PNW Tri Novices

[MM_QFC!]

Did I mention that I like to pull the wings off of flies.

JK.

You didn't need to...we already assumed that.

Hey, good luck and have tons o' fun this weekend yerself!

[salsabike]

Thanks, Jocelyn! It is really interesting to me to hear how and what others are doing. Oddly enough, I met someone yesterday who had fractured her sacrum--a runner. I am sorry for the sandcastle thing---that can be so frustrating! It sounds like you are trying to deal with it with care and patience, which is hard! But good.

Re getting time to swim: I am SO not a morning person. But just before my school year ended, I took to getting up really early to do the bike trainer thing before school, only because I'd spent months saying I'd do it after work but was always way too pooped. Now that I'm on vacation, I can go swim midday, which makes it ridiculously easy to do, of course. It'll be interesting to see what I do with all this when I go back to work in late August. Will I really get up at 5 am again to do stuff that I know I'm too tired to do after work? We'll see....

Juanita Hill: Go up Lake City Way towards Bothell. Turn right on 68th, which becomes Juanita Drive. That becomes Juanita Hill. MM_QFC, I'd be coming at it from the Kenmore side. It would be more fun to try if I wasn't carrying all this extra weight with me. I once had a ballet teacher who, cautioning us not to gain weight over the holiday season, said, "Imagine coming back here to the studio after Christmas and having to dance holding two five-pound sacks of potatoes." It was an image I never forgot. And the sacks of potatoes I'm hauling now are way more than ten pounds' worth. But anyway. I am working on it.

We knew that, Wahine.

Salsa, re: what other newbies are doing:

My goal for my first tri is for 2009. I fractured my sacrum nearly two years ago, and I am still dealing with some soft-tissue trauma and muscle pain in my right hip and lower back. I do pilates 1-2x a week plus my home PT exercises 2-3x a week for that. And lots of stretching.

Getting back to pre-injury fitness is like building a sandcastle. I make a little progress, and then something will flare up which forces me to rest and back off and lose the base I've built.

I've started bike commuting 1-2 times a week, it's about 5 miles each way. Cycling is pretty much the only cardio I've been able to do since my injury. Hoping I can work up to 3-4 times a week by end of summer.

Swimming is a little less convenient. I bought a pass for the city pools, but I can't seem to get to the pool during lap swim hours. Maybe I'll have more energy as the days get longer.

I'm not sure when I'll be ready to start running again. It's partly a question of when my body tells me it's ready, and then I have to get over my fear of doing too much too fast and setting myself back.

This week I'm resting. I had spent Saturday planting seedlings in my garden and woke up Sunday with lots of overly tight muscles in my back and hip. Trouble going from sitting to standing and standing to sitting. Sunday night I took an epsom salt bath, Monday night I took a muscle relaxant, and today I went to see my massage therapist, who did a lot of work around my piriformis, psoas, glutes, and lateral rotaters. I think I have control of my muscles again, but I'm gonna take a couple more days before starting on my next sandcastle.

Where is Juanita Hill?

[MM_QFC!]

Kenmore-shmenmore...you can do it, Salsa! There are pull-outs up that side too, in case you need a break...I don't want to hold you up, but I'd love to ride it with you so, maybe when you're ready, then I may be back on a bike...we'll see!

Yep, Teigyr's doing a sprint tri in Federal Way tomorrow...sounds ideal...women only and a 500 participant cap...Linda and I had a fun quick visit with her at SeaTac last night and she's ready to swim, bike, run!

[dex]

Noooo! Crap. I'm dumb.

So, I was just putting things in my bag for the pool swim clinic tomorrow. (Trying to be all prepared ahead of time and stuff.) Cap? Check. Goggles? Check. Swim towel? Check. Suit? Che...hey! Where's my suit?

After tearing up my bedroom and emptying my drawer of workout clothes, I've come up empty. I have a strong suspicion that I left it at the gym the last time I went swimming, probably actually *in* the little spinny-machine-thingy they have for getting the water out of your stuff.

The last time I tried to go shopping for a swim suit, I couldn't find anything in the store, so I ended up having to order a few online to try on. And, of course, I only kept one and sent back the others. Grrr.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

[Wahine]

Bump!!

Just wanted to kick this up to get the dialogue going. T minus 2 weeks (ish).

So Here's what I'm thinking.

Anyone who wants to show up Friday evening is welcome to. I will be home from work by 7 pm. I'll have lots of horror stories to tell about Race Across Oregon, so we'll have no shortage of things to chat about.

Sat - ride, variable lengths and difficulties. I've dealt with plenty of beginner groups and as much as I like to tease I promise not to kill anyone, (I may sneak out early to hit some hard hills before the group workout, that'll take the tigger factor down a notch). Then maybe a light form workout for the run and/or the swim, depending on what folks want to do. I have the perfect spot for an OWS, so bring your wetsuit!!

Sun - brick/transition work day. I imagine lots of people will want to head back Sun afternoon so we'll be sure to be done by early PM. I will have to do a long run on Sunday in the afternoon after the brick workout, so anyone who wants to stay to do part of the run with me (either running or riding) is welcome to it.

Accommodation... I can easily sleep 6 people in my house without any extra gear except for sleeping bags for the last 2 to sign up. 4 of those sleeping spots would be in a bed shared with someone else, ones a king and the other a double. Then I have 2 singles in the main room of the house. First come first served. I have tons of tent space and lots of parking for anyone who wants to sleep in a vehicle. Sprocket's mom, who lives across the river has kindly agreed to allow anyone to tent at her place that wants to. She'll also be helping with the rides etc.

I'm pretty excited.

Please let me know if you're in and I'll send out directions. It would be good if people could car pool as well.

Looking forward!!

[salsabike]

I am absolutely in!

Plan to post a long training update soon...

And thanks again.

[teigyr]

I'm in, and thank you I don't know if I have a sleeping bag or not (our camping stuff co-existed with Very Bad Cats who did Very Bad Things for a while) but I am perfectly ok on the floor.

I'm good for whatever ride is going on. I have a pretty hill friendly compact double, my only limitation is me. It dawned on me the other day I have run 530 miles this year and only ridden about 150?! I'm usually ok on inclines if my legs can handle it (ie if I'm strong enough, I'm good for the whole hill but if it's too steep, my climbing legs aren't really there).

I'd love to run with you on part of the long run but I am betting I am way too slow. We will see?

For the rest of the PNW people, if I take my car, it's limited to one bike which would probably be mine. If I take DH's truck (which he might be agreeable to) it's good for two people and two bikes. It's a spartan kind of truck, just be forewarned. I'm good with carpooling. I'm off on fridays so going down friday might be easier than waking up early on Saturday. I also work late on monday so I really have no concrete time frame for Sunday.

Wahine, what do you need? I can pick up anything on the way.

Salsa, nice to see you I can't wait to hear about your training, I was thinking about you and wondering if you went to the running clinics yet.

[NbyNW]

Still hoping I'll be able to be there.

I'm currently carless -- our rear differential failed massively on our way back from Yellowstone last weekend.

Will keep you posted.

[salsabike]

I'm in, and thank you I don't know if I have a sleeping bag or not (our camping stuff co-existed with Very Bad Cats who did Very Bad Things for a while) but I am perfectly ok on the floor.

For the rest of the PNW people, if I take my car, it's limited to one bike which would probably be mine. If I take DH's truck (which he might be agreeable to) it's good for two people and two bikes. It's a spartan kind of truck, just be forewarned. I'm good with carpooling. I'm off on fridays so going down friday might be easier than waking up early on Saturday. I also work late on monday so I really have no concrete time frame for Sunday.

Wahine, what do you need? I can pick up anything on the way.

Salsa, nice to see you I can't wait to hear about your training, I was thinking about you and wondering if you went to the running clinics yet.

I have an extra sleeping bag if we need it.

THAT'S the long story---the running thing---and it's why I've been so quiet the last two weeks. Short version: LOVED the chi running workshop---but probably already had a stress fracture in 2nd metatarsal/right foot before I took the workshop. Was put in wrong running shoes a month before that forced me to walk on the outsides of my feet, and while I don't doubt my weight made me more vulnerable more quickly, I think it would not have happened without those shoes. Bad stupid podiatrist; good smart physical therapist who figured it out about the shoes. SO--I am back to walking the run for this year. Was pretty upset last week; have more or less come to terms with it in last couple of days, so was planning to post an update soon.

More later. All else going fine.

Still hoping I'll be able to be there.

I'm currently carless -- our rear differential failed massively on our way back from Yellowstone last weekend.

Will keep you posted.

Jocelyn, I have a two-bike rack for my car, so you could come with me if you want. Teigyr, ditto.

I was thinking Friday night also, and thinking about food/etc.

PS Have lost 10-12 pounds in last month or so. Long way to go, but fine start.

[Wahine]

Too bad about the stress fracture!! Yippee on the weight loss!!!!

I'm thinking of a really mellow group dinner either Fri or Sat. We can prep at the house and buy stuff during the day for salad, pasta and chicken or something like that. Easy but healthy and many hands make light work of course. Ed will be working at a wine dinner Saturday night so that might be a good option.

[Sprocket's Mom]

Who wants fresh baked rolls with white cheddar and fresh rosemary?? I'll share if you will!!!

[Wahine]

Awwwwwwwww!!!!! It's a pic of Scribbles!!

Bring on the buns and cheese SM! It wouldn't be a party without 'em.

[NbyNW]

Who wants fresh baked rolls with white cheddar and fresh rosemary?? I'll share if you will!!!

That sounds heavenly . . . can we turn this into a potluck?

Salsa, I may take you up on that ride offer . . . we'll figure out this week what our situation is. Sounds like we may have at least a 10-day wait just for the new differential to arrive, so DH and I need to figure out if we're going to get a loaner or if we can do without for a couple of weeks.

Oh, and take good care of that foot.

I felt really good scurrying across the street during my lunch break today . . . I'm thinking to try out a lite lite lite run on a squishy synthetic track someplace this weekend. Feeling pretty confident . . .

[Wahine]

We could turn this ino a potluck, I just didn't want people to feel like they have to pack and bring stuff. We'll have time to consult and pick up groceries on Saturday afternoon, we can split the cost and cook together. Or people can bring things. I live in a small town (3500) with a reasonably stocked Thriftway and a great local fruitstand/produce type place. So it would be a very low stress venture for us to do things on Saturday. But if people would rather bring things with them that fine too. We can take inventory on Saturday and suppliment as needed.

[kelownagirl]

What day are you guys getting together?