Whole30 Challenge - Setting Up

I've been ramping up to start my Whole30 challenge on November 1. For the past two weeks I've been shopping and stocking up on acceptable items. It is really depressing to find that most things have a forbidden ingredient or two. Even "all-natural" products seem to add sugar or soy or an oil that does not work. The next piece of this is that when you do find something that works, it's really expensive.

I've been having a lot of fun cooking as I haven't done that since my kids were little. We basically always eat crap or go out and eat crap. At this point, I'm a solid 14 days into about a 98% Whole30. There's a couple of things that I know I'm going to miss - regular mayonnaise (although I made homemade, I'm not sold on it yet), Diet-Rite cola and dark chocolate. But cmon, it will only be for 30 days and then I can put those things back in and stay focused on primal eating. Already I haven't missed the dairy or the grains that much.

So hang onto your hats....I've got two days left before GO time. (BTW, I will also miss having a glass or two of wine.)

Triathletes - Selling Out?

I don't know exactly where to begin on this, but I do know that I'm upset. Last summer (2009) I did my first half-iron distance race in Racine, WI. It was memorable - not necessarily a great race, but my first HIM and I loved the distance. While trying to plan my schedule for 2010 I heard that Racine had been converted to a WTC 70.3 event. So the race that I paid $90 to race in 2009 would now cost $250 - that's huge.

When I first started down the path of triathlon about 7 years ago, it was said that you don't really need alot of money to participate in the sport. And it's true, you really don't need to spend a lot, but you see all the wonderful stuff that other people have and you want it too. If you're lucky, you save your money and you acquire some of that "stuff." That's what I want to spend my money on - triathlon gear. I don't really want to buck up a lot of money for my races.

This year I did Muncie as my HIM distance race and lo and behold the WTC has since purchased that race for 2011 - I really loved the race and wanted to do it again. But again, do I want to pay the big bucks? What do I get in return that is any different or better than what I got this year?

I have become death to popular races. I signed up for the Lewis & Clark Half Marathon this year and next year it will no longer be as it was, but will become a Rock N Roll event - with a different course. I liked the course as it was - why does it now have to become something else? Because it has become too big - so limit the number of entries - but don't sell out to a corporation.

The final straw came this week when I heard about the 5150 series where the WTC has now bought up popular Olympic distant races. What were my favorites - Memphis in May and Hyvee. Hyvee had the best schwag and a great professional atmosphere and all without the help of the WTC - but now they own the race and the race date and course are going to change. Hmmph...

So what is going to be left? Well, there are a lot of races left and although I've never done many of them - I will be looking more intently at those close to home and not too expensive. There's a really popular race here in St. Louis and registration this year filled up in a matter of hours. The cost of the race has continued to go up, the amenities have not really changed and the course keeps changing so you can't really go for a PR because the course has been different for awhile. In fact, in order to get bike mileage in they have you go into a neighborhood and come right back out, you go down a short hill on a court, make the turn and go back up the hill - it was a bit ridiculous from my perspective. I didn't pay to do the race this year - I'm drawing the line on some of this.

Are other triathletes upset about what's happening to the sport? Are they always going to up the race budget to accommodate these races or will we take a stand for the sport and say enough is enough? Hooray for the WTC for generating a very successful business but BOO to those race directors and communities that have sold us out and for what? What are they getting in return - I have no idea. Is it really worth it? Will triathletes stop paying big money for races and invest instead in the low key races? After all, what is the sport all about? For me, it's about training hard and seeing results on the race course. I don't think I need a fancy finish line to do that - do you?

85 Degrees Today!

March 31 - 85 degrees in St. Louis living up to its reputation of never knowing what you will get weather-wise. It is still 81 outside at 9:30 PM. I actually was able to ride my bike today in bike shorts and a t-top, no socks AND I was sweaty. I'm pretty sure it will be in the 90s before we know it. But for today, it was very enjoyable.

Monday night I went to a TRX bootcamp class and it definitely lived up to its name. You want be humbled? Unless you're a mega body building, my guess is that this class will bring you to your knees. But it's one of those great workouts that feel so challenged, you have to go back until you can conquer it. So, that's what I'm going to do.

I have an incredibly busy workout week this week - TRX Bootcamp for an hour on Monday (not on the schedule - BONUS), Tuesday - 1 hour cruise interval run and then an hour of master's swim, Wednesday - 1 hour hill training on the bike, Thursday - 1 hour striders and then an hour of master's swim, Friday 90 minute bike, Saturday - long run and another bike session and Sunday a three hour reverse brick (run 60 minutes followed by a 2 hour bike with hills!). Then back on Monday again (no rest) for that TRX bootcamp - I'm pretty sure I will not survive - but at least the weather has been great.

My New Toy

Well, I'm all about new gadgets for training and improving performance. Because, after all, the natural talent just isn't really there.

Actually, I'm going to have to cut ties with my personal trainer as she more than doubled her rates. The only way I was really able to afford a personal trainer was because her rates were more than affordable - they were downright cheap! I actually even felt guilty about the minimal amount she charged for very excellent services. I would definitely recommend her to anyone. I think she is in the process of getting a new website, so once that is up, I will post it here.

Her new rates are $35.00 a session (which is about 45 minutes) or you can purchase 10 sessions for $250.00 ($25.00 a session). That's still pretty cheap in comparison to other licensed trainers, but still more than I'm willing to pay.

So, I decided that it was back to relying on myself to get in strength training. I already own the P90X dvds (got them really cheap on eBay), but I find that guy extremely annoying. So that is one option. I also have a strength training for triathletes dvd from Troy Jacobson. It's pretty good and doesn't take a lot of time - but it is boring.

For me, I need a new toy. This one is a bit on the expensive side but I believe it has a great deal of potential. And lets face it, it is a novel concept that promises great results. I need great results. So I bought the TRX Suspension Trainer. I actually had run into this about a year ago and was giving it serious consideration. But, it just wasn't necessary for me to do any additional strength training as I was hitting it plenty with my personal trainer.

I was re-introduced to the TRX through one of my favorite blogs - elizabethfedofsky.blogspot.com. She attended a trainer session for the TRX and was indicating how well it worked with her clients. She claims that most can drop 7 sec/100 on their swim time - I'm sold.

My toy arrived a few days ago. The packaging is phenomenal - it is very professionally done. I was impressed right away. Then I pulled out this contraption full of straps and thought to myself - I am out of my league on this one. It looks extremely complex. I might also add that the construction is outstanding - very nicely done. Looks very strong. Instead of just jumping in and trying to figure it out on my own, I watched the introductory dvd that came with the unit. It was great - and what looked to be a very daunting piece of equipment, was quite easy to operate and I was ready to try the exercises right away.

They say you have to be a little above average in fitness to do these exercises - but it's really easy to adjust yourself to a level that allows anyone to do them. That's it - I'm looking forward to another session with this later tonight.

I also found on Facebook, an outstanding workout for the TRX called the Predator. It looks awesome and I probably won't be able to complete it - but that will by my goal. I'm going to work through this until I can complete the entire workout and we'll see what happens.

I'm hoping for some real progress and hoping also to stay entertained enough to make the TRX part of my regular weekly routine.

I'll keep you updated.

Getting Old

Doesn't that phrase just depress you? I have a theory on this and I truly hope it holds a LOT of water. You can't stop from getting OLDER but you can stop being old. This is not a concept that my father can grasp. But then, there really aren't many concepts that he can grasp.

Here's the story - about 3 weeks ago my father had a very serious heart attack. They were able to put in a stent and clear some massive blockage and YES, save his life. But here's where I have to ask the question: for what?

My dad is 77 years old. He was previously diagnosed with Alzheimer's but after a hideous, horrendous and a whole other blog's worth of detail, they finally decided that he doesn't have Alzheimer's but a variation of dementia caused by blockage in some arteries in his brain. Well YAY for that. At least he's been properly diagnosed. Oh, did I happen to mention that for the past 6 months I have asked my mother not to accept a diagnose of Alzheimers without further testing. The drug, Aricept, that he was taking wasn't really having any impact. His short term memory is and was non-existent.

So he finally leaves the hospital for some care at the skilled nursing facility. Every few days he actually has a lucid day where you can carry on an adult conversation. The rest of the time, I'm not sure what world he roams through.

Yesterday I stopped by to take him an extra pillow. He made this request of my mother a week ago and she came back with a small travel pillow. That's not what he wanted - not sure where she came up the idea of a small travel pillow - but she's another trip as well.

When I got there, he broke down crying. He said he was having a bad day and that he was in a lot of pain. Mostly in his legs, which I figure is coming from all the physical therapy he's getting. So I asked the aide for some Tylenol to help with his pain. She gave him that and I surely hoped it helped. However, he continued this crying jag all the while mumbling about getting old and how terrible it is. What did he do to deserve this? To deserve what? Getting old - isn't he lucky to be able to get older? Isn't he lucky he didn't die? But then, he doesn't even remember what happened to him. He doesn't remember that he has asked me "How come you're here so early?" about every 5 minutes.

My dad isn't well-educated, barely graduated high school. He did provide for his family and raised 3 children - well, my mom did the raising. But he did most of the providing. Now he is retired and he has time to spend on his interests. What would those be? None, zero, zilch. He gets up, sits in a chair and sleeps, eats, and goes back to to bed about 6:30 in the evening. Now I have to ask the question - what kind of life is that? And you are wondering why you are sitting in a nursing home in a wheelchair crying? Isn't it obvious? So my question is - what kind of quality of life is this?

The lesson to be learned here is - do not sit around and wait to get old and die. I won't be doing that. I'm hoping that when the time comes, I'm out on the race course. I'm hoping that as I get older I won't be old and I hope that I will always be living until I cease to exist in this world.