Marathon Day

Marathon morning, at a traffic light on the West Side Highway, the cabbie and I are chatting when suddenly, "BAM!" a Mercedes SUV slams into the back of us. Next thing I know, the cabbie and a guy in a halloween costume are standing in the middle of the highway arguing. The cabbie comes back and tells me this dude is clearly drunk; he's calling the cops. By now, I know I'm not seriously hurt. With the day I have ahead of me, I'll probably feel like I was in a car accident by Monday anyway and I really want to get going. Just as I'm starting to worry I won't meet my friends in time and I'll miss my ferry, the drunk weaves around us and takes off.

We continue our way downtown and finally reach the ferry terminal. Inside, large groups of post-halloween revelers are scattered among large groups of marathoners. I feel like I'm in a Stanley Kubrick film. Like somehow, to someone, this all makes sense but damned if I understand it. Luckily, my friends are right there and the three of us make our way across the river.

My friend, Kristin Thor Budden, a triathlete I met at the Mighty Montauk in June, and I were put in the same start corral and had decided we'd attempt to run together. Our half-marathon PRs are within 30 seconds of one another and we both have a 3:20-3:25 goal for the marathon, which is her first as well as mine.

We both were worried we'd start off too fast, so we were careful at the beginning. I called out our average per-mile pace at each mile marker and she looked at our overall time and the ground we'd covered so far and told me how close to our goal pace we were. It was awesome teamwork. It was also nice to have someone there to chat with now and then to take my mind off the running. I made a conscious effort to take in the crowds as much as I could, too.

Brooklyn was amazing. Not surprisingly, there was a clear fondness for the runners from Italia. I particularly appreciated the Polish part of town. Passing by the Polish markets, I thought of my Babcia (grandma) and Dziadek (grandpa). They would be so proud of me right now. We reach the half-marathon marker in 1:40 and we're really excited by how well we're pacing ourselves!

Of Queens, I remember the 59th street bridge. How quiet and dark it was. Everyone says it's one of the hardest parts of the race for this reason, but I enjoyed the silence. Maybe because all of my training had been done alone and without headphones, it didn't bother me at all.

The bridge spills the runners out onto First Ave. in Manhattan, where the crowd is thick and the cheering intense. I must have been getting tired by now because as we passed the cross street that would lead me back to my apartment, I considered, for a second, how easy it would be to turn and head home. I didn't.

All the way up into the Bronx we go before crossing another bridge to come back down into Manhattan for the last 10k. I never realized before that Fifth ave., heading south, is practically all uphill! I was having a pretty hard time by this point. Random muscles in my legs were threatening to just seize up and drop me. I found myself consciously sending brain signals to them, telling them to knock it off and keep working like I taught them to. Kristin looked so good. She was really keeping me going at this point. Then, she said exactly what I needed to hear: "this sucks!" If she's hurting and still doing this, at the pace we've been keeping this far, I can too. "What will hurt more," I ask myself, "working this hard for another few miles or slowing down and accepting defeat?" This is not an option.

We finally get to Central Park. My park. If I added up all the hours I've spent here, the distance I've trained on these roads, it would be months of time and hundreds of miles. We surge through to the 800 meter mark, then 400 meters. I see the finish and let out a gigantic scream as I cross it.

We finished in 3:23:41. I'm really happy with this time, but more than that, happy that we were able to run a smart, strong first marathon. We held our pace throughout the entire 26.2 miles. Found it in us to dig deeper and push ourselves harder when it started to hurt and our bodies wanted to quit. We worked together and, while we were at it, had a little fun, too!

Pre-Marathon Photos

Today was a perfect day to go for a walk in the park and get myself pumped for Sunday. I was accompanied by my buddy Claire, who is also doing the race (her first marathon, too). We can't wait to toe the line and give it our best!

Final Countdown!

I never had the desire to run a marathon before, but 16 weeks ago, fresh out of surgery and wondering what the hell I was going to do, it became the obvious answer. It seems like just yesterday I was sneaking off to the treadmill, keeping my bandaged arm elevated while I ran to minimize the throbbing pain. I could get through a mile or two before I had to stop.

Ten days post-op, the healing was going well and I went into a removable brace instead of a cast. With that, I started running again in Central Park. Sure, I got some weird looks, but I was just happy to be out there. My days throughout July, August and September consisted mostly of training for the marathon and visiting the hand therapist. Not very exciting!

But here I am, less than a week to go, and I feel ready and excited for the day to finally arrive. My bib number is 9647 and I depart Staten Island in the first wave of runners at 9:40 am. My goal has been to run at a pace that will get me to the finish by around 1:00 pm. Athlete tracking, if you wish to do so, is available here: http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/athlete_alert.htm.

I can't wait!

A Successful Staten Island Recon Mission

Two weeks after the Cow Harbor 10k, I did the Staten Island 1/2 marathon. The race itself wasn't as important to me as taking a test trip downtown, to the ferry, across the river and to where the NYC Marathon will begin just weeks later. It was a reconnaissance mission of sorts. Of course, I wanted to get a good last-minute gauge of my fitness level as well.

Running through the closed Staten Island streets, not everyone was giving us a warm welcome. At the first turn, a woman who looked to be about 40 but was probably only 28 stood outside her car shouting, "you gotta be f-ing kidding me. You f-ing runners!" Awesome.

I started out at what I thought was a pace I wouldn't be able to hold for 13.1 miles, but as the miles ticked by, I felt good! My knee has been an issue for weeks, and I still felt it a little, but it wasn't terrible and the more I ran, the less it hurt. I think I did a really great job pacing myself, listening to my body and having fun while I was at it. I made sure I thanked the volunteers and even chatted a bit with a few fellow runners.

With three miles to go, I spotted a woman ahead and knew I could overtake her. I made my move as we cut around the inside of a turn and with that, she spit at me! Well, in my general direction making sure I heard her. Okay, maybe I cut her off. Whatever. She got her revenge. She ended up passing me, giving me a bit of a run for my money while she was at it, and went on to finish about 30 seconds before me. I thanked her after the race. I learned something from that experience. Well, a couple of things!

I finished 25th woman overall and 3rd in my division. I didn't stick around to find this out because I really just wanted to get back home, so I had to go to the New York Roadrunner headquarters to pick up my award later in the week. I should have looked at the award, but instead I just stuck it in my bag and walked home. I get home, take it out of my bag. Oh, that's nice. Wait. "Men - 35-39 - 3rd Place." Oh shit.

Cow Harbor 10k

My friend Jeannette and I did the Cow Harbor 10k yesterday in Northport, LI. This is one of the most difficult and competitive courses in the area and a race I've done every year since 2006. I decided to treat it as a training run this time because I'm focusing on the marathon and I knew with all the longer runs I've been doing, I probably wouldn't be as fast as I was last year when I finished in 41:45. Also, the knee is still an issue and I'm getting over a cold that just won't give up.

The first mile includes a very steep climb, so I told myself to just start easy and find my pace. Training run, remember? Sounds like a good plan but in a race, it's so easy to get carried away. My first mile was a 6:37. What happened to training run? Eh, you know what? The weather's perfect, I haven't raced since June and I'm feeling pretty good. Maybe I can do this, I thought. But my mind kept going back and forth with every mile. I went from wanting to give it all I have to remembering that I'm dealing with a knee problem, a cold, and that I have the marathon to think about, which is exactly 5 weeks from today. I also found myself being more cautious than usual on the downhills because I didn't trust my knee as much as I normally do, but I also felt stronger on the climbs than I thought I would.

Then I started passing other women and wondering if I could place top three in my age group. Cow Harbor is one of those races everyone knows, even non-runners, and it draws a large field of national talent. As an example, Ryan Hall broke the course record and won in 2006 in 28:55. This year, the female winner was Katie McGregor in 33:12. At this race, I think I'll always be an age grouper! I was 10th in my age group in '06, 5th in '07 and 7th in '08. Despite finishing 54 seconds slower than I did last year, I placed 3rd yesterday!

I was pretty excited to finally receive a Cow Harbor award. I hung out, patiently waiting for them to get through all the top-10 awards and a raffle drawing that went on forever. And then everyone just starts leaving! Turns out they just mail out the age group awards because they "don't have time" to hand them out in person. Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait just a little longer. What a bummer!

Stronger

Biking around Central Park this morning, I happen to be keeping pace with a guy I don't know. As I pass him, he says, "you're lighter, more aerodynamic." I've heard this one a million times and with what I've been through this summer, I'm not havin' it. "Is that your excuse?" I ask. "This is my third time on the bike since July 4th, when I broke my wrist." he looks over at me, "Okay, you're stronger..." Heh, heh. That's right, mother f-er.

Please knee, not now...

Yesterday's 10-mile tempo run went as planned, but today I'm feeling a strange pain in my right knee. It hurts when I step forward and if I give a bit of a kick, it hurts more. I hope it's nothing serious and it goes away on its own very soon. Maybe it's from walking around so damn much in flip flops.

Today is a crosstraining day. I'm planning an easy bike ride in Central Park and then some strength training later on -- if my knee cooperates, that is. I'd love to ride over the GW bridge, like old times, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Besides, I'm afraid once I do it, I'll fall in love with it again and be back to my once-a-week 5-hour rides. I really don't need that before November 1 -- MARATHON DAY. I need to stay focused on my running (and not getting injured).

I felt like everyone I know raced a tri this weekend except me. This is really hard to deal with emotionally and now that I'm feeling pretty good physically, it's even harder. I'm so glad I have the marathon as my goal. It's definitely keeping me in check.

My Life After Lehman

I can't believe a year has gone by since I walked away from my job at Lehman Brothers, having been part of the mass layoff that happened just days before the firm ceased to exist. It's crazy to think of all the ways my life has changed since then. Next week, I start co-leading a beginner cycling program for women here in NYC. And in January, I'll be the lead coach for Team Lipstick's first half ironman training program. I've never felt this proud or passionate about anything I've done before. I love the direction my life has taken. I'm even okay with the missteps and disappointments I've had along the way. My stubborn personality is what makes it necessary for me to learn the hard way sometimes but it's also why I'm able to pick myself up and keep working toward my goals.

I'm also keeping busy as I continue training for the NYC marathon. I'm surprised at how well my body has taken to all this running and even more surprised by how little bike fitness I seem to have lost over the past 9 weeks. I've only gotten out for two relatively short rides since the accident, today being the second, but I feel great out there and my strength and speed seem to have suffered very little. I think it's because of all the running and the fact I barely stopped strength training following my surgery.

I still go to the hand therapist 9-10 hours per week, too. I'm at a point where a lot of the exercises have become too easy but they find ways to make them more challenging. There's this one where I clip big plastic clothespins of varying degrees of tension onto a metal rod. When the hardest became too easy, they started adding rubber bands to the ends. That's starting to get too easy now, too, but I'm sure they have other tricks up their sleeves.

NYC Marathon!

For anyone unaware, I'll be running this year's NYC marathon for the Arthritis Foundation. Training's been difficult since I had to take off a little time due to my bike accident and the fact I'm still recovering from a broken wrist, but I'm finally starting to feel a bit more like myself when I go out to run.

The recent heat wave hasn't made it any easier and I find myself looking forward to the fall more than ever, especially now that I'm not doing any more triathlons this season. I also happen to be one of those freaks who prefers working out in the cold weather over heat no matter what. This is how I ended up with frostbite on three toes, matter of fact, but you live and learn, right?

So, since this will be my first marathon, my goal is to improve my running for the 2010 triathlon season and not get injured along the way. But more importantly, it's to raise $3,000 for the Arthritis Foundation. Arthritis affects over 43 million people in the US, including someone I love very dearly. If you can help me reach my goal, even if it's just with a small donation, please visit my fundraising page: http://afnycmarathon.kintera.org/jenniferplace.

Thank you!

Team Lipstick Pride

After a boat trip to Westbrook, CT this weekend, I arrived back in NYC last night to see that Team Lipstick turned out another fantastic race performance in Harriman, NY. I'm so proud to say I coach this team and excited to think about how for many of these women, this is their first season of racing. I see many of them becoming known in the tri community as someone to watch and I hope they realize they motivate me as much as I try to motivate them. I just spent an hour on the bike trainer so I can keep up when I get back outside!

One Month Post-Op

Since my accident on July 4, I don't think I've stayed in one place longer than five days. I had a vacation to Block Island and Sag Harbor and spent a lot of time with family and friends. Now, one month later, I'm out of the brace and working on gaining full mobility. This will take many months, but I see improvement every day. I need to be vigilant about massaging the area to decrease scar tissue build up (which my honey is doing for me above) and stretching my hand across the full range of motion even though it really hurts to do both these things. I'll be going to physical therapy three times a week to hopefully speed up this part of my recovery.

At my follow up with my surgeon, I mentioned my thumb was still hurting. What? I didn't mention the thumb before surgery? I guess I figured what's a thumb when your freakin' wrist is busted? Well, it turns out so was my thumb. Luckily, not so bad that it didn't heal just fine on its own. Actually, the surgeon said I'm probably lucky I never mentioned it because if he had known, he'd have immobilized me even more!

Instead, he's "letting me out of the gate." I can do pretty much anything I feel comfortable with and the more I use my hand, the better off I'll be. I know I can't safely ride my bike yet (I'm still not comfortable reaching for the brake or putting full weight on that hand), but I swam in the open water for the first time since the crash this weekend. Though I moved a bit slower than I usually would move at this time of year, I couldn't have been happier to be out there again.

Two Weeks Post-Op

It's been exactly two weeks since surgery. My follow-up appointment was five days ago and the doctor let me go right into the brace instead of a hard cast (the photo above was taken before this, so it's the dressing from the surgery, not the brace you see).

I'm so relieved since it's a lot lighter, cooler and removable, which means I can wear it in the water, take it off to shower and wash it after a run. the scars are pretty deep -- I have one down the palm of my hand and another zig-zaging lengthwise down the inside of my wrist. Looks like the surgeon sneezed. I have a few basic wrist exercises to do 3-4 times a day, but I start seeing a hand therapist tomorrow so I can really begin rehab.

Four days after surgery, I was back in the gym running on the treadmill. As the blood started to flow and my heart rate increased, the wrist began throbbing a bit. After one mile, I thought maybe I'd better ease back into this slowly so I stopped and did some leg exercises. The next day, I did 2 miles on the treadmill and rode the spin bike for a half hour. I noticed that the throbbing is the same whether I'm running or spinning, so it's not so much the motion or jostling of my arm as it is the increased blood flow to the injured area. To me, if the sensation is the same running as it on the bike, there's no reason I shouldn't be running.

At my follow up, I told the doctor I was already running. He was shocked. "Sorry, but this is what I do!" I said to him. He said I need to see him again in two weeks and no running until then, but I can ride the spin bike if I want. I asked why I can't run yet and his response was because nobody else has ever started to run this soon after surgery and "I don't think you want to be the test subject." I thought about this as I left his office, got on the subway, made my way back to the gym and ran 5 miles.

All American

It was a bittersweet moment when this certificate arrived in the mail the other day. Basically, it means I'm ranked in the top 10% of my age group nationally. It also means I'm invited to race in the Age Group Nationals this August. I was already aware I had qualified for Nationals when this showed up and was going until my crash abruptly ended that plan. I was excited to do it, so hopefully I'll qualify again.

Team Lipstick Shows Some Love

This afternoon, the team got together to cheer me up -- and that they did! It's amazing how great these women are at pulling together such a fabulous party on such short notice, complete with a full lunch spread, including dessert, and some amazing "get well soon" gifts (check out my new yellow jersey)! Also, look at how beautiful they are after a bike ride over the GW Bridge! 

I also got a bottle of wine, a Rocco cookbook (a fellow triathlete!), edible arrangement of fresh fruit and a box of chocolate-covered strawberries. My plan is to watch the Tour with the wine and fruit and wear the yellow jersey when I get on the indoor bike at the gym, hopefully by next week. 

I'm feeling a lot better and am completely off the heavy pain drugs. Just in time to enjoy that wine!

Recovery

As it turns out, I needed surgery. Eight pins and a metal plate inserted in the wrist. I also had my carpal tunnel sliced open to relieve pressure and hopefully prevent nerve damage. The pain I experienced that first night is something I hope I never feel again. Today marks my second day after surgery and I'm going to see if I can do it without the heavy painkillers, which make me sick and "loopy." So far, it's been almost eight hours and I'm doing okay.

This feels a lot like being in mourning. I've gone through the anger, denial and acceptance stages and am staying as positive as I can, but every once in a while, a new thought or feeling enters my mind and I briefly fall apart again. The difference, I keep reminding myself, is that I haven't lost anything I can't get back. I need to focus on recovering as quickly as possible and take control of that which I can. Eat well, sleep lots and keep moving my fingers and arm like the doctor told me to. I want to be the patient who surprises him with how quickly I recover. 

Each night, as I close my eyes to fall asleep, I picture my body repairing itself. I focus my thoughts on my battered wrist and tell my bones to grow quickly. I believe in the power of the mind and I know my mind is strong.

Broken

I always talk about how much seconds matter. In a race, just a few seconds can make the difference between reaching your goals (qualify for nationals, become pro or even just meet the personal standards you set) and falling short. In just seconds, everything can change.

While training out east this weekend, i had a pretty bad crash. I was riding a new bike on unfamiliar roads and probably going a bit too aggressively for the amount of sand and potholes that were around. I hit a pothole and skidded out moving at about 18 mph, I guess.

I'm a pretty good "tumbler" but this time I couldn't avoid a broken wrist -- probably caused by that enormous Garmin watch (DON'T WEAR A WATCH WHEN RIDING). It acted like a lever when I hit the ground and I don't think I would be sitting here in a cast if I had the watch mounted on the bike instead. If you look at the road rash up my left side and how in tact my hands are, you can tell I didn't try to break my fall.

If you see the bike, you'll be amazed. I seriously think I threw my body between it and the road (PROTECT THE QUEEN!!!). There's a small gash in the fork and one of the gear shifters snapped off the end of the right aerobar. A perfect little "SRAM" carbon nugget. A good samaritan stopped to help me. She told me to stay on the ground and leave the bike there so she could put me in her truck. Next thing she turns around and I'm standing in front of the hatchback with the bike slung over my good shoulder. It's funny the way we act when we're in shock.

Once inside the car, I just started bawling. Holding that beautiful little carbon fiber gem in my hand, I realized that every race I've been working toward, including the nationals in August, won't happen for me this year. The whole season is shot inside of a few seconds. It took some time to finally be thankful that I even had the ability to cry.

Luckily, the hospital wasn't far. Actually, it was as if I was heading to the ER and decided to crash on my way there. The nice lady "babysat" the bike for me while I waited for Rob to show up even though she clearly had somewhere to be. My parents came too, and I was glad to see them so calm. My mom and dad are awesome. Instead of using this to say it's a "wake up call" that I need to stop, they were saying how fast I'll bounce back and that I'll be out on the bike again before I know it. I'm so thankful for them. Also, it was great staying at their house that night. Who doesn't want mom when she's hurt, even at 35? I'm already thinking of setting up the bike trainer in their backyard so I can look at the water while I recover and rebuild.

It's easy to say this is it; "Jenn Place..out," and walk away thinking next time I may not be so lucky. The thought of getting back on the bike scares me right now, but I have to think that when I ride again, I'll be that much smarter and more experienced than I was before this happened. Sometimes lessons are learned the hard way. I also find it funny that this happened on July 4, the first day of the Tour de France. I mean, if Lance can come back from cancer, I can certainly handle this, right?

Mighty Montauk Race Report

Montauk, Long Island is one of my favorite places on earth. It’s even where Rob and I got engaged 13 years ago. To race in Montauk – to take something I love as much as triathlon and do it in a place this special to me – is the best way for me to feel alive!

Last year, the Mighty Montauk was my first Olympic-distance race. What I remember most from that race was the difficult swim. When I finally dragged myself out of the water, it was as if I was re-enacting a species’ transition from water to land animal. I was also too conservative on the bike. Last year, I finished in 2:18:15 and was first in my division, 5^th woman overall. My goal for this year was to beat last year’s time and hopefully have a much better swim. I wanted top-three overall, but because you never know who your competition will be, a goal based on placing isn’t exactly the best goal to set.

I get to the transition area nice and early and notice there are no race number assignments on the bike racks. Wow, glad I got here when I did! I pick what seems to be a good spot and start laying out my gear. Later on, I can see people having trouble finding places to set up. This had to be really frustrating for them! I begin wiggling into the wetsuit when suddenly, I feel “pop!” The seam that attaches the left leg to the torso on the suit has come completely undone. It’s like someone cut a 4-inch gash right across my hip. I can’t believe it -- this is going to be like swimming with a parachute attached to my body!

I’ve learned not to panic when things like this go wrong because somehow, there are always things going wrong. You have to roll with it and make the best of the situation. Lucky for me, the lovely woman next to me hands over the last of her electrical tape and, with the help of my friend Gary and another kind stranger, we patch up the hole as best we can. I must also mention that I try to make a new friend at every race. Kristin Budden, the electrical tape carrying tri goddess, is someone I already consider a friend. She’s also a fantastic triathlete who finished second at this race. I knew I did something right when I chose to rack my bike next to hers!

At most races, I start the swim front and center, but after the wetsuit mishap, I decide to start behind the front row of women. This was a mistake because I immediately had to start swimming over and around other girls to find a decent line and I know this was a waste of energy and time. However, once I got into a rhythm, I managed a good pace and even was able to pick it up on the way back to shore. I think I could’ve done even a bit better, but I came out of the water feeling awesome and smiling, the opposite of last year. Last year’s swim time: 27:11. This year: 27:02. So, the pace was the same, but the feeling was much better. Considering the wetsuit was an issue, I’m okay with it.

Into T1, no big story here, though I did it significantly faster. As I mentioned, I was beat when I got out of the water last year, but this year, feeling good. My previous T1 time was 2:57 and this year it was 2:00. Not bad!

I felt great on the bike and passed two women along the way. Most of the time I was alone, but it wasn’t hard to maintain focus because on all the out and back turns, I could see the pro wave on its way back. I had so many positive thoughts in my head that kept me going strong. I knew I had it in me to really push the pace this time, so I went for it and smiled to myself the whole time. Last year’s bike: 1:01:06. This year: 00:58:09! Woo hoo! Sub-one hour was what I was hoping for.

Around the turn into T2. Nothing much to say other than I cut only one second off last year’s split. 1:02 down to 1:01. What was I doing in there so long? I need to get this to under a minute.

Ah, the run. I know I went out too fast and I wasn’t fully prepared for the rolling hills I had ahead of me. It felt really tough. The run course has a lot of out and back, much like the bike, so it’s easy to see how ahead (and behind) you are from the rest of the pack. I was able to pick off two or three women early on and maintain that spread between us throughout (making sure to smile and encourage them when I passed by), but I could also see that there was no way I’d catch up to the four women who were ahead of me.

By mile 4, I came to realize I’d finish fifth woman overall for the second year, but I was so happy for Kristin because she looked like she was having a great race. She shouted words of encouragement to me and I to her each time we passed each other. At one point, I yelled to her that she was second hoping that would get her going and maybe into first, but the woman in front had a three-minute lead on her. She still moved up to second from third overall in 2008 and improved her time by about three minutes.  As for me, my run time was 44:59 compared with 46:01 last year. Just under 45 minutes still feels a lot better than just over 46, though!

I finished the race in 2:13:10, a full five minutes faster than last year. Like last year, I was the fifth woman overall and first in my division. Interestingly, the second-place winner was a full 10 minutes behind me and the third-place winner was 10 minutes behind her.

Five things to do while tapering

1) Clean out my makeup drawer. There are things in there from the '90s and I'm not going back to the grunge look anytime soon. 

2) Watch the entire three weeks of Giro D'Italia. This would definitely put things into perspective.

3) Sit on a bench in Central Park and critique every runner's and cyclist's form as they pass by. C'mon, you know you do it, too!

4) Have a 2nd, 3rd, 4th cup of coffee, coffee, COFFEE!!!!

5) Get on the subway, head to a neighborhood I rarely visit and be a tourist in the greatest city in the world. 

Ready to race

Getting ready to race this Saturday at the Mighty Montauk olympic-distance tri on Long Island. I love Montauk and this race was one of my favorites last year. Then, I came in fifth woman overall, first in my division, with a time of  2:18:15. It was my first-ever olympic-distance race and it sort of thew me because the swim seemed like forever and on the bike, I was way too conservative. The run was a little tough and hilly, but I know I'm a much better runner this year than I was last, so I shouldn't have a problem there. 

After a tough, 91-mile bike ride on Monday and a race-simulation swim and core work yesterday, I'm taking it relatively easy the second half of this week. Today, I had a light pedal through the park as I coached Team Lipstick. My legs are feeling Monday's workout, so the run I had in mind for this morning will either wait for tonight or won't happen at all. I'm all about eating properly, hydrating and resting for the next 3 days. 

My open water swim partner

Last summer, almost every weekend, this was my training partner. These jellyfish were everywhere in the LI Sound and I swam with them, sting after sting, for up to an hour at a time. I'm sitting here wondering how the hell I got myself through that and whether or not I can do it again this year. Even with the wetsuit, I'd get stung across my wrists, ankles, feet, and, worse yet, neck and face.

Thing is, nothing can take the place of open water swim training. Case in point: this winter, I really focused on my swim, since that's definitely my limiter and it's the best thing to do when the weather's bad. I added an extra swim workout per week and also made sure I followed a well-structured plan. By Spring, I had improved my stroke, lengthened each stroke's distance, and taken over 5 seconds off my avg. 100 yd pace. Despite this, at my first tri in May -- and my first open water swim of the season -- my 100 yd pace was more than 15 seconds slower than in practice and identical to that of my first tri ever three years ago! Talk about disappointment.

I believe a number of things contributed to this. One, it was my first race as coach, with this being the first tri ever for many of my athletes. My focus, for once, was not completely on my own race. Two, as I mentioned, it was my first time in the open water, and in the wetsuit, since last October. All the pool sessions in the world will not prepare you for swimming in the open water, and in the wetsuit. Three, I sighted TOO MUCH! This takes a lot of energy and time. I tend to veer slightly right in my swim and I started obsessing over it right before the race began. I should have sighted about every 5 strokes, but instead I turned the 2nd half of the swim into sighting practice, looking up every 3!

But...I'm shaking off last month's swim and looking forward to the rest of the season. Rather than dwelling on what went wrong, I'm celebrating what went right. I felt good on the run. I controlled my pace very well (actually, could've gone a little harder) and had the second-fastest run time among women. Yay! Now, how to navigate the jellyfish...?

Just when things are going well

I've been having a great week of training. Setting new PRs (after the 20:14 5k run on Monday, I swam a solid, comfortable set of 500s in 7:40-7:44 on Tuesday, then clocked a 17-minute 6.1 mile lap in Central Park on my bike yesterday). I've also been having a much better feeling about where I'm going with triathlon and life in general. Not even minding the rainy weather. Then yesterday afternoon comes along and I get a nice dose of reality.

On my last of 60 box jumps at the gym, I lost my concentration. My legs were already tired when I started, so I shouldn't have even been doing them in the first place, come to think of it. Anyway, on the last one, I missed the landing and scraped about a two-inch gash into my shin. There being no "meat" on the shin bone to begin with, it didn't bleed all that much, but there it was, my bone, staring back at me. Of course I just slapped a bunch of band-aids on it and continued with my workout, but that had to be the adrenaline stopping the pain from hitting me.

It was really painful last night, probably because it's got to be bruised as well, but not as bad this morning. What I'm upset about is that I can't really get in the pool for at least the rest of this week because I need it to heal as much as possible before next week's race in Montauk. 

Today was going to be run and swim, but I guess I'll be sticking to just running. 

My new baby's almost home!

My new baby is due to arrive in a week from tomorrow. I'm excited all over again for her to show up after waiting since April. The annoying thing about it is that the first race I really wanted to ride her in is two days after I get her. I know it would be really stupid to race a brand new bike, especially since it's my first tri bike, only two days after I get it. So tempting, though, since the bike course is perfect for a bike like this. Anyone want to give me some thoughts here? 

I love NY!

Had a great run in Central Park today. If I followed my usual training schedule, I'd have been on the bike and in the pool, but I wanted to run, so that's what I did. After all, I write my own program, which means I get to change it!

I decided to run an open 5k since most of my run training lately has been either intervals or long distance at an easier pace. I did the 3.1 miles in 20:50, but I knew I could do better, so I walked a little then did a second 3.1. This time in 20:14, which is a 6:30 m/m average and a new personal best! In the back of my mind, I've always wanted to do a sub-20:00 5k race and I now know that's possible!

I got so much encouragement out there, too. First a guy on a bike shouts "great form!" then another rides by and gives me the thumbs up. And as I'm walking home along CPW, an old-ish guy with a cane says, "good morning, beautiful!" Keep in mind, this was after a balls-out run. I think he needs glasses more than that cane, but hey, it still made me smile. 

AG National Championship Race 2009!

I'm addicted to trail mix. That and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I just can't seem to get enough of this stuff. I mean, if I trained as much as I eat trail mix and pb&j sandwiches I'd be in the pro ranks by now. Phew, just had to get that out. As I sit here eating trail mix...

So, I'm not a pro, but I did just learn a few days ago that I've qualified to race in the USAT Age Group National Championship race on August 22nd in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This is going to be a great summer!

Team Lipstick at Jersey Man and Post-Race Celebration Photos

Jersey Man Sprint Race Report

The day begins with me hearing Tiffany’s sweet, cheerful voice telling us to “rise and shine!” This lovely little statement is greeted with “I can rise or I can shine, but I can’t do both, so I’ll either lay here and shine or rise and be dull” from Laura. This is going to be a great day!

We meet in the hotel lobby for a quick coffee and breakfast and we’re off to the race site. I feel much less nervous than I normally am going into a race. I think focusing so much on my athletes is taking away all those jitters. I’m just thinking about them!

We’ve got lots of time to familiarize ourselves with the transition area, use the porta-potties, eat, use the porta-potties, watch the half-ironman distance athletes start, use the porta-potties and go for a warm up swim. Then, before I know it, it’s go time. I look around and realize I’m the only female going out in the first “wave” and instead of feeling nervous, my confidence soars. “That’s right, there’s a hen among the wolves and her name is Jenn Place.”

Approaching the water’s edge, I see a staff member about my dad’s age and just as overweight. He shoots me a look as if to ask what a pretty little thing like me is doing in a place like this. I smile confidently and ask, “what, can’t I play with the big boys?” He beams an amused smile back at me. I love this sport.

As I walk over to the start area, all I hear is my athletes screaming my name (I LOVE them for this among other things) Laura and Tiffany take pictures because they think it’s hysterical I’m there in a sea of men. So do I! The horn blows and off we go.

Laura suggested I pick an outside line to the first buoy, which was great advice. I stay on the edge and have my own path to follow. No bumping or kicking at all and it turns out to be the most direct shot. It always takes me a while to find that perfect rhythm when I swim, which is why my longer swims are always better than the sprints, but I keep up with the pack and feel strong. Unfortunately, my goggles are leaking and I have to roll to my back two or three times to empty the water out of them. This definitely slows me down.

Last season, I didn’t sight enough, which caused me to stray, so for this race I wanted to practice sighting on every third stroke. I think I need to make it every five instead since it wasted a good deal of energy, but I stayed on course better than I ever have. 

Out of the water and through to T1, I get to my bike no problem, but when I put the helmet on, it’s way too loose. How’d that happen? It takes a few extra seconds to tighten the dial in the back. Maybe it got loose in transit. Note: put a piece of tape over the dial the day before the race.

Glasses on and off I go. No problem running through and slipping my feet into the shoes on the bike, which is an achievement since I’ve had these shoes for just two weeks and I had only practiced with them for the first time the day before the race (not recommended). I still need to work on speeding this process up.

Immediately, I feel my legs are fatigued. I think the tough training ride I did three days earlier is still with me (this being a “B” race, I trained through and didn’t taper). The course had lots of “false flats,” meaning you think you’re on a flat when you’re actually climbing. This can do a lot of damage mentally and I start worrying again about my team. I hope they realize that this is a tougher than expected course and it’s not that they’re slow!

After the biggest climb, I’m rewarded with a super fast downhill. I let out a big, girlie, “whoo! Yeah, baby” and laugh when I realize that up until then, most of these guys didn’t even realize there was a woman among them. Hi, there! It’s Jenn Place.  As I fly past one of the men, I shout “c’mon, baby open it up,” whatever the hell that means. He laughs as I shoot by him.

I start the turn back toward transition and get to see some of my superstars on their way out. I shout their names out and take in their big smiles. Well, most are smiling. They don’t realize it, but seeing them is what brings me back. My bike time is just over one hour at an average of 18.9 mph. Why can’t it be at least 19? Oh yeah, false flats and tired legs. Oh, and if it was 19, I know I’d be asking why it wasn’t 19.5.

Coming into T2, I hear Laura and Tiffany shouting for me again as I unstrap my shoes and get ready to dismount. Race belt, sneakers and out I go. The run was nice and flat through the park. No cars and a few men to pass. We’re rounding a turn so I take the inside – it’s all about strategy – and cut one of them off. He passes me anyway and I see it’s the guy from the bike. “Oh, it’s YOU!” I say to him. “Yeah, c’mon!” he says back, but I knew all along that he’s a runner and it would be stupid to overextend myself this early in the run. We round the turn and the headwind disappears but so does he. Regardless, this is a strong run for me and now without the wind, it’s getting stronger. I stick with my pace and finish in 21:03, a 6:48 m/m average and the second-fastest female run time of the day. Overall, I came in fifth among women.

My final clock time is 1:40:51. Fifty two seconds over my “unofficial” goal. It bugs the crap out of me. Fifty two seconds seem so small, but in a race, they can be the difference between becoming a professional triathlete and not. “Fifty two.” This is my new mantra.

Movin' Right Along!

After a bit of rest in the early months of the year, I'm back to making training my top priority. The tendonitis in my foot no longer seems to bother me, I'm feeling stronger and healthier than I've felt in a while and I'm enjoying my workouts more than ever. I'm so excited for this season to begin, especially knowing I have yet to achieve everything I'm capable of. 

After a great weekend of training Team Lipstick up in New Paltz, NY, I'm now back to my own scheduled workouts and have been very happy with how they're going. Tuesday was an 8.5 mile run in Central Park followed by a swim workout of about 2,500 meters. Yesterday, I biked 75 minutes at high cadence, moderate intensity, then 45 minutes of low cadence, focusing on leg strength. Had to do this in my apt. because we were having a new intercom system installed in the bldg. and I had to be there to let the technicians inside. Once that were done, I headed to Equinox for my 90 minutes of strength training. Today, I had a strong Central Park trail run of 11 miles followed again by about 2,500 meters of swimming.

All these workouts were good, but I've been looking forward to tomorrow the most -- when I'll bike across the GW bridge into NJ for a good 50 miles. The weather's supposed to be perfect! I'm also planning on going back to the gym in the afternoon for my second strength training session of the week. 

SO HUNGRY!

I can't believe what it took this morning for me to feel like I wasn't starving.  I started with two big blueberry pancakes. That was followed by a bowl of Kashi U cereal (love this stuff). That still didn't do it, so I grabbed a banana, the jar of peanut butter and the bottle of honey and just went to town. I think I'm ready for my workout now. I'll be doing my killer treadmill speedwork session followed by strength training. This means at least 3 hours at Equinox today. It's a good thing I've got lots of friends there who keep me going!

Love that long run

Running the dirt paths of Central Park this morning, I was so strong and weightless. My legs moved with purpose, quickly ticking, left, right, left, right, as oxygen flowed into my body so deeply it was as if I had three lungs instead of two. Like the air I was taking in discovered another chamber of my heart and breathed life into it. The sound of my feet striking the sandy gravel became a metronome as my mind's eye could see what I know I'm really capable of. 

Hey Hyundai, we all saw Mr. Mom!

Anyone else see the new Hyundai commercials on TV and immediately think of the Schooner Tuna ads from the '80s movie Mr. Mom? I mean, they even use some of the same language. 

Watch the video I link to above and then read this text from the Schooner Tuna ad:

"My fellow Americans. I am Howard Humphrey, President of Schooner Tuna. All of us here at Schooner Tuna sympathize with all of you hit so hard by these trying economic times. In order to help you, we are reducing the price of Schooner Tuna by 50 cents a can. when this crisis is over, we will go back to our regular prices. Until then, remember, we're all in this together. Schooner Tuna, the tuna with a heart." 

Hysterical. 

Top 5 reasons to run faster through Central Park:

5) That hawk is flying awfully low and looks awfully hungry.

4) The statue of Fred Lebow looking at his watch on the East drive pisses me off. 

3) If I keep pace long enough with a group of Kenyan runners, I get to be in a few tourists' photos.

2) That damn parks department truck in front of me makes me think I'm training in Beijing.

1) The unmarked police cruisers slowing down and questioning people at the base of Harlem Hill.

Warmth!

I woke up to 51 degrees! And that was around 6:30 am. It's going to be a great day to be outside and the park is going to be packed with runners, cyclists, dog walkers, rollerbladers - basically anyone who didn't leave the city for the weekend. I'll be taking the team around the loop on our bikes, which will be a great opportunity to work on handling skills. Hey, what better way to get used to maneuvering around moving objects, right! I'll be out there about an hour before them so I can get 18 miles in on my own. I can't let their workouts take the place of mine. After that, I plan to meet my friend for a run, again in Central Park. I'm sure by 11:00 I'm going to be ready to trade in the bike for running shoes because the road will get very crowded and biking when it's like that is not enjoyable at all. 

I've given the orthotics a try twice now and I can't say they're making a huge difference, but I think it's too soon to tell. I'll be trying them out again today. 

Taking it (sort of) easy

Between my own workouts, training the team and a spontaneous social run with a friend followed by two hours of Guitar Hero, my weekend was packed and somewhat tiring. I took Monday off completely with the exception of walking the 16 blocks south to my chiropractor's office. I got my orthotics but haven't run in them yet. Today was a 75-minute session on the indoor bike trainer. One look outside at the messy streets and blowing tree branches and it was an easy decision to stay in. I had the perfect post-ride recovery food: a homemade chocolate chip cookie and a glass of chocolate milk. Yum! 

I finally spent a few hours going over my race schedule for the year and am feeling better about what will be my "A" races and what goals I think are achievable. Though I'm asking a lot of my body, I'm also confident that it will deliver. I feel better mentally and physically than I have in a long time. Maybe this has to do with the fact I'm not torn anymore between working a Wall St. job and pursuing a triathlon career! I'm completely focused, for once, on something I truly love and not a day goes by where I don't realize how lucky I am to have the opportunity to do this. 

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. 

Me & My Shadow

My chiropractor and I've decided to work on correcting the problems which have caused the tendonitis in my foot before we go right into orthotics. These problems have to do with running biomechanics, proper form and all that fun stuff. I'm trying hard to overcome some of the bad habits I've developed and improve on other variables which should help me become more efficient and injury free (read: faster!).

I just returned from a 6-mile run around Central Park which was more exhausting than it normally would be all because of body awareness. The entire run, it was: "shoulders relaxed, don't overstride, chin up!" When I rounded a turn and saw my shadow running alongside me, I told it to lean forward a little more (I have a tendency to lean backward and that's not using gravity to my greatest advantage).

I was also thinking a lot about elasticity and energy return. Every step is energy hitting the ground. Don't give all that energy away to the earth take what you can back in the form of forward propulsion (be elastic) but do not bounce! After all, you want to move forward, not upward. Elasticity is also important for injury prevention. Core strength, center of gravity, what you do with your arms (don't let them cross the body; keep them pumping at your side) and cadence (kind of goes with don't overstride). Running is not simply put one foot in front of the other, that's for sure. 

Next up is a trip to the gym. I'll be doing more strength, core and balance exercises. Then a visit to the chiropractor. Busy day!

Team Lipstick!

I'm proud to say I've become assistant coach to Team Lipstick, the largest and most successful all-female triathlon team in NYC. Founded by fitness industry veteran Laura Cozik, a person I've quickly come to admire for so many reasons, the program provides women who want to become triathletes (notice I didn't say who just want to "do a tri") with all the encouragement, guidance and training they need to succeed.

In the team's first year (2008), 20 women signed up, all of whom had never done a tri before, and all 20 crossed the finish at their goal race in great shape. All 20 are still team members and this number continues to grow for the 2009 season. 

I've been training with the team over this past week, getting to know the members and other coaches, learning a lot from everyone and basically acting like a happy little sponge taking it all in. In addition, this weekend, I'll be going for my indoor cycling certification in Rhinebeck, NY, and later today I'll be registering for the USA Triathlon Level I Coaching Certification. That is a 3-day class here in NYC in April. As I said on Monday, I'm making it happen!

Restful morning

I took some time this morning to clean my bike since it was covered in half the salt and grime that was on the roads this weekend. I love my 2006 Giant as much as I did the day I bought her. Here's a shot of my pride and joy lounging in the sun out on the East end of Long Island. Isn't she beautiful!

I'll be at the gym after my chiropractor visit this afternoon. Just going to do some upper body and core work. Tonight is a triathlon symposium that I'm so excited to have been invited to. There are a lot of experts who will be speaking and it'll be a great networking opportunity. My goal of becoming a tri coach is taking shape and I couldn't be more excited. I've been holding back the details here on my blog, but I'll be a little more open about it all as I'm able to. Thanks to everyone who has been continually supporting me through this very exciting time. 

Weekend Workout Update

This was a weekend of firsts. 

Saturday, I rode the bike down to Cadence for a 10-mile time trial followed by another 10-mile course ride on the computrainer. For anyone unfamiliar, it's a machine that enables you to use your bike as a stationary bike hooked up to an instrument that measures your speed, distance, power output, etc. It also simulates a road ride in that it gives you flats, climbs and downhill sections, so you get to really work on gearing. This was my first time on one of these and it was great fun! Considering we're still in base training, I'm quite happy with my results. The ride back up the West side bike path was probably the windiest conditions I've ever had to ride in, but it was only 6 miles.

Today was a 1-hour swim workout at Riverbank Park. This is an amazing complex which is only about a 15-20 minute run from my apartment! I can't believe I've never been here before. The swim was followed by a 1.5 hour easy run. I'm happy to report my foot wasn't an issue for the first time in a while. I really think the graston tool is the reason why.  

Pizza = Power!

I'm happy I've had some good workouts these past two days. Must be all the pizza I ate Wednesday. 

On Thursday, I spent an hour on the treadmill followed by another hour or so of strength training. I also did a lot of balance and core work and some stretching afterward. It's great when you have a 3.5 hour window in which to workout! This was followed by another chiropractor visit for the tendonitis in my foot. There's something called "graston technique" which hurts just about as much as getting a tattoo, but it's what helped the ITB syndrome I was suffering from last summer, so I asked for it again. I've got major bruising along my shin and around my foot, but it's only temporary and I believe it's going to help in the end. I'm still thinking about the orthotics and am leaning toward giving them a try. 

Today, I was lucky enough to get out and enjoy Central Park on the bike for an hour and a half. I actually felt overdressed once I got moving. There was so much dried salt on the road that whenever a car went by, I could taste it, but it still felt wonderful to be out. It's funny how warm 45 degrees feels after a few single-digit days. 

Bravo, Mario!

The massage I got yesterday was "so-so." The therapist spent so much time at the end rubbing my face, head and temples that I had to resist just coming out and asking what the hell he was accomplishing there. Seriously, I thought at any second he was going to beep my nose, too. 

The experience at Otto is a different story -- Mario Batali knows how to do pizza. Between the two of us, we ate four small appetizers, a plate of cured meat, three pizzas and a dish of olive oil gelato. ALL of it. Oh, and a bottle of wine, plus one quartino, since we ran out during the third pizza and we couldn't have that. The gluttony began at 3 PM yesterday and I'm only starting to think about eating again right now. It's like 7:30 AM. 

Wednesday

Another visit to the chiropractor yesterday and he thinks I really need to get orthotics if I want my tendonitis to go away and, hopefully, not come back as soon as I increase my mileage again. I know they take getting used to, so this is probably the best time of year to get them, but I'm still scared. My disgusting toe infection is clearing up more with every passing day, so there's a bright spot! 

After my visit, I got into the pool for a 45 minute workout. It felt like a really good swim, but the water was cold. I don't think I ever warmed up.

Today's my husband's birthday, so I'll likely not be working out but instead eating good food and drinking wine. I haven't had a day off in a while and I could probably use it.

Got another goal for the year

I'm thinking about what the weather was like at exactly this time last year. I remember because my husband's birthday is in January and we were walking through Central Park with our jackets over our arms and biking that night wearing just long-sleeved jerseys and cycling shorts. Each lap around the park, I'd proclaim, "one more!" knowing that the crazy warm weather wouldn't last -- it was a very unique birthday gift. 

So here I sit watching the snow fall, again, and, as beautiful and appropriate as it is, it's kind of a bummer. Yes, I'm saying it...I'm ready for spring. 

I went to the gym again this morning. This time for some more strength training. I made sure I focused on some of the things I tend to forget like lower back and balance/core exercises. I can do 10 unassisted wide-grip pullups in a row, each from a dead hang, but ask me to do a plank on my hands and toes with my left leg and right arm extended for a full minute and I'll laugh.

On my list of goals for 2009, gaining better core strength, as well as flexibility, ranks high. For a number of reasons, this should help me improve in all three disciplines as well as reduce these tendonitis-type issues I seem to be having lately (last season it was ITB syndrome and now I've got the foot problem). My chiropractor tells me I need to stand on one foot, close my eyes and balance for 10 seconds, then switch feet and do it again, back and forth. Ever try it? It's hard! Or maybe it's just hard for me, but it really shouldn't be. 

Mood of the day...

I love the look Teddy's giving me and that Linus is ignoring the camera completely. 

Taking the good with the bad

Yesterday's indoor bike session was going to be on my trainer at home, but we had no hot water. So, knowing there wouldn't be a warm shower when I was done if I did it at home, I headed to the gym instead. Apparently, the water tower on top of our building was freezing. This just goes with the territory when you live in an old building and the temperature drops as much as it had, I guess. Anyway, I climbed onto the spin bike at the gym, put on my ipod and got in an hour and a half of steady state riding focusing on trying to keep a lower heart rate at a high cadence and smooth, round pedal strokes.  I prefer outdoor workouts whenever possible, but it was good because when you remove the variables of outdoor riding, it gives you the ability to focus more on things like form, cadence, stroke, etc. with no distractions. 

I wish today's run was just as good, but the roads were slippery and the tendonitis in my foot started acting up almost right away. My stabilizer muscles had to work more than usual to prevent me from slipping and I think that's part of the reason why. I'm seeing a great chiropractor who does active release therapy, so I remain optimistic that it's going to be back to normal soon. 

Toe awareness

I finally got back in the pool for an hour's swim on Thursday and again for a short one after an early morning spin on Friday. Swimming hasn't been a very consistent thing for me since the end of last season, but that's got to change now that it's the middle of January. But it's amazing how the body remembers the movement and I think all the biking and running I've been doing helped tremendously cardio-wise. Thanks to a good friend, I think I've gotten better since last year. The help he gave me seems to be sticking (Merci, TL)!

I really need to get out for a run this weekend, but I'm thinking today will be all about indoor biking and the run will be tomorrow. Partly this is because of the weather, but mostly, it's because I've been dealing w/ tendonitis in my foot and now, on the same foot, I have an infected toe. I wish I knew how that happened, but apparently, it does happen sometimes to runners. It's huge, red and throbbing and it's hard to even walk. I think another day's worth of antibiotics will make a run tomorrow tolerable because it's already starting to get better after one day of meds.

NYC Temps Follow Wall Street's Lead

I thought Monday was cold? Monday was a heat wave compared to today. It's so cold that when I boarded the subway to get home and saw a tiny speck of seat remaining between the wall and a rather large woman swaddled in layers of down, I couldn't wait to settle in and cuddle with her. 

I got up early and headed to the gym for some treadmill running and weights this morning. Somehow, my treadmill runs always turn into interval training sessions. I get so bored I need to challenge myself, I guess. 

After a 5-minute warmup, I cranked it up to 10.5 mph and sprinted for 1 min, rested 1 min; sprinted 1 min, rested 45 sec; sprinted 1 min, rested 30 sec; sprinted 1 min, rested 45 sec, sprinted 1 min, rested 1 min. Finished off with 5 or so min at about 8 mph. By the last interval, I was definitely feeling it, though I think I could've either gone a little faster or done a few more sets. Afterwards, I did some weights/core work for about 45 minutes. 

Anyone else happen to catch live coverage from the floor of the NYSE at the closing bell this evening? The reporter is talking about how December saw the worst retail sales decline "ever" while a cocktail party's in progress behind her. There were people holding glasses of pinot and waiters offering canapes on silver platters. It was like some weird Wall St. exorcism ritual.  

Obama kicks. Huh?

Today was one of the busiest days I've had in a long time. I was running all over the city for different reasons (good thing I found an old, unactivated unlimited Metrocard in my gym bag. I picked a good month to use it). It was all good, though.

I was able to get to the gym for a decent 1-hour workout. I wanted to run in the park, but it's probably better that I went to throw some weights around instead. It's freezing out there!  I warmed up with a light medicine ball and pushups then on to some unassisted pullups using various grips supersetted with cable swimmers and squats on a balance board. Then I moved on to the fun stuff. Superset of box jumps with various kettlebell swings. And then one last superset of different shoulder exercises, step ups on the bench and tricep dips. Finished with some balance ball leg work a bit of abs and I was on my way. 

Okay, I've got the news on in the background and there's a segment about a new "Obama sneaker" some guy has produced. Apparently, this is newsworthy enough for a "man on the street" interview and there's a reporter at a shoe store ready to pounce. He chooses a hip looking 30-something dude and asks, "Would you buy this sneaker?" "No," the dude dryly responds with a shrug. Putting his best investigative foot forward, the reporter leans in. "Why not?" Here we go, now we're getting somewhere. Hip dude blankly looks at the reporter, as if he's got so many reasons why this entire scenario is completely ridiculous that he doesn't even know where to start. Realizing this is a news segment -- about Obama sneakers -- he knows exactly what to say. "Because they're whack." Priceless.

Hope this isn't an omen for what my day is going to be like

I'm sitting here enjoying my Sunday morning coffee and my little cat Linus jumps up onto my lap and pukes right on me. What it lacked in volume, it more than made up for in propulsion. There was even a burp behind it for good measure. I think he was even more freaked out by this unexpected burp/vom than I was because as soon as it happened, he ran and hid under the bed. It was actually quite funny and cute, if that's possible for anyone to imagine. 

Jenn Place, you've now entered the blogosphere

Time for me to keep better track of my workouts, goals and, well, my sanity (I hope) as I try to seriously begin to focus on my 2009 training and racing schedule. What better way to hold myself accountable than to put it all out there? I tend to have a lot of very strange random thoughts enter my head while training (most of the time while I'm on long bike or run outings) and I think it'll be fun to start keeping track of those, too. I guess that would be categorized under the "sanity" heading. 

Stay tuned!