New Beginnings

This weekend is the end of summer and the beginning of Fall and in that manner I am celebrating by working-out. I am exploring a new running group that is training for the Carlsbad half marathon and going on a beginner, beginner bike ride and hopefully some surfing since I am moving back to my beach bungalow. Oh and a follow-up I have been reinstated on Facebook. Wahoo. Wishing everybody an amazing Labor Day Weekend.

"Because when I am bad - I am oh so bad..."

I was banned from Facebook today. I sent unintentional spam. Beware videos sent from friends. I was stupid - I shouldn't have opened or tried to run the video, but it was from a friend that I had just recently reconnected with on Facebook. It didn't seem that "bad" and then when I realized that it seemed to be sending out emails - I quickly shut down my computer, but the damage was done and my profile has poofed into the ether of the internet. I feel sadly friendless. How can I get through a Monday without knowing what my friends are doing???? I have communicated to the nameless Facebook warning group and am pleading my case. Please return my account.
On the workout front. I did a BRICK workout at the gym two miles biking, then 1 mile run - repeat. Think I need to bike longer to get the burned out leg feel, but my heart rate stayed up high the entire workout and even got the treadmill up to 7.0mph and didn't fly off the back end. Wahoo!
On the way my mind thinks-what happens to you if you exceed your maximum heart rate? Am I shortening my life by exercising? I heard something that there is like an hours of operation for our hearts. That mice have a crazy rapid heart rate and yet it beats just as long as a whale that has a crazy slow heart rate - but they both beat the same number of times before they die. I'll just have to hope that my spradic forrays into exercise are mitigated by my crazy sloth resting heart rate of 50bpm.
Maybe my heart rate monitor is counting the beats to my demise. On that happy note...

Who designs these shoes????

I am a child of the eighties, I have no problem with neon colors, but do running shoes have to be so ugly? I've loved my light blue Adidas Mana's, but since I am going to be putting some more running mileage on my shoes - I went to Movin' Shoes in Encinitas to get a new snazzy pair. I now own a pair of Nike Lunaracers. They truly defy description. They are super light-weight - look like they will do well around water. And are bound to make people smile or outright belly laugh. Perhaps it is because I am a slower runner that these seem ridiculous. Do I really want people staring at my feet? Is the goal to cause hysterics in the people behind me so that they won't be able to catch up to me? Or is this for pitch-dark runs so that everybody can see me? Not that I do any late night runs, but have no doubt that the drunk drivers will have no problem finding me with these shoes. I am taking them out for a test run this evening so I will let you know.
It was a weekend of purchases. Bought a Polar heart rate monitor so that I can see what is going on in the H20. I have a Garmin GPS 305 that I love, but will not bring in the pool with me; so I'm excited to see if I am pushing myself in the pool.
See you out on the road. You can't miss me in my new shoes =)

Race Photos

Is there anything more unflattering than race day photos? I either look like I am so zoned out, in pain, drowning, not moving, but yet I am ever after that photo that captures that feeling of the race. Also they serve as prime motivation to get back in the gym.

New Adventures

Last weekend I went and had my swimming style critiqued. It is weird to see yourself swim, but useful in that I can see how my stroke gets all messed up when I breathe and that I kick too much and that my hands enter the water very stretched out. But the good news is that I actually rotate! I always thought that I didn't do that because when I learned to swim there wasn't any focus on twisting. Why this emphasis on swimming? From my previous post you would think that swim was no issue. That is what I thought until I saw the split times from the Solana Beach Triathlon. I can only hope that the split included my clothes changing/putting on time... The swim was my slowest leg.
It broke down that bike - my newest and scariest portion was my fastest - then run (which is laughable) with such a crappy first mile, and then swim. God is funny.
So off I went to La Jolla and had my swim stroke broken down and was given a few exercises to practice. While there I met up with some fellow TCSD members. They were both training for full Ironmans. I said that I wanted to do a half and they asked which one I had signed up for. Being the consummate procrastinator - I said I didn't know. I think they thought I wasn't serious; so that evening I went home and signed up for my first half next April as well as a few practice races. I have an aquathon to see if I have improved since my one in April and another sprint triathlon coming up. I also signed up for some e-training to make sure that I am training properly - one for my sprint in October and the other is for my half in April. I am very excited. Stay tuned for more timely updates.

Solana Beach Triathlon Experience

Okay I need more discipline on blogging...
When I turned 35 a year and a half ago, I wrote a list of 50 things I wanted to do in the next 35 years. Today I get to cross one of them off- I competed in my first triathlon. I am hoping that it is one of many... I had such a great day today. If anyone is thinking of taking up this sport I highly recommend Solana Beach's triathlon.
San Diego is considered the modern birthplace of the triathlon; so it can be an intimidating place to start out, but everybody was so nice today. Yesterday at the Expo there was a 2 hour newbie course overview. They covered everything and the instructor Steve Tally was amazing he came running by me during the run section - he took 2nd place for his age group. Not only was he funny - that man can run!
On Steve's advice I got to the race a little before 5am this morning. I got great parking and got a great end spot on the bike rack; so I could have plenty of room to lay my shoes and stuff out. It was fun watching all the competitors show up, the different bikes, outfits and bodies gave me hope that I wasn't completely out of my class.
I got down to the beach to get comfortable with the water and see what the course looked like. There was a fairly strong northern current, but the surf was crazy calm. I ran into an old high school friend Heather Hawthorne(married name Thelen?? I think) It was amazing to watch the Elites and a few waves take off before my heat. You can learn a lot just by watching others. My heat had about 142 women from 30-39. After last weekends swim clinic I was expecting to get pummeled, but women are obviously more civilized in the water. I got a couple of really good drafts(which is legal in the swim) after getting around the first buoy. Before I knew it I was going around the second buoy and headed back to shore. Got a little washing machined with about 10 other women when a rogue wave rolled through, but actually carried me pretty far into shore; so besides the water up the nose - not a bad ride!
Out of the water there was a fair little run up an incline, across a street to get to the bike transition area. I was psyched that there were still a fair number of bikes on the racks in my age group. Wet suit came off relatively painlessly - put shirt and shorts and shoes and helmet on and trotted with bike to the bike out area. I mounted my bike off to the side so as to not cause any collisions and didn't really want to get mowed down to start my ride. The bike was my big fear of the day. I've swum my whole life - I've done marathons and half marathons before - but the bike was all new. I clipped in one shoe and made the first turn and merged into the heats that were ahead of me. The second shoe took a little while to get clipped in, but about two minutes into the ride I finally heard the click - I was now ready to ride. The first stretch of biking I sounded like a wheezing asthmatic as I tried to get salt water out of my nose and just get comfortable. I'm not sure if it is the wet bathing suit that then gets the bike shorts pad wet that made the saddle a little less friendly, but get to the first of 4 u-turns on the course and I don't fall and I don't obstruct other riders yippee!! The bike ride wasn't bad despite all my fears, I did okay. Whatever advantage I had out of the water I lost on the bike, but today was an internal race and I passed a few on my ride...
With for me a graceful (not flying) dismount from the bike I headed back to my transition area - this time the sight of all the bikes on the racks was not comforting... Got out of the bike shoes and into my Adidas. Headed to the run out stomped on all the timing mats and headed out. This is where the race got ugly - it felt like I had 20 lb ankle weights on each foot! The shuffle that ensued was not pretty. The first mile was an ugly mess, but after the first mile my legs started to feel more normal and the shuffle picked up and I got into a rhythm. I started to sing "I Can Only Imagine" in my head which is an inspiring song in it's own way, but there is a you tube video with the Hoyt's - an Ironman son and father that I find truly inspiring. If I feel weak - I only have to think of this video.
I finished the race in 1:26:01. I was anticipating a 1:30 time so I was happy that I gained some time somewhere - they haven't posted the splits yet... I just feel blessed that I can compete and have fun in the process. Thanks to everyone who sent encouraging words and thoughts.

36 Days

Well, this weeks exercise has been a bust with heat and getting ready for company. I'm headed to a yoga class this morning and have signed up for a 5K tomorrow. Am hoping that my friend's desire for a bootcamp/vacation will be what I need to motivate me to exercise.

Namaste.