So I have not written a blog post for quite awhile. Initially I didn't write because I took a few days off from doing anything after the century. Then I just got busy and lazy. So I'm sorry to anyone who has been checking this page looking for new posts and haven't found any. Here's what I've been up to:
RUNNING
I've done a few runs and still find myself struggling. I am having difficulty running at what used to be my "normal" training pace. I find myself running about a minute to a minute and a half slower than before. I can't seem to run any faster. Is it who I'm running with? I'm not sure. I ran alone on Monday and still couldn't get to a decent pace. I actually had to cut my run short because of stomach issues. I seem to have that problem pretty often when I'm running. That never happened before. I need to figure out if it's a nutrition issue, timing issue or what else it could be.
BIKING
I went to Spin90 class on Thursday which met at Folly Quarter Middle. I've never done the Thursday class so these roads were new to me. The class was new to me too. While I knew a lot of the students, I hadn't ridden with them for awhile. The first group was really fast. There was no keeping up with them. I started in the middle of the pack and quickly realized that I was "stuck" behind some slower riders. I passed them and finally found a comfortable pace. I was riding in between the first and second packs...kind of on my own, although I would play leapfrog with a couple other riders. It was fun to do something different.
Saturday I rode the Betterton to Chestertown loop that I had done with Daryl and the Cross Court riders a few times. I knew the roads so I wasn't too worried about going out alone. However, it was a lot harder to ride alone than I had expected. The course had some rolling hills but nothing too challenging. It wasn't the terrain that was my biggest challenge...it was my head. Without anyone else to judge myself against, it was really easy to just slack off. I wouldn't even realize that I was doing it...until I looked down at my computer and saw how much I was slacking off. Otherwise the ride was not bad. 42 miles with an average of 16.9 MPH...not too bad.
SWIMMING
We went to Betterton for Labor Day weekend, which was really good for my swim. Saturday night I was talking with Maureen (my swimming buddy) about when we were swimming. I suggested that we swim double what we normally do...swim from Evergreen Knoll to the public beach and back again. To my surprise, she agreed! So Sunday morning we met Helena and Mary for the longest swim of the season. I am constantly humbled by this group of women. They are not training for anything...they are just enjoying swimming...and they kick my butt every time. Maybe some day I will be able to swim faster (or even as fast) as they do. But for now, I'm just happy to have their company. Sunday we swam about 1.2 miles. Monday I ran and then met them for our normal distance swim which is .6 miles. And again they kicked my butt.
This morning was the first class of the swim clinic that Anne told me about through the Y. Pam is the instructor. I've worked with her in Anne's indoor classes as well as the open water swim clinics I've done this summer. So when I showed up at the class, I wasn't feeling like the newbie. I jumped in and started the warm-up. Pam pulled me aside and told me that she was going to stop me if and when I needed specific instruction. Nice! Several times during the class she pointed out things that I needed to work on...mostly my feet. They were either not close enough to the surface or they were doing a scissor kick instead of the flutter kick I was supposed to be doing. After class she told me that there wasn't really anything that I needed to do to perfect my stroke. She said that I could expect huge improvements by the end of the session...which is right before my Half Ironman! YAY!
Overall I am pleased with my week's training work. This weekend is the Rocky Gap IronGirl. I'm looking forward to this but I really don't want to do anything to hurt myself for the Half Ironman. That's my main concern at this point. Although I am excited to see how I do on a new course.
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.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
ShoreFire Century
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. :)
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. :)
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.
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