Tagged by Tri Jones

Tri Jones has tagged me - and now I am running to base!

Jobs I’ve Held
Bank Teller
Friendly’s Waitress
Credit Tele-Verifier
Office Assistant
Teacher’s Assistant
Special Education Teacher
Web Developer
Project Manager
Director of Marketing

Movies I Can Watch Over & Over
The Princess Bride
Gladiator
Rainman
A Christmas Story
Silence of the Lambs
Legends of the Fall
Good Will Hunting

My Guilty Pleasures
Wine (OK, not much guilt)
Chocolate Candy (Hmm, again, not a whole lot of guilt)
Massages (see above)

Places I Have Lived (in order)
Brooklyn, NY
Elmhurst, NY
Floral Park, NY
Floral Park – Queens, NY
Glen Allen, VA

Shows I Enjoy
Oprah
Apprentice (alas, no more)
Sopranos (another one gone)

Places I Have Been on Vacation
Poconos, PA
Walt Disney World, FL
Killington, VT (back in the “trying to ski” days)
Cape Cod, MA
Bar Harbor, ME
Outer Banks, VA
Rehobeth, DE
Asheville, NC
Maui, HA
Chicago, IL
Las Vegas, NV
Barbados
Bahamas
Bermuda

Favorite Foods
Filet Mignon
Rare Tuna
Fresh Mozzarella
Chocolate Candy (milk with ganache or hazelnut)
Berries
Fancy Cheeses
Crusty Bread
Cake Batter Ice Cream with a Mixin’

Websites I Visit Daily
Virginia.gov
Weather.com
Various Triathlon Blogs
TRIgirls’ Forum

Body Parts I Have Injured
Broke Left Pinkie
Broke Right Big Toe
Broke Left Foot Bones
Nasty Bruises

Awards You’ve Won
Town Soccer League– 1st Place (I had nothing to do with it)
A Couple of Awards in Elementary School for Reading, Math
A Couple of Blue Ribbons in 6th Grade Field Day Contests
Some Art Thing in High School
Some High School Graduation Award
Some Graduate School Department Award

Nicknames You’ve Been Called
Dee Dee
Little Princess
Nyarly
DB

Pick 5 Other Bloggers
Triathlonmom
TriJinx
TriDi
TRIgirl Cyndi
TRIgirl SL

What is That?

What is that foreign entry in my training details?

Something that has not appeared since the end of March?

In utter desperation to procrastinate completing 10 half-mile repeats today, I actually lifted a dumbbell or two.

Will this be a freak occurrence or a regular addition to the workout routine?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Workout Snapshots

While it may seem that I've spent the last few weeks merely planning upcoming races and contemplating training goals, I actually managed to complete a few, uhm, challenging training sessions, too. Here are a few recent workout snapshots:

July 26 - Not quite, but almost, kicking and screaming, I've resigned myself to early morning workouts for some of our Tuesday/Thursday bricks. Because either I'll be too tired after work. Or I'll end up in a bind because of a thunderstorm. Or because a morning workout will allow me to actually partake in a social event or two. So, way too often, the alarm clock goes off around 5:15 am. On the schedule for this Thursday in July was a 45 minute bike and a 45 minute run at West Creek - by myself - and a perfect time to see if Patriot Sangria could help me beat previous 6 mile loop times. My best with Amarone was around 21 minutes. First lap - 19:50. Second lap - 19:35. Workout snapshot - "A somewhat stunned TRIgirl 40 staring at her Garmin."

July 28 - Ah, Saturday - meaning a long workout brick. This Saturday was HOT, Virginia hot and humid. TRIgirl KO and I decided to brave the 30 mile bike and 10 mile run together. Coach B lapped us for the upteenth time before riding along with us for a WC loop. We tried to bike harder so Coach B wasn't completely bored - while we picked his brain about form and nutrition tips. I thought to myself - cool, nice pace for that lap. Until we started the next one - and heard Coach B's challenge to take it up a notch. All that talking on the previous lap - not so much on this next one. That final lap was a great push and wore my legs out a bit more than usual for the 10 mile run ahead. Great practice for IMFL - when my legs will not be very fresh for the run. Coach B's push helped me understand what I should be striving for during a tempo bike - and that I can get through a long run (even if I need to walk occasionally) when I can't imagine that my legs will be capable of getting me past just a mile or two. Workout snapshot - "TRIgirl 40 toppling off her bike in the parking lot from being 'exercise drunk' as Devil Face so perfectly described."

August 1 - Gotta love Wednesdays because they are a swim day. With Ironwoman Canada back in town, I decided it was time for another private lesson. 7:00 am, we met and worked on my form. She videotaped my stroke - which showed my left arm having a "windmill" like motion vs. a nice relaxed elbow bend and extend. By the end of the lesson, my stroke was longer and stronger through focusing on more of a "catch up" action. I was excited for that evening's Masters swim class to practice what I learned. Except, when I got to Masters, I found myself struggling, exhausted, breathing heavily - and not having the productive swim I'd been looking forward to since the morning's lesson. My body rebelled with my first ever calf cramp while swimming. Workout snapshot - "Ironwoman Canada digging her fingers deep into TRIgirl 40's leg cramp."

August 4 - Another Saturday, this time a 30 mile bike, 12 mile run. I was so jealous of some of my TRIgirl buddies heading out for a 60 mile ride. The bike went fine - 30 miles in 1:41 minutes - and it didn't feel like a major push. Even the first 8 miles of the run were OK. Then the heat seemed to worsen. And I realized I miscalculated my route which ended up being closer to 13 miles. Workout snapshot 1 - "TRIgirl 40 has the best reason to take a slight break - a beautiful doe glides across the road and stops within yards of where TRIgirl 40 quietly watches." Workout snapshot 2 - "Lying in the parking lot as TRIgirl TB kindly offers a bandanna filled with ice to cool down a disgustingly sweaty TRIgirl 40."

August 6 - Guppy Swim. TRIgirl DL has joined Guppies - and since we both share an unusual first name - there are occasional funny situations where folks try to figure out how to address us. Ironwoman Canada helped me experience another "aha moment" when she pointed out that I was following through too far with my left arm - contributing to the windmill like motion we worked on the previous week. The cue of immediately bending my elbow when pulling out of the water made a big difference with understanding how to stop the windmilling. Workout snapshot - "TRIgirl 40 watching the clock for the end of five straight minutes of kicking."

August 7 - Another early morning bike/run with TRIgirl DL. Another ridiculously hot Virginia day. We were both thankful for waking up early to fit in the two hour workout before the predicted heat index of 105 degrees kicked in. We biked along at a good pace for the first 20 miles. For the last 6, I timed myself - 18:46. Beating the July 26th record. Workout snapshot - "TRIgirl 40 shooing the geese that strolled across the road just as she was trying to gain some momentum for the dreaded Farmer's Bureau hill."

A Little Melancholy

Though I guess the official start to this journey to Ironman began last November, I've been wondering lately if the "twinkle in the eye" happened about a year ago, last September, when I signed up for Eagleman.

A lot has happened in the past eleven months. I've learned to not only swim in a wetsuit, but to also like it. I completed two half marathons. I've swum, biked and run the longest distances in my life. And, of course, I finished Eagleman!

This year, the Eagleman registration opened a month earlier - on August 1. With a little melancholy, I've observed the excitement of others as they have signed up for the race. My name will not be on the participant list.

As of now, I'm planning on two half IMs next year - White Lake and Mightyman. Then, if I survive Florida, maybe another IM in 2009 (I'm thinking somewhere very far away with amazing Sauvignon Blanc...).

Eagleman 2007 will always hold a special place in my heart - the excitement and trepidation after hitting the registration submit button, the fear and panic race morning, the happiness and satisfaction of crossing the finish line, and all the hard work in between.

Training Goals - By Fezzy

Lately, Mommy has been doing all this crazy talk about training goals for me and her.

Everyday, I remind her with my super good behavior about how quickly I learned to go into my crate when Mommy and Daddy are leaving the house. Mommy has never had a furkid that she didn't have to chase down, with elaborate traps and fast reflexes, when it was crate time. I totally shocked her when I just followed the treat she held for me in the crate and plopped my cute little self down. Now, sometimes I can even guess when Mommy is about to leave and just head right on in - waiting oh so patiently for my biscuit and fuzzy toy.

You would think that would be enough, but Mommy had decided that it is time for a new goal for me - something about not jumping all over people when they walk in the house. I am choosing to ignore her lessons as they seem stupid. I am only showing how excited I am to see my favorite people or to meet someone new. I am hoping to train Mommy on this one.

But, I'll give her a little slack, as I've heard her mumbling about whether she should try to plan for more specific training goals. She is wondering if her current attempts to just survive a workout or even her loosely defined aspirations to "be a little faster" should be thought through a little more.

And the more she thinks about her training goals, hopefully the less she will think about mine.

The Decision

The coaches pretty much agreed either Mightyman or Naylor's would work with the IMFL training schedule. But I've decided to stick with Naylor's this year, mostly because it will be cheaper for both the registration and travel fees.

And as Ironwoman Canada told me this morning - it will be great speed work for me.

An Olympic distance race as speed work? Naylor's, no less, with its rip tide swim, challenging bike and demoralizing run course? I just shook my head.

Next year - though - I am in for Mightyman - and have already heard that several TRIgirls may be joining me!

So Tempting!

I was just paging through the Triathlon Life magazine that arrived the other day and I what did I find?

Mightyman!

A Half-Ironman back "home" and through the beautiful, picturesque Montauk.

Close to family and friends who I could either try to tempt to race with me or who may travel just a couple of hours to be cheerleaders.

Problem 1 - Naylor's Beach is on my calendar for that day. I was actually looking forward to doing Naylor's again - between hoping for some improvements, the new September date and racing with other TRIgirls. I haven't registered yet, so depending on Problems 2 and 3...

Problem 2 - I'm doing the Patriot Half three weeks earlier. Will I have recovered enough? Then again, we are not tapering for the Patriot in preparation for IMFL - so I doubt I'll be resting much after.

Problem 3 - Which race would be better for IMFL training - an Olympic or another half???

Problem 4 - If I do Mightyman, there won't be an Olympic distance race on my calendar. Therefore, no fourth TRIgirl pint glass to add to my collection.

The decision rests in the hands of my coaches - based upon their recommendation of which would be better for IMFL training.

If not this year, Mightyman (and maybe some other LI Event Power races) WILL be on next year's schedule! And you betcha I'll be trying to convince my triathlon friends to join me!

Not Triathlon Related...

Walking down Main Street to find some lunch, I see the spectacle that has formed right outside my office building.

The side roads are closed, the usual street cart vendors pushed aside, rows of news cameras line the curb, the protestors and the curious gawk about.

A few dogs are scattered in the crowd. Their people carry signs that reflect the full spectrum of the controversy – from “CON-VICK” to “Innocent Until Proven Guilty.”

I try to avoid the signs with photos, but as I circumvent the crowd, one is right there in my face. I quickly look away before the full impact of the abused dog pictured sinks into my eyes.

A lump settles in my throat.

Yes, Michael Vick is due at the Federal Court building today to face dogfighting charges.

I have not read the indictment; know better than to read it, but have heard enough about it to wonder if even half of it is true, do fines and prison seem like an adequate punishment?

When Did Virginia Become Florida?

I've been a bit out of the loop the past few days.

I spent four awesome days with my family in NY - for my mom's retirement and birthday. Was able to see my brother and sister-in-law's beautiful new home (with an in-ground pool that I may have to visit in the near future for "training"). I even squeezed in a few workouts.

If you are ever on Long Island - and need a place to swim, check out the Nassau County Aquatics Center. After finding out my parents no longer belong to our local pool - and that the "alumni privileges" at my alma mater only offer monthly pool memberships - and that the YMCA "AWAY" program only included NY Ys in scary parts of the boroughs - I hit gold with this indoor pool facility with a reasonable non-resident fee. The pool was beautiful - though I wished the 50 meter lanes had been open.

From afar, I tracked Ironwoman Canada as she competed in Lake Placid (with an amazing fourth place finish) and many of the TRIgirls as they competed in a local sprint (with awesome times and great stories (especially the post race party)).

Back home, unpacked and cuddled up with the furkids, I was looking forward to finishing the week with a few good workouts. My bag was packed with swim gear for tomorrow's Masters class - where I was hoping to catch up with Guppies, TRIgirls and maybe even Ironwoman Canada.

Until I saw the weather report. Starting around 3 pm, thunderstorms are predicted.

I don't remember afternoon thunderstorms being so commonplace in Virginia's previous years - but for whatever reason, they are a regular occurrence this year. After a few too many annoying pool closings this year during the evening Masters class, I've revised my plan and am going to try to swim in the morning.

I am ready for Fall.

Good News in the Mail

For the second time since beginning this Ironman journey, my mailbox has greeted me with more than just bills and paperspam. The other day, an envelope from my aunt and uncle caught my attention. I opened it to find a supportive note and a news clip called "Women find unity, strength at triathlons." A few months ago, the day before leaving for Eagleman, another article from my sister-in-law, "The growing allure of the Ironman race" seemed like a perfectly timed cheer of encouragement.

Some great information can be found in these articles.

From "The growing allure..."
"There's this sport called triathlon. There's this event called the Ironman."
"'After almost not letting me do the Ironman in 2001, saying it is not safe, my mom came up to Lake Placid to watch me,' says Rich Barkan of Long Beach. 'She had such a great time that now we go up for the race even if I'm not doing it. She's out there cheering.'"
"Time is not on the side of Ironman athletes. Even the experienced triathletes must train 20 hours a week over several months. This doesn't stop people with no tri background from taking the challenge."

From "Women find unity..."
"Triathlons can do that: turn ordinary middle-age women into passionate, can't-stop-me-now athletes." (This might be my favorite!)
"That's where you really get the community feel amongst women in our sport, when they're supporting a cause that is very close to them."
"The nonthreatening atmosphere of women-only events makes them attractive to novices and nonjocks. The emphasis is on testing one's mental and physical fortitude, enjoying a sense of accomplishment and just crossing the finish line -- not necessarily finishing first."

But, for me, the articles are more than just interesting and relevant words on newsprint. Someone I loved took the time to not only read the article, but thought of me and what I am trying to do, found their scissors to carefully cut out its jigsaw like borders, included a handwritten note, smacked a postage stamp on the envelope and sent their discovery to me.

Eventually, these news clips will work their way into a scrapbook I'm planning to put together, with the stack of photos accumulating by the computer, of the TRIgirl experiences and the Ironman training moments caught on film.

In the meantime, they will travel with me in my pocketbook over the next few months - something that will catch my eye as I rummage for change or keys - and will be a welcome reminder of the support I am fortunate to have.

Top Brick Moments

This Saturday's brick - a 30 mile bike ride and 10 mile run - definitely had some good, bad and ugly moments.

The Top 5 Bad and Ugly:

1. Totally screwed up the gearing with Patriot Sangria on nasty hill number two by crossing the "waited too long to go into my small chain ring" point. Ended up having to escape the bike vs. toppling over.
2. The last 4 of the 10 mile run. Most of my running buddies were on the half ironman schedule - with a 6 mile run. Without their company, the weather seemed hotter, my water breaks were longer and my legs felt increasingly tired.
3. The ugly blister on my pinky toe after the run.
4. The bizarre heat or sweat rash that appeared the morning after the brick - 50 tiny little puss pimples. Gross. This is the second time this has happened to me after a long workout. Does this happen to anyone else? Any ideas how to prevent it?
5. No TRIgirl coffee. Other than TRIgirl CD and her husband, West Creek was empty by the time I finished the brick.

The Top 5 Good:

1. Awesome new bike route plotted out by TRIgirl CD which starts at West Creek and winds through the rural backroads of four counties. Lovely scenery, quiet roads, great company. Nice little bonus - the bike route was actually 37 vs. 30 miles.
2. Patriot and I made peace on the rolling hills and the one nasty hill TRIgirl CD mentioned. (I thought the worst was over until I hit the second one, which must not have phased our route planner as she is a rock star cyclist.) I am starting to figure out the gears I need to be in with her to not loose too much cadence when climbing some hills.
3. Getting through the 10 mile run. The first six miles with TRIgirls SD, MW, KO, LD and MW went well. We frequently found ourselves dropping below the 10:30-11:00 minute miles we were aiming for - sometimes even seeing paces in the 9 minute range. I could have justified stopping at 6 because the bike was longer than planned. I pushed for 8 to try and meet last week's long brick run, then decided to try for 9 to add 1 mile, then figured it was only 1 more mile to hit the 10. I've really been trying to remind myself that to finish Ironman Florida, I will have to push myself when my mind or body wants to quit. I am hoping that plugging through the tough workouts will help build my confidence and will be something I can remember and draw from this November.
4. The water stop set up by TRIgirl CD and her husband that became our nirvana every three miles for fabulously chilled water to drink - and to dump on our sweaty selves.
5. The wonderful two hour post workout snooze - nothing like a good nap after a draining brick workout!

Not A Diet, But...

Ironwoman Canada had the nerve to leave her guppies and masters students for a whole month to train in Colorado because she was preparing for one of her biggest races of the year - Ironman Lake Placid. Hmph. We plugged along without her on Monday mornings, but it was wonderful to see her again this week - during her brief hiatus home before she leaves for Lake Placid this weekend.

And, boy, is she lean and in top condition. She looks like she will be kickin' some butt on July 22nd.

Which motivated me a bit to take a look at my diet. These past few months I've been eating way more than ever - because I can. A welcome relief from the constant calorie counting and food restrictions I've obsessed about my entire life until this Ironman training. The TRIgirl nutritional clinics have reinforced the idea that this is not the time for deprivation. But in retrospect, did I really need the extra side of cheese at lunch - or the second helping of whatever at dinner because I've been able to get away with it? Would it have hurt to eat a little more consciously?

So, for the past few days anyway, I've been trying to break my gluttony, gleeful, hand rubbing habit of wolfing down whatever looks tempting. I don't know if I'll lose any weight - and I've come to terms with the current number on the scale. Just a few small changes that could lead to losing some fat and gaining some lean muscle mass.

And I'm putting the disclaimer out there now - I'll still be in complete denial about any reports about the wasted calories from wine.

That's It!

The Patriot Sangria!

Where's my bottle of wine to christen my new bike with her perfectly combined, official name?

"The beauty of the Patriot Sangria is that it's as delicious as it is easy...The brandy adds its own unique zest to give this Sangria just a bit more hype."

Seems like a hopeful description for a bike, don't you think? Still gotta work on the "easy" part when hitting those uphills, but loving the Patriot Sangria just about all other times.

And here is the inspiration recipe:
http://wine.about.com/od/howwineismade/r/patriotsangria.htm

Did you notice the red, white and blue ingredients?

Maybe Not My Best Brick

Yesterday's 30 mile bike and 8 mile run probably wasn't my best brick. The paces for the bike and run, when I actually biked and ran, were not bad. But I seemed to find many ways to stall and break-up the workout:

• Before brick begins, talk to Coach B about IM CDA. Fiddle with Patriot, water bottles, food. Move Amarone from backseat to bike rack. TRIgirl KB said she'd be coming by to test her out. TRIgirl Annnn asks me if I am going to ride sometime today - hop on the bike and go.
• About halfway through the bike, pull into parking lot, look for TRIgirl KB. Don't see her, continue ride.
• After the bike, run into TRIgirl KB. Amarone is too big for her, too. TRIgirl JH had expressed interest as her husband is looking for a bike. Pack Amarone into her van to give him a chance to try it out.
• Complain about running to Coach B.
• TRIgirl DL heads out on the run, telling me she'll meet me later.
• Eat Gu. Drink cold water kindly offered by TRIgirl Annnn.
• Put on visor, reset Garmin, head out.
• Forget fuel belt. Go back, put it on. Head out again.
• Forgot IPOD. Go back, put it on. Head out again.
• Forgot to body glide. Go back, put some on. Finally head out to begin run for real.
• At mile two, catch up with TRIgirl DL - who was ready for a water break. Sounds good. Stop. Drink. Decide to continue with her plan to stop at every mile for hydration.
• Heat picks up.
• Around mile 4, run into TRIgirls SD, MW (Happy 40th birthday!), AF, TD and TB. Stop and talk for a few minutes. Decide to run the rest together.
• Humidity worsens.
• Stop at mile 5 to buy cold water, refill water bottles. Sit by picnic tables for awhile to gossip, chat, complain about heat.
• Stop at mile 7 to walk up nasty Capital One hill. Too hot.
• Finish run - 1:25 time for 8 miles actually ran. Probably covered over 9 miles including walking - and probably took close to two hours factoring in all the breaks.

So maybe this was more a sponge than a brick.

Hanging Up Those Boxing Gloves

As those of you following along may remember, my running style leaves much to be desired. Give me some boxing gloves and I may even be able to hold my own against a kangaroo.

I've been working on keeping my shoulders relaxed, elbows behind me and hands down for several months. It still is a conscious effort.

The run photos from my past two races show that occasionally I am getting it right - or at least making progress. More often than not, especially when tired, the pictures tell the truth - my shoulders want to come up and in - and my subconscious hope for a punching bag comes out.

Need proof?

Not perfect, but not bad, running at the PowerSprint (remember, it was a hurricane):





















Bad running at Eagleman (I tried to pick up the pace a little after seeing the finish line):




















Now that the post Eagleman slack period off is over, we've resumed a more serious run schedule - and I'm still struggling to piece this form thing together.

6 miles yesterday, 4 today. I seem to be able to concentrate on my form for a quarter mile maximum. Then I get distracted. Or tired. Or bored.

But I've discovered a few things. Watching my shadow can give me an indication of just how much my arms are flying around. Sometimes, when things "feel" right, I'll check Garmin and see that my pace is better. Other times, I look down, thinking things feel right - and see that my pace has dropped, but when going through all the checkpoints, can also figure out that something slipped.

I just hope someday, muscle memory kicks-in. Looking less like a kangaroo when running, no matter how cute they are, would be a welcome improvement.

Patriot

I love my new bike. I LOVE my new bike.

At the suggestion of Triathlonmom, because she is red, white and blue and because we will be doing the Patriot Half later this year and because it is so close to July 4th, Patriot will be either her first or middle name. Still need a wine related one, too, though.

Yeah, Patriot and I are getting to know each other, though our first outing went wonderfully. Not sure how she felt about her new Sip Away cup and Bento Box, but she tolerated it. Her seat is way too low (got in a great quad workout today) - and the aerobars need to come up and maybe in a bit, too. She is happy I not only adjusted to, but also love, the gear shifting on the aerobars, her responsive brakes and the way-cool clipless pedals that may actually need to be tightened. We are already making progress on flats and downhills, but I need to figure out how to work with her on the uphills.

Patriot and I have many miles ahead of us - and if she can deal with her less experienced rider, she may just have the satisfaction of seeing her new owner become a more confident and possibly faster bicyclist.

Signs

When all (or even almost all) the arguments are gone for something your really want - maybe you just have to take a deep breath, have trust and go for it.

A week or so ago, Triathlonmom posted an incredible deal about a locally advertised top notch time trial/triathlon bike. The kind of bike I could never imagine owning or being able to afford - except it was on sale for 1/3 of its value - close to what I paid less than a year ago for Amarone.

I emailed the seller, but around the same time, I noticed another TRIgirl must have called, too. She posted on our forum that she was going to see the bike. She had first dibs in my book - and I didn't even want to let her know I was interested in case it would pressure her. There was still my whole other list of reasons of why I shouldn't even pursue it.

She decided against the bike.

So the seller called me again to see if I was interested. I threw out the next obstacle - how big was the bike? Amarone is a size 54 - and as I later learned, too big for my just under 5'5" frame.

He is 5'4" - the bike was custom made for him - about a size 50. From what I've learned more recently, a 48 might be slightly better, but the bike was a size that was more in range.

Maybe the bike was a bunch of hype - so I went out this week to check it out. I told my husband, who made a comment about a car expense planned for next month, "I am just going to SEE the bike."

The 2006 bike looked brand spanking new. I swear I don't think there was any grease on the chain. I found out the seller put it on the market because of health conditions - he could ride, but no longer compete in races. He said he could sell all the components for more than what he was selling the bike - but really wanted the bike to go to someone who would appreciate it. He spoke with such affection and enthusiasm for the bike and his racing days - it was touching.

I took the bike out for a ride. Wow! So light - so light that I felt a little unsettled. So smooth. Everything just worked much better than anything I've ever riden - from the brakes that were quiet and extremely responsive to even the clipless pedals, which I clicked in and out of effortlessly. I rode around his neighborhood - the shifters were on the aero bars - which I would need to get used to - but have actually been thinking would be a great next step as I've started to really appreciate riding in an aero position. There would be a learning curve to get used to the bike, but hitting 18-19 mph with moderate effort (but less than I was used to on the flats) seemed promising.

I noted the components to see if they matched what had been posted in the ad. I Googled them and saw that they were high end and highly rated. Here are some of the specifics:

Custom Teschner FX Pro TT/Tri frame
Easton TaperWall 7005 Aluminum With:
- Aero Tapered Race Down & Seat Tube
- Aero Profile GX2 Scandium Top Tube
- Aero Ultralite Fast Back Seat Stays
- Ovalised and Tapered Scandium “S” Bend Chain Stays
- Internal Rear Brake & Rear Der. through top tube. Front Der. through down tube
- Integrated Headset Easton Carbon EC90Aero fork
- Oval Concepts full carbon aero bars
- Oval Concepts Stem Chris King Head Set
- 700c America Classic 420 wheels black with their special bladed spokes
- Titanium Quick Releases
- Groupo 9 Speed Dura Ace: Cassette 11-23 Dura Ace TT/Tri Chain Rings 56-44 Dura Ace Bottom Bracket, Dura Ace Front Derailleur, Dura Ace Crank Arms, Dura Ace Rear Derailleur, Dura Ace Brakes, Dura Ace Bar End Shifters, Dura Ace Look Carbon CX-6 Pedals

I thought about it for a day or so. I started to think how I could cover the costs. Maybe selling Vinho Verde and/or Amarone, a bit of stock I'd been holding onto for years that wasn't doing much - that would just about cover the price tag. A nagging part of me felt unworthy of such a high tech bike.

When I approached the hubby a few days later - and sent him all the specifics about the bike, he told me to go for it - which was a wonderful sign of support and just what I needed to call the seller and tell him I was ready to make an offer. I'd exhausteded just about all the doubts and guilt. I wanted the bike, but felt a bit indulgent about buying something less than a year after Amarone. Maybe I should have done more research a year ago - or not trusted the bike store that told me that the Amarone looked great for me.

The part of me that, growing up, wanted to make sure every stuffed animal was equally loved - also made me feel a bit loyal to Amarone. She is a good bike - a good climber - and if I can find a way to keep her - I will.

Another part of me wondered about the seller - would he be riding 10-15-20 years from now? He seemed in good spirits and health - and it was beyond my comfort level to pry further.

But tomorrow, with residue worries of something that seems too good to be true, I will pick up my new ride - one that needs a new wine related name for her red, white and blue frame.

I am going for it - I am not fighting the signs.

Onward and Upward!

Did you notice?

At the foot of my blog.

There is a new counter.

One for Ironman Florida.

Seriously, right now, I'm feeling optimistic about IMFL. Eagleman went better than I hoped. Though I was quite tired after the race, I finished feeling like I had some "reserves" left. The soreness was gone within just a day or so - and after a week and half of modified workouts, I am looking forward to getting back to longer training sessions - like this weekend's 50 mile bike and 3 mile run. Even most of my race photos show a comfortable, happy participant.

Several of my Maramarc friends and training buddies (well, they were always way ahead of me during any workout, so I am not sure I can say we actually "trained" together) are doing Ironman Coeur d'Alene this weekend. My Eagleman high has been extended by an excitement for them - and looking forward to watching their progress online. They will do great and I can't wait to hear all the details.

So for now, I am going to enjoy this great feeling. Before the workouts begin dominating my life and challenge my spirits. Before November 3rd starts looking much closer on my calendar.

Any bets as to when I'll start panicking?

A Tri Tribute to Dad

I wonder if my Dad realizes he has been a key force in preparing me to do triathlons.

Growing up in Queens, New York, my parents put up a small backyard pool every summer for as long as I can remember. I think I was about five when Dad taught me to swim. While I wish I could remember exactly what happened, I kind of recollect him teaching me to float on my back – holding me at first, then gradually letting go. I also remember him telling me how to move my arms, and then to kick my legs, without a tube. A couple of years later, we were at a resort in the Poconos, my first overnight vacation – and with a “huge” in ground pool. I had been hanging around the shallow end with my mom and aunt for hours until my dad and uncle both encouraged me to jump into the deep end. I remember a feeling of cautious trust – as I leapt in and swam my first length across an in ground pool. I grew up being my Dad’s little fish, loving the water. And just like so many other things besides swimming, if Dad said I could do it, it seemed possible.

Around six or seven, it was time to take the training wheels off my bike. My Mom and Dad took me to my elementary school playground and Dad ran behind me as I struggled with my first pedal strokes to balance my bike on just two thin wheels. And Dad was right there, always within distance of catching me, always encouraging and always making me feel confident and special.

I pretty much figured how to run on my own. Though, when I was in my teens, Dad took up jogging. Nike and Adidas running sneakers were becoming popular – and it was all the craze to own a pair – even if you didn’t run. Dad would go for a run almost every day after work. There were no IPODs at the time, but Dad did have this rather bulky headset for listening to music. One day, I joined him for a run and he showed me the mile route he had planned out through our pretty and quiet neighborhood. I don’t even think I finished a mile the first time we went out, but we ran together a bunch of times and after a while, I was almost able to keep up with him for a few miles. When Dad signed up to do his first 5K in our neighborhood, it was my first exposure to local organized races. Dad was also somewhat of a back-packer in running, and his self-effacing ability to make fun of himself – like his light hearted comments about beating the fire truck – taught me that there was so much more to sports than being fast or winning a race.

So on this day, when I have many, many reasons to be thankful for my wonderful Dad - here are a few of the many ways he has been an inspirational and supportive part of my love for triathlon, and more importantly, my life.

Happy Father’s Day!

Ahhh, Race Recovery

Post race recovery time is sweet!

TRIgirls AM, CH and I stayed the night in Maryland after Eagleman. We were starving - and as TRIgirl CH's folks had unsuccessfully battled traffic to try and see the race, it was great to spend some time with them at a local restaurant before they had to turn right back around and head home. We had a wonderful, indulgent meal then scoped out a nearby hotel, which, lucky for us, had a (chilly) pool and a (very hot) hot tub. After lounging around for a bit, we took showers and realized we were hungry again. We went in search of our second dinner (and some dessert) for the evening. Then crashed!

The next morning, I woke up feeling very stiff and sore. Thanks to some pain relievers, I felt better by the end of the day - but still a bit weak. Though, by Tuesday morning, most of the race after-effects were gone.

It's been great reliving the race - between the wonderful messages from friends and family and sharing stories and photos. Thank you, all!

Our first scheduled post Eagleman workout from Coach G was to get in the water on Tuesday or Wednesday, float around a bit, preferrably in a tube.

Which made me smile.

Seriously, we're supposed to do some light swimming and a short run this week - and spin around on the bike one day if we get the chance. And Saturday's workout is to sleep in - probably our last official Saturday "off" for awhile. So, I've followed orders and resumed a few light workouts.

And haven't felt half bad.

But I think my tube will be seeing the most activity this weekend.

The Thrill of Victory (or Just Finishing) - The Eagleman Race Report

Before going into the race report, let’s pick up where we last left off...

When the TRIgirls were about to leave their lovely waterfront rental to bring their bikes to the transition area and check out the course…

During packet pick-up on Friday, the race venue was fairly empty. When we arrived on Saturday, it was like no race we’d ever seen. About 90% of the bikes were high end – Zipp tires, carbon, suspension frames, stuff I couldn’t even identify. I felt like I had “dumb newbie” stamped across my forehead. Maybe my first half-Ironman (or 70.3 as TRIgirls CH and AM decided it should always be called) shouldn’t have been a Kona qualifier.

We walked over to check out the swim. I’m usually more comfortable in the water than some of the other TRIgirls, so I kept what I was really thinking to myself, “We’re supposed to swim in that???” Millions of rough looking white cap waves were barreling across the Choptank. A few racers trying out the swim course were pulling into the exit ramp, which looked calmer, but not much.

I decided to stick with my plan to get in the water. I wanted to know what would hopefully be the worst to expect. We walked over to the swim start. The water also appeared calmer at the entry point, so I was relieved. A few other TRIgirls decided to swim out to the first buoy with me. Good news – the water was warm - no undertow (nor jellyfish!). The less than good news, there was definitely some sloshing around going on, which worsened by the first buoy. I worried a bit about what that might mean as the turn around was quite a bit further into the river. The swim seemed doable. Though I can’t say I was entirely comfortable with the idea of swimming 1.2 miles in the Choptank.

We drove the bike course. Flat. Some scenic views. Some boring miles. But did I say FLAT? No concerns there.

We had just enough time to make it to our pre-race dinner, where we even celebrated Coach M’s birthday. Then we went home, finished up our transition bag packing and went to bed. I thought about the words of wisdom from the TRIgirl Coaches and Ironwoman Canada. I checked out my “Going Long” book and shared a few tips with the TRIgirl racers. I actually, sort of, had a race plan.

Now on to the actual race report…

Six hours, and, maybe, three hours of disrupted sleep later, it was time to get out of bed. Eagleman Race Day had arrived. The weather was promising. Cool and very overcast.

Thanks to TRIgirl KO’s friend’s connection, we lucked out with valet parking and a few tips from an experienced volunteer and racer.

Even with dropping off the bike the day before, I felt there was just enough time to set up my transition area. Irongirl AM and I tried to juggle one last porto-potty stop, braiding her hair and leaving the transition area before it closed.

Then the worst part of the day. Waiting to actually begin. I’ve never cried before a race, until Eagleman - between an encouraging TRIgirl cheer, the stress from the previous few days – and my own fears and doubts. Thank you, TRIgirl SL, my fellow 40-44 racer Eagleman morning, for the perfect amount of support and distraction.

I was in the first women’s wave – pink caps. There were beautiful sun rays streaming out of the heavy cloud cover. A kind woman next to me must have sensed my panic and told me not to worry, she was a slow swimmer. I took both these events as positive signs.

I positioned myself toward the back and far side of the course. I did not want to be swam over. 30 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, it was time to go!

I started swimming. About a third of the pack took off like lightening. Before the second buoy, I’d worked my way to my own space, closer to the buoys. The water was calmer than my pre-race trial. By the third buoy, I started to enjoy the Choptank. I knew I would finish the swim.

I remembered part of my plan. To swim at a relaxed pace that would not leave me tired. And it worked. Sometimes, I thought about my form. I struggled a few times to stay on the course. I sighed when a bunch of orange caps from the wave behind mine passed me like I wasn’t even there. I had hoped to finish the swim in 45-50 minutes, but after seeing all those swimmers kick my butt, I figured it was too ambitious. The exit was a little harder to find than I expected – and included about 100 yards of some black grunge that was absolutely disgusting. Exiting the swim, I looked down at my watch. 40 minutes and a few seconds. Out loud, I said “Wow, that’s not bad!” TRIgirl DL’s husband was right there, heard me and cheered me on.

(PG moment) In the transition area, I thought about all the debate about peeing on the bike, - I still didn’t know if I wanted to ruin my expensive seat or bike shoes, but I did “relieve myself” next to Amarone, in a very conservative way.

With the fear part of the race over, I was looking forward to the bike. The course was so flat, I was psyched. I remember more of my plan; push on the bike only when overcoming the swim.

Check! Except that, when I accomplished my “check” point and felt like I could push the bike a little, everyone was still passing me. For the first half of the bike, I occasionally peeked at Garmin, seeing 18-20 mile per hour paces. But bike after bike was passing me. All I could do was be a “polite passee”.

Who were these aliens and how did they bike so fast?

I remembered more of my plan. Hydrate, eat and save those legs for the run. The sun was growing stronger. Heat is not usually a factor for my bikes, but it can hurt my runs.

Thanks to my “Sip Away” cup and few “girly” stops to refill, I was keeping hydrated (I pulled over, came to a complete spot, fumbled with my bottles, then resumed bicycling (true competitors grabbed their hydration of choice and gracefully placed it in their aerobar bottle or water cages)).

I was not doing well with my nutrition plan of 200 calories per hour. The broken-up Powerbar was way too heavy. The PBJ sandwich was marginally better. I ate 1/3 of what I packed, then, focused on a few sports beans every 5 miles. I had a slight headache; I figured it was either calorie or hydration related.

Halfway through the bike, some serious, famous Eagleman wind kicked in – my pace was more in the 14-15 mph range. Toward the end of the bike, I found a few similar cyclists. We all kind of hung in our bike positions for the last quarter of the ride. I wanted to finish the bike in 3:30, my 3:17ish time made me happy, though I still wondered how all those racers passed me!

I dismounted the bike and remembered how I felt after the Crackhead Invitational. Tired legs can still run. Ignoring my desire to plow through as many miles I could, as fast as I could (now, now, don’t laugh), I remembered the TRIgirl coaches and Ironwoman Canada's advice – walk through the water stations.

This tidbit saved my run. As anyone who knows me can confirm, I truly suck at running. While I think just about every Eagleman racer passed me on the bike (when I thought was holding a decent pace) I was able to hang with my group of fellow backpack runners. I walked every water stop, asking for two waters, dumping one and a half on my head and drinking the leftover, supplementing Accelerade and GUs from my geeky fuel belt. After seeing the unexpected cheering squad of Ironfolk KB and SS, around mile two, it was another confirmation, no matter how much I might have to walk, I would finish this race.

The weather gods were kind. The sun during the bike was mostly gone for the run. Other than some mild humidity, the run was cloudy and temperatures were in the upper 70s. I held a consistent running pace - around 10:30-11:00 minutes per mile from start to end. Walking the water stops put my average around 11:40.

Even in a race as big as Eagleman, TRIgirl force is still powerful. During the run, I think I saw every TRIgirl racer and the Maramarc folks. One man and I kept pace. He was running more of the course, but I would pass him between “water dumps and walks.” Around mile 10, I passed him. “OK, [TRIgirl 40] – you really do look great.” He’d heard all the TRIgirl racers and support crew’s words of encouragement for many a-mile.

And so the TRIgirls and I finished…

The “end” was beautiful. I felt strong enough to pick up the pace as TRIgirl racers and supporters cheered me in. I didn’t know or care if my name was announced at the finish, I just wanted to find the amazing crew who either had completed the race or who had driven over three or four hours to support us. (In addition to TRIgirls KB and SS, TRIgirls SG, Jones and Fave, made the long trek from Richmond to cheer us in. TRIgirl JR and her son, helped set up the RTC tent with beverages and food.

I wanted to finish under 8 hours. I thought, if the moons aligned, I might hit somewhere between 7 – 7:30. My time was around 6:41:48. I knew the generous weather gods and the quieted Choptank were big factors.

But it still felt great.

Many TRIgirls’ times were within minutes of mine – but more importantly we all crossed the finish line. So many women, all beating their own demons, self doubt and physical exhaustion – conquered Eagleman. On one fine day in June 2007.

Postscript…

There are just so many people who helped me finish this race.

Coaches – your ability to challenge and propose training regimes I never thought I could do helped me believe I was capable of more than I ever hoped.

Teammates – thank you for being there for the training and the race – whether providing encouragment, sharing a happy face or being a pace Nazi!

Supporters – thanks to all who drove miles, shared tears, took pictures – and just “understood” the importance of this accomplishment to the competing TRIgirls.

Family – my parents, siblings, siblings-in-law, step-siblings, husband and furkids – somehow, I’ve hit the jackpot with having an amazing family.

We're Here!

The TRIgirl caravan landed in MD yesterday afternoon around 5:00. Thanks to TRIgirl CD, we even have a "TRIchick Parking Only - All Others Will Be Towed Away and Crushed" sign hanging in the rental driveway.

We headed out to the expo and picked up our race packets. Everyone had way fancy bikes. At least no one laughed out loud at mine.

The river was like glass when we arrived. Not so much today after a major thunderstorm.

Weather predictions look good for race day - high of 79, partly cloudy and winds 5-10 miles per hour.

We're hydrating and eating (some more than others). And we are about to head out to check out the bike course and see just how choppy the Choptank is after a storm.

Huge thanks for all the calls and emails of support - especially Mom and Dad - and my sister-in-law - who sent me a timely article about the increase in Ironman popularity!

So If I Don't Finish...

...Eagleman, will it be because I did not get in my 12 mile bike workout this week as part of our taper?

Illogical, I know, but it is bothering me. I could do it Friday morning, but I think it would be better to take the day off.

Thank goodness (?) it has been an incredibly stressful and busy week at work, distracting me from panicking too much about Eagleman.

Until Friday, when I am supposed to be off for traveling to Cambridge with the TRIgirl caravan.

A PR (Tiny) in a Hurricane (Almost) - or the Powersprint Race Report

Saturday afternoon, I packed my bag for a hot and humid Powersprint Triathlon. I was starting to chill out for the evening when my husband announced the weather conditions for Sunday - rain all day, heavy at times in the afternoon. Hurricane Barry was acomin' and about to leave us some miserable tropical depression weather as a gift.

No! That is not what I was expecting! I even packed electrolytes, a visor and sunglasses!

I went to bed a little after 9:00 pm Saturday evening and slept fairly well until the alarm went off at 5:10 am. I took the Butt and Fezzy for their morning out - humid and warmer than I anticipated, but not bad. I threw my light windbreaker into my race bag and drove the five miles to the Powersprint.

I arrived a few minutes earlier than past years' races - to a very empty parking lot - wondering if the weather scared off a few participants. Since no numbers were on the bike racks, several early TRIgirl racers marked TRIgirl "alley" with a duck helium balloon.

Seeing TRIgirl volunteers was encouraging. TRIgirl JH welcomed me to the race and TRIgirl CH magic markered the numbers on my limbs - and even added a "Go TRIgirls!" inspirational message to my left calf (and TRIgirl Fave's, too!).

At this point, the rain was alternating between a drizzle and downpour. I noticed that most racers had not set up their transition area. So, basically, I just tried to organize my gear bag with what I would need for the bike on top and for the run below. Then zipped it up the best I could to keep things dry.

The temperature seemed to be dropping steadily as I waited with many TRIgirls and Powersprint racers for the swim to begin. My predicted start time put me just after the top third of the swimmers and I was never so happy to step into the steam room like pool conditions. I had a decent swim - took over 30 seconds off last year's race time for the 300 meters, though I was secretly hoping for another 10 seconds more. Still, I ended up finishing in the top 25% for my age group and gender with the swim.

Supposedly, my lackadaisical transition, including finding my pink flip-flops before running across the muddy terrain to get my bike, amused the TRIgirls and Coach B - who I later found out jokingly commented to a few TRIgirls - "What is she doing?" - and "She will not be doing that next week." My T1 was slower than last year - but at least I had the excuse of not having anything laid out!

With the wet weather, I resigned myself to a slower than originally hoped bike. I was not going to risk skidding out and hurting myself one week before Eagleman. Hearing TRIgirl CD remind me that this was not my "A" race and to be safe as I started out of T1 made me feel better about the decision.

The first two-thirds of the bike were wet, but not miserable, as there were occasional breaks in the rain. I even was able to push it at a decent pace on a few flat straights. I was very cautious, slowing down at anything resembling a hill or turn. The last third, though, was smack into some serious headwind. Worse than my blustery day experience, as sheets of rain were also pouring down. TRIgirl Patty whizzed by me like a demon at one point about halfway through, but other than that, I think I was holding my own on the bike, passing as many riders as those who passed me. Overall, I shaved off about two minutes on the bike - which I won't sneeze at given the conditions.

I was so relieved to dismount at T2, with a Guppy volunteer cheering me in. I rummaged around in my very wet bag to find my running gear and headed out onto my least favorite and weakest part of the triathlon.

The rain just continued to get heavier and heavier. Though I have to say, when it comes to running, I'll still take a tropical depression over 90 degree temperatures and high humidity. I took off about a minute and a half on the run, ending up with a 5K race PR - and not just triathlon 5Ks. Ironically, my run pace was a 9:39 - 1 second faster than my training tempo pace.

I ended up having an overall race PR by about 3 minutes - and as we all joked - in a "hurricane!" I would have ideally liked another two minutes off - but I'll take what I can get. I finished exactly at the 50% percentile for all women. While several new TRIgirls did better (sometimes way better!) than me (after two years of training) - I remembered where I started - and was truly happy for all (including myself) who competed the day Hurricane Barry rocked Richmond.

Because my estimated swim time was on the shorter side and it was a pool swim, I was able to catch quite a bit of the remaining race. Thank goodness TRIgirl MM and her boyfriend shared warm wool blankets with the cheering squad - including TRIgirl TB and Coach B's cute niece (we did a great impersonation of an Emperor Penguin with our littlest fan). It was so much fun to watch the TRIgirl racers and several coworkers - almost all turning out for the race (including many newbies) - cross that finish line, tears, smiles, exhaustion and all!

Powerkids!

This morning, I headed out to watch the Powerkids Triathlon.

I had to smile when I arrived and saw all the young competitors lined up, some with fancier tri-clothes than mine and all of them "raced" up with magic marker numbers on their arms and legs. I even heard a few giving transition tips to their friends.

The race started off with a pool swim. The kids jumped in the water, some on alert in "race position" waiting for the "Ready, Set, Go!" I watched the swimmers for awhile. Some obviously were on a swim team. Some struggled to finish the one or two laps, grabbing onto the ropes and pulling themselves along. None gave up. A few looked dazed getting out of the water. A couple were serious - whipping off their swim caps and goggles with a look of fierce determination as they sprinted to the bikes. I saw myself in some, too - the little chubby girls smiling and trudging along.

The race coordinators and volunteers were wonderful (including TRIgirl JRo). They waited for a racer who lost her timing chip and helped place it back on. They cheered on a swimmer finishing a lap alone as the rest of the wave was long gone. They announced the finishers over a loudspeaker with individualized comments.

It was great to see TRIgirls JR, DS and RW's kids race. TRIgirl JR's son had a fabulous swim and I could tell Mom was proud - and Irondad, too. TRIgirl DS ran by later, pointing to the cutest little girl on the run and calling out - "that's my daughter." I swear she had her Mom's form, speed and grace.

I think I may have found my biggest inspiration for tomorrow's PowerSprint from these young racers.

Go, Powerkids, Go!