I'm sure my co-workers are sick and tired of hearing me say "I'm hungry", but I can't seem to help it. I'm certainly eating a more than adequate quantity to keep up with my training but the gnawing in the pit of my stomach is almost constant. It's very distracting! There is a ridiculous amount of chocolate in this office which isn't helping. I was going there pretty freely but with 6 weeks 'til the Ironman now is not the time to be free and loose with my nutrition. I feel that I should reward myself for not eating chocolate with .... chocolate of course.
How about a lovely cup of green tea instead?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Jinxed
A couple of months ago I gave my neighbours some help with their bikes. Very basic stuff like lubing the chain, adjusting the brakes and pumping up the tires. In the course of pumping up the tires one of the dry-rotted tubes completely blew up. My neighbour was very apologetic as I was changing the tube to which I replied "No problem, I need the practice. I hardly ever get flats so it's a good refresher." Ever since making that statement I've been cursed and getting more and more practice!
At the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell in July I had 3 flats! Obviously something was wrong with the rim or the tire to have that repeat so many times but I couldn't figure it out trailside and ended up begging for that final tube and CO2 cartridge in the rain and was close enough to the end that the generous rider gave it up in spite of his own risk.
Then a couple of weeks ago while out in Cartersville getting some practice on my tri-bike I got another one. I didn't have CO2 in this case, just a small pump and I never could get the tire pressure up to an acceptable level. The bad news was that I was about 1/2 way in to the 66 mile route. Too far from the 48 mile turn off that turning back had any advantage (and there are vicious dogs on that route), but far enough from the end that I fretted about it the whole way back. I spent $1 at the next gas station compressor but of course all that happened was the air that was in the tire completely drained due to the incompatible valve. After taking the time to get the tube changed, and hand pumping it twice and riding tentatively, by the time I got back to the car it was over 100 degrees. Miserable running temperature but I did it anyway. Less than 7 weeks until the race now! The tri tire is now flat again, so I guess there is something up there although I did a pretty thorough job in that case of checking the tire and rim at the side of the road.
Did I mention that both of these happened on the rear tire. Grrrr.
At the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell in July I had 3 flats! Obviously something was wrong with the rim or the tire to have that repeat so many times but I couldn't figure it out trailside and ended up begging for that final tube and CO2 cartridge in the rain and was close enough to the end that the generous rider gave it up in spite of his own risk.
Then a couple of weeks ago while out in Cartersville getting some practice on my tri-bike I got another one. I didn't have CO2 in this case, just a small pump and I never could get the tire pressure up to an acceptable level. The bad news was that I was about 1/2 way in to the 66 mile route. Too far from the 48 mile turn off that turning back had any advantage (and there are vicious dogs on that route), but far enough from the end that I fretted about it the whole way back. I spent $1 at the next gas station compressor but of course all that happened was the air that was in the tire completely drained due to the incompatible valve. After taking the time to get the tube changed, and hand pumping it twice and riding tentatively, by the time I got back to the car it was over 100 degrees. Miserable running temperature but I did it anyway. Less than 7 weeks until the race now! The tri tire is now flat again, so I guess there is something up there although I did a pretty thorough job in that case of checking the tire and rim at the side of the road.
Did I mention that both of these happened on the rear tire. Grrrr.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Tri'd it
With the Ironman in November fast approaching it has been suggested to me that mountain bike racing might not be the best form of preparation! Very inconvenient since that has been most of my race experience this summer.
I was up in Canada last week and there happened to a women's only triathlon scheduled at Kelso park on the weekend so I signed up, rented a bike and enlisted my entire family to come out on Sunday morning.
The temperature during the week had been in the 80's. By Sunday morning it was in the 40's and I have no idea what the water temperature was. I was one of only 3 people that did not have a wetsuit so clearly most people knew something that I did not. After taking an extremely long time just to submerge myself in the water I was anxious to get started. The other ladies were very sympathetic to my plight and I heard lots of 'you'll warm up once we get started'. Not exactly true I'm afraid and by the time I was finished with the two laps that made up the 1500m I was practically a popsicle. I had a momentary thought of just bailing on the whole thing, but I had to get warmed up so I might as well warm up by riding the bike right? My quads had a very deep freeze going on but I pedalled on. The winds were also picking up although the temperature was not. The two loops that made up the course were rolling hills and it seemed like no time at all before I was lacing up my running shoes. Problem was that my feet were completely numb! The run course was not exactly fun as it was 4 repeats of a 2.5km loop through the park camp grounds. I heard some of the other racers complaining that they couldn't remember what loop they were on but I had no such problems as the loop started with a steep little climb and I started the 4 loops by counting down how many times I would have to do it. It was great seeing my brother and my friend at each turn around and she got some great photos.
At the finish my 94 year old grandmother, visiting from Ireland, was there impressed but a little bit confused by what had just gone on.
Of the 27 people that started the race, 21 were finishers. Of those I was 19th out of the water, but 1st non-wetsuit swimmer. ;-). I had the 4th fastest bike time and was in the middle on the run for a 10th overall finish. I had a loose goal of trying to finish in under 3 hours and I met that with a time of 2:55.
As far as getting the triathlon racing experience I needed, probably not so much as it was such a small race. However, it was a nice finish to a great Canadian vacation with my family.
Frozen, exiting the water.
Start of the bike.
I was up in Canada last week and there happened to a women's only triathlon scheduled at Kelso park on the weekend so I signed up, rented a bike and enlisted my entire family to come out on Sunday morning.
The temperature during the week had been in the 80's. By Sunday morning it was in the 40's and I have no idea what the water temperature was. I was one of only 3 people that did not have a wetsuit so clearly most people knew something that I did not. After taking an extremely long time just to submerge myself in the water I was anxious to get started. The other ladies were very sympathetic to my plight and I heard lots of 'you'll warm up once we get started'. Not exactly true I'm afraid and by the time I was finished with the two laps that made up the 1500m I was practically a popsicle. I had a momentary thought of just bailing on the whole thing, but I had to get warmed up so I might as well warm up by riding the bike right? My quads had a very deep freeze going on but I pedalled on. The winds were also picking up although the temperature was not. The two loops that made up the course were rolling hills and it seemed like no time at all before I was lacing up my running shoes. Problem was that my feet were completely numb! The run course was not exactly fun as it was 4 repeats of a 2.5km loop through the park camp grounds. I heard some of the other racers complaining that they couldn't remember what loop they were on but I had no such problems as the loop started with a steep little climb and I started the 4 loops by counting down how many times I would have to do it. It was great seeing my brother and my friend at each turn around and she got some great photos.
At the finish my 94 year old grandmother, visiting from Ireland, was there impressed but a little bit confused by what had just gone on.
Of the 27 people that started the race, 21 were finishers. Of those I was 19th out of the water, but 1st non-wetsuit swimmer. ;-). I had the 4th fastest bike time and was in the middle on the run for a 10th overall finish. I had a loose goal of trying to finish in under 3 hours and I met that with a time of 2:55.
As far as getting the triathlon racing experience I needed, probably not so much as it was such a small race. However, it was a nice finish to a great Canadian vacation with my family.
Frozen, exiting the water.
Start of the bike.
Finished!
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