The VeloLab Review

Yesterday I decided to go and check out The VeloLab Cycling Studio. I've been anxious to try this out since I first heard about it. I met the owner (Tim Harbeson) and his wife (Michelle) earlier this year at the Tour de Pork ride. I cut my ride short due to the pouring and cold rain and decided to enjoy the food and warm up. I sat next to Michelle and we squeezed together to make room for others as well as keep warm. Tim, Michelle, and I started chatting about our ride that morning and one conversation led to another. I was already thinking about how awesome his VeloLab is going to be, what a great training tool, and I know lots of people that would enjoy this! It took me awhile to try this out because the weather was so nice so I rode outdoors any chance I could. My coach scheduled a bike ride for me yesterday but it was too cold for me. I can run in freezing temps but riding a bike is different. This would be a perfect day to check out this new place! 

So as promised here is my review of The VeloLab. 

 222 W 7th Street

New Albany, IN 

(502) 295-1289

www.thevelolab.com

 The VeloLab will help improve the fitness and performance of cyclists whether they are triathletes, competitive cyclists, or just someone that rides for fun. It's equipped with 10 KICKR trainers from Wahoo fitness with plenty of room for expansion in the future. You bring your own bike for each training session but for a small fee you do have the option to store your bike there. These KICKR trainers have a built in power meter and it syncs with different videos and software. I've only been on a CompuTrainer once and these were different. I don't know all the differences, but I had to adjust my own resistance instead of it doing it automatically. Tim will do a FREE test to measure your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). This will give you a baseline of where you're starting from and something you can compare to later on. Having your FTP programmed in will  let you know how hard you SHOULD BE working. Let's face it, when riding at home how many times are you sitting up and taking a drink or checking your phone when you should be sprinting or climbing? I'm guilty!  Well during the ride here there is a bar displayed on the TV screen that gives you your power % and it lets you know when to push harder or back off. You can see other people's info as well so if you want to unleash that "inner cockroach" you can push yourself against other riders. Ideally you want your bar to stay in the green zone- you're working in the correct zone with the program. If it's yellow you need to work a little harder, and if you're in the red then you're pushing it (not always a bad thing). Afterwards your workout data can be emailed to you or automatically uploaded to Strava, TrainingPeaks, and other websites. I didn't bring my Garmin or heart rate (HR) monitor with me, but your HR will be displayed if you're wearing one. I will bring mine along next time along with my 510 so I can see my cadence. 

Here's my Stealth Bomber hooked up to the KICKR. It was odd to remove the rear wheel, but I was impressed how SMOOTH and REAL this felt. I hit my rear brake to stop the wheel (I'm used to my CycleOps trainer at home where the back wheel is moving) and I freaked for just a split second because my brake was out! I felt dumb for a moment since Tim was standing right there, but I'm not the only one that has done that. I added a climbing block to the front wheel to level it out more. There's plenty of fans but be sure to bring a towel because you will need it. 

This was taken after the ride, but I was still playing with different gears and how they felt. Tim is at the computer getting all my data saved under my name.  

I was pretty tired but I felt great! You can see a table against the wall with local information and a variety snacks available for purchase. There is also a small refrigerator with water and various sports drinks for sale as well in case you forget to bring your own. You can freshen up in the bathroom after the ride if you need to.  The walls are blank for now, but a Sufferfest Flag is on it's way to add more style. I know the guys probably couldn't care less, but us ladies have a sense of style and we can't help it.  As you can see in the photo there is plenty of room between riders so you don't have to deal with other people's sweat dripping on you. 

The VeloLab is an official Sufferfest studio and the only one in the area. If you're not familiar with The Sufferfest it's an online website where you can purchase and download awesome cycling videos. You can check out The Sufferfest website here and get more information and watch a few video samples. Anyone can download them but you must have special permission  to use these in a group setting. They will kick your ass. period. I have several downloads that I use at home and they're great, but having that power display and riding with others WILL PUSH YOU HARDER. I want to become a "Dame of Sufferlandria" someday, but you have to ride 10 videos back to back. That's insane but so is riding 112 miles after swimming 2.4 miles then running 26.2 miles... there is something wrong with these people right? I'm not sure how long all the videos are, but I'm not anywhere close to being able to handle that much time in the saddle and I have other priorities right now. 

The video we used yesterday was titled "There Is No Try". It was perfect since I've been on a Star Wars kick for the last week. Below is the profile of the ride. It had a nice long warm up then lots of intervals of climbing or sprinting with each one getting a little harder then a nice cool down. It lasted about 56 minutes and I will ride this one again for sure. These videos have great music and lots of funny cues along with great footage. I cracked up a few times at the different sayings and I pushed harder when Master Yoda said one of his famous quotes "Do or Do Not...There is NO TRY".   The VeloLab also has a great sound system. One bit of advice is IF you're nearsighted you may want to ride in the front row. I couldn't read all my info on the screen, but I was able to see my power bar and my power percentage to know where I needed to be. 

This ride can look intimidating, but don't let it be. ANYONE can do these rides, all you have to do is pedal. You are riding for YOURSELF and working to improve YOUR FITNESS. You can take a break anytime you need to and there will others that can help you if you struggle. This is a great place to ride together and make the time pass quickly and still get in a great ride. 

The VeloLab has lots of video options  and some longer ones are on the way. You can talk to Tim and discuss what you're wanting to do as far as a workout- speed, intervals, climbing power. If it's a small group you can probably pick your workout if everyone agrees. 

They are open everyday except Sunday for now. Monday through Friday they have rides at 5:30pm and 7pm. Saturday they offer rides at 9am. 11am, and 1pm. If you would like to see more details check out their website here or visit their Facebook page. The first ride is FREE along with a FTP test to get a baseline. You can purchase a 10 ride package for $160.

 I will admit I thought $16-18 each session was a little pricey, but if you look at other options in the area it's a good deal. You don't have to spend $800-$2000 for a power meter and another $350-$2000 or more for a really nice trainer. You don't have to purchase the videos and you get to ride with other people and get printed results so you can SEE how much you're improving. 

I can't give a review of the FTP test I mentioned above because I haven't done one lately. I didn't do one at The VeloLab because I already had some data from a previous test this year. BarryS Coaching did a test on me to measure my power and figure out my heart rate training zones for cycling back in January this year. I gave that info to Tim to program into the trainer and see where I'm at. I knew I would be stronger since that test was back in the beginning of the year, but I didn't expect to CRUSH the workout like I did. I was already riding in the red zone most of the ride and I still had more to push. At one point my power was somewhere around 285%. That just means I am stronger and fitter and need a new FTP test. My next ride will be more accurate and not as easy for me after the test. 

Another really  IMPORTANT thing I must add to my increased power is the difference in my bike fit. This doesn't go with the review of VeloLab but I wanted to point out the importance of a fit because it will help your performance all around no matter where you choose to ride.  I had my "bike fit" done at the same place I purchased my bike the day  I picked it up in January. I wasn't pleased with it at all and was so uncomfortable (an around negative experience). Coaches Barry and Mike tested me later that month and we went from there with the data. Since then I've had several bike fits and probably 5 different saddles. My road bike was fitted perfect earlier this year, but I never could get my tri bike just right and figured I just needed to ride more, lose more weight, and suck it up buttercup. WRONG!! I recently had an AMAZING bike fit by Rick Smith at Cycle Smith's and I can really tell the difference. My bike is dialed in perfectly to fit me and I have so much more power and much less discomfort. I'm still breaking in that new seat, but having your bike fit YOU makes a huge difference all around.

Okay, back on track now! I will certainly be returning to The VeloLab for more riding and "Sufferfests". Misery loves company so you should contact The VeloLab and check it out sometime now that it's getting cold outside. I would love to round up all my cycling gals (well I can only grab 9 others) and we can book The VeloLab to ourselves....THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! 

LET'S DO THAT!! WHO'S IN??  

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! What a wonderful and crazy time of the year. It's 84 degrees one day then snowing 4 days later. I love the fall. I love the leaves changing colors and the crispness in air, except when people are burning leaves. There's so much happening this time of the year from football games, road races, haunted houses, bonfires (no leaves please), apple cider, and so much more. I took Momma to see the Halloween jack O'lantern spectacular last night at Iroquois Park in Louisville. It was such a neat sight to see. There was over 5,000 carved and lit pumpkins lining a quarter mile trail complete with sound effects and props like a castle and an old western town. We had a great time once the initial crowd thinned out. Here's just a few shots from last night. 

Dad entered a pumpkin in a contest out at work this week...he won "most creative"! He's so proud of his "Carriage" that he worked on. We know Momma had a hand in it, but Dad worked on it too and got the wheels on it and lit properly. They swiped my old Barbie horse to add to the design and that's a little mouse in the doorway. Way to go Dad!!

Since we don't have any kiddos to dress up I resorted to torturing my kitties. I wonder what they were saying to each other. As adorable as they look they strongly dislike clothes. Baxter even fit into the sweater this year! He wasn't thrilled much either.

 Since I'm getting back on track with eating healthy and all the Halloween candy sitting around everywhere,  I thought I'd share these recipes for Shakeology. I've had several people ask me about this in the last 3 weeks. It's not a protein shake (it does have protein in it) it's dense nutrition. I drink it for breakfast usually, but I will have it as a snack sometimes when training volumes increase. I've don't crave sweets and junk food like I used to because my body is getting the nutrition it wants and needs. It's crazy how much whole foods you would have to eat to get the same nutrition in one glass. The biggest difference I notice is I don't get sick like I used to anymore. If you're interested in learning more about this visit my Beachbody page at www.teambeachbody.com/topgunjen. I may host a "Shakeology bar" at my house sometime so people can come and sample it and try it different ways. I didn't like it at first, but once I figured out how to mix it I LOVE IT! Salted Caramel is my new favorite flavor and it isn't listed below so here's the recipe for that one.

1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
1 c unsweetened almond milk (or whatever base you like)
1 tsp caramel extract
7-8 cubes ice (whatever you like)
few cranks sea salt then blend.

Speaking of blending what do you use to make smoothies? I have a Magic Bullet and it works pretty well, but I have ice cubes from an ice tray and it has a hard time chewing those up. It's also VERY LOUD!! I guess the sound is amplified since I'm in the back bathroom with the door shut blending at 5:30 am trying to be quiet so Nathan can sleep. Any better suggestions?

Have a fun and safe Halloween!!

Badass is Beautiful

Hello! I'm sorry for the disappearance lately. To sum up what's been happening it's been a busy month. I needed time to myself to refocus and get back on track. I sometimes feel like I'm on a ride and I want off but I can't find the stop button. Ever have that feeling?

Today I decided to go for a run outside even though it was a rain and snow mix. I wanted to be outside to clear my mind. I squeezed into my CWX compression running tights and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as difficult to put these on this year. I'd say putting on and taking off a wetsuit  and losing weight on the 21 Day Fix made a difference. Nathan didn't have to get the crowbar or call the fire department! I didn't even lay on the bed and scream. For those of you that don't know, CWX is just really tight tights with built in compression and crazy color panels that support joints and muscles.

As I mentioned above about losing weight I lost 6 lbs and 10.5" doing one round of the 21 day fix. I took a break from it (planned only 1 week- ended up being 3 weeks) but I'm back on track again. I took the break because I was tired of planning and prepping so much. I have since found a FB support group with tons of ideas and makes it so much easier to follow the plan now. I want to get back to eating healthy because I felt so much better. I still have some extra pounds to shed to prep for the upcoming race season so here's to starting over again!

One of the thoughts that crossed my mind today was applying to be a "Betty". One of my favorite designers was taking applications to join their team for 2015. I'm sure thousands applied and my chances are slim but I did it anyways. Today was the last day to submit an application, and while running I thought to myself "why not me". This year didn't turn out like I planned at all due to so many injuries, but I pushed through and continued on. That's badass. I worry too much about my size and what I look like in tri shorts...we all look like compressed sausages in casings (unless your a few of the lucky ones that does tris for a living)! The fact we put on spandex and get our arses out there and move is amazing and deserves credit. I love the saying "Be brave when you're scared, be strong when you're weak, be badass everyday" because it's true and that's what we do! Badass is beautiful!!  You probably can't see it on the top of my helmet, but there is a phoenix painted on it. That is a perfect representation of me. I was broken and burned this season and now i'm building myself back up from the ashes to a better and stronger me. I'm so thankful to have such awesome friends and family that understand (mostly) and even if they think i'm insane still love and support me.

I really hope I do get selected to represent Betty Designs, that would be awesome! You can check out their website at www.bettydesigns.com if you're interested in some great gear.

Here's to being badass everyday and living to tell about it!

A busy 2 weeks but LOTS of great things happening.

I'm alive and well! That is what my Uncle John Eiler always says and it pretty much sums things up. I've had lots going on over the last couple of weeks. Let's start with the weekend of September 7th. I raced my first "normal" triathlon in Lexington, KY. By normal I mean it was in usual order of swim, bike, run. All the tri's I have done this year have been in reverse order due to the cold temperatures. My first race was 16 degrees...you don't want to be soaking wet and riding and running outside. Anyways, this recent race was "Tri for Sight" and it was at Spindletop Country Club. I raised money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and raced with Team in Training. This was my first experience with this group and I will say training and racing for charity takes you to another level.

Nathan went with me to cheer and support me. This was also important to me because it was my first tri coming back from several injuries that would take a normal athlete out for the entire season. NOT ME! Anyone that knows me personally knows I'm far from normal. I will post a race recap sometime soon so if you want lots of details about me race be sure to check that out. Overall, this was such a fun race and I felt great. I leaned a lot of things that will help me in future races. Not only did I have my husband there with me, but my dear BFF (best fish friend) Bill and his wife Lisa drove up just to cheer me on and take LOTS of photos. I felt like a celebrity racing from my friends taking photos to random strangers yelling "GO TEAM" since I was wearing a Team In Training kit (racing outfit). Nathan was near the finish line cheering me on and gave me that final push to the end. My Coach Mike and my friends were waiting for me at the finish line as well. It was awesome! I'm so sad that the season is coming to an end for now, but excited to prep and get ready for next year. It's going to be my year and i'll be ready. GAME ON! 

A week after the Tri for Sight was Nathan's favorite race of the year. He didn't say that, but I know it is. He's ran this road race every year for 12 years or maybe longer. It's called the Lanesville Heritage Road Race. It's a 5 mile run/walk or 8 mile run. Nathan always does the 8 mile run and I'm so proud of him. He eats hills for breakfast and they don't slow him down at all. I started off doing the 5 mi walk then over the years increased to the run. For the last 2 years I wanted to do the 8 mile run but would chicken out the week of and change my registration. NOT THIS YEAR! I took on the 8 mile run using a run/walk strategy my Coach and I worked out. I felt great and still had gas in the tank at the end. I wasn't the fastest but I'm proud of myself and happy. The last two miles I really surprised myself because I was running between a 10:20-10:40 minute mile which is fast for me at this time. This was the longest run since 3-22-14 so I was elated! It's awesome to race without something broken or torn! 

Here's a pre race picture of Nathan and me. I tell him he's a dork for wearing the sweatband, but he doesn't care. Maybe if I swipe one of his bands I will charge up those hills as well? Again I will post a race recap if you want details so stay tuned for that. 

Getting more recent and caught up (this week) big changes as well. I had a minor foot surgery so i'm home recovering today. I had a lesion removed from the ball of my foot. It was annoying over the last year and I had to keep having it trimmed down so it didn't hurt when I walked (or raced). It's small but deep so I have some sutures and need to stay off my foot a bit.  All three kitties are taking turns sitting with me and keeping me warm and cozy. This is Sir Purrs A Lot.

Lastly and probably the biggest change is I started the 21 Day Fix. It's been all over Facebook and blogs. If you haven't heard of it don't worry I will tell you all about it and review it as I go along. Basically the eating plan is a balanced diet and uses containers for portion control. You have a 30 minute workout to do everyday and it varies day to day. I didn't eat too bad before but I would eat too many carbs and fruit and not enough protein and veggies. I ate too large of a meal (usually one big meal a day) and too much sugar. I could feel my body crash and the mid day slump take over and I was so tired during workouts. I workout a lot more than some people but my body didn't show it. I was tired of looking at myself and instead of thinking "wow, you just ran 8 miles and are still smiling" I would say something about how big I looked and threatened Nathan not to post those pics online. I don't want to be skinny- there is such a thing as "skinny fat" but I want to be healthy and strong. Okay- yes I want to look good in spandex as well but not the main point. Anyways, I have my weekly meal plan on the fridge and it's going great. My first impression of the 21 day fix was "I'm gonna starve!" but that isn't the case at all...I have to force myself to eat everything. YOU WILL NOT STARVE. I don't even feel hungry or sluggish so I think I have my meal plan pretty balanced. I will give updates and more info on the 21 day Fix in another post. If you're interested in learning more right now please checkout my Beachbody website here. I know it doens't look like much below, but BIG things come in SMALL packages. Nathan is somewhat following the plan with me. We both took before photos (i'm not brave enough to post mine here yet) and took our pre weight and body measurements.  Let's see how this goes! 

Happy Fall Y'All!! 

What are your favorite things about the Fall? 

Recovery- a hidden discipline

Sometimes we spend so much time and effort on what we're doing that we forget to sit back and relax. You don't have to be an athlete to be guilty of that. Recovery is so important yet it is overlooked. I go thru spells where my insomnia is terrible and will sleep less than 12 over 4 or 5 days then try to catch up on the weekend. I know those weeks my body simply cannot heal itself and i'm prone to more injuries. Once I went to the YMCA to run the path after work. I opened my car door and placed one foot on the ground while I fumbled with my spare key and getting my headphones untangled. I think there is a ghost that goes around and ties knots in headphones because no matter how carefully I coil them they're in a knotted mess. Anyways, I was exhausted and decided to close my eyes for just a moment and visualize how great my run will be. I woke up OVER AN HOUR LATER with my car door still open and one leg hanging out of my car!! Nobody came over to check my pulse?? It was almost dark and past time for dinner so I ended up leaving and not running.

  How much recovery time you need is varied person to person and if your prone to injury or not. Some people can sleep very little and function "normal" where some pro triathletes sleep 10-12 hours a day- no joke! I know some people can put in 15-20 hours of training in a week or more and feel fine where some of us need time more time to heal and recover. You have to learn what works for YOU! Listen to your body and train smarter not harder.  I am trying to make a comeback in the triathlon world and i'm doing everything I can to prevent injury. It's been a tough year for me, but i've learned so much and i'm coming back stronger than I was before. I have my first "normal" triathlon this weekend. I've completed several tri's but they were in reverse order where the swim (indoors) was last...and it was 16 degrees outside! I've been trying to squeeze in an extra run and swim in this week just to prepare myself for this race. I've put in the training and I just need to trust myself and RELAX. Life is hectic and we go go go all the time. You need to set aside some time for yourself to relax...get a massage or pedicure if you enjoy that, check out a yoga class,  or maybe just watch your favorite movie and enjoy some popcorn with a loved one. Whatever you do just RELAX and enjoy. I planned to run with my running pal, Carrie, tomorrow but my coach told me to stay off my legs to prepare for Sunday's race. I will listen to him and go for an easy swim tomorrow and maybe splurge for a pedicure to match either my racing outfit (Purple for Team In Training) or my bike!

     I have been using some really great products over the last few months and especially this week to help me with my recovery. Some of this stuff is geared mostly towards athletes, but anyone can use and benefit from the products below. I am not paid or sponsored by any of these companies so the following reviews are my own personal thoughts and two cents. You will be able to click on the name of each product to visit their website for more information. If you have a question about a product, chances are i've tried it over the last year or so, comment below and I will give you a review if I can. 

110% Shin/calf sleeves with ice

 

These are double lined compression sleeves (not shown) that you can put ice packs in. They're used to prevent swelling and reduce inflammation. 110% also has compression shorts and sleeves for elbows, knees, quads/hamstrings, and other great products. The bag you see is a insulated bag that I put my ice packs in for travel so you can ice your muscles right after a race. Again, these are geared towards athletes but someone that is on their feet all day would benefit from this. Depending on what you order you measure yourself (in my case my calves) and order the appropriate size suggested. The compression alone feels good on my legs and you can run/bike in these. The ice feels great and stays right where I want it. The double lined sleeve is a barrier so the ice pack isn't against bare skin (I gave myself a frostbite back in March with a GEL pack) so it's safe to wear for longer periods. They stay pretty cold for awhile unless you have a cat resting on your shins. I've used these many many times and I haven't had to replace the ice packs yet. You simply soak them in water, wipe off, then freeze until ready to use. You don't have to soak them every time, but when they seem to "deflate" it's time to soak. It came with 2 small and 2 large packs to use. To save money you could just ice yourself down good then wear some less expensive compression sleeves, but these are handy and I would purchase them again. They cost around $75 the website but look for coupon codes to save.  I will probably stick to laying on my family size bag of frozen peas for the other areas I need to ice instead of ordering the shorts or thigh sleeves. I just have to tell hubby to stop eating my therapy peas! 

Arctic Ease Cold Wraps vs Gel Packs

This can be purchased at CVS. I have mixed feelings about this product. The first time I tried this I disliked it strongly because it wasn't that much of a cooling effect (I opened it up in the parking lot), it was slimy, and I couldn't get it to stay around my hips to help my lower back. I rolled it up, added water, and tossed it in my fridge and forgot about it over the last couple of months. I knew I dug this out again this week to give it another try. It felt much better being chilled in fridge, but it was still somewhat slimy. I wrapped it tightly around my right leg to get the compression benefits and tucked the corner in at the top. It stayed in place fine and the cold felt good. They're not as cold as ice but lasted longer than the gel packs and stayed cold over an hour..??? It dries out and feels like you're unwrapping a mummy but you just roll it back up on the little plastic rod and add a little bit of water to the bottle. Place it back in the fridge and it will be ready to use again. I've used this one twice now so we will see how long it lasts. I have a $2 off coupon so I will eventually purchase another one. They price range is between $11-16 depending on where you shop, coupons, rewards, etc. I could use my regular gel packs but this is nice to get compression AND 360 degrees of cold therapy AND be able to move around. 

Primal Sport Mud

This stuff is awesome. I copied the information below because I couldn't explain what it is or how it works any simpler. You apply a thin layer to the sore area then apply heat. I wrap my legs in cheap saran wrap so my towel doesn't get stained, then place either a heating pad on the area or wrap my legs in a heated blanket. My cat, Sir Purrs A Lot, loves to help me apply heat and heal my legs- such a good boy! It is very messy as you can see and can stain clothing so watch. Another option is getting into a hot bath to soak with or without the saran wrap. After about 15-20 minutes just wash it away. It stained my skin somewhat since i'm fair complected, but it just looked like self tanner gone wrong and wore off within a day. I think I left it on longer than 20 minutes now that I think about it. Ha! It didn't have a smell to it really- yes I sniffed my hands after rubbing it on my legs.

If you have see a chiropractor or physical therapist and have access to an ultrasound device you can use this Primal Mud in place of the contact gel they usually use because the heat . I have been using this product since March trying to heal a partially torn Achilles tendon along with some other injuries. It does help the soreness greatly so I keep using it. I bought a huge bottle, but you can get a small one because it lasts longer than you would think. You can purchase this at Fleet Feet if you're local. I'm  thinking Pacer's and Racer's may carry this as well now if you're on the Indiana side. I will find out for you and how much (I'm thinking around $25)!  If not check online for retailers near you. I found it cheaper to purchase in store than to use an online coupon code due to the cost of shipping. It's a mess but worth the hassle and I plan to be using it more often and take it with me to doctor appointments.  I will purchase another bottle once I run out of this. 

What is it?

Go Natural

Primal Sport Mud is a natural alternative for quick recovery. It contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives, scents or stimulants - just extracts from ancient plant matter. This primal organic matter is naturally powerful: it provides a stabilized source of electrolytes and antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. This helps the human body get back into fighting shape, naturally. There's simply nothing else like it on the market!

How does it work?

When heat is applied to Primal Sport Mud, its jet black color and molecular structure absorb and convert the heat into beneficial infrared energy - which stimulates micro circulation. Improved circulation removes toxins and speeds up recovery so you can spend less time being sore and more time doing what moves you! Primal Sport Mud is all-natural, raw and exactly what your body needs.

Several options here for you to try out but a good ol ice bath or massage can help those tired achy muscles feel refreshed as well. Ice baths can be brutal but so can my pal Sara when I tell her "you can't hurt me" as she's getting a trigger point to release! I hope you find something above useful in your recovery and you take time to rest and relax as well. Happy Friday!! 

What do you use for recovery? Do you like pedicures? 

First Recipe and hard lesson learned

Happy Friday everyone! I have a new recipe to share with you all. I found this on a Facebook group post for Team Beach Body. I only made half a batch in case they didn't fancy my taste buds. It's a really simple and quick recipe. These actually taste delicious BUT they are very calorie dense so you can't eat the whole batch (unless you put in a lot of miles). The rest of the batch is on the counter just in case you were wondering.

"Power Balls"

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Vanilla Shakeology, but you can use chocolate as well)

1 C oats (Quaker Quick)

1 C natural peanut butter or almond butter (I used Jif natural)

1/4 c raw honey (local from bee farm in Corydon)

Mix, roll, chill, and enjoy. Yep! It's that simple

If you are interested in the nutrition facts here you go (based on my ingredients): 1 bite = 104 cal, 11g carbs, 6g fat, 4g protein, and 7g sugar. Half a batch yields 12 balls using Pampered Chef small scoop. 

I'm looking forward to trying these out tomorrow before my bike ride and brick run. I struggle with pre workout nutrition and hydration. Well, actually I need to work on the nutrition thing as a whole but that's another post. What do you like to eat before workouts? What do you usually use during the workout?  Post workout I enjoy chocolate milk in my cool stainless steel Brooks Running tumbler. It's like a treat and reward all in one. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Now for the hard lesson learned today. You MUST plan your workouts based on a lot factors such as time, date, work schedule, and so on. It's also important to plan for the weather as well. I am a night owl and always have been and I do well to drag myself out of bed for work let alone earlier to train. My husband and I have different work schedules so I try to spend time with him whenever I can. Sometimes that means training later in the day on weekends and  I have skipped scheduled workouts just to see Nathan. That is going to have to change in many ways if I'm going to become an Ironman. 

Today I didn't get started on my run until almost 1 pm. It didn't feel nearly as hot as it has been lately and there was a slight breeze. I didn't have much to eat beforehand other than a Honey Stinger Waffle and some apple sauce. I had my coffee earlier that morning but that was it. I started my run slow and easy as always and had my hydration belt on so I had plenty of fluids, some nutrition, and my phone just in case. I was around mile 2 when I started getting a throbbing headache and felt hazy. I attributed it to the heat and running on the road with little shade. I went to wipe my snotty nose like usual and there was lots of blood! I never get nose bleeds or have sinus problems. I panicked and texted some of my running friends and my coach for help. I didn't have good service so I couldn't get Google to load...WebMd would have probably told me something like my brain was bleeding so it's best to stay off those pages. 

I rested in a shady spot, hydrated more and cooled my core temp by placing my somewhat frozen water bottles on my wrist. I felt okay and the bleeding stopped so I proceeded with caution. I made it another half mile then my nose started bleeding again the headache returned. I turned around and mostly walked the 2.5 miles back to my car. I was so frustrated but I blame the heat and as my coach mentioned chronic dehydration. This was the first time my nose was bleeding and it honestly scared me. It's too hot to run at 1 pm!! I felt fine once I got back to my car so I went to the local YMCA for an easy swim. The heat must have zapped me because the swim wasn't as easy as last time, but I managed. 

After I cleaned up I treated myself to a huge grilled chicken salad (I could have eaten 2 of these if I had time) then went to The Natual Touch Salon and Spa so my friend could give me an awesome sports massage. I was long overdue! I feel great this evening so I think I just became overheated quickly. I will be back out there again tomorrow but It will be early. 

It's so BEAUTIFUL in the country!! I cannot wait until we build our dream home here someday. 

Have a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend!! What are your plans??

If everyone was jumping off a bridge...

Greetings! I'm so happy that several people have checked out my blog today! I have lots of stuff i'm working on, but I need my computer genius brother to help me get the tabs and links working. I hope to get a recipe and product review up soon. Is there anything in particular that you would like a review on? If you click on the tab above that says "favorite gear" you will notice that I am a gadget and gear junkie.

Today was an encouraging day in many ways. I had a longer lunch break so I decided to go for a run. With the heat index near 100 degrees I decided to run on the deadmill at the YMCA. I had a great run and even managed to muster out some sprints on the treadmill. I didn't have any pain in my leg or back at all and it's just amazing how the body can heal itself. I was petty winded and had to walk off and on but overall I kept my cadence up (fast feet) and worked on great form. I was finishing up my workout and running all out for 30 seconds -1 minute then resting and doing it again several times. The gentleman next to me asked me if I did the "ironrun" this weekend. I was flattered that he thought I could even be capable of such a task. I told him no, but was considering it for next year. He was very encouraging and uplifting. After my run I went to the mat to stretch extra good. I was doing some yoga poses because they feel good and help me refocus. A random lady came over and asked me when I taught yoga classes and how she's been wanting to try it out. Again, I was flattered and humored at the same time. I am the last person that should teach yoga for many reasons!! I offered her my yoga class suggestions and off I went to search for food. After running for an hour you're pretty picky about what you put back into your system.

After work I met up with my Team In Training group for dinner. If you're not familiar with Team In Training (TNT) they're an awesome group that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This is my first season with them and it's been good. I'm going to be racing the Tri for Sight in a couple of weeks in Lexington, KY with them. Anyways, the highlight of the night was sitting across from pro triathlete Thomas Gerlach!! He raced Ironman Louisville this weekend and took the second place win only 16 seconds behind the winner Chris "Big Sexy" McDonald. Thomas's overall time was 8:41:07- for 140.6 miles in 100 degree heat. WoW!! It was so cool to talk to him see the triathlon world through his eyes. It was a great evening up until the kitchen at the restaurant caught on fire!! Most of us got our order but Thomas and one of our coaches didn't. They had to close the kitchen down and was only serving greasy pizza for the next few hours. Did I mention in a previous post that crazy stuff happens when i'm nearby??

I was so tempted to register tonight for next year's IM race, but my checkbook won't support a race entry this week so I have to wait. Several friends are already registered and I'm just trying to play it safe since the cost today will be the same 4 days before the race. I'm waiting for someone to say to me "If everyone was jumping off a bridge would you jump too?" I would reply something along the lines of "Heck NO!! There's water under a bridge.... oh wait, I can swim now!! YES! I would jump and yell cannonball at the top of my lungs!" YOLO &  LETS DO THIS!!! I would LOVE to have your support and encouragement along this journey.


What is your favorite snack? I love fruit but I hate cutting up melons and kiwi.
Do you like gadgets when you workout or prefer not knowing? Both. I love the data but sometimes I like to just go by feel. 

The "Witching" Hour

     Ironman Louisville weekend has concluded. For those of you who are not familiar with an Ironman, it is the beast of the triathlon world. You swim 2.4 miles in the Ohio River, bike 112 miles through hilly horse country, then top it off with a (full marathon) 26.2 mile run all in 17 hours. I know people always ask first "why would anyone want to do that let alone pay lots of money to punish yourself"?

I can't explain why and I can't figure out what draws me to this like a bug to a zapper...nice analogy huh?

I was doing  the same thing last night as I was one year ago and that was watching the live feed from Fourth Street Live on my laptop. I'm so inspired by these amazing athletes and yesterday was almost 100 degrees so it was brutal out there on top of a tough course. 

     

     The last hour of the race is know as "the witching hour" but honestly this is my favorite time to watch and these athletes inspire me the most. These people have been out on the course since 7am (actually 4 or 5am prepping) and they've been going strong for almost 17 hours. At 11:30 pm last night there was still over 100 people out on the course. Some runners looked like the walking dead while others did the "pimp walk". That didn't matter because they had a mindset and kept moving forward. You MUST cross that finish line before 12:00:00 because when the clock strikes midnight the party is over...well they turn off the loud music but the crowd is still there cheering and perhaps even louder than before until that last person crosses the line. People were running in with only seconds to spare while some crossed 5 minutes after the cutoff.

 This is a photo from the finish line last year. They changed the color of the runner to red and black this year. This year it was packed down there!! I get chills looking at this picture. The Ironman Louisville race is scheduled for October 11th next year so the temperature may be more favorable for racing, but i'm sure October will have it's own struggles as well as August. I don't care what time of the year you race 140.6 miles is a LONG HAUL.

Am I registering for next year?  Good question. I've learned a few hard lessons this racing season so I will play it safe. I am going to start training for this, but I will hold off on giving them my money until much closer to time. If the race sells out I will know it wasn't meant to be.  A couple of my friends have already pulled the trigger and registered. BOOM!!

The bike and marathon scares me some because I haven't ran 26.2 miles (yet) or biked that far with lots of hills but you train for it and learn to adapt as you become stronger. It's called an Ironman for a reason. However, the 2.4 miles of swimming terrifies me. It will likely be wetsuit legal so being able to wear a wetsuit in the river will help give me peace of mind and help me swim faster. You can't sink in one of those, but I still have to brave the open water and 2,500 of my friends zipping along. Below are a couple of photos from the swim start. I feel nauseous just looking at them so I have a long way to go.

What is the craziest thing that you have done or would like to do??  Ironman Louisville 2015
What is your biggest fear? Open water swimming, spiders, and wet hairballs. 

How it all got started

      I still consider myself a newbie triathlete even though I've been in a local triathlon club for a year now. I got started with running after my husband, Nathan, completed his first half marathon in 2011. I was so proud of him and inspired that I told him that day I was running the half marathon in 2012. I joined Weight Watchers and started running. It wasn't pretty at all. I couldn't run a quarter of a mile without almost retching or passing out.

     As the weight came off (52 lbs) and I worked at running I became stronger and healthier. I ran/walk my first half marathon in April of 2012 as I said I would. This race meant so much to me and I wasn't going to let anything stop me...even a hit 'n run by a Mini Cooper three weeks before the race!
This photo is from Nathan's first race (2011) and I still tell him he looks like a nerd wearing a sweatband. Maybe if I wear one of these I'll run fast like him???

  This is me in 2012 after I finished my first Derby Half Marathon and earned my first medal. On many training runs I couldn't believe I actually paid $$ to torture myself, but after the race I found myself looking for my next race. Crazy. 

     Unfortunately some health issues got in the way and I gained some weight back and slacked off on my running. I had to start over again and build back up. I became a certified Spinning instructor and started working at the YMCA to mix up the running, and I am still currently teaching classes.  After teaching indoor cycling for awhile I decided to start riding my Trek Fx Hybrid outside. I love riding my bike in the beautiful country. This photo below was taken when I rode over 10 miles and I was so pleased. I kinda wish I still had that bike. I sold it to a sweet girl (who is still riding this bike) over in Louisville. I actually passed her a few weeks ago while out riding...it was crazy! I sold it because I was told (by husband) you don't need more than one bike- BAD ADVICE haha!

     So now I run and bike. I have had a fascination with triathletes for a long time and it was in July of 2013 that I decided I wanted to become one myself. I did lots of research and online stalking to learn more about this sport. I watched the live feed for Ironman Louisville on my laptop on a Sunday in late August. I was mesmerized. 140.6 miles non stop in one day??? WoW! I remember watching a girl (that was about my size) run down the finish line chute and fall on her face. The girl in front of her turned around and helped her up and they both crossed the finish line. I had tears while watching this and was so inspired. NEVER GIVE UP!! I joined the local tri team (Louisville Landsharks) the following week.

     I went to my first group bike ride within a week and it was great. A crazy guy named Carlos was very helpful and taught me some riding skills. I can't say how many times I almost crashed trying to unclip my foot from the pedals. It was hard to keep up but it was a good push. I decided to upgrade my bike to a road bike like the others because they made it look so effortless (good decision). I went to the Mayor's Labor Day "Hike Bike and Paddle" and rode quite a bit with my new bike. It was terrifying because of all the people and I wasn't very steady. Somehow I managed to keep both wheels down, but I didn't bring any nutrition with me and had only one water bottle. I was scorched due to the heat, but we had a "brick" run after the bike ride. I learned what a brick was the hard way which is where you run immediately off the bike. I was dying!! It was so hot. I met a fellow teammate named Jessie that day. I owe her bigtime. She is the one who introduced me to my swim coach, Mike.

     I hated water. I despised the thought of swimming and just the smell of chlorine made me panic or want to retch. I first met with Mike on September 6th, 2013. I posted on facebook how nervous I was about swimming. The more I thought about it the more I became nervous and almost made a run for it back to the women's locker room. Just as I was about to make my break this tall guy said "hey Jennifer" with a smile. Dang. I can't run now. Mike and I talked for awhile before we hopped in the water which somewhat helped. He asked me to swim for him so he could see where to start. I tried my best to doggie paddle and not choke, and Mike knew right away the first lesson will be how to breath. I started out just putting my face in the water and blowing bubbles...so simple yet effective. Within one hour I could travel 25 meters...it wasn't freestyle but I was in water AND moving.

      I remember telling Mike that I was going to do Ironman Muncie 70.3 in July 2014 (10 months away). I could tell he was shocked but impressed that I even had the nerve to attempt it. I had A LOT of work to do. He gave me a highfive and we scheduled a lesson almost every Friday for awhile. Swimming was the hardest thing to learn because I was so terrified, but my new BFF (Best Fish Friend) Bill was so supportive and even took some lessons himself from Mike. It is great to have a pal that understands. I'm wearing the black cap in picture below. This was at the  Shelbyville Tri #1 (click here for race report).

     Now I swim (slightly better than a drowning spastic cat), bike and run! WooHoo! Lot of training to do, but time to start picking out my races! I better sign up for some short distance triathlons before tacking a half Ironman. My first race  was the Shelbyville Triathlon series starting in January and one race over the next 3 months. I registered for the tri series, Papa Johns 10 miler, the Derby half marathon, and few other races including Ironman Muncie! I was sitting on my couch with an ice pack on my left ankle when registering for all these races. I had what I thought was only a sprained ankle...who knew the cascade of injuries began with that. We will get into injuries in a different post, but these injuries rerouted my triathlon and racing plans for most of the season.

Welcome!!

     Welcome to my blog! I am new at blogging so this may take some time to figure out, but once I get everything going I hope it is a website you visit on a regular basis. I plan to discuss lots of topics pertaining to swimming, biking, and running but you don't have to participate in any or all to find this info useful or just plain funny. I will talk about everything from strength training, injury prevention, and recovery to sharing healthy and quick recipes and product reviews along with MUCH more.

     I am a triathlete and I will share details about my training, race reports, upcoming events, and LOTS of funny stories. Those who know me personally know that CRAZY stuff always happens to me so be prepared! I've wanted to have a blog for a long time and i've finally decided it's time. I hope to inspire and motivate others along with providing some awesome information. I need the accountability from my readers to help me reach my goals so that is where YOU will help me as well. I hope you will enjoy reading this blog as much as I will writing it!