Family Vist Part 1 - Running

First, thanks very much to those who have complained about my absence in the blogosphere - it's rather nice to be missed!

It has been a good week and a busy week around here, with some not so good moments sprinkled in. The not-so-good were all related to both boys being sick with fever for five days each. It was a long time for both of them (but not the same time, we had to spread it out some) and we had to resort to breathing treatments and antibiotics for Sammy. The boys were in sad shape for a couple of days, but for sick children, they were extremely easy and even pleasant most of the time. Which was good, because the great thing about this past week was that my mom, dad and granny were visiting.

We had a great time together! We did some neat activities and projects that I'm anxious to write about, but I suspect my boys will be awake soon and I'll have to quit for today. So look for the continued reports over the next few days.

My dad has been a runner for much longer than I (and is a marathon finisher!), so I've always wanted to take him down to the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail. This time we got in three good runs there, despite the heat. That space is such a treasure here in Austin, so it was fun to get to share it. Our first run was on Saturday, which was also July 4th, so the trail was abuzz with runners and walkers taking advantage of the long weekend. When we first pulled up to the parking area, Daddy asked if there was a race going on because of how many people were out, which made me happy and proud of this space in our city. We both like people-watching, and there is no better place to run AND watch people! We talked about how one thing we love about running is that you can just do it with minimal equipment to mess with and without having to drive anywhere... but the trail was worth driving to.

We were both inspired to more running by getting to run together.

(Image by Larry D. Moore, used under a Creative Commons ShareAlike License)

p.s. Daddy also brought me a copy of a book he's been really excited about - I'll let you know how it is!

Tri Report

It was a very positive experience out at the triathlon yesterday!

Three thoughts about the day:

First, triathlon is such a positive, encouraging sport. The Danskin is a particularly supportive race, being all-women and designed to lure newcomers into the sport, but that isn't all of it. Maybe the sport itself is inclusive. Maybe it draws people who enjoy putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Maybe the challenges of it make everyone there feel like every fitness level is really accomplishing something cool. I really enjoyed the women I talked to, ran next to (ahem, actually they ran past me), and shouted with.

Second, James' family is exceptionally supportive of me. They kept the kids for me to train, kept the kids overnight and brought them to the race, hauled a small city of gear, cooked and cheered. It's so impressive, and such a blessing. I left saying prayers of thanks for them, and I'm still saying them. Oh, and James is great too!

Third, I'm a bit crazy when it comes to numbers. I had a number in my head, 1:45. My estimates for the various components added up to 1:50. But I really really wanted to do 1:45. That's a big discrepancy, but I get numbers in my head and they feel like the key to everything (yes, that's the crazy part). My training went so well but I was tired of saying "considering when I started" about how well it was going (oh gee, another crazy part). I just wanted to make that 1:45. REALLY badly. James and I hashed and rehashed my expected times and it didn't seem possible but the magic number was stuck in my head anyway.

How it went:

I admit it, I struggle with promptness. But not on tri morning. It's just not worth it to not arrive when they first open the shuttle lines. So even though I had about two hours sleep (anxiety, plus mystery thumb pain that bothered me all night and all day, then magically went away), we arrived as early as they'd let us and I had plenty of time. The family set up a little camp, I got myself set up and ran through all my little tasks. I had to run back to our camp and put sunscreen on my face - almost forgot!! I met three cool women as I was setting up transition - two first timers and an experienced person. I met a cool woman in line for the swim, a first timer. Two more cool women in line for the portopotty, a first timer and a third timer (sensing a pattern here?).

The swim was the calmest it's ever been. The water was totally smooth, which has never happened to me before. It wasn't my fastest swim, but it was the easiest. Maybe I should have been pushing harder, but sometimes it seems like I just get tireder without going any faster! When I came out of the swim, I saw that my family had made me a cool sign with big letters and my name on it- wow!! That's the big smile on my face!

It was a good first transition (you run into a big area, find your bike/stuff, put on helmet, shoes, etc, and walk your bike out to where you can get on and ride). My only complaint with the setup was that they didn't have near enough carpet on the (barefoot) run up from the lake to the transition area. There was a chorus of "ooh, ow, ouch, ooh, ah, ow!" coming from every direction as we ran over muddy rocks before we hit the grassy transition. Still, fastest T1 I've had.

The bike was very good. When I did a test run a few weeks ago I was really slow, especially on the first third when it didn't feel like I was really into the real course yet. For the race, I felt focused, and got to be supportive of a lot of people. One hill halfway through really got me and I had a hard time recovering, but once I did, the rest sailed by.

The next transition (put your bike away, ditch the helmet, change shoes) was speedy too. Nice. The run... well, running is hard. On my training runs with the jogging stroller I was frustrated because I was averaging (I'm not kidding, people) 13 minute miles. Training materials categorize that as "fast walk" but I wasn't walking! During my last couple of runs I was able to pick it up and had select sections that were under 11 minute miles. During the race, I kept looking at my watch, but it was too soon to tell how I was doing time-wise. The woman I met in line to start passed me and chatted a second, which was fun. At a water stop they told us "Just a mile and a third!". My mind wouldn't do the math but I could tell that was left me enough time I might just be able to do "good" on this run! I ran the next downhill section crazy-fast (crazy-fast for a 13-min-miler, let's keep it in perspective). They said it was just .7 miles and I was at 1:35! I could actually make my time goal! It felt like I was really moving! Then I hit the uphill. The just-don't-puke-really-it-isn't-worth-puking uphill. I crawled up that thing. I could not have been going slower, but it was all I could do. Then, just at the last bit of the uphill, there was a previous coach of mine on the sideline. Most of the run is isolated, so she had just walked down there to be there and cheer. That was very cool, we exchanged a few limited pleasantries and a high-five and what do you know but the hill was over! Then I could hear the finish line so I thought I'd be able to pick it up, but I couldn't. I just couldn't make myself move any faster. Finally, I saw my family. My awesome, helpful, supportive family, and I finally took off again. My watch said 1:45 but I sprinted to the finish line. They announced my name, I was a little dizzy, and I stood to let someone snip the timing chip off my ankle. I stepped out of the way and finally thought, "my watch! I haven't stopped it yet!". I hit the button at 1:46:58, but there was a window in there so I didn't know my final time.

I hate to say it, but it's true: If I made 1:45:anything I was going to be thrilled, and if I made 1:46:anything I was going to be bummed. It's the number thing. It's so far off winning, there's no reason to get stuck on a number. It's not my fastest time, or even second fastest. But that's my brain.

I had to wait until the results were posted last night to get

My Official Time: 1:45:56

WAHOO!!!

Triathlon tomorrow!!

Wish me luck! Hopefully I'll still have a smile on my face at the end of it (like this picture of the last time!).

Triathlon Training

Some of you have very kindly asked me how my training is going, which I really appreciate. It's going very well, considering I'm less than three weeks from the triathlon and I've been training for less than two weeks. It doesn't feel like two weeks - it feels like for always, like I picked back up right where I left off training two years ago, when I was pregnant with Sammy.

Triathlon has been a journey for me, one with a deeper meaning than just a workout. It started with the 2003 season, the year before I had Zack. At the time, I had no interest in outdoor exercise (there are mosquitoes and sun and heat out there! And if there aren't, there's cold wind or rain! Yuck, right?), had never broken a bone or run in any kind of race (at least not as an adult). I knew nothing of the sport and little of any aspect of it. Now, I've run eight or so triathlons, done several running races, taken on some nice group rides and open water swims, participated in two years of group training programs, mentored in two years of group training programs, and coached a friend through preparation and completion of her first tri. I've broken two bones in the process and have run tris a little pregnant and very pregnant. Overall, I've developed an enduring love for triathlon. Triathlon has been my boot camp for being a mom of boys, my motivation to get out there, and a witness to what the most unlikely person can do through a bit of determination and a load of divine sustaining and protection.

Many, many people have said, with few shocked blinks, "Wow, you do triathlons? Gosh, if you can do it, surely I can!" They check themselves, not meaning to give insult, and start to apologize but I always take it as a great compliment. The unlikely athlete is a better witness than the natural talent!

This year I feel so much less rusty than I rightly should, having taken last season off. I hadn't been working out except for a very occasional swim or yoga class (to attempt to justify paying for my gym membership!). Now, it feels like I've stepped back in right where I left off. I keep surprising myself that I'm slower than previous race paces, which is a bit silly. Of course I'm slower! The great thing is that I'm functioning on any kind of similar level at all. And I'm back to enjoying it so much, and being able to do activities that involve the family (which was actually my whole goal to start with).

So far, I've done three swims, three bikes and two runs. If you'd like to see what I'm doing to prepare, there's a play-by-play of my workouts at the bottom of the left column. I'd love to find some workout partners; the only downside of my current training is that I'm a bit lonely on it. I miss my workout groups. I could have joined one, if I'd started much sooner and if I weren't working with very specific scheduling limitations. Think you could be interested in triathlon? Let me know.

But, family fun is good too - yesterday we went out to Decker Lake and I rode the (probable - it isn't posted yet) race course. It was a really fun time. The boys played a little, then checked in on me on the section of course that has no shoulder (which didn't work out very well, but we'll know that for next time), then fished for an hour or so while I arrived back and joined them. We came home to grill burgers and veggies for dinner and eat out on the picnic table. What could be better than that?

Bang

I've been putting off thinking about triathlon for far too long now. I skipped the entire season last year - Sammy was so young, I was nursing around the clock, and it just didn't feel like a fit. I really didn't miss it at all. But this year, I do. Even this year, though, our life has felt so full and complicated that I put off considering it, and now we're down the the wire for my race of choice, the Danskin Triathlon.

The event is in four and a half weeks. That's really soon. In the past I have had an organized plan for at least the eleven weeks before. I have always had a workout group I was attending or helping with, or at least a partner. But now, with just a month left, there's no time for any of that. I just need to make a choice and do it. Pull the trigger, so to speak.

Ok, I'm in.

(I even registered!)

Future Bike Mechanic

We had one cool morning this week before the heat returned, and Zack and I spent it on the front drive, with him riding his bike up and down. When one of his training wheels was wobbly, I got a wrench to tighten it and Zack decided he needed to do some work on his bike.

He did the only thing he knew how to do, which was tighten (and thus also loosen) the nut on his training wheels. That gave him the brilliant idea that he would just take those training wheels right off. He did it, all himself, and pushed his bike up and down the sidewalk. I convinced him to get on and let me hold it up while he rode a little. After five minutes of that, he was ready to put the training wheels right back on!

We had a bit of angst when he couldn't remember how to get it back together, but it only took a few nudges from Mom and he managed it. (Thank goodness I thought to take note of what order the washer was in before he had it all apart.)

Meanwhile, I was on the phone hearing a report from a friend who had done her first triathlon over the weekend (Congrats, Raegan, you triathlete!). The bike work and the tri report... well they made me anxious to get back out on my bike too. Surely I can work some workouts into our schedules??