Got Your Mojo WORKIN'! group - CLOSED (Page 77)

Just a quick check in. I did my first marathon!!!!! It was a great experience. I'm tired and going to bed but I'll have more details tomorrow

Thanks for all the mojo and well wishes here and on Facebook! It was so nice and encouraging to know you guys were thinking about me. George, I'm keep the bag I had Joan Benoit Samuelson autograph it!

Johanne

gdsemiller - 2011-02-27 7:41 AM Well I did get my bike yesterday and took it for a spin this morning.  Wow big difference from my mtn bike. I do have to say I will be riding in my subdivison for a while until I get used to the handeling.  I might have to invest in a new saddle bcuz Im sore you know where, but 1st I will by some tri shorts to see if the padding in them will help.  During my ride my hands did not get numb but they did get sore (the meaty part of the hand) I guess that has to do with me leaning forward on the bike.  The bike at the gym I would just rest my hands on the bars but no body weight.  I guess over time my hands will adjust.  But I do love the bike.

George,

That is one sweet ride! Awesome bike.

George again,

I'd be curious to see what you have to say about TNT if you do decide to go with it (you may already have but I haven't read that far yet). I was seriously considering doing it when I first started thinking about doing triathlons and thought TNT was the only way I could ever train or finish a tri. I'm really glad I didn't do it with them only because I don't think I have the network to raise that kind of money. Other than that, it seems like an amazing organization and the people I've talked to who've done it have had really positive experiences (and are really convincing!). So please keep us updated if you sign up.

Kasia

Steve,

My first rugby tournament is complete without any semi-permanent injuries. I do have a pretty awesome bruise on my thigh, about six-inches long and a nice deep purple. My mom freaked out a little when I showed it to her. I'm not surprised, considering she said she'd pray for me all weekend instead of coming to see me play (the tourney is in San Diego, about half an hour from my parents' house, and my mom has never missed a single soccer game).

In a sick kind of way, I'm really glad our ice baths on Saturday were not optional. I put on some tunes and relaxed in the bathtub for the 10-minute required torture. I'm not nearly as sore in my legs as I would've been had I not done it. I just wish we had a whole pool of recovery ice baths so I could immerse myself from the neck down. My upper body is soooooore!

Tomorrow (Monday), I'm headed back to the reality that is Colorado, where it is forecasted to snow. Why is it that every time I go away for a weekend to 70 degree weather, I come back to snow on Monday? It's a conspiracy!

Oh, and that pesky cold/cough/chest discomfort is completely gone. I think rugby kicked its butt. So I can start my tri training, which was scheduled to begin tomorrow, healthy and strong.

Kasia

I forgot to mention that the temporary damage from the weekend was massive blisters. I only made it through two of our five games because I'd rubbed my ankles raw.

So, are there any suggestions on how to prevent this? These cleats aren't completely new, but they're also not broken in. And if this is going to continue happening, I don't know how to break them in without massive pain. I've never gotten blisters, so I don't even know what do.

Any and all suggestions would be very appreciated.

Kasia

Craig,

Congrats! That's so amazing that you keep extending your distance every week. And for three weeks straight!

Steve, you're a machine! (In response to posting your workout totals.) That is all.

Awesome!  Way to go!

Glub Glub Glub Glub Glub Glub Glub Glub Glub Glub..

Wow, I just got back from the gym and I think I drank more water in the pool then I did outside of it. It wasnt that bad, but I wish they would add some flavoring like grape, orange or something..  Well I was in the pool for 40 minutes and did 20 laps (500 yards).  First 10 laps, not sure what its called, but its like a breatstroke but I would go under and what I read the breaststroke you keep your head out of the water.. The 1st 10 laps I just wanted to get the feel for breathing out once my face hit the water and taking a quick breath when I came up.  Last 10 laps I tried swimming doing the bilateral breathing, boy that was tough.  I kept switching from bilateral to breathing on the right side (less water intake) :0   Anyways it was fun but its not as easy as it looks.  I'm for sure moving my swimming from twice a week to three times. 

Steve, I can see where trying to incorporate several new things can mess you up like your NY story.. I was trying to focus on my stroke, kicks and breathing and decided to work just on the breathing.

JOHANNE,

  CONGRATS on the marathon!!!! That is totally awesome.  

Alex

Hey Steve,

As for being out of breath, I was good.  I did not feel winded after the swim and did not feel an issue with being out of breath before it was time to breath when I was doing the bilateral breathing.  When I was doing the bilateral breathing I started to breath once my face hit the water and by the time I hit the 3rd stroke, I had all the air out.  I guess the problem was my stong side is the right and I was able to turn enough to get air without water.  When I hit the left side sometimes it would work, but most of the time I didnt turn enough and water came with the air.  Im going to continue to try the bilateral breathing and I know it will take sometime before I only get air.  I really enjoyed the swimming more then I thought I would.. Its funny we had a house for 4 years that had a pool and I only got in about 5 times and that is when the kids asked me to so I can throw them up in the air.  I was able to keep track of my laps.  I swam with my timex Ironman watch and hit lap every time I did a full lap (up and back). 

Here's a link to my race report for the Napa Marathon.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=244032&posts=1#M3386291

It was overall such a great experience. Dave and I drove up Saturday and got to Calistoga (the start of the race) at noon and stopped for some lunch. The wine country is known for their restaurants and it was hard to pick something 'safe' to eat with such a good menu I had a really good 'fancy' chicken sandwich.

After lunch we drove down the course. It was on the Silverado Trail which is a road that goes up and down the whole Napa Valley. It's just beautiful! There were some rollers but nothing terrible.

We went to the Expo. This is a small race (2300 runners) and this was the 33rd year. They do an amazing job with volunteers. It was very well organized with a few booths to browse through. We went to a speakers session. I met Joan Benoit Samuelson (Dave and I saw her run the marathon at the Los Angeles Olympics when we were just married so it was kind of cool to meet her) and had her autograph my race bag. Speaking of....good swag. I'll try to attach a picture of all my 'free' stuff. The speakers were 4 runners that had run the course numerous times. One guy had run it all 33 years. They each gave us their perspective on how to run the course. It was nice knowing where the tricky rollers were and just to have great encouragement to enjoy the moment.

After checking in and relaxing for a bit, we met up with our group of friends for dinner. There were 5 of us running and 4 husbands spectating. Dave signed up for the 5K so he would have something to do until I finished. Dinner was great! It was still hard to control what to eat but I settled on a simple thin crust pizza that was really good and set well with my stomach. Two of the gals have run a bunch of marathons and were trying to qualify for Boston. The other 3 of us were marathon virgins I was in bed with the lights out by 9:15 and of course I layed there with my mind spinning for a while.

The race was great. I maintained about a 10:30 pace all the time I was running. I ran 6 miles straight and then walked every 2 miles for a bit. My walk breaks really slowed me down. They kept getting longer My first goal was not to get picked up by the sweeper bus when the course closed in 6 hours. I met that goal! My second goal was to come in at 5:00 hours and I came in at 5:42. I always am overly ambitious with my time goals when I do a new distance and honestly I'm not a strong 'racer'. So many people can 'leave it all on the course' and the first few times I do a new race distance or event, my mind holds me back to make sure I finish. I'm really ok with that. I love doing the events and am just proud of myself for doing this stuff. After 3 years of running, I'm just now ready to push myself and see how fast of a 5K and 10K I can run this year. Haha! I'm more of a smeller of the flowers then a watch them bend as I race by. 

After the race, we went back to our friends condo (we had already checked out of our hotel) and I showered, put my recovery socks on and had some lunch then we all went to a private tasting at a winery and talked about our race. Such fun! One of the gals qualified for Boston (her 3rd qualification) and the other didn't. The other 2 gals had amazing races. 4:20 and 4:30 I think. Just a great time relaxing together. Dave and I had another amazing Napa dinner (with wine for me this time) and then headed home. 

I woke up this morning a little stiff but I feel better when I move around. A little tlc will help. Compression socks, the roller, a couple of swims later this week, a massage and I'll be ready for vacation next Saturday! Life is really good

Johanne

Johanne,

That's awesome!! Congratulations on the finish. It sounds like a great weekend.

I used to use the white medical tape around taped around my ankle under my socks so no one saw it.  I used it for both baseball and soccer cleats.  I still use a strip down the back side of my Achilles tendon when ever I wear any kind of formal dress shoes. They really suck and I will kill myself if my job makes me wear these kind of shoes daily.