Well today was the fourth day of VBS and especially stressful: i'm starting to just disconnect from it all, there's so much overload that i am opting to not go to parent's night tonight (this is also partially because i promised to be at a raid tonight in my new guild before i realized how late the program is starting). After VBS i felt a little shopping therapy was in order. First i went to Tangle and bought the size 4 dpns that i've been putting off for two months. Then i went and browsed at Brown Cycles (they have two locations now, with new bikes at the original store and used bicycles sold on consignment at Dirty Brown Cycles around the corner), but i didn't really like what i saw (the bikes were super expensive and i didn't like the feel of the store to be perfectly honest).
Next i went to the downtown post office and filled out the paperwork for my passport. i had my picture taken and then wrote a check, which they stapled to my application and birth certificate. That is supposed to take a month to arrive. The whole thing was rather anti-climactic.
i went to REI next because i had seen a lot of neat bags that customers have carried from there. i found several that i liked, but i didn't care for their pricetag; i just do not have the budget for a $40-60 purse. The passport carriers (both waist and around the neck varieties that are meant to be worn under clothing) were both overpriced and bleh. They came in tan and black and ranged from $15-35, but all looked like they had shoddy construction (many of the belts were merely cheap elastic). i feel that i could sew something myself for much cheaper that would be prettier and more comfortable. i did kind of like the oversized hiking fanny packs, but they were overpriced as well, some were uncomfortable, and the small cheap ones were UGLY. So i ended up buying nothing whatsoever. i'm wondering if i cannot use a purse, if i must have a fanny pack or cash hidden under my clothing, as it seems a little extreme to be tying a cord around my neck that i can be choked with for my cash and will, in fact, be visible even if it is tucked under my clothing.
Lastly i went to the Bike Shop and spoke with yet another sales person. i think the girl that i spoke to originally no longer works there. After test riding the same bike as last time, one a size smaller, and two other brands' hardtails, i finally decided to put a bike on layaway. The small Diamondback Response Comp '08 is apparently a better quality bike for less than a Cannondale would be, though it is also a bit heavier. The size was perfect and i loved riding it around campus, though of course i did not get to test it on any hills, there was plenty of rough terrain in the temporary parking lots. It doesn't have the trigger shifter that i really liked, but one where you shift only with your thumbs, but of course that means that i never need to take my fingers off the brakes. i feel kind of reckless buying it so suddenly, but it's the only model they have, it fits me perfectly, it's a nicer model for cheaper than the comparable Cannondale, and it's an '08 (so once it's gone, it's gone). The bike even looks good dusty. i didn't expect to purchase a red bike, but it's kind of a rusty color that is okay.
In other news i'm starting to wonder if i should start biking to work and school, if it's even possible without me getting up at 5 a.m. Meh, moving forward, right? i'm not sure if i'll be in a race in July, but i'm planning to be in at least one more race this season and continue training this fall and winter.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Recovery
All told, my recovery hasn't been bad. i'm curious about what my weight was before and directly after the race, but i have no way of knowing. On Sunday evening my knees were extremely tired. i went to City Market and got some hot chicken wings for a reward (and protein!). Then i went to a movie, had a medium popcorn (Carkmike popcorn is nasty stuff, as it turns out) to carbo reload, and fell asleep at 9 p.m. That is really unusual for me. Other than the knees my only real complaint was a slight cough and runny nose, probably from the swim in the lake (i almost swallowed a mouthful of water while trying to take a breath, remember?).
On Sunday there wasn't a trace of pain in my knees, which surprised me but enabled me to be up and down with the rest of the congregation, my only real pain was soreness in my right wrist. i'm guessing this is fatigue from the bike ride, but i've been knitting with the wrist, so it's kind of holding on. i kind of wish i knew where my needlework wrist brace is, but i think it's at Megan's, and it's really not that bad, just annoying. Breakfast was light fare for me, a big chunk of cheese and some bread that i gave half of away since the kids apparently hadn't had any breakfast. During church i finished the first sleeve of my Fair Ginny sweater; after church was a VBS meeting and then Mom and i had to wait for Dad to come pick us up to go to 4-H, where there was going to be a potluck. i was extremely hungry and starting to feel weak, and wasn't at all happy about not having anything to drink, at the least. i ate a lot of lunch, which was watermelon, pasta salad, fruit salad, bread, lemon cake, lemon meringue pie, coconut cream pie, and minute quantities of chocolate (goat) milk and ginger tea (which i had thought was lemonade and am not a fan of).
Sunday night i wasn't able to fall asleep until at least 2 a.m. Monday morning (and again last night/this morning... i'm not sure why i'm getting insomnia again), which isn't very good because i had to be at work at 10 a.m. Monday was my sorest day, kind of a general overall soreness that seemed to be exacerbated by standing all day and lots of squatting to retrieve paper (to wrap with), paper bags, and things like scissors and post its and exchange cards. One man got really mad at me, ranted and raved, and made me feel weird in the chest. He accused me of "just ignoring" his complaints, but would not even let me get a word in edgewise to respond. i hate it when customers are unreasonable. It's not my fault that Day'lah refuses to price products in the jewelry department and that the Lori from crafts was forced to do a pricecheck for me while running another register (the issue was that she said, "That costs $3.99... i think," which did turn out to be the correct price, but he was irate about being an uncertain).
i have the next two days off and would like to take a short bike ride perhaps, but i'm not sure my body is really ready for it. i'm petsitting for the next two days, which means internet and cable access, and i'm wary about returning to my training too soon and getting injured. My real consideration at the moment is, what do i train for next? i'd like to resume my training next week, which may be impossible with both work and VBS. There's an Olympic length triathlon at Highline Lake in 13 weeks, which would allow for 12 weeks of training, can i accomplish that? i went from 0-600m swims and 0-20 mi. rides in 10 weeks, can i go from 600-1500m swims, 20-30 mile rides, and 3-7 mile runs in 12 weeks? After reading Weakness Not Strengths i think i need to focus on biking the most, then running, then swimming, but i'm not sure how increasing my running will go, so i might have to focus on it more than i think. i'm also not sure if i really need to focus on biking a lot or just really need a new bike, it's hard to say how i would have done on a new one. My cadence seems to be strong, if i could keep it consistent and bring it up 5-10 rpms i would theoretically tear through the competition (but i'm not holding my breath on that, i cannot imagine being competitive on the bike, i simply have never done it competitively).
On Sunday the Sunday school class has been very supportive, and the teacher said maybe they could sponsor my race entries. i need to get a new bike, but first i need to get a passport for the cruise this fall. The hardest thing about doing triathlons is going to be paying for pool access/gym membership, entry fees, and hotel rooms for out of town races. i really don't think i want to compete in the Denver area right now, but i am considering races in Leadville July 19, Durango August 1, Glenwood Springs September 13, and of course the Western Colorado Triathlon September 19 (i obviously wouldn't be competing in both Glenwood Springs and at Highline again). These are all cheap races that sound small and are relatively nearby. Anyway, am going to ask for advice at the BeginnerTriathlete forums, but i'm not holding my breath on a reply, i don't seem to get good results there.
On Sunday there wasn't a trace of pain in my knees, which surprised me but enabled me to be up and down with the rest of the congregation, my only real pain was soreness in my right wrist. i'm guessing this is fatigue from the bike ride, but i've been knitting with the wrist, so it's kind of holding on. i kind of wish i knew where my needlework wrist brace is, but i think it's at Megan's, and it's really not that bad, just annoying. Breakfast was light fare for me, a big chunk of cheese and some bread that i gave half of away since the kids apparently hadn't had any breakfast. During church i finished the first sleeve of my Fair Ginny sweater; after church was a VBS meeting and then Mom and i had to wait for Dad to come pick us up to go to 4-H, where there was going to be a potluck. i was extremely hungry and starting to feel weak, and wasn't at all happy about not having anything to drink, at the least. i ate a lot of lunch, which was watermelon, pasta salad, fruit salad, bread, lemon cake, lemon meringue pie, coconut cream pie, and minute quantities of chocolate (goat) milk and ginger tea (which i had thought was lemonade and am not a fan of).
Sunday night i wasn't able to fall asleep until at least 2 a.m. Monday morning (and again last night/this morning... i'm not sure why i'm getting insomnia again), which isn't very good because i had to be at work at 10 a.m. Monday was my sorest day, kind of a general overall soreness that seemed to be exacerbated by standing all day and lots of squatting to retrieve paper (to wrap with), paper bags, and things like scissors and post its and exchange cards. One man got really mad at me, ranted and raved, and made me feel weird in the chest. He accused me of "just ignoring" his complaints, but would not even let me get a word in edgewise to respond. i hate it when customers are unreasonable. It's not my fault that Day'lah refuses to price products in the jewelry department and that the Lori from crafts was forced to do a pricecheck for me while running another register (the issue was that she said, "That costs $3.99... i think," which did turn out to be the correct price, but he was irate about being an uncertain).
i have the next two days off and would like to take a short bike ride perhaps, but i'm not sure my body is really ready for it. i'm petsitting for the next two days, which means internet and cable access, and i'm wary about returning to my training too soon and getting injured. My real consideration at the moment is, what do i train for next? i'd like to resume my training next week, which may be impossible with both work and VBS. There's an Olympic length triathlon at Highline Lake in 13 weeks, which would allow for 12 weeks of training, can i accomplish that? i went from 0-600m swims and 0-20 mi. rides in 10 weeks, can i go from 600-1500m swims, 20-30 mile rides, and 3-7 mile runs in 12 weeks? After reading Weakness Not Strengths i think i need to focus on biking the most, then running, then swimming, but i'm not sure how increasing my running will go, so i might have to focus on it more than i think. i'm also not sure if i really need to focus on biking a lot or just really need a new bike, it's hard to say how i would have done on a new one. My cadence seems to be strong, if i could keep it consistent and bring it up 5-10 rpms i would theoretically tear through the competition (but i'm not holding my breath on that, i cannot imagine being competitive on the bike, i simply have never done it competitively).
On Sunday the Sunday school class has been very supportive, and the teacher said maybe they could sponsor my race entries. i need to get a new bike, but first i need to get a passport for the cruise this fall. The hardest thing about doing triathlons is going to be paying for pool access/gym membership, entry fees, and hotel rooms for out of town races. i really don't think i want to compete in the Denver area right now, but i am considering races in Leadville July 19, Durango August 1, Glenwood Springs September 13, and of course the Western Colorado Triathlon September 19 (i obviously wouldn't be competing in both Glenwood Springs and at Highline again). These are all cheap races that sound small and are relatively nearby. Anyway, am going to ask for advice at the BeginnerTriathlete forums, but i'm not holding my breath on a reply, i don't seem to get good results there.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Tri Training Rundown (the final report)
Farthest Distance in a Single Workout
Cumulative Distance
formula ~ April + May + June = total mileage
Swimming ~ 1.23 mi. + 1.99 mi. + 0.74 mi. = 3.96 miles
Biking ~ 49.32 mi. + 88.65 mi. + 37.9 mi. = 175.87 miles
Running/Walking ~ 21.72 mi. + 21.81 mi. + 2 mi. = 45.53 miles
Total Distance ~ 72.27 mi. + 112.45 mi. + 40.64 mi. = 225.36 miles
Cumulative Distance
formula ~ April + May + June = total mileage
Swimming ~ 1.23 mi. + 1.99 mi. + 0.74 mi. = 3.96 miles
Biking ~ 49.32 mi. + 88.65 mi. + 37.9 mi. = 175.87 miles
Running/Walking ~ 21.72 mi. + 21.81 mi. + 2 mi. = 45.53 miles
Total Distance ~ 72.27 mi. + 112.45 mi. + 40.64 mi. = 225.36 miles
Race Results!
Kristine Senko 200/203
Female 94/96
25-29 17/17
Swim 17:17 T1 1:54 Bike 1:23:39 T2 1:12 Run 47:54
Overall 2:31:55
Pace 15:27
This morning i woke up at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m. (; i left the house at 5:35 and reached Highline Lake at 6:28. i was in heat two (out of two), so we started swimming at 7:35. i didn't get nervous until about 7:31 (wading in after the first heat took off), at which point i breathed through it and said a little prayer. By the time i remembered my first gel (energy shot) i was already at the start and had no water with me, so i decided to have it after getting on my bike. The swim was utter chaos, i kept getting stuck behind people and not being able to go around them. As a result i did the breast stroke more than i intended to, but i got to draft off them. There was one mouthful of water that i spat out after a particularly large splash, and i didn't even freak about it, i just kept going. The distance from the water to transition was actually pretty far, i probably swam with an actual time of closer to sixteen minutes. i feel really good about how the swam went, i didn't panic, i kept my face in the water a lot (using a 2 stroke breathing technique), i felt strong. On the swim i was 153/203 (11/17), with a pace of 55:34, so i was passed by almost 50 people during the bike ride (i passed one guy on the bike, but then he passed me in the final stretch. i was quicker in T2, but he passed me again running).
Transition 1 was slower than i would have liked, and i'm not sure why other than the fact that i didn't run the entire way through the zone and the fact that the zone was so large. Actually, the bike computer fell out of one of my gloves as i was putting it on, i had forgotten to put it on the bike ahead of time, so that kind of slowed me down. However, taking only my transition time into account i was 58/203, so i feel pretty good about that! Even though the water was a warm 69 (it had to have been way colder than that last Sunday) i was one of the only people not wearing a wetsuit: i think a wetsuit would not have helped my swim enough to make it worth the extra time in transition, i would have been too hot and it would have taken me too long to take it off.
Let me just reiterate that i hate this bike route. There were three big hills, and i did alright on them, not great, but i got passed so much, but really do not think i could have pedaled faster. i kept telling myself that i wasn't racing against all of the thin people, i was racing against myself. About 2/3 through i started seeing spots and took my second gel about fifteen minutes early; that helped, but i still felt like i needed more energy for the run, and my left knee and hip were experiencing pain. i hopped off my bike jogging, ending dead last, with a pace of 05:13.
Transition 2 took me longer than it should have because i took the time to talk to my family while grabbing my stuff. They hadn't gotten to the park in time to see me get into or out of the water. As a matter of fact i passed Dad and Sammy on the road, and Mom, Aunt Polly, and Katie (i think... it's sort of a blur) were standing by the fence taking photos. i didn't remember to tell them that there weren't supposed to be any photos taken of people in transition until i was jogging off. My transition zone was 84/203 (12/17), i could have done better.
When i got to the sidewalk i started to walk. As i said, my knee was bothering me, and i needed to bring my heartrate down. When i got to dirt, i jogged, starting my interval timer, but walked across the asphalt. i did not get through my entire first 10 minute running. During my first one minute walk interval i had another gel and drank some water. i started running again after a minute but discovered that the rest wasn't quite long enough, so walked for about a minute and a half. so i ran about eight and a half minutes, walked through my second interval (plus 1 1/2 minutes), and ran for about six-seven minutes before reaching asphalt. i think this is right, i feel a little fuzzy on the details. Basically, i did poorly in mile one, better in mile two (which seemed to take forever), and was strong in mile three. There was a really big hill right after mile three (to get on top of the dam) that i walked up, then for about 20 more seconds, before running to the finish line, ignoring my last 1 minute walk. Abby, Polly, and Daniel ran with me part of the last .1 miles, and we passed Dad, then a cheering group of Mom, Aunt Polly, Katie, and Sammy, and i actually kind of sprinted up the final grassy hill through the chute. i was really out of breath when they took off my anklet, i kind of scared one woman by taking a couple of steps backwards, i think she thought i was going to pass out. i wasn't lightheaded, but i couldn't talk very well. My running pace was 15:26. As i noted earlier, i finished 200/203 and 17/17, which i'm not too happy about, but i am glad that i didn't finish last. i feel badly, however, because there was a woman that finished behind me because she had forgotten her inhaler and had to walk the entire run. She was behind me in line for the food and said that she felt like she had the energy, but she couldn't breathe.
i walked back into the transition zone, had my last gel, and some water, talked to my family, and we carried all my gear back to the car. The lunch was subpar in my opinion, an extremely bland sandwich, chips, cup of pasta salad, and a pickle. They didn't even provide water to drink! i had chicken salad, people were upset that there was no vegetarian option, and could have chosen a cup of fruit but i probably wouldn't have liked that better than the pasta. i left the park shortly after 11:30. i've peed a ton, taken some advil for the joint pain, have a slight headache, and think that i will go see Wolverine after a shower and changing. i must stink, but i can't smell it, just the bug repellent i put on after putting my bike in the car (i got bit by a mosquito setting up my transition, right on the buttock, but never had time to scratch).
So, overall... yeah it's disappointing that i didn't do better, but at least i wasn't 603/606 (last year there was over 600). i was faster than one of the teams! Dad said my tires were low, i had aired them up beforehand but they seem to have a leak, so that didn't help. i think getting a new bike, one that's lighter and that i have smooth tires for, would help a lot. Mom's chain is kind of rusty and her gears aren't the best (though i like her bike a lot better than Dad's). The swim and run i feel good about, i think i will improve upon losing more weight and having more training. It's hard to believe that i did this after training for only 10 weeks. My run was probably stronger today than the fresh run at Girls on the Run was! i totally could not have finished this without the Clif Energy Shots, and maybe i would have done better if i had been fully rested (instead of standing on my feet for seven hours yesterday and getting less than five hours sleep), but i am so glad that i finished today, no matter what my place. i did better than J.D. on Scrubs, i finished on my own two legs! Yeah, i'm pretty happy about how i did, i'm sure that i can do better next year, right now i'm just wondering what race to do next, because i doubt that i can do an Olympic event in three months, but i would like to do another Sprint or two this year.
Female 94/96
25-29 17/17
Swim 17:17 T1 1:54 Bike 1:23:39 T2 1:12 Run 47:54
Overall 2:31:55
Pace 15:27
This morning i woke up at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m. (; i left the house at 5:35 and reached Highline Lake at 6:28. i was in heat two (out of two), so we started swimming at 7:35. i didn't get nervous until about 7:31 (wading in after the first heat took off), at which point i breathed through it and said a little prayer. By the time i remembered my first gel (energy shot) i was already at the start and had no water with me, so i decided to have it after getting on my bike. The swim was utter chaos, i kept getting stuck behind people and not being able to go around them. As a result i did the breast stroke more than i intended to, but i got to draft off them. There was one mouthful of water that i spat out after a particularly large splash, and i didn't even freak about it, i just kept going. The distance from the water to transition was actually pretty far, i probably swam with an actual time of closer to sixteen minutes. i feel really good about how the swam went, i didn't panic, i kept my face in the water a lot (using a 2 stroke breathing technique), i felt strong. On the swim i was 153/203 (11/17), with a pace of 55:34, so i was passed by almost 50 people during the bike ride (i passed one guy on the bike, but then he passed me in the final stretch. i was quicker in T2, but he passed me again running).
Transition 1 was slower than i would have liked, and i'm not sure why other than the fact that i didn't run the entire way through the zone and the fact that the zone was so large. Actually, the bike computer fell out of one of my gloves as i was putting it on, i had forgotten to put it on the bike ahead of time, so that kind of slowed me down. However, taking only my transition time into account i was 58/203, so i feel pretty good about that! Even though the water was a warm 69 (it had to have been way colder than that last Sunday) i was one of the only people not wearing a wetsuit: i think a wetsuit would not have helped my swim enough to make it worth the extra time in transition, i would have been too hot and it would have taken me too long to take it off.
Let me just reiterate that i hate this bike route. There were three big hills, and i did alright on them, not great, but i got passed so much, but really do not think i could have pedaled faster. i kept telling myself that i wasn't racing against all of the thin people, i was racing against myself. About 2/3 through i started seeing spots and took my second gel about fifteen minutes early; that helped, but i still felt like i needed more energy for the run, and my left knee and hip were experiencing pain. i hopped off my bike jogging, ending dead last, with a pace of 05:13.
Transition 2 took me longer than it should have because i took the time to talk to my family while grabbing my stuff. They hadn't gotten to the park in time to see me get into or out of the water. As a matter of fact i passed Dad and Sammy on the road, and Mom, Aunt Polly, and Katie (i think... it's sort of a blur) were standing by the fence taking photos. i didn't remember to tell them that there weren't supposed to be any photos taken of people in transition until i was jogging off. My transition zone was 84/203 (12/17), i could have done better.
When i got to the sidewalk i started to walk. As i said, my knee was bothering me, and i needed to bring my heartrate down. When i got to dirt, i jogged, starting my interval timer, but walked across the asphalt. i did not get through my entire first 10 minute running. During my first one minute walk interval i had another gel and drank some water. i started running again after a minute but discovered that the rest wasn't quite long enough, so walked for about a minute and a half. so i ran about eight and a half minutes, walked through my second interval (plus 1 1/2 minutes), and ran for about six-seven minutes before reaching asphalt. i think this is right, i feel a little fuzzy on the details. Basically, i did poorly in mile one, better in mile two (which seemed to take forever), and was strong in mile three. There was a really big hill right after mile three (to get on top of the dam) that i walked up, then for about 20 more seconds, before running to the finish line, ignoring my last 1 minute walk. Abby, Polly, and Daniel ran with me part of the last .1 miles, and we passed Dad, then a cheering group of Mom, Aunt Polly, Katie, and Sammy, and i actually kind of sprinted up the final grassy hill through the chute. i was really out of breath when they took off my anklet, i kind of scared one woman by taking a couple of steps backwards, i think she thought i was going to pass out. i wasn't lightheaded, but i couldn't talk very well. My running pace was 15:26. As i noted earlier, i finished 200/203 and 17/17, which i'm not too happy about, but i am glad that i didn't finish last. i feel badly, however, because there was a woman that finished behind me because she had forgotten her inhaler and had to walk the entire run. She was behind me in line for the food and said that she felt like she had the energy, but she couldn't breathe.
i walked back into the transition zone, had my last gel, and some water, talked to my family, and we carried all my gear back to the car. The lunch was subpar in my opinion, an extremely bland sandwich, chips, cup of pasta salad, and a pickle. They didn't even provide water to drink! i had chicken salad, people were upset that there was no vegetarian option, and could have chosen a cup of fruit but i probably wouldn't have liked that better than the pasta. i left the park shortly after 11:30. i've peed a ton, taken some advil for the joint pain, have a slight headache, and think that i will go see Wolverine after a shower and changing. i must stink, but i can't smell it, just the bug repellent i put on after putting my bike in the car (i got bit by a mosquito setting up my transition, right on the buttock, but never had time to scratch).
So, overall... yeah it's disappointing that i didn't do better, but at least i wasn't 603/606 (last year there was over 600). i was faster than one of the teams! Dad said my tires were low, i had aired them up beforehand but they seem to have a leak, so that didn't help. i think getting a new bike, one that's lighter and that i have smooth tires for, would help a lot. Mom's chain is kind of rusty and her gears aren't the best (though i like her bike a lot better than Dad's). The swim and run i feel good about, i think i will improve upon losing more weight and having more training. It's hard to believe that i did this after training for only 10 weeks. My run was probably stronger today than the fresh run at Girls on the Run was! i totally could not have finished this without the Clif Energy Shots, and maybe i would have done better if i had been fully rested (instead of standing on my feet for seven hours yesterday and getting less than five hours sleep), but i am so glad that i finished today, no matter what my place. i did better than J.D. on Scrubs, i finished on my own two legs! Yeah, i'm pretty happy about how i did, i'm sure that i can do better next year, right now i'm just wondering what race to do next, because i doubt that i can do an Olympic event in three months, but i would like to do another Sprint or two this year.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
race packet today!
So i went to Grand Junction Parks & Rec during lunch and picked up my race packet. i'm number 151 and am in heat 2, which pretty much guarantees that people will be passing me all day long. Inside my packet there was my t-shirt, swim cap, racing bib, a coupon for the Bike Shop and a Road ID, and an ad for an Olympic-length triathlon at Highline Lake in September. It is a .9 miles swim, 25 mile ride, and 6.2 mile run. Depending on how much it costs i may be interested in closing out my season with said race; my biggest challenge would most likely be the run.
After work i went to Adventure Sports and tried on a couple of wetsuits. i got one all the way on, but it was a men's suit and fit badly. i bought neoprene socks and gloves instead, since that's where i get coldest. If i race in September i will probably rent a suit, but hopefully by then i will have lost more weight. They did not have a shorty suit in my size (which is what i wanted), though that was one of the suits i tried on, i could not get it to zip up in back. i must say that wetsuits are really hard to get on, really hot, but are easy to take off. If i ever buy a suit i want it to be triathlon specific.
Next i went to the grocery store and bought Gatorade (it was on sale, so cheaper than Powerade) and water. i also bought some bread, lunch meat (Hormel's Deli Smoked Turkey with no preservatives), organic yogurt for Saturday breakfast (key lime with a kangaroo on front), Oroweat potato bread, Mission chips, Salsa Casera (Medium), natural sour cream, and two avocados. i want to eat healthy and fuel up for the race. i'm going to watch the video at BeginnerTriathletes.com about fueling for a race after starting a load of laundry.
As it turns out, the campground at Highline Lake is full. i'm not really surprised, but it is disappointing, because it means that i will have to get up at 5 a.m. to get there by the time / shortly after check in starts. i'm not really sure what to do to prepare for race day now except rest, eat a lot, and make sure i have everything packed and ready to go. Other purchases today were a small bag to put my gel shots in (i can velcro it to the handlebars), a white visor that i dyed turquoise with some fabric tie dye spray paint, and a silver paint marker to write my name on all of my gear.
i feel ready but wish i would have gotten more workouts in this week: of course, i'm working really long hours (an extra day this week, and two of my shifts were eight hours rather than 6-7). i'm really excited, but the nerves haven't hit yet. That was the worst thing about competing in swim team, i would basically stop breathing right before a race and have to force myself to breathe. i want to make sure i get to the lake early so i can set up my transitions and go to the bathroom and warm up and feel prepared. i sure hope this goes better than the Girls on the Run 5k did.
After work i went to Adventure Sports and tried on a couple of wetsuits. i got one all the way on, but it was a men's suit and fit badly. i bought neoprene socks and gloves instead, since that's where i get coldest. If i race in September i will probably rent a suit, but hopefully by then i will have lost more weight. They did not have a shorty suit in my size (which is what i wanted), though that was one of the suits i tried on, i could not get it to zip up in back. i must say that wetsuits are really hard to get on, really hot, but are easy to take off. If i ever buy a suit i want it to be triathlon specific.
Next i went to the grocery store and bought Gatorade (it was on sale, so cheaper than Powerade) and water. i also bought some bread, lunch meat (Hormel's Deli Smoked Turkey with no preservatives), organic yogurt for Saturday breakfast (key lime with a kangaroo on front), Oroweat potato bread, Mission chips, Salsa Casera (Medium), natural sour cream, and two avocados. i want to eat healthy and fuel up for the race. i'm going to watch the video at BeginnerTriathletes.com about fueling for a race after starting a load of laundry.
As it turns out, the campground at Highline Lake is full. i'm not really surprised, but it is disappointing, because it means that i will have to get up at 5 a.m. to get there by the time / shortly after check in starts. i'm not really sure what to do to prepare for race day now except rest, eat a lot, and make sure i have everything packed and ready to go. Other purchases today were a small bag to put my gel shots in (i can velcro it to the handlebars), a white visor that i dyed turquoise with some fabric tie dye spray paint, and a silver paint marker to write my name on all of my gear.
i feel ready but wish i would have gotten more workouts in this week: of course, i'm working really long hours (an extra day this week, and two of my shifts were eight hours rather than 6-7). i'm really excited, but the nerves haven't hit yet. That was the worst thing about competing in swim team, i would basically stop breathing right before a race and have to force myself to breathe. i want to make sure i get to the lake early so i can set up my transitions and go to the bathroom and warm up and feel prepared. i sure hope this goes better than the Girls on the Run 5k did.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Race Week
My knees have been kind of sore after Sunday's extreme workout and the past two days' headaches haven't helped my training schedule. Today i went to the Bike Shop for my energy shots (Espresso, Mocha, and Strawberry, the extra umph of caffeine helps), then walked all over Wal-Mart and the mall looking for a visor that i liked (the only one i could find that i liked was Under Armor and cost $22.99, so it was a wee bit outside my budget)... but not after test riding a couple of bikes! That's right, it's so weird for me, but i asked about which bike would be best for my purposes and discovered that i can buy a really good Cannondale mountain bike for about $450 (it's not great, or top of the line, but it's good enough). This bike is lighter than Mom's, has a cool shifting setup, and felt great to ride (at least around the parking lot). i assumed that i would have to buy someone's used bike to avoid paying around $2000 at the Bike Shop, but it turns out that such is not the case. So i should be able to easily save that much money by the beginning of the fall semester.
So, when i got home, i wasn't feeling at peak condition, but i really wanted to take a bike ride because the weather is so nice. i decided to test Mom and Dad's bikes against each other. i didn't use the computer, but the results are as follows:
Race Week - Dad's Bike
Start: 20:17:00
End: 20:35:00
Time Taken: 00:18:00
Total Distance: 3.20 mi.
Pace: 05:37 (avg)
Speed: 10.68 (mi/hr) (avg)
Mom's Bike
Start: 20:40:00
End: 20:57:00
Time Taken: 00:17:00
Total Distance: 3.20 mi.
Pace: 05:17 (avg)
Speed: 11.31 (mi/hr) (avg)
i would just like to add that the wind was blowing a bit harder on the second leg than the first, and that i'm definitely more comfortable on Mom's bike than Dad's. Of course, as the former Marshmallow would say, "It's not the bike, it's the engine."
So, when i got home, i wasn't feeling at peak condition, but i really wanted to take a bike ride because the weather is so nice. i decided to test Mom and Dad's bikes against each other. i didn't use the computer, but the results are as follows:
Race Week - Dad's Bike
Start: 20:17:00
End: 20:35:00
Time Taken: 00:18:00
Total Distance: 3.20 mi.
Pace: 05:37 (avg)
Speed: 10.68 (mi/hr) (avg)
Mom's Bike
Start: 20:40:00
End: 20:57:00
Time Taken: 00:17:00
Total Distance: 3.20 mi.
Pace: 05:17 (avg)
Speed: 11.31 (mi/hr) (avg)
i would just like to add that the wind was blowing a bit harder on the second leg than the first, and that i'm definitely more comfortable on Mom's bike than Dad's. Of course, as the former Marshmallow would say, "It's not the bike, it's the engine."
what a weird day
i didn't work out today. i wanted to, but i felt really horrible due to a horrific sinus headache that left me feeling nauseous and light / sound sensitive for most of the day. i went shopping with Mom instead for VBS decorations (the theme is Australia... got to say that like they do in the Outback commercials! Awww Strail Ee Uhh).
i finally broke down and started making a list of things i need to have ready on race day turning check in:
to wear
bra
top
shorts
sunscreen
watch set with 10/1 intervals (for the run leg)
goggles
swim cap (will be provided)
race chip (apparently an ankle strap?)
first transition
water to rinse feet / towel to stand on
socks
shoes
shades
helmet and gloves
energy shots
full camelbak
bike (duh)
second transition
race belt w/ number
water and powerade for run
hat or visor
i'm completely torn about whether i should try to rent a wetsuit. i really don't see when i would go shopping for one as i'm working a lot over the next couple of days: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. In fact, i should be going to bed right now, but i think i'm going to take a shower first.
i finally broke down and started making a list of things i need to have ready on race day turning check in:
to wear
bra
top
shorts
sunscreen
watch set with 10/1 intervals (for the run leg)
goggles
swim cap (will be provided)
race chip (apparently an ankle strap?)
first transition
water to rinse feet / towel to stand on
socks
shoes
shades
helmet and gloves
energy shots
full camelbak
bike (duh)
second transition
race belt w/ number
water and powerade for run
hat or visor
i'm completely torn about whether i should try to rent a wetsuit. i really don't see when i would go shopping for one as i'm working a lot over the next couple of days: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. In fact, i should be going to bed right now, but i think i'm going to take a shower first.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
race day weather forecast
Details for Loma, CO (from Weather.com)
Saturday, June 13
Partly Cloudy
High 83°F
Precip: 10%
Wind: S 13 mph
Max. Humidity: 25%
UV Index: 9 Very High
Sunrise: 5:49 AM MT
Avg. High: 87°F
Record High: 98°F (1956)
The best news, quite honestly, is that 13 mph wind. i don't think i could survive another headwind like on Sunday.
Saturday, June 13
Partly Cloudy
High 83°F
Precip: 10%
Wind: S 13 mph
Max. Humidity: 25%
UV Index: 9 Very High
Sunrise: 5:49 AM MT
Avg. High: 87°F
Record High: 98°F (1956)
The best news, quite honestly, is that 13 mph wind. i don't think i could survive another headwind like on Sunday.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
TriNewb W10D3... 500m swim!
i swam 500m straight today! i forewent the bobs and dove right in (pun intended, i didn't literally dive in, though i could have, i would have gotten in trouble with the lifeguard because the water is "too shallow", even though i've dove into water that was shallower), with a 50m warmup (breast, of course), 500m workout (mostly freestyle, some breaststroke and 2 stroke breathing thrown in... i usually breathe every third stroke), and a 50m cd. i finished the 500m in 15 minutes and 4 seconds with a pace of 48:14. i didn't have any problems at all until i was pushing off the wall for the last time, halfway through my cooldown, when my back spasmed. i got out and plopped down in a chair for a minute... i was pretty well spent and needed to recover for a minute! So this proves that i can swim 500m in fifteen minutes: we'll have to see how i do on race day with no wall and a gel shot fueling the engines.
Lap times were as follows:
Lap 1: 1:19 = 1 min. 20s
Lap 2: 2:44 = 1 min. 25s
Lap 3: 4:18 = 1 min. 34s
Lap 4: 5:48 = 1 min. 30s
Lap 5: 7:24 = 1 min. 36s
Lap 6: 8:54 = 1 min. 29s
Lap 7: 10:31 = 1 min. 37s
Lap 8: 12:08 = 1 min. 37s
Lap 9: 13:36 = 1 min. 28s
Lap 10: 15:02 = 1 min. 26s
Lap times were as follows:
Lap 1: 1:19 = 1 min. 20s
Lap 2: 2:44 = 1 min. 25s
Lap 3: 4:18 = 1 min. 34s
Lap 4: 5:48 = 1 min. 30s
Lap 5: 7:24 = 1 min. 36s
Lap 6: 8:54 = 1 min. 29s
Lap 7: 10:31 = 1 min. 37s
Lap 8: 12:08 = 1 min. 37s
Lap 9: 13:36 = 1 min. 28s
Lap 10: 15:02 = 1 min. 26s
Friday, June 05, 2009
rearranging my schedule
When i registered for the fall at the end of March, i was pushing forward, trying to graduate as soon as possible, and worried about how i'm ever going to be able to bring my gpa back up. i basically wasted an entire year, first when i was working at KJCT overtime and flunked out of all my classes (three of which i have retaken and passed), the second semester where everything was over the internet and i dropped the ball during my then-boyfriend's visit (i passed one class with a C, one with a D and flunked the rest, one because the teacher would not work with me and did not accept some of the work i turned in, the other because i gave up). Basically, it turns out that in order to graduate i will need to retake one of those internet courses (but it will not be offered again until next Spring), and i could retake some of the others to bring my gpa back up significantly (i have already brought it up some through a year of good grades). So my schedule was purely graduation driven for the most part, and i was scheduled to take:
ENGL 421 History of Literary Criticism
ENGL 492 Senior Seminar in Writing
ENGL 381 Creative Writing:Fiction
ENGL 296 Topics: Sci-Fi Fantasy
KINA 168 Hatha Yoga & Relaxation
The Sci Fi / Fantasy class i would really love to take but don't need, it's just another elective (and would be more helpful to me as a 300 course). The Yoga is for my back. The first three classes i will have to take sooner or later, they are all required for my major. i felt like i was in a nearly perfect position for graduating next spring.
And then... i discovered that my grandma, Frankie, is taking Katie and Sammy on a cruise, and i really yearned to go. So after much deliberation i have totally juggled my fall schedule to be far less intense (which, to be honest, the break will be very welcome, as last semester's pressure was very stressful) and be able to go on said cruise without totally wrecking my college career. Even if i had pressed ahead, i do not think that i could have graduated next spring because my upper level English courses have a gpa that is too low. i will have to retake the English class that i blew off for Brad in order to graduate, even though it makes no sense from a career point of view (it's not a fiction course, i never should have taken it in the first place), but that will be next spring. So it appears that i will most likely (hopefully) be graduating in Fall 2010. My Fall 2009 course load is now as follows:
On Campus
KINA 168 Hatha Yoga & Relaxation I (for my back)
KINA 141 Mountain Biking (for fun, and in hopes of increasing my cycling skill and opening up new racing opportunities)
MUSP 258 Women's Chorus (i've been missing Mrs. Niles)
Online
SOCO 144 Marriage and Families (retaking this Sociology course with the same professor, i hope i don't regret it)
ARTE 118 History of Art, Prehistory to Renaissance (required for the Art Minor i don't know that i'll ever finish)
Waitlisted
Online - ENGL 343 Language Systems and Linguistic Diversity (another attempt to pick up an upper level elective and bring up my gpa; it should look good on my transcript)
On Campus - MASS 320 Fundamentals of Photojournalism (a very popular course, i don't know if i'll be able to get in: i would not be able to miss any classes before the cruise)
So it looks and feels like i'm slacking in a way, but i think it will round out my transcript and education nicely. It really hinges on me getting into my waitlisted classes in a way, i need one more class (i haven't dropped the Creative Writing: Fiction class yet as a result). i thought about taking World Geography again (failed while working at KJCT), but it would be in Montrose, and i'm not sure they would like me missing 2-3 classes, and i wouldn't be able to take Chorus again. i might switch it back, but i really don't want to commute that again (i did so for my second semester of Spanish). i don't know which of the two waitlisted classes i would rather take (both have pros and cons), but this does mean that i will need internet access on the cruise. It also means that my work schedule will become utterly plausible, even easier than this past semester, but will require me to shift to working MWF instead of TR. Maybe i could get some Saturdays off? Of course, i would prefer just to film the football team again, but i don't know if that's going to happen.
Things i will most likely have to buy:
my own mountain bike or a hybrid bike (can't use Mom's forever)
a nice digital camera (or use the camera Grandpa Jocko gave me, which uses film, an added expense)
All in all, i'm excited.
ENGL 421 History of Literary Criticism
ENGL 492 Senior Seminar in Writing
ENGL 381 Creative Writing:Fiction
ENGL 296 Topics: Sci-Fi Fantasy
KINA 168 Hatha Yoga & Relaxation
The Sci Fi / Fantasy class i would really love to take but don't need, it's just another elective (and would be more helpful to me as a 300 course). The Yoga is for my back. The first three classes i will have to take sooner or later, they are all required for my major. i felt like i was in a nearly perfect position for graduating next spring.
And then... i discovered that my grandma, Frankie, is taking Katie and Sammy on a cruise, and i really yearned to go. So after much deliberation i have totally juggled my fall schedule to be far less intense (which, to be honest, the break will be very welcome, as last semester's pressure was very stressful) and be able to go on said cruise without totally wrecking my college career. Even if i had pressed ahead, i do not think that i could have graduated next spring because my upper level English courses have a gpa that is too low. i will have to retake the English class that i blew off for Brad in order to graduate, even though it makes no sense from a career point of view (it's not a fiction course, i never should have taken it in the first place), but that will be next spring. So it appears that i will most likely (hopefully) be graduating in Fall 2010. My Fall 2009 course load is now as follows:
On Campus
KINA 168 Hatha Yoga & Relaxation I (for my back)
KINA 141 Mountain Biking (for fun, and in hopes of increasing my cycling skill and opening up new racing opportunities)
MUSP 258 Women's Chorus (i've been missing Mrs. Niles)
Online
SOCO 144 Marriage and Families (retaking this Sociology course with the same professor, i hope i don't regret it)
ARTE 118 History of Art, Prehistory to Renaissance (required for the Art Minor i don't know that i'll ever finish)
Waitlisted
Online - ENGL 343 Language Systems and Linguistic Diversity (another attempt to pick up an upper level elective and bring up my gpa; it should look good on my transcript)
On Campus - MASS 320 Fundamentals of Photojournalism (a very popular course, i don't know if i'll be able to get in: i would not be able to miss any classes before the cruise)
So it looks and feels like i'm slacking in a way, but i think it will round out my transcript and education nicely. It really hinges on me getting into my waitlisted classes in a way, i need one more class (i haven't dropped the Creative Writing: Fiction class yet as a result). i thought about taking World Geography again (failed while working at KJCT), but it would be in Montrose, and i'm not sure they would like me missing 2-3 classes, and i wouldn't be able to take Chorus again. i might switch it back, but i really don't want to commute that again (i did so for my second semester of Spanish). i don't know which of the two waitlisted classes i would rather take (both have pros and cons), but this does mean that i will need internet access on the cruise. It also means that my work schedule will become utterly plausible, even easier than this past semester, but will require me to shift to working MWF instead of TR. Maybe i could get some Saturdays off? Of course, i would prefer just to film the football team again, but i don't know if that's going to happen.
Things i will most likely have to buy:
my own mountain bike or a hybrid bike (can't use Mom's forever)
a nice digital camera (or use the camera Grandpa Jocko gave me, which uses film, an added expense)
All in all, i'm excited.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
TriNewb W10D1-2... final brick!
It wasn't on the schedule, but i never got around to biking the last five miles after work yesterday because of the rain. i spent most of the night reading a blog i've been working my way through, From Marshmallow Man to Ironman, and felt guilty because he had an entire spiel about training in the rain because you never know what race conditions will be like.
So today i headed to the pool and swam 600m, trying to see how long it takes me to swim 50m freestyle vs. 50m breaststroke, and then trying to swim 100m straight by working in a little breaststroke when i start to get winded. i'm staying in a good zone cardio wise, but will need to pace myself a bit race day because there's no place to rest.
After i got home i rode to the highway and back, then out to the dirt road (just past the cattleguard). i ran half an hour, in pouring rain for ten of those minutes, then rode home. When i got back to my bike it had fallen over and there was mud all over one handlebar, my helmet, and a bit on my gloves. i opened the Camelbak up and rinsed off what i could on the handlebar, inside of the helmet, and gloves, before continuing (which added to my rest time). The entire trip took me an hour and eight minutes (those eight minutes largely being one pause for a breath halfway through the bike ride and transitions). i also practiced my swim to bike transition twice before starting out, once in flip flops and once barefoot (owie!), improving my time the second time. Worked on cadence and changing gears again, this time often settling into a 96 rpm stroke, which is really good but i think indicates that i need to shift up just one gear more and push myself a little harder. i'm not sure i'll really be able to improve my cycling much more before the race, but i'm starting to think about working on it more afterwards.
The run itself was a challenge because it was a brick, and uphill the first half, and in the rain with my hair matted to my face, and with a headwind on the way down, but i went farther than i was expecting to (since i felt so weak at the beginning), 2 miles, and i actually had an okay pace of 4 mph average. My runs are going okay, not great, and i didn't feel like i had the greatest day (considering how strong i felt on the way to the pool), but it does feel good to know that i just finished another mini-tri (albeit with a really extended swim). ETA: i did also notice at the beginning of the second interval of my run that i had recovered quite a bit and felt like i had more energy on the way back than out. i also noticed during Int. 2 that my thighs don't rub together as badly anymore: new measurements indicate that i have lost 3" on my thighs, down 1" from my pre-training measurement. i also noticed this on Monday when my favorite pair of jeans were uncomfortably loose, which is bittersweet to say the least.
A week and a half to race day!
So today i headed to the pool and swam 600m, trying to see how long it takes me to swim 50m freestyle vs. 50m breaststroke, and then trying to swim 100m straight by working in a little breaststroke when i start to get winded. i'm staying in a good zone cardio wise, but will need to pace myself a bit race day because there's no place to rest.
After i got home i rode to the highway and back, then out to the dirt road (just past the cattleguard). i ran half an hour, in pouring rain for ten of those minutes, then rode home. When i got back to my bike it had fallen over and there was mud all over one handlebar, my helmet, and a bit on my gloves. i opened the Camelbak up and rinsed off what i could on the handlebar, inside of the helmet, and gloves, before continuing (which added to my rest time). The entire trip took me an hour and eight minutes (those eight minutes largely being one pause for a breath halfway through the bike ride and transitions). i also practiced my swim to bike transition twice before starting out, once in flip flops and once barefoot (owie!), improving my time the second time. Worked on cadence and changing gears again, this time often settling into a 96 rpm stroke, which is really good but i think indicates that i need to shift up just one gear more and push myself a little harder. i'm not sure i'll really be able to improve my cycling much more before the race, but i'm starting to think about working on it more afterwards.
The run itself was a challenge because it was a brick, and uphill the first half, and in the rain with my hair matted to my face, and with a headwind on the way down, but i went farther than i was expecting to (since i felt so weak at the beginning), 2 miles, and i actually had an okay pace of 4 mph average. My runs are going okay, not great, and i didn't feel like i had the greatest day (considering how strong i felt on the way to the pool), but it does feel good to know that i just finished another mini-tri (albeit with a really extended swim). ETA: i did also notice at the beginning of the second interval of my run that i had recovered quite a bit and felt like i had more energy on the way back than out. i also noticed during Int. 2 that my thighs don't rub together as badly anymore: new measurements indicate that i have lost 3" on my thighs, down 1" from my pre-training measurement. i also noticed this on Monday when my favorite pair of jeans were uncomfortably loose, which is bittersweet to say the least.
A week and a half to race day!
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
TriNewb W10D2
Can't get to the pool today before work, so i went biking instead. i didn't really have time for a full fifteen miles, so i'll try to fit in 5 more miles after work; it's not ideal, but it will have to do.
Focused on RPMs today, aiming for 90. i should have given myself a little bit more warmup. Started on the downhill side today, actually found 90 rpm to be very easy, sometimes tapering to 85ish on the small hills. At the turnaround point it became a new ballgame, as it's a 300 foot climb. The first half i was averaging 80-85 rpms, sometimes falling below that on steep hills, but never below 60 rmp (low end was usually 65-70 rpm). About 2/3 of my way up the hill i gave up on counting rpms and focused on breathing and form. i definitely wasn't keeping up the pace, and then i discovered that i was inexplicably in the highest gear up front, while i thought i had been in the middle. i spent a lot of time in the lowest gears for the rest of the time, upshifting for declines, and actually bouncing in my seat at one point (was a new experience for me). Tried leaning forward on my elbows a couple of times, bothers my knees less now and my arms more. Maybe i could get some clip on aero bars?
Focused on RPMs today, aiming for 90. i should have given myself a little bit more warmup. Started on the downhill side today, actually found 90 rpm to be very easy, sometimes tapering to 85ish on the small hills. At the turnaround point it became a new ballgame, as it's a 300 foot climb. The first half i was averaging 80-85 rpms, sometimes falling below that on steep hills, but never below 60 rmp (low end was usually 65-70 rpm). About 2/3 of my way up the hill i gave up on counting rpms and focused on breathing and form. i definitely wasn't keeping up the pace, and then i discovered that i was inexplicably in the highest gear up front, while i thought i had been in the middle. i spent a lot of time in the lowest gears for the rest of the time, upshifting for declines, and actually bouncing in my seat at one point (was a new experience for me). Tried leaning forward on my elbows a couple of times, bothers my knees less now and my arms more. Maybe i could get some clip on aero bars?
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