The End of the Off-Season

It's been radio silence here for the last few weeks, largely because I indulged in a  true off-season.  The reason I've never taken a few weeks off is that I was  terrified I'd  never restart running.  I simply would lack the discipline to go through the aches and pains of developing my mileage.  This year was different. Once I took off my sneakers after the Las Vegas Half Marathon I did not run again for 10 solid weeks.

The off-season was partly due to the holidays, house guests, 2 bouts with upper respiratory infections, and wedding planning.  Whatever it was, I was did not workout much at all in December. In January, I hit the weight room with a vengeance, but still no running. I love to lift weights and for the last few years lifting has usually been pushed off my calendar by running or biking or something.

Here's the funny thing.  The first two or three weeks, I felt incredible guilt if I saw someone running.  I didn't want to run; I just felt profoundly guilty.  Then I had a few weeks of not noticing running at all.  It was as if running didn't exist.  Finally, last week I saw someone jogging along and I thought - I wanna run!  I'm ready!

And just in time.  I started my triathlon training on Saturday with a light 5 mile run.  It was mostly fun except for 1 nasty uphill.  I had lost a bit of my running speed and endurance, but I felt strong.

Cheers to the off-season and cheers for getting back into my sneakers.

Franken-bike Part 1

A few months ago, I told Steve that I wanted to to the triathlon on a mixte bike.  (Mixte is what many people remember as a ladies bike.  To there's no top bar on the frame, instead both bars go lower.)  The last bike I really loved was a mixte.  I want another one and I want to ride it in my triathlon.

There are certainly no modern racing mixtes. Steve told me he'd research to see if there were any vintage mixte racing frames.  It turns out, that there were a very, very few built and they are generally expensive if you can find one.  I'm 5'8" with long legs, so I'd need an uncommon frame size which would make finding one even more of a challenge.  Plus, he'd have to find suitable parts all on the vintage market since modern parts might not fit  Steve said, it would be some sort of Franken-bike, but he'd try.

Once I knew the bike had ever existed on the planet, I knew Steve would find it.

He put together a list of specs that I don't understand.  Things like Reynolds 531 tubing and blahblahblah.   Steve has been searching the internet and visiting bike shops.  Finally we stopped into Velocult the vintage bike shop by our house.  And behold - a perfectly sized mixte frame and fork.  The shop owner just had it repainted and the original chrome fork is in perfect condition.

We snapped up my beautiful hot red Jeunet mixte.  Now that we had the frame and fork, we could start the search for parts.

A Little Help for Paratriathletes

Every once in awhile, I get a reminder that even on my crappiest run I'm blessed to be healthy enough to participate.   When I see an athlete who is competing with some physical limitations - blindness, prosthetic limbs - I'm in awe.  I'm also grateful for my chubby, imperfect body.

There's currently a bid to include paratriathlon in the next Paralympic Games. (The Paralympics are held immediately after the Olympics. The next games will be in Rio de Janeiro.)  The bid is a solid one, with support from the US, Canada, Spain, England and France.  It's no shoe-in. There are other sports trying to be included and they won't all make it.  The decision will be made this weekend in Beijing.

Paratriathletes are awesome athletes by any standard.  They simply want their sport included in the games.  If you want to help make it happen, then show your support on their Facebook page.  They're trying to get to 5,000 members today to show widespread support for these athletes.

2010 Paratriathlon Team, for Paralympic inclusion

I'm In!

Registration for the Vineman Half Ironman opened last night at midnight. I stayed up way past my bedtime to make sure I could get a spot in the race. I'm registered! I'm in! I'm going to do a half Iron Man.

Here's the funny part. As I got into bed, Steve asked if I was registered. I giddily told him yes, I was. And then I asked, "Hey, should I register you too?" After some discussion, he decided he'd register too. Steve's reserving the right to pull out by the March deadline. His training goals for next year were focused on endurance cycling. He'll need to see how triathlon training fits into the mix, but if he decides to go for it, he's got a spot in the race.

I'm in! And I've got a training buddy!

Tri With A Little Help From My Friends

After a long summer of preparation, it was finally my first triathlon. I was a mix of giddy, panicky, and teary. As I was unloading my gear, I realized that everyone - absolutely everyone - had better equipment than I did. The other competitors had better bikes and fancy, expensive gear. I decided that I wasn't going to worry about it.

I set up all my transition area exactly as I practiced. Then I walked the transition zone several times locating "Swim in", "Bike Out", "Bike In" and "Run Out". I also met the women assigned to the transition spots near mine. One competitor, Donna, took me under her wing and she was an awesome companion while we waited nearly an hour for our age group to start.

As we were standing waiting to get into the ocean, I looked around at the other competitors. I was the only person not wearing a wetsuit. They are all in sleek black wetsuits with their official swim caps. I'm in my hot pink triathlon suit. When I'm a novice at something I just want to blend in with the crowd. There's no blending in when you're the solitary hot pink in a sea of black. I told them that they were my back up dancers. If I can't blend in, then I'd rather have people laugh with me than at me.

The San Diego Tri Club offered "swim buddies" to first time triathletes. Swim buddies are experienced open water swimmers who'd swim along side of you. I ran over and asked for buddy as we were heading to the dock to jump in the water. When I jumped in, I started to hyperventilate. It was silly, because I'm a really strong swimmer and the water wasn't that cold. My swim buddy, Monica, helped me calm myself in time for the start. After all that, the swim was easy. As I rounded the first buoy I called out to Monica that I was having so much fun. I surprised myself by zipping out of the water in the ahead of many of the women in my age group. As I headed to the transition zone, I called out my thanks to Monica.

Transition to the bike went exactly as planned. The bike ride wasn't so great. My bigger, heavier, mountain-geared bike was a slow ox on the bike course. Plus I had some problems with the gears not shifting correctly. I'd pedal behind someone matching their cadence exactly and I'd watch them pull away from me steadily. I watched lots women that I'd smoked on the swim, zip by me on their fancy bikes. It was very, very frustrating. I passed one person on the bike ride - and that's because he had a flat tire.

Other than the slowness, I wrapped up the bike course without incident. The bike-to-run transition went according to plan and I was out on the run. At that point, my legs were tired from trying to keep up with everyone on the bike. I ran when I felt like running and walked when I felt like walking. Mostly I relaxed on the "run" leg and savored the fact that I got myself to the finish line of a triathlon.

Here's the deal. It was challenging, but I loved it. I can't wait to do it again.

Triathlon Expo Day - Now With More Stress!

The day before my race was the Triathlon expo. The whole day was one giant stress ball.

Saturday morning, I woke up with incredibly sore shins and thighs due to a 3 mile hike I made on Friday...in high heels.  Ouch and Dumb.  Steve was out on an 80 mile bike ride and I was planning to go to triathlon expo to listen to all the speakers.  I'd read a lot about tris and I trained, but I haven't had anyone to ask questions.

My plan was boogered when Steve called needing ride home because his bike wheel broke.   Normally, if one of the cyclists needs a ride, I'm happy to drive the sag wagon.  But this was my one day to absorb everything I possibly could to prepare me for my race.

To fetch Steve, I made a 70 mile trip in our beater pick-up with no AC. It was hot in there with my temper and stress just boiling.  Poor Steve dropped me off at the Expo and headed off to continue his misadventure.  In the 3 mile drive home, he got a flat tire.  He changed the tire, only to find out the spare had a small leak too.  He had to walk his bike home for about a mile and a half.  A broken bike wheel and 2 flat on the truck - it just wasn't his day with wheels.

I was finally at the expo where I learned that everyone else had a wet suit.  Everyone.  On the race website, it said wet suits weren't needed.  And I believed them.  Liars!  When I told people I wasn't wearing a wet suit they told me I was brave.  I wasn't brave; I was gullible.

Luckily, I got some really good advice from the Tri Club of San Diego. They quickly taught me how to layout my gear and how to transition efficiently.  I'd read most of this stuff, but having someone review it was incredibly helpful  After the Tri Club people set me straight I felt nervous, but okay.  Thank you Tri Club. (Really, I love you Tri Club.  Call me.)

Saturday night, I got to hang out with my friend Debbie and some of her friends.   Debbie is one of my original TNT teammates and a bunch of women at the party had done tris.  They managed to dump some additional information into my head.  I felt like I was cramming for an exam and hoped to absorb enough information to pass.

When I got home, Steve was thoughtfully working on my bike. Taking care of my tires, putting on a bike pump.  While he got my bike ready, I practiced my transitions.  Finally, I loaded my gear and my bike into my car.  Then set my alarm for 4:03 AM and collapsed into bed.

(Next entry...the big race day!)

A Little Knowledge Is a Good Thing

Tuesday night I went to a 90 minute seminar about basic bike maintenance.  When I've ridden before, I've always had Steve to deal with flat tires.  He's sort of my bicycle AAA.  At the triathlon, no one else can touch your bike.  If a tire pops, you've got to fix it yourself.  That meant I needed to get some knowledge.

The class was offered at REI for the low, low price of free.  Cheap is neat, but free is for me.  Of course, I live with someone who knows gobs about bikes and he'd have given me free advice too.  Sometimes it's easier to learn from someone neutral.

I'd have considered the night a success if I learned to change a tire.  The class was far better than I could have hoped.  In an hour and a half I learned to adjust my brakes, my shifting and my dérailleur.  I also learned the correct way to clean and oil a chain and what to do if one pops off while I'm riding. Oh, and I did learn how to change a tire.

The bonus is I'm so much more confident about the bike.  Looking back, I should have taken a class ages ago.  I don't mind figuring things out on my own, but I appreciate having a head start on finding my way out of cluelessness.

My New Bathing Costume

In my ceaseless internet searching about triathlon preparation, I did a bit of shopping for triathlon suits.  I decided that if I could find one for about $35 bucks, I'd buy it.  Since the tri-suits are usually about $100-$150, there was little danger that I'd find one in my size for an 80% discount. Then I ran across this one for the low, low price of thirty bucks..

Let's not kid each other.  I've purchased a hot pink full-body triathlon girdle.  It doesn't hold in the jiggly bits like a girdle, but it looks like a girdle.

Steve, in a fit of wisdom, kindness or self-preservation, told me it looked good.  I'm pretty sure I look ridiculous, but at least my fans will be able to spot me on the course.

What's wrong with this picture?

Last Saturday, I went for a run followed by my first long bike ride - long as in 12 miles.  Of course, it was 12 miles along the Coronado Bike path which isn't exactly challenging terrain. Other than crossing a few intersections, there were no cars.  I did have to contend with other cyclists some of whom rudely insisted on getting within 50 feet of me.  The other riders still make me panic.  And don't even get me started on roller bladers and dogs off their leash.  I'm positive that I will hit one or all of them.  Mostly, a bike ride is me saying to myself, "They see you. They see you. They don't want to crash into you."  I got better and by the end of the ride I could ride near people without completely losing my mind.

Instead of doing the normal triathlon order of ride then run, I decided to run first.  I got off to a bit of a late start and I decided that I'd rather run in what little remained of the cold morning air.  Plus, I figured if the ride was a wash out at least I'd have gotten a run.

Ran for 5 miles and then headed back to my car to get my bike.  That's when I looked down at my feet.

I ran for 5 miles in two different shoes. Completely different: different brands, different heel heights. One of those shoes didn't even have an insole in it. For years, I've been finicky about my running shoes and my precious custom orthotics. The threat of one little bike ride completely distracted me from my precious tootsies.

Ouch

Running is a time specific workout.  Once I pick my training distance, I can accurately estimate my finish time. Cycling is totally different story. Steve can be delayed by a flat tire or a broken spoke. If any teammate has a mechanical problem or just a bad day, the whole team is delayed - maybe by a few hours. Every couple of months, Steve calls me to tell me that someone isn't able to finish the ride.  That's when I hop in the truck and pick them up.

When Steve called me last night from his regular Tuesday ride, I wasn't all that worried.  He said he'd taken a spill and that he had a cut on his forehead. Nope, he didn't need a ride home, but he'd be late. Then another friend called and said "We've got his bike and his stuff and they're loading him into the ambulance."  WTF!

The next hour was sort of a scramble of grabbing stuff for Steve (pajamas, food, eye glasses) and  heading to the hospital - the wrong hospital.  Then I got lost a second time by taking the wrong highway split.  Finally, I got to the correct ER. I must have had my "Don't mess with me" look on my face, because the ER nurse immediately walked me back to see Steve. If you work in the ER, let me give you a free tip.  Tell the family member what they're going to see.  I was visualizing a little knock on the head.  Not gushing blood, a swollen face and cervical collar.  How's about you give me a friggin' warning ER nurse?

Luckily, Steve is okay - no concussion.  (Thank you helmet!  A million thanks.)  He's got a wicked case of road rash on his face,  lots of stitches on his forehead and cheek and a shiner you wouldn't believe.  A little cosmetic damage and general soreness, but time, Neosporin, and Tegaderm will take care of that. 

If you'd have told me that one of us would have a bike accident this week, I wouldn't have guessed Steve.

It's As Easy As Riding A Bike

Triathlon training is coming along swimmingly (HA!) Yesterday, I did a good long workout: swam 500 meters, took an hour long spin class and ran 2.5 miles. That's nearly the distance I'll do in the race. I'm trying to make sure that I'm physically super conditioned for this race. The only thing that can get between me and the triathalon finish line is panic.

Steve offered to tune up my bike for me. When I got rid of the fancy road bike, I bought a heavy steel hybrid bike that I call Blue Steel. I've never actually ridden Blue Steel, but I'll occasionally throw it on the spin trainer and do a spin workout. Steve spent the better part of the afternoon getting Blue Steel ready for service. He got rid of the clip on pedals and he fixed the derailleur (Derailleur is the mechanism that shifts the gears.)

This is all well and good, but when Steve finished the job I needed to get on the bike. Somehow I've managed to completely paralyze myself in fear regarding the bike. I used to love to ride and spent hours on my bike. Granted my road cycling experience wasn't very good, but really, but there is simply no reason to have a panic attack at riding my bike in my friggin' neighborhood. Embarrassingly enough, I had to talk to myself for the entire 10 minute ride. By the time I got back to the house I was shaking.

Here's the plan. I'm going to ride every day - not far, just consistent riding until I don't have a panic attack at the thought of hopping on the bike.

Give It A Tri

Triathlon training is coming along well enough.  The tri I selected is a short race.  I'm reasonably confident I could finish the race today if there was some sort of emergency need for triathletes.  It would be difficult, but I think I could do it.

Mostly, I'm worried about the unknowns.  Endurance sports are a skill that you learn.  I know how to do a marathon - where to pin my race number, what to eat, how to manage my pace in the pack of runners.  Triathlons are tour through the unknown.  How do the transitions work?  Are there scary critters in the water? How deep is it?   Are there eels?  I've decided that eels are a real possibility.   And of course, there's the bike riding.  Road cycling has not been a friend to me.  What if I make a huge fool of myself and everyone laughs at me?

At least I know I'll be physically strong.  I've been swimming pool (no eels there!), spinning on the stationary bike and running. In my heart, I know training in the gym has none of the mental stresses of ocean swimming and road biking.   It's sort of like sky diving.  You can practice all day on the ground, but that doesn't mean you'll be able make yourself take that leap.

I Was Completely Minding My Own Business

I was aimlessly goofing around on Facebook.  Somehow I surfed over and found out that the marathon series I like is branching out into triathlons...
 - And there's a sprint triathlon race here in San Diego.
 - And it's on a weekend that neither Steve nor I have anything scheduled.
 - And the bike ride is short and on non-scary roads.

None of that would have gotten me, but then I saw this...
Finisher's Medals.

Oh, Finishers Medals...I don't know how to quit you.

TriRock Sprint Triathlon
San Diego - Sept. 12th, 2010