Late Night Swimming

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 43

 

Activity: Swimming at the gym

This weekend is going to be very intense in terms of training. I decided to start it with a swim at the gym. The pool at Equinox is small compared to what I am used to, I swam for an hour today; doing the different drills I had learnt in training. It was a good way to start the workout weekend, an easy swim was just the thing I needed before my "brick" team in training workout early tomorrow morning.  I decided to stay back in NYC this weekend and train for my triathlon instead of going to DC with my friends, so I better get some solid training in and make it count ! 

Running on a Hot Summer Day

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 44

 

Activity: Running in Central Park 

 

Summer has arrived, it was ninety degrees fahrenheit this evening and I am not used to running in heat as yet. After work I made my way towards Central Park to get some miles in. I ran 5 miles today but it felt more like ten miles because of the heat. I had the toughest time at mile 3, but just had to push through and psych myself to keep going. Half the battle while training for an endurance race is being able to push through when you feel you can't, once you master that then you can climb any hill or go any distance. The only way to know you can get through it is by putting yourself in situations that will make you to run, bike or swim (in the case of tri training) further, faster and longer. Today was intense but well worth it.  

CitiBike

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 45

 

Activity: Biking around the city 

CitiBike launched in NYC this weekend.  These bikes are located through out the city, you can use them as an alternative to walking or taking the subway. I am an annual member and I activated my membership yesterday with my maiden citibike ride. I biked from 53rd street to Bowery and back. I rode down 2nd avenue and back up 1st ave, the ride lasted for an hour and I bike around 8 miles. The bike lanes are great on the above mentioned avenues and Citibikes are a great way to get a workout in and run errands at the same time. I am loving this new way of transportation in New York City. Below is a picture of the first Bike I used for my ride yesterday. 

Gymm-ing IT

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 46

Activity: Gym Workout 

 

Less than 2 months to go - yikes! Today was meant to be a running day but it was raining and thunder storming which meant running in the Gym. I ran three miles and then spent a while doing weights and the stair climber, ending the workout with some core exercises. I am an outdoor person and being indoors is not very motivating. Hope the sun comes out tomorrow.  

Memorial Day

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 47

Activity: Bike Ride in Central Park

It's Memorial Day weekend, probably the worst day to go for a bike ride in the Park as there are tourists everywhere. I decided to go to the park irrespective, all the rain this week had finally given way to beautiful amazing weather today. I biked 10 miles and couldn't wait to be over with it. I was meeting a friend post ride at the boathouse for lunch and some beers. It is a perfect day to be out laying in the grass and soaking in the sun. Summer is finally here! 

Running in the Concrete Jungle

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 49

Activity: Running by the East River

For someone who does not like running I have been running a lot. I ran seven and a half miles today, the longest distance I have ever run in my life. I am toying with the idea of doing the Paris Half Marathon next year. Just toying at the moment, not sure if I am there yet. 

Today was supposed to be a Bike Group  Training Session; but due to the rain the coaches changed it to a run. I decided to go for a run on my own for two reasons. First reason was so that I did not have to  wake up early in the morning and the second reason was I needed a change from Central Park. I have been running and biking in the park for over 2 months and it is getting a little monotonous.

My run took a life of its own, I went up till 96th street and then across a bridge to Randall's island. I didn't stay on the island long as there was not one person there, the rain probably kept everyone away. I felt good running seven and a half miles, my legs were not tired and I felt I could go further but I knew the wise thing to do was stop and not go overboard. Hopefully it is sunny tomorrow and I can get my bike out for a nice long ride. 

Running in the Rain

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 51

Activity: Morning Run in Central Park

Another beautiful morning in New York City. I was up early and off to central park for my morning run. Even at six am in the morning it was hot and humid. Midway through the run, just as I started to feel the heat ooze out of my pores the humidity turned into rain. Running in the rain is awesome, the cool breeze, the smell of wet mud, the little drops on your skin made the run refreshing and invigorating. I started at Columbus circle ran east around the park till 72nd street on the west side, crossed over and headed back home. I did six and a half miles this morning and was I tired! I am focusing quite a bit on running these days; I feel that I need to start getting some long bike rides in, as the course for the bike ride is long and hilly.

Spinning

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 52

 

Activity: Spinning at the Gym

Not much to report today, did a spin class after ages. Since I have been training outdoors I haven't been to my gym. The one hour spin class was pretty uneventful; therefore the short post. 

Morning Runs are Amazing

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 53

 

Activity: Morning Run in Central Park

It has been a while since I went for a morning run in Central Park. I attribute lack of morning workouts due to my evening group training sessions and my crazy travel schedule. Today I was meeting my running buddy at Central Park; this ensured I would wake up and get my butt out of bed (Thank you Priya!)! 

Summer has arrived in New York, I know this because I did not have to think about the weather as I left my house. Usually, I have to think about what to wear in terms of layering and / or thickness of shirt. In the summer there is  no such pre-planning, I put on my workout clothes and am on my way. The park was beautiful at 6 am in the morning, everything is green and the flowers are blooming. We ran 5 miles, starting at Columbus Circle running up the bridle path, round the reservoir and back. There was a lovely breeze as we were running, I am enjoying the cool near perfect weather as I know it is going to get much warmer in the next few weeks. Getting training done in the morning is the best way to start the day.

How NOT to Swallow Water in the Hudson

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 54

Activity: Swim Group Training Session

Today I learnt how not to swallow water while "sighting". This is extremely important, as the last thing I want to worry about during my triathlon is what would happen if I swallowed water from the Hudson. When I tell people I am doing the NYC Triathlon the thing that freaks them out most is that I am swimming in the Hudson.

What is sighting? Sighting is being able to know which direction you are swimming in. During any open water swim you have big visible buoys that serve as guides, they mark out the direction in which you are to swim. In order to swim in the right direction you must 'sight' the buoy. If you don't do this you may end up swimming in the wrong direction, wasting time and energy. When you sight you lift your head up while keeping your mouth under water and taking a breath on the side as you normally would, this may seem easy enough, but the key thing is to breath out when facing front and take a breath in when turning to the side.  If by mistake you breath in while facing front the Hudson will be gushing down your system! I know that I will probably swallow a little bit of the river on my swim; as long as I don't veer towards Jersey I am fine with a little taste of the Hudson. We are now on the home stretch; I just need to stick to the training plan and swim, bike and run towards the finish line. Below is a video that shows you how to 'sight'

http://youtu.be/KRZDS8xjyHE

Hot Ride and a Cool Dip

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 57

Activity: Biking and swimming in AZ 

I am at an industry conference this week where lunch breaks are two hours long! During lunch I rented a mountain bike and went for an hour long bike ride along a canal near the hotel. It was weird riding a mountain bike; I am used to my road bike that is so agile and delicate. In this instance, I was glad I had a mountain bike as the path I was riding on was very rugged. Biking in the afternoon Arizona heat is tiring, while you don't sweat because of the dry heat, you definitely feel dehydrated. I biked for about an hour and covered twelve miles; the path was pretty flat. Post bike ride all I wanted to do was jump into the pool and cool off and that is exactly what I did. Todays training was the perfect end to my Arizona visit, I take the red eye back tonight. Tomorrow is my group training session, I land at 5 30 am and my training starts at 7 30. I could make it to the session, but will see if I feel up to it. Biking for 2 hours after a red eye may not be the best thing to do. 

Swimming Outside

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 58

Activity: Morning swim in Phoenix

I was up at 5:30 this morning, being three hours behind NYC time helped with rising early. The resort I am staying at is sprawling (as are all things in Phoenix), it took me 15 minutes to find the right pool. I have been swimming in indoor pools these last few months, where the water is cold and it takes swimming a length of the pool to warm up. I was expecting the first touch of water to be cool, but was happy to find the temperature to be positively balmy, it has been a while since I experienced swimming in a warm lap pool. 

It was great to swim outdoors, instead of seeing dark ceilings every time I turned to breath I saw blue skies and palm trees and felt the warmth of the morning sun on my skin. This morning's swim reminded me of  my school days, when I would go to the pool before classes started. It was the same warm water, blue skies and palm trees that greeted me years back at the Bombay Gym pool. I am looking forward to getting a few more swims in while I am here. 

The 8 Loop

 Days left till NYC Triathlon: 60

Activity: Running Group Training Session 

Today I was introduced to the eight loop, it is also known as the bridge and tunnel loop or as I would call it, the torture loop. 

Having run 6 miles on saturday I thought the Tuesday run was going to be a piece of cake. I was in for a big surprise, the coach starts talking to us about our workout with a devilish smile, he knows what is in store. We run upto Bethesda fountain and he explains that we are doing the eight loop which is a predominantly uphill climb, we will go under two tunnels and over a bridge. The loop starts and ends at Bethesda fountain where we will do jump squats up the steps and then repeat. We are to do this for forty minutes and then run back to Columbus circle to stretch. 

Holy shit I needed to get my head in the zone. The loop was a mile long and very beautiful, we ran around 2 ponds which made the loop shaped as an 8. By the end of this workout I could barely walk, my ass got kicked today. I am on a flight at 6 am tomorrow, going to warmer climes with outdoor pools. I hope to get some swim workouts in during the rest of the week. 

Picture is of beautiful Bethesda Fountain, I got the pic off the Internet as I was not carrying my phone during the workout. 

First REALLY Long Bike Ride

 Days left till NYC Triathlon: 62

Activity: 27.65 mile Bike Ride all over Manhattan  

The goal today was to ride the bike distance (26 miles) that I would on race day. I started off in Central Park, doing two six mile loops. The Park is pretty hilly which is good practice as the course for the triathlon is rolling hills the entire time. Into my second loop the park started to get a little crowded which made me head to the west side biking path. I biked till George Washington bridge and then turned back towards home. It was an extremely windy day and biking by the water was an 'up-hill' task. Besides the wind the weather was perfect for the long ride, not too hot, not too cold.   

I have to get better about my nutrition before I go out on a long ride or run. Today for instance, I had a cup of coffee and two bites of a day old cheese cake and headed out. I burnt through the sugar from the cake in the first 30 minutes. I was starving by the time I got back, this is far from ideal. I must plan / think of what I will eat the night before.    

On another note, Manhattan roads are finally becoming bike friendly, I attribute this to the fact to the wonderful citibikes bike-share program that is launching this month. Biking on the roads are a pain, you have to worry about the pedestrians, the cars, the cabs, basically anything that could knock you over. I try to stay off the roads as much as I can and when I am on them I try not to get run over.  Today was a great ride, my first long one. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Taking Control of my Run

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 63

Activity: Run Group Training Session in Central Park

This morning I had my team in training group session in Central Park. It was dark and gloomy; the possibility of rain meant that only one third of the group showed up for training. I don't know why that is, running in the rain is amazing, the light drizzle cools you off.  The goal today was to run the exact course (10K) we would run on race day. I was a little worried about this session as I had hardly trained during the week and only slept 5 hrs the night before. I wanted to run at a pace that was comfortable, not get out of breath or feel too much pain. The key was to have a steady effort all through, be it a flat stretch or an uphill one. Every time I went up a hill I checked my posture and sure enough my shoulders were tensed up and my back was hunched over. I kept correcting myself and this made the run so much easier. I finished the 6.2 mile run with ease, which surprised me. My plan is to do the bike distance (26 miles) tomorrow and the swim distance the day after. I really felt in control of my run today. I dare say, I am looking forward to the next long run.      Go

Week from Hell

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 67

 

Activity: Workouts at the hotel gym 

This week is going to be a wash, I am in CT all week burning the midnight oil. We have an important meeting on Thursday that I am prepping for all week. This means that my training will be restricted to the hotel gym which is never very satisfying or effective for me. On monday I opted out of my swim session to spend time with my husband whom I have not seen all month due to work, travel and training. The bottle of wine we polished off at dinner was yummy. I admit I did feel a little bit guilty, I was swimming in wine vs. chlorinated water. I left for CT late Monday night.

I ran this morning at the gym, it was difficult to motivate. Ten weeks till the TRI, it has definitely been a challenge to balance training and traveling.  I am CT all this week and in Arizona all next week! Let's hope my workouts on the road become more effective. Below are pictures that go with this week and have nothing to do with training - it's all about work and wine, the workouts are taking a little bit of a backseat, not an ideal place to be.

Side 'Streets' of Central Park

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 69

Activity: Run in Central Park

Today is a very exciting day, I run in my new shoes. My gait analysis at the running store concluded that I needed a bigger size with a wider width option and that I over pronate on my right foot. The new shoe will hopefully stop the pronation and give my feet more room to breath and wiggle around. It takes a few runs to feel the benefit of a new shoe, the first run felt good.

The park had thousands of cyclists as today was the five boro bike ride. This meant I could not run my normal route. I had to meander through the side streets of the park, which was a refreshing change. The park is truly blossoming this year. It is the most gorgeous I have ever seen it. I will have to call the Spring of 2013 the best Spring yet! I ran by the lakes, ponds and did a few rounds of the reservoir. It was a beautiful way to start a Sunday.

The BRick

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 70

Activity: BRick work out at Riverside Park & Central Park 

The BRick is not a brown rectangular shaped structure, neither is it a collection of countries that are in a similar stage of economic development (BRIC). It is how your legs feel if you start running after you have biked for a considerable amount of time. B is for Bike, R is for Run and ick - is how your legs feel.

Today was our first Group Training Session where we did a BRick. We biked in Central Park for an hour and then ran 2 miles in Riverside Park. This bike/run BRick stimulates what we will do in T2 or the second transition on race day. The first mile of the run after you bike is the weirdest feeling, your legs feel heavy, as though there are rubbers bands holding them down or a ton of weight has been injected into them. I remember doing bricks when I did my Tri in 2010, but somehow it seemed much tougher this go around. The heavy leg feeling did ease up by mile two. Today's brick was not about distances but more about getting used to the feeling of biking then running. Only 10 more weekends till race day - It still seems pretty daunting.

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Tar-Zhay to the Rescue

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 71

Activity: Run on treadmill at the hotel gym

 

If you read my post yesterday you would know that I am traveling this week and I forgot to pack my workout pants. The goal while on the road is to keep to the workout plan, which called for a run on Friday. In order to run I needed to buy some pants, since I was in Minneapolis (which is where Target is headquartered) I knew my search for pants would be easy. Off I went to find the closest Tar-Zhay store, which was a ten minute walk from my hotel. Pant in hand I was ready for my morning run in sub-zero temperatures. This would probably be my last run in the cold and I know I will miss these cool climes when it is hot and humid in New York.

All geared up for the cold outdoor run, I put on my new shiny pants and warm running paraphernalia. I took a little peak outside my window and It was snowing! I don't mean little sweet flurries; this was hard intense mean snow accompanied with crazy wind. There was no way I was running in snow. I went up to the hotel gym and ran on the treadmill which was very boring. Below is a video of snow in May in Minneapolis. I can't wait to get back to NYC, running in the cold will have to wait a while.

Travel Snafu

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 72

Activity: Core Workout (sort of)

I am on the road for the next two days, I packed my gym gear as I always do. Only this time I forgot my workout pants! I was up at 6 am ready to hit the hotel gym to get a core workout in before the day started. I look everywhere - my bag, the drawers where I emptied my workout clothes, the closet - nope I forgot my pants. How annoying, I decided to improvise and workout in my room. Not the best workout I must admit. I will go searching for pants today so I can get my run in tomorrow morning. Do you think I sub consciously forgot my pants so I could slack off! What a twisted way to find an excuse for not working out. Now I am determined to buy workout pants and run outside in the snow tomorrow. Yes I am traveling to a city where there is snow in may!