Desperate Times, Desperate Actions

It's been a looooonnnnng time since Ironman Canada back in August. I've been the classic slug with only occasional bursts of activity: a couple runs, a couple rides, one open water swim and two heart-stopping surf-kayak lessons with Steve at Mavericks. That all changed last week when I went back to Bootcamp.

Bootcamp is my faithful friend, always there to kick my a#@ when necessary. It's my first time back since joining the tri team in Spring 2005 and it hasn't changed. I've done more crunches, push-ups and sit-ups since starting last Monday since Lori P was affectionately dubbed the Core W---- two years ago. This session I'm going to the Cupertino location at 6:00 am since it's on the way to work. I took advantage of the Veteran's Day holiday from work to do back to back sessions. A 6:00 am session of cardio & weights in Cupertino then a quick drive to the 7:00 am Los Gatos class for hill repeats on Reservoir Rd. Accckkk, of all the days for a double work-out! Now I'm covered in case I miss the day following Thanksgiving. Missing one day of the five day a week for five weeks session, will cost me the t-shirt at graduation. I gotta get another shirt! ;-)

Now maybe I'll be able to actually get back on my bike again soon. . .

The sore muscles are easing and I'm really hoping the waistlines will start to loosen up a little bit! Wildflower is going to be here before I know it!

Photos, We Got Photos!

Checking my bike and loading race food into the Bento Box on my bike.

Pre-Race: lots of nervous energy! We were up at 4:00 am for breakfast and taking the shuttle down to the race start. After dropping off my special needs bags, body marking (getting my race number written all over me in black felt pen), I checked over my bike, pumped the tires and stood in the world's longest port-a-potty line. Then into my wetsuit and down to the start!

Heading for the finisher's chute!

Almost Post Race: no more nervousness! Started at dawn and finished just before midnight. A long day, but I felt still felt great! This photo has a great story attached. This is my team cheering me just before I ran down the finisher's chute. It was taken by a Canadian guy from Calgary. He looked up my name by my race number, googled it and sent to my email address at my old job. The bounceback message said I no longer worked there, but to contact Nina for help. He emailed Nina (coincidentally another Canadian) and asked her to forward it to me which she did. Canadian's really are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet!

Official race photos here. My trip photos here.

D for Done!

I did it! I finished Ironman Canada in 16:51:19.

Short Version:

It was a great day, long but great. I felt strong, albeit slow, throughout the entire day. My nutrition plan worked, I stayed hydrated and didn't have any muscle cramping or distress at any time other than minor issues. I had some choice words for the headwind from mile 50 to mile 90, but other than that I enjoyed the entire experience.

An Ironman is a solo event and athletes are out there alone, but I didn't complete it alone. I would not have made it to the starting line without the support of my coaches, captains, teammates, honorees, family and friends. During race day, I had support from my coaches, captains, teammates and honorees again as well as the Ironman Volunteer Army along the entire course.

Here's how it breaks down:

TOTAL TIME: 16 hours 51 minutes 19 seconds

RACE DIVISION W40-44 finished: 146/159

SWIM- 1 hr 46 min 14 sec

T1 11:17 minutes

BIKE 8 hrs 27 min 26 sec

T2 3 min 25 sec

RUN 6 hrs 22 min 58 sec


Stay tuned for more details and photos.

No Way!

Duathlon organisers insure against Loch Ness monster attack

Tue Aug 21, 5:17 AM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Organisers of a duathlon in Scotland have taken out a one-million-pound (1.46-million-euro, 1.97-million-dollar) insurance policy against attack by or sighting of the fabled Loch Ness monster.

Transport operator FirstGroup said in a statement that its policy with insurers Royal and Sun Alliance would pay out should "Nessie" emerge from the murky depths of the vast watercourse and/or attack one of the competitors.

First Monster Duathlon race director Malcolm Sutherland said they were planning for all eventualities.

Jon Woodman, trading director at R and SA said: "This is one of our more unusual requests but it certainly gave our team something to get their teeth into."

Any "proven sighting" has to be independently verified, subject to policy terms and conditions, the insurer said.

The event, on September 2, requires individuals in each team of four to complete two legs of the eight-legged event around the shores of Loch Ness, in northern Scotland -- one 10-kilometre run and one 20-kilometre cycle.

Money raised will go to charity.

One More Time

It's Thursday, August 16th, one week to go before I board the plane to Canada for my second attempt completing Ironman Canada. Many people have heard of the Hoyts and their incredible story and tremendous courage, but the inspiration they give is not diminished by repetition.



Words cannot fully express their family's courage throughout Rick's entire life and future ahead.

(Thanks Lecia for sharing!)

1/2 Vineman Race Report

Two months between posts? I've been busy, really busy!

The Kindness of Strangers or my 1/2 Vineman Race Report!

My goals were:
1. Finish
2. Not finish last in my age group
3. Improve my overall time

I met all my goals but had to overcome a few obstacles to do so. My swim was almost the exact time as last year. I'm happy with this since I really haven't been spending as much time in the pool as I should. It could have been so much worse! My transition times improved and I wasn't even trying to speed through them. (so what was I doing in there last year?!)

My official bike time was six minutes faster and that includes the 20 minutes I spent off my bike on the side of the road. (26 minutes faster is great!) Immediately coming out of T1 is a short hill that catches people off guard. I put my bike in a low setting before racking it to make sure I'd be able to pop right up it. As I was peddling up it, I heard a horrible sound as if my whole gearing was tearing off my bike. Really I'd only broken a rear spoke but that was a scary moment. I spent precious minutes trying to take it off and then trying to wrap it around the spoke next to it but it took me forever to get it so it wasn't rubbing against my frame. Then more time trying to reposition my magnet. (It was the spoke with my Cateye magnet- coincidence?) A spectator pointed out the bike tent up the street and I got there just as they were packing up for the day.

The NorCal Bike Sport team was great! They loaned me a wheel, taking my rear cassette, tire & tube off and putting it on a spare Rolf wheel. They took my wheel to their shop for me to pick up after the race. They apologized for it taking so long, but in truth they were much faster than I would have been and it took away my fears. I was worried I'd ruin the wheel or crash. Does anyone ever carry an extra spoke?!

After that the bike was fun. There was slight breeze so I didn't feel the heat until the last 20 miles. My food/liquid intake was right on target. I'm still in love with my Thermalytes! The course is so beautiful and the hills aren't bad at all.

I started off the run feeling great. I felt so much better than last year! I thought I shaved off quite a bit but it turns out I only cut 11 minutes off. I'm not a fast runner on the best of days anyway. It was fun being out there regardless. However, by mile 9 I was ready to be done!

I know my nutrition is better because I didn't make any pit stops on the bike and only two on the run. My tummy wasn't perfect but it's improved a lot! I was able to eat on the run which is huge progress!

Monday I was tired and had some tightness behind my knee but other than that felt pretty good.

Anecdotes/Snapshots from the race:

The woman racked next to me just had a baby five weeks ago! What a rock star! Right before the swim she sat down and discretely pumped breastmilk. That's a transition first for me!

A woman racked across from me announced to us all that she'd had a boob job (prompted by all the breastmilk/size discussion following woman number 1's pumping) Another first! Of course, this all just proves that we women will talk about just about anything!

A man swam off course on the return leg of the swim and slammed headfirst into me while I was on the first leg. That was alarming!

Once again, lots of people continued the tradition of walking after the swim turn around. It's an amazing sight to see someone walking next to you while you're swimming. I tried it for a couple steps but my feet sank right down in the gravel. I think it was much harder than swimming.

There was a strong smell of weed on one section of the swim. Interesting way to watch the race. . .

A group of waterstop volunteers were having an intense discussion of people they'd seen die in bike crashes/century rides etc while I was in the port-a-potty. I'm happy I didn't overhear it all while I was on my bike. Intense stuff!

Here are my numbers:
2007 Swim 00:51:18.5 T1 00:04:30.7 Bike 03:28:03.5 T2 00:07:22.6 Run 03:02:47.0 Finish 07:34:02.4

2006 Swim 00:51:55.7 T1 00:09:19.6 Bike 03:34:41.4 T2 00:07:57.6 Run 03:13:00.1 Finish 07:56:54.4

This weekend is the infamous "Triple Brick" whoo hoo, bring it on!

2007 Uvas South Bay Tri Race Report

Let's hear it for the classic tri mantra: Nothing New on Race Day! Let's count the new items I used at Uvas: saddle, chain, rear cassette, toe clips, run socks. . .not just new, but the first time I'd used them ever! Not too shabby, eh?! I also rode without socks in a race for the first time. Woo hoo!

Sunday was my second year participating in the Uvas sprint in Morgan Hill. After Saturday's crash, I wasn't sure I'd do it. I spent Saturday afternoon at the bike shop having the damage repaired, cleaning the road debris out of my skin, picked up my packet and had an early dinner with T & O. I went to bed Saturday night with Advil on the nightstand ready for morning. I decided to see how I felt when I woke up and then decide. I was still stiff and sore in the morning but I popped the Advil (4) right away and had breakfast. The good news is I was sore from the crash, not Saturday's 50 mile marker set!

By the time I got to the reservoir I was moving better and knew I'd do the whole thing. I told myself: it's a sprint, so suck it up, pansy! Putting on my wetsuit wasn't much fun! Ouch! My old lady wave was combined with W30-34, W35-40, relays, mtn bikes, athenas, clydesdales and a random men's division. Why do they do that?! At one point before our wave, the announcer said, "Anyone with a swim cap on, get in the water, you're going next!" Due to lack of rain (drought?), the swim route was altered and the first leg was straight into the sun, but it was pretty short. Our wave was so full, it took a while to get away from the thrashing. I was never too far from clumps of bodies, but it felt good to pass a few people on the final leg. The water was as nice as ever, I love swimming there.

I had a fairly quick transition (for me) and got out on the road. My bike felt sluggish and a few people passed me that surprised me. About mile 5, I realized my rear brake was flush against my rim. duh! Had to stop and fix it. Then I felt a lot better and managed to pick up the pace. I passed an older guy weaving up Sycamore Hill. I shouted "on your left" and he moved over and then swerved right back into me and hit my handlebars. I peddled harder and stayed up. I looked back later and he hadn't fallen, whew!

I got back into transition and pulled on my socks & shoes. I stopped wearing lace locks last year training for Ironman and still haven't put them back on my shoes. I think I'll put some on my new pair. It did suck to stop and tie them. I ran out of transition and kept a steady pace out to the turn around. Several of the people I passed on the bike, now passed me on the run. I hate that! My toes stayed numb until mile four. I just didn't feel peppy running at all. The last half mile, I picked up the pace and sprinted the last 100 yards. I definitely didn't leave enough out on the course.

2007 Uvas Stats:
Swim 00:31:20.8 T1 -- Bike 01:01:32.6 T2 00:02:07.7 Run 00:51:36.3 Finish 02:26:37.4

2006 Uvas Stats:
Swim 00:29:50.7 Bike 01:01:39.9 Run 00:49:26.3 Finish 02:20:56.9

Last year's splits include transition times which makes this year's times even slower. Next year, I really will shave off some time-- hopefully!

To sum it all up: I'm thankful I was able to race at all. Saturday's crash could have been so much worse. I'm lucky I didn't seriously hurt myself.