive about the 12wbt ahead. I have signed up with Michelle Bridges who has a 12 week body transformation program. I feel certain that I can make the next 12 weeks really make a difference. Also, I feel I can't really fail to improve hopefully to the next level as I have those all important elements in place....

 

• Accountability - Coach
• Triathlon Program - Coach
• Diet Program and accountability - Michelle Bridges
• Time - no job (just casual work that I can do at home at midnight if I want to)
• Drive - ME!

Bring it on!

 

Sign-up Day Approacheth!

So, things are ticking along here down under in the world of SammiVille. Getting the work done and ticking some boxes. Always seeking that illusive 'ticked every box this week' goal. Not quite reaching it but getting mighty darn close just quietly.

Big News on the home front!!!!!

It's visual, so here goes.....

           

is Sign up for............

One more pic til you guess it.......

YEP...........YOU GUESSED IT!.....THE 23rd OF MAY IS THE SIGN-UP DAY FOR IRONMAN AUSTRALIA 2013.....

And I have decided to do it all again. I am going to repeat the lunacy and have another crack at this thing called I.M.

Coach reminded me that this thing we do...yeah, this Ironman thing that we do is not NORMAL.
My response was....'Yeah no shit Sherlock!' Entries open at 11am. Computers/servers will probably go down at 11.05am as 1700 competitors try to enter at once. But I will be there along with a few other buddies of mine pushing the buttons and burning up the credit card. Yep, one word..Lunacy!

But, Hey, what else would I be doing with my time. I have had such a good week (even though I missed 2 swim sessions due to a stiff neck) I caught up with my running buddies and had fun doing an hour of hill repeats with them. Went for an hour Xcountry run with the dog, swam with a buddy and got that illusive left elbow to stay up, rode with 3 good mates for just shy of 90kms with a 10min run off the bike and then finished it off with a 60min run this morning nice and easy with a buddy and his wife.

Not bad hey!

Program is in from Coach tonight and it looks bigger than Ben Hur. A bit daunting and I can see some big efforts coming my way. A 2 hour wind trainer session, Yikes. But the best and I guess only thing to do is hit them one at a time, don't think to much about it or too far ahead and see how much I can achieve. Focus of course on quality. I have a 100 clicker on the bike on Saturday with a half hour run off. Noice! So let's see how we fair. I'll get back to you shortly.

I'm also hoping for a top week on the diet front too and water! Drink more water Sammi! Geezluweeez!

I hope you are all travelling along fine too and I hope to come stalk you soon and catch up on your blogs.


Cheers x

Hills Make Us Stronger

I had a top day today so I felt I needed to blog about it......

I met up with Coach this morning to discuss my goals for the upcoming 2012/2013 triathlon season.

Basically it's winter and a great time to do a reconnoiter and reassess goals and make sure we are headed in the right direction. Knowing I was having a coffee catch up with him I printed off my goals I had written in a previous blog and added a touch more detail by way of explanation of why I chose the goals etc.

But first it was a swim.

We headed in to the Uni pool and as I flopped into the water I was full of self talk. The water is going to be lovely and fresh, its going to wake you up and make you feel alive. It's great to be swimming early its a great way to start the day. In truth I was dreading the cold plunge and I was trying desperately to find a positive spin on the inevitable. And to my surprise, the water was refreshing and I was awake, but it wasn't bracing and so I feel my positive self talk had actually paid off.

Coach watched me over a couple of laps and gave me some feedback and things he wanted me to focus on with my stroke. My right arm (side I breathe to when I am swimming at speed or under load) is cutting across the front of me instead of landing in line with my shoulder and on the left although I have good rotation, I am dropping my elbow. I knew that already but I am having a real hard time finding the correct position and then practicing it until it comes naturally and is ingrained into my stroke.

After the swim set I headed for the showers and caught up with him at the cafe for a small flat white.....my attempt to cut back the coffee and watch my diet compromise.

We sat with my printed sheet and discussed each point in turn. Coach suggested a really good nutritionist he knows that I can work with to get my nutrition right, lose some weight and keep energy as well as race specific nutrition.

So anyway we discussed heaps of things so that Coach could get an idea of where my head is at. Of course this all comes down to me getting registered into Ironman 2013 Yikes!~

Anyway......after the chat I headed home full of positive talk, goals and a plan of how to move forward.

After lunch, still buzzing about the year ahead, I headed out on the road with the little Cervelo. The set was "60km ride, hilly course and stay aerobic" As the course is up to me to set I headed South for a steep hill that never seems to get any easier. Half way up I realised that the course I was planning was going to leave my legs thrashed for the weekend 90km ride that was planned. A quick re-jig of the plan in my head and I continued South heading for Kiama and another hill but not as big as the ones originally planned. As I rode the 60kms I headed for hills (or rather hefty bumps) and stayed aerobic. The legs eventually warmed up and the sting of some of the bigger hills seemed to ease a bit. Heading for home I was able to pick the pace up a little and finished with a happy time even though the hills were bumps. I was also pleasantly surprised to claim 2 QOMs on Strava and a host of other good scores. Sweet, that means I am getting stronger I hope.

Look in the Mirror - 10 Steps Backwards

Out in the gym tonight. Bit disappointed in what I see. Like every gym we have a mirror set up.

Our gym is in the garage and we have spent time getting it sorted so that we have a pretty good set up now. Prior to this we used to be members of a gym. Each morning heading dutifully down to join the malay of guys doing their International Chest on Monday routines.... I got pretty strong. I was getting some muscle and definition, even some pecs. I could rock out 50 push ups without too much grief and I could do a decline sit up hugging 10kilos on my chest. I got to know some of the guys and earnt some respect as a lifter rather than just a chick playing with dumbells. Some of the guys helped spot me if I was on my own and helped with diet tips and form technique.

After a while we took up this crazy sport of triathlon and pretty soon with Ironman and the training required, the hours soon were gobbled up with running, swimming and time out on the roads on the bikes. Bit by bit we slipped away from the gym life and so we decided that we would set up the home gym. And little by little I drifted away more from the weights. I know strength, core and stretching are just as important as the rest of the 3 sports, but time in the gym was sacrificed for sleeping, eating and quality time with the family. I do still do my stretching pretty religiously to avoid injuries, but picking up and putting down steel is completely out of the program.

So we bought some TRX bands with a view of using these to strengthen core etc. And so here I find myself a year after Ironman. A year before I do my next Ironman and I'm not happy with the gal who is staring back at me. It's like all of the work a year or more ago has gone and I have gone ackwards in tim. Even though I can knock out a huge triathlon I can't see the muscle for the soft fat and muscle.

BUT!!!!! I have a year and 6 weeks to whip this lil ol bod back into some shape. So while I am disappointed that I have lost a load of fitness, muscle, core, balance and the like. I know I can do this again. I can work hard and if I stay consistent, then I can be the person I want to be, come race day in 2013.

So.....without taking a photo and posting it (as you'll all say "hey Sammi - aint sooo bad"). Let's just say. I got some work to do.

Aims/goals:

• Get strong, lean, toned and faster!
• Stay consistent, eat clean, stay focused and EAT CLEAN!!!!!
• Find some time weekly to start a strength and core routine and keep it incorporated in the holistic approach to this thing called Ironman.
• Be realistic, the flabby/loose skin could be age (and no amount of training can beat gravity...it's just the way it is)
• Be true to yourself, quit the B.S, and never lie to yourself.
• And for Crying Out Loud - Give up the SUGAR!!!!