Biking... my bike and my first experience on it (EEEK!)

This weekend I finally got OUTSIDE on my bike.  The bike has been my nemesis and one that I know I have to overcome pretty quickly.  Of course, like most of us, I learned to ride a bike as a child.  I really enjoyed it, riding everywhere in my neighborhood when I had the chance.  I took some pretty nasty falls and have some (small) scars to prove it.  I learned, I think, to ride a ten speed… but that was long ago.  And I still DO remember to how to RIDE a bike, no problem.

But, bikes – racing bikes – have gotten a lot more technical than when we were kids.  Gone are the little shifting levers and toe boxes for our feet.  Now, there are little finger shifters that you barely touch and clip in pedals that you need special shoes for (both which cost hundreds of dollars – sold separately, of course).  And neither of which are just easy and intuitive.  I am learning everything all over again.  Which is great considering I have all of these races coming up… that involve riding a bike. *sigh*. 

First of all, the bike itself. My bike is not a triathlon bike. I have a road racing bike. I have a Cervelo S2.  It weighs 17 pounds and is awesome. My brother just bought a Cervelo P3, which is a tri bike.  Now, why I 

Mine

Brother's

I bought the S2 is because it should last me awhile (rationalize, rationalize). Bro already has a road bike and everyone needs a road bike (rationalize) ~ you don’t always ride your triathlon bike.  AND, I can outfit my bike (when I’m ready) with what is called a “fast forward seat” (check out how the saddle (fancy name for the seat) on his bike is more forward) and clip on aero bars (that is what those crazy looking handle bars are that you can lean on and be in an aerodynamic position the whole way).  But I’m not ready for that yet.  At all. 

Then – the pedals. My right knee has 1% cartilage in it, which is just about none. So, I have to be pretty careful.  Normally, pedals for racing bikes have you really locked down so once you clip in, you can’t move 

at all. That way, when you are really pushing hard up a hill, you get all the force you can out of your knees.  I got pedals that give me more “float” – up to 9%.  I have Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals. If you’re interested.

Clipping into pedals is a WHOOOOOLE new experience, and I sat on the trainer in my bike shop for a good 30 minutes in my bike shoes (Specialized Trivent), getting on the bike, clipping in, unclipping.  Because think about it… You have to stop at a stop sign or a stop lights, and in order to stop, you have to unclip a foot or you FALL OVER!!! Yea.  Not good.  It isn’t easy, either.  You are one with the bike.  I mean, totally attached to it!  So, this is a really big deal.

Then… my gear system.  It is really, really cool. If I knew how to use it.  Yea, they went over it with me, in detail. And Hubs sat on the floor and went over scenarios with me before I left (“you will want to be in a low

 gear, which means down here, if you are doing XXX…”).  I really, really tried to understand it, but until I got out and started to use it, I had NO idea.  My system is called SRAM and with a flick of a finger, my gears move.  If I hold it down just a teeeeeny bit, gears move up 3 whole gears.  So high tech and scary, but super efficient.  I am kinda sorta already in love with it, and can understand why Dean, my bike God at the best bike/tri store in existence said I will never want to use another system… ever.  I have a lot to learn about it, but I AM learning.

My first experience out was definitely not long, probably only 5 or 6 miles.  I rode up and down my street to make sure I had the feel for clipping and unclipping, then around a few streets (holy faster than I expected, Batman!), then decided to go over to my parents.  This took me up and down some streets I only know from running them and in my car.  Such a different experience on a bike.  Going up and down hills – ZOOMING up and down them, trying to change gears, up and down, to feel what I needed to do.  And STOPPING. 

Okay. I won’t lie.  On my way over to my parents I didn’t actually come to a total and complete stop to where I had to unclip.  I lucked out at the one stoplight – it was green and I zoomed across Lee Highway.  WOOOOOSH! (such a rush coming down the hill and zooming across) and at stop signs?  I did a rolling stop.  Why not?  I do it in my car a lot. *blush*.  But, I did stop at my parents and called them to come out (they hadn’t seen my bike yet) and at the same intersection on my way home, the light was red.  Had to stop, unclip my right leg and when it turned green, get going again and clip back in.  AND I DID IT!! WOOOO HOOO!

I rode around a bit, up and down some hills, not too far off course because I have a tendency to get lost, but just feeling the bike a bit.  And I can admit that I fully understand why people become cyclists.  Sure, I haven’t hit the point of exhaustion and don’t know what it is like to get that lactic acid build up where you don’t feel like you can’t go anymore, or the pain in your shoulders and back and butt… but the thrill is amazing.   I really, really loved it.

And I did fall.  Not a bad fall, but I did fall.  Close to home, I tried the lesser of two major (MAJOR!) hills and it won.  I pushed and pushed and pushed, but came to a pretty complete stop and didn’t unclip in time to get off and fell… right… over. It was pretty darn funny.  The hill won :-D

Can’t wait to go out again!  YEA BIKE! (who knew I would ever, ever say that!)

Let’s Talk…. Sports Nutrition!

Something I’ve been looking a lot into lately is sports nutrition.  Not what I eat on a daily basis (that’s a whole other post, or 6), but what I ingest during long training sessions and what I will take in during my races.  It really is a science and one, as a new endurance athlete (woooot!), I need to pay a lot of attention to. For so many years, I have only thought about to eating to lose weight ~ this is a very new thing to me.  Eating for immediate energy, slow burn energy, and recovery energy.  Serious business!

NOTE: What I’m putting here is not about shorter periods of exercise, under 90 very vigorous, constant minutes.  If you start using some of these things, you could gain weight, not sleep, etc.   Just a little disclaimer.

There is so much to learn.  And I have to completely change how I think about certain things.  For instance, simple sugars are GOOD when you are exercising.   You need carbs in your ratio… it is required.  But if you have too much, you will be sluggish. Finding that ratio is VERY important.  Carb loading is ESSENTIAL before a race (ME? CARB LOAD? ARGH!!).  Eating more fat will increase your overall endurance, though won’t affect your performance (I am unsure how I feel about this one).  Runners REALLLLLY don’t need to add more carbs to their daily diets.  Most runners, except the most elite ones, truly do get enough eating like an everyday non- athletes. 2 grams of carbs per body weight daily is what everyone needs. 

On top of all of the normal nutritional stuff, there is all of  the sports nutrition stuff.  While I’m not doing super long runs, swims, or bikes right now, I want to make sure that my body is used to whatever nutrition I intend to use before I get out on the trails.  The last thing I want is to have a 30 mile ride scheduled and to get sick to my stomach 10 miles from home!  So I’m experimenting a bit.

Basically, there are a few things you need to find when you are doing endurance anything.  Of course, the most important is water. ABSOLUTELY, it is water.  Even if you are also using a sports drink supplement, water has to be primary.  The two other things are a solid and an energy supplement.

For ENERGY - right now, I am trying out Gu.  And thankfully, it is something my stomach can tolerate, because I know many people can’t.  I like it a lot because it is so easy to take and, depending on what type you take, it really hits quickly and sustains well.  There are two types – regular and the newish Roctane.

  I’ve used both and both are different and used for different distances (Roctane is for longer endurances as it has caffeine and a lot more enzymes for slow burn and recovery.  It is pretty hard core and about double the price).  I am going to try other energy gels, but Gu is a winner for me.

For SOLID – Protein is a biggie with me.  I’m a protein junkie and even on shorter 6-8 mile runs need ½ a protein bar 3-4 miles in.  If it is a protein bar to get me through, I am good with that.  I will be trying out a lot of things.  High on my list is Perpetuem Hammer Solids.  They come in a powder that you mix while 

biking/running, but I am the most uncoordinated person on the planet.  The thought of doing ANYTHING like that while running is insane… while BIKING??? ARE YOU F’ING INSANE????  I’ve read a lot about the powder and what it does and I really like it.  While the chalky dry of the solids scares me a bit, I am such a water junkie, I think doing 3 at a water station is something really beneficial to me.  I’ll have to try.

If anyone is reading this and has things that have worked for them, I’d love to know.  I am also looking for recovery drinks.  I’m big into that.  Really, all I’ve done is coconut water.  I really would rather not get into mad concoctions if I don’t have to (blender, etc.). But whatever works!

Have a great weekend!!!

*muah* ~ R

I'm back... with a vengeance!

I decided to do a triathlon in October, and a lot of changes have taken place since then. My goal to do a tri has not changed... but it has gotten a bit bigger. I think now that things are full throttle, I need to start journaling a bit.  May not be every day, but hopefully this will show progression.

Since October ~ jeesh!  Okay.  Well, I most definitely hit whatever weight goal I was trying to obtain.  I don't really step on a scale much anymore.  I am currently between 150-155 pounds and am a size 2-4.  All of my work clothes are a size 4 and I wear those.  I'm a size 25 or 26 jean, or a Small.  Whatever.  So, I'm where I should be. There was a period that I was losing too quickly and I had to seriously start eating more during the day.  I'm happy I was still weighing myself then. I had almost 6 weeks that I barely worked out at all. I got bronchitis that turned into pneumonia.  I broke 3 ribs from the horrible coughing fits.  I cannot remember being as sick as I was.  It was absolutely terrible.  It was also crushing to my morale.  I was finally, after so long, back in shape and in a routine and felt strong.  To have this happen was just demoralizing.  I still have a cough occasionally, still cough up crap a few times a week and my ribs are still tender.  But I FEEL fine and don't feel like any of this is keeping me down.  So, that is good.  Craziness.

So, the goal for me was to start my training on January 1.  As I learned more about training for a triathlon, I learned it doesn't really work like that.  You don't just start and go for 7 months.  There are 20 week programs, but that is really the limit.  And other than that, you are in maintenance.  And, the more I looked around, the more races of different kinds I wanted to do as training.  And, the more I realized I needed a lot of conditioning.

First things first, I needed to buy a bike.  We started at one price point... and somehow we BLEW past that and I ended up with a amazing bike. I did NOT get a tri bike, but a bike that we could outfit to be a tri bike when I get to that point.  The bike part scares me still.  I know how to ride a bike, but the technical part of biking scares the bejesus out of me.  Still.  I am getting to the point I am at least okay with the fact I am going to fall off and am going to get hurt.  I am becoming one with it.  So this is my bike.  It is 2012 Cervelo S2.  I do love it.

I have become associated (customer, regular) with a bike shop that specializes in triathlons/triathletes.  Best is it is literally a 5 mile drive (how long will that take me to ride???) down the street.  I also have some bike clothes!  This is a big deal because I really think that bike shorts are the most unsexy piece of clothing ever invented.

Okay, on to the run.  I am currently in training for a half-marathon (more on that in a bit).  Running is going well, I guess.  I don't know exactly how far I can run because I'm doing a training program, but my pace is SOOOOOOOO much better than when I started this blog.  I was doing like an 11 minute mile or something. Now, I can maintain a 8:30 or better.  And I still don't hate running.  I do need new running shoes like you wouldn't believe.  But my God, it is only the 26th of January and this month I think I have spent more on tri gear than I have made working.

And the swim.  So - I really thought I would get in the pool and be... okay.  Yea, no.  About 3 weeks ago I brought Ellen with me to the pool one weekend.  Just thought we would do some laps.  I almost died after 200m (8 laps).  While Ellen was barely out of breath after 10.  She was amazing and I was in awe.  And I knew immediately I had better start really working out in the pool or I was screwed.  I got to researching the very next day. I had some problems - 3 of them, meaning my kids.  The schedule is getting tighter and tighter because Hubs is ALSO training for the half marathon, oldest daughter continues to swim 3 mornings a week, and I still work full time.  So fitting in swimming, too?  ARGH.

Started looking at gyms with pools in my area.  Requisites were proximity to my house and open early.  Nothing was blowing my skirt up, but I had to find something!  I was also looking at swimming masters programs, which are swim teams (you don't HAVE to compete, though some people do...like those former Olympians on the teams. WOW!) for adults.  I happen to find one that practices right near my house on Tuesday and Thursday (best days for me due to E's swim practices) from 5:30-6:30am (would love it to be earlier, but....).  So, I contacted head coach, and WOW!!  It just HAPPENS to be the practice sessions for the Triathlon team associated with my bike shop!!  So, it isn't a regular masters program, it is ALL tri swim!  They teach how to maximize your freestyle for tris, don't worry about flip turns and such, and concentrate on efficiency for triathlons! HOLY COW!  I don't know how I managed to just walk into that!

I did my first practice with them on Tuesday and I thought I was going to die. Seriously.  I'm in the 3rd slowest lane and couldn't finish the drills. Any of them.  Today?  Well... today was awesome.  No, I didn't finish.  But I was taken out of the pool and individually coached by the head coach.  I mean, it was basically like I was taught to swim again.  I was flailing my arms all over the place, it was crazy!  And for the next two weeks, I don't get to swim with my legs.  I have to put a pull buoy in between my legs and just use my arms to concentrate on my body/breathing form.  I'm telling you what - this is awesome.  I feel completely and totally like "I am going to rock this swim thing."  I don't know why, but I walked out of practice today and felt so secure.  Yea, it was almost a step back, but for me, it was a sense of total security.  Weird? Maybe.  But totally exhilarating.

SO - what are my events this year?  Here you go.

March 17 - Half Marathon (with hubs)
April 12 - Sprint Triathlon
May 20 - Half Marathon (with hubs)
June 17 - Sprint Triathlon
July 22 - Olympic Triathlon
September 9 - Olympic Triathlon
October 28 - Marathon (with hubs)

This post is long enough... promise they won't all be this long but wanted to update!  Love ~ R