Car Verses My Bike

Today I went on a 30 mile ride, within the first four miles I almost got plowed by a Trail Blazer on the Bay Trail.  I understand that in this part of the trail it is a bit industrial as Subaru and Honda have shipping yards there.  However, the SUV blew past a stop sign and I had my hands on my aero bars and  didn't have my breaks ready and just missed being side-swiped and being road kill. In the past I have had a semi trailer truck push my bike off the bike lane, I've been cut off (its hard to just stop when you are literally fastened to your bike via clip shoes). I get that people get annoyed by bikes but here are a few points to consider: the first point (the main point), a car versus a bike. We know who is going to win. What point is being made by pushing a bike off the road or cutting them off? I see it as a car weighs over a ton and the bigger the vehicle the heavier it is…me on my bike weighs approximately 160 pounds.  If I get hit, I get hurt or possibly seriously hurt. The nonsensical point that a driver is trying to make is lost.  Secondly, a bicyclist is on a bike not driving they are getting exercise.  No matter how fat, skinny, slow or fast they may be they are burning calories.  As a driver of a vehicle just remember people are out there trying to better themselves.  Third and last,  I know bikes can get annoying and sometimes get in the way but take a deep breath and settle down and remember we are all human.  I know not all drivers try to hit and run over bicyclists and I know that a lot of bicyclist do not follow basic traffic rules but just remember if you're angry-- you're car is powerful and can seriously injure a person operating the bike.  For drivers who are aware that people are running, biking, skateboarding, etc and are cautious, I appreciate it.  If you get all riled up at people biking, skating, etc. chill out and be nice.

Jeannine

12/10/13

6 month, 6 months! I have been dreaming of Ironman, some dreams were more nightmares of me unprepared at the race, like bike stolen or not properly trained… they subsided once I really started getting on the ball and not messing around.  This weekend I went on a 10 mile run and a 26 mile ride…it was cold…I was frozen! For next weekend's ride I want to shoot for 50 to 60 miles and as much as I am resisting it--hills, oh bless you hills.

Tonight, I lifted 30 minutes and followed Nate's strength training training plan and it went well.  My neighbor Angie suggested tonight that I take my 7 month pit bull Jameson out tonight for a run as he had some energy to run out.  Jameson was a trooper and ran with me for about a mile and a half before I turned around.  On the way home though he had other plans and wanted to walk, so we walked.  My neighbor spotted us as we were climbing our last enormous hill (well we were on side of road as Jameson was smelling the vegetation) and offered to give the dog a lift.  He hoped in the car and I finished up my 45 min run.

On a side not, my favorite time to run is around 9 p.m.- I have energy.  I have nothing else planned for the evening and it is just me and the darkness.  Each time I run the stars are always so bright as there is no light to take away from them (we have no street lights on the mountain).  It is just my favorite time to be in and out in the world.

Tomorrow I have around a two hour bike ride planned, still avoiding hills but will try to get some speed in there.  I did get a new computer today as my last one bunked, 45 big ones…

Lastly, I will be doing IMCDA for a charity and have the perfect one involved but those details are to come in a few days.  I am horrible at fundraising…but for this I will try a BIT harder.

HAPPY TRAILS,

Jeannine

I had a rather slow week but I feel like I finally got motivated to really get to business. Last week I met with Nate, who has offered coaching services.  For me this is a great opportunity to pick his brain about nutrition, training and workout help.  Nate is a professional biker who has a vast knowledge about anything endurance and has placed well at many races and tours so am excited about him helping me out.  I also rode two weeks ago with a group of great bikers from FMRC, they were fast.  I lost them pretty much after the first mile but the leader Doug suggested that the more I ride with the group the faster I will be and at some point be able to keep up.  From suggestion of Nate, I am increasing my bike volume as that is imperative in order to really be able to build strength on the bike.  Today I swam a 3000 which is 1.8 miles or around 120 laps in the pool.  I killed it, I concentrated on good form, which for me is a constant reminder to keep my head down, elbows out of the water and staying streamline.  Today was also great as 3000 meters is the most I have ever swam at one time and really the work out did not have me dying on the pool side deck.  All in all finally off to a decent start.

Jeannine

Resources

219 days

Last year when I participated in the IM New Orleans 70.3, I relied on very few resources besides my brother-in-law and some advice from the guys at Mikes Bikes in San Rafael. This time around I am trying to be super prepared with ample resources.  I met My future trainer while getting new aero bars put on for me at Mikes Bikes in Berkeley.  After chatting for awhile with one of their "bike guys" Nate, he mentioned that he does bike training. Since the bike is one of my greatest challenges. I took him up on his offer.

I was also on the Ironman Coeur d' Alene website as I know they advertised tri groups and found Forward Motion Race Club.  I just figured doing a few workouts each week with people couldn't hurt, especially will be challenging and keep me motivated.  Hopefully, some of the members will be going to Idaho this summer so there will be some team support.

My nutrition plan for the last two days-- bad....but jumping back on wheel tomorrow, those damed hotdogs.  Hopefully the 40 mile ride tomorrow and half marathon Sunday will help me repent for my transgressions ;)

Jeannine

T-221 days

November 20, 2013

T-221 days- so it has begun the count down to Ironman, though this seems like A Lot of time, it still makes me nervous it is approaching so fast. Today, was an early morning for a swim workout. I got up at 5:30 to be out the door by 6, in the pool by 6:45 out by 7:20 to get to work. I leave early a lot in order to avoid sitting in traffic for an hour and a half and have been pretty successful.  Today, I swam 50 laps in 30 min which means I should be able to swim 150 laps (a bit more than the 2.4) in 90 minutes... And giving me about 50 minutes wiggle room. That was awesome.

Today the focus was a continuous 35 minute swim-- my specific focus was good form. I started with ten laps in drills. I then moved on to the meat of the swim, tucking head, being stream line, getting elbows out of the water. My stroke has gotten much better and I have gotten faster but undoing 25 years of bad habits makes swimming a very conscious effort.  The cool thing was, I did this swim slower in order to focus so I probably could have swam faster.

Now if I can just cut an hour off my bike time or atleast 30 minutes I will feel much more confident in that area. I still have a 45 minute run tonight which should be interesting as it has been raining all day, I have no street lights just my head lamp for light...very Friday the 13th.

Vive la Vida,

-Jeannine-

 11/19/13

This is going to be a rough journaling of the process of a super novice to complete (hopefully)  Ironman. Ironman consists of 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile swim. I will probably misspell things, use run-ons and maybe even throw in some crude humor…

I signed up for the Coeur d' Alene Ironman (Idaho) about a month ago, so now it is November and the IMCDA is June 29th, 2014. Let me provide some background first. It all started a few years ago when I was living in American Samoa, I had the goal of running a half marathon.  I ran and ran and ran.  Several Islanders knew me by the blue Camelbak that I carried on my back and my friend Bill coined the name "Backpack girl".  I cannot say how many people I met that knew me by the fact that they had seen me running on the island.  I started with two miles that first run, I got chased that day by a pack of feral dogs and it had begun- lifelong running. While in American Samoa I signed up for a half marathon in Joplin, Missouri.  I trained and ran for the whole six months I was there.  I lost 20 pounds while eating better and exercising.  I did not end up running that half marathon as it was the Joplin Half and that happened to be the time when an F5 tornado directly hit Joplin, Missouri…killing 158 people.  That half marathon turned into a clean-up mission-- That was great.  I still had running on the back burner as I moved out to LA (again) from American Samoa. One day while hiking in the mountains by Santa Susana pass between Chatsworth and Simi Valley there was a 50k trail run going on.  My thought was "if that guy can do that--I can too"…so I did….

A few days later my classmate was talking about running the LA marathon…and I, of course wanted in.  I had a base of about 10-15 miles already but really trained for three weeks.  Each week increasing my distance by 5 miles.  Bam, three weeks later and the LA Marathon finishing at 5:32.23.  From there completed the San Diego Marathon in 4:55.  Marathons are fun but after my last one I was looking to be more challenged…

Reason for IMCDA: Everyone who signs up as a novice Ironman has a reason, or well I would say most do.  I have been listening to Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run By Andy Holgate. He really goes through a lot of the process as well as his thoughts through it all.  He suggested to write a blog--even if no one reads it.  My reasons for IMCDA: I like the extreme physical challenge, I want to finish an IM before 30 and lets be honest I want the IM tattoo =) And well of course to hear the four words "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN".

When I was a youngster I always watched the Kona IM championship on TV each year.  I would get all jazzed and run around the block…whoa was I baffled by their endurance and athleticism.  Now, 20(ish) years later I will be a part of the Ironman race.  Last year, I made my Ironman New Orleans 70.3 debut. I mean I am crazy but crazy in a prepared way. My brother-in-law is also a great resource as he has successfully completed two IMTX in the 10-11 hour range.  He suggested a few things: look into the Paleo diet (think low carb, high fat and protein).  I talk more about this is my other blog jeannineblankinship.blogspot.com.  I also took the suggestion to listen to the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast.  I love it.  He talks about everything from supplements, weight loss, Ironman tips, etc.

Okay, so training.  Today was a cycle interval-- it was tough during the haul ass part. Let's be honest it took a few weeks to be able to get into the flow of things but finally getting my head wrapped around this.  Last, night I had a great running buddy and we ran from Point Isabella in Albany to the Berkeley Pier about 9 miles long-- this is where we took these pictures.  Seriously, being in nature in such a beautiful place was great.  I know every work out will not be what this run was and I will have pain and get mentally down.  I think in those times when I am burned out, I will think about the runs/bikes/swims that were awesome…where I felt great…where I was in beautiful scenery.  Anyway, yesterday, the run felt great.  Sunday we're doing a half marathon and in Feb and just signed up for a 50k mile trail run so about 31-32 miles.  I think these races are necessary to keep moral up.  I was also really excited to find an open water swimming group that meets on Sunday and swims in the San Francisco Bay.  This was a great find as the water temperatures here in California and Idaho should be about the same (minus the salt water).

So this was a random mix of thoughts but I will close with this-- I think this blog will be good to get out thoughts…frustrations and victories of the process.

Jeannine