Ways to be Cool!!

I love this..."Ways to be Cool" written by a 10-year old. Kinda puts life into perspective!

In my 10-year old days, I might have added:

• Make skid marks with my bike
• Do a "shoot the duck" on my roller skates
• Listen to 94-WTBX (radio station) and make a mixed tape
• Dress and be like my cousin Kristin

Finding a balance...bikes, life, run, life, swim...

I did my first time trial bike race yesterday. While I didn't really know what to expect and how hard to push, I felt ok with the results. Well, I pretty much got last place--this is not an exaggeration--but I don't have a really fancy bike/gear, and since this was my first race, I am trying to cut myself a little slack. A time trial is a timed race, each person goes out by themselves (1 minute apart for this race), as hard as you can. It's a race against yourself, in theory--since the closest competitors are 1 minutes behind and in front--but, it's also against everyone else in your age group and division. This was a 10 mile course (5 out, 5 back), with "rolly hills" and one climb at mid-point. I didn't know how hard to push on the way out, so was probably too conservative, but the way back I knew, so I pushed a little harder. It was fun though; a good experience for me. I ride a lot at an even, conversational-pace, so hard rides and pushing my legs faster is really good for me. Plus mentally, it's really hard to keep pushing myself when I'm so tired. So, despite coming in last, I was satisfied with the effort and day.


Three of my bike teammates raced the team time trial at the same race--same concept, but with a team, obviously. They did awesome and were leading the field, until a crash about half mile to go. Scrapes and bruises, but no broken or separated body-parts, and spirits were still high. Even still they got 3rd place by only 10 seconds! They're totally awesome!


While I want to report my races and life in this blog, I also want to be able to report all aspects--Good and bad. Ups and downs. Because I don't always have a great run, even when I'm on a trail in the sun; or a good day. And something I think is a big deal today, really isn't. And when I read about it what I've written, I might be a little embarrassed I was being so trivial, but also, that I was being honest and I can grow from that. I've been accused of being "stoic" on numerous occasions. I kind of take offense to that, because I feel it's negative and that I really don't think I am. I think I am good at hiding my emotions, when I'm freaking out on the inside. It doesn't mean I'm not feeling anything.

So, here goes. Even despite the great day at the race, afterward, I had a bit of a freak out about my training. I am worried I am not going to be ready for my race. I have been doing all that I can to fit in training, work, rest and still maintain a normal life. The latter is definitely lacking (though, I figured that would happen). So yesterday, after the race, I didn't bike (I have been tired all week), but took a ride home with my teammates. The whole way home, I was aggitated because I didn't bike and I should have. I keep thinking I am not doing the training I am supposed to be doing. We stopped for lunch and I couldn't enjoy myself since I kept thinking about my training. It practically ruined my whole day. So, when I got home, it was late afternoon, I got on my (other) bike and went to run errands and work for a few hours. This was Saturday, and I couldn't relax and have fun with my friends--like normal people on a normal Saturday. And since I couldn't get my bike ride in and I was so upset, I had to go work for a few hours--just to feel like I was doing something productive. And then I was too tired to go out last night, so I stayed in. I guess, I just need to find a balance for fitting it all in and I am really struggling.
 

Swim Start Training Video

I love this video. It's so funny! Many triathletes will tell you the swim is the toughest part of the triathlon. They may even tell you horror stories of being kicked, swum over, finger-nailed, grabbed, pulled, dunked at the start of the swim. There are legs and arms flying everywhere. This video is a spoof on preparing for the swim start of a tri.

It's kind of really funny, but kind really not (because that is about the reality!)

Causing trouble at the pool...

I didn't try to, but I did. 

It was an amazingly beautiful day today and everyone had the same idea--laps at the pool. The pool at my gym is outdoors and on the rooftop, which is one of the main reasons I joined, and on a day like today, it was awesome. When a lane has 2 people in it, both swimmers "split the lane," meaning they each stay on their own side and swim laps. Where there are 3 or more people in the lane, swimmers "circle" counter-clock-wise in the lane. This afternoon all of the lanes had at least 2 people in them, so one of the lifeguards started helping me find a lane. The fastest swimmers usually swim in the middle 2 lanes, the next fastest group swim in the lanes to the outside of the fast, and slowest in the lanes on the walls. This is just how it goes...I didn't make up the rules. My gym didn't create some new set of swimming rules...this is just how it goes. So a woman clearly swimming slowly (she didn't even have goggles or a swim cap) was in the second lane from the wall; she should have been in the lane on the wall. I am not a fast swimmer and I never go in the fast lanes; however, I do know I am faster than a woman who when doing the breaststroke doesn't get her face wet. She was leisurely swimming and that is fine, she and I have the same right to use the pool. Just do it in the slow lane. So when the lifeguard asked her to switch lanes, she refused, saying she was too fast for the slow lane and if she went in that lane, she wouldn't get a good workout. I told the lifeguard, ok, no problem, I'll just join her (and the other gal, who was, by the way, faster than this woman too) in the lane. We began "circling" and several times I passed this woman or went around her at the wall. Then I overheard her complaining to the lifeguard, the girl with the pink cap (me) should go in another lane! Oy!


So, I did  go to another lane and apparently didn't make those people very happy either. So, the lifeguard asked me to move again! I did and I even had a lane to myself for a little while. Geez! All I wanted to do was swim.

I didn't say anything to the woman or the lifeguard, who was trying really hard to make the situation right. While I do let things get to me, I think I am pretty good at letting others roll off my back. Mostly, I think because I don't have enough room in my brain for it all! I could have said something mean to the woman, but then I would have looked like a jerk (and felt like one) and really, it wouldn't have solved anything. I don't need her crabbiness to make me crabby. I swim to get a workout and to get rid of any stress in my life, not add to it.


Moral of today: Don't be a jerk at the pool. Share. Be nice.

Hmmm..sounds a lot like kindergarten.

Headlands trail run

Playing at the beach

Yesterday morning, I headed out for a trail run with RQ and a guy from her running club. We ran some of the trail of last week's 30K race, which has become my favorite run. We didn't quite want to go the entire race route, so we self-navigated, and made our own. There are stairs, gravel, mud, puddles, single track, redwoods, amazing views of Sausalito, the Pacific, Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. I could have been out all day, well, not really...my body wouldn't allow it....but in theory, if I could, I would have. We parked at Rodeo Beach, a popular surf stop, so after the run we ran in and through the crashing waves. The water was so cold, but felt great and helped wash off the mud from the run.

Cartwheels

Can I be a baby for 5 minutes?

Ok, thanks. Really 5 minutes is all I need. It's been raining non-stop here, and since I don't have a car, I walk or bike everywhere in the rain. It gets old, and cold, and wet. So, today, I was being crabby because it was raining (and I was stressed because of work), and I couldn't run all of my errands and get to the gym without getting cold & wet.

And really, get over it, Andrea. What do I have to complain about! It's 40 and raining, not 15 and snowing, and not a earthquake and a tsunami!

But still I was being a baby. I dragged myself out the door to the gym. I wore my rain pants, 3 shirts, fleece jacket, and a raincoat, and my rain boots. A little overkill...yeah, maybe. But I wasn't cold, at least. I was late, of course, so I had to pedal as fast as I could to get there. By the time I got to spin class, I was over my crabbiness, and I used every ounce left to power me through the class. This instructor is crazy-hard--the last class I went to of hers, she told us she'd broken up with her boyfriend an hour before, which was a good thing, she said, but if class got a little intense, that was the reason! After class, I jumped in the pool for 45 minutes to get every last bit of crabbiness out of me. It worked! My pool is outdoors on the rooftop of my gym, and by the time I got up there, the rain had stopped. The sky cleared a bit, and I swear I saw blue.

I'm all good now...Thanks for letting me vent.

Pirate's Cove 30K Trail Race

Post-race: Dirty, tired and happy

On Saturday, RQ and I ran the Pirate's Cove 30K trail race in Marin. I almost made us late when I miscalculated our departure time; luckily, I'd packed my bags the night before, so I scrambled out the door. I've been spacey lately and I can't seem to remember anything unless I write it down! Anyway, the race was right across the Golden Gate Bridge in the Headlands, one of my favorite places to run. And we made it with plenty of time!

The forecast called for rain, but it looked like it might hold off, until about 15 minutes before the race when it began. I might even make a case the the drops I saw flying by my head were hail, though I didn't see evidence on the ground. I was cold & wet at the beginning and contemplated running 20K (instead of the 30K). RQ suggested we start out and see how we feel as the race went along. By the time the cutoff to where I could have shortened my race, I was having too much fun to turn. The rain came and went the entire race, but nothing more than sprinkles at any given time. We took turns telling stories the first 10K and recruited a guy running near us to join. He fell back after a while, and I think it's because he didn't want to tell any more. My speedster running buddy took off mid-way, so I kept to my trail-running race plan of walking up big hills and running the rest. It works well for me. I had a blast. I felt like I was "playing" the entire race, well, up to about 2 miles to go, when my legs and back started to let me know I'd abused them enough for the day. All in all, great race!