I thought I found the answer to my "how will I be able to swim in a lake without a wetsuit" dilemma: the speedsuit/speedskin/swimskin. It is a sleeveless knee-length suit, that reduces drag (like that will matter for me) and provides a little buoyancy (YAY!) and is legal when wetsuits are not.
However, I'm finding a lot of somewhat contradictory and confusing information on various websites. In 2010, the World Triathlon Commission, who owns the Ironman brand and oversees Ironman branded races, banned speedsuits. However, USAT has a long list of suits that are allowed.
I want to try one. Yet one more somewhat pricy thing to buy in the pursuit of this hobby. I know that the best answer is to just get to the point where I am comfortable enough in the water to not "need" a wetsuit. Easier said than done. However, this suit might be just enough to ease my mind for the longer swims. It might help me ease into a comfort level in the water, the way Nicorette steps people off smoking.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Topeka Tinman coming
Topeka Tinman is coming up this Saturday. Because I was out of town the weekend of the Kansas City Triathlon, this will be my inaugural triathlon. I had another moment at the swim on Tuesday, which shook up my confidence again. It wasn't really a big deal, but I didn't warm up and ended up in the middle of the buoys, out of breath again. Thursday, I went back out to the lake with some trepidation. After a good talk with myself, I swathed myself in my wetsuit despite the 90+ degree weather and headed back out to the water.
This time, I took my time and was soon swimming laps with the rest, feeling so much more comfortable that I again felt a bit of enjoyment. Two strokes forward, one stroke back. Thursday was a two strokes forward night. I feel more confident and perhaps I can do Topeka. I looked at the website today and it listed the short course as only 400 meters instead of 500 as it had been earlier. I can do 400 meters!
My only concern is that it may too warm to wear the wetsuit. I'm not sure what I will do if that's the case. If the water temp is under 80 degrees, I can still use the suit, but not be eligible for any age group awards. I may try swimming this week without the suit...but, I may also just forfeit the age group awards, too. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how the open water swims go this week.
Kansas 70.3 was held today. My friend, Karen and I volunteered. The downside was that we were there at 4:00 a.m. this morning. The upside was that we held the markers. Body marking. Woo hoo! :)
My friend and training buddy, Bea, competed today and did so well! again, I'm so thrilled for her and a little jealous, too. But, I know how anxious she was in the days up to the race, so her success has given me another boost that maybe, just maybe, I'll accomplish it this year, too.
The gals and I drove over to Kill Creek Park and rode the Olathe Women's Triathlon course. I had heard that it was really hilly, but it turned out to be a nice course. It's very pretty and pastoral out there, even though it was halfway to Lawrence. The route was only 10 miles, so by the time the fourth loop rolled around, I was getting a little tired of it.
Now, to bed. Need to get up early tomorrow to...swim, of course!
This time, I took my time and was soon swimming laps with the rest, feeling so much more comfortable that I again felt a bit of enjoyment. Two strokes forward, one stroke back. Thursday was a two strokes forward night. I feel more confident and perhaps I can do Topeka. I looked at the website today and it listed the short course as only 400 meters instead of 500 as it had been earlier. I can do 400 meters!
My only concern is that it may too warm to wear the wetsuit. I'm not sure what I will do if that's the case. If the water temp is under 80 degrees, I can still use the suit, but not be eligible for any age group awards. I may try swimming this week without the suit...but, I may also just forfeit the age group awards, too. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how the open water swims go this week.
Kansas 70.3 was held today. My friend, Karen and I volunteered. The downside was that we were there at 4:00 a.m. this morning. The upside was that we held the markers. Body marking. Woo hoo! :)
My friend and training buddy, Bea, competed today and did so well! again, I'm so thrilled for her and a little jealous, too. But, I know how anxious she was in the days up to the race, so her success has given me another boost that maybe, just maybe, I'll accomplish it this year, too.
The gals and I drove over to Kill Creek Park and rode the Olathe Women's Triathlon course. I had heard that it was really hilly, but it turned out to be a nice course. It's very pretty and pastoral out there, even though it was halfway to Lawrence. The route was only 10 miles, so by the time the fourth loop rolled around, I was getting a little tired of it.
Now, to bed. Need to get up early tomorrow to...swim, of course!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Normal?
Since I've been involved with EMG and the Red Ladies, I've had to redefine "normal." It isn't normal to jump in a lake in wind chills of 39. It isn't normal to say, "Oh, the water doesn't feel too bad! At 67 degrees, it's much warmer than the air."
It isn't normal to spend anywhere from 8-12 hours a week doing training activities.
It isn't normal to ride a bike for two hours, then jump into your running shoes for a short "brick." Then, do an hour and a half run the next day.
The list goes on.
I keep telling myself that there are worse ways to spend my time and money. But, I can't help but wonder if there are even better ways than this. This is such a self-absorbed hobby. All my spare time goes to training. There's no philantropic activities, barely time to see my friends outside of my training circle. It fills up my time so completely, that days, weeks, months just fly by without my taking notice. Do I really want to pass through my life so quickly without a moment to stop and ponder; stop and appreciate the moment? Or, is it constantly trying to cheat the day by squeezing yet one more activity into it.
This YouTube encapsulates it perfectly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B03dFMG8nR4
It isn't normal to spend anywhere from 8-12 hours a week doing training activities.
It isn't normal to ride a bike for two hours, then jump into your running shoes for a short "brick." Then, do an hour and a half run the next day.
The list goes on.
I keep telling myself that there are worse ways to spend my time and money. But, I can't help but wonder if there are even better ways than this. This is such a self-absorbed hobby. All my spare time goes to training. There's no philantropic activities, barely time to see my friends outside of my training circle. It fills up my time so completely, that days, weeks, months just fly by without my taking notice. Do I really want to pass through my life so quickly without a moment to stop and ponder; stop and appreciate the moment? Or, is it constantly trying to cheat the day by squeezing yet one more activity into it.
This YouTube encapsulates it perfectly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B03dFMG8nR4
Progress?
I'm relieved to report that my second foray into open water swimming met with much better success. It was a beautiful evening at Shawnee Mission Park, the first night the swimming beach was open to us. In spite of all the rain we'd had up to that evening, the last couple of days prior had warmed the water up considerably. Regardless, I was still clad in my wetsuit. No way was I going to give up my security blanket yet.
The loop around the three buoys is about 250 yards, but it looked more like two miles. I tentatively swam the 50 yards to the first buoy and back to shallow water. I swam the length of the swimming area and back. Then repeated that sequence. After a few times, I took the plunge so to speak and made my first loop around the buoys.
Spotting (the process of getting your bearing and ensuring you are headed in the right direction) was harder than I expected. The buoys were not very big and the evening glare on the water rendered them almost invisible. Of course, being one of the most directionally challenged people on earth, I was going wide of the mark. But, I corrected and put my head down and advanced, stroke by stroke. Before I knew it, I had made it to the first one. Turning was a little tricky and seemed to take more energy than it should, but I awkwardly made the turn and headed to the next one. Suddenly, I had completed the lap. I did a happy dance in my mind and swam to shallow water once again. I finally did this two more times, and even felt a moment of pleasure in the water. Hey, maybe I can do this!
It was coincidental that I had gone to a doctor's appointment just prior to the swim and read an article about mantras. The author was getting ready to do a rowing event that she was nervous about, so she starting chanting to herself "Go chappy, chappy go." She found that it relaxed her and freed her mind of negative thoughts. Further research revealed that repeating a phrase such as that actually focuses one's thoughts, releasing fears and stimulating pleasure centers in the brain. So, I also tried incorporating that into my evenings, stating "I can do this" over and over. I wondered if it helped more when you could actually say the words aloud, but I had to settle for the mental version. The jury is still out on whether it helped or not.
I still don't feel super confident and can't imagine not having the wetsuit, but I'd accomplished more than I ever had before. The weather has turned beastly hot and now I fear that I will not be able to use my it at Topeka Tinman, my first tri of the season. Yikes. Luckily, it is a short swim. So, my plan is to swim again on Tuesday with the wetsuit, and depending on my progress, possibly go wetsuitless on Thursday. We shall see.
Last Saturday was an EMG group ride, where I did 42 miles--now my second longest ride ever. It's hard to comprehend that a mere 8 days ago, the weather was a little chilly and we were debating wearing a jacket or long pants on the ride. Yesterday, was Hospital Hill, where it was 80 degrees at 7:00 a.m. when the race started. It was a brutal, humid day. I thought several times, I wasn't going to make it, and it took every ounce of willpower I possessed to not turn at the 10K turnaround, but I persevered. The experience of 56 marathons saw me through this one, and I even finished in 2:01...my first Hospital Hill that wasn't under two hours. Considering the day, I was satisfied with it.
Had another hot workout today--35 miles around Longview Lake plus a 20-minute run. Ugh!
I still wonder at times why I'm doing this. I often wake up early in the mornings worrying about whether or not I'll be able to do the swim, dreading the thought of running a half marathon after riding 3+ hours. The training is starting to feel like drudgery. A 9-hour week of workouts is followed by a 10-hour week, Is it worth all the time and money? I suppose, in for a penny, in for a pound. While I have been known to quit things, this is one thing I don't feel like I can quit. Whether or not I continue after this year, seems doubtful right now.
But, that's something to worry about another day. I've got plenty of other things to worry about now.
The loop around the three buoys is about 250 yards, but it looked more like two miles. I tentatively swam the 50 yards to the first buoy and back to shallow water. I swam the length of the swimming area and back. Then repeated that sequence. After a few times, I took the plunge so to speak and made my first loop around the buoys.
Spotting (the process of getting your bearing and ensuring you are headed in the right direction) was harder than I expected. The buoys were not very big and the evening glare on the water rendered them almost invisible. Of course, being one of the most directionally challenged people on earth, I was going wide of the mark. But, I corrected and put my head down and advanced, stroke by stroke. Before I knew it, I had made it to the first one. Turning was a little tricky and seemed to take more energy than it should, but I awkwardly made the turn and headed to the next one. Suddenly, I had completed the lap. I did a happy dance in my mind and swam to shallow water once again. I finally did this two more times, and even felt a moment of pleasure in the water. Hey, maybe I can do this!
It was coincidental that I had gone to a doctor's appointment just prior to the swim and read an article about mantras. The author was getting ready to do a rowing event that she was nervous about, so she starting chanting to herself "Go chappy, chappy go." She found that it relaxed her and freed her mind of negative thoughts. Further research revealed that repeating a phrase such as that actually focuses one's thoughts, releasing fears and stimulating pleasure centers in the brain. So, I also tried incorporating that into my evenings, stating "I can do this" over and over. I wondered if it helped more when you could actually say the words aloud, but I had to settle for the mental version. The jury is still out on whether it helped or not.
I still don't feel super confident and can't imagine not having the wetsuit, but I'd accomplished more than I ever had before. The weather has turned beastly hot and now I fear that I will not be able to use my it at Topeka Tinman, my first tri of the season. Yikes. Luckily, it is a short swim. So, my plan is to swim again on Tuesday with the wetsuit, and depending on my progress, possibly go wetsuitless on Thursday. We shall see.
Last Saturday was an EMG group ride, where I did 42 miles--now my second longest ride ever. It's hard to comprehend that a mere 8 days ago, the weather was a little chilly and we were debating wearing a jacket or long pants on the ride. Yesterday, was Hospital Hill, where it was 80 degrees at 7:00 a.m. when the race started. It was a brutal, humid day. I thought several times, I wasn't going to make it, and it took every ounce of willpower I possessed to not turn at the 10K turnaround, but I persevered. The experience of 56 marathons saw me through this one, and I even finished in 2:01...my first Hospital Hill that wasn't under two hours. Considering the day, I was satisfied with it.
Had another hot workout today--35 miles around Longview Lake plus a 20-minute run. Ugh!
I still wonder at times why I'm doing this. I often wake up early in the mornings worrying about whether or not I'll be able to do the swim, dreading the thought of running a half marathon after riding 3+ hours. The training is starting to feel like drudgery. A 9-hour week of workouts is followed by a 10-hour week, Is it worth all the time and money? I suppose, in for a penny, in for a pound. While I have been known to quit things, this is one thing I don't feel like I can quit. Whether or not I continue after this year, seems doubtful right now.
But, that's something to worry about another day. I've got plenty of other things to worry about now.
Monday, May 30, 2011
May 30
Eek! The end of May fast approaches. I had a brief reprieve from training last weekend when I went to NYC for a few days. I also very conveniently missed the KC Triathlon. I didn't intend to schedule the trip the same weekend, but it turns out it was just as well, since I would not have mentally been ready for the swim. Now, Topeka Tinman looms on the horizon like a huge monster... And, the what ifs are already starting up. What if I'm still not ready for the swim? What if I think I can manage the swim with my wetsuit, but the event isn't wetsuit legal? Having to do the swim without my neoprene security blanket is going to be like resetting the clock all over again. Okay, okay...one hurdle at a time.
In my guilt over not participating at the KC Tri, I did enter a 5K in New York. It was the NYPD Memorial 5K which honors the fallen heros among New York's Finest. It was run on the West Side Highway very close to Ground Zero. Perfect weather on a perfect, flat course. I ran it hard, but not all out (as I am wont to do) and because it was a fast course, I still ran a 24:44, a few seconds faster than the 5K I did over Easter weekend. I thought I might place in my age group, as I had checked out the results from the previous year and saw that the 3rd place did a 26 minute race. However, I ended up 7th...the first place finisher in my age group was a 46-year-old who did an 18:40. Seriously?!?
I resumed my workouts when I got back, sort of. My job has gotten really busy and so squeezing in doubles have not been working. So, the stress of my job as well of the stress of missing workouts was starting to get to me. However, I did get to test out my new bike fit on a couple of rides--a 25-mile ride at the downtown airport and a 42-mile EMG group ride. I was very happy that my back did not bother me on either ride and my feet didn't go numb! So, it looks like the fit is going to be well worth the money.
The 42-miler is now my second longest ride, ever. My average speed wasn't that great, but I did get tired the last 5 or so miles.
Today I did my long run that I should have done yesterday by running to Loose Park, doing the Amy Thompson Run to Daylight 8K and then running home. My legs felt like lead the entire run to the park and two miles into the race. They finally loosened up a little after that. It's a little frustrating that I never feel rested or fresh for any of the races I've done this year, but I suppose we aren't training to specifically for road races. Hospital Hill is coming up Saturday and I am going to take a couple of rest days so that my legs aren't completely trashed. That could be a long and arduous day.
Tomorrow, I get back in the lake. Fingers crossed on how that goes...
In my guilt over not participating at the KC Tri, I did enter a 5K in New York. It was the NYPD Memorial 5K which honors the fallen heros among New York's Finest. It was run on the West Side Highway very close to Ground Zero. Perfect weather on a perfect, flat course. I ran it hard, but not all out (as I am wont to do) and because it was a fast course, I still ran a 24:44, a few seconds faster than the 5K I did over Easter weekend. I thought I might place in my age group, as I had checked out the results from the previous year and saw that the 3rd place did a 26 minute race. However, I ended up 7th...the first place finisher in my age group was a 46-year-old who did an 18:40. Seriously?!?
I resumed my workouts when I got back, sort of. My job has gotten really busy and so squeezing in doubles have not been working. So, the stress of my job as well of the stress of missing workouts was starting to get to me. However, I did get to test out my new bike fit on a couple of rides--a 25-mile ride at the downtown airport and a 42-mile EMG group ride. I was very happy that my back did not bother me on either ride and my feet didn't go numb! So, it looks like the fit is going to be well worth the money.
The 42-miler is now my second longest ride, ever. My average speed wasn't that great, but I did get tired the last 5 or so miles.
Today I did my long run that I should have done yesterday by running to Loose Park, doing the Amy Thompson Run to Daylight 8K and then running home. My legs felt like lead the entire run to the park and two miles into the race. They finally loosened up a little after that. It's a little frustrating that I never feel rested or fresh for any of the races I've done this year, but I suppose we aren't training to specifically for road races. Hospital Hill is coming up Saturday and I am going to take a couple of rest days so that my legs aren't completely trashed. That could be a long and arduous day.
Tomorrow, I get back in the lake. Fingers crossed on how that goes...
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Doubts
In spite of knowing better, I continue to worry about whether I will be able to do the swim--whether it be 1.2 miles in a half Ironman or 500 meters in a sprint. Intellectually, I know that I just need to take baby steps; emotionally, the idea of swimming in a lake makes my stomach hurt.
I mentioned to the club coaches that I had my doubts about my ability to overcome the fear. Of the four I sent it to, only one commented and his response was "Nothing's impossible Tami. My favorite quote is whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. I seriously believe this is true and strive to live it...for me it is the catalyst to turn my dreams into goals and my goals into reality. All you need is a little hope and you can overcome anything, No matter how impossible something may seem."
Maybe it's just because I'm getting crochety in my advanced years, but I felt this response to be a little glib. On the one hand, I agree wholeheartedly that choosing to believe it isn't possible is the same as making it true. However, on the other, it's just rhetoric. I need something a little more actionable than "hope" to get beyond the irrational stuff speaking in my ear. It's like telling someone you can run a marathon in four months if only you believe you can. Yes, believing is key. But, there are also a few other steps required to get one from the start line to the finish.
My issues with swimming run deep. As a child, I had a couple of close calls in the water (I'm sure I wasn't anywhere close to really drowning, but I can still remember the terror I felt at the time, even forty years later). My oldest brother drowned in a lake on my 23rd birthday, and he knew how to swim!
I honestly don't consciously associate those things when I swim, but I'm sure they are rattling around in the recesses of my mind. This became apparent when one of my training buddies asked me WHAT was I really afraid of? The simple answer is ... drowning. I don't have enough confidence that I am a good enough swimmer that I could save myself. And, that's the place I need to get. I just don't know how.
These people are my coaches, who have self-professed to have all the initials behind their names that say they know what they are talking about when it come to training for a triathlon. I just "hope" they give me more tools to use than just "hope."
I mentioned to the club coaches that I had my doubts about my ability to overcome the fear. Of the four I sent it to, only one commented and his response was "Nothing's impossible Tami. My favorite quote is whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. I seriously believe this is true and strive to live it...for me it is the catalyst to turn my dreams into goals and my goals into reality. All you need is a little hope and you can overcome anything, No matter how impossible something may seem."
Maybe it's just because I'm getting crochety in my advanced years, but I felt this response to be a little glib. On the one hand, I agree wholeheartedly that choosing to believe it isn't possible is the same as making it true. However, on the other, it's just rhetoric. I need something a little more actionable than "hope" to get beyond the irrational stuff speaking in my ear. It's like telling someone you can run a marathon in four months if only you believe you can. Yes, believing is key. But, there are also a few other steps required to get one from the start line to the finish.
My issues with swimming run deep. As a child, I had a couple of close calls in the water (I'm sure I wasn't anywhere close to really drowning, but I can still remember the terror I felt at the time, even forty years later). My oldest brother drowned in a lake on my 23rd birthday, and he knew how to swim!
I honestly don't consciously associate those things when I swim, but I'm sure they are rattling around in the recesses of my mind. This became apparent when one of my training buddies asked me WHAT was I really afraid of? The simple answer is ... drowning. I don't have enough confidence that I am a good enough swimmer that I could save myself. And, that's the place I need to get. I just don't know how.
These people are my coaches, who have self-professed to have all the initials behind their names that say they know what they are talking about when it come to training for a triathlon. I just "hope" they give me more tools to use than just "hope."
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Halfway to the Half Ironman
Training has been ongoing officially since February 1st. It's been an interesting journey so far. My mental state has been on a roller coaster, taking my confidence along for the ride. However, my ups and downs have been mostly restricted to my performance in relation to the everyone else in my group (am I the slowest swimmer, biker, runner?), like that even matters. But, as Paula Porizova said in her blog "No one ages as badly as a beautiful woman" (or something to that effect) I'm finding that the desertion of all my running speed has given my ego quite a beating. Running was the only part of triathlon that I had any competency and I don't even have my running chops anymore. Wah.
I have been training more for this than for anything else I've ever attempted. Swimming, running, biking. 8, 9, 10-hours a week. One would think that I would have wasted down to nothing with that much exercise, but to quote Bea, my friend and fellow Red Lady, I'm wondering when my six-pack abs are going to start to show. Maybe they are in there somewhere, under that stubborn layer of fat.
This weekend I attended EMG's Kansas 70.3 training camp and the magnitude of what I have signed up for has started to hit me. We did an open water swim yesterday morning (the air temperature was 39 and the water temp, 67), and I freaked out again.
Even though I have done a little bit of open water swimming, the opacity of the water threw me off, plus the cold water kept me from being able to get any rhythm. I couldn't catch my breath. The more I tried to relax, the worse my gasping became. Lucky for me, a fellow camper assisted me back to shallower water. I spent the rest of the time practicing in the designated swimming area, but my confidence was blown. Liz, the Red Ladies coach, asked me if I had had a panic attack. I wouldn't have called it that, as I didn't really feel afraid when it all started happening. However, the more I gasped, the more tired I got. If Steve hadn't helped me, I would have gotten scared.
Overcoming a lifetime of being afraid of deep water seems impossible right now. Just thinking about what happened yesterday is making my chest tight and causing me to gasp a bit. I know a lot of people in the club have had this issue and have gotten past it to do a full IM distance, so it can be done. I'm just not sure what I need to do to make it happen. For now, I just have to keep plugging along to plan, but I'm still worried.
The second sanity check came later that day when we did our bike segment. I was going to ride about 40 miles. But, once we got started, I decided to ride with Bea as she did the whole course. The furthest I had ever ridden before was about 35-40 miles. The Kansas 70.3 course was nice. Challenging with some good hills, but not as gross as riding around Shawnee Mission Park. It was really windy, which made the ride more difficult that it might have been, But, it was long, and it seemed that we couldn't get out of the wind, no matter which way we turned. We finished the ride, but the idea of running 13.1 miles off the bike almost made me cry!
So, between the unsuccessful swim attempt and the misery I experienced toward the end of the my ride were a harsh reckoning of exactly what I signed up for.
Four months to Redman. It doesn't seem long enough.
I have been training more for this than for anything else I've ever attempted. Swimming, running, biking. 8, 9, 10-hours a week. One would think that I would have wasted down to nothing with that much exercise, but to quote Bea, my friend and fellow Red Lady, I'm wondering when my six-pack abs are going to start to show. Maybe they are in there somewhere, under that stubborn layer of fat.
This weekend I attended EMG's Kansas 70.3 training camp and the magnitude of what I have signed up for has started to hit me. We did an open water swim yesterday morning (the air temperature was 39 and the water temp, 67), and I freaked out again.
Even though I have done a little bit of open water swimming, the opacity of the water threw me off, plus the cold water kept me from being able to get any rhythm. I couldn't catch my breath. The more I tried to relax, the worse my gasping became. Lucky for me, a fellow camper assisted me back to shallower water. I spent the rest of the time practicing in the designated swimming area, but my confidence was blown. Liz, the Red Ladies coach, asked me if I had had a panic attack. I wouldn't have called it that, as I didn't really feel afraid when it all started happening. However, the more I gasped, the more tired I got. If Steve hadn't helped me, I would have gotten scared.
Overcoming a lifetime of being afraid of deep water seems impossible right now. Just thinking about what happened yesterday is making my chest tight and causing me to gasp a bit. I know a lot of people in the club have had this issue and have gotten past it to do a full IM distance, so it can be done. I'm just not sure what I need to do to make it happen. For now, I just have to keep plugging along to plan, but I'm still worried.
The second sanity check came later that day when we did our bike segment. I was going to ride about 40 miles. But, once we got started, I decided to ride with Bea as she did the whole course. The furthest I had ever ridden before was about 35-40 miles. The Kansas 70.3 course was nice. Challenging with some good hills, but not as gross as riding around Shawnee Mission Park. It was really windy, which made the ride more difficult that it might have been, But, it was long, and it seemed that we couldn't get out of the wind, no matter which way we turned. We finished the ride, but the idea of running 13.1 miles off the bike almost made me cry!
So, between the unsuccessful swim attempt and the misery I experienced toward the end of the my ride were a harsh reckoning of exactly what I signed up for.
Four months to Redman. It doesn't seem long enough.
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