St Anthony's pre race

This week I’m somewhere in between “Holy crap- what have I got myself into” and… well, yeah… that’s basically where I am.  My mind is in a million places this past week between the everyday life details (spending time with family to celebrate Easter weekend, mowing my jungle lawn, drying out my basement, and staying busy at work) and getting ready for the race this weekend.  I’m ready to see where my winter training puts me at the start of the season- and ultimately how the results will guide my training.  I am starting the season in shape, motivated, and full of potential for improvement.  Great place to be!  So why am I nervous?  Here are my top 3 reasons:

1.       Participant list- wow

2.       First travel race of the season.

3.       Shorter races = more intense pain = different racing

I always get nervous at races, no matter what the level.  Who doesn’t?   Everyone looks so fit and fast!  I even get nervous at races when I’m cheering friends on.  This race just adds the element of the unknown in a couple areas.  I’m ready for my eyes to be opened, stomach to be filled with butterflies, and legs screaming.  2+ hours of “Go, go, go, go!  Push harder!  Wow she’s fast!  Hang on!  This hurts… a lot more than I thought”… and so on.  I can guess where my fitness level is, but have no clue how my mind will handle the race.  I’ve started a game with some friends: guess my finish time.  Prize for the person who guesses the closest maybe…J 

Clean slate, no expectations, be thankful for the opportunity and enjoy a couple days in warmer weather!  I just arrived here in St Petersburg last night, got my wake-up swim in, went to the grocery store, and am kicking back on the couch.  Will update with pictures and details throughout the weekend. 

Here is the view from my patio...transition area is right across the grass.  woo hoo

miss

Game On

Ohio has officially “signed on” and is posting results in the multisport world.  Running races have been going strong all winter long, bike TT’s and road races are becoming more frequent, and now triathlons/duathlons can be added to the list.  Beyond running races I finally get to post some results and remind my body what it means to race! 

Wednesday night I rode in the Blue Streak Time Trial (10 miles) at WPAFB, placing 2^nd female by 7 seconds.  Can’t let that happen again- game on!!  RESULTS  We had a great night- finally a break from the rain and cold!  Felt good to push the cranks and see where my fitness level is at the start of the season.  I’m happy for now, but feel there is room to improve! 

Saturday morning the weather was a bit different- rain as the main dish, with a side order of wind.  Miami University hosted a sprint triathlon through HFP Racing.  The swim is a 400m serpentine swim (you swim down in one lane, then move to the next lane and swim back, etc. until you have completed all 8 lanes totaling 400m).  Head outside to T1 and try putting on clothes when you’re wet and cold…not an easy task.  (My T1 time was 2-3x longer than the guys around me.)  After yelling to another racer I know that he was exiting the wrong direction, I jumped on the bike with shorts not quite on right (dang things don’t fit my body type).  Eh, not a stellar bike.  Jump off in T2 and throw my shoes on- time to see what the legs can do.  Turnover was quick, HR was high, and I found my groove in the last mile.  Dang sprint races.  Overall, it felt controlled but right where I assumed I’d be starting the season.  I finished 1^st female and 5^th OA.  RESULTS (btw: the OA winner is only 17 years old.  Watch out for this guy Nick Noone- you’ll be hearing his results in the future for sure.) 

Sunday morning I volunteered at a local race in Troy, OH.  It is the first of a series of canoe-bike-run races put on by Speedy-Feet.  They are so much fun!!  Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and the canoe portion was cancelled.  Windy day, lots of rain earlier this week, and a rushing river… not a safe combination.  Good call!  So, everyone did a duathlon.  I love watching and helping out with races- you get to heckle racers, see the other side of the sport, and enjoy the outdoors.

"Take-home" from the races:

1. Stay focused- can’t afford the mind wandering in short races. 

2. Push harder- if it doesn’t hurt, you aren’t going fast enough. 

3. Spend the next 2 weeks working on T1. 

4. Get used to a high HR- it’ll only last a little while, then you can relax. 

miss

Dang Bug

Two weeks ago I had a great week of training.  Last week I got sick.  Boooo!  Monday night I got my swim done, ate dinner, then tried to sleep with a churning stomach.  Didn't work...elevator came up.  So I took the day off work and spent the day sleeping.  Recovery was the unavoidable focus all week.  It's amazing how quickly your energy is zapped.

(This is my dog Haleakala...aka Holly.  She likes to sleep in my pillowcase.)

It's good to respect your body when it says "STOP" so training plans were abandoned.  Thankfully this was a quick stomach bug and I was able to get a couple easy workouts in at the end of the week.  Funny enough, the food that sat the best: GU Chomps.  I typically reserve sports nutrition for training/racing but I was lovin' me some Chomps last week!

It's easy to panic when you lose an important week of training, but just a decision to change your frame of mind and focus on the positive.  So, here are my "positives" for the week:

• My body is getting some much needed recovery
• I am all that more ready to dig deep this next month with training
• Taxes done and other mini-projects finished (amazing what you accomplish when you're not training)
• Bought new curtains

 (Whenever you're feeling down, put boots on a small dog.  It's hilarious!)

miss