Annette is half Pumpkinman 6:50:36

On August 11th I wrote a post which detailed the need to get my head on straight prior to the half iron. I'm not sure exactly what was going on at the time but I'm thinking I peaked mentally in the beginning of August, right around the time of the Beach to Beacon 10k. Unfortunately it was all downhill afterwards. Instead of using my vacation to recharge my mental batteries I faced a series of challenges in my family's health that caused me to use every ounce of energy I had during the second half of August. By Saturday the 6th, around noontime, I looked at my husband and said, "I don't think I have anything left." He promised me I would be able to finish although I wasn't sure I believed him. I had a serious bout of race anxiety, the kind where you feel like you're walking underwater. I wasn't sure I had everything I needed packed in the car. My bike needed a tune up, air in the tires and was dirty. It was pretty much a hell day.

I drove to Portsmouth, NH to meet my friend Tarra who was my cheerleader, spectator and support system for the race. She followed my progress as I trained and I was so happy she was going to be there. I told her that if we hadn't had these plans, I might not have showed up! After hearing my story she agreed I was probably the least mentally prepared athlete but she thought I would finish.

It poured all night and I dreaded racing a full day in the rain. On race morning we drove to the venue and I got my tires pumped up and my transition area set. I managed to drink half a protein drink and eat a bar. The weather looked like it was clearing around 6:30am. I put my wetsuit on and Tarra and I headed down to the water. We had a brief race meeting and I began to feel happy on the beach, smiling and bouncing on my toes. Tarra took pictures of me. It was a small race, only 173 participants, and I was in Wave 3. Wave 1 was Elite, 2 was the men, and 3 the women and relay team swimmers. "Go Go Go!" We were off.

People, I tell you, I was terrified. Not of the water, I love the swim. I was so scared of the race starting and the long haul I had in front of me. My Xterra wetsuit saved me. I love that thing. Thick and thin in all the right places and slick in the water. I stroked and stroked and zig zagged my way through the first loop. I started to feel fine in the second loop of the swim knowing that I was making progress. I finished the swim in about 49 minutes and ran up the hill to transition 1.

Then my wetsuit and I had a fight. It didn't want to come off. 7 incredibly long minutes later I was finally heading out on the bike. But first, a quick potty break. Some folks manage to (ahem) pee themselves while biking and running but I haven't mastered that skill. And my wetsuit hermetically seals itself to my wrist and ankles preventing any water from washing through so peeing in the suit is also not an option. So it goes.

In hindsight the bike is a source of massive frustration for me. I know I'm slow but this is ridiculous. I managed about 15 miles an hour on the bike. I knew I couldn't get any speed going. My legs, heart and lungs seemed to be working o.k. but I didn't have that strong feeling in my legs. I was grateful that there were no killer hills but 56 miles was a long ride. After about 25 miles I was also in extreme pain. My seat was killing me. I counted down the miles, one by one watching my (somewhat) broken odometer. The rules say no mp3 players allowed so it was pretty quiet on my ride. I prayed, "dear Jesus, please let me finish the race and not be a DNF," and thought up bumper stickers, "Mental fortitude or crazy? You decide, I TRI." Nah, too long. I choked up a little when I pulled in to transition 2. "I'm doing it! One more event!"

I set out on the run and made another quick pitstop. I felt low at the beginning of the run, "It's so hard, this is so long," but I didn't feel like I had any choice. Stopping then was not an option. I did a mental scan of my body and a little twinge in my left ankle was all it showed. It worried me a little but worked itself out quickly. My butt was so happy to be off the bike and out of pain. "I feel o.k., I can keep going." I negotiated with myself that I would walk in aid stations. That was the only concession to rest that I was going to give myself. Luckily the route was set up so we passed back and forth in front of the well stocked stations and the volunteers were always ready with water and gatorade. About midway through the run I started to get irritated. It was taking too long and it was too hard. Irritation gave way to anger because I still wasn't going to stop but I REALLY wanted the race to be over. I made the second turnaround at mile 9.3 and totally bummed. At my 10 minute mile pace that meant I was running for at least another 40 minutes. I shuffled on. Finally a cheery volunteer announced "Only half a mile left! You're almost there!" It was the best news I'd heard all day. I went in the direction she indicated and after a minute faced a signficantly steep hill. "Are you $%@^%*& kidding me!!" I said this out loud, wasting my breath. I ran up some of it and then stopped to walk. In another 30 seconds I saw the field and realized I was right there. The finish was right over the top. "I don't want them to see me walking." I started running again and there was a woman waving an orange flag, "You're there! Go right down the hill to the finish!" I couldn't believe it and I started to cry. I had to tell myself to stop because I needed the breath to finish. Then I saw my time was less than 7 hours and I really broke down. Tarra hugged me and my bottles of water and gatorade and then I went for a swim.

After putting on fresh clothes and having a hot meal of turkey with all the trimmings I felt very cheery. Happy even. I'm still in disbelief that I finished and I wasn't as slow as I expected. I wish I could have come into the race with a stronger mental outlook but certain events were out of my control. The happy news is that my family's health outlook has improved. Fewer worries there. The jury is still out on whether I will race another half iron next year. My feeling is that the international distance like Mooseman is a ton of fun and just the right distance for each event. Just when I'm getting bored it's time to switch it up. The half ironman was a signficant goal for me and I'm glad I cleared it. Now it's time for the Maine Half Marathon and then overwinter training begins.

Thanks for listening and happy training!
Annette

Reaching the end

Just like Santa I'm making a list and checking it twice as I prepare for the Pumpkinman Triathlon Half Iron. To say I feel pretty nervous would be an understatement. Today I logged my last brick - a 30 minute bike ride and a 1 mile run. The workout felt really good and while I know I'm more fit than I was, I still feel unsure of myself. But the time has run out and I can only hope that the training was enough to see me through.

My goal is to cross the finish line somewhere between 7 and 7 1/2 hours. Not fast. I think it's going to be a race with a small field, especially in my age group (40-44). Any time shorter than that will be a welcome surprise.

I've had some great support - thanks to you all! I won't be alone on race day with one of my BFs Tarra there to cheer me on. I told her, "bring something to read." I also need to remember to bring her a chair. It will be a long day for spectators!

I will be sure to blog about my experience sometime next week, when I can lift my weary hands to the keyboard - ha ha! Until then, happy training!

Cheers,
Annette

Your Fitness - a fickle BF

One of my nicknames for myself is "Mrs. Bright Side." I try to focus on the positive and be optimistic. I use this blog to try and motivate myself and hopefully others. It really helps me keep moving! Recently I've been thinking about fitness as a state of body and mind. For me, fitness has moved in and out of my life. I look at my children and right now their fitness is as tight to them as their own shadows. Lean and strong they go hand over hand on the monkey bars. They seem to run and play all day without tiring. As a kid I was like that too and I've talked about the change in me as a teenager. I was more concerned with (ahem) other activities than keeping fit.

My fitness is like a fair weather best friend. When I'm working out consistently she sticks by my side. But once I get lazy my fitness is off to the Bahamas, ready to hang out with someone who plays beach volleyball. She's not going to sit around with me, eating potato chips and watching TV. Depending on where you left off and your genetic prowess your fitness may stay with you longer rather than taking off right away. I don't seem to have that luxury. A recent few days off had me feeling slow on the run and ready to give up. Fortunately the upcoming race motivated me to keep going. I could have easily gotten discouraged enough to slide into an exercise funk.

The good news is that with some effort fitness always comes back. I know that I'm building a strong base so I don't go back to square one after a lazy period. It's hard to face but I learned that as I get older I'm going to have to work harder to keep my fitness. She doesn't age like I do and she's very unsympathetic to my excuses, no matter how creative.

For the whippersnappers out there - don't let your fitness go! Follow every exercise trend or stick with what you love. Just don't stop. Ever. Or your fitness and mine will be hanging out together somewhere in the sun and talking about the lazybones they left on the sofa.

Yours in training,
Annette

4 Weeks Until Showtime

Barring some massive injury, I will be on the beach on September 7th, 2008 for my first (and maybe only) half ironman triathlon. Today I'm feeling psyched for it but over the last two weeks I have been so down about my training I wanted to give up. I know I won't. It hasn't been anxiety, at least that is a good thing. I was able to point to a few things that might be causing this crisis of confidence:

1. PMS - you are so lame, my monthly friend.
2. The Beach to Beacon 10k - a great race but it sucked the life out of me for a week.
3. Burnout - I signed up for the half iron on Halloween day in 2007. I've been focused on this race for the last nine months. I'm getting tired, mentally.

I finally got back in the pool today, inspired by the swimming events at the Summer Olympics. The water made me feel so good. I also have some great workouts coming up. For example another huge stack of bricks this sunday which will total 38 miles on the bike and 7 run. Next week I'm on vacation and I start to taper. I'll do a final big bike and run on the 24th.

I promised myself I'd use this post to banish the negative thoughts and start the personal pep talks I'm so fond of. Lately I've been cursing myself (and I do hold the title of "Cousin with the Filthiest Mouth") so my inner language has been quite colorful.

I'm going to use my vacation time to try to quiet the voices in my head and accept where I am mentally and physically. I can do a post mortem on my training regimen in September after the race. I already know where I've fallen short and will make changes in the future.

In the meantime send a positive vibe my way. I'll need every ounce of energy I can get!

Best,
Annette

Vineyard 30+ Mile Bike Route

Here's a new thing I'm trying. I used Map My Run to map out my Vineyard Bike Route. I should have used Map My Ride but it's the same effect. They say I can put the map on my blog. Let's try it:

NOPE! Didn't work. Sorry...

Did it work? I'll publish and find out.

Beach 2 Beacon 2008

Tomorrow is the Beach to Beacon race day. I've never run it before! Isn't that a lovely logo? I'm excited to see how it goes. I know it's going to be a challenging race. The course is beautiful, winding through Cape Elizabeth here in Maine. I've ridden the route as part of my long bikes to work. Before the harvest I found that Cape Elizabeth smells like the ocean, cut grass, and strawberries. Very pleasant indeed. We'll see what we get tomorrow as the horde of 5500 runners storms the course.

How am I feeling? Strange today. It's August and the half ironman is 37 days away. In a previous post I talked about the anxiety I get at the beginning of a race. I forgot to mention that I did *not* feel that way for Mooseman. It could be that I was mentally prepared for the distances but I'm not really sure. I have a few more big workouts to do this month. There's a stack of bricks to do on the 17th (bike 60 min, run 30 min, bike 60 min, run 30 min, bike 30 min, run 15 min) and then a long bike (30 miles) with a 5k following it on the 24th. Other than that it's all recovery and maintenance workouts until the final taper.

I'm going to stick to the plan and follow through with the workouts. Once the half is over there's one more race, the Peak Performance Maine Marathon in October. I won't be running the whole thing, just the half marathon at 13.1 miles. After that it's rest, overwinter workouts and tattoo time.

Summer [Food] of Love

I try to be pretty positive on this blog, but today I need to come clean about something. It's no secret that I love to eat and have a big appetite. I also know how hard I've been working: I have over 300 miles on the bike logged this month, plus 49 miles running and over 5000 meters of swimming. So what's the problem? My weight.

Last week I went to a concert and wore my "show pants" which have cool cargo pockets on the legs, eliminating the need for a purse. I stood there, hands in my front pockets and thought, "wow, these feel a little tight." I didn't think much of it.

Summer is the time for good fun and good food - burgers and dogs on the grill, s'mores at the campfire, ice cream cones on the way home from the beach. I love it all! I thought that all my exercise would give me a free pass to indulge as I pleased. This turned out to be a false assumption.

Since June I've gained about 7 pounds. Yes! 7! I don't mind a little squish here and there but it's starting to get out of hand. My buddy, Mr. Scale, tells me that I have gained muscle but my fat percentage has remained constant. That means fatter. I'm also dehydrated with a 47% water percentage. Not good news. I wouldn't mind the number if I were getting leaner but the digital readout and the mirror tell me otherwise. I don't kid myself and I take full responsibility. I ate all that food! I am very disappointed because there are 5 1/2 weeks before the half iron. I know I do NOT want to carry around all this extra junk for 70.3 miles. I'm so annoyed with myself!

So what to do? I took action this morning by employing old standby, calorie counting. I know, *yawn*, but it works. My plan is to hold myself to 1800-2000 calories (no less than 1500) this week and see what happens. I'm also going to go cold turkey on chips and ice cream. I will hold to my training plan and fuel my body with quality food. Not always easy for a lazy, hungry person like me. We'll see if we can shave off some of the fat. On race day, leaner is better. The goal is to keep the muscle and remain strong.

Your friend in training,
Annette

Validation and What's Your "B"?

I've been reading this book to help me get the best out of my training time as I work towards the half ironman in September. Some of the information is really confusing with "lactate thresholds", "anaerobic vs. aerobic workouts", "periodization in training", etc. But one thing Joe says jumped right out at me. The chapter discusses fitness and explains that increasing your fitness takes years. That's right, years. I'll come back to that in a minute.

Joe also talks about maintaining one's fitness level. This is the validation part. You know how when you're less than fit, and you see that guy or girl running along the path and you feel jealous? "Oh look, it's easy for them to run like that while I'm walking here, huffing and puffing." You are correct! It IS easy for them because they have probably been running like that for years. It doesn't mean they are not working hard. But their lungs, heart and muscles are so used to it that it doesn't hurt and probably feels really good to them.

Don't despair. I have improved my fitness from years back when I gazed with longing at the kids playing on the monkey bars and those first few laps in the pool. I'm learning about the "Triathletes Triangle" measuring Endurance, Force and Speed. It got me to thinking about how one goes from A to B. My B is the quest for fitness, the goals I set for myself. My B used to be an hourlong walk or 500 meters in the pool. But it keeps moving out on me. In 2008 my B is 35 mile bike rides to work and "bricks" - bike/run workouts stacked on the weekends.

What is your B? It could be as simple as taking a hike or deciding to move around a little more. It could be taking a little bike ride with the kids or getting your heart rate up with a swim at the beach. It doesn't matter. It's a personal decision. The good news is that even though it may take a long time, even years, each year it will be a easier to do that activity and hopefully that will encourage you to go a little farther or try something new. Don't stop.

I never imagined I would attempt a half ironman distance triathlon. 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. I'm scared. But my training rides have shown me my speed is up and my runs still feel great. I'm smiling at the end of a 10k and my mental check "can I do that again?" tells me "yes, I can." There are about 7 weeks left to go before the half. I'll let you know how it goes.

Athletes toolbox

Thanks to my cousin Jessy I get to talk more about racing. Thanks, Jess! She specifically asked about three things: Chips, Speed Laces, and Gels.

Chips, or timing chips, are little electronic devices that are strapped to your ankle with velcro. It's coded to your bib number and knows everything about you that pertains to race day. Your name, how old you are, and your gender. When the race begins, whether it's running or triathlon, the "gun" goes off. But not everyone crosses the start at the same time. When the athlete moves past a sensor, the chip signals the offical start time for that person. The clock is running. In triathlon, there are offical times for the swim, transition 1 (from swim to bike), the bike, transition 2 (from bike to run) and finally the run. Chip readers are located at entry and exit points for each event. In my previous post I mentioned someone called my name when I came out of the water. When I passed the sensor, my name came up on a laptop and that's how they knew who I was. Mystery solved!


Speed laces are miracles of elastic. I use Yankz! brand shoe laces. They replace regular tie shoe laces with pre-tied stretchy ones. I had to get my PhD in shoe tying to lace them correctly but the video got me through. I just slip my running shoes on and off I go. Brilliant.




I could devote a whole post to race day and training nutrition but I'll stick to the gels to keep it short. For Mooseman I used Powerbar brand gels. It's a small packet of sweet stuff that has 110 calories and 27g of carbohydrates. The chocolate flavor has the consistency of canned frosting but the vanilla is more pudding-like. It's slightly less sweet than those two items. Gels are designed to fuel you up on the go without giving you a bellyache. You tear off the tab, squish it into your mouth and wash down with some water. Sounds gross but working hard makes everything taste delicious. I am able to tuck the packets under the elastic of each leg of my bicycle shorts. It doesn't slip and I can grab and eat it while I'm riding.

There's a multitude of supplements but I'll save that for another post. Powerbar is a great resource and their products are tasty, too. I also use Clif brand products. They are super yummy, high energy food.

I hope that helps explain some things. I think I know about less than 1% of all the products available for athletes but I'm always learning. I'm still training for the half iron and even though I worry about making it through I'll keep at it.

Best,
Annette

Mooseman Triathlon 6/7/08- I did it!

Hi Everyone, here is a picture of me, pre-race, up in Bristol, New Hampshire. Oh man what an awesome time it was! I may look a little pensive, but I was just focused on the race. It was about 6am when I took the picture. My bike was racked in transition, stuff laid out, and I was almost ready to go. Let me start at the beginning...

I stayed at my friend Betty's house, about an hour away. She wisely had me up at 4:15am so I could get a parking spot inside the park. Many folks struggled with their stuff, riding in from far away so I was glad of this. I arrived around 5:40 and got oriented. I grabbed my race packet and used the bike assistance to pump up my tires. After I set up my transition area I went back to the car to take the above photo and get my running shoes set up with speed laces. Who wants to tie their shoes? I also took the time to finish the Odwalla protein drink (so delicious) which landed on top of the Clif bar I had eaten at 5:00am. I was fueled.

I guess I was a little nervous putting on my wetsuit because I forgot to use body glide on my ankles and I had to struggle to get it on. It makes you feel like a sausage! Once I was suited up I headed to the beach for the long wait. We were socked in with fog and the USAT officials wouldn't allow the start until we could see the second buoy. A problem. They ended up shortening the swim to 2/3 of a mile (instead of .93). I didn't feel too sad because the water was 60 degrees and it would still be challenging. Finally, they let us go!

There's nothing like getting kicked in the head and swimming over people in freezing cold water. I don't remember feeling cold at all, just a little disoriented in the fog. I really had trouble maintaining my direction but I kept at it and finally hit the sand at the shore. The fun part was once my ankle chip swiped they knew my name and someone shouted "Go Annette!" That was cool.

Mooseman offers an amazing service - wetsuit stripping. I was hustled to an area of helpful people that ripped my suit off (carefully) eliminating the need to do it myself. I moved on to my transition area and began fumbling with my Clif gel. My hands were very cold and clumsy so I used my teeth to rip it open. Somehow I got my cycling shoes on (no socks, forgot 'em), my helmet strapped and my bike off the rack. It was a long transition, 5:20, and I know I can do better next time. I remembered to tuck a gel under each leg of my shorts, tab sticking out. That's a strategy that works great for me.

It took about ten minutes into the bike to get my head straight. I had to make a quick stop because my computer sensor was knocking against the spokes (bad), and another because I thought I dropped my chain. I gave myself a stern talking to at that point, "Focus! Think about what you're doing!" and then things started rolling. There was a hill that came up at mile 4, rolling up, then flat, then super steep. Positive self talk and the granny gear saved the day. I also thanked Mother Nature for creating Mitchell Hill near my home, allowing me to train on a much steeper and brutal hill.

I passed lots of slow folks on the bike and came to the realization that it wasn't their fitness that slowed them down but rather their equipment. I had a chat with a man on a mountain bike who was riding with flat pedals and no toe clips! I felt a little sorry for him but happy for my own bicycle which was performing wonderfully. I told myself I was on a ride, having a good time, and not to worry. I ate a gel at mile 10 and another at mile 22. I was squirming for the last five miles - are we there yet? When I arrived back folks were cheering and encouraging. I got misty-eyed!

The transition to the run was faster, about half the time. Even though I was drinking during the bike I downed a Gatorade and then popped my running shoes on. At Betty's suggestion I wore a hat to keep the sun off my head and I took off. Betty said take water at every opportunity and keep as cool as possible. Every station I approached I asked for two waters. I drank one and dumped the other on my head and clothes. I kept checking in with myself, "how do I feel? I feel good. Do I need to walk? No, not today."

The last mile felt SO long. But I crossed the finish line with a total time of 3:14 and felt fantastic. I had some post race grub, hung out a little, then headed home. I rested Sunday, rode a little bike on Monday, swam Tuesday and Wednesday, ran 4 miles Wednesday, and rode 12 on Thursday. I was tired, body and spirit, until Thursday.

The next focus is Pumpkinman Half Iron. I have a ton of work ahead of me. But Mooseman has given me the confidence to keep training and look ahead to that. Thanks to all of you who took the time to read this. I do appreciate all your encouragement and support!

Best,
Annette

Body Parts: Pain Management

Mile 4 of a 6 mile run...

Left Hip: Ow, ow, ow ow, OW!

Brain: I know. I'm working on it.

Left Hip: It hurts, Brain!

Legs: Don't we have some of that....stuff?

Brain: No. She didn't take any Advil before she left. We're on our own. Don't worry. I'm releasing some endorphins now. Finger, change the song. We need something hard and fast.

Finger: O.k., how's this?

Ears: Nope...nope....too slow...no...

Finger: Say when.

Ears: No...Stop! I mean when! Metallica. That is so awesome. "Gimme Fuel Gimme Fire Give me that which I desire!!!"

Lungs: Brain! Help!

Brain: Voice! No singing. We're running right now.

Voice: Sorry dude. I just get so excited.

Brain: It's o.k.

Left knee: Ow! Ow! Me too now!

Brain: Oh man, this is a bummer. Finger, make the song louder. We need maximum distraction.

Finger: Roger that.

Brain: O.k. everyone, listen up. She's not stopping. You all know that. Feet and legs, no favoring it. Keep moving. We're almost there.

Legs: We won't let you down, Brain!

Feet: We feel great!

Brain: Lungs, deep breaths. Spine, this is all you...she's got that compression thing going again. We'll do some yoga poses when we get back, open you up a little.

Spine: Namaste.

Eyes: Look! There's the stop sign!

Brain: Good deal. Hang in there. I'm going to go away for a couple of minutes, make her think about something else. You all right, Hip and Knee?

Left Hip: I'm o.k., I've been here before. I feel a little better.

Left Knee: I'm a little wobbly. A little loose. But I'll make it.

Brain: You guys rock. I'll check in at the house. Forward motion folks, no stopping!

Woman vs. Mountain (Of Fears)

Let me start out by pointing out the positive. The training is going great. I run bike or swim almost everyday and even participated in the first race of the season, the Sea Dogs Mother's Day 5K. It was a blast!

The other day I had a conversation with my physical fitness-minded sister. She asked, "what's your motivation to race?" "Why are you doing it?" One reason is that if I do not have a fixed goal I will not get out of bed. Exercising for my appearance or general good health isn't enough to push myself. I'm inherently lazy. As I've discussed in past posts I'm the queen of procrastination and manufacturing excuses to remain immobile. I purposely entered in the two tris, Mooseman and Pumpkinman, in a strategy to get me moving early in the season and keep me there all summer.

The second reason makes me uncomfortable, and causes me to squirm in my seat a little. While I do love to train and race, doing the actual racing scares me. A lot. For example, Mooseman is 11 days away and if I think about it for more than a few minutes I can work myself up something fierce. Why is it scary? It shouldn't be. It's exciting and tons of fun. Only I can't get to the fun feeling until I'm rounding the first buoy. Standing on the beach in a sea of wetsuits and brightly colored caps my heart pounds and I'm ready to flee. I get angry at myself for feeling that way, especially when I've worked so hard. The only way for me to fight back is to dive in when the gun goes off and start swimming.

Anxiety, the needless worry kind, is a part of my life. I pretty much hate it. My way of fighting back is to do anything that makes me afraid (except rollerblading) and finish. Whether it's getting in the open water, or riding up a steep hill, I say "I tri, I finish" until I cross under the finish banner. So far I haven't conquered the fear, because I keep feeling it at every race start. But I'm going to keep racing until I don't, and hopefully that will lead me to a lifetime of training and, subsequently, fitness.

PMS, Training and Your Period. EWWW!!!

***WARNING*** If you are a man, this post may make you extremely uncomfortable, squirm in your seat, and have a sudden urge to check into the Holiday Inn for a week.

The following is an actual exchange between me and the voice in my head (me):

[Sitting in the parking lot of the pool, car engine off]

"You really don't want to go in there."

"I know, but..."

"You're tired, and crampy, plus you already rode the bike this morning."

"But I drove all the way here."

"It doesn't matter. Just go to the mall. You can have lunch. You don't feel well."

"I'm getting out of the car."

"You could be at Panera in ten minutes"

"I'm getting out of the car." [Out loud] "GET OUT OF THE CAR!"

I don't know about you but I have these conversations quite frequently. Most often at 5:15am when I *really* don't want to get out of bed. But this one was targeting me right where I live, every month, with PMS.

I love being a girl. I wouldn't change that for the world. It's cool to be a chick. Our bodies are so special. We get to make babies, have all these extra sexy parts, and wear lipstick. When it comes to training, however, there is that monthly drawback - the dreaded period.

I've read articles and books about women and triathlon. They discuss training while on the Pill and the effects of low body fat and missed periods. Pretty good stuff. But no where did I read about the monthly effect PMS and your period can have on your training plan, or God forbid, race day. I mean who wants to swim, bike and run 70.3 miles with a tampon? Ewwww! Gross! (See guys, I told ya).

Even though I'm done having kids (thank you, Dr. A.) I still need the old uterus. It's a part of my body that I know contributes to making me feel pretty, a highly desireable state. I wear lipstick to work out and even race! The uterus is a marvelous organ of muscle, so skilled at cradling our babies for nine months, then working diligently to expel the little bundles from our bodies. It's disgusting. I mean beautiful! Yeah, that's it. I have a theory that if pregnant women in labor were treated like athletes, instead of sick people, they would feel less afraid and empowered. But that is a topic for another post.

Waking up slightly nauseous, with a lower backache and cramps is enough to derail the best laid training plan. You all know what I mean. And a bad mood? I get one. The claws and fangs come out. My loved ones know to hide from me, poor things.

Here's the good news. I thought about it and decided that even though I had all those symptoms I really WAS well enough to work out. I wasn't injured in any way. I was still as strong as the day before. My muscles were still fueled with the good protein, carbohydrates and fats I gave them. I was as ready as any other day to train. The monthly cycle changes my brain chemistry for a brief period, a cruel trick that tries to rob me of the desire to do what I love. I won't allow that to happen. Curling up with a hot water bottle might make me feel better temporarily, but it won't make me any stronger or faster for race day. I silence the voices with the promise that I'll pamper myself AFTER training, and then I get to work.

Body Parts: The Meeting

Week 3 of Triathlon Training Season

Brain: O.k. everyone, let’s get the meeting started. We have several issues to discuss. She’s starting to get real organized with her training now that it’s Spring. The International Distance tri is only 9 weeks away. You guys have been great pulling together – she appreciates that. Let’s start with the hungry issue. Stomach? Can you please report?

Stomach: Oh man, you guys, you have no idea. I’m rumbling, like, ALL the time. SO hungry! She eats her stupid little snack bars, and gels, but I can’t keep anything in me. I’m getting killed here!

Mouth: Remember the pasta for breakfast? Mac and cheese at 9am. Mmmmm.

Stomach: Oh yeah, that was awesome. With cinnamon raisin oatmeal for dessert.

Legs: Yeah dude! Set us up but good for yesterday’s 4 miler. We kicked it.

Nose: And did you smell those burgers when we ran past RiRa’s?

Feet: We almost stopped in our tracks!

Brain: I know. I hit override. She didn’t have any money. All right. I think I know where this is heading. Metabolism?

Metabolism: Yes Brain. I’m just doing my job here. Burning calories like mad in response to all this training. Swimming, biking, running – it takes it’s toll on me, ya know? She’s gotta eat!

Brain: It’s all good. We know you burn the fuel. But you need to make a switch, start burning some of the fat. She got that new scale, you know.

Eyes: Oh my God did you see that? It is so slick. Tells you the weight, fat percentage and water percentage. Rocks.

Body Fat: Hey, hold on there a minute! What’re you saying Brain?

Brain: You know what I’m saying. You need to let go, BF.

Body Fat: What? Us? Do you see those curves, man? We bring sexy back! And what about keeping her warm?

Brain: She wears a hat.

Body Fat: I mean, what about the floating? She can float in the pool like nobody’s business. You need us!

Lungs: Hey, we have a little bit to do with that floating business.

Body Fat: Shut. Up!

Brain: I know. Don’t get me wrong. But you need to shrink up. Not one of your little cells will be gone. Only liposuction can do that.

Body Fat: DON’T say it! DON’T say that word! It’s murder!

Brain: Settle down. You see, when she got that new scale, well, you kind of came into focus. She doesn’t care about the weight number any more. Just you.

Body Fat: You’re killing me here!

Brain: We don’t want to eliminate you. Just reduce by a few pounds. You’ll feel so much better, I promise.

Legs: And we’ll be faster! No more hauling around all that junk in the trunk!

Butt: Hey!

Legs: Butt, you so sexy, mwah!

Butt: Cut it out.

Brain: O.k. Here’s the deal. Metabolism, you need to focus on burning some of the existing body fat during the workouts.

Metabolism: But I’m programmed to preserve that! It’s for emergencies only!

Brain: Contrary to popular belief, the famine is NOT coming. She can live without some of it, I promise.

Metabolism: Oh…I don’t know…

Brain: Trust me. It will be fine. And don’t worry, we’re still going to keep the food coming.

Stomach: Hurray! I thought you forgot about me.

Brain: Don’t be silly. We’re not going to starve her, just change it up.

Mouth: Can we have a steak? I can’t stop thinking about it. Steak, potatoes and peas. Oh my. It’s making me crazy.

Brain: I’ll work on that. Send her shopping. Steak on the grill, mashed potatoes, peas, you name it. Whatever you want.

Mouth: Dude, I’ll be your best friend.

Brain: Sweet. Body Fat, it will be o.k. We’re just going to trim her up, get faster and stronger. Winter is over and it’s time to stop being so lazy.

Body Fat: Lazy is what I do best!

Brain: I know. That’s why I’m in charge. O.k., thanks everyone. Great job heading for goal this week. We’ve got 4 hours down and 4 to do. Swim today and then 10k tomorrow!

Legs: Yeehaw!

Brain: Back to work!