IM Boulder - Training!

While I signed up for IM Boulder in August of last year (crazy?!), I only now feel that I am 'officially' training for that particular race.  I've only just realized the blessing of St. George 70.3.  While it wasn't my "A" race, it did keep me more or less on top of my training and I've found that I need some sort of mid-way goal, or I have this year, at least.  Last year, I think that I wrapped my mind around IM Coeur d'Alene and made that THE goal, but this year, there is so much going on with me life-wise that an intermediate or mid-way goal really helped.  Otherwise, the 'base training' probably wouldn't have ever happened!

However, base training has officially ended and I'm now building - and I miss the base training!  I know that I shouldn't compare myself to other people, and I try not to, but I'm really "comfortable" at around 10-12 hours of training a week.  Once I start to train over 12 hours, I really do feel it.  Also, my recovery from St. George didn't even last a full week!  I was back to a long tempo run and then a long brick (4 hour ride, 80 minute run) a week after the race.  Last Sunday, I thought to myself - "You're not in Kansas anymore".  Okay, it's lame to quote the Wizard of Oz, but I was officially out of my comfort zone with that workout.  I really did try to have a positive attitude, but I started the running with heavy legs and I ended the run with heavy legs.  It was about 10x harder than the St. George run was!

This week, plenty of ups and downs and new challenges.  I felt equally blessed and cursed on Saturday to ride part of the Tour de California Stage 7 course - up GMR (Glendora Mountain Road) which I'd done twice before, but then, for the first time, I kept climbing up to Mt. Baldy Village. The Tour finished at the Mt. Baldy ski lifts, but it was the COLDEST RIDE EVER - so the two other ladies and I riding together made a group decision - to not climb the extra 1,000 feet to the ski lifts.  Even though we didn't make it to the ski lifts, it was a  fantastic ride up to Mt. Baldy Village, and it was amazing to see so many cyclists and fans of cycling in Southern CA.  If I had been better prepared (had more clothes) and had more time, I definitely would have stuck around to see the pros go through, but it was a great ride no matter what.

 This is before we started climbing - and it looks like I have something weird growing out of my helmet, but not so!

Finally, on Sunday, I had my first double-run day EVER.  I actually thought that it was a mistake on my schedule until I read the information about said run.  Nope, not a mistake.  Honestly, the afternoon run felt better than the first run of the day, so I decided that double run days might be okay.  However, this is all new territory for me, which maybe is the point?  Yes, I managed an IM distance race last year and loved the experience, but now that I know that I can do the distance, pushing a bit more and going a bit harder is the challenge.

And, if that's not enough, taking in sights like these should be both the means and the end:

Huge shout out to CalTri and Harrison Shao for the Epic Ride on Saturday!

Racing dreams

So, St. George is a mere 2 days away - less, actually, if you count the hours - and I'm pretty calm.  Sort of!  I did freak out yesterday afternoon, realizing that there was NO WAY that we could leave this afternoon (our scheduled departure day).  Fortunately, we are driving to St. George, so we had some flexibility, and it won't screw things up too much to leave early tomorrow morning.  The other change in the weekend schedule/coordination is that Gus will be traveling with us!  We had planned on boarding him with this great woman (from www.dogvacay.com - I'm a huge fan of this site), but his sleep issues continue, so he's coming with us.

As for the race?  We'll see how things go on Saturday.  I don't have huge expectations, but I might be a little crushed if it's a terrible day for me.  And, I'm worried that it might be terrible.  Signing up for St. George, I was well aware of the fact that conditions would probably be less-than-ideal, and when I started to stalk the weather.com app, the temperatures steadily rose . Last week, I think that the high was supposed to be 81 degrees on Saturday, and now, it's supposed to be 90 degrees.  As I checked the weather daily (obsessive?), I told myself that the heat would be okay, I'd raced in hot weather before, and I could cope, as long as it wasn't windy.  And it now looks as though it'll be a windy day.  Dammnit!

But the dreaming bit?  I don't have frequent dreams about races, but I've had a few - and they always make me laugh.  A few years ago, I dreamt that I had forgotten my bike and went straight from the swim to the run.  That was probably wish fulfillment.  Last year, then, I dreamt that I had the wrong Ironman date, a dream that freaked me out so much I was nervous to confirm the date.  And this year?  Apparently I missed my wave start and didn't have my ID at St. George!

Keeping that dream in mind, I guess it will be a successful race if I start with my wave, so no complaining about a slower-than-desirable day!

A first and a last - LA TriEvents 2

TriEvents marked one of the 'firsts' of the year -  a race!  In other ways, it also began what will probably be a long litany of lasts as we prepare to move to Colorado and say our good-byes to people, places and experiences.  So, TriEvents was my last "hometown", Southern CA race, which made the experience rather bittersweet.

As for this race...  I usually don't go on and on about my pre-race days for a smaller local event, but I think that I followed a good list of what NOT to do.  First of all, I've felt somewhat unmotivated training-wise.  Also, we have kept up an unusually busy social calendar as we're trying to get together with friends as much as possible (which may impact the first point).  So, not only did I eat some really rich Mexican food Friday night at Rocio's Mole de los Dioses (yes, that is the "Mole of the Gods" restaurant - if you like mole, which not everyone does, this place is for you!), but we spent part of Saturday at a toddler's birthday party, at which I ate several cookies and 2 pieces of cake, and then we had Middle Eastern Saturday night.  To top it all off, Gus, our dog, has been getting up in the middle of the night - at least once, but sometimes twice - to go outside.  On Saturday night, he got up, and subsequently woke us up, at 12:00 and then again at 3:00.  So, not very auspicious circumstances for the race.

However, I reminded myself when I woke up at 5:00 am (after not sleeping much between 3-5) that this was NOT my "A" race but more of the 'ripping-the-bandaid-off' type of a race.  With St. George very much on the horizon (next Saturday!), it was nice to locate all of my shit, some of which I hadn't seen since last summer.  I was about 100% sure that I would forget an essential item, but I somehow managed to make it to Bonelli with all the necessities.  That was the first surprise and relief, but it still didn't exactly calm my nerves which were a bit on edge.

Arriving at the park early Sunday am, I was initially excited to see all of the athletes and take in the energy.  Yay, a triathlon!  But once I checked in and started to REALLY prepare for the race, I just wanted to leave.  Part of this was nerves, plain and simple, but it also stemmed from the fact that Michael had opted to stay in bed after a rough night's sleep.  As much as I wanted him to be at the race as my sherpa and photographer, I also understood his choice.  Plus, he'll be there at St. George and Boulder, which are far more important to me.  But I still missed him, as weird/dependent as that sounds.  The other aspect of the race that made me nervous, strangely, was the fact that I knew so many people racing, spectating and volunteering.  Signing up, this was one of the bonuses, but as I started to get ready to race, I just wanted to be alone, to zone out and be with my thoughts.  Also, I felt a weird pressure because I knew so many people and, thanks to my awesome self-confidence, I was sure that they would give me the side-eye as a "triathlete".

Thanks to Harrison Shao of CalTri who took this photo - I somehow wiped my race number on my face, that is not a beard!

Despite my nerves, it was fun to see so many people I knew.  With that in mind, I tried to breath (just breath!), focus on my race and enjoy the experience, no matter the outcome and repeated to myself, time and again, that this was NOT my A-race.  Lining up for the swim, I felt okay - the water temperature was a great and it was a nice morning, despite haze from a nearby fire.  It was so exciting to see the first waves start, and then it was the pinked-capped ladies' turn!  My first thought starting out was "Holy crap, this is so much harder than I expected!".  There was a lot of contact initially, but then we spread out and I felt more comfortable.  The swim ended up being slower than I had hoped/expected - I exited at 20:56 for 1000 meters, for a 2:05 pace.  Coming out of the water, I grimaced at someone who was cheering for me.  Such good sportsmanship!

The ladies, lining up for the swim.  Photo courtesy of TriEvents.

Beth's only advice to me for the day was "Go as HARD as you can on the bike :)" - she included a smiley face on that 'suggestion'!  Not really what I wanted to hear, but after a quick-for-me transition (sub 4:00!!!), I was on the bike course, trying to pass slower people and also leave room for the faster people to pass me and attempting to push myself on the bike.  I've raced this course once - 3 years ago, although that was a full Olympic distance (today's race was just a bit short), and while it isn't Wildflower hard, it isn't easy.  Lots of hills, some tricky turns and some portions of crappy road.  Plus, it's a 3-loop course, and I get bored by that third lap.  Anyway, I tried to push hard and was happy with the split on the first lap, less excited about the 2nd lap split, and a bit disheartened by the third, but what could I do?  I finished the 33km course in 1:12:33 for 17.4 mph ride.  While it wasn't the ride I wanted, I looked back at my 2012 race, and my time definitely improved!  So, progress is progress.

After a quick transition (would have been faster than 1:24 except that I stopped to talk to a student from work in transition - he actually won the sprint division!), it was time for the run.  Recently, I've felt great running off the bike, so I was hoping for a strong run, but you never know.  I did try something different this time.  I usually switch from the Garmin Edge on the bike to the Garmin 110 to track my run.  Yesterday, I opted to stick with the Edge which gives me overall pace rather than specific mile splits, so I ended up running very much by feel.  

My one complaint - my race bib kept riding high which made me feel like I was wearing high-waist pants or something.

The run-by-feel strategy is one that I might implement in future races because, holy crap, I ran a fast 8km (for me!), holding a 7:30 pace.  I wonder if I would have backed off had I seen the pace, and, at the same time, I wonder if I had something left in the tank at the end?  

At any rate, I crossed the finish line a very happy camper - relieved that the race had gone better than expected, despite a rough swim and slightly disappointing bike, and I remembered why I keep pushing along.  These experiences challenge me time and again, and while I often question myself and my enthusiasm wanes at times, there are those moments when things click.  My strong run probably helped my attitude, but even with my less-than-great performance on the swim and the bike, I remembered to cheer on other people and felt energized by the support that was out there on the course and it was just fun to be out there!

Finally, the second "first" (a true first for me!) - a podium!  Before my training/attitude/eating went to total shit, I had harbored a secret hope to place at this race as a nice way to end my triathlon experience here in Southern CA.  As I headed into the race, I lowered any and all expectations, so it was a very pleasant surprise when I ended up 3rd in my AG!  I understand that it's a small local race, so it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I was excited enough to wait around for the awards ceremony.  Triathlon has been a challenging road for me - the swim and bike do not come easily, and I know that I didn't execute a perfect pre-race or race plan, but the accumulation of years of somewhat hard work is beginning to reap benefits.  While I have zero photos (at this point) of my podium, it was fun to get a cheer from the crazy CalTri folks as pictured below:

It's definitely a motley crew and I'm not the most dedicated member, but triathlon has become a somewhat significant part of my life, and, in one way or another, I've shared that with many of these people.  

So, the final take-aways from the race?  Transitions matter (for the first time ever, I tried to hurry and it might have made the difference between a podium spot or 4th place); I'm still a better runner than swimmer/biker, but I can improve, slowly!  And, the most important note - the camaraderie and energy on the course make the race experience.  Keeping that last point in mind, I finally feel excitement about St. George, rather than dread, and I can't believe that it's next week!  As I said in my last post, racing season is upon us!

It's April! And racing season! And other odds and ends...

Happy tax day (tomorrow - and how is 'happy' a part of it, even if you do get a tax return?!).

Starting soon, I think that I need to have some sort of a 'regular' blog session, just so that I can post about my oh-so-exciting life.  I realize that many people in the digital age have moved on to Instagram and/or Twitter, but I'm not there yet.  In my defense, I still remember when I didn't even use email 20 years ago.

But, to at least give a monthly update...  Last year, I remember that February was such a challenging month, and this year, March certainly filled February's shoes, and more.  Now that April is upon us, and we have some certainty/clarity about life as we move forward, I feel lighter and much less stressed.  As I look back at March, I can't believe how much we weathered - figuring out job stuff for the short-term, dealing with a slight physical malaise (my back), and coming to terms with a death in the family.  It always amazes me, when I'm in the midst of a stressful situation, I tend to put blinders on and just push through, but once I have some distance, I can see how hard it was.  So, yes, March was a difficult month.

April, training-wise, has felt more focused, and I am looking forward to my first 2015 race this weekend!  TriEvents #2 is a local event in which I've participated without great success and, recently, I've come to know the race better as a volunteer.  This Sunday, however, I'll be donning my wetsuit for the first time since last summer and will force myself to remember how to transition.  I don't have high expectations - this race falls two weeks before St. George 70.3, which IS a 'big deal'.  Instead of racing, a part of me would rather have a big training weekend as a last-ditch effort to boost my strength/speed/endurance, but maybe this will boost my race confidence?  After all, I'm not sure how much "hay in the barn" I'd actually harvest at this point.  I do find it ironic that the more I train, the less I seem to race these days...

I don't have high hopes for TriEvents, but I'd love to put down a solid performance for me, swimming, biking (ha!) and running.  This is a tougher course than people give it credit, especially the bike, but I'd love to push HARD on the bike and see what that leaves me for the run.  I'm still not fast on the bike, even with the Bat, but I've felt so good transitioning bike-to-run, that I'm interested in seeing what my run will be.

And, despite my typical lackluster bike performance, I've had some good rides recently.  Well, some that left me scratching my head, like when I flatted BOTH tires at once.  It was the very end of a hilly ride and I just wasn't paying attention.  Fortunately, I was about 2 houses down from our house, so I just walked the bike home.  On the positive side, this past weekend, I rode what I remember from last year as a killer ride - GMR (Glendora Mountain Road loop), and while it was difficult, I enjoyed the ride SO MUCH!  I've been nervous about the St. George bike course, especially on the tri bike, but this gave me a sense that "Sí se puede".

(If I were a better blogger, I would actually have some photos, but I don't.  It was a gorgeous day to be out biking though and it's a great road to ride!)

Now, to end on a 'down' note.  While my back woes are definitely on the mend, to my immense relief, I feel that injury is something of a hydra for me.  Once I deal with a specific issue, another one (or two) raises its head.  I'm currently dealing with a bit of plantar fasciitis in my left foot/calf.  Ah, my old foe from 2012/13!  What is even more frustrating is that in other ways I feel that my running game is pretty strong right now, so I'd love to ignore this little niggle, but I know that I can't/shouldn't.  Last week, I pushed hard on the bike and then transitioned to a really fast run (this was probably the workout that tipped the scale to a full-blown flare-up of PF).  I'd love to see what I can do this weekend on the run, but I also don't want to sabotage St. George or, especially, Boulder.

There are a lot of 'lasts' that we are facing over the next two months.  Moving still feels a bit abstract, but I also know that this is the last local CA race that I'll do.  So, I want to have fun, enjoy the camaraderie on the course, and appreciate the overall experience.  It's also great to have a season 'launch' - to feel that I've built a solid base, worked towards this moment, and now I can take it in and see how I do.  Hopefully I'll have a bit of luck working in my favor too!

Spring Break 2015 - A move/train-cation!

I'm not complaining about my spring break, but I think that I need a vacation now that it's over!  Productive?  Check!  Fun?  Check!  Relaxing?  NO!

But, we made major progress on the imminent move to Boulder - by taking a truckload of stuff to Boulder at the beginning of the week and then flying back home.  

 Just getting started!

Taking a break - somewhere in the Mojave

Unloading!

The drive to Boulder was fairly uneventful - we didn't have weather issues, which was fortunate in the lovely U-Haul.  And, we spent the night in Winslow, AZ, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone, despite the Eagles' song that made it famous (or somewhat famous?). 

Boulder was a lot of unpacking and thinking about our next steps, but I mixed in some training while I was there, on the bike and running.  It was a bit of a challenge to motivate a few days thanks to the weather:

We arrived on Monday (a beautiful day, but after 12 hours or so in the car, I was more than ready for a stiff drink), and then Tuesday, I set out for a windy bike ride.  During said ride, I think my HR was at about 90% for 90% of the ride - I was white-knuckling it, just hoping that I didn't get blown over OR blown into traffic.  Wednesday, I was supposed to fit in a brick, but as you can see, it was going to be 46 degrees as a high, plus rain.  So, I set out for an early morning run, during which it rained, snowed and hailed on me.  Good times!  Finally, I squeezed in the brick Thursday before we flew back to CA.  Also, please note the weather on Friday and then Saturday!  It was strange to leave my Trek road bike, Sunshine, in Boulder - it's now just me and the Bat!

For the end of the break, I drove down to Oceanside, CA on Saturday to spectate Oceanside 70.3.  It's always tempting to sign up for this race, but when it rolls around, I'm usually SO relieved that I didn't.  But...  Maybe one day?!  It was a gorgeous day to be out spectating - a little bit warm, but not too crazy.  I missed the men's finish but saw Heather Jackson cross the finish line.  Wow, she is so amazing!  She raced and won Wildflower last year, and I saw her exit the water but didn't see the finish (obviously - I was somewhere on the bike course).  It was also great to see and cheer for a lot of people that I know. 



Saturday afternoon, I spent working on my swim technique - Beth Gerdes, my coach (I always feel like a fraud when I use that term, but what else should I call her?), was very kind enough to offer a session in their endless pool.  I was SUPER nervous about swimming in front of people and it was kind of weird to be on a 'swim treadmill', but I did get some great feedback and I know what I need to work on.  Then, Sunday morning, Beth and another one of her athletes (who lives in Pasadena and with whom I should train!) and I set out on a ride.  I have major bike riding route envy now - it was SUCH a nice ride.  Lots of rolling hills, rather than crazy steep ascents and descents, and very biker friendly.  Also, it was a wonderful day to ride, a bit foggy early on but then it burned off.  Finally, I was super nervous about riding with other people, especially a pro(!), but this other woman and I were really well matched.  I obviously need to just get over my anxiety about how terrible I am on the bike and develop some confidence once and for all!  Anyway, it was so generous of Beth to spend time Saturday and Sunday with us.  Not only is she an amazing athlete (recently 5th at IM Asia-Pacific!) but a really great coach too.

Anyway, I was really excited about getting in 4 bike rides last week - some of them weren't very fun and none was very fast, but I do feel better about St. George and about heading into the next few weeks (although thank goodness this is a recovery week! and thank goodness I have Friday off!).  

Also, we have made progress on the move to Colorado (I keep saying Boulder, but, really, we could be anywhere).  We will be putting our house up for sale within the next few weeks which seems totally crazy to me.

January - It's a wrap (almost!)

Yes - January, despite my sense of lackluster motivation and a slow start, ended up being a good month and has concluded on a positive note.  Returning to work after the holidays is always a bit brutal, but the Jan. schedule at the school where I teach is pretty awesome and allows for much socializing.  Add to that my birthday and some solid training weeks, and the month rounded out quite nicely!

Yes, my birthday - another year older but not necessarily wiser.  I used to hate having a January birthday (mainly when I was a kid because I wanted a pool party which was never possible, not even in South Texas), but I've obviously gotten over that and now embrace getting older.  I think that, once I'm closer to the big 5-0, I might enjoy celebrating it a bit less, but for now, I'll continue to raise a glass to my health and happiness.

Drinking a home-made margarita by the resident mixologist and sporting a great little Smartwool pullover that my parents got me - total win!

With my birthday, I didn't move up an age group, sadly, but hopefully it will be a good year for me in the 40-44 group!  My actual birthday was filled with some star power - I attended a CalTri season kick-off meeting and met the very inspiring Hillary Biscay who talked to the group.  I admit that I didn't know who she was until I got my first Smashfestqueen kit, but then I started reading about her and wow, she's pretty amazing.  And I really do love the kits that her company makes - the designs are awesome and the kits are comfortable.  Anyway, I wavered - to introduce myself as a fan girl or not?  I finally decided that it would be kind of silly to not say anything to her, so I ended up talking about how great the kits are, showing her a picture of me wearing the Fly kit, and then we blabbed about triathlon. I was a little starstruck, I must admit, and she was very nice.

Hillary with Maik Twelsiek - the following photos are courtesy of CalTri (and Harrison Shao)

No pictures with Hillary but Harrison snapped one of me with Maik - he only came in 11th at Kona this year!  He was swiping my credit card so that I could make the following purchase:

I know, I know!  Another kit. But so cute and I love the fish scales on it!  And Maik also talked with me about the St. George course - and the hills!

My "real" birthday celebration followed - Michael and I spent an afternoon hanging out at LA's Grand Central Market , visiting the Hudson River School exhibit at LACMA and eating and drinking quite well.  To be honest, there might have been a bit too much over-indulgence over the course of the month, but how can I complain about *having* to spend time at some of my favorite places - Amigos, the York, Golden Road Brewery and POV (this last place has forever ruined pizza elsewhere for us) with friends.  Also, I had my first ramen experience - since the days of Top Ramen - at Tsujita.  The LA Weekly claims that you can find better ramen, but you have to get on a plane to do so.  I'm not a ramen expert, but I can say that it was one of the most decadent meals I've ever had.

Perhaps my favorite part of the meal (except for the ramen) - Glad that no one died while we were eating the ramen!

I mentioned drink, and I know that serious triathletes and runners eschew alcohol.  Sigh.  Obviously I'm not one of those serious athletes, and I've developed a recent crush on the Old Fashioned and variations of said drink (such as the Claremont).  Also, Golden Road's "Better Weather IPA" is one of the best beers I've had in ages which I would drink on a more regular basis except that it has 9% alcohol or something ridiculous like that.  In other words, it packs a punch.

Despite a month of eating and drinking a bit too much, I would say that the rest of my training regime is on track.  Yes, despite my mid-month groaning and moaning and belly-aching, it's been a solid training period.  I started off the month with a great run in Boulder on New Year's, and I started today with an early morning long, slow distance run.  Many of these have felt like a slog, at least at one moment or another, but I enjoyed every moment of today's run. I feel that some of the training is beginning to click, and I'm looking forward to a more focused month in February.

Bonding with "the Bat" (aka The Sweet Ride)

So, the Sweet Ride (the Cervelo) has an official name - the Bat.  When I first had my eye on the Quintana Roo and a few other bikes, a part of the appeal, other than the price, was the color - black.  As much as I've liked my Trek, I haven't loved a white bike.  I realize that this is the most insignificant detail when it comes to purchasing and owning a bike, but I really liked the idea of a black bike, in part because I already had a name that I thought would stick - the Bat.  But then, I ditched the idea of the QR and opted for yet another white bike because of minor things like fit.  So, I considered other names for it, but somehow, once I started riding the Cervelo, the Bat seemed even more accurate because of how compact I feel when I ride.  So, the name has stuck.  It's even better in Spanish and is actually one of my favorite words - Murciélago. Also, there ARE albino bats and such a thing as an Honduran white bat, so maybe "the White Bat" isn't too silly.

This is not a real bat.  Source.

Anyway, the Bat and I have been spending some quality time together, and things have improved since our first outing (meaning - I haven't fallen).  However...  I realize that I sound like a broken record, but it is taking me a while to get used to everything about this bike.  I've adjusted, more or less, to the shifters being at the end of the bars, and the new saddle has greatly improved my riding experience, but it's still hard for me to get out and ride more than 2 hours at this point.  I think that I've been accustomed to a much more comfortable ride, one that let me ride in several different positions and to ride more upright, obviously.  With the Bat, it's hard to sustain any position other than aero (at this point), and I'm not super strong in aero.  My final point is that I don't think that I'm a faster cyclist on the bike even though everyone else whose blog I've ever read has raved about how they suddenly became speed demons with their tri bike (the Internet lies!).  So, I envisioned suddenly riding 1-2 mph faster without much effort, and I haven't found that to be the case.  Mind you, I'm comparing my current times to those from May and June, when I was actually in decent cycling shape.  Okay, maybe that's an unfair comparison?

So, the adjustment period continues.  As does finding all of the right 'gear' - hydration system/s, bento box, places to put/carry my tubes and other necessities.  I haven't been able to simply swap everything that I had for my Trek, and I continue to shop around to find the stuff that works for me and for the bike.

I definitely don't mean to complain.  After all, I've actually been putting in time in the saddle since this purchase, so it's motivated me to get back some of my bike fitness!

And you can see how different my fit is.  Michael now says that when I'm riding the Trek it looks as if I'm on a carriage.

We'll see whether or not I'm a faster cyclist with more time on the Bat, but I have noticed a difference on the run.  While I'm not running tons of miles off the bike at this point, I am faster, and not because of my fabulous run fitness these days.  It still feels just as hard to run off the bike, especially the first mile, but when I look down at my pace, it's faster than I would expect.  So, this might be a very exciting development - but I'd better learn to ride long on the Bat.

A new sweet ride!

So, last Saturday, this happened:

Although it would seem to be an impulse buy, that isn't the case.  First of all, I've been looking at tri bikes for the past 18 months.  Maybe even 24?  While I really do like/love my Trek and have no regrets about 'racing' my first irondistance event with a road bike, as I thought about 2015, it seemed like investing in a tri bike wouldn't be a waste of money.  I didn't want to be one of those people who buys a tri bike for one race and then never rides it after said race.  Plus, my road bike really is a good bike, so I was conflicted about adding yet another bike to my growing collection.  

After many conversations, I felt good about the decision to commit to a tri bike, so then I started looking around seriously - mainly online, but looking to buy, not just to look.  Then, two weeks ago, when we went to Tijuana, I stopped by Nytro, a shop in Encinitas that specializes in triathlon, and did some serious shopping. Going into this process, I wasn't considering a Cervelo at all, but was looking at Quintana Roo.  So, they got me on a Quintana Roo after taking my measurements, and made some adjustments and then more adjustments, and then I went out for a ride on it.  I didn't ride very far, in part because I was so nervous about riding!  It was a completely different experience - I'm so used to the fit and feel of my Trek, and while I was still riding a bike, I found it difficult to relax and get comfortable on the bike and I couldn't climb on it at all (also, I was nervous about falling or something, scratching the bike and then having to buy it!).  While I really wanted to like the QR, I had serious doubts about buying a tri bike after that test ride.  

Meanwhile, the guys at Nytro had set up the Cervelo for me, so it was ready for a test ride.  I spinned on it in the store, and it immediately felt better than the QR.  So, I took it out for a longer ride (but was still freakin' nervous!).   I wasn't ready to buy it at that point, but I put a refundable "down payment" which took the bike off the floor.  

After thinking about the bike for much of last week and reading a ton of reviews about the P2, we then went back south last Saturday (I realize that I live in the LA area and yet I bike shop in other cities - don't ask).  I took the bike for a LONGER ride which was good; I was less nervous so I could enjoy the ride quite a bit more.  This definitely helped me make the decision to pull the trigger and buy the bike!

The maiden voyage:

And then, last Sunday, I decided to get out and enjoy the sweet new ride.  It was a gorgeous day - perfect for a ride.  And things were going well as I rode along PCH from Malibu to just south of Point Mugu (during said ride, I realized how out of biking shape I am!), and then things felt off - maybe a flat tire?!  No, how the hell could I get a flat on my first ride on my new bike?  But, yes, I did have a flat tire.  

I stopped, pulled over and checked out the tire - of course it had to be the back tire.  And, somehow in all of my flustered frustration, I ended up toppling over, still clipped into the bike!  I've definitely fallen over while clipped in, but it's been a while and I've never gotten as scraped up as I did last Sunday!  The one positive is that I had the foresight when I bought the bike (with 650 wheels) to get tubes, just in case I got a flat.  So, we managed to change the flat fairly quickly and then finished up the ride.  At that point, I felt quite deflated - not only was my elbow banged up so it hurt riding aero, but the saddle was KILLING me.  

(While the bike was still a maiden; that is, before I fell while clipped into it)

Fortunately, the scrape has healed, and I'm none worse for the wear - nor is the bike.  And the saddle was no surprise - trying out the bike, I was about 99.9% certain that I'd need a new saddle.  After Sunday's fairly short ride, I knew that I either had to become a nun or get a new saddle.  The first option was out, so, I took it to the bike store here to inquire about different options.  When I rolled in the bike and explained my woes, the salesguy said "That is not a good saddle for women".  Good to know that I'm not the only one!

This past week, I rode the bike several times on the trainer (first time on the trainer since June, cough cough), and then Michael and I went out and rode the San Gabriel River bike path today.  This, by the way, was after an aborted attempt to go to Joshua Tree to ride yesterday.  We turned around at Highway 62, the road that leads to JTree, because the wind was insane - we even took the bikes off the bike rack on top of the car because the gusts were so strong.  So, the ride today was a welcome change from all of these mishaps - I did not fall, it was fairly stress-free, and I was able to really appreciate the new bike!  I'm still not super fast and need to get used to riding aero, but I feel that I can accelerate quickly and easily, without making a huge effort.

I still have plenty to learn as I acquaint myself with my new bike (whose name I'm deciding on), and there are other decisions to make, but I can say, without a doubt, that it is a sweet little ride!  

Training recap - Ironman Coeur d'Alene

Just a few more days of taper, and then race day - in less than one week!  I'm still not too restless or anxious, although I did wake up yesterday thinking "Holy shit, what if the date of the race is today and NOT next Sunday!".  I knew that was a ridiculous thought, but I opened up the ironman.com web page with some nervousness, afraid that I would see under the "Live" tab: Coeur d'Alene.  Ack!  Fortunately, that did not come to pass, it IS the 29th, so I will continue to wait.

I realize that Sunday is the BIG event, and perhaps it's premature to reflect on training before the race, but there is something of value to think about this process separate from race performance.  I don't know how race day will go, and while I did not have a flawless training program (what would that mean, anyway?), I would describe it as "solid" and consistent, especially in April and May.  I wish that I could say that I loved every moment of training, but that would be complete BS, because there were plenty of low points when I was tired, cranky, lonely or frustrated or some combination of all of those.  However, I did enjoy seeing or feeling myself get stronger in the pool, on the bike, on the run.  While this progress rarely followed a linear trajectory, having those "aha!" moments reinforced that my sense that the training was working and that I was moving towards this ironman goal.  There were also so many milestones, small and also more significant, that boosted my confidence along the way.  Even though I have a few "I wish that I had done X" thoughts (which maybe I'll enumerate just for fun), on the whole, I followed a consistent training plan and hit about 90% of my workouts.  That's an A- and is good enough for me!

As I've mentioned, signing up for this event back in August last year freaked me out so much that I wanted to throw up after I hit the 'send' button (not sure if it was the price tag or the idea that I was now committed to this IM thing).  Fortunately, I let things settle before my thoughts really turned to training.  The beginning of the school year, as usual, trashed any sort of training schedule that I might have followed, so I waited until October before I began to reestablish my base from the summer, and then in November, I committed more fully to swim/bike/run, but without a specific plan.  I also figured out my coaching/training situation for IM in November, which came as a huge relief, and I began working with Beth in December, but training was low-key until February.  Starting then was great, as I felt mentally ready and excited to be focused about training, even though I had to deal with a quad injury.  In a way, being out of my running game for a few weeks was a good experience.  I wanted to freak out, I often thought that I would be walking the entire marathon (and I still might), but I was able to focus on the swim and bike and I learned that you can maintain some run fitness on the elliptical.  I owe Beth and Dr. Choy, the ART guy here in Pasadena, many many thanks for their patience and for dealing with my crazy thoughts.  Okay, she dealt with my crazy doubts, and he kept working on my body and encouraging me to keep running a bit further and a bit further, until finally I was back at it!

It's strange to say that I had a favorite month of training, but I loved March - the volume went up, but it still felt manageable, plus I was running again which came as a huge relief and also a source of fun and enjoyment.  I probably went slightly overboard with events in March (I had the Desert Tri, the Solvang Metric Century, and the Malibu Canyon Half-Century), but each event was different and gave me more experience on the bike or swim/bike/running without much pressure - I gained confidence and built up endurance.  May was the month of the BIG BUILD, which logically would have been the greatest challenge, but I struggled more in April.  I think (know) that much of the struggle had to do with the training/work/life balance, plus Wildflower was looming and I didn't feel as strong as thought that I *should* be.  The struggles in April did reap dividends in May, as I felt stronger on the bike and stayed healthy for the longer runs that I had to put in.

Looking back, this has been such a positive experience, no matter what happens on Sunday.  First of all, I learned tons by working with a coach.  I'd never followed much of a specific plan for training, and I really enjoyed the structure and the variety that Beth built into my weekly or monthly schedule.  While I still had plenty of flexibility within the plan, it was a slow build that allowed me to stay healthy and get stronger and the variety ensured that I wasn't bored and that I didn't get injured.  Having a coach also made me feel accountable to my Training Peaks account (and maybe a bit obsessive).  Also, I did not talk a lot about IM training at work or socially or even with CalTri, the group with which I infrequently train - I really used Beth as my main source of information which kept out a lot of noise.  Finally, she was great about guiding me through being injured, plus the build, the peak weeks, and different races and events, and she has often been more confident about my abilities than I.

While there were many moments (especially in April and May), when I did not want to wake up at 5:00 am during the week for a swim or trainer ride or on a Saturday or Sunday for a long ride, I certainly feel that those early mornings have been worth it.  I often told myself that I alone made the choice to sign up for an ironman and I now had to do everything that I could to get to the start and finish line.  Somehow, this sort of reasoning worked for me and did, more often than not, motivate me.  Before my training really kicked in, I expected to be more social for my long rides, but I ended up riding the majority of them solo, which had its own benefits (like having to change tires on my own).  At times it was hard to be so much in my head, but that was another aspect of training that I enjoyed - the solitude of training which gave me time to think and just 'be'.  This wasn't the best year for me work-wise (not that it was a "bad" year, just not a great year), and I recognize that IM training often served as a refuge for me, a place where I could see progress and where I learned to push myself.

Despite the moments of "I-don't-want-to-get-up", I never felt that this training totally took over my life.  In May, Beth emailed me my schedule and said that I should tell Mike that I'd see him in July (she was joking!).  I know that I said 'no' to a lot of school/work commitments due to IM training (didn't go the musical for the first time in 9 years; missed a class retreat; skipped out on a pre-graduation happy hour...), but maintaining some sort of social life WAS a priority to me.  Nor did I give up alcohol or gluten.  I really took the attitude that this training was one aspect of my life, an interest that enriched my life and, in many ways, kept me physically and mentally sharp, but Ironman and triathlon certainly did not define my life.

So, with race day approaching, I will be happy to find myself at the start line with the sense that I trained and tapered well.  I know that anything can happen during a race, and I'm trying to steel myself for that, but I hope that I'll be able to remember the positives from training.  I think back on my first open water swim years ago when I almost hyperventilated, and this past week, I hit Hermosa Beach and Malibu for my final open water practice swims of the week, and just couldn't believe how amazing it was to swim in the Pacific Ocean.  As I swam, I took in the long expanse of water on one side and the beach on the other, the sun rising up..  I'll think about the great rides I've experienced (suffering and all) and the places that I've seen on my bike in the LA area and beyond, rides I would have never done without the pressure of the Ironman.  And how sweet it's been to stay healthy for the run.  I feel really lucky and grateful that I've had the experience to train - and now, it's almost time to race!

Countdown to Wildflower!

It seems like I signed up for Wildflower a while back as a race in the very "distant" future. Yet, here it is, almost upon us!  Thinking about the fact that there are officially less than 2 weeks until May 3, race day for me, does not freak me out.  Seeing this is a lead-up to CdA, however, DOES make that event feel much closer which is a bit panic-inducing!

This is my fourth year going to Wildflower, and clearly I never learn that April, school-wise, is just kind of crazy, and I'm completely stressed out about a million different things.  Well, here I am again, stressed about school issues and also trying to focus on solid training swims, runs and rides.  At this point, I've learned that every month, every week, maybe even every day, presents a different challenge in terms of training.  I was a bit of a stress case in February with the running situation which had me sidelined; March was a pretty glorious month - I had a few great experiences with organized rides, a nice 'triathlon-season opener' at the Desert Triathlon, returned to running and also felt strong in the pool as began to get in more yardage.  

I have not felt that training in April has gone "as well", whatever that means.  My running game is back - not quite 100% but definitely 90% - as I've started to incorporate tempo runs, hill repeats and even have a few long (for me) runs under the belt.  So, that is a huge plus.  But, swimming has been a mixed bag, and biking, where I saw progress in February and March, has felt like a huge step backwards.  I really struggled with what should have been a pretty 'easy' longish ride last weekend, whichleft me feeling completely frustrated.  Not to mention that I wanted to throw my bike into the ocean or, better yet, run over it with the car.  Looking back, I think that there were some mechanical issues that may have caused a slower pace - my bike wasn't shifting well and there seemed to be other problems.  Not to look for a scapegoat, but all of those small issues may have contributed to my sense of frustration.

Fortunately, I felt much more focused this week and on top of my so-called game in the pool and also in the saddle.  Despite the strong urge to stay in bed to sleep a bit more both yesterday and today, I managed to motivate myself.  The source of said motivation:  FEAR.  Seriously, I told myself that with Wildflower 2 weeks away, I *had* to get in these workouts (which is somewhat true).  So, yesterday, I headed off for a solo ride and hit just over 50 miles with 4400 elevation gain (more or less).  I opted for the Lower Big Tujunga loop (should have gone Upper, but that's a ride for another day), which seems to be my pre-70.3 ride.  I've done this ride with variations for both Boulder 70.3 and last year for Vineman, and it's a good prep ride.  I should compare my stats from this year and last year.  Or maybe not - without looking at data, I felt that I was pretty strong out there yesterday and hit the ranger station on the 2 much earlier than I expected.  It wasn't a fast ride, but I did feel good during my 5-mile post-ride-run.  

Today was much the same - did not want to run, did not want to run...  But ended up with a 14.4 mile run, my longest run in a very long time and longer, obviously, than the 13.1 miles at Wildflower (hopefully only 13.1 - who knows with the course!).  I felt good for the first 6-7 miles, my legs could actually move, to my great surprise, but things were way harder the second half.  Still, I finished, pushing hard for those final miles.  And now, with those two bigger workouts under my belt, I think that I might, just maybe, be ready for Wildflower!  They were not exactly key to my fitness prep, but they did serve to bolster my confidence, which is always good.

As for Wildflower, who knows how that will go!  So much depends on the weather and race conditions at that race, as I've experienced personally, even at the Olympic distance.  My main goal for the event is not based on time but on the hope that it will give me a sense of where I am for CdA in June.  It IS exciting to take on a bigger challenge with the Long Course, and Wildflower will always have a nostalgic place in my heart as the first tri I ever did.  

2014 plans and decisions

I admit, I'm bringing in the ubiquitous New Year's post a bit late, and I totally failed on the yearly recap, which is fine because 2013 wasn't a year of monumental change.  I can't believe that I'm making that statement since buying a house did take up tons of mental energy, but really, our lives seemed only to shift into different patterns.  We frequent another farmers' market, have discovered a wonderful pizza place, but mainly we just learned new routes to get to our mainstays.  I would say the same thing about work - nothing major there even though there have been changes.  Some of these shifts have been rather difficult, I can't deny that, perhaps the result of growing pains or of a friendship that has grown distant, but with change, there seems to be both gain and loss.

The lack of dramatic ups and downs and crazy changes did have one effect - it pushed me to think about making a long-term, sometime-in-the-future goal more immediate.  For a while, I had been thinking of 2015 as the year that I would try to take on the full iron distance.  But then the summer came around and the Ironman Corporation announced that there would be a full iron distance in Boulder in 2015 and I was tempted.  That announcement came right before Vineman, and I asked Michael that, if I went sub-6, could I register for a full?  Well, I came close to a sub-6 but not close enough, however the idea had certainly taken root.  And, so, in August, after many conversations and much back and forth with myself and with him, I finally registered for Ironman Coeur d'Alene!  My first reaction after receiving my "Congratulations, you've signed up for..." email was to throw up, due both to the amount of money that I had just spent with the click of that button and to the reality that holy crap, I had signed up for an full iron distance tri!

For a few months, I mainly sat with the idea of taking on such a distance and tried to maintain a decent level of fitness but I didn't do too much (great motto - "don't do too much with your life").  Finally, I recommitted to a more 'rigorous' schedule in November, and then in December I started to work with a coach.  The decision to work with someone came hand-in-hand with the decision to register for a longer distance tri.  While I've had good experiences at the shorter and slightly longer distance courses, this is a different beast.  Also, I figured that I would dump way too many anxieties, frustrations and stress on my better half if I attempted this solo.  Finally, it's a long, hard haul even to the start line, let alone the finish line, and I decided that it would be a benefit to have all the help I could.  So, last month was a base month - get back to training.

Now that January has arrived, the reality of lining up for my first ironman is still an idea that's in the future, but the more immediate one, especially after I counted the weeks between now and then (about 26) and realized that June will be here before I know it!  I'm still nervous about this process but also curious to see what the training will be like, how will I deal with it, will I stay healthy, when will I have a major melt-down, and those thoughts don't even include the actual race!

Needless to say, it should be an interesting year for me and I'm looking forward to it!

Training with a focus?

Although we are still in 2013, my thoughts have already started to turn to 2014.  It's natural, I think, as a teacher to do this, after all, it is the 2013-2014 school year and so much of what I'm doing now, I hope, will lay the groundwork for students in 2014 - the second semester.  The same can be said for the swim-bike-run thing.  It's still 2013, but I've made plans for 2014!

After Vineman, I planned to relax and not follow any sort of a training plan, and I did just that!  I did not try out new classes or do anything new and different, but I also managed to stay somewhat active, even during the heat of September (which is now a distant memory, especially today, which is grey, rainy and quite cold for southern CA).  I chose, somewhat arbitrarily, November as the "get in gear" month.  Shocking myself, I managed to focus a bit more and put in more yards and miles for the month.  But I wanted to put some pressure on myself so that I wouldn't hit December 1st feeling that I would have to undertake a 180 degree turn regarding my 'training'.  Because I am officially training for 2014!

And WOW is it different!

First of all, I should say that I've always taken a flexible attitude towards training and "racing".  I consider myself fortunate to have finally found something that really clicked.  For a while, Michael would joke with me about finding a hobby, a bit like the character Winston in Avenue Q who was looking for a purpose to his post-college life.  I wasn't in the life after college phase, but I was still trying to find that other piece.  Trying to add the swim and bike to the run challenged me in a different way, and I loved that!  Plus, working towards definitive goals - yes, please!

And I've trained somewhat seriously at times, but I've also taken the view that this really is a hobby, something that adds to my life and I shouldn't be too serious about it.  I still agree with that attitude because, as a middle-aged mid-pack age grouper, I don't foresee any podium wins in my future, unless there's a small field (which does happen at times!).

However, I also decided that I'd like to approach things with a somewhat more serious attitude - and greater focus, just to see.  Out of curiosity, perhaps?  So, I started to attend more group runs and rides and realized that I had a LOT to learn!  Ditto for masters swimming, where I stay in the slowest lane, although I've happily become a wee bit faster and I push myself a bit more each time (okay, almost every time).  The other major decision was to actually work with a coach.  A part of me is still rolling my eyes at myself and I think "What's going on here?!" but then another part of me feels quite excited about this process.  I contacted a few people and ended up connecting with someone who is not local but is in Southern CA and seems like a good fit for me.  To be honest, I've never worked with anyone, so I can't say that I know what I'm doing here.

And we'll see how this process goes.  I'm set up on TrainingPeaks which makes me feel like a "real" athlete as I can track myself and my data with a bit more accuracy than I'm used to - quite a difference from jotting down workouts and tallying totals for the end of the week in a date book (yes, I'm old school and still use a gradebook).  This past week was the first week that she gave me my workouts, and it hasn't been crazy hard or difficult.  After all, I'm just supposed to be building up my base, not doing anything too crazy.

But what HAS challenged me this week with the workouts is the fact that I am not the one choosing what to do for the day.  It's both a positive and negative.  Positive, because I don't have to think about it, I see what the workout is and I try to complete it and usually do.  I shouldn't use the term "negative" when reviewing the first week of working with a coach, but it has been different.  First of all, I feel quite responsible to report to my coach and to try my best at these workouts.  And I suppose that latter point is what I find so challenging.  I don't think that I half-assed my workouts in the past, but I often used the time in the pool, in the saddle, or pounding the pavement or trails as a time to lose myself in thoughts, let my mind wander and to relax.  I now find that I cannot or should not let my thoughts wander.  Today, I ran 10 hill repeats, or so I thought.  I found out that I actually only ran 9 because I didn't keep track!  It's not a huge issue, but it highlights the need for me to focus! Also, running by heart rate rather than running by feel or by garmin is a completely new experience.  I am not opposed to new experiences, but it seems that I am a bit set in my ways and I find it very difficult to be so aware of my body when I run.  Or aware in a different sense - paying attention to a device that tells me what is going on with my body.  It feels so foreign to me!

It's early days yet, but it's already been a new experience, and I feel a bit like an old nag who is being told to run a different way.  I suppose that it's also like eating spinach as a kid - it will be good for me in the long run.  And by that, I don't know if I'll suddenly get faster or develop amazing endurance, but the awareness and the focus challenge me and force me to approach running (and biking, somewhat at this point) with a different view.

Finally, I definitely would NOT have set out for a run this morning without that external motivation.  It was a bit wet and rather cold, and my bed was nice and warm and inviting, but a run was on the schedule, so run I did!  Begrudgingly, at first, but then I found my pace, warmed up, did my hills - or most of them - and felt quite accomplished for the rest of the day.

And if this translates into a faster or better race, then I'll take it!  And even if it doesn't, I think that I will learn from the experience.

A new concept in my life: Playing with others

While I like to be social and value the friendships and relationships that are a part of my life, I consider myself to be quite an introvert.  I need that "alone time" to recharge, regroup, gather thoughts and then I can be with people.  When I don't get that time to myself, I become extremely cranky!

Which brings me to the swim/bike/run question.  When I first started out in 2011, I was a solitary swimmer, biker and runner.  I did take some swim classes at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center and Michael would occasionally accompany me on the rides and runs, but I was pretty happy tootling along on my own and winging it, for the most part.  Last year, I sporadically attended a group ride or two and quite a few runs with a local tri group and connected in a non-organized way with other people for runs and rides, but I mainly stuck to the solo approach for the majority of my training, even for my first venture into the 70.3 distance.

I still prefer to hit the road on my own, either hoofing it on my feet or coasting along on the bike, and swimming alone is one of the most zen experiences that I know.  BUT, I've also come to realize that group rides, organized runs and swim practices can reap huge benefits.  So, I have pushed myself to overcome my hesitancy to train with others and my preference to enjoy the time to alone that training affords me.  The hesitancy - or maybe it's a lack of confidence - is a huge part of why I prefer to train on my own.  Hello, I have a complex because I just hate being so slow on the swim and the bike.  Actually, I don't care that much about the swim, but I am terribly slow on the bike (still), and I feel pretty self-conscious when I bike in a group.  And running on my own?  I said that swimming alone is a zen experience, which is true, but there is nothing that can compare to being on a trail or a road, feet hitting the dirt or the pavement, mind focused yet also freely wandering - it's my moment to daydream and to think about the "what ifs" in my life while also focusing on pace, breathing, environment.  I always feel so alive, alert and also relaxed when I'm running.  Even on a hard run, when I feel that I'm suffering through it, I can find great moments in the experience.

Despite this tendency and preference to go it alone, I've looked to running and to swim/bike/run as a way to connect to other people through shared experiences and as a way to improve my own level of fitness.  What a concept!  I'm still reluctant to head out on group rides, but I know that they are a. fun and b. great training.  The same can be said for group runs, when I push myself a bit more because I'm trying to keep up, somewhat, with the faster people, who are probably slowing down a bit for the slower people.  Finally, as I mentioned in my last post, I recently joined a master's swim group at the Rose Bowl.  Since this past spring, I've been swimming on occasion with a friend from work.  She is WICKED fast, despite the fact that she considers herself slow because she compares her current times to those of her former self.  We made a pact, joining master's together, and while it is still a bit scary for me, the experience improves as the weeks go by.  And I definitely see improvements in my swimming - not that I'm fast, but I am more comfortable pushing myself more, in terms of speed and distance.  And there are those occasional surprises.  Last Tuesday night, I pulled up in the lane next to someone that I actually knew from the tri group, and we had a great time sharing a lane - it wasn't scary and I didn't berate myself for being so slow (after all, he was in the same lane as I!).

So, I suppose I'm learning that, as much as I'd like to spend all of the hours of training on my own, it won't necessarily push me like training with other people.  Nor is it as much fun - and that has to be a huge part of the "why".  Not that I'm giving up on my solo training - I enjoyed a great run today which made me so happy to be able to lace up my shoes and pound out an easy yet speedy for me 6 miles.

I suppose it's about finding the balance between my introvert nature and the benefits that can come from working and training and being with others.  So, I'm trying to embrace the fact that playing with others is not just an important concept for small children - it can also apply to my own life, and not just in terms of training!

End of the season

Wow - happy October!  How in the world did that happen?  I'm not even sure, so I should back up - or something, especially since September seems like a bit of a blur.  As per usual, I totally fell off any sort of "training" regime at the beginning of the school year.  Good thing that I didn't have one!  Seriously, the first two weeks of September were more or less a wash, as I got sick and then went to Catalina for a week.

(Always nice to sport "I'm a triathlete" t-shirts while feeling like a total slob, huffing and puffing up a nice little hill!)

The last two weeks of the month, however, were a bit steadier with enough swim-bike-run to not feel that I totally sucked.  Even last week, when I had 2 evening school commitments and CPR training from 3-6 on another day, I managed to find the time.  

And Sunday was the LA Triathlon, and while I did not race, I did participate in the event in a different capacity: as a volunteer.  One of my personal goals for the year was to be more involved in a 'community'.  As I've become a bit more excited about triathlon, I've also recognized that connecting to other people who swim, bike, run has its benefits, as much as I dislike training with other people (and being around others in general...).  Seriously, I'm a pretty big introvert, and at times doing distance stuff (for me) feeds into that introverted nature.  I love riding and running and swimming alone a good majority of the time.  That said, to improve, I also know that I need to train with other people, and there should be an element of FUN in the training and something social too.  So, I've tried to become more active in one of the local tri groups.  This has pushed me way out of my comfort zone but is also a positive experience.  Anyway, to make a long story short, my participation in this group led me to being in charge of the volunteers for LA Triathlon which led to pre-race stress.  Not the usual thoughts floating through my mind but more along the lines of "what if no one shows up to help out...".  Fortunately, the other volunteers DID show up and were in good spirits and willing to help out with anything.  From a volunteer stand-point, I was not a fan of the LA Triathlon - not to trash the group that put on the event, but they did NOT have their shit together.  However, most of the people who raced seem to enjoy the experience, so what do I know?

The highlights of the day for me were not getting up at 3:50 am in order to make it to the Rose Bowl to meet up with people, nor when I got lost in downtown LA.  But I did find it kind of fun to drive a U-Haul van carrying 10 bikes to Venice Beach and then returning with those same 10 bikes from Downtown LA to the Rose Bowl - it made me feel like a professional bike team driver!  I did think "What if the back doors pop open and these bikes go flying onto the 110?!".  Obviously the carnage (to use a popular word from the Tour de France) wouldn't be as great as if it WERE a professional team, but I was probably transporting around $18,000 of bikes.  Another fun moment was when I heard a voice say "¡Señora!".  This is NOT a title that I usually hear when I'm doing the triathlon part of my life, but at this moment, my work life and my extracurricular life collided and I saw a student whom I taught last year with her boyfriend (also a student, but I've never taught him).  He had just picked up his medal for 1st place in the high school division!  I was so impressed and then felt like a total dope as I talked to them.  Ugh - I would have been awarded the awkward teacher of the year, no doubt!  But it was really cool that he won!  

At the end of the day, I was super tired but had enjoyed the experience.  I always appreciate everything that goes into planning a race and the volunteers at races a bit more after I've done my own bit.  

That was not the official end of the season - despite swearing last year that I wouldn't ever do another fall triathlon, I totally broke that promise and signed up for an October race.  It's next week, and then that really will be the end of the season for me. I'm looking forward to the race, and it should be a fun way to end the season.  I might feel a bit disappointed with my overall performance, we shall see, but it's actually been nice to have one more race to look forward to!

Swimming, biking, and running in Sonoma - Vineman 70.3 Race Recap

So, I can't really believe that Vineman is over (almost a week ago!) - after hunkering down in June and trying to focus on what was to me a 'big event', I'm on the other side, thinking that it wasn't THAT big of a deal.  Easier to say that now than a week ago!

Pre-Race: 
We arrived in Sonoma on Saturday, and all the nervous excitement that I hadn't felt throughout the week suddenly spilled over, especially when we arrived in Guerneville and I saw all these intense athletes biking and looking much more competent than I on their much nicer bikes.  At that point, I decided to focus on my breathing and on not throwing up for the rest of the day!  Since I was coming to the race totally cold - no prior knowledge of anything - it seemed like a good idea to drive the bike course, at the very least, before checking in and all of that fun stuff.  We slowly made our way from Guerneville to Windsor High School, winding through vineyards and up and down hills, feeling the bumps and turns in the road along the way.  I kept thinking "Hmm, this seems like a long way to bike!" and finally Michael just came out and said it.  I refused to freak out, reminding myself that I had survived this distance last year and obviously I enjoyed the experience enough since I signed up for a race of the same distance again.  Or I was just crazy and a glutton for punishment (also possible).

Race day preparations and other provisions

My official 'gear' for the day

And the race:
Despite a less-than-stellar night's sleep and some pre-race anxiety, I was excited for the day to start, and while I kept thinking about what I *should* have done to better prepare, I also felt hopeful that I would have a solid (for me) performance out there.  The early start time for my age group definitely favored a good outcome or, at the very least, survival, and so did the weather, which looked to be chilly throughout the morning but warm by the time I got to the run.  It seemed to be just a quick moment, really, between the time that I set up my gear and the time that I needed to be on the beach, heading into the water.  As my wave was allowed in the water, I reached down and realized that I didn't have my timing chip - HOLY CRAP!  I almost started to freak out and to cry.  Instead, I went to the official table right by the start line, told them that I forgot my chip, and they had a new one for me within a minute - so I was in the water with my wave.  Shew - that could have been a total clusterfuck if I hadn't realized that I had forgotten the chip.  Fortunately, the waves were 6 minutes apart, so even with that little snafu, I had plenty of time to get comfortable in the water before my wave was officially off and swimming!  And despite a serious lack of open-water swims this 'season', it went well.  I was relaxed throughout the swim, even after my timing chip issue, probably because there seemed to be very little body contact.  I felt like I was in the second half of my wave, but I decided that I couldn't worry about that too much - I just wanted to have a fairly strong and even swim which seemed to be the case, breathing easily and moving well through the water.  Swimming in the Russian River was awesome!

Body marked and ready to go!

The swim start!

Exiting the swim, finding my stuff in transition, taking note that my bike wasn't the last one there, and getting ready for the next leg seemed to take forever.  I didn't look at the time when I made it to my bike, so I wasn't sure how long my swim or transition took.  It was still really chilly and I longed to put on my arm-warmers, but I didn't want to waste any more time in transition than I had to (it still took me FOREVER).  I stuffed all my crap into the official plastic bag that they had given us and then I stuffed that bag into my transition backpack to give to Michael as I exited the transition area.  I opted for the hand-off so that I wouldn't have to worry about all of my stuff making it to T2 - obviously I didn't have much faith in myself or in the Vineman organization.  This cost me some time, but I could live with it.  After handing Michael my pack, I walked my bike up the small hill and mounted then - that was a race-day decision, based on a conversation I overheard between these two guys, one of whom said to the other 'No way would I try to mount at the base of the hill'.  Maybe I could have managed the hill, but I'm usually so awkward as I try to mount the bike, that I probably would have fallen just getting ON the damn bike.  Therefore, walk the hill it was.  And then I was off to enjoy 56 miles of biking!

The long walk with the bike...

Still walking uphill!

I don't even remember too many specific details about the bike except that there were scattered moments when I looked up, took in where I was (vineyards, rolling hills, quaint towns, more vineyards), and reminded myself of how fortunate I was.  I also prayed to the triathlon gods that the flat tire I had on my last 'training' ride would somehow safeguard me from a flat tire on the course.  And there were other moments when I cursed myself and the decision that I had made to participate in this event.  By the time I hit some of the landmarks that I remembered from Saturday's drive-thru, I felt pretty confident that I would finish the bike feeling strong, albeit somewhat slow, and when I started to feel negative, I countered those thoughts by saying to myself "Shut up legs" (which I stole from Jens Voigt).  Probably the final few miles were the worst, just because they weren't that scenic but still had plenty of bumps and I was at the "I-want-to-be-off-the-bike" point.  I was so happy when I saw Michael towards the very end - well, he yelled at me or I probably wouldn't have seen him - and when I hit the final stretch, making the turn that marked the way to the dismount.

Biking in and...

Running out - plenty of energy in the legs at this point!

Yes!  Off the bike and on to the run!  Like T1, getting to my pile of stuff seemed to take a very long time.  I thanked the person who had tied a pink feather to the part of the rack where I had stashed my run gear because it would have probably taken me an additional 5 minutes to locate it if I hadn't spotted the feather.  Bike racked, shoes exchanged, helmet off and hat on, I grabbed nutrition for the run and was off.  As I headed towards the run start, I realized that I had not grabbed my salt tablets and decided not to return for them.  Maybe a mistake, maybe they wouldn't have made much of a difference, who knows at this point?

At any rate, I started the run with a great pace but I tried to force myself to slow down.  My goal for the run was to negative split - hold the first part of the race at around 9:00 minute miles and then speed up at the end.  Well, that plan did not work out for me - live and learn.  I held a strong pace for first half, some of which I ran with an acquaintance from Cal Tri.  It was REALLY nice to see a familiar face out there, and he was super nice to slow down and run with me for a bit.  He also warned me about one of the bigger hills along the run which I appreciated.  So, a great first half for the run, but then mile 7 came along, and I started to seriously dog it!  My body was aching.  Also, I took in water, gatorade and 'cola' at the aid stations and tried to eat chips and fruit, but had a hard time with food - could not manage most of the fuel that I had stuffed into my pockets.  My pace slowed way down, especially at mile 9, but I kept running along, even though sometimes it seemed like a shuffle.  When I hit mile 11, I told myself that I could do anything for two miles and was determined to pick up the pace.  And then mile 12 - I was ecstatic!  My overall pace had totally dropped from the first half, but I wanted to end with a bit of pep.  It helped that I saw Michael and lifted my head up to smile, and then, almost at the end, there was a woman with a 40 (or 41 or 42) on her calf, so I pushed myself to pass her.  Finally, I came up on the finish line and saw that I could slip in just before the clock turned over to the next minute.  It wasn't a pretty finish nor did it lend itself to a good photo, but I was oh so happy, especially when I looked at the time and knew that I had a PR by almost 10 minutes on a more challenging course than Boulder!

That's either a smile at the end or I'm gritting my teeth in pain.

Post-race:
I felt pretty out of it at that point - kind of deliriously happy and exhausted at once -  but was able to get some food and sit and eat a few bites of pasta and some chicken and fruit.  I should have just had a huge plateful of oranges, they tasted so good!  Once I felt a bit less dazed, I met up with Michael, gathered my stuff in transition, and we walked to the car, surrounded by other people who had endured a day of fun and/or suffering, personal triumph or frustration (or some of both) and by the people who supported them.  By 2:30 pm, we were sitting in the Bear Republic Brewpub in Healdsburg, splitting a burger, fries and drinking beer (which we did not split!).  I think that at that point I was truly happy with and grateful for the entire experience - being in Sonoma, racing in such a beautiful place, having a good race, being lucky that Michael comes along for the ride, and stuffing my face in a blissful post-race stupor.  Life couldn't have been much better at that moment!

A few final thoughts and the numbers:
Compared to my first foray into the 70.3 distance when I had zero expectations and knew that just finishing would be a personal accomplishment, I felt a bit more nervous about meeting the expectations that I had set for myself for this race.  While my training wasn't perfect by any means, I had worked hard, especially throughout June, and I hoped for a PR.  Who doesn't?  I thought that a PR would be possible, but I also knew that shit could go wrong, so I tried to keep some of my hopes and expectations in check.  I also recognized that there were some key steps that I had omitted - not previewing the course and things like that - which could  possibly cost me in a major way.

Ultimately, I raced well for myself, in part because of almost ideal race day conditions.  I finally had a sub-40 swim.  I would have loved for an even faster leg (duh) but no complaints.  I knew that the bike course would be a challenge, not necessarily because of the hills but more because of the less-than-great roads in some parts.  My dream goal was sub-3:10, but I knew that I would be happy with something around 3:15.  I ended with 3:17 and some change, holding a 17 mph pace for the course (17.2 for the first half; 16.9 for the second - I'm happy with the consistency there; it's still slow, but I'm getting faster incrementally).  The run was NOT consistent - I ran an 8:24 pace for the first half, which then slowed to something like a 9:36 pace for the second half.  Oops!  Talking to other people, that seemed to be the trend, and I still hit my goal, running a sub-2 hour half-marathon on a somewhat hilly course.  Overall, I was happy with my swim/bike/run performance!

As I said before, I had some really negative thoughts while I was on the course, especially the bike, and I think that I have a lot to learn about 'racing' this distance.  Fortunately, these dark thoughts didn't seem to affect me too much overall, even though I told myself that I was an idiot for being out there and that this whole triathlon thing must be a mid-life crisis and that this would probably be my last race ever (seriously, I said that to myself at one point).  I wish I could say that I was positive throughout, but that was not the case!  Maybe next time?   Also, I think that I could have / should have stayed more on top of my nutrition.  Perhaps some of the negative thoughts were a product of hunger?  While a slower second-half run was the trend, I think that I could have pushed a bit more if I had felt less depleted out there.  Live and learn - fueling and nutrition may be the "fourth leg" of this triathlon business for me, especially on longer courses.  At the same time, I also know that I pushed myself a bit more than I did last year, so maybe I need to get used to what that feels like for longer periods of time.

Finally, on a somewhat serious and somewhat silly note, I love my smash kit.  It's kind of obnoxious (I think), and I can't believe that I paid the amount of money for it that I did.  However, it is really comfortable, doesn't chafe, and lots of people complimented me on it throughout the day, even a young, cute 27-year-old-guy who zoomed past me on the run.  I did learn something very important about tri suits - once you are away from the tri community, wearing a tri suit in public is a definite no-no, even if you are just running into McDonalds to change so that you can look more presentable elsewhere.  Talk about weird looks and raised eyebrows!

This was a painfully long recap, but so was the race!  I am now enjoying some R&R in Boulder, CO and contemplating my next move...