Melissa - Vain Triathlete

Dear Blogging Buddies, In order to simplify my life I'm going to take down my blog. I truly believe that in order for a blog to be "good" it needs to be updated frequently - which mine is not.  I wanted to let you know ahead of time.  After today you will no longer see my blog. Thank you for your comments and for allowing me to read your blogs. Melissa

Last weekend I got my first gel manicure. I think that gel manicures should be the triathlete's manicure of choice. The gel is literally baked onto your nails. It lasts for at least two weeks and you LOOK GOOD LONGER with less maintenance! Kathy and I, along with a couple of friends, volunteered at Lake Placid  to secure a guaranteed option to sign up for LP. Let me repeat option . Lately, I waffled back and forth over the decision to sign up for Ironman Lake Placid. Heading up to volunteer I was still on the fence. Up until the morning of sign-up I was not 100% convinced I even wanted to do Ironman.  Even after viewing the 3 mile decent, the heat the day before (which could easily happen race day),  the life threatening start to the swim, the walking dead at our aid station,  I was still just not there. Our shift ended at 10PM.  Exhausted, we waddled over to the finish line.  There was extreme excitement in the crowds as they watched ...

Yes, that is what I need. More running. I love it. I love running and it loves me. We are friends. Good friends. Have been for a very long time. I'm glad to be back with my old friend. Running.

I did this half iron yesterday in Freetown MA. AKA Middleboro, Lakeville area.  It was my 5 th one and I had very high expectations. Perhaps they were misplaced. I know I have the capability of going under 5:30 in the half. I thought that with my experience and finally  figuring out my stomach issues I would go under 5:30. Compared to Timberman here is how I did. Place at Patriot :  (7/28 AG 45-49)   (189/505 OA) TOTAL Time  Timberman 5:46:17 (Wavy, Hilly, Challenging) Patriot: 5:49:10 (Not wavy, not very hilly, HOT)  (+3:07)         TMBR: swim 45:34 PTRT swim 43:03 (- 2:31)  Good. TMBR Bike: 3:01:43 PTRT Bike :3:00:34 (-1:09)  Ok. TMBR Run: 1:52:54 PTRT Run : 2:00:36 (+8:18)   Crappy 　 TMBR T1 3:32 PTRT TI 2:50 (-:48)  Great! TMBR T2 2:34 PTRT T2 2:09   (-25) Good. My thoughts about this race: I've been coaching myself and getting healthy by listening ...

This week is a taper week for the Patriot this weekend.  I need to really buckle down with my eating and drinking and only consume lien healthy protein and carbs. Boring boring boring. I also need to get to bed early which so far this week has not happened.  We have had company and a concert to attend to and well  you can't just stop living.  I also still need to find a dog sitter which for this time of year is a little difficult.  If I can't find  a dog sitter I will be going it alone. :(  Despite my lack of a dog sitter I am very ready for this race and have everything I need all put together in a small area.  I even had an ultimate tune-up done on my bike.  Not because I thought it would be a good idea but more because my elbow plate on my aerobars broke off and I had to bring the bike in to get fixed.  While there the Landry's clan suggested new cables, new chain, and the ultimate ...

The Patriot HI is getting closer. Only 4+ weeks left to hone in on my race pace. I will be wearing the Bay State Triathlon team kit. It's red, white, and blue. Not my best personal colors but definitely the colors I'm extremely proud to wear. I'm looking forward to having this race done. Hopefully I will get this monkey off my back and will have  proven to myself what I've been trying to prove for the last 2.5 years. That I can have an excellent race throughout.  If not then I will have nothing else to prove because I will have given it my best shot.    I loved swimming outside in this pool last week. 

Self coaching myself these days requires that I read a lot more. I am currently reading "Run Faster" and "Time Crunched Cyclist".  Both are good books but not sure if the training for the Time Crunched Cyclist is appropriate for Triathletes.  The program call for 4 days of cycling which is fine but all of the workouts are intense. Maybe a bit too intense.  Still, I found some excellent training tips and workouts to try that I did like. The 3x12 minutes steady state ride makes those short 1 hour workouts go by pretty fast.  Run Faster talks about adaptive running.  Very interesting stuff. I feel as though I am stronger than I have felt over the past 2 years.  The last 2 years were very difficult with my sleep issues and feelings of being tapped out during or after workouts.  With some encouragement I recently I had my ferriten levels checked and have since upped my iron intake.  Did you know that as endu...