Columbia Triathlon: Lessons from a DNF

It’s been a long time since have DNF’d a race. I have some “drama” filled races in my tri life, but not a DNF before I even got really started.

 

Sunday was just not my day. Hind sight is a mofo; however, I am blessed to have a coach that refuses to hear the negative before I can rattle off some positive. I don’t know if I can say anything positive; but I did learn some valuable lessons…

 

1. Respect the Weather & Water

Mother Nature is a straight up BYOTCH and she will kill you if she can in the midst of creating such beauty. It was going to be cold the morning of the race (45 degrees and slowly rising) and to add insult to injury, the water temp was 62. Brrrrrrrr.

 

I came prepared. I had my neoprene cap, ear plugs, neoprene booties, wet suit, change of shirt & jacket for the bike. DO NOT think that you are even remotely prepared to endure a race of any distance without the proper gear for the air/water temp. YOU ARE NOT. Unless you get 10 bags of ice and put them in your swim spa, practice in an ice bath or swim regularly in a frigid body of water ALL THE TIME ( and NO, your pool is not that cold), then you best bring the gear. IJS.

     

Unfortunately, they did not let anyone get in the water before wave starts. No acclimation. The race start was different than I’ve ever done. It was a timed start, run in 2 at a time in your wave and start swimming. I didn’t even think much about it. – BIG MISTAKE. HUGE. I am accustomed to in water starts (or jumping off a ferry and treading water for a min as I move away from someone jumping on my head). With an in water start, yes, it is crowded, but I get to tread water for a few minutes, get used to the water, center my self and start swimming when I get good and damn ready.

 

Naw – this knuckled head, just ran in the water and started swimming. HOLY COW! THAT WATER WAS SO DAMN COLD. My breath was just sucked from my body. But I can do this…I swam in Lake Michigan for gawd sakes at the Chicago Tri…but OMG!!! I started panting. I tried to get my breath. I grabbed a kayak and tried to get my breathing under control. I knew the longer I messed around, the colder I was getting, so get going. I’m shivering and I tried a few strokes, but my heart was pounding…I couldn’t catch my breath. Kayak #2…I was so cold…BUT I CAN DO THIS. I’VE DONE IT BEFORE. DA HELL IS HAPPENING. I try again…and I just can’t. I can’t breath, my heart is going to come out the top of my head and I’m flailing in the water…OMG I’m gonna drown.

 

Another swimmer grabs me and holds me up (can I really sink in a wet suit?) I had no more energy, I’m shivering, panting, my chest hurt. Next thing I know, I’m in a boat…and then there are 5 others in the boat. Me and 4 men. I’m bawling. How did this happen to me? What went wrong. The man sitting in front of me starts talking to me – he was 71 years old and done 60 triathlons. He says, don’t be upset. This was not our day – this won’t be the first setback and it won’t be the last.

 

2. Listen to your body – Live to Race Another Day

Okay. Something was wrong. My body was reacting. I needed to get out of that water…and THANK GOD I did.

I get to the med tent and my blood pressure was 189/90. I was in hypertensive crisis. What might have happened if I had not asked for help? I sat in the med tent for almost 30 min until my blood pressure was at least high normal.

 

It is not worth it to push on (SHUT UP – I’ve done it – I know – DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO), especially if this is not your A race. Is it worth getting injured to the point of not being able to race at all for a long while…or getting DEAD. NOPE.

 

LIVE TO RACE ANOTHER DAY!

 

3. Remember your WHY.

Why do you do all of this swim, bike and run madness? My why is I do it for me. It is my personal accomplishment that is all mine – my challenge to be a better me each and every day. AND I do it because it is fun and to collect BLING. I’m a BLING Ho! PERIOD. DEAL WITH IT.

 

I wiped my tears and pulled myself together because THERE ARE NO TEARS IN FUN!

 

4. Transfer the negative energy into POSITIVE.

I had over 30 MMTC members and almost 10+ BTA members out on the course. My race was over. I could have pack it up and went home. NOPE. I can stand and wait and cheer then home. So many of them have been there for me, in training and in races. The least I can do I stand at that finish and wait and cheer. To get to see my Coach win – OUTSTANDING! To see all my friends make it, through tears, fears and struggle (some less, some more than others) and hug them at the end was the best, most rewarding use of my time…and FEELZ

 

5. Every setback is the setup to the comeback!

When I got a little down in the dumps about my DNF, I took a look at my racks of bling. My confidence was restored. I CAN! I HAVE! I WILL! I didn’t get them by not living, learning and toeing the line again and again.

FOR GRINS, GIGGLES and BLING!

Race Report: 33rd Transamerica Chicago Triathlon

I collected another piece of awesome bling at the 33rd Transamerica Chicago Triathlon know to be one of the largest triathlon’s in the world. Over 7000 competitors over 2 days of racing. It was an amazing experience made mo’ awesome by my son hanging with me and earning his “Spectathlete Badge” and hanging with 40+ members of Black Triathlete Association.

 

Summary – Best Triathlete Weekend EVA, one of my worst swims, best bike and run in an OLY EVER! Overall, one of my best overall performances. A Happy Camper All Around.

 

The FireMarshall drove Ms Diva to Chicago and go me there with enough time so that I could make the Friday Morning OWS Practice with #BTA.

That water was the coldest I have EVER swam in. OMG! I was so glad I bought a cold water swim cap and booties. It simply took your breath away.  I only did about 300 and got out. I decided I needed to get some ear plugs and maybe some arm sleeves just to make it more bearable. I found the earplugs but no arm sleeves. I was glad that I brought my PearlZumi Shrug that is fitted, so I decided to wear that on my arms.

 

Later, Friday evening, Ovetta organized a Pre-Race Dinner at another #BTA members house (FrankW) and it was a blast to meet so many of the people I interact with daily on the Black Triathletes Facebook Page. Just awesome people …at all different levels in the Triathlete journey. Good Times!

 
      

Saturday, I just hung out with The FireMarshall and Trooper Steptoe. I had breakfast with a friend I hadn’t see in YEARS – KimT – and got to see her all grown up kids. I took the FM & TS to the expo and collected some freebies (yeah, they don’t want to haul that stuff home) and then went to lunch. I had the Trooper help me put on my race tattoo’s – he is a pro – and then decided to rack my bike the night before to claim my space and walk the transition area because it looked HUGE and transitions is not a strong suit of mine.

               

That evening we went over to my West Point classmate, Walter Cunningham’s house for dinner. Another awesome time! Back to the hotel and I had no trouble getting to sleep. Up in the morning, ‘fo day…I don’t like it…no way. I pulled it together and started the approximately mile long walk from the hotel to transition. A quarter of the way there, I realized that I had forgotten my Garmin – meltdown – called The FireMarshall and had him meet me in front of hotel with it. I got back to transition with 7 mins left to get it all set up before they closed transition. Not a problem since laying it out ain’t the problem. It’s getting in an out  at T1/T2 and not piddling around – that’s pathetic.

 

SWIM: 1500m - 51:15
Now that was just AWFUL! Just like at when I started. I got in that water- FREEZING-the gun went off and I lost it. I just couldn’t get my breath. I started panting and was going nowhere slowly. To add insult to my misery, I could hear and see Ron and Jordan following along  - Jordan was encouraging (You got this, Mom!), Ron was about to shut the damn race down and have me pulled out. I spent about 400-500 doing some form of front stroke/doggie paddle/side stroke thing…and then something just clicked. I was treading water and I said to myself, “Get busy swimming or get busy quitting.” I’ve NEVER quit anything so I said, “Give me 5 stokes at a time.” Then I upped it to 10. Then I was in a grove and that last 1000 to the finish was just like in the pool.
   

I was out of the water!!! It was over. Nothing I could do to change what had happened. I had overcome a bad start, adapted and overcame…now it was time to drop the hammer and see what I could do with the rest of the race. It was 450m from Swim Out to T1. I got nothing but a WOW! It took me damn near 10 min to get from the Swim Out to the Bike Out.

 

BIKE: 25 miles – 1:36:10 – avg 15:51mph
WOO HOO!!! Go Me! This is fastest bike average I have EVER done in a race. The course was fast and NOT as flat as everyone said. Lake Shore Drive had a few lumps, but compared to the Hills of Howard County, HUMPH. Piece of cake. It was great to see my family, Walter & Eric as I went under the 11th Street Pedestrian Bridge. Before I knew it, I was back at Transition and it was time to run!!
              

RUN: 6.2 miles – 1:32:31 – 14:56 pace
You may think that is slow as frozen molasses, but for me – WINNING! Fastest 10k after swim/bike in a race EVER! I plodded along with the first 3 miles under 14min and the last 3 miles not so much. I felt great, pushed and knew I was doing well – FOR ME! I was ecstatic. When you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands and smile pretty for the camera!
                  

I came across the finish line feeling VICTORIOUS!! I had overcome in the water and left it out there on the bike & run. YES I CAN and YES I DID!! My finish was 4:17:08 and 17 of that was a pathetic transitions. I was 8/13 in Athena 40+ and if you put all the Athena’s together in one group I would have been 16/26. I am happy with that!
                   

I may not be as fast as most – yet; I may, for now, still be hugging the bottom of my age group; but I sure do make this Tri business LOOK DAMN GOOD!!!

Race Report: Escape The Cape Triathlon

I ESCAPED!!!

 

This had to be one of the most fun races I have done is a long time right up until… I’ll get to that part in a minute.

 

What’s so fun about it? You get to JUMP off a ferry and swim a mile to shore, bike 25 essentially flat & fast miles and then run through Dante’s Inferno of immolation level heat and sand dunes. Exhilarating.

 

FRIDAY

The weekend started off a tad shaky. I pack to the gills my little Hyundai Elantra with all my gear and beach stuff so my Spectathletes & Paparazzi, The Queen Mum and Princess Cara, could had some fun at the beach while I off gallivanting around doing  a swim preview, racking my bike, attending a race meeting & helping set up the MMTC tent. We leave the house around 1pm on Friday and only hit bad traffic when we are about 20 miles out from the hotel. (Traffic was waaaay worse on the way home). We arrive at the hotel and they are like, ummm, when did you make your reservation. GTFOOHWTBS. I ain’t got time for this and…*cue meltdown* – WHY CAN’T I EVER HAVE A DRAMA FREE TRI!!!

 

See, I made the reservation ON @EXPEDIA the same day I registered for the race (Oct 1, 2014) because – hey, bonus money, better spend it on Tri shyt while it’s burning a hole in my pocket. I got confirmations, blah, blah, blah. but apparently, @Expedia did not send my booking on the the hotel – just kept sending me notices that everything was okay and I did not have to contact hotel (I’ll never do that again). Everything was NOT okay. No reservations, no vacancies at the hotel. WTF. Well, the hotel called down to another hotel they are friends with and got me the same type room at same price. @Expedia tried to rebook me at hotel in their system, but when we googled it, there was a bed bug warning. UMMMM NO! You know what I got from @Expedia for my trouble…”Sorry.” Mmmmkay. Well, we had new lodging and we were off. We unpacked, Cara went to the pool then we went to Wildwood boardwalk to walk around and have dinner.

 

SATURDAY

I waited for TriBecca to show up and then we gathered our things and headed over to packet pickup. We got there just in time for the “Swim Preview” which we thought was just talking about the swim, but you actually got to practice as well. We did not practice cause we didn’t bring any gear. Just watched and listened.

                

Afterward, we went to packet pickup, visited all the vendor booths, went to the race meeting, racked our bikes, put up the MMTC tent and went back to the hotel where we maxed and relaxed. Went to the beach for a little while and then ordered out pizza & pasta as we piddled with our gear for Sunday!

 

SUNDAY – RACE DAY

We woke up around 3am to get the car packed and to the race when the heavens opened up with a downpour accompanied by thunder and lightning. I just stood on the balcony, stared for a while, mumbled something about getting wet anyway and “If it ain’t raining, you ain’t training” Army bullshyt as Rebecca gave me the hard side eye as she mumbled something about “maybe they will cancel the swim” *insert glee clap*.

 

We get to transition and all of us unprepared for a torrential downpour are looking around like lost children trying to figure out how to keep our shoes from getting soaked. (TIP: ALWAYS – ALWAYS – keep at least two trash bags in your tri bag, one for you, one for your clueless rack mate. Just pay it forward…it will come back to you). I ended up putting my empty tri bag on top of my running shoes and it worked out fine.

 

After we were thrown out of transition, we went to hunker down under the MMTC tent until it was time to board the ferry. I can’t believe we all stood there looking like sad boo boo kitties and didn’t take not ONE picture of the club. AGGGGGGGGHHHHHH! And I brought the Paparazzi!.

 

We board the ferry and end up waiting an additional 30-45 min until the weather cleared before we pulled out to start the race.

Time to….JUMP!!!

 

SWIM: 1 mile 36:13 (Garmin says I zig zagged for 1.2 miles)

I didn’t even really think too much on it. I marched up to the line and well, as you can see from my pics, I executed a very dull and uneventful jump. Next time, I go for the FLASH!

  

  

Next thing I knew I was in the water and time to swim. It didn’t seem like a fast current to me, but must have been because that was the fastest 1 – 1.2 mile swim I have EVER done in ANY race. GO ME!

 

When I cam out of the water, I don’t really remember what I was thinking. I know I was trying to decide whether or not to take my wetsuit off right then or wait till I got back to transition. I kept it on for the half mile trek from the beach to transition cause I didn’t want any sand all on me – Everywhere, All around – as I went out on the bike.

 

The other thing that struck me as I watched people come out of the water and dead sprint through sand dunes and two parking lots as I kinda wogged, was that, yeah, I don’t take transition very seriously (I KNOW it’s part of the race so let it go). I’ll get there when I get there. I do try to move out with a purpose and be quick about- get in, get it on, go (especially when there isn’t a road march to get there), but, yeah, no. I ain’t  gonna win the transition. I’ll work on it. Promise.

 

BIKE: 25 miles 1:40:23 14.9mph – Second fastest 25 miles in a race

Here is what I know. I can do at 15mph+ if the course is relatively flat. Throw some hills in there and I’m slower than cold molasses. I watched my MMTC buddies beast up the one bridge with ease and I’m like the Wicked Witch madly peddling while not having a lung collapse.

 

A LOT of people ended up with flats (some with 2). I was really worried that I would blow a tire (like I did when I crashed last October) so I ended up slowing down a lot on the turns and when the road was rough. The 1st loop was pretty crowded, but of course, it thinned out as us slow pokes wrapped up the second loop.

 

I know what I need to work on. HILLS. Nevertheless, I felt I had a great ride and even got to say “on your left” several times – which was exhilarating. Those of you that don’t know the suffering of being slow, there is that moment after the 700th “on your left” is shouted at you that you just want to kick out and say “on your left THAT”. I would NEVER do such a thing, but I admit that evil thoughts occasionally enter my noggin.

 

N.E.WAY – I’m back in transition where, DAMN, it fuggin HOT!

 

RUN: 5 miles 1:33:31 The WORST RUN OF MY EXISTANCE!

I’ve got nothing more to add to that. It WAS THE MOST GAWD FORSAKEN RUN ever. Had it not been for some of the good people of Lower Township bestowing upon us the blessing of the divine hose, I would have immolated out there on that course. It was like running into the deepest, hottest level of Hell and then Satan added thick loose beach sand and dunes for grins and giggles. I slogged, shuffled, cursed, and leaned in for 5 of the hottest, slowest miles on earth. When I saw the flags for the finish chute – all I thought was – YES, SWEET BABY JESUS! And then I saw my family and my MMTC family cheering & high fiving me. GLORIOUS!

 

                                                    I ESCAPED!!!!

 

Would I do it again?! YOU BETCHA! For once I wasn’t last! I beat some demons and bested some other times. I may never podium. I may never get off the bottom of the pack. What I did do was - I went up against me and won!  That was a blast!

Frustrated, Fed up & Failing Forward Race Report: IM 70.3 Princeton

That smile right there…yeah, it hides a whole lot of frustration, embarrassment and just plain “I should just give up & quit this shit” attitude.

 

I crossed that finish line sobbing, in pain and DEAD ASS LAST….FUGGING AGAIN!! I was just so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of (in my mind) failing, putting  in so much damn work and choking at game time, of letting all the people that support me/believe in me down. I felt like a big fat ass embarrassment to my friends/family and to the whole damn sport.

 

I was so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of watching all my tri-friends, MMTC friends, RipIt Teammates crush it and I just bring up the MFn rear with a cheer and a smile. FUG THAT!

 

I was so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of watching and hearing about people learning to swim and/or ride a bike and then in 9 month bust out a full IM and in 3 years I have a medical DNF and 2 barely finish at a 70.3. SON OF A BEYOTCH!!!

 

Why is this thing – triathlon – so damn hard for me? That type A, borderline OCD/perfectionist in me cried for 2 days, railing at the heavens, wanting to quit – and I have NEVER QUIT at ANYTHING – EVER! I have done well at pretty much everything I have put my mind to doing, so WHY, OH WHY, can’t I seem to put this triathlon thing together.

 

The FireMarshall did his best with giving me space to sob and wallow in my own misery and self-pity for a hot second, but forced me to not make any rash decisions (like sell my bike) until I talk to some people that I respect and have more “perspective” that I could possibly have while swimming in my own misery pool.

 

By Tuesday after the race, I got sufficiently sick and tired of reapplying my makeup every time I burst into the self-pity tears, that I contacted my soul sister, Ovetta, and she helped get me get out of that nasty pool I was swimming in. Funny thing…most of what she said, I already knew :

• This journey is MY journey and no one else.
• STOP looking at, comparing myself to other people. I don’t know their journey. Worry about me and mine – WORRY BOUT YOURSELF!!! YOU DRIVE!
• Set some very specific BHAG’s (BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS). No more of those nebulous,non-specific goals like “Finish”.

She also told me I needed to share this story. I needed to be transparent AND accountable. I wasn’t even going to write anything. I was still embarrassed. Who would want to hear about the “Finisher” race report. What lessons about the race could I possible share that would be of any help. She said someone is always watching and someone is out there with similar struggles that needs to know that it ain’t always sunshine, roses and instant success. OH and BTW – define YOUR success. I set the “goal” of finishing and I did. Moving the goal in the middle of the race and then getting all caught up in my feelings is kinda ridiculous, huh.

 

At the end of my “coming to Jesus” talk with Ovetta, she said, “I knew when you called that you had had enough of the just finish attitude. Now you are ready and are going to be a force to reckon with.”

 

I then met up with my RipIt Coaches and they already had some suggestions for attacking 2015 and I laid out my goals. Together we outlined a game plan. So, what are my goals you ask – Here are the 3 MBO’s (Major Business Objectives)

 

• Lose 40lbs – yep, its true. I’m waay over weight. It is a lot easier to haul a small bootie up and down hills on the bike and to have less strain & pain on these old lady knees, ankles and feet. No more wide load flags on the back of the bike.
• Build Strength – I’m a weakling…but not for long. I have the endurance & cardiovascular strength to go on forever like that energizer bunny, but I don’t have the upper body strength or leg strength to sustain those efforts. The upper body and legs muscles just give out to quickly. I knew it at the Rebel Race pulling, climbing and what not on that obstacle course that I felt weak and didn’t have the strength to climb a damn rope…but I ignored it or was in denial. NOT AGAIN!
•  7 1/2 hour 70.3 PERIOD. END OF CONVERSATION

Of course there are Swim/Bike/Run specific goals underlying the three MBO’s, but you get the idea. It is time to GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.

 

As for the race…

 

I swam. It was uneventful. A lot slower that I had set for myself, but I got out of the water feeling good about it. There was the usual touching, grabbing, hitting that happens in every OWS race. I didn’t like the approx. 200m swim to the start AT ALL. I loved the wetsuit strippers.

 

 

I biked. A beautiful, scenic course but the road conditions were HORRIBLE. They did mark the big ass potholes and hazards, but the numerous small holes in the pavement and then the resulting debris (bottles, CO2 cartridges, chain pieces) made the course rather scary (for me). I stopped counting at around 15 flats and crashes combined. As a result, I believe I choked on the course and reduced my speed as I didn’t want to deal with a flat or a crash. I let fear get the best of me.

 

I ran. THAT DAMN FOOT! This time it wasn’t my neuroma that flared up. I found out later that I probably have a stress fracture in my heel and that was what the pain was from. GTFOOHWTBS. I have decided to let go of the Army 10miler and MCM to heal…Doing them and making the stress facture worse would not advance my goals. My feelings are hurt, but mission first.

 

As most of you know. I live my life out loud. I will be keeping you posted of my progress and I look forward to you guys keeping me accountable.

 

I AM RELENTLESS –

I will let no setback, obstacle or challenge get in the way of achieving a noteworthy goal.

Ocean City 1mile Open Water Swim

           

This is the look of a woman that was so damn glad to GET OUT OF THE WATER!!!  On July 19th, I participated in the Ocean City Ocean Games 1 mile Open Water Swim…and the ocean was hostile that day. The waves – the surf – OMG! It was daunting. I sat on the beach at the start line just staring at the surf wondering first – how I was even going to get in the water and second – what da hell did I sign up for. I was surprisingly calm about the whole thing. I  just kept telling myself that I’ve been riding/diving waves in OC all my life so what makes this so different and if I can just get out to and around the first buoy, I can slog through the rest.

 

I dove in at the whistle and during my 1 mile journey, I learned the following:

• I am one with the water. – The water isn’t trying to do anything to me so don’t fight the water. Go with it, ride the swells and just keep moving along.
• How do you swim any distance in challenging conditions? 10 – 20 strokes at a time. When I stopped after turning the first buoy, I was like…THERE IS NO WAY. Then I yelled at myself to get out of my damn head and give me 20 strokes non-stop and reassess. 20 became 40 became 60---became 1/2 mile. When the water seemed to get more rough, I broke it down to 10 strokes at a time…and I was finally at the turn into shore buoy.
• Find your rhythm, find your calm/peace. My rhythm was my 20 strokes – look up – adjust aim – 20 strokes. My calm/peace came with the first bullet – don’t fight, don’t flail and humming (yeah, I sing to keep the negative out). I had a wet suit on, I could see the shore, there were plenty of kayaks and jetski’s out there. I AM FINE!
• JUST KEEP SWIMMING! – let no obstacle, setback or wave in your face get in the way of a noteworthy goal.

I came out of that water in 1:10. Slow as frozen molasses, but I DID THAT DAMN THING, without help, without panicking, with a smile on my face. I came out of that water KNOWING that I can swim in just about anything and can go the distance and more. That was the biggest confidence builder EVER!!

 

I put together a video slide show of the swim as photographed by The FireMarshall. He is the best Sherpa and Spectathlete on the PLANET! (Next to his trainer – Erin Steptoe, of course).

 

ENJOY & JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Bad Omen? I think NOT!

There are two and a butt days till The Columbia Triathlon and this morning was an easy 25 min continuous swim. I left the house and forgot my swim bag with my goggles, lap counter, temp trainer in it and had to turn around to go back and get it.

I get to the pool, put on my goggles and SNAP! broken strap...(see pic)

Well, DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN! I sat there in edge of pool feelin mighty low. I started letting fear, doubt and uncertainty creep in. Da Hell I gon' do if this happens just as I'm getting in water on Sunday? Is this a bad omen of things to come? 

Oh HELL TO THE NAW!! I think NOT! It ain't going downt like dat!! 

I sat on the edge of the pool and it took me 10 min to jerry-rig those goggles. I turned my frown into a smile; deciding that instead of an omen it was an OPPORTUNITY---an opportunity to think through a solution (swim without and keep your damn eyes shut - won't be able to see nuttin no way in Centennial ) AND an opportunity to go SHOPPING for some new gear (see how I turned just needing goggles into a gear shopping spree).

Those jerry-rigged goggles held for exactly 26 min before the strap popped again. WORKOUT ACCOMPLISHED!

Meet me at REI! 

I may be slow...I may even come in last...but I WILL finish and, by the way, I WILL also look mighty good doing it!

Columbia Tri...I'm bout to RIP IT! And RIP IT GOOD!

Strive2Tri Splash & Dash

Today, Princess Cara participated in her first race – the Strive2Tri Inaugural Youth Splash & Dash…and she did an AWESOME JOB! All the kids were just fabulous.

 

KEEEEEEUUUUUTTTTEEE AND FABULOUS!!!

 

It was so wonderful to see all of the young people, even the little bits (6 & under – who did the fun run), getting their fitness on…especially in the water. It was a sight to behold.

 

This…watching Cara enjoy herself at fitness/triathlon…keeps me motivated to keep going.

 

I’m so proud of Princess Cara and all the athletes that competed today. They are all champions!

 

Enjoy the video from today.

Open Water Swim–This One’s a Fighter

Until the referee rings the bell
Until both your eyes start to swell
Until the crowd goes home
What we gonna do ya'll?

Give em hell, turn their heads
Gonna live life 'til we're dead.
Give me scars, give me pain
Then they'll say to me, say to me, say to me
There goes the fighter, there goes the fighter
Here comes the fighter
That's what they'll say to me, say to me, say to me,
This one's a fighter ~
"The Fighter"
(feat. Ryan Tedder​)

 

I love this song…and the ladies I swam with today, well, here comes the fighters. I went out to act as “swim angel” to my friend, Misty, who is doing her first Iron Girl Tri Relay – she is doing the swim – and she was not feeling it at all. Two other ladies that are doing Iron Girl showed up and both were a bit skittish.

 

Understandable. Open Water Swimming can/will render the strongest of us into basket cases. Its can be daunting. However, what I’ve found is that it is one of the biggest mind games on the planet and the very minute you let negative or self defeating thoughts creep in  - the race/the swim is OVER. Your done.

 

My goal today was to give the ladies a few “coping” skills. Things they could do when they got scared, tired, or just plain freaked out. Going out, I decided to just see what they could do, what they were doing and keep everyone calm enough to get the 500yrds to the beach. And we had the “jellyfish” challenge to contend with.

 

So, one of the ladies had a jelly brush up against her and it was all like “OMG!!! What is that! Why does it sting. WHY DOES IT STING!.”  I swam over to her, had her flip over on her back and said “It’s over. It’s the past. YOU ARE OKAY! Calm down. Give me 10 slow deep breaths and then I want you to drill – let’s do a glide drill.” AND SHE DID.

 

Everybody got to the beach! And they were amazed that they could. I wasn’t. Watching them, I knew they had it in them, they just need to stay calm. GET OUT OF THE WATER BY ANY STROKE NECESSARY!! And they did.

 

Here swims the fighter! What ya gonna do, What ya gonna do? GIVE EM HELL!

 

At the beach, we discussed our stroke and we agreed to freestyle the entire way back by DRILLING our way back. DRILL BABY DRILL. Fingertip drill all the way. Repeat after me…Elbow up, drag fingers, hand in chute, GLIDE. AGAIN. Elbow, drag, chute, glide. AGAIN. Say it in your head over and over. You won’t have time to think about jelly’s or tired or I can’t or how far. DRILL BABY DRILL

 

And everyone got back to the dock 2-4 min faster than on the way out. THERE WENT SOME FIGHTERS.

 

They are gonna rock Iron Girl. ROCK IT! GIVE ‘EM HELL, Ladies!

Race Report: Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon–Sprint

 

Once again, the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon was my “Official” Triathlon Season Opener…and it still amuses me to say season opener. I participated in the Sprint Distance event with three of my AKA Sorors (Nineteen69, R.Pitts & Bailey) along with some new friends, one being James – the official PRAYER WARRIOR of our group.

 

What did I learn from this race…I STILL have work to do – not just the physical, but primarily in the mental area. There STILL was nothing earth shattering about my finish – EXCEPT I finished 6 min faster than last year. In the scheme of things, I had a 10% improvement in my time. TEN FREAKIN’ PERCENT. When I look at it that way, well, HOT DAMN, not freaking bad for an middle age chick! Nevertheless, I could have perhaps made that a 15% improvement if I had pushed through my discomfort or “perceived” tiredness instead of remaining in a “I’m comfortable” zone & crusing.

 

I am committed to working on the mental and I have “checked in” with my coach and requested more “check in time”. Coach Torture is a great coach…for me and when I’m with him or at least talk to him about my training for the week, I seem to do better, work harder, push myself past that mind hump I wasn’t going past.

 

SOOOO…while I learned that I STILL have some work to do…I HAD A FRIGGIN BLAST during this race. Can you tell?:

  

I have to say, I AM ADDICTED to Triathlon. I don’t know if it is just the sport, the challenge, the endorphin rush – I KNOW it’s the bling – I don’t know. What I DO know is that the friends I have that I’ve conned into this adventure, the friends I’ve made, the absolute fun I have, my family support…I just can’t get any better! Check out the Tri-AKA’s:

 

I LOVE MY SOROR’s. I LOVE MY SHIRT. WE ARE TRIATHLETE’s. I am so proud of my ladies (Nineteen69 & Pitts) who came back to tackle the race again! But even more inspiring is Bailey! That chick learned how to swim in 3 months and came out here and DID THIS DAMN THING!!! WHAT. WHO DAT! She is my SHERO! If she can conquer the water, learn to swim where there was no ability before and then bust out a Tri – AND NOT COME IN LAST AT THAT! – what is any of our excuse for not achieving our dreams/goals? SERIOUSLY? What?

 

And then there was JamesB…Who I met last year at a party in Philly for the first time and literally PUNKED this man into doing the tri with us. AND HE DID! Let me tell you…this man is a PRAYING! man. Our prayer warrior.

He gathered us all around, Tri-AKA’s, Uche, James &…(sorry if I missed someone) and he prayed – for super natural strength, for God to be a fence in the water – to walk on the water beside us, to protect us and thanked Him for blessing us with the ability to swim bike run when so many others can’t. WOW!  I have decided that I have to figure out a way to skype/call with the Tri-AKA’s & James so I can have a prayer session before the start of my IM 70.3 Cozumel in Sept. HAVE TO!

    

THE SPRINT COURSE
.8K swim / 25.3K bike / 5K run
.5 mile swim / 15.7 mile bike / 3.1 mile run

SWIM: BEST SWIM EVER!!! I don’t know what else to say about it. After last years fiasco panic attack swim, this swim was just AWESOME! I never stopped. I was steady, even – slow perhaps, but I got out of the water and felt GREAT! After reviewing the time, I knocked off 10 min from last year. GO ME!!!!!

 

BIKE: I felt fabulous. I thought I was doing something and had gotten stronger/faster when I was able to maintain my cadence in the big gear on front/mid range on back --- EXCEPT on the hills. After seeing my time, I realized any gains I made on the course, I absolutely LOST on the hills. Take-away – HILL WORK, Strength training. Wish list – new bike (yeah, that’s not happening soon) so – HILL WORK, Strength training.

 

RUN: I felt okay…and I cruised. I didn’t even start breathing hard. And when I should have been kicking it in…I wasn’t. I didn’t. And when I finally realized that I was malingering on this run when the damn race was practically over, it was too late to make it up.

 

Another take away – I will NEVER train or race without my HRM/GPS or speedometer again. EVER. If I had them on me, I would have known that I had to take it up a notch, kick it in and stop pussy footing around. LESSON LEARNED.

 

Congratulations LISA STEPTOE!
Here are your results for the 2012 Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon:

Swim              27:23
Bike            1:06:43
Run                42:16
Final           2:26:16

I AM A TRIATHLETE!