Eat, Drugs, Kayak

My guy and I finally got our butts wet in a Kayak today!

Before we put a toe in the Pacific Ocean, I insisted on a big breakfast and a handful of drugs. Okay, so maybe not a handful, but I did take my antibiotic for my, ahem, running injury (which by the way, I am feeling much better, but my injury is still swollen and red...and if you don't know what I am talking about read yesterday's blog), and one LESS DROWSY FORMULA Dramamine.

The Hike, Bike, Kayak people fitted us for life vests and helmets and walked us to the beach. Robert and I were riding in a tandem and the other people in our trip - 3 women - were all in singles. Our guide, Jonathan, had the cutest, pink, single Kayak.

Jonathan handed each of us a paddle and gave a brief lesson on how to turn left, right, straight and stop. In tandems, the smart one sits in the front and is in charge and the brawny one sits in the back and follows directions.

Guess where I sat?

Robert in back and me in front!

We sat in the Kayak and Jonathan gave us a push and told us to keep our nose to the west right into the surf. Well the brawny one behind me somehow managed to let our kayak turn sideways and the next thing I know our little orange ocean kayak is broadsided by a huge wave. Okay, so it was only about a foot tall, but it was enough water to soak me.

Our first stop was the La Jolla Sea Caves.

The bluffs are covered with Cormorant birds and a lot of bird poop. If you look closely in the bottom picture there are 5 sea lions sun bathing. The pictures are not the sharpest. I splurged on a digital waterproof camera and tried to learn how to use it while out kayaking WITHOUT my glasses. Next time I will have the settings right.

We went around the above bluff and Jonathan said he was going to take us one-by-one into a cave. He led the first woman in and we heard a lot of commotion and some faint yelling.

What the heck?

We waited for several minutes and the woman came out in Jonathan's cute pink kayak.

She was soaking wet, had lost her sandals and sunglasses when her kayak toppled over.

Jonathan took a long time to come out of the cave and he came out a different entrance.

Poor Jonathan. His legs and feet were all bloody.

I turned to Robert and said, "We aren't going in there."

Good thing the Brawny one did not argue.

We regrouped and paddled to the kelp beds.

I saw three people out swimming in the ocean. They were about a mile out from shore and at first I thought they were sea lions. It didn't look very safe to be out swimming so far from shore. I was a little edgy just being that far out in a kayak!

The birds were tormenting a sea lion who was eating a fish. Every time the sea lion would rip a piece of fish off, the birds would swoop down and try to make it their own.

While we sat there swaying in the ocean watching nature take its course, I realized I was a bit woozy. I don't know if it was from the Dramamine or from the swaying.

When we turned to head back to shore it seemed so far away. I asked Jonathan about how far we were from shore. My mouth fell open when he said, "About three-fourths of a mile."

What?

Three-fourths of a mile.

I just swam that far in a triathlon a couple of weeks ago. It seemed far, but not THAT far.

Wow, I can really swim far!

Almost back to shore.

We made it to shore without a hitch.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I prefer wearing a wetsuit to a life vest.

I let my guy drive home and thankfully my Less Drowsy Formula Dramamine didn't work. I was so drowsy I slept all the way home and didn't once tell Robert how to drive.

Back to train-n-tri"ing" tomorrow!

Running Injury

I know triathletes and runner get injuries all the time. I just didn't expect this injury.

It's not pretty and I can't show you a picture. That would be too graphic. I won't be doing too much of anything until my injury is better.

It started when my coach upped the running in my workout log from about 10 miles a week to around 25 miles a week. I tried to do it. I really did. But it was just too much. And now I am paying the price.

My injury flared up yesterday morning! It started as a dull ache, which continued to worsen during the day. But night time I was in pain and putting hot compresses on my injury. It didn't help much. This morning when I saw the red line I knew I needed to go to the doctor.

His diagnosis - Mastitis...an infection of the breast!

I looked up mastitis on the Internet and almost all the information relates to women who are breastfeeding. I know my mastitis is not from breastfeeding. I got rid of my last nursing bra about 14 years ago.

My doctor took a wild guess that all the running I have been doing was, well, chafing me. A little chafe and a little bacteria and viola, infection! PAINFUL INFECTION, with a fever!

I am on antibiotics! The next time I run, I'll be wearing band aids with my sports bra.

In the meantime, I think I will concentrate on biking and swimming!

Triathlon Training vs. Family Celebrations

Sometimes it's hard to stick to my triathlon training workout schedule, especially when a family celebration takes over not just a day but an entire weekend.

There was a slight conflict this weekend when my family stayed in the Fisherman's Retreat at Crystal Cove to help my son celebrate his 15th birthday!

My schedule for Friday said to swim 2000 yards. I didn't. Instead I walked up and down these stairs 

carrying in four ice chests full of food and drinks, lots of bags full of full and lots of suitcases. And I do mean, I!!!!!!

My guy was off parking two cars, my younger son is babying a back injury he has had for a year, and my older son just got in a motorcycle accident and can barely walk, plus his right hand is swollen, bruised and raw.

The only other help I had was my daughter and my older son's girlfriend. Lifting to them meant carrying their purse and pillow up the stairs.

So I had the honors. Good thing I lift weights in my garage gym three times a week. I may not be muscle-bound, but I can haul a loaded ice chest.

I had everything up the stairs and almost unpacked by the time my guy came back from parking the cars. I don't want to make it sound as if he was being a load shirker...he did have to park a car, then walk about 5 minutes to get the other car to drive and park it and then walk about 7 minutes to our cottage.

In my mind unloading, hauling and unpacking was the same as swimming 2000 yards. At least it felt like it. My arms were tired.

My workout schedule for Friday also said to run five miles. I didn't. Instead I walked 3.09 miles on the sandy beach with friends.

Gary, Carolyn, me and my guy

That was my workout for Friday!!!!

I was so happy when my workout schedule for Saturday said NO PLANS.

NO PLANS meant I could do whatever I wanted. Every time my guy asked if I wanted to run, I said, "NO!"

I did walk 5.82 miles along the beach on Saturday, looking for beach glass.

This was my find! The white piece on top in the middle really measures 2 inches across.

I did sit on the beach and read a magazine.

I did take a nap on the beach.

I did sit on the patio and eat lunch and read another magazine.

In between the eating and reading and beaching, I threw food at five teenagers and picked wet towels up off the floor - a workout in itself. 

It takes a lot of food to fuel teenagers!

Today's schedule said run 10 miles. NOT!!!

Instead I got up early (after having an hour less sleep because of the change of time) and walked 3.74 miles on the beach. No sea glass to be found, but a lovely walk just the same.

We did see some Sea Stars.

Don't call them Star Fish because they are not fish!



 My guy and I scouted out where the swim, bike and run will be for the Pacific Coast Triathlon in September.

I am hoping we can get a cottage in September 2013 the same weekend as the triathlon.

While I did NOT run 10 miles, I DID pack up and haul DOWN the stairs everything (except all the food the teens had eaten). Back at home I had to unpack everything and put it away. And I am on my fourth load of wash.

Good thing my mind is able to twist the truth around. To me unpacking and laundry counts for a 10 mile run!!!

My workout schedule for tomorrow says active rest. Uhm, kayaking with whales counts. Right?

 

Wedneday's Workout - Vibration Machine

TurboSonic Vibration Machine

Standing on this contraption for 10 minutes was my only exercise Wednesday.

The rest of the day was spent resting and recuperating from a night in the emergency room - my son was in a motorcycle accident. He is okay. Road rash, swelling, bruising, tweaked thumb. Alive!!!

It took me about 6 hours on Sunday to recover from an Internation Distance Triathlon that took place in the heat. It took me about 24 hours to recover from my son's accident.

I think the TurboSonic Vibration Machine helped.

Some people are skeptical of its touted health properties.

I stood on the TurboSonic Vibration machine for 10 minutes. It says it provides enhanced power training to principal muscle groups in less time and it improves physical strength, dexterity and endurance. I didn't run the 5-miles that was on my training plan, but just reading the benefits of the vibrating machine makes me feel better.

After standing on the vibrating machine for 10 minutes I did feel that my sense of well-being was enhanced and that I had peace of mind. If it can do that and smoothe out wrinkles, well, I want to stand on it 10 minutes everyday.

It states that people who use the TurboSonic Vibration Trainer for 10 minutes, three times a week, loss significantly more fat than those who engage in aerobic activity for one hour three times a week!

Okay, okay, I know there are some nay-sayers out there.

So I went online to get the real scoop. First up Vibration Professor.

http://vibrationprofessor.com/compare-vibration-machines.html

Look, I don't make this stuff up.

The Vibration Professor said: "The machine helps your body improve itself in many ways including increasing blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. The lymphatic system is a complex system of ducts and conduits that take away toxins from muscles and at the same time bring new germ fighting materials to the muscles. Unlike the blood system which has a pump (the heart), the lymph system does not have a pumping system, it relies solely on muscular contractions and releases to move the fluids....

The whole body vibration machine stimulates the muscle system to increase this lymphatic drainage. Have you ever noticed that fit people seem to get fewer colds than sedentary people do? It’s because the fit active person has better immunity because of better lymphatic drainage arising from continual muscle actions. Bed ridden people with very little muscle action are prone to catching all types of bugs because their immune system is held back by way of poor lymphatic drainage.....

This is where the whole body vibration machines really differ from all other exercises, they focus almost all energy used through the use of the fast twitch reflex muscles. Their gentle and short movements are designed for response by the fast twitch muscles. When you use the machines you do not have to think about the workout, your muscles are moving in reflex response in opposing directions to the movements created by the moving platform. What seems at first to be a very easy workout is in fact extremely hard for the body as your body will work out very hard to keep your balance, it will burn a great deal of calories and at the same time it is burning up fat deposits and not making you hungry. This is the key fundamental aspect to the whole body vibration machines that make them so efficient for people looking to lose weight or shed inches off the waistline...

When you realize the effectiveness of whole body vibration machines, you will also believe that everyone should use them everyday. I believe that in the very near future whole body vibration machines will become as commonplace as the ubiquitous treadmill."

Well, that is one person's opinion. Here's another:

John Porcari of the American College of Sports Medicine, says, "There's no question that your muscles, through the contraction provided by the vibration, will get stronger. If you can lift 100 pounds easily, doing so while standing on this machine will soon get you to lift 110."

Uhm, I didn't lift anything while I stood vibrating. I just stood there with my eyes closed feeling my body vibrate at different speeds - some made my lips tingle, and some felt as if I was standing on the Andreas Fault line during a major earthquake.

Galttech.com, an independent online guide said this about vibrating machines: "it can be a great complement to your fitness routine and a good balanced diet, but it is not going to replace traditional exercise as the best way to condition your muscles and help you lose weight. Science has demonstrated that vibration machines work muscle groups in the body by what is known as the stretch reflex. Muscles contract in the same way as if one was using free weights or traditional exercise equipment. The difference is that instead of you doing the work, these vibration machines work your muscles for you. They increase blood flow, drain lymphs, and strengthen bone tissue. Vibration machines decrease workout time by as much as 1/3 while also offering a more complete workout. Vibration machines also put much less stress on the body than other exercise methods, making vibration machines perfect for people with arthritis, seniors, and others who can't engage in traditional workouts

What about people with injuries? Dan Hamner, a rehab and sports medicine expert, says, "I usually come from the 'no pain, no gain' camp. But I've been amazed how this painless device has managed to help those people who didn't want to do anything."

Then I went to livestrong.com to see if there were any articles about vibration machines there.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/392689-vibration-exercise-machines-do-they-work/

This from the livestrong article by Carolyn Williams, dated June 14, 2011: Vibration exercise machines may appear to be a gimmick, but for certain conditions they can be very effective. While there's debate as to the correct use of the vibration, vibration exercise machines do work. However, they don't work on their own. You must combine the use of a vibration machine with a regular exercise plan and a healthy diet for best results.

The article goes on to state: vibration exercise assists those who have trouble with balance, although the mechanism by which this occurs isn't entirely clear. In a March 2007 study of 67 senior patients, with an average age of 72, published in "The Keio Journal of Medicine," the group that included four minutes of whole body vibration onced a week in their exercise regimen had significantly improved balance and muscle strength. The constant vibration helps elderly women in particular. This  can be especially useful as the elderly population is sometimes at risk for falls due to poor balance. It is also effective in building muscle in those affected with knee osteoarthritis, which can further aid balance.

I may be 51, but I am not elderly. Still if the vibration machine can improve balance and muscle strength in elderly people, I don't see why it couldn't do the same for me.

And the last bit of information from the Mayo Clinic.

With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist

Edward R. Laskowski, M.D

Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.

---

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-body-vibration/AN01598

You can read the entire article, but basically Dr. Laskowski answered the question, "Is whole body vibration a good way to lose weight and improve fitness?" with the answer, "Whole body vibration can offer some fitness and health benefits, but it's not clear if it's as good for you as regular exercise."

Dr. Laskowski goes on to say that while advocates say that as little as 15 minutes a day of whole body vibration three times a week can aid weight loss, burn fat, improve flexibility, enhance blood flow, build strength and decrease the stress hormone cortisol, comprehensive research about whole body vibration is lacking. "It's not yet clear if whole body vibration provides the same range of health benefits as exercise you actively engage in, such as walking, biking or swimming. Some research does show that whole body vibration may help improve muscle strength and that it may help with weight loss when you also cut back on calories. Whole body vibration also may have a role beyond sports and fitness." He also says it can reduce back pain, improve balance in older adults and reduce bone loss.

Here's what I think:The vibration machine can't hurt. And hey, it may help! Anyway, standing on it for 10 minutes while my younger son was in with the chiropractor erased any guilt I may have had for skipping out on a day of training.

Today I was back on schedule - 5 mile run and a spin class.

Tired

My son is okay, but he was in a motorcycle accident last night and I did not get much sleep last night because I spent most of my sleeping hours in the emergency room.

When the choice today was between training and sleeping, I chose sleep.


Tomorrow is a new day!

Recovery Days - Swimming and Horses

I did my first International Distance Triathlon on Sunday. I say did, not competed, or raced, because I DID the distance just to see what if I was able. It was the longest I have ever traveled at one time on my own steam.

After the event, I was a little tired, and a lot hungry, and REALLY HOT, but I felt okay. I thought for sure that on Monday I would feel achy, or tired or, well, I don't know what I was expecting to feel. I certainly thought I would need a couple of recovery days.

I hadn't expected it to be so easy to get up at 5 a.m. Monday for work. I thought for sure I would get tired during the day while teaching a bunch of first graders. I didn't expect that after work I would have the energy to meet up with one of my best friends and swim 1500 yards at the pool. It was easy and I felt great!

Swimming 1500 yards in a warm pool is way easier than 3/4 of a mile in a cold lake.

 Hard

EASY

The run at last weekend's triathlon was torturous! It was hot and we had to run on sand, cement, dirt and uneven pavement around the man-made lake. TWICE! The first time was hard. The second time was excruciating! After Sunday I was sure I would not want to run again for a long, long time. Well, at least for a while.

Then I looked at my training schedule for today and it said to run for 7 miles. Yikes! Running 7 miles would be like running around that darn lake twice and then some. Robert suggested we run our usual canal route, which is about 5.5 miles.

Nope! If I was going to run, I was going to run the 7 miles. But I needed it to be pretty or at least new. We decided to run the Gage Canal, but from the other end. I had never run on this portion of the canal. It was the same, but different. The canal was still there and the dirt path next to it was bordered with orange groves in some places. But in other places there were arenas and horses and cows.

Same canal, but from a new perspective.

My favorite part of the run was at the 3.4 mile mark when we ran by a horse ranch. First we ran by a pen where a lot of steer used for roping practice lazed about in the dirt. Next, we trotted by a huge arena with grandstand seating on one side. The place just smelled like horses and it brought back great memories of all the years I had horses and showed at horse shows. I didn't rope steer or barrel race, though I had lots friends that did. I rode English and showed Jumper and Hunter Hack.

Then just a jog down the path we came upon a fabulous sight. Sorry, Coach, but I had to stop running and watch this - Next to the arena they had a swimming lane for the horses. A couple of guys with a lead line on each side of the horse, led the big roan up to the edge of the pool. That quarter-horse jumped in and made a big splash and then he swam the length of the lane. The lane must have been deep because just his head was sticking out of the water. He swam to the other end where he walked up an incline and was out on dry land. 

Robert asked if horses like to swim. When I was younger, I told him, we use to take our horses to the river bottom and they would swim in the river and we would hold onto their tails and get a free ride.

I was never afraid of swimming with my horse.

If I had not gone for this run today, I would not have seen the swimming horse or remembered how much fun I had swimming with my horse. It made the run all worth while.

As we turned off the canal's dirt path to the paved road, I was surprised my legs felt so good.

From here we had about a mile to run to get to our car. I ran as fast as I could all the way down this street to the stop sign. I waited at the end of the street for Robert and then we jogged the last half mile to the car.

You should have seen Robert's face when I told him my schedule for tomorrow says to run again - track workout of 4 miles.

I think I may be running the track alone.

Desert International Triathlon - HOT, HOT, HOT!

Okay, so my guy and I were not able to outrun the heat! Neither were some other people! It was hot, hot, hot today at the Desert International Triathlon. It was 89 degrees but we didn't let the heat stop us....it just slowed us down.

The triathlon started off with a 3/4 mile swim. I am working on my swim and don't have as much skill or confidence as I would like, so Robert had offered to hang back from his wave and swim with me. That made me happy and secure.

Then when we went to packet pick-up Robert found out that he could hang back with me, but his time would start when his wave went off. He could see the minutes adding up to his total time and he looked at me with puppy dog eyes and I told him to go off on his own and I would be fine.



My guy is standing behind my shoulder, thinking how he really needs to be my swim buddy since he said he would. My Triathlon Connection friends are all ready for the swim. They all rocked it without a swim buddy!!! I am going to be like them next time!

THANK GOODNESS Robert changed his mind at the last minute and went with me. I was a mess. After about two minutes in the water I told him I had made a mistake and I wasn't going to do the swim. He just patiently look at me and waited for me to work through my hysteria.

It didn't help that within a few more minutes we swam upon a woman going in the wrong direction. When I pointed out to her that she was going the wrong way, she said she had a horrible cramp and was going to shore. Uhm, I didn't have a cramp, so I couldn't use that excuse, so we continued on. I was breathing on every right stroke, but it was comforting that with each breath I could see Robert's blue swim cap. He kept me in line and heading in the right direction.

After we passed the first buoy, we swam up to a guy on his back making all kinds of weird noises and looked to be kind of flailing his arms. I asked him if he was okay, and he said yes, he just had bursitis and was just trying to get through the swim so he could get to the fun part - the run. I told him he was CRAZY, that the bike is the best part. "And by the way, your stroke is really weird," I told him. I think he beat me out of the water.

But we had a reason for taking 40 minutes to swim the 2/3 mile. Not too long after crazy, weird back-stroker, we swam up on another guy that was just treading water and didn't look too good. When I asked him if he was alright, he said, "No." "Do you need some help?" I asked him. "Yes," he said. So I started yelling for the guys in a boat about 100 yards away, "Hey, this guy with the green cap needs some help!!" and I pointed at the guy. The boat started toward us. I asked the man if he was going to be okay until the boat got to him and he said yes, so we swam on.

By this time, I was cold and tired of still being in the water. I wanted out so I could get on my bike, so I put my head down and swam, and swam and swam until my fingers touched the bottom and then we were out.

I really need to work on getting my wetsuit off. I tried to pull one arm off and it got stuck on my watch, and I tried to pull the other arm off and it was stuck. I was handcuffed in my own wetsuit.

Luckily, Robert yanked the arms off. I REALLY need to work on getting out of my wetsuit by MYSELF. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them. I did manage to get the rest of it off and get my bike helmet and shoes on and ready for the bike pretty quickly. I waited just a bit for Robert to gear up.

We biked the entire 24 miles together. It seemed more like a bike ride than a race. 

At one point, I told Robert, "See that person up there? That's our target. We are going to catch that person." He replied, "The one not pedaling?" We also laughed that it seemed no matter what direction we were riding, it seemed the wind was in our face. I did manage to pedal the entire time, though sometimes I find it hard to pedal fast when I am laughing.

I did not laugh, though, when I looked down and realized my chip was not on my leg. I don't know where it went. During the swim it felt like it was coming undone and twice I stopped to make it tighter and secure. I didn't feel it come off though. But now it was gone. Going into transition I told a man by the timing pads that my chip fell off somewhere and he said not to worry, that they wouldn't have my splits, but they would have my total time.

We also weren't laughing when we started running. By then it was HOT! I made a quick pit stop at the bathroom and it was so cool in the bathroom, I almost didn't want to come out. I was wearing my hydration belt and I was swigging away on that, plus taking two cups at the water stations - one to pour on my front and one to pour down my back. The first two miles were miserable. I was having abdominal cramps and had to stop and walk a couple of times. I got it together by mile 3, but then Robert started falling apart. I could tell that he was getting overheated. The last few miles I wasn't sure if he was going to make it. I ran ahead of him and flagged him to come on. A couple of times I even ran backwards and flagged him to come on. He offered to let me take his chip and finish without him, but I said no, he had been my swim buddy so I was sticking it out as he run buddy.

Later, I heard him tell his friend over the phone that if I had not been prodding him on, he might have called it a day.

We should both easily be able to set a new PR for next year's Desert Triathlon, especially if the weather is cooler. I never did get a time for the day, but I can use Robert's minus the three extra minutes they tacked on his for starting in a later wave. I plan to be a much better swimmer next year and I won't need Robert to be my swim buddy. He better plan on working on his run because next year it's every spouse for themselves.

Keep Train-n-Tri....ing,
Kandi