nikki's blog

Blog Move

2008-06-02T16:54:00.002-04:00

Please visit me here: Nikki's Training Blog

Thanks! See you at Sweat365

Happy Commuter

2008-05-05T08:06:00.002-04:00

I've been trying to take advantage of the outdoors since we have finally found some nice weather here in Lexington, KY. We've been really blessed with some warm sunny days lately. Kelty has been enjoying some daily sunbathing on the deck and some longer walks with me, too.

I've also been riding my bike to work when I can. I actually drive a lot for my job, and having to meet an at home client across town within 10 minutes of my last appointment makes riding my bike difficult sometimes. I also can't carry my 40lb massage table on my back while I ride a bike (not yet at least). However, when I only have to go to the gym and back I can easily ride the 8 miles to get there. It only takes about 10-15 minutes longer than in the car, too. I even caught up with my friend, Beth last week who was on her way back to work at UK from a ride. Since we were headed in the same direction we rode most of the way in to town. It's always nice having company.

Along with my bike commuting, I have been trying to walk to the grocery store, too. Now this should always be very easy because it's less than a half of a mile away. The reusable grocery bags make it easy to tote heavy bags, too. It's also a great time to catch up on some podcasts.

I have found that not only is commuting good on the environment and the wallet, it is good on the spirit, too. It's so much less stressful than sitting in the car waiting for stoplights to change, getting cut off by impatient drivers, or being that impatient driver behind someone driving 10mph under the speed limit. When I walk or ride I can travel at whatever speed I choose (unless I'm late) and enjoy my surroundings. I always arrive at my destination happier and more relaxed than after sitting in the car. I guess that's what those endorphins will do to you.

Bike Lexington is a month long celebration of all things cycling. There are races, special events, and group rides. I was on the website this morning and noticed the "Commuter Challenge Week" May 12-16. Each time you commute you increase your chances of winning a commuter bike that will be raffled off at the end of the week. Check it out: Bike Lexington 2008

Country Music Half Marathon Race Report

2008-04-28T14:09:00.004-04:00

Gary and I left Lexington around 11:30am. On time, for once. We got to Nashville, went straight to the expo and were in and out in less than an hour. We even got to see Denise Austin up close and personal. Now that's not someone you see every day. We escaped the expo just as the lines started to form.

Off to the hotel. Oh dear. After hours spent on travel websites and hotels.com I picked a total crapper. It smelled worse than my feet after a marathon, and the noise from the highway was deafening. (I know I'm complaining, but I actually slept on the floor of the bathroom for a few hours to try to get some rest and relief from the noise) I even put the empty bags from my Luna Moons on the pillow next to me so I could smell the sweet smell of blueberries instead of rancid feet.

We woke up in the morning to some pretty serious rainfall. (this is the last complaint of this report, I promise) It was expected, and it also looked like it wasn't going to last the entire morning. After taking the shuttle to the start line, and waiting in the long line for the potty, Gary and I met up with Jill in Corral 4. It stopped raining! A few anxious minutes later we were off. I was glad to have found Jill as we had planned to run the first 11 together. Then she and Gary would split off and run the rest of the full marathon.

I felt comfortable with our pace for the first few miles, but at mile 2 I realized it was because it was around an 8:30 pace. A little slower than I planned, but I felt like I could make it up. I really enjoy running a race with my friend and husband. It makes the miles go by a lot faster. We walked 30 seconds through each aid station and I was feeling great until mile 8 when Gary told me I was no longer allowed to walk through the aid stations. I heard this as "you're off pace, pick it up, no more fun". It was what I needed to hear because I did have a goal of 1:45 in mind. So we picked it up until mile 11. Gary and Jill went to the left and I went to the right. It was a little sad to see them go, but I was SO grateful not to have to keep up with the two of them for another 15 miles. I only had 2 to go! I kept seeing the flag for the 1:45 pace group getting closer and closer. I told myself I'd be happy with 1:47, but each time we turned a corner the flag seemed that much more reachable. I really think I gave the race my all, and I think I ran smart. I guess I could have run faster in the beginning, but I like the way I ran, and still reached my goal. I crossed the finish line in 1:45:18.

The crowd support was fantastic, and the bands were great. The course was a little more rolling than I expected, but it helped me to really enjoy the downhills. I highly recommend this race to anyone, first timer, or not. After I got through the finish line, food, etc. I headed to the marathon finish line which is just a few steps from where I finished. I picked up my gear and realized that the car was probably pretty close to where I was and set out on a search that only took a few minutes. One huge benefit to running a half marathon compared to running a full marathon is that you can actually move around afterwards. I got to the car, changed my clothes and headed back to the finish line to watch the finishers and wait for Gary and Jill. The convenience of the race, and gear check, and parking for this event was all really great.

Gary and Jill came through at 3:46. A PR for Jill by 6 seconds. I don't think she was too pleased, but considering she ran with me for a few 7:30 miles during the first half I think she had an awesome race. She is going to rock Chicago. The fact that Gary can run a marathon on a whim and run 3:46 is absolutely amazing to me. How do I get to that?

Splits from my watch:

mile 1 - 8:26
mile 2 - 8:28
mile 3 - 8:26
mile 4 - 8:09
mile 5 - 7:46
mile 6 - 8:11
mile 7 - 8:17
mile 8 - 8:08
mile 9 - 7:32
mile 10 - 7:30
mile 11 - 7:50
mile 12 - 7:57
mile 13.1 - 8:38

Actual race splits:

5k - 26:13 (8:27 pace)
6 mi - 49:28 (8:14 pace)
10 mi - 1:20:54 (8:05 pace)
13.1 (finish) 1:45:18 (8:02 pace)

Ready for Derby, er uh, Nahsville

2008-04-22T16:22:00.004-04:00

So I got an email last week stating that the Derby Marathon and Half Marathon were closed. Which was fine with me since I had registered months ago...or so I thought. Turns out I never registered! Oops! So I started thinking about doing the Pig, but it's a week later. Then I started thinking about Nashville. Jill is going and running the full marathon, so I'd have a friend to go with. Lucky me, my wonderful Gary is coming with me, too! Nashville is a good race, nice course, lots of support. It's just not what I had planned.

The taper is going well. I feel like crap as usual, but I've been able to get some rest. I think it will take a few more days of feeling out of shape and slow and I'll start feeling like I might actually be able to run a half marathon. KY allergy season is in full swing as well, so that adds to the crappiness feeling. As far as tapers go however, it hasn't been so bad. I'm not super crabby at least.

I feel prepared for this race. I've had some great workouts with the girls, and I feel like I've been running pretty strong. I have a goal of 1:45:xx for this weekend. I think it is a reasonable goal. Last year at Derby I went 1:50:xx and I was pretty happy with that. I think I might be in better running shape this year, though. We'll see! It should be a good day.

There are a few things I still need to do before we leave Friday. One of which is coming up with a race strategy. I will definitely use the run/walk plan, probably walking 30 seconds through the aid stations. I'm assuming aid stations are about every mile. Have I mentioned that I'm really glad this is only a half???

How can you miss that?

2008-04-01T08:10:00.000-04:00

Quit whining it's only winter!

2008-02-21T19:08:00.006-05:00

Lately I've been trying to complain less. It's something that I do everyday, and I'm sure more than I even realize. I don't know how well I'm doing, but I figure that the more I work on it, or am aware of it the better it will get. That being said I'm going to un-complain myself through this blog.

This morning as I dressed in layers upon layers to brave the 15 degree temp with 4 degree wind chill I wondered how many miles it would take me to warm up. Standing outside with the group for the few seconds before we took off I heard someone say something about Chicago and I thought of my poor friend, Jeannie. I talked to Jeannie on the phone last night and we talked a bit about running and how she has had to do most of her training on the treadmill. Yuck! I told her how it was pretty cold here but I've only had to do a few treadmill runs because of the weather. Lucky me! February in Kentucky can be pretty messy, but what would I do if I couldn't train outside for months?!? Still...I can't wait for spring!!!

This is usually the time of year that I get the winter blahs and find myself unmotivated and a bit lazy compared to the rest of the year. It's really an easy season to be this way. This year I have been trying to vary my training by staying more balanced in all of the components of fitness. Obviously with the sport that I have chosen there is a lot of emphasis put on my cardiovascular endurance. I am still maintaining fitness in that area, but my flexibility (thanks to Yoga) and muscular strength and muscular endurance are also much better than last year. Hopefully this will result in a better race than last year's Derby Half Marathon. Last year was great, but it would be nice to PR.

Tomorrow is Friday which I usually take off from running. This is a good thing because as I sit here and type I am listening to the rain outside. Rain that will most likely freeze into an ugly messy ice storm overnight. But who cares because I don't run tomorrow anyway!

One benefit of crappy weather is that there's more time for this...

New Training

2008-02-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

I signed up for the Chicago Marathon Saturday. It's October 12, 2008. It's pretty far away, but I like that. Not that I did too much last year, but it will be nice to have a more relaxed race schedule for this year. I might not even do a triathlon this season. I do love triathlon, but I don't have much desire to race just yet. I might change my mind when it starts getting warmer again, but as of today the only races I plan on doing in '08 are the Derby Half Marathon and Chicago.

So how is training going? The month or so after a race is always the time I need to be the most cautious. Its always a challenge to figure out how much time I need to take completely off, and how slowly or quickly to return to exercise. I have some strong telltale signs of when I am being too ambitious. I think we all have them, so what happens when we don't listen to the signs? In most cases it results in injury. Every time I have had an injury, achilles tendinitis, knee inflammation, etc. it has always been in the first month or so after a big event. My achilles tendinitis occurred when I started running again after the Derby Marathon. Knee pain followed the Ironman. It's not every time that I have an injury after a race, but it can be often if I am not careful. Knowing that my running group is out there pounding the pavement every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning makes me want to come back as quickly as possible because I fear losing fitness... of course also for fear of missing out on the great early morning conversation.

Since I am still within one month of the Phoenix Marathon I have been trying to be very careful about my training. I've been doing this by taking a few days off when I feel something not quite right, and adding some variety into my training. Strength training is something I always do reluctantly and infrequently, but for now it has been a bit more frequent, but still with reluctance. Example week:
Monday: Strength training 30 minutes, cross training (usually elliptical) 30 min
Tuesday: Run 40-50 min
Wednesday: Trainer ride 45min-1hr, Hot Yoga 1hr (flexibility and strength)
Thursday: Run 47-49 min w/Starbucks group
Friday: rest
Saturday: Run >1hr
Sunday: Trainer ride 1hr, Hot Yoga 1hr

I've been really enjoying this yoga class. I think the instructor is great and it is always more challenging than I anticipate. The room stays a very humid 90-95 degrees which makes it great
for keeping the muscles warm and loose. I think it is really helping my hips and hamstrings. Hope it helps me stay injury free as well!

PF Chang's Rock N' Roll Marathon Race Report

2008-01-26T14:44:00.000-05:00

First of all, thanks to everyone who helped me reach my fundraising goal!

I ran the PF Chang's Rock N' Roll Marathon in Phoenix two weeks ago Sunday. We left Lexington early Friday morning. It was pretty fun traveling as a team, and we got to stay at a nice hotel in Phoenix. We spent the afternoon at the expo and registration, then went for a short easy run in some seedy neighborhoods. After the run we showered and ate dinner at a nice Greek restaurant. I had a big plate of pasta and some spanikopita which wasn't nearly as good as my aunt Jane's. By the time we got back to the hotel it was about 12:30 Lexington time and since we were up at 3:30 that morning we crashed and I was grateful to be able to sleep in Saturday morning.

Jeannie arrived Saturday morning and we headed to the Team in Training pasta party. We had quite an entrance thanks to the TNT coaches and staff. It was pretty amazing actually, and we got to hear John Bingham speak. All in all it was a pretty relaxing day.

Sunday morning I woke up and started drinking a Boost Plus like I always do. Halfway through my delicious beverage I began to feel nauseous...then sweaty... I was laying in bed thinking how on earth I was going to run when I feel like this. I kept thinking about all the people who had supported me to get to this point. I lay there for about 15 minutes willing the mystery sickness away and it actually worked! I blew it off as nerves or maybe some bad Boost. I felt fine the rest of the morning. Jeannie and I lined up at the start having lost the rest of the team and Gary as soon as we got off the shuttle. I knew I probably wouldn't see Gary until after the race, so I was a little sad, but I knew he had a lot on his hands. I was excited Jeannie was there. it would be a lot of fun to run a marathon with her. If I could keep up :)

We ran the first 10 miles at what felt like an easy to moderate pace. I felt pretty confident that I could keep it up, but then again it is a marathon and one never knows what the last bit could feel like. I will say this probably a million times in this blog, but I was so glad Jeannie was there. Running with good friends always makes the miles go by a lot quicker.

13.1 and still feeling good. I was able to eat and drink plenty at the aid stations and I didn't even think about my strange nausea from the morning. We were well under 2 hours at the halfway point which was better than I thought I would do considering my lack of training for this event. The course was very straight and flat. Camelback Mountain was in the distance and visible for a lot of the race which was pretty, but the course itself was pretty unexciting. I did enjoy the bands and the constant encouragement from TNT members, coaches, and fans. You really do feel different in that purple jersey.

Mile 17. Starting to get tired. Starting to complain a little. Very glad Jeannie was there. Usually during a marathon there is something, a spot or area, that starts aching or tiring but I couldn't explain my fatigue. My legs felt fine, stomach felt good, breathing felt good; I was just tired. Despite the numerous encouraging words from Jeannie I just kept fading and fading. I finally convinced her, at mile 20, to go ahead and finish her race and I would be right behind her. I watched her purple jersey get smaller and smaller until she was swallowed up in the crowds ahead. Part of me was sad to see her go because that meant I had 6 miles by myself, but part of me was a bit grateful that I could slow down a bit. And slow down I did. I was fine with slowing down, and without having a specific goal time in mind I was glad I was still moving well. I knew I would finish fine.

Mile 22. Have you ever had a dead foot? I don't know how else to explain it than that. My right foot started going numb so much so that I had to watch it because I was afraid of dragging it on the ground and tripping. It seemed to be working fine as I watched it but it was like it wasn't even a part of my body. Luckily it went away after a few minutes.

I finished the race in 4:07:35. It is my slowest open road marathon time yet, but I was still very pleased. When I looked over my training for the past few months I saw that I had trained on only 20-30 miles/week. So 4:07 looked even better to me. I found Jeannie right away, and she finished in 3:57! I was so happy for her, and so glad that was able to have a good finish. What a rock star.

As soon as I came through the lines of finisher's medals, food, gear, etc., we sat down for a bit. Then the nausea reappeared. We were talking to two of our other TNT teammates when I really felt it come on. Thank goodness there was a giant trash can right behind me. (Queasy stomachs stop reading here) Orange-mango Accelrade does not taste as good coming up as it does going down. Some kind runner tried to comfort me and tell me that I needed to get some fluids in me or I was going to pass out. Just let me puke, dude. My sweet Jeannie took me to the medical tent where I had a nice talk with the medical staff. I guess IVs are only a triathlon thing? And I definitely felt good enough that I did not need an ambulance ride. I really thought that was the last of it.

We made our way to the TNT tent and buses. I found another trash can, and another medical tent. This time I ate a salt packet in the tent which was really gross even though I was pretty confident that it wasn't hyponatremia I obliged anyway. Since we had run from Phoenix to Tempe we needed to be shuttled back to our hotel in Phoenix. The ride was alright but as soon as we got back in the room I made friends with the toilet. I guess I shouldn't have blown off the nausea from the morning. Poor Jeannie. She's really a good friend.

I missed the Team victory party that night and Gary and Jeannie were kind enough to stay in and keep me company, also. My superman of a husband coached the entire team to their first marathon or half marathon finish. I think he ended up running around 35 miles. I don't know how he does it!

All in all I am glad I was able to do the marathon. Next up, Chicago in October!

500 Miles

2008-01-04T14:23:00.000-05:00

Last weekend at Todd's Road I joined the 500 mile club. I started running with the Stumblers with Gary on October 22, 2005. Every Saturday that I run out at TR I log my miles on the giant poster that I share with hundreds of past and current runners. It always feels good to tick off the miles when you are done, but since you have to be present at TR at 7am Saturday mornings only to log your miles, they can add up pretty slowly. I was hoping to finish by October, 2007 so I could finish in 2 years, but I settled for finishing in December, 2007. Close enough. With the Ironman and Team in Training practices Saturday mornings I hadn't frequented TR much this fall and winter.

I was excited to finally finish, but to be honest, it felt a lot better than I imagined it would. I ran my last 11 miles with Tracy, Kathryn, and Elissa. As usual it was wonderful conversation, and a beautiful morning. On the way in Kathryn counted me down, 497 to go!...498 to go!...499 to go! At the intersection of Combs Ferry and Basin Springs I was greeted by some cheering runners, Ernie and crew. It was such a sweet gesture and I felt like I was in my own race. Towards the finish, Kathryn ran up ahead to make sure the tape was ready for me to cross. I expected there only to be a few people still at the clubhouse since we ran pretty long that morning. However, I was surprised to see dozens of runners still there and cheering me on as I crossed the official 500 miler tape. What a fantastic group of people.

As I was finishing up my run that morning I was telling Kathryn and Elissa how I could remember my first run at TR with Gary. I was nervous to come, and not a very strong runner. I was impressed by the kindness of the other runners, and thrilled that we got coffee and donuts after the run! I could remember how it took us 34 minutes to get to the school, and now one of my fastest times has been 27 minutes. (I was running with Saori, though and :27 was not really my choice). When Gary and I trained for the Tecumseh Trail Marathon he trained with me and sometimes I felt like we were the last two out on the roads Saturday morning. I'm sure we were most of the times. We would talk about Big Macs and massages mmm...McSagges.

After the trail marathon I gained enough confidence to run out at TR without Gary. I have met some wonderful people through running, and TR has introduced me to some of my closest girlfriends. Many of which I would have never gotten through a run without. I'll never forget the 20 miler with Kristin in the freezing rain the day I chose to wear shorts. Or the day we saw the crazy spinning dog on the side of the road. My first time running Pit Bull. Susan with her white towel, Kathryn with her car key paperclipped to her shoe, trying to keep up with the gazelles that are Elissa and Saori, wondering how Tracy ever used to run in those big sweatshirts, talking to the cows with Kristin, trying to figure out men with Jill, knowing I will have anything I ever need if I run with Lynn and her fanny pack (sewing kit included), and avoiding GRAVEL with Paula.

Todd's Road has been so much more than just a physical accomplishment of 500 miles. It is my social interaction, my motivation, my anti-depressant, and my addiction. Thank you Todd's Road! I'm ready for another 500.

Thanks for the picture, Wes!

TNT Donation

2008-01-03T11:13:00.000-05:00

This is my final plea.

If you are able, PLEASE donate today to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and my efforts to raise $3,700 through Team in Training. As you can see from my website I am only $310 away from my goal, and I have the use of my donation website until tomorrow. I can still accept donations after tomorrow but today would be better. :) I appreciate what everyone has done for me already! I am amazed at your generosity and helpfulness towards my race. A million thanks to you!

If anyone is still willing to help...even if it is only a few bucks...please donate HERE

www.active.com/donate/tntky/nditsch

THANK YOU!

The Headache of Training

2007-12-08T19:01:00.000-05:00

The Rock N' Roll Marathon is 6 weeks away. I can't believe how soon it is. I'd like to be in much better shape than I am in now, but I'm squeaking by on my training. Actually for the motivation I have right now I am doing well to be running 4 days a week. Thank God for my awesome Lexington running groups! If it weren't for my running peeps I'd never train. And of course for coach Gary. AND for Jeannie (she's like totally my BFF from HS) who is coming to run Phoenix with me! Hopefully she won't have to drag me across the finish line.

Weird thing happened while running with TNT this morning. About an hour into my run my eyesight got all goofy and everytime I looked back at Gary I could only see half of his face. Of course I kept running...duh. Then about 2 hours into the run my left hand went completely numb, and not from the cold. This was a little freaky so I decided to walk back to the car which was only a few minutes away. By the time I got to the car my eyes were back to normal but I thought I'd call my Dr. friend to find out what she thought. We both thought it sounded like the onset of a migrane but if my hand didn't get back to normal in a few minutes I should go to the ER. On the drive home my hand returned to normal just as the pain in my head started to set in. Yep, migrane. I haven't had one in 15 years or more and I forgot just how awful they can be. It hurts just to move your eyeballs. Luckily with some Advil and sleep I have had a semi-normal rest of the day. However, for all those chronic migrane sufferers out there I want to say I am so sorry for all of you! owie owie owie!

Tomorrow I will try the long run again, hopefully with better results than today. At least Kelty will be happy to get out in the beautiful Kentucky winter day...cold and rainy. It's pretty awesome.

www.active.com/donate/tntky/nditsch

No I'm not dead

2007-11-19T10:43:00.000-05:00

I know, it's been a long time.

Since the Ironman my training has been less than insprational so I haven't been in the mood to blog lately. Maybe writing about my lack of training will be motivation to actually train. Since my race I've run a bit, biked once, and swam none. I have many excuses...getting sick, right knee pain, Mexico vacation...but the fact of the matter is that I have less than 8 weeks until I am to run the PF Chang's Rock N' Roll Marathon in Phoenix. I decided to do this marathon through Team in Training and fundraise $3,700 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The fundraising is going well, but I could still use some more support. Any donations would be greatly appreciated! You can visit my website at Nikki Ditsch's Team in Training Page to get some more information, or email me at nikkiditsch@gmail.com.

Training for this race has been a bit challenging. I could have used some mroe time off before heading straight into another training program, but since it is for a great cause I am more than happy to do it.

Although Ironman was an amazing experience I have decided not to do another one in 2008. The amount of training and time and dedication it took was pretty intense and I think I will enjoy a year of racing some different, shorter races. I'm still considering Ironman Coeur d'Alene in '09, however. Maybe. This year, and '08 I might even try some cycling races. There I said it out loud. Well, typed it at least. Anyway, I figure it can only help my cycling. We'll see if I actually follow through. For now I just need to get through another 26.2 in January.

Ironman Wisconsin Race Report

2007-09-13T20:00:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's over. Until next time I guess? Maybe?

Gary and I arrived in Madison Thursday night. I was glad to be there but very anxious. We had two full days before the race. Friday we got in the very choppy water. It didn't seem too bad, but I was wearing my wetsuit which I think helped a lot. I actually felt really good in the water. We then registered, rode our bikes a bit, and went to the race meeting/dinner. The video at the meeting got me pretty excited, but still one more day...

Saturday we went down to the water again. Gary and Eric swam, and Jeff and Beth went for a little run. I opted to hang out on the bleachers by the water. It ended up being a great choice because I met a "lovely lady duck" (sing Fergie) who ate off of my shoe and out of my hand. I was thoroughly entertained. We headed back to the hotel after everyone except myself stood in line for a voucher for next year. (I need to do one first to be sure I want to maybe do another one, right?). Gary and I went for a short run and started packing our 5 bags. 1. swim to bike transition, 2. bike to run transition, 3. special needs bike, 4. special needs run, 5. dry clothes morning bag. It took forever! You need so much crap to do an Ironman. When we went to drop off our transition bags and bikes I was a little worried I might have forgotten something. We would still be able to get to them in the morning. Next was the bike course preview by car. It was long. I got a bit nervous, but it was good to see most of the course. My mom and dad arrived just as we were finishing up the course and we went to a nice dinner then headed off to bed.

Race morning came quickly after a sound night's sleep. One Boost and one breakfast bar later we were in the truck on our way to the start. Enter nerves with a little bit of nausea. We had quite a bit of time before the start, and by the time we were walking down to the water the nerves were gone. I just wanted to be in the water!

The Swim
I followed Eric and Beth to the far right of the mass of people. All 5 of us started in the front but since the loops around to the left the far right seemed much less dangerous. Swimming a bit further seemed a lot better than being repeatedly kicked, pulled on, elbowed, and scratched. Fives were exchanged, the gun/horn(don't even remember) went off and we were gone. I stayed on Beth's feet for a bit so she could take me to a good spot, but quickly lost her. I enjoyed my spot and only got one elbow to the head until the first turn. I took the first turn a bit too close and had to work my way out of the neoprene school. The swim was a two loop course and I took both pretty easy. I felt very relaxed, but on the second lap I was ready to be out of the water. Thank goodness for the volunteers helping you out of the water, and the wetsuit strippers who actually pulled me up into the air while taking off my suit. The crowd was simply amazing. People lined the entire helix of the parking structure that we ran up. I felt like a celebrity.

The Bike
I saw Beth as we were headed to our bikes. We chatted for a bit, and got on our bikes and then she was gone. I knew better than to try to keep up with her on the bike. The first part of the ride was nice and flat and I worked on getting my heart rate down from the excitement of the transition. This took several minutes, but I was glad to be taking it easy. It would be a long day. Jeff passed me early with a "nice butt" comment that I heard as "nice bike". Then Gary. I was so glad to see him and hear that he had a good swim as well. I wanted everyone to stay and chat, but I knew they couldn't. The bike course for me was very challenging. I rode very conservitively, but it was hard to do on such a hilly course. There were big rolling hills, long climbs, and a few shorter steeper climbs. Nothing was worse than what I trained on, but it was still tough. I never let my heart rate exceed 160, so I felt pretty good about that. 112 miles by yourself (although surrounded by others) is a long ride. I entertained myself by singing, talking to myself, cows, and volunteers and athletes when I could. I ate all of my Clif Bloks, some Clif Bars, Oatmeal Cream Pies, Gummy worms, and a lot of Gatorade. I was happy that I was able to eat so much because I knew I would need it. One part of the ride has longest climb followed by the steepest climb. (which you do twice) The spectators line the road as if it were the Tour de France. You ride through a tunnel of people cheering literally in your face. And of course ringing the cowbells. Oh the cowbells! It's pretty hard to hold back with so much support. Seeing my parents and my sister three times was also pretty awesome. Finally I reached the last part of the ride back into Madison. I actually couldn't wait to start the run; the bike had taken a lot longer than I thought it would. I rode back up the helix and back into transition.

The Run
I felt like a very grateful 2 year old as the kind volunteer helped dress me for the run. Madison has some very nice, and patient volunteers! I exited the transition and headed straight to the port-o-potty. As I squatted I thought why on earth would someone be outside shaking the port-o-potty when I am in here? I opened the door to see no one and realized it was my legs that must have been shaking. The first few miles of the run felt so good. I have never been happier to be running in my entire life. I actually wasn't even scared that I had to run 26.2. The run course was full of spectators even more so than the bike. My heart rate was low, but I still tried to hold back a bit on the first loop. I was so glad to see Jeff, Eric, Gary and Beth on the first loop. They all looked great! The run was kind of a blur, and the parts I remember seemed dark, but I actually only ran for less than an hour in the dark. I felt really good running, and hoped I could keep up my pace. I took Coke, and water at every aid station. Gels and food were not appetizing. On the second loop I saw Gary, Jeff, Beth and Eric one more time. I also made a friend from Team Mexico that I ran with for a few minutes. I relied heavily on the aid stations and crowd support. It's really nice having your name on your race number, and if I've said it once I'll say it a thousand more times...Madison fans are AWESOME! On the second loop I started playing the number game in my head even more. I was slowly giving up the thought of finishing under 13 hours. I hit mile 22 and my body said "enough!" I was having a hard time running. Nothing in particular was hurting and my heart rate was in the 130s. I just couldn't run. I started walking more often, but was still able to walk fast. I was also feeling really dizzy and that scared me a little. As long as I kept moving I felt ok. I think the last 4 miles I walked more than half of the time, but I'm not really sure. I remember getting to mile 25 and thinking that I would try to run the last 1.2 to the finish line. It didn't happen. I told myself when I get to the crowd I will run. I got to the crowd and turned the corner. I had no idea I was that close to the finish line when I saw it. The second thing I saw was the clock. 12:59:20! I could make it! I picked it up and ran hard to the finish. I heard "Nikki Ditsch, a personal trainer from Lexington, Kentucky... YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" I crossed the tape. 12:59:46.

Ironman Nightmare

2007-08-19T08:18:00.000-04:00

The anxiety must be starting...subconsciously at least. I woke up in the middle of the night primarily because the dog was taking up the bottom half of the bed, but also because I was having a bad dream.

Dream #1
It was the day of Ironman Louisville (which is two weeks before Wisconsin) and I called my friend Katherine to find out how the race went. She told me that it went really well and she finished around 12 hours. I was amazed because while she is an excellent runner she does not compete in or train for triathlon. Then she told me that Jill went around 9-10 hours and Kristin went around 8 hours! I was so confused and jealous that these girls had done so well since all three of them are training for a fall marathon, not triathlon. Then all of a sudden it was my race day and all of the athletes were gathering in a houseboat before the start of the swim. I realized that I had not packed my special needs bag, and had not eaten all morning. I frantically searched for food and found some energy bars. While I was stuffing my face I realized that I needed to have some food for the rest of the race so I started shoving Clif Bar after Clif Bar down the front of my wetsuit and tri top to save for later. Now I'm awake and something is crushing my legs...Dog.

Dream #2
After I fell back asleep I found myself still dreaming about the Ironman. It was now time for the marathon and the course was poorly marked. The streets were not closed off and I followed other runners into a large mall. The mall was still open and there were runners and non runners everywhere. This made it impossible to know where to go. I furiously ran up stairs and down hallways looking for some kind of direction. I finally made my way back downstairs and found Beth. "I am so glad that I never have to be in this mall again!" she said to me. She had made it through, but which way did she go? She told me to go back upstairs using the marble staircase. I followed her instruction and found myself in the middle of a cheerleading tryout. I was about to head back downstairs when I noticed Saori (who really is doing Ironman Louisville next weekend) and Beth practicing their cheer routine. I had not practiced the routine! I faintly hear "Hey There Delilah" and open my eyes. It's the alarm and thank God the race isn't today.

Almost There!

2007-07-29T21:36:00.000-04:00

So it's been a while...Since the Mountaineer, training has continued to be intense. I am still enjoying it, but I feel like I eat, sleep, and breathe triathlon these days. I don't even have a regular 9-5 job. I honestly don't know how some people do it. Lexington is a great town to train in, and I have been so lucky to have nine friends that are either training for IMOO or IMLOU. Talk about accountability...especially when your husband is one of the nine. There is no way I would be getting through this training alone.

This is my first week of taper! Yay! Last week was pretty tough since the weather was not cooperating very well. I opted for a boring hour on the trainer inside because of the heat advisory; Thursday morning I joined the Starbucks group for 8 miles in 79 degree weather with 86% humidity. Talk about sweat. I had to dry my clothes out before I put them in the hamper. Even the pool's salty 85+ degree water is anything but refreshing. Saturday morning I ran my last long run at Todd's Road. I decided to do Pit Bull with a few friends. I had kind of forgotten what a difficult 15 it was. I ran well, but was very glad when it was over. It has been a tough few weeks, but I still feel strong and excited to race.

These next few weeks should be interesting. I will try to fill my mind with positive and reassuring thoughts, but I am not usually a very calm or happy person during taper. Gary has mentioned meditating. I think this is probably a good time to start trying.

Mountaineer Triathlon Race Report

2007-07-05T13:54:00.000-04:00

I'm a triathlete! I finished my first triathlon after a 15 year hiatus. I placed 2nd at the RTPD youth triathlon in 1992, but Morgantown last weekend was much more satisfying. I have to admit that I was very very nervous for this race. Starting my triathlon career with a half ironman may have been a little too ambitious, but that's just how it turned out. I had planned on doing an olympic distance race last month but a painful kidney infection prevented me from participating. So here I was, a newbie amongst all of my vetran friends and family. Gary and I travelled with Beth, Eric, and Jeff, and we met my sister in the giant hills of West Virginia.

After registration we decided to bike the run course. To my surprise it was a very flat straight stretch along the river. Around mile 5 we turned towards campus and met the concrete giants. The hills only encompassed a few miles of the 2 loop coures, but they were pretty steep. I had a bit of a panic attack while we were riding the steep hills and was terrified of getting stuck in my pedals or hitting a car so I left the group and headed back to the car. It was a little too much anxiety for me to handle at the moment.

After the bike ride we drove the bike course. We were just pulling onto the course and a girl backed into Eric's truck. Poor Atnip mobile. Everything turned out just fine and the bike course seemed pretty flat as well with a couple long steady climbs. I expected rolling hills and steep climbs based on the description: "This challenging 56 mile bike will now feature a 2 loop course on the rolling country roads north of the city".

On our way to the hotel Gary and I started discussing race strategy. Maybe a little late, but since I didn't have a clue about planning the day it was now or never. I think our discussion only produced more nerves and I'm sure I thouroughly frustrated (as usual) my poor husband/coach. The idea I took home was to have a conservative bike. Good plan.

Race morning. I woke up feeling very calm which was nice. Race morning of a marathon I am usually pretty nervous. Rob drove Tracy, Gary and I to the start and we set up our transition spots. (Is that what you call them?) I pretty much looked around at the other set ups and mimicked. I put on my brand new Pro Motion wetsuit and being careful to use my fingerips still managed to tear a small hole near my hip. Oops. Everyone assured me it was fine, and no, I would not fill up with water. We walked down to the start and watched the first waves start. After we watched Gary, Eric, and Jeff take off we got in the water.

The swim. Beth, Tracy and I started in the same wave, and it was comforting to be with people who know what they are doing. We were off at the sound of the horn. I was glad to have started at the front of the pack even though I had been a little doubtful about my swim strength. It turned out I picked a good spot. The swim was not crowded at all and the bouys were very large and easy to see. I swam hard but focused on a strong long pull. I am mostly a right side breather, and I am disappointed to say that I think I only took one breath to the left the entire swim. It is much different than breathing in the pool. I was surprised to see how everyone seemed to swim very wide of the bouys. I stayed narrow and it seemed to work well. The swim felt longer than I thought it would, but I did better than I expected with a 29:32.

The bike. I took Gary's advice and decided to take the first loop easy. The transition from the swim to bike was long, and by the time I got onto my bike and settled I looked down at my heart rate and it was 169! I had forgot to start it on the swim, so I don't know if it was from the swim, or the long transition. I took a few minutes trying to calm down and reduce it 25 or so bpm. Luckily it didn't take long. The first loop felt easy and I found myself intentionally holding back. It was nice to see Beth, Gary, and Tracy out on the course, since the loop had a few out and backs as well. I tried to keep my HR in first lap in the 140s, and the second lap in the 150s. Since the course was SO flat it was very easy to do. It was an easier course than anything I have ridden here in Lexington. I was still a bit nervous that my legs would be dead for the run from lack of experience. 3:08:02, 17.9mph

The run. First of all, thank goodness for the Port-o-Potty on the start of the run course. The second I exited the john people were lining the path cheering for the runners, which made me laugh because I didn't think my pee deserved a round of applause. It was appreciated anyway. I got to see Jeff, and Gary once on the run which I loved. It is a lot of fun for me to see people I know on the course, especially Gary. I got to see Beth and Tracy twice, also, and we exchanged words of encouragement. Everyone looked so strong! The run felt pretty good, I kept to my run/walk, but modified a bit. I had been doing a 10 min run to a 1 min walk in training, but with the aid stations and turn arounds and everything I changed to a 5 min run and a 30 - 45 second walk. When I looked at my watch I was surprised to see that I was running a sub 9 min pace. I was happy, but unsure if I could keep it up. I'm pretty sure my second lap was 2-3 minutes slower than the first, but still not bad. I finished the run in 1:57:23, only 7 minutes slower than Derby Half Marathon in April. I was expecting to run 2:15-2:30.

Official Time: 5:39:51

I was very pleased with the race. I did not have a goal time since this was my first race, but I honestly thought it was going to take me between 6-7 hours (7 hours being on the disappointed end, 6 hours being the thrilled end). I also though that this race would really scare me away from Ironman, but it did just the opposite. I am still very nervous, but now also very excited!

Tracy and me at the transition the day before:

Home stretch!

Tracy looking strong:

Mutt Strutt 2007

2007-06-06T10:47:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day weekend is a big weekend in Lexington. The Horsey Hundred, Bluegrass Triathlon Club training triathlon, and of course the Lexington Humane Society's Mutt Strutt! The Mutt Strutt is a 2k (1.24 mile) run with your dog. Last year Gary and Kelty ran the race last year and came in first place. They won all these great Life is Good prizes, and she was so proud of herself for the entire week. This year Gary had to work and I was a little disappointed because I wanted her to win again. I decided to run with her and my friend Eric and his two dogs, Philo and Bailey were running also. The race was held at Keenland Race Track and it was a great turnout. There must have been hundreds of dogs there.

It was amazing to see how competitive the dogs were. I thought people were competitive, but as soon as the horn went off most of the dogs charged on like they were pulling a sled. I'm sure Kelty was wishing she wasn't attached to me as she ran with all her might. She would run at normal speed but as soon as another dog passed us it was on again. We ran the first mile in 6:20, the fastest mile I have ever run, and finished the race in 8 minutes. We ended up 8th overall which was great because top 10 dogs all got the same prize. Too bad for Kelty that I was her weaker link, and she wasn't a repeat champion. We did however win first female overall and I won a coupon for some new shoes at the New Balance Store. Thanks, Kelty! Eric, Philo, and Bailey finished a strong 6th even with Philo taking a little break for some water.

Kelty's matching dog bowls. One from last year one from this year:

Tearing into her toy post run:

Horsey Hundred 2007

2007-05-28T19:22:00.000-04:00

I survived my first century! I have to admit that after a tough 65 miles last weekend I wasn't looking forward to attempting 100 on Saturday. I was lucky to have a great group of friends to ride with. It was a long day, but surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. Our group started out with Molly, Paula, Saori, Paul, Jill and Fe. The ride was beautiful and took us through cool shaded forests and past numerous horse parks of course. It was kind of like being a 10 year old again on my brand new 10 speed. Riding bikes is so much fun! Especially when there is great company and good food.

Jill, Fe, and Paul decided to do the 78 mile course so it was just the four girls left to finish the rest of the ride. We had a blast. Those girls are awesome, and are making me such a better cyclist already. I figure that if I can try to keep up with Paula on the descents, hang on with Saori on the climbs, and stay as consistently strong as Molly, I will be in great shape!

Sunday was the 70 mile ride. Unfortunately since I am the #1 dog sitter (unofficially) for all of Lexington I only had time to ride the 52 mile course to be back in town to take some dogs out. I would have liked to do the 70 miler, but I had a good ride anyway. The bad part was that we split at mile 15, but luckily Paul also did the 52 mile route so I had some good company. Sunday was a good ride also, but it wasn't as pretty, and a little bumpier. OK a lot bumpier. My poor behind.

I am really glad to have a century under my belt before the triathlon season starts. Special thanks to my cycling buds! It was fun!

Derby Half Marathon Race Report

2007-05-01T19:11:00.000-04:00

It was a good day for a race. Gary, Jeff, Susan and I drove up race morning. I think it's safe to say we were all feeling pretty relaxed. Maybe it was the lack of training for this race, or the preoccupation of all things not related to running, or just the fact that it was 13.1 miles and not 26.2 this time. I hadn't thought much about this race, and Friday I found myself thinking that I might like to buy some Gatorade. Normally I would be stocked with Gatorade, Boost, GU, and my meals for the entire week prior would have been meticulously planned out. It's a nice feeling to be relaxed.

We picked up our race packets at the last minute, rode the last shuttle to the race start and stood last in line at the port-o-potties. Besides finding Tara, Cathy, Lynn and Su at the port-o-potty party that wasn't the best thing because we had only about 7 minutes to get to the start before the gun went off. Chip timing is the best invention ever. Susan, Lynn, Su and I tried to wiggle our way to the front half of the start, but didn't make it very far. I kept telling myself that starting farther back would keep me from starting out too fast on the first mile.

The gun went off and we were off to a slow and crowded start. The first few miles were spent dodging slower runners and walkers while still trying to run the tangents (thanks Lynn!). I think at mile 3 we were still passing some walkers. Our first mile was about a 9 min/mile which was pretty slow, but I felt confident that I would end at a faster pace. Miles 3-6 were in the park just like last year and Susan smoked by people walking and taking the long curves around. Well maybe not smoked, but since we started so far back it seemed like we passed 95% of the people running. It was a great feeling. I was so grateful for Susan's company through the hills.

Running through Churchill was pretty awesome again, but I realized I had lost Susan and feared that I had picked up the pace a little too soon since I still had 4 miles to go. I felt great until around mile 11. This is where things started to hurt. It was not a dreadful amount of pain like Columbus, but the kind of pain that comes from being almost done with a long race. I knew I would finish strong, I just hoped I was keeping some kind of consistent pace.

I crossed the finish line at 1:50:10. I was thrilled with my time and felt like I had run a smart race. The best part was how much fun it was! It's fun to run without too many expectations, and enjoy the crowd, and music, and runners. It also felt really good to have such a good race at the beginning of my training. I finally feel like there is something to look forward to again!

My splits:

10k 53:55 8:42 min/mile
15k 1:19:26 8:32 min/mile
finish 1:50:10 8:24 min/mile

Negative split, woo hoo!

And now winter again...

2007-04-05T13:43:00.000-04:00

After two weeks of running in shorts and short sleeves, I reluctantly pulled out my tights, fleece, gloves and ear warmer for my run this morning. Brr! What happened to spring? I think we experienced a 40 degree temperature drop from Tuesday to Wednesday. Training is going OK. The first part of March was great, then Gary and I purchased our first home. It's a great 2 bedroom townhouse with a fenced in back yard in a nice neighborhood. It is in great shape, but the inside decor was, well, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Kitchen

Strange wall with window and realtor Bobby

Bathroom #1 And you didn't think leopards and zebras could coexist.

Bathroom #2, that's a black fuzzy toilet cover incase you couldn't tell

Our Boudior...Romantic, right?

My mom, dad and sister all travelled from Chi Town to help in the 8 day makeover. I still don't understand how it was possible for my dad to paint 14 hours a day without taking a break. I don't know how we would ever have done it without them. After pictures to come soon.

Training was put on the back burner for a few weeks, but this week has already been better except I am too cold to ride my bike outside, and I have been feeling some pain in my ankle right here:

Any ideas? Maybe I am allergic to home improvement. I tried to self diagnose but I'm stumped.

Spring Preview

2007-03-12T16:53:00.000-04:00

It's spring! At least for the past few days it has been. I have decided that riding my bike outside is one of my favorite things in the world. I even did my first solo bike ride last week. I was pretty nervous about riding alone, but it turns out it's not so bad! I rode home with some "big girl" pride that day. Sunday I got out with Jill and Fi for 22 and took advantage of the beautiful day and daylight savings and rode another 12 by myself. Monday I started out by myself again but caught up to Susan and Margo and rode most of the 26 with them.

The only March goal I didn't meet last week was swimming. I figure that is the lesser of the three triathlon evils for me so it's ok. I'll try to get it in this week, but the pool is closed Thurs-Sun, so that means swimming 1:15 tonight. Don't know if that will happen.

This is a good time of year for me. Everything feels good and easy. It's getting warmer and I'm excited to ride/run outside. Hopefully this motivation stays with me over the summer. Swimming is the only thing that has been tough for me to be consistant with lately. Only a few months until I get to swim long course outside!

Hopefully in the next few weeks I can get out to the Gorge and do some long hikes and trail runs. And of course my favorite thing, camp! I LOVE spring!

March Goals

2007-03-01T13:36:00.000-05:00

So I am back from my Bahama "business trip" and right back into the swing of things. I didn't train as much as I had hoped to out there, but I did run on the beach (so hard!), and swim in the freezing cold lap pool once. I've been pretty lazy about swimming lately and often talk Jeff out of our evening Tue/Thurs swim. But instead of swimming last night I did make eggplant parmesan with homemade tomato sauce. Sometimes a good meal is much better than exercising, right?

My goal for the rest of the month:
I'm going to put it in writing so I am more likely to do it. I want to try to become more structured in my training weeks. Training for my last three marathons I never missed one scheduled workout. But right now I don't have any "scheduled" training sessions written down and it is much easier for me to blow of what I should be doing. So here it is; for the rest of the month I am going to:

Ride (trainer or outside) > 5 hours a week
Run > 3 hours/week
Swim > 2 hours/week
Strength train > 30 min/week
Yoga/Stretch > 1 hour/week

I think it's completely manageable, and not really that much now that I am looking at it. We'll see how it goes!

It's cold outside and I broke my dog's tail

2007-02-09T15:20:00.000-05:00

I think we had 14 days here in Lexington below freezing. I think the record is 17. Brrr! Today was actually warmer so maybe I won't be so crabby about getting outside to exercise. Kelty hadn't been for a run outside in almost a week because of the cold so I decided to take her Friday for an easy 4.5 mile run. It was kind of cold, but she seemed fine, and it wasn't very salty so I figured she would be OK. We came back, ate some food and I decided to give her a bath which seemed to go as usual. However, when I went to bed around 9:30 she layed with me and was very restless and whiney. I let her out again, but she continued to cry all night long. In the morning she was cowering in the bathroom looking very sad. I also noticed a funny bend in her tail so I made an appointment at the vet.

When we got there Eric asked if I had given her a bath and jokingly said, "yeah you broke her tail!" Apparently there is something called cold tail that mainly happens to hunting dogs that swim in cold water. He gave her a shot and sent us home with some pain medicine. I am glad to say that Kelty's tail has returned to normal today, full of wags.

Bears in the Super Bowl!

2007-01-25T14:20:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it?!?

I spent Sunday afternoon at Sheila's house watching the game and eating Lou Malnati's pizza thanks to 1-800-LOU TO GO. It was almost like I was back home for a few hours.

Do you think the '07 team will make another music video like this one? I hope so

Da Bears da Bears da Bears da Bears da Bears

If you want a clearer picture ask my parents. I'm sure they would let you borrow the original VHS.

Swim Practice

2007-01-10T13:38:00.000-05:00

I finally went to an actual Masters swim practice yesterday. Owie. It was a good workout with some longer distance sets. I hate longer distance sets in the pool, but I know it's good for me since 2.4 miles in open water is not a short distance. Swimming with other people is also a huge benefit for me. When I swim by myself I tend to get pretty lazy, but with others in the lane I guess my competitiveness runs wild. Well not really, but it is motivating.

One thing I have noticed while swimming is the difference in my stroke rate when I breathe to different sides. Let me explain. Per 25 yards(after warmup) if I breathe only to the right my stroke count is 19-20; if I breathe only to the left my stroke count is only 17-18. That's a pretty big difference! The right side is my natural breathing side, and I really don't like to breathe to the left unless it's an easy or short set. Unfortunately I am much more efficient when I breathe to the left. What could cause this descrepency? Any ideas? The best thing for me would probably be to use an alternate breathing pattern, but that's going to take some time to get used to. It would be interesting to have a video analysis of both breathing sides.