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In the land of the Kiwis

Sorry for the brief hiatus — travelling across the globe can do that to you.

I have made it to the country in which my race is being held (still have about a 3-hour drive and a couple of adventures before I finally get to the site).  The trip over was fabulous – got up front on the leg from LA for the win.  I spent a long 9 hours in the Sydney terminal before boarding the flight into Wellington where Sam and Laura were waiting – just so happy to see their sweet faces!

I haven’t blogged since I travelled back east to attend my mother-in-law’s funeral in South Carolina.  Jesse and Glenda both spoke and did a lovely job memorializing her.

Ben and Glenda

The two kids and I got on a plane the very next day, flew to Atlanta, then within about 2 hours boarded planes to Paris, Colorado, and Los Angeles.  I trained another day in the warm California sun before getting on yet another plane, this one headed Down Under.

The first thing I saw in the Sydney airport - we have to make the Kiwis fat too

My bike and bag w/gear arrived safely in Sydney where I cruised the airport like a homeless person/grocery cart combo til I could check them on the flight to New Zealand.

I got lots of guesses on the case: musical instrument? sound equipment? surfboard?

Sam had texted me before leaving the states asking for the usual I-can’t-get-this-here-would-you-bring-me-some _______, so I got the requested items:  graham crackers, Nilla wafers, marshmallows, black beans – I got them all through New Zealand’s hyperactive biosecurity panel except the black beans.

Moment of truth - will it go back together?? The answer is: Absolutely - in the hands of the master.

No training today, but Sam and Laura and I will ride tomorrow, then we’re headed to Mangaweka where they were raft guides all summer and kayak a day or two.  I check into my rustic cabin on the lake on Sunday, and begin the countdown to Saturday.  Jesse will begin his long journey over next Monday.

Thank you for all your kind comments – Dora, Renee, Susan, Lisa – your words mean so much more than you can know.  I will have them memorized and at the ready when I’m in the water, on the bike, and on the run.

I’m enjoying myself in spite of the stress, and really and truly can’t wait for the race to get here.  I’ll have to check out the internet situation at Taupo to know how that’s going to look, but I’ll do the best I can with the blog.

Thanks for reading!

10

Sunny, warm Southern California

Hey everyone…

I’m here to say that when you are too tired to blog, you are too tired!

I’ve been out here in California since Thursday, training like a maniac, and am so tired by the end of the day I haven’t even gotten on Facebook – and for those who know me, you know I’ve got to be really tired not to even do that!

Santa Monica Hostel
from the street, one block off the beach

The ocean swims have been interesting – fabulous in the sunshine and water temp of about 58 degrees; the first day I got a bit seasick (the wetsuit really keeps you on top of the waves, and the surf was a little roll-y when I was out there).  Today’s swim was a bit better as the waves were pretty flat, but it is still bracingly cool at about 60 degrees (helps that it was 83 degrees in the sun!)  The runs have been nice and sweaty – what a great change from the frigid air of Middle Tennessee this winter!

rinsing out the sand and salt

To those who follow the blog you know that our family has been concerned about Jesse’s mom advanced age and deteriorating health and on Saturday, February 13, her life came to a peaceful end.  Because the children are so far-flung we have set the service in South Carolina for next Friday.  Besides giving the family time to arrive it gives me the added benefit of a few extra precious days of warm-weather training.  I will be returning to the south next Thursday, but will probably not make it into Murfreesboro at all; LA to ATL to Myrtle Beach, and then back again before heading to New Zealand.  Jesse is on Facebook if you want to contact him with condolences.

Son Sam has completed his race on the south island of New Zealand and he absolutely rocked it.  He ranked in the top 40 for his division and says he will do it again.  He inspires me every time I’m on the bike or the water or in my sneaks, and I am SOOOO proud of him.

my biggest problem in this youth hostel

So I may not blog as regularly as I have been, but know that I’ll still be out there training.  And do not think that I have forgotten about my precious flat posse – you made the trip out here with me and have enjoyed the inside of my suitcase for days.  I promise I’ll take you out into the sunshine and onto the beach before I blog next.

Santa Monica Pier

Love and miss everyone – thank you for all your sweet comments!

Race is 3 weeks from yesterday – – – deep, cleansing breath.

4

It’s Time.

5 years in the training.

10 years in the planning.

Tomorrow morning (at 5:30am to be precise) I board a plane to take me in the direction of my Ironman event.  It’s an intentionally expanded journey, and includes 10 days in the warm Southern California sunshine to enhance the training, and concludes with the event itself on Saturday, March 6, at Lake Taupo, New Zealand.  (Worth noting to remember that NZ is 16 hours ahead of us, so if you wait til 7am on Saturday, March 6 here in the US, I will be just about finishing!)

Last couple of days of training, preparation, and goodbyes has been emotional, exciting, and eventful.  Beginning with the process of packing the bike into the case:

My entire precious bicycle is in that pile o' parts

11 pieces exactly, to the packing of the crap I’ll need:

that's a king-sized bed

to the last dreadful session on the indoor trainer:

iPod and Kindle - waaaaay better than TV

to the sad visit to the hospital to say what may be a final goodbye to Jesse’s mom.  She was able to tell me to do good on my race – “Not many people do that, you know”.  It was the most lucid statement she made the whole visit.

My LA accomodation is a hostel in Santa Monica – I’ve been hosteling since college, and with a return to the lifestyle in New Zealand  and Paris in November, for 23 bucks a night, it’s not too bad – right on the beach.  I’ll post pics and blog from said location as I complete my final 9 training sessions.

Son Sam begins his Coast-to-Coast New Zealand in 15 hours – it’s a two-day event kayaking, trail running, and road biking across the entire South Island.  We’re gonna party like effing rock stars after we get through these races!  (AFTER, not IF)  If this underacheiving child kept a blog, you could read about his adventures there; instead, you’ll have to get the second-hand recap from here.

I’ll be available by phone til around the 22nd, then by Facebook or email in New Zealand (business goes on as usual – business calls will be forwarded to the highy capable Colt who can schedule your massages as you need them!)

Can’t wait to blog about the oppressive heat in LA and New Zealand!

Best iPod shuffle:  Business Time, by Flight of the Conchords

Thanks for reading!

5

Still Training

can't WAIT to get out and RIDE MY BIKE in this

Hi all —

Once again, a lack of blogging does not reflect a lack of training…quite the opposite!  It’s just that the training has become so CONSUMING I just don’t have the last few moments of the day to indulge in the joy of recounting my day.  So here’s kind of a week-long summary:

OMG, THIS SUX!!  Ok, I’ve gotten that out of the way; now I can be a bit more rational.  What I meant to say is that this Tennessee weather is most certainly not conducive to the rigors of training for a triathlon.  The wind, the cold, the rain, the snow, I’m so terribly, terribly over it.  If you follow the blog you know that last week I made an attempt to chase some sunshine in Florida and train in a skosh of heat since my race will be at the conclusion of New Zealand’s summer.  That attempt was Epic Fail, as it was 36 degrees the day I tried to swim in the wetsuit and ride 80k.

my latest attempt to make it work: the Lemond on the trainer

So, never give up, never surrender, I’m planning another attempt at what we’ll call Vitamin D Training.  I will have to fly through LA on the way to Sydney on the way to Wellington on the way to Lake Taupo where my race is, and I’ve decided to go several days early to see if I can train in a little warmth there.  I’m staying at a hostel in Venice Beach and if all goes according to plan (HA!), I leave on Thursday and will be there about 10 days before I make the equally challenging attempt to procure a stand-by seat on a flight toward New Zealand.

What’s the Jordan family motto?:  Life’s an Adventure.  Each member of our family gets the opportunity on a regular basis to put to the test our confidence in this motto; this trip is no exception.  I will do the best I can to continue to blog from the trip to LA and the race week.

On a family personal note:  Son Sam is competing in the Coast-To-Coast New Zealand race on the 12th and 13th (this Friday and Saturday).  The competitors work their way across the entire southern island kayaking, road biking, and trail running.  Sam has trained as long and as hard as I have, and he’s an inspiration to me every time I lace up my shoes.  I am as excited for him and his race as I am my own.  I’ll blog about his experience since no amount of whining has compelled him to write his own blog.

Hubby’s mom celebrated her 90th birthday on Saturday, but her health is in decline with each passing day.  All of her sons and several additional family members got to wish her well personally on her special day.  She is currently in the hospital and Jesse may have to miss both mine and Sam’s races in order to assist her in her needs, but we both know she will be very proud of us.

Thank you for all of your supportive comments on this blog and in person – with just a couple of days yet to go before I leave I may not get to see everyone for my final good luck hugs!  I feel them, however, and am so grateful for all the attagirls!

Big ol’ brick on Wednesday – 4000 yd swim and 180k bike (2 and 112 miles!)…will try to do an entry then before I leave town.

Thanks for reading!

0

Swim. Run. Bike. I know, it’s out of sequence.

Not the best training day ever.  Might be the worst.

Most everyone who reads the blog knows that I came down south to Panama City Beach to my generous brother’s condo to train in some of that Florida sunshine.  (Good call, so it seemed, since Murfreesboro got snow-dumped on, then iced, since I’ve been gone.)  However, the same system that went through the rest of the south caught the panhandle of Florida too.  Today’s high was forecast to have been 55 degrees.  In reality, it was 43 degrees with a wind chill of 36.  That’s effing cold.  Especially on a bike.

I made an attempt to swim in the bay, but with that air temperature, it wasn’t much of an attempt….wading out to my ankles in frigid water.

not too flattering, but this is mom's view from the car

Went with plan B, which was to return to the condo’s indoor pool and swim about in the wetsuit.  It was too warm to do that, but I’m all about the flexibility.

inside pool, nice and toasty

After that, I punted again, because of the cold and chose to run, so on with the running clothes and out the door.  Eric’s condo is on the 19th of 23 floors so I chose to do the stairwells for today’s workout.  An hour and 50 minutes later, off with the running stuff, on with the bike stuff, and out the door for an 80k.

my salvation on the arctic bike ride!

(Working to resolve the sideways pic issue…).

Anyway, just a sucky training day altogether, but you have those.  Makes the good days even better.  Race is 5 weeks from yesterday.  Skyping Sam in New Zealand as I write this and his massive race (Coast-to-coast New Zealand) is two weeks away, but he seems far more calm and collected than his mom.

So much for sunny Florida – it’s even too cold for the iPod to work, so the song in my head is Mick Jagger singing something about not getting no satisfaction…

Thanks for letting me gripe…it’s therapeutic for me!

Thanks for reading!

Lovely non-view from the 19th floor - that's the Gulf down there somewhere
0

You’d have to be crazy to bike in this weather…

…or be training for an Ironman.

Today’s brick was, I don’t even know how cold this is, colder than a witch’s titty.  (Bonus points if you can come up with where that came from.)

The swim (2000 yards) was fine – felt strong in the pool, rhythm was good, even with no iPod.  I did it in 55 minutes which works for me.  Out of the pool, out of the suit, into sweats, quick drive home, into the bike gear, bikes in the truck.  Why not just leave from the house?  Good question.

The random parking place from which we started.

Today’s weather was shit for bike riding:  cold, overcast, windy, damp.  So hubby comes up with the brilliant idea to position ourselves due southwest of town, to take advantage of the 15-20 mph winds OUT of the southwest.  We drive 80k to East Fumblebuck, Tennessee, park in a gravel lot in the middle of nowhere, and head out with a delicious tail wind.  You know how when you are on the moving sidewalks in an airport, you feel like you have superpowers?  You are going the same speed you normally walk, but are moving at twice the speed?  THAT is what a tailwind feels like:  you are exerting your normal amount of energy, spinning your feet around and around, but you are traveling as if you are on a long, smooth downhill.  Which would have made this ride perfect if not for one tiny thing.

It was 34 degrees.

34 degrees is cold.  You can bundle up and put on a hat and gloves and scarf and coat and stay relatively warm as you walk from your car to work or around town; you can even go for a walk at that speed and be comfortable.  Now imagine being in a convertible or jeep in that temperature with the top down and driving 30 miles an hour.  For two hours and forty-five minutes.  Oh yeah.

Here you will see assembled all the clothing I wore on this outing; I was still cold.  My fingers and toes were numb and my face didn’t function.  What I mean by that is when I went to eat my Snickers at the halfway point, I could not bite it, I could not chew it.  Had to resort to yet another flavor of GU……mmmmmm, GU…..

Read the whole blog so you know I'm not just trying to show you my underpants.

I’ve had 2 cups of bouillion, a hot bath, a glass of wine, and I’m under my electric blanket – I’m starting to warm up.

Still no iPod, so today’s song in the pool was:   Bubbbles, bubbles, bubbles, breathe, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, breathe.

Thanks for reading.

2

End of 1st week of last big 5 (?)

For an English major, I think the post title is pretty weak.  My race is 6 weeks from today.  My taper begins 2 weeks out from the race.  Since coming home from the Christmas holidays the really intense sessions have begun – huge bricks, long distances, total nutrition.  So this week marks the end of week 1 of the last 5 intense weeks.  Clear as mud?

I have not done a very good job of taking pictures of the runs and swims, or the strength training sessions.  I’ll try to improve on that next week.  I can post a picture of me in the MAC store getting my new MacBook Pro…

If our parents would agree, I would ask the MacBook to marry me.

I can also show you the gorgeous rainbow we saw on the way up to the Mac store:

other people on Facebook have posted better pictures of this - it was beautiful.

But I’ll have to use words to tell you about the last two workouts.  Thursday was swim day and I had to go 3000 yards – that’s about 3/4 of the distance of the race itself.  I did it in the SportsCom pool and it took me about an hour and a half.  I don’t struggle too much with the swimming, but it becomes such a mind game because there IS NO REST.  Not a moment to cough, catch your breath, adjust any wardrobe malfunctions.  The good news is that at the race website, a participant is quoted in describing Lake Taupo as being so clear as to be able to see the bouy anchors on the bottom!  A far cry from the lakes I’ve been swimming in around here, and vastly different than last year’s half-Iron!

Then Friday was a 12 mile run.  I had a 12:00 appointment at the MAC, but it wasn’t a massage, just an annual health department inspection, so I needed less than 10 minutes there.  So in the interest of efficiency, I headed out from my house, ran the 5.5 to the MAC, circled the courthouse, got the inspection done, ate a GU gel (strawberry-banana:  better), and did the run home in reverse.  Even got home in time to shower before meeting a precious friend at Mellow Mushroom for the notorious beer sampler.  That weekly alcohol treat takes on tremendous importance, I promise!

Finally, today was strength training, which, because of all the other workouts, felt like a day off.  I’ve really been concentrating on my lats and shoulders for the swim; my legs are already so much stronger from the running and biking.  Nutrition all week has been great- my weight is right at 150, and I expect it to drop down another 5 by race day, which is just where I want it.

The MacBook purchase has come at a good time – gives me a little something distracting as I’ve started my obsessing over the race.  I visit the website 5 or 6 times a day to see if they’ve added something new.

This week’s schedule looks a lot like last week’s, and the Middle Tennessee weather is not cooperating….who’da thunk:  winter in January.

iPod is in rehab at the Mac store – miss it desperately!  Jesse has been so kind to lend me his shuffle, but there are only so many Marty Robbins songs I can listen to.  I guess the favorite on the run was Big Red the Ranger with the Big Iron on his Hip on the Streets of Laredo with Falina at Rose’s Cantina.  Not that they all sound the same…

Thanks for reading!

2

First of the big 5 bricks

It is 10:40pm.

I got up at 6:45am to begin the day.

Since I have been home, I have taken a shower, started a load of smelly laundry, and had a delicious diet Coke. 

Otherwise, I have been training all day.  (Disclaimer – 3+ hours of driving to and from Natchez Trace, dinner at Applebees)

The Natchez Trace is an historic Indian trail that reaches from Nashville to Tupelo (about 460 miles).  It takes a bit to get there, but it’s a fabulous road for training.  I’m sure the high season is the fall when the leaves are colorful, but this time of year it is seldom used.  It’s a well-maintained 2-lane road; the terrain varies from gentle undulations to rollers to serious granny-gear ups and downs.  We chose to ride the section south of Nashville to the turnaround just south of the Meriwether Lewis monument (site of his death and burial).

very important piece of equipment in the seat bag....
...and using that equipment before getting on the bike...
...and my pleasure of Jesse being in charge of the camera.

Over the course of our 120k round trip, we saw all three types of terrain I mentioned.  However, we had a head wind, and the particular section we chose included an elevation gain on the outbound leg.  So the trip that took us 3.5 hours out took us only 2.5 hours coming back in.  We spent a half-hour at the monument and got back to the truck just before dark. 

Meriwether's monument: Was he killed? Did he commit suicide? Just ask Grandpa Jay...

At about this point, Jesse took a little detour off the Trace toward a town for a treat run:

I'm not telling if he ate all of them...you'll have to ask him

So, back at the truck, off came the bike shoes, on went the running shoes, and off I went, with Jesse behind me in the truck for my 14k’s of running.

bad pic - he said he wasn't as tired as this looks
my quick break before running
me hatin the Gu flavor - blueberry pomegranate I think
practicing for running in the dark at the Ironman!

The bike ride was tough with the hills and the headwind, but the run was pretty strong, considering.  I had a strong rhythm though about 11k, then hit the proverbial wall.  I walked a bit and attempted to recover, but I was so lightheaded and dizzy and it was so late, I chose to bail.  It makes me feel guilty to do that, but I know better than to push myself too far.

So here I am, vegging on the couch, attempting to recover, before tomorrow’s strength training and DELICIOUS massage from my girl Janet at the MAC (THE premier reason for owning a massage therapy practice!).

Favorite shuffle:  All This Joy, John Denver, which I heard in the dark while watching deer off the road by truck headlights.

I ate ONE of the Snickers.

Thanks for reading!

2

80k ride – in the mud…again

Someone PLEASE remind me next time it rains that the Greenway is not the best choice for a bike ride!!

high water at the rapids

I had a big 50-miler to do today, so I started out early – and it was COLD this morning!  I had on my usual smashing outfit to brave the cold, but it warmed up beautifully by the time I finished.  The riverside Greenway is so wonderful, and I’m so proud of Murfreesboro for having seen the need and potential and responded to it, but seriously?  Check this out:

oh yes, I most certainly did...

This was along the newest section out toward Cason Lane, and this picture is a few minutes later:

Question my judgement, but do NOT question my commitment!!

That’s my sock I’m wringing out on the left side of the picture – the water completely covered my ankles, soaked the legs of my pants – keep in mind it was about 37 degrees out there this morning!  So after 80k, all on the Greenway, this is what my gear looked like:

and the bike looked even worse!

By the time I finished, as I said, it had warmed up nicely, and I took a post-ride stroll into the river – I strongly advocate this to all my running clients – cooling one’s legs down after a run or ride greatly reduces inflammation and speeds recovery.

evidence of practicing what I preach - thigh deep smack in the in cold water!

I’ve decided to leave my bike computer on kilometers through the race – NZ uses k’s and they don’t mark the bike or the race course in miles.  So from here on out I’ll be training in kilometers – I kinda liked it today – they’re smaller than miles!  (Don’t burst my bubble by trying to convince me it’s the same distance overall – I like my delusion.)  From Thompson Lane to Gen Bragg to the Battlefield to the new section by the Medical Center back on the Greenway through Old Fort Park, out the new stretch to the dead end at the 99 bridge and back to Greenway to Cannonsburgh is 25k.  (15.5 miles according to my handi-dandi iPod conversion app).  If you take the Greenway straight back to Thompson Lane it brings the total to 32k.  I did this loop twice, and added in about 5 loops around the “criterion” at the Battlefield to make the whole 80k.

One last picture:

You can't see how unbelievably messy the house is - but the bike gets cleaned!

Huge day tomorrow – 120k ride/14k run (75/9 miles for you Yanks); Jesse and I are going to the Natchez Trace for the ride – he said he’d be really supportive during the run by going to get something to eat while I ran AND he’s not committing to the full 75 miles…but I get it – HE’S not training for an Ironman.

iPod is in dire need of rehab – got one song this morning before it died – gotta make a trip to the MAC store in Nashville.  That one song was an ABBA song, but I don’t remember which one.

Thanks for reading!

1

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