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.