i did another triathlon on saturday. so much fun! i don't even know why it's so fun, because it's also dang hard, but maybe finishing something so hard is what makes it fun? or is that just crazy? there are only 2 parts of doing triathlons that i don't like. number 1: the jitters/nerves/butterflies i get the couple days before the race, when i'm wondering what on earth possessed me to sign up for it (i don't get nervous once i'm actually at the event--go figure). number 2: the run. gotta do something about that run. you should have heard the stern talking-to i gave myself on saturday while i was running. it makes me laugh that i have to mentally cheer myself on when i hit the run. whatever it takes, right? the swim and the bike parts are purely pleasurable. i guess 2 out of 3's not bad. i improved my time over the first one by 8 minutes, which was exciting. i got 5th in my age group (which sounds like a nice accomplishment, and it is, unless you know that ALL 6 of the women in the 50-54 age group beat my time. i can't wait to be 50! they were honestly amazing--one lady had a 15 minute run, which means she runs 5-minute-miles, which is basically faster than faster than fast)......anyway, i think i beat them on the swim part, though, so there. it's funny because everybody has their age written on their leg, so when someone flies by you, you instantly know you just got passed by a 52-year-old lady (not that 50 is old, mom). on the flip side, it's pretty fun knowing you just passed some 24-year-old guy. next time i do a triathlon i'm going to write my age plus the number of kids i have. that will show those 50-somethings! actually, it was just a more elite-athlete type of race than the first one i did. when we showed up saturday morning, loren took one look at the people walking around and said "oh boy. these people are serious about their triathlons." lots and lots of muscles. and seriously expensive (=fast) bikes.
speaking of bikes, i got a new one (only moderately, not seriously, expensive), so i don't have to borrow my friend's anymore (i am now not getting any birthday or christmas presents for like the next 10 years). i have to stop myself from getting on it every time i pass it in the garage, it's that fun to ride. and the seat is HEAVEN!!!!!! i will post pictures of it later. first i have to do some posts about my children, lest i start feeling guilty for posting about the triathlon before writing about gretchy's reading skills or pace's singing/air guitar abilities or liesel and gwyneth's new york fashion show.
14 comments:
You're my hero! I wanna be like you when I grow up!
You have to write your age on your leg?! I guess I'd want to write my age on my leg if I was 50 and could run a 5-minute mile. I don't think I've ever run a 5-minute mile.
Your awesome Laura! Are you still doing yoga on top of this?
So, a question though - what order do you swim, bike and ride? You have to educate us all.
just for you, penny: the swim is first, then the bike, then the run. there's a transition area (you can see it in the pictures--i'm putting on my helmet) that you run to between things to put on your helmet, get your bike, shoes, etc.--then you put your bike, helmet, etc. back there when you run. the time you spend in transition counts as part of your race, so everything is done very quickly. you get on the bike soaking wet from the swim, etc. it's part of the fun. that's why most people wear their bike shorts on the swim--you don't have to take time to put them on before the bike. some very brave (and crazy) people wear only their speedos for the whole race. not pretty. this swim was in the ocean (a first for me) and was 600 meters long (almost 1/2 mile). the bike was 9.25 miles and went over 4 hills, which is why it was shorter. the run was 3.1 miles. i did it in 1 hour, 15 minutes. the first triathlon i did was a bit easier (400 meter swim, 12.5 mile flat bike, 2.8 mile run). it took 1 hour and 23 minutes. the sprint triathlons can vary slightly in length. the olympic distance ones are longer, then you have 1/2 ironman, and ironman. i want to try an olympic one next year. anyways..........did i leave anything out?
and yes, i'm still doing yoga. only twice a week, though. that puts me at about 8 workouts a week, which is all i can handle.
How fun that you got to do another one! And you dropped 8 minutes? That's incredible. It is kind of funny that you have your age on your leg. No secrets I guess. You will have to teach me how to do these when I am not about to give birth.
I am beyond impressed. It really sounds fun, actually (and VERY hard). Is the training long and hard?
I'm so impressed!
Yes, I think you are officially addicted. But you are officially amazing, too!! I can't believe you are already dropping time like that, and it was a harder triathlon, and you had to swim in the ocean! That must have been crazy. Was that down in Miami? I thought I recognized the streets and beach. But I guess a lot of streets and beaches could look like that in Florida.
I love all the pictures. Did you start early, early in the morning? One of my favorites is the one on the beach where it looks like maybe the sun is just coming up and you can just see the silhouettes (I had to look that word up) of everybody on the beach.
I can't wait to read/hear/see about Gretchy's reading, Pace's performing, and the fashion show. And your new bike.
But keep doing and posting about triathlons - I had kind of given up on doing one, but when I saw this post I got inspired again. Maybe if I just come look at your pictures every day I will convince myself to really do it.
And I know this is getting long, but I just read through all the other comments, and 8 workouts a week?!!!! I have decided you are not real, and you are some sort of superhero.
You are truly amazing!
Wow! That is amazing. I am super-impressed. I'd like to do a tri, but the swimming scares me. I think I'll stick with running. How do you do those cool photo collages?
i agree with joanne about the super-hero thing. (that way i don't have to feel so bad about my lack of toughness.) you are amazing. and you look incredible.
Laura, reading your training outline simply reaffirms how amazing you are. And why you're in such great shape.
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