First Triathlon

My tri box!

Today I competed in the the Blue Lake All Women’s Sprint Triathlon. It was a chilly morning and I had concerns about the swim portion. The line to get into the park was SO long and by the time we got parked, I only had 20 minutes to get marked, set up my stuff, rack my bike, and go to the bathroom. Needless to say I was stressed out. The forty five minutes I had planned on having to do these tasks was eaten up by our waiting in a super long line to get parked.

The water at Blue Lake was actually warmer than the surrounding air. Swimming in the open lake with so many women was nerve wracking. I got kicked a few times and seemed to attract a certain woman who continued to run into me time and time again. Although my swim took 24 minutes for the half mile, it seemed like it took hours. At one point, I didn’t feel like I was making any progress. But eventually I made it.

I'm in there somewhere...

Swim portion

Transitioning from the swim to bike is much harder than it looks. I decided to put shorts on for the bike and run portion. Pulling lyra over wet legs is comedy. Not to mention the sheer amount of mud I had on the bottom of my feet. My first transition took me over five minutes!! The time goes by so quickly. Your legs feel like jelly, you are struggling to get your breathe, and concentrate on the tasks at hand.

Just a little wet..

Get on a bike

The bike portion went great! At first my legs felt a little gooey but after a few miles, I got into my groove and was making great time. My legs felt very strong which is mostly due to the spin class I have been taking. I was actually able to pass another cyclist going uphill!

The transition from bike to run was supposed to be the easy one since I don’t need to change shoes. But I had issues trying to rack my bike. The other competitors bikes were so bunched up there was no room for mine anywhere! Frantically I pushed the bikes aside and attempted to get mine racked. My hybrid bike frame doesn’t really rack so easily. Perhaps I need to practice a bit. I don’t know. Eventually I got my bike racked.

Trying to rack my bike

I lost my water bottle during the bike portion so I had to take a minute to drink some water before heading out for the run portion.

H2o

Andy kept popping up on various parts of the course. Usually when I least expected him. But its always nice to see a familiar face.

Hi!

At this point my legs were fatigued but I could feel a vast improvement on my form and speed over my performance at the Duathlon. For those of you who’ve never experienced a duathlon or triathlon, the first couple of miles after transitioning into a new activity, your legs feel weak and weird. You have doubts on your ability and then after the first mile you start to feel the familiar rhythm and start enjoying the experience.

I felt really strong during the run and enjoyed the experience much more than the last 5k at my last duathlon. It’s amazing how much 4 months of training will help!

I really tried to finish up strong but I was a bit fatigued at that point.

Trying to sprint to the finish

Happy to be done

Much needed water

The camaraderie between the participants was wonderful. Everyone was cheering each other on. There were a lot of smiles and jokes. While there was a sprint triathlon being held, there was also a duathlon and a kids event which meant that this event had a ton of children. I wasn’t so keen on the children throwing toys on the course or people milling around areas that I needed to access. But it was a great experience. And I’m so lucky to have Andy’s support on this event.

Top Wellness Tips

I read a lot of blogs and have noticed that many have their own lists of top wellness tips. After reading several of these lists, I think I can do better.

10. Sleep
Americans average less than the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can lead to difficulty in concentrating, irritability, and poor judgment. Taking a warm bathe before bed, listening to relaxing music, and doing yoga can help you relax before bed.

9. Water
A few weeks ago I started tracking how much water I was actually drinking and found that on average I do consume the 8-8 ounce glasses a day. But on the weekends I wasn’t. I know that I am more prone to headaches when I don’t drink enough water which usually leads to crabbiness.

8. Say No
I tend to over commit myself at times scheduling too many activities which sometimes leads to stress. I recommend saying no more often. No, I cannot work late tonight or no, I can’t clean out the closets this weekend. Take a little time for yourself to relax. Go to the movies or take a bathe. Even laying on your bed reading a book is a great way to enjoy a little me time. Andy recommends petting a kitty.

7. Exercise
We’ve all read all of the studies about the benefits of exercise: stress relief, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, stronger bones, and higher body image. Go for a walk before or after work or enjoy a run on the weekend. You’ll feel better.

6. Wash your hands
I admit that I don’t wash my hands enough. I’m sure the cold I have now could have probably been avoided if I would have washed my hands more often.

5. Eat less meat
A great way to save money and calories is to eat less meat. Skip the pepperoni on your pizza and go for spinach, onions, and tomatoes instead. Personally (even though I still eat meat) I’ve found that I prefer my spaghetti without meat. My point is give it a shot, you never know.

4. Bring your lunch
I’ve found that bringing my lunch to work saves me a lot of money and is WAY more healthy than buying it every day. I often eat leftovers which also saves me money because food isn’t getting wasted.

3. Get regular physicals
If you have health insurance, then use it. Many Americans don’t have the luxury of good health care so take care of yourself. Physicians can help diagnose a potentially serious problem if you visit them on a regular basis.

2. Quit tobacco
I think we’re all in agreement on this one.

1. Cook good healthy meals
Before Andy went back to school, we ate a lot of our meals out. Now, we’re cooking almost all of our meals at home. It was hard in the beginning to cook on a regular basis. Sometimes it was really a pain. But like everything else, practice makes perfect. The internet is a great place to find quick and easy healthy meals. Food Channel, Food Network, NY Times, etc. all have links to healthy easy to make meals. It’s cheaper and better for you.