Aquathon, HHH, IMMT

So - Lots to tell.  We'll go in order - sort of.

1st up - Aquathon.  It was officially Race #2 of the series, but seeing as I wimped out of the 1st one in May - it was #1 for me.  And it was a fail.  Not to the worst degree, but pretty damn close.  Oops - sorry.  That also might not be the last naughty word.  Just a warning.  My stomach was kinda funky the whole pre-race, but I really didn't think I was nervous. I look at these races as training opportunities.  There are WAY too many fast people here.  This is where my swimming as a triathlete is just average. And that's okay.  Except today. 

Got in the water before the race and there is icky green patches.  Not as nice as last weekend's water.  Still okay.  Went up on the beach for announcements, countdown, GO!  I was swimming good.  A little wide, but I try to avoid contact, so again - okay.  When I went around the 1st buoy, I really was having a hard time mentally.  The constriction of the wetsuit on my neck was bothering me. I decided to pull open the velcro.  When I did this, it made me feel as though I couldn't make it.  I still had 1/2 way or so to go.  I started wheezing, my heart was racing and all of those damn kayaks were on the inside.  SO - I did head out of the water breastroke.  I could see Wade just ahead of me.  I tried to go again and follow him, but I couldn't get my breathing under control.  I went back to my head out breastroke.  And continued until I could touch.  This is not a good time to be short.  I can't touch until I am close to the beach.  I walked out of the water and into transition.  Pissed off.  Slowly got into running shoes and went. Still wheezing and coughing and mad. 

I couldn't run up hills.  Will Smith won the race and he went by me before I made it up the 1st hill.  This is sad.  I usually don't see the leaders until the 1mile mark at least.  I was hoping Wade wasn't too far ahead of me - I really needed someone to take my mind off of my troubles.  I couldn't help thinking - "What if I panic at Ironman?"  We'll have to work that out.  I have to say - I know the volunteers are just being encouraging and I am just like them when I am volunteering or spectating - but I cursed every single one of them internally.  I did say "thanks" to them.  But inside I was like "Fuck you".  I was so mad that I was "weak".  I normally would have been 10 minutes faster - at least.  Turns out - Wade had a rough time too on the run.  We'll get them next time!

HHH - 100K ride.
This was going to be a fun day with friends.  My goal was to just ride, no time goal - try to ride up the hills.  Check, and double-check!  I laughed a bit, cursed a bit, and generally had a great time.  The hills were bad.  I thought I was going to fall over on Barlow or whatever it was.  At the point that Anna got off her bike, I almost did.  I was going so slow though that I thought if I unclipped, I would fall over.  There was a period of time that Anna was walking almost as fast as I was riding. I was fully standing up on that hill.  It was steep and long.  Towards the end, a lot of people were walking the last couple of hills.  It helped to stay on the bike actually.  I would tell myself  "just ride past that person" and there was always someone else ahead.  Two funny things --- there was a guy on a mountain bike.  We passed him on all the uphills.  THEN - they had recently repaved a road with pea gravel.  As we were all trying to go down super slow and not wipe out - he goes past yelling "who wants a mountain bike NOW!"  Funny guy.  The other thing, as we were struggling up a hill, a dude was off his bike to the side and I said to AmyJo - :are we running after we are done?"  He looks at me and says "That is not even funny".  He looked like he meant business too.  It was funny.  It's hard to laugh when you are going up hill.  Hell - it's hard to breathe too! We did have a jack-ass in a mustang spin his tires going by us where we ate gravel.  Jackass.  It was a good time.  Hard, but fun.  Funny though, my legs are not all that sore.  Calves were cramping a bit last night, water and nuun helped.  Shoulder is KILLING ME!  I guess I use my upper body a lot climbing hills.  Had a great time riding with everyone and visiting after.  I would do this again. 

Ironman Mont Tremblant
For those not in the know, the WTC -- which puts on Ironman branded races -- announced 2 new Ironman races.  Ironman NYC and Mont Tremblant.  Registration opened Wednesday.  NYC sold out in 11 minutes - I hear.  IMMT was still open.  This is in Quebec Canada.  Absolutely gorgeous.  It is a ski village.  So - hilly is an understatement.  Just recently, Robert and I were discussing his plans for next year.  He said maybe WEMS, maybe IM, maybe both.  When he mentioned IM - I figured IMWI again.  Thursday, I get a little email from him that says he had been thinking about IMMT.  I was a little shocked, but figured if he really wanted to do it, I wasn't going to be able to stop him.  I told him to go ahead.  He in turn was shocked that I would be up for it.  Many emails later - he signed up.  SO = we are going to Canada next August!  I'm excited for him.  He hasn't done all that much in the last 2 years as the training has been revolving around me - and I really appreciate it.  I  have found how hard it is to train for such an event.  I hope I am ready by September and that I don't blow up, but I will be happy to hand the training over to Rob again.  I think he probably should start swimming soon, but when does he listen to me???? :)

Capitol View Race Report, etc.

So - raced again today.  Only my 2nd attempt at the Olympic Distance.  The 1st was back in 2008.  Rob's original "throwdown" with me.  I've been running for the past 15 years or so.  I'm a swimmer by nature.  Rob is a great biker - he just didn't really do much in the way of exercise for a long time.  BUT - he would always joke that he could beat me in a triathlon.  Bigfoot Olympic Distance - he decided that would be our "race".  I won - of course :)  That was not an easy course, but not as hard as Capitol View.  I had a 2:56:xx then.  I didn't have really any time goals today.  In fact, I had to look up my Bigfoot time this afternoon to make sure I had a PR.  I just wanted to be relaxed and have fun.  I succeeded on all fronts.  I enjoy triathlon - and I really had a good time today (except when the 4 girls in my age group went by me on the bike).

The swim.  I am a good swimmer.  Having done several tri's now, I can say this.  I also am confident in the water.  I make sure I get in the front.  I'm pretty certain that I'm one of the best everytime I get in the water - some day I will get this handed to me (like Thursday at Aquathon).  But really.  They said "go" and after 6 strokes - I saw no one.  I was in the 2nd to last wave.  I passed several people in the wave ahead of me and several men also.  They were several waves ahead of me.  I was 1st in my age group in the swim.  The water was clear - which has NEVER happened in Lake Mendota before.  I have swam 3 tri's and 5 aquathons in the past 3 years in this lake.  Best swim ever for me.  Had fun.  Felt good.

T1 - slower than I'd care for, but not bad.  Got out of the wetsuit okay.  Should have re-applied sunscreen.

Bike - I swear I had a flat tire for the 1st 10 miles.  Legs just felt heavy.  The ride in though felt good.  I got passed by a bunch of dudes and 6 women.  I ended up passing 1 back on the way in and 2 on the run.  Unfortunately, 4 of the 6 were in my age group (40-44).  I did get past 1 of them on the run, but not 2 for an age group award :( 

T2 - not bad.  I don't think I could have been faster, actually.  But I still rank pretty slow.

Run - this course is brutal.  Trail run and hilly.  Lots of ups and it doesn't seem like there are as many downs, which doesn't make sense - but trust me -- that's what it feels like.  I found that I disliked the Ironman
Perform that they had on the course.  I either have to train my tummy to like it or I have to figure out what to do during IM as that is what is on the course.  I had a good run.  Actually - this felt the best since I had surgery!  No ankle pain.  I got passed by one fast chick who was many years older.  She was loud with her breathing.  It probably took her 2 minutes to actually get past me.  I was actually glad she went by.  I passed A LOT of people.  That felt good. 

Overall - a 6 minute PR and I really had fun.  I hope the pictures show it. 

Things I realized in the last few weeks of training:

1.  When you see pretty houses on a hill - that does not mean good things are ahead for me on the bike.  I am probably about to climb those hills. 

2.  It is very important to have a well-oiled chain.

3.  If your chain is not well-oiled and you have problems shifting while going uphill -  you are probably going to drop your chain.

4.  If you drop your chain while going uphill and quickly unclip one foot - you are likely going to fall to the opposite side.

5.  Falling while basically not moving - still hurts.

6.  Big Trucks pulling Big Boats/Trailers etc - think they own the road and they are not afraid to tell you by blaring their horns at you.

7.  I'm glad I don't live in Cross Plains  -- no offense to anyone reading this from Cross Plains, but I have never liked your Culver's and I now really don't like your Kwik Trip either.  Seems the dregs of society are found at either location. 

8.  My bike fitness is not where I want it to be.  We are going to be forced to have a working relationship this summer.

9.  I am addicted to caffeine.  I need a treatment program.  Help.

10.  Just because you train a ton - doesn't mean you will lose weight : (  Of course - concrete mixers are probably not good for recovery calories.  Probably not a large Latte Miel either, but both tasted good!
 
That's all for now.  Aquathon this week - I wimped out last month due to water temp and volunteered instead.  Also have HHH next week.  Rob laughs at me when I talk about it.  We'll see if I survive.