TriWaco Race Report

Results : Chip Time 1:33:21
400 M Swim  10:53, Pace 2:43/m
t1 3:03
20 k  bike 43:03 Pace 17.4 mph
3.45 mile run 34:23 Pace 10:07 M * ( My Garmin shows a 9:50 M pace)

The highlight of this race was meeting up for the dinner the night before with other Tri4Him members from Houston, DFW and Austin.  This race had been been chosen as a regional challenge between the area groups, and we were competing for the coveted "Golden Shoe" trophy.  We all met at the hotel restaraunt for a pre race dinner and fellowship on Saturday evening. It was great to catch up with the members of the Houston group we had met in Kemah, as well as get aquainted with some new friends too.  It was amazing to see us fill the entire restaraunt, and the next morning to see so many Tri4Him kits out on the course. I'm truly blessed to be  part of such a great team.
   Race morning started early, but I felt more relaxed about the race than usual. We could literally roll out of bed to transition. We were able to go down and set up transition, then return to our hotel room for breakfast and to cool off in the A/C for a little while before the pre race meeting. The most important part of the meeting was Jack reminding everyone to stay hydrated and he cautioned us to be careful in the heat. Something I should have been more mindful of, especially since I had been battling some type of stomach bug since Thursday.
   The swim was a wave start, but the starting buoy this time was beyond where I could touch the river bottom.  I didn't want to add time to my swim by waiting near the shore, so I swam out to the front of the wave and treaded water until the horn sounded. The swim was set up as a square, each corner was a yellow turn bouy that were 100 meters apart. In between those was an orange one that was 50 meters from the corners. I was able to get into a pretty good rythm and being able to tell how far I was at each of the buoys helped spur me along. It felt like it didn't take any time at all to get to the halfway mark, and then I made the last turn, and swam parallel to the shore to the finish. As I was swimming  towards the finish, I saw Cindy, from the Houston Tri4Him team, running up towards transition, which inspired to push a little harder to the finish. The water was hot, and I was sweating when I clambered out of the water, but I was happy to see I had shaved 1:10 off my previous OWS time.
  We had to run up a long ramp to get back to transition, so I wasn't too shocked to see a  longer transition time for T1. I did the usual, race skirt, shoes, sunglasses, helmet, and out. The bike course felt pretty flat, and I felt as though I pushed hard for most of it.  We rode for the most part on the shoulder, and I noticed several people stopped to fix flat tires during the race.  They had swept it the day before, but I guess overnight some broken glass had accumulated. I was glad to see George starting his bike ride as I was heading in. I always feel more at ease when I know he's exited the water safely.  I had a hard time with the gel caps, they were melty and sticky, and felt like a gooey blob in my mouth. It certainly didn't help that as I was about to eat my last one I noticed a dead, stinking, armadillo on the roadside.  I had two water bottles with me on my bike, one filled with water and one filled with Nuun. By the end of the bike portion, I had only consumed about 1/4 of the Nuun bottle.  I wasn't feeling my best, and didn't stop to think that I should have been taking in much more fluid during this race. My husband marks his bottles and gives himself a 12 minute timer to remind himself drink to each mark.  I definitely need to do this on my next race.  And I'm ditching the gel caps. I'm going to try hydrating with Heed while I ride.( Maybe I"ll keep a few sport beans in my bag too. )
     After I dismounted my bike and started to run into T2, I dropped my bike, twice. I really don't know how it happened, but it was probably a clue that I was starting to dehydrate and feeling unsteady.  I remember feeling like the sun was just beating down on my when I was putting on my running shoes.  Before I finished the first mile, one of my calves started to cramp up.  I saw my running speed steadily decrease, my legs felt heavy and I was nauseous. By the time I came to the split where the sprint course turns and heads up the ramp to the first bridge, both of my calves were cramping. There was an aid station, and I sipped a bit of water before dumping it on my head to cool off.   My brain just wasn't working, I should have stopped to drink some Gatorade at this point, and the calf cramps should have been a clue that I was dehydrated. But all I could think of was cooling off.  I ran slowly up to the bridge and after I crossed it we were no longer running in the shade.  I felt unbearably hot, and continued to slow down. Just then a guy passed me wearing a shirt that said "Quitting is not an option". I focused on that saying and followed that shirt for the rest of the race.   I knew that this race wasn't going to be a PR, and so I focused on just maintaing a comfortable pace to finish the last 2 miles.   It felt like an eternity, and all I could think about was heading up to shower in the air conditioned hotel room when I finished.   We had to run up one more ramp so we could cross the bridge towards the finish line. The distance of this run was actually 3.45 miles instead of the usual 3.1, and for some reason that little bit of extra distance seemed to take so much longer. And looking at my splits, I had slowed to runing at an 11 minute pace for the final .45 mile. As I crossed the finish line, I could barely muster the energy to raise my arms, and certainly wasn't smiling.



I gratefully recieved my finisher medal, took in as much fluid as possible and headed up to the hotel for a cold shower.  After I cooled down, I went back down to the race area to check in on George. He was just coming in to transition from the bike and beginning his run.  I knew his time seemed way to slow for his usual bike pace, and found out later he had flatted on the course.   I watched him cross the finish line about an hour later, and knew he had a tougher race than I did. It seemed as though much of my team had suffered during this race, it was just too hot. 
    I think I was pretty lucky that I didn't suffer from heat exhaustion  during this race. I had tried to hydrate well in the days preceding the race, but my stomach issue had probably left me in a little bit of a deficiet as far as keeping fluids down.  Being sick right before the race made me weaker, and once I got out to race in the heat, my thinking wasn't as clear as it should have been.  I felt pretty awful by the end of the race.  It's been an unusually hot summer, and I'm not planning on racing in August.  Triathlon has been a fun hobby for me, and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't see any reason to suffer through another race in this type of heat.  But, I'll still be training for my next race in October. Hopfully by then mother nature will have brought back some more reasonable temperatures.

TriWaco Goals

Goals for Sunday's race:
400 M Swim :  My last race showed my slowest swim. I've been working all season on becoming more comfortable with open water swimming. Now that I'm comfortable in the open water, I want to be faster, which given my previous swim times shouldn't be too hard to do. I certainly don't think I could get slower unless I just stop and float on my back.  I've been working on kicking a little more which seems to help me swim a little faster, and get into a better rhythm. I have strong legs, and need to use that as an advantage when I'm swimming. My goal here is under 10 minutes, which will be a challenge for me to achieve.
20 K Bike: I raced at 18.5 mph last month, and 17.0 mph in May. The difference between the two races was that the second course was flatter and faster than the TriRock.  I'll set my goal here for somewhere between the two. 17.5 mph. ( about 43 minutes)
3.45 mile Run: As the weather gets hotter, my run times seem to become increasing slower. The run course is a little longer than  the usual 3.1 m which means I'm going to have to push a little harder to keep my pace towards the end.  My goal pace here is about 9:10 minutes per mile, around 31 minutes to complete the run.
I can't wait to race with my Tri4Him teammates from all over Texas, and am really looking forward to the pre race dinner we will all share together. What I'm looking forward to the most is crossing the finish line, and then watching my husband cross the finish line. Afterward, we both plan some well deserved rest and relaxation.

Sticking with the Sprint

Originally, when I planned out my 2011 racing season, I was going wrap up this season by competing in an Olympic distance race. It seemed like a natural progression to work up to racing in a longer race, and I still look forward to completing this challenge. But, not this year.  Several things have changed for me this racing season, and for now I have decided for this year to stick with the sprint. I need more time to concentrate on career and family this year, which means less time training.
      I'll be starting a new position next fall, as a PE coach.  This is going to be a fun, but drastic change from teaching in regular classroom.   This means I'll be teaching 400 kids a week, and I'll need time to prepare lessons, games and activities for them.  After school, I'll still be coaching my running club, and my fellow coach and I have planned more races and events for our runners this year. And I'll be in charge of field day, which will take a ton of planning in order to make it a successful event.  So, I'll still be pretty active, but just not as much swimming and biking as orginally planned.
     My family is my first priority, and I want to enjoy more time time with them this summer, as well as completing some big family projects. I'm lucky to have time off  to spend with my kids,  but while they are home, I'm less likely to be able to get outside for a long bike ride or a long run. It's simpler to hop on the trainer for a short ride during their nap time, or head to the Y for a short run on the treadmill.   With my husband competing in Olympic races, I have been able to see firsthand the amount of time needed each week for training. And right now it doesn't make sense for us both to spend that amount of time in training.   With small children,  we have to take turns  training for those long rides and runs.  That means more time apart from each other. If my husband is going on a 3 hour bike ride on a Sunday, then I'm not likely to want to head out for my own 3 hour ride as soon as he gets back.  It make more sense for me to get in a shorter ride so I can spend more time with both my kids and husband.  And with one of my kids having minor surgery this month, I'll need to spend more time at home helping him recover.
     It's all about balance for me. I need to balance the amount of time I spend training with the amount of time needed to concentrate on the other areas of my life. And this year that balance means a little less time focused on triathlon.  That doesn't mean less effort in my training.   I still plan to put in my best effort training at a shorter distance. I think that by spending another season concentrating on the sprint distance I will be able to improve my performance.  In the long run it will make me a better athlete. For me, it makes sense to concentrate on the type of race where I can perform well. I've been on the podium once this season, and I'd like to get there again.  I want to train hard and smart this year.     
     Smart training means avoiding injury.  I trained for the White Rock Marathon in 2009, and ended that season be having surgery instead of competing in the marathon. In 2010, I pushed too hard and fast while trying barefoot running training for the White Rock half marathon. That season ended in injury, a very uncomfortable boot, and a lot of rehab.   It's important for me finish this season healthy and injury free.  Shorter distance training makes the most sense for me from that standpoint. 
     The 2011 racing season has been great so far. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season, starting my new job, and most importantly, all of the great things in store for my family. 

2011 Metroplex Sprint Tri Race Report

Results:

400 M Swim =Time: 12:19,  Pace 3:05 M

T1 1:40

11 Mile Bike=35:36, Pace 18.5 mph

T2 0:56

2 Mile Run = 17:54, Pace 8:57

Total time : 1 hour 8 minutes

Age group : Second Place

Swim: George and I took a few minutes to warm up in the lake after setting up transition.  I got in, put my face in the water and blew  a few bubbles, then started my warm up swim. It was a little chilly getting back out of the water ( note for next race, keep an extra towel in transition bag), but it keep me from being afraid going in to the start.  George and I were in the same wave, which was the first to start. So I didn't have the usual waiting around time to let my nerves get the best of me. We lined up at the chute, George gave me a quick kiss, squeezed my hand and we walked down to the water. He lined up at the front, and I positioned myself in the middle.  The horn sounded and the wave took off.  We were facing the sun until the first turn buoy, so sighting was a little difficult.  Once we turned, we were going into the wind, and the water was pretty choppy.  I passed a lady who stopped at the turn buoy, and then I saw the kayak head towards her and fish her out of the water. I tried to pick up my pace at each buoy, and felt like I was moving along pretty well.   At the last turn bouy, I was again facing the sun, and there was one other swimmer along side me, breastroking, at the same pace as my freestyle. I pulled ahead of him just enough to beat him out of the water.  I looked at my watch when I hit the mat, and was dissapointed to see that it had taken me 12 minutes to complete the swim.  I thought surely I had been faster. This was my slowest swim of any race. I wasn't wearing a wetsuit this time, however, I don't think it should contribute to my swimming that much slower.( Especially since I had such a terrible time with the swim at Kemah.) But, I had made it through an open water swim comfortably without panicking, and that was my main goal for this race. 

T1: Saw George's bike was gone, so I knew he'd had a safe swim. Got my gear on as quickly as possible and raced out to start the bike.

Bike:  As soon as I mounted my bike and turned onto the course I encountered two obliviots who were completely blocking me. The were riding side by side discussing their bikes and the race.  I was trying to figure out how to get around them, when I heard the sound of disc wheels coming up behind me pretty fast. He blew past them, cutting pretty close to the one on the outside, and she quickly moved her bike over to the right.  I passed them, and sped up. They would be the only people I would pass during the race. I got passed by my the guy from the end of the swim, but I stayed pretty close behind him for the next 10 miles. I pushed myself as hard as I could during the bike, but I kept feeling like I was going faster than what my Garmin was telling me.   After the turnaround, I was heading into the wind, and saw my speed keep dropping. I was getting frustrated, because I hate the wind with a passion, and I thought that racing in the summer would mean no wind.  I was frustrated that I wasn't going to meet my goal for the bike, and thought I had set it too high. ( But, I would rather set a higher goal and fall short, knowing I pushed myself hard to try and get there. I don't want to just set a goal I know I can easily achieve just so I can say I did it.) I got passed by one person in my age group, and had no idea where the rest of my competition was.  As I was nearing the finish, I took my Garmin off my bike and onto my arm in preparation for my run. I accidentally turned it off, then I had to turn it back on and change the mode for my run. I had no idea how fast I was going, so I just pedalled as hard as I could.

T2: The usual, change shoes, throw on hat, get out fast.

Run: this was the hardest part of the race for me. I was sucking wind for the first mile. It was hot, and I was tired from pushing hard on the bike. I passed the guy I had been trailing on the bike, and he just stopped and walked. I saw George heading in for his last half mile, and I was inspired to try and speed up a little. I ran through the aid station and almost ran over a volunteer who had decided now was a good time to be all over the course to pick up cups. When I first saw the aid station I mistook it for the turnaround, but looked at my Garmin and realized I had only run 1/2 a mile. I knew then it would be a much tougher run than I had anticipated. I tried to enjoy the tiny bit of shade and view of the lake that followed but as soon as I was back in the sun I started to feel defeated. That's when the little devil on my shoulder showed up and started to convince me that maybe I could just slow down, or even walk the rest. It was hot, humid,  I was in the sun, and I was exhausted.  Then I saw a woman in my age group, and decided I could run just a little faster to pass her before the turnaround. Then just a few yards ahead of me, I saw another woman in my age group. I ran faster again, and passed her. Each time I heard footfalls behind me, I pushed just a little bit more hoping neither of the women I had passed would catch up to me. I rounded the turn and saw the clock, and knew I would make my time goal. Relief was in sight, and for once, there are actual pictures of me smiling as I ran it in to the finish.

Post Race:  I drank as much water as I could and tried to cool down. Then Jack brought out some frozen watermelon. This was by far the best post race refreshment I've had. When I checked the results and knew I had placed well enough to get an award, I was pretty excited. I felt so proud when Jack called my name and I went up to recieve my medal. What I love about Ironhead races is that you don't get handed a medal just for finishing the race. You have to earn one by placing. It was the first race medal that I had actually won, I wasn't just given it for completing the race.

Final Notes: Now that I've reached a level of comfort in the water, my next swim goal is to speed up and race the swim a little harder.  This swim was slower for everyone because of the wind and rougher water, but I know I can do better.I would like for my swims to get faster with each race, not slower. I was pleaseantly surprised to see my bike pace ended up being faster than my goal. I think I've said this before, but my Garmin usually usually displays a slower mph during a race than what ends up being my official average pace.  It certainly explains why I felt like I was going faster than what the Garmin displayed.   I still have a lot of work ahead of me to get faster, but I'm pleased with the results so far.  I really underestimated how hard a two mile run could be. I knew to expect slower pace time because of the heat, but only running two miles threw me off. It usually takes me the first mile to compose myself and get my breathing under control from coming off the bike. The second mile is where I start to find a good rythm, and the third mile is when I can try to push just a little faster to get to the finish. So only having two miles to run, I had a harder time finding and keeping a good pace. This was the slowest run I've had this season. And the heat really got to me. It made me feel sluggish and slow the whole run.

What I loved about this race was my husband and I were #73 and #74.  We got to rack our bikes next to each other, and set up transition side by side. It was was more fun than setting up alone next to strangers, and our banter and laughter kept me feeling at ease prior to the race. It was great to start the swim wave together too, even though I knew he would be much farther ahead of me, there was something about knowing he was in the water with me that kept me feeling calm. It was amazing to be able to share the experience with him. I wouldn't want it any other way.

This was a good race, and though it was a shorter distance, it was still a challange.  I'm proud of my accomplishment, and look forward to getting stronger and faster.

Metroplex Sprint Tri Goals

I can't believe it's already race week, and that I'm about to compete in my third tri of the season. This next race isn't an "A" race for me.  My main motivation for participating in this race is to get more experience racing with an OWS.  This is more of a preparation for TriWaco in July. The entire race is a little shorter, 400 m swim 11 mile bike, and 2 mile run. Now that doesn't mean I plan on taking it easy and getting in some sightseeing at Lynn Creek Park during the race. I still plan to race hard and give it my best effort.  But my main focus will be the swim.  
Swim Goal :I would like this to be the first open water race where I don't panic during the swim.  I think we'll be allowed to warm up in the lake before we start, which should help me feel more comfortable. I know how fast I can swim in my time trial at the pool, and yet every race is much slower than that.  I have yet to hit my swim goal time in a race. I haven't had as much time training at the lake as I would like, but the last OWS went very well, and I felt perfectly comfortable in the murky water. I'm setting the goal here at 9 minutes. 
Bike: This is a flat, fast course.  Plus the 25 mph winds have finally died down now that spring has come and gone. The goal here is to maintain 18 mph or greater average speed and come in under 37 minutes.
Run: Again, I think it's a fast flat course, and being only 2 miles, I should be able to push it a little harder than in May, but it's going to be the first really hot race of the season, and my training times have slowed as the temperature has risen. The goal here is 8:40 pace, which would put me finishing the run in 17:20.
Add in time for transitions, and my goal is to finish in under 1 hour 10 minutes.

Why I Love Being Married to a Triathlete

My husband got bitten by the triathlon bug first. I spent a summer learning how to be a good tri spectator while entertaining our two small children in between T1, T2 and the finish line. Our new office furniture was a road bike and trainer. There seemed to be and endless array of soggy tech shirts, running shorts, bike shorts and swim trunks needing to be washed.  I was always tripping over cycling and running shoes laying on the floor.  And there was this giant Triathlon book that was always needing to be moved when I needed to dust. Somewhere during his off season he encouraged me to get involved in triathlon. Now, our parents are the ones entertaining the kids while we race. There are two bikes, and they've been moved to the garage "fitness center".  I have double the amount of soggy workout clothes that need to be washed, and I find myself tripping over his shoes and mine.  The giant book is now mine, and gets consulted pretty often.  Date nights now involve a bike ride or open water swim.  We spend our evenings discussing race strategies, or sharing training tips, and planning out the conversion of our garage to a usuable workout space.  We  share the bike rack, the bike pump ( though on occasion it's been in his car when I've needed it), and the bike trainer.  We share our triumphs and setbacks, and love of multisport. I love walking into transition together, and having someone to share the pre race jitters with when we're all set up.  Watching him swim before me calms my nerves, and passing each other on the bike and run encourages me to go just a little faster. And I look forward to running it in at the finish line knowing his smiling face will be there. 

Results vs. Goals

Today I start training for my next race. I've compared my results to my goals from Sunday's race, and used it as a guide for where I want to be in 4 weeks. 

Swim: Goal time was 6:40, Actual time 8:20.  I am determined to conquer the swim. I know it's not my strength, but surely I can strengthen my swim. I'm going to hit Master's class as much as I can between now and June 12, and practice more open water swimming in the lake. I have to get past being freaked out in the water at every race, and I need to work on better more efficient form. 

Bike: Goal 17 mph. Actual 17 mph. I met my goal, now it's time to get in some long rides and improve my speed so I can set this goal higher for my next race.

Run: Goal 8:45 pace, actual 8:44 pace.  Happy to have done better than my goal, but I still want to get faster. 

Gear/Equipment:

It seems like suddenly everything needs to be replaced at once. Probably because I wait to replace things until after a race.

 Swim:  The speedo I have been training in is pretty much see through. The chlorine at the Y pool has slowly destroyed it over the last 5 months.  I replaced it yesterday with a Nike suit, that I'm sure will be worn out by the end of the summer. I'm thankful that I can pick up cheap suits for trainining at TJMaxx since I go through so many in a year.

Run: After getting blisters on my feet from racing in my Nikes at Kemah I switched back to the Kinvaras for Classic Rock.  The result was more blisters and a bruised toe. The Kinvaras are worn out. So I ordered a pair of K Swiss K Ona C's online today.  They get really good reviews online, are meant to be worn without socks, and have a draninage system so my feet should be less soggy at the end of a race. Plus Running Warehouse had some on sale for a very good price.

The next gear that will get replaced is my bag.  Hopefully once that's done I'll be set for gear and equipment. I'd rather focus on training than shopping.

Classic Rock 2011 Race Report

Results:
300 M swim 8:20, Pace 2:47
T1= 1:09
20K Bike 44:21, Pace 17.0 mph
T2:1:25
5K Run 26:38 Pace 8:44
Chip Time: 1:21:55 Ovearall 122, AG 6

Race Prep : The night before the race as I was packing my gear, I decided I wanted to change one of the fields on my Garmin, but I couldn't get it to turn on. Lucky for me, my husband has had the same problem with his Garmin and knew how to reset it.  I am so glad I tried to turn it on the night before, I would have been pretty frustrated if it had happened race morning. Lesson for next race: Always check the Garmin the night before to make sure it's functioning.  After it was reset, I plugged it in and let it charge.  It was the first thing I checked after my 4:30 am wake up.  Then I had my usual cup of coffee, braided my hair and suited up. I attempted to choke down breakfast, and was able to eat about half of a banana, and 1/4 of a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter. I always have a hard time eating race morning, but I think the ZBar I ate for the Kemah race was a little easier than the bagel.  Or perhaps I should just drink some HEED to get a few early morning calories.  I didn't start to feel hungry until after I had set up transition, so I grabbed a  few Power Bar gel caps out of my Fuelbox.
Pre-Race: After I set up my tranisition area, I took my bag over to the Tri4Him tent for after the race. As soon as the pre race meeting started, I regretted having left my warm sweatshirt and pants in the tent.   Somehow I forgot my usual rule of keeping a throwaway jacket with me for warmth. So I shivered while I  listened to the usual Jack pre race barking of orders, my favorite this time was when he reminded us that this was "a race, not a tour". Kevin led our usual Tri4Him pre-race prayer and we headed towards the pool.
Swim:  I had decided against a pre race warm up in the pool because I wanted to avoid standing around being wet and cold before the race.  As soon as I hit the water, I regretted not having warmed up. The entire swim felt slow, and I could tell I wasn't going to hit my goal pace. I could also see the clock every time I took a breath and knew that more than 6 minutes had gone by before I hit the last 100 M.   I only got passed by 2 people, and felt like I had more space between swimmers than in August.   So I did seed myself correctly. I need more practice in the 50M lane set up before the August race. I'm used to being able to push off the wall every 25 yards, and remember starting to feel a little tired after the first 200 M.  I also didn't push off the wall when I jumped in which would have propelled me a little farther at the start.  I had been able to swim 300 yards in 6:40 last week at the Y. 300 M is the equivalent of 328 yards, so I should have expected my swim time to be a little slower.  ( Not 8 minutes slow, but slower than 6:40 ) Getting out of the pool was tough, basically we had to be fished out by a volunteer.  One thing I was happy about was  that they changed up the bike and run start, which meant we didn't have to run down a flight of stairs to leave the pool. And there was a carpet which was easier to run on, and less slippery than the mats from last year.  According to my Timex, I swam 300 M in 8 minutes, and took 20 seconds to run to the mat where transition timining started.  .
T1: 44 seconds better than last year, probably because I didn't have to run gingerly down a flight a stairs, and I was acutally closer to my bike rack coming out of the water.
Bike: The first few miles were COLD. I'm saying this because I don't remember being cold on the bike at the Toyota Open, and I thought the temperature was about the same. The difference here was the north wind, which the weather forecast had promised would only be about 10 mph, but out on the course it felt a bit stronger. It also contributed to a slower first half.  My number blew off my bike again, and I spent a little time worrying about whether that would cause a penalty.  I was feeling pretty discouraged by the time I hit the turnaround because my average speed was so slow, and I was in a funk about my slow swim time.  But the wind was and advantage on the second half. I keep watching my average speed slowly increase, even though this part of the course has a few more inclines, and is usually the slower half for me. I passed quite a few people, and my good spirits returned.  I saw my speed edge back toward my Tri-Rock pace, then I sped up to my Toyota Open pace, and finally hit my  goal pace of 17.0 mph.   I hit transition feeling a lot more confident than when I left.
T2: 25 seconds slower than Tri-Rock, but this time I had to change into my bike shoes. Also had a little difficulty getting my Garmin off the bike.  Might try popping it off before I hit transition next time.   Also think I could save time by leaving my shoes clipped in the pedals and slipping my feet out as I slow down before I dismount.  That will take some practice.
Run: My legs felt heavy, and I was breathing hard.  For this course, I don't think I could have run any faster. Sometimes when I'm racing, I get a little devil on my shoulder telling me " it's ok, you can slow down. It will feel so much better to run slower."   He showed up just before I finished mile 1, but once I heard my Garmin beep and knew the first mile was over, I was able to push through and speed up.   The last 3/4 mile was the hardest for me, but I had expected it and was able to keeping pushing  through the pain until I saw the finish line. I waved and smiled at my family and crossed the finish line feeling content.
Post-Race: Changed out of my soggy clothes into nice dry warm clothes, and wished for even more layers. From now on I will always include a dry change of clothes for after the race. It sure beats sitting around being damp and sweaty while waiting for the awards to be handed out. And we had plenty of reasons to stick around, since several of our Tri4Him teammates got awards.
Post-Race Celebration:  Fajita cookout at our house with our teammates and their families. We had a great time, and hope to do this again more often. It was an awesome way to top off an awesome race.
What's next: Metroplex Sprint tri, June 12.  I'm going to continue my training plan, now the I've adjusted it to the correct level. I'll be focusing on improvement on the bike, and open water swimming. I've got a blister on my left foot, and one of my right toes is bruised so I'll probably take it easy for a few days while those heal. Next race I'll put body glide on my feet before I swim, and I may look into replacing racing shoes for running.  My old workout bag had to be retired, so I'm looking to replace it  with a back pack.  But first and foremost, I'm going to get a massage....

Goals vs. Expectations for Classic Rock

I have been working toward achieving certain goals for Sunday's race. Based on my training times and the course, my expectation is that I won't achieve those goals.  However, I'm not going to lower my goal just to be able to say I hit my goal on race day. I'm still going in with my same goals, still trying to achieve them, even though it's likely I won't.  The course for Kemah was a faster course than Classic Rock, both for the run and the bike it was flat. But the second half of the Classic Rock bike course is full of inclines and a constant headwind. The last 3/4 mile of the run is a long, slow incline as well.  I haven't hit very fast times in training on either of the courses.  The only place I expect to hit my goal is in the pool.
Goals for Classic Rock:
Swim: 6:40
Run: Pace 8:45,27 min
Bike Pace: 17 mph, 42 min         
Add transition times and my goal time to finish the entire race is under 1 hour and 20 minutes. My last race on this course is 1 hour 24 minutes.                                                                

The obligatory female athelete sports bra blog post

Last week, I purchased 2 new sports bras. One turned out to be the best I have ever worn, and the other turned out to the be absolute worst.

The Worst:
Champion Double Dry Distance Sports Bra 6209. Retail price $42.00.
Here is what Kohls.com says about this bra:
"Designed to go the distance. This sports bra features a soft, two-ply fabric where the inner layer lifts sweat away from the skin while the outer layer evaporates moisture quickly, so you stay cool, dry, comfortable. And a high motion control rating that makes it perfect for high-impact activities like basketball, running or aerobics. With cushioned underwire, molded cups, stabilized straps and side and undercup panels to provide extra support. V-back with a hidden, adjustable closure. Plus, just enough stretch for a flexible fit. And it's tagless, so your skin is never irritated! A workout wonder."

My thoughts: The only distance I could go in this bra was 1/2 a mile, and I had to hold my hands over my chest to keep from bouncing. It was truly so painful I couldn't complete my run. The only time it was comfortable to wear was when I was standing still.  I don't know who hands out the high motion control rating, but they need a review of what motion control actually means. It seemed more like motion out of control. I wonder what kind of workout could actually be done while wearing this.

The Best:



Champion Compression Vented Sports Bra. Retail price $30.00
What  Kohls.com com says about this bra:
"You'll be ready for anything in this Champion sports bra.

Compression design promises motion reduction for comfortable wear.
Stretchy nylon blend with inner mesh lining offers support and breathability.
Mesh-paneled back includes a keyhole opening, allowing for enhanced ventilation.
Fabric-covered elastic band provides a stay-put fit.
Racerback styling evenly distributes weight across your back. "

My thoughts: This one should be advertised as maximum motion control.  It fits like a glove, feels comfortable, doesn't chafe and keeps everthing in place. It is so far the most perfect sports bra I have found. And I feel like the price is vey reasonable for a good sports bra.  Espcially since you can always find a good sale or discount at Kohls. I intend to purchase a few more to wear for training and racing. 

Overtrained

For the last few weeks I have been pretty fatigued. Exhausted at the of the day, I've tried going to bed earlier and still been bleary eyed in the morning.  Saturday and Sunday came and went, and I didn't make time for my workouts. My motivation was slipping. Monday I woke up with a sore throat and felt achy all over.  It got progressively worse, and by the end of the day I was sitting in the doctor's office getting a prescription for an antibiotic. I was in bed by 5 pm. I attempted to go to work the next morning, and felt so miserable I went home at lunch. And slept. And realized that getting sick was my body's way of telling me it needed a rest. I was training too hard, and my body couldn't keep up.
      I've been focused on training hard for my next race, because it's my first "A" race of the season.  It's in my hometown,so every run and bike ride have been on the race course, sometimes looping it twice. I've been pushing myself hard, hoping to see faster speeds. But I've been frustrated by what felt like lack of improvement.  I have overtrained myself.   Too much training, too much intensity and not enough rest. My immunity was weakend and I got sick. Which allowed me the rest I needed.  And so, a week before my race I have backed down my training. My workouts will be shorter and less intense. And hopefully I can give myself enough rest before race day to perform at my "A" level. And if not ? I have all season to train for another "A" race. Without Overtraining.

Grumpy

I haven't been the easiest person to be around these days. I've been grumpy, grouchy, crabby, irritable and stressed.  Studying for my PE certification, increasing my training, and the dreaded and feared TAKS testing at school were all contributing factors.  The weather has been less than cooperative, as I've had to battle the wind, ride the trainer when it's raining, or miss workouts all together.   Tuesday brought storms and tornado watches, so I missed my run and swim.  I've been trying to adjust the rest of my schedule this week to catch up.  Yesterday after my swim, I raced home to get in a ride before picking up the kids.  But when I went to air up my front tire, it deflated instead.  I couldn't reinflate it with either of the two pumps that were in the garage. Defeated, I broke down in tears. Then I took a shower, and picked up my kids.  Instead of spending an hour on the bike, I spent that hour playing with the kids and cooking their favorite meal, breakfast for dinner.  When my husband came home, he helped me change the tire and told me I had a faulty valve in the tube.  As he was giving my tire changing lesson, I realized that I would much rather have had a flat yesterday than two weeks later on race day.   Sometimes things don't go the way I want, but when I take a step back and look at the situation, it becomes clear that, on occasion, there is better plan outlined for me. God's showing me again, that it's not my plan that's the important one. It's his. My kids needed my extra attention yesterday, and I needed a break from training, and stressing.  And if I don't make up yesterday's ride. So be it. I'll let it go.   Without being grumpy.

Training Notes

Just a few notes on how the new training is going.
1. The cadence meter is a very vaulable tool. It makes it much simpler for me to know when to shift gears.
2. Threshold run training is tough. I have a hard time keeping my pace slower on the warm up because I'm so used to starting out fast.  It takes some discipline to keep myself running a little slower.  The actual threshold part of the run was tougher than I expected.  I have no trouble keeping myself to a slower pace during the cool down.  The weather is getting warmer, and I'm not looking forward to conditioning myself to run in the heat.  It's harder to run fast when it's hot outside.
3. I need to wear my HR monitor, and use the data to evaluate my training and fitness. I have a fear that working out at a lower HR will give me slower run and bike paces, and so I haven't been utilizing the HR monitor.  
4. If I can swim 10x100 at race pace, then I can  swim 1500 in a race. 

Classic Rock Training

Last week I took a very productive break from training. Here's what I accomplished:
1. Evaluated my training plan and chose a new one.  I had been using training plans from beginnertriathlete.com, which I think were perfect for me when I was starting out.  Now I have moved beyond the "getting to know racing" phase, I have specific areas I want to improve, and that's not likely to happen with those plans. They give a good outline for the amount of time that should be spent training each day for the the 3 sports, but I need a plan that is more specific than "run 22 minutes or bike 47 minutes".  I chose a training plan from this book:

The workouts are more specific about what I should be doing during my 32 minutes of running or 55 minutes of cycling, and I'll be spending much more time on my bike.I'll still be going to Master's at the Y for my swim workouts. 
2.Upgraded some equipment. Bought a new strap for the Garmin, and added a cadence meter to my bike. We also started a home gym project in the garage.
3.Cleaned up my nutrition.  I've been pretty lax about good nutrition, and it's time to give this area some  attention. My goal here is to drop some weight, while still getting some valuable "fuel" for my workouts. I'm keeping a food log, tracking my calories, and adding more variety to my diet. I'm focusing more on whole grains, lean meats, steamed veggies, nuts and  fruit.  I'm cutting out highly processed foods, processed sugars, and white flour. 
4. Set my goals for Classic Rock. My main focus for this race is improvement on the bike. The new training plan, cadence meter and better nutrition will get me there.

Dear God be good to me, the sea is so wide and my boat is so small.

My next race is in 5 weeks. This week has basically been a week off for me which gave me some time to reflect on what needs to change for me during a race. I thought about what I did to prepare. I was consistent with my training, and was physically ready  for the challenges I thought it would bring. But spiritually I was unprepared. I wasn't ready to turn to God during my difficulty on the swim.  I could have prayed for strength, for peace, for courage.  I wasn't alone out there, it wasn't just up to me to get myself to the shore.  I could have relied on God to guide and comfort me.  But sometime's I'm stubborn, and refuse to let go of what I think I can control.  But out there in the open water, I couldn't control the wind, the waves, the other swimmers, or the velcro on my Garmin strap.  I should have realized that this was God telling me again that I didn't need to be in control.  There are going to many times where things are beyond my control, and I'll have to turn it over to God.   I'm going to remember that the next time I'm flailing around in the open water feeling lost.  And I'm going to say a prayer that I've said many times before.
Dear God, be good to me, the sea is so wide and my boat is so small.

TX3 Kemah Triathlon

Results:
500 Meter Swim Time: 14:12 Pace 2:50
T1 3:05
12 Mile Bike Time 41:57, Pace 17.2
T2 1:12
5K Run Time 26:44, Pace 8:37
Total time 1:27

Swim: This was my first wave start swim, and my first OWS in salt water. The only way to describe how I felt going into this swim is FEAR. We had to walk down a ramp to get into the bay, and then line up behind the start buoys. I was as the back of the group, and was still running to the start buoys when they started the wave. I dove in and immediately felt my Garmin band loosen up and come off. I stopped, put it back on, took a few more strokes and it came off. I did this 3 times and realized it was not going to stay on. I didn't want to lose it, so I held it in my hand the entire swim. I made it to the first buoy (100 meters) and thought about getting out. I was struggling to swim holding the band, I kept hitting and getting hit by other swimmers, and I was starting to panic. I had read that you you panic during the swim, you should think of something else to take your mind off the panic. So I thought about my daughter, and how the night before she had fallen asleep next to me holding my finger in her tiny hand. And I tried to find the feeling of peace that I felt as I drifted off to sleep hand in hand with my little girl.  Then I willed myself to just make it to the next buoy, and alternated breastroke and freestlye strokes. As the course turned back toward the shore. I realized the faster I swam the sooner I would be out of the water, the fear went away, and  I was able to get a good rythm going for the second half of the swim.  The first thing I saw when I stood up were the three smiling faces of my family sitting on the grass above the water.

T1: Best part of T1 were the wetsuit strippers. Worst part of T1 was the long distance from the swim exit to actually get to my bike.  I didn't want to run too fast and risk slipping and falling.

 Bike: I loved the bike course, it was straight and flat. No wind at all, just a slight breeze.  I felt as though it was easier for me to pass people in this race because I had a better idea of how fast to go, and was less concerned about getting a penalty . Forgot to turn on the Garmin until I was already out on the highway, so my goal from that point was to keep my average speed around 18. There were two other ladies that I kept playing leapfrog with the entire race, they would pass me, and then I would catch up and pass them.  There were a couple of men that tried to speed up as I was passing them, but for the most part the bike went smoothly. I think I could still have gone faster, but I wanted to save my legs for the run. It was the first race in bike shoes and it was a little strange to run out and back in to transition in them.

T2: changing shoes didn't take as long as I thought it would.

Run: This was the best part of the race for me. Running is my strongest area of the three, and the one I like the best. ( which is the reason I held on to that band the entire miserable swim, so I could put my Garmin on and know my pace during the run).  It was humid, and I was having a little trouble breathing, but overall the run went great. I started off pretty fast, but had to slow down a little after the first mile. The course took us through a neighborhood, and there was a man driving his car through the run course. Perhaps he missed the big orange cones and race signs. The second mile took us through the Kemah Boardwalk which gave us a great view of the bay . And then on the third mile my Garmin started going haywire.  It was showing a much slower pace than what I was actually running. I kept speeding up, and my pace time didn't budge. I was pretty exhausted by the last half mile, and felt like I was working pretty hard to be running as slowly as it said. After crossing the finish line I noticed that it hadn't measured the full 3.1 mile distance either. So I was pretty when my actual time and pace were posted. My feet however were not happy.  Blisters and chafing from running in my Nikes. They are great for training, but not for racing. I'll wear my Kinvaras next time.

I hit my time goals on the bike, did better than my goal for the run and fell short on the swim. Intially I was dissapointed with my swim, but when I looked out at the bay the next morning and realized that I had done it and didn't give up, I was proud of myself.  I'm planning to put a lot more time into swimming for TriWaco and practice in the lake much more often to comfortable in open water. I'm not so concerned about speed right now, just improving my stroke and form. And I'm putting another open water race on my calendar for June.  I am also ordering a new band for my Garmin. The velcro is completely worn out, which is why it didn't hold together in the water.

Tri4Him: A huge thanks to the Tri4Him group from Houston. The Reeves were out there to support everyone for both days of the race, and invited the out of town racers to their house for dinner on Saturday. We had a great time with them, and really enjoyed the food and fellowship.  I am so thankful to be a part of the Tri4Him community. 

Weather

It's March, in Texas, which should mean gentle spring breezes, sunshine and mild, warming temperatures.  Perfect training weather.  What I have to contend with is cold, overcast and a predicition of Thunderstorms later. Not exactly the optimal weather I was hoping to train in during race week. 
      I spent the winter spinning my wheels on the trainer, and longed for the days when I could finally get my bike outdoors.  When it finally warmed up, every ride was against what felt like gale force winds. Once, I was actually blown off balance by a gust of wind.   And I spent my rides looking forward to summer when the wind dies down.  But once it's summer, I'll gripe about the searing heat and wish for the wind to be back to cool me off.
     Running weather is the same. I look forward to the first cold front in the fall when I can finally pull out my running tights.   I love running in the fall when the temperatures really cool off.  Until we get our first freeze. Then I spend the winter getting used to the cold weather, trying to find the right balance between being overbundled and feeling frozen, and feeling unmotivated to leave my warm house to get out and run. Just as I start getting used to running in the cold, it starts to warm up. And I get so excited to get out for those first training runs in the spring.  As the spring temperatures rise I find myself fighting to get acclimated to running in the heat. And then summer hits with a vengeance. And I hate having to get up early to run before the swealtering heat sets in.  But I do it, looking forward to the fall and return to cooler temps.  And sometimes i just give up and hit the treadmill. 
    I'm never satisfied with swim conditions either.  The pool is indoors and heated in the winter. I never enjoy gettining up at 5:15 am, to get out of my nice, toasty bed to head to the pool. It always feels cold getting in, and  hot and soupy by the end. Even in the summer I'm cold for the first 5 minutes in the pool.
    Whatever weather mother nature would have brought me this week, I wouldn't have thought it was perfect. Because really, there are very few perfect days. And training in different conditions helps prepare me for race day.  Which the weatherman has forecasted to be a perfect day.

Goals and Expectations

My first race of the season is a week away, and I need to set some goals.  The best way to do this is to review my results from last season, and compare them to where I am in my training.

2010 Races
Tri-Rock Rockwall
300 M Swim 8:24  Rate 2:48
T1 1:55
20K Bike: 44:33  Rate 16.7
T2 1:008
 5K Run 28:14 Pace 9:44 * The results from this race were mixed up and I don't believe the run time is accurate.  That pace would reflect closer to a 29 minute run.
Total Time 1:24:16
7th in Age Group

Toyota US Open Triathlon
800 M Swim 20:47 Rate 2:23
T1 3:57
20 K bike 44:44 Rate 16.6
T2 1:45
5K run 28:33 Pace 9:13 Total time 1:39:45
4th in Age Group

Swim Goal: The swim at Kemah will be 500 M which is right in the middle of the last two swim distances. I haven't had much time in the lake this season, and haven't yet built up my confidence in open water. My goal here is to remain calm during the swim, and to not spend the first two minutes in the water debating whether or not I will quit ( which is what I did at Toyota). Reminding myself that this is a shorter distance than a race I've already completed should help.  My goal is to keep my pace close to what I accomplished at Toyota, which would mean completing the swim in under 15 minutes.Not being able to swim for 2 months while my ankle healed was an issue in training for this race. I don't feel I am as strong in this area as I was in October.

Bike Goal: I've struggled with my bike training so far this season. The wind has beaten me, and I don't feel like my legs are as strong as they were before I injured my akle. However, I  do have actual bike shoes and new pedals, which I hope will contribute to faster bike time.  My time at  Toyota was actually a bit slower than at Tri-Rock. The obvious goal here is to beat both times from last season, so a pace of 17. 
Run Goal: Running is my strongest area.  I feel stronger in the run than I did in October, and I haven't struggled nearly as much here as with bike and swim after the ankle injury. The goal here is the keep below a 9 minute pace and finish in under 27 minutes.

Tranisition: T1 should be close to my time at Toyota, hopefully faster since I've had more practice shucking the wetsuit. I expect T2 to be slower since I'll have to actually change shoes here.

The main goal is the same for every race. To enjoy the experience and try my hardest. I'm looking forward to the entire weekend and can't wait to watch my husband race the following day.

Open Water

"Swimming is the worst part of a triathlon, if you stop pedaling on a bike you coast. if you stop running, you walk, but if you stop swimming you drown." -Unknown
      I dread open water swimming.  I hate putting my face in the cold, murky water. I despise the suffocating feeling of wearing a wetsuit. Somehow a giant lake can make me feel clausterphobic.  I can't divide my swim up into neat 25 yard streches from one wall to the other. Swimming 300 yards from the shore to the first buoy feels endless, like I'm making no progress.  I start to panic. I can't  catch my breath.  5-10 minutes swimming in the lake stretches into an eternity. I have to work the fear out of my head. I have to remind myself that most of my pool swims are an hour long and that I can swim 1,500-2,000 yards in that amount of time.  I know that if I get tired, I can switch strokes.  If I can't breathe, then I can pop my head out of the water and take a breath, any time I want.  Sometimes, I close my eyes when I'm underwater and picture the clear water of the pool that I'm used to swimming in.  I remind myself that I've practiced and raced in open water and survived.  I reach out in front of me, stroke after stroke, remembering everything my coach has taught me and eventurally find my rythm.   The panic subsides a little, and I start to make progress.   And realize that if I stop swimming I won't drown. I'll just float.

It's not about the shoes

Last summer I read Christopher McDougall's book, Born to Run.  After reading about barefoot/minimalist running and its benefits, I bought some minimal shoes, and gradually started using them in my training.  I loved running in them.  They were lightweight and felt natural to run in. I looked forward to the days when I was training in them, and dreaded training in my old, bulky traditional running shoes. My form got better, my paces got faster, and I was hooked on those Saucony Kinvaras. They made me a better and faster runner.

I wore them in my first and second triathlon, and started training for my next half marathon in them. But as my long run mileage increased, so did a burning pain in my left ankle. I tried the usual remedies, rest, ice and elevation, but it just wasn't getting any better.  So I made the dreaded trip to see my Orthopedist.  The diagnosis was posterior tibal tendonitis and treatment meant several weeks in a boot, and absolutley no running, swimming or biking.  For the second year in a row, I had to drop out of  White Rock, and my off season began earlier than planned. After I rested and rehabbed my ankle, I was told to get some new running shoes, with a good amount of cushion and support, and to give up the idea of minmalist running.  I wasn't looking forward to switching back to what I considered my old "slow" shoes, and dissapointed that had to give up training in my "fast" shoes. For Christmas, I got some Nike Lunareclipse+.

And instantly loved them.  My paces improved, my form stayed good, and I ran my fastest 5K ever in them. I had mistakenly believed that my improvement in the fall was because of my shoes. But, shoes don't make a runner better or faster. What makes a runner better and faster is the time and effort that goes into training. Dedication and drive. That's what makes me run better and faster.

In my new shoes.

Training Partner

Most of the time, I train alone. It's a time of reflection for me. I get a lot of thinking done on my long rides, and when I run.  And I can go at my own pace, speeding up or slowing down when I feel the need.  I've never really thought I wanted or needed a training partner.   But then, last week, I was lucky enough to have my husband as a training partner.  Being a teacher, I had the luxury of having a week off for Spring break and he was able to juggle his work schedule around a little so we could train together while the kids were at school.  To kick off the week, we ran a 5K race together, and he pushed me to run my fastest race ever.  Later in the week we took a hilly 5 mile run around our neighborhood golf course.  My orginal plan was a shorter, flatter route. Every time I felt like slowing down a little I just looked next to me and was inspired to try and keep up with his pace. When we rode together it was the same. I followed along as he navigated us along some hills on a country road, and I tried my hardest not to be too far behind.  I pedaled harder and faster than I normally do when I'm all alone.  When he asked if I wanted more hills I said yes, even though I was tired.  And my legs burned going up those hills, but I was also rewarded with the free feeling of racing down the other side of those hills.  We went to the lake for our first open water swim of the season. I wanted to jump out and run back to the car as soon as my feet touched that 57 degree water. I couldn't stand to put my face in the frigid water. He reminded me that I would feel warmer if I got moving, and helped encourage me to get going.  Then he made it look easy. It didn't feel easy for me, but again I trusted and followed him.
     What I realized over this last week, was that I do need and want to have a training partner. Because just like every other aspect of our life, he encourages me and pushes to me work a little harder, to be better than I am, to do more than I would on my own.   

Proverbs 27:17   As iron sharpens iron,so one man sharpens another

Dash Down Greenville 2011

It's been a couple of years since I've run a 5K.  I've been concentrating on half marathons and triathlons lately, and I was really looking forward to running just a 5K to see how fast I could complete it.I was also really looking forward to running a race with my husband.  For this course, my best time was 33:50, and I believe it was the first 5K I ever ran.  The night before, at dinner, my husband and I talked about what my time goals were for this race, and how fast did I feel like I could go. My goal was to average around 8:45 a mile, and finish in under 27 minutes.  On the morning of the race we were up early and spent the morning relaxing in our hotel before jogging a mile to the start. We were lined up at the start line about 30 minutes before the gun went off.  We tried to get close to the front to avoid getting caught in the crowd at the start.  The first mile was mostly spent trying to lose the pack of people we started with, as the crowd thinned out and runners started to slow down. There were cones in the middle of the street, and I almost tripped a couple times trying to get around them.  We really pushed it for miles 1 and 2, and I started to lose a little steam after we ran uphill and started on mile 3.  But George kept pushing and encouraged me to keep up, reminding me that we only had about 1/2 a mile to go. That last half mile was the most painful half mile I've ever run. My pulse was racing, my heart was pounding,  my legs were burning and at  1 point I thought I might hurl.  Then we turned the corner, I saw the finish line and pushed as hard as I could until I crossed the line to recieve a giant hug from George and a "that's how you run a 5K !" I love this race because of the fun atmosphere, the crazy costumes the other runners wear, and watching the St. Patty's parade after. What I loved most on this day was getting to run with George. The moments we spend together in our training and racing are moments I treasure.  It's also amazing to me how far I've come from running my first 5K to now, and I enjoy seeing the progress. That's one of the reasons I love to race, seeing the improvement from season to season.  Official chip time was 25:50.