How did April fly by so fast???

WOW, it just can't be May already! April was such a blur. Maybe it is because May is a pretty big month?  I trained and trained and trained and now it is May...wow.

After finishing a dismal IM California due to an exercise-induced asthma attack at the top of hill #1 on the bike and suffocating through the entire run ....I went to the doctor, quite angry actually.  "Doc, I think I have a breathing problem but it only happens around March 30 every year!  What??? yes, I can't breath in Oceanside during my race at some point and this year it happened really early!  It didn't happen at SOMA so what's up? I just can't have this happen anymore.  I work too hard for shitty results"  I told her it was exercise induced asthma obviously because that's what WEB MD said but alas she didn't trust my Mom degree.  We went through the differences in the race situations and she decided on running a million tests...still ongoing by the way and costing me a fortune.  Meanwhile I have an inhaler for exercise over 2 hours which I am not very good at remembering to take until it is too late!  Geez one more Tri thing to remember!  However I will do anything to have a good race. I train hard and I expect the results to show it so when a body part rebels, well, we must repair it, train it, or kill it.  Must keep moving forward!!!

My first weekend after my 70.3 was supposed to be the Hollywood Half Marathon on Saturday and the 105 mile Campagnolo Century with some monster hills.  We decided the century was a little much based on the breathing episode so after the Hollywood Half, we decided to downgrade to the Medio Fondo of 62 miles.  It was great fun and my legs thanked me..as did my husband!  hahaha.  I only trained 10 hours that week. Felt like a couch potato. I hate recovery week. We dressed up for the red carpet expo and wore tux tshirts for the run.  We had a great time!  My mentor SwimBikeMom express mailed my new cycling kit so I could wear it proudly for the 62 mile ride.  It's definitely my favorite cycling kit now!




I decided it was time to bike outside with the increasing daylight.  I felt like I couldn't focus anymore inside.  It helped when it was dark but now I need to work harder. I was not really physically fit to climb hills at Oceanside 70.  I had 4 months to heal my right foot and inclines were not my friend yet and it nearly killed me at the race.  Time to FIX it because Lake Stevens will be harder.  Now I bring my bike to work in the car 2x a week and ride hill repeats for 1 1/2 to 2 hours each after work.  I met my goal of repeating Torrey Pines 5x with negative splits and Scripps Poway 3x.  I will incorporate Tide Pool hills but not sure I can make it more than the 11x repeats I did once before.  I'm back to my LJ 6 hills also but haven't mustered the confidence in my tri bike yet.  Hill repeats have mostly been in the road bike but in time I will get on the tri. I'm also riding the tri at Fiesta Island for intervals by watching power, riding steady, hard on the big loop, easy on the small loop.  I'm definitely getting stronger as my Trek rides on Saturdays have been more difficult than in the past and I'm holding my own with the guys on the hills.

This month was a big run month as well.  The Mountains to Beach marathon is May 25 so Sundays have been very long runs.  In the past, when I have run over 13, I have switched to Galloway's method and chose 10min/1min.  I read about others with a much shorter run interval and that they could run faster for the shorter period and pickup where they left off due to a short recovery.  It's like that first mile that you run too fast due to adrenaline.  But with 5/30sec, I'm starting over every 5 minutes.  I ran 2:45 using this method and it really did work.  I held a higher speed and I felt better after the run. I ran back to back Sunday 3 hour runs and still maintained comfort and consistency.  I'm happily looking forward to the marathon with my new plan!  Let's see if I can hold a sub 10 pace for 26.2 miles!

Swimming has changed a bit.  I would swim every day if I could.  I'm not fast but it's my zen and I love it when my world is quiet.  I added Master's at lunch on Mondays for 2 reasons.  My coach teaches it and she pushes me to want to puke within the hour.  Also, I just love the sun on my back.  I'm so lucky to work so close to her gym.  I also ocean swim on Fridays which has been like an aquarium lately.  No surf, super clear, and mid 60s.  Just heavenly. Best of all, I'm noticing I really am getting faster. My pool swims are strong and my ocean swims are faster than they have ever been.  My only problem is when I'm disrupted, I can't keep my rhythm, like in a race with a mass of others clobbering me.... Alas May starts the club aquathlons so I get to have a CO-ED mass start which is even worse! Practice practice practice...IMAZ is at the end of the tunnel!

I train most days 5am and 5pm.  I try never to change my schedule and often ask for more workouts.  Coach and Marcus decided I needed a vacation!  So after the marathon, we are going to Costa Rica for a week to relax....hahaha yea right, I will have a full schedule of whatever I can find to keep moving forward!.  Then full force training for IM Lake Stevens when we return.

In order to squeeze in the week off, I had to cancel my SD Century ride.  I was sad.  I agreed it was crazy a week after the marathon but I really wanted to ride it.  I found the next best thing though!  I signed up for the Vineman Full Aquabike on July 26!  2.4mi swim and 112 mi bike!  I will be a 2/3 Ironman! Perfect substitution!

I'm averaging about 15 hours a week of training for now.  I don't know how I will fit in much more than that but I will find a way somehow.  So far the journey to IMAZ has been amazing and I can't get enough of it! My coach is managing my constant requests to do more and I listen when she says no because an overuse injury would crush me so slow and steady we go to being stronger better faster and achieving more!