Weekend
I spent the weekend hiking and biking in this beautiful "green" desert. I really mean green. With the amount of rain this winter has seen, we are left with beautiful lush hills, purple wildflowers, blooming cacti and the fragrant smell of lemons and oranges. Driving around smells like liquid detergent...and I mean that in a good way.
So someone I was hiking with has done Ironman New Zealand and he couldn't say enough good things about it...Crap, another race I must do!! Maybe next year as it has already past this year and after Ironman AZ, I am so tired of biking all the time. I heard from him that Qantas didn't charge him to check his bike box, so bless you Qantas. My dream is to do the Byron Bay triathlon in Australia, so someday that will happen. Too much travel and not enough time nor money, so I have to be picky about where I go. I want to go to Africa again, so I have that on the list as well.
Showing posts with label half ironman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label half ironman. Show all posts
Friday, January 29, 2010
Groups
I joined a group on linkedin called "Ironman Finishers." I like being part of this exclusive group. It's like this special club I'm allowed to join.
I can't join the group "50 Marathons in 50 States" or "Boston Qualifiers". But I do have this and it is nice.
Discussions take place on the best Ironman courses and goodie bag swag and the expensive price tag of these races.
I have joined a number of groups on linkedin of which my favorites are the writers' groups. I learn a lot from those experienced with the written word.
This weekend I have a race, but unfortunately I did this workout video a couple of days ago called Insanity. It is the most befitting term for this form of workout. I am incredibly sore, just as I would be if I had run a marathon. Shame on me for trying a new workout days before another race.
I joined a group on linkedin called "Ironman Finishers." I like being part of this exclusive group. It's like this special club I'm allowed to join.
I can't join the group "50 Marathons in 50 States" or "Boston Qualifiers". But I do have this and it is nice.
Discussions take place on the best Ironman courses and goodie bag swag and the expensive price tag of these races.
I have joined a number of groups on linkedin of which my favorites are the writers' groups. I learn a lot from those experienced with the written word.
This weekend I have a race, but unfortunately I did this workout video a couple of days ago called Insanity. It is the most befitting term for this form of workout. I am incredibly sore, just as I would be if I had run a marathon. Shame on me for trying a new workout days before another race.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Half Marathon
Exactly two weeks after Ironman, I ran a half marathon. Knowing my body hasn't properly healed and my ugly blood blisters on my feet seem to be clinging for dear life, I just used the race as a catered long run. I decided that I would use this race as "Thank a Police Officer Race." It is December; it is cold; it is near the holidays; it was on a Sunday and I'm sure they would rather be home with their families than blocking traffic for runners. So I ran from police officer to policer officer rather than run from mile marker to mile marker. I simply stated, "thank you for helping out today," which was always met with a "you're welcome." It made me feel so good inside and gave me motivation to finish when my IT band was killing me.
I then met my training group for a potluck and an afternoon of fun and stories of our racing experiences. After that, I went to a BBQ with friends and listened to beautiful Christmas music and watched concerts on television.
What a glorious day! I love my life right now. 2009 is ending on a happy note. Unfortunately, my post-Ironman feet don't think so, but they sure deserve my love for getting me through an almost 14 hour race. I have recently deemed my body "six feet of bad ass." It has worked hard for me all year.
Exactly two weeks after Ironman, I ran a half marathon. Knowing my body hasn't properly healed and my ugly blood blisters on my feet seem to be clinging for dear life, I just used the race as a catered long run. I decided that I would use this race as "Thank a Police Officer Race." It is December; it is cold; it is near the holidays; it was on a Sunday and I'm sure they would rather be home with their families than blocking traffic for runners. So I ran from police officer to policer officer rather than run from mile marker to mile marker. I simply stated, "thank you for helping out today," which was always met with a "you're welcome." It made me feel so good inside and gave me motivation to finish when my IT band was killing me.
I then met my training group for a potluck and an afternoon of fun and stories of our racing experiences. After that, I went to a BBQ with friends and listened to beautiful Christmas music and watched concerts on television.
What a glorious day! I love my life right now. 2009 is ending on a happy note. Unfortunately, my post-Ironman feet don't think so, but they sure deserve my love for getting me through an almost 14 hour race. I have recently deemed my body "six feet of bad ass." It has worked hard for me all year.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Half Ironman
Sunday I participated in the annual Soma half ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. I got up at 4:30am, grabbed my stuff and headed out the door for a chill in the air. My wave started at 6:52am and the swim went fantastic. I stayed nice and relaxed, kicking off other swimmers and trying to stay directly on course. I managed a time of 41.40 for the 2000m swim, which is okay. I always want to be faster on the swim, but it's relatively short compared to the rest of the race. The wave behind me were all men and all caught up to me, which is always scary. Women aren't nearly as aggressive swimmers or bikers.
I quickly headed on to my bike and didn't bike fast at all. I was trying to stay in my low heart rate zones and got passed by almost all the bikers. There was an accident in which a biker was carted off to an ambulance with a broken leg. Fortunately, no accidents or flat tires for me. But just a slow time. I had to change around my nutrition plan at 2:15 into the bike. My stomach started to feel heavy, so switched from electrolyte blocks to just gels and gatorade. I usually eat 100 calories every 20 minutes on the bike, but by the end, I switched to 25-30 minutes just to have a better stomach on the run. I got a very poor time on the bike, but biking just isn't my strength, which is unfortunate because it is the longest portion of the triathlon. I am not a good bike handler and get nervous on turns and tight u-turns, so slow down, which is part of the reason I am slow.
However, the run came and I rocked it. I started my run at just over 4 hours into the race and managed to pull off a 2 hour half marathon. I even ran the same time as some of the faster runners in my group. However, because they are much better bikers than I am, they finished with much faster times. My coach told me I would pass a lot of people on the run and she was right. Guys who I saw on the bike course who were a good 25 minutes ahead of me, I caught up with and passed. I slowed down a bit at mile 8 and 9, but by mile 10.5, I started running 8 minute miles and didn't slow down. I got my second wind and finished very strong.
Just need to work on my bike technique. If I can stay that relaxed in the swim, I think I'll be fine. Just need to work on swim speed now. I think in my wetsuit, my form is actually better than it is without it. The wetsuit forces me to keep my arms apart and not cross them over my body. But biking is my nemesis. I don't know how to get better. I can see how people can become better swimmers and runners. It's mainly about genetics, background and experience, technique and speed work. However, I don't see what you can do to become a faster biker? Is there some magic secret I don't know of? Perhaps my positioning could be better; I could stay in aero longer, work out with leg weights more...not sure.
But overall, it was a nice race and glad I did it. Gave me some confidence going into next month when I will be an even slower biker. I am going to have to really slow down my biking during my next race...frustrating. The weather was a warm 90 degrees by the time I finished the run and luckily, ice was available on the run. Every aid station I ran by, I grabbed cups of ice and threw them down my shirt. Felt soooo good.
Sunday I participated in the annual Soma half ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. I got up at 4:30am, grabbed my stuff and headed out the door for a chill in the air. My wave started at 6:52am and the swim went fantastic. I stayed nice and relaxed, kicking off other swimmers and trying to stay directly on course. I managed a time of 41.40 for the 2000m swim, which is okay. I always want to be faster on the swim, but it's relatively short compared to the rest of the race. The wave behind me were all men and all caught up to me, which is always scary. Women aren't nearly as aggressive swimmers or bikers.
I quickly headed on to my bike and didn't bike fast at all. I was trying to stay in my low heart rate zones and got passed by almost all the bikers. There was an accident in which a biker was carted off to an ambulance with a broken leg. Fortunately, no accidents or flat tires for me. But just a slow time. I had to change around my nutrition plan at 2:15 into the bike. My stomach started to feel heavy, so switched from electrolyte blocks to just gels and gatorade. I usually eat 100 calories every 20 minutes on the bike, but by the end, I switched to 25-30 minutes just to have a better stomach on the run. I got a very poor time on the bike, but biking just isn't my strength, which is unfortunate because it is the longest portion of the triathlon. I am not a good bike handler and get nervous on turns and tight u-turns, so slow down, which is part of the reason I am slow.
However, the run came and I rocked it. I started my run at just over 4 hours into the race and managed to pull off a 2 hour half marathon. I even ran the same time as some of the faster runners in my group. However, because they are much better bikers than I am, they finished with much faster times. My coach told me I would pass a lot of people on the run and she was right. Guys who I saw on the bike course who were a good 25 minutes ahead of me, I caught up with and passed. I slowed down a bit at mile 8 and 9, but by mile 10.5, I started running 8 minute miles and didn't slow down. I got my second wind and finished very strong.
Just need to work on my bike technique. If I can stay that relaxed in the swim, I think I'll be fine. Just need to work on swim speed now. I think in my wetsuit, my form is actually better than it is without it. The wetsuit forces me to keep my arms apart and not cross them over my body. But biking is my nemesis. I don't know how to get better. I can see how people can become better swimmers and runners. It's mainly about genetics, background and experience, technique and speed work. However, I don't see what you can do to become a faster biker? Is there some magic secret I don't know of? Perhaps my positioning could be better; I could stay in aero longer, work out with leg weights more...not sure.
But overall, it was a nice race and glad I did it. Gave me some confidence going into next month when I will be an even slower biker. I am going to have to really slow down my biking during my next race...frustrating. The weather was a warm 90 degrees by the time I finished the run and luckily, ice was available on the run. Every aid station I ran by, I grabbed cups of ice and threw them down my shirt. Felt soooo good.
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