Sad Days

In Loving Memory of

Precious




Born in 1985, became a member of our family in 1994...

She will not go quietly, this dog who shared our lives. In subtle ways she'll let us know her spirit still survives.


...died at Blackhawk Veterinary Hospital
June 28th, 2006


-- Urs & Barb (and Pandy)

Ironman Coeur d' Alene

It was a most fabulous day! Coeur d' Alene, Id. is an idyllic lake front town filled with little houses, white picket fences and window boxes overflowing with petunias. The dominant downtown feature is The Coeur d' Alene Resort, an upscale high rise hotel and marina.


Bordering the downtown core and the resort is the city park and, aptly named, City Beach. In the beautiful, tree filled city park is the Ironman Village, the bike and the run transitions. City Beach runs the length of the park and is the location of the Ironman swim.

I had arranged to meet up with a member of my cycling club for an open water swim, since we would both be in Cd'A to watch Ironman. The public swim area is roped off and runs the length of City Beach. We were able to swim down and back, approx. 300 meters each way, along the rope. My total swim was somewhere between 1000-1200 meters. And, believe it or not... it was ENJOYABLE!

I was so glad that we had decided to meet, because I would have never gone swimming by myself. Each time I swim in open water, I become more and more comfortable with it. I'm still not totally comfortable when I see big dark shadows on the bottom, but I just keep swimming to get away from them.

My biggest challenge now is to learn to slow down! Just like when I run, I start out way too fast, and have to stop and catch my breath after 200 meters! I'll never get through a mile long Olympic swim That Way! I need to learn to pace myself. I reached swimming nirvana only once, while in my local pool. Now I need to figure out how to transfer that feeling to the lake. I've been corresponding with another bike club member that also wants to swim, so between the two gals, I may get in two open water swims a week! If I could get my swim down, then I only need to learn to bike and run! LOL! :)

On to Ironman! After the swim, I hiked back to the car to drop off the wetsuit and pick up cell phone, $$, etc. Then off to Ironman Village for a shopping trip! :) Ironman had a tent filled with merchandise and Inside Out Sports also had a huge tent filled to the rafters with tri gear. Oh My God! I'm in Triathlon Heaven!

I've been hoping to come across a tri top, so I can quit wearing my swim suit with tri shorts and a sleeveless bike jersey. Hey, it works, but I think a sport specific top would perform better. I saw several tops that I thought would work but none had a built in bra. (Sorry guys) I wonder if I need a built in bra or if a sports bra would work? What do you other gals wear? I didn't want to buy something that wouldn't serve my purpose.

I did go on a little shopping spree and was able to buy some things that I was not able to find elsewhere. My goggles have just started the annoying habit of fogging, so I found some anti-fog stuff. Yea! I was probably the only person in the 95 degree heat that bought neoprene cycling shoe toe warmers that day. (I've wanted some of those ever since I started cycling!) Lets see... I bought a really cool water bottle to fit between my aero bars and a pair of tri shorts that were deeply discounted. Being very pleased with my purchases, I went out to watch the race!

After swimming, I had seen the leaders go through T1 and start the marathon. When I took up my position the second time, Joanna Zeiger had just completed 13.1 miles and was headed back out for the second half of her run. The age grouper behind her was just starting his run. I happen to be standing next to the Chief Of Police during this time and SHE told me that there were cyclists that were just starting the second loop of the bike course! It was unlikely these folks made the time cut off.

In the end, Joanna Zeiger, a 44 year old mother of two over came several years of severe back pain to win her first Ironman! Her finishing time, which included a new women's course record, was 9:31:07! Not bad considering the punishing heat!
Second place went to Heather Gollnick who was 5:32 behind the winner.

Third place was Kate Major at 10:11 behind the winner.

Cd'A was slated as a Women's Only Pro Race. This meant that the prize money went only to pro women. I believe there were two male pro racers in Cd'A, but they raced along with the age groupers. Lake Placid New York will be the Men's Only Pro Race for 2006.

This is my second year attending Ironman Cd'A. If you ever have a chance to attend an Ironman event, I highly recommend it! The music, the party, the 2200 athletes, the bikes, Mike Reilly... ain't nothing else like it!

The Finish Line

How does it feel to cross the finish line after completing 140.6 miles? Just ask Joanna Zeiger, winner of 2006 Ironman Coeur d' Alene!

The music was blasting, the croud screaming and thousands of those noise makers banging together... all to bring Zeiger home to her first Ironman win. I wish I could add a sound bite to the photo complete with Mike Reilly yelling "YOU... ARE... AN IRONMAN!!!!"

It was a great day! More later!

The Long And Winding Road

What a great morning for a bike ride. It was about 60 degrees with a slight wind. I chose to ride my "hills" route, through the fields. I saw several farmers out on their combines mowing the grass and alfalfa. Everything smelled so good! Click on these photos to see the roads wind off into the distance. It really is a beautiful place to ride.

Today was a great work out day. (I take em when I can get em!) I rode 16.38 miles with an average speed of 15 mph. The first half of the ride was through the hills, the second half on the flats in the aero bars. (Dropped my chain for the first time ever. Have to remember to check around my bottom bracket for damage since I ride one of dem plastic bikes!)


Before dinner, got in a 3 mile run, and then 200 situps on the exercise ball and a host of strength exercises with the dumbbells. I guess
TriBoomer's
Olympic sized double brick workout got me all fired up!

The pool at EWU has closed for summer renovation, and as much as I want to get back to swimming, I'm dreading going to the local Park and Rec pool. It looks tiny compared to what I'm used to, although it's probably 25 yards, which is pretty common. I just can't quit thinking about how many kids pee in that pool every day. Bluck! I sent out an email to my ladies cycling group inquiring if anyone wanted to ride the bike course of the next tri or do some open water swimming. I've got a friend with a kayak that has agreed to spot us if I can get a group together. Hopefully something will come of that.

Train hard! Hope everyone is having a great week!

...And They Came To Race

I knew something wasn't jiving correctly in my mind from the moment I stepped up to complete my race day registration. Next to me stood another athlete with his fancy Cervelo Tri bike and deep dish Zipp wheels. I thought to myself that he looked out of place!

The Trailblazer Triathlon takes place in the town of Medical Lake, Wa., population 4000. The triathlon is a fund raiser for the town and is held in conjunction with Medical Lake Founders Day. This weekend of fun doesn't even register a blip on the local event radar. I expected the race to be very small and mostly first timers, newbies and rookies like me. By the time the 4th Cervelo rolled by, I was starting to figure out I had pegged this race completely wrong!

As I set up my transition area, I couldn't help but hear the conversation around me... and it was All About Ironman!!! Ironman Coeur d' Alene is next Sunday, and these were local racers using this race as a warm up! There was so much buzz about IMCdA and other races, I kind of felt swept up in the excitement, like I was actually there! People were really nice and overly talkative! It was a lot of fun!

After the pre-race meeting, all the athletes were loaded into the back of trucks (now I know how those cows feel) and driven around to the other side of the lake. This wasn't an out and back swim, it was a straight across the lake swim! Awesome! (I hate going around buoys!)

Ok... so here is the race report.

Swim: It was steep and rocky getting into the lake. Some people got in and treaded water, while others stayed up on the shore. I found a flat boulder to stand on in about thigh deep water. We had to wait about 15 minutes for the trucks that dropped us off to get back around the lake. I was feeling sorry for the people without wetsuits because it was pretty cold! Then the race director waved a red flag to signal us to get ready, and then blew the air horn. And off we went!

This was my worst swim to date. Fortunately, I was a good distance away from the safety kayaks. Since I did nothing that resembled the freestyle stroke, they would have interpreted my flailing as a person in distress!

I started out well, but had to slow down after bumping into the feet of the guys in front of me. For some reason, I just couldn't get it together again after that. I flailed and floundered my way across the lake. It was so ugly, I'll spare you the description, lest I have to relive it. Oddly enough, my swim time was ok. It just tells me how much I can still improve at this sport!

This is a picture of the swim exit at Coney Island Park. The start of the swim is the rocky point seen across the lake. This is actually a little less than a quarter mile, but it sure looks like a lot further! The park is a dot of lakefront lawn which slopes steeply down to large boulders before a vertical drop into the water. At the swim exit, you had your choice between two ladders or a very short, steep ramp. I chose the ramp and was assisted by a nice strong hand that was pulling swimmers up out of the way.

T1: Up the hill, through the park and across the street to the transition area. Lost a little bit of time when I couldn't get my bike shoe on correctly, but no biggie. Off on the bike!

Bike: Nice bike loop around one of the other lakes in the area. (There are four here within a few miles of each other.) The bike was a lot of fun as it brought out my competitive spirit. I was passed by a woman (previous Ironman) who I had been chatting with while in the potty line. I passed her back, she passed me, and finally, I passed for the last time and won the bike. That made me feel good.

T2: I love T2 cuz it's so friggin' fast!

Run: I'm not the greatest runner, but I'm still out here plugging away! Someday... The run took place on a paved trail that encircled the lake in the picture. Within the first half mile, Iron Woman passed me and left me in her dust! Although, the run was still eventful. By about mile one, I slowed down to give some encouragement to a gal that was walking. In the short time we ran together, she invited me to join her mountain biking group! I told ya people were really nice! (Urs would say a little too nice, I think!) :)

The final results:

Swim: 400 meters +/- 8:09
T1: 1:36
Bike: 12 miles 39:33 Avg. Speed 18.3mph
T2: :20
Run: 5k 26:11
Overall: 1:15:51 69/106

Now, this is only my 4th triathlon, but I have to say, this was the best one so far. The athletes were outgoing and friendly and the race was cheap! $30 bought everyone a nice T-shirt, a finishers medal and really nice trophies for each age group two deep! This will definitely be a must do race next year!

One More Time!

I'm looking forward to Sunday. That is the day that I will restart my training. I've been in a perpetual taper, which I've now managed to extend to 4 weeks. The first week, leading up to the CdA Half Marathon, was excruciatingly difficult. We triathletes Hate to taper! To go from two-a-day workouts to two for the whole week can be down right painful!

The Half Marathon was followed by some much needed recovery days, followed by two back to back weekend sprint triathlons. Which brings us to this week where I'm hoping to race again on Saturday. (The RV Park will be overflowing with customers, so it'll be a last minute decision.) So much for the build, taper and recovery model!

When I originally scheduled my summer calendar, this was not how it was suppose to play out. Even though I don't feel like I need much recovery after a sprint tri, I also know that racing back to back to back isn't going to make me faster or stronger.

What it does do is give me some much needed experience. I'm really happy that I was able to finish last weekends swim without freaking out in the shallow lake water. I believe Saturdays race is an out and back swim, which will invariably take me out into the deep blackness. If I can complete this swim and maintain the same sanity I had last week, I think my open water phobia will be considered past tense.

With that race behind me, I'll have four weeks to prep for my 'A' race, the Valley Girl Triathlon. I guess it will actually be three weeks and one taper. In all honesty, this will be the first "real" race of the season. While it draws a large number of first timers, it also draws all the local Tri Divas, so it is a fairly competitive race. The race has sold out at 500 women. Yes indeed, THIS is gonna be fun!

Another reason I'm so looking forward to starting my workout regime again is because each week that I've taken off, has gotten easier and easier. I feel downright slothful and lazy. Yes, I've had a lot on my plate the past couple of weeks, but that is truly just an excuse. If someone delivered a Domino's Extravaganza pizza to my house, I'd sure squeeze the time into my day to eat it! See, we make time to achieve our priorities. Post race recovery and carbo-loading now equates to Corona with extra lime!

So, I say here before you today, starting Sunday, it'll be clean livin' and hard work for me. I may not win, but I've got my eye on the title Tri Diva!

Crazy Days

I'm going to take a quick break from triathlon to do a family update. These last two weeks have been very difficult. My dad was in the hospital 3 times and my mom once, for an extended stay.

My big brother was able to fly in from Colorado to help out... in fact, he does more than help out, he takes over, takes charge and lets me take a break! He always comes when things get really bad with the folks, so even though he isn't here very much, he really does get the worst of it!

After my tri two weeks ago, I had a message on the phone from him saying that he was taking dad into the Emergency Room and when he finished with him, was going to go home and get mom and take her in also! Of course, they both wanted to go to different hospitals, so he couldn't take them together! They fixed dad up and sent him home. Then he went back in the next day for surgery! Mom ended up being admitted. She was there for 9 days and finally just got transferred to a nursing home yesterday. Hopefully with some rehab, she will get stronger and be able to go home soon. There were days when I had to really stop and think who I was visiting and which hospital they were in. On the good side, once they were both in the hospital, we knew they were being well taken care of, so we could really relax.

Then came the worst news of all... last Monday we got the results of my partner Ursula's PET scan. It showed that her cancer had progressed, and the tumors in her bones and liver that had at one point disappeared, were now active again. It's no wonder... due to issues with her kidneys, for the last three months, she has not been able to get the "miracle drug" that we've credited with her improvement. Now that she has had a progression of the cancer, she is officially off the drug company's test study and has had to start a new regimen of medications.

With the bad comes some good. Her new medications are all oral, so no more weekly 4 hour IV drip! For the last 2 1/2 years, we've had to plan everything around her chemo schedule, but as long as she is on these drugs, we have a lot more freedom to make plans.

Throughout all this, was one of the RV Park's busiest weeks of the year, we had a tree crew out to trim and remove some trees, two plumber appointments, and our little old dog seemed to be failing and I didn't think she'd make it through the weekend. Can you believe it? I think I posted a couple of weeks ago about everything happening at once... and I really meant it! (BTW, the dog pulled through and is back to her old self... literally)

I was even able to get two triathlons in during this time. Thank goodness for brick workouts!

The Scoop

Ok, here is the report from Sundays Tri. As you've probably read earlier in my blog, there have been some issues with this race director. Two weeks prior to the race, there was a 100 mile move to a new venue. I knew things were probably going to be a bit ugly. I watched the swim and T1 of the Saturday race. It had 30 people in it. Sundays Olympic distance race had about 20 people and my Sprint race had about 20 people in it. I was really disappointed! To make matters worse, I over heard the race director say that it wasn't worth setting up the timing chip equipment for this few people. That, along with the fact that there were no safety boats on the swim, no security at the bike racks, only warm bottled water, and shortened bike course all for a $70 entry fee! I think regardless of how many people show up, he should have put on a quality race with at least the basics provided! But, enough of that! On with the report!


Swim: My plan was to hit the water first in defiance of my fears of open water. That seemed to work out pretty well, as I led the swim the whole way. The swim was two laps around the buoys. The water was pretty nice in between the buoys, but the buoys themselves were anchored in pretty shallow water, so at one turn, seaweed was growing just below the surface and at the other, the water was thick and brown from people stirring up the sediment on the bottom.

It was quite odd being in the lead and not being able to see any other swimmers. I thought maybe I had a false start and they called everyone back to start over! I could envision everyone standing on the shore and someone saying, "Will someone get her out of the water so we can start this race?" HA!

I have to say, the swim was not an easy one. I never did calm down, and getting my heart rate and breathing under control was very difficult. The good parts of the swim were that neither the seaweed or muddy water freaked me out at all! And, unlike my first tri where the water was so choppy that I couldn't swim with my face in the water, I actually got in a section here and there of some decent swim strokes. I ended up breast stroking around the buoys to catch my breath. It's odd that last week I swam 500 meters in a pool at 90% effort with no problems, but felt like I was floundering after 100 meters in the lake. I guess open water swimming is something that gets easier with experience. Who would have ever thought I would be first to exit the water? Not me!

T1: The transition area was really small, so that helped my T times be faster than normal. I sprayed my lower legs with Pam cooking spray prior to putting on my wet suit, and it slid right off me! Fast! The only place I really lost any time was when my bike jersey hung up on my wet back (just like last week). I was initially going to swim with it under my wet suit, but it was cold enough out that I wanted to have something dry to put on. I think I've decided to break down and get a tri specific top. I think red and black would be hawt! :)

Bike: I was first out of transition and led the bike for about 9 of the 11 miles. I hammered it as hard as I could while remaining in the aero position. It was a rolling course and the small up hills had me huffing and puffing. I really had to focus on slowing my breathing down. The coolest part of the whole race was after I hit the turn around of the out and back course. As I passed the other cyclists on the other side of the road, they all hooted and hollered for me, cuz I was da lead-da! Woo-hoo!

T2: I was 3rd into transition and I blazed through it! One thing I've learned is that you can waste valuable time dinking around in the transition area, so I've focused on making them smooth and fast.

Run: Oh my god this is HARD! No freakin' wonder! I ran something like a 7:56 pace! That's a PR for me! (So it IS true! It doesn't get easier, you just get faster!)

I was so glad I didn't wear a heart rate monitor, cuz it would have burst into flames trying to keep up with my HR. I kept thinking that I wanted to stop and walk... yes, this is where the mental games start. I just kept pushing myself... go, go, go! I realized that my legs felt strong! It was my damn heart rate that was out of control! Go, go, go! Now a mile left, and I get passed by some young buck. THAT almost made me stop. NO! How would I feel if I walked and got passed by a woman? I'd feel like crap and I'd hate the fact that I was so weak to give in to this temporary discomfort!

About 100 yards before the finish line I came upon James Hicks. (See my blog dated June 7th about this guys incredible weight loss!) James was about to finish his Olympic distance race, which started two hours prior to my sprint. It was very inspirational to see him and I patted his shoulder and told him how great he looked! (He had crossed the finish line right in front of me last year at my first triathlon, so I kind of thought it was coincidental that here we were again, crossing the line within seconds of each other... and we weren't even in the same race!)
















It's amazing how the mere sight of the finish line can make the pain of the run disappear! One moment I'm questioning my fortitude, and the next I'm somehow conjuring up a sprint!

I recorded my own splits on my watch, but forgot to record it at T2, so I hit the button twice at the start of the run. Between my watch, bike computer and race clock I came up with the following times.

Swim 400 meters - 7:21 (Wow! Course was short?)
T1 - 1:24
Bike 11 miles - 37:58
T2 - :29
Run 3 miles - 23:49 (7:56 pace)

Overall: 1:11:19
1st female / 3rd or 4th over all

I know it wasn't exactly a real competitive race, but I had a lot of fun, and I'm very pleased with my times. There is another race next weekend at the same lake... but the last two weeks have been h*ll around here (more about that later) and I feel like I haven't been around much lately. Starting Thursday, the RV Park will be over flowing with people attending the local University's graduation. As much as I would like to repeat this performance, and get back into the lake while I still feel confident, it might be time to give it a rest for a while. Although... there is always race day registration! :)

Toeing The Line

I came, I saw, I conquered! Yes, that is me leading the pack into the water. Excellent shot thanks to my personal action photographer! More later.

Suck It Up, Buttercup!

Do you have an irrational fear? Something, that at the very thought of it, makes your heart race, and your resolve weaken? Something that causes you to doubt the legitimacy of your goals and question the sweat equity you've rightfully earned?

I probably have several, but the most pressing at the moment is the fear of open water swimming. My first lake swim of the season is this weekend. Honestly, I don't think some of these ponds around here even deserve the title "open water", since the term seems to signify something larger and scarier than what I will be facing. But, just like my first open water swim, I have that apprehensive feeling in my gut that can only be described as 'fear'... Irrational as it may be.

Over the last couple of days, I've had several conversations with whomever happen to have the misfortune to be close by... usually my partner, Urs. They tend to go something like this:

Me: I think it's very rare that people get eaten during open water swims.

Urs: People don't get eaten during swims!

Me: Sure they do! Remember that 15 year old surfer girl who got her arm bit off?

Urs: That was by a shark! When was the last time you saw a shark in Medical Lake?

Me: Well... not ever. But I'm thinkin' there could be some Giant Squid in there! What do you know about Giant Squid?

This is about where I get "The Look" and wisely change the subject.

What seems so odd about this fear, is that I can not only swim... but I'd say I am an above average swimmer. So, it's not like I'm lacking in the skills department and there is any risk of me drowning. (Aside from the obvious dangers of any triathlon mass swim start.) The Very worst thing about this fear is that it tries to stand in the way of something that is important to me. It tries to make me say 'I can't'.

Which brings us to the next question, although somewhat cliche... Why I Tri?

I do Triathlon because it's hard! I do it because nothing is handed to you... you earn every swim stroke, every pedal crank and every running step. I do this crazy sport because it reminds me that nothing is impossible, no goal unreachable. You do the work, you get the prize. Through the fear of the swim, the adrenalin of the bike and the pain of the run... I feel ALIVE! I am damn thankful to have the ability to do this and have the tenacity to see it through. Yes, I am very fortunate, and I take nothing for granted. And I will not let some swim in a pond stop me from taking what is rightfully mine.

So... here is how it will go on Sunday. I will toe the line at the edge of the lake. Not at the side, not at the back, not where it's safe... but right in the freaking front! I will be the first into the water and I will swim my ass off! And when I exit the water, all I'll be thinking about will be my transitions... all of them.

From Fatman To Ironman

Here is a link to a video about James Hicks, a Spokane native who once weighed an amazing 600 pounds!!!!

I learned about James' story just prior to my first triathlon... as he was there competing in his first triathlon also! He even sang the Nation Anthem prior to the race. The video contains footage of our race at Lake Chelan, Wa.

James will be racing and talking to people this weekend at the triathlon I'm doing at Medical Lake. Check it out!
http://www.king5.com/sharedcontent/VideoPlayer/showVideo.php?vidId=40812&catId=79

Iron Eagle Pictures

Thought I'd post these pictures of last weekends Tri while Blogger still allows. As you can see, it was very wet. In the end, I was glad I wore my cycling jacket and gloves, even though it slowed down my transition.

I'm very comfortable in the Aero position, and it seems to increase my speed by 1-2 mph. Since this was a sprint, I didn't need to carry much in the way of nutrition. The Bento box seemed overkill. I had a bottle of Gu2o on the bike and taped a packet of Gu to the stem of my bike, where it was easy to get to. I taped the top part making it easy to tear off/open. I ate that about 10 minutes before the end of the bike and stuffed the empty package into the hem of my bike shorts.



Here is a shot of me trying to ditch my coat as I pass Urs. This area of Washington State is very diverse. As you can see in the photos, if I go one direction from my driveway, I'm in the trees. If I turn the other direction, I'm in wheat fields. Lots of beautiful country to ride the bike in!



I've got another Tri lined up for this next weekend, and I'm not quite sure what to expect. This race was initially suppose to occur at a location about 1 1/2 hours away. Just a couple weeks ago I got an e-mail that the venue had been changed to a location about 15 minutes from my house. I guess the race director didn't get his race permits filed in time and another group was granted the right to hold a triathlon during that same weekend.

The change of venue isn't a big deal, in fact, it works out quite well for me. What is somewhat disconcerting is the emails I got, via my bike clubs member list, to avoid this race director and his races at all cost. Whomever wrote the email was doing their best to bad mouth this guy and put him out of business. Even with internet links to "proof" of his wrong doings, from what I could see, the only thing wrong he has done is to accept entry money for races he had yet to obtain all the permits for. In the end, he always put on a decent race.

The hate mail had me doubting whether I wanted to do this race or not, but I'm not one who likes being told what to do... so race I shall. Because of all this, I'm not sure what to expect at Sundays event. I looked at the list of entrants, and there is only about 160 people... and that is to be split between two days. Looks like this is going to be another small race.

That's ok. At least this race is chipped, so I'll get accurate splits and transition times.

The Race Is On

I thought it would be canceled, but like the race director said during the pre-race meeting, "You know it's race day when the weather turns bad!" This small annual race is usually held in the early spring (it was held a month earlier last year) and I have a feeling that they often deal with poor weather. This day would be no different.

I awoke to a torrential downpour, which would subside some, and then pour down again. Because of the rain, I added my cycling jacket, bike gloves and a second pair of socks to my transition gear. I also brought along cold weather tights and an extra towel, even though I knew I would not take the time to use them, regardless of the temperature. Being a Virgo, I would have been a good Boy Scout. Always prepared, and over-pack whenever space allows!

I had planned on riding my bike up to the race, since the start was only a mile from the house, but I figured why get soaking wet before I ever even got into the pool. The transition area was in the "field house" of the school. This big windowless building is nondescript gray concrete. Inside is a beautiful rubberized quarter mile track circling five or six tennis courts. Very nice!

The bike ride was to commence through a roll up door on the East side of the building and the run started through a roll up door directly opposite on the West side of the building. I chose to set up my transition area directly in between the two doors, with the handlebar of my bike hooked over the tennis net. That done, I proceeded to the pool for the pre-race meeting.

The swim was divided into heats with 16 people per heat, 2 per lane. The swim was 500 meters/20 lengths with a maximum time limit of 15 minutes. I was in heat 4, which gave me lots of time to practice being calm and finish my bottle of Gu2o sports drink. Ten minutes before my heat, I ate a Gu packet and washed it down with the last of the Gu2o, then wandered over to my lane.

My lane mate looked fast, and in my age group... that being the old lady group. (Where do the SLOW old lady's race? That's the group I want!) She asked me if I was going to swim the crawl. I almost said no, I'm going to swim under water, but since she looked like she was going to woop my ass, I figured I'd better not start off the relationship being a smart mouth. We both thought we'd finish our swims in about 11 minutes. Our lane opened up, and we both got in and started warming up.

So, our time to start finally came, and off we went. This was the first time I had swum 500 meters really pushing it. In fact, I haven't ever really pushed myself for speed in the pool, I've always just worked on endurance. It had been a couple of weeks since I was last in the pool, but I think I had pretty decent form. I thought about "gorilla arms" as I swam, because when I had the arm bend correct, I could really feel my forearm "catching" the water. I'm hoping this form has become somewhat habitual, because I'm sure I move faster through the water when I use it.

In the end, my lane mate beat me by a length. There were still 10 people in the pool when I got out, so that put me 6th out of the pool. I didn't look at the clock and decided against wearing a watch, but the fact that I beat ten people told me that I was doing ok.

T1: Out of the pool, walk across the pool deck and through the ladies locker room. Then down a carpeted hall (so I started running) then through a door into the Field House. T1 is always kind of slow. It's difficult to put clothing over wet bodies, which is why someone invented tri suits. I had worn my swimsuit with tri shorts over the top for the swim, and they were very comfortable.

Goggles off, rolled on my socks and slid into my bike shoes. Even being rolled up, the socks still kind of hung up on my wet feet, but they went on fairly quickly and without me losing my balance. Next came a sleeveless jersey which hung up a little on my wet back, sun glasses, helmet, bike jacket and gloves. I had a little difficulty getting my wet hands into the leather gloves and getting the jacket zipped up. Everywhere I lost seconds or had difficulty was due to added clothing that would not normally be necessary on a normal summer race. Plus, the addition of a tri suit, or just racing in my swimsuit would make T1 truly fast!

The bike: It was a short 10 mile course, fairly flat with one short steep hill at the end. The course was an out and back down a two lane highway with a decent shoulder. It was still raining pretty good, but that just added to the fun of it. I could see when cars would go by that they were kicking up a lot of water off the road, but I was already so wet I didn't even feel it. I was hoping that the rookies had worn eye protection.

At about mile 2 or three, I passed my lane mate, who was on a mountain bike! I didn't realize it was her until I passed and looked back and told her she was moving really fast. We recognized each other and started laughing. She said she didn't feel like she was going fast anymore!

Besides crossing the finish line, the bike is my favorite part of the race. I think it's because I can really push myself without totally exhausting myself. My average for the bike was 20.5 mph! Ahh... Adrenalin and aerobars are a wonderful combination!

T2: Fast, fast, fast! Helmet off, bike shoes off, running shoes with speed laces on, grab racebelt with number, off I went! I wish they timed the transitions, cuz I'd like to know how fast that one was! It was pretty cold out, and I decide to leave my coat and gloves on, a decision I immediately regretted.

The run: This was not an easy 5k run. After exiting the roll up door, the run proceeded onto a muddy dirt access road and up two short but steep hills. This immediately drove my heart rate through the ceiling and heated up my body. About 200 yards ahead, I could see my personal course photographer, waiting to capture action shots, so I decided to ditch the coat and gloves with her. The run proceeded out onto the street which had a nice wide bike lane. Next came a very long down hill and a short flat section to the turn around.

At one point, I wanted to walk, but I thought about how I had just posted here days ago how much stronger I was mentally, and now was when I had to prove it. On I went to the turn around.

The water station at the turn around was pretty comical. It was still raining pretty hard, but the volunteer had found a way to do his job and remain dry. He was sitting in his truck, parked at the side of the road and had the water cups filled and lining his dashboard. As I ran by, he stuck his hand with the cup out the open window of his truck. Hey, whatever works.

Not long after I hit the turn around, I was met by my lane mate running the opposite direction. When I saw her I yelled, "You're gonna catch me!" Off I went back up that freaking long hill! It didn't take her long to run me down, and I tried to pace off her, but she was too strong. She passed me at about mile 2, and beat me by just under a minute, so she was probably running just under 9 minute miles. (I think she was a ringer!) :)

Up the hill, across the parking lot, down the muddy access road and across the finish line. This year, I had a sprint left in me, which is a nice way to finish.

Ok, here's the down and dirty:

Time: 1:19:03
2nd place in my age group
Overall: 24 out of 70

Being the analytical type, I wish now I had worn a watch so I could have recorded my own splits and transition times. But, next weekend is another race, and it'll be chipped, so I'll get good times off of that.

My time last year was 1:24. My goal next weekend is to beat 1:15. Since it only has a 400 meter swim, I think that's very doable!

(Blogger is not allowing my pictures to post, so I'll post them later this week)

Iron Eagle Triathlon

Tomorrow is my first Tri of the season. It seems odd that it is only my second triathlon ever. My free time is pretty much dominated by triathlon. Triathlon training, reading, research, message boards, blogs... I feel like a veteran of the sport.

The Iron Eagle Triathlon sounds mighty enough, but is actually the finale of a P.E. class at Eastern Washington University. I guess it would be Triathlon 101? While the tri is open to faculty and members of the public, it will probably only have about 60 people in it. I figured that since it takes place on the road in front of my property, it's a "must do" and a good way to kick off the season.

I've got my bike all ready, and all my gear laid out on a towel, just like it will be in my transition area. I'll pack it all in my gear bag tomorrow morning.

I practiced my bike mounts and dismounts a few times, just to remember how my old bike shoes felt. I've decided not to use my Nike road bike shoes for a few reasons. The Nikes are much nicer shoes, but my old cheap shoes, which are a combo road/mountain bike shoe, are much easier to get in and out of. Second, my old shoes have a rubber sole with the cleat recessed into it, which makes running much easier. Third, the rubber sole allows me to unclip but maintain my grip on the pedal and do moving mounts and dismounts by swinging my leg over the saddle. This cool move will more than make up for wearing old geeky shoes.

Being a Virgo, I tend to over think things. I need lists... lots of them. I go through the list, then double check the list, then save the list... just in case I need to go through it again.

I like to practice everything. Like I said, I've got my gear laid out in the living room just as it will be in the transition area tomorrow. I've practiced rolling my socks on, practiced putting on my bike shoes, and finally chose to wear a jersey since I learned that by laying it kind of rolled up like my socks, with the arm holes visible, I can just quickly dive into it. We'll see how that works on a wet body.

Tonight, when I climb into bed, I'll visualize the while race, start to finish. And with that, my preparation and any anxiety will be over.

Tomorrow is all about keeping my nerves under control and being CALM... at least until the gun goes off, then it's time to race, Baby!

In Retrospect

First off, thank you for your comments of support. It looks as though we might be getting some temporary assistance for my mom. (Although it has yet to materialize.) Dad is out of the hospital, but goes back in on Monday for more surgery. My brother is a dear, and is really providing the majority of their care for the week he is here. This is a huge weight off my shoulders since I've had a million things going on at the RV park and with Urs' doctors.

Now that I've got my wits back in tact, let me briefly go back and revisit last weekends half marathon. I didn't even realize it at the time, but the day after the race was the 2 year anniversary of my last cigarette! It seems unbelievable that I smoked for 24 years! Because I quit, I am now able to have this new life, filled with athletics, challenges and new friends. I am achieving goals that I never thought possible! Now, I immediately look to see what's next on the list to check off. This life is so much more fulfilling than the one I had.

I also wanted to comment on all the genuinely friendly people I met while running through the streets of Coeur d' Alene last weekend. I had numerous people approach me before and during the race and strike up a conversation. Being somewhat of an introvert, I don't find myself particularly approachable, but I must have had a friendly face, or maybe it was the excitement of the race, nervous energy, or maybe Urs' Life Is Good hat that I commandeered before I left the house. Regardless, I met some nice people along the way that really added to the race experience.

At about mile 10, I met up with a nice fellow, and we ran for probably a quarter mile together. We chatted about the beauty of the turn-of-the-century lake front houses we were passing, the rain, and how running on a treadmill was much easier than running on the road. (Ya, don't I know it!) Then, without even knowing it, he gave me the greatest compliment of my short running career. "You are a much stronger runner than me. I can't match your pace, so I'm going to drop back. Have a great race!" And with that, he dropped back and I sped ahead, perfectly comfortable in my 9:45 cadence. The thought that I would ever be... Could ever be a stronger runner than anyone else on the planet, was something of a victory in itself.

The last mile of the race was incredibly difficult. I had picked up the pace in the previous couple of miles, and the pain and fatigue really grabbed hold on mile 13. I had recently listed to an interview of (I think) Peter Reid who said that he counts footsteps to dull the pain when he gets tired. Counts to 20 over and over again. Tried it... didn't work for me. Several times, I tried singing songs... but I just couldn't find one that fit perfectly with my pace.

Last year, I would have started walking... but this year, I'm stronger. Stronger physically... yes, but more importantly, I'm stronger mentally. I know a little more about how to get my body to do things I never thought possible. Proof... here I am at mile 13 plus, searching through the mental file cabinet, trying to find that tidbit I filed away for the time I might need it. Ahhh... here it is, tucked away in the Q file, for quotes.

First I thought of a Lance Armstrong quote that I use often. "Pain is temporary. Quitting is Forever." Boy, ain't that the truth! I like that one, and I use it a lot. But next in the file cabinet I came across the words that had the biggest effect on me. "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" Prefontaine. And that... got me through the last half mile and over the finish line, strong to the end. BEEP!

Primal Scream

Just a quick update for those who read my blog. It's been a crazy week. Dad is in the hospital and mom has fallen twice and is having her own medical issues. Seems impossible to get any kind of assistance to help with mom, who needs 24 hour care. The social workers say her doctor needs to order it and her doctor says we have to go through the social workers. We've called all around trying to get advice and help, to no avail. Tomorrow we start calling again, hopefully we'll get somewhere this time. My big brother has flown in from Colorado to lend a temporary hand.

Urs, who is my rock, had a PET scan today, which will tell us just how much cancer remains in her body after 2 1/2 years of chemo. We get the results on Monday or Tuesday.

While everything seems to be falling apart, at least it is happening all at once! If I'm a little more quiet than normal, it's just because I've got my hands full and can't focus long enough to get a blog post written. I actually had several things to post about the Half, but they all seem irrelevant now.

I'm SO looking forward to a run tomorrow morning.

Later