Zentriathlon Base Camp 2009: My View

 Triathlon camp was really good.  I was the only girl, the only beginner, & the only chubby person to participate in the entire camp. (Let me add there were 2 accomplished female triathletes at camp, but their schedules prevented complete participation to their dismay!) I was very lucky that the athletes involved were kind & friendly towards having a none-athletic body type in their midst. It was a good way for me to see firsthand just how we all delude ourselves regarding exercise & lifestyle food choices.(I Had been walking, and eating whole-grain organics after all...)  Let me say the delusion lasted until I walked in and Saw these people up close! Suddenly I was thinking, “What the hec, am I doing here, am I nuts!” I was hesitant but determined to be humble & stubborn enough to do the activity regardless but prepared to be dropped or left. Getting suited to swim in the pool with these 6-11% body fat guys was test of determination. Luckily everyone was already busy swimming when I arrived at the lanes, so someone invited me into his lane & told me about pool etiquette.  A few years ago such action would have been almost impossible for me. Spiritual expansion has allowed development of patience and certainly grateful humbleness along with enough internal strength to tackle another life improvement. The road goes ever on.

 Day 1: Morning discussions/lectures, vegan/raw cooking demonstration for lunch, followed by 5 hours at TAMU Recreation Center . Athletes were videoed at different intensities for run and swim then form critique & suggestions for improvement. I'd never heard of running cadence. I couldn't understand that I could go slowly, yet still have a 90 beats a minute cadence. I'll be working on this for some time. My idea of walk-run was way more walk than run & a slow run... Our vegan, organic, lunch was surprisingly fantastic thanks to @holisticguru, Chrisitn Lynch.  I would say running will be the hardest sport for me, simply due to impact and the never ending search for enough support for a large chest that still allows one to breathe.

Day 2: Same format as Day 1, but adding in core strength training & bike fitting.  This was pretty interesting. It was decided that I might benefit from wider handle bars. My Bianchi Dama Elle has female specific geometry, yet I have broad shoulders, and my hands are in the bar curves, thus my wrists, hands and finally arms fall asleep. Every one received a few tips and I enjoyed a chance to really look at some very nice bikes! Next we were off to TAMU Recreation Center again. After wearing ourselves out at the gym, it was back to camp for the most incredible 5 star gourmet, vegan,meal ever!  This is easily my new favorite dinner! Who would have ever thought vegan could taste so GOOD?

  At the gym, being a very beginner, I simply swam... swallowing air & water when-ever I took a breathe. I asked what to do so I wouldn't need to burp (voraciously!) This is such a simple issue that initially no-one had a response! One triathlete, Brian( @triboomer) showed me how to use various equipment and to develop an idea regarding swim drills. Another athlete in my lane finally discovered my issue. Bubbles! Simply blowing bubbles! Or expelling air while underwater. Proper breathing. I wasn't doing this! I was trying to blow out and suck air in during that 1 second your head is sideways in the water. Such a basic concept, yet I didn’t know it. Combining this information with Brians tips for the lap board, I am getting better!

Day 3: The 70 mile Ride of Truth.  I felt that it was important for me emotionally to finish the ride with the group, so I opted out of joining them on the morning section of the course (due to the hill climbs). Instead, I tossed my bike & gear in a girlfriends CRV & we hosted a 1/2 way snack & hydration station. After riders refueled, we were off. Immediately I realized that since I had been riding without a computer, I didn't know what 15mph felt like. Right away I realized I wouldn't be able to sustain that for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.  I had planned to be last, to be dropped, so while I was bummed to think this, realistically I had expected it. I was sorry to miss out on the camaraderie of the group, but there is no-way I could have pedaled and talked at 15mph for 40 miles. It takes me about 3-5 miles to settle in on the bike; to have my breathing comfortable & a pedaling rhythm that's smooth.

 Rich Roll ended up riding alongside me for some miles. At first this startled me.  My imagination was quick to provide flashing views of increasingly worse headlines shouting about a non-triathlete beginner, wrecking into him and shutting down his season before it even began! This alone made me almost wobble into him twice. Luckily for me, he didn't react in panic or disgust, so as my thoughts settled, so did my pedaling. He'd never ridden in central Texas before past cows or horses while I can barely imagine riding in Malibu. Rich emits solid calm strength. He is a wonderful riding companion, while we didn't speak alot, I appreciated his amicable silence. I hope I get to ride with him again.
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 At a road change, the group waited for us and another rider, John(a local firefighter/Marine/rodeo peacher/ultra-runner), dropped to my slow 12 mph with a few others to give me an idea about drafting and riding in a group.  This was fun and nerve racking as I worried about hitting the tire in front of mine, but a few times I could feel the benefit of being out of the wind. After the group disappeared into the horizon, I pedaled beside John. Every mile for him was a mile farther than he had ever ridden, after mile 30! His body builder frame slowed him down to my pace and we shared conversation depths, I have rarely shared with another. I have been gifted with a friend, from this ride. There is truth to the statement that one really can get to know another during a several hour base pace training ride!

 I ended the ride only about 20 minutes behind the 15 mph group and dismounted my bike crazily hyper and energized! We enjoyed another good vegan meal. We were supposed to do yoga then go to the pool, yet everyone was tired. I wasn't. I was vibrating with energy! I can't pinpoint why. The vegan food, the accepting kindness of and from all the triathletes, the my vega sports drink...somehow I got everything right as far as hydration, food, speed, distance! I went home, made a grocery list off of Christine Lynchs suggestions & hit the store, then another grocery as the closer one didn't have much on the list. Came home and took Scottie Zach out for a 1 hour walk. Finally around midnight I forced myself to lie down.

Day 4: The last day of camp. The Long Run Day. After a morning chat about 'Going Long', we were off to run or run walk, or in my case walk-run for 2 hours. As empowered and incredible as I felt the day before on and after the bike ride... this day imprinted itself on me exactly the opposite. Don't misunderstand please. I am not complaining, more pointing out that Any other run-walk will be an improvement. It was a trail run. I have been walk-running in MBTS. I stumbled into a pair for free.( In another post I'll say how these have been fantastic shoes for me.) My smooth bottomed MBTs weren't built with rainy wet muddy trail conditions in mind. I kept slipping & falling, trying not to wrench any leg muscles. It was frustrating. My legs were muddy.My feet were wet. My shoes were wet and muddy.

 My goal was to keep moving the entire time, complete 1 loop and concentrate on 'proper running form'. Practicing proper running form, I experienced equipment failure. The bra I had been so excited about only a few months prior was failing. It was no-longer a no-bounce sports bra for an F shaped gal. My mind got stuck in a negative loop, wondering what I was doing out in the mud, trying to run. Was I crazy?! Now I was angry, frustrated and disappointed, but still not wanting to fail the simple goal of finishing what I had said I would do. Tear stained, tired, with no sense of joy, I stumbled back into the parking lot. I had completed my 1 loop, finished what I said I would do. I just wanted to fall asleep right there. A few athletes were already there awaiting the rest. After asking how I did and receiving stormy frustrated tears in reply, they offered me much commentary to mull over.

 We enjoyed one last vegan inspired meal together and an incredible stretching session, then these great companions began to filter back towards their own lives. In only 4 days, these individuals had come to be very important to me. Knowingly or not, their comments, kindness, encouragement, cajoling, tips, and very lives of leading by example of action have strongly impacted my future choices. The choice to attend camp I made, with no expectation of what it might bring to my life. I can't say if it was the choice to attend, the exercise, camaraderie, understanding of the drive for improvement, or the focus on competing against yesterdays self, yet I departed an integrally altered individual. I have much to do till death drops in for a visit, and a new awareness of role models I will hold before my mind’s eye.

 One last thing. I went home, and crashed into sleep for a two hour nap.  45 minutes after I was awake, I was in the outdoor pool swimming in a lane next to @Zentriathlon and John Hirsch. I didn't swim as long, as fast, or as much distance as they did, but I swam. A triumph over the ugliness of the morning run! Am I crazy? Yes!