"Swim hard, Bike hard, Run hard, be strong, think BIG!"

Percy Cerutty

Training is going so very slow- I was riding bike yesterday for 2 hours I was done my tummy hurt so very bad. I can't run yet, but I can walk fast so I've been on the track as much as I can, then I've been doing Stairs at UWL almost everyother day! No abs yet! I can't wait until I don't feel any pain... "man oh man"




INSPIRATION

"You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back. You're gonna wish these days, hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times, so take a good look around. You may not know it now, but you're gonna miss this." - Song "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards." - Vernon Sanders Law

want them back. Don't forget to enjoy them now. (And know that you are so ready for May 18. Congratulations.)

Extra Air and Fast Turns in Distance Swimming

To see a video of this breathing technique, click on the link at the bottom of the article.

By Terry Laughlin
Total Immersion

I've been racing the 1,650-yard freestyle (the "metric mile" in a 25-yard pool) for almost 40 years. It's never been easy, but in middle age it's gotten considerably tougher. The problem isn't the distance; it's all those flip turns!

If you turn the way coaches say you should, it means going without air for a significant portion of the race. You usually stroke one or more times without breathing just before the turn—the better to maximize your momentum going in—then try to hold your pushoff after it because you're faster while streamlined under than stroking on top. This can interrupt your breathing for four to five seconds every length.

Even in my teens, the cumulative effect of such interruptions in a 65-turn race meant that in the final lengths I felt I needed the whole length to get my breath back; and just as I did, there was the wall again. You can imagine how much more taxing that feels at 57.

One little trick I've learned in mid-life is to sneak in one more breath immediately before my somersault in the middle and latter stages of a long race in a short pool. If my last stroke is on the left, I take a right breath immediately followed by a left breath going into the turn.

The slight delay in the onset of oxygen deprivation and bit of extra O2 to hold me through the pushoff makes a world of difference: I'm more comfortable and the extra oxygen going to my brain even seems to aid the concentration it takes to hold my stroke efficiency as fatigue mounts.

It does take practice, though; when else do we practice breathing on consecutive armstrokes? And then you have the wall in your face as you complete the second breath while trying to whip smartly through a somersault. For the uninitiated it can turn a smooth maneuver into a funhouse tumble.

One way to practice is in mid-pool. Swim several strokes, breathing on the last two and then immediately somersault. Practice both a right-left and left-right breathing sequence since you won't always come to the wall on the same armstroke.

When you can do breath-breath-somersault without feeling discombobulated in mid-pool, move your practice—cautiously—to the wall. After that, there's no substitute for doing it regularly in training. During virtually every long swim or set in practice, I begin with regular pre-turn breathing, then progress to consecutive-breathing as I need more air.

Hello, Hello everyone!
Here's a little of everything!

"Ok" Surgery was tough! If you think Ironman in tough "man oh man" it's not compared to this surgery! I say that because Ironman is training and a lot of it is determination and mind set....This is just on the couch in bed yada, yada, yada

Monday Morning got up went to the hospital at 5:30 am and was done and in bed by 1:00 pm. The surgery took a tole on me I was in bed Monday- Friday and let me tell you that was really, really fun "yeah right"! My mom came and stayed with me to help out. I had so many of my friends and and family stop by everyday that was great! I thank all of you! However, they seen the Awesome side of Danni the bed head, pj's, me being hunched over and me trying to be as Positive as I could with the situation.

Saturday was my first full day out and about.

Sunday,
I went to the Midwest Security 5K race to cheer my family "The Dales", friends and clients on it was so cool to see everyone cross the finish line. Awesome Job!

Sunday was so very nice out for the runners, I couldn't even get a run or ride bike ride in man did that Stunk! But I did get out and shop but that gets old after a while!

Monday was my first day back to work it was hard, I was working with one of my clients and lifted a little weight then I was lucky to get very dizzy and yuckie so I had to come home and jump into bed, then back to work. It's just amazing how your mind says "You can do it" and your body is saying "No your not"!
But Later
Monday at around 6:30 Landen got his bike out and I got my Rollerblades out I couldn't handle doing nothing any more, I had to find something to do so we went for about a hour. It was so much fun but I did get to bed early I was wiped.

Tuesday - Trying to get back to Ironman training but no running, or swimming yet! But I can do band work for Swimming. Today was a 2 hour spinning class, 1 mile walk around the track and 10 set of UWL stairs and I was done.

I also had my doctors apt. and that went really great! My tummy looks great, no weights, and no ab workout for four weeks! I was also told take your time getting back into your workouts and that's what I'm going to do!
HEHEHE Maybe!

Have a wonderful Day Sunshine's!

Always remember to stay positive everything comes around!

Yesterday's race...

The first Half Marathon of the year- Oshkosh "man oh man" it was a whopping 32 degrees out, rain, snow and a ton of wind... I must add in our face. We had 3 shirts on, wind jacket, hat, 1 pair of socks and one pair of paints I should have wore 2 my legs were so cold.

The first 3 miles we were at an 8 min mile pace and holding I was feeling great . My tummy wasn't to bad, We saw my mom and step dad at mile 6-7 what an awesome sight that was Jen and I stopped gave them a hug and was on our way! But then at about mile 9 My IT band started to act up I was trying hard not to think about it as much as I did. I had to do that mind over matter and think positive press on 1 mile at a time; by mile 10 I was ready to puke my tummy as acting up and I was in pain. I couldn't lift my leg up or bend my knee at all I was trying to make my left leg pick up all the slack. I thought this sucks keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I knew if I stopped at one more water stop I would be done, I pushed it in to the finish line I didn't have a kick or anything thank gosh I finished!
I wanted Jenn to have a great Half Marathon this was her first.

Place 10 out of 64 my number 489

Nichals, Danniela Onalaska, WI. Age 35 , Mile per hour 08:31 ending time 01:51:40.0
01:51:25.1

READ MORE ON IT BAND!
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedicine/a/itbs.htm

If you want to start basic training this will help

Body-Weight Training Program

Remember when you were in high school and your physical education (PE) teachers made you do push-ups, chin-ups and sit-ups? What about those long-forgotten Presidential Physical Fitness Tests, which required you to run different distances for time? Whatever happened to those “old-fashioned” exercises?

While free weights and machines can certainly make your clients stronger, they often target muscles rather than movement. In addition, many free-weight and machine exercises, such as lat pull-downs and biceps curls, are open-chain exercises, which use only one joint as the resistance is moved away from or toward the body using freely movable limbs.

In contrast, most body-weight exercises are closed-chain exercises, which use multiple joints as the resistance is moved away from or toward an anchored body part. Closed-chain exercises, which are more functional, result in greater motor unit activation and synchronization and better strength performance compared with open-chain exercises (Augustsson et al. 1998; Brindle et al. 2002).

9-Week Body-Weight Program Training is the same for the first 2 weeks of each 3-week cycle, with the third week used for recovery and adaptation. Do these workouts 2-3 times per week. As you progress, initially increase volume (# of reps with body weight), then decrease volume and increase intensity (by adding additional weight) and recovery period.

Weeks 1 and 2
chin-ups: 2 x 10 reps with body weight (or weight-assisted machine), with 1-minute rest
squats: 2 x 10 reps, with 1-minute rest
push-ups: 2 x 8–10 reps, with 1-minute rest
Choose two exercises each workout from traditional crunches, V-sits, stability ball crunches, reverse crunches, twist crunches and medicine ball crunches: 2 x 20 reps for each, with 1-minute rest.

Week 3 (Recovery)
Same as above, using 66% of # of reps from weeks 1 and 2 for each exercise.

Weeks 4 and 5
chin-ups: 2 x 15 reps with body weight (or weight-assisted machine), with 1-minute rest
squats: 2 x 15 reps, with 1-minute rest
push-ups: 2 x 12–15 reps, with 1-minute rest

Choose two exercises each workout from traditional crunches, V-sits, stability ball crunches, reverse crunches, twist crunches and medicine ball crunches: 2 x 30 reps for each, with 1-minute rest.

Week 6 (Recovery)
Same as above, using 66% of # of reps from weeks 4 and 5 for each exercise.

Weeks 7 and 8
chin-ups: 2 x 10 reps with 105%–110% of body weight (or of weight lifted using weight-assisted machine), with 90-second rest
squats: 2 x 10 reps with 105%–110% of body weight, with 90-second rest
push-ups: 2 x 10 reps with 105%–110% of body weight, with 90-second rest

Choose two exercises each workout from traditional crunches, V-sits, stability ball crunches, reverse crunches, twist crunches and medicine ball crunches: 2 x 20 reps with 105%–110% of body weight for each, with 90-second rest.

Week 9 (Recovery)
Same as above, using 66% of # of reps from weeks 7 and 8 for each exercise.

SURGERY ON MONDAY!

I'm so very lucky to go into Surgery again!

Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery

The Laparascopic Gallbladder Surgery Procedure
The gallbladder is a small organ whose function is to store and release bile, which is a digestive fluid secreted by the liver. Bile performs the critical function of breaking down fats so they can be absorbed by the digestive tract. Gallbladder removal surgery is called for when gallstones have formed, blocking the flow of bile and leading to attacks that can cause severe pain and discomfort.

I'm not getting this one done thank gosh .... I would hate to take 4-6 weeks off....

Traditional Gallbladder Surgery Gallbladder surgery used to involve a large, open incision, 3-4 days in the hospital, and a slow and painful recovery period of about 4-6 weeks. In traditional surgery, known as “open cholecystectomy”, an incision is made just below the ribs on the right side of the abdomen. The liver is moved to expose the gallbladder. The vessels and ducts to and from the gallbladder are cut and tied off, and the gallbladder is removed. The patient is under general anesthesia for the procedure. Open or traditional gallbladder surgery provides a better view of the anatomy than laparoscopic surgery.

Thank gosh I'm doing this one!
Laparoscopic Gallbladder SurgeryWith the invention of the laparoscopic procedure in 1989, the surgery can now be performed through several small openings, can be completed in one to three hours, and has a much shorter recovery time.
During a laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, a tube carrying a video camera is inserted through an incision in the navel. The surgery is then performed under the guidance of this camera. Tiny instruments are used to cut and clip the ducts and arteries attached to the gallbladder and to remove the gallbladder from the body.
The challenge in performing the surgery correctly is for the surgeon to properly identify each duct on the television camera and be sure he or she is cutting and clipping the proper one. Mistakenly cutting, clipping or nicking the common bile duct rather than the cystic duct can lead to dire consequences, as can nicking or cutting adjacent organs.

In a normal procedure, the steps in the process include:
• Administration of general anesthesia to the patient.

• After the patient is anesthetized, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide to create enough

space that the surgeon can both see and maneuver inside the abdominal cavity.

• Next, four tiny incisions are made, including one in the naval.

• A laparoscope is then inserted, which is attached to a camera, allowing the doctor to see inside

the abdomen and identify the ducts and organs.

• Using the camera and screen as a guide, other instruments are inserted through the other

incisions. These instruments are used to close off the ducts and blood vessels with small metal

clips.

• The gallbladder is then separated from the liver and from the ducts and arteries running to it.

• The gallbladder is drained of all fluid through the naval opening and is then removed through

that incision.

• Finally, the carbon dioxide is removed from the abdomen and a few quick stitches close the

incisions.

• The procedure usually lasts about an hour to an hour and half.
Performed properly by a skilled and experienced surgeon, this procedure is safe, effective and

cuts hospital time and recovery time significantly.

Back to running on Wednesday!

Ok maybe!!

Hit the Hills!

Going Up

Boost bike power and speed

Hills. Love ’em or hate ’em, they’re always there and can be a factor on race day. Sometimes they’re massive and intimidating, like the Beast at St. Croix. Other times they’re small and more gradual, like the rollers at Ironman Wisconsin. Or, occasionally, they’re invisible and get lost in the wind gusts, as in the lava fields of Kona. But regardless, with specific emphasis in your training program you can learn how to tackle hills and turn what may be a weakness into a strength.Hills are most often used to increase specific power and strength, but they also help improve pedaling technique and efficiency and challenge our mental focus and confidence. When integrated properly into a training program, hill training can be the key to stepping up to a new level, but it’s not as easy as finding a steep climb and trying to invoke the spirit of Lance. Here are a few key training sesions to help you break through and get you climbing like a mountain goat. Adaptation and endurance phase: early/mid-season or three-plus months prior to an A-priority raceIn order to prevent injury and prepare for the big days to come, it is useful to schedule three to four sessions (one per week) of adaptive hill training. One of the best ways to do this is to ride hill-cruise intervals. Hill-cruise intervals strengthen muscle and connective tissue in preparation for higher-resistance sessions. Find a fairly gradual hill that’s five to 30 minutes in length. You will ride this hill comfortably hard, staying seated and spinning at 80 to 90 rpm. This effort should be just below your lactate threshold—you should be able to talk but would prefer not to. Your first workout is short, only 20 to 30 total minutes of climbing divided into several work intervals of five to 10 minutes apiece, each followed by five minutes of easy spin recovery. Add to the total work-interval time by about 25 percent for each of your subsequent two hill sessions, either by increasing the number or duration of intervals. Be sure to include 30 minutes of warm-up and cool-down to this workout.This workout is also effective later in the season to develop muscular endurance and strength. The basic execution is the same; however, you will be fitter and able to handle a bit more work. Therefore, a later-season version of this workout will incorporate hill-climbing efforts of 15 to 30 minutes in length, each followed by a 10-minute recovery. The focus of this workout will be a sustained lactate-threshold effort. As in the early season, perform this workout over three consecutive weeks, beginning approximately 12 weeks out from an A-priority race.Strength development: Late early season, approximately two months before a key raceAfter you have laid your foundation through hill-cruise intervals you are ready to focus on specific strength development through muscle-tension intervals. Specific strength will boost your cycling power but will also benefit your running through injury prevention and improved joint stability. Muscle-tension intervals are performed by climbing in a much higher gear than you would normally select and at a cadence much lower than you would want to (or should) use in any situation other than this specific workout. This is a very hard effort and should only be done once a week at most, but preferably every other week. Always remember to include a 30- to 60-minute warm-up and cool-down before and after muscle-tension intervals.After a warm-up find a moderately steep hill (10-percent grade; something you would normally ride in the small ring). You will ride three to eight efforts of five minutes each with a five- to 10-minute easy-spin recovery after each work interval. Each hard effort is done using the big ring and a middle cog. You should only be able to spin at 50 to 60 rpm (don’t let your cadence drop below 40 rpm). This will be a very slow turnover, and you should stay seated. This should feel almost frustrating. You will want to stand and shift to a lower gear, and you will probably wonder if you read this workout correctly. But trust me, this stuff really works. Don’t underestimate this workout; start conservatively and build by only one or two intervals per session. Sharpening: Mid- to late seasonAs the season progresses and your fitness develops, you will want to add a bit of sharpness. Again, hills are excellent for this. This time, find a fairly steep, short hill (10-plus percent) and perform a series of 10 one-minute intervals. Spin into the climb, slowly building your pace over the first 30 seconds. Then, for the last 30 seconds of each one-minute work interval, shift up two to three gears and push as hard as you can while trying to maintain a 90-plus rpm. Try to stay seated, but stand if you really have to. Stay smooth, keep spinning circles and keep your upper body quiet. This workout is excellent when done as 10 x 1-minute intervals with two to three minutes rest. The session will help you to stay smooth as you transition from the flats into the hills and helps you handle the inevitable pace changes on race day. Hills will likely be a factor in at least a few of your key races this season, but with these workouts—and a little respect you will find them to be a weapon rather than a weakness.

My story in the Coulee Region Women!

This is so cool..

http://www.crwmagazine.com/pdf/crw-current.pdf