Lake Placid Training Camp

   One month from today; GAME ON!!!! Yesterday I found out my bib number is 476. When I saw my number for the fist time I got butterflies in my tummy. I can't believe this whole thing is coming together and I will actually be doing an Ironman. I keep thinking something might happen that will put a kink in the whole thing but so far the Lord has blessed me with a great training year and a great support crew. I honestly, feel like I'm living in a dream; never thought this was going to be possible.

If all goes well, one month from this very moment I should be done with the event that I trained an entire year for. All that hard work comes down to one day. I am sure during the bike and run I will have feelings of thinking it will never end but I also know it will go by in a flash. I want to savor every minute, every stroke, every pedal, every step. Not sure when I will be able to do anther Ironman.

Even though an Ironman is not a big deal to some it is to me. Figuring out how to train, be a mommy, wife, take care of the house, work many jobs and everything else in life has been very challenging. Most people train about 18-30hours a week for the Ironman but I am lucky to get in 12 hours a week. With my limited time to train and life duties this adventure has proven to be one heck of a ride. It's my Olympic event, it's my one big chance. Jamie has made it very clear that I am not to do this again for a very long time so this is it. With that in mind it really puts extra pressure on me to make July 22 successful some how. Lots of things can happen leading up to that day and lots of things can happen on that day so I pray hard the Lord will grant me a smooth race day. There is alot at stake for us. We have invested alot of time, finances and hard work into this adventure. Ironman stuff is not a poor mans sports and we are poor. :-) So, yes, we have alot at stake. Knowing that I don't have the luxury to just do another one if this one doesn't go well really adds the pressure. Some how I have got to channel this "pressure" to work for me not against me.

I guess because so much hard work and so much support from other's is invested in this Ironman distance there seems to be alot more emotions that go along with Ironman distance races as opposed to any other distance I have done. It's a funny thing. This last month leading up to race day is not only crucial physically it's also an emotional roller coaster. I am so excited about race day, so ready for it to be here and yet part of me wants to freeze time. I don't want it to be over either. Half iron distance races and shorter I know that if I have a bad race it's okay. I can sign up for another one and try again. That's not the case with Ironman. This is my one chance. This is my one shot, at least until I'm 50 or so. Haha!!! Poor Jamie on the other hand just can't wait for this whole thing to be behind us (for his very understandable reasons). Race day will only be sweet to him but I'm afraid for me it will be very much so bitter sweet. I will be one of those athletes that crosses the finish line (assuming I cross the finish line) crying like a baby. I apologize ahead of time. :-) I have had some real amazing supporters during this whole adventure and I can't thank them enough for constantly encouraging me, giving me words of wisdom, pushing me when I didn't want to keep going, holding me back when I was overtraining, and the list goes on. I will forever be grateful to you. You know who you are!!! One month away my friends; couldn't have done it without you.

This past week was the peak training week for the Ironman. Some wonderful friends of ours invited Jamie and I to come stay with them at an apartment they rented in Lake Placid. We gratefully accepted their offer only if we could provide the food. To make the trip easier my parent's offered to watch Tucker and my brother and his beautiful gal offered to watch our puppy. So with the car packed with food, bikes, Jamie's motorcycle and lots of gear we were off to Lake Placid. We arrived in Lake Placid late but got some good sleep before the training adventures began.

We started the training with a 56 mile bike. We did the bike course once and even experienced one flat tire. My friend, Matt, unfortunately got a flat but it was very educational for me. I was sorry it was an extra expense for Matt but I was very grateful for the tutorial. Our ride was successful and was followed up by a swim. The plan was to swim the entire 2.4 mile course but we ended up swimming 3.6 miles. Matt and I didn't know where to turn around and we ended up following the rowing course. We knew something was off due to time but we went ahead and did two loops of the rowing course anyway. Hey, if we can swim 3.6 miles than surely we can swim 2.4. Haha!!! The swim felt great and it was awesome being able to follow the cord underneath the water. I hardly looked up at the buoy at all. Race day I probably won't be anywhere close to the cord but I enjoyed the luxury during practice. The rest of the day we enjoyed lounging and eating a little ice cream. That night I went to bed fairly early so my body would be rested up for the next adventure.

 The next day we were off on our 112 mile bike ride. We did the first loop under 3 hours and we felt good but I knew it was a little too fast for me. I would have to go a bit slower race day in order to have a fresh marathon. After the first loop we re-fueled and road out of town for the second loop. About 10 miles away from town on the second loop I started to feel really hot. I felt like I really didn't drink enough and I know I didn't eat enough. Something to remember on race day. Otherwise the 112 miles went very well and we felt good. I was very pleased with my bike, my saddle and my attire. After the bike ride we changed into our running shoes and did a t-run from the apartment to the lake. Matt and I quickly took our shoes off at the lake and promptly dove it. It was the best feeling!!!! The cool water felt so refreshing and helped wash away the hours and hours of salt plastered all over my legs, arms and face. Once we got home, showered and ate dinner, it was time for bed.

The next morning we geared up and headed out the door for our 20 mile run. We did one and a half loops of the running course. Some how our legs didn't feel too bad after the long bike. We were able to cover the run course without any trouble and finished feeling tired but good. Now we just have to put everything together all on the same day. Yikes!!!

This past week has given me a confidence boost. Having done the course and knowing I have covered every mile of it is comforting. I know how to pace myself a bit better, I know how to fuel a bit better and I came up with a different hydration set-up on my bike which is MUCH better. I know the course, the hills, the downhills, the flats and everything else in between. Next time I'm in Placid I just have to put it all together which is going to be a whole different beast.

There are several things I have got to practice between now and July 22. I have to practice changing my tires, repairing my tires and pumping my tires. There is nothing more that I hate then a flat tire. My hand strength is so weak and it takes me forever to get a tire on and off the rim. It's so frustrating. So, I must practice for hours how to change my tire until I can do it in minutes instead of in hours. :-) I also need to practice my transitions and figure out exactly how to work quickly and efficiently. I also need to research special needs bags and figure out what to put in them.

Jamie and I want to send out a great big thank you to Matt and Jill for making this past week possible. It was alot of fun, alot of hard work and just a great experience. We also want to thank my parents for giving Tucker an exciting, fun filled time and we thank Matt and Mariah for taking care of the puppy. It takes a crew to prep for such an event!!! Wouldn't be possible without my team!!! Thank you everyone.

Sub 14 Would Be Okay...I Guess

  Ever since I started this Ironman adventure I have had alot of friends ask how long it will take me to complete the Ironman. Great question!! Wish I knew the answer. Wind, sickness, bike issues, swim issues, run issues, cramps, too many bathroom breaks, weather and so much more are all variables that can and probably will affect my time. Let's just say I have smooth sailing (which is rare) my time would be, well, I want to say 12 hours and 30 minutes BUT NO. That's only wishful thinking. Honestly I would be really happy with anything sub 14. Being a mom, working several jobs, and having limited time to train will definitely play a major role on my total race time. I'm heading to Placid to put my body to the test (especially mentally) and as long as I see that finish line I will be VERY happy!!!
  There are cutoff times for the Ironman. The swim has to be completed within 2 hours and 20 minutes. The bike has to be completed within 10 hours and 30 minutes and the run must be completed within 17 hours of the start. Realistically I will probably do the swim around 1 hour 20 minutes, the bike around 7 hours and the run around 5 hours. In my dreams I would love to do the swim in 1 hour 17 minutes, the bike in 6 hours 30 minutes and the run in 4 hours 30 minutes. The closer I get to race day the more reality is sinking in. I am becoming continually excited about just finishing the thing even if it takes 17 hours. You just never know what could happen. I totally wouldn't be surprised if it takes me much longer than I think. (Jamie is going to cringe when he hears the next part.) The problem is if I have some sort of unpredicted issue and my time is off big time then I will be dying to do another to prove to myself that I can finish an ironman in a descent time. Let's just pray really hard that things go somewhat smooth and I can at least accomplish this beast within 13:59:59 or less!!!! Sub 14 would be okay, I guess. Not exactly what I was hoping for when I first started this adventure but it is quickly becoming my reality. Could take longer but one thing is for sure no matter how long it takes I have to remind myself that few get to experience such a thing and it will be amazing just to finish!!! God give me strength!!

Some Truth and April Training

Hello Once Again!! April training is over and May training has started. April went pretty well, although I did get sick again. I missed two days of training which wasn't too bad but two days missed is two days missed. I am realizing that ironman training is very hard health wise. I am not willing to compromise my faith, my family time or my work. It's getting harder and harder and usually what goes first is sleep. There is no doubt that I am missing out on some family time too. Thankfully pretty much the only time my family notices that I'm gone is on Sunday’s when I have to do long bike rides followed by a t-run. It could be worse.

Jamie has been such a wonderful support!!! I often can't believe how selfless he is. He is truly the most amazing guy on this planet!! Jamie is helping me fulfill a dream that is only mine. Somehow he is willing to see me through it and often I have no idea why. This leads me to another point...

Ironman training is NEVER about just the athlete. Everyone is cheering the athletes on when we are on course racing but I honestly wish my family and friends could stand up on a platform and get the recognition they deserve!! This sport takes a team. When July 22 comes I want my whole support crew to get a medal. They deserve it so much more than I do. I have never felt so selfish in my life then I have during this training. So much time is scheduled around my training. Feeling selfish is a horrible feeling. I would like to thank some people by name (you can get the idea how many people it takes to train for an Ironman. Every single person has played a key role in my training): Jamie, Tucker, Dad, Mom, Rick, Cheryl, Mike T., Matt, Mariah (mac recipe), Greg T., Aunt Donna, Russ, Mike C, Jill W., Kathy, Tom, Rich, Tina, Matt & Jill H., Jerry H., Greg S., my grandparents, my couch to 5k group, my students, Rachel S., other MTC members, Sustainable Athlete, and many more.

 I want you all to understand that I do love the challenge and I am looking forward to race day but I am trying to be very open about the whole process. It's not all bliss and fun. I hate to be a Debby downer but hear me out. First of all it's incredibly hard to balance life with training. I am constantly fighting exhaustion. Weekly events have to be scheduled around my training. I can't go out with friends Saturday night or any other night of the week or I end up sleep deprived. As soon as Tuck goes to bed I have to go to bed (otherwise we all pay because I get sick) so Jamie and I have limited time together. There have been no date nights. I miss it so much. There have been training days that end in tears due to duration, intensity and/or exhaustion. I am not much of a crier but sometimes I feel like everything has been taken out of me and I am just totally drained. Training for an Ironman is not easy! Jamie often asks me if I had fun after a long ride and I'm not sure how to answer him. It's true, I have put myself in this position and it's my choice but it's not always fun. It's alot of hard work that includes alot of sacrifices. All of my long rides have been alone too which really adds to the mental battle. Last year I was able to do alot of long rides with my team mates who made it fun and enjoyable but this year it's just not working out with my schedule. Riding alone for 4 to 5 hours can be daunting and overwhelming physically and mostly mentally. Thankfully I have been able to do my long runs with a friend which has been a big help. Another thing I have noticed about this Ironman training is my health has been the poorest it's been. My good friend, Tom, said you can be fit but not healthy. SO TRUE!!! I have been sick at least once, sometimes twice, every month this winter. It's partly my fault because I have trained at too high an intensity but it also down to sleep deprivation. I am concerned about my health and am hoping to make a visit to the doctor soon to get some advice. I have cut out all desserts but it doesn't seem to be helping. Bottom line, Ironman training is thrilling and an amazing experience but it doesn't come without its challenges. There are alot of sacrifices that have to be made not only by the one training but by the entire family and friends.

Upside: the experience seems surreal and I still can't believe that I will be an athlete at the Lake Placid Ironman. It really blows my mind. It's also a great feeling to not feel intimated by long distance swims, bikes or runs. It becomes part of your identity. It gives you great confidence. It boosts my mood and helps me be a better mom (when I'm not exhausted). I have gotten jobs due to my triathlon experience and Jamie and I can use every red cent we can get. I have gained alot of experience and have learned so much about triathlons. I have also learned alot about myself and what's important in life. I have learned even more about how amazing Jamie is and how much I adore Tucker. Most importantly I have learned that imbalance is dangerous. God has to be my focus. Ironman training takes alot of time but mental training even takes more time away from God. It's playing with fire. Don't let anyone kid you. I tend to learn things the hard way. But I will tell you, God has blessed me so much during this training even though I feel like I don't deserve it. God is great!!! He gives me every breath, every step, every minute of my day and I am so thankful. God is allowing me to do this Ironman for some reason and it's a privilege. To God be the glory!!!

  April training has included 3,500-4,000 yard swims, bike rides have maxed at 4 hours outside, and runs have included anything from 7 mile runs to 20 mile runs. I had one very hard run due to only 5 hours of sleep the night before and due to what time I ate supper. It was a 16 miler which half way through resulted in me feeling very sick and dead. After a little bit of walking I was able to pick it back up and push through. What a mental ride!!! It’s not fun to run any distance feeling extremely sick. But once it was over I was SO thankful I finished the run. Great Ironman practice, so I hear!!

  May has already started and it started out great with an amazing 4 hour bike ride in Mass followed by a 4ish mile t-run. At first the bike ride was frustrating since I didn’t know where to go but it ended up great. Half way through the ride I rode up Mt Wachusett which was beautiful!! I felt pretty good on the run. Part of me felt fresh and almost as if I never biked but I did fight a cramp from the food I ate on the bike. I will have to work on that.

  Currently I am on my second day of sitting on a lazy boy with the flu. I’m hoping it ends soon since I am getting behind in my training. So, yes, I got sick in May too, already. Aaaaaa!

March Training is Over...Just About

   It was early in the morning, probably around 4:45a.m. I had 5 hours of spinning ahead of me, indoors, alone!!!  I hadn’t had my worship yet so I spent the first hour listening to a sermon. The sermon was great and spoke to my heart but once the sermon was over reality hit and I realized I still had 4 hours of spinning left. Immediately thoughts of doubt started to creep into my mind.  I started asking myself if I really needed to do such a long spin, the answer was an emphatic YES. Next I started to think of all the other things I could be doing and should be doing, but then I reminded myself that I had signed up for the Ironman and I better be getting my hours in on the bike. My next struggle was sleepiness!!! I nearly fell asleep, while pedaling, three different times. It wasn’t a good feeling. It was kind of like the feeling you get when driving a car tired. You know you can’t sleep but you would do anything to be in bed. After two hours of spinning I beat the fatigue and was able to keep pushing through. Now I only had 3 hours left. I had done 3 hours many times so I knew I was capable. I had to get my mind in the right place, focused and determined!! Focusing on each set and repetition helped the time go by pretty fast actually. Next thing I knew I only had 2 hours left. Jamie and Tucker came to the spin club to visit me which gave me a boost. It was really helpful to see their wonderful faces and to feel their support. The last hour and a half I spent thinking about race day. I imaged myself experiencing the whole event. I thought about the spectators, the brutal swim, the rolling bike hill course and how I would feel when I first started the marathon run. All of these thoughts got me pumped. I was able to finish my 5 hour spin and do a 30 minute t-run in the pouring rain. I felt great during the run which was an added bonus. The 5 hour spin marked the end of my March training.

  March has been a good training month but has definitely had its challenges. I have done a lot of long spins topping out at 5 hours. I have done two 15 mile high elevation gain runs and some other long runs. I am now swimming 3,500 yards twice a week and doing t-runs 2-3 times per week. On a typical training week I am running every day of the week which is good since my run needs some strengthening. I have been doing long runs, negative split runs, hill runs, etc. Bikes have included long distance, turbo, high cadence, gear grinding hills, etc. My swims all include technique, distance and some speed work. My family and I have gotten sick twice during March which is not good. Lack of sleep is doing it to me, I swear. I have to get up early to get my training in every day of the week except Saturday. Often I can’t get to bed when I want to because of work, grading, cleaning, house work, laundry, sick baby, etc. I feel exhausted more than I should.  My goal has been to do most of my training early morning so that I don’t interrupt my family’s schedule. I have been doing pretty well at it until lately. Now the runs and bikes are getting so long it totally interrupts the family. Either I am gone or I am home but tired. Only because of my fight for sleep do I look forward to the Ironman finish line other than that I don’t want to see it come to an end.

  There is so much preparation that goes into such a long distance race; so much time, energy, and mental prep. I can feel race day approaching so quickly. Before I know it the day will be over; a whole year’s work over in one day. It makes me a bit nervous. I feel like July 22 is going to be such a “high” and when it’s all over I’m not going to know what to do with myself. Several of my training buddies told me to have something to work towards after the Ironman. For the past couple of months I have been thinking about what I would like to do next, something that is challenging and yet won’t take so much time away from the family. So…my next goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. For the first time in 20 years they have shortened qualifying times by 5 minutes in each age category making it a bit harder. I would need to run a marathon in 3:34:59 and not even one second slower.  Running is not my strength so this would be a great accomplishment for me. I am excited to try and keep trying until I run Boston!!!! I was 8 minutes too slow during the Maine marathon this past October so I need to cut at least 8 minutes off my total time.

  The other thing that I am looking forward to after Ironman is baby number 2!! We will be ready to extend our family and add another little munchkin into the family. Once kiddo number 2 comes along my family has asked me not to train for Ironman for awhile since it takes a lot of time away from the family. I will listen to their wishes BUT someday I want to do another ironman and someday, even if it’s when I’m 70, I would love to qualify for Kona!!

  Even after kiddo number two I hope to continue to do half-ironman distances every summer and a several marathons each year. This will help keep me in some kind of shape and will feed my need for exercise.

  April training here I come!!! April, May, June and July!!! Little less than 4 months left and each one needs to count BIG time!!! I will keep you posted.

Happy training, Alicia

Personality: Jamie vs. Alicia

So I was looking up this athlete personality site trying to determine the difference between Jamie and I. We are complete opposites which works out perfect for us. As an athlete I am an introvert. I like training with other people and am getting to the point where I won't train any other way BUT I am still a lone athlete. If I have to swim, bike or run alone I don't have a problem with it.  I am swimming in my own lane or at my pace and relying on no one else to propel me forward, while biking or running I am pacing according to my own abilities, no one else is doing it for me. I am part of a club and I consider them my team. We do most all of our training together and we are a great support to each other but we carry our own weight. On race day it is survival of the fittest, you are own your own!!! I enjoy long bike rides just thinking and working hard. I don't need to be talking to others the whole time and often find that I work harder when I'm not talking. I prefer not to have a team rely on me. I have a great fear of letting other's down. As a triathlete you don't let anyone down but yourself.  Jamie on the other hand is an extrovert. He likes to surround himself with people while working out. He needs people to motivate him. It can be hard for him to get out the door unless someone can accompany him. Team work is important to Jamie and he is a good team player. He plays hard and plays well with other's. He likes having other's around so he can help and be helped. Jamie doesn't have a fear of letting other's down; he has confidence in his team abilities. Jamie likes to talk to people while workout and often prefers it. Jamie would rather compete with a group, as a team, then alone. It is far more rewarding to him. I definitely see the details of exercise and tend to spend alot of time organizing the details. Jamie see's the big picture and doesn't harp on the details. He is out to have fun and do his best but isn't worried about every second of his performance or training. Jamie is a thinker and bases his decisions on facts and logic. He researches things to get the big picture and then does what makes the most sense. I am a feeler. I base my athletic decisions alot on people and emotions. If someone is ahead of me I must try to catch up no matter what. If I'm feeling good I'm going to go for it. I also don't want to disappoint anyone and will often push just to meet expectations. I will often train harder when I'm in a certain mood too. I hate to admit that because women are known for being emotional and part of me hates that. Jamie perceives. He structures his workouts so they are adaptable and fun-oriented. Jamie loves to exercise but prefers to have fun while doing it. He loves volleyball, racket-ball, mountain biking, etc, all of which are fun and not just grueling. I am very much so a judger. My workouts are controlled and work-oriented. I am out there to work hard no matter if it's fun or not. My workouts are planned and structured. If I have to run 18 miles it doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing or freezing cold, I have to do it. It probably won't necessarily be the best time I have ever had but it's rewarding to me. Honestly, I love my work-oriented workouts. They can be intense, long, tedious and sometimes boring but I love to push my body to it's limits. It's hard for people to understand this mind-set but there are more people out there that are like me then you might think. Some are actually 10X more intense then I am. We are all different and enjoy life differently. We see things differently. We experience things differently. I am so thankful for Jamie and his differences. I wouldn't want to live with another "me". Jamie is the best thing for me. We help balance each other. 

Run...Anything is Possible

Several years ago if you told me I was going to run from Rangeley to Oqussoc or that I was going to run from the camp to Saddleback Mountain and back I would have laughed. Both routes are about 15 + miles and have some good climbs. Now, 15 miles on a bike doesn’t sound bad at all; sounds doable, easy in fact, but running 15 miles? Wow!! I would have never dreamed of running either route even 2 years ago. The routes aren’t a huge deal but running 15 + miles was out of the question a couple years ago. Something I never thought I would be able to bike is now something I can run. It just goes to show that anything is possible. We are capable of more than we imagine! God created our bodies to do amazing things. Sometimes when I am running I just look down at my big old feet and my little legs plodding along and am so thankful for the opportunity to run!!! There are a lot of people out there who would do anything to have legs to run; God has blessed me with my short stocky legs and I hope to take advantage of them.

   Long distance running never use to appeal to me but now I love it. Part of me didn’t think I was capable of doing long distance runs. I also thought it sounded like physical and mental torture. With training it’s not that bad. Having said that I must admit, I still cannot fathom running anything longer than a marathon. Maybe 30 miles but that’s it!!  These ultra-marathoner’s blow my mind!! I have no idea how they run so far. To them 15 miles is merely a warm-up. That’s sick (and I say that with respect).

Jan- Feb Training

My intentions are to document each month of training and hopefully add some extra blogs in between my monthly summaries. January was not an actual training month so I do not have a separate blog entry for January. I will just include it in February’s blog. January was an intro training month. I biked and ran and went swimming but I didn't focus on time, distance, or anything. I was doing it to get daily exercise not really to train. I tweaked my training schedule in January to fit around my family and work. After switching several things, adding things, deleting things I pretty much got my training schedule figured out and ready to go for February. February was when the real training started!!! And boy did it ever start. Wow, the first week was a push for me but I have since gotten use to it and love the challenge. I developed my schedule by using the book Start to Finish Ironman. The book has been a big help but several of my Ironman training buddies have also shared their past training plans with me which I have used as well. Every plan has helped me develop my own personal plan. Now it’s going to be interesting to see if my plan works or not. I have posted some blogs in the past of my training plans but I will share with you my up-to-date plan. It’s all I can do with the time I have.  It looks something like the following:

Sunday: Long run (which will switch to Monday once the sun shines a little earlier)

Monday: Long bike (which will switch to Sunday once the sun shines a little earlier)

Tuesday: Run, swim, core training

Wednesday: bike followed by a t-run, and a long swim

Thursday: Run hills or threshold run, core training

Friday: Bike followed by a t-run

Saturday: OFF

In a month or two the above plan will change yet again due to longer distances, longer t-runs, earlier sun rise, later sunset, warmer weather, etc.

 February training went really well. I am starting off doing 2 weeks on and 1 week off. Soon it will change to 3 weeks on and 1 week off. I also take 1 day off per week. I am documenting each day of training on TrainingPeaks.com. The site has been very helpful. There is a free package and then upgrades for a fee. I am only using the free package right now.

February Gear Update: I finally bought a GPS unit and LOVE it!!! I need to return it because we don’t have the money for it but it is SO nice!!! Just with a quick glance I can tell how far I have gone, how fast, what my current pace is, what my heart rate is, max heart rate, average heart rate, calories burned, lap times, and so much more.

February Swim Update: Swimming is always going to be my weakness. I have been working on technique and distance this month. I don’t like technique days because they are so slow and I don’t feel like I’m accomplishing much. Goodness, I am in need of better technique though. It would be helpful to find someone to video my swim so I can actually see what I look like. It would be an eye opener for sure. Distance days are more fun. Currently I have built up to 3, 500 yards in the pool.  

February Bike Update: Since taking a break from training I have once again built back up to a 3 hour ride on the bike. It feels good but is boring on the spinner. I am using my old bike on the spinner so I really miss my tri bike!!! I am trying a new saddle right now. I like it but am not completely sold on it yet.

February Run Update: I started out doing my long distance runs on Monday evening. What a mistake!!! I hate running at night. I am such a morning person. I quickly re-schedule my long runs for Sunday mornings; so much better!!! Slowly I have built back up to 16 miles on my distance days. Tuesday and Thursday mornings I am running 7-8 miles. My focus on Tuesday and Thursday changes but includes threshold runs, hill runs, easy runs, etc. My t-runs feel great!!! I love t-runs for some reason. My longest t-run so far is 3 miles. Soon I will be focusing more on time then distance.

February Fuel Update: Well, I have failed in this section. I haven’t thought about fueling yet. I am watching what I eat the day before a long run and I only eat dessert on the week-end but that’s about it. I haven’t been using anything other than water during any of my workouts. I will have to start practicing my fueling soon.

February Rest Update: Somehow I am surviving. Except during recovery days I am awake before 4a.m. or at 4a.m. every morning. I have been trying to go to bed by 8 or 9pm. One good sign is I usually get up in the morning before my alarm goes off. If I wake up before my alarm usually I am getting enough rest. Once a week and if I’m lucky twice a week I take a nap while Tucker naps. These naps give me a much needed boost.

February Worship Update: Thanks to the good Lord’s help I have been doing better than ever on my personal worships. Usually I have my worship first thing in the morning; sometimes mid-day. Worships are a must for me. God gives me my daily bread, talks to me, answers prayers, loves me and gives me strength to be a mommy, wife, worker and athlete. We are so blessed!!! I am so thankful. None of the above would be possible without God helping me. He alone deserves all the credit for any of my accomplishments.

February has been a good training month. Currently I am in recovery. My next training block starts February 27. Yahooo!!!!