So again this morning it was an early rise……4.30am ishy.  I got the decaf coffee going and Steve and I had our coffee and then I did my TP Therapy routine, which I could not live without.

We head down to the swim, we are only a 10 minute walk away from the pier, which will be great for post race legs!  The energy is incredible its just buzzing everywhere and I truly love watching some of the guys walking to the swim in just their speedo’s and flip flops…….hhhmmmm.

Anyway today was the SWIM of my LIFE about 10-12 DOLPFINS swam underneath me…..well, first I had a scream! and slight panic attack all within 3 seconds and then realized I was safe and how beautiful this was.  I looked around me and everyone had stopped swimming and where watching the dolphin’s and several babies, there was something very tranquil watching the beauty of the other world - the ocean.  Though I must say when those fins are surfing, I get a bit squeamish.

ok thats it for now…back to the couch.

Make it a great day………..Paolina

Now that I am on my tapper, I wake up each morning at a ridiculous time (for me).  I feel like a wound up coil just itching to go.  For the first time I think I have started to learn what a tapper is.  Its not lazing around lying on the couch, watching as much tv as possible, eating like tomorrow you have a 6 hour training day and then starting to feel a bit doughy.  Nooo, I’d say this time around my workouts have been excellent and “i get it”.  The tapper in my words are short workouts with the intensity there, leaving the workout like you could do more.  I have a feeling in my legs that the tank is getting full again and with each session, I’m still not much in a deficit.

This is my first time going to Kona, everyone keeps asking me or telling me how excited I must be, …..hhhmmmmm with this Ironman its a Very different feeling.  Right now  feel very calm, maybe I feel like I am moving around in a dream, who would have thought I would ever get to race at the World Championships and as a Pro!!!!!! 

So here is a bit of my training from this week:

Last Saturday….disastrous ride in the rain and wind and freezing cold supposed to be 3 1/2- 4 hours, but had a massive BONK  (can’t believe that this still happens to me after all these years, had 6 gels in my pocket but could not stomach them)……had a cry on the bike and cried when  I got home. MY Back was killing me, which made each pedal stroke agony.                                                                   Sunday….coach told me to have an easy day…Hot Moksha Yoga and 1 hour swim            Monday….Yoga and off                                                                                                                 Tuesday…..2 hour bike In my bathroom, with the heater on and the shower on occasionally to get the room all sweaty! 20 min run off the bike                                                                                            Wednesday….Speed session on the treadmill….ahh my favourite place to run : ).  Then swim with the team….Ohhh had another cry in the pool…wasn’t meeting my times….mind you I had them set 15secs too fast…My coach Nancy Black has made me finally realise I AM A SWIMMER! believe me this a good sign that I care so much about my time or rather seconds in the pool…has taken me YEARS.  The way I swim in the pool I NEED to do this in Hawaii.                                                                   Thursday…..bike 4 intervals @ 15km TT pace, this was my best ever!.  30min swim                        Friday …today I’m going to ride out side and then a 20min run..

 So that’s what my week has been like as well as working all out at my own job as a Hair Designer.

Tomorrow we head off to kona, for sure I will post more when I get there and give you my first impressions.

thanks for reading…..make it a great day

paolina allan                                  

I have just had the WORST training day ever!

This morning my husband and I head out to cycle with the Donut ride, here in Toronto.  The Donut ride is The Group Ride to go to, all the top riders cycle with them every Saturday and Sunday morning.  Its a group that started back in the 80’s, when I head down to meet them and see a group of 100 riders plus, I just can’t tell you how excited I am to get into the pack and start hammering for the next couple of hours!

Well this morning I saw them and the heart rate shoots up with anticipation, got to stay at the front to avoid any carnage, and all the “good riders” are up there so a safe wheel to follow.

10 mins into the ride and I am SPEWED out the back…….oh there goes my husband/coach….I can’t breath and my legs are freakin’ killing me.  Whats wrong with me, my head wants to “race”, my heart is there but there is nothing left in my legs.  I fall back to the point that I can’t even see a rider……….My EGO is splattered on the road and the tears start to fall.  I eventually, 10km later see Stephen…Oh he decided to stop and wait for me!  So I cried some more and sobbed about how lousy a cyclist I am, I am so not fit…blah blah blah, well I was not getting any sympathy. 

So we plodded on and then some 3 plus hours get home, only to be told that I have to go for a run now….well that turned into a walk home…..and a few more tears.  What where the neighbours going to think of me!  I’m supposed to be a pro at this triathlon stuff!

So thats the bad news.  The good news is, I know that I am in the best shape of my life.  Last Sunday I ran a PB 1/2 Marathon, which I won and was 2nd overall.

I can’t wait for Ironman lanzarote in 3 weeks. 

Well, this year has proven to be one of the most difficult.  I have had to mourn my running.  I had reached out to every line of help, (or so I thought), Sports therapist, Massage, ART, Sports  Medicine Doctors, Foot Specialist, Foot Surgeons and then, the last one told me my running career was over and I would NEVER run the same, that’s if I could and that would be in several years.  I have a case of sever Plantar Fascia.  I sat in that office with my head tilted back so the tears would not slide down my face, by this point I was getting used to holding in the tears until I got home….oh and would stuff my face with whatever was in my fridge! 
I decided to go down to Ironman Lake Placid, to hang out with TIMEX and chat to Cassidy at www.tptherapy.com.  Well, Cassidy looked me in the eye and TOLD me he would have me running.  He told me he would have me ready for an Ironman this year.  I got the chills all over my body, I absolutely believed him.  So on Saturday the day before the race Cassidy spent a LONG time on me, showing me how to use the tp footroller, quad roller and massage ball.  I got rid of all my orthotics and the leg splint that I was sleeping in. Thank goodness! 

WWW.TPTHERAPY.COM……..CASSIDY PHILLIPS HAS SAVED MY LIFE!! 

At first it was every other day running, with a slight bit of pain afterwards (need to be honest).  Now I am running over an hour at a good pace, with NO pain.  I’m now training for www.Ironmanflorida.com.  I just did my first Triathlon last Sunday and I WON! My run was 59 seconds longer than last year.  Everyday I use the tp therapy products, it’s easy and I carry the rollers around with me everywhere, even in my handbag 

What I learned 1.Never ever give up on yourself.  2. You have to take control of your own Health.  3.  All the years of fitness are like putting cardio in the bank, depositing and withdrawing.  Taking some time out is OK, it only hurts your brain.  Train smart and you will come back, strong and healthy. 4. Talk to Cassidy at www.tptherapy.com  before you start wasting your money on all kinds of therapy!

Stay Healthy  paolina allan 

This weekend I am finally going to do something that I have wanted to do for years, probably for as long as I have been doing Triathlons. My first road race! So I am terrified as I never cycle in packs….why would I? When in triathlons, you MUST NEVER draft. For the last two weekends I have gone out on the “Donut Ride”, here in Toronto. The first weekend I jumped in on this group of about a 100 hard core roadies…..no helmets, crazy rideing, elbowing, just not my scene….ooooohhhh and I was on my sexy RED TREK EQUINOX TIME TRIAL BIKE and there was no way I was getting dropped, that bike can go hard!  Lets just say at first they where not to pleased to have a TT bike in amongst them, but have now proven that us Triathletes sure know how to handle a bike and corners!

On Sunday morning I will be towing the line with another great pro. Triathelete Tereza Marcel and we’ll show the roadies that we can ride just as well if not better!!

 This is my first warm up race for the season as on Monday I have my own “Team Timex” doing a Duathlon relay, will let you all know how it goes.

Train hard but smart.