It has been 2 weeks since the Baltimore half marathon and I haven't been able to run at all during that time. While this has been a painful time with my knee, this has been an enlightening time when I think about my motivation. A year ago I stopped running because I had no motivation...I was making excuses and finding all sorts of reasons why I couldn't run. Now that I really can't run, it gives me some time to think about my priorities.
Clara is my personal trainer. I meet with her every Monday. She adds strength training to my running workouts. I'm sure she has been frustrated with me over the last few months. I've been doing just the basic and have not been eating properly. So I'm publicly promising her that I'm going to dedicate myself to doing the right things in terms of food and strength training. I am stating it now, with her help, I'm going to lose the 10 pounds that I really need to lose by the end of the year. With 10 fewer pounds to lug around, I can be leaner and faster! I am also committing to her that I'm going to continue our work throughout the week. One day of strength training is good, but I should be doing more to supplement my running.
In addition to those commitments, I'm making a commitment to myself. I have certain goals that I would like to achieve with my running. Anyone who knows me knows how important it is for me to break 2 hours. I know that I can do this. However, it's going to take some prioritizing on the days where I've formerly struggled to fit running into my schedule. This past training cycle, I really only ran on Saturdays and Wednesdays when the training group was meeting. This coming training cycle is going to be different...if I have to get up super early to fit in a run, I'm going to do that.
I am going to break that 2 hour mark. I'm going to train better in all areaas and I'm going to prove to myself that I can fit proper training into my schedule.
The Marine Corps Marathon is today. I watched the start of it. My friend Andi is running it as her very first marathon. She has accomplished so many amazing athletic feats in the last year and she inspires me so much. I hope she has a great run today and I can't wait to hear all about it. She definitely trains right...and she does running and triathlon training together...this is possible. I can do this! I just need to be focused and not let life get in the way.
I should be cleared to run again on Monday. I will take this time to get myself where I need to be so that when the next training cycle starts, I am ready.
Read along with my blog as I discuss weight, schedule and life challenges as I try to get my triathlon training back on track. I will also discuss what I've learned along the way and what new goals I'm setting for myself.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Networking
Last night I attended the Howard County Economic Development Authority's annual meeting. Since my dad was the CEO for 18 years prior to retiring a year ago, I have attended MANY annual meetings. This year's was really cool because they presented my dad with the very first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. This doesn't have anything to do with running...
Except for the networking prior to the ceremony...
Matt was there and we started talking with several people about our experience with the triathlon. We both reflected on our race. I spoke with Zack who I have known was a marathon runner. We talked about triathlons...he and his wife are avid triathletes. They both encouraged me to sign up for the Columbia Triathlon which is an Olympic distance. I would love to do that...I'm concerned about training for it though. I need to find somewhere to swim. I need to get more time on the bike. Apparently Zack and his wife are part of a cycling group and they invited me to join them any time. YAY!
So while most people were networking for business, I am networking for training partners!
Follow up on the knee...on Monday's appointment, she is going to show me how to properly tape my knee and I'm going to be cleared to run again!!!
Things are looking up.
Except for the networking prior to the ceremony...
Matt was there and we started talking with several people about our experience with the triathlon. We both reflected on our race. I spoke with Zack who I have known was a marathon runner. We talked about triathlons...he and his wife are avid triathletes. They both encouraged me to sign up for the Columbia Triathlon which is an Olympic distance. I would love to do that...I'm concerned about training for it though. I need to find somewhere to swim. I need to get more time on the bike. Apparently Zack and his wife are part of a cycling group and they invited me to join them any time. YAY!
So while most people were networking for business, I am networking for training partners!
Follow up on the knee...on Monday's appointment, she is going to show me how to properly tape my knee and I'm going to be cleared to run again!!!
Things are looking up.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Bad Knees
I have been told that I have bad knees before. I had surgery in college to try to help correct my bad knees. I am genetically pre-disposed to have knee pain because of where my kneecaps are...slightly angled and too far on the inside of my leg. So when I run or bike, there is a great deal of stress put on my IT band. It's not the pounding of the running that hurts my knee, it's really just the motion.
I saw Diane the PT twice last week. She was great and talked with me about how we get me back to running after a short break of maybe 2 weeks with no running. On Friday I saw Brenda the PT. She said she had never seen knees like mine (I've actually heard that a lot before). She told me that in her medical opinion, I should not run or bike again. If I do, I will continue to experience pain like this. She said that I could tape my knee, wear a brace or try surgery. I did the surgery route 20 years ago...things have probably changed in that 20 years but I'm not sure I'm up for surgery.
So I left that appointment very conflicted. I love running. It's been a huge part of my life for the last several years. Do I love running enough to continue hurting myself? I had so much fun with the triathlon. I was really looking forward to doing more of those next year. Is it worth the pain that will come from that increased activity? Ugh. Why can't I just have "normal" knees?
It didn't take long for me to realize the answer. It's pretty clear. I've been running for a just over 3 years. I've had 2 knee issues in that time. Running is a passion of mine, it's a stress reliever and it's a source of pride. If I get knee pain every year and a half on average, I think I can handle it. I will just have to back off my training for a little bit and then get back on track. It might mean that I can't do as many half marathons. I have run 2 half marathons in 2 months...that might be a bit too much on my knee.
Other people in my position would probably think differently than I do about this. I saw Diane at my daughter's school musical last night. I told her what Brenda said. She laughed and said, "we'll get you running again." I like her attitude!!!
I saw Diane the PT twice last week. She was great and talked with me about how we get me back to running after a short break of maybe 2 weeks with no running. On Friday I saw Brenda the PT. She said she had never seen knees like mine (I've actually heard that a lot before). She told me that in her medical opinion, I should not run or bike again. If I do, I will continue to experience pain like this. She said that I could tape my knee, wear a brace or try surgery. I did the surgery route 20 years ago...things have probably changed in that 20 years but I'm not sure I'm up for surgery.
So I left that appointment very conflicted. I love running. It's been a huge part of my life for the last several years. Do I love running enough to continue hurting myself? I had so much fun with the triathlon. I was really looking forward to doing more of those next year. Is it worth the pain that will come from that increased activity? Ugh. Why can't I just have "normal" knees?
It didn't take long for me to realize the answer. It's pretty clear. I've been running for a just over 3 years. I've had 2 knee issues in that time. Running is a passion of mine, it's a stress reliever and it's a source of pride. If I get knee pain every year and a half on average, I think I can handle it. I will just have to back off my training for a little bit and then get back on track. It might mean that I can't do as many half marathons. I have run 2 half marathons in 2 months...that might be a bit too much on my knee.
Other people in my position would probably think differently than I do about this. I saw Diane at my daughter's school musical last night. I told her what Brenda said. She laughed and said, "we'll get you running again." I like her attitude!!!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Baltimore Half Marathon
I have purposely taken a few days before writing this entry. My half marathon was not what I had hoped for or expected. But after thinking about it for a few days, it was the most incredible learning experience I've been through.
I got down to Baltimore on the metro. It's about a 1/2 mile walk from the metro station to Pickles where I was meeting my group. Had there been a train there and ready to leave when I got to the metro station, I would have been fine. As it was, I had to wait nearly 15 minutes before a train came so I was running way behind schedule. I got to Pickles just as the group was getting ready to leave for the starting line. Meghan helped me get my stuff together, I ran to the bathroom and pinned my number to my shirt. Then we were off to the starting line.
It was nice to be a part of a large group of people walking to the starting line together. We all chatted and tried to keep from getting nervous. At the start, we all huddled to try to stay warm and discussed race strategy. Heather, Erin and I decided to try to stay together and shoot for a 2:08.
As the race started, I realized that my watch was being really goofy. It would read that I was running a 12 minute pace, then drop to a 7 minute pace and my effort didn't change at all. Heather and Erin's watches were pretty close on their pace, so I just stopped looking at mine. We did a pretty good job of staying together for most of the first half of the race. I was feeling pretty good although my knee was a little achy. We hit the halfway point of the race in under an hour! Woo Hoo! On pace to break 2 hours!
It was around that time that my knee decided to really act up. I was struggling to keep the pace. I knew that I had to let Heather go. Erin was somewhere behind me so I decided to drop back a little bit and wait for her. I didn't have to wait long...she was only a few steps behind me. She asked about my knee and volunteered to stay back with me. I wouldn't allow that. I firmly told her to go on and race her own race. I would be fine. She glanced at me again to make sure I was serious. I nodded and she took off.
So the next couple of miles I tried to ignore the pain. I was not keeping the same fast pace, but I was still running at a decent speed. The hills were what hurt my knee the most. I was hoping that once I got past the really hilly portion of the course that I would be better. There were several hills that I simply couldn't run up...so I walked.
I had just passed the water stop around mile 9 or so when I felt like I couldn't go on. I kept counting down the miles on my hand and couldn't figure out how I was going to do over 4 miles with this pain. I kept going, but started looking for a medic tent. I've never paid attention to where the medic tents are on a course...I've never considered quitting a race before. But I knew my knee was in bad shape...and it was starting to hurt all the way up to my hip. Not good.
Mile 10 and still no medic tent. I was running, if you could call it that. I looked at my watch and realized that I was still on pace to hit a decent finish time. Are you kidding me? 10 minute miles were all I needed to match my previous Baltimore half marathon time of 2:08, which was my original goal for the day. Determination set in...I can finish AND I can match my 2:08. Watch me go! I picked up my pace to under a 10 minute mile and set my mind on the task of just getting across the finish line.
1/2 mile later I realized how hard this was going to be. But I wasn't going to give up. I can do this.
Mile 11...Margaret runs past me on the bridge over I-83. She yells "good job Karen!" All I could manage was to lift my hand and wave to her. My normal reaction would have been to cheer her on in response. I was spent...every ounce of energy was going toward just moving ahead. I was shuffling at this point. The bridge is a steady incline and really difficult on a good day. I moved as far to the right as I could as masses of people were passing me running up this bridge. But I kept on going.
Mile 12...I am telling myself "you can do this" over and over again. My body wants to give up. My head is screaming at me to stop running. But my determination won out...I kept on running. One more mile, one more mile, one more mile. I know at this point I'm not going to match my previous 2:08...but I'm still close. I'm going to finish with a good time after everything I've gone through! Incredible.
Mile 13...I see that damn mile marker. I always hate that mile marker. You think you're done, but you still have that damn .1 to go. Today that .1 loomed larger than ever. People are picking up their pace and sprinting to the finish. The crowds are thick and everyone is cheering. It was all a blur. Where the hell is that finish? I'm almost done...I'm almost done...I'm almost done.
I crossed the finish line and immediately started crying. Actually I started to recognize that I was crying. I think I had been crying for awhile. The finish chute at Baltimore is notoriously a disaster. It was so crowded that we had to stand completely still for several minutes before moving just a little bit. I was able to shuffle through the crowd, get my finisher's medal, and leave the chute. I saw Erin in the food line. I chatted with her about the rest of her race and my knee issues. I looked around for anyone else I knew but couldn't find anyone.
It was at that point that I wanted to just get out of there. I saw all the families there cheering on their loved one...I saw smiles on runner's faces...I saw everything that I didn't have...and at that moment, it was too much to deal with. So I hobbled over to Pickles (which was a very long walk with a bum knee). I got my stuff and tried to escape quickly. I saw Andi and cried to her about my knee and my disappointing race. I could only focus on what could have been and what wasn't. She was so sweet and so encouraging. She was right about everything but at that moment I wasn't sharing her perspective.
My conversation with Andi is the main reason why I have waited to write this blog. I needed some time away from that disappointment and frustration. I still feel some of that, but now I'm able to put it into the proper perspective. I finished the race AND I finished with a pretty darn good time. A lot of people would be thrilled to finish a half marathon in the time that I did. I proved to myself that I could overcome the challenges and finish what I started. I am proud of my finish.
And just as a follow up, I went to the physical therapist on Monday. It is not a tear, it's just a strain of my IT band. I've been put on "rest" this week...no running or working out at all. I am hopeful that after this week I will be able to get back to running. I'm going to break 2 hours...maybe as soon as Dec. 8th when I run the Rehoboth Half Marathon!
I got down to Baltimore on the metro. It's about a 1/2 mile walk from the metro station to Pickles where I was meeting my group. Had there been a train there and ready to leave when I got to the metro station, I would have been fine. As it was, I had to wait nearly 15 minutes before a train came so I was running way behind schedule. I got to Pickles just as the group was getting ready to leave for the starting line. Meghan helped me get my stuff together, I ran to the bathroom and pinned my number to my shirt. Then we were off to the starting line.
It was nice to be a part of a large group of people walking to the starting line together. We all chatted and tried to keep from getting nervous. At the start, we all huddled to try to stay warm and discussed race strategy. Heather, Erin and I decided to try to stay together and shoot for a 2:08.
As the race started, I realized that my watch was being really goofy. It would read that I was running a 12 minute pace, then drop to a 7 minute pace and my effort didn't change at all. Heather and Erin's watches were pretty close on their pace, so I just stopped looking at mine. We did a pretty good job of staying together for most of the first half of the race. I was feeling pretty good although my knee was a little achy. We hit the halfway point of the race in under an hour! Woo Hoo! On pace to break 2 hours!
It was around that time that my knee decided to really act up. I was struggling to keep the pace. I knew that I had to let Heather go. Erin was somewhere behind me so I decided to drop back a little bit and wait for her. I didn't have to wait long...she was only a few steps behind me. She asked about my knee and volunteered to stay back with me. I wouldn't allow that. I firmly told her to go on and race her own race. I would be fine. She glanced at me again to make sure I was serious. I nodded and she took off.
So the next couple of miles I tried to ignore the pain. I was not keeping the same fast pace, but I was still running at a decent speed. The hills were what hurt my knee the most. I was hoping that once I got past the really hilly portion of the course that I would be better. There were several hills that I simply couldn't run up...so I walked.
I had just passed the water stop around mile 9 or so when I felt like I couldn't go on. I kept counting down the miles on my hand and couldn't figure out how I was going to do over 4 miles with this pain. I kept going, but started looking for a medic tent. I've never paid attention to where the medic tents are on a course...I've never considered quitting a race before. But I knew my knee was in bad shape...and it was starting to hurt all the way up to my hip. Not good.
Mile 10 and still no medic tent. I was running, if you could call it that. I looked at my watch and realized that I was still on pace to hit a decent finish time. Are you kidding me? 10 minute miles were all I needed to match my previous Baltimore half marathon time of 2:08, which was my original goal for the day. Determination set in...I can finish AND I can match my 2:08. Watch me go! I picked up my pace to under a 10 minute mile and set my mind on the task of just getting across the finish line.
1/2 mile later I realized how hard this was going to be. But I wasn't going to give up. I can do this.
Mile 11...Margaret runs past me on the bridge over I-83. She yells "good job Karen!" All I could manage was to lift my hand and wave to her. My normal reaction would have been to cheer her on in response. I was spent...every ounce of energy was going toward just moving ahead. I was shuffling at this point. The bridge is a steady incline and really difficult on a good day. I moved as far to the right as I could as masses of people were passing me running up this bridge. But I kept on going.
Mile 12...I am telling myself "you can do this" over and over again. My body wants to give up. My head is screaming at me to stop running. But my determination won out...I kept on running. One more mile, one more mile, one more mile. I know at this point I'm not going to match my previous 2:08...but I'm still close. I'm going to finish with a good time after everything I've gone through! Incredible.
Mile 13...I see that damn mile marker. I always hate that mile marker. You think you're done, but you still have that damn .1 to go. Today that .1 loomed larger than ever. People are picking up their pace and sprinting to the finish. The crowds are thick and everyone is cheering. It was all a blur. Where the hell is that finish? I'm almost done...I'm almost done...I'm almost done.
I crossed the finish line and immediately started crying. Actually I started to recognize that I was crying. I think I had been crying for awhile. The finish chute at Baltimore is notoriously a disaster. It was so crowded that we had to stand completely still for several minutes before moving just a little bit. I was able to shuffle through the crowd, get my finisher's medal, and leave the chute. I saw Erin in the food line. I chatted with her about the rest of her race and my knee issues. I looked around for anyone else I knew but couldn't find anyone.
It was at that point that I wanted to just get out of there. I saw all the families there cheering on their loved one...I saw smiles on runner's faces...I saw everything that I didn't have...and at that moment, it was too much to deal with. So I hobbled over to Pickles (which was a very long walk with a bum knee). I got my stuff and tried to escape quickly. I saw Andi and cried to her about my knee and my disappointing race. I could only focus on what could have been and what wasn't. She was so sweet and so encouraging. She was right about everything but at that moment I wasn't sharing her perspective.
My conversation with Andi is the main reason why I have waited to write this blog. I needed some time away from that disappointment and frustration. I still feel some of that, but now I'm able to put it into the proper perspective. I finished the race AND I finished with a pretty darn good time. A lot of people would be thrilled to finish a half marathon in the time that I did. I proved to myself that I could overcome the challenges and finish what I started. I am proud of my finish.
And just as a follow up, I went to the physical therapist on Monday. It is not a tear, it's just a strain of my IT band. I've been put on "rest" this week...no running or working out at all. I am hopeful that after this week I will be able to get back to running. I'm going to break 2 hours...maybe as soon as Dec. 8th when I run the Rehoboth Half Marathon!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Freaking Out
The half marathon is 2 days away. I'm going to go pick up my race packet tomorrow at lunch. I am freaking out. And my body is too. My knee hurts, my ankle hurts, my back started hurting today...I'm falling apart...or am I just imagining it?
Do all runners go through this before a big race? Is it normal or am I just being silly?
Either way, Saturday morning is going to come and I'll line up with all the other runners. Once I'm there and have started the race, hopefully my aches and pains will be gone and I can just run. After all, I like running...right?
Do all runners go through this before a big race? Is it normal or am I just being silly?
Either way, Saturday morning is going to come and I'll line up with all the other runners. Once I'm there and have started the race, hopefully my aches and pains will be gone and I can just run. After all, I like running...right?
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Splits
Several people have asked to see my splits for the triathlon. I don't mind sharing, so here they are:
Overall time 1:54:51.31, 285th place
19:06 swim, 2:10 pace, 307th place for the swim
3:38 transition (SLOW!), 309th place for the transition
58:24 bike, 15.6 pace, 297th place for the bike
1:18 2nd transition, 166th place for the transition
32:25 run, 10:27 pace, 230th place for the run
I see several areas for improvement. With training, I can definitely significantly reduce the swim time. I didn't train AT ALL...unless you consider 2 swims to be training. With some practice and hopefully not getting stuck in the wetsuit, my first transition time can be cut down by at least a minute. I'm pleased with the bike, although again that's an area where I didn't train. I feel like with training, I can average closer to 17-18 mph...maybe. I can definitely cut that down a little bit. The 2nd transition was good, but with practice, I can improve there too. Although if I ever do the clip on shoes for the bike, that will add time back into it. The run was a very slow time for me in a 5K. I purposely didn't really push myself here, so there is a lot of room for improvement. Even with the rubber band legs, I can run under a 30 minute 5K pretty easily. I am already trying to figure out how to get triathlon training fit into my already busy schedule...but based on how much fun I had, I'm definitely going to Tri again!
So the triathlon is behind me and the half marathon is looming in a few days! I'm excited about that. I know that I won't break my goal of 2 hours, but I am anxious to see how I conquer the mental demons that always haunt me around mile 8 or 9. Track practice is tomorrow night and Meghan's email said we would "chat about the race". I can't wait to hear what everyone's chatter is!
Overall time 1:54:51.31, 285th place
19:06 swim, 2:10 pace, 307th place for the swim
3:38 transition (SLOW!), 309th place for the transition
58:24 bike, 15.6 pace, 297th place for the bike
1:18 2nd transition, 166th place for the transition
32:25 run, 10:27 pace, 230th place for the run
I see several areas for improvement. With training, I can definitely significantly reduce the swim time. I didn't train AT ALL...unless you consider 2 swims to be training. With some practice and hopefully not getting stuck in the wetsuit, my first transition time can be cut down by at least a minute. I'm pleased with the bike, although again that's an area where I didn't train. I feel like with training, I can average closer to 17-18 mph...maybe. I can definitely cut that down a little bit. The 2nd transition was good, but with practice, I can improve there too. Although if I ever do the clip on shoes for the bike, that will add time back into it. The run was a very slow time for me in a 5K. I purposely didn't really push myself here, so there is a lot of room for improvement. Even with the rubber band legs, I can run under a 30 minute 5K pretty easily. I am already trying to figure out how to get triathlon training fit into my already busy schedule...but based on how much fun I had, I'm definitely going to Tri again!
So the triathlon is behind me and the half marathon is looming in a few days! I'm excited about that. I know that I won't break my goal of 2 hours, but I am anxious to see how I conquer the mental demons that always haunt me around mile 8 or 9. Track practice is tomorrow night and Meghan's email said we would "chat about the race". I can't wait to hear what everyone's chatter is!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Osprey Sprint Triathlon Recap
I have completed my first triathlon! And I had SOOOO much fun! I'm going to go into a detailed recap in this post, but for those who don't want to read the whole thing, I'll do a quick summary. Overall time was 1:54:51...my goal going in was just to finish and I was hoping to finish in under 2 hours. Both accomplished!!! The swim was the worst part, I felt great on the bike and the run was HOT. For those who want all the details, keep reading...
I was a jittery mess driving to the race. I had everything I could think of to bring, I'd gone over my transition strategy several times, and I was at the point where I just wanted to get the show on the road. Although part of me was wishing I had never signed up for it. But that part was really a very small part of me.
I arrived and parked next to a couple who looked like they knew what they were doing. So I struck up a conversation with them. As it turns out, it was the woman's first time doing a triathlon but the man had done several. I walked with them to the transition area and they helped me set up my things. They were very nice and I was relieved to have someone helping me.
After getting everything arranged, I looked for my friend Matt. Once we connected, I felt even better. Then I saw my friends Chris and Allison. I knew that Allison was in a similar situation to me, that she hadn't fully trained for the event. She's in my age group and I was really hoping to hang with her at least for the start of the race.
Pre-race the big discussion among almost all of the competitors was whether or not to wear a wetsuit. Chris and Allison decided not to. Matt was wearing his. Most of the people I talked to were going to wear it, simply for the benefit of buoyancy that the wetsuit provides. So I decided to go with the masses and wear the wetsuit. I figured that I definitely needed any advantage I could get. Matt and I went to get our body marking done. I felt like such a bad ass with my number written on me! Here I am proud of my marking prior to the race. 50 is my number, not my age! That was written on the back of my leg.
We had to walk down the road to get to the swim start. As I walked, I felt very anxious but also excited. Allison and I were in the 4th wave of swimmers. I was really hoping not to be the last person out of the water. I wondered why in the world I didn't train for the swim! With jitters at an all time high, I lined up with the other women in red swim caps for my start. I purposely started off to the left and in the back. My main goal for the day was to stay out of everyone's way!
The air horn went off and I waded into the chilly water with everyone else in my wave. Once the water got deep enough, I went under and realized quickly that it was salt water. Of course it was considering how close we were to the ocean...but my open water swims had been in fresh water. OK, I can handle this. I started to swim and quickly realized that the waves were washing over my head and every time I went to breathe, my mouth filled with salt water. I started to panic. So trying to get myself calmed down, I lifted my head out of the water and just swam the best that I could. I still ended up drinking a lot of salt water.
Allison and I swam most of the way together. She is a much stronger natural athlete than I am, so I wasn't surprised that she finished way ahead of me. As I saw the pier and the steps getting closer and closer, I got very excited to get on the bike. I just kept thinking, "you're almost done with this awful swim!" It's probably not the most positive message I could have been telling myself, but at that point I just wanted the waves to stop splashing salt water in my mouth. I banged my shin on the bottom step...I didn't realize that they started that far out...otherwise I had a pretty easy time getting out of the water and jogging down the pier to the transition area. Stephen and the girls were positioned at the end of the pier and got this picture of me as I was getting ready to get out of the water. Notice there are still red caps behind me! So I wasn't the last one out of the water from my age group!
I couldn't get the wetsuit off! I had practiced a couple of times in the hotel room, but for some reason I couldn't get the zipper undone. Running Buddy Colleen and Michelle had come to cheer me on and were standing right near the transition area. I ran over to Colleen and asked her to help me get the zipper down. I didn't want to yank too hard since it was her wetsuit! She unzipped me and I ran back over to my area and finished my transition. I didn't know if that was illegal or not, but I really couldn't get out of the suit. I didn't see any other choice at that point. Once I was out of the suit, my transition went relatively well. With some practice, my time in transition can definitely improve.
I got on the bike and immediately felt more comfortable. While I haven't trained for the bike either, I have definitely spent much more time on the bike than in the water. The first 5 miles of the bike I spent just trying to get a comfortable pace going. I noticed that I was passing quite a few people and getting passed by only a couple. The second 5 mile segment of the bike was flat with only a slight wind. I felt very strong and kept increasing my average speed. At one point I was going 22 mph and still pedaling to go faster. Considering this was a speed where I freaked out on my first ride, I smiled to myself at how far I've come.
When we were about 12 miles into the bike, I was passed by a very fit-looking woman. I decided to see if I could hang with her for the rest of the ride. I was able to stay with her until about 1/2 mile out when she took off and I simply couldn't go any faster. I was SO happy with my bike leg. Overall I was only passed by about 10 people and I passed probably 30 or so. I felt good and strong. As I rode back into town and could see the transition area, I had a huge smile on my face. This was fun!
They made us dismount and walk/jog our bikes into the transition area. This was the time where my legs felt the worst. I tried to jog with my bike, but decided pretty quickly to walk. I figured that walking would give my legs more time to relax and I would be better off when I started the run. My second transition was pretty easy since I didn't have to change shoes like most of the serious bikers did. Advantage to the newbie for a change! I racked my bike, took off the helmet and replaced it with my running visor, took off my gloves and put on my Garmin watch. As I ran out of the transition area, I saw Colleen and Michelle. I pointed to them and yelled "you've got to do this...it's so much fun!" I meant it too...they both would love it.
At about 1/4 mile into the run, my legs still felt like I was running through cement. I looked at my watch and saw that I was running a 9:10 pace. WHAT? How am I going that fast and feel so slow? 1/2 mile and I'm still doing that pace even though I felt like I had slowed down even more. This is crazy. But by 3/4 mile, my legs were feeling more like normal and the pace showing on my watch matched how slow I felt.
Since the run was an out and back, I basically passed everyone ahead of me on the way out and everyone behind me on the way back in. There were a lot more people behind me than I expected. I heard Matt yell for me as he passed me. He was finishing the 5K as I was starting. But I expected that...he's an amazing athlete.
I definitely ran a slow 5K. At that point, I was tired and the sun was really HOT. I saw Allison on her way back in. She was looking good. By the time I hit the turnaround, I was feeling good again. I could have picked up the pace on my run but I didn't want to do anything to hurt myself for the half marathon next weekend. So instead, I went into "Karen" mode...yep, the cheerleader came out. I encouraged the guy who was walking right before I got to him. I spotted several of the newbies I had talked to pre-race and cheered for them. I waved to the crowd and thanked them for being there. As I made the turn for the final stretch, I saw my girls. I waved and said a big hi to them. I was having so much fun.
I crossed the finish line and had a huge grin on my face. I couldn't wait to do this again! I don't remember ever thinking that immediatly after finishing a race. Wow...what a cool experience.
I was a jittery mess driving to the race. I had everything I could think of to bring, I'd gone over my transition strategy several times, and I was at the point where I just wanted to get the show on the road. Although part of me was wishing I had never signed up for it. But that part was really a very small part of me.
I arrived and parked next to a couple who looked like they knew what they were doing. So I struck up a conversation with them. As it turns out, it was the woman's first time doing a triathlon but the man had done several. I walked with them to the transition area and they helped me set up my things. They were very nice and I was relieved to have someone helping me.
After getting everything arranged, I looked for my friend Matt. Once we connected, I felt even better. Then I saw my friends Chris and Allison. I knew that Allison was in a similar situation to me, that she hadn't fully trained for the event. She's in my age group and I was really hoping to hang with her at least for the start of the race.
Pre-race the big discussion among almost all of the competitors was whether or not to wear a wetsuit. Chris and Allison decided not to. Matt was wearing his. Most of the people I talked to were going to wear it, simply for the benefit of buoyancy that the wetsuit provides. So I decided to go with the masses and wear the wetsuit. I figured that I definitely needed any advantage I could get. Matt and I went to get our body marking done. I felt like such a bad ass with my number written on me! Here I am proud of my marking prior to the race. 50 is my number, not my age! That was written on the back of my leg.
We had to walk down the road to get to the swim start. As I walked, I felt very anxious but also excited. Allison and I were in the 4th wave of swimmers. I was really hoping not to be the last person out of the water. I wondered why in the world I didn't train for the swim! With jitters at an all time high, I lined up with the other women in red swim caps for my start. I purposely started off to the left and in the back. My main goal for the day was to stay out of everyone's way!
The air horn went off and I waded into the chilly water with everyone else in my wave. Once the water got deep enough, I went under and realized quickly that it was salt water. Of course it was considering how close we were to the ocean...but my open water swims had been in fresh water. OK, I can handle this. I started to swim and quickly realized that the waves were washing over my head and every time I went to breathe, my mouth filled with salt water. I started to panic. So trying to get myself calmed down, I lifted my head out of the water and just swam the best that I could. I still ended up drinking a lot of salt water.
Allison and I swam most of the way together. She is a much stronger natural athlete than I am, so I wasn't surprised that she finished way ahead of me. As I saw the pier and the steps getting closer and closer, I got very excited to get on the bike. I just kept thinking, "you're almost done with this awful swim!" It's probably not the most positive message I could have been telling myself, but at that point I just wanted the waves to stop splashing salt water in my mouth. I banged my shin on the bottom step...I didn't realize that they started that far out...otherwise I had a pretty easy time getting out of the water and jogging down the pier to the transition area. Stephen and the girls were positioned at the end of the pier and got this picture of me as I was getting ready to get out of the water. Notice there are still red caps behind me! So I wasn't the last one out of the water from my age group!
I couldn't get the wetsuit off! I had practiced a couple of times in the hotel room, but for some reason I couldn't get the zipper undone. Running Buddy Colleen and Michelle had come to cheer me on and were standing right near the transition area. I ran over to Colleen and asked her to help me get the zipper down. I didn't want to yank too hard since it was her wetsuit! She unzipped me and I ran back over to my area and finished my transition. I didn't know if that was illegal or not, but I really couldn't get out of the suit. I didn't see any other choice at that point. Once I was out of the suit, my transition went relatively well. With some practice, my time in transition can definitely improve.
I got on the bike and immediately felt more comfortable. While I haven't trained for the bike either, I have definitely spent much more time on the bike than in the water. The first 5 miles of the bike I spent just trying to get a comfortable pace going. I noticed that I was passing quite a few people and getting passed by only a couple. The second 5 mile segment of the bike was flat with only a slight wind. I felt very strong and kept increasing my average speed. At one point I was going 22 mph and still pedaling to go faster. Considering this was a speed where I freaked out on my first ride, I smiled to myself at how far I've come.
When we were about 12 miles into the bike, I was passed by a very fit-looking woman. I decided to see if I could hang with her for the rest of the ride. I was able to stay with her until about 1/2 mile out when she took off and I simply couldn't go any faster. I was SO happy with my bike leg. Overall I was only passed by about 10 people and I passed probably 30 or so. I felt good and strong. As I rode back into town and could see the transition area, I had a huge smile on my face. This was fun!
At about 1/4 mile into the run, my legs still felt like I was running through cement. I looked at my watch and saw that I was running a 9:10 pace. WHAT? How am I going that fast and feel so slow? 1/2 mile and I'm still doing that pace even though I felt like I had slowed down even more. This is crazy. But by 3/4 mile, my legs were feeling more like normal and the pace showing on my watch matched how slow I felt.
Since the run was an out and back, I basically passed everyone ahead of me on the way out and everyone behind me on the way back in. There were a lot more people behind me than I expected. I heard Matt yell for me as he passed me. He was finishing the 5K as I was starting. But I expected that...he's an amazing athlete.
I definitely ran a slow 5K. At that point, I was tired and the sun was really HOT. I saw Allison on her way back in. She was looking good. By the time I hit the turnaround, I was feeling good again. I could have picked up the pace on my run but I didn't want to do anything to hurt myself for the half marathon next weekend. So instead, I went into "Karen" mode...yep, the cheerleader came out. I encouraged the guy who was walking right before I got to him. I spotted several of the newbies I had talked to pre-race and cheered for them. I waved to the crowd and thanked them for being there. As I made the turn for the final stretch, I saw my girls. I waved and said a big hi to them. I was having so much fun.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Keep Calm and Tri On
Last night we had a 2 mile time trial at track practice. Heather and I ran together and I knocked 2 minutes off my time from the previous time trial! YAY!
The other great thing that happened last night was that Andi gave me a necklace!
This necklace is perfect for me because I really do just need to keep calm. I went to the bike store and bought myself a pair of tri-shorts. I got into the car and had a mini-freak out. I just feel very unprepared for this triathlon.
So after talking with Andi I feel a lot more calm. I am approaching this as a fun adventure. No matter what I do, even if I'm in very last place, it will be my best time ever since it's my first one ever!
It is so nice to be involved in such a supportive group. I have gone to several of the group members asking for advice and tips. Everyone has been so nice about letting me borrow things (thanks Abby, Biker Colleen and Running Buddy Colleen), giving me tips from their experiences (thanks Abby and Andi) and giving me gifts (thanks Andi). When I'm getting tired, I will just remember the message on my necklace....Keep Calm and Tri On!
The other great thing that happened last night was that Andi gave me a necklace!
So after talking with Andi I feel a lot more calm. I am approaching this as a fun adventure. No matter what I do, even if I'm in very last place, it will be my best time ever since it's my first one ever!
It is so nice to be involved in such a supportive group. I have gone to several of the group members asking for advice and tips. Everyone has been so nice about letting me borrow things (thanks Abby, Biker Colleen and Running Buddy Colleen), giving me tips from their experiences (thanks Abby and Andi) and giving me gifts (thanks Andi). When I'm getting tired, I will just remember the message on my necklace....Keep Calm and Tri On!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Motivational Monday
Today was a struggle from start to finish. I had so much to get done and very little motivation. So I decided to turn around my attitude. I have found these motivational quotes that I wanted to share. I don't have much to say today so I thought I would let others do the talking for me. These quotes have helped to make me feel better today. Hopefully at least one will strike a chord with you.
"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself."
-John Bingham, running speaker and writer
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham
"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right."
-Henry Ford
"Every day is a good day when you run."
-Kevin Nelson
"Anybody can be a runner. We were meant to move. We were meant to run. It's the easiest sport."
--Bill Rodgers
"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
-Priscilla Welch
"The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability -- consistency, a sane approach, moderation and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life."
-Bill Rodgers
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."
--John Bingham
"I often hear someone say I'm not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner."
-Bart Yasso
"Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too."
--Richard O'Brien
"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself."
-John Bingham, running speaker and writer
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham
"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right."
-Henry Ford
"Every day is a good day when you run."
-Kevin Nelson
"Anybody can be a runner. We were meant to move. We were meant to run. It's the easiest sport."
--Bill Rodgers
"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
-Priscilla Welch
"The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability -- consistency, a sane approach, moderation and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life."
-Bill Rodgers
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."
--John Bingham
"I often hear someone say I'm not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner."
-Bart Yasso
"Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too."
--Richard O'Brien
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