Hi, I'm Sally

SO I went to the seminar at REI on Wednesday night where I got to meet Sally Edwards. It was cool :) Pretty much a big sales pitch, but I bought into it anyway *LOL* She was very motivating, and I left there really feeling like this is something that I can do. I was waiting to talk to Susan, my coach, and then this short blond lady in all white turns, looks at me, sticks her hand out and says "Hi! I'm Sally!" and it took my brain a second to catch up as I shook her hand and introduced myself. She seems really cool and she was SUPER high energy.

So this poster thing I got is the 8 week training program, and it's really straightforward to follow and doesn't look as brutal as I thought it would be! :) It's "Tri(athlon)opoly, so you move around the board and follow the day by day workouts. It's really cool :) It's also got all the heart zones and the way to find your maxes and then the zones you should be in. I think we get a heart rate monitor as a part of the training too :) Not sure if we get to keep it or if we just use it during the training sessions.

Mass Mutual was there and they gave us DVD's on how to prepare your transition area, and part of my coaching fee covers the open swim clinic up at our swim site in June :) I'm so excited! :) We also got a danskin bag, some Jelly Belly energy beans or something like that, a bic razor and a coupon for $15 off a full price item at REI :)

So, the goodies were great, but the motivation is really what made it worth it. I know that I have the 5 of you the day of the race to keep me going in WI, but I'm glad I know I have a team here in Chicago too that can get me there in one piece :)

OH!!!! And my lovely wife said she might try to put together a weekend in Lake Geneva built around the Tri so that I can spend recovery in the spa!!! WOO HOO!!!! :)

Map My Tri

This site is pretty cool...hope you all have a great weekend!

http://www.mapmytri.com/

Running just as fast as we can...

I'm not going to be running fast, but I am officially starting the running program (again) tonight. I still believe I don't want to be a runner...and you know what? I don't have to be. I consider myself a cyclist...so don't judge my non-running ass!

At this point, I'm willing to do run/walk workouts simply to avoid holding back the other girls. Jacque & Lynn are runners, Alana & I are cyclists, Jenn & Lesli are swimmers. Together...we are the PERFECT triathlete! I'm glad we all registered in the mixed age group so we can start the event together. There's definitely comfort in knowing that the other girls are with me.

The "Remove as much fluff as possible before the triathlon" diet is going well. I had a near meltdown in the 100-calorie crack pack aisle at Wal-Mart, but your girl persevered. Hooray! I've been eating yogurt, cottage cheese, natural peanut butter, LaraBars and fruit for snacks. I haven't gone through any withdrawals, but I had trouble sleeping last night. Yesterday's spin class was more intense than usual and I was wired all night. I finally nodded off after 1am and my alarm screams at 5:15 am. I'm tired, but I'm still going to run!


Hope you all have a great week...train hard!

-Court

MS150 Done!!!

Just 'cause I don't want repost all the pictures... you can check out my MS150 finish here!

It was an awesome experience... I'm glad I did it!

Space Race; Done!

I finished the 60 mile Space Race on Sunday. It is the single-longest distance I have ever ridden in a day, for a total of 100 miles ridden over the weekend. Sounds really lofty, huh? LOL

I could not have asked for better riding weather unless I could have convinced the wind to shift for the last 3rd of the race. I finished in 3 hours, 40 minutes of total riding time (not inluding rest-stops). I managed to stay fueled pretty well and learned that PowerAde does not work well for my "modified plumbing".

I was really excited to see my average speed for 2/3's of the race ove 16 mph! Then the wind came. :( I still finished over 14 mph for 60 miles with a max speed just over 20 mph. Definitely respectable for me. I can't complain.

Having done the 100 miles this past weekend I feel good going into the MS150. I'm just hydrating and fueling this week. No serious work on legs will be happening, though I am going to Box the snot (or at least try) out of my trainer tonight... you know, just for fun. :)

My family's possible relocation to AL is going slower than anticipated. We really thought that by April/May we'd be in flux, moving... but here we are playing the waiting game. With that thought in mind, I'm still considering the Austin Danskin. Yeah, I know... Crazy. LOL Registration is still open for a reason... maybe that's God's whisper. Should I wait for him to hit me over the head? Maybe I should just get through the MS150 first, right?

Right.

:)

Danskin Triathlon Prep Camp

Ok, Chicago girls...totally jealous...this camp sounds great! I'm going to look into something similar in Austin.


Danskin Triathlon Prep Camp

Friday, June 20, 2008 - Sunday, June 22, 2008
LakeView RecPlex
9900 Terwall Terrace
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158

Brief Description:
Train Where You’ll Race! Ladies, get an in-depth preparation for the 2008 Chicagoland Danskin Triathlon at our onsite Danskin Tri Prep Camp June 20-22. Designed for the first or second time Danskin participant, our camp will cover triathlon basics, race preparation and strategy, as well as open water swims, rides on the bike course, and runs on the run course. On race day you’ll be ready to cross the finish line with a smile on your face.

Website:
http://www.midwesttricamp.com

Register
Registration opens on Friday, December 14 for RecPlex members and Tuesday, December 18 for non-members. Register online at www.recplexonline.com, or in person at the RecPlex Guest Services Center. Camp attendance is limited and will close when the maximum is reached.

Fee
Camp fee is $210 for RecPlex members, and $230 for non-members.

What's Included
USAT Coaching, lectures, and classes; Training Zone calculations; Open Water Swim instruction in Lake Andrea; Bike ride of Danskin Triathlon bike course; Run practice on Danskin Triathlon run course; Danskin Triathlon Race Simulation; Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, Saturday group pasta dinner; Water, sports drinks, snacks; BodyVive class & Yoga/Pilates class; Technical fabric camp T-shirt & Goodie Bag; Peak for Danskin Training Plan.

Optional Friday Activities
Optional private sessions with USAT Coach Ken Johnson, Nutritionist Amy Giese, R.D., or RecPlex Personal Trainer.

Post-Camp Sunday Activities
Optional appointments for massage, facials, pedicure; Nutritionist Amy Giese, R.D.; or RecPlex Personal Trainer. Optional bike ride of Danskin bike course with Coach Ken, with additional hill workout. Optional "dutch" dinner with class participants.

More on Tee Shirts..

I like the one that says...

"Yeah, I run... but only after I bike and swim."

Went riding today. 8mph winds, 40 miles. Avg speed of 14.2, max speed of 19.6. Focused on fueling -- things are working. Tomorrow is the Space Race and I'm slated for 60 miles.

I can't believe that this time next Saturday I will have ridden my bike from Houston to La Grange, and with any hope, will be eating lunch. :)

I can't believe it's 99 days away. I need to find my pom-poms!! I am proud of you all!

99 Days...

So, I just visited the Danskin Chicagoland site (for motivation...just rub your face on the 'puter screen and feel the power...LOL) and the little calendar states 99 days until Race Day. That is terrifying *and* exciting! I'm actually more excited than scared. I will say there is definitely comfort in knowing we're all in the mixed aged group and can tackle this thing together. I know we can do this and we'll party like rock stars when it's over.

Don't ever question my commitment...SWIM BIKE RUN.

I'm not sure if this has been posted, but it looks like a good program.
Sprint Training Program for Beginners



I hope you all have a great weekend!
C

So While I May Not be Tri'n...

I'm still MS150-ing! This coming weekend is my last opportunity to ride before the MS150. Aaaaack!

This weekend I am increasing my distance, and doing 60 miles on Saturday and then the 60 mile Space Race on Sunday. I might get a couple more shorter rides in on before the 12th, but nothing that will have any significant impact on my training.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm not ready. Both my unplanned surgery and vacation took nearly a month of training away. And, since I didn't start soon enough, that's just poor planning on my part. It's like training for the swim in the tri -- you just keep putting it off until you HAVE TO DO IT... unless you're Jenn (aka the fish) Diva.

Last Saturday I rode with a friend's MS150 team in Huntsville. Holy sh*t! The hills killed me! We have no hills in Houston!! Add t that, I had no "granny" gear, as each time I shifted to use it I would lose my chain. We were to go 50 miles, but after 40 miles of big hills without my easy-climb gears, my legs just "bonked" I had nothing left. As I approached the crest of the last hill, my legs just wouldn't go anymore. Needless to say, my bike is getting it's tune-up as we speak. :) On Sunday I got back on the saddle to face lots of wind (courtesy of the Gulf Coast) for another 40 miles.

I keep picturing myself crossing the Finish line of the MS150. Previous years I couldn't see it, so I wouldn't even contemplate doing it. This year, for some reason, I can, despite my lack of preparedness for the event.

Hope you are all training well and remember I'm rooting for all of you!