Today marks two weeks until I'm on a flight bound for Israel, which means that my second 'A' race of the season is less than two weeks away. I'm trying to live in the present, enjoying every minute of my two weeks left at home, instead of only looking ahead to all of the exciting changes that are coming. But I do need to start packing. Does anyone have advice on how to pack for 10 months in two suitcases? Each has to weigh less than 50 pounds. I keep thinking I should start, and then I realize that if I pack now, I'll have nothing left to wear for the next two weeks. So for now it'll be lists and piles of winter clothes.
But anyway, with less than two weeks until USAT Sprint Nationals, this is my final hard week of training and I'm all in. Knowing I have a very busy weekend coming up (all good things!) I talked to Kelly about front loading the week.
As I sit here writing, it's just before 5 am and I'm heading out to Boot Camp to kick off a three day training block that has me doing three hours today (lift, run, swim), three hours tomorrow (swim, bike) and two-and-a-half hours on Thursday (lift, run, swim), I guess this is a little taste of what life would be like as a professional triathlete. I am pumped! Who wants to sponsor my fantasy life as a professional triathlete so I can do this all the time?
In other good news, I got some exciting information about my Israel program. From the title of this blog alone, you could probably guess that running, triathlon and fitness are big parts of my life. I've been a little nervous about the track my fitness would take over the next year, and had formulated a bare minimum, focus on the run training plan that I knew I could execute anywhere.
During a group Facebook chat with the staff and other participants, it quickly became very clear that I was in good company with many other like minded people. There's at least one other triathlete, several runners and a few cyclists. Our excitement at finding this out about each other led to several others getting excited about our workout endeavors as well. One of the staff members even sent me information about a Women's only Tri in Herziliya next June. We are talking about the Jerusalem Marathon, and there is an English speaker's running group that meets in our first city. They've already been informed that there are several interested participants arriving in just a few short weeks.
The bike issue (bring it and eat the $500 shipping, find a way to ship it cheaper, buy once I'm there and sell before I leave, buy there and only ship home, rent there) hasn't been resolved but I'm confident that I'll find a solution. That being said, I'm also open to suggestions!
Off to get my butt kicked! Have a good day!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Athleta Iron Girl Syracuse 2012
Athleta Iron Girl Syracuse 2012. My third time at this race. So much for 3rd time's the charm. Here we go again. Another post, another race report with nothing in the middle. This blog is starting to feel like a PB+J with no peanut butter and no jelly. I keep thinking I'm going to have more time and more to write about but then the days go by and all of the sudden here I am, racing again.
I was super psyched to get my race plan from Kelly on Thursday night with instruction to race hard, hard and harder. Use this race as a trial run for USAT Nationals in two weeks. Showed up to the race this morning ready and raring to go, despite having woken up at 2 am, not able to fall back asleep. I was in transition by 5 am, only to discover that the tire I thought I had successfully changed on Thursday was flat again! I headed straight to bike support to have a tech change it, figuring better them than me, since I must have messed something up when I changed it myself. Got it all fixed up and finished setting up my transition area. I was able to rack right next to my friends, which made the morning so much more fun!
Before I knew it it was 6:30 and time to clear out of transition and get in a quick 10 minute warm-up jog. This was the first time I have ever done a warm up for a tri as part of the test for Nationals and I loved it. I was ready!
Swim - 11:28
It seemed to take forever for our wave of 29 and unders to be called into the water, but the gun finally sounded and we were off! I started swimming right away, but it was the most physical swim I have ever been in! We haven't had much rain this summer, so the water is really shallow and a lot of people chose to walk aways, even though the gun had sounded. I finally got out in front of the walkers and had some clear water out to the turn buoy. Got caught up behind some slower swimmers from the wave in front of me, but was able to swim strong and sight well the whole time, so it was a great swim. I was third out of the water in my wave, 1st in my age group and 22nd overall.
Bike - 58:58
The bike started off great. I ran out and got clipped right in, no problems! Headed out on the bike course feeling strong and passed a bunch of people pretty quickly. There is a railroad crossing on this course, just before the 5 mile mark. As I approached it, I started to hear a train's whistle. At first I was in denial. Saying, "No, no, you've got to be kidding me, this isn't happening, I hope they are kidding, they'll stop the train, right?" Well no, they don't stop the trains, they stop the racers. A group of about 30 was waiting for the train to pass and a USAT official took our numbers so that we wouldn't be penalized for the down time. Luckily it was a short train and I was off again almost as soon as I stopped. I quickly passed everyone in the train group and had an awesome stretch of road all to myself. I was hammering along when everything started to feel soft and my speed slowed. I was in denial again (sensing a theme) for .2 seconds before I realized if I was going to get a flat, now was the perfect time since bike support was right in front of me! I waved them down and they got to work changing the tube and finding the cause more quickly than I ever could have (especially since I was shaking and trying not to cry). While my tire was being fixed I gave myself a little pep talk - "You are not out of this, you are not quitting, race your own race and practice pushing through for Nationals." I got back on my bike and took off with a very grateful thank you to Syracuse Bike! Now I had to go catch all my friends that had passed me while I was stranded on the side of the road. One by one I found them all :) I hate to say it but that setback may have been just what I needed to get refocused to push hard for the rest of the time on the bike.
Run - 24:08
I was in and out of T2 quickly, and almost immediately saw Coach Kelly yelling and cheering for me to run hard. I couldn't help but smile as I yelled out to tell her about my flat. I'm pretty sure she said something about forgetting it and just running. So run I did. It was very unremarkable - flat, one loop out and back. For some reason there was only one water stop (there were supposed to be two) but I have to thank Doug and his wife for remembering I had said before the race that I would be looking for a cup of ice. Sure enough when I came around the turn they were waiting for me. Huge, huge thank you! But the run was the only piece of my race today that I'm not thrilled with. I know that I can run faster. For some reason I just seem to have this mental block racing off the bike. But I know what I have to work on.
Total time - 1:37:05
I wound up just 6 seconds behind 1st place in my age group and 24th overall, despite the flat. I didn't time the stop on the bike but if I had to guess it was at least 5 minutes. Figuring that in, I would have cracked the top 10 (8th I think?). I am thrilled. This race was an important lesson in not giving up. I have heard so many times, from so many different people, that if you flat in a sprint you should just give up. Well I'm here to prove that it isn't over till it's over. There is no reason not to pick yourself up and keep going. Podium spots are fun, but until I'm a pro making a payday from placing in the money, it doesn't make a lick of difference whether I came in 1st or 2nd or off the age group podium all together (although I do love my Iron Girl charm!).
I was super psyched to get my race plan from Kelly on Thursday night with instruction to race hard, hard and harder. Use this race as a trial run for USAT Nationals in two weeks. Showed up to the race this morning ready and raring to go, despite having woken up at 2 am, not able to fall back asleep. I was in transition by 5 am, only to discover that the tire I thought I had successfully changed on Thursday was flat again! I headed straight to bike support to have a tech change it, figuring better them than me, since I must have messed something up when I changed it myself. Got it all fixed up and finished setting up my transition area. I was able to rack right next to my friends, which made the morning so much more fun!
Before I knew it it was 6:30 and time to clear out of transition and get in a quick 10 minute warm-up jog. This was the first time I have ever done a warm up for a tri as part of the test for Nationals and I loved it. I was ready!
Swim - 11:28
It seemed to take forever for our wave of 29 and unders to be called into the water, but the gun finally sounded and we were off! I started swimming right away, but it was the most physical swim I have ever been in! We haven't had much rain this summer, so the water is really shallow and a lot of people chose to walk aways, even though the gun had sounded. I finally got out in front of the walkers and had some clear water out to the turn buoy. Got caught up behind some slower swimmers from the wave in front of me, but was able to swim strong and sight well the whole time, so it was a great swim. I was third out of the water in my wave, 1st in my age group and 22nd overall.
Bike - 58:58
The bike started off great. I ran out and got clipped right in, no problems! Headed out on the bike course feeling strong and passed a bunch of people pretty quickly. There is a railroad crossing on this course, just before the 5 mile mark. As I approached it, I started to hear a train's whistle. At first I was in denial. Saying, "No, no, you've got to be kidding me, this isn't happening, I hope they are kidding, they'll stop the train, right?" Well no, they don't stop the trains, they stop the racers. A group of about 30 was waiting for the train to pass and a USAT official took our numbers so that we wouldn't be penalized for the down time. Luckily it was a short train and I was off again almost as soon as I stopped. I quickly passed everyone in the train group and had an awesome stretch of road all to myself. I was hammering along when everything started to feel soft and my speed slowed. I was in denial again (sensing a theme) for .2 seconds before I realized if I was going to get a flat, now was the perfect time since bike support was right in front of me! I waved them down and they got to work changing the tube and finding the cause more quickly than I ever could have (especially since I was shaking and trying not to cry). While my tire was being fixed I gave myself a little pep talk - "You are not out of this, you are not quitting, race your own race and practice pushing through for Nationals." I got back on my bike and took off with a very grateful thank you to Syracuse Bike! Now I had to go catch all my friends that had passed me while I was stranded on the side of the road. One by one I found them all :) I hate to say it but that setback may have been just what I needed to get refocused to push hard for the rest of the time on the bike.
Run - 24:08
I was in and out of T2 quickly, and almost immediately saw Coach Kelly yelling and cheering for me to run hard. I couldn't help but smile as I yelled out to tell her about my flat. I'm pretty sure she said something about forgetting it and just running. So run I did. It was very unremarkable - flat, one loop out and back. For some reason there was only one water stop (there were supposed to be two) but I have to thank Doug and his wife for remembering I had said before the race that I would be looking for a cup of ice. Sure enough when I came around the turn they were waiting for me. Huge, huge thank you! But the run was the only piece of my race today that I'm not thrilled with. I know that I can run faster. For some reason I just seem to have this mental block racing off the bike. But I know what I have to work on.
Total time - 1:37:05
I wound up just 6 seconds behind 1st place in my age group and 24th overall, despite the flat. I didn't time the stop on the bike but if I had to guess it was at least 5 minutes. Figuring that in, I would have cracked the top 10 (8th I think?). I am thrilled. This race was an important lesson in not giving up. I have heard so many times, from so many different people, that if you flat in a sprint you should just give up. Well I'm here to prove that it isn't over till it's over. There is no reason not to pick yourself up and keep going. Podium spots are fun, but until I'm a pro making a payday from placing in the money, it doesn't make a lick of difference whether I came in 1st or 2nd or off the age group podium all together (although I do love my Iron Girl charm!).
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Musselman 70.3 Race Report
Here's the actual Musselman race report. Not than anyone cares but here's all the stuff from the day before: Pre-Race Race Report
After a not so great night of sleep, race morning came much
earlier than I was planning – 3:30 am to be exact. I used a plastic spoon to
make myself a bagel with banana and peanut butter (despite 2 trips to Wegmans
the day before I never picked up a plastic knife) and chugged the cup of coffee
I had bought the day before. I had been planning on leaving the dorm around 5,
but after hearing all the other triathletes up and moving around (and leaving)
I got nervous that I would have to wait in a long line to get into the park. So
I left around 4:50, and was pulling into my parking spot just 7 minutes later.
I just chilled in the car for a little while and listened to some music.
Once I got to the park, I was remarkably calm. I knew I was
better prepared for this day than for anything else I have ever done in my
life. I set my transition area up quickly and waited to find out if the swim
would be wetsuit legal or not. Soon enough the announcement was made…with the
water temperature at 78.8 degrees, the race would not be wetsuit legal if you
wanted a chance to place in your age group. This was an easy one for me. I did
not want to overheat and I felt pretty confident in my swimming ability. I had
decided the day before that if they were allowed I would wear it and if not
then I wouldn’t. Made everything much simpler and I didn’t have to stress over
the decision. So I left my wetsuit in transition and headed towards the beach
to check out the bath water.
As I was leaving transition I ran into Coach Kelly and got a
few last minute race tips/words of advice and encouragement. She told me she
thought I would catch her at some point during the race (her swim wave started
10 minutes in front of mine) and agreed with my decision not to wear the
wetsuit. I left her feeling incredibly confident. I knew I could do this, and
now I had an awesome, not time-based goal: “go catch Kelly!”
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| Kirstan made me the best sign! |
Before I knew it my wave of light blue caps was being
counted into the water and it was go time!
Swim – 39:08
The water looked deceivingly calm and it was incredibly shallow where we waited for the race director to yell, “go!.” I had watched the people from the waves in front of me tried to wade out further, but I knew that would be way slower than swimming and use more energy, too. A quick countdown from 10 and we were off. This was the calmest I have ever been before a race start, and it paid off. I dove in a started swimming, and was at the front of my wave almost all the way out to the first buoy. Once we got out into the deeper water, it got really rough, really fast. I swallowed about a gallon of water and I could feel my body riding the waves up and down. I did a couple of breast strokes and caught my breath, then put my head down and started swimming. I knew I just had to get out to the turn and then the waves at least wouldn’t be crashing over my head. I lost some time catching my breath but once I got moving again I found another girl from my wave and tried to stay on her feet as much as possible. We traded spots and got tangled a few times, but for the most part finished the rest of the swim one behind the other. Thanks to my lovely new goggles I never had a problem sighting. The swim finished in a river/canal so there was a lovely current the last 1/3 of the swim the helped push you in. I am definitely capable of swimming faster than this, but given the conditions and that I did it without a wetsuit, I am very happy with this.
The water looked deceivingly calm and it was incredibly shallow where we waited for the race director to yell, “go!.” I had watched the people from the waves in front of me tried to wade out further, but I knew that would be way slower than swimming and use more energy, too. A quick countdown from 10 and we were off. This was the calmest I have ever been before a race start, and it paid off. I dove in a started swimming, and was at the front of my wave almost all the way out to the first buoy. Once we got out into the deeper water, it got really rough, really fast. I swallowed about a gallon of water and I could feel my body riding the waves up and down. I did a couple of breast strokes and caught my breath, then put my head down and started swimming. I knew I just had to get out to the turn and then the waves at least wouldn’t be crashing over my head. I lost some time catching my breath but once I got moving again I found another girl from my wave and tried to stay on her feet as much as possible. We traded spots and got tangled a few times, but for the most part finished the rest of the swim one behind the other. Thanks to my lovely new goggles I never had a problem sighting. The swim finished in a river/canal so there was a lovely current the last 1/3 of the swim the helped push you in. I am definitely capable of swimming faster than this, but given the conditions and that I did it without a wetsuit, I am very happy with this.
T1 – 1:37
This sounds a little speedier than it was since the timing mats were in transition, not near the water exit, but it was pretty quick (especially since I didn’t have to take my wetsuit off). Helmet, sunglasses and shoes on, Go!
This sounds a little speedier than it was since the timing mats were in transition, not near the water exit, but it was pretty quick (especially since I didn’t have to take my wetsuit off). Helmet, sunglasses and shoes on, Go!
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Bike – 2:54:09
Sweet! I really wanted to finish the bike in less than 3 hours, so I am thrilled with this. Considering the conditions, I am ecstatic! It started off innocently enough. Kelly had told me to take the first 14 miles easy and ride by feel since it was a mix of false flat and uphill. I felt great and was looking for people in my age group to pick off. My mantra through this part was, “go catch Kelly!” After passing/being passed by the same 2 people repeatedly, we all made friends. Thanks for the encouragement in my first 70.3 Mike and Sara! Sara gave me some great advice and was keeping me updated on our average pace and finishing time. We were on pace to do 2:52 so I was psyched. Looking back I know I may have pushed too hard in the beginning, but I’m glad I had made up some extra time. Right about the time I turned onto the lovely new (fast!) pavement on 414, it started to sprinkle. Pretty soon it was a full on monsoon, complete with cloud-to-ground lightening and the most terrifyingly loud thunder I have ever heard. And we were riding through a corn field. I was praying out loud when I guy rode by and asked who believed in G-d. The answer was an emphatic YES! from everyone around me. I spent a couple of minutes being terrified and wondering if they would pull us off the course. Logic said that would be impossible (there were 1,000 of us spread of 56 miles), so I put my head down and kept riding. At this point it was raining so hard there was an inch of water on the road and my glasses were catching water and making me feel like I might lose a contact. Then I hit the big downhill with the sharp right turn at the end. I was terrified of taking this too fast and either wiping out or ending up in Cayuga Lake, so I sat up and squeezed the brakes as if my life depended on it. Shortly after that the rain lightened up and the thunderstorm ended, but at this point I was really starting to feel that early hard effort. I was ready to break up with my bike seat, but I knew the end was coming. Soon enough I was out of my shoes (a little early, but that’s typical for me), and hopping off the bike to lots of cheers from my amazing training partners who came and cheered for us despite the storm. Love them!
Sweet! I really wanted to finish the bike in less than 3 hours, so I am thrilled with this. Considering the conditions, I am ecstatic! It started off innocently enough. Kelly had told me to take the first 14 miles easy and ride by feel since it was a mix of false flat and uphill. I felt great and was looking for people in my age group to pick off. My mantra through this part was, “go catch Kelly!” After passing/being passed by the same 2 people repeatedly, we all made friends. Thanks for the encouragement in my first 70.3 Mike and Sara! Sara gave me some great advice and was keeping me updated on our average pace and finishing time. We were on pace to do 2:52 so I was psyched. Looking back I know I may have pushed too hard in the beginning, but I’m glad I had made up some extra time. Right about the time I turned onto the lovely new (fast!) pavement on 414, it started to sprinkle. Pretty soon it was a full on monsoon, complete with cloud-to-ground lightening and the most terrifyingly loud thunder I have ever heard. And we were riding through a corn field. I was praying out loud when I guy rode by and asked who believed in G-d. The answer was an emphatic YES! from everyone around me. I spent a couple of minutes being terrified and wondering if they would pull us off the course. Logic said that would be impossible (there were 1,000 of us spread of 56 miles), so I put my head down and kept riding. At this point it was raining so hard there was an inch of water on the road and my glasses were catching water and making me feel like I might lose a contact. Then I hit the big downhill with the sharp right turn at the end. I was terrified of taking this too fast and either wiping out or ending up in Cayuga Lake, so I sat up and squeezed the brakes as if my life depended on it. Shortly after that the rain lightened up and the thunderstorm ended, but at this point I was really starting to feel that early hard effort. I was ready to break up with my bike seat, but I knew the end was coming. Soon enough I was out of my shoes (a little early, but that’s typical for me), and hopping off the bike to lots of cheers from my amazing training partners who came and cheered for us despite the storm. Love them!
T2 – 1:30
Nothing special, flew to my bike spot, racked the bike, took a second to adjust my socks so they weren’t bunching, slipped on my sneakers, grabbed my race belt, looked up and who did I see running past me? Kelly! I don’t think I have ever been so excited to see anyone, ever. I don’t remember what she said, but whatever it was as we ran out of transition together it was just the boost I needed.
Nothing special, flew to my bike spot, racked the bike, took a second to adjust my socks so they weren’t bunching, slipped on my sneakers, grabbed my race belt, looked up and who did I see running past me? Kelly! I don’t think I have ever been so excited to see anyone, ever. I don’t remember what she said, but whatever it was as we ran out of transition together it was just the boost I needed.
Run – 2:02:09
My transition spot said, “Be Tracey’s hero today,” and it was only appropriate that I got a good look at it while I was re-racking my bike. She is the one who got me into running, and one of her favorite sayings is, “mind over body.” I was in completely uncharted territory at this point – facing a 13.1 mile run, after swimming 1.2 miles without a wetsuit and biking 56 miles about 15 minutes faster than I had ever done it before. However, I never had any doubt that I would finish. Just a curiosity about how my body would handle the next 2ish hours. The run wasn’t exactly anything to write home about, it was steady, evenly paced and went exactly according to plan. First mile was a little fast (8:11), I accidently ran up the hill through the backyard instead of the stairs, took full advantage of the water stops–ice cold sponges? Amazing. The people who live along this course are the best. They were out there cheering, and the kids were armed with hoses, ready to spray anyone who asked. I had literally been wet the entire race, so I took full advantage. My parents had brought their bikes and rode up to me right around the halfway point, which was amazing and gave me another much needed boost.
My transition spot said, “Be Tracey’s hero today,” and it was only appropriate that I got a good look at it while I was re-racking my bike. She is the one who got me into running, and one of her favorite sayings is, “mind over body.” I was in completely uncharted territory at this point – facing a 13.1 mile run, after swimming 1.2 miles without a wetsuit and biking 56 miles about 15 minutes faster than I had ever done it before. However, I never had any doubt that I would finish. Just a curiosity about how my body would handle the next 2ish hours. The run wasn’t exactly anything to write home about, it was steady, evenly paced and went exactly according to plan. First mile was a little fast (8:11), I accidently ran up the hill through the backyard instead of the stairs, took full advantage of the water stops–ice cold sponges? Amazing. The people who live along this course are the best. They were out there cheering, and the kids were armed with hoses, ready to spray anyone who asked. I had literally been wet the entire race, so I took full advantage. My parents had brought their bikes and rode up to me right around the halfway point, which was amazing and gave me another much needed boost.
Once I crested
the gravel hill I got to run a little ways with Alex before he needed to stop
and stretch. Before I knew it I was back on the lakefront path heading into the
State Park. Mark was standing near the 13 mile marker and just like at Green Lakes he knew just
what to say to get me to pick it up a little. He told me to “catch them all”
and I did my best. Sprinting the last straightway to the finish I had the
biggest, goofiest smile on my face. Annie, Steve, Emily and Kirstan (and Kirstan’s
family) on one side, the T2 team in the tent on the other side, and even my
teammate Maria’s friends I had only met the day before were all cheering me in.
It was the greatest feeling. I got my finisher’s medal (a recycled bike
cassette), water bottle and a piece of watermelon and headed straight for the
ice bath.
Total Time: 5:38:35 - 22 minutes faster than planned and eked out a Nationals qualifying time!
It’s been almost a week and I still can’t shake the smile
off my face whenever I think about the race. Musselman was my first 70.3 and it will
not be my last. I made some amazing friends in the process, so I always had
someone to train with, push me, or hold me back when I needed to rest. I also
can’t say enough good things about Kelly and her training plan for me. It was
SPOT ON and worth every penny. My nutrition (Powerbar all the way!) worked like a charm (I was eating
immediately after the race, and I’ve never been able to do that), I felt
amazing through the whole race and was really able to enjoy the whole
experience. When I first decided to hire her, I told her I knew I could
complete the distance, but I didn’t want to stress myself out about it. She
took every iota of stress of my shoulders and got me to the start line, stronger,
fitter, happier and more relaxed and ready for a race than I have ever been.
Being a part of T2 and wearing the blue and yellow was another huge plus. It
was like having a family out on the race course.
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| Me with coach Kelly post race :) |
I loved every minute of this race and I can’t recommend it
highly enough. The volunteers who stood in the monsoon to keep us safe and on
course, the run aid stations that were so easy to navigate (and the adorable
little girl who made a point to hand me a pink sponge, instead of the blue one
she had in her hand) and the race director who thought of everything. Thank
you! I never even saw the inside of a porta-potty (win!).
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Musselman Pre Race Race Report
I had no intention for this blog to turn into a book of race
reports, but it is what is for now. Hopefully it’ll become a place to document
my trip to Israel. In the meantime, I raced again! I’ve been looking forward to
the Musselman since I first heard about it 2 years ago. I always thought I
would do the sprint, but when a certain someone (who will remain nameless)
suggested we do a Half Ironman, this seemed like the perfect race. Only 45
minutes from home, cheaper than a WTC race, an incredible reputation and a swim
in Seneca Lake (where I went to sleep away camp for years). So I signed up back
in December and immediately started training. Let me tell you, I was more prepared
for this race than anything else I have ever done in my life and I couldn’t be
happier with how it turned out.
With this being my first attempt at the 70.3 distance, I was
really focused on making sure I did everything right. I took Friday off from
work, focused on hydrating, taking in plenty of salt and getting plenty of
rest, along with packing everything up a day in advance. This was going to be a
triathlon-focused weekend and nothing was going to get in my way! However, there
was one non-triathlon thing that had to get done on Saturday. I felt really
strongly about getting up to Camp for services on my way to the race. There’s
something so serene and special about Shabbat Services on the lake at camp, and
it was even more special to me since I was able to look out at the lake where I’d
be swimming early the next morning. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t praying
for calm waters and cool temps! So while I may have spent more time sitting in
the direct sun on Saturday than was wise, I made sure to wear lots of sunscreen
and drink tons of water.
I left camp around noon and made it to the race expo by
12:30. From the moment I entered the campus at Hobart and William Smith I could
just feel the energy in the air. I got my key to my dorm room in the Athlete
Village (how awesome is it that they let you stay in the dorms?!) and was given
a Musselman chocolate bar :).
Just walking into packet pickup you can tell this race is special. I was given
my chip and cap by two of the nicest women who were just so eager to help me
out and answer all of my questions and given possibly the best race swag ever –
tote bag, shampoo and conditioner, peanut butter, tech shirt and best of all, a
stuffed Mussel baby. That Mussel baby is coming to Israel with me and he needs
a name. Any suggestions?
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| Help! I need a name! |
Anyways, packet pickup was smooth and quick (the only
surprise being that you had to weigh in and write your weight on the back of
your bib, which I didn’t like but I understand why it was necessary) and I
headed over to Wegmans to pick up a sub for lunch before going to the pre-race
meeting. Loved how close and convenient everything was! I was able to meet up
with Alex, one of my friends and training partners at the meeting. That was
where we got our first warning about the possibility of the non-wetsuit swim.
This was one of the most well-run race meetings I have ever been to, and Jeff
Henderson, the race director, was pretty funny, too. He showed two maps of the
bike course – one with just mile markers and info about rough spots, the other
with all the wineries! While I wasn’t planning on stopping at any of them on
Sunday, we decided it would be fun to bike the wine trail someday!
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. I signed my name
on the Mussel mural (the cartoonist behind Frazz is a triathlete and he adds to
the mural every year), and got my stuff into my dorm room. It was huge –two
rooms, and thankfully on the first floor (i.e., no stairs to climb post-race). I
headed back to Wegmans to pick up a bagel and coffee for my pre-race breakfast
since I couldn’t find the microwave that was supposed to be in the dorm kitchen
(actually, I never even found the kitchen). Then it was back out into the
insane 90-something degree heat to meet up with some friends at the Arts
Triathlon. This was a talent show of sorts with lots of local kids who were
extremely talented musicians and one of my fellow triathletes with an
absolutely stunning voice all performing. It was very cool, and just another
example of how this whole town really gets behind and involved in this race.
Super cool.
After an early dinner at Behurst Castle with my adopted
family for the day (thanks Kirstan and Alex!), we headed over to Seneca Lake
State Park for our first look at transition and to rack our bikes. Yet again I
scored a great spot on an end rack right near bike out and run out. One of the
many benefits of starting this sport young, I guess! Way back in December when
I signed up for this race they asked some funny questions on the registration form.
Like, “Who inspires you?” This is how they used my answer…
Yes, I teared up. But I managed to get my bike situated on
its spot and the gears covered with plastic bags in case it rained and headed
back for an early bed time.
 |
| Bike are racked and we are ready to go! |
Ok, this is crazy long and we haven’t gotten to the race
yet.So here’s the short version -
Swim – 39:08
T1 – 1:38
Bike – 2:54:09
T2 – 1:30
Run – 2:02:09
5:38:35
9/48 age group, 48/306 females, 245/832 overall
Swim – 39:08
T1 – 1:38
Bike – 2:54:09
T2 – 1:30
Run – 2:02:09
5:38:35
9/48 age group, 48/306 females, 245/832 overall
Actual race recap here!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
By the Numbers
I want to be better about blogging aside from just race reports. So, I am going to try to post my training numbers each week. I was debating about whether or not to start with last week. It was the first week since joining T2 that I didn't complete my week. That was hard for me to handle, but you have to take the good with the bad and I'm trying to remember that this late in the game it is more about quality (and staying healthy) than quantity.
I had to shorten my ride on Friday because of High School graduation and then I woke up sick on Saturday. I dragged my butt to Jamesville Beach for the Tri Club's 1.2 mile open water swim (there was no way I was missing the chance to practice the distance) and tried to head out for a 4 hour bike ride. I quickly realized Kelly was right and forcing myself to ride was a very bad idea. So with coach's approval I headed home to rest up. That permission is key for me. I'm always looking for a coaches approval. Some things never change and old habits die hard. After 18 years as a gymnast, I'm not sure that desire to please will ever go away.
So here it is:
Swim: 3 hours, 2 min/9312 yds
Bike: 2 hours, 20 min/41 mi
Run: 4 hours 20 min/26.38 mi
Strength: 2 hours
Total: 11 hours, 42 minutes
Yup, you know it's been a weird week when I managed to swim longer than bike :)
I had to shorten my ride on Friday because of High School graduation and then I woke up sick on Saturday. I dragged my butt to Jamesville Beach for the Tri Club's 1.2 mile open water swim (there was no way I was missing the chance to practice the distance) and tried to head out for a 4 hour bike ride. I quickly realized Kelly was right and forcing myself to ride was a very bad idea. So with coach's approval I headed home to rest up. That permission is key for me. I'm always looking for a coaches approval. Some things never change and old habits die hard. After 18 years as a gymnast, I'm not sure that desire to please will ever go away.
So here it is:
Swim: 3 hours, 2 min/9312 yds
Bike: 2 hours, 20 min/41 mi
Run: 4 hours 20 min/26.38 mi
Strength: 2 hours
Total: 11 hours, 42 minutes
Yup, you know it's been a weird week when I managed to swim longer than bike :)
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Green Lakes Livestrong Triathlon Race Report
Updated with official times!
First race of the 2012 season is over and in the books! I've been so focused on training for the Musselman that this race really felt like it came out of nowhere. Luckily, despite the first race nerves and the fact that this race snuck up on me, I was well trained and ready to go this morning. Major thanks to my awesome coach Kelly for making sure of it, calming my nerves yesterday and even letting me wear her team tri top so I could represent T2! The people cheering for the girl in the T2 top definitely helped me dig a little deeper at the end.
You want to really know how badly this race took me by surprise? I was convinced it was on Sunday (like all my other races this year, so I do have an excuse). I even bought tickets to see Cirque Du Soliel at the War Memorial for Friday night, specifically thinking it would be a fun, low key way to spend a Friday night since I wouldn't my usual training to do after work. Well, I was right on that part. The show was awesome and really helped me take my mind off the pre-race nerves. Plus, since I didn't get home until after 10, I just went straight to bed and was actually able to fall asleep pretty quickly. Luckily the race didn't start until 8:30 (and was just 10 minutes from home!).
When the alarm went off at 5:30 I looked out the window and was pretty disappointed to see that it was raining. All week they've been saying it would be sunny on Saturday, then last night they had changed it so just a 30% chance. Well, I guess 30% is all you need. I got to the race nice and early, got body marked (though I walked all the way up to body marking without my number, so I had to go back and get it, but it gave me a chance to see how the run course was laid out), and started setting up my transition spot. After unsuccessfully trying to get my helmet to balance on my aero bars, I gave up and set it on my shoes. With transition all set it was time to put on lots of body glide, squeeze into the wetsuit and head down to the beach for the pre-race meeting.
The meeting was a little chaotic and I don't think I heard a lot of what was said, but after some quick recon with my friends we figured out the swim course. Green Lakes is one of my favorite places to run, so we've done a lot of training in and around the park and on the course, so the bike and run were very familiar.
Before I knew it, we were being counted into the water for the swim! Per Kelly's instructions, I went right to the front. My heart was pounding and I spent the three minute countdown trying to get it to calm down. After the longest 15 seconds ever, then gun sounded and we were off! I had lined up right in the middle of the pack, so I expected to get trampled a little bit, and was hoping to be able to draft of some fast feet. Well no such luck. Despite having a straight shot to the first buoy (and swimming what felt like a pretty straight line!) there was no one around me. I could see big groups to each side, but since I was having no trouble sighting the buoy, I just headed straight for it and didn't worry about other people. It wasn't until we made the two quick turns that I got caught up in a group. That was also when we caught the slower men who started 5 minutes ahead of us. I had to stop and reroute a few times, but the only bad/scary part was the guy who put his hand on the middle of my back and pushed straight down - twice! I got away from him as quickly as I could. Swimming back to the beach was a little hard to sight. They had a strobe light on a guard chair which helped a little, but there were no real landmarks to look for. There was an opening marked off for us to swim through that I almost missed. Had to stop and correct a bit, but once I was through that it was pretty much smooth sailing (swimming?) to the end.
Swim: 14:45 I accidentally stopped my watch instead of hitting the lap button.
Out of the water, I pulled my goggles up and started working on the wetsuit. It was good to have something to think about while running up to T1 instead of about how nauseous I was. (I don't know if this is only me or not, but I always feel sick when I get out of the water in race.) I ran into transition, successfully remembered where I put my bike and got to work taking off the rest of the wetsuit. It slipped right off! This felt like a big win, since I've only worn it twice before and both times I had a hard time getting out of it. I threw on my helmet and glasses, before realizing I couldn't see anything out of my glasses since it was raining so hard. I spent a few seconds trying to wipe them off on my (already soaked) towel, but I still couldn't see well, so I left them there. Socks and shoes went on smoothly and I was off!
T1: 1:30 I'm pretty sure this was my fastest ever. The rain actually helped - there was no point in even attempting to dry your feet and wet feet slip into wet socks without a problem. Who knew?
I ran to the mount line and once again, Kelly's advice was perfect. I moved way over to the side, stopped and mounted. By taking it slow and staying calm, I was able to get on and get clipped in with no issues. This race starts off with a pretty quick uphill, and my quads were protesting right away. I told them to shut up and get moving :). Luckily then it flattens out/goes downhill for the next 7/8 miles. I was really nervous about the rain on this bike course. There's one steep, downhill right turn that is pretty technical even in dry weather, so I was worried about that the whole time. I heard about a few people crashing and one girl got taken to the hospital. I hope she's ok! After making it through that turn, there's just a steep uphill back into the park and then a fun downhill back to transition. Unfortunately I nearly dropped my chain about 20 feet up. I quickly dismounted, spun my pedals around (I don't really know what I was thinking?) and looked back down, trying to decide if I should coast to the bottom and try to get clipped in on the flat or just try where I was standing. I went with the latter, even though I've never been good at clipping in at all, even on a flat. This time I was successful! And the bike was working! I did ride off into the grass a little, but I quickly got straightened out and started working up the hill. Before I knew it I was cresting the top and hitting 38 mph on the downhill. The race directors had the park police put up a radar detector, so it was fun to see the lights going off and flashing since we were all speeding. I slipped my shoes out a bit too early, but it was all good and I coasted into transition and hopped off!
Bike: 36:47
I felt like I was flying as I ran into transition and someone yelled out, "14th woman!" I racked my bike, buckled my race belt, slipped on my sneakers and started to run out. Notice I forgot to say that I took off my helmet? Yeah, I tried to run right out of T2 with my helmet still on. I'd like to think I was just being safety conscious but I had no idea. Huge thanks to the three guys standing just outside of transition yelling and pointing to their heads. I did a quick about face, threw my helmet on my towel and this time I was off for real.
T2: 00:47
I was a little nervous for the run. I've been battling some piriformis/shin/ankle/foot problems that are all related, so it was just a matter of which one was going to bug me today. Luckily this race is almost completely on trails, so nice soft dirt, mulch and gravel. I had tried to push a high cadence on the bike to save my butt and was concentrating on making sure my ankles were relaxed through my pedal stroke so that my shins wouldn't tighten up when I tried to run. It worked like a charm. The beginning of the run was on pavement, so I didn't push to hard at the beginning. Grabbed some water and looked for the women I was going to start picking off :). Once we hit the trail I picked up the pace and tried to settle in. I was actually able to dial into a pace that was just shy of where my piriformis would start talking. I only got passed by one guy on the run, and actually passed him back later. I picked off a couple of women and set my sights on a girl in a white top. She had been about 25 yards in front of me when we started the run, and I had slowly gotten to within about 5 feet of her by the last mile. When we reached the beach, I felt like I was losing her, but all of the sudden as we came around the last turn it was like a repeat of Skinnyman last year: I found another gear and went into an all out sprint. Definitely helped that I heard lots of people cheering for me! I managed to pass her, another girl and a guy before the finish.
Run: 23:48
All in all, I'm marking this one down as a huge success. I didn't have a particular time goal in mind (probably thanks to the way this snuck up on me), but it worked just like I wanted it to when I signed up for it months ago. It was a great opportunity to practice transitions, remind myself what it feels like to race and see some results from all the training I've been doing. Plus, it was a fantastic start to the season with amazing friends and training partners. Not to mention we did pretty well, too :)
Total Time: 1:17:39
This was officially my last time racing against the 20-24 year old age group since this race wasn't USAT certified, so I got some pretty sweet hardware. I was first in my age group, 10th woman, and 74th overall.
While this was definitely not my 'A' race and there is still lots more work to do, I definitely didn't do it alone. Kelly, my awesome tri coach who looks at my crazy schedule, shows me how to fit it all in and constantly challenges me to do way more than I thought I was capable of. My running coach Kevin, for making me tons faster and for his voice in my head saying, "push, push, push" on the run. My fabulous PT, Julie for fixing all my weird ailments even when I confuse her and just getting me. And of course, my training partners in crime. It's been amazing to always have people to swim, bike and run with. Plus, you're all pretty fun to be around :)
First race of the 2012 season is over and in the books! I've been so focused on training for the Musselman that this race really felt like it came out of nowhere. Luckily, despite the first race nerves and the fact that this race snuck up on me, I was well trained and ready to go this morning. Major thanks to my awesome coach Kelly for making sure of it, calming my nerves yesterday and even letting me wear her team tri top so I could represent T2! The people cheering for the girl in the T2 top definitely helped me dig a little deeper at the end.
You want to really know how badly this race took me by surprise? I was convinced it was on Sunday (like all my other races this year, so I do have an excuse). I even bought tickets to see Cirque Du Soliel at the War Memorial for Friday night, specifically thinking it would be a fun, low key way to spend a Friday night since I wouldn't my usual training to do after work. Well, I was right on that part. The show was awesome and really helped me take my mind off the pre-race nerves. Plus, since I didn't get home until after 10, I just went straight to bed and was actually able to fall asleep pretty quickly. Luckily the race didn't start until 8:30 (and was just 10 minutes from home!).
When the alarm went off at 5:30 I looked out the window and was pretty disappointed to see that it was raining. All week they've been saying it would be sunny on Saturday, then last night they had changed it so just a 30% chance. Well, I guess 30% is all you need. I got to the race nice and early, got body marked (though I walked all the way up to body marking without my number, so I had to go back and get it, but it gave me a chance to see how the run course was laid out), and started setting up my transition spot. After unsuccessfully trying to get my helmet to balance on my aero bars, I gave up and set it on my shoes. With transition all set it was time to put on lots of body glide, squeeze into the wetsuit and head down to the beach for the pre-race meeting.
The meeting was a little chaotic and I don't think I heard a lot of what was said, but after some quick recon with my friends we figured out the swim course. Green Lakes is one of my favorite places to run, so we've done a lot of training in and around the park and on the course, so the bike and run were very familiar.
Before I knew it, we were being counted into the water for the swim! Per Kelly's instructions, I went right to the front. My heart was pounding and I spent the three minute countdown trying to get it to calm down. After the longest 15 seconds ever, then gun sounded and we were off! I had lined up right in the middle of the pack, so I expected to get trampled a little bit, and was hoping to be able to draft of some fast feet. Well no such luck. Despite having a straight shot to the first buoy (and swimming what felt like a pretty straight line!) there was no one around me. I could see big groups to each side, but since I was having no trouble sighting the buoy, I just headed straight for it and didn't worry about other people. It wasn't until we made the two quick turns that I got caught up in a group. That was also when we caught the slower men who started 5 minutes ahead of us. I had to stop and reroute a few times, but the only bad/scary part was the guy who put his hand on the middle of my back and pushed straight down - twice! I got away from him as quickly as I could. Swimming back to the beach was a little hard to sight. They had a strobe light on a guard chair which helped a little, but there were no real landmarks to look for. There was an opening marked off for us to swim through that I almost missed. Had to stop and correct a bit, but once I was through that it was pretty much smooth sailing (swimming?) to the end.
Swim: 14:45 I accidentally stopped my watch instead of hitting the lap button.
Out of the water, I pulled my goggles up and started working on the wetsuit. It was good to have something to think about while running up to T1 instead of about how nauseous I was. (I don't know if this is only me or not, but I always feel sick when I get out of the water in race.) I ran into transition, successfully remembered where I put my bike and got to work taking off the rest of the wetsuit. It slipped right off! This felt like a big win, since I've only worn it twice before and both times I had a hard time getting out of it. I threw on my helmet and glasses, before realizing I couldn't see anything out of my glasses since it was raining so hard. I spent a few seconds trying to wipe them off on my (already soaked) towel, but I still couldn't see well, so I left them there. Socks and shoes went on smoothly and I was off!
T1: 1:30 I'm pretty sure this was my fastest ever. The rain actually helped - there was no point in even attempting to dry your feet and wet feet slip into wet socks without a problem. Who knew?
I ran to the mount line and once again, Kelly's advice was perfect. I moved way over to the side, stopped and mounted. By taking it slow and staying calm, I was able to get on and get clipped in with no issues. This race starts off with a pretty quick uphill, and my quads were protesting right away. I told them to shut up and get moving :). Luckily then it flattens out/goes downhill for the next 7/8 miles. I was really nervous about the rain on this bike course. There's one steep, downhill right turn that is pretty technical even in dry weather, so I was worried about that the whole time. I heard about a few people crashing and one girl got taken to the hospital. I hope she's ok! After making it through that turn, there's just a steep uphill back into the park and then a fun downhill back to transition. Unfortunately I nearly dropped my chain about 20 feet up. I quickly dismounted, spun my pedals around (I don't really know what I was thinking?) and looked back down, trying to decide if I should coast to the bottom and try to get clipped in on the flat or just try where I was standing. I went with the latter, even though I've never been good at clipping in at all, even on a flat. This time I was successful! And the bike was working! I did ride off into the grass a little, but I quickly got straightened out and started working up the hill. Before I knew it I was cresting the top and hitting 38 mph on the downhill. The race directors had the park police put up a radar detector, so it was fun to see the lights going off and flashing since we were all speeding. I slipped my shoes out a bit too early, but it was all good and I coasted into transition and hopped off!
Bike: 36:47
I felt like I was flying as I ran into transition and someone yelled out, "14th woman!" I racked my bike, buckled my race belt, slipped on my sneakers and started to run out. Notice I forgot to say that I took off my helmet? Yeah, I tried to run right out of T2 with my helmet still on. I'd like to think I was just being safety conscious but I had no idea. Huge thanks to the three guys standing just outside of transition yelling and pointing to their heads. I did a quick about face, threw my helmet on my towel and this time I was off for real.
T2: 00:47
I was a little nervous for the run. I've been battling some piriformis/shin/ankle/foot problems that are all related, so it was just a matter of which one was going to bug me today. Luckily this race is almost completely on trails, so nice soft dirt, mulch and gravel. I had tried to push a high cadence on the bike to save my butt and was concentrating on making sure my ankles were relaxed through my pedal stroke so that my shins wouldn't tighten up when I tried to run. It worked like a charm. The beginning of the run was on pavement, so I didn't push to hard at the beginning. Grabbed some water and looked for the women I was going to start picking off :). Once we hit the trail I picked up the pace and tried to settle in. I was actually able to dial into a pace that was just shy of where my piriformis would start talking. I only got passed by one guy on the run, and actually passed him back later. I picked off a couple of women and set my sights on a girl in a white top. She had been about 25 yards in front of me when we started the run, and I had slowly gotten to within about 5 feet of her by the last mile. When we reached the beach, I felt like I was losing her, but all of the sudden as we came around the last turn it was like a repeat of Skinnyman last year: I found another gear and went into an all out sprint. Definitely helped that I heard lots of people cheering for me! I managed to pass her, another girl and a guy before the finish.
Run: 23:48
 |
| Can't believe I'm showing this race face to the world, but thanks to Mark for snapping this while screaming for me to catch her! |
All in all, I'm marking this one down as a huge success. I didn't have a particular time goal in mind (probably thanks to the way this snuck up on me), but it worked just like I wanted it to when I signed up for it months ago. It was a great opportunity to practice transitions, remind myself what it feels like to race and see some results from all the training I've been doing. Plus, it was a fantastic start to the season with amazing friends and training partners. Not to mention we did pretty well, too :)
Total Time: 1:17:39
 |
| Conveniently we all color coordinated with our medals. It's a good thing I had Kelly's blue top instead of my pink one! |
 |
| Handmade 1st place medal! |
 |
| Most of us, Post Race: Ben, Eric, Me, Emily, Annie and Steve |
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Stepping Out on the Right Foot
Happy New Year! I ended 2011 and rang in 2012 with some good friends and some really good food. We decided calories didn't count since it was New Year's Eve ;).
Cookie Detox doesn't officially start until tomorrow morning, but I started the new year off on the right foot with some room organizing and food prepping that should make tomorrow easier.
I made an awesome kale salad with hummus dressing that I found here. I used the dressing recipe exactly as is, but my salad had kale, carrot matchsticks, red peppers, walnuts, bean sprouts and pomegranate seeds. It was the first time I'd ever used Nutritional Yeast, but it was totally worth the weird look I got from the girl at Wegmans when I asked where to find it. Plus, it's pretty good for you!
Then I baked up some tofu that I marinated in Garlic Dressing. I'll probably throw that on my salads throughout the week.
Now there's Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal baking up in oven and it smells divine in here. I doubled the cinnamon because I'm obsessed and reduced the sugar to only two tablespoons. I also didn't use anywhere near two tablespoons of butter.
I'm loving being back in the kitchen making good, nutritious food. It feels better already and that pumpkin oatmeal might just smell better than any cookies I made this holiday season.
Tomorrow's #CookieDetoxDay1! Here's the plan:
Breakfast
-Pumpkin Oatmeal 1/2 Grapefruit
Snack (if I need it)
-Kale Smoothie
Lunch
-Salad with Tofu
Dinner
Might be Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup, but if we're going to have a family dinner I'll eat what they're eating.
I'm also finally going to take my car to the car wash and get my ski boots adjusted.
Anyone else going on a cookie detox?
 |
| Twins? |
Cookie Detox doesn't officially start until tomorrow morning, but I started the new year off on the right foot with some room organizing and food prepping that should make tomorrow easier.
I made an awesome kale salad with hummus dressing that I found here. I used the dressing recipe exactly as is, but my salad had kale, carrot matchsticks, red peppers, walnuts, bean sprouts and pomegranate seeds. It was the first time I'd ever used Nutritional Yeast, but it was totally worth the weird look I got from the girl at Wegmans when I asked where to find it. Plus, it's pretty good for you!
Then I baked up some tofu that I marinated in Garlic Dressing. I'll probably throw that on my salads throughout the week.
Now there's Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal baking up in oven and it smells divine in here. I doubled the cinnamon because I'm obsessed and reduced the sugar to only two tablespoons. I also didn't use anywhere near two tablespoons of butter.
I'm loving being back in the kitchen making good, nutritious food. It feels better already and that pumpkin oatmeal might just smell better than any cookies I made this holiday season.
Tomorrow's #CookieDetoxDay1! Here's the plan:
Breakfast
-Pumpkin Oatmeal 1/2 Grapefruit
Snack (if I need it)
-Kale Smoothie
Lunch
-Salad with Tofu
Dinner
Might be Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup, but if we're going to have a family dinner I'll eat what they're eating.
I'm also finally going to take my car to the car wash and get my ski boots adjusted.
Anyone else going on a cookie detox?
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