Week 2: I'm not dead yet! Just hangry!

So I have officially finished week 2 of training and am now starting week 3. Some awesome things and not so awesome things happened during week 2:

1. I am one of the newest ambassadors for Base Performance.  Check them out at baseperformance.com
2. I was quoted in an article for Women's Health Magazine Online. Check that out at  http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/treadmill-incline
3. I had a damn good 20-minute run test, even though I felt like I wanted to throw up. Dude! I averaged a 9:40/mile pace for 20-minutes all out. NOTE: This has not happened in a LONG while.
4. I did a brief presentation on goal setting to an awesome group of women. Shout out to Team Dream!
5. Did a video demonstrating/explaining some Pilates exercises to another group of awesomely fabulous women. Shout out to Sole Tri Sisters.
6. The last 2 things I will not mention but trust me when I say they are AMAZING!

The not so awesome thing:

1. Got SERIOUSLY bruised up in my swim. This was during my 10 x 100yds swim test (remember that I had 3 baseline tests).  Really, if you are sharing a lane, please don't breast stroke. This guy seriously tried to maul me. It is really too early for open water swimming

So, with my training, I have mastered the art of scheduling. Most of you know that I do not have a normal 9-5. I work in fitness so my schedule, in terms of getting my workouts in, revolve around my teaching, training, coaching and writing schedule. What does this mean? If I have a swim, I am at another gym at 5am in order to get that swim in before I have to get back to my location to train a Pilates Client. Or, it may mean I wake up earlier on a Sunday morning (even if I had been out all night) in order to get a run in before I have to go into work to teach and train. How do I do this? I look at my schedule for the week from my coach (jenny-hayes.com) and compare it with my work schedule. If I can do 2 workouts at the same location, I will do it. Oh, did I tell you that I do all of my traveling on Public Transportation? Case in point. This morning, I went to my other location in the Gold Coast to find out that the pool was closed. SHIT! Cue the Mission Impossible Theme Song: https://youtu.be/mWGeRgFa-hI

What did I do? Hauled ass on CTA to get to our Union Station location to get my swim in, shower and change and high tail it back to East Lakeview to train a client. Mission Accomplished! Oh yeah, CTA is where its at...not really, but it gets me from point A to point B. However, there is one thing that I didn't mention-EATING!

I am going to tell you now, Ironman training will break your grocery bill! If I am not around endurance athletes, it is a little embarrassing eating the amount of food that I can eat, especially after swimming. Yes, this girl can eat. I have to bring snacks such as a piece of fruit, graham crackers, string cheese, almond butter/blackberry jam sandwich, hard boiled eggs or a protein shake with me for post workout. If I do not have anything with me, it tends to get really ugly. Me + hangry = EVIL Joy. This is what I turn into when I do not eat after a hard workout or any workout, who am I kidding:



If I eat after a workout, I'm more like this guy:



Until next week! May the 70 degrees that we are having here in Chicago make a return towards the end of the week.

#FitCoaching #BasePerformance #ProjectIMCozumelinfulleffect #IronFitFro

I Survived Week 1 of training

So, as the title indicates, I did indeed survive week 1 of IM Cozumel training. Since I have a very DYSFUNCTIONAL schedule: I work in the Fitness Industry and at any given time I may step in to sub a class or 2, a client may ask for an extra session in the week, a client may cancel or I may have a meeting or 2 to attend. Due to this, I have to plan my week accordingly. What does this mean, you may be asking? Sometimes it means that I am at the gym at 5am in order to get my swim in (in a 25 yard pool) which translates to me leaving my apartment at 4 am at the latest. Or, if I have a break in the middle of the day, I maximize my time to get that workout in.

Crazy? Maybe. Impossible? Not in the least bit. See, the thing is if you are training for an Ironman, you will learn how to prioritize your time or it will bite you in the ass later on in your training.

How did this past week go? Well, I had my FTP (Functional Threshold Power Test) and it went ok (166 watts (95%) for 20 minutes except I felt like crap afterwards. My legs felt like lead after that but then I had to run 15 minutes on the treadmill. READ: The WORST  run EVER!!!!! The last 6 minutes, I switched my iPOD to George Kranz's "Din Daa Daa" http://youtu.be/-hTSvEgEdjs
This song will get you those last 5-10 watts! I did, however have one goof. I didn't eat enough for my swim on Wednesday since it was a midday workout. Moral of the story, Don't swim hangry!
Yeah, that didn't go over to well with my coach so, yes, I will eat more before a swim workout and bring something afterwards. Also, in this same week, I was able to switch my Friday and Saturday workouts and actually have Saturday as my rest day even though I was working the Indoor Triathlon. I didn't workout unless you count demonstrating a few PILATES exercises to a class and running up and down the stairs delivering race results. I was good! I really was....I have witnesses. LOL!

The bad? I jammed my ring finger on my right hand so it is still swollen. Don't ask.

So, what's on tap for this week? More testing: swim and run and a lot more workouts.

Until next week... keep training.

#FitCoaching #ProjectIMCozumelinfulleffect #IronFitFro

And here we go again...

It's been a while. I know, I know. Well, now is a good time to let you know what is going on.

When you last read my blog post, I DNF'd at Ironman Arizona. Things happen for a reason and I can seriously say that more people were upset for me not finishing. It happens, things happen. Well, I have an update for you...I'm back in the saddle again (well, I never left the saddle). So, where am I going? Well, it's not Arizona. Say what??? I know. I'm heading South, South of the border. I'm running away to Mexico... Cozumel that is.

Why Cozumel?
1. Why not? It's Mexico, duh? Sunshine, sand, warmth (did I mention it is November 29th?), ocean, margaritas, November in Mexico vs. November in Chicago
2. I needed a warmer weather race that suits my strengths. READ: FLAT BIKE COURSE! OCEAN SWIM! NO WETSUIT!
3. I need a VACATION! For those of you who know me very well, I am a workaholic! There, I admitted it! That, in itself is a big thing for me to do.

What am I changing?
Well, I am actually working with a coach. In the past 3 Ironman trainings, I have followed a training plan, but had to work it around my dysfunctional schedule. Most times, I would have to do a lot of training solo and hope to have the time to do some group workouts.

This time around, I am now working with a coach. Who, you may ask? Jenny Hayes (jenny-hayes.com), of course! Yes, a coach needs a coach also. I am leaving it in her capable hands to get me through this journey. I have a goal time in mind which I am going to keep very quiet. Only my inner awesome circle will know what that time is. So, no more crazy ass workouts when stressed... which means I need to stay as stress free as possible. Friends, you may have to do some intervention work if I get stressed. :)

So there you have it.

The saga continues...