What's All This Training For?

Really, I'm training for something, or the cause is lost. Why else do I swim, bike and run? What fun is there, if it's not a competition?



No, I'm not looking for an age group win, or a faster split. However, if all I'm doing is "working on fitness" there's nothing to focus on. I need a tangible goal. A race date. In this case, a delivery date, but it's all the same.



I missed both Tuesday and Thursday of KMA last week. Work and out of town visitors kind of got in the way. However, I did make my runs and swims.



Since I actually did sign up for a race , I have devised a training plan to keep me moving. Mostly very short runs of 2-4 miles, and a few "builds" of 5-6. I mean, it's a 10k.


Yesterday morning started out with a little 2 mile run on the treadmill, strike that, DREADmill. I despise this thing. But, my long winter run tights are now a smidge (okay, WAY) too small and I really don't want to run in sub freezing temps. It was supposed to be a 2.5 mile run, but considering I always get the wobbly treadmill (Damn you, #9!) I gave up and got off. I always feel like I have to work so much harder to run on treadmill. Maybe it's focus, but it never feels relaxing.


After I got pissed enough to quit the black conveyor belt of death, I headed to the pool. My usual swim partner Benny wasnt around (I swim with a 13 year old kid, seriously.), so I just put in some time on my own. I wore my HR monitor in the water for the first time this season, or whatever you want to call it, and was sorely disappointed with the results. I usually warm up with 10 x 100's on the 1:30. Easy swim and about 10 seconds rest. Mix in some backstroke. Well, after the first three easy 100's touch about the 1:18-1:20, I looked at my watch. My eyes probably bulged out of my head. 156!? One. Fifty. Six!? No effing way. I'm swimming easy. I could carry on a conversation with lane mates if needed. What the Fvck, Chuck? So, I back down a bit. The next three were 1:20, 1:21, 1:23. Check the watch. One-Five-Oh heeellll no.


Remember this little piece of advise from the doc? "Stay under 145." Looky here, it wasn't easy for me to do while on the dreadmill, but at a whopping pace of 12:35 I could keept my HR at 143. On the bike, I spin easy. Very easy. But I can still modify where I need to. Now, I'm in the water. MY place. Where things come very very easily. I'm practically in a LAYING posistion. How the hell is my HR creeping like that? Whatever. Of course, when I get mad, I want to swim harder. Faster. Pull stronger. Not the answer. I gave up on my warm up, and went into what would be the pussiest main set ever.


Pull a 500. Look at hr about every fifth flip turn. See HR around 150. Get pissed.
5 x 100 IM. Give up on 3rd one because breastroke makes me tired.
Sit on side of pool deck with belly looking up laughing at me.
Roll eyes.
Exit pool.


Remind myself what I'm training for.


For a the best damn delivery the OB/GYN has ever seen, duh. And the healthiest baby. And fastest postpartum weight loss.


And to get my ass back.

Hold Up, Heeeyy

Hold tight, I have a lot of random thoughts flying around in my brain.

Sticking Stuff Up My Nose
After doing most of KMA Spin last night with a tissue stuffed in one nostril, I decided I had to do something today.
Have you ever tried a NettiPot or Sinus Rinse? I'm having a cold/allergey thing that is apparently preggo related. Doctor and pharmacist agreed, use a high volume sinus rinse, whatever that means. Okay, I just thought that it was like a nasal spray. Right? Wrong! Let me walk you through this. First of all, I purchased the sinus rinse bottle from NeilMed. The pot thing was just a little too weird for me. It's an 8oz bottle that you fill with the packet of solution (pretty much Ph Balanced salt water) and warm water. Then, you bend over a sink and put the bottle against one nostril. Squeeze lightly. Guess what happens next! The stream runs out of your OTHER nostril AND your mouth! This is pretty much what happens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWVTuZ8AEf0
I'm not fully breathing yet, but I'm incredibly congested. It's suggested to do this 2-4 times a day, so hopefully by tonight, I'll be breathing better.


Kick My A-Spin Class
Definitely deserving of the name last night. There were several rounds of speed squats, isosquats and leg cranks (these are all things that you do very quickly off the bike before getting back on the pedal away again). My ass is screaming today. Guess that means it's working.


Mustang Sally is Now at a New Home
Sadly, I said my goodbye's to my beloved Mustang this week. After much talk about whether to just keep her or sell her, we decided there just wasnt enough room in the garage, and she could be a great car for someone else. We pretty much had a bidding war (because she's just that awesome), and my ideal buyer got her- a 20 year old girl who starting crying she was so excited. Perfect! So, I bid you adieu my beloved.
However, to add to that, my adoring husband did buy me a new car about a week away. It's a Volkswagon Jetta. SO much fun to drive, and just a beautifully made car (Thank you German engineering and Mexican labor). She's black, so I have thus dubbed her Joan Jetta. Get it? Get it! Damn, I am sooo funny.

I WILL race in 2010: Rock the Parkway!
There's a new 5k/10k/Half in KC! It's a beautiful course the goes along scenic Ward Parkway this spring. I'm so pumped. I can't wait. I'll be 20 weeks and some change, so I won't be too big for it to be painful to train or race. The difficult thing in my training has been following doctor's orders: Keep hr under 145 (!?) and take a short walking or active break every 30 minutes. I mean seriously, 145? That's like not even 70% of a maximum heart rate! But, okay, whatever. I don't want to overcook the munchkin thing.

Kick My A....nerobic Threshold

Ah, it's that time agian. Believe it or not, KMA is right around the corner! January is coming faster than we want to beilieve (so is next season!).

This year, KMA is at a new locale right down the street from the Bike Stop. If you want to develop some serious power in your legs and get your heart primed for cycling, you should be in this class. I've taken a half-dozen different types of "Spin" Classes, and this, by far, kills them all. I'm going to C&P the information. I highly highly highly suggest signing up for the class taught by Dr. Goodpain, er, Greg Goodman.



KMA ADVANCED INDOOR CYCLING CLASS
Want to ride faster? Read on…For the 5th year we I will be teaching the Kick My A…nerobic Threshold (KMA) indoor cycling class. This will be a 12 week program meeting twice a week Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30-8:15 p.m. (a change from last year). Classes will run from Jan. 5th- March 25th 2010. I’ll schedule an optional outdoor time trial in the spring at a date TBA. This year class will be held in a warehouse on corner of 40 hi way and Cemetery Rd. (One mile west of the BS Bike Stop on the north side of 40)
Greg Goodman will be leading this class in which you will go through a progressive program that will have you ready to ride for the 2010 season. All types of cyclists will benefit from this program. Workouts are designed to challenge the strongest of cyclists but adjustments are made for the 1st timer or beginner cyclist. You’ll be working at an intensity that you can handle…no one gets dropped on this group ride! This IS NOT your local gym spin class, pedal to the rhythm type training. You will learn about nutrition, strength programs, heart rate monitoring, cadence, and mental toughness. Workouts will consist of interval work, time trialing, strength building sets, climbing sets, power developmental sets, anaerobic threshold training, core training, and drills to improve your cadence and pedaling technique. We will also be using an my strength/power and flexibility program with Flexbands. Prior to the December starting date feel free to contact me at 699-8918 or at gggoodman@comcast.net and I will help you with your training during the months prior to class to prepare you for KMA 2010. I will email everyone aerobic (base building) workouts that you can do on your own to prepare for class in January.
Price for the class will be $175. ($200 if you don’t own a Flexband) Space is limited so get your spot reserved early. Cash is preferred but checks accepted. Make checks payable to Greg Goodman. Classes will start at 6:30 p.m. (AOB) and last approximately 1hr and 45 minutes. All participants must have a trainer (fluid trainers are the best)...magnetic trainers are ok if they are new models, heart rate monitor, cadence mode on your computer and a METAL SKEWER on the back wheel to prevent your bike from falling off the trainer. We are going to do this the "right way” thus the equipment requirements. You will get a 15% discount on trainers (that aren't already on sale) and 15% off on heart rate monitors at the Bike Stop.
Our goal is to get you stronger both mentally and physically on the bike. Whether you are a competitive cyclist or just want to get in the best shape of your life I promise KMA will make you faster, stronger, and have more endurance! I hope to see you for some fun at this one of kind class in the area. To sign up contact Bike Stop at (816)224-8588, amy@bikestoponline.com or contact me at the above mentioned phone number or email. Sign up right away to reserve your spot. A $75 (cash preferred, checks accepted) reservation fee is required.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Greg Goodman, a Physical Education instructor for 30 years will lead you in this advanced conditioning class for cyclists which incorporate the latest advances in training techniques. Greg has a Master's Degree in Exercise Sports and Science. He is a former CMSU basketball player and a 5-time Ironman finisher placing 38th in the World in 1985 with a time of 10 hours and 18 minutes. Greg has taught a variety of classes such as Spin, Speed Agility and Quickness and Core & Functional Training. Greg has worked with athletes from 8 to 75 years of age and is looking forward to working with the Bike Stop cyclists for a 5th year.


The 5th Annual KMA
“Kick My A….nerobic Threshold”
Indoor Cycling Class

Want to ride faster? Get in better shape? My goal is to get you stronger both mentally and physically on the bike. This is a class for any type of cyclist who wants to get in the best shape of their life. I promise KMA will make you faster, stronger, and have more endurance! All levels of cyclists are welcome. Workouts are designed to challenge the strongest of cyclists but adjustments are made for the 1st timer or beginner cyclist. You’ll be working at an intensity that you can handle…no one gets dropped on this group ride! I hope to see you for some hard work and fun in this one of kind class in the area.

Dates: Januay 5th to March 25th. An optional outdoor Time Trial will be arranged at a date TBA

When: Tuesday and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:15 P.M.

Cost: $175 ($200 if you don’t have a “Flexband.” (See Required Equipment
below for more information about Flexbands)
There is a $75 dollar fee to reserve your spot. (cash preferred, check accepted) Make checks payable to Greg Goodman.
Full payment due Dec. 1st. (Cash only) Full refund of $75 reservation fee prior to Dec 1st. After Dec. 1st refund will be $25 fee.

Where: Warehouse on corner of 40 hi way and Cemetery Rd. (Approximately one mile west of the BS Bike Stop on the north side of 40)


Required equipment:
- Bike…If you haven’t had your bike fit to your measurements I’d highly advise a BG Bike Fit from the Lee Summit Bike Stop.
- Resistance trainer. Fluid trainer are the best but newer model magnetic trainers will work. Include a front wheel riser to level off the bike and a METAL SKEWER (the heads of the skewer need to be metal not plastic) for the back wheel.
- Heart rate monitor
- Bicycle computer with cadence. Power meter is a great option for the serious cyclist.
- A couple towels to wipe the sweat off yourself and the floor after class. We’ll be on cement this year.
- Food and at least 2 bottles of fluid replacement (I’d advise one of water and one of Gatorade etc.)
- Flexband: These are 40 inch industrial grade bands we use for an innovation strength and flexibility program that is crucial to your improvement. A very simple but effective piece of equipment that will give you years of use to aid in your strength and flexibility. Go to www.performax4u.com for more information on the bands. We use the light band (purple).
- A desire to work hard with no whining because it’s all goooooood pain!

The Weekend Report with Courtney S.

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not, but Zeus Goose the Cane Corso pup has cherry eye. Joy. Friday after work I took the little guy in to get checked out. After we returned from the vet, I got myself dressed and made my way out the door for a non-iPod, listen to the footsteps and falling snow/sleet only run of four miles. I know, I know, four miles ain't shiznit. But, to me, it really was. At a frigid 25 degrees and wind gusts of 25 mh, I was a bit, um, chilly. I made it back to the house not long after sundown, but was I was nearing my street on that particular patch of street lampless darkness, I remembered a run in which it hit me: I was going to finish Ironman Florida in the dark. I was thinking that maybe I would finish Redman in the daylight, but with a sunset of 7:30pm, I would have to finish at exactly 12hrs, about 30min faster than my goal time. So, maybe there will still be some trails of light on the horizon.

Saturday morning I went to work and taught some swim lessons. Aahh, swim lessons. Nothing like my bright and shinny self at 9am on a Saturday teaching nine 3-5year olds how to put their faces in the water. Actually, the kids aren't that bad (it's the parents.. err. wait..). Once I made it home I threw my leg over the bike and got to pedaling. In my kitchen. I set the trainer up in the kitchen so I could keep and eye on the dogs (and the dog's eyes). Also, some friends of the Husband were at the house laying the slate tile in the fancy-schmancy master bathroom. Be jealous. It's been since August of 2006 that the shower was last functional. My ride was set for two hours, however, after an hour and twenty minutes, I found myself at the vet yet again, to pick up more medication before they closed. I planned to get back on the saddle when I made it home, yet housework was piling up, and I made the executive decision that sometimes house priorities need to come before training. Gasp!

I hung out with Alygator in the afternoon, doing a whole lot of nothing. We tried the new sushi bar in town, which, to our surprise also has 4 hibachi grills as well. The sushi was excellent and after a mere two glasses of white, we called it a night. I feel asleep with the dogs on the couch watching Pineapple Express.

Sunday morning we planned to run early and be done with it. However, Alygator FINALLY set up a Facebook account so we took the majority of the morning for her to explore her new found world of Social Networking Websites. About 3:00 I said enough and got dressed. The temps were hovering around the 19 degree mark, but with less wind, the five miles were not only warmer than Friday's but, dare I say it, FUN. I ran with the iPod this time- after I dug through three purses and two workout bags to find it. These runs were far from fast, but the snowflakes on both trips were fun. Also, it's nice to have the path only to yourself. I never saw another runner Friday, and Sunday my only company was Alyson. Alyson, by the way, made Sunday her farthest run EVER. I remember how exciting those are. Long runs. Well, long enough.

This morning I found myself in the middle of a main set consisting of 10 x 200's build. Yes, 10 x TWO HUNDRED YARDS. My arms are tired but the gradual increase in yardage is good for me, and, well, makes me happy if nothing else.

There's KMA spin class tonight, however, Coach Lady has me to ride only an hr with a lower HR than what the Class workout is, so I'll be doing this in the kitchen too. Then I'll finally get to snuggle up to the husband- he spent the weekend working in Houston at supercross- and drink a glass of wine, which, will ultimately be my night cap. Rest day tomorrow, I'm really looking forward to it.

Mind Games

We're playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla-John Lennon


I did not want to go to spin class tonight. No, let me restate that. I couldn't give a phuck less about going. Long day at work. Dog with an eye issue. Husband making travel plans. Sore from yesterday. Yesterday's THREE workouts.

Yet, I went. I was late, and started setting up in the corner. Then I realized I forgot my clycling shoes. I drove home. Got the shoes. I made up new expletives. Not really sure what the mean or how the sounded, but if you can speak in tongues, and better yet, understand tongues, you would have been embarrased for me.

When I got back to spin, I put my shoes on, and mounted my bike. The warm up was nearly over. Then my HR monitor kicked the bucket. Actually, it did a while ago, but I forgot the new strap, so I had to borrow. More expletives (in my head this time, appearantly someone couldnt get a babysitter and had to bring their two kids to class. Im sure that was fun for them.).

Let it go. My subconcious spoke. Just let it all go.

So I did. I let everything that wasn't Here and Now leave my mind. I focused on the task (PAIN!) at hand. Leg crank series. Power and strength. Turning the damn pedals. 3 to 9, 9 to 3. Physically tough? yes. But I've done tougher. Mentally straining? Sure, but I've focused more. Today was about tuning out everything that didn't matter or that I couldn't do a damn thing about at This. Exact. Moment.

A tought entered my head: Go home, it's just 30 min early. This is 30 min you'll never get back in your life... yes, that's right, 30 min. This is 30 min you cannot come back to later and try to train in it again. The time is fleeting. No one is turning the big wheel to move the island to another time dimension.

It's just a mind game.

Til Your Arms Fall Off or You Eventually Fall Down a Hill

Or lats explode. Your choice.

Robo hasn't blogged about the ridiculous pulling swim workout yet, although, she really hammed it up about her swim test. Last week, her coach lady wanted to kill her. Well, her arms at least. And Robo thought it would be fun to pass on the joy to me. I'm not going to tell you the particulars of the workout, as that's between Robyn and Robyn's Coach Lady (and me because I stole that workout). However.

Howevvver, I will tell you that the main sets (Yes, plural) were pull. A lot of it. All 2300 yards of it. As far as I could see, there was nothing that said "pull bouy allowed" either. There were things like "let legs hang" and "band together" as well as, "no flip turn, turn like at marking bouy." It was sick, I tell ya.

I thought today would be a good day to do this set. After all, I work at a pool, and had some time over lunch. So I put on my gear and got in. Geesh. After Monday's spin- thankfully only a functional threshold test, not Max HR test; that's tomorrow- I took yesterday to lightly recover. Good thing I don't need my arms to run tonight. I'm planning to make another trail attempt, only this time, with Mr. TriathleteBride. Yes, that one. The crosscountrysuperstarwhatever. But, it will be dark, so I should just put some big sticks on the trail and he can roll down the hill.

When I asked my dear hubby if he wanted to join me he asked if it's a good idea. "It will be dark by then," he tells me. Yes dear, that's why I want you to come with me. "Won't you twist your ankle or break your leg? That sounds like something Wimpy would do." Gee, thanks for your supreme confidence in me!

Wimpy is my pet name. It has nothing to do with being a puss. It's a derivitive from the Wimpony, which I have no idea where that came from.

Maybe I will need my arms to catch me tonight, like, when I fall into a ravine.

So It Begins

Well, Here We Are.

Tonight's first of the year "Spin" class will mark the third consecutive workout for me. Yes, I said third. Tonight I shall embark on a 16 week journey of twice weekly bike sessions with the goal of building miles and kicking my anaerobic threshold. No really, the name of the class is KMA. Although, all the participants are fully aware that KMA is really for Kick My Ass and has little to do with anaerobic thresholds.

Yesterday, I swam around 3500 yards. Hardly anything when you think about one race totaling 4400. However, I worked hard. Especially on the negative split 400's. After looking at previous year's RedMan results, I'm having a hard time understanding why the swim splits are so... slow. Only one woman last year swam under 1:05. In 2007, the first woman out of the water was a 1:24. ONE HOUR, TWENTY FOUR MINUTES. 2006 was two minutes slower than that! I'm guessing its the lack of draft that causes the slower times, and there's fewer competitors to compare by. I was the 70th woman out of the water at IMFL 07 with a 1:06. The fastest fish that day was Theresa Mackel in 50min.

After looking over results, I feel like if I can swim to the same ability as in 2007 (not the same speed, as the draft really does play a huge part), then I should exit the water near the front of the overall race. I'll worry about the bike and run later. Let me savor this moment.

I'm still figuring out the coaching situation. I originally thought I'd have more moola to spend than I really do. I found someone that I feel would be an excellent fit, however, I'm trying to figure ways to make coaching a necessity versus a want and therefore giving paying thousands a year a bigger allowance out of our budget. I do want to say that Nancy Strickland coached me last year and is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. However, I was needing to make some changes and when doing an Ironman, it's easier on the phsyche to be coached BY and Ironman. Not to say Nancy isn't a badass in her own right.

I'm off to dig thru a box of mismatch heart rate monitor straps here in the office. During my "arms will fall off" swim set yesterday, my faithful HRM of two years but the dust. I've tried changing batteries, replacing pieces, anything, to save it. But, I think it's done. However, the watch/ receiver portion still is ticking (pun intended), so hopefully there's a Nike strap in this gross sweaty box.