Crofton Bike Doctor

Sunday I met Daryl at the Crofton Bike Doctor at 7:45 am.  We planned to ride about 10 miles before the rest of the group showed up to ride at 9 am.  We got a great loop in and finished just over 11 miles.  It was a great warmup.  We rode so far that we saw this:

So when we got back to the Bike Doctor, the rest of the guys had gathered and were ready for the ride.  I quickly noticed that I was the only female.  I figured I would be at the back of this group. 

We took off and it wasn't long before I was at the back of the group...and then they were gone...

So thankfully Daryl hung with me.  We rode for several miles and then stopped to wait for the one rider and the owner of the Crofton Bike Doctor, Ernest.  Daryl and Ernest had a conversation about which route to take from there and they discussed hills vs. no hills.  I was along for the ride, although I wasn't sure how much climbing my legs were good for.  They figured out the route and we were off again.

At one point in the ride, my left knee started hurting.  It was really bad on hills.  Luckily we only had about 10 miles left at that point.  I don't know what was going on with my knee but I'm writing this on Tuesday evening and I haven't had any issues with it since then.

All told, we did 45 miles. It was a good test of my endurance...which needs some improvement.  However, considering that it was only the 3rd time I've ever ridden more than 40 miles, I am pretty pleased with my performance.

When we got back to the store, I struck up a conversation with Ernest about my upcoming half Ironman.  He was an amazing resource and I learned SO much information in our 15 minute conversation in the parking lot!  We then went into the store and continued our discussion. One thing I really wanted his opinion on was whether or not I should get aero bars for the half Ironman.  We talked about it for a long time and a lot of what he said made sense.  He explained the benefits of aero bars, different wheels (which I can rent), and tri-bikes.

So he hooked up my bike with a pair of aero bars and suggested that I try them out in the back parking lot.  I can honestly say that I LOVE them!  In the short time that I was riding using the bars, I felt very powerful and the position was super comfortable. 

Ernest has a great way of listening and really giving great answers to questions.  It's not often that I find someone that I want to rave about, but I really want to rave about Ernest.  He was AWESOME!!!  He spent so much time with me and made sure that I was comfortable everything.  If you are in the Crofton area, definitely go see him at the Bike Doctor!!!

Team Uniforms

I am so excited that my little ones want to run the Kiddie K next Saturday.  So I explained to them one of the coolest things about running a race is getting a new outfit for the race photos.  Friday night we jumped in the car and headed to Target for new outfits for the Kiddie K.

The girls section of Target has 2 whole racks dedicated to active wear...what I would call workout clothes.  They are very cute in those small sizes.  So it was perfect for our mission to find race outfits.

On the way there, Grace decided that they were not to be called race outfits, they were to be called Team Uniforms and she said that she really hoped that their team won.  I tried to explain that running a race isn't a team sport, but she wasn't having any of it.

So of course when we get there, Ella falls in love with a shirt that they only have in her size and not in Grace's size.  So we got a different shirt and found cute little shorts to match.  We didn't try any of this on in the store.

When we got home, it was bed time.  But the girls were so excited about their team uniforms that they really wanted to put them on and run down the sidewalk.  So I caved and we put on the new uniforms.  Ella's shorts were literally falling off of her.  Note to self: probably would have been wise to try it on in the store.  ANYWAY, Ella put on a skirt with the shirt and we were off to "practice for the race".

Here is Grace modeling the team uniform.

And here they are together.

Practice consisted of them sprinting down the sidewalk.  Ella originally wanted me to be the coach until I started to tell her what to do...then she decided that they didn't need a coach. 

Saturday we returned the shorts to Target and got Ella a pair that fits her properly.  We actually got out of the store without buying anything additional!  Honestly that's probably a first for me. 

Last weekend there was a KidzTri in Columbia.  The local newspaper had a lot of photos from the event and I read some sections of the story to the girls.  So Ella decided that she was going to work on being a better swimmer and she would do the triathlon next year.  She asked if she could use training wheels on her bike and I read her a section of the story from the paper about a kid who used training wheels.  Then Grace asked if she could ride her Big Wheel in the triathlon.  I laughed and suggested that we hold our own triathlon where Ella could use her training wheels and Grace could use her Big Wheel.  I love that these kids are expressing an interest in something that I love so much!!

Happy Birthday Tri

Last Friday I had lunch with Anne.  She is training for an Ironman in August.  I'm not sure how many she's done, but I do know that this is not her first.  She is the instructor for the swim clinics that I've done.  I left lunch with Anne thinking about a lot of things concerning my future with triathlons.  She asked me what my goal was...and I was honest when I told her it was to do a half Ironman.

My main concern with a half Ironman is the beating that my knees will take.  I have done enough half marathons to know that my knees really suffer in the training.  Since I'm now going to be training for a half marathon along with a swim and a bike, maybe there will be less stress on my knees.  I don't know. 

My other concern is my schedule.  Ryann is going to be a senior this year and will have a very hectic performance schedule with all her singing groups and school productions.  Then there's graduation in early June and leaving for college in August. 

I did some googling and found the perfect solution.  A half Ironman in Venice, FL on Nov. 10th.  Based on past performance schedules, there shouldn't be anything going on that weekend with Ryann.  Plus it's the weekend before my birthday.  So Stephen and I can take a long weekend and go to Florida.  Happy birthday to me!!! 

So now I have plenty to worry about.  The swim is in the Gulf of Mexico.  From the photos I have found, it doesn't look like the surf is too bad, but it's still outside my comfort zone.  This makes me even more determined that I should be doing the Assateague Assault to get some experience with surf.

I had asked Anne about training plans for a half Ironman.  She said that I can find plenty for free online.  So I googled training plans and found one that looks really good to me.  I will need to really ramp up my training, especially the running. 

So here we go...I'm training for a half Ironman!!!

Running Reality

Thursday morning I met Abby and Erin for a run.  It was a slow, easy pace and we covered 5 miles without any difficulty.  I didn't wear my watch so I have no idea what our pace was, but I never felt pushed.

Saturday morning I met the running group at Lake Elkhorn.  My goal was to run 5-6 miles but I wanted to see how far most of the group was going.  Because the running group is made up of people training for both a full marathon and a half marathon, most of the people were running much more than 5-6 miles.  During our warm up stretches, we went around the circle and said how far we were planning to run.  The longest was 13 miles.  Denise and Clarese both said they were running 5 miles.

So when we split up into groups, I joined the Eses (my affectionate nickname for them...best friends who are always together and just so happen to have rhyming names...can you blame me?).  They are really fun girls and I always like hanging out with them.  But the Eses are fast!  Again I didn't wear my watch (forgot to charge it) so I had no idea what our pace was. But I felt like I was running at an aggressive pace for the entire run.

The Eses do a run/walk interval.  Denise wears a device that beeps every so often.  I still haven't figured out their pattern because for the first 2 1/2 miles they ignored the beeps.  Then they would walk from one beep until it beeped again.  But they didn't walk on every beep.  I couldn't tell when to walk or when to keep running, but they knew because they both stopped running simultaneously when it was time for the walk interval.  By this point of the run, I was really looking forward to the walk breaks because I was dying with the pace they were running!  Clarese told me that they were running a 10 minute per mile pace but it sure felt faster than that to me.  Then the last mile she said they were running a 9:30 pace.  I simply couldn't keep up when we went up a hill so I slowed to a more comfortable pace and let them run on ahead.

Granted it was humid, but I really did not expect myself to be struggling that much to keep up a 10 minute pace.  I realize that if I'm going to expect to run a decent time in my triathlons, I have to stop neglecting my run training.  I know I've said this before, but after reality slapped me in my face on Saturday, I am determined to get back some of my speed. 

The alarm is already set to get up in the morning and run the neighborhood loop.  Now if I can just remember to charge my watch...

Beating the Heat

We are in the middle of a huge heat wave.  However, I still have training that I need to get in.  So I've had to find ways to make the heat bearable...or avoid it all together.

Tuesday we were able to get in a good cycling class.  We rode into Patapsco State Park and worked on the rolling hills.  The entire ride was shaded so it was fine...hot but manageable. 

John is on vacation this week so Ben ran the class.  He worked with me individually on the rollers. (I LOVE SPIN90!!!)  He made me stand up in order to sprint the hills.  Now I have to be honest and say that I really hate standing up.  I could only stand up for a few seconds in the indoor class and I have not ever attempted it outdoors.  So when Ben told me to stand up, I disobeyed.  He came up next to me and we "discussed" it.  Basically, he ordered me to stand up so of course I did...but I didn't like it at all.  My knees were locking at the bottom of the pedal stroke and my bike felt totally out of control.

At the summit of the hill, Ben explained to me why we were working on standing up for the hills.  Of course I was breathing hard and my heart was beating like crazy so I only half listened and couldn't tell you much of what he said.  But it made sense enough that on the next hill, I tried it again.  This time my knees didn't lock!  It still felt weird but not as bad as the first time.  By the third time, I felt like I was in control.

Wednesday night was track practice.  Ryann had said that she was willing to go with me.  However, we both decided that the heat was just too intense to do a track workout.  So instead I got up SUPER early this morning and met Abby and Erin M. at River Hill at 5:30 am.  Because it was early in the morning, the heat was not oppressive...plus we ran a lot of the way on a shaded path through the woods.  It was such a fun run because Erin told us all about the marathon she just ran in Montana.  It sounded amazing, plus she had some really cool sightseeing adventures. 

It looks like I can go to the pool tomorrow evening to get in some swimming, then run early Saturday morning and ride early Sunday morning.  Early is the key in this kind of heat!!!

Fancy New Banner

I'm very excited to unveil my fancy new banner.  Thank you to my husband Stephen who took these great pictures...one during a training swim, the others during a triathlon.

I'm not just a runner anymore. I'm a swimmer (well still working on this one), a biker (bicycle not motorcycle) and a runner.  So now my website more accurately depicts this focus on multi-sport.  Sorry to Kat and Colleen who formerly had graced the banner.  I will be slowly re-designing the whole website but for now, it's just the banner.  Stay with me kids...it's just now getting fun!!! 

My Body Hurts

It has been extremely rainy this year, which has caused several of our cycling classes to be cancelled.  On Saturday, Spin90 had a make-up session.  You could choose from 1, 2 or 3 hours, however you had to be pre-approved to join the 3 hour group since that group would be going on a road ride.  I emailed John to see if I was qualified to join that group.  At Tuesday's class, he said that I would be OK to be in that group but that I would be challenged to keep up.  I'm always up for a challenge!

So I showed up Saturday morning ready to ride.  The group included the really fast guy from Tuesday's class, Anne and her husband Chuck, Phaedra and Debbie from the last session of Spin90 class, and 2 other guys who I had not met before.  It was a small group and we were accompanied by 5 instructors.

Because I was one of the slowest in this group of people, I had 2 instructors around me for most of the ride.  (Yes, the sweepers...I already admitted I was one of the slowest!)  This was great because I got a lot of individual coaching and advice.  I focused on trying to stay relaxed and ahead of my cadence.  I worked hard on the hills and worked on active recovery at the summit.  I was able to stay in visual contact with the main group for the majority of the ride, which I considered a huge success.

As one of the other riders said "we must have hit every hill in the area".  It seemed like it was big hill after big hill after big hill.  Some were short and steep while others were over a mile long.  By the end of the ride, I simply didn't have any more in my tank.  The last 2 hills I basically crawled up and had to convince myself to keep pedaling.  I can't believe my bike was still standing up going that slowly.

But at the end of the 43 miles, I finished with a smile on my face.  I was physically drained but I was really proud of my effort.  I kept up with the fast riders and conquered some monster hills.  I was complimented by one of the other riders for maintaining a really good cadence on one of the long, grueling hills.  And one of the instructors told me that I wasn't as bad of a climber as I had claimed to be.  YAY!

This morning I went to the open water swim clinic at Gunpowder State Park conducted by Anne and Pam.  I had done this clinic in June and I'm so glad that I decided to do it again.  Probably the best thing that happened was that I got bumped, kicked and elbowed quite a bit.  These are all things that happen during a race, so it was so helpful to get used to it...especially after the kick to the head in the Dragonfly Tri.  I especially liked the drills that we did to simulate the start of a race.  We had swum 1.25 miles by the end of the class.

As I sit here on the sofa trying to relax and type up my thoughts, I'm feeling my body start to yell at me.  It started with the backs of my legs, then expanded to my rear end and lower back, and now I'm sore everywhere except my calves and my abs.  Advil is my savior right now!

Iron Girl Roller Coaster

Several months ago, I agreed to join a relay team for the Columbia Iron Girl Triathlon.  They were desperate for a swimmer so I reluctantly agreed.  I say reluctantly because swimming is by far my weakest leg of the triathlon...and because I have such negative opinions of swimming in Centennial Lake.  But in order to help out the neighborhood ladies, I agreed.

Fast forward to now...emails go around saying that the relay team is falling apart.  Initially I'm relieved.  I don't have to swim in Centennial Lake!!!  So I decided that I was going to volunteer as part of the MMTC crew to help out with the race.  This would be my chance to give back.

Then the emails started that another relay team might need me as a swimmer.  I told them that I would prefer not to, but if they really needed me, I would do it.  Ugh.  I had my hopes set on volunteering.

Then the other relay team falls apart.  Woo Hoo!!  Back to volunteering.

But wait...

It's a sprint...

It is a very challenging course, but after all I could be ready in a month...

OK, I haven't committed to volunteering yet...

I think I might want to do it as an individual...

I really want to do it as an individual...

A few emails later, and I've switched my registration from a relay team member to an individual participant!  I am anxious about the challenging course.  I know at least one of the hills will completely kick my butt.  However, I have 5 weeks.  I have several opportunities to ride that hill and practice.  I can do this!!!

Now if it would just stop raining so I can get out there and train...

5K Frenzy

When I first got into running, it was thanks to a 5K.  For the first couple of years I really focused on running faster and faster 5K times.  However, very quickly I got to a place where I just couldn't go any faster.  I'm not a sprinter and I'm not fast.  I'm built much more for endurance than for speed.  So I focused my energies on more endurance runs - the half marathons and 10 milers.  Then of course I got into my current triathlon phase.

So it strikes me as very odd that in the past few weeks, I've been asked to run several 5Ks.  I am excited about these races because they are pretty cool events...but I know that I still will not be fast! 

The first one is on the first Saturday in August in Betterton.  Betterton Day has always been a huge event for my family.  It starts with a parade, we do a big crab feast, and just generally enjoy the day.  This year they are doing a 5K and kids fun run before the parade.  I'm SOOO excited for this!  I think it's the perfect way to start off Betterton Day.

Then my running group is doing the Back to Football 5K at Ravens Stadium.  I mentioned it to Ryann and she said that she wants to do it!!!  Now Ryann used to run 5Ks with me when we lived on the Eastern Shore.  But she got tired of them and told me that it was my thing and not hers...which was fine.  I would never want to push her to do something that she didn't enjoy.  BUT, when she said that she was going to run the 5K with me at Ravens Stadium, I was really happy.

Also, when I was in Mexico, Steph asked me to run with her twice.  It is so great to see people who are new to running!  I loved that she asked me to run with her.  I can't wait to check in with her and see how she's doing with it.

So much more to add since I've not been posting regularly, but it will have to wait for another time...gotta go RUN!