My coach tells me that 70 is not too cold. Not a real need for a neoprene cap.
Tell I tell you that I've done the majority of my laps in a pool 84 degrees?
And that I like it?
While it's true, that the mornings I've taken more time to get in the water than my first four laps take because it was cooler than normal I have swum faster(even before my lesson with Tim) than usual and felt better upon completion- comfort is my first concern.
My coach tells me to get in on Saturday morning for 10-20 minutes- get wet, swim out swim back and get out. No problem. The trick I think...is wanting to go back on Sunday and do it again knowing what I'll know then.
Two caps. Can help.
There's the sudden concern maybe ear plugs will keep cold out- but I don't train with them so it seems like a bad idea.
I do train with a nose plug- but am afraid that will fall off. I may try the wrap around the neck version this morning and see if that is worth the switch.
The goggles I have leak just a little and I adjust them a lot. I'm tightening this morning before jumping in- so see if I can fix that.
Last minute worries. They aren't about chemo, radiation, losing my hair, being able to work, or fear of not seeing my son play next season. I have few worries. I have luxuries.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Transition Bag
The 2010 race guide finally arrived in my "in" box just last week. Not that it offered information much different than the 2009 guide, but it was a long-awaited publication I'm sure for some 2000 athletes registered for AZ Ironman. As if we didn't have enough to think about in final days of peak weeks and tapers. We could BMW about that not being done too in order to vent some pent up anxiety onto someone else!
So in pouring over the 'bags' I'll receive at athlete check-in. I made my bedroom floor transition and aid-station central last weekend. From the swim pile, to the swim-to-bike pile, then the special needs bike bag, the bike-to-run transition bag, the special needs run bag and finally it will be done!
Oh, the dilemma over what to put in each. And the distress about 'will I find peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches while I'm there?' In that contemplation I nearly forgot the swimsuit that I'll need for under the wet suit. Having volunteers strip me naked on the beach after the swim is not only something I want to avoid, but evidently public nudity is illegal.
You need to have reflective material on your bike gear. That's because they think there's a good chance you'll finish in the dark.
You're not to place anything in your transition or special needs bags "of value." I'm wondering what that definition is? I highly value that new Pearl I bike jacket that I'm thinking will feel good on the bike after 70 degree water, and I also think that by the time I hit my special needs bike bag I might be warm enough to ditch it.
I need a friend or family member to get my bike in case I can't make it back by midnight to retrieve it. I either have to get married before Sunday morning or make a new non-competing friend before Sunday in order for that to happen. Everything must be removed by midnight. They don't say "or what." I may find out. Or they may have a new Cervelo and slightly used wet suit, and size 8 biking shoes.
Walking, Running and crawling are legal ways to cross the finish line. All other forms of locomotion are not. Good to know.
Then there's the Julie Moss story that always looms in the back of my mind. Nothing is said about that in the athlete guide.
So in pouring over the 'bags' I'll receive at athlete check-in. I made my bedroom floor transition and aid-station central last weekend. From the swim pile, to the swim-to-bike pile, then the special needs bike bag, the bike-to-run transition bag, the special needs run bag and finally it will be done!
Oh, the dilemma over what to put in each. And the distress about 'will I find peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches while I'm there?' In that contemplation I nearly forgot the swimsuit that I'll need for under the wet suit. Having volunteers strip me naked on the beach after the swim is not only something I want to avoid, but evidently public nudity is illegal.
You need to have reflective material on your bike gear. That's because they think there's a good chance you'll finish in the dark.
You're not to place anything in your transition or special needs bags "of value." I'm wondering what that definition is? I highly value that new Pearl I bike jacket that I'm thinking will feel good on the bike after 70 degree water, and I also think that by the time I hit my special needs bike bag I might be warm enough to ditch it.
I need a friend or family member to get my bike in case I can't make it back by midnight to retrieve it. I either have to get married before Sunday morning or make a new non-competing friend before Sunday in order for that to happen. Everything must be removed by midnight. They don't say "or what." I may find out. Or they may have a new Cervelo and slightly used wet suit, and size 8 biking shoes.
Walking, Running and crawling are legal ways to cross the finish line. All other forms of locomotion are not. Good to know.
Then there's the Julie Moss story that always looms in the back of my mind. Nothing is said about that in the athlete guide.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Gratitiude List
During miles and minutes and hours of training there has been one constant. Aside from the sacrifice of time that would have spent otherwise and with other people, and the extra laundry, groceries, need for sleep, and desire for massage, I mean one constant besides those!
It's been a spiritual experience. Any longer run, swim or bike can do that on some level. But over these months it's been especially true. So many more people around me, next to me, and just one person away from me have had health issues during my training time. To be here. To have the ability to choose this goal, in itself has been a blessing. Last night before I went to sleep I realized next Sunday (November 21) I most likely would still be out there. Prior to the marathons I've done I always told myself or anyone training with me that getting to the starting line healthy was the goal. So it is with this. Looking back at this year, its been amazing. I've had maybe one or two days of not feeling good. I had half a week where I didn't hit the workouts in time or distance. That at the time seemed like a loss. In the scheme of things you train that long and it's built in; its OK and you can adjust.
I've thought about people who have passed through my life who got me to this place of thinking I can and wanting to push limits.
My grandmother McCaw who was always so glad to see me and sorry to see me go; first to praise efforts of creativity and taught me to dream about what I could do with those early talents; and provided me with opportunities.
Sharon Mathes who was my major professor and who until recently rejected my early ideas about thesis work for reasons I only now understand. Handling life with her ease and grace of touching people is a worthy goal.
Don Palmer who began his life over at 54 with a woman with a 6 year old and three older children to boot. He taught me most about how to define a well-lived life. When I'm forgetting to laugh at things that are out of my control and when I'm being small, I'm reminded of what he might do instead.
There are more, but these three I know are somewhere that they can see the start and finish. I'm hoping to see them between mile 1 and 140 - in a tailwind through the bike, or a second wind on a hill in the run, even better yet in that little swim start amongst 2000 people.
I see myself at least now soaking up the day and the experience and knowing there's only one first time. I see myself thanking the volunteers and officials and the spectators who are there for others but encouraging everyone. I know that feeling of having a day of racing like that will be my goal much more than any time. And that the richness of that experience is based on the people who have influenced those kinds of values in me.
It's been a spiritual experience. Any longer run, swim or bike can do that on some level. But over these months it's been especially true. So many more people around me, next to me, and just one person away from me have had health issues during my training time. To be here. To have the ability to choose this goal, in itself has been a blessing. Last night before I went to sleep I realized next Sunday (November 21) I most likely would still be out there. Prior to the marathons I've done I always told myself or anyone training with me that getting to the starting line healthy was the goal. So it is with this. Looking back at this year, its been amazing. I've had maybe one or two days of not feeling good. I had half a week where I didn't hit the workouts in time or distance. That at the time seemed like a loss. In the scheme of things you train that long and it's built in; its OK and you can adjust.
I've thought about people who have passed through my life who got me to this place of thinking I can and wanting to push limits.
My grandmother McCaw who was always so glad to see me and sorry to see me go; first to praise efforts of creativity and taught me to dream about what I could do with those early talents; and provided me with opportunities.
Sharon Mathes who was my major professor and who until recently rejected my early ideas about thesis work for reasons I only now understand. Handling life with her ease and grace of touching people is a worthy goal.
Don Palmer who began his life over at 54 with a woman with a 6 year old and three older children to boot. He taught me most about how to define a well-lived life. When I'm forgetting to laugh at things that are out of my control and when I'm being small, I'm reminded of what he might do instead.
There are more, but these three I know are somewhere that they can see the start and finish. I'm hoping to see them between mile 1 and 140 - in a tailwind through the bike, or a second wind on a hill in the run, even better yet in that little swim start amongst 2000 people.
I see myself at least now soaking up the day and the experience and knowing there's only one first time. I see myself thanking the volunteers and officials and the spectators who are there for others but encouraging everyone. I know that feeling of having a day of racing like that will be my goal much more than any time. And that the richness of that experience is based on the people who have influenced those kinds of values in me.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Timely swimming tips
Too many miles on the tri bike may have resulted in some bad habits! The posture evidently had carried over to the water. Something about keeping your nose to the grindstone may have had something to do with it. But an innocent bystander observing my stroke on Friday morning asked if she could make a suggestion.
I was both thinking, "You have no idea what you're doing" meaning- giving me more things to frett about weeks before swimming longer than I've ever swam, in water colder than I've ever swam, with more people than I've ever swam...you get the idea!
However, I did have the common sense to identify that she had a beautiful stroke herself and was swimming with such ease that I was trying to emulate her even before she spoke to me. I called Tim Hansen and scheduled one of the half hour swim lessons I've had on my books for over three years!
Sat am at 7 I asked him to observe me as I started my long workout for that day and not give me too much to overwhelm me but tips that would make the biggest impact on economy and efficiency to help cut down on fatigue and ensure I could relax sooner into my own swim pace.
With his tips I cut 6 seconds off my 25yd and 16 off my 100. Plus, it felt easy- as if I was gliding rather than working harder expending more energy.
I wasn't sure about whether to laugh or cry.....the months of maybe less than good form- expending energy that could have been reserved for more distance, or for better recovery.
I laughed instead- how fun was that!
No one ever accused me of being fast! OK- one person, and I at the time felt sorry for him, thinking that he really needed lessons!
A friend of my son's commented to him on how slow I was in the pool while swimming laps at the country club this summer. Something like a "your mamma" joke I suppose. I couldn't hold telling the truth against him! All I could do was think, if you think that's bad you should see my run and bike! It's true I was getting slower every day !!
At least some light at the end of the tunnel.
New book by my nightstand. I finished "Seventeen Hours to Glory" and am reading the lone from swim coach, "Becoming an Ironman." It's exactly what I need this next three weeks. Triumph from all walks of athlete and the simple reminder that mere mortals do do this.
I may be learning the most about what to pack in my special needs bags from this book. The expert books all tell it like a bullet point list, but this one, from the trenches tells me what worked for these people. So far the common denominator? Advil, Aleve and some kind of treats to look forward to!
19 days to go. OMG.
I was both thinking, "You have no idea what you're doing" meaning- giving me more things to frett about weeks before swimming longer than I've ever swam, in water colder than I've ever swam, with more people than I've ever swam...you get the idea!
However, I did have the common sense to identify that she had a beautiful stroke herself and was swimming with such ease that I was trying to emulate her even before she spoke to me. I called Tim Hansen and scheduled one of the half hour swim lessons I've had on my books for over three years!
Sat am at 7 I asked him to observe me as I started my long workout for that day and not give me too much to overwhelm me but tips that would make the biggest impact on economy and efficiency to help cut down on fatigue and ensure I could relax sooner into my own swim pace.
With his tips I cut 6 seconds off my 25yd and 16 off my 100. Plus, it felt easy- as if I was gliding rather than working harder expending more energy.
I wasn't sure about whether to laugh or cry.....the months of maybe less than good form- expending energy that could have been reserved for more distance, or for better recovery.
I laughed instead- how fun was that!
No one ever accused me of being fast! OK- one person, and I at the time felt sorry for him, thinking that he really needed lessons!
A friend of my son's commented to him on how slow I was in the pool while swimming laps at the country club this summer. Something like a "your mamma" joke I suppose. I couldn't hold telling the truth against him! All I could do was think, if you think that's bad you should see my run and bike! It's true I was getting slower every day !!
At least some light at the end of the tunnel.
New book by my nightstand. I finished "Seventeen Hours to Glory" and am reading the lone from swim coach, "Becoming an Ironman." It's exactly what I need this next three weeks. Triumph from all walks of athlete and the simple reminder that mere mortals do do this.
I may be learning the most about what to pack in my special needs bags from this book. The expert books all tell it like a bullet point list, but this one, from the trenches tells me what worked for these people. So far the common denominator? Advil, Aleve and some kind of treats to look forward to!
19 days to go. OMG.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
What's a girl to wear?
There are less than thirty days to go. So literally the countdown. I've figured a plan for getting the bike there. Have been reading the athlete guide and determining what my 'special needs' are for spots on the race course. I've got reservations, plane tickets, etc and know I need to write an exam and secure a proctor for that for my course at ISU. I'll have payroll just done before I leave hopefully. But the most important question still may just come down to....
what to wear?
I've decided at this point bike shorts are a girls best friend. So I'll be using more minutes up in transition but that's OK with me. A fresh set of clothes will actually feel really good and after a swim in ultra cold water I can imagine that something dry will appeal to me a great deal. The swim suit and wet suit is a given, it's up to a bike jersey and jacket and then the right mix for the run left to determine.
After all the intrigue of triathlon and the strength and grace of elite athletes in the sport, I've not personally found much grace on race day. More pond scum and mucous than sleek and sexy. Ironic then that after the blood sweat and tears it can still come down to ....what will you wear?
what to wear?
I've decided at this point bike shorts are a girls best friend. So I'll be using more minutes up in transition but that's OK with me. A fresh set of clothes will actually feel really good and after a swim in ultra cold water I can imagine that something dry will appeal to me a great deal. The swim suit and wet suit is a given, it's up to a bike jersey and jacket and then the right mix for the run left to determine.
After all the intrigue of triathlon and the strength and grace of elite athletes in the sport, I've not personally found much grace on race day. More pond scum and mucous than sleek and sexy. Ironic then that after the blood sweat and tears it can still come down to ....what will you wear?
Private Parts and Body Envy
A few weeks ago...I know common problem with Ironman training is that it takes all the time you ever thought might be 'free' or that you should be vacuuming, raking or cooking...or writing in a blog... I digress...
following a much too long ride on the bike bath that even so was shorter than a well-intentioned coach suggested, I had some major discomfort in areas we don't know each other well enough to discuss. Too much research online will make you sick, you know that right? So convinced I could need surgery, I brought up the issue with my coach.
Go figure, feeling like you're sitting on a golf ball is not uncommon. What to do about it is not common, however.
So, given I had been doing everything else right (I mean I wash my shorts every ride- who doesn't do that? I use lube- Chamois Butter, I get my bike shorts off right away- personally I don't love them really for hanging out)I made an appointment with my dermatologist. You know you're a woman in her forties if you have your dermatologist on speed dial.
While I'm redressing after getting a shot down there, my doc and her nurse admire my legs. "See if we rode our bikes and ran all over the country we'd have legs like that too..." was the conversation on their side of the room. "And you could get shots where the sun doesn't shine too" was my reply...quite a trade off somehow?
I'm more than sure that my mother wouldn't approve of this blog. I'm actually not sure I do. I think it's an out-of-body experience. I wish the saddle issue was too!
I'm thinking that for one more really long ride this year (in Arizona) it's going to be doable and maybe a cortizone shot before would be a good idea but if I don't blog that, figure no news is good news!
following a much too long ride on the bike bath that even so was shorter than a well-intentioned coach suggested, I had some major discomfort in areas we don't know each other well enough to discuss. Too much research online will make you sick, you know that right? So convinced I could need surgery, I brought up the issue with my coach.
Go figure, feeling like you're sitting on a golf ball is not uncommon. What to do about it is not common, however.
So, given I had been doing everything else right (I mean I wash my shorts every ride- who doesn't do that? I use lube- Chamois Butter, I get my bike shorts off right away- personally I don't love them really for hanging out)I made an appointment with my dermatologist. You know you're a woman in her forties if you have your dermatologist on speed dial.
While I'm redressing after getting a shot down there, my doc and her nurse admire my legs. "See if we rode our bikes and ran all over the country we'd have legs like that too..." was the conversation on their side of the room. "And you could get shots where the sun doesn't shine too" was my reply...quite a trade off somehow?
I'm more than sure that my mother wouldn't approve of this blog. I'm actually not sure I do. I think it's an out-of-body experience. I wish the saddle issue was too!
I'm thinking that for one more really long ride this year (in Arizona) it's going to be doable and maybe a cortizone shot before would be a good idea but if I don't blog that, figure no news is good news!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Bike path safety
Did I mention the 70 year old woman who took me out on the bike path a month or so ago?
While training for this epic event I've sworn to not ride solo on the road and taken it back knowing that fitting this training in was simply not possible with a one or two hour commute to add to the training time each ride.
For two particularly long rides however, I did seek out a bike path in order to ensure safety, access to water, bathrooms, etc. On two of those two occasions- I crashed. Once in June all on my own on a wet road with a twig in an inopportune spot. No one to blame, just lots of bumps and bruises to see even still today.
Crash number two came as I was 35 miles into a hundred mile ride. A grey haired group traveling to breakfast perhaps in the next town was spread out on the path, not paying particular attention to oncoming traffic or "ride right" rules. As I said "hello" "hell-oo" she simply could not react and watched her bike collide with mine as I took to the shoulder- big rocks and all.
I yelled something I'm not sure which and then proceeded to get up and make sure she was alright. No helmet! More fragile bones than mine I'm sure! And not a clue that she was hogging the path?!
Though I'm sure she felt guilty for days- and I was only scraped and sore, I do hope she or her husband went immediately out to buy a helmet!!
I'm back to road riding. My percentages have been better there!
While training for this epic event I've sworn to not ride solo on the road and taken it back knowing that fitting this training in was simply not possible with a one or two hour commute to add to the training time each ride.
For two particularly long rides however, I did seek out a bike path in order to ensure safety, access to water, bathrooms, etc. On two of those two occasions- I crashed. Once in June all on my own on a wet road with a twig in an inopportune spot. No one to blame, just lots of bumps and bruises to see even still today.
Crash number two came as I was 35 miles into a hundred mile ride. A grey haired group traveling to breakfast perhaps in the next town was spread out on the path, not paying particular attention to oncoming traffic or "ride right" rules. As I said "hello" "hell-oo" she simply could not react and watched her bike collide with mine as I took to the shoulder- big rocks and all.
I yelled something I'm not sure which and then proceeded to get up and make sure she was alright. No helmet! More fragile bones than mine I'm sure! And not a clue that she was hogging the path?!
Though I'm sure she felt guilty for days- and I was only scraped and sore, I do hope she or her husband went immediately out to buy a helmet!!
I'm back to road riding. My percentages have been better there!
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