Guilty by Exercise: Why Can't Women Just Go For A Long Run?

As a woman, I have witnessed and lived with many gender inequalities during my lifetime.  The one that has been pressing my conscious these days is exercise.  It seems almost absurd when I type this, but seriously, it is Exercise!

I have competed in a number of triathlons and distance running events over the years.   During this time, I have met and trained with many phenomenal women and have been part of some wonderful fitness communities.  Most of the women, myself included, are average athletes, not looking for podium spots, but just enjoy physical fitness and training for different races.  A common theme: "we love the camaraderie of training for the event" not the race!

We exercise because it is our own personal time to do something healthy that we love.  A long run with friends is a "therapy session" or "happy hour".   A  50 mile bike ride is our "1/2 day shopping spree" with the girls.  It seems harmless, right?  However,  over the years, it appears to be an increasing theme that women are made to feel guilty about their beloved hobby by their husbands or significant others.

I have heard so many stories about how women get in their training/exercise without disrupting their family life, but are still given a hard time.  Recently, I was told of a Mom of 3 who is training for a Half Ironman event.  She gets up at 4:00 am a few days a week, so she can get in a long run or ride before her husband and kids get up.  She finishes by 6:30, gets her children to school , then works all day, comes home, cooks dinner, gets the kids off to bed, etc.  The husbands's beef?  Well, she is tired at night and goes to bed early...  I don't get it, this lady is doing all she can to care for her family.  She is managing to creatively carve out a slice of time for herself, but given grief about it.  I think she deserves a gold medal, waking up at 4am is commitment!  The Inequality: the husband is also training for a Half Ironman event and spends Saturday & Sunday mornings riding and running...Guilt-Free!!!

I have dozens of other stories similar to this one.  Interestingly, it's not only the men giving women grief, but women are giving women grief!  Yes, we ladies can be our own worst enemies. My example:  a colleague telling me how selfish it is for women to train for Marathons and Ironman Events.  "These women steal time from their families."  However, a week later, I heard the same colleague giving every accolade she could think of to a man who had just finished his first marathon...  "How do you do it?  You're so busy, so committed, Bravo!!!"   Wait, did he not steal time from his family doing all those long runs?

I write this post as I am perplexed, Why Can't Women Just Go For A Long Run?


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Ironman Mont Tremblant Training: In the Thick of It!

I had some grand plans to blog away about all my training...2 to 3 posts a week with anecdotes about my crazy long workouts, tips on triathlon gear & nutrition, sprinkled with some humor. However, those plans have fallen by the wayside, along with cleaning the house and planting perennials. I did manage to take the Easter decorations down this weekend. Although My 6 year old daughter suggested we leave them up until Halloween, which actually sounded like a good idea after my long run on Friday!

Here is a brief synopsis of my last week of training:

Monday: I had a 5 hour ride and 45 minute run on my training plan. Here is what my pre-ride prep looked like:

I dreaded doing this alone, but I had to get it done and an "all day" Monday ride is not ideal for most people...unless you're a Nurse (or other Medical Professional that may have just worked all weekend). So I'm 30 minutes into my biking when I come up on someone that had a familiar ponytail hanging out of their helmet. I pushed a bit to pass to see if I knew them. "Oh look! A Nurse!!" It was my friend and colleague Pam who was out on a 90 minute ride! This made my day, as we had not seen each other, except in passing in ages. She had, in fact, worked the weekend, so was doing her ride Monday. We rode about 30 miles together, chatted, caught up on life, then parted ways. She had a bunch of errands to do, but told me to call her if I got a flat or needed help on the rest of my ride. This really made the rest of the ride less stressful for me, as I had a time constraint to get home and get the kids off the bus. I did not want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat without anyone to call, as my husband was out of town! I ended up riding for 4 hours 45 minutes, and running for 40 minutes. I ended my run just as the kid's bus was pulling up to the end of the driveway. I was exhausted, but Done!!

Tuesday: 3,800 yard pool: This was mind numbing at best. I am usually pretty good at ticking away the laps in the pool, but 152 lengths of the pool is tough, but I did it!

Wednesday: I did my bike class at Main Street Energy Lab and it was tough, but fun! I love this class, always an incredible workout. Here is a picture of our workout:

Thursday: It was time to do my Swim Test. Every 6 weeks during training, my coach has me test myself on my times to see where I am at with progress. I had to do a 500 yard warm-up, followed by 3 x 300 with 30 seconds rest. I am happy to report that my average speed was faster than the last test, despite being exhausted!!

Friday: 16 Mile Run: I love running long distances. I hate running long distances. But I love running long! These were thoughts as I was getting ready to head out for my run. It was a beautiful day in Maine, but for some reason, traumatized by the winter, I dressed in a long sleeve shirt. By Mile 1, I stripped it off and hid it behind a bush, hoping no one would take it as it was a fave!! Anyway, the first 3 miles were all warming-up, getting comfortable, and talking myself into running for 2 1/2 + hours. After that, the miles flew by for me...slow, but steady! I finished with 15 minutes to shower, get dressed, and be at my daughter's school to volunteer. One piece of advice, sitting in Kindergarten classroom chairs after a 16 mile run is NOT ideal for recovery!!

Saturday: Rest Day...or aka a 10 hour shift working at the hospital!

Sunday: Run Test... 10 minute warm-up, then 30 minutes hard pace, followed by 10 minute cool down. This was not pretty, I was still so darn sore from the 16 mile run of Friday, but I forced myself to do it. I have to say, this is where having a Coach and making me accountable comes in to play. I would not have done this otherwise! I warmed up for 10, then went for it... it was slow, it hurt, I felt horrible at the end, but it was done! Unfortunately, it was slower than the last run test. However, with the volume I had put in during the week, I was happy to just finish it!!

I put in nearly 14 hours of training this past week, which is a lot for me! It was one tough week, but now that it is over, I am so happy with what I accomplished!

How was your week of training? Do you have any long workouts coming up?

Maine Coast Half Marathon: Chaos & Beauty

Better late than never, I'm finally getting around to writing about the Maine Coast Half Marathon! I really enjoyed this event, despite the chaotic start to the day. A friend and I had signed up to run this race several months ago. It fit well into my training schedule and the race course is beautiful. We had exchanged several text messages about the event and she was going to pick me up at 6:45am to head to the race. Since it was Mother's Day weekend, we had even planned on going out for a mimosa after we finished. I was looking forward to the day and planned on doing the 13.1 miles as a true training run and not a race. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about leaving at 6:45 am, as that gave us very little time to get our bibs and be at the start line at 8am. I am seriously Type A when it comes to races, I like to get there early, have everything organized and ready to go long before the gun goes off. In fact, I always pick up my bib and packet the day before, so I don't have to stress about it on race day. However, I had worked a 10 hour shift on Friday and did not get out in time to make it to the Expo. Anyway, I was trying to let go of all my anal tendencies and just go to the event and have fun!

Saturday morning, I woke up at 5:15am, had some coffee and a banana, then got ready to go. It was a cool overcast day, which is my favorite kind of running weather. At 6:30am, I was getting the last of my things together and went to put my Garmin watch on and realized the battery was at 17%! What? I had fully charged it 2 days ago! I hooked it up to the charger and was hopeful that it would charge up in the 15 minutes before I had to head out. 6:45am, it was up to 40%, I put it on and waited for my friend. If the watch didn't last for the race, it would be fine, I did not have a set time goal other than to finish feeling decent. At 6:50, no sign of my friend, I decided to text her because we were seriously cutting it close... I did not hear back right away. At 6:55am, I got in my car as I knew if I did not leave I would not make it to the race. It is a 45 minute drive and I still needed my bib, not to mention dealing with race day traffic. I called her as I was pulling out of my driveway...no answer. Just as I was getting on the Turnpike, I got a text message from her with many expletives! She thought the race was on Sunday, as many events are here in Maine. She was sleeping and heard her phone going off, but didn't know who would be calling so early on a Saturday! There was no way she could make it at this point, so she told me to just go. I know she felt terrible about the mix-up!


I made it to Biddeford, despite encountering a bit of traffic, but managed to have my car parked at 7:50am.I ran to the expo building to get my bib, but no one was there! Next, I ran over to the start line and the bibs were at a tent there. I got my bib on just as the first wave of runners went off. I was in the second wave, but ended up squeezing in somewhere in the 4th wave of people. I didn't care, I needed to retie my laces and text my husband to let him know I made it.

I headed out with that wave and it was pretty crowded for the first 1/2 mile, but then it started to thin out. Of course, I was already warmed up from running around before the start, so that was a positive! The miles were going by slowly and I was just trying to keep my pace under 10 minutes per mile. I was worried about finishing the distance, as I had not run much in the two weeks prior to the race as I had been out of town, then sick. I was feeling better, but had put in a ton of miles on the bike in the past few days, so I was running on very tired legs. I do not wear an iPod when I
run races, so I was trying to distract myself with other people's conversations and watching different running styles. It was mile 4, when a girl came up beside me and commented on the pleasant running weather. I agreed with her, then realized she looked familiar. Then, it hit me, and I asked, "Did you run the full marathon last year?" She replied yes and we started talking about that race from last year! (you can read about that day here: http://www.marathonsandmotivation.com/2014/05/maine-coast-marathon-race-report.html) I had run beside her and we chatted at some point during that race last year. I have had this happen numerous times in running races and triathlons! It always makes me smile, because it reminds me of how many wonderful, friendly people there are in the running and triathlon communities. Anyway, we chatted away from miles 4 to 8, which made the time just fly by! At that point, she wanted to scale back her pace a bit, as she was doing the Maine Coast Challenge, which was the half on Saturday and the full marathon the next day (Yes, that is 39.3 miles in two days...Wow!). So I headed on, glad to have run into her and now only having 5 miles to go.

I was happy and all my miles were under 10, but I was trying not to pay much attention to anything else, except keeping my heart rate in check. At this point, I started to really focus on the beautiful scenery. A good portion of the course was along the ocean and their were some stunning views. I was so happy to be running at this point and just enjoying the moment! I hit mile 11 before I knew it and decided to push it a bit, but it was a bit hilly and my legs did not want to cooperate! So at mile 12, I tried hard to get my legs to cooperate with my brain and go faster and they did! I crossed the Finish Line and was thrilled to have done the race! My Finish time was 2:07 and change, which was the slowest half marathon I have done, but I was pleased with the time under the circumstances! It was a fun, well-organized event and I definitely look forward to participating in it again! (http://mainecoast262.com)

Ironman Mont Tremblant Training: 1 Flat Tire, 2 Children Bribed, & 100 days to go!

(Beautiful view at the 40 miles)

It was a crazy week! I'm actually not sure what week of Ironman training it is anymore, as I am in so deep that now I am just counting the days left until the race. Ironman Mont Tremblant is in less than 100 days now!

The week started off pleasantly with me getting off work early last Monday. I was able to get in my 3000 yard swim before the kids got out of school. This was a huge relief as I was not sure where I was going to squeeze it in later! My husband was out of town so I was flying solo and had every workout planned with zero flexibility!

My Brick was on deck for Tuesday: 80 mile ride followed by a 4 mile run and I needed to get it done before my little ones arrived back home on the school bus. I got up at 5am and got all of my fuel and fluids ready, then leisurely sipped on coffee while folding a load of laundry. At 6:30am, it occurred to me that my bike was on the trainer and I should get it off before waking everyone up for school. I took it off the KickR and realized my front tire was completely flat! Many foul words came out of my mouth at this time, as I knew it would take me forever to change it! I have had the good fortune of only having one flat tire in the 4 years that I have been cycling. The day that flat happened, as serendipity would have it, the owner of a local bike shop (Cyclemania) passed me at the exact moment I realized my tire was flat. He stopped to help me and "lickety-split" in 5 minutes I was good to go! So, I panicked a bit, as my time was limited. I took the tire off, got my flat kit and took the 2 plastic things (levers) out and tried to get the tire off. After working up a sweat and realizing I had no idea what the hell I was doing, I gave up. At this point, it was 7am and time to get the family going for school. I came up with a list of options: a. do the 80 miles another day, but between work & family commitments, I did not have a chunk of time to do it b. Wait until the bike shop opens and have them change it, but that was 10am and I would not have enough time to do the ride c. Watch a You tube video and finagle through it myself! Nothing sounded good!

(The book I bought later that day! :-) )

I got Ben (9) & Carly (6) up and told them that I would give them 5 bucks each if they got ready, got dressed quickly, and would take the bus to school instead of me taking them. I know this is wrong on many levels, but I was in a pinch and I'm not perfect! They were all over it and ready 20 minutes before they needed to be! As I was packing there lunches, I came up with another idea on how to get help with the tire: Call my Coach! I had planned on meeting with her this month to practice changing a flat and review some basic bike mechanics. However, it was 715am, and I did not want to be a pain in the rear...but I decided to send her a text anyway :-). She responded quickly and told me to bring the bike to her studio at 8:40. I took it there: (www.mainstreetenergylab.com) and she showed me how to change it quickly! She even gave me the wheel off her bike to use if I had problems later that day! Her kindness and patience that day turned my feelings of stress and craziness around into gratefulness. I was able to get 74 of the 80 miles in that day and I did my 4 mile run on the treadmill after the kids got home. The day did not go as planned, but I enjoyed my time on the bike, knowing that despite all of the chaos, I had learned something new and I was so appreciative of my coach's kindness!

(Finishing my Ride!)

When was your first flat tire? Who taught you how to fix it?

Coping with Anxiety and Fear on the Bike

Last Monday night, I was preparing all of the things I needed for my Brick planned for the next day. I had a 60 mile ride and 3 mile run to get in while the kids were at school. The timing was tight, so my plan was to get the kids off, then hop right on my bike! I was happy that I was organized enough to have all of my fuel stashed and fluids bottled and ready to go. I headed to bed with my iPad and took a look at Facebook before going to sleep. As I was scrolling through, I saw a post with a picture of a sign tacked to a tree. The sign said:

"As you come here to grieve the sad loss of Joseph and to pay your respect to his memory. please remember that a man named Richard who also was loved by family and friends, went out for a bike ride on a beautiful Sunday morning and never came home... When you get back in your car, remember the epic responsibility you have to those who love you and those who don't even know you to come home safe!"

I clicked on the link that told the story of a fatal accident in Vermont that left the 17 year old driver, Joseph Marshall, and the 47 year old cyclist, Richard Tom, both dead. Richard was an expert cyclist whom, according to the article, had biked all over the world. I cried after reading the story, it was the third story I had come across in the past week about a cyclist being hit and killed while out riding. I was equally saddened about the young driver who died.
(See Reference)

I started to panic about my ride the next day: "Should I continue to ride? Everyday, I read about someone dying on their bike! I have two young kids... Maybe I will just ride on my trainer, except for race day." These thoughts were swirling in my head and I had a very hard time falling asleep.

I woke up early Tuesday morning still feeling anxious about the ride and melancholy about the tragedy in Vermont. I checked the weather: sunny, high 40's, with winds up to 20 mph. Initially, I decided my trainer would be the best solution for the day. I'm safe and sound on my KickR trainer in the playroom watching talk shows! However, as I was getting the kids ready for school, I started to change my mind about sitting inside on my bike for several hours on a sunny day. The wind outside was a great excuse for me as it would make the ride difficult, but it could very well be just as windy on my race day, so I should practice. I decided the best way for me to cope with the anxiety and fear I was experiencing was to just get back out there and ride.

I came up with a plan to make myself less anxious:

1. I changed my route to one that was close to my house.
2. The Route is 25 miles long and there is a decent bike lane along the entire ride. (I would do 2 1/2 Loops)
3. The route is also a very popular running and biking route, so drivers expect to see cyclists on the road.
4. I wore my bright yellow neon jacket.
5. I put my flashing light on the back of my bike bag.
6. I wore my Road ID bracelet on my ankle and had my cell phone with me.
7. I was riding alone, so I made sure my husband knew where I was riding and how long I expected it to take me.

I typically do all of these steps, except sticking close to home, on all my rides. However, it did make me feel better to go through them methodically last Tuesday. The ride went great...minus the hideous, gusting winds, which required me to work going Downhill on parts of the ride! I have to admit, that once I got out there, my anxiety quickly disappeared, but I did continue to hold onto a small piece of fear while riding.

Do you ever experience anxiety or fear on the bike? If so, how do you cope with it?


Reference: Murray, E.(2015, April 27). Police: Driver near 60 mph in fatal crash. Burlington Free Press.