Training - Day 1

Let me introduce you to my biking gear!
Well - this is me...Training Day #1 - Not too flattering - but maybe with the training - Week #6 will be a little better of a photo. :)

Here's my trip timer/odometer/speedometer/clock. I love it! This was before we started...I forgot to restart it...but going down a hill I clocked 24.63 MPH. How fun was that!

Why am I taking a picture of my shoe "clip" (strap)? Because - two years ago...I biked for about an hour, casually...at the beginning of summer and I forgot I had the straps on the pedals. When I got home, I stopped my bike and tried to get off of it, but my feet were stuck in the straps and I took a BIG digger. Blood, skin scraped, sore wrist...an ugly event for sure! I haven't forgot about the straps since then!

Here's my bike - It's a Specialized Crossroads Bike. That means that it's not really a racing/road bike and not really a mountain bike. The tires are a little thinner than the mountain bike tires and don't have big, grippy treads on them. I got a new seat for it to "a comfort seat" - full of gel and a little more supportive than the average bike seat. Attached to the bottom of the seat is a little bag...it holds my key and/or the garage door opener. Could hold a phone, in case something happens, or a tire repair kit (which I wouldn't have the first idea how to use), or some $ in case ice cream is calling me. :) Sunglasses and Helmet...a must! Today - I should have had a water bottle along with me...I won't forget again!

So - anyway...that's my gear...so far!

Like I said in my title - it's Training Day #1 today and I am already disobeying my training coach (in the book) and going off the plan. Sunday (as it states in the book) is a day to rest...oops...well, I took out my bike this morning instead of resting. Steve came along with me and we turned right on Lost Dauphin Road instead of left. I knew Little Rapids Road connected with Lawrence Drive...just wasn't sure when we would run into it. Just so happens it's about 1/2-mile past a very large hill! Well...it wasn't THAT big...but I wasn't really expecting to have to bike up a hill today. It was a beautiful morning, the homes (wait...mansions) along the river are AMAZING and we put on almost 7.5 miles. I am just supposed be be looking at time biking...should have done 45 minutes and I don't think it was that long...probably close to that though.

Off to hang out with some friends today and feel great that I did my training in the morning and won't have to worry when I would have to fit it in later. Tomorrow is supposed to be swim day - but since it's a holiday, I won't have a location to swim at. Will switch and swim Tuesday morning before work. I LOVE to swim!

Enjoy your Sunday!

I think I'll go for a walk outside...

...the summer sun's calling my name (I hear ya now). I just can't stay inside all day...

Where are those lines from? Huh? Anyone? :)

I sure tried staying inside all day, but my 3:30 lunch after my 6 AM coffee took it's toll on me. I felt SO SICK! I couldn't nap either...so at 7:00, I got my pink shoes on and grabbed my iPod and went for a walk. I even picked up the pace at two points along the walk (I picked a starting point and and ending point and I made it to both ending points!)

I just wanted to share a few of the "little things" - Some of which I wish I would have brought my "small" camera to capture...

1. Mid-20's age "girl", not really in shape, wearing work boots and a pleated skirt, "little top" with her belly hanging out...mowing the lawn.

2. The smell of the freshly cut grass and the last of the lilacs blooming.

3. The smell of people grilling out!

4. Neighbors gathering outside - just chatting....

and the best one of all...

5. I care with the license plate that said: ROO
I kid you not! It just made me smile and say - I'm really out here for a reason!

(For those of you that don't know...Roo is the name my sister Kris gave me when I was younger...my dad usually calls me that...but she raised it up again when my niece and nephew were born and I'm Auntie Roo to them...and Roo to others.) So seeing that plate...really cool. Worth dragging a camera around next time...just in case it's at the same house again.

Links to Triathlon Websites...

Here are some links...just in case any of you feel up to the challenge. Or maybe some of you are already at that athletic stage in your life...

Remember - these are sprint distance...which means they are 1/4 or 1/2-mile swims in "open water", 12 to 15-mile bike ride (some flat, some hilly), and a 5K (3.1 mile run/walk). All very do-able distances.

Here is the link to the Trek Women's Series - they have triathlons all over the country and women of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities are welcome. It's a rather new series...Sally Edwards, the motivational speaker behind this triathlon, used to be involved with the Danskin. She is actually the LAST PERSON to cross the finish line - so no one ever has to worry about being last. How cool is that? This one is July 11, 2010 and the one I am doing.

http://www.trekwomenstriathlonseries.com/wisconsin.html

Then - there's the Danskin Triathlon Series...this is the one I've done in 3 years past. I like this one too...last year, it was at the END OF SEPTEMBER...BRRRR. It was a beautiful day for a swim, bike and run though.

http://www.danskintriathlon.net/wisconsin.html

This one is in Two Rivers/Manitowoc on August 28, 2010 - rather inexpensive compared to others I've participated in. (Let me know if you're interested...I might be putting together a group effort on this one.) It's still up in the air - but I'm tempted.

http://www.mtrymca.org/Fitness/Triathlon%20Entry%20Form%202010.pdf

There a ton of other ones (co-ed) that I know...Lake Mills Triathlon (Lake Mills, WI), Green Bay Triathlon (Green Bay, WI) - both are usually the beginning of summer - like next weekend. There's one at Highcliff and one in Door County. Pewaukee has one too...Oshkosh, hmmm...

http://www.witriseries.com/

I just clicked on this website and there's listings in WI for kids, sprint distance, olympic distance and ironman distance. I love the ones in the "small towns". The community comes out, a lot of the participants are there to have fun and just cross the finish line.

http://www.triathlon-calendar.com/wisconsin.html

Well...I need to get going. We'll see what I do when I get home today. It's been a long week and a nap is actually something I would like to take advantage of...since I don't officially start training until Sunday!

My new best friends...well, they're not too new. But they were the brightest shoes I could find! (asics, Gel Nimbus-11). Training should be fun in all aspects, right? I hope to find some yellow, orange or bright blue shoes as a reward for crossing the finish line! :)

This is a Road ID pouch. You velcro it onto your shoe and can put important information on it...I opted for some phone numbers (incase someone finds me keeled over during a run or something). you can also put words of inspiration on it too! Inside the pouch...you can put a key, some $, whatever...I also have my Nike+ receiver that keeps track of my time/distance/pace/etc. on my iPod. Fun accessory for the iPod!

Good old Eric Harr...wrote this book and it's been my training plan the years I've actually trained. The plan allows you to train to cross the finish line in just SIX weeks! Training only 4 hours per week! How can you go wrong, right? Anyway, he has four training categories...this time around I fall into the "slice above couch potato" level. And I'm okay with that! Sunday is my first day of training! It gives you all a few days to decide if you want to join me on this adventure (or maybe for one in August?).

The logo on my triathlon training t-shirt they sent me in the mail (which I paid dearly for). Great fabric...but HELLO...it's BLACK and I'm training in SUMMER!!!

I AM...Because I Can

This has become my own personal motto for a few years now. One I've kept to myself. However, I feel now is the time to share.

About 6 years ago, my sister Kris started doing triathlons and duathlons. She raised money for good causes and loved doing these events. One summer, she even did 5 events (sprint distance triathlons and a duathlon). She felt and looked great too! She inspired me to try one on my own...and at that time...I loved it too!

Then, in 2006 - her life changed...almost as quick as lightning. It took awhile for the doctors to figure it out, but she was diagnosed with dermamyositis in June 2006. It pretty much stopped her at accomplishing some of her fitness goals. For those of you who don't know what myositis is, please visit www.myositis.org . To follow Kris' story and be inspired...head to her blog http://krislanebarger.blogspot.com/

I decided that I was going to make it a personal goal to complete a sprint distance triathlon every summer. I missed 2007...but in 2008 and 2009 - I did the Danskin Women's triathlon in Pleasant Prairie, WI. 2008 was a blast (there were 5 of us doing the triathlon, all with our myositis awareness t-shirts on). My sister, Kris, waiting as my mom, my sister and I all crossed the finish line (my mother in law swam and my sister in law biked). 2009...I had to do it in relay form because of a knee problem. It was fun to complete it as a team (thanks BethBeth and Pai).

This year, I've asked and asked my friends and family to participate in a triathlon - but it's about 6 weeks away and no one has committed. So...this is where this blog comes in. It's going to keep me accountable. I know my family will put it in their "favorites" link...maybe some of my friends too. Instead of writing a lot - I am going to make it more of a photo journal (if the blog world allows me to). I love taking pictures and I think this is going to be a great adventure...sharing my training in photo form!

So - this is my first post...Here are some details.

What: Trek Women's Triathlon
Where: Pleasant Prairie, WI (same course as the Danskin, but different sponsor)
When: July 11, 2010

Why: BECAUSE I CAN

I think of my sister, the triathlete (she will ALWAYS be one because of that very FIRST one)...who has a new goal. To run 1-mile with her daughter. Girl - I can't run a mile...so take as much time as you need...and when I get up to one...maybe I can visit and she can run with me. Anyway - I think of Kris...there is no excuse for me to do whatever it is...so think about choosing a "fitness" goal...whether it's getting that bike out and riding a trail, or hiking a path at a state park, or running a mile. Maybe you can make it your motto too...

I Am (insert what you're doing here)...Because I Can.