The kids' race!

So, a highlight of the day last Sunday (yes, rather behind on blogging right now) was the kids race.  The fact that they had a kids race was one of the reasons I picked this one for my own sprint distance.

Now, just to be clear, I do NOT push my kids to run or do triathlons.  Last year, I didn't even consider enrolling Sweetpea when Spud did his first triathlon.  She wasn't even close to ready.  This year, I did enroll both kids, but registration was only $3 per kid, so if either of them hadn't wanted to, I would have been quite okay with it.  Truth is, I wasn't sure Sweetpea would be ready, but I knew there might be tears if she wasn't given the opportunity when her big brother did it.

Having said that, kids often want to do what their parents do.  Every day, when I pick him up at school, Spud and I have a race to the car.  Sweetpea joins in sometimes and has learned not to get upset when she doesn't finish first (Spud is enough bigger then her that she doesn't stand a chance.)  So, when I asked them if they wanted to do a triathlon, they were both completely into the idea.

The kids in their life jackets, waiting to get started

The swim is one length of the pool, so pretty low key.  Plus, both kids wore life jackets.  Sweetpea was first on the list (they had them listed by age), so we got called up right away.  Spud wasn't long after, in the same wave.  I went over to a lane with Sweetpea, and as I was about to lift her into the water, she had a sudden fit of nervousness and insisted I join her.  Fortunately, I was still wearing my tri clothes under my regular clothes, so I quickly stripped down and hopped in the pool.  Then Sweetpea started to kick her way across.

About a quarter of the way across the pool, she seemed to change from scared to excited.  She started saying "I'm doing it!  I'm doing it!" as she kicked her way along.  I was walking alongside her until we got to the deep end.  I realized that I actually suck at swimming with my head out of the water though.  I switched to swimming on my back, and somehow she kicked herself almost on top of me.  Then we were at the end of the pool.  I got out, pulled her out, and we headed to transition.

Meanwhile, my husband was with Spud.  Also wearing a lifejacket, he blasted across the pool without any nerves.  Apparently he kept looking behind him.  Making sure he was staying ahead of the competition?  Turns out he was, because he was the first in his wave to get out of the pool.  He was also in the first wave, and continues to tell me how he was the first out of the pool.  That kid is competitive...

Then it was out to transition and the bike course.  I carried Sweetpea to her transition spot in a towel and helped her to get dried off.  Her transition was somewhat more involved then mine.  Dry off, put on pants, put on socks, shoes, jacket.  Of course the helmet.  Then walk the bike over to the mount line and go.

I was one of few parents out on the course with Sweetpea.  She did get a bit nervous on the bike, and my husband tells me that Spud did as well.  I know from taking them on bike rides around the neighborhood that they can go fast.  But, I think the combination of riding on the road, surrounded by crowds, and having older kids zipping by made them a bit unsure.  Regardless, they both kept going and finished the bike!

Then it was onto the run.  Spud excels at running, so he was off with Daddy.  The only disadvantage to doing the race with one kid is essentially missing the other kid's race.

Sweetpea got passed by the majority of the field on the bike, so we had the run course almost to ourselves.  She started telling me she was tired at the turn around, but once I held her hand, and she saw the finish line, she was good and running again.  She was the youngest participant that day, and she was the last across the line.  Regardless, as she passed it, with the crowd cheering her on, she started yelling "I win!  I win!"  Yes.  She did.

Crossing the finish line with Mommy.  (I'm planning on buying this picture.  Just have to decide between 3 similar ones.)

 Both kids still talk about the race, even a week later, and took great pride in bringing their medals to show and tell day at school.  The distances were short, but perfect for them.  Above all else, they had fun, which is something us adult triathletes could learn from kids at times.

Sylvan Lake Sprint Race Report (otherwise known as the really late report)

"Some races are great days; others are great learning experiences.  Today was a bit of both."

(Posted as my facebook status after finishing this race.)

This weekend was my first triathlon of the season, the Sylvan Lake Sprint.  I did it mainly to get back into the mindset of multi-sport racing.  No amount of run races or brick training sessions can come close to simulating the full experience of a triathlon.

The other reason to do this race was the fact that they had a casual race for kids, 4-10 years old.  Now, it's possible that Sweetpea isn't actually 4 for a few months, and it's also possible I registered her anyways...

Pre-race

Race day starting bright and early for me.  We had talked about it and decided to take seperate vehicles, since neither of us wanted to deal with the children at the obscene time I was leaving.  Did I say "bright and early"?  Should have said "dark and early".  I got up at about 3:00 am so that I could get on the road by 4:00...

Finding the race sight was pretty easy.  I didn't get there right when they opened transition, but was still early enough to get a rack closest to the bike exit.  Since switching to my speedplay pedals, it's even harder to run in my cleats, so I like to minimize that.  And, don't even suggest I should run barefoot and learn the flying mount; I'm happy enough if I don't have a clipless pedal fallover, since I'm usually a bit dizzy after the swim.

 One thing I didn't love about this race was that I didn't know until I was there what time I'd be racing at.  I can have a bit of a sensitive stomach, and prefer to try to time my nutrient intake based on when I'll be going.  As it was, I ate prior to leaving, and again about two hours before racing.  I should have put off the first breakfast though.  I mainly ate because I felt like I should, but I wasn't hungry (probably because my body was telling me it was still night time.)

The time before the race went pretty smoothly.  I saw a couple of people I knew and chatted with them.  Also chatted with a couple of people I didn't know.  Before long, it was time to go to the staging area for my heat.

Swim

Since this was a pool swim, we had all given estimated times.  It was a 750 metre swim, so I'd estimated 16:45, based on the fact that I expected to be able to go 2:15/100 metres.  Now, having said that, I have had incredibly poor swim training lately, due to my muscle cramping issue.  I hadn't come out and said it (for fear of jinxing myself), but one of my unofficial goals for the swim was to get through it without my muscles seizing up on me.  By the time race day rolled around, things had been better, but I didn't know for sure.

Since the two girls I was sharing a lane with had slightly slower estimated times of 17:00, it was decided that I should go first.  I jumped in and took off.

Focus on not going too fast.  I almost always start off too fast.  Angie might have to beat pacing into me with a flutterboard at some point, because even when I think I'm holding back, I'm still usually too fast.

After the first three lengths (75 metres), I got passed by one of the girls in my lane.  My initial thought was that I was going too slow, and I was going to hold up the people in my lane.  Was I one of those people that gave an overly optimistic swim time?

No help for it.  I'm learning to let go of the uncontrollable aspects of races, and at that point, there was nothing I could do if it turned out that my lane partners and I were incompatible speedwise.  It just meant that somebody would have to do a lot of passing.

Suprisiingly, that somebody turned out to be me.  Within a few more lengths, I passed the first girl back, and shortly after passed the other girl.  The rest of the swim was a mix of me going "okay, focus on technique, don't raise your head so far to breath, don't flip your wrist on entry, feel the water", and passing.  I am pretty sure that I passed the girls in my lane about 4 times each.

Around 200 metres, I felt like crap, but by the time I was getting near the end, I was really into a rhythm.  I'd set my garmin to vibrate at 650, so I knew when I was getting close to the end (love the 910, since I suck at counting!)  Then the flutterboard was put down, I did one more lap, and out I got, heading to the pool exit!

Swim time: 18:16 (including about 30 seconds to walk to the pool before and get to the timing mat after.)  A little slower then I would have liked, but given the fact that I had to slow down regularly when stuck behind somebody, I consider it a solid swim.

T1 (Transition 1)

I headed out of the pool and along a carpet over the gravel parking lot.  Even with the carpet, I couldn't run, because the rocks hurt my feet too much.  Right before transition, it changed to a smoother surface, so I jogged the rest of the way to my spot.

I was feeling a bit off, so the biggest time waster in transition was taking a minute to puff my inhaler.  Instantly, I felt better, so even if I refer to it as a "time waster", I know it was worth doing.  Allergies are killing me lately!

My transition spot

Even though I haven't done a triathlon in ages, the actions of transition came very naturally.  Swim cap and goggles off while running, toss them down.  Put on race belt, sunglasses and helmet.  Roll on socks (yes, I wear socks) and put on shoes.  A victory!  I remembered to leave my bike shoes open - that was a mistake I made multiple times last year.

I then proceeded to forget my gloves, unrack my bike, and head out of transition.  (I've never used bike gloves in a triathlon before, and am well aware I don't need them for as sprint.  However, I am planning on using them for my half ironman, so had planned to practice with them.  Next time!)

T1 time: 2:20 (A bit slow, considering there was no wetsuit to get out of, but reasonable.)

Bike

The bike is still an area where I see a lot of potential for improvement.  Even though I've gotten faster and more confident this year, I still have a ways to go.  Having said that, I was looking forward to seeing what I could do.

In past races, I've always taken the bike pretty easy.  Now, granted, I realize you can't go too hard on the bike, or you'll burn yourself out on the run.  Still, it shouldn't be totally casual either.  I wanted to push.

And push I did.  I averaged a great pace on my way out, even with some (slight) uphills.  I was able to drink some, though not as much as I wish I could.  I still need to practice that.

I passed a few people early on, but not too many after that.  Pool swim races have people fairly spread out, so there isn't nearly as much passing.  I also got passed a couple of times, which didn't surprise me either.  I expected a bit of both.

Before long, I reached the "turn around" point.  Not exactly a turn around, because it was more of a loop, but back the other direction.  Wow!  What a wind.  Not only was the pavement a lot rougher in that section, but we were suddenly going into a massive headwind.  This is where I got much worse about hydrating.  I've gotten better about grabbing the water bottle while pedaling, but not in big winds.

Regardless, I kept going and tried to stop looking at my speed.  In general, I'm trying to focus mainly on my cadence and rate of perceived exertion.  If those match up, I'm good.  No point in pushing harder.  See, I really am getting better at not stressing!

Truthfully, the rest of the bike course isn't that clear in my mind, but when I rolled in, I was ready to be done the bike.  Yes, I've spent many more hours on the bike then I did that day, but I was ready to run!

I rolled into transition and around a couple sharp corners and saw my husband and kids.  Yay!  We didn't know if they'd make it on time to see me race.  My husband informs me that I took those corners at about a third the speed of most other people (a bit more work on bike handling, perhaps...)

Bike time (25 km course): 57:40

T2 (Transition 2)

Transition two went pretty smoothly, other then the fact that I had to actually tie my running shoes up.  Yes, I know about speedlaces, and yankz, but I just hadn't gotten them ahead of time.  On the shoes I raced in last year, it took quite a while to get them adjusted right, so I decided to just forgo them for this race.

T2 time: 1:19

Run

Version 1 (For those people that have weak stomachs or don't understand certain "aspects" of running.)

I had an alright run.  Wasn't feeling 100 percent because my stomach hurt.  Pushed through it and managed to maintain a decent pace despite being in pretty serious discomfort at times.

Version 2 (For runners, and those that get us)

When I headed out on my run, I knew right away that I didn't feel great.  But, that's normal.  Just hang on, and it gets better right.  When I looked at my garmin, I was running a sub-6:00/km pace, so I figured I'd be okay if I just kept going.

It was around the end of the first km when I knew things weren't good.  Oh, my stomach.  Oh, my bowels.  Oh crap.  Literally.  I needed to crap.

Porta-potty?  Yeah right.  This was a sprint course.  It was *only* a 5 km run.  The likelihood of a porta-potty was almost nill.  I kept hoping it would get better, but I kept an eye on the side of the course.  Sparse trees, an occasional bush, residential neighbourhoods...  Just for the record, there are some circumstances where 5k seems really, really long.

The longer I ran, the more the pain built up.  I wasn't feeling like I would actually explode - yet (thank god), but it hurt.  It hurt a lot.  Ironically, it hurt so much that I think I forgot to notice the hills I was running up.  I passed a girl walking up the hill at about 2.5km.  She congratulated me for running up the hill.  Oh?  We were on a hill?  Bushes!  There were some thicker bushes!

I practically snubbed the girl by turning my back on her and heading for the bushes.  Yes.  I did.  Right in the middle of the race.  I'm sure I wasn't completely obscured, but I figured it was the best I'd get, and thank god for what I got.  Does that make me a "real" runner now?  ;)

After the detour for the bushes, I felt better.  Not great, but better.  Passed the aid station and grabbed some water.  I figured it was close enough to the end of the race that the sports drink would have limited benefit and it didn't appeal to me at all anyways.  That's something I'll have to work on.  Sweet drinks completely lose their appeal for me quite early in races.

From that point, it was mostly downhill, so I picked up the pace.  It was starting to hurt again, but not in a way that I feared put me at risk of creating a viral photo that everybody shudders to see.  Besides, I think that guy qualified for Kona or something.

I wasn't totally happy with my pace, but not completely upset by it.  My garmin was measuring the course as a bit long, but when I reached the fourth kilometer marker, I did a bit of math in my head.  If I could run a 5:20 pace for the last kilometer, I could still break 30 minutes on the run.  Sadly, I didn't quite make it, running about 5:30 for the rest of the race.  Also, sadly, I didn't even come close to the 30 minute mark.  The course was almost half a kilometer long, and the majority of it was in that final kilometer.

You could see the finish line for a long time, which is good and bad.  Seems to take a long time to get there, but I like the point in the race when you can stop focusing on your pace or time and just focus on getting to the finish line.  I turned a corner and headed in.

I think this is the first race photo ever taken of me that I kind of like.  Love the fact that I'm actually airborne.

I crossed the finish line and was done.  That run had hurt more then just about any run I've done before.  If it was a training run, I'm quite sure I would have stopped, but in a race I pushed through.  I proved to myself that I can push through a lot more then I realized.

Run time: 32:21 (5.5km race) I would have loved to see a lower time, but this is one of my runs that I'm the most proud of.  I was in the most pain I've ever ran through (quick note, not the kind of pain that I felt could cause injury) and I still ran.  I averaged about a 5:55 pace throughout the race, even counting the time that I may have been completely stopped behind some bushes.

Overall time: 1:51:58  I'm happy with my execution of this race, even if there were a couple of challenges.  The time doesn't mean a huge amount, as it is a different distance from all my other sprints.

I thought this race was very well organized, but I doubt I'll do it again.  I just can't justify a hotel room for a sprint, and I'm not eager to drive for 2-plus hours at 4:00am again.

Coming tomorrow: The kids' race!

Runniversary, Niggles, doubts, and racing!

RUNNIVERSARY

Today is my runniversary.  Two years ago today, I did my very first run.  In some ways, it feels like a lifetime ago.  In other ways, I can still remember that run like it was yesterday.  One thing is clear, the steps that followed that first one have shaped, changed and defined me as a person.

I did it at the track to make sure I kept the option of returning my shoes if they didn't work.  None of the high tech gadgets like garmins and heart rate monitors I use now.  I didn't even have a watch, so I used the big clock on the wall and switched between running and walking when the minute changed.  I went into that run hopeful but nervous.  Could I actually run for one solid minute?  Turned out I could.  Times 10.

Niggles

With today being my runniversary, I really wanted to do a run that was a bit of a repeat of that first one two years ago.  It's not to be though.  My foot is bothering me, and I've self diagnosed it as potential metatarsalgia.  It feels like there's a lump under the ball of my foot, and it hurts a bit walking around.

If there's one thing I'm finally starting to learn, it's that you don't ignore those niggles, regardless of what the training plan says.  No running today, and hopefully it will feel better tomorrow, when I'm supposed to run with Keith and Sophia.  I have a vague feeling I've felt this before, so I'm hoping it will go away soon.

Doubts

Today I was thinking about the cutoff times for my half ironman in July.  I'm a bit nervous about it.  I know I should be able to make them - provided nothing goes wrong.  Even swimming off course, I should be okay.

Truthfully, what I've been stressing about is the bike.  There's a couple sections of road that are really rough, and I'm SLOW there.  My average speed on most rides is right around what I need to maintain, just to make the cutoffs - and that's not taking into account the possibility of a flat tire...

Having said that, I can only control what's in my power.  Looking back at my bike times from last seasons' races, I should be solid in terms of my pace on the bike.  And, I'm a stronger cyclist as well as more confident going down hills.  That's got to translate, right?

Racing

Maybe the nerves are just a precursor to my first triathlon of the season!  I'm racing on Sunday.  It's "just" a sprint, so it should be a good way to get warmed up for more racing.  (Trust me, particularly on my runniversary, I realize how it sounds to say "just" a sprint.)

As exciting as my own race on Sunday is my kids' race.  Sweetpea will be doing her very first triathlon and Spud will do his second one.  They are both super excited about it.  Sweetpea particularly wants a medal...

I've become that kid again

A few decades ago, when I was a wee little lass, I was an eager, enthusiastic student.  I had a thirst for knowledge, even from an early age.  I am quite certain I was called things such as "teacher's pet" and other less polite terms.

Then I got older.  And "cooler".  I didn't allow myself to stand out so much.  I wasn't willing to be so eager.  I stopped trying so hard.

Tonight at swimming, Angie gave me some feedback on my stroke.  After swimming a couple laps, she asked me how it felt.  I mentioned that it was good; I could feel a difference, but I was going to have to focus on it over the next week to make it feel more natural.

"And you'll do that!" she said.  "That's why you've gotten as far as you have."

Ever the eager student, I nodded like an excited puppy.  "Yes!  You can give me homework!  I'll do it!"

I'm that kid again.  One that tris.  Screw being cool.

How have you limited yourself? Dare to dream.

A year ago, I thought that an ultimate goal would be to run a sub-60 10k.  In terms of my running, I never really looked beyond that.  To me, that was fast.  To actually be able to hold that fast pace for a full 10k seemed almost unreachable.

Um, did I happen to mention that I destroyed that goal just over a week ago?  After 16 months of running, I reached my "ultimate" goal.

It was an incredibly rewarding experience.  Yet, at the same time, it kind of left me directionless.  Searching for something.  But what?

New goals.  New dreams.

Here's the thing though.  I was so set on where my limits were that I didn't dare to look beyond that.  But, really?  Where are my limits?  I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know one thing: I'm not setting a limit on it.

It's important to have short term goals, mid-term goals, and long term goals.  It's also important to have dreams and aspirations.  What's the difference between goals and dreams?  I'm sure there's lots of definitions, but here's my take on it.  Goals are specific and attainable.  Dreams are things that you'd like to reach, but don't know when, how or if.

So, with that said, I'm all about impulsive goal setting.  Seriously.  I think when you follow your first instinct, it's sometimes exactly what you need.  Overthink it and you can psych yourself out.

Short term goals:

Run a strong half marathon on Nov 13
Run that half marathon in less then 2:15

These goals are ones that I am currently working towards and have a date when I plan to achieve them.  I consider them to be attainable and realistic right now.  The 2:15 goal scares me a little bit, yet at the same time, I question whether I can even go faster.  The Mcmillan calculator actually predicts my half marathon time at 2:05:50 (based on my recent 10k).  Right now, I intend to pace for 2:15, and then negative split if I have it in me.

Mid-term goals:

Run a sub 26 minute 5K
Run a sub 55 minute 10K
Run a sub 2 hour half marathon
Break 3 hours in an Olympic triathlon
Complete a half ironman, to the best of my ability

Some of these goals are probably attainable (or almost attainable) now, but I don't have specific plans when I will achieve them.  I mainly plan to shoot for them the next time I am doing races of those distances.

Long-term goals:

Complete a marathon, to the best of my ability
Complete a full ironman, to the best of my ability

These are things I definitely plan to do, eventually.  The ironman is years away, and I haven't decided yet when I will be attempting a marathon.

Something that I have come to realize about myself is that I will never be happy with "just finishing".  I don't always have to have a time goal, but I need to feel like I did everything I could, on that day and at that point in my training.  Hence, the term "to the best of my ability" on some of the longer distance races.  If I cross an ironman finish line in 16:59:59 and I gave it everything I had, I'd be happy with finishing.  If I crossed it in 14 hours, but I took it really easy on the bike and walked on the run (when I had no need to), I'd be unhappy.

And now, because sometimes, you should shoot for the stars...

Dreams:

Place in my age group
Boston Qualify
Kona Qualify

I've often been heard saying "I'm never going to be placing".  I'm now recognizing that that's a limit that I've put on myself.  At this point, I don't know what I'm capable of.  However, I do believe that I have the potential to do far more then I have.  I've also been heard to say "I'm not a fast runner."  I now believe I have the potential to go much much faster then I have.  I haven't even scratched the surface of my speed.

And yep, I put it out there.  I would love to BQ or KQ.  Is that an attainable goal?  Truthfully, I don't know.  I honestly don't know if I have that potential.  But, then that's why it's not a "goal".  I might have that potential though.  And, that is why I've allowed it to be a dream.

As for limits?  Well, I'm not going there anymore.  About the only limit I'm seeing is that I will never go pro. Realistically, I'm too old for that, and at this point in my life, it's not what I want for me or my family.

Otherwise, the possibilities are limitless.  I'll just see how far I can go.

Goals for triathlon number 2!

On Sunday, I will be doing my second triathlon, but some of the experiences will be a first. The major, defining difference is that this one will have an open water swim, rather then a pool swim.

In my opinion, this dramatically changes the swim, bike, and to a certain extent, transition aspects.

The reason it changes the swim is obvious: I'm not swimming in a pool. There are no lines on the bottom. No walls to push off of. I'll be wearing a wetsuit. I can't touch bottom. I have swam in my wetsuit, in open water - twice. Limited experience, no doubt, but I'm feeling cautiously confident regardless.

It also changes the bike. There will be a lot more people starting around the same time. Sure, the swim spreads people out some, but with everyone starting the swim at the same time, we'll be a lot closer together entering the bike then in a pool swim where a person starts every minute or so. This means significantly more passing and getting passed. In my first tri, I think I was passed twice and passed three people. In this one, I expect it will be in the dozens. For those of you not familiar, drafting is illegal in triathlons (aside from short distance pros, which I won't be competing in).

It also changes transition a little bit. I ran right past my transition spot both times at Vulcan. That was with a minimal number of people in transition. I only imagine it will be that much more confusing with lots of people there. Plus, I've got an added step in needing to remove my wetsuit.

As I've stated before, this is an "experience" triathlon for me, so my goals are experience related rather then time related.

Without further ado, my goals:

1. Don't drown and come out of the water smiling.

2. Find my transition spot the first time I go towards it. Execute smooth transitions.

3. Push myself on the bike.

4. Finish with a smile on my face.

I'm not concerned about being able to do the distance. I'm training for an Olympic right now, and have trained beyond the sprint distances already. It is slightly longer then my last one with a 750m swim rather then 500m and a 23 km bike (I assume it's the loop distance that worked with the roads) rather then 15km. The run is the same, at 5km.

My first triathlon, I had a stellar run following an easy bike. Now, I know that you shouldn't go too hard on the bike because you need to be able to run after. Having said that, I think it's worth pushing a bit harder on the bike. It's not a Sunday bike ride after all. (Actually, I guess it is a "Sunday" ride, but I digress.) It might backfire on me and I'll be burnt out on the run, or I might discover that I still have enough in the tank. Either way, sometimes it's worth taking risks to see where it takes you.

With two days to go, I'm still eerily calm about this triathlon. The first one, I was a nervous wreck for a full week leading up to it. I expected to feel that way with this one purely because of the swim difference. Not complaining, just commenting.

Bring it on!

You can't always choose your circumstances, but you can choose your attitude

This weekend, I will be doing my second triathlon and the first one with an open water swim. I signed up for the sprint triathlon at Coral Springs.

Then last week I got an email informing me that the location had changed to Chestermere lake. Now, no offense to anyone that loves it, but Chestermere isn't exactly known as a great swimming spot. People boat there. They don't swim. And a little bit of research and talking to people gave me the following impression of what to expect.

Really weedy. Swampy.

Yuck.

I chatted briefly with the manager of our local tri store and she said that people have been calling there to complain. (The tri store isn't running the race; they are just having package pickup there.)

So, I've considered it and I've considered my reasons for doing this race.

This is not an "a" race for me. I'm not tapering for it. I'm not trying to get a personal best. At the same time, it's not a pure fun race for me either. I'm doing this one as an experience race. I'm doing it because I feel the need to have an open water swim in a race prior to my September Oly. I'm focusing on execution and technique. As a small example, I'd like to run the correct way out of transition...

So, the swim might be swampy. Is that going to make it mentally tougher then the the swim I have in September which is known to be COLD? Maybe, but I doubt it. Despite my lack of experience with open water swimming, my first open water swim had lots of floaties and plants. It wasn't ideal, but I got through it and still enjoyed it.

Being the optimist, I'm assuming that I'll still have fun with the swim. And if I don't? Well, the swim is the shortest part of the triathlon. I'll get through it and nail the bike and run.

My only remaining concern is whether there are leaches in that lake? Anyone know? Should I have a salt shaker in transition just in case?

Lessons learned from my first triathlon

First of all, a quick disclaimer: This post is going to mostly be about what I could have done differently. That doesn't mean I regret a single thing about my first race. It was a fantastic day and an amazing experience. The fantabulousness of it also doesn't mean I can't learn from it. Hence, this post.

1. There is a reason most training plans include brick workouts. (For non-tri people, this is when you do a bike followed immediately by a run.)

Now, granted, I am following an Oly training plan because my "a" race isn't coming up until September, and technically, I didn't have any bricks in this part of my plan. Having said that, I knew I should have done at least one and I didn't.

The results for me weren't overly negative and I didn't suffer coming off the bike. BUT, I could have pushed harder on the bike and I held back because I didn't know how much I could push. Having done a couple bricks would have helped me recognize that better.

2. I need to practice my transitions.

Little things in the preparation like opening up my bike shoes beforehand. Getting my socks on quickly, etc. It also would be a good idea to do a practice run at the actual triathlon. Run into transition from the swim entrance, go towards the bike, etc. Finding my spot quickly and going the right way after would have saved me at least 1-2 minutes in this particular tri (seriously, maybe even more). I probably could have cut a bit more time off by being faster at the actual steps.

3. It's nice to have a garmin, but don't be too attached to it.

It didn't even make it into my race report, but I totally flubbed up my garmin use. I left it in run mode beforehand, so on the bike, it was giving me my pace rather then speed, and wasn't showing cadence at all. I also forgot to actually start it when I left transition, so it didn't get started until a km or so in.

Having said that, it was really freeing not to look at it too much! Because I'd flubbed it up, I only paid attention to it to give me a general idea of how I was doing. On the run, I wasn't constantly checking my pace or distance, just an occasional glance to see where I was.

4. Have fun!

Sometimes it's hard. Both with racing and training. Most races though, should make you feel great about yourself. Why else do you do it? Take some time to remember that while you're going. Now, I'm not saying you should actually stop to contemplate it, but while you're running or pedaling, take a moment to think "yes, I'm racing! I'm doing it!"

5. Make sure your camera is working.

Now, unfortunately, sometimes you have no warning ahead of time, but it was very disappointing to find out that a majority of pictures from both mine and my son's first triathlon may be gone. That's considering I am not even overly attached to pictures in general. Do everything you can to get good pictures, and if there's pro photographers present, remember to smile while passing them!


What lessons have you learned from your races?

Vulcan Tinman race review - part 2 (Deb's race)

This was one of those races that gave me my fix, made me feel better about myself and proved that I am capable of far more then I ever gave myself credit for. It was a fabulous race to do as my first triathlon and the atmosphere, people and other participants were completely encouraging.

My heat time was at 2:15 pm. Despite dreary, cold weather in the morning, by the time my heat drew near, it had warmed up considerably. Earlier, I had been sure I'd need to wear a jacket for the bike and run, and was worried about the fact that I hadn't brought any type of tights or leg warmers. By the time it was getting into the afternoon, I was seeing that I could get away with my tri shorts, tank, and at most, arm warmers.

Shortly before my heat, I checked my transition spot one more time. I wanted to make sure that everything was as I had left it, and reassure myself that I had everything I needed there. I took off my running hat and sunglasses and left them with the rest of my stuff. Somebody had gotten a bunch of dirt or debris on my belongings, which was slightly annoying, so I brushed it all off.

I went back to the husband and kids one last time. I left my other shoes and jacket with him, and got him to take a picture before I headed off. I wanted to make sure he got my number in the picture, although he kept referring to me as "inmate 248". Funny guy.

Sadly, we've had problems with our camera, and this is one of few pictures that didn't get eaten by our corrupt memory card.

The Swim (time: 12:50, including time to get to my lane and the short run to transition).

It was about 2:00, and we were encouraged to check in at the pool 15 minutes early. I headed over there and got in line. The heat times were obviously more of a suggestion then anything, as you just went to the back of the line regardless of what time your heat was. I didn't see it creating issues. Just an observation.

I chatted with the ladies in front of me as we watched some of the other swimmers. One of them was saying that she had given a faster heat time in hopes that she would be at that speed time by the time the triathlon came along, but she couldn't seem to get any faster. I mentioned that speed in swimming is almost entirely technique. If you don't have the technique, you just work harder, and don't always go faster.

We watched some people jump in and start really fast. One was a woman in a pink tri-it outfit. (Tri-it is the local triathlon store.) She looked like she ought to have been in another heat given how fast she was going. Then she slowed down. I made a decision to do my first lap easy. I didn't need to let adrenaline make me sprint the first 50 metres only to exhaust myself.

Then I was second in line, then I skipped over being first when both myself and the person in front of me got sent to our lanes. I headed straight there and jumped in. Took a deep breath and started swimming. I was vaguely expecting some kind of panic but it didn't happen. I followed through on my plan of starting off easy and quickly found a rhythm in the water.

I caught up to the first person in my lane at the end of the first 50 metres. She stopped at the wall and let me pass. I caught up to the next person right after the next wall. I tapped her foot to let her know I was going to pass and started overtaking her. She sped up. I passed her, but then she passed me back. Then she stopped at the wall, so I passed her again.

She passed me again. She was obviously sprinting to pass me, while I was just going slightly faster when I passed her. I decided I didn't want to keep wasting energy playing this game, so I just drafted her. I touched her toes pretty regularly while drafting and every time I did, she would speed up a bit. I'm not sure why it was so important to her to stay in front, but if she wanted to use that much energy, she could go ahead. I was saving energy by drafting her and since she sped up whenever I touched her, I was okay with the speed she was going.

She got out when I had about 150 metres left, and I felt great for that time. Really got into a rhythm and was nice and smooth in the water.

Then it was time for me to get out. I hopped out and headed for the transition zone. It was 100-200 metres to get there. I ran part of it, but some spots kind of hard on my feet, so it was run/walk mixture.

Transition 1

If there was a part of my triathlon where a bit of practice could have got me free time, it's the transitions. When I got to the transition, I went to the back row where my spot was and ran along it - right past my bike. I then turned around and ran past again. Then I stopped and walked slowly while looking at the bikes to find my spot.

I think next time, I need a florescent towel or something. Either that, or I could be smart and find a way to remember my spot better.

Then I put my socks on. They didn't roll on that well, despite doing the sock condom thing with them. I think I'll use a different pair next time. Then my bike shoes, which I had failed to open ahead of time. Not a big deal, but again, a few seconds of time I could save myself overall.

Then, I grabbed my bike and went off. (Well, I did put my helmet and garmin on as well, but details, details...)

The Bike (time: 35:32, including both transitions)

I'd been warned that you can feel a bit disoriented getting on the bike. I went past the mount/dismount line and clipped in carefully. No need to fall over in my first tri. I was doing fine, and found my rhythm almost right away. It was a short ride out of town and then we rode on the highway for the rest.

Going out, I thought I was heading into a bit of a headwind. I figured it wasn't too bad though and it would be easier on the way back. When I turned around, I realized that I obviously wasn't going into a headwind before. On the way back it was definitely a combination of headwind and crosswinds.

I just kept pedalling along. I felt good, and was going faster then I do in training, but I really didn't push that hard because the course was way flatter then what I normally do. I didn't want to burn out before the run and *ahem* I haven't actually done any bricks yet, so I wasn't sure how hard I could go.

I've often thought my bike is my weaker point, but I think I've underestimated how challenging my regular training routes are. I don't get great speeds in my normal training, but I do serious hills and frequently have a lot of wind. Having done that in my normal training made this seem easier, even though I heard from others that it was tougher then they expected.

I found bike to be a pretty zen experience. I was in my zone and went at a very sustainable (perhaps too sustainable?) pace.

When I got back into town, I saw my supporters. Jen was there (she had done the swim portion for Garry, her husband, and was now in spectator mode). My husband and kids. Just seeing them there gave me a boost.

Transition 2

I entered transition, and once again went right past my spot.

I had regular laces on my running shoes, which seemed to take forever to tie. I had picked up some yankz this week, but didn't get around to changing them until Friday, at which point I decided it was a bad idea to change my lacing system. Another spot where I can get a bit of free time.

Then, after changing my shoes, I got confused about which way to leave transition and headed back towards the bike exit when the run exited on the other side.

I took a moment to look around me and remembered that the run exit was at the other end. I went back that way and saw somebody I knew from town who cheered me on as I went by.

The Run (time 27:36)

The run was great! I was concerned about how it would go because I hadn't done a single brick (bike followed immediately by a run) in my training. I know it's normal to feel jelly legged, but I felt fabulous. I did feel slightly sluggish coming out of transition, but when I checked my garmin, I was going around 5:30/km. That's super fast for me!

Having said that, I felt like I could sustain it. I've also learned that I can get away with pushing myself more on shorter runs, so I let myself carry on at that pace.

One of the great things about the run was that you constantly passed people going the other way. Most runners would say something like "good job" or "nice pace". We constantly encouraged each other. I saw Garry at one point and we cheered each other on. There were a couple other women with the same shirt as me. I yelled "nice shirt" while one biked away (there was a section where the bike and run were next to each other. Another one with the same shirt told me "damn you look good."

The run was an out and back. The turn around point was close to start line, so I got to see my family again. The kids had tambourines and Sweetpea was sitting on Daddy's shoulders. I also saw Jen and Garry (he had gotten back by then) and they cheered for me too.

I grabbed some water at the water station and started back. The garbage can was right by the table, and the table was the turn around point, so it pretty much put you in a position of having to stop while drinking your water rather then keeping moving. Nobody else had tossed cups on the ground, like at some races, so I figured it wouldn't have been polite to do so. Having said that, I still wish they'd put a garbage can a bit further away so I could have moved while I swallowed my dixie cup of water.

Once I turned around, I knew I was in the home stretch. I was hurting a bit, and it was hard, but I only had 2.5 km left, and I knew I could keep going for that time. I also knew I was on the road for a FABULOUS personal record. My last 5km race was a fight to break the 30 minute mark, and ended up giving me a dubious record of 29:58, only because the course was short. This time, I was running every km well under 6:00/km, so if I could keep it up, I would break that time easily. (Well, "easy" is relative.)

I carried on. I still felt positive, but I was at the point in the race where I had to keep reminding myself how close I was. It wasn't easy, but easy doesn't mean anything in the long term. Pain is temporary. Pride is forever. All that stuff.

In those last 10 minutes, I remembered all of the people that have supported me along the way. The words of encouragement that always seem to come when I am starting to feel low and I really need them. My husband. My children. My Parents, and siblings. Before heading to Vulcan, my sister's facebook status read: "Virginia hopes her sister will be able to hear her cheering from across the Pacific". (She's currently teaching in China.) That thought helped propel me through my final km when I felt like my body was done.

Most of the time, I can increase my pace in the last stretch, but I was already pushing my limits for the entire run. Before long, I came in reach of the finish line. I mustered up a bit of strength for a finishing sprint and jumped across the finish line.

Total time: 1:15:58

I achieved the goals I set out for myself: finishing with a smile on my face and I had so much fun. I also far exceeded any time goals I might have considered setting and felt strong every moment.

In that moment, I completed a goal I had set for myself a year earlier. A goal that I didn't know if I could achieve. A goal that has changed my life in more ways then I can count. I completed a triathlon.

This is only the beginning.

I am a Triathlete.

Crazy approaching...

One day until my first triathlon. Current weather forecast: Cloudy periods, high of 18c (64f). Current mood: approaching crazy lady status.

With less then a day to go before my first triathlon, I'm slowly becoming crazy. I did a short swim today to remind myself that I am, indeed, capable of swimming.

I came home to organize everything and put yankz onto my shoes. Then I remembered that would be crazy. I really shouldn't change my lacing system the day before my first race. So, I will lose 10 seconds or so in T2 to tie my shoes with normal laces.

Then I have to decide which socks to take. Yes, I will wear socks. I know some people bike and run in bare feet, but I never have and am not going to start on race day.

Should I bring an extra pair of shoes to walk around in beforehand? Or can I do that in my running shoes? Does this race supply swim caps? It doesn't say they do, and it is a pool swim, so I better bring my own to be sure.

Don't forget my bike pump. Helmets. I better bring an extra pair of socks, just in case. Should I leave the extra pair of socks in transition, or just have it in the car beforehand?

Don't forget the sunscreen. And bodyglide. Bodyglide is critical.

I can do these distances right?

Will I fall off my bike at the mount or dismount line? What if I fall down while running? Now, that would be really embarrassing. Lots of people fall over in clipless pedals, but it takes special talent to fall over running. I am talented, but am I that talented?

Oh right, goals?

My goal is to finish. My second goal is to finish with a smile on my face. My third goal is to have fun and finish with a smile on my face.

Wish me luck! Or don't wish me luck; tell me to break a leg! Ack, this isn't theatre. Luck is fine. Or better yet, tell me to rejoin normal person land.

Three things Thursday

2 days until my first triathlon. Current weather forecast: Variable cloudiness with a high of 16c (61f).

1. Yesterday I was at the pool. I'd just jumped into the one empty lane. There are 4 lanes at my pool and the other lanes just had one person each. As I was fiddling with my goggles, a bunch of newbies came out of the change rooms.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind sharing a lane - if the person has a basic understanding and respect of lane etiquette. Even when I was a newbie (not so long ago), I made sure I had that. Two of the people coming out, I have seen swimming before, and they certainly lacked any kind of etiquette. The others were question marks, but I knew I would rather not have them in the same lane as me if I wanted to have a smooth workout.

The woman beside me obviously observed the same thing. She's a nice lady whom I have chatted with occasionally. She's also a triathlete, and an ironman. Without missing a beat she smiled at me and asked if I would join her lane. I am not even close to being an ironman, and can't (yet) claim the title of triathlete, but it was neat to see that I am now considered a good lane partner by one.

2. I took mine and my son's bike in for the bike check today. The upcoming triathlon is seeming very real. I forgot to re-engage the front brake after I took my bike out of the car. (I have to take the wheels off to get it in the back of the car.

Note to self: make sure to re-engage brakes on race day. Otherwise, I might end up even faster then intended...

This is an old picture, from a time period when my apple of choice was golden delicious.

3. I am currently addicted to apples with peanut butter. It satisfies most of the cravings I get. It's sweet, but still has a richness to it. The peanut butter is natural, so there's no added salt, but somehow it also satisfies me if I am craving something salty. My apple of choice right now is gala apples. What is your favourite kind of apple?

Do you "do triathlons", or are you a "triathlete"?

4 days until my first triathlon. Current weather forecast for the day: Sunny with a high of 18c (64f).

A topic up for debate in the tri community: what makes a person a triathlete? Is it anybody that has ever done a triathlon? Is it somebody that continues to do triathlons? Are only the pros triathletes? Do you have to do an ironman to claim the title? Perhaps only Kona is good enough?

Here's my personal opinion: a Triathlete is somebody that has done at least one triathlon and intends to continue doing triathlons. If you've done one, checked it off your bucket list, and never intend to do another, you are not a triathlete. You are simply someone that has done a triathlon.

Sort of like golfing. A few years ago, I learned how to golf and went golfing a couple times. But, I don't continue to golf, so I am not a golfer. On the other hand, my father in law is a golfer. He golfs every week when the weather is nice enough. He isn't a professional, but he still has the right to use the title of "golfer" in reference to himself.

I also don't think you have to do an ironman to call yourself a triathlete. You only need to do an ironman if you want to call yourself an ironman.

So, by my own guidelines, I could claim the title of "triathlete" Saturday evening after I have completed my first triathlon, but I'm hesitating. Why? I'm not sure I think it counts because it's a pool swim. I kind of feel that I need to experience the open water swim in a race before I claim that title.

What do you think? When will you call yourself a triathlete?

On another note, check out this post at Racing with Babes. It's a post that really strikes a chord with me and I suspect may with a lot of us.

Commit

It's all fine and good to make goals and to plan to do things, but it's equally important to commit to them and follow through. With running races and triathlons, actually signing up for the race is a step that makes it real for me and sets things in stone. We aren't poor, but we're also not in a financial state where I can throw money away. If I sign up and pay for the race, I'm doing it.

"Deborah Johnson is now Registered
for Subaru Banff Triathlon."

Those were the words that came up on the screen following my online registration. I also registered for an Alberta Triathlon membership, which commits me to doing at least one more race. (The membership is $20 for one race, or $35 for the year.)

For someone that asked, an Olympic triathlon is not the one that has a marathon at the end. That's an Iron distance, which is a 2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, and 26.2 mi run. I will do an ironman one day, but that day is years away.

An Olympic distance is a 1.5 km swim (0.93 mi), 40 km (24.8 mi) bike, and 10 km (6.2 mi) run.

What I had been planning on doing this year is sprint triathlons, which would be one third the swim distance and half the bike and run distance of an Olympic. I am confident that I could do a sprint triathlon a week from now if the opportunity existed.

I am not confident I could do an Olympic a week from now. Quite frankly, the Olympic distance frightens me. The swim terrifies me. What if I drown? The most non-stop swimming I have done is just over a km. And that was not in open water. Can I ride my bike 40 km? Don't know. I've never done it. I can run 10 km, but can I do it after swimming and riding?

Well, now I'm committed.

The good part is, I don't have to do the Olympic triathlon in a week. In fact, I have almost 43 weeks to prepare. 43 weeks ago, I couldn't run for a minute, or swim a metre. Let's see how far I can go.

Go big or go home

Image source

Wednesday I started asking myself "what next?" What's my next step in my racing life? I've done a 5k, and a 10k. I have plans to do both of them faster. Both of those will be accomplished by March.

Then there's triathlons. When I set a goal to do a triathlon last spring, it was with trepidation. I did not run or swim - at all. To dream of doing a triathlon was huge. To plan to do one seemed even more amazing. My intention was to do a sprint triathlon. (5k running, 20k biking, 500 metre swim). Small distances to some, but a huge accomplishment to a non-runner with a fear of deep water.

Initially, doing triathlons was intended to help with the weight loss. No more. Now, I'm losing weight so that I can run and do triathlons better. My entire mindset has shifted, and it's the kind of shift that is life changing.

One of the comments on Wednesday came from Jen. She told me "I think you're going to be disappointed if you only do a sprint tri this year. You're definitely capable of more". True words. Thank you Jen.

At the time I set the goal, it seemed ambitious. Now, I regularly do all of those distances and more multiple times a week. Okay, I'll admit I'm less trained on the bike, but I can still ride the 20k, with 90 pounds of kid and chariot behind me. When I ride without pulling the trailer, I feel like I'm flying.

So, what now?

A spring half marathon.

A fall Olympic length triathlon.

I'll still do my sprint lengths... to train for the Olympic.

Go big or go home.

I'm not going to exercise anymore

So, when you think of exercise, what comes to mind? Hours spent in the gym, pedaling away on one machine or pushing iron on another? Watching the readout to see how many calories you've burned? Doing whatever you can to break a sweat and get your heart rate up?

I've decided I'm done with all of that. It doesn't appeal to me.

I've had an epiphany.

I have suddenly realized that I am now one of those people that needs to run, swim or bike. I crave it. One of those annoying people for whom cardio is like a drug. One day, I'll even look like it. ;)

I think the moment I became one of those people was when I stopped exercising and started training. I don't run because it burns calories. Quite frankly, I don't trust the computers that tell me how many calories I burned anyways. I believe that you can be very successful losing weight without ever breaking a sweat. In fact, I even think it would be easier in many ways.

I train because I want to do something, accomplish something. And once I do it, I want to start doing it better, faster, further. That's why I need to run and do it at 5:00am. That's why I sacrifice sleep in the evening to swim laps. Because I keep finding myself capable of doing more then I ever thought possible.

There's no drug that can beat that feeling.

It's been 4 months and 10 days since I set myself a goal of doing a triathlon. Since then I have gone from being terrified of deep water to swimming over 20 laps without a break. I started out running 1 minute at a time and have now run as much as 8 km (5mi). In those 4 months I have become a new person.

The day I set that goal, I said "I am setting a goal that I don't know if I can complete. But, I do know one thing. This time I'm going to try. Actually try."

Today, my only regret is that triathlon season is over and I have to wait so long until I can do my first one. Today I would say:

I know that I can complete this goal. And I am going to tri. Actually tri.