California 70.3 Race Preview from a tri coach

So I found this blog giving a preview of the California Half Ironman.  SCARY, but in a great way because the more information the better!  It might be better for you to read this from his webiste.  He has a lot of great videos and maps!  http://coachvance.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-ironman-703-california-oceanside.html

29 Days . . .

WHAT THE HELL AM  I DOING?! 

I can't believe I signed up for a Half Ironman.  I'm almost 40.  I'm overweight.  I'm slow.  I can't swim.  I'm  really starting to freak out.

All I can do at this point is QUIT or work my ASS OFF!  I choose the latter.  Quitting isn't an option b/c I've invested too much time, money and energy at this point to turn back.  Plus I told too many people I am doing it!

So in the triathlon training world you should go super hard the next couple weeks and then I take it easy before the race.  With this in mind I have planned a big weekend.  I am going to do a long ride up to the towers at South Mountain.  To ride all the way up to the top you have to ride up hill for about 7 miles.  It is pretty steep so I doubt we will have many other riders with us.  The total ride will be around 50 miles and I want to start climbing after about 30 miles.  I'm also going to do a long run this weekend.  I'm hoping for about 8 miles.

I have also been in touch with my swim coach.  For the past year I have taken adult swim classes off and on.  My coach's name is Jonny.  He is a former British national champ and a former Arizona State University swimmer.  I am going to set up an hour long private lesson.  I've come a long way since I've started swimming but I think I could pick up some time if I had better form.  Hopefully Jonny is a miracle worker!

Wish me luck!  It is going to be a crazy couple of weeks! 

A miserable ride!

Today Peter had planned a practice triathlon for to get us ready for the California 70.3.  The tri was supposed to be about 3/4 the distance of the real race.  We met up at 7:00 a.m. to start our swim.  We all swam 1450 meters.  Suzanne was so fast she completed her 29 laps when I was on lap 18.  Embarrassing!  We got dressed and headed out for the bike portion.  When we got outside it was much colder than we were expecting.  Chilly and overcast.  As we started out on our 40 mile ride we realized the dark clouds were going to turn to rain.  We also rode into a head wind for most of the ride!  We were about 20 some miles in and it started.  It poured on us!  We were so cold and wet Ron and I turned back.  We were absolutely miserable.  We had rain, road splatter and car splatter.  Our sock, shorts, and shirts were completely drenched.  By the time I got back to our starting/ending place I decided to forgo the run.  My body was frozen to the core. It took us a good 1 hour to warm up.  Miserable.  Peter and Suzanne ran after that ride.  I was proud of them.  They are tougher than I am. 

Crazy Triathlete Weightloss Quote . . .

I found this on a triathlon website.  I thought it would give the rest of you an idea of how much people worry about weight in this sport.  Crazy. 
"The trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. Then you know you're within 10 pounds. If they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5 pounds. When they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

Good week for the Biking Ninja!

This was a good work out weekend for me.  I was able to do a couple things I didn't think I could do plus I received some good news. 

1. Peter and I did a double work out on Saturday.  We did a 2000m swim followed by a 6.2 mile run.  I was so relieved that I was able to swim the full distance on my hurt shoulder.  Peter thought I was faster than I was before my injury!  YES!  I have been paying more attention to my form so that was nice 
2. Today I went on a 65 mile bike ride.  I was so excited that I was able to complete the distance in a timely manner without my "girly parts" being damaged.  It was a beautiful day for a ride.  I ended up taking my longsleeve shirt off and then realized I was dressed in all black.  Jake said I looked like a Biking Ninja.  Made me laugh!
3. Today I found out that I will have an hour and 29 minutes to finish the swim portion of my Half Ironman.  thank goodness.   I was worried about making the cut of time.  This time will give me some room to freak out and still make it!

I'm feeling much stronger and much more confident after each long work out.  40 days to go.  No time to mess around!

First 20k TT!

I raced my first time trial (TT) this morning out west of Buckeye, AZ (yes, the Wild Wild West complete with cow poop smell in the air), and not only was it my first ever actual race on a bike only that wasn't a tour event but it was also my first ever race as part of the Tribe Women's team. Whoot! I picked up my kit, pink plaid jersey and shorts + arm and knee warmers, this morning and was colorful to say the least. It was great!

14.2 miles was the actual race distance, and while that isn't very far, it hurt. As I understand it the goal is to cover that distance in the shortest amount of time possible while not blowing yourself up. Yes, that's the goal in every race, like a 5k run, but as compared to a criterium bike race: in a crit, you race the clock -- how many laps on this 1 mile course can I make in X amt. of time while in a pack of other cyclists around corners? In a TT: how fast can I cover 20k out here by myself without being in a pack of other cyclists?

It was really cool to do, and they even had us start at the top of a ramp and shoot down onto the out-and-back course up Sun Valley Pkwy. Totally felt like a champ before I even went anywhere. It was a little less flat than we thought, and a little less downhill on the way back than I'd been told, but that's alright. I know I can go faster next time for sure because now I have a little better idea of how quickly to start (not very) and when to really start picking up the pace (maybe a smidge sooner than I did).

Tomorrow am is the 41.5 mile road race which I will do with the rest of my team and I have 2 goals: (1) stay with the pack, and (2) finish. The rest of my team is a bit faster than I am so goal 1 will be a challenge. Then in the afternoon I'm running the Skirtchaser 5k. Way fun! Hopefully I can make it to the Sunday am 60 mile group ride. But for now, it's off to the pool.

No turning back now . . .

Well, it is real. Our athletes' guide for the half ironman came via email today. Wow. What a motivator.

I am now thinking about how I will spend the next month or two. There are only a few weekends left to fit everything in. This is what I have on the books so far. (See below) I need to get another half marathon in and a an open water swim or two scheduled.

February 13, 14 - Long ride on the 14th = 60 miles
February 20, 21 -
February 27, 28 - Long ride Silent Sunday South Mountain replicate CA70.3
March 6, 7 - Firebird Lake Triathlon (OWS)
March 13, 14 -
March 20, 21 -
March 27th - Race weekend

Not a great week . . .

This was a very rough work out week for me.

This week i had my first day back in the pool since my accident. The swim was much more painful than I thought it would be. I was VERY discouraged. I could feel pain doing my warm up strokes. Not good. I am going to have to work my tail off to be able to do this race.

Next, it rained on the day i was going to do a nice long ride. Instead of 50 miles I only got in 20 miles. THEN during my 20 mile ride I got a flat tire. UGH. I started to feel like this was not meant to be.

I was sitting waiting for my hubby to come change my tire feeling very sorry for myself. I was thinking about how he would take me home and I'd probably go for a run. But then Ron came, changed my tire and i was back on my way. I had a great ride! I made good time and I know i am a much stronger rider than i used to be. Maybe I can do this?!

Yes, I know I can do this, but I will have to work my butt off until the race. Literally! I have to drop some more weight. I know I can do the bike. I know I can do the run. I just have to meet that swim cut off time.

Wish me luck!!