The Big Decision

I've got about 10 more days before registration opens for the Vineman events. I have been giving serious consideration to doing the full Vineman in 2015. Of course, I have lots of questions...Am I ready for this distance? Why do I want to do this race? What happens if I get injured on the way to the start line? What kind of training am I going to do? Will HS train with me?

The simple act of even writing about considering this race takes me one step closer to actually signing up. Of course, I have floated the possibility of doing Vineman with a few people in my inner circle. I have also discussed the idea of this race with HS... with more care and forethought than if I had told him I was thinking about having another kid. LOL

If I do this race, I am all in... and I need my man, my best friend, my training partner, my sponsor, the love of my life (aka HS) to be all in too! It will probably be just has hard on him somedays as it is for me. I wouldn't ask him to support me in this endeavor if it wasn't important.

Vineman is ready. Am I?

Why?

Why Vineman? Well, after completing Barb's Race twice, I am familiar with the course. I like the swim venue and the bike course is beautiful. I also like the fact that the race promotes itself as a race for everyone...

"In 1990 the Vineman was designed to be "the people's full distance event" with an emphasis on making the average athlete's experience of completing the classic distance the most enjoyable and personalized as possible."

Of course, I have no delusions that "enjoyable and personalized" means easy. This is going to be a 140.6 mile journey...with lots of pain (and probably tears) along the way. During Barb's Race, as I approached the finish line, I would look at the Vineman competitors completing the bike leg of their race and vow to never put myself through that. The realization that they had a full marathon to run when I was dead tired after racing half of their distance made me question my sanity for even considering it.

Why Not?

During my first year competing in triathlons, I read book after book...story after story of Ironman competitors...their journeys, their training, their failures and their triumphs. The thing that got me every time was their recollection of crossing the finish line and hearing themselves announced as an Ironman. Well, since Vineman is not a trademarked Ironman event, there will be no such announcement. However, I have moved past that...the announcement is not important. I don't need everyone watching to hear my name announced as an Ironman. I need to know...in my heart...that I can complete the distance. The challenge is what is important, not the title.

The Plan

My plan is very basic at this point in time:

1) Sign up for the race (commitment is key)
2) Delete Candy Crush and all Facebook time sucking activities. I waste a lot of time on stupid games. If I'm going to seriously train, I need to use my time wisely. Instead of Candy Crush...housework, laundry, my man (not in that order)... you get the picture. I won't have time for crap.
3) Finish my annual training plan. Right now my plan is easy because it is basically just running to get me through CIM. Things change in January 2015.

Still working on this plan

4) Focus on form. I need to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and decides which disciplines may require some private coaching.
5) Enjoy the ride! This is going to be awesome!!!

Tarantula Run 2014 – Trail Racing at Los Vaqueros Reservoir Where Tarantulas Roam

I Don't Want To Run Today

There are some days when you just need to get out the door and do what you have to do...regardless if you feel like it or not. Today was one of those days...

As I was leaving work the outside temp was around 93 (according to my car). This was not what I wanted to see. I was already feeling mentally beat up from a long day at work and the last thing I wanted to do was run in the heat. It was one thing when I was training for Barb's Race and I knew it was going to be hot during the run. However, last year at CIM it was 27 freakin' degrees out! If I had managed to break a sweat in that race, it would have frozen!

Probably the only thing that got me out of the house today

So, as I was saying, I really didn't feel like running today. On top of that, my legs felt like they weighed 500 lbs. after Sunday's 18 mile run. There was just no way...let me repeat...no way I was going to be able to do 4 x 1 mile repeats at my 5k pace...NO WAY! Why 4 x 1 mile repeats? Because I found a marathon training plan for my ability/skill level that fits with my annual training plan.

Yes, as a matter of fact I do follow random training plans I find on the internet.

WARNING!!!

Think about it!  ;-)

Just Do It

I came home and synced my Garmin so it would have the workout I created on Garmin Connect. I programmed in a 2 mile warmup, 4 x 1 mile repeats with a minute rest in between, and ended with a 10 minute cool down.

Workout as planned

After all of my planning, I forgot to start the workout!  Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Instead, after checking my satellite status, I pressed start and began my warmup. HS eventually took off and ran at his own pace because my warmup was a little on the slow side. Honestly, it was as much a mental warm up as it was a physical warm up. Every step presented a new reason to stop... Ooooh? What was that? Something feels like it is rubbing my leg? Is that a real pain? I don't like the way my new water bottle feels in my hand. I can't pick up my feet. It's hot out! And on and on and on... for two miles! Two miles of walking and jogging and excuse making.

Yes, please! LOL

Time to Move

Eventually my two mile warm up ended. I think it took somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 minutes. It was at that point I realized I didn't start the "workout" on my 910XT. Normally, if you are running a workout, it gives you a countdown to the next pace or interval. Nothing happened this afternoon. Hmmm. I looked at my watched and started running at my 5k pace. Eventually it dawned on me what the problem was. Ugh! Another excuse to stop. I mean, why not? I didn't start the workout, why keep going?

Why keep going? Because I am training for 26.2 miles that kicked my butt last year. Because I am also in training (mentally) for running 26.2 miles after a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride. That's why I need to keep going. Besides, not having the workout running on my watch is not exactly a deal breaker...I know how to work my Garmin with or without a pre-programmed workout running.

So I manually worked my Garmin and did my repeats. I had planned to run at a 8:10-8:20 pace. I thought I was being conservative because my legs were tired. The first mile felt pretty good and I tried to ease up a bit so I would have something left for repeats 2-4. My one minute rest was extended a bit due to a traffic signal and because I'm 46 and can do whatever the hell I please! So there!

Mile 2 felt a little bit better (probably due to another traffic break LOL). Mile 3 was good too. At that point, all of the negativity that plagued me during my warm up disappeared and my attitude did a 180! Bring on mile 4!!! During the last half of mile 4 I pushed it a bit more just because I knew it was almost over. As I eased into my cool down, I congratulated myself on starting and finishing...I'm so glad I didn't call it quits :-)

This is why I post my workouts :-)

4 x 1 Mile Repeat Workout - Garmin Connect