Hello followers, hope you are all well. I hit the wall from exhaustion today and lucky for me that my husband and mother in law were around to take care of the kids as I indulged in an hour and a half nap in the middle of the afternoon. Hopefully that brain of mine was releasing a lot of growth hormone to repair all those tired bones and muscles. My butt is still not back to normal and I have 4 days before my last Triathlon in Winnipeg.
Yes you heard that right, following another Olympic distance triathlon in Pinawa, MB on Sunday,I will begin a 3 week taper period to prepare for Calgary. This is quite unbelievable to me as I reflect back to all the races I have done. It seemed like yesterday I was hyperventilating about the duathlon series in the park-and now I will be doing my 3rd triathlon in 4 days time.
The Pinawa triathlon will be a challenge for me big time. The water I will be swimming in is a river with a current. I need to get this experience in, as I am sure the Ghost River reservoir in Calgary is similar-if not worse! It will likely be a very lonely day-I don't know anyone who will be doing this triathlon, and will be on the road by 4am to drive out to the race site as it is 2 hours from Winnipeg. So if any of my followers want to accompany me -let me know!
So I should also update you, that I met Mr. and Mrs. P for an OWS followed by a lesson on how to use Aerobars. The swim went fine, but I was quite concerned about how Mr. P's hands turned blue (and I mean Really Really Really blue) as he opted not to wear a wetsuit. Now I REALLY understand why the race officials take water temps and insist on wetsuits in Canadian water!
Fortunately Mr P's hands recovered and we were on the bike before I knew it. Once I got into the aero position, I must say that while it was initially quite wobbly, I found it easier to cycle. My legs were fatiguing less and I felt considerably less exposed to the elements. Because my aerobars are the clip on kind, I have to switch position onto my drops to shift gears. This was hard to do and I must practice this because I change gears lots to save my legs. I could almost see myself not changing gears to avoid the discomfort, but will make an honest effort not to get into that pattern!
The other thing about the aerobars is that you can not brake as fast as you can if you were on your drops. So Mr. P and Mrs. P advised me as to what situations one should avoid being on the bars which was +++ helpful. In addition to that practice, Mr P insisted that I get my water bottle in and out of the cage a gazillion times. I still hate it, but think I am making some progress.
At the end of the day, I felt that I learned a lot, and while not entirely confident, I believe with practice I can get there! Must go now and get an Aero (chocolate) bar as that just sounds way more appealing to me at the moment!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Crinkles and Wrinkles
Hello followers....OMG it's official it's my birthday today and I am 28. Ha Ha Ha-I am actually 40, but screw middle age I say! Nothing like a little physical activity (OK a freaking lot) and future Botox . My poor husband, it's going to cost him!
In all seriousness, it is weird to think I have walked on this planet for 40 years. I have been fortunate enough to embark on many adventures and have the most wonderful family and friends to share them with! I also love to laugh-and that's likely why I have crinkel's I mean wrinkles on my face.
It's too bad wrinkle's couldn't talk, as they would reveal a lot- like the struggle to take my first steps in life, the happiness I experienced (and yes sometimes jealousy) of having a baby sister and the fear of my Grade 1 teacher who had a propensity to yell at small children. It would tell you about the loneliness of being away from home as a little girl going to Brownie camp, the heartache I felt at having to move away from friend's every 4 years and the sweetness and innocence of being kissed for the first time by a boy. It would also reveal those shy moments of getting your first period or wearing your first bra and the angst of being a teenager. (Girl's in high school can be really mean!) It would also tell you of how hard it is to have your heart broken-whether you are the dumper or the one getting dumped-it sucks either way! It would reveal gut wrenching nearly soul destroying loss of my Dad, and of an unborn child that I believe is in heaven waiting to meet me one day! My wrinkles would also tell you of how all humility goes out the window after you give birth, and of how all encompassing love is for your children (Yes I am a mamma bear and would die for them!). My wrinkles also reveal good fortune in having been able to share a journey with a man who adores me and confirms for me that he still will even when I am 80-God willing! Those wrinkles will also reveal self-doubt, fear and anxiety but are tempered by my Voice of Reason and my dear dear sister, who know always know what to say. My wrinkles will also tell you that I live life with no regret, that my heart is on my sleeve, that I love the human race (except when they do really really bad things) and that there is nothing better in this world to laugh so hard that it hurts!
So there it is followers, I plan on getting an extra wrinkle today when I learn to ride (with self doubt fear and anxiety) my bike with aerobars today with Mr. P!
In all seriousness, it is weird to think I have walked on this planet for 40 years. I have been fortunate enough to embark on many adventures and have the most wonderful family and friends to share them with! I also love to laugh-and that's likely why I have crinkel's I mean wrinkles on my face.
It's too bad wrinkle's couldn't talk, as they would reveal a lot- like the struggle to take my first steps in life, the happiness I experienced (and yes sometimes jealousy) of having a baby sister and the fear of my Grade 1 teacher who had a propensity to yell at small children. It would tell you about the loneliness of being away from home as a little girl going to Brownie camp, the heartache I felt at having to move away from friend's every 4 years and the sweetness and innocence of being kissed for the first time by a boy. It would also reveal those shy moments of getting your first period or wearing your first bra and the angst of being a teenager. (Girl's in high school can be really mean!) It would also tell you of how hard it is to have your heart broken-whether you are the dumper or the one getting dumped-it sucks either way! It would reveal gut wrenching nearly soul destroying loss of my Dad, and of an unborn child that I believe is in heaven waiting to meet me one day! My wrinkles would also tell you of how all humility goes out the window after you give birth, and of how all encompassing love is for your children (Yes I am a mamma bear and would die for them!). My wrinkles also reveal good fortune in having been able to share a journey with a man who adores me and confirms for me that he still will even when I am 80-God willing! Those wrinkles will also reveal self-doubt, fear and anxiety but are tempered by my Voice of Reason and my dear dear sister, who know always know what to say. My wrinkles will also tell you that I live life with no regret, that my heart is on my sleeve, that I love the human race (except when they do really really bad things) and that there is nothing better in this world to laugh so hard that it hurts!
So there it is followers, I plan on getting an extra wrinkle today when I learn to ride (with self doubt fear and anxiety) my bike with aerobars today with Mr. P!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Celebration
Hello Followers, I must report that it has been a CRAZY couple of days!
I think I last posted on Friday-my "recovery" day. I spent a great day with my children as neither had school. In the morning we went to the park with a good friend of mine, and then in the afternoon we went to the Red River Exhibition Fair. I was absolutely exhausted but thought-no problem because my Saturday scheduled workout was a 20 min bike followed by a 10 min run so I could taper a bit more for the Olympic Triathlon on Sunday.
Then........as the sun was beating down on me, and my children were nearing the end of their rope from all the excitement of the fair (not to mention the junk food they consumed), I get a SURPRISE text from Mr. P . He informs me, that I should do a 100 k bike ride with a group of cyclists. I laugh and laugh-text him back and said that I would not be falling for his sick joke. He of course indicated it was no joke, and went on to say it would be important for me to get some practice in so I could get comfortable with other riders being close to me.
Of course I freak out a bit (OK maybe a lot) because here it is that the Olympic Triathlon would be the following day-I could potentially drown in the water due to the exhaustion of the 100 k ride the day before. Ultimately I agree and on Saturday morning I meet the 7 cyclists that would assist me in this journey of learning how to ride in a pack along the Trans Canada Highway and draft.
Upon first reflection, I must admit, that I was intimidated by these cyclists. They are a very experienced group of riders, and obviously had been riding bikes much longer than 4 months. But they were all very kind to me, and helped me so much in terms of learning how to draft. I realized very quickly that if you fall out of the draft pack it is almost freaking impossible to catch up. This happened to me, but I managed to get back in the pack (but my my heart beat went up to 180 bpm-obviously something I would not have been able to sustain for any length of time).
I think I did OK until the last 10 miles or so. Then exhaustion hit and I just did not have it in me to do the sprint at the end and I was left in the dust. The group stopped and waited for me, and I felt terrible about this. They reassured me not to feel bad, and were very kind. One of the cyclists-Mr. J shared that he thought I had the capability for the last 10 miles but because my drafting was not the greatest, he thought I was working too hard on the ride.
Speaking of drafting-that was a tad overwhelming, as in order to derive benefit, you have to ride extremely close to the cyclist in front of you. When you get in the draft zone-it is amazing how much easier it is to cycle. But for me, I was worried about clipping someone's wheel and taking out the whole pack! If that were to happen, I would have been horrified-thus my reticence about following really close! I suppose, like anything, the more experience one gets, the easier it becomes.
Following the cycle, I went home and ate, drank lots and took some baths in preparation for Sunday's Triathlon. My legs felt terrible when I was going to bed, so much so that I needed to take drugs! (Advil). Less than 24 hours later at 4am, my alarm was sounding off.
So at 4am, my legs felt better but boy was my butt sore! I was in my usual anxiety ridden panic mode, and picked up Mrs. B who was racing as well and a newbie like me! Following registering, getting my body markings and setting up transition, an announcement was made that just about sent me over the edge. The race officials indicated that wetsuits would not be allowed due to the water temperature reaching a 23 degree's. They also made a second announcement saying for racers to be careful due to the abundance of weeds on the shore line that one could get caught in.
Now followers you can only imagine how a "weak" swimmer competing in her first Olympic Triathlon (with a 1500 m swim) would feel. But I needed to get a grip because panic would not do anything positive. I thought back to words from my Voice of Reason.
When the horn went off in the mass swim start, and legs and arms are flailing everywhere, and weeds are covering your goggles and twirling around your arms and legs, I began to hyperventilate. But then....I remembered to Breathe. And you know what? It worked! I was able to get in a rythym. The cool water on my body felt so good after the 100 k ride the day before, and I have to say that the swim was the best part of the triathlon. Crazy!
Next was the bike, which was absolutely painful. Not in terms of my legs burning, not in terms of having to cycle into the wind that never stops, not in terms of the heat of the sun, but because my butt was on fire! Every bump was agony (and there were lots of them) .
The run was a relief in that I was no longer on my bike, but I felt I was running at a turtle's pace. I crossed the finish line in 3 hours with my tank on empty! I did it!
Today, is a day for celebration in another way too. It is my beautiful daughter's 4th birthday! So Happy Birthday Little one, mommy is so lucky because of all the baby girl's in heaven-I got the best one!
I think I last posted on Friday-my "recovery" day. I spent a great day with my children as neither had school. In the morning we went to the park with a good friend of mine, and then in the afternoon we went to the Red River Exhibition Fair. I was absolutely exhausted but thought-no problem because my Saturday scheduled workout was a 20 min bike followed by a 10 min run so I could taper a bit more for the Olympic Triathlon on Sunday.
Then........as the sun was beating down on me, and my children were nearing the end of their rope from all the excitement of the fair (not to mention the junk food they consumed), I get a SURPRISE text from Mr. P . He informs me, that I should do a 100 k bike ride with a group of cyclists. I laugh and laugh-text him back and said that I would not be falling for his sick joke. He of course indicated it was no joke, and went on to say it would be important for me to get some practice in so I could get comfortable with other riders being close to me.
Of course I freak out a bit (OK maybe a lot) because here it is that the Olympic Triathlon would be the following day-I could potentially drown in the water due to the exhaustion of the 100 k ride the day before. Ultimately I agree and on Saturday morning I meet the 7 cyclists that would assist me in this journey of learning how to ride in a pack along the Trans Canada Highway and draft.
Upon first reflection, I must admit, that I was intimidated by these cyclists. They are a very experienced group of riders, and obviously had been riding bikes much longer than 4 months. But they were all very kind to me, and helped me so much in terms of learning how to draft. I realized very quickly that if you fall out of the draft pack it is almost freaking impossible to catch up. This happened to me, but I managed to get back in the pack (but my my heart beat went up to 180 bpm-obviously something I would not have been able to sustain for any length of time).
I think I did OK until the last 10 miles or so. Then exhaustion hit and I just did not have it in me to do the sprint at the end and I was left in the dust. The group stopped and waited for me, and I felt terrible about this. They reassured me not to feel bad, and were very kind. One of the cyclists-Mr. J shared that he thought I had the capability for the last 10 miles but because my drafting was not the greatest, he thought I was working too hard on the ride.
Speaking of drafting-that was a tad overwhelming, as in order to derive benefit, you have to ride extremely close to the cyclist in front of you. When you get in the draft zone-it is amazing how much easier it is to cycle. But for me, I was worried about clipping someone's wheel and taking out the whole pack! If that were to happen, I would have been horrified-thus my reticence about following really close! I suppose, like anything, the more experience one gets, the easier it becomes.
Following the cycle, I went home and ate, drank lots and took some baths in preparation for Sunday's Triathlon. My legs felt terrible when I was going to bed, so much so that I needed to take drugs! (Advil). Less than 24 hours later at 4am, my alarm was sounding off.
So at 4am, my legs felt better but boy was my butt sore! I was in my usual anxiety ridden panic mode, and picked up Mrs. B who was racing as well and a newbie like me! Following registering, getting my body markings and setting up transition, an announcement was made that just about sent me over the edge. The race officials indicated that wetsuits would not be allowed due to the water temperature reaching a 23 degree's. They also made a second announcement saying for racers to be careful due to the abundance of weeds on the shore line that one could get caught in.
Now followers you can only imagine how a "weak" swimmer competing in her first Olympic Triathlon (with a 1500 m swim) would feel. But I needed to get a grip because panic would not do anything positive. I thought back to words from my Voice of Reason.
When the horn went off in the mass swim start, and legs and arms are flailing everywhere, and weeds are covering your goggles and twirling around your arms and legs, I began to hyperventilate. But then....I remembered to Breathe. And you know what? It worked! I was able to get in a rythym. The cool water on my body felt so good after the 100 k ride the day before, and I have to say that the swim was the best part of the triathlon. Crazy!
Next was the bike, which was absolutely painful. Not in terms of my legs burning, not in terms of having to cycle into the wind that never stops, not in terms of the heat of the sun, but because my butt was on fire! Every bump was agony (and there were lots of them) .
The run was a relief in that I was no longer on my bike, but I felt I was running at a turtle's pace. I crossed the finish line in 3 hours with my tank on empty! I did it!
Today, is a day for celebration in another way too. It is my beautiful daughter's 4th birthday! So Happy Birthday Little one, mommy is so lucky because of all the baby girl's in heaven-I got the best one!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Believe
Good morning followers,
It is a rest day for me-so weird to have one on Friday-but Mr. P scheduled it that way in consideration for the Tri this weekend.
So it's official-I got my aerobars and water bottle. I am so excited by the prospect that I will not dehydrate and couldn't care less about being in an aero position at this point in time. Mr. C also readjusted my bike frame, so I hope this will work out. I have to trust him.
Speaking of trust, this experience has taught me that you really have to put your faith and trust in people who happen to know something about something-even if you really don't know them. Get it?
Let me explain, prior to October, I did not know my swim instructor. I had to put huge faith into her that she would not only save my life in case I drowned, but teach me the proper form and technique to swim. I had to believe her when she said that my swimming will come and that I would improve.
In Febuary, after meeting Mr. C and buying my bike, I had to put huge faith in him that he wasn't just trying to sell me a bike to make a buck (considerably difficult considering my first experience in another store was not a positive one). I had to believe that he was a genuine person and was looking out for my best interests-especially when it came time to the bike fitting so I could ride the thing without fear of crashing or getting injured.
Shortly after this, I met Mr. P in a coffee shop. I decided to put huge faith into him, that he would be the guy to help me accomplish my goals. So I had to believe him when he told me that I would survive the cycle in windspeeds exceeding 50 km/hr, that I could do an OWS and get hit and still survive or ride 100 km on a highway. I believe in him and believe in the program he has set out for me.
After believing in so many others, now is the hardest one of all. I have to believe in myself. I believe I am getting closer!
It is a rest day for me-so weird to have one on Friday-but Mr. P scheduled it that way in consideration for the Tri this weekend.
So it's official-I got my aerobars and water bottle. I am so excited by the prospect that I will not dehydrate and couldn't care less about being in an aero position at this point in time. Mr. C also readjusted my bike frame, so I hope this will work out. I have to trust him.
Speaking of trust, this experience has taught me that you really have to put your faith and trust in people who happen to know something about something-even if you really don't know them. Get it?
Let me explain, prior to October, I did not know my swim instructor. I had to put huge faith into her that she would not only save my life in case I drowned, but teach me the proper form and technique to swim. I had to believe her when she said that my swimming will come and that I would improve.
In Febuary, after meeting Mr. C and buying my bike, I had to put huge faith in him that he wasn't just trying to sell me a bike to make a buck (considerably difficult considering my first experience in another store was not a positive one). I had to believe that he was a genuine person and was looking out for my best interests-especially when it came time to the bike fitting so I could ride the thing without fear of crashing or getting injured.
Shortly after this, I met Mr. P in a coffee shop. I decided to put huge faith into him, that he would be the guy to help me accomplish my goals. So I had to believe him when he told me that I would survive the cycle in windspeeds exceeding 50 km/hr, that I could do an OWS and get hit and still survive or ride 100 km on a highway. I believe in him and believe in the program he has set out for me.
After believing in so many others, now is the hardest one of all. I have to believe in myself. I believe I am getting closer!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
37 more days
Yup you read that correctly followers-I have only 37 more days until the Big One. I think I am nuts and am now getting regular panic attacks.
This Sunday will be a big test as I plan on doing the Olympic Distance Tri (1500 m swim, 40 k bike and 10 k run). The swim portion of this race is not much less than the Half Ironman, so I will have a good idea of what it will feel like. This race is also employing cut off times and for the swim portion this means 50 minutes- so I really hope I can do this!
Speaking of swimming, I did another OWS and was horrified to discover leeches in the water. Disgusting! Also, I noticed that the water is becoming a lot less clear as it appears that the algae is growing! On the up side, there are no waves or currents to deal with yet-Oh and I haven't seen a shark, poisonous jellyfish or snapping turtle-so I am counting my blessings!
Today is also a big day, as I will be getting my aerobars installed along with a water bottle. I doubt I will have much practice with the bars, so highly unlikely I will use them on the weekend, but am excited that I will be able to drink on the bike! The trick will be to drink enough but not too much so I don't get a stitch on the run-Ahhh more experimenting!
Along with all this training, my bedtime hour keeps getting earlier and earlier. Last night my better half looked in on me, and he advised me that I had fallen asleep with my glasses on and my arms straight out in front of me. He was laughing because he said that I resembled a Zombie. So anyone of you out there that is suffering from Insomnia-I would highly advise you to take up triathlon training-it's a sure fire way to cure you of that affliction.
Along with all this training, my bedtime hour keeps getting earlier and earlier. Last night my better half looked in on me, and he advised me that I had fallen asleep with my glasses on and my arms straight out in front of me. He was laughing because he said that I resembled a Zombie. So anyone of you out there that is suffering from Insomnia-I would highly advise you to take up triathlon training-it's a sure fire way to cure you of that affliction.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Tech issues-grrr.......
Hello followers-hope all is well! Been busy over the last couple of days as my baby girl had her 4th Birthday party and insanity overtook me as I opted to have the party at home with the kids decorating jewelry boxes and treasure chests and cupcakes. I am the furthest thing from Martha Stewart as they come-so lets just say there were a few "technical" issues with the glue gun. Fortunately no one got burned! Talk about feeling exhausted, but at the end of the day, I think my girl had a great time judging by her shining smile!
So last evening I was trying to get my gear ready for the half marathon today, and went to listen to my ipod. Well wouldn't you know every freaking song was distorted and muffled. I tried calling support-but because this was 9pm last night no one was available. I called my voice of reason-she was not home-finally I called a friend who has ipod issues in the past, and she guided me through the process of restoring it. Unfortunately that did not work, and my friend was kind enough to lend me her ipod. So there I am at 930 pm driving over to her house in my pajamas. I cursed my ipod the whole way and was shaking it as I was getting prepared to throw it out the window. Well I can't explain it,but perhaps the electronic device sensed my fury and decided to all of a sudden start working. Grrrr........Wasted evening as I was really looking forward to unwind and read some trash.
So this morning was an early start-but I am used to this, and prefer the cooler morning temps-as long as I don't have to go in water. The run went well but since I was in the second wave start, I spent almost the whole race dodging people-very annoying. Perspective on these things sure changes. Throughout the race,I kept thinking about how the 1/2 marathon is only one component to the half Ironman and that is what gave me motivation to run. Then I think, that I am in big trouble as I question whether I can put all 3 sports together. I guess I will get a better feeling next weekend when I do the longer distance Olympic triathlon. Yikes nervous already!
So last evening I was trying to get my gear ready for the half marathon today, and went to listen to my ipod. Well wouldn't you know every freaking song was distorted and muffled. I tried calling support-but because this was 9pm last night no one was available. I called my voice of reason-she was not home-finally I called a friend who has ipod issues in the past, and she guided me through the process of restoring it. Unfortunately that did not work, and my friend was kind enough to lend me her ipod. So there I am at 930 pm driving over to her house in my pajamas. I cursed my ipod the whole way and was shaking it as I was getting prepared to throw it out the window. Well I can't explain it,but perhaps the electronic device sensed my fury and decided to all of a sudden start working. Grrrr........Wasted evening as I was really looking forward to unwind and read some trash.
So this morning was an early start-but I am used to this, and prefer the cooler morning temps-as long as I don't have to go in water. The run went well but since I was in the second wave start, I spent almost the whole race dodging people-very annoying. Perspective on these things sure changes. Throughout the race,I kept thinking about how the 1/2 marathon is only one component to the half Ironman and that is what gave me motivation to run. Then I think, that I am in big trouble as I question whether I can put all 3 sports together. I guess I will get a better feeling next weekend when I do the longer distance Olympic triathlon. Yikes nervous already!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Condom cap- I mean Latex
Hee Hee-thought the title would get your attention on this rainy dull morning.
Yesterday I took out all of my swim caps-I have 5 in totoal. One latex one for long hair, a silicone one, a cloth one, my recently acquired race cap and now........a latex one that fits for regular hair.
After searching the internet like mad to see if there is something to put into your hair or to find a a cap that would be guaranteed to stay on, I was dismayed. Everything that was suggested, I have tried. The only thing I could possibly experiment with was a latex cap (for normal hair). Since I don't have regular hair-I was skeptical that this would work.
In reading more about latex, swimmers report that these caps are hard to get on. Why? Well it is because "latex is very rubbery and grips your hair". When I read the word Grip-I said to meself-self I don't care how long it takes me to get on, it it grips to my hair and stays on, then I will be able to avoid a clipper situation!
Off to the store I go-fortunately swim caps are cheap! Since I had a swim lesson in the afternoon-it was perfect timing to try out this cap.
So knowing that this could be a bit of a problem to get the cap on, I arrived at the pool early. My hair was expecially puffy because it was rainy and humid. (BTW this is a great look in the 80's-not so much now). As soon as the cap touched my hair, it felt like it was pulling off my scalp. So I grit my teeth, struggled in pain and managed to get it on my head. Now I know why condoms are lubricated! Unfortunately for me, any sort of lubrication was out of the question as this would defeat the whole purpose, and the excercise would be wasted!
Now, Miss T, my swim instuctor is one of the sweetest people I have met on this adventure. Let's just say that when she heard about the swim cap struggle-she even laughed (normally she is very sympathetic) . She promised to work me hard, to see if the stupid cap would fall off. So after many laps of freestyle, and head up front crawl she had me do this crazy drill of 3 strokes front crawl flip and 3 strokes back. So I was flipping and flopping and losing my direction, forgetting to breathe, and going under. After many bobs to catch my breath, I clung frantically to the edge of the pool in survival mode.
Then..........Miss T had one of the biggest smiles on her face.......and when I touched my head, I realized that the cap stayed on!!!!!!!!
Now I know that it was only 45 minutes in the pool, but I am cautiously optimistic that the normal latex swim cap might be my saving grace. Never have I gone a whole lesson without having to adjust the cap until yesterday! Never in my wildest dreams would I have bought a cap for "normal" hair, and never would have the saleslady sold me one (she told me this herself).
So there you have it. I will try this cap on my next OWS and hope that the beach is not too crowded when I put the cap on-Oh how very embarassing that would be! Crossing my fingers this will work!
Yesterday I took out all of my swim caps-I have 5 in totoal. One latex one for long hair, a silicone one, a cloth one, my recently acquired race cap and now........a latex one that fits for regular hair.
After searching the internet like mad to see if there is something to put into your hair or to find a a cap that would be guaranteed to stay on, I was dismayed. Everything that was suggested, I have tried. The only thing I could possibly experiment with was a latex cap (for normal hair). Since I don't have regular hair-I was skeptical that this would work.
In reading more about latex, swimmers report that these caps are hard to get on. Why? Well it is because "latex is very rubbery and grips your hair". When I read the word Grip-I said to meself-self I don't care how long it takes me to get on, it it grips to my hair and stays on, then I will be able to avoid a clipper situation!
Off to the store I go-fortunately swim caps are cheap! Since I had a swim lesson in the afternoon-it was perfect timing to try out this cap.
So knowing that this could be a bit of a problem to get the cap on, I arrived at the pool early. My hair was expecially puffy because it was rainy and humid. (BTW this is a great look in the 80's-not so much now). As soon as the cap touched my hair, it felt like it was pulling off my scalp. So I grit my teeth, struggled in pain and managed to get it on my head. Now I know why condoms are lubricated! Unfortunately for me, any sort of lubrication was out of the question as this would defeat the whole purpose, and the excercise would be wasted!
Now, Miss T, my swim instuctor is one of the sweetest people I have met on this adventure. Let's just say that when she heard about the swim cap struggle-she even laughed (normally she is very sympathetic) . She promised to work me hard, to see if the stupid cap would fall off. So after many laps of freestyle, and head up front crawl she had me do this crazy drill of 3 strokes front crawl flip and 3 strokes back. So I was flipping and flopping and losing my direction, forgetting to breathe, and going under. After many bobs to catch my breath, I clung frantically to the edge of the pool in survival mode.
Then..........Miss T had one of the biggest smiles on her face.......and when I touched my head, I realized that the cap stayed on!!!!!!!!
Now I know that it was only 45 minutes in the pool, but I am cautiously optimistic that the normal latex swim cap might be my saving grace. Never have I gone a whole lesson without having to adjust the cap until yesterday! Never in my wildest dreams would I have bought a cap for "normal" hair, and never would have the saleslady sold me one (she told me this herself).
So there you have it. I will try this cap on my next OWS and hope that the beach is not too crowded when I put the cap on-Oh how very embarassing that would be! Crossing my fingers this will work!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Gangsta Lady's wrath returns
Hellow followers- happy to report that I did not drown in the pond the other day. I think I am feeling more confident with the whole OWS although like I mentioned before, I still have to work on getting better at seeing where I am going. Swim cap issues are still a problem, so if there is any advice out there regarding what I can try to have the thing stay on, I would welcome your feedback. I have googled this problem, and have not had much success in finding a solution.
On to other news.... I can not recall if I have blogged about this before, so forgive me if I have-but it involves the notorious Gangsta Lady. She happens to be a woman with jet black hair who wears a Baby Phat jacket and neon pink lipstick all over her teeth. She attends the same gym as me, is probabally in her 60's and is incredibly mean-I have seen her yell at many people. Normally, I would avoid this individual, but unfortunately she happens to swim at the pool.
Back in October, I of course chose unknowing the lane next to Gangsta lady to practice in. Well- I guess I must of splashed her a little-and she stopped me in my lane and blasted me. Gangsta lady does not wear a swim cap and does not like getting her hair wet. I assume this is because her jet black hair dye could ink the pool ? The other pool patrons have encouraged me to continue swimming and not let this woman unerve me-after all I am not the only one she has had "issues" with.
So I continue to go to the pool and practice. Every time I swim, she is there and gives me the evil eye. Now I don't puposely go out of my way to splash her, but being in a pool and the lane next to her, sometimes this happens. For the last several months she has said nothing other than to give me her icy stare. The odd person she does talk to, she will speak badly of me . Today it happened once again. She went on about how awful I am in the crowded loby entrance to the gym, suggested I was a horrible swimmer, and went onto to say that even 4 lanes away she gets splashed by me.
Clearly this woman has anger issues and hates me. I do my best to ignore this, but sometimes I tell you-it gets to you. So today I felt like an idiot (even if Gangsta Lady is crazy-it's not a great feeling to be dissed in front of a crowd) but refuse to engage in such a ridiculous circumstance I find myself in. So today, my followers, you are the unfortunate who get to hear my rant. The one positive that came of this is that I had an awesome workout-nothing like a little anger to fuel that fire!
On to other news.... I can not recall if I have blogged about this before, so forgive me if I have-but it involves the notorious Gangsta Lady. She happens to be a woman with jet black hair who wears a Baby Phat jacket and neon pink lipstick all over her teeth. She attends the same gym as me, is probabally in her 60's and is incredibly mean-I have seen her yell at many people. Normally, I would avoid this individual, but unfortunately she happens to swim at the pool.
Back in October, I of course chose unknowing the lane next to Gangsta lady to practice in. Well- I guess I must of splashed her a little-and she stopped me in my lane and blasted me. Gangsta lady does not wear a swim cap and does not like getting her hair wet. I assume this is because her jet black hair dye could ink the pool ? The other pool patrons have encouraged me to continue swimming and not let this woman unerve me-after all I am not the only one she has had "issues" with.
So I continue to go to the pool and practice. Every time I swim, she is there and gives me the evil eye. Now I don't puposely go out of my way to splash her, but being in a pool and the lane next to her, sometimes this happens. For the last several months she has said nothing other than to give me her icy stare. The odd person she does talk to, she will speak badly of me . Today it happened once again. She went on about how awful I am in the crowded loby entrance to the gym, suggested I was a horrible swimmer, and went onto to say that even 4 lanes away she gets splashed by me.
Clearly this woman has anger issues and hates me. I do my best to ignore this, but sometimes I tell you-it gets to you. So today I felt like an idiot (even if Gangsta Lady is crazy-it's not a great feeling to be dissed in front of a crowd) but refuse to engage in such a ridiculous circumstance I find myself in. So today, my followers, you are the unfortunate who get to hear my rant. The one positive that came of this is that I had an awesome workout-nothing like a little anger to fuel that fire!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
First Triathlon-DONE!
Hello followers- I am happy to report that all the anxiety and nerves are over. On Sunday I completed my first sprint distance triathlon in one hour 30 minutes to be exact.
The experience was great aside from the swim. My swim cap came off and I lost probabally about 5 minutes from this. I was too afraid to let go of the cap or stuff it into my wetsuit, as I thought that I could have gotten disqualified. So swimming or trying to swim the crawl was so very difficult!
Mr. P is threatening to shave me head, and I am frantically searching the internet to see if a less drastic solution exists-surely I can not be the only one! It's too bad that they force you to wear the event swim caps which are cheapy cheapy given the hundred's of people they have to give them out to. On this race, I tried wearing my own cap underneath, and I even had my hair in a tight French braid. Geez!
In the end, I must say that it was pretty awe inspiring to witness the first wave of swimmers. It was really a moment that nearly brought tears to my eyes as I reflect back 8 months ago when I was first learning the front crawl! Blood, sweat and tears really does pay off! This is something I hope my children will learn from me-Self-discipline-If they can get it, it will reap benefits for them in whatever becomes their destiny!
Yesterday was a recovery day and Ms. L was again working on my butt (still hurts and I have the half marathon on Sunday)-no more rest as I have a wicked workout planned today. An OWS with Mr. P -I know this is NOT going to be easy!
The experience was great aside from the swim. My swim cap came off and I lost probabally about 5 minutes from this. I was too afraid to let go of the cap or stuff it into my wetsuit, as I thought that I could have gotten disqualified. So swimming or trying to swim the crawl was so very difficult!
Mr. P is threatening to shave me head, and I am frantically searching the internet to see if a less drastic solution exists-surely I can not be the only one! It's too bad that they force you to wear the event swim caps which are cheapy cheapy given the hundred's of people they have to give them out to. On this race, I tried wearing my own cap underneath, and I even had my hair in a tight French braid. Geez!
In the end, I must say that it was pretty awe inspiring to witness the first wave of swimmers. It was really a moment that nearly brought tears to my eyes as I reflect back 8 months ago when I was first learning the front crawl! Blood, sweat and tears really does pay off! This is something I hope my children will learn from me-Self-discipline-If they can get it, it will reap benefits for them in whatever becomes their destiny!
Yesterday was a recovery day and Ms. L was again working on my butt (still hurts and I have the half marathon on Sunday)-no more rest as I have a wicked workout planned today. An OWS with Mr. P -I know this is NOT going to be easy!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Big Deal
Good morning followers-I just slept for 10 hours and am feeling rested. It has been a busy week and obviously I needed sleep. In many of the training articles I have read, they talk about how sleep is critical as your body releases certain growth hormones. It is these hormones that repair and make you strong. The elite athletes actually schedule sleep into their afternoons between workouts because of this! I however, knew I would need a good sleep for today as tonight may be a problem. That's right.........tomorrow is a very very Bid Deal for me. I will be competing in my very first Triathlon, and I am not sure how good a sleep I will get tonight!
If you had read earlier posts, I had been contemplating doing a longer triathlon distance, but after consulting with my Voice of reason and Mr. P, they both thought it would be a very bad idea. So for my first experience , I am doing a Sprint Distance which in layman's terms means
800 m swim, 20 k bike and 5 k run. Ahhhh........
The race starts early, and this means that transition opens up at 6am. This is where you rack your bike, get your race bib, body markings, swim cap, pee a million times and try like mad to calm your nerves. All the racers are then debriefed on the rules and the course is outlined. It also means that I will be getting up a 4am so that I can eat and get ready as it will take me roughly a hour to get out to Bird's Hill.
For those of you who know my struggle with food experimentation, I plan on consuming some Boost as I think if I eat solids before the swim, coupled with my nerves, I am liable to throw up in the water. I also think I will put my Bento Box on the bike and take some gels just in case I need some extra energy from the swim. All 3 times when I have gotten out of the OWS practices, I have felt really wobbly, so hopefully a little carb/sugar combo will help!
Speaking of OWS, I completed a third one on Thursday evening. I owe my Voice of Reason a big thank you as she pretty much forced me to do this swim against my will. You see I did not want to do this, as I was worried that I would have another bad experience, and that this would unnerve me for my upcoming race. My voice of reason, however, was very firm in not allowing me to get away with this bullshit (pardon the French but emphasis is required here) and basically advised me that I was never going to allow myself to get to a better place if I did not confront my fear. In essence she told me that the only person responsible for letting myself down is me-and I can choose not to beat myself up!
So in the end, I followed her advice. It wasn't as great a swim as I had with Mr and Mrs. P but it wasn't as awful and crushing as my first one. I swam roughly 1500m and it was only after I was halfway done, that I began to feel a rhythm (this is why I prefer the longer distance). I am so glad I did it, and thank you my dear dear friend-as usual you were right!
Adding just a tad to my anxiety, is a problem that has developed in the last several days. I am having some pain-in my butt! This is related to a sacreal nerve-very common for runners. So I did change my running shoes (something that everyone will tell you not to do before a race-but mine are identical to the ones I had) and booked a therapeutic massage yesterday with my friend Mrs. L. She is a wee little thing, but can make a grown man cry with the force she puts behind her tiny hands. She pounded on my butt muscle for an hour and today I am happy to report that it is feeling much better and "runable". But as a precautionary measure, I have booked her in regularly for the next month. Thank goodness for Blue Cross coverage! Gotta love Canada!
Well that is all for now folks. I must tend to my family, and try and keep my mind occupied and my breathing deep. I am also hoping for rain today so our neighborhood block party will be postponed (don't need noise to be added to the equation as sleep will suffer even more tonight). I will carry all your support with me tomorrow as I experience my very first Triathlon! Luvs ya!
If you had read earlier posts, I had been contemplating doing a longer triathlon distance, but after consulting with my Voice of reason and Mr. P, they both thought it would be a very bad idea. So for my first experience , I am doing a Sprint Distance which in layman's terms means
800 m swim, 20 k bike and 5 k run. Ahhhh........
The race starts early, and this means that transition opens up at 6am. This is where you rack your bike, get your race bib, body markings, swim cap, pee a million times and try like mad to calm your nerves. All the racers are then debriefed on the rules and the course is outlined. It also means that I will be getting up a 4am so that I can eat and get ready as it will take me roughly a hour to get out to Bird's Hill.
For those of you who know my struggle with food experimentation, I plan on consuming some Boost as I think if I eat solids before the swim, coupled with my nerves, I am liable to throw up in the water. I also think I will put my Bento Box on the bike and take some gels just in case I need some extra energy from the swim. All 3 times when I have gotten out of the OWS practices, I have felt really wobbly, so hopefully a little carb/sugar combo will help!
Speaking of OWS, I completed a third one on Thursday evening. I owe my Voice of Reason a big thank you as she pretty much forced me to do this swim against my will. You see I did not want to do this, as I was worried that I would have another bad experience, and that this would unnerve me for my upcoming race. My voice of reason, however, was very firm in not allowing me to get away with this bullshit (pardon the French but emphasis is required here) and basically advised me that I was never going to allow myself to get to a better place if I did not confront my fear. In essence she told me that the only person responsible for letting myself down is me-and I can choose not to beat myself up!
So in the end, I followed her advice. It wasn't as great a swim as I had with Mr and Mrs. P but it wasn't as awful and crushing as my first one. I swam roughly 1500m and it was only after I was halfway done, that I began to feel a rhythm (this is why I prefer the longer distance). I am so glad I did it, and thank you my dear dear friend-as usual you were right!
Adding just a tad to my anxiety, is a problem that has developed in the last several days. I am having some pain-in my butt! This is related to a sacreal nerve-very common for runners. So I did change my running shoes (something that everyone will tell you not to do before a race-but mine are identical to the ones I had) and booked a therapeutic massage yesterday with my friend Mrs. L. She is a wee little thing, but can make a grown man cry with the force she puts behind her tiny hands. She pounded on my butt muscle for an hour and today I am happy to report that it is feeling much better and "runable". But as a precautionary measure, I have booked her in regularly for the next month. Thank goodness for Blue Cross coverage! Gotta love Canada!
Well that is all for now folks. I must tend to my family, and try and keep my mind occupied and my breathing deep. I am also hoping for rain today so our neighborhood block party will be postponed (don't need noise to be added to the equation as sleep will suffer even more tonight). I will carry all your support with me tomorrow as I experience my very first Triathlon! Luvs ya!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Forgot about dinner
Ok followers- I made it to the Bike Shop yesterday and Mr. C was a fantastic coach in the whole tire changing escapade. Aside from som grease on my hands and pants, I successfully changed my tire. A little tip for those who do get bike grease on their clothes-Rubbing alcohol works wonders!
I also spent more money (when is it going to stop?) and ordered aerobars and a water bottle. They should arrive in a couple of weeks with some luck so I can get some practice in before Aug.1st. I also will be packing some C02 cartridges with me as Mr. C demonstrated how to use these-and would be key in a race situation. I must admist the contents of C02 are under pressure and it was a bit intimidating to watch the tire inflate a such a fast pace-wow!
So it is again raining in the city-making another open water swim seem unlikely today-this is causing me some stress.
I am also stressed as my first triathlon is on Sunday. I am signed up for the Sprint distance, but am seriously considering going longer as I tend to settle better with the longer distances. The short distances freak me out more as I go faster and burn out quick due to the anaerobic state I often get myself into. I must consult with Mr. P for the final ruling!
Yikes........forgot about dinner-must go buy something-Geez!
I also spent more money (when is it going to stop?) and ordered aerobars and a water bottle. They should arrive in a couple of weeks with some luck so I can get some practice in before Aug.1st. I also will be packing some C02 cartridges with me as Mr. C demonstrated how to use these-and would be key in a race situation. I must admist the contents of C02 are under pressure and it was a bit intimidating to watch the tire inflate a such a fast pace-wow!
So it is again raining in the city-making another open water swim seem unlikely today-this is causing me some stress.
I am also stressed as my first triathlon is on Sunday. I am signed up for the Sprint distance, but am seriously considering going longer as I tend to settle better with the longer distances. The short distances freak me out more as I go faster and burn out quick due to the anaerobic state I often get myself into. I must consult with Mr. P for the final ruling!
Yikes........forgot about dinner-must go buy something-Geez!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
More learning to do!
Hello followers- today is another rainy day in the city, and happens to coincide with a recovery day.
I have been busy preparing for today because I am planning on visiting Mr. C at the bike shop for a lesson in tire changing. In exchange for assisting me, I promised to bring him some power bars and home made energy gels.
So yesterday, I spent time gathering the chemicals err...I mean ingredients to make the gels. I have every imaginable medium chain triglyceride's, endurance and recovery enhancers (all legal of course). My hours spent canning over the last couple of years was also useful to assist with ensuring a gel, and of course having the necessary preservatives on hand so I don't poison Mr. C. I must say my kitchen was a mess, and if anyone peered in, they could have easily suspected I was working in a Meth lab! In the end, I made 2 kinds of gels- one that is Apple Cinnamon and the other one, Chocolate Mint. I like the former one better, and have to tap myself on the back as they are both pretty good for a first try. The real test will come from trying them while working out!
I am also debating on whether or not to purchase some aerobars for my bike. The clip on kind are relatively inexpensive and Mr. P seems to think I am ready for them. While the aerobars will help with time performance on the bike, what really appeals to me, is that you can mount a water bottle with a long straw on them so you don't have to reach down for your water bottle!
Well...wish me luck-hopefully I will not blow up my tire-and I can get away from this experience feeling more confident so that if I do get a flat, it won't put me out of the game!
I have been busy preparing for today because I am planning on visiting Mr. C at the bike shop for a lesson in tire changing. In exchange for assisting me, I promised to bring him some power bars and home made energy gels.
So yesterday, I spent time gathering the chemicals err...I mean ingredients to make the gels. I have every imaginable medium chain triglyceride's, endurance and recovery enhancers (all legal of course). My hours spent canning over the last couple of years was also useful to assist with ensuring a gel, and of course having the necessary preservatives on hand so I don't poison Mr. C. I must say my kitchen was a mess, and if anyone peered in, they could have easily suspected I was working in a Meth lab! In the end, I made 2 kinds of gels- one that is Apple Cinnamon and the other one, Chocolate Mint. I like the former one better, and have to tap myself on the back as they are both pretty good for a first try. The real test will come from trying them while working out!
I am also debating on whether or not to purchase some aerobars for my bike. The clip on kind are relatively inexpensive and Mr. P seems to think I am ready for them. While the aerobars will help with time performance on the bike, what really appeals to me, is that you can mount a water bottle with a long straw on them so you don't have to reach down for your water bottle!
Well...wish me luck-hopefully I will not blow up my tire-and I can get away from this experience feeling more confident so that if I do get a flat, it won't put me out of the game!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Feeling better
Hello followers- I am once again happy to report survival coupled with feeling better. Yesterday was a long workout with 110k on the bike followed by a 5k run.
My goals of eating and drinking on the bike were realized with just a minor incident which could have easily resulted in killing Mr. P. Rather embarassing-I thought I had put my water bottle securely in it's cage-but when I let go-it went flying at a gazillion miles per hour right towards Mr. P. Fortunately he was able to dodge this water bottle bullet and then proceeded to tell me that when he was on the Ironman course, he had to dodge water bottles on a regular basis. OMG I am thinking to myself-it never even occured to me that I might have to do this! Strange because when running a race, people chuck all sorts of things on the ground-don't know why I didn't think biking was the same.
This experience also resulted in one of my worst fears coming true-yup-I got a flat tire. It was the strangest experience, because, again for some reason, I thought that if you got a flat, you would loose control and veer to your right or left or flip off, or some unfortunate experience. In this case, my bike just started making a very very strange noise. When I asked Mr. P about this, he said Donna you got yourself a flat and now your going to change it.
So there I sat at the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere, changing my tire. I was so greatful the Mr. P and his wife were with me as I know firsthand, I would not have been able to do it alone. Good thing I will get in some more practice with Mr. C this week at the bike shop!
The other major thing I learned about the long ride, was the importance of heart rate and staying in an endurance zone so you don't burn out your legs. Even though I went a greater distance and ran further than in the duathalons, I felt way better. I know it sounds strange, but its true.
Today, though, was the icing on the cake. I met Mr. P and Mrs. P this morning for my second open water swim (OWS). The water was bleepin cold and the outdoor air temp was 14. Mrs. P was so kind and shared her thermos of hot water with me. Just so we are clear, the hot water was not for drinking, but for pouring down our wetsuits prior to taking the very cold plunge.
I remembered to breathe, and being in the company of Mr and Mrs. P was very reassuring to say the least. The swim went sooooooooooooooooo much better, and I actually was able to relax and find a rythm. My ability to site in the water was somewhat improved, although clearly an area I will need to work on.
The one thing that did freak me out was when Mr. P was grabbing at my arms and legs. Perhaps I should explain as that did not sound right. Apparently in the mass start of the swim everyone is jockeying for position. As a result, people kick, grab, scratch, push-you name it. Mr. P was trying to simulate this so that next week when this happens, I will not panic. So today I did panic-but at least it was controlled panic, and even though I reverted to my back for a second to compose, I quickly got back on my stomach and started to swim again.
At the end of the day, I must say I feel so much better-I know I have a lot of work still ahead, but at least today I am way more positive. Now if only I can get in a few more OWS this week!
My goals of eating and drinking on the bike were realized with just a minor incident which could have easily resulted in killing Mr. P. Rather embarassing-I thought I had put my water bottle securely in it's cage-but when I let go-it went flying at a gazillion miles per hour right towards Mr. P. Fortunately he was able to dodge this water bottle bullet and then proceeded to tell me that when he was on the Ironman course, he had to dodge water bottles on a regular basis. OMG I am thinking to myself-it never even occured to me that I might have to do this! Strange because when running a race, people chuck all sorts of things on the ground-don't know why I didn't think biking was the same.
This experience also resulted in one of my worst fears coming true-yup-I got a flat tire. It was the strangest experience, because, again for some reason, I thought that if you got a flat, you would loose control and veer to your right or left or flip off, or some unfortunate experience. In this case, my bike just started making a very very strange noise. When I asked Mr. P about this, he said Donna you got yourself a flat and now your going to change it.
So there I sat at the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere, changing my tire. I was so greatful the Mr. P and his wife were with me as I know firsthand, I would not have been able to do it alone. Good thing I will get in some more practice with Mr. C this week at the bike shop!
The other major thing I learned about the long ride, was the importance of heart rate and staying in an endurance zone so you don't burn out your legs. Even though I went a greater distance and ran further than in the duathalons, I felt way better. I know it sounds strange, but its true.
Today, though, was the icing on the cake. I met Mr. P and Mrs. P this morning for my second open water swim (OWS). The water was bleepin cold and the outdoor air temp was 14. Mrs. P was so kind and shared her thermos of hot water with me. Just so we are clear, the hot water was not for drinking, but for pouring down our wetsuits prior to taking the very cold plunge.
I remembered to breathe, and being in the company of Mr and Mrs. P was very reassuring to say the least. The swim went sooooooooooooooooo much better, and I actually was able to relax and find a rythm. My ability to site in the water was somewhat improved, although clearly an area I will need to work on.
The one thing that did freak me out was when Mr. P was grabbing at my arms and legs. Perhaps I should explain as that did not sound right. Apparently in the mass start of the swim everyone is jockeying for position. As a result, people kick, grab, scratch, push-you name it. Mr. P was trying to simulate this so that next week when this happens, I will not panic. So today I did panic-but at least it was controlled panic, and even though I reverted to my back for a second to compose, I quickly got back on my stomach and started to swim again.
At the end of the day, I must say I feel so much better-I know I have a lot of work still ahead, but at least today I am way more positive. Now if only I can get in a few more OWS this week!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Funk
Hello followers- I have been thinking of posting but have been a bit down-OK a lot down. I have experienced a major setback and up until today I was feeling very melancholy!
In a nutshell, my open water swim was not a good first experience. It started with forgetting everything I learned about breathing and this escalated into full fledge panic. My wetsuit felt extremely constricting, I could not see where I was going, every attempt I made to lift my head out of water and site resulted in me losing any rythym to my swim- and so just to get myself calm I needed to flip onto my back (several times) which I am told is a very bad thing to do when you are in a race situation for safety reasons. The other part that freaked me, is looking into the green murky water and seeing all sorts of seeweed and garbage floating around. It is definitely not like the Disney movies where you see beautiful coral and fish and rainbow colours! I mean I knew it would be bad-but obviously was not prepared for the horror of it.
I managed the 800 meter swim without drowning, but my only thoughts coming out of the water were how I will not be able to do Calagary never mind my first tiathlon in a week! I felt all my hard work was a waste, and the discouragement, and self pity were beyond anything I have experienced in all the training so far.
I immediately called my voice of reason (Seema) who reminded me of my successes in the experience and will likely kill me for posting the negative's. After processing what she has said-and begginning to internalize some, I have come to the point today-that I am not going to give up. I will get back out there and practice. I did the 800 meters-even if it was freaking slow-I did it, and that is the approx. distance I need to do for my Sprint triathlon next week. I now know what it is like-it will no longer be a shock. My better half (Michael) has also said he will come out with me this week and spot me so I can get some more swimming in before the weekend. I am very lucky to have a husband whos is so supportive and encouraging of me as well!
So followers in the end, even though I have to admit I am still scared about the swim part-I refuse to allow this to paralyze me like it has for the last two days. This funk has got to go!
And it starts with getting some confidence back with an opportunity today. You see today is another milestone in my training. In approximately 2 hours from now, I will be embarking on a 100 K bike ride with a group of riders, followed by a 5 k run. Mr. P has arranged this insanity and while I feel a lot nervous because this is highway riding in a pack (which I have not experienced by the way) . My game plan is to let Mr. P and his posse know how I feel and learn as much as I possibly can. I also have to get comfortable with the idea of the high probability of being the slowest rider and accepting that. It definitley will be hard to finish last, but my goal at this point is to finish and to finish safely.
My technical goals for this ride is to eat and drink. My friend, Mr. C at the bike shop suggested this handy little gizmo to put on your bike called a bento box. I immediately agreed to purchasing it as it will store several snacks, and a gel flask for me.
Now- I must go, I must down a few Boost's to start my day, eat a breakfast and get ready. As I look out the window it is foggy-hopefully it will lift just like the funk.
In a nutshell, my open water swim was not a good first experience. It started with forgetting everything I learned about breathing and this escalated into full fledge panic. My wetsuit felt extremely constricting, I could not see where I was going, every attempt I made to lift my head out of water and site resulted in me losing any rythym to my swim- and so just to get myself calm I needed to flip onto my back (several times) which I am told is a very bad thing to do when you are in a race situation for safety reasons. The other part that freaked me, is looking into the green murky water and seeing all sorts of seeweed and garbage floating around. It is definitely not like the Disney movies where you see beautiful coral and fish and rainbow colours! I mean I knew it would be bad-but obviously was not prepared for the horror of it.
I managed the 800 meter swim without drowning, but my only thoughts coming out of the water were how I will not be able to do Calagary never mind my first tiathlon in a week! I felt all my hard work was a waste, and the discouragement, and self pity were beyond anything I have experienced in all the training so far.
I immediately called my voice of reason (Seema) who reminded me of my successes in the experience and will likely kill me for posting the negative's. After processing what she has said-and begginning to internalize some, I have come to the point today-that I am not going to give up. I will get back out there and practice. I did the 800 meters-even if it was freaking slow-I did it, and that is the approx. distance I need to do for my Sprint triathlon next week. I now know what it is like-it will no longer be a shock. My better half (Michael) has also said he will come out with me this week and spot me so I can get some more swimming in before the weekend. I am very lucky to have a husband whos is so supportive and encouraging of me as well!
So followers in the end, even though I have to admit I am still scared about the swim part-I refuse to allow this to paralyze me like it has for the last two days. This funk has got to go!
And it starts with getting some confidence back with an opportunity today. You see today is another milestone in my training. In approximately 2 hours from now, I will be embarking on a 100 K bike ride with a group of riders, followed by a 5 k run. Mr. P has arranged this insanity and while I feel a lot nervous because this is highway riding in a pack (which I have not experienced by the way) . My game plan is to let Mr. P and his posse know how I feel and learn as much as I possibly can. I also have to get comfortable with the idea of the high probability of being the slowest rider and accepting that. It definitley will be hard to finish last, but my goal at this point is to finish and to finish safely.
My technical goals for this ride is to eat and drink. My friend, Mr. C at the bike shop suggested this handy little gizmo to put on your bike called a bento box. I immediately agreed to purchasing it as it will store several snacks, and a gel flask for me.
Now- I must go, I must down a few Boost's to start my day, eat a breakfast and get ready. As I look out the window it is foggy-hopefully it will lift just like the funk.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Survival
Well followers, I am happy to report that I am still alive!.
I completed my 5th duathlon race Tuesday evening, and must say that the weather was excellent for this. From the prelim results, it looks as if I placed 2nd in my age category-so I am pretty happy about that. It was a great way to end the series, and even though these races would be considered C priority races, I am glad that I did them, as they have given me confidence and some experience.
It's funny- a year ago, the thought of completing a duathlon was something I desired, but never really thought I could do. Here a year later, I am a competitor and a contender with newbie status! It's true, life never stays the same, and if you put your mind to something it is amazing what you can accomplish.
Also I survived being imersed in an ice bath for over 7 minutes courtesy of my dear dear friend, Seema. Ok -So, I should back track a little-the water immersion "experiment" was to help me desensitize to the cold-and the 7 minute time span was done over the course of 90 minutes. Prior to the submersion, Seema took me through a deep breathing excersise and provided me with extensive counselling on how to manage anxiety and panic which is very common for swimmers in triathlons. I can't tell you how amazing one's body is when you teach it how to adapt.
I also learned how relaxing and tiring the cold water can be, and now realize why drowning victims will often fall asleep prior to death. Next thing you know, you will see cold water immersion baths being offered at spas!
In all seriousness, the cold water experience with breath work has really helped me psychologically-I know I can survive it, and I know how to get a handle on panic. I can't thank you enough Seema for taking your afternoon off and spending it with me in my bathroom on a beautiful sunny afternoon-Now that is a true friend indeed!
The cold water immersion was timed perfectly as today at 3pm I will be doing my first open water swim. Yes Yes Yes- I am nervous-especially because the group I will be swimming with, I don't know well. So I hope I can keep up and I hope no one has to rescue me. But the good thing is, I have a plan....a very special one......I know how to breathe! just breathe!
I completed my 5th duathlon race Tuesday evening, and must say that the weather was excellent for this. From the prelim results, it looks as if I placed 2nd in my age category-so I am pretty happy about that. It was a great way to end the series, and even though these races would be considered C priority races, I am glad that I did them, as they have given me confidence and some experience.
It's funny- a year ago, the thought of completing a duathlon was something I desired, but never really thought I could do. Here a year later, I am a competitor and a contender with newbie status! It's true, life never stays the same, and if you put your mind to something it is amazing what you can accomplish.
Also I survived being imersed in an ice bath for over 7 minutes courtesy of my dear dear friend, Seema. Ok -So, I should back track a little-the water immersion "experiment" was to help me desensitize to the cold-and the 7 minute time span was done over the course of 90 minutes. Prior to the submersion, Seema took me through a deep breathing excersise and provided me with extensive counselling on how to manage anxiety and panic which is very common for swimmers in triathlons. I can't tell you how amazing one's body is when you teach it how to adapt.
I also learned how relaxing and tiring the cold water can be, and now realize why drowning victims will often fall asleep prior to death. Next thing you know, you will see cold water immersion baths being offered at spas!
In all seriousness, the cold water experience with breath work has really helped me psychologically-I know I can survive it, and I know how to get a handle on panic. I can't thank you enough Seema for taking your afternoon off and spending it with me in my bathroom on a beautiful sunny afternoon-Now that is a true friend indeed!
The cold water immersion was timed perfectly as today at 3pm I will be doing my first open water swim. Yes Yes Yes- I am nervous-especially because the group I will be swimming with, I don't know well. So I hope I can keep up and I hope no one has to rescue me. But the good thing is, I have a plan....a very special one......I know how to breathe! just breathe!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Here goes
Hello followers-sorry for the delay in posting but I think I was suffering from writers block and am hoping that I am not getting too repetitive or boring!
The last few days were focused on finishing up the last of my regeneration week. It rained hard all weekend long with lots of flooding in the city. I managed to get out and do a run, but my bike training unfortunately was inside, and I still have not gone out and completed an open water swim. Thus swim training was also inside. I am actually starting to feel sick about the fact that an open water swim has not occurred yet.
Due to the kindness or evilness of a very good friend of mine, an experiment will be taking place tomorrow. This involves a desensitization to cold water. I think I mentioned before that in Calgary the water is very cold due to the glacier fed river, so many people panic in the water. To try and get used to this most unfortunate state, I will be putting my wetsuit on in the tub and filling it with super cold water and ice. My "friend" will laugh and laugh at me -I mean-she will be helping me with some deep breathing excercises, relaxation and timing me. Today I will fill large tupper wear containers with ice so I can rest my head on an ice block. Ha I feel like I am in training to do a trick with Chris Angel from Mindfreak!
Today as per the last 4 weeks I am feeling nervous. My last duathlon is scheduled tonight and I am going long again. Fortunately it is not raining (at the moment) and it is cool. I really can not believe that I have done 4 already-I guess because I feel like every time I do one, it is like my first time. Tonight they will be having a draw to win a triathlon bike, so I am crossing my fingers that I may have a chance at that. Course I have no idea of how to ride one, but I think it would improve my cycling time once I did! Geez I am starting to sound like a bike junkie already and I'm just a newbie! (I am assigning newbie status for a year and its only been 2 months since I have been riding a road bike)
Oh another bit of news is that I spent some more money-ahhhhh on getting triathlon specific shorts and a top to wear under my wetsuit. These things feel like the material a bathing suit is made from and dry super fast. This is a good thing as you don't want to be wet for long-not only due to the cold factor of having to get on the bike after a swim but the ahem.....chafing issues that could result. I also picked up some anti-fog spray for my goggles to see if this will help with my fog issues I have been having with them lately. Then again, I should get used to not being able to see a thing as lake water is green, muddy and murky! (at least here it is)
In the next day or two I will also be getting June's training program and I am afrad......do you hear Mr. P's laughter like I do?
The last few days were focused on finishing up the last of my regeneration week. It rained hard all weekend long with lots of flooding in the city. I managed to get out and do a run, but my bike training unfortunately was inside, and I still have not gone out and completed an open water swim. Thus swim training was also inside. I am actually starting to feel sick about the fact that an open water swim has not occurred yet.
Due to the kindness or evilness of a very good friend of mine, an experiment will be taking place tomorrow. This involves a desensitization to cold water. I think I mentioned before that in Calgary the water is very cold due to the glacier fed river, so many people panic in the water. To try and get used to this most unfortunate state, I will be putting my wetsuit on in the tub and filling it with super cold water and ice. My "friend" will laugh and laugh at me -I mean-she will be helping me with some deep breathing excercises, relaxation and timing me. Today I will fill large tupper wear containers with ice so I can rest my head on an ice block. Ha I feel like I am in training to do a trick with Chris Angel from Mindfreak!
Today as per the last 4 weeks I am feeling nervous. My last duathlon is scheduled tonight and I am going long again. Fortunately it is not raining (at the moment) and it is cool. I really can not believe that I have done 4 already-I guess because I feel like every time I do one, it is like my first time. Tonight they will be having a draw to win a triathlon bike, so I am crossing my fingers that I may have a chance at that. Course I have no idea of how to ride one, but I think it would improve my cycling time once I did! Geez I am starting to sound like a bike junkie already and I'm just a newbie! (I am assigning newbie status for a year and its only been 2 months since I have been riding a road bike)
Oh another bit of news is that I spent some more money-ahhhhh on getting triathlon specific shorts and a top to wear under my wetsuit. These things feel like the material a bathing suit is made from and dry super fast. This is a good thing as you don't want to be wet for long-not only due to the cold factor of having to get on the bike after a swim but the ahem.....chafing issues that could result. I also picked up some anti-fog spray for my goggles to see if this will help with my fog issues I have been having with them lately. Then again, I should get used to not being able to see a thing as lake water is green, muddy and murky! (at least here it is)
In the next day or two I will also be getting June's training program and I am afrad......do you hear Mr. P's laughter like I do?
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