The fun of coach-written training plans

I have worked with my coach, Jim McGehee of One on One Endurance, ever since I started in the sport of triathlon. I happened into him when our kids were both taking music lessons at the same place and I was coming off a running injury and considering triathlon. That was the summer of 2009!

The best part of working with him is that the training is never boring and each session includes just the right amount of goals and details to keep my mind appropriately busy. I get my workouts in two-weeks blocks, presented via Training Peaks.

What I love is that sessions often feel like games to me - with intervals to hold a specific-to-me pace, cadence, wattage, or heart rate. And when I have long or easy runs/rides on the schedule, I'm ready for the mental break and those miles are appreciated.

There's diversity in the settings too as he sends me of to roads, running paths, track, trails, hills, flat, treadmill, bike trainer. While weeks may have a similar rhythm to them (long things on weekends, group swims T/H), there are no two weeks the same...which I like!

These little goals keep me challenged and motivated! Here are a few favorite workouts from the last two weeks:

It really helps to have some type of programmable GPS device for these. I still use the old Garmin Training Center to program my Edge 800 and Forerunner 910XT:

Then I use Training Peaks to log the data and share it back with my coach for feedback, and he uses it in future planning.

I still find the training process - and data - endlessly fascinating and I remain grateful that I don't have to write my own training plan. Every two weeks I get to see what's in store for me.

I often tell Coach Jim he does the hard part writing all of this up, and I get all the fun!

If this sounds like fun, you might look into coaching. Just be sure to find the right coach match for you.

My Power Gloves

These Adidas gloves are the first real running accessory I ever bought, purchased at our local running store, Runabout Sports, in the fall of 2008. I'd only been running a few months at that point and was headed into my first winter.

I remember just how I felt when I bought them - as if I had just crossed over into the world of "real" runners. But did I belong? I wondered if I'd last in the sport, or if running was just a phase. Was this a dumb thing to buy? What if I quit?

Now, seven and a half years later, I know the answers!

These are the gloves I put on when I need a lift in the cold months, when I need a reminder of how far I've come and how much I've learned.

I've mended these several times and I am super careful not to lose them. I've never had a pair of gloves that fit me better.

I love my POWER gloves!

Do you have sentimental items from the start of your running or multisport journey?


Disclaimer: my Power Gloves have no affiliation with the Nintendo Power Glove. (Mine are far more powerful.)

Tri Pros -- Like us, only faster.

In my work over the last 2-1/2 years with the fortyninegroup, I've had the privilege of supporting and serving a number of tremendous individuals who happen to also be professional triathletes and coaches. Through them I've interacted with an even wider circle of runners, triathletes, paratriathletes, and entrepreneurs in sports.

I haven't shared a whole lot about what I do here on my blog, sort of on purpose. The focus of my blog is my own journey through the sport as a half-crazed sleep-deprived working mother who is climbing up the age groups. 

But I'm going to break the "silence" to talk just a bit about my outside perspective of these top athletes. It's really a privilege to watch and learn from them. 

They ARE just like us. Only faster. OK, a LOT faster. But there are common threads that run through them, and hopefully us:

• They have good races and not-so-good races but they learn something from every one.
• They are self-reflective and honest.
• They have mechanical issues and travel headaches just like we do.
• They put in long, tedious, not-exciting indoor sessions too.
• They get hurt, sick, and wipe out on their bikes.
• They dial back training at certain times per year.
• Most work closely with a coach.
• They have short-term and long-term goals.
• They are consistent and focused in their training.
• They celebrate successes but don't rest on their laurels.
• They don't publicly complain, make excuses, sandbag, etc.
• They have healthy relationships with fellow triathletes and competitors.
• They are overtly appreciative of those who support them - family, sponsors, and fans.
• They bring a sense of humor and playfulness.
• They note the natural beauty in which they race and train.
• They are flexible and make adjustments as needed.
• They appreciate a well-fitting wetsuit, great pair of running shoes, and a beautiful bike :-)
• They have belief in themselves and keep pressing forward through the tough times.
• They congratulate others for strong performances.
• They don't put life on hold for sport (they remodel kitchens, travel, adopt kitties...)

These athletes and coaches provide me with a great dose of perspective every day that I can't help but carry into my own training and racing.

Celebrate the highs. 

Fight through the lows. 

Put in the work. 

Be grateful and appreciative.

Enjoy the journey. 

Believe.

I LOVE my job....I truly love what I get to do and the people for whom I get to do it. Athletes and coaches work hard and bring great passion into all that they do. I get tremendous satisfaction supporting what they do. It's pretty cool the things that I get to call "work."

Lastly, who was I kidding saying I'd take 20 minutes every day this week to blog...it's hard to write much of anything in 20 minutes...sigh.

Learn more about these great athletes and coaches here: 

I am PRO biotic

It has been way WAY too long since I've made time to blog and it's not for lack of things I want to write about. My head is full of thoughts and ideas and things I want to explore and share but I've let life get in the way of this one creative outlet I really enjoy. So this week I'm going to just take 20 minutes every day to start getting these thoughts out of my head and into words...and clear out the mind for new things! (Today the blogging is taking place in my kitchen as I multi-task with dinner prep.)

Training is going well and I'm enjoying it more than I have in a long, long time. It just feels good to feel good. Well, MOST everything has felt good, but truth be told I had some running-related GI issues through the summer and fall that were disruptive and a little worrisome. My issues crossed over into the broad category of "runners trots."

This GI upset apparently affects the majority of runners at some point in time, but as one who is serious about carrying out training plans without interruption, any threat to that is not taken lightly!! The episodes were sporadic, unpredictable, and couldn't be readily tied back to specific foods. There were times I felt awful for the whole day following a long or hard run.

I'll spare the details, and you can Google "Runners Trots" yourself, but what I wanted to share was one change that I really think has helped me, and might help others too.

PROBIOTICS!!

I got an appointment with a gastroenterology PA who is a mom and a runner who has also experienced running-related GI issues. Among her suggestions was to take a probiotic and she recommended Align, or one of the generic forms of it (I use the Kroger brand - still like $30/month...ugh!).

Although it can take months of regular use for it to really kick in, or take root, or whatever, after taking one daily for about three months I can already tell a big difference. I've not had a major GI bout since and I've noticed several other positive changes in my health.

In learning more about probiotics, there is evidence that gut health is important for a multitude of things - skin, brain function, mood, immunity, etc. I can only say that in my sample size of ONE, I've noticed dramatic improvements not only in my GI happiness but also in my skin (which after a lifetime of being breakout-free sought revenge in my 40's....yay 40's!!!).  I recommended my dad try probiotics too given that he's always had sensitive skin and my mom says after just a month she has noticed a big difference (my dad is a little less certain, but we shall see.)

I won't even try to make this a research paper on probiotics. There are thoughts that certain strains are best for certain conditions and so on but truthfully, I basically just followed the PA's suggestion and have been very happy that I did.

Plus look at how cute these little guys are! So colorful, and happy!

Golfing though? I really hope I am NOT taking the golfing strains, but rather the swim/bike/run strains!

So you know me -- just sharing in case this might be of benefit to others. Just keep in mind it can take a few months of regular use to see changes.

Have you tried probiotics? What were your results?

The Laws of Garmin

1. The time needed to "Locate Satellites" increases exponentially in relation to how cold and miserable the weather is as you stand there waiting. (Tip: found this AutoLocate fix that needs to be done on some Garmins like mine.)

2. Your very best lap/interval will occur after you have mistakenly pressed "stop" rather than "lap."

3. Despite wearing a giant "watch," you will have no idea what time it is. But you will know pace, timing, cadence, heart rate, power, elevation, and multiple derivations of each.

4. The level of frantic-ness to get out the door to run or bike is directly proportional to the likelihood the Garmin is not charged.

5. The more important the training data, the more likely you are to forget the watch at home.

6. If it's a time-based interval workout, the screen will be set to lap distances. Conversely, if it's a distance-based interval workout, the fields will be set to lap times. Neither will be noticed until the workout starts.

7. The watch will enter sleep/standby mode just as the race begins.

8. Delusional athlete brains can overrule/ignore what the Garmin data is clearly telling them especially in relation to a race plan (often to their detriment).

9. If the Garmin is to freeze and need a "Master Reset," it will be race morning, and you will have no idea what the button combination is. (This actually happened to me with my old Forerunner)

10. Garmin can't measure courage and determination. Don't let numbers tell you what you cannot do!