Got Your Mojo WORKIN'! group - CLOSED (Page 107)

well, it is done, I need a shower but feel pretty good about my first effort.  Definitely need to spend more time running... I will write a report later.  But I did fall during the first running stage a little after mile 1.  my knee and hip are a bit banged up and i think that effected my race from there on, but I did finish .... 

Hope everyone is having a great day and I will put together a better race report in a while.

Alex

Another rally done! Bike rallies seem nostalgic to e sense that is how I started out back in 1991 I think. It was what I expeccted but the hills weren't as intense as I remember or expected. I think over the years we all have a tendency toward over using hyperbole in our memories.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=250281

I did get a 41 mph descent-that was fun. I think I could have got more but my aero bars and Profile aero bottle dont let me get the same tuck I used to get with my nose on the stem hands in close-when I try that now the straw hits my helmet or glasses. 45+ was possible-I over heard some riders claiming that speed.

I skipped the planned brick run, y back was feeling tight.I saw several riders running when they finished and I saw several IM Jerseys and a few tattoos. IMAZ, TX and KY specifically.

I kept it to myself mostly until last week-didn't want to jinx it

RACE REPORT--
Not exactly sure what the correct way to do this is but here goes...

I got to the venue at 7:45 for packet pickup and to setup and get a lay of the transition area.  Got my packet - #84 then got my area setup only to realize I left my inhaler at home.  It was a cool morning so I wasn't too concerned, if it had been colder I might have really started freaking...

There were a lot of Race day sign ups so I don't know how many participants there ultimately were, more than 109 which is what they had on the final position board.

The race started right on time, 2 miles - I had done that in training so I wasn't too concerned about getting through stage 1. Until around 1.25 miles I fell.  I rolled my left ankle on an uneven section of the pavement.  (not paying attention).  I scrapped up my right knee pretty good and landed on my right hip and shoulder.  got up assessed the damage, another woman was behind me and gave me some water to quickly wash my knee off and then we were off.  It was nice to run with someone (if you can call it running... mostly a slow trot and walk combination).  We got into the transition area and it was really easy to find my bike as there were only 3 bikes left!

Transition was pretty easy only fumbling I did was forget to hit the lap button on my watch.

The bike leg started very good, my knee and hip weren't too sore to start.  about a mile in a woman was walking her bike back toward the transition area, I stopped to see if I could help her, she had a flat but my pump wouldn't fit her tire so I couldn't help and took off again.  
It was a nice flat course with only one short hill at the end.  I passed the 2 people who I entered the transition area with and got a pretty good stroke going.  I didn't get into the large gears until after the turn around, which I probably shouldn't have done since my knee and hip started to tighten up.  But ultimately I passed around 12 people on the bike which was pretty good since I was dead last for awhile.

Transition 2 was a bit more difficult in that my legs were like jell-o after getting off the bike.  AND it was a bit discouraging that I was just finishing the bike and the top people were already finished with the race!!!!

The start of the last leg was pretty shaky, my legs just didn't want to work.  Just did a slow trot for awhile trying to find my legs again, but it just wasn't a good run at all. my right leg was starting to really tighten up so I walked for a while to see if I could loosen it up.  Of the 12 people I passed on the bike 7 of them passed me on the run...  oh well.  I did finish and while I was close to last I wasn't last (though the guy who came in last was very inspirational, just worked really hard and sprinted to the line)

LESSONS LEARNED - I need to run more if I want to get better at this, I have been so focused on swimming and making sure I don't drown that I haven't done enough running.  Also, more brick work, I didn't realize how much my legs would be gone after the bike. DON'T leave my inhaler at home... felt it mostly on the first leg as it was still pretty cool out.

All in all it was a great experience.  I had fun, realized that I could push myself to finish something even when I had a really good excuse to drop out.  
Thanks for everyones support!!!!

Good luck with races today!

Alex 

Wow, 41!  I get scared and start braking at 28 or 29.  you are a brave soul.

The official results were posted... of 113 competitors I was 106 in the final standings.

my first leg was 25m 21s

second leg (including both transition times) 50m 20s

final leg was 28m 46s

for a total of 1h 44m 27s

Sarah - Tell your son Congrats on his first race.  Watching my son do his 1st Duathlon is something I will never forget.  Watching them give their all is priceless and something you will hold in your heart 4-ever.

Alex - Congrats on your race.  And for you to get up and finish the race after falling shows you are one tough cookie.  I agree with Steve on stopping to help the person with the flat.  There are a lot of folks that would not have done that.  The way I look at it is that could have been that persons first race and now their race was over, they did not get to complete it, but you stopped to see if you could help.  Yes I want to do good on my time in races, but Im not a pro making a living off racing so stopping to help someone accomplish the same thing that Im out there, shows you are a human with a big heart.  Congrats and keep up the training and the big heart.

Steve - Yes I joined the local tri group here.  It's called GCAT (Gulf Coast Area Tri).  They are really a bunch of nice folks.  I did the ride on Sunday with 5 of them.

Jeff - Congrats on breaking the 100mile for your run, that is truly a lot of running.

My ride yesterday was a killer and Im still drained from it.  We started at 6am and biked 31 miles to Fairhope to meet the group of riders.  We had a good tailwind the entire way so it was easy.  Once we arrived in Fairhope I went biking to find a gas station to buy some water to fill up my bottles and also take a bathroom break.  Well I did not find a gas station but I did find a store to use the restroom.  By the time I made it back to the group we were about to start.  After about 10 miles I found a gas station and pulled over to buy some ice, water and a snickers bar.  I ate the snicker bar really fast and drank a lot of water, which all that did is give me a stomach ache for several miles.  The head wind was a killer, I think for the 37 miles back we avg about 13mph.  It was like I was biking still.  Total miles 67.87 and time was 4hr 42min.  I guess I like 4hr 42min bcuz that was my time last weekend.

Just got back from my annual girls/horses weekend. We had such a great time and all the horses did so well. I was especially proud of my horse because he was pretty solid on the trail and was the go to horse to help some of our first time riders on the trip get their horses through some of the technical parts of the trails. I treat my riding like my workouts and like to have my horse comfortable and ready for these trips and it paid off. He was happy and fit! Now, I hope I will be after my first race of the season next Saturday!

I took my bike and running shoes with me on the trip. I had to skip one bike ride because of a flat tire. I wasn't confident enough to change it (back tire) because it was my first flat and I didn't want to get into a bind far from the hotel. Then I skipped my Sunday run because I was just tired from the weekend. I always have to work through major guilt when I skip workouts. 

After this next trip (the oly tri in Tempe combined with my daughters college graduation) I'm looking forward to staying home for a while to gear up for my first HIM in July

So much to catch up on here. It seems like everyone has been busy and are gearing up for the season.

Hope you all had a great weekend and happy Monday!

Johanne

Why brake?  Going down at ~30 is not any less painful than going down at 41.  Please don't ask who I know.

David - Sorry to hear about your bud, I kinda know how it is.  I had 2 dogs in the past and they were not healthy, 1 dog took meds daily for seizures that would just pop up, his name was Gizmo because he had a white mohawk (dont know why we named him gizmo because the one that had the mohawk on Gremlins was not name Gizmo, the good one was named it). Anyway he passed away on his own one day when I came home from work.  The other dog we had was Daisy and towards the end she ended up getting spinal Meningitis.  We took her to Auburn University and she was there for about 1 week and we bought her home. She took meds for a month and they told us that 80% of the dogs will pass once they come off the meds and 20% will do ok for a while.  Once she came off the meds in 1 mnth I noticed that she was not doing good.  I wanted to give her a few days before taking her to the vet to have her put to sleep, but she got out of the house somehow and never came back.  I guess she went off to be alone because she was never the one to leave and not come back 20min later.  I'm just thankful that I never had to take them to the vet to get put to sleep, because that has to be one tough thing to do.  It's amazing how those little critters work their way into our hearts.  We so far had 2 dogs and 1 cat pass away.  We now have 2 cats Crystal 2yo and Gia 1yo, we also have a wild and crazy jack russell Bela 2yo.  Your heart will sure heal, but your mind will never forget.  There are times that I will get down when I think about them.

David - as far as the race goes, congrats.

Daniel - I agree, no holds back on the brakes, just go for it.  The max speed I have been to was 33mph and I was trying to pedal to go faster, but I ran out of gears, oh well.  Yes crashing at 31mph or 41mph will not make a difference bcuz its going to hurt like the dickens at either speed. so just go out with the glory.