So today is the day....my start time is just under 2 hours away. My heart is racing and my stomach is a little bubbly. We couldn't ask for a better day. It is beautiful right now!
Last night I got my transition bag ready, had an early dinner, watched the Brewers dominate the Cubs and went to bed really early (before 8pm). This morning I was up at 4:10. I made a couple eggs and a piece of toast and then Jeremy drove me downtown so I could rack my bike and set up my transition area. Then we came back home to hang out for a few hours.
The race started at 6am...there will be people finishing before I even get back down there. I am in the 34th wave. I certainly hope I have something good to report this afternoon!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
South Shore Tri
The 3rd triathlon I finished this summer was also a sprint and was on the south side of Chicago. My goal was to finish the race in 1 hour and 23 minutes, 10 minutes better then my last race.
The swim was taking place in Lake Michigan and that made me a little nervous but when we got out there I realized the water was so shallow you couldn't even swim in places because your hand hit the ground. Come to find out it is much more tiring trying to run through water then it is to just swim. Regardless I still shaved a minute off of my swim time.
I was really impressed with my transition time. I had started riding my bike with no socks. This saved at least 45 seconds not trying to dry off my feet and put socks on. I also had all my gear laid out properly at this race. My first transition I completed in 2 minutes and 15 seconds. I was off on the bike where I dominated. Only one girl passed me...(and she might have been a man at one point). I was flying, averaging just under 23mph. I finished my ride in 35 minutes.
I saved time on my second transition by having cool elastic shoelaces. I no longer need to waste the 30-45 seconds it takes to tie my shoes :) The run was shady and fast. I finished my 3.1 miles in 26 minutes. I placed 8th in my age group and had a total time of 1 hour 18 minutes and 49 seconds. That was 15 minutes better then before!! I'm loving this.
The swim was taking place in Lake Michigan and that made me a little nervous but when we got out there I realized the water was so shallow you couldn't even swim in places because your hand hit the ground. Come to find out it is much more tiring trying to run through water then it is to just swim. Regardless I still shaved a minute off of my swim time.
I was really impressed with my transition time. I had started riding my bike with no socks. This saved at least 45 seconds not trying to dry off my feet and put socks on. I also had all my gear laid out properly at this race. My first transition I completed in 2 minutes and 15 seconds. I was off on the bike where I dominated. Only one girl passed me...(and she might have been a man at one point). I was flying, averaging just under 23mph. I finished my ride in 35 minutes.
I saved time on my second transition by having cool elastic shoelaces. I no longer need to waste the 30-45 seconds it takes to tie my shoes :) The run was shady and fast. I finished my 3.1 miles in 26 minutes. I placed 8th in my age group and had a total time of 1 hour 18 minutes and 49 seconds. That was 15 minutes better then before!! I'm loving this.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Pleasant Prairie take 2
So after the first terrible experience I knew I had to get right back in there and try again. So I signed up for the sprint tir on July 10th at the same place the first one had been. The sprint is half the distance of the full. We swam 1/2 mile, biked 15 miles and ran 3.1 miles.
Jeremy and I were driving up the morning of the race and I was really excited. I had been practicing for the swim in Lake Michigan and training even harder. This race started at 7 and we were supposed to be there by 6:30. We were a couple miles away from the race complex at around 6:30 and we realize all the roads are closed. I start to panic and realize I might miss the race. Finally we talk to a cop who tells us we need to go back to the center of this little town and park at target. There is a shuttle that will take people from target to the Rec Plex center. By the time we get to target and onto the shuttle I knew I was going to be late. I handed Jeremy all of my transition gear and told him to meet me where I would be coming out of the water. I grabbed my wetsuit and ran to the start. I got there in plenty on time and even had a chance to warm up.
As my wave entered the water I got nervous remembering what happened last time. I stayed to the back and as the whistle blew I put my head down and just started to swim. I started passing people and before I knew it I saw the each. I was out of the water in 14 minutes!! I saw Jeremy and grabbed my stuff. As I ran into transition I was psyched. I felt great!
I hopped on my bike and headed to the road. I was flying on my bike...on the same coarse I barely completed 2 weeks prior. I finished the bike in 44 minutes and was off on the run. I was getting tired and had gotten a blister on my big toe from running to the start of the race when I thought I was late. But, I finished my run strong, with a time of 28 minutes.
I finished the race in 1 hour and 33 minutes and placed 8th in my age group out of 97. I was so excited!! I had not only finished but I did pretty well. I'm officially addicted now :) I came up witha list of things to do better. I needed to improve my long transitions times. I wanted to do slightly better on the run. And of coarse I want to keep practing that swim. Next race...sprint tri on the south shore of Chicago July 30th...get ready Chicago Emily is coming!!
Jeremy and I were driving up the morning of the race and I was really excited. I had been practicing for the swim in Lake Michigan and training even harder. This race started at 7 and we were supposed to be there by 6:30. We were a couple miles away from the race complex at around 6:30 and we realize all the roads are closed. I start to panic and realize I might miss the race. Finally we talk to a cop who tells us we need to go back to the center of this little town and park at target. There is a shuttle that will take people from target to the Rec Plex center. By the time we get to target and onto the shuttle I knew I was going to be late. I handed Jeremy all of my transition gear and told him to meet me where I would be coming out of the water. I grabbed my wetsuit and ran to the start. I got there in plenty on time and even had a chance to warm up.
As my wave entered the water I got nervous remembering what happened last time. I stayed to the back and as the whistle blew I put my head down and just started to swim. I started passing people and before I knew it I saw the each. I was out of the water in 14 minutes!! I saw Jeremy and grabbed my stuff. As I ran into transition I was psyched. I felt great!
I hopped on my bike and headed to the road. I was flying on my bike...on the same coarse I barely completed 2 weeks prior. I finished the bike in 44 minutes and was off on the run. I was getting tired and had gotten a blister on my big toe from running to the start of the race when I thought I was late. But, I finished my run strong, with a time of 28 minutes.
I finished the race in 1 hour and 33 minutes and placed 8th in my age group out of 97. I was so excited!! I had not only finished but I did pretty well. I'm officially addicted now :) I came up witha list of things to do better. I needed to improve my long transitions times. I wanted to do slightly better on the run. And of coarse I want to keep practing that swim. Next race...sprint tri on the south shore of Chicago July 30th...get ready Chicago Emily is coming!!
Bad Blogger
So I have been a terrible blogger and was recently reminded of this by my brother. Part of the reason I have slacked off so much was because my first Triathlon was sooooooooo awful. It was the most painful thing I think I have ever done.
June 25th came around and Jeremy and I drove up to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. I checked in and racked my bike. I went to a couple different talks about transitions and the race coarse. We went to check out the lake and look at the swim. I was definitely nervous. The swim looked really long but I thought I was ready.
In the morning we were up at about 4:45 so I could get to the race center and set up my transition area. The race started at 6 and my wave was scheduled to leave about 6:30. Jeremy, my mom and dad were all watching as I nervously entered the water. As our wave left I felt OK. I was trying to concentrate on my stroke and breath. I made about half way through the coarse and someone knocked me under. I came up coughing and chocking on lake water and couldn't catch my breath. After that it seemed like everyone who swam by me was pushing me or swimming over me. I seriously didn't think I was going to make it. Then this very kind soul named Glen came to my rescue. He swam beside me and tried calming me down and literally helped hold me up in the water while I coughed all over him. About 50 minutes later I finally emerged from the lake feeling like I had been beaten for hours.
I walked slowly to the transition area and pulled off my wetsuit. I could see my mom, dad and Jeremy all cheering for me by the sidelines but all I wanted to do was cry and go home with them. I put on my biking gear and took my bike towards the road. I thought I would be able to regain my composure on the bike and make up a little time. But, I had inhaled and swallowed so much lake water I felt short of breath and nauseous the whole time. I made it a few miles on my bike and had to stop and throw up a bunch of gross brown water. Finally I finished the ride in an hour and fifty nine minutes.
The run was awaiting me. I had said from the beginning that I would always be able to get through the run. However, I didn't take into account not being able to breath. I started out on the run with a slow jog and made it maybe 1/4 mile before I had to stop and catch my breath. I decided the only way I was going to make it through was to walk. So that is just what I did. I found a girl who was content to walk with me and we finished the run in an hour and forty five minutes. We were the last two to cross the finish line. But we did it. I finished my first tri in an embarrassing 4 hours and 43 minutes.
I fell into my moms arms at the end feeling very defeated. I thought that my triathlon career was done already. However by the time I got home that night I was forgetting the pain. I was ready to try again. I went right to the computer and signed up for a sprint tri on July 10th back in Pleasant Prairie.
June 25th came around and Jeremy and I drove up to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. I checked in and racked my bike. I went to a couple different talks about transitions and the race coarse. We went to check out the lake and look at the swim. I was definitely nervous. The swim looked really long but I thought I was ready.
In the morning we were up at about 4:45 so I could get to the race center and set up my transition area. The race started at 6 and my wave was scheduled to leave about 6:30. Jeremy, my mom and dad were all watching as I nervously entered the water. As our wave left I felt OK. I was trying to concentrate on my stroke and breath. I made about half way through the coarse and someone knocked me under. I came up coughing and chocking on lake water and couldn't catch my breath. After that it seemed like everyone who swam by me was pushing me or swimming over me. I seriously didn't think I was going to make it. Then this very kind soul named Glen came to my rescue. He swam beside me and tried calming me down and literally helped hold me up in the water while I coughed all over him. About 50 minutes later I finally emerged from the lake feeling like I had been beaten for hours.
I walked slowly to the transition area and pulled off my wetsuit. I could see my mom, dad and Jeremy all cheering for me by the sidelines but all I wanted to do was cry and go home with them. I put on my biking gear and took my bike towards the road. I thought I would be able to regain my composure on the bike and make up a little time. But, I had inhaled and swallowed so much lake water I felt short of breath and nauseous the whole time. I made it a few miles on my bike and had to stop and throw up a bunch of gross brown water. Finally I finished the ride in an hour and fifty nine minutes.
The run was awaiting me. I had said from the beginning that I would always be able to get through the run. However, I didn't take into account not being able to breath. I started out on the run with a slow jog and made it maybe 1/4 mile before I had to stop and catch my breath. I decided the only way I was going to make it through was to walk. So that is just what I did. I found a girl who was content to walk with me and we finished the run in an hour and forty five minutes. We were the last two to cross the finish line. But we did it. I finished my first tri in an embarrassing 4 hours and 43 minutes.
I fell into my moms arms at the end feeling very defeated. I thought that my triathlon career was done already. However by the time I got home that night I was forgetting the pain. I was ready to try again. I went right to the computer and signed up for a sprint tri on July 10th back in Pleasant Prairie.
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