Mill City Triathlon Olympic

Last week I sat thinking, "oh man I haven't done an Olympic in 2 years." I have done FOUR 70.3 distance events and this was going to be my SECOND Olympic! Cue the freak out- I looked up my results and was happy to see I had come in just over 3 hours, on the same course I was going to race on. I started thinking under 3 hours would be do-able. And as I started putting some idea of time in my head I started to stress more. How do I fuel for an Olympic? I know fueling for a half ironman. And to be honest in a sprint you just drink calories and maybe take A gel. But 3 hours that is enough time that if you don't eat you could BLOW up! After some talking down off the ledge by D, I started to get more calm about the race.

Race morning came and we got to the race site a little later than we usually do. Which to be honest was kind of nice- not tons of time to sit around and stress about is your transition just right. We had a few friends racing which is a nice change. All of us pulled on our wetsuits and hung out in the water for a little while. I have done this race 3 times now, once as an aquabike, once as an olympic and last year as a sprint, so to say I know the course and the race is a bit of an understatement. I knew the swim would be against the current on the way out and with the current on the way back. The bike has a couple hills but nothing too insane and the run is PANCAKE flat but can be hot on a sunny day.

The race was a little less organized than usual, the caps hadn't come in so it was a bit of a free for all with the waves. All women doing the olympic would be starting together first. That was a pretty big wave. The swim was tough- it took me over 19min to get to the turn around. I had to work hard against the current. And just to prove how tough the current was I swim just over 11 min back to the exit. I had hoped for a sub 30 swim but ended up with 31:56 Not super fast but fast enough to be in the top 10 swim splits.

The transition from water to bike here is always long. You run from the beach across 4 lanes of traffic to the transition area. And this year they made the swim entrance at the far end of transition. I moved as efficiently as I could to make up for the long run 2:20 eh not great but okay

Dear god look at that calf?!

I got on the bike and immediately started to settle in. My GPS didn't pick up but I knew I wanted to be sub 1:30 for the 26mi. giving me a 17mph+ bike split. First loop was 40ish. Awesome! Got time to spare on the second loop. As I started the second loop I went by D on his run of the sprint. Some words of encouragement as I went by and off to finish the bike. The roads were pretty messy with pot holes. It was a constant look ahead to be sure you didn't flat. I have done that on a similar bike course in the same area so I didn't want a repeat. Made sure to get in 3 sets of 2 salt tabs over the ride. And had a whole package of clif blocks. I kept thinking on the bike the words of wisdom of my friend who is going to Olympic Nationals, make sure you save some for the run. I came in at a 1:24:05. Who brought the girl averaging just under 19mph?! D was finished with the sprint and came over to give me a boost as I got ready for the run.

I threw on my shoes grabbed the number, the visor, the gel and salt tabs and was off and running. Okay lets settle on a pace. Still no GPS but I can keep doing this math thing. And to be honest it was nice to have something to think about. I knew I wanted to be around 9min miles. First one was under 9. Then I settled down to a little slower. Every aid station I grabbed a bag of ice and some water. I put the ice in my tri top and picked out pieces and chomped on them between aid stations. LIFE SAVER! The ice gives a little bit of hydration, little bit of cooling, and distraction. I was feeling good on the run. I honestly kept waiting for the wall. I kept waiting for the suck fest. The omg this hurts I can't keep up this pace. Mile 4 was an 8:30. I honestly think if I had my pace the whole time I could have kept a better track of it. I didn't push too hard b/c I was afraid of pushing the wheels off the bus! But I felt good. I hit mile 5 and I was like we can have a suck fest for the last mile just go! I switched the watch to multisport mode and tried to get a feel for if I was going to make it in under the 3 hours... I was 2:5-. Okay come on dig get it! It's gonna be close. Run time goal was 55 finished in 1:00:09. Not as fast as I wanted but one of my better 10k times in general.

As I got close to the finish I saw the clock- 2:59. You have to cross in this minute! And I focused. I heard D scream and my friends cheering. And I crossed in 2:59:46 . AWESOME! I had a sub3 hour Oly!!!

Honestly- I didn't think I would be anywhere near a time or place for an award. And being in a new age group made me even more skeptical. I was just happy with the time I put down. We stood around and they did the sprint awards- D took 3rd in his age group. I couldn't believe it when a friend came up and told me I had WON my age group. WHA?! I am still in shock! I had a good day! I ended up with sub 3 hours, won my new age group, finished 16th female overall (only losing 6 female spots on the bike and run- not bad for this swimmer), finished in the top 50 overall, and felt good throughout the race.

It was so much fun to race with friends. We haven't had a group at a race in a while. I enjoyed having people to hang with before and to see during and after. We even got to get some lunch after and talk tri. All in all a great day!

Protein in a NEW way: Frog Fuel Review and GIVE AWAY!!

I seem to have some sort of stomach issue with protein powders. I have discovered I can do Whey Protein Isolate but not just Whey Protein. I had a company contact me about a review of their Protein gels, Frog Fuel. I have to say when I hear protein I get a little nervous due to my stomach issues but I saw this was Collagen Protein so I figured I'd give it a whirl.

Ever had Collagen Protein? I have had Vietnamese soups with tendons and collagen and to be honest you can tell right away. Your lips feel better instantly! It is the naturally occurring protein in your body that is a part of connective tissue and muscle. So I figured my stomach would be happy with this one.

The other thing that scares me is gels, I can be pretty particular about consistency in gels. I am not a fan of the ones that feel like frosting in your mouth. Thin but not runny is usually best for me.

And I'm sorry did you say protein and CAFFEINE. I am a firm believer in caffeine helps performance. All my gels and chews for racing are caffeine laden.

I went to the gym to get in my typical workout and I figured I'd give it a try. I have to say the consistency of the gel was thin but not runny. It had a slight after taste but I think that was the taurine, kinda like a Red Bull. 15g of protein and no heavy digestion feeling. The berry flavor was pretty good, not super strong. I have to say I very quickly felt the boost from the taurine, a little kick in the pants! Generally when I reach for protein for workouts it is thru food, bars or protein shakes. It was nice to have an option that I could just throw in my bag and not have to pre plan the food and logistics that go with protein with workouts. I threw it in my gym bag just like my other gels are usually in there. I have to be honest I was bummed I only had 3 to try, I liked them a lot.

The folks at Frog Fuel have offered a nice little give away for you lovely readers- your own 3 shots of Frog Fuel and elite sticker. So comment below on your use of protein  for your workouts. For an additional entry tweet me @doubledathlete with your fitness/protein tips with  #frogfuel. I will draw a winner on 1 Aug.

Birthday Challenge- COMPLETE!

So I decided since I can I was going to do a birthday challenge to celebrate my level of fitness going into my 30th year on this planet,Birthday Weekend Challenge. The goal was from the 4th of July to the 8th of July to complete:

30k Running

3hrs of Biking

3hrs of Yoga

3k of Swimming

It figures a weekend I wanted to spend working out like crazy would be in the middle of a NASTY heat wave. A friend sent me some awesome Gluten Free Molasses cookies to fuel the workouts, THANK YOU SO MUCH! They were so yummy!

I wanted to do longer runs but the weather wasn't going to support the plan I had laid out, so I broke it into smaller chunks, 3 or 4 miles at a time. Some of the days I ran twice but the best idea was to run 30 min through midnight on the night of my 30th birthday. We threw on our reflective gear and hit the pavement to finish just after midnight on my actual birthday. Over the weekend I slowly ticked off the kilometers. I only did one open water swim on the weekend- I don't think it was 3k but I was happy to swim in open water and spend some time on the beach.

I had to head out of town on Tuesday and still had 5k left. I was going to say okay I got 25k done not bad- but I decided while I was out of town I would finish the challenge and got the whole 30k DONE!

We headed out for the ride but my saddle didn't really cooperate. I was getting really bad sores and pain so we decided to stop at a little over 2 hours. I think I need to make some adjustments to my bike... but I am happy with it. And I even added a little run off the bike.

The yoga was great. I have been going fairly regularly so doing 2 classes 2 days in a row actually was a nice change and a good challenge. My mom even joined for one of them.  I think the yoga really helped me be able to do all the run miles. 

I am really proud that I got through this and I actually am super surprised how not sore I was. I have to give credit to D for being the best partner in the world. He said to me whatever you want to do for your birthday I will do it and he was with me for all of this! I couldn't ask for a better birthday present than to have a partner to share this with.

Birthday Weekend: Birthday Challenge

This weekend is my big birthday. I decided with the fact that I will be turning 30 I wanted to make goals for this year to complete by the end of the year I turned 30. And to be honest as I review them I think I am doing well so far. I am making progress, which is the point!

So as for my birthday itself... Well I have always had a hard time getting people together for my birthday. Everyone is always out of town. So after making an attempt at a get together and again hearing everyone would be gone (and getting bummed) I decided I would do what would be my ideal activities for my birthday. How would I chose to spend my weekend?! I would like to try a new challenge... So here is what I came up with over the course of the 4th to the 8th:

Run 30k

Bike 3hrs (Climb Mt Wachusett)

Swim 3k

3hrs of Yoga

 I have invited friends to join me in any of these activities tho many will be gone and most have responded with "are you sure you just don't want to get drunk?" Luckily D has said he will do whatever I want for my birthday. I figure why not try a new challenge... and honestly I see it as a celebration of the fact that I am in the best shape of my life. I may be turning 30 but I am in WAY better than I was when I was 20 and just recently quit my college swim team. And even when I was 15 and swimming 2 times a day I had horrible nutrition habits. So I think the best thing I can do is celebrate this!

I also hope to hit the beach, get in some fireworks, do a nice dinner with D, maybe a clam bake with my family, see the movie I can't WAIT to see Despicible Me 2, and get some SLEEP!

Pointers for Your first 70.3- Half Ironman

So I jokingly said when I was getting packed to do my 4th 70.3 distance event, "if I haven't figured this stuff out yet I don't know when I will." I recently had a few friends doing their first 70.3 distance event and I have other friends prepping for their first this year. I realize after doing a few of them I have a few tricks and pointers I have picked up along the way, some of them my coach gave me before my first and some are just learned (some the hard way).

1. TRAIN- it is a long day and training is what will get you through it. Not only physically but mentally. This doesn't mean you have to spend tons of money on a coach but it does mean put some thought and effort into following a training plan.

2. FUEL- it will make or break your day. It is best to go into the day with some practice of what you are going to eat and when. That way when you get to the show you have some idea of what you are doing and won't have to think too much. I always stash a couple extra gels in my back pocket at the start of the day (yes I swim with them back there in a wetsuit) to be sure in case anything happens I have them.

3. NUTRITION- your race day fueling is only part of the battle. Make sure in training you are sticking to a good nutrition plan. Race week limit fiber intake. And know your nutrition plan for the race weekend, race morning being super key.

4. IT IS A LONG DAY. I was telling those friends getting ready for their first that you will go through every emotion and every ache and pain but just know in about 5 min whatever you are thinking or feeling it will go away and you will be focused on the next thing. My coach put it to me this way before my first- figure you are going to be racing about as long as a school day for a kid. Think about how many emotions and how much you went through over the course of a school day.

5. BATHROOM BREAKS. So in your shorter distances you may or may not use the bathroom once you start, generally I don't. But in a longer event like this you will most likely (and hopefully) have to go at some point. It is perfectly acceptable to go on the bike while riding, it requires some relaxation and flat road (I've done it). Also- it is key to know whether that feeling in your tummy is more fuel that you need or do you really just need to hit that next porta john. Also- plan your race kit accordingly to deal with bathroom breaks.

6. Have some tricks to get you through when things get tough- MENTAL TRICKS. I have used form checks in the past. This past Quassy I used pulling my visor down so I could only see a little in front of me (a blog post I read suggested that) and singing to myself. This blog has some great suggestions -Fuel Your Passions- Mental Playlist

7. RACE PLAN. My coach has me do them before any A-race. They really help me think through packing and my plan for the day. Sometimes I start with taper week and my plans for sleep and training, through travel. At least set one up with race morning, what time to get up, what you are going to eat, then take you through race day. With the swim I usually put some idea of time I want to hit turn buoys. Bike I give myself the goal pace I would like to stay on. And same with run. I put in my mental tricks I have planned, I put in my fueling strategy. I even write down the plan to get me through transition.

8. Practice in your RACE KIT. I always try to do one of my last bricks in what I plan to wear race day- especially if you haven't worn it for that distance before. You never know if what you think is the perfect race day top may leave a chafe spot till you wear it that long. Make sure you know what gear, shoes, clothes, and visor/hat you will wear and give em a test drive.

9. BRICK TRAINING- It is essential to every triathlete. Knowing how to make that switch after a LONG ride makes all the difference. Your brain will switch to autopilot and it is good to have the muscle memory to rely on come race day. The runs off the bike don't have to be super long even if they are just 10-20 min just get yourself to go through those motions.

10. Biggest of all- have fun! RELAX! Its your first! There is no expectation of time to beat. Just go in with the goal to finish! Set yourself up for success.

Thanks so much to some of my friends who have done a 70.3 or 2 and provided some of their thoughts for first timers, Greg, Jen and Lisa!

Triathlon Basics- Triathlon 101: Gear and Race Day

To continue the rest of my Basic Triathlon advice from my last blog here are some of the gear I would recommend, a basic race day and a transition layout.

The Gear for Training and Racing:

Swim:

Fitness swim suit (bikini doesn’t usually work well) – For Training

Goggles

Cap

Optional: fins, kickboard, wetsuit, skinsuit

Bike:

Bike- be sure it has bar ends

Helmet

Water bottles and cages

Can use flat pedals or pedals with shoes

Optional: Bike shorts, flat repair kit

Run:

Running shoes

Run gear- socks, fuel

Other:

Towel for Transition

Fueling

Optional: race belt for your number, GPS, Cadence sensor, Aero Helmet, Race gear (shorts, tri top, one piece race suit)

Race Day Basics- from getting set up race morning to finishing:

Get to the race early to set up transition. Some races designate your transition spots others you must put your bike (rack) within a certain area. Do your best to keep yourself in a small area to the left or right of your bike on a small towel. In your transition area you will want your biking equipment and run equipment since this is where you will return switching between sports. Don’t leave your swim equipment in transition take that with you to the swim start. Make sure you put the chip for timing on your LEFT leg so it doesn’t get caught in your bike gears. Always make sure to make a mental note of how to get to your transition spot from the swim exit and where the exit for the bike is, note where you will be coming in off the bike and where to go out for the run.

Swim- generally wave start based on age groups or divisions. Caps generally designate waves and are given in gear bags on race morning.  Some starts are from the edge of the water some start in the water, depends on the race. Generally the swim has bouys to “sight” for the course, sighting is lifting your head while swimming to see where you should be headed. There is no requirement for the stroke you swim in a triathlon. Generally freestyle (crawl), breast stroke and backstroke are seen.   Make sure you swim around the bouys. Drafting is okay in the water and can really help you use less energy. There are always people in the water to help- so look for them before you start. You can rest on kayaks and anyone there to help they just can’t help you advance in the swim.

Upon exiting the swim generally there is short run up a beach to transition. As you run take off wetsuit if you are wearing it and remove cap and goggles so when you are in transition you are ready to put them in your area. DO NOT drop anything- it is a penalty.

Put on your bike shoes if you are wearing them or your sneakers. Find out if the race requires wearing your number on the bike- if so put it on your race number belt with it on your back. Make sure you put on your helmet and clasp it before you run with your bike out of transition. NOTE: you are NOT allowed to mount your bike until you reach the marked MOUNT line. So run with your bike next to you until you reach that line.

Bike- rules play a big part in the bike. Make sure you never cross the double yellow line in the road and always follow the rules of the road keeping right. Do yourself a favor and learn how to change a flat tire for road racing. Try to maintain a good line on the bike. Learn the passing rules for your race. It is always best to say “on your left” when you are passing someone.

When you come into transition for the run, make sure you slow down for dismount- it is usually really congested. Even consider dismounting earlier than the dismount line so you are off your bike out of the way. Take your bike in your hand and run into transition with the bike. Best to leave your helmet on until you rack the bike again. Put the helmet back on top of the bike.

Switch shoes if needed, and put on a visor or a hat generally for the run. Make sure you put on your race belt with your number flipped to the front (you want to get those race photos!)  And put on those running shoes and do what comes natural- RUN the course! I carry water with me on half iron distance races anything shorter I don’t.

Always be sure to cheer for everyone else on the course. A simple “nice job” goes a long way. Traithlon unlike many other racing communities is very supportive of others on the course.  Just so you know- there really is no place to go to the bathroom on a course usually- except on longer distance events. Transition almost always is your spot with a port-a-potty.

In Ironman distance events age group athletes usually choose to change their clothes between events in changing stations. In shorter distance events there is no place to change. So plan your race outfit for the duration. For shorter distances, I generally will wear a sports bra and 1 piece tri outfit. Longer distance I am worried about having to hit the bathroom on the course I go with a sports bra, tri top and bottoms- easy escape for the bathroom stops.

Transition Area:

Try to stay contained to a small area. You will notice no swim stuff is in the transition set up since you need to use it. This is a set up from a 70.3 a shorter distance event will likely have less stuff.

Triathlon Basics- Triathlon 101: Definitions

I recently taught a seminar for my run team, Team LUNA Chix Run Boston at Athleta on Newbury St. The intent of the seminar was to teach anyone who has thought about doing a triathlon the basic ideas behind the sport, I am by no means an expert but I have been competing since 2009 in the sport. This is meant to give someone who is thinking about trying out a race the basic knowledge to find out if triathlon is something for you and teach the person who has signed up the basics for their first race.

Lets start with the overall basic definitions shall we:

Triathlon- Swim bike run, all taken on as one event. Can be done individually or as a part of a relay. There are on road versions (road ride and generally road run) and off road versions (mountain biking, and trial running).

Duathlon- Run bike run, all taken on as one event. Can be done individually or part of a relay. There are on road versions (road ride and generally road run) and off road versions (mountain biking, and trial running).

Aquabike- Swim bike (no run), all taken on as one event. Generally done individually. Usually a great option for people with knee or hip issues, who don’t run. Not many of these event options but getting more common.

Aquathon- Swim Run (no bike), all taken on as one event.  Generally done individually. Not many of these events in the north east. 

Now lets talk about the different distances: 

Sprint- Swim varies from ¼ to ½ mile Bike generally around 10 miles and Run usually a 5k.

Olympic- 1.5K swim  (just under a Mile), 40K bike (about 25 miles), and a 10k. Also sometimes called International

Half Ironman- 1.2mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a Half Marathon 13.1. Also known as a 70.3 (the distances add up to 70.3 miles). Race must be completed within 8.5 hours of the last wave of swimmers.

Ironman- 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a Marathon 26.2.  Also known as 140.6 (the distances add up to 140.6 miles). Race must be completed by midnight on race day.

Not all sprints and Olympics/International are the set distances. Anything sanctioned by World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is that distance for a Half or Full Ironman. The name Ironman belongs to the WTC so any races that are that distance and not run by WTC are not considered Ironman and cannot be named such.

  

Then you have the governing bodies of triathlon:

USAT- USA Triathlon- The governing body for USA races. You must have a license to participate in a race, day passes are generally available with registration for about 12 bucks. If you decide after a race you want a year membership you can apply that 12 bucks to the year cost. They create and enforce the rules!

World Triathlon Corporation- WTC- The Half Ironman and Ironman distance events governing body. They have slightly different rules and enforcing.

Different types of races and race series:

Kona- Ironman World Championships- it’s the super bowl for triathletes. In order to attend you must win your age group in an Ironman race throughout the year. There are lottery and charity spots available for the common man. This is the race every triathlete hopes to get to at some point.

Rev3- A new race series offering the 70.3 distance, full distance, and Olympic distance all over the US

Challenge Series- A European competitor to the WTC offering similar distance events.

Registration for most races is available online. Ironman events generally are registered for a year in advance starting registration the day after the race day. Depending on the race size the race will include an early packet pickup or an expo- similar to run races.

There are some rules that are really good to know going into your first race here's a few:

Wetsuits are only legal in water temperatures less than 78. 78-84 can wear but not eligible for awards. 84 and higher not legal.

Littering on the course is a violation- keep your wrappers in your pockets or drop them in trash zones at aid stations. Dropping your goggles or your cap can be considered this too.

Helmet must be on for you to be on your bike. Bike must have bar ends

Bike Course rules:

Ride on the right side of your lane.

Keep three bike lengths between yourself and the cyclist in front of you.

Pass on the left of the cyclist in front, never on the right.

Complete your pass within 15 seconds.

If passed, you must drop completely out of the zone, to the rear, before attempting to re-pass.

NO IPODS!

If you are going to do a triathlon its good to know the big name pros in the sport. Here are the few that just about everyone will mention at some point:

Chrissie Wellington- She was the queen of Ironman. Recently retired but everyone is compared to her she did 13 Ironmans WON ALL OF THEM!

Mirinda Carfrae- aka Rinny- Little 5 foot tall speed demon. Has won Kona and holds the marathon course record at Kona.

Chris McCormick- aka Macca- Has won Kona. Well known Aussie triathlete.

Craig Alexander- another well known Aussie triathlete has won Kona MULTIPLE times and 70.3 World Championships

Winners of Kona last year: Leanda Cave and Pete Jacobs

 

These are the resources I have used since I started triathlon:

Triathlete Training Bible

Triathlete Magazine has great pointers training plans etc

 

 Next time- gear suggestions, transition layouts, and race day basics.....