An Ultra??????

I've lost my mind!!! That's right....I'm thinking of doing an Ultra!! A 50K actually!! I have been loving pushing my body this past week....damn those muscles feel good when they're sore.

So here's the Ultra I'm toying with....Ice Age Trail 50....it's calling out my name. I don't know what's happening to me!!! My first Sprint Triathlon AND my first Ultra in 2006?? Who has taken over my body????? I think it's this crazy blogging world.....it's a drug I tell ya!!!

So here's the plan for this year thru June.......

March Madness Half Marathon
Shamrock Shuffle 8K
Ice Age Trail 50K
Rite Aid Cleveland Half Marathon
Subaru Women's Triathlon-Naperville Sprint Distance

Is there a special Athlete's Prayer out there? I'll need it!!

This Weeks Schedule

I'm signed up for Welcome to the 2006 Subaru USWTS Naperville, Illinois a sprint Triathlon!! Annnnnd----my 18 yr old daughter signed up with me! How awesome is that??!! It's a Women's Only Triathlon, so it should be a bit less intense--real good for my first one.

Here's what Coach Melanie has me doing this week:

Monday..........Swim 30 mins, Lift Lower Body
Tuesday.........Run- hill workout, CORE exercises
Wednesday....Bike 45 mins, Lift Upper Body
Thursday.......Tempo Run, CORE exercises
Friday............Bike 45 mns, Life Upper & Lower Body
Saturday........Long Run-9 miles, CORE exercises
Sunday...........REST

She calculated my daily caloric intake requirement at 2000-2100 cals. To lose 1 lb/wk I need to reduce it by 500cals/day. On workout days, I only reduce it by 25o calories. I've purchased this program FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Manager to help me track my daily intake. (I think Mind (AND NOW LEGS!!!) of Iron Sheila first mentioned it on her blog--Thx Sheila!!)

I was invited to a Goal Making Party this past Saturday Night. Lori, the IronMan Hostess, had us write down our annual goals and then pulled out three of them from a hat for prizes: $50 gift certificates to a local athletic store and a TYR bag! Not bad, huh? Unfortunately I didnt win anything, but met lots of interesting people. I stayed late enough to watch them light up a cigar and pass it around! Fun Folks--I had a blast!

First Mtg with Coach Melanie

If I questioned whether I should be a triathlete before, the meeting with Coach Melanie clinched it. It just so happened we met at a Starbucks right next to a Kiefer Swim Shop!! I told her I've signed up for a half-marathon and an 8k and would like to do a Sprint distance Triathlon followed by the Chicago Marathon.

So here's my goals:

1. Finish a Sprint Triathlon
2. Lose 15 lbs
3. Cut 1 hour time off last years Chicago Marathon time.

She told me I could lose 10 lbs and be perfectly fit (am I loving her more or what??!!) with the program I plan on doing. So here's the weekly breakdown (she'll send me specifics on Sunday)

1. Run 3x weekly--hills, tempo, long
2. Swim 1x weekly
3. Bike 2x weekly
4. Strength 2x weekly

She is meeting with me at her pool next Monday to deal with my "problem" (Hi, My name is Lora and I have a swimming problem.) We'll do an hour in the pool and each month I'll have her work with me on another area. I suspect I'll mostly need swimming help.

She told me to hold off on getting a new bike until I'm sure I like this trisport thingy. She recommended Pearl Izumi Tri Shorts and goggles. That's my only investment so far. (yeah riiiight--I saw 3 Sports suit she's showing off--I know I'm doomed, but I'm prepared to forge ahead anyways! Must life always be about logic!! NO WAY I SAY--sometimes we must act as children and just say, I WANT THAT!) :::breathe lora breathe::::

And so it begins. To all my fabulous runner blogger pals, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I've watched all those I trained with for the marathon get injuries and I say, "I'm not gonna take it anymore!!" Time to reach out and ask the rest of the muscles to kick in and do their job!!

First Swim

My first swim was last night. Sounds silly but I dont think I have gone swimming in around 20 years. And I discovered that I can't put my head under water!! Between not having goggles, not being able to see without my glasses, my slight asthma and having no clue how to breathe while swimming, it was kinda funny. So I took a kickboard and kicked for 40 minutes. My daughter, who was on her HS Water Polo team, got a real tickle over the whole thing. She went with me and attempted to help but I was truly pathetic! Good thing I couldnt see cuz I have no clue if anyone was laughing!! Well now I have a good goal to work on with my coach. LEARN HOW TO FRIGGING SWIM!!! I'm back to running and I decided to only run 3xweek--hills, tempo and long run. My body feels much better now. I'm following docs orders and stretching every day and I've even been good about weights 3x week!! Damn proud of meself I must say. Gonna set up the bike on the trainer tonite for two workouts weekly. . Is there a triathon in my future????

Reading About Dean, Mr Ultra

I don't get it. I'm 2/3's into the book, a fast read (let's face it we're not talking literary genius here) but I can't seem to understand this drive he has. Or rather, I must honestly say I'm playing armchair psychiatrist and am judging him--and not with the healthy thoughts I think of my fellow running bloggers out there.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a runner, I loooove running. Running for me helps me feel more alive and helps me spend the time alone I need with myself. And running the marathon hurt, and you bet I'll do it again. But this......???

"...it was a gloririous moment nonetheless--I'd just qualified for the Western States 100!
On shaky legs, I stumbled to the finishers' tent and received a ribbon and a few handshakes and slaps on the back. Then I lumbered painfully to my car. When I plopped down on the leather seats, my legs went strangely cold. Something wasn't right. Then, without warning, the quadriceps and calf muscles of both legs seized in wicked cramps. My torso swung violently left, and then wildly back to the right. My legs were pegged to the floorboard, completely rigid. All ten toes were locked in place, forcefully curled against the soles of my shoes. My calf muscles were tight as baseballs, and my thighs were like solid planks of wood. The pain was mind-bending, pounding, entirely owning every drop of me. Sweat poured down my face, and I screamed at the top of my lungs. "

He continues on...finishing the Western States, nine times altogether! And on and on....200-mile runs, a South Pole Marathon and a 300-mile run. I don't mean to diminish what he's accomplished, he truly is an amazing athlete, but this is more than just enjoying and loving to run. Dare I say it....it seems sick!

Throughout the book, he attempts to answer the question he is asked at the beginning of the book by a pizza delivery man who brings him a pizza out on the road...."So Dude, do you mind me asking why you're doing this?" (I have a great visual going on of this pizza guy....far out man!!) And in the end, he answers it (yes I peeked....I'm like that...deal with it). And I'm even happy with his final line, I could use it to answer the question myself. But I can't help saying that it all felt wrong to me. That his running was not for the pure love of the sport, there was a deep, dark side to it. An area in his life that needing to be cured, a devastating pain that needed tending. One that could be better accomplished by seeking out a therapist and healing himself. Though, I know I've worked issues out on my runs, but there's more here than that.

Or am I missing something?? And don't tell me I have no right to judge him. We all do that. Screw the politically correct crap. I don't buy into it. We're freaking humans, for God's sake, not machines. (And ya know what....I'm a Jew and I don't need the last two weeks to be referred to as the "Holiday Season" either. Oh Please...I have never been offended by Xmas and never will. pffffft)

So...your thoughts??