Trying something different

This week I took a friends offer & joined her at Crossfit. I guess you could say it's the new thing in fitness. These gyms are popping up all over. I can't exactly explain it all that great. It's a cross between a personal trainer, boot camp, circuit work out place???? I was excited to try it AND see how I measured up! They have 2 levels of work outs and the goal is to improve the time it takes to do specific exercises. They post on the walls the top achievers of each exercise AND even have crossfit competitions (I've been told it is shown on espn).
You arrive at crossfit and the warm up along with the level 1 and level 2 workouts are posted on a white board. After you finish the warm up that consists of cardio, plyometrics and stretching the trainer goes over the work out and starts the timer. I ended up going 3 times this past week. It was the most intense workouts I have ever done. The first day we did rowing machine 500 yards, dead lifts 12 times and 21 box jumps, 3 rounds!!! It took an hour total but the workout which is timed was 25 minutes or so. I could not believe the work out I got in such a small amount of time. I like someone else making the plan and just following it and the ide
of improving each time & competition (top acheivers in each excercise are posted on the wall). I headed back for more the next day. This work out was a 1 mile run, then 10 burpees, 20 sit ups 5 rounds!!! followed by another 1 mile run. We had chose the level 2 work out. I was sweating like mad! So much the owners wife showed concern and told me dont worry about doing it all just do as much as you can. I was fine I told her. I should come with a sweat disclaimer.
Saturday I did my long run and was done with crossfit but that day I had hooked up my friend Becky to go to the free class with my girl. Becky loved it and wanted to go back for the class on Sunday (every Sunday 10am is a free session). It was a partner work out so I agreed to go along. Becky is one of the most fit people from Jason's B Cubed. She and I were both feeling way out of shape in this class. As partners you had to complete one at time together 100 kettle bell swing, 100meter fireman carry, 150 pushups, 100 m fire man carry, 100 push presses, 100 m fire man carry and then 150 split lunge jumps (hate this the most of anything in the whole world). It was BRUTAL. As I type this 2 days later I am still barely able to move.
The crazy thing is I love the way this feels! It is definitely the next level in fitness and something I wish I could get into. There is no way I could afford the fees $150 per month. While the value is there I just dont have the $ and I would be concerned about getting my money's worth when I also have to tri-train.
I am just so busy with my life, work , mommy, homeschool etc. Working out has to fill in to my little bit of free time.
I am so glad that I tried it and will definitely take many more free classes. I just dont plan to pay for it anytime soon.



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Details details

In my haste to get another completed blog on my page I missed some details...
Wave #5
The first wave in the race was military & public service. 2nd was the fundraising team for the colitis foundation (the race charity). Not sure what 3 & 4 were but our wave was the first all female group.
As we were waiting there was so many chicks in my group that were first timers. I found myself telling THEM you will be fine, once you get through the swim it's easy, by the time you get to the run you won't even remember swimming. I suggested getting a swim buddy to them.
Everyone has friends with the or significant others waiting with them until go time & here I was alone & pumping up complete strangers!!! It was very surreal :)
Swim buddy
I also got myself a swim buddy. & since I told everyone to get one I made sure to grab one before they ran out! Turns out the swim buddy I had either wasn't experienced or was not good :( We introduced ourselves & hopped in the water & he was just sort of there. When we started he just swam along not even right next to me but like 6 feet away. He didn't say anything while all the other swim buddies were talking their racers through each stroke. I just kept plugging along realizing he was kinda a lost cause. Then as we got around the last buoy another swim buddy asked him to keep an eye on another racer as he was going to help the laggers. So at that point I was still a ways from the finish but didn't even want that buddy anymore. It was shortly after that I saw my cheering squad & made my final dog paddle to the end of the swim


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I just may be a triathlete!

It is so hard for me to believe I have done 4 triathlons now! (Technically one was a duathlon since swim was cancelled).

I have learned so much through training and participating in races. This time was no different. I wish the there was a huge spiritual revelation like with the race last year or the marathon. BUT it was different this time. I was more going through the motions cause I had to. I planned to do this race with my friend and she was signed up but between having a new baby and wedding things didn't work out the way we planned.

I trained for this race with the same schedule as before but skipped a few work outs (which I never did before). I quit on the swim distances a lot cause I was struggling. So going into it I was sure I had the stamina and endurance to finish but I didn't do the yardage, mileage or time I did before.

The one thing I find most difficult with training and working out is I want to do it ALL!! I want to hit all the boot camps, meet my friends for out strength trainings, spin class, swim laps, bike, running club....between being a mom, homeschooling, working it is hard to get the time. Also childcare is an issue if I can't be at the YMCA. My kids dad is very cool about watching them for my running club but asking to go on long bike rides as well...I just couldn't ask. I fit in only one ride this time on my actual bike. (Same as last time I rely heavily on spin class).

OK so enough about my training or lack there of....let's get on to race day.

There was so much different this time about race day too. This was the first time I was going to the race solo. My friend was supposed to meet me but I had a feeling it was going to be a strain on her to get there (and turns out she didn't make it). Last year she met me bright and early and took me to the race, stuck with me until I hopped in the water.

So in an effort to keep my nerves in check I took a leisurely approach to my race morning. I got up, braided my hair, made some oatmeal, got my gear loaded in the car. I moved about my morning with a light and breezy feeling. Checked my list one last time and headed on my way. I noticed it seemed a bit late to get on the road but remembered last year my nerves just got worse and worse waiting. At this rate I was not going to have a long wait. As I approached downtown and the race I glanced at the clock in my car 6:15am, the race started at 7am...a thought crossed my mind...."ummmm I may have read somewhere transition closes at 6:30a?" So and I understand this is illegal but I pulled up my email as I was driving downtown and yes there it was on the race info TRANSITION AREA CLOSES 6:30am

That is where breezy ended and pure panic set in....Was I really gonna miss setting up transition and miss doing the race?! How would I ever live this down!!!! Was this a subconscious attempt on my part to get out of this?! EEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!!

I got downtown and parked at 6:28ish and saw there was still people walking their bikes and gear to transition...whew I thought I should be ok. I had not done what I was supposed to and marked myself with my # tattoos (temporary), labeled my bike, put on my wristband etc etc (typical Katie stuff). So the gal checking people into transition got frustrated that I was trying to pull all my stuff out of envelope & let me in.

I got to my spot and set up my transition EVERYONE WAS READY BUT ME!! They had their tatts on, wetsuits on, the announcer was telling everyone to exit the area and go to the race start. I got set up QUICKLY! I used my water bottle to get the tatts on and squeezed in to my wetsuit-for the only time since I bought it!!! (another typical Katie move).

I went over to the race start and this is where I realized I was in this all alone. My kids Dad had refused to bring my kids to see me (due to a scheduling conflict with it being football season-He will be available sometime in Feb), my friend was no where to be heard or seen from, later in the race I hoped to see my cousin during the run part. It seemed so surreal watching everyone huddle with their friends, kiss their significant others good luck and there was me. At the marathon there was a sign a spectator had (or someone said it can't remember) "it is what it is" that is how I felt. Nothing was gonna change that I was about to jump in the water, swim 500 yards, get out and bike 10 miles, then run a 5k. In that moment I focused on #1 getting a swim buddy (it seemed a lot of people wanted one and I didn't see a ton of buddies) #2 how far I have come from last year! I was racing in the athena division last year. (which is the last wave so the wait was awful). Now here I was lighter, faster and more fit then ever!

I got my swim buddy and our wave #5 was up fast! We had about 2 minutes in the water before out horn blew. I have not swam in salt water pretty much since last year's race, except for frolicking in the ocean. I did a few warm up strokes just to get my face in the water. When we started I did really good at first (just like last year). I just tuckered out so fast! The difference between this year and last year is I kept pushing. I really was so slow and it seemed like it was taking forever!!! As I rounded the first buoy this one swimmer was freaking out!!! Screaming she couldn't breathe she was gonna die (thanked God real quick that was not me) and swam by her as a paddle boarder got to her. In the race you can hang on to the board and rest if you need to as long as you dont move forward (FYI). I believe they talked her down and she completed the swim. I was side stroking, freestyle A LOT of back stroking. I was having the hardest time catching my breath which made it pretty impossible to breath freestyle. I started to lose my head a few times and totally talked myself calm! HUGE breakthrough from last year. I was pretty much dog paddling the last 50 yards or so when I heard someone shouting my name????

I look up at the crowd and there are my friends Christian and Stacey! Talk about an injection of motivation! I finished that swim (in other words dog paddled faster). They have people to assist you out of the water and boy was I so wobbly!!! Thank God he was there!

I got up the stairs and ran to the lamest wetsuit peelers known to man! I was screaming pull the thing OFF!!!!!!!!!!!! I got it off ran to transition. Sadly my bike was easy to find as it was pretty much the last one in my area. Besides the panic girl I think I was the last one out of the water. (Note to self...SWIM MORE).

I got my bike shoes on sucked up half a gu and a swig of water and headed out on the bike.

The bike course was changed days before the race, sadly we would not be able to ride on the Naval base which was on of the coolest part of last year. Instead we were doing a loop down Harbor Dr twice (it was 3 loops for the Olympic distance), I honestly thought I was flying through the bike course and was thinking I would be done in around 30 min (ok 24 haha). I whizzed by my friends who were all over the place it felt like.

Side note: they had told me they would try to make my race but had other commitments. I really did not expect to see them. Well not only did they lie but they had planned this for weeks. Even had signs to cheer me on. Having them there put the biggest smile on my face the whole time! It feels so good when you know people are behind you and believe in you. AND if it were not for Christian and her camera there would be no photographic evidence that I even did the race!

At the end of the bike portion I dismounted and it was hard to run in my bike shoes so I actually took them off and headed in my socks to transition. Bad thing was a stepped on my wetsuit and got one sock wet before the run. This is where I made a huge mistake I didn't take another gu as planned and I took off on my run with out water. My thought was that there was water stations on the run and it was short. I thought I would run faster with out a water bottle weighing me down. The issue came up quickly that I was depleted and needed water and electolytes UGH!

Almost immediately in the run I got a cramp in my calf that almost took me to the ground! I kept going though, it felt like slow motion. I couldn't get my body to listen to my mind. My mind said GO FASTER!! My body said hey I thought we were breezy?! So I chugged along at a snail pace. It took F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to reach the first water station! I walked through it and drank a couple cups of water. My body thanked me and allowed me to continue on the run with a little bit more pep. This was literally the longest 3.1 miles EVER! I walked through the next water station too and hydrated....never realized how amazing water is for the body (I highly recommend it). Then I was almost out of Seaport Village and headed toward the last 1/2 mile or so. I got a text so I checked my phone/ipod/runkeeper and it was from my friend telling me she was not coming. I checked the time and my goal was to finish in 1hr 30 min. I was actually making great time and well on my way to my goal?! No clue how that happened! I pushed myself that last bit of the race! The last .1 is the LONGEST! My friends were waiting for me at the finish!

Shortly after crossing the finish line my cousin texted me and said she was waiting on the run course for me. She came over to the finish to see me. Truth be told I am glad I am so fast that she didn't make it haha!

My final time was 1:31 24 minutes off last years!

Just before the race God revealed to that He had given me my race verse. Silly me I had shared it twice in the week with other people. And as I was headed down I thought wait I dont have my verse. Then I realized He had used me to share it so that I would recall it in this moment!

Joshua 1:9

This is my command-Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord God is with you whereever you go.

I carried that promise with me the whole time & reminded myself of it over and over!

God is always faithful in the little stuff and the big stuff and the sweaty stuff!!!!

exiting the water


exiting transition

loop 1

transition 2

Finish line!

I AM A TRIATHLETE!!!

my friends Christian & Stacey came out to support me

My medal

celebrating!

I was so fast George and Rebecca missed me & met up at the finish line

my cousin Rebecca has shown up for a lot of my races

this is Perry a friend from running club that I was running with at the Y

Final swim

I put off swimming so much for this race. I learned the hard way that going to swim first thing in the morning is not for me. Unfortunately that made for a lot of skipped swims. The days that I worked out before my swim it always went better. I'm wondering when I do the race how it will go with no warm up. I also have not swam in salt water or my wetsuit in preparation.
I feel like I can't freak out about what I didn't do.
My swim today went good. I feel like 500 yards is so long & exhausting BUT I think I did it in like 12 minutes! Hopefully with the extra buoyancy of the wetsuit & adrenaline along with mental strength I will get out of the water quick & smoothly!


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Countdown to TriRock 2011

I hate that I haven't blogged like before. I'm even wondering if it would of helped me be more consistent with my training.
Now here in the 11th hour I can't turn back time, wonder about what I should have done different or worry about the past. All I can do is prepare best I can to finish the race.
This is my first repeat race. I did the inaugural TriRock 2010. I'm doing the spring distance again (they added an Olympic distance this year).
I have trained a lot, just not as meticulous as last year. I am confident in my endurance (hopefully will be done between 1:15-1:30). Just not confident about much else.
I'm convinced there is very many athletes or triathletes who don't get nervous before a race. Who don't doubt they are ready.
The next few days are about eating right, resting up, minimal training, practicing transition & getting everything ready.
I'm so anxious for the finish line.
I feel like this year will be so much better then last year! Im making a promise to right the blog ASAP!


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Part 3

So after Denver street I passed over to the bay. By this time I must say it was HOT! I definitely was starting to drag. I still felt good & wasn't ready to stop mentally, my body was just slowing down. The bay is my turf though, this is where everything started. This is where I use to walk before I started ACTUALLY working out, this was where I ran the day of my brothers funeral, where I did my longest solo run which was 8 miles & I was shocked I did it...it was my turf (pavement).
The bay portion headed to the end by De Anza cove then we turned around & ran along the bay path. As tired as I was I just kept moving. About mile 21 there was Stacy! I was happy to see her BUT she was DONE! I felt bad for her cause I didn't feel the way she did. At Kathy's I had picked up some pretzels but couldn't eat & run but wanted to eat them eventually so I held onto them & offered some to her. I think the only thing she wanted was to be put of the heat & at the finish. I ended up heading on with out her. After the bay was FIESTA ISLAND when we were on a training run we ran around it & I was warned it was gonna SUCK! it pretty much did! It seemed unending! It was blazing hot there was no spectators...it was so close to the finish but not. I still didn't need or want to stop. There was definitely people that I ran by that were miserable. They looked like they had been ready to stop miles ago. I had a few more people encourage me along they route because of my shirt. One lady said to me she saw me at the start line & i had done an incredible job, that my brother was watching me from heaven & so proud! I got choked up for a second & she ran off saying enjoy your big moment! And towards then end there was a lot of Team in Training coaches. I overheard them talking to their team members & took their encouragement as my own. When I hit mile 25 that was a huge point for me...I knew I was done! I took my headphones out ( it was suggested when we were training). I started to just relish this whole process & distance I had covered. One of the TNT coaches told a runner to run point to point. Run to the first tree, then to the trash can, then to the next tree. That worked for me during that last mile! That last 1.2 seemed unending but all along it was tons of people! I even saw marathon maniac Ed in the screaming crowds. The energy was incredible, the anticipation of knowing the finish was moments away! Not just the finish of the race, it's the finish of months of training & commitment. Everything I put into this waiting for the medal to be put around my neck. As soon as I hit the 26 I bolted towards the finish. So many people screaming my name, shouting encouragements, I saw some of the running club peeps that did the 1/2. & then I finished!!! It felt incredible! Everyone said i would cry but I didn't, I felt too good to cry! Elizabeth's dad was at the finish I gave him a hug. Then as I came around the finish my favorite people in the whole world were waiting...my kids & my cousin had come out to see me finish! I stopped to hug and talk to them & then the hobbling started!
I'm sure I I had stopped at any point in the race I would have struggled cause as soon as I stopped at the en everything hurt!! The feeling of elation was the best pain med possible. Even though I hurt I couldn't stop smiling & feeling great!
I keep saying no one is supposed to have such a positive experience like I did doing a marathon...but maybe it's ok if I did. Now I just need to stop convincing myself that I was meant to do this & that is why & convince myself once is enough!!
The end



This was the last .2!









Hitting the finish line!



I'm a marathoner!



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Part 2

Did I quit blogging or what?! I can't believe I abandoned this for so long! It has been a huge part of my training & transformation!
I got out of the habit and I am hoping to get back into it as my next race is quickly approaching!
How lame that I waited so long to finish my story & have risked forgetting details...
So we hit the half way point with an awesome time 2:29! This was way faster a pace I had ever ran this long & had planned to run. We had passed the water station at mile 13 & Stacy did not get water or take her amino vital pack. We discussed how w could get her some water so she could take it. I was starting to lose steam even with the extra boost. I knew coming up at mile 15 I was meeting up with Michelle & was looking forward to that. I actually texted her to see if she had water (she did). Along Friars Rd right by my YMCA was a section of posters that had photos of leukemia fighters. This choked me up & made me miss my brother. Also a reminder of what I was doing!
When we turned onto Napa St there was such a great group of spectators! They had the best signs (I can't remember what they said but I remember I loved them). Pretty soon after we got onto Morena Blvd 2 things happened I slowed down & Michelle was there! So was her hubby & 2 precious daughters. They all ran along with us briefly and then said they would wait for us to make the turn around & come back. Stacy got her water & took the amino vitals...it must o put some pep in her step cause she took off ahead of us. I was happy to slow down at that point. I believe having Michelle for that stretch of the race was a huge part of my success. I was able to ditch my sunglasses that were bugging cause they kept fogging up. She talked with me & was VERY encouraging!! She attempted to offer comedic relief BUT I was not in a joke mood. She also helped me calculate the mileage i had ledt cause my brain on 17 miles couldnt add or subtract 1+1 Along Morena we met Ed, i didnt know he was Ed until much later, but now i know all about him. He had a joke had on. He ran up to me & congratulated me on my first marathon. He said this was his 83rd race this year. He told me to have fun, enjoy the race soak it all in! He said he runs for people like me to encourage & cheer people on. I now know that he is a marathon maniac (its a real club) he has the world record for most marathons & most miles in one year. He ran with us for a bit & chatted then headed on to spread his joy! After we made the turn around she assisted me with getting one of the pain gels I brought on my knees with out stopping. This was tricky! I was still so worried to stop & she was so awesome to help me facilitate this task on the go. She grabbed water bottle for me so I could open the gel, then I bent down & rubbed it on my knees with out stopping. At first I was so stressed cause it didn't seem to be working. My knees were no where near the unbearable pain I experienced during training runs BUT I was worried I was about to! Then the cooling sensation started to wave over my knees. It felt like ice!! It did not completely take my pain away BUT was tremendous relief. Shortly after this Michelle's family met back up with us & ran a little with us. Then we headed down Denver St. I was told there would be a house passing out oranges here & THERE WAS!!! the nice thing about a co-runner is she grabbed a few & i grabbed a few & she helped me eat oranges! Im telling you that it helped so much!!! After that she parted ways with me. That was tough, I really needed her and was afraid to head off alone. I was though headed to my own personal pit stop at mile 19. It was my friend Kathy's house! Pre race I had no clue what I would feel like or what supplies I may need at my pit stop. So I left with her (her house was ON the race course a change of socks, hat, pretzels, extra water bottle, gu's, pain spray, pain gels, sunscreen. BUT when I got there I didn't stop I literally ran through her yard had her pass me a water bottle & pretzels & just kept going! After Kathy's was the house with the beer keg (I heard about this too) but as much as I love a cold beer even that wasn't stopping me. I kept checking in mentally on the race & every time I asked myself how am I? I would realize I felt good! Now like lounging by the pool good but good for having ran the distance I had in the blazing sun. I had no pressure on myself & I know if I had felt the need to stop, slow down, walk, whatever I would have...it's just that I felt fine so there was no reason to! The overwhelming fear of stopping or walking resulting in knee pain WAS a big motivator for sure! After Denver street I passed over the freeway to the bay side. There was still a good 6 miles to go but I really felt like I was in the home stretch!.....to be continued (I promise!!!!)


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