Oxygen is Overrated

When the earth floods from global warming, the swimmers will rule the world.  ~Author Unknown

Last week the triBE headed out to Lake Sybelia twice to master the open waters.  What an adventure!  Sara Dowdy and I headed out early Saturday morning to make sure all was ready, and she and I enjoyed a good half mile swim before the team arrived.  By the time the rest of the team arrived 30 minutes later the wind had whipped up strong and the calm, clear waters had turned to choppy whitecaps.  Without a doubt it was the worst conditions I have ever encountered in10 years of lake swimming.  Certainly with the lake acting like the Atlantic Ocean, our newest swimmers were in for a serious challenge.

In the first 5 minutes of the swim, it was clear that courage was required above and beyond facing the usual fears, but the triBE was undaunted.  Twelve women braved the choppy waters and fiercely conquered them.  There was choking, there was panic, noodles were deployed…  but most importantly, there was survival.  Some even asked to swim more.  Donna told me she wants to wrestle each challenge to the ground and beat the crap out of it.  She swam a mile that morning.  Marie told us the waves were so rough, she broke a nail.  She wasn’t kidding.   I was sure the waters were going to rip the goggles right off my face.  As I swam the last woman in, they stood on the dock cheering.  They had been talking and sharing their stories.  The veterans were sure it was the worst ever.  The newcomers were more worried than ever.  But they agreed to come back in a few days and try again.  I promised it would be calm the second time.  And it was. 

Round two was smooth sailing!  Sixteen strong, the triBE leapt in the lake and showed serious swimming muscle.  There were no whitecaps, but also no panic and definitely no noodles.  Each woman owned her swim start to finish.  The neighbors came out to watch in wonder as we spread out across the lake, brightly colored caps bobbing along like a string of buoys.  When I climbed onto the dock Wednesday night I felt so proud to know these women.  I had seen their courage, I had known their strength, and I had the true belief that every single one of them was prepared to succeed in this race. 

So there were some good lessons from the swim. 

1.  Lakes are darker than pools and can be disorienting.  Patience.  You will adjust.

2.  If you feel panicked, flip over on your back and catch your breath.  Then begin again.

3.  Weeds are weedy. 

4.  It is easy to get off course.  Be sure to lift your head and spot your target regularly.

5.  Repeated exposure to lake swimming (or anything else) will lessen your fears.

6.  Never let a scary first experience deter you from trying again. 

7.  There is power in the group.  Find training partners and train together often.

8.  Wind makes for rough seas. (And hard rides.)  You will overcome.

9.  There are no gators in the lake.

10.  If the worst thing that happens is a broken nail, you’ve have a really good day.

It's been told that swimming is a wimp sport, but I don't see it.  We don't get timeouts, in the middle of a race we can't stop and catch our breath, we can't roll on our stomachs and lie there, and we can't ask for a substitution.  ~Dusty Hicks

Train safely, stretch, eat well, hydrate, sleep.

Safe journey. Wind at your back. 

No One Ever Drown in Sweat

Mother-Daughter Awesomeness!
Pam Wilson and Stephanie Selig

“In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last.  You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.” ~Fred Lebow, NY City Marathon co-founder

Part 3 of 3

Minimum training equipment

·         Good running shoes

Additional training and race day equipment

·         Running shorts and TEK/Wick tops

·         Good running socks

·         Watch/pedometer

·         Running app for your phone to track your progress

·         Heart rate monitor

·         Race belt (for your race number)

·         Lace locks (so you don’t need to tie your shoes)

·         Body glide or Vaseline to prevent chafing

12 Tips for Running Success

·    Go the distance:  We all start with walk/run and week by week extend the run longer.  You should train to your race distance first and then extend that distance.

·    Mix it up:  Every day should not be the same run.  Eventually you get bored and can’t give running your best.  Try interval training.  You can find some samples here.  Change your route.  Change your distance. 

·    Partner up:  Find someone you enjoy running with and join them occasionally.  The miles will fly by.

·    Join a group:  There’s tons of running groups through your gym and other organizations that can help you train regularly and prepare for races.

·    Train up:  It’s always a good idea to find someone a little better than you and let them push your pace once in a while.  You get better and they get some company.

·    Reach back:  Find someone that is not quite as fast as you are and train with them.  Not every workout is an all out sprint.  Recovery runs are an important part of training and you can do some easy miles while you help someone else get faster. 

·    Start easy:  After the bike portion, your legs will be “confused” at the start of the run on race day. Start easy and get acclimated to this new movement after the ride. 

·    Turn off the music:  Headphones are illegal in races.  This is a safety issue. You can sing if you like. 

·    It’s all in your head:  I find this to be the most mentally challenging part of the race.  It’s just you and your lonesome here at the end with no equipment or real traffic.  I can only say, it will be over soon.  I promise.

·    Hydrate:  It’s ok to grab some water when it’s offered.  (Usually every mile) Even if you only rinse out your mouth, take the water.  Pour it over your head if you like.  It will be warm out there. 

·    Smile for the cameras:  If you see a photographer, be sure to smile.  You may not feel like it in that moment, but you will appreciate a good picture later. 

·    Finish strong:  You will start to hear people cheering as you approach the finish.  Even if you weren’t running much, it’s a good time to pick up your feet. Lift your head and remember, you are finishing a triathlon.  You ARE a triathlete! 

“I often hear someone say I’m not a real runner.  We are all runners, some just run faster than others.  I never met a fake runner.” ~Bart Yasso

Train safely, eat well, hydrate, stretch, sleep.

Safe journey.  Wind at your back.

Tri triBE Roars in Moss Park

So I’m right in the middle of a 3 part series on Triathlon preparation, but I’ll have to finish that later, because I am so excited!  This weekend seven members of the triBE met up in Moss Park for the Spring Fling Triathlon Festival and I have to tell you, it was an awesome good time.  The course was slightly shortened, perfect for a first race, and the weather was awesome.  So were the results!

Trish Horel was back in the open water for the first time since last year’s Danskin with some unfinished business.  Last year she had a flat on the ride, so it was great to see her get back on the bike and have a strong race.  I don’t know if she knows this, but her 2.8 mile run was almost 4 minutes faster than last year’s 3.1 mile Danskin run.  Her response to today’s race:  “Good race.  I need to get in the pool more.”

Trish, Nicole, Marie, Deb, Sara, Amanda

Nicole Ledbetter is working her way up to a full triathlon.  Last year’s “swim only” turned into today’s aquabike which will lead to a full triathlon in May.  Nicole was third in today’s race!  At the end of last year she said, “Screw lupus.  I’m doing the whole thing.” She’s right on track!  Her response to today’s race: “I can’t wait for the Corporate 5K next month.  Oh, and I need to get in the pool more.”

Donna Walker completed her first triathlon ever this weekend and now proudly wears the moniker, TRIATHLETE!  She also earned the nickname “Mountain Bike” as she heard lots of fellow bikers cheering “Go Mountain Bike!”   She’s looking to borrow a racing bike, so if anyone has an extra, she’d be grateful.  She overcame some jitters at the start of the swim and finished strong.  Her response to today’s race:  Tears of joy!  And “I need to get in the pool more.” 

Amanda Dean rejoined the triBE after a long hiatus.  She’s been exploring the amazing sport of Adventure Racing, long distance canoeing, mountain biking, and trail running with orienteering.  A “short” race is 3 hours!  Her last triathlon was in 2008 and so she returned to the sport by doing the “My First Tri” category which features a shortened swim.  And she had a heck of a race, overcoming her nervousness at the start of the swim and becoming the category champion!   Her response to today’s race:  “I need to get in the pool more.”

Trish, Deb, Donna, Amanda, Sara

Marie Leticee finished her 2^nd triathlon today by winning her age group!  After learning to swim for last year’s race, she back in the open water, conquering her fears and knocking 3 minutes off her swim time unassisted.  There were no swim angels at today’s race!  Marie continues to rock on.  Her response to today’s race despite the fact that she’s run a marathon: “That run was really hard.”

I also completed the aquabike as I continue to struggle with a sore hamstring, making running a bad idea.  It was nice to win this race, as it plays to my strengths.  I loved the bike course in particular as it was flat, windless, and wide open.  I lost my bike odometer before the race and my wristwatch malfunctioned, thus I did the entire race “blind.” To be honest, it was really nice to not know my time and just ride hard.  And not surprisingly, I really didn’t miss the run at all.  My response to today’s race:  “Man, that was sooo fun!”

The amazing Sara Dowdy joined us for the sprint and was the overall race champion!  She too is struggling with an injury, and we talked her out of the Olympic distance so she could rest her foot.  She ran a very strong race, and it is always so great to spend the morning with someone who is so positive and so supportive.  Her response to today’s race: “I’m satisfied with my time.  I had some pain on the run, but it was fun!”

Some lessons and thoughts from today’s race

• Everyone should practice a complete triathlon.
• Open water swimming is very dark.  Do a lake swim soon!
• We all could use a little more time in the pool.
• No matter how strong you are, the end of the race is going to be hard.
• Make sure all your equipment is working well, but if it fails, adapt.
• Plan to be dirty!  There's lake water, sand, mud, and sweat.  
• This triathlon business is really, REALLY fun!

Train safely, stretch, eat well, hydrate, sleep.
Safe journey friends.  Wind at your back!