Photos - Super Run 10K

Photos of my first race...
Here we are before the start of the race. I am 3rd from the left in the bottom row.

The start of the race
Here I am finished with mile 5, only 1.2 more to go.

Here's my proof that I wasn't last!

Action Photos - 1st Oceam Swim

Here are the photos you've been waiting for...

This is the team - I am in the bottom row, 3rd from the right.
Here we are getting into the water for the 1st time. I'm in the back with "ORCA" written down my back. I warned you!

We first practiced floating. I'm on the far right next to Gretchen who's wearing the purple cap.

Here's me swimming next to my coach.

I'm in the green cap with my mentor Gretchen in the purple cap. This was taken from the kayak. I made it!

Action Photos - Carlsbad Brick Workout

These are photos from the brick workout in Carlsbad where we biked 5 miles and ran 1.5 miles 4 times.

1:03 in the Super 10K

Officially finishing in 745 place, I ran 1:03:10 in my first race ever. My goal was to finish in less than 1 hour 15 minutes, so I feel really good about my time. The Super Run started south of the Mission Bay Hilton, around Fiesta Island and back along the bay finishing a bit north of the Hilton. I ran the first 3 miles with teammate Cyndee and we were hitting 10 minute miles pretty consistently. After 3 miles, she ran faster to try to make he projected time and I stayed about 10 minutes per mile. At the end of the race I got a snazzy new t-shirt. And yes, there will be pictures!

Waves!

Too bad I'm not a surfer. The waves for my 2nd ocean swim were perfect for the guys pictured here. I practiced diving under them for a while, but never got out far enough to actually swim. My goggles got knocked around a couple of times, so I switched to bigger goggles so the salt water would stay out of my eyes. It was a rough day for swimming...

I am an Ocean Swimmer

Well, I did it! I swam in the ocean. It didn't start so well. As soon as I left my house I started to get really nervous. When do I put on my wetsuit? Before I meet the group or after I get there? What if I can't touch the bottom? What if there are fish? What if the waves are huge? What if I look stupid? What if I swallow ocean water? Will the salt water burn my nose? What if my goggles leak? By the time I got to the ocean and found a parking space I was a wreck! I thought, I'll just watch today and I'll swim next time. I can't do this.

As I drove into the parking lot, I saw another teammate and she was carrying her wetsuit. So that's what I decided to do. As I talked with some other teammates I found out that many of them were really nervous too. Many of them hadn't ever worn a wetsuit or swam in the ocean either. We got a brief pep talk from coach and then it was time to suit up. I was happy to see that everyone has the same issues putting on a wetsuit (a friend told me that, but I wasn't convinced until I witnessed 40 people tugging, pulling and wiggling into their suits). In fact, one teammate put her leg through the arm hole and needed assistance to get it out. At least I didn't do that!

Once suited up we took a group photo. I'll post it as soon as get it. Then it was time to get into the water. We walked in and had to open up the neck of the wetsuit to get water in (it was 58 degrees) which then warms up and keeps you warm. After the initial shock of the cold water wore off we floated on our backs. It's true - the combination of wetsuits and salt water really do make you float. The we got out of the water. So far so good.

Next, we watched our mentors demonstrate how to dolphin into the ocean. They basically dove under the waves (which luckily were minimal) on their way into the water. They then swam to another coach who was sitting in a kayak not too far off shore and came back. My turn! I mostly walked out to waist high water and then dove in 1-2 times. I kind of doggy paddled until I couldn't touch the bottom any more and then headed back to shore. I was no where near the kayak. My mentor, who is fabulous by the way, was next to me the entire time. Once everyone was back, it was time to try again. This time I went out until I couldn't touch the bottom and floated on my back a bit and then swam back to shore. Coach says it's time to do it again. By this time, I'm getting cold and I'm feeling like a mile in the ocean is almost impossible, so I really don't want to go out again. But my mentor suggests going out an practicing my floating. So, I go again. This time I dolphin a bit more and swim a few a few stroked past not being able to touch. Then my mentor and I floated a bit and she told me about how the course is in Hawaii. We weren't that far from the kayak, so we swam for it. I'm glad I did because the coach had a camera and took my picture swimming in the ocean so I have proof! Then we swam back to shore. As I was getting out of the water (the entire team is now done and watching from the shore) my coach asks what my left arm is doing and says to go back in and try again. I have to go back out to waist deep water and swim to shore so he can get a better look. He tells me what I'm doing and has me practice swimming parallel to shore, again with the whole team watching. Ugh! Then it was time to remove the wetsuits. This is even more entertaining than putting them on, because people fall over when taking them off. My hands were so numb I had trouble getting a good grip on the suit, but got it off just fine and remained upright.

So, I still don't see a day in the future where I will call you and say, "Hey, let's go swim in the ocean. That's how I really want to spend my day." But I did much better than I thought I would do and did something today that I have never done before. I am really thankful for the support I got from several teammates and my mentor. I couldn't have done it without them. The entire time I was in the water, there were children in nothing but bathing suits swimming further than me with big smiles on their faces. I guess my big accomplishment is nothing an 8 year old can't do! Maybe I'll tackle tying my shoes next week :)

Week 10 Bike - 5 mile bike + 1.2 mile run x 4

Yesterday was my 3rd brick workout where a bike and run workout are combined. We rode 5 miles in Carlsbad to a transition spot. Then we got off the bikes, ran a circular 1.2 miles back to the bike, got back on the bike and repeated the whole thing 4 times. Our previous bike rides have been pretty easy routes to navigate as they've all been on one or two roads. This route was through a residential area with a good amount of turns. The first time out on the bike was with the whole team. By the time the first bike route and run were finished, we were pretty well spread out, so I started out on the 2nd bike route by myself. I remembered most of the route, but at one point wasn't sure whether to go right or left. I chose to go right. After about a minute I was at the top of a hill with the very best riders coming up the hill towards me. Shoot! I had made a wrong turn and shaved at least 1.5 miles off the route. So I was now at the very front of the team with the really hard core bikers. It ended up being a good thing (besides the time and effort my shortcut saved) because I rode much faster than I usually dare in trying to keep up with them. I'm usually with the beginner group at the back of the pack and haven't really pushed myself (or wanted to) to see how fast and how hard I could ride. A few other people got lost too, but they weren't as fortunate to find a shortcut like me. My 3rd and 4th bike rides were on the correct route and since I had ridden half of it with the real bikers, my rides were the best yet. The runs were fine and overall I finished with the first half of the team, which was a new experience :) Some of it was due to the shortcut on the 2nd ride, but I think more of it was the confidence on the bike on my 3rd and 4th rides.

I signed up to run in the Super Run 10k on January 31. The whole team is racing, so we can get real race experience. It's at Mission Bay, so if you'll be in the area, come to cheer us on!

And yes, this afternoon is the first ocean swim. I heard the waves are 8-10 feet today. Fabulous! I figured I better get this blog entry done before the swim, just in case...

Swimming Lessons

It had to be done. I started private swimming lessons this week. This will put me in the pool two times a week for the lessons, once a week for my coached session and once a week in the ocean. If I can't swim after 3 months of this schedule, then I give up! My instructor is going to teach me to breathe on both sides so I can see where I'm going in an open water swim. That sounds pretty ambitious to me, but it's worth a try.

Tomorrow is another bike + run workout and Sunday is the first ocean swim!

Week 9 Bike - 12 mi bike + 3 mi run + 12 mi bike

Today I finished the hardest workout I've ever done. We started at Lomas Santa Fe by the ocean and rode through Rancho Santa Fe to Lake Hodges. It was pretty scary in some spots as the road is curvy with no bike lane. It wasn't a bad ride until I rounded a corner about 9-10 miles in and saw a humongous hill in front of me. It brought back memories of my terror ride a few weeks ago. Going uphill I just kept counting pedal rotations - 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 - I must have counted to a million before I got to the top of the hill. We turned a bit past the dam into a park at Lake Hodges and after a brief water and bathroom break started out on the 3 mile trail run. The run was uneven with lots of hills and rocks. And it was warm today - I stripped off just about every layer I had on during the run. Thankfully I had put on a tank top under my shirt for added warmth from the wind, so I could strip down to that. Most of the team were down to their sports bras (the women, I mean). Even thought I was one of the last bikers in, I was not the last runner out, so I felt pretty good about that. After finishing the run, I took a break for peanut butter crackers, a Power Bar gel and lots of water. Then, it was time to get dressed and start back another 12 miles on the bike. Even though the hill down was really steep, I didn't have to repeat my "I will not die" mantra. I did say "Oh my God" a few times, but that was about it. The hills that didn't seem so bad on the way out, were killers on the way back! And I am definitely feeling the workout already.

After the run, my coach asked how I was feeling. I said that I thought the triathlon was going to be harder than I had realized (with a smile of course). He gave me a hug and said that this ride and this run are harder than anything on the triathlon course. He added that by the time he's done with me that the triathlon will seem like cake. We'll see...

So after the 3 1/2 hours workout today I am definitely feeling better on my bike. I also am getting to know my teammates better and starting to feel part of a team. Thursday is the re-commitment date - by then I need to sign a paper that says that I am committed to this program and my fundraising. I think I'm going to sign it :)

Super Bowl Squares Fundraiser

I posted the link for my Super Bowl Squares fundraiser on the left. To play, you'll need to enter the username "TNT" and password "monkey". Squares cost $20 each with 50% of the money going to my Team In Training account for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The other 50% goes into the winnings, where you can win up to $1000! Good luck!

My 1st Wetsuit

I know what you're thinking - how can someone who grew up in San Diego have never owned a wetsuit? Well, I'm one of those people who likes to look at the ocean, but not go in. There's all that seaweed and fish and sharks... and cold water. It's not for me. But, in 11 days I'll be swimming in the ocean. So I bought my first wetsuit. And lucky for me it says "Orca" right across the chest. Why don't they just write "Shamu" across the ass? Geez! It also has the Team In Training logo on the front so if my body's found floating in Mexico they'll know who to blame :) Just kidding - humor makes the fear go away!

Week 9 Run

Our run workout tonight was back on the track (we've been running sand intervals for the past 2 weeks). We ran 400 meters at a time (1 lap) at different speeds. We started at our training pace and then shaved 10% off our time for the next 4 intervals. I feel pretty good about my times - my fastest lap was 1:44. Too bad I can't keep that pace for more than one lap. Next week's run is a 2 mile time trial. Thanks for your support!