Post Rookie Update

Yesterday marked my one year anniversary since I had completed my first triathlon. And let me say, I felt I did well this year compared to last year. I was prepared and more confident this year than last year. I managed to beat my time by about 15 minutes from last year! I'm most happy about that overall.

I think this year has to be the year of forgetting my shoes. At Galveston, I forgot my tennis shoes as I was walking to setup and this race I forgot my cycling shoes and discovered it on Friday night. I frantically called all coaches and texted all coaches to see who could let me into the PTC and finally Coach Mo called and said he would bring them with him on Saturday morning. For some reason, I just had a gut feeling that he would forget them. Coach Chrissie then called and said she would just meet me to get them at the PTC so I wouldn't have to depend on Maurice as there is always a chance he would forget them.

The morning began nice a calm...Thank you for XANAX once again. I only use this the night before a race and I must say, I'm a different person than last year. Trust me it is a good thing. I ate some oatmeal and something else, can't remember, and got dressed and gathered everything and we headed out the door.

We get to the race and I head into get body marked by a fellow T3'er. I made my way to setup the bike to find that this year you had to set up based on your age group. Last year, you could just set up shop anywhere. So I get everything set up and water bottles filled up and grab the goggles and swim cap and I was ready.

I stopped for some pics with friends from T3 and made my way to the T3 tent. We talked and took more pics with everyone. I made my way to the water for a warm up swim. The water was very nice. Perfect temperature.

The race started at 8am. All the men take off and then the women start. I'm in the first wave of women and I'm thinking I should get out front and get going as I feel like I can go strong in swim this year. I was so wrong. I was swam over and I think I swam over others also. I made the turn and drank some nasty water and just kept swimming and gaging. I made it out of the water with no major issues at this point except a slow swim time.

I ran to the bike, threw on the socks, shoes, helmet and sunglasses and headed out on the ride. I just wanted to ride fast. I made it threw the bike and dismounted the bike with not falling off this round!

I then put the running shoes on and grabbed my bottle of water and headed out for the run. I just told myself keep the legs moving. I did but not fast. I kept feeling like I was going to throw up the oatmeal I ate that morning. So I finally make it back around and I'm heading for the finish line and I start to sprint the last 75 meters. I cross the line in about 1 hour and 14 minutes and I was not feeling good at all. Some kid took the sweaty timing chip off and I was thinking I've got to get out of the crowd of people as I'm about to throw up. I walked over to some tall grass leaned over and it was coming up but I held back. All I could think about was not letting anyone see my throw up. I sat down drank some water and felt better.

This by far was the best race yet for me. I'm hoping the rest of the season continues down this path of excitement!

The Rookie Triathlon

Another day and another week of training. Here I am, just a few days before my next triathlon, The Rookie. Last year this was my first race and I was super nervous and didn't have a clue what to expect that morning. But this year, I'm prepared. I've completed a race already this season and I'm faster and stronger than I was last year at this time.

I'm going into this race with the mindset of having fun and just beating my times from last year. I already have the time portion of the race beat now just having fun will be the next step. I always seem to have the hardest time with this. I go into it way to serious and just need to focus on having a good time and finishing the darn thing.

This race will go as is...

300 meter swim

11.1 mile bike ride

2 mile run

Not bad for a Saturday morning.

I'm sure I will be posting more as time draws near and after the race.

Ironman Coeur D' Alene

Looks like I've made the decision to enter my very first IRONMAN! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. I will have to endure 2.4 for miles in the water, 112 miles on the bike and 26 miles of running. I've been asked, why do you want to put yourself through that? Well the answer goes as is...WHY NOT! Very few people do this and I want to be one of the ones that crosses that finish line. I want to have a sense of accomplishment knowing that I just completed 140.6 miles in one day.

T3, the triathlon team that I train with here in Austin, TX has made CDA the team Ironman for 2009. They are the best triathlon group to train with for an Ironman. I have seasoned coaches that have several Ironman finishes underneath them. So I have all the tools I need at the touch of my fingertips. All I have to do is put them to work and get to training.

Ironman CDA will be in June of 09 so I have plenty of time to get my mind wrapped around this and start working on my running. That seems to be the worst for me. But with help from others and just putting in more miles each week and month, I will get to the point that I can be somewhat comfortable at this.

Questioning if I should do an Ironman event

The last few days I've had the "ironman itch". I feel like I want to do one for the sense of accomplishment and to be among the few in this world that finished one. But I have the fear of not finishing. The 26 mile run after the 112 mile bike ride just seems painful. I know I could do a run/walk and make it through it but do I want to put myself through that? If I do any Ironman event it will probably be in Coeur D' Alene, ID. We have lots of friends up there and we are about due to head up that way to see everyone and everything. I have a few months before registration to think about this. I've also need to complete a half ironman before I do a full one.

I just don't know that I want to sell my soul to the devil for about 6-7 months to train hard. I like having my weekends to myself if I want to do something different other than ride a bike and run.

Pictures from Lonestar Triathlon

Here are a few pics from the triathlon that I completed on March 30th in Galveston.

Lonestar Triathlon

Here I am...the day after the race and I feel like a clubbed seal. I'll get to that later.

First off, the morning started off great as I had a great night of sleep and I was actually able to eat that morning with no anxiety problems...THANK YOU XANAX. So I had all my stuff ready to go and walked out the door at 6:30am. At this point I thought I had everything and was ready to get body marked and setup transition. Well, I get over to transition and I didn't have my tennis shoes(need those to run with as the crocs I had on wouldn't quit work), so I had to call Collin. I called and he came running with them just in time.

So now it is about 7:30 and the race is about to begin. I'm at the starting dock of the race watching everyone and standing with my fellow teammates. No big deal at this point since I don't take off until 8:55am.

I told Collin to be there at 8:15am to take our shoes and meet us at the finish line 3 hours later. What a great husband I have.

So I put on the tighest wetsuit ever and get in for a warm-up. Let me just say that water is so nasty and taste terrible that I thought just for a moment, there was no way I could do this. I calmed down and told myself, you have to, you didn't come this far not to. So I get out, spit alot and make my way to the dock. At this point I'm scarred and there is no turning back. I went to go see my run coach Logan who is announcing the race start and get last minute advice and I head down the dock. We have to jump about 5 feet into the water and and then swim out a ways for the start. No big deal until you see people being dragged in by the jet skies after not being able to finish.

So we are off...I'm swimming on top of girls and getting swam over also...finally I either break away from a cluster or they break away from me. I settled into the stroke and just swam. 22 minutes later and I'm out of the water and peeling the wetsuit off...I stopped two girls and they stripped it off me and I ran to the bike and off on the bike I went. I'm just thinking at this point ride fast and gain as much time as you can with these race wheels. And I did.. 18mph on the bike and 1 hour and 30 minutes later I'm at the dismount line....

I hear a woman say slow down and I did, I clipped out with one foot and hit the brake with one hand and I clamped down with the other hand and I went flying over the handle bars and face first into the pavement. I got up quickly and went to get the tennis shoes. I bruised my chin and my shoulders and back but I will live. I took off on the run and see Collin...I start crying as I'm hurting from falling and my ankle is killing me...he has no clue that I just flew off my bike...I tell him and he says, "Your ok, keep running!" So I did...

The run was awful. I walked to much and the water tasted like dirt at the water stations.

All in all it was a fun race and I'm pleased with my swim and bike times. The run, well I will have to do lots of work on that.

Race Week!

Here it is, my first race week of the triathlon season. I have to say, I'm a little nervous for this tri. It is a longer distance and I have a salt water swim. The salt water swim just scares me to death. Pretty much I know that if you drink the water I will puke....I just didn't need someone to reaffirm that to me yesterday. Thanks Coach Mo!

I've set some goals for the race so I'm hoping to either match or beat the goals I've set. And if not, well then there is always another race.

This week will be a easy week but a nerve racking one at the same time. With the training hours coming down and the packing that needs to be done, I'm hoping I can handle everything at work and home this week and mange the nerves at the same time.

I'm sure I will post some pics sometime next week and will have a full report on the craziness that will happen.