off road triathlon. how hard could it be?

Earlier this year when I saw the rise in sprint prices from $500 to $1000 and more I realized I wouldn't be doing too many triathlons.  When I started a couple years ago I was doing the first edition of triathlons offered and the sprints ran around $500.  I figured that was reasonable.  However, the sport is exploding.  This year we got a state organization and sprints are popping up all over the place but the kids aren't going to put themselves through school, so I knew I'd be backing off the races this year.

I was intrigued enough, however, to sign up for an off-road triathlon that couldn't quite get enough participants the year before.  I just needed a mountain bike.  Well, I figured I did.  I thought it was likely that the event would be just on gravel roads versus paved roads but figured I might fall with the road bike.  Boy, was that an understatement of thought.  I liked the distances - 1km swim, 21km bike (how hard could that be?  we do that in around 30 minutes on our road bikes...) and an 8km (ish) run through the jungle.

I had seen mention of a beach finish and figured people were just being pussies and bellyaching about the sand run.  At any rate, with no concrete to run on, my hips would thank me as well as my complaining ankle.  So I signed myself up and tasked Jamie with cludging a mountain bike out of spare parts.  And he did.  It was more steel than rust (pretty much) and the gears decided what gear they'd be in, not me, but the wheels rolled and the handle bars steered and the seat stayed in place.  After all, it was only 21k; how long could that take?

I looked up the finishing times the night before and was floored to see women finishing in the 3- to 4-hour range.  This was very confusing.  I figured I'd take some gels and Skratch (electrolyte mix) and see what happened.  I found out that there was no water on the bike course so I decided to take 2 large bottles on teh bike and 1 small in my jersey.

I had a GREAT swim and came out first woman (it was a small field).  I threw my bike jersey on and headed out on the bike only to find it was a ride comprised of slabs of rocks, giant boulders, tree roots, logs crossing the path.  I figured it was likely hard at the start but it HAD to get better/flatter/more like a road, RIGHT?  ah, no.

I caught trees in my handlebars, waddled through deep sand I couldn't ride through and kissed a lot of slabs of rocks.  Towards the end of the first loop I was so done I was just going to quit.  I was having No fun, it was Sissy's birthday and it just didn't seem worth the trouble to be away from family on an important day doing something that was so NOT FUN.  Unfortunately I was on the 2nd loop before I knew it and figured I may as well finish the thing.  I thought I was muddy from spray from the course until I took a bath in a rancid mud puddle after one of my many falls.  then I KNEW
I was muddy.

I was never So Glad to get off the bike.  The run was back out in the jungle, on the single track, and much more manageable when you only had to dodge trees with your body and not bike.  The run ended with about 750m of deep sand run because apparently the event needed to make it just that extra bit harder.  I'll never do one again.  My hands were full of blisters, cramped into claws from holding the handlebars and I had a hard time locating the blood and bruises under the mud.

Punta Venado is a lovely location though and the organizers are putting on a run there in October.  That just might pull me in, especially since there will be NO bike involved!

here we go again

so i guess this is getting to be old hat now - I'm a grizzled veteran of the triathlon circuit after only 3 years.  Go figure.  I guess if you keep doing the same ones over and over and 2 of those 3 same ones are on the same course, you get grizzled in only 3 years.  I've done the full twice and this will be my 2nd half here on Cozumel, so this will be the 4th time on this course.  In November I'll have #5.  It is a GORGEOUS course and that really helps.  Not having the $ to go anywhere else even though Cozumel is a "destination" triathlon for so many might be another reason for my lack of excitement. 

Or maybe it is the fact that I had hopes (where I get these ideas into my head I have NO IDEA) of placing top 3 this year.  Honestly, I just don't think I've put in the training to achieve that result, but just like last year's expectation of hitting a 6-hour time (that was unrealistic) again this year I have (what will likely be) the unrealistic goal of 6-hour time AND top 3.  I mean, if your first goal was unrealistic, why not pile another one in there too?  I can't even blame this on lack of sleep and being up since 3am as I've had this goal for a while. 

The ferry, as usual, took FOREVER (yeah, I'm jaded about a ferry ride on the Caribbean).  By now we should be used to this but rushing around to get the kids from school, pack the car, (one of these years I am going to make a LIST), get to the ferry terminal and then wait for 3 hours to board.  I always try to get the planta baja as it is so much easier than dragging the van's ass on the metal of the floor as we attempt to drive up the 45 degree (so it seems) ramp.  I got super luck this time but we were about the 3rd last on the ferry.  Ferry was so packed they turned one truck away.  Don't think I've ever seen that before. 

Course, last on = first off and while we were packed in so incredibly tight that the only door that could be opened was the drivers (and this was after a car was moved so we could get that one open) we probably got off about an hour before those waiting on the 2nd deck.  I really felt sorry for the folks waiting for the ferry going back across.  Last one of the night and we docked an hour late.  They will have had a LONG night.  These races are getting bigger and bigger here in Mexico and each one I see more and more athletes and bikes and fancy stuff on the trip over to the island.  Other than truck drivers, I think everyone on the ferry was coming for the event. 

We are LOVING this house.  I think we get a different house each trip and this is the best so far if, for absolutely nothing else, EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN BED.  When you have 4 kids and not so much $, you tend to crowd kids wherever and the boys almost always end up on a couch IF they're lucky.  This place has THREE bedrooms and FIVE BEDS.  I can't remember the last time we had enough beds for everyone.  We didn't get here until after 9pm so no clue as to the rest but we're SUPER close to T2 and that's about as good as it gets.  I've been up since 3am getting some work done (I had no clue how early it was when I originally got up and tried to go back to bed but no dice) so I am sure I'll be napping later IN MY OWN ROOM!!!  Doesn't take much to impress me. 

I really need to start visualizing the race and preparing for it because I seriously have not given it a second of thought.  Goal 1:  A 6-hour race.  Goal 2:  Place in top 3 (likely 3rd if I get lucky enough).  Rationalization and/or training to achieve the aforementioned goals?  Um, well, that could be a problem.  If this race had been in July, I might have had a chance...pictures to come.

the rest of bacalar

We had SUCH a good time in Bacalar we decided to really drag out the day coming home.  IIRC I let the kids take a day off school and we found a rancho I'd read about and the girls took us on a horseback ride.  They really wanted to run the horses but these were not jumping horses.  Both girls did, finally, coax gallope out of both their mounts but I think they had more fun running the horses in the ring than the lovely passage through the jungle to the laguna.  Jamie and I had a GREAT time watching but riding a horse is definitely Not My Thing.  It sure was fun to have them be the masters looking out for us and telling us what to do though.

Chilling at Laguna Bacalar after the swim

 the rancho had a pool also and we put it to good use

sissy getting her mount to gallope

almost at the laguna - took about 30 minutes from the rancho

sissy giving Jamie pointers

the laguna via horseback

three-quarters of a year.

I guess I somehow deleted the beginning of this...So Jamie and I decided to do a 40km time trial out towards Cancun in the spring.  I got lots of good advice from Slowtwitch along with warmup and training advice and thought I might have a chance in the top 5 to 10.  They were only paying out top 3 though and I really wanted my entry fee ($200 pesos) back, so I was hoping.

We had gone out the weekend before to get a feeling of the road and thought we figured out the start and turn around and found that while it is pretty easy to average 32kph here (with and against the wind) out there seemed to be a strange vortex of energy or whatever that kept our HR up high and our average speed pretty pedestrian.  Very strange.  After our pre-race reconnaissance we were rather worried we would place very low (if at all) and I was hoping against hope for more women in my age category as I didn't think I had much of a chance against the young women.  The same organizers put a team time trial on later in the year but we never managed to put the energy into finding a 3rd person for our team.

 I killed myself, averaging 148 HR or so and with 3 km left completely died.  When I finally crossed the finish line I could barely stay on my bike and actually just got off and lay down in the road.  At least I left it all out there.  I somehow managed 2nd in my age group (25+) and 3rd overall.  Beat by a teenager (IIRC) for overall position!  :)  Jamie took his category by at least 15 minutes or more.  Kicking some old man ass. 

  

We'll definitely be back for the next event they have though.  There were very pro-looking teams coming from all over the peninsula.  Apparently, quite the event. 

On the kid front, Sissy's school participated in the millon a pie (can't remember what the engish version was) but a world-wide event, which involved one of her newly found loves (thanks to school), dancing.  Apparently the moms were also invited to participate.  They held the event just off the beach and it was really fun to watch them.  Plus they got about 1/2 a day off school!

Jesse's school then put on their 10th anniversary concert at a local bar and we all spent the day at the beach (such trials and tribulations :)) and had a great time listening to the music, watching the dance and getting a sneak peak at their newest performance, Les Miserables.  I had been very skeptical of this musical as i didn't think they'd be able to touch their amazing performance of All Shook Up but the entire family really enjoyed Les Miz once the performance rolled around.  That school continues to amaze me with the quality of their performances.  The girls ran the Ak Lu'um 5k again this year which Ellen topped with a 1K for the kids as she still had energy left over.  The girls don't really race it, they just go to support Ellen's school and have fun.

I'm have so many pictures I'm just going to have to post them separately.  This is going to get long now... :)

 

I decided to race a 10K at Father's Day and Jamie and I spent a lovely day in Akumal afterwards snorkeling and hanging out.  I was pleased with my time (56 minutes) and will definitely do this one again and maybe next time be able to entice the family to come spend the day in Akumal.  Such a nice spot to spend a Sunday and The Best way to recover from a 10K run.

Both girls had a horse competition the day of my usual sprint triathlon so I consoled myself with a sweet jersey from this year's event and had a GREAT time with the girls.  They both eventually decided to compete both days (instead of just one) and Ellen just missed out on medals.  Sissy took home some great prizes (AI certificate and plaques) as well as a first place on the 2nd day.  Both girls looked GREAT on their mounts and, more importantly, cheered on their fellow competitors and had a great time.  The biggest disappointment was that the paleta cart had no corriente so we had to scarf down enough paletas on the first day to content us for the entire competition.

I then set my sights on Bacalar for their yearly open water event.  Last year I somehow missed the date and the year before I was wicked sick with a chest thing.  I've been wanting to do this event for 3 years (even paid one year) and this was going to be my year.  We found a house to accommodate the dog (it is a small town and this event completely fills all the hotels there, so it wasn't an easy task) and headed down.

(a 3-hour tour.  this is why we need a van - to carry our MOUNTAINS of crap)  Actually we had planned to do some riding in unfamiliar lands while we were there but Jamie got sick and I decided to just hang with the kids and had to be content with my swim and then outsmarting the federales trying to fleece me for $3000 for imagined infractions.  I finally broke down and did the stupid tourist "I no speak espanish" (having used the subjunctive tense previously, I miraculously lost all ability to speak Spanish and could only speak English) and it worked.  From now on i think I no longer speak Spanish when it comes to cops.  We left super early in the morning and it about killed me to bypass this place offering coffee, but I managed to survive.  Barely...

We actually stayed out of town by 5km or more and had a great time there.  We walked to the river (that feeds Laguna Bacalar) and had a great time paddling around in the kayak.  Jesse managed to cross the river but also to lose his snorkeling mask.  I think Pike was the only one uninterested in the river, but we had fast internet and a massage chair at the house and those were hard to compete with.

We all really enjoyed hanging out in the house with the lovely view of the laguna and fresh breeze.  The girl ran about the GRASS!!! in the backyard when we weren't in the water, running from the law or swimming 5k.  It was a GREAT vacation.

fresh from kayak and swim

the kids room.  one each to a bed, sissy in the hammock and pike made himself a bed in the closet.  worked for them!

I had just, about a month before, started increasing my swimming, trying for 10k/week but failing miserably but hoped to just have a good time.  The first lap wasn't that bad but that second lap was trying.  The water seemed to have a good chop to it and the base of the triangle of the swim seemed to be very difficult to swim against current.  But I've never done a 5K in the water before and figured it was par for the course.  When I got out and noticed my time I was severely disappointed.  I guess I get used to being a big fish in a small pond (what with the infancy of the sport here and my age, I'm usually a shoe-in to at least place in most all events) and this was a HUGE blow to my ego.

It is SUCH a pretty event though that I know I'll be back next year - even if I have to downgrade to the 2.5 K.  :)  SO worth it!

 However, it really caused me to look hard at my swimming and put a much greater effort into it.  Luckily, soon after the event, the triathlon message board I frequent started a swimming challenge which soon got me to 10k/week.  But I first had to get over dengue, which I must have picked up in Bacalar.  That really set my training back and after my saddle issues last year at this same time, I'm beginning to think I need to dedicate a rest month to July or something will cause me to have a rest month one way or another. 

I'm going to have to put this past weekend's race in a separate post and maybe that will keep me updating more regularly.  Can't hurt.

December wrapup/catchup

For a while there it felt like we were constantly doing something.  We had the IM, Jamie was running people back and forth to the airport, kids had practices, Jesse performed in "All Shook Up", Ellen had THREE performances and/or events and Sissy danced in her school performance.  After 50+ years on this earth, I've finally figured out I'm an introvert.  Seems all the rage these days (i.e. since, say, the 80s or so) to label yourself, so I'm jumping on that "embrace your limitation" bandwagon.

recovery and moving on

The recovery this year has been so different from last year.  I'd have to check the blog, but I'm pretty sure I just ate and gained weight after last year's IM.  This year I was REALLY beat up afterwards and had pain I'd not had in my legs since my first HIM, but after a week I was chomping at the bit to run.  I actually did run after 5 days or so, but did run/walk as Zach had admonished me from running before a week was up.  I then lost all inspiration and wanted to veg.  So I did.  I pretty much did just what I wanted and didn't force ANY exercise at all.  As a result, I've swum ONCE the entire month of December.  Pretty much this is a picture from that solitary event.  Granted, it has been choppy but after swimming IMCOZ this year, I have NO fear of any chop.  I just really hate when I don't have crystal clear water.  We're shallow enough in our bay that chop and wind means murky water and I really hate that.  We have also had a lot of crap (sea grass, wood, etc.) in the water lately, so I have not been at all interested in swimming.  I do need to work my swim this year though, so I'm halfheartedly looking into pools in the area.  There MUST be some adults who swim around here Somewhere closer than Cancun or Cozumel?

Running has been going well.  After spending the year doing 6 days/week running I'm now experimenting with a streak of 100 days.  So far I'm 10 days in and feeling fine.  With all the kid events lately last night I was "forced" to run at night and it was interesting.  I did some tiptoe running through one jungle path until I decided I wasn't risking the cuatro nariz any more and ran the lighted grava road round and round the park 5 times for 45 minutes.  It is definitely an idea for summer but not being able to see the obstacles and potholes makes for much trepidation and I'd rather have the sun and be able to see where I'm going.  But definitely an idea for summer.

IM Cozumel 2012 part 2

The first loop of the bike was pretty easy.   I had an envelope of Gatorade in me and I was just trying to keep my HR down around 120ish and keep it easy. I'd read that the first loop should be easy and I was surprised how I had to CONSTANTLY reel myself in and go slower. I saw 2 ladies in my AG pass me and it KILLED me not to go after them but I kept thinking that my goal was just to finish and I had to think of the run afterwards. So I reluctantly let them go. But dayum, that was hard. Saw the whole famdamily at the swim start on the 2nd loop and stopped to chat with them and hug the kids. DH stuck a banana in my jersey and off I headed again. This time my friend who lives on Cozumel caught up to me and I used her as a rabbit and kept her within 7-10 meters (I guess). Unfortunately after the great success of the banana and the Gatorade envelopes of sweet nectar, I was done with intake. I kept drinking water though and I was constantly DYING of thirst (yet I wasn't hot). I think that when the humidity drops like it had, we get super thirsty as the air is SO DRY. So I was adding NUUN tablets to water and drinking like a fish. I knew I was risking bloat but I couldn't figure a way out. I had to drink, I couldn't keep nutrition down, so it had to be water. Wish I had a coconut then though. Wish I'd brought 10 pesos like I did last year to buy one as they were open for business on the east side.

Second loop of the bike a guy passes me and says "(unintelligible) pelo" and my head is still in a fog of trying to make myself eat and mental math and roar of the wind in my ears and I look at him, register it was Spanish, and ask "mande?" to which he repeats that I have very beautiful HAIR! WhatTheEverLastingFUCK? I thanked him and figured he was one of those long-hair-liking guys but I have to say I was a little sad he didn't mention his awe at how I was CRUSHING the bike for an old fart! I mean, throw me a bone here! I'm dying on the course, can't get nutrition in but I'm holding a good pace for an old lady and he complements my HAIR? Maybe I wasn't crushing the bike after alll....Hmmm... Same lap. Lady (nice looking from the rear and very tall, I have to say) complements my braid. Ok, this IS getting weird. Did the kids paint it tri colored? Is there a sign stuck to my back saying "tell me how lovely my hair is?" Third lap. Same lady. Same complement. At this point I've forgotten I'm in a triathlon and am planning my hair modeling career. My head swells from the attention and bursts.

Last loop of the bike I knew I was getting in trouble. My legs NEVER let me down but they were failing fast. I knew I had to get some sugar in me but my stomach just recoiled at the thought. I finally remembered Jens Voight's "shut up legs" and said "shut up stomach" (maybe I needed Jens to say it as my stomach didn't even pause to listen) but I downed, very slowly, 2 GU and hoped that would do it. The winds picked up laps 2 and 3 on the east side but the transvasal (from the east side to town) calmed down to just cross winds so that was helpful. Only got the really helpful tailwinds in town and towards the swim start so I knew my bike was not going to go as I'd hoped. I had hoped I could do a 6-hour bike (before getting sick) but watching my average speed hovering around 28kph I knew that wasn't going to happen. I then thought maybe 6:15 to 6:20 at the slowest but I finally dragged in at 6:30. I think lack of nutrition really made the last lap the hardest. Maybe. I remember thinking there was No Way I was going to run a marathon after that. But, well, with all the families here, I certainly had to TRY, right? My stomach was uncomfortably bloated and I knew I would not be taking much in on the run.

I had amazing volunteers again in the tent and headed out for the run, not sure if I'd finish it. I had planned to do the first loop walking every aid station, the 2nd loop walking every other and running the 3rd loop if all felt good. Leaving T2, however, it was a nonstop constant aid station all along the malecon so I quickly changed to run 10 min, walk 1.  For some reason again (was I delirious?) the run laps seemed to go by faster than last year. Maybe because I was expecting them to be so long, I dunno. However, by the end of lap 2 the day had caught up with me and I was in good pain. My stomach, diaphragm, inner thighs, hammies were cramping and my calves were threatening succession. Where was my nice hair guy now??? I got some ibuprofen and headed out. I figured I could walk the thing and finish but dayum, I wanted a good time. I had NO IDEA where I was but figured I was looking at 14+ hours. I could deal with that but 15 would have been disappointing.

My BIL's sunburnt face was bright in my mind.  At the end of loop 1 he was screaming at me, "You've GOT this!" and was so excited and I was thinking "What the FUCK?  I have TWO more laps to go!  I haven't "got" this until I'm in the finisher's chute!  Are you INSANE?"  BUT, his face and his energy gave me something I can't explain.  I kept seeing his face and hearing his voice and just kept plugging along.  I tried some pepsi but couldn't stomach it.  I was doing 2 NUUN tablets in a water bottle and even tried some Gatorade but had to spit that out.  I'm thinking my extra layers of fat were a real help this time as I just Could Not Make ANYTHING go down the hatch.  So I just kept running (in retrospect I should have kept to the 10:1 as I was faster at that) until I though I shat myself. Yes, folks, I was SURE I was going to give poopman a run for his money and clenched whatever muscles were not currently cramped to SHUT THAT DOOR until I could find a portapotty (which, at Cozumel, are few and far between). I was SHOCKED to find Nothing in my shorts afterwards and honestly, quite confused as I was SURE I was holding back a load of crap but the only thing coming out was air.  I must have checked my shorts 3 or 4 times in the PortALoo SURE I had something in my pants but never found a thing.  

Again, finishing I had NO idea of my time (one of these days I'm going to get one of those new fangled wrist things that count time) and was SHOCKED to see a 13 on the clock. Somehow I managed to take 20 minutes off last year's time. I totally missed my girls in the stands as I was watching for them in the area they had said they'd be previously and my sister has a picture of them holding out their little hands as I bypass them, completely oblivious. Medical took me away as I couldn't stop dry heaving but since This Is Mexico I simply found the right person and lied myself out of the tent and walked back home with the family.

This year felt like an accomplishment. Last year was good but this year was different. I really felt like I Did something.  I was SUPER sore this year the day after (in comparison to no soreness last year) and even days later still sore.  However, this year I'm back on the bike twice in the week following Ironman and even though Zack told me not to run, I couldn't stop myself on Friday (I justified it as it was ALMOST a week after the event) and did some 5-min runs along my 5K route.  I'm a lot more tired than last year but Jamie and I are already planning next year's event.  I think I might need to pay my BIL's way so he'll be there for me on the run though.  I'm not sure I would have made it without him.  That 2nd lap I just wanted to lie down on the ground and go to sleep.  I really didn't care about much other than lying down and stopping.

Pictures to come.

So now the training starts for next year. Just before IMCOZ I found out you're supposed to do INTERVALS on the bike! WHO KNEW?

the glory of the hair - IM Cozumel 2012 (part 1)

I must have suffered greatly in another life because this one is absolutely charmed.  Last year we hung out with the 4th pro overall at IMCOZumel and this year he and his lovely bride came just to cheer me on!  The kids were so excited to hear Kristin and Zach were coming back this year and we were all really looking forward to seeing them again.   Unfortunately he'd had a bad year and while he wasn't planning on racing, he didn't feel comfortable telling us that until we dragged it out of him.  He was worried (I think) that we would think less of him.  TBPH, I was totally bowled over by the fact that he would come to cheer me on and thought it was too sweet for words.  I guess the pro are human afterall - it is just their times that are superhuman. 

I have a superstition of always doing something new on race day.  Last year it was the race itself, a new bike seat and nutrition.  This year I went in having eaten (or kept down) virtually nothing for 2 to 3 days previous, plus new nutrition, brand new shoes and lube.  I have to laugh at all the RRs with folks setting alarms and eating in the middle of the night on race day.  When you get to the insomnia portion of old age, you NEVER interrupt sleep.  Considering I wasn't keeping food down anyway, I wasn't about to start a new practice of waking myself up to try to eat something.  I figured I'd go in like a bear does winter.  I have nice coat of fat to live off.  Should work in theory anyway...

I really wanted to do the Saturday swim practice as I'd been off the bike and run since the previous Sunday and had not swum since the previous Monday.  Pretty much I was screwed, but I wanted to see if I had anything in my arms.  Dayum, but the water was rough on Saturday.  Much worse than race day (at least to my recollection).  I did as much as they allowed (most of the course was closed except 2 bouys) and then waited for Zach to finish psyching out his competitors before heading home.  After the swim I completely released myself from any expectations.  I knew I was going to swim slow, and quite honestly, I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  Well, my ego would MAKE me finish unless I could not make forward progress, but I expected it could get super ugly.  After the swim while chatting with Jamie (an ex-teammate of Zach's) and Zack, Jamie suggested that if the conditions were the same the next day, he could see people needing the entire 2.5 hours (or whatever they give us; I have YET to attend a prerace meeting in any language) and I thought he was crazzeeee.  Those pros live in a different world and I figured he was pretty out of touch with we mere mortals.  Crow does taste pretty good after all! 

I had previously, before getting sick, hoped for top 10, but looking at the bevvy of fast old farts that entered this year, I wasn't sure that would happen.  Yes, I had the audacity to stalk their times of past IMs and HIMs to figure out what they would likely do and it seemed that the top 20 were sub 11-hour IMs.  Dayum, 50+ is getting competitive.  But I still hoped for top 10.  I also wanted to better my time from last year.  A lady who lives on Cozumel, who is responsible for getting me into the sport by simply inspiring me, took 1 hour off her time each year so I figured I should be able to do that too.  Course, she started at about 14 or so hours and is 10 years younger... details, details...

Race day morning I still couldn't hold down a GU.  I was, however, able to eat and hold down a banana so I radically changed my nutrition plan to (ta dum!!) BANANAS!  I figured in the old days they did all kinds of crazeee nutrition and I was just going to take some inspiration from old skool.  I had a banana for breakfast and a sip of Perpeteum and hoped I'd be able to drink it on the bike, ASSuming I made it to the bike.  I did a LOT of ASSuming.  Still do.  My sister, BIL, 2 nieces, my mother and father (83 and 77), my 4 kids (18, 16, 13 and 11) and Dearest Husband In the Free World accompanied me to the swim start. I was pretty bummed because I was sure I wasn't going to finish and I honestly wasn't sure I'd even finish the swim but dayum, you have to at least TRY, right? Water looked calmer than the day before. Ray of hope #1. I took it out SUPER easy. I didn't work hard at all, I really just wanted to finish around the same time as last year (denial again) and not get pulled out. I took about 15 minutes longer than last year but it seemed to go much faster than last year. Last year seemed to drag ForEver but other than the last stretch of however long (400-1200m?) that seemed to take 20 minutes or so, it went pretty fast and easy in my head. I did manage to swallow water for the first time ever and rounding one buoy someone placed their hand on my head and pushed me directly down underwater (that was confusing as hell) and I must have swum constant Zs after being pushed all over by the waves and current, but it was, at least in hindsight, pretty easy as I took it super easy.

All the way back on that last stretch (I have had it in my head it was only 400m but I've seen accounts of 1200 so who knows) I could only see waves and palm trees.  At one point I saw a bus stuck in traffic but the waves were such that I never saw a bouy.  I tried to stay to the shallow part of the course as I had been advised to do that previously but it sure seemed like this last stretch was especially rough.  The waves seemed to come from all directions and I couldn't hold a straight line to save my life.  I kept aiming for shore, sure I was headed all but directly AT the shore but never seemed to get there.  Finally I thought I saw the palapa roof that marks the end but first we had to avoid a boat that seemed to be directly in the middle of the course.  Maybe I was just WAY off course.  I never expected to be able to see family as I came in, but again, just like in September, I saw them and waved a couple times so they'd know I saw them.  I didn't even try to stand up coming out, just climbed up the stairs like a baby and wobbled down to transition.  

I ran to transition. Last year I was beat up by the swim and too tired to run to transition and honestly, for us old, slow farts, you gotta just wonder, WHY? Stroll and smell the roses! But this year I ran. And felt good. I had gotten hungry on the last stretch of the swim and hoped that would be a good sign. I asked the guy I was running with (at Cozumel the changing tents are a fair piece from the swim exit) what time he had and he very graciously hit buttons on his watch to figure it out. He had 1:28. I was a little bummed because that is really slow but the water was rough so I justified it that way. What ever works. Hey, I got out and made it through one event! I had a GREAT time in the transition tent - the volunteers were so helpful and brought me some Gatorade concoction I had remembered from last year that was like nirvana and this year did not disappoint either. I got 2 more and dumped the nutrition I had (chomps and bars) as I knew they weren't going to happen. Saw the family as I left and headed out on the bike.

before the saga we must have foreshadowing...

I have read a number of race reports and keep reading about people setting alarms and eating at 3am the morning of race day or some crazy hour and then GOING BACK TO SLEEP.  Clearly, these are young punks.  Even if I had been able to keep food down before the race there is no way I'd purposely wake myself up from successful sleep just to eat.  Going back to sleep after waking is a perk enjoyed by the young and no longer in my bag of tricks.  I had also picked the wrong week to stop my asthma long-term meds as I'm still in denial I actually have asthma and decided the way to stop the heart palpitations was to stop the meds.  Hell was going to have to freeze over before I stopped drinking coffee.  That worked somewhat but what really helped was increasing my water intake.  D'oh!  After a couple of attacks that really got the attention of my old folks later, I figured I was risking a heart attack in my dad and went back on the meds.  So lesson 1 for next year, Don't Stop the Asthma meds the week before Ironman.  Who knew?  Really, they should put this in a book or something.

The entire extended family, my sister and her family, my parents and our entire family of 6 all mysteriously came down with either a very quick and violent GI bug or a lingering and nonviolent bug the week before the race.  We were going crazy trying to figure out what food could have felled all 3 families and could not figure out what it could have been.  It never occurred to us that it could be a GI bug as we were all hit so quickly and en mass (with only 1 family being local and the other 2 arriving in Mexico at different points in time).  Just didn't seem possible to be a bug.  I was pretty sure I'd be eating by Friday or Saturday and expected whatever it was to simply get me closer to race weight without any ill effects.  How could I have gotten this old and still be so stoopid?

I started getting worried on Saturday when I still couldn't eat without severe stomach cramps and constant dizziness and nausea.  But to backtrack a bit, my sister, BIL and 2 nieces along with my octogenarian parents, AND Zach and Kristen came down to the venue.  Jesse was staying in town for the jazz festival and the girls had a birthday party Friday night, so I took Pike, the dog, Zach, Kristin and my sister's family over to Cozumel on the early afternoon Friday ferry.  The car ferry is always less rough than the passenger ferry but I was surprised how much we rolled (cue foreboding music).  We had 2 houses rented and both were very close to each other.  One was a giant mansion of 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, 2 salas and a giant kitchen and pool and the other a modest (but lovely) 2 BR house which turned out to be much better stocked than the Big Haus.  We dropped Zach and Kristin at the Little Haus and we began to unload mountains of crap from the van into the Big Haus.

Saturday morning Zach and I headed to the swim venue as I'd always wanted to preswim the course (and it is too costly to visit Chankanab as a tourist) and found the water, well, rather rough.  I was still not eating and beginning to get worried about the entire event.  As I had not swum (or biked or run) since the previous Monday due to sickness, I figured I had to get it and see if my arms still worked.  Strangely they did work and while I felt okay for the 30 minute 200 m swim (it is entirely possible that is an exaggeration but it was quite rough that day) my arms were Very Tired and I was now officially Worried.

denial and reviews

I am so certain of my imminent Crash and Burn in next week's triathlon that I am cruising on that river and agog with all the pretties my wonderful mules brought me.  So, some reviews are in order.  I had the following items brought to me by my faithful mules (in no particular order)

DeSoto trisuit.  OMG, the saga of this suit will live in (my infamy).  I ordered in late August.  Paid to have it imported directly from Swimoutlet.  The wrong color suit came and I was left without a suit for my HIM in September.  Customer service at Swimoutlet promised they would personally ensure the correct suit was sent out (too late for the HIM, but still) but I (in retrospect) very smartly had it sent to my folks in California instead of paying to import it here.  Wrong suit arrived Again.  Customer service again promises the correct suit will be sent.  Again, to my folks.  Again the wrong suit.  They then figure out they don't have the suit they're advertising on the internet and offer discount if I keep the one I have.  I hate the colors and figure since I am potentially stuck in another country with a suit I didn't order, I'm going to try yet another color combination.  Have it sent to my folks and it is a WINNER!  The exact suit I had been trying to order but in red instead of blue.  After the saga, it is already a win, just by getting a suit close to the one I had been ordering.  I really need to try it in the water and land, but for now I'm just happy to have a suit for sprint.

Aqua Sphere goggle, had mixed reviews but I decided to try them as goggles here have lasted only a few months before developing a hole or melting or other disasters.  Unfortunately, the view was so warped in the water that I got rid of them as soon as I could and went back to my Mexican headache-inducing but nonfoggy, nondistorted view goggles at 1/3 of the price.  Hoping to get a refund once my sister brings them back.  Amazon makes it pretty sweet for return with a UPS pickup or dropoff at your choice.

My swimsuits are getting older and I'm now getting chafing on my pectoral area with my good old Dolphin fuglie and also needed some nonallergenic chamois cream, so I decided to try the highly recommended Queen Helene cream.  So far it was seriously tempered the burn of salt-water chafing from the swimsuit but I'm not sure if the discomfort on the bike was due to old shorts or the new cream.  No hives, so it seems to have passed that particular allergen test.  Very slippery feeling without being at all greasy though.

I am LOVING the camera waterproof housing I got but then realized that the "dirt" I've been seeing in my pictures is apparently a lens scratch that really only becomes most obvious at about 4x zoom.  BUT the waterproof housing is GREAT!

to be continued...

stick a fork in me, I'm done.

I have been adding to the BT training plan with extra riding and running 6 days a week while the last 2 weeks I've been tired, I've always recovered and thought I had better efforts ontop of hard efforts.  But every day lately, I've felt more and more tired and not looking forward to the training.  I've read enough blogs to know that it is common to be wiped by the training and it seems that folks just soldier on and put in the time dictated by "The Plan".  Today I just couldn't do it.  Didn't have it in me.  Plan called for 3 hours on the bike and 3000 m swim and I just didn't have it in me.  So I gave in to the headache and deep fatigue and rested.  I've been hit with a few days of headache also so this gives me a chance to try and deal with that.  I've also had day after day of palpitations and while they seemed to be induced with the new Guatemalan coffee we've been trying I got off it and the asthma meds (which I know can cause palpitations) and I did notice a day I didn't get them.  Today I'm back with them so who knows.

I think I'm going to try a 2-week taper but honestly I've begun to rethink ALL my training and have come to the conclusion that I've just wasted a year of training with no focus and have no hopes of bettering my time (other than in transistion) this year.  I am hoping I do at least as well as last year on the swim, think I might have a 6:30 bike in me but expect to do about the same on the run (and hopefully not worse).  So either exactly the same or maybe 30 minutes faster.  That said, I'm deep into trying to figure out how to train for next year.  Yeah, I'm already planning to do Cozumel again.  Can't seem to get that race out of my blood (though I'll likely have a much different view in a couple Sundays).

Mom and Dad arrived and muled a SHITLOAD of crap down here.  Got maltodextrin for Jamie (and me), Scratch, some electrolyte tablets and lots of clothes for Sissy and some for Ellen, but the main mule will be my sister's family, who are bringing half an Amazon warehouse.  I think I finally placed my last order on Friday and after this trip my sister may decline the opportunity to visit for the near future.

It has only taken me a year or two but I finally figured out I should be riding intervals and much harder efforts than I have been in order to get faster.  Who knew?  The last couple weeks I've been trying them out and hope that I'll glean a tiny bit of benefit from it.  I also managed to break a toe AFreakingGain swimming.  I always leave a water bottle on the dive boat (to wash the salt out of my mouth after each 750m "lap") and I have managed twice, so far, to break a toe on an unseen giant piece of concrete or rock.  I ran on it immediately afterwards, not sure if it was broken or not, and have had pain all the way down my foot (unlike the last time when my toe just increased gigantically in size and showed all colors of the rainbow).  Still able to run, though, so I guess I just keep doing that and icing it.

I've been working on my cycling pedaling motion and when I keep the image of a steamtrain in my head with the arms that move back and forth on the wheels, it really helps me pedal quietly and efficiently and stops the pedal mashing.  It takes incredible concentration though, so it doesn't last long.  Tomorrow I hope to make up today's missed 3hr ride and 1 hr run.  After a day of lazing about in bed, I should be up for it.  Mentally I'm already checked out though.

Maraton Ecologico Riviera Maya

My girls (just turned 11 and 13) and my 18yo son and myself had planned to run an event today. 3K for the girls, 10K for my son and 21K for me.   The course markings were "interesting" and the girls ended up on the 21k course and eventually the 10K and finished at least 10K. They had a GREAT time, said they just had fun and enjoyed themselves and didn't mind ending up taking 2 hours to do what should have been 3K.   My 18yo went back out on the 10k course to find them and they all finished together. What a GREAT bunch of kids! (the 16yo is at a kitesurfing competition). I'm SO proud of them for having a great time and making the best out of the situation they were in. They have done no training (except the 18 yo and sporadically) and I honestly thought they'd never do anything athletic (the 16yo windsurfs and the girls do equestrian, so there's that) and just figured I'd keep plugging along and my husband and I would just model athleticism. The 18 yo wants to do 21k next. :)

Looking at the map, the girls did at LEAST 11k and are resting now. :) The little one says her legs are sore.  The girls said that they walked all the aid stations and took all the gatorade they wanted and were happy to know that, surrounded by other runners, they couldn't get super lost so they just stayed with the flow of people. They ran into people along the course (one school teacher got them off the 21k course and onto the 10k course) and then the 18yo gave the 11 yo a piggyback ride at one point. I'm still awed that they ran at least 11k and had fun doing it as they don't get much activity (13 yo does school sports, dance and horse riding and the 11 yo just rides horse) and so glad it all worked out.

Saturday update (how's that for original)

Seas keep remaining calm in the afternoons.  It is beginning to get a bit unnerving. I had a rest week this week, about 10K swimming (if I get my swim in tomorrow), the usual run (5 hours) but a huge decrease in bike to about 6 hours (from 12, I think, last week).  Jesse wanted to do a run (mainly for the shirt, I think) and we picked the Maraton Ecologico and it will fit into my schedule perfectly as this week will be my last long run week before IMCoz.  I felt like I really needed to get comfortable with 2-hour runs and I think I am, more or less, as I will have done a 2-hour run 3 out of the 4 weeks thus far in October.  I'm hoping that will be a help during the marathon at Coz but really, it's a crapshoot. 

I've decided that I'm either going to do about the same time at Coz or maybe 30 minutes faster.  I had fantasies of taking an hour off but I've now realized that it is pretty much a pipe dream.  I need to train smarter on the bike (intervals!  Who knew?) and just figured out I should have been doing intervals all along.  So that's on the schedule for next year.  Yeah, I'm already planning for next year.  I'm happy with my run progress thus far and very comfortable with 5-hour weeks, so the plan for next year is to either get faster or this winter get very comfortable with 7-hour run weeks.  For the swim, I think I just need more time in the water and, well, that won't happen until next year maybe.  I'm just not that motivated on the swim.  Yet.  Maybe I'll enter some races next year.  I'd definitely like to do Bacalar. 

At any rate, tomorrow the girls will be running the 3K, Jesse the 10K and I'm off for my first half-marathon outside a triathlon.  It is looking to be a HUGE deal here with reports (on the radio) that 1500 people have signed up.  I've never been in a run with that many people so that will be interesting.  Looking forward to seeing what happens tomorrow.  I'm not at all rested and I kinda trashed my legs today on the ride but I'm hoping for a 2-hour run.

the perfect afternoon

I went for a "run" last night with my eldest.  That simple sentence is so spectacular on so very many levels.  Before I started dieting and exercising I would not have been able to run more than 10 meters without getting out of breath and feeling like I was going to die.  Almost 13 months ago this same son had cardiothoracic surgery and lost a part of his lung.

I really didn't want to head out for the run but I knew I needed to keep the run volume consistent, especially with IMCoz staring at me BUT I had just eaten (meatloaf!) and was waiting for that to digest before going out.  He and his brother came home (unexpectedly early) and since he has been so busy with school and band practice he hasn't been running much.  He was raring to go.  Me, not so much.  The dog was DEFINITELY ready.

It was a lovely afternoon as the temperature has been plummeting in evening and early morning lately and the humidity seems to have completely disappeared.  The dog was so happy to be out on his usual "walk" after healing his broken hip and he was intent to put iguanas back on notice that he was back in town.  We jogged slowly, me with my stuffed belly and my son with his still-healing chest, and chatted about the day.  This boy has never been one to drop his end of a conversation and every time I mentally want to shut off his chatter I immediately remind myself of all the parents of teens who would pay good money to have their teen chat their ear off.

So we ran and talked and watched the dog and the flat, flat seas of the Caribbean.  In the moment I knew how special it was and tried to hold the entire time close to my heart, knowing how quickly life changes and how immensely lucky I am on so many levels; to have a body capable of running, to have the freedom to live where we do (and leave if we choose), to have the amazing family I do, to have a son healthy enough to run, and a son who chooses to take moments in the afternoon to spend with his old mom, running down the beach, watching the flat waves roll along.

Triathlon is such an infinitesimally small part of life but training for it allows me to have these incredibly special moments.  And these moments are so much better than any prize or achievement in any particular triathlon.

it is a constant learning experience

Today I headed out for a 180km ride, planning on 2 loops of Tulum.  About 30 km in I was swallowed by a group of riders who encouraged me to jump in with them so I did.  I've ridden this road (the Only road) for 2 years now and this is the first group I've ever seen.  I've had it in my mind that a 6-hour bike leg is not only attainable (that's only 30kph and I do that with no problem on a 40km or 60km or even 90km ride) but should be expected at Cozumel.  The group was headed out to 25 km along the Coba road past Tulum so I figured I'd ride with them and then make up the remainder after coming home.  I only had $20 with me though, and limited food (one 2-scoop bottle of Perpeteum, a Luna bar and well, that was it) and knew I'd need, at the least water at some point.  I had planned to do my 90km route to Tulum, come home, pick up Jamie (money, water, food) and head out for another Tulum loop.  So I was a bit concerned about that but couldn't bypass my first chance to ride in a group!

There were 3 ladies and one was sitting at the front.  I was super impressed with her.  Everyone stayed together well but some of the guys were a bit squirrely and I tried to stay out of the bars when behind them.  We stopped in Tulum and headed out (into headwind) towards Coba.  It was here I really realized the power of a pack.  Into a headwind we were pulling a nice speed and I sat 2nd from the front most of the 25km out but was never offered to pull.  On the way back we stopped for coco water and I found it strange when one of the riders offered a paramedic (who had pulled his ambulance over at the same coco stand as we were at) to buy him a coco.  The same rider then offered ANOTHER guy a coco but both guys refused him.  I thought it was a little weird that he was offering strangers cocos but I noticed both guys were in uniform (one paramedic) so I thought he just really was supporting their work.  Sometimes I'm incredibly clueless.

The group (I think we were 15 or so) got split at the coco stand and as we headed back I noticed that a grey truck seemed to be following us.  I found this increasingly disturbing and finally said something and was informed that this was their "security" i.e. a sag wagon.  COOLIO!  Back in Tulum the other group was waiting at an Oxxo and Surprise!  The ambulance and paramedic were also there with them.  I was beginning to have a clue.  This group not only had a sag wagon, they had an ambulance accompanying them.  SWEET!  That's riding in style!

Then entire route back from Tulum was pure headwind (as usual) and the group couldn't seem to decide on one strung out line or two.  A little over 30 km from home the hammer came down and the strong riders surged.  I tried helping the slower female riders but she couldn't match the train speed and I almost had a heart attack trying to rejoin the train.  Little by little riders dropped off until it was just 4.  At this point they let me pull.  :)  We dropped down to myself and one other rider and then about 3 km before Puerto (where they all live) he blasted off and I was on my own.  I got home, got supplies and headed out for another 40km.  That was really hard mentally as I was D.O.N.E. after that last effort.  I had a brick planned but wasn't no run happening today.  My legs were BEAT.

I only averaged about 30kph for this ride (but that includes the slow riding on dirt roads home and out again) so that was an excellent point of information, that my expectation for Cozumel is Way inflated for this old body.  I can't see a 30kph average and now I know I need to adjust by at least 30 minutes.  I did 6:45 last year (plus 15 minutes of potty stops etc.) so I'm thinking I should be able to do 6:30.  That would be much more reasonable.  It was so exciting to ride in a group and I'm really happy to have had the chance.  Apparently they ride every Saturday at 6:30 am to 7:00 am so Jamie and I are going to try and find them next weekend too.

just keep swimming, just keep swimming

 that's what we do, we Swim. Swim.  Swim.

 cloudy, overcast day in the bay.

my favorite cenote for swimming - strong current going into the cenote, TONS of underwater weird manglar root spooky sights, little offbranches to the cenote to traverse and nice cold water.

Out in the bay today.  It was amazingly calm.

I posted on the triathlon board I frequent for swim help and, as evidenced by the top photo, my head is WAY out of the water.  So I've been working on that.  I've also totally changed my stroke and today it finally started feeling good.  I'm not doing any fast sets, just trying to find this new stroke.  We've had some amazingly flat, calm seas lately and I love being out there and am dreading the point I'll have to go back to the pool. 

I ordered a swim safe somethingorother and the toads will be bringing it down with them and them I'm back to unchaperoned swims.  Today Pike didn't get up until after 1330 and the seas weren't quite as nice as they had been at 930 but I still got my normal 3000 in.  I'm really getting used to 3000 now, especially since that is 4 laps, and mentally it is quite easy.  Well, until about the last lap.  I've also been changing my pedal stroke.  On one of my last long rides I accidentally found the "floating" stroke but found I have to REALLY engage my inner thighs to get it to work, so I've been working on that each ride.  I'm also upping my cadence as my knees are KILLING me since I switched to the Adamo seat.  Always a tradeoff.  I'll take knees over crotch any day though.