Try the Tri

Tri4SuccessMom and IronTexasMommy

Last weekend, the Try the Tri finally arrived.  This would be my wife's first triathlon.  It was originally planned to be my first as well but swimming is a work in progress.  As it is geared towards rookies (which made up about 2/3rds of the field), the distances are a hair shorter than the typical sprint tri with a swim of 250yds, a bike of 8mi, and a 2mi run to finish it off.  We knew the venue - it was the same as the Hooty's Kids Triathlon.  We also knew one of the volunteers, Shannon (aka IronTexasMommy).  She recently completed Ironman Texas and where did she get her start?  Yep, 2 years ago at Try the Tri.  If you're not familiar with her story, check out this article.

Pre-Race
With the hour-and-a-half drive to Decatur, TX and correlating early wake-up, it seemed prudent to ask the boys whether they wanted to come along or stay with my dad.  The little one chose a day with Paw-Paw while Julian wanted to witness his mom's first triathlon.  All the usual pre-race stuff was taken care of in terms of fueling the body, loading up the gear, and hitting the road with plenty of time to spare.

When we arrived I got her bike all set up while she checked in and got marked.  The field was capped at 100 athletes and Angelia would be starting 36th.  Then it was off to transition to get everything organized.  The racks were well labelled so there was no jockeying for position.  I thought it was nice that family was freely allowed in this area pre-race.  It probably helps a number of first-time competitors relax.  A stark contrast to the complete banishment of parents pre and post race at Julian's last kids tri.



Swim

Angelia just after entering the water in the top lane.

And they're off!  At 10sec intervals they enter the water starting with the swimmer that projected the fastest time.  I can only imagine what goes through the minds of those in the back of the line as they see that first swimmer glide through the water executing perfect under the rope flip turns.  Has to be nerve racking but that's the cool thing about this kind of event.  Almost everyone there is a bundle of nerves so you can't help but root for each other (which is pretty much standard for this awesome sport anyway).  Angelia entered the water and looked to be on good form.  Sure she got passed by the long-armed dude behind her but she made a pass as well.  Then around the 125yd mark I noticed a bit of a pause as she turned around.  The head was starting to lift and each time she hit the wall she seemed slightly less enthused to keep going.  I had no idea at the time what could possibly be bothering her on a swim of this distance.  Later it occurred to me the pool was heated and to put it simply - my wife and heat don't go together.  Post-race she confirmed that she was indeed over-heating in the pool.  Unfortunate and something we should have seen coming but she still completed the segment in a reasonable time.

T1
This went fairly well with only the small mistake of stepping on the transition mat with wet, grass-covered feet leaving her with no clean spot to stand while getting her shoes on.  Next time it'll be towel first then transition mat!  This combined with the lack of anything to grasp and a body recovering from overheating led to some balance issues while getting her socks and shoes on.  She ran out of transition with her bike looking ready to go but a traffic jam at the mount line slowed things for a moment.

Bike
With only 8mi for the bike leg, it didn't seem like this segment would present too much of a challenge and indeed she came in on the faster end of what we projected.  Apparently the course did have some toughness to it, especially considering this is a beginners' event.  Stretches of rough pavement were reported as well as it being a bit hillier than anticipated.  Check out this video where you can see Ang running to T1 at the 0:55 mark and on the bike at the 1:28 mark.

As a side note, while Angelia was out on the bike course Julian and I stood next to Shannon applauding each and every athlete as they came running towards transition from the pool.  The looks on their faces tell so many varying stories.  Shannon is such an enthusiastic volunteer, truly excited for these people and the journey they're beginning.  I appreciated having a moment to share in that.  Very inspiring.

T2
Angelia came flying in towards transition and had no problems with the dismount, unclipping a little early but not excessively so.  This being a rookie event you could see the fear in many as they had both feet unclipped and were slowing heavily a solid 200m from the dismount line.  As for Ang's transition, this one went very well.  The bike was on the rack in a flash, shoes changed, and she grabbed her Rockwall Running Center Race Team shirt to put on while running.

Run
Sponges were being handed out at the exit from transition and Angelia took advantage.  While the athletes clearly appreciated the opportunity to help control their body temps it should be pointed out that the weather that day was awesome!  When it has been triple-digits out recently and you manage to get a whole triathlon in with cloudy skies, minimal direct sunlight, lower wind speeds, and just flat-out great conditions you can't help being thankful, both as a competitor and a spectator.

Ang said the run started off uphill right away and her legs felt like bricks for about a mile and a quarter.  Replaying everything she ever heard from her running coach in her head is what kept her pushing through.  Most popular mantra?  "Suck it up."  Gotta love Coach B.  Eventually the legs did start to open up but she didn't push it opting to hold it steady to the finish.  Angelia came in right on target with a time of 1:06:39 for the event.  Big congrats!  Afterwards she said the run was the hardest segment for her but she's making great progress since the scary episode with the atypical migraine.  It's only a matter of time before her running returns to form and she knocks minutes off these times.  Congratulations to her and all the first-timers that slayed the triathlon dragon that day!

Look, I got a water!!! ..... and some bling too.

Angelia, Julian, and Vicki (another runner from our area that did her first triathlon)

The American Heroes Race

It's been over a week since this race and I'm just now getting the recap posted.  Since then, Angelia and I have done a bike rally and Julian has done another triathlon.  By the time I get all 3 recaps posted, Angelia will be doing her first triathlon.  In other words, this blog is about to get heavy on the recaps.

The American Heroes Race was held on Memorial Day on a course around Texas Rangers Stadium.  Angelia and her running buddy Debbie were set to take on the 10k while Julian and I ran the 5k.  Julian had been doing the most running and expected to run well.  I think I had gotten out for a single 30 minute jog the week prior so I wasn't expecting greatness but felt I'd be fine.  Angelia and Debbie have both been overcoming injuries so their goal was simply to finish, preferably without walking, and in time for the 5k awards ceremony (in case Julian got anything).

Debbie, Angelia, Julian, and me pre-race

The day was hot, humid, and windy but frankly nowhere near as bad as it could've been.  There was a lot of cloud cover so at least the sun wasn't blaring down on us.  Julian and I weren't pre-registered so I headed over to the registration table to get us set up.  One problem .... I had no cash, no checks, and I forgot my ATM card.  Thankfully, Ang's mom swooped in to save the day!  We got our numbers pinned on, timing chips attached, and took the packets to the car (I somehow managed to get a spot literally across the street from the registration table).

The start was set up in 2 waves, one for those being chip-timed and one for those who weren't.  Julian and I got lined up, had a pre-race GU Jet Blackberry, listened to a good rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, watched a Blackhawk fly over, and it was time to race!

The first mile was very crowded but didn't feel congested.  It was like we had all agreed on a pace until things opened up.  It was a "just right" pace where I didn't feel like I was being held up too much and it kept me from taking off too fast.  Julian, as is typical early in a race, hung right with me.

Mile 1: 8:15

I told Julian to go on ahead, that the course was well marked and he has been training more on the run.  Once again he did his typical thing by pulling ahead of me by about a whopping 30ft then settled into the same pace constantly looking over his shoulder for me.

Mile 2: 7:45

The 5k and 10k routes split at this point with the 5k doing a quick turn-around before diverting around the ballpark.  Julian made the turn and I told him, "There's only a mile to go.  Kick it in!"  With that he suddenly darted forward weaving around everyone in his path.  This mile was strong for him and he smartly poured some water over his head at one of the aid stations (I didn't teach him that).  Me?  I maintained pace which was a good thing.

Mile 3: 7:47

The final stretch was all uphill in the wind.  Ugh!  It was also a bit longer than anticipated.  I did however succeed in my usual 5k goal - "to be close enough to see Julian cross the line".  The crowds were excellent with tons of cheering over the last quarter-mile.

Last .3mi: 7:43min/mi pace

Garmin says ..... 3.29mi in 26:00 for an avg pace of 7:55min/mi with a peak pace of 6:31min/mi.

Official results say:
Julian - 25:21.2 - 1/9 Age 9-10
Chris - 26:01.1 - 8/21 Age 35-39

All in all I thought it was a great race for both of us.  Not PR's but right in line with our best previous efforts even with the wind and humidity.  We knew we'd have some time before Ang and Debbie finished their 10k so we did what everyone does after a 5k ...... sit in a Blackhawk.

No, you may not take off.

The organizers began prepping for the awards ceremony and still no sign of the girls.  People migrated from their posts as cheering spectators along the final stretch to the award table.  Suddenly the finish was looking somewhat abandoned.  I hated that Angelia wasn't going to get the roar of the crowd that greeted Julian and I.  Even worse, by this point I knew Julian had won his age group and was worried she was going to miss it.  Remember, her modest goal going into the event was "Finish in time for the award ceremony."  Then ....

There they are!  Easily recognizable from a distance in their matching Rockwall Running Center race shirts.  This was going to be just like the Trinity River Levee Run earlier this year where after her first 10k I gave her a quick congrats and rushed her over to see Julian get his award!  Ang and Debbie crested the final hill holding onto each other basically willing each other to the finish.  It was clear the run had been a struggle but they were still putting one foot in front of the other and were almost there!  With a final surge they crossed the line - tired but happy.  This wasn't how they planned things when they put this race on the calendar but considering all the challenges of the previous month it was a clear victory.

And yes, she got to see Julian get his 1st place award.

Angelia, Julian, and Debbie after the awards ceremony.

After that, it was off to IHOP and then my dad's house where Connor was already having some good ol' Memorial Day fun!

Why swim when you can ride on a grandparent?

Lions Dash 5k

From Tri4SuccessMom .........
I am not a writer and since my husband was not there I get to blog about it so have fun with this.  I ran in the Lions Dash 5k on April 2nd 2011 it was for the Providence Academy here in Rockwall, Texas.  The Rockwall Running Center was hosting the event so I knew it was going to be a challenge.  Why you ask?  Any thing that Coach Barrett runs has lots of hills!  I was told before the start that the course was fairly flat. WOW, did I just hear that right - "fairly flat"?  Yep, but by Coach Barrett’s standards it was flat!  I have been working hard over the last couple of months to get faster - Turtles are fast, right?  So my day was here. Were my legs ready?  Only time would tell.

And they're off!

So the race started and off I went, and as usual, I was left in the dust.  At the first turn there was Lee, one of my fellow racing buddies from the RRC.  He was yelling at me, telling I looked good, and my form was awesome!  I felt good other than the legs felt like lead bricks!  I had my iPod Nano on so I had fast paced music to help keep me going.  Here comes turn two .... people were starting to pass me on the way back.  Boy, they were flying!  Here comes Tiffany from the RRC .... she had one person in front of her so I told her, "You can catch him. Go for it."  Off she went like a cheetah chasing after her prey!  As I continued on, more people were passing me in the opposite direction so I knew I was getting close to the turn around.  Then here comes my running buddy Debbie ..... and there goes my running buddy - she was running strong.  I am so proud of her.  We both started running last July together.  Finally the turn around - was I really the last one?  UGH!  Oh well someone has to be the caboose.  I jokingly said to Ollie and Jenny who were manning the water station, "I am bring up the rear."  So I grabbed some water and headed back.  After a few minutes, I was beginning to lose it or my mind was playing tricks .... there where people behind me!  What, you mean I was not the caboose?!?  YEA me!  I was so excited to see people behind me when all of a sudden, my legs screamed out, "Hey lady who do you think you are - Michael Johnson?"  At that point I realized I had turned back on to Justin Rd and was making a slow climb up!  All I could do was repeat in my head "Come on OLD LADY".  My running buddy Debbie says that to me when I am being sluggish, so she knows she better be ready to sprint if she says it because off I will go!  Once I got to the top of Justin Rd there was Lee yelling for me!  Yea Lee!  I made my final turn and started picking up the pace.  At this point I am really struggling.  My legs are screaming, my mind is saying "slow down", but my HEART will not let me!  That’s right - my HEART told my legs and head to "shut up and get over it."  In the distance I could see Debbie on the side yelling at me.  She had better not be saying, "Come on OLD LADY!"  She wasn’t.  She was yelling sweet things this time.  With the last 180yds to go I give it all my legs have to offer and finished strong.  Yea, it was over!

So I bet you are wondering how my time was?  I had to look at my watch twice.  Could it be I took 5mins of my last 5k in January 2011?  WOW!  I got a high five from Coach Barrett and a hug from Debbie and I was ELATED.  Turtles are fast, right?

Personal Records at the Green Door 5k

First, let's set the stage .....

For Angelia, this 5k would be the graduation run for a Couch-to-5k group out of Rockwall Running Center that she helped coach.  As such, she would be pacing one of the new runners and not racing it for herself.  I should also mention the group contained a few members of the staff from our boys' school.  Here's what Tri4SuccessMom had to say about working with the group:

   

C25K started on January 3rd.  That’s right. In the winter.  Whatever Mother Nature threw at us, we were going to run in it.  After being asked to help coach this amazing group I really had to think about it. Did I have what it took to help other new runners?  I am still just a beginner myself.  I am still working on getting faster.  These are just a few of the things that I thought about before answering.  One thing I know for sure is I love the way I feel when I am running! Plus, if I could just pass on to just one person the love of running as Coach Barrett Hopper from Rockwall Running Center did for me, then I have succeeded.

Angelia and Coach Barrett Hopper
celebrating a successful race.

   

For Julian, we wanted to see what he could do.  Yes, he's run a 26:40 before but we all know he's actually faster than that.  We made it very clear he was to take off on his own and not to hang behind me until the finish line was in sight (much like our bricks and prior 5k).

For me, I had a series of hard cycling intervals the night before.  I really didn't know how my body would respond so there was no pressure.  Also, I had originally planned on doing a 67mi cycling event but scrapped that plan because Connor's 2nd t-ball game was at 11:30am, so I decided to join the family for the run but had no real goal in mind.  Heck, I even rode my bike to the event with my running shoes in my Rudy Project backpack.

When I arrived at the start line I chained the bike up to a tree, changed my shoes, and looked around for Angelia, Julian, and my mother-in-law.  They had pulled out of the driveway at the same time as me but were nowhere to be found.  Did I beat them on my bike?  It's possible but unlikely.  After meandering around for a bit I realized I had forgotten my race bib.  Oops!  A quick call to Angelia confirmed that they had forgotten as well.  I caught her as she was about to leave the house again!  Well, that explains why I couldn't find them.  Eventually we got our act together and it was time for The Green Door 5k to begin!

Julian and I lined up a bit closer to the front and I reminded him he was NOT to run behind me.  An older gentleman asked if he had done one of these before.  I told the man that he had and that he would do it in about 25 minutes.  His response?  "Well then I guess I'll be about 5 minutes behind you."  I laughed and said, "Yeah, me too."

When the horn sounded it was a bit of a jumbled mess as there was a narrow starting chute and a small bridge to cross, but we still took off like a rocket.  I immediately knew I had taken off too fast but figured "whatever, let's see how long we can sustain this."  You see, I didn't really care if I blew up and was toast halfway through --- there was no real goal I would be disappointed by missing.  Instead, I thought the longer I could sustain this pace the more Julian would push himself and we'd finally see what he's really made of.  It definitely tested him as he was behind me the entire first mile.

Mile 1 - 7:20 - AvgHR 173(96%max)
Yikes! Did I mention I usually average 9min/mi on a 5k?

I managed to hold on for another half mile before Julian finally got by me.  He was running as steady as ever and I was slowing drastically.  By the end of the second mile I was at more of a jog than a run.

Mile 2 - 8:56 - AvgHR 180(100%max!!!)

As one would expect after averaging their max heartrate the previous mile, I was basically done.  That's alright, I knew that was likely when I kept pushing early.  After another 4/10ths of a mile I finally stopped and walked for 30 seconds.  I have never walked during any training run or race, but I wasn't throwing in the towel.  I thought if I could just catch my breath and force my heart back into my chest I might be able to cross the finish line respectably.  Also, I knew I would be crossing paths with my wife soon and I didn't want to be walking!  That 30 seconds only dropped my HR by 11bpm but it was worth it.  I took off again at about an 8min/mi pace and even managed to "sprint" finish at a 6:10 pace.

Mile 3 - 8:47 - AvgHR 177(98%max)

Official time - 25:24, a new PR by nearly 3 minutes!

Julian managed a strong finish,
clearly sprinting in the photos,
and came in at 24:17!
He crushed his old PR too!

As usual, not touching the ground.

Wincing in pain as a foot actually
comes in contact with Mother Earth.

No feet on the ground!

We grabbed some refreshments and watched others cross the line (remember, some people from his school were running).  Everyone was really coming in strong, enjoying the downhill finish.  As little as 5 minutes later, members of the C25K group were finishing their races.  One by one they came across.  Soon, Angelia came around the corner in a full sprint with the new runner she was pacing just behind (and well ahead of their target).  Now, Angelia has made some real gains in speed the last few months but hasn't raced a 5k for herself since the Superman 5k.  We'll see what she's got this weekend at the Lion's Dash 5k but for the time being, this technically ended up as a PR for her too!  Yep, you heard me, PR's for all 3 of us.

You may recall from the beginning of this recap that the only reason I did this event was because of a t-ball game.  Well, that meant there wasn't much time to hang around.  I changed my shoes, grabbed my helmet, and it was homeward bound on my bike.  Ideally after a 25 minute effort at 98% max HR you wouldn't ride up a 5% grade into a headwind but that's what happened.  The headwind all the way home meant I was at threshhold when I was just trying to take it easy.  By the time I got home it was literally jump in the shower, put on my baseball jersey, and head to the game (Angelia had picked up Connor from my Dad's house).

Check out those eyes still on the tee!

Full stride into 1st base.

All in all, it was a very successful day.  We all learned a little something about our capabilities and I'm feeling confident my target event (the Fast&Furious Duathlon this Sunday) will go well .... even if I did have to pay for it the next day.

5k PR's for Everyone

The full recap will come in a couple days once I have some pictures, but today was a very fast day for the Tri4Success clan.  Julian and I raced the Green Door 5k while Angelia was pacing a member of the Rockwall Running Center Couch to 5k class she's been helping with (this was their graduation race).  The details will be in the recap but Julian smashed his PR by 2:23 with a 24:17!!!  I smashed my PR by 2:57 with a 25:24!!!  And as a bonus, Angelia even managed a race PR while pacing a new runner to a fabulous first effort!

In other news, I did a series of tough "all out" intervals on the bike yesterday, rode to and from the 5k today, and have a 50+ miler planned for tomorrow when the temps are supposed to inexplicably drop into the 40's after getting sunburned in the 80's the last few days.  Oy.

I'm a Runner (for a week anyway)

Oops!  Has it really been a whole week since the last post?  You'd think with the kids out of town all week there would've been plenty of time to write blog posts.  Instead, work and training carried on as usual while life threw a curve ball at us.  That curve ball resulted in a new car which is only a Yakima roof rack away from being the official Tri4Success event vehicle.  The last week also included a lot of post-duathlon pains and a hilly bike ride with my wife.  The week ahead?  Well, it includes the Trinity River Levee Run which will mark the first time Angelia, Julian, and I have all raced the same running event.

The week in review:

1)  So outside of the car fiasco, this week was all about pain - in the glutes, groin, and hamstrings (the tendons, not the muscles).  During physical therapy for my knees last year it was discovered that I am one super-tight individual.  My IT bands and hamstrings are so tight that I stuck out like a sore thumb even amongst those who were recovering from recent major surgeries.  Masseuses marvel at the fact I'm capable of movement.  The nasty thing about being this way is in the case of injury there's no way to speed the healing process which is typically 2-6 weeks.  Anti-inflammatories can help manage it in the early healing stages but full strength and function simply takes time.  For this week, that meant I was able to stay somewhat active but anything requiring a burst of power was just not in my repertoire.

2)  The kids being away provided a rare opportunity for my wife and I to do some workouts together.  On Wednesday, I joined her at the running track where she's helping a Rockwall Running Center Couch to 5k class.  Essentially I warmed up with them but took off at my own pace for 30 minutes when it was time to run.  So I guess we didn't really run together but we did run at the same place at the same time ..... that's something.  In the process I set a new best over 5k at 28:02, a full 2:16 better than the prior week.

the Rockwall hill route

On Sunday, I had a hill route on my schedule.  This is a 20+ mi route that hits some of the best climbs in Rockwall.  We might not be the hilliest place around but when you get by the lake you can string together some quarter-mile 10% grades to get a solid workout.  Well, as it turns out Angelia had a 2-hr ride on her schedule with the note "make it challenging".  After some talking she was convinced to come along with me and ride the main vein of the route (which still has several really solid climbs) while skipping the back and forth repeats in a couple neighborhoods.  It turned out to be a really good ride.  The wind was at our backs for the 8.5mi warm-up stretch before hill time arrived.  She did a great job on the climbs --- I think better than she expected, but much as I felt that first time, the predominant thought was "no more, please".  It couldn't have hit her too hard though because once we were back on our normal flat roads she got in the drops and pushed the pace.  I knew there was a cyclist hiding in there!

3) Happy Birthday to the youngest member of this team, uh, I mean family.  Connor is 4 years old now and sprouting like a weed.  In fact, he's growing so fast we had to change out some of his gear.  This little surprise is in the garage awaiting his return.  I wonder how long before he'll notice it ..... we're not saying a thing.

The week ahead:

A strange thing about runners versus cyclists --- when a cyclist has ridden over a 100k on a ride, ANY ride, he can say he's done a metric century, when a runner has run 5k it doesn't count unless it was in a race.  Seriously, you can find this discussion on a number of endurance sports forums.  So, since I seem to be running over 5k every time I step out for a training session I thought it was time to make it official.  Angelia was already planning to run the Trinity River Levee Run put on by Dallas Running Club as her first official 10k and now I'm signed up to do the 5k route at the same event.  To round it out for team Tri4Success we signed up Julian as well.  He'll unknowingly serve as my rabbit to chase.

So there you have it, all caught up.  Till next post ......... (in less than a week, I promise)

Taking Over the Gym

Angelia, Julian, and I all hit the treadmills today at Ridgepoint Athletic Club.  I got in a 20 minute jog covering 1.44mi.  Hey, don't judge, it's only my 2nd time running since high school P.E..  Julian was comfortably cruising along next to me.  Angelia, well she had a bit more on her plate today combining runs with plyometrics.  She still managed a smile while on her cool-down jog though.

If you're in the area and haven't checked out Ridgepoint, you should --- even if you already have a gym membership.  Why?  As of today Rockwall Running Center has officially opened for business inside the club. Come by and check them out.  Oh, and see if you can spot the photo of my wife who was part of their first Couch-to-5k program.

Superman 5k

The medal for 1st overall.

On New Year's Day Angelia and Julian hit the ground running.  The event: the Superman 5k, a frigid affair near Caruth Lake in Rockwall and put on by Rockwall Running Center.  This was a unique race in that for the first time we unleashed Julian to run his pace.  We enlisted the help of some grandparents to watch for him at the finish line as I was unsure if I could make it.  Why?  Well, remember that fitness ride I lead out of Rockwall Cycling?  The other leader of that ride, Keith, was running this race with his wife.  That made my first order of business to wait and see if any cyclists were crazy enough to venture out for a ride in freezing temperatures.  None did and I booked it over to the YMCA in my car, parked, and hopped on my bike to find the runners who had started 10 minutes prior.

2010: A Slow-twitch Odyssey (part 2)

Ang, my sister Lesley (Racing It Off),
and her friend Jenn

The last half of 2010 was a true game-changer for Ang and I.  In July, Angelia decided to give running a real try by signing up for a C25K (Couch to 5k) program under the guidance of Coach Barrett from Rockwall Running Center.  The program really pushed her limits and it didn't help that the hip and knee were being unkind despite therapy earlier in the year.  In the end though, she emerged with a whole new group of friends and motivators.  In September the class ran their first 5k, the local Rib Rub 'n Run.  They all had successful runs and a lot of family members were there to cheer her on.  This was a definitely a big step for Angelia towards her long-term triathlon goal.