Sleep is a thing of the past.
You rarely see your significant other because when you finish your workout, they're off for theirs. Someone has to stay with the kids!
You've ever gone to the gym at a certain time so your kids could see thier friends (who were also at the gym at a certain time so they could see their friends).
You've ever asked which stroller has the least rolling resistance.
You've ever chosen a gym based on child care.
You've ever cleaned children's toys out of the bathtub so you can get in, fully clothed, after that long ride or run in the rain.
You've ever hired a babysitter so you can workout.
You've ever fed the kids dinner in their stroller,while you trained. Or you ran with the stroller over to a local restaurant and picked up food for the kids, then had them eat while you ran back.
You don't buy sippy cups. The kids get all they need in bottles in the shwag bags from races.
You've ever worn a macaroni necklace during your workout, or anything similar.
The "Mom Song" is one of your favorite workout songs.
You've ever evaluated a bicycle for it's ability to pull a trailer.
Your expensive race bike is stored next a a pink bike with training wheels or a spiderman bike.
Working out IS your quiet time.
You have to check your workout shoes for action figures, toy cars, and barbie accessories.
You look forward to a workout because you might actually get to pee by yourself.
You've ever used the wii fit while holding a newborn.
You finally get out the door for your workout and you realize you're wearing your child's breakfast.
You know exactly how much time you'll get during nap time.
You've ever planned your workout around Spongebob or Sesame Street.
You've ever put the kid(s) to bed late so you don't have to get up as early for the morning workout.
You've ever used the stroller or trailer to get gear somewhere during a workout. Without kids.
You can expertly combine workout time for you and play time for the kid(s).
You know which trainer to buy to minimize the risk to little fingers. Or toes. Or tongues.
You've ever had to explain that, no, an ironman is not Tony Stark.
You've ever put a bike with training wheels on your trainer to appease a kid.
You've ever had to explain that the medal you came home with meant you finished, not that you won.
You've ever had to schedule your races or training around play dates.
You've ever wondered how old the kids have to be before you can start entering them in races.
You've ever run out of people to watch the kids.
You know you can use baby wipes to clean countless workout accessories, and you'll probably still stock the wipes when you no longer need them for the kids.
You've ever stored your workout nutrition in leftover milk storage bags.
You let your kids drink your leftover workout drink so it doesn't get wasted (without caffeine, of course!).
You brag more about your five year old running her first 1k last month than the 5k you just won this morning.
When your child climbs up the bike that you've spent an exhaustive amount of time and money on, and kept it meticulously clean, and all you do is take pictures.
The only thing you eat after a hard workout is whatever is leftover from the kids' breakfast or lunch.
Your two year old son wears a swim cap and your five year old daughter can expertly put it on him, then another on herself.
You've ever used, or considered using a sippy cup for your nutrition needs during racing or training.
You've ever had to skip songs on the mp3 player while you were working out because they were from your kid's playlist.
You note on your workout logs where you had to slow or stop your workout to help your child with homework. (If you use TrainerRoad, you note it in the notes section that your power dropped because you were helping/dealing with a kid.)
You've ever used kids as an excuse to get out of a workout.
You've ever stored any of your workout supplies in a lopsided clay pot.
There are diapers and wipes in your triathlon bag.
You've got to scroll through the cartoons on your dvr to get to the stuff you wanted to watch while you were on your trainer.
You've ever used nipple cream to prevent chafing anywhere. Including your nipples.
You've ever extensively researched just how much exercise you could do when you were pregnant, then got told you were doing too much. (Moms)
You've ever stood in front of a mirror and lined up "the girls" before walking outside of your bedroom in a tri suit. (Moms)
You've ever run with a jogging stroller, or trailered the kids behind your bike and called it "training."
My favorites:
Your child wants to do a race like mommy or daddy does.
Your child understands the importance of starting and finishing. And that winning isn't crucial to a good race.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Tri Tip Tuesday
So sometimes, triathletes resort to unusual methods to accomplish a task neccesary for the sport. In this case, I've got one for you that definitely qualifies as unusual. Are ya ready for it?
So you're out on a long ride and you're chafing. AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH! A handy fix is to stop at the closest grocery store or market, and pick up some nipple cream. That's right, I said nipple cream. You'll find it in the baby supplies aisle, near the bottles and formula. It's made from pure lanolin, and you can get a tube small enough to fit in a bento box, jersey pocket, or flat kit bag. Better yet, that market or grocery store will have a bathroom that you can use to apply that lanolin to legs, arms, and clothing seams; wherever or whatever is chafing. It tends to be expensive, so this is best used as an emergency "I'm going to have scars when this ride is over" fix, but it will get you to your destination without too much more pain.
Otherwise, get enough lube before you ride or run! What's your favorite chafing solution?
So you're out on a long ride and you're chafing. AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH! A handy fix is to stop at the closest grocery store or market, and pick up some nipple cream. That's right, I said nipple cream. You'll find it in the baby supplies aisle, near the bottles and formula. It's made from pure lanolin, and you can get a tube small enough to fit in a bento box, jersey pocket, or flat kit bag. Better yet, that market or grocery store will have a bathroom that you can use to apply that lanolin to legs, arms, and clothing seams; wherever or whatever is chafing. It tends to be expensive, so this is best used as an emergency "I'm going to have scars when this ride is over" fix, but it will get you to your destination without too much more pain.
Otherwise, get enough lube before you ride or run! What's your favorite chafing solution?
Friday, April 20, 2012
Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 2012 Race Report
WOW, what a day! I went out with some ideas of what I wanted to accomplish, but no real expectation of what would happen. If you read last year's race report, you know I had a few problems in 2011. Switching races, the Austin half iron is a pretty different race in terms of terrain, weather, and who you race against. So preparing for Galveston race day still held some mysteries for me.
About two weeks before the race, I'd been part of a century ride on the Ironman Texas course. At mile 3 of 100, I'd hit a small ledge the wrong way and gotten asphalt sandwich for breakfast. This left me with a few injuries in addition to the adductor sprain I'd sustained during the marathon in February. So injuries included a AC (shoulder joint) sprain, badly bruised right femur head, sprained adductor, and small patches of road rash on my shoulder, chin, and knee. The majority of the injuries had healed by race day, with a few shiny new patches of pink skin, with the exception of a still sore femur, and an adductor that still acts up at about four miles. The biggest impact these injuries had was on my training. Swimming didn't get any attention for a full two and a half weeks, and running was slow and easy for about the same time. The only thing that got any real attention was my bike training. Some of this was obvious on race day.
This year my wave went at 7:30 instead of nearly 9 am. Yay! Walking into transition the day before and leaving my bike was an entirely different experience this year. I knew what to expect, I knew what to do, and I felt a lot more comfortable with my gear this year. Getting up early the next morning to get to transition was also much more relaxed than the previous year. Once again, I knew what to expect. I walked my gear in, set up transition, and looked around. One of my favorite things about Galveston is that there is only one transition, and it keeps it simple for me. Then a funny thing happened. Somebody asked my advice. It was the greatest compliment I've gotten in this sport.
Grabbed sunscreen, goggles, wetsuit and cap and wandered out of transition, and over to see the pros start their race.
The next thirty minutes went quick, and soon my wave was jumping in the water to start. The swim went well. About the same as last year, with the exception that we weren't swimming diagonally this year. A kick to the face here (with pause to put my goggles back on), a scratch to the face there, an ankle grab (are we having fun yet?) and it was pretty much business as usual. Rounding the last corner buoy, something strange happened. I'd gotten into a large pack of swimmers, and all of a sudden, I could feel a bit of a pull! I'd heard of this happening, but never really experienced it. It only lasted a few seconds, but was pretty cool when it happened.
Out of the water and into transition. With a quick stop by the strippers (wink wink). I looked for the biggest guys available and ran to them. RRIIPP! Wetsuit OFF! The rest of transition went so fast for me that at one point, I stood up, looked down and though, "Okay, what am I forgetting?" Out of transition to the bike.
This may forever be my favorite course. It's very nearly a straight line out and back on the sea wall. Both years I've done this race, we had a head wind going out, and a tailwind coming in. There are few hills, and the roads are in great condition. I do have a sneaking suspicion that the bike segment is a little bit longer than 56 miles, but as long as they don't change the bike course, I'm fine with it (so I can continue to see myself improve). You'll notice on the sidebar of my blog the logo for FLEXR Sports. This was the first race that I got to put their bottles to the test. I have a bottle on my seat tube, and a torpedo mount on my aero bars. Perfect amount of nutrition and water for 3 hours. I picked up some water from the aid stations, but did not need to keep the bottles with me. I held back on the bike some, and didn't go all out, so I could pace the whole race better. It turned out to be a good plan.
Back into transition. Expecting the wind, I took both feet out of the pedals, preparing for dismount and didn't fall this year! Yay! Run with the bike to my spot, shoes changed, helmet off, hat on, water belt (my nutrition) on. And. GO!
And... The run. This year's course was different. Three loops, including a section on the airport tarmac. I. Don't. Like. I DO like the three laps vs the four, but the four laps had more shade and was more family friendly. And less wind affecting the course. But. Great run overall. I was pretty happy with it. Spectators, you guys rocked it! You shouted out bib numbers of anyone and everyone to encourage and keep us going. Thanks. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the run.
So that just leaves a few things to mention.
Nutrition:
Overall pretty good. I need to tweak my bike nutrition just a bit, but once I got off the bike and started running, things were great. The FLEXR Sports system really impressed me. I'll post a review of the setup, but I'll also be upgrading bottles to handle the increased demands for Ironman Texas. I do want to add that the setup accommodates those using Infinit Nutrition's custom mixes quite well.
Shades and helmet:
I've been reviewing the Rudy Hypermask sunglasses, and this was the last bit of my review process. I'm happy with them. I also had to replace my helmet after my wreck in mid March. I chose the Rudy Slinger. Great helmet, light and with lots of airflow.
This is my second half iron distance race with a sub six hour time, and I PR'd by almost five minutes. My transitions were faster, and my run was much stronger. My swim left something to be desired. I had a slower swim by less than twenty seconds. I was disappointed a bit by this because I'm a stronger swimmer this year, and it wasn't as difficult as last year. But truthfully, I left something out there. I was trying to pace myself better, and didn't really do a great job of it on the swim. And I'm sure that the limited swim training following my bike wreck had a small bit to do with not knowing how to pace myself that well. My bike was also a bit slower. Once again, pacing. But, I'm really not too upset because I ran much stronger, and finished with very little left in the tank. So, much better overall pacing for a strong bike leg and a good swim leg, and a great run.
By the numbers:
2012
Overall 5:52:50 (PR)
Swim 39:59
T1 4:11 (PR)
Bike 3:02:08
T2 3:12 (PR)
Run 2:03:20 (PR)
About two weeks before the race, I'd been part of a century ride on the Ironman Texas course. At mile 3 of 100, I'd hit a small ledge the wrong way and gotten asphalt sandwich for breakfast. This left me with a few injuries in addition to the adductor sprain I'd sustained during the marathon in February. So injuries included a AC (shoulder joint) sprain, badly bruised right femur head, sprained adductor, and small patches of road rash on my shoulder, chin, and knee. The majority of the injuries had healed by race day, with a few shiny new patches of pink skin, with the exception of a still sore femur, and an adductor that still acts up at about four miles. The biggest impact these injuries had was on my training. Swimming didn't get any attention for a full two and a half weeks, and running was slow and easy for about the same time. The only thing that got any real attention was my bike training. Some of this was obvious on race day.
This year my wave went at 7:30 instead of nearly 9 am. Yay! Walking into transition the day before and leaving my bike was an entirely different experience this year. I knew what to expect, I knew what to do, and I felt a lot more comfortable with my gear this year. Getting up early the next morning to get to transition was also much more relaxed than the previous year. Once again, I knew what to expect. I walked my gear in, set up transition, and looked around. One of my favorite things about Galveston is that there is only one transition, and it keeps it simple for me. Then a funny thing happened. Somebody asked my advice. It was the greatest compliment I've gotten in this sport.
Grabbed sunscreen, goggles, wetsuit and cap and wandered out of transition, and over to see the pros start their race.
The next thirty minutes went quick, and soon my wave was jumping in the water to start. The swim went well. About the same as last year, with the exception that we weren't swimming diagonally this year. A kick to the face here (with pause to put my goggles back on), a scratch to the face there, an ankle grab (are we having fun yet?) and it was pretty much business as usual. Rounding the last corner buoy, something strange happened. I'd gotten into a large pack of swimmers, and all of a sudden, I could feel a bit of a pull! I'd heard of this happening, but never really experienced it. It only lasted a few seconds, but was pretty cool when it happened.
Out of the water and into transition. With a quick stop by the strippers (wink wink). I looked for the biggest guys available and ran to them. RRIIPP! Wetsuit OFF! The rest of transition went so fast for me that at one point, I stood up, looked down and though, "Okay, what am I forgetting?" Out of transition to the bike.
This may forever be my favorite course. It's very nearly a straight line out and back on the sea wall. Both years I've done this race, we had a head wind going out, and a tailwind coming in. There are few hills, and the roads are in great condition. I do have a sneaking suspicion that the bike segment is a little bit longer than 56 miles, but as long as they don't change the bike course, I'm fine with it (so I can continue to see myself improve). You'll notice on the sidebar of my blog the logo for FLEXR Sports. This was the first race that I got to put their bottles to the test. I have a bottle on my seat tube, and a torpedo mount on my aero bars. Perfect amount of nutrition and water for 3 hours. I picked up some water from the aid stations, but did not need to keep the bottles with me. I held back on the bike some, and didn't go all out, so I could pace the whole race better. It turned out to be a good plan.
Back into transition. Expecting the wind, I took both feet out of the pedals, preparing for dismount and didn't fall this year! Yay! Run with the bike to my spot, shoes changed, helmet off, hat on, water belt (my nutrition) on. And. GO!
And... The run. This year's course was different. Three loops, including a section on the airport tarmac. I. Don't. Like. I DO like the three laps vs the four, but the four laps had more shade and was more family friendly. And less wind affecting the course. But. Great run overall. I was pretty happy with it. Spectators, you guys rocked it! You shouted out bib numbers of anyone and everyone to encourage and keep us going. Thanks. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the run.
So that just leaves a few things to mention.
Nutrition:
Overall pretty good. I need to tweak my bike nutrition just a bit, but once I got off the bike and started running, things were great. The FLEXR Sports system really impressed me. I'll post a review of the setup, but I'll also be upgrading bottles to handle the increased demands for Ironman Texas. I do want to add that the setup accommodates those using Infinit Nutrition's custom mixes quite well.
Shades and helmet:
I've been reviewing the Rudy Hypermask sunglasses, and this was the last bit of my review process. I'm happy with them. I also had to replace my helmet after my wreck in mid March. I chose the Rudy Slinger. Great helmet, light and with lots of airflow.
This is my second half iron distance race with a sub six hour time, and I PR'd by almost five minutes. My transitions were faster, and my run was much stronger. My swim left something to be desired. I had a slower swim by less than twenty seconds. I was disappointed a bit by this because I'm a stronger swimmer this year, and it wasn't as difficult as last year. But truthfully, I left something out there. I was trying to pace myself better, and didn't really do a great job of it on the swim. And I'm sure that the limited swim training following my bike wreck had a small bit to do with not knowing how to pace myself that well. My bike was also a bit slower. Once again, pacing. But, I'm really not too upset because I ran much stronger, and finished with very little left in the tank. So, much better overall pacing for a strong bike leg and a good swim leg, and a great run.
By the numbers:
2012
Overall 5:52:50 (PR)
Swim 39:59
T1 4:11 (PR)
Bike 3:02:08
T2 3:12 (PR)
Run 2:03:20 (PR)
2011 (for comparison)
Overall 7:11:30
Swim 39:41
T1 6:11
Bike 4:08:35 (roughly 45 minutes worth of flat tires)
T2 3:28
Run 2:23:35
Previous PR 5:57:30 Austin 70.3, 2011
One thing I want to add to my race report is the fact that Lance Armstrong raced this race. Going into Galveston, I had mixed feelings, and I wasn't alone. I respect him, his ability, and what he does for cancer. But I wasn't looking forward to media issues, security issues, and any other looky loos that we might have to deal with that were only out there for Lance sightings. Compared to last year, all three of what I mentioned were a little more amped up than, and money was definitely being made off of his racing. But there was a moment of clarity for me that made this a race I will remember forever. I was heading out on the bike, and I wanted to see how far I could get before I started seeing people coming back the other direction. I think I was at about the 20 mile mark when the cyclist I was passing pointed out the media train coming back the other direction. Sure enough it was Lance Armstrong himself. Mr. Yellow Jersey. I realized in that moment, as we cheered for him, that he swam the same bayou that I did, he was riding the same course I was, and he was about to run the same roads I would be. I'm not sure what other sport in the world puts the pros on the same course as the age groupers, but I hope this doesn't change. Afterward, I heard some funny stories that made him seem even more human, with the same race nerves and nutrition issues that ALL triathletes have to work through.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Galveston: My favorite part of the race
With Galveston in the books, I've had two days to really think about things. And before I post my race report, I want to tell you about my favorite part of the whole day. The course is beautiful, and a top contender for my favorite (tied with Kerrville) and I had a great race. But that wasn't what made my day so great.
Tanya, Marium, Angela, and Brad accomplished something amazing.
Tanya has nearly a dozen triathlons under her belt, and this was her first half ironman. She and I had been corresponding about nutrition prior to the race, but I hadn't met her yet. I got the chance to meet her after the mandatory athlete meeting. She'd come down with her sister and her eldest child to participate. Tanya has three kids and is a very busy mom, so fitting in training and racing is hard, but somehow she makes it work! I learned a lot from her about Eleanor Rocks, uniforms, and endurance. Fast forward to race day, Tanya had her chain come off the bike near the end of the bike segment, and had a minor wreck. She got right back on and finished the race. I saw her after she finished, and she was still trying to cool off from the race. But, wow! Tanya, you did an amazing job. You reminded me of why I race, and as a mom and a triathlete, you are an amazing example for other moms around you. Thanks for making my race so great!
Marium went out to better her time from last year. 2011 was a hard year for many triathletes, and 2012 was no exception. But I looked for Marium's results because I knew she had been working hard to improve, and she's training for Ironman Texas. She improved her half ironman time by 43 minutes. That is an amazing amount of time, and not easily done. Angela was also trying to improve her time from last year, and met her goal by a full 20 minutes. And when it comes to transitions, Angela just smoked through them like she's a pro. Marium and Angela have full lives outside of triathlon, and sometimes find it difficult to meet all the demands of triathlon and their other responsibilities. But they did it, and absolutely smashed last year's times. I wish I could have caught up with you guys after the race. You two did such an amazing job out there!
And last, but not least, Brad. This guys is relentless. Also in training for Ironman Texas, this was a tuneup for him. But his last half ironman didn't go so well. He'd had a stomach virus the week before, and wasn't able to have the race he wanted to. This time was different. He went out there, and rocked the course, putting in a respectable time. He completely rewrote his own half ironman race standards. He's given me a new cycling challenge!
The best part of my race was seeing these four people reach their goals and make some amazing accomplishments. I take the sport of triathlon for granted sometimes, forgetting how few of the general population participate. It's easy to dismiss major accomplishments when your perspective doesn't match reality. When you're surrounded by people who excel at such an awesome leveln(aka: eat triathlon for breakfast) it doesn't take long before perception and reality don't match.
Tanya, Angela, Marium, and Brad did an amazing job on Sunday, and while I know more than one of them expressed disappointment, they stepped up to the starting line. The courage to start requires more than finishing because sometimes things happen, and finishing the race might become impossible.
True courage is starting down a path, knowing what lies ahead may take more than you have to give.
Tanya, Marium, Angela, and Brad accomplished something amazing.
Tanya has nearly a dozen triathlons under her belt, and this was her first half ironman. She and I had been corresponding about nutrition prior to the race, but I hadn't met her yet. I got the chance to meet her after the mandatory athlete meeting. She'd come down with her sister and her eldest child to participate. Tanya has three kids and is a very busy mom, so fitting in training and racing is hard, but somehow she makes it work! I learned a lot from her about Eleanor Rocks, uniforms, and endurance. Fast forward to race day, Tanya had her chain come off the bike near the end of the bike segment, and had a minor wreck. She got right back on and finished the race. I saw her after she finished, and she was still trying to cool off from the race. But, wow! Tanya, you did an amazing job. You reminded me of why I race, and as a mom and a triathlete, you are an amazing example for other moms around you. Thanks for making my race so great!
Marium went out to better her time from last year. 2011 was a hard year for many triathletes, and 2012 was no exception. But I looked for Marium's results because I knew she had been working hard to improve, and she's training for Ironman Texas. She improved her half ironman time by 43 minutes. That is an amazing amount of time, and not easily done. Angela was also trying to improve her time from last year, and met her goal by a full 20 minutes. And when it comes to transitions, Angela just smoked through them like she's a pro. Marium and Angela have full lives outside of triathlon, and sometimes find it difficult to meet all the demands of triathlon and their other responsibilities. But they did it, and absolutely smashed last year's times. I wish I could have caught up with you guys after the race. You two did such an amazing job out there!
And last, but not least, Brad. This guys is relentless. Also in training for Ironman Texas, this was a tuneup for him. But his last half ironman didn't go so well. He'd had a stomach virus the week before, and wasn't able to have the race he wanted to. This time was different. He went out there, and rocked the course, putting in a respectable time. He completely rewrote his own half ironman race standards. He's given me a new cycling challenge!
The best part of my race was seeing these four people reach their goals and make some amazing accomplishments. I take the sport of triathlon for granted sometimes, forgetting how few of the general population participate. It's easy to dismiss major accomplishments when your perspective doesn't match reality. When you're surrounded by people who excel at such an awesome leveln(aka: eat triathlon for breakfast) it doesn't take long before perception and reality don't match.
Tanya, Angela, Marium, and Brad did an amazing job on Sunday, and while I know more than one of them expressed disappointment, they stepped up to the starting line. The courage to start requires more than finishing because sometimes things happen, and finishing the race might become impossible.
True courage is starting down a path, knowing what lies ahead may take more than you have to give.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Nutrition Plan - Half Iron Distance
Breakfast - cherry pop tarts, coffee
About 15 minutres before start - One serving of Infinit cycling mix in water
Swim - no nutrition
Transition 1 - No nutrition
Bike - Two 21 ounce bottles with 1.5 servings of Infinit Cycling Mix each, baggie with an extra serving of mix in my pocket, take water off the course
Transition 2 - No nutrition
Run - Two flasks, one with Infinit Napalm (@400 calories worth), the other plain water, water off the course if needed
About 15 minutres before start - One serving of Infinit cycling mix in water
Swim - no nutrition
Transition 1 - No nutrition
Bike - Two 21 ounce bottles with 1.5 servings of Infinit Cycling Mix each, baggie with an extra serving of mix in my pocket, take water off the course
Transition 2 - No nutrition
Run - Two flasks, one with Infinit Napalm (@400 calories worth), the other plain water, water off the course if needed
Galveston - Expectations
Whenever anyone asks me "What should I expect for this race?" I usually tell them not to have expectations. A lot can go wrong, and frequently does. In preparation for this year's Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3, I went back and reviewed last year's results. Ouch.
So what should I expect for this race?
I want to go out there on Sunday and swim faster than I did last year. I remember the wind and water were rough, but I'm a stronger swimmer than I was last year.
I want to ride faster. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I had five flats and I'd like to avoid that entirely. I had a good split in the Longhorn 70.3 last October, and I'd like to do better than that.
I'd like to run faster than I did last year. I messed up my nutrition by not carrying enough to handle the extra hour I spent changing tubes. This hurt my run split.
And I want faster transitions.
But what should I expect?
I don't really hold any expectations. I've learned through experience that anything can and does happen. I know what I want, and I usually go out to a race with three goals in mind. One time goal that I'd be satisfied with, another that I'd be very pleased about, and one that I would probably do cartwheels after finishing the race if I met the goal.
I have learned quite a bit since the last time. I've learned about training, I've learned about equipment, I've learned about racing...
And I've learned about me.
But I don't hold expectations. Except to expect the unexpected, and to pray that the Tri Gods smile.
So what should I expect for this race?
I want to go out there on Sunday and swim faster than I did last year. I remember the wind and water were rough, but I'm a stronger swimmer than I was last year.
I want to ride faster. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I had five flats and I'd like to avoid that entirely. I had a good split in the Longhorn 70.3 last October, and I'd like to do better than that.
I'd like to run faster than I did last year. I messed up my nutrition by not carrying enough to handle the extra hour I spent changing tubes. This hurt my run split.
And I want faster transitions.
But what should I expect?
I don't really hold any expectations. I've learned through experience that anything can and does happen. I know what I want, and I usually go out to a race with three goals in mind. One time goal that I'd be satisfied with, another that I'd be very pleased about, and one that I would probably do cartwheels after finishing the race if I met the goal.
I have learned quite a bit since the last time. I've learned about training, I've learned about equipment, I've learned about racing...
And I've learned about me.
But I don't hold expectations. Except to expect the unexpected, and to pray that the Tri Gods smile.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Galveston 70.3 2011 Recap
I'm gearing up for the Galveston half ironman on Sunday. It was the first half ironman I ever did, and was quite an experience. So, I tracked down my race report. In retrospect, the race was somewhat of a very large learning experience, and in a few days, I'm going back out to make new memories on the course.
So, here's the original report:
The swim was a deepwater start. That’s when I realized what I had signed up for. The whistle goes off and we all start swimming. The swim out was good. Not too crowded. As soon as we made the first turn, it seemed that hell broke loose. The wind was coming across us, and if you’ve ever seen a plane land in heavy cross winds, you’ll know what it was like. I was swimming DIAGONALLY. It was somewhere soon after the turn that I got kicked in the face. The water was cold enough that I couldn’t tell if I was bleeding or not, and kept going. About two minutes later, I got a perfect smack to the back of the head. I would have started laughing if it hadn’t hurt so bad! The rest of the swim was uneventful. After we made the next turn and headed back to land, the wind didn’t affect us as much, and my speed went back up.
Transition went well. We had strippers! As this was my first triathlon, I really didn’t know what to expect, but the wetsuit came off FAST, I got to rinse the salt off my legs and face, and off I went to get my shoes. I was surprised to see how many bikes were still in transition. Transition went well. Sunscreen, socks, shoes, belt, bike, helmet and glasses. I almost forgot my timing chip, but remembered it at the last second. The first split was fine. Uneventful. The wind was tiring, but it was a beautiful ride. The hill called “Big Nasty” cracked me up. So much riding in the hill country had me prepared. I settled into a good pace and occasionally got out of the saddle to change my position. I made the halfway point in good time.
At 30 miles I got my first flat. Between 30 and 40 I had five separate flat tires on the back tire. On flat four, I had someone pull over to toss me a tube, I changed the tire, used the last of the CO2 I’d carried from the last flat (she was out too) and while she was STANDING THERE, her tire blew. I was stunned. And we had no more CO2 to give her tube back to her. She walked on-I wish I could find her and thank her. I’ve had my tire checked-there’s nothing wrong with the it, and nothing IN the tire. I found out later that someone salted the course with tacks. The course director said that this was the worst course for flats that he’d ever seen, and that someone the day before (on the sprint) had four flats. Quitting? Not an option. On the way back, I counted down the miles and did the math “Okay, five miles-If I flat again, it will take me this long to run with the bike...Okay, four miles-If I flat again, it will take me that long to run with the bike.” I wasn’t going to quit.
When I got in to transition, I unclipped the right foot to lean to the right, the wind caught me, and before I could unclip the left foot, I fell over on my left side. Par for the course. I only hope someone got a good laugh out of it. I’m still finding bruises from that fall! The run didn’t go as well as I would have liked. I haven’t seen the official times (after five flats, who really cares, as long as I didn’t DNF). The flats screwed up the nutrition that I’d had dialed in for the race. It showed. My shoes got REALLY wet, and about mile 2 I felt the blisters start on the bottom of my feet. But I kept thinking: if this was supposed to be easy, it wouldn’t have the word “ironman” associated with it. So I kept going. I walked through some of the water stops like I do when I run a marathon, and just didn’t stop. I’m not really fond of the four lap course-two laps would have been better. But as far as spectating went, it gave me a chance to see my kids and family several times.
I’m still not really sure how to feel about the race. I went out with a time goal. That fell apart between miles 30 and 40. On one hand, I PR’d this race, and I’ll PR the next time. But I’m frustrated with how far I missed my time goal by. I keep hearing about how five flats-people would have DNF’d, so I’m encouraged that I didn’t give up, but I’m also discouraged. But, most importantly, I know I’m physically ready for the HIM. Onto bigger things! And I’m going to make an annual thing out of the Galveston HIM. (and I’m going to look into steel belted radials!) I got to see the best part of triathletes. I’ve learned that the sport is not truly an individual sport, but a team sport. Everybody helps everybody, everyone cheers for everyone. You guys make me proud to be a triathlete. I wish I could thank personally the people who threw me tubes and CO2.
As I read through this nearly a year later, smarter and more experienced, some thoughts come to mind. I'll post on my reflections and goals for this weekend tomorrow, as well as my nutritional plan. A lot has changed for this season! What a great race to kick off the season right!
So, here's the original report:
The swim was a deepwater start. That’s when I realized what I had signed up for. The whistle goes off and we all start swimming. The swim out was good. Not too crowded. As soon as we made the first turn, it seemed that hell broke loose. The wind was coming across us, and if you’ve ever seen a plane land in heavy cross winds, you’ll know what it was like. I was swimming DIAGONALLY. It was somewhere soon after the turn that I got kicked in the face. The water was cold enough that I couldn’t tell if I was bleeding or not, and kept going. About two minutes later, I got a perfect smack to the back of the head. I would have started laughing if it hadn’t hurt so bad! The rest of the swim was uneventful. After we made the next turn and headed back to land, the wind didn’t affect us as much, and my speed went back up.
Transition went well. We had strippers! As this was my first triathlon, I really didn’t know what to expect, but the wetsuit came off FAST, I got to rinse the salt off my legs and face, and off I went to get my shoes. I was surprised to see how many bikes were still in transition. Transition went well. Sunscreen, socks, shoes, belt, bike, helmet and glasses. I almost forgot my timing chip, but remembered it at the last second. The first split was fine. Uneventful. The wind was tiring, but it was a beautiful ride. The hill called “Big Nasty” cracked me up. So much riding in the hill country had me prepared. I settled into a good pace and occasionally got out of the saddle to change my position. I made the halfway point in good time.
At 30 miles I got my first flat. Between 30 and 40 I had five separate flat tires on the back tire. On flat four, I had someone pull over to toss me a tube, I changed the tire, used the last of the CO2 I’d carried from the last flat (she was out too) and while she was STANDING THERE, her tire blew. I was stunned. And we had no more CO2 to give her tube back to her. She walked on-I wish I could find her and thank her. I’ve had my tire checked-there’s nothing wrong with the it, and nothing IN the tire. I found out later that someone salted the course with tacks. The course director said that this was the worst course for flats that he’d ever seen, and that someone the day before (on the sprint) had four flats. Quitting? Not an option. On the way back, I counted down the miles and did the math “Okay, five miles-If I flat again, it will take me this long to run with the bike...Okay, four miles-If I flat again, it will take me that long to run with the bike.” I wasn’t going to quit.
When I got in to transition, I unclipped the right foot to lean to the right, the wind caught me, and before I could unclip the left foot, I fell over on my left side. Par for the course. I only hope someone got a good laugh out of it. I’m still finding bruises from that fall! The run didn’t go as well as I would have liked. I haven’t seen the official times (after five flats, who really cares, as long as I didn’t DNF). The flats screwed up the nutrition that I’d had dialed in for the race. It showed. My shoes got REALLY wet, and about mile 2 I felt the blisters start on the bottom of my feet. But I kept thinking: if this was supposed to be easy, it wouldn’t have the word “ironman” associated with it. So I kept going. I walked through some of the water stops like I do when I run a marathon, and just didn’t stop. I’m not really fond of the four lap course-two laps would have been better. But as far as spectating went, it gave me a chance to see my kids and family several times.
I’m still not really sure how to feel about the race. I went out with a time goal. That fell apart between miles 30 and 40. On one hand, I PR’d this race, and I’ll PR the next time. But I’m frustrated with how far I missed my time goal by. I keep hearing about how five flats-people would have DNF’d, so I’m encouraged that I didn’t give up, but I’m also discouraged. But, most importantly, I know I’m physically ready for the HIM. Onto bigger things! And I’m going to make an annual thing out of the Galveston HIM. (and I’m going to look into steel belted radials!) I got to see the best part of triathletes. I’ve learned that the sport is not truly an individual sport, but a team sport. Everybody helps everybody, everyone cheers for everyone. You guys make me proud to be a triathlete. I wish I could thank personally the people who threw me tubes and CO2.
As I read through this nearly a year later, smarter and more experienced, some thoughts come to mind. I'll post on my reflections and goals for this weekend tomorrow, as well as my nutritional plan. A lot has changed for this season! What a great race to kick off the season right!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Choosing a giveaway winner... Mommy style!
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| Writing names on paper after feeding my support crew! |
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| Folded paper into a medium size box. |
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| Handle with care. HA! |
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| Kicking the box around... |
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| Standing on... Okay IN the box... |
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| Rolling it down the stairs... Okay, she did it THREE times! |
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| Let the two year old pick a name! |
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| And the winner is........ |
TanyaC!!! I will be contacting you shortly with your e-giftcard. I would absolutely love it if you would post a picture of what you get on my facebook page so we can oooh and aaah over it. I'm only sorry that I don't have more to give away so that we can protect all of you and your kids. This isn't the last giveaway though. Share my facebook page and when we hit the magic number I'll give another RoadID to someone listed from the "likes" on my facebook page. Stay tuned because there will be other giveaways happening here from other companies.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Hump Day How-To "Blisters and Chafing"
The bane of every runner or cyclist's existence. Blisters and chafing. How many of us start working out to get healthy, only to be deterred by 'certain areas' chafing to the point of walking bowlegged for a few days? Or blisters on your feet or toes, so bad that it looks like you've got extra toes growing in places (ewwwwwww!)? Never fear, my blog post is here! To help you, that is.
Blisters and chafing are caused by too much friction.
Let's start with your feet.
The first thing you should be doing is going to a running store to have someone do a gait analysis on you. While this is important for many reasons, most of the time, not only will they put you in the shoes that are going to assist you in running the way your body was made, they'll also put you in shoes a half size large to accommodate for normal foot swelling during running. Proper fit is part of blister prevention. And remember, 'cotton is the enemy!' You want socks that are made for running. You can usually buy these when you get your shoes. Good socks usually run about ten bucks a pair. These are your feet we're talking about. Ask what socks the sales person wears when they run, they'll usually point you the right direction.
The most common places for chafing include waist (from shorts/waist packs), thighs and/or bikini line, bra/heart rate monitor strap lines, and nipples. I repeat, 'cotton is the enemy.' Look for clothes with high content synthetic fabrics.
Wear sweat wicking fabrics and fitted clothing to prevent chafing. One of the biggest things you can do to prevent blisters and chafing is to use some form of lubricant. Some brands include 'body glide,' 'chamois butter,' vaseline,' etc. Talk to runners and cyclists in your community or on online forums such as BeginnerTriathlete for their advice and experience. Most will willingly tell you what works for them. As with any situation, lubricant is personal (okay, it's hard not to giggle at that...).
After the damage is done, there are still things you can do. During a 50k, I was about 3 miles in when a blister developed on my heel. A fellow runner had some electrical tape, and felt inclined to share upon asking. Two short strips over the top of the blister got me through the next 28 miles without further damage.
Other things you can use:
Mole skin
Band aids
Electrical, medical, kinesiology (or even duct) tape
More lubrication
Treatment:
Blister treatment is highly controversial, as popping a blister leaves the skin open for infection, but leaving the fluid inside can cause greater pain. In the interest of not giving medical advice, I'm only going to state what I do. I poke a small hole in the side/bottom of the blister to allow the pressure to release, then I leave it alone. I keep it clean and dry, and if it starts to look infected, I seek medical advice. As for chafing, well, good luck on your next shower because it is going to hurt. You can put neosporin or one of the sunburn sprays on it to help, but expect everything to sting like Hellfire for a day or two until it dries up. As with blisters, I keep chafing clean and dry, and if there is any sign of infection (extensive swelling, hot to touch, very painful) I seek medical attention.
Some do's and don't's
Don't cut off calluses: they're formed by your foot needing to protect itself, and they help with blister prevention
Do keep your toenails short, but not too short
Don't be afraid to try something new if what you've tried hasn't worked
Do use lubrication liberally
Don't continue a training run if a blister develops on your foot and you can't handle it immediately; not stopping the damage immediately could cause you to lose days, if not weeks of training time
Do plan ahead: if you have a spot that always gets a blister, consider trying a band aid or tape during the run to see if that prevents the blister entirely; during rides, coat the seams of your shorts in advance to prevent chafing
Don't be afraid to wrap or lube your equipment to prevent chafing or blisters: I once wrapped a band aid around a heart rate monitor strap that consistently gave me problems
Do ask advice: ask anyone and everyone who might be able to help you, especially those in the sport
Blisters and chafing are caused by too much friction.
Let's start with your feet.
The first thing you should be doing is going to a running store to have someone do a gait analysis on you. While this is important for many reasons, most of the time, not only will they put you in the shoes that are going to assist you in running the way your body was made, they'll also put you in shoes a half size large to accommodate for normal foot swelling during running. Proper fit is part of blister prevention. And remember, 'cotton is the enemy!' You want socks that are made for running. You can usually buy these when you get your shoes. Good socks usually run about ten bucks a pair. These are your feet we're talking about. Ask what socks the sales person wears when they run, they'll usually point you the right direction.
The most common places for chafing include waist (from shorts/waist packs), thighs and/or bikini line, bra/heart rate monitor strap lines, and nipples. I repeat, 'cotton is the enemy.' Look for clothes with high content synthetic fabrics.
Wear sweat wicking fabrics and fitted clothing to prevent chafing. One of the biggest things you can do to prevent blisters and chafing is to use some form of lubricant. Some brands include 'body glide,' 'chamois butter,' vaseline,' etc. Talk to runners and cyclists in your community or on online forums such as BeginnerTriathlete for their advice and experience. Most will willingly tell you what works for them. As with any situation, lubricant is personal (okay, it's hard not to giggle at that...).
After the damage is done, there are still things you can do. During a 50k, I was about 3 miles in when a blister developed on my heel. A fellow runner had some electrical tape, and felt inclined to share upon asking. Two short strips over the top of the blister got me through the next 28 miles without further damage.
Other things you can use:
Mole skin
Band aids
Electrical, medical, kinesiology (or even duct) tape
More lubrication
Treatment:
Blister treatment is highly controversial, as popping a blister leaves the skin open for infection, but leaving the fluid inside can cause greater pain. In the interest of not giving medical advice, I'm only going to state what I do. I poke a small hole in the side/bottom of the blister to allow the pressure to release, then I leave it alone. I keep it clean and dry, and if it starts to look infected, I seek medical advice. As for chafing, well, good luck on your next shower because it is going to hurt. You can put neosporin or one of the sunburn sprays on it to help, but expect everything to sting like Hellfire for a day or two until it dries up. As with blisters, I keep chafing clean and dry, and if there is any sign of infection (extensive swelling, hot to touch, very painful) I seek medical attention.
Some do's and don't's
Don't cut off calluses: they're formed by your foot needing to protect itself, and they help with blister prevention
Do keep your toenails short, but not too short
Don't be afraid to try something new if what you've tried hasn't worked
Do use lubrication liberally
Don't continue a training run if a blister develops on your foot and you can't handle it immediately; not stopping the damage immediately could cause you to lose days, if not weeks of training time
Do plan ahead: if you have a spot that always gets a blister, consider trying a band aid or tape during the run to see if that prevents the blister entirely; during rides, coat the seams of your shorts in advance to prevent chafing
Don't be afraid to wrap or lube your equipment to prevent chafing or blisters: I once wrapped a band aid around a heart rate monitor strap that consistently gave me problems
Do ask advice: ask anyone and everyone who might be able to help you, especially those in the sport
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Safety comes in a nice little tin box...
Remember that giveaway I mentioned? Pay attention, here it is. I'm giving away a $35 gift card for RoadID.
I just got my RoadID in the mail this week. And the timing is perfect because I'm getting ready to do my first century ride. To be honest, I had my doubts. I make my purchases based on what's best for my family, and spend quite a bit of time weighing purchases for their value. So when faced with dropping money on something that has no sure need, it's a lot harder to make the purchase. And as I'm one of the budget limited athletes in the sport, many things either get pushed back, bought used off craigslist, or not purchased at all.
I guess this is where I should mention that I not only bought one, I bought three of them.
When I came across RoadID about a year ago, I thought "GREAT IDEA!" Being a firefighter, I see some of the worst things that can happen. After looking into it, though, it was one of those things that got pushed back. Fortunately, nothing really bad has happened to me in the time it took for me to get off my lazy butt and order something that really isn't that expensive (well, there was that car at the intersection). But then, something else happened.
My five year old told me she wanted to start running like mommy does. Did you hear my heart stop for a second?
The area I live in has a race every year for kids, and she wants to run in it. So, I'll let her run it without mommy. I'll be there at the finish line cheering her on and acting goofy like any other sports mom. But, a few days after I ordered my RoadID, I ordered hers. And her brother's. And since ordering their RoadID's, I've realized all the situations that it would have been good to have emergency phone numbers on my kids. Both kids travel with their grandmother a couple of times a year. Granted, nothing takes the place of having kids know their own address and phone number, but we also teach our kids "stranger danger." And if my kid gets lost, I JUST WANT THAT KID BACK NOW. Every parent knows there's a million "what if's..." Wouldn't that be a nice peace of mind to have next time you go on vacation, all the kids wearing their RoadID's? I know I'll have it.
As far as using it for being an athlete, it's just a damn good idea. A military friend of mine helped me deck it out with my name, driver's license number, blood type, and an emergency contact. It left enough room for a motivational phrase that I plan to use to help me get through my races. My husband and kids aren't always on hand at the races, so if something did happen, RoadID has an interactive ID that give emergency responders a phone number to call for medical history and emergency contacts. You can update as often as you need to.
Don't want that fancy medic alert bracelet? Here's another option for you. Another bunch of options for you. RoadID has so many options that it was easy to get different ID's for me and the kids. Mine is black, my daughter's is purple, and my son's is blue. And bands and ID's are individually replaceable if you need or want to change something.
Did you make it this far?
So leave a comment telling me if you are an athlete or a parent or both, and what you plan to buy if you win, then go over to my facebook page here and "like" it. The more comments you leave on this post, the more entries you have, up to one entry a day. I'll do a random drawing next week. If my facebook page hits 100 "likes" I'll do a second giveaway, so tell your friends!
Don't feel like waiting until next week to get your RoadID? You can order one here. It isn't expensive and is totally worth it!
I guess this is where I should mention that I not only bought one, I bought three of them.
When I came across RoadID about a year ago, I thought "GREAT IDEA!" Being a firefighter, I see some of the worst things that can happen. After looking into it, though, it was one of those things that got pushed back. Fortunately, nothing really bad has happened to me in the time it took for me to get off my lazy butt and order something that really isn't that expensive (well, there was that car at the intersection). But then, something else happened.
My five year old told me she wanted to start running like mommy does. Did you hear my heart stop for a second?
The area I live in has a race every year for kids, and she wants to run in it. So, I'll let her run it without mommy. I'll be there at the finish line cheering her on and acting goofy like any other sports mom. But, a few days after I ordered my RoadID, I ordered hers. And her brother's. And since ordering their RoadID's, I've realized all the situations that it would have been good to have emergency phone numbers on my kids. Both kids travel with their grandmother a couple of times a year. Granted, nothing takes the place of having kids know their own address and phone number, but we also teach our kids "stranger danger." And if my kid gets lost, I JUST WANT THAT KID BACK NOW. Every parent knows there's a million "what if's..." Wouldn't that be a nice peace of mind to have next time you go on vacation, all the kids wearing their RoadID's? I know I'll have it.
As far as using it for being an athlete, it's just a damn good idea. A military friend of mine helped me deck it out with my name, driver's license number, blood type, and an emergency contact. It left enough room for a motivational phrase that I plan to use to help me get through my races. My husband and kids aren't always on hand at the races, so if something did happen, RoadID has an interactive ID that give emergency responders a phone number to call for medical history and emergency contacts. You can update as often as you need to.
Don't want that fancy medic alert bracelet? Here's another option for you. Another bunch of options for you. RoadID has so many options that it was easy to get different ID's for me and the kids. Mine is black, my daughter's is purple, and my son's is blue. And bands and ID's are individually replaceable if you need or want to change something.
Did you make it this far?
So leave a comment telling me if you are an athlete or a parent or both, and what you plan to buy if you win, then go over to my facebook page here and "like" it. The more comments you leave on this post, the more entries you have, up to one entry a day. I'll do a random drawing next week. If my facebook page hits 100 "likes" I'll do a second giveaway, so tell your friends!
Don't feel like waiting until next week to get your RoadID? You can order one here. It isn't expensive and is totally worth it!
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