The gear that keeps me going...

In the past year of training for various events there is certain gear and products I have become very attached to.  The reason my mind drifted to this topic is because I am in the market for new cycling shoes.  Now finding the right gear is very difficult for me, especially when it comes to shoes!  This is what I have learned...

Body Glide is a definite must!  Anything over 10 miles I will have chafing issues, and so to avoid the scream of pain in the post-run shower I use this product.  I find I can wear almost any combination of clothing if I apply body glide first.  For cycling, I often need a bit thicker of assistance with chafing so I use various chamois butters.  The most common brands I use are beljum budder and chamois butt'r.

I am a huge fan of arm warmers, and my favorite brand so far is shiela moon.  These are perfect for spring and fall days where the morning starts off cold, but warms up quickly.  I recently lost one arm warmer so I'm trying out sugoi warmers with fleece inside, I'll let you know how they work.


Personally, I hate wearing leg warmers so I often try to wear capris or just bare the cold, but right now I'm sporting sugoi midzero leg warmers because it is just too cold outside.  I really like the fleece in this brand, hence why I'm trying out their arm warmers.

The I-Fitness carrying case is great as an I-pod touch holder.  I used to always run with my I-Pod on my arm, but it is a bit heavy and I sometimes have some chafing issues.  However, the I-Fitness holder stays in place and holds other items I may need while out on a run.


No these are not leg-warmers, but post run compression sleeves.  I occasionally wear Recovery Sock compression socks, but I've become a bigger fan of compression sleeves.  I find socks are a bit thick on warmer days, and I can opt to wear sandals while sporting my Zensah compression sleeves.  You can wear these during activities, but I use them more for recovery.

In terms of headware in these cold winter months, I love the lululemon running hat.  Not only does it keep my head the right temperature, but it has a convenient pony tail hole in the back.  My hair will drive me crazy if I have to wear it down or in pig tails so I prefer a pony tail.  I also am a huge fan of visors, I don't do sunglasses when I run so I've started  sporting visors on a regular basis.  Since the running tri/club I belong to (Forward Motion Race Club) has Avia visors (all my visors until Surf City were FOMO visors) I tend to prefer this brand, but I also like my new HALO visor.

For shoewear, I've been cursed with awful feet.  They have gotten me a long way, but they do have lots of problems.  I don't have a whole lot of choices when it comes to footwear since I have flat feet and narrow heels but I have settled on a few brands.  For the run I'm a huge fan of ASICS, I have loved both the gel evolutions and the foundation 9s.  They offer strong support and aren't as hideous as many motion control shoes.
To be honest I don't have good cycling shoes, but I've decided to try out a new pair, the shimano tr31tri shoe.  Since I haven't actually tried the shoe I can't say I'm attached yet, but I really like how comfortable and light they feel so far.  In the past I used the forte mountain biking shoe, which is great for spin, but a bit heavy and a heel slipper for the road bike.


This is not all my gear by far, but I like slowly adapting to new bits and pieces, but all these items have a different story to tell on my triathlon journey.  

Just laughing it off...

As you may know this week has been quite the rut for my swim, bike, and run schedule.  I've found myself tired, cranky, and overly frustrated with not being able to get my cardio in, not to mention I'm drowning in a sea of tissues.  I know not every week of training is sunshine and rainbows, but this definately sucks!  Although I'm at the tail end of this chest cold and I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow I definately thought I could use some laughs to make the best of my necessary laziness so I thought I'd share what I found.

 I know quite a few people that would prefer to compete in this triathlon!

 This is what I imagine hell would be like, I think I've actually had this nightmare before.

 This is how I feel every time I go to Sports Basement, athletics has become an addiction, it may be more expensive than smoking, but at least it is better for me.

 Probably what I look like when I go for a run.

 We always need some motivation

Definately a scent I wouldn't want to bottle

 So that's how you do it

All the new things I had to learn it is like getting a masters in triathlon with a minor in insanity.

The sick athlete

It happens once every year, I come down with some illness in the midst of training.  During my first marathon it came at the week of my 18 mile run and this year it comes at week 9 of Wildflower training.  Luckily I still have 9 more weeks to go, but any illness just like any injury is definately a setback.  My training usually continues if the illness is just a head cold, but if the illness hits my chest then I'm in trouble and I have to stop any heavy cardio workouts.  Otherwise I risk getting bronchitis which will put me out of commission for even longer.  I can't lie, I'm definitely stubborn, I don't ever want to give up my workouts for an illness, but I'm trying to get better.  Here is what I do to keep my mind and body as healthy as I can while fighting an illness.

Do some yoga: Stretching and flexing won't bring my heart rate up or cause me to cough up a lung so there is no reason I shouldn't take some deep breaths and get in touch with my chi.  Don't have a gym pass, that's okay there are several locations that offer yoga for free, just wash your hands and bring your own mat  and towel if you are sick.
Sports Basement WC:  Pilates Weds. 12-1
Pilates Sat. 9-10
Yoga Sun. 11-12.  If you want to look up a location near you go to this link Sports Basement
Also Lululemon WC offers yoga for free on Sundays 9:30 a.m.
You may be able to find other classes or just pop in a DVD

Hit the pillow: rest is key to getting better so call it an early night!

Get some weight training in: once again wash your hands but lifting some light weights won't hurt you if you aren't putting in vigorous effort

Your trainer can become your best friend: I mean your bicycle trainer.  Although you can't put in heavy workouts you can put in some base miles at a steady pace.  Make sure you control your speed so you don't raise your heart rate too much and start breathing heavy, but a nice steady pace will add a few miles to a fairly inactive week.
Don't have a trainer?  You can always get on a stationary bike and put it on a low setting.

Drink lots of fluids: You may not be working out as much but your body gets dehydrated a lot easier when it is working hard to make you healthy so focus on taking in fluids and it is always good to throw in a glass of electrolytes as well.

Roll: You may not be working out but it is still important to get in your daily myofascial release, especially since you may be sitting and laying down more.  I know when I sit for long periods of time my piriformis and IT bands ache.  Even though you may not be lifting heavy weight or putting in lots of miles it is still good for you no matter how much it hurts.


Take in Vitamins:  Even if you aren't usually good about taking them be sure to take them now.  I try to get a lot of Vitamin C in hopes it will chase all the bad guys in my system away.

Review your training schedule: Take a look at your plan for training and make adjustments for your illness.  You don't want necessarily pick up right where you left off or you might risk injury.  I will probably cut back my mileage a bit next week to adjust or reduce my number of speed workouts and focus on longer easy pacing.

I hope this helps anyone dealing with an illness during this cold and flu season!  Stay healthy, take care of yourself, and wash your hands!

To Eat or Not to Eat?

 Nutrition is one of the most controversial subjects in the triathlon community.  Some people believe in the Paleo diet, while others think Vegetarian, some preach organic, and some just eat whatever theywant.  The wise Chris "Macca" McCormack (this years Kona winner) said at a CLIF panel interview that he once had scientists calculate exactly what he should eat and drink during an ironman they advised him to focus on all natural foods and little to know processed sugars.  This diet caused him to BONK hard almost to the point of pulling out of the race as a DNF.  However, a fellow triathlete found him in his depleted state and informed him that he'll be fine if he takes down some Coke and water.  With a little processed sugar and caffeine he managed to finish Kona that year in one of the top positions.  The point is there is NO Perfect Nutrition Plan.  Everyone has different needs based on their body, metabolism, weight, and sport.

This topic is very important to me because I am a pre-race NON-EATER.  Yes, that's right I don't eat before a race, I just can't or I will spend the rest of the day miserable with GI tract issues.  However, I do have some nutrition tips for each sport that I have found work for me.

Firstly, before I begin let me address the non-eating.  Everyone thinks Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and normally I would agree, but I have found there is nothing wrong with not eating before a race.  Don't let people convince you it is bad for you, I can tell you I feel much better not eating and I have even performed better without food.  I do make sure I eat at least something within a half hour after finishing and this process has not failed me yet.

The Swim: There is not really any nutrition advice I can give you for swimming in an actual event, but you can prevent cramping while training.  If you make a point of having an electrolyte replacement drink like gatorade, accelerade, or cytomax with you then you are less likely to cramp.  I also find that Clif chews help as well.

 The Bike: I used to love Almond Butter and Jelly, hard boiled eggs, and nuts with dried fruit on the bike, but these foods pose a problem when racing.  I would advise any endurance cyclists (80-100+ miles) to try these foods out, especially dried fruit and Coke if you feel you are about to Bonk, they really help get sugar and caffeine into your system fast.  For triathlons and shorter race simulation rides I prefer perpetum.  Usually I fill a bottle with as many scoops as hours I plan on riding.  To accompany my perpetuem I usually use an electrolyte replacement called Heed.


The Run: Any run under 10 miles I can just use water, over 10 miles I prefer to use either clif bloks and water, or perpetuem.  I always add a bit of salt to my water to help replenish my electrolytes.  Even when running after cycling I find my stomach does well with perpetuem.


My only bit of advice is try everything before race day to see if you can stomach it.  Anything new on race day could be dangerous to your final stats.  Also, I try to keep everything in the same family when eating i.e. all natural stays with all natural (perpetuem, heed, and clif bloks).  When I mix processed sugars with natural products I have issues.  (I do just fine with gatorade and gu I just can't mix gu with perpetuem or I feel sick).

The life of an endurance athlete

This is what I have realized every time I train for an endurance event...
1) I am always hungry:  I used to exercise so I could eat anything I wanted.  Now, I eat everything 3x over.  My life is filled with constant snacking...My favorites

- quinoa w/ pesto, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and olives

- Costco nut clusters

- any kind of fruit (bananas, berries, peaches)- rice cakes w/ almond butter and jelly

- baby carrots

2) All the bookmarks on my computer are athletic related...

- possible events I'd be interested in doing

- various training calendars

- activewear: a person can never own too much workout apparel

- the latest studies on stretching, lifting, rolling and speed

- Blogs and forums on my friends lives as athletes

3) My calendar is marked w/ what events each paycheck goes toward: different events go up in price by certain dates, I only get paid once a month so I must budget and plan ahead

4) My phone calls and rendezvous w/ friends either involve eating or exercise: I don't mean to, but I've noticed a pattern, I love having company for my workouts and a girl has got to eat!

5) My music playlists have a specific form and function:

--> The running playlist

--> The cycling playlist

--> The easy run mix

--> The race mix

--> Kicking my butt up hills mix

6) The words "binge drinking" have changed in meaning: My talk of binge drinking always referred to alcohol, but now I have to binge on 8 or more glasses of H20 of I feel like crap, almost as bad as a hangover 

7) My body has no concept of sleeping in: after 5 or 7 a.m. workouts or just from work I have lost the ability to sleep past 7.  I can't even lay in bed, I get antsy like I should be doing something.

8) I have a 2 drink maximum: Not only do I perform worse after drinking so I avoid alcohol, but I am just a light weight.  More than 2 drinks = awful hangover or spending time praying to the porcelain gods.

9) I own a pair of shoes for everything and I don't mean heels: I have 2 pairs of running shoes, fins for swimming, cycling shoes, more flexible lifting tennis shoes, trail shoes, and the list goes on...

10) My vocabulary is filled with words the average person would never use and numbers don't have much to do with math: Cadence, Tempo, Fartlek, Triggerpoint, Chamois, etc.  not to mention 3x800 swim w/ 10 sec rest, 4x1000 @10k, 1 minute intervals on hill 60-70 rpm.

Planning the Perfect Race...Surf City Race Report

To most people the initials PR stand for Personal Record, but I think a better term would be Perfect Race and this weekend was one of my perfect races. Okay, so I lied, there is no way to plan perfectly.  You can read every book, listen to every piece of advice, and pray to every God, but still blow-up half way through a race.    I have a few routines I follow, but overall there is no real secret to feeling the way you hope to feel during, or for me, after a race.  So here is my routine anyway.  Keep in mind Surf City is not my "A" or goal race/event so I didn't cut back as much as others would.
Thursday
Woke-up early for a spin workout and after I'd kicked my butt I went to work and came home for an easy 4 mile run.  On this day I started upping my carbohydrates.  I am a firm believer that beans and rice are the key to success so for lunch I had lentils and for dinner, I had rice with my thai food.
Friday
I took a break, made sure all was packed, and flew out to SoCal.  I made sure to wear my compression sleeves and had some mexican food (rice and beans of course) before I headed on my way.

Saturday
I took a 2 mile run starting slow and then working up to my previous half marathon pace (8:08 miles).  After the run I rolled, streched, showered and made my way to the expo!
Most expos are inside hotels or convention centers, but Surf City had theirs in a tent right on the beach.  This was a glorious day to head down to Huntington Beach and enjoy the waves and warm weather, almost like a mild summer day!  Now expos can be dangerous.  They offer a variety of foods that look good or scream "I'm free, so try me."  You may regret trying anything you haven't tried before.  After bypassing the food stands I picked up my bib, t-shirt, and California Dreamin' Series Jacket.  The reason I signed up for Surf City is because I was completing the last event in a special series.  This series is over now, but you usually can find many others in areas near you.  For instance, there is the San Diego Triple Crown, the Wine Country Half Marathon Series, and there is a new Northern California Series.  After collecting my belongings I was off to rest, relax, and consume a few more calories and carbs before bed.

Sunday-Race Day
So I'm a race day non-eater.  I know this sounds against every rule most people have ever heard, but I just can't eat.  I end up with awful GI tract issues and it not only will hurt me in the race but will hurt me long after the race is done.  I opted for filling a fuel belt water bottle with perpetum and another with water and taking a Clif gel with me just in case I feel like bonking.  It was a perfect foggy Sunday morning along the beach.  My mom dropped me off close to the start and I trotted off for a 1.5 mile jog to warm-up (yes, most people run more than 13.1 miles on any race day.  Then I stretched, found my coral, and started jumping up and down to keep warm like the rest of the cattle.  Then the chaos begins!  I start running, trying to stay slow and steady at first and then speed up if I feel I can.  My goal for a race is always to get negative splits and for the first time in my life I did.  My splits read:
Mile 1: 7:59
Mile 2: 7:53
Mile 3: 7:47
Mile 4: 7:54
Mile 5: 7:40
Mile 6: 7:40
Mile 7: 7:48
Mile 8: 7:51
Mile 9: 7:51
Mile 10: 7:44
Mile 11: 7:43
Mile 12: 7:33
Mile 13: 7:35
.10: 6:40 pace: 55 seconds
Finishing Time: 1:41:57
The course was gorgeous, and although some people do not like out and backs, I loved every minute of running along the beach.  If you have a chance to do this race I would recommend it.  I also got to go home with one of the biggest medals I've ever seen!!!
Pictures soon to come!

That takes Dedication

So this week marks my mother's first week of retirement!  Hence I'm dedicating this post to her.  She has spent over 3 decades with the same company and can finally kick off her shoes and relax.  This kind of time takes dedication much like endurance athletics.  Throughout the past 3 years I have had to work hard on being sure I get my workouts in so I can be my strongest on race day.  I am a very self-motivated individual and also very schedule oriented but I know not everyone is so here are some tips to help keep you dedicated to any sport, event, activity, or just to keep in shape.

1. Schedule workouts with friends, this allows you to catch up with people you may not have as much time for as you train
2. Make a schedule: if you plan out your work-outs you are more likely to fit them in, I sometimes have to rotate what I do and where but I always try to get the majority of my workouts done for the week.  I also find speed workouts more enjoyable if I have a plan i.e. swimming, I always write my workout down.
3. Try something new: sometimes it is hard to make it to the gym or to any work-out because it is boring or redundant.  If you add something new to your routine you're more likely to enjoy your other activities
4. Tell yourself "I can do it":  I always think I can't finish my workout, but if I keep telling myself just a little further, just one more, push a little harder then eventually I will achieve my final goals of finishing
5.  Find a group to work-out with: Sometimes your interests and your friends' interests may be different in athletics, there are plenty of run clubs, triathlon clubs, free yoga clinics (lululemon and sports basement) strength clinics, fundraising groups, etc. that will help keep you motivated and in shape
6.  Start with a walk: Everything starts with a single step then go from there
7.  Step on the scale regularly: if you don't like what you see channel that energy into a workout:  I often work-out so I can eat the junk I love
8. If you like the TV then work it while you watch: you can spend money on a treadmill for this or you can do crunches, jumping jacks, burpees, etc. during commercials.  If you write down a work-out you can get a lot of your strength training in at home watching Jersey Shore
9. Find something you like: Not everyone is a runner or a swimmer or anything else, but chances are you like something, think about it and figure it out then working-out is fun
10. Get your family involved:  If your family or significant other are active then you are more likely to be, I don't always run with my boyfriend, actually sometimes it is my alone time, but knowing he is getting his workout in makes me feel like I have to put my miles in too.

My MOM!!!