I Must REALLY Like to Swim

I got a call last night telling me that Sherry is ill and would not be at the pool this morning. My first thought was, "Well, then I won't be there either." However, almost immediately I heard Sherry's voice yelling at me telling me to get my %ss in the pool, so that took care of that debate. When I arrived at the YMCA this morning, there was a sign announcing that the pool was open, but the heaters were broken. The last few nights have been pretty chilly and even with the bubble on the pool, it can be downright nippy at 6AM.

I think I literally shivered all through those first 10 laps or so. Several other swimmers came and left during the span of time that I spent in the pool. However, one hour and 38 minutes and 53 laps after I ventured in, I emerged from the pool, very tired but with a sense of accomplishment. I finished my workout -- without Sherry having to yell at me. I have to make sure I tell her that when I call later to check on her!

Enjoy your day!

Happy Easter!

I try to stay away from religion and politics in this blog. However, there are always exceptions. Today is the first of the three most holy days of the year for practicing Catholics like me. So, I intend to take these days to reflect on things other than swimming, biking and running. I'll be back on Monday to tell more training stories!

Enjoy the weekend!

Where's My Horse?

I really could have titled this post "What Was I Thinking?" , but since I used that last time, I figured I'd make a comment on my wonderful posture at the moment. Two days after swimming for 3 miles, I ventured out to North Birmingham for a 33-mile bike ride. Andreas is having great fun watching me stroll around the house looking like I've been riding a horse. Somewhere between mile 10 and 15 this morning my right hamstring just seemed to shut down. When we took a break at the rest stop mid-way through the course, I could already feel it stiffen and I was having terrible trouble walking. In fact, it was so bad that when we got ready to go, I just couldn't get that right leg to get back in the swing of pedaling. So, you guessed it, DOWN I WENT! How embarrassing!! I got one foot clipped into my pedals and I was just too stiff to pedal. With both feet on the pedals and no forward motion, my beautiful bike had nowhere to go but down -- taking its tired rider with it. Oh well, the good people at the rest stop were kind enough to pull me up, reattach my chain and make sure that I was OK. I swallowed my pride, thanked everyone for their help and was on my way.

I really have to say, though, that the best part of the ride was the company. One of the MBA students is an avid cyclist and when I told him about this ride he was very excited about it. I think he wanted to take the 66-mile option but was kind enough to hang back with me for just 33. Even better, his dad -- who is equally delightful -- came along too. Frequently I tell people how much I love the South and what a good move this has been. I'd have to say that the biggest reason for that is the people and the Kellys are a perfect example of that. These guys are far more athletic than I and probably could have gone much faster and much longer today. However, they rode with me the entire morning and even circled around to let me catch up when I started to fall behind. A few times, when the course was really getting to me, they rode beside me and chatted. That was a great distraction from the rolling hills and brutal headwinds -- not to mention a wonderful opportunity to get to know them better.

Well, it was a painful day physically but a pretty special day emotionally. I rode for a much longer distance than I ever thought I could and got to hang out with two pretty cool guys at the same time. Not a bad day!

Now let's see what tomorrow has in store!

What Was I Thinking?

So, today the YMCA where I swim was having a Swim-A-Thon. Apparently when they held this event last year, Sherry swam for eight hours straight. This year, someone else was planning to come in and relieve her for two hours. As a show of support, I decided to swim with her this morning. Her plan was to swim for three hours, take a two hour break and then swim for three more hours. I figured if she could swim for six hours, I could certainly swim for three, right?

Again I ask you, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?!" Every day I say I don't think I could be any more tired but today, I REALLY mean it. It would have taken an intervention to get me out of that pool before my allotted three hours, but I am definitely paying the price for my stubbornness. In three hours, I swam 111 laps -- just over three miles. Amazingly, I looked like 'Terry the Turtle' next to Sherry. She was zipping up and down the lane like she had a little outboard motor hooked to her rear end. Afterwards she told me that she was swimming one-minute laps! That means that while I swam a measly 111 laps, she swam 180! That's OK. I still feel proud of myself. I only took breaks after each hour and never got out of the pool. Try to imagine what my skin looks and feels like after gliding through saltwater for three hours!

There is a huge upside to this. After swimming 3 miles, that puny little 1500 yards coming up in May is a piece of cake! Mmmmm . . . cake . . . what a good idea . . . gotta go!

Have a restful weekend!

P.S. Did I mention that I shaved off another pound? Six down, 20 more to go!

Training-to-date as of 3/9

I think those 'slacker' weeks in January are from when Andreas and I were pouring concrete in the basement. Shouldn't that count somehow?

Size Matters!

Get your mind out of the gutter! THAT is not what I meant. What I meant is that after 10 weeks of training for 3-4 hours per week (steadily increasing in duration and intensity), I am starting to see results! Oh sure -- my swim times are down to 1'15" for 50 yards from nearly 2 minutes and my run pace is down to 13 minute miles from 15 minute miles and I can stay on the bike for an entire hour on my trainer before the soreness is too much to take. So, I guess you could consider those accomplishments as progress.

I say, the real test is in the dressing room! We're on Spring Break this week and the boys are on Spring Break NEXT week. So, Andreas and I took a day for ourselves yesterday (after my workout of course) and did a little shopping. This is not something that we do very often. Despite the fact that he is wildly supportive, shopping outings typically end up with me in the fetal position sobbing about how bad it stinks to be a 'curvy' girl trying to fit into designer clothes. In fact, in the fall, on my last shopping adventure, I resigned myself to conservative items in a size 10 or size 12 that would be tasteful and mature. How boring!

Let me just say that when I shop with my husband, "tasteful and mature" are not the main descriptors he is searching for when selecting an outfit for me. As he put it, "Do people (shun) Beyonce' for HER curves?" So, with his encouragement, I looked for an outfit that would be acceptable for my luncheon with the Chairman of the SEC tomorrow. To my utter shock and amazement, the size 12 numbers I pulled out were WAY too big! So, I tried size 10s. Again, WAY too big. I finally ended up with an assortment of items (all 75% off, no less) in sizes ranging from an 8 down to a teeny weeny size 4. Yes, you read it right, I bought a size 4 skirt! OK, so it had a little extra stretch but nevertheless it was a size 4 -- AND IT FIT!! Would it be wrong to take the tag out and sew it to the OUTSIDE of the skirt so that everyone can see the size -- kind of like the good people at Levi's do? Ahhh -- my progress may not be reflected on the scale just yet (Andreas says that's because of all of my new muscles!) -- but I certainly hit the jackpot in the dressing room. Finally, a shopping trip that didn't end in tears! It was a VERY good day!

Did I mention that I also bought THREE pairs of shoes? I might just have to have this smile surgically removed from my face!

Be well!

Really Tired!

OK -- I'm over the whole beard and mustache on the picture thing. It's time to get back to work. Thursday I was back in the pool at 5:55AM. Andreas was sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to wake him when I left. He told me later that after I left, Peter must have climbed into our bed on my side. When the alarm went off at 6AM, Andreas felt a body next to him and jumped up yelling "You're going to be late!" Peter looked at him like he was crazy!

The chlorine pump was on (instead of the salt pump) at the pool, so I couldn't really stay in very long. It's amazing how quickly you get used to saltwater. Plus, I burned my shoulder (with my curling iron!) the day before and I could only take the pain of chlorine in an open wound for so long.

Friday, I met Sherry at her new gym for a lactate threshold test. I had never done this before, but Sherry thought it was a good idea so that we can calculate more accurate heart rate zones for me. After a 15-minute warmup she increased the speed and incline (alternately) on the treadmill every two minutes. You essentially run as long, fast and uphill as you can until you cry "Uncle"! I think I hit the wall (almost literally) 15 minutes into the testing (30 minutes total). I was sweating like crazy and panting like a dog. Sherry estimated that my maximum heart rate is 196 versus the 185 that my age would predict. Apparently that's a good thing -- meaning my heart is young for my age. So, I'll chalk that up as a good day.

Today, I pushed it a bit. While Andreas was still in bed, I hopped on the treadmill and did a 30-minute mountain trail run. I figured that since it was too cold (and snowy!) to do the regular Saturday morning trail run in the park, this would be a good substitute. After some family time, I drove over to the YMCA and got in a swim workout. I focused on technique and -- lo and behold -- I think I FINALLY understood what Sherry has been saying these past few weeks. As Peter would say, "I was swimming like a little fish!" I got my 50-yard time down to 1 minute, 15 seconds and swam a total of 2,700 yards in just uner 90 minutes. Not a bad workout for a beginner!

I hope your weekend is restful!

Need to Vent!

OK. I just have to get this one off my chest. Yesterday I removed all of the pictures of my beloved LSU Tigers from my office door. In their place, I put up a simple flyer about Team in Training that included a picture of me with my coach from last year (Hugh). Next to it, I posted a graph showing my training progress over the last month. I just arrived at my office and immediately noticed that someone has drawn a beard and mustache on my picture!

Now, I know what you are thinking. "What's the big deal?" or "They were just having fun." or even "That's what college students do." Ordinarily, I would agree -- but this is different. Let me tell you why:

1. This was a flyer asking for donations for a charitable cause -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
2. I am a professor who goes out of her way to create opportunities for students to learn and grow. I won't list those things here because I know in my heart that I am here for them and I exert a considerable amount of effort trying to make them better people.

So, for those reasons, I find this wrong and hurtful. So, what am I going to do about it? Not much. I removed everything from my door -- and closed it. A person has only so much to give and when you find that your efforts are not appreciated, you pull back a bit. So, I will continue with all of the activities that I engage in for the betterment of the students, but I might be a bit more reserved. Mostly though, I'll do all of these things with my blank door CLOSED.

Be well!

Must Finish Workout!

So, I stayed up until 2AM and somehow managed to be in the pool by 6:15AM. What's even more amazing -- to me at least -- is that I was able to push myself to get my full workout in even without Sherry and Geoffrey. A few of the other TNT athletes were there and we pushed ourselves despite the weather and the absence of our coaches. I've been using this great website to plan my workouts and the plan for today was 2,700 yards (about 1.5 miles) and I was determined to get it done. I was certain that the lifeguard was going to jump in and try to save me during that last lap or two. I was so tired I could barely stay afloat.

I have to say that completing a 1.5 mile swim on three hours sleep was rather empowering. I strutted into the locker room feeling pretty good about myself. In fact, for the first time EVER, when I got out of the shower I opted to only use a towel for the lower half of my body. This was a MAJOR step for me. I usually get dressed in a corner or a toilet stall avoiding all eye contact from the other women. Today, I was feeling quite self-confident. The pride train came to a screeching halt however when another woman came into the locker room and opted not to use a towel at all when she exited the shower. I gave her the quick "OK, you win" glance and sulked to the toilet stall to finish getting dressed for work.

Even though my 40-year old body is still a bit doughy in places that I'd prefer to see a bit fimer, I feel good about myself. I may joke, but this is tough stuff. It is now 8PM and I'm struggling to stay awake. I've got a 75 minute bike ride on the horizon for tomorrow which I'll likely do on my trainer. I guess I'd better get some rest.

If you'd like to see how the training is going, check out my training website: http://www.trainingpeaks.com/Stephanie Rauterkus

When 'MVP' Doesn't Mean That You Are the BEST

So, yesterday was our heavy workout day. We started with a long run at 6:30AM. The more experienced folks in the group were planning for a 10-mile run, while the newbies (like me) had our sites set on something more in the 3-5 mile range. Well, I was ALL excited because this was my first chance to use my new Garmin outside and actually test out the GPS. Because of that, I was constantly looking at the display. Oddly, after just a mile or two, it was already 'yelling' at me that my heart rate was in zone 5 -- you know the upper echelons reserved for short sprints or other strenuous activities just before you keel over clutching your chest and gasping for air. I mentioned that to Geoffrey -- our super cool assistant coach who was kind enough to hang back with the slowpoke. Well, even after walking a bit and taking a water break, this high heart rate persisted. I ended up with an average heart rate of 145 bpm (beats per minute) and a maximum of 185 bpm. I mentioned this to Geoffrey and he was a bit concerned and asked me to let him know how I did on the bike.

That afternoon -- after a glorious brunch on the deck with the boys -- I went for an 11-mile bike ride. Silly me -- I assumed that we were riding on some secluded trail. I was shocked to find that we were rding a loop up and down Lakeshore Parkway which is effectively a two-lane highway on the outskirts of town. The good news is that in my panicked state about being peeled off of the front grill of a Silverado, I didn't have time to concentrate on how bad my rear end was aching. Finally! I've found the secret to relieving saddle sores!

After reviewing the data on my bike ride, I found that my average heart rate there was 185bpm with a max of 188bpm. Suddenly, even I was a little worried. I mentioned it to Andreas and yet again he provided me with the missing sections of my brain. "Do you think it could be your mitral valve prolapse (MVP) that's causing your heart rate to be a little high?" Oops. I totally forgot abou that little heart condition of mine. In a panic, I called Sherry -- thank goodness she was an actual medical doctor in a former life. Fortunately (for her), she didn't answer. So, as usual, Andreas calmed my nerves and convinced me to sit in the hot tub with him, look up at the starts and relax. Great advice!

This morning, Sherry called me back and I told her my whole story. I swore to her that I DID get medical clearance to train again -- but I didn't actually tell my doctor that I was going for an Olympic distance event this year. Fortunately, Sherry wasn't worried. She's going to bring me into her gym this week for a lactate threshold test to determine my true heart rate zones. Then we'll know when to REALLY panic. I LOVE HER! She always has the answers and restores my confidence. What better coach could one ask for?

Well folks, its 2AM, raining cats and dogs and I'm supposed to be in the pool in four hours. I'd better slip in the boys rooms to make sure that the thunder and lightning hasn't scared them and get some rest.

Stay dry and warm Alabamians!

My Three Boys

Here they are . . . my three boys! This was supposed to be a picture of Peter and Papi preparing for their one mile 'fun run', but Joshua didn't want to be left out. You may notice that Joshua is holding his (UAB) pom-pom. It was important to him to have the right tools to cheer Peter on to victory!

Saturdays are for Family

I confess. I DID NOT WORKOUT ON SATURDAY! Peter ran in a fun run at 9:30AM, so I couldn't make it to the 7:30AM trail run. He had a blast! He and Andreas ran through the streets of Crestline, Alabama following behind a motorcycle policeman. My Peter was the third person to cross the finish line with a time of 9 minutes, 30 seconds! Andreas told me afterwards that he probably could have run faster. About half way through the race, he started complaining that his feet hurt. That's no surprise! We wanted to buy him new shoes before his last race, but he said that Mrs. Krueger (his kindergarten teacher that he absolutely ADORES) told him that his shoes were just fine. I teased her about this when I saw her last and we both had a good laugh. So, it looks like we'll be hitting the sporting goods store again soon.

We raced from the fun run to baseball practice where -- lo and behold -- Peter actually hit the ball! I was shocked and amazed and filled with pride!! We've got to work on the catching, but my boy can swing the bat!

Later that afternoon, we went over to the home of friends of ours for dinner. They have three girls (great babysitters!) and a boy (in Peter's class). They also invited another family with three boys (one in Peter's class, one Joshua's age and beautiful baby Chase). What a wonderful time! We talked and drank (I swear I only had one glass of wine -- I don't know WHO kept refilling it!) and ate and had a wonderful time. By the time we got home, both boys were sleeping and I didn't want to ruin a wonderful day by getting all sweaty. Plus, Sherry had planned a 6:30AM run, so I decided to get to bed early.