Randoms of a soon to be Ironman 70.3 FINISHER

•  My first outdoor bike ride this season was a challenge! Lisa and I were tired at the first rest stop. It felt like  we had already gone like 15 miles. Uhm, yeah, it was only EIGHT MILES. My resolution to clean up my potty mouth while training went out the window. I cussed so much on those little hills.
• The scale is playing tricks on my mind. I thought I was doing really well when it slowly crept up to 5 pounds lighter... and then it just ego slammed me days later, with a big ol' "SIKE!!!". I will have to try something different starting February 1st.
• I have been running consistently, but it is not easily coming back to me. The thought of going to a music festival in Miami on March 17th is starting to look more appealing to me than this 1/2 Marathon that day.
• Weight training twice a week is not my favorite thing to do, but I know that it is key to helping to burn fat and to help me to get stronger for the bike. Actually, 3 days of lifting may be even better for me, if only I could fit it into my schedule.
• The bike trainer is soooo boring! I have to figure out something different this week to make it more enjoyable. Last week, I discovered OnDemand music videos and tried to go hard for a whole video and then recovered while I searched for another one to watch. Whatever happened to MTV videos that used to play all day???
• My diet is good, but I need to change it up a bit to get different results. I am reading a few books and will try something different soon. I need help!
• I am taking a Total Immersion class and I can tell a difference in my swimming already!
• I need to go ahead and sign up for Ironman 70.3 National Harbor. I know that I can do it. I just need to sign up.... maybe tomorrow. We'll see.
• I have somehow gotten infatuated with the thought of getting an Ironman tattoo after I finish my first full Ironman race. The infatuation is weird, as I will not be completing a full Ironman until 2013 at the earliest.
• I am hoping to get an outdoor bike ride in again this week. I miss riding outdoors!
• I have no ankle pain when I run as long as I wear a stiff brace. I have learned that I should wear compression socks if running 5 miles or more to help ward off shin pain. It works for me.
• I am going to read up on those Newtons running shoes and may go try try some out soon. I am thinking that they can help me to stop heel striking when I run and maybe I will have fewer ankle issues.
• I want to run faster than my "slow as molasses" 12 and a half minute mile. I have started to incorporate some interval running and will get some hill runs in soon to help with me speed. It's so funny that people think that you are super fast just because you go out to run 5 miles. They just don't know that they could probably keep up with me by walking. Ha!

Tri Becca

Misconceptions

There are many misconceptions that are held about Triathletes and the sport of Triathlon in general. I try to educate folks and let them know that NO, I am not running marathons, I also swim and bike. I try to inform folks that no, you don't have to be Olympic competitor-like fast to do this. And then today, I read a post by a fellow Triathlete that is intimidated, because I guess we make it seem like we are super good at all of this and she can't hang. Boy, is THAT the furthest thing from the truth.

Here is a little information to help clear up some of the most common misconceptions:

• No, this is not easy for us. We are just committed to training and pushing ourselves beyond our pre-conceived limits. It is hard. We throw out 4 letter words on tough hills, we fall, we cry, we whine, we battle the alarm clock, we even question our sanity at times.
• No, we are NOT all running marathons. A Marathon is JUST a running event. Triathletes swim then bike and then run. We do all 3 sports. We are Triathletes. There is a difference.
• No, we are not all super fast. This is an endurance sport. We are not all sprinting through the water, sprinting on our bikes and then sprinting through the run. We have to conserve some energy during the swim and the bike for the run.
• There are 4 different distances of Triathlons (Sprint, Olympic/International, Half Ironman, Ironman distances). We are not all out here completing Ironman distance races. There is a huge difference.
• No, we are not all super skinny/lean. The reason for this is diet. It is hard for us to consume enough calories to give us the energy to complete this AND loose weight. There is a lot of information out there to help us with diet and we are all striving to be as lean as we can be. This is a great challenge for some of us.
• If you can't swim, you can still complete a Triathlon one day, IF you are committed to learning to swim. I took my first lesson in January of 2010 and completed my first Triathlon in June of 2010. 
• If you don't own a bike and you still want to complete a Triathlon, you can still do so. I know an Ironman Triathlete that trained for his first Triathlon by only taking spin classes and then he borrowed his female cousin's bike on race day. You can always rent a bike for race day. While it is better to have your own bike, you can still do this IF you want to.
• If you are not a great runner and you can still walk, you can complete a Triathlon. Yes, you will be done faster if you run the last portion of the race, but plenty of people walk or do a walk/run.

I hope this was informative and helps to clear up some misconceptions.

Countdown to Eagleman Ironman 70.3: 131 days!!



Tri Becca

Ironman 70.3 here I come!!

June 10, 2012

Okay, the off season is over and it is time to get started with training for my very first Ironman 70.3 Triathlon. This is a Half Ironman race, so I will be swimming 1.2 miles, cycling 56 miles and running 13.1 miles on June 10th in Cambridge, Maryland. I hope to have many in my cheer squad, as this is going to be the toughest/longest race that I have attempted so far!

I am certain that I can finish, which is always my #1 goal. However, I do want to be able to finish the swim without feeling like I want to take a nap, finish the bike ride without wanting to lay on the ground afterwards and get through the run without crying and questioning my sanity mid way through. I believe I can do it and just like everything else in life that I have set my mind to, I WILL complete it! 

Wish me luck and pray for me!

Love,

Tri Becca