My Longest Bike Ride... So Far!

I started running 2 1/2 years ago. Then, after doing a 5K, a half marathon, and a few other races, I branched out and tried triathlons. I have now completed: four 5Ks, one 10K, one 10 miler, four half marathons, and two sprint triathlons. My next goal? A century ride, otherwise known as a 100 mile bike ride. And, my goal is to complete it this year.

 

My longest ride, until this weekend, was a 34 mile ride I did with my friend, E, last May. In November & December I built up to doing 20 miles at a time. And, Thursday night, I decided to enter my first organized biking event. I chose to do 45 miles and E would be riding in the car with me while her husband, R, would ride with their friend M.

We left very early because they'd done the ride before and knew traffic would be bad. We got there easily and had plenty of time to stop by the bathroom & get some breakfast. I first tried a breakfast taco, but I really don't like egg mixed with 'stuff' and only could eat a few bites. I then had some oatmeal, but I didn't see any sugar and it was so bland! E then showed me where the sugar was & it was great! I also had half a large banana and had already had some food on the drive.

 

Me before the ride.

I was pretty nervous about the start. It's a lot more dangerous starting with all those bikes than with runners! And, in a triathlon, you are spread out and it's illegal to get close to other riders. E, R & M all ride faster than me and started in the wave (or group) in front of me. I thought it'd be easier if I just did this on my own and didn't worry about my friends having to watch over me. I stayed to the far left, and took off with the crowd. It was actually not so bad!

I ended up being at the end of a wave, which was unplanned but I really liked. For the first few miles, I pretty much kept a little distance between myself & the back of the wave. I wasn't really interested in being surrounded by bikes!

A little before mile 3 everyone started yelling "slowing" and then "stopping". We could see an ambulance up ahead and knew that wasn't a good sign. The ride marshalls had us walk into the grass quite a ways before the ambulance. Most people were carrying their bikes and I tried for awhile, but then decided it was too tiring.

As I got closer to the wreck, I really started thinking that it could be my friend, E. I was praying and thinking "Please, not her!" I saw they had someone on a backboard, but couldn't remember what my friend had on. As I passed, I realized it was the other friend... M! The one who'd rode with my E's husband! Oh, no!!

I walked up and asked if I could talk to M. The EMT's encouraged me and said no one else had known her. I talked to her. She had a whole in her glove and a knuckle was bloody. And, she was holding her left shoulder. I didn't see anything else. I talked to her and she didn't know who I was. I told her we'd only met that morning but I was E's friend. She started crying and held my hand and told me she was scared and didn't know how she'd got there. I told her she'd be OK, that I'd be praying & try to contact E & R. I asked if I could call anyone and she said "no." I stood by until the loaded her in the ambulance.

I texted my friend, E, as I didn't have her husband's number. Then, I headed off at a pretty good pace. I was praying that I could catch up with my friend at the 1st stop. But, they were probably far ahead. I'd been slowed by the walk and then I'd stood by for probably 5 minutes or so.

I got there and coulnd't find them but saw a ride marshall and talked to him. He'd actually been one of the first on the scene! As I pieced together the story from him & from my friend's husband who later talked to M, I found out that: someone else had fallen down & M had wrecked into them. Surprisingly & sadly, though M was injured, the other rider got back on their bike and took off! They found another driver's license next to my friend and I guess they think that is the other person's. I was shocked someone would do that!

By this time, I was still upset and wondering if I should just go back to the car, but decided to press on... and slow down as I'd been pushing myself to try and rush to the 1st stop. I heard from my friend, E, at the 2nd stop. I didn't get much info then, but later learned the following: her husband had been having knee problems very early on and was already back at the start when she contacted him. So, he got to go straight to the hospital and be with M! Isn't that amazing? And, the news on M: she broke her shoulder and will be out about 2 months. (Though she'll get a 2nd opinion from a sports doctor this week.)

Back to the ride:

So, the temp was about 50 when we started and near 60 when we finished. I wore bike shorts with capris over them, a bike shirt and my wind jacket with removable sleeves. It was totally overcast (except for a brief time when the sun tried to break through) and winds were 10-15 mph, so I also wore my 'beanie' to protect my sensitive ears.

For most of the ride, the wind was at our side, and yet it felt pretty powerful to me! Most of the ride was flat with only 4-5 decent hills. (And those are Houston hills... so not that bad for many of you.) We only had about 2 miles with the wind at our back, and that was AMAZING!!! And, we had from about mile 40-43 with it in our face, and that was HORRIBLE!!! (But wind makes you stronger!)

On the main sections, when the wind was at our side, I was riding at about 12-15 mph. When the wind was at our back, I averaged 18-22. And, when it was at our face, I could only pull about 9!!! At one time, going up a hill with that wind, I dropped down to 7!!! And, at another time, I stopped pedaling and was afraid I might end up going backwards!

Rest Stop #1 of 4

There were 4 stops with great food and I stopped at each. I had oranges (sliced), banana pieces, cookies, peanut butter carckers, a granola bar... I didn't drink enough. I was afraid to drink much while riding as I'm still a little unsure of my abilities. I need to make sure and drink more.

I met another lady at the 2nd rest stop and then we hooked up at the 3rd and finished the rest of the ride together. For about 10 miles we were able to ride side by side and that was the easiest part of the ride... I think because we were chatting & forgetting our pains!

Different parts of my body hurt at different times, but I was thankful not to have any nagging pains. Today, the only thing sore is my SEAT! I feel terrific! And, I'm already looking at next weekend's ride where I think I'll do 45 miles again (well, 46.5).

I love BIKING!

My 1st Sprint Triathlon! (w/photos!)

I did it! Yesterday I competed in my first sprint triathlon. Wow!!!

So, how was it? It was great! It was hard! It was WINDY! But, I did it! And, I AM a triathlete.
MORNING: I woke up a little before 5 am and went through my bag one more time. I grabbed my breakfast (I was too nervous to eat) and loaded my bike on the back of my car. And, I headed towards the community center.

CHECKING IN and SETTING UP: I had been there the day before for a first timers event. (More on that later.) So, I knew pretty much what would be happening and where everything was set up. I brought my flashlight (great idea as I had to pump up my tires in the dark parking lot!) and went over to get my markings. The guy marking my leg heard me say "31" instead of "41" so he had to rewrite it. It was really messy and unreadable. Oh, well! I got my area set up according to everything I'd read and the Saturday class. I ate my banana and went and got my ankle chip. Then, I walked the exit & entrance to the bike & run several times to make sure I could find my bike. I was 2nd from the end, and got really good at finding it.

Minutes before my start... the guys behind me must have been some of those who passed me.

SWIM: There were about 600 participants and I was number 487. I was told they'd put someone in the water every 5 seconds, which should have put me around 7:25. But, I didn't get in the water until 7:45. It was a LONG wait, and I was wishing I had more 'fuel' to eat. I stood around talking to one of the ladies I'd me Saturday and the guy who was next to me on the rack. He actually trains some triathletes, so he was a great person to ask questions! (Oh, and I learned that they close the transition area -something I hadn't read - so you have to get whatever you need out of there!)

Taking a quick breath.

It was finally my turn to start & I jumped in. I'd predicted my swim team, for the 275 yards in the pool, would be 7:30. I hadn't practiced jumping in and was afraid my goggles would fill up with water, but they were fine. I hadn't warmed up at all since I knew there'd be a long wait until I started swimming. But, I immediately felt at ease in the water. That is, until the guys behind me caught up to me on the 2nd lane. For about 5 laps, they passed me one after another. And, they were bumping into me, pulling my legs under, and just messing with me! I was proud of myself for staying calm. I flipped over on my back twice, but just for a couple of seconds. I ended up swimming slightly faster than expected with a time of 7:24! And, I realize now that I actually probably swam 300 yards instead of 275 since you are also swimming the entire length of the pool. So, I was swimming faster than ever! Yeah!

Shoes are on... now for a quick snack...

T1: My first transition went well. I really had trouble 'running' from the swimming pool and it was a slight jog instead. My plan was to stand up and put my socks & shoes on, but my socks weren't going on easily. So, I sat down and got them on. I also grabbed a few Honey Stingers. I had a good time at just 2:41.

BIKE: I'd rode one loop of the 2 loop bike route the day before with the first timers group. And, Saturday had been kind of windy. But, race day was VERY windy! And, the path was hilly! (At least compared to the flat lands I ride on!) I am very proud of how hard I worked on the ride. I pushed & pushed and gave 100%. There were times we were riding directly into the wind and we were barely moving. And, we didn't get the benefit of the wind because we were behind some buildings when it should have been at our back. Overall, I'm very happy with my bike leg, especially since I haven't been riding very long. My time for 13 miles (which I showed as about 13.5 miles) was 59:21.

T2: I had a quick transition. I know I could have been a few seconds quicker by putting my cap on while running, but I was so tired and wanted a few seconds break. I also grabbed a big drink of water off of my bike and a couple more Honey Stingers. I had one of the fastest T2s in my age bracket at 1:14. (But, I didn't have to change shoes since I ride in my tennis shoes.)
 

At the start of the run... I was walking soon after this photo.

RUN: I was so tired by my run. It was hard to get going. I walked a lot more than I expected. I think I walked 5 times and they were pretty long walks. I had just given almost all of what I had to give! My run time was the 2nd slowest in my age group at 40:16. But, my fastest 5K to date is only 37 something, so this was actually pretty decent for me.
 

The FINISH!!! A triathlete is born!

So, my total time was 1:50:38. I placed 26 of 28 in my age group. I placed 150 of 175 out of the women. As in every other race, I came in at the back of the pack. Yes, that is frustrating for me. But, I think I did an incredible job and I know I gave it my all. (Well, I might have held back a little during the run.) I need to keep working on all 3 sports and I will get better! Right now I'm a little frustrated that I have a half marathon I'm training for, too, so it'll be harder to work on speed, but I'll do my best!

That's it! That's the story of my first triahtlon! I hope, if you are considering doing one, that you'll get out there and give it a try. It is an incredible feeling of accomplishment.

Half Marathoner!!!

I'm in a posting mood tonight! This is my 3rd post in the past hour.

 

Anyway, I ran am now a Half Marathoner! I completed my first half marathon almost two weeks ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I ran 13.1 miles in 2 hours 57 minutes and 10 seconds. And, it felt GREAT!!! I am already preparing for half marathon #2 (in Fort Worth, TX in February) and #3 (in St Louis, MO in April). I love running and I love being an athlete for the first time in my life!

Marathon Miner

I loved hearing about the story of Chilean miner Edison Pena. He was one of the miners who was recently trapped for 69 days in a Chilean mine. During that time, he modified a pair of boots and ran up to 6 miles a day. "Pena believes that competing in the NYC marathon will be his gift to God; a tribute to a merciful God that spared him of a terrible fate deep within the mines."



As I'm preparing for my Half Marathon in less than 2 weeks, I find Pena to be a huge inspiration. I am continuing to pray that God helps me to train smartly and stay injury-free as I train. Thanks for all of your comments and prayers!

Komen Race for the Cure 5K

The Komen Race for the Cure raises money for breast cancer research, which is a great cause! This was my 2nd 5K race.

 

the classic pink ribbon on my cheek

 

I didn't take any photos at the race, which was AMAZING and HUGE! But, here's a post-race photo.

During the race you can run with signs of loved ones who were affected by breast cancer. My top one says "In Celebration of Lillian Hunter", my husband's grandmother. The bottom one says "In Memory of Evelyn Kaechle", my grandmother.

My "First" 5K!!!

Earlier this summer I blogged about Spark People (or SP). Spark People is an incredible, free, online group that helps people lose weight and live a healthier life. You learn to set goals and achieve them! In fact, I have been working towards weight loss, and have lost 13 pounds since starting on June 1st! 

 

Another goal was to learn to run AND to be able to run an entire 5K... 3.1 miles. I started a program (through SP) called Couch to 5K (or C25K). With the program, you run 3 times per week. At first you are running 1 minute at a time and you work up to 30 minutes. Well, I could BARELY run for 1 minute at a time back in June, and now I run about 50 minutes, or a little over 3 miles, every weekend!!! And, I entered a 5K last Saturday.

 

I actually participated in 2 other 5Ks about 7 years ago, but I wasn't a 'runner' then. I would run as long as I could (a couple of minutes) then walk until I could run again. This time, I was hoping to run the whole 3.1 miles. But, the heat and the speed (I was going faster than usual!), got to me and I walked a lot of the last mile. Anyway, here is my timing chip on my shoe... I had to find a kind runner to help me figure out how to put it on. I later returned the favor and helped someone else!

 

This run was at a high school and it was neat having the band playing, the cheerleaders cheering, and the track team running! The cheerleaders helped us line up by holding signs for various paces. I lined up with the 10+ minute runners. The group behind me was the walkers. My pace is usual a 15 minute 30 second mile, so I knew I was slow. As a matter of fact, I ran with the walkers... a lot of them could keep up with me! But, I will get faster!

Alex took this photo of me when I got home. There were a lot of snacks on tables after the race, and I helped myself to fruit, a protein drink, and half a muffin. I always feel like eating healthy after I run!

So, I have another 5K coming up in 2 more weeks. My time on this race was (a slow) 46 minutes 30 seconds, but I did it! My pace was slightly under 15 minutes per mile. I'm hoping to do a little better next time... maybe under 45 minutes? It's a Komen Race for the Cure so it'll be HUGE! Actually, even this local race had almost 1,000 runners!!!

Goal... 5K!

I set a goal this week. I will be running my first 5K this fall!

These are the bibs I have from two 5Ks I participated in with my brother in 2004. I walked probably two thirds of each of them. This time, I plan on running the entire thing.

What got me motivated? Well, my sister-in-law was here two weekends ago and she has lost weight and is really getting in great shape. She was getting ready to go on a 25 mile bike ride the following weekend. I was really impressed! She looked great and felt great. And, I wanted to look and feel better, too.

So, I rejoined SparkPeople. Are you familiar with them? It is a FREE program that offers an online diet plan, calorie counter, and lots of health advice. You get to earn virtual trophies and points for sticking with your goals and for exercising. The best part of SparkPeople are the PEOPLE! You can blog at SP or join forums and you get a lot of positive feedback. It isn't just for people wanting to lose weight, but also for those who want to live healthier lives and just create and meet goals.

On Tuesday, I joined a SP group called "couch to 5K" (or C25K). I am now on a 9-week training program to run my first 5K. On Wednesday, I was talking to a friend at Alex's swim practice and she is now joining me on my runs! Then, yesterday, I decided to approach the swim team and ask other parents to join us for a 5K in October. We will be running in the Komen Race for the Cure. I already have at least 4 potential members and I hope to get 8-10. We'll see!

Is anyone else training for a 5K? or a half marathon? or a mini triathalon (something I'd like to do in the future!)? or some other event? If so, I'd like to cheer you on! We can do this!