75 Hard Challenge - Week 1 Wrap-Up

Last week BFF (aka Spell Checker) introduced me to the 75 Hard Challenge. After successfully completing 6 days (I stumbled and started day 1 over) I can honestly say that I believe this challenge was an answer to my prayers. Thank you again, BFF!!!

Of course, many people may look at this challenge and say that it is arbitrary and stupid and there is no reason to do it or even stick with it, but I say they are wrong. Yes, it's not a training plan that you are compelled to stick with so you can cross the finish line of a race or get a PR at an event. It's not a diet promising miracle weight loss. It is a mental challenge. A toughness challenge. A hard challenge.

I believe I was introduced to this challenge for a reason and it is in my heart to complete it. I am very pleased with my progress and I am excited to see the changes over the remaining 69 days.

Adding a Post-it every night before bed

Difference of Opinion

Since Saturday afternoon (Day 5) was set to be busy and because we were hosting a Super Bowl party on Sunday, I decided to switch my long run to Saturday morning (still have races to train for). We walked the dogs and after we got home, I changed clothes and headed out on my run. Two things disqualified my walk from the challenge:

1) It was less than 45 minutes

2) It was done right before the run.

Note: There is a lot of conflicting info on the two workouts rule. I have been operating with the belief that they have to be separate and distinct, with a break in between, and at least one of the workouts has to be outside. I have read Reddit posts from people saying the workouts have to have a 3 hour separation. Here is the wording for Task 2 from Andy Frisella's website...

Nothing about the time between workouts
https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/articles/what-is-75-hard

So, when we got home Saturday evening after two appointments in Stockton, I climbed on the trainer and did a 45 minute ride in Zwift. It wasn't a programmed workout or anything too hard, but is was separate and it was the full 45 minutes.

Of course, HS found this to be irritatingly stupid. Why didn't I just walk longer in the morning? You ran for over two hours, isn't that enough? Most people don't run that long. Why not count the run as two workouts?

I tried explaining the rules of the challenge but was just met with more of the same queries. At the Super Bowl party, he even tried to get BFF's opinion on me not counting my run as two workouts. I think he was hoping to get her to admit I was being too strict about the rules. She may think I'm crazy, but she is the last person to ask about me sticking with something. Besides, this whole thing is her fault LOL!

Out of all my answers to the questions asked, I think the most telling was about who was tracking the challenge. The person tracking this is me. This matters to ME! I could cheat the rules (as I understand them) but I would know. I would want to start over. Everyone has different reasons, goals, measurements for this challenge (just check Reddit if you don't believe me) I am sticking to mine and only mine.

Weekly workout summary

Yes, I could count a short workout or say my 2 hour run is twice as long as two separate 45 minute workouts, but in my heart I will have known I haven't followed the challenge. I went to bed Saturday night, tired but feeling proud of my accomplishment. The job got done no matter what and I controlled what I could control (when and where I did my workout and what the workout was). This is the whole point.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Good: I consider myself a reader and I generally love books. However, I usually lean towards fiction or books about how to write a book. I have never been really into motivational, self-help books (unless you count the Bible). When I started 75 Hard, I was fortunate enough to have a book on my shelf ready to go, "Never Finished" by David Goggins. The challenge calls for reading 10 pages a day, I finished the book in 4 days. It was a great read and I could feel it stirring the embers of wanting more from myself. If you are doing the challenge, this is a MUST READ!

Must read!

Good: Weight loss. Although this is not a weight loss challenge or diet, I have lost 3.8 pounds since last Monday.

Bad: I wouldn't say it's entirely bad, but I struggle with the whole gallon of water. Yes, I am drinking the full 120 oz. plus a little extra, but I have a hard time drinking consistently throughout the day. If I could just sip a little every now and then, I wouldn't end up gulping an insane amount right before bed. This is something I hope to improve this week.

Ugly: The only ugliness was Day 1 (the first one). I failed on the workout timing and on the drinking water so I owned up to my shortcomings and decided to start over the next day. This was fairly easy with only 24 hours wasted and I wonder if I would be so willing if I was 61 or 71 days into the challenge. Honestly, if it's day 71, I'm drinking the gallon of water even if I'm about to put my head on my pillow ;-)

This Week

I am looking forward to settling in to the challenge as I sit here sipping my water. 

The book I am reading now is called "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and I will probably be looking for a new read by the end of the week. This book is almost just as interesting as "Never Finished" and I am learning so much about how both good and bad habits are formed. I think 75 Hard is giving me the opportunity to work on my habits and hopefully create new healthy ones by the time the challenge is over.

While reading about habit stacking and temptation bundling, I have decided that writing/working on my book needs to be factored in somewhere. I'm trying to decide on timing and location so I won't have any built in excuses or stumbling blocks. I think I will work on my book for 30 minutes after lunch in the living room. 

Today is off to a good start...time to go take my daily progress pic :-)

California International Marathon 2023 (No. 8 and Counting)

How It Started - A Chance Meeting

Some time around the end of July (2023), Mike and I were on our daily walk with the dogs. As we were headed back towards the house, I saw a familiar face coming towards us. I called her name and she stopped to chat. Of course, the conversation came around to running and she mentioned the CIM training group she leads for Gold Country Run + Sport. I told her I would think about it. I meant it, but wasn't sure her group would be the right fit for me. Honestly, I was worried that she would push me out of my comfort zone.

A chance meeting on the American River Trail 
with Karyn

 

Several days later, resigned to my comfort zone, I loaded my Hal Higdon intermediate marathon training plan into Training Peaks. I figured it would just be easier to do this plan AGAIN. However, left to my own devices I had become out of shape, overweight, and I was once again preparing to use a training program that had only produced mediocre results the last several years. What was I thinking? 

I tried telling myself that this year would be different. I wasn't training for IRONMAN California so I would be able to devote 100% of my training to the marathon. I had moved to Gold River, so I wasn't going to be doing my training on a treadmill. I was now retired so I would have more time to devote to training and getting in shape and losing weight. However, my gut was telling me that this wasn't going to get me where I wanted to be. I knew that I needed to shake things up and try something new.

On August 1st, I bit the bullet and signed up for Karyn's training program. If I wanted to run like Karyn, I needed to train like Karyn...or at least follow her plan. 

How It Progressed

The training schedule came out and I was ready to quit when I saw the first week's mileage. How was I going to run that much with weeks of only walking the dogs as my only training? I went back to my Hal Higdon program and realized that his mileage for Week 1 was almost the same as Karyn's planned mileage. I took a deep breath and decided to at least try her workouts.

The weeks progressed and while I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group, I knew my running was improving. On top of that, I was finally starting to drop some weight. My first true test of fitness came at the Urban Cow Half Marathon. I stuck with the pacer until mile 11 and ran ahead for the last two miles. Although my back was tweaked, I was more than happy with the results.

The mileage continued to grow every week. There were new things to learn and old things to re-learn. There were hill workouts, tempo runs, strides, and of course the long runs. Sprinkled within the workouts were Karyn's words of wisdom about training, recovery, and nutrition. Eventually the Sunday long runs became impossible to work around church so I started doing them on my own on Saturdays. This seemed to work OK and I would often see my Gold Country teammates out doing the same.

Every workout started with a group pic

I stuck with the plan up until the middle of October. During a run with 10 speedy intervals, I overdid it a bit and developed a nagging pain in my left quad. I didn't think much of the pain at first, but as the weeks went by, the pain only got worse. Every time I would start to run, the pain would shoot through my quad and I would hobble through the first several steps until I got enough momentum to move more fluidly. I started to doubt my ability to even make it to the start line.

I went ahead and ran the 2023 Run the Parkway - 20 Miler knowing that I wouldn't feel the pain in my leg after mile 3 or 4. I stuck with the pacer for the first 10 miles and sped up for the final half. I was surprised with my results and the average pace that showed I could probably hang with Karyn's 3:55 pace group at CIM. 

Floating along during Run the Parkway

After that run, unfortunately, things only continued to get worse. I decided I needed to give my leg a chance to heal or I wouldn't be running CIM. For the last few weeks of training, I swapped running for swimming and cycling. I did the last long run with the group a week out from the race. I was 8 miles and I was able to complete the distance, but I wasn't feeling too positive. After that, I passed on the remaining short runs and either walked the dogs or swam. 

I was nervous.

How It Ended

After a restless night's sleep, I got up, got dressed, ate my Maurten Solid 225 bar and drank half a cup of coffee. I filled a water bottle for the short ride to the shuttle drop off point and was ready to head out. This year, HS and I took a different route. Last year we took Folsom Blvd but since we knew the road was choked off due to construction, we opted for Greenback. I've come to realize that drop off logistics are almost as volatile as IKEA assembly instructions. Eventually, HS got me to a point where I could hop out of the truck and walk to the shuttles. 

NOTE: Celebrity sighting... Deirdre Fitzpatrick was on my shuttle bus! 

This year's start was exciting in that it was the first time I was racing as part of an organized training group AND we had access to the Gold Country Run + Sport store (which unfortunately is closing so now I will have to shop at their El Dorado Hills location). 

Great group of people!!

Because of the issue with my quad, I decided to run with the 4:00 group and hopefully have a bit left in the tank to speed up the last couple of miles. I made my way to the corral and noted the pacer. People continued to crowd in front of me to get as close to the pacer as possible, but I figured that as long as I could see his sign and I maintained my distance, it would be good. No need to get jammed up.

As I waited for the start, a couple of women behind me were talking about our pacer and how he had run every CIM since the beginning and how they had heard that he was spot on with every mile. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried about going out too fast and blowing up, this guy was going to keep me in check.

After a 10 minute delay, the race started. I shed my warming jacket saved from last year's race and continued the slow walk to the timing mat. I started a slow jog as the group began to pick up the pace and pressed start on my Garmin as soon as I crossed the official start line. After finding a clear lane to run, I tried to settle in. My quad was sore, but not as bad has it had been. I checked my watch and my pace was quicker than I had intended. I was planning on running at 9:08 and I was at 8:49. I looked up to find my pacer.

To my dismay, I couldn't find him anywhere. Where is the 4:00 sign? I started to panic. If I couldn't find my pacer, I felt doomed. I continued the faster pace hoping to catch up with him. Before I knew it, I was passing the Mile 1 marked. How did that get here so quickly? And why haven't I found my pacer? Mile 2 was almost as quick as the first but eventually I saw the red sign briefly pop up for a second and disappear. At least I had an idea where he was and I was close enough to try and get back to my intended pace. I only hoped that I hadn't derailed my entire race plan by going out too fast.

5k - 8:58 min/mi avg (This is what I would have been running if I was with Karyn's group!)

As I closed in on my pacer, I overheard two women behind me talking about not being able to find the 4:00 pacer. I pointed him out as the sign quickly popped up and disappeared again. I moved in a bit closer and was soon in line with the pacer. As I moved around other runners and out of the way, I found myself in front of the group. I checked my watch and was still moving quicker than intended.

10k - 8:57 min/mi avg (Uh oh)

I knew I was still running too fast. The miles were going by quickly and I was pleasantly surprised each time I came up on a mile marker. I reminded myself that I have in this position a number of times and I have paid dearly for it at the end. Because of this, I made an honest effort to slow down. My original plan was 9:08 pace for the first half, 9:05 ish for the next 7 miles and then 9:00 for the last 6.

15k - 9:01 min/mi avg

I think this was in Fair Oaks...saw HS and my friend Catherine!

Half Marathon - 9:02 min/mi avg

After the halfway point, I was feeling pretty good about my pace and intended to pick it up at Mile 14. My nutrition was going as planned: Sport Legs every 45-50 minutes, Maurten Gel 160 every 5-1/2 to 6 miles, water at every aid station. I was even doing my best to run through the aid stations avoiding the people that thought it best to grab a cup and then stop to drink it. 

Although my quad wasn't bothering me too much, I noticed a growing pain in my hamstring of the same leg. I wondered if I had altered my stride to compensate. Whatever the reason, it wasn't bad enough to make me walk, so I kept running. 

25k - 9:01 min/mi avg

30k - 9:01 min/mi avg

At this point, there was a lot of talking to myself. It started off ok...stuff like "Keep moving forward"and "Don't worry about your pace as long as you are still running" which devolved to "Quit being such a PUSS!!!" I think there were a few times I said the last line out loud! Oh well, it seemed to work.

I passed "The Wall" and reminded myself that there were only 6.2 miles to go, less than an hour. Mentally, I started to crack. I questioned why I was even running and then remembered that I feel this way every time I hit this point of the race. I then reminded myself that in the last two years I had already started walking and that I was doing so much better this year. 

Still running :-)

In a bargain with myself, I agreed that I could walk the aid stations, but I would need to continue running in between. Fine!

35k - 9:01 min/mi avg

As I ran down the numbered blocks on J Street, my resolve started to falter and I was tempted to walk. Why not? I was ahead of where I was the last two years. I then tried calculating how much time I would add if I started walking. Would I be happy with this time? Would the 4:00 group overtake me like they have in the past along this stretch? (I hate when that happens!!) Would Karyn look at my splits and shake her head? People would believe me if I said my leg hurt too bad to run. Why not go with that excuse? My internal debate and mileage mathematics kept me occupied enough that the next aid station was soon in sight. 

It's amazing what a brief rest like slowing down enough to walk and take a drink will do for a body and mind. I decided to switch to Nuun, the electrolyte drink on course, and it seemed to put a bit of pep back in my step. For the remainder of the aid stations, I grabbed the Nuun instead of water. I left the aid station feeling energized and ready to take on the battle ahead. Unfortunately, a few steps later, I was ready to walk...it was definitely a mental battle at this point. Thankfully, the 24 mile marker appeared and I convinced myself to run to the sign before starting to walk. Fine!

Walking the aid stations - Miles 20-26
(with a sprint at the finish)

Just past the 24 mile sign, the course makes a jog on to Alhambra before turning on to L St. I decided that I could run until L St. One more small compromise on this long run. It was on this short segment that I found some gross inspiration to keep running. 

As I was running I heard some girls on the side of the road cheering for someone who's name I couldn't make out. I looked up and saw a woman in front of me and figured it must be for her. As I closed in on her, I noticed her white shorts and for a brief second I thought she was wearing a baby costume (I saw Santa Clause earlier, so why not a baby?). 

Well, she wasn't wearing a costume, but she had done what all babies (and some marathoners) do and had pooped her pants. It may not have been as noticeable had she not been wearing white shorts, but as I ran past her, her intestinal distress was very evident and running down her legs. My next thought was, "Tracy, you're not doing so bad after all. Now shut up and keep running."

I felt bad for the woman as I passed her. She sounded in distress and I could not fathom what would make her continue. I counted my blessings. I'm pretty sure I would have quit. I ran ahead and wondered if she would continue or stop and ask for help at the next aid station at Sutter's Fort.

When I reached that station, there was an announcer letting us know that we were probably going to finish in the 3:57-3:58 range. I can't say I was shocked, I was still ahead of the 4:00 group. However, the realization set in that I was going to beat my goal of 9:06 min/mi pace and I was getting close to setting a PR. Walking was definitely out of the question now, no matter how bad I wanted to walk.

40k - 9:02 min/mi avg

Passing Mile 26

I definitely ran slower in the second half than the first half and I was bummed that I didn't get a negative split but I as I passed the 26 mile marker I was pleased with my performance. I dug deep for the finish and started running as fast as my legs would carry me at this point. Oddly, I started passing people. I pushed even harder and noticed a weird feeling in my legs...sort of like they weren't exactly doing what I was telling them to do. The placement of my feet felt odd and it seemed like I would crash and burn at any moment. I willed myself to stay upright. Thankfully, the finish line was in sight and I made it without falling. 

Finish line!

Finish - 9:02 min/mi avg.
Sub 4 Hour Finish - 3:56:47
Second fastest CIM finish (Fastest time was ten years ago at my very first CIM)
Boston Qualifying Time - 4:05 

When can I sign up again?
(Yes, as of writing this, I am registered for 2024)

Looking Forward

Drop remaining 10 extra pounds

Finish with 3:55 pace group (Hope Karyn's leading it!)

P90X3 and Me - Month 2 Wrap-Up

It's funny, when I look back at all of my blog post, I have several favorites...most of them are race reports. However, when I look at the stats,  my top post of all time is about P90X3. Go figure.

My first go at P90X3 is still the top post.

There are a couple of reasons that I decided to do P90X3 over the original P90X or P90X2:

• P90X3 is only 30 minutes long. I loved the original P90X, but with my current marathon training, I just didn't have the time or energy for 60+ minute workouts.

• P90X3 seems to be geared towards athletes. If you read the fitness guide or listen to the comments that Tony Horton makes during the workouts you will notice comments about preparing the body to compete, preventing injury, etc.

Month 1

I was shocked during the first month of P90X3. I figured that I was in the best shape of my life. It had been a month since I had completed Vineman, my first "iron" distance triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 bike, 26.2 run) I couldn't have lost that much fitness in just a few weeks. It wasn't like I did Vineman and then stopped working out. I took a few days off for complete rest, but I was back in the pool and running and biking before the week was up...I felt great.

Anyway, that was my frame of mind when I started P90X3...it should be no problem. Well, I was wrong. I struggled with any type of pushup...in fact, yoga turned out to be quite a tough workout for me. How could that be???

Regardless of how tough everything felt, I kept at it. At the end of the first month, I was down 4 lbs. and I was starting to look more toned.

Day 60 - Down Another Pound
(My tan is fading fast LOL)

Month 2

The second month has marked the return of my strength. I can now do push-ups again and I feel fluid and strong during the yoga workout. While I know that the workouts in the second month are supposed to be more challenging than the first month, I actually liked them much better. The eccentric upper and lower routines are great and I was pleasantly surprised by Triometrics. I was certain that Triometrics was going to be 3x worse than P90X Plyometrics, boy was I wrong. Triometrics has some jump training moves but nothing like I was expecting.

TRIOMETRICS

"Old-school plyometrics is jump training. Welcome to Triometrics, X3's state-of-the-art take on a plyo workout that goes far beyond simple jumping. "Plyometrics" here means explosive. It's highly effective means of training muscular efficiency or power. The downside of this training is the time factor. The more explosive force that's created, the more downtime you need. Triometric's proprietary formula utilizes three different levels for every exercise, each targeting a different plysiological response while minimizing the downtime needed between movements. The result is a workout that increases speed and power in a fraction of the time you're used to training."

Speed and power...that's exactly what I need. I have the endurance (or had LOL), but the longer my triathlon training got, the slower I seemed to go. I was concerned that my 47 year old body was just slowing down. Maybe I was to the point where I would never see another PR :-(

This past Friday I went out for a 6 mile run (it was the end of my P90X3 transition week)... my average was sub-8 minute miles. I hadn't run that fast in a long, long time. I was thrilled. The only thing I can attribute this to is P90X3 and workouts like Triometrics.

My weight loss has been very, very slow this month. I am battling to get the last 4 lbs. off before CIM. I am going to have to really watch what I eat over the next 30 days if I want to get to my goal.

Trying to use Photo Booth on my computer to take pics...
didn't work so well LOL

Month 3

I started the third block today. I was tempted to skip it and just stay in bed, but I got up and made my first attempt at "Decelerator".  HS even joined me today. Decelerator was challenging, but it was the perfect cross training work out.

DECELERATOR

"Most athletic injuries occur on landing, not during takeoff, which is why a University of Southampton study concluded deceleration training is a must for general fitness training. Decelerator focuses on this type of training, using strategic angles to force loads on different parts of your anatomy, thus increasing your ability to stabilize and protect muscles, connective tissues, and joints. It also focuses on the strength and explosive power associated with launching into a move, creating a balance between your ability to go up strong and come down safe."

While I am a bit disappointed in my weight loss, I know at this point, it is going to be tough to get those last few pounds off. When I look at my pics though, I see more of a change in this last month than one pound could explain. It could be that I may have lost fat and gained muscle. Who knows...I feel better, I'm performing better, and I look better. Bring on month three!!!