Race Report - Egg Hunt Triathlon 2013

To say that I have been looking forward to triathlon season is the understatement of the century (which I'm pretty sure all of you know by now).  There is something about this sport that I simply love.  All in all, I was rather disappointed with how I did at Egg Hunt--I thought I would perform better overall, but certain things weren't in my favor.  I ended up with a time of 1:34:15 and 6/11 in my division.  This isn't my worst time ever, but it isn't my best either.

The good:
Transitions-This is the first time I've done a race anywhere other than Crandon Park.  I loved not having to run 1/4 mile on sand to get to transition.   I managed to get in and out of transition without too much fuss--T1 took 1:11 and T2 took 0:52.  I'll take that!

The run - the two loop run was completely shaded, and even though my feet were numb when I started (yay cold!), I found my groove and managed my fastest 5K during a tri at 35:10 (11:20 pace) I was expecting that to be better than it was before the day started, but given all of the conditions, I was happy with it.

Friends! - I love the group of people I race with.  I saw lots of familiar faces that I hadn't seen since the end of the 2012 season.  Even better, I got to hang with my long lost run bud the evening before and allow our boys to hang out.  She and her hubs are getting in to tris, and its always fun to share something you love.

The bad:
The weather - It was cold on race morning (in Florida terms) -- 56 degrees.  It warmed up to 75ish by the end of the race, but the first part of the bike was downright chilly.  Which may have had something to do with how not great that went, when combined with some windy weather (see "The ugly" below).

The swim- I was nervous about this swim, because it is in a lake and I've never done that before.  Silly me, I was expecting water temps in the 70s.  Um.  Try 66 degrees.  Never really thought about the fact that cold water could inhibit your ability to breath in when you first get in.  I was trying to stay warm, so I didn't get in until our wave was ready to go off.  In retrospect I should have stuck my face in the water before hand.  Lesson learned.  Imagine my surprise when I went to take a breath after my first stroke and LITERALLY could not inhale.  Well hell.  But there was no panic, I just swam with my head above water until I got used to it and then found my rhythm.  Once I found my rhythm I passed some people.  It was still pretty dark outside--even though the sun was up, it was overcast.  When the sun came out it made the murky water look downright black and I felt like I was going to be eaten by a lake monster. Had trouble breathing again.  Did back stroke.  I felt solid on the swim, all things considered, but the cold water took its toll and I ended up with a very sad 13:38.  Second worst time I've ever had on a swim.

The ugly
The bike-I am usually decent on the bike (and I love to ride) so I was surprised when I got on and found I had apparently left my bike mojo somewhere in transition.  I felt like I was standing still--people were flying by me right and left.  My legs felt like lead weights.  I suspect the cold air and wind may have been a factor.  My diet and sleep schedule hasn't been as good as it could have been.  I haven't put in as much time in the saddle as I should have, and I certainly haven't been doing speed work on the bike.  I was wet and chilly . . . whatever the reason, I never found my rhythm.  I ended up with a dismal 43 minute ride for 11 miles.  The only upside of the bike was that Chris and Jess were on the bike course.  Not only did they cheer me on, but they grabbed this picture that makes me look like I know what I'm doing.  In reality, I didn't look like this for most of the bike.  Need to practice staying down in the drops for extended periods of time, because that's where I'm going to find my power.

I know every race can't be my best race, so about five minutes in to this thing I knew it was going to just be one I would use as a learning experience.  The ever-encouraging Amanda reminded me that the first race of the season is always the toughest.  I'm glad I got it out of the way.  I learned a lot of lessons that I'm hoping will improve the rest of my season.  And even though it was not a great race, I'm still proud.

The stats:
Total Time: 01:34:15.27
Swim Time: 13:38
T1 Time: 1:11
Bike Time: 43:23
T2 Time: 0:52
Run Time: 35:10

Next up-the Newport 10-miler on 4/28 (Mommy-cation AND I get to see my bestie!!! YAYYYYYYY! But I'm not at all excited.  Giggle.) and (hopefully) Tri-Miami on 5/5.  I say hopefully because I'm a little nervous about back to back events and Tri-Miami has a 500 registrant cap this year. I'm not sure I'm going to get registered before its full.  Time will tell.  In the mean time, its back to the gym, the pool, and the road tomorrow. 

So I leave you with this, and hope that you have had a happy Easter:

From Muddy Buddy Adventure Series FB Page

  

Hill training in the pancake state

 Even though the first race of triathlon season is literally RIGHT around the corner (Saturday), I'm thinking ahead to the Newport 10 Miler on April 27th.  I'm a little freaked out about this race. I know I can do the distance, but this will be my first "run-cation."  I'm going to support my bestie Allison in her first foray into double-digit race land.  We haven't seen each other since she moved away several years ago, so a visit is long overdue.

Other than the travel arrangements and worrying I am going to forget something, I am freaked out about two little words.  "ROLLING HILLS."  Ummm, I live and train in a state that is basically at sea level. EVERYWHERE.  The only hills we have are bridges.  How in the world do I prep for "rolling hills??"

I really didn't feel better when the race posted their elevation map.  Yeah, those roll all right.  A LOT.  Again, I can run 10 miles, and I can run a .5 mile bridge a few times, but how do you simulate THIS in pancake state:

Hills intimidate me.  The only place I've really ever run is here in South Florida.  I don't know how to race hills.

A different Allison, this one a 2014 Ragnar teammate, was randomly discussing hill training at one of the local running stores.  The staff there recommended doing repeats on the Rickenbacker Causeway.  I've done that before.  I'm no stranger to this bridge.  Since I work very close to it, I have logged plenty of miles on it.  Its really the only hill experience I have.  But they offered a twist--rather than just running up and down, they suggested running to the first light pole, back down, to the 2nd lightpole, back down, etc.

What's the Rickenbacker Causeway, you ask?  See that BBB (Big Booty Bitch Bridge) along the skyline?  That's a 1 mile, 100 foot bridge.  Best "hill" in SoFl.   Very scenic and beautiful too. 

 

Anyway, long story short I took that idea and modified it a bit by adding a retreat to the previous light pole into the mix.  (1st lightpole, back down, 2nd light pole, first light pole, 2nd light pole, back down, 3rd light pole, 2nd light pole, 3rd light pole, back down, etc.).  The result looked SOMETHING like this.  I say something because, yeah, the first and last miles were on flat. Obviously the elevation sensor in my GPS is less than accurate. 

So, as far as rolling hills simulations go, this is about as good as it gets.   I hope to do this a few more times before I climb on a plane in 30 short days and do the real thing. 

How often do you head for the hills?

Inspirations - New Series

Life Beyond the Chaos is all about making the best of the every day--living life to its fullest.  I want to live every day as if its my last.  I want my kids to know they are loved.  I want to live a life of no regrets.

Sometimes life can hand you a bum deal.  How we tackle the challenges we are given in our life says a lot about our character.  Injury.  Illness.  Tragedy.  These things are not easy things to deal with.  Yet every day people face them.

I am proud to announce that in the coming weeks, we will be featuring some amazing individuals who have overcome illness, injury and hardship with tons of character.  I wanted to share their stories with you in hopes that you can find inspiration in them, as I have.  For the days when you don't want to get up and exercise.  Or perhaps to strengthen your resolve as you cope with an injury and are physically unable to do what you would like to.   So stay tuned!

Being a part of something amazing

At the beginning of the year, I came within inches of canceling my gym membership at our local YMCA.  The pool was closed for renovations (for THREE MONTHS), my favorite yoga class had been dropped and child care hours were scaled back in a way that really jacked with my running schedule.

But when I talked with my kids about leaving the Y, I got a chorus of "No, Mom, we love it there!"  So we stuck it out, and adjusted to the changes.  The pool still isn't open, but it will be soon.  I have my gym mojo back and I'm actually balancing my schedule better than I have in the past.  The changes in child watch still drive me nuts, but we work around them.

I'm glad we've stuck it out.  Because while all of these little changes have been annoying and inconvenient, our Y did something INCREDIBLE this year.  They made youth sports free for anyone holding a family membership.  I always thought it was INSANE to pay $100 for 6 weeks of sports, especially when the coaches are volunteers.  It's difficult for us, a two income household, to throw out $200 on sports registrations and even more for equipment.  And we're far better off than many.  By making youth sports included, they have given access to an amazing thing to literally hundreds of children.

Last year, the youth sports leagues at our Y had enrollment in the 20-30 range.  This year HUNDREDS of children are enrolled.  Literally.  The youth soccer league that just started this week has 150 children enrolled.  And half of those are girls, which I think is awesome.

I coached my first soccer game on Tuesday.  I never thought I'd coach ANYTHING.  When I started running, I considered coaching Girls on the Run, and even did the training.  But I've never felt qualified, because I didn't feel athletic. I came away from that practice blown away.  Because there is the potential to help shape lives in a better direction. 

I started on this journey because I didn't want my daughter to look in the mirror and see fault in herself, the way that I have always seen fault when I look in the mirror.  SO MUCH of that behavior is learned--we learn it from our parents, we learn it from the media, we learn it from our friends. 

Youth sports give children an opportunity to expand their horizons.  Coordination, confidence, team building . . . it goes on and on.   I'm endlessly proud to be a part of an organization that's going the extra mile to make sure every child has an opportunity to play sports.  I love knowing that the Y is more than a gym.  It's a philosophy.  I'm so excited to go out there again with those kids tomorrow and have fun on the field.  In a world that's getting unhealthier by the minute, our Y is doing something amazing.

The single most important thing I learned from yoga

I spent all day Sunday laying on my couch with ice on my ankle.  Not cool on a normal day, but especially not cool because it WAS cool in SoFl . . . low 50s, which for us spoiled Florida people is FREEZING.  Not the best time to have to ice.

Any time I get achy or sore, I am so incredibly grateful that yoga found its way in to my life.  I started doing yoga via P90X.  Which, now, as a yogini, I can say misses the point of yoga entirely.  It just so happened that a yoga instructor was a part of the produce group I ran out of my house.  And then it just so happened that yoga instructor and I became best friends and cycling buddies.   And I became a yogini.

The principles of yoga are all incredibly useful, not only as an athlete, but in life.  I REALLY dig a slower paced yoga class over a fast-paced flow class because yoga is as much for my MIND as my body.

Contrary to popular belief.  You do not have to be "bendy" to do yoga.  A good yoga class will work for anyone, no matter their fitness or their flexibility level.  That is one of the things that makes it INCREDIBLE.     Yoga is empowering--it allows you to find your center, reconnect with your body and your mind.  It brings you clarity about where you are, where you want to go, and how you want to get there.

The most important thing you can learn from yoga?  ALIGNMENT!

Did you know that you can heal and balance injuries in your body simply by focusing on proper alignment?  Even just standing in mountain pose with proper feet placement can help strengthen and stretch your feet.  If you work out regularly, chances are your body has imbalances from the things you do--we all have a dominant side.  Yoga helps correct these imbalances, keeping our bodies strong.

So its nice, when you are injured, to have yoga in the arsenal.  Activating your muscles can help heal them.  Ice, a day of rest, and some gentle muscle activation in mountain post and triangle helped my ankle feel better today.  And this week, I will try to be ultra conscious of my alignment on that side--in the gym and on the road.  Because we only get one body, so we need to take care of it!!

Whether you are a yoga regular or a newbie considering taking the plunge, check out yogaglo.com.  This online site offers introductions to each of the different types of yoga. You can also look for routines that work specific areas.  My favorite thing about this site is that they offer workouts of varying lengths--if you don't have an hour, you can search for a fifteen minute class.  The post run workouts on there are awesome.  If making it to a studio isn't realistic for you (if only time and money grew on trees), YogaGlo is a wonderful backup option.  Since my favorite teacher isn't teaching in our area anymore, YogaGlo is my new go to.  Check it out, and add a little yoga to your routine. The first 15 days is free.  Your body will thank you!!

Triathlon Season

I have been looking forward to March since . . . oh, September.  I know that sounds silly.  But September was the last time I did a triathlon, and the minute it was over, I couldn't wait for the season to start again. 

This is the first time I've ever had a "season" for anything.  Last year I started out with a sprint distance triathlon in June.  It was a part of a trilogy--3 races + a bonus round.  I thought it would be great to do them all, but in the back of my mind I really didn't think my body would be able to handle it.

It not only handled it, I ended up doing all four races, got my first road bike, and landed in the podium for the bonus round.   I was super proud of myself, and felt like I could say I was an athlete without feeling like a poser.

This year, I have been STOKED for Tri season.  This year, my tri season runs from March to November and includes at least 7 races.  I can NOT WAIT to see what this season holds. 

Even before I became the fitter, happier version of myself, I loved to swim and ride my bike.  Some of my best childhood memories are the ones involving my mom's cousin, Kirk, taking me on long, adventurous bike rides.  And the water was always my happy place.  That's sort of how I ended up studying marine biology in school.  So yeah--Swim, Bike, Run?  Yes please!

I finally started hitting the pool this week.  I've been putting it off.  The Y pool is closed for renovations until March 18th.  It poses a logistical problem to try and find the time to swim with my little bit in tow.  But I made it happen 3 times in the past week.  Our community pool is COLD for this South Florida girl.  Especially right now, with a cold front swooping though.  Friday's swim was in 64 degree weather with no sun. May not sound so bad for all you northerners, but COLD for us Florida people.   Our fearless leaders at Team Tough Chik introduced me to SwimPlan.com.  Loving the plans on there--I used to get bored swimming laps, but the break downs on there make a 60 minute workout fly by.  I'm looking forward to spending time in the pool and become a stronger swimmer.  Last year, the swim was my weak link.

The other reason I LOVE triathlon is they actually have categories based on weight.  For women, the Athen category is 150lbs +, and the men have Clydesdale and often even SuperClyde, starting at 180lbs.  Let's be real, I don't ever expect an age group placement because my 180lb self is not going to beat some of these 130lb speed demon women who have been running their whole lives.  I love that the podium is a possibility for me in triathlon. It's not a place I ever thought I'd see myself. 


So yeah, looking forward to triathlon season.  Just a teeny tiny bit.

Remembering why we're all here

It's been one of those weeks around here.  The sickies keep recirculating around our house, schedules are conflicting, everyone is tired and grumpy. Its one of those weeks when I feel like I'm not getting anything done.  I get the workouts in I HAVE to in order to be ready for Egg Hunt on March 30th, but I haven't gotten to do anything else "for fun," like the group classes at the Y that serve as my social outlet.  Plus I've been cooped up in the house more than I care to recount.

But yesterday I spent 90 minutes in coach training for my son's soccer team at the Homestead YMCA.  I won't lie--I didn't want to coach.  I'm not a patient person.  I don't know CRAP about soccer.  Heck, I'm really not even a people person.  But I came out of that coach's meeting truly excited about helping out.

From Zooma's Facebook page

Because in the end, being excited about health and fitness is why we're all here.  Some of us started getting fit so that we could keep up with our kids, or STAY ALIVE for our kids.  Some of us have been doing it all our lives.  But all of us KEEP doing it because we love the way it feels.  We love the friends we make while we're doing it.  We love the places it takes us.

I'm really looking forward to spending an hour twice a week spending time on a soccer field for the next few months.  I don't know jack about soccer, but I'll learn.  I DO know I want my kids to continue loving to play silly games and have fun in their lives, even as they grow up.  So I will gladly go out there and play fun games with soccer fundamentals with my favorite little guy and his friends.

Because at the end of the day--its not all about the miles, or the calories burnt, or whether you were the fastest/ran the farthest/lifted the most. 

Its about the memories, the lives you impacted, and the smiles you brought to those around you.  Its about the super cool things you saw when you took the time to look around, like these manatees I saw on my ride last weekend.  They were so beautiful, and so many of the larger pelotons zipped right on by them without even seeing the two mamas and two babies surfacing for air.

Will coaching my kid's soccer team bring about world peace? Doubtful.  But it will allow me to share a passion for fitness with a bunch of impressionable kids.  Above all else, it made my son ecstatic that I'll be out on the field with him every day.

Enjoy the ride.  Focus not on the numbers on the scale, but on the positive changes you're making in your life. ALWAYS take the time to encourage someone--someone new to fitness, a friend on her first 5K, your kids when they try something new. As Ghandi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."  It won't move mountains, but its a start.

In other news, congrats to Gigi Becker for winning our giveaway. Gigi is going to be on our almost-a-reality Ragnar Keys 2014 team.  Looking forward to meeting her in less than 11 months!

Have a fabulous weekend friends!