TR24: Why rest, when you can run!

So, I finished my TRI on Saturday, took Sunday off.....and then back in again on Monday!  Got my scheduled 4 miles in, in the middle of the day no less!  Brian got home early, the boys were napping and Mommy was RUNNING!  Yeah!  I was hot, but it was great to get a solo run in.

Got home, showered up and I was ready to tame the wild savages!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/45501886

Back on track....No rest for the wicked! :)

Shermanator Triathalon: I spell TRI like this TMI!

First TRI in the books....and I am stoked.  So here is the report, with a comical interlude.

0400 hours:  I am up, can't sleep, jacked on adrenaline and nerves.  Head down coffee, bagel, banana..carbed up

0500 hours:  I was taught by a Natzi Band Director, "if you are on time you are late" and I sure as heck didn't want to make Teri late, who was doing me a huge favor by racking my bike and hauling it up for me.  We planned on meeting at the carpool and heading.

0530 hours:  Got to the carpool.  Nerves are getting to me.  It's 5:32, Teri isn't there, we are at a public place within city limits.  I got to pee.  I look longingly at the pine trees...Teri texts me, she will be there in a few.  Perfect.  Pee Break....I actually spook up a deer as I bust into the tall weeds.

0548 hours:  On the road, I am jammering like an idiot.

0612 hours:  Sign up.  Body marked

We find out our heat, wave 6, we take off at 8:10am.  Freak out commences....

Into the water at 8:05, chilling till we take off at 8:10.  No joke, not even halfway thru the swim, I am at near panic attack.  I swear my joking about Jersey Shore Fist Pumping is going to karma bite me in the ass.  This is one thing I know:  open water swimming is NOT the same as pool OR lake swimming...holy crapola.

I honestly looked for the locations of the kyaks and boueys.  I said eff freestyle, I am going to do whatever stroke keeps my head above water.  Enter sidestroke, backstroke, breaststroke.  Alternating till I hit the halfway and then I was ok.  When I am just past the 1/4 way bouey, near middle of freak out zone, I hear the next wave go.  (big air horn)  I "just keep swimming, just keep swimming" til I see the place where we took off from, almost touching depth!  As soon as I can, I put feet to the ground and head.  Surprisingly enough, I can jog to transition!  I couldn't find a pic of the Sherm open water swim (that I could copy), but it did kinda look like this:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/6694473

I was so happy to see my cheering section when I exited the water!  Brian, the boys, and Mimi!  All the people that helped me train in some way were there to cheer me on!

I get to transition, thankful for the happyface that told me it was the right rack.  All the while, I was able to keep my eyes on Teri or pass her, going the other way (all of the routes were out and backs) and cheer her on!  I get on my old ass, but working, mountain bike.  Haul on up the hill, I am shaking enough, that I loose my water bottle before the first mile is over.  SHIT!!  But there was no way I was stopping to get it....which made the 10 miles long, hot, and thirsty.  Oh, and did I mention HILLS.  Holy Hill Hell.  It was like Evansville all over again!  I distinctly remember one man barely moving up the hill as I coasted down the other way..I knew that one was going to be a bitch...and it was.  And all the other ones, that seriously would last for a half mile or so....ikes.  Not fun.  But honestly, I don't know how I did it.  My bike time was 42:42...that is an average of a 4:24 minute mile!  STOKED.  On a 10 year old mountain bike.  The pic is me getting ready to dismount.  I must say I was complemented on my dismount...must of done it like a pro, instead of a Tri virgin!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/14476920

I get back to transition, some hot shot dude has racked in my spot.  I am already sucking with the racks anyway, but offffff I go!  UPPPPP a freaking hill.  This hill stuff continues thru mile 1 and then down a half mile and then back up a half mile and then down mostly with another up the rest of the way....hills.  I hate hills.  The fact that I ran 3.1 miles in 31 minutes and it was 3/4 hills, I am ok with that.  Not to mention that I was AFTER I swam and biked (on hills)

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/6677848

So, I cross the finish line...I looked kinda pissed.  This is one, because I was running my ass off and, two, because I just looked at the clock, which said 1:56:00 and I was pissed.  I was like, damn!  I suck!  But that was before I realized that that was from the first heat 7:45 and I didn't even take off in the water till 8:10.  So my official time was 1:31:07.  Not impressive when I say 21 out of 27, but seriously, I had the fastest wave, I swear!  When I was done...I was woozy to say the least.  I did manage to take some after race pics with my guys and my gal!

So, I left the tri, stoked with the outcome, proud to go to the store with my permanent marker tatoo (race number on my arm), and thinking about when I could do another (with a shorter swim) again!  If for no other reason, I am happy with my body strength and looks, all thanks to multisport training!

TR....kinda

As I mentioned, I am going light on distance until after next weekend.  I would have loved to do more today, but I know I have a heavy training session in for me tomorrow....mini tri.  So I will be swimming, biking and running.  But even typing this, I feel guilty :)

It felt to get out early and get my run in alone.  I needed the coffee and the endorphins to handle the day :)

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/45470212

TR23: wimpy run (mommy duty calls)

As I said, I am really trying to focus on swimming for the tri, I figure not drowning IS important.  But peer pressure strikes again.  It was a ver legitimate question...Heather, one of my virtual running pals who is coming to Holland to do the Park2Park Half Marathon with Rhonda and I in September, asked how my runs were going this week.  I looked, it was Wed and I hadn't ran yet.  Swam, yes..lots.  Biked, yep...that too.  Running...nada.

So, I did my extra time after Hydration Hustle and ran after getting my swim in today.  It was only 2.5 miles, but I got it in.  I would have done more, but I had to pick up the boys from day care.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/45342714

TR22: Hydration Hustle Virtual 5k

As time doesn't matter on this one, I invited a mommy gal pal who wants to get into running join me.  Like me, she struggles to find the time to do so.  We have 4 kids between us...a gorgeous day and a zoo with a 5k course.  Can you say perfect?  And FUN!?!?

We set out, took our time, visited exhibits, hauled butt to Africa (an exhibit that has a 1.5 mile walking or in our case running path with a huge hill in it)  She did great, the kids had fun and we got our 5k in in under an hour.  As she hasn't run in forever, or ever, not sure which is the case, we did kind of a couch to 5k style workout!

This was supposed to be my day "off" from training.  We did the zoo and then I took the kids for ice cream and the park.  As I was feeling guilty about the ice cream AND a little puppy was missing, the boys and I went on a 1.5 mile dog searching mission, so I got an additonal little run in :)

Momma freaks out

I am suspending the long runs for the half until I am done with the tri next weekend.  I am just very anxious about the swim portion and I need to focus on one thing.

When momma gets freaked, she gets busy.  Freaked pretty much describes how I am feeling about the swim portion of the tri.  The pool, I can handle; the lake is freaking me out.  How else can you explain how I can swim for 25 nonstop minutes in a pool and feel out of breath and freaked about the water in the lake?  I would say it is just easier, but I am using an endless resistance pool that is pushing water in my face continuously.  People freak me out, as do weeds, and of course the not being able to touch.

I have practiced swimming daily for the last three days and I am hitting the pool or lake again tomorrow.  Yesterday, I had an awesome pool workout and Monday was a nice 10 mile bike ride, down to the lake and back, where I struggled thru 750 yds of swimming.  I am guessing I will be in the water, during the tri, about 20 minutes unless I get an adrenaline rush or freak out. :)

Tri Panic Attack

Rhonda reminded me, I have 2 weeks till I become a triathelete.  This is both exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time.  I actually had a moment of panic/anxiety the other night.

But, today, I had a little bit of an epiphany.  While struggling thru a swim session, I have to hold on to Teri's quote: 

"this is me, not caring"

I think that quote is my new mantra.  Hell, I ran in short shorts and a sports bra in heat induced craziness on Thursday, I am owning it.

Why?  I will be swimming literally over my head against much faster/skilled swimmers.  I have no doubt I can

do the distance, but it will not be pretty.  I will be thinking,  "this is me, not caring" as I side stroke, breast stroke and back stroke if I have to those last 150 yards...

And...  I will be smiling as I roll thru the bike section (because the swim is done) AND thinking, "this is me, not caring" on my 10 year old mountain bike (with knobby tires) may actually be better suited for the delightful road conditions that we will encounter.  This pic is not an exaggeration of the road quality:

And I may even really get into the "this is me, not caring" mantra if I am spent at that point and I run ala JG style, with a run walk style.

With my half marathon, the goal was finish.  I am thinking that this first tri, the goal is similar!