Race Report: Bands on the Run 5K: NEW PR

So, I entered a race last weekend kinda last minute, the weather was atrocious (35 and pouring) BUT I came, I ran, I PR'd and I came in 4th OA (out of maybe 30 people and several teenagers but that's beside the point).

On the schedule for the day was a run TT.  I already completed my bike and swim TT's--both of which were HARD.  10x100 with 10 sec rest and a 20 min all out on the bike---whew!  Last was my run TT.  Coach Jen encouraged me to find a race and to "learn my new suffering."  Enter Bands on the Run 5k.

When I showed up on race morning, I figured the weather would scare away a few people but not knowing how big of a race it was going to be without the weather, I was imagining maybe 100 people.  Imagine my surprise as I'm walking around and I see maybe 30.  Eeek small race.

Right away I spotted my competition.  Teenage girl and what I think is her teenage brother...the only two really "warming" up...and a woman, likely in my age group wearing capris and a tank top (in cold wet weather, you know you have to run fast to stay warm in that outfit).  So we lined up at the start line and I was hoping to keep those 3 in my sights.  

The countdown goes and I find myself running alone, in front.  What the...um, this has NEVER happened to me before EVER.  So I am going along and about 1/4 mile in the teenager passes me, whew, at least I'll have someone to follow now.  About mile 1, capris lady passes me.  Totally fine.  I am running  hard and trying to avoid massive puddles.  Somewhere teenage boy passes me but this time I'm annoyed that he is passing me so I speed up and try to hang right behind him.

There were a lot of out/backs and turns so I was able to assess where the rest of the field was as I sat in 4th...way behind me so it was going to be a race for 3rd, as there was no way I could catch 1 or 2.  

On our way back toward the start, I start to feel everything burn.  My lungs, my legs.  Up to now I hadn't looked at my watch but I glance down and see that I have roughly 1/3 of a mile left.  I speed up.  Mr. red sweatshirt teenage boy hears me coming and turns on his boosters, which at probably half my age are faster than mine.  He wins 3rd.  

However, I come up and around to the finish completely SHOCKED that I have come in 4th OA.  I flip my watch screen and I'm greeted with complete surprise when I see a MASSIVE PR.  Remember, not too long ago, I PR'd at the NewYearathon in January, a PR that hadn't seen a change since 2002.  Now here I am a couple months later and I'm PR'ing my 5k again...and again by over a minute.

New PR: 27:05 (and, the course was spot on accurate, distance-wise so this is a TRUE PR)

If you had told me a few months ago, I'd PR my 5k twice in the first quarter of 2014, I would have said you were crazy.  Next time, sub-27!  But Coach, if you're reading, can we make next time awhile from now, I need to forget how much 5ks hurt before I do another one.

TTT: Calming the Mind--Running without music (or headphones at all)

I used to be completely reliant on music for running.  Part of this may be b/c when I first started running back in 1998 it was 100% on the treadmill and who wouldn’t want headphones if they were running 100% of the time on a treadmill ?!  Fast forward to 2009 when I started triathlon.  I thought that first sprint tri was awesome but I did NOT like being without my headphones even for that short 5k.  Fast forward to last year, about midway through the year I stopped listening to music and was exclusively listening to podcasts while I was running, slowly transitioning to only one earbud and then about October, I stopped even doing that—no music, no podcasts, no earbuds, just silence (well, my breathing and foot falls).  How did I get there and why do I actually prefer it?

First, there is still totally a time and place for music and podcasts, I don’t do all my runs silent but I’d say the majority of them are silent these days.  I save music for my sweatfest trainer sessions and podcasts for driving around in the car.

As I mentioned, I slowly transitioned myself from music to podcasts from 2 headphones to 1 to none.  If you’re scared to go sans tunes/podcasts…take your tunes with you and do a half and half run—half with, half without—or try one earbud instead of 2.  I definitely made the slow transition and I typically still run with my phone but it’s now more for security than anything else. 

I have actually gotten to a place where I actually prefer the silence or occasional podcast to music.  I find that running without music allows me to more accurately tune into myself (pun intended).  I can more accurately gauge my perceived exertion and even have an easier time maintaining an even pace profile.  I used to think music (specific up tempo hiphop) was the only way I could run fast.  Turns out I can run plenty fast without any music at all and that the constant up tempo tunes may have detracted from my ability to focus on how I was feeling.

I urge you to try going “silent” on your next run.  Not ready for that big of a leap, try a podcast or try one earbud instead of two.  If you hate it, you only had to suffer through one run…make it a short one just in case.  Enjoy!

Introducing Coach Jen Harrison

It’s been a few weeks since I started working with Jen Harrison.  As most of you know, I won her Pay-It-Forward challenge, which I still can’t believe.  I continue to pinch myself and am so grateful for this opportunity.

So far......so great.  My schedule is still pretty manageable in terms of hours but she’s added in some different workouts (hello swimming with paddles, lunges mid-spin and some crazy hard corework).  My whole body feels good and her philosophy really meshes well with mine.  

I want to work hard and see results but I don’t always want to be tied to my watch and let’s face it, this isn’t my job (sorry honey, I know sometimes I make it seem like it is).  Jen likes swimming "old school" which is what we've started calling swimming without the Garmin.  And, I'm getting VERY FAMILIAR with paddles and band swimming.  If you're learning how to do these techniques and you don't have a coach to explain it (or even if you do and you want a visual) YouTube is your friend.  Here is a good one on band swimming.

She appreciates it when you are running by feel for strides.  She believes in teaching her athletes what it means to run a tempo pace or a spin up without having your eyes glued to your Garmin.  I love this.  While I love data I often get way tooooo caught up in whatever the Garmin is telling me.  I’m learning what it feels like to run a moderately fast pace vs easy vs a stride. For example, I didn't even use the Garmin to pace for my T-run in the snow, I just went out for 25 minutes EZ.

I'm also still seeing a LOT of the pain cave in the form of trainer rides and strength workouts so more sweaty selfies coming at ya!  

I have no doubt with Jen in my corner this year that I will achieve all sorts of amazing athletic feats.  We are still getting to know each other but so far Jen is exactly what I needed this year and I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with her.  We just recently had an exchange about races in 2014, still nailing down the specifics and once I have a list I'll share!

TTT: The Feedback Loop

Sooooo, I missed last weeks TTT but we're back in action today with a post I hope you all enjoy.  I probably should do a post on the pro’s and con’s to hiring coach and what to look for in a coach but for this point I am assuming you’ve chosen a coach and you’re rolling on a training plan.

Last year was the first year I had ever hired a coach.  When I signed up for the ironman I knew it was something that I wanted to consider but frankly I wasn’t sure if it would be worth it to pay someone to write me a training plan.  What I’m here to say is that hiring a coach (provided you have picked a reputable coach and someone that matches your personality) is so much more than having someone write you a training plan.  My friend and teammate Maggie said it best when she said that having a coach is like always having someone in your corner.  When it’s a good match your coach will challenge you and push you to the limit all while being 100% in your corner, wanting you to succeed.  And, on the flip side, you will want to make your coach proud.

A good coach should be providing you feedback on most, if not all of your workouts.  Most of us in the multisport world use a training log online called training peaks; however, there are a lot of interactive forums out there.  For instance, with the folks I’m working with this year, I’ve set up google documents.  Google documents isn’t as pretty of a layout as TPs but it is 100% customizable, meaning you create your own layout.  Google docs are editable and have a comments function so it makes it a great, non TP option. Though, TP is the best for functionality and ease of writing and reading workouts, especially for multisport.

Okay back to feedback.  A coach can only give feedback on a workout that you have provided your data and comments on.  And, a note on data.  I can look at a Garmin link all day long but without some context as to why mile 1 was so different than mile 2 I can’t really provide effective feedback as your coach.  SO, athletes out there, most coaches would rather have a novel than a word. 

Setting up the feedback loop and setting expectations.  Some coaches are full time coaches (like mine) but most (aspiring coach me included) have other jobs and coaching is something they (I) do on the side.  This doesn’t mean that a full time coach is better than a non-full time coach it just means you need to set some expectations.  For me personally, I have told the folks I am working with that I am available by email (or by comment on their google spreadsheet) and I have made it clear (or at least I hope) that I will get back to them within 24-48 hours, for something more urgent they should text and I’ll get back to them as soon as I can.  This is important.  Find out when your coach is available for feedback and LOOK AHEAD at your schedule if you have questions, ask them early so you can be assured you’ll get the answer before that workout.  I personally am making time twice a week, usually Wednesdays and Saturday or Sunday, to look over what my athletes have put on their google doc.  Again, I can’t provide comments on a workout that doesn’t have data or a narrative. 

Be upfront with your coach about what you know your weaknesses are and about your abilities.  It wouldn’t be very helpful for me to tellCoach Jen, “hey I totally am a sprinter and can run sub 7 min miles and my 5k PR is 18 minutes.”  It also wouldn't be helpful for me to sandbag and say, “my endurance isn’t very good right now and I’m running 13 min miles.”  Be truthful and honest—remember your coach IS IN YOUR CORNER and wants you to succeed.

Feedback is such a crucial part of the coaching experience, I have a lot more to say on this topic but I feel like this post is already really long and disjointed so I think I’m going to leave with a few key highlights from this post, in case you got lost in my stream of consciousness:

• Coaching is more than just a training plan.
• Your coach is in YOUR CORNER
• Be honest and upfront with your coach about your strengths/weaknesses
• The more feedback from you the better your coach can assess and reassess your training
• Make sure YOU are getting what YOU need from your coach, don’t be afraid to ask specific questions or specific feedback on a specific workout
• Set expectations on timing and timelines for response/feedback

Winter: The Snowlandia Edition

Of course I HAD to do this post mostly b/c just a few posts ago, I said Portland doesn't get snow days!  Ha! 

Needless to say, we went from a light dusting to enough snow that I even called it a legit snow storm.  Having lived in Boston for a few years, I've dealt with snow but here in Portland, where it doesn't snow that often, as soon as the roads were covered it became chaos.  I left work on Thursday afternoon maybe 3-ish and my 4 mile commute took well over an hour with people generally just being stupid right and left.  Not to mention the really retarded bike commuters...mountain bikes maybe but you dumb ass bikers on your skinny tires just get off your bike and walk.  However, I did see a guy on a bike wearing a red cape and ski googles and I really wish I hadn't been driving so I could take a photo for you all, it was pretty comical and the definition of "keeping portland weird" (aka the reason I would like to move, weird = annoying and in some cases stupid, he also WASN'T wearing a helmet!).

Anyway, as the snow piled up on Thursday night and into Friday AND Saturday, I wasn't sure what the heck I was going to do about my first brick of the season.  I know I know, first world triathlete problems. 

Saturday morning I woke up to my pain cave window looking like this:

Clearly, my QR and I would NOT be going outside so I suited up for an indoor 1:45 on the trainer and watched the snow continue to fall outside.  

At 1:45 I got off the bike, did a complete change/bundle up, strapped on my yak trax and went for my short 25 min T-run. 

It was slow going but actually a really cool experience.  The streets were silent and once I moved into the middle of the road, running on packed snow wasn't too bad.  25 minutes later I was back home and happy that I was dedicated enough to get out there! 

Today's long run, well, that's not looking good.  Sometime late afternoon yesterday, we got an ice storm.  Now snow I'm familiar with but ice, this is a completely different story!  When your windows look like these, no that's not a "frosted" tint:

Your porch is a skating rink with a sheet of ice covering everything!

AND, your city is sending you an emergency text message telling you stay inside.

(yes, I was trolling spotify for a playlist!)

It's not likely a run is going to happen.

We are supposed to get a gradual melting by tomorrow afternoon and then, flood warnings as we are in for "heavy rain" through next weekend.  As much as I loathe the rain, at least I'll be able to get to the pool!  Ha, first world triathlete problems cropping up again.

If you're a local, stay warm and safe today.  If you're not a local and you live somewhere that gets regular snow/ice I'm sure you're laughing at us out west AND if you live in SoCal or FL--just wait til July and the tides will turn, well, more so for FL, SoCal is pretty much always just fantastic in the weather department.

What do you do to get in your workouts during bad weather?

TTT: Training Tips Tuesday--Trainer Madness

It’s the end of January, still very much winter for much of the country.  Here in the PNW, we don’t really have many snow days (which I would prefer) but we do have rain, rain and well, more rain.  I personally don’t like to ride in the rain, especially cold rain.  Plenty of people do ride in the rain I just don’t think it’s worth it.  After the 2010 crash and subsequent water balloon hematoma which, btw, still exists on leg (for more on that go here or here --warning graphic photos in those posts) I don’t ride outside in the rain.  Living where I live this means, I ride the trainer, A LOT.  I’ve actually come to really like the trainer.  I wouldn’t say I loved riding 4-6 hours on it but for the 1-2 hour ride I find it a great and targeted workout.

There are many types of trainers out there and they range in price, noise levels, functionality, etc.  When Mr. Pi and I went looking for a trainer (side note: I think he has ridden the trainer MAYBE 5 times since we bought it in 2009) we wanted something that would hold up for awhile and since we were still in an apartment we wanted one that wasn’t TOO loud.  We selected the CyclOps Fluid Trainer.  It was pricey, roughly $300 I think, full disclaimer it was actually a gift from my Dad for Christmas.  I cannot say enough good things about this trainer.  It has more than held up, during my training cycle last year I rode the trainer up to 3 times a week.  My advice: do your homework, know what you want out of trainer and then shop online AND locally to find the best price.  We got ours at REI (which has an added benefit for my Dad who paid b/c of the REI dividend system based on your purchases for the year).

So, what about the workouts?  Ah yes, the trainer ride, aka the sweatfest.  Get out a towel and water bottle and be ready to have your very own spin class in your pain cave complete with your own choice of music, podcast, TV show or movie.

You don’t NEED any special equipment to do a trainer ride (other than a trainer and a bike) but it helps to have a cadence sensor and a HRM (heart rate monitor).  However, you can always used perceived effort when I list a specific HR zone or cadence RPM (revolutions per minute).

Alrighty, here are a couple of workouts for you based on workouts I’ve done during my own training.

“The West Hills Ride”—the West Hills are an area of Portland that are known for steep inclines, twisty turny downhills, amazing views on a sunny day and gorgeous real estate as you climb. {60 minutes}

WU: 10-15 minutes EZ

5x 20’ Spin up/40’ recovery {what’s a spin up?  You spin up to a high cadence for 20 seconds, then recover for 40 seconds.  They help get the legs moving and get your heart rate up}

[15-20 minutes]

Main Set:

3x {2 min 55-60 RPM, HR Z2, steady and smooth pedal strokes; 3 min 65-75 RPM, HR Z3, you’re almost to the top of the hill, it’s a little less steep and your legs are moving faster, your HR is also higher; 2 min 90+ RPM EZ, HR Z2, ahh the simu downhill, get that HR back to Z2}

[21 minutes]

CD: 5x single leg drills.  AND, you thought drills were only for swimming, you thought wrong.  Coach Laura had me do these last year and Coach Jen has already thrown in some as well.  When I first did them I thought they were silly but they really make you realize which is your “weak” side, or at least they have for me.

30’ right leg only, 30’ left leg only, 30’ both legs  (when you’re doing one leg or the other, unclip the non-working foot and rest it on the trainer or a chair, etc.  Focus on smooth pedal strokes and making an oval with your pedal stroke rather than going up and down.)

EZ Spinning to finish up the hour

“The High Cadence Ride”—This is exactly as it sounds, this ride is high cadence all the way through.  As Coach Jen has explained to me that she really likes high cadence riding b/c of the benefits it brings to being able to run off the bike.  However, for you non-triathletes out there, high cadence cycling helps with leg turnover which can help running more generally, whether it’s off the bike or not.

WU: 10 min EZ spinning, keeping cadence (RPMs) above 85

8x 30’ spin up/30’ sec recovery, at 85+ RPM

2 min EZ spin 90+ RPM

[20 minutes]

Main Set: HR should be between high Z2 and low Z3 for the whole set, if you creep up into high Z3 or Z4, concentrate on getting your HR back down without sacrificing  RPMs, to do this, you may need to adjust resistance.  When spinning at a high cadence you want to avoid bouncing in the saddle that’s what NB means.  This is difficult, or at least it is for me to keep from bouncing while maintaining high RPMs and a Z2/Z3 HR.  Practice makes perfect though!

5 min 90 RPM

3 min 95 RPM

1 min 100 RPM (NB = no bouncing in the saddle)

1 min EZ spin (85+ RPM)

3x {90 sec 90 RPM; 90 sec 100+ RPM; 2 min EZ recovery 85+ RPM} Concentrate on NB and getting the HR back down during the recovery.

3 min 90 RPM

2 min 95 RPM

1 min 100 RPM

[31 minutes]

CD: EZ spinning to finish the hour, choice cadence.

Hope you enjoy these sweatfest sessions!

*I meant to say this on the last post but if you have feedback for me, please leave a comment or send me an email ambitiousalisa@gmail.com.  Also, if you have topic ideas, send those along too.

Road Trippin'

As some of you may have seen on Instagram that Mr. Pi and I were all dressed up over the weekend.  We spent the weekend in California celebrating with Mr. Pi’s family and his mom’s wedding.  She looked radiant and married just such a nice man.  It was fun to get all dressed up as well, not that often I’m in a dress, heels and have my hair and makeup done.  Also, let me pause on the weather for a moment, holy smokes it was amazing, sunny and upper 70’s in January I will take it.  I realize CA is prepping for a severe drought situation so I do hope they get some rain soon but during any of my upcoming trips I hope I have another spectacular weekend of weather. (To be fair to Portland, it was actually sunny there too I heard BUT it wasn’t nearly 78 degrees so I still think CA wins this one.)

Having fun with photos:

Looking Silly:

My Family:

Left to right: My step dad, my mom, me, my dad and my soon-to-be step mom

Me and my mom

Me and Dad

On the way back of our very short trip south we stopped in Ashland at Caldera Brewing.  For Christmas 2012 I gave Mr. Pi a spreadsheet with all of the breweries in Portland and our goal was to go to them all and rate them.  We succeeded, 2012 we hit all the breweries in the Portland area that had reasonable tasting room hours.  In 2013, I went a step further and created a map and accompanying spreadsheet of all the breweries in the state and there are a lot.  To help us start checking them off the list, we decided to take a stop for lunch at Caldera in Ashland.  The beer = excellent, the food = excellent,  and a new rating, good place to stop to break up a long drive = excellent/fair. Why the double rating?  Well, it was an excellent place to stop but man oh man, the beer was tasty.  This is saying a lot.  I’m not a huge beer drinker (I’m usually the DD) but all 5 on the sampler tray we got were delicious and there were several more on tap that we wanted to try but restrained ourselves.  Moral of this story, if you’re in the Ashland area take a break at Caldera.

On days when we don’t have to be back in Portland or don’t have a specific time we need to be in CA, I foresee us taking these kind of breaks.  We have always talked about stopping for a run mid-drive but never have but we continue to talk about it.

What do you do to break up a long drive?   Are you regularly found in spandex or dresses?