First One Done!

I have tried to remember when I first dreamed of doing a triathlon....I think it goes back to watching the televised finish of Hawaii in 1982, when the women's leader, Julie Moss, finished the race on her hands and knees and was passed by Kathleen McCartney in the final thirty yards of the race. That was what sparked my interest, 30+ years ago.  Always a dream or a bucket-list item, but it wasn't until the last couple of years that I started listening to the nagging voice in my head that said it was time to go for it, if I was ever going to do it. Plus, it helped to have some pretty amazing triathlete friends as inspiration!

The LeMars Triathlon is a sprint distance, which equates to a 300 yard swim (outdoor pool), a 15 mile bike ride, and a 5k run.  After bailing on the Iowa Games Tri in July, I was looking for another possible sprint distance tri that I could complete this season.  The LeMars Tri fit the bill, so to speak.  The real selling point for me was the outdoor pool swim - I panic a lot less when I am able to see what is in the water and if I need to take a break, it's only 25 yards away!  So, I registered myself and my son Steven, thinking it would be pretty cool for him and I to complete our first triathlon together.

Of course, things don't always work out the way you plan....eight days before the tri, Steven came down with a nasty stomach bug/food poisoning that lasted several days.  Once he recovered from that, he developed a head cold/sinus infection that required antibiotics.  Needless to say, a couple of days before the tri, I knew he wouldn't be recovered enough to compete.  The evening before the tri, I planned to get several hours of sleep and leave Ankeny by 4:00 a.m.  Brian planned to drive so I could sleep in the car, arrive in LeMars by 7:15am, packet pickup, transition set-up, and ready for my swim time of 9:42a,m.  Did I mention that things don't always work out the way you plan?? Due to unexpected circumstances, I drove up to LeMars by myself (thank goodness for coffee!) and Brian followed up a couple of hours later. I got to LeMars at about 7:15am, as expected - picked up my packet, got body-marked, checked out the outdoor pool, and went back to my car to drink coffee, warm up, and calm my nerves.

I eventually made my way back to the transition area, got my numbers on my bike and helmet, racked my bike, laid out my gear, and talked to a few other athletes.  Some were seasoned veterans, some were competing in their very first triathlon, like me.  At 8:45am, there was an athlete meeting in the pool area, and by this time Brian had made it to LeMars - it was so reassuring to have him there, as anxiety was starting to set in.  The race director went over all the "rules" such as they were, and at 9:00 am, the first swimmer went in the water.  The swim was a little different....a 300 yard "snake" swim in a six lane pool with swimmers released every thirty seconds.  The first dozen swimmers (apparently those that had submitted the slowest anticipated finish times) went first, followed by the relay teams, then the remaining individuals.

I was one of the last six swimmers....and as feared, panic set in. I'm not really sure why - the stress of the tri, knowing that someone behind me was going to catch up and pass me, Lots of shallow breathing and hyperventilating - I did the crawl stroke, the back stroke, the elementary backstroke....the only thing I didn't do was walk - which was entirely possible to do.  The shallow end of the pool was 3'10", the "deep" end was 5'6".  Not a pool where I felt very buoyant - I think I would have preferred a deeper "deep" end - say, 10-12'.  But, it wasn't open water and for that I was grateful.  I was passed by several swimmers, but I wasn't last out of the water...I was next to last :) lol

Exiting the water and heading toward transition, it was a little disconcerting to see only two bikes left in the racks.  But I did some positive self-talk and told myself that I could make up some time on the bike, even if it was only 15 miles.

So I pulled on my bike jersey, helmet and shoes and headed out of T1.  The bike course was an out and back of rolling hills on a 2-lane highway.  Within the first three miles I passed two other bicyclists, and caught a third before the halfway point.  However, there wasn't much to do after that as the next bicyclist within my line of sight was a solid mile in the distance.

Coming back into LeMars, I entered T2, took off my helmet and jersey, put on my running shirt and started the 5k.  The first half mile was a lovely uphill - not fun when you're trying to get your legs back under you!  But, after that first half mile it leveled out and was a great 5k course - a few hills but nothing horrible. I tried to stay at a consistent pace and focus on the runner in front of me.  I was able to pass five runners on the course - probably due to the fact that they walked/ran and I told myself there was no way I was going to walk.

With about 300 yards left in the run, I saw Brian waiting at the bottom of the hill where I would take my last turn towards the finish line.  So, so happy that he was there for me on this day!  I can say from personal experience that there is nothing quite so anti-climatic as crossing the finish line and having no family or friends there to witness your accomplishment.   Not so today - he was cheering, taking photos, and trying to beat me to the finish line to take a picture of me as I crossed....didn't happen :)  I crossed the line in 1:43.21 -  I had set a targeted goal time of 2 hours or less, so

I was very pleased.  No age group placing though...the first four overall females to finish were in my group (40-49); I finished 9th out of 14.   Don't ever count out the old ladies!

Up next....Brian and I, along with our friend Stacy, are competing in a triathlon relay.  Border Wars, in Alton, IL, is a long course triathlon (half a full ironman distance) - Stacy will swim 1.2 miles, I will bike 56 miles, and Brian will run the 13.1 miles. It will be a challenge but I'm looking forward to a good day with some great friends. After that, my swimming is still a major focus - I hope to be more consistent with my training in the pool and overcome the immediate anxiety that I have whenever I get in the water.  Next spring's triathlons will hopefully include Hickory Grove, Iowa Games, and Bluff Creek.  All are open water swims, so I have a lot of work ahead of me!

Anxiety vs. Confidence

So, it has been five months since I posted to this blog.  Obviously, I haven't been keeping up on my resolution to post at least once a month. Oh, well.....but seriously? I need to work on my planning skills.

Since my last post, a lot has been going on - two marathons, a couple of 5k and 10k races, and of course, the big one - the Iowa Games Triathlon yesterday, which was going to be my first. Notice the word "was".....the day didn't go as planned, or at least didn't turn out the way that I had hoped. Finding the necessary time to work out during the school year is difficult as well - add to this the stress of being "pink-slipped" along with every other employee of my school district (granted, more form over substance, but still - stress) and even now, still not having a contract to sign.....yeah, stress levels have been higher than normal.

Swimming has been going - sort of well, some days. Other days, I feel like I'm taking two steps backward.  My coach says that I have natural buoyancy (he actually tells me that he envies how buoyant I am, that it's a gift).  My Achilles heel is my anxiety and stress, which all comes from the breathing and timing of swimming. Everyone tells me that it is just time in the pool, and one day it will click, it will happen, and it will be effortless.  I'm waiting for that day, impatiently.  But it requires me getting in the water more frequently. It requires commitment.

With the Iowa Games Tri approaching, I decided last week that I should get at least one open water swim in before I attempted the tri.  So last Friday, my friend Ruth and I met coach Scott out at Easter Lake, where the tri is held.  I had my wet suit on, and once we got in the water, we swam out into the designated swim area, then past the ropes and out further to a wake buoy.  I admit, I was panicked and had a TON of anxiety.  For about 10 minutes or so, I really battled to lower my hyper-breathing and my heart rate.  Once we were at the first buoy, we treaded water, talked a little and I realized that what Scott had told me is true - it is almost impossible to sink in a wet suit.  It adds that extra buoyancy (and in my case, it bolsters my confidence).  We then swam a longer distance to another wake buoy, with Scott and Ruth really crowding and bumping into me, so I could get a feel of what it would be like surrounded by other swimmers.  At this point I was able to crawl stroke and flip to a back stroke as needed. I was able to get my breathing somewhat under control, and start to not focus so much on total disaster but actually stroke and sighting on the water. And at this point I also realized I needed a different pair of goggles, as the bright sun and glare on the water made it very difficult to focus and sight easily.  We didn't have much additional time, as a park ranger yelled at us to get back in the designated swim area.  So, OWS was over, but I was feeling a little more positive about the tri, provided I could have the wet suit on to give me the confidence to get through the 400 meters.

Saturday afternoon, we trekked to Exile Brewing for packet pickup.  I talked to the race director, explaining my swim ability, anxiety, and asked that if the race wasn't wet suit legal (water temp of 78 degrees or higher), if I could still wear the wet suit and not be considered for age group placing (which undoubtedly wouldn't happen anyway).  He was polite but didn't really give me a firm "yes" or "no".  However, he did ask another guy standing in the packet pickup area for the best advice to give me - to which this guy replied "tiny little bubbles"..........  And then, of course, some other guy said, "Here's some advice - don't drown!" I heard him the first time he said it, and he repeated it four more times - thinking he was so funny.  What a jackass.  Sigh....the RD did recommend a book to download from Amazon onto my Kindle - "Learn2 Practice", about swim technique and drills.  I did read this on Saturday night, and felt more positive about Sunday.

Sunday arrived - up at 4:45am, loaded and out the door by 5:45, arriving at Easter Lake at 6:15.  Ruth and I racked our bikes, laid out our gear, picked up our timing chips, used the bathroom...and then I heard the announcement "No wet suits allowed today".  A little panic, but I thought "I'll talk to the RD again".  And I did see him almost immediately. Talked. He said absolutely no way.  He explained that he didn't want anyone to be in a wet suit and have their core body temp rise so high that it would cause heat stroke and problems on the bike or swim.  I get it, I really do. I understand safety is paramount.  But immediately, I shut down mentally.  I knew that with my anxiety, heading out into open water without my "crutch" of the wet suit, I would panic, forget the basics, and have a literal "no good, very bad day".  Ruth, Brian, Kyle, and several other friends talked to me - they were so positive, so encouraging, so supportive - it was hard to make the decision to not swim, to not do the tri.  I was a mess, mentally - I cried for at least an hour.  I felt like I was letting everyone down, I was letting myself down.  But also my huge fear of failure was looming, larger than everything.  So, after some time by myself, I unracked my bike, repacked my gear, turned my timing chip back in, and resolved that my first tri would happen, just not today.  When I'm ready for it, I'll be positive and ready to jump in the water, wet suit or not.  And yesterday, I wasn't ready for that.

Once the decision was made, I did text my coach Scott, to let him know what had happened and my decision. His response: "Smart move, I'm very proud of you!"  I know I wasn't ready for it, and he knew it, too.

One final thought....I have met some wonderful people through running, biking, and training for a triathlon.  The lady pictured with me below is a true inspiration.  Ruth lives in Pennsylvania and flew out to Iowa for a few days to do the Iowa Games Tri with me and knocked it out of the park - and she even managed to fit in an impromptu 5k at Saturday's Midnight Madness. She truly has an "Ironheart" and is my hero!   :)

Physical (& Mental) Therapy

Well, the Phoenix marathon is behind me (thankfully).  I work hard to be a glass half-full type of person, and I'm trying to find positives about this race....it was a short but great weekend with a friend from high school, the weather was beautiful, I was able to see my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces before I left, and...I finished the dang race.  I wondered after the first 10k if I would make it - a nagging, painful ankle crept up on me and from mile 8 to the finish, it was literally all I could focus on.  So, I walked, limped, and jogged the last 18 miles.  Finished, got my medal and finisher's jacket, found the free beer tent, and - surprise, surprise - I was so slow that the Wallflowers had already finished performing by the time I was done!  My goal was to be at a Boston-qualifying time of 3:55 or less, and my previous best in October was 4:06.  I finished Phoenix in 4:43.

So, a week and a half post-race, I ended up at an orthopedist for an evaluation and diagnosis.  After a half dozen x-rays and physical examination, I'm told I have arthritis, three bone spurs, and significant calcification in my right ankle and foot.  I'm thankful that it's not more serious, but I'm not surprised by the diagnosis.  Years of running and countless ankle sprains from playing basketball in high school undoubtedly contributed to this.  The therapy: prescription anti-inflammatory meds, physical therapy (to ensure my running gait aggravates the ankle as little as possible), arch support inserts (apparently I have high arches - something I've not been told prior to this), and the option of having cortisone injections a month or two prior to races.  Down the road (far down the road?) an MRI and surgery to clean out the ankle.

Plain and simple, it sucks to be old.

After taking it easy for three weeks, I'm back on a training plan.  Eighteen weeks until Grandma's Marathon, and just eleven weeks until the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.  I'm definitely setting my sights on BQ-ing in Duluth; as for OK, I haven't determined a time goal but I would like to have solid, pain-free training up until the race and finish with a smile on my face. Hitting four hours or less would be wonderful. I'll get there, one day and one run at a time :)

....as for swimming - I'm continuing to make improvements, slow and steady.  My latest swim lesson video is below:

Progress, slow but sure.  I'm feeling more confident and less panicked with each swim lesson - and that is the first step towards me completing a triathlon.

My adopted motto leading up to Grandma's:

"Success is not final,

Failure is not fatal:

it is the courage to 

continue that

counts."

~

Winston Churchill

New Year = New Goals & Resolutions

As I sit at my desk at the end of a long day/partial week of teaching Spanish, I realize that I am - at heart - a procrastinator.  I have contemplated this blog post for a few weeks....I mean, how often should I write and publish on this blog?  Does it matter?  Do I have anything new to write about? And does anyone really read this anyway?  But I realize that the person who probably will get the most out of this blog is me.  It will keep me honest - even when I don't like the way my training is progressing. When I have been slacking off on my running and I tell myself that it's just too cold to run outside. When I skip the pool because I only have 35 minutes free today. When I stop at Casey's on the way home from work and buy a large bag of Lay's Barbeque potato chips and eat half the bag because today sucked and I deserve comfort food. The honest truth isn't very pretty sometimes, but.....it is what it is.

So, putting my goals & resolutions for 2015 out here, for everyone to see (in no particular order of importance):

1. Complete a Sprint Triathlon with my son, Steven: Iowa Games (July)
2. Compete in/complete an Ultra....if I get chosen for the Leadville 100 (put my hat in the lottery for that one) that will be my focus.  If I don't get in with the lottery, possibly Post Oak Challenge (3/7 & 3/8)
3. Run 3 marathons: P.F. Chang's/Phoenix (1/18) Grandma's/Duluth (6/20) & Bank of America/Chicago (10/11); goal is under 3:55 for Boston Qualifying
4. Set aside 15 minutes each evening to track my workouts and nutrition
5. Start eating breakfast every day (I rarely have anything except coffee before 10am) and focus on improving my nutrition
6. Volunteer at Ironman Wisconsin (9/13)
7. One blog post per month
8. Swim at least three hours each week in the pool
9. Schedule my running, biking, and swimming workouts a month at a time, rather than week to week.

About that swimming.....it's progressing.  Slower than I want, but I know that I haven't devoted the time to it that I need to in order to improve the way I intended. But, slow progress is still progress. Below are two videos: the first from my very first lesson with Scott, practicing kicking and turning front to back, and back to front...awkward, to say the least.

Second video below is from my most recent lesson - notice the hesitation and drag on my left arm :(  ...and all the fun equipment I'm using...snorkle, the "clicker" belt (my name for it), in addition to goggles, swim cap, and sometimes fins.  

After watching these videos, I know that I've got a lot of work to do. I'm way further ahead than I was a couple of months ago, but I need to be ready for open water swimming in a few short months. So I'll practice, practice, and practice some more :)

A quote from a fellow teacher's room:

"Be In Love With Your Life, Every Single Minute"