Iron Girl Triathlon Sandy Hook: Race Recap Part Two

And we are out of the water and on to T1 and the bike!

Read Part One of my race recap here.

The water the day before

So after a tough swim that has left my lower body painfully cramped up I make it to my bike. I am a little panicked about how I'm going to pull the rest of the race together feeling like I am. I take the advice of Dana and down a bottle of water (with a salt stick) eat half a gel, and swig a little coconut water for good measure. I then stretch, say a silent prayer and work on getting out of my wetsuit.

As a side note, I am super proud of myself for successfully getting in and out of my wetsuit. I am thankful to my friend Jen Small. Jen gave me some really great wetsuit tips in Maine and also sent me on my way with a can of Tri Slide which really helped.

The cramping began to subside enough. (Thank God!) The cramped muscles were super sore from being so tight but workable. I washed off my feet, got my socks and sneakers on, put on my helmet and made my way all the way to the "bike out." Right before exiting I realized I had forgotten to put my ankle timing chip thing back on! GRRR! So I had to wheel all the way back, get that thing on and get back on the road.

Let's get going already!

I have no idea of how long my transition had taken. In the results they listed my transition as 47 minutes and my bike as 4 seconds. Now I will admit that my transition certainly felt like 47 minutes but even with a 47 minute transition I am pretty sure that I didn't bike a 8.25 miles in 4 seconds.

And made it to the bike! Whew.

However, I am guessing my transition to be 10 - 11 minutes easily. It took me a bit of crawling to get to my bike, guzzle 24oz. of water, eat a gel, stretch, shimmy out of the wetsuit carefully trying not to re-cramp, wash off the feet, get socks and sneakers on, head out to "bike out" not once but twice - and none of this was at lightening speed. I contacted the timing chip people and they said my bike out didn't record so they can guesstimate and make up my T1 at 4:36 but that's impossible. Plus I know that I felt pretty good on the bike and pushed it trying to make up time.

I'm feeling pretty good on the bike for the most part. A little sore but pretty good. I know that if I don't cramp again (and even if I did) I would finish this race and that's really what mattered to me most.

I'm back!

The bike was pretty uneventful. Flat a little scenery of the ocean and reduced to only 8.25 miles. I'm guessing my bike was around 36 minutes or so. It was fun to see the Moms who were in waves before me coming back in since the course was an out and back.

T2: 2:54 - Not sure what took me so long but it is what it is. 

And on to the run.

Took a minute for me to figure out if my legs would give me any trouble. I was still sore from the cramping (and would be for days after) but started off with a slow jog. In the first quarter of a mile or so I walked for a second or two and then got mad at myself and decided that I could freakin' run 3 miles, even if it was slow. I soon started to see the Moms ahead of me coming in for the finish line and knew I wasn't too far away to completing my day.

I caught up to fellow Mom'er Dede and that was great. We ran and chatted a bit. She needed to stop for water at the aid station and since I had a hand held, I kept going. 

Running without music was a little bit of a challenge. Not impossible but I was not finding that "enjoyable" thing that many non-music runners report. I felt a little bored. I know my pace would've been a bit better and the run would've been more enjoyable if USAT rules allowed for music. Guess I should consider a few non-music runs in my training for future races.

Love these Iron Girl girls! Dede, Heather and Monica

During the last mile I was getting tired I began repeating a mantra to help me to keep moving forward. I kept saying to myself, "I'm strong, I'm fast, I'm focused." Finally I entered the shoot and headed towards finish line! This was it! I set a goal and I swam, biked and ran my way to the finish line!

I'm gonna make it! And I didn't sh*t the kit! Woo hoo!

How sweet it is to see…

Jennifer Roe - You are an Iron Girl! :-) 

Success!

And every Mom in Motion made it too. A truly wonderful day!

YAY!!

Run time: 32:04 Total time on course: 1:50:55. That time will not get me on a podium but I'm OK with that. From here I can only go up!  I am also pretty stoked that while this swim was tougher, I was much more confident and comfortable than I was on my last Tri. My overall bike was faster and my run was faster too. They were pretty comparable (both flat). Progress!

I really loved this race. 

The bling up close

Thank you Iron Girl for putting on such a good show!

Thank you Dana for taking the time to train us for this big milestone in our fitness worlds!! 

Thank you Angela Lee and Jen Small for all of your Tri advice and hand-me-downs!

Thank you Roxi for letting me use your bike all season!!

Thank you to my fellow Moms who made this journey so much fun and so worthwhile.

Thank you to the Tri Bloggers who've inspired me over the years.

I am blessed and grateful to have had this experience and can't wait to do it again.

XO

Jen

PS: Speaking of my friend Jen Small - the day I was doing this Sprint, she was kicking some serious butt doing 140.6 at Rev3 Cedar Point! Read her journey here. She's amazing.

Iron Girl Triathlon Sandy Hook NJ: Race Recap Part One

It's been a week since I competed in and didn't drown during the swim FINISHED Iron Girl Sandy Hook!

Race-wise it had its share of ups and downs but ultimately it was a fantastic day that has only cemented my new love for the sport of triathlon.

This was a special race (aside from being the first triathlon I had signed up for - the one that made me leap towards the sport) but along the way, 20 of my Mom in Motion friends decided to make this race THEIR first (or second) triathlon as well! It was so special to have a bunch of great friends and teammates to do this with. It really brought the experience to the next level.

A couple of the Moms at Expo: Allison, me, Roxi, Kerry and Beth

Most of us decided to stay the night. It's just far enough of a drive (about an hour and a half each way) to make it feel just a tad too long to go down Saturday to get the bike set up and pick up the packet and then go home to come back at 5AM. Once again (as I had for the Jersey Shore half marathon) I shared a room with Rox and Kerry.

We had grand illusions of resting on Saturday but the day went quickly! By the time we got our race packets, kicked around the expo, brought the bikes to transition, trembled over seeing the water we were going to swim and checked-in to the hotel, it was already time for dinner. 

After a nice dinner that all the Tri Moms attended - we figured out our "fuel" for the morning (i.e. stopping at Starbucks so the girls could have cold coffee and make 'perfect oatmeal' with our hotel room coffee pot in the morning.) Angela hooked me up with a Starbuck Via Ready Brew Instant Coffee packet which is absolutely genius for race mornings. Mixed with hot water and you get delicious Starbucks coffee just like that!

By the time we got back to the room and got all of our stuff ready it was getting late. And the how many hours do we have before the alarm clock goes off at 3:45 AM game began. Once again none of us could sleep, we started trying around 9:30 PM, we put on some movie to try to get sleepy. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to be exact. Rox couldn't stop laughing so we had to change the channel pronto. Soon we got sucked into a few episodes of Everyone Loves Raymond somewhere around the 2nd episode I drifted off into some sort of sleep. I felt semi-asleep and semi-awake for most of the night but managed to get a little rest. 

Hmmm. I think I've got everything

I woke up with a stomachache. (Actually I also went to sleep with a stomachache) - neither occurrence is all that unusual for me unfortunately. I popped an Immodium and hoped for the best. I was wearing a kit instead of two pieces for my tri outfit of the day. The kit is cute and so much more comfortable but getting in and out of that thing is a bitch challenging because of the built-in bra that easily gets all tangled and twisted. My silent mantra was - "please don't sh*t the kit." (OK, not so silent because I soon had Rox and Kerry also chanting it). You see, at another Tri, I saw a guy cross the finish line who must've had a little accident in his kit and his kit pants were light grey. It was unfortunate and I felt for him. I now live in fear of being that guy.

Anyway, back to race day. We headed out to get our transition ready and body marked. 

Me, Rox and Tracy getting ready for the day ahead!

And soon it was time to head to the water. For the record, I have to toughen up my feet. Wow. The "sand" was rock and cut up seashells and standing/walking in it for a half an hour was seriously starting to make my feet hurt and ache. I'm a baby but I heard others "ouch-ouching" as they walked too so I don't think I was alone.

Getting ready! 

The water was unusually super-crazy choppy. I had never swam in water like this and I was very nervous. I felt like I was a little boat getting tossed about. Everyone felt it and unfortunately many women had to be pulled out that day. This race is usually considered beginner friendly but there was nothing "beginner" about this swim. It was tough. But the race did provide plenty of "swim angels" to help women rest and catch their breath along the way. I was glad that I had swam a lot in training over the summer. And even though my other ocean open water were calmer seas, that experience was super valuable - I think I would've been a way bigger mess if I hadn't swam a little in Maine in the ocean and had my OWS's in Kentucky.

This pic of Allison shows off her amazing smile and the "chop" of the water

I took the advice (and wetsuit! thanks!) of my friend Angela and approached it very slow. The goal was not to burn out here but for me to make it. I did - I took it slow and with the conditions, I will admit there was some doggy paddling and unconventional swimming to keep going forward. But I did it and I was proud that I never had to hold onto a buoy or noodle or really stop. It was forward motion - just slow. Dana said that she overheard several seasoned triathletes remark that this was the hardest swim they had ever done - it was no joke.

The bad news. In the last part of the swim my lower body started to cramp up! WTF!!!  My hamstrings were going and so were my calves. The worse was the pain in my Tibialis Anterior. (I had to look up that muscle for this blog btw.) 

HOLY CRAP they were seized up and I wasn't sure how I was going to go on. I am so annoyed by this cramping thing and didn't expect it to hit me in the swim. I even tried to ensure something like this wouldn't happen by hydrating well, and having a banana and half of gel right before swim start. Ugh. Hiss. Boo. I had to pretty much just use arms for the last part of the swim. 

In pain but smiling for the camera - I'm done! I made it!

As I got onto the beach I realized I was screwed. The cramps hurt so bad I was wondering how I would even get out of my wetsuit, never mind bike and run. But I knew that if I had to sit in transition for an hour to recover to be able to finish I would. 

Camera caught me gritting my teeth in pain, wondering what I'd do with these cramps - and
That's Sheila a M.I.M. (no wetsuit!!) We stuck together in the swim and it was a great support 

I told my coach Dana that I was cramping up and having problems. She shouted to drink a lot of water, DO NOT SIT and take a gel if I had one. I nodded these directions and crawled headed to transition unsure of how this thing was going to play out. 

SWIM: 28:23 - It was originally supposed to be a half mile swim and then the race people said they shortened it to a third of a mile. It looked longer than that. Kerry went to question the Iron Man-tee-shirt-wearing-official and he said that he had personally swum the course (it was his job for IM to ensure distance) and it was exactly .45 of a mile. So who knows? All I know is that it was tough. I had made it without drowning but could I go on with being this cramped up? 

XO Click here for part 2!

Jen 

Count down to Iron Girl race day and some thoughts on triathlon

In exactly one week I will be competing in the Iron Girl Triathlon!

The decision to go for my first triathlon was a scary one at first but it has been immensely rewarding. I've really loved learning to swim and bike ride again.

Jen from the documentary on the left running to the finish with her family
I am dead center looking all official with the camera filming the moment for the documentary 

I am really getting into the sport and while in Maine last week to film and watch friends Jen and Angela participate in Rev3 Orchard Beach I got to swim in the ocean for pretty much the first time. It was FREEZING but I was also proud that I didn't drown and that gave me some confidence. We were lucky because while cold, there weren't any real waves and the water was calm. I'm sure if my first time in the ocean was rockier it wouldn't have been such a good experience, so I'll count my blessings. 

It was incredibly inspiring to watch the Rev3 Triathlon again. It is an Olympic and Half distance race. It was exciting to watch everyone give such effort and it was a beautiful day.

I was so proud of my friend Angela who did her first OLY distance and she was one of the only people in the race to do the run in a tutu! 

I love this picture of Angela. It is so her!

The big downside to Triathlon is that it's expensive and there really is no way around that. 

I'm lucky because I got a hand-me-down wetsuit (thanks Ang!) and I borrowed a bike for the summer from a friend (Thanks Rox!) but if you want to get seriously into the sport it will run you.

Even my borrowed hybrid bike has cost me a pretty penny. I had to put new gears on it and have it tuned up, I invested in a bike rack, bike pump, bike chain and other little bike accessories. And now I'm getting knee pain and I will have to pay about $65 hour to get it properly fit. The knee aches only last thru the day after riding and then it goes away. I might suck it up for the race (it's only a ten mile ride) and then decide if I'll fit it or not. I have to talk to Rox, the girl who lent it to me. If she's in no hurry to get it back then I'll fit it. If she wants it back then I'll wait until I get my own bike. 

Still, even with the expense and pain in the knees, triathlon training is fun. I like mixing up my workouts and not just running. 

With Iron Girl right around the corner I'm feeling excited and a little nervous. I'm mostly nervous about the swim I mean who could forget my first Tri water experience just a few weeks ago?

I am blue cap in the middle with the look of, "OMG, Help me."

And what scares me (just a bit) my first tri was in a lake and not the bay. AND the distance was half of what I'll need to conquer for Iron Girl. 

I think the bike and run will be OK if I don't run into anything too unexpected like mechanical issues or something.

I won't be allowed to run with music which will be interesting - I definitely enjoy my runs with music! 

XO

Jen

Tri training: Wearing many hats

Swim-bike-run hats

I am kind of digging this tri training thing. While it's super humbling to be so bad rusty at swimming and biking it's also exciting and fun to be doing something different and mixing things up. I mean if I don't feel like running, I can get in the pool and if I don't feel like swimming I can bike or take a spin class. In a weird way it's freeing.

My swimming is getting better (slowly) but better. I'm feeling slightly more confident and I've been focusing on properly tilting my head to breathe. I am sure that when I'm in an open-water situation it's going to be a whole other ball game but I will deal when I get there…

Speaking of which. HOLY freakin' CRAP. I signed up for a sprint tri for July 21st! YIKES. This totally wasn't supposed to pan out that way.  I recently went to root on a friend during her tri and got an ad on my car for a triathlon that's pretty close to home. HERE IS THE TRI.

Pequannock Sprint, NJ

Well, I toyed with the idea of doing the "try-a-tri" because I figured it would be totally doable for me (a 150 meter swim, 6 mile bike and 2 mile run) perfect. I was pretty set to do that and then I told my bff Angela about it and she scoffed, "Come on, you can do the sprint!" (1/4 mile swim, 11 mile bike, 5K). 

And then I ran it by my Moms In Motion coach, Dana, and she agreed. So I did it. I signed up for the sprint. Hopefully I'm not biting off too much too soon. I definitely would've felt a million times more comfortable with the "try/tri" but I guess pushing yourself outside of comfort zones is where you grow… or drown. But whatever. 

Today was actually my very first time on a real life outside bike since February and that ride was a little shaky. So the hat I wore was a helmut. Happy to say the bike went pretty good. I was nervous for a bit and I had to fight quite a bit of people congestion in the park today but I managed 8 miles and felt much better about the bike.  I was really lucky to get a loaner bike from my friend Rox. (Remember her - I ran the NJ half with her!) 

testing out the wheels with son by my side pre-ride

BTW, I found a cool app if you're starting to bike and want to track distance/mph/calories burned called Map My Ride. I downloaded before going and it was pretty handy. 

Map My run stats

I was so relieved and pumped after the ride that I got off and decided to run a mile to test how my legs would feel off the bike... a "brick" as all the cool tri kids would say. It was a pretty fast mile considering - 10 minutes flat. The first quarter of a mile my knees felt funky but after I warmed up I felt strong and proud of myself. So I did finish with my runner's hat on.

I'm enjoying wearing the many hats of tri training. I really am.

Even so, I'll admit I'm a little freaked out about the sprint - It's less than a month away and of-course I'll be going back to KY for another week of work which will make training a bit of a challenge. No guts, no glory or so they say.

Don't forget! If you're interested in doing the IronGirl Tri with me or any of the others around the country then use coupon code IGFINISHLINE to save $10!

Also I'm giving away a cool Armpocket arm band - a great way to carry your smart phone on your runs (or rides!) So click here to enter!

What's your favorite hat to wear?

XO

Jen

Just signed up for my first triathlon!!! Iron Girl Sandy Hook here I come!

Yeeeeehaaaa!

Whoooo hooooo!!

I did it, I did it, I did it. I signed up for my first triathlon!

Yippppp. Whoa. Wait a minute. I did what?

Um. I don't even have a bike or a place to swim or a training plan or really a clue of what I'm getting myself into.

Gulp.

I mean I did have this kinda "Tri" week. Remember? It was my first time on a bike in a loooong time and I wasn't the steadiest.

It's not the first time I've signed up for a race and went from exuberance to gripping fear. I mean it is how this blog started in the first place. Right? I felt the same gripping fear about running my first (only) marathon too.

But doing a tri is different. Training is different - there's water and wheels and transitions. Wetsuits and stuff. Lots and lots of stuff it seems.

I've been liking the idea of doing a triathlon for a very long time. I silently get a little jealous every time I see someone sporting a "swim, bike, run" sticker. I also have very good friends like Jen and Jason who do epic things like Ironman and Rev3 and even my friend Angela has made the leap.

You're gonna be mine!

So, when I pulled up to my Weight Watcher's meeting for my monthly weigh-in this past Saturday and saw an afore-mentioned sticker on someone's car, the slow burn of want began again.

As I stepped to the scale, I heard my weigher say to her co-worker - I'm so excited for my next triathlon. Oh. She was the owner of said sticker.

I looked down at my race tech tee from a previous half marathon, and said softly, "I've always wanted to do a tri." She looked at my tech tee and said, "if you can run half marathons, I bet you could do my favorite tri!"

She went on to tell me of the Iron Girl Triathlon in Sandy Hook, NJ scheduled to take place on September 8, 2013. She said it was AWESOME and welcoming to newbies. She said that I could even swim with a noodle and bike with training wheels if I had to (Uh, I'll be doing neither, for the record.) And went on and on about how wonderful of an event it was.

Best part? All girls. Which will be fun and take a little pressure off for the first time out. And is it wrong (don't answer this Jason) that I'm secretly a little giddy that it's called "Iron Girl?"

Some things are just fate.

I never go to WW on a Saturday morning and have never seen this weigher before. I wouldn't have signed up if it wasn't for this woman gushing but before I even heard the good news that I was down .4 pounds (and still steadily (barely) but steadily holding onto my weight loss goal and lifetime status) I knew in my heart of hearts that I was sold.

So I'll have to figure out a bike and swimming and the stuff.

I contacted the folks at Iron Girl and told them about my blog. They were super excited to hear I'll be documenting my training journey and get this - they are offering you, my darling readers, a coupon code to sign up too if you want to join me!

A coupon code! I feel so fancy.

You can save $10 off your registration by registering here and entering coupon code IGFINISHLINE

The event is a 1/2 mile swim / 10 mile bike ride / 3 mile run. Perfect amount of attainable and challenging for a first event I think.

Here's a video that shows the essence of the Iron Girl event:



So here goes nothing! I'll be blogging my journey. First up? I guess I need to get a bike of some sort.

XO
Jen