Getting excited about Pleasant Prairie!

[Lise]

My Oly tri is 7 days away! This time next week, I'll be up in Kenosha, at LaQuinta Inn. probably trying to figure out how to get internet access.

Today I thought, "I can start packing my tri bag!" Whoo-hoo! The trick is to pack the bag and keep the cats out of it. Start planning, envisioning, seeing joy and success, not fear or failure. Trace the routes with my finger and see myself strong and happy at each point. Imagine how it feels going into the water, coming out, T1, on the ride, T2, heading out to the run, the tough spots when I want to stop, keeping going, sprinting across the finish line!

I'm hoping friends &/or family will come to cheer, but it's possible that they won't. There will be so much energy, though, from the athletes and the crowd, that I know that will lift me up and carry me forward.

I'm really looking forward to going up there Sat, hitting the expo, the race talk, testing out the lake, maybe driving the bike course, setting up my bike in transition. Oh, I love that part. What to do that evening? Unlikely TE access. Maybe a movie, read, try to sleep. I'm like a little kid on Christmas eve. I should just call it Triathlon Eve.

[KnottedYet]

I'll be doing similar here, for the Danskin. But mostly I'll be nervous and filled with trepidation.

which I'm wallowing in RIGHT NOW, of course. worry wart.

I love your post, and I'll read it again, because it's inspirational to me the newbie.

[Running Mommy]

oohhhhh... I'm so EXCITED for you!! Nothing like a good race to get the ol tri juices flowing.
I got an email about the Subaru (former reebok) womens tri in san diego today. I think they do one in Chicago as well. I'm defintely going to do it this year. They returned to the old course and I LOVE it!!
Man I just love racing!! I just need to get my butt in the pool more often. I think IM training ruined me on swimming!! I DREAD it now!
I also need to get in touch with the swim coach and pony up the big bucks for some swim training. I think that's my problem. I know I'm wasting my time right now because I'm not getting any faster. I need to work on FORM!!
Oh man I digress... Anyway, yeah WHOO HOO!!! I can't wait to hear about it!!
ciao bella!
denise (take out the *I* and I'm just DENSE)

[Kitsune06]

Kenosha, WI? I might see if my parents can get a copy of the Post-Crescent if there's an article in there about your tri...

[Brina]

Kitsune, yeah, she is talking Kenosha, WI. the event is by the RecPlex. They did the danskin there last month as well.


Lise, your enthusiasm is contageous. Makes me excited for my race instead of apprehensive. I can't wait to read your race report.

[Lise]

Oh, yeah! Let's be excited! I know about fear and worry--and I'll have enough of it before this tri--but why not revel in the fun and excitement? I suggest you guys write down the things you're worrying about in your training log, or wherever. Then look at it after the race and write some notes about how you coped with this or that. Next year you may fret about some of the same things, and you'll be glad you wrote down your thoughts/solutions. You may also laugh; some of the things I worried about so much were nothing. How I wish I'd found this board *before* I did three triathlons! Again, a nod of gratitude to Susan Octcenas, who pointed me here when I wrote her asking for help with the bra/trisuit dilemma.

As usual, my main concern right now is clothes. Which bra. Which top. I sunburn so easily, so I'd like to be a bit more covered, but what if it's really hot? My best bra for running (Enell) is not good for swimming. My next best bra is black. If it's hot, I don't want to run in a black bra... I'll probably take a week's worth of clothes up to Kenosha and decide the night before!

On my first tri, I'd read that you needed a towel in transition. I had no idea what for. So I brought a hand towel. Imagine me trying to set up a transition area on a hand towel! This year I got myself a transition-specific towel. It's red with sharks on it! Should be easy to find. I always lay out the gear so precisely, and then act like a Jack Russell terrier in T1 & 2, tearing it up, throwing stuff around...like the championship's on the line!

Oh, you know guys, it's all so fun. How great that we get to do this. Enjoy it!

Here's the website to "my" tri: http://pleasantprairietriathlon.com/index.html

[Tri Girl]

On my first tri, I'd read that you needed a towel in transition. I had no idea what for. So I brought a hand towel. Imagine me trying to set up a transition area on a hand towel!

I did the same thing! The girl I traveled to the tri with laughed when I showed her my towel, so we had to go to Wal-Mart to get a real sized one. Too funny- glad I'm not the only one.

Yay about your race next weekend! I'm so excited for you!!! You have to take pictures and post them when you get back. Promise?
Don't think about it too much this week- just relax and have fun!!!

[colby]

I got an email about the Subaru (former reebok) womens tri in san diego today. I think they do one in Chicago as well. I'm defintely going to do it this year. They returned to the old course and I LOVE it!!

There is one of the Reebok now Subarus in Seattle in about a month, and I thought about doing it after next week's sprint, but I have no idea what their series is like. It sounds like they put on decent events... hmmm.... My only other goal is to do a marathon (I've done half, but not full) this year, but that's later in the year (goal is Seattle marathon, November 27th).

Aside: I have this fear of small local events... I enjoy them but I always feel so slow.

denise (take out the *I* and I'm just DENSE)

I laughed out loud on that one.

Good luck to everyone for next weekend!!

[Lise]

Aside: I have this fear of small local events... I enjoy them but I always feel so slow.

Are you faster when you're out of town? Maybe that will work for me in Kenosha!

Pictures--I don't know if any friends or family are coming--if they do, I'll hand them the camera. If not, maybe we'll get some of the professional shots....oh please let me look skinnier and less demented than usual!

[colby]

Are you faster when you're out of town? Maybe that will work for me in Kenosha!

I don't think so, but I'll take whatever I can get!

[DrBee]

Lise - reading your posts about this motivates me more in training for my first tri. Your excitement IS contagious!

With the uncertaintly about whether or not we're moving and all the other stuff going on it's been tough to get out there and run and all. Once I know if we'll be here a while longer or if we're moving to BR, I will sign up for my first tri. Then - the real training begins!

[LynneK]

There is one of the Reebok now Subarus in Seattle in about a month, and I thought about doing it after next week's sprint, but I have no idea what their series is like. It sounds like they put on decent events... hmmm.... ...

Hi Colby,

I've done the Reebok/Subaru event in Naperville IL twice, and both times it's been fun, welcoming, and professionally organized. The other participants are very nice (and I doubt that it's just a midwestern thing ). I would recommend it to you, even though I don't know the particulars of the Seattle race.

LynneK

[LynneK]

Hi all,

I have a question for Lise and any others of you who are doing Pleassant Prairie next weekend. It's a week before the Accenture Chicago triathlon, so you're probably not doing both (unless you're in WAY better shape than I am!). What made you decide to do Pleasant Prairie instead of Chicago? Size, location, something else?

I decided to do Chicago instead of Pleasant Prairie mostly because it's the closest event to my house, but I am also curious (and a little intimidated) to participate in such a large event.

Lynne

[Running Mommy]

Yeah Colby- The series is VERY well run!! When I did it a few years ago they handed out cold towels at the finish line!! Do you have any idea how good a cold towel felt??!! Ahhhh.... HEAVEN!!

[Lise]

Hey, Lynne,

I have done the Lake Zurich Triathlon (LZT) for the past three years. This year it was cancelled for road construction, which is what pushed me to do Pleasant Prairie (PP) instead. Accenture is huge. I love to go down to the expo, and to cheer at the race, but as a participant (which I've never been), it looks uncomfortably huge, to me. Comparison points:

Expo: Accenture has a great one. LZT: nothin'

Swim: Accenture--huge amt of people trying to swim in potential cold water of Monroe harbor. LZT--clean, warm lake, start and end on small sandy beaches.

Numbers: Accenture--largest in the world. LZT--about 1,000 people

Transition area: See above.

Run to transition area: Accenture--long, on cement. LZT--not so long, on sand/grass/cement.

Bike: A--LSD. Fun, yet hot if it's a hot day. LZT--rolling, beautiful country side.

Run: A--cool run around the museums, down LSD and back. LZT--run through the neighborhood and up around Lake Zurich.

Finish line: A--Phenomenal, exciting, emotional, triumphant. LZT--small town America, friendly, individual attention if you need it.

The main things that have kept me from Accenture are the not great swim, long distance to the transition, and the packedness of the transition area. I'd say anticipate a very narrow transition space, and create a way to remember where you are so you can find your stuff in T1 & 2. Just set your mind to deal with the swim and the run up to transition. And then: Have a great time!

A friend had done PP before, and recommended it highly. I might've done it before if it weren't just a week after LZT. Do look into LZT next year. It is such a nice, friendly tri. So far it's only Olympic distance, but they've been talking about adding a sprint.