I'm a triathlete, not a rock climber!

It's been a while since I've done long ride over the GW bridge because it's been too cold (I've learned my lesson that sometimes an indoor session is the only option). Yesterday, I finally got to do it in perfect weather. River Rd., for any locals who may read this, is still blocked off 3/4 of the way through (heading north) by a 25-foot-wide wall of boulders. It's the biggest let down to be cruising along preparing for that final push up the big climb only to come upon this road block and have to turn back. Again, I hoisted myself up two or three boulders to contemplate scrambling across, but common sense prevailed. In slippery cycling shoes with a bike over one shoulder in a park where there's nobody around and a nice little drop off where I could lay in a ditch for hours...nah. I turned back and went out to 9W instead where I continued for a total of around 60 miles. I felt really strong on the ride. Coming back, the weather started to turn and I got hit with a nasty little headwind, but I used it as an opportunity to practice tucking into my most aerodynamic position and pushing through.

I woke up in the middle of the night with a nasty cramp in one of my quads. It felt more like a searing pain than a typical muscle cramp, but I stretched it out and fell back asleep. I hope it doesn't come back when I'm biking this morning in Central Park with Team Lipstick. Having your coach start screaming in agony while training you probably isn't the best motivator.

Adaptation

I set out this morning for an easy 90-minute run in Central Park. To make it more interesting and gentle on my foot, and purposely slower than my usual pace (so it's a true endurance run and not endurance that turns into tempo, which is what happens often when I'm running my usual paved loop), I decided I'd stick to the dirt bridle paths. About half-way through, a beautiful red-tailed hawk swooped across my path and landed on a nearby tree branch. One word entered my mind and I smiled: adaptation. 

Swimming in NYC? Not Always Easy!

Yesterday, I headed to Equinox for a swim then strength training. After being hassled by the staff over my comp all-access card, I find out the filtration and heating system is broken, so the pool is basically a frigid puddle of green, very slimy water. But, since I accomplished the unimaginable and made it past the "bouncers," I figured I'd switch around my plan: weight train there and then go up 8 blocks to Reebok Sports Club for my swim. I knew this wasn't ideal -- it's better to do the swim, bike or run workout before tiring out the muscles with weights -- but thought I'd take it easy on the upper body and focus on lower. Lesson learned. At the pool, I could go only about 100 meters before feeling that heavy burn in my arms and I had to stop for a break. I think I worked 'em more than I thought I had. 

To answer some of your questions, I did the LT and VO2 Max testing at Cadence in Tribeca. It's expensive, but I think the amount of time and expert knowledge you get out of it is worth it. It's hard to say where I came in compared to other athletes since most data provides information on the general population. Probably the most valuable information I got is that I'm currently working at only 87.1% of my VO2 Max. Though a person's VO2 Max can't change much (a lot of it is genetics), the LT can improve and doing so would increase the percentage of VO2 Max at which I'm working. Highly trained athletes who have been training for many years can work for long periods of time at 90-95% of their VO2 Max.

I'm off to meet the team in Central Park for a bike workout. Since it'll take me 15 minutes to put on all three layers of gear, I'd better get going. 

Update

I'm getting back into running, but still feeling (right) foot issues and now I think the ITB in my right leg is starting to bother me again. I'm going orthotic. I think it'll help get me back on track and really, with everything else I've been trying to do to correct my problem, why not give them a try? I feel good to have finally made this decision. 

Yesterday was a big day of training. One hour run in Central Park straight to the pool where I did about a half hour of drills and then on to my main set. After that, I ran errands, literally, around my neighborhood and then an hour of strength training in the afternoon. Having a backpack full of groceries, I found, is a great way to work on running strength!

The pool was VERY crowded and sort of annoying. There was this one woman who would not accept the idea of circling and was giving the poor lifeguard a hard time about it. The funny thing about it is she was pregnant. I wanted so badly to ask her how she was going to teach her child to share. I knew if I opened my mouth, I'd end up being the one getting the boot, so I just shut up and swam. 

This past Tuesday, I got my lactate threshold and VO2 Max tested. It was a killer test, but strangely I enjoyed the torture. My numbers came out around where I expected/hoped them to be and now I have my exact HR zones for upcoming workouts -- very useful information!

Today, I'll go for a nice, easy bike (work on that endurance) in Central Park. I'm hoping the roads dry a little more so I don't have to completely wash the bike again when I get home, but I don't see that happening. 

Embracing change

Life's been busier than usual. I sometimes wonder how in the world I was able to do as much as I do while also working 40 hrs./week. It's now 5 months since I've left the corporate world and last night was the first time I started to miss it a little. But the weirdest part about that is what I miss. It isn't really the people or job itself, it's the amount of knowledge I gained on a daily basis. I was a financial editor, basically, which meant I was privy to some of the greatest minds' work. This is the last thing I thought I'd miss. Maybe right now, I'm better off not knowing, I'm sure a lot of people on Wall St. would tell me that.

In exchange, I'm completely submersed in triathlon and loving it. After all, this is my true calling and as I get closer to my goal of coaching athletes and attaining my own personal athletic goals, I couldn't feel more blessed for being given the opportunity to pursue it. 

I surprised myself yesterday by how strong I felt in the pool. I did a bit of a time trial just to see where I was and ended up lapping two strong guys I was sharing the fast lane with. It became kind of a game for me because they were pushing me and I just kept pushing back. Ah, competition. It's delicious. I think the drills are working! Now, if only my foot would heal. Still no running for now, which really stinks, but at least I'm keeping up with swimming, biking and strength training. I keep hearing my doctor saying, "you'll come back even stronger if you rest." 

Mmmm...Pancakes

There's this mysterious yet delicious scent of maple syrup that wafts through the city every now and then. Today, I smell it more than ever before. I was coming up from the subway following a swim workout and it was like, "OMG, I want pancakes now!" I think if I had been running with that smell all around, I'd have gone into some weird Homer Simpson-like trance where every little animal in the park turned into a yummy breakfast treat.

But, today was a swim workout. Did some kick drills and a couple 500s, mostly. I've been told I'm not allowed to run for a week to really try and get rid of the tendonitis, so I think there will be more swimming and less running for at least a little while. I was also warned not to spend too much time on the bike for the same reason, but biking, obviously, isn't as stressful. It's probably just as well, my legs feel pretty shot after many days of running, biking and weight training. They need a little rest, so the pool is where I'm at!

An Interesting Spin

I've had a busy last couple of days. Lots of training and getting on with my new goals. As far as training goes, I've been doing really well with my swimming drills. I'm already feeling better about my body position and driving power more from my core, less from the arms, and improving my kick.  I also had another fun time at Cadence on Saturday with Team Lipstick on the computrainers. Not only am I enjoying the workouts there, but also having fun getting to know everyone better. 

Finally, I spent all day yesterday up in Rhinebeck, NY getting my Schwinn Indoor Cycling Coach certification. I'm looking forward to putting my own personal "stamp" on what I learned and developing the classes I want to teach. I've always been told I'm someone who inspires people at the gym, so I'm excited to take on this new role as teacher.

Today I'll be doing an easy hour and a half run, as long as my foot doesn't start hurting. It seems to be doing a little better each day.