Escape from Alcatraz

[tribogota]

I signed up for the lottery and got a SPOT! yeah! am doing it for my 40th birthday which will be that month. May 2009. Just read the course carefully.....oooooof, it is gonna be the most challenging tri yet!
http://www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com/Race_Info/course.htm

[Veronica]

Hey that's awesome! We'll have to come cheer you on!

Veronica

[Bike Chick]

How cool! Keep us posted on the training. It looks brutal. I can't think of a better way to celebrate turning 40!

[Tri Girl]

Congrats!! I had a friend who did that last year. She said it was amazing, but brutal. Be sure to wear a neoprene cap and a couple swim caps for the swim. She said it was the toughest part of the race- but also the most exciting.
What an amazing birthday gift to yourself! :)

[tribogota]

Check out the sand stairs, after an up and downhill run, plus a tough bike ride, I tried out some of the course....

[Tri Girl]

wow- that's crazy steep! :eek: My friend who did that tri said that was the pretty brutal (aside from jumping in the frigid water- but it makes you swim faster, right?).

It still looks like a lot of fun, tho... ;)

[tribogota]

Started training for escape on the 1st of January, got 100 mins a day in until the 4th, then got a horrific stomach flu and fighting off dehydration, swam yesterday anyway, but basically have missed 3 days and will probably miss tomorrow. So only 7 days into the training have missed 3, arg!:mad: frustrating, plus I don't start teaching until the 12th, so these were extra precious training days, once the semester starts, well I am just fatigued most of the time.
jan, feb, and march are my key training months.

The good news is, that I was first overall in my category 35-39 in Colombia for 2009, not because I WON any races, but because I was consistent about racing and finishing, so racked up points. 1/15, not a big field of course.

[colby]

Started training for escape on the 1st of January, got 100 mins a day in until the 4th, then got a horrific stomach flu and fighting off dehydration, swam yesterday anyway, but basically have missed 3 days and will probably miss tomorrow. So only 7 days into the training have missed 3, arg!:mad: frustrating, plus I don't start teaching until the 12th, so these were extra precious training days, once the semester starts, well I am just fatigued most of the time.
jan, feb, and march are my key training months.

The good news is, that I was first overall in my category 35-39 in Colombia for 2009, not because I WON any races, but because I was consistent about racing and finishing, so racked up points. 1/15, not a big field of course.

Stomach flu. :( :( :( Hope you're feeling better and able to get back to training soon.

Hey, it's still a success, take what you can get!! Congrats. :D

[salsabike]

The good news is, that I was first overall in my category 35-39 in Colombia for 2009, not because I WON any races, but because I was consistent about racing and finishing, so racked up points. 1/15, not a big field of course.

Seems pretty wonderful, still! Good for you, kiddo. Hoping you feel better very soon.

[tribogota]

Totally over the flu and since I didn't eat for three days seemed to have lost 2 of the 5 lbs my coach wants me to lose.
Yesterday we did a fabulous brick, and it was very much like the race route,
we went up 8k of steep on the bike, came down, did 5 intervals of a very steep hill (have to be out of the saddle), then left our bikes with the coach and RAN up the 8k steep that we had cycled up. I loved it.
Today we did stadium stairs, did NOT love that...

[tribogota]

Have been training well, love the Sunday brick of up hill ride, then intervals, then run up that same hill. Am clocking 600-700 minutes of training a week, lots of strengthening, even did abs for a whole week, ok, yep, only one week, will do them again this week.... and I would have never ever thought, but this year I am actually running LESS slow than last year. I thought I had only one pace and that it was never gonna speed up, but 2 1/2 years later of disciplined running and I am a tiny bit faster. YEAH!!!
Had a female set back this week, a horrid colscopy with a medieval gynecologist and that left me bleeding three days, so I didn't train. But back on track and loving every minute.

[salsabike]

Hey! Nice to hear this.

[spindizzy]

Tri- awesome training. You will be very strong and capable when doing Alcatraz.

[Veronica]

Glad to hear things are on track for you.

Veronica

[tribogota]

Took the day off last Saturday and went to the beach and boogie boarded! what fun, and what a calf work out jumping up and down in the waves

[Veronica]

I'm envious. I would LOVE to be somewhere warm right now.

Veronica

[tribogota]

so focussed with the training, that I only have time for work, and barely get to the internet (ok, watched a few hours of olympics, but only a few)

Went OFF sugar in January, went to the nutritionist in the middle of Feb and am at 15% body fat, ideal for a professional triathlete is 13%, so considering my age and that I work full time, she said "If you were trying to shave off seconds I would still have you lose 2lbs, but as you are 39 and not sprinting to the finish, well, I would just say, keep eating as you are and stay the same weight, most people would be envious'". she is the nutritionist for the national team and was even annoyed that I am doing better than the national athletes..heheehe,
obviously felt great
so what was my response
to spend the week binging on sugar and eating poorly, but I hope that I am back on the wagon this week.

The training has been great 600- 800 mins a week, 160k bike, 30k a week running, including hill training, track, stadium stairs, and just regular ole running, and 10,000m plus swimming. Have reduced bike this year and increased running. I have got my time down in all three, especially compared to last year, but am not training more, am just generally stronger, the accumulation of 3 years training. I FEEL STRONG!

I admit I have days that I get out of bed physically tired and ask myself why I am doing this, work full time, train full time, but by the time I get into the pool, well I forget.

Fell on the bike last week (in the park) and skinned my knee like a twelve yr old, but since it is where I bend it, well it keeps hurting, but no bruising, and no damage to the bike. (my coach, who was riding behind me, chit chatting, practically had a heart attack though, he doesn't like the "ladies" to fall).

The first year of tri I thought that within a year I would be pretty good, what with all that training. But really, it took THREE years.
thanks for following along to alcatraz.

[colby]

Thanks for checking in!! Great to hear about your good progress. :D

[Veronica]

Sounds like you are doing great!


Veronica

[tribogota]

The red one is every week (on bike and running), the green one is less often.

[tribogota]

Stronger than ever and breaking barriers. Last week I did 21 x 100 all under 1:35, fastest 1:29, and the rest around 1:32 (swim). Then today (after day off yesterday), I rode the hilly part of the ride all on the harder gears, was so proud of myself! (on the big plate, sorry don't know what these things are called in English, el plato grande). And when I got to the top and could see I could do it, said "darn" to myself. Cause now that means, I can, so I will have to. It was nicer to go up all easy and slow:D
One month until Alcatraz. Two more weeks of hard training. Am averaging 700-900 minutes of training a week. Switched from endurance to speed 4 weeks ago and this week switching back to endurance. Thus the 21 x 100 (on the two minutes).
I stubbed my toe badly running barefoot last week and it has been swollen all week, so ran less. Taking one day off every 10. NOT ENOUGH, but just has worked out that way. Am gonna try to figure out this next month carefully to not be overtired. But altogether very happy with my strength. Tried to do abs and core but gave up...oh well

[kermit]

I envy you!I can't find the time to train for a sprint. Please know that we are all living vicariously through and are pulling for you. KICK ***!