Swim, Bike, Run: Lessons I've Learned in a Week. And Putting on a Wetsuit is Half the Work of the Swim Portion!

I'm still on a writing streak!  Who knows how long it will last or if it even matters much but there is something about writing on here publicly that is a different kind of writing exercise than writing privately.  So, here's to day 5!

As I've mentioned in the last few posts, I'm seriously considering jumping in my first triathlon and using the fitness and endurance I've gained from my marathon and ultramarathon training.  Plus I have four weeks to learn a few things.  AND one special friend who happens to be an Ironman x5 athlete and coach to teach me a few things and join me for workouts! She's been beyond generous with letting me use her wetsuits and whatever I might need.  Oh, and she never makes fun of me for my old gear and ignorance when it comes to swimming and biking.  In fact, she makes me feel as if I can do and be anything I want while teaching me just by being who she is an sharing her knowledge.   Feeling grateful.  Corie moved here not too long ago from Oklahoma with her husband and three kiddos.  They decided they wanted a life change and now live here. Not only do they call Bend home, they truly take advantage of all it has to offer!  Corie's posts about their adventures and exploration here in Oregon have opened my eyes to lots.  Without someone like her, I'm not sure I'd be doing nearly as much as I am lately when it comes to trying my hand (and feet, arms, body) at swimming and cycling!  

It was only a bit over a week ago when I went out with Corie on my first real road ride.  Since then, I've had three really great rides, a few open water swims, and even did my first track/speedish workout in quite some time today!  Really, I've learned some big lessons in a week or two and I'm excited to learn more!  

A short recap below...  

Swim

Yay for an evening open water swim in the Deschutes River!  

Last night I met Corie at a spot on the Deschutes River where I was able to practice swimming in the cold river as well as swimming in a wetsuit again.  This time I also borrowed a swim cap so I wouldn't get water in my ears and end up with major vertigo.  This swim was a pleasant surprise.  Having another swimmer with me was such a COMFORT!! I was able to relax and actually practice my stroke a bit as well as get my heart rate up.

Here's what I have learned about the open water swim (particular in this river):

• Looking ahead while swimming.  Corie showed me how to transition from my side breathing to looking ahead without having to stop swimming to see what is in front of me.  I will need a bit more practice with this.  
• Getting a wet suit on and off is the hardest part!  Ha!  Seriously, getting that thing on is hilarious! Here's me below trying to yank it on before our swim.  Oh, and I've learned to use the padding of my fingers so I don't rip a hole in the wet suit.  
• Swimming upriver can be nice! I can get a fantastic swim workout in the Deschutes River by swimming just a bit down stream and then swimming up against the current for most of the time.  You don't go very far but you definitely work hard!  
• I'm no longer terrified to do the swim portion of a triathlon.  Scared, yes.  But terrified, no.  As long as I accept the fact that people will hit me in the head and be flailing about, I will just go with it.  And no shame in the beginners float, backstroke, or breast stroke.  No shame at all.  I'll crawl stroke the best I can and take breaks when I need!  
• I have visuals for how to start taking my wetsuit off as I'm walking out of the water so I can transition to the bike more quickly.  However, I won't be like Corie and have my shoes already clipped on the pedals so I can jump into them.  Ha!  

Getting on a wetsuit is no joke.  Serious business! 

Bike

This morning I woke up early and met Corie for a bike ride up towards Mt. Bachelor so I could get used to the course that will be part of the Deschutes Dash Olympic triathlon.  I have been a little worried about how steep the downhills are.  After today, I have no doubts I can comfortable ride this route/distance in a race.  I will still be slow on the steeper downhills but I know that even with my slower bike, I will be able to hang going up! There are actually several portions of the downhill where I will be pedaling to gain some speed too so not as steep as my ride up McKenzie pass last weekend. What a beautiful ride this morning!  Twenty miles to start today...10 up the mountain and 10 down.   It was early enough to where there wasn't very much traffic at all and we were able to ride side by side for much of our ride!  Us, wildflowers, and mountain views!  Oh, and I can see why so many of you are early risers...not a bad way to start the day at all!  In fact, I can see myself doing this more and more often.  Yes!  

On our way down this morning.

A few things I've learned about cycling:

• Riding with clip-in shoes isn't so scary after all.  In fact, I can definitely see how they are helpful.  
• Thanks to Corie, I have such a good visual of what an efficient turnover should look like while I'm pedaling.  As soon as she described what I want my feet/legs to be doing, I was able to practice this and visualize along the way.  
• Looking at the white line separating the bike lane and road when going fast can be helpful when zooming by shaded areas or parts of the road with a guard rail.  
• Trust my bike and relax my hands and body.  

Oh, I also learned that bike shorts make you look like you have a penis even if you don't:

Looks like I'm wearing a diaper. Or have a penis.  

Naming my bike. I named my bike Mater after that scrappy looking truck in the movie Cars after Corie told me her bike was named The Biscuit after Seabiscuit: "Though he be but little, he is fierce."  Still wearing my diaper. 

Run

Today when I dropped one daughter off at a camp and had an hour to pick the other up at the same spot, I took advantage of my time and hit up the track for some light speed work.  With all the endurance training and trail running leading up to my 50k, it's been forever since I've done track work.  I didn't even do much at all but it is so very obvious how out of track/speed shape I am!  Woo wee!  I did four 400s and four 200s with warm up and cool down.  Simple.  Pretty sure my 10 year old runs a faster 400 than me right now!  Granted, I wasn't running them all out but I was surely tired!  I've been running and racing for over 20 years (this makes me sound OLD!) so I didn't learn anything new today but I was reminded: 

• Start where you are. 
• Your body remembers.
• You can build fitness faster than you realize if you're patient and take it one day at a time.  
• You can be in shape in one area (endurance) and really out of shape in another (speed).  

In taking this time to swim and bike, I desperately miss my trails even though it has only been a few days.  My dog is missing his trail runs too.  I hope to get out there early tomorrow to get my trail fix!  However, bottom line:  It sure is fun trying something new!  

I loved reading your comments on my post from yesterday.  Thank you.  I hope to get some time to respond soon!  

Amanda

Mostly on Instagram with my blog these days with pictures and long captions.  :) 

I'm Totally THAT Girl! We All Start Somewhere...Fitting the Newbie Part!

Exercising the writing muscles post #4.  I'm on a roll here.  And it's helping...I feel my writing brain waking up out this deep sleep.  There's still plenty of goop in my writing eyes but daily writing exercise is clearing that up quite quickly.

I have 20 minutes tops here (post note:  didn't make that 20 minutes so came back to finish later) since today is the start of some new summer camps for my kiddos so I have to have them all out the door with clothes on and food in their stomachs in a half hour.

Goals for this morning:

• Write something
• Get the kids to where they need to be ON TIME
• Plan for my son's 6th birthday party this week!  How did he get to be 6?!  I remember writing about him so much on this blog when he was 2 and 3...oh, boy oh boy, did he make good writing material!  
• Pencil in at least 2 days this week where I can practice an open water swim in the Deschutes River and a bike ride up and down on the course where my potential first and untrained (properly triathlon trained) triathlon will be.  If I can do these things somewhat successfully without freaking out, dying, drowning falling off my bike, burning my brakes out, and having my crotch fall off from my old needs-to-be-replaced bike seat, I'm IN for a newbie, try-it-out Olympic triathlon in 4 weeks.  

Speaking of triathlon newbie.... I'm a runner.  Through and through.  I've run for as long as I can remember.  My first race was when I was around seven.  My dad, brother, grandfather, cousins, great grandfather...they all ran.  I guess you could say running is in my blood.  Running feels natural and is something I rarely go a week or even a few days without.  I know what I'm doing when I go to a big race.  I'm on auto-pilot these days when I make it through the expo, packet pick up, corral line-up, and water stops.  I have my system down for pre-fuel, pacing, warm-up...all that runner and racing stuff that goes with running.  HOWEVER, yesterday when I rolled up my driveway on my old bike after a ride to test out some rolling hills and my new (ugly) clip-in shoes, I laughed when I saw how ridiculous I looked! 

Who needs fancy bike socks when you can wear the cotton neighbor boy's socks you found on the floor by the door?  

I'm THAT GIRL.  And I will be THAT GIRL if I jump in this triathlon.  I'll be that person that is so painfully and honestly a NEWBIE who is not only clueless but doesn't give a rip about how she looks doing this new sport!  I'll be far from fitting in and looking legit when it comes to a triathlete.  It's quite funny really.  Just a few things I noticed yesterday when I caught a reflection of myself in the car window:

1. My old bike.  I originally bought my Trek 1200 as a beginner bike to train for a triathlon way back in 2003ish.  I thought a triathlon sounded cool but never actually did it.  Instead, I used my bike to commute from downtown Portland to the suburbs where I taught (part ride, part train).  Since then, it has been used for commuting and local riding.  It needs new tires, brakes and tune-up for sure! 
2. See previous bullet about bike but add the commuter bike rack I've been cycling around with!  This will look a little silly in a triathlon (and does now even when I'm cycling with my cycling friends) but you know, I think I'm going to keep it there just because!  It adds to the character of this whole first timer thing.  
3. Regular running visor under my helmet.  My helmet is probably a youth size Huffy helmet or something.  Okay, kidding on the Huffy.  Remember Huffy?  Who had a Huffy bike?  
4. NOT-so-hip cycling socks.  Yesterday I wore some random boy socks left here from the neighbor boy.  Good ol' cotton boy socks.  
5. Handle bars leave my hands black...must get to the bike store and buy some new tape to wrap those babies up! 
6. My husband's camel back pack...so NOT cool.  But it does the trick:  hydration PLUS tools for my bike just in case!  The extra weight is just making me stronger, right?  

So, when it comes to jumping in my first triathlon, I will most definitely fit the part.  I'll be THAT GIRL!  Oh, and you BET I'll be that girl doing the breast stroke for most of my swim portion.  Or better yet, I might be floating on my back or hitching a ride with one of the paddle boarders or tube floaters.  Maybe I'll look the part for my second triathlon if I make it that far.  

I desperately need new bike tape for these handle bars!  

I think I should keep the commuter rack on this bike for this potential triathlon...just for kicks!  It surely makes a statement of some kind.  

In all sincerity, as much I really do notice and acknowledge how silly I do and will look, I have never been one who gets caught up in having to look a part.  I don't get too wrapped up in the fashion show side of sports (or life).  A runner who is wearing generic cotton shorts and tanks and an old pair of Reebok shoes can just as easily kick ass as someone decked out in Lululemon and boutique running apparel.  I believe this is true with a triathlon as well.  Yes, good gear makes a difference!  A faster bike would be worth the investment if I were going on to more serious triathlons.  So would taking the commuter rack off the back of the bike!  It would also be worth my investment to get all-around better  gear eventually.  But in the big picture, it isn't about how legit and decked out we look that makes us a good athlete.  I have no doubts that if I do this triathlon, I will work hard and give my best that day...no matter how untrained or ridiculous I look on race day!  I'd rather look like a silly newbie and do it with authenticity than be a pretentious poser! 

What about you?  Have you ever felt ridiculously new at something...as if you stood out like a sore thumb?  

Amanda

Mostly on Instagram with my blog these days with pictures and long captions.  :)