Signed Up For My First Olympic, Crazy, I Know

Crazy. I am. I know it. But if you aren't pushing the edge of something you haven't done before... isn't it really the same experience? A settling into a new ‘comfort zone’?  I could easily trot along, happily doing a couple of sprint distance events every year. However I’ve also completed about 8 full sprint distance training triathlons, starting from my local pool & 2  woman only sprint distances. Both of those were great.  I made goal at one and was off of goal on the second due to  mechanical issues and hesitancy in the swim. Haven't I spent way too many years numbly ‘comfortable’? Unaware of any possibilities within myself. Alive yet not living?  Am I ready for an Olympic? 


While working at Texas Renaissance Festival as a beer & wine wench(earning for a bike rack & HW monitor) , I was thinking and thinking about this. Do I sign up or not? Decide too late & there would be no available slots. This region isn't blessed with an overabundance of Olympic distance triathlons, nor am I over-abundantly financed to be able to travel far with a bike & gear for an event. Am I ready for an Olympic? No. Not right this second, not even next month!  I can do the distances individually. Not happily and not with speed resembling any animal that ambulates at a speed between the turtle and the hare. More like a snail.


I thought back to January, when I slunk hesitantly into the TAMU pool next to Zentriathlon base camp athletes. I didn't think I could do that either. I was almost sick with nerves, hands shaking, toes cramping. The other side of the pool was a LONG ways away. I eventually made a few laps, slithered out of the pool to watch. Art in Motion. These athletes were so sure of themselves, full of technical jargon, spandex, lycra, heart-rate, cadence, low body fat, nonchalant kindness. Maybe they had never been fat, yet each of them was holding their own challenges at bay through triathlon training. I wanted to be a little more like them.


Almost a year of training and two triathlons later. I am a little more like them. An athlete. Yeah, a fat athlete, but still an athlete!  An individual using triathlon to re-pattern a life more sustainable. Transitioning alone, for no one but myself, I’m making those healthy choices more and more often.  A few dates have commented on my ‘weird eating habits’ and my ‘going to bed early’.  I hear them and wonder how much more narrow my compatibility field of life partners is becoming. As I continue forward into my own unknown, the field will narrow until only one is in the focus. I am looking forward till then!

Meanwhile my quiet version of crazy will continue and increase. I have the goal of my 1st Olympic triathlon to train towards.Come out and cheer me on Sunday April 3, 2011 at Kenmah in Galveston Texas at Gateway to the Bay!

Adjusting Chain Limit Screws

 Last week, after having issues with my chain on the bike portion of the 2010 Austin Trek Triathlon, I learned about the limit screws  for the bike chain. Since I couldn't get the white-board drawing into my blog... I found this awesome video. The arrows really help. Don't be intimidated!  If I did this you can too. This is easy bike upkeep that any one of us can do at home. it helps if you have a bike stand.... I don't(yet). You will need you multi-tool. If you don't have one of those, get one! Don't let a loose chain drag you into the LBS... unless you need an excuse to browse their new jersey collection.

Pictures & Time Are In

My triathlon photos & times are in. Click the links to check them out. My swim time wasn't as bad as I thought... The chain coming off blew my bike time away. The pictures are good evidence that my running form is TERRIBLE & needs the most improvement. All in all, I didn't feel completely blown out which means I held back & didn't go all out. This is probably true.... in the back of my mind I was worrying about not falling asleep during the long drive home...The pictures and the time are great lasting benchmarks to improve against. 

 Id love to find someone around my speed to occasionally train with & to enter a triathlon with. I feel like having someone around my speed to directly compete against would be beneficial for us both. Anyone want to play triathlon? I have tentatively selected my next race for Sunday April 3. Payment opens Oct 18.

Pro & Cons of Trek Triathlon (IMO)

Its 4 days after my 2^nd triathlon, the Trek Womans Sprint triathlon in Austin Texas. I feel pretty darn good!   Caught up on sleep & awoken by the TAMU Aggie band blasting a brassy 6AM good morning through my open window! Fall in Texas is incredible. Sneezing like crazy, but that’s simply this time of year allergies. Going to Golds spin class this afternoon & back in the pool tomorrow. Giving my toe/foot pad another week before running… it’s swollen up & still hurts.

 Yesterday I had a nice after action review chat with Brett of Zen & the Art of Triathlon.  My swim start has improved!  Other improvements included the purchase of a race number belt, soft timing chip strap, bento box & shoe lace toggles at the Bicycle Sport Shop Expo. Laying out & packing my transition bag on Thur, then re-laying out on Sat was a great help. Since I had plenty of room in the tri-beetle, I had extra towels that came in handy since there was a T1A & a T1B. The new size 2 Enell sports bra combined with a size L supportive yoga top worked great for the swim & bike & was almost enough anti-bounce( I’m always looking for Complete anti-bounce for 36-38 F/G.. if you know of a product) for the run. 

Pre and enroute nutrition also felt good even if I may have eaten more than I needed. At 6AM I ate the eggs from inside some breakfast tacos, at 7:15AM  ¼ an avocado & ½  banana. On the bike I packed too much liquid. 2 waters & 1 bottle of Vega sports drink combined with Hornet Juice. I also peeled & split up a tangelo & a few strawberries into a baggie in the bento box. I drank about 1/3 of the sport drink combo and slurped 4 tangelo wedges & 2 strawberries..I’m still not great at pulling the water out form the behind the seat rack to drink so I slugged down water at T2.

 Triathlon is all about you improving yourself. Improvement comes in self and external knowledge. Brett suggested that I start out even slower to avoid the asthma & hyperventilating excitement. When we were talking about the bike portion, I learned about ‘limit screws’ for the chain. My run-walk time and calf soreness both are reflective of lack of hill work training. I tested my outfit both weekends prior to the race, but at the last minute I decided to use the race shirt as my shirt over my swim set-up. My arm undersides were chaffed to bloody speckles… Always test your equipment and attires and then use the tested stuff! Something to work on for future events J And yeah.. there will be future events.

 About the race environment: FABULOUS. Pace Bend Park is west of Austin Texas situated on the limestone hills above and along the lakes. Accommodations within the park included tent and RV camping or rooms at the Highland Lakes Camp & Conference Center.  This year the weather gods gifted Texas with a utopian vision of fall.  The curvy rolling hills of the bike ride were flanked with blooming lantana, cardinal flowers, gay feathers, fall aster, wild petunias and many others. The trees were green; the grasses were plumed with seed heads, waving in a gentle wind. The lake was brown and smooth with water temps in the low 80s. The best thing about the lake was it didn’t stink! Now if only the entry hadn’t been a boulder-field!  I even saw a small tarantula participating on the run portion! My room was about 40 steps from the bike rack area! The camp allowed a late checkout, so the shower was incredible after the race!  I’d recommend races in this area simply for the environment(excepting the rocky swim egress!).

Maybe I was spoiled at my first race, the Skeese Greets Womans Sprint Triathlon; but there were a few things I thought could be improved.  Packet pickup location was revealed last minute. There were no lights at T1A or T1B, so if you do this race next year a headlamp will help you set-up your transitions, because its dark at 6AM. Bring an older pair of tennis shoes for the T1A to T1B 1/3 mile run from swim to bike racks, so you don’t have to wear wet shoes on the rest of the run after the bike segment. It would have been nice to get a professional pre-race photo.  I never really saw anyone checking bike numbers with participant numbers… I believe athletes and their support are not likely to walk off with someone else’s bike, but… My big disappointment was the finish line party… Crossing the timing mat, you received a water bottle & pretty finisher’s medal and there were bananas & snack bags of Chips Ahoy cookies. Yet massages were a $1/minute, bbq was available for purchase and that was about it. In contrast, the Skeese Greeets Tri had an after-party, loud music, New Belguim Fat Tire beer, frozen yogurt, gourmet fruit slices, hamburgers and more, along with free massages, action wipes, and assorted vendor booths were available for the athletes (& I think the supporters could purchase items) The Trek Traithlon finish was anti-climatic. 

Time to focus on improvements and select another event!  One thing about triathlon; the very best part is the amazing, inspiring, encouraging, every day individuals crossing the finish line to their own best personal victory!

Perseverance equals Finish!

Howdy y'all,


The 2010 Austin Texas Trek Womans Sprint Triathlon is complete!!!


That's the good news. I finished the course. I crossed that last timing mat. I collected my water bottle & medal. Even now that chunk of metal, strung on UT burnt orange ribbon, rests around my neck! I earned the darned thing the hard way with aching collarbone & gasping lungs.


Here's the bad news. I still panicked in the swim.... Not as bad as before, but yeah.. Hyperventilating with breast(my worst), back & dogpaddle strokes. Had to swim on back & pry inhaler out of cleavage. Somewhere around 40 minutes for the swim :-(. Ohh & cut my foot on a rock. ROCKS! Rocks everywhere. A boulder field for your bare swim feet.


After a mini T1 into run shoes, I gamely trotted up the incline 1/3 mile to T1b. Out of run shoes into bike shoes. The exits were narrow. There was a bike jam at the mount up spot. Let the hills begin! My computer, which worked yesterday on a 4 mile test run opted out for the day. Then my chain came off. Once. Then again. Then 2 more times! In between coming off it was slipping & regrabbing. I didn't know what I could do aside from continuing to put it back on. There was no water or aid on the bike portion. Between the chain & asthma rearing it's ugly self, the race turned into an exspensive training mission.


Finally back in for T2. I slugged down water. Slipped on my Bug Clinic Cap. Wedged into soaking wet run shoes for the second time. Trotted off down the hill & up the hill. Hit the inhaler probably more times than I should(it wasn't keeping up with the constricting slimy cough in my throat). Walked. Trotted. Didn't step on the crawling tarantula I passed. Walked. Gasped. Trotted. Wondered Why I thought this sounded like a good thing to do.


Hit that spot when you are suddenly pissed off. I had trained for a Race not a mobile asthma attack. Felt tears pricking my eyes. Didn't cry. That would have made me more slimy than I already was. Huffed. Coughed. Hacked. Spit slime out of my throat.


Made it to the last downhill. Transitioned to off road again. Trotting. Supressing the coughs, I trotted through the shoot, across the last mat. I think I smiled for the camera...


Forgive the misspells, this is from my phone. I'll do a pro/con on this race setup & add pics later. 4 hour drive home....


Thanks for sending out good thoughts!!!

4 Days From Austin Trek Triathlon

Good Morning, 

  Here I am 4 days from triathlon start. Check out  video for my fun inspiration for the day.
 I need to talk to my swim team coaches. Maybe we can incorporate this type of training at the pool? Make it a fund raiser for the team...people can come whack me with bumpers for a $1 a hit.  We could set something like this up for triathletes on the team prior to their races!!

It’s really like this in the water. Your adrenalin is surging, you feel dizzy waiting on the starter horn for your wave. Then it's a death metal mash pit in the water. Arms and legs wind milling everywhere. Like a pack of lemmings, surging forward, you can’t really see where you are going; it only matters now that you GO. The lake water is nasty, smelly and dank. There are slimy unspeakables entangling your feet as you run in... The faster you swim, the faster you get out.  I am Not fast(yet)!Try not to swallow the water. You'll only get a stomach ache.

  I am as ready as I can be. I haven't been 100 % for the last 2 weeks. I think I am finally broke from my pizza craving.... I was miserable last week after eating 3 Very small slices on Monday night(wheat allergy). Bad enough, my boss & I discussed if I should go to the ER to see if it was appendicitis. Allergies are up and so is asthma with this cooler weather I crave.  I know I can do it. I completed the distances for all events both days the last 2 weekends. The race is different though, it’s you and all of them. Those other triathletes.  Regardless I paid my fee, I want my technical shirt. I want my time! I need the floating euphoria of achievement. I even have the names of a few local cancer survivors to write into my jersey… I'll be running for them, when I don't want to run for myself!

 I don't know why it matters but it does. I won’t have anyone there on the ground supporting me.  Wake up at 7:30 Sunday morning and send out good vibes. I train alone.  I make my schedule; I break my schedule (I shouldn't). I will tri alone.  Mostly I want the good vibes when I am finished. Stupid from exertion. Unbelieving that I DID IT! When I need to be reminded to eat, to load Ms Bianchi & double check her, when I can't fall asleep driving the 3+ hours home.

 Enjoy the video. The picture is my pre-race photo from my first triathlon. The Skeese Greets. I'm a little leaner, a little more endurable. This race is a little longer, a little hillier.

 Wish me well, 

Simulated Self Supported Triathlon Training

Here's a quick note and a link to a few pictures from my last 2 weekend endeavors. I am getting ready to learn about triathlon first hand at the Skeese Greets Womans Sprint Triathlon

 I planned and completed 3 self supported sprint tris at training pace as training modules for myself.  I'll be completing my first sprint triathlon this Sunday!

 Last Friday I planned ahead & called TAMU Recc center to ask about lap lanes and opening. They opened at 8Am & for $10 I could get a day guest pass. Not bad when I only needed the pool for 10 minutes. I got some gear together & went to bed & couldn't sleep! I didn't want to sleep past the alarm. Finally I got up around 4AM.  This allowed plenty of time to get everything together. Breakfast was steel cut oats with a scoop of protein powder, blackberries & pumpkin seeds along with a cup of Scottish Breakfast Tea sweetened with grade B Maple Syrup( tasty).

 After my meal, my table transformed into T1 & T2( Transition Zones)

Running shoes, helmet with sunglasses inserted, gloves, camel-back( filled with weak green, peppermint & yerba mate tea & grated ginger) The caffeine drinks were to provide a little extra kick since I usually consume 1 cup of tea a day, while the peppermint and ginger were  preventive measures for gastrointestinal distress. Next was a few first aid items, naproxen sodium, Icy-Hot, sunscreen, mosquito spray.

 For foods & hydration I peeled several Cuties and halved them. These are the sweetest little oranges anywhere! Another baggie contained cubed cantaloupe. I also had a thermos of extra Vega Sports drink and a bottle full of green smoothie.  I remember how good the PB & J sandwiches were from ZentriCamp so I made 2 & cubed them. Lastly I whipped a banana, cacao nibs, and blackberry smoothie to put in the fridge for the afterward treat!. All IN All I had WAY too much food! I  drank 1/2 the watered down tea, 11/2 bottles of Vega Sport Drink, ate all the cantaloupe, 2 Cuties & 1 pb& j quarter throughout my trial.

When I arrived at the pool  this was the one day the TAMU team was in all lanes. I had to delay the start until 11:30 and swim at the Bryan Aquatic Center. Not too bad really. I swim there during the week. The humidity was between 90 and 88%, causing me to be sweating like crazy even with the temps only being in  low 80s. This would not have been an issue with an 8AM start, as the temps were in the upper 50s, but that's why its a trial. I spent more time driving to and from the pool than I did in the water.

 I thought I was organized but T1 took 29 minutes, most of it driving back home. Once in the house, the eldest cat needed a quick bite, while I was setting up my pit stop on the hood of the TDI. My next mistake was measuring out a bike loop in an online map and not driving the course. Its a good thing this 'course' was a test tri for me and me alone! If there wasn't a stop light, there was a stop sign on every single block. There was also a Bud Tour softball tournament in town, increasing traffic significantly. I never even made it into the big ring on the bike. My bike computer also wasn't registering anything. The silver lining from this casual bike loop was I didn't feel too at the beginning of the run.

Off the bike, I rolled it into the house & turned right around much to the furry worries confusion, to head back out.I already had my running shoes on, I biked in them. I slurped 2 cantaloupe cubes & grabbed the packet of Luna Moons. My run route was 2  'there & back' trips on the shaded path in the park across the way. In Texas people don't look for the closest parking spot, they search for shade. Its that important. My run is a walk-run combo. I started trotting. I was surprised at how ok I felt.  Running is hard for me! I'm migrating away from a fat collecting lifestyle, but this takes time. It was hot. Sweat was dripping to the pavement like a summer rain. I looped by the car  and gulped down Vega Sports drink and chewed a Luna Moon, I was too hot for anything heavier. I was slow and moving slower. My last loop I was beginning to feel the goose bumps heralding heat-sickness.

 I did it! Almost as slow the Colorado exposing a new epoch of rocks in the Grand Canyon. I gathered up my overabundance of pit stop goodies and went in grateful to get out of sopping wet gear. After a shower I finished digging a flowerbed and enjoyed nap.

Sunday I didn't feel any worse than after a regular workout, so I planned a new bike loop and repeated the swim, bike, run test. I did cut off time on the bike, slowed down on the swim, and speed up a little on the run-walk. The problem is, I really only have two speeds at this juncture... Forward or Not Moving...  This Saturday, I repeated my test tri. The new bike loop cut a bunch of time off the event. All my times were about the same as I was keeping to a training pace. I finished in under 1 hour 45 minutes... which is my target! I'd like to speed up a little but while I am doing the event I don't physically feel like I can go any faster, yet when it is over I am recovered and ready to go again in 2-3 hours.

Swim: 300  9:27
Bike: 12.4 Mi 33:27(best)
Run: 2.2 Mi 24:32
Pictures are here
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2961625&id=8330713&l=af7c3c7b4b

Wish me Fun and Luck. I've had plenty of examples of incredible perseverance, most recently from the Epic 5 Team!Cheer Rich Roll and Jason Lester on as they raise funds for Never Stop. Click here for live coverage. I may never be as fast or as endurable... but my arms are in the water,  my feet are on the path and my bum is in the bike seat.