Virgin London Marathon

I'm guessing that by my title that you probably know what I'm going to tell you.
Do you remember my crazy idea of running from Edinburgh to London came out of me not getting a ballot to run in the London Marathon for Guide Dogs?
Well, perhaps I should learn some patience, or perhaps fate has a funny way of working things out, but I got a phone call about a week ago telling me that I had been selected as one of the people to run the London Marathon for Guide Dogs.
At first, I hesitated and wasn't sure if I wanted to do it anymore. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to raise the funds for both events and if I'd be able to train for both, but then I started thinking about it and I realised that running the London marathon was something that I really wanted to do. So, I said yes. It hasn't really sunk in yet; probably because my time has been taken up with Christmasy type things in the last week, but I think in the next couple of days, with the holidays winding down a bit, I'll have to start putting a plan into action for fundraising and training.
I've already asked one of my guide runners if she'd be interested in guiding me. She is supposed to get back to me once the holidays are over. She really wants to, but is training for an Ironman which is to be run in July. She is worried that the two events will conflict with her training schedule. If she can't, I have one other person to ask and if that doesn't work out then the Guide Dogs events team people will start asking the pool of runners they have to see if anyone would like to run as my guide.
Running strapped to a stranger for 26 miles may be a bit weird, but it could also be a great experience. Either way, I am so looking forward to completing this marathon.
I never would have thought four years ago, that my sprinting, swimmer self would be taking on a marathon, and the London marathon at that.
Exciting stuff! :)

Flippers

Yesterday I hopped in the pool for a workout. It felt so good to be moving through the water. Swimming has always felt so powerful for me, unlike running, which I usually feel like a lumbering oaf. I think I've improved in running, but swimming is still where I feel at home.
My workout consisted of 1.5 kilometres, which makes me laugh because my warm-ups used to be about that long when I was competing in swimming. It felt good with a lot of kick and some "pull," which in swimming lingo means arms only swimming. I borrowed a kick board from the lifeguard and the majority of my workout became kicking. I don't know why, but kicking has always been my strong suit and I've always enjoyed it the most. maybe it's because I can hear my feet and feel how fast I'm going all at once? Either way, it's funny to see how one can fall back into old habits. I'll have to make an effort next time to focus on full stroke swimming and more pull because that is what will get me through the triathlon. My legs will need to be good to go for the bike and the run.
The one thing that did change was how often I breathed. When I used to compete, it was really easy for me to breathe every second stroke which is not conducive to going fast. This is probably why I was a   sprinter because I could just keep my head down and breathe when I got to the wall. When I raced the fifty metres, I tried to breathe as little as possible and often got to  the wall only breathing maybe three times. My every second stroke breathing habit was probably one of my biggest faults and coaches of all varieties tried to change it. I continued to be a one sided breather, but eventually managed to breathe every four strokes for the most part.
Since getting back into the water, it's been really easy to slip back into my over breathing. However, yesterday I forgot my cap and every time I turned my head to breathe, water sloshed into my ear. This was  a very  uncomfortable sensation and it forced me to breathe every four strokes instead of every two. Wy didn't we try this before? :) When I start training for the triathlon at a more competitive level, I'm going to leave my cap at home in order to force myself to have a more effective   breathing pattern. That way, when I get my butt on that 2016 Paralympic team, I will have disposed of one of my bad habits that could potentially have made me less competitive.
Speaking of the Paralympics: have you been watching? I have to admit, I'm pretty riveted. I have little moments where I wish so badly I was there. This morning I looked up the heats for the women's S11-the classification I used to swim in-qualifying times and was shocked to see that I wouldn't have had to swim a personal best time to qualify. The slowest woman swims about a 1 minute .28 second 100 metre freestyle and I used to swim faster than that in practice. Of course the current world record holder from Italy goes a 1.08 with a few mila seconds added on to that, so I may have been out of the medal race, but I could have qualified. Also, who knows how much I could have improved. Maybe I would have been closer to that gold medal position. That said, hindsight's 20/20 and I hated the 100 free anyway. Plus, I retired for a reason. No point in thinking what could have been. I have new and exciting things to focus on...right?
I've talked to a few other retired athletes that I know and they are having a hard time too. Apparently, even one athlete who retired in 2004 is finding these Games particularly difficult. I think it's because London is doing such a great job with the Games. The atmosphere is just fantastic. For me, being so close makes  it harder too.
Regardless of whether I could have qualified or not, I retired and that is that. I have four years to get ready for 2016 and these Games is great fuel for that fire.

A Bit Odd

Tonight is the beginning of the Paralympic Games. Tonight is the first time in 12 years that I will not be going to those ceremonies, all crammed into a bus, wearing my Canada gear, waiting to walk into a packed stadium. I'm not going to lie, it's a bit odd.
When I retired from swimming four years ago, I thought I was completely done. I had had enough and I wasn't going to look back. At least, that is what I thought. I have since learned that I was done with swimming, but not really with competitive sport. I always knew that I would never go back to swimming, even though in a sense it could be quite easy as it's something familiar, but that is certainly not an option for me. That is why I've embarked on this crazy journey to find triathlon guides and/or long distance running guides.
I am not done competing.
There is no way to describe the atmosphere of a Paralympic village. It is buzzing with anticipation, excitement, nervousness, joy, fear...a sense of community and all mixed in with an edge of competitiveness. When you walk by a fellow Canadian, or whatever country you are from, you wave or say hi; even if you have no idea who that person is. You are, for the time that you are in that village wearing that Maple Leaf, connected .
You don't walk around your home town waving to everyone you pass just because they are from your home town. But, in a Paralympic, or Olympic village I am sure, you make an effort to support complete strangers just because you have one common goal in mind; to represent your country the best you can.
You congratulate people when you see medals hanging from their necks. You even hug them; again, even if you don't know them. You lend a shoulder for someone to cry on when something just didn't work out. You cheer for your teammates even if you don't like them. You want them to be successful: you want them to win.
It's such an incredible experience and although I am certainly missing it, I am so very excited for those athletes that are there and wish them luck, but most of all, I hope that they enjoy the experience; take it all in because there really  is nothing like it.

FFirst Foot Injury and 5.3 K

I've done a lot of reading about running since I really have no idea what it all entails. I keep reading horror stories about people with black toenails, rashes in terrible places due to chafing and so much more. I've also read how to avoid these things, but I really wasn't prepared for what happened to me less than a week ago.
Last Wednesday Laura and I had planned to run together, but the day was just horrible with high winds and flooding everywhere. I know that runners run in all kinds of weather, but when the water is swirling past my ankles and there is no sign of it stopping, I chose to stay indoors and do a core workout instead. It was that night that I realised there was something wrong with my left foot; the sole of my  left heel to be exact.
As I was curled up on the couch, drinking tea and reading my book before bed, I noticed a huge chunk of my heel was missing. I'm not sure how else to describe it. It was like I had gouged myself on something, but I could not remember doing so. I still have no idea what happened, but I suspect it had something to do with me wearing my every day shoes without socks while walking my puppy. I think the combination of the rubbing and the wet may have cracked the foot. It was so weird. When I was swimming I never had problems with my feet and only two or so weeks back into running and my feet are already acting up?
That said, I don't even think my first foot injury was even running related.
As a swimmer, I would have just gone to practice the next day and refrained from pushing off the wall with that foot, but I was forced to cancel my run with Laura the following day because it was too painful to even walk on. I probably could have pushed through it, but I figure taking one day off was better than sucking it up and running and then damaging the foot further and missing multiple practices. Friday Laura and I were able to connect, just two days after the mysterious foot wound first appeared, and we ran around 3.5 K. I just wrapped the foot up with medical tape and gauze and made sure to disinfect it really well when I was done.
With my foot healing up quite nicely, Laura and I were able to get a good solid 5.3 kilometres in today in 37 minutes. I was really impressed with that time since I haven't been back at it  for very long and also because it was another rainy, sloppy day. It just wasn't nearly as bad as last Wednesday.
With the rain falling down and a healing foot, I think 37 minutes was quite good. I felt really good for the whole run, but definitely was tired when we finished.
I felt for Laura as that was her second run of the day, having gone 9 miles in the morning. She is one dedicated woman and I love her for it. She told me today that she wouldn't have run again today if it weren't for me, but that it was a good active recovery run for her.
Not only am I glad I found Laura to run with, but I'm glad I found her because she is turning out to be a great friend. We have similar senses of humor and today we brought each other cake as an after run treat.
Great minds think alike, I suppose.
So, with a good 5.3 K under my belt, my foot on the mends and yummy cake in my belly, I look forward to my next run with Laura this upcoming Wednesday. Tomorrow it's off to the pool for me for some cross training.

2.1 K

Last night I had the opportunity to join the Edinburgh Road Club for one of their evening swim sessions. It felt so good to be a part of a club atmosphere and it definitely helped me to push myself. To be honest, I haven't been swimming as often as I should the last month, but last night's session made me realise that I actually like swimming and that I need to do it if I want to be ready to compete in a triathlon this summer.
My lane had three other swimmers in it, and for most of the workout, I swam in the second position. It felt good to know that I was fast enough to be second, but it also made me push myself. I didn't want to be caught by the other two behind me: that's the competitiveness in me. We all worked hard and I was able to take a lot away from that practice. For example, I have always known that my arms are my weakness in the water, but last night I realised just how badly my arms need work. We did a pull set, which means that we only used our arms to swim through the water. I stayed in the second spot, but by the time the  first 25 metres were done, the two behind me had caught up. I let them pass as I didn't want to interrupt someone else's practice, but my arms are going to definitely need some work.
I fought with the lane ropes as I always do and came out with the bruises to prove it. My left elbow is a glorious shade of green this morning and I have, what we like to call, "lane rope burn" on my upper arm, just below my shoulder. I had forgotten how much that stuff hurts. That said, I've dealt with worse. Once, while training in Brazil, I sliced my pinky finger open to the bone because the insides of the lane ropes were so sharp. I constantly opened the finger back up for the whole two weeks we were there. A little bruising is nothing in comparison. :)
From everything that triathletes have told me, you use your arms for the most part in the swim portion of the race in order to save your legs for the cycle and run portions. If that is the case, I better start lifting more weights and doing a lot of pull during my water practices.
I realised that my legs are a lot stronger than I thought. Maybe it's from all of the running I've been doing, but whatever the cause, if we did just kick, I blew everyone out of the water. Both of these things are good to know.
I also realised that I am faster than I thought when swimming full stroke. Part of our workout was to do 4 200 metres on 3.30. This means, that we had to swim 200 metres faster than 3 minutes and 30 seconds, four times through. My 200 metres were well below the 3.30 mark, which excited me a lot. The best part was that I was able to maintain that time all the way through the 800 metres; very encouraging.
After the practice I sat down with L, the coach I've spoken about before, and M, another coach. We discussed our options for finding me a guide, or more precisely, a pool of guides. With a pool of guides, the time commitments would be spread out amongst people, which would mean that I would probably have a guide for most days of the week and I could stop primarily training in the gym. I still don't have a problem supplementing workouts by  training in the gym, but if I could get some time out on the road running and cycling, my times, technique and endurance would improve very quickly.
M sent me a bunch of questions that people have asked about training with me and I sent an email back with my answers this morning. He will circulate my answers, we'll have a social gathering for those people interested and then hopefully have a few different guides after that.
I felt like last night was very productive both during practice and in finding me a guide or two. I've run into a few road blocks, but I think eventually things will get worked out.
Scratch that.
Things WILL get worked out.

Transitions

From everything that I've read, transitions can trip up even the most experienced triathlete. Somehow, you have to swap out your gear from each sport at the transitions and get the next set of muscles ready for what's coming up. A lot of the equipment that is available to triathletes now, is designed to make transitions smoother and some of the gear is even multi-functional. I won't get into that here, as I really don't know much about it-not yet anyway-but moving muscles from one sport to another is definitely something I can work on. Today, I did just that.
Judging by the break down of the times of the blind and visually impaired women's results at the World Championships held in Beijing in September of 2011, transitions may make or break the race. The woman who won the race completed her transitions in less than a minute, whereas, the women who took second and third, respectively, had transitions times that sometimes neared the two minute mark. Every little bit of time you can save, will make a difference. Of course there is the question of whether the woman who won was low vision as opposed to totally blind because that vision difference will inevitably make a difference, but competing against someone who can see more than I can is not something I can control. Preparing my body to handle transitions the best that it can, is definitely within my control. So, that is whatI will focus on.
Yesterday, an email was sent out to the Won With One group from the Development coach, outlining benchmarks that we should be thinking about in the next couple of weeks. As I suspected, my swimming distance is fine, if not a bit slow, but I was surprised to find that my running was slightly ahead of where it needs to be right now. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since the run portion of the race is what I've been focusing on in the last two months. My cycling is right around where it should be, but could use a bit more work. I figured working on a transition from the bike to a run, focusing on some of the times/distances that were outline for us would be a good place to start today.
Upon arriving at the gym, and having Glacier taken off to be "puppy sat" in the office, I hopped on to an upright bike. My goal was to try to reach as close to the 8 K mark as possible in fifteen minutes. I haven't really been focusing on cycling and so I wasn't expecting anything too impressive. The first five minutes were a bit of a struggle, but I soon settled into a good rhythm. When I've cycled in the past, my quads have given me the most grief, burning and complaining the longer I was on the bike. Today though, my quads didn't really burn, but I fought to keep control of my breathing the whole time. I think the weird flu/cold/plague thing I had hasn't quite relinquished its hold. At the fifteen minute mark, I had cycled 7.40 kilometres and I hopped off and moved as quickly as I could over to the treadmills. I was very happy with that result. I know I definitely have work to do, but it is a good reference point for future training sessions.
My goal on the treadmill was to run at a quicker pace than is comfortable and hang on for two kilometres. I've gotten really good at slipping into a comfortable pace and staying there for five K or so, but today I wanted it to be uncomfortable. After the cycle, I figured that it wouldn't take much to push me over the edge. I was right about that, but what surprised me was how well my legs held up.
The personal trainer I worked with today was someone I haven't worked with before and although I told him the speed I wanted the treadmill at, he suggested bumping it up a half kilometre than I had requested. That sort of thing can be a pro and a con when you are blind and a captive audience to your personal trainer. I decided he could be on to something and let him move the treadmill up faster than I thought originally would be a good pace. Today was my day to make things uncomfortable right?
I thought that after getting off the bike, having gone almost 8 K, and then immediately hitting the treadmill, my legs would give out. There wasn't even a hint of burning or fatiguing. Perhaps my legs are stronger than I thought. My breathing was difficult to control though and I often found myself singing the "alphabet Song" in my head to refocus my attention. It was a trick a swim coach told me to try once.
We had been working hard, pushing through a tough kick set and all I wanted to do was throw my kickboard at him and get out of the water. I remember my thighs had gone numb and my throat had rasped with the effort to breathe. We were almost done and I'm sure he could see the fatigue on my face. He told me to hang in there and to sing "The Alphabet Song" in my head when the pain got really bad. I did, and was amazed at how it worked. Making yourself think methodically, changes your thought pattern and makes some really hard sets doable. I've never forgot that and it shocked me when I automatically started singing "A, B, C D," Etc, in my head, while trying to ignore the stitch in my left side.
The singing must have worked because I made it through, despite the run feeling as if it was  out of control. It wasn't so much so that I completely fell off the wagon, but breathing was not fluid and my foot falls were becoming quite heavy the closer I got to two kilometres. I finished the run in just over 12.5 minutes and I am more than happy with that result. The personal trainer also told me that I had my heart rate up to 174 towards the end of the   run, which would explain my lungs feeling like they wanted to burst. Not every practice needs to be like today's, pushing yourself hard and out of your comfort zone, but you also don't get faster if you do only what is comfortable.
I finished the day's workout with a session on the Gravity Pull-down machine, which the trainer decided to increase the resistance on. He said something about me being a strong swimmer.
 Wait! What?
I haven't been a strong swimmer in three years! Oh well. I really enjoyed working with him and really appreciated him pushing me that little bit further. I can see working with him in the future is going to be very beneficial.
  It's nice to work hard, and to know you've worked hard, but that even though it was a bit shaky, you still accomplished your goals. It's also nice to know that someone else sees that potential in you and gently encourages you to dig even deeper.

Off to The Pool I Go

Today is the first swim of the year that I'll be doing with the Edinburgh Road Club. I had two practices with them in December to see whether or not I wanted to join and was quite happy with the club and the set up of the practices. Even though my coach from when I was swimming has agreed to give me workouts, it will be nice to practice at least once a week in a team environment. Sometimes training on your own is really nice, but I find that it's also beneficial to have days where you have other like-minded people surrounding you. It's motivating in a way and tends to keep me on track. The only glitch is getting there.
I'm battling another cold thingy I am pretty sure I picked up from the gym. Because of that, I thought I might not make it, but I'm feeling quite a bit better this morning and so will be going. It seems every time I turn around, I've been sick this winter season. I think part of it is the unpredictable weather and also that I'm in a new country with various strains of bugs that I am assuming my system has never had to fight off before. Despite my clogged head, I'll definitely be going tonight. I had a solid 12 hour sleep last night and feel quite a bit better. Not 100 percent by any stretch, but much better.
I think it's really important I go tonight for a few reasons. One of them being that L and I are going to be chatting about potential guides for me. I really need to find a guide or two in order for this whole training thing to work. Besides, when racing season rolls around, how am I suppose to race without a guide?
Aside from the cold, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get to the pool because I have no idea where it is. I'm really thankful to Tenie, my best friend, who is going to teach me how to get to the pool. The two times I've been before now, I've alwys went with a sighted person and without my guide dog, Glacier. I wasn't paying attention to the route because I assumed Emily would be coming with me every week and that would mean I wouldn't have to worry about getting there on my own. Now, though, being able to get to this particular practice independently is the only way I'll get to train with ERC on Mondays. So, Tenie has generously given up her evening tonight to teach me how to get from the bus stop to the swim centre itself.
It's these little things that make training for a sport slightly complicated and ever interesting as a blind person. You can't just look up the pool on a map and drive yourself there. Getting there has to be learned, memorized and practised. Wen learning new routes, especially longer ones like this one, there is great potential for getting lost or turned around. This could mean not making the practice at all. Thankfully, from what I remember, the route is pretty straight forward once you hop off the bus, so I think Glacier and I will get it the first time. At least, let's hope. I'd hate to have to drag Tenie out another night next week. She'd probably do it because she's awesome like that, but I'd rather not have her sitting, sweating her butt off on a pool deck for an hour if she doesn't have to. I'd also rather not get lost the next time Glacier and I venture there on our own. :)
Regardless of cold and transportation issues-now sorted out-I'll make it tonight and hopefully have a decent practice and a productive chat with L. With every little obstacle overcome, such as learning how to get to a practice venue independently, my goal to race in a triathlon this summer becomes more and more of a  reality and for that I am grateful.
I read on a friend's Facebook page the other day:
"failure is not falling down, but rather failure is staying down." I couldn't agree more.

The First Run of 2012

So, I finally managed it: I made it to the gym and had a really good run. It sounds funny to me, me saying "I had a good run" because two months ago, I never would have used "good" and "run" in the same sentence. I hated running and thought that it would take me an eternity to, if not enjoy it, at least tolerate it. The strange thing is, I actually missed running the last few days when I wasn't able to get to the gym due to 41 miles per hour winds and the gym's Holiday hours. What a foreign concept.
The other foreign concept is that a good, comfortable run was a 5.5 K workout. That's what I ran for my first run of the year and it felt good. In fact, the first three and a half K or so felt easy. That in and of itself just blows my mind. I used to run about 400 metres and want to quit; even when I was at my fitness peak as an elite swimmer. I had resolved to "just get through" the run portion of the triathlon, as I love swimming and cycling and, used to, hate running. I still wouldn't say it's my favourite, but knowing that it's a bit more manageable and that my body will adjust to it, is very encouraging. Despite breathing hard and sweating like a fiend,  I recovered quickly and was pleasantly surprised that 5.5 kilometres isn't really that bad. Now, the key is to do 5 K after a 20 KM bike and 750 metre swim, but I'll tackle that when it comes.
The other challenge is to get my time faster. I may have run 5.5 K, but it was probably just above most people's jogging speed. However, I think for today, I'll be happy with how far I ran, get another good workout in this afternoon-probably working on transitions from the bike to the run-and worry about times later. It really has only been two months and I think I've made huge strides in that short time period; if I do say so myself. :)
On a different and exciting note: one of my coaches who trained me to my first Paralympic Games has agreed to write me swim workouts. I asked him on the off chance that he would and he sent an email back, complete with two 2 K workouts already written out for me. It is so exciting that he's willing to help me and words seem inadequate in thanking him. My swimming has been coming along, but most workouts I was making up as I went along and was starting to run out of ideas. I have an idea as how to train as a swimming sprinter, but as a triathlon is not a sprint in comparison to some of the 50 metre races I used to do, I really needed some direction. I've looked at both workouts and they are both challenging, but I feel better knowing someone with coaching knowledge is providing me with practices. He is an excellent coach and I trust his abilities and judgment.
Despite 2012 having a bit of a "rocky start," things have definitely improved in the last couple of days. I feel like I am moving in the right direction and now that I have guidance, at least in the swimming department, I know things will just continue to improve.

A Rocky Start

You know when you have good intentions and for whatever reason they just go out the window? That seems to be the training season of 2012 so far  for me. For numerous reasons, such as the gym being closed longer than I thought due to the Holidays and horrible weather, I have not managed to get to the gym in 2012. I find that a bit frustrating and a little disconcerting. Every day that I sit on my butt is a day where I am not getting faster and it's a day when my competition is. However, that strain of thought won't do much for me except frustrate me further; at least not until I am able to get to the gym.
Today is the day I break the cycle and start my 2012 year of training off with a good, solid workout. Drawing on  my frustration, I will be able to run it all off this afternoon. I've talked about how important it is to be flexible as an athlete with a disability and I think that is applicable here. That sentiment could probably be applied to any kind of athleticism but definitely to disabled athletes. I think this may be a part of my adaptability lesson and to teach me not to take for granted the workouts I do get in.
A lot of good things have come out of the past few days that aren't necessarily workout related, but definitely enrich my triathlon experience. Great discussions have been occurring between the athletes of Won With One and L, the coach from Edinburgh Road Club, is going to sit down with me next Monday after the swim practice and have a chat. I've also re-connected with a coach who had a great influence on my swimming career and have asked for his help. So, it's not all bad. I'm just itching to get moving.
I never did sit still well.

Gearing Up For 2012

As 2011 comes to a close I look back on the last two months and know that I have a lot to be thankful for. I also know that I have a lot to look forward to in 2012 as well.
It was just two months ago that I finally managed to make my three year dream of training for a triathlon come true. My training isn't as consistent as I'd like it to be, but that is a goal for 2012. I am grateful for the progress I have made in such a short period of time: if someone had told me that I would run in my first 5 K race in just over a month of beginning this journey, I wouldn't have believed them, but it happened.
I am grateful to the trainers at the gym where I am currently training. their patience and helpfulness go a long way. One trainer in particular is wonderful; leaving me to do my own thing, but giving me advice and assistance when I ask for it. He's great about reading me my heart rate during workouts and checking in with me and encouraging where needed. His interest and assistance is sincere and I really apreciate that.
I am grateful to my husband, friends and family for going along with me on this crazy ride. A lot of my friends were there when I was competing for Canada as a swimmer and have been great about making sure I eat enough. My husband, although a bit resistant at first, has been very supportive in coming to the gym with me and being understanding of the time I spend training, stretching and eating. My parents have been and always will  be supportive of most of my crazy schemes and for that I love them and am very grateful. Without the support of these key people in my life, training for the 2016 Paralympic Games would not even be an option.
As for 2012, I have a few goals laid out, one of them being implementing a more consistent training regiment. Consistency is the key to success in any arena and I think getting in more frequent swims and bike rides will make a huge difference.
The biggest goal for 2012 is to actually compete in my first triathlon and in order to do that I need to follow through on the aforementioned goal. I must also get time out on a tandem bike. Another goal, which will make my competing goal more of a reality, is to find an actual training plan to follow. Thus far I have been, if you will pardon the pun, fumbling in the dark; using my swimming knowledge and hoping for the best. In order to be a  successful triathlete, a solid training plan must be utilized.
So, it is with all of these goals in mind that I welcome 2012 and say good-bye to 2011. Thank you to the people who have made the last two months possible and to those who will make the years to come possible as well.

Hit the Ground Running

Two days off, plenty of fluids, overwhelming amounts of orange juice and Golden Seal and I was back at it today. I had felt a little rough when I woke up this morning, but a bit of a walk, a hardy breakfast and a good nap had me feeling better than I have since Saturday.
My appointment at the gym was at 4 and I arrived with some time to spare. The trainer I worked with, and have met before, took my blood pressure and talked to me about what I wanted to accomplish in today's workout and future ones. My blood pressure was a bit high-132/91-but since I am still fighting off the rest of that weird flu/cold thing, I wasn't surprised it was so high. My resting heart rate was also high at 73 beats per minute, but the same reasoning could explain that away. Also, I walk to the gym and I am not a slow walker. My heart rate could have been elevated due to the activity prior to arriving at the gym. Resting heart rates and blood pressures can, as I explained before, be attributed to sickness and the body working hard to keep or make itself healthy.
I started the workout with a ten minute or so light ride on an upright bike. The recumbent bikes do not work the correct muscle groups that I will need wen cycling 20 kilometres during a triathlon race. Although the ride was light and short, it warmed me up enough to need to take off the hoodie I was wearing and I moved from the bike over to the treadmill.
The treadmill and I have a love hate relationship; mostly it is me hating it. I think I have described the feeling of running in place for long periods of time as like being on a huge hamster wheel. I keep running and running, but never get anywhere. Apparently, if you are sighted you can watch the screen and images of where you could be running appear, but this visual stimulation does not do me any good. It is so boring! However, since running is my weakest leg of the triathlon race, I need all the help I can get and the treadmill and I will learn to love each other; or at least a sense of tolerance can be reached.
Since I had been sick and still did not feel 100 percent, the treadmill was set at 9 kilometres an hour and I ran to 3 kilometres, with the goal of running without stoping. The last two times I have run at 9 kilometres, my calves have cramped and I have either had to slow down significantly or move into a walk. Today I wanted to reach the 3 K mark without slowing and definitely without any walking. Surprisingly to me, I made it to 3 K feeling pretty good with minimal cramping. I felt like I may have been able to get another kilometre or two out at that pace; very encouraging.
After completing my run, I made sure to walk for a good ten minutes, letting my heart rate come back down. If there was one thing I learned from the sport scientist that accompanied our team around when I was swimming, it  was that warm down is one of the most important components to being a successful athlete; that and hydration.
I moved from the treadmill to the Gravity Pull Down machine and set about a few different exercises that worked my triceps-imperative to balancing on the bike and follow through during the swim-my Lats,-muscles that are important during the swim-and chest press. I also worked other aspects of my arms, back and chest as well as my core all on the same machine. I really like that the machine has so many areas it can target and that it is your own body weight that you use to cause resistance. It makes sense to me to use this machine since pulling/dragging/moving my own body weight is going to be my greatest resistance out on the course; aside from waves, uneven terrain and other athletes. The last set I did worked arms/back/chest as well as core. It is those small, intrinsic core muscles that will keep me straight in the water, balanced on the bike and upright during the run. Core was something that I feel I probably could have worked harder during my swimming career and it is something that I am ensuring I do not neglect this time around.
All in all, I think it was a very successful workout and I feel as though I gave myself enough time to get healthier without taking off too much time. Tomorrow I will attempt to get in some pool time, but it all depends on whether lanes are open at the time I am there. If that fails, I will get in a good cycle workout; now that I know that the gym is equipped with upright bikes.

A Small Panic Moment

Up until now I have purposely stayed away from any kind of results posting the times of visually impaired women competing in triathlon around the world. Today curiosity got the best of me and I looked: I wish I hadn't. Okay, part of me wishes I hadn't. The times are fast; really fast. Maybe to someone who has been in the triathlon world for a while, they wouldn't seem fast, but to my newbie eyes the times seem very fast.
I don't know what I expected. Of course the times should be fast; the times I looked at were from the 2011 GE World Championships held in Beijing. The winner, who was from Great Britain, finished the race in just under an hour and 25 minutes, with the second place woman not far behind her. All of the results were broken down into the legs of the race and what shocked me the most was how fast the swim times were. Even as a retired swimmer, I'm not sure I will ever be able to swim that fast, but on the other hand, if I want to compete for medals, I'm going to have to. I could be completely off, but judging by how fast the swim times were, I have a sneaking suspicion that all of the women were visually impaired (or low vision) as opposed to totally blind. Any amount of vision gives an athlete an advantage, no matter how small it may seem.
There are many types of visual impairment, but the easiest way to explain it is someone who has low vision, legally blind (there are varying degrees of this), and totally blind, meaning completely blind. Athletes who have a bit of  vision have a slight advantage in that they can learn technique much easier and properly, which improves race times. This makes a low vision athlete's potential for faster times much more likely. There are other advantages to being low vision as opposed to totally blind, but this learning of technique is one of the most important factors.
The problem is that there aren't enough totally blind or visually impaired athletes competing in triathlon to make two separate races. In other sports, such as swimming, where there are enough totally blind or visually impaired athletes, athletes compete against other athletes with similar visual capabilities; leveling the playing field to some degree.
Knowing all of this and reading those times, made part of me wonder what I was doing. If the playing field is not level, how can I possibly contend for medals in 2016?
The other part of me, the part I usually listen to, doesn't care. That part sees it as a challenge and revels in it. Besides, if every totally blind athlete backed down just because the races weren't entirely designed with optimal fairness in mind, then there would be no totally blind athletes at all. If no one embraces the challenge things will not change and Para triathlon will never grow. Perhaps I won't make my mark by bringing home loads of gold medals, perhaps I will, but the important thing is to make changes where they can be made in order to better the Paralympic Games experience for all athletes. If that means being one of the only totally blind athletes who brings up the rear, but the rear at the Paralympics nonetheless, then so be it. If I can make this process a bit easier for someone else,that will be worth a million medals. Of course I strive for gold, but sometimes you have to find smaller, just as important goals along the way. Plus, 2016 is still five years away; a lot can happen between now and then.

Training For a Cause

Last night was my second swimming session with the Edinburgh Road Club and Emily's first. The practice went fairly well for me, but was a bit much for Emily. She left the pool feeling a bit frustrated, but after we chatted on the way home, she felt a bit better in realising that it technically was only her fourth swim practice since we started training for a triathlon just over a month ago. I told her that I was really impressed by her willingness to learn and pointed out that she had improved quite a bit even in the few, short, swimming practices we have had. Not to mention, the person coaching last night probably was not entirely aware of our situation and may not have handled the situation in the most elegant of fashions. Our discussion got us talking about our purpose in completing a triathlon and we revisited a topic we have talked at length about before.
There are so many reasons you train for something like a triathlon. Some people do it for his/her own health and make life changing strides. Others do it for the competition and the enjoyment of being involved in competitive sport. Still others do it for a cause, such as raising funds/awareness for Cancer research or reducing your carbon footprint. Emily and I both agree that we are doing this for all of the reasons above.
We are training as hard as we are to improve our own quality of life. Being physically fit and healthy leads to longer life and improved moods. We both also love competing and with our ultimate goal being the 2016 Paralympic Games, I think we are doing the right thing. We both also feel strongly about certain social issues, one of them being accessibility for people with disabilities, and so we have decided that we want to also support a cause while we train. It's another way to motivate ourselves and give back to the community that supports us in our daily lives.
The organisation we have chosen to raise funds/awareness for is one of the many guide dog organisations. I will not go into great detail right now about this particular organisation as I haven't discussed the entire idea with the fundraising committee, but guide dogs are something that are near and dear to both of our hearts. Not to mention, guide dogs are the reason I am able to do the many things I do in this world, safely and independently; including getting to and from practices and training sessions.
I have a telephone meeting with this organisation this afternoon and as soon as I know the details of our campaign or, more importantly, if they agree to our fundraising idea, I will divulge more information. I sincerely hope that this is something Emily and I can do because, as I mentioned above, guide dogs have played and are an important part of my life and I would be honoured to give back to a cause that has impacted my life in such a huge way. Besides, Emily and I are both huge dog people, what better way to get involved with dogs than to help raise funds/awareness for a guide dog organisation?
Anyway, I must get on the phone: my meeting starts soon.
Wish me luck. :)

Swimming in Circles Again

When multiple swimmers are thrown in to  a lane together, they are expected to swim up one lane rope and down the other. This clockwise or counter clockwise pattern keeps the swimmers from running into one another; it's kind of like driving on the correct side of the road. It's been three years since I've had to do this and last night I was thrown right in with the lane holding about five to six swimmers. I was a bit nervous at first because I was not entirely sure how excited sighted athletes would be about me being in the lane. With me swimming with them, it means watching for me when pushing off of the walls and also when I come in to stop and rest at a wall. It's not a whole lot of difference than watching for your fellow swimmers, but I can't see and so some of that responsibility falls away from me. However, I always try to be aware of the people around me. I feel for bubbles with my hands which is a good indication of someone kicking in front of you; bigger waves passing by your side could mean a swimmer passing you in the opposite direction; trailing the lane rope with my shoulder or touching it with my hand every once in a while keeps me in a straight line;  and the lane rope sagging near the wall could let me know that swimmers have stopped and are waiting for  new instructions. These are all little clues I picked up over the years of swimming competitively, but it is still a bit nerve wracking to jump into a lane of six swimmers who were all complete strangers. I did smack a few people in the back or shoulder when coming into the wall, but there  really was no reason for me to be nervous.
The first lane I jumped in to was a slower pace lane and I had opted for the slower moving crowd as I was not sure how long I could actually maintain speedy swimming. My aerobic fitness-the fitness that lets you keep going and going-is not really  as high as it used to be and I didn't want to hold anyone up or to miss sets because I couldn't keep up. After about ten to fifteen minutes of floundering in the first lane, I was moved over to a faster one. Every three strokes or so, I would catch someone's feet and once, when pushing off the wall, I swam right over a guy who was pushing off under water. I and the coaches quickly realised that that lane was not a good fit. So, I slid under the lane rope in to a faster lane.
The workout that ensued was great. It was incredibly exciting and I felt fantastic when I finished. That said, when we did the longer, faster sets-such as 300 metres at just below race pace-I felt my stroke falling apart and I started breathing way too often. Break down of stroke mechanics and over breathing are both indicative of fatiguing and lack of aerobic fitness. Also, I was not entirely sure what my "just below race pace" was as I haven't raced in a triathlon ever or in swimming for three years. With that in mind, I just pushed myself at about eighty percent effort and went for it. All things considered, I think I did pretty well. I kept the bubbles of the swimmer in front of me just at the end of my fingertips and I believe that knowing where she was motivated me to keep up the pace, despite the burning in my lungs and my arms turning into noodles. It is so refreshing to train with a team who are hard workers and incredibly helpful. Every time I came into the  wall and everyone had stopped, the swimmer furthest out from the wall would tap my hand or arm to tell me to stop. This signal kept me from smacking people or completely running them over. Two women, who alternated swimming in front of me, would also let me know when they were pushing off. This verbal cue gave me the chance to count to five and then push off, which allowed me to have enough space between myself and the swimmer in front of me while keeping me on pace with everyone else. I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the openness with which I was accepted into the team. It's sad to say, but attitudinal barriers are sometimes the hardest barriers to deal with when you have a disability. The helpful attitudes and acceptance of me as an athlete made the whole experience that much more positive.
Emily was not able to attend due to a previous commitment and I was a bit worried about going without her. Emily is not only my guide when we are working out, but my eyes in the change rooms, bathrooms and also wen commuting to and from the training facilities. Eventually, I will be able to get to the training venues on my own, working cohesively with my guide dog Glacier, but since that was the first time I had been to that particular swim centre I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't be able to get to where I needed to go. One of the coaches, we'll call her L, was fabulous. She guided me on to the pool deck and basically forced others to take up her lead. I really think she will be a vital player in mine and Emily's success. L was the one who finally made the decision to move me over into the faster lane and also set the stage for people to be at ease with my disability: L didn't care and therefore no one else should.
Besides last night serving as a practice, it also was an assessment of my stroke and physical abilities at this stage. L put a water proof camera in the bottom of the pool so that she could analyze my stroke later and we had a good talk at the end of the session on how I felt during the sets. I told her quite honestly that it felt good, but that the longer, faster sets were a bit of a struggle; not anything I couldn't work through though.
All in all, I think training with the Edinburgh Road Club is going to be incredibly beneficial. Practicing with others always gives you some direction and also pushes you to work hard. If I had not been swimming behind  that other swimmer, feeling the bubbles her feet made, I'm not sure I would have pushed myself so hard. It's that little bit of extra effort that will get Emily and I to our ultimate goal of competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games.

For All the Right Reasons

Yesterday Emily and I began our week's workout with a five kilometre run on the treadmills at the gym. Up until now, we've tried to run outside as much as possible in order to train in race-like conditions and also to practice running in sync with each other, but yesterday the winds of Scotland were blowing. So, we opted to run indoors. Five kilometres really isn't that far considering eventually we'll have to run ten kilometres after having already ridden forty kilometres on the bike and swam 1.5 kilometres, but the run was good for me. Technically this is week four of our training and I'm impressed that I've made it to five kilometres so quickly. Sure, I was an elite athlete three years ago, but that was three years ago and that was also in the water. My feet feel funny pounding the pavement when they are so used to acting as flippers. That said, I'm so impressed with the progress we have both made.
Training for a sport, any sport really, can be difficult; especially when trying to get up the motivation to do something you don't like. I have been there with my swimming, but this triathlon training is so different. There is no other way  really to describe it. My attitude about it is completely different as well. I'm not sure if it's because I've matured a bit since swimming for Canada, but whatever the reasons, this is so different.
How do you know when training seriously for a sport is for you?
This past week our training together was a bit disrupted because Emily had a conference to present at; the obligations of a PhD student. We both know life happens and that we won't always be able to train with each other every day, but I was surprised to find myself missing the training and the training with Emily. Towards the end of my  swimming career,  I looked forward to long breaks and would be relieved when something switched up the drudgery of it all. I know that we haven't been doing this for any length of time yet, but the fact that I missed it and was itching to get back out there in full force tells me that I'm doing the right thing for the right reasons.
After working out, I also feel good about the work I have done and even good about the work Emily has done. Yesterday during our run, Emily had to slow to a walk because she felt light headed; probably a combination of dehydration, not enough food and perhaps too much coffee. Either way, I was so impressed by her determination. Once she started feeling a bit better, she sped the treadmill up again and finished the five kilometres, having run faster than me and up more inclines. I was quite satisfied with our progress. Yes, "our progress." Emily and I  have to be a cohesive unit in order to achieve success. We both have our roles and responsibilities as guide athlete and VI (visually impaired) athlete, but at the end of the day, her triumphs are mine, my falls are hers and vise versa. Again, towards the end of my swimming career, there wasn't much that made me excited about my practices. I usually left more frustrated than anything. Knowing that we can work out and even have a small hiccup, but carry on and reach the goal of the workout is encouraging. It's another reason why I know I am doing the right thing for the right reasons.
We have some exciting events coming up this week. Tonight we are going to our first swim practice with the Edinburgh Road Club. This club has many different athletic branches and triathlon is one of them. Emily is a bit nervous as swimming is not her strongest leg of the race, but I keep telling her that is why we're going.
Saturday we're running in our first race in order to establish a time for the five kilometre mark. It also gives us an idea of what running with other athletes will be like. I think it will be a test of our communication skills we have been slowly building as well as a fitness test. This one makes me nervous because just  as swimming is not Emily's favourite,  running is not my strongest leg of the race.
All things considered though, the fact that I can be nervous and excited at the same time about tonight and Saturday morning, tells me that I'm doing the right thing for the right reasons. Training for a competitive sport is not easy, as I've stated above, but you will know when it is for you because it will just feel right.