Diamond in the Rough Race Report

I have been remiss in not posting for so long.  So I have a lot of thoughts and updates that will have to be discussed in some posts.  But to keep this post as short as possible, I will only focus on my race report.

This race took place in Perryville, which is over an hour away from my house without traffic. Since I wanted to get there before 6:30 on the morning of the race, we would have had to get the little one up at 4 am. Ugh! So Friday night we decided to spend the night in a hotel not too far from the race site. I didn't sleep well at all but at least we didn't have far to go in the morning.

I was a nervous wreck.  I was almost as nervous as I was for my first triathlon.  As we drove into the park where it was being held, I felt almost nauseous. 

We parked and I grabbed my transition bag and bike and headed off to get my registration packet.  The line wasn't too long and the volunteers were super helpful.  I had forgotten my race belt and was able to buy one for $10.  I actually like it better than my other one!

After picking up my packet and timing chip, I went over to body marking. They were using the body tattoos instead of the normal sharpie marking that I'm used to.  The only other time I had the tattoos was the half Ironman and I remember how hard it was to get them off!  Oh well, I'll deal with that later.  Off to transition to set up my area.

I ran into my friend Steve who was doing his first triathlon.  He was most worried about the swim and I tried to assure him that it's over before you know it and he would be great on the bike and run.

One of the things I love the most about doing these races is the camaraderie that is created with the other competitors.  In transition, I chatted with the ladies racking their bikes around me.  When I realized that I had forgotten my sunscreen, I had 2 bottles of sunscreen offered to me immediately.  I love how supportive everyone is of each other.

Before long it was time to walk towards the swim start.  I found 2 of the ladies who I had met in transition and talked with them as we waited for our turn to get in the water.  In the picture below, I'm in the blue tri-suit...kind of hard to pick me out in the sea of pink caps!

The water temperature was 81 so no wetsuits were allowed.  That actually works in my favor since it takes me so long to get out of the wetsuit.  As we got into the water, I did a few breathing bobs.  I also swam around a little bit to warm up.  For the first time ever, I headed towards the front of the group.  I've been making really good progress with my swimming and I didn't want to be fighting through traffic. 

As we started the swim, I wanted to get into a good rhythm right away.  I started strong and noticed that I was keeping pace with the women around me.  (Good sign I thought since I started so close to the front)  I was sighting well and stayed on course better than normal.  Because it was only a 1/4 mile swim, it was over super fast.  I got out of the water and had to run down the dock, up the steps and quite a way to get to transition. 

 

I tried to be as fast as possible, but my transitions are always slow...and in a sprint triathlon, every second counts! 

I ran out of transition with my bike and noticed one of the other ladies mounting her bike too soon.  I pointed to the mount line and said wait until you cross that line!  She thanked me twice.  We passed the mount line and I got into a good cadence right away.  Before we left the grounds of the park (about 2 miles), I passed Steve.  He said the swim took a lot out of him.  I encouraged him that he was doing great.

The bike course was hillier than I had expected.  Hills work in my favor when I'm in good cycling shape...which I'm not right now.  I need some more work on that, but overall I was pretty happy with my ride.  It was a pretty course, especially inside the park. 

Towards the end of the ride, I was passed by someone in my age group.  I thought that there was still a chance for me to place in my age group, although that wasn't really the goal for the day.
Transition 2 went well, although I still took longer than most people would take.  I tried to remember what Coach Sandra had told me, which was to go into the run with confidence.  Run the first part relaxed and race the second part.  I knew about 1/4 mile into the run that I was just going to run the whole part relaxed...there wouldn't be much racing. 

Steve caught me about 1/2 mile into the run.  (His strength is definitely the run.)  We took a few steps together and chatted about the hilly bike course.  Then he went off on his way.  I focused on the back of the woman in front of me.  I kept pace with her pretty well.  Unfortunately the run course was on a trail for the most part.  In several sections it was a rocky path.  Because of my klutziness, I was really worried about running on the rocks.  I took my time going over the rocks and lost track of the woman I was following.

The turn-around point seemed very far away.  I wasn't worried about my pace...but I knew it wasn't fast.  I loved that it was an out and back run because I saw several of the ladies I had met before the race.  I cheered for all of them as we passed each other.  About a mile from the finish, I was passed by another woman in my age group.  She was trucking...there was no way I could keep up with her and I knew that I had no shot of placing.  Note to self:  work on the run!

As I came into the finishing chute, I heard the announcer say my name.  I crossed the finish line with a huge smile on my face. 

This race reminded me of why I love this sport so much.  The people, the atmosphere, the feeling of accomplishment...I love it all.  It was so well run and well organized.  The volunteers were really great and I made it a point to thank as many of them as possible as I went by.  The venue was beautiful and the course was fun.  I would recommend this race to anyone.

I checked the results and thought I was 4th in my age group.  Later when I pulled it up on the computer, I saw that I was actually 5th.  Honestly, for my first race back after surgery with such sporadic training, I'm just happy I was relatively competitive!

I NEED TO RACE!

I've found myself very frustrated lately.  I've had a lack of motivation with my training in general.  I just can't seem to do anything on a regular basis except my swim class on Tues/Thurs mornings...and even that I've skipped a few times recently.  I need to get back on track.  I've been struggling to figure out what was going to jump start me back into a good routine.

On Thursday and Friday of this past week, I was invited to a getaway trip as a reward for doing a deal with St. John Properties.  They took us to the Hyatt in Cambridge for relaxation at the spa, nice meals, a boat trip and general fun.  It is always a great excursion and I try to do a deal with them every year so that I get invited often.

This year the trip fell on the Thursday and Friday right before Eagleman.  So Friday when I was checking out, the lobby was filled with athletes and their families checking in.  I saw some really cool bikes.  On my drive home, I passed several cars with bikes on their roof racks or on the backs of their cars.  I thought a lot about my training, my lack of motivation and my overall excitement for the athletes doing Eagleman. 

That was it!  I don't have a race on my schedule.  I sat down this morning and did some research on the internet.  I was thinking that I would sign up for a sprint distance some time in mid to late July.  I found the Diamond in the Rough triathlon in Perryville.  They offered a sprint distance and an olympic distance.  I looked at the Olympic and realized that the run was only 5 miles instead of the standard 6.2 miles.  So I immediately thought "I could run 5 miles!"  Before I knew it, I had registered for the Olympic distance. 

So now I have a race on my schedule.  I have 35 days until race day.  I have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time!  I will have to plan on doing a run/walk because I can't imagine that I'll be running 5 miles by then considering I'm only at 2 now.  But if I really put a focus on my run and do some hill repeats on the bike, I should be OK to finish the race. 

I am never one to take the easy route on anything but I am a little worried that I've bitten off more than I can chew with this one.  But this is exactly what I needed to get my training back in line.  Now if you will excuse me, I've got to go for a run!

OWS Training

Sunday I attended Anne Johnson's open water swim (OWS) clinic.  I love her OWS clinics!  I attended 2 last year and was excited about the first one this year.

After last weekend's swim in Betterton, I was really looking forward to some focused instruction on OWS techniques.  My head continues to be the biggest challenge when swimming in open water.  I knew that Anne's clinic helped last year and I was hopeful that it would help again this year.

The water temps were approx. 67 degrees, so there was no question that we would be wearing our wetsuits!  As I drove over to Hammerman where the clinic was held, I felt relaxed and looking forward to getting in the water.  I pulled into the park and Elliott greeted me at the gate.  She was checking names off the attendance sheet.  We chatted for a few minutes about my challenging swim the week before and then I drove off to the parking area.  I looked out across the water and had to take a picture...what a beautiful morning!

I walked down to the pavilion where Anne was checking people in and immediately saw Ron.  Ron is my lane-mate during swim class.  It was really good to see another familiar face.  We agreed to stick together, althougth I knew that I would slow him down. 

Anne gave a brief speech about the objectives of the day and then we split up into groups.  They divided us into beginner and intermediate.  I joined the intermediate group and had several people that I recognized in the group.  Ron and I started our warm up swim together.  I immediately had issues with breathing and was panicking a bit.  Ron kindly stopped to check on me and make sure I was OK.  I told him I was fine even though my breathing was a disaster.

Once we started the actual drills and workout, I calmed down and actually got into a really good groove.  I encouraged Ron to swim ahead so that I wasn't holding him back, which he did.  I found a comfortable group to join and focused on my breathing, keeping my strokes consistent and sighting like an alligator.  There is such a HUGE difference between swimming in the pool and swimming in open water!

At the end of the clinic, I checked my fancy new watch to see how far we had gone during the clinic.  1.72 miles!!! Holy cow!  That's the farthest I've ever gone in one swimming session.  So much for thinking I was out of shape.  There was not one moment where I questioned whether I would be able to finish.  I'm very proud of myself.

This photo is from the end of the clinic as people are finishing up their workouts and chatting with the instructors.  It really was a great morning. 

Slowly Getting Back

I've been doing what I can for the last few weeks.  I haven't been running...I probably should be pushing myself more in that area.  But it's hard...mentally and physically.

Right now swimming is good.  I have gotten back my confidence in the water.  I have also gotten back some speed.  I think that if I lose some of the weight that I gained during my recovery that I would really see a difference in the swim.

So last night I attended my second Spin90 class.  We were inside due to the rain...which means isolation drills.  Ugh.  But I was able to keep up with the class.  We did high cadence drills, which were actually fine for me.  I could totally keep up.  I was a disaster with the one legged drills...but they've always been a challenge to me. 

I was struggling throughout the entire class, but I was determined to keep up.  At one point we were doing ladder drills.  This is something where we start at the top of the gear box and every 30 seconds drop to a harder gear.  After the first ladder, John asked me if I was using a heart rate monitor.  I don't but I could tell that my heart rate was through the roof.  He told me to let him know when it calmed down.  We just spinned in recovery gear for another few minutes before starting the next ladder.

I knew that I was the reason that the class was getting "extra rest".  But honestly I needed the extra rest.  I commented to John that I felt like a rookie all over again.  He responded "fitness level maybe but operationally you're still above the curve". 

If you are a faithful reader of my blog, you know that John does not dole out compliments very easily.  So the fact that he called me operationally above the curve was a huge thing for me.  I was literally giddy...on the inside of course...I played it cool on the outside!  But really, I needed to hear that simple statement to remind myself that I am not starting over again.  I've learned how to properly pedal and hold my cadence.  I am still a good cyclist.  I may be slower than before the surgery, but I will get that back.  I've lost some power but that will come back with time.

Back in the Saddle

Tonight was my first time going back to Spin90 since before the surgery.  I wasn't doing much prior to the surgery because of the pain I was in. 

I drove to tonight's class very anxious.  Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely HATE being late.  And I was running late for class.  I really like to get to class at least 15 mins early.  That gives me time to pump up my tires and get all of my gear together before we roll.  Tonight I pulled into the parking lot at 6:12 for a 6:15 class.  Ugh.

It was so great to see my riding friends again!  I was all smiles as I jumped out of the car.  I quickly got the bike off the bike rack and got out the pump.  Madi came over and helped me by pumping my tires while I put on my shoes and got my other stuff together.  I was rushing so that I didn't hold up the class.  I realized that I had forgotten my goggles.  Ugh...major problem because of the wind.  Oh well...I would have to deal with it.

As we rolled off, I was nervous but excited.  I clipped in easily...which for me is a pretty big deal.  John had decided that since the group was small (and most of the riders have races coming up this weekend and 2 of us were either injured or coming off an injury) that we would ride intervals on Race Rd.  This made me VERY happy.  I know that road like the back of my hand!  No intimidating hills.

I hung in the back for the ride out Race Road.  The wind was whipping around and dust was constantly getting in my eyes.  I was wishing for my goggles!!  We went out to the very end of Race Rd - the extended Race Rd.  Our turn-around point is the parking lot for an office building.  I stopped and tried to get the dust out of my eyes.  Tears were streaming down my face.  John rode by and said "either you're having a really tough first day back or you've got dust in your eyes!"

We started back down Race Rd and I was flying.  I was having a ball on the rollers.  I was following Chuck and Hawaii Five-0.  (You know me and my nicknames)  When we got to the stop sign, John commented "wow Karen, good job".  With as stingy as he is with his compliments, that made me SO happy!

So we went back to the regular Race Rd and re-grouped.  The real workout started at this point.  Hard effort going back towards the parking lot and recover on the way back.  I made it 2 intervals and was really feeling it on the 2nd.  My legs are currently feeling very sore.  I can't imagine what they will feel like tomorrow!  My speed was all over the place, but I just focused on maintaining 90 RPM.

It felt SOO good to be back on the bike.  I was a bit humbled because I was so slow.  I am used to riding that road at 22 MPH.  Today I was averaging around 17 MPH.  Wow...big difference.  And on the recovery, I was really slow.  I kept commenting on how slow I was and Madi was very reassuring.  She kept saying "you are NOT slow".  She is the instructor who typically rides with the slow group so she knows slow.  Of course I am slow compared to my "normal" riding pace.  I will get back there.

For now, I have to say that I am thrilled to be riding again. It felt GREAT to be back out there with my Spin90 friends and just to be on the bike again.  Even though I am physically not where I would like to be, I will get back there!

The Run

"The run" has always been a challenge to me.  This is kind of an odd statement if taken at face value. 

I was a runner in high school and actually did pretty well.  I wasn't a star but I held my own.  When I got back into working out, I started running again and started long distance running.  I finished several half marathons and then started doing triathlons. 

I actually enjoyed running for awhile...more for the social aspect of it than the actual running.  However, I can remember a period of time where I even enjoyed running when I was running by myself. But more often, it's been a love/hate relationship with the run.  For the past year or so, I've really struggled to find that love of running. 

So now that I am trying to get back into my workout routine, I am again finding myself having trouble with the run.  I can physically run about a mile before my foot tells me that I need to stop.  But almost from the first step, my head is telling me what a bad runner I am.  My feet start to feel like they are stuck in cement.  Every step gets so heavy. 

I love watching good runners do their thing.  They make running seem so effortless.  They look so natural.  I feel like I either look like Olive Oyl or an elephant. 

As I get back into running, I really want to focus on my form.  I think that if I really work on running "lighter", my running will become fun again.  At least that's what I'm hoping!

Say Goodbye to the Extra Lbs

Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm not a good dieter.  I can do short term diets...and some that are extremely strict too!  But eventually I'm going to wander back to the dark side.  I love my Coca-Cola and my donuts.  I don't eat donuts all the time, but as a treat every now and then.  However I affectionately refer to myself as a "Coke addict".

I am by no means fat.  I am by no means thin.  But my pants are getting too tight and I'm just generally not happy with the way that I look.  So I've been slowly changing my eating habits.  I have made some really good choices...and some choices that are not "in my best interest" for losing weight.

I really try not to get too caught up in weight issues.  I have had way too many times in my past where weight became a big deal.  Now I just want to be healthy.

I know that once I can get back to a regular training routine, I will be able to drop the weight pretty quickly.  My life has been crazy lately, but there's nothing that I would have changed.  My oldest daughter is a senior and I've really enjoyed the time away from training because it gave me more quality time with her.  But it also gave me more quality time with the ice cream scoop...that's time that I probably should have avoided.

Also, carbs are a problem.  They always have been, and always will be.  I love bread, pasta, pizza, bagels...you name the carb and I'll probably eat it gleefully.  Carbs are bad, but they are SOOO good. 

Lisa Long has a poster that says "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels".  I could use some skinny right about now!