My second triathlon is done!

Well, I finished my second and last triathlon of the season!

It was great fun!

The swim was open water and 500 yards. I must say, that it looked longer than 500 yards... but I did a great job! I think that my lake swimming clinic and practice in the lake, really paid off. I was able to keep on course (4-5 got pulled out and 1 person got off course and swam into a kayak!), and I didn't get beat up! The swim wasn't half as scary as I thought it would be. I ranked 84 out of 311 in the swim!

After that I hopped on the bike. The 10 mile course was nice with good smooth roads! There were a few hills to go up and some really nice ones to go down! It was so sad though, I would have people fly by me on the down hills and I would pass them on the up hills! Yea, I am fearful of going too fast down a hill, but I did top out at 32 MPH, which is fast for me! My bike portion this time was faster than last time, and I average 18 MPH! And I typically average 16.5 MPH on 30 mile rides!

My focus on the bike was to NOT get a side cramp, before I got off the bike, and I achieved that.

So, I flew off the bike and hit the 5K run. And I was doing good, because I didn't have a side cramp starting the run! Then... about 1 mile into it, I got a horrible side cramp. I walked a little, stretched, and just pinched the heck out of my side, and kept running. I ran faster than I did in my frist triathlon, so that was good. BUT...

I really have no clue why I get that side cramp... when I am competing! I don't get those normally, but during both tri's... BAM... I got them. My legs are fine... my body wants to go... and my side keeps me fron moving faster! Anyone have any clue why this might be happening?

Overall, I did a decent job. I wasn't the fastiest and I wasn't the slowest... I was just out there having fun and doing my best! Also, my time was 2 minutes faster than my last tri!

I have also figured out that I am more of a distance gal. My body has never been into sprinting (when I was a competitive swimmer, I did distance). I like to get warmed up and then I just keep going.

So, next year, my goal will be to do an Olympic/International distance triathlon. I think I might like that better. I will just need to train for the running portion more!

It's sad that the season is over for me... but I do have a relay team for a 1/2 Ironman on 9-11-05, and I have a bike rally on 10-1-05.

Then when it gets cold again, I will focus on weight lifting, running (treadmill), and yoga again.

Thanks for reading!

Congratulations! Nice work. No idea about the side cramps - pretty much all of me hurts when I run... :p

Great job KSH! I have a lot of admiration for people who do triathlons and marry three sports like you do.

(No idea about the cramps either... But last night after a hard 150 km ride I had one of those side cramps walking around the block. Maybe it has to do with core muscles work during the bike ride and then switching to an impact activity??? Dunno...)

WTG!! I am still sidelined from swimming but my shoulder is getting better so I hope to be swimming again by the end of this month if not earlier.

On the side stitches, I get them too when racing (not training), do you drink soda's? I was told they help cause them :confused: not sure about that but I do drink them. Also, if your stitch is on your right side when you are running and your right foot hits the ground breathe out very hard, do a couple of times, just don't pass out ;) that usually helps me. Stretching your arm on the stitch side over your head helps some but the breathing usually gets rid of them for me. Maybe it is a stress reaction? I only get them when I race which is very strange to me.

Here is what my friend (who runs super marathons, 50 and 100 miles) said about my side cramp issue:

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No side cramps on the bike but just in the run. I used to get these when I first started running its a breathing thing you can over come this . I would get side cramps on some of my training runs when I pushed to hard I'd back off just a little till they went away then slowly bring my pace back up. I think your not used to running at the speed after you bike. Your taking off to quick cause your warmed up from the bike but your body is not ready to run at that hart rate yet.

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Here is a link to the pictures:

http://www.sonic-convergence.com/mis...riathlon_july/

Hi Karen,

Wow, great shots! Congratulations! Hey, I know what you mean, I feel that way too, the course always looks longer than 500 m. My last race it looked more like 1000 and of course I had a panic attack and ended up swimming it backstroke but at least I didn`t swim into a kayak!
As for side stitches, I`d say it is probably you are running too fast and you are very tense, not relaxed. This will get better with practice.

What leg of the relay are you doing for the Ironman - the swim?


tricat

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Originally Posted by tricat

Hi Karen,

Wow, great shots! Congratulations! Hey, I know what you mean, I feel that way too, the course always looks longer than 500 m. My last race it looked more like 1000 and of course I had a panic attack and ended up swimming it backstroke but at least I didn`t swim into a kayak!
As for side stitches, I`d say it is probably you are running too fast and you are very tense, not relaxed. This will get better with practice.

What leg of the relay are you doing for the Ironman - the swim?


tricat

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Panic attack... very scary. With proper preparation for the swim though it's not that bad... and can even be fun!

I think I need to train more bike/run transitions... and I need to start walking, before I start running... and ease into the run.

Yes, I am doing the swimming portion of the 1/2 Ironman... and I tell you what... a mile is starting to sound far! I hate to see how far it will look when I get to the lake!

Hey Karen,
Congruts on your triathlong, I am going to do Danskin next year. The pictures look great!!!! As for the cramps, i do get them too sometimes. And I read some stuff about it few months ago, dont remember where. But what it said is that cramps might be due to few reasons 1) not hydrated muscles, which means you have to watch how much you are drinking and if enough, 2) breathing technique might be wrong, 3) eating before exercising. I know that the only way i get rid of those is just massage the place for a little bit and of course take dip breaths in and out. Good luck on your training.

Marina

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Originally Posted by FreshNewbie

Hey Karen,
Congruts on your triathlong, I am going to do Danskin next year. The pictures look great!!!! As for the cramps, i do get them too sometimes. And I read some stuff about it few months ago, dont remember where. But what it said is that cramps might be due to few reasons 1) not hydrated muscles, which means you have to watch how much you are drinking and if enough, 2) breathing technique might be wrong, 3) eating before exercising. I know that the only way i get rid of those is just massage the place for a little bit and of course take dip breaths in and out. Good luck on your training.

Marina

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Thanks! Trust me... it seems pretty *scary* just thinking about doing a tri... but once you do it... you realize that it is a very achievable goal!

I think my side cramp happens because of my breathing. I also think I need to walk... and then run... to get warmed up. Versus just sprinting off the bike. I need to slowly get into a rythm and just flow with it. Instead of forcing it to happen.

This is why I think doing distance tri's will work out better for me.

And... then I will have a new goal to achieve next year!

Best of luck on your tri next year! I know the best *side effect* of all of this, is that I work out 5-6 days a week... and I don't even feel like it's a chore anymore. I do it because it's fun, and I want to do good in my event!

Now I am training for a 1 mile open water swim on 9-11-05... and 65 mile bike ride on 10-1-05!

Thank you Karen!
I was actually a little dissapointed that I couldn't do any this year because I am too busy with my summer classes and get to work out only 3 times on weekdays and one ride on weekends :( I can only imagine what a feel of achievement you get from completing a tri ( not even talking about an ego boost ;) ) . Good luck on your training, and enjoy it.

karen - great job! i love to hear your race reports, and the pictures are so awesome - whoever you have taking them needs to give my dh a lesson! lol!

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Originally Posted by mommelisa

karen - great job! i love to hear your race reports, and the pictures are so awesome - whoever you have taking them needs to give my dh a lesson! lol!

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Well... my boyfriend is very kind and generous and takes the pictures.

He learned what to do/not to do... after photographing my first/only duathlon. He realized then that unless he is close to me, you can't see me in the picture!

Just tell your DH to take as many pictures as possible... and to prepare to take the picture... before he sees you.. and then just keep snapping... and it helps to be somewhat close to you!

Thanks for reading my reports and looking at the pictures! Unfortunately... you won't get anymore till next year! HA!

Congrats on your second triathlon!

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Originally Posted by KSH

I really have no clue why I get that side cramp... when I am competing! I don't get those normally, but during both tri's... BAM... I got them. My legs are fine... my body wants to go... and my side keeps me fron moving faster! Anyone have any clue why this might be happening?

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The side ache may be due to breathing or posture. Shallow breathing can lead to side aches, and I've also noticed that if I hunch/tense my shoulders (which can happen easily during both bike and run stages), I can get a sideache.