Riding my own bike...to swim/bike/run better

[vkanders]

Today is day 30 for my 3rd whole 30, and I'm starting this log to keep myself on a better track than I did after #1 and #2. I'm looking to keep squashing my sugar addiction, one day at a time, to feel healthier, and get my PCOS under control.

 

Oh, and to qualify for the half ironman world championships in 2014.

 

I'm going to try to plan out my off-roading month by month, and maybe reassess at the beginning of each week. My hope is that this will help keep me on the rails in between the times that off-roading is really worth it, rather than derailing in an epic fashion.

 

Here's to a little more weight loss and a happier, healthier life ahead!

[cayenne]

Good luck with the qualification! What does that entail-top 3 finish at another half? I hope it all goes well for you.

I have Raleigh 70.3 on the horizon next year if and only if my hip holds out. I have really scaled back this year, lost weight and got the eating under control for the first time in a long while. I could never train long and get the appetite under control. So it was crucial to do that this year.

I agree with a "scheduled" off road limiting longer term issues. I have a birthday coming up next month and will do so then.  I just finished up  the race season and off roaded a bit and since I am on vacation this week-I have hit the fruit a bit too heavy. Better than junk, but still.....

[vkanders]

Thanks! There are 3 slots in my age group at most 70.3s, but they often roll down through the top 10. I'm doing the Galveston 70.3 on 4/6 and am hoping to qualify there; goal time is sub-5 hours (eek! need to drop 27 minutes).

 

Raleigh is a great race, I had several friends who did it last year. And yes, getting the appetite under control while training long is ROUGH. I can do it for 70.3 and marathon training, though it's hard. For ironman training? Forget it. Hence no 2014 ironman for me.

[vkanders]

In the interest of planning out my off-roading and the like, here's the plan for October:

 

October 26-27 (past tense): Was my boyfriend's birthday weekend. Ate a piece of cake, some chocolates I made for him, and a little gelato at lunchtime. Delicious and worth it.

 

Rest of October: On the rails! I even have 20 oz of lemon water in the fridge to get down first thing tomorrow morning.

 

I'll plan out November later this week.

[vkanders]

10/28/13

 

Back on track today, and happy about it. Thought a little about Halloween candy, but not really craving it.

 

5:15 am: 90 minute workout on the bike trainer.

 

7 am: Bit of chicken and butternut squash.

 

8 am: Rest of chicken and butternut squash.

 

11 am: A few cashews and coconut flakes.

 

11:30 am: 6.6 mile progression run (down to threshold pace)

 

1 pm: Spaghetti squash, chicken, homemade curry sauce, broccoli. A few cashews.

 

4 pm: Carrots, beets, chicken, coconut butter.

 

6:30 pm: Salad with lettuce, tomato, salmon, cucumber, salmon, avocado cream, chopped dates.

[vkanders]

10/29/13

 

Cravings for sugar are gone, but the puff-up from the weekend is still here. I tend to gain 5 lbs after a sugar indulgence – it's just water, but it still doesn't feel that great. Takes 2-3 days to shed it all, so this is just another reminder that it's important for me to stay away from sweets.

 

6 am: 3.2 mile run, 25 minutes strength training.

 

7:30 am: Butternut squash, chicken, coconut butter.

 

10:30 am: Stuck between meetings – a few cashews and a spoonful of coconut butter.

 

12:30 pm: Chicken, spaghetti squash, homemade curry, a few cashews, broccoli cooked in coconut oil.

 

5 pm: Salad with greens, chicken/salmon mix, avocado dressing, chopped dates, cucumber, roasted carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes.

 

6:30 pm: 3000 yard swim.

 

8:30 pm: A little bit of pork-purple sweet potato stew my boyfriend made.

[vkanders]

10/30/13

 

Felt pretty hungry all day today - ate compliant foods, but needed some top-off snacks, two of which were properly structured mini meals. I suspect it is my lack of a real post workout meal after swimming last night.

 

7 am: Butternut squash, chicken, pumpkin seeds.

 

10 am: Carrots and beets, coconut butter, chicken (mini meal).

 

11:30 am: 5.75 mile run with  3 miles of threshold intervals.

 

1 pm: Spaghetti squash, chicken, curry sauce, broccoli in coconut oil, coconut butter.

 

3:30 pm: Carrots, chicken, a few cashews (mini meal)

 

6 pm: Salad with greens, avocado, chicken, eggplant, figs. Cashew butter on the side.

 

9 pm: Too hungry to sleep - about 15 raisins and some coconut butter.

[vkanders]

So here is my off-roading plan for November. I'll revisit it week-by-week and update it as events pop up.

 

11/1: I'll be taking an energy gel during a long run in the morning. Staying on plan the rest of the day.

 

11/3: I have a race and might use an electrolyte supplement that has sucralose (it doesn't cause problems for me). Staying on plan the rest of the day.

 

11/9: 13 mile training run – 1-2 energy gels, on plan the rest of the day.

 

11/15-17: I have to travel to Colorado. I'll be staying at the Olympic Training Center, so plenty of good food will be available, but I'm not going to freak out about what oils are used, or if there is a little sugar in a marinade. Sticking to veggies, protein, and healthy starches, so it's not a license to go get dessert.

 

11/23: Half marathon race – I'll be using energy gels and an electrolyte supplement during the race. After, I'm going to focus on getting in good, nutrient-dense food to recover. Later in the evening, I have some high-end dark chocolate I'm saving for after the race.

 

11/24: I'll probably have some sort of post-race treat. Maybe some coconut milk truffles? I'll figure this out closer to the race. BUT – I still need to eat real meals and not let them replace the nutritious food I need.

 

11/28: Thanksgiving – I think our meal will be almost all compliant; my boyfriend might make some wild rice stuffing that I'd love to have a little bit of. Maybe I'll have some sort of SWYPO-type dessert?

 

 

One thing I'm still undecided on is eating 100% cacao chocolate as part of the days that I'm sticking with Whole30 style eating. I didn't eat it during my last Whole30; but there isn't sugar in it. I may eat a little bit, but will have to be careful to make sure I'm not eating it instead of the foods that should make up the backbone of my diet – veggies and protein.

[ChickenNoodle]

I like your plan for mapping out your month. I am about a week and a half post W30 and am still trying to figure it all out.

I think my goal is something along the lines of being very compliant all week and loosening up on the weekends,but that may be a little too loose! Sugar seems to send me off the rails. But I have no problem avoiding alcohol, grains, dairy and legumes...just have a hard time saying no to sugar. So maybe a couple drinks on a sat nite and some paleo treats along with compliant meals will work...so far it is all a bit muddy.

I just did my first two tris and had a blast. I envy you your ironman (sort of!) I plan on doing a long course next August (between and Oly and 1/2 IM). I love the way my body looks and the way I feel with the combination of clean eating and training.

Good luck, I will be keeping an eye on your progress :-)

[vkanders]

Thanks! I'm going to see how mapping out the month goes; I think it will help me stay on the rails better. Last night, I was thinking about getting some chocolate out, because I'm "not on a Whole30," but reminded myself that it wasn't one of my pre-planned off-roading events.

 

I've tried the loosen up on the weekends approach, but if you start the weekend Friday night and end it Monday morning, that can be 1/3 of your week not-so-healthy. I know many people can do that, but once I get some sugar, it is ALL OVER. I have the same trouble you do - no problems with alcohol, grains, legumes, etc...but sugar...I think I'm honestly so addicted that total abstinence is the only answer for me.

 

Do you have a long course race picked out? There are so many great 70.3s out there, I'm very excited to start focused training on 12/1.

[vkanders]

10/31/13

 

Not at all tempted to eat Halloween candy today, though I noticed that when I walked past bowls in the office, I felt compelled to grab a piece just because. Talk about habit. Glad that I have the pre-planned off roading to guide me.

 

5:45 am: 45 minutes on the bike trainer, 25 minutes strength training. Raisins while on the bike trainer.

 

8 am: Butternut squash, chicken. A spoonful of coconut butter about half an hour later.

 

12:30 pm: Spaghetti squash, chicken curry, broccoli, cashews.

 

5 pm: More spaghetti squash and chicken curry, coconut-cashew butter (homemade, delicious), sweet potato.

 

6:30 pm: 4100 yard swim workout with 4x400 threshold.

 

8:30 pm: Chicken, eggplant, figs, raisins.

[ChickenNoodle]

The long course we are doing is in August in Santa Barbara. There is a large group of us (about 35-40 participants and another 40 family/friends) makes for a fabulous weekend of support and cheering each other on!

I would really love to plan a 70.3.... Maybe spring of 2015. Wow, that sounds a long ways off. Maybe sooner :-)

Biking and running are my weak links....working on the running this year primarily. Would like to do a couple halves in the next year.

[vkanders]

11/1/13

 

Today was my first planned off roading. I kept it confined to the energy gel during my long run, and was then back on track right away. While I can run 10 miles on just water and salt, I need to practice my in-race nutrition strategy to make sure I'm good to go at higher intensities.

 

My boyfriend and I made the salmon sweet potato cakes from Well Fed 2 – absolutely delicious. We also dug into the greens from his CSA haul.

 

6:30 am: 1/3 sweet potato, 3 small dates, cashew butter.

 

6:45 am: 10 mile run, all at an easy pace. One energy gel during the run.

 

9 am: Butternut squash, chicken, raisins.

 

12:30 pm: Salad with greens, tomato, butternut squash, chopped dates, salmon. A spoonful of coconut butter.

 

1:30 pm: 2100m swim.

 

4:30 pm: Figs, prosciutto. (yum)

 

6 pm: Salmon sweet potato cakes from Well Fed 2, with avocado cream, kale sautéed in coconut oil.

[vkanders]

The long course we are doing is in August in Santa Barbara. There is a large group of us (about 35-40 participants and another 40 family/friends) makes for a fabulous weekend of support and cheering each other on!

I would really love to plan a 70.3.... Maybe spring of 2015. Wow, that sounds a long ways off. Maybe sooner :-)

Biking and running are my weak links....working on the running this year primarily. Would like to do a couple halves in the next year.

That sounds like a great time you have planned in August. And no need to wait on the 70.3 if you want to do one, there are plenty out there in the fall that you could target for 2014. Get a training plan, follow it, and race day is easy! (I lie, really, a 70.3 is a beast, but a fun beast.)

 

Good idea on trying a few half marathons. The 13.1 distance is nice in that you can recovery quickly, but it will encourage you to spend a couple of months getting in some solid run mileage. I usually do a run-focused training block from about October to February, which has helped me get faster on the run leg each year.

 

Ugh, biking. It's my weak point, especially on hilly courses...

[vkanders]

11/2/13

 

No training today – rest day because I have an 8k race tomorrow – but I did get out for about 2 miles of walking while the weather was uncharacteristically warm. I had some extra carb sources today to ensure my glycogen is topped off with my muscles ready to go. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

 

 

8 am: Salmon-sweet potato cakes, swiss chard sautéed in coconut oil, cashew butter.

 

12 pm: Broccoli, chicken, eggplant, raisins, dates, a little coconut butter for fat.

 

6 pm: Green beans, butternut squash, more raisins and dates. Chorizo meatballs from Well Fed 2. A few cashews on the side.

[ChickenNoodle]

Have a great race!

[Derek`]

Best wishes on your race.  Can't wait to hear about it!

[vkanders]

Thanks, ChickenNoodle and dmh1138! It was OK - not great. 41:08 for an 8k, and I was really hoping to be under 40. I have a half marathon at the end of the month, and my goal race pace is faster than I went for 8k this morning - probably need to think about revising that goal time.

[vkanders]

11/3/13

 

Had a race today – didn't do as well as I'd hoped, I had a lot of back pain about halfway through. I'm having some digestive issues and think that the number of nuts I've been eating might be to blame, so I'm going to be cutting back there to see if it helps.

 

6:45 am: 1/3 sweet potato, 1/3 chicken breast, a little coconut oil.

 

8:30 am: 1 mile warm up, 8k race (41:08), 1 mile cool down.

 

10 am (post race): some raisins I packed from home.

 

11 am: Butternut squash and chicken.

 

2 pm: 1 hour easy bike.

 

3 pm: Eggplant and chicken.

 

6 pm: Kale/carrots/beets, couple of salmon cakes, coconut butter, a few cashews.

[Derek`]

That's still a great time though!  (by my standards anyway )  Good job

[ChickenNoodle]

You were not off by much!

What/whose training plan do you use?

I am currently swimming a Masters program 3x week and running 3x, trying to make the time to get that up to 5 days. Biking....um sporadic. We don't have a trainer but plan to get one. We live at the top of a beast of a hill and so I dread riding (and the safety factor) but there is an easy (hills aside) ride from home to a lovely lake (5mi loop). 10 mi to the lake, around and then back home. Add in a few laps at the lake and I can easily get in 20 + miles. More than that I have not figured out. But for now 10-15 mi is good once a week or so since improving my running is my focus right now.

It will be fun to follow along and see your training!

[vkanders]

That's still a great time though!  (by my standards anyway )  Good job

Thanks! It's kind of a bummer to miss out on my time goal, but it's still way faster than I was 2 years ago, so I can't be too upset.

[vkanders]

You were not off by much!

What/whose training plan do you use?

I am currently swimming a Masters program 3x week and running 3x, trying to make the time to get that up to 5 days. Biking....um sporadic. We don't have a trainer but plan to get one. We live at the top of a beast of a hill and so I dread riding (and the safety factor) but there is an easy (hills aside) ride from home to a lovely lake (5mi loop). 10 mi to the lake, around and then back home. Add in a few laps at the lake and I can easily get in 20 + miles. More than that I have not figured out. But for now 10-15 mi is good once a week or so since improving my running is my focus right now.

It will be fun to follow along and see your training!

I work with a coach, so I get training blocks from her week-by week. My training weeks have been on the lighter side the past couple of months, but on 12/1, I get to start stepping it up.

 

DEFINITELY get a bike trainer. It makes for much more efficient workouts (no lost time to getting all your gear together, stoplights, etc.), and it gives you the option of training during bad weather or when it is dark out.

 

If you are doing a run-focused training block, your biking is just fine for an August long course race. Eventually, you'll want to be getting out for 2-3 hour rides once per week, plus 1-2 shorter, more intense sessions. Are you working off a specific training plan, or saving that for 4-5 months out from race day?

[ChickenNoodle]

I think I am just going to focus on running as we get into the new year and then I will get a bit more focused. I would like to do another sprint or two and an Oly before the long course in August. I haven't really even looked but I live in Southern Cal so there is typically lots of races to choose from.

I have an IM training book that I bought for hubby, he hates structured plans so I may use it myself :-)

[vkanders]

11/4/13

 

Still going strong with compliant meals – I really think the best thing to do is to keep going and not “slip†or “cheat†– at least in my case. Had to go to the drugstore, walked past on-sale Halloween candy and didn't buy it because…I don't eat that J.

 

5:15 am: 60 minute bike trainer workout with tempo intervals.

 

6:30 am: butternut squash and chicken.

 

12 pm: Chicken, homemade curry sauce, broccoli, coconut butter.

 

4:30 pm: Chicken, coconut butter.

 

5:30 pm: Easy 4 mile run.

 

6:40 pm: Big mix of veggies: eggplant, spaghetti squash, carrots, beets, peppers, onions. A few chorizo meatballs. 3 small dates.

 

8 pm: A little bit of coconut milk.