Life is good back home on Canadian soil! The smell of GREEN is so insanely amazing -- you don't get that smell in Cozumel.
The lilacs are blooming and when I run down the highway I get to run AND smell the flowers at the same time. Yes, I think this is extremely funny -- this is my type of joke. See everyone? I don't have to stop and smell the flowers, I can have my cake and eat it too!! (To really mess up some metaphors! Hahahahahaha.)
I did a sprint race on June 2 in Elkford and ended up 1st overall female and 2nd overall. I had the fastest bike split overall -- I was pretty pumped about that.
I've recently had a revelation about triathlon --- are you ready for it?
Most people are full of bullshit.
When I first started this sport, I was so intimidated by everyone "running until they puke," "going on the pain train," etc, that I felt I was a big wimp and I wasn't pushing myself hard enough. Even now I hear how people describe how they are almost blacking out during a swim set -- all this crap is like suffering is the only way to improvement. Not your usual work out, rest, kind of suffering, but the full on brutal kind.
Well, it is all bullshit.
I remember thinking I have to breathe so hard during intervals otherwise I am not working hard enough. What happened with that strategy is I gave myself vocal chord dysfunction. How idiotic is that?!?!?! I wanted to breathe hard and be so out of breath and that is exactly what I got. I was on inhalers until a specialist told me, "You taught yourself how to do this, you can teach yourself how to stop."
I am forever grateful to that doctor!!! What a liberating concept.
It reminds me of a sign hanging in Gord The Bike Guru's shop -- "If you want it BAD, that's what you'll get."
Working with Coach Sara, I've worked on slowing things down instead of busting out of the gate like a mad bull. For example, keeping my HR under a certain number for running. The best lesson was a swim set where I did:
5x 100m @ 2.10
5x 100m @ 2.05
5x 100m @ 2.00
5x 100m @ 1.55
No breaks between the 100s, one set of 5 rolled right into the next. When I paced it properly I couldn't believe the difference in how I felt. Going steady and strong is a lot more difficult than going balls out. Everyone has seen that guy (and/or have been that guy, lol) that goes balls out for 25-50m in the pool and then gets slower and slower as the session progresses.
These lessons I have learned in the pool have translated over to biking and running as well -- it is very awesome. :) :)
Improvement doesn't have to come from all this negative crap of blood, sweat, and tears.
All for now!
Julie
xxxxxxoooooo
