On Saturday I rode in the ShoreFire Century. I'm still trying to figure out what to call this. It's not a race...there are no timing chips and there is not a mass start. So I guess I call it an "event". It certainly turned out to be an event for me!
There were 3 distance options...35, 65 and 100. I was planning to do the 65 miles, although I had been toying with the idea of doing the full century. Conditions couldn't have been better for late August...when I arrived at the high school where the "event" was starting, it was actually chilly with very little wind. The course was flat which I thought would be really good training for my flat half Ironman.
I met up with Daryl who has ridden a lot of centuries. I knew that he really wanted to ride the 100 miles so that was also weighing on my mind. He said that he was willing to hang with me no matter what distance I chose, but I wasn't sure he would be happy with the 65 miles.
We started out and I felt great. I don't have much to say about the first segment of the ride. It was shaded, flat and had decent road conditions. At mile 38 we hit a rest stop and had to make a decision about what distance we were going. The 65 mile ride went to the right and the 100 mile went to the left.
My longest ride prior to this was 45 miles. At the decision point, I'm 7 miles shy of that mark. I feel good, we are going fast and the conditions are great. So I say "let's do it!" and off to the left we go. GULP.
Once we got into the range of 40-50 miles, we were hit with a very strong headwind. Our overall pace slowed. Daryl was great about trying to jump in front of me and take the brunt of the wind. Unfortunately he was having mechanical problems and was not able to shift into the small ring. He is a small ring rider so not having that as an option was really problematic for him. It caused him to start cramping which, in addition to the headwind, was a big problem at this stage of the game. Had we encountered that wind prior to the decision point, I would not have made the same choice.
I was focused on small goals at this point. Every 10 miles I allowed myself to do an internal cheer. I also cheered at 65 when I would have otherwise been done. I still felt physically good at 65 miles, so I felt like I had made a good choice, even though I had no idea what was in store for me.
Somewhere along the way, Daryl and I passed a woman who was riding alone. Daryl gave her his typical chipper greeting and told her to come with us. She did. Apparently we had come along at the perfect time. She said that she was about to cry and considering quitting. It's hard to ride that far alone. So when we came along, she jumped on the chance to ride with us. She fell in behind me and matched our pace perfectly. She was riding a tri-bike and we talked a lot about that. She does 3 triathlons a year...a sprint, a half and a full Ironman. So we chatted about tris and it helped me keep my mind off of things. I wish I had gotten her name...she was so nice.
I can't remember the exact mileage points, but I know that somewhere around 70 I really started to feel the physical effects. My back was getting super tight and my legs were getting tired. Riding on a flat course sounds like it's easier than a hillier course, however in some ways, hills are easier. The problem with a flat course is that you use the exact same muscles the entire way. At least with hills, you use different muscle groups and get some recovery with the downhills. Flat is hard.
The last rest stop was at 86 miles. I was watching my computer tick away the miles. It seemed like it took forever to get from 75 to 86. I was in what I would call pain at this point. My back was in bad shape. I tried to keep changing my position to change the stress points on my back but nothing seemed to help for long. At the rest stop, I couldn't stand straight up right away when I got off my bike. I was walking hunched over for a bit before my back relaxed enough for me to stand straight. I stretched, ate, drank, stretched, drank some more, and stretched some more. I kept repeating in my head "only 14 miles, only 14 miles".
So we got to the 90 mile mark. I was hoping that this would be the motivation that I needed to kick it in gear and finish this thing. Unfortunately my body was feeling too awful for any mile marker motivation. My legs were moving and pushing the pedals but I literally couldn't move them any faster...and we were going pretty slow at this point. The nice lady who rode with us decided to keep on going at her pace. She wished me well and off she rode. I was happy for her that she could finish strong.
My back hurt so badly that every bump in the road was painful. I wasn't sure if I could finish. I kept trying to do my internal cheering...but nothing was working. At mile 97, everything came crashing down. I pulled over to the side of the road and cried. Now I wasn't sure that I was going to admit the crying on my blog, but there you have it folks...I cried. It was a brief emotional burst. The physical demands of riding a bike 100 miles had overtaken me and I wasn't sure I was strong enough to finish. I let myself have that breakdown. Daryl was kind enough to just stay quiet while I broke down. After my tears subsided, I looked at Daryl and said "let's go".
We started off again and I was riding faster. My back still hurt but my determination was stronger than ever. I will conquer this. At mile 100, I smiled...although I still had over a mile to go because the "event" started calculating the distance at the intersection with the road and I started calculating the distance at the other side of the high school where my car was parked! So I actually rode 101.22 miles according to my bike's computer.
So a few take-aways from this event:
-I still don't know what to call it since it's not a race, but it was quite an event.
-I probably should have stuck with the 65 miles since I was not properly prepared for the 100...although I'm still glad that I chose 100. I would have finished 65 miles, feeling physically good, but mentally disappointed that I didn't shoot for the higher distance.
-I've heard marathoners talk about how you have to "respect the distance". This falls in that category. I have a TON of respect for the distance.
-Sometimes a good cry makes everything better.
-And yes, I'll probably do another Century ride...and probably soon. :)
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.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Twice? It's All Heidi's Fault
Last night was our last Spin90 class of the session. I knew that our "graduation present" was to climb Ilchester. I have heard horror stories about Ilchester so I was pretty nervous.
John described it as a three part hill. The bottom part is the steepest at about an 18% grade, then it levels off (somewhat), then a long grinder of 14% grade, another level off, then another short climb to the top. He said most people thought the 18% grade was the hardest but he thought the long grinder part was the hardest. It all sounded hard to me!
We rode through the park to get there and to warm up. I chatted with Anne and a few other classmates. But once we got to the bottom of Ilchester, all chatting was over. I stared at the bottom of the hill and took a deep gulp. It looked very intimidating.
So we took off in small groups to climb the hill. I went in the second small group. Instructor Rob rode next to me for a short bit giving me encouragement until he moved on to another rider. He was trying to get me to stand up, but I am still uncomfortable standing. I just wanted to get up the hill...and I was worried about standing...so I just stayed sitting.
When they say that an 18% grade is steep, they aren't kidding. At one point I almost felt like my front tire was coming off the ground because so much of my weight was on the back of the bike. Finally after what seemed like forever, I made it to the first level off area. I tried to focus on spinning so that my legs could recover for the next steep part. But before much recovery happened, I was climbing again.
John was right that the longer, grinding portion of the hill was the tougher part. My legs were on fire, I was breathing incredibly hard and my bike was barely moving forward. I looked up and saw Phaedra not too far ahead of me. I just focused on her back and pretended like she was pulling me up the hill. Finally I got to the second level off area.
After what I'd already been through, the last little climb seemed like nothing at all. I was shifting to harder gears before the crest to gain some speed. The group was meeting up at the church parking lot at the top of the hill. I was so happy to pull into that lot! I rode around for a minute to try to shake out my legs.
John gathered the group when everyone had made it to the top. He said he was giving everyone the option of (a) doing Ilchester again or (b) go ride the rollers in the park. I laughed out loud thinking no one would choose to do Ilchester again. But then Anne said she would, Jill agreed, Chuck said yes...one by one every one of the good riders and the riders at my level said they were going again.
Heidi was right next to me and I looked at her in panic. I said "I can't do that again!" She laughed and said "of course you're going to do that again." As soon as she said it, I knew it was true. I couldn't let everyone else do it again and not join them.
We had to ride down Beechwood in order to ride up Ilchester again. I don't like going fast down hills that I don't know very well. This was a steep downhill and I was on my brakes the entire way. I hit a few bumps that scared me even more. I need to figure out a way to get more comfortable going downhill. It's not really the speed...it's more the out of control feeling.
So I find myself sitting at the bottom of Ilchester once again staring at this intimidating wall of a hill. This time around I know what I'm in for. I wasn't entirely sure that my legs were capable of riding up that hill again. Just then Heidi encourages me to get going...so I followed her up. At several points in the climb, I was doubtful that my bike was going to keep going without falling over.
For the first part of the hill, I followed Heidi. I don't remember exactly where but at some point I passed her. I was worried about passing on the hill because it's a narrow road and traffic goes at a good clip up the hill. But I successfully made the pass and continued on with my grinding climb.
Instructor Rob came up next to me and encouraged me to try to pass the guy in front of me. My stubborn competitive nature came out once again. I told him that he was out of his mind, but I sped up my pedaling and focused my mind on the guy's back. Within a few pedals, I realized that I was gaining ground on him. Holy cow...maybe I can catch him. I shifted down for more power. Instructor Rob told me that I should stand and I'd be able to get him. I couldn't stand...definitely a skill I need to work on...but not on the 2nd time climbing Ilchester.
So at the crest of the hill, I was still behind the guy. I was not successful in passing him but I did gain significantly on him. I couldn't believe that I had any energy left at that point, but I pulled it out of somewhere. I'm glad that Heidi said I was going to climb that hill again! So I told her it was all her fault, but in reality I owe her a big thank you. Sometimes it takes someone else to give me the confidence that I should have had all along.
John described it as a three part hill. The bottom part is the steepest at about an 18% grade, then it levels off (somewhat), then a long grinder of 14% grade, another level off, then another short climb to the top. He said most people thought the 18% grade was the hardest but he thought the long grinder part was the hardest. It all sounded hard to me!
We rode through the park to get there and to warm up. I chatted with Anne and a few other classmates. But once we got to the bottom of Ilchester, all chatting was over. I stared at the bottom of the hill and took a deep gulp. It looked very intimidating.
So we took off in small groups to climb the hill. I went in the second small group. Instructor Rob rode next to me for a short bit giving me encouragement until he moved on to another rider. He was trying to get me to stand up, but I am still uncomfortable standing. I just wanted to get up the hill...and I was worried about standing...so I just stayed sitting.
When they say that an 18% grade is steep, they aren't kidding. At one point I almost felt like my front tire was coming off the ground because so much of my weight was on the back of the bike. Finally after what seemed like forever, I made it to the first level off area. I tried to focus on spinning so that my legs could recover for the next steep part. But before much recovery happened, I was climbing again.
John was right that the longer, grinding portion of the hill was the tougher part. My legs were on fire, I was breathing incredibly hard and my bike was barely moving forward. I looked up and saw Phaedra not too far ahead of me. I just focused on her back and pretended like she was pulling me up the hill. Finally I got to the second level off area.
After what I'd already been through, the last little climb seemed like nothing at all. I was shifting to harder gears before the crest to gain some speed. The group was meeting up at the church parking lot at the top of the hill. I was so happy to pull into that lot! I rode around for a minute to try to shake out my legs.
John gathered the group when everyone had made it to the top. He said he was giving everyone the option of (a) doing Ilchester again or (b) go ride the rollers in the park. I laughed out loud thinking no one would choose to do Ilchester again. But then Anne said she would, Jill agreed, Chuck said yes...one by one every one of the good riders and the riders at my level said they were going again.
Heidi was right next to me and I looked at her in panic. I said "I can't do that again!" She laughed and said "of course you're going to do that again." As soon as she said it, I knew it was true. I couldn't let everyone else do it again and not join them.
We had to ride down Beechwood in order to ride up Ilchester again. I don't like going fast down hills that I don't know very well. This was a steep downhill and I was on my brakes the entire way. I hit a few bumps that scared me even more. I need to figure out a way to get more comfortable going downhill. It's not really the speed...it's more the out of control feeling.
So I find myself sitting at the bottom of Ilchester once again staring at this intimidating wall of a hill. This time around I know what I'm in for. I wasn't entirely sure that my legs were capable of riding up that hill again. Just then Heidi encourages me to get going...so I followed her up. At several points in the climb, I was doubtful that my bike was going to keep going without falling over.
For the first part of the hill, I followed Heidi. I don't remember exactly where but at some point I passed her. I was worried about passing on the hill because it's a narrow road and traffic goes at a good clip up the hill. But I successfully made the pass and continued on with my grinding climb.
Instructor Rob came up next to me and encouraged me to try to pass the guy in front of me. My stubborn competitive nature came out once again. I told him that he was out of his mind, but I sped up my pedaling and focused my mind on the guy's back. Within a few pedals, I realized that I was gaining ground on him. Holy cow...maybe I can catch him. I shifted down for more power. Instructor Rob told me that I should stand and I'd be able to get him. I couldn't stand...definitely a skill I need to work on...but not on the 2nd time climbing Ilchester.
So at the crest of the hill, I was still behind the guy. I was not successful in passing him but I did gain significantly on him. I couldn't believe that I had any energy left at that point, but I pulled it out of somewhere. I'm glad that Heidi said I was going to climb that hill again! So I told her it was all her fault, but in reality I owe her a big thank you. Sometimes it takes someone else to give me the confidence that I should have had all along.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Race Report: IronGirl Columbia
After my pre-race freak out, I decided that I was going to do my best to relax and enjoy the experience. Friday I went to packet pick-up with the little ones. Now, because I was originally registered as a relay team member, I needed to see Sheila to fix my registration. She was awesome and gave my a number and white swim cap for my age group. I attended the pre-race meeting, although a lot of it was geared towards those in the crowd who had never done a tri before. When the little ones got restless, we left.
I took my bike over to bike racking on Saturday. I was there early so there were not many bikes racked yet. I easily found my spot and luckily I was next to the pole...that means one thing...EXTRA ROOM! After leaving the bike, we drove the bike course. I've ridden most of the course but I really wanted to drive it from start to finish. After we had driven it, I felt even better about things...no hills that I can't handle...although wet roads will make things interesting.
So on Sunday morning, I decided to take the shuttle from the Sheraton instead of trying to find parking near Centennial Park. It was very easy and convenient. As I walked into transition, the first person I saw was Elliott doing body marking. I decided that it was a great time to get marked and have a chat with her.
Elliott is one of the "helpers" with both Anne's indoor and outdoor swim clinics. She recognized me immediately and gave me a hug. I told her I was nervous and we talked through each of my "issues". As we were talking, Anne and Caroline came up. So we all chattend for a minute, then I went on to set up my transition area.
The extra room was great, since I wasn't sure that Stephen would be there in time to take my bag. I put the towel on top of my bag. I put my shoes in the middle of the towel to try to keep them moderately dry. Yes, it was raining off and on all day. It was never a hard downpour, but there were several periods of steady rain.
I walked over to the bathrooms and ran into Meghan (running coach). She had gone to a Jimmy Buffett concert the night before and was feeling the effects. It was good to see her though...I definitely needed the laughs. After our bathroom break, we went our separate ways. I was on my own until I walked over to the swim start. I saw the MMTC tent and found Andi. It was nice to chat with her since it's been awhile since I've seen her.
Before long, it was time for my wave to start. I was feeling remarkably calm at this point. We walked into the water...the ramp was a bit slippery but I managed not to fall. I couldn't decide if I should tread water or stay where I could touch until 1 minute to go. I decided to tread thinking it could be a good warm up for me. The horn blew and we were off.
I took a few strokes and felt the panic rising. I was having trouble breathing even though I had done my breathing bobs and was exhaling under water. I thought for a second that I should just stop and gather myself. I looked back and saw a mass of arms coming at me...no stopping here! So I just kept going. I focused on counting my strokes. 1, 2, breathe, 1, 2, breathe.
Before long, I wasn't feeling the panic and I wasn't having trouble breathing anymore. I settled in to a comfortable pace and tried to avoid any contact from my fellow swimmers. The only problem I had was a lady who was doing breaststroke and had a wide kick. I couldn't seem to get away from her and her kicks were dangerously close to landing a hard body shot to my midsection. At one point I put my hand out knowing that she would kick it. I just wanted her to know that I was there. After that she seemed to stay in her own space.
I got out of the water and ran to transition knowing it was a good swim. That's the first time I saw Stephen and the girls. Seeing them during a race is always a motivator! Stephen took this picture of me trying to run to transition...at this very moment I actually tripped and was in the process of trying not to wipe out. I'm such a klutz.
I got on the bike and pedaled out of the park. I was passing people right from the start. There's not much to say about the bike, except that I felt like I passed hundreds of people. I did not get passed by one single person. The bike was a huge confidence builder. I took the uphills at an appropriate pace, pushed it on the flats and flew down the downhills. It was awesome.
Ryann and her friends were waiting for me outside of the Terra Maria neighborhood. It was cool to see them there cheering me on. Ryann said that they stayed there for another hour and a half watching and cheering for the bikers. She said that several women thanked them for being at the top of a hill and cheering.
Stephen and the girls were sitting by the road as I was about to turn back into the park. It was cool to see them at this point. I was so happy with my ride!
Coming into transition was a little scary. We had to run down a grassy hill with our bikes to get to our spots. I was sure that I was going to wipe out. Luckily I didn't fall and safely made it to my spot. Racked the bike, put on running shoes and visor, and I was off.
As I started the run, my legs felt pretty dead. I thought it was just that bike-to-run thing, but after about a half mile, I could tell that it was more than that. Apparently I left it all on the bike course. I struggled to maintain a decent pace on the run...then I struggled just to run. I've run around the lake countless times but I never realized how hilly it is. I was thinking that the only hill would be Gatorade Hill, but there were several short but nasty hills leading up to it. I couldn't keep a 10 minute pace, then I couldn't keep at 10:30 pace. Ugh. I was losing all the ground I had gained on the bike.
When I had a mile to go, I finally had hit my stride. I had walked twice leading up to that point. When I started to run after the second walk break, I felt like I had gotten my second wind. I was down to a 10:30 pace, then a 10 minute pace, then finally a 9:30. Before you knew it, I was crossing the finish line. Ugh...just more proof that this body is not built for speed! I need more distance in order to get into my groove...or more training. I definitely need to work in more brick workouts.
Overall this was a great experience. I conquered the swim panic demons, didn't let the wet roads hamper my bike and kept on going despite a disappointing pace in the run. So the biggest thing that I've learned is that I should do more to conserve energy on the bike so that my legs are not totally spent on the run. I'm looking forward to the IronGirl Rocky Gap! (only 3 weeks away!)
I took my bike over to bike racking on Saturday. I was there early so there were not many bikes racked yet. I easily found my spot and luckily I was next to the pole...that means one thing...EXTRA ROOM! After leaving the bike, we drove the bike course. I've ridden most of the course but I really wanted to drive it from start to finish. After we had driven it, I felt even better about things...no hills that I can't handle...although wet roads will make things interesting.
So on Sunday morning, I decided to take the shuttle from the Sheraton instead of trying to find parking near Centennial Park. It was very easy and convenient. As I walked into transition, the first person I saw was Elliott doing body marking. I decided that it was a great time to get marked and have a chat with her.
Elliott is one of the "helpers" with both Anne's indoor and outdoor swim clinics. She recognized me immediately and gave me a hug. I told her I was nervous and we talked through each of my "issues". As we were talking, Anne and Caroline came up. So we all chattend for a minute, then I went on to set up my transition area.
The extra room was great, since I wasn't sure that Stephen would be there in time to take my bag. I put the towel on top of my bag. I put my shoes in the middle of the towel to try to keep them moderately dry. Yes, it was raining off and on all day. It was never a hard downpour, but there were several periods of steady rain.
I walked over to the bathrooms and ran into Meghan (running coach). She had gone to a Jimmy Buffett concert the night before and was feeling the effects. It was good to see her though...I definitely needed the laughs. After our bathroom break, we went our separate ways. I was on my own until I walked over to the swim start. I saw the MMTC tent and found Andi. It was nice to chat with her since it's been awhile since I've seen her.
Before long, it was time for my wave to start. I was feeling remarkably calm at this point. We walked into the water...the ramp was a bit slippery but I managed not to fall. I couldn't decide if I should tread water or stay where I could touch until 1 minute to go. I decided to tread thinking it could be a good warm up for me. The horn blew and we were off.
Before long, I wasn't feeling the panic and I wasn't having trouble breathing anymore. I settled in to a comfortable pace and tried to avoid any contact from my fellow swimmers. The only problem I had was a lady who was doing breaststroke and had a wide kick. I couldn't seem to get away from her and her kicks were dangerously close to landing a hard body shot to my midsection. At one point I put my hand out knowing that she would kick it. I just wanted her to know that I was there. After that she seemed to stay in her own space.
I got out of the water and ran to transition knowing it was a good swim. That's the first time I saw Stephen and the girls. Seeing them during a race is always a motivator! Stephen took this picture of me trying to run to transition...at this very moment I actually tripped and was in the process of trying not to wipe out. I'm such a klutz.
Ryann and her friends were waiting for me outside of the Terra Maria neighborhood. It was cool to see them there cheering me on. Ryann said that they stayed there for another hour and a half watching and cheering for the bikers. She said that several women thanked them for being at the top of a hill and cheering.
Stephen and the girls were sitting by the road as I was about to turn back into the park. It was cool to see them at this point. I was so happy with my ride!
As I started the run, my legs felt pretty dead. I thought it was just that bike-to-run thing, but after about a half mile, I could tell that it was more than that. Apparently I left it all on the bike course. I struggled to maintain a decent pace on the run...then I struggled just to run. I've run around the lake countless times but I never realized how hilly it is. I was thinking that the only hill would be Gatorade Hill, but there were several short but nasty hills leading up to it. I couldn't keep a 10 minute pace, then I couldn't keep at 10:30 pace. Ugh. I was losing all the ground I had gained on the bike.
When I had a mile to go, I finally had hit my stride. I had walked twice leading up to that point. When I started to run after the second walk break, I felt like I had gotten my second wind. I was down to a 10:30 pace, then a 10 minute pace, then finally a 9:30. Before you knew it, I was crossing the finish line. Ugh...just more proof that this body is not built for speed! I need more distance in order to get into my groove...or more training. I definitely need to work in more brick workouts.
Overall this was a great experience. I conquered the swim panic demons, didn't let the wet roads hamper my bike and kept on going despite a disappointing pace in the run. So the biggest thing that I've learned is that I should do more to conserve energy on the bike so that my legs are not totally spent on the run. I'm looking forward to the IronGirl Rocky Gap! (only 3 weeks away!)
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Pre-Race Freak Out
Sunday is the Columbia IronGirl...and right on schedule I had my pre-race freak out today. I was really OK until I looked up the registration list. You can sort by age group...and I found out that there are 459 in the age group 40-44. Now with a race of 2400 women only, with roughly 12 age groups categories, I was thinking 200, maybe 250 in my age group. Nope...459.
Now you may be wondering what about this worries me. There are a few things, so I'll try to help you understand each one.
1. This is IronGirl. This race historically has been a lot of women's first experience with a triathlon. I'm used to being the newbie among veterans...now I'm the veteran. After less than a year racing triathlons, I am no veteran.
2. This is IronGirl. See comment above, but add that many of the women who will be newbies will be SLOW newbies. The bike course is hilly and I'm concerned that I will have to weave through a lot of "traffic" (ie. slow bikers) in order to complete the course.
3. I have heard some stories about significant contact in the swim portion of any triathlon in Centennial Lake. Even though I do not plan to start in the front of my wave, I am expecting that there will be elbows, hands and feet hitting me. And oh by the way, Centennial Lake is kind of gross. (duck poop and whatnot)
4. Gatorade Hill. The run is around Centennial Lake, which is a run that I really enjoy. However, we have to go up Gatorade Hill once going out and once coming back in. That's a challenging hill and I'm kind of intimidated...but I'm hoping that the cheering crowds keep me going. I just don't want to walk.
5. It's just a big race. While this is a sprint, it's the largest field that I've been a part of. I know this shouldn't really matter to me since I'm really only focusing on my personal performance...but it is another factor causing me some nervousness.
I'm sure there are other things going on too...I never feel fully prepared, I am worried about that thin line between doing well in a race and going too hard and hurting myself, my nagging shoulder...and the list goes on.
So in order to conquer some of these fears, I picked up the phone and called Sheila. She's the registration coordinator who helped me switch from a relay entry to an individual entry. She was so helpful! I couldn't load the athlete's guide on my computer so I peppered her with all of my questions. In a 10 minute conversation, she alleviated a lot of my freaking out...and she asked me to come find her at packet pick-up so I can introduce myself! That's awesome. I love having someone to meet.
So in the meantime, I'm taking deep cleansing breaths and working on not freaking out. The reality of it is that on Sunday no matter what happens, I will get in the water not knowing what's ahead of me. I will finish the day with a few lessons learned but hopefully a good experience.
Now you may be wondering what about this worries me. There are a few things, so I'll try to help you understand each one.
1. This is IronGirl. This race historically has been a lot of women's first experience with a triathlon. I'm used to being the newbie among veterans...now I'm the veteran. After less than a year racing triathlons, I am no veteran.
2. This is IronGirl. See comment above, but add that many of the women who will be newbies will be SLOW newbies. The bike course is hilly and I'm concerned that I will have to weave through a lot of "traffic" (ie. slow bikers) in order to complete the course.
3. I have heard some stories about significant contact in the swim portion of any triathlon in Centennial Lake. Even though I do not plan to start in the front of my wave, I am expecting that there will be elbows, hands and feet hitting me. And oh by the way, Centennial Lake is kind of gross. (duck poop and whatnot)
4. Gatorade Hill. The run is around Centennial Lake, which is a run that I really enjoy. However, we have to go up Gatorade Hill once going out and once coming back in. That's a challenging hill and I'm kind of intimidated...but I'm hoping that the cheering crowds keep me going. I just don't want to walk.
5. It's just a big race. While this is a sprint, it's the largest field that I've been a part of. I know this shouldn't really matter to me since I'm really only focusing on my personal performance...but it is another factor causing me some nervousness.
I'm sure there are other things going on too...I never feel fully prepared, I am worried about that thin line between doing well in a race and going too hard and hurting myself, my nagging shoulder...and the list goes on.
So in order to conquer some of these fears, I picked up the phone and called Sheila. She's the registration coordinator who helped me switch from a relay entry to an individual entry. She was so helpful! I couldn't load the athlete's guide on my computer so I peppered her with all of my questions. In a 10 minute conversation, she alleviated a lot of my freaking out...and she asked me to come find her at packet pick-up so I can introduce myself! That's awesome. I love having someone to meet.
So in the meantime, I'm taking deep cleansing breaths and working on not freaking out. The reality of it is that on Sunday no matter what happens, I will get in the water not knowing what's ahead of me. I will finish the day with a few lessons learned but hopefully a good experience.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Two-a-Days
In high school I can remember the football team had two-a-days...meaning practice twice a day. I thought it sounded like some kind of torture. I'm at a point where my training plan is getting a little challenging to work with my schedule. So on days like today, I have to get in 2 practices a day. This morning I did the last swim class for this session. (note to self: don't forget to register tomorrow for the next session!) Then this evening I had my Spin90 class.
I have to say that I don't mind two-a-days. The swim class went well. I was in the slow lane and was able to keep up with the other two ladies. Granted it was the slow lane, but I felt very confident in the class today.
After starting the day with swimming, I was worried about my energy level for Spin90. I have to say that I kicked ass! We did the same thing as last week...Gun Rd and Lawyer's Hill. Tough climbs, but I did well. Then on Race Rd, we let it all hang out. Rob (instructor), Daryl and I were in a draft line and we were flying! It was so much fun.
So as I'm writing this, my shoulder hurts, my legs are sore...but I feel great!!! Bring on IronGirl this weekend. I'm ready to rock that little race.
I have to say that I don't mind two-a-days. The swim class went well. I was in the slow lane and was able to keep up with the other two ladies. Granted it was the slow lane, but I felt very confident in the class today.
After starting the day with swimming, I was worried about my energy level for Spin90. I have to say that I kicked ass! We did the same thing as last week...Gun Rd and Lawyer's Hill. Tough climbs, but I did well. Then on Race Rd, we let it all hang out. Rob (instructor), Daryl and I were in a draft line and we were flying! It was so much fun.
So as I'm writing this, my shoulder hurts, my legs are sore...but I feel great!!! Bring on IronGirl this weekend. I'm ready to rock that little race.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Holy Hills
This morning I met Amy at Centennial Park. I had first met her at the Rock Hall Olympic Tri. She and I chatted before the race but I didn't see her after the race. I ran into her again on Monday at the MMTC monthly meeting. She was planning to ride some of the Half Full course so I thought that would be good training for the IronGirl.
The one thing about riding in Western Howard County is the hills. There are lots and lots of hills. Now I'm getting better at climbing the hills, but I'm still kind of stubborn and sometimes tend to muscle up the hills more than I should. But with this many hills, there was no way to muscle through them. We had to spin up the hills and save our legs for the next one.
We rode just over 37 miles and I felt like it was double that distance. I was totally spent. Amy and I are pretty evenly matched on the pace. She's a much smarter rider than I am...she is really good at pacing herself and at nutrition on the bike. She gave me tips on both that I will use. For example, I didn't know that I should be eating every 45 minutes on the bike. I really need to start doing that...I don't eat and just drink Gatorade. It's not enough and lends to my exhaustion for the run portion of the triathlon.
I noticed that my knee was really bothering me for the last 10 miles. I think that the hills had really gotten to me and my knee (as is normally the case) was what was affected. Another bit of advice that Amy gave me was since my bike for the half Ironman is flat, I should be training on flat roads. She said that the muscles that I need for flat riding are different than the muscles I need for climbing. It makes sense...looks like I will be heading over the Bay Bridge for some more flat rides between now and November!
So except for the last 10 miles where I felt pretty bad mostly because of my knee, I am pleased with my ride today. According to my Strava app, my average speed was 14.7 MPH and my top speed was 36.9 MPH. Yes, you guessed it, that was on one of the monster downhills! I am getting better about not being scared of the downhill speed because it helps some on the momentum going back up! 14.7 MPH is something I'm pretty happy with, especially considering how many hills we encountered today.
So the funniest thing that happened on the ride today was actually during the last 10 miles when I was really suffering. To go back a little bit, when Amy and I met at the parking lot, she told me that there was supposed to be at least one other person joining us. We looked for him before leaving, but couldn't find him. So 25 miles or so into our ride, along comes Rusty riding up next to us. He and Amy chatted for a bit while I struggled behind them. I was really trying to ignore my knee.
To add some extra mileage, we did the Mt. Albert loop twice. Mt. Albert is a hill that I've heard a lot about from John at Spin90. So the first time we rode Mt. Albert, I wasn't too impressed. The second time, with my aching knee, I was really struggling to get up the hill. About halfway up, I heard Rusty's cell phone ring...and he answered it! He talked to the caller the rest of the way up the hill! And he didn't sound totally out of breath! Are you kidding me dude? Obviously Rusty is a much better climber than I am! No way I could have said "hello" much less held a conversation going up that hill! Although looking back on it now, I realize that my reaction was tainted a bit by the pain I was experiencing. I probably wouldn't have had such a strong reaction if that had happened the first time up that hill. But regardless of which loop it occurred on, I am still a LONG way from talking on my phone as I go up any hills.
The one thing about riding in Western Howard County is the hills. There are lots and lots of hills. Now I'm getting better at climbing the hills, but I'm still kind of stubborn and sometimes tend to muscle up the hills more than I should. But with this many hills, there was no way to muscle through them. We had to spin up the hills and save our legs for the next one.
We rode just over 37 miles and I felt like it was double that distance. I was totally spent. Amy and I are pretty evenly matched on the pace. She's a much smarter rider than I am...she is really good at pacing herself and at nutrition on the bike. She gave me tips on both that I will use. For example, I didn't know that I should be eating every 45 minutes on the bike. I really need to start doing that...I don't eat and just drink Gatorade. It's not enough and lends to my exhaustion for the run portion of the triathlon.
I noticed that my knee was really bothering me for the last 10 miles. I think that the hills had really gotten to me and my knee (as is normally the case) was what was affected. Another bit of advice that Amy gave me was since my bike for the half Ironman is flat, I should be training on flat roads. She said that the muscles that I need for flat riding are different than the muscles I need for climbing. It makes sense...looks like I will be heading over the Bay Bridge for some more flat rides between now and November!
So except for the last 10 miles where I felt pretty bad mostly because of my knee, I am pleased with my ride today. According to my Strava app, my average speed was 14.7 MPH and my top speed was 36.9 MPH. Yes, you guessed it, that was on one of the monster downhills! I am getting better about not being scared of the downhill speed because it helps some on the momentum going back up! 14.7 MPH is something I'm pretty happy with, especially considering how many hills we encountered today.
So the funniest thing that happened on the ride today was actually during the last 10 miles when I was really suffering. To go back a little bit, when Amy and I met at the parking lot, she told me that there was supposed to be at least one other person joining us. We looked for him before leaving, but couldn't find him. So 25 miles or so into our ride, along comes Rusty riding up next to us. He and Amy chatted for a bit while I struggled behind them. I was really trying to ignore my knee.
To add some extra mileage, we did the Mt. Albert loop twice. Mt. Albert is a hill that I've heard a lot about from John at Spin90. So the first time we rode Mt. Albert, I wasn't too impressed. The second time, with my aching knee, I was really struggling to get up the hill. About halfway up, I heard Rusty's cell phone ring...and he answered it! He talked to the caller the rest of the way up the hill! And he didn't sound totally out of breath! Are you kidding me dude? Obviously Rusty is a much better climber than I am! No way I could have said "hello" much less held a conversation going up that hill! Although looking back on it now, I realize that my reaction was tainted a bit by the pain I was experiencing. I probably wouldn't have had such a strong reaction if that had happened the first time up that hill. But regardless of which loop it occurred on, I am still a LONG way from talking on my phone as I go up any hills.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Best Laid Plans...
The problem with a training plan is that not everything always goes as planned. I had a rough week this past week. I was feeling sore, tired and a little bit overwhelmed. So Wednesday night I decided to skip track and give myself a mental and physical break.
Thursday morning I went to swimming class. It was good. I didn't have to stop in order to catch my breath. I did all of the workout...it just wasn't fast. After class the instructor came up to me and said, "you seem to show up at all the classes where I really let them have it." I laughed and said, "I guess I need it!" I did feel good that I was able to swim 1.25 miles worth of drills.
Friday I had hoped to ride on the BWI trail. I thought it would be cool to pack up the family and have the little ones watch the planes take off and land while I ride. Unfortunately as soon as we got there, I saw a lightning bolt. The skies were blue but off in the distance there was lightning. So I didn't want to risk it. We watched a few planes land and then went home. I was disappointed...but better safe than sorry.
This morning I met Margaret in Glen Burnie. Our plan was to run 9 miles on the B&A Trail. It was a nice morning and the humidity seemed to be minimal. Margaret and I hadn't seen each other for awhile, so we enjoyed chatting and catching up. The miles went by pretty quickly. I was worried about the trail being crowded, but it really wasn't too bad. We both enjoyed the change of scenery from our normal run routes.
Unfortunately, out of nowhere around mile 4, I got nauseous. I was literally in the middle of a sentence and had to stop to avoid throwing up. It was bad. I walked for a bit and my stomach settled. But for the rest of the run, I had to work hard to ignore the rolling of my stomach. When we started the run, I really wanted to do 9 miles...unfortunately when we hit 8, I knew that I wasn't going to make it. Margaret was so patient with me and didn't seem annoyed at all when I said that I wanted to stop at 8.5 miles.
I am not happy that I missed 2 workouts and had to cut one slightly short. However, it does make me feel better that I'm in Week 3 of a 16 week training plan. I have plenty of time to get myself ready.
Thursday morning I went to swimming class. It was good. I didn't have to stop in order to catch my breath. I did all of the workout...it just wasn't fast. After class the instructor came up to me and said, "you seem to show up at all the classes where I really let them have it." I laughed and said, "I guess I need it!" I did feel good that I was able to swim 1.25 miles worth of drills.
Friday I had hoped to ride on the BWI trail. I thought it would be cool to pack up the family and have the little ones watch the planes take off and land while I ride. Unfortunately as soon as we got there, I saw a lightning bolt. The skies were blue but off in the distance there was lightning. So I didn't want to risk it. We watched a few planes land and then went home. I was disappointed...but better safe than sorry.
This morning I met Margaret in Glen Burnie. Our plan was to run 9 miles on the B&A Trail. It was a nice morning and the humidity seemed to be minimal. Margaret and I hadn't seen each other for awhile, so we enjoyed chatting and catching up. The miles went by pretty quickly. I was worried about the trail being crowded, but it really wasn't too bad. We both enjoyed the change of scenery from our normal run routes.
Unfortunately, out of nowhere around mile 4, I got nauseous. I was literally in the middle of a sentence and had to stop to avoid throwing up. It was bad. I walked for a bit and my stomach settled. But for the rest of the run, I had to work hard to ignore the rolling of my stomach. When we started the run, I really wanted to do 9 miles...unfortunately when we hit 8, I knew that I wasn't going to make it. Margaret was so patient with me and didn't seem annoyed at all when I said that I wanted to stop at 8.5 miles.
I am not happy that I missed 2 workouts and had to cut one slightly short. However, it does make me feel better that I'm in Week 3 of a 16 week training plan. I have plenty of time to get myself ready.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Spoiler Alert: I Got My "Good Job"!
Last night was my Spin90 class. John is a great instructor and I've learned SO much from him. However, he is not exactly the type to give a lot of "good jobs". I have expressed to Abby that it would be really nice to hear a "good job" from John. Abby has tried to help me understand that John is not that kind of motivator. He is much more likely to continue to challenge his students rather than heaping praise.
There was a threat of rain, which I think helped to keep many of the regular students away. We ended up with 7 students and 4 instructors. That's a pretty great ratio! I was excited about the opportunity for a lot of individualized coaching.
John started the class by explaining that we were going to ride a loop that was extremely challenging and that included a massive climb. He told us that this would be the hardest hill we've done in the class. Someone asked if it was harder than Lawyer's Hill. John laughed and said that this hill made Lawyer's look easy. GULP.
So we rode into the park and did a warm up on the rolling hills. I quickly noticed that I was leading the pack of students. It was evident that most of the normal fast riders were not there. I really enjoyed being in the front of the group. After the warm up, we gathered around and John gave us a little speech about getting up the hill called the Gun. He told us to just focus on picking something in front of us like a mailbox or a tree or a crack in the road. He said to just focus on getting to that object. He said "just focus on one more pedal stroke". So I am getting very, very nervous. How bad is this thing? Are we going up a mountain???
The other challenging part to the hill was that we had to cross really rough railroad tracks before getting to the hill. There were gates up so that we couldn't ride over the tracks...we had to get off our bikes and walk them around the gates. So we start up this steep hill from a stand-still...and I'm still having a challenge clipping in on a hill!
Omce I got clipped in, I was the next to last rider. I started in a very easy gear and just focused on spinning up the beginning of the hill. Having never ridden this hill before has one advantage - you don't know what you're in for! The bottom part of the hill was a steep incline, then you round a corner where it flattens out a bit. On this part, I shifted down to a slightly harder gear to get some speed up. It was still a very easy gear though so I was not expending too much energy. By this point I had caught and passed everyone except the front 2 riders.
John was riding next to me for most of the ascent. He wasn't saying much to me, which I took to be a good thing. During the first steep incline, I started wheezing when I was breathing. I remembered something that one of the instructors had told me about opening up my lungs. Once I did that, my breathing got under control for the rest of the climb.
At another point in the climb, it leveled out again. At this point, I had caught the front 2 riders. They assumed that the hill was over, but I saw the gleam in John's eye when he said "yeah sure it's over". I knew there was more around the next bend. I just focused on my cadence and kept on spinning.
At the top of the hill, my first thought was "that was it?" Now, honestly, it was a really hard hill. But I was able to climb and keep my cadence pretty close to 90 RPM the whole time. It was a very long hill and seemed to go on forever but it wasn't any worse than the hill on Oella Ave during the 3 hour class. I voiced this to one of the other instructors. He smiled and said that my hard work must be paying off because that was a monster climb.
We rode a loop that took us mostly downhill with some flat areas for a few miles. Then we rode back into the park and hit Lawyer's Hill. I was at the front of the pack when we hit Lawyer's Hill. I know this hill like the back of my hand now after doing so many repeat workouts on the hill. So I knew exactly what gear to hit, when to shift, when to ease up and when to push it. John rode the hill next to me. When I was almost to the top, John said "Karen when you get to the top, I want you to turn around and look at the fruits of your labor". I assumed he meant to look at how steep the hill was, so my thought was "whatever...I know this hill". So when I got to the top, he said "turn around" and I did. I saw what he was talking about...the rest of the class was just rounding the corner. I had pretty much kicked everyone's butt on that hill. BIG GRIN!!
We rode another loop and ended up on Race Road. John said for us just to ride Race Rd however we felt comfortable. I decided to see how long I could hold 22 MPH. About halfway down the road, Steve (one of the instructors) came up next to me and said "you realize that you're pretty much smoking everyone right now". I grinned and said "yep!" I was kind of beaming at that point. John came up next to me and mentioned that my cadence needed to pick up...ugh...I wasn't paying attention and had let it drop to 75...and of course he noticed.
So John, Steve and one of the other instructors decided to race each other. They took off sprinting and I picked it up too. I wasn't sprinting and I definitely wasn't keeping up with them, but I also wasn't that far from them. This felt good.
After class, I was putting my gear away and racking my bike when John came over to me. He said "you mastered those hills today." WOO HOO!!!! While the exact words "good job", it was an amazing compliment from a man who gives very few. I wanted to jump up and down, but I just said thanks and tried to act nonchalant. I was pretty giddy the entire drive home.
There was a threat of rain, which I think helped to keep many of the regular students away. We ended up with 7 students and 4 instructors. That's a pretty great ratio! I was excited about the opportunity for a lot of individualized coaching.
John started the class by explaining that we were going to ride a loop that was extremely challenging and that included a massive climb. He told us that this would be the hardest hill we've done in the class. Someone asked if it was harder than Lawyer's Hill. John laughed and said that this hill made Lawyer's look easy. GULP.
So we rode into the park and did a warm up on the rolling hills. I quickly noticed that I was leading the pack of students. It was evident that most of the normal fast riders were not there. I really enjoyed being in the front of the group. After the warm up, we gathered around and John gave us a little speech about getting up the hill called the Gun. He told us to just focus on picking something in front of us like a mailbox or a tree or a crack in the road. He said to just focus on getting to that object. He said "just focus on one more pedal stroke". So I am getting very, very nervous. How bad is this thing? Are we going up a mountain???
The other challenging part to the hill was that we had to cross really rough railroad tracks before getting to the hill. There were gates up so that we couldn't ride over the tracks...we had to get off our bikes and walk them around the gates. So we start up this steep hill from a stand-still...and I'm still having a challenge clipping in on a hill!
Omce I got clipped in, I was the next to last rider. I started in a very easy gear and just focused on spinning up the beginning of the hill. Having never ridden this hill before has one advantage - you don't know what you're in for! The bottom part of the hill was a steep incline, then you round a corner where it flattens out a bit. On this part, I shifted down to a slightly harder gear to get some speed up. It was still a very easy gear though so I was not expending too much energy. By this point I had caught and passed everyone except the front 2 riders.
John was riding next to me for most of the ascent. He wasn't saying much to me, which I took to be a good thing. During the first steep incline, I started wheezing when I was breathing. I remembered something that one of the instructors had told me about opening up my lungs. Once I did that, my breathing got under control for the rest of the climb.
At another point in the climb, it leveled out again. At this point, I had caught the front 2 riders. They assumed that the hill was over, but I saw the gleam in John's eye when he said "yeah sure it's over". I knew there was more around the next bend. I just focused on my cadence and kept on spinning.
At the top of the hill, my first thought was "that was it?" Now, honestly, it was a really hard hill. But I was able to climb and keep my cadence pretty close to 90 RPM the whole time. It was a very long hill and seemed to go on forever but it wasn't any worse than the hill on Oella Ave during the 3 hour class. I voiced this to one of the other instructors. He smiled and said that my hard work must be paying off because that was a monster climb.
We rode a loop that took us mostly downhill with some flat areas for a few miles. Then we rode back into the park and hit Lawyer's Hill. I was at the front of the pack when we hit Lawyer's Hill. I know this hill like the back of my hand now after doing so many repeat workouts on the hill. So I knew exactly what gear to hit, when to shift, when to ease up and when to push it. John rode the hill next to me. When I was almost to the top, John said "Karen when you get to the top, I want you to turn around and look at the fruits of your labor". I assumed he meant to look at how steep the hill was, so my thought was "whatever...I know this hill". So when I got to the top, he said "turn around" and I did. I saw what he was talking about...the rest of the class was just rounding the corner. I had pretty much kicked everyone's butt on that hill. BIG GRIN!!
We rode another loop and ended up on Race Road. John said for us just to ride Race Rd however we felt comfortable. I decided to see how long I could hold 22 MPH. About halfway down the road, Steve (one of the instructors) came up next to me and said "you realize that you're pretty much smoking everyone right now". I grinned and said "yep!" I was kind of beaming at that point. John came up next to me and mentioned that my cadence needed to pick up...ugh...I wasn't paying attention and had let it drop to 75...and of course he noticed.
So John, Steve and one of the other instructors decided to race each other. They took off sprinting and I picked it up too. I wasn't sprinting and I definitely wasn't keeping up with them, but I also wasn't that far from them. This felt good.
After class, I was putting my gear away and racking my bike when John came over to me. He said "you mastered those hills today." WOO HOO!!!! While the exact words "good job", it was an amazing compliment from a man who gives very few. I wanted to jump up and down, but I just said thanks and tried to act nonchalant. I was pretty giddy the entire drive home.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Race Report: Betterton 5K and Kiddie K
The first Saturday in August is always Betterton Day, and it's a big deal for my family. This year, for the very first time, they decided to have a 5K race to start the day. Genius!!! I was probably one of the first to sign up...I was so excited. Then I learned that they were having a Kiddie K to go along with it. I've written about the little ones and how excited they were to do the Kiddie K with their team uniforms.
So I had to wake everyone up in time to get dressed and go to the race. The little ones weren't quite as enthusiastic about the race when they are being woken up earlier than they wanted to get up! But the girls got their team uniforms on and we took my nephew Nathan along too.
We drove up to the fire station and parked in the field. It didn't look like too many people were there even though I had heard that close to 75 had registered. I think the threat of rain was keeping many away. I got my race bib pinned to my shirt and got the girls to the bathroom for a last minute "check".
The Kiddie K started at the end of the street and ended near where the 5K finish line was. I don't think it was even 100 meters, but that was perfect. 5 kids lined up at the starting line. I walked Ella, Grace and Nathan to the start and stood behind them as the race director called out "on your marks, get set, go".
They all took off, but it was Ella who took the lead immediately. My girl was flying! She looked like a natural runner.
Nathan wasn't far behind Ella and Grace was right behind him. (And yes, that's me jogging in the back as I'm yelling good job to the girls!) They swept it...Ella was 1st, Nathan got 2nd and Gracie came in 3rd! Can you guess who the biggest ham is in this bunch?
So after that fun, we lined up for the actual 5K. My cousin's brother-in-law, Justin, is a big time runner and really fast. I asked him if he was ready to win this thing. He smiled and said "we'll see". Well, we saw...he smoked the field winning by SEVERAL minutes over the next closest runner. Here is Justin coming back from the first out and back. He was only a little more than 3/4 mile into the race and look how much of a lead he already had on the next guy!
At the start of the race, I felt good and went out too fast (like I always do). However, this time I looked down at my Garmin about a 1/4 mile into the race, saw that I was running WAY too fast and slowed it down. I was immediately passed by a pack of people, which was hard for my competitive head to accept, but it was the right thing to do. I am not in the mode of running fast 5K's anymore...although my fast was never really fast. I'm much more about endurance events, so I was not going to do anything stupid for this 5K just out of pride.
I focused on enjoying this event. The course started with an out and back loop where we got a good look at the rest of the runners. Then we ran down Ericsson St to the big hill that heads to the beach. I saw Amy standing at the end of Idlewhile Ave. She cheered me on and I told her to watch for Justin who was killing everyone already. Actually Justin passed me right around the beach going the opposite direction. I was not even half way and he was about a half mile from finishing!
The course took us up the hill on the other side of the beach, looped around by our house where Mom, Ryann, Ryann's friend Molly and the neighbors were cheering for us. Shelley had also set up the official water station right there, so I walked long enough to get some water and make some jokes. Then I took off running again. I waved to Dad and my Aunt Candi (the mayor) who were in front of the Town Hall. I really did have my own cheering section at several points in the race. Very cool.
The worst part of the run was going back up the Ericsson hill. It was painful and I walked for a few steps. But then I reminded myself that there was less than a mile to go, so I pushed myself to run the rest of the way up the hill. I increased my pace as I came to the top of the hill and ran out Ericsson. I could see my family at the end of the street. My cousin and her husband had made a sign for me...my first sign! So very cool!
As I passed them and rounded the corner, I only had the finishing stride. I got a smile on my face and gave it my all. I wanted to make sure that no one passed me at the finish. I knew it wasn't my best 5K ever, but it was a fun event.
By now it was raining, which felt really good to me. I tried to jog a little bit to shake out my legs and cool down. I hit the bathroom and grabbed a banana. Stephen took the kids back to the house since it was raining but I wanted to stick around for the awards ceremony and cheer for Justin. I told him I would walk/run back to the house.
I'm so glad that I stayed for the awards ceremony, because I got third in my age group!! I got a really cool plaque. Plus I got to chat with Justin and his wife Carly. They are expecting their first child in October. Justin asked her who would push the stroller in next year's race. I told him that he could probably still win the race pushing the stroller! He laughed but I think he was in agreement with me.
All in all, considering it was the first time they had ever done this race, I think it was a good one. They had enough seriousness for the "real" runners and enough fun stuff thrown in for the rest of us. I am already looking forward to next year's race!
So I had to wake everyone up in time to get dressed and go to the race. The little ones weren't quite as enthusiastic about the race when they are being woken up earlier than they wanted to get up! But the girls got their team uniforms on and we took my nephew Nathan along too.
We drove up to the fire station and parked in the field. It didn't look like too many people were there even though I had heard that close to 75 had registered. I think the threat of rain was keeping many away. I got my race bib pinned to my shirt and got the girls to the bathroom for a last minute "check".
The Kiddie K started at the end of the street and ended near where the 5K finish line was. I don't think it was even 100 meters, but that was perfect. 5 kids lined up at the starting line. I walked Ella, Grace and Nathan to the start and stood behind them as the race director called out "on your marks, get set, go".
They all took off, but it was Ella who took the lead immediately. My girl was flying! She looked like a natural runner.
The course took us up the hill on the other side of the beach, looped around by our house where Mom, Ryann, Ryann's friend Molly and the neighbors were cheering for us. Shelley had also set up the official water station right there, so I walked long enough to get some water and make some jokes. Then I took off running again. I waved to Dad and my Aunt Candi (the mayor) who were in front of the Town Hall. I really did have my own cheering section at several points in the race. Very cool.
The worst part of the run was going back up the Ericsson hill. It was painful and I walked for a few steps. But then I reminded myself that there was less than a mile to go, so I pushed myself to run the rest of the way up the hill. I increased my pace as I came to the top of the hill and ran out Ericsson. I could see my family at the end of the street. My cousin and her husband had made a sign for me...my first sign! So very cool!
By now it was raining, which felt really good to me. I tried to jog a little bit to shake out my legs and cool down. I hit the bathroom and grabbed a banana. Stephen took the kids back to the house since it was raining but I wanted to stick around for the awards ceremony and cheer for Justin. I told him I would walk/run back to the house.
I'm so glad that I stayed for the awards ceremony, because I got third in my age group!! I got a really cool plaque. Plus I got to chat with Justin and his wife Carly. They are expecting their first child in October. Justin asked her who would push the stroller in next year's race. I told him that he could probably still win the race pushing the stroller! He laughed but I think he was in agreement with me.
All in all, considering it was the first time they had ever done this race, I think it was a good one. They had enough seriousness for the "real" runners and enough fun stuff thrown in for the rest of us. I am already looking forward to next year's race!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
In Over My Head
Anne got me into a swim class at the Y. It's held every Tuesday and Thursday, but you can choose to do one day a week. Because I need to run on Tuesday mornings, I decided just to do the Thursday session. The class has already been going on for almost 2 months, so I am jumping in at the very end. And I'm in over my head...
So Thursday I get to the Y at a few minutes before 6. Class starts at 6:15, but I wanted to make sure that I had enough time to talk to the instructor and chat with some of the class participants before having to get started. I saw a woman in a bathing suit in the locker room and asked if she was in the class. She was and I latched onto her as she walked to class. She showed me where the instructions were written for the warm up and pointed out the instructor. I walked over to him and introduced myself. He made a few bad jokes and I politely laughed and made a few back.
After talking with him, I noticed that Anne and her daughter Caroline had gotten there. (Caroline and my daughter Ryann both go to the same high school and are both going to be seniors this year.) I asked Anne which lane I should choose. I was hoping to be in the slow lane, but she told me to get in her lane. GULP. I said I didn't think I should be in that lane and she said "don't be silly". That was the end of the conversation so I got in her lane.
As we were swimming the warm-up laps, I was nervous. My breathing was all wrong and I was starting to panic a little. This wasn't good. So I stopped and tried to catch my breath and control my panic. I did another warm-up lap and felt better.
The workout was a blur. For our first set of drills, we got to wear our fins. We did 200 yards breathing every 5 (what??? every 5??? are you kidding me???), 20 second rest, then do 100 yards fast (doesn't he understand I only have 1 speed???). 30 second rest then doing it again. (Again I ask, are you kidding me???) I can't remember how many we did of these, but it felt like I was swimming for days. I couldn't do the breathing every 5...I could barely breathe every 3. I was in a slight panic state the entire time we did these first set of drills but I did my best to keep it under control.
I honestly can't remember the rest of the workout. I remember just doing everything I could to try to keep up and I couldn't. Caroline and Anne lapped me a few times in the workout. I was trying to be very polite and just stay out of their way. I knew that I was in the wrong lane...I should have been with a much slower group. The last thing that we did was to swim a 500. Holy cow. That was a long way to swim after doing the previous drills. I just tried to keep swimming. Again, I only have one speed when I'm swimming...which is slow.
At the end of the workout, the instructor told me that I had done a good job. I just laughed..."more bad jokes" I thought. He got a serious look on his face and told me that I was doing something very difficult. He said that this class is advanced and I just jumped into the very end of the session. He told me that I should be proud that I was able to do the workout even if I was slower than Anne and Caroline. I guess putting it into perspective was exactly what I needed. It was hard, frustrating and exhausting...but I did it!
Anne sent me a text later saying how proud she was of me. She said that we swam a lot of yards and that I should be very pleased with myself for being able to complete the workout. She said that was probably the hardest workout they've done. I did feel very proud. I am not a confident swimmer, but I have proven several times that I am capable of getting through it. Hopefully the more I get into the water, the more confidence will come. As for now, I'm looking forward to next week's class...although I will get in the slow lane no matter what Anne says!
So Thursday I get to the Y at a few minutes before 6. Class starts at 6:15, but I wanted to make sure that I had enough time to talk to the instructor and chat with some of the class participants before having to get started. I saw a woman in a bathing suit in the locker room and asked if she was in the class. She was and I latched onto her as she walked to class. She showed me where the instructions were written for the warm up and pointed out the instructor. I walked over to him and introduced myself. He made a few bad jokes and I politely laughed and made a few back.
After talking with him, I noticed that Anne and her daughter Caroline had gotten there. (Caroline and my daughter Ryann both go to the same high school and are both going to be seniors this year.) I asked Anne which lane I should choose. I was hoping to be in the slow lane, but she told me to get in her lane. GULP. I said I didn't think I should be in that lane and she said "don't be silly". That was the end of the conversation so I got in her lane.
As we were swimming the warm-up laps, I was nervous. My breathing was all wrong and I was starting to panic a little. This wasn't good. So I stopped and tried to catch my breath and control my panic. I did another warm-up lap and felt better.
The workout was a blur. For our first set of drills, we got to wear our fins. We did 200 yards breathing every 5 (what??? every 5??? are you kidding me???), 20 second rest, then do 100 yards fast (doesn't he understand I only have 1 speed???). 30 second rest then doing it again. (Again I ask, are you kidding me???) I can't remember how many we did of these, but it felt like I was swimming for days. I couldn't do the breathing every 5...I could barely breathe every 3. I was in a slight panic state the entire time we did these first set of drills but I did my best to keep it under control.
I honestly can't remember the rest of the workout. I remember just doing everything I could to try to keep up and I couldn't. Caroline and Anne lapped me a few times in the workout. I was trying to be very polite and just stay out of their way. I knew that I was in the wrong lane...I should have been with a much slower group. The last thing that we did was to swim a 500. Holy cow. That was a long way to swim after doing the previous drills. I just tried to keep swimming. Again, I only have one speed when I'm swimming...which is slow.
At the end of the workout, the instructor told me that I had done a good job. I just laughed..."more bad jokes" I thought. He got a serious look on his face and told me that I was doing something very difficult. He said that this class is advanced and I just jumped into the very end of the session. He told me that I should be proud that I was able to do the workout even if I was slower than Anne and Caroline. I guess putting it into perspective was exactly what I needed. It was hard, frustrating and exhausting...but I did it!
Anne sent me a text later saying how proud she was of me. She said that we swam a lot of yards and that I should be very pleased with myself for being able to complete the workout. She said that was probably the hardest workout they've done. I did feel very proud. I am not a confident swimmer, but I have proven several times that I am capable of getting through it. Hopefully the more I get into the water, the more confidence will come. As for now, I'm looking forward to next week's class...although I will get in the slow lane no matter what Anne says!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Cross Training Clinic
On Tuesday we got an email from John to bring our running shoes to cycling class. He had arranged for a cross training session with a triathlon, running and fitness trainer. I was a little nervous about what was in store, but I was also very excited about a different type of workout.
Tuesday was great. We started the class by riding into the park and doing the rollers. We sprinted the hills on the way out and we did a tempo ride on the way back. I started in the front with the fast group. Guess where I stayed the whole time...at the front with the fast group!!! Full disclosure - I was at the BACK of the fast group, but I had contact with them the entire time. I was VERY happy with my performance.
I was able to climb the hills with some speed and some power. It wasn't until the very last hill that I felt like I was really struggling. Debbie rode up next to me and basically yelled at me to pick it up. That was all I needed and I got myself back into the right mindset and hit the remainder of the hill with some intensity. It was really a great feeling to be able to keep up with them.
After 3 sets of out/back rollers, we stopped at the pavilion. Some of the class continued on with their rides but about 12 of us stopped for the cross training portion. We changed into our running shoes, grabbed some water and walked over to meet our leader for the next portion...Chris Towle.
Chris had us do several drills. We started by just running about 75 meters down and back. He wanted to assess our running style. After that, we ran a few drills focusing on different aspects of our running technique. We ran with our hands on our heads, started the runs by falling and focused on running with our feet behind us. I know my words don't describe these drills very well, so I apologize for that. But the drills were AWESOME!!! At the end of the half hour, I felt like my entire stride was different. Chris also mentioned that he could tell a huge difference from our first run to our last.
I went to track last night and tried to focus on the techniques that I learned from Chris. It was really hard to do. My body is so used to being in a certain position when I'm running. I know that I am not an efficient runner so it's going to take a lot of work to force myself to maintain the correct running posture. I will work on it though!
Tuesday was great. We started the class by riding into the park and doing the rollers. We sprinted the hills on the way out and we did a tempo ride on the way back. I started in the front with the fast group. Guess where I stayed the whole time...at the front with the fast group!!! Full disclosure - I was at the BACK of the fast group, but I had contact with them the entire time. I was VERY happy with my performance.
I was able to climb the hills with some speed and some power. It wasn't until the very last hill that I felt like I was really struggling. Debbie rode up next to me and basically yelled at me to pick it up. That was all I needed and I got myself back into the right mindset and hit the remainder of the hill with some intensity. It was really a great feeling to be able to keep up with them.
After 3 sets of out/back rollers, we stopped at the pavilion. Some of the class continued on with their rides but about 12 of us stopped for the cross training portion. We changed into our running shoes, grabbed some water and walked over to meet our leader for the next portion...Chris Towle.
Chris had us do several drills. We started by just running about 75 meters down and back. He wanted to assess our running style. After that, we ran a few drills focusing on different aspects of our running technique. We ran with our hands on our heads, started the runs by falling and focused on running with our feet behind us. I know my words don't describe these drills very well, so I apologize for that. But the drills were AWESOME!!! At the end of the half hour, I felt like my entire stride was different. Chris also mentioned that he could tell a huge difference from our first run to our last.
I went to track last night and tried to focus on the techniques that I learned from Chris. It was really hard to do. My body is so used to being in a certain position when I'm running. I know that I am not an efficient runner so it's going to take a lot of work to force myself to maintain the correct running posture. I will work on it though!
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