I did it!

Day before...

Race number pick up burst my bubble.  I was pretty excited to pick up my number and sign in for my big day but when I was there I saw that the Vineman, a full ironman distance race, was the same day as my race.  I guess I knew that this was happening, but I did not think we would be on the same course.  I thought that it was happening at the same time, not at the same EXACT place.  So this burst my bubble of accomplishment before I had even accomplished anything.  I felt like I was being lazy with what I signed up for.  You would too if you saw the cars with shoe polish writing all over them about their travels to the Vineman.  Oh well

Race Day...

For some reason I was really calm.  No nervous energy.  I slept fine the night before and I even slept in the car on the way to the race.  I had decided that I did not want to get to the race really early, like I had in races past, because I did not want to sit around and have the chance to think about what I was about to get into.  So I got there in plenty of time to set up, stand in a really long line for the bathroom and watch a few of the people that were doing the full Vineman that day.

I saw the first Vineman guy get out of the water - the ironman gets me so emotional I almost cried right there.  To think of all this guy will accomplish today.  Ryan and I sometimes watch the coverage from Ironman Kona and I always cry.  Such inspiring stories.  If I ever signed up for an Ironman I might cry the last few miles of the run.  It really pushes me over the edge emotionally.  Then, after seeing the male leader of the Vineman come out of the water, I saw a lady (racing Barb's race with me, a cancer benefit race) with a shirt that said "I am racing for my son who is kicking leukemia in the butt" with this sweet little picture of her son maybe 5 yrs old with his arms raised in accomplishment on the back of her shirt.  And to top off my emotions for the morning there was a woman that got in the water right before me for the half aquabike she only had one leg.  It was so inspiring to see her out there.  Here is a picture Ryan snapped of her getting out of the water.  I later saw her on the bike course riding along without any prosthetic. What an amazing lady she must be!!! 

Inspiration to not focus on what you are told you cannot do

So with all of this going on I heard the announcer says 'One minute until the blue caps swim.'  I was so caught up I almost missed my start.  So I said my goodbye to my supportive family that was there to watch and jumped in the water.

That is me in the pink - Nice shot Ryan!

The swim was really fun!  No kicking or scratching.  We just all swam down the river for .6 miles and then headed back.  Easy sighting, no current pushing us off course.  Since I could not see the turnaround so it seemed like it was forever, but it was a fun forever.  I could see the rocks on the bottom, which is better to look at then the normal darkness and the thought of a looming sharks.  There were people who got tired and just stood up and walked (I did not) so everyone felt safe in the water.  It was really great!

Out of the water

T1

Clipping in to start the ride

Out of the water and onto the bike.  It was colder than I expected, but I did have a jacket packed so I was able to stay warm enough.  (Since I just swim in my tri suit I feel I am wetter than everyone else getting on the bike) Again the bike was wonderful.  56 miles of beautiful country.  Through the vineyards on rolling hills.  I really could not have asked for anything better from the bike.  There were people all along the course cheering.  At one point there was a man on the road cheering so hard for the person in front of me.  When I came by he did not even clap.  I was so put off by him.  But a few second later, when I caught up to who he was cheering for, it was the athlete that only had one leg.  There she was to inspire me again!  What a lady she was!  It was like I just had a gu, she gave me that much of a push.  (So did a lady later on that said my back looked awesome in my shirt - energy of a gu in a compliment) The bike course had a hill at mile 45 that we had been warned of.  But when I did it it was no big deal.  There were people all along the hill cheering with cow bells.  It was a climb, but with all the cheering and writing on the cement it was just fun.  Shortly after that is when I saw my family on the side of the road with signs, cheering.  Madeline even made a shirt of encouragement for Samara to wear!  The sun was finally coming out and I was have a great time.  By the end of the ride I was feeling that I had done some work, but was feeling good going into the run.

That is me in the back

All of the fun came to a screeching halt.  The run was good for a mile or so, then it was terrible, I mean painfully awful.  It was hot (Remember I  live in Pacifica, we  barely have warm days), hilly, my knee hurt, blah.  This girl in front of me in the picture was full of energy and cute as hell going into the run since she was the run leg of a relay.  This just rubbed in my face how tired I was after a mile or two of running.  I saw this little ball of energy headed back my way after the first turnaround and was thrilled that I was almost to the turnaround.  Nope, she is cute, spunky, probably really nice and FAST.   I had a long way to go to get to the turnaround.  It was not any fun.  Not for even a second.  Normally the run in the tri it is what I look forward to.  This time it was really slow and painful.  Even when I came in to finish I just wanted to walk (I technically was still jogging but it was as slow a jog as is possible before walking).  Normally you get a little burst of energy to cross the finish line.  Not me, I wanted to be carried across it.

Barely jogging!

I finished!

I did it.  I did not finish pretty, but I finished.  Crazy enough it just makes me want to do a full distance.  All the suffering I went through, just makes me want to do more.  I got to see the Vineman leader on the bike being escorted by motorcycles and again on the run.  It is amazing what they are doing and seeing it in person makes me what to give it a go.

This daily blog is getting to be less and less.  I think it is because I am writing every single day.  That was pretty fun at the beginning as I started a training schedule.  But now the training is just routine.  It is part of my day like brushing my teeth.  Who wants to hear about the details of that.  These long training days were really challenging and exciting when I started, but have slowly become easier and more ordinary.  Which is not great for keeping up a blog, because I have little to write about.  But it is great for a life change.  It is great that I have made such a shift in my mind set.  Before I started this training I had my longer run that would do once a week or so that was a five mile loop or six miles out and back to the beach (the beach run was really pushing it for me), but now those are my short run days.  My entire perspective of what I am capable of doing has shifted.  I have learned to love the long days, the intervals, and challenging myself beyond what I thought I was capable.

I feel confident in my training.  I am not AT ALL looking forward to the race.  It will just be a day of suffering.  I knew all along that I would not love race day.  But I signed up for it to do the training, which I have learned to love.  I have no doubt I will finish the race.  It will just be long and hard.

I did have a great ride with Ryan last week- Marshall-Petaluma loop.  And this past Saturday I went on a ride (47 miles) with Kim and Dave which was fun and pretty easy - so I am hoping that I will feel the same on the 31st

Day One Hundred Twenty One

Ran for 1:20.  This was first, nice run with my slow dog.  Just stayed around the neighborhood.

Swam 2800.  I am getting sick of the pool.  My shoulder are sore enough that I will not swim on Sunday.  The repetition of the laps is killing my soul.

Cycled 2 hours.  Fine, but I had a Gatorade prime to start and two gu's on the ride.  I just needed a little pep in my legs.  I guess I needed a lot of pep in my legs.  Calories canceled out, I only worked out hard enough on the bike to cancel out all of the gu's and prime I took.  Nothing gained or lost.  I was glad when it was over but it was not great or bad.

Day One Hundred and Twenty

Nothing.  I was at school all day and did not have time to train.  YIKES.  Tomorrow I will make it up.

Day One Hundred Nineteen

Run/Swim

I swam yesterday and today.  Boring to swim in the pool.  I just look at a black line and go back and forth.  My shoulders are getting sore and since I have nothing else to focus on they seem extremely sore.

Quick run....Samara continues to be slow

Day One Hundred Eighteen

Bike -

Since I have a flat tire and I want to feel secure that I have patched it correctly before I take it out, I went for a mountain bike ride.  It was nice, just up and back. 

Let it be know I did not patch the tube correctly.  It could not have been done because I rode on it for too long while it was flat and destroyed it.  oops

Day One Hundred Seventeen

BEST RUN OF MY LIFE.  Oh how I love sea level.  I had to pick up Samara in Santa Cruz so I ran at Nisene Marks.  I had a two hour run.  I loved it. I could breath and was out of breath because I continually was challenging myself, not because I was in thinner air.  The run was going to be a rather flat loop that I would do twice, but I just kept adding climbs and instead of doing a second loop I decided to run up the ridge trail for 30 minutes.  It was WONDERFUL!!!  Also I have been great at ending on time, my two hour run finished at 2:00:15 - I am a crazy good time keeper.

Day One Hundred Eleven to One Hundred Sixteen

There is no sense in trying to go back and recap all of our trip to CO, so I will give you a glimpse of the days with some pictures.

There were a few rides, few hikes and one swim.  I was active the whole trip, but not up to training standards.  The goal was not to lose the fitness I have spent the last few months working for.

This is Chrissy and I on a ride with Ryan.  It may look like I was having fun, but I was not.  As we know the first two days of workouts were difficult with altitude so I was a little down on myself.  We were on this bike path so you can only ride two up, the third person has to follow behind.  Ryan started up front with Chrissy, I trailed behind. This was fine, I was content just keeping pace with them.  Within the first ten minutes of this ride Ryan dropped back and asked if I was okay that I 'was not even keeping up with his coasting speed.'  Geeze that was a blow I did not need.  I felt I was keeping up fine, I just had to stay back as a courtesy to riders that may be coming the other direction.  Ryan felt he was just coming back to check on me and he did not appreciate my frustration at his statement. I felt he was being rather rude.  Anyway we rode for a hour and 45 minutes.  Ryan up with Chrissy most of the time and me following behind.  The only communication between him and me was him asking me to smile for this picture. So if you want to know what my fake smile looks like....check out that picture!

This is a real smile!  As sports fans we went to a Rockies game, wanted to check out the ballpark.  Great fun!  Loved the ballpark and being there with friends!  We were with Chrissy and a couple - Lindley and Ryan.  At the top of the 9th the couple thought they should head back home so they could be rested up for work.  Ryan and I never leave a game early, but the Rockies were down 3-9, and we are not Rockies fans so we all took off at the same time.  No biggie.  Ryan Chrissy and I had come in our own car, so there was really no reason for us to leave, we just did.  Bad decision.  The Rockies had a the best ninth inning comeback in franchise history and tied the MLB record.  Rockies ended up winning 12-9.  We missed it, but we still had a great time.   Check it out

We checked out a few breweries in town.  One day I did not train I just tasted beer.  Maybe not the best decision, but we are on vacation.

We went on a few hikes.  Fun to see new places and spend time absorbing them.  The area was beautiful.  Got to experience beautiful warm sun along with rain, hail and thunder storms.  The last picture is of us picking up the pace so we do not get stuck high up while the lightning passes.

The morning before we left I went on a ride with Lindley.  A couple of hours to ride and visit.  Very nice.  After Ryan Chrissy and I toured Fat Tire Brewery.  Great last day in Fort Collins.

Day One Hundred and Ten

I ran today for an hour and 50 minutes.  It was terrible.  It is so difficult to run at altitude.  It was an out and back run.  On the out I felt good.  I fell three times, but that is no surprise.  The run was on a beautiful single track trail.  It made me feel like a real runner.  On the way back I struggled, struggled is a kind way of stating how I felt.  The way back started with an incline.  I almost hyperventilated. I just could not catch my breath.  I even stopped to try to get deep breath, but it was impossible to completely fill my lungs.  I had to stop a number of times on the way back, almost started crying at one point because I felt so out of shape.  I felt terrible because I know I am in better shape than this run let me feel, but I still felt terrible and I cannot get over that.  I was exhausted when I finished.  I was covered in salt and just wanted to lay down, lay down not even just sit down that would be too much work to keep my body upright.  I was beat.  Ryan was happy to see me defeated since he thinks that I am always too happy with my training.

The afternoon consisted of sitting in an inner tube and floating down the river for a few hours.  Nice way to make up for a disaster of a run.

Day One Hundred and Nine

Today I should run 150, but since we are recovering from the long car ride I am taking my rest day today and will run on Monday my scheduled rest day.

One Hundred and Eight

After a drive that included a lot of traffic and driving through the night we arrived in CO.  Within an hour of our arrival we went for a bike ride (ride was 2 hrs 30 min, schedule was to ride 3 30 but we got out of the car after over 20 hours of driving through the night and rode so I am happy with the amount of time we spent on the bike!!)  Our friends that we are visiting are really active so it was easy for a group of five of us to get out on the road.  The altitude was harder than I thought. My legs felt great but I struggled to catch my breath when riding and talking - kinda embarrassing to feel so out of breath after all the training I have done, but I have to acclimate before I judge myself.

Day One Hundred and Seven

We are headed out to Colorado today.  20+ hours in the car.  We started the day with a early morning run at the beach.  I got in my full hour and five minutes and felt great about it.  I had woke up early to swim, but the pool looked really busy.  This is going to be a week that the training schedule is not followed perfectly.  So no swim today (but I feel great about my swimming) but got a good run in.

Day One Hundred and Six

Two hours on the trainer.  I don't really want to talk about it.  Watched the Botany of Desire which made it even worse. Maybe PBS is not made for trainer workouts

Day One Hundred and Six

Easy run in the morning with the doggie - who was slow from the mountain bike ride yesterday.  Swam in the bay and it was GREAT - really warm day and top layer of water.  Every time I swim at aquatic park someone asks me a stupid question- 'is this where you train for triathlons' 'Does the Escape from Alcatraz end here' 'are you going to swim here (no I just wanted to go get some fresh crab at pier 39 in a swimsuit cap and goggles!?!)' But today was the best question 'are you a professional swimmer' oh thanks for making my day!

Day One Hundred and Five

Needed a change of pace so took the dog on a mountain bike trek.  Rode up the normal route which seemed really easy since it has been a long time since I have done it.  Then I decided to ride up to the radio tower - one of Ryan's crazy rides.  Normally his rides are difficult but doable.  Not this time.  I could not ride up the hill fast enough to stay upright.  I decided I would walk the bike up the steep part, then I could at least enjoy the ride down.  Walking the bike up this steep of a hill was still cardio anyway.  Once I turned to come down I could not ride that either, really difficult because it is just a gravel road, nothing for my back wheel to hold onto.  I was sliding all over, so I had to walk the bike down what I had just walked it up.  Not great.  Despite that it was a really fun ride, good to change it up.  Brought the excitement for mountain biking back (if I ever had it)

Day One Hundred and Four

Rest Day!  Feel great, better than I do on an average Monday

Day One Hundred and Three

Race Day

Olympic Distance Triathlon

.9 mile swim, 20.93 mile bike, 6.2 mile run

I was pretty nervous last night.  Not because I don't think I can complete this, but because I feel like I need to complete this and feel wonderful after - otherwise I will fail when it comes time for the half.

We woke up really early - 4 am so I could eat (hopefully digest) and calmly get ready for the race.  Things were unclear going into this race.  I got an email that said I was going to have to cycle 5 laps, the website for the event said I had to ride 8 laps, and the prerace meeting yesterday said I would be riding 6 laps...I need clarity.  I like to be organized and know what I am doing.  So I got to the event early set up my transition area and headed down the path to the swim.  I was there right on time 6:45 with about 10 other athletes ready for our meeting.  It did not start until about 15 minutes later.  These are all minutes that rack my nerves.  I just want to get going.  The race director explained that we would be starting after the men's sprint distance and doing two swim laps.  Between the laps we had to get out of the water, run a hundred or so yards and jump back in for our second lap...weird right?  Then we would run .78 miles to transition one (T1) and proceed to bike 6 laps and then run over the Golden Gate and back.

The first group to start was the woman's sprint distance.  Surprise to these girls there was a current.  These poor girls were really off track and drifting away from the course.  They had to swim much farther than they anticipated.  Then the men's sprint took off.  The same thing. They were doing a little better because they had just seen what happened to the girls, but the men were also victims of the current.  Once the guys started I jumped in the water to warm up (really cool down in the bay) for my swim.  After seeing the guys struggle the race directors decided to reverse the course for the Olympic distance competitors. This meant I had to freeze for a while to let the men's sprint athletes finish their swim.  It was about 45 minutes later that we actually got in the water.  I met a nice lady in the meantime.  This was the only other person competing that I really talked to and she was also doing this race as a prep for Barb's Race, my final half iron man. Fun to meet and talk, killing time while we waited for the guys to finish their swim. 

The swim was difficult for me, that is an understatement, I felt like I might drown.  I am comfortable in the bay, but not with people.  The first few minutes I was doing great, finding my rhythm.  I had started to the left of everyone so was not jockeying for a spot.  But as I approached the first buoy (which was yellow - bad planning to give all the swimmers yellow caps, it would have been nice to just look up and quickly sight the buoy, but I had to look not only for color, but for the correct shape to make sure I was headed to the buoy not the head of an off course swimmer) things got rough.  Everyone funneled from a broad group to a tight line to get around the buoy.  All the reasons I only played two weeks of water polo came back in flashes as I was kicked in the stomach, kicked in the face and then someone actually reached over my head and ripped off my goggles forcing me to freak out and find them behind me in the water.  Now in my water polo days (all ten of them) all of these things would have been on purpose, but in this swim it was all just friendly accidents. This put me into a bit of a panic and I struggled to swim to the next buoy.  Once I got to the final buoy I more comfortably headed to shore, fully intending not to get back in the water.  But knowing Ryan's Uncle and my friend Rheana (both actual open water swimmers) were on shore pushed me to jump back in - throw caution and my fear of being drowned by another well intending swimmer to the wind.  The second lap was much better.  I quickly found my rhythm and was on my way.  No problems, just a comfortable bay swim!

Love these two images - thank you Ryan

After the run I stuffed my wetsuit in a bag and ran .78 miles to my T1.  Sweet Ryan accompanied me on his bike.  I got to bitch about how I got pushed around in the water and then I was able to let it go for the rest of the race.  I am not really into the transition areas, not speedy, just get ready and head out.

Bike - Looking at the bike course R and I thought that it would be a mile climb a mile flat and a mile downhill - repeated 6 times.  But somehow we misjudged the mile flat.  The ride was either up or down.  Really difficult first lap, but after that it was a pretty fun course.  My mom, brother, Madeline, Rod, Kami and of course Ryan were at the top of the climb - both ways, so each time as I was looking to end my climb I had the encouragement of family there cheering me on. 

Run- I look forward to the run.  Maybe because it is the one thing I know I can do for a long time (slowly) without falling down or drowning.  The run was across the Golden Gate Bridge. I started out great and then suddenly found myself at Fort Point - the tri's poorly marked course did not send me on the right path, I missed a turn which added some distance - as I stood at the base of Fort Point I wondered how I would get up to the bridge - an elevator??  No I have to go back and find a path up.  So I did.  The run across the bridge was nice, but it would have been good if there was a sign letting the tourists know that a run was going on, we really had to weave through people.  Ryan met me a little over half way, a nice treat to be able to finish the run with him.  Hey check out this picture - I almost look legitimate.

Overall the race was good.  Slow, but good.  I felt like I could have done it twice.  That is how I needed to feel after.  This sort of comment drives Ryan nuts, he wants it all left out on the course.  I need to know there is more in the tank for next month. And I need to be smiling

Day One Hundred and Two

Easy rest prep day. I just had to get o the trainer for 20 minutes...keep the legs loose.  I, of course, waited until 9pm, but got the spin in while Ryan attached my race number to my bike.  Nothing like making the bike multitask. 

Day One Hundred and One

That makes for a long title...

Today I did a quick run with the dog- 50 minutes.  Felt good, but my stomach is still not doing great.  I am still feeling irritated from the flu symptoms I had earlier in the week.  Then Ryan joined me at the pool for a short swim 1800.  This is a recovery week so everything is easy.  My shoulders were tired from swimming with the wetsuit on Wednesday, but other than that it was a fine mid-day swim.

Day ONE HUNDRED!!!!

If I was in my mom's kindergarten class we would be celebrating.  In her class you would have to bring 100 of something.  To celebrate my 100 days the boring kids would bring in 100 pennies or paperclips.  But the cool creative kids would bring in something that related to my 100 days of training.  Maybe 100 hair ties, 100 dirty Wright Socks, or 100 gu and bar wrappers.  Yeah! we can celebrate!  Drink Gatorade and eat Probars!!!

Today to celebrate I think I broke the trainer.  I tried to fix it in a respectable manner, but I could not.  So I got picture hanging wire and fixed it.

This got me off to a late start on the trainer, but I finished and made dinner before Ryan got home!  I have a couple vegan cookbooks but I am finding my favorite recipes on a site called VeganYumYum tonight we had Fried Rice and it was great. 

Since I had the camera out I thought I would show you my trainer set up...don't know why you would be interested but now you can think of the hours I have spent there.