Race Report: Chisago Lakes Half Ironman 2009

I was nervous about this tri. And when I say nervous, I mean inches-from-needing-to-be-institutionalized crazy ass TERRIFIED.

Really.

Ask Ryan. He'll vouch for me.

(He's a saint, by the way, for putting up with all my Triathlon Crazy)

So yeah, nervous crazy.

But the morning of the race, I was surprisingly calm. We got to the race with plenty of time to spare. First things first...gotta pick up our race numbers.

Do you remember Grandma's Marathon of Doom? Well, my bib number for that race was 364.

I can read your mind. "Funny you should mention that, Ally. Why is that relevant?"

The volunteer handed me my packet and bib. I prayed under my breath that I'd have "good" number. Something with a seven. Something that gave me a good vibe.

What did I get?

Three. Six. Four.

Motherfucker.

This is a sign. This race is going to SUCK.

Or, the universe is giving me a second chance. To "Take Back The Number," if you will.

Anyway.

We set up transition, chatted with friends, slithered into our wetsuits, and hopped into the lake for a warmup. I was excited for the swim, and my warmup felt good.

We wandered around the beach, looking for Steve and his CVA students, but they were nowhere to be found. Bummer, I wanted to pee in the lake with Steve again this year. :)

And before I knew it, people were lining up in their waves for the start. Holy crap. Holy crap. Holy crap. I felt nauseous. I was blinking back tears. I am crazy. Why am I doing this?

Just as Ryan's wave waded into the water, Pharmie spotted me and talking to her was just the distraction I needed. We chatted about her previous half ironmans (ironmen?). And before I knew it, they were calling my wave to the water.

DUDE.

I adjusted my goggles, took a deep breath...BANG. The gun went off. It's game time.

SWIM

I felt most confident going into the swim. I've been doing Masters Swimming at my gym for the past few months and have been cruising. I was going to make the swim my bitch.

And I totally did. I passed a ton of people, yet never felt crowded. I didn't get kicked in the face and I didn't have to modify my stroke to protect my face. The swim felt glorious. I loved every second.

My goal for the swim was 40 minutes. I knew I could swim faster in the pool, but I tacked on a few extra minutes to my goal since I wouldn't be pushing off the wall every 25 yards. I didn't take into account the fact that I would be wearing a wetsuit, which made me very floaty and Lightning Fast.

So when I exited the water and saw that the clock read 45 minutes...I was shocked. My wave started 14 minutes after the gun went off, so that meant that my time was 31 minutes. Which, DUDE. That is NINE MINUTES faster than my goal.

That can't be right. Can it??

Tack on a few minutes as I ran to transition...

Swim: 32:59. DUDE.

Editor's note: Both Ryan and I had fast swim times - as did several others - so we're guessing that the swim was a bit short. Boo.

T1

I headed into transition. I had tied a balloon to the rack where my bike was, so I had no trouble spotting it. I whipped off the wetsuit (it was easier than I'd imagined) and threw on my bike gear.

UGGGGH. Biking. This is what I've been dreading.

BIKE

So I got on my bike. And rode.

I kept track...guess how many people I passed on the bike?

ZERO.

Because I was being passed left and right.

Everyone and their grandmother was passing me.

Everyone.

Ev-er-y-one.

But, whatever. I knew that biking was my weakness, so I was expecting this to happen.

The bike was uneventful. The only exciting part was when a sheriff truck passed me, hit a cone, and the cone was tossed into the air, twisting and turning, flying in my general direction...but didn't hit me. I was bummed. Guess I'll have to keep on riding.

You know it's bad when you'd rather get hit in the face with a traffic cone than finish a 56-mile bike ride. :)

But in all honesty, it was fine. I was fine. Physically I felt good - I wasn't speedy, but I didn't hurt, so I can't complain.

I was shooting for a 4-hour bike and was happy to reach transition with a time of 3:45. Fifteen minutes to spare? That just gave me more cushion for the run in case I needed to walk.

Editor's note: Annnnd I'm pretty sure the bike was short, too. WTF? Who organizes these things??

T2

Steve was waiting for me in transition. With his camera.



WHYYYY, Internet, do I feel the need to make weird faces, when I know that these pictures will be posted on Facebook??


I love triathlon! Or not.

RUN

I scarfed down a Rice Krispie Bar (yum) and started the run.

I was expecting my legs to feel heavy and sluggish, and was surprised that they felt...normal. Weird. But my feet were numb from the bike...I figured they'd wake up after a mile or two.

So I plodded along, jammin' out to my iPod.

Based on Ryan's predicted finish time, we knew we'd see each other on the run. At about 2.5 miles, I spotted him. It was like a scene in a movie - we were running toward each other - and happened to meet right under a pair of sprinklers that some kind spectator set up. He gave me a quick smooch as the cool water rained down on us and we went on our merry ways. It was cute.

I kept on running...it was HOT, yo. The sun was directly overhead and there wasn't a whole lot of shade.

Oh, and remember how I thought my feet would wake up?

WRONG.

They did not wake up. EVER.

I stopped at around mile six to adjust my speed laces...they were way too tight and there was no way to make them looser. GAH.

And then my iPod died.

GAHHHHHH.

So I did what I had to do...I pulled the shotgun out of my pocket and SHOT MYSELF.

Or, I just kept running.

Thirteen miles felt like an eternity. The course was very hilly - constant rollers - so even when I was on the downhill, I was mentally preparing because the next hill was right there waiting for me.

But I just kept chugging - only walking through water stops - and finally made it back to the park.

I rounded the final turn, ran up the hill, spotted Ryan, Pharmie and Steve cheering for me...

AND FINISHED MY FIRST HALF IRONMAN.



Hot Damn.

Swim: 32:59 (1:42/100)
T1: 2:53
Bike: 3:45:01 (14.7 mph)
T2: 1:56
Run: 2:21:29 (10:48 min/mile)

Overall: 6:44:20



(And thanks to Steve for the pictures. He rocks, yo.)

Holy Half Ironman, Batman

Chisago Lake Half Ironman? Done.

I'm too tired to bust out a wordy recap, but here are my splits...

Swim: 32:59 (1:42/100)
T1: 2:53
Bike: 3:45:01 (14.7 mph)
T2: 1:56
Run: 2:21:29 (10:48 min/mile)

Overall: 6:44:20

I was shooting for a 7-hour tri, so I'm pleased with my time. But if I ever say that I want to do another Half Ironman? PUNCH ME IN THE FACE.

Spectathon report: Lifetime Triathlon

Who do I think I'm kidding with this title? Let's call a spade a spade.

Stalkathon report: Lifetime Triathlon

Ryan did another tri last weekend - the Lifetime Triathlon - Olympic distance. I tagged along to cheer and take pictures. Because that's what stalkers do.


Lining up at the start. Have I mentioned lately that I love spandex?



Before I knew it, he was off. Splashing off into the sunset sunrise sun. I synchronized my watch to optimize my stalking capabilities. I had a good guess when he'd be finishing...but he'd commented earlier that his shoulders were tired so he wasn't sure if he could hit his time.



Haha, suckas! Hit his goal time with room to spare. Seventh in his age group.




Dude, I was so caught up in my stalking that I forgot to mention that Emily was doing the Sprint Tri. She and Chuck are newlyweds. Aren't they cute??




Em headed into the water, full speed. What is it with my friends and rocking spandex?




The waters parted and she emerged...looking fresh as a daisy. :)




Chuck and I headed to the bike course and before we knew it, Ryan was back. Smokin' fast bike - just under 22mph. I DON'T EVEN DRIVE MY CAR THAT FAST.




I spotted him again at the tail end of the first loop of the run. Looking good...




I headed to the finish and spotted Steve and Sarah (heehee! One of his CVA Tri Club students) and we cheered in the triathletes together. I was looking for Ryan, know he'd be there any minute...Wait! I know this guy! It's my little brother's best friend from elementary school!! Go John!!!

FOCUS, ALLY. THERE IS MORE STALKING TO BE DONE.





Because...HERE HE COMES!! Look at that stride!




Also, that ass. Rawr.

And thus, my spectathon stalking report has come to an end. Em had a strong finish - really kicking ass in the run. Everyone looked fantastic...but I admit. The more I cheer for triathlons, the less I want to do one. :)

Spectathon report: Liberty Triathlon

Last weekend, I gave some love back to the running/triathlon community by being a Spectathlete at the Liberty Triathlon.

Ryan was racing. I don't get up at 4:45am for just anyone. :)



We ran into Steve and Pharmie - Steve was doing the Olympic and Pharmie was doing the Half. Rock stars!

Ryan tested out the waters with a swim warmup. I took pictures.



The race started. I took pictures.



I ran into Steve, Pharmie, and Jen. I took pictures.



Steve peed in the lake. I took pictures.



Ryan came out of the water - SPEEDY! Hit his goal time right on.



Transition. Damn, he looks good in spandex. Better take some pictures.



I headed out to the bike course. I was too afraid to be the obnoxious super-fan for the bikers - I was at the corner where the HIM riders turn for the second loop or the Olympic riders go straight to transition - so I didn't want to distract anyone and make them go off course....

I was expecting Ryan to come by in about 10 minutes...And zoooooooooom. He appeared out of nowhere and zipped right by. He was going FAST.



I also spotted Steve on the bike. Well, technically, Steve's ass. I swear, he just spontaneously appeared.



A few minutes later, Jen flew by.



More pictures. I should really consider a second career in the paparazzi field.

I headed over to the run course. My favorite part. I know how to cheer for runners.

So I cheered for Every Single Runner. Seriously. Every person that ran by me got a shout out.

Oh, and I was holding a sign that said "You Make Spandex Look Good." It was a hit.

Everyone looked great. Steve, Jen, Ryan, and Pharmie all looked rock solid - ready to tackle the run.





Half way through the race, I switched out signs. "Your Feet Hurt Because You're Kicking So Much Ass" is always popular. :)

And before I knew it, Ryan was back, in the home stretch.



I had a fever...and the only cure was...More Pictures.



I know, he has a great ass.

So yes. The spectathlon was a success. Everyone kicked ass - lots of PRs, lots of strong finishes, and even an Age Group award for Jen. I'm so proud of my peeps.

Let's Take A Poll

Tell me, Internet, Am I Crazy?

I'm doing a half ironman on June 13. Liberty. I haven't signed up yet.

I'm doing a marathon the next weekend - June 20. Grandma's. Love, love, love this race. Can't wait to do it again.

And to finish off the "spring" season, I'm going to do the Chisago Half Ironman on July 26. The only reason I'm doing this race? The medal. The Liberty Tri doesn't give a medal to the half ironman finishers. WTF?? I'm expected to haul ass for 70.3 miles, and all I get at the end is a bagel?? No. If I'm going to be a real triathlete, I need a medal.

Here is where the crazy comes in. I want to do the Stillwater Marathon. The INAUGURAL Stillwater Marathon. May 24. But not as a race, as an LSD.

I've always wanted to be a part of a marathon from the beginning. I want to be at the starting line in 20 years and be able to say, "This is the 20th year I've run this marathon. I have been a part of this EVERY year it has existed."

But how many races can I put on my calendar before my body surrenders and falls into a crumbling heap??

Back to the present. Here's what the last few weeks of training would look like...

May 24 - Stillwater Marathon
May 30 - 10-13 miles
June 6 - 6-8 miles
June 13 - Liberty Tri
June 20 - Grandma's Marathon

Sounds like a decent taper, yes?

I think if I truly run Stillwater as an LSD, I won't have any problems.

But I've been having another thought: What If I Don't Do Liberty?

If I'm going to do two marathons, do I really need to do Liberty? Do I really need my FIRST half ironman to fall between two marathons??

Can I just scrap Liberty, and have Chisago be "my" half ironman?

The only reason I hesitate to pull the plug on Liberty is because in my mind, it was going to be my first half. I've been talking about Liberty. Talking about how my first half is the week before a marathon.

Will people think I'm a pansy if I don't do it??

My guess is that, no, they won't. They'll probably think I'm smart for not sticking a third endurance race in a five-week period.

My gut is saying that Liberty should get the boot and I should run Stillwater.

What do YOU think, Internet?

Wrecking Ball

My motivation has been hibernating this winter, yet I've still been getting in six to ten workouts each week. You know what sucks? Going to the gym six to ten times a week when you Just Don't Want To. Working out usually makes me feel strong and happy and calm, but this past month it's been making me feel antsy and grumpy and irritable.

Which is why the blog has been overrun by the sound of crickets. I don't need to bring the Internet down with my whining.

Lessons learned?
I am a winter hibernator
Do Not Sign Up For Early Season Races
I need an off season
If I'm not feeling it, don't force it

With the weather warming up this week, I've been feeling an increase in motivation. I joined a Kettlebells class (LOVE). I've been looking forward to workouts. I don't despise the gym.

But in typical Allison fashion, I overdid it last weekend.

Let's start with Sunday.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, so I was excited to go for my long run with Ryan. We went to Minnehaha Park so we could bring Ryan's dog and he could run unleashed.

The trails were covered in packed snow, so it was tiring to keep a constant watch on my footing. Definitely a different workout than the paved trails that I am used to. But still fun. And a good distraction to see all the cute pooches.

At about four miles into the run, we faced a hill. I'll admit that for being just over half-way into the workout, I was unusually tired. I wasn't having a great run, and I just couldn't face the mental battle of the hill. So I walked. My mind was filled with negative thoughts. I felt weak. I was pissed at myself. I felt like I was bringing Ryan down.

And then I felt like my lungs were hit with a wrecking ball. I couldn't breathe. I was sucking in air, but it felt like it wasn't getting into my lungs. I was wheezing. I couldn't breathe. The faster I tried to breathe, the less air I took in. Tears sprung to my eyes as I was gasping for air. I couldn't breathe. What is happening??

Ryan came over and tried to calm me down. I slowed my breathing and within a few seconds, I was fine. We walked for a few minutes and I felt okay, so we started running again. We ran about two more miles and were back at the park entrance. We were done. I made it. I was alive.

As we were walking back to our cars, it hit again. Wheezing. Gasping. Couldn't breathe. I stopped and slowed my breathing, and again, was fine.

But dude, What The Fuck?

It wasn't that cold outside. We only ran six miles. I've never had any problems breathing before. I RUN MARATHONS, DAMMIT! This Should Not Be Happening.

I still don't know what caused this little episode, but as I look back in the week, I did notice something...

I did three workouts on Friday.
Kettlebells in the morning
A 3-mile run after work
A 45 minute swim in the evening

I did my longest indoor ride to date on Saturday.
Two hours on the trainer

Other factors:
I didn't sleep well on Saturday night
I didn't hydrate properly on Sunday before the run
My diet mainly consisted of cookies on Saturday

So when I add it all up, it seems quite likely that my body was tired. It wasn't ready for a third day of beating. I got home from the run and immediately collapsed on the couch and slept for FOUR HOURS. If that's not a sign that my body was tired, then I don't know what is.

Going forward, my weekends are going to be tough. I have a long swim/run and long bike every Saturday and Sunday until June.

Notes To Self:
Don't overdo it on Friday
Get enough sleep on the weekends
Listen to your body
Cookies are not a meal :)

Grandma's...Round Two

In the spirit of being bat-shit crazy...I registered to run Grandma's marathon again this year. June 20, 2009. Bring it on.

This is crazy, why?

Because I'm doing a half ironman the weekend before.

C'mon...a 13.1 mile run is tapering, right?? And the 56 mile bike and 1.2 mile swim...well, I'll just consider that cross training.

The Baby Jesus Made Me Do It

Half Ironman training has officially started. So far it's going...uh...well...it's going.

Here's how last week went down. Feel free to skip to the end. This? Is not an interesting post. :)

Monday.

On the schedule: Strength workout

Fast forward to 9:30pm. I was still sitting on the couch, reading blogs and sending emails.

At 10pm, I resigned myself to the fact that, yes, I need to get this workout done. Is NEED too strong of a word? No. Because I have a friendly competition with Ryan, who is also training for this tri. If I did more workouts than him this week, he's going to make me soup.

Have I ever mentioned that I hate cooking?

No? Well. I hate cooking.

So I bundled up and headed to the gym, where I did a strength workout...and tossed in a swim workout for good measure.

Tuesday.

I was sooooo tired and soooo whiny. I apologize if you had to interact with me that day. I got home from work and collapsed on the couch.

I needed a nap.

I made a deal with myself. I would nap for one hour...and then I'd hit the gym to run and swim.

I curled into the couch...and woke up at Midnight. Um, oops.

I took it as a sign that the Baby Jesus wanted me to skip the workout, so I shrugged it off and went to bed.

I got 12 hours of sleep that night.

Wednesday.

I'm starting to come around. Ryan and I ran together, then Karen and I headed to our swim lesson.

Hmmm...maybe the secret to success is having someone to workout with?? Or getting enough sleep??

Thursday.

Spin class. I <3 the instructor.

And after class, I hit the pool. By the time I was done, I was completely exhausted. My shoulders? Exhausted. Raising my arms to shampoo my hair was so tiring that it really should be considered its own workout.

Friday.

Who wants to work on a Friday? Not This Girl.

But I met with my runner girls and did a cookie exchange...hanging with fellow runners is practically a workout...right??

Saturday.

Spin class, with a little faux running tossed in (Arc trainer, baby!!)

Sunday.

It was rainy and chilly-ish. The snow was like mashed potatoes. There were puddles on the sidewalk.

But Ryan drug my whiny ass out for a run on Summit. And I'll admit...it felt good. I really do like running. It's all this other cross training BS that's f'ing with my sh!t.

In Conclusion.

In conclusion, one thing that sticks out in my mind from high school is that it really irritated my 10th grade English teacher when we would end our papers with "In Conclusion..."

So.

Yeah, I did nine solid workouts this week.

I skipped one.

I lost this week's bet.

I'm not digging this whole "training" thing.

I think I know the cure. No, it's not more cowbell.

It's more rest. Am I a total pansy ass if I take a few more weeks off until my motivation comes back from winter break??

I, I, I...me, me, me

I'm going to do a half ironman this summer.

I wish I could announce this with a trumpet fanfare, a parade with confetti, and maybe some hot go-go dancers...but I can't. Because I'm just not that enthused about it.

Because training? Starts on Monday.

As in four days from today.

I have to start my training in four days.

DUDES.

I feel like a petulant child, stomping her feet and having a tantrum.

I. Don't. Want. To.

I'm not ready to focus.

I'm not ready to start training.

I'm not ready to do speed workouts and form drills and LSDs.

I'm still in off-season mode.

I'm still mentally recovering from the marathons.

This will be my first half ironman and my first "real" triathlon. I faked a tri last summer but don't feel like a triathlete (even though I peed in the lake).

Like it or not, I am starting to prepare myself. Physically and mentally.

I'm taking swim lessons.

I know I can fake it on the bike.

I'm not worried about the run.

So do I just go for it? Start my half-assed training on Monday and just hope that the motivation will magically appear after a few weeks?

Maybe I should ponder this on the couch with a bowl of ice cream. Because technically, it's still the off-season...right? And off-season is practically synonymous with ice cream. :)

Race Report: Chisago Lakes Sprint Triathlon

Alternate title: How to have an awesome first triathlon by doing everything wrong

Step 1: Don't really train
As I mentioned earlier, I swam and biked once in the past month. One time. Uno. Ummmm...not a good idea. I did run a lot...which leads me to step two.

Step 2: Do a long run the day before the tri
I needed to get a long run in (that pesky marathon training is always getting in my way of being lazy and/or tapering for other events) so I ran 12 miles on Saturday. My legs were a little bit pissed after the run...probably because I skipped last week's long run. "Skipping Long Runs" will go on the "Training for a marathon: Ur doin it wrong" post. :)

Step 3: Get approximately one hour of sleep the night before
Knowing that I'd be leaving for the tri at 4:00 In The Freaking Morning, the grand plan was to go to bed at 9pm the night before. Well, 9pm came and went, and I still hadn't been to the grocery store to pick up bananas, balloons and Powerade. Karen and I wanted to get a balloon to mark our transition areas so it'd be easier to find after the swim and bike. The selection at the grocery story was slim, so I ended up with a "It's A Girl!" balloon. I'm a girl. It works, right??

I made the trip to the store at 10pm, got home and packed my tri bag, and was in bed at...12:30. Which would allow for 3 hours of sleep. Faaaaak. But the beautiful part of this was that I Couldn't Fall Asleep. I tossed and turned. I turned and tossed. My legs were twitchy. My brain was twitchy. I couldn't relax. Sweet Baby Jesus. I eventually fell asleep, but it wasn't a restful sleep.

BUT ANYWAY.

On to the actual race report.

Karen and I loaded up our bikes on Saturday night so we'd have one less thing to worry about in the morning. On Sunday morning, we hopped in the car and were on our merry way at 4am. Triathletes are a special breed of crazy. Who gets up at 3:30 to do a race??

We got to Chisago at about the time the transition area was opening. I picked up my packet and we got body marked. We set up transition. I tied my "It's a girl" balloon to my transition spot. We had plenty of time and I didn't feel rushed to get set up. Off to a good start.


Warning: Spandex Abuse

And then I spotted Danielle In Iowa at her transition spot. Okay, okay...I'll admit that I spotted her bike first (loooooove).

So we were chatting and who should appear? Steve In A Speedo, to complete the super awesome bloggy trifecta.


Danielle, Steve, Me
(Photos shamelessly stolen from Steve)

Steve showed us his awesome body marking...a smiley face on his calf. JEALOUS. But luck was on our side...he busted a Sharpie from his pocket and gave Danielle and I matching smileys.


And thanks to Karen for snapping these pics!

Before I knew it, the transition area was closing and it was time to head to the beach.

Allison's Inner Monologue: GAHHHH!! THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!!

Karen, Steve, Danielle and I stuck together until our wave starting times. We tested out the lake temperature (warm!), and Steve informed me that I wouldn't be a real triathlete until I peed in the lake. I wanted to be a real triathlete, dammit, so you can bet your ass I peed in that lake!!

Karen and I heard the announcement for our wave...but we somehow failed to take note that it meant that they were lining up IN THE WATER. As in NOW. About three seconds before the gun went off, we dashed into the water with our wave...whew. That was a close one. We were off. Holy crap!!

SWIM (.25 miles):

Dude. DUDE. Do you know what is hard? Swimming...aka NOT DROWNING. My lack of training really showed. Before I even reached the turnaround I was already side and back-stroking like it was going out of style. I never thought I was actually going to die, but I felt like I was in the water Foorrrreeevvvveerr. I seriously would have guessed that the swim took me 20 minutes. I wanted to kiss the sand when I finally hit the beach. I ran up a hill...and into transition.

Time: 13:38

T1:

What do I do? What do I need? What do I grab? What do I eat? GAHH!! My mind was racing as I made a mental checklist of everything I needed for the bike. Shoes. Helmet. Garmin. Bike. Race number? Do I need that for the bike? Grabbed it just to be safe. One less thing to put on later. Annnnd I'm off.

Time: 2:36

BIKE (17 miles):

The first 6 mile were pretty awesome. Well, there was a mile of single-file biking, which was less than awesome...but I am a slow enough biker that I didn't have to pass many people in that stretch. My average speed was 17mph, which is Ridiculous for me and my non-road bike. I was smacked back to reality when we started hitting hills and my average pace dropped to 15mph. That's more like it.

By the time mile 15 rolled around, I was ready to be done. My ass was not pleased. I was anxious to get into my running shoes.

Time: 1:09:08

T2:

I am still trying to figure out why my T2 time was so slow. Probably because I crawled under my bike and read the newspaper, painted my nails and took a quick nap. Seriously. How long does it take to switch shoes and take off a helmet??

Time: 2:19

RUN (3.1 miles)

I had no idea how my legs would feel after the bike, but I was hoping to do 10-minute miles. I was surprised that they were so cooperative after the 12-mile beating from the previous day plus the swim and bike. Maybe it was the calf smiley face that made them so happy. :)

Within the first few minutes, I spotted Karen coming in to the finish (it was an out and back course). She. Was. Rocking. It. Yeah, she's pretty much a rock star.

The first mile felt good - 9:57.

The second mile felt better - 9:27. I was passing people like it was my job.

The third mile felt best - 9:01. *Tapping on Garmin* Is this thing on? This can't be right. I LOVE TRIATHLONS!

As I was nearing the finish, I saw Karen cheering for me...and then I spotted Danielle and Steve, snapping a photo. Steve was in his "bowl full of sunshine" shorts. Sweet Fancy Moses. I'd seen pictures of these amazing shorts on his blog, but you have no idea of the AWESOMENESS until you see them in person.


The photo snapped by Steve

Annnnd I finished strong and felt great. Triathlons? Yeah, they're fun.

Time: 29:47

Total time: 1:57:29

We stuck around to wait for Karen's Dude finish - he was doing the Half Ironman. So we hopped in the food line, posed for a pic...


Freshly minted triathletes

And ate grabbed some grub. And then we ran into Jumper! YAY!!


What a good lookin' bunch! Jumper, Steve, Me, Danielle, Karen

Karen and I changed out of our wet tri gear (it was a real treat to try and figure out how to change in a parking lot without completely exposing myself), posed by the "mount" sign...

Mounting the Mount sign. Unoriginal? Check.

...grabbed some ice cream, and sat with the group of bloggy awesomeness to watch the Half Ironman finishers, including IronJenny, TriMama, and TacBoy.

After Karen's Dude finished with a respectable time, we were ready to head home.

I schlepped my stuff back to my apartment (it kind of looks like a triathlon bomb went off in my front hallway), ate copious amounts of Punch Pizza, showered, and collapsed onto the couch for One Big Fat Nap.

Spent.

Calm

The triathlon is two days away.

In the past month, I've been in the pool once.

I've biked outside once.

At least I've been running and doing strength workouts regularly.

I am eerily calm.

I am not normally a calm pre-race person.

I am usually anxious and nervous and twitchy and squirrely.

What? Is? Going? On?

Practice Makes Perfect

So I thought I'd attempt a fake triathlon yesterday. A fake indoor triathlon.

I did a strength workout in the morning. I did a little running on the treadmill in between sets, totalling half a mile.

Shower, work, blah blah blah.

After work, I went to spin class for an hour. I felt the burn and really cranked on the resistance. It was a tough workout.

Then I headed right to the treadmill and hopped on for 1.5 miles. The legs were surprisingly cooperative.

Then I headed to the pool and busted out 400 meters.

Then I went home and collapsed.

But I made it out alive.

I am now 89% confident that I won't drown, and 96% confident that I won't die.

This triathlon thing could even be FUN. Novel idea.

Unbloggable

My life has been unbloggable lately. Well, one part boring, one part unbloggable.

BORING:

I've been running. And running and running.

July-a-thon is moving right along. I can't believe it's half over! I'm still waiting for it to sink in that my next marathon is 94 days away and I should maybe start doing some "real" workouts during the week (Hills? Hills? Bueller? Bueller?) but for now, I'm just going out every day to get the miles in.

I did get an amazing 10-miler in on Saturday. Beautiful day, perfect run. The planets were aligned and I was praising the Sweet Infant Jesus for making me a runner.

I've also resumed the 6am strength workouts this week. And each morning I curse the Sweet Infant Jesus for making me get out of bed. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, but I feel So Freaking Good after a good strength workout.

UNBLOGGABLE:

But I've also been dating. And dating and dating. Which, Hi Mom! I know you'd love to read the nitty gritty details about these dates, but it's Not Going To Happen.

TRIATHLON:

How did this category sneak in here??

I've decided to follow the advice in the comments and not fret about the swim. The more I think about it, .25 miles is sounding pretty manageable. But the 20 mile bike? That gives me more cause for concern.

To ease my worries, I've been NOT BIKING. Because GAH I Don't Have Enough Hours In The Day To Train For This Triathlon. I will continue to do spin classes weekly, but I know that it's no substitute for a ride on a real, actual bike. All of my swimming worries have officially been transferred to the bike and I'm hoping to get my ass on the bike PRONTO. Like...Monday. As in six days before the race. Yes, I'm going to start training less than a week before the race. Triathlon Taper? Never heard of it. Common sense? Nope, haven't heard of that either.

Can we all have a moment of silence to pray that my base from marathon training will pull me through this??

Next Up

The Chisago Lakes Sprint Triathlon.

7/27/08

.25 swim

20.5 mile bike

3.1 mile run

Crap.

Time to start swimming again.