August Triathlon Update

After my first triathlon in June, I decided to sign up for another sprint triathlon--The Georgia Peach Women's Triathlon in Acworth on August 28th.  I didn't do much training in June except for running because I had signed up for the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th.  I ran that race and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I didn't try for a PR and tried not to let the heat bother me.  Here's a photo of my patriotic race day outfit:

I ran with my Camelbak for hydration and made it to the finish to get the coveted shirt!  I like that this year's shirt is blue...I have so many white/tan/off-white shirts from my 7 years of running it, so it's nice to have some color!

After the Peachtree was out of the way, it was back to full on triathlon training.  I have started to find new paths to take my bike out on.  At first I found the Forsyth Greenway, but some of the planks on one of the boardwalks are out, which only allows me to get about a 7 mile ride in.  I then ventured a little farther south to the Big Creek Greenway, where I was able to bike almost 14 miles.  My ride in the triathlon is 13 miles, so this will probably be where I do most of my training rides until then.  Here I am at the start:

And here is where I reached Roswell and decided to turn back:

 Meanwhile, I ran over my Garmin Forerunner when it fell in the parking lot.  Luckily it was only the strap, so the actual computer portion still works.  I tested the charger just today, and it also still works!  My Garmin VivoSmart also recently died on me, so I think it's time to start looking for a new fitness watch.  If anyone knows of one that works well for swimming and indoor cycling, let me know!  I also used Strava for the first time the other day.  Since I always have my phone with me on bikes and runs, it's nice to have an app that will keep track of everything for me.  My favorite feature is that it automatically pauses if I get off the bike or stop during a workout. 

Another trail I recently checked out for the first time last week was the Silver Comet.  It is very flat and has no speed limit, so it was a nice place to test out my biking skills.  I ended up going on my longest ride ever with a friend.  We made it over 19 miles!  And the best part is that I was not very sore the next day!  I did learn that padded shorts are a must when I tried to spin the next morning.  I just ordered another pair of Coeur shorts in black in a longer length so that I can also wear my tri shorts to the gym!  Here's a picture after my Silver Comet ride.  (I know they all look the same, but I am very proud, so I wanted to share!)

And finally the swimming.  I have been bringing my husband and daughter up to the pool after dinner about once a week so that I can swim laps.  Now that my swim length has doubled (from 200m to 400m), I have to swim 16 lengths of the pool to get that distance.  I have been wanting to do an open water swim as well since this next race is not in a pool like my last one.  I joined a group on Facebook that posts when they'll be doing open water swims at a beach on Lake Lanier.  My friend who started me on this whole tri thing was looking for someone to go with her last Sunday, and I jumped at the chance to go with people I know.  She is training for a HIM (half ironman), but her husband is doing a sprint for the first time in October.  We paired up and went out together for our first open water swim.  We did about 500m in about 12 minutes, and I felt really good about it.  I ordered a swim buoy from Amazon and was able to try it out for the first time.  It is an inflatable that also has a dry pouch.  You just attach the buoy to a belt you wear around your waist.  I didn't even notice it was there!  I also had to work on sighting the buoys in the water as we swam.  There were quite a few times I had to correct my path, but I was not very fatigued afterward.  It went much better than expected.  Here's a pic of us after finishing our swim:

I hope to be able to go out a couple more times in the next 13 days (EEK!) before my race.  This beach is only about 20 minutes from my house.  I can't believe I had no idea it was there!

So that's where I'm at.  I did a 5K run and spin class this morning at the gym.  I'm also going to try to get in a few more "brick" workouts before the big day.  I plan on going to Big Creek Wednesday to ride 13 miles then put my bike up and run 3 more.  We'll see how that goes!

My Triathon Journey: Race Weekend

There are lots of things to remember to bring to a triathlon.  Luckily for me, the only thing I forgot was my camera.  Unfortunately, you, my reader friends, will have to deal with cell phone camera photos. 

So the big day was yesterday.  I told one of my coworkers that my life was only planned up until June 5th.  Everything happening after that would be thought about AFTER this triathlon was complete. 

My husband, daughter, and I headed to Charlotte on Friday afternoon to check in to our hotel for the weekend.  We were able to enjoy ourselves Friday night and Saturday morning exploring the city.  Packet pickup was on Saturday afternoon, and there was a free clinic about transition at 3pm.  I got a lot of good advice at that meeting.  I learned about where the starts and finishes for each event would be located.  The speaker walked us through the motions of race day, starting with what time to arrive.  The race started at 8am, so she recommended we arrive by 6:15 in order to give us time to set everything up in transition before it closed at 7:45.  She told us to try to get a spot at the end of our assigned area and to face the bike in the direction of the "bike out."  She showed us how to arrange our gear on our towels with everything ready to throw on.  She recommended laces for shoes that you don't have to tie.  If I sign up for another tri, that will be my next piece of equipment!  She also told us to pack and repack the night before, not the morning of the race.

Saturday night, I brought my bike and helmet up to our hotel room.  I affixed my number on the front of my helmet, the top bar of my bike, and onto my race belt.  I had read ahead of time that having a race belt makes transition easier so that you don't have to stop and pin your number on your shirt or change after the swim. 

My alarm went off at 5:30 Sunday morning.  I dressed in my tri suit, put on sunscreen, and ate some oatmeal and yogurt.  I loaded my bike on the back of the car as Matt and Belle finished getting ready.  We took a quick photo in front of my bike.

 We arrived at the YMCA (not as early as I was told, but still well before 7am) and found a parking spot on site.  I took all my gear to the transition area.  My rack was in the very back, and I was able to rack my bike on the end by the walkway in the middle.  I set out all of my gear:  I put my drink in the holder of my bike, I laid out my towel with my running shoes untied and socks on top.  Another tip from the clinic was to wear my socks to the race so that they would be stretched out and easier to put on.  I didn't bring flip flops, so once it was close to race time, I just walked around barefoot.  I had my helmet set upside down on the towel with the straps open to the sides and my sunglasses open as well.  I had my swim cap and goggles ready to grab when it was time to line up.  I took my number and went over to body marking and timing chip pick up.  They wrote my name on one shoulder, my number on the other, and my number on both quads.  They also put my age on my calf.  The chip was attached to my left ankle.  I learned at the clinic that the reason for the left ankle is so that it doesn't get caught on your bike chain.  Here I am all marked and ready:

The pool opened at 7:15 for warmups, so I went to check it out.  I did two lengths of the pool in the colder side (supposedly cold makes you go faster).  After that, it was just a lot of waiting until the start.  The girl next to me took a pic with my swim cap on.  I think I look ridiculous, but it was better than the selfies I was trying to take.

Just before start time, we lined up in order of swim ability.  I assigned myself to the 8s, which was able to swim 250yds in 5 minutes or less.  I wasn't quite as nervous as I thought I would be in this moment.  The line crawled forward and we were able to watch the two pools.  The warmer pool had 3 people swimming in one direction at some points, so I headed to the colder pool where people seemed more spread out.  They released one person per pool about every 15 seconds.  We were to swim one length each way before ducking under to the next lane.  When I was in the water, I did pass one girl at the wall.  I also kicked the wall with the top of my foot on my first turn around.  I knew I hurt myself, but I didn't really feel it until after the race.  I have a scrape on the top of my foot, and I bled on my sock a little bit. 

Once the swim was over, we had to walk until we hit the sidewalk outside, and then we could run to transition.  I had my cap and goggles in my hand at that point and was able to throw them down and get my shoes on.  I caught a glimpse of my family cheering me on at the side of transition. 

I put on my shoes, strapped on my helmet, and once I was out of transition and able to mount my bike, the 8 mile ride began.  The ride was on the road, and it took a lot of energy to pass people.  We are not able to draft (which is following within 5 bike lengths), so I had to decide when to pass as well as look out for cars behind me.  The bike route was 2 loops with 8 total right hand turns.  There was a good bit of downhill with uphills to balance it out.  We were supposed to ride single file, but I saw a couple of pairs riding next to each other along the way.  It made it even harder to pass when you have to go around 2 riders.  I really need to learn how to grab my drink out of the holder as I ride.  I was too afraid I would fall, so I waited until I dismounted and then chugged my fluids. 

After the bike, all I had to do was put my bike on the rack and grab my race belt with my number on it for the run.  The bike next to mine was too close to my spot, so I had a little trouble getting my bike back up.  I actually knocked hers down and had to rehang hers before I could hang mine. 

The run was actually the hardest part for me.  It was only 2 miles, but I was so exhausted from everything else.  The first mile was downhill and there was a water station at the turn around point.  I had to walk some of the second mile since most of it was uphill.  I thought that once I was back in the field, I would be able to finish, but we had to lap around part of the track before crossing the finish line.  My family was there to cheer me during the final moments.

At last, I crossed the finish line and received my medal.  The volunteers took off my timing chip, and I was handed a bottle of water.  I had just finished a triathlon!!!

Transition was closed until all athletes were finished biking, so I was able to hang around, catch my breath, and eat all the snacks that were offered!  Matt told me after we left that I had missed out on homemade mimosas!  But that's okay; I rewarded myself with brunch at a local brewery! 

Today, I was able to see the final results.  I think it's neat that you are ranked on each part of the triathlon so that you can see where you can improve.  Here are my standings:

I had finished in under an hour!  This was out of 307 individual athletes.  I placed 7th out of 23 in my age group.  I feel very proud of my accomplishment.  Now I have to decide if I want to sign up for a true sprint.  I am looking at one at the end of August.  But it requires doubling my swim distance in open water and adding on to the bike and run portions as well.  We shall see.  Stay tuned to see what's next!

My Triathlon Journey: Part 2

I have now attended four out of eight of my adult swim classes.  I signed up at a local college and swim in their indoor pool once a week on Tuesday evenings.  Here's my "gear" that I bought.

I bought Speedo Women's Vanquisher goggles.  They are mirrored, and so far I like them.  They do fog up a little bit, but they fit well and don't leak.  They come with 3 different nose pieces so that you can adjust them better to fit your face. 

I bought the Speedo Women's Quark Splice Pulseback Endurance Lite swimsuit.  I'm not sure how many of those words matter, but it is quite a mouthfull!  I had no idea what size I would be, so I made sure to order one from Amazon that offered free returns.  The first suit was purple and black, but it seemed tight in the rear, so I ordered a size bigger in yellow and black.  It also seems to work well for me in the water. 

The first class was basically learning the forward crawl.  (I learned that freestyle is actually not the right term!)  I decided that I was going to breathe just on one side, but my instructor said that my hand was doing something funky as a result.  I also had to learn to keep my head down and look at the line on the bottom instead of trying to look ahead. 

The second class, I worked on trying swim from one side of the pool to the other and then back again.  I was still having trouble with my breathing...I was trying to hold my head up before turning to the side and going back under.  I practiced perfecting my stroke and also learned how to push off from the side and glide so that I can save some energy.  I'm so glad my first triathlon is in a pool.  Open water is a whole different subject that I might try to tackle later.

My third class goal was to do 4 lengths of the pool.  For my 200 yards, I will need to build up to 8 lengths, so I wanted to be halfway by the halfway point of the class.  I did it, and by the end of the class, my instructor asked me to race her 2 lengths, and she didn't finish much farther ahead of me!

Originally I was going to work up to 6 lengths by class four, but I pushed myself and did 8 lengths instead.  It was a great feeling to know that I can actually do this swimming thing, and I still have four more classes to practice!  I think my main issues are making sure I'm not waiting too long to breathe and taking it slow and steady. 

On the bike side of things, I researched and decided to buy a Yakima Sparetime bike rack.

I didn't want to have to climb my car to put my bike up top, and I didn't want a rear carrier that would block access to the back.  This one has a plate that you install under the spare tire and can hold two bikes.  I had my husband help me install it so that I can take my bike down to my parents' house in a few weeks.  I'm also ready to bring it on vacation and maybe to some nearby parks!  Here's what my bike looks like on the rack:

And my favorite feature...

It has two bottle openers on the end of the arms!!  My husband was wondering when we would use them, but I told him for tailgating of course!  Now after triathlon season, we can still use the rack for football season.  Go Falcons!

And lastly, on the running front.  I had a horrible run at the gym a few weeks ago.  I hadn't run since I was terribly sick at the Hot Chocolate 5K in January, so I tried for just a couple of miles on the treadmill.  I was going to lower my pace and hit the emergency stop instead, so I decided to call it a day.  A few of my coworkers and I signed up for a 5K on Sunday, so I made myself run 3 miles at the gym today.  I dropped my pace just a tad and did great.  I also bought some new Saucony Guide 8s to entice myself to run more.  And since I have a Peachtree number, I will have to run up until and after my triathlon in June.

That's all for now!  I'll update more about my progress soon!

My Triathlon Journey: Part 1

A good friend of mine signed up for a sprint triathlon last summer and a few months later did an olympic triathlon.  After a lot of thinking, I decided that triathlon may be my new thing.  I've been a runner for at least 10 years, but I don't like long distances.  I've done one half marathon and don't care to ever do one again.  I love running 5Ks and the occasional 10K, but that's about the farthest I want to go.  I think it's because I like variety.  I started working at the hospital as a PRN pharmacist and loved that I could be working in a different area every day.  Monotony is not my friend.

So I started researching triathlons.  The first one I looked at was at Lake Lanier since it's so close to home, but I realized it was the day after my Disney World vacation.  So I kept hunting.  Finally I found the perfect beginner sprint triathlon for me.  It's Ramblin' Rose.  The race I signed up for is in Charlotte, so it's not too far from home.  It's a little less than sprint distance.  The swim is 200 yards, the bike is 8 miles, and the run is 2 miles.  Best part--the swim is in a pool!  I have been swimming all my life and grew up around water, but I don't know how to swim properly.  I take spin classes at my gym at least once a week, and as I said before, I've been running for a while.

So I did it.  I signed up at the end of 2015 since there was a discount code.  I was thinking, "Oh it's only $75," but boy was I wrong.  I didn't realize how much equipment is involved in training for and actually doing this thing

I started thinking about purchasing a bike.  I haven't had a bike since I was living at my parents' house.  I figured I didn't need to rush to get one since I get plenty of practice with riding and using those muscles at the gym.  My birthday is in February, so when my family asked what I wanted, I just told them "money for a bike."  I went out with my husband and daughter to Performance Bicycle one Sunday because we were in the area, and I figured I should start looking since I know NOTHING about bicycles.  No one paid us much attention until my daughter brought a small bike crashing down off the shelf.  Everyone was fine, and someone came to help us after that.  The guy asked for my price range, taught me a little about bikes, and gave me some examples to go home and research.  The number of brands and materials and types of bikes and shifters was quite overwhelming.  A few days later, I went to a smaller independent shop called Suwanee Creek Bicycles by myself.  The couple who owns it were very friendly and informative, and a few hours later, I left with my bike.  They had one brand of bike at the store, but I was able to choose from a flat-bar type or a road bike or "the other room" where the prices were much more than my price range.  I went with the road bike, and we spent lots of time practicing in the parking lot and even took a quick spin around the neighborhood.  I decided it worked for me, and had it custom fitted to my measurements.  I added pedals and picked a helmet, and I was good to go.  Here is my new baby, the Fuji Roubaix 1.3:

We had to make a spot to hang it in the garage.  I equipped it with pedals that are flat on one side and able to clip into on the other.  I've taken it around the neighborhood on a few 6 to 8 mile rides and am practicing with all the gears I have available.  Here are some pictures of my pedals:

I'm still working up the courage to use my cycle shoes and clip in.  I know I'm in for a fall at some point, so I'm not rushing that day.  Plus, someone on a triathlon Facebook page I am a member of gave me some good advice.  She said it may not be worth using my cycle shoes during a sprint since it will take time in transition to change shoes.  Good point!

Ironwilled, my triathlon page was selling some extra tri kits, and they looked really cute, so I wanted to order one.  The brand was Coeur, and I have no experience with them.  They sell women's sports clothing and the tri shorts have a "seam-free chamois."  I did some research and found a store that sells their clothing.  Since I had no clue what size I would be, I took the family out to Endurance House before a dinner in Alpharetta.  I met one of the owners, and she gave me some advice as well as helped me to find a good fitting Coeur pant.  Since I knew I wanted to buy the Ironwilled kit, I purchased a short and matching running top that were on sale so that at least I would have two pairs of these awesome shorts.  Here are some photos of both sets:

And here is the inside of the shorts:

This large thighed girl wishes they were a little longer, but they do not ride up during my rides, and so far I have had no problems.  Now I'm just trying to take my bike out at least once a week and maybe expand my horizons beyond my neighborhood.  I will probably take my bike on our vacation to Hilton Head but I need to find some sort of rack for my Rav4.  I'm telling you, this race is getting expensive!  I'm also toying with the idea of signing up for 1 or 2 more sprint triathlons this summer.  We'll see.  I'm starting swim lessons and will write more about that later.  Stay tuned for the next installment of my triathlon journey!