Du the Bear aka Du the Muddy-Buddy :)

It's no secret I suck at running... I mean I try not to suck, and I have improved, and therefore suck less, but I still suck.

I was happy when I woke up, expecting to have great weather for racing. We lined up and it had been misting already. The Guys started, "and they're off." The Women started and the skies opened and the rain came. LOL What are you gonna do?

But even after the rain, running 5 miles Saturday morning, a gait analysis, Maggie at Kola working on my hip AND being on my feet for 4 hours volunteering at the 10 Miler packet pickup I had 2 of my best race runs, ever!

Maybe there's something to that being on your feet all day!

The bike was okay. I mean it was raining, wet and yucky and riding in rain does nothing for morale. I should have played the lottery though, because I was lucky enough to get stopped by the same cop, at the same light, on each loop (and it wasn't because I was riding at light-speed).

The mud sucked. My one legged yoga moves came in handy, balancing while changing shoes. Lastly, I must be getting faster/better, because there was hot food left when I crossed the line.

I had a little discrepancy between what my Garmin reported and what the race results reported. In the end, it appears that the 5 minute offset for the Athena class was not applied. I would have never been able to prove it, or point it out to them, if my friend's husband hadn't been taking pictures!

My Turn!!!

Where do I start? What a weekend!

I think I’ve started writing this several times, but it just comes rambling out. Guess there is a lot I want to say.

We arrived in Austin on Friday. The Expo was on Saturday. Elysha and I met up with my other “Tri Diva” friends to pick-up our packets, chips, swag and check-in our bikes. It was great to see and met some of them for the first time.

For me, by the time I started packing to head to the hotel I was getting nervous. I just kept repeating to myself that I couldn’t do anything any better than I have. Over the course of my training I missed a total of running 7 miles and swimming 2000m since April. In the big picture those 7 miles and 2000 m were not going to make me any faster. The rest was only going to come to me during the event.

Elysha and I woke on Sunday and were out the door pretty quickly, after prepping our hairdryer warmed Ezekiel English muffins and low fat cream cheese. We made it swiftly to the grounds and started prepping. Damn… I was nervous. I don’t think anyone really knew just what a mess I was inside.

I didn’t want to fail myself. I only wanted to prove to myself that my training was paying off; that the sacrifices my family was making that allowed me to train weren’t pointless. I needed to do just a little better. I didn’t want to fail my friends who, for some reason, seemed to have this impression that I was some super Triathlete. I’m adequate with a little touch of nuts at best. :)

As the start time drew near we made our way to the dock where the swim launched. For some reason I was confused about what wave I was in. I kept thinking age, but it was going by bib number… I was in wave 7, and in the nick of time realized it. I made my way to the front and started appropriately and pretty much immediately.

As I started to swim, I literally thanked God for something different each time I looked at the sky while taking my breath during the freestyle. I thanked him for the day, the weather, my friends, my body (yes, unbelievably so), my courage, my trust that he would take care of me. He did. My stroke was steady and I was in control of my breathing, which had been somewhat of a challenge in open water for me. I had not struggles. I didn’t have to float on my back at all. My problem was navigating through the other athletes and sighting. Easily something I can work on.

As I came out of the water my legs were just a touch heavy. I ran up to the timing mat and then slowed my pace a bit. I had a pretty good transition, but made a mental note about needing an extra water bottle to spray off my feet – they were kinda dirty and I didn’t think mulch in my cycling show would feel good.

I mounted the bike and just rode in a spinning gear for a mile or two. As I felt my legs back I was feeling more like myself. Back in 2003 I averaged 10.4 mph and got off my bike for nearly every large hill. This year I navigated all the hills on my bike, never getting off. By the end my average speed was 14.4 – I was thrilled with the improvement. By far, the best achievement for me on the bike course was completing the steep descent into the hard right turn, into a steep uphill climb. I had to come out of my seat and found myself breathing like a buffalo, but I made it to the top. I think I started crying a little right then and there! I totally remember how defeated I felt in 2003 when I had to get off my bike.

When I got to the last hill I encountered a plus-sized athlete, who reminded me of me, back in 2003. I slowed down next to her and told her to remember, “as long as you are moving forward you’re still making progress”. Someone said that to me, and it made a difference; it’s easy to forget when you’re challenging yourself beyond anything you’d done before.

I transitioned for the run pretty quickly and was on my way. I started out pretty good until this woman, slightly older than me, started chatting me up. She was telling me how she just did a half IM in Florida last week. She happened to be from the Houston area too, so we got little chatty and started wogging together. Although she was lovely company, I let my own pace slip away. I could have done better had I remained more focused, but it was worth hearing her story. I do believe she was trying to get me to drink the IM kool-aid. Uh, no thanks – need an Oly under my belt before I go to any fraction of an IM! LOL

I finally crossed the line at 2 hours 11 minutes – I didn’t make my sub 2 hour goal, but I had a great time enjoying each recognizable improvement that I made:

In April’s Lonestar, I did 300 m in 26 minutes.
At the Danskin I did 800 m in 29 minutes and had control of my breathing.

In Danskin 2003, I averaged 10.4 mph and got off my bike at all the big hills
At Danskin 2009, I averaged 14.4 and stayed on the bike and in the pedals.

At May’s Y Practice Tri my Run time 49 minutes.
At the Danskin 2009 my run was 44 minutes, and could have definitely been better had I not been yappin!

This body, the one that I despise on more days than I care to admit, brought me through all this. This is a gift that not everyone has the courage or wherewithal to enjoy and I promise to be kinder to my body (and my mind) because they (me) deserve it.

To my fellow Tri Divas…

Alana and Courtney – We made that promise in 2003 to come back to the Danskin in 2003 and do it as individuals, so really, you guys are the reason I made it back to the Danskin in 2009 and I’m glad to have returned to the event with the two of you, because even though we didn’t get a lot of time together at the event I still knew you all were there. It wouldn’t have been the same had you not been there on the same day, accomplishing the same thing. I’m not sure why you ever drank what I was giving you from that first Ride for the Roses in 2003, but I’m glad you did. Crazy loves company, I guess. Thanks for always reminding me of where I was and where I am.

Leslie – I am so proud you had a change of heart out and did the bike. I hope you take a moment to enjoy the accomplishment and don’t regret seeing the tri through its entirety. Good luck on your future swimming endeavors! I still hope to embrace my “inner fish”.

Lynn – My goodness! I can hardly believe that 4 months ago you hadn’t even had your face in the water. I know this was a challenge for you and by the grace of God and your power of persistence you came, saw and conquered… no matter what the speed, you did it, and the rest of it was “up hill” from there, so to speak! Of course I’ll continue to watch you train, but it was lovely to meet you and I hope to see you around again in “real life” when we have more time.

Drea – You self-proclaimed yourself the “fraudulent triathlete” and my heart hurts that you feel the way you do about your accomplishment. I do understand where you are coming from as you provided your reasoning, but I have to disagree. You may not have trained and made sacrifices in the way you thought or even hoped you might, but the hardest part of this race is showing up to the starting line, and you did. For whatever reason, not participating wasn’t even an option in your mind! That doesn’t happen with someone who fears challenge. You have inner strength you need to tap into a little deeper and learn not to be afraid of accomplishment in it’s finest form. You deserve to feel the grandeur of crossing that finish in its full glory (training perfectly or not). I’m sorry I didn’t have more time to get to know you, because of your strength is any indication of who you are as a person I look forward to getting to know you as well!

Jenn – I know our meeting was brief, but how awesome is it that you made the trek down here to do this tri. You are still aka “Da Fish”, and I hope to continue to watch your training and see you grow!

Angel – I had no idea of your story until the day of the tri! So you might imagine how shocked I was to find out you were a survivor and all you had gone through which brought you to that day. I realize I don’t know you… well, at all, really, but when I heard your name as you crossed the Finish I got chills. I’m glad to have caught the picture of you truly living more than surviving on that special day! Good luck to you and hope to see you again. My prayers are also with you as you continue your journey.

Elysha – How could I forget you? You know how I feel, but I am so lucky that for whatever reason we managed to connect. You are definitely like my sister from another mother. I’m so happy you enjoy an unbelievable zest for life that leads you to living it fully and with fun and laughter. I’m glad to be a part of it now too! It helps that you’re a little crazy and easily persuaded to do these crazy events with me – thanks for being right there with me in the thick of it! And no, YOU Rock. :)

And to the other Tri Divas that I don’t really know all that well: As I hear pieces of each of your stories I’m amazed by each one of you. I only hope I get another opportunity to see you all again!

Tri Ride

So I had the chance to ride the Danskin course yesterday. We checked out the park and everything looks the same as in 2003. We befriended another lone rider out to try the course for the day, so three of us rode the course together. Here's the scoop:

I left my bike computer at home so I have no idea as to speed on the course for the day.

At the end of Lindell, there is a fast downhill. The problem is, you have to stop before you make the next right. I remember volunteers being there, tell you to stop. Not sure if they'll be there this time, but that's how it was in 2003.

The problem with stopping, is that the moment you turn right, you have a very steep climb right in front of you; seriously, like a wall-in-front-of-your-nose kind of climb. Literally, I had to come out of the seat for this one (thank God for Spin Class climbs!). if you are not in the right gear (an easy spinning gear) when you make that turn, you will kill yourself getting up there. Seriously, I thought my derailleur failed mechanically, but when the same thing happened to E, I realized what it was. Those with mountain bikes, hybrids, or general gear heads who are proficient with shifting will not have as much of a problem. LOL

Just a tip when you are coasting downhill: tuck your knees and elbows in. Feet should be at 3 and 9 o'clock. Get low, shoulders back, flat back. This will maximize your downhill speed and help you gain momentuam. :) That said, I can't say I did much coasting... I took advantage and pedaled down each downhill.

Then the other L-O-N-G climb is the last road before you make the right on to Hogeye road to the finish. You have a pretty good downhill proceeding it, but since many of us like to take a break and coast the downhill, chances are we won't have the momentum to get to the top of this mammoth. Plus the downhill is not on real smooth road, so if it doesn't scare you to go super-fast down uneven pavement, then let it send you flying. I'm no expert, but I think the key to this one is pedaling in your fastest (hardest-to-pedal) gear on the downhill and let it help you build momentum. You'll need that momentum to help you up the long climb... at least for portion of it. Downshifting to your next lowest gear BEFORE you start to feel the burn will help save your legs. I was in my Granny gear before I got to the top. Definitely had to muscle it up and over. It looks scarier than it really is. Just keep focus and rhythm.

So my map is incorrectly identifying the hills. The second hill in on FM973, right before you make a right on to Hogeye.

Other than those two, the rest are the accepted rolling hills Austin always has. I finished the course n 1 hour and 5 minutes, but that was with 5 stops to wait on the other two riders -- there are no shoulders on the majority of this course, so riding in numbers is the only way to stay safe.

2 Points!?!

You know that last tri I did? I just learned this morning that I earned 2 USAT points for the 5th place Athena division finish; that's 2 points.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do with them... but it sounds kinda cool. LOL

I think my multisport training team gets to count them. The different teams keep track of points and clubs win money at the end of the tri season for having the most points.

Austin Danskin SheROX Bike Course

(click to see it full-size)

So this is the map of the bike course for the 2009 Austin SheROX. If all goes well this weekend, I may go out on Saturday to ride it. There are 2 large hills on the course that prove to be challenging, and not to scare anyone, but many dismount and walk over the top. Just be prepared... find some hills near you and drill, drill, drill.

From the website: The bike course is a beautiful 12-mile loop around Decker Lake, featuring rolling hills. Participants will exit the transition area and turn left along the park entrance road, then they'll exit the park and turn right onto Hog Eye Road, which will then merge with Decker Lake Road. Turning right onto Decker Lane, participants will proceed until Lindell. Participants will turn right on Lindell, which dead-ends at Blue Bluff. Participants will turn right on Blue Bluff, which then turns into Bloor. Participants will follow Bloor to the SH130 frontage road, where they will turn right. Participants will then turn right onto Highway 973. At the top of the hill, participants will turn right on Decker Lake Road, and then right at Blue Bluff, which takes them back into the park. The transition area will be on their right. Some of the bike course is completely closed to traffic, and other roads will have one full lane marked off with cones.

The good thing about this course is that it has changed since 2003 (thankfully). There was a long strip of really rough, uphill road to the FINISH. Seriously, it was like riding on the cobbles at Paris Roubiax.

Good luck... 18 days and counting! Are you ass-cited!?!

I am!!

*Update* Official Silverlake Tri Results are In!

The good news is, I finished in 1:32:58... not 1:35
(every second counts, you know?)

Finishing #435 of 467 participants sounds realllllly bad; but have to keep it in perspective.
Finished Lonestar 2:05 and some change, so this is an improvement.

Lots of room to grow; T times are much improved!

2009 Silverlake Tri - 400m / 10 mi / 5 K - Race Report

So here I am sporting my new team jersey. BAM is Bay Area Multisport. Not sure how I like the 2 piece gig. There are pluses and minuses to 1 vs. 2. The debate is neverending I think. LOL

I took time the night before to prep everything for race day, like a good little triathlete, so I could maximize my sleep. Transition opened at 5:30 am and I had not been there before. I think I need a Garmin. :)

There was scattered rain in the forecast, but the only way the event was going to be canceled, was if there was lightening.

Got up, got dressed, took meds, made breakfast and loaded the car. Said my "see you laters" to Darren and Cass and promptly left, leaving my breakfast behind! Doh!

I found the site, super nice! See that pic at the top! Suffice it to say this tri is definitely a do-again. :) I got myself situated and ran a little, stretch a little, and chatted a bit -- you know, just to warm-up.

I was not sure what to race, age group or Athena. I chose Athena, only because I did age group last time and figured, why not? Evidently I'm in a tough class, so I'm better registering for Athena. If you notice, I was number 5 -- usually a number reserved for the "elite" athletes!

The water was nice and warm. My swim was okay, except for getting kicked in the head by someone who it seemed swam backstroke the entire way! My adrenalin was up at the start, so breathing was hard. By the time I made it halfway I calmed down and had my rhythm going. I finished the 400 m swim in just over 13 minutes.

I quickly transitioned to the bike. I actually RAN out of the wanter and RAN out of the transition with my bike. I was super surprised because it usually takes me a while to get my legs back. the 10 mile ride took me about 35 minutes -- I don't have exact time, but my stuff said 37 minutes for the ride and that made for a 16.1 mph. Nice ride too... no hills, through a real pretty subdivision and great ride support. I was enjoying the fact I was passing riders...

At some point during the race it did rain, because when I came back in from the bike, my running shoes were a little soggy -- that was annoying. I didn't have anything but a couple sprinkles during the ride, so it surprised me my stuff was so wet.

Then the run... transition to run was pretty good. Remember, I had no breakfast at all, so by now I was feeling it. I was glad I had made a bottle of Cytomax. I don't usually do it because I'm told by several sources that sprint tri athletes carb load too much. I have enough "energy" on my body (fat), so there's really no need for carb loading or extra calories outside of breakfast and a light snack 40 minutes before the start.

My run was okay... did walk run intervals, but never let myself walk more than 60 steps and never let my heart rate go below 155. My average heart rate was 161, my max was 180. I think I finished my run in about 35 minutes, if my math is right. :) So that puts me somewhere between an 11 - 12 minute pace.

So before I left I saw some of the results: I finished number 5 in the Athena class and there were 10 in my class. I don't know what my overall position is yet. but I was in the bottom third somewhere, I bet, looking at last year's results using my finish time to gauge.

Here's some pictures -- they are scary, so browse at your own risk. No one looks good in their uglies!

Kickin' & Screamin'

Seriously, yesterday just sucked. All the way around. I was crabby and had no patience. It started from the moment I woke up and continued throughout the day. Just one annoying thing after another.

Truthfully, in the big picture, none of it was big stuff. Just irritating.

For those of you who don't believe I struggle with getting to the gym and being a domestic goddess, yesterday was one of those days. I knew there was stuff (laundry!) that had to get done at home. I was afraid if I went home after the gym I would just call it a night, and there the laundry would sit.

In the end, I put my body first and packed up to go to the gym right after work. Good choice, right?

So remember how happy I was about the practice tri? Well, I was quickly deflated when I got my official time yesterday -- overall the cumulative time was better than I thought (1:30:28) Just 29 seconds outside of my goal. That was the good news, but what I learned next was horrifying to my training effort:

Evidently I must have slowed my jogging pace so much that they had my run time down as 48:24.

48:24?

I WALK FASTER THAN THAT?????

Right before I left work I got more news that just irritated me so much... I guess I just needed to be mad for a little while. I simply don't understand how that time could be? Seriously, that would be like jogging 3.7 mph... or so. How can you even jog that slow? My hope is that it was an error... this was not a chip timed event. But regardless, I guess I have to step up the running even more. *shrug*

Not wanting to be there and feeling so bummed, I get to the gym... get changed. No goggles. No cap. No swimming without because they just shocked the pool. I was ticked. I felt like I couldn't buy a break today.

I left, picked up Cass and headed home. While domestic goddessing I was quickly losing my motivation to go swim later on; the terms on which I had bargained with my brain when I left the gym earlier. Darren came home and I vented about the day and eventually I did make it back to the gym, so that's a small victory.

Gotta have the bad days to appreciate the good I guess. I hope my brick training today goes more smoothly.

Pearland Y Practice Sprint Tri

After taking the Tour de Pearland to find the Y -- seriously we drove around the entire city we made it, we finally found the facility. We learned it is always prudent to verify directions before leaving. LOL

This sprint tri was a practice tri the Y sponsored to which they invited members of Bay Area Multisport to participate. It was a 300 m swim, 9 mile bike and 5k. Maybe there were 40 people there, tops. You had the option of the long or short course. Elysha and I did the long. It was nice, casual and very un-intimidating.

The swim was in a pool. They seed you by swim time for 300 m. I told them 10 minutes, but the last time I timed myself it was 8:30... I just never did a pool tri before so I gave myself some extra time. The guy ahead of me was slow, then fast, then slow, then fast again... it was annoying because either I was on his feet or he was on mine. Guess it goes with the fun .

I exited the pool and had a little issue with my sunglasses getting knotted in my helmet. Some chick was screaming, "you don't need shirts... you don't socks". I'm over the shirt thing, but I still need socks, lady.

Anyway, after a fabulous rolling mount (I even surprised myself and don't think I could do it again) the bike course offered a headwind heading out on the loop and tailwind on the way back, so that was nice. I tried to stay as aerodynamic in form as I could to take advantage of the wind. I think I hit a highspeed of 20.5 on the ride. averaged about 16 mph, I think. Pretty good for me.

The run. I was dreading this. Earlier I felt some twinges in my knee and back. Before I left I stretched on the foam roller and stretched some more after I got there. My back felt pretty tight and hurt just a little this morning; enough to make me wonder how things were going to go.

I started running and I was feeling good. I realized I had run the first mile straight and not a peep out of my back... Not only that, but I had not taken a walking break! It seemed I found a rhythm... although slow, it worked for me. Before I knew it I had run the 2nd mile without a walking break either... I was determined now to run the last mile. Which I did. :) Soooooo happy for me. Plus, my back didn't bother me at all on this run -- I mean it feels tighter than leather pants on Cher, post-race, but it did not hurt on the run the way it did on the treadmill on Friday night.

My goal going in was to finish in 90 minutes or less. I think I finished in 91, according to my watch.

Where to improve:

• Always use the checklist
• Verify directions to race site!
• Continue to train, because it's working -- Imagine that!
  
• Get some Yankz.
• Don't forget towel to dry feet! Had soggy feet in my cycling shoes... had to take socks off for the run.
• Unlock helmet strap and place upside down on handlebars.

What was good:

• Best 5K ever; consisten running, no walking breaks.

Brick Today!

Today's training was a bike/run brick. I'm pretty happy. :)

First the bike I did in my neighborhood, instead of meeting up with BAM -- I just didn't have time to do my brick so late in the evening today. The ride out was awesome with tailwinds and speeds of 20+ mph! I paid for it on the way back. Ended up averaging almost 15 mph... Totally acceptable given the wind.

I've decided that I am no longer going to "check" for wind. All I have in Houston is wind. The only "hills" we have are bridges and overpasses... so I may as well take the resistance where I can.

I wasn't sure how the run was going to go. I intended to do 3, but 2.6 had to do; I mis-routed the course I guess. Anyway I averaged as 12.06 pace... that's my best pace to date! I think that long 5 mile run helped... I don't know.

I'm a happy girl, and feeling very accomplished today.

2009 MS50 or "MS75"

Our ride into La Grange...
"MS150 or Bust - Ride or Swim"

This was the first time in 25 years any part of the MS150 had to be canceled -- figures it has to be on the 25th anniversary of the event. The cool thing was that 11,000 of the 13,000 registered riders showed up to play in the hills, wind and bike grease... and there was lots of bike grease. For some, more than others. LOL

E and D offered the use of their RV for the event, and it was the way to travel! I'm so grateful! We managed to leave Houston before the torrential rains on Saturday and arrived safely, with D's superior driving skills... I think he must have been a bus driver in a previous life; he takes it *very* seriously. :) D is E's husband... and now our "Rider Support" dude.

We made it to La Grange and just chilled on Saturday night. Doug made us some sketti and meatballs (YUM!) We went into town and took a walk -- La Grange's population is 4,400, so there's not much to see. But we found this home decor/custom jewelry store that we loved. I picked up and *MS75* souvenir, in the form of this handmade cuff, studded with freshwater pearls. It is so unique; I love it!

So, the next morning was the start of Day 2. We headed out at about 7:45, and opted not to go through the official start, which proved to be the right choice because we heard later that people were still waiting to start at 8:40 am. The winds were bad; and they were expected to get worse (and did) as the day went on.

E's Cousin led us out safely to the course and then we were on our own. Not even a few miles in we said a rider down... it didn't look good. The good thing was the MS150 support folks were right there, taking care of him. Their SAG support and volunteers are the best.

So, I already mentioned the wind, right? It was very, very windy. When you have no hills to train in, and have to combine hills and wind, it makes it challenging. Last year everyone said the wind was the worst ever (they usually have tail winds going in to Austin), but this year felt twice as bad to me -- I mean, we didn't even have a Day 1 ride, and Day 2 was killing me! I just knew it would be a long day.
<--- me (odd team out, S, E A and L) I ride along, enjoying the sites, cursing every single flag I see flying full-out in the wind (which I'm riding into) and I try to remember to be in the moment. Be present. Really recognize what is going on. The scenery is mostly green and lush, and I'm physically able to ride... and ride decently.

Along the route are volunteers... cheerleaders. People who just sit out on their lawn chairs and scream moral boosting support. But there are those few that really get to me and I'm definitely touched. There was a woman sitting on the tailgate of her minivan with a sign that simply said, "Thanks for saving my life."

I teared up... got snotty.. the whole nine yards. She's why we're doing it! We struggle to get through the ride in the wind. They struggle for their life; I'm sure at times it feels like they are walking into 20 mph headwinds every day.

As quickly as I am reminded of why we are here, I got my first flat (God is funny that way, I think LOL). Rear tire of course (even funnier still, I think). A Ride Marshall comes by about 10 minutes later and says, do you know how to change it? I said, "I can change the tube and tire, but have problems with getting on the rear. He said, "I'll take it off for you, but then I'm on my way."

? ? ? ?

Anyway, that's exactly what he did. 30 minutes later I finally got the tire back on -- and during that time no other Ride Marshall passed. I felt like George Hincapie with an eff'd up mechanical stop. Admittedly though, I felt good when I was finally able to get the tire back on. :) Thanks Darren -- my tire changing coach. LOL

So I make it to Lunch.. it's sometime between Noon and 12:30 -- I roll in and quickly grab my grub and pop a squat on the lawn. I finish up in like 20 minutes and head back towards my bike. The wind was only expected to pick-up and get worse throughout the remainder of the day, and it did.

Here's something for the totally weird category though: I know in sports athletes get comfortable around one another. But the MS150 is a FAMILY event.. you know, G rated. I get back to my bike and the guy next to me makes small chat, "How's your ride going?" then he opens a package of chamois butter with his teeth. I am thinking (sunscreen?). I tell him, Okay... could be worse, blah-blah-blah. He responds with more blah-blah-blah (and seriously that is what I heard) as he proceeded to slather his privates with the butter right in front of me. He's sticking his hands down his shorts, right there, applying it his "package" and butt.

O
M
G

I was sort of laughing inside, but a little taken back too. To world has all kinds, I figure.

Down the road I go... make the next rest stop a quickie and leave. I get a quarter mile from the rest stop and I have another flat! And guess what? It's the rear. AGAIN. So I pull over on the side of the road, where came upon a this small RV, a white-haired man, his wife and their beautiful Somoya, Daisy. They were so sweet and helpful. Carl is a member of the 300 club -- that means he's one of the MS150's top fundraisers. His wife follows him with the RV along the course and gives him private rest stops. Carl joked and said it was because if he stopped at the regular rest stops, that he would talk to much (I believe it) and never finish the ride. LOL

I enjoyed their company (and Daisy) for a bit and then got the tire changed in half the time of the first. Yay me!!

Not so quickly.

Whatever I did, I screwed up the derailleur... I couldn't shift gears without losing the chain. I had to deal with it until I got to the next rest stop for support to check it out.


It was quickly becoming no fun at all. Seriously; I think this event defined what my level of fun is: 40 to 60 miles max. And even at that, after 40 miles I'm getting bored -- it's not really the training, having stamina or the hard work. No one can accuse me of be "afraid" of training hard. I'm like a tug-boat... I can chug and pull all day, it just gets boring. When I get bored, the idea of crossing the "Finish" loses it's excitment and it's just the last step in getting it over with and not a victory. That said, the MS150 is an awesome cause. So I guess I should never say "never", but it certainly won't be anytime soon. LOL

After I got my bike checked (I had knocked the derailleur out of whack when I turned the bike upside down to change the tire) I decided wind up SAG'ing 8 miles; I just needed to collect myself. I was frustrated, covered in grease from hands to ankles and not having any fun. So on the bus I just thought about all the reasons why I was there and in that place at that particular moment in time connected to all these people through this common cause.

Hopped off the SAG and furnished out the last 15 miles of the ride. I made it into Austin sometime around 4pm. Not a stellar performance. I thought I was going to do so well, considering I made it into Bastrop for lunch between Noon and 12:30. It's not a race though; it's a ride.

A (E's son) crossed the finish behind me at around 5. then L, then E. I think I was so happy to see them finish!

I think this ride solidified for me what I kinda knew, but wouldn't totally, 100% commit to knowing, was that long rides aren't my thing. In spite of knowing how to spell the word "derailleur" I really can't claim myself a "cyclist" (what do you expect? I do "ride like a girl.") LOL A cyclist NEEDS to feel that wind in their hair and doesn't mind grease under their nails. LOL I like riding... but maybe 60 miles of riding tops and preferably no wind or ginormous hills LOL. Maybe I have a little ADD in me? I need to know I get to do something else after - maybe that's the allure of triathlons... you don't have to do one thing for very long, so you don't have to get bored. LOL

The 2009 "MS75" gets a 6 on the Funtivity scale. :)

Skirt Sports Tri Tank

The Skirt Sports Tri Tank is made very nicely. The fabric is quality; lighter (thinner) than others like this. I can tell it will be a nice weight for the summer tris. I also appreciate the seamless stitching. It's all-around comfy.

I also like the fact this top seems to be sized for the average athlete -- not all super-skinny-pro-elite-fit. It's form fitting, but not tight, or unsightly. It doesn't really offer a ton of compression like you would find in the elite level garments -- but that could be because the top I purchased was big on me.



I think I could make a mint if I could create a tri top that doesn't require a separate sports bra... oh well, you still need a sports bra underneath, for sure. Here's the sizing:

XS - 02
S - 4 - 6
M - 8 - 10
L - 12 - 14
XL - 16 - 18
XXL 20 - 22

This top is long... it totally covers my hips; not like the Aqua Terra top that cut across my pelvis. I totally bought the wrong size again... should have went with the XL, but went with the XXL instead. (One day I'll stop doing this!)

With regard to performance, it swam well and dried quickly. I haven't ridden or run in it, but it I have no doubt it would be comfortable for all activities.

What I have not tried yet are the coordinating shorts. I'm holding out for their other colors to come out, which was supposed to be in April. Although the shorts say they have 5" inseam which "covers the largest part of your thigh", they still might be just too short for me! There is no way Skirt Sports could know my thighs. LOL

On a customer service related note, last year, before the Clear Lake tri, I was still searching for something to wear... I swear it's harder than running! But anyway, I called Skirt Sports and talked to them directly, because I was just a few days away from the start and needed to know more info on sizing and shipping. They were soooooo helpful. Super nice people... great customer service!

Anyway, if you're still looking, you might want to give them a try.

Weekly Training Plan

Here's the plan for the week. Will do my best to meet plan goals. I have much to do for prep on the MS150 00 THIS COMING WEEKEND!

Mon - Swim 500 yards.
Tue - Run 3 miles
Wed - Brick: Bike 12/Run 2.
Thu - Swim drills 40 minutes.
Fri -MS150 Prep
Sat - MS150
Sun - MS150

Team Shirts *UPDATED*

We've tossed away the bike jersey idea... just too costly in these economic times.

However with the ability to create custom t-shirts online, I've designed some logos. We can each pickout the type/size shirt you like and keep "uniform" via the logo. So far I like customink.com better than cafepress -- the preview functionality is better. *UPDATED* But there is a minimum quantity of 6 for tee-shirts. I think CafePress allows you to order one-off's

The cool part is, if you have some kind of nifty saying that you'd rather see under Team Tri Diva, then just let me know. I'll alter the graphic for you specifically. You'll ge the picture when you see the graphics below.

I would like the add that final touch of "divaesque" to each tee/tank by dotting the "i"'s with what else? Rhinestones... If you order and have shipped to me, I'll add the stones and bring them with me to the tri. It will just be 2 stones, so I really don't think it would be a problem to still workout in the tee.

These are just a few Courtney and I came up with (click to see the full-size version:

Swim Plans!

Just learned about swimplan.com

Not sure why it took me so long to find out about this resource, either that or if someone did tell me about it, I didn't realize how cool it was.

Anyway, you sign up and it gives you free workout plans according to your criteria. So for Friday's swim session, it generated this plan:


I did hit the gym yesterday for weights and swim. I was surprised how much lifting took out of me before the swim. I essentially slogged through 1200 m :( I have to find a way to squeeze in 2 days of lifting somewhere. I don't feel good when I don't lift.

I got to the pool and there were a bunch (like 5) accomplished swimmers there drilling. They were very nice and offered me to share a lane, but since I still suck at swimming, I hate to mess up anyone's pace and make them have to swim around me. They were all very nice and 3 of them shared one lane for their long drills, which freed up some room for me. :) One day I'll glide through the water like them... instead of looking like a tug-boat. LOL

My new breathing is getting better. I just have a problem blowing out s-l-o-w-l-y. I find if I don't think about it and focus on breathing, I'll just hold my breath. I still seem to lift every 3rd stroke though; that's most comfortable for me. I can stretch it to 5, but when I do that I seem to get screwed up along the way and/or swallow a bunch of water trying to breath before my head is properly up out of the water.

Today I'm doing a brick with the club; riding 10 and running 2 (ouside!). I'm a little nervous about it... always hate being the slowest one. Plus there's that whole meeting new people thing, which I hate. Ugh.

Must stretch outside comfort zone to grow...
Must stretch outside comfort zone to grow...
Must stretch outside comfort zone to grow.

Right?
Right.

Know what's really funny? The MS150 is in less than 2 weeks now and all I can think about is the next Tri. LOL

Race Report - 2009 Space Race

I cannot believe I had such a great ride today, consiering how windy it was. I'm not sure where my legs came from, as I stil feel pretty under the weather, but definitely better than yesterday.

I averaged 15.2 mph for 42 miles... I've never sustained that kind of average over a distance more than 15 miles, I don't think. If I did, it would be because there were tons of tail winds helping along.

Elysha rocked it too, joining me for the the second day of fun! She's a touch chick, for sure. Not much in the way of pictures... but heres's a few

The race is sponsored by Ronald McDonald House, if you can't figure that out from the pictures:

Elysha finishing!

2009 Lonestar Tri Race Report

I had been suffering from sinus/allergy trouble all week. Coupled with a lack of sleep, today wasn't stellar, but I'm still proud. I had problems breathing, because I couldn't take good, deep breaths without coughing. As I type this my head is just pounding! Enough excuses though, right? Slow or fast, I still did the tri. :)

I went to the site yesterday for the beginners' seminar. I'm really glad I did. Jana from Tri on the Run shared tips and a checklist which was really helpful. This event was very well thought out. The little things made it a success and fun to do.

Be prepared... this post is going to be all over the place. I'm kinda out of it.

Soooo yesterday I met up with *E* and *H*. They texted me earlier about how freaked out they were about the swim, as they attended the swim clinic on Friday. I am starting to think that NOT going to the clinic was better! Long story short, the swim was scary. The winds had picked up and the water was much colder than it was 4 days ago. I was soooooo glad I purchased the wetsuit.

We got there and set-up. Walked around a bit and waited for our wave (#11) -- it gave us plenty of time to get worked up. LOL I think we were all as nervous as we were excited.

We entered the water for our start... and yes; it was cold! it was 60-something... can't remember, but I think it was 65 degrees.

Basically I could forget everything I practiced in the pool. I think when it comes to open water swimming the pool is only good for training your endurance... not for swimming in open water. Not being able to take deep breaths today certainly hampered my lung capacity though -- so I started to feel a little defeated while I was out there. I just kept stroking though. Thankfully the current was with us and we didn't have to fight it, but the 10 to 15 mph winds (with gusts up to 20) made the water not rough, but definitely bouncy... I don't know how else to explain it.

I finished the swim and upon exit I felt like I was drunk. I couldn't even walk a straight line, let alone run! They had people setup to strip you! Seriously. We pulled our zippers down and got our wetsuits to the ground, dropped on our bottoms and pointed our toes -- then they pulled them off for us.

I didn't spend a ton of time in T1. I was looking forward to some recovery on the bike. Sadly though it took me 4 miles before I felt my legs again, and 7 until my legs really felt "good". I was not happy about that, but I finished strong, so that's something.

Again in T2, I took little time. I really was just spent. Every time my feet hit the pavement it just pounded in my head. In any case, I walked and ran through the 5k as best I could, which was pretty bad. I knew my outdoors time would not be as good as indoors though; it never is. That's something I need to work on to improve before the Danskin.

I know it must sound more bad than good, but I really had a great time and I am glad I got to share firsts with *E* and *H* -- as well as *K* who we befriended. I know I would have done even better had I not felt so sh*tty

Lessons learned:

• That I'm really not a terrible at swimming. Practice paid off!
• Take decongestant when you're suffering -- it's not worth feeling crappy-crappy, when you can settle for just crappy.
• Get enough sleep -- hadn't slept well with my sinus stuff for the last 4 days. :(
• Nothing new on race day -- bought some "Yankz" and one broke. Had my old laces with me, so I was saved. The product was great... it was my installation that failed.
• Work on true swim to bike transition. Evidently the Swim to Spin Class Transition isn't cutting it?
• Run outside! I effin' hate this part, but I think I could really improve this if I'd just do it OUTSIDE.
  

Overall finish 72nd in my wave; 163 overall male and female beginners.

Here's how it panned out:

Swim Rank: 58
Time: 00:16:26

Transition 1: 00:04:23

Bike Rank: 58
Bike Time: 00:54:15

Transition 2: 00:03:37

Run Rank: 83
Run Time: 00:47:55 (15.27 pace - bah!)

Total time 2:06:38 (didn't get my goal of < style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEOuqD9fTO-fvh5-0ZXBmMeGtRdLQiaz_y5N3dwayO4FNG2mILUwsW1HpEaCYLD_9oHw4kCTQuyjP6FeKPRDnrAq0PzuYFr9e9olRysXqjz9k80hEc7Q2b0a7ArUrsYAkNlfywG0z0TyI/s400/1rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320943131001446018" border="0">