No Blogging...until Tuesday

So that Alida doesn't have a fit...I need to let you all know. I am headed to California. Wildflower Triathlon with 30 of my closest friends. Final TNT trip as Team Manager. I will be camping also. No Computer. No Cell Phone.

Training will be difficult and I will have to get creative.

Have a great weekend.

Don't miss me!!

And Good Luck Pat Evoe....St. Croix, 70.3!!

Tough yet Effective...

I have had some allergy and chest congestion issues since Wednesday...I took Thursday and Friday off to recover for the weekend.

Saturday- 4 hr, 15 min bike ride (70 miles) averaging 17-17.5 mph followed by a 60 minute run putting in almost 7 miles. I started this workout with Maggie at 1:00 in the afternoon...it was HOT.

Sunday- 90 minute bike ride with 5, 10, 15 & 20 min at goal pace with 5 minutes in between. It was raining outside so it became a day on the trainer. Did that and then off on a 2 hour run. I did some hills within this run and the exciting thing is I felt strong!! My feet were a bit sore and tender by the end of the run (did I mention I NEED new running shoes?) but my body felt like it had MORE in it. I am guessing that is the way I should be feeling?

Super exciting friends!!!

This Week's Training!!

Monday- swim with T3 tonight!
Tuesday- 75 minute ride (AM workout), 75 min ride with TEAM MAGLEEN and 60 minute run. (PM workout)
Wednesday- swim with T3, early morning!!
Thursday- Bike workout in the AM, possible hill repeats. 40 min ez run with 2-3 strides (PM)
Friday- DAY OFF!!!! WOO HOO!!!
Saturday- 2.5-4.0 hrs ride with 3 X (20-30 min at goal pace) all with 15 min ez in between. 60 minute run off the bike.
Sunday- 90 min ride with 15,10,5 min fast all with 5 min ez, 2 hour run off the bike!

DOUBLE BRICK WEEKEND.....who is in??? anyone?

It's gonna be RAD!!!

by they way, TODAY is 2 month until race day!!!!

Running, Radiohead & Homeslice Pizza!

"I am building a fire and everyday I train I add more fuel....at just the right moment, I light the match." Mia Hamm

I love this quote. Thanks for sending it to me Beth C.!!! That is how my run felt yesterday. I knew my legs were tired from my ride on Saturday but I took off for Town Lake Trail to get in the 2.5 hours on my schedule.

The first 8 miles were slightly painful as I couldn't get into a rhythm and I was wondering if I would actually complete the 2.5 hours. It was around mile 8.5 that my body started to not feel so heavy and I picked it up.

The reason why? I changed the iPod from shuffle to just Radiohead tunes. Thom Yorke sang right to me and each step became easier! Thanks so much for joining me on my long run Thom!!!

I stopped at 2.5 hours and had completed 17 mile total averaging around 9 miles/hour. I was happy with that. I felt like once I pushed through the crazy feeling in my legs and lit the match.....WATCH OUT!!

Got home, started to ice my legs for about 10 minute and headed to Homeslice for some pizza & beer. I had good company while I was there....he makes me smile just a bit.

Holy Hilly workout batman!!!

Yes, Saturday was a FUN day of hills, sweat and the chance to test my mental game in this thing we call Ironman training.

Here is what took place:

630 AM, wake up, eat and get ready to RIDE.
715 AM, leave the house and head out to LCRA parking lot on Lake Austin Blvd. Met with the TNT Cap Tex Tri team. Spend a few minutes encouraging them for their day and take off...here is where it gets interesting.

I had looked on my map and saw that I could take Red Bud Tr. to Westlake Dr. and pop out at Davenport Village off of 360 where the TNT Wildflower team is doing a multiple brick workout so then I can say hi to them.

Let's remember friends. I still don't know Austin that well and had no idea that taking off on Red Bud and Westlake was going to be hilly terrain and I also met a ravenous dog that wanted to take off my leg while riding by.

I finally get to 360, say hi to the team and I am off on the 5 hour adventure...here is the rest of what I rode on Saturday, May 19, 2008.

360 to Bee Caves
Bee Caves to 620...up 620
Steiner Ranch 4 mile loop doing 3 repeats of the final hill on 620.
Riverplace...yes more climbing.
Down City Park, finally some recovery
Right on Courtyard....10% grade climb. ouch.
back to 360.
(insert tiny mental breakdown here)
Then Bee Caves to Barton Creek
one final climb up Lost Creek.
Back home. Change Shoes. 30 minute run.

If you are tired reading this and if you KNOW these roads. Tough day. Oh, did I mention I was by myself? Yeah...by myself. 75 miles, 5 hours of climbing.

This afternoon I will run 2.5 hours. Longest run yet...details to follow.

ACL LINEUP!!!!!!!!

September 26-28. This is where I will be. Will you?

Kicking some serious AZ!!!!

Gotta give these girls some space in my blog... Wendy and Carrie completely DESTROYED Ironman Arizona...check this out, I just got to brag!!

Wendy C., age 46, breast cancer survivor, first Ironman and amazing spirit too! Here is what she did to the course:

Swim 1:10:47
Bike 6:09:26 (18.19 mph, yeah..BAD ASS)
Run 4:37:50
Total: 12:08:16 432 overall and 4th in her age group!!

Carrie B., age ___, super fun triathlet in Austin, first Ironman, supportive of others goals, has a great blog...Tri to Be Funny.
Here is what she did to the course:

Swim 1:20:24
Bike 6:40:24
Run 4:04:40 (9:20/ mile average...HOLY SHIT!!!)
Total: 12:16:41 471 overall and 12th in her age group (tough age group, 75 total)

YEAH, freaking ROCK STARS, so glad to know you two ladies!!!

Can't wait to see what you do to your SECOND Ironman!!! (did I just say that?)

Curvy Road Ahead

So this has become one of my favorite signs in Austin. As I learn new routes and visit old one's, I love to see that there may be something fun coming up! This weekend was about intensity not about volume on the bike. I also had a lot of personal commitments throughout the weekend...Here is what the weekend looked like for training...

Friday night- Open Water Swim at the Quarry. I made it around 3 laps...approximately 2300m and here were my splits for each lap...
15:16
16:18
16:07

First lap was obviously a bit fast (I was without wetsuit so I was just trying to get warm!!!) and then the last 2 were pretty consistent...I was happy with that.

Saturday- ride 2.5 hours, hilly ride. I did SW Pkwy to Barton Creek to Bee Caves, and turned around close to 620 and headed back in, completing the ride with 2 repeats of the FULL Lost Creek....what a bitch that was, yet effective. Made it back to my house by 1030, showered and cleaned up, time to go to a friends wedding!

Sunday- got my run in...late afternoon which was good for me but really hard. I was supposed to run 2 hours, and I did BUT it felt like 6 hours. My legs were led for first 30 minutes and then I came across these ladies sitting out on the trail with a sign that said "FREE ADVICE" I of course could NOT pass this up, I stopped to talk to them and they asked me what I was training for...as I told them, their free advice was, "why are you doing this? Stop running now and go have a margarita!!" gotta love free advice!

This week is going to be tough fitting in life and training but I will do my darndest...here is what I have done already and will do.

Monday- swim 60 min. T3 swim at night, 2900m, swam my 100m at 95% in 1:45!! Was super excited to see that!
Tuesday- got up for 75 min. on the trainer with some timed sections in the big gear for climbing. Yeah!! Tonight will be a 60 min run with some tempo and sprints inter-mixed!
Wednesday- swim with T3, brick with Maggie perhaps.
Thursday- run in the AM, Texas Iron bike workout in the PM.
Friday- Open Water swim at the Quarry, will go for 4 times around.
Saturday- long bike, 4.5-5 hour ride with a 30 min run off the bike.
Sunday- 2.75 hour run....ugh. & a 45 minute recovery swim.

Super Swimmer

So I redeemed myself last night at my Swim session with Chrissie at T3. I did not get up Wednesday morning, because my body is really tired with all that is going on at work and fitting in training, I took the morning to sleep in. (yes, until 730 AM...but that is sleeping in at this point!) I knew I had nothing on my plate on Wednesday night so I would go to swim at night.

I don't want to make a habit of this as swimming at night is so hard, I just want to go home and curl up with a book and go to bed...instead my evening was extended to swim from 710- about 820 and I didn't get home until after 900 after grabbing some food.

What I loved is that because the Arizona folk were not at swim AND the cloudy skies kept people away, I got a lot of personal attention since we only had about 6 people total.

It was a tough workout, some super long sets...2900m total.

The workout began with a 600m warm-up and our final set was a 6X50 with the first two 50s at 90% and the third 50 at 80% (recovery). Repeating this twice. I took off for my first 50 and held it at 51 seconds!!!! (fast for me) Chrissie said, "now you have to hold that and/or get faster." Yikes. Maybe I took off to fast!!?!?!?!? Nope, I surprised myself holing the 51 seconds for the next 50. During the 4th and 5th 50m, I held it at 49 seconds...yeah took off 2 more seconds!!! You must realize that when I came to T3 in November of last year, Mo called me Windmill arms as I motored my way through the water, with no rhyme or reason to my technique. And my 50m was probably well into the 1:15-1:20 mark. To see my times get better AND to do this at the end of a long workout, means I am getting stronger. The hour and twenty minute swim for my Ironman is looking more and more doable!!

I think I will keep swimming after Ironman, just because I am seeing it improve my overall fitness. And I am starting to like it!!

Beer=bad swim

Tip of the week:

Apparently, when you decide to stay out late and watch the NCAA final game and drink through almost a pitcher of beer you will feel like complete $hit for your 545 AM swim practice in the morning. And sometimes through lunch.

or at least that is what I heard.

Weekend Update!

This past weekend was JAM packed with stuff, but I managed to get it all in...

Saturday- Met up with some of the TNT Wildflower folks to ride out to Johnson City. I love this ride! Pretty terrain, rolling hills and the weather was picture perfect for us! I got in the 60 miles and then off the bike for a 20 min run. I am being pretty picky about nutrition at this point. I finished all the water and food I needed to and the 20 minute run actually felt good!

(then I went with the some of the TEAM for a Burger, got home, had about 2 hours to myself and then off for a gig at Carlos & Charlie's with my band. When I got home at midnight...me was very tired)

Sunday- took the morning to sleep in, which sadly at this point is anything past 800 AM!! I got up at 830 AM, met Mama T for church and then I had to do a 1.5 hour run. Finished that and spent the rest of the day doing laundry, working on some music stuff and making my plan for the week.

I have found if I sit down on Sunday afternoon and just take ONE week at a time, I don't get overwhelmed with the ENTIRE Ironman Schedule. Here is what this week looks like:

Monday- day off (We like that)
Tuesday- Swim with T3, 45 min run with 5 X 1 min fast, 2 min ez
Wednesday- Swim with T3, 75 minute ride on trainer
Thursday- Texas Iron Brick workout, (don't know if I will make this so will do on my own)
Friday- Swim at the Quarry, open water practice
Saturday- 60 minute swim at Bartson Springs, 2.5-3.0 hour ride immediately after.
Sunday- 90 minute base run

Last week I dialed back things about 50% during the week to recover from Lonestar and then hit things on the weekend.

I am back in the swing and feel really great about where I am with IM training!

Thanks for ALL the support friends...your emails, texts & calls have been awesome!

A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO CARRIE B. (Austin) & WENDY C. (Orlando) doing IRONMAN ARIZONA THIS WEEKEND!!! IT IS THEIR FIRST 140.6....BOTH OF YOU WILL KICK SOME SERIOUS ASS!!!

Best Finish Yet.

I am guessing my Ironman finish will be pretty awesome too....but this day will be on my brain for some time.

Good week, ready to get back!!

Before going into the weekend here is what my week looked like:

Monday- DAY OFF!! Beers and Tex Mex with Meg B. and Amanda F.
Tuesday- swim 2400m
Wednesday- swim 2900m & 1 hour bike on trainer. (yes, I was supposed to ride with Maggie, however when you get to the location and have no helmet then you are punished to the indoor trainer. yuck)
Thursday- 2 mile run in the AM, Texas Iron Brick workout on 620 hills..Tough, totally kicked my ass!!
Friday- Open Water swim tonight..will try to go 1.5 miles.

Here is what the weekend will look like:
Saturday- 3-4 hour base ride
Sunday- 1.5 hour run, 45 minute recovery swim

That is recovery week for me and next week I am back to hitting it hard reaching for the peak!!

I am a little over TWO Months away from the BIG day!!

Get excited folks!

Get your T-shirts!!

Ok...so my old roomie from Florida is a LITTLE bit excited about the Ironman coming up. She thinks I am crazy, but because I do crazy things she get's to make t-shirts! She has already worked on one design for CdA. Of course, my one request was...you gotta cheer on Team Magleen. One don't come without the other .....unless you want to possibly buy one of us dinner and drinks?

Recovery Week??

Coach Jamie wrote, "This week should be all about recovery. Cut out the intensity for the first part of the week and dial things back by 50% for the entire week. Excpet swim workouts, you can still do the full time on those. Friday should be off."

Here is what my week will look like with 'dialing things back'. I love Ironman training.

Monday- Day off!!!! Dinner with Meg B. & Amanda F.
Tuesday- 2300 m swim, 25 minute run EZ tempo.
Wednesday- 2900 m swim, 60 minute EZ spin. (with Maggie in the PM!!!)
Thursday- Texas Iron Brick Workout
Friday- Day off!!! :)
Saturday- 3 hour base ride, 20 min run off bike.
Sunday- 1-1.5 hour run (depending on how I am feeling) and a 45 minute recovery swim.

What I love that even though dialing back....I am still going almost 12 hours. Awesome.

Welcome to April and May Colleen.

A few pictures...post race!!

Me and Miss Carrie W.- she did her FIRST triathlon!!

me, my medal & free beer. It doesn't get much better than this folks!