Time to get organized

Me and my Pup probably sleeping through an AM workout

    So, this was a VERY big week for me...I finally got a full-time job at a law firm! Although, I'm extremely excited to finally be starting my actual career and my dreams of a new bike and awesome race gear now seem possible, I can't help but wonder how this new job is going to affect my training.

    I have been doing so well recently and have been feeling stronger than ever. However, it's going to be a real struggle to get in all my training hours while working a full work-week. So, I have decided that I need to get organized prior to beginning work tomorrow since I don't have a Tri coach and train purely off of self-motivation.

This means...
     No more last minute training changes. No more refusals to get out of bed for an AM workout. No more mid-day swim sessions (goodbye awesome training bikini tan). I need to start plotting my workouts ahead of time instead of planning them day-of. And this change starts now.

So...as of right now I have planned for this work week (all weather-permitting): 

3 Swim Sessions 

2 Run Sessions (1 easy run and 1 long run) 

1 Interval Bike Ride 

2 Bike Trainer Sessions

 Let's see how this goes...gotta keep the momentum going!

GEAR REVIEW: W Series Sony Walkman

My well-used Sony Walkman

    First off, I'll flat out admit that last year I was sponsored by Sony Walkman and through my sponsorship received 2 MP3 players and some clothing swag.  That being said, I want you to disregard the fact that I was previously sponsored by Sony.  It doesn't really matter HOW I was introduced to the new Sony Walkman...it only matters that even after my sponsorship ended, it's still one of my favorite pieces of training equipment.

    I didn't always do run workouts with music for a variety of reasons.  Since I can't use headphones in a triathlon, I like to get myself used to running without them.  Also, I sometimes find that music makes even the shortest runs feel lengthy.  Since each song is about 3mins long, it's depressing when I have to go through a whole album just to complete a 5 miler.  If I'm out on a long run, it's extremely hard to mentally handle the fact that I've listened to an entire album and still have about 2hrs of running left.

    With the added pain of having to either carry an MP3 player or strap one to my body somehow, I used to favor not bringing one out with me.  Not to mention the fact that I have a complete inability to remember to charge the player the night before.

    But, the new Sony Walkman completely changed my view on running with music.  The player is completely hands free, nearly water-proof, quick-charging, and the ear buds never get painful.  That's why, for those who love to run with music (and even for those who just want it sometimes) the Sony Walkman should be the next workout item you purchase.

The Item:

Simple to use system

Sony's W Series Walkman MP3 Player

The Claim: 
The perfect workout partner- quick-charging, water resistant, and wire-free.

My Initial Reaction:
    I was nervous at first that the player would fall off my head once I started to sweat...NOT TRUE.  The player is extremely comfortable and, since it comes with different sized ear-buds, the ear pieces almost never fall out no matter how much you sweat.  I've had them fall out only a handful of times in the middle of summer towards the end of a workout when I'm sweating profusely.  But, as compared with all other ear-buds I've previously used, these stay in far longer.
    Sony claims that the Walkman is quick-charging. Because I'm somebody who ALWAYS forgets to charge my player, this quality is extremely important. And their claim is accurate. You get about an hour-and-a-half of batter life after just THREE MINUTES of charging! Yes, you heard that right! So, if I forget to charge the Walkman prior to my run, I just plug it in while I put on my sneakers or hit the bathroom one last time.  Additionally, I find that the battery life is so long that you can get in several workouts before you need to re-charge the device.  The only down side? I go so long between charges that my player sometimes dies mid-run because I hadn't charged it in WEEKS and forgot about it.
   The company also states that the device is water-resistant and not water-proof.  Although let me tell you, this is about as close to water-proof as you can get.  I wouldn't suggest that you jump in the pool with it, but I HAVE taken many a shower with the device (usually when there was a good song coming on right at the end of my run).  If the device can withstand heavy shower water and shampoo, I'd personally call it water-proof.

My Opinion Now:
I still love the device and it's the only MP3 player I will probably ever use now.  The buttons are relatively easy to hit while running and once you learn where all the buttons are (don't worry there is only a handful of them) you can switch between songs and volume without much thought.
Also, since there is no player for you to have to carry and no wires to get in your way, you can maintain your running form without anything getting in the way. And if it rains? Well then I'm the only person out there not scrambling for cover in fear that my MP3 player or phone will be ruined.

The Price Tag: 
A great bargain at between $59 and $79 depending on the amount of memory you want

Swim Outlet Trip to Omaha Swim Trials Video Contest

SwimOutlet.com is having a video contest where they ask "How has swimming inspired you?"

Inspired by the question, I created the video posted below and entered it into the contest here.  The poem is an original that was written by me for the contest.  All background images are my own and I edited the video myself.

Enjoy!

TRAINING UPDATE: Exactly 1 month until Ironman 70.3 Florida

     Although this 70.3 isn't my main focus of the season, I have been working extremely hard trying to build my leg strength and have been really starting to feel a difference in my training.  I've been doing workouts 2x a week at EBP Cycling Lab on a bike trainer and I have been feeling stronger each time I go. I think for me, personally, it's a lot easier to push myself on a trainer than it is outdoors. On a trainer I can't let my mind get the better of me and I can't pull back to give myself a break.  There is no coasting on a trainer. So, when I hop on the trainer it's about 1-1.5hrs of pain.  However, when I get on my bike later in the week, it's not nearly as painful as before (especially when I have to climb the Rickenbacker Causeway).  I feel stronger and my legs look stronger and I'm incredibly excited to test myself on the 56mi bike in Haines City next month.

Me and my Cervelo taking a break on Key Biscayne

     Additionally, because I've been building general strength in my legs, I've noticed a difference in my running.  Although I'm not logging nearly enough miles on the run, I've been holding a quicker and quicker pace when I finally do get out there. I know that I should be running much more but I'm also trying to hold myself back so as to avoid my regular shin problems so early in my training.  I was also using compression leg sleeves to help with shin pain but those got stolen the other day and I can't afford to replace them.  Major problem there!
     I still have yet to hit my max distance goals for my run and bike this month but I hope to hit my goal of 75 miles on the bike tomorrow followed by a 12 mile run on Sunday and a rest day on Monday. Here is to hoping the wind isn't nearly as bad as it was last weekend!

Training Breakdown

Last Week: 

Swimming: 6.39 miles

Biking: 126.89 miles

Running: 15.07 miles

Total Miles: 148.35 miles

Total Time: 13 hours and 6 minutes

This Week So Far:

Swimming: 3.89 miles

Biking: 86.20 miles

Running: 5 miles

Total Miles: 95.09

Total Time: 7 hours and 55 minutes

You might be a swimmer if....

    So my good friend over at the blog Swim. Bike. Run. 3ndurance (which you should definitely check out) made a post yesterday enititled "You might be a runner if..." as an ode to the website/twitter feed of Running in the USA.
    I've never considered myself a "true runner."  Yes, I technically ran Cross Country for a while in high school.  However, I wasn't very good and didn't really improve at it until I found the sport of Triathlon.
     But, since I felt inspired by the post, I decided to write my very own ode to the sport I still love so dearly (Swimming). Please feel free to add your own about whatever sport if you feel inspired too! (Especially if you've got any for Triathlon!!!)


You might be a swimmer if...you wear the same clothing for days in a row because you spend so little time in them that they're technically not 'dirty'.

You might be a swimmer if...you have split ends...on your legs!

You might be a swimmer if...you have a permanent tan line going across your forehead.

You might be a swimmer if...there are wet towels hanging over every door in your house.

You might be a swimmer if...you don't recognize half your friends with their clothes on.

You might be a swimmer if...you find yourself ordering youth sized swim suits just to make sure they'll be tight enough.

You might be a swimmer if...you can't remember the last time you took a shower because you never feel that you 'need to'

AND FINALLY....

You might be a swimmer if...all you ever talk about is Swimming.

Key Biscayne Car Safety

      As everyone knows, biking in Miami can be extremely dangerous. Drivers are terrible and have no respect for bikers, pedestrians, or even other drivers. Unless I'm out my front door by 5:30 in the morning and home by rush hour, I usually throw my bike in the back of my car and drive to Key Biscayne to ride.  
      Yesterday morning, around 7am, I headed towards Key Biscayne for a nice long ride. I used to park my car in the Museum of Science parking lot until I heard that there had been some break-ins there. So for the past few weeks I've been parking my car outside Alice Wainwright Park at 2845 Brickell Ave (hidden to the right near the entrance of Key Biscayne).  I figured this area is a little bit safer since I frequently see a patrol car parked outside the park. And, the area is the usual workout launching ground  for MANY of Miami's bikers and runners so there is usually a lot of people nearby. 
      I parked my car next to several others outside the park, took out my bike and left on a nice 40mi ride (well, it would have been nice had the wind not been so terrible).  I originally intended to bike a bit further but since the wind was so strong, I headed back to my car around 10am with the intention of doing a short run.  As I pulled up to my car I noticed that the back passenger-side vent window (that little triangular-shaped window behind the back seat roll-down window) had been smashed. My car had been broken into.

Miami CSI van parked beside my car

     I propped my bike up against the car to go and see what the thieves had stolen. Because I had my entire purse stolen from a car last year, I now always take all my credit cards and IDs out with me in my saddle bag when I ride. So at least I knew, when I went to check the damage, that both my identity and money were safe. 
     I looked into the car. My sneakers were still lying on the floor beside my work shoes. My bottle of endurox was still sitting in my cup holder. So what did they take? 
They took my Coach wristlet with nothing but my house key, my mail key, a single dollar bill, and a few advil inside. They also took my new TYR swim backpack containing my compression leg sleeves, a bottle of Bayer, pull bouy, paddles, fins, cap and goggles. In all, the things stolen meant way more to me than it ever would to the thief. I'm sure they weren't thrilled to have bothered to bust my window only to receive a mess of swim gear and an empty purse.  However, I wasn't all too happy that I now had to replace all my swim gear that I've had since college. 
     Just as I called my boyfriend to let him know that my house key was stolen, I saw a cop car driving by which I flagged down to file a police report. I told the cops that I parked near here because I knew there was better security here than elsewhere (as evidence by the fact that a police cruiser was driving by right when I found my car).  The cops told me that a cruiser is parked outside the park every night and all day on weekends.   However, the rich people who lived nearby don't want to pay for surveillance during the week and that is why there has been a spike in break-ins.  So, thank you rich people!!!
     I filed my police report and the CSI unit came to fingerprint my car in hopes that the police can figure out if it's the same person who has been breaking into cars (I seriously doubt they'll find that person).  When I got home I called the Gator Glass to get an estimate on fixing my window...$120!! Yes, replacement would have been free had my windshield been smashed. But no, the thieves had to break the most expensive window in my car to fix.  I also had to go online to Swim Outlet to order all new gear. The total? $76.  Sadly I still have to replace my Coach clutch.  But,  it was my late Grandmother's.  So even if I buy a new one, it can never really be replaced.  
     This morning I decided to call the Key Biscayne and Miami Dade Police departments to see if they could suggest any safer areas or or near the Key for us bikers to park. The Key Biscayne Police department told me that their jurisdiction extends only to the edge of the actual town so I would need to call the Miami Dade Police. 
     A few minutes later I called the Miami Dade Police Department headquarters. "I got my car broken into yesterday and was wondering if there were any areas safer to park near the Key" I asked the responding police officer. "No" he told me with a chuckle, "It's a toss up wherever you go." Way to be helpful Miami Dade Police!!! 

So, What should you learn from all this? 

1. Before leaving your car, ask yourself "If anything in here is stolen, will it be THAT big of a deal?" If the answer is "NO" then you can leave your car in peace.
2. Is anything clearly visible, even if not valuable, that could attract a thief? If yes, then move it to the trunk. (But, make sure that nobody sees you put it in there!)
3. Take all you credit cards and Ids with you
4. Only do Brick workouts from home or from a COMPLETELY SECURED transition area.  The last thing you want is to have your bike stolen!
5. Do not park at Alice Wainwright Park unless it's on a weekend when a Police Cruiser is parked nearby (and even then, be careful). 

AND FINALLY....

(because my original intention on writing this post was to provide my fellow bikers some guidance on where to park)

6.  Miami Dade Police ultimately doesn't care if somebody breaks into your car and they seem to have no intention of making parking near the Key any safer.  So good luck because you're ON YOUR OWN!

If you truly understand me, you'll let me be annoying...

My Ironman 70.3 is coming up next month in Haines City (you don't know where that is because it's in the middle of 'Hicksville' Florida).  I'm super excited for the race because I've been feeling incredible in all of my workouts and am ready to see how far I can push myself on the bike leg.

I did the race last year when it was at Disney and before the course went under construction.  It was my first Half-Ironman distance race and I was so happy to have had my boyfriend, Craig there to cheer me on.  There were three run loops and I think the only thing that got me through each one was knowing that I'd be able to see him as I passed back by transition each loop. The entire way, I kept thinking about how I had commented to him the day before on how much I wanted this Ironman Teddy Bear from the Ironman gift shop.  I had a feeling, for some reason, that he might be standing at the finish line with it for me. And, sure enough, as I finished the third loop and came through the tunnel towards the finish, I saw him standing there with that Teddy in his hands. It was great to have the support there with me that day. I really needed it.

iPhone pic Craig took at 2011 IM 70.3 Miami

Unfortunately Craig can't come with me to the race this year because it happens to be on the same day as his younger sister's College graduation (congrats on making it through Sammi!). I'm disaappinted that Craig won't be with me for this race, but there's nothing that I can really do about it. At least I'm fortunate enough to have a few of my training buddies and one law school friend competing in the race with me. But, it's just not the same as having a friendly face by the sidelines to keep me motivated and to have a loving boyfriend, armed with a Teddy, there to greet me at the finish.

Yesterday, my mother (who still lives in Massachusetts) mentioned that she might look into plane flights down here so that she could come to the race with me. I immediately snapped at her "No Way!"

I absolutely love having my parents at my races cheering me on. And they've been suffering through many of my swim meets, and now triathlons, since I was five years old.  But coming to cheer me on is one thing...having them with me while I nervously complete all my pre-race rituals the day before is another thing.

I admit it, I am a major nervous wreck and annoying b**** the day before a major race (or pretty much before any major live event for that matter.)  I am jittery.  I am scared.  I am a monsoon of short-tempered anxiousness.  Craig (my boyfriend) has come to learn this about me and has now perfected the art of staying the f*** out of my way the day before a race.  I get nervous and I snap at people.  I get anxious that I won't make it there on time and constantly heckle him about how fast we're driving.  Last year, I started off by driving and was shaking so much that Craig forced me into the passenger seat at the very first gas station we passed.

The size of the event usually determines the level and length of my angered mood (noted in the chart below).  And, the stress of a 70.3 generally falls somewhere between a Law School Final Exam and the Bar Exam.

Craig, with much learned experience, now knows that the day before a race I need ultimately to be left alone.  I'm annoying and I can be mean, But he knows that it's all just nervousness finally bubbling to the surface.  And come tomorrow, he knows that I will be back to my old self.

So why did I snap at my mother in that way? Craig and I now have a mutual understanding the day before a race.  If I want to stare at a wall nervous for an hour...he lets me.  If I snap at him about not giving me preference to the bathroom...he is quiet and lets me by.  And, come race morning, I wake up alone to prep my things as he silently gets changed.  He quietly walks me to the car where we then ride to the race site in complete tranquility.  It's a pre-race ritual that has now been perfected.

IronTeddy (my only 70.3 FL race supporter this year)

My parents, however, have never truly experienced this monsoon of race nervousness first-hand.  They've seen it in waves previously during my swim career.  But, they've never seen what a horrible mess I can be before a race of this magnitude.  And, I'm not so sure that either them or me could handle it.

So, I'm sorry mom.  Although I'd love to have you by my side to support me, my pre-race rituals are a journey that I know only experienced individuals, like Craig, are capable of suffering through.  So, mom, if you truly understand me, you let me be annoying.  Besides, it's not a situation that you'd willing want to put yourself in anyways...

GEAR REVIEW: Garmin Forerunner 310XT

Because I knew that training for an Ironman race was going to take some serious workout awareness, I decided that I needed to join in the Garmin craze and buy myself a super fancy, crazy expensive, GPS running device.  Since I had the money at the time, about a month before the new version really became publicly available, I went out and bought the Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS watch.  And let me tell you...I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Looking at a training log stored on the watch 

 I normally HATE running with a watch on. For starters, I'm a nervous person already and I found that when I wear a watch I can't help but stare at it ALL THE TIME which greatly affects my training. For example, if I wear a watch and find out that I'm running super fast, I get mentally destroyed because I know I'm going to 'hit the wall' at some point. Or, if I wear a watch and find out that I'm running too slow, I get mentally depressed which causes me to run even slower. I've tried running/racing with a standard watch only a handful of times before and found that I prefer just running based on how my body feels. However, this wasn't going to cut it for the amount of focused training needed for an Ironman. So, I gave in and went and got one of the most expensive watches on the market.

The Item: 

    Garmin Forerunner 310XT (pictured above)

My Initial Reaction: 

    I immediately feared that this watch was just too bulky (especially for a person who doesn't normally wear a watch).  The first time that I went running with it, I hated it.  

   When I came home, I threw it down on the kitchen table and began to pack the box back up. "I'm returning this thing tomorrow!" I screamed at my boyfriend. "Just try it one more time" he begged me. So I did. And the next time I tried it, I fell in love. Honestly, it just takes a while to get used to the size.

NOTE: I run with the watch strapped to the inside or my wrist in order to keep my weight centered. I move the watch to the outside when I bike in order to avoid having it interfere with my aerobars.

My Opinion Now: 

    I've now been training with the 310XT for a few months.  It's GPS and pace clock is incredibly accurate and the watch syncs to my computer and free Garmin Connect account with complete ease. 

   As to the bulkiness of the watch, it took a little while for me to get used to running with something so large on my wrist.  But, now that I've gotten used to it, I hardly know it's even there. 

    However, swim training in a pool is a totally different story (although, I'm admittedly VERY PICKY about what I wear when I swim).  I tried training in the pool with it a handful of times and find that (1) it messes up my streamline position off the wall because I can't get my hands tight together, (2) Sometimes the watch scrapes the lane line and the buttons get hit which messes up the clock, and (3) my arm gets tired by the end of a workout from the extra weight on my arm. 

Should You Buy the New Version (Garmin Forerunner 910XT) Instead?

   Possibly. But it really depends on how much money you want to spend and what exactly you need the watch for. It seems to me that only two things have been improved in the new version. Garmin claims that the new version is more accurate in open water swimming and can count your stokes in order to measure stroke efficiency. Also, the watch is slightly lighter and doesn't have as bulky of a watch face.

    With a price difference of about $100, the newer version might just not be worth it. Yes it's not as bulky. But, it's not "tiny" either. And for such a large price difference, is slightly smaller worth it? Probably not.

   Also, as to the improved swimming functions, they are functions that can easily be kept track of manually. Let me tell you how to keep track of your own stoke efficiency...In a pool, count the amount of strokes you take from one wall to the other. Then, while you're swimming to decrease that number. And, that's it! You just saved yourself $100! 

   Now, if Garmin develops a watch with the capabilities of the Pool Mate (counts laps, time, speed, and distance)...then I'd say the price difference it well worth it. 

NOTE: Since I haven't tried the new version myself, I'd love to hear your opinions on the watch. 

How is the Garmin Connect Application?

   I think the Garmin Connect training log application is excellent and just as good, if not better, than other similar training log sites. My only complaint is that when I manually enter the yardage of a swim workout, the program automatically changes the distance to "Miles" on my training log.  I have to go back into the entry later in order to change it back which gets VERY annoying after a while. Garmin, you definitely need to change this automatic conversion feature.

The Price Tag: 

    Presently $250 (without HR monitor) and $300 (with HR monitor) on the Garmin Website

RACE REPORT: Hammerhead Springfest Invitational Swim Meet

With my 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals

     Last Friday and Saturday I competed in my very first swim meet since college and let me tell you, it wasn't easy! Even with all the training I've been doing, it was difficult to force my body into 'sprin mode' when all I've been doing is training endurance. 

    Nevertheless, I think I turned out a few decent times and had a great time while doing it.  I also managed to make the USMS top times list in all of my races and will be ranked within the top 5 in the state for my distance races and within the top 10 for my other races. 


Race 1: 1000 Freestyle (Fri Night)
    I got to warm-up EXTREMELY NERVOUS.   
    I hadn't competed in a race in about 5yrs and although I knew I could make the distance, I feared that I wouldn't be able to hold a fast enough pace. I also hadn't done a race start since college but at least the start really doesn't matter that much in a race this long.
    The race went decently. My overall time wasn't as fast as I would've liked but I still managed to turn out a time that ranks me about 25th in my age group nationally (my highest rank of all my events).  I also split my race PERFECTLY and didn't feel all too wiped after the race which shows that, although my speed isn't there, my endurance training is really paying off. 


Race 2: 500 Freestyle (Sat Morn)
    Fortunately this race was only half as long as the race the night before...so I wasn't TOO worried. My boyfriend was nice enough to volunteer to count for my race which was nice. It was great to have an audience and to not feel bad about him being bored...like I usually feel at tri races.  
    In all, I swam a good time with a strong pace. I'm excited to see what type of splits I can turn out in open water now.


Race 3: 200 Freestyle (Sat Morn)
    This is a terrible race and I didn't enjoy it at all. I felt great the first 100 and then the lactic acid started to build up.  I hit the wall, hard, around the 150 mark and struggled into the wall on the final 50.  
But, it was either the 200 Free or the 200 Breast and I didn't think I could subject myself to the torture of 8 lengths of Breast. So, I swam the 200 Fr, came in second, and have no intention on swimming that race ever again.


Race 4: 100 Breastroke (Sat Morn)
    I was a bit nervous because I noticed that I was going to have to swim the 100 Breast and 200 IM with only one heat of the IM in between. So, I think I held myself back a little bit on the breast in order to still be able to make the IM (that 50 Fly was scaring me ALL DAY).  
    I felt strong in the water and my kick is a lot more powerful than it used to be (thank you bike trainer!).  I swam as fast as I did in high school and really enjoyed the race. I think breastroke is still my favorite stroke to swim and I would love to be able to race this again before the USMS swim season is up!


Race 5: 200 Individual Medley (Sat Morn)
    This was the only other race that I knew I'd have some competition. She beat me...but not by much. I KNOW that I would've been able to beat her had I not just had to race the 100 Breast. But, I'm over it. I made that 50 Fly (well, my like a 40 Fly because of the start), struggled though the Back, almost caught up on the Breast, and just tried to hold on on the Free.  


So, my times weren't all too bad (probably just as good, if not better than I swam in high school) so I'm pretty proud of myself.  I think I've also fallen back in love with swimming over the past couple of weeks. After 21 years of swimming, I still haven't quite had enough of it I guess!


Next Swim Meet: I haven't decided what my next swim meet is going to be.. There are about 3 meets in South Florida throughout the summer that I might register for. However, there is only one SCY meet left and there is no 1000Fr at that meet so debatable whether or not I'll be there. However, there is a LCM meet in Islamorada in June that I'm definitely going to register for...I just can't wait to race the mile long course! (Yeah, I know my love of long distance swimming is disgusting). 


Next Race Generally: I'm trying to squeeze in a triathlon before Ironman 70.3 Florida but can't seem to find a good race. Any suggestions? I'm considering the Spring Training Triathlon at Tradewinds later this month. However, it's the same day as Swim Miami and I'm also considering racing the 5K as an Ironman Swim training race. Hmmm...what to do?


To view the results from the Hammerhead Springfest Invitational,  CLICK HERE

UPDATE: What is my Ideal Racing Weight?...Pro Triathlete Sara McLarty weighs in (no pun intended)

In my original post I asked the question "What is Racing Weight?" and was somewhat unable to provide a succinct definition. So I went out in search of a more concrete answer and asked Pro American Triathlete Sara McLarty for her guidance. 

Like me, Sara began her athletic career as a swimmer. Thus, I felt that she might have a better understanding of where I'm coming from as a former swimmer (seeing as how most swimmers, like myself, have a complete lack of nutritional guidance with an "eat whatever you want" mentality). 

Sara told me that "race weight is just a fancy term that triathletes use to differentiate between the off-season weight gain, and that goal/dream weight that they would love to be racing at."

As to the differences between swimming nutrition and triathlon nutrition, Sara noted that "Because this sport is more on dryland (versus swimming), weight tends to play a bigger role. In the water, it really didn't matter if you carried 5-10 extra lbs because they actually helped you float and move water. However, in the bike and run, extra lbs are just extra weight that you have to push forward with every pedal and ever step." 

Essentially, it seems that 'racing weight' is merely synonymous with being "in shape" and that as you train, your weight will fluctuate accordingly without too much thought needed.

"It still comes down to being healthy, having fun, and being smart," Sara emphasized, " A healthy race weight is one that your body can maintain without being drained or overly fatigued. It is a weight where your body functions normally and feels good."

I think some athletes focus so much on nutrition and weight that they forget "feeling good" is ultimately the most important thing. Food powers our bodies to do extraordinary things. If you put junk in, you get junk out. BUT, just because you put only good things in, doesn't mean that you will get only good things out.

So what do I think you should take away from this 'racing weight' discussion? We all ultimately train because we love the sport. And, eating is essentially as much a part of our sport, and our training, as is swimming, biking, and running. So, we need to enjoy eating as much as we enjoy doing everything else.

Eat the foods that you love but don't overdo it with the unhealthy stuff. And as for reaching your proper 'racing weight'...training hard will take care of much of the work so don't put too much thought into it. Just make sure you feel good when you train as that's all that really matters.

Bucket List

Below I've collected a short list of races that I want to complete at some point in my athletic career. They are 8 of the coolest, hardest races on the planet.

(1) The Israman Triathlon

Location: Eilat, Israel

Description: The swim takes place in the placid waters of the Red Sea. The bike is definitely the most challenging and unique aspect of the Israman. It begins with a steep 15 kilometer climb from Eilat into the mountains, going from sea level to 700 meters above sea level. The remainder of the ride takes place in the rolling hills of the mountains that  overlook Eilat and the Arava valley, a region known for heavy gusts of winds that can reach up to 60 kilometers per hour, though the average is 35-40 kilometers per hour.  The run begins on the top of the mountain and descends down to Eilat. The first 15 kilometers are a steep downhill, a run that can be tough on the quads but can also produce extremely fast times. Don't forget to look up while running, to catch the incredible views of the Red Sea and the Eilat harbor. Once in Eilat, the course is flat. After 18 kilometers the two races reach meridian roundabout split. 

(2) Henley Swim Classic

Location: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England

Description: Endurance upstream River Thames swimming event, held over the Henley Royal Regatta course, very early on the Sunday morning before the Wednesday start of the Henley Royal Regatta

(3) Escape from Alcatraz

Location: San Franciso, CA

Description: a 1.5 mile swim through frigid waters from Alcatraz Island to shore, a grueling 18-mile bike race, and a demanding 8 mile run through the rugged trails of Golden Gate Recreation Area. 

(4) Manhattan Island Marathon Swim

Location: New York, New York

Description: 28.5 Mile swim around Manhattan As a solo swimmer or as a member of a 2, 4, or 6 person relay team.

(5) Swim Around Key West

Location: Key West, FL

Description: 12.5 mile swim clockwise around the island of Key West.

(6) 24 Hour Triathlon

Location: Lake Mills, WI

Description: Continuous loop short course road triathlons with a 0.24 mile swim, 11.2 mile bike and 2.6 mile run. Athlete’s compete to cover the most number of laps in 8 hours or 24 hours in the swim - bike - run or bike - run format. 

(7) Great Wall Marathon

Location: China

Description: The first section which covers approximately 9 kilometres takes the runners up to, across and down the Great Wall of China. 

(8) Survival of the Shawangunks

Location: New Paltz, NY

Description: 8 Stages: Bike: 30 miles | Run 4.5mi to Awosting | Swim: 1.1mi Awosting |

Run 5.5mi to Minnewaska | Swim .5mi Minnewaska | Run 8mi to Mohonk | Swim .5mi

Mohonk | Climb .7 mi to Albert K. Smiley Memorial Tower

What is my ideal 'racing weight'?

Recently I've seen a lot of pro triathletes mention "Racing Weight" on their twitter feeds or web sites. Since I haven't stepped on a scale in about a year, I have absolutely no idea how much I weigh right now...let alone on a racing day.

My regular dietary plan consists of (1) eating generally healthy the majority of time, (2) making certain exceptions for my favorite foods or sauces (ex. I eat full fat cheese and I tend to overdo it on full-fat sour cream and Pollo Tropical's "mustard curry" sauce,) and (3) trying not to eat garbage close to a race or a long weekend workout. But, after seeing all the pros talking about "racing weight," I got to thinking...is there more to it? Is weight really all that important?

So, I did a little bit of research.

(1) What is Racing Weight?

Essentially, the term is synonymous with "Weight Management." The consensus seems to be that "racing weight" requires experimentation and the goal to get as light as possible without sacrificing strength. In an article on Chris McCormack, Triathlete Magazine noted that "It is possible to become too light, losing not only extra pounds but also essential pounds that you need to perform your best. It is also possible to reach the “right” weight the wrong way, by under-fueling your body."

(2) How do I reach my ideal Racing Weight?

Unfortunately, it seems that it's not as simple as just having to watch what I eat. According to nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald an athlete might want to start with basic calorie counting as a way to raise their own nutritional awareness. Once an individual gets a better sense of how many calories they consume on a daily basis and what foods they regularly eat, they can stop the annoyance of calorie counting in favor of general dietary management.

Chris McCormack makes another suggestion because getting leaner doesn't necessarily make you faster and ultimately getting faster is the goal. Triathlete Magazine notes that McCormack saw that the best way to get faster through weight loss was to go fast in training. Keeping weight loss goals practical is key, they note. It's important not to go overboard with the weight loss or dietary management.

(3) Is there a specific formula I can use?

In his book "racing weight" Matt Fitzgerald writes "Your optimal performance weight has to be functionally defined. What it means is simply the weight that allows you to perform at your best. One way to determine that is to get in the best shape of your life and when you have the performance of your life, get on the scale."

It seems that, although different dietitians have varying formulas for weight management for endurance athletes, it's still largely a guessing game specific to each individual.

(4) So where do I go from here?

Honestly, I'm still not very sure. I think a lot of it depends on how much free time you have to pay attention to calories, fat intake, protein intake, etc. For those of us that don't have the time (or just don't feel like) calorie counting, I think the solution might just be to buy a scale and keep track of the correlation between weight and how you feel while training. So, I'm personally going to try to get on a scale and see exactly where I'm at for the moment. Because, I guess I can't figure out where I need to get to if I don't know where I am.

I'm also going to do some more research on nutrition for endurance athletes by trying to get in touch with a nutritionist friend of mine and will keep you posted if I find more specific information of how to calculate ideal race weight. And, I'd of course love to hear any of your own thoughts on the issue.

Happy Training,
Silver Jade

Starting out...

Yesterday I worked as a volunteer at the Nautica South Beach Triathlon.  My job was to follow the very last swimmer of the Olympic race through the water effectively 'closing' the course behind me. 

As a lifelong swimmer, I am usually at the front of the swim pack during a race trying to gain whatever minuscule lead that I can before hopping on the bike. I have never seen, or even been aware of what goes on behind me. Yesterday, however, I got a glimpse into the struggle, both mental and physical, that some triathlon newbies face. It was a very unique and thought-provoking experience that I would like to share with you as I offer a few words of wisdom for those contemplating a triathlon.

The race director told me the day before that my job was to pick out the last swimmer and follow close behind them.  Sometimes, he told me, the last swimmer has to drop out of the race. In this case, I would have to sprint ahead to the person in front of them who had now become the 'last swimmer'. 

Exhausted at the finish line of my very first Tri

As the last wave (a group of purple-capped women) entered the unusually warm water at around 7am, I shuffled sleepy-eyed behind them.   Just as the water level reached my navel, one woman about 5 feet in front of me, stood up and screamed "I can't do this. I'm too scared." Another woman, her friend, shaking next to her, tried to offer words of motivation before sprinting up ahead a couple strokes. 

I too screamed out to the woman, "You came all this way...you can do this!"  

"I can't" she replied as she turned around and walked back into shore, "I'm too scared."  

And just like that, still being able to touch the ground beneath me, the first woman dropped out of the race. 

Her friend who had sprinted ahead wasn't very long behind...it was only about 20 yards from shore that I heard her scream "I think I saw something!" before grabbing onto the paddle-boarding lifeguard  and being pulled back to shore. 

After reflecting upon the situation let me offer my first words of wisdom.  Before you sign up for a Triathlon...

Make sure that you're NOT AFRAID of the water!

These women paid hundreds of dollars to be here and their fear overcame them before the race even began. Don't let yourself be that person. If you're afraid of the water, then maybe a triathlon just isn't for you.  Stick to marathons. 

After those women pulled out, I sprinted up ahead to find another women bobbing up and down treading water with her goggles off about 50y into the race. I stayed near her for a few minutes with another paddle-boarding lifeguard a couple of feet away. The woman just sat there, staring down the swim course, not moving. She eventually put her goggles back on, took two freestyle strokes, and then stopped again to pull off her goggles and tread water some more. The lifeguard and I exchanged worried glances. Both of us knew there was no way she would be able to swim the entire mile when she could barely swim. My biggest fear was that I would stay behind with somebody so long, that if they dropped out of the race I'd be too far back to catch the next swimmer. So, the lifeguard told me that he'd stay with her so I could sprint up ahead to follow the next swimmers.  I put my goggles back on and sprinted off into the distance, stopping every once in a while to look behind me to see if she had given up yet. 

I felt bad as I sprinted ahead.  Although I knew deep down that she wouldn't make it, I felt guilty leaving her expecting that she'd have to drop out. But there was nothing that I could do for the woman because she just couldn't swim. 

So that brings me to my second words of wisdom.  If you're going to do a triathlon...

Make sure that you KNOW HOW to swim!

(And I'm not talking about being able to swim a couple slow 25s in a pool...you need to be able to swim multiple lengths without resting at the walls.  Be honest with yourself. If you really can't swim, you can't do a triathlon.)

I caught the next two swimmers about 1/3 of the way into the race. One woman was swimming with her head above water.  I heard her yell out to the lifeguard "I know it's slow...but hey, it works!" Another woman swam beside her in a wet suit. She looked like she was swimming freestyle but was bobbing up and down so much that she was barely moving forward.  I had found my last two swimmers. These woman may not have been moving fast...but they were moving. I had no doubt that they'd at least be able to finish. 

I chatted with the lifeguard next to me for a while who had commented on what a good swimmer I was because he had seen me sprinting up from behind.  The two of us frequently looked behind us to see if that other woman had given up yet. "I don't know why people sign up for these if they can't swim...you did the right thing," he told me. "She's never going to make it."  I'm not sure when that last woman finally gave up but in her defense, she kept struggling for a long while. This wasn't a matter of not being mentally tough enough.

Everything was going fine until just before the half-way mark the two women caught up and passed a man kicking on his back. He was swimming in the wrong direction. The lifeguard yelled at him. The man tried to correct himself but he somehow turned and swam in a mini-circle.  "The next buoy is THAT WAY!" I yelled. He once again tried to correct himself but failed before reaching out to grab onto the paddle board (note; in triathlons you're allowed to grab onto the board to float but you cannot pull yourself up onto it or you're disqualified).

Bounding across the finish line later in the same summer

"How many more buoys do I have left?" the man asked the lifeguard. "You've come about half-way the lifeguard replied."  You could see the horror in the man's face as he stared down the remaining length of the swim.  I stayed there for a while, just watching those other two women swim off into the distance. They were getting almost too far away.  If this man gave up, I might not be able to catch those next two women. I had to make a decision...

Did I have faith in this man that he would be mentally and physically strong enough to carry on, or would I give up on him?  I gave up on him. I left him to fail as I sprinted up ahead and I felt terrible about it. But after the life guard told him he was only half-way, I could see the mental break in his facial expression. He had given up on himself so I made the decision to give up on him too. 

This leads me to my third words of wisdom. Before you sign up for a triathlon... 

make sure that you can swim the ENTIRE length of the swim course. 

(Test yourself and swim the entire length of the race prior to race day. If you can't make the distance without stopping, don't do the race.)

I couldn't help but think that had this man signed up for the shorter race distance (with a swim half as long as the Olympic), he would have been able to complete the rest of the triathlon. 

So, my final words of wisdom are...

START SMALL!

Triathlons are about pushing yourself to new levels.  But, make sure, prior to race day, that you are physically capable to reaching those levels. Triathlons are hard. I know, I still remember my first race  (a sprint triathlon) where I barely stumbled across the finish line...AND I"M A LIFE-LONG ATHLETE!!! 

There is no shame in beginning your triathlon career with a Sprint race.  By starting with shorter races, you will gain invaluable knowledge and experience that will give you motivation and will guide you once you are ready for longer races. Don't over-estimate your abilities...just because you're capable of doing all three sports individually doesn't mean that you know what to expect when you have to put them all together!

Oh, and wondering what happened with the race? I caught up to those two ladies and followed them into shore. My job was done and that's the last I saw of them...