Prof40's Group -- Technically full but ... (Page 55)

Yes, I found my sighting a tree to the east and a light pole to the west.
The contour of the lake changes shallow in water neat the light pole and deeper toward the tree.
I am swimming 40 strokes freestyle and 10 brest strokes for sighting.

I will keep practicing
Practice makes perfect

perfect is not real, practice makes progress. BGT

BGT that is going into the quote of the day system

I agree!

Ok, Ive been in recovery mode and I feel completely back to normal. My usual injuries didnt even flare up with the race, I cant believe it! I had a massage today and it did miracles, all my residual aching is gone now. I got my race results and posted my race report, if anyone is interested. I am somewhat dissapointed in my standings, although my time is what i predicted. I realized that this race was a qualifier for USATF championships so I think the field was pretty hard competition. I realized that when I drove up and everyone looked like REAL athletes, all toned and hardcore. I got a little scared.

About all that Athena/Clydesdale stuff. You know, I ended up joining that race in my age group and not athena, but after the race, I have to say I wish I would have did Athena. First of all, I would have got 2nd place (there were only 2 other Athenas!) and a medal. Second of all, I really did feel like I was out of my league at that race, there really were some fast people there. I mean, I am completely happy with my race, overall, I did the very best I could, but it definitely felt like I was in a different category than my competitors. Im in the " just want to have fun, stay in shape" category and they are in the" Im in this to win" category. So, I think it depends on the race. If this was the Danksin, where everyone is amateurs, I would feel funny about saying Im Athena because I place relatively high in that race already. Anyway, yes, 130lbs for a female is a ridiculous cut off ( Are YOu sure that said that?).

BGT, I kind of like the fact Athena is the goddess of wisdom, because it seems like mental strength is equally important as physical strength in this sport. Dont you agree?


So, Prof, my next event is probably a sprint tri in about 3 and half weeks. What do I do in training for these next few weeks? I definitely want to keep going at it hard, I didnt feel like the olympic training I was doing was too much, except maybe the longer bike rides. Should i just stay around the levels of what I was doing the few weeks before my olympic? Or, since my run is obviously my weaker spot, should I focus more on the run and just maintain my bike/swim?
Anyone else have some input?? I also have my October half marathon to start thinking about.

Good job on your race. I'd work a bit on your run to get it up to par with the other disciplines, but don't become overly focused on it. With a race in the very near future, just maintain consistent training and go out and kick butt on the shorter distance!

Good job on your race. I'd work a bit on your run to get it up to par with the other disciplines, but don't become overly focused on it. With a race in the very near future, just maintain consistent training and go out and kick butt on the shorter distance!

Wow, Watergirl, that's super cool! How long did it take before he did his first IM, from the time he started training for his first sprint tri, until the IM? And how long til he went pro??? I'm quite sure that will never be me. I'm too old, asthmatic, self-employed and basically messed up in the head most days to accomplish THAT. But I still have dreams of being able to finish an IM.

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! Of course, only us witches with our broomsticks in the full moon cackling actually celebrate the Solstice. But I celebrate anything!! Why not?? Even had a cupcake.

Rob--I went out on my mountain bike again to the trails here, which we are famous for, and did my long bike for the week. It took me forever. But it was fun. There are long spooky tunnels that you have to walk the bike through, and I think the longest one is about a mile. You can't see the other side and have to use a flashlight. It rains on you in there and there is a bunch of misty fog by the openings with little rivers of water on either side of the tunnel ditches. Really cools you off! There are little towns along the trails with concessions, so I stopped and ate a gyro and fries and green tea. And there are benches along it to stop and look at the beautiful views. I raced a deer again, I think the same one as on Saturday. It's a little freaky though to be a woman alone through that tunnel and realize there is a guy behind you and there is no way anyone would hear you if he wanted to harm you. Not like 911 would get there in time, even if you managed to dial your cell in the pitch dark tunnel. Or it would even work in there. Luckily, he was a nice native american dude with a kind soul. He talked to me when we got out of the tunnel and he could tell I was more than a bit nervous realizing the risk I took. I seem to take a lot of risks. I'm always swimming across the lake alone, too. Didn't pass out in the car, so that was good. Only had to pull over once. I think the anxiety, anemia or adrenal thing is getting a bit better. Facing my fears seems to be a theme these days.......


Someone tell me it's okay to ride my mountain bike. I know it won't help me get any faster, except maybe because it's so much harder to pedal, it is power building??? Plus I'm on the darn thing for about twice as long for the distance as I would be on the tribike, so I guess it's rather aerobic......my nerves right now just didn't let me go on the highway. Just not feeling steady enough to fight traffic on a skinny little bike. Anyway, I had fun today.

Oh hey, I need new biking gloves now! Wore through the (apparently fake) leather completely! I think that's a rather groovy thing for this used-to-be-couch potato chick! Only took me 736 miles to wear them out, too Looking forward to completely wearing out my running shoes now!!

Yes, Robster, I pronounced it correctly Just don't ask me to begin to pronounce the Cour de-whatever that Liz's brother in law is doing. I took three years and minored in German in undergrad, but after one tri of Le Francais, I decided my tongue does not know how to do that particular language. Period. So when you come visit me and fall madly in love and want me to be your cheerleader for IM France, you'll have to do all the talking over there!! lol No seriously, you would love the trails here. The whole thing is 32 miles from Sparta to Elroy and there are HPT trails all over LaCrosse that I haven't even ventured on to---yet. It's on my list. Maybe next week. They even do mtn bike time trials, but alas, usually in the evenings, and my poor kids already don't know what to think about being put to the babysitter on a Thursday, which they know is my day "off". They are very needy then, so last night I let them have literally anything they wanted to eat at the grocery store, and they each picked out a movie to rent. I think they ate cupcakes, chicken nuggets and cheese popcorn for supper, with a bit of bubble gum tape thrown in there for some extra vitamins.......I may just go to the part of hell they keep for self-absorbed triathlete mothers who neglect their kids' nutrition......

BGT--how you doing, girl? Worried about you!

Jeanette--any more funny stories for us? I'm really thinking of including that running with the army dudes in my book--the one I write that has my personal triumph story, and mostly a whole gob of hilarious and true little stories about all the stuff we go through in this adventure called triathlon. If you think about all the stuff we do, and how completely NOT like the rest of the world we are, it is truly amazing. For instance, you know you are a triathlete when every single drive you take, you are scoping out the roads and assessing them for road bike worthiness.....no, not this one, too many potholes.....yep, this one has great shoulders, so the bleeping trucks won't have to start an accident trying to avoid me......ugh, it smells something atrocious here, must have just fertilized that field--think I'll pass on this section.......well, there's a ton of road kill along here, so the traffic will likely turn ME into road kill along here, I mean, FOUR dead deer????..........ahh, perfect, just a nice 10 mile recently paved section to that pond and I'll go for a quick dip, avoiding the fishing lines, and hop back on----perfecto!! And you know you are a triathlete when you are always WET! Either from showering, sweating or swimming in algae/ick infested lakes, or some combination thereof. You also know you are a triathlete when you get to work and realize you STINK, because you inadvertantly grabbed the Body Glide instead of deoderant---oops. (but I got that one from some other source I read and can't claim it as my own).

Anyone else have any funny stories for me? Sean? I'm including your swimming story, too, cuz that one still cracks me up!

Did you know they have recently designed a womens' biking SKORT? Yep, its a combo biking shorts with the padding and little skirt dealy with flowers and everything. I was actually rather offended. I mean, if I'm gonna be out there biking my redbike off, I'm damn well gonna show off my fat thighs and be proud of em cuz look at all the work they do! If anything, they should have a skort for MEN. They have a lot more, in my humble opinion, to try to hide! (But I'm awfully glad they are like that--rather fun to scope out the bike dudes--and at least you know RIGHT AWAY if they like dig you or whatever!!)

Androgenie--how you feeling? Sunburn healing? I'm freaking as I should be signing up for the MS 150, and I'm procrastinating because it is so close, and I have doubts as to my ability to do it! 36 little miles on the mtn. bike was a lot for me, and took forever! Mercy, how will I accomplish 75 a day??? Will I be able to build that much in the next 5 weeks? How did you train? Did you actually do 75 in practice, or just how high did you go? And were your practices all on the road, or was some on the trainer? I am beginning to hate the trainer--just too blasted BORING, but with my kids......I fear some of those practice miles will just have to be indoors

Well, I must be feeling some better, cuz I just rambled on like I usually do......I'm glad you all put up with me. Thanks!! PROF 40's GROUP RULES!! (I may carve that into the tunnel walls next time)

I actually didn't manage to do much training for the MS 150. I was doing weekly spin classes at the local YMCA, but beyond that I was mostly unprepared. I would say to get a pair of really great padded shorts though!

The MS 150 in Minnesota was set up with rest stops every 10-15 miles, so people had many chances to rehydrate, stretch, mingle, and have fun. Don't be afraid of it....people of all shapes, sizes, ages, abilities, etc do it :-)

I've seen people eating cookies, sandwiches, etc on the side of the roads, or laying sprawled in the sun for rest breaks, at these longer distances. (I hear there's some carb-loading beer drinking on the overnight, too.) Was yours like that?

From what I recall, these are rides, not races. Which is why everyone is usually in a great mood!

Oh yeah....lots of food at the rest stops, stuff to bring with on the ride, sunbathing at the rest stops, beer to purchase at the overnight stop.....it's a lot of fun. Some people use it as a training ride, but it's mostly just a fun way to raise money for the MS Society :-)

As A women I had to go shopping!!!!!!

I found a mens 3/4 wet suit that is perfect for women!!! The front is Gel giving more room for the girls in front. It is black and yellowish green. I got the red bike mountain one tuned up, It supports me better and I feel more stable on it.
I am borrowing a hydration back pack for the bike ride.
I bought gel inserts for my running shoes.

The triathalon........















PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





I am excited and a little anxious, this will be my last email untill Monday after the tri.

Pray for me on SUNDAY!!!Morning and afternoon would be great!!

My goal is to finish!
I am really nervous because my bike will go with someone else as the mountain bike wont go onto a bike rack. I have faith it will be there on time, at least its not my wedding... Right?




Well this distance is my first and I am happy about the weekend. I am going Saturday for timming chip, course talk, and bib , not to mention the body marking.
I am staying the night at a friends house who lives only 15 minutes away, so I can squeez a little more sleep in before I wake at 4:45,
People listen up the triathalons can start later and I bet there will be more participants a start time of 10 or 11 is Ideal.

The transition closes at 6:45 and the race starts at 7 am sharp!!! Well at least wave one, I will find out tommorow wich wave I am in.
75 women to a wave!!!
Yes this is a girls only race.

WISH ME WELL!!!

I will write on Monday!

Carpe Diem!!!!!!
Sieze The Day!!!!!!

Carpe diem, indeed! Go get em, girl!

You'll do great, as you have a great attitude. Just getting yourself and your gear there is at least half of it!

Looking forward to your race report! And yes, my prayers, such as they are worth, are with you

Don't know if a TRI cherry grows back after a time of disuse....but if so....go repop that cherry!!

Hi Pene!
I am printing directions and thank you for your support!
I was in such good shape 5 years ago and a lot has happened so this feels like a new race and first at this distance, the other was a super sprint.

I hope you have a nice evening!
Thank you for your prayers!!
Thank you for your support too.

Talk to you on Monday !!!

Can everyone sense how excited she is? Man, I am so jealous she's racing this weekend. I wish I was. It's just so much more fulfilling than mowing the lawn.

So who hasn't done a race yet this summer? Or have we reached the point where we've all done one, and this is no longer a "beginner's" forum?

Anyone racing in July? I had a few possibilities on my list but it looks like life will interfere with those plans. Not that I really mind, I don't, but I was just so itching to get one done.

The goal for today is a long morning run and then an evening spent with family, friends, and daquiris. I'll silently toast you all with my frozen glass!

Well, Prof, be sure and log the yard work! When I mow the lawn, the children fight over who gets to ride on my lap first and they all take turns. Usually Micah screams and begs and hollars the loudest, so she gets more laps. Noah is almost too big with his long 9 year old limbs. And I'm not supposed to ride with them according to their father in Ohio, as I may crash the mower and chop them up.....but then he didn't even let me drive the van when we were together.....he should see me on that little tribike going 17mph now!

My race is over the 4th, but that depends on whether Ohio dad gets his redbike in gear and actually shows up to take the kids camping. He missed Memorial Day and the kids were very disappointed in him. He had promised. So, maybe I'll race, and maybe not.....pretty hard to find a sitter over a National Holiday.

Then my next race is the Bix 7 in Davenport. It's one of those races that the skinny Kenyans show up at. They are all heads with legs. No bodies at all to speak of. No wonder they can go so fast! And I once watched this clearly pregnant famous runner do that race, uphill, in July---Mercy! When I was pregnant, I waddled around Walmart like a duck. The very last thing I would have done was run, much less 7 miles! But that race will be a vindication for me, as my ex was in great shape once and biked 100-150 miles a week on his mountain bike, even in winter, and he did the Bix after like 2 practice runs, and finished upper middle of the pack. Not too shabby for a nonrunner biker dude. He could swim like a fish then, too.

So, I intend to do that run and finish somewhere near the end, but hopefully ahead of the walkers (if there are any) and sort of rub it in cuz I don't think he could run 7 continuous miles NOW!! Plus, I need to start pushing up the mileage for the fall, as my body has gotten used to a 5K. And sort of rebels about doing more than that. Funny how that works. You have to make it go the longer distances by signing up for longer races so that the humiliation factor kicks in and you realize you just have to train those longer distances or look the fool!

I wonder what would happen if I signed up for the Leadville 100?? Think I could run all the way across a desert and up a mountain??? (kidding. I have no desire to do that---ever).

I'm feeling a tad bit better. Got my ears candled yesterday, in case the dizziness was at all related to that. Never used ear candles before, but what the hay. Am sleeping better and not training very darn hard at all. Hope to do a 7 mile run today. Maybe swim at the Y tomorrow. And maybe not. Just depends on if the dizziness lets me drive that far. Right now I pray all the way to Sparta, just 15 miles away. And I wonder if I just panic while driving because I FEAR getting one of those almost fainting spells again. But ever since I actually did faint way back in February........and maybe it is the anemia--don't relish another dose of liquid iron---ugggh, nasty stuff!

here, okay training dealing with work and car drama. Riding with androgeine tommrow. HEY CASY CALL ME SO WE CNA WORK OUT DETAILS look for a private message.
Hoping to have a car by noon but want to travel with a friend and I need to buy a new bike rack for a new car. !!!!

Pene et al: I am good, baby is good. Our babies name no matter the gender is
ABIJAIAH- pro- A- bi-Jaa, it is Hebrew meaning god is my father.
So we are all good and getting ready for my first outdoor tri next weekend.
Have to go to a 12 step meeting. take care will connect soon. BGT

BGT--LOVE the name for baby!!! My kids' names are all from the Hebrew, too, well, except Mose, which I think is Egyptian. And my Mose was born in the water, so that works especially well. Do check into water births--soooo much nicer for mom and baby. Especially swimming triathlete moms like yourself!

Okay--been doing research on overtraining syndrome and it says to take 2 weeks off, reduce stress, and HAVE MORE SEX! I'm not kidding! Supposed to relax the athlete and help produce neurotransmitters. Hmmmmm........ well, just had to share that little tidbit!!

YEAH I FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!! I AM STILL ALIVE!!!!! THE TRI WAS FUN!!!!!!!!!

The race started at 7 am and I was in wave 18 start at 8:08. There were 32 waves.
Two thousand and two hundred women! There was a sea of bikes and colored caps.
The hardest part was the run. I am a bad runner. I swam well and biked well then everyone passed me on the run. My friend finished then doubled back to help me pace myself and for moral support. Thank God she wasnt there when I threw up during the run. Pasta from the night before and Gu gel. It was horrible.
I was the Happiest person there when I crossed the finish line!!!! I hugged several people who I don't even know.
The water temp was too warm for the swim I was told by a lifeguard so I kept the wet suit in transition, but there were several people wearing wet suits, I was a bit mad. I swam with a good pack of people, it was so wierd when I was touching others feet and the swimmer next to me hit me and annother swimmer caught my chin. I didnt bite my tongue which is good. The turns people stopped swimming and treaded water around the bouys, is this normal?
The bike was fun and challenging somehow in the flat midwest of the states they found hills!!! Going up was a pain in the derrier but going down was exhilarating, espically the one with a turn at the botttom of the hill. It was a good ride. The three mile run seemed forever for me.
I ran a lot at the beggning then one min run and 30 sec to a minute walk. I paced myself with other people running slower. Then I got a horrible pain in my side and then it went to the other side I thought I was going to cry but I didn't. I kept going and was ooh so happy to see my friend and she paced me for a strong finish.
I wore 12 dollar race socks and I still have blisters!!!!
I forgot to put body glide in three spots and have only 1 rash but it's pretty big.
One of the swimmers had claws instead of nails and she got my knee.
Otherwise I fared pretty darn good. I saw four bike mishaps and a swimmer who choked on water with a lifeguard refusing to be saved, go figure. So I did allright.
I don't have an offical time yet. My stopwatch read 2 hours 52 minutes 49 seconds but i dont know if I stopped it when I crossed the finish line or a little after. I was soo excited that I finished!!!!

My next race is in late August- Help me with the running, PLEASE. Everyone else is worried about the swim and thats my most comfortable part of the race. While I struggle with the running part. And I need to learn how to pace myself better in the swim- I go all out. I blame that on highschool swim team mentality. But I need extreme help with the running.

I finished and thats all that counts I am soo happy I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeanette--Congratulations!! I think you are judging yourself WAY too much with this running thing. Just how long did it take, and how many miles? I run a 12 minute mile fairly consistently, and am okay with that. And yes, that usually includes some walking. But I have asthma, and crappy lungs. And I'm old. So what do I expect? But I know some guys who do marathons and do them at a 12 minute/mile pace, and have asthma, and are old like me, so I go with that! Yes, I'd LOVE to be faster, but that takes TIME! You have to build your engine. How long that takes, I have NO idea. So far it's been about 4 months of real running for me, and over 200 miles and I'm still slow. Does that make you feel better? I think in the next 3 months, though, I will get faster. And if not, okay, as long as I can go LONGER! I'm okay with finishing a marathon at 12 minutes a mile. Perhaps the lady expects too much from herself????

Edited by phoenixrising404 2007-06-24 7:56 PM

This weekend's racers--looking forward to race reports! I learn from those!

I signed up for the MS150 today, finally. Been putting it off until I knew for sure I'd live! No seriously, I wasn't feeling well AT ALL there for a bit. I do think a lot of it was anemia. As my poop got progressively blacker (indicating iron in it), I felt progressively BETTER. And I snooped on some women's logs who are doing HIM's and are basically incredible superchicks, and they had overtraining symptoms JUST like mine. One chick's acupuncturist told her her spirit had separated from her incredibly overstressed body. EXACTOMUNGO! That's the perfect way to describe how I felt. And no amount of coaxing would bring it back in. But time, rest, massage, more sleep, lots better nutrition, no training for 4 days, and prayer all helped. And quite a bit of liquid iron! Which you have to be careful not to overdo, too. Another woman also said she has to take daily iron to keep from getting anemia. The running basically does it for women.

So, I won't hit you guys up for money for the MS ride. Unless anyone has a burning desire to contribute, in which case you can drop me a line.......but I'm IN. Yikes! I looked at their 8 week training plan, and it is pretty intense. Plus, I'm only 5 weeks away from it. I'm hoping my overall cross training and total bike miles this year will help me, as I won't be able to hit the kinds of mileage they suggest.

You all have really helped me through some overtraining weeks several times already. Every time my emotions get totally WHACKED, it was pretty much directly related to pushing things with training, and trying my best to hold it together in the rest of my life. When my life gets intense, and I don't cut down on the training, my body and mind rebel. It's a tough thing, this becoming sort of athletic. And it is soooo hard not to compare myself to others. The only thing is, I know I'm doing about all I can. My hours are very high and comparable to some of the most intense athletes I can find on here. My overall mileage isn't too shabby, either. I've got quite a bit of run miles in, even though I can't really say it's getting much easier. I do, however, remember in March that I really had to exert HARD to do 12 minute miles and I hung on to that treadmill for dear life, panting and exerting so hard I couldn't squeak out a word without nearly fainting. And then I could only do two miles. That was IT. At least at that speed. Now, that is a nice speed for me, I can talk, and I almost always do faster outside and then slow down, but it still averages about 12 minutes. It just doesn't kill me as much. Guess that's at least something.......I'm pretty much posting this for dear Jeanette's benefit. And also because it is good to do some self evaluation from time to time.

How is everyone doing out there? Very quiet weekend, so you must all have been doing some big training, or having fun???