I'm half crazy. Should I go all the way crazy?

Love this, an official race photo. I am going
to buy it. 

Coming in 40 minutes shy of my goal time, it's fair to say I crushed my half ironman. Read my blogs about the Musselman Triathlon in Geneva, part 1, part 2, part 3.

I'm not 100 percent sold on doing a full ironman (and if I decide, I don't know if I'm going to go with the capital I version). We'll get to the pros and cons of it in a minute. But for planning purposes, I'm going to assume I'm doing it, and I can always back down to the half later.

I'm a goal oriented person, always looking ahead, so I've just written out the following three goals for the remainder of the winter. Likely I'll take a break this winter from excessive cardio to weight train, as I did last winter.

1. Improve my cycling and swimming to condition for a full ironman in Sept. 2014.
2. Complete the Highlander Cycle Tour and the Wine Glass Marathon with no concrete time goal (under 5 hours in the marathon would be nice). Do the summer sizzler formula 1 and maybe another Olympic.
3.  Bike around all 11 Finger Lakes. (I might knock out Conesus or Honeoye this week)

To round out the year I'm doing the Summer Sizzler Formula 1 triathlon Aug. 10. You go shorter distances, then you do it twice! 400 meter swim, 17K bike, 3K run, 400 meter swim, 17K bike, 3K run. I'm hoping for another late-year olympic distance, and possibly a relay or two where I will be the swimmer.

I've decided to take the marathon easy. At some point I'll try and crush my PR of 4 hours 13 minutes, but now isn't the time.

On to the big question:

WILL I DO A FULL IRONMAN NEXT YEAR?

I've fantasized about it. If I do, my preferred race would be Ironman Mont Tremblant near Montreal (my first international race!) I don't know if I want to do a name-brand Ironman, which are more expensive, or just an ironman distance race. If I go for the latter, my preference would be REV-3 Cedar Point, a little cheaper and not too far from my parents.

It's a big commitment. So let's do a pros and cons list.

PRO: I'm young and childless. If I want to do something like this, now is the time.

CON: I have a full-time job, teach classes, have two dogs and an apartment to keep up. I got really worn down with half training.

PRO: Half training was totally worth it in the end. In looking at full schedules, it's not that much more, except for the weekend days. Plus it's only a few months. Looking back, training for Musselman just flew by.

CON: It's expensive. Crazy crazy expensive. We're talking $500+ just for the registration fee, then travel!

PRO: I'm thinking about it now, so could save for it. There are also other races, everyone mentions the HITS series, that are cheaper.

CON: I might only do one of these in my life, and maybe I would want that one to be a name-brand Ironman (the only logo I'd ever tattoo on myself, upon completion, of course.)

PRO: My support system is amazing and if I take the plunge I know people will have my back.

CON: While the equipment I have got me through the half, I love Flower but she still is just an entry level road bike.

PRO: It would be a huge accomplishment and one that I'd always have with me.

CON: Looks like there's a 17-hour cutoff. That means I'm thinking about doing an event that would take me almost that long. What sane person does that.

PRO: We've already established that I am not sane.


It's a lot to think about. I just emailed Ironman asking them how quickly IMMT sells out, I read that it happens fairly quickly. In that case, I do hear great things about REV-3!

Musselman 2013, my first half iron Part 3: Post-race high, and planning what's next

I AM A HALF-IRONWOMAN!! Part 3.

See Part 1 and Part 2 (about the race itself). (Related: I am a marathoner, I am a duathlete, I am a triathlete.)

After I set out to do this in earnest almost a year ago, I completed the Musselman half ironman, Geneva, NY in 7:18:15. It broke down like this: 1.2 mile swim in 49:17, T1 6:21, 56 mile bike in 3:42:36 (included an 8 minute wait for an accident to clear), T2 8:02, 13.1 mile run in 2:31:59. This put me far under my goal, the 8 hour cutoff that I was so worried about making. 

I felt like a rockstar coming through that chute. They mispronounced my last name, and I finally stopped. A volunteer cut off my timing chip, and two young girls handed me the greatest medal ever, and the greatest water bottle ever. 

These are real bike gears! I got a mid-sized one. Photo by Victoria.

This bottle is supposed to glow in the dark. Haven't tried it yet.
But someone on Facebook pointed out that the mussels are in the
wrong order, run bike swim!

I took a few moments to recover, and told Victoria she needed to make me walk so I wouldn't cramp.

I needed not worry about Victoria being bored. While I was out killing myself, she took pictures and Tweeted constantly (even finding a plug in a state park - a feat! -  to juice up and Tweet some more!), updated Facebook on my behalf, made friends with the Moms in Motion, spent a few hours volunteering in the food tent, took a photo of the winner then tweeted it, and proceeded to make friends with him, and still found time to lounge by the water. She blogged about the experience here. (We're first and foremost writers. It's what we do.)

Wegmans catered a delicious meal, I had some pulled pork, potato salad and ice cream. Victoria saw it fit to take a photo of the carnage before it got packed up. (I had spread out a bit before this was taken, I was not a bad transition neighbor!)

I was surprised how awake I was, and how good I felt, after the race. I tried to nap, but sleep didn't come. I was going to stay in Geneva another night, but I was feeling restless and wanted my bed and my dogs so I came home early. Wegmans fed me again, this time with sushi and a frozen pizza, and I finally dozed off.

Monday I was off work, a good decision. I woke up and no muscle wanted to move. I spent the day on the couch. Tuesday I went to work with some stiffness. Standing up and sitting down hurt, being on my feet for more than five minutes at a time hurt, but mostly I was physically tired. It's now 9 p.m. and I'm ready for bed. At lunch, I went out and got a new item for my car. My bumper is getting slightly ridiculous.

I want to send a very sincere thank you to my friends and family who were stalking Victoria's Facebook updates and supported me through this journey. If I didn't have a support system, I wouldn't be able to make it through. We do this first for ourselves, but having people asking you how it's going and cheering you on keeps you motivated.

That's the beauty of social media. Facebook and Twitter played very different roles. Facebook was about connecting with the old friends, in Columbus, whom I miss dearly. I could share things a bit more intimately with them, details that I wouldn't put on a public blog.

These comments appeared underneath a photo I used in Part 1 -- my Musselbaby inside the beer mug from my first 5K as an adult. They keep me motivated, but keep me grounded. Molly was the one who introduced me to Fleet Feet's marathoner in training program.

On Twitter, I was able to connect with others doing the race, and get my questions answered. On Twitter, I found people who were in the exact same boat as me. On Twitter, I realized I was not the only first-timer with nerves!

And, of course, since it's Twitter, share other random thoughts that pop into my head.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Musselman is where I'll peak this year. I have the Highlander Cycle Tour and the Wine Glass Marathon.

Right now I am considering doing a full. It's very much a consideration right now, and I know I'm still on my post race high so I need to approach it with a clearer head.

For now, I'm going to get my life back together, clean up my apartment, do some yoga to try to provide some relief to my stressed muscles. (Sorry, mussels.)

Speaking of which, the whole weekend was a quasi-celebration of the mussel, a sea creature that prior to I was more apt to think of as food.

But after seeing the mussel as a mascot for such a great event, I think I might need to pass on them from now on! 

Musselman 2013, my first 70.3, Part 2: Swim, bike, run -- for a very long time

I AM A HALF-IRONWOMAN!! Part 2.

See Part 1 and Part 3. (Related: I am a marathoner, I am a duathlete, I am a triathlete.)

After I set out to do this in earnest almost a year ago, I completed the Musselman half ironman, Geneva, NY in 7:18:15. It broke down like this: 1.2 mile swim in 49:17, T1 6:21, 56 mile bike in 3:42:36 (included an 8 minute wait for an accident to clear), T2 8:02, 13.1 mile run in 2:31:59. This put me far under my goal, the 8 hour cutoff that I was so worried about making. 

Races have a tendency to sneak up on you. You sign up months in advance, train, thinking you have time, you have time, then boom! The event is next week. This one came up quicker than most. 

One last look in transition before it closed. Photo by Victoria. 

I had prepared well. That morning I was on autopilot. Everything was set, I just had to set up and execute. I choked down a bagel with sunflower seed butter and got the cooler of ice out of the secret fridge. I needed more ice so we stopped at the gas station. The clerk wished me luck. 

Transition was laid out. I found the secret bathroom with no line. I greased up and slid on the wetsuit. I bid good luck to David and Ben, friends who were also doing their first. Syracuse.com has a wonderful photo of athletes in the water during the National Anthem. I got a quick dip in the water, then lined up with the other yellow caps. 

SWIM

Almost time for our wave. Photo by Victoria. 

The waves were huge. I've only done one other organized swim, at Keuka Lake. I should have done one at Quakerman but it was cancelled due to high algae levels. 

I've never swum with so many people. 

The buoys were bright orange and easy to spot, but they were so far apart. It's easier to swim in a straight line if they are closer together. 

It was a blur, wading into the water with a bunch of other women my age. Somewhere in that blur a horn went off and we started swimming. No horror stories, no one swam over me, no fights for a good spot. 

I fell into a peaceful rhythm, but it was tough. Breathing to the right is more natural for me, but the buoys were on our left. When I breathed to the left, the sun was in my eyes. I went back and forth. The water temperature was perfect. 

I only got kicked in the face once. I only kicked someone else once. 

Swimming in a pool makes me nutty, but I find open water peaceful. Once you're in for 10 or 15 minutes you lose track of time, and checking the watch throws you, so it's hard to tell how far you've gone or for how long. Which is how I made my first -- and only -- mistake: I didn't study the swim course.

What's the big deal, right? Just follow the buoys and swim in a rectangle. Not exactly. This course took us around three sides of a rectangle, but then went into a canal so we'd finish at a different spot than where we started.

Out of the water, ready for the bike.
Photo by Victoria. 

I knew that much, but I hadn't studied how long that canal was. So when I entered, I thought I was almost done. Not exactly, there was still about a third of the course to go. I got through, and a volunteer helped me onto a boat dock.

When I first started swimming, an hour in the water would leave me exhausted, but I did 1.2 miles in 49 minutes and felt strong. Ready to tackle the bike. 

I spent 6:21 in transition. At some point I might want to get that down, but I'm not worried right now. Bike jersey on, fuel together, water bottles on the bike. I'm glad I brought a cooler. It was getting hot out. 

BIKE

Off on the bike! Photo by Victoria. 

I am so glad I practiced the bike course. So glad. SO glad. 

I was off. The first 15 miles were gradually uphill. It wasn't so bad this time. Miles were anywhere between 3:20 and 4:00 depending on the grade. I was making great time. I stopped at the first aid station, even though it was a bottle exchange. Later I'd go through without stopping.

We rode down 96A and passed a bunch of Mennonite buggies coming from church. Each had 3-4 children in the backseat waving at us. 

I saw signs for Knapp Winery and some others as we went down 414, a slow decent. When I got Gigi, my first dog, in 2007 I did the Grapehounds wine tour through this region. Dogs could come and it benefited greyhound adoption. I went with my parents and with Gigi we toured the region. In 2011, I lost her at age 6 to cancer. I'm not the spiritual type, but as I pedaled through this beautiful country I imagined her looking over me, hanging out wherever she is now with the old family mutt, Katie. I asked her to help me through the race. She meant a lot to me, and these are the thoughts that get us through. I felt strong. Miss you, girl.

Bike map. 

Bike details. 

Volunteers make a race like this, and those out today were phenomenal. Imagine standing out in the heat for 4-5 hours holding a flag. Imagine passing out water bottles with cyclists zooming by. Imagine holding up upset drivers who wonder why they have to stop -- not the people on bikes. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all you do. 

Around mile 23 I was looking for the next aid station. They were supposed to be about every ten miles but also had to be placed strategically. Another mistake: Not knowing exactly where they were. 

I heard yelling at Mile 25, and a bunch of cyclists were stopped, as was I. A woman was down. The mood got really hushed as the group of stopped cyclists would slowly grow to about 60. I didn't want to rubberneck, didn't want to scare myself, but it looked bad. She had slowed for the aid station and lost control. 

I used the port-a-potty that was there. No cyclist was worried about their time, it could have been any one of us and that was a heavy thought. The rules of the road came to the forefront of everyone's mind. I was stopped for eight minutes, where volunteers graciously handed out bottles of sports drink. We were able to finally walk our bikes around the scene. Everyone was very careful going down the hill. 

We rode along Cayuga Lake, then hit Swick Road, the big hill. It wasn't as bad as it was when I practiced, but it was the first time in the small chain ring. Cyclists talked each other through. The climb eased but there was still a gradual uphill.

Lots of hills. 

Coming back in. Photo by Victoria.

We turned a corner at a penitentiary and zipped downhill, and turned into Sampson State Park. The road got a little rough. I was lucky not to get a flat tire, but many did. They were almost never alone in fixing them. Most of the time one of the official race vehicles stopped -- I even saw the official ref helping someone instead of penalizing us for drafting :)

After Sampson there was another hill, this one I wasn't expecting, since I didn't practice this part. I tagged back and forth with another woman. She'd pass me on the uphills. I'd get her on the downhills. We emerged, and turned back to Seneca Lake State Park. Victoria was there, with her camera. I took my time getting ready for the run. It didn't feel like eight minutes, but it was.

RUN

No matter what would happen in the next 3 hours, I would finish.
Photo by Victoria. 

I knew what I was getting into. Sign up for a race in February, it's going to be cold. Sign up for a race in July, it's going to be hot. End of story. 

I'm normally not good with heat, so I knew it was a hazard going in. All week I drank a gallon of water a day, sometimes more. I took electrolytes, I boosted my sodium intake, I was prepared. 

I started the run at 11 a.m., as the sun is reaching its peak. According to my Garmin it was 82 degrees, felt like 86, with 66 percent humidity. People were walking at Mile 1. People were finishing, walking. I'm afraid to find out how many people did not finish. 

It was bad. 

I told myself I was going to run the whole thing, with no time expectations. I had more than three hours. I could walk the hills, and walk through the water stops. I would stop at every water stop -- every mile. I had my hydration pack. 

My legs were numb from the bike, and I couldn't control my speed. As tired as I was, I finished the first mile in 10:30. I could not sustain this pace. I vowed to go 11:00 or slower, and I did. The pace evened out to a 12:00 mile with all the stops. I was thrilled with that.

My splits were: 10:26, 12:28, 12:46, 11:51, 13:41, 12:03, 11:57, 12:30, 11:42, 10:50, 10:09, 10:43, 9:53. All over the place. It was my first time looking at the numbers post-race. I finished stronger than I thought, averaging 11:36.

Run map. 

Run details. 

I thought with no headphones the run would be lonely, but it was anything but. Since no one was allowed headphones, the other runners were chatty, and this made the sweltering miles pass by quicker. 

I come from the Randy Olson school of negative splits, but I quickly learned that this was the exception, and my speed started to vary dramatically. When I saw a hill in the distance, I started to run faster, because I knew I'd recover while walking the hill. When the road was shady, I sped up. When the road was sunny, I slowed down. I picked it up a little at Mile 9 but four miles seemed like a long way. I felt like I was poking along. I wanted to be done. I also refused to walk across the finish line. I had to be smart. 

Volunteers continued to be amazing, so encouraging and helpful. The aid stations had bananas, pretzels, animal crackers, gels, ShotBloks, water, defizzed coke and sports drink. I took a little at a time. I don't remember who it was who suggested the ice in the sports bra trick, but that person is a genius. The cold, wet sponges were a lifesaver. Residents cheered. They sprayed us with hoses, but asked first. 

My favorite was the sprinkler near the sidewalk with the sign "ball chiller". (It's a male dominated sport.)

I would like to see the volunteers put a ban on the phrase "It's all downhill from here." I know you meant well, volunteers, and believe me, I know it's hard work to stand out in the heat doing any of these tasks from handing out water to ringing cowbells. Thank you thank you thank you. 

The course trended down after Mile 8, but there were still some ups. And when you're tired, you've gone so far, any small hill is still a hill, and is disheartening to see after you've been told otherwise. So please, unless you actually mean that the runner will be running downhill with no ascent until the end, don't use that phrase!

Run elevation. After Mile 8, those little blips up didn't seem so little.

Let's put it with "only a mile left". When you've come so far, a mile seems like a long way to go. 

I continued with my strategy, and after almost two grueling hours in the heat I finally came to the shore of Seneca Lake. Two and a half miles to go. This territory I knew. This was flat. I knew when the aid stations were. 

But more importantly, I still had more than an hour to get through these two and a half miles. I could walk it, and still finish in time. I was going to do it, I was going to be a half-ironwoman. 

These last two miles were spent in a sweaty daze as I plugged along. I was smiling. People noticed. "How on earth are you smiling?" 

"Because I'm going to do it. I will finish this race."

A half mile from the finish, I said to a random person, "I'm going to make it."

I finished. Photo by Victoria. 

I didn't have the gas to pick it up much at the finish line, but I stepped it up a little. I was soaking wet, had a huge chafing rash on my back from my hydration pack, and put my arms up. 

Victoria was there with her camera.

I did it. 

Read about the aftermath in Part 3.  Also see part 1. 

Musselman 2013, my first 70.3: Part 1 - Practice, preparation, and a friend by your side

Me after the Musselman Triathlon with the greatest medal ever.
Photo by the wonderful Victoria Freile. 

I AM A HALF-IRONWOMAN!! Part 1.

(Related: I am a marathoner, I am a duathlete, I am a triathlete.) See part 2, about the race itself, and part 3, about the aftermath.

After I set out to do this in earnest almost a year ago, I completed the Musselman half ironman, Geneva, NY in 7:18:15. It broke down like this: 1.2 mile swim in 49:17, T1 6:21, 56 mile bike in 3:42:36 (included an 8 minute wait for an accident to clear), T2 8:02, 13.1 mile run in 2:31:59. This put me far under the 8 hour cutoff that I was so worried about making. 

This came almost three years to the day after I completed my first 5K in Columbus, July 17, 2010, so it was only fitting that Musselbaby, the little stuffy they gave all of us, now lives inside the beer glass I got from that 5K (if I ever travel to the top of Mount Everest or the bottom of the ocean, I need to take Musselbaby, get a photo, and then I'll win a prize.)

All in all it was a phenomenal experience. Geneva is a wonderful and welcoming town, and the race was top notch. My personal experience was all about planning, practice, and having an unbelievable support system to see me through.

But there was a cloud cast over the race. This year's event was in remembrance of Heather Boyum, who participated last year and two weeks later was killed while riding by not one but two drunk drivers, who were later cleared of the top felony charges.

This year, during the Saturday sprint race, a cyclist was killed. On Sunday, the bike portion of the race was held up because a cyclist was critically injured. Everyone participating walked away with a heavy reminder to be careful on the road. I'm buying a new helmet soon -- I learned this weekend that they do wear out. I am going to join a group here to learn more about cycling safety.

I'm seeing now that the triathlete community is very small, and has become a wonderful group of people to be around, so these losses ran deep.

This race report will be divided into three parts: Leading up to the race, the race, and after the race. As usual, I'm setting them up to autopost late at night, so I'll probably find a million typos in the morning. This focuses on my experience in Geneva. Part 2: The race. Part 3: The aftermath, and the crazy things I'm thinking about now.

GENEVA

DeCordova Hall, where I stayed.

Like the Keuka Lake Triathlon, you got to stay in the dorms, this time at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, for cheap. I came into town Friday evening intending to get some R&R and escape the Corn Hill Arts Festival, which would involve someone selling watercolors on my front lawn, a beer garden 30 feet from my door, and good luck trying to leave.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges is a lovely little private campus in the heart of Geneva. The camaraderie built through conversations in the shared bathrooms helped ease me into the event, and into what I was about to do.

The volunteers were wonderful and accommodating from the start. I got checked in, and put my yogurts and bag of ice in the secret fridge in the dorm.

Wine ice cream on Seneca Lake. As wonderful as it sounds.

I walked down Route 14 to the water, where I got some wine ice cream. That's right, it exists, and it's delicious. I had half Cherry Merlot, half Chocolate Sauvignon.

I ended up at Microclimate, a cozy little wine bar in downtown Geneva. I ordered a flight of Riesling and chatted it up with some other folks in town. Very friendly place.

I fell into bed that night feeling calm and ready. I only had forgotten one thing -- sunglasses, easily remedied by a trip to Wal-Mart after realizing it halfway to Geneva. (The Canandaigua Wal-Mart is a somewhat scary place.)

Musselman swag.

Saturday I was up early, went to the expo, did some yoga outside and took a nap.

I bought a plant stand and old National Geographics at The Second Hand Shop in Geneva. The clerk gave me the wrong change, and made me feel like a good person, thanking me for being honest when I corrected her. I took it as good race karma.

At 4:30 was the pre-race meeting.

Race director Jeff Henderson did a great job explaining the course. USA Triathlon has so many rules. The USAT race official demonstrated what constitutes drafting. Strict! She also asked us to check our helmets to make sure they were legal. I didn't know there was a such thing as not legal helmets, but there were! Mine was good.

But still, the nerves were back in full force.

VICTORIA ARRIVES

Pre-race cuddles from Victoria. 

I'm used to doing these events by myself, and I was content to go to Geneva on my own. It's freeing to not have to worry about someone else's schedule or travel arrangements, and the racing community is wonderful -- so you're never really by yourself. But Victoria wanted to come -- and still wanted to after I made it very clear that it would mean getting up at an ungodly hour then eight hours of waiting around while I was out killing myself.

"Sure, if you want to," I said.

Victoria is a marathoner, and knows how races work. She blogs for the paper, and also at Scootadoot. She also knows how race brain works, the crazy things we do like swing back to the room for something I forgot -- and almost forget to grab that very thing (I should note: In this situation, that thing was my bike.) Earlier in the day I almost left the room with my toothbrush instead of my room key.

I was a bundle of nerves as I left the pre-race meeting, and met Victoria back at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

I cannot put into words how wonderful it was to see a familiar face. Not just a friend, but someone who understood exactly what I was going through.

Next up was a delicious pre-race meal at the college, where we met another friend, Solveig, who was doing the aquabike. Then we dropped Flower off at the transition area at Seneca Lake State Park.

Seneca Lake State Park.

When I practiced the bike course, I debated whether paying $7 to get into the park was worth it. I was so glad I did. Sounds silly, but knowing what the park looked like, the layout, approximately where transition was, helped me. I joined the steady stream of triathletes walking their bikes in and leaving empty-handed.

I bid Flower goodbye. We stopped at another lakefront park and put our feet in the water. The temperature was a little chilly at first but then perfect.

Back on the fourth floor of DeCordova Hall, Victoria helped me pack the rest of my stuff. We packed a swim bag, a bike bag and a run bag. We sorted my nutrition, laid out clothes and went down to put the bags in the car. We checked everything twice.

We walked down five steps. "Wait, did I get my goggles?'

Victoria: "Yes, we put them in the bag, but look we'll check, see?"

A few more steps. "The envelope with my race number, where is it."

"We'll check, yes, it's in here," Victoria said.

That's how pre-race brain works.

Everything was good to go. The next morning I just had to remember six things, which were on a list.

I tossed and turned all night. When I started getting nervous, I'd grab my phone and reread all the well wishes from friends on Facebook and that calmed me. The alarm went off at 4:45 a.m., and I joined the other weary eyed athletes in the dorm bathroom.

It was go time.

See part 2, about the race, and part 3, about the aftermath.

Lessons learned from yesterday's jaunt around Geneva

Three weeks from today I will have completed this half iron.

Yesterday I went to Geneva to ride the bike course and run. Few things I took from the experience:

• I'm starting to feel at ease with the 8-hour cutoff. The bike will definitely be under four, practicing that was a huge weight off my shoulders. 
• I can't get through the bike course on just water, especially if it's hot outside. They hand out HEED on the course, must try it ahead of time or make myself little packets of Gatorade powder to mix in the water bottles.
• I should try bananas and clif bars on the bike. That's the real food handed out on the course. I'm set for real food on the run. 
• It looks like the aid stations on the bike and run will be well stocked. Wonder if it will be a bottle exchange? 
• The hardest part of the course is that hill on Swick. Once I'm past Swick, it's downhill or flat. The uphill around mile 13-17 is also tough, going down 414 is the easy part.
• Must remember body glide, and I won't want to forget my hat on the run. 
• The hills on the run don't seem like they'll be bad. I did a few but not all. 

Some other thoughts: 

• I'll hopefully have some time to visit some wineries before heading back Monday. Want to research. 
• Want to start looking around for a tricycle for the MicroMussel. Or maybe I won't do it. It'll be a last minute decision. 
• Very excited that Victoria has agreed to come. My nerves are racking up already and I'm glad a familiar face will be there. Just hope she won't be bored! 

I'm so nervous. 

Course preview: Musselman bike, and run around Geneva

I explored the Musselman course today, and thanks to getting turned around a couple times I ended up riding 70 miles, followed by a 9 mile run.

I went wrong in two places: I think I started off too far back, and I for the life of me could not find the turn into the state park that was supposed to turn onto East Lake Road. I might have gone too far down 96A, but I'm not sure. I'm exhausted, I'll compare maps tomorrow.

Details of the ride here. 

I was at the 56 mile point at 3:55 -- and that was in less than ideal conditions. On fresh legs and (fingers crossed) with better weather I bet I can get closer to 3:30. I felt tired and fatigued from the start. The trek down 96A was windy and hot. I didn't realize how hot it was until I stopped at a gas station at Mile 20 -- both my water bottles were empty (usually two will carry me through 50 miles!)

I bought two 32 oz bottles of gatorade and a big cup of ice (I hate Gatorade but it tasted good today). Filled up my water bottles and stuck the rest in my back pouch. There was a nice downhill, then the rain came. It was refreshing at first then was annoying. It came and went -- at one point I think it might have been hail, those drops hurt!

I'm starting to get this fueling thing down. Every half hour I alternated between a Honey Stinger and either Almond Thin Crackers or gluten free pretzels. I might do something more calorie dense next time, I made 100 calorie baggies and it felt like too much to eat. But all in all this sustained me.

The course was beautiful, lots of wineries, scenery and even an alpaca farm in between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake. I hope to circle both lakes this summer. The random lines show where I got turned around. I'm thankful for course marshals!

EDIT! Now I see where I went wrong, and it wasn't my fault, hurrah! I was on the right track as I was going down 132, but then I hit a dead end because the gate to the park wasn't open. Then I was almost on the right track again when I went into the park but it looked like I was going into a parking lot, I guess not! Better to find these things out now! 

The hills were worse than I expected, but in retrospect not terrible. My heart rate was all over the place, the valleys represent stops where I navigated!

 The other data. I would like to be faster next time.

I did a car transition in 9:39. A little more involved than a race transition, had to get the bike in the car and such!

Then it was run time. I almost didn't do it, was beat after the bike, but I told myself that I could quit after a mile if I wanted (mind tricks). Details of the run here.

I meant to do this Saturday, the original plan was to run with Fleet Feet then swim before this bike, but my stomach was rebelling against me Saturday morning so I stayed in bed, then class, then yoga, then work, then more sleep.

I meant to do the half marathon course, but it was raining and I didn't want to stop and look at the map so I ditched it. Instead I just ran out and back in several directions in Geneva, ending on the path in the state park.

I averaged a 10:48 mile. If I can keep that pace for the half I can do it in 2:20 and I'll be thrilled. I took a gel every three miles. I lost steam toward the end, so maybe I should consider something more substantial during the run.

My heart rate was higher than it should have been, probably because of the heat.

Other details.

Exhausted. Time to fall asleep to the tune of Mad Men.

Weekend plan: Musselman course and Fleet Feet group run

I'm sleepy just thinking about all I have to do this weekend, but I know it will be over soon. 9 miles... class... yoga... work... swimming... Musselman course.

Not really. I'm struggling with how I'm going to train for a Century ride then a full marathon one month later. Will I try to do my long runs on the same day as my long bikes? Opposite days? Perhaps while the long runs are short I can do those on the weekdays.

Of course, I could go the same route I went with the Highlander Cycle Tour last year and just not train.... (I guess I didn't blog that... my longest ride prior to was 50 miles all flat.)

Anyway, that's a question for another day.

This weekend is going to be long, especially since I have to go into work for a few hours Saturday! The sched:

SATURDAY 7:30 a.m.: Run 9 miles with Fleet Feet in Charlotte (meets at 1000 North River Street). I plan on sticking with the 12-minute pace group. Then head to the Downtown Fitness Club for my high intensity interval class at 11 a.m.  Yoga at 12, then work 3-7. HOY!!

SUNDAY When I get up (hopefully not too late) AND REMEMBER TO BUY EAR PLUGS SOMEWHERE... and BOGO tubes at Park Ave bike (no flats on Flower yet but good to be prepared.) Oh and gotta buy snacks somewhere too. First stop at Kershaw Park to swim, aiming for one hour in open water continuous. Then get back in the car and drive another 20 miles down 5&20 to Geneva to ride the Musselman course.

(Sidenote: Jeff Henderson, the race director for Musselman, has been wonderful. For the second time he's gotten back to me pronto with questions I've had about the race. He did recommend a couple places I could swim in Geneva, but I'm terrified to go into unchartered waters alone!)

Kershaw Park has been a haven. Everyone says not to swim in open water alone, and I know I shouldn't. But a lot of triathletes flock to this park in Canandaigua so I'm really not alone there! I have made some triathlete friends and it's hard to coordinate everyone's schedules. Plus there's a lifeguard!

The buoys are great, I'm not 100 percent sure how far out I can go so I just swim around the close ones. Mental note: Ask next time!

The Musselman Course starts at Seneca Lake State Park. I'm not sure, I might have to pay to park there (note to self: bring cash.) If I don't want to pay, then perhaps I can get away with parking at Hobart and William Smith colleges four miles away, then it will just be a quick jaunt down 5&20 to the start.

Here's the cue sheet. The online map looks a little confusing because it's hard to tell which way it starts and which way it ends. I will want to continue on Route 96A. Then a left onto Blaine Road, another left onto 414. Then a right onto Ogden Road, quick right then left, then a right on Route 89 down Cayuga Lake. I'm halfway there.

A right onto Swick, a left onto 129, a right onto 130. Then a left onto 414. Follow 96 A for a short time, but go straight when it curves up. Follow 132 through Sampson State Park, then follow East Lake Road until it meets up with 96. A left on 5&20, then back home.

The course is a steady uphill through Mile 17 (not steep, 400 to 800), then the same grade down til mile 34. It climbs from 400 to 900 from miles 33 to 39, then 39 to 42 steep downhill. It's flat the rest of the way home.

If I'm feeling really ambitious (good god, I might die), I might tack on the half marathon course on the bike. There are a lot of little turns on the run, too lazy to type them out here. It's steadily uphill until mile 8, then downhill the rest of the way!

In 24 days... Keeping perspective

I'm tired. Seriously, exhausted from training. I'm in the final push right now. Going hard, it's like the only things in my life are work, training, and sleep. 

Every time I've whined about being tired in the past few weeks I've had to stop myself.

I brought this on myself. No one asked me to train for a half ironman. No one even strongly suggested it. A few may have discouraged it. It was an idea that was all mine. It's an insane thing to do, really. 

Three weeks from now I'll be loading up the car and heading to Geneva. 

Three days later I will come back with a Musselman medal. 

***

It will not matter that my apartment has been messy for a month. There will be plenty of time to clean then.

It will not matter that I've put on a few pounds due to an increased craving in carbs and takeout in leiu of cooking. They will come off. 

It will not matter that I've blown off a few work socials, kickball games and other fun things I've wanted to do. There will be plenty more opportunities. 

I will still have the bike, the wetsuit, the clothes, the Garmin and all the things I've been spending money on. 

I will still have the friendships I've developed through this journey. Triathletes are wonderful people. 

I will then be able to buy a new couch and do other things with my disposable income beyond buying things I need to train. They will still be put to good use.

The aches and pains will heal. I will be able to go to yoga and actually try some of the harder poses. 

The nightmares of forgetting my helmet on race day will seem silly. 

***

I will have accomplished something I set out to do almost a year ago.

I will be a stronger person.

I will have that medal.

Musselman: One month out

The half ironman I committed myself to doing August 9, and formally solidified my fate on March 21, is one month away. Why did I think this was a good idea again?

A few thoughts as the day impends:

• The longest training day so far has been just under five hours, 40 minutes in the lake, 3.5 hours on the bike, 33 minutes running. I'll probably have two more longish days like this before taper.
• My first Olympic distance is Sunday by Buffalo. The only thing that scares me is the swim.
• The 8 hour cutoff still scares me. Right now I'm looking at an hour in the lake, 3.5 to 4 hours on the bike and 2.5 running. That cuts it close!! 
• I'm getting better at fueling. 
• I'm still really bad at open water swimming. I zigzag like crazy!
• I'm exhausted by all this, seriously exhausted. I don't know how people do fulls!! 
• At Boulder Coffee Company working on some of the blog updates I've been meaning to do. Slow but sure progress. I enjoy the South Wedge. 

Three more races on the schedule: I must be a madwoman

I pulled out my credit card to register for one race, and ended up registering for three.

This is what my inbox looks like right now:

Yes, the race calendar is indeed filling out!!

QUAKERMAN OLYMPIC TRIATHLON JUNE 16 (in a week and a half)

This is an Olympic distance -- double what I did at Keuka Lake, but still half of what I'll be doing at Musselman. It's in Orchard Park, south of Buffalo.

It's a 1500 meter (.93 mile) swim, a 40K (24.8 mile) bike and a 10K (6.2 mile) run. The only hesitation I have is over the swim, but I better get used to it and quick! I'll be headed to Canandaigua Lake Sunday, and maybe Friday, to practice.

I've got the bike and the run! I'm nervous though, because I'll probably come in at about 3.5 to 4 hours, near the back of the pack :(

FLEET FEET FIRECRACKER 5

A five-miler on July 4 in Fairport. It will be hawwwwtttttt!!!!!

SENECA PARK ZOO JUNGLE JOG

A fun little 5K through the zoo. The week after Musselman, I won't be taking it seriously, but I get to run through the zoo!

Other races on the calendar:
July 14: Musselman half iron
Sept. 7: Highlander cycle tour
Oct. 6: Wine Glass marathon

Musselman 70.3: How to fuel this beast?

I did my first swim-bike brick Sunday. I swam 1500 then rode 54 miles.

Every long run/swim/ride has left me positively famished by the end, so now I'm grappling with how I'll get through this event with enough energy.

Before I went to the pool, I had a Greek yogurt and a banana. This was enough for the entire swim, which was about 20 minutes. Then I did a Honey Stinger when I was out.

Once I was on the bike I consumed sport beans and one of those PowerBar fruit squeeze packs, and I mixed just a little bit of Gatorade powder in with my water.

By Mile 25 I was crashing hard. I stopped at a gas station and partially out of desperation, partially out of knowing from previous times that a salad and trail mix weren't good options, I snagged some pretzels and an ice cream sandwich. Surprisingly this didn't hurt my stomach too much, and I bounced back instantly and finished the ride strong but completely famished, topping it off with a DFC protein shake then grazing on nachos from Moe's Southwest Grill for the rest of the evening.

How would I sustain myself with a slightly longer swim, two miles tacked onto the bike, and a half marathon after all that?

So, it's mission find some easy on the stomach, gluten free (or maybe I should go ahead and do gluten and accept the tummy ache the next day...), portable, real food options for the race. I do like dried fruit, I'm going to make some quinoa bars to experiment with, hmmmm...

Other suggestions?

Planning on a full MUSSEL experience!

This is getting really real, really fast... the Musselman halfiron is in less than TWO MONTHS! 

Plus my first triathlon, the Keuka Lake sprint triathlon, is in 11 days. Eeeeeep!!! 

For the half iron, I have all the pieces in place, I can do the swim, bike and run, I just need to put them all together. I'm planning on a swim then a long bike ride Sunday. 

I've been thinking logistics. One thing I love about these two events is that they let athletes stay in the college dorms for crazy cheap. I was especially worried about Musselman, I wouldn't want to make the trip driving in that morning and leaving in the evening but they let you stay in the dorms at Hobart and William Smith Colleges for $35 a night! Hotels there were crazy expensive, so now I might as well take a mini vacation while I'm at it, I'll be staying three nights, coming in Friday and leaving on Monday. My free time will be spent basking at Seneca Lake state park, hopefully the weather will say that's ok!

It's the same deal at Keuka Lake, you can stay at the college, so I'll be staying there one night. 

So now I won't have to worry about accommodations.

My plan is to come in Friday afternoon, scope out the scene and do the µMussel, a fun, mini mini triathlon, where the bike portion must be done on a tricycle or Big Wheel (currently scoping out Craigslist). 

There's a breakfast the next morning, and then I can either kill some time (the college is just a few miles away from Seneca Lake State Park) or relax hopefully outdoors somewhere. Maybe if I manage my finances correctly I can find a place to get a massage. 

There's also the multisport expo that day, and a mandatory meeting for those doing the half iron. The lovely Victoria Freile has agreed to come down and be my transition crew! Lastly, a dinner (with gluten free pasta!) 

I'm sure it will be off to bed early.

On Sunday, the race starts at 7 a.m. and I hope to be done by three. GULP!

From then, it's the post race party and some sleep, then a whole day Monday to visit some wineries and bask by the lake!!

Enlisting help, Keuka tri, and the first long bike ride of the year

I've got quite a bit of ground to cover in this post, so bear with my ramblings... The Keuka Lake tri is coming up quick, I'm now working with a Ironman coach and I crushed my first long bike ride of the year (though the sunburn on my back says otherwise.

Keuka rapidly approaching

I'm now **gulp** 13 days out from the Keuka Lake triathlon and **bigger gulp** 55 days out from Musselman. In addition I'm going to sign up Friday for the Quakerman olympic triathlon June 16 and the Wine Glass full marathon Oct. 6. I'll also sign up for Highlander Cycle Tour Sept. 7 at some point.

I'm so nervous for Keuka! I'm already having nightmares about forgetting my equipment, finishing last and blowing out a tire. Here's why:

• I've never swum in open water! I don't know if I'll have the right equipment. I have the sleeveless wetsuit, but I don't know if I'll need the neoprene cap and sleeves! 
• I don't feel like I've practiced swimming in the wetsuit and my bike/run transitions enough. I'll get on it but I'm running out of time!
• Did I mention I'm terrified of open water? 

Setting my fears aside, it will be a fun trip! I'm staying in the dorms at Keuka College, found the dogs a trusty dog sitter in Greece with a huge lawn, and might make a side trip to Bully Hill winery. Because wine makes everything better. I also just put an inquiry out about staying in the dorms for Musselman!

Enlisting help

A couple weeks ago I was struggling with my training and decided to reach out for a bit of help.

Back on track, but how to proceed?

After shaking off my Nyquil hangover after about three days of sleeping off a nasty cold (seasons, I appreciate that you changed, but you did it too quickly) I looked at the date on my phone, did some quick math and cringed a little bit.

The Keuka Lake Triathlon, a .46 mile swim, 13 mile bike and 5K run is 27 days away. The Musselman half ironman is 69 days away.

Because I might ship this blog out to a few pros for advice, I'll start from the beginning. I was crushing it with my training. I was following the Beginner Triathlete half ironman plan from March up until two weeks ago. Prior to that I wasn't doing much cardio but I spent about six months working with a trainer focusing on weights which really helped my speed and helped me get ready for the pool.

The only thing I hadn't been following closely on the plan was the bike, mainly because up until just a few weeks ago it wasn't feasible to get outside. I've been on the spin bike a lot though, teaching a lot of classes, but really couldn't stomach more than 90 minutes at a time. I was doing 2000 in the pool in about 50 minutes, and I did the Flower City Challenge (more on that in a second.)

So that was all up until two weeks ago. Then, I took a taper week for the Flower City Challenge. All I did that week was two spin classes, one short bike ride and two short runs.

I crushed the Flower City Challenge. Day 1 was a duathlon, a 5K run, 20 mile bike (with a few killer hills) and a 5K run. Day 2 was a half marathon. Felt great for both. But then the sinus infection came on, and I had to skip my trip to Ohio where I should have done another half marathon Saturday. All I did last week was two cycle classes with hardly any resistance on the bike.

I'd love some advice: How to proceed? 

I probably still can't get in the pool, not for a few more days anyway, because of my sinuses. Maybe I'll put in some time on the rowing machine just to do something. I've still never swum in open water.

Here's what my training plan calls for this week, lots of bike time. I can imagine I'll scale this back, today maybe I'll run instead of swim.

TODAY - SWIM WU 2 x 75 last 25 each breaststroke; MAIN 2 x 600, CD 150 easy (will skip); BIKE - 75 minutes with hills
TUESDAY - BIKE - 60 minutes, aero for middle 40 time
WEDNESDAY - 75 minutes w/ long tempo - 15 mins, 50 mins, 10 mins
THURSDAY- OFF
FRIDAY - SWIM - 400, 4 x 100, 200, 2 x 100, 100; RUN - 1 hour
SATURDAY - BIKE - 90 minute bike use aeros; RUN - 30 minutes after bike
SUNDAY - BIKE - 2.5 hours easy (I'll shoot for 50 miles)