Diana's First Tri Blog!

Finished the first tri of the season today can’t believe what a great day it turned out to be. I woke up to a bright and sunny day. Arrived at Lake Sammamish and couldn’t believe how many people were there. This was the first year that I had participated in the Issaquah Triathlon that takes place every year in May and I was not sure what to expect. Made sure to get my transition area set up and then I headed for the water to get warmed up for the swim. I did the friends and family wave with my friends Sean and Elizabeth. Sean was the person who had called my bluff last year and got me into this tri thing. At first I was a little intimidated, but after a little bit I just tried to focus on swimming and not everyone around me. Came out of the water and saw Jaapje there cheering me on….she has been thinking about getting involved with tri’s and wanted to see what it was all about. I then headed for the bike part thinking about a quick transition since Sean had made it out of the water ahead of me and I needed to catch up. Got on the bike, at first legs were a little tired, but about half way through I got past by these two people that had a really good cadence going and figured I could do that. Just before the turn around point there was a guy yelling that I needed to fix my sunglasses, since they were on crooked, at that time least of my worries, but explains some of the pictures that were taken. Made it into the transition area and got ready for the run. I headed out of the transition area and saw my husband who was waiting to cheer me on. I asked if he had seen Sean yet and he let me know that I had beaten him back….stopped for a quick photo opt and headed on my way. About that time I started to try and fix my crooked sunglasses which completely disintegrated in my hands….my poor Maui Jim’s they have been with me on so many runs and bike rides and now sadly they are finished. About this time I saw Teresa, Tina and Joanna cheering me on. I think I asked Teresa to hold my broken shades, but I could have just shoved them at her…thankfully she took them as I headed on my way to the run. It was a little different running on the fields compared to pavement or gravel, but I made it through. As I was heading towards the last 100 yards of the run I saw Patty….first question was whether or not I was ahead of Sean? I let her know I was and she told me to run faster….which I did as I was nearing the finish line I saw all of the Raise the Hope gals along with my husband cheering me on. What a great feeling! What a great day!

Yakima River Canyon Ride

Congrats girls - You look awesome! how were those hot temps and LONG miles?! 34 of them! You look fantastic and very happy!

My bike, my ride...

As most of you have heard, I tried spinning again (after attempting it once last year and hating it) with Jessi and Rachel at LA Fitness and had the complete opposite experience this time! I think there are a few reasons why:

1.) I lost weight since Jan 1st on WW, duh I know it should be obvious to me but it always surprises me how much more endurance I have, especially when trying the standing part.
2.) There aren't too many people in the class, so the room doesn't get overheated and miserable and unbearable. I think because it is in the morning helps with this too!
3.) I am meeting team mates there! Jessi and Rachel are also coming to the Mon class and it always helps me get my butt out of bed when I am meeting people there. Me, I will cancel on, but not other people? Hmm that sounds like a whole different blog topic..so I won't expound on how wrong that is right now.
4.) I have so much energy after the class!

Anyway I digress with all the reasons I love spinning, the point of this blog was this.

My first day at this class the instructor said to sit down if we needed to but to make sure we push ourselves and I never felt any pressure to do more than I ever feel I can. So she said "it is your bike and your ride", do what you can do. That has become my motto and I say it to myself a lot during particularly tough times in spin class, I find it helps me to dig that little bit that I need to get the most out of each song and each class.

As I was spinning on Saturday and my mind was wandering during a long climb up a big hill, it occurred to me that this motto could apply to every single workout. Even during a group workout you are really only working for one person - yourself. Only you know how far is deep enough or too far - for you. So I decided right then not to look at the better bikers and compare my ride to their ride...because it is my bike and MY RIDE and I am going to get all I can out of it!

Found this in "Everyday Sports Nutrition for Women". Interesting!!! have any of you experienced this???

Marathon Training Weight Gain
Tip #16

Marathon training weight gain…is this an oxymoron? Many people pursue marathon training in hopes of losing weight, only to find they are adding pounds as they progress through the weeks of training. It doesn’t make sense at first, but there may be real reasons why you are gaining weight.

“Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.” Orison Swett Marden



So, don’t be discouraged. Instead, check if any of these points are relevant to your habits during marathon training. Instead of cowering in fear of these potential weight promoters, identify that they are real issues that can be easily corrected. Then, don’t just walk boldly through them…take charge and run through them to stop the marathon training weight gain.



Weight Gain from Good Intentions
Are you overdoing it with carbohydrate calories while attempting to build/maintain fuel stores?
Carbs are the most important fuel for runners, but maybe you’re taking in more than you need. Try cutting back on your portions. Also, remember that carb calories from Gatorade Endurance or other sports drinks are only necessary if you are exercising longer than an hour or in extreme heat.



Are you overdoing beverage calories while attempting to stay hydrated?
You need to stay hydrated for safety and optimal performance. However, marathon training weight gain may be caused by drinking extra liquid calories. Water, sugar-free drinks like Crystal Light, caffeine-free iced-tea, non-fat milk and sports drinks as needed are best. Fruit juice has nutrition, but is very high in calories. Also, beware of that extra Starbucks specialty drink or that extra glass of wine. Smoothies can be healthy, but sometimes are the calorie equivalent of an entire meal.




Are you better hydrated compared to pre-marathon training?
Being well hydrated is a good thing. Marathon training weight gain from rehydration is just normalizing your weight. Be careful not to over-hydrate. If you feel bloated, have a headache and have gained weight during a run, then you are drinking too much fluid. Back off and adjust.




Are you attempting to eat healthier during marathon training? If you were skipping meals and eating junk, then you may be taking in more calories just by eating real food at regular times. For example, if you switched to healthier fats (like olive oil instead of butter)…good for you from a health standpoint. However, healthier fat choices are not always lower calorie choices, so you still need to cut back on the portions of any type of fat. If you started eating bagels for breakfast (instead of nothing), okay, but some bagels are huge (and therefore a huge jump in calories). In your attempt to avoid marathon training weight gain, think both quality and quantity.


Weight Gain from Mind Games
Have you added calorie rewards?
Have you said, “Wow, look how much I ran...I can have that not-usually-eaten-cookie or that extra bowl of tortilla chips with that extra margarita”? In that case, the extra calories burned in running are wiped out by the extra calories eaten. Be realistic. One mile burns one hundred calories.



Are you resting more than usual?
Are your running miles in addition to your normal activity or in place of it? It is common for some people to rest more during training, thinking, “Wow I ran far...I can relax the rest of the day”. Another way to look at it is in hours. Before marathon training a typical Saturday was a few hours of golf or tennis followed by grocery shopping, laundry, yard work and then out with friends. You were moving constantly. Now a Saturday involves two hours of running followed by vegging on the couch most of the day and ordering a pizza. So, keep up the momentum even on days with long runs. I am not against rest and recovery, but don’t be a marathon training sloth.



True Physical Changes
Are you building muscle?
You are working your muscles when you run, so there may be a small weight gain. The addition of muscle is unlikely to be the primary cause for marathon training weight gain, but could be one of many small changes that add up. (It is another story if you are doing heavy duty weight training, as this could add significant bulk which could be counterproductive to your training. It may be best to do this type of muscle building in the “off season”).



Are you building glycogen stores?
Good for you since glycogen is the stored carbs you need to make the distance. The reason that glycogen storage could add weight is that your body automatically stores water with the glycogen. This is the reason that an Atkins-type of carb-deprivation causes fast weight loss as water loss. Atkins, with its water loss and lack of carbs, would be a total disaster for anyone training for a marathon. Glycogen storage, then, is one of many small changes that add small amount of weight, but this is the type of marathon training weight gain you should expect and accept.




Are you losing inches?
If you are experiencing weight gain, but a loss of inches, you may be losing body fat…excellent. When it comes down to it, your body composition (fat vs. lean) is a better health predictor, and likely performance predictor, than body weight alone. So, take a few measurements (hips, waist) and take note of improvements over the weeks. You can also get your body fat tested by someone trained in the accurate techniques. You may be on the right track and not even know it.




Is the body just freaking out after a long run?
It is yet to be determined how much fluid shift occurs because of inflammation and the other resulting joys of marathon training. However, this would more likely be like a short-term gain followed shortly by a return to normal weight. The best advice is to track your weight over time and look for personal trends.




Are you experiencing “rebound hunger”?
It’s common for some runners to have little desire for eating after a long run. The first concern is skipping the ideal time for recovery nutrition . The weight-related concern is that eventually your running-related hormone changes return to normal and you are left feeling famished. You are so hungry that you make choices on impulse, often with no regard for quality or quantity of the calories. Result: a higher calorie intake than is needed. Repeat this pattern for a few weeks with the resulting marathon training weight gain.




Marathon Training Nutrition Tip of the Day: Make a list of the possible reasons for your marathon training weight gain, find solutions for the reasons on this website, and let the melting begin!

Contact me with your marathon training weight gain or nutrition questions.

Check out more marathon nutrition training blogs.

Everyday is your day to succeed

GREAT Launch Meeting

Throw 25 hopeful women into a nice cozy family room and ask them to quickly introduce themselves and their athletic goals for this year and what do you get? Tears, of course.

The information meeting of Raise the Hope's 3rd season is in the history books and will be a great memory for all the girls and boys (what?? boys??) who attended.

Boys first...George Anderson, accompanying his participating wife, Patti, charmingly gave encouragement and great praise to the gals of Raise the Hope. The Andersons' business, "Kent Easthill Physical Therapy" is sponsoring RTH and we are VERY grateful to George and Patti for helping this program stay AFFORDABLE and giving it that family feeling they are so good at.

Then one gal after another told about themselves and their hopes for 2009, and their stories as triathletes and runners from their histories of varying length. Some let on in the telling of their stories, that they think because they aren't typically at the front of races, that their race experiences are different or less valuable than the "faster" athletes on the team. More than one impressive woman tells her story of what it was like to be last at a race. She tells of her feelings of discouragement, embarrassment, determination and then the great accomplishment that met her at the finish line! These are the gals that truly appreciate - maybe more than any other group of athletes on the larger Raise the Bar team - the reward of the finish line.

It doesn't take more than one or two races for any of us to want the second best reward - a personal best. And that's what we'll see from the Raise the Hope gals (and the RTB team!) this year as they take on the 2009 season.

Check back for race reports and furthur reports from the inspirational group of gals. And if you're a woman wanting to train with some down-to-earth girls who know how to work hard, play hard, and enjoy victory, then join us!! You're welcome to step into the program any time.

Patty Swedberg

The stories that were told around the room were nothing less than inspirational - women

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED :)


I can’t even tell you how excited I am about our 2009 program and looking forward to seeing your success this year. If you are new, WELCOME, and if you are returning, so glad to see you again, and if you are still thinking, good for you!

If you fall into any of those groups then come to the kick off potluck meeting January 29th. You can come check things out and decide if RTH is right for you. The RTH Calendar will have all the details soon.

Now, I know the thoughts that hit this time of year. Everyone is pushing New Year’s resolutions and survey shows that 80% of people will abandon them by Valentines Day. Not you, not this time J Really this is your YEAR!!!!!

The key to successful and permanent weight loss in finding something that you can do as a lifestyle and finding ways to help you to keep at it when obstacles get in your way. Raise the Hope will help you set real goals and give you not only the tools but the support and accountability to see it through. We all have great intentions, but we need more than intentions to see it through. RTH takes those intentions and helps support you and them to reality.

IT IS GOING TO FUN and you will form some amazing friendships along the way. Most of us came in alone and found a family. Really - it is amazing the bonds of friendships that have been formed.

READY??? Come on, we got a spot for you and can’t wait to see you cross that finish line.