Ironman on a Budget.

We all know that times are tough these days. The economy blows. And it seems like everyone and their dog is filing for bankruptcy. And since we're in Chicago where the cost of living is beyond ridonkulously high (dude...gas is at $3.29+ ...again) we're definitely feeling the heat of it all. It's a wonder I haven't been living solely off of spaghetti and PB&J sammiches.

And let's be frank.

Triathlons...
...these little races that we've come to love so, so much...
...they don't come cheap.

In fact, this sport is one where things quickly add up and if you're not careful, there could be three, four or even five digits to the left of the decimal on your next credit card statement.

So in an effort to not take out a second mortgage to make it possible for me to do this race, we've been getting...well...thrifty.

Crazy thrifty in fact.

It goes well beyond the Ironman threshold and into our daily lives in countless little ways. But because Ironman is sort of the center of our universe, the ways in which we cut back are the reason we're able to train and race in Ironman events.

To date, my total Ironman-related expenses should be roughly around $4,690. That would include the entry fee, airfare, hotel accommodations, 8 months of coaching and TriBike Transport (which I still need to reserve). Throw in the yet-to-be-booked rental car, a new pair or two of running shoes, nutrition stuff and any extra miscellaneous gear that needs to be purchased between now and November and we'd be sitting pretty around $5300ish.

[Note to any potential sugar daddies reading this blog...please leave a message with your contact information if you'd like to make a cute chick's iron-dreams come true!]

So while that's where we should be...we're only at $2,916 thanks in large part to our frugal resourcefulness.

Here's how we've done it so far...


Now I know this isn't taking into account things like gear and nutrition and what not. But I've managed to pull together a bunch of savings there as well. The Chicago Tri Club has a nice little discount with Infinit Nutrition, and since I'm semi-sponsored by Brooks Running through the Inspire Daily program, I receive a discount on my shoes (which are a bit overdue at this point in time and my legs like to remind me of that with each run). I figure I'll maybe need $500 for the stuff I'm still missing, including a really nice new pair of tri shorts and if I'm lucky the Profile Design AquaCell.

As far as my bike goes, tuneups are covered through the service plan we picked up when we first bought our valliant steeds several years ago. Although I'm having some skipping issues with my gears which I believe indicates I'm due for a new cassette sometime soon. Insert disgruntled "grrr..." here.

:sigh:

I wish I had a money tree.

Wouldn't that makes things slightly easier?

If I found one I'd even share with you guys.
Maybe.

So all of this Ironman budgeting drama has me thinking about and planning for all the things to come.

Unavoidable Expenses to come...
Tri Bike Transport. I love what these guys offer. But the price makes me flinch. I know it's worth the price for no other reason than sheer convenience. And the thought of me disassembling my bike, bringing it on a plane, and reassembling it on the flip side scares me greatly. If anyone has any discount codes for TBT, I'd love for you to share the love.

And of course the rental car. I'll test out that Name Your Own Price feature on priceline and see if I can score closer to time. Or see if I have any points on my credit card that I can apply to Hertz or something.

But My Big Splurge?
Enduracamps.

Do I absolutely, HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE to go do this?

No. I don't. I know this.

But the program is remarkable. And it's one that works. And I know it'll give me the confidence I need to tackle the course successfully. Plus it was a gift to myself with our Tax Return.

Besides, it'll be nice to see my family in St. Louis while I'm in town.

So for the most part, I'm pretty pleased with how we've been keeping costs in check for this race. With triathlon it seems all to easy to let expenses get out of hand as the cost of entry fees alone can be fairly lofty for well-branded races.

Nobody ever said following your dreams were cheap. But I'll be damned if I don't find a way to make it work.

So with that...I'd love to hear your two cents on ways to save some bucks here and there during training and race day preparation. And if I'm blatantly missing some big important cost, feel free to call it out.

...and of course...any sugar daddies who'd like to step up and buy me a few key training items.

(or someone willing to loan me their aquacell for the big dance. hint, hint!)

Weathering the Storm

This post should come as no surprise. I'm sick.

And in true Barb fashion, I'm acting like a complete and total baby about it.

Somewhere my mother is saying "some things will never change."

What started off as some random sinus infection has morphed into a chest cold from hell. You know the kind where you feel you have a hippopotamus sitting on your lungs and your respiratory system has been renamed "the mucus factory."

Really, it's quite lovely.

So the past few days I've given myself the "suck it up, princess" mentality and have gone through the motions of the workouts. The swim test went well. And then Friday's run test went surprisingly well, too...all things considered (who knew I could run a sub-10 pace off the bike into the wind?! Not me!). I woke up Saturday feeling worse than Friday...but still mustered up the energy for my long HR Zone 1-2 run. And by the time Sunday rolled around, I honestly thought I was going to lose a lung. Every cough was painful and I was pretty certain I wanted nothing more than to lay around in a dayquil-induced haze.

I typically tend to baby myself when it comes to anything dealing with my lungs, thanks in large part to the great lung collapse of 2004. Take it from me, spontaneous pneumothoraces aren't fun and I wouldn't wish that type of pain upon my worst enemy (although I'm pretty sure the government should put this in their back pocket as a potential alternative to waterboarding).

Unsure of whether or not I should suck it up and ride for 4 hours...or bail (which I wasn't keen on since my last 2 long rides have were either foiled or cut short for one reason or another)...I called the chief.

He promptly told me I have two options.
A) Continue to train and potentially be bogged down with this crap for 2-3 months and get less than my best out of the training I do...
...or...
B) Take 1-2 weeks off of training to allow my body to get back to 100% so I can get back in the groove of kicking ass and taking names.

Strangely, my first inclination was to keep training, but just cut back on volume so at least I'm doing something and not losing all the fitness I've built up to this point. And then the chief talked some sense into me...and did a damn fine job convincing me that I'm really not going to be losing that much fitness. I mean, this is why I pay him the big bucks, right?!

So while frustratring and mildly annoying, I know it's for the best. But my training plan for the next week or so it so sit around, catch up on my favorite TV shows, get plenty of rest, keep pumping the fluids and get myself healthy again.

I'm frustrated by the lack of volume from last week as I struggled balancing my health and training. And I'm highly annoyed knowing I'm not going to be logging any workouts of note this week.

So in Perez-style disapproval, here's a look at how my training has been going the past few weeks...
"Sports Minutes" is actually time spent on the bike trainer, and the rest you should be able to figure out from the key at the bottom.

Hopefully I can shake this nonsense and get back to the grind soon. My goal is to be back on track for the Udder Century on June 5th. No, I won't be doing a true century of 100 miles, but I'm looking at cranking out a metric century (62/100k). It won't be fast and it won't be pretty...but it'll be some solid miles, which is all I'm after at this point.

Sometimes numbers speak for themselves...

I'm quite shocked at the results, but I'm pretty sure I killed it. And I can't help but wonder how it would've gone if I were feeling 100%.

Although I have no idea how in the hell I'm supposed to get faster than that for the next test.

Nostril + Spoon

When I was a little kid, I once got a brown M&M stuck up in my nose. With some creative rejiggering and a little bit of time, we were able to dislodge the sucker. I don't remember much of the incident...except that it hurt...and my mom had me spend the better half of an evening blowing my nose trying to get the thing out on its own. And that my brilliant brother suggested I just spoon the damn thing out.

Editor's note: the great M&M debacle of the mid-1980's paled in comparison to when Sleepy Sister shoved a button up there and had to pay a visit to our family doctor to get the damn thing out. Or so I'm told, since this happened long before the era of Barb.

Over the past couple of days, I once again have spent the better half of my time blowing my nose in an attempt to get all this sinusy gunk out on its own. I am pretty much on the verge of unlatching my own head and scooping out my sinus cavities. I can handle the sniffling, sneezing, watery eyes, husky man-voice (oooh, sexy!) and the overall discomfort...but I am freakin' over feeling like I have a vice clamping down on my face. Something tells me the procedure would be quite messy, so perhaps a spoon up the nostril would be the way to go.

I'll have to give it some due consideration. And then pray I live to report back on the self-surgery.

So when I haven't been in a benadryl induced coma, I've been blowing my way though boxes of tissues (pun completely intended), feeling miserable for myself. It's quite lovely...natrually making me one of the most *awesome* people to be around.

But in case you haven't noticed, we're back from Kansas. And it was a very good trip.

As always, it was wonderful seeing my parents and paying homage to all my favorite places in Lawrence (Quinton's, The Wheel, and of course...The Love Garden). We did minor bank account damage (oh come on, did you really expect me not to drop any dough at Love Garden...I now own some more Iron & Wine, Depeche Mode and Radiohead on vinyl) but it was all well worth it.

Training was...well...it was what it was. Actually, it wasn't what it wasn't is more like it. The plan to brick long on Friday was foiled by Mother Nature and her out of control electrical storm which flooded the midwest. Saturday's limited time meant I could get my long run in and nothing else (9+ miles on hellaciously hilly terrain? check!). And then Sunday was graduation day where we packed up lil' bro-in-law from the pig sty he called home for the past 5 years and sat in the sun for commencement. Seeing it from the other side made me all nostalgic.

So last Thursday's missed swim (due to the short course change up at masters) was moved to Monday before our long car ride home. It was nice to get a solid (albeit snotty) 2600m in the books.

Which brings us to this week.

A week with a swim test. And a run test. And a really long bike ride (which should be humorous based on my last 2 nonexistant long rides). All with a less than 100% homegirl.

I consulted the Chief of Pain for his two cents on how to prioritize the workouts. Per his advice, I'm waiting until I'm back at 95% to do any testing (which means testing will likely throw down tomorrow/Friday in a blaze of glory) and taking it easy on any workouts in between.

So until then, I'm on the prowl for a spoon...or anything else to help get my sinuses in check.

Gah!

Apparently I'm "It"

So today I found myself tagged and since there is very little to report about my truly sucktastical day here in Chicago...I figured I'd play along. Because really...who wants to hear me bitch and moan about my awful day?

Yeah. Not you.
That's what I thought.

So here you go...8 Things...which I'd venture to say you couldn't care less about :)

8 things to which I'm looking forward
1) Tonight's tempo run. Even though it'll likely be lightning and pouring down...it'll be one of those therapeutic, suck it up, pound the pavement as hard as you can, spin the earth off beneath your feet, dig deep and run runs. And home girl needs that right now more than anything.
2) Seeing my parents this weekend. It sucks that we live so far away...I get to see them 3-4 times a year (if I'm lucky).
3) Doing some carnage on Mass. Street in Lawrence on Saturday. The jury is out on whether the carnage will be on my liver or my wallet.
4) Seeing my lil' Bro-in-law Graduate on Sunday.
5) Moving out of our postage stamp-sized condo. Seriously. I need more space. These walls are driving my slowly insane. No idea when this is going to happen...but I can counting down the days in my head.
6) 11.22.09. I hear that day is going to be LEGEND...wait for it.....ARY!! (for those of you clueless folk out there, that'd be Ironman Arizona).
7) 11.23.09. I hear that it's going to involve a lot of margaritas. And maybe even a mechanical bull. Incriminating photographic evidence will likely follow. Don't think I haven't forgot about this, Molly.
8) Retirement. Yes. It's a lame response. But it's true. I am quite looking forward to the day I no longer have to work, thank you very much.

8 things I did yesterday
1) Swam 2600 meters.
2) Biked for an hour.
3) Ate 2 breakfasts...and 2 lunches...and a bunch of snacks before and after dinner.
4) Noted how I was still hungry despite all the food consumed.
5) Bought a crazy amount of food for next to nothing at the grocery store.
6) Tried to go to bed early. Failed.
7) Boo'ed at the TV when Tara lost on the Biggest Loser (but yay for Helen nevertheless).
8) Burned the burgers while grilling.

8 things I would like to do
1) Clone myself three times. One Barb to train. One Barb to work. and One Barb to conquer the world.
2) African Safari with a detour to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and a visit to Victoria Falls with a dip in the Devil's Pool. This, hands down, would be my dream vacation.
3) Find a way to kill my pre-race anxiety.
4) Get more sleep.
5) Find a money tree and horde it all to myself.
6) The Great Wall Marathon.
7) Find a way to make Edward real and not a fictional character. (Ooooooh yes, I really just admitted that.)
8) Pack up and move to the islands...specifically Peter Island.

8 shows I watch
1) Ghost Hunters
2) How I Met Your Mother (what took me so long to realize the brilliance of this show?!)
3) American Idol
4) So You Think You Can Dance
5) Biggest Loser
6) Saturday Night Live...and almost any show with one of their veteran comedians.
7) Friends. Yes. I still watch this. And may even have every episode memorized.
8) And pretty much anything else that my TiVo records.

8 people I tag
Okay...rather than tag specific people...if you fit one of these descriptions, consider yourself tagged.
1) If you're born outside the country...consider yourself tagged.
2) If you're training for something...anything...even the donut olympics...consider yourself tagged.
3) If one of your redeeming qualities is sarcasm...consider yourself tagged.
4) If you believe that the toilet paper roll should point toward the back...you're correct...and subsequently tagged.
5) If you know a secret handshake...you be tagged.
6) If you are (or were) one of the Knights that said Ni...consider yourself tagged and receive the gold star of awesomeness.
7) If you've ever blamed it on the dog...yer it.
8) If you've ever started the night in NYC and woken up in Cancun with your pants around your ankles in bed with a goat and a questionably-gendered little person...then you're definitely tagged because the world at large is looking for an explanation on your shenanigans.

Shuffling things around...

So you could say that last week was a bit of a clusterf%*& when it came to training.

Life happened.

Workouts got moved.
Some got missed.
Others cut short.

Needless to say, I'm not exactly thrilled about it.

But I know that it's bound to happen every once in a while.

This time around, it was because of body reasons. Point blank...I needed more sleep. I've been going to bed earlier and earlier (just as I've been eating more and more). And some mornings (okay...only Thursday morning, really), I found myself desperate for some additional shut-eye.

Ultimately, I missed my Wednesday weight-lifting hour...moved Thursday's Masters swim to Friday...missed a short OWS on Saturday (come on...the temps are barely in the 50's...chief of pain is CRAZY)...moved Saturday's long run to tonight...and turned yesterday's 3 hour ride/30 minute run brick into a 2 hour trainer ride that I really, really, really had a hard time mentally cranking out (short on time, not feeling it at all, and really just wanted to can the whole damn thing).

Needless to say, I'm a liiiiittle disappointed in myself. But honestly...it was one of those weeks were by body was protesting nearly every workout. And when the body screams, sometimes you just need to shut up and listen. I'm ready to suck it up this week and get back on the bandwagon.

Things have been a good kind of crazy up here though. Mike and I had a day date on Saturday (and we couldn't remember the last time we went out to somewhere fun on our own), so we headed up to Milwaukee to experience the Titanic Artifact exhibit. It was truly incredbile and moving. If you ever have the chance to see the exhibit you shouldn't hesitate on the opportunity. On the way home, we got side tracked in Gurnee for some Cracker Barrel (delish!) and a stop at the outlet mall for a small bit of damage.

This coming week should be another good one with potentially some more shifting of workouts. With bikes in tow, we leave for Kansas on Thursday for my brother-in-law's graduation. It'll be fun going back to our old stomping grounds, but hopefully I can stay focused enough to get the long run and ride in amid all the festivities (note to self: find a 40-50 mile loop on flat country roads).

The totals for this pathetic week 5 of IMAZ training:
Swim - 5577 yds (Masters swim offers a bonafide ass-kicking
Bike Trainer - 4 hours
Run - 8.8 miles
Total - 8:06 (blah!!)

...this is going to be a better week. It has to be.

199

One hundred.
And ninety-nine.

That's how many more days there are.

199 more days of waking up early...sweating more than I ever imagined possible...doubting myself...building myself up...running hundreds of miles...biking thousands...and doing everything I can to not sink to the bottom of Lake Michigan or drown in the masters pool in front of the big fish.

But strangely, I feel like 199 days is all I really need to be ready for this race physically.
Mentally...that's a different story. I'm not sure there are enough days on the calendar to get me where I need to be in my head.

I suppose we'll see in 199 more days.