Windcrest Tri Recap

It is time I finally recap our Windcrest triathlon that we did 10 days ago.  There were 9 of us total (Amy Jo and her speedy husband are not pictured).

We nervously arrived at the tri and were so relieved to see each other and help each other set up our spaces in the transition area.  All the laughing helped calm the pre-race jitters.

The swim portion of our tri was in a pool (this was good).  We had to start one at a time (this was not so good).  The swim was snake style (translation:  the pool became a parking lot).  The pool was so tight that I inadvertently high-fived someone as were doing free style.  I also got a nice encouraging slap on the behind from some affectionate swimmer.  I think we were all glad to get that swim done and over with.

The rest of the events went well.  We all went at our own pace, cheered each other as we passed on the course, huffed and puffed through the headwinds, and ran on jello legs.  In other words, we had a ball!

The finishes were nothing less than thrilling.  I couldn't get enough of the guy on the microphone yell each time someone crossed the finish line "YOU. ARE. A. TRIATHLETE!"  The kids were cheering their moms, the dads were snapping pictures, the moms were pumping their fists.  We were rock stars!

Yes, the results were posted (not that we cared or anything).   Out of the nine of us, three of us medaled in our age group. We rocked that race!  I took second place in my age group.  Deb took an amazing 1st place in her age group!  Amy Jo's husband got 2nd place in his age group.  Yowsa! 

Check out our times here :)

After the race, they provided a ton of food for the racers and their families.  They offered this "only-in-Texas"post-race treat:

Chili in a bag o' Fritos.  Gag, cough, choke.  I left that one for the other racers.  I just couldn't.

Overall, it was a wonderful morning.  Thanks to Michelle for suggesting it and to all the others who made the effort to train and be there.  The memories still bring a smile to my face and I cannot wait until next year!

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Have You Tried This? Triathlon

As you may know, a group of us did a sprint triathlon 10 days ago.  I've heard from several readers out there that they are prepping for their own triathlons.  I would not consider myself an expert by any means, but I have done several tris throughout the years.

The first triathlon I ever did was 8 years ago.  I had a three-month-old baby and wanted something to motivate me to get out of bed in the morning to workout.  As we drove into the parking lot the morning of the tri, I burst into tears.  I begged the Doc to take me home.  It had been a huge mistake to sign up for this: I was terrified, I was sure I was wearing the wrong clothes, people were going to pass me on the swim, what if my tire popped on the ride, I probably forgot something anyway, I didn't think I could even run three miles, I was going to get water in my goggles, I didn't have a good sports bra.  I just wanted to go home.  I was a complete mess.  The Doc refused.  He parked the car, gathered my gear, set up my bike, pried me out of the car, looked me in the eye and commanded that I do this triathlon. With my heart pounding out of my chest, I walked the walk of doom to the transition area.

I've done several sprint tris since that first one (which was a total blast by the way :).  Here's a few tricks I've learned along the way:

First of all, sign up for the right length for your triathlon.  Distances do vary, but here are some popular triathlon distances:

Sprint - 200 - 800 meter swim, 12-15 mile bike, 2-5 mile run (distances vary)
Olympic - 1 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run
Ironman - 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run  We pulled off a sprint with style.

Night Before
Preparing the night before the triathlon is a must.  Click here for a basic list of what to bring to the race and ideas on what to eat that morning.

Pre-race
When you get to the race, you get to revert back to preschool and write with a magic marker on your skin!  It is very cool, by the way, to leave these numbers on for a few days and let people ask what they are.  Then you get nonchalantly answer, "Oh, those?  They're nothing.  I just did a triathlon today.  No biggie."  Then you walk away and they think you are awesome.  Try it :)

You also get your bike checked out to make sure your brakes work and tires are pumped.  I wish that guy lived in my garage and would check my bike and my kids' bikes every day.

Transition Area

The transition area is the designated area where you stash your stuff and go each time between each discipline.  Setting up your own space in the transition area is not rocket science, but it is nice to be slightly organized.

Swim:  

goggles, cap, towel

Bike:  

shoes, helmet, race number, sunglasses, water bottle (already in bike)

Run: 

shoes (if different than the bike), hat (optional)

Race Time
After all the training, anxiety, preparation, pre-race instructions -- it's finally time to rock and roll!

After that, it is all fun.  I promise!  Good luck to all you Fit Momma's out there doing your first or hundredth triathlon this season.  Let me know how it goes!

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It's Time to Tri!

Well, well, well.  Guess what tomorrow is.  The Doc's birthday.  Oh, yeah, and time for the Freshman Triathlon!  Back in February I sent out an all call for any locals to join in  a sprint triathlon.  We have about 10 daring women and to say I'm excited would be an understatement.

I thought I'd post a very general list of "What To Do and Bring" when doing a sprint triathlon as a newbie.  This is by no means exhaustive, but simply off the top of my head.

What to Eat Pre-Race-
I like to wake up early, and eat a bowl of oatmeal. This gets my digestive tract moving, if you know what I mean. I also drink about 24 oz of water.

When I get to the race site, I eat a banana or protein bar for right before race. Since this is a sprint length tri, I don’t eat during the race at all. Be sure to be hydrated.

Clothing-
This is entirely up to you. I personally swim in my biking shorts and a workout tank top with a built in sports bra. Just remember that your body will be wet, so to put a lot of dry clothes on your wet body is tricky. You will have to put your race number on your front after the swim. They do provide safety pins.

Swim-
cap
goggles
something to swim in (no skinny dipping allowed!)

Bike-
bike
shoes
socks
helmet
water
sunglasses

Run-
shoes
socks
hat
sunglasses

Other -
Towel
Race number
Race number belt
Flip flops/sandals for pre-race
Directions to race
Pre-race food
Camera
Sunscreen

There are no iPods or earphones allowed during the race (this is standard).

I've gotta go check the air in my tires and get packing!  Actually I need to put away today's groceries, get a haircut, pick up the kids from school, and hopefully I'll gather my gear and get to bed at a decent hour.

Wish us luck!

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Triathletes -- Let's Get Training!

Well, well, well. Here we are and only about 7 weeks until the Windcrest Freshman Triathlon.  WAAAHHOOO!  I have heard from around 15 of you, give or take. Is this going to be fun, or is this going to be fun?!?






Several of you have asked for a training program to guide you through these next few weeks.  Well, guess what showed up in my inbox today?  Men's Health Magazine put out its Triathlon 6-Week Training Program.  Perfecto! You need to do the short quiz at the beginning to find your Fitness Level.  Then you can use any of the four programs provided.  Very helpful and doable.

Find the link here:  

Triathlon Training Program.

Just a note:  this is just a guide.  And this is supposed to be fun.  If you get off the program for a day or two, just hop back in.  This race is a perfect entry race, so if you don't follow this program exactly, you will still be totally fine.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET?  If not, here's the link:  Windcrest Freshman Triathlon.  Sign up before April 1st in order to get the better deal.

I still want to invite any other locals, or not so locals, to join us in our tri.  And, if you are not nearby, stick your neck out and try a tri!  Or any new event!  There's no feeling that can match crossing that finish line.

Please, pretty please, email me here if you would like to join us.  I send out emails periodically to keep us all on the same page and don't want you left out of the loop!  Also, friends, spouses, parents, boyfriends, kids are all welcome to join us -- the more the merrier :)