December 26, 2013
I turned sixty two weeks ago!
I never thought I'd be so excited to be 60, but while I've been able to race triathlons with the 60-64 age group by USA Triathlon rules (since I will be 60 on December 31st), I've had to enter running races in the 50-59 age group. Now I can run with the 60-69 age group!
While I'm pleased to turn 60, I have to admit that turning 60 plays minds games with you. We all know people who die in their 60's from various illnesses and it's hard not to wonder how many years you have left. I also wonder if I'm being silly to stress my old, overweight body with grueling distance runs.
Three days after I turned 60, I had what I'm now calling the "run from hell." I did 6 miles on a treadmill (since there were 12 inches of snow on the ground) at the YMCA. I was extremely winded and my entire shirt and pants were drenched with sweat. When I got off the treadmill, I had pain everywhere. Of course, now that I'm sixty, I'm thinking, "Am I having a heart attack?" At age 59, I would have said, "Shoot! You dehydrated yourself, silly." I wonder if that's why there are so few participants in the 60+ age groups. There's just something about that 60 number.
So . . . I decided to think about it this way. I am not sixty. I am 59 + 12 1/2 months! While I'm stressing my joints, I'm making my muscles, heart, blood pressure, and lungs more healthy. The doctor gave me the go-ahead to do this. There is no reason not to do this. However, I will be sure to drink LOTS of fluids when doing longer runs.
I also keep thinking about Diana Niad who swam from Cuba to Florida at age 60. Her words speak deeply to me, especially when she talks about all of the challenges she faces as a 60-year-old athlete and how she uses the mantra, "Find a way." Check her out. She is amazing.
Before she swam from Cuba from Florida - October 2011
After she swam from Cuba from Florida - December 2013
I shared my "run from hell" with my coach. I was worried that he would be afraid to push me. His approach was perfect. He kept my miles for the week the same, but instead of doing 4-4-6, he had me do 2-3-4-5.5 with strict instructions to not do a step more. So far, I've done the 2 and 3 mile runs. With each run, I gained confidence. I'm doing the 4.0 in a few minutes and looking forward to it. Grin!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Turkey Trot - 5 mile - November 28, 2013
November 23, 2013
Turkey Trot - 5 miles
This was the first "fun race" I've done and it was certainly entertaining with folks dressed up like turkeys, reindeer and Santa Claus. Lots of families running together. I passed one little boy who was crying and heard his father say, "It's ok. We knew we weren't going to win when we started. We're just here for fun!" At another point, eight tethered reindeer ran by me followed by Santa Claus who was at the reins!
My goals for this race were 1) no walking, and 2) cadence of 90. I've been listening to a metronome during my runs and somehow, it got set to 92. I couldn't switch it back to 90 for some reason, so I ran at 92. My pace ended up being 13:25. With all the people I ran around, I figure I ran more than 5 miles so I'm pleased with my pace.
4,270 people ran the race. While near the end, I came in before 614 of them.
PERSONAL BEST! - Tree City Run 5K - Nov 23, 2013
November 23, 2013
Tree City Run 5K
Wasn't planning to do a run so close to the 10K that I did last week, but with cold weather arriving, this seemed like the only race available for the next few weeks - and I wanted to get in one more 5K so I could try to break a 13:00 pace in a race before continuing to use my Saturdays for long runs.
It was freezing this morning - around 20 degrees F with a wind. There was ice on part of the course! I ran in long sweats, a t-shirt a jacket, and gloves.
It has become my habit to run a quarter mile before the race at race cadence - 90 steps per minute (spm). As I warmed up, I noticed there was ice on part of the course. Must be careful.
The race started and as usual, I was quickly in last place.
My goal for this race was to run at a 90 cadence for the entire race. Once the race started, I was feeling really good and decided to incorporate intervals into the race -- one minute fast followed by five minutes at my regular pace. That lasted for about 1 1/2 miles, then I started to get tired and figured I had better stop that fast running! The last half mile was on a "gravel" path but the gravel was more like sand. That part of the race was grueling.
Just like last week, I started catching people who couldn't keep up with the fast pace that they started. I actually passed four people! The last person I passed looked like she was a pretty decent runner and did no walking. Slowly, slowly I kept catching her. I just tried to keep my steady pace and see what happened. At two miles, she stopped at a drink station. I skipped the drink station and passed her. Then, I was so afraid that she'd catch me now that she could see me, that I made sure I did not slow down!
I set a new personal best pace (12:48) and finished in under 40 minutes for the first time (39:51). I also finished first in my age group and received a first place medal!
FIRST 10K !! -- YMCA Fall Running Classic
November 16, 2013
First 10K - YMCA Fall Running Classic
Today, as my long run, Coach had me do the 10K at the local YMCA where he works. Two days ago, I checked last year's times. Ugh. Based on my times, I thought I'd finish 30 minutes behind the second-to-last person. I almost chickened out. When I picked up my bib yesterday, I asked the race organizer to present awards before I finished.This morning was a disaster before the race. I forgot to bring my Garmin watch and was in a panic. Luckily, the race was close to home and my husband raced home to get it. Lesson learned. I need to have a pack list for running races just like I have for triathlons.
The other thing I learned is that one's first 10K should be a flat course. The race I ran this morning was HILLY to say the least. Some of the hills were HUGE. My goal was to not walk and I ran the entire thing so I was happy. There was a hill right at the beginning of the race which quickly separated all the runners. I was last almost immediately. But . . . as we went on, I could see one woman about a quarter mile ahead of me. She was doing a run / walk. Every time she ran, she would put more distance between us. But every time she walked, I would catch up. After a while, I found that I was catching her! What a motivation that was! I passed her while she was walking up a big hill -- and stayed in front of her for the rest of the race. So . . . I was not last! Woohoo!
So, now I've done a 10K. One step closer to a half marathon.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Planning an Off Season
October 25, 2013
Planning an Off Season
COACHING
Now that the tri-season is over and things are somewhat back to normal at work after a crazy summer, I asked my coach about a month agao if he'd be willing to start coaching me again. I was pleased that he said yes.
RUNNING
Since the run is my worst event, we agreed that I would work on running for the off season. I'm not sure how much faster I'll get, but my goal is to simply understand how to run. So here's our basic schedule:
- Monday: Swim
- Tuesday: Short Run (3 miles) - or train with coach
- Wednesday: SPIN
- Thursday: Short Run (3 miles)
- Friday: Catch up day if work interferes with one of the previous four days
- Saturday: Long Run (so far, up to 7 miles)
- Sunday: Rest
1. Cadence of 90
2. Feet land below my body (which results in a mid-foot strike)
3. Lean forward from the ankles
4. Head up
5. Chest up
6. Butt in
My long run on Saturdays has been increasing. I ran 6 miles on a relatively flat course a couple of weeks ago and felt great. So . . . I figured I could do a half marathon and immediately registered for the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon in April. I asked my coach if he thought I was crazy. He said no, so I'm going for it!
WEIGHT
The biggest reason that I run slow is because I'm still grossly overweight. I need to loose another 55 pounds. So . . . my second goal is to continue to lose weight by eating healthy. I find that it helps when I eat the same thing every day. A list of what I'm eating is below. I also do a controlled cheat day once a week where I eat anything I want but with a 2,000 calorie limit. With my exercise and this diet, I'm losing around 2 pounds a week and don't feel hungry.
Breakfast
Oatmeal - 1C
Plain Yogurt - 1C
Multivitamin
Peppermint tea - 11 oz
Office
Peppermint tea - 11 oz
Lunch
Sprouted rye bread - 1 slice
Plain yogurt - 1C
1 large apple
Green tea - 11 oz
Dinner
Egg Beaters (southwestern) - equivalent to 11 egg whites
Sprouted rye bread - 2 slices
V8 juice - 12 oz
Snack
Gel bites - 2 bags
Peppermint tea - 11 oz
Sunday, September 22, 2013
First Urban Triathlon & Indoor Swim - Indianapolis Jagaur Sprint Triathlon
September 22, 2013
First Urban Triathlon & Pool Swim - Indianapolis Jaguar Spring Triathlon
Today I did my first urban triathlon and my first pool swim. I almost backed out because I was terrified of the CARS on city streets, but I'm glad I didn't! My husband (who is wonderful) and I came to Indianapolis and checked into a hotel yesterday. I like that routine. However . . . you know how they say not to eat anything new prior to your event? I had spaghetti at local restaurant that I had never been to before and ended up making trips to the rest room all night and morning. Luckily, things settled down right before the race.
With this being my fourth sprint triathlon, I think I'm getting the hang of things. I now have a "Tri Packing List" that I use for each race. I now know how I want to train before the race. I kept reading and reading about both those things, but I think you really need to just figure out what works best for you. I found that I like to train hard two weeks before to build my confidence, then do light training the week of the event with no training for two days before the event, and finally a one day recovery followed by a workout that starts out easy and then gets harder.
I've also discovered that I don't like to eat a lot before an event. Instead of tons of spaghetti the night before, I have small carb meals all day long: Oatmeal for breakfast, quinoa or ramen noodles for lunch, and then a little spaghetti for dinner. That's about 1,000 calories which goes well with my diet. For breakfast the day of the event, I have a half bagel with a teaspoon of peanut butter, a banana, and 8 ounces of apple juice three hours before the event.
Racing in the pool was interesting! They lined us up one-by-one according to the swim times that we submitted as part of our registration. Then, one by one, we jumped into the pool every five seconds (diving was not allowed). Some of the faster swimmers did cannonballs! I just started my watch as I jumped and then held onto my goggle with one hand. Once in the water, we swam 50 meters down the pool, ducked under the lane marker, swam back, ducked under the next lane marker and swam down until we had covered all eight lanes of the pool (400 meters). Some people held on to the end for a rest before starting the next length of the pool. I decided to do flip turns. I practiced doing flip turns under the ropes in the YMCA at home prior to today. People watching me must have wondered what I was doing as I repeatedly swam to the wall, flipped and came up in a different lane! Ha! My swim went well. I passed two people and two passed me. I did a personal best which was my goal for the race so I was pleased. I'm not trying to compete with anyone but me, but . . . it was nice to find that I beat 50 out of 200 in the swim.
At the end of the swim, we climbed out of the pool and then ran through a tunnel to a grassy field where the bike racks were set up. It was 58 degrees out so I put a towel in the tunnel (with the official's permission) and grabbed it as I ran. I thought I was going to freeze, but with all of my focus on the race, I never noticed it being cold.
I was terrified of the bike course. I almost chickened out yesterday when we drove the course. On some sections, there were six lanes of city traffic with curbs. On other sections, there were bike lanes filled with gravel. And there were two railroad tracks to cross! What I didn't realize was how the event organizers would take care of our safety. They had cones blocking off a lane for us to ride in for the entire 10 miles! They put carpets over the railroad tracks - although it still felt like riding into a curb! There were police at every intersection stopping traffic as we approached. I made sure I rode in the middle of the lane coming to each intersection so the cop would see me. One frustrating situation occurred as I approached an intersection and heard a siren. Sure enough, an ambulance was approaching the intersection from my right. I looked at the officer for direction. He looked at the ambulance, looked at me, looked back at the ambulance, looked back at me again -- but gave me no direction! I knew he was trying to calculate if I could get through before the ambulance got there. I considered trying to speed up and cross in front of the ambulance and I think I would have been ok. But . . . what if I miscalculated and the ambulance hit me? So at the last minute, I threw on my breaks. Luckily, I remembered "right is rear" and didn't flip over the handlebars! As I started up again, two people who didn't have to slow for the intersection sped past me. How frustrating! But overall, I was pleased with my ride. The course was virtually flat and I pushed it hard. I did a personal best by far. Again, I'm not completing with others, but again, I was pleased to find that my time was faster than 70 of the 200 people who rode. Pretty satisfying for a sixty-year-old overweight woman who couldn't put on her socks two years ago!
And then the run! I did a personal best in that event too so I am pleased, but oh my gosh, I am SO slow! I've been training with a cadence "beep" on my iPhone, but found at my last race that iPhones are illegal. So . . . for this race, I purchased a metronome at a music store that is the size of an iPhone and carried that with me. I kept my cadence at 83 or more. But with my short stride, almost everyone passed me during the run. Some would say, "You're doing great!" as they ran past. One woman put her arm around me today as she passed me! Her arm was HEAVY! In run, I only did better than a handful of people and was so slow that it negated how well I did in the swim and bike. The good news is that since this the last tri of the season, I have time to retool myself before the first tri next spring.
The finish of this race was fun. We ran into IUPUI's track stadium and then did a lap around the track. I felt like a "real" athlete! I'm always touched by how much encouragement I get from everyone as I finish. This time, after I crossed the finish line, a man came out of the stands with his arms wide open, gave me a hug, and said, "You are so impressive. You keep doing this. You are amazing!" Another act of kindness that will always stay with me.
And . . . I was first again in the 60-64 age group. I should add that I was, once again, the only woman in the 60-64 age group! I've been thinking about this. There are lots of women in the 50-54 and the 55-59 age groups. Why not 60-64? One reason might be because the sport is so young (1974). When people my age were in high school and college, triathlons did not exist. Heck, when women my age were young, no sports for girls existed except swimming and tennis. I suspect that in five years, as the younger women get older, the 60-64 age group will be full. In the meantime, I don't mind taking home some first place medals!
For this race, the first, second and third place winners stood on podiums - just like the Olympics! When they announced the winners for my event, they explained that there was just one entry and that I had won first place. Someone yelled from the stands, "Give her all three medals!" I laughed. When I went to the podium, they shook my hand and then placed the medal over my head - just like the Olympics! I stood on the first place podium and posed with the BIGGEST smile!
What a great day!
First Urban Triathlon & Pool Swim - Indianapolis Jaguar Spring Triathlon
Today I did my first urban triathlon and my first pool swim. I almost backed out because I was terrified of the CARS on city streets, but I'm glad I didn't! My husband (who is wonderful) and I came to Indianapolis and checked into a hotel yesterday. I like that routine. However . . . you know how they say not to eat anything new prior to your event? I had spaghetti at local restaurant that I had never been to before and ended up making trips to the rest room all night and morning. Luckily, things settled down right before the race.
With this being my fourth sprint triathlon, I think I'm getting the hang of things. I now have a "Tri Packing List" that I use for each race. I now know how I want to train before the race. I kept reading and reading about both those things, but I think you really need to just figure out what works best for you. I found that I like to train hard two weeks before to build my confidence, then do light training the week of the event with no training for two days before the event, and finally a one day recovery followed by a workout that starts out easy and then gets harder.
I've also discovered that I don't like to eat a lot before an event. Instead of tons of spaghetti the night before, I have small carb meals all day long: Oatmeal for breakfast, quinoa or ramen noodles for lunch, and then a little spaghetti for dinner. That's about 1,000 calories which goes well with my diet. For breakfast the day of the event, I have a half bagel with a teaspoon of peanut butter, a banana, and 8 ounces of apple juice three hours before the event.
Racing in the pool was interesting! They lined us up one-by-one according to the swim times that we submitted as part of our registration. Then, one by one, we jumped into the pool every five seconds (diving was not allowed). Some of the faster swimmers did cannonballs! I just started my watch as I jumped and then held onto my goggle with one hand. Once in the water, we swam 50 meters down the pool, ducked under the lane marker, swam back, ducked under the next lane marker and swam down until we had covered all eight lanes of the pool (400 meters). Some people held on to the end for a rest before starting the next length of the pool. I decided to do flip turns. I practiced doing flip turns under the ropes in the YMCA at home prior to today. People watching me must have wondered what I was doing as I repeatedly swam to the wall, flipped and came up in a different lane! Ha! My swim went well. I passed two people and two passed me. I did a personal best which was my goal for the race so I was pleased. I'm not trying to compete with anyone but me, but . . . it was nice to find that I beat 50 out of 200 in the swim.
At the end of the swim, we climbed out of the pool and then ran through a tunnel to a grassy field where the bike racks were set up. It was 58 degrees out so I put a towel in the tunnel (with the official's permission) and grabbed it as I ran. I thought I was going to freeze, but with all of my focus on the race, I never noticed it being cold.
I was terrified of the bike course. I almost chickened out yesterday when we drove the course. On some sections, there were six lanes of city traffic with curbs. On other sections, there were bike lanes filled with gravel. And there were two railroad tracks to cross! What I didn't realize was how the event organizers would take care of our safety. They had cones blocking off a lane for us to ride in for the entire 10 miles! They put carpets over the railroad tracks - although it still felt like riding into a curb! There were police at every intersection stopping traffic as we approached. I made sure I rode in the middle of the lane coming to each intersection so the cop would see me. One frustrating situation occurred as I approached an intersection and heard a siren. Sure enough, an ambulance was approaching the intersection from my right. I looked at the officer for direction. He looked at the ambulance, looked at me, looked back at the ambulance, looked back at me again -- but gave me no direction! I knew he was trying to calculate if I could get through before the ambulance got there. I considered trying to speed up and cross in front of the ambulance and I think I would have been ok. But . . . what if I miscalculated and the ambulance hit me? So at the last minute, I threw on my breaks. Luckily, I remembered "right is rear" and didn't flip over the handlebars! As I started up again, two people who didn't have to slow for the intersection sped past me. How frustrating! But overall, I was pleased with my ride. The course was virtually flat and I pushed it hard. I did a personal best by far. Again, I'm not completing with others, but again, I was pleased to find that my time was faster than 70 of the 200 people who rode. Pretty satisfying for a sixty-year-old overweight woman who couldn't put on her socks two years ago!
And then the run! I did a personal best in that event too so I am pleased, but oh my gosh, I am SO slow! I've been training with a cadence "beep" on my iPhone, but found at my last race that iPhones are illegal. So . . . for this race, I purchased a metronome at a music store that is the size of an iPhone and carried that with me. I kept my cadence at 83 or more. But with my short stride, almost everyone passed me during the run. Some would say, "You're doing great!" as they ran past. One woman put her arm around me today as she passed me! Her arm was HEAVY! In run, I only did better than a handful of people and was so slow that it negated how well I did in the swim and bike. The good news is that since this the last tri of the season, I have time to retool myself before the first tri next spring.
The finish of this race was fun. We ran into IUPUI's track stadium and then did a lap around the track. I felt like a "real" athlete! I'm always touched by how much encouragement I get from everyone as I finish. This time, after I crossed the finish line, a man came out of the stands with his arms wide open, gave me a hug, and said, "You are so impressive. You keep doing this. You are amazing!" Another act of kindness that will always stay with me.And . . . I was first again in the 60-64 age group. I should add that I was, once again, the only woman in the 60-64 age group! I've been thinking about this. There are lots of women in the 50-54 and the 55-59 age groups. Why not 60-64? One reason might be because the sport is so young (1974). When people my age were in high school and college, triathlons did not exist. Heck, when women my age were young, no sports for girls existed except swimming and tennis. I suspect that in five years, as the younger women get older, the 60-64 age group will be full. In the meantime, I don't mind taking home some first place medals!
For this race, the first, second and third place winners stood on podiums - just like the Olympics! When they announced the winners for my event, they explained that there was just one entry and that I had won first place. Someone yelled from the stands, "Give her all three medals!" I laughed. When I went to the podium, they shook my hand and then placed the medal over my head - just like the Olympics! I stood on the first place podium and posed with the BIGGEST smile! What a great day!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
AMAZING Finish Line Welcome! Decatur County YMCA Triathlon - Sept 8, 2013
September 7, 2013
Decatur County YMCA Sprint Triathlon
I will never forget this day. It was amazingly wonderful.
This was my first race on roads that were not closed to the public. Since I've never ridden my bike on a road with cars, I was very, very nervous. All week, I thought about dropping out. I had asked lots of people about how to be on the road with cars and got different responses. Some said to stay to the right. Others said to stay in the middle of the lane so cars going the same direction wouldn't try to squeeze between you and an approaching car. I went to our local bike shop and purchased two bright blinking lights - one to put on the back of my belt and the other to put below my bike saddle. My brother, who does ironmans, told me that the race organizers were always very careful not to put racers in harm's way. What kept me going the most was that I didn't want to tell the other Go Girls that I had chickened out. But . . . I wasn't sure that staying in the race was a smart decision.
My husband and I drove to the race the day before. We went straight to the race site to pick up my race packet (which the race organizer had filled with LOTS of goodies - fun!). I talked with the race organizers about my fear of cars on the course and they were extremely calming. That helped, but I still wasn't sure if I were going to race.
After picking up the race packet, we drove the bike course. OH MY GOSH! It was one BIG hill after another. Absolutely no flats! I asked my husband, "Do you think I should do this?"
All he said was, "Those hills are pretty intense." Not exactly the vote of confidence I expected to hear from a husband who is always positive and encouraging!
I went to the race the next day still not sure if I would compete. I spent a long time talking to the race official. I asked if I could walk up the hills. Yes. I asked if I got in over my head, if I could just turn around and come back to the start. Yes. With that in mind, I decided to race.
In the swim, I decided to start closer to the front so I wouldn't have to swim around people. There was a long run down a clean, sandy beach and then for about 70 feet in shallow water. I kept imagine what my jiggly parts must look like as I lifted my legs to run through the water. Probably not a pretty picture!
I was terrified as we started the bike, but once I started riding, I was so focused on the race, that I didn't think about cars any more. The hills ended up being enjoyable. I found that if I rode fast down the hill, I could cost about two thirds up the next hill. That meant that I would work going down the hills and then rest going up the hills (until the very top). I greatly enjoyed the ride. The grassy hills were beautiful and everything out in the country was so quiet.
Of course, my downfall was the run. I was in front of about six people at the start of the run, but one by one, they passed me. On the way back (out-and-back course), I noticed that all of the volunteers at the corners were packing to leave as I passed by! At one point, a volunteer in a golf cart started following me. That really took my attention off my race (making it harder to keep my cadence). At one of the corners, the volunteer said that I had picked up a tail. I responded, "At least it's not an ambulance!"
Now for the part that I will never forget.
As I rounded the last corner, I saw the finish line and could see that there were a ga-zillion people there cheering for me, the last place finisher! There were probably only 15-20 people, but when you come in last there usually isn't anyone but the timer around so it seemed like the entire county had turned out to welcome me! Wow. Then . . . one of the fire trucks started its siren in greeting. Then an emergency response vehicle joined in. And then the police cars added their welcome. Amazing. Without thinking, I raised my arms in victory as I approached the finish line with everyone clapping. I still get choked up as I think about how kind these people were to me.
My husband filmed their wonderful welcome for the last place finisher. Check it out!!
Last Place Welcome http://youtu.be/Mge4SS8BroM
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Go Girl Triathlon - August 24, 2013
August 24, 2013
Go Girl Triathlon, Indianapolis
Several of the women at the gym wear I exercise decided to also do a triathlon. One decided to do a tri after seeing her daughter compete a year ago. Others decided to do one after hearing me do one of the "graduation speeches" for Bootcamp where I exercise.
As an aside, I was tickled to be asked to give a motivational speech for Bootcamp. When the owner asked me to do the presentation, I was happy to help. Then I thought, "Oh my gosh! I'm going to be standing in front of 100 people talking about my weight while they are looking at me!" I talked about what life was like before loosing 110 pounds, e.g. not being able to tie my shoes, and all of the things I could do now. I started with a "before" picture and then ended with a picture of me proudly modeling my first triathlon finisher t-shirt.
So . . . I guess that inspired some women to do a triathlon and one of them called me to say they had gotten a group together of triathlete want-to-be women - most with grandchildren - and asked if I'd join them. Heck yes!
What evolved over the next few months was truly heart-warming. A group of women all talking about tri-gear, training, and races. We all started training for the "Go Girl" triathlon in August. I had already scheduled my first tri in July so this would be my second. By for everyone else, it was their first. We gathered at each other's houses (with husbands) to have a diet-friendly meal and talk tri. One woman, who was terrified of water, started taking swimming lessons. My husband took us out on our boat for open-water swims. We took SPIN classes together. Fun, fun, fun!
The day before this race, my husband and I drove to Indianapolis to pick up my race packet and then to Eagle Creek so I could determine what gear(s) I wanted to be in while climbing some of the hills on the course. In the middle of this practice, my bike started bobbing up and down. I quickly saw that I had a HUGE bubble on my tire! Panic! Luckily, we found a bike store open on Friday night and got a new tire. While there, they checked my shifter and determined that I was not crazy - my gears weren't working properly. They'd work fine when the bike was in the test stand, but once I got on the bike, the gears didn't shift properly. The bike mechanic rode around and around the parking lot with me. He finally suggested that I stop pedaling for one second when shifting gears and that worked. He said that general wisdom is that you continue to pedal when shifting, but he had seen a few cases where it worked better to stop pedaling for a second. When we got to the hotel parking lot, I rode around and around shifting gears. Stopping pedaling for a second is a hassle, but it works!
The morning of the race, we got lost on our way! How could that be. I had practiced driving to the race site. Go figure . . . I've learned that I don't like to talk to people before starting a race, so I wasn't very social with the other Go Girls - but it was great to see them there!
My race was fun, fun, fun. I got off course again in the swim. I swim to the right! For half of the swim, the sun was in my eyes and I couldn't see a thing. I just followed the person in front of me and hoped that she knew where she was going. Got kicked a few times. It's scary to be all stretched out with your abdomen unprotected when people are doing breaststroke kicks around you.
My goal for the race was to do a better time than last time. I figured the place where I could improve the most was in the transitions. To practice, I created a transition spot in my driveway at home. Jumped out of the shower, ran to my transition area, put on bike stuff, and took off on my bike down the driveway. I did that over and over again. Later that day, I saw my neighbors and felt compelled to explain why I was running out my front door in my bathing suit, putting on bike clothes, riding down the driveway over and over again! Ha! Last time I walked to T1, but I ran in this race.
Bike was great. I just love riding and still want to yell "weeeeeeeee!" as I'm going down hills or flying around curves. I put caution aside and rode as fast as I could.
Run was grueling as usual. I just focused on my cadence and technique, especially not landing on my heals and keeping my elbows back. At one point, I passed a couple of the Go-Girls on the way back (out-and-back course). I knew they were waving at me and yelling "hi," but I was so focused on keeping my feet going that I didn't say anything. They teased me about being so focused later!
We all finished! I did a personal best in all three events and the transitions - and to my surprise, ended up second in my age group. All of the Go Girls finished which was AWESOME! One finished even though she got out of a boot for her broken leg the day before! It was so cool to be part of a group of women all with a common goal. We got together on the evening after the race to celebrate!
Go Girl Triathlon, Indianapolis
Several of the women at the gym wear I exercise decided to also do a triathlon. One decided to do a tri after seeing her daughter compete a year ago. Others decided to do one after hearing me do one of the "graduation speeches" for Bootcamp where I exercise.
As an aside, I was tickled to be asked to give a motivational speech for Bootcamp. When the owner asked me to do the presentation, I was happy to help. Then I thought, "Oh my gosh! I'm going to be standing in front of 100 people talking about my weight while they are looking at me!" I talked about what life was like before loosing 110 pounds, e.g. not being able to tie my shoes, and all of the things I could do now. I started with a "before" picture and then ended with a picture of me proudly modeling my first triathlon finisher t-shirt.
So . . . I guess that inspired some women to do a triathlon and one of them called me to say they had gotten a group together of triathlete want-to-be women - most with grandchildren - and asked if I'd join them. Heck yes!
What evolved over the next few months was truly heart-warming. A group of women all talking about tri-gear, training, and races. We all started training for the "Go Girl" triathlon in August. I had already scheduled my first tri in July so this would be my second. By for everyone else, it was their first. We gathered at each other's houses (with husbands) to have a diet-friendly meal and talk tri. One woman, who was terrified of water, started taking swimming lessons. My husband took us out on our boat for open-water swims. We took SPIN classes together. Fun, fun, fun!
The day before this race, my husband and I drove to Indianapolis to pick up my race packet and then to Eagle Creek so I could determine what gear(s) I wanted to be in while climbing some of the hills on the course. In the middle of this practice, my bike started bobbing up and down. I quickly saw that I had a HUGE bubble on my tire! Panic! Luckily, we found a bike store open on Friday night and got a new tire. While there, they checked my shifter and determined that I was not crazy - my gears weren't working properly. They'd work fine when the bike was in the test stand, but once I got on the bike, the gears didn't shift properly. The bike mechanic rode around and around the parking lot with me. He finally suggested that I stop pedaling for one second when shifting gears and that worked. He said that general wisdom is that you continue to pedal when shifting, but he had seen a few cases where it worked better to stop pedaling for a second. When we got to the hotel parking lot, I rode around and around shifting gears. Stopping pedaling for a second is a hassle, but it works!
The morning of the race, we got lost on our way! How could that be. I had practiced driving to the race site. Go figure . . . I've learned that I don't like to talk to people before starting a race, so I wasn't very social with the other Go Girls - but it was great to see them there!
My race was fun, fun, fun. I got off course again in the swim. I swim to the right! For half of the swim, the sun was in my eyes and I couldn't see a thing. I just followed the person in front of me and hoped that she knew where she was going. Got kicked a few times. It's scary to be all stretched out with your abdomen unprotected when people are doing breaststroke kicks around you.
My goal for the race was to do a better time than last time. I figured the place where I could improve the most was in the transitions. To practice, I created a transition spot in my driveway at home. Jumped out of the shower, ran to my transition area, put on bike stuff, and took off on my bike down the driveway. I did that over and over again. Later that day, I saw my neighbors and felt compelled to explain why I was running out my front door in my bathing suit, putting on bike clothes, riding down the driveway over and over again! Ha! Last time I walked to T1, but I ran in this race.
Bike was great. I just love riding and still want to yell "weeeeeeeee!" as I'm going down hills or flying around curves. I put caution aside and rode as fast as I could.
Run was grueling as usual. I just focused on my cadence and technique, especially not landing on my heals and keeping my elbows back. At one point, I passed a couple of the Go-Girls on the way back (out-and-back course). I knew they were waving at me and yelling "hi," but I was so focused on keeping my feet going that I didn't say anything. They teased me about being so focused later!
We all finished! I did a personal best in all three events and the transitions - and to my surprise, ended up second in my age group. All of the Go Girls finished which was AWESOME! One finished even though she got out of a boot for her broken leg the day before! It was so cool to be part of a group of women all with a common goal. We got together on the evening after the race to celebrate!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
I DID IT! ------ First OUTDOOR Sprint Triathlon - July 20, 2013
July 20, 2013
Eagle Creek Sprint Triathlon, Indianapolis
I DID IT!
Several weeks ago, I registered for the OUTDOOR sprint triathlon at Eagle Creek in Indianapolis. Unfortunately, things were crazy at work and I basically suspended all training in June and July. I wasn't sure all week if I was going to go through with the triathlon or not - but at the last minute, I decided to go ahead.
The Thursday before the race, I packed everything:
SUITCASE
Swim
I took my bike to a local bike shop to have it checked out. When I picked my bike up at 3:00, I took it for a test ride and the front derailleur was a mess. About every fifth time that I tried to switch gears on the front derailleur, the chain fell off! I took it back to the shop and they worked on it for a couple of hours, but never could seem to get it right. I finally had to leave to pick up my race packet and just decided that I would only use half of my gears in the race (the easier ones!).
My husband and I had decided to spend the night before the race in Indianapolis so we wouldn't have to leave so early. With all of the hassle with my front derailleur, I wasn't able to get my race packet picked up until 8:00 pm. I had wanted to pick it up at 5:00 pm, have dinner and go to bed, so I was way off schedule. Oh well. I think part of racing is doing your bet job to prepare and then going with the flow. I was flowing!
It was fun to go through the race packet contents. I found my bib number, a number to put on my bike and my timing chip. I also got my official race t-shirt! What fun! There were also a bunch of advertisements for things triathletes would enjoy and a couple of energy gels.
I then drove the course and was totally freaked out! There were hills throughout the bike and the first half of the run was entirely uphill. I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into at age 60 and still considerably overweight. I considered backing out. I really didn't think I could do it.
I met my husband at the hotel at 9:30 and we took my bike into the hotel room so it wouldn't be stolen. I felt like a "real" athlete as I wheeled the bike through the hotel! We ate a pasta dinner via room service and I laid out all of my transition things one more time and checked to make sure I had everything. Then to bed at around midnight. Not the best way to prep before a race, but oh well . . .
The next morning, I awoke at 5:00 am and had breakfast of 1/2 bagel, 2 t peanut butter, a banana and apple juice and put on my swim suit, sandals and cover up. The race was scheduled to start at 8:00 am. I wanted to be there at 6:00.
Setting Up Transition
There were about 600 people registered for this event. Each rack held seven bikes. I found the rack for my number and hung my bike in the front. Then I found a landmark (a big tree) so I could find my rack quickly when coming into transition.
I put all of my stuff on the towel, but really didn't think about the order I would be needing stuff. I really wasn't thinking about the transitions as race events.
The other thing I did was put an extra pair of sandals at the swim exit. There was a lengthy run between the swim and my bike through a rocky, wooded area. I wanted to be able to slip on these sandals before doing that run.
After setting up, I went to the restroom only to find that there was no toilet paper. I was so glad that I had read in several triathlon books to bring toilet paper to events. I passed out handfuls of toilet paper to all the women in line!
I found the person putting numbers on people and my number was added to my arm.
I fastened my timing chip on my left ankle (on my left ankle so it wouldn't hit my front derailleur) and was ready to go.
At 7:30, they had a racers' meeting where an official from USAT went over all the rules. I had read ALL of the USAT rules ahead of time so there were no surprises. At the beginning they asked those who were doing a triathlon for the first time to raise their hand and about a third of the hands went up. That was comforting.
We were doing a timed start which means that each participant enters the water one at a time with about two seconds between participants. When we registered, we stated our swimming ability and they used that when assigning numbers so the faster swimmers would be first. A few minutes before 8:00 am, they instructed us to get into line by number. We didn't have to be strictly in numerical order, just in the general area of our number.
It took about 20 minutes to get from the first swimmer to me. As I entered the water, I ran across a timing mat so the 20 minutes that I started after the first participant entered the water was subtracted from my time at the end.
The Swim
Nothing prepared me for the chaos of the swim. I never felt that I or anyone else was in danger. There were boats every 20 feet or so. Since this was such a big sprint triathlon there were may weak swimmers. Many people were doing breaststroke and sidestroke.
The weird thing was that I just couldn't see in the water because it was so muddy. I was swimming blind. I did freestyle and knew I was going to have to lift my head every few strokes to see the buoys marking the turns, but I also needed to lift my head to see where the other swimmers were so I could plan my course. I did get kicked a couple of times, but nothing bad. People would hit me and then lift their head and say, "Sorry!" I learned to sense where other swimmers were by the churning in the water as they kicked. It took a while to get used to. By the time we got to the first yellow buoy, people spread out and I could swim freestyle without having to worry about people. I tried to work on form, but mostly, I was trying to conserve energy for the bike. I even swam a little without kicking to save my legs. I swam until my hands hit sand, and then I stood and walked out of the lake.
Transition 1
Because I wasn't sure I would have enough energy for the bike, I walked, rather than ran, from the beach to my bike. I took my time at my bike - fixed my hair, ate an energy bar, drank some water, and sat down to put on my socks and shoes. Then I leisurely walked my bike out of transition. I now understand that the transition is another race event, but I didn't understand that then! Because I don't yet feel comfortable in a triathlon suit (silly pride), I also wasted valuable time putting on shorts and a t-shirt. Maybe someday, I'll have enough courage to wear a tri suit!
Bike
I loved, loved, loved the bike! In the beginning, I was afraid of going fast on the downhills and rode the breaks all the way down each hill - and then had to work like crazy to get up the next hill. After a while, I learned that if I went as fast as possible down the hills, I could coast about 2/3 of the way up the next hill! By the time I finished, I was flying! The bike was exhilarating. I kept wanting to yell, "Weeeeeee!" as I flew through the air. Loved the bike!
While riding in Eagle Creek Park, we were with cars but since we were in a park, the cars were going really slow. On the four-lane highway, they coned off the outside lane in each direction for the bikes. I never felt unsafe. I also appreciated all of the volunteers and police officers who yelled encouragement along the way. As I passed them, I often yelled "Woohoo!" in pure joy. That made everyone laugh. I was just have such a good time speeding along!
I should probably also mention that I think the SPIN class that I take weekly was extremely helpful. I passed several people on the uphills and felt like I had the stamina to last the entire 12 miles.
Timing Mats
One mistake that I made was not knowing exactly where the timing mats were before the race. I got off my bike early
Run
Ugh. The run was a challenge, as I knew it would be. Immediately out of Transition 2, we climbed a rather significant hill. I was determined not to walk, but I was running very, very slow. I overheard one little boy say to his father, "Daddy, look. She's running really slow." What a hoot. But, at least I was running. Many people walked up that hill. When I drove the course the day before, I thought the route out was uphill (slightly) and the route back was downhill. But, as I was running, it seemed to be uphill both ways. I know that's not possible, but I swear I ran uphill for the entire 3.1 miles! At the turn-around point, it was so nice to know that I was going to finish.
Racers who finished in front were getting into their cars to leave. They cheered me on as I struggled keep my head up and keep my cadence. My favorite comment, which I still play through my head when I'm tired, was from a young man who said, "Nice pace." Another said, "Way to go runner!" It was cool to have someone call me a runner. And another said, "Keep going 452 (my bib number). You're almost there." While I loved the kindness that they were showing, I found that their comments were distracting to my focus and cadence. In the beginning, I said "Thank you" every time someone said something encouraging. But, that took air which I didn't have. And I found that every time I responded, even if just with a head nod, I slowed down. So, after a while, I just kept running without acknowledging their comments. The worst was when people wanted to give me high fives as I ran by. I was so exhausted that I couldn't possible lift my arm in return. For a couple of them, I just said, "Can't lift my arm." They smiled with understanding.
When I got to the finish line, I ran a little faster to "finish strong" as the saying goes, but not much. I now know what it means to be physically "spent."
By the time I crossed the finish line, the awards ceremony was over and the race organizers were cleaning up. They posted the "final" race results before I finished. I found the race director and asked if I could see my times. He was very helpful. I did not come in last! One woman finished after me and several didn't finish. It ends up that there were three people in my age group (60-65 female) including the woman who finished behind me. So, I came in second in my age group, or as they say, I "podiumed." And, as second in my age group, I received a cooler as an award! Go figure!
Here are my results: Slow, slow, slow. But, I met my goal. I finished!!
Overall: 452 / 467 2:02:31.4
Swim: 410 / 467 16:24.8 (4:01.5 / 100)
T1: 462 / 467 6.47.1
Bike: 434 / 467 46:45.1 (12.8 mph)
T2: 455 / 467 3:44.2
Run: 457 / 467 48.49.6 (16:16.5 pace)
Eagle Creek Sprint Triathlon, Indianapolis
I DID IT!
Several weeks ago, I registered for the OUTDOOR sprint triathlon at Eagle Creek in Indianapolis. Unfortunately, things were crazy at work and I basically suspended all training in June and July. I wasn't sure all week if I was going to go through with the triathlon or not - but at the last minute, I decided to go ahead.
The Thursday before the race, I packed everything:
SUITCASE
- PJs
- Toiletries
- Swim suit
- Sandals
- Cover up
- Shorts (post race)
- T-shirt (post race)
- Undergarments (post race)
Swim
- Triathlon watch
- Swim cap
- Goggles
- Shoes
- Socks
- Shorts
- T-shirt (with number already pinned on)
- Hair tie
- Bike (with bike number put on before the race)
- Helmet (on bike seat)
- Glasses (poked in slot in helmet)
- Tolet paper
- Towel to stand on
- Water bottle
- Power bar
I took my bike to a local bike shop to have it checked out. When I picked my bike up at 3:00, I took it for a test ride and the front derailleur was a mess. About every fifth time that I tried to switch gears on the front derailleur, the chain fell off! I took it back to the shop and they worked on it for a couple of hours, but never could seem to get it right. I finally had to leave to pick up my race packet and just decided that I would only use half of my gears in the race (the easier ones!).
My husband and I had decided to spend the night before the race in Indianapolis so we wouldn't have to leave so early. With all of the hassle with my front derailleur, I wasn't able to get my race packet picked up until 8:00 pm. I had wanted to pick it up at 5:00 pm, have dinner and go to bed, so I was way off schedule. Oh well. I think part of racing is doing your bet job to prepare and then going with the flow. I was flowing!
It was fun to go through the race packet contents. I found my bib number, a number to put on my bike and my timing chip. I also got my official race t-shirt! What fun! There were also a bunch of advertisements for things triathletes would enjoy and a couple of energy gels.
I then drove the course and was totally freaked out! There were hills throughout the bike and the first half of the run was entirely uphill. I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into at age 60 and still considerably overweight. I considered backing out. I really didn't think I could do it.
I met my husband at the hotel at 9:30 and we took my bike into the hotel room so it wouldn't be stolen. I felt like a "real" athlete as I wheeled the bike through the hotel! We ate a pasta dinner via room service and I laid out all of my transition things one more time and checked to make sure I had everything. Then to bed at around midnight. Not the best way to prep before a race, but oh well . . .
The next morning, I awoke at 5:00 am and had breakfast of 1/2 bagel, 2 t peanut butter, a banana and apple juice and put on my swim suit, sandals and cover up. The race was scheduled to start at 8:00 am. I wanted to be there at 6:00.
Setting Up Transition
There were about 600 people registered for this event. Each rack held seven bikes. I found the rack for my number and hung my bike in the front. Then I found a landmark (a big tree) so I could find my rack quickly when coming into transition.I put all of my stuff on the towel, but really didn't think about the order I would be needing stuff. I really wasn't thinking about the transitions as race events.The other thing I did was put an extra pair of sandals at the swim exit. There was a lengthy run between the swim and my bike through a rocky, wooded area. I wanted to be able to slip on these sandals before doing that run.After setting up, I went to the restroom only to find that there was no toilet paper. I was so glad that I had read in several triathlon books to bring toilet paper to events. I passed out handfuls of toilet paper to all the women in line!
It took about 20 minutes to get from the first swimmer to me. As I entered the water, I ran across a timing mat so the 20 minutes that I started after the first participant entered the water was subtracted from my time at the end.
The Swim
Nothing prepared me for the chaos of the swim. I never felt that I or anyone else was in danger. There were boats every 20 feet or so. Since this was such a big sprint triathlon there were may weak swimmers. Many people were doing breaststroke and sidestroke.
The weird thing was that I just couldn't see in the water because it was so muddy. I was swimming blind. I did freestyle and knew I was going to have to lift my head every few strokes to see the buoys marking the turns, but I also needed to lift my head to see where the other swimmers were so I could plan my course. I did get kicked a couple of times, but nothing bad. People would hit me and then lift their head and say, "Sorry!" I learned to sense where other swimmers were by the churning in the water as they kicked. It took a while to get used to. By the time we got to the first yellow buoy, people spread out and I could swim freestyle without having to worry about people. I tried to work on form, but mostly, I was trying to conserve energy for the bike. I even swam a little without kicking to save my legs. I swam until my hands hit sand, and then I stood and walked out of the lake.
Transition 1
Because I wasn't sure I would have enough energy for the bike, I walked, rather than ran, from the beach to my bike. I took my time at my bike - fixed my hair, ate an energy bar, drank some water, and sat down to put on my socks and shoes. Then I leisurely walked my bike out of transition. I now understand that the transition is another race event, but I didn't understand that then! Because I don't yet feel comfortable in a triathlon suit (silly pride), I also wasted valuable time putting on shorts and a t-shirt. Maybe someday, I'll have enough courage to wear a tri suit!
Bike
I loved, loved, loved the bike! In the beginning, I was afraid of going fast on the downhills and rode the breaks all the way down each hill - and then had to work like crazy to get up the next hill. After a while, I learned that if I went as fast as possible down the hills, I could coast about 2/3 of the way up the next hill! By the time I finished, I was flying! The bike was exhilarating. I kept wanting to yell, "Weeeeeee!" as I flew through the air. Loved the bike!
While riding in Eagle Creek Park, we were with cars but since we were in a park, the cars were going really slow. On the four-lane highway, they coned off the outside lane in each direction for the bikes. I never felt unsafe. I also appreciated all of the volunteers and police officers who yelled encouragement along the way. As I passed them, I often yelled "Woohoo!" in pure joy. That made everyone laugh. I was just have such a good time speeding along!
I should probably also mention that I think the SPIN class that I take weekly was extremely helpful. I passed several people on the uphills and felt like I had the stamina to last the entire 12 miles.
Timing Mats
One mistake that I made was not knowing exactly where the timing mats were before the race. I got off my bike early
Run
Ugh. The run was a challenge, as I knew it would be. Immediately out of Transition 2, we climbed a rather significant hill. I was determined not to walk, but I was running very, very slow. I overheard one little boy say to his father, "Daddy, look. She's running really slow." What a hoot. But, at least I was running. Many people walked up that hill. When I drove the course the day before, I thought the route out was uphill (slightly) and the route back was downhill. But, as I was running, it seemed to be uphill both ways. I know that's not possible, but I swear I ran uphill for the entire 3.1 miles! At the turn-around point, it was so nice to know that I was going to finish.
Racers who finished in front were getting into their cars to leave. They cheered me on as I struggled keep my head up and keep my cadence. My favorite comment, which I still play through my head when I'm tired, was from a young man who said, "Nice pace." Another said, "Way to go runner!" It was cool to have someone call me a runner. And another said, "Keep going 452 (my bib number). You're almost there." While I loved the kindness that they were showing, I found that their comments were distracting to my focus and cadence. In the beginning, I said "Thank you" every time someone said something encouraging. But, that took air which I didn't have. And I found that every time I responded, even if just with a head nod, I slowed down. So, after a while, I just kept running without acknowledging their comments. The worst was when people wanted to give me high fives as I ran by. I was so exhausted that I couldn't possible lift my arm in return. For a couple of them, I just said, "Can't lift my arm." They smiled with understanding.
When I got to the finish line, I ran a little faster to "finish strong" as the saying goes, but not much. I now know what it means to be physically "spent."
By the time I crossed the finish line, the awards ceremony was over and the race organizers were cleaning up. They posted the "final" race results before I finished. I found the race director and asked if I could see my times. He was very helpful. I did not come in last! One woman finished after me and several didn't finish. It ends up that there were three people in my age group (60-65 female) including the woman who finished behind me. So, I came in second in my age group, or as they say, I "podiumed." And, as second in my age group, I received a cooler as an award! Go figure!Here are my results: Slow, slow, slow. But, I met my goal. I finished!!
Overall: 452 / 467 2:02:31.4
Swim: 410 / 467 16:24.8 (4:01.5 / 100)
T1: 462 / 467 6.47.1
Bike: 434 / 467 46:45.1 (12.8 mph)
T2: 455 / 467 3:44.2
Run: 457 / 467 48.49.6 (16:16.5 pace)
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Indianapolis 500 5K - A big event!
May 3, 2013
Indianapolis 500 5K
My son has been urging me to do a big 5K for about a year so I thought this would be a great opportunity. This became a family affair. My husband and I ran the 5K while my son ran the mini. What fun! And it was big! The 5K had 4,000 runners and the mini had 35,000 runners (biggest mini in the country).
With 39,000 runners coming to Indianapolis, we figured that parking would be an issue. Rather than leave home at 3:30 am to find a parking space and be at the start line by 6:30 am for a 7:00 am start, we decided to get hotel rooms. We took Friday off work and made a mini-vacation out of it. Thinking that the restaurants would be packed, I brought spaghetti in a crock pot and we enjoyed a carb load early Friday evening before the race. Lots of fun!
Picking up our race packet was fun! When they went to give me my 2X t-shirt, the volunteer said, "Honey, you're not a 2X. Do you want a smaller size?" Bless her! Sure enough, the 2X was too big! In addition to the booth where packets were being distributed, there was a large expo with all kinds of vendors selling their wares. I purchased a really cool little pouch that attaches to your waistband with magnets to carry an iPhone and keys in.
Security at the event was amazing. The bombings at the Boston Marathon were two weeks early so everyone was nervous. They sent all the participants an email that told us to leave backpacks at home. On the day of the race, there were city police, state police and national guard members everywhere. There were also big booms in the air with cameras watching the crowd. I also noticed that there were security people with vests on seated by each trash can. But, the Boston Marathon bombers did not deter the festive spirit of the crowd. What impressed me the most about the crowd of 39,000 runners on race day was how happy everyone was.
The 5K runners lined up first at the starting line with the mini runners right behind us. So, when you looked back all you could see forever into the distance was 39,000 shoulder-to-shoulder runners in brightly colored t-shirts. Toward the start of the race, they all started jumping up and down to warm up and all you could see were bobbing colors. It was really quite amazing.
Someone sang Back Home Again in Indiana, shot a starters gun, and in typical Indianapolis 500 style, waved a green flag to begin the race. We were off! 4,000 people all with personal goals running in harmony with one another. Once again, I found myself choked up with emotion as I passed the start line and started running up Washington Street.
There was entertainment and people cheering throughout the miles. And . . . there were professional photographers everywhere. After the race, a computer sorted all the photographs by bib number and the photos were posted online to be purchased. My race went as planned. I went out a little faster than in the past but was able to maintain the pace I wanted to run. I took 20 seconds off my fastest pace and finished in under 45 minutes which was a first for me. Maybe most amazing, I finished in the top third of the 55-59 female age group. I think that is more due to the fact that the Indy 500 5K brings out a lot of non-athletes, but it was nice to not be dead last again!
At the end of the race, they corralled us away from the finish line and to various booths. The first booth we encountered was a station where they gave us a race medal - my first! I wore it with pride for the rest of the day, as did everyone else. Then we received a grocery bag and we went from station to station collecting food goodies - cookies, protein bars, fruit, drinks. It was a little like going door to door on Halloween. So many volunteers, so much kindness, so much celebration. Again, I got a little choked up thinking about how nice people can be.
Indianapolis 500 5K
My son has been urging me to do a big 5K for about a year so I thought this would be a great opportunity. This became a family affair. My husband and I ran the 5K while my son ran the mini. What fun! And it was big! The 5K had 4,000 runners and the mini had 35,000 runners (biggest mini in the country).
With 39,000 runners coming to Indianapolis, we figured that parking would be an issue. Rather than leave home at 3:30 am to find a parking space and be at the start line by 6:30 am for a 7:00 am start, we decided to get hotel rooms. We took Friday off work and made a mini-vacation out of it. Thinking that the restaurants would be packed, I brought spaghetti in a crock pot and we enjoyed a carb load early Friday evening before the race. Lots of fun!
Picking up our race packet was fun! When they went to give me my 2X t-shirt, the volunteer said, "Honey, you're not a 2X. Do you want a smaller size?" Bless her! Sure enough, the 2X was too big! In addition to the booth where packets were being distributed, there was a large expo with all kinds of vendors selling their wares. I purchased a really cool little pouch that attaches to your waistband with magnets to carry an iPhone and keys in.
Security at the event was amazing. The bombings at the Boston Marathon were two weeks early so everyone was nervous. They sent all the participants an email that told us to leave backpacks at home. On the day of the race, there were city police, state police and national guard members everywhere. There were also big booms in the air with cameras watching the crowd. I also noticed that there were security people with vests on seated by each trash can. But, the Boston Marathon bombers did not deter the festive spirit of the crowd. What impressed me the most about the crowd of 39,000 runners on race day was how happy everyone was.
The 5K runners lined up first at the starting line with the mini runners right behind us. So, when you looked back all you could see forever into the distance was 39,000 shoulder-to-shoulder runners in brightly colored t-shirts. Toward the start of the race, they all started jumping up and down to warm up and all you could see were bobbing colors. It was really quite amazing.
Someone sang Back Home Again in Indiana, shot a starters gun, and in typical Indianapolis 500 style, waved a green flag to begin the race. We were off! 4,000 people all with personal goals running in harmony with one another. Once again, I found myself choked up with emotion as I passed the start line and started running up Washington Street.
There was entertainment and people cheering throughout the miles. And . . . there were professional photographers everywhere. After the race, a computer sorted all the photographs by bib number and the photos were posted online to be purchased. My race went as planned. I went out a little faster than in the past but was able to maintain the pace I wanted to run. I took 20 seconds off my fastest pace and finished in under 45 minutes which was a first for me. Maybe most amazing, I finished in the top third of the 55-59 female age group. I think that is more due to the fact that the Indy 500 5K brings out a lot of non-athletes, but it was nice to not be dead last again!
At the end of the race, they corralled us away from the finish line and to various booths. The first booth we encountered was a station where they gave us a race medal - my first! I wore it with pride for the rest of the day, as did everyone else. Then we received a grocery bag and we went from station to station collecting food goodies - cookies, protein bars, fruit, drinks. It was a little like going door to door on Halloween. So many volunteers, so much kindness, so much celebration. Again, I got a little choked up thinking about how nice people can be.
New Goal / Tri Coach
April 2, 2013
New Goal - Outdoor Sprint Triathlon / Tri Coach
Now that I know I know I can survive the distance of a sprint triathlon, my next goal is to do an outdoor triathlon with a lake swim. I have my eye on a couple of events in August so I have about three months to get ready.
Tri Coach!
I found a triathlon coach in my area through Triathlon USA. I was pretty nervous about asking a "real" coach to work with an overweight, 60-year-old woman. But, I told myself not to be controlled by my feelings of embarrassment and contacted him by email. I gave him plenty of "outs" but he said that he was "born to coach" and that while most of his clients were people working on the Ironman, he also worked with young kids, old people, overweight people, all types. Bingo! Perfect match.
Our first meeting was a "sit down." I talked about my journey and told him about my goal to do an outdoor triathlon. He was a good listener and didn't laugh! Actually, he was quite encouraging. There was no contract to sign and I only had to commit to a month. That was good for me, but I also got the impression that arrangement was good for him too. I think he wanted a way to exit the relationship if a client started to not be serious about training (wasting his time). So, I sent him a check and now I have a coach!
Our next meeting was at the local YMCA. My coach had me do a warm up that left me sweating! One thing he had me do was walk while raising my leg to the side like a dog peeing. I felt so silly but I had promised myself and my coach that I would be coachable. A little kid looked at me in puzzlement and then laughed. So it goes.
Coach said my run was ok. He wants me to focus on my cadence (90 rotations per minute), keep my elbows back and look up. Great goals. Then we got in the pool. This meant that someone who knew me by name was going to see me in a bathing suit. Again, I focused on not letting my embarrassment control me. Coach asked me to swim a length and when I did, I saw him pop off his chair to follow me down the pool. When I got back, he seemed genuinely excited. For most triathletes, swimming is their worst event and I think he expected this overweight, sixty-year-old woman to splash her way down the pool. He said that my technique was excellent and that he thought I could do the swim part of a triathlon right now, and that I was a much better swimmer than many of his other triathletes. Wow! That really built my confidence!
So, Coach sends me a workout every Sunday by email and I send him feedback at the end of the week. My first week of training was:
Monday: Swim - intervals (100 meters, 15 sec rest) with different focuses
Tuesday: Run - intervals (5 min jog / 1 min rest)
Wednesday: SPIN (my request)
Thursday: Swim - more intervals
Friday: Run - intervals (3 min medium / 1 min rest)
Saturday: Bike (one hour)
So far, so good.
New Goal - Outdoor Sprint Triathlon / Tri Coach
Now that I know I know I can survive the distance of a sprint triathlon, my next goal is to do an outdoor triathlon with a lake swim. I have my eye on a couple of events in August so I have about three months to get ready.
Tri Coach!
I found a triathlon coach in my area through Triathlon USA. I was pretty nervous about asking a "real" coach to work with an overweight, 60-year-old woman. But, I told myself not to be controlled by my feelings of embarrassment and contacted him by email. I gave him plenty of "outs" but he said that he was "born to coach" and that while most of his clients were people working on the Ironman, he also worked with young kids, old people, overweight people, all types. Bingo! Perfect match.
Our first meeting was a "sit down." I talked about my journey and told him about my goal to do an outdoor triathlon. He was a good listener and didn't laugh! Actually, he was quite encouraging. There was no contract to sign and I only had to commit to a month. That was good for me, but I also got the impression that arrangement was good for him too. I think he wanted a way to exit the relationship if a client started to not be serious about training (wasting his time). So, I sent him a check and now I have a coach!
Our next meeting was at the local YMCA. My coach had me do a warm up that left me sweating! One thing he had me do was walk while raising my leg to the side like a dog peeing. I felt so silly but I had promised myself and my coach that I would be coachable. A little kid looked at me in puzzlement and then laughed. So it goes.
Coach said my run was ok. He wants me to focus on my cadence (90 rotations per minute), keep my elbows back and look up. Great goals. Then we got in the pool. This meant that someone who knew me by name was going to see me in a bathing suit. Again, I focused on not letting my embarrassment control me. Coach asked me to swim a length and when I did, I saw him pop off his chair to follow me down the pool. When I got back, he seemed genuinely excited. For most triathletes, swimming is their worst event and I think he expected this overweight, sixty-year-old woman to splash her way down the pool. He said that my technique was excellent and that he thought I could do the swim part of a triathlon right now, and that I was a much better swimmer than many of his other triathletes. Wow! That really built my confidence!
So, Coach sends me a workout every Sunday by email and I send him feedback at the end of the week. My first week of training was:
Monday: Swim - intervals (100 meters, 15 sec rest) with different focuses
Tuesday: Run - intervals (5 min jog / 1 min rest)
Wednesday: SPIN (my request)
Thursday: Swim - more intervals
Friday: Run - intervals (3 min medium / 1 min rest)
Saturday: Bike (one hour)
So far, so good.
Monday, April 1, 2013
First Bike & Garmin "Watch"
April 2013
Tri Gear
So . . . if I'm going to do an outdoor triathlon, I need tri gear. Here is what I purchased:
Giant Avail 5 Road Bike: This is an entry level road bike that I purchased for around $650. I went to a zillion bike stores and tried all kinds of manufacturer's bikes. The first time I did a little test ride on a bike was a hoot. Since I had not ridden a bike for 40 years, I was just a tad nervous as we rode in the parking lot. I learned that fitting a bike is not just measuring to see if the horizontal bar fits your height. Each bike has it's own geometry that makes the rider bend over at different angles, etc. This bike just felt good to me when I road it which I'm told by elite triathletes is more important that the fork material and the other things you pay big bucks for. They also advised that I do a major test ride - at least an hour. So I took the Giant Avail to a paved "people trail" in town and road for an hour.
Oh my gosh! The ride was exhilarating! I don't know if they just improved the technology of bikes in the last forty years or if the little skinny road bike tires made the difference, but I felt like I was a bird flying as I road down the path. There seemed to virtually no resistance with the road. It was amazing and I came back to the bike shop on cloud 9 and grinning ear to ear.
There is one thing that I will do differently the next time I purchase a bike. There are professional bike fitters who will help you find the bike with the right geometry to fit you. The take body measurements and flexibility measurements, and then recommend various bikes. I am going to take my new bike for a fitting in the near future.
Garmin Forerunner 910XT HRM: I just ordered this yesterday online. The 910XT is a serious watch that can monitor activity in the pool, bike and run. It normally retails for $450, but I found it on sale for $347. It is a big splurge for me and is much more watch than I really need. I purchased it mainly for the convenience. I had been using the Run Keeper and Road Bike aps on my iPhone to monitor my pace and could have just purchased a $60 heart monitor. The Forerunner also monitors data in the pool and will also do cadence which will be nice.
Tri Gear
So . . . if I'm going to do an outdoor triathlon, I need tri gear. Here is what I purchased:
Giant Avail 5 Road Bike: This is an entry level road bike that I purchased for around $650. I went to a zillion bike stores and tried all kinds of manufacturer's bikes. The first time I did a little test ride on a bike was a hoot. Since I had not ridden a bike for 40 years, I was just a tad nervous as we rode in the parking lot. I learned that fitting a bike is not just measuring to see if the horizontal bar fits your height. Each bike has it's own geometry that makes the rider bend over at different angles, etc. This bike just felt good to me when I road it which I'm told by elite triathletes is more important that the fork material and the other things you pay big bucks for. They also advised that I do a major test ride - at least an hour. So I took the Giant Avail to a paved "people trail" in town and road for an hour.
Oh my gosh! The ride was exhilarating! I don't know if they just improved the technology of bikes in the last forty years or if the little skinny road bike tires made the difference, but I felt like I was a bird flying as I road down the path. There seemed to virtually no resistance with the road. It was amazing and I came back to the bike shop on cloud 9 and grinning ear to ear.
There is one thing that I will do differently the next time I purchase a bike. There are professional bike fitters who will help you find the bike with the right geometry to fit you. The take body measurements and flexibility measurements, and then recommend various bikes. I am going to take my new bike for a fitting in the near future.
Garmin Forerunner 910XT HRM: I just ordered this yesterday online. The 910XT is a serious watch that can monitor activity in the pool, bike and run. It normally retails for $450, but I found it on sale for $347. It is a big splurge for me and is much more watch than I really need. I purchased it mainly for the convenience. I had been using the Run Keeper and Road Bike aps on my iPhone to monitor my pace and could have just purchased a $60 heart monitor. The Forerunner also monitors data in the pool and will also do cadence which will be nice.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
First INDOOR Sprint Triathlon! RUN! ---- FINISH!
March 3, 2012
First Indoor Sprint Triathlon! RUN! FINISH!
Before the run, I went into the bathroom on the third floor and splashed cold water on my face to help me cool down.
The track was on the third floor and it was HOT in there. I brought a water bottle and put it on the ledge at the start, but I didn't want to slow down during the run, so I didn't drink much. Looking back, I wish I had carried it with me or brought a water bottle that straps to your hand. I should have drunk lots of water during the run in that hot, humid environment, but I didn't.
When I arrived at the track, I gave my timing card to the most wonderful young lady named Anna. She was in charge of me during the run. She counted and recorded each of the 30 laps and as I finished a lap, she told me what lap number it was.
The run was hard, hard, hard. I was so tired from the swim and bike, that I think I leaned too far forward in the run and the joints between my toes and my feet (metatarsals) started shooting searing pains up to my knees, but I was determined to finish without walking.
Around, around, around and around the track I ran. The track was not closed for the event so there were walkers there too. I'd pick out a walker and make it my goal to pass him or her. I finally figured out that if I looked up, my toes/feet didn't hurt so much. That helped.
The kids in the university swim club were amazing. They knew my name (from my score card) and about 20 of them would cheer me on every time I came around the track. "Come on Sue! You can do it! Only 10 more laps to go!" I couldn't wait to see them every time I can around the turn where they were all standing.
As I started my last lap, Anna yelled, "LAST LAP!" Oh my gosh! I was going to make it! I was going to finish!
As I approached the finish, my husband couldn't contain himself. He ran down the track and gave me the biggest hug! The only problem what that I hadn't crossed the finish line!! So I had to kind of push him aside and keep going. I don't think my feet ever stopped moving. It was an "on-the-run" kind of hug. Ha!
After I crossed the finish line, I collapsed into my husbands arms. There were cheers from all the college kids. I was so proud! I could see how proud my husband was of me too.
I DID IT!!!!!
I came in dead last. Who cares?! I was a winner! I have never been so pleased with an accomplishment. I have never been so thankful for all the people who encouraged me to exercise and eat healthy - my husband, my adult sons who texted me encouragement for walking half a block, for doing a 5K, for swimming; my colleagues at work; and the coaches at the gym who provided (and still provide) alternative exercises that I can do. While my overall place was last, I was not last in the swim and my bike was in the middle of the pack!
After the race, I took my timing sheet to registration where they had bagels and t-shirts waiting for the finishers. I couldn't wait go put my t-shirt on! I wore it proudly the rest of the day, to work on Monday, and to SPIN class the following Wednesday!! I am a triathlete! Oh my gosh! I AM A TRIATHLETE!
First Indoor Sprint Triathlon! RUN! FINISH!
Before the run, I went into the bathroom on the third floor and splashed cold water on my face to help me cool down.
The track was on the third floor and it was HOT in there. I brought a water bottle and put it on the ledge at the start, but I didn't want to slow down during the run, so I didn't drink much. Looking back, I wish I had carried it with me or brought a water bottle that straps to your hand. I should have drunk lots of water during the run in that hot, humid environment, but I didn't.
When I arrived at the track, I gave my timing card to the most wonderful young lady named Anna. She was in charge of me during the run. She counted and recorded each of the 30 laps and as I finished a lap, she told me what lap number it was.
The run was hard, hard, hard. I was so tired from the swim and bike, that I think I leaned too far forward in the run and the joints between my toes and my feet (metatarsals) started shooting searing pains up to my knees, but I was determined to finish without walking.
Around, around, around and around the track I ran. The track was not closed for the event so there were walkers there too. I'd pick out a walker and make it my goal to pass him or her. I finally figured out that if I looked up, my toes/feet didn't hurt so much. That helped.
The kids in the university swim club were amazing. They knew my name (from my score card) and about 20 of them would cheer me on every time I came around the track. "Come on Sue! You can do it! Only 10 more laps to go!" I couldn't wait to see them every time I can around the turn where they were all standing.
As I started my last lap, Anna yelled, "LAST LAP!" Oh my gosh! I was going to make it! I was going to finish!
As I approached the finish, my husband couldn't contain himself. He ran down the track and gave me the biggest hug! The only problem what that I hadn't crossed the finish line!! So I had to kind of push him aside and keep going. I don't think my feet ever stopped moving. It was an "on-the-run" kind of hug. Ha!
After I crossed the finish line, I collapsed into my husbands arms. There were cheers from all the college kids. I was so proud! I could see how proud my husband was of me too.
I DID IT!!!!!
I came in dead last. Who cares?! I was a winner! I have never been so pleased with an accomplishment. I have never been so thankful for all the people who encouraged me to exercise and eat healthy - my husband, my adult sons who texted me encouragement for walking half a block, for doing a 5K, for swimming; my colleagues at work; and the coaches at the gym who provided (and still provide) alternative exercises that I can do. While my overall place was last, I was not last in the swim and my bike was in the middle of the pack!After the race, I took my timing sheet to registration where they had bagels and t-shirts waiting for the finishers. I couldn't wait go put my t-shirt on! I wore it proudly the rest of the day, to work on Monday, and to SPIN class the following Wednesday!! I am a triathlete! Oh my gosh! I AM A TRIATHLETE!First INDOOR Sprint Triathlon! BIKE
March 3, 2012
First Sprint Triathlon! BIKE
After I left the pool, I went to where the spin classes were always held in the facility and no one was there! After spending a lot of energy running up and down the halls trying to figure out where I was supposed to be, I finally found a row of bikes in the hall on the third floor.
I also ate a little. The rules said you weren't supposed to eat or drink anything but water in the facility, but psychologically I felt like I just had to have a power burst, so I ate half a protein bar hiding in the restroom!
I climbed onto a bike and spun for a minute while setting the resistance to something that I thought I could do for a long time. Then I told the volunteer that I was ready to start. She started her stop watch and then put it at the base of my bike. Once again, I was sooooo nervous and sooooo excited. The spin bike had a computer on board so I could see how many miles I had gone.
After my SPIN classes at the gym, the bike was not easy but very doable. I just put my legs on 80 revolutions per minute and kept a steady pace. As you an see in the photo, I was drenched with sweat. I valued every drop! I was working! I was doing it! Woohoo!
We were told to let the college-age volunteers know when we were close to 8 miles. When I hit 7.5 miles, I got the attention of one the volunteers who called my timer over. She watched the computer and at exactly 8.0 miles, she stopped the stopwatch.
I did it!!!! Two events down, one to go!
First Sprint Triathlon! BIKE
After I left the pool, I went to where the spin classes were always held in the facility and no one was there! After spending a lot of energy running up and down the halls trying to figure out where I was supposed to be, I finally found a row of bikes in the hall on the third floor.
I also ate a little. The rules said you weren't supposed to eat or drink anything but water in the facility, but psychologically I felt like I just had to have a power burst, so I ate half a protein bar hiding in the restroom!
After my SPIN classes at the gym, the bike was not easy but very doable. I just put my legs on 80 revolutions per minute and kept a steady pace. As you an see in the photo, I was drenched with sweat. I valued every drop! I was working! I was doing it! Woohoo!
We were told to let the college-age volunteers know when we were close to 8 miles. When I hit 7.5 miles, I got the attention of one the volunteers who called my timer over. She watched the computer and at exactly 8.0 miles, she stopped the stopwatch.
I did it!!!! Two events down, one to go!
First INDOOR Sprint Triathlon! SWIM
March 3, 2012
First Sprint Triathlon! SWIM
I am now a triathlete! Can you believe it!? The event that I entered was an "indoor sprint triathlon" sponsored by the swim club at a nearby university.
I'm not sure what made me think I could do this. I added up my average times for the race course: 1/2 mile swim, 8 mile bike and 5K. Then I looked at the race times for the previous year's participants. My time would put me dead last but not so far behind the person who finished last the year before.
Just like I did in my first 5K, I called the race coordinator and told her that I thought it would take me 1 1/2 to 2 hours to finish the course. I explained that I was an almost 60-year-old, overweight woman and didn't want to inconvenience anyone, but if she thought it would be ok for me to finish in 1 1/2 to 2 hours, I'd think about registering. She gave me a green light and I signed up - thinking that I could always be a no-show.
I decided to pretend that I was a real athlete and I did a carb load the day before. I'm not sure you need to do a carb load for a 2 hour event, but it was fun to pretend that I was a real athlete! The morning before the race, I was a nervous wreck. The swim started in heats so I got there early to watch others swim. Then it was time for me.
I had purchased a new swim suit for the big event that did not have a skirt! I just put a towel around me until it was time to jump in the pool.
An official wrote a big number on my arm and thigh (embarrassing) with a marker. I felt so athletic! I was nervous about not being able to get out of the pool after the swim. Luckily, the lanes were not assigned so I picked the one closest to the ladder. I asked the young lady who would be timing me if she had brought a book because it would take me so long to finish. She laughed. I was afraid that I would be the only one starting in the water, but everyone did. Phew! The starter said over the PA, "Swimmers ready!" and then BANG! We were off.
I have to admit I got a little choked up as I swam the first 25 meters freestyle -- not from inhaling water but because I was holding back tears. Who would have thought that I would be doing a triathlon. I was so proud of myself. So grateful for all the people who had encouraged me and helped me along the way. But . . . crying and swimming don't mix so I got down to business.
Up and down the pool I went, alternating freestyle and breaststroke. The girl timing me was terrific. Since I was doing breaststroke on the return lap, I was always facing her and she had something encouraging to say every time I took a breath. Finally, she was holding a red board in the water to let me know that there were only two laps to go. And then it was over - and I didn't come in last! I beat a very muscular young man who didn't know how to swim!
The girl timing me gave me my time card and off I went to bike. I looked at the card and noticed that she had written, "is a superstar!" under my name. I still get choked up thinking about her kindness and how much it meant to me.
Then it was off to the locker room to change cloths and head to the bike. That's the one nice thing about an indoor triathlon. You get to change your cloths and the time you spend in transition doesn't count.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)