Making goals believable: Sampling the Quassy HalfRev Course

I might be a desperate masochist, but those Rev3 folks are sadists. The Quassy HalfRev course is proof enough. Cold temperatures drove me indoors for this week’s long ride, scheduled to be a 3 hour session. Hmmm. 3 hours on the trainer – that’s just a touch less than a half iron distance course for me. My mind immediately went to Quassy, which we will do for the first time this summer in Middlebury, CT on June 5th. One of the best aspects of having a CompuTrainer, versus a standard trainer, is being able to download and “ride” almost any …

Test anxiety: Finding my functional threshold power

On Wednesday, I took my first ever “functional threshold power” test. The FTP is a 30-minute test, using my CompuTrainer, which is designed to measure the average wattage (or power) I can maintain while cycling for 30 minutes (CP30). The above image illustrates the results of this test. (Side note: I don’t have a polar heart rate strap yet, required for CompuTrainer HRM, so the HR data is below, imported from my Garmin HRM file.) Fitness tests are not new to me. I rowed crew in high school, and we had regular tests of our fitness on the ergometers (rowing …

Riding to nowhere: Making the most of the bike trainer

After several weeks of the weather forcing us to ride our bike trainers instead of the road, I was less than enthusiastic to do my 2.5 hour bike ride last Saturday morning. Then, I had an idea: What’s my first important triathlon of the season? Rev3Tri’s Quassy in Middlebury, CT. We had heard the bike course was grueling. So I thought, Hmmm, I’ll create a trainer workout that simulates the Quassy course. Now, without a computrainer (the $1,700 price tag is prohibitive for us right now), this simulation is not an exact science. But, with a little bit of time …

Siberian Soaks

“Hoowwwwwllllleeeeee,” I scream as I plunge my legs into the snow and water filled tub. “La, la, la, la, la, la,” singing now, as my not-so-little tushie, hips and lower belly hit the water for my daily 10-15 minute Siberian soak. “Oh, God, Oh, God, Oh, God…” I repeat almost at the top of my lungs. I know it’s not good to take the name of the Lord in vain, but really, I am praying. The water is as cold as a tub filled with two 5-gallon buckets of freezing snow. Clearly, the real thing is descriptive enough – no …

Managing Time with 20 Weeks to Ironman Lake Placid

This week marks an important transition in my Ironman training: 20 weeks until the big day. *Gulp* In just five months time, I will be swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles–all within (I hope!) the official time limit of 17 hours. Having talked to experienced Ironman triathletes, I knew that the “20 weeks out” moment was a major transition in the training plan. This past Sunday, I pulled up my schedule, and I noticed the shift. Now that it’s Friday, and I’ve made it through 5 of the 7 training days: I’m feeling the shift. So, …

Life’s a little different now: Some observations on Ironman training

I’m a little over 25 weeks out from Lake Placid Ironman. During this early phase of base training, along with the training I did in preparation for the HIM Bassman in October, I’ve noticed several changes in my life. I thought I’d share some. Maybe some of you can relate? Observation #1: Positive Correlations Most athletes preparing for an Ironman expect that the longer the race distance, the longer the training times and miles. What I didn’t account for was the fact that those training distances aren’t the only times that increase. While the training plan may have anywhere from …

Aqua jogging

A few years back, I had some trouble with my right ITB (iliotibial band) during a run. The pain was significant enough that I had to take frequent walk and stretch breaks to get back home. I didn’t run again for a few days. I started ridiculously slow. Alas! The pain returned. At that point, I resigned myself to the realization that I had a problem with the ITB. I knew what this pain meant: Stretching. Icing. Using the foam roller to lengthen and release the ITB. And, the worst part: no running for at least a week–maybe more. So, …

“Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – or how I came to love my heart rate

Yes, it’s Shakespeare again. This time, the Prince of Denmark himself – Hamlet – offers wise words to keep my experiences (in training and life) in perspective. This quote reminds me that our thinking plays an integral role in how we perceive our abilities, our training, and our potential. Think negative thoughts, increase the likelihood of negative outcomes. Think positive thoughts, increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. Sounds easy enough. So, why am I so mean to myself? I know better: I’ve read plenty of articles that talk about the power of positive thinking. I know that our brains are …

Hill Training in Flat Jersey

Southern New Jersey is not known for its mountainous (or even hilly) landscape. Nope. The beach is probably Southern NJ’s better-known calling card. In fact, the beach, the ocean and the bay are what has kept John and I so tied to this area, despite some of its flaws. Lake Placid Ironman – Run Course Elevation Profile While I love the ocean, it has one obvious flaw for hill training: it’s at sea level. Without the benefit of a mountain range nearby, the flat location leaves us with an obvious dilemma for hill training. The trouble is, my husband and …