Whoops!

So, it was pointed out to me that I said that I ran 30 miles last week on Wednesday. I did not. I have run 30 miles before, and I can assure you that I did not get up and do an 80 mile climbing ride chasing my super fast husband the next day. I only ran 14 last Wednesday.

Feel better getting that off my spastic little shoulders!

I rode with a couple of friends yesterday, and I was S-L-O-W. After last week, hill repeats were......not great. I decided that I simply did not have it in my legs to go after that hill. Oh well. I just rode up and down it instead of really going for it. And my friends dropped me while riding to the hill. Man, it was not really my day. But I still got in almost 3 hours of riding on a Tuesday after work, so at least there's that.

Here I am as a hill slug:



Not particularly looking forward to running 8 today, because I know I am still carrying a lot of fatigue. I will get it done and then have some rest before this weekend's monster brick:
1.5 hours swimming
5 hours riding
3 hours running

9.5 hours. Seriously. Now we are watching the weather again and considering that Sunday looks better than Saturday! We already did one long workout in the rain, so it might be nice to do this one in sunshine!

I don't think I even mentioned George yet! At the Cheaha Challenge, they now have some road races too, which is why we went! George won 2nd in Cat3 and had a killer race! I am super proud of him! He is pretty close to moving up to Cat2 :-) Go George!

Back Home and Eating Clean!

Our trip to Asheville-my hometown-Piedmont was great. Really really great.

We ate so very well. We stayed at the Carolina B&B. It was amazing. It was our favorite B&B we have stayed in. I would recommend it to ANYONE going to Asheville. The house was beautiful, the food was outstanding, the hospitality was perfect, and the location was cycling friendly. What more could the Dardens ask for? If you are going to Asheville, I am sure you would love staying there! Every morning, we had amazing breakfasts, there were fantastic cookies in the jar (which came in my bento box for rides!), and wine and excellent snacks were out ever night!


We ate at some really great restaurants. Asheville has some great food for such a small little town!

We ate great pretzels at Lexington Avenue Brewery, giant mocajetes of amazing veggies at Salsas, liquid truffles at French Broad Chocolate, crazy good Indian at Mela Indian, and just perfect new southern food at Tupelo Honey. I mean, we ate really really well! There was more too :-) If anyone is going to Asheville, I have lots of suggestions!

After a week of that, I am pretty full. Even with all of that training. Thus, it's back to normal, and I am ok with that! Protien shakes, greek yogurt, apples, bananas, salads, tofu, brown rice, almonds, oatmeal, and natural nut butters--they all sound perfect now. And that is a really good place to be four weeks out from my race! I really want to survive this Ironman, and I need everything going my way for the next 3 weeks and 4 days (who's counting!?). I know a lot of my Trakkers folks are cleaning up their

I took yesterday off, even though I had a swim on my schedule. I got my Retul fitting done at All3Sports (again) yesterday. They have been awesome. My Kestrel didn't quite fit to get the right comfort/power. Fortunately, Kestrel and All3 are really awesome! They went ahead and got some great measurements out of the sessions so that when the next bike comes in, they can have it set up and ready to ride fast! That is really exciting! That means that I will not be sporting my 4000 at St. George, but I will be ok. It never was going to be my fastest anyway!

Long Time No Post

So it's time for me to actually write a blog! I am going to keep it short so that it is not intimidating for me :-)

So many good things have been going on!

That last workout I talked about was great--and super hard!

I recovered from it and travelled to asheville for the week. I had some amazing training!

Saturday: 10 mile run

Sunday: 50 hilly mile ride

Monday: 11 Mile Run

Tuesday: 22 mile ride with lots of climbing

Wednesday: 14 mile run

Thursday: Killer 80 mile rid

Friday: Rest and leave asheville

Saturday: Great 8 mile run with mom

Sunday: Cheaha Challenge! 102 mile ride that summits mount Cheaha twice!

So this is one more big week with a huge workout Saturday. Then one more big weekend, and I am doing my short 2 week taper before St. George!

Planning for a Big Workout

I have a 7+ hour workout on tap for this weekend. I almost feel superstitious talking about it--because it almost feels like a race, but I think I just need to get over that!

The workout is 1 hours 15 minute swimming, 4 hours on the bike, and a 2 hour run.

I am lucky enough to have two friends that I am training with this time. For Louisville, it was just George crewing me doing the long workout--and that is a hilarious story for another time about me forgetting his birthday while crewing me!

So, two friends means company and help as things come up, which they will when you are outside all day. It means helping you keep perspective when the rain comes. And I literally mean the rain.


Saturday

Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may be severe in the morning. Highs 62 to 70. South winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain 70 percent.

It also means doing all of the planning for this day. Because of the temp and those little thunderstorms, we are going to swim inside. That's ok with me, since I only have my old wetsuit! My new TYR one is on the way though!!

Then, we have a bike loop that is about 70 miles. We are going to stop at the grand opening of Podium, because they are supporting Kids 4 Kids. That means we are guaranteed a bathroom and any mechanical support halfway through! That eases my mind some.

We will end at the River. That means we have soft surface, hills on the road nearby, and a car that we will leave before we start. We will have our run gear, food, and drink planted in that car.


Sometimes I think just signing up for a race is easier than trying to plan your own workouts.....but then I want to race, and not train, which are two different things--and very very different things!

I am looking forward to the adventure tomorrow! It should be a great nutrition practice (as long as FedEx leaves my new box of First Endurance goodies), and a chance to see where my fitness is 6 weeks out from.....

Great week of training....and a race!

This week was not nearly as busy as last week, but still plenty going on!

First and foremost, I took this beauty home all built up!

Ahhhhh....isn't she just beautiful?? I love it! I am going to get fit on her on Friday from 4-6 at All3Sports (another amazing sponsor of Team Trakkers!). I can't wait. I thinking about a new kind of saddle to help relieve some pain while training. Seems creatively designed and people love them, so I think I am going to try it out!

Oh right, training! I didn't get in a swim last monday, which was fine. Tuesday I did the sessions, and I started to feel really strong. Wednesday, Laura and I had a good 6 miler together. Thursday I did the sessions again, and they went really really well (and they are not getting easier!). George got his bike all fit, and I snapped a couple of pictures during the cool down of the sessions on Thursday:

Friday I swam. Slow slow slow! Saturday, I got in about 3 hours chasing people around on my bike. Then, I went to my friend's baby shower, ran back home, and went to the Georgia Dome for the Publix Georgia Marathon Expo with George and Sparkles. Now, there might have been a few too many samples eaten, but I am never ever telling!

I don't think I mentioned that while I was riding and such, George was winning 3rd place in his Cat3 time trial on his new Kestrel!!! It was a 5K rolling course with lots of turns, and he rode it in 7:04. That is crazy! Crazy Awesome! George is on the left with his Teammates and yes, that is his cool Jersey for being the champ in the road race...oh wait, sorry, this picture must be from the road race! He did that Sunday, and helped get the guy in the middle (our friend Erik) to a second place finish. Cycling is this strange combo of individual and team, and they really pulled it off on Sunday!

Then...we headed over to Maggianos for lots of bread, mussels, pasta, and bread! That place is soooo yummy.....

Sunday, we were up and going quickly to run (and George's race from above). Mom came down, and she sparkles and I ran together for the first 7 miles. Here we are before we got all sweaty:

It was an awesome run. I love running with people that I love!!!

Mom and I ran off from Sparkles after 7 together and finished up. I didn't want the run to be over! Then, we went off for some breakfast, and came back to pick up Sparkles who had finished her second marathon in 2011 (and ever!!!). I am super proud of her!

After all that fun, I went to the track to cheer on my Kids 4 Kids group doing a workout! We headed to get some fro yo afterwards, and then off to get our lives together before another nutty week!

This week, I had nothing on my Training Peaks today. Does that mean a rest day? I don't know! I emailed my coach, and didn't hear back. My guess is yes, since I ran the farthest I have run in this training cycle (and I have been running on softer stuff when possible) all on tough pavement yesterday. Tomorrow trainer sessions, Wednesday is running, and Thursday is my LAST of the indoor sessions. I am pretty sad. They are hard, but I seriously feel like I am getting into shape when I do them! Friday is bike fit and swim! Saturday is off.....because.....Sunday is.....

1:15 Swim

4:00 Bike

2:00 Run

I have to spend the week mentally preparing myself for that one. Some physical prep might be good too!

Thanks to my new followers! It is awesome to see you on the list!

Any advice for the mental preparation? Saddles? Frozen Yogurt toppings (I tried about everything this weekend!)?

I am Ironman Training Now!

This week was the first one that was a killer. I was just zapped by the end!

Monday was swim and massage
Tuesday was the hardest trainer session I have ever done with my coach
Wednesday was a slog through an 8 mile run
Thursday won the new record for the hardest trainer session I have ever done with my coach
Friday was a tough workout in the pool
Saturday was a 73 mile ride handing on for dear life on George's wheel!
Sunday was a painful 12 mile run with hill repeats that I would have quit were it not for Laura!

Oh, AND George and I spent the weekend at Family Camp with Kids for kids, who were are working with! We rock climbed, did archery, paddle boats, team building, volleyball, run workouts barefoot in the grass, campfire (with SMORES!), service projects, and a mini time trial and bike ride (road and mountain)! It was a seriously awesome weekend, and I had a great great time.


Here we are debriefing after the longest attempt at an 18 person human knot EVER!


The campfire was was So so so fun, and you will see me chewing smores in all associated pictures!


I think the current highlight of Ironman training is eating smores with NO guilt!!!



Sunday George and I were riding around with the kids, and a dad got this cute picture of both of us! I love pictures of us on our bikes!


Here is the picture of all of the older kids before we took off on Sunday.



AND it was a big huge work week....but it was all really good.


AND My bike is being built in the shop. She is gorgeous! Here are a few sneak previews from visiting it at the shop!



And George is so excited to get on his bike and time trial, that he has taken to doing this......




I think I am going to be fit on it on it on Tuesday if I can fit it all in.

I am going to try to ride up in the Gaps on Saturday.


Sunday, I am running the Publix Half Marathon with my mom!!! I am super excited! Sparkles will be running the full. We will all go up there together. Then, Mom and I will run the half together. We will go out to brunch, and then I will come back and cheer for sparkles and pick her up at the end!

Should be a great week!

Big Arrival!

Yesterday, George's Kestrel 4000 arrived at our house (thanks to Kestrel for the sponsorship and Team Trakkers for generally being awesome!).


My husband George is a fantastic athlete, and he is going to make this bike look good! Now I am going to brag on him! Is the current state champion in Cat 3 road racing, and his is pretty close to cat-ing up to Cat2. He was an incredible runner, and he decided to dabble in a little running over the winter, and his quick little race report:
I ran the Disney Half Marathon last month and did well. My "reach goal" was to break 1:18:00, and I wanted to finish in the top twenty. In fact, I ran 1:16:20, and I finished thirteenth. I was second in my age group in a race that had 21,000 starters. Pretty good.

Pretty good--right!


Well people--this dude is learning how to swim--so WATCH OUT!

He also races in time trials on his road bike--so between moving into triathlon, and racing on inferior equipment, it was time for him to upgrade, and Kestrel gave us the opportunity for him to upgrade to a bike that is (in my mind) worthy of his awesomeness. Thank you Kestrel!

While his bike was out for delivery, he ordered us both new pedals, cleats, and tri shoes for him (I am still hunting for a new shoe for me--I have issues with my old ones!).


When he got home, our little condo door was totally blocked by this SUPER exciting box!


We live in a tiny little wonderful condo, and I think that this box took up about a third of our available square footage!

So every new bike comes with investments. Fittings, pedals, saddle changes, build costs, etc etc, BUT with this kind of excitement from the person who supports you 100%, I can't even begin to worry about any of that.


We did peek a little! This beauty is going to the shop today!




Of course, Team Trakkers and Kestrel means my bike is on the way, and I am so excited too! My old bike will be headed to my friend Laura's daughter, who is awesome, and who will love riding that bike!

This is the picture from the UPS page that I will be refreshing ALL day long until it says delievered. Are we a little excited about our new bikes????