SOMEONE PINCH ME!!

WOW! It is has taken me a long time to write this blog. Not sure why. I think this is the final thing that I need to have done to call this triathlon complete. It is so bittersweet. Sweet in that I did it and that I can take some of my training time and focus on some things that need attention. Bitter in that I loved the training and the team that I trained with. I knew that I loved to get together with the team a couple of times a week, however I did not realize how much I was going to miss them once the season was complete.

So here are some pictures from the day of the event:

We stayed @ a hotel in Santa Monica the night before the race and we needed to be up and on the bus with everything we needed by 4:45 am. When we arrived at Malibu there were so many people there. On the race day there was somewhere between 2500-3000 participants. I was amazingly relaxed before the race, I just kept thinking this is what I have been getting ready for 4 months. I also had a hypnotherapy session on Friday night that seemed to really relax me (Thanks Ida!!) The race started at 7:15 am, the wave that I was in started somewhere around 7:50. I am somewhere in the midst of these ladies wearing pink hats. This was us waiting just before the canon went off.
This is just after the canon went off running into the ocean and the waves.
The orange buoy is what we swam around and then went swimming for a while parallel to the beach.
The end of the swim running out of the water.
From the ocean running to the transition area.

In the transition area. Stripped off the wetsuit and had my tri suit underneath.

Leaving the transition area with my bike.
About 3 miles into the bike course. Just past this, the guy that I am riding behind and I almost got hit by a car that went through some cops at an intersection. At this point I did something to the gears on my bike and could no longer change gears on the front sprockets. The last 14 miles of the ride I did in the same general gears, so the ride took me longer than I wanted it to. However I am very thankful that I was able to finish it.

One of the best pieces of advice that I think we received during the training was SMILE. I took this to heart and smiled as much as possibble. It really did make the event even better.

Dismount line after the bike going into the transition area.

This is what the transition area looked like. It was huge!!
On the run...
Close to the finish.



Crossing the finish...

Everyone received a medal for completing the event.
My biggest fan!!

Here are the times that I completed that triathlon in:

1/2 mile ocean swim: 23 minutes 32 seconds
Transition 1 (swim to bike): 4 minutes 7 seconds
18 mile bike: 1 hour 9 minutes 59 seconds
Transition 2 (bike to run): 2 minutes 16 seconds
4 mile run: 49 minutes 57 seconds
Total Time: 2 hours 29 minutes 53 seconds

I am very pleased with these times for my first event.

Thank you all so much for all your support. I raised over $3200 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I loved being part of the Team in Training program and I would recommend these events for everyone.

I DID IT!!

I finished Malibu Triathlon today and I feel that it went well. I will have more details up here soon with some pictures. Thanks for all your encouragement and support.

Finally photos from the Mock Tri

Just a few photos from the Mock Tri that I did a few weeks ago. Not really time to post much more. Next post will be after the race which is in 2 days and I need to get to bed.

Goodnight.

Training Schedule: Monday, September 8- Sunday September 14

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Relaxed swim about 1000 yd.
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: RACE DAY!!

Training Schedule: Monday, September 1- Sunday September 7

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Bike. Ride 20 mi with some hills followed an easy 10” run.
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Run 4 miles with some intervals on flat terrain.
Friday: Swim 1600’ yards.
Saturday: Coached BRICK @Griffith Park
Sunday: Run 6 miles.

Training Schedule: Monday August 25- Sunday August 31

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Run 5 mi with some hills
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Ride 20 mi flat
Friday: Swim 1500’ yards.
Saturday: Ocean swim/ Run @ TBA
Sunday: Run 7 mi flat

WOOHOO!!

So I completed the mock tri. It went well. More details to follow as I need a nap.

Freaked Out!

So it has been a while again. What is new and exciting?

On Monday I was swimming in the ocean and I was a long ways from shore by myself. Atticus was standing back on shore keeping an eye on me, as most normal people would still be on shore. I am trying to get used to my new wetsuit (one of these days I will post the video of me trying on a wetsuit for the first time). I was out swimming and doing fine when a very large shadow passed underneath me. I was fine right away with this however after I started to bob like a cork and looked back to shore and exactly how far away I was and that I was all by myself. My heart rate skyrocketed and I started to panic, so off I went as fast I as could back to shore, I kept looking over my shoulder the whole time to see if there was a wave coming in, but I think secretly I was worried about what I saw. I did have a decent size wave hit me on the way in and it took my cool new swim goggles with it. DANGIT!! So not only did I run (swim) from a shadow I lost my new goggles. Now that I think about it I am pretty sure what I saw was a sea lion, but it was definitely freaky being out there by myself.

This Saturday we have a mock tri. We are actually going to the location in Malibu where the tri in September is going to be held and we are doing the course, all of it. I am secretly (though it is not much of a secret if I am writing it here) excited, nervous & scared. We shall see how it goes and I will let you know.

Training Schedule: Monday, August 18- Sunday August 24

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Ride 18 easy miles
Friday: Swim 1500 yards
Saturday: Mock Tri at Zuma Beach 6:30 am
Sunday: Choose weakest sport and repeat Tuesday or Thursday.

Training Schedule August 11th to August 17th

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Bike. Ride 20 miles
Friday: Swim 1800’ yards
Saturday: Coached Run
Sunday: Run 6 miles

A Kick In The Shorts...

Thursday night I received a big old kick in the shorts.

We went and visited Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. We went to a wing that has the children with Leukemia & Lymphoma. The kids ranged in age from 6 months to 18 years.
I have never seen such bravery as these kids and the treatments that they are currently going through. There were quite a few kids that were so upbeat you would not have guessed how sick they were and that they were in the hospital.

We took coloring & activity books, stickers, word searches, sudoku, CDs, & DVDs for the kids to have.

I now do not have any excuse for the days when I do not feel like training. I will just have to think of the amazing kids that I met last night and remember how brave they are for what they are facing.

What A View!!

Last night was swim practice. Before practice and after work I had about an hour of time so I decided to go and do some interval training in the hills around the pool. It was fun and I ended up by some houses that were being built on top of the hill overlooking the valley where the pool was. There was hole in the construction fence so I decided to go and check out the view. These homes were framed with some drywall in the process of being installed. The view was fantastic. These homes were about as high as you could get in that area. So I did a little exploring and walked around a corner in one of the homes and there was a coyote sitting about 6 feet from me. I think we were both equally surprised, I left right away. I think that we were both up there for the same reason though as the view was incredible.

On the way back down to the pool I got lost as I must have missed a turn or took an extra turn at some point. Eventually though I did make it back down to the pool although it was definitely a different route than what I took on the way up.

Swim practice went well; I am definitely feeling stronger in the water. We also got our uniforms and our wetsuits last night.

Tonight we are going for a visit @ the Children’s Hospital.

Mother Ocean Had Her Way With Me!!

Last Monday I went and did some swimming in the ocean to get used to the waves. The plan was to do a bunch of swimming then come in and run down the beach a ways, come back and repeat. This worked for a period of time. Then one time on my way in, I was swimming hard and feeling good. Then all of a sudden my face was driven into the ground then I felt myself spin in a 360 then my face was driven into the ground again then another 360 then all of a sudden I was laying on the beach. Then I was wondering what the heck just happened and dang my nose hurts. After wiping myself off and finding out that I was ok then Atticus recounted what he had seen.

He saw me swimming in, then he saw nothing then my yellow hat, then my bare feet, then my yellow hat again and then my bare feet. Then all of a sudden I was lying on the beach.

Sometimes Mother Ocean just has to remind you how strong she is by chewing you up and spitting you out.

Saturday’s training was good we did intervals for an hour. It was run for 3 minutes as fast as you can but maintain it for 3 minutes then 3 minutes of recovery. This we repeated for an hour. At the end of the hour I was really glad it was done. This is supposed to make us faster and I can only get faster.

After training some of us on the team did a fund raising car wash. We had a really good time with that and seemed to raise a decent amount of money.

The race is only 6 weeks away and I am really starting to get anxious about it. I cannot believe it is coming up so quickly.

Training Schedule: August 4th - August 10th

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Bike. Ride 20 mi with some hills followed an easy 10 minute run.
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Swim 1600’ yards.
Saturday: Coached BRICK
Sunday: Run 6 miles easy on a flat terrain

This week's focus is CONFIDENCE.

Training Schedule July 28th - August 3rd

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Run 5 miles with some hills
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Ride 15 miles flat
Friday: Swim 1400’ yards.
Saturday: Coached Run
Sunday: Ride 20 miles in hilly terrain

This week's focus is BALANCE Find the balance between pushing the body to new levels but not over doing it. Get 8-9 hours of sleep per night, eat well, drink plenty, and treat yourself like the athlete you have become.

What A Ride!!

Yesterday we had our ride @ Bonelli Park in San Dimas. I had never been to Bonelli Park before so it was great to go to a new place. The park is VERY hilly so our 2 hour bike ride was a work out to say the least. I had mentioned that I am doing the triathlon on my mountain bike. I do not have a road bike, but I have a really great mountain bike, so I decided what the heck. What I have learned though is that I need to change out my tires, which I will do sometime before the race, as I am training with my big knobby off road tires. I figure that if I train with them when I switch to smooth tires it will be a breeze.

Phrases heard (either out loud or in my head) on yesterday’s ride:

• “You want me to ride with who? Do you realize I am on a mountain bike, how am I going to keep up with them?”
• “I go downhill like a rocket!!”
• “I have to ride up THAT hill; I think they are trying to kill me!”
• “Don’t worry about me; I will catch you on the downhill.”
• “Hey that was a snake!”
• “How much room do you need to pass, you have the whole road, quit crowding me!”
• “I think taking a shortcut sounds great!”
• “How is this a shortcut?”
• “Are you sure we are still on the shortcut?”
• “I think your definition of a shortcut and mine are 2 very different things.”
  

After our ride we then went swimming in the lake. I cannot even tell you how good the water felt. It did not matter how tired I was as the water was luxurious.

Here is a picture of the team that yesterday that went to Bonelli Park:

How did so much time past?

Now I know that I have been busy, but this is ridiculous as to how long it has been since I have updated my progress.

So the last I wrote I was having an MRI done of my knee. I now have the results of that back and I seem to have a crack in the cartilage underneath my knee cap. Well now that explains why it hurts. So there is not a lot that can be done except to manage the symptoms and not make it worse. So yesterday I went and saw a physical therapist who specializes in runners and he videotaped me running. I seem to have some weakness in my hips that is causing my legs to want to always be really close to together, so the plan is to strengthen the hip muscles so that I run with a distance of 6-8 inches between my feet. Also, he said it would be better to lengthen my stride just a bit. So now I will be working on my form and seeing how quickly I can make these changes and I have a whole bunch of exercises to do each day to strengthen my hips.

Myself, 3 of my teammates and 2 of our mentors had a wine tasting fund raiser this last Saturday night. We had a great time and raised a good amount of money. It was really great how many people came out and donated generously and bid on our silent auction items.

Tomorrow we have training @ Bonelli Park where we will bike for a couple of hours and then swim for a while afterwards. Should be fun and hot!!

Training Schedule July 21-July 27

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Run 4 miles with some easy hills after a 10’ warm up
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Day Off!
Friday: Run 5 miles easy on a flat terrain after a 10’ warm up.
Saturday: Bike and Swim at Bonelli Lake in San Dimas
Sunday: Bike: Ride 20 miles all easy in rolling hills in Z1/Z2 with a easy 10 min. run.

Fun & Exhausting Camping Trip

I got back yesterday from the big team camping weekend. I had a really good time. We worked out lots, but also had plenty of time for just hanging as well.

My mentor Mary & I:

Me & my rides:

We camped at Lake Lopez which was at the top of a giant hill. Just going to the bathroom was a workout. There were around 50 people that went; people from both the eastside and Westside tri teams. Biking and running were crazy as the hills were large and steep.

All in all it was a good weekend, I really enjoyed getting to know people from my own eastside team better.

Training Schedule July 14 - July 20

Monday: Day Off!
Tuesday: Ride 15 miles in hilly terrain.
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Run 5 miles
Friday: Swim 1200 yards
Saturday: Coached Run @ Griffith Park
Sunday: Ride 20 miles in rolling hills and Practice T2 with a 5 min. run.

The focus of this week is PACING. I am supposed to find that pace that I can keep “forever”, or at least longer than the duration of my workout. I am supposed to finish each workout with the feeling “I could have done a little more”.

I HAVE A SCREW LOOSE!!

So I know that most of you are not surprised by my title. However it is not what you think. I literally do have a screw loose. I have been dealing with a little bit of pain in my left knee, so I went to a sports medicine doctor and he took some x-rays and found that the one screw that I have left in my knee from when I had my ACL replaced about 10 years ago has managed to loosen itself and is sticking out of my bone. Now this may or may not have anything to do with my knee pain, but it is cool to say that I have a screw loose and mean it literally. :-)

Today I had an MRI taken to see if there is anything going on in my knee. Part of doing this was to have some liquid (contrast material) injected into my knee so that they could tell the difference between old scar tissue and new damage. This was a great time as my knee felt like a full balloon afterwards. They said my body would absorb the extra liquid in a couple of days so for right now I have a swollen knee that I cannot run or bike with at least I am told that I can still swim with it until it gets back to normal size. Next week I have a follow up with the sports medicine doctor to see if there is anything wrong in my knee. My guess is that my knee cap is tracking wrong. So for now I am still training as it is just uncomfortable not debilitating. The cool thing about going to a sports medicine doctor is that they will do whatever they can to keep the athlete active and surgery is a last resort if it is needed.

Beyond that training is going well. I cannot wait to go camping this weekend, it should be a hoot, although we are going to be training a lot while camping and we get to go swimming in a lake. WOOHOO!!

Training Schedule July 7 - July 13

Monday: Day Off
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Bike Ride 20 miles
Friday: Swim 1500 yards & leave for camping @ Lake Lopez
Saturday: Camping weekend with the team @ Lake Lopez

This week the training switches from time to distance.

The weekend will be great, the team is going camping @ Lake Lopez and yes we will still be training.

Pictures of me Swimmin'

Here are some pictures taken last week @ team swim practice:

Training Schedule June 30 - July 6

Monday: Day Off
Tuesday: Run 30 minutes
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Swim for 40’ minutes
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Coached RUN
Sunday: Bike Ride 50 minutes

This week's focus is RECOVERY again. Time to take a little break.

Citation & Brick Training

Yesterday I went for a ride on my bike before work. We have a bike path not too far from our home so I have always ridden on the sidewalk to the bike path. The reason I have always ridden on the sidewalk is that I live on a really busy road and people tend to drive like idiots, it just seems like a safer idea to me. Yesterday I was just about back home and I was riding on the sidewalk, when directly behind me a cop turned on his siren, I looked at him and he flagged me down. To make a long story short, I ended up getting a $20 citation for riding my bike on the sidewalk. The sidewalk is for pedestrians only and he told me that I was lucky to only get a $20 citation as he could give me one that would be the equivalent of driving a car on the sidewalk. He told me the reason that he noticed me was that I was go SO fast and that it was a dangerous speed for the sidewalk. When I saw that my fine was only $20 I decided to keep my mouth shut, but he almost got a lecture about why he was harassing me when there are real criminals to deal with. I cannot afford a bigger ticket right now so I ended up having to thank him for setting me straight about riding on the sidewalk. So what have I learned from this: “Ride more slowly on the sidewalk as to not draw the attention of bored cops.”

Today we had our first BRICK practice as a team. We met at Griffith Park and we rode our bikes hard and fast then after we were done we had to ride quickly to where we were parked, jump off our bike, quickly take off our biking shoes put on our running shoes and go for a run. At this point as well you want to remember to take off your helmet as running in a helmet I am sure would be no fun. I have to tell you the first 12 minutes of the run, my body felt like jello, things felt like they were not working right. It was an effort to get into running mode, the coaches had said that it would be weird and let me assure you it was. After 12 minutes things finally seemed to work themselves out and I was able to get a pace going. This transition is called T2, it is the transition that we do from biking to running. There is also the T1 transition that is from swimming to biking (I am sure that will be interesting as well when we get to do that one.)

Blogging Is Hard

Wow, blogging more difficult than I thought it would be. It is tedious to try and remember to sit down and write a few words often.

I am dealing with a little bit of “runner’s knee”. Who would have ever thought that would be a term associated with me. Essentially that means that I am having a some knee pain below the knee cap. I have a friend of mine that has given me some great advice to help it as well as I need to make sure that I ice it after every training session.

Last night I got some biking and running in. I rode my bike to the gym, ran for 45 minutes and then went for a short ride after that. Atticus has been getting involved with my training and going biking with me. Since I focus on where my heart rate is I look really funny riding next to him as he rides real casual. I keep a really fast cadence (rpm), hence I pedal really fast, but do not go very far. What is really funny are the days when it is cool enough and I go running outside, Atticus bikes while I run and to keep himself entertained he smokes a cigar while biking next to me.

This last week has been brutally hot; we are finally back into our normal heat. Last Saturday the team running practice was at Griffith Park we start pretty early in the morning while is is cool and we are typically done by 9:30 so that it is still cool. When we got done this last Saturday and I was leaving it was 98 degrees. I was really finally like I was dragging during the training, now I know why.

Tonight is swim practice.

Training Schedule June 23 - June 29

Monday: Swim 60 minutes
Tuesday: Day Off
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Run 60 minutes
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Coached BRICK—Bike and Run & Transition T2 Clinic
Sunday: Ride 75 minutes

This week's focus is QUALITY.

I'm behind this week...

I am behind on my training plan for this week. I was not feeling well on Sunday, so I decided to take Monday off. Then Monday I received news that someone that is very special to me passed on, so that took me out of Tuesday as well.

Last night I did get my swim in and hung out for dinner with the team. Then when I got home I went on a long walk. Tonight I am going to run as I felt so much better last night getting some edorphins moving.

Training Schedule June 16 - June 22

Monday: Swim 60 minutes
Tuesday: Day Off
Wednesday: Coached Swim
Thursday: Run 45 minutes
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Coached Run & Running Clinic
Sunday: Run 50 minutes on rolling hills
This week’s focus is TECHNIQUE.

I can now change a tire!

So at Tuesday night's bike clinic, I had the opportunity to change a tire, so that I now had a grasp on. Actually, I had changed my tires before, but now I know so tricks as well. Also, we learned how to adjust the derailleurs on our bikes (for those that don't know that that it, it is what moves the changes from one gear to another). So when I got home, I decided that I needed to tinker with my own bike, so I adjusted my derailleurs myself. On Saturday morning when I got to bike practice my chain was rubbing. After practice one of the coaches nelped me adjust it, I had not quite done it properly. So it is people like me that keep bike mechanics in a job, I just cannot help myself but to tinker a little bit.

Here is a photo of the team that we took after a bike practice:

Update

On Saturday we had our first team bike practice at Santa Fe Dam/Encampo Park in Duarte. I had never been there before. It was a really cool place with a great bike trail. It was really nice to not have to worry about traffic and it was neat to ride on top of the dam.

Saturday night was a great party at one of the mentor’s house. Some of the past team was there as well; it was great to meet and talk to them about their experiences with training and with the race.

Monday’s training went well, I had planned to get a little extra training in on Monday later in the day, but that plan was derailed when Pharaoh had another cardiac event. For those of you that do not know Pharaoh is my cat/master and he has cardiomyopathy. So I stayed home with him until later in the evening.

Tonight we have a bike clinic, where we will learn how to do some minor repairs to our bikes. On race day, if something happens we have to deal with it ourselves with no outside help.

That is all for now, I am off to learn how to repair my bike.

Training Schedule June 9 - June 15

June 9 - 50 minute Swim
June 10 - Day Off
June 11 - Team Coached Swim
June 12 - 50 minute Bike Ride
June 13 - Day Off
June 14 - Team Coached Bike Ride
June 15 - 60 minute Bike Ride

There seems to be focus on riding my bike this week. Should have a sore butt by the end of it. I am also told that this week’s focus should be to establish CONCENTRATION in each workout. I am to be aware of my posture, breathing, and heart rate.

Breathing!! It is more difficult that I realized!!

Tonight we had team swim practice. I think that I swim pretty well except for one “major” problem. I can only breathe well by tilting my head to the left. When I tilt my head to the right, all I seem to do is lift my head out of the water and open my mouth. I do not actually inhale. This is bad when every third stroke I am supposed to alternate sides that I breathe on. So what is happening is that I am breathing every 6 strokes and that is not nearly enough. I have been concentrating on the breathing on the right and it seems that when I concentrate on it that I stop kicking every time that I need to breathe. I think that I must have a wire loose somewhere in my head that I cannot breathe on the right and kick at the same time.

Tonight after practice I was awarded a Team In Training dri fit cap. Myself and one other person on the team got one as we had reached a certain dollar amount of fundraising by May 31st. Thanks to everyone that has been so supportive and donated. I cannot express how much I appreciate everyone’s generosity.

Training Schedule June 2 - June 8

June 2 - Day Off - Helping Someone Move
June 3 - 40 minute swim
June 4 - Team Coached Swim
June 5 - 30 minute Run
June 6 - Day Off
June 7 - Team Coached Bike Ride (Team Party @ Night) :-0
June 8 - Day Off

Should be a good week. This week's focus is RECOVERY. I am to concentrate on, don’t go to “empty” on a workout, improve your hydration & nutrition, stretch, self massage,
and get some extra sleep. It has one less day of training than I have been doing, should be a good week of recovery.

2 weeks down

Today was the end of the 2nd week of training and we met early this morning @ Griffith Park to run the horse path. It is amazing to me how much easier running is when your feet do not hurt and when you are training with a team. I really like the concept of training with a team. Just so everyone knows, I train 2 times a week with the team and then I am responsible for 3 training sessions a week on my own. I am proud to say that I have not slacked off at all; I have been getting the running, swimming and biking in as prescribed. Training with a team is great because they really want everyone to succeed so the coaches start out with the basics for anyone that needs it. I had never received any formal running instruction, so it has been a great experience learning how to run properly.

Fish Burrito

Another swim practice, afterwards we went to this great restaurant called Senor Fish in Eagle Rock. If you ever end up there I highly recommend the fish burrito.

Training Schedule May 26 - June 1

May 26 - 45 minute Swim
May 27 - Day Off
May 28 - Team Coached Swim
May 29 - 40 minute Run
May 30 - Day Off
May 31 - Team Coached Run
June 1 - 60 minute Bike Ride

This week's focus is COMFORT. I am supposed to find a pace that feels like I could “go all day”. This should be an interesting week.

Feet Hurt!!

So I have made it through the first full week of training. This morning the team met to run Griffith Park. I think it went really well except that my feet were killing me when I was done. So after talking to one of the coaches it was decided that my shoes did not fit properly for running, after practice I went to Phidippides in Encino to get a new pair of running shoes. I had to get a full size larger than what I was currently wearing (no I will not tell you what size I am wearing now!) but running in them at the store I can tell that I am going to be much happier now.

First Swim Practice

Tonight was the first swim practice. Practice went really well. The funniest part for me was trying to get a swim cap on my head. It is harder than it looks when you have as much hair as I have.

Training Schedule May 19 - May 25

May 19 - Day Off
May 20 - 45 minute Run
May 21 - Team Coached Swim
May 22 - 45 minute Swim
May 23 - Day Off
May 24 - Team Coached Run
May 25 - 50 minute Bike Ride

This is the first week of training to get my body used to this new activity and routine. My focus is to find the correct heart rate zone and hold it for the correct time.

Getting Started

Today is the official start of the Team In Training season, there was a big get together (Party!) in Culver City for all the different teams. It was great to meet so many other people raising money for LLS. LLS has team in training teams for marathons, century rides & triathlons.