READY FOR RACE DAY! 
SWIM!
SWIM!
BIKE!
RUN!
RUN!
CELEBRATE!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Race Preparation - one day to go
The day started with a 6:00 am rise. I got all my gear collected and ready for Bridget to pick me up at 8:00 to drive to Pleasant Prairie, WI. What we didn't do in training prep in the past months, we were going to make up for by learning everything we could the day before!We I bought coffee, Bridget bough gallons and gallons of SmartWater and Gatorade. We began our hydration regimen on the 3 hour car trip. I have never consumed so much water or visited so many gas station bathrooms!
We arrived at the RecPlex full of anticipation. I had never attended a Triathlon Expo. and had no idea what to expect. I was amazed at all the activity. We were directed to go to a number of stations. First we picked up our race packets. Then we determined our race number and had it written on our arms. This felt like a badge of honor! See our dorky photos for how much fun we were having.
Then we figured out the timing of our wave, the color of our swim caps, the maps of the courses and listened to motivational speakers. The race, which had largely been a fuzzy, anxiety filled picture began to come into clear and exciting focus. We got tune ups for our bikes, picked our spots on the rack and most importantly marked them! There are going to be over 1500 bikes on the racks by tomorrow and I needed a way to find mine quickly during transition. I brought tie-dyed duct tape and Bridget brought Damask Duct tape and we carefully laid out our path to our bikes.8 weeks ago I never would have thought I would be a triathlete and here I am on the eve of the big event feeling like I was born to do this. I can never thank my Soul Sister # 27 enough for the gentle nudge to find my courage to become an athlete. So, at age 36 and 40 we are venturing together on yet another life changing adventure.
Funny words: I am so hydrated I could be your PFD. What did you do with my walkman? Go Team Pussywillows! I wonder if they would perform a double funeral? They can spread our ashes and we will dance together to heaven.
Stated Goals:
To not kill myself or anyone else during this race.
To finish not win it.
To finish the race wanting to do another.
So, it is 9:30 PM. We have our gear laid out.
Our bikes are racked and put to bed for the even
ing.
We showed Lake Andrea who's boss. She is more afraid of us than we are of her now.
We have a 4:00 am wake up call. All that's left is to try to overcome the nerves and get a good night sleep.
Tomorrow we become TRIATHLETES!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Race Day Jitters
With all the gear bought, I was feeling like a big poser and really no better prepared for the race. In fact, a sort of dread was filling my nights with wierd race related dreams; dreams of drowning, or gear malfunction, of bike crashes and missing teeth...
Team Pussywillows started naming fears over emails. When we biked to the tavern we stated them and promised to leave them behind at that bar. I didn't even know what was truely behind my fears until we started talking about it. Then it boiled down to this: I needed to let go of my competetive self and focus on just learning about this sport and finishing the race. I needed to make peace with the idea that I would not be the winner, nor should I even be trying to win this race. Sounds silly right? I have never ran a race and haven't trained for the race. Why would I even be considering it. But, in that bar I realized the second TRI - LESSON: The second thing you need to relinquish to be a triathlete is your internal gremlins. You know, the ones that speak to you in your head saying things like you're not good enough, you're too old, you must win if you are going to try, etc.
Team Pussywillows started naming fears over emails. When we biked to the tavern we stated them and promised to leave them behind at that bar. I didn't even know what was truely behind my fears until we started talking about it. Then it boiled down to this: I needed to let go of my competetive self and focus on just learning about this sport and finishing the race. I needed to make peace with the idea that I would not be the winner, nor should I even be trying to win this race. Sounds silly right? I have never ran a race and haven't trained for the race. Why would I even be considering it. But, in that bar I realized the second TRI - LESSON: The second thing you need to relinquish to be a triathlete is your internal gremlins. You know, the ones that speak to you in your head saying things like you're not good enough, you're too old, you must win if you are going to try, etc.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
What to Wear?
Another last minute consideration was what to wear!
Now this may seem like no big deal to those of you who have never done a triathlon, but it is so overwhelming. You do not have to prepare for 1 new sport, but 3! I went to the Endurance House and looked around. A young man, maybe 20 years old, came to assist. In my head I wanted to know things like: Do you wear a bra under the tri-suits? What should you think about when considering the crotch padding in biking shorts? What happens if you have to pee during the race and you have a one-piece outfit on? Ugh! So I went with easy, a one piece outfit that I could wear during the whole race and when training for any component of it. The only brand they had that fit me was one by Zoot. I honestly could not believe I was going to wear this monkey suit in public! I felt better when I learned Bridget would be wearing the same outfit in a different color! This led me to my first TRI - LESSON: The first thing you need to relinquish to be a triathlete is your modesty.
Now this may seem like no big deal to those of you who have never done a triathlon, but it is so overwhelming. You do not have to prepare for 1 new sport, but 3! I went to the Endurance House and looked around. A young man, maybe 20 years old, came to assist. In my head I wanted to know things like: Do you wear a bra under the tri-suits? What should you think about when considering the crotch padding in biking shorts? What happens if you have to pee during the race and you have a one-piece outfit on? Ugh! So I went with easy, a one piece outfit that I could wear during the whole race and when training for any component of it. The only brand they had that fit me was one by Zoot. I honestly could not believe I was going to wear this monkey suit in public! I felt better when I learned Bridget would be wearing the same outfit in a different color! This led me to my first TRI - LESSON: The first thing you need to relinquish to be a triathlete is your modesty.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Triathlon Training
Well, 8 weeks went by and not a day of "training". One month prior to race day the emails started flying, and many theoretical training dates were put out there, but life kept getting in the way. There was also another problem; three of the four Pussywillows did not yet own a road bike. Luckily, one of the group is an avid biker with a strong academic knowledge of the sport and she found used bikes for all three of us four weeks prior to race day.
Here is a little secret... owning a road bike is way different from knowing how to ride a road bike in a race.
Bridget is the "practicer" of the team. She called and confessed that she went on a 90 minute bike ride, all of it in one gear! It included walking her bike up several hills and was no fun at all. This was enough to inspire us to have a ride with Megan, to try to learn a few tips about shifting. Our clinic consisted of a lesson for each of us as our gear shifters were completely different, and then a 12 mile bike ride. Sounds impressive, right? Well, we rode 6 miles to a local tavern, had a beer, and rode 6 miles back. During the ride, I almost ate pavement twice and Bridget flew off her Baby Blue beauty once into a field of weeds and thistles! However, we did manage to learn to shift and biked up to the top of the major hill near where we started the ride without dismounting the bike. So, we considered the ride an overall success!
So, one week before the race, Bridget and I decided to sign up for a triathalon clinic that focused on the Art of Transition. That is the part of the race where you switch sports: (ie swim to bike and then bike to run). previously, I hadn't given this one single thought. But, part of the clinic was a baby mock tri (swim 300 yards, bike 4 miles, run 1 mile).
Here is a little secret... owning a road bike is way different from knowing how to ride a road bike in a race.
Bridget is the "practicer" of the team. She called and confessed that she went on a 90 minute bike ride, all of it in one gear! It included walking her bike up several hills and was no fun at all. This was enough to inspire us to have a ride with Megan, to try to learn a few tips about shifting. Our clinic consisted of a lesson for each of us as our gear shifters were completely different, and then a 12 mile bike ride. Sounds impressive, right? Well, we rode 6 miles to a local tavern, had a beer, and rode 6 miles back. During the ride, I almost ate pavement twice and Bridget flew off her Baby Blue beauty once into a field of weeds and thistles! However, we did manage to learn to shift and biked up to the top of the major hill near where we started the ride without dismounting the bike. So, we considered the ride an overall success!
So, one week before the race, Bridget and I decided to sign up for a triathalon clinic that focused on the Art of Transition. That is the part of the race where you switch sports: (ie swim to bike and then bike to run). previously, I hadn't given this one single thought. But, part of the clinic was a baby mock tri (swim 300 yards, bike 4 miles, run 1 mile).
Friday, July 1, 2011
Tri Something New with a Friend
Approximately, 3 months ago I got a new sassy haircut as the result of peer pressure from from a group of my girlfriends. After much pressure and a bit of alcohol (or was it a bit of pressure and much alcohol?) I conceded.
Apparently bolstered by their success in getting me to go along with the new hairdo, they began to try to persuade me into participating in a triathlon. This was a more challenging sell. I have gotten many haircuts, both good and bad and lived through them . But this was something different. I have never participated in a race of any kind since my 7th grade track days, and even then I was a 100 yard dash girl. I got out of running the mile with feigned asthma. I hate exercise! Yet, one of the persuaders is my very dearest friend and no matter how hard we try, we never seem to have enough time together. So dreaming of more time with my girl, and the seduction of a smaller butt, I finally agreed. We signed up with 2 friends of ours, Megan and Kimberly, and deemed ourselves "Team Pussywillows".
Apparently bolstered by their success in getting me to go along with the new hairdo, they began to try to persuade me into participating in a triathlon. This was a more challenging sell. I have gotten many haircuts, both good and bad and lived through them . But this was something different. I have never participated in a race of any kind since my 7th grade track days, and even then I was a 100 yard dash girl. I got out of running the mile with feigned asthma. I hate exercise! Yet, one of the persuaders is my very dearest friend and no matter how hard we try, we never seem to have enough time together. So dreaming of more time with my girl, and the seduction of a smaller butt, I finally agreed. We signed up with 2 friends of ours, Megan and Kimberly, and deemed ourselves "Team Pussywillows".
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)