Triathlete B

El Tour de Tucson

2006-11-22T08:22:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Greg and I decided to travel to Tucson for the Tour. This event is a big deal in our family not because we have done it every year, but really because we have talked about it every year. In fact, I have only done the Tour one other time and that was in 1999. That year I did a 75 mile option and was fairly certain I was going to die. I am not sure how I could have been so much younger and in such worse shape then, but it was awful. My average speed was around 12 mph and I remember my mom and dad slowing down a lot to wait for me. Even my parents, for all their cycling experience, had never done the full tour. I think they had each registered for it a few times, but something always came up.

For this year's Tour, I waited until the last week to actually register. I had concentrated so much on SOMA, that I knew I could ride 50-60 miles fairly well, but I wasn't so sure about 109. My husband, being who he is, had only been riding around 15-30 miles per week. All those miles were at break-neck speed which meant he was fast, but had very little saddle time. After evaluating our training, I tried to convince my husband we should do one of the shorter mileage options, like the 66 mile event. He used typical Greg logic to say "Well, if we can do 66, we can do 85, and if we can do 85 we can do 109." Therefore, race morning found us bundled up at the starting line for the 109 mile event

I wasn't sure what I wanted to wear for the race because it was really cold at the start, but I knew it would warm up. I decided to go with a long bra, cycling jersey, long wicking shirt, jacket and toe warmers. .
However, after waiting around a bit at the start, I decided I was too warm. I raced back to the car and dropped off the wicking shirt. Later I would be so glad I unloaded this shirt.

We had all heard bad things about the mass start of the tour, so when the event started we took our time. We had timing chips afterall, so we saw no need to hurry. -We later found out that the timing chips didn't record our start time. This meant the 11 minutes it took us to get to the starting line was actually included in our race time. This was a huge bummer and my biggest complaint of the event.

Shortly after we finally got going, I decided to shift into a harder gear. I had borrowed my mom's old road bike for the event since it is much more comfortable than my road bike. (Besides shouldn't everyone's first 100+ mile event be on a bike they are unfamiliar with?) However, I wasn't used to the Campy gears and promptly shifted incorrectly and dropped my chain. Boy did a I feel like a dork so early in the event!

Greg and I had talked about our race strategy beforehand and we anticipated that he would pull more in the beginning and I would pull more at the end. Honestly the first 10-15 miles were pretty frustrating for me. We had a bit of a head wind and he smartly wanted to draft off other riders. However, I couldn't hold their pace and kept getting dropped and then he would have to slow down to ride with me. I could tell I was bringing him down and I was frustrated with myself for not being able to ride faster. We later got more into a groove and it became more fun.

Part of the "charm" of the Tour de Tucson is that there are two river crossings in the event. Since this is Southern Arizona we are talking about, the rivers are almost always dry. When we came to the crossings, everyone got off their bikes and carried them across the thick sand. It was actually sort of comical seeing everyone off their bike crossing the sand. The first crossing was probably about 200 yards, but the other was much longer and harder. The second was where I really cursed my mom's steel framed bike! In fact, days later, my arms are the main part of me still sore!

Around mile twenty we were getting hot and looking forward to meeting up with Nikki. Nikki is a family friend who graciously volunteered to watch our boys and meet us along the course. We were planning to drop our cold weather gear off with her at the next aid station. Unfortunately, we never saw them at that station and ended up having to carry our jackets until around mile 50. By then we were so ready to unload them!

As each mile ticked by, I began to get more and more excited. I was really worried that I would hit mile 60 and just collapse, but as 60 came and went I was feeling pretty good. I began to think I could do the distance and I grew confident in my strength and athleticism. At mile 70 the coolest thing happened. One rider passed me at a good speed and then another passed quickly grabbing his wheel. I decided not to miss this opportunity and jumped on board as well. Greg of course stayed with us and a few more riders joined in. For the next 15 miles we had the coolest pace line going. Everyone pulled, everyone stayed together and everyone actually worked as a team. My adrenaline was pumping so hard! I think right then and there I could have converted and become a hardcore roadie! I knew Nikki and the boys were at mile 85, so it was a little bit bittersweet when we saw them and had to stop. It was tough saying good bye to our cool baseline. Greg later said that he was happy to stop because he couldn't have kept it up much longer, but I was fairly confident I could have kept going.

In fact, I really didn't start to feel too bad until about mile 102. Around then, everything hurt: my lower back, my neck, my crotch. I went from a little achiness to intense pain. Those last few miles seemed so long. Greg was also dragging at this point and pretty much stayed in my draft. This was probably the only thing that kept me going. I was encouraged to actually be the stronger half of our team, something that is very rare when we workout together.

When we finished I was very relieved, but then of course I had to ask myself two important questions: could I have biked three more miles? And could I then run a marathon? To answer the first, hell yes! For the second question, while I was relieved to not be running a marathon that day, I think if IRONMAN had been on the line, I could have done it. It would have been slow, ugly and painful, but I still think it would have been possible. Hopefully by April I will be even stronger and it will be slightly less painful!

Greg and I finished in 6:51:32 according to their clock. According to mine, we did 6:40:32. This was a 16.32mph. Considering how long the river crossing took, the fact that we stopped for 5 minutes to help a rider who crashed, and about 4 minutes for traffic lights, this was very good. My parents also had an excellent time and finished in just over 8 hours. They both looked great and were feeling good enough to go out that night! The next day Greg and I went for a four mile run. It was supposed to be a recovery run at a low HR, but since I ran with Mr. Zippy, it was of course too fast. Still I felt good about it. My only lingering problems are the sore arms from carrying the bike across the river beds, and sore crotch.

Extra Kudos for El Tour De Tucson: Despite a few shortcomings, like misleading timing chips (what were those for again?) and few mile markers, this is really a great event. The volunteers are spectacular. At each aid station, they held my bike, refilled water, and constantly offered me food. I took up an offer for pretzels at one station and the volunteer quickly went out of his way to find them and deliver them so I didn't have to wander around. They were all friendly, helpful and just as importantly encouraging. At one of the last stations I chewed on a saladito (salted plum, if you are from Tucson you probably know them and like them, if you are from any place else, you probably think it sounds nasty). I asked the volunteer there where to throw my pit. He actually had me spit it in his hand so he could throw it away. Poor guy said he had touched worse things during the day! Next year is the 25th anniversary of this event. I highly recommend it to everyone!!

SOMA Triathlon

2006-11-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

The weekend before the SOMA triathlon, my mom sister and I met up in San Francisco for the Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon. My mom and I walked the half marathon together. We had no goals other than to spend a leisurely morning doing the event and to enjoy our time together. We carried a cell phone and periodically called my sister who was running the full. To our amazement, despite a tougher course and knee problems, she was able to PR! Her finish line photo says it all and we are so proud of her!!

Since I had such a nice weekend up in San Francisco, the following weekend I wanted to give my husband a chance to sleep in and relax. For this reason, my husband did not go to Phoenix with me for the SOMA race but my sons did. At first I was worried about having them there right before my event, but it turned out to be the greatest thing ever. The night before the race they helped me mix my bottles and prepare my gear. For two (almost five year old) boys who are normally super active and slightly crazy, they were actually helpful. The morning of the race I woke up and got dressed and went through my gear one last time. My guys looked so cute sleeping in their bed that I was a little hesitant to wake them. Finally, I had to get them up. I pulled back their covers and said "Who wants to see Mommy do a triathlon today?" Not suprisingly little bub tried to crawl back under the covers and asked if I could do the race a little bit later when he wasn't so tired. Big bub surprised me by hopping out of bed and announcing that it looked like a good day to see mommy race. (How cute is that?) As we walked to the race site, people kept stopping to ask us if we were a relay team. We decided I would do the swim, Big Bub would bike and Little Bub would run. Someday... Once we got to the race site, we met up with my friends Erin and Brenda as well as my Mom and Dad. This was my Dad's second triathlon and his first half ironman. I thought he looked noticeably nervous, but then again so did I! My mom took the boys to watch the start of the race and we all did more last minute prep. Dad's wave started before mine so we watched his start. Brenda, Erin and I all started in the same wave. Erin is a much faster swimmer so she seeded herself towards the front while Brenda and I were further back. My swim coach gave me the advice that I should go out harder than I think I can. I did this, but about five minutes into it I had a little panic attack. I felt tired, and out of breath and couldn't imagine finishing the whole thing. It was really bad. Then I remembered her second bit of advice to not let negative thoughts creep in, to live in the moment and think positive. So, I told myself to keep up the pace and just see what happens. I did that and was able to relax. By the end I felt really great. Not only was I passing orange caps (the wave in front) but I was also passing pink (two waves in front)! I was a little disappointed that my time wasn't a few minutes faster, but overall I was happy.

I was excited and nervous about the bike leg. I was excited because I love the bike portion, but I have been dealing with a nagging knee pain so I wasn't sure how well I would do. The bike leg was three loops, so right after I started I was passed by the faster riders in the early waves. A group of about 6 tightly packed riders rode by and I thought about saying something about what a nice pack they were, but restrained myself. A couldn't help smiling a moment later though when a motor bike rolled up and reminded them that this was "not a group effort." It was sure nice to see the draft marshals out working.

Predictably my knee started hurting about six miles into the race. I tried not to let it bring me down but I know it effected my power. I saw my mom and kids twice during the race which was awesome. Having their support there meant so much to me. Each time I saw them I was thankful I decided to bring my boys and so grateful my mom was there to cheer for me and play with them. I saw my Dad one on the second loop and he looked great. He was significantly ahead and I knew there was no way I could catch him. I was proud that he was having such an awesome race. I also saw my friend Brenda on each lap. Although I started the bike leg a few minutes ahead of her, she closed the gap on each lap. We entered T2 together and started the run together. We have done a lot of our weekend training together so it was definitely comforting to have her with me.

Brenda was feeling bad on the run but I encouraged her to stay with me. Even though she kept saying she felt awful, we were able to keep up a pretty good pace. When I began the second loop of the run my mom told me that my dad was just ahead of me. She also said that he had crashed on the bike and was looking pretty bad. We caught up with him shortly after that and he definitely looked injured. Apparently he had tried to throw his water bottle away while still in aero position and lost his balance. He crashed on the second loop but managed to do the rest of the race despite injured shoulders, hip, and ribs. His helmet was also severely cracked and his rear derailler was broken so he couldn't switch gears. Man my Dad is tough! When we caught him on the run we asked if he wanted to run with us. He encouraged us to go ahead and he promised to keep going. We saw him a few more times along the run, and although he was noticeably limping, I always saw him running. (He claims he walked, but I never saw it!)

After awhile Brenda encouraged me to go ahead because I was feeling so strong. In fact for most of the run I felt incredible. I was passing people all the time and offering words of encouragement. Mile 10 was my wall though. I don't know if I ran out of nutrition or what, but when I got to mile 10 I suddenly just wanted to be done. I starting slowly noticeably but couldn't do anything about it. About 200 yards before the finish line I saw my family again and they ran to give me high fives. It was great! Shortly after that, Brenda caught back up with me and we crossed the line together.

Swim: 42:36 T1: 2:08 (I peed in my transition area!) Bike: 3:13:10 T2: 2:41 Run: 2:10:04 Total: 6:11:51 The race was a totally awesome experience and I was so happy with my time. I know now that I have the potential to break six hours. Considering most of my training for the last few months have been base miles at low HR, I think I did very well. After the race I got the crazy idea that I should just drive home that night. I showered, ate some Baja Fresh and loaded the boys in the car. My plan would have been only semi-stupid, except I didn't know that a portion of I-10 leading out of Phoenix was closed. What should have been about a 5.5 hour drive became 8 and I was completely exhausted by the time I got home.

Making a Comeback

2006-11-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

The bad news is that I have been a terrible blogger since June. I have still tried to read blogs, but have been horrible about commenting and even worse about writing my own. The good news is that the journey is still on. I have just been very busy with my sons. I have one year left before they go to kindergarten and I want to enjoy this time with them as much as possible. We have been traveling some, visiting our normal museums and zoos, and just being together a lot. They are in preschool four days a week, but I work with them there two days, so I really have very little "me" time. This isn't a complaint because I realize what's important, just a statement. Since life seemed so simple, I decided in July to expand our family. We are now the proud parents of a dog. Her name is Bisbee, after the Arizona town. We adopted her from the local pound (of course!), and she has been a challenge but a good one. She was very sick when we got her, but now she is well and tons of fun. We don't have a yard, but thankfully the boys are very active so we go for lots of family walks and try to take her to the dog park at least a few times a week. I am looking forward to when she is older so she can run a little with me!

I have still been training a lot and I think it is going very well. I am following an online schedule that Fe-Lady found for me. I have essentially been working out 6 days a week and most days are double days. It has been manageable so far. Although I am sure that in the next ten weeks it will be getting pretty crazy! Over the summer, my swim coach at the Y (Coach "You will never get anywhere with that stroke" Ivan) moved on to bluer pools. For awhile I tried to do the workouts on my own, but this just didn't work for me. I am not a very strong swimmer and I need coaching in a desperate way. I found a new master's program in Torrance with an AWESOME coach. This program is pretty intense. At the Y, there were seven of us and I was right in the middle skills-wise. Now, there are about 50 swimmers and I am honestly better than two of them. Three mornings a week I leave my ego at home and challenge myself to keep up in whatever way I can. My old practice was for one hour, but now we practice for 1.5 hours. That was a tough adjustment but I think in the long run the longer practice will really benefit my ironman training. Depending on the workout, we do between 2700 and 3500 yards each practice! Starting in December, my coach will also start giving me some Ironman specific workouts. Did I mention the start time of this group? It is 5 am! yawn!!! This means I get up at 4:35 in order to get dressed, take Bisbee out, bring Bisbee to our bedroom where she sleeps next to the bed, and get to practice. Despite the early hour, I do try to appreciate the sunrise when I can. In five months I am going to see the sunrise over Tempe Townlake. When I am waiting for the canon to go off, I want to think about these early morning practices and know I am prepared.

Over the summer I competed in the Santa Barbara Triathlon. This was a very special event because my dad did it as his first triathlon!! I cannot tell you how cool that was. He has long been a strong cyclist, and a decent runner, but he swam like a rock. I tell ya, he was an awful swimmer. He absolutely worked his butt off learning how to swim, training for the event and doing an awesome job there. The coolest thing was that we left T1 together and leap frogged each other a few times on the bike. Eventually he took a strong lead on the bike, but I passed him in T2. The course was: 1 mi ocean swim, 35 mile bike, 10 mile run. Here are our results:

Me:
Swim 40:26 (this time inspired me to find the masters group!)
T1 3:55
Bike 2:07:01
T2 2:01
Run 1:36:36 (I was stoked with this split!)
Total:4:29:57

Dad:
Swim 44:07
T1 5:13
Bike 2:06:26
T2 3:38
Run 1:49:12
Total:4:48:34

Dad and I also finished the SOMA Half Ironman last weekend. Later this week I will do a separate post with a race report and pics.

Sunday Ride

2006-06-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

This Sunday Robo Stu and I planned to go on a nice little bike ride around Palos Verdes. I wanted to show him a route that involved a tougher hill than we normally do, but the distance would be slightly less. I was figuring we would end up doing about 25 hilly miles, in about 2 hours. For some "strange reason," the Kahuna decided NOT to join us on this ride.

When I got to his house, Robo Stu was finishing getting everything together so we chatted about training. He asked if I had done my planned run and swim the day before. I had actually switched my schedule around so that I had done those events Friday and taken Saturday off so I could have some family time. This seemed perfectly reasonable to me, but somehow when I explained it to Robo Stu I could just tell he was aghast. I know he was thinking "What kind of wanna-be ironman triathlete opts to take days off and spend time with their family?" I couldn't blame him for thinking this, afterall he had been programmed this way, and yet I felt guilty.

Our ride ended up being super great. I was able to show him a new route around Palos Verdes. I was slightly stronger on the way up the hill, but not surprisingly he is a better descender. Once we reached the top, we realized that we were going to return home faster than the two hours expected, so Robo Stu asked if I wanted to extend our ride and head to Venice Beach. This is pretty much a rhetorical question because I am pretty sure that whenever one of us suggests going longer/harder, the other will always agree and go along with it. This second half of our ride was mostly flat with a few little rollers. I have to warn all of you IMFL people that RS is awesome on this type of course! I was working hard to keep up and it seemed fairly easy for him. He was super strong and I just know that come November he will be amazing!

By the time that we returned home, we had completed 47 miles! Our total ride time was almost exactly three hours. Our average was 15.4, but that is a little deceptive because the hills in the beginning were so tough and we had to go super slowly through some of the more congested beach sections. My legs felt like mush by the end, but I have promised myself to try to do runs after every long ride, so I headed to the local track. My heart rate was pretty high after the ride, so on the run I had to go so slowly to bring it down. I think I ended up running four miles at a 12 minute pace. Like I said, it was SLOW! My husband brought the boys to the track to cheer for me, so that was fun. Nothing like having two four year olds running by saying "Wow, look how much faster I am than you mommy! I am going to play on the grass for a little bit, but I will come back and race you when you come back around." I was tired for the rest of the day, but felt great about the brick workout.

***Anyone want to place bets on whether Robo Stu took a long way home just so he could add three more miles for an even 50? Hmmm....

Technology Question

2006-06-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

My mother finally upgraded to a Garmin 305, which means I am now the proud owner of a garmin 201. I installed the regular software and it looks pretty cool, but I know there is even better software out there that some of you use. So, if you can, please point me in the direction of some cool programs that I can use with my new garmin. Soon I should be able to dazzle you all with really interested graphs. :) I feel so high-tech now.

As a continuation of my foray into technology I am finally getting digital video recording! We have been looking at TIVO for a long time, but we kept putting it off because we didn't want to spend the money to watch more tv then we already do. I think my husband in particular was worried about me having easier access to shows like "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" and "The Hills." Not that I watch those shows... However, when it became apparent that the only time he could go on vacation would be during the first week of the Tour de France, even he had to give in. We are getting it through our Cable company which means we can cancel it at any time.

Any Race Suggestions?

2006-06-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Picking a page from the Kahuna's registration manual, I apparently screwed myself out of registering for my next race. I was supposed to race the Camp Pendleton Olympic Tri in July, but it is sold out. To add misery to my pain, it apparently just sold out YESTERDAY! That's right, I waited exactly one day too long. UGH I am going to blame my husband on this one because he kept delaying telling me when he could get vacation this summer. Finally, on Monday night he told me we would be gone the first week in July. So, technically I only procrastinated one day.

So, I need help from the tri community. Can anyone suggest a good Olympic+ race in the So Cal area for the mid-July through August time frame? I would also be up for going to Arizona in August, but cannot really do that in July. Please help!

Weighing In

2006-06-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

Every morning I weigh myself. I know I shouldn't do this, but I have done it for years, and frankly I have a tough time stopping. When my weight is low, the morning weigh-in provides proof that I am doing something right. However, when it is high let's just say it can be a real bummer. For the last couple of weeks my weight has been high. In fact, I weigh more now than I ever have my entire life. Well, except those wonderful pregnancy months when I eventually weighed more than my 6'2" hunk-a-hunk-a-burnin'-feet husband. But I digress...

So, now I am in a quandary. Should I care? I mean, in the last six weeks I completed two marathons, and one of the toughest half-ironman races around. Clearly I am in pretty kick-ass shape. Most of my clothes fit, although the legs on some are getting tight. Could this be cycling muscles? Or am I overcompensating for my exercise and eating too much? I don't really know.

I have an older Tanita scale at home that tells me each morning my body fat is between 22 and 23%. Okay numbers, but not great for a triathlete. At the San Diego marathon, I visited the Tanita booth where the scales there said my bf was 20.5%. I want one of those new scales. Or maybe I don't. Maybe I just need to get over this and learn to move on.

For those of you that are curious, here are the numbers from the Tanita BC554 Ironman scale:
Weight: 135 up one more lb today :(
Body Fat: 20.3%
% Today Body Water: 55% (normal female range was 45-60%, so I was well hydrated)
Muscle Mass: 102
Physique Rating: 8 (This meant "This and Muscular-Athlete)
Bone Mass: 5.4
BMR: 1441 Cal
Metabolic Age: 13 ("Age level the user's body is rated at according to the BMR")
Visceral Fat Rating: 1 (this was the lowest # possible, so at least that is good)

FYI: I am 5'7.5"

Feeling the Burn

2006-06-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went out for a 6 mile run, with some rough hills thrown in around mile 3 and 5. Although it was a very warm day, I felt pretty good on the run. I was able to keep my HR in a reasonable zone, although admittedly I wish I had been faster than my 11 min pace. Oh well.

That afternoon my husband wanted to go for a short run. He has been dealing with a lot of knee problems and has been doing everything he can think of to try to fix them. Well, everything other than going to a doctor, because well... I don't really know. Maybe its MFDAS (male factor doctor avoidance syndrome). One of the things he has read is that running barefoot will actually strengthen the feet and legs and help cure some knee problems. So, yesterday we drove him to the soft track so he could attempt a barefoot run while the boys and I played on the grass. Since it was hot, he did a scientific test to determine the track wasn't too hot. After feeling it with his hand, he declared he was good to go. Exactly two laps into the run he hobbled off the track saying his feet hurt too much to run any more. The bottom of his feet are now badly blistered and he can barely walk. When he shakes his foot, he can feel the skin moving underneath. Ewwww.....The good news is that his knees didn't hurt at all!

We have determined, he will not be running the Badwater 135. If you don't know what I am talking about, rent the movie. If you think Ironman Triathletes are crazy, then these people will help change your definition. It is inspiring, amazing, and disturbing at the same time. Given her well documented phobia of ugly feet, Iron Will should avoid this movie.

Btw, if you haven't already, check out "Get Your Geek On" podcast #22. Kahuna does a piece on last week's open water swim. He actually called me Robo Bridget! I am so flattered!

Feeling Tired

2006-06-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I went for a thirty minute jog. The goal of the run was just to stretch my legs, but I planned to keep my HR very low which subsequently meant a painfully slow pace. I thought this would be a super easy run but instead I was so tired. I just didn't have any energy and when I was done I was just thankful I hadn't decided to run further. Maybe this is my body's way of telling me that it still is not recovered. After Wildflower I really took things easy and cut back on training a lot. -Of course I did the two marathons, but in between them I did not do very much. I really want to do "active recovery" since my inactive recovery was leading to weight gain and general sluggishness. I was pretty discouraged that I felt so bad, but hopefully it was just an off day.

Preschool is out for the summer which is good and bad. The downside is that I don't have any time alone during the week (I really only had about 4 hours while they were in school because it is a co-of preschool). However, on the plus side we are having so much fun. So far this week we have gone to the beach, a wilderness park and the La Brea Tar Pits. Today will be a bit more mellow because we need to do some Father's Day shopping. However, I am going to try to squeeze in a trip to the YMCA later for some pool time and weights.

Like TriDaddy, I have been working on putting together my training plan for the rest of the year, including gearing up for IMAZ. I more-or-less followed the beginner half-ironman plan for Wildflower, and now I am wondering if I should roughly follow the same plan for my next half, the Soma Half in Tempe in October. There is also another half-ironman plan on BT, but I would have to be Gold or Silver member to acess it. This other plan is more detailed and is more of an intermediate level plan. Has anyone followed this training plan?

Crashing

2006-06-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have always known that one day my time would come. I have thought about it often. In fact, on virtually every ride I have envisioned a scenario. Usually I imagine crashing on a downhill since those tend to scare me. Well, this morning the inevitable happened. I was happily pedaling, giving myself kudos for riding so early, when I heard a pop. I had no time to unclip, when I fell completely on my side still attached to the bike. Luckily I was riding my old bike, and neither of us were injured. The worst part was just trying to stop the DVD, lift of the fan I had knocked over and hook myself back on the trainer. I was a bit shaken but determined to finish my workout ("Spinnervals: Mental Toughness 5.0" in case you were wondering). Of course, when I fell a second time I was just embarrassed. Who the heck crashes on a trainer TWICE in one workout? What a lame-O! Btw, I figured out the problem so future trainer-crashes should be avoided.

Other than that things are really back on track. If you read the Kahuna's blog, you know I joined in his open water swim this past weekend. I had an awesome time! Although I got sea-sick, it was wonderful being back in the open water. The run afterwards was good. Robo-Stu and the Kahuna like to talk as though they are not fast runners, but believe me it was a tough pace. I was working to keep up with them. In my case, I needed the fast run, but unfortunately Kahuna injured his calf. Hopefully he will be better soon. It was awful seeing him in pain.

Yesterday I went to spinning and lifted weights. Today I did about 1 hour of the spinnervals DVD but due to the crashes I ran out of time to finish. Then I did about 2100 yards at the pool. It was my first pool workout in weeks and really tired me out. I had hoped for 2500 yards, but my body was just telling me that was too much. Tomorrow is a run day.

Btw, if you haven't already, make sure you listen to the "Get Your Geek On" podcast #20. I was the surprise-a-triathlete!! I feel famous now!

RNR Marathon

2006-06-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

This last week has been absolutely crazy! About ten days ago my sister arrived with her 5 year old twins and three year old from Tucson. Their lives for the last few months have been crazy. Her husband moved to Seattle in January and since that time she has been a single mom trying to sell her house, raise her daughters and train for her first marathon. In between all of that she developed painful kidney stones and learned that most people's urine does not reflect the color of gatorade they drink! (OUCH!) When she arrived at my house, her van was almost comical because it was stuffed full of their needed belongings. Her plan was to play here for a few days, run a marathon, and then drive, with my ever devoted/supportive mom, up to Seattle to begin her new life. She is crazy, funny, and wonderful. Five years ago she watched my first marathon and said "There is no way in hell I would ever do that." famous last words. It is with great pride that I am posting her first ever marathon race report on my blog (I also have a bunch of pics but for some reason blogger isn't too into posting those right now):

Hi everyone!
On Friday before the race, my husband flew in to LA and then on Saturday morning we drove to San Diego. We went to the marathon expo where they have booths set up from various vendors. We were able to get a huge bag full of stuff, including a few t-shirts, some frisbees for the kids, some hair bands, sports drinks and hats. They even had some fun t-shirts that you could buy that said things like:

At mile 22 I thought I was dead,
At mile 24 I knew I was dead and
At mile 26 I knew nothing could kill me. or Why couldn't Phidipedeas have died at mile 20!

I did not get any of those, but I think I might at some point.

That evening my dad had tickets for us to go with him to his Team in Training dinner. Team in Training is a group with the Leukemia society that raises money for Leukemia and then helps people train for various events like this marathon. There were 4500 people that were at this dinner that had raised money for the Leukemia society. I wish I knew the exact amount they raised but it was in the millions. They had pictures of people (mostly kids) that were the honorees people we were running for. And a couple people that were in Memory of. I think I spent the whole dinner crying. They had various speakers, including a woman that had finished her treatment for Leukemia a couple of years ago and one of the side effects of her treatment was that it made her skin and muscles very tight. She said until last year she couldn't even put socks on without help. She was planning on doing the half marathon the next morning. It was all very inspiring.

That night we went back to our hotel and met a guy in the lobby who was looking for a way to get to the starting line. His finance didn't want to have to get up at 4 in the morning. So my sister and I offered to give him a ride. The next morning we were up and met Cody (our new friend) in the lobby. It took us a while to get to the start there were so many people on the off ramp of the freeway that we were not even really moving. One car pulled up to us and asked if we could take the guy in the car (Jorge) to the start. Jorge and his brother were from Mexico and did not know the area and Jorge's brother was afraid he would never get back to the hotel. So we ended up taking Jorge and Cody to the starting line.

At the starting line we met my sister's friend Raciel (pronounced Rachel) and my dad. Bridget had agreed to pace Raciel and I throughout the race. My dad ended up going faster than us from the start so we did not see him much. I was doing pretty well until I think mile 9 or 10 where we went over a couple of overpasses. The slant in the overpass caused my left knee to really start hurting. I kept running as much as I could but ended up having to walk a bit more. At a couple of the places my husband and my mom were there with extra gatorade and some friendly cheers. At around mile 17 I started crying because I hurt so much. At mile 18 I asked Bridget if we were going to break my husband's time and she kindly broke it to me that we were not. I started crying more and Bridget told me that my brother in law who was watching the kids really was not going to charge me to watch them. (Note from triathleteb: my husband had jokingly agreed to watch all five kids, five and under mind you, for the weekend if my sister promised to beat her husband's time) I knew that but it made me laugh to hear it. I pretty much cried the entire time from mile 17 to mile 22. Bridget and Raciel would keep me entertained with stories. Bridget had even read a people magazine the night before so that she could give me all the juicy details on the celebs.

For the final half mile I decided that I should run. There was no way I had worked this hard and I was going to walk across the finish line. Bridget and I ran in holding each others hands up high. We even crossed the finish line with the exact same time 6 hours 12 minutes and 47 seconds. When I crossed the finish line I crossed laughing and crying. I was so excited that I had done it. I did not even care that my husband's first marathon time was well over 20 minutes better than mine or that I had had to walk it much more that I had wanted. I had done it! Bridget was an awesome pacer. She did this marathon an hour and a half slower than her Palos Verdes marathon 2 weeks earlier because she stayed with me. As we crossed the finish she even turned to me and said "You just ran your first marathon, now what are you going to do?" At which point I was able to respond "I am going to Disneyland!!"

As tough as it was I feel such a great sense of accomplishment I can't wait to try it again. (Which is good since my second marathon is going to be in Bellevue on July 9th!!!) According to my sports watch I burned 4573 calories! When we got back to LA my brother in law had the kids make signs for us and it was wonderful. They were so impressed to see my finishers medal. The nice thing about marathons is getting a medal because if you do a marathon you are a winner. My knee was very sore yesterday but I think walking around Disneyland really helped. It is a little sore today but not too bad.

It was really nice to have Bridget running with me and husband and Mom cheering me on. I don't think I could have made it without them!

Celebrity Ride

2006-05-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Having lived in the Los Angeles area for ten years, I have had my fair share of celebrity encounters. I mentored one famous actress as a pace leader for a running group and I see celebrities on many visits to the beach. Heck, my kids were even on a soap opera for a few months! After all this time, it is hard to be impressed by celebrities. Yet, even a jaded person such as myself, could not help but be excited about the invitation I received last week from Robo-Stu inviting me to go riding with him and The Kahuna.

A little background: since I live very close to Robo-Stu (1.02 miles to be exact), the Kahuna had actually mentioned us all riding together a few months ago. I pretty much declined that offer because, well, I was so slow I didn't want to embarrass myself on the bike. I knew it wouldn't be fair to ride with them and make them go a snail's pace. However, post Wildflower I have been feeling more confident and thought it would be fun to ride with them. So, last week I posted a message to the Kahuna saying we should all ride together and that very next day I received the invite from Robo-Stu. Word of advice: don't suggest a workout involving Robo-Stu unless you are very serious about it. He will take you up on it!

Robo-Stu suggested a ride that I have done many, many times so I felt ready. If nothing else, I figured if I was dropped, I at least knew how to get home. When I arrived at Robo-Stu's house, he was politely waiting out front enjoying the Southern California sunshine. He mentioned that the Kahuna would be there shortly. Except he didn't say "Kahuna," he actually used his real name. Who knew his parents didn't name him "Kahuna?"

After the Kahuna arrived we checked out his wounds from last week's xterra debacle. Honestly, his pics don't do it justice. It looked pretty bad! Then we set out on our ride which was really fun. Our route took us around Palos Verdes which means we had some killer hills, but also beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. For the first thirty minutes of the ride my legs were sore and I was breathing harder than I should have. -I am guessing that is due to last week's marathon. However, after a bit I got into a groove and really enjoyed it. Since I have been working on cadence, I tried to continue to make that a focus on the ride. On the steep switch-backs I was able to keep my rpm above 80. That's a first for me so I was really proud.

Kahuna said that he was having a tough time, but I honestly thought he did really well. I would have opted for an easier ride if my body was so bruised. As expected, Robo-Stu was very good. As the strongest rider for the day, I am pretty sure I held him back some, but he was really nice about it. Both these guys are going to do great in Florida!

Play-doh artwork compliments of my husband. He said it was me... Hmm... Notice how nicely my saddle bag coordinates with my body color.

Flatman is Back!

2006-05-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

I just read this morning that Flatman's blog is back up and running. He has a new domain name, so be sure to check it out. If you already read his blog, then you know just how entertaining and helpful he is. If you have not read it before, please check it out. He was one of the first people to read my blog and is always very supportive and kind. It is a bummer someone literally stole his old blog from him, so let's all rally to the new one!

Palos Verdes Marathon: Race Report

2006-05-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

I did it! I finished the Palos Verdes Marathon on Saturday and I am so glad I did. From the very start the experience was a good one. I registered for the race on Friday by going to a local running store for packet pick-up/late registration. Unlike large marathons that give away huge goodie bags, at this one I received: my number, four safety pins, a discount coupon for a sporting goods store and a course map. I found that charming and tried not to worry about whether or not I would need this map to get around the course. Of course there was no need to worry because the course was not only easy to follow, but it was well marked and well supported.

***Quick Fact: The Palos Verdes marathon is the second longest continuously running U.S. marathon behind Boston.***

On race morning, I drove myself to the start. My family was still sleeping, although they had promised to come see me along the course. Parking was easy, which was good because I did not leave myself much time. Before the start of the race I ran into a number of people I knew. Although they were all doing the half, it gave me comfort just to see them. I love that I live in a well populated area, and yet by staying active it can actually feel like a small community.

Anyway, for this race there were no timing chips, but that wasn't a concern. Knowing I would be slow, I seeded myself towards the back of the crowd. However, I think I passed the starting line 2 whole seconds after the gun went off. As you can see from the elevation chart, the first mile is a slight downhill, and then there is a pretty gruelling uphill. My plan was to walk if the hills were too steep, but otherwise to just run the whole thing, until mile 20 when I would probably walk a lot. Unlike other races, I did not take scheduled walk breaks. I had intended to keep my heart rate very low, but with the hills that just wasn't working out so well. However, I did lots of "perceived effort checks," and throughout most of the race I felt very good.

I passed my friend Caroline about five minutes into the marathon. She and a friend of hers were taking walk-breaks every five minutes. Although there were a few miles where we lost each other, for most of the day we played leap frog. They ran faster but I would catch them on their walk breaks. I debated walking with them, but I was more comfortable with my slow running pace.

Around mile 6 I passed a man and we exchanged plesantries about the beautiful day. He then commented that he was checking out the pipes that were running along the road. I made some joke about how they really added to the beautiful scenery, since the rest of the view was of the stunning coastline. He shot back that he was an engineer and designed pipes like these and that "marathons really do have something for everyone." I thought that was pretty funny.

I first saw my family around mile 11 and that was really fun. This course did not have a lot of fans along the way, so it was easy to spot my tall (and handsome) husband and two great sons. I think I will have to keep doing races just because I cannot get enough of hearing them cheer "Go Mommy Go! You're looking great! Good job!" Big Bub refilled my water bottle with gatorade and even ran for about 100 yards with me. Little Bub was nice enough to give me a kiss, but requested no hugs because I was so sweaty. I was able to see them again around mile 13 and then again at 16. They were not able to see me later on the course because their preschool was having a special Saturday class for "Special Misters."

Somewhere around mile 18 I started having a gut-check time. I realized that if I kept my pace steady I could probably break five hours. Although my goal had been to finish between 5:15 and 5:30, I have to admit that I was encouraged by this realization. Part of this was because thus far the marathon had been pretty easy for me. Although the hills were doing a number on my legs, aerobically I felt fine. I was able to chat easily with people around me, and I even made a few phone calls to my family. Although I don't know that running that many miles on this terrain will ever be truly "easy," this was pretty close.

During the big hill past mile 20, I really had to work to keep going. For the first time during the race, I began to question my race day tactics. I worried that I was hurting myself for the RNR Marathon and I hoped that I would be able to recover in time. I specifically thought about Fe-Lady and her warning about too many marathons. Having just talked to my mom around mile 19 (gotta love cell phones), I also kept replaying her last words to me "Don't hurt yourself." Still I trudged on, knowing that I just didn't want to quit running. Something had taken a hold of me. I think that my recent triathlon experience had taught me that I can do a lot and that I just needed to hold steady because things would eventually look up again.

Thankfully, the course turned downhill from mile 23 and I was able to keep going. At mile 25, I calculated that I could actually be under 4:50 if I just pushed it. I have no idea where I got the strength, but I did and I was able to finish in 4:48:17.

As expected, my legs have been pretty sore. I am fairly certain this was due to the hills and not the miles themselves. Although considering my longest run had been 16 miles, maybe it was a combination. I have to say, the swimming and biking must have help me immensely. I know that pre-triathlon, I could have never run this course in that time, especially given my effort level.

For the really anal sorts out there (and if you have read this far, that's probably you!), here are my splits:
1. 10:36
2. 11:02
3. 11:48
4. 11:01
5. 9:37
6. 10:59
7: 33:26 (obviously I missed the signs for the next few miles)
8. see above
9. see above
10. 11:05
11. 10:18
12. 11:01
13. 10:52
14. 11.27
15. 10:53
16. 11:51
17. 10:51
18. 15:32 (um, bad course marking?)
19. 8:41 (see bad course marking above)
20. 11:14
21. 10:55
22. 11:58
24. 11:11
25. 10:20
26. 8:21 (okay, maybe I pushed a little hard here. Who knew I could run so fast?)

Final: 4:48:17
Place Overall: 219/316 (only 316 runners!)
Gender Place: 43/69 (not a lot of females, but the ones there sure were fast)
Division: 7/9

Moments of Insanity

2006-05-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I was riding in Palos Verdes. Knowing cadence is my weak cycling link, I have pledged to work hard on it for the next few months. So, I am happily biking along, proud of myself for keeping the cadence above 50 (just kidding...sort of), when I see the sign. You know those "signs" you see that can change your life, or even just your day? Well this was one of those signs. It was a sign warning residents to expect long delays on Saturday due to an event. I had been planning to do my 20 mile run in Palos Verdes so this sign concerned me because the "event" would make it hard for my husband and sons to be my support crew. Then a realized the advertised event was the Palos Verdes Marathon! It's an omen, don't you think? I am seriously considering doing it. I had already been planning to run super slowly, and now maybe I will still run slowly and just walk the last few miles. This way I have support crews, a small crowd (probably about 20 residents complaining about not having access to their mansions), a medal and a t-shirt! I seriously have no qualms about walking the last 6 miles, or even more if needed, since this isn't exactly an event that I have been training for. My only concern is to not get injured since I promised my sister I would run her first marathon with her and that is in two weeks. -Yes, I know two weeks is way too close for multiple marathons, but I mentioned I would walk a lot this Saturday, right?

** As an added bonus, this would be marathon #9 for me, and the San Diego marathon would be #10. San Diego would be my Dad's ninth, so um, I would have one more than him. Not that anyone is keeping track...

Getting out of Slacker Mode

2006-05-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Last Friday my husband rode to work for the first time. He had talked about doing it forever, and bought a bike specifically for that purpose a number of months ago. After doing some weekend rides and making bike adjustments, he was finally ready to go last week. His route is 17.5 miles, which means his daily total will end up being 35 miles. I think that's a respectable total for a work commute. When he set off last week it felt strange to me that he was leaving the house early with his bike while I was tucked in bed. I didn't feel guilty because I was still recovering from Wildflower. At that point, I still couldn't get enough sleep and my workouts were pretty minimal.

When he left for work with his bike Monday, I wasn't too concerned because I had a spinning class and weight lifting time scheduled for the day. -That workout got cut short when Little Bub fell at childwatch and got a banged up lip, thus earning him some quality time with mommy and an ice pack. On Wednesday, when my husband left for work with his bike, I started to panic a bit. I am supposed to be the early morning warrior! What was making him so dedicated all of a sudden? By the time he crept out the front door this morning, bike shoes on, work clothes in his backpack, and bike hoisted on his shoulder, I had enough. Recovery time is over and I need to get back to the training world. I feel rested and ready.

I have decided to use the next few months to concentrate on some of my weaker areas. I will be re-introducing my weight lifting routine that was cut when my half-ironman schedule got a little too hectic. I will also be working on my cadence since it is terrible slooooooooow. Thanks to the recommendation by Fe-Lady, I think I am going to use the Tri-Fuel training plan as my base plan. It is a 36 week plan which means that I will be starting it in August. Has anyone else used this plan?

Tonight I am going to a "Looking to Ironman" meeting through the LA Tri Club. It should have some good info for Ironman Newbies.

Looking Ahead

2006-05-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone who stopped by my blog last week to read about Wildflower and to offer congratulations. I am still very happy, and proud of my accomplishments, but it already feels like a dream. Could it really have been just over a week ago? It feels like so much longer!

Last week I really took recovering seriously. I indulged in enough chocolate to ensure I was constantly on a sugar high, and I did very little exercising. I made it to the pool a couple of times and did one run. I ran with my sister in law Saturday and it was so hard! We only ran about 7.5 miles at a 10 minute pace, but my HR was very, very high. I guess that is a sign I have not fully recovered! This week I plan to add a few more activities including some spinning classes. I also have to do a long run this weekend since I promised my sister I would run the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon with her in a few weeks. It will be her first marathon and I think we are aiming for a 12 minute pace which I should be able to maintain. I am really looking forward to running that with her!

I also recently signed up for another half-ironman. I am planning to do the Soma Half-Ironman in Tempe on October 29th. My Dad has also signed up for this event! It will be his first half-ironman, and possible even his first triathlon if I cannot convince him to sign up for something else before then. He will be training with TNT in Tucson. I am sort of confused about what to do with my training at this point. When I trained for Wildflower, I followed an online training guide. Should I follow that again for this race? Do I start over at the base or do I just go from where I am and do more speed work? Advice is appreciated!

And finally, my biggest news of all is that I registered for Ironman Arizona!!! Of course I am nuts for doing this, but then again, aren't we all? I have been looking into coaches for this event since that seems to be the way a lot of people go. However, I just don't think I can afford one. Does anyone have any inexpensive (or even free) IM training programs they would recommend?

I will be updating the margins of my blog soon, so check for updates. Clearly my workout schedule isn't correct right now!

p.s. why isn't my clock working???

Wildflower Triathlon

2006-05-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

I know I have been a horrible blogger, but the last month has just been crazy. Normally the kids and school are enough for me, but the added bonus of training for my first half-ironman made it too much for me to handle blogging as well. So, this post will probably be fairly long, since I want to include a bit of training detail.

Training
About five weeks before Wildflower, my husband and I decided to preview the bike course. Since babysitters can be hard to come by, we decided to do a one day trip. We woke up at 3:30 in the morning and drove the four hours up to the race site. The whole way I was honestly questioning our decision to see the course. It had been a rough week and I was very tired and I just wasn't sure I needed the practice more than the sleep. However, once we pulled into the campgrounds all my feelings of doubt went away. There were signs everywhere for the upcoming event as well as huge posters of athletes. When we pulled into the parking lot I got even more excited because we were surrounded by other athletes there checking out the course. Considering the race was five weeks away, the vibe was amazing. After checking out course maps, Greg and I unloaded our bikes and set out on our adventure. Since he was on a mountain bike, and we just wanted to practice, we agreed to keep the pace slow and stop periodically to enjoy our surroundings. We were blessed to see at least fifty deer that morning which made everything all the more special. Beach Hill was very daunting, and honestly after that my confidence was pretty low. I was doubting how I would make it through the whole course that day much less during the race. I would say it took me about forty five minutes to really get into my groove. We stopped around mile 12 so we could get something to eat and enjoy the scenery.

Greg reminded me of a little kid talking about how much fun he was having and how glad he was we decided to come out and do this. After a brief break we started up again with me in the lead. I had just peddled away when I heard a loud cracking sounded that was quickly followed by a loud cussing sound. I looked back to see Greg still straddling his bike immobile. His chain had completely broken! After about twenty minutes of training in vain to fix it we realized out adventure was over and I headed back to get the car. The neat part was that after I left a woman working for the race drove by and picked him up! Apparently the race had sag support out for people practicing. That really impressed us.

Although the broken chain effectively ended the day for my husband and I, we still enjoyed our time together. The next weekend I ended up going up with friends for my second attempt to preview the course. I rode the bike course one day and the next did the swim and run. By the end of this second weekend I was scared but prepared. The bike course almost seemed manageable but the run scared me a lot.

Race Weekend:
For the race, my mom flew out from Tucson to stay with our sons. Greg and I drove up early Friday morning and established camp near the LA Tri Club. There we met a very nice man named Marsh who we ended up hanging out with a lot of the weekend. Although I was very nervous the day before the race, I was also very excited. I had done all I could in training and now was the fun part. I realized the race had three components: nutrition, emotional and physical. For the physical part, my training was in the bank and now I just needed to concentrate on pace and stay relaxed. For months I had pushed myself to train because I was incredibly worried about making the cut-off times. Now, I was fairly confident I would make the times but also wanted to have a good overall race. For the emotional side, I pledged to enjoy the moment. I considered myself lucky to be taking part in this legendary race and I decided to remind myself of that frequently on race day. I also made the decision to live in the moment as much as possible. I promised myself that I would only think about the event I was on. For example, I wasn't allowed to worry about the grueling bike leg while I was gutting through the swim. For the nutrition side, I used Power Bar's Race Day Calculator to give me an idea of what I needed. Based on this, I decided to have one gel with a swig of gatorade thirty minutes before the start of the swim. Then on the bike, I would had a gel (or three gel blocks) roughly every thirty minutes starting from when we exited the park. I had my aero-bottle mounted so I could drink comfortably from the aero position. On the run I had one gel at miles 2, 6 and 9 and gatorade or water at each aid station. I spent a lot of time thinking about and reviewing my race day strategy and by the start of the race, I felt good-to-go.

The Swim:

From the start of the swim I was having a blast! Yes, I got a few kicks, my legs were grabbed and more than a few zippy swimmers swam over me. However, I was surprised at how relaxed and comfortable I felt. My swim strokes felt pretty easy and at no point did I feel anxious to have the swim be over. I did make a rookie mistake on the swim though, and that was not getting a better defogger for my goggles. I used a new kind on race day that did not work well at all. By the turn-around I couldn't see out of them so I largely relied on the people around me. I also used a large balloon to site off of. Unfortunately, this balloon ended up leading me pretty far off course. When I realized no one was around me, I finally had to stop, completely lift off my goggles and resite. Oh well, lesson learned! The whole time I was swimming I kept wondering what my pace was. However, I refused to look at my watch because I didn't want to make myself nervous if I was going too slowly. Before the race, my husband had asked me how fast I thought I could complete the swim. I told him I expected to finish around fifty minutes. However, if I was having an awesome day then I could do it in forty five. I was absolutely shocked when I got out of the water and saw that my time was forty one minutes!

The Bike

I took my time transitioning to the bike and then set off. As I left I saw many of my training buddies who were doing the Olympic course the next day. It was fun seeing them along the course. Greg also waited for me so he could get some pictures of me as I headed out.

As expected, Beach Hill was tough. However, since this was now the third time in five weeks that I had done it, I wasn't scared by it. I knew what I had to do to get through it and I stayed relaxed. Around mile five, the course goes by campsites and I saw Greg there again. It surprised me to see him because he must have had to run pretty hard to get to that spot on the course before me. -It was a straight shot for him from the swim location but he had to run up a very steep hill. It made me feel good that he was so into supporting me along the way and I knew he would be nearby when I made it back to the transition area in fifty one miles.

When I left the park I started putting my nutrition plan into play and bent down to drink gatorade. Unfortunately all I got was air. After adjusting the straw and still getting just air I realized I had forgotten to fill my aero bottle. This was such a rookie mistake that I found it funny at the time. I had one regular bottle on my bike so I dumped the contents into my aero bottle (and onto my hand) and continued on.

The Wildflower Bike course is legendary for good reason. It is a very difficult course that really doesn't have rest opportunities. I tried to stay at a good pace and worked the flats and remained comfortable on the hills. As expected, "Nasty Grade" was the worst and I was really gutting through it. However, just before Nasty Grade I passed Sarah Reinertsen, and knew that I had nothing to complain about. I considered myself lucky to see her when I did. She definitely provided inspirational to all of us at that point.

After Nasty Grade everyone around me was pretty wiped out. Many people complained about the subsequent hills and how miserable they were. Although I was tired, I really wasn't all that miserable. I knew I was doing everything I could and I also knew what to expect from each hill. No matter what time I got, I knew everything would be okay.

As expected, when I finished the bike portion I saw Greg waiting for me. He was cheering for me and telling me how good I looked. I later heard a message he left for my mom telling her that I had just left for the run and that I was really suffering. At least he had the decency to lie to me at the time!

The Run

From the start of the run, I was miserable. I kept telling my body to move but it was responding very slowly. My pre-race plan was to walk up all the hard hills. However, once I was out there I found myself walking up even tiny hills that shouldn't have been so hard. I don't think it was an energy problem, I just think my body was doing all it could. I tried to accept this and dredged along at my snail's pace. Greg continued his super support crew duties and managed to meet me on the steepest hill of the course and again around mile nine. We figured out later that he ran about ten miles that day in order to see me in so many places.

Around mile 10.5 I was feeling miserable and a little down. I had set a seven hour time goal for myself as the ultimate goal and at that point I knew it was slipping away. Then my friend Monica ran up behind me. Monica is older and started a few waves back, but she is a far better runner than myself. At this point she looked so comfortable that I was very envious. She encouraged me to run with her and keep going. I must have looked so pitiful because she started giving me the best encouragement. She said she was so impressed with me out there doing this event as one of my first triathlons, and that she couldn't believe I found any time to train with young twin boys. I was so grateful for her encouragement that I actually started to cry! She quickly told me not to waste my energy crying and to "Get a move on." I stayed with her as long as I could but eventually I had to let her go. She was willing to stay with me because she is a wonderful person, but I didn't want to slow her down. I promised I would keep going and ran when I could. I finally made it to Lynch Hill, the steep one mile down hill that concludes the race. Although the downhill hurt my knees, I felt really good just to be finishing. Running through the finish line chute was an amazing experience. I was so proud of myself for finishing such a hard race and of course I was physically worn out. Monica waited for me at the end and I thanked her for her support. Then I fell into my waiting husband's arms were I proceeded to cry for about ten minutes. Don't worry they were happy/relieved tears. This was an amazing experience that I would do again in a heart beat. Now I really feel like a triathlete!

Final Times:
Swim: 41:30
T1: 4:08
Bike: 3:36:53
T2: 3:00
Run: 2:30:43
Overall: 6:56:14

Strawberry Fields Race Report

2006-03-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

First let me say that I am very sorry I have been a bad blogger over the past week. We are remodeling our kitchen which means I have tried to be out of the house most of the day. In the evening I have been trying to study psychology and I told myself I could not blog again until I took my exam. My exam was online so I took it tonight and just got a 98%. Now, I am trying to block out those thoughts of "Damn, what could I have possibly missed?" by writing my first tri race report.

As you all know, I have been all about Wildflower Long Course since my training began. In fact, I have been so single minded in my focus that although I have long been planning to do the Strawberry Fields Triathlon, I never actually bothered to sign up. By the time I got around to it, online registration was closed. Thus Saturday morning I loaded my overly supportive family for the drive up to Oxnard to register. Maquest said it would take 1.5 hours, but due to traffic it was closer to 2.5. Then I had to wait in an incredibly long line while my family played on the beach. About forty five minutes into my wait it started to rain. UGH! Finally about twenty minutes later I was registered, so we piled back in the car for the drive home. That night I had just enough time to eat a good dinner and pack everything for the race. As I did this, I decided these were my race goals:

.25 mi swim: survive, take it easy, just get through it and don't drink too much of the Pacific
11.5 mi Bike: Kick Butt!! I wanted this leg to be fast. I was even willing to sacrifice the run just to have a fast bike leg. I was hoping for 18mph.
3 mi run: Beat 30 minutes, but if possible work to be faster. 24 min was my ultimate goal

Race morning I was as nervous as can be. I kept thinking on the drive how I shouldn't be this nervous for this race. Afterall, this was definitely not an A race for me and it was all about learning. My husband kept reminding me I was doing this to have fun, but I wasn't so sure. All these awful self doubts kept creeping into my head.

Once we got to the race I was actually much more calm. Suddenly I had something to do, and focused on getting my transition area set, my wetsuit on and a warm up in. I met up with my camp friends which really helped calm my nerves. After a bit, we decided to head down to the water. Up until this point, I couldn't see the waves because they were over a sandy hill. However, I kept hearing about them and got a little nervous. Once I saw the waves I knew it would be a rough swim but I also knew I would make it. They were big and would be a challenge, but honestly the waves a week ago were worse. However, once I started to go in the water I realized the situation was pretty bad. The current was incredibly strong. Just by standing in place, I was getting dragged down the beach.

When the first wave, the young men, left we all watched to see how well they would make it to the buoy. Unfortunately only two ever made it and the rest were dragged off course by the strong current. This led to a very long conference with the directors and life guards as they tried to make a new plan. Finally, they decided we would go out past the first set of waves, swim parallel to the beach for 400 yards and then swim in. The young females were the guinea pigs for this plan. They didn't fare much better, so after further debate it was announced that the race would be duathalon.

For some reason, they decided that the first leg would be a run through knee deep water. At this point I removed my wetsuit knowing I could save transition time if I didn't have it. However, after searching in vain for my family I had no choice but to put the suit back on. -This was not fun! Finally my wave took off and we excitedly ran into the water. We all started the run in an eager and polite fashion. When waves bashed into us forcing us to bump into each other, we all apologized and then laughed about being so polite when we couldn't do anything about it. Running through the water proved tough and about halfway through many were walking. I continued to water-jog but didn't get too far.

Finally we were out of the water and running over the dunes to the transition area. I peeled off my wetsuit, for the second time, waved to my family and set off with Kanga. (Thanks for the name idea Fe-Lady, ironically it was the only one I thought of too!)

Once I was on my bike I was so happy. We had a head wind for much of the course, which made me all the more thankful I had my nice aero bars with the bar end shifters. I made it my goal to pass as many people as possible and was able to do just that. I felt strong the whole way, and although I was really pushing the speed I felt great. I suspected there weren't many people in my age group ahead of me, which was confirmed when I made it back to the transition and saw few bikes on my age-group's racks. My husband even said that he didn't expect to see me so soon and that hardly anyone else was back. I had definitely accomplished my bike goal and was all smiles at this point.

The run started off pretty badly. My legs ached and I just knew I was going slowly. Ironically, although I had done many marathons, and consider myself a runner, I am not fast. I am definitely the long-slow sort. I also knew I hadn't done enough brick workouts and made mental notes to amp those up a bit before May 6th. However, after a bit something wonderful happened and I could no longer feel my legs. I felt like I was on auto-pilot. Although I didn't feel fast, I knew I didn't need to walk and that I was doing the best I could. That's all I could ask at this point.

At the 2 mile mark we ran past the finish line. Although I am sure this would be just awful on a longer course, I didn't mind it then because my husband and boys were on the side cheering for me. It was really the only part of the race where they saw me racing and not just transitioning. It was fun to see them, and I love the action pic my husband took!
I was very happy when I finished. Although it wasn't the triathlon I had hoped for, I was very happy with my bike and run performance. Overall my times were better than expected.

Bike: 34:39 (19.9 mph!! Now I wish I had been just a tad faster), 5th in my agegroup!
Run: 24:27 (super fast for me!)

Overall: 1:09:11
11/51 in my age group
35 female overall

I am incredibly happy with how well I did. I know a sprint doesn't imply anything for long course, but I do have some confidence.

Last Day of Tri Camp

2006-03-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

(Sorry about two posts in one day. The weekend was very busy so now I am trying to play catch-up)

Saturday was our last day of tri camp and we did a practice triathlon to end things. I had wanted to do the half-ironman distance for the swim and bike, but weather conditions ended up preventing that. Our swim was in the ocean, and this time the waves were pretty big. Our swim instructors coached us on how to go through the waves and what to look for. We all stuck pretty near each other until we made it past the surf. Then, we turned so that we were swimming parallel to the beach for about an eighth of a mile. Once again, I was not very comfortable in the water. Although we were past the breaking waves, the water was still a little rough. After awhile, I couldn't see anyone around me unless I stopped for a bit and looked past the rolling surf. This made me more than a little uncomfortable. After doing the eight-of-a-mile loop a few times I noticed that everyone else was half-way back to shore. This sort of freaked me out because I didn't hear anyone say that was the plan, and I felt like I was stuck out by myself. Luckily one of the swim coaches spotted me and swam with me to shore. I found out later that lifeguards on the beach made an announcement calling everyone back in because the conditions were becoming unsafe. Now I don't know if I am more bothered by the announcement itself or the fact that I didn't hear it. In hindsight, I don't think my group should have been out there at all.

When we got back to shore I tried to quickly transition to by bike. However, this was next to impossible because I was absolutely frozen. I couldn't even buckle my helmet myself! I finally got on the bike and set off for my long leg. Our bike course was set up so that we road about 3 miles to the start of a 3.8 mile loop. We were to do this loop as many times as we wanted and then head back to the transition area for our run. Most of the people in the camp were training for sprint distances, so after a few loops there weren't many of us out there. By the fifth loop only one other camper and I were sticking it out. By this time, a pretty strong wind had kicked up which made life miserable and made my already frozen toes hurt even more. Finally, the two of us had enough and decided to call it a day. On the way back I tried to keep up with him because he is a much faster cyclist. I managed to stay close the whole way and rode between 18 and 22 with a strong wind the whole time. In the end, I rode thirty miles with a 17mph average. The course only had slight hills.

For the run leg we were supposed to do one mile out and one mile back loops as many times as we wanted. I ran two miles and decided that I had enough. I just couldn't handle all the repetitions and felt worn out. My total time of activity was almost three hours, so although it wasn't the planned workout I still got in a lot of exercise.

I am down to seven weeks until Wildflower. Unfortunately I have been fighting a cold for the last week and still feel pretty tired from it. I am going to try to work on the endurance this week and not worry about speed as much until I am feeling better.

LA Marathon Update

2006-03-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

Although I decided not the run the marathon this year, I participated as a spectator so I thought I would post about that. On Friday my mom and I took the boys to the Expo to pick up my Dad's number. Along the way I took advantage of the deals and bought some Cliff Shot Bloks in the Cran-Razz and Strawberry Flavors. I have really started to like using them on my bike rides. I also bought Carb-boom gels. These are the only gels that I have been able to consume lately. Everything else just tastes gross. I decided to go a little daring and try their Rain Sports Drink for women. I have always been a gatorade fan, but thought maybe I should try something with a little less sugar.

When we were wandering around I saw Triks Sport Skirts display. I have been thinking about getting a running skirt for awhile so we went over to check them out. -I should say now that I NEVER were skirts, but for some reason the idea of a sports skirt really appeals to me. Little Bub walked up to the woman there and smiled his super flirty smile which made her laugh. Right away she said 'Oh, I can see who the flirty one is. This one is trouble!' He then asked me what her name was. I thought I knew who it was, but didn't want to look stupid so I told him he should ask her. So, he did and she replied 'Nicole.' At that point I became a bumbling idiot and was like 'Oh, wow you're Nicole DeBoom? That is so cool! I am training for a triathlon right now. Hee, hee.' Anyway, she was very nice and didn't seem at all scared off by my gushiness. -Btw, I really don't normally gush over people like that. I am just so awestruck by good triathletes! She talked to my mom and I a lot and you could tell she was very proud of her company. My mom tried the the Gym Girl version on and loved them so much she bought two. Then, being the super mom that she is she bought my sister and I the marathon girl skirts. I tried it on at home and it was super comfortable. I cannot wait to take it for a run! Nicole also gave each of us a visor, thus cementing her as one of the coolest professional athletes I have ever met! She signed her autograph for Big Bub that says "Smile and have fun while you win the race." For Little Bub, who is definitely my flirt, she wrote "Don't be sad if you get passed by a girl! Have fun."

On Sunday my Dad ran the LA marathon while my mom and I acted as support crew. We hadn't originally planned to meet him along the course, but at the last minute we both decided we wanted to cheer him on. So, armed with the official course map that had about eight streets and was not to scale, we attempted to navigate around LA. After driving in circles for a bit we realized only one of us should navigate and it wasn't me. My mom ended up doing a great job and we were able to see my Dad before mile 18 and again around mile 22. We bought red vines and pretzels and handed them out to the runners. It was great to be able to give support to so many of then. Although I was initially sad to not be running, I had such a good time cheering that it turned out to be a really fun day. I was especially moved around mile 22 seeing the Student Run LA kids out there. They all looked so young and it was so sad to see them in so much pain. Although a lot of people are against young kids running so far, I still think those runners were accomplishing something that can really help them in their lives. My Dad finished in 5:08, which was his PR for Los Angeles. I was very proud of him! He has now completed 8 marathons which means we are tied and I am definitely doing San Diego in June. -Not that my family is competitive or anything...

At the finish line, I ran into my triathlon buddies whom I had briefly considered running with. They all finished between 4:30 and 4:50 which was great for them considering their lack of training. However, I know there was no way I could have run that fast with no training so it was definitely better that I took the safe route and didn't hurt myself. Of course, I have that twinge of jealousy that makes me wish I could not train and be that fast, but that's not who I am.

Open Water Swimming

2006-03-16T20:28:00.000-08:00

One of my focuses in the last week has been getting more comfortable swimming in the open water. Last week, despite the bad weather, my triathlon camp met for an endurance swim. We were able to swim in a protected bay, so although the waves in the open water were bad, it was great where we were. Here is a picture of the bay with my boat in the background. (only kidding!)

Since the temperature was FREEZING outside, none of us were particularly excited about getting in the water. So, after donning our wetsuits we played around for a bit and posed for some pics. Below is me (on the left) with some of my tri-camp friends. The four of us are planning on doing IMAZ '07, so we have started calling ourselves "Team Arizona."
When we first got in the water I splashed around for a bit and really concentrated on relaxing and getting comfortable. Since there were no waves it was easier than my previous camp open water experience. Once the group was in the water, we set out on a course that followed buoys for a quarter mile out and then we returned to the starting point. When I started the swim I was worried about how much pain my face was in. I mean it was so cold that my face literally hurt. I tried to make myself keep my face in the water and practiced bilateral breathing. Thankfully, after a few minutes my face either warmed up or went numb. Either way, it no longer hurt and I was able to get into a rhythm. By the end of my half mile swim I was actually feeling very comfortable and would have happily swam the course again. So, the good news is that I felt ready for a calm one mile swim, and since Wildflower is in a lake I am getting close to my goal.

On Sunday, my group practiced entries and exits in the ocean. This time the waves were pretty big and it was a big challenge getting in and out. After about a half hour of practicing going in and out I was more tired than I would have expected. Earlier this week my group met again for an ocean swim. This time the waves had mellowed and we swam for about a quarter of a mile. We plan to keep doing these ocean swims and will add to them each week. We seem to have a pretty consistent and dedicated group. Although we are different speeds, everyone is really good about allowing for catch-up stops and making sure everyone is safe and comfortable.

We have planned one more swim tomorrow morning and then Saturday is my practice triathlon to mark my final day of camp. I am hoping to do the 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike but only about thirty minutes of running. I figure since running beats me up the most then that is the part I will go easiest on. Saturday will be a good chance for me to practice my nutrition plan for the big day. I am going to mainly drink gatorade and I plan to consume carboom, cliff blocks and maybe one peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I will try to post pictures after the big event!

On Sunday my dad is running the LA Marathon. Assuming I can move, I hope to meet him around the half-way point and keep him company.

It's all about the BIKE

2006-03-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

After months of planning, countless hours spent researching and debating, last night I was finally able to pick up my complete brand spankin new bike. I am so incredibly excited! Last night I was able to take it for a very short test ride and even then the difference between that and my canondale was obvious. My new baby is so much more comfortable!! Yet, it also felt fast.
Today I was able to take it for a nice little ride up in Palos Verdes. My mom is in town so she rode my old bike and I got the new one. To be fair, I did let her test out the new one. She thought the tri geometry felt weird and also that the saddle was awful. She was right. I had been contemplating getting the Terry Butterfly Tri Gel, but since my LTS doesn't carry Terry they put a Serfas on for me. I am not even sure which one it was but it was awful. I rode for just over an hour today and yet, I am still sore hours later. I hurt just standing around. That saddle is going back!

But I digress. All in all my ride was just so awesome. I felt great going over bumps and was able to get my speed up very well. I also really liked having the extra gear when going uphill. I felt like I was able to keep my cadence up a lot better than I could on my old bike. My new bike finally has a computer so I can watch my cadence which was pretty entertaining. It was funny how quickly I reverted back to staring at the computer gizmo given that I haven't trained with one in a very long time.

My mom was kind enough to act as official photographer, so enjoy the picks.

Since my mom is in town I haven't been that great about keeping up with the blog, but I will try to post again soon. I even have picks from a recent ocean swim! I am taking my new toy for another spin tomorrow and of course I am really looking forward to it. In the meantime, does anyone have any good name ideas for a Quintana Roo Santo?

Ready for the Weekend

2006-03-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Despite a couple of setbacks earlier in the week, I feel like things are back on track. Yesterday I was able to get in my double workouts (swimming and riding), and this morning I went for my run. I will be lifting weights later today, and trying to stretch a lot this evening.

Yesterday's ride was once again in PV for 28 miles. I am getting very used to that ride and can pretty much anticipate how I will feel during and afterwards. However, on yesterday's ride, one of the camp coaches was with us and he really encouraged us to go faster than we would in a race. Although I felt very tired in the beginning, I was able to get in my groove by the middle. Since we were running short on time, we did the scary downhill return trip. You all can imagine how 'Il Penguin' did on that section. At the start of it the coach told me to take the whole lane since the speed limit was 25mph and we would be going at least that anyway. Now, to speed junkies I am sure this would be good news. However, penguins are happy being slow and thus the news was unwelcome for me. By the time I reached the bottom, my coach said "It's a good thing we went that way today. It will really help improve your handling skills." I think that was coach pc-talk for "Wow, I had no idea someone could suck so badly on the downhill portion of the ride." I rode with a friend of mine (the fast runner) and we figured out we need a relay where I can go uphill and she can go down. The good news is that although I really pushed myself, I didn't feel too bad afterwards and didn't have any aches and pains this morning.

The bad news is that my legs were noticeably fatigued on my run this morning. My heart rate was super low, but I could not pick up the pace at all because my legs just had no energy. -It was also crazy windy this morning, so maybe that had something to do with it.

I am trying to organize a group ride for Sunday so I can get in a long ride. I really need between forty and fifty miles this weekend. Time to step it up folks!

Tonight my bike should be built! I am so excited for it. I promise to have lots of new pictures as soon as possible. Enjoy your weekend folks!

The Mommy Triathlete

2006-03-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

Today definitely didn't go as planned. I had wanted to do spinning at the Y, followed by weights and then run while the boys were at school today. Spinning and weights worked out fine but when I picked the kids up, the child watch workers told me that Little Bub seemed to be feeling very tired. Apparently, even though it was very early, he had asked if everyone would think he was a baby if he took a nap in the baby room. After assuring him that even big kids need to rest sometimes, he proceeded to go rest until I picked him up. Change of plans! So, I ended up bringing them both home and they took nice long naps. I am guessing they are coming down with something. UGH Since I don't have a treadmill, their naps signified the end of my workout day. It's funny what this half-ironman training does to my psyche. In the 'old days,' a day with spinning followed by weight lifting would have been a good workout. Today I just think of it as an unplanned easy day. I will try to get my long run in later in the week but I haven't figured out when yet. The good news is that I studied during nap time, and after naps the three of us spent an hour on the couch reading a book about an adventure in the Arctic.

Tonight when I was getting them ready for bed, Bib Bub asked me if I was going to be an Ironman one day. Of course I assured him that I was and that hopefully next April would be the date. He then asked what being an Ironman would mean. I told him that would mean I had proved myself in a grueling endurance event. Being the whipper-snapper that he is, he then asked "Well, then why would you only want to be a half-ironman this year?" Clearly at just four years old, he has already forgotten about "Baby Steps." Still, I have to say that I am insanely proud that just before he drifted off to sleep, Bib Bub was thinking about what it would take to be an Ironman. When I kissed Little Bub goodnight he told made me promise to one day take him to see an Aurora. Some days I wonder if I have achieved balance and been a good mother, athlete and person. Today I know was a good day.

Nicknames

2006-03-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

When I was riding on Sunday I came up with two very important nicknames. The first is for road bike. I know the reason I never really bonded with this bike was because it didn't have a good nickname (that and the fact that is was uncomfortable on long rides). However, on Sunday it just came to me. You see, I am starting to get more comfortable on the bike and know I am in this for the long haul. While I am getting a tri bike, I intend to keep this bike and use it on days when I want road geometry. So, I decided to name my road bike "Sparky." Somehow it just came to me. I think because it is starting to light the fire under me, and I am enjoying riding and becoming a cyclist. -I'm definitely not a cyclist yet, but one day...

The second nickname is for myself. You know how Paolo Savoldelli from the Discovery Channel squad is known as 'Il Falco?' Well, on some steep descents I realized that my nickname should be 'Il penguin.' I am just awful going downhills! I brake the whole way even for little speed bumps. Like the real penguin, I want to fly but it just isn't working out. Of course I won't really call myself that, but it did crack me up to think it as I was continually braking.

This afternoon I picked out the components for my bike. I cannot remember everything, but this gist of it is that is it mostly Ultegra.

Since I know I will keep riding my road bike, I decided to go daring and get the bar end shifters and true tri bars. Here they are:

(I even got that nifty drink system for it).

Hmm, I wish I could remember everything else. I know I have carbon cranks, and a carbon aero seat post but I cannot remember the brands. They are going to try to build it by Friday but I may not be able to get it until Saturday. I had to bring the kids with me to pick everything else and it was really tough for them to sit through it. I know they would never make it through a bike fitting, so I need to see when my husband it available to play with them. I would like to think he would leave work at a moment's notice whenever my bike it built, but that might hinder our ability to pay for said bike.

As for training, things are still going well. The last two days have been pretty easy because I only did one activity each day. Yesterday I had an easy run and today I swam. Tomorrow it is back to the double workouts which I am really looking forward to now. In the rest of my life, I am back to studying. I mentioned before that I am taking Psychology online and this week I finally needed to get my butt in year and work on it. It sure is hard to find more time in the day for it, but I think it is going to be interesting. -Or at least I hope it will be interesting when we get past the history and into the nitty gritty.

Kicking off the Week

2006-03-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I hope you were able to get in good training this past weekend. Due to the rain last Friday, my ocean swim on Saturday was cancelled. We ended up swimming with a Master's Swim group that morning. The practice was good and challenging. It was my first time swimming in a 50 meter pool and at first I had a tough time getting into the groove. However, after a bit I was feeling strong and was able to keep pace with my lane-mates. We swam for about an hour and then transitioned to the run.

Our run was set-up as a 1.5 mi out and back loop. Since everyone in the camp is training for different events, we were supposed to do the loop as many times as we wanted. I ran with a woman who is a faster runner than me so I got a very good workout. -It was her easy day and my hard day, which is always difficult to take psychologically, but still good to do once in awhile. We ended up running 12 miles in 1:47. (Although I suspect the course was a little short, and we only ran 11-11.5 miles) Obviously it was a great tempo run for me! After our workout a few of us went to breakfast and of course chatted about races we all want to sign up for. They were encouraging me to do the LA Marathon with them in a couple of weeks. At first I was very tempted, but then I changed my mind. They promised they would take it slow, and I am sure they would, but even slow 26.2 miles could really wear out my body. I decided I have trained too hard for Wildflower to mess it up.

The rest of the day was spent hanging out with my parents who were visiting from Tucson. On Sunday, they watched the boys so my husband and I could go for a long ride. We rode around 35 miles in Palos Verdes. My legs were sore from the run the day before but I still had a pretty good ride. I feel very comfortable at that distance now and know I could race it well. Unfortunately, my race is 56 miles so I really need to increase my distance. Next weekend I will try to get in 40-50 miles.

Tomorrow I am taking my frame to the LTS so they can start to build it. I am so excited!! I am getting everything for the bike, including new saddle and pedals, so that I can have two complete bikes. When my mom comes back from Hawaii I plan to take her cycling and she can use my road bike.

This morning I ran 4 miles at a super easy pace. My legs were very sore from the weekend so I decided to skip spin class this morning. This is supposed to be one of my harder weeks, but I don't think I should push it when they are this sore. (I don't know, maybe I should?) I will still get in one spinning class and two outdoor rides later in the week, so I think that's pretty good.

Happy Friday Everyone

2006-03-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

Today is my rest day and I have to say it is so hard to take rest days. I'm okay with the part where I get to sleep in, but after that I feel ready to go. So, instead of working out I did some house cleaning in preparation for my parents' arrival tomorrow and then I have played lots of games and read books with my boys. We tried Shrinky Dinks this morning and they were a big success!

Yesterday I had an awesome ride in Palos Verdes. Originally four of us had planned to go, but only one other person was able to make it. I felt bad when I saw it was just the two of us because I am significantly slower than him. I felt like I was really slowing him down and I just knew it must have been boring for him to ride with me. However, he was really awesome about it. He gave me tips on conquering the hills and encouraged me to keep my speed up. He also made it a point to tell me the only way I would get faster is by riding with guys and that I should try to ride with him whenever I could. I thought it was nice he mentioned riding with him again and didn't just say "So, ride with guys when you can and um, good luck with that." We are even going to ride together again next Thursday. His hard cycling day is Tuesday so on his easy day he is still riding around thirty miles in Palos Verdes, which is pretty good. I told me he thought I was probably in the top 25 % of female cyclists. Not sure where he got that figure, but it made me feel good.

On the ride I really got to thinking about how I have been training. So far, my goal has been to complete a HIM and not DNF. My only thoughts in regard to speed were hoping that I would go fast enough to make the time cut-offs. While I still think my only goal for Wildflower should be finishing, I think in the future I really can get faster. I don't really see my run time improving much since I have run this pace forever, but since I am a relative swim and bike newbie maybe I can improve those areas. I think when my camp is over I am going to be brave and join one of the group rides with the LA Tri Club. I don't know if this is a common feeling, but group rides scare me because I hate the thought of everyone waiting on me. Go ahead and say "Suck it up Bridget and go for it" since I know that's true!

Tomorrow our camp is scheduled for an endurance ocean swim and a long run. However, the swim might get cancelled due to bad weather. My parents are flying in tomorrow so I will see them when I get home from camp. They are only staying one night though because they are leaving for Hawaii the next day. Must be rough! Luckily they will be back in another week for a longer stay. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thursday Ramblings

2006-03-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was talking to my mom and she mentioned how obsessed my Dad has become with training. She said that all he wants to talk about is his marathon training or upcoming race. She even said that *gasp* all the vacations he wants to take this year involve races. While I would normally like to sympathize with her, in this case it was hard. You see, yesterday morning I attended spinning class and then lifted weights for forty five minutes. As we were chatting I was on my way to my 8.5 mile run and I was thinking about my next activity and contemplating my own race schedule. Clearly, I was not the right person to lament the down side of living with an endurance athlete! She asked if my husband ever gets tired of my obsession and I replied in all honesty that I never get a chance to ask him because I fall asleep too quickly at night. lol Anyway, our conversation was just another reminder of how much we all need our support crew to reach the starting line on race day. I know I am insanely lucky to have a family who supports me and is always there to cheer me on. Really, the only thing we can do after thanking our support crew is to encourage them to join us. Whenever possible my husband joins me on bicycle rides. I think these rides help us feel like we understand each other better and of course they also provide some together time.

On the workout front, things are going well. I am still plugging along with my swim group and feel like I am getting stronger. Since we are usually only swimming between 1800 and 2100 yards each day, the coach wants me to start getting there earlier to get more time in. He wants me to swim 30 minute sets before each practice for an extra warm-up and more yardage. Since it is only thirty minutes of sleep I will be giving up, I am willing to do that.

I am also proud to say I managed to get in both weight sessions this week and attended "Yoga Challenge" once. That class was definitely harder than the beginner one, but I really enjoyed it. I will try to attend it as much as possible.

I am very excited because my new frame is scheduled to arrive today! If it does, I should be able to take it to my LTS today or tomorrow and have them start building my super cool new tri bike. Yippy! Here is a picture of my new fork:
On yesterday's run I listened to Simply Stu's first three podcasts. They were very entertaining and I recommend them to anyone looking for another good triathlon podcast. On his most recent podcast he is reviewing the Cliffbar nutrition line. I have started using the cliff blocks and really like them. I haven't heard this new podcast but I am interested to hear his review.

Happy Anniversary to Us

2006-02-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our seventh anniversary. He had a work dinner last night but we were able to go out Sunday night. The funny thing was that all of our top restaurant choices were jam packed due to so many people in town for the Tour. After driving around for a bit for finally settled on Chilli's. Certainly not the most romantic dinner faire, but obviously being together was the important thing. Those of you with kids know how rare adult dinners can be, so it was a treat. Speaking of treats, my husband ate the Chocolate Molten Cake all by himself while I watched. I was tempted to justify digging in, but was good. Don't worry, I had a piece of apple pie when I got home, so it wasn't as if I didn't indulge at all.

Since my husband is the most amazingly supportive person in the universe, we spent most of the meal talking about triathlons. -Keep in mind my husband has no desire to ever do one himself, but he makes an awesome support crew. We talked about my new bike, other gear I needed and my race schedule. We have pretty much decided that IMAZ is the way to go. Although I wish it were later in the season (not during the summer though!), the location makes it perfect. We will be able to drive to the race, and my family in Tucson will be able to be there as well. So, now we are trying to figure out when my off season should be. I consulted Iron Benny because he is going for IMAZ this year. He said his off season was September through most of November. That seems like a good option to me, except I want to try for the NYC marathon lottery and the Tour of Tucson, both of which would be in November. If I do those events that wouldn't really give me much of an off season. I don't know if I need a coach, or a really complicated spreadsheet, to figure this all out. -Advice from the peanut gallery (aka my readers) is always welcome.

Anyway, back to the anniversary... When my husband got home last night he told me that he ordered my gift: a gift certificate for a sports massage at Burke Williams. I need to decide the best time to get my massage. Should I do it before a big event or after? Here is a description of the treatment: A more technical and sometimes more aggressive style that "really gets in there". This massage is for any person, athlete or not, who senses their body is closing in on them. We suggest a full session for the upper body only or a deluxe session for the full body. Appointments are subject to the availability of our deep tissue therapists.

Besides marking our married years together, our anniversary is significant because it marks my intro into the world of triathlons and endurance events. Shortly after we married I decided I needed to find some sort of races to challenge myself to get in shape. Although I wanted to run long distances, I have had knee problems since high school and was scared to push myself to run long. So, I decided to train for a Sprint Distance triathlon. I didn't train too hard (just a few times a week, with lots of off days and no bricks), but I really enjoyed it. Back in those 'younger days' it also didn't take much to get in shape. After about six months, I kid you not, I completed my first sprint distance triathlon. After taking an incredibly long off season, I did two more the next summer. Then I realized my knees were holding up pretty well and I decided to train for a marathon. After my first marathon the kids were born and it was too hard to get in the swimming and biking with newborn twins. After eight marathons I am finally back to triathlons. Now I know how much I love the longer events and I am so excited to be back to triathlons. I am also excited and relieved that I have a partner who supports and encourages me through all my crazy endeavors.

On a different note I would like to welcome my Mom to the world of blogging! Have fun!

Tour of California

2006-02-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

I just have to say that living in the final city of the Tour of California completely rocked! it was really everything I expected and more. All last week I watched the race on tv and eagerly anticipated the day the tour would end in my city. Well, to be fair I should say "tried to watch," because every night I tried to watch the broadcast at 10 p.m., but I always ended up sleeping through half of it. I thought the race was very entertaining but I was just too tired from training to stay awake for all of it.

So race morning came and my household was very ready for it. My sister and nieces were in town but unfortunately had to drive back to AZ before the race (poor priorities IMHO), so we said goodbye to them before heading to the race. Being the eager fans the boys dressed in their cycling shorts and we were out the door by 9:45. Since it was so early we took our time walking down to the expo and prepped the kids on what to expect. ("Whatever you do, don't step in the street for any reason. Cheer loudly when they come by. Don't expect to see the riders for more than a couple seconds at a time.")

The expo was pretty good, especially for a first time event. Most teams had booths set up and were giving away some sort of free thing. The boys got orange feed bags which they liked wearing and they kept picking up flyers to put in them. They also managed to get a few cliff bar samples, some stickers, and a few water bottles. We also all got free t-shirts from a Community Wellness project. Of course we also managed to get 8 noise makers so we were well stocked on that front.

At the Cervelo booth we got to see David Zabriskie's TT bike from the TDF.

The only souvenir I bought was a t-shirt to commemorate his fastest TT time. It's a great shirt!

Cliff bar had the "green jersey" on hand. Although those segments during the race coverage were beyond cheesy, I just had to take a pic:

After wandering around the expo we decided to head to the spot where we would watch the race. On the way out we walked through the area where the team vans and buses would park. One or two teams were already there and I was struck by how accessible they were. Granted they weren't necessarily the top teams, but these were still some of the best riders anywhere and they were just walking around, riding their bikes, and hanging out. After a bit, more and more teams began to arrive and we decided to stick around and see who we could see. I was the official photographer so I ran around checking things out while my husband stayed in one area off to the side playing with the kids. Some of the teams were trying to get promotional pics taken, so I got some pics of teams posing. Here is part of the Kodak squad:

Also the Credit Agricole Team:

Nice to see those guys could also joke around a bit:
After awhile I headed back to my family where I found the boys proudly wearing Kodak Team hats. Apparently while I was gone, this guy (Jackson Stewart)

was riding around testing his bike. He stopped near my family to adjust something and when he looked up my husband said 'hi' (since they were standing right next to where he stopped). The rider then looked over, said hello and asked if they would like hats. Of course my boys eagerly responded "Yes" so he told them to wait right there while he went back to the team car. He quickly came back with hats for all of them. I thought that was just the coolest thing!

After waiting around a bit for the CSC guys to come out of their bus I started to feel like a groupie. So I abandoned my effort for pics of the team and we headed to our race viewing location. The course was a loop and we picked a spot where we could see them twice on each loop. Since there was a long breakaway this meant we didn't have to wait too long for riders to come by. Of course it was very hard to take pictures since they went buy quickly and we have an older digital camera, but here were some of the better ones:

(notice the clearing action on the right!)

The breakaway:
Not the best pic, but notice how we could see both the breakaway and the peloton at the same time:
Anyway, as a huge cycling fan it was great to be able to see this inaugural event in person. I really hope they hold it in this area next year as well so we can make it a tradition. Either way, I will definitely be watching it on tv. We taped yesterday's stage as well because I wanted to see them ride the whole course. I haven't watched it yet, but from what I read they went up a hill I struggle up at about 34 mph.

Swimming in the Wide Open Ocean

2006-02-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning my tri camp had our first ocean swim. Although I was dreading the cold, I was also excited about being in the open water. I did three sprint triathlons years (and years) ago and had pretty fond memories of the ocean swims, despite bad waves at one race. I have never been a fast swimmer, but in the last 6 weeks I have already trained more than I did total for those three races, so I expected to feel some improvements on this ocean swim.

When I arrived at the beach I was happy to see very tiny waves and the sun out shining. I rubbed body glide all over my legs, put on my new wet suit, cap and goggles and was ready to go. The swim coaches prepped us on the fundamentals of ocean entries and exits and gave us tips for the open water. We did a brief warm up on the beach and then went down to the water. Our first mission was just to find out where the sand dropped, get a little wet, and return to the beach. At this point my toes were already numb from the cold sand so the water didn't feel too bad. However, when the water crept up to my back it was bitingly cold. Brrr....

Our second task was to get out and swim in it. We organized ourselves in three waves and I put myself in the middle one. We were only swimming about 15 yards out and then we turned at a buoy and came back. However, I felt awful out there. I could hardly breath and every stroke seemed to require so much work. Although the ocean was about as calm as it ever gets, I still felt like I was working so hard to get anywhere. I then did the worse possible thing and that was to allow my negative thoughts to creep to other events like: how can I possible swim 1.2 miles in open water? What about an ironman? I will never be able to do that. By the end I was so uncomfortable in the water that I was actually swimming with my head entirely above water, just like a dog! The coaches kept telling me to put my head in and swim but I just couldn't do it.

I finally got back to the beach feeling out and breath and dejected. I started feeling a bit better though when I talked to the other campers and the other newbies felt the same way. We were all amazed at how hard it was and most of us were breathing pretty hard. Luckily I am not shy and I talked to one of the coaches about my feelings. She was great and gave me some terrific tips on how to relax and was very encouraging.

On the last entry we had the option to swim to a further buoy, about 80 yards away. I put myself with the third group so I would feel even less pressure to swim fast. When we reached the first turn around spot I hard one of the coaches, who was on a kayak, tell me that was where the third group was turning. But I looked up and said that I thought we were going to the further spot. The he said, "Oh Bridget, it's you and of course you look strong so keep going. Nice job."

I know it sounds silly to be excited about going 80 yards off shore, but on Saturday this was truly a big accomplishment for me. I am so thankful that I had this camp to help me with the baby steps. This coming up Saturday will be an ocean endurance swim. I now know I can't take this swim for granted and need to spend the week mentally and physically preparing for it. Also, one of the coaches mentioned doing weekly a.m. ocean swims so I am going to see if he will start doing that. I know those would really help me.

Computrainer Ride

2006-02-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had just about the coolest indoor bike experience ever. I went to the Triathlon Lab (LTS) where they hooked me up to ride on their computrainer. I only had time for a fifty minute ride because I had to pick the boys up from school, but it was super cool. Before I began, they inputted my facts (like weight, hr, etc) into the computer. The computer then calculated a pacer who I was supposed to be able to ride with. Unfortunately I am apparently not up to my cycling potential because I lost my pacer after a mile. Anyway, the program was just unbelievable. It automatically adjusted the trainer's tension according to the terrain on the course. On the tv I could see myself and a replica of the Wildflower course. Anyway, it was just a totally great experience and I am going to try to go back and ride more and more of the course each week. I was surprised at how tough the first hill was, but the rollers after that helped me build up speed. Granted I only did 10 miles, but I do think it helped in the confidence department. If computrainers weren't so darn expensive, I would consider buying one. It was just so neat to be able to simulate the course, without the weather conditions of course.

Based on my experience yesterday, I have decided to get almost all of my components from the store. The guys there were just incredible. They set everything up for me, and my camp friend who joined me, and even brought us drinks and snacks while we were riding. I felt like I had my own domestiques (sp). I think in my next life I will be a superb cyclist and ride the Tour de France. I really like having people there to help me out. lol

Today it was back to the pool for lots of kicking. My quads ache now. Later today I will be going for a ride with people from my camp. Tomorrow my sister and I will be running. It will be our first run together over a couple of miles so I am really looking forward to it. I hope she goes easy on me!

Bike Update!!

2006-02-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

It's the moment you have all been waiting for... I bought a bike! Well, technically I only have the frame, but it's a start. My husband found a good deal on a titanium tri bike, so we ordered it last night. It is a 2004 Quintana Roo Santo. They don't make the bike anymore, but it is a new frame and since it is ti, I am not worried about it being old anyway. Here are some pics:

Now I have some parts decisions to make. I think I am going to get Ultegra and I already have some wheels in mind. My big decision is if I should go for drop bars with STI shifting and clip on aero bars (probably a good choice for Wildflower), or do I go all tri and get the bar end shifting? Please vote!

Also, of course I will need a name. I was something super-hero-ish. I was thinking Rogue, but my husband said she steals people's powers and that's not nice. So, I guess I need a nice super hero name.

I am super, super excited about my new bike! We are estimating that it should be built within the next two to fifty two weeks.

I Need More Sleep!

2006-02-20T14:48:00.000-08:00

That's what my body was screaming to me last night. I had just finished watching the prologue of the Tour of California and I was laying out my clothes for an early morning run. Despite my drive to not miss workouts, I knew sleep was very important. So, I shuffled things around in my schedule and managed to sleep in and then run at the YMCA. Yes, it was a very boring one hour on the treadmill, but the extra sleep sure was nice. Actually, the treadmills at the Y are pretty snazzy and they all have individual tvs. I amused myself by watching 'Gilmore Girls.' I also got in most of my weight routine before I had to pick up the boys for some park time. Although they love the play area at the Y, I know they also need some fresh air so I am glad I was able to work it so they had both.

Speaking of the Tour of California, I will be watching each stage the next day from now on. I just cannot stay up that late and still workout, be a mommy, and not be a grump. So, please don't spoil what happens!

I almost forgot to mention the crazy thing I did this morning. After I woke up, I was feeling rather stiff and sore so can you guess what I did? YOGA! Can you believe it? I actually did yoga all on my own. I am sure I rushed through it too fast, but I did feel much better afterwards. I am amazed at how much I am really starting to enjoy it. I guess I needed all my workouts to make me appreciate relaxing a bit.

I am posting my week-long plans very soon. Saturday is a big day at the triathlon camp because we are practicing our entry and exits in the ocean. OMG, I just know it is going to be freezing. I am sure all you mid-west folks will be thrilled to have me so cold for a day. Brrr...

Btw, IMAZ is fast approaching which means soon registration will be opening for 2007. Is anyone else contemplating that race?

Feeling Good

2006-02-19T20:19:00.000-08:00

I am feeling super happy tonight because I had a great training weekend. It all started at my triathlon camp Saturday. As expected we did some drill work on the track and ended with an 8 minute time trial. We were supposed to see how far we could run in eight minutes. I was happy because I did just over a mile. Not my normal pace by any means, so a good distance for me. After that we rode about 15 miles on a hilly circuit. The hills were much easier than the ones I had been doing so I felt very comfortable on this ride. In fact, I managed to ride with some of the faster males in the camp, and was the fastest overall female. I know it sounds silly, but given that I am a middle of the packer for the run, it felt good to be near the front on something. Also, as I have said before I am normally I fairly slow cyclist, so this ride provided a nice confidence booster.

Today was my big test because I was determined to ride more than thirty miles, and was hoping to get in three hours. I managed to ride forty miles on a very hilly course! I was exhausted afterwards, and had a very sore tushie, but I am so happy I am making progress. I finished up the ride with a three mile run (average speed about 10:45, nice and easy). I am totally beat tonight! The only downside came when I calculated my pace and I am still just so slow. I am trying not to focus on the negative, but I really hope I can make the bike cutoff at Wildflower. It will just be so sad to spend all this time training and then DNF.

As far as the new bike update, well there really isn't one. I finally broke down and took my current bike to the LTS after today's ride. I figured that if I am going to keep riding it, I might as well get it cleaned, get a chain that isn't rusted, and spring for some new tape. Still looking for a name for the current bike. It's a blue Cannondale R600. Maybe Rusty would be appropriate? I am actually leaning away from a new Carbon Fiber bike and towards a ti. I know that's not as trendy, but I worry about CF on my bike rack and with my tendency to not always take the best care of stuff (hence "Rusty.") I know I can't leave a ti bike in the rain either, I just mean it would be more durable overall. Any opinions on the new ti idea?

TGIF

2006-02-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

Yippy it's Friday! Does everyone have fun weekend plans? I have triathlon camp tomorrow. We are planning to work on running skills at a local high school track and then we have a bike workout on hills. Afterwards more people are planning to go to lunch. I really enjoyed that last week, so I am looking forward to it. Saturday night the hubby and I are having a date night (ooo-la-la) and I need to get a long ride in Sunday. I also plan to make a bike decision sometime this weekend (yeah-right). My latest thoughts are maybe I was being too crazy by wanting all carbon fiber or ti. I mean, our budget just isn't that big. Maybe I should consider something with carbon fiber seat stays and carbon fork. What do you all think?

I made it to Yoga yesterday, and I hate to admit it but I am actually starting to like it. I was feeling very stiff before hand but felt so much better afterwards. I am still a competitive yoga person, but at least I am starting to really appreciate the benefits. I am going to continue trying to make it there at least once a week. Twice would be better, but we all know how sometimes something has to give.

Last night I set my trainer up in front of our tv in our living room and watch the Olympics while I rode for 70 minutes. At first they were showing skating so I tried to do my pick-ups during the routines, and I would spin during the recap parts. That worked out pretty well. By the time that I was all done I was very tired from the long day. It definitely gets hard to do early morning and late night workouts. Especially since I spent the time in between chasing my kids and their friends around.

Don't forget Sunday is the start of the Tour of California. Coverage will be on ESPN2, and although the hours are awful, you can always tape it (or TIVO it for everyone who was able to convince their SO it would be worth the money). I am very excited about it, especially since the final stage is right near my house so we can actually walk there and watch it in person.

Back in the Pool

2006-02-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

After 10 days out of the pool due to my cold, yesterday I finally returned to the over-chlorinated waters at my local YMCA. During my whole time away from the water, I had actually begun to feel cocky about the swim. I was thinking maybe I should switch to only two days a week and devote my time to other things, like much needed bike time, or just sleeping. Yesterday was my rude and much needed awakening that I cannot take anything for granted in my pursuit of my triathlon goals.

This is an off week for my YMCA swim group, so I decided to use workouts for the Beginner Triathlete schedule. Yesterday I opted for the 1000 yard time trial. I know a lot of bloggers have done this lately and some have commented that they were happy with their times while others expressed disappointment. Well for me, it is what it is. I did it in 22:30, and although I could have done more it was not easy. My arms were killing me and it was so hard to get a good rhythm. I assume at least part of that could be attributed to being out of the pool. Still, I feel like while I am a slow swimmer, if all goes well I probably won't be DL. I just need to keep training, and that means three swims most weeks.

After studying my schedule for the week, I decided to shift things a bit in an attempt to make Friday a true rest day. So, today I headed back to the pool for the "long" swim workout. (Remember, "long" is relative, so go easy on me, I'm a newbie). Here was the workout:
Wu: 4X150 yards swim, kick, pull, swim
Main: 1650 Ladder: start with 275, then 250, 225...25
Cd: 200 Easy

Let’s just say this workout kicked my tired tushy. It was so hard for me. After just a few sets from the main set I felt nauseous and dizzy. I actually thought I was in danger of passing out. I guess I need more breakfast. Anyway, I soldiered on and managed to finish the main set, which left me exceedingly proud. I did bag part of the cool down and just kicked for 50 yards. I was DONE by that point and just wanted to go home!

Later in the day I was feeling much better and was able to go for my run. I ran for 1:28 and did around 8.2 miles. It was a slow pace, but that was to be expected since I was just trying to keep my HR low. (I still don’t have my HRM back, so I just had to listen to my body).

I tried to post the above last night but the system was down. So, for today I have already done my swim which was:
Wu: 400 continuous (last 50 in each 100 kick)
Main: 9x100 EBEH (Easy, Build, Easy Hard)
CD: 6x25

I had originally planned to do one of the harder workouts but woke up very tired and sore and knew I should cut back some.

Later today I will be going to yoga and also spending some time on the trainer.

Moonlight Run

2006-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the most awesome run. I got up super early, which initially I wasn't so happy about, because a contractor was coming out to talk about our kitchen repairs. Little Bub had a nightmare around 3:30 and I couldn't fall back asleep until, I swear, thirty minutes before my alarm went off. When I heard the music I briefly debated going back to bed, but instead went for my run like the good little triathlete I want to become.

Once I got down to the beach I was so thankful I got out there. The moon was incredibly bright and right above the water creating an awesome reflection. It was a truly beautiful site which I wish I could share with you all. I was just in awe as I ran next to the water. I ran on the sand again, just like I did last week. Although I am obviously slower on the sand I really enjoyed it. I sort of play of game of running on different lifeguard truck tracks and try to run on ones where I am the first person to do so.

As I have the last three Mondays, I listened to the Get Your Geek On podcast during the run and was thoroughly entertained. They do a nice job putting that together.

After the boys woke up this morning they said they were proud of me for already going for my run. I guess they are just relieved to know their Mommy is back on track!

Public Service Announcement:
As you know I have given up chocolate, and I know Wylee has given up candy. Now, I wouldn't want to tempt anyone to do something "bad," which is why I feel good about the following announcement compliments of Marie Callender's:

Go for a fruit variety or the pumpkin and I am pretty sure you can count that as a fruit and veggie serving for the day.

Weekend Update

2006-02-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

I am officially back! The great news is that I am now working out again and having a blast. The only bad news is that I can no longer take Nyquil which means I won't be falling asleep in 1.2 seconds anymore. ::sigh::

Saturday was my triathlon camp, and as expected we cycled and ran. Our cycling exercise consisted of completing a 3 mile loop as many times as we could in 45 minutes. Despite a Master's Degree in Math, I somehow lost count so I am not sure how many loops I did. I am pretty sure I did 5 and it ended up taking me about 50 minutes. It was a nice flat course with only a few minor inclines, so we practiced staying in our aerobars the whole time. One poor newbie crashed the first time he got in the aero position. I guess I am not the only one who wobbles in the aero position. Our run was thirty minutes out and back. I am not sure how far we went but I ran with the same person as last week who really pushed me. After camp, a group of us went to lunch and had a blast. It was so much fun to be talking about triathlons with others that share my passion. A few of the people had even done Wildflower, so I got to grill them for information on it. Plus the woman I ran with signed up for the Olympic Distance so I will know more people there.

Today was my long bike day. I headed to Palos Verdes with the intent to do my normal course with the switchbacks and also add a second really long hill (3.5 miles with 800 foot incline). The course also has rollers in between so it keeps things interesting. Anyway, I had sort of been dreading that second really long hill, but after my dear husband rode it on his 200 lb mountain bike last weekend, I knew it was time. But, I am proud to say that I did it and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. My big problem is that no matter how hard I try I am still so darn slow. After Saturday's ride where I was the fastest girl, I was thinking maybe I was getting faster. But, alas, my time in PV shows that I am slow and it is all relative. Dear husband and the bubs ended up driving my course and provided some cheering as I worked on the last hill. I ended up finishing at a park so I could play with them for a bit. I rode 2.5 hours, but probably only did 28 miles. (See, I'm slow) Next weekend I really need to be out there for 3 hours. My HIM is quickly approaching!

Since I missed all my swims last week, I definitely need to get back to the pool this week. I also plan to do the aforementioned long ride and need a run around 90+ minutes. Fun for me!

Health Update

2006-02-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

Well I was feeling pretty sick again last night so I didn't end up biking and I skipped my swim this morning. However, today I am feeling tons better and I am looking forward to getting active again this weekend. Probably a good thing I took it so easy. Hopefully I can still get in a long ride Sunday and then I will have my long run and ride accomplished for the week. Not bad given my cooties.

So folks, by Sunday hopefully I will be back in full tri swing, and maybe just maybe I will even be able to write about my new bike. (Only kidding, we all doubt I will actually make a decision by then!)

Newbie Questions

2006-02-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

Well for all of you just dying to impart your expert knowledge on a newbie, now is your chance. If you can help me answer any of the questions below, I would really appreciate it:

1. In long distance triathlons, what are the aid stations on the bike like? Do you get off your bike to refill your water/gatorade bottles? I assume I need more than I can just carry on my bike, right?

2. Everything keeps telling me how important it is to get some protein after a workout, but I don't want to rely just on bars. Can anyone recommend good protein sources that are portable since I am often coming from the gym and need to go to another place.

3. I would love to read people's favorite pre-race meals. I am thinking oatmeal since my stomach can handle that.

4. If you have been to Wildflower, and camped, what did you do for your meals the day before? Did you reply solely on the food there or bring your own?

5. Before a half-ironman, what would you recommend as your longest brick workout? Thus far I have been running up to thirty minutes after my long rides. Is that enough? Should I eventually do more? I know not all programs recommend brick workouts, but I think I really need them.

6. Is it ridiculous to register for an IM before completing my first half? I am leaning towards IMAZ for next year, but would have to register in April which is before Wildflower.

7. Now for the all important dress code question: I have tri-specific bottoms and bra top, but for the bike and run section do most people also wear a shirt? I am thinking I might feel a little exposed with the aforementioned garb.

8. I am still looking for opinions on your favorite bike computer. Come on, I know you all use one. Which do you love?

I appreciate everyone's help getting me to the starting, and finishing lines!

Trying to Recover

2006-02-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Well I am still pretty congested here so I skipped my second swim workout for the week. Ugh, I HATE skipping workouts! Plus my swim group meets for six week cycles with one week off in between and this was the last week. I will have to train on my own next week which will be a little harder.

I did manage to get in part of my run yesterday. I was supposed to run for ninety minutes, but given the fact that I couldn't breath I knew I wouldn't get the whole run in. I was lucky enough to be able to run during the day up in Palos Verdes. The hardest part of the run was the it was so HOT. You have to understand that while I was raised in Tucson, I am now officially a SCW (So Cal Wimp), which means I only have a five degree range of temperature comfort (67-72). Lucky for me, it is pretty rare that I have to train outside that range. However, yesterday it was positively blazing. Really! It was almost 85 degrees! Believe me I am grateful that the day was so beautiful but it was a bit warm to run in. I stayed on mostly trails, and although my legs felt very fatigued (due to my cold I assume) it was still a good run. I think I ran for eighty minutes, which is my longest run since I got a stress fracture in November so I am happy about it. I enountered a couple of pretty good hills so it was probably a good training run as far as temperature and terrain are concerned.

Today I am going to try to spin on my bike for about an hour. I don't want to do anything hard but I think my legs would really appreciate a little spinning time.

Wednesday Ramblings

2006-02-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

The good news is that I am doing much better today. I still have some congestion but not a lot of achiness. I plan to skip my weights today but I am going to try to get my run in. I am running 90 minutes at a super easy pace, so I think it will be a safe workout. I plan to do a mainly out and back course so if I am tired I will just turn back sooner.

It's a good thing I am getting a workout in today. Yesterday's breakfast conversation proved to me that I am definitely expected to be exercising around here. Keep in mind, my kids just turned four, but man they can put the pressure on. The talk went like this:

Big Bub: Mommy, how was your swim this morning? (+2 pts for good conversation skills)
Me: Oh, thanks for asking but I didn't swim because I was feeling sick.
Little Bub: So did you go running instead? (+2 pts for trying to converse, but -1 for not picking up on me being sick)
Me: Um, no I was sick. I didn't do anything.
Big Bub: Does that mean you didn't ride either? (They are really catching on now!)
Me: Yep, I just slept in this morning
Little Bub: So, mommy. You just woke up and then sat in bed all morning?

Yep, I am really expected to workout around here. In my defense, they came in our room at 7 a.m., so while that is sleeping in by all accounts, I really didn't just sit around in bed all morning!

Obligatory Bike Update: If you read my post Monday, then you know I was supposed to make a bike decision by that night. Of course, if you know me at all then you know that didn't happen. Here's the deal: I am just really struggling with spending this much money and not making a bad choice. Thanks to lots of suggestions around here, I really looked into the Felt F4C. By all accounts this bike is the smart choice. I want carbon fiber and if I splurged just a bit more then even the ultegra group is relatively affordable. So, I have tried hard to make myself love this bike, but I just can't. You see, it is all about the paint job. I just don't know why they would completely paint a carbon fiber bike. I mean they should at least let some of the CF show through since that's what looks so darn cool. Basically, the paint job for the $2000+ bike looks the exact same as the $700 one. That's just not cool.

So, the bikes that I really like are the Kuota K-Factor which is a tri bike, or the Orbea Onix which is a road bike. Not familiar with the Orbea? Well check it out:

I am fairly certain the pricing would work out to within one or two hundred dollars of eachother, although frankly they are both more than I should spend. The pluses for the kuota are: I would get it from my LTS who are working hard to make it affordable for me. They might even be able to throw in new aero bars (I am getting STI shifters since I will be doing lots of hills). I think they might be a little insulted if I go elsewhere for a bike. The Orbea is from my LBS and I don't know them as well so there are no hard feelings. However, the Orbea is a road bike so if I stop doing tris (you know, after I eventually start), I will still have a good all around riding option.

My husband and I keep joking that I will save money and just get a new chain for my old, slightly rusty Canondale. Of course, if I keep piddling around, then that's what will eventually happen!

Need further proof of my indecisiveness?

My kitchen flooded in October. I still have no flooring or dishwasher because I just can't decide what I want
I save checks for months because I can't decide the perfect place to deposit them. Of course they eventually end up in a regular 'ole savings account
God gave me twins so I wouldn't have to figure out when to have a second child.

Most recent impulse decision: Registering for Wildflower Long Course after thinking about doing triathlons for exactly five days. Umm, yeah, that was a good decision, afterall how hard can it be?

Ugh, I'm Sick

2006-02-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

Well last night I started to feel sick and today I realize I definitely have something. I have swollen glands, lots of congestion and general achiness. Thanks to these symptoms I decided it would be best to skip my morning swim and now I am re-evaluating my schedule for the week. This was supposed to be an increase week for both running and biking, but I know I need to balance training with getting better. It is just so frustrating to be sick when everything was going so well.

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I am currently taking pre-requisite classes so I can go to nursing school when the boys are in school. Although I am in college graduate, and in fact I have a Master's in Applied Mathematics, there are still certain classes that I never took that are required for the nursing program. So, this semester I am taking Intro to Psychology, but I am taking it online. Yesterday I downloaded the syllabus and it looks like we will only have three exams, which is very nice. However, the timing for those exams couldn't be worse. The first is the Monday after Strawberry Fields, the second is the Monday after Wildflower and the third is after the RNR Marathon. UGH. I guess that will guarantee no last minute cramming!

Running Naked

2006-02-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

This morning I was slated to run for one hour at a low heart rate. I woke up early, as planned, and decided to head to the beach. In fact, I decided to try something new and run on the sand. Now, you are probably wondering about the title of the post at this point. No, I didn't forget my clothes; I had my shirt, bra-top, shorts, socks, shoes, hat and even running gloves. What was missing was my sophisticated gear. I only had a regular 'ole stopwatch and thus felt naked.

For years I ran with this device:

That baby did everything from speed to HR. Although it wasn't GPS, it was very accurate. If I forgot to turn it on for a run, I used to say that the run didn't count and I had to go back and do it again. I was only half kidding. Well, after serving me faithfully for 2 years, my fitsense was on its last legs. The HRM hadn't worked consistently for about a year and the distance was going through batteries faster that I can down a milkshake. I searched for a replacement but wasn't really happy with what was out there. I didn't trust the garmin reliability since some of my runs are covered by trees or tall buildings, and I read sketchy things about their HR technology. So, after much debate I decided to scale back, and for my birthday I received this:
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this new HRM. The technology was very accurate and I liked running according to my zones. I even used it for swims and bike rides and was very pleased with it. However, last week my four month old device DIED! I was so bummed. Luckily, thanks to the good people at Road Runner Sports I will be receiving a new one soon, but for today I was stuck with a regular old stopwatch.

It was so weird running with just that. I actually had to listen to my body, slow down when my breathing seemed difficult, and just enjoy the run. It was a weird run that I actually enjoyed. In fact it was somewhat liberating. That said, I'm counting the days until I can have my normal tracking back. I am just too much of a numbers geek to be able to run in such a carefree manner.

Btw, check out my schedule for the week. Things are definitely heating up around here!

Obligatory Bike Update: Well, its the start of the week so I am sure you are all wondering "Has Bridget made a bike decision yet?" Umm, the answer to that is 'no.' But I am very, very close. In fact, my husband has asked me to decide by tonight. I guess he is done with all of my debating. I will post as soon as something is purchased. In the meantime, I am soliciting advice for a bike computer. What does everyone out there have? Does anyone have one of the polar models? The only thing I know right now is that I must have cadence. Thanks!

Making Sacrifices

2006-02-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been feeling a little guilty about my triathlon ambitions. I have been declining offers to go out with friends, making expensive tri purchases and planning more, and basically I am so obssessed its all I want to talk about. In fact, I am not so much feeling guilty because I am not going out "with the girls," but rather I feel guilty over the fact that I am perfectly happy staying home and either working out or getting to bed early for the next workout.

Well, yesterday the guilt-factor hit an all time high. You see, my family has been promising other members of our extended family that we would visit them in Colorado this winter to go skiing. My husband's work prevented us from going in the early part of the season, so we finally agreed to go at the end of March. However, the more I thought about this ski trip the more I dreaded it. For one thing I didn't want to miss out on training time and I was also worried about getting injured or being too sore (thus preventing further training upon my return). So, yesterday I finally decided that we would all cancel the trip. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband who says he fully supports my decision. The kids won't be too disspointed since they have never been skiing and thus don't know what they are missing. Also if I promise them a trip to the La Brea tar pits they forget about just about everything else. So, no one in the family is making me feel guilty, but of course I am doing it to myself. Is it okay to make everyone else's lives revolve around my triathlons?

All that being said, I sure would like to register for the Strawberry Fields Tri. I guess you can teach a money to swim, bike and run, but, well, its still a monkey.

TGIF

2006-02-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

This morning was our endurance swim day with the group and I could tell by my dreams last night I was geared up for it. I kept dreaming that I was doing an ocean swim and funny things were happening, like I was using seaweed to run in the water so I wouldn't have to swim as far. However, the real kicker was when I followed a baby whale into the water and found it playing with an Baby hippopotamus and its mother. Lol

So, for our endurance test we had to swim thirty minutes straight. I know eventually that won't be much of an endurance test, and honestly even today I knew I could have gone longer. -Although I was still happy enough to stop! Anyway, I swam 1400 yards. By my calculations that means I could swim 1.2 miles in 45 minutes which is my "super secret" goal time for the Half-IM. The coach (Ivan the Great today) was very pleased with my performance. He said I had a few slow laps in the middle, but my fastest were at the end. He was happy I went as far as I did and was able to finish with an comfortably aerobic heart rate. Yippy!

After that I was ready to celebrate and thought about just injecting some fat into my veins. But that really didn't sound too tasty, so instead I stopped at Krispy Kreme and picked up donuts. Same end effect but much more fun to eat. My kids were so excited when I told them I picked up donuts! Later a friend called and invited us to the park to celebrate her twins' birthday with pizza and cupcakes. Ugh, perhaps the donuts weren't such a good idea afterall. Not to mention the fact they have a birthday party Saturday and another Sunday. Hopefully all parties will serve chocolate cake, because I am now confident in my abilities to resist it. That's right, I am Master of my Chocolate Cake Domain.

I am looking forward to my run tomorrow and hopefully a brick workout Sunday. Not sure how I am going to be able to squeeze it all in, but maybe it will all just work itself out.

End of the Week

2006-02-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

I love this part of the week. I have done all my weight lifting, and only have one big event for each activity left. My swim coach promised me that tomorrow we will be working on endurance. I am really looking forward to that. This morning we did a lot of sprints and my arms just ached from Tuesday's IM action. The rest of tomorrow should be nice and easy since I don't have anything else planned. I am sure the kids and I will go to at least one park for some 'Active recovery' for me and 'wear them out' time for them!

Last night I bumped into a friend of mine who will also be doing the Wildflower Long Course. Neither of us were aware the other did triathlons, but I guess she did the Olympic last year. Anyway, she reiterated that I am nuts for attempting this with so little background. Oh well, I like to be different and I am sure I wouldn't enjoy the training if the task ahead didn't seem so daunting. And despite my tired eyes, I really do like the training. I like that I am exercising almost everyday, and many days I am working out twice. I like that it has only been five weeks and I can see changes in my body already. I also really do like the fact that when I tell people, at least "those in the know", what I am training for, many of them think its a little bonkers. However, one day I am going to wear my Wildflower shirt with pride and, while I will still be bonkers, I will also be a success story.

Swim Lessons

2006-02-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning's swim practice was incredibly hard, both mentally and physically. Practice starts off with a wacky warm-up in which we did breast-stroke kicks, but butterfly arms. It pretty much went down hills from there... As it turned out, yesterday's practice was all about the individual medley. So, our first main set was 10x50, with half the first length butterfly, then flip to back, then start the second length breast and finally switch to freestyle. Later we progressed to longer sets with 5x100 IM, and then 2X200 IM with some freestyle 100's between the main sets.

As I have mentioned before, I am in the fast lane, but my lane-mates can all lap me if we do long sets of just about anything. Yesterday it was particularly bad because I was on the seventh fifty when they were done. I was so sad and embarrassed. I felt like such a loser for being lapped so many times and even questioned whether I belonged in the pool at all. While I rested before number eight, the coach said I could just stop, since clearly my lane-mates didn't want to wait for me to finish up. Instead I took a deep breath and said I should just finish them in the slower lane. So, I sulked over to the slower lane and tried to cheer myself up by giving kudos for at least wanted to do the whole workout.

When I was in the slow lane I realized something important. Just as I feel like crap when the fast people blow by me, suddenly I was the fast person to other swimmers. One women looked so sad to have me there and kept talking about how I was too fast for that lane. I guess everything is relative. While I am a sea anemone in the fast lane, I am a shark in the slow one. If only there could be a middle lane! (Our group is pretty small and they need the other lanes for regular lap swimmers)

So, of course I am going to keep going to swim group. Somedays maybe I will be lapped by a lot, but maybe the day will come when I can close the gap some. Most of the fast swimmers have swum their whole lives, while I have been doing it for about 6 weeks.

Today, however, everything hurts. My shoulders ache, my arms scream and even my legs are tender in certain places. However, I am proud of just getting out there. While I may be smack dab in the middle of my swim group, I am way ahead of all those people who never even get to the pool. That's always a good lesson.

Encounter with Temptation

2006-01-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

All in all last week was an ideal recovery week. I did exactly what my schedule called for, including two very important yoga sessions. I felt relaxed and well rested going into my final recovery day, which was Sunday. My mil agreed to watch the Bubs Sunday so my husband could join me for a flat 25-30 mile bike ride. I was looking forward to this ride a lot since we can rarely ride together and also because it was going to be a mostly flat course.

So, we show up at my mil's and all was going well until I spot them: two chocolate cakes. That's right, not just one, but two! I had forgotten that my mil had been planning a little belated bday party for the boys and since they are twins, of course they needed two cakes. After starring, and drooling for a bit, I gathered my senses and headed out the door for the ride.

At this point I was feeling rather weak. Could I really resist them? Should I even resist them? I mean after all, maybe it is bad luck for the Bubs if I don't eat some of their cake too. So, I tested the waters by broaching the subject with my husband (aka my conscious but also part-time sugar addict):

Me: So, did you check out those cakes in the kitchen?
Husband: No! There are cakes?
Me: Yep, two of them...
Husband (overly gleeful at this point): woo-hoo and you can't have them! More for me!

::sigh:: Yep, more for everyone else. I was good, I had none.

Perhaps it wouldn't have been so hard to take if the same sweet-toothed husband hadn't smoked me on the one big hill we encountered. Did I mention he's on a two hundred pound mountain bike? Damn those naturally athletic types!

Obligatory Bike Update: Thanks to some advice around here, I am adding the Felt F5C to the mix. It has the 105 components:

Or for a little more a little more I could go with the F4C with ultegra.

Big Dreamers

2006-01-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

I have always been a big dreamer. I mean that literally too. Every morning I can recall at least one vivid dream from the previous night and I often entertain family and friends with my silly stories. Well, as part of my New Year's Resolution, I gave up chocolate until my Big Race. Yes, I know dark chocolate has its benefits, and maybe after my weaning period dark chocolate will start to sound good. But I don't typically eat dark chocolate. In fact, I don't really eat just bars of milk chocolate. Oh, no! I eat chocolate cake, with cookie dough ice cream topped with hershey's syrup(to break up the richness of the cake, of course). So, giving up chocolate meant that I was giving up lots of little, and um not so little, treats, and hopefully getting healthier, stronger, etc.

Given my dream history, it comes as know surprise to me that I am now having vivid dreams about delicious treats. I actually wake up hungry and a tad sad that it was just a dream. Every morning since my kids could talk I have asked them about their dreams. It seems that they don't have my ability to recall their dreams because they usually tell me they dreamt about whatever they are currently playing with. However, recently their answers took on a whole new dimension:

Me: So, Bubs, did you guys dream about anything good last night?
Big Bub: Yes, Mommy. Last night I dreamt I was making you chocolate chip M&M cookies. But sorry, you can't eat them until after your triathlon.
Little Bub (Not to be out done): Mommy! Mommy! Wait until you hear about my dream. I made you chocolate cake! You can eat it after May 6th. It will still be good then!

Ahh, I love my support crew!

Btw, check out my counter on the right. I wanted to add a cool little picture of chocolate next to it, but my coding skills weren't allowing for it. If anyone can help, send me an email!

Commitment to Recovery Week

2006-01-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

My day began with my YMCA swim group and at first it was going very well. Only one of my lane-mates showed up, which meant I didn't have to hug the lane lines too much, and we all know how dangerous that can be for me. Our warm-up was 100 breast, 100 back, 100 breast, and 100 back. We were then supposed to move on to something else, except the coach declared our backstrokes were so horrible that he just couldn't let us do anything else today. So it became a backstroke day which was fine by me. I have literally done the backstroke on three different occasions, all within the last month, so it was sort of fun to work on something else. Also as it turns out, although my lane mate can almost lap me on a 100 freestyle, I was significantly better on the backstroke. He was even joking I should consider doing the backstroke for my triathlon. (Hmm... At least I hope he was kidding!) However, my good mood vanished when the coach finally moved us on to something else and said we would be doing a 300 free. That in and of itself is okay, except he gave us the buoy (still okay), then paddles (um, not so much) and then the darn parachute! We were supposed to alternate fast and slow 25's. It was so painful! Then to match my sore body, the coach wounded my ego by telling me that despite all his coaching, I "still wasn't digging deep enough" and would "never get anywhere with that stroke." As Wylee once warned me, he was definitely "Ivan the terrible" today. Sigh...

Okay, enough of my swim whine. The good news is that later today I had time to make it back to the gym for a nice weight session and more importantly yoga. That's a big deal for me because I am not the biggest yoga fan. Frankly it goes against my competitive nature. I spend most classes thinking "Hmm, I am breathing better than that person." or more likely "Wow, I want to bend like that." -I know, it's horrible of me and something I pledge to work on. So, as part of my "Commitment to Recovery" week I dragged myself to Yoga and actually had a terrific time. We worked a lot of hip flexors which I really needed. I liked it so much I may even be back for another session later in the week!

Finding Inspiration

2006-01-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

After my first three weeks of training for the half-ironman, I was thrilled to discover that the fourth week is a recovery week. I think I am going to love periodization! Just as everything I had read suggested, last week I was starting to feel tired, and perhaps even a little grouchy. So, both my body and mind were telling me that I needed some rest this week. Part of my problem is that with my current schedule my only rest day is Saturday. However, that also happens to be the day my Triathlon Camp meets. Although the camp isn't intense, it definitely isn't true resting either. My plan for this week is to do each sport just twice, with low intensity, and really take Friday off (unless I decide to do light weights that day, but that doesn't really count, right?).

Now to the topic of this post. Sometimes I gain inspiration from my only life, like I am inspired by a new milestone or a previous workout, and sometimes I need to look to other sources. For today's run, I knew I needed a little something extra so I saved most of the Get Your Geek On Podcast for today's run. As expected, it made my forty minute run seem like twenty and really helped inspire me. One of the parts I really liked was when Iron Will was talking about the path she took to get into triathlons.

Her story reminded me of my sister's, and thinking about my sister really helped me finish up my run. You see, my sister is a historic couch potato. Growing up she suffered from asthma, but I honestly don't think she minded not exercising either. She loved her books, which is great, but also really disliked the great outdoors. Most of her sporting experience was cheering for me from the bleachers. I was always the athlete and she was the studious one. Her sedentary lifestyle combined with years of fertility struggles, finally getting pregnant, and a genetic predisposition towards chocolate, left her out of shape and very overweight. So, it has been with a mixture of pride and awe that I have watched her transform herself into a fit and healthy woman over the last 18 months. She has done it all the right way by moderating what she eats and exercising regularly. During that time she has lost around forty pounds, and much to my surprise has become an athlete.

Last March she competed in her first half marathon and since that time has continued to run and pursue more goals. My sister is the kind of person that said she would only run if someone is chasing her and that a marathon is a great event, for someone else to do. So, despite her more recent athleticism, I can't help but be surprised by two things she did this week. The first was when she called to let me know she was running to Rock N Roll San Diego marathon and asked if I could help pace her. (Although it is four weeks after Wildflower, I am crazy and really want to support her, so I am going to try). The second thing was when she ran 9 miles this week at a 9:45 pace. Um, sister, I think You need to pace Me! She was my inspiration for the run and really for the day.

Obligatory Bike Update: I know I am supposed to be looking cheaper, and for a road bike, but I just couldn't help taking the Kuota K Factor for a test ride this weekend. Of course I loved it. I rode is after a thirty mile ride on my "feel every bump in the road" Cannondale, and it was such a huge difference. They only had the black one for me to try, but I am sure you will all agree that the red one below looks even faster. So the problem with this bike is the cost, of course. It doesn't look like I could afford it with the Ultegra groupo and the 105 still is a little much. Is it worth it to get a new bike with 105? Can anybody recommend a beloved carbon fiber bike that is cheaper than this?

Feeling Good

2006-01-19T11:07:00.000-08:00

Last night I led the 10 minute pace group for the five mile Nike run. I have been running slower than that lately, but actually felt great on the run and was able to keep the pace with no problem, which is a good thing since I was the leader and all! I got home and my husband was researching my bike options again. He cracks me up that he can spend so much time doing it! I think we are getting closer to a decision that I am really excited about, but I don't want to jinx anything so I will wait to post until we have more details.

This morning I was back to the Y for swim practice. I showed Ivan my bruises and he sort of laughed and reminded everyone to be careful during the paddle exercises since I was "bruised enough for the week." I like that approach much better than babying me (except from mom of course!). Anyway, the hot shot high school swimmer paid me the greatest compliment. After she heard I had children, she said "Do you really have children? I never would have guessed that." Hmm, what sort of attitude do I project? Then she said "You are just in such great shape, that's amazing you have kids." NICE! This is from someone who not only laps me during kicking exercises, but also sees me in a swimsuit and even the shower where there is no hiding anything. So, I am feeling pretty fit and healthy today, despite the fact that I skipped weight lifting yesterday for a pedicure. But in all fairness the toes look darn pretty today!

I plan to get in a 20 mile, nice and easy, bike ride later today. The only thing that has me less than thrilled about the prospect is that it is really windy today. I can even see white caps on the ocean that is a half mile away. (Don't worry, I'm not looking for sympathy from the snow bunnies out there). I have to search and see if I have cycling pants.

Tomorrow is swimming where we are practicing endurance swims, then later in the day I will run about thirty minutes and the treadmill and lift weights.

On the Bike

2006-01-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

It's a little late, but I wanted to post about what a great time I am having getting back on my bike and getting outside. Sunday I wanted to tackle some hills (probably more like rollers compared with WF), so I headed to Palos Verdes. I still get passed by virtually every 'real' cyclist out there, but let's just say that along the beach sections I pretty much smoke the huffys and cruisers. I am starting to get more comfortable on the saddle though and was even figuring out how to eat and drink without being a danger to myself and those around me. I even made it to one section in PV known for its tough hills and I didn't completely collapse. All in all I cycled thirty miles and then came home and ran for thirty minutes. My run was at the track so except for a piece of trash in one lane it was very flat.

On Monday my husband had the day off and my sil agreed to watch the boys, so we went for a bike ride together. It was our first ride together since I was 13 weeks pregnant and my parents took us on a Backroads trip to the Canadian Rockies. So, it had been a very long time. We ended up doing a lot of 'urban cycling' because we were trying to figure out a safe route for him to get to work. We ended up getting in about 18 miles.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful suggestions on the type of bike I should get. I think I am really leaning towards a road bike, since that does sound like the smart choice. My problem is that I really want Carbon Fiber, but obviously those cost a lot and my budget probably doesn't go that far. I made the mistake of going to a bike shop and testing the Trek Madone 5.2 WSD and I am so in love. I also really, really love the Litespeed Bella (not CF, but heck, I could take Ti too!). In the future I should never, ever test ride something that I clearly cannot afford, it makes it hard for me to look at the others. So, the bike search has kind of stalled until I can return to reality.

The Mark of the Novice

2006-01-17T08:50:00.000-08:00

I know many people post pictures of their body after a bicycle crash complete with road rash or worse a broken bone. Others might have a similar picture of an injury suffered from a running accident, especially if you are one of those runners, such as myself, who have a tendency to run into poles. Well, I have to guess that I am one of the few to actually get bruises swimming in a pool! Gosh I am such a dork. I am normally a crooked swimmer and know I should train for 2.4 miles for my half-ironman because that is probably the distance I will end up swimming. Well today my crooked swimming was compounded with lack of confidence which left me hugging the lane lines. My right arm hit the lane line every time I went down the length and I ended up with a nice bruise and an even more wounded ego. You should have seen the look on my husband's face when I asked him to take a picture of my arm. He had such a tender mixture of sympathy and amazement that I could actually get a bruise from swim practice. Just when I thought pool swimming was a safe sport...

On the positive side of life, I got in two awesome bike rides this weekend. I will have to do a separate post on them when I am not feeling quite so stupid.

Triathlon Camp

2006-01-14T13:45:00.000-08:00

I don't think I have mentioned this before, but I am doing a triathlon camp through my LTS. It is a really cool program and a great deal. We meet every Saturday for 10 weeks and receive individual coaching in all three disciplines. One of the things I really like about the program is that the coaches are sport specific, so I don't have a runner doubling as a swimming coach or anything like that.

Today was our first non-orientation day and we did a mini-tri so the coaches could evaluate us. Needless to say I was very nervous but also excited. We swam in three groups and I placed myself in the middle group. After a short warm-up we swam 150 yards. Although it was incredibly short, I was suprised by how hard it was. As soon as we started, my competitive nature kicked in and I tried to hang with the guys next to me. They ended up finishing 5-8 seconds ahead of me and I was exhausted! I must remember to start my triathlons toward to back of the pack so I don't blow out like that for the real event. I was a little discouraged that I finished so far behind them, but later the coach told me I did really well and really was a 'middle of the packer.' She also gave me some good stroke pointers that I will work on this week, and said I have the body of a swimmer (except for my darn hips) and can probably really improve. Nice!

Next, it was on to the bike portion. To make things easy our bikes were set up on trainers and we just rode for twenty minutes. The coaches came around to help with positioning and encouraged us to keep the cadence up. I think I did a good job on the bike since I was able to stay right with the pack. (Ha, ha)

Our run was one mile on the track and that felt really good. My HR went up very high so I know I couldn't have sustained the pace for long, but I still felt okay through it. Afterwards they gave us pointers on stretching and went over what to expect in the weeks to come. The group seems really good. It is a nice combo of newbies and experienced athletes and triathletes. I think I should really improve during the camp.

Two important feelings I experienced during the mini-tri: 1) Wow, this is so much fun! I am loving it! 2) Hmm, I probably should have signed up for the Olympic Distance at WF...

I know I haven't been great about updating my workouts this week and I will try to improve on that. I think I am going to work on some sort of progress chart for the right hand side of the screen. Hopefully I can get that up soon. I should say that I did workout everyday this week which ended up giving me: 3 swim workouts, 3 runs, 2 bike rides (my long ride is tomorrow), 2 weight lifting sessions and 1 mini-triathlon.

Bike Dilemma

2006-01-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

When I made the decision to start doing triathlons again my husband readily agreed that my current bike would not support all my triathlon goals. The big question has always been not if we would get me a new bike but when. Well my husband, being the ultra-supporter that he is has spent countless hours researching my new bike. I think he is worried that even with the countless hours/miles I will Undoubtedly put in, there is still a good chance I will DNF on the bike course at Wildflower. He wants to give me every advantage possible, which I really appreciate. However, I also feel a little guilty about getting a new bike. Will I look like a dork/idiot/poser being a newbie triathlete on a new fancy bike? Then, if we do get a bike, should we go road or tri? To make things simple, I created a poll which I hope lots vote in. Feel free to leave comments as well!

Topsey Turvey Swimming

2006-01-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my swim workout with the YMCA group, and although I still don't like the early morning hour I was ready and excited for it. I met a 'regular' who wasn't there last week and of course she is way better than I am. It sort of sucks to be the slow person in the lane, but hopefully that will just make me better. Anyway, practice was going well until the coach announced we would be doing 200 and every 6th stroke we needed to do a somersault. Okay, I thought, that sounds like fun and at first it was. On my first two somersaults I was like "Whee, I am going upside down! This is a great way to break up swimming!" However, my glee quickly turned into nausea. It was awful. I am clearly not meant for flip turns because I felt so sick for the rest of practice. I managed to finish practice but had to come home and lie down for about twenty minutes until I felt better.

Later I did manage to get into my cycling workout. I did 1 hour of the Spinnervals DVD on my trainer while my support crew drew pictures and told me stories. Today is an easier day for me because I only have one cardio workout. I am doing weights at the Y and this evening I am leading the five mile group at the Nike run.

So, I need a little swim training advice. Right now I am roughly following the Beginner Triathlete training plan except I am doing my swim three workouts with the YMCA group. The swim coach knows I am doing a half-ironman in May and said I will be ready for the swim portion by then. However, so far most of our workouts have been drills and sprints. I think our longest day has been around 2000 yards. Would you add a fourth swim workout with longer sets? Trust the coach that longer sets will be added eventually? Or do the swim group 2 days a week and go on my own one day a week? (For those of you not familiar with the BT workout, I essentially do each sport 3 days a week, with one rest day, so I have 3 double-up days. I also want to lift weights twice a week, but so far have only managed once)

Donald, Mickey and Goofy

2006-01-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

I am very proud to report that my parents more than met their goals at Disneyworld this weekend. My mom was nice enough to send me an email with her race report, so here it is:

While your Dad is off doing his Goofy Run I thought I would write a quick update on my experiences yesterday. First however, I will report on how my body is feeling today. I cannot believe how well I am doing. My left foot doesn't hurt at all and only my heel is sore on the right foot. I ended up walking/jogging in my old shoes rather than the new ones. I also decided on the softer insoles rather than the Super Feet. The mix seemed to do the trick.

Race date started at the ungodly hour of 3:00am. Considering I had been here only since Thurday night my body still thought it was 1:00am. I can't remember the last time I was awake at that hour. We dressed and ate our prerace meal. For me it was a luna bar and water. Your dad has his usual coffee plus a cliff bar. We went down stairs at about 3:40 to catch the last bus at 4:00am to the start from our hotel. It turned out we not only caught the last bus but the only buses arrived at our hotel about 4:15. Four busses showed up at the same time and boarded everyone. While standing outside huddled together in the cold your dad told everyone around us we were running it together for our anniversary. It was cute.

Once we were unloaded there was a long walk to the tents where we left the bag with things your dad planned to shed. I, of course, intended to wear everything I owned. I found a sheltered spot right outside the tents where I sat trying to stay warm. It worked pretty well. Your dad being an old pro had us wait until the last possible moment to head to the start.

Your Dad was assigned to Corral C and I to Corral F. He stayed back with me. He asked me if I could run for 2 minutes at a time. I said I would give it a try. So the plan was we ran 2 minutes and walked 3 minutes. We did the run on the five minute mark so it was easy to track. After about 4 miles your Dad told me I had eight minutes in the bank. Remember I had to finish under 3 and a half hours to get my Donald medal. As we entered the Magic Kingdom your Dad and I stopped at all Characters we saw for pictures. I was a little disappointed that we never saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto or Goofy. Oh well when I do Disneyland in September maybe then.

As we neared the end I got tired but your Dad kept telling me we were almost there and I hung in. As we neared the finish he grabbed my hand and we ran in together hand in hand. As our finish time showed we finished together!

Your Dad is out running his marathon now and doing great!. He crossed the 20 mile mark at 3:51 and his projected finish time is 5:02:49. Hopefully he can do it. That would be a great time for him considering what he did yesterday. I know he will get Goofy because he has to finish by 7 hours. He should be able to that if he crawls the last six miles.

My Dad ended up really picking up the pace in the end and he finished in 4:54:30. He was off by his pr by only 56 seconds! I am so amazed and proud of him! If you want to see some great pics of the event you should check out Nancy Toby's Site.

As for myself, I ran 40 minutes with strides today. I never made it to the gym for weights because the boys and I had too much fun playing at the beach. (Sorry about that snow folks!) Tomorrow is a swim and a bike day.

Riding Outside: The Scary Truth

2006-01-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have a confession to make... My bike has not been ridden outside since before I was pregnant. Since my bubs just turned four, that's a very long time. After they were born I decided to just concentrate on running so my bike got shoved in a corner. Eventually that corner needed to be used to house toys and the bike was put outside. Please don't hate me for what I am about to reveal: My bike actually has rust stains from neglect. (I hope no one reports me to the SPCB.) When I made the commitment to become a triathlete again the bike was allowed to move back inside and was thoroughly cleaned. But apparently some rust cannot just be wiped away. For the last month or so I have been diligently riding it on my trainer. The only daylight it saw was when I put it on the back of my car to transport it to indoor cycling sessions.

After having staying inside for so long I had sort of built up a phobia of riding outside. Would my bike hold together? Would other riders mock me? After all, I can keep up when we are all attached to trainers, but there would be no hiding on the open road. However, today was our day to head out. I put on my new bike shorts and cycling jersey (thanks to Little Bub and Big Bub for their Christmas thoughtfulness, and the Hubby too of course), and gathered my gear. I also wore my Tour de Tucson cycling jersey in tribute to my parents awesome athleticism this weekend which I will post about soon. After a brief meltdown when I couldn't get my saddle bag attached, my Hubby helped me out and I was ready to go.

Since Wildflower is rumored to have some hills, I thought I should get tough and head to the Palos Verdes hills. On the way there I rode along the beach where it was nice and flat and not too crowded, so I thought I should try my new aero bars. Big mistake! I was completely wobbly and quickly realized my swim technique of bouncing off the walls did not translate well to the great outdoors of cycling. Anyway, the ride turned out awesome and I gained so much confidence. I wasn't nearly as awful on the hills as I would have expected and really didn't feel too awful by the time I came home. In the end I rode 25 miles at a 13mph pace. Clearly I need to get faster, but I think that was an okay start.

When I got home I raced inside, changed my shorts and shoes, grabbed my ipod and went for a 2 mile run. I wanted to write a 'quick 2 mile run,' but frankly my legs felt like mush and I was anything but quick.

I was very tired afterwards but after a shower and some tv time (I watched "Fearless: Karen Smyers), I had enough energy to take the Bubs to the park for the afternoon. All in all a great day!

Master's Swimming

2006-01-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

I joined a group at my local YMCA called "Swim Fit" that is essentially a Master's Swimming group. I went to my first two workouts Thursday and Friday and can honestly say parts of me hurt that I didn't even know were used in swimming. Here are some of the highlights:

Getting up early has its advantages. When I leave the house at 5:30 a.m. (which is really an unhealthy hour for me), I am slightly depressed that everyone else is sleeping so soundly. However, I have been returning before the boys are even awake and I realize I am in a much better mood post-workout than when I sleep until they wake me up.
My legs function on land but not water. One of our drills today was to bend one leg back so it was out of the water and kick with the other while holding a board. (Left leg up on the way down, right leg on the way back) I literally had moments when I wasn't moving. We were supposed to do 200, I got lapped and still only finished 150 because the coach was bored watching me float.
The one benefit of kicking with one leg is that I would go crooked. Normally this is a bad thing, but I used my crooked swimming to 'bounce' off the walls and propel myself forward.
Although I am the worst in my lane, I am also pleased because I was put with the faster kids. -One of my lane swimmers really is a 'kid' since she is a high school swimmer.

Finally, I am really pleased with my coach, Ivan. He is providing me with lots of feedback and I like that the workouts are hard. Rumor has it he was on the Russian Olympic swim team. I am inclined to believe the rumor because I did a Google search for "Ivan Russian Olympics Swim Team" and there were 180,000 returns. Clearly it must be true!

After my workout today I came home and told my boys that I had already been swimming at the Y. They were dissapointed because they wanted to go there to play. So after breakfast (Cheerios, YUM) we went back to the Y where I did my 30 minute run and lifted weights. Yeah, I feel like a stud. -Oh, and I hurt too.

Good Luck Mom and Dad!

2006-01-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow my Mom and Dad will be taking part in the Disneyworld Half Marathon. They are planning to run/walk it and hopefully they will stay together the whole time. I am really proud of both of them for doing this event. My Mom has been suffering from plantar fasciitis lately, and I am impressed she is even making it to the starting line. Also, despite the fact that she was the one who originally got me into marathons, now she is more of a cyclist. I am also really excited for my Dad because he is planning to run the marathon the next day as well, which makes him truly Goofy. The last time he ran the Disneyworld Marathon we ran together and I am just so jealous that I cannot be with him this weekend. I know they are both going to have an awesome time!

Btw, if you need more proof that my Dad is Goofy, consider that he ran NYC in November, the Tucson Half in December, and now this race. Also, he has been telling me that he really misses his grandsons and wants to visit us in March, specifically the weekend of the LA marathon!

My mom is carrying a camera, so myabe I can convince her to send me a race report and some pics that I could post here.

Here is Dad and I when we ran it in 2002. Clearly the wrong person stood next to Goofy. The race marked my return to running almost exactly one year after my boys were born.

Good luck Mom and Dad!!

Getting Scared

2006-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had my Nike run, which went very well. My group only had two people which I actually prefer because I chat more easily with small groups.

Before the run I was chatting with a friend about triathlons. We usually chat about our running races, but I also know he is into triathlons so I was anxious to tell him about me getting back to the sport. To give you some background on this guy, we always call him Badwater Bill because he is crazy enough to actually complete this race:Badwater. This race is truly for the insane, as it is 135 miles through Death Valley in JULY! To train for it, he ran on a treadmill in a sauna. Yep he's nuts, and this is how our conversation went:

Me: Bill, wait until you hear my news! You will be so proud of me because I signed up for a triathlon.
(Badwater Bill gives me high-fives)
B.B.: You're right I am proud of you, which one?
Me: Wildflower
B.B.: Wow, that's crazy. The Olympic or Sprint?
Me: Um, neither... The long course
B.B.: That's an awful course. Good luck... Did you know the bike course not only sucks but the run is really hard too?
Me: Well actually I have only been thinking about the bike course, but thanks for that. I did check out the swim course and it didn't look too bad...

Oh, my, what have I done?

Swimming and Biking Update

2006-01-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was supposed to be an early morning swim workout but I was up coughing all night (lingering effect from the flu) so I decided to sleep in. All morning I kept trying to get to the YMCA but was having too much fun playing with my boys. After their nap I tried to rally the troops to head out but they were very much in home-body mode. So we ended up compromising and they said they would be good while I rode my bike on the trainer. I thought this sounded fair. I did 45 minutes of my Spinervals DVD. It is supposed to be a 90 minute video but I wasn't sure either the boys nor I were feeling that "good." Anyway, I highly recommend this video if someone is looking for a good workout. While I was spinning away one of my sons drew a really great picture of my bike. I say really great because he just turned four, but also because I was impressed that you can see the trainer. Check it out!

This morning I headed to the pool and finally got a swim workout in. I am roughly following the schedule fromBeginner Triathlete Week 2. My swim schedule was wu: 6x100, main: 4x400, cd: 2x150 pull. I had the option to only do 3 400's and of course part-way through the warm up I was tired and realized that was what I would have to do. However, somewhere around my second and third 400, I pulled it together and realized I would never finish Wildflower if I always took the short option. So, I hung in there and did the whole workout and was so proud of myself!

I was also excited that I didn't slow down too much. Keep in mind I am not particularly fast to begin...

#1 9:38
#2 9:38
#3 9:49
#4 9:54

Tonight I am running 5 miles. I am a run leader for Nike Club Run LA, so I will be pacing the 10 min/mile group. Normally this is a pretty easy pace for me, especially for this distance, but since I have been sick it could be rough. My group might be running a tad slow tonight!

Training in Rough Weather

2006-01-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

As soon as I woke up this morning I realized that my plans for a bike ride outside were out. Rain was pouring down and the wind was blowing hard. So, shortly after breakfast I headed to my basement to ride my bike on the trainer. I rode for one hour, in the small chain ring. Although I normally find rides on the trainer pretty boring, this ride ended up fun because my husband and kids came downstairs and chatted with me. Of course they all had opinions on my riding:

"Mommy, why aren't you pedaling faster?"
"Mommy, do you really need the fan? You won't have a fan in the real triathlon will you?" (Hmm... That was a good point. Maybe I will have to turn off the fan closer to the event for heat acclimation)
and finally, "Yeah seriously honey. I think you should pedal faster. Your cadence is very slow."

After my ride, I headed upstairs with my support crew in tow and we all saw that the rain had stopped. I decided to head out for my forty minute run while the sunshine lasted. So, I spent the whole run congratulating myself on running despite the freezing temperatures and arctic wind. At the end of my run I passed a school and saw my husband, clad in shorts, and kids out flying a kite. I stopped my run a bit early to play with them and realized two things: 1)I really am I wimp because clearly it wasn't so cold, and 2) this is why I live in Southern California.

In the Spirit of New Year's

2006-01-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

After listening to Tri-Geek Kahuna's audio post, I got to thinking about what I should do for a New Year's Resolution. After much pondering I decided that the best thing for my training would be to follow his lead from last year and give up chocolate. I think this will really help me because I consume chocolate in some form almost every single day. It's an addiction really, especially when it comes in ice cream. However, I have not totally lost my mind and know I probably could not give it up for a whole year. -Afterall, I am not sure how I would even celebrate my birthday without chocolate cake and ice cream. Instead, I have convinced myself to stay away from the delicious treat until after Wildflower. Thank goodness my birthday is in November!

Tomorrow it is back to training for me. I have been out sick with the flu for the past week but plan to get in an easy forty minute run and maybe some bike time. It has been raining here in Southern California so I will probably be doing a Spinervals video on my trainer.

Introduction

2005-12-31T13:32:00.000-08:00

After pouring over triathlon blogs for the last month or so, I finally decided to jump in the mix and create my own. I will use this blog to document my return journey to triathlons. I competed in my last sprint distance triathlon five years ago and decided to take a break to concentrate on marathons. Eight marathons and two kids later, I am finally returning to triathlons. I realized in my 'time off' that I love the longer races and resume triathlons by registering for the long course at Wildflower. Since registering, on more of a whim than anything else, I have learned what a hard course it is and of course I am very scared. Luckily I have a great support network, especially from my husband. He spends more time researching new bikes for me than I do! I plan to posts my training plans and actual events frequently.

Which bike option is best?
	Keep the bike I own until I prove my mettle at Wildflower
	Get a fancy schmancy new tri bike now so I won't DNF at Wildflower
	Buy a road bike but fit it for tris since I will be doing lots of hills

Free polls from Pollhost.com