Delayed Success is Even Sweeter

I started training for the 2008 Flying Pig, but had to drop out after an achilles injury. After some physical therapy, I was good to go, and had a great triathlon season last summer. I also started training for the October Marine Corps Marathon in D.C., but had to give that up after some other foot issues, including plantar fasciitis. It was mostly better after a few lazy months last fall, so I began training again in January with the Fleet Feet group for the 2009 Flying Pig. My feet still gave me problems at times, but running didn't seem to make it much worse, so I kept at it. I'd be in quite a bit of pain after the longer (14+ mile) training runs, but I'd be o.k. again after a couple days. The twenty-miler hurt, but I wasn't about to give up at that point. I didn't run the Tuesday or Thursday after that because I wanted to let my body fully recover before submitting it to the rigors of backpacking the following weekend. That, however, proved even more strenuous, and I was sore for another week following our return. So two weeks after our last long run, I tried running 8 miles and just about died. It was like my body had forgotten how to run! I got a bit concerned, but everyone told me that I was ready. I made sure to get my last two weeks of shorter runs in, and did feel better by race day, but I was still nervous. I figured it would be hard, and I assumed it would hurt, but I knew all that would go away after a few days. I just wanted to get through the thing to say I'd done it and put that silly goal behind me.

The day before the marathon, 5 of us who'd been training together met up for a nice slow 2-mile jog. Someone suggested we come up with a team name for our group, and I threw out Team Cheetah, which ended up sticking. All along we'd been training by running 3 minutes and walking 1, and we figured the cheetah was a good mascot for us since they run really fast for awhile and then stop to eat their prey. Or something like that. Only we never really ran very fast, least of all me. Oh, well, it was fun, and created an even stronger bond between us I think. I know that for me, anyway, I felt so much better going into this thing having a team of friends around me who kept telling me I could do it. We met up Sunday morning with Team Cheetah signs on and set off for the starting line.


Somewhere at about mile 5, the team got separated after a water stop. Marty, Angela and I were together, but we'd lost Doug, Laura, and Dick. Just before heading into Eden Park, the three of us stopped at the portapots, and Laura and Dick passed us as we waited in line. I ran with Marty and Angela as long as I could, but finally at about mile 12 I let them go on ahead of me. I told myself, "This is your race. Run it your way." I could have pushed myself a little more, stuck with them a little longer, but I didn't want to hurt myself or make myself more miserable than I needed to be. Sure, I kind of had a goal of 5 hours in my mind, but really I just wanted to finish what I'd set out to do more than a year earlier. I felt victorious already as I thought about how far I'd come. Of course, my right heel was hurting pretty good by that point, so that I had to step only on the ball of my foot whenever I walked, but it was definitely manageable. And, perhaps miraculously, I noticed near mile 14 or 15 that it didn't hurt anymore!

No doubt about it, though, I was tired. Between miles 17 and 18, as I ran through Mariemont, I felt pretty strong, like I got my second wind, but that's all the longer that lasted. I gladly accepted half a banana from some nice supporter, even though I'd never trained with anything other than my Hammer Gel. Oh, and I also had a Twizzler. And a few orange slices a little later on. They all tasted delightful. The second half of the race is kind of a blur (and I think only partially because I waited 2 weeks to write up my race report). After that I just remember giving myself short goals, like getting to mile 21 where the Fleet Feet folks were stationed. I think I even managed a pretty good smile as I ran past Jeremy and the other amazing people out there to cheer us on that morning. My short-term goals got shorter, to where I was really only thinking about the next 3-minute run till my next walk break, but it worked: I think I can do anything for 3 minutes.

With only a mile or two left, I suddenly saw Coach Jen jogging toward me from the direction of the finish line. She had only run the half marathon that morning since she'd run her full a week or two beforehand, but she was heading back onto the course to check on the rest of her team. I think I was just super emotional at that point because I started having trouble breathing as I fought back tears. Another Fleet Feet runner met up with us at about that point, and the three of us slowly but surely made our way toward the finish line. Jen got off the course before we reached the end, and the other girl ran ahead of me. I crossed the finish line alone, and a flood of emotions swept over me: No, I don't want a blanket, just my medal please. Yes... water... thank you. Oh, hi Marty, yeah, I made it. Where's the food? Where's Derek? Oh, there, on the phone outside the fence. I'm so glad you're here. Where are my sandals? Can I please just sit for a moment? Will you take my picture? Yeah, I'm fine, just really tired and a little sore. But none of the foot pain I usually have. Wow, no blisters even. Yeah, I actually feel pretty good. But we're gonna have to take it really slow walking the mile or so back to the car...

Home. Quick shower just to rinse off. Eat some leftover pasta. Sleep, maybe 1.5 or 2 hours. Another shower. Get ready for Derek's friend's wedding. And we're off. Just let me walk slowly and I'll be o.k. Delicious, free dinner I didn't have to cook. Nice!

So, yeah. I did it. It took me 5 hours, 23 minutes, and 45 seconds, but I did it. And even though there was very little about that race that was actually fun, since it didn't hurt that bad and since I didn't finish it in 5 hours like I'd hoped, I'll probably have to try again. 'Cause I'm just kinda crazy like that.

Marathoning

Well, it's just about here: race weekend. That's right, this Sunday, I'll be running my first (and last?) marathon, the Flying Pig. I've been training for it since January, and I was feeling pretty well prepared after making it through our 20-mile run a month ago. Then began the taper... Although, for me it was more than a taper really. I took some time off from running because my feet were hurting pretty bad, and because of a backpacking trip. The next run I did was an 8-miler, and it was rough. It was just sort of like my body had forgotten how to run! Now I'm worried, with only 2 more very short runs before the race. I'm sure I'll make it through, because I know sheer determination can carry me when I've got nothing left in me, but I'm expecting it to be slower and more painful than I'd originally planned. We'll see, though! (From the link above you can see the course map and other details, and even track my progress during the race if you're so inclined; my number is 3559.)

So, by now you all know that I'm pretty active: always training for something, or at least on the go from one activity to another. Which is fun! But I'm not so good at resting... And I've been thinking about this a bit lately, particularly as it pertains to my spiritual life. I love how the Bible describes the Christian walk as a race or a fight: it's not at all the passive thing we often allow it to become. BUT, I think we also have to actively pursue quiet times with our Father. It may seem a contradiction, but I know for me it's true: if I don't intentionally set aside time to quiet my mind and just be still with my God, to simply enjoy his presence or listen for his voice, I'll quickly fill my every moment doing something else instead. And even though those things are usually very good things - either good for me physically or emotionally, or even serving God - they can never replace simply being with him.

This life is not a sprint; it's a marathon. And if there's one thing I've been learning through all my training, it's that the beginning matters very little. What's more important is keeping a consistent pace and finishing strong. To be honest, I'm not even sure why I'm attempting a marathon since I don't really like running, but for some reason I got it in my mind that I should do one, and so here I am. But just as I now have this vision of crossing that finish line and receiving my medal to get me through, I know that I need a similar focus to sustain and inspire me spiritually as well. And we see a picture of that in Hebrews 12:1-3:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus... Yes. And I'm so thankful for the encouragement I've been receiving recently from an amazing new friend who challenges my priorities and steers me back on course toward the finish line that I know is really most important. :-)

Everything's Funner with Friends

I have to be honest: I love it when my student cancels his lesson on Wednesday nights. 'Cause that's usually when some friends are cycling, and then I can join them! On warmer days, we do the Wednesday Night Hill Ride out of Team Cycling, but when it's too cold for that, we opt for trainers in someone's living room. Well, last night we made it a ladies' night, swapping the usual BigDave for his better half. I mean, sure, I could have saved at least an hour-and-a-half if I'd have just set the thing up at home, (and then I probably wouldn't have been up until the wee hours of the morning getting songs ready for worship practice,) but it was way funner riding with friends! (And yes, I know that "funner" is not a word, but it's just funner than saying "more fun!") Here's a pic of the three of us: Mrs. BigDave, Mary Sunshine, and me. Yay!

2009 Race Schedule

This is by no means set in stone, but after looking through various race websites and my own calendar, this is my tentative race schedule for 2009:

March 29 - Heart Mini Marathon (15K)
May 3 - Flying Pig Marathon (half or full, we'll see)
May 17 - Tri for Joe (?)
June 7 - State Time Trial Championship (OR Deer Creek Triathlon?)
July 5 - Caesar Creek Triathlon (olympic)
August 1 - Steelhead Ironman 70.3 (half iron)
August 23 - Breat Buckeye Challenge Triathlon (oly)
September 6 - Portage Lakes Triathlon (sprint?)
September 27 - Toyota Challenge at Deer Creek Triathlon (oly)

Other biking events:
BDBC's Cross State Record Ride (Cincinnati to Toledo) - practice March 28?, actual attempt June? July?
QCW's Cleves Time Trial Series - every Tuesday May-September
QCW's 40K Time Trial Series - second Saturday March-June
CCC's Spring Opener - April 18
CCC's BCBCBC Ride - August 22
CCC's GGRR - October 3

Mary Sunshine

Let the blog war begin! :-)


Mary makes me feel comfortable.
I joined Queen City Wheels to challenge myself at the time trial every Tuesday. And I did. But I came and went each week without really talking to anyone, until I met Mary. Yup, she's the reason I started to feel like a part of the group.

Mary makes me smile.
She's just one of those people who is always pleasant to be around: she's friendly, and outgoing, and... happy. Even when she's complaining as we climb some steep hill, she's still smiling and you know that she's actually thrilled to be there. So it's hard not to be happy when you're with her!

Mary motivates me.
She is an ironman. Sure, she had to work hard to get there, as I'm sure all iron(wo)men do, but she did it! Twice! I never really had that as a goal before, but now I think I've got to try it... And she's so disciplined when it comes to training that she puts me to shame.

Mary challenges me.
She's faster than me. She's stronger than me. She may try to tell you that she's not, but the time trial doesn't lie. But, she makes me want to be faster and stronger. And I think I am already, thanks to her!

Mary encourages me.
She seems to bring out the best in people, and I think that encouragement if often the key. At least, it works for me! I definitely have more confidence because of her, and not just when it comes to biking.

Yup, I think we all need more Marys in our lives. Or maybe we all just need to be a little more Sunshine-y!

You WILL Do This

Yup, I think I just might...

Keepin' Busy

Wow! Where've I been?

Well, in addition to working, I've been having a little fun here in Princeton. Meeting some people, watching some Olympics... You know.

Yeah, so I've made a good friend in my neighbor Debbie. (In fact, I'm sitting in her house right now typing this, with her sweet cat to keep me company.) And I've found a couple of really neat groups of athletes to train with. There's a cycling club out here I've been riding with once a week or so. And on one of those rides I met a girl who told me about this running group that does track workouts every Tuesday and longer runs on Thursdays. There's a coach guy that volunteers his time to help other runners since he can't run much anymore, so it's free for us to come out and be on this makeshift track team. (Which is cool, 'cause a couple months ago when I helped a friend out with his school's track meet, I remember thinking, "I wanna be on a track team!" and now I kind of am. Even if it's just for a couple of weeks... ) And finally, some of the runners I met also do this master's swim class thing at a local fitness club, which I checked out last week. And it was awesome, let me tell you what! I used to just jump in the pool and swim for an hour or so, but that's not necessarily smart training. These workouts are probably more strategic, and are really just more fun 'cause they mix things up. Plus you get to do it with friends, which is just cool.

So, yeah. I'm gonna miss Princeton...

But I'm also really looking forward to coming home. :-) See you guys soon! (Aug. 30th...)

Central New Jersey Triathlon

For those of you who can't exactly picture what the transition area at these races looks like, here's a pic. But keep in mind: even though it looks crazy huge, this is really only about a quarter of the entire area!

And this is how you set up all your stuff, usually on a small towel under or next to your bike, which is propped up on those pole racks. Just FYI: You're assigned to a particular rack based on your race number, but you can put your bike anywhere along there where it fits. Obviously, it's best to be closest to the inside aisle, though, so you don't have as far to run or as many other people to maneuver through in transition. So, get there early! (Mine's the third bike there on the rack.)

And for anyone interested (or just for my own personal records later), my times at the triathlon last weekend were as follows:

My overall time was 2:55:08, which was 476th out of the 739 total competitors in the olympic distance triathlon.
I was 135th out of 265 women in the race.
In my age group, I was 22nd out of 38.

My swim (1500 yards) took 32:44, which was 379th overall.
My first transition was 3:08.
My bike (24 miles) took 1:10:16, which was 343rd overall. I averaged 19.8 mph.
My second transition was 1:54.
My run (10 km) took 1:07:08, which was 602nd overall. I averaged 10:50 min/mi.

I Was There

Irmgard, the 73-year-old German lady I'm staying with in Princeton, always greets me in the morning or when I come home with ads, articles, events, etc. that she thinks I might or should be interested in. Well, the headline she showed me this morning was: "Triathlete feared drowned." Apparently, a 52-year-old local man never came out of the water after the swim leg of his race yesterday. Rescue workers searched the lake in the afternoon, but thunderstorms impeded their efforts, so they're supposed to be resuming their search this morning.

Here's the full article I saw this morning. And here's a shorter blurb, with pictures.

This just in...

And here's the follow-up article from Tuesday's paper.

Philadelphia Women's Triathlon Results

So I realize that these were "only" women competing, and that it was probably the first race for many of them, and that a lot of them probably weren't there to be really competitive, but I still think I did really well! Here are my times (keep in mind these were shorter distances than the last one I did):

My overall time was 1:39:06, which was 157th out of the 723 women who completed the triathlon. In my age group, I was 23rd out of 80.

My swim (700 yards) took 14:18, which was 206th overall.
My first transition was 2:54.
My bike (17.1 miles) took 49:54, which was 46th overall. Yea! I averaged 20.4 mph.
My second transition was 2:06.
My run (5km) took 29:55, which was 380th overall. I averaged 9:39 min/mi.

So there ya go! Good times... (I meant "fun" when I first typed that, but pretty good times for the race too!)

A Different Kind of Race

So, today I was in the Philadelphia Women's Triathlon. Now, I've done two of these before, but this one was different. First of all, there were almost 1000 competitors, where the other two had only two or three hundred. And there were more than 70 women in my age group today as compared to six or eight the last two times. Plus, this time the athletes were all women, which was cool. The other two races were both at a rural park, too, while this one was in the center of the city, so there were a lot more spectators today as well. But most notably, there was a huge sense of community or camaraderie this time. It all began with the pre-race meeting/pep rally event on Saturday. I met a couple of nice women there who were doing their first triathlon. I found them again on Sunday, too, so it was nice to kind of know a couple other people even though I signed up for the race alone. Anyway, after the race, most people hung out for awhile, too, and they even had an awards ceremony! All this was new to me, since the last two times, people pretty much took off as soon as they were finished. So, put all these things together, and you have a great race experience! I did well, too, though I'll post the details later, once they're online. And now I'm totally excited for my next race in two weeks, which might be even cooler since there will be 2500 triathletes there!

The Results Are In!

My overall time was 3:08:41, so I didn't quite make my 3:00:00 goal, but I wasn't too far off! And apparently I was actually 3rd out of 6 women in my age group, and 125th out of 158 people total in the Oympic distance triathlon. Just for comparison, last time I was 7th out of 7 in my division and 92nd out of 98 total. So... better!

My swim (1500m) took 32:21, which was 130th overall.
My first transition was 2:30.
My bike (40km) took 1:20:32, which was 119th overall. My average speed was 18.5 mph.
My second transition was 2:16.
My run (10km) took 1:11:02, which was 124th overall. I averaged 11:27 min./mi.

I'm satisfied with my swim. Last time, the swim was my best part: I was 52nd/98 while I was in the 90s for my bike and run. This time, the swim was the worst part. Weird. But since the only real difference was the wetsuit, I guess I learned that it helps immensely. O.k., well, good to know!

I'm very pleased with my bike. My goal for that part was 1:20, so, right on target. I also averaged 2.7 mph faster than last time. Not bad! Guess my time trials and training paid off.

I'm disappointed with my run. Granted, I was still two minutes faster than last year, even in the heat, but I was hoping to finish that leg in one hour. Still, I realize that the heat was a major determining factor in my run pace, and I'm o.k. with that. I did what I could; what more could I ask for? Plus, now I still have room for improvement for the next time!

So, there ya go!

Deer Creek Triathlon

O.k., here's the story of my race. Warning: it's long. Only embark upon this journey if you're really interested in all the details...

I got up at 4:00 a.m. so that I could shower and pack everything up to meet my friends Honeylyn and Loy at 5:30. From there, we had about an hour-and-a-half drive to the race at Deer Creek State Park. Along the way, we passed many other cars with bikes attached, and at that obscene hour it was fairly safe to assume that they were also headed to the race. Already the sense of camaraderie began…

As we were sampling several free muffins from my first trip to Mimi’s Café for dinner the night before, we suddenly noticed a car with a bike heading the opposite direction. "Hey, he's going the wrong way," I thought. Momentarily confused, we then noticed mile marker 87, though we were supposed to have gotten off at Exit 84. Oops! I guess WE were the ones going the wrong way... So we found a turn-around and were soon back on track. Glitch number one of the day, but not a major problem.

We arrived at the park about 7:00, just as we’d planned. However, we soon discovered that the line to pick up race packets was very long and moving at a snail’s pace! We utilized the time in line, however, to take turns using the restrooms and to check the temperature of the lake water. I decided not to wear my wetsuit since I was already sweating just standing out there and since the water felt comfortably cool at 72 degrees. By 7:30, the line was longer than when we’d arrived and we realized that there was no way the race was going to start on time. Comforting on the one hand, because we’d have more time to get everything ready, but that also meant we’d be finishing later when it was even hotter… Glitch number two, but what could we do?

After we got our packets and timing chips, we went back to the car to collect our things. But, as I was pumping up my tires, I encountered my third glitch of the morning: a busted tube. (Funny, all week long I’d been saying that I hoped I didn’t get my first flat ever during the race; I figured I was about due, though, since I had put almost 1000 miles on the tires since I got the bike in August.) Fortunately, I had a spare tube, so Loy helped me change it. But… the tire itself was really stretched out apparently, because it kept coming off the rim as we pumped it up. So I had to go to the guys at the Wheelie Fun tent to get a new tire. Still, lucky all this happened before the race!

So then I ran over to the transition area to set up. There was no more room on my assigned rack, so I shifted a couple bikes a little to make room on the next rack over and hurriedly laid out all my gear. Meanwhile, everyone else had already gathered down at the lake for the start of the race. "This is the worst feeling ever!" I thought, to be so rushed. After one last pit stop I ran down to the lake to join my competitors. Fortunately, the sprint distance racers were starting first, in waves, so I really did have plenty of time. While I put on my cap and goggles, I met a few women from Columbus who were doing their first triathlon that day. But, since they weren’t in my age group, we could all be friends. :-)

Finally, it was time for the Olympic-distance women to begin. We lined up at the water’s edge and waited for the horn to blow. (That was a little different: last September we started out in the water, but this time we were still on shore to begin. The water last fall was also very low, so there was a nice beach, and really you could probably have stood up at any point if you needed to. This time, however, after all the rain we’d had in the preceding weeks, there was no beach, and as we ran through the mud into the lake, we could still feel the grass beneath our feet well out into the water. Weird…) As I began swimming, I felt so refreshed in the cool water, even though I was still getting kicked and grabbed. When I looked up a little later, I remember thinking that that first yellow buoy was still really far away! “And I have to do TWO laps?!? What was I thinking?” I thought to myself. People seemed to be passing me a lot more than last year, too, and I thought for a moment that perhaps I should have worn my wetsuit after all… But as I rounded the first corner, I had more room and got into a better rhythm of breathing, and just started to enjoy the swim. As I completed the first lap, I was shouting “Halfway!” to myself in my head. I finished the second lap with no problems and actually ran up the hill to the transition area (unlike last year), feeling pretty good about my start, though I had no idea how long the swim actually took.

My transition was much quicker, too, I could tell, in part because I didn’t have a wetsuit to shed, but also because this all felt somewhat familiar and therefore more comfortable than last time. So after I put on my socks, shoes, gloves, watch, and helmet, and grabbed my bottle of Hammer Gel, I slid my bike off the rack and ran out of transition. I mounted, clipped in, and was off! After pedaling hard for two miles, I was surprised to look down and see I’d only gone two miles! And I kept looking for that first turn to get out of the headwind… But I was passing a few people, so I felt pretty good about my speed, and the wind felt terrific! I actually wasn’t even hot at all. After the first turn finally came, I wondered why I’d looked forward to that since the second road was much rougher. Oh, yeah, I remembered that. Too bad I wasn’t riding a Roubaix like Loy! O.k., time for some gel. Mmm, raspberry… Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Excellent. A couple more turns on the flat country roads, and then I came to the first of two small hills (which felt a lot bigger than they really were after racing along for ten miles!). I cruised downhill at 35 mph, and pushed up the other side, standing briefly. Then it flattened out and I quickly caught my breath before coming to the last little hill, just before completing the first lap. I looked up along the levee to see if I could happen to see Honeylyn and Loy on their run, but no such luck. “Halfway!” I again shouted in my mind as I came to the park entrance. The volunteer standing there said, “Sprint to the right, Olympic straight ahead.” I asked her to confirm, since last year we had to ride into the park, past transition, and back out again before beginning the second lap, but she said, “Yes, straight ahead,” so I kept right on riding! I checked my computer at that point and saw that I’d averaged 18.9 mph on the first lap. Awesome! And time-wise I was right on track to meet my three-hour goal as well. Second lap, same as the first. A few more swigs of gel and some water to wash it down just before finishing up the bike leg. Good stuff.

Back in transition, I racked my bike, tore off my helmet and gloves, changed shoes, threw on my hat, sunglasses, race number belt and nutrition belt, and was off! Suddenly, I felt the heat. I was tired. Immediately. I wanted to walk. Already. But I jogged along, hoping that I would pick up my pace as I continued, like I had in my training runs. Mile 1. Wow, it’s hot! Oh, man, and why’d we pick this course? I hate this stupid, grassy levee! O.k., onto the dam, much better. Water? Yes, please! I have my own, but only two 8-oz. bottles. I have a feeling I'm going to need more than that today… Mile 2. Keep going. What, NO shade? Not even a single, solitary tree? Wow… so… hot… Left turn down toward the boat ramp. Um, yeah, I’m definitely not maintaining the 10 min/mi. pace I need to finish in time. But I’m doing everything I can... Seriously, could it BE any hotter today?!? There’s the turnaround! “Halfway!” I need to walk. O.k., that’s enough. Go! (Then I started singing to myself.) “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, runnin’, runnin’…” (Like the Finding Nemo “Just keep swimmin’” song.) Mile 4. Two… more… miles… So hot… Hmm, how should I narrate this race for my blog? Narrative? Thought processes? Will I write about thinking about what to write about? Will I write that? And that? O.k., enough. “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, just keep…” Mile 5. Wow, I’m slow today. And I was so sure I’d shave the most time off my run… So hot… But look: there are still people just starting their run, so maybe I’m not doing SO bad… Or maybe everyone’s just really slow ‘cause it’s stupid hot out here... WHY are we doing this again? Oh, that’s right, it’s not supposed to be easy or everyone would do it. The dam, yea! The grassy levee... stupid levee… But that means I’m almost done! “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’…” Back into the park. Mile 6! Past the photographer guy. Past an ambulance and several people holding up a towel or something to create some shade for some poor, dehydrated, overheated runner. "God, be with that person. God... That's all I've got, just be with them..." I can hear the announcer at the finish line! I can SEE the finish line! Right then, that’s when I was finally able to pick up my pace to more than a slow jog. I sort of sprinted to the finish line, and there were Honeylyn and Loy cheering me on! Awesome, I made it!

A guy took off my timing chip. A lady told me I was second in my division. Seriously? I almost laughed. Oh, but then again, there might only be 2 ladies in my age group… Still, they put a medal around my neck. Honeylyn and Loy congratulated me. Someone else gave me water. Then I stood there and filled up my cup two more times. So thirsty… So hot… Honeylyn and Loy took my hat, sunglasses, belts, medal, etc. and I went back down to the lake for another quick dip to cool off. Back up the hill. Collect all my gear. Do I have to eat? ‘Cause I’m not really hungry, just thirsty. Nope, let’s just get going. Ah, air conditioning…

On the way home, we all talked about the race. Honeylyn and Loy did NOT care for the swim. They waited for each other at the transitions, though, and ran together. How sweet! Then we talked about the next one. Are we really gluttons for punishment? Perhaps. But it was so much fun! Except that stupid-hot run… (It’s kind of like when I used to go backpacking a lot: we’d get rained on, our feet would hurt from hiking, our backs would be sore from sleeping on the ground, we’d be dirty, and tired and, let’s be honest, a little grumpy. But as soon as we got back to the car, or maybe back home and showered up, all I could think was, “When can we go back?!?” It’s the same thing.) We also talked about trying a relay in the September Toyota Challenge tri. I’d swim, Loy would bike, and Honeylyn would run. Maybe we’d do the half-ironman distance, too, then, since we’d each only be doing one leg. Awesome…

I also called my apartment community office on the way home, to remind them not to give away the last room at the inn. It was mine! Since my air conditioner still wasn’t working, I told them they’d better give me a room there because the 90-degree apartment just wasn’t cutting it for me. After all, I had to get a few hours of sleep in before my two soccer games that night! Yeah, o.k., I guess I’m a little crazy…

(Just for the record, I wasn’t planning to play much at the games, but just to sub briefly if others were really tired. But when I arrived… One, two, three, I counted. Three? “No way!” I said, shaking my head. "I am NOT going to run around for two more hours!" We had to borrow players from other teams, and I ended up playing most of the first game. But I also got to score! Granted, the ball bounced off my leg into the goal, but still! Right time, right place. It was sweet. I played a good portion of the second game, too, but I was pretty much useless by then. Not to mention the fact that I messed up my toe somehow. I’m just really glad that that happened AFTER my race because I don’t think I’ll be running until the swelling and bruising go down!)

Second Place?

So I just got back from my first triathlon of the year. I've only done one before, last September, and was pleased to just finish then, but this time I actually set a time goal for myself: three hours. That would be 13 minutes faster than my last race, though the swim this time was longer, so I was actually hoping to shave about 25 minutes off my previous time. Well, I don't think I quite made it; I didn't hear my time when I crossed the finish line, but my friends thought they said 3:04 or so. Not bad. But the surprising thing, and the thing that makes me not care SO much about the time (besides the fact that it was just stupid hot today), is that they said I was second place in my division! Granted, there may have only been two or three women in my age group, but I still got a medal!

Anyway, I'll post more later about the crazy events of the day, and once I know my overall time and splits and rankings and things, but for now I'm going to take a nice long nap in my room at the inn (since my AC still doesn't work) so that I can be ready for our two soccer games tonight!

Race Day Checklist

General
__ directions/map to race
__ course/transition map
__ photo ID
__ USAT membership card
__ money
__ sunscreen
__ sunglasses
__ towel for transition
__ camera
__ post-race clothes and shoes
__ pre- and post-race nutrition

Swim
__ tri shorts
__ tri top
__ wetsuit
__ Pam
__ swim cap(s)
__ goggles

Bike
__ bike
__ helmet
__ bike shoes
__ socks
__ Body Glide
__ gloves
__ watch/heart rate monitor
__ pump(s)
__ spare tube(s)
__ tools
__ water bottle(s)
__ gel and/or other nutrition

Run
__ running shoes
__ hat
__ race number belt
__ nutrition belt

Not Without Risks

I got an email today through the Cincinnati Cycle Club ride line about a biking accident that happened recently in Mexico. Apparently, a drunk driver fell asleep at the wheel and ran into a line of racers. One cyclist died and ten more were injured.

We try to be smart when riding on roads - wearing bright clothes, obeying traffic laws, etc. - but there are still risks involved. Sobering...

Positron Omega!

This is my favorite new game. Why? Several reasons: it requires few materials, so you can play it anywhere; it's different every time you play, so it never gets old; it utilizes different skills, so there's something for everyone; and it's just plain fun! But I'm warning you: it's addictive! (Fortunately, you need at least six people I'd say, so you can't get too carried away...) Anyway, check out the rules below, give it a try, and let me know what you think! If you like it, feel free to join our Facebook group, "Fans of Positron Omega."

A. PREPARATION
Each player is given 3-4 pieces of paper (depending on how long they want the game to last). Players must then write down one noun (proper or improper person, place, or thing) on each paper then place it in a box/hat. Next, players are divided into 2-3 equal teams and each team moves to sit together.

B. GAMEPLAY
The game is divided into four rounds. In each round, teams alternate one-minute turns until all of the papers in the box/hat have been guessed. During each one-minute turn, players pick papers out of the box/hat and try to get teammates to guess the word according to the rules for that round. When a word is guessed correctly, the paper is placed in the team's pile and the box is passed to the next player on the team. The box/hat rotates through the team continuously until the minute is up. Unguessed papers are placed back in the box/hat and it is then passed to the next team for their one-minute turn. Turns in each round alternate between teams until all of the papers in the box/hat are gone.

C. ROUNDS

1. Taboo - Players must get their teammates to guess the word through a verbal description. Gestures, spelling, sounds-like, or any form/variation of the word may not be used in this round.
2. One Word- Players must get their teammates to guess the word through a single one-word clue. The first word that the player says after unfolding the paper is the chosen word ... so if the player says "um" or "well" first, that is the chosen word. The chosen word may be repeated indefinitely with different voices and intonations, but gestures may not be used in this round.
3. Pictionary - Players must get their teammates to guess the word by drawing clues. Gestures, sounds, letters, numbers, and symbols may not be used in this round.
4. Charades- Players must get their teammates to guess the word by acting out silent clues. Words, sounds, or drawings may not be used in this round ... but cameras are encouraged.

D. SCORING
At the end of each round, the papers in each team's pile are counted and the score for each team is recorded. The papers are then put back into the hat/box for the next round. The team with the most points at the conclusion of the fourth round is the winning team. A predetermined penalty (e.g. pushups, charlie horses) may then be given to the losing team.

If teams are tied at the end of the fourth round, a fifth tie-breaker round may be utilized to determine the winning team. This round, called Telepathy, requires that players guess the words on the papers without clues of any kind, basically shouting out the words they remember from previous rounds until the correct one is identified. Crazy, to be sure, but hilarious!

Exercise

If you know me at all, you know I'm a big fan. Partially, I work out because I know it's good for me and it's a tool so that I don't have to worry so much about what I eat, but mostly it's just fun. Sure, there are days when I have to force myself to drive to the gym for a spinning class or an hour of swimming when I'd really rather just... well, play online, probably. But for the most part, when I'm biking with friends, or playing racquetball or soccer, I don't even realize I'm exercising. Or like last night, I was at a friend's house for a graduation dinner/party/get-together thing. After a delicious meal of steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli, salad, fresh-baked bread, cake, AND pie, we all went outside to play in the backyard. It was like being a kid again: making up games with wiffleball bats and tennis balls, tossing around a football, playing catch, stealing the neighbor kids' scooters... We must have been running around for a couple of hours, and I think we more than worked off all the calories we consumed. (Not to mention the amazing ab workout we got laughing while playing indoor games after it got dark...)

Yeah, so what's my point? I guess just that exercise should be fun. And I'm sad that some people still view it as work and something they dread rather than something they look forward to. How 'bout you? What have you found that you enjoy doing that also gets your heart pumping?