Big Fish in a Little Pond

So I actually completed my first official triathlon last weekend, but I've been so darn busy (and lazy) that I haven't had the chance to talk about it until now.  I'll be brief because, once again, it's after 11pm and I've really been shorting myself on sleep lately.

The Wauconda Sprint Triathlon was the only sprint distance triathlon happening in the upper mid-west last weekend.  Wauconda, Illinois is an hour and change away from here and I think the hardest part of the whole first-triathlon-experience was getting there...twice.  I had to pick up my race packet in person last Saturday, and check-in time on race day was 5:30 a.m.  That meant that I had to get up last Sunday at 3:30 a.m. so that I could eat, dress and hit the road to be there by 5.  Essentially, I spent most of last weekend in the car.

So, the triathlon.  It was a sprint distance and, apparently, sprints vary in distance depending on the race.  Wauconda was a 1/2 mile swim (standard sprint distance), 15 mile bike (sprints are usually 12 miles), and a 5K run (3.1 miles, standard distance).  I was pretty nervous by the time I got there Sunday morning to set up my transition area.  There were rows of bike racks and each participant had a spot on the rack with their name and number on it.  The labels were only about 10 or 12 inches apart so that meant the bikes and transition spaces were really crammed together.  

I got everything set in my transition space and then put my wetsuit half on.  My wetsuit is full-sleeved and, unless you're wading through cold water, it gets pretty hot pretty quick.  It was interesting seeing everyone else get on their suits and prepare for the race.  It was a small race (only about 300 or so participants) and I ran into my marathon coach and his wife - the only people there I knew!

So we had to board a bus to get to the swim start on the beach of the lake (a fairly small lake).  The funny thing about this was that the bus basically looped around the tiny dowtown of Wauconda, and dropped us off in a parking lot next to the beach - which was only about 300 feet away from where we just were at the transition area!  I guess they didn't want us cutting across private property or something.

The swim had a waved start, which means that the participants are broken into smaller groups (usually by age) and start about 1.5 minutes apart.  There were 7 waves  - I thought that was a lot considering how few participants there were.  I was in the 7th wave so by the time I started, there wasn't too much traffic and I had a really good swim experience.  The wetsuit helps immensely with the swim because it makes you more buoyant.  It's a little awkward to get out of, though, and so most people try and take it off (or mostly off) before exiting the water - it's easier that way, but it grosses me about because I think that everyone is peeing in the water as they're doing this (I know I did).

My transition from the swim to the bike was 3 minutes and 48 seconds - I discovered how slow that was after the race when I reviewed the overall times.  Most people transition in 2 minutes or less.

But the bike went well, I thought.  I had no way of pacing myself, so I just tried to keep a fast cadence and push myself as hard as I felt comfortable going.  It was a pretty hilly course, but winded around beautiful country roads.  I felt it was a successful experience, particularly because I was able to drink from my water bottle and put it away - for the first time!  

I was relieved to be done with the bike and quickly transitioned into the run.  Then I just wanted to get going and finish the race.  I was excited and went out way to fast.  I ran my first mile in 7 minutes and 37 seconds, and so each successive mile got slower by about 15-30 seconds.  As I trotted along, I could tell was having a decent race because I was passing people that were in earlier waves than me (everyone gets their wave number tattooed on their calf in Sharpie marker).  I finished the race with a kick and it just felt so good to cross the line and be done.  They had granola bars and gatorade and popsicles, and I ran into my marathon coach and his wife after the race.  I beat his wife which I felt secretly good about because I know she's done several triathlons.

After my snack I checked the race results which listed peoples times and overall place (not age group place, which is the important place in triathlons).   My time was 1:40:32. placing 174 out of 300 overall.  I figured it was a middle-of-the-road figure, and I was glad.  I packed up my bike in my car and headed back to Chicago.

But here's the crazy part - last Wednesday I went online to check my official results and I placed 3rd in my age group (women, age 25-29).  Had I stuck around Wauconda, I could've gotten a medal at the post-race ceremony - probably the only chance for that to ever happen.   So, if anyone is interested in trying a triathlon, do so in Wauconda, Illinois - you'll feel like a pro!   

Nice Moves

It's 11:20 on a Wednesday night and I'm just sitting down to a dinner of Triscuit nachos and Gatorade.  I completed a pretty intense brick session with my training group today which consisted of a 1-hour outdoor bike ride followed by running with speed work at the Lake Shore Park track (5 x 800 meters).  We didn't finish until almost 9:30.

I have to say that I kicked ass, averaging 3:15 800's (half miles) - fastest girl by far.  I think I impressed my coach, though he seemed to struggle to give me credit despite recognizing others and patting them on the back.  Maybe he didn't want to acknowledge me because I'm so darn fast that he didn't want to make the others on the team feel bad ;-)  Maybe he didn't acknowledge me because I'm so darn fast that I was only 1 second slower than him at the Firefighters 5K race last week (I placed second in my age group - woo woo!) ;-) Maybe he didn't acknowledge me because I forgot my backpack in the back of his car after our bike ride and he had to cycle to the Lake Shore Park Track from his car wearing his backpack and mine (classic!) and he was annoyed with me.

I'm always doing things like that; overshadowing any of my abilities with my complete clumsiness and awkwardness.  Like last night at the pool, after our workout, I grab my keys and my towel and head back to my locker, but I can't get my key to work in the locker.  Am I that mechanically challenged?  Maybe.  But I finally realized that I had someone else's key and towel.  Awesome!  So I go back into the pool area to exchange keys and explain myself to my team mate (who was wondering where his keys were) with both of my coaches standing by, laughing.  (Did I mention that my coaches are attractive?  Well they are, and I suck around people I'm attracted to) So, I laughed too, because it was kind of funny, and I'd rather be laughing than be laughed at.

Anyways, I know I'm making a big fuss over nothing, and my clumsiness probably doesn't get to my coaches at all - they probably don't even think about it.  And even if they did think about it, that's fine because I don't really care what they think of me...for the most part...

Running Total

I feel the need to acknowledge the extended length of time that's passed since I wrote my first (and only) blog entry. As it turns out, training for a triathlon takes up a lot of time - surprisingly more so than training for a marathon.
Given that this is my first triathlon training experience, every training session I attend, every interaction I have with someone from my team, presents me with a thin layer of understanding of what it takes to do a triathlon; to be a triathlete.

So, thus far, I've learned that triathlons are quite technical - not even comparable to a marathon. You're switching between three entirely different sporting events - and the transition between them is a sport in and of itself. And, with the technical comes the necessary (or seemingly necessary) equipment...the toys. The cost of these toys adds up quickly. I feel the need to vent about this right now because, at the moment, I'm panicking about my triathlon tab and how I will go about stopping the hemorrhage of cash without compromising my ability to train and race successfully. Anyway, The Tab:

$360 Cost for Tri-Monster training program
FREE Bianchi bicycle (thanks again, Dad)
$90 Helmut (I bought the first small one I tried on...stupid)
$30 Gloves
$110 Bike tune-up, cage and water bottle (I got ripped off here - turns out I didn't really need a tune-up)
$250 Triathlon shorts (yes, a must have for the ladies), tri sport bra, tri tank (a sad waste of $40), bike equipment bag, bento bag (for storing nutrition - that's a whole blog entry there), wetsuit rental (funny story there, too) and suit juice (wetsuit lube)

That put me up to $840 BEFORE my training group had a private fitting and shopping session tonight at Fleet Feet. There I was given a stride analysis and flattered by my middle and forefoot running style, and subsequently dropped $110 on some new shoes (I kind of needed these) and nutrition (electrolyte replacement - apparently this is a necessity). New total: $950.

Now, here's where I get to bring my dad back into the picture. The other day I get a call from him. He's on a layover in Seattle and stopped into a bike shop where he found a great deal - an open box special - on some LOOK Keo Sprints. That's a fancy brand of clipless pedals - yet another piece of equipment everyone says is necessary for biking faster and more efficiently. For those of you who don't know what clipless pedals are - they are the special pedals that require you to wear special shoes to clip into them (which seems so odd that they're called clipless pedals when you are, in fact, clipping in...) Anyway, my dad was kind enough to drop $120 on some pedals that normally go for $160-$180. The shoes, he says, are up to me to purchase.

What girl (or any athlete, for that matter) doesn't love to buy shoes? As soon as I heard about the pedals I quickly got online to get the scoop on bike shoes designed specifically for triathlons. As you may have guessed, these things don't come cheap. A decent pair (basic, the experts would say) cost around $110. I really love the Sidi tri shoes - these are $169 (this is a bargain price, 2007 models, without our lovely IL sales tax of 10.5% or the shipping costs). What's another $60 when I'm passing the $1000 mark? Right?? At least I'm not out there buying aerobars or computers or heart rate monitors (though these last 2 are on my "Strongly Desire List")

In summary, triathlons are an expensive sport. As I look back sentimentally on marathons, I see them as simple sport for purists. All you need is a good pair of shoes. But do just one triathlon (all I've done is a practice sprint distance - I'll tell you about it another time), and chances, are you'll be hooked. You'll want it all...you'll need it all.

Mi Bianchi

Before the training for my first triathlon even began, it was necessary (?) for me to get a road bike. Luckily, my Dad had been planning for this event for the past 8 years.

Somewhere along the line, he flew across the continent with a first officer who just so happened to be in possession of a Bianchi Campione Di'Italia steel frame bicycle (mid-90's). It was his wife's, actually, which she used to ride while on the cycling team at Purdue University. Most unfortunately, the first officer trashed the bike while pulling into his garage with the bike attached to the top of his car. For his wife, the bike was damaged beyond repair.

My dad, a longtime cyclist and junk collector, saw an opportunity. He knew the first officer to be a tinker and a collector of old machinery. He just so happened to be in possession of a non-operating snow blower (early 90's) and presented the first officer with the idea of making a trade. The first officer agreed and so, 8 years ago, my dad drove from St. Louis, MO to Terra Haute, IN to pick up a damaged Bianchi. "It's yours whenever you want it," he told me. At that time, I had no interest. Regardless, he re-habbed the bike and hung it in our garage.

As soon as I told my dad about my plan to train for a triathlon, he reminded me about the Bianchi. "You've already got a beautiful bike just waiting for you. Bianchi green, all Campagnolo." I had no idea what this meant, but by this time I had done a little research and discovered that Bianchi's were high-end, and I was ready to start riding. We debated about how I was going to get the bike to Chicago and, fittingly, my dad thought it would be best for him to drive it up in the back of his giant pick-up truck, which he did last week.

I think he drove in from another era, sometime before the mid-90's. On the road, he listened to the music he used to train with (symphonies!). Along with the bike, he brought the following items:

- A stand to lift the back wheel of the bike (I have no idea how it works)
- A stationary spin so to attach the bike for stationary cycling (I have no idea how it works, but I do remember him using it to cycle in our basement when I was a kid)
- 2 tire pumps (both broken)
- His Cannondale multi-tool for adjusting the bike (I have no idea how this works)
- His racing shoes (supposedly so that I could see the cleats)
- A plastic bag containing WD-40, a bottle of Rock N Roll Lubrication ("the King of Lubes"), a tire lever set, 2 tire patch kits, and a pair of custom tire valve caps shaped like dice (these are for a mountain bike, he instructed me)

In my parking lot, he propped up the bike and showed me all of its gears and how to shift. He pointed out all of its parts (Campagnolo) and stressed that the bike had a high "cool factor." He tried to explain the physics and the mechanics of the bicycle, but ultimately, it was up to me to ride and figure it out for myself. I drove it around the parking lot and couldn't even get my feet into the peddles, much less brake or steer. I told my dad it was like giving a Ferrari to a kid who doesn't know how to drive. He agreed, and then we went to Lou Malnatti's for a late pizza dinner.

We talked about triathlons and training and how it was for him, back in the day. The next morning, after an early breakfast, he drove back to St. Louis. Before I left for work, I stopped into the bike storage room to take a quick peak at my new prize. I am so excited!!