3 Weeks and 3 Days!

Holy Moly, my half Ironman is 3 weeks and 3 days away.  There is so much going on between now and race day. The next few weeks are going to be super busy trying to get ready for the race as well as trying to keep up with everything else going on in life.

This weekend I'm competing in the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon.  This will be my second olympic distance.  I did my first one in July in 3:07, and I'm hoping to finish this one in under 3 hours.  This race has been on the books for a while, but it really hasn't been on my radar until recently. This race will be a great way for me to measure my progress over the last few months.  This week I'm tapering so I should be ready to go by Sunday.

I spent the first couple days this week nursing a training hangover. It's not a whole lot different from a traditional hangover.  My training on Saturday consisted of a 3000 yd (120 laps, 30 football fields, or 1.7 miles) swim, 70 mile bike ride, and about 2.5 mile run.  My long run on Sunday ended up being 13.1 miles.  The first half of Saturday's bike ride was pretty good, except for the part when we were chased by dogs.  We managed to stay vertical, and the dogs kept all their fur.  The second half of the ride was straight into a head wind.  I hate dealing with the wind!  We tried to pretend like we were happy to have the opportunity to train in the wind because it would make us stronger, but we knew it was b.s.  We really just wanted an easy ride.  At one point I noticed a few of those tan colored grasshoppers again.  There weren't as many as there were a few weeks earlier (hmmm...), but I though that trying to run over them would help bring a little of the joy back.  It didn't work. The crunch of the grasshoppers under my tires didn't really give me the same satisfaction as it once did.

The wind continued to suck everything from my body.  I had a variety of nutrition with me, but nothing was hitting the spot. I knew exactly what I needed, so I pulled into the Bobcat Kuntry store in Celina for a jar of pickles. Yes, pickles.  Well, actually, I wanted the juice.  It may sound gross, but it sure did hit the spot. I really didn't even care that the jar had sat on the shelf long enough to collect nice black layer of dust.  I had just enough in my tank to make it the rest of the way back.  After loading our bikes into our cars, we headed out for a 30 minute run.  I was whipped when all was said and done. Thanks again to Jeneen.  I couldn't have made it without her.

On race day I'll have a 56 mile bike ride as opposed to the 70 that I did this weekend, but I'll also have 13.1 mile run instead of a 30 minute run.  I'm curious to see how it will all come together.  On Sunday I ran 13.1 miles for the second time ever.  The first time was in March for the Rock-n-Roll half marathon.  I ran the distance 13 minutes faster in March, but that was on fresh tapered legs.  On Sunday my legs were already tired when I began, but they didn't feel as bad by the end as they did in March.  Progress?  I'd say so.

I have no experience with the half Ironman distance, so I really don't know how bad it is going to feel.  That may be a good thing.  I'm sure this weekend's training was just an appetizer.  I expect to be very uncomfortable Austin.  This morning I went in for very unpleasant dental work...a temporary crown.  It was over 90 minutes of pure misery. Yes, I had drugs, and it still sucked!  During the procedure I kept thinking about my race, and how there may be times I want to quit because it's so uncomfortable.  I tried to think of my time in the dentist chair as my training in suffering.

I do take comfort in the fact that I will have tons of support in Austin.  My parents will be there. This will be the first time they will get to see me race.  I also have a ton friends who are making the trip out there, both to compete and to support.  There is nothing better than seeing familiar faces on the course.  Sometimes just hearing, "Go Amy" is all I need to dig a little deeper and find that little bit of strength I didn't know was still there and keep going.  I'm am one lucky girl!

"Courage means being afraid to do something, but still doing it." - Knute Rockne

The Not-So-Glamorous Life

I've embraced triathlon into my life and all that comes with it.  The training makes me feel great, and I'm toning areas of my body I didn't know I had. I also love the comradrey of other triathletes. There are, however, some not-so-glamorous aspects of this sport that I thought I'd share with you.  If you are a triathlete, I'm sure you can relate. 

1. I often smell like chlorine.  I shower after practice, but sometimes the smell lingers. 

2.  After a long run or bike workout I'm usually covered with salt. It's  the closest thing I get to microderm abrasion. It can feel like sandpaper on my eyelids when I blink.  As my hair dries, the salt makes my hair feel crunchy.  It reminds me of the days when I would curl my bangs with a curling iron and spray them down with Aqua Net hair spray.  I liked mine really "crunchy."  Stop laughing...everyone was doing it back then. 

3.  Running keeps things "moving"!  No need to try to add more fiber to my diet...I just go for a run. 

4.  My tan lines could put a zebra to shame.  I have tan lines from my bike/tri shorts, swimsuit, and various cycling/tri tops.  Last years' tan lines from my bike shorts never fully went away before I began working on them again this season. 

5.  Forget sleeping in.  The best training sessions are early in the morning. 5:30 AM swim anyone? Even on the weekend I am usually up by 5:00 or 5:30.

6.  I'm ALWAYS hungry.  I can put away a lot of food in a day.  My portions aren't big, but I eat ALL day long.  See my previous entry, "Hungry Girl" for more details.

7. My neighbors think I'm crazy.  I wonder what goes through their heads when they see me practicing  my transitions in the driveway?

8.  When nature calls, it doesn't leave a message, and a proper bathroom isn't always available.  If you're not willing to pee outside from time to time, this sport isn't for you.

9. Chaffing! That's probably all you want to know. I have an assortment of products to prevent and treat this problem. 

10.  Gear has taken over my house, car, and bank account.  I try to take all my gear out of my car when I get home, but something always get left behind.  There is triathlon stuff all over my house.  I think the guest bathroom is currently the only room that doesn't have any of my gear in it.  Because I'm training in three different sports, I am always in need of something. I would hate to add up what I've spent on this sport this year.

I absolutely love what I am doing and wouldn't trade any part of the sport. I'll gladly accept the tan lines, chaffing, early morning workouts, and smelling like chlorine if it  means I get to keep tri-ing.


"You have to wonder at times what  you're doing out there....but it always comes back to where it started.  It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment." - Steve Prefontaine

Remember...This is Fun!!

This weekend I put in over 7 hours of biking and running.  Almost 5 hours of  that was spent on the bike with my friend Jeneen.  She's a great training partner because we ride at approximately the same pace.  Yesterday we started our ride in Frisco, rode south to Plano and The Colony, made our way back up to Frisco, rode through Prosper, and then up to Celina, turned around near Gunter, and made out way back to Frisco.  It was a nice ride and the weather was beautiful.  Once we were north or Frisco we were pretty much riding in the sticks.

These long ride, despite nearly ideal conditions, can get boring  if you take it too serious.  When Jeneen and I hit Celina we stopped at a baseball park to refill water bottles and go to the restroom.  We couldn't help but notice the nice playground and the fact that there were no children enjoying it.  So, we decided we would play on it.  We went down the slides, climbed ropes, and rode on the little bouncy animals.  Yes, we did all this still in our helmets, and cycling shoes.  It was so much fun!

Somewhere around the three hour mark, we started seeing large tan grasshoppers covering the road. Some of them were pretty big.  Every once in a while one would hit my leg or my spokes.  I noticed that I was running over quite a few of them. Some of them may have already been dead, but I don't think they all were. There was something about the sound of the bug crunching under my tire that gave me satisfaction.   Soon, Jeneen and I were aiming for the grasshoppers like it was a video game.  I know it may sound cruel or sadistic, but it was fun, and it helped pass the time.  It's not like we even made a dent in the grasshopper population.  In fact, I'm sure the people living out there would be more than happy for this particular insect population to be reduced.  I guess you could say we were doing a service for the good folks living on the outskirts of Celina.  It's the least we can do in return for their smooth roads and clean restrooms.

As  we made our way back home we stopped again in Celina, but this time we stopped at the local Shamrock station for water.  We noticed that everyone walking in and out the store was wearing orange Celina Football t-shirts. High school football is a big deal in Texas, and this town is no exception.  It turns out that the Celina Bobcats were playing football that day and everyone was heading to the game.  It was obvious how much this town loves their Bobcats.

Overall, I would have to say that yesterday's long ride was anything but boring.  When this sports stops being fun, I'm out.  It's not like I have sponsors breathing down my neck to win, so I can afford to stop and have a laugh along the way.  Triathlon is my hobby, my break from the responsibilities and stresses of the real world.  Yes, I have goals in this sport that I plan on working as hard as I can to reach , but I can't forget to enjoy the journey.  In 20 years I want to look back at my first half Ironman and think about how much I enjoyed the whole experience, not how happy I was when it was finally over.  Jeneen, thanks again for joining me on my long ride.  I'll be sure to return the favor when you train for your 70.3.

If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race. It's up to you.
-Dave Scott, Triathlete

What the Hill

I knew this day was coming.  I had been anticipating it about as much as I had the August electric bill.  What is this you ask?  Running hill repeats!!!  I've been doing hill repeats on the bike for a while now, but I've been running on flat surfaces.  Sure, there are some slight inclines here and there, but to call them hills would be a stretch.  I knew at some point my coach would add running hill repeats into the mix. 

My workout began around 6:00 this evening with a one hour bike ride.  Since I knew I would be running hills after, I had a good excuse to take it easy....and I did, for the most part.  I ended up climbing Windhaven twice, but I took my good sweet time. Other than forgetting to take off the shorts that I threw on over my tri shorts, the ride was pretty uneventful.  I figured out that my cover up shorts were still on about halfway through the ride when I was stopped at a red light.  I was a little embarassed, so I pulled over in a neighborhood and shoved the shorts in the pocket of my tri top.

After my ride I threw on my running shoes and headed back to the hill.  Before I could run up the hill I had to run down. I began psycing myself up for the uphill.  When I got to the bottom I felt like I was challenging it to a fight.  I cocked my head back and stared it down.  I even told the hill (in not so lady like terms) that it wasn't that tough.  I continued to trash talk the hill the entire way up.  I kept my  head held high and my feet moving.  As soon as I reached the top I turned around and began heading back to the bottom.  One down, four to go. 

On the second hill I decided to time my climb.  It was about .3 mile, and it took me about 3.5 minutes.  My plan was to keep track of each climb to see if I could maintain my pace, but I forgot all about this great idea by the time third climb came around.  My ADD was kicking in.

I spent the remainded of the run picturing myself in Austin.  Did I want the spectators, espically my friends and family, to see my wincing in pain or struggling on the hills?  Of course not.  I tried to stay strong as I ran.  I kept thining of everything Coach Roberto told me about form....keep my head up and pump my arms back.  I pretended that Windhaven was Quadzilla, a  hill I've heard about on the Austin 70.3 course.  I finished my hill repeats without allowing myself to walk a single step, and I was still feeling good.  I still had a few more minutes of running to do, so I ran around neighborhood.  It was a good feeling knowing that Windhaven didn't kick my butt. I reward myself with a trip to the Chik-fil-a for a chargilled chicken sandwich with cheese (because I deserved the cheese) and a chocolate milk. 

I really don't know what the hills will be like in Austin.  People say the east side of the city isn't as bad as the west side as far as the hills go.  Lucky for me I'm racing on the east side.  Hopefully my training will prepare me for whatever the course has in store for me.  

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender . - Vince Lombardi