Optimal Race Weight -- What?!!!

Optimal Race Weight  -  What?!!!
March 2, 2015

I am now at the point where I need to start thinking about where to stop losing weight.

What?!!!  I can't believe I even said that!!  After working to lose weight for the last three years, this is such a strange thing to say!  Exciting but also a scary.

When considering optimum body fat % and race weight, the big question mark is how to account for the 10 or so pounds of excess skin that I am carrying (and will not lose) which includes a layer of fat.  All the expert's formulas for calculating optimum body fat % and race weight don't work for me. 

I met with the Performance Sports Nutritionist for Indiana University who works with IU's elite athletes.  She also does nutrition planning for a local triathlete who finished Kona three times and set the 45-49 AG IM course record at IM Texas.  I was so pleased / relieved that she took my athletic goals seriously.

The nutritionist asked my height and weighed me.  Then she had me get in a Bod Pod to get an accurate body fat %.  The Bod Pod uses displaced air to determine body volume and then calculates % body fat.  I was pleased that the % it gave was very similar to the BIA testing that I had been doing at Next Generation Personal Training.  

  

​Ha!  I felt like I was in a space ship!

The nutritionist reviewed my current nutrition plan.  She recommended an optimum body fat %, race weight and changes to my nutrition plan (add more carbs and fat / eat carbs prior to working out / drink tons and tons of water).  

I also consulted with a couple of others who understand nutrition and endurance sports - most notably, Matt Fitzgerald who wrote Iron War and 23 other books about sports nutrition and training including a book called Racing Weight.  Using Fitzgerald's ideal race weight formula, I calculated my ideal race weight at 135 - 150.  In my email I asked Matt how my ten or so pounds of excess skin factored into that calculation.  I was surprised when he wrote back to me!  He said, "I'd focus on the higher numbers in the range you came up with and on continuing to train smart and eat right. Who knows where you'll end up?"  He also asked me to let him know when I found the weight that seemed ideal for me so he could use that information to help others. 

My coach and I decided that I would lose 6 more pounds (153 pounds) and then switch from a weight-loss nutrition plan to a sports performance nutrition plan that I will work out with the IU nutritionist.  This nutrition plan will change as my training phase changes.  At that point, we'll adjust my weight up or down a bit until we find the weight where I perform best. 

I am telling myself, loud and clear, that I am not stopping nutrition planning.  I am just switching from a weight-loss nutrition plan to a sports performance nutrition plan.  I will still be monitoring every bite that I eat.  This is a life-long commitment.

It's funny that both my coach and the nutritionist have expressed concerns that I will not stop losing weight.  It seems so funny to even think about being too thin.  I'm hoping that won't be an issue for me since I know that I must maintain muscle and optimal body fat % to be able to train and race well.  But I will have to be cautious about this.  My coach is usually right when he worries about something.

Anna Banana from Indiana - Another Angel in Disquise

Anna Banana from Indiana - Another Angel in Disguise!
March 1, 2015

Before entering a report for the Indiana University Indoor Triathlon, I need to write about Anna Banana from Indiana.  If you read my posts from my first-ever triathlon (Indiana University Indoor Sprint Triathlon) in 2013, you learned about the sweetest college sophomore who time me and cheered as I came down the straight on every single one of the 24 laps around the indoor track.  She was amazingly encouraging.  I was SO tired and she filled me with energy.

Last year, she was timing again, now a junior, and made a point to say something to me - also encouraging.  We chatted a bit and she said she was thinking about maybe entering the race in 2015.

This year, as I was getting into my swimsuit in the locker room, a young woman entered the pod of lockers across from mine.  She had raced in a very early heat (eight racers started every 30 minutes) and had just finished.  I asked her if the track, which is on the top floor of the sports complex, was hot.  She said no and then asked, "Have you done this before?"  When I responded yes, she said, "I know you!"  I'm the person who timed you two years ago!

It was HER.

How strange that our paths crossed again in such a random and chance way.  Another in the series of chance encounters with people who have floated into my life during the past three years at just the right moment to inspire and encourage me.  And once again, she had wonderfully encouraging things to say about my weight-loss and accomplishments.  Her parents raised an angel.  

This remarkable young woman is a senior this year and will be looking for employment in the Chicago area.  Whoever hires her will be getting a gem.  I will greatly miss seeing her at next year's Indoor Tri.  I told her that I will always think of her when I compete in that race.  As we were parting, I think she realized that we didn't even know each other's name.  She asked mine and then told me that her name was Anna.  She added with a laugh, "People call me Anna Banana from Indiana."

Thank you Anna Banana from Indiana.  You made a difference in my life.

My Beautiful Niece's 1st 5K!

My Beautiful Niece's 1st 5K!
January 1, 2015

Happy New Year!

Today was a wonderful day!  I was privileged to run with my niece, Julie, in the 2015 Resolution Run.  Julie has only been running for a couple of months and today was her first 5K.  I know every runner remembers the intimidation of their first 5K.  I am so proud of Julie's dedication and courage as she noted all the seasoned runners in their running tights and received her bib.

Julie was amazing.  She did a smart run-walk and maintained a steady pace throughout the 3.1 miles.  She picked up the pace at mile 2 and again at 2.5 miles.  The sunny run was through a pretty Midwest university campus, but it was brutally cold - 20 degrees and 17 mph winds.

At the end, we ran around the university's new track.  As we entered, I ran behind Julie and sang the theme from Rocky.  I told Julie I had her back.  She picked up her pace and ran strong around the track.  At once point, she told me her body was saying "Walk!" I told her that she had a choice:  To listen to her body or listen to her mind.  She chose to listen to her mind and continued running.  So proud of her grit.

When we hit the straight before the finish line, she centered herself in front of the finish arch and took off.  I clocked her pace as she crossed the finish line at 9:00's!!!  The four people that were running near her didn't have a chance!

The race-end exhaustion quickly turned into excitement.  I was so pleased that she told me that she wanted to do another 5K and that she thought she had the confidence to enter a 5K by herself!

On my part, it was interesting to run a 5K at a z1 pace.  A year ago, running a 5k at any pace would have been daunting.  Today, running a 5K was easy and I was amazed that I could carry on a conversation through the entire 5 miles.  While I was the one needing encouragement a year ago, it was SO cool to now be the encourager.  It was SO cool to see Julie experience the joy of running that I had discovered.

I came in 3rd in my age group and received a pretty cool metal.  But the best part of coming in 3rd was hearing Julie cheer and clap as they announced my name!  What a fun moment to share!

This was a beautiful day. 

Max Strength Training - On Machines!!

Max Strength Training - On Machines!!
December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas Eve!

This week, I advanced to "Max Strength!"  While called "max" strength, don't picture me straining to do dead lifts!  For me, "max" means that I am simply using machines to build strength. 

My coach showed me how to use the machines on Monday.  Being 61 years old, I felt a little out-of-place among all the buff athletes working out, but once again said, "Go away pride!" as I tried the machines.  I have to admit, it was fun! 

Then today, I did my first max strength workout!  I was so excited! Everything went well.  I kept thinking about how funny it must look to everyone to see this old lady on the strength machines.  I asked a random person to take my picture.  We both laughed. Ha!  

My coach didn't have me lift a lot of weight today, probably so I could just get used to the machines. The only time I felt a little burn was on the Lat Pull Ups - but it was a good burn.  (I loved it.)  I really, really, really wanted to add weight or do more than 10 reps during each set, but I've learned that my coach will scold me if I do more than he assigns, so I made myself stop.

The strength that I've been doing  for the past couple of months has been making a difference.  I now have little muscles that I can "fire" on command.  I can pop out little biceps and flex my pectoral muscles.  Flexing my quads, calves and hamstrings is no problem.  I'm starting to be able to flex my lats.  Ha!  Who would have thought that at age 61, I'd be standing in front of the mirror flexing my muscles!  What a hoot!  LOL.

LOVE STRENGTH! 

My Favorite Quotes

Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. - Plato 

Be fearless in the face of your fears.  Quiet your mind.  -  Brant Secunda to Mark Allen

If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough. - Lowell Lundstrom

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. - T.S. Elliott 

Find a way.  - Dianna Niad

I know I'll age, but that doesn't mean I have to get old.  -  Cherie Gruenfeld: Kona's Golden Girl, Age 70 in 2014

Tough times don't last long, but tough people do. 

Champions are made in the off season. 

Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. John Wooden

Not all who wander are lost. 

If you force yourself to go outside, something wonderful always happens. - Mary, Age 93

You don't know strength until strength is the only thing you have.

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein
 
Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth.  - Mark Twain

Tree City 5K - Personal Record!

Tree City Run - Personal Record!
November 22, 2014

I ran in the Tree City 5k sponsored by the YMCA in Greensburg, Indiana.

My coach had me warm up a little differently prior to this race.  I did several . . .

RACE 1. My HR was 126 right before the gun. Is that what you wanted? 2. My ave HR for the first 0.25 miles was 142. I may have taken off too fast at the gun. I looked at my watch about 10 second in and saw that my pace was in the 8:00's. I didn't think I was going that fast. However, when I look at the data, I think my watch might have been miscalculating. Does your watch need more time to give an accurate pace reading at the start? I pulled back and my watch read mid 10:00's. So I pulled back some more and then it was 11:30 so I tried to speed up a little. 3. I was surprised at how quickly my HR went into the 150's - but was then relieved to see that I was past 0.25 miles, so I thought this was ok per your plan. 4. At one mile, my HR was at 155. 155 was the top of z4 in my old HR zone (147 is the top of my new HR zones) so I figured that was a safe place to be and didn't pull back. While uncomfortable, it felt like a HR that I could keep at for the rest of the race. I was pushing it - and feeling pretty spent, but nothing that I couldn't keep up for 30 minutes. I just reminded myself that my discomfort was nothing compared to what those with long-term illnesses face - and told myself to keep my legs moving at a consistent cadence (100). 5. Around 2 miles, I got a stitch in my side. I've never had that happen before. Just ignored it. 6. When we hit the soft sand trail at mile 2.49, I knew I was at the place where I could push into z5. I pushed harder and hoped that the effort was enough to keep my pace up in the sand. A girl who I trailed prior to mile 1 and who trailed me after mile 1 was right behind me until the sand. I pulled away in the sand. Yea! 7. Two people caught me at the finish. I ran like I've never run before. I was leaning like crazy - chest up, just running with everything I had. Garmin shows my pace at 8:54, HR 164 as I crossed the finish line. This was a good race. I thought I might have been faster (and maybe I would have if it hadn't have been for the 13 turns, sand, etc.). I would have been thrilled to run in the 10's. But I'm not dissatisfied with a 11:26. I'm improving - and the 10:00's are in sight! Very pleased.

There's a Fire Inside of Me!

THERE'S A FIRE INSIDE OF ME!

November 20, 2014

I wrote the title to this post in November 2014.  I wanted to not forget the "fire in the belly" feeling that had suddenly appeared.  I wrote the narrative below in July, 2015 - eight months later.

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It first started at ITU Worlds in Chicago a year ago (hard to believe it has been a year).  During the swim, I literally swam over a woman.  We were hip-to-hip and my arm came down on top of her shoulder.  Instead of thinking, "Oh, excuse me,"  I literally shoved her underwater as my stroke progressed and swam over the top of her.  And to my utter shock, I liked it!  That moment ignited some primal competitive instinct that I had no idea existed within me.

It was at that moment that I knew that I didn't want to just "finish" a distance or compete with myself.  I wanted to beat other people.  Actually, I wanted to dominate / annihilate other people.  In many aspects of my life, I am shy and reserved so this was completely new, and at the time, a little disturbing.  I told my coach, "There's a monster inside of me!"

This primal instinct to dominate is not helpful or appropriate in most aspects of life, but it's what fuels athletes.  In athletics, it is a good thing.

It was also at ITU Worlds that I realized that I had might have potential.  In local competitions, I was the only one in my age group, so I didn't know how I stacked up against other women my age.  But at ITU Worlds, there were several dozen women in my age group, and I had a decent finish.  I started to think that maybe, just maybe, I could do well if I really worked hard.  I told my coach that while I was basically a beginner, I wanted to start training like an elite.  I asked him to make sure that I was training harder than every other women my age.  No stones unturned.

While I was thinking of myself as a competitor, the people around me still saw me the way I used to be.  After years of seeing me as a morbidly obese person, It was hard for many of them to think of me as anything but a recreational triathlete.  That was a little frustrating, but I figured that I would just work hard and let my results speak for me.  One day in May, my coach sat me down and said something like, "I want you to develop some swag.  You are good.  I am serious.  You are good."  Remembering his excitement that day still makes me smile from ear to ear.

Fire in the belly.  Who would have thought!