The Prep:
I signed up for Sweet and Twisted Triathlon in late June. I had been working out a little prior to that - LIFT and spin classes, short runs and some swimming which made me feel confident while signing up. Ironically, all workouts came to a halt a few days after I signed up. The next 4 weeks just flew by in a flurry of activity- driving trip to Colorado, packing, moving, unpacking. Before I knew it, there were just 3 weeks and 2 weekends left before the race. I hadn't even managed to find and buy a bike and there was hardly any time left to get one. I had to get moving.
First of all, the bike fell into my lap. Vanessa and AshG were going to do a relay and Vanessa was willing to lend out her bike. Her bike seemed to be a good fit for me. With that arranged, I concentrated on getting my workouts on track - LIFT on Monday mornings, swim at Mansfield dam with Deb on Wednesdays, short run on Thursdays, a pool swim and a bike+run session on weekends.
Other than getting physically fit, I knew I had to do something to tackle the heat on race day. I did not want to bonk during the run like I had in the two triathlons in 2008. For heat management guidance, I turned to the running guru amongst our friends - Gaurav, who runs for several hours each weekend in the Texas heat, just 'for the fun of it'. He explained how I could use an ice filled bandanna to keep my core temperature down.
Meanwhile, I had also observed that what I ate had a big effect on how I felt during and after my workouts. In the week preceding the race, I made the extra effort to eat right and eat enough to build strength for race day and tried to keep my water intake on the high side.
A good part of the last week before the race was spent on getting used to the road bike I had borrowed from Vanessa. The bike had to be tuned up and fitted for me. I also managed to get a little taper down in the last 3 days before the tri :)
It was race day eve pretty soon and I was at packet pickup. It dawned on me that I had ZERO bike maintenance skills. I did not even have a kit to fix a flat in case I got one on the course. There wasn't much I could do about that this late in the game. I just made a mental note to take care of this aspect for the next Tri, picked up my packet (also got gyan about the hilly bike course from Coach A who was volunteering at Packet Pick-up), and came home. I laid out my gear and went to bed fairly early to get some rest. The sleep was restless of course, but I was also excited about the next day.
Race Day Morning:
Vinit offered to drive AshG and me to Pace Bend Park on race day morning. We reached the park by 6:30a and while we were still in the line for parking, I managed to get really really nervous. I think I even asked Vinit to take me back home at some point of time. He wasn't going to do that, so I had to get out and do what needed to be done.
I quickly got body marked, set up transition and got my bike tires checked for air. Coach A came by to inspect my transition set up and after a few adjustments (like changing the bike gear, re-arranging my shoes, helmet, sunglasses, cap, Gu, race belt, etc. etc... you get the drift), he looked satisfied and gave his nod of approval.
Varsha told me that she had gotten a white swim cap from the organizers which basically made them look out for you on the swim course. She recommended that I get one too. So we promptly made our way to the organizers' desk and I got my timing chip and the white cap. We made the last port-a-potty stop, and Varsha (sweetheart that she is) also fetched my swim goggles from transition, which I had conveniently forgotten in my nervousness. I found Vinit and the three of us took off to the swim area.
The walk to the swim start was around 500m and each step increased my nervousness ten fold. Even in retrospect, I can't put my finger down on what it was that made me so nervous. I think it was just pre-race jitters and fear of racing in a 'new' place.
Then the swim course came into view. It was a straight point to point course that ran parallel to the shore line around 20 feet away from it. We would not have to turn around to do a loop or anything. I felt my nervousness quietly slip away. We dropped off our shoes at the swim finish area and walked barefoot towards the start. Varsha and I got in the water for a quick 10 minute warm up. The water was warm and familiar. It felt just like the cove at Mansfield dam where we swam with Deb. By the time I got out, I felt ready to race!
After a quick photo session with fellow tri-oomphers, we went to the wave start area where I found a place to sit and relax till the swim started.
The Swim (500m):
Time: 00:24:27:246
Pace: 00:04:53.4
Soon enough, we were entering the water and the horn went off. I hung to the back of the pack to let faster swimmers go ahead.
I swam real slow so I wouldn't lose my breath and panic. I was so slow that 4 waves went past me. I tried to stay out of their way and continue at my own pace. Sha even managed to recognize me in the water and gave a shout out. That gave me a great boost!
At one point I did get disoriented though. Around 200 meters into the course, I didn't look up to "sight" for quite sometime and later found myself headed to the shore where I heard Sangeeta and Vinit trying to direct me back to the course :P.
I took my own sweet time to go past each of the five buoys. The swim leg felt long and crowded. Arms and legs hit me at various times, none too seriously except once near the 400m mark, where a jab on my face displaced my goggles and water threatened to flood my eyes and take my contact lens with it. Luckily I was able to adjust the goggles quickly and move on. This was something I had expected, so I stayed calm.
Swim finish was in plain view but somehow I wasn't getting any closer to it. There wasn't enough room to swim. There were swimmers all around and it felt as if I was stuck at the same point for a long time. I moved further away from the frantic swimmers and found my own path to the finish. While coming out of the water, I was glad that I hadn't freaked out in the water. I was also happy that I didn't stop anywhere or call for help and swam freestyle the whole time.
The Dash from swim to T1 (~500m):
Time: 00:05:08:620
I saw Vinit, Sang and Coach A at swim exit, quickly put on my shoes and walked to transition. I felt my stomach cramp a little and decided to not run at all in this 500m 'dash'. I took my time to relax and get my breathing back. In my head, I went over what I was going to do in T1 and T2. I was happy with myself thus far. I had survived the swim even though it had taken me a long time!
T1:
Time: 00:01:56:653
Once in transition, I met AshG and GRao at Tri-oomph bike rack. They were waiting for their relay partners to finish the swim. I quickly ate a Gu, wore my helmet, socks, shoes and took off with the bike.
The Bike (15 miles):
Time: 01:10:10:953
Pace: 12.8
I love being on a bike - reminds me of my childhood rides with my brother. I was looking forward to the bike leg even though I had heard about the hilly course. I was eager to see what it was like. We had to do the same 7.5 mile loop twice. It was a beautiful, tree lined route of rolling hills around the park. The hills never ended and some of them were real brutal but I was able to manoeuvre my gears in time and also take advantage of some fast down-hills. It was tricky to find the right stretch to hydrate on the bike. I forced myself to drink enough Nuun and water since I feared bonking out later during the run.
The bike ride was thrilling actually and I had fun on the course. Near the end of my first loop, I crossed Sha and soon after that Deb crossed me. The camaraderie and occasional vocal exchanges with fellow riders made the ride more interesting. Oh yeah! I also posed for each photographer out on the course :)
T2:
Time: 00:01:51:779
After one last hill, it was time to dismount and head back into transition. I parked my bike, took off the helmet, wore the race belt and my hat. I had put a cooler in transition area in the morning. I reached for an ice filled bandanna from the cooler and tied it around my neck. I doused my hat, head and upper body in water, grabbed a Gu and a water bottle with Nuun in it and took off.
The Run (5k):
Time: 00:36:29:745
Pace: 00:11:46.4
I was still breathing heavily when I set out on the run course. Vinit, Sang and Savi were there to see me head out. I waited for my breathing to become steady and then had the second Gu shot. The run was on a trail in the park and I made slow, steady progress. I was happy to be running and not walking. It was hot and I was glad for my cooling mechanism in place :)
Soon, I saw Cha. She seemed to be going slow. Her quad had cramped and she was going to walk it for sometime. I seemed to be locked into my pace and so I carried on. Soon after that I spotted Varsha. She urged me to go on running at my own pace. I kept going. The water in my bottle was warm and I didn't feel like drinking it. The cold water at the Aide station at mile 1 felt really refreshing. The organizers had promised cold sponges at the aide station at mile 2 and I looked forward to it.
Again the camaraderie on the course was really great. I upped my pace when I saw the 2nd aide station. There was the cold water again and the sponges felt like a slice of heaven! The bandanna around my neck was warm by now and I was feeling quite hot. The sponge did a great job cooling us off.
I was on the last mile now and could hear the noise coming from the finish line but it was still a good distance way. The third mile seemed to drag on forever. The trail seemed never ending. At one point I felt that my knee pain might flare up but I guess the softer trail surface as compared to tarmac kept it in check. Finally, the finish line came into view. I made Vinit run with me in the last stretch. I was feeling good and strong when I finished with a little dance and a huge smile on my face.
At the end of it all:
I had run a strong race and achieved all my goals
1. Not freak out in the swim.
2. Stay strong and ON the bike throughout the course.
3. Run and not walk during the run.
I know these were pretty basic goals. Improving my times will be my goal for the next triathlon that I do but all that is for later... now was the time for hugs and kisses and smiles and race stories and pictures and food and cupcakes!
-Itisha
Showing posts with label Itisha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Itisha. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Mmmm... Shoulders!
I should clarify, at the outset, that the shoulders being talked about here are not the sculpted, bronze shoulders of the guy with killer flat abs, gliding topless on a sweaty, hot evening at town lake trail. (Although that topic does deserve an altogether separate blog post). The shoulders in question are, anti-climactically, my own!
I have been going for the LIFT class at 24 hour fitness for almost 2 months now. LIFT, as the name implies, is mainly a free weights class which leaves my legs feeling wobbly and my whole body deliciously sore for two days after. I love it for the way it reaches even those hard to work muscles, two best examples being my glutes and hamstrings. And God knows HOW much work I need in that area!
I can safely say that I have averaged one class per week in these two months and noticed my upper body strength go up. No more 2.5lbs for arms and shoulders. (Yes! Yes! the giant me could only manage 2.5 lbs when I started.) I have now graduated up to 5lbs on each side. So although I feel stronger, I hadn't noticed any changes in the shape of my arms until this past Monday.
I generally run in my loose fitting tech tees but that day I was in a mad rush and landed up pulling out a slightly stretchy cotton tee instead. It was only when I was in the car that I realised how the tee fit differently from before. It used to be 'slightly' snug at the shoulders but now it was 'quite' snug. I kept moving my shoulders and adjusting the tee, hoping for it to fit like before until the thought of the LIFT classes stopped me. It seemed like my shoulders and chest were not the same. Muscular? I don't know. Bigger? May be. More open and wider? May be. They were 'nicely' different in a way that I found myself breathing deeper and running a very steady 4 mile loop with straighter back and shoulders!
In 100 deg F temperature too :)
Now my child-like biceps are another story altogether. But who knows! In time, may be I'll be surprised by another one of my tees fitting even more snugly!
I have been going for the LIFT class at 24 hour fitness for almost 2 months now. LIFT, as the name implies, is mainly a free weights class which leaves my legs feeling wobbly and my whole body deliciously sore for two days after. I love it for the way it reaches even those hard to work muscles, two best examples being my glutes and hamstrings. And God knows HOW much work I need in that area!
I can safely say that I have averaged one class per week in these two months and noticed my upper body strength go up. No more 2.5lbs for arms and shoulders. (Yes! Yes! the giant me could only manage 2.5 lbs when I started.) I have now graduated up to 5lbs on each side. So although I feel stronger, I hadn't noticed any changes in the shape of my arms until this past Monday.
I generally run in my loose fitting tech tees but that day I was in a mad rush and landed up pulling out a slightly stretchy cotton tee instead. It was only when I was in the car that I realised how the tee fit differently from before. It used to be 'slightly' snug at the shoulders but now it was 'quite' snug. I kept moving my shoulders and adjusting the tee, hoping for it to fit like before until the thought of the LIFT classes stopped me. It seemed like my shoulders and chest were not the same. Muscular? I don't know. Bigger? May be. More open and wider? May be. They were 'nicely' different in a way that I found myself breathing deeper and running a very steady 4 mile loop with straighter back and shoulders!
In 100 deg F temperature too :)
Now my child-like biceps are another story altogether. But who knows! In time, may be I'll be surprised by another one of my tees fitting even more snugly!
Monday, August 11, 2008
The Temple Tri
Wait between the race start and our swim start (1 'painful' hour):
Vinit and I were regretting giving very very conservative swim times for the two of us. which pushed us to the back of the queue.
350m pool swim (00:13:46):
Comfortable. Mostly smooth. It was a litle tricky to go past people who were standing, walking and doing backstroke.
T1 (00:4:05):
I think I was napping. Also took a loo break :P
9.1 mile Bike (00:43:50):
There were some hills but I still had fun pushing myself.
T2 (00:1:33):
Mostly good and quick. Had a little bit of trouble parking my bike AND I forgot to take off my helmet but thankfully remembered before exiting transition : D
2.1 mile Run (00:26:46):
My legs were super tired after battling that last hill at the fag end of the bike course. Got side stitches again. Temp must have been 90+ but it's about time I got used to running in the heat. The hilly second half of the run course made matters worse. Overall run - not very great, could have been better.
Crossing the finish line and being welcomed by Steph, Steph and Vinit (1:30:03):
Absolutely PRICELESS!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tri-fever
I think I am under some strong influence of Tri-Fever. I have enjoyed the training so much, that I really just want to continue it forever. Swimming is my new found love (my dismal performance at the Rogue Tri doesn't provide much proof but I really do luuuuhhhv my swim sessions in the pool and I hope to get better in open water). I am yet to take up biking but the variety in the tri-training (with weekly Yoga) just keeps me looking forward to my workouts :) Man! I never thought I could love workouts this much. I hated (still do!) going to the gym to get whole body workouts but the tri training does it all in such a fun way.
Feeling totally buoyant (!) after the Rogue women's Tri, I have decided to go all the way and do all three things (swim, bike and run) at the upcoming Temple Tri on Aug 10th (Thanks Steph, for telling us about it). It sounds like an easy beginners' tri with 350 meter pool swim, 9.1 mile bike, 2.1 mile. Vinit would also be in town that weekend and he really surprised me by saying that he would consider doing it too if we could arrange a bike for him. He has been running on his own quite a bit and he feels he is in good shape to give it a try. I know he is a decent swimmer but he is not likely to get a swim workout in Berkeley before he gets to Austin. Regardless of that, I feel confident that he can handle the swim part well.
So..... he and I signed up to do the Temple Tri yesterday. Yipppppeee!!!
A lot of support from friends made this happen:
By talking about her tri experiences, Sharanya has been encouraging me do the whole thing by myself.
Savi has been kind enough to lend me her bike gear for this race.
Arun has agreed to give me a Bike 101 class tonight.
The 'awesome' Steph said that Vinit could use her road bike for the race which should be a good fit for him. She also offerred to lend us her bike rack for the trip to Temple, TX. AND she solved a lot of my pool swim related doubts.
It's super to get all this help.
Thanks Guys!
There isn't much time between now and the tri. I have to do some serious biking this weekend and get some swim workouts before tapering down at the end of next week.
Looking forward to more tri-ing...
Feeling totally buoyant (!) after the Rogue women's Tri, I have decided to go all the way and do all three things (swim, bike and run) at the upcoming Temple Tri on Aug 10th (Thanks Steph, for telling us about it). It sounds like an easy beginners' tri with 350 meter pool swim, 9.1 mile bike, 2.1 mile. Vinit would also be in town that weekend and he really surprised me by saying that he would consider doing it too if we could arrange a bike for him. He has been running on his own quite a bit and he feels he is in good shape to give it a try. I know he is a decent swimmer but he is not likely to get a swim workout in Berkeley before he gets to Austin. Regardless of that, I feel confident that he can handle the swim part well.
So..... he and I signed up to do the Temple Tri yesterday. Yipppppeee!!!
A lot of support from friends made this happen:
By talking about her tri experiences, Sharanya has been encouraging me do the whole thing by myself.
Savi has been kind enough to lend me her bike gear for this race.
Arun has agreed to give me a Bike 101 class tonight.
The 'awesome' Steph said that Vinit could use her road bike for the race which should be a good fit for him. She also offerred to lend us her bike rack for the trip to Temple, TX. AND she solved a lot of my pool swim related doubts.
It's super to get all this help.
Thanks Guys!
There isn't much time between now and the tri. I have to do some serious biking this weekend and get some swim workouts before tapering down at the end of next week.
Looking forward to more tri-ing...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tri 1: DONE!
Alright.. so on Saturday, after packet pick up and lots of hogging in Austin Java and Amy's icecream with fellow trioomphers, I finally got home around 5pm. I was already exhausted from all the excitement :) Anyway I read all the instructions and packed my race bag. I would be driving alone to Texas Ski Ranch since the others were getting bikes in their cars. After finishing up laundry etc, I finally went to bed around 11p. Of course most of the night was spent tossing and turning in bed, feeling terribly anxious about my swim, going to the loo, feeling thirsty, drinking water, feeling more anxious, going to the loo again, feeling hot, then feeling cold, falling asleep for half hour, dreaming of drowning, getting up again... blah blah.. It was 4.30a finally.. my alarm rang and I woke up. I got changed, ate some, checked my bag to make sure I had everything I needed and was out of the door by 5.20a.
Till now, I had managed to keep fear at bay by distracting myself with the training, and other preparations, but it kept gnawing at me as I drove. That was one reason why I had to be at the race venue in advance. I was at Texas Ski Ranch just a little after 6a. No other Trioomphers had gotten there. And with my relay partner still absent from the scene, I couldn't do much about setting up transition. I got body marked, got my timing chip and sat in front of the lake looking at the swim course and "trying" to get comfortable with it.
The yellow buoys marked the 300m swim course - it seemed like a LONG distance. The lake seemed too BIG. I wasn't trained well. I would get tired. Fed up with all the negative thoughts, I just started looking at other athletes, their gears, the bikes.
45 minutes or so later I made my way to transition and found other trioomphers - the two Stephanies, Cha, G3, Sha, and Savi. It calmed my nerves a little to see all of them. Around 7.20 or so, Savi and I went to the swim start area for me to get warmed up and get familiar with the water. The water was warm and you couldn't see a thing under it. There were these small tadpole kind of fish that nibbled on my calves and startled me more than once. The first time I went out, I came back panting, and desperately short of breath. I couldn't do it. The last buoy was too far. How would I last the entire distance. I didn't know any stroke other than freestyle. I didn't even know how to tread water properly. I strongly contemplated telling Savi that I would quit. And hoped that she would understand. But then.... if hundreds of other women over there could attempt to do it - a lot of them for the first time - SO COULD I. Besides, Ganesh and Arun had come from Austin to cheer us in the race. And Vinit - who I knew would be really proud if I finished the swim. I couldn't let any of them down. I couldn't let myself down.
So I went out for a test swim again. This time it was slightly better but I panicked once I was 25 yards away from the shore. I swam right back and found Sha entering the water. One look at me and she knew how I was feeling inside. She was full of just perfect words - "Iti, you can do it", "you'll be fine", "it just looks very far". I swam a couple more times and then just decided to work on my mind.. filling it with positive stuff - thinking about my training, calming my nerves by saying positive stuff to other trioomphers. Meanwhile I also spotted 2 life guards with floats and 2 people on canoes in diff spots on the swim course. The strategy was formed. I would just swim to the first person, then the next, then the next and so on. And then I found out that if I hung on to the floats to take a breath, I wouldn't be disqualified.
Great.. super... Sha and I were to go out in the last wave with the other relay swimmers. We saw all the other trioomphers start their swim in their respective waves. Soon it was our turn. Once we went in, I hung to the back of the pack and swam slowly to the first life guard. Stopped for a breath. So far so good. I wasn't warmed up enough and could not get my rhythm but I was still in the game at least. Next I got to the first canoe and after a short breather, swam right to the last buoy. That was the turn around point. Since I was the last swimmer, the first life guard with the float was right behind me. She was one big help. I had constant encouragement along the way. By now I was warmed up enough and swam the last 100m non stop. It was the most inefficient stroke EVER. All the "good" swimming practices that I incorporated in my training never really showed in my swim BUT at least I finished the swim without drowning!! I was ecstatic !
From swim finish area I ran to the relay area, where Savi was waiting for me. I gave her the timing chip and off she went with the bike. I had close to an hour to get changed and ready for my run. I found Sha (she was Preethi's partner) and she told me how she was having a tough time with her stomach - Madam had dined at Thai Passion the previous day!! :D We just hung around, ate a little and talked about our tri experiences.
Savi came in at around 10.15a and after the chip exchange, I took off for the run. It was 2 mile out and back course and the sun was beating down like anything by now. The temperature must have been in upper 90s and I felt it within a few yards of running. But I wanted to maintain my pace anyhow and the effort nicely led to side stitches. I kept my pace and waited for them to subside. It was hot hot hot. On my way back I crossed Sha (Preethi had come in a little while after Savi) and we did a little high five and then there was Cha at the entrance of the Ranch. I was dead from the heat by the time I entered the Ranch again. But the voice of the MC over the speakers, the cheering from the onlookers made me sprint the last few hundred meters and there it was - my pink and white finisher's medal :)
After cooling off a little bit , I met all the other people. EVERYBODY finished and did really well. Lots of photos, hugs, congratulations later, we also got the biggest team award. It was awesome!! I couldn't eat anything because of the heat, although there was yummy food from Tacodeli, mimosas, and ice cream. However, I did get a free massage before driving back to Austin with Savi :)
Lessons:
I really need to work on my swim. I do fine in the pool but open water scared the sh** out of me. Panic totally got me in this one. Many many more open water sessions in Barton Springs.
Our Relay Timing:
Till now, I had managed to keep fear at bay by distracting myself with the training, and other preparations, but it kept gnawing at me as I drove. That was one reason why I had to be at the race venue in advance. I was at Texas Ski Ranch just a little after 6a. No other Trioomphers had gotten there. And with my relay partner still absent from the scene, I couldn't do much about setting up transition. I got body marked, got my timing chip and sat in front of the lake looking at the swim course and "trying" to get comfortable with it.
The yellow buoys marked the 300m swim course - it seemed like a LONG distance. The lake seemed too BIG. I wasn't trained well. I would get tired. Fed up with all the negative thoughts, I just started looking at other athletes, their gears, the bikes.
45 minutes or so later I made my way to transition and found other trioomphers - the two Stephanies, Cha, G3, Sha, and Savi. It calmed my nerves a little to see all of them. Around 7.20 or so, Savi and I went to the swim start area for me to get warmed up and get familiar with the water. The water was warm and you couldn't see a thing under it. There were these small tadpole kind of fish that nibbled on my calves and startled me more than once. The first time I went out, I came back panting, and desperately short of breath. I couldn't do it. The last buoy was too far. How would I last the entire distance. I didn't know any stroke other than freestyle. I didn't even know how to tread water properly. I strongly contemplated telling Savi that I would quit. And hoped that she would understand. But then.... if hundreds of other women over there could attempt to do it - a lot of them for the first time - SO COULD I. Besides, Ganesh and Arun had come from Austin to cheer us in the race. And Vinit - who I knew would be really proud if I finished the swim. I couldn't let any of them down. I couldn't let myself down.
So I went out for a test swim again. This time it was slightly better but I panicked once I was 25 yards away from the shore. I swam right back and found Sha entering the water. One look at me and she knew how I was feeling inside. She was full of just perfect words - "Iti, you can do it", "you'll be fine", "it just looks very far". I swam a couple more times and then just decided to work on my mind.. filling it with positive stuff - thinking about my training, calming my nerves by saying positive stuff to other trioomphers. Meanwhile I also spotted 2 life guards with floats and 2 people on canoes in diff spots on the swim course. The strategy was formed. I would just swim to the first person, then the next, then the next and so on. And then I found out that if I hung on to the floats to take a breath, I wouldn't be disqualified.
Great.. super... Sha and I were to go out in the last wave with the other relay swimmers. We saw all the other trioomphers start their swim in their respective waves. Soon it was our turn. Once we went in, I hung to the back of the pack and swam slowly to the first life guard. Stopped for a breath. So far so good. I wasn't warmed up enough and could not get my rhythm but I was still in the game at least. Next I got to the first canoe and after a short breather, swam right to the last buoy. That was the turn around point. Since I was the last swimmer, the first life guard with the float was right behind me. She was one big help. I had constant encouragement along the way. By now I was warmed up enough and swam the last 100m non stop. It was the most inefficient stroke EVER. All the "good" swimming practices that I incorporated in my training never really showed in my swim BUT at least I finished the swim without drowning!! I was ecstatic !
From swim finish area I ran to the relay area, where Savi was waiting for me. I gave her the timing chip and off she went with the bike. I had close to an hour to get changed and ready for my run. I found Sha (she was Preethi's partner) and she told me how she was having a tough time with her stomach - Madam had dined at Thai Passion the previous day!! :D We just hung around, ate a little and talked about our tri experiences.
Savi came in at around 10.15a and after the chip exchange, I took off for the run. It was 2 mile out and back course and the sun was beating down like anything by now. The temperature must have been in upper 90s and I felt it within a few yards of running. But I wanted to maintain my pace anyhow and the effort nicely led to side stitches. I kept my pace and waited for them to subside. It was hot hot hot. On my way back I crossed Sha (Preethi had come in a little while after Savi) and we did a little high five and then there was Cha at the entrance of the Ranch. I was dead from the heat by the time I entered the Ranch again. But the voice of the MC over the speakers, the cheering from the onlookers made me sprint the last few hundred meters and there it was - my pink and white finisher's medal :)
After cooling off a little bit , I met all the other people. EVERYBODY finished and did really well. Lots of photos, hugs, congratulations later, we also got the biggest team award. It was awesome!! I couldn't eat anything because of the heat, although there was yummy food from Tacodeli, mimosas, and ice cream. However, I did get a free massage before driving back to Austin with Savi :)
Lessons:
I really need to work on my swim. I do fine in the pool but open water scared the sh** out of me. Panic totally got me in this one. Many many more open water sessions in Barton Springs.
Our Relay Timing:
| Distance | Short |
| Clock Time | 1:56:05 |
| Chip Time | 1:56:05 |
| Overall Place | 10 / 11 |
| Gender Place | 10 / 11 |
| Division Place | 8 / 11 |
| Swim 300M Rank | 11 |
| Swim 300M Time | 14:48 |
| T1 Time | 01:17 |
| Bike 11 1M Rank | 10 |
| Bike 11 1M Time | 1:15:04 |
| T2 Time | 01:01 |
| Run 2 Mi Rank | 8 |
| Run 2 Mi Time | 23:52 |
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Training in the last week
Ok. Here's my plan for the week.
1. Swim at Canyon Vista Pool today (Tues) to reassure myself that I can still do 300m (and some more) in the swimming pool.
2. Yoga on Wed.
3. Swim at Barton Springs Pool on Thu.
4. Do nothing or run a little on Fri.
4. Day before race day (Saturday) - leisure grocery shopping at Farmers' Market, packet pick up, may be brunch with the girls, pack for the race day and lie on the couch watching movies :)
5. Sunday: Rogue Women's Tri !!
I am super excited but still a little nervous since this is my first Tri. I wish I had gone to just "see" another Triathlon so I knew what it's like at the venue. Sha and I were planning to go to Danskin but we never made it. Anyway, I am guessing I'll have enough time to figure out getting changed from my swimwear to running clothes on the race day.
I am thinking about signing up for Sweet and Twisted Tri (Aug 24th) but I'll decide based on how my swim goes this weekend and if I can get a relay partner again. There is also the Nike Human Race 10k coming up on Aug 31st. Here's a little something about it.
"On 08.31.08, Nike is making a statement like no other before. Nike is putting on the World’s Largest Running Event. The 10k event will be the ultimate runner experience. By combining our digital running world with the physical, the Nike+ Human Race is open to anyone, anywhere. Nike is hosting race events in 25 cities around the world, but by logging into nikeplus.com, every city and every road can become a race-day course."
Austin is one of these 25 cities and the race is in the evening at 6.30p followed by a concert at 8.30p. I also read somewhere that Lance Armstrong will be running it but don't know which city he'll be running in. It sounds like a great race and I really want to do it but it's the labor day weekend and husband and I are still not sure about our plans for that weekend.
1. Swim at Canyon Vista Pool today (Tues) to reassure myself that I can still do 300m (and some more) in the swimming pool.
2. Yoga on Wed.
3. Swim at Barton Springs Pool on Thu.
4. Do nothing or run a little on Fri.
4. Day before race day (Saturday) - leisure grocery shopping at Farmers' Market, packet pick up, may be brunch with the girls, pack for the race day and lie on the couch watching movies :)
5. Sunday: Rogue Women's Tri !!
I am super excited but still a little nervous since this is my first Tri. I wish I had gone to just "see" another Triathlon so I knew what it's like at the venue. Sha and I were planning to go to Danskin but we never made it. Anyway, I am guessing I'll have enough time to figure out getting changed from my swimwear to running clothes on the race day.
I am thinking about signing up for Sweet and Twisted Tri (Aug 24th) but I'll decide based on how my swim goes this weekend and if I can get a relay partner again. There is also the Nike Human Race 10k coming up on Aug 31st. Here's a little something about it.
"On 08.31.08, Nike is making a statement like no other before. Nike is putting on the World’s Largest Running Event. The 10k event will be the ultimate runner experience. By combining our digital running world with the physical, the Nike+ Human Race is open to anyone, anywhere. Nike is hosting race events in 25 cities around the world, but by logging into nikeplus.com, every city and every road can become a race-day course."
Austin is one of these 25 cities and the race is in the evening at 6.30p followed by a concert at 8.30p. I also read somewhere that Lance Armstrong will be running it but don't know which city he'll be running in. It sounds like a great race and I really want to do it but it's the labor day weekend and husband and I are still not sure about our plans for that weekend.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
My first encounter with Barton Springs
It has been a long time since I posted... Sha has been trying to get us to put our individual profiles here but nothing has happenned yet :-P Anyway she nudged all of us to leave a little something on the blog and that prompted me into action. Of course I am writing this sitting at work, using my company's workstation, internet, electricity while they also pay me for my time. But so what? The world can wait another day for my nobel prize worthy circuits' invention!
Onto more meaningful stuff - my training has been going as planned more or less. I have been trying different city pools - Deep Eddy, West Enfield, Stacy, Canyon Vista, Barton Springs. A few workout highlights from past few weeks:
2 weeks back I swam the race distance of 300m for the first time in Deep Eddy. I was thrilled that day. First time I felt confident that I could do it!
Our company is offering Yoga classes for a minimal cost. I have signed up for the Intermediate level. These once a week classes make my body feel totally stretched out and rejuvinated :)
The running part is also going good. Occassionaly I run around the block near my apartment complex and I have been surprising myself repeatedly by doing it much faster than last year. May be all the cross training is helping me do it.
The most interesting workout session happenned this past Saturday (July 12th). Tri-oomphers (Steph, Steph, Sha, Cha, G3 and myself) did a brick - swim at Barton Springs pool followed by a run at Town Lake. This was my first time in open water environment. Gosh it was totally unexpectedly nerve racking!!
The water at Barton Springs remains at 68F year round and we were there at 7 in the morning. Gingerly I stepped into the pool, slowly getting accustomed to the water. I was standing in waist high water debating whether there was still time to chuck all this and go home to a warm bed. Right then, G3 jumped into the water and started splashing water on everyone. That didn't leave me with much choice really and I took the plunge. After some brief pointers about "sighting" from Stephanie, we started swimming. One lap would be around 400m.
I started alright but as soon as I saw the floor drop abruptly I freaked out. Swam right back to where we started and just stood there. I thought I needed more time to get used to the environs. So I got my kickboard out and started kicking. I must have gone out about 150m or so when I heard someone shout my name. I thought it was Sha or someone asking me to forget the kickboard and go right into it. I felt like screaming back "Cut me some slack lady! It's my first time!" Then I heard it again "Itisha! Help!" What?? Someone asking ME for help! I needed major help myself. :D
I quickly went to the side, held the rail and looked around. Damn those foggy goggles wouldn't let me see anything. Removed them and spotted G3 swimming towards me saying "I need help. The plants. They are freaking me out." Shit! I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go out myself. I was scared. I shouted "Hey it's ok. Just grab this." and threw my kickboard to her. It didn't go very far but I don't think she needed that anyway. She was doing breast stroke. I think at one point I even said "Just breathe. It's ok." (Whatever prompted me to say that - it must have been the Yoga's instructor's voice in my head.) Anyway G3 reached the side. By then Cha and Sha had also gotten there. G3 told us how the plants would freak her out everytime she started doing freestyle. We decided to pair up and go back to the starting point - Cha with G3 and Sha with me. I left my kickboard there and started swimming back with Sha. I must have taken 4 breaks to swim those 150m or so. ha ha. Pathetic show!
Anyway it was time for us to get changed and head to Town Lake. A few other Asha runners were also there. We had planned to run in our bright red Asha Tees to get some publicity for our Strides of Hope program. It was awesome to not be running alone. I mostly ran with AshG and Sha. Sha and I even sprinted the last section over the bridge. The group run felt terrific.
So the most urgent need of the hour is to get used to open water in Barton Springs. I need many more open water practice sessions. Hopefully the fear in my mind will be overcome soon!
Onto more meaningful stuff - my training has been going as planned more or less. I have been trying different city pools - Deep Eddy, West Enfield, Stacy, Canyon Vista, Barton Springs. A few workout highlights from past few weeks:
2 weeks back I swam the race distance of 300m for the first time in Deep Eddy. I was thrilled that day. First time I felt confident that I could do it!
Our company is offering Yoga classes for a minimal cost. I have signed up for the Intermediate level. These once a week classes make my body feel totally stretched out and rejuvinated :)
The running part is also going good. Occassionaly I run around the block near my apartment complex and I have been surprising myself repeatedly by doing it much faster than last year. May be all the cross training is helping me do it.
The most interesting workout session happenned this past Saturday (July 12th). Tri-oomphers (Steph, Steph, Sha, Cha, G3 and myself) did a brick - swim at Barton Springs pool followed by a run at Town Lake. This was my first time in open water environment. Gosh it was totally unexpectedly nerve racking!!
The water at Barton Springs remains at 68F year round and we were there at 7 in the morning. Gingerly I stepped into the pool, slowly getting accustomed to the water. I was standing in waist high water debating whether there was still time to chuck all this and go home to a warm bed. Right then, G3 jumped into the water and started splashing water on everyone. That didn't leave me with much choice really and I took the plunge. After some brief pointers about "sighting" from Stephanie, we started swimming. One lap would be around 400m.
I started alright but as soon as I saw the floor drop abruptly I freaked out. Swam right back to where we started and just stood there. I thought I needed more time to get used to the environs. So I got my kickboard out and started kicking. I must have gone out about 150m or so when I heard someone shout my name. I thought it was Sha or someone asking me to forget the kickboard and go right into it. I felt like screaming back "Cut me some slack lady! It's my first time!" Then I heard it again "Itisha! Help!" What?? Someone asking ME for help! I needed major help myself. :D
I quickly went to the side, held the rail and looked around. Damn those foggy goggles wouldn't let me see anything. Removed them and spotted G3 swimming towards me saying "I need help. The plants. They are freaking me out." Shit! I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go out myself. I was scared. I shouted "Hey it's ok. Just grab this." and threw my kickboard to her. It didn't go very far but I don't think she needed that anyway. She was doing breast stroke. I think at one point I even said "Just breathe. It's ok." (Whatever prompted me to say that - it must have been the Yoga's instructor's voice in my head.) Anyway G3 reached the side. By then Cha and Sha had also gotten there. G3 told us how the plants would freak her out everytime she started doing freestyle. We decided to pair up and go back to the starting point - Cha with G3 and Sha with me. I left my kickboard there and started swimming back with Sha. I must have taken 4 breaks to swim those 150m or so. ha ha. Pathetic show!
Anyway it was time for us to get changed and head to Town Lake. A few other Asha runners were also there. We had planned to run in our bright red Asha Tees to get some publicity for our Strides of Hope program. It was awesome to not be running alone. I mostly ran with AshG and Sha. Sha and I even sprinted the last section over the bridge. The group run felt terrific.
So the most urgent need of the hour is to get used to open water in Barton Springs. I need many more open water practice sessions. Hopefully the fear in my mind will be overcome soon!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
One lousy swim and two great runs!
Since I am only doing the swim and the run on the race day, I am only concentrating on those two. Caught between my enthusiasm for Tri-ing and a lot of anxiety about my swimming capabilities, I sometimes forget that I am subjecting my body to ANY kind of workout after a long-long time (read: after more than one year). As a result, I am really fatigued the day after a long swim or when I work out everyday for 3 consecutive days. Sometimes I listen to my body and postpone the workout to the next day (as on Thu of last week) and at other times a mixture of enthusiasm and anxiety get the better of me (which is what happenned at the beginning of this week.) Anyhow, here's my training log for past 10 days or so.
Mon, June2nd: Swam in my apartment pool. Some kicking some swimming. Spent around 40 minutes there. But forgot to bring my kickboard back and never found it again :(
Tues, June 3rd: Did some elliptical and weights in the gym. Felt Great.
Wed, June 4th: Swam with the tri-oomph gang at Stacy pool. 5 laps in 33m Stacy Pool. Was initially scared of the deep but it slowly subsided. Sha also gave me a basic lesson on treading water.
Thu, June 5th: Was feeling very tired . Anyway got changed to go out for a run. But listened to my body and didn't go eventually. GOOD DECISION. Decided to run the next day.
Fri, June 6th: I ran for 35 minutes on a treadmill (sucks to run in a cage... but it is so hot outside) followed by some strength training. Was happy with how I felt at the end.
Sat, June 7th: Was out all day with friends, so the planned swim didn't happen.
Sun, June 8th: I headed out for a swim and did 16 laps in my apartment (~20m) pool with some breaks but I was really happy because I seemed to be building stamina in water. Felt wonderfully sore that night and next morning.
Mon, June 9th: Went to Lane Four and Academy. Got myself a pull buoy and shiny new PINK "Dora, the Explorer" kick board :). Even though my body felt tired from monday's swim, I thought I should stick to schedule and must go to Stacy Pool. BIG MISTAKE. I was tired, shoulders hurt and couldn't even do 6 proper laps. Should have run instead :( Seemed like I wasted a workout. I did some kicking though. Tried using the pull buoy to practice rotation of the upper body but somehow couldn't get the hang of it, my lower body kept swaying from side to side (any suggestions gals?)
Tues, June 10th: Did a great and fast(er) run on the treadmill followed by some weight training. Somehow my legs just wanted to go on and on. Wish my heart could keep up with the pumping :) But it was a great 2.5 mile run, albeit on the treadmill.
Lessons learned:
Listen to your body!
Alternate day Swim and Run workouts seem to work for me.
Swimming and Weight training are keeping my foot problem from flaring up. This is the part I am most thankful for right now. The fact that I am able to run without any foot issues is a big step. I am enjoying my short runs so very much :)
Mon, June2nd: Swam in my apartment pool. Some kicking some swimming. Spent around 40 minutes there. But forgot to bring my kickboard back and never found it again :(
Tues, June 3rd: Did some elliptical and weights in the gym. Felt Great.
Wed, June 4th: Swam with the tri-oomph gang at Stacy pool. 5 laps in 33m Stacy Pool. Was initially scared of the deep but it slowly subsided. Sha also gave me a basic lesson on treading water.
Thu, June 5th: Was feeling very tired . Anyway got changed to go out for a run. But listened to my body and didn't go eventually. GOOD DECISION. Decided to run the next day.
Fri, June 6th: I ran for 35 minutes on a treadmill (sucks to run in a cage... but it is so hot outside) followed by some strength training. Was happy with how I felt at the end.
Sat, June 7th: Was out all day with friends, so the planned swim didn't happen.
Sun, June 8th: I headed out for a swim and did 16 laps in my apartment (~20m) pool with some breaks but I was really happy because I seemed to be building stamina in water. Felt wonderfully sore that night and next morning.
Mon, June 9th: Went to Lane Four and Academy. Got myself a pull buoy and shiny new PINK "Dora, the Explorer" kick board :). Even though my body felt tired from monday's swim, I thought I should stick to schedule and must go to Stacy Pool. BIG MISTAKE. I was tired, shoulders hurt and couldn't even do 6 proper laps. Should have run instead :( Seemed like I wasted a workout. I did some kicking though. Tried using the pull buoy to practice rotation of the upper body but somehow couldn't get the hang of it, my lower body kept swaying from side to side (any suggestions gals?)
Tues, June 10th: Did a great and fast(er) run on the treadmill followed by some weight training. Somehow my legs just wanted to go on and on. Wish my heart could keep up with the pumping :) But it was a great 2.5 mile run, albeit on the treadmill.
Lessons learned:
Listen to your body!
Alternate day Swim and Run workouts seem to work for me.
Swimming and Weight training are keeping my foot problem from flaring up. This is the part I am most thankful for right now. The fact that I am able to run without any foot issues is a big step. I am enjoying my short runs so very much :)
Friday, May 9, 2008
1st workout 1st week
Ok this is not exactly something to be gaga about but I did a 30 minute run on town lake yesterday and it felt absolutely fantastic. Two weeks back when I was on town lake I had had a very tough time completing the 3 mile loop - I mostly walked.
The thing is not only am I down on endurance, my foot still hurts and it's tricky to keep it down - gym workouts, some foot drills help sometimes. So yesterday it was hurting again and I was afraid of making it worse. I decided to keep an easy pace and chose the flatter part of the trail to run on. That helped me run (not walk) all the time and the foot also felt much better afterwards. It felt great to do my longest run in months :-P
Next goal: A 30 minute swim workout this week!
The thing is not only am I down on endurance, my foot still hurts and it's tricky to keep it down - gym workouts, some foot drills help sometimes. So yesterday it was hurting again and I was afraid of making it worse. I decided to keep an easy pace and chose the flatter part of the trail to run on. That helped me run (not walk) all the time and the foot also felt much better afterwards. It felt great to do my longest run in months :-P
Next goal: A 30 minute swim workout this week!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Pooja's Tips for Initial Training
1. Those planning to run at Townlake this Saturday pls. be aware that
there will be a March for Babies (March of Dimes) happening at the same
time. It's a fun run/walk and I will be there. So come on out!!
2. Swimming is my strongest sport and can help anyone with
techniques/drills during group practice.
3. I purchased my bike off of craig'slist. Re-iterating Cha, a very imp
piece of advice, make sure you buy a bike from someone who is preferably
the same height as you. Bikes are not one size fit all so pls. pay
careful attention to what size bike would fit your frame. You can go to
a bike store and get fitted for a bike to know your size.
4. I have a beginner's 8 week tri training program that I used almost 2
years ago for my first Tri. I can share that with everyone if you like.
5. For week 1, I suggest getting atleast 2 25-min workout's. If you
haven't been working out, run/walk would be the best way to start
training your heart and build endurance. If you are comfortable with
your fitness level, get one workout of your weakest sport and one
workout of your strongest.
there will be a March for Babies (March of Dimes) happening at the same
time. It's a fun run/walk and I will be there. So come on out!!
2. Swimming is my strongest sport and can help anyone with
techniques/drills during group practice.
3. I purchased my bike off of craig'slist. Re-iterating Cha, a very imp
piece of advice, make sure you buy a bike from someone who is preferably
the same height as you. Bikes are not one size fit all so pls. pay
careful attention to what size bike would fit your frame. You can go to
a bike store and get fitted for a bike to know your size.
4. I have a beginner's 8 week tri training program that I used almost 2
years ago for my first Tri. I can share that with everyone if you like.
5. For week 1, I suggest getting atleast 2 25-min workout's. If you
haven't been working out, run/walk would be the best way to start
training your heart and build endurance. If you are comfortable with
your fitness level, get one workout of your weakest sport and one
workout of your strongest.
Cha's tips for training in May
From Charanya's email:
What I would encourage doing for the month of May:
1. Get short runs in whenever you can: 1-2 miles. Our end goal is 2
miles.
2. For those who know how to swim - find a pool and start swimming ~
anything will be good. Our end goal is 300m, but we want to start just
getting back into the pool first!
3. For those who have bikes - try to get some bike time in on your own.
Our end goal is 12 miles.
4. For those who DON'T have bikes, if you have access to a gym, get on
that spin bike and start getting used to how it feels, and start
building some endurance. Meanwhile, you will need to start bike-hunting.
The group can probably help each other out for this. I would suggest
either borrowing from someone OR start looking on craigslist/bike stores
for good deals depending on if you want a used or a new bike. For those
who are clueless, it might be good to just walk into a bike store and
try to find out what size you should be looking out for! We could
probably go together as a group to do this for those who need help!
Which of you girls fall into this category? I am personally going to be
buying a new bike, and loaning mine to G3, so if anyone wants to go
bike-hunting with me, let me know! I won't be going till June though
after I get back from vacation!
5. For those who DON'T know how to swim too well, this is the tricky
one! I'm not knowledgeable about swimming enough to "train" or "correct"
someone, but I can accompany for swim sessions if needed. Any of the
other gals who have TRI-ed before have any suggestions??
In June, we can probably start meeting as a group to go for runs
together, bike rides together, do brick sessions (bike+run after) etc.
In May, we can probably buddy up with each other as needed.
What I would encourage doing for the month of May:
1. Get short runs in whenever you can: 1-2 miles. Our end goal is 2
miles.
2. For those who know how to swim - find a pool and start swimming ~
anything will be good. Our end goal is 300m, but we want to start just
getting back into the pool first!
3. For those who have bikes - try to get some bike time in on your own.
Our end goal is 12 miles.
4. For those who DON'T have bikes, if you have access to a gym, get on
that spin bike and start getting used to how it feels, and start
building some endurance. Meanwhile, you will need to start bike-hunting.
The group can probably help each other out for this. I would suggest
either borrowing from someone OR start looking on craigslist/bike stores
for good deals depending on if you want a used or a new bike. For those
who are clueless, it might be good to just walk into a bike store and
try to find out what size you should be looking out for! We could
probably go together as a group to do this for those who need help!
Which of you girls fall into this category? I am personally going to be
buying a new bike, and loaning mine to G3, so if anyone wants to go
bike-hunting with me, let me know! I won't be going till June though
after I get back from vacation!
5. For those who DON'T know how to swim too well, this is the tricky
one! I'm not knowledgeable about swimming enough to "train" or "correct"
someone, but I can accompany for swim sessions if needed. Any of the
other gals who have TRI-ed before have any suggestions??
In June, we can probably start meeting as a group to go for runs
together, bike rides together, do brick sessions (bike+run after) etc.
In May, we can probably buddy up with each other as needed.
How I came to do a Tri...
I was training for the AT&T marathon in 2006 when one of the long runs in december left me injured and in pain. From being right on track to do my first 26.2 miles I went to almost hobbling to finish the half marathon. After some good-for-nothing physical therapy sessions, I thought of "thinking" about triathlons as a means of taking the focus away from running.
Swimming was and is the scariest part of the triathlon for me. So I promptly signed up for Rogue's Swimming 101 (on the first day of which, we were supposed to do 4 lengths of free style as warm up. Why is it called 101 anyway? huh.) Anyway, after the first few hiccups I totally enjoyed the class and (somewhat) practiced swimming for the rest of the summer. Sha's blog kept me a little excited about tri-s but it still seemed like a scary thought to do the swim AND the bike AND the run myself. Thereafter, I conveniently forgot about triathlons or any other sport for that matter.
Fast forward to last weekend - Sha, I, AshG are in a hotel room in Dallas and Sha starts telling me about tri-training for this season. Totally taking advantage of my sleepy state she urges me to sign up for Rogue's women Tri 2008. I show my enthusiasm and try to avoid any committment at the same time, but she presses on and keeps pressing for TWO DAYS! I resist. After all, my plan was to strengthen my swimming, get comfortable with a bike and then think about triathlons. But aint no mountain high enough for someone like Sha. She finds me a perfect partner in Savi and I am on my way to my first relay triathlon.
Yuuhuu! I am totally excited to do the swim and the run. I just hope the excitement shows in my training too. 300m swim in open waters is very challenging for someone like me, who is still scared of depths and even gets panicky in the pool water for no reason. But I am looking forward :)
Swimming was and is the scariest part of the triathlon for me. So I promptly signed up for Rogue's Swimming 101 (on the first day of which, we were supposed to do 4 lengths of free style as warm up. Why is it called 101 anyway? huh.) Anyway, after the first few hiccups I totally enjoyed the class and (somewhat) practiced swimming for the rest of the summer. Sha's blog kept me a little excited about tri-s but it still seemed like a scary thought to do the swim AND the bike AND the run myself. Thereafter, I conveniently forgot about triathlons or any other sport for that matter.
Fast forward to last weekend - Sha, I, AshG are in a hotel room in Dallas and Sha starts telling me about tri-training for this season. Totally taking advantage of my sleepy state she urges me to sign up for Rogue's women Tri 2008. I show my enthusiasm and try to avoid any committment at the same time, but she presses on and keeps pressing for TWO DAYS! I resist. After all, my plan was to strengthen my swimming, get comfortable with a bike and then think about triathlons. But aint no mountain high enough for someone like Sha. She finds me a perfect partner in Savi and I am on my way to my first relay triathlon.
Yuuhuu! I am totally excited to do the swim and the run. I just hope the excitement shows in my training too. 300m swim in open waters is very challenging for someone like me, who is still scared of depths and even gets panicky in the pool water for no reason. But I am looking forward :)
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