At some point all endurance athletes ask themselves one simple questions, "Why?" Why do we put our bodies through hours training? Why do we get up at 4:30 to knock out an hour swim class before heading to work? Why do we bike and run at 7:00 AM (or earlier) on weekends? Why do we pour thousand of dollars into a sport that rewards us with sore muscles, injuries, and drawer full of t-shirts? Why do we endure the pain of race day? The answer is simple....WE ARE CRAZY...and we like it that way!
Honestly, there is satisfaction is the suffering. It makes us feel alive. It allows us to escape the real world for a little while. It makes other aspects of our lives seem easy. It's not always fun to run for two hours or to push yourself beyond the limits in a race. I always describe my experience at the half Ironman as gratifying; not fun. There were parts of the race that were fun, but overall, I wouldn't use "Fun" as to describe the experience. When it hurts,when I'm tired, and when I want to stop, I say, "To hell with it," and keep going.
I've never crossed a finish line or completed a workout thinking, "I wish I hadn't done that," or "I should have just quit." The feeling of crossing the finish line is like an addiction. It makes the hours of training all worth it. I may not feel physically stronger at the end of a race, but I am mentally stronger. I've found that I do a better job when facing challenging or uncomfortable situations lately, and I attribute it to my triathlon experience. When I'm presented with an uncomfortable situation I always think back to the swim start of the half Ironman. It's not hard to remember what that gut wrenching feeling was like. I bring myself back to that place of being uncomfortable and just wanting to get out of the water. I think about how I overcame it...I just kept swimming. I didn't stop and I prayed a lot.
I love triathlon. I love the training, and I love the racing. It's a challenge unlike any other I've ever given myself. It's not always easy, and there are moments when it is not fun, but I can't imagine giving it up at this point. I'm learning more and more about myself each day that I'm in this crazy sport.
I don't mean to give the impression that this sport is all about pain and suffering and misery. Most of the time I'm more than happy to train. I have fun when I'm swimming or biking with my friends, and I even find enjoyment in the long runs I do alone. There is something soothing in listening to my feet hit the pavement in a continuous rhythm. While the hours of training and racing may leave me physically exhausted and a bit sore, they also leave me renewed and excited about the challenge of doing an Ironman.
"It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you don't stop." ~ Confucius
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Other Side of Triathlon
This past weekend I traveled to Kansas for the half Ironman. No, I wasn't there to race. I was there as my friend, Jeneen's, sherpa. What is a sherpa you ask? A sherpa is someone who goes out to the race to support an athlete. The job of the sherpa is to encourage and support the athlete in any way needed throughout the day. Jeneen was a great sherpa for me when I did my half, and she even walked my parents through the race day sherpin.
As a triathlete I understand how important a good support system is on race day, so I was determined to do all that I could to be the best sherpa I could be. I knew it would be a long day so I made sure that I was prepared. I packed a chair, my nutrition (cliff bar, Reese's Pieces, and mixed nuts), water, a cowbell, and plenty of sun block. I also made a few signs to hold up for the athletes. One of my favorite things on the race course while I'm racing has got to be the signs people make.
Most of my day was spent waiting for Jeneen to pass by. I didn't have to wait too long for her to come out of the water. When she did I was there screaming and cheering her on while ringing my cowbell and taking pictures. She left her bike pump and transition bag with me, so after she came out of the swim I grabbed these items and sprinted to the bike mount line to see her off as she began her 56 mile bike ride. I may have taken out a few spectators during this mad dash. At this point I knew I had a few hours to kill before she would return to the park and begin her 13.1 mile run. I hiked a mile to the car and traded Jeneen's gear for my own gear.
I returned to the bike-in and run-out section of the race course to wait...and wait. When I knew it was almost time for her to come in from her bike ride I positioned myself on the side of the road with my signs held high, my cowbell ringing, and a camera ready to snap a photo. When she finally came by I screamed as loud as I could and tried to snap a picture. It was pretty difficult to maneuver the signs, cowbell, and camera. I was also trying to update friends back home via text and Facebook with both my phone and Jeneen's phone.
I spent much of the day moving between 2 spots on the run course with my sherpa gear in toe. I held up funny signs and cheered on tons of complete strangers. I knew what they were going through, and a big part of me was wishing I was in their shoes. There were times when the wind made it difficult to hold up the signs, but I knew I couldn't put them down. Many of the racers expressed their appreciation for the cheers, cowbell, and signs. It was fun watching their race as they read them. The sign that seemed to be most popular said, "Smile if you peed yourself today (we know you did)" Some of the racers pointed to their smile or told me that they had indeed peed themselves. It was a lot of fun, and their reactions made it worth the trouble of dragging the signs around and chasing them down when the wind blew them away.
When I saw Jeneen at mile 11 I told her I would meet her at the finish line. This is probably my favorite part of watching a race. I got to cheer on many racers as they came across the finish. I found myself getting choked up because I know that their journey began long before they stepped in the water earlier that day. I waited with anticipation for Jeneen to round the turn and come down the finishers shoot. You can bet that I was cheering as loud as I could and ringing the hell out of my cowbell when she came into sight. I am so proud of her! She rocked a course that threw choppy waters, big hills, lots of wind, and the blazing sun her way. Kansas 70.3 had no mercy on the athletes.
While I would much rather be racing than watching a race, I'm glad I got to be there to see Jeneen complete her first 70.3. Perhaps someday I will return to Kansas and take on this race, but for now my focus is on my first Ironman.
"The only one who can tell you 'you can't' is you. And you don't have to listen." ~~ Nike
As a triathlete I understand how important a good support system is on race day, so I was determined to do all that I could to be the best sherpa I could be. I knew it would be a long day so I made sure that I was prepared. I packed a chair, my nutrition (cliff bar, Reese's Pieces, and mixed nuts), water, a cowbell, and plenty of sun block. I also made a few signs to hold up for the athletes. One of my favorite things on the race course while I'm racing has got to be the signs people make.
Most of my day was spent waiting for Jeneen to pass by. I didn't have to wait too long for her to come out of the water. When she did I was there screaming and cheering her on while ringing my cowbell and taking pictures. She left her bike pump and transition bag with me, so after she came out of the swim I grabbed these items and sprinted to the bike mount line to see her off as she began her 56 mile bike ride. I may have taken out a few spectators during this mad dash. At this point I knew I had a few hours to kill before she would return to the park and begin her 13.1 mile run. I hiked a mile to the car and traded Jeneen's gear for my own gear.
I returned to the bike-in and run-out section of the race course to wait...and wait. When I knew it was almost time for her to come in from her bike ride I positioned myself on the side of the road with my signs held high, my cowbell ringing, and a camera ready to snap a photo. When she finally came by I screamed as loud as I could and tried to snap a picture. It was pretty difficult to maneuver the signs, cowbell, and camera. I was also trying to update friends back home via text and Facebook with both my phone and Jeneen's phone.
I spent much of the day moving between 2 spots on the run course with my sherpa gear in toe. I held up funny signs and cheered on tons of complete strangers. I knew what they were going through, and a big part of me was wishing I was in their shoes. There were times when the wind made it difficult to hold up the signs, but I knew I couldn't put them down. Many of the racers expressed their appreciation for the cheers, cowbell, and signs. It was fun watching their race as they read them. The sign that seemed to be most popular said, "Smile if you peed yourself today (we know you did)" Some of the racers pointed to their smile or told me that they had indeed peed themselves. It was a lot of fun, and their reactions made it worth the trouble of dragging the signs around and chasing them down when the wind blew them away.
When I saw Jeneen at mile 11 I told her I would meet her at the finish line. This is probably my favorite part of watching a race. I got to cheer on many racers as they came across the finish. I found myself getting choked up because I know that their journey began long before they stepped in the water earlier that day. I waited with anticipation for Jeneen to round the turn and come down the finishers shoot. You can bet that I was cheering as loud as I could and ringing the hell out of my cowbell when she came into sight. I am so proud of her! She rocked a course that threw choppy waters, big hills, lots of wind, and the blazing sun her way. Kansas 70.3 had no mercy on the athletes.
While I would much rather be racing than watching a race, I'm glad I got to be there to see Jeneen complete her first 70.3. Perhaps someday I will return to Kansas and take on this race, but for now my focus is on my first Ironman.
"The only one who can tell you 'you can't' is you. And you don't have to listen." ~~ Nike
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Playtri Festival...First Olympic of the Season
This weekend was the Playtri Festival in Irving, TX. I spend Saturday afternoon volunteering at the ITU pro races. It was pretty cool to watch draft legal racing. I got to stand on the side of the road and yell into a bull horn, "U-turn ahead!" It may not have been the most glamorous job, but I was happy to be there and watch the bikes go by.
Today I completed my first Olympic distance race of the season. Honestly, I've been pretty busy and had a million other things on my mind, so I didn't feel like I had mentally prepared myself for this race as much as I would have liked. I didn't write out a race plan, and didn't really give much thought to it until a day or two before the race.
My stomach wasn't prepared to handle the amount of food I needed this morning for my pre-race breakfast. I choked down what I could. Luckily, it settled just before it was time to race. I managed to get a little pre-race swim in. Last year the water was like swimming in a dirty hot bath. This year it didn't seem as bad.
I began my 1500 meter swim without too much trouble. There were several turns on the swim, and after a while I got kind of lost. I didn't really know where I was on the course or where the next buoy was. It really didn't bother me too much. I just followed the other swimmers that seemed to be moving in the same general direction as I was. I did feel someone on my feet, and I found out later that it was my friend Sabrina. She said I was swimming a zig-zag....I'm sure I was. My swim didn't feel stellar, yet it didn't feel awful. When I came out of the water I looked for the race clock so I could figure out how long I was out there. My math skills become a little fuzzy when I race because I thought my swim time was around 37 minutes, but it was actually 33 minutes.
I headed out on my bike and quickly noticed that my legs were feeling very fresh. I wasn't sure if my quads had the 24 miles of biking and the six miles of running I had left on this race in them. For the first time outside of the swim, the thought of DNFing crossed my mind. I didn't want to DNF, but I didn't know if my legs were going to cooperate. Throughout the 2 loop bike course I saw lots of fellow NTMers that gave me the encouragement I needed. I manged to average 18.8 mph on the bike...not too bad for me, but I think I could do better on that course.
I wasn't looking forward to the run. There is not a lick of shade out there, and I just remembered how much the heat hurt me last year. This year wasn't as bad. There was just enough cloud coverage for most of the run. The run course was a two loop course with a lot of running up and down the same road. It was a great way to see everyone several times. After about a mile and a half, my legs settled in and I was feeling pretty good. I did have a little cramping and tightness in my hip and butt, but it wasn't too bad. The last half mile I started to feel nauseous. I did everything I could to NOT throw-up. The streets were lined with spectators and I didn't want to be the chick puking in front of everyone. I turned the last corner and made it to the finish line without embarrassment. I even heard the announcer call out my name. I still felt like I could throw up. I kept my head down and volunteers put cold water on my neck. My friend Jim was there and he brought me a wet towel. He told me I needed to wipe the sh** off my shoe because I was kicking ass out there! I joined my other NTM friends and was feeling better. Everyone seemed to have had a great race. Several of my friends even finished top 3 in their age group. I finished in 2:54...a PR for me!
I went to one of the tents after the race and got some work done by one of the chiropractors. Those people were saints for being there and volunteering to work on dirty athletes. By the end of the race we are covered in sweet, salt, dirty canal water, sticky sports drinks, sun block, and God knows what else. It's a dirty sport.
A big shout-out goes out to Playtri for pulling off a great weekend of racing. The staff and volunteers were awesome! I can't wait to go back next year.
I know you're not supposed to try anything new on race day, but I did. The day before the race I bought a new sweat band. I didn't have a chance to try it out before hand. It's a Quantum Cool head band. It's very thin and comfortable. It fit nicely under my bike helmet and visor. It stayed in place and it kept the salty sweat out of my eye. This is my new favorite accessory.
"Life is simple. Triathlon. Swim. Bike. Run. Eat. Sleep." Unbekannt
Today I completed my first Olympic distance race of the season. Honestly, I've been pretty busy and had a million other things on my mind, so I didn't feel like I had mentally prepared myself for this race as much as I would have liked. I didn't write out a race plan, and didn't really give much thought to it until a day or two before the race.
My stomach wasn't prepared to handle the amount of food I needed this morning for my pre-race breakfast. I choked down what I could. Luckily, it settled just before it was time to race. I managed to get a little pre-race swim in. Last year the water was like swimming in a dirty hot bath. This year it didn't seem as bad.
I began my 1500 meter swim without too much trouble. There were several turns on the swim, and after a while I got kind of lost. I didn't really know where I was on the course or where the next buoy was. It really didn't bother me too much. I just followed the other swimmers that seemed to be moving in the same general direction as I was. I did feel someone on my feet, and I found out later that it was my friend Sabrina. She said I was swimming a zig-zag....I'm sure I was. My swim didn't feel stellar, yet it didn't feel awful. When I came out of the water I looked for the race clock so I could figure out how long I was out there. My math skills become a little fuzzy when I race because I thought my swim time was around 37 minutes, but it was actually 33 minutes.
I headed out on my bike and quickly noticed that my legs were feeling very fresh. I wasn't sure if my quads had the 24 miles of biking and the six miles of running I had left on this race in them. For the first time outside of the swim, the thought of DNFing crossed my mind. I didn't want to DNF, but I didn't know if my legs were going to cooperate. Throughout the 2 loop bike course I saw lots of fellow NTMers that gave me the encouragement I needed. I manged to average 18.8 mph on the bike...not too bad for me, but I think I could do better on that course.
I wasn't looking forward to the run. There is not a lick of shade out there, and I just remembered how much the heat hurt me last year. This year wasn't as bad. There was just enough cloud coverage for most of the run. The run course was a two loop course with a lot of running up and down the same road. It was a great way to see everyone several times. After about a mile and a half, my legs settled in and I was feeling pretty good. I did have a little cramping and tightness in my hip and butt, but it wasn't too bad. The last half mile I started to feel nauseous. I did everything I could to NOT throw-up. The streets were lined with spectators and I didn't want to be the chick puking in front of everyone. I turned the last corner and made it to the finish line without embarrassment. I even heard the announcer call out my name. I still felt like I could throw up. I kept my head down and volunteers put cold water on my neck. My friend Jim was there and he brought me a wet towel. He told me I needed to wipe the sh** off my shoe because I was kicking ass out there! I joined my other NTM friends and was feeling better. Everyone seemed to have had a great race. Several of my friends even finished top 3 in their age group. I finished in 2:54...a PR for me!
I went to one of the tents after the race and got some work done by one of the chiropractors. Those people were saints for being there and volunteering to work on dirty athletes. By the end of the race we are covered in sweet, salt, dirty canal water, sticky sports drinks, sun block, and God knows what else. It's a dirty sport.
A big shout-out goes out to Playtri for pulling off a great weekend of racing. The staff and volunteers were awesome! I can't wait to go back next year.
I know you're not supposed to try anything new on race day, but I did. The day before the race I bought a new sweat band. I didn't have a chance to try it out before hand. It's a Quantum Cool head band. It's very thin and comfortable. It fit nicely under my bike helmet and visor. It stayed in place and it kept the salty sweat out of my eye. This is my new favorite accessory.
"Life is simple. Triathlon. Swim. Bike. Run. Eat. Sleep." Unbekannt
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