5430 Long Course (70.3) Triathlon

Connor finishing the Georgetown to Idaho Springs 1/2 Marathon
My wave starting the swim. I'm the one in the middle, bending over, getting ready to swim
Finishing the race

It’s Tuesday morning, not quite 48 hours after I finished the Boulder Peak Long Course triathlon, and I was able to navigate up and down the stairs this morning, with only the slightest hobble and use of handrails.

If you want the summary, here it is: I did a smart race by sticking to my plan, I exceeded my goal times for each of the segments, and I ran across the finish line. Total miles: 70.3. Total Time: 6 hours 51 minutes and 13 seconds. I was totally spent when I finished and Steve’s congratulatory hug was more of a gesture of holding me upright than a hug. I felt exhilarated when I finished, with a sense of total accomplishment.

If you’re eager for all the details, read on!

This weekend was a series of “firsts” for us and we celebrated many milestones in our family this weekend.

As you’ve read in my blogs, this is the race I’ve been training for. It was my first 70.3 triathlon, and what I have been working towards since I started following my training plan in January. As a reminder, the distances of each of the 3 segments in a 70.3 Triathlon are:

Swim 1.2 miles / 2k
Bike 56 miles / 90k
Run 13.1 miles / 21k

We got up at 3:00 AM Saturday morning to drive to Georgetown for the first race of the weekend. It was just Steve, Connor and I as this was Dylan’s first overnight alone (he did great). I dropped Connor and Steve off in Georgetown at the start of Connor’s first ½ marathon (13.1 miles). Steve ran a quick 5 miles before the start of the race and then followed Connor as he did the Georgetown to Idaho Springs ½ marathon. Connor had a great race and met his goal. He was one tired puppy when he crossed the finish line, but a happy one. As he sat eating his post race food, he told us he wanted to run a marathon for his 16th birthday! Is there a crazy gene in this family?? We told him he’d have to wait until he was 18 to think about that distance….

On to Boulder to pick up my packet and do a quick run through of all 3 events. I swam around the reservoir for a bit, got on the bike and spun and jogged for a bit just to loosen up. We checked in to our hotel then met some fellow triathletes for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Pearl Street. All I could think about as I watched Connor eat a piece of double chocolate smothered in chocolate, with a chocolate crust, cheesecake was “tomorrow, I can eat whatever I want!” We were in good company as the other racers are outstanding athletes, usually placing in their age groups. When I am among people of this caliber, and they ask me what my goal time is, I have to remind myself that having a goal of just finishing the race is respectable too!

To bed early to get in some good sleep before the 4:15 AM wake up call. If you practice nothing else for racing, you should practice getting up at unheard of hours of the morning and then pretending to actually function for the rest of the day. I was so nervous that I forgot how old I was and set up my transition area in the wrong row. They have the transition area set up by wave, and your age determines your wave. I checked my wave and somehow aged a year and decided I was 45, not 44. I got set up, and checked the sign one more time, looked at my leg, where yes, my age of 44 was written in big, black, permanent marker. I checked the sign again, and realized my mistake. I moved everything to the correct row, then came back and checked the sign again, looked at my leg again, asked Connor how old I was and thought I had goofed again. By this time, Connor was sure I had lost it and with the teenage eye roll, announced that I was 44, I was in wave 5. OK, I’m set. No, Connor, let’s check one more time. OK, I’m set. Back to the car to eat.

The pre-race meal was a dilemma. I know what I like to eat at home, but Steve wouldn’t bring the blender, stove, pans, etc. required to whip up my traditional breakfast in the car Plan B. Soy yogurt, homemade granola, and a Naked Juice protein drink. And some water. And part of a bagel. And a bite of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I knew it was going to be tricky for me to get enough calories to make it to the end, yet not get so much that I would barf.

I was nervous before this race, but not frightened like I was for the Boulder Peak. I had built my confidence on the Boulder Peak bike course and wasn’t as intimidated by the bike segment this time. What I was most worried about was keeping my energy up to finish strong. The wetsuit is on now and I stood at the edge of the reservoir trying to find the buoy at the other side of the reservoir that indicates the turn point. The buoy was just a speck in the distance. The pros are off, then the other waves, and soon enough my wave is in the water for the countdown. I had a good start and found a space early on to avoid flailing arms and legs, and settled in. I did not feel uncomfortable at any time during the swim. I swam over and across a couple people, but mostly I found someone to swim beside and let them do the spotting and just kept them in my sight as I breathed to my right. Triathlons are as much mental as they are physical and the first mental challenge for me was to pace yourself. It’s counterintuitive to force yourself to slow down in a race, but when you go this distance, you have to ensure you have enough energy for the whole race. I kept telling myself to slow down in the swim and felt good the whole swim. Passing the last buoy, I headed for the shore not having any idea what my time was. Connor’s job was to time my swim and yell it at me when I got out. The first thing I looked for when I got out was Steve and Connor and there they were – Connor yelling my time at me (I was right on plan!) and Steve with the camera. I started taking off my wetsuit as I ran to the bike.

I ran in the transition area and realized once I got there that I was just running with no thought whatsoever as to where my bike was! Oh, yeah, I have to find my bike. Turn right, look for the neon pink towel and there it was. No quick transition time as I stuffed more peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my mouth and got on all my gear. Off I go on the bike.

The bike course is 2 28 mile loops, nice, with some climbing in the first 8 miles and beautiful scenery as you wind through the roads north of Boulder. The mental strength came in again on the bike as I knew I had to stick to my plan. I am not a fast cyclist (ok, I am really slow) and I knew about what pace I needed to go to still have enough left to run 13 miles. I ate something solid every 30 minutes (Dr. Weil bar, peanut and jelly sandwich) and drank regularly. I was an hour and a half into the bike and my mind starting down a negative path; again, mental strength! As I was passed by cyclist after cyclist, I really had to focus on racing MY race and not someone else’s race. I forced myself to re-direct my negative thinking to positive thinking – “I am here to be the best I can be, not someone else’s best” “Pain is temporary, pride is permanent” “stick to your plan”. As I headed towards the half way point, the pros started flying by me on their 2nd lap like I was standing still! It’s amazing to watch them. Once I finished my first loop, I felt better because I knew I was under my bike goal time. They have aid stations on the bike course and they will hand you water or Gatorade bottles as you ride by. The volunteers are terrific, as they shout and cheer for racers all day long. I drank about 3 bottles of Gatorade and a bottle of water on the bike and polished off a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a Weil bar.

I cruised into transition ahead of schedule and saw Connor and Steve cheering. I was so happy to get off the bike I hadn’t thought about how much the run would hurt! By this time I had to use the porta-potty so bad I thought I wouldn’t be able to run. I found one and made a quick stop before taking off again. The run is also 2 loops and I felt pretty good to start and again had to remind myself to stick to my plan. I made myself slow down to my planned pace. The key for my run was hydrate, eat a couple shots of gels and walk at each aid station (every mile). I started passing people on my first loop but was totally depressed as I finished my first loop. The course has the first loop pass directly beside the finish line! What are these people thinking??? As I ran past the finish line I focused on the 6.5 miles I had left to go. I kept passing people on the run but did walk on the couple of hills, and did well until the last 2 miles when I started fading. My legs were on auto pilot by this time. This is the point where all the mental talk is focused on just finishing, thinking about what the finish line looks like, thinking about how great it will feel when I’m finished. 1 mile to go and I can see the finish area and hear the announcer. At last, I see the finish line and the finish clock and Steve and Connor yelling at me. The announcer calls out my name and I am finished! I completed a 70.3 triathlon!

Someone takes the timing chip off my ankle, places a bottle of water in my hand, the medal around my neck and Steve and Connor find me. Steve wraps his arms around me and I totally let my body go, sobbing and saying “I did it! I did it!” Fortunately Steve was holding me up or I’d have been on the ground. Steve had a finisher’s present for me – a 70.3 charm necklace, as a reminder that I set a goal for myself and met my challenge! I wear it with pride and a reminder to myself that when I set a goal for myself and work hard, I can accomplish the goal. It’s also a reminder to myself of what it takes to challenge myself, to stretch myself beyond my comfort zone and each time I do this, I’ve grown a bit and reached a new height.

The 70.3 is over, I met my goal, now what??? Stayed tuned!

2 weeks to the 5430 Long Course triathlon and my last weekend of long run/ long ride and my last hard training week. I am having daydreams of sleeping in, having a workout that consists only of walking to my car, and of getting my bike out of the living room. While I have really enjoyed the training, I’m getting burned out and am tired of being tired. Yesterday, Connor had a 10k race, Steve had a sprint triathlon and I had my long run day. I rode my bike on the trainer in the living room for 30 minutes and then went for a 12 mile run. The rest of the day was spent trying to re-hydrate, re-fuel and recover.

Today, Steve and I did a 40 mile ride in Fountain and I did a short 15 minute jog afterwards. I was so tired from yesterday, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to ride. I felt better than I thought I would and just did the ride as easy as I could.

Connor before his 10k. He inheritied his daddy's build!

Boulder 5430 Triathlon

I am glad that is over, but what an amazing day! Saturday was spent driving to Boulder to get race packets, doing last minute checking to ensure we have everything, and resting.

Up at 3 AM on Sunday. Fix a protein shake, make a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fill up water bottles and off we go. It’s about a 1.5 hour drive to Boulder and Steve had to get there by 5 when the transition area opens to “get a good spot”. My main concern was getting a spot where I couldn’t possible lose my bike. After I get out of the reservoir, I want to be sure I can remember where I parked my bike (have you ever lost your car in a parking lot? Picture a huge fenced off area with 1500 bikes in it…). I snagged a space close to the end of a row and quickly laid my brightly colored turtle beach towel on the ground to claim my space. My nerves were fully engaged, my stomach was wound tightly in knots, making me think that surely I was going to barf in my bike shoes as I set them up in the transition area. (And for Pete’s sake…. WHAT am I worried about anyway???)

It's bad enough getting older, but really, do they have to write your age in black, permanent ink for all to see??

Having plenty of time to spare after we set up our transition areas, we lounged in the car until race time. Steve’s wave went 2nd; my wave went 4th. I kept trying to get a spot in the back of the wave in the water, but somehow I kept getting pushed up front. Goggles on, wetsuit on, cap on and the gun went off. The first 100 yards was tough as I tried to find a spot away from all the legs, arms and elbows. I settled in to a rhythm and tried to sight the first buoy which was conveniently placed a really, really long way away. Every 4th stroke or so, I raised my head up, looked directly into the sun and tried to sight the 1st buoy. The feeling was similar to having your older sibling hold you down, pry open your eyes and make you look directly into the sun. After I rounded the first buoy, the rest were easy to sight and I had a good rhythm going. That is, until I reached the shore of the reservoir and tried to stand up; it was quite similar in appearance to a few nights in college after too much to drink. It took a few minutes to get my balance, start peeling off my wetsuit and stumble to the transition area.

T1: My T1 was 2:42 (2 minutes, 2 seconds) which gave me enough time to have a full breakfast, do a complete change of outfits, look around to see how many bikes in my row were already gone (not many!), have a glass of water, contemplate life, then get on my bike. It’s good to have opportunities for improvement next time! I remembered my helmet and sunglasses, but tried to put on my bike glove backwards. I felt good when the announcer said over the loud speaker as I was putting on my helmet “and now we’re just starting to see the purple caps come into the transition area”. I was a “purple cap” and I was well into my transition!

On to the dreaded bike course. The first 7 miles were tough. There is a challenging climb from mile 6 – 7 but I made it up the hill with my feet still clipped into the pedals. I even passed a couple of cyclists who were walking their bikes. After the monster hill, it was smooth sailing the rest of the ride; this was the most comfortable I’ve felt on my bike. My biking is nothing to brag about, however, and I was continually reminded of that with every “on your left” (etiquette for letting someone know you are passing) I heard along the route. And those were the ones passing slow enough to declare that. The really fast cyclist’s speed speaks for itself and they politely refrain from the verbal reminder that I am really slow.

T2: 1:20. Better than T1, but heavens, what took so long? All I had to do was change shoes and put on my new pink race belt skirt. By the way, I chose my lucky “Life is Good” visor for my head cover. I’ve worn this in almost every race I’ve done and it really should be thrown in the trash, but one can’t just part with a lucky hat.

About ½ mile into the run I realized I was still wearing my bike gloves (at least I remembered to take off my bike helmet!). The gloves came off and I tossed them to the side of the road; I wouldn’t want all the extra weight slowing me down!

It was hot by now, and the run just plain felt awful. I was hot, tired, and would have gladly reduced the run to 5k run rather than 10k. The first ½ was the longest 3 miles I can remember. Like a barn sour house though, I felt much better after I hit the ½ way point and picked up my step. That lasted about 12 seconds and I was back to slogging my way down the trail. All the visualization tricks, mental willpower, and deep breathing seemed to elude me as all I wanted to do at this point was vomit up the stupid gels I kept forcing down and lay down on a massage table and have someone pamper me. With about a mile to go, I spotted Steve along the trail, camera in hand, cheering me along. How cool is that to have my husband finish the race and come back to cheer me on! At this point, it was just a matter of focusing and moving my body to the finish line.

Running towards the finish line.

Crossing the finish line was awesome! It’s at this point when I know all the training, commitment and hard work was worth it. I was really happy with my time (3:23); while not someting competitive triathletes brag about, it exceeded what I thought I would be able to do.

If you want to look up the results, go here: http://www.myentryfee.com/results/RaceList.aspx?target=60 choose "Triathlon" in the Event Type, and type in Vaughan. You'll get Steve and my results. (You'll have to ask Steve about his race...)

For those less familiar with triathlons, here are some terms defined.

Transition area: The smallest space you can imagine where you rack your bike, lay out your bike shoes, running shoes, race number, put out food and put everything else out that you will need as you transition from swim to bike and then bike to run. Transition Time: time it takes to do your transitions.

T1 is when you exit the water, dizzy, off balance and disoriented, spit out lake water and try to run barefoot across the parking lot to get to your bike. Here, you have to find your bike in the maze of 1300 bikes, remember take off your swim cap and goggles, strip off your wet suit, then try to balance as you put socks on wet feet (the fast folks skip this step), put on your bike shoes (the top talented triathletes have their shoes clipped to their pedals and put their shoes on once they are on the bike. This is beyond my capabilities), stuff a gel in your mouth, put on your helmet and sunglasses. If you care to put any additional clothing on top of your bathing suit, you do that too. If you are still standing at this point, you grab your bike off the rack without dumping over the entire bike rack, (other triathletes get upset when they find their bike on top of their gear), run alongside your bike in those goofy bike shoes (click, click, click) to the bike mount area (you cannot mount your bike until this point). The pros can do T1 in less than 45 seconds.

T2 is the it takes to get from when you finish the bike portion, dismount your bike, enter the transition area, and take off your bike shoes (the pros will have taken their feet out of their shoes while the shoes remain clipped on the pedals), and put on your running shoes. The pros can do T2 in less than 30 seconds.

Wave: The participants are divided into age groups and start times are staggered by age groups. The old people get to go first so they can be humiliated by the youngsters as the young triathletes pass them. Crossing the finish line was awesome! It’s at this point when I know all the training, commitment and hard work was worth it. I was really happy with my time (3:23); while not someting competitive triathletes brag about, it exceeded what I thought I would be able to do.

6 Days to Go!

July 14, 2008
6 days until the Boulder Peak Triathlon and I’m really worrying about it (worrying could be a general theme in my life…) I should be fine with the swim distance; it’s all the thrashing and churn and lack of visibility in the water I’m worried about. When you first start swimming, you never know whose arm or leg will end up in your face or who you’ll end up accidentally getting tangled with. Once out of the water, I head for the 26 mile bike ride which is what is really psyching me out. Steve and I drove the course on our way home from the MS150 and he kept telling me about the killer hill. I was fine until we drove up it. At that point, I decided I was not going to do this tri – the hill on Old Stage Road freaked me out. We got home and Steve compared it against other training rides and hills I’ve been doing and it wasn’t too much worse. So, I decided not to throw all my training out and do this thing. Training since the MS150 has been tough; that ride took a lot out of me, more than I realized the first week after it.

Practicing Transitions

Looks like I still haven't decided whether to wear my number in the front or back

Rode with a friend through the AFA ride and met Steve at the stadium to practice transitions.

Things I practiced: putting on my new race belt skirt and pondering “should I wear the number bib in the front or back?, putting on socks and bike shoes and running in the shoes alongside my bike, putting on my sunglasses BEFORE the helmet, remembering to take OFF the helmet and bike gloves after the ride, spraying on sunscreen, not falling when I get off the bike and run to my transition area.

Things Steve practiced: getting into his shoes while attached to the bike pedals (advanced tactic only – I’d have my face planted on the pavement if I did this), getting out of his bike shoes while they are still attached to the bike (again, envision ungraceful falling if I did this), having his pedals in the right position so he can jump on and go, having his bike in the right gear for either up or downhill as the bike course starts (my gear is set to the last gear it was in on my last ride…), and sprinting from where he leaves his bike to the run course (I’m hoping to be able to walk once I get my bike racked after the bike ride).

I Discover Running Skirts!

!Warning: this is definitely a chick blog entry: you might want to skip this entry if you believe athletics and fashion don’t belong in the same discussion!

I attended a talk by Nicole DeBoom at the Colorado Running company tonight and was really inspired! Nicole started Skirtsports (http://www.skirtsports.com/) in 2005 and came to CRC to talk to a group of ladies about her athletic bio (very impressive sports resume!) and how she started this company. This was one of those ideas I heard and thought “Damn, I wish I had thought of that!!” She is the mind behind the idea of running skirts and wow! they are great. They cover all the right places and I feel like a girl when I’m running. Naturally, I bought a sports running skirt (Gym Girl skirt) as well as a race belt skirt (an idea I thought was topped only by putting peanut butter and chocolate together but to which Steve responded with “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen”). The company sponsors a skirt chaser 5k run and I’ve talked Steve into doing it in Denver on Sept 6th. (http://www.skirtchaser5k.com/denver/). The men start 3 minutes after the ladies. And the best part is women’s race entry fee includes, what else, but a skirt!

Now that I have a new skirt to wear to Sunday’s triathlon, I fully expect my bike and running times to be the best I’ve ever had. Steve is worried about things like greasing chains, extra tubes, correct transition set up, tire pressure, power output, and the like. I’m worrying about more important things like “should I wear a top over my swimsuit? Which socks match my outfit? Does the new skirt race belt cover my, um, upper thighs? What about my hair after the swim and removing the bike helmet – should I wear a hat? If so, a visor or running hat (neither of which are the least bit flattering).” When you are a competitive athlete (Steve, for example) you don’t have to worry about how you look; you look good by virtue of being good. When you are not competitive (me, for example), you have to worry about how to offset the fact that you are in the back of the pack, so appearance becomes critical.

MS150 Ride Report

“It Was All About My Hiney”

Day One: As I was stumbling downstairs at 3:00 AM trying to find some coffee, I already began questioning the wisdom of doing this ride, and I hadn’t even been on my bike seat yet. We ate a breakfast of high protein waffles before my body was even ready to be awake and headed north. As we approached North Denver, many of the cars on the interstate had bikes attached to them and I started waking up. We were able to find all the team members but one and started riding from Denver at about 7 AM. It was a chilly 50 degrees when we started and it took a bit to warm up.After my anxiety settled down a bit, I settled in for the ride. Steve wasn’t feeling great at the start, so he rode with me to the first rest stop. He pulled off the road for a “break” and felt better, then took off. The rest of the team was ahead of me and I just enjoyed going at my own pace. I stopped at the 2nd rest stop intending on a short visit to the porta potty. The lines were a mile long, so I found my own potty area (details eliminated). Onward and forward. At this early stage, I was focused on finding the most effective way to use the least amount of energy and strength while still propelling myself forward. I used low gears and just kept moving. This part of the ride is pretty flat so no problems here. Lunch stop was at about mile 42 and I met up with Mark and Kathy, 2 members of our team. We had lunch and stayed together for most of the rest of the ride. The ride after lunch was incredibly beautiful as it wound through country roads, farms, beside streams and reservoirs. We started hitting some incline at about mile 60; we hit the first hill that Mark, Kathy and I named Happy Hell Hill and then the 2nd hill, and then the final climb up to Horsetooth Reservoir. I thought I would struggle with this last 20 miles, but I felt great and had no problem with the hills. Steve called from the finish about the time I started the last climb, and he came back and met me and we rode the last climb and to the finish together. I had thought 6 hours would be the best I could hope for, 8 hours being the slowest I might do, and I hit the finish right at 6 hours. Entering the finish area with all the cheers, cow bells, hollering, music and general sense of celebration made the 3 AM wake up call worth it. I was definitely ready to get off my bike, as my hiney had started to complain at about mile 60.After we finished, we had lunch (again), hung out with my DU classmates at their team tent and waited long enough so we could have dinner. By then, I was ready to collapse and we caught the bus to the hotel and decided we needed another dinner. Our 2nd dinner was pure disappointment; after that kind of day, a delicious meal is a fine way to replenish some energy and enthusiasm and Denny’s just didn’t cut it. Back to the hotel to crash.

Day One by the numbers:
Total Distance: 71 miles
Elevation Gain: 3288 ft.
Hours: 6:00
Calories Burned 2651 (where are the hot fudge sundaes??)
Food Eaten: I lost track…

Day Two: We lucked out yesterday with light cloud cover most of the ride; today was forecast to be much hotter, so we got an early start and were out of the start by 6:15. Temperature was fine by 8:15, but riding in shorts, a short sleeved jersey with the temp at 50 degrees was a bit chilly and was the first time today I pondered catching a SAG wagon to the finish. Today’s route was almost the reverse of yesterday, so we got the climbing out of the way in the first 20 miles. We started by heading out of CSU campus and up to Horsetooth Reservoir; a shock to the body that rode 71 miles yesterday. Steve hung with me all day today, while the rest of the team rode ahead.It was tough getting on the bike at the start; all the aches and pains that I finished with yesterday were right there at the start today. The hiney was screaming as soon as I sat on my seat and didn’t stop until… well, frankly it still hurts. (How do people do 5 day, 7 day, even 30 days rides??)We rode on as the route flattened out. Today’s goal was to see how I felt at the 56 mile mark (1/2 Ironman bike distance) so I could get some idea of how long it would take me. I hit that mark after lunch at about 4 hours of ride time, plus my 25 minute lunch. I’ll have to look into it, but I’m pretty sure the ½ Ironman doesn’t provide a catered lunch in the middle of the bike portion of the race (I may be re-thinking this ½ Ironman thing).The hardest part of the day was just after lunch. I got back on my bike and despite the 25 minute respite my hiney got at lunch, it wasn’t enough to relieve the pain. I had visions of riding my bike with one of those soft circle pillows you use on an airplane; I pondered how I could ride the rest of the way standing up, and let a few choice words fly when no one was around. This is when the mental strength comes in. At this point, the pain doesn’t get any worse, and your body can make it through, but it’s the voice telling you to quit that you have to contend most with. For every thought of “where’s the next SAG wagon” I had to replace it with “I AM going to finish” or “ you will not quit” or my personal favorite, and the mantra I repeat to myself in races, long painful runs and rides “Pain is temporary, pride is permanent”. I thought of Steve, and all the people with MS who are in pain every day and encouraged myself to go on. Just pedal. Just keep the feet going in circles. Just keep the bike moving. I sang “The wheels on the bike go ‘round and ‘round 300 times” and counted cows. It helped to remind Steve every 30 seconds or so, that my hiney hurt; his was fine until I started reminding him of my pain. After lunch, I stopped at the 56 mile mark for a couple minutes, then just kept going. At this point, I just wanted to finish and felt if I stopped at the rest stops, it would be that much longer until I was done.Finishing is the best part; that feeling I get when I know I’ve challenged myself, when I’ve pushed my limits, is incredible. The finish wouldn’t be nearly as sweet if the ride was easy. The pain that I felt during the 2 days and the day following is nothing compared to the pain people with MS feel every day. If I can do some small part to contribute to finding a cure, then my small pains are worth it. Yes, Chuck they gave out medals, so I’ll expect to see on our team next year!

Day Two by the numbers:
Total Distance: 77.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 3342 ft
Hours: 6:07
Calories Burned 2873
Food Eaten: A lot….

Day After Race:My bike and I had a good time this weekend, but I think it’s best for both of to have some time apart. Today is recovery day and my hiney is appreciative of chairs with cushion at work and the soft, soft pillows on the couch at home. The morning was fine, but by afternoon it hit me how totally depleted I was. An employee on my team was trying to impart some very important information to me this afternoon (something about missing a deliverable?), and within a few short minutes, he looked at me and said ‘do you have allergies bothering you?” I think that was his polite way of saying “you look like death warmed over and you aren’t hearing a word I’m saying”. True enough; as he was talking I was listening to that inner voice trying to convince me that I wasn’t going to actually pass out in my office, and that I should breathe, drink some water and agree to everything he says. Tonight is for quality time on the couch, writing about the great experience of this weekend. Tomorrow…. swim and run – my next Triathlon is in 3 weeks!Team TriForMSMoney Raised: $6600 (as of 6/30)Team Members: 6 (Steve and Michele Vaughan, Kathy Heathcock, Kathie Aimee, Mark Storey and Mike Burgee)Team Members Finished: 5 (Kathy Aimme broke her collarbone last month – no riding for her!)Team TriForMS 2009We were impressed with how well organized and supported the ride was. Plenty of food, fluids and the volunteers were great.

It’s not too early to think about next year! We are already talking about Team TriForMS for 2009. Let us know if you want to sign up to ride or support our team.

2008 Bike MS

Day One: As I was stumbling downstairs at 3:00 AM trying to find some coffee, I already began questioning the wisdom of doing this ride, and I hadn’t even been on my bike seat yet. We ate a breakfast of high protein waffles before my body was even ready to be awake and headed north. As we approached North Denver, many of the cars on the interstate had bikes attached to them and I started waking up. We were able to find all the team members but one and started riding from Denver at about 7 AM. It was a chilly 50 degrees when we started and it took a bit to warm up.

After my anxiety settled down a bit, I settled in for the ride. Steve wasn’t feeling great at the start, so he rode with me to the first rest stop. He pulled off the road for a “break” and felt better, then took off. The rest of the team was ahead of me and I just enjoyed going at my own pace. I stopped at the 2nd rest stop intending on a short visit to the porta potty. The lines were a mile long, so I found my own potty area (details eliminated). Onward and forward. At this early stage, I was focused on finding the most effective way to use the least amount of energy and strength while still propelling myself forward. I used low gears and just kept moving. This part of the ride is pretty flat so no problems here. Lunch stop was at
about mile 42 and I met up with Mark and Kathy, 2 members of our team. We had lunch and stayed together for most of the rest of the ride. The ride after lunch was incredibly beautiful as it wound through country roads, farms, beside streams and reservoirs. We started hitting some incline at about mile 60; we hit the first hill that Mark, Kathy and I named Happy Hell Hill and then the 2nd hill, and then the final climb up to Horsetooth Reservoir. I thought I would struggle with this last 20 miles, but I felt great and had no problem with the hills. Steve called from the finish about the time I started the last climb, and he came back and met me and we rode the last climb and to the finish together. I had thought 6 hours would be the best I
could hope for, 8 hours being the slowest I might do, and I hit the finish right at 6 hours. Entering the finish area with all the cheers, cow bells, hollering, music and general sense of celebration made the 3 AM wake up call worth it. I was definitely ready to get off my bike, as my hiney had started to complain at about mile 60.

After we finished, we had lunch (again), hung out with my DU classmates at their team tent and waited long enough so we could have dinner. By then, I was ready to collapse and we caught the bus to the hotel and decided we needed another dinner. Our 2nd dinner was pure disappointment; after that kind of day, a delicious meal is a fine way to replenish some energy and enthusiasm and Denny’s just didn’t cut it. Back to the hotel to crash.

Day One by the numbers:

Total Distance: 71 miles
Elevation Gain: 3288 ft.
Hours: 6:00
Calories Burned 2651 (where are the hot fudge sundaes??)
Food Eaten: I lost track…

Day Two: We lucked out yesterday with light cloud cover most of the ride; today was forecast to be much hotter, so we got an early start and were out of the start by 6:15. Temperature was fine by 8:15, but riding in shorts, a short sleeved jersey with the temp at 50 degrees was a bit chilly and was the first time today I pondered catching a SAG wagon to the finish. Today’s route was almost the reverse of yesterday, so we got the climbing out of the way in the first 20 miles. We started by heading out of CSU campus and up to Horsetooth Reservoir; a shock to the body that rode 71 miles yesterday. Steve hung with me all day today, while the rest of the team rode ahead.

It was tough getting on the bike at the start; all the aches and pains that I finished with yesterday were right there at the start today. The hiney was screaming as soon as I sat on my seat and didn’t stop until… well, frankly it still hurts. (How do people do 5 day, 7 day, even 30 days rides??)

We rode on as the route flattened out. Today’s goal was to see how I felt at the 56 mile mark (1/2 Ironman bike distance) so I could get some idea of how long it would take me. I hit that mark after lunch at about 4 hours of ride time, plus my 25 minute lunch. I’ll have to look into it, but I’m pretty sure the ½ Ironman doesn’t provide a catered lunch in the middle of the bike portion of the race (I may be re-thinking this ½ Ironman thing).

The hardest part of the day was just after lunch. I got back on my bike and despite the 25 minute respite my hiney got at lunch, it wasn’t enough to relieve the pain. I had visions of riding my bike with one of those soft circle pillows you use on an airplane; I pondered how I could ride the rest of the way standing up, and let a few choice words fly when no one was around. This is when the mental strength comes in. At this point, the pain doesn’t get any worse, and your body can make it through, but it’s the voice telling you to quit that you have to contend most with. For every thought of “where’s the next SAG wagon” I had to replace it with “I AM going to finish” or “ you will not quit” or my personal favorite, and the mantra I repeat to myself in races, long painful runs and rides “Pain is temporary, pride is permanent”. I thought of Steve, and all the people
with MS who are in pain every day and encouraged myself to go on. Just pedal. Just keep the feet going in circles. Just keep the bike moving. I sang “The wheels on the bike go ‘round and ‘round 300 times” and counted cows. It helped to remind Steve every 30 seconds or so, that my hiney hurt; his was fine until I started reminding him of my pain. After lunch, I stopped at the 56 mile mark for a couple minutes, then just kept going. At this point, I just wanted to finish and felt if I stopped at the rest stops, it would be that much longer until I was done.

Finishing is the best part; that feeling I get when I know I’ve challenged myself, when I’ve pushed my limits, is incredible. The finish wouldn’t be nearly as sweet if the ride was easy. The pain that I felt during the 2 days and the day following is nothing compared to the pain people with MS feel every day. If I can do some small part to contribute to finding a cure, then my small pains are worth it. Yes, Chuck they gave out medals, so I’ll expect to see on our team next year!

Day Two by the numbers:
Total Distance: 77.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 3342 ft
Hours: 6:07
Calories Burned 2873
Food Eaten: A lot….

Day After Race:

My bike and I had a good time this weekend, but I think it’s best for both of to have some time apart. Today is recovery day and my hiney is appreciative of chairs with cushion at work and the soft, soft pillows on the couch at home. The morning was fine, but by afternoon it hit me how totally depleted I was. An employee on my team was trying to impart some very important information to me this afternoon (something about missing a deliverable?), and within a few short minutes, he looked at me and said ‘do you have allergies bothering you?” I think that was his polite way of saying “you look like death warmed over and you aren’t hearing a word I’m saying”. True enough; as he was talking I was listening to that inner voice trying to convince me that I wasn’t going to actually pass out in my office, and that I should breathe, drink some water and
agree to everything he says. Tonight is for quality time on the couch, writing about the great experience of this weekend.

Tomorrow…. swim and run – my next Triathlon is in 3 weeks!

Team TriForMS
Money Raised: $6600 (as of 6/30)
Team Members: 6 (Steve and Michele Vaughan, Kathy Heathcock, Kathie Aimee, Mark Storey and Mike Burgee)
Team Members Finished: 5 (Kathy Aimme broke her collarbone last month – no riding for her!)

We were impressed with how well organized and supported the ride was. Plenty of food, fluids and the volunteers were great.

Training In Australia - A Few Photos

A few photos from Australia. We brought out bikes all the way to Australia and didn't ride once. Just didn't have enough time to scout out rides and get them in. We accounted for the winter weather, but we didn't think about how short the days would be.

We did get some running in and a few short swims.

June 19 - 24 - Prep for the MS150!

June 24: I have 3 days left to worry about how I’m going to ride 150 miles this weekend. If nothing else, I’ll be happy to have the ride over with so I can quit fretting about how much my butt is going to hurt, whether I can do the ride, how I’ll feel being the last one on the TriForMS team to hit the finish line, whether lunch will be gone by the time I hit the feeding station, whether it will be dark when I arrive in Ft Collins, whether Steve will get tired of waiting for me, whether I will get a flat tire, whether I will fall off my bike… oh the things I can worry about are endless!

June 23: With all the training I’m doing, I need extra calories; it’s a food lover’s dream! Though I would like to replenish those burned calories with a couple dozen chocolate glazed donuts and several tubs of Ben and Jerry’s “Everything But The” ice cream, I’m trying to be slightly more disciplined by fueling my body with decent calories. However, Connor whipped up a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies on Friday, and I’ve gotta tell you, that was a treat eating those on my bike rides this weekend! Steve is burning an unbelievable amount of calories with all his training, and trying to keep him fed is a challenge too.

June 22: Weekends are for training, eating and sleeping! Steve and I are still trying to defy the physical laws of training and see if we can make up for the 3 weeks of virtual bike riding while we were in Australia; mentally doing a ride doesn’t yield the same benefits as riding on the road.I ran 9 miles Saturday, followed by eating, and then rode 16 miles with Steve, followed by napping and laying on the couch. We rode up Rampart Range Road from home which is 8 miles up then 8 miles down. I have learned I hate riding fast downhill. I practically wore out both my brakes and Steve’s patience as I rode the brakes the whole way down. I’m still such a beginner at this bike thing; I don’t have the stability, confidence, and experience yet and still feel anxious on these rides. After Saturday’s ride, I was one downhill mile away from bronzing my new bike shoes instead of wearing them, and hanging the bike in the garage. Sunday’s 50 mile ride in Fountain, however, restored my confidence enough to comment to Steve at the ride finish that I liked the ride and by then the shoe bronzing idea had passed. As we drug ourselves home for more food and more napping, I almost felt good. Depleted, tired, fatigued….. but good. With one exception. I don’t think I’m going to be able to sit down for 3 days. That 10 square inch rock covered in leather that the bike companies euphemistically call a “seat” is like sitting on, well, a rock. After a certain point on Sunday’s ride, I changed positions about every ½ a second trying to find a less painful way to have practically all my weight supported on 2 small bones that sit atop a small rock. I tried to keep my whining to a minimum, but after the 3rd comment about my butt hurting, Steve’s supportive advice was “The good thing is, the hurting doesn’t get any worse”. I’m not sure I can agree with that….. I have thoughts of standing at my desk and in meetings on

June 19: The best way for me to describe jet lag is it’s like having your eyes open but your body and mind are asleep. I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep yet this week, which makes swimming, riding and running a bit more interesting. I like to think of it as that extra challenge thrown in that will ultimately improve my racing (or in my case, just getting me to the finish line).

June 14: 1st day back from Australia and I am dreading my first bike ride and swim. We hauled our bikes all the way there and back and didn’t ride once. The days were too short, drives too long and main roads not good and safe enough to ride on. If we had more time to talk to locals about good riding routes, we might have gotten some riding in. It was worth it though! Now, on to getting my butt back on the seat. Rode my mountain bike on Sante Fe Trail today (16 miles) after running 8 miles in the morning. Trying to make up for 3 weeks of training all but lost is like trying to rush having a baby in 8 months instead of 9. There are just some things that take time.

May 11 - May 22

May 22: Steve, Connor and I did the Incline (http://www.inclineclub.com/incline/) this morning for our pre 24-hour-travel-day workout. The Incline is still my favorite training workout of all and if Tracker could talk, I’m sure he would concur. As we drive there, he can tell when we get close and his excitement level (and whining and yipping) rise to volumes that Bose headphones wouldn’t block out. Steve takes off, practically running up the Incline while Connor and I take it one step at a time and take turns talking about what hurts the most. We estimated today that there are about 1600 steps to the top. The best part is reaching French Creek and watching Tracker drink and bathe in the cool mountain stream water, then running the 4 miles down Barr Trail.We leave for Australia today! Everyone is looking forward to spending 3 weeks on the Australia Gold Coast. I’m not sure everyone in the family is looking forward to 3 weeks together in an RV, but we’ll make the most of it. I am surprise CBS didn’t contact us yet to see if they could do a reality TV show of us.

May 21: Then are days when your training doesn’t go according to your plan. Today was one of them. Woke up tired, and out just plain out of sorts. The decision point was: go to the gym anyway, or stay home and eat everything in sight and fall back into bed, call in sick, and eat my way through a couple of pints of Ben and Jerry’s. I did make it to the gym and had a very intense workout that included 10 minutes of the spinning bike pedals carrying my feet around in circles and then, exhausted, crawling to the treadmill and walking at a snail’s pace for 10 minutes. The intensity of my workout was so overwhelming that I had to go home and replenish the calories I burned by eating an incredibly large breakfast.

May 18th: It was a good training week. Some weeks work and everything comes together.

May 11: Back in the (bike) saddle again to do the Fountain loop again with Steve, Kathy and Diane; the same ride that instigated the worst bike ride ever. I have a new helmet (always buy a new helmet when you smash yours after unexpected contact with the ground). This likely accounts for the incredible speed I was cycling at today. I finished the loop in 3:03 today, shaving off a whopping 12 minutes off last week’s ride (last week’s time didn’t include the time spent on the ground. I had the presence of mind to pause my Garmin after I gained consciousness.)One of the most enjoyable things about training and doing these events is the cool people you meet. We met Kathy through the Pike’s Peak Triathlon club. She was diagnosed with MS in September of ’07. She used to do tris, but her MS affects her running; she drags one foot slightly and can’t maintain her gait and balance when running, so she is sticking to the bike and training for the MS150. I met Diane for the first time today; a 55 year old grandmother of 2 who does triathlons. Both women kick butt on the bike! Which brings me to one of the things I mentally struggle with in my training and participation in these events: I’m tired of being the slowest person I train with! Either I have to get stronger and faster or find slower training partners!May 10: Connor and I did the MS walk this morning while Steve served as the official walk event photographer. It was chilly and windy again today; causing us to curse this year’s Colorado weather for the 1000th time (Connor had 4 of 6 track meets cancelled due to snow this Spring!).

May 5 - 9

May 9: Some days just don’t go according to schedule. Planned on a tempo run at the YMCA on the treadmill and I felt crummy. Ran a mile, walked, jogged a little, and decided today’s training wasn’t going to go according to plan. I generally take these days in stride and listen to what’s going on with my body and mind; I push it when I feel good and don’t push it on the bad days. My imaginary coach tells me I must push through the crappy days too if I want to improve, but I turn up my ipod and tune him out.

May 8: “Work interferes with training”: 7 AM work meeting means no morning training. Crazy busy day at work, so today turned out to be a day off instead of my speed run day. Where do speed dialing and marathon meetings fit into my training schedule?May 7: Easy 1 hour spin in the living room while watching the Women’s Triathlon Olympic Trials on my DVR. When I think about slowing down or how much I hurt it helps to watch the 11 women who are kicking butt at the trials in Tuscaloosa Alabama last weekend.

May 6: Recovering from my traumatic bike wreck on Sunday. Did an easy 2500 yd swim today with an extra strength Tylenol chaser.

May 5: Yesterday’s bike ride was the worst ride I’ve ever had (not that I have vast experience to draw from). I’m finally recovered enough this morning to write about it.I did so many little things wrong, things I know to do and not to do. I didn’t prepare for the ride like I should have and was already tired from a long run yesterday. I’ve only done about 2 hours max, or 25 miles max rides this year and yesterday’s ride was a 40 mile loop. Weather was great; and Steve had a 10:00 ride scheduled for our TriForMS bike team. I ate a good breakfast (high protein waffles with applesauce) but didn’t eat again before the ride. I went out too fast and too hard the first 15 miles; I was riding with our friend Mike and I was pushing myself. I had a blast drafting off him though! I didn’t drink enough and slowed down a bit. I was riding with Steve at about mile 20, and was drafting off him. A gust of wind came up and blew me into his back tire and the next thing I remember I was laying on the side of the road on my back. I laid there for a few minutes then got back on and rode along at a more leisurely pace. I didn’t take enough to eat, and starting slowing down and bonked at about mile 30. I didn’t wear sunscreen and got sunburned. By the time we got back to the car (40 miles, 3:14) I was spent. Went home and crashed on the couch, but couldn’t sleep because my head was pounding. I had the worst headache I’ve ever had. Finally went to the ER around 6 to make sure I wasn’t going to die. They said it was a slight concussion, but didn’t think I needed an MRI. Downed some extra strength Tylenol and went home. Not a great night’s sleep as my neck proceeded to stiffen up as the night went on. I am thankful for Steve who made sure I was taken care of today!Let this be a good lesson learned for me: over prepare for a ride (or long run), ride with a group so they can watch out for you when you crash, push hard, but know your limits, hydrate and keep your calorie intake up, and most of all, be thankful that I have the opportunity to ride (even bad ones) because so many people can’t.May 3: Long run day. Ran with my running partner (Tracker) on the Sante Fe trail. Finally, great weather. Ran 9 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes. Feeling pretty fatigued when I finished! My great joy today was I wore Tracker out.

Training in Coorg India

Elephants may be the better tranportation method here. Wonder if there will be an elephant riding portion to triathlons anytime soon?

I couldn't do any cycling in India - the bikes for rent don't have aerobars!

April 5 - 7: Took a nice long weekend trip to Coorg, about 5 hoursfrom Bangalore, India. I finally got some sleep and my luggage arrived anhour before we left, so I got some short runs in. The place we stayed,Orange County resort,(http://www.nivalink.com/orangecounty/index.html) is a gorgeouscoffee plantation. There was a jogging trail; around the resort andI enjoyed my run as I ran through a dense tropical forest, sawparakeets, coffee plants, pepper plants and beautiful tropical flowers.I took a side road one morning, and got about ½ mile down the roadbefore I turned around. It appeared that I was on a local road andthe people walking to work who I passed gawked at me and onegroup of kids giggled as I ran by; I assume either my Colorado tan(i.e extremely pale) amazed them or the unusual nature of a whitewoman running in public exposing her legs startled them (I've yet to see a woman in India were shorts, or even a long skirt, in public).

Missed flights, delays, lost luggage, not staying at the Leela Palace (which has a nice gym and pool), 36 hours of no sleep, jet lag; the training plan is quickly becoming just a spreadsheet on my computer rather than something I am actually doing!

Off to India

April Fools! Off to India for 2 weeks; not sure how I will get decent training in. The most I can do is run on a treadmill at the hotel as the steets can be a bit crowded!