![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
threadwalkerThe good, the bad and the ugly. Plus,
For a Few Dollars More...
The Good: Friday night Nana picked up the kids from school and we waited out the commute traffic before heading to Pacific Grove. Ahhh, sweet togetherness... we enjoyed our flashback to life before kids.
The Good:
My Race wave started at 9:30 am, which is totally civilized. However, I had to pick up race packet between 6 and 8 am and be out of the transition zone around 8:30. I was pretty calm until I realized I was disorganized, which is when I was hurried and rushed. EG, I showed up to the transition zone in my jammies to set up all my gear, meet my rack neighbors and people watch. But then realized I'd break the "no nudity" (including "no thong bathing suits") rule to get body-marked because I was just wearing jammies; can't drop my pants for them to scribble sharpie all over my legs without getting into trouble. D'oh!
And I'd call "Rushing" bad... very bad.
I returned to our B&B, negotiated a late check out (so I could shower), got changed, snuggled with hubby, ate some b-fast, sauntered back down to transition appropriately dressed (but minus wet suit), got marked, and then did some more math and realized I had less than 45 minutes to get wet-suited up and get my rear to the start. I jogged back to the B&B for wetsuit and made it to the start point with 15 minutes to spare. Gone are the days where I wake up at 4am and freak out until race-start. My freak-outs are only 30 minutes before the race and apparently due to my own disorder. D'oh!
The Better:
I have no idea what any of my times are, but my overall time is somewhere in the 3-1/2 hr range. I wanted to bring it down, but you get out of if what you put into it and I didn't train hard enough for that. Early in the race I was feeling sad about this, but I shook my mood off during the bike ride to focus on my heart rate. I came out of the race full to the brim with motivation for next year. I showed up the the race wearing my Polar Heart Rate Monitor instead of my lap-watch so that I could see what my level of fitness is. I was already in Improvement Strategy Mode when I showed up. Sooooo excited. Squee.
Overall:
The swim was pretty good. I didn't stray too much, I didn't freak out, and the water was warm-ish (59). Someone kept swimming zig-zaggy across my arms and I got annoyed after I got kicked in the arm-pit so I put on some speed and actually *gasp* raced during the swim!!! Go me!
The bike ride was also okay. 100 minutes. I'm like clock work; 15 minutes on the uphill into the headwind and 10 minutes on the return trip. I got over that I wasn't super speedy and was just enjoying myself - seeing how fast I had to go to get my heart rate up, etc. But about halfway through I realized I was in danger of not finishing fast enough to actually get my shower at the B&B. I kept checking my math, kind of got pissed/anxious, and tried to put on some speed.
Must get shower!!!!
My run was overshadowed by my need to finish in 1 hour so I could shower.I kept yelling at my poor legs to work harder, I was upset that my feet felt like they were on fire, and I was cursing the sunny day because it was hot work. I considered bailing out and going straight to my shower, but quitting isn't in my programming. Suffice it to say, I spent the entire run obsessed with how the balls of my feet felt like they were on fire and wondering if I could go any faster on them; the lungs were fine my limiting factor was legs and feet.
And I think I finished in an hour... but!!!
THE UGLY... (and more good)... and a Few Dollars More...
It's a 6.2 mile (10K) run. At mile 5.75 a gal catches up to me, says she's been following me for 5.5 miles, thanks me, and passes me.
???
I'd been haunted by a heavy breather following me throughout the race. I'd put on speet and pull away when the breathing got louder/closer and now I saw her: young, cute, bouncy curls... and in front of me!!! ARGH!
do I cry? No. Am I close to tears? yes... and Oh! my aching feet! I had a 5-alarm fire going on down there.
I sped up to her, said hi back, etc and we both ran on. I had enough lung to tell her about my shower dilema as we overtook someone else. I spotted F as we came around the final curve and tried to run and wave at him so I could signal him to meet me at B&B (shower, shower shower... stray thoughts that maybe I could pay the B&B $$$$ for a shower... or buy a 2nd night so I could shower?), but some old coots got right in my line of sight and stayed there. Finally I'm yelling, waving and we make eye contact and the message is delivered. However my running companion speeds up passing me during this, so I speed up and catch her. We both speed up nearing the finish.
At this point I think I flashed back to every race where I've been passed at the finish and I got pissed. It must have been frustration, because it sure as heck wasn't joy that inspired my sprint across the finish. I had to overcome a lot of fatigue and my feet were simply in agony, but I pulled out a sprint with a big kick and finished 15 feet ahead of my companion. She, being the great sportsman, yelled,"Nice!" when I sprinted ahead.
Which just goes to show you how cool tri-racers can be.
I turned as she crossed behind me, thanked her for running in with me, wished her well, and then jogged off to the B&B. I used every minute of my 20 minute window to get up there, get cleaned up and return the room key. If the transitions are the 4th leg of the race, then the race to the shower is the secret 5th leg of the race and I finished in the nick of time.
And today is a new day. The back of my neck is raw from lack of grease while in wetsuit (Glide). D'0h! But I spent last night digging through cook books, prepping some Clean Eats (a la Diva Tosca Reno) for lunches and dinner, and digging out my Tri-training books. I've moved beyond all the "getting started" type of tri-books. I can recommend the ones I like to anyone esle who wants to start, but I'm looking for something more hard-core and specific. Right now I'm working through Gale Berhnardt's Training Plans for Multisport Athletes and Sally Edwards Heart Rate Monitoring Training. I've also got a cycling book and a women's running book set aside for after. I ran for 30 minutes (407 calories) and lifted weights this morning. I'm full to the brim with excitement. I'm also not working on any project deadlines right now, so I feel very unpressured by other concerns and capable of submerging myself into this right now. I'm not planning to make any 12th Night outfits (last years will suffice for a while longer I think!) and of my current tasks, I'm enjoying them instead of flogging myself.
Go me!
For a Few Dollars More...
The Good: Friday night Nana picked up the kids from school and we waited out the commute traffic before heading to Pacific Grove. Ahhh, sweet togetherness... we enjoyed our flashback to life before kids.
The Good:
My Race wave started at 9:30 am, which is totally civilized. However, I had to pick up race packet between 6 and 8 am and be out of the transition zone around 8:30. I was pretty calm until I realized I was disorganized, which is when I was hurried and rushed. EG, I showed up to the transition zone in my jammies to set up all my gear, meet my rack neighbors and people watch. But then realized I'd break the "no nudity" (including "no thong bathing suits") rule to get body-marked because I was just wearing jammies; can't drop my pants for them to scribble sharpie all over my legs without getting into trouble. D'oh!
And I'd call "Rushing" bad... very bad.
I returned to our B&B, negotiated a late check out (so I could shower), got changed, snuggled with hubby, ate some b-fast, sauntered back down to transition appropriately dressed (but minus wet suit), got marked, and then did some more math and realized I had less than 45 minutes to get wet-suited up and get my rear to the start. I jogged back to the B&B for wetsuit and made it to the start point with 15 minutes to spare. Gone are the days where I wake up at 4am and freak out until race-start. My freak-outs are only 30 minutes before the race and apparently due to my own disorder. D'oh!
The Better:
I have no idea what any of my times are, but my overall time is somewhere in the 3-1/2 hr range. I wanted to bring it down, but you get out of if what you put into it and I didn't train hard enough for that. Early in the race I was feeling sad about this, but I shook my mood off during the bike ride to focus on my heart rate. I came out of the race full to the brim with motivation for next year. I showed up the the race wearing my Polar Heart Rate Monitor instead of my lap-watch so that I could see what my level of fitness is. I was already in Improvement Strategy Mode when I showed up. Sooooo excited. Squee.
Overall:
The swim was pretty good. I didn't stray too much, I didn't freak out, and the water was warm-ish (59). Someone kept swimming zig-zaggy across my arms and I got annoyed after I got kicked in the arm-pit so I put on some speed and actually *gasp* raced during the swim!!! Go me!
The bike ride was also okay. 100 minutes. I'm like clock work; 15 minutes on the uphill into the headwind and 10 minutes on the return trip. I got over that I wasn't super speedy and was just enjoying myself - seeing how fast I had to go to get my heart rate up, etc. But about halfway through I realized I was in danger of not finishing fast enough to actually get my shower at the B&B. I kept checking my math, kind of got pissed/anxious, and tried to put on some speed.
Must get shower!!!!
My run was overshadowed by my need to finish in 1 hour so I could shower.I kept yelling at my poor legs to work harder, I was upset that my feet felt like they were on fire, and I was cursing the sunny day because it was hot work. I considered bailing out and going straight to my shower, but quitting isn't in my programming. Suffice it to say, I spent the entire run obsessed with how the balls of my feet felt like they were on fire and wondering if I could go any faster on them; the lungs were fine my limiting factor was legs and feet.
And I think I finished in an hour... but!!!
THE UGLY... (and more good)... and a Few Dollars More...
It's a 6.2 mile (10K) run. At mile 5.75 a gal catches up to me, says she's been following me for 5.5 miles, thanks me, and passes me.
???
I'd been haunted by a heavy breather following me throughout the race. I'd put on speet and pull away when the breathing got louder/closer and now I saw her: young, cute, bouncy curls... and in front of me!!! ARGH!
do I cry? No. Am I close to tears? yes... and Oh! my aching feet! I had a 5-alarm fire going on down there.
I sped up to her, said hi back, etc and we both ran on. I had enough lung to tell her about my shower dilema as we overtook someone else. I spotted F as we came around the final curve and tried to run and wave at him so I could signal him to meet me at B&B (shower, shower shower... stray thoughts that maybe I could pay the B&B $$$$ for a shower... or buy a 2nd night so I could shower?), but some old coots got right in my line of sight and stayed there. Finally I'm yelling, waving and we make eye contact and the message is delivered. However my running companion speeds up passing me during this, so I speed up and catch her. We both speed up nearing the finish.
At this point I think I flashed back to every race where I've been passed at the finish and I got pissed. It must have been frustration, because it sure as heck wasn't joy that inspired my sprint across the finish. I had to overcome a lot of fatigue and my feet were simply in agony, but I pulled out a sprint with a big kick and finished 15 feet ahead of my companion. She, being the great sportsman, yelled,"Nice!" when I sprinted ahead.
Which just goes to show you how cool tri-racers can be.
I turned as she crossed behind me, thanked her for running in with me, wished her well, and then jogged off to the B&B. I used every minute of my 20 minute window to get up there, get cleaned up and return the room key. If the transitions are the 4th leg of the race, then the race to the shower is the secret 5th leg of the race and I finished in the nick of time.
And today is a new day. The back of my neck is raw from lack of grease while in wetsuit (Glide). D'0h! But I spent last night digging through cook books, prepping some Clean Eats (a la Diva Tosca Reno) for lunches and dinner, and digging out my Tri-training books. I've moved beyond all the "getting started" type of tri-books. I can recommend the ones I like to anyone esle who wants to start, but I'm looking for something more hard-core and specific. Right now I'm working through Gale Berhnardt's Training Plans for Multisport Athletes and Sally Edwards Heart Rate Monitoring Training. I've also got a cycling book and a women's running book set aside for after. I ran for 30 minutes (407 calories) and lifted weights this morning. I'm full to the brim with excitement. I'm also not working on any project deadlines right now, so I feel very unpressured by other concerns and capable of submerging myself into this right now. I'm not planning to make any 12th Night outfits (last years will suffice for a while longer I think!) and of my current tasks, I'm enjoying them instead of flogging myself.
Go me!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-09-13 07:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 01:41 am (UTC)By the way, I was STUCK on your story of beating that girl. to good!
no subject
Date: 2010-09-16 05:44 am (UTC)