It's been a few days now since the race has been over. I just didn't have the energy to go over everything that happened that day yet again. I have played it over and over in my mind and have talked about it a lot with the family. But I do want to make sure I get this down on "paper" so that I can refer back to it when I'm ready to do the next one. Yes...there will be a next one.
I guess I should start with the day prior. Uneventful really with the exception of going to the park where the race would start and finish. We thought we would check out the lake see where the buoys were and get a feel of the water. Not sure this helped me much. Actually I know it didn't. A storm was headed our way. We were at the edge of a huge wind and rain storm that went right through the Chicago land area. Wisconsin was getting the wind albeit not as strong as Chicago. However do you know what happens when 20-25 mph winds are on the lake? Waves, big ones. I shuttered at the thought that it would be like that tomorrow. Not only in the water but on the bike. Wind can take so much out of you. Much harder than rain or sun. With rain you get wet, big deal. You're already wet from the swim anyway. Gets a bit slippery on the roads but that's about it. The sun is hot. Very hot. But in the water doesn't matter. On the bike you create your own breeze that keeps you cool as long as your drink fluids properly. The run would be hard in the sun, but this particular course is a trail run. About 75% full shade. Dave and my Dad tried to reassure me the storm would pass and tomorrow would be better.
It wasn't. It was exactly the same. As we packed up to leave for the race at around 5 am. I just stared at the flags outside the hotel. They were flapping all over the place. Strong winds coming from the WSW. I was already nervous and shaky. Now my anxiety went up a notch. About a 15 min ride over to the park and people were flowing in pretty quick. Gathered all our gear and headed to transition. Dad and I were right next to each other. Set up and then got body marked and got our timing chip. With plenty of time to just wait a panic attack started to set in. The waves now at about 3-4 feet. The winds weren't going to let up anytime soon. I think back now to why was I in such a panic. I think it was a combination of things. The fear of the unknown. This is a race I had never done. Never attempted this length. Didn't know the course. Didn't know what to expect. All I knew was that I hate wind, hills and waves. I am a good swimmer. Compared to the average Joe I could out swim just about anyone. But when your in a field of elite athletes, athlete's who have done this distance many times and athlete's that are familiar with this particular race you start to feel like you have no business being there. That sense of knowing exactly what to do seems to go out the window. At least for me it did. Tears started to fall. I couldn't breathe. I was shaking. It was awful. The hardest part was knowing that no matter how I felt I was still going to do it. I tried so hard to keep myself calm. Really I did do that. It could of been so much worse if I had just allowed myself to totally lose it. I think back on it now and realize I didn't need to be so afraid. I knew what I had to do. I knew I could fight those waves. Nothing was going to stop me from at least trying. I knew that then and I know it now. I do know that having that panic attack took a lot out of me. I hadn't slept in two days. So I was not as physically prepared as I could of been. That would show up later in the race.
We were wave 3. The first wave after the elites. Not sure that was the smartest thing. But oh well. Even though the lake had horrible waves, it was shallow for about the first 200m. You could walk it. Every athlete walked the beginning. It was faster that being thrown around by the waves. We were headed right into them. Eventually you could walk no longer and this is when I had to make the decision that yes I could do this. Off I went. A whole stroke or two. Stopped tread water, thinking well this is harder than I thought. I had my eye set on the far buoy. If I can just get to that buoy we turn and the waves will be at an angle not directly in front of us. Just get to that buoy. Off I went again. Getting slapped in the face as I breathed. Being pushed back as I was trying to go forward. It was the longest 150m meters I have ever swam. But I made it. Made the turn and quickly realized that this is what I needed. It was still much harder than you r average lake swim but doable. Sighting was next to impossible. As you would look up every few strokes the waves blocked you view of the next buoy, so a few times I had to stop and tread water and wait until I could see it to make sure I was on course. Keeping on course was the hardest part at this point. Passed another two buoys with really no one near me. I pretty much was alone for most of the swim. I was out a lot farther in the water than most of the athletes. Made my last turn towards shore. Now we were with the waves. Kinda like surfing in. Had about another 300m to go. New problem. I couldn't see! The sun was rising behind the beach, shining off the water. I couldn't see a thing in front of me. So I swam and swam hoping I was going the right way. I'd adjust a bit and swim some more. There was a group of swimmers about 50y ahead of me. I tried to keep their bobbing head in front of me. One time I looked up and someone was standing. Yes, getting close. I finally stood about 50m from shore. Walked it in the rest of the way. I was tried. Mentally drained and knew I had to get over that quick and move on to the next phase. After getting out of the water you stepped up onto the grass had my wetsuit stripped and had to walk up a grassy hill to get to transition. I chose not to run like everyone else to keep my heart rate down. Dave tells me I swam that in about 33 mins. Which officially became 35. The fastest I have ever swam in a pool was 43. 35 impossible. I believe the course was short. With the winds I think the buoys weren't right or they actually shorten the course for safety reasons. Maybe swimming with the waves in made up alot of time. Who knows. What I do know it that if I ever have to swim with waves again, I'll be ready. It was like swimming in the ocean.
Onto transition.......I didn't rush. I just did what had to be done. Shirt on, socks on, shoes on, sunscreen on face, Gu in pockets, sunglasses on, helmet on. Off I go.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Mind on Overload
I sit here watching the trees in the backyard. No moment. No wind. That rarely happens. A calm sunny Father's day. The family is still sleeping. I had a rough night, though not as bad as the past few nights. Up before 6, popped the Advil. I sit here thinking about all the feelings I've had in the past 24 hours. From a panic attack to a surreal feeling crossing the finish line. So much going through my head. So much to tell.
I need to load the computer with pictures and I would like to wait for the professional ones to be online before I post any race reports. I plan on doing it in 3 sections. Otherwise I think I would be sitting here for hours typing all that I remember. Detail will be a good thing as I will be able to come back to this and recall how I felt and what I need to work on. As of this morning, I decided I will do this again. Next time it will be an Ironman sanctioned event. My husband asked, really what's the difference? It's the same distance. Well all I can compare it to is running a local marathon or running a big city marathon. There is a huge difference. I want to see that IM logo plastered everywhere. I want to spend money on IM 70.3 apparel and trinkets. I want my metal to say IM 70.3 finisher. Not just triathlon finisher. Yup that's what's next in my future. Not sure if it will be next year or the year after. But I'll get there.
Instead of doing any race reports today I'll take the time to thank everyone who helped me on this 6 month voyage. My husband was wonderful. Always an excellent Sherpa. He deals with my ups and downs. He knows when to offer support and when just to listen and not dare say a thing as I might bite off his head. He supports these crazy adventures I take on. This time around the training was big. It took a lot of my time. I did my best to not let it affect the schedules of my kids and husband. I really think I did a great job doing that. However, I know there were a few occasions that I needed to rely on my husband and he was there ready to take on what ever needed to be done that I just couldn't do. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me when I didn't. Thank you for understanding the stress of training. Thank you for never questioning my decisions when it comes to training and racing. Thank you for telling me never, never, never to give up. Happy Father's Day.
My kids have grown up watching me race for over 5 years now. They have been to almost every race I have ever done. They watch as I train. They listen to my story's. They see me limping and in pain on some days. They ask questions and wonder how you get from point A to point B. They understand when I go to bed before they do. Being an athlete is their definition of me. I am their Mom and an athlete. Not such a bad title! They watch, they learn and they cheer me on every time. Thanks boys!
Would I have taken on this last adventure if I was the only family member who races? Yes, I probably would have. However, over 3 years ago I made the switch from being a Marathoner to a Triathlete. I made that decision during a Thanksgiving dinner when my sister's announced that their college has a sprint triathlon. You should do it. Thought about it for a minute or two and looked at my father. Sure we'll do it. And so it began. I have been able to train, race, commiserate and celebrate all that this sport gives us. I got to do it with my Dad. My definition of him. Father and athlete. Nice. How many people get to say that? At approaching the age of 60 he has done things I'm not sure I'll be able to do. My racing days may be over by then. He was a late bloomer and only started his adventures after watching me run my first marathon. I guess I inspired him. He certainly inspires me. Congratulations Dad. Happy Father's Day.
I have such an amazing support crew. All my family. Everyone who gets up so early to see us race. The long days they put in waiting and watching for us to come around the corner to the finish. The signs, the cow bell, the yelling and cheering. The planning they go through to make sure they can see me racing through out the day. It's great to have such a supportive family. I hope one day that I'll be supporting them in races. As my sister's get older and my kids grow up. I believe someone will get the bug. Who will it be?
So thanks to everyone out there who followed me through this process and sent me their support. It truly makes a difference. Not only do I take on these races for myself, but also to inspire and show people that if I can do it so can you. I am not an elite athlete with raw talent. I have to work very very hard at getting across that line. I am not fast but I get the job done. Getting that job done becomes easier with all the support I do get. Thank you!
Hopefully I'll spend time this next week piecing all my race details together. Hopefully, I will be able to walk right in a few days. Over all I am not as sore as I would of thought. I know why. It's because I didn't run as much of the 13 miles that I hoped. I probably ran a little more than 1/2 of it. Run/walk deal thought out the whole thing. My body is tried, stiff, swollen and my knees are the worst. Stairs are painful. I am now in full recovery mode. There will be no fitness activity with the exception of a walk in my future this week. I may go for a short ride/ swim and run next week depending on how I am recovering. Then I'm off on a much needed and earned cruise! Can't wait.
I need to load the computer with pictures and I would like to wait for the professional ones to be online before I post any race reports. I plan on doing it in 3 sections. Otherwise I think I would be sitting here for hours typing all that I remember. Detail will be a good thing as I will be able to come back to this and recall how I felt and what I need to work on. As of this morning, I decided I will do this again. Next time it will be an Ironman sanctioned event. My husband asked, really what's the difference? It's the same distance. Well all I can compare it to is running a local marathon or running a big city marathon. There is a huge difference. I want to see that IM logo plastered everywhere. I want to spend money on IM 70.3 apparel and trinkets. I want my metal to say IM 70.3 finisher. Not just triathlon finisher. Yup that's what's next in my future. Not sure if it will be next year or the year after. But I'll get there.
Instead of doing any race reports today I'll take the time to thank everyone who helped me on this 6 month voyage. My husband was wonderful. Always an excellent Sherpa. He deals with my ups and downs. He knows when to offer support and when just to listen and not dare say a thing as I might bite off his head. He supports these crazy adventures I take on. This time around the training was big. It took a lot of my time. I did my best to not let it affect the schedules of my kids and husband. I really think I did a great job doing that. However, I know there were a few occasions that I needed to rely on my husband and he was there ready to take on what ever needed to be done that I just couldn't do. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me when I didn't. Thank you for understanding the stress of training. Thank you for never questioning my decisions when it comes to training and racing. Thank you for telling me never, never, never to give up. Happy Father's Day.
My kids have grown up watching me race for over 5 years now. They have been to almost every race I have ever done. They watch as I train. They listen to my story's. They see me limping and in pain on some days. They ask questions and wonder how you get from point A to point B. They understand when I go to bed before they do. Being an athlete is their definition of me. I am their Mom and an athlete. Not such a bad title! They watch, they learn and they cheer me on every time. Thanks boys!
Would I have taken on this last adventure if I was the only family member who races? Yes, I probably would have. However, over 3 years ago I made the switch from being a Marathoner to a Triathlete. I made that decision during a Thanksgiving dinner when my sister's announced that their college has a sprint triathlon. You should do it. Thought about it for a minute or two and looked at my father. Sure we'll do it. And so it began. I have been able to train, race, commiserate and celebrate all that this sport gives us. I got to do it with my Dad. My definition of him. Father and athlete. Nice. How many people get to say that? At approaching the age of 60 he has done things I'm not sure I'll be able to do. My racing days may be over by then. He was a late bloomer and only started his adventures after watching me run my first marathon. I guess I inspired him. He certainly inspires me. Congratulations Dad. Happy Father's Day.
I have such an amazing support crew. All my family. Everyone who gets up so early to see us race. The long days they put in waiting and watching for us to come around the corner to the finish. The signs, the cow bell, the yelling and cheering. The planning they go through to make sure they can see me racing through out the day. It's great to have such a supportive family. I hope one day that I'll be supporting them in races. As my sister's get older and my kids grow up. I believe someone will get the bug. Who will it be?
So thanks to everyone out there who followed me through this process and sent me their support. It truly makes a difference. Not only do I take on these races for myself, but also to inspire and show people that if I can do it so can you. I am not an elite athlete with raw talent. I have to work very very hard at getting across that line. I am not fast but I get the job done. Getting that job done becomes easier with all the support I do get. Thank you!
Hopefully I'll spend time this next week piecing all my race details together. Hopefully, I will be able to walk right in a few days. Over all I am not as sore as I would of thought. I know why. It's because I didn't run as much of the 13 miles that I hoped. I probably ran a little more than 1/2 of it. Run/walk deal thought out the whole thing. My body is tried, stiff, swollen and my knees are the worst. Stairs are painful. I am now in full recovery mode. There will be no fitness activity with the exception of a walk in my future this week. I may go for a short ride/ swim and run next week depending on how I am recovering. Then I'm off on a much needed and earned cruise! Can't wait.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Final Countdown
2 days to go.
I was doing good until about 3 pm. Then the panic set in.
I keep asking myself, what is the worst that could happen? I may not finish. 6 months of training not to finish would suck. What's the best that could happen? I could finish. Funny how that works. I'm not a person who thinks that the glass is half full. That's not working to my advantage right now.
I have laid out all my race items on the bed. I have double checked them. I have packed them up in my new transition bag. All set, I thought. Brought the kids over to my Dad's so my sister could make signs with them. After looking at my father's pile of goodies I realized I missed about 4 things. Crap. How could I forget a towel? My transition mat? Extra goggles?
Came home unpacked and packed again. This time a little different. I have Ziploc bags for each event. This will make it easier to set up transition. Plus I'm able to keep my nutrition needs separate so I don't have to think about how many Gu's, beans, or Luna bars I need where. Missing just one thing could really hinder your race when it's as long as an iron man distance.
Ya know the feeling when you have to go to the dentist, or get a shot, or have to do something that really scares you to no end? Usually the worst part of it, is the waiting, the anticipation, the anxiety it causes. The event itself really isn't the worst part. After the event is over you look back and think that wasn't so bad. That's exactly how I feel right now. With each hour that passes it will only get worse. By tomorrow night I will be a mess. Not knowing what to do with myself.
Come race day, I'm focused, scared, tired from no sleep, anxious and I'm sure wondering if I can stay calm this time in the water. I'm determined to get it right. Determined to take all this training and knowledge to have a great race. I'm also determined to not be too serious. I want to enjoy the day. 7 hours of unenjoyable racing just doesn't sound appealing. Since I've never tackled this distance before I have no time to beat. That's a very good feeling. Hopefully a few of those 7 hours won't be miserable. I hope to not be cursing and yelling at myself for even thinking about doing this race. I hope to not keep reiterating that I will not ever do this again. ( I have done that at all 4 marathons )
We leave first thing in the morning. Drop off dog, pick up father. 3 hour drive to Sherwood, WI. Packet pickup, a tour of the lake, a course talk, check of the camp grounds, hopefully a very good dinner, and early to bed. Race starts at 7 am. Wake up call will be 4:30 am.
I wonder if by tonight I will unpack and pack my bag once more........
I was doing good until about 3 pm. Then the panic set in.
I keep asking myself, what is the worst that could happen? I may not finish. 6 months of training not to finish would suck. What's the best that could happen? I could finish. Funny how that works. I'm not a person who thinks that the glass is half full. That's not working to my advantage right now.
I have laid out all my race items on the bed. I have double checked them. I have packed them up in my new transition bag. All set, I thought. Brought the kids over to my Dad's so my sister could make signs with them. After looking at my father's pile of goodies I realized I missed about 4 things. Crap. How could I forget a towel? My transition mat? Extra goggles?
Came home unpacked and packed again. This time a little different. I have Ziploc bags for each event. This will make it easier to set up transition. Plus I'm able to keep my nutrition needs separate so I don't have to think about how many Gu's, beans, or Luna bars I need where. Missing just one thing could really hinder your race when it's as long as an iron man distance.
Ya know the feeling when you have to go to the dentist, or get a shot, or have to do something that really scares you to no end? Usually the worst part of it, is the waiting, the anticipation, the anxiety it causes. The event itself really isn't the worst part. After the event is over you look back and think that wasn't so bad. That's exactly how I feel right now. With each hour that passes it will only get worse. By tomorrow night I will be a mess. Not knowing what to do with myself.
Come race day, I'm focused, scared, tired from no sleep, anxious and I'm sure wondering if I can stay calm this time in the water. I'm determined to get it right. Determined to take all this training and knowledge to have a great race. I'm also determined to not be too serious. I want to enjoy the day. 7 hours of unenjoyable racing just doesn't sound appealing. Since I've never tackled this distance before I have no time to beat. That's a very good feeling. Hopefully a few of those 7 hours won't be miserable. I hope to not be cursing and yelling at myself for even thinking about doing this race. I hope to not keep reiterating that I will not ever do this again. ( I have done that at all 4 marathons )
We leave first thing in the morning. Drop off dog, pick up father. 3 hour drive to Sherwood, WI. Packet pickup, a tour of the lake, a course talk, check of the camp grounds, hopefully a very good dinner, and early to bed. Race starts at 7 am. Wake up call will be 4:30 am.
I wonder if by tonight I will unpack and pack my bag once more........
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Lake in the Hills Triathlon.....take 2
I feel like I've already put in an 18 hour day and it's only 1:24.
Today was race day. Today is my birthday. Welcome to age 39. Let's celebrate by getting no sleep, stressing and getting up at 4:30 am.
Remember yesterday when I said this should be the easiest race I will ever do? Well it wasn't. I've decided if you are truly racing, then no race should be easy. You lay it all out there and in the end should be spent. I'd say I layed out about 80% of what I had. Which is a good thing. If I pushed it to my limit then recovery would not go well and it may effect my race in 6 days.
The early morning brought mist, no sun and no wind. Perfect race day conditions really, with the exception that the roads would be a bit slippery. Setting up transitions went smoothly, porta potty line small (always a good thing) and wet suit went on with out too much trouble. My father was anxious to get out into the water and swim a bit of a warm up. I decided I would go in too. Swam just a few strokes and was ready to start. As I watched the 3 groups before me go I was nervous, anxious and really thinking about the 1/2 iron man. OMG what am I thinking? Really a 1.2 mile swim? This is only .5 miles.
Off I went in the middle of my group. First mistake. Second mistake, trying to swim over the slower people. Third mistake I started to panic. Why? I have no clue. Amongst getting slapped, kicked and pulled my chest started to get tight. If felt like the wet suit was getting smaller and smaller. I wasn't getting anywhere with all the people so I stopped and doggy paddled for a few seconds then started again. Still panicking and the suit still getting tighter. I stopped looked for the boat and had to make a decision. Quit now as I was just on the verge of not being able to breathe at all or somehow over come the situation. If I quit now how on earth will I handle next week's race? I need to figure this out. I need to learn how to handle this situation. I need to get myself under control. Just like that I started again and found my groove. The chest eased up and I was on my way. I did struggle with the current and sighting. At one point I was stuck between two men whom I couldn't get away from. I got hit and kicked again. I tried getting through them around both sides of them and over one of them at one point. But nothing worked. I stopped and let them get slightly ahead hoping to use them for nice drafting. But quickly learned I was swimming faster than they were. Finally there was enough room to go between them and off I went again. The swim was long and hard and the panic attack took allot out of me. My sisters said my time was in the 18:XX. Just over a 9:00 400m pace. I was actually surprised it was that fast.
.
The bike was actually everything I thought it would be. I did well averaging a 17.3 mph pace on hilly conditions. I'll take it. I was looking for my father the whole time on the loop back but somehow never saw him. I was also looking at all the very very nice bikes this year. You know the ones that have the zipp wheels and the racing frames. The true tri bikes verses road bikes. I didn't pass many people as biking is not my strong suit. But I held my own. 15.5 miles in 53 mins
Next up the run. I can tell my legs are stronger. I didn't have the triathletes hobble out of transition. But of course it was only 15.5 miles on the bike not 57. No ipod again as I was fumbling with it in transition and was wasting time. I hate running without music! The miles ticked off one by one. They were hard, the hills are long steady inclines with a big one near the 1/2 mark. I was impressed at how consistent I was. All four miles within a 8:48-8:55 pace. That is an improvement for sure and I am paying for it. Icing the shin as I type this. The course was a bit long so my garmin showed it as about 4.12 miles. So my race results will show a pace of over 9 min miles. But that's ok.
So was it yesterday I said my goal was to hit 1:50? Well I hit 1:50:07. I know my body well. I also know that the past 6 months have not been the proper training for a sprint tri. I am by far a better long distance athlete than a sprinter. I hope this will help me come Saturday. Instead of 2 hours of racing it will be 7 hours of racing. That is a very long time.
I pulled off a PR today though. I don't have the official results but I believe I beat my time by 1 min and 11 seconds. YAHOO.
The rest of my day will be spent resting and enjoying my birthday with the family. REST will be the most important factor for next week. I need enough of it so that I get antsy. So that I can't stand resting any more. A few light workouts and that's it for the week. No errands, no projects, no stress.
I never did see my father during the whole race. I was just far enough ahead that our paths never crossed. Again he struggled on the swim but really I think he did better mentally then I did. He is always awesome on the bike. I swear I pull him along during training, then come race day he nails it. The run, his famous shuffle. Holding his 10 min mile pace. Nice Job Dad. We both question what next week will bring and how will we get through it. One stroke, stride and step at a time.
Today was race day. Today is my birthday. Welcome to age 39. Let's celebrate by getting no sleep, stressing and getting up at 4:30 am.
Remember yesterday when I said this should be the easiest race I will ever do? Well it wasn't. I've decided if you are truly racing, then no race should be easy. You lay it all out there and in the end should be spent. I'd say I layed out about 80% of what I had. Which is a good thing. If I pushed it to my limit then recovery would not go well and it may effect my race in 6 days.
The early morning brought mist, no sun and no wind. Perfect race day conditions really, with the exception that the roads would be a bit slippery. Setting up transitions went smoothly, porta potty line small (always a good thing) and wet suit went on with out too much trouble. My father was anxious to get out into the water and swim a bit of a warm up. I decided I would go in too. Swam just a few strokes and was ready to start. As I watched the 3 groups before me go I was nervous, anxious and really thinking about the 1/2 iron man. OMG what am I thinking? Really a 1.2 mile swim? This is only .5 miles.
Off I went in the middle of my group. First mistake. Second mistake, trying to swim over the slower people. Third mistake I started to panic. Why? I have no clue. Amongst getting slapped, kicked and pulled my chest started to get tight. If felt like the wet suit was getting smaller and smaller. I wasn't getting anywhere with all the people so I stopped and doggy paddled for a few seconds then started again. Still panicking and the suit still getting tighter. I stopped looked for the boat and had to make a decision. Quit now as I was just on the verge of not being able to breathe at all or somehow over come the situation. If I quit now how on earth will I handle next week's race? I need to figure this out. I need to learn how to handle this situation. I need to get myself under control. Just like that I started again and found my groove. The chest eased up and I was on my way. I did struggle with the current and sighting. At one point I was stuck between two men whom I couldn't get away from. I got hit and kicked again. I tried getting through them around both sides of them and over one of them at one point. But nothing worked. I stopped and let them get slightly ahead hoping to use them for nice drafting. But quickly learned I was swimming faster than they were. Finally there was enough room to go between them and off I went again. The swim was long and hard and the panic attack took allot out of me. My sisters said my time was in the 18:XX. Just over a 9:00 400m pace. I was actually surprised it was that fast.
.
The bike was actually everything I thought it would be. I did well averaging a 17.3 mph pace on hilly conditions. I'll take it. I was looking for my father the whole time on the loop back but somehow never saw him. I was also looking at all the very very nice bikes this year. You know the ones that have the zipp wheels and the racing frames. The true tri bikes verses road bikes. I didn't pass many people as biking is not my strong suit. But I held my own. 15.5 miles in 53 mins
Next up the run. I can tell my legs are stronger. I didn't have the triathletes hobble out of transition. But of course it was only 15.5 miles on the bike not 57. No ipod again as I was fumbling with it in transition and was wasting time. I hate running without music! The miles ticked off one by one. They were hard, the hills are long steady inclines with a big one near the 1/2 mark. I was impressed at how consistent I was. All four miles within a 8:48-8:55 pace. That is an improvement for sure and I am paying for it. Icing the shin as I type this. The course was a bit long so my garmin showed it as about 4.12 miles. So my race results will show a pace of over 9 min miles. But that's ok.
So was it yesterday I said my goal was to hit 1:50? Well I hit 1:50:07. I know my body well. I also know that the past 6 months have not been the proper training for a sprint tri. I am by far a better long distance athlete than a sprinter. I hope this will help me come Saturday. Instead of 2 hours of racing it will be 7 hours of racing. That is a very long time.
I pulled off a PR today though. I don't have the official results but I believe I beat my time by 1 min and 11 seconds. YAHOO.
The rest of my day will be spent resting and enjoying my birthday with the family. REST will be the most important factor for next week. I need enough of it so that I get antsy. So that I can't stand resting any more. A few light workouts and that's it for the week. No errands, no projects, no stress.
I never did see my father during the whole race. I was just far enough ahead that our paths never crossed. Again he struggled on the swim but really I think he did better mentally then I did. He is always awesome on the bike. I swear I pull him along during training, then come race day he nails it. The run, his famous shuffle. Holding his 10 min mile pace. Nice Job Dad. We both question what next week will bring and how will we get through it. One stroke, stride and step at a time.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Title Test
Well it's come down to the last 7 days. Really, 6 days as it is already 8:30 pm.
Tomorrow is my test. The Lake in the Hills Triathlon. I said out loud today that of all the races I could do this should be the absolute easiest. The lake is only 3 miles from my house and the finish line is less than 2 miles away. This gives me an advantage in a few ways.
A little more sleep, though I still will have to get up no later than 4:45 am since the race starts at 6:30 am. I also know the course like the back of my hand. Especially the bike portion. I've been riding the same roads for a few years now. I know every hill, downhill, turn, potholes, when to take advantage of the slight downhill that may not be noticed by others until it's over. How the wind usually is on the course, where it blows the hardest and where I can gain some time by hovering on the areo bars when the wind can't get to you. The course is NOT easy. It has hills. Quite a few. And a slight uphill that lasts for about a mile. But I know what to expect.
The weather is not supposed to be sunny and actually that is a good thing. Last year the sun was bright and you swam right towards it for the first 200m's or so. It was blinding. You couldn't see the buoys. You couldn't see anything really until you got to turn. This year that shouldn't be an issue. I know the turns, I know when to stand at the end, I know how far the run will be to get to the bike. I know to go quicker this year getting the wetsuit off.
The run is a surprise for most people who do this race. They expect to run to be flat. It isn't. There are two gradual inclines that seem to last forever. Especially after swimming and biking. I know when they are. I know how long they will last. I know that when I turn right on the bike path to start running faster. Only 1/2 mile to the finish then. Typical sprint tri's have a 5k run. This is a 4 mile run. That last mile can be very hard on the newer triathletes just starting out. This is where I can make up some time. Last year I was the first female LITH resident to cross the line. I would like to keep that title, thank you.
Tomorrow is my test. The Lake in the Hills Triathlon. I said out loud today that of all the races I could do this should be the absolute easiest. The lake is only 3 miles from my house and the finish line is less than 2 miles away. This gives me an advantage in a few ways.
A little more sleep, though I still will have to get up no later than 4:45 am since the race starts at 6:30 am. I also know the course like the back of my hand. Especially the bike portion. I've been riding the same roads for a few years now. I know every hill, downhill, turn, potholes, when to take advantage of the slight downhill that may not be noticed by others until it's over. How the wind usually is on the course, where it blows the hardest and where I can gain some time by hovering on the areo bars when the wind can't get to you. The course is NOT easy. It has hills. Quite a few. And a slight uphill that lasts for about a mile. But I know what to expect.
The weather is not supposed to be sunny and actually that is a good thing. Last year the sun was bright and you swam right towards it for the first 200m's or so. It was blinding. You couldn't see the buoys. You couldn't see anything really until you got to turn. This year that shouldn't be an issue. I know the turns, I know when to stand at the end, I know how far the run will be to get to the bike. I know to go quicker this year getting the wetsuit off.
The run is a surprise for most people who do this race. They expect to run to be flat. It isn't. There are two gradual inclines that seem to last forever. Especially after swimming and biking. I know when they are. I know how long they will last. I know that when I turn right on the bike path to start running faster. Only 1/2 mile to the finish then. Typical sprint tri's have a 5k run. This is a 4 mile run. That last mile can be very hard on the newer triathletes just starting out. This is where I can make up some time. Last year I was the first female LITH resident to cross the line. I would like to keep that title, thank you.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Mental Hurdle
I spent 15 minutes today thinking about how on earth I would run 13.1 miles after biking 56.7?
Today was my last official long bike ride before the HIM. 2.5 hrs followed by a 15 minute run. My bike ride was uneventful for a change. No one threw anything at me. No bugs attacked me. I had a head wind on the way out and on the way back for the first time in 5 attempts at this route a tail wind for 10 miles on a flat. YAHOO! Hitting speeds of 19 and 20 MPH without much effort. If come race day there is wind and hills I will be prepared but not happy. If there is only the one giant cliff that the race is named after to get up and no wind I'll be in great shape to battle out the 56.7 miles.
The question is how will I do on the run? Today a measly 15 min run. As I started I realized I had no music. So instead I listened to my breathing. Not smooth. Raspy if you want to call it. I still had the HR monitor on and I glanced down to see just how high the rate was. I was supposed to be running in zone 1 or 2. Which is a max HR of about 140. Really it should of been in the low 130's. I was just shy of zone 4. 149 to be exact. Now I didn't have my garmin on so I don't know how fast I was running and there is no way to tell when you are running right off the bike. Your perspective is all screwed up. I think it may be time to invest in the triathlon garmin with a HR monitor built in. Anyway, I think I was running about 10:00- 10:15 pace. But in the past I have thought that and I was running about a 9:15-9:30 pace. Once I got about 10 mins into the run my breathing smoothed out and I found my rhythm. By this time I would venture to guess I was running about 9:30. That would be great for the race. But there was no way I was going to be able to keep that up for 12 more miles. I see a walk/run in my future. I can only hope that I nail the bike portion and get the perfect nutrition plan in place. If I'm able to do that then the run should go ok. In my mind as I rode today I think I've got the nutrition where I want it. It's all about timing. I still have trouble getting my food out and eating it while biking!
The run........I have determined it will be the hardest thing mentally and physically that I have ever done. Do I dare say even harder than childbirth? Ok maybe not quite that hard. But close. As I have trained these 5 months I have even more respect for Ironman athletes. I just don't know how it's done. Maybe after a few HIM's I'll understand how the body can do such a thing.
Really did I just say a few HIM's? Well I must be more confident than I thought.
Tomorrow is a swim day and that is it until Sunday for the LITH sprint tri. A 800m swim, 15.5 mile bike and a 4 mile run. I should be done by 9 am. Goal for the race is to race hard but not too hard to damage any recovery efforts for the next race 6 days later. Last year time was 1:51:18. So let's go with anything under 1:50. I should be able to do that.
Today was my last official long bike ride before the HIM. 2.5 hrs followed by a 15 minute run. My bike ride was uneventful for a change. No one threw anything at me. No bugs attacked me. I had a head wind on the way out and on the way back for the first time in 5 attempts at this route a tail wind for 10 miles on a flat. YAHOO! Hitting speeds of 19 and 20 MPH without much effort. If come race day there is wind and hills I will be prepared but not happy. If there is only the one giant cliff that the race is named after to get up and no wind I'll be in great shape to battle out the 56.7 miles.
The question is how will I do on the run? Today a measly 15 min run. As I started I realized I had no music. So instead I listened to my breathing. Not smooth. Raspy if you want to call it. I still had the HR monitor on and I glanced down to see just how high the rate was. I was supposed to be running in zone 1 or 2. Which is a max HR of about 140. Really it should of been in the low 130's. I was just shy of zone 4. 149 to be exact. Now I didn't have my garmin on so I don't know how fast I was running and there is no way to tell when you are running right off the bike. Your perspective is all screwed up. I think it may be time to invest in the triathlon garmin with a HR monitor built in. Anyway, I think I was running about 10:00- 10:15 pace. But in the past I have thought that and I was running about a 9:15-9:30 pace. Once I got about 10 mins into the run my breathing smoothed out and I found my rhythm. By this time I would venture to guess I was running about 9:30. That would be great for the race. But there was no way I was going to be able to keep that up for 12 more miles. I see a walk/run in my future. I can only hope that I nail the bike portion and get the perfect nutrition plan in place. If I'm able to do that then the run should go ok. In my mind as I rode today I think I've got the nutrition where I want it. It's all about timing. I still have trouble getting my food out and eating it while biking!
The run........I have determined it will be the hardest thing mentally and physically that I have ever done. Do I dare say even harder than childbirth? Ok maybe not quite that hard. But close. As I have trained these 5 months I have even more respect for Ironman athletes. I just don't know how it's done. Maybe after a few HIM's I'll understand how the body can do such a thing.
Really did I just say a few HIM's? Well I must be more confident than I thought.
Tomorrow is a swim day and that is it until Sunday for the LITH sprint tri. A 800m swim, 15.5 mile bike and a 4 mile run. I should be done by 9 am. Goal for the race is to race hard but not too hard to damage any recovery efforts for the next race 6 days later. Last year time was 1:51:18. So let's go with anything under 1:50. I should be able to do that.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Name Change
It's over.
The time went sooooo fast.
Things are going to change.
I'm sad and at the same time very happy.
It's the last day of school.
In 4 hours I will have two middle schoolers in the house. Everyday for the next 2 3/4 months.
I love my kids, but everyday for the next 2 3/4 months and I might go insane.
I'm thrilled for them that they get some time off. They deserve it. But now I go from being Joelle 1/2 of the day to not even knowing who Joelle might be. It's now going to be "MOM!" (screamed throughout the day when someone needs something) all of the day. My kids are old enough now to be left alone when I need to get the training in and when I need to go somewhere. However, I still arrange that so they are either sleeping most of the time I'm gone or it's just a quick run out for something. Guilt plagues me when they are home. I have always been here for them when they needed something. I have never counted on family to help me raise my kids. I have been lucky enough to be able to stay home and do all that needed to be done for them. Molding them into two great kids. Giving them a very stable home life and the comfort of knowing that Mom will be there when they need it. It's been on very rare occasions that we asked family to help out. To pick someone up or to take care of another because I couldn't be where I need to be. I believe that is a benefit to my children. That staying home all these years was the best decision I could of made. But I guess now that both are in middle school it's time to start pulling away. They are going to have to figure out what to do with their days and figure out how to get to where they want to go. Bikes are a wonderful thing for that. Of course I will be doing my fair share of driving here and there just like I have been. But hopefully it won't be more.
Things will be different this year. List of chores will be made. Things will need to get done before the fun starts. Sure I'll let them slack off for a week or so. But then a schedule must start. No reason beds can't be made, rooms cleaned up, dishes done, clothes put away and the yard mowed. They have all day everyday to get the jobs done. I will not feel guilty.
These next two weeks are going to be a test for me. I huge mental test. The first two weeks of summer are the hardest. The kids get used to being around each other all the time and I get used to having them home all the time. These two weeks are the hardest for me anyway. I have a race next weekend and the following weekend. The big race being just over 2 weeks away. I'll be a mess just with that over my head. Combine that with the kids being home and I may loose it just a few times and run away when my husband gets home from work. Mentally I will need to run away to regroup and get myself ready for the next day. After the first two weeks of summer things start to smooth out and we all get into a routine. Races will be completed and a cruise will be waiting for us just 10 days later.
Summer will go by fast I'm sure. It always does.
The time went sooooo fast.
Things are going to change.
I'm sad and at the same time very happy.
It's the last day of school.
In 4 hours I will have two middle schoolers in the house. Everyday for the next 2 3/4 months.
I love my kids, but everyday for the next 2 3/4 months and I might go insane.
I'm thrilled for them that they get some time off. They deserve it. But now I go from being Joelle 1/2 of the day to not even knowing who Joelle might be. It's now going to be "MOM!" (screamed throughout the day when someone needs something) all of the day. My kids are old enough now to be left alone when I need to get the training in and when I need to go somewhere. However, I still arrange that so they are either sleeping most of the time I'm gone or it's just a quick run out for something. Guilt plagues me when they are home. I have always been here for them when they needed something. I have never counted on family to help me raise my kids. I have been lucky enough to be able to stay home and do all that needed to be done for them. Molding them into two great kids. Giving them a very stable home life and the comfort of knowing that Mom will be there when they need it. It's been on very rare occasions that we asked family to help out. To pick someone up or to take care of another because I couldn't be where I need to be. I believe that is a benefit to my children. That staying home all these years was the best decision I could of made. But I guess now that both are in middle school it's time to start pulling away. They are going to have to figure out what to do with their days and figure out how to get to where they want to go. Bikes are a wonderful thing for that. Of course I will be doing my fair share of driving here and there just like I have been. But hopefully it won't be more.
Things will be different this year. List of chores will be made. Things will need to get done before the fun starts. Sure I'll let them slack off for a week or so. But then a schedule must start. No reason beds can't be made, rooms cleaned up, dishes done, clothes put away and the yard mowed. They have all day everyday to get the jobs done. I will not feel guilty.
These next two weeks are going to be a test for me. I huge mental test. The first two weeks of summer are the hardest. The kids get used to being around each other all the time and I get used to having them home all the time. These two weeks are the hardest for me anyway. I have a race next weekend and the following weekend. The big race being just over 2 weeks away. I'll be a mess just with that over my head. Combine that with the kids being home and I may loose it just a few times and run away when my husband gets home from work. Mentally I will need to run away to regroup and get myself ready for the next day. After the first two weeks of summer things start to smooth out and we all get into a routine. Races will be completed and a cruise will be waiting for us just 10 days later.
Summer will go by fast I'm sure. It always does.
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