After the award ceremony, notice the bling

After the toil and turmoil that was my last race I was leery to sign up for anything else for a while. Then along came this multistage, spaced out through the day, less than a sprint tri race (10 km bike, 400 meter swim, 5 km run). Hmmm maybe I should do it. Okay I’ll sign up.

The order of this race is a bit kooky since they have a town festival going the same day. The bike is first so the roads can be cleared of riders before the normal, sane people are out of bed. It was a bit chilly so I kept my team jacket on. They started the riders off in two waves, the first wave was the group that was doing the longer version of the race called the Man of Steel (30km bike, 800 m swim and a 10 km run) the kind of irritating thing is that they did not adjust the time of the second wave by the 2 minutes or so that we waited to begin. As you see I am getting a bit competitive, no timing chips in this local fun race. Mark reminded me that all of my direct competition was at the same time disadvantage. The bike went really, really  well. I was able to surge ahead and keep up with some teenager types. I felt good and I knew it was only a 10 km ride, hilly though, and I had promised Mark that I would leave it all out on the course. According to my watch I did the 10 km in 19:34. Really happy since there is a pretty skookum hill in the middle of it.

Next came the swim. But first is the waiting around, as the events are separated by many hours. I knew that several of the ladies in my category were much stronger swimmers than me (wink Taryn, Bryn) so I just had to try my best. The challenge with most short distance events for me is that I need a fair amount of time to warm up and then I do well. 400 meter swim I can do that without drowning, sure. I got in and warmed up for a couple of lengths  and then started swimming. I felt like what my coach has described as the “crazy dog” too fast of stroke turn over, gasping breaths, and getting nowhere fast. My “turns” were terrible, did I mention this part was in the pool? I probably wasted 30-60 seconds with my turns. Oh well I got it finished and I wasn’t the slowest, not that I am competitive or anything.

After the swim I had a pretty good chance of getting a top 3 place, there were 8 participants in this category. I am ashamed to say that I googled the other lady who was close to my time to see what her 5 km run time was like. Again, competitive much? She had a fairly similar time to mine so it would just depend on how the run went.

My lovely friend Heather ran along with me in the run, I know pacing is wrong but you can’t have your medal back. Besides she said that was close to a PB for her on that course too. About half way through the race we had the dark horse behind us at a safe distance. From then we just booked it and tried to get the fastest time we could get. I was very pleased with the time and I definitely think that I left it all out there on the course. Time 29:08 I believe. Sub 30 min on  this hot and hilly course at the end of the day made me very happy.

my ever supportive family

My finish time was 58:23 sub 1 hour. With this time I was able to secure first place, something I have never seen before. Over the moon!!!! My hilarious friend Bryn came a close second with 44 seconds separating up. She totally killed the run knocking almost 10 min of her previous time. I gotta watch out for her.

with Mike who won his age group

I have to remind myself on those hard training days with the gang that are all more experience, lighter, stronger… that all my hard work with them pays off in spades when I bring my fitness level back to my peer group and as my coach said “crush the field”. he he he . That might be a bit braggy sounding for me but my new competitive self really likes the sound of it.

I have some great news about my latest 5 km race to share with you next time.

Cheers

Betty

one last chug

After getting off the bike I knew how I would feel, my legs would be wobbly and feel like lead and my spirit would still be a bit down. Knowing these things I just got off my bike and started pulling off my cycling gear. I popped on my new runners with my “go faster” elastic laces, which are the total bomb by the way.

Elastic "go faster" laces

Off I go and the first part is an up hill, one of the few hills on this course. Hmmm not feeling too bad when are the lead legs going to come? … BOOM there they are. Just keep running, running, running. Got about a km in to the run and I needed to walk. Now I don’t like to walk in a running race, in fact it irritates me to walk and it irritates me when others walk and then end up beating me, but that is my own head trash. Part of the reason I don’t like to walk is that it is so hard to get myself motivated to get running again. For the first lap of the 5 km route I did a lot of run/walking. Near the end of the first loop Mark met up with me because he thought something had happened to me, like I had quit or something. He walked along side me for a while which just made me get choked up and I thanked him for the moral support but let him go on his way because I couldn’t stop crying. Weird!

Oh the stress of being a spectator, where is she?...

The second loop was much better. I was able to run a more than walk  and I even started to pass a couple of people. I kept a couple in my sights but I wasn’t able to catch up to them. All in all not a great example of my running ability, but then again it is not just a running race it is a triathlon and all of the disciplines influence each other. I wonder if I had not had such a brutal time in the swim if I would have had more psychological “energy” for the bike and run?

As I was coming up to the last corner I saw a mirage… One of my teammates (Gary S) was walking around the bend. He was coming to look for me. He stuck by me and encouraged me to keep running, bring it home. For some reason his presence didn’t make me cry.  He even called ahead to let someone know that I was almost at the home stretch. Coming down the finish chute was such a great feeling! I actually finished a race that I thought was over from the start. As I crossed the finish line I saw all of my friends and family there cheering me on and I teared up once again, such an emotional day, my goodness. I think I always have the best cheering group on any race. Mark, Mom, Dad, Meredith, Mike and Heather.

time should read 3:50:04 according to timing chip or close to that

If I ever wonder if paying for coaching is a good idea when I am such a newbie. I should just remember that my coach was at the finish line waiting for the very last one from the team to finish and gave me a big congratulatory hug. We are so lucky to live here in Penticton where we can train with great coaches and swim, bike and run on the Ironman Canada course.

coach Kev

I have a great post brewing about a confidence building race I just participated in. Stay tuned.

After getting out the the water at the WCOC Oliver Olympic triathlon and stumbling to the transition area I stood by my bike and sobbed. What do I do next… I am freezing, confused, demoralized. I looked up and there was Mark looking over the fence at me, encouraging me to get going, come on, finish this thing. I slowly flung my wetsuit over the rack, donned my bike gear, all the while blubbering. When I thought I was ready I looked up at Mark with a pathetic tear stained face and cried DO I HAVE EVERYTHING ON??? “Yes now get going!”

Of I went in a bit of a crowd with the Sprint distance athletes that had started the swim a considerable time after the Olympic athletes. At least I wasn’t completely alone starting the ride. All was well for a while until we reach the turn around point for the Sprint and all the sudden I was alone…, and I remained alone for the most part of the ride. It is difficult to ride alone, with nobody to catch or stay ahead of, you are truly racing yourself.

I did find that during the first bit of the ride I was still pretty demoralized from the swim experience, and I found myself having odd morbid thoughts. Like if I fell off my bike nobody would look down on me for having to pull out of the race. Having survived the harrowing swim I wasn’t going to let a silly 40km bike ride take me down. Besides I knew my family would be waiting for me along Blacksage road to cheer me on a take my picture. Better practice my smile.

As the ride went on I felt a bit more fluid and I even used the aerobars quite a bit. I even managed to catch up to a couple of people and pass them. I was super happy to round the corner to the transition area once again, but a bit concerned about setting off on the run course. Hello Lead Legs.

Stay tuned for the Run portion.

The Before shot

I have been a naughty, naughty poster. I promise to make up for it with a fascinating post about my recent adventures in triathlon.

May 16th does that sound like a good time of year to go swimming in a lake, in CANADA? Well whether it is rational or not early in the morning on that chilly spring day I embarked upon my very first Olympic distance triathlon. The event is the Wine Capital of Canada Triathlon which is an Olympic distance triathlon, 1500 m open water lake swim, 40 km bike ride, 10 km run.

I need to give myself a bit of a break as I go on to describe the ensuing trauma created by the swim, since I had never really worn a wetsuit, only practiced open water swimming once this year and the water was frigid. I experienced things in the swim I totally had not predicted and never thought would happen to me. I had at least 3 severe panic attacks. To me a panic attack involves rapid breathing, rapid heart rate and a feeling of impending doom. Check, check ,check. I wasn’t sure what was bothering me the most, the restrictive feeling of the brand new wetsuit, the cold water, the mob of people at the the mass start, or perhaps all of the above.

This experience was defining moment of mind over matter for me. I essentially floated on my back, breast-stroked, floundered and did the occasional back stroke. There were moments of bargaining when I was asking a higher power to let me go through labour and delivery with twins again rather than continue on with this madness. I considered stripping off my wetsuit, throwing it at the kayaker and trying to continue on, I was sure death from hypothermia would have been better than finishing this swim.

But… I did carry on. Pretty much the only thing that kept me going was the fact that my family and friends were there at the crack of dawn to cheer me on, and I am a very stubborn person who does’t like to disappoint people. As I rounded the turnaround bouy the Race Director Joe grabbed my hand and encouraged me on. Okay I can do this, back in the water I go. The second lap was pretty tough but somehow a bit better than the first. I do take a while to warm up as I have mentioned before.

Encouragement from Race Director Joe

As I finished the swim, not last, I don’t know how that was possible. Some poor souls dropped out due to the cold and panic attacks. I am glad I didn’t really know of the prevalence of panic attacks before I signed up for an early season race.

What are my feelings about this first race in the open water?

A lot to learn, to improve on, a lot of time to shed. I will get back on the horse that bucked me, because it didn’t kill me, I am stronger.

Stay tuned for the Bike portion of the race report.

This is me in grade 9 baby

I had a great week 2 of my new attitude and new weight loss goal.

Monday: Spinning 60 min

Tuesday: Running 30 min with dogs, Swimming 60 min with Masters club

Wednesday: Rest day working 12 hours

Thursday: Running 30 min at dark o’ clock, work 12 hours, Swimming 60  min with Master SO TIRED!

Friday: Rest day working 12 hours

Saturday: Cycling outside 40 km rode to OK falls via Maclean Creek Rd. 2 hours of riding (harsh headwind)

Sunday: Running 45 min didn’t feel too bad.

My eating was great while I was on the U turn plan and then for a couple of days after too. Come Friday I ate healthy all day and then at night a gave in to soft serve ice cream and apple pie. After our killer ride I gave in to sourdough bread and spinach dip but managed to have only one slice of pizza and a huge salad.

The key is to regroup from the small indiscretions and move forward with a plan. I was down to 178 which still leaves me 10 to lose in 3 weeks. I wonder what I will have to do to lose this weight. Obviously I am doing enough exercise! Just keep eating well and maybe kick up the intensity of the workouts. I don’t know…

Keep on keep’n on.

Cheers

Betty

Geocaching and having a giggle. Haven't tried geocaching? Google it, It's super fun.

I took things up a notch this week. I am using a system called U-turn from u weight loss, it consists of a kinda yucky shake (they warned me it would be yucky) sort of tastes like I might imagine infant formula tastes. I am also taking their kickstart product which is a supplement that helps the body flush toxins. I have to admit my energy has been much improved. I have also been much more diligent about taking my calcium, omega, vit D, and fiber as well. Is it annoying to take these supplements? Yes in a way but it is much more annoying to have no energy, be depressed and worry that an airplane seatbelt might not fit.

I don’t think that I will be taking these things forever. I will find the right balance of vitamins, minerals, supplements that work for me health wise, financially, time management.

My eating has been right on track. I am following the U turn recipes to a T. I am following a certain schedule and calorie level for the week and then I will gradually increase my calories over the next month to six weeks until I am at a maintenance level. Hopefully my weight will stabilize and I will be able to eat a normal, healthy amount of food while being active. I really am loving these recipes. I am running the risk of turning in to a chicken again so I am balancing it out with some shrimp too.

Exercise has been off the hook!

Monday: Spinning

Tuesday:Masters swimming (didn’t really like it but I did it)

Wednesday: Working days, walked to work

Thursday: Spinning at noon (testing day,hard!) Met with Olly and set up some triathlon coaching.

Friday: Rest day, thank goodness because I worked nights last night and tonight too

Saturday: 90 min swim with the tri group (never, ever thought I could keep swimming that long)

Sunday: 45 min  run with Mark, good a bit achy but not too bad once warmed up, geocaching with the girls FUN!

This chick is gonna be busy. I am going to have to make friends with 5:30 am to get my short run in during the week. I do not like getting up earlier than 6:00.

I am hoping to be at my new goal weight by the end of Feb. I lost 7 lbs the first week which I am sure was lot of water weight but at least it is off my body. I am going to weigh in tomorrow so I will let you know.

Here is a before and hopeful after. Before is about 190 ish and the after is about 160 ish. Inspiring.