My one man crew...smile

I was reading over some old posts on my FSQ blog and I ran across one in 2008 where I noticed the Iron Man was in town.  I'm wondering if this was some sort of seed that was planted for my triathlon dreams.  It sure has been a journey for me and my husband, Bob, over the past year.  Since September of 2011, he's gotten up early for me to race all over the country.  What a lucky woman I am.  I wish he was interested in participating with me, but, he's got arthritis in his feet and can't.  In all we've raced 6 triathlons, the last being in NYC which was an Olympic distance triathlon.  All because I watched Sanjay Gupta report about it on TV.  It's funny what motivates us.  This last race was in July 2012.  Since then, I've kidnapped my daughter from Oregon.  Helped her move in with my folks and get her scans which she has needed for over 2 years, but, I can understand the dread of knowing.  She is currently cancer free!!!  Maybe the triathlons were getting me in shape for the ordeal to come.  Because boy it was some kind of ordeal.  I've had to quit being the leader of the best quilt guild in the world, Northeast Quilting Friends.  This was hard to do, but, I was gone from Kentucky too much.  Now we have the best leader for a quilt guild, Linda.  

My one man crew has given so much to our family.  I am a lucky girl, I'll say again.  Now as we look to retirement in the near future, I think he's tired of me racing practically every other weekend.  Because besides the 6 triathlons, I ran 10 foot races, 5K's, 10K's a 15K at the Biltmore estate, and a half marathon, which I would say was the most difficult of all the races for me.  Life really is full of seasons.  I'd like to think I have another season of triathlons to do, but, he's not down with it, so, it's going to have to go on the back burner for a while.  We need to downsize our house and prepare for the future.   

Cliche's and Landsharks, Oh my...smile

What are the goals for the new year?  How can one decide?  I've had so many over the years.  The same cliche's apply, lose weight, eat healthy.  When will it finally click.  I certainly did go on an exercise bonanza, running 14 races, of which 6 were triathlons and one half marathon.  The rest were 10 miles, 10K and a variety of 5k's.  That was a huge boon for me.  I've always been into sports.  Growing up in my small town in Oklahoma, only 85 were in our graduating class.  I went all 12 years at the school, and the last were spent as one of about 10 of us that rotated and played every sport for the school.  Volleyball, softball, track and basketball are all represented on my letter jacket.  

Now what.  Well, first up, I'll be making a T-shirt quilt using the shirts from my races.  I guess they don't expect someone to make that many races, and to be a collector of so many t-shirts.  But, here I am with enough for 2 quilts.  I've come up with a most ingenious way to border my quilt, I'll have to show that later. 

Right now, I'm enjoying hanging out with some pretty neat people I've come to know through my exercising.  There really is a whole community of support out there for people willing to put in the effort to participate.  These folks are the Landsharks.  It's a triathlete club here in Louisville.  I joined so I could do an open water swim for my NYC Olympic distance triathlon, July 8th, 2012.  For a few months I was swimming in a lake in Indiana with them.  They are very accomplished athletes, many being in the top 10 if not top leader of their age group.  But, they take time to encourage and pull me along, sometimes a bit reluctantly.  But, a lot of them are single and it's a bit easier to go out and socialize when you don't have anyone at home that you also enjoy spending time with...smile.

NYC Triathlon

They say that endurance runners are running from something.  Maybe it's old age?  Are we resisting the  years that are sure to bring the layers of life we don't want.  Could it be the layers we've already run up, like stairs to some magic window?  I think a part of me loves my quality time with myself, where I can talk to God or just run and cry and no one knows but me, myself and I.  Maybe I cry because I am happy and in my own way, whether I win a race or not, it's just the fact that I got to the starting line is all that matters. 

 My white Vita Wildcat didn't make the whole race with me.  I had a flat tire on the back of my bike.  Luckily a nice New Yorker felt she couldn't finish the race and loaned me her bike.  It was way too small, but, I finished the race on a hybrid.  I'd done 5 triathlons up to this point on my Specialized Vita Hybrid bike.  I was hoping to finish on it, but, instead, I chose to swap bikes on the road.  

 I love a wet suit!! It makes me so buoyant and really do float somewhat.  But, it's still a workout to swim for .9 miles in the Hudson river in NYC.  You have to dodge a lot of people and try to stay away from the rocks!!

Today I travel from Feasterville, New Jersey to Midtown, Manhattan

This is the beginning. I start to travel into NYC with my husband and my bike. Last night we consolidated our clothes and gear into a semi manageable blue milk crate which holds my transition gear and serves as a chair for changing shoes and easy lift off, and one suitcase. Now I have to remove my Vita Wildcat from the backseat and put the tire on her to make the trek to Manhattan and the athlete hotel, the Hilton. This is a culmination I'd a year long goal. If lost a lot of inches and everyone keeps telling me how good I look. I'm 53 years old and I started training a year ago. I've "competed" in 5 sprint Triathlons, the first in Oldham County and 4 in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Now I'm doing my longest race in NYC. I am so glad I did this. If you want to get in shape and meet some pretty interesting people, start participating in triathlons! There are lots of young people and people that are young at heart. It easy to talk to them, because there is instant conversations all around a sport we enjoy.

I will curse Sanjay Gupta or will be so grateful for him...

Here I am, down to the requisite wire everyone that races might recognize.  Whether tis nobler to think I am an athlete, or think what the hell was I thinking will ultimately end up with me loving the fact that on a fateful day summer 2011, I watched Sanjay Gupta lead a group of regular folk, like me to compete in an Olympic Distance triathlon.  He called these 6 people the Six Pack. These six people were chosen to swim, 1.5 miles in the Hudson River, Bike 28 miles in NYC and run a 10K around Central Park. 

Since September of last year I have been diligently fighting for last place on every triathlon I've competed in.  Well, they weren't all last place.  I did outrun a 14 year old girl one time.  Did I say my husband says I've lost the concept of the word race?  My "race" has evolved into me loving the scenery and stopping to take pictures.  I'm "just a finisher" status takes on new meaning for me.  But, I can't help myself, I just love swimming, biking and running my way behind everyone else.

Life is so good.  Sometimes I don't just pinch myself, I crack myself up when I think of all the times I've had it pretty good.   I better be quiet because I've also lived through those times when it all goes terribly awry...

Triathlete at Last? A 53 Year Old Female...What I Have Learned

Tomorrow is the 4th race in a series of sprint triathlons put on by Head First Performance. It is the 5th triathlon I have competed in. It is the longest distance I will have participated in, so far. Swim: 1/4 mile in an indoor pool; Bike 16 miles on country roads around Shelbyville, Kentucky and Run: a 5K in the Clear Creek Park in Shelbyville, KY. In this area, out of 300 or so racers, there are about 10 of us, women age 50 to 60, still enjoying the thrill of the competition. I have 20 to 30 years and 30 pounds on the majority of the participants in this area's triathlons. But, my gosh it is so much fun. Find something that scares you and run towards it...smile.

Swim: My Craft Triathlon Suit is worn the whole time. Your race not only consists of the 3 stages of a triathlon, swim, bike, run, but there is also the transition times as well. There is no time to change clothes, so the triathlon suit has a small bit of padding built in for the bike.

I get ear infections, so I have ear plugs. I also have to wear goggles, because the chlorine wrecks my eyes. I finally found this style of goggles I like and I bought 3. Under my Triathlon suit, I wear a Pearl Izumi sports bra...no Jiggling...smile. I also wear a swim cap. Swimming is the only thing I can compete in and do relatively well. I think it is those extra pounds that help me stay atop the water, compared to the zero body fat people that will sink and have a bit more difficulty.

Bike:
After I get out of the pool, I grab my towel and put on my slip on shoes to wear to the transition area where I sit on my blue crate and put my 14.00 pair of socks. These socks help wick the moisture from sweat and the pool away. The moisture can cause blisters. I then put on my bike shoes. If I have time I'll use Body Glide to help keep the blisters away. Jelly Belly Sports Beans go in my shirt pocket for added energy.

Setting on my crate, I put on my day glow shirt. I wear a day glow shirt, because a lot of races are done on country roads with no shoulders, so I want to be seen. I also slip on my Sham Wow headband. It makes my helmet fit and keeps the sweat out of my eyes. I then put my gloves on, they are padded in case I fall. Attached to my bike is a Smart Water Bottle in which I add 2 pills called Nuun, which are loaded with electralites. I sweat a lot and they help me stay hydrated. I also like a handkerchief which I tuck in my shirt or hold in my hand. We ride through the country and since starting this adventure, I found that I have exercise induced asthma.

Allergies:

For my asthma, I use an inhaler, Claritin-D. I also like to chew gum when I ride, I think it keeps me from needing as much water. You are at your most vulnerable when you are getting your water bottle out and open. So, the less the better, for me.

Run: The last leg of the triathlon is the most difficult for me. As I said above, I have 30 pounds on most all of my competitors, so in a fair world, they would be carrying extra weight, but, that's not the case, so I am a pretty slow runner, compared to this group.

These shoes I like because the ties are off center. My feet kept going numb and I have a high arch on my feet. I tried these and I like them, so I bought 2 pairs.

After a race I have another bottle of Smart Water on hand, plus coconut water, which both help to replenish my electrolites. I have an extra sweat suit on hand and usually don't take the time to shower, since Bob is waiting on me to go home.

I am lucky my husband wants to go to all my races. I told him I can do it myself, but, he seems to like coming. Tomorrow he will have about 2 hours to kill while I finish this long race, for me. I'll never be an Ironman, but, I sure am enjoying these sprint triathlons and hopefully with a lot more training, I will compete in an Olympic distance race in NYC in July. Swim 1 mile in the Hudson, Bike 28 miles around NYC, and run 6.3 miles in Central Park. Woot!!