Some things I have been meaning to write about

Hello Triathletes:

I feel terrible because it has been ages since I have been on the blog. I feel a bit like I have abandoned all of you but it has been difficult to get to technology while I have been travelling. It has been available but I feel rude emailing when I am with people that I am visiting and it is tough to email from the beach. We had a fabulous trip to Hawaii and we got out before all of the tsunami warnings...thank goodness. We just completed a gorgeous day in California and I have officially done my first "Left Coast" Tri and my very first tri in February. I have to say that the 55 degree water gave me an initial brain freeze but I adjusted and had a great race.....all on borrowed equipment. Speaking of borrowed equipment...that brings me to my first topic....the discussion that we have had about the bike. I read an article talking about doing your first tri and they said.....if you are getting into your the sport and doing your local tri sprint race (which you are), it can be your beach cruiser or a mountain bike. Any bike will do unless you are bit by the triathlon bug. Simply take it to your local bike shop to make sure that it is safe, ensure the tires are pumped up and that the chain is lubed. Do not worry about feeling fast just yet, that will come later. Today on the triathlon I saw several people on mountain bikes and they were doing just fine. I even saw two ladies riding side by side cheering each other on....it made me think of you ladies. I chatted with a gal back and forth as we kept passing each other....she is a 23 year survivor of very aggressive melanoma....that had spread to her lymph nodes and they removed part of her intestine. She was out there making it happen...because life is short so go ahead and TRI.

         With the help of my brother, my sister-in-law and Maggie I was able to take some video that I will show at our next get together so I can go over some of the finer points of prepping for the race and transition. Today's race was the exact same size as the Riverwood and it was a lovely set up but it was not as smoothly run as the Riverwood race is run. I will admit that there was not a hill to be seen on the course and we have established that there are a few minor hills on the Riverwood. I was very happy to hear that Adrienne and Kristin did a 5k run together and finished under 40 minutes. That reminded me that we need to talk about signing up for the Komen Race in June. I know that it is a very special race for Kristin and it comes at a great time for a training run for the Kure Beach Double Sprint Tri. I will be signing up for the Komen Race since I lost my grandmother and my Aunt Carol Ann to breast cancer and simply to support a great cause. As we talk about calendars I would like you all to look at yours so that we can decide when we can do our two mock triathlons and get maximum participation. Dan will be coming back in mid March so that will free up many of my weekends.....except of course for kids sports. There are limited days due to availability of facilities and because of the Easter holidays in the mix. I was thinking of the 21 or 22 of March...early mornings and possible Good Friday morning very early since many folks may not be working that day. Another option could be 27 Mar or 19 Apr but the 19 Apr would be almost a true dress rehearsal since it is so close to the big event. I will be looking for feedback on this since I will not make the effort without at least 75 percent participation since it takes a bit of work to make it happen and I want us all to get some bang for our buck.

        I do hope that Julie worked you all good and hard in spite of the fact that I did hear that the weather was not really cooperating....AGAIN. I truly enjoyed running on the beach and swimming in the ocean. I did try to sell my roommate from college on doing a tri but not sure if she bought into it without me being there to push her. I also lucked out and made it to a master's swim practice and had my brother (the coach) give me some feedback on my stroke. That was great and so I have some work to do on my own stroke. It is critical to remember that we can all get better....no matter what our level. I read Dara Torres' book, Age is Just a Number on the plane and I was intrigued by many points that she brought up. I will share some of them with you as they apply. One critical thing that she mentioned was how important stretching was to keeping her 40 something body in the game with the youngsters. She had two personal stretchers that she hired and took everywhere with her including Beijing. Now I know we can't have our own stretchers but it would be well worth going to yoga classes or at least tivoing some yoga from tv or buying a 15 minute yoga CD to enhance your training.

        OK enough from me for the evening. I am missing all of you and hope all is well. I am learning a great deal about nutrition from my very fit sister-in-law Lesley here in California so I will have to pass her info on to all of you. She is a huge fan of Tosca Reno and her books on "Clean Living". It is sad to say that sugar is not a triathlete's friend :-)

Have fun working out tomorrow and I will see you bright and early Wednesday morning the 3rd of March

CA

Running the Week of March 1st

We will run on Monday and Wednesday the week of March 1 at 5:30 a.m.  Carol Ann should be back to whip us into shape on Wednesday.  Yahoo!!!

Running in the Week of Feb. 22

We will meet at CA's house on Monday and Wednesday of next week to run @ 5:30 a.m.  They are calling for rain on Monday but we can play that by ear.  In place of the usual PT with CA we can work on our hula!!! See you next week. 

Thanks to Ian and a quick summary of the night's teaching

Hello Triathletes:
I feel like it has been ages since I have written on the blog....craziness. I would like to thank Kathy for having us all over to her lovely house and for Ian taking the time to come and talk to us about bike safety and bike fit. Ian has tons of experience on the road and so his comments were excellent for all of us to hear. To begin with he went over the proper arm signals for right and left turns and how to signal the biker behind you that you are slowing down. The critical point there is that you must communicate with those that you are biking with and the drivers in the cars. Communication and being aware of what is happening on the road is critical to your safety when you are out there training on your bike.
The most important thing to remember as you get out on the road on your bike is that you are in a vehicle and you must follow the rules of the road just as if you were driving your car. The question came up about passing on the right.....well....as we said you pass someone on the road in your car on the left so you always pass other bikers on the left. You must stop at stop signs and stoplights just like you would in your car. The big difference is that you need to be aware of whether the drivers in the car see you because if it becomes a battle between you and the car....even if you have the right of way....the car will always win. It is a good example of the fact that SIZE matters.
The best thing you could do for yourself before you get on the road is ensure that your bike is in good shape....just like you would with your car. Ensure that you have proper tire pressure in your tires, bring your cell phone with you, ensure you have a helmet that fits properly and that you are properly dressed. I would suggest closer fitting clothing and biking shorts or running tights so that your clothes are not flapping as you ride. In addition it is important to pick a good route and the right time of day to ride. I do not like to ride during any high traffic times if I can possibly avoid it. That is why I have suggested Sunday mornings at 0700 for now since it is daylight and there is not many drivers on the road. In the summer I usually head out at 0600 since it is daylight, it is cooler and there are very few drivers on the road. The nice thing about FV is that there are many great, quiet roads to ride on and have an enjoyable ride.
Ian also mentioned using a bike computer to track your distance, your cadence and I like it for your mph....it makes it so nice to know how far and how fast you have gone....good motivator. Ian worked with people on what size bike they might need and we talked about heading to a bike shop and asking them to fit you for the proper sized bike. I would not recommend that any of you spend a fortune on a bike because you may not do enough triathlons to make it worth the expense and if you stick to the sprint distance triathlons then you can do great without the top of the line bike. I do great with my 12 year old Cannondale. You can borrow a bike or you can get a nice used one....just make sure you take some one with you to take a look at a bike it you do not feel comfortable doing it on your own. My bike is available for use at the triathlon of someone needs it.
No matter what bike you have...you should have a cage on the frame to hold your water bottle. We do not want to get out on the road without water...that is a no no. The other thing to keep in mind is that we are not behind on our bike training. The goal up to now was to get a bike and if you have the access to them....go to spin class twice a week. The weather is never good to bike in Jan and Feb outside so you are not behind the power curve. The plan was to step up the bike training in March and April....so have no free. As of now and for the rest of February you should be running and swimming at a minimum of twice a week....more is usually better but we all have lives so I know there is a limit.
My final comment for this long entry is that.....remember that I would never throw you under the bus. I picked this triathlon for all of you because it is a great tri for first timers.....and it is a lovely event. I don't care what you keep hearing....it is a very pleasant bike ride. It is well marked and has a few hills but they are rolling and most riders will tell you that is easier than a plain flat course. You never get a break when it is all flat. There is plenty of downhill coasting time and the few hills on the bike are shortened by the nice downhill leading into them. There has to be a certain amount of trust from all of you that I would never sign you up for something I did not firmly believe that you could handle. It is a great event and I will make sure you know everything you need to know before you show up in Clayton on Saturday April 24th :-)

Bike Safety

Hey Ladies,
Thanks for coming out Friday in the snow for a little bike safety and socialization. I know Julie just got a new bike helmet for her birthday and thought you all might be interested in the consumer report on helmets.
Ride Safe,
Kathy

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2010/01/study-inexpensive-bike-helmets-offer-same-protection-as-pricier-models-.html

Thank you!

Kathy, (&Dale) Thank you for hosting us at your home last night.  And please thank Ian again for his time to help some of us novice bikers!  Lisa K.

Race for the Cure

Hi Everyone!

 

I am writing this with a heavy and hopeful heart. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the loss of one of my very best friends in the world. Last year she lost her battle with breast cancer and left behind 3 young boys. Needless to say, this is a cause extremely close to my heart and I would love for all of you to participate in the walk with me. Please see the link below to sign up with Kristi's Krew. It is $25 to registrar and you will get 2 T-shirts. You can raise money or choose not to. Although it was emotional for me, it was so much fun and a day filled with hope for a brighter future! Please consider signing up! Thanks so much!

 

 

http://nctriangle.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DUR_NCTriangleAffiliate/997606225?pg=team&fr_id=1702&team_id=123741

 

Kristen L. Hughes
First Grade Teacher
Ballentine Elementary School

Bike

Okay it's not a 54 inch bike it's a 54cm bike. Franky you have long legs maybe 54 inches would work for you.
Kathy

Friday Night

This is just a reminder that Ian is coming over Friday for an information session.
Bring a snack and beverage. If you have a trainer please bring it, and bring your bike if you want Ian to look at your riding position.

Please tell others because I don't know if people read the blog.

Franky the bike I have for sale is 54in. It's an Orbea team Euskatel.It is yellow, orange, and blue actually very pretty Check out the reviews on this website.http://www.roadbikereview.com/mfr/orbea/road-bike/PRD_290861_5668crx.aspx

Hope to see you all Friday!
Kathy

Re: Running in the wind/swim at Campbell tonight

Hey guys...I am actually going to the Alexander YMCA this afternoon with Adrienne...If anyone wants to join us, let me know! Thanks!

Running in the wind/swim at Campbell tonight

Great Job ladies who braved the wind this morning!! It was really nice when it was pushing us from behind....not as much fun when it was in our faces but good training none the less. Just a quick note to all that we are meeting at 7pm tonight at my house so we can carpool to Campbell for a nice swim workout. As of right now I know that Tiff, Kristin, Kim, and possibly Julie and Beth will be going. The key is to have someone who knows where they are going in your car. I will be going directly from religion class with Lisa Kunkle so I will meet you down there. Maggie will be at Campbell already so she will be the coach until I get there. You shoudl all be warmed up by the time I get there. You want to be in the water by 7:30 since they send us to the showers at 8:45pm. See  you there.

 

Mindy----sorry that I forgot to email you about 0530 this morning. There will be a crew out running tomorrow at 0530 so you can come then as a make up for today!!

 

CA

Working Out this Week

I'll be running Thursday morning with Tiffany if anyone would like to join. Same time, same place! Also I'd like to run/bike/swim on Friday because I will not be around on Saturday or Sunday Morning. Anyone have any plans or ideas?

Sarah

Wednesday Meeting 3 Feb 10

A special thanks to Julie for hosting our first healthy get together. It was a very nice time and we essentially went over a basic checklist of items that every well prepared triathlete has on hand for race day. I will post the checklist here on the blog so that you can print a copy. Our photographer Sarah "the firm" F was on hand to capture some special moments and we can use them as training aids.



I want to state right from the beginning that triathlon gear does not make you look sexy and point in fact is me with a helmet.....add lots of sweat and sunglasses to the picture and you can see where I am going with this picture. Of course all bikers have to wear helmets so one of the top things on the list was a bike helmet Then we did discuss what our uniform should be for the race....you know what to wear and what NOT to wear. Diane was very helpful and as you can see below she is modeling a pair of my tri shorts. It is not recommended that you wear the tri-shorts over your pants.....in fact we do not encourage you to even wear underwear with your tri-shorts. Heck we even had a discussion about butt butter (some lotion to keep you from getting uncomfy in the bike seat). The general consensus is that we should all get black tri-shorts in whatever length we feel most comfortable in and then we can get our logo put on the shorts. I know that many of you are asking what is a tri-short. As Diane said....it is like putting on a pair of Spanx to keep your belly in when wearing a fancy dress :-) They are spandex shorts that have a bit of padding in the crotch and they have elastic on the leg to keep it from riding up when you are biking. They come in various lengths just like regular shorts. Some have a 1 in inseam....like a volleyball pant....way too short for me. Then there is the 3 in inseam which is about mid thigh....my favorite length. There is also the 6 in which is just above the knee and the one that most people said that they would like. The nice thing is that the pad is not too thick so it dries out quickly after you swim. I wear the tri shorts with a regular sports bra top (tankini style) in the pool and then add a shirt and running shorts for the bike and run. It is much faster than trying to get spandex shorts on over wet legs.
Of course every triathlete needs a bag to put all of their gear into and I have in my hands below my original tri bag....an earth friendly reusable bag from Aldi's. It is cheap, sturdy and big and great for all of my gear. I did get a great tri-bag as a gift last year so my Aldi bag has been retired back to carrying groceries and kids' sports equipment. You must have a bag for easy transport and the night before the race you can load it with all your items from the checklist and have it in your car along with your bike as you head to bed early for the big race. We did talk about the fact that we will be leaving for the race on 24 April 10 at 0530 :-)

I think that you can see some of the items on the floor at my feet.....you would be surprised at all of the things that you need to bring but as I explained at the meeting you will "rack" your bike in a designated spot. The metal bike rack will have your number on it and that is where you put your bike and all of your gear. The bikes are all located in the transition area and arranged by your race number. Right next to my bike I lay out a big beach towel folded in half length wise. Some people lay out a yoga mat and arrange their gear on it. On top of my towel I place my helmet topside down with my sunglasses inside. I have my bike shoes open and the socks laying on top. I also have an extra hotel sized towel hanging on my bike so I can quickly dry off. I also have a Gatorade and a water sitting on my towel for a quick drink after the bike. In addition I have my running sneakers laid out with my shoe laces untied and my race number attached to my race number belt. Some people will have their race number attached to their shirt and they throw the shirt on....many times I bike and rum without a shirt but it depends on the temperature. There are port-a-potties right outside the transition area and I make sure I use them several times before the race starts since I tend to get a little bit nervous and have to pee alot.....crazy I know but I have been like that since I started swimming.

The transition area is where you go after the swim to get on your bike and then you park your bike there and head out for the run. You go out one way to bike and one way to run. Don't be like me and always try and run out the bike exit....it slows you down!! I am just a knucklehead but someone always yells at me and gets me going in the right direction. How fast you get in and out of the transition area counts toward your overall race time....so no lolly gagging in there ladies.

Diane is modeling my fully packed high speed tri bag. Notice the water bottle in the side pocket. You must have at least one of these for your bike. Over the course of the 14 mile bike you should drink the whole bottle especially if it is hot. Tiff said she was uncomfortable pulling out her water bottle when she rides so she is going to wear a Camelback....a knapsack type of water bottle which is a great option. However, as we ride more you will get more comfortable pulling your water bottle out more to drink. I am way better at it now that I used to be and I am always falling off my bike :-) If your bike does not have a water bottle holder you need to get one. They are easy to put on and cheap....about $10 at Walmart. We did talk quite a bit about biking and how important it is to make sure that your bike fits you properly. Ian will be at Kathy W's house this Friday to talk bike safety and fit so grab your bike and go see him. In addition we talked about Performance Bike (off Maynard just past the Cary Town Center) and Cycle Spoken Here....Cary. There is also a bike shop at the Ridgewood Shopping Center off the Wade Ave exit. You can go to them and get your bike serviced. They also (along with REI) sell little bike computers for about $25. They are terrific little gadgets that much like a pedometer tell you how far you have gone and how fast you are going. They are great to use for training and super to have on the race. When I did my first 56 mile bike race I did not have one and hated not knowing how much farther I had to go before the torture would be over.

Some people were panicking a little about not having biked enough yet but have no fear I knew we would not have biked a ton yet. The weather has not been good and that is what we have March and April for....it is all a process and you are doing great. If you can get into spin classes or onto a stationary bike by all means do but right now just get your bike fitted and fully equipped you will be hitting the road plenty as it gets warmer....trust me.

Thanks again to Julie for hosting and Happy Birthday to Julie and Lisa B....my February birthdays. The rest of you need to fess up on your birthday date so we can celebrate with you as well.

coat and a notebook...

Two ladies left items at my house this evening.  I will drop them off at Carol Ann's after school on Thursday.  Thanks again for coming out this evening for the Q & A with Carol Ann.  Boy, do we have lots of work to do and neat stuff to buy like that chaffing rub!!!  Loved the Birthday wishes and the cake now I'm off to bed. 

Ian/time change

I spoke with Ian today, and he needs to change the time to 7:00 on Friday. He forgot his wife has a doctors appointment and he has to take his daughter to her skate lesson. I am sure all you moms out there understand that. Anyway he would like to come the same day at 7:00.Again, I think he can help all levels of riders. I can't wait to hear what he as about safety and riding.

Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:00 works for me, but that gets into my food, beverage, and social hour. I still hope everyone can come. You might want to bring a snack and some beverage.
Let me know

See you tonight,
Kathy

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General Info

Hello Triathletes:

I feel so lost without seeing all of you on Monday at 0530....darn this snow. I wanted to let everyone know that since schools are closed again tomorrow but our roads are fine that we could do a running/boot camp session at 0700. I can be up and ready to go at 0530 if that is better for some of you and then do another one at 0700 if that works but please let me know so I can set my alarm. The roads are fine in Ballentine.
I have been very impressed with how all of you have been still getting your workouts done in spite of the weather...that is the sign of true dedication. A few things have come up that I want to comment on for the entire group. Many of you have been getting into the pool and that is great. I have heard the comment that the swim is not a huge issue because it is such a short part of the race. This is a very true statement. Triathlons are not won or lost in the water but you have to be able to complete the swim portion of the race safely. The goal is to complete the swim as quickly as possible without wearing yourself out since you have two more longer events to go. The way that we do that is by training in the pool twice a week (unless it is your super strong event and you have a weaker event that could use an extra workout). I have made the mistake of not training for the swim at all (lack of time and over confidence) and when I get out for the bike I am much more drained than I should be which is NOT good. The bottom line is that yes the swim is short but you must be getting in the pool once or twice a week and doing at least 1000 yards by this point.
The other thing that you should know by now is what is your base work out time for a 50 free. This is your building block for all of your workouts. I will explain what I mean using myself as an example. When I make up my work out for a swim session I base all of my times on 1:30 per 100 yards freestyle. So if I do 10 x 100 free I do each 100 on 1:30. That means that if I do the 100 in 1:15 I get 15 seconds rest and then I go on the 1:30. Today we learned that Lisa B's base time is 1:30 per 50 yards. So from now on she will do 50s on 1:30, 100s on 3:00 and so on. I can answer questions on this as Julie's house but the days of extended resting in the pool is over :-)
I was so excited to see that Kathy has Ian coming to give a bike fitting/safety class. I am hoping that he can talk some maintenance as well if we have time. This is a very important class and one we don't have time to dedicate while we are trying to get our miles in during a workout. I had my bike professionally fitted to me and most triathletes do since you are putting a bunch of miles in on your bike. It is a comfort, speed and safety issue. I intend to be there since I am always looking for bike info because the bike is my weakest event and the longest so very critical event!!! This is a super opportunity.
Finally Kathy asked if there was a tri in the area that she could watch prior to our event. There are some but not right here in Raleigh. However, we will be doing to full dress rehearsal mock triathlons so you will get a great feel for what the transition area is like and how the event will flow from swim to bike to run. We will also have all the course routes for the Riverwood blown up and briefed to all of you prior to race day!!! You will do great. Keep up all of the hard work! Pray that soon the kids will go back to school.

Question and Answer Get Together on Wed. Feb. 3

We will be gathering at my house (5013 Sunset Fairways Dr, Holly Springs, Sunset Ridge subdivision) at 7:30 p.m. on Wed. Feb. 3 for a TRI Q & A with Carol Ann.  Please bring a lite dessert if you like and jot down those questions.  See you then.  Julie H.  

Ian/Bike

Hey Ladies,

I just spoke with Ian and he can fit us into his schedule on Friday, Feb.12 at 4:30. I live at 7108 Niblick Ct. in Bentwinds subdivision. If you have a trainer please bring it. I have two so we set bikes up on those.

Please come and let me know that you can be here.

Have a great day,
Kathy W.

Bike Training

Hey Ladies,
I have a connection to this fabulous rider named Ian. He works for the Raleigh Fire Department in training and is head of the Raleigh Fire Department's bike team. He has years of experience competing in triathlons, and is extremely knowledge about cycling. He is willing to come talk to us about bike safety and riding.

My first goal is that we ride safely. We are starting to ride on the road more, and there are rules of safety we need to know before we get out there. We also need to make sure our helmets fit and bikes fit our bodies. I especially want to remain injury free.

Ian can help us with many parts of riding and is willing to meet with us on a Friday afternoon or Thursday evening. I will be glad to have everyone at my house. I have a couple of bikes you could get on to see about fit and position. You could also bring your own bike, and he could be more specific to your needs.

Let me know if a Thursday evening works for you.

Also mark your calendars for May 15th. Fuquay Varina United Methodist Church will be hosting the Ride for Life. It is a non competitive ride with 20mi,30mi, and 60mi. routes. The cost will only be $28 and you don't have to raise any additional money. All the money will go church missions MS, CP, Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Cord Injuries, and Jimmy V Cancer Foundation. Come out and ride or ask me about you can volunteer.  

Be Strong,
Kathy W.

Swimming on Tuesday 2/2

Hey ladies...... ANOTHER snow day tomorrow so we are off to the pool!  That is if Campbell is open tomorrow as it wasn't today!  Kim H., Carol Ann and I are planning to go at 11:45.  If anyone cares to join us, please e-mail me or call one of us.....Gotta love snow in NC.... Lisa K.