Friday, March 28, 2014

Catching up...Part 2

The sport of triathlon is so different from that of just running. So much more is involved and the training varies from day to day. I think that is what I have come to love so much about this sport in such a short amount of time. The sprint distance is so much fun. The half ironman distance is the challenge that the endurance junkie in me is seeking after being burned out on marathon training.
So, I signed up for my first half ironmant after only doing one sprint distance triathlon. Since signing up I have done a lot of training and two additional sprints for experience.
I am not scared about this race except for one little tiny detail. Enter the wetsuit. How do you breathe in one of these things?? This is the scariest part for me.
 
My first attempt and putting the wetsuit on and getting in the water. This lake was a balmy 56 degrees. I never could put my face in and my breathing was aful. I really thought that on this day in the middle of that lake I was going to drown. I made it back to the dock, barely. I only went like 230meters. It was aful.

This cheesy smile was before we got in the water. There were no smiles after we got out! Hopefully we will get in the lake once or twice more before race day. On the other hand, my bike training has gone very well. I am feeling stronger on the bike and I like it!

 This has been our longest ride of training and I was extremely proud of this ride and how I felt.
 



The weekend after Pacing for Pieces half-marathon I raced in the Parris Island Sprint Triathlon. This is the first race of the Set-Up Events South Carolina triathlon series and the kick-off to triathlon season!
 
We drove up to Beaufort after work on Friday and stayed Friday night. The drive wasn't bad but my nerves for this race sure were! I told myself I would never do a pool swim but to get more experience I had to. This swim was crazy but I survived and I am better triathlete for it!
 
It was a 500m pool swim, 10 mile bike, 3 mile run.





 
 

 
Swim -  13:53
T1- 2:44
(I took a nap aka tried to put on arm warmers while wet. Big. Mistake.)
Bike - 34:39
T2 - 1:41
Run - 21:57
 
I was 4th in the 30-34 age group (even though I am still 29).
 
It was such a fun day and a well organized event! I would totally do it again and I hope I can next year! Thanks set-up events! I am a runner now converted to triathlon!
 
The second event in the SC Triathlon series was the Columbia Downtown Triathlon. This one was close enough so we got up early Sunday morning and drove in to downtown Columbia on the campus of the University of South Carolina. The swim was in the pool where their swimming and diving team trains. I had actually never been in there so that was neat!
 
 
Packing for a triathlon is so stressful!! Look at all this stuff just for a half day trip an hour away from home! There is lots more involved than packing for a running race! So for the equipment junkie like me, I enjoy it!
 
This event was 500 meter pool swim, 10 mile bike, and a 3mile run.
 
 



 
Swim - 14:54 
(It took me over a minute to run from the pool to transition. It was so far away!)
T1 - 1:38
(No nap or arm warmers - yay!)
Bike - 32:52
T2: 1:26
Run - 21:41
 
1:12:28
Good for 4th place in the 30-34 age group. I am still mad that I am not 30 yet! Don't they know its bad enough without rushing it!!
 
This race was hilly but so fun! Another great event. I have two more weeks of training before the half ironman. Let's do this!!

 Photobucket

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