Jeanette 8/22- One of the last blogs before the IM RACE!

Hello all and thanks for reading our blog. It has been a while since I last wrote and kept you all up to date. 

Since my last blog entree much has happened and we are about three weeks out of the big event. 

Back in July I was able to participate for the second year in the NYC Aquaphor TRI. I was very excited to be part of it and also was anxious to see what has changed in my endurance while training for the full Ironman Distance. This year i also had two of my close friends as volunteers at the course and it was nice to have them be part of this event. 

The NYC Tri has a very early start- but hey the earlier you start the sooner you are finished. Once I came close to the swim start I was beginning to get nervous- but once in the water I was in my zone. I felt confident during my swim and compare to last years race I swam the whole distance in freestyle. Coming out of the water I felt strong and ready for the long run to transition area. T1 went well and I felt better already than last year. I felt strong getting on the bike and started the ride with a lot of energy. My nutrition was well planned and I had more calories during my bike in order to also be strong and full energy for my run. Coming back from our bike portion I felt good and was anxious to get on the run. T2 was pretty quick and easy and off we went for the run. I have to say running across 72nd street and being cheered on by so many strangers is the best feeling ever. regardless of who they are you hear them scream your number and it motivates you. It gives you this extra push. During this years run I felt so much better. I heard my friends and coach whisper in the back of my ear "Keep running- don't ever stop running"....and that is what kept me going. The words of my friends, my coach and of course the spectators.

Coming close to the finish line I felt good. I had pushed myself and only stopped running during water breaks. Running into the finish it feels amazing on seeing so many fans cheering everyone on. During my run I even passed Adam who is one of our coaches as well. Its always great seeing familiar faces during a race like this. Anyways crossing the finish line I was not happy with my time. Last year I finished in 3:27:21 and my plan was to finish 30min better this year. Looking at the time I thought I did not meet my goal.  Later that day I was more than surprised to see that I actually did meet my goal. Once NYC TRI had published the times I learned that I finished under three hours. My time this year was 2:57:12 which means I did improve my time by 30 minutes....yeah goal met!!!!

Now after that race it was back to training. Our hours of weekly training have increased by a lot and we are now up to about 17-20 hrs per week. By the end of my week I was certainly exhausted because I was working a 12 hrs day and then went straight to training. Not always was it easy to head out on a long run after a long day at work but I knew it had to be done. Overall I was surprised to see of what I am all capable in doing. week after week I run longer distance and biked further. And lets not forget all those hours inside the pool swimming 80, 120 or 160 laps. Def gives you lots of time to reflect on all sort of things happening in life. 

I mostly did my long swim and runs by myself in order to get used to swimming and running alone. I wanted to get used to the fact that I will be doing the distance without anyone on my side during the race- so what better way to do so while training. 

As for my long bike ride I have to give a HUGE shout- out to Alex, and Eline for lending me her husband, who got up early to ride all the long rides with me. He set up a route for us and took care of pushing me all the way to the end. It was great being able to have a partner in crime for the long rides and having someone to keep up with. I dont think I could have done this on my own. Thank you so much Alex and also Eline. 

And last but not least. This past Sunday I participated in a quick all Womens Sprint Triathlon in Norwalk CT. I went to the event with not much confidence and didnt feel good about it. Starting the race I felt like I had a bad swim and getting on the bike felt rough. I could tell that my legs are sore from my long run the day before and I am overall a bit tired. I still pushed through and had a great transition from my bike to the run. Even though this was a great and ok organized event I was not happy about the organization of the run part. It got very confusing at some points. Anyways I did finish with a great run time and to my full surprise I actually finished 2nd in my Age group of 30-34. WOW what a day it was...as you all can imagine I cant wash that smile off my face. 

Overall the training is getting less again and we are about to taper. We are almost there to the day of the big event and I cannot wait to see the final result!!!!

Thank you all for reading and staying through this with me. Special thanks to Pacific, Julie  and Sean, my coach Jason, Alex for biking all these miles with me and of course my friends for always listening to me!!!!  

From Mark 7/11

6 months of training down with 2 months to go until Ironman. I've got 3 races under my belt to date this year, including my first 70.3 (Mighty Mossman). I'm by far in the best shape I've ever been in... Life is good. Getting to this point has not been without its challenges. My bike fit has been a constant struggle. As my flexibility has increased I've needed to continually tweak and adjust the bike. To the point where buying a new Tri bike has become virtually a coin toss. I'm now dealing with some knee pain that came out of nowhere...Nothing a little foam rolling and stretching can't fix. I'm also still nursing a blister on my foot from the Mighty Moss. But I've learned this is what it's all about when your down in the trenches training for a 140.6 mile race...

From Jeanette 7/11-

First of all I have to apologize to everyone who has been following us here through our journey for our Rev 3 Ironman. It is only two more months until the big event and I start to getting anxious about it. Meanwhile there has a lot been happening in the past month and a half. Therefore I think it would be great to keep you all updated on mine and Marks journey, so please bear with me cause this might be a long entrée!

I did not realize that the last time I wrote here was back in the end of May. So yes I really have to tell you all what has been happening. Due to numerous reasons I was not able to race the half Ironman Distance with Rev 3 but instead participated in the Half Iron Distance with the Mossman organization in Norwalk CT. Overall it was a small and well organized event which I really enjoyed. It was very eye opening and showed me where I have to work on for the big event and what I have to change. Prior to the event Jason, our coach, had given us a couple longer rides for the weekend with about 3-4 hours’ worth of riding, followed occasionally with a 30 min or longer run. In the beginning it was not easy for me to find a route outdoors that would bring me towards 3 hours but with the help of other riders I was most times able to find a good street to ride on. On and off Mark and I also decided to train together and explore the back roads of CT. For me personally it was not always easy to keep up with Mark but I most times tried my best. Very quickly I also realized that hills are my downfall. Once I see a hill approach in the distance, I already start sweating and get anxious about them. There are often times I yell at myself and I find that course language is often used when paddling uphill. But if it helps me get up the hill faster-I will take.

The week leading up to our first half Ironman Distance Triathlon, we had a meeting with our coach and had a long conversation about nutrition for our race. In the past six months I already realized how important nutrition is for an athlete, especially days leading up to race day. The race was held on a Sunday and Thursday was one of the most important days for us. We had to make sure to eat the right amount of carbs, especially during dinner time. I have gotten more conscious about what to eat and how much to eat but never did I put so much thought into my food prior to this race. I always had pasta the night before a long run- well that was about to change. I decided on pizza for Thursday night and started hydrating Friday and Saturday. I stopped counting bathroom visits after ten. And for the next two days I was very thoughtful about what I was eating and at what times. There was so much that I had to pay attention to and my roommate could tell that I was getting anxious. Anxious about weather I was doing everything right about my nutrition-which in the end of the day kept my thoughts away from the race. I paid more attention to my nutrition and hydration and forgot all about the race. The night before the actual event I had my girlfriends with me who made posters for me and we enjoyed a great dinner together. I have to say if it wasn’t for my friends and roommate I don’t know what I would have done!!!! On this note thank you to especially Karoline to always listening to me and to the girls for getting up early in the morning to cheer me on, and of course!

Race day- it was an early morning start and nutrition was once again on my mind. I have to eat, drink and take some electrolytes!!! Then it was off to the race. Getting there I got nervous- finally. I saw some very competitive athletes and got nervous about my performance. The race did start with a little bit of a delay but once it started I was in my zone. I swam- and finally for the first time during and open water swim I was able to swim freestyle the whole way. I got out of the water and felt confident and happy about my swim. Off I was to my bike ride. I had a quick T1 and out I went. The bike ride had some good hills incorporated with one called ‘Moss Monster”. Well I would say it was hard but not as complicated as I thought it would be. I pushed hard during the bike, especially the last 10 miles. Well and I guess there was my mistakes. I came back to transition area and felt very emotional. I felt great and just thought to myself “Wow Jeannette you just swam 1.2 miles, biked for 56 miles and now you have to run another half marathon….you can do it”. And so I did. I walked a lot during my run and got very frustrated with myself because I did something that I actually did not want to do. I stopped running and walked. I yelled at myself and felt like crying. But I had to finish and that’s what I have been training for. At this point this should be easier and I should be able to do this. I kept thinking about the full distance and I knew that I have a lot of work to do.

Right before the finish line waited some of my friends- which was the most amazing thing- and then my coach. It is so good to see familiar faces and people that care about you. I know that I did well and that I can be proud of myself but I could have done better. Even though I know my friends are proud of me I know I failed myself a little bit. I ended up walking and gave in. And for the next two months I will be working hard to change this.

I do not want to feel like this again during the long race!!!! I want to be proud of myself and say that I gave it my all. Not only during the swim and bike but also during my run!!

I realized a while back and even more today how important the relationship and communication is between an athlete and their coach. It is so important to keep each other updated and talk to one another and see what has to change. If the athlete is frustrated about something, well I guess it means that your coach is just as frustrated. And that is where communication is key- it is then when you have a chat with each other and you feel so much better afterwards. No matter if there were negative or positive feedback we all learn from it and take it to heart and make the best out of it.

I know I was not always on track, and there are times when you want to quit but then you realize why quit?? You have come so far then you can get even further. I am inspired by other people that I train with or other stories I read about. But in the end of the day I am writing my own story. I don’t know if I have told Pacific how much this all means to me!!! I appreciate all your time and everything that comes along with this training so much!!!! Thank you Julie, Jason and Sean!!!!!

From Jeanette 4/30: First of all I have to apologize to everyone for slacking here on my blog. I have not written anything in a while even though there is so much that has happened.

Meanwhile I was on vacation in sunny Florida and I was given the challenge of training while being on vacation. I have to say this is probably the first time that I have kept to a routine during a getaway. It was not always easy to keep track on everything and renting a bike is also not possible just anywhere. Since I did not rent a bike and also did not bring my bike along with me I focused more on my running and swimming. This worked out very well and I was able to work out five out of seven days. I was actually very surprised with myself that I stuck to my routine and made it possible to keep training.

The weather in Florida was also much nicer and running outdoors made things much easier. It was nice to run along a nice beach, not being cold and seeing great nature and landscape. Regardless of the good time I had I still somehow missed my bike and also my daily routine at home. Even now writing it down shows me how much I already have changed. I am more focused on my goal and reaching it.

Coming back from vacation I had one week without any training on my bike and I was able to experience this the hard way. I am really struggling with hill workouts and staying consistent in my paddling. From when I came back from vacation till today I have my days where I get frustrated because I think I am not able to do it but then I have to look back and tell myself that I can and that three months ago I was not even able to bike longer than an hour and a half. It is all about the experience, the consistency of the workouts and training, training, training.

In just one month Mark and I will be attending our first half Ironman with Rev 3 and I am scared, excited and just looking forward to the experience.

5/20 From Mark:

Today was my first long ride in a windswept rain. Fortunately the temps were in the low 60's so it wasn't too bad. I was scheduled for a 4 hour ride. However, had to cut it down to about 2.5 hours for a few reasons. The biggest reason was that my right toes and mid-foot were soaked to the bone and had essentially gone numb on me. In addition, as the rain continued to get heavier the ponding on the roads brought on potential hydroplaning. Not to  mention the low visibility and trying to keep my glasses wiped. I think it was a good overall to experience this in the event i ever have to deal with it on a race day. Glad i sucked it up and went out :)

Looking for Some Outdoor Training Buddies

Another sweat filled week of endurance training. I've lost count but I think we're close to 3 months in. This past Sunday was my biggest day of training on record. A 41 mile bike ride through the hills of Fairfield county immediately followed by a quick paced 9 mile mostly hill run. The fact that I was still upright, coherent and even had a little left in the tank afterwards, tells me I've come a LONG way on this journey...During the bike leg I did have to take a short break as I realized my toes had gone numb on both feet. I thought my velcro shoe straps were too tight, but upon a closer inspection they were red and seemingly frozen. At that point the temps had warmed up so it didn't take long to massage them for a few minutes in the sun which seemed to do the trick. 

Another comment is that when riding in the Pacific Swim Bike Run studio it's still hard work but the social element helps to easily pass the time. On the road I love and enjoy seeing the countryside and breathing in the fresh air. However when you're pushing 3 hours with minimal social interaction one may start to experience some level of loneliness (or insanity LOL), at least I do. For these super long sessions, that will only get longer, I think I'm going to try and find a buddy to tag a long...by the way this is an open invite - please feel free to contact me. Anyone...Bueller... Bueller... ;) 

- Mark

Riding Outside

I had an amazing 40 mile outdoor ride this weekend. The sun was shining and temps were in the upper 50's. It felt so good to finally be off the trainer and out on the road again. After logging hundreds of miles on the trainer all winter, the first part of the ride felt really awkward. It took about 5 miles or so to get used to steering again - kind of an interesting experience. Once past that, the bike and I became 'one' again...shifting, braking, and zooming through the twisties felt awesome! I fell in love with my Cervelo all over again. All of my hard training with Pacific Swim Bike Run is clearly paying off. I was able to peddle through the hills of Weston, Redding and Bethel with confidence. I even met up with a group of serious triathlon riders and was able to comfortably hang with them for a while!

- Mark

Wow the first two months are already over and once again time is just flying by. This week has not been as intense as the week before but we still got over some milestones and there were a few accomplishments from my side. 

Something a bit new was this weeks bike and swim intervals. This was not always easy and I definitely had to push myself but in the end it was so worth it! I was able to finish not only one but two bike courses this week at a new best time and was also able to swim a bit faster. So I am happy to say that I personally can see a bit of change in my swim and bike performance! 

As to my running- this def needs improvement. But I am working on it and I will get there. 

 

Mark and I had another long bike ride this Saturday followed by a 30 min outdoor ( yeah finally ) run. We both agreed how much we have already changed. If you would have told us two months ago to bike for three hours and then run for 30 minutes I would have prob called them crazy. But here we are only two months later and it was not a problem at all. Looking back at the day I could have already seen myself bike even longer! 

Something that def is always on my mind is the fact that others keep telling me that we haven't seen anything about training yet. It somehow scares me as well as excites me to see what else there is to come and how intense I will be able to push my own body! 

Overall we are getting ready for an ironman! And as many say if you put your mind to it then you are able to accomplish everything!!! 

Jeannette

Real Progress

Another chockfull week of training. I'm grateful that warm weather is around the corner. The indoor training has become a bit claustrophobic. Although I have to say, after all of this indoor training, I'm literally stunned by the progress Pacific has helped me achieve in just 2 short months. If you asked me to ride for 3 hours and then run for 30 minutes when I first started, I would've laughed and then probably passed out. Now I'm able to bang through these types of workouts with confidence and even ready for more in some cases (yes, I know, careful what you wish for). 

The drills are really starting to intensify. We're also starting to look at the science behind the data and where the training can be tweaked. More to come on this.

Just watched Ironman Kona 2012 - getting pumped!!!

- Mark

Swim Analysis and St. Patty's Day 5k!

This week I finally grabbed a swim lesson with Coach Jason. It was good and bad. Good because he was able to quickly point out my inefficiencies and give me drills to work on.  This is what you would expect and I know in the long term it will help me conserve energy for the bike and run. Now, the 'bad' part was that it totally messed with my psyche. Here I was thinking how efficient my swimming had become, and in reality it had come a long way in two months, however the harsh truth was that I have a tremendous amount of work to do. The really bad part was that my first swim following the lesson was rough. I had all of these thoughts flowing in my head. I felt like I had almost forgot how to swim. I only made it about 1000 yards of what should've been a 3000 yard workout. I was upset and immediately called Jason post workout. He was there for moral support, talked me off the ledge and walked me through a high-level plan to get back in the pool. In my book, these are the characteristics that separate the good coaches from the great ones. The way I see it my swimming can only improve from here.

I also ran in the Pacific Swim Bike Run St. Patty's Day 5k on Sunday. What a blast! I was able to get a PR - even after a brutal week of training. Which leads me to think that my running efficiency is already improving thanks to my run form analysis last month!

- Mark

 

Week 7 and St. Paddy's Day 5k

 

It is amazing how fast the time is flying by. Mark and I are already about to start week 8 and have just completed another packed week. Week 7 has been quiet the week along with a 3 hrs bike ride as well as our first race as Pacific Team members.

 

This week started off a little weird. I was supposed to head for an outdoor bike ride, which was unfortunately cut short since something went wrong with my back breaks. The good part was though that I was still close to Pacific and I was able to head out for a run with coach Jason instead. It was so nice to finally be able to run outside and also get some good advice from our coach. It is always nice to get feedback and things that you can change and work on for a better outcome in the end.

 

After coming back from our run my bike was already fixed and I was able to still get my bike ride in.

Otherwise this week has been quiet crazy. It felt like a long workweek and training has increased by about two hours. Personally I would have never thought two hours can make such a difference. Even though I am single and do not have children of my own yet it is not always easy to find the time for the full training schedule. Therefore I am always happy to have my schedule for the full week in order to make arrangements just in case if there is something that I will not be able to fit into my schedule.  

 

Other than trying to arrange my schedule each day we had our first 5km race Sunday morning with Team Pacific. It was a tad cold this St Paddy's morning but lots of fun.

 

It was nice running together with fellow pacific members as well as other who wanted to start their day off with a great run. Overall the run was a great way to start the morning and another chance to meet new people who like to run just as much as I do!!!

 

 

 

Looking forward to see what week 8 has to offer!!!!

 

- Jeannette

Week 7 here we come!

So things continue to increase. Longer workouts at greater speeds each week. The longest session so far was a 3 hour bike followed by a 30 minute run. The best part was that I not only survived but felt great doing it. I even came in first place out of the group I was riding with (well it was a small group...), but hey who's counting!  It's clear that the bike trainer at home is paying dividends in my ability to ride stronger, more comfortably and for longer periods of time. A few weeks ago it was painful, in many regards, to ride for 60 minutes...now I'm riding for 180 minutes followed by a 30 min 5k run. Wow - I'm thrilled with the progress I'm making!

Diet is becoming critical. Any days I indulge with unhealthy meals and/or booze, I pay for it during the next day's workout. Energy levels are usually down and I don't sleep well...It easily motivates me to only or mostly eat healthy stuff. The Girl Scout cookies came at a bad time this year...

Off to bed, 5am wake up for swim training with coach Jason!!

- Mark

Its only the beginning...

So week 6 is already finished and I am feeling better this week than last. This week we had a few workouts that were longer than the once before and I got my butt kicked a few times. It was the first time I was swimming 3400 yards in the pool and biked over 2:30 hours and ran right after the bike ride. Yet I know this is only the beginning of our journey and the hard part is still to come.

This week has not always been easy but I have been able to push myself a little more which has proved more positive results. I also started eating much healthier and have been to the store to make sure I have a larger variety of healthy food products and snacks available to myself.

I somehow have the feeling that our challenge is still in the starting steps and that it has not yet started to the fullest. Regardless I can already see a little change and I am excited what the next few weeks and months have in store for us.

Every new week and every Monday morning I am excited to see what Jason has in store for us this time and how our training schedule looks for the week. The past two weeks have already increased but two hours per week. And I have to say it is surprising to see what a difference two hours can make.

As to everything else…. I am so in love with my new bike that I cannot wait to hopefully be able to start riding outdoors with it!!!!! Lets get week 7 started!!!!!

- Jeannette

With The Support Of My Friends

Time seems to fly by. I cannot believe we already just finished week 5. This week has been a little crazy and I am realizing more and more what I got myself in to. And I mean this in a positive way. Even though it is not easy at times I am sticking to my training plan and routine and I am looking forward seeing more improvement. It is not always easy to say No to my friends especially if I have not seen them in a while. My training is coming first and I have to put my friends second at the moment. I am just very lucky that I have amazing friends. They are all very understanding and are there for me when I need them. They are the ones who tell me yes you can when I think I cannot. They are the ones who also tell me don’t worry about missing the brunch with the girls there will be many more but right now training comes first.

I have to say I already know if it weren’t for my friends I would not push myself to my limits.

This week I also started training with my new Tri Bike and I have to say it has been quite interesting. It seemed like I was pushed back to the beginning and I was getting frustrated about it. I wasn’t as strong on my bike, was recovering from a cold and also struggled with my saddle. But a few days later, some friend time, and a new saddle, things are looking better again. I had a great Sunday late afternoon ride and felt great during and after. It was my first ride over 2 hrs and I can say that I did well even better than I would have expected.

So yes with good friends, some patience and dedication I will be able to accomplish everything and I will be able to push my own limits.

I am looking forward to hopefully also see some change in my running, which I would say I am struggling the most. I cannot wait for better weather to come around the corner and start running outside on a regular basis.

- Jeannette

Week 5

I'm finishing up week #5 and feeling like I'm in the best shape that I've been in a long time. The amount of training time each day is already starting to increase. The longest session so far was close to 3 hours (swim/bike). I keep telling myself there aren't enough hours in the day, realizing this is just the beginning. The juggle between family, work and training is starting to become a challenge. Of course this was expected but its hard to plan for until your actually living it. I'm sure there will be more to come on this topic in future blogs.

I finally unwrapped my heart rate monitor (Christmas gift - thanks honey!) and it's very cool. One immediate observation was that my running HR is about 20 BPM more than my cycling HR. I presume, and hope, this is normal...? Also there's an abundance of HR data on my Garmin watch - I need to get with my coaches to understand it all.

I've started running outdoors again which has been awesome to get off the dread-mill...even with a little snow and wind chill it's far better than running indoors IMHO.

- Mark

4 Weeks Down...

Kicking off week #5 and feeling good. Still getting used to the early rises at 5:30 AM...

I purchased a bike trainer last week for my home gym. First of all, it's awesome to be able to train in my own my home at my convenience. Secondly, it's allowing me to train the right muscles while getting familiar with being in aero position. The recumbent bikes at the gym are not even close to the real thing and can even be counter-productive for a triathlete.

During my swims last week I was started to get foot cramps in the pool after about 1000 yards. I quickly figured out that I was dealing with slight dehydration - likely due to the early morning workouts. I've added in some more electrolytes and extra water into my daily intake which seems to have eliminated the cramping.

Last week I also got out for my first outdoor run. I can't tell you how good it felt even at 32 degrees. There's only so much of the treadmill that one can handle... Is it spring yet?

- Mark

One Month Down…

Wow out first month of training is already over and we slowly our bodies are getting ready for the big challenge! 

This week I had a few things on my mind that seemed like little obstacles we all go through! I was doing well with my training and felt strong and excited about this weeks workouts. Well this all came to an end when I got sick right before the weekend! I had a stuffy nose and even a fever for two nights. Despite the weather outside I thought I would take a day or two off and then come back stronger... Well this actually did work and once Tuesday came around I felt 90% better. So this past weekend was not about training but more about relaxing drinking lots of tea and just getting better.

It was bothering me not being able to work out but on the same side I knew I would rather get better soon in order to start the next week fresh! 

And oh wow did this fifth week of training start amazing!!!! I finally got my bike fit and will be using it tomorrow for the very first time!!! 

Other than being sick I had lots of thoughts about my nutrition! I wonder what is good for me to eat and what is not. I am such a sweet tooth that I find it very difficult to say no to sweets! I am therefore also looking forward to talking to Jason and Mark, and a nutritionist in the near future!!!

Other than this I am still super excited about this experience and can't wait to push myself!!!! 

- Jeannette

Coach’s Corner

Mark and Jeanette are working on week three of training.  The grind has started.  Week three is essentially a repeat of week one with a little more volume.  We are still working in a prep stage.  Getting Mark and Jeanette familiar with the training routine, logistics, and scheduling in workouts while managing a job, family, and other life commitments.  The repetition from week one will help get daily patterns and consistency organized.  It's really about clocking in and out every day.

- Coach Jason

Noticing Changes After 3 Weeks

Wow week four already!!! Time is flying by and I cant imagine how quickly September 7^th will be here.

Together with working and training I have become quite busy and some things have already changed. It has already happened that I had to say ‘No’ to my friends who met late night for a drink. To me personally I rather go to bed to a decent time in order to be able to have enough energy for the next day of training. Yet I am still trying to make some time here and there to meet my friends.

Now looking back though at some of my workouts and times I can already see a slight change in my time and distance; especially in my biking. Together with my Garmin watch I have finally seen a little change. Even though it is very little I now know that things will change as long as I put in the work. The harder I will push myself the better I will get!

Other than pushing myself a little harder I have to pay more attention to what I am eating. I realize more and more how important nutrition is going to be during this training. The better I eat the more energy I will have!!!

- Jeannette

Getting The Right Fit

Just finished training week # 3. Slowly getting used to training 6 days / week. Training so far has been on low-med intensity at 90-120 minutes per day. I'm already back to my pre-holiday weight and feeling energized.

This week I had a much overdue bike fitting on my Tri bike. The bike had been fitted when I bought it last year from another LBS. However it was quite obvious they were more interested in the sale and less about ideal fit. At PSBR we scheduled a time and it was quite a formal process. When I say formal it included a methodical checklist of measurements from every angle. It was a collaborated effort with support from several other employees, to  validate each measurement. I think just about everything that could be tweaked was adjusted. The aero bars, the seat, shoe clips, etc.

Prior to the fitting I could barely go 60 minutes without a lot of discomfort. Since the fitting I’ve been on a couple of 2-hour rides  with no issue! In a way it's like having a new bike...highly recommend a bike fitting if you have not had one in a while. Should you get a bike fit, don't forget to wear your bike gear (shorts/shoes). You will be peddling for a while.

-Mark

Facing Challenges and a New Bike!!

I just finished my second week of training! The past two weeks have been already very different than from any training that I am personally used to. I am getting used to using Training Peaks which gives me exact information and detail on my daily training routine. It is definitely very helpful to be able to see exactly what I have to do and also give feedback to my coach.

During the first week I already had my first challenge. While getting ready for my run I somehow hurt my leg and was not able to run. Yet I would not let this bother me. Instead of running on the treadmill I decided to do my 90 min run on the elliptical; which worked out perfect.

And how else could it be but during my second week of training we had a tremendous blizzard hitting the tri state area. There goes my run and bike for one day and also my swim. Being snowed in is definitely not much fun but very pretty to look at.

My absolute highlight of this week was my new Tri Bike. I was able to see it, and hopefully be able to first ride it coming next week. Having a tri bike will hopefully make things more comfortable and faster. I am super excited about it and still have the biggest smile on my face.

Overall I am feeling great today. I took the 10:30 am Computer training class and was able to finish it all without being too exhausted. It is nice to already see a little change in endurance and I am excited to see a bigger change in the long run.

- Jeannette

Coach’s Corner

The primary goal of the first few weeks of full distance training is to get Jeanette's and Mark's bodies used to the high frequency of workouts.  Training during this time won't be overly hard, it is just about creating consistency.  

For inexperienced athletes I like to use the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale.  The RPE scale is a way of measuring physical activity intensity level. Perceived exertion is how hard you feel like your body is working. It is based on the physical sensations a person experiences during physical activity, including increased heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue. Although this is a subjective measure, a person's exertion rating will provide a fairly good estimate of the actual heart rate during physical activity.  The successful athlete is one that knows how their body feels at different levels of intensity and exertion.  

After the base building stage and acclimating the body to the volume involved in full distance training the focus will be on teaching the body to move fast and efficiently while limiting stress.  

Happy Training.

- Jason

Prepping for Ironman Training

Hello everyone who is following us through this amazing journey!!!

It has almost been two weeks since Mark and I have been introduced to the team of Pacific and so far it has been a great ride. I am enjoying meeting new members and getting advice from all the great athletes. Slowly reality is hitting me and I realize what I have gotten myself into- but I am still beyond excited to see what this challenge is all about and I won’t ever give up.

I am excited to meet more members and to learn how to train for an Ironman. You can always prepare yourself for an Olympic Distance Triathlon but once you decide to train for a Full Distance Triathlon I can only advice everyone to do it the right way and to train with others who have been through the same experience. Having a trainer and having this great opportunity I believe is the best thing that has happened to me in a very long time. A dream is coming true and will change my life forever. 

I already know I will make new friends, will be a changed person after this, and will be able to push myself to my limits!!!! 

This is the beginning of a new path in my life and I want to thank the Team of Pacific and all members who will have to listen to my complaining for making this possible!!! Now off I go to bed because I have an early start on my second day of training for the first full week of training. 

- Jeannette

Running Form Analysis

This week's training focused on my running form. As a runner who's been through two IT band injuries I knew that my form was not ideal. Sure enough Jason's ipad recordings revealed not only that I'm a heal striker but I also have a severe over-stride. No big secrets there really. He did indicate that other than these two glaring issues the rest of my form is pretty good - at least I'm doing something right!

After about an hour of tuning, drills and metronomes, I started to see immediate improvement. For example in the beginning at 8 mph, my feet and the poor treadmill were being punished by my high impact, inefficient form. By the end of the session at 8 mph the treadmill was much quieter and I felt like I was gliding along instead of stampeding along! I know this does not mean I'm cured, and this will take a lot of re-programming . But I definitely see where I need to focus and I'm excited about become a more efficient (and maybe a little bit faster?) of a runner.  

 

- Mark

Meet Mark

My name is Mark Montanaro. I'm absolutely thrilled and honored to have been selected for Pacific's Ironman challenge! I'm still shaking my head wondering what I got myself into...

A little bit about me:  I'm married to an amazing and supportive wife. We have two young daughters (One of which has already competed in two Mossman kid's triathlons!). Grew up in Norwalk and now reside in Weston. I studied business and supply chain management at Northeastern University. I work for, and help manage, an IT consultancy based in Westport. Our primary focus is on what is known as Business Intelligence. We partner closely with companies like SAP, Microsoft, and Qlikview.

I was never a die-hard athlete growing up. Although I think I realized I was a bit of an endurance junkie when I joined the cross country team in high school. I may not have been the fastest or best runner on the team. But on those long runs was where I got my first real glimpse at being "in the zone" and I loved it! I grew up skiing and eventually crossed over to snowboarding. In college I was on the crew team (4-man) and even had a chance to row in the Head of Charles. It wasn't until my early 30s when I did my first sprint triathlon where I fell in love with the sport. On a 15 year old mountain bike I finished the Mossman sprint in Norwalk. Since that first race,  I've been doing about five triathlons per season for the last 3 years. To date, I have not done anything bigger than an Olympic distance tri or 1/2 marathon. I was supposed to run the NY Marathon last year which is now deferred to 2014.

I'm hoping this challenge will ultimately make me a better person both mentally, physically and spiritually. I also hope to inspire others to get involved with the sport of triathlon. As for actual goals and times for the 140.6 I have not had a chance to really think through that yet. To cross the finish line within the allotted 17 hours would have to be goal # 1 . I'll report back on a future blog post with more specifics.

As Eminem once said - "You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, cause opportunity comes once in a lifetime!" The Ironman challenge will be my Mt Everest climb opportunity for 2013 no question about it.

Kick-Off

Wow! I'm honored and privileged to have have been selected to train with Pacific Swim Bike Run for the Rev 3 Cedar Point full Ironman event. This is going to be an amazing and game changing year for me, no doubt about it.

Tonight was Pacific's Happy Hour party kicking-off 2013. What a blast! It was cool to meet so many new and like minded people. The beer, wine and food was flowing while some big named sponsors demoed and gave away free products! (hey wait a minute - didn't Pacific publish a recent article regarding "Alcohol and its effects on athletes"? LOL - we'll leave that one alone right now...  :)

It's becoming clear that the Pacific team, and their extended network of friends and family, consists of a highly supportive group that puts their athletes front and center.  I also finally got a chance to explore the facility to see where I will be transformed over the next 8 months.  This is the kind of triathlete playground that you never have to leave. All the gym equipment an endurance athlete needs, along with a full nutrition bar and a huge retail store.

Training starts this Saturday with Jason. Looking forward to keeping everyone apprised of my progress. Let the journey begin!!

- Mark

Introducing Jeannette

My name is Jeannette Dudda and I am originally from Frankfurt, Germany. I am a child of the 80’s and can clearly say that I am very happy to be born in those years.

I grew up in a small village but moved to Frankfurt when I was in the age of 9. Once I finished High School I decided on a career of childcare and teaching. At the age of 23 I graduated with a degree in teaching and made the decision to move to the USA for a chance to become fluent in English and to learn other ways of raising and teaching children. It was the end of October 2003 when I first moved to Connecticut to a family in Darien to became an Au Pair.

After several conversations and sleepless nights I decided to extend my stay and begin studying. I attended Norwalk Community College as well as UCONN and graduated with an associate in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor
Degree in Human Services.

While being able to study and exploring this country I made many new friends. I became very close with a group of people who have been involved in different sports such as running and biking. It didn’t take us long to become closer and to set ourselves some goals for the future.

It was in 2009 when two of my friends started training for their first Half Marathon. It was exciting to see them train and to eventually be able to accomplish something so big. They were able to run the full distance and finish. They automatically became my role model and a year later I started training for my very first Half Marathon as well. Up until then I never thought I would be a runner.

Well after my first Half Marathon it became more or less something regular in our circle of friends. We signed up for different races, participated in lotteries and also became member of the NYRR in order to eventually one day be able to run the
New York City Marathon.

While training and running I talked to one of my very close friends and we decided to give triathlons a chance. We thought, “Hey we prepared and trained for a half marathon, why not change it up a little bit and challenge ourselves.”

Well I am always up for a challenge and faster than I was able to realize I had finished my first Mini Triathlon. I immediately fell in love and knew right away that this is something I see myself doing more often.

Thanks to a spot with the lottery I was able to participate in last years NYC Aquaphor Triathlon. Ever since being able to finish this race, my friends and I have talked about what could be next for us. What are our goals for the future and what would we like to be able to accomplish.

Our dream is to eventually, and one day in our lives, be part of the Ironman in Kona, Hawaii.

Every time I would swim, bike, or run I would try to vision myself doing all three sports in one huge event.

When in the beginning of December I saw the challenge of Pacific Swim, Bike, Run I called my friend Karoline and I asked her: “ Please give me an honest answer and tell me if you think I will be able to do this?” Her answer was “ Well Jeannette, to be
very honest, did you think you would ever run a half marathon; an Olympic distance triathlon; You were able to train for these events, and you did it all on your own. See how far you have come. If you think you have the time to train then yes do it.” It
was then when I already had made my decision to apply.

Once the essay was written and handed in I kept on thinking about the event and if I am really able to do this and to give it my all. But I already know the answer. And the answer is Yes.Yes I am able to give it my all- even if it will be painful at times.

This event and the next eight months will change my life and will give me an opportunity that is just out of this world. I am beyond excited to start training and to get the experience every athlete has when training for a race that will push your body to its limits.

I am looking forward working together with other athletes and trainers who are able to teach me everything they know and help me become a better athlete. Even though I know that times can get tough and I might be ready to throw the towel I know I will push through and keep training. I want to be able to not only finish this race but be better than ever before.

My goal is to be in a shape that my body and soul have never been in before. And my biggest goal is not only to finish the race but also to be able to keep running for 26.2 miles without having to stop and walk.

I am beyond thankful to Pacific SBR and them making a dream of mine come true! I will make sure to not disappoint but to make you proud of me!

Iron Challenge Winners

Pacific Swim Bike Run welcomes Jeannette and Mark, the essay contest winners for our Iron Distance Challenge.

Mark and Jeannette were selected from dozens of applicants to take on their first iron distance triathlon with the full support of Pacific Swim Bike Run. They will be training for the Cedar Point 140.6 race in September, and will be posting their thoughts and progress along the way here at Pacific Swim Bike Run Iron Challenge. Follow along as they begin their journey!