Pop Tarts and Pizza

Let me start by saying I enjoyed my salad and turkey meatballs for dinner

My protein box for lunch was delicious

Greek yogurt was a nice snack 

and I couldn't really find any fault in my eggs with chicken sausage for breakfast

But I would kill some pop tarts, a pizza, 12 hotpockets, and 4 cupcakes

I would.
 I would do it and enjoy every moment....

right until I surfaced for air

Then I would probably go through a range of emotions....including but not limited to happiness, sadness, fullness (yes I consider "fullness" an emotion), worry, anxiety, oh look I missed some frosting level happiness, oh crap I just ate a weeks worth of calories, I just ate a weeks worth of calories I should probably brag about this, this is not going to end well, and what the f&*k was I thinking?

So as I watch the 800th Taco Bell commercial and scoff at the taco biscuit being just like Momma's cooking but also thinking that I could really go for a chalupa I try to think about my upcoming races instead. 

I think about the hard work I have put in

I think about the commitment I made

I think about pulling a hot pocket filled stomach for 56 miles on a bike. 

and I go to bed at 7pm so I stay the hell away from the fridge

whatever works, right? 

Goodnight! 

But Why?

I'm starting to feel like the toddler who just learned the phrase "but why" and has irritated all family members, teachers, day care workers, and random strangers on the street to death. I have to ask 10 million follow up questions to every statement I hear about what is the best route, the best training, the best shoe, the best food, etc, etc...

Heart Rate Training is the way to go 

But Why?

Carb Loading is the way to go

But Why?

Metabolic Efficiency Training is the way to go 

But why?

This bike seat is the Cadillac of bike seats

But why?

These socks will stop all blisters

How?

These Shoes will save your life

Really?

This foam roller will cure cancer

Is that so?

Kale is a super food that will make you faster than the flash 

If you are referring to how fast it makes you go to the bathroom then I have no follow up questions. 

Like with most things, everyone has an opinion. 

And everyone thinks there opinion is the right one. 

I see no problem with that because I am harassing everyone I know in the tri/running world for their opinion. 

But it can be hard to wade through everything to find something that works for me

Carb loading doesn't work for me

Minimalist shoes don't work for me

But these things could be the almighty savior for others runners/triathletes

So off I go again to scour blogs, articles, and stalk a few athletes to find out what makes them faster, stronger, leaner, and able to eat pizza without gaining weight

I'm sure somebody out there is thinking they are probably faster, stronger, and leaner becuase of the lack of pizza in their life but I disagree.

 I have yet to meet an endurance athlete who does not enjoy pizza and ice cream. 

Go run 20+ miles and try to convince me that a kale smoothie would really hit the spot. 

Working on my inner athlete

Weekends are always the hardest.

 I want to get up and get my miles in but I also want lay in bed surrounded by donuts and coffee. 

My morning started with a sauteed vegetable, bean, potato, and cheese burrito and a few hours at work. It wasn't sleeping in and donuts but it could be worse. It's also the all holy rest day so I have spent my afternoon watching bad 90's movies and grocery shopping.  

Tomorrow my plan is to meet Heather at 5:30 and run 7ish miles, then plant my face in a bowl of eggs. 

I don't know if this behavior is actually beating my inner fat kid down or just tiring him out like an excited puppy. 

It's hard to tip toe that line of losing weight and getting in the calories required to train. 

My body says eat a steak topped with some chicken nuggets with a bottle of ranch dressing and a dozen scrambled eggs on the side...maybe a pizza and ice cream for dessert. But my mind says if you run 8 miles and eat just kale you could totally hit your goal weight. 

Neither of those are "healthy" thoughts 

The healthy thing to do is fuel my body with the proper foods to train. 

Pizza tastes better than healthy thoughts. 

(see how the fat kid just lashes out when you least expect it?)

Athletes eat and train they don't diet and exercise. 

So I try to act like an athlete, I try to be an athlete. 

I spend most of my days in different forms of spandex

I run, I bike, I swim, I go to the gym, I eat entire grocery store aisles 

(that last one is super athletic)

   

Racing Recap and Tacos

Yesterday was my 4th sprint triathlon, Lifetime Tri Events Marquee at Tempe Town Lake. 

I am by no means an experienced triathlete but I have figured out enough through trial and error how to not make (too big) of an ass out of myself. Not that it really matters at triathlons, you are surrounded by the most amazing and supportive group of strangers you will ever meet. I was struggling in the middle of my run yesterday, no matter what I do I tend to fly out off of my bike and out of transition 2 at around an 8:30 pace. I am in no way shape or form an 8:30 runner, my body likes the 12 min zone, every now and then I can hold a 10-11 min pace but that usually involves a lot of downhills. So this 8:30 pace usually lasts about a mile before I can convince my legs that this was a terrible idea and we need to slow the F down if I have any chance of not dragging them behind me across the finish line. After I finally slow down I start the wogging portion of my day....

walk...jog...gasp...repeat. 

I get a lot of "good job buddy! You got this! Almost there!" during this time. 

This leads me to believe that I look very pained or constipated

Either way, these strangers who don't know you, your history, or what brought you to this point are trying to help you finish. 

This never fails to amaze me. 

I am a head down, head phones in kind of runner. Partly because I am shy, partly because I tend to make poop jokes when feel uncomfortable and this usually does not go over well with a stranger. 

(sometimes they laugh and that is how I have met 90% of my friends)

You're not allowed to use headphones during races so I don't have the option to be unsociable. 

I held a conversation with a perfectly nice stranger yesterday, he was just begging for someone to talk to him during the last leg of the race. I was clipping along back at my 8:30 pace to finish the last mile when I heard a guy I had just passed yell " great job! seriously that is like a sub 9 minute mile! the finish is just around the corner! great job! is this your first race? are you training for a specific distance? "

He fired these questions off rapid fire

in my almost to the finish line haze I actually responded

Thanks... yes its an 8:30 pace... thank you for noticing? yeah just a mile left...thanks... no this is my 4th... IMAZ 70.3...gaaaaaassp ( this pace is not conducive to talking)

stranger: thats awesome! what about a full? when are you going to do a full?

Me: snort... gasp... snort... 2016 is the plan

Stranger: you should volunteer this year!

Me: are you human? snort...cough...

Stranger: you are pulling away, push to the finish!

me: Ok... thanks! take..luck..

That was just the run. 

I also managed to blow a snot rocket onto one of the elite/pro athletes. 

Those guys come out of nowhere!

I looked behind me, all was clear... I blew my nose to the right...then blew it to the left, right as a blur in a leotard flew by. I couldn't even tell you if it was a male or female. All I know is they got a face full of grossness. 

For that I apologize, I am so so so sorry. 

Nobody deserves that. 

The swim went well, the water was so much cleaner that my last race. I didn't have to fight my way through bushes or dead bodies. (joking! kinda..) only live ones. It was colder that I was planning for so Heather and I were some of the very few and very brave no wearing wet suits. It was our own Arizona polar club. I am not convinced I really need a wet suit but everyone seems to think they are the best thing next to wearing floaties in the water.

My shoulder is pretty pissed off today but open water will do that. 

I ended up taking 17 minutes of my previous time on that course. Its amazing what taking 20 lbs off your body and a decent training plan can do. 

(I can hear my husband rolling his eyes)

This race has me so damn excited for whats to come. I am ready to dive into training head first and not come up until an athlete resurfaces. I hope the athlete in me manages to hold the inner fat kid under the water until he shuts the hell up. He is usually the loudest after a race, yesterday was no exception. I finished the race, grabbed my medal, watched Heather come in, loaded the car back up, and hit the first drive through I could find. 

A jumbo jack has never tasted so good. 

I won't go into details but it wasn't pretty. 

I am just now starting to get over the post race fat kid hump. 

The raging hulk hunger has mostly subsided and I am not sitting in a ball of shame surrounded by empty take out boxes so that I will call that a win. 

My food is prepped for the week and I am ready tackle whatever comes. 

Even if the fat kids rears his ugly head again, I will wrestle his ass to the ground and hog tie him. 

Food for the week:

Breakfast: Smoothies, Scrambled eggs with ham, cheddar, and tomatoes 400-500cal

Lunch: Green lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and homemade turkey meatballs 300cal

Dinner...

Guess... 

Seriously you won't get it...

Guess!

SALAD WITH CHICKEN!

calm yourself.

I can barely handle the excitement 

#truestory

Prepping for Ironman

I try to do at least one race a year that scares the absolute shit out of me. It keeps me focused and I do better with a goal in mind. Ironman is beyond terrifying, that is why I am starting with a 70.3 or half Ironman. Prepping for Ironman has become a huge part of my life. If I am not running, I am biking or swimming. If I am not working out, I am researching nutrition theories, reading training books, or shopping for triathlon gear (the last one is my favorite). My bike trainer has become my new best friend, I can set up my bike, get some miles in, watch tv, and read my training book. 

My 16 week training plan doesn't start until July 1st so I am working on getting my nutrition in line and getting my baseline training where I want it. I read that before you start a 1/2 Ironman training program you should be able to run, bike, and swim comfortably for 1 hour. I can do all of those things for 1 hour at a time but not at the speed I would prefer. I have been working on getting my speed back and my endurance up. 

I have also been trying to make nutrition my main focus. I know how to train and I know how to eat to lose weight. I don't know how to do both. 70 miles is no joke and if I don't fuel my body properly I could run face first into the wall before I reach the finish. I have to put a lot of my focus on training my eating habits. The more weight I can take off, the better my body will feel. There are so many theories, books, plan, and opinions when it comes to what is right in the nutrition world. It can be daunting to try and figure it out on your own. I am trying to read as much as I can to get a well rounded view of whats out there. The most intriguing theory I have found is Metabolic Efficiency Training. This involves training your body to use your fat store vs carb stores. If you burn fat vs carbs you can go longer without having to constantly refuel. One thing I hate about long races is constantly sucking down race nutrition. I don't want to eat while I run, I want to get the race over with and fall face first into a large sausage and cupcake pizza (not a real thing but it should be) If I could run and refuel with pizza and beer I would but for some reason people insist on water, gatorade, and goos. 

I forgot what I was talking about. 

.

.

.

Nutrition! 

MET also involves training at a lower intensity to trick your body into using your fat stores for longer burning fuel vs the quick energy you get from carbs. 

 

I looked into hiring someone to tell me how to do this but as it turns out nutrionists are slightly outside my Ironman budget. 

Plenty of triathletes have finished races without trainers, nutrionists, million dollar bikes, and tri suits that wipe your ass for you. If Dave Scott can win Ironman on 10 bananas I can figure out how to eat the right food to fuel my body

right?

right. 

well..maybe.

 

My brain says the best way I can succeed as a triathlete is to give this everything I have, push myself, and be the best possible shape before I start my training program.  This means strapping on a feedbag full of lettuce when I want a bowl of ice cream with a kalua drizzle or my own pizza topped cupcakes (seriously, can someone get on this?). It means swimming/biking/running when I want to watch binge watch netflix until I forget what year it is. 

It means (as a good friend reminded me) embracing the suck.