2014 Logjammer Half-Marathon Race Report

 

I raced this race last year as part of my training for an early December marathon.  I actually ran 4 miles before the race and 4 miles after the race, so my time wasn’t that fast.  Last year the weather was perfect, 40-50 degrees, sunny, and no wind.

This year, I have started a pre-Ironman training program and my longest run since February has been 7 miles.  I was hoping for a PR just because the course is flat and I was well rested, but I wasn’t going to be heartbroken it didn’t happen.  The weather was terrible; it was hot, humid, and windy so I ditched my PR aspirations around mile 6.  I didn’t take my own fluids and all I had was a gel.  There was a lack of water stations between mile 3 and 7.  I drank water/powerade at every station, I even drank 2 cups at mile 7, but the last 2 miles my feet and calves started to cramp.  I couldn’t get up on my toes to accelerate so I finished with a kinda shuffle run.  I stayed in the finishing area about 5 mins because my left foot was cramping.  I drank water, chocolate milk, and some Coca-Cola and I didn’t catch anymore cramps for the rest of the day.

I did run my second best time ever!  I ran a 1:51:05, that’s an average of 8:28 min/mile.  I placed 1^st in my age group out of 36 runners age 30-34.  I placed 53^rd overall out or 440 runners.  I’m very pleased with my performance, and I’ve learned more about nutrition and fluid consumption in hot and humid conditions.  This knowledge will come in handy during IM training. 

Official IMTX registered participant!

I have been saying for months that I was going to do Ironman Texas in May 2014, but I just couldn’t bring myself to register.  It is such a big commitment to register for something 6 months before the event, but I finally decided that I would be disappointed with myself if I didn’t participate because the race filled up.   I don’t want to be one of those people that look back and say, “What if?”  I want to try my best to live my life with no regrets.   I registered first thing this morning and I felt a surge of adrenaline.  I can’t wait for all my hard work to pay off!

Get ready to follow my Ironman journey!

Treadmill Hill/Interval Workout – Mind Over Matter

I have been a runner for years and I have NEVER completed a treadmill run.  I have done some elliptical workouts and I ride my bike on the indoor trainer but in my mind, running on a treadmill was impossible for me.  I run outdoors in all sorts of weather conditions, but because of the time change, getting home near dark, and my recent run-ins with rattlesnakes I decided to give the treadmill at my local gym a try.  I had a 1:08 hill/interval run planned.  I really enjoy interval bike workouts on my indoor trainer so I thought this would be a good place to start.

Well, I just made up my mind that I was going to complete the run on the treadmill and I did.  Nothing fancy, no deep inspiration, just mind of matter.  It wasn’t that bad but I felt like I would have run faster outdoors.  I guess it will take me time to get used to it!  I’m I looking forward to my next treadmill run, not really, but I do look forward to completing workouts.  So, if running on a treadmill is what it takes, then I know that I can do it!

Treed by a Rattlesnake!

I am officially protesting the time change!  Monday, I rushed home and rode for 25 minutes on my trainer and then started my 45 minute brick run.  Yes, it was getting dusky dark but I’m a country girl and the dark doesn’t scare me.  I ran toward what we call, “The Bottom.”  It’s a big creek that is 1.5 miles from my house; the road has gorgeous trees on each side.  This is the perfect 3 mile route, and then I run back by my house, past my parent’s house and to the highway for 1 mile.  It’s the perfect 5 mile run.  The road toward my parent’s house is black-topped so I can see things on it pretty clearly and after I turned around and headed back to my house I saw a 3 ft. rattlesnake stretched across the middle of the road.  It was just dark enough that I couldn’t tell which way it was going so I decided to just wait him out.  It eventually got dark and I was alone with a rattlesnake, now this kinda scared this country girl.  But after about 10 minutes someone came by in a car and ran him off.  I then began the ½ mile walk home, needless to say, my husband was not too happy.  This is the second time I have been treed by a rattlesnake on an out-and-back run, of course, both times I paused my Garmin!

Splish-Splash I was taking a Mudbath

It was pouring rain yesterday and it is supposed to rain all day today, so I decided to just get my hour long interval run completed yesterday afternoon.  I hate running on a treadmill, so I don’t have one.  That left me with two options, run for at the local track or hit the dirt roads.  For some reason an hour long interval run (10 min. warm-up, (2min HARD + 3min slow) X 8, 10 min cool-down) at the track did not appeal to me.  I love running at the track but only for certain workouts and this was not one of them.  I decided to go with option 2:  running on the dirt roads or as we sometimes call them, “the dirties.”  It was lightly sprinkling rain when I left my house and the roads did not seem that messy.  As I got further from my house, the roads started getting really sloppy.  I had to finally face the music and run through the mud.  Then, I had a truck pass me and he didn’t even slow down.  He splashed mud all over the entire left side of my body.  I was a little ticked but it made me feel tough!  I couldn’t wait to get home and show off my toughness to my husband.  As I got to my turn around spot the rain got harder and it continuously got harder and harder on the way back home.  I decided to cut my run short by 10 minutes.  Needless to say, all my mud got washed off.  My husband got worried and came looking for me and insisted that I get in the truck with him at 40 minutes into my run (around 4.5 miles).  So much for my toughness! 

 Product Review – Brooks Ghost

I love my Brooks Ghost, they are one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes I have ever worn.  I haven’t ever worn them during muddy conditions because I usually have trail shoes (Brooks Cascadia)  but I just haven’t gotten a new pair of Cascadia’s.  I ran in my Brooks Ghost and they worked great.  I didn’t slip or lose traction one time. This proved to me that the Brooks Ghost are great all around shoes!

Ready for Hibernation Season

I’m ready for the cold weather, not only to escape working out in oven-like temperatures, but to get rid of the rattlesnakes, at least for a while.   Yes, I said RATTLESNAKE!  For the last month, once a week a different rattlesnake has been spotted in the road in front of my house.  I can only hope they were heading for cover and getting ready for hibernation.  The road in front of my house an oil road (it looks like black pavement) and the light brown snakes are seen easily.  However, what’s scary is the fact that when they slither off into the grass/bushes they are undetectable.   Their camouflage is soooooo good.  I almost always run on dirt roads that have grass/bushes on the sides and I am constantly on the watch for snakes.  I love, love, love running in the cold weather!  The colder, the better!  Running outdoors in East Texas during the late spring/summer/early fall can be compared to running in a 450 degree oven.  Not only is it hot, it is usually humid.  If it’s humid, then it’s like running in a sauna.   My times get slower and my mental tank is drained by the end of the summer.  Now, I now have another reason to appreciate the cold, snake hibernation!  I know that my times could be faster if I wasn’t concentrating on snakes! (Wink, wink)  I think me and the snakes could work out a deal, I hibernate during the hot season and they hibernate during the cold season.

My New to Me Tri Bike

I finally made enough money to buy a bike!   Last winter I bought a Giant Avail 2 roadbike.  I outfitted it with aerobars and a forward facing seatpost.  I soon found that I loved riding in the aero position, I felt FAST! 

So, may I introduce my Javelin Arcole size 48 cm with 650 cc wheels.  It has a mix of Shimano Dura Ace and Ultegra.  I also got a powertap hub, yes, this baby is fancy for me!  Because of the size and geometry it will only accommodate one water bottle on the frame so I got an Xlab Turbo Wing and mounted my two Bontrager cages on it. 

 

I rode it once outdoors and I decided that I needed a new saddle and I got an ISM Adamo Typhoon. 

I’m looking forward to spending the winter cozied up to my new bike and gear on my indoor trainer.  I hope to have more gear reviews in the following months!

 

Pineywoods Purgatory Bike Ride

I completed the 51 mile bike ride of the Pineywoods Purgatory in Lufkin, TX a few weekends ago!  Before this ride the furthest I had ever ridden was 25 miles.  I have not trained for 51 miles but I decided to give it a tri, after all, I didn’t have to swim before the ride or run afterwards!  There were some major hills but I was fine until mile 30.  At mile 30 the road got really bumpy and I had a sugar low.  I decided to eat some snacks and drink Gatorade.  I also decided to mentally break the rest of the ride into segments.  I concentrated on the next 5 miles and this helped the last 21 miles fly by. 

When I finally rolled in to the finish all I could think about was a cold Coca-Cola and I could already tell that I was going to be sore in places I didn’t even know I had.  My time for the ride was 3:34:45 and I didn’t stop at any of the rest stops.  I wanted to use this ride as a buildup to Ironman 70.3 and Ironman Texas.    This ride defiantly helped my confidence and I can’t wait until I get to complete another long, challenging ride!

Overall, this was a great event.  The ride seemed well organized and the scenery was beautiful.  Some of the roads were a little bumpy, but this is understandable. 

2013 Tri Season Complete, Now What?

I completed my last tri of the season on Sept. 14.  I took one week off and I found myself really enjoying the afternoons sipping coffee and reading a good book on the back porch with my dogs and cats. But there was this little voice inside my head screaming for exercise!

Last year I decided to complete a marathon in December, so I had a goal that helped me maintain my focus.  Since starting this post I have begun my off season training.  I swim once a week and usually bike 2-3 days and run 2-3 days.  I feel normal again and my goal of Ironman Texas seems attainable.  I hope this optimistic attitude continues to hang around. 

So, I guess I do have a goal, Ironman Texas in May 2014!  Everyone I talk to is afraid of the swim but I’m worried more about the bike.  I’m not a strong swimmer but I think I can survive 2.4 miles and make the cutoff time.  112 miles on a bike is another story, I hope I get more confidence as my training progresses. 

2013 Rose City South Midwest Sprint Triathlon Race Report

650M Swim, 14.1 mile Bike, 3 mile run

Background:  I competed in this triathlon last year and it was my first triathlon ever!   I completed it last September with a total time of 1:44:39.  I thought I did well but I knew I needed to improve and I have been waiting all year just to see how far I’ve come as a triathlete.

Prerace:  Well, my mother took me to this triathlon and she is not really a morning person and we were running a little late.  But, I got everything set up with no problems and I had plenty of time to spare.  Wow, what a difference a year and 7 more tri’s under my belt makes.  My transition set-up is so much easier now.  My age group was the last swim wave to start, so I snacked on HoneyStinger Chews and sipped water.  I wasn’t really even nervous; I was just ready to get the show on the road.

Swim:  When I started last year this was by far my weakest discipline.  I could not even swim all the way down a 25 yard pool, so just completing an open water swim was a huge victory.  My time last year was:  21:33 and I was 19^th out of 22 in my age group.  Well, I have really focused on my swim.  My coach has done a great job, she has an IPAD she uses to film us under the water and she held on open water swim clinic that really helped me with sighting.  My swim time was 16:44 and I was 9^th out of 16 in my age group.  BIG improvement! J

T1: This a long long long run through a pasture.  Last year I was totally dazed and confused from the swim, my time was 2:54.  This year I was mentally prepared and my time was 2:19.  I think as my swim improves, my T1 will also improve.

Bike:  This is a hilly and challenging course.  The roads are so rough in places that I’m afraid I will chip a tooth!  Last year my time was 54:33.  This year the course changed a little, the turnaround was down another road.  My time was 55:10, I was 9^th out of 16 in my age group.  I had a sneaking feeling that the course was longer and when I checked my bike odometer it said 14.6!  So the course was ½ mile longer.  I was somewhat happy with my time, but I need to work on climbing.

T2:  I love T2, I finally get to run!  Last year my time was 1:04 and this year it was :44!

Run:  Last year my time was a smoking 24:33.  This year I really found anther gear, my time was 23:16 and I was 5^th out of 16 in my age group.  This is where I really made up ground and it got me an age group award!

Overall:  I have made so many improvements, but there is always room to get even better.  This first year of triathlon has changed my life.  I can do anything I set my mind to.  HARD WORK, PAYS OFF!

Sitting is the new smoking! What?

I recently read an article in Runners World about sitting all day at a desk and computer.  Even though you exercise daily, sitting most of the day can still lead to death and disease.  What, you mean there is MORE I need to do?  This describes me, I do move around some but I have a 2 hour commute every day and I do sit at a desk a lot.  I have noticed that my shoulders ache at the end of the day and I’m grumpy until I can complete my cardio workout.  It’s like my body is craving movement and physical activity.

I’ve come up with a plan to get me moving more throughout the day.  I take one of my Timex watches with me to work and set the interval timer to beep every 20 minutes.   When the watch beeps while I’m in the car and driving I stretch each arm and move my feet.  When the watch beeps while I’m typing at the computer I either get up and walk around my office 5 times while swinging and stretching my arms or I do wall push-ups and stretch. 

Now, this is a bit annoying at times.  Yes, it’s a pain to stop what you are doing and get up but I can really tell a difference.   I don’t feel like a caged animal and my shoulders are more relaxed.  My day also seems to go by faster.

 

 

So get MOVING!

 

 



Crazy?!?

I’m contemplating Ironman Texas in May 2014.  Yes, I’m afraid.  Can I do this?  I think about it daily.  Is it that I fear the unknown?  I’ve never pushed myself that far mentally or physically.  I feared the marathon for years before I finally settled down, trained, and completed my first and only in December 2012.  I now regret not completing a marathon sooner, I had a mental block.

Is it a commitment issue, can I commit and sustain that level of training for that period of time?  I’ve got to be all in.  That means focus, training, nutrition, rest, planning, organization, gear, and no telling what else.

I have my last sprint triathlon on Sept. 14, 2013 and I’m planning on a half marathon in November.  After my tri and a short rest break I’m going to start building my swim and bike base.  I have only recently gained confidence in my swimming abilities.  I’ve been using a CycleOps indoor bike trainer and I feel that I’m also getting stronger on the bike. 

Although I will begin pre-training this fall, I think I will make my final decision in January 2014! 

 

 

My EBAY Garage Sale

I currently have a Giant Avail 2 road bike.  I have made a few tri upgrades.  I have clip on aerobars and a forward facing seatpost.  I love to ride in the aero position and on the drops.  In fact, I rarely ride sitting up.  Here's a few pictures of the beauty!

Now, I want a tri bike.  I’m looking at entry level bikes with full carbon frames.  I decided to have an EBAY garage sale to raise funds.  My friends and family have been donating stuff for me to sell online.  So far I’ve made more money than I thought I would.

 Here’s a link to my EBAY store:  SummerK04's EBAY Store

I just thought I would share an idea about raising triathlon funds!  And don't forget to stop by and take a look at my cyber garage sale!

 

My Favorite Things – It’s the small things that count!

It is getting to be Christmas list time.  I always like to include items that are inexpensive, so I thought I would discuss a few of my favorite workout necessities.

Moving Comfort Sports Bra

I completed my first marathon in December 2012.  I had cotton sportsbras from Walmart and during my long runs they started to chaf my chest.  I would literally have the bloody outline of a sportsbra across my chest and shoulders.   By the time it healed I would have another long run.  After the marathon I decided that I needed to reward myself with a new sportsbra.  I went to Varsity Sports in Baton Rouge and I tried on several types of Moving Comfort sportsbras but as soon as I put on the Vixen I knew it was the one.  I haven’t had any chaffing with the Vixen. My advice:  Go to a running store try on several and put the one you love on your list.  I still just have the one but I’m going to put this on 2 different lists! 

 

www.movingcomfort.com/

 

Feetures Socks

When someone tells me they are going to start running I always recommend they get a few pairs of running specific socks.  These changed my life.  I started using these socks about 5 years ago and I have not had one blister!  I compete in triathlons, marathons, half-marathons, 10Ks, and 5Ks year round.  It’s hot and humid in East Texas for a good portion of the year and my feet look great.  They come in many styles and several colors, I like the no show tabs.

http://www.feeturesbrand.com/

Bani Bands
I have straight hair but occasionally I have a few strands that will not stay put.  I also have a really small head and I have had difficulty finding a head band that will stay on my head.  I’ve had to look no further, Bani Bands are adjustable and they do not move.  They are also not supper tight; I often forget I even have one on.  I prefer the 3/8” width, but they come in many sizes, colors, and prints.

www.banibands.com

 

 

 

My Tips for Beginning Cyclists

I went for my longest bike ride ever Sunday!  I completed 25.41 miles in 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Let’s just say that I had a lot of time on my hands to think.

Arm Pain
Riding a road bike takes more strength than you think and I totally did not expect this.  I was very shaky my first few rides because my arms and shoulders were not used to riding and steering.  It will take some time for your upper body to adjust to riding.

Jump In With Both Feet (Clipped In)

Take the plunge and just clip in!  Take your time and do not get in a hurry.  Riding clipped in is so much more efficient, so the sooner the better. I borrowed a bike that had clip-in pedals that my local bike shop could not remove.  So, I HAD to clip-in if I wanted to use the bike.  Needless to say, I’m happy that I was forced to use the clip-ins.

Kadence is King

Make sure you get an odometer that has a cadence setting.  Cadence will help you keep a steady exertion level.  For training I usually keep my cadence around 80.

HONK, HONK

I live in a rural area and there are not many cyclists, I guess people think a HONK, HONK will pep me up.  It doesn’t, in fact; it scares the living daylights out of me!  So beware and be prepared because people will honk!

One-handed Tricks

Reaching down and getting a water bottle is kind of tricky, because you must steer with only one hand and maintain steady balance.   Before actually using a real bottle, practice steering with one hand and then reaching down with one hand. 

Look where you WANT to go

Road bikes are touchy, it’s not like jumping on your cruiser and taking off.  At first, I was terrified of running over road debris (sticks, wrenches, hoses,).  I would stare at the obstacle as I approached and I always ran over it.  Well guess what I FINALLY figured out?  Look beside the obstacle, where you want to go.  Yes, this really works! J

How to Kick Off and Stick with Your Training Plan, Pt2: Making a Plan of Attack!

Once your goal is specified you must make it a PRIORITY.  Working toward your goal becomes another part of your life, just like going to work or eating lunch.  Believe me, you can find time.  You may have to get up a little earlier or skip a TV show, but even 15 minutes can be beneficial.

 

Weekly Scheduling

First, examine your week and establish what days will work best for your work outs.  Take into consideration your job, commute, children, spouse, and weather.  Shorter workouts can easily be completed during the week and weekends can be reserved for longer workouts.  Once you have a good weekly schedule planned, it will be easier for training to become part of your routine.

 

Here’s my reasoning for establishing my workouts:

I work Monday – Friday from 7:30 to 3:30 and I have a 50 min drive each way to work.  Therefore, I plan shorter workouts during the week and longer workouts (1 hr+) on the weekends.

Daily Scheduling

Once you have determined which days to workout, think though your day and decide the best time of the day to work out.  Write down your schedule and determine if things/events can be shifted to create a block of time.  Also, decide what type of workout you want to complete (walking, running, strength training).  Take into consideration your workload for each day.  Do you usually have overly stressful Mondays full of staff meetings?  Do your children routinely have a ton of homework on Tuesdays?

Here’s how I had to think about my day:

I have to be at work at 7:30 a.m., I have a 50 minute drive to work, and I would have to fit in a shower if I did a cardio workout.  To get in an hour of cardio in the morning I would have to wake up around 4:30 a.m. and begin working out at 4:45 a.m.  It is still dark at that time and I do not like to run on a treadmill.  I would also be dehydrated and hungry!  Therefore, the morning is not a good time for me to complete a cardio workout.  However, my husband and I wanted to add strength training to our routine.  I don’t sweat when lifting weights at the gym and I don’t need to be as fully hydrated.  So lifting weights in the morning and doing cardio in the afternoon works for us.

 

Workout Gear

Decide the gear you need to complete your workout and pack it or lay it out the night before.  You might need shoes, socks, sportsbra, hair tie, sunglasses, watch, googles, swimsuit, towel, water bottle, nutrition.  This list could go on and on!  I have a different gear bag for each type workout (bike, swim, strength).

 

 So far we have planned:

·        The day of the workout

·        The time of the day for the workout

·        Workout gear for the workout

Obstacles

Sounds like you have a great plan going, but now we must think about obstacles.  For example, I like to work out as soon as I get home from work around 4:30 p.m.  But, right now (August) it is 105⁰  and hotter than Hades in Texas.  It would not be safe to run at that time, so I have to run about 7:00 p.m.  From 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. I do the household chores I would normally complete after my 4:30 p.m. workout.

Plan B

What are you going to do if all your plans go south?  You need a Plan B!  Things are going to come up, you are going to get sick, get held up in traffic, or have to take care of your children.  You must decide if you are going to skip the workout, postpone the workout, or do another alternate activity.

It’s not the end of the world if you miss a workout, but you must get back on track.  Also, it is OK to modify your training schedule to fit your lifestyle, but always try to make working toward your goal a priority.  A successful training plan is most effective when it is in balance with your life.  Try to set yourself up for success by planning and getting organized.  Organization may take more work up front, but it will take away some of the stress later on.  Planning and organization will also help your training become part of your normal routine.

Stay Tuned for Part 3:  Training and more training!

How to Kick Off and Stick with Your Training Plan Pt.1

I have submitted an article for review for The Endurance Council.  I hope that it gets posted to their website, but I thought I would include the article in my Blog too. Enjoy!

How to Kick Off and Stick with Your Training Plan

Part 1:  Setting a Training Goal

First, you REALLY need a concrete, measurable short-term goal.  I’ve heard so many people say, “I just want to lose weight and become healthy.”  While that is a wonderful goal, it is more of a lifestyle goal that is measured on the basis of long-term success.  Working toward a short-term, measurable goal will give you frequent feedback and reinforcement.  We all like to have our ego stroked, so why not give ourselves a pat on the back!

Here are some examples of good goals:

·        Complete a 5K.

·        Exercising (walking, jogging, zumba, crossfit) 3 days a week for 30 minutes.

Make sure your goal specifies that you complete an activity so that you have control.  I do not recommend your goal being based on weight loss.  Sure, that’s what we all want but sometimes it does not happen as fast as we would like.  Does that mean you are a failure?  NO!  Weight loss is a collateral benefit of accomplishing your goal. 

Make sure your goal is reasonable.  Yes, I would like to complete an Ironman, but I know that I will not be able to do that next week.  Recognize your current state of fitness and make practical goals that are easily attainable.  For example, if you currently do not exercise at all a suitable goal would be:  Walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week.  This goal may not seem to push you limits, but it IS attainable.  You goal should set you up for success!

Realize that goals can be adjusted and that it is OK!  You may be really ambitious with your goal or just not realize how hard training can be.  It is perfectly fine to adjust your goal.  If you currently do not exercise you may set your goal to run 1 mile, 5 times a week.  On the first attempt you only make it a block; you quit and go home dejected.  Instead of giving up, take a step back and adjust your goal, remember, set yourself up for success not failure.  It is YOUR goal; you can make it easier or more difficult anytime you please.

No goal is insignificant.  Do not be intimated by others, focus on your goal.  We runners love that others are training.  Because I live in a small rural community, I usually train alone.  I LOVE when I go to races and others are participating.  I love the runners, the walkers, the stroller pushers, and the dogs.  The more the merrier!

Set a goal and set yourself up for success!  

Stay tuned for Part 2:  Making a Plan of Attack

 

 

 

Got my Run Mojo Back!

So I had my worst run ever at The River Cities Tri on Sunday.  My side hurt so badly and it continued to be a little sore on Monday and Tuesday.  I was concerned, well afraid, of how I would run this week.  Well, after a 30 minute bike ride on my indoor trainer I completed a 1.82 mile, 15 min brick run on Wednesday (avg 8:15 min/mile).  Yesterday afternoon I completed a 4.5 mile speed workout (8:43 min/mile).  I made sure that I hydrated thoroughly throughout the day.

Although these two runs were difficult, I did not hurt anything like I did on Sunday.  Maybe my pain threshold is higher, I always seem to bounce back and perform really well after a difficult and painful workout!

This experience has brought out my philosophical side an I would like to close with a couple of inspirational quotes.

“Tough times don't last but tough people do."   - A.C. Green

“Suffering is an extraordinary teacher.” - Ryan Hall, U.S. Olympic marathoner

 

RiverCities Triathlon Race Report – A lesson learned the hard way!

August 4, 2013

8:00 a.m.
Cypress Black Bayou, Benton, Louisiana
.5 mile swim, 18 mile bike, 5K run

I have heard great things about this triathlon, in fact, it sells out in April.  This race is held in a park that has camping sites and cabins available.  I got my parents to bring over their fifth wheel camper; I was so excited because they have never seen me race before.

Race morning

I have had some sinus drainage and I did not feel like eating or drinking a lot, but I forced a little food, coffee, and water down.  I was soooooooo nervous because my parents were there!

The Swim (22:31)

I’m not a great swimmer, but I felt like I had a good swim.  I didn’t have to sight that often because there were always people around me.  But I did get behind some groups and if I had sighted more I probably would have avoided some of the traffic.  My husband said that I swam pretty straight compared to others!  I was nervous because the men started right behind my age group, a few eventually passed me but it wasn’t as congested as I anticipated.

T1 (3:06)

I’m always somewhat disoriented after an open water swim.  My dad was standing beside the fence watching my transition, I couldn’t help but smile.  My rack was at the back so I had to run/walk my bike a long way before mounting.

The Bike (1:07:24)

I have heard people say that they loved this route so I thought it would be fairly flat.  Wrong!  There were more hills than I expected.  I was concentrating so hard that I did not take in enough fluids.  The fact that I still felt nauseous from the sinus drainage and swim didn’t help either.  Overall, I felt that I had a good bike.

T2 (1:41)

I had to run/walk my bike in a long way.  I have not mastered the flying mount and dismount, so I had to run a long way with my bike shoes.  I usually have a good T2. 

The Run (32:45)

OK, so this is usually where I smoke it and make up a lot of time.  As I left T2 I felt great but before I got through the first mile I had to stop and walk.  I could not believe it, I was in shock!  My side hurt so bad, I was nauseous, in fact, I thought I had appendicitis.  I had to run/walk through the whole 5K and I got 2 cups of water at each aid station. 

Post Race (Total time: 2:07:11)

Totally disappointed, embarrassed and practically in tears.  I did hold it together until my parents left, but then the waterworks started.  I was so mad at myself; I knew exactly what had happened.  I didn’t respect the heat.  I have never felt this way during a race, but then again all my long distance events have been in the spring and fall.  I think that I learned my lesson, and there is a certain long distance event I’m contemplating next May.

Next Day

Overall, I had a great weekend!  My husband and parents got to see me compete in a triathlon.  My husband said that my parents were very interested during the race and asked lots of questions.  I think that my dad would be a really good coach for me!  My dad told me that even Tony Romo has a bad day!  Yes, we are Dallas Cowboy fans! J

I also volunteered for the Ironfish Kids Triathlon on Saturday.  It was so cool to see kids competing.

My next tri is September 14 at Tyler.  This was my first tri last year, so it will be interesting to compare my results. 

The Plunge

I like to swim warm water!  This year our first open water practice swim was MISERABLE.  The water was so cold that I could not make myself put me head in the water.  I swam the whole thing with my head up and my confidence was shaken.  I just could not bring myself to fork over the money for a wetsuit, so I continued to suffer.  Don’t get me wrong the suffering did not last long, because I live in East Texas and it gets warm pretty fast, but I still do not like suffering!

I’m looking at completing Ironman 70.3 next April in Galveston and I would need a wetsuit.  I’ve been searching for a while and I just found a great deal!  I got a used Xterra Vortex on the Xterra website!  The suit came yesterday and it looks brand new!  I’m so glad that I took the plunge to get a wetsuit, now my first open water plunge next spring will not be so difficult!

 

 

 

Refueling My Mental Tank

As I posted earlier I’m always in a time crunch that is both physically and mentally exhausting. Planning, packing workout gear and successfully executing my day takes a lot out of me and that’s before I even get to my work-out!  So far this year I have raced five triathlons, one half-marathon and two 5Ks. I traveled overnight for five of these events, which means even more planning and packing.  In late May I become totally burned out, I just wanted to come home every day and lay on the couch.  I continued to train but my mind and heart just wasn’t completely in it.  I was on autopilot and it seemed that I wasn’t getting any faster or stronger.  I was in a rut! 

I am somewhat fast for my rural area and I do well in local races.  However, at larger races I feel somewhat intimidated.  I feel like my gear isn’t fast enough, especially since I have a lower end road back with clip-on aerobars.  I recently completed the TriAggieland Sprint in College Station, TX.  The day before I completed a local 5K in Center and was the 2^nd overall female.  I had a good run but my hamstrings were especially tight so I did not get my hopes up for a good day at TriAggieland.  I did not have a good run at TriAggieland but my swim and bike improved and I finished 4^th in my age group out of 39 participates.  I was thrilled and after I recovered for a few days I have felt mentally recharged, I’m back baby!

So what helped me recharge?  The successful race at TriAggieland, I finished one place short of getting an award.  Yes, I could have just said I do not feel like doing this and not competed.  But, I gave it a tri. This affirms what I always tell other, “Give it a tri, you will be amazed at what you can do!”  Maybe I should get out my old list of inspirational quotes and post a few around my office and home.  I should definitely reflect on my feelings and start taking some of my own advice.   I believe that I will also start writing down concrete race goals for each race; maybe this will help my focus on each race.  Of course a Caribbean vacation could help too, but we will have to see about that next summer!

 

 

 

Time Crunch

So living in the country may seem all nice and relaxed.  Well, sometimes it is but a lot of the time it seems as if I live a pretty fast paced life.  Even keeping this blog has been affected (I actually began this post on 4-23-13 and I’m just getting back to it!).  The amount of time I spend driving each day to and from work as well as to a pool is really time consuming.  I drive about 1 hour each way to work.  My job is located 55 miles northeast of my home.  Then, I drive about 45 minutes twice a week to swim.  The closest pool is 50 southwest of my home.  I have to travel and spend the night for almost any triathlon I compete in. Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining and I LOVE where I live, it’s all about choices.  Planning and organization are important parts of triathlon training, it pays to take the time each day to schedule and organize for the next day.  I get all my gear packed up and ready to go the day before a workout.  Just thought I would share this little bit of insight into the fast paced life of a rustic runner! 

 

Here’s how my typical Monday-Thursday schedule:

 

4:50 a.m. – Get up and go to gym
5:20 a.m. - strength training
6:10 a.m. – return home
6:45 a.m. – leave for work
7:30 a.m. - work
3:30 p.m. – get off work, drive home
4:45 p.m. – run/bike/rest
6:00 p.m. – enjoy great outdoors with husband and pets
7:00/7:30 p.m. – cook dinner, eat, shower
8:30/9:00 p.m. – go to bed

Afternoon schedule if swimming

5:00 p.m. – if swimming, leave for pool
6:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – swim
7:45 p.m. – drive home
8:30 p.m. – shower, eat dinner, visit with husband
9:30 p.m. – go to bed



I don’t strength train on Fridays but I do sometimes bike or run in the afternoon.  I usually rest on Saturday and complete a long bike ride on Sunday.

 

Sawdust and Chicken Feathers

Ahhh, my first bike ride during daylight savings!  I really like this time of year and so does everyone else.  Or everyone else seems busier and there is a lot more traffic on the roads during the afternoon.  I live in an area that has lots of timber and poultry farms.  Yes, chickens are grown on farms with long chicken houses and when the time comes they are hauled via 18-wheeler to the chicken plant.  The chicken houses are then cleaned out and the chicken manure is used to fertilize cow pastures. Now, I guess loggers can work longer days too, hence the increased amount of traffic. 

 Yesterday, when I was riding my bike, 18-wheeler trucks pulling trailers full of sawdust keep passing me!  There were also chicken feathers on the road.  All the extra traffic made for an interesting ride in which, I breathed sawdust and chicken feathers, not to mention smelling the chicken house fertilizer (chicken manure) that had been spread on all the beautiful pastures.  I felt like I was riding through a sawdust chicken feather tornado!  But at least everyone’s spirits seem happier now that it stays daylight later!