T-Shirts - Check it!

Check out the first round of t-shirt printing. Sorry it's taking so long, but life happens. :-)

*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!

Cyclists Do It Wet

Alternative Title: Julie And CoCo, Off The Beaten Path

Ok... let's get this out there because it needs to be known... meeting the girls was fabulous. I already knew that, but the sparkle added when you get to see the words spoken instead of written just makes it better. It was AWESOME to finally meet them. And I'm sorry if I broke the "company is coming to town" rule. I was completely comfortable to be my normal crass self, immediately.

So the drive down to Texas was fun... I had a list of all this stuff I had to deal with before I even got out of Tulsa... eat lunch, buy water bottles, buy extra tubes for the tires (all at Mid-Town Bicycles, which might take over from Lee's as my new fave bike shop... they were really nice!), run to the bank for work, run to the bank for me, put gas in the car, get sudafed (which has to be bought in the pharmacy here in Oklahoma now, because I guess some component of Sudafed is used to make meth), get sun screen, buy a pop, get some candy and GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I listened to a lot of music... thought about listening to one of my books on my iPod (can't hardly call it a book on tape anymore), but I kept with the music.

If I have any room to complain about driving (in any state) it is this: Pick a speed and go. I hate people who go 80, then 75, then 70, then realize someone is tailing them, bump it back up to 80, lather, rinse, repeat. And if I see you coming up on me fast, I really will try to get out of your way... so give me a damn minute. Don't just whip around me. That scares the shit out of me and it should scare the shit out of you too. And if you rearend me with my bike back there and ruin it, you're buying me an even better bike, mkay? Cause I'd probably take the payout for getting my junker of a car totalled and buy a really sweet ride.

So I got to Plano later than I wanted... I had planned to be there by four, do some laps in the pool, get cleaned up and meet some the girls for dinner. I got there at about 5:45, with time to throw my bike in the room, go to the bathroom, glance around the hotel to see if the pool was indoor (for after dinner usage, it was not) and head out to meet the girls for dinner. The best laid plans....

Dinner was hilarious... loved all the girls and it was seriously like I had already met everyone. They were so welcoming and friendly and it was awesome.

I explored Addison a little (not much as I had specific directions to and from specific places and I didn't feel like getting lost) and headed on back to the hotel to hit the hay with a wakeup call called in and my alarm set for 5:45.

About midnight I hear it... splashing water. And I see it... lightning. I rolled over and went back to sleep... all night long this continues... and I kept thinking... I heard it will be over by morning, by morning, by... morn... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I looked at the clock at 5:44... my phone had already turned 5:45 and had some cryptic message that the alarm time had already passed it would ring tomorrow, but not today? Whatever... I was awake, but I was laying there in anticipation of the wake up call... that never came... so I got myself up out of bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth, put my gear on... all to the steady sound of rain.

Loaded my bike... loaded myself... this would have been a good time for a checklist... because I thought I locked my keys in my car right after I had loaded my bike.... but then found them, had to go back for a towel, had to go back for my Garmin, had to go back for the directions... I drove out of the parking lot four times before I really got on the road. Checklist next time!

Arrived at the event which was the WildRide! Bike Rally. We had decided on Friday night that we were going to do the 16 mile course.

I sat in my car waiting for everyone to get there... and thought... hmmm... this is kind of crazy... it's pouring out there. But I got my bike out, aired up my tires, got dressed and went in search of the other girls... who knew it would be so hard to find them... we laughed when I called and Courtney said she was the one with the bike, next to the tree.

This is before I was totally soaked...

So we head out... and I'm not going to lie... it was wet. And a little bit scary to be riding in the wet. I've been sprinkled on, but I've never ridden in the rain... but rest assured, we didn't fall! And once we actually got out and everything reached saturation level... it was, actually, not that bad to ride in the rain. I wish I could have stopped and rung out my socks... they seems to retain the most liquid... and my jersey, the back pockets felt like they were starting to fill up.

Courtney and I somehow split from Alana and Drea, but it was great riding and talking... we were just chit chatting, comparing race schedules, talking about all things tri having a ball... when we finally look up and notice... no rally signs.anywhere, no bikers.anywhere. She thought there was a rest stop about mile 9 at an elementary school... and we rode along and found one... but it wasn't the one. So we turned around and started looking for cyclists. As we were headed back into the rain, I mentioned, I don't know whether to be pissed or laugh! How in the world did we miss.the.turn.

So we're heading back the direction we came from... and notice a line of cyclists crossing a road we had breezed on by earlier (and we almost got a car up the crack because the police officers motioned us through and the car went instead)... and we started cracking up... I tried to see a sign that said turn, but never could find it... and we saw the other two girls coming, so we had to be on the right track.

Neither of us ever figured out where we missed the turn... and it must have been marked somewhere because most of the other riders seemed to have made it... (but we did see a few other random stragglers who did the same thing we did)... but we missed the rest stop where there were apparently cookies and oranges... and I was sad to not have been involved with that.

But... we made it back... all four of us crossing the finish line... and we had to take a picture, you know? (I just noticed my eyes were closed, but hey! I'm smiling!)
And it was a good course, a couple of hills, a few gradual inclines... I'm glad we didn't do the 40 miles... especially in that weather... but now.. I don't know... for some reason, I hadn't been considering myself a real cyclist... but after that ride in the hot mess of the rain, I decided, yup, I'm a cyclist. And I didn't come all the way to Texas to pack up my bike and not do it. So I'm proud of us... we did it. And even the detour was pretty funny (after the fact).

Notes to self:
*know the route
*carry a map of the route, maybe I'll finally to listen
*if it rains, decide to play in it, it's like being a little kid again
*start thinking about that century ride I'd like to complete next year

I would say my first organized bike ride was a success!

WildRide! 2009

Join more than 2,000 cyclists for the 6th annual WildRide! Against Cancer on May 16, 2009. The event is projected to net more than $110,000 for Richardson Regional Cancer Center, an affiliate of UT Southwestern Medical Center and home of the Lance Armstrong Shaped Beam Surgery™ program. WildRide! is the only bike ride to allow riders across the long stretch of the beautiful Lavon Lake Dam, closed all other days of the year! Enjoy rolling hills and scenic byways through small North Texas towns that open their arms to this annual event.

Oy vey! Of course the morning started with heavy rain. I prayed that we'd be spared...no such luck! There were 5 Tri Divas doing this event (including Julie who rode her bike from Oklahoma to be here! Ok, she drove...but still a rock star). At 7:45am it was still coming down (ride started at 8), so I decided to stop bitching and just get the damn thing done (how is that for positive attitude? LOL)

The Divas split up on the course and Julie and I ended up riding together. We're rolling along (at a nice pace, I must add...despite the sequel to "Waterworld" playing out in my contacts), chatting and having a good time. After awhile we realize we're in heavy traffic and there are no other cyclists around. Umm...WTF?!? Julie and I were apparently having so much fun that we completely missed our turn. The mishap only added an additional 2 miles to our total, but it was still a tad bit annoying due to the rain. We missed the rest stop (not that you really need it on a 16-mile course), but y'all know I'm all about the snacks! *stomping foot*

The ride itself was pretty good. A few rolling hills and a couple of slow climbs and a nice downhill that took my bike to 28mph...woohoo! Probably wasn't smart in the rain, but I survived. Don't tell my mom, ok?

I think all of the Divas enjoyed themselves despite the shiteous weather and meeting Julie was great! She's a very cool girl and I can't wait to see her again next month for Danskin! I must give a shoutout to Alana (Super Mom of Multiples!) for completing her first event of the year! As if birthin' twin boys isn't impressive enough, the girl is still a cycling machine. I also have to give love to Drea. She's totally embraced cycling and her enthusiasm is contagious. Congrats on finishing your first organized ride!

Wet and smiley after the ride...Julie, Drea, Court, Alana (I always feel like freakin' Gulliver in group shots..LOL)







One for pinot grigio, One for tequila. Gatorade is for rookies!

Calming Swim Fears

Calming Your Swim Fears
Kelly Handel
Professional Triathlete
Consultant, Source Endurance

If you have committed to doing your first triathlon this year, first of all, congratulations on getting started! That is the first step and often the hardest part. As the summer approaches and temperatures rise in Austin, there is no better way to complement the day than cooling off with a swim. While this is often times the most ‘feared’ discipline of all, it is nothing to be afraid of and hopefully something you can even come to enjoy. Here are a few tips for getting you off on the right foot for a successful race.

Scout out the course. Try to arrive early enough to the transition area to set your things up and get to the swim start with time to spare. This means, maybe wander over there 20-30 minutes prior to your wave start time. Look at the course, and ask questions of volunteers or even the race director if you can find him/her. Be sure you know which direction to go and you can see all of the turn buoys (if possible) from the beach. A very good tip is: Start off to the side or the back if you are intimidated. So, if the first turn is to the left around the first buoy, aim to start to the right side of the swim pack you are starting with. Picture this: Everyone will merge to that point and make the turn, so you do not want to be on the ‘inside’ and get pushed off course. While you may swim slightly further starting to the outside, you will not get pummeled by all of the other swimmers. It will feel safer and less hectic in the mix of things.

Count the buoys. Again, do not hesitate to ask questions! Some race directors will make the turn buoys different colors. Maybe the ‘marker’ buoys are orange, and the turn buoys are yellow. Know the course as well as you can from looking at it, and if you know how many buoys you are going to pass, you can count them off as you go.

Sight often. This cannot be underestimated! Hopefully you have practiced ‘how to’ sight, but all you really need to do is lift the eyes to just above the surface of the water. You may even be able to work this into your strokes, if you practice it enough. Starting out, try to sight every 3-5 strokes. But remember, this does not entail ‘stopping’, but more so simply lifting your eyes above the surface, glancing ahead for the NEXT buoy and continuing to swim. Keep the sighting quick, efficient and frequent.

Trust yourself. You may find that you settle into a small ‘pack’ of others, which is a great place to be. But, do not let them lead the way entirely. They may be going fast, but they may also be going off course. Be sure even if you find yourself swimming in a pack that you are sighting often to be sure that you are on course.

Stop and tread water (or swim on your back) if you panic. This is VERY important for beginners to know! It is just fine to stop and catch your breath if you need to. The swim start can be a bit stressful and hectic, as there is a lot of splashing, kicking and arms and legs flying. This will clear out a bit, as people begin to fall into their own paces. If you find at any point you begin to feel short of breath, stop and tread water, or even flip onto your back and do some strokes here. It is important to relax, catch your breath and then continue on. There is nothing wrong with a short break, especially if this is your first triathlon (or even your first year of triathlons).

Practice in open water prior to race day. We are blessed in Austin with so many great swimming holes. You will feel much better on race day if you know you have ‘experienced’ open water at least a couple of times before you race. Make it a goal to go to Barton Springs, or perhaps the Pure Austin North quarry, a couple of times the month leading up to your event. It is a different experience than swimming in a pool; but think of it as fun. There are no lanes, no walls and no clocks; just you and the water! If you think your race may be wetsuit-legal, be sure to practice a few times in the wetsuit you may race in. Sleeveless suits are nice for added mobility and a more natural swim stroke; and they will still keep you very warm.

Relax and be confident in yourself! This is so important. We all have self-doubts, but come race day, try to find a minute before you start to quiet your mind and focus on what you are there to do. You are in control of your race. Things may happen, but remember that you know how to swim, you have trained for this day and you can control what happens. Self-talk can come in very handy, especially in the swim! Find a ‘mantra’ that works for you, and carry this through your race. Remember to smile; this is fun stuff, and the more you do, the easier it will get. After all, everyone is in it together!

A First-Timers Video - Danskin 2007

Brave
Nichole Nordeman, Jay Joyce

The gate is wide
The road is paved in moderation
The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in
Welcome to the middle ground
You're safe and sound and
Until now it's where I've been

'Cause it's been fear that ties me down to everything
But it's been love, Your love, that cuts the strings

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I am small
And I speak when I'm spoken to
But I am willing to risk it all
I say Your name
Just Your name and I'm ready to jump
Even ready to fall...

Why did I take this vow of compromise?
Why did I try to keep it all inside?

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I've never known a fire that didn't begin with a flame
Every storm will start with just a drop of rain
But if you believe in me
That changes everything
So long, I'm gone

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
I wanna be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave