Yeah, after the marathon, I dropped off the face of the earth. I need to stop doing that.
After the marathon, my training went from full throttle to maintenance mode. I slept in every morning (which means no 4:30am wake up calls), had a work out here and there, did a muddy obstacle race in Austin, completed a tower climb (and came in 4th in my age group-woo hoo!), had an amazing volunteer experience at the finish line of the Texas Ironman and yesterday I struggled through the Combat Triathlon in Texas City. I say "struggled" because on top of not training at all the week prior, I was dealing with another stomach bug during the process.
I had blast during this time. Plus I needed the break.
But that goofing off is about to come to an end since I officially signed up for my first 70.3 race in October.
I hired a coach and will start my journey June 1, 2011.
I am excited about the journey to this goal I have had in my head for quite some time now.
Exactly a year ago to this day, I could not swim freestyle. Not a single stroke. I had never done a triathlon before and I was petrified of the swim. I had signed up for swim lessons and I had vowed to conquer my fear of the water. The first two weeks I felt like I was running in place, no progress what-so-ever.
When...BAM! I had finally had a break through.
A moment suspended in time where something finally clicked. And as quick as I realized I was finally mastering something, that moment was gone, and I was back to my floundering ways. But that taste of victory was all I needed to keep going. The rest of that season was a series of setbacks and breakthroughs, but that is the part that fascinates me the most....it is the process and the journey of getting to the goal that truly is the beauty of it all.
And so it goes...a new destination and a new sea to conquer.
1.2 mile lake swim. 56 mile bike ride in the hill country. 13.1 mile run.
A 70.3 mile race in Austin, Texas.
There are a few other side items I would like to accomplish along the way; like work on my nutrition habits, drop 10 more pounds and work on my strength training. The coach I hired is will be testing me every three weeks to do a litmus test to see what is working or what needs to change. I plan to share this progress in a series of posts with the hope it may help someone else on their journey to a goal. I intend to capture the small victories to look back on when I want to give up. It would also be amazing to see where I came from when I finally get there.
I am fastening my seat belt. I have a feeling it is going to be a bumpy ride
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Big Sur Marathon Race Report
So, you may have noticed, there was little hype going into this past weekend. I briefly mentioned it in my blog, but because so much focus was put into my MS 150 training, I had neglected my running.
Oh sure, I planned the runs ahead of time. This is where I planned to have my long run on Saturday and bike on Sunday. The plan was brilliant….only until reality sunk in.
The most I ran was 15 miles…and I even struggled to pull that off.
The plan was to go with my friend Jessica, who signed up for the 9-miler. Maybe she could upgrade and run with me. She had not been training for a full either…so at least we could suffer together. The race organizers denied her request to switch…but offered a kernel of hope….they might be able to do it at the expo, the day before the race.
The alarm goes off Saturday morning at 6:45am and Jessica sends me a text.
Her little boy is sick.
Wahoo! I am off the hook. I am sure she wants to stay home and be with her little one. I am ready to roll over and snuggle into my bed.
I text her back:
Wanna stay home?
No. She replied.
Damn. So close.
Her hubby is going to provide around the clock care to their son. She is on her way to pick me up. We are running a little behind schedule.
But hey, if we don’t get on this plane, it is fate right?
We make it.
We get seats together in a row with no middle person which is exciting when you fly stand-by.
Pure giddiness. I start to get excited and also feel butterflies. Yet, at this point of time, I am still running 26.2 miles…alone.
We start to strategize. I did not want to downgrade to the 9-miler, but I did not want Jessica to wait 4 more hours at the finish line for me either. We decide to add her name to the rental car as a backup plan.
We get to the hotel with no incident. We are staying in a cute little historic hotel in the heart of downtown Monterrey. Walking distance to everywhere we want to be. The only drawback is there are no elevators in the building. No problem. We are not wimps. Service was friendly and we felt welcomed.
We get to the race expo and hit the jackpot. Jessica is upgraded to the marathon. I am ecstatic. I no longer have to suffer alone. In the meantime, we are both nervous nillies. We walk around the expo to calm our nerves with some shopping therapy. I get to meet (more like stare at) one of my favorite celebrity runners, Jeff Galloway. As usual, I peek at him from behind obstacles because I always become speechless when I meet someone I admire.
Race morning.
Alarm goes off at the ungodly hour of 3:15am. I had woken up at 2am ready to go…but going back to sleep another hour put me in groggy state. We shuffled off to the bus and they shuttled us to the starting line 2 hours early. We find a nook in a shopping center wall and try our best to keep warm. We curl up and put our heads on our knees and shiver.
It was the longest wait ever.
Finally it is time to line up.
The sun comes over the horizon at 6:15am and it slowly starts to warm up. Jessica and I throw our bags into the sweats van and find our place in the C corral. We have 6.5 hours to complete the race and to get a medal. I know we can do this. We are not amateur runners. I tell Jessica that I think we can do it in 5.5 hours. We had made a pact to walk every water break. We were going take it nice and easy. We had our pockets stocked with fuel gels and we were taking our electrolytes like clockwork.
The starting line gun is supposed to be fired by Bart Yasso. He shoots blanks. We laugh.
It is time to roll.
First 6 miles go great. We feel great. It is gorgeous blue skies and the waves are crashing against the cliffs. And we stressed out about this?!? Really? Really. Silliness I tell you.
We are running on air.
It is all going quite well except I have to pee and nature would not stop calling me. I lost count but I think it had to be at least 5 times I had to visit a port-o-potty. Ridiculous. Why now? I keep analyzing what I did to make my kidneys work over time. If I was going to go for a goal time…I really have to resolve that potty break issue.
We see the famous piano player. A grand piano is hauled out to a cliff overlooking the water…and a piano player in a tuxedo serenades us while we climb up the hill.
Then there were the Brazilian drummers, who gave us a motivational beat to make the middle miles fly by.
Jessica and I joked about the wall at mile 20. Jessica even pretended to run into an imaginary wall and fall down. (I was too worried I would not be able to get back up.) The last 6.2 miles were the hardest…but we did our best to push through them. We just kept moving. The advice from my sis-in-law, Erin, kept ringing in my head. She said once you stop, it is nearly impossible to get going again.
Video of me hitting the wall. Stopping was not an option.
The course was an out-and- back. We ran to the bridge and turned around to head back. We had a 2 mile detour through Los Lobos state park. It was breathtaking beautiful. When we came out of the park we had one more monster hill to conquer (26 total hills).
After that hill, it was downhill to the finish line. And that finish line was such an emotional sight to see. It took all I had not to burst into tears when they put the medal around my neck.
That is when the pain began. Every step took all my effort. Somehow we made it to the bus…but once off the bus, that is when Jessica reminded me of…the STAIRS at the hotel. I am sure that was a sight to see!
I am so grateful that I experienced my first marathon with a dear friend. It was full of smiles and cheer. And when I wanted to stop, Jessica kept pushing me to keep going. It would not have been the same without her.
I am so thankful for a weekend that went so well. Good times.
And it is funny to me when I look back on how badly I wanted to cancel yet it worked out better than I could ever imagine.
Now, that I have a personal record for a marathon...I have a desire to beat it. Next time, I need to train properly.
But hopefully, next time, it will be without all those pee breaks. Thank you very little.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Happy Day
On this date, in 2003, I was in a dark little bar, listening to a local favorite band called Liquid Sand with a group of friends, celebrating our beautiful friend Jenn's birthday. I had been hanging out with Charlie for a little over a month, as friends, and was just on the verge of giving up on hope of it evolving into anything more. At the end of the night, he finally made his move...and well, it was one of my happiest days ever.
Eight years later, I came home today to my cute little family with my daily greeting from my friendly Shitzu, Gizzy, covered in BURRS!
Apparently, when Charlie came home on lunch break, our sweet guy, left 3 fresh presents around the house. While Charlie was cleaning up his mess, he let the dog out to finish up any remaining business.
This is where his adventure began.
When the time came where it was time for Gizmo to come back in, the dog was no where to be found. Sometimes he comes to a patch of driveway at the front of the house, Charlie walks to the front of the house. Yet, no Giz to be found.
Charlie starts sweating bullets when he calls and calls and Gizmo does not respond.
A flash of white fur catches his eye, and there is Gizzy is down by the river, stuck in a bush full of sticker burrs. He can not move and Charlie, now frustrated with his antics, insists that since he got himself into that mess, then he must get himself out. Grudgingly, Gizzy makes his way out of the bush.
He was quite the sight covered in thorny balls. I spent an 45 minutes picking out those stickers when I got home from work. And surprisingly, he did not snap at me once. I felt like I was pulling out thorns out of a lions paw. Gizzy just looked so grateful. I just hope he learned his lesson.
You see, Charlie had no idea what he signed up for 8 years ago with that first kiss...and of course, you know, the adventures will never end.
I leave for California in 3 days. I have signed up to run in The Big Sur marathon. I don't know what I was thinking, to run a marathon only 2 weeks after the MS 150. The most I have ever run is 16 miles. Am I scared? Yeah...you could say that. At the same time...I just read an article about the Hoyt team...the 70 year old father who pushes his 49 year old quadriplegic son in the Boston marathon and in Ironmans. And the documentary I just saw about the middle aged father who ran from Minnesota to Atlanta (My Run). And I am complaining about a measly 26.2 miles? I will suck it up.
I am half watching the "Voice" on TV. Isn't amazing, how a voice can just send chills down the spine? I am typing away on my blog, but some singers make me stop typing mid word from just sheer emotion.
I have a weakness for voices. Milo Hamilton carries me back in time. I was speechless the day I met Gene Peterson, the voice of the Houston Rockets, back in the day. Today, on 94.5, they had a listener win DJ for the day (a.k.a "Doug for a Day") and I was all about his voice. I could listen to that dude all day. I wanted to tell the producer, sorry man, you gotta hire this beautiful voice. Oh, and if you are a man...please do not attempt to sing like in a woman's voice. It is as bad as nails on a chalkboard to me. Seriously.
I will run far away.
Eight years later, I came home today to my cute little family with my daily greeting from my friendly Shitzu, Gizzy, covered in BURRS!
Apparently, when Charlie came home on lunch break, our sweet guy, left 3 fresh presents around the house. While Charlie was cleaning up his mess, he let the dog out to finish up any remaining business.
This is where his adventure began.
When the time came where it was time for Gizmo to come back in, the dog was no where to be found. Sometimes he comes to a patch of driveway at the front of the house, Charlie walks to the front of the house. Yet, no Giz to be found.
Charlie starts sweating bullets when he calls and calls and Gizmo does not respond.
A flash of white fur catches his eye, and there is Gizzy is down by the river, stuck in a bush full of sticker burrs. He can not move and Charlie, now frustrated with his antics, insists that since he got himself into that mess, then he must get himself out. Grudgingly, Gizzy makes his way out of the bush.
He was quite the sight covered in thorny balls. I spent an 45 minutes picking out those stickers when I got home from work. And surprisingly, he did not snap at me once. I felt like I was pulling out thorns out of a lions paw. Gizzy just looked so grateful. I just hope he learned his lesson.
You see, Charlie had no idea what he signed up for 8 years ago with that first kiss...and of course, you know, the adventures will never end.
I leave for California in 3 days. I have signed up to run in The Big Sur marathon. I don't know what I was thinking, to run a marathon only 2 weeks after the MS 150. The most I have ever run is 16 miles. Am I scared? Yeah...you could say that. At the same time...I just read an article about the Hoyt team...the 70 year old father who pushes his 49 year old quadriplegic son in the Boston marathon and in Ironmans. And the documentary I just saw about the middle aged father who ran from Minnesota to Atlanta (My Run). And I am complaining about a measly 26.2 miles? I will suck it up.
I am half watching the "Voice" on TV. Isn't amazing, how a voice can just send chills down the spine? I am typing away on my blog, but some singers make me stop typing mid word from just sheer emotion.
I have a weakness for voices. Milo Hamilton carries me back in time. I was speechless the day I met Gene Peterson, the voice of the Houston Rockets, back in the day. Today, on 94.5, they had a listener win DJ for the day (a.k.a "Doug for a Day") and I was all about his voice. I could listen to that dude all day. I wanted to tell the producer, sorry man, you gotta hire this beautiful voice. Oh, and if you are a man...please do not attempt to sing like in a woman's voice. It is as bad as nails on a chalkboard to me. Seriously.
I will run far away.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
MS 150 Reflection
The MS150 was an amazing experience.
I started out the morning stressed. It was chilly. I brought my arm booties and my leg warmers but I knew the weather was forecasted to be gorgeous. So it was either be warm for the first few minutes and then be the hunchback on the bike for the rest of my 8 hour day...or suck it up and be cold.
I sucked it up.
And I am glad I did. It was chilly, but I warmed up quickly. There was tons of bikes. So I went slow and easy. We skipped the first rest stop, so that we could lose most the crowd. So imagine my surprise when rest stop number 2 was Belville, TX. We were already at the lunch stop.
Continental had a tent with wraps and goodies. We sat under the shade of the tree. We had only gone 27 miles so we were feeling pretty good. We still had 4 more rest stops to go.
LaGrange was a beautiful sight. We rolled in at about 4pm. After that it was quite the whirlwind. We found our amazing friend Norma, who volunteered to go with us, carry our gear, set up our sleeping area and be our rock. After showers and dinner, Norma and I went to check out the fairgrounds.
It was like a mini city. There were tents everywhere. The Mattress Firm tent had brought in mattresses with the box frames for all their riders. We were in awe. The sun was setting so we walked toward the finish line and watched the last riders roll in...by hand. They had the wheelchair bikes that you pedal by hand. The riders had faces grimaced in pain but full of pride. We cheered at the top of our lungs. It was a magical moment as the sun slowly hid behind the horizon.
Morning arrived and I woke up with extreme anxiety. I envisioned going through the Bastrop State Park and flying down a hill over 30 mph with the hundreds of crazy riders. An accident just waiting to happen. I knew, if I crashed, or anyone crashed in front of me...I was done. It didn't help that the guy next to us described hills called "The Widowmaker" and "Killer" hill. Sigh.
I moved so slowly. People had been up since 3:45am to find a place in line. The race does not start until 7am and I am no hurry to start. We let all the people rush ahead...so most the crowd is long gone. Once we get rolling, I start to relax, and I start to have fun.
The park is gorgeous. The smell of pine saturated my senses. I was flying. Hill after hill...I did not walk one. Next thing I knew, I was out of the park. Alive and happy. Definitely not a bad as I worked it up in my head.
As I sat under the tent in Bastrop, enjoying my cantelope, I turned to the 3 guys sitting next me and prepared myself to share a common bond. I asked them, "Was it just me, or was that park not nearly so tough as everyone said it would be?"
I swear the music came to a screeching halt and they looked at me like I had 2 heads.
They replied, "Uh no, that was the worst park ever...we had to walk at least 4 hills!!!" They groaned in pain.
I lowered my head and did not say another word. But inside, I was doing the happy dance.
Austin was only 30 miles away. I put my head down and hammered. I just wanted it to be over with at that point. My shoulders hurt but my legs were strong. Victory was so close I could taste it. And when I finally the turned the corner and saw the Capitol...it took everything I had to hold back the tears.
After the finish, I turned around to wait for my friend and co-worker to cross the finish line. His body gave him fits on the last stretch. It was a proud moment to watch him cross after all the training, trials and tribulations up until this point.
A rare beautiful fleeting moment that will live a lifetime in my heart.
I started out the morning stressed. It was chilly. I brought my arm booties and my leg warmers but I knew the weather was forecasted to be gorgeous. So it was either be warm for the first few minutes and then be the hunchback on the bike for the rest of my 8 hour day...or suck it up and be cold.
I sucked it up.
And I am glad I did. It was chilly, but I warmed up quickly. There was tons of bikes. So I went slow and easy. We skipped the first rest stop, so that we could lose most the crowd. So imagine my surprise when rest stop number 2 was Belville, TX. We were already at the lunch stop.
Continental had a tent with wraps and goodies. We sat under the shade of the tree. We had only gone 27 miles so we were feeling pretty good. We still had 4 more rest stops to go.
LaGrange was a beautiful sight. We rolled in at about 4pm. After that it was quite the whirlwind. We found our amazing friend Norma, who volunteered to go with us, carry our gear, set up our sleeping area and be our rock. After showers and dinner, Norma and I went to check out the fairgrounds.
It was like a mini city. There were tents everywhere. The Mattress Firm tent had brought in mattresses with the box frames for all their riders. We were in awe. The sun was setting so we walked toward the finish line and watched the last riders roll in...by hand. They had the wheelchair bikes that you pedal by hand. The riders had faces grimaced in pain but full of pride. We cheered at the top of our lungs. It was a magical moment as the sun slowly hid behind the horizon.
Morning arrived and I woke up with extreme anxiety. I envisioned going through the Bastrop State Park and flying down a hill over 30 mph with the hundreds of crazy riders. An accident just waiting to happen. I knew, if I crashed, or anyone crashed in front of me...I was done. It didn't help that the guy next to us described hills called "The Widowmaker" and "Killer" hill. Sigh.
I moved so slowly. People had been up since 3:45am to find a place in line. The race does not start until 7am and I am no hurry to start. We let all the people rush ahead...so most the crowd is long gone. Once we get rolling, I start to relax, and I start to have fun.
The park is gorgeous. The smell of pine saturated my senses. I was flying. Hill after hill...I did not walk one. Next thing I knew, I was out of the park. Alive and happy. Definitely not a bad as I worked it up in my head.
As I sat under the tent in Bastrop, enjoying my cantelope, I turned to the 3 guys sitting next me and prepared myself to share a common bond. I asked them, "Was it just me, or was that park not nearly so tough as everyone said it would be?"
I swear the music came to a screeching halt and they looked at me like I had 2 heads.
They replied, "Uh no, that was the worst park ever...we had to walk at least 4 hills!!!" They groaned in pain.
I lowered my head and did not say another word. But inside, I was doing the happy dance.
Austin was only 30 miles away. I put my head down and hammered. I just wanted it to be over with at that point. My shoulders hurt but my legs were strong. Victory was so close I could taste it. And when I finally the turned the corner and saw the Capitol...it took everything I had to hold back the tears.
It was an breathtaking moment, and one I will never forget.
After the finish, I turned around to wait for my friend and co-worker to cross the finish line. His body gave him fits on the last stretch. It was a proud moment to watch him cross after all the training, trials and tribulations up until this point.
A rare beautiful fleeting moment that will live a lifetime in my heart.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Weekend Re-cap
Quick little update.
I am on day 6 of the 2nd Vegan Challenge. It is going much easier this time around. I am enjoying my food choices and dont feel deprived. Plus, I lost 5 pounds already. Although I know it is mostly water weight, it is still a huge incentive to keep going.
I ran the Davy Crockett Bear Chase half marathon this weekend and LOVED it. It was quite a drive, but well worth it. As soon as I found out we weren't wearing timing chips, I immediately decided that I was not going to try and push myself to beat my P.R, especially since I was not going to have an official chip time posted on the internet forever (in case I got amnesia or something...you never know!). Shoot, I was going to enjoy this run and not worry about the pace or my time.
I was hoping to just enjoy the scenery...and that I did.
It was gorgeous with tall pines and wildflowers. I was surrounded by nature. Here is the road leading up to the entrance to the Davy Crockett National Forrest.
I am on day 6 of the 2nd Vegan Challenge. It is going much easier this time around. I am enjoying my food choices and dont feel deprived. Plus, I lost 5 pounds already. Although I know it is mostly water weight, it is still a huge incentive to keep going.
I ran the Davy Crockett Bear Chase half marathon this weekend and LOVED it. It was quite a drive, but well worth it. As soon as I found out we weren't wearing timing chips, I immediately decided that I was not going to try and push myself to beat my P.R, especially since I was not going to have an official chip time posted on the internet forever (in case I got amnesia or something...you never know!). Shoot, I was going to enjoy this run and not worry about the pace or my time.
I was hoping to just enjoy the scenery...and that I did.
It was gorgeous with tall pines and wildflowers. I was surrounded by nature. Here is the road leading up to the entrance to the Davy Crockett National Forrest.
The race ended on the high school track...where I was able to hang out with my buddies under the bleachers. They gave us cute little finisher bears...with our gun time finishing number.
Today was the Space Race. We were supposed to ride 40 miles...but I think we may have missed a turn or they miscalculated the distance. Anyway, it turned out to be a blessing since it was my friend's first real ride on her triathlon bike. 40 miles may have been a little too much for the first go round.
Regardless, we all had a blast. It was a fun way to celebrate a birthday. A well organized ride, and I was happy to see it benefited the Ronald McDonald House. Here we are at a rest stop...
Okay, I am off to bed. Weekend over...another crazy work week begins.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Kemah Sprint Triathlon Race Report (RR)
So the plan was to leave the night before...but sometimes life just happens while you are making plans. So we ended up set to leave in the morning.
I had set my alarm for 4:20 am...but it did not go off. I have a new phone, and apparently, I forgot to set the day for Saturday. Thankfully, I woke up to Charlie's alarm, but right off the bat, we were 15 minutes behind my target departure time.
5:02 am we are on our way, but we had to turn around for Charlie's wallet. And then again for sunglasses.
Now, it was a race against the clock. Transition was set to close at 6:30am. The transition area is where you go in to a roped off area and set up all the items you need for all three sports. Underneath your racked bike, you get a small patch of real estate. Here is where the triathlete will lay out the helmet, running shoes, racing number, visor, sunglasses, and any other items needed to get you through the race on a perfectly folded towel. All the items are all organized in meticulous order to maximize your time in between sports.
By the time we parked at 6:15am and walked to the entrance, I had 2 minutes to rack my bike and organize my bag of goodies. After I was body marked, I rushed in, threw my bike on the rack and dumped my bag out on a towel. So much for the meticulous organizing part.
Next up was the wetsuit ordeal. I sprayed my self down with Body Glide, put Target bags shopping on my feet and started to climb in. So far so good...thank goodness I had Charlie with me to lift the suit pass my bootie. After the final tug, it was then that I realized the zipper was in the FRONT.
It was backwards. Ugh.
I was not about to go through that torture again. So, I decided to swallow my pride and sport the backwards look...and hopefully, maybe, no one will notice.
Oh but they did notice. And then they talked to me all slow like, and patted me on the back and told me I was going to be just great. All I could do is just nod and smile.
Nod and smile.
So the 500 meter swim went...well, not so great.
It was more of an adjustment than I thought to use the wet suit during a swim. I am sure it didnt help that it was backwards.
Yes, it keeps you warm and yes, you are more buoyant. That part is nice.
But it still takes some getting used to. I should of had time to practice with it, but I have been so busy. Time has not been my luxury. So I floundered around a bit trying to find a rhythm. Okay, so maybe it was more than a bit. When I finally found my groove, I only had about 100 yards to go.
The bike was my time to shine. 12.5 miles.
As you may already know, I have been riding almost every weekend since January. The only bad thing is, I forgot my clip-in cycling shoes. Ugh. So although I was averaging 20-22mph, I can not help but wonder what I would have averaged if I was able to use both sets of leg muscles instead of one. Oh well, this was my dress rehearsal for the rest of the season, right?
The 3.1 mile run was just okay. It took me a good mile and a half to find my legs. Therefore, this will be the training season to focus on more brick workouts. That is when you do a workout back to back. Note to self: I definitely need to add running after my bike workouts.
Overall it was a nice race. This particular race production company puts on very well organized triathlon races, and this one was no different. Great music, nice volunteers, and plenty of water and food afterwards. Oh yes, and they gave out medals, a great tech shirt and a very nice race packet.
What I would change? Wow, where do I begin? Well, to start with I will set a back up alarm. Leave earlier. Have my bike already attached to my car. Bring my spin shoes. Put my wet suit on correctly. Have my Hammer Gel on my body during the bike ride. Bring back the Camel bak instead of water bottles (way easier to drink out of when hauling butt). Wear sunglasses that I brought even when it is cloudy to prevent bug in eye (yes, I know, major duh). I will be sure to remember my Garmin watch sitting on charger. Eat a better breakfast. Eat a better dinner. Get more sleep. Prepare my recovery drink in advance.
Hmmm....I think that about covers it.
Sigh. Yeah. As I said...it was a dress rehearsal for my upcoming season.
Oh yes, I would like to send a huge thank you to my hubby Charlie...who I tried, multiple times, to convince he did not have get up at 4:30am to drive me over an hour away to cheer me from the sidelines.
He did it anyway, and was my saving grace, especially for keeping my spirits up when things did not go as I planned.
Thank you, Charlie, I am forever grateful.
My times have been posted. Significant improvement from last year...and I ran faster on the run than I thought but averaged slower on the bike than I thought. Go figure! And I did not come dead last in the swim (wiping brow). And I am proud to say that I have officially moved out of the bottom of the pecking order (I am no longer in the overall bottom 5 in my age group...woo-hoo!)
Swim: 18:08
T1: 6:17 dead last...but only because I wasn't meticulously organized. :)
Bike: 40:20 (18.9 average pace)
T2: 1:24
Run: 31:19 (10:06 Pace)
And now...the Kodak moments.
I had set my alarm for 4:20 am...but it did not go off. I have a new phone, and apparently, I forgot to set the day for Saturday. Thankfully, I woke up to Charlie's alarm, but right off the bat, we were 15 minutes behind my target departure time.
5:02 am we are on our way, but we had to turn around for Charlie's wallet. And then again for sunglasses.
Now, it was a race against the clock. Transition was set to close at 6:30am. The transition area is where you go in to a roped off area and set up all the items you need for all three sports. Underneath your racked bike, you get a small patch of real estate. Here is where the triathlete will lay out the helmet, running shoes, racing number, visor, sunglasses, and any other items needed to get you through the race on a perfectly folded towel. All the items are all organized in meticulous order to maximize your time in between sports.
By the time we parked at 6:15am and walked to the entrance, I had 2 minutes to rack my bike and organize my bag of goodies. After I was body marked, I rushed in, threw my bike on the rack and dumped my bag out on a towel. So much for the meticulous organizing part.
Next up was the wetsuit ordeal. I sprayed my self down with Body Glide, put Target bags shopping on my feet and started to climb in. So far so good...thank goodness I had Charlie with me to lift the suit pass my bootie. After the final tug, it was then that I realized the zipper was in the FRONT.
It was backwards. Ugh.
I was not about to go through that torture again. So, I decided to swallow my pride and sport the backwards look...and hopefully, maybe, no one will notice.
Oh but they did notice. And then they talked to me all slow like, and patted me on the back and told me I was going to be just great. All I could do is just nod and smile.
Nod and smile.
So the 500 meter swim went...well, not so great.
It was more of an adjustment than I thought to use the wet suit during a swim. I am sure it didnt help that it was backwards.
Yes, it keeps you warm and yes, you are more buoyant. That part is nice.
But it still takes some getting used to. I should of had time to practice with it, but I have been so busy. Time has not been my luxury. So I floundered around a bit trying to find a rhythm. Okay, so maybe it was more than a bit. When I finally found my groove, I only had about 100 yards to go.
The bike was my time to shine. 12.5 miles.
As you may already know, I have been riding almost every weekend since January. The only bad thing is, I forgot my clip-in cycling shoes. Ugh. So although I was averaging 20-22mph, I can not help but wonder what I would have averaged if I was able to use both sets of leg muscles instead of one. Oh well, this was my dress rehearsal for the rest of the season, right?
The 3.1 mile run was just okay. It took me a good mile and a half to find my legs. Therefore, this will be the training season to focus on more brick workouts. That is when you do a workout back to back. Note to self: I definitely need to add running after my bike workouts.
Overall it was a nice race. This particular race production company puts on very well organized triathlon races, and this one was no different. Great music, nice volunteers, and plenty of water and food afterwards. Oh yes, and they gave out medals, a great tech shirt and a very nice race packet.
What I would change? Wow, where do I begin? Well, to start with I will set a back up alarm. Leave earlier. Have my bike already attached to my car. Bring my spin shoes. Put my wet suit on correctly. Have my Hammer Gel on my body during the bike ride. Bring back the Camel bak instead of water bottles (way easier to drink out of when hauling butt). Wear sunglasses that I brought even when it is cloudy to prevent bug in eye (yes, I know, major duh). I will be sure to remember my Garmin watch sitting on charger. Eat a better breakfast. Eat a better dinner. Get more sleep. Prepare my recovery drink in advance.
Hmmm....I think that about covers it.
Sigh. Yeah. As I said...it was a dress rehearsal for my upcoming season.
Oh yes, I would like to send a huge thank you to my hubby Charlie...who I tried, multiple times, to convince he did not have get up at 4:30am to drive me over an hour away to cheer me from the sidelines.
He did it anyway, and was my saving grace, especially for keeping my spirits up when things did not go as I planned.
Thank you, Charlie, I am forever grateful.
My times have been posted. Significant improvement from last year...and I ran faster on the run than I thought but averaged slower on the bike than I thought. Go figure! And I did not come dead last in the swim (wiping brow). And I am proud to say that I have officially moved out of the bottom of the pecking order (I am no longer in the overall bottom 5 in my age group...woo-hoo!)
Swim: 18:08
T1: 6:17 dead last...but only because I wasn't meticulously organized. :)
Bike: 40:20 (18.9 average pace)
T2: 1:24
Run: 31:19 (10:06 Pace)
And now...the Kodak moments.
Here are the backward wetsuit photos (and yes, that is extra crotch space and not an extra long torso).
My beautiful support group at the finish line
Friday, April 1, 2011
6 Month Countdown to Half Ironman
I signed up for Half Ironman Austin yesterday.
This means I have to put the nose to the grind stone for the next six months.
Despite the hard work ahead of me, this goal excites me.
Last year at this time, I could not swim a single lap of freestyle. Not even a half lap. I could breast stroke and doggy paddle but that was the extent of my swimming skills. I wanted to do a triathlon, but I could not swim worth a damn.
I signed up for swim lessons at the YMCA in June. It was for beginners who could not even float. I could float, but I could not breathe. I felt like I was wasting my time.
Frustrated, I dropped out after 3 lessons; although, I paid for 10.
Then, by fate, I was introduced to a triathlon coach. She taught me more in a half hour than the 3 hours I had experienced at the YMCA.
Finally, I could swim half a lap. Wahoo! This was huge. I finally had something to practice.
And practice, I did.
I practiced 3-5 times a week and swam my first sprint triathlon in a pool. I did okay. I was so nervous that I doggy paddled and breast stroked for part of the race. I could only freestyle in short bursts before I was gasping for air. However, I was definitely better than what I was just a month prior to that triathlon.
Regardless of the clumsy swim, I enjoyed this triathlon and was officially hooked on doing more.
My next sprint triathlon was about a month later in an open lake. I hyperventilated as soon as I discovered I could not see. I was back to ground zero. I drove home that day in tears.
I was starting to feel that I was just not destined to be a swimmer.
Yet, funny part is, I could not give up.
Thankfully, each sprint triathlon experience was a small improvement.
Yet sadly, even with 5 triathlons under my belt, I still do not quite yet feel like a true swimmer.
BUT I have finally gotten to the point that with enough practice, I believe I will get there.
And with the help of my new Masters swim class at the YMCA, I have a bit more confidence that I can and will swim 1.2 miles.
Tomorrow, I have my first sprint triathlon of 2011 in Kemah, TX. It will be my first time to wear a wet suit. This will be an interesting experience. Just trying it on last night was a workout in itself!
And so begins the six month journey of experimenting with nutrition, waking up early for masters and experimenting with different proper training regimens. I will start off next week with another 21-day Vegan Challenge on Monday. I would like to shed at least 10 pounds before the big day and I need to stop skipping those Masters classes. Sigh...yeah...I definitely have a few vices I would like to drop in the process so this goal will bring about such positive changes in my life. It will be a tough adventure ahead, but when I reach the end of my journey, it will be such a sweet victory. Here goes nothing...
This means I have to put the nose to the grind stone for the next six months.
Despite the hard work ahead of me, this goal excites me.
Last year at this time, I could not swim a single lap of freestyle. Not even a half lap. I could breast stroke and doggy paddle but that was the extent of my swimming skills. I wanted to do a triathlon, but I could not swim worth a damn.
I signed up for swim lessons at the YMCA in June. It was for beginners who could not even float. I could float, but I could not breathe. I felt like I was wasting my time.
Frustrated, I dropped out after 3 lessons; although, I paid for 10.
Then, by fate, I was introduced to a triathlon coach. She taught me more in a half hour than the 3 hours I had experienced at the YMCA.
Finally, I could swim half a lap. Wahoo! This was huge. I finally had something to practice.
And practice, I did.
I practiced 3-5 times a week and swam my first sprint triathlon in a pool. I did okay. I was so nervous that I doggy paddled and breast stroked for part of the race. I could only freestyle in short bursts before I was gasping for air. However, I was definitely better than what I was just a month prior to that triathlon.
Regardless of the clumsy swim, I enjoyed this triathlon and was officially hooked on doing more.
My next sprint triathlon was about a month later in an open lake. I hyperventilated as soon as I discovered I could not see. I was back to ground zero. I drove home that day in tears.
I was starting to feel that I was just not destined to be a swimmer.
Yet, funny part is, I could not give up.
Thankfully, each sprint triathlon experience was a small improvement.
Yet sadly, even with 5 triathlons under my belt, I still do not quite yet feel like a true swimmer.
BUT I have finally gotten to the point that with enough practice, I believe I will get there.
And with the help of my new Masters swim class at the YMCA, I have a bit more confidence that I can and will swim 1.2 miles.
Tomorrow, I have my first sprint triathlon of 2011 in Kemah, TX. It will be my first time to wear a wet suit. This will be an interesting experience. Just trying it on last night was a workout in itself!
And so begins the six month journey of experimenting with nutrition, waking up early for masters and experimenting with different proper training regimens. I will start off next week with another 21-day Vegan Challenge on Monday. I would like to shed at least 10 pounds before the big day and I need to stop skipping those Masters classes. Sigh...yeah...I definitely have a few vices I would like to drop in the process so this goal will bring about such positive changes in my life. It will be a tough adventure ahead, but when I reach the end of my journey, it will be such a sweet victory. Here goes nothing...
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