Okay ladies, this is all your fault... I signed up for a tri

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Okay, I did it!!!! ... of course now I'm at the "Oh S***, what did I do!!!" stage though...

Here's the link (its the best date I could find that would fit in with all of our other activities and my bike rides)

http://www.kozenterprises.com/exec/k...licationID=177

Its an ocean swim which concerns me a bit but I am a strong swimmer and I've heard there are some clinics on ocean swimming that I may be able to get in on. Plus they have a wetsuit rental connection so I won't have to worry about that expense/hassle just yet.

Okay, so here's my plan... the goal is pretty standard for a first tri - finish without humiliating myself or hurting anyone!

I have a few bike rides that I'm committed to between now and then so I think the bike portion will take care of itself. I'll add in some work for shorter/faster stuff starting 6-8 weeks ahead.

Swim - we have a pool in our yard but I have access to the pool at the lodge which is a Jr. Olympic size pool. I plan to build a base of 2-3 times the race distance and then beginning May/June start working on speed and the open water thing. I am way out of shape but I have a "swimmers build" (quarterback shoulders) and used to compete when I was young so I'm not too worried about the distance; just the ocean! We do live near a lake so I could do some swimming there - will that add any value?

Run - sort of the same goal as the pool - I'm not a runner so I'll plan to build up to double the distance at a slow jog (SLOWWWWW!) then work on adding power/speed (whatever it takes to maintain SLOWWWW after the swim/bike ) at the 6-8 week point.

I'll add bricks in around June (I can ride my bike to the pool and then back afterwards so I'll be doing that already). I've heard the bike/run transition is the harder one so that's the one I'll concentrate on...

We have a pretty complete gym in our garage so I will also be lifting a few times a week (Melisa, I will be getting your opinions on which routine gives the best results)

OKAY... comments, critique, additions, tow rope offers......

I haven't told my DH yet, I figured I'd complete a few bike rides first... then break the news!

Tracy

ps. Cast is off today!!! I can't do much though, my wrist is so stiff and immoble that I will be doing PT for a while to get it back to normal. The Dr. did give me a splint to use Saturday for my 22 mile ride. My hand/wrist area really looks deformed though - its a bit unerving but I know it will get better.

[Running Mommy]

You are so going to rock that course! Esp. if you build a base that is twice the distance!! WOW!!!
And yes, you will want to practice running off the bike. Your legs will feel like jello at first and the first few times you do it you'll SWEAR that your legs will never get used to it. but they WILL. BUT- you have to keep doing bricks. I do one at least once a week- always.
I've never bricked the swim/bike in training. The only issue you may have is a bit of dizziness or swim vertigo when you first get out. I do. But I just slow down and take some deep breaths and it goes away. no biggie.
WOW I'm sooo excited! I may just join you for that one! It sounds really fun!!
YIPPPEEEEEE!!!!! But watch out... you will get hooked!!!

[Lise]

Wahoo! You're going to love the tri, I'll bet. The energy of each part of it carries you into the next part. Sounds like your training plan is very good. For some practical tips, I love Slow Fat Triathlete, by Jayne Williams. She talks about things that nobody else mentions.

Looking forward to hearing more as you prepare! Lise

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... join me for this one and I'll cover your hotel!

I'll need all the help I can get~

T~

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Actually Lise, I was just looking at the Wildflower (Jayne's first tri) and thinking I'm gonna do that one next year (Mtn Bike course is already sold out for 2006).

Thanks for the encouragement! Like I said, I'll need all I can get, especially since at this point I can't even shift my gears

T~

[mommelisa]

very, very cool!! i'm really excited for you, tracy!

congrats on getting the cast, off, too! that must feel MUCH better. i've never had an arm cast, but i have had my leg in a cast twice (non weight bearing, ugh!) and that was the pits.

take it slowly and take good care of yourself as you start back.

[Running Mommy]

Tracy I am seriously thinking of putting that race on my calendar. Do you know if it sells out early? I love to race in the summer, but that's off season out here so I usually head your way. I just need to check w/ my cousin and figure out when I'm going to have her son. She's a single mom and is an LAPD detective (los angeles). Her son and mine are like brothers so I usually take him for the summer. Saves her the $$ for full time daycare, saves him from having to BE in daycare, and the boys get to spend some "brother" time together. But this year I think I'm going to take the boys on a road trip up to the two grandmas homes in Idaho and Oregon so I need to figure that all out. I also got an email this morning about the breath of life tri in Ventura. I think it said end of June. hmmmm so many races, so little time! ha ha ha

[Trekhawk]

I've never bricked the swim/bike in training. The only issue you may have is a bit of dizziness or swim vertigo when you first get out. I do. But I just slow down and take some deep breaths and it goes away. no biggie.
WOW I'm sooo excited! I may just join you for that one! It sounds really fun!!
YIPPPEEEEEE!!!!! But watch out... you will get hooked!!!

Tprevost - wow you go girl. Does that mean bikerhen and I will be able to get a tow of you at LRRH. You will be super fit by then.

Running mommy - Im so pleased that you mentioned the swim vertigo thing. Years ago I did a few small Tri's after a friend pestered me endlessly until I could hold out no longer. I had that exact thing happen to me and wondered what was going on. Even though I do not do Tri's now its good to know what I experienced back then was pretty normal. You Tri girls really are inspiring.

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Trekhawk - the tri is after LRRH so you and Bikerhen will be towing me!!!! I don't have a clue what I'm doing so I don't know how fit I'll be by then! I just plan to ride as much as possible and hope for the best as far as LRRH! The tri is a sprint (about 7 weeks later) so I can crawl to the finish if I have to...

RM - I don't know if that one sells out early, its in a great location (just south of Carlsbad) though so it might. You may be able to call KOZ Enterprizes and ask them what happened last year... I would be SO happy if you did that one too; at least you could give me instructions prior to leaving me in the dust! Look at their website though because they do a few of them... plus there are those in San Dimas (didn't you do one of those???) as well. I actually wanted to do one of those for my first tri but none of the dates worked with what I already had on my calendar. They've got one in the fall I might do... or maybe the one in Palm Springs.... Hmmmm... maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself Keep me posted!

MM - I'm going to be quizzing you as well! I figure between everyone here and all that I'm reading, I should at least avoid some of the pitfalls and get lots of excellent tips!

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. Having you all is almost as good as having riding buddies! I hope I get to meet ALL of you!!!

I have my 'baby' ride this Saturday, I think it will give me a good idea of how the next month will be... I can't really move my wrist very much and the whole hand/wrist area looks very bizarre. I have a PT appt Friday so I'll be anxious to see what they have to say!

Have a great eveing everyone~

Tracy

[Running Mommy]

Take it easy with the wrist Tracy. The muscles have atrophied in the time you've been in a cast so it will take some time. Be patient there little one!
As much as I KNOWWW you want to get out there and make up for lost time.
Oh and FWIW I wasn't too keen on the San Dimas race. It had a big ol hill and they weren't very organized. We started almost an hour late- and this was in the summer- so that counts!

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oh... I'm glad you told me about that san dimas race! I would've been standing there steaming the whole time it was delayed! I'd imagine the Solana Beach one would be flat as it is up/around the coast... good for me, I'm a hill wimp! Although, if I like it, I want to do the Wildflower Mtn bike one next year - it sounds very fun (plus you can sign up for a clinic that covers the entire route!).

No worries about me pushing it too hard with the wrist... wow, yesterday I couldn't even lift a water bottle (couldn't grip it!). I've been working it most of the day per the doctor's orders - just moving it back and forth up and down etc. Just to give an example of how stiff it is... I can't put my right hand flat to my chest (like when you do pledge of allegiance). My elbow is fine but my hand won't twist; it stays sideways! I see a big improvement from yesterday though and don't plan on getting on the road bike for another two weeks or so. I got a splint from the dr. to help support it when I ride or do anything else strenuous... PT appt friday so we'll see what they say.

I still haven't told my DH that I actually signed up for a tri... he's going to have me committed! I mentioned it a month or so ago and he just kind of rolled his eyes and laughed. He's actually very supportive and he and I are perfect for each other. He (nor I, in his case, for that matter) never knows what kind of idea I will come up with next! At least he will never be bored... and it doesn't hurt that he's got that same crazy mentality too

I think he will really get into it (cheering, that is) after I have done a few events... I haven't done much of anything in the years we've been married. I did do them before we actually got married (while we were dating) so its not like this is all a surprise though.

Obviously Tony is very supportive... how are everyone else's husbands??? Also, when do you all do the majority of your training? Melisa and Denise, are you both SAHMs? Or do you work outside the home too??? AND, how many hours during the week do you typically train? Of course, my training will be much more abreviated due to the course length but I'm curious anyway.

Trac'

[Running Mommy]

Yes, right now I'm a sahm... But I used to work full time and had a healthy commute. That was back in the days of living in high dollar nor cal. Luckily I only have one, so I took him with me. He was in a jogging stroller at the ripe old age of 7 weeks! I had him all propped up, it wa pretty funny. When he was 2 or 3 I remember him asking me "are we gonna go jiggy momma?" lol You never could skip a workout w/ that kid!
I did a couple of low key running races w/ him in the stroller. Of course HE wore the number! It was an interesting juggle but I did it. He had private swim lessons at the Y so I would swim laps while he was having his lesson. I swam in the lane next to him and he would always try to race me down the lane. The kid really is a good swimmer- but he REFUSES to join a swim team.
Once he outgrew the stroller I put him on a bike and he'd ride along side me. When we moved to AZ in 04 (he was 7) he would get up with me at 5:45 am and ride alongside me while I ran. He wears a camelbak and everything. He trained w/me for the NYC marathon that year. He was good for about 15 miles but then he'd start complaining. So on my real long runs we would run 10 miles then we would hit the track at the high school and I'd run 3-4 miles on the track then the 5 miles back home. He loved going to the track. I would tuck his game boy in his camelbak so he had something to do. But usually he just ran around the bleachers. He would also bring me the towel I tucked in the camelbak soaked w/cold water. He was like my roving aid station. I would pack my gel and stuff in his camelbak! I remember once I was running the track and he came running up and said "mom. there is a snake under the bleachers... Or it could be a rope". So I told him to stay away from there. A little while later he came back and said "it must have been a snake mom cause it's gone now"! YIKES!
Anyway... sorry- I'm rambling! But this has brought up many memories!!
As for bike training it was alot of trainer rides w/ spinervals and then I'd sneak out when Tony came home. No other way around that.
That is another reason why I decided that now was the time to pull the trigger on my IM dream. As soon as my husband gets his shop up and running out here I'll be running the office. Of course I'm going to make sure that my schedule doesn't mess w/my training! ha ha ha!! But w/ the hardcore IM stuff I figured now was the perfect time. It really does consume your life.
Again, sorry for all the rambling.. I could go on and on about my son and his life as my training partner. Hopefully it will rub off on him!
Well, maybe it is... Today his little buddy was over and they were doing a "time trial" on their bikes out front! They were timing each other and they had a podium and everything!! It was too funny!!
Oh and one other cute thing he did.... I voly'd at last years IMAZ at a run aid station. Well he and Tony just could not stay away so they came down late afternoon to help. Spencer found some cardboard and a black sharpie and made signs for the runners. He wrote something like "keep running. you can do it" and he found a spot and sat w/his sign. I can't remember exactly what it said but it was really cool. So many athletes came by and thanked him or gave him a thumbs up. One lady hugged him. It was too cute. I think he really does "get it"..
Can you tell I'm a proud mom??!!

[Grog]

Can you tell I'm a proud mom??!!

Yeah, that really makes me feel like having kids!!

He must be a proud kid, too.

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Running Mommy,

How cool is that; to be able to share all of that with your son. Yes, I can tell you are a proud mom and, just like grog said, I am sure he's a proud son too! I hope that my boys will start getting involved (as much as they can anyway!)

I bet watching your family when you cross the finish line will have me bawling!

Tracy

[Lise]

Oh, Denise, Spencer sounds like such a cool kid.

I've tried to get my 6 yr old nephew interested in triathlons, but he's not around it like your son is. My niece (2 1/2) sat and watched Kona with me when I was sitting for her, and provided running commentary: "now they running. Now you crying. Now they singing (music playing). Why you crying Ahnt Yeesa?" After I explained that sometimes people cry when they're happy, she called it "laughing".

BTW, I have not stopped dreaming about coming down and cheering for you on 4/9. It would be such a fun getaway, warm weather, new friends, and an IM from the inside. My main problem now is I'm on call to deliver babies for 24 hr that weekend! Working on finding someone to switch with me. So, keep your eyes open for cheap air fares, because I just may need it! L.