How normal are you? What is normal? Is anyone normal? What amount of normal is normal?
According to this quiz, I'm 60% normal. So I'm 40% abnormal. 40% of the actions I take, the words I speak, the clothes I wear, the things I believe are all abnormal. Weird. Odd. Out of the ordinary. Not on par with everyone else.
Yeah, that seems about right.
Take this QUIZ and let me know how normal you are!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
La Belle Vie
Mark and I celebrated three years of dating bliss last week! As a surprise evening out for me, Mark arranged for us to have dinner at the extraordinary La Belle Vie.
I have been begging Mark to take me to La Belle Vie for at least two years now. The French-Mediterranean restaurant is consistently named one of (if not THE) best restaurants in the city by critics. Comments and awards include "The best restaurant in the history of Minneapolis" and winner of Award of Excellence by both Zagat and Wine Spectator Magazine.
An evening there is quite the to do! I was so excited when Mark told me that we'd be going there for dinner.
Our reservations weren't until 8:15pm, so we had quite a bit of time to kill. We decided to start the evening at Willie's, a new wine and coffee bar located just blocks from our old apartment. We'd seen it a few times and have always wanted to check it out.
Willie's is adorable inside. It's got a very bistro feel, and the bar is lovely. They have wines by the half glass which is nice if you're just stopping by, like we were. They of course have wines by the glass and bottle as well. We both had a light half glass of white wine before heading over to La Belle Vie.
Upon arriving at La Belle Vie, I knew that I was in for a night of excellence. The restaurant is located in The 510 Building in downtown Minneapolis. The building itself exudes wealth and old-world charm, almost like stepping back into the days of Gatsby. We valeted our car and headed into another era.
We reached the top of the staircase, peered into the lounge area on the right, and were escorted into the back of the restaurant to be seated. I was immediately impressed by the beautiful decor of the place - elegantly set tables surrounded by high ceilings and draped walls. It truly radiated brilliance and beauty.
We were seated at a table with one plush bench and two chairs. Being that it was our anniversary and we were being all romantic, Mark and I decided to cozy up together on the plush bench. Mark had already looked at the wine list online, and he ordered a bottle of 2001 E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape. It was phenomenal!
The menu was quite extensive. Patrons may choose from an 8-course menu, a 5-course menu, or the a la cart menu. After reviewing the menu for quite some time, we decided to order a few things from the a la cart menu and share all of it. Mark and I haven't had a lot of French food, so we wanted to be able to get a good taste of various things.
We started with two First Course dishes. The first was Chilled Ahi Tuna wrapped in Marlin with a Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette. The second was a Carpaccio of Beef with Poached Lobster, a Sweet Corn Sabayon and Crisped Artichokes. Both dishes were just amazing. Ahi Tuna happens to be one of Mark's favorite dishes, so we have tried it at many different restaurants and prepared many different ways. I'm not a huge fan of ahi tuna, but this was really fantastic. The vinaigrette used wasn't over-powering, but gave the dish a nice twist. The carpaccio, too, was quite amazing. Beef carpaccio is one of my favorites, but I don't get to try it very often. The combination of beef with the lobster and the sweet corn sabayon was a delicious mix of flavors, each complimenting the others quite well. At first, when I looked at all that was on my plate, I thought that the flavors might compete with one another. But not so at all. We enjoyed the first course immensely.
For our main entree, Mark chose the Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Jerusalem Artichokes, Mustard and Crispy Marrow. I selected the Sautéed Halibut with Pistachio, Fava Beans and Pancetta. Personally, I thought that both dishes were superb. The tenderloin had a light sauce on it, giving it an extra boost of flavor. The halibut...well, I don't even know what to say about the halibut. I thought it was exquisite! The fish sat upon a small pile of vegetables and a wonderfully light sauce. We shared both dishes, so I was able to get my fill of both flavors. Although I think that Mark enjoyed both entrees, he wasn't as wowed as I was. He tends to enjoy his meat without sauces; he feels that the meat should stand alone in most cases. As for the halibut, he agrees that it was quite tasty, but felt that it might have been a bit undercooked.
At any rate, we enjoyed our entrees, and were both quite full after the first two courses. But, have I ever turned down dessert? No, sir. And so, on to the dessert course we went.
French desserts have a reputation, I believe, for being quite scrumptious. And, the dessert menu at La Belle Vie seemed to live up to the reputation. We ordered two seemingly delicious desserts, and hoped we'd chosen wisely.
And wise we were indeed! Some sort of chocolate is always a must for me when it comes to desserts, and so we ordered one Chocolate Custard Cake. The cake was served with Frozen Strawberry-Mint Parfait and Strawberry Tartare. We also decided on the Cardamom Donuts with Lemon Verbena Cream, Blueberry Jam and Blueberry Sorbet. We anxious awaited the arrival of our third and final course.
The desserts arrived, and of course the presentation was fantastic. Mark took a bite of the cake, and I took a bite of the donuts, and we both were in heaven! We of course shared both desserts, and I have to say that one was just as good as the other. The cake was fudgy and delicious, a melt-in-your-mouth kind of delight. Pairing the cake with the parfait was absolutely divine. The donuts were wonderfully tasty as well. The donut was light and fluffy, and the blueberry sorbet and jam were delicious atop the doughy goodness. Dessert was, of course, my favorite course of the three.
In all, it was a fantastically romantic evening in an amazingly delicious restaurant. The food was divine, the ambiance was lovely, and the company was perfect.
I have been begging Mark to take me to La Belle Vie for at least two years now. The French-Mediterranean restaurant is consistently named one of (if not THE) best restaurants in the city by critics. Comments and awards include "The best restaurant in the history of Minneapolis" and winner of Award of Excellence by both Zagat and Wine Spectator Magazine.
An evening there is quite the to do! I was so excited when Mark told me that we'd be going there for dinner.
Our reservations weren't until 8:15pm, so we had quite a bit of time to kill. We decided to start the evening at Willie's, a new wine and coffee bar located just blocks from our old apartment. We'd seen it a few times and have always wanted to check it out.
Willie's is adorable inside. It's got a very bistro feel, and the bar is lovely. They have wines by the half glass which is nice if you're just stopping by, like we were. They of course have wines by the glass and bottle as well. We both had a light half glass of white wine before heading over to La Belle Vie.
Upon arriving at La Belle Vie, I knew that I was in for a night of excellence. The restaurant is located in The 510 Building in downtown Minneapolis. The building itself exudes wealth and old-world charm, almost like stepping back into the days of Gatsby. We valeted our car and headed into another era.
We reached the top of the staircase, peered into the lounge area on the right, and were escorted into the back of the restaurant to be seated. I was immediately impressed by the beautiful decor of the place - elegantly set tables surrounded by high ceilings and draped walls. It truly radiated brilliance and beauty.
We were seated at a table with one plush bench and two chairs. Being that it was our anniversary and we were being all romantic, Mark and I decided to cozy up together on the plush bench. Mark had already looked at the wine list online, and he ordered a bottle of 2001 E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape. It was phenomenal!
The menu was quite extensive. Patrons may choose from an 8-course menu, a 5-course menu, or the a la cart menu. After reviewing the menu for quite some time, we decided to order a few things from the a la cart menu and share all of it. Mark and I haven't had a lot of French food, so we wanted to be able to get a good taste of various things.
We started with two First Course dishes. The first was Chilled Ahi Tuna wrapped in Marlin with a Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette. The second was a Carpaccio of Beef with Poached Lobster, a Sweet Corn Sabayon and Crisped Artichokes. Both dishes were just amazing. Ahi Tuna happens to be one of Mark's favorite dishes, so we have tried it at many different restaurants and prepared many different ways. I'm not a huge fan of ahi tuna, but this was really fantastic. The vinaigrette used wasn't over-powering, but gave the dish a nice twist. The carpaccio, too, was quite amazing. Beef carpaccio is one of my favorites, but I don't get to try it very often. The combination of beef with the lobster and the sweet corn sabayon was a delicious mix of flavors, each complimenting the others quite well. At first, when I looked at all that was on my plate, I thought that the flavors might compete with one another. But not so at all. We enjoyed the first course immensely.
For our main entree, Mark chose the Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Jerusalem Artichokes, Mustard and Crispy Marrow. I selected the Sautéed Halibut with Pistachio, Fava Beans and Pancetta. Personally, I thought that both dishes were superb. The tenderloin had a light sauce on it, giving it an extra boost of flavor. The halibut...well, I don't even know what to say about the halibut. I thought it was exquisite! The fish sat upon a small pile of vegetables and a wonderfully light sauce. We shared both dishes, so I was able to get my fill of both flavors. Although I think that Mark enjoyed both entrees, he wasn't as wowed as I was. He tends to enjoy his meat without sauces; he feels that the meat should stand alone in most cases. As for the halibut, he agrees that it was quite tasty, but felt that it might have been a bit undercooked.
At any rate, we enjoyed our entrees, and were both quite full after the first two courses. But, have I ever turned down dessert? No, sir. And so, on to the dessert course we went.
French desserts have a reputation, I believe, for being quite scrumptious. And, the dessert menu at La Belle Vie seemed to live up to the reputation. We ordered two seemingly delicious desserts, and hoped we'd chosen wisely.
And wise we were indeed! Some sort of chocolate is always a must for me when it comes to desserts, and so we ordered one Chocolate Custard Cake. The cake was served with Frozen Strawberry-Mint Parfait and Strawberry Tartare. We also decided on the Cardamom Donuts with Lemon Verbena Cream, Blueberry Jam and Blueberry Sorbet. We anxious awaited the arrival of our third and final course.
The desserts arrived, and of course the presentation was fantastic. Mark took a bite of the cake, and I took a bite of the donuts, and we both were in heaven! We of course shared both desserts, and I have to say that one was just as good as the other. The cake was fudgy and delicious, a melt-in-your-mouth kind of delight. Pairing the cake with the parfait was absolutely divine. The donuts were wonderfully tasty as well. The donut was light and fluffy, and the blueberry sorbet and jam were delicious atop the doughy goodness. Dessert was, of course, my favorite course of the three.
In all, it was a fantastically romantic evening in an amazingly delicious restaurant. The food was divine, the ambiance was lovely, and the company was perfect.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
I DID IT! Part Two
A week later, I'm still reveling in the experience of completing my very first triathlon. It was truly a day filled with excitement, pride, accomplishment, and a great deal of pain.
Pre-Race
I woke up Saturday morning at 4:15am feeling very ready. I had gotten all of my gear situated the night before, and I was confident that the day would go well. I showered to wake myself up a bit. It gave me time to really focus and keep myself calm. I ate a small breakfast of half a bagel with peanut butter and a banana. It was brutal trying to eat! That's when I realized that I did indeed have the nerves kicking in.
By 5:10am I was packed up in the truck and ready to go. I arrived at the race site promptly at 5:30am, as our Team in Training staff advised. I walked right up to the check in and body marking, got my transition site all set up, and made it back to the tent in plenty of time to take our group photo at 6:30am.
At first I was a little surprised and irritated that we were told to arrive so early. But after our group photo, I looked over to the check in area and saw that hundreds of people were lined up for miles, just waiting to be marked. I was a little less irritated then...
After the group photo I met up with my family to calm down a bit, get them a good spot in the shade from which to watch me, and get a few "before" pics from mom.
Shortly before the pros started at 8:00am, the officials made an announcement that due to the excessive heat - it turned out to be 98 degrees, and over 105 degrees heat index that day - they would shorten the course. The bike would be 22 miles (instead of 25) and the run would be 3.1 miles (instead of 6.2). 10% of me was disappointed that I wouldn't complete the entire Olympic distance, but 90% of me THANKED GOD!
I tried my best to stay calm and keep the nerves out, but it was inevitable that they'd come. And as soon as I walked over to the beach to see the warm up and start area, the nerves hit full force.
I warmed up with Rachel, a girl from TNT who happened to be right in front of my in the swim line up, and that helped me get my barring for the water that day. The water temp was a balmy 82 degrees, which is about 10 degrees warmer than I was used to for lake water. I warmed up for 10 minutes or so, then made my way back up to get a PowerAde. In the process, Rachel and I both managed to be late for our swim start! We didn't get docked any points or time, but we had to start with all of the men swimmers!
I quickly ran up to the start line, waited my 3 second turn, and ran into the lake.
Swim
I thought that swim would be my hardest of the three sports. In the end, I would realize that although it didn't go swimmingly (pun intended), it wasn't the worst by far. I started out with a good strong stroke. I was feeling strong in the water, and I was confident in my moves. I was singing the handy song that Erin made up for me, and my pace was slow but steady as I practiced. I made the decision to make short goals for the swim. I continued to think to myself, Just make it to the next buoy. When I made it to that buoy, I focused on the next one. It broke up the swim into smaller, more manageable chunks.
After only about a 1/4 mile, though, I was panting and needed a break. Plus, my goggles were giving me trouble. Water was seeping through, making the freestyle an impossible stroke. I rested for a minute on a life guard’s raft, fixed my goggles, and I was off again.
I rounded the first yellow triangle and was feeling tired but ok. I had done a combination of the breast stroke and the freestyle for the majority of the first leg of the swim. By the second leg, though, the back stroke was my best friend. I continued with my strong and consistent pace, but I could breathe easier. Every 10 strokes or so I would flip, sight, and turn back over. I did that for the entire second leg of the swim, which was by far the longest leg.
I rounded the second triangle and was really hurting for breath. I could see the beach - it was so close now! I continued to focus only on my closest buoy, but it was hard not to try to pull out all the stops and just swim to the beach as fast as possible. I did the breast stroke for the majority of this leg, and 50 minutes after entering the water, I finally made it back to shore.
Transition One
I ran up the beach and into the transition area. I luckily had a great transition spot, and I quickly found my bike. I put on my socks and shoes, helmet and glasses, and I began to run to the Bike Out zone. (You can not ride within the transition area. You must walk or run your bike to the Bike Out zone. You are disqualified for riding within the transition fences.) I got to Bike Out, but had to go to the bathroom so badly! I threw down my bike, found a Port-A-John, and raced to it. It slowed down my transition time, but it was much needed. I ran back to my bike, out the Bike Out zone, and hopped on. I was off.
Bike
My family was stationed at the very beginning/end of the bike, so I saw them cheering loudly for me as I entered the bike stage. It was great to see familiar and friendly faces cheering me on right from the start.
The bike started out strong for me. My legs were feeling great, and I was really confident that I'd have a good ride.
At about 3 miles in, however, I knew that something was wrong with my bike. Really, really wrong. I noticed a hard dragging from the front tire, and it was extremely difficult to pedal. I looked down to the front wheel and noticed that my brake was definitely not positioned correctly. It wasn't until after the bike that I realized that my front brakes were rubbing on the wheel the entire ride.
I didn't know what the exact problem was while on the ride, so I didn't take the time to stop and fix the problem. As it turns out, I wouldn't have been able to fix the bike on my own anyways, so it was ok that I didn't stop. But it sure did hurt my time - and my leg strength.
By mile 5 I was already tired. I kept pedaling along, but was being passed by hundreds of people. Literally, hundreds of people. I was constantly telling myself that I was doing this only for me and only to complete the race. I am really proud to say that not once did I consider giving up. It was hard and HOT and grueling, but I kept going and kept telling myself that I would make it to that finish line.
At about mile 10, I was rounding the corner near the Ford Plant, and I saw Carol and Lucy (Mark's sister and mom) standing on the sidelines. Due to the heat and my focus on the race, I couldn't even scream their names to get their attention. I put my hand in the air in hopes that they'd see me, and they did! They shouted my name and cheered me on, and Carol even snapped some pics of me passing by. It was fantastic to have support mid-race!
Between mile 1 and mile 15, I witnessed two people pass out on their bikes. Just pass out and fall right over. At mile 2, I saw an ambulance with two police officers and a person on a stretcher. MILE 2! I knew that I really was doing something crazy and a little remarkable, but I also knew to listen to my body more than ever before.
By mile 15 I was regretting that I didn't do the short course, but I trekked on and continued with my long course route. By this time, not many people were still out on the bikes, and I was actually enjoying the fact that I could ride alone. I was tired and hot, and I really felt my body slow down. I wanted to be able to be alone and try my best to focus.
At about mile 17, the first savior of the day showed himself to me. By this time, my body heat was unbearable. I was really dragging and hot and wondering how I was going to make it through to the end. My water supply was low, and the water station wasn't for a few more miles. And then, I rounded a corner. On the side of the street, sitting in his front lawn, was a man with a hose. He saw me coming from a bit away, and by the time I got to him, he was standing in the street ready to shower me with wonderfully cold water. I passed by very slowly, allowing the water to drench me from head to toe. I told him he'd just saved my life! He smiled and told me to have a good rest of the race. The thing is, I wasn't kidding! That water helped cool my body temperature down enough to give me a huge boost of energy. After that, I pedaled harder and faster, and I got to the water station to refuel in no time!
At mile 20, I saw another man fall over and pass out on the bike ride. The race officials ran over to him with buckets of water and ice to cool his temperature down. It was so scary to see these people just pass out. I only had a couple of miles to go, I told myself, and I knew that I could do it.
I saw the sign for mile 21, and I knew that I was almost done. I had steep hills and long climbs and straight stretches of road behind me, and I was almost on to the third leg of my race. As I neared the turn toward the Bike In zone, I heard my name being called. My sister had left the family pack and was up on the hill, cheering me into the final mile of the race. It was so great to see her face! At that point I was so tired, and the sound of my name was a perfect refresher. I pedaled down toward the Bike In zone and saw the rest of my family, with huge signs and smiles on their faces.
I pedaled into the transition area with a smile on my face and a new excitement in my stomach.
Transition Two
As I ran to my transition rack, I saw that many of the other people in my group had already started the run. I put my bike up on the rack, threw my helmet down onto the ground, and grabbed my purple TNT shirt. As I ran from my transition to the Run Out, I felt the sense of wanting to quit for the first time in the race. So many people had already finished! They were packing up their bags and heading out of the race area, while I still had the run to go! But, 30 seconds after that initial feeling, I reminded myself of my goal and kept going. I got to the Run Out zone and was ready to finish this thing.
Run
As I started the run, my legs felt very heavy. I had practiced bricks during training, but I guess nothing can truly prepare you for the actual race day.
I knew that my family would be near the beginning of the race, and I looked for them for support to get me through this last leg. As I ran the first hundred yards, I saw my family standing on the sidelines. They weren't shouting or cheering for me. They all had a very blank look on their faces. I didn't understand until I was right in front of them that they didn't know it was me! I had changed from my bike helmet to a white hat, and I had put on a purple shirt. I finally found the words to say "Hey family! This is me!" And they all sprung into action, cheering and waving signs and laughing at the situation. I had a good laugh myself, and it felt good to relieve some tension.
After I passed my family, I reevaluated my initial run strategy. I was originally going to run 20 minutes, walk 2, then run again. When the race course was shortened, I decided to try to run the whole thing. But when my bike issue arose, and my legs tired out more quickly due to it, I decided to just do my best with the running and take breaks when I needed.
I probably ran half and walked half of the run portion. I walked through all three water stations, pouring two cups onto myself and drinking one cup. Then I would run for a bit until my legs went wobbly - which happened more than a few times - and I would walk again.
About half way around the lake, my second savior of the day came. The fire department was set up on the street and they were spraying the runners with water from the hoses. It was glorious! My skin scorched at the first touch of the water, but I gave myself a good 30 seconds to just stand in the down-pouring mist and enjoy it before heading back into the runner's mindset.
At a 1/2 mile left to go, I knew that I had to run the rest of the race the best that I could. Afterall, I wanted to cross the finish line running! I took a last bit of water, focused in, and sped up toward the blue tunnel.
Finish Line
As I started into the blue finish tunnel, I knew that my journey was over. People were lined up on either side of me, cheering loudly and screaming my name and encouraging me on to the end. Balloons were floating overhead, and I could see the finish arch just ahead of me. I decided to take my time through this tunnel. When would I again feel the experience of crossing my first finish line? I looked at the people when I ran down the blue carpet. I smiled at them, I thanked them for their cheers, and I enjoyed the fact that they were cheering for ME! It was an amazing feeling.
I ran up to the finish tape, and I jumped over the line. I was done! I truly did it! I had finished my triathlon!!!
Post-Race
As soon as the race was over, I grabbed an ice-cold bottle of water and some delicious berry gelato to get my body temperature down and to start the refueling process. The excitement whirled around me as athletes joined their family, friends, and team mates to revel in the accomplishment. As I turned out of the finish area, my family came rushing towards me with hugs and kisses and words of congrats. I must admit, I was so tired that I couldn't feel or say much!
It's amazing to me that it's all over now. It was so hard, and it was so hot outside. It was tiring, and it was painful. And it was long.
But, I'm so glad that I did this. I'm so glad that I made the journey through training and fundraising. I'm so glad that I made it not only to the race day, but to the race finish line. It was truly an amazing experience, and I must admit that I'm proud of myself. I'm proud that when I didn't want to train, I made myself do it. I'm proud that when I was tired during the race, I kept on going. I'm proud that I crossed that finish line, and I did it with a smile on my face.
I'm proud that now I can officially call myself a triathlete.
Pre-Race
I woke up Saturday morning at 4:15am feeling very ready. I had gotten all of my gear situated the night before, and I was confident that the day would go well. I showered to wake myself up a bit. It gave me time to really focus and keep myself calm. I ate a small breakfast of half a bagel with peanut butter and a banana. It was brutal trying to eat! That's when I realized that I did indeed have the nerves kicking in.
By 5:10am I was packed up in the truck and ready to go. I arrived at the race site promptly at 5:30am, as our Team in Training staff advised. I walked right up to the check in and body marking, got my transition site all set up, and made it back to the tent in plenty of time to take our group photo at 6:30am.
At first I was a little surprised and irritated that we were told to arrive so early. But after our group photo, I looked over to the check in area and saw that hundreds of people were lined up for miles, just waiting to be marked. I was a little less irritated then...
After the group photo I met up with my family to calm down a bit, get them a good spot in the shade from which to watch me, and get a few "before" pics from mom.
Shortly before the pros started at 8:00am, the officials made an announcement that due to the excessive heat - it turned out to be 98 degrees, and over 105 degrees heat index that day - they would shorten the course. The bike would be 22 miles (instead of 25) and the run would be 3.1 miles (instead of 6.2). 10% of me was disappointed that I wouldn't complete the entire Olympic distance, but 90% of me THANKED GOD!
I tried my best to stay calm and keep the nerves out, but it was inevitable that they'd come. And as soon as I walked over to the beach to see the warm up and start area, the nerves hit full force.
I warmed up with Rachel, a girl from TNT who happened to be right in front of my in the swim line up, and that helped me get my barring for the water that day. The water temp was a balmy 82 degrees, which is about 10 degrees warmer than I was used to for lake water. I warmed up for 10 minutes or so, then made my way back up to get a PowerAde. In the process, Rachel and I both managed to be late for our swim start! We didn't get docked any points or time, but we had to start with all of the men swimmers!
I quickly ran up to the start line, waited my 3 second turn, and ran into the lake.
Swim
I thought that swim would be my hardest of the three sports. In the end, I would realize that although it didn't go swimmingly (pun intended), it wasn't the worst by far. I started out with a good strong stroke. I was feeling strong in the water, and I was confident in my moves. I was singing the handy song that Erin made up for me, and my pace was slow but steady as I practiced. I made the decision to make short goals for the swim. I continued to think to myself, Just make it to the next buoy. When I made it to that buoy, I focused on the next one. It broke up the swim into smaller, more manageable chunks.
After only about a 1/4 mile, though, I was panting and needed a break. Plus, my goggles were giving me trouble. Water was seeping through, making the freestyle an impossible stroke. I rested for a minute on a life guard’s raft, fixed my goggles, and I was off again.
I rounded the first yellow triangle and was feeling tired but ok. I had done a combination of the breast stroke and the freestyle for the majority of the first leg of the swim. By the second leg, though, the back stroke was my best friend. I continued with my strong and consistent pace, but I could breathe easier. Every 10 strokes or so I would flip, sight, and turn back over. I did that for the entire second leg of the swim, which was by far the longest leg.
I rounded the second triangle and was really hurting for breath. I could see the beach - it was so close now! I continued to focus only on my closest buoy, but it was hard not to try to pull out all the stops and just swim to the beach as fast as possible. I did the breast stroke for the majority of this leg, and 50 minutes after entering the water, I finally made it back to shore.
Transition One
I ran up the beach and into the transition area. I luckily had a great transition spot, and I quickly found my bike. I put on my socks and shoes, helmet and glasses, and I began to run to the Bike Out zone. (You can not ride within the transition area. You must walk or run your bike to the Bike Out zone. You are disqualified for riding within the transition fences.) I got to Bike Out, but had to go to the bathroom so badly! I threw down my bike, found a Port-A-John, and raced to it. It slowed down my transition time, but it was much needed. I ran back to my bike, out the Bike Out zone, and hopped on. I was off.
Bike
My family was stationed at the very beginning/end of the bike, so I saw them cheering loudly for me as I entered the bike stage. It was great to see familiar and friendly faces cheering me on right from the start.
The bike started out strong for me. My legs were feeling great, and I was really confident that I'd have a good ride.
At about 3 miles in, however, I knew that something was wrong with my bike. Really, really wrong. I noticed a hard dragging from the front tire, and it was extremely difficult to pedal. I looked down to the front wheel and noticed that my brake was definitely not positioned correctly. It wasn't until after the bike that I realized that my front brakes were rubbing on the wheel the entire ride.
I didn't know what the exact problem was while on the ride, so I didn't take the time to stop and fix the problem. As it turns out, I wouldn't have been able to fix the bike on my own anyways, so it was ok that I didn't stop. But it sure did hurt my time - and my leg strength.
By mile 5 I was already tired. I kept pedaling along, but was being passed by hundreds of people. Literally, hundreds of people. I was constantly telling myself that I was doing this only for me and only to complete the race. I am really proud to say that not once did I consider giving up. It was hard and HOT and grueling, but I kept going and kept telling myself that I would make it to that finish line.
At about mile 10, I was rounding the corner near the Ford Plant, and I saw Carol and Lucy (Mark's sister and mom) standing on the sidelines. Due to the heat and my focus on the race, I couldn't even scream their names to get their attention. I put my hand in the air in hopes that they'd see me, and they did! They shouted my name and cheered me on, and Carol even snapped some pics of me passing by. It was fantastic to have support mid-race!
Between mile 1 and mile 15, I witnessed two people pass out on their bikes. Just pass out and fall right over. At mile 2, I saw an ambulance with two police officers and a person on a stretcher. MILE 2! I knew that I really was doing something crazy and a little remarkable, but I also knew to listen to my body more than ever before.
By mile 15 I was regretting that I didn't do the short course, but I trekked on and continued with my long course route. By this time, not many people were still out on the bikes, and I was actually enjoying the fact that I could ride alone. I was tired and hot, and I really felt my body slow down. I wanted to be able to be alone and try my best to focus.
At about mile 17, the first savior of the day showed himself to me. By this time, my body heat was unbearable. I was really dragging and hot and wondering how I was going to make it through to the end. My water supply was low, and the water station wasn't for a few more miles. And then, I rounded a corner. On the side of the street, sitting in his front lawn, was a man with a hose. He saw me coming from a bit away, and by the time I got to him, he was standing in the street ready to shower me with wonderfully cold water. I passed by very slowly, allowing the water to drench me from head to toe. I told him he'd just saved my life! He smiled and told me to have a good rest of the race. The thing is, I wasn't kidding! That water helped cool my body temperature down enough to give me a huge boost of energy. After that, I pedaled harder and faster, and I got to the water station to refuel in no time!
At mile 20, I saw another man fall over and pass out on the bike ride. The race officials ran over to him with buckets of water and ice to cool his temperature down. It was so scary to see these people just pass out. I only had a couple of miles to go, I told myself, and I knew that I could do it.
I saw the sign for mile 21, and I knew that I was almost done. I had steep hills and long climbs and straight stretches of road behind me, and I was almost on to the third leg of my race. As I neared the turn toward the Bike In zone, I heard my name being called. My sister had left the family pack and was up on the hill, cheering me into the final mile of the race. It was so great to see her face! At that point I was so tired, and the sound of my name was a perfect refresher. I pedaled down toward the Bike In zone and saw the rest of my family, with huge signs and smiles on their faces.
I pedaled into the transition area with a smile on my face and a new excitement in my stomach.
Transition Two
As I ran to my transition rack, I saw that many of the other people in my group had already started the run. I put my bike up on the rack, threw my helmet down onto the ground, and grabbed my purple TNT shirt. As I ran from my transition to the Run Out, I felt the sense of wanting to quit for the first time in the race. So many people had already finished! They were packing up their bags and heading out of the race area, while I still had the run to go! But, 30 seconds after that initial feeling, I reminded myself of my goal and kept going. I got to the Run Out zone and was ready to finish this thing.
Run
As I started the run, my legs felt very heavy. I had practiced bricks during training, but I guess nothing can truly prepare you for the actual race day.
I knew that my family would be near the beginning of the race, and I looked for them for support to get me through this last leg. As I ran the first hundred yards, I saw my family standing on the sidelines. They weren't shouting or cheering for me. They all had a very blank look on their faces. I didn't understand until I was right in front of them that they didn't know it was me! I had changed from my bike helmet to a white hat, and I had put on a purple shirt. I finally found the words to say "Hey family! This is me!" And they all sprung into action, cheering and waving signs and laughing at the situation. I had a good laugh myself, and it felt good to relieve some tension.
After I passed my family, I reevaluated my initial run strategy. I was originally going to run 20 minutes, walk 2, then run again. When the race course was shortened, I decided to try to run the whole thing. But when my bike issue arose, and my legs tired out more quickly due to it, I decided to just do my best with the running and take breaks when I needed.
I probably ran half and walked half of the run portion. I walked through all three water stations, pouring two cups onto myself and drinking one cup. Then I would run for a bit until my legs went wobbly - which happened more than a few times - and I would walk again.
About half way around the lake, my second savior of the day came. The fire department was set up on the street and they were spraying the runners with water from the hoses. It was glorious! My skin scorched at the first touch of the water, but I gave myself a good 30 seconds to just stand in the down-pouring mist and enjoy it before heading back into the runner's mindset.
At a 1/2 mile left to go, I knew that I had to run the rest of the race the best that I could. Afterall, I wanted to cross the finish line running! I took a last bit of water, focused in, and sped up toward the blue tunnel.
Finish Line
As I started into the blue finish tunnel, I knew that my journey was over. People were lined up on either side of me, cheering loudly and screaming my name and encouraging me on to the end. Balloons were floating overhead, and I could see the finish arch just ahead of me. I decided to take my time through this tunnel. When would I again feel the experience of crossing my first finish line? I looked at the people when I ran down the blue carpet. I smiled at them, I thanked them for their cheers, and I enjoyed the fact that they were cheering for ME! It was an amazing feeling.
I ran up to the finish tape, and I jumped over the line. I was done! I truly did it! I had finished my triathlon!!!
Post-Race
As soon as the race was over, I grabbed an ice-cold bottle of water and some delicious berry gelato to get my body temperature down and to start the refueling process. The excitement whirled around me as athletes joined their family, friends, and team mates to revel in the accomplishment. As I turned out of the finish area, my family came rushing towards me with hugs and kisses and words of congrats. I must admit, I was so tired that I couldn't feel or say much!
It's amazing to me that it's all over now. It was so hard, and it was so hot outside. It was tiring, and it was painful. And it was long.
But, I'm so glad that I did this. I'm so glad that I made the journey through training and fundraising. I'm so glad that I made it not only to the race day, but to the race finish line. It was truly an amazing experience, and I must admit that I'm proud of myself. I'm proud that when I didn't want to train, I made myself do it. I'm proud that when I was tired during the race, I kept on going. I'm proud that I crossed that finish line, and I did it with a smile on my face.
I'm proud that now I can officially call myself a triathlete.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
ARGH!
ARGH BLOGGER! I've been trying to update my blogger account with lots of pics and the story of the tri, but it's being a biatch. So, please, PLEASE check back on Saturday afternoon. I'm going to update Saturday morning, and you'll be able to see everything then!
Sunday, July 16, 2006
I DID IT! part one
Well, I DID IT! I completed my first triathlon yesterday. It was so hard, and there were a lot of factors that I had to overcome just to finish. I'll elaborate more on my part two post about the triathlon, because right now I'm too tired and my whole body aches too much to write about the experience. But I did it. I am officially a triathlete.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Triathlon Countdown: 1 Day!
It's tomorrow! I can't believe that the triathlon is tomorrow!
I'm feeling very strong and ready right now. I'm not nervous or worried at all. I'm really excited for the day to just get here already! I had my Pasta Party last night, and it was very motivational. I left there feeling like I can take on the world!
I have a bunch of errands to do today. I'm heading over to the transition area at noon to check out the site and familiarize myself with the transition zone. I've got to go to Erik's Bike Shop and pick up some last minute items to get my bike all ready for the trek. I've got to lay out all of my race day items and triple check that I have everything. I've got to go to the race expo and pick up my race packet. It's going to be a busy day!
But I am ready. I feel so strong and confident today. I sometimes think that's not so good - like if you're too confident you aren't ready for anything. But in this case, I think that confidence is what gets you through the pain.
BRING IT ON!
I'm feeling very strong and ready right now. I'm not nervous or worried at all. I'm really excited for the day to just get here already! I had my Pasta Party last night, and it was very motivational. I left there feeling like I can take on the world!
I have a bunch of errands to do today. I'm heading over to the transition area at noon to check out the site and familiarize myself with the transition zone. I've got to go to Erik's Bike Shop and pick up some last minute items to get my bike all ready for the trek. I've got to lay out all of my race day items and triple check that I have everything. I've got to go to the race expo and pick up my race packet. It's going to be a busy day!
But I am ready. I feel so strong and confident today. I sometimes think that's not so good - like if you're too confident you aren't ready for anything. But in this case, I think that confidence is what gets you through the pain.
BRING IT ON!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Triathlon Countdown: 2 Days
Ok, people. I've got to honest here. The nerves and some of the excitement have been overcome by a bit of worry.
Have I mentioned the heat yet? I think that I might have. Well, I'm a bit worried about it now. The National Weather Service has just issued an "excessive heat watch" for Saturday and Sunday. They are expecting the temps to be between 100 to 105 degrees.
THAT'S INSANE!!! It's worse than they originally anticipated!
I'm going to focus really hard on water intake and on listening to my body, but holy crap that's hot. I love that the National Weather Service has advised people to stay indoors this weekend in the air conditioning. Not only am I going to be outdoors, but I'm going to be heavily working my body for about 4 hours!
But, I'm being optimistic and going over my goals once again. Goal number one is to finish this race. I want to finish the race safely. I'm reminding myself that a good finish time was never part of the initial contract I had with myself. My revised goal is to finish in 4 hours, but not at the expense of my health. I'll push as much as I can within a safety zone.
As for my pre-race prep, I'm doing ok. I'm drinking a ton of water, and I'm eating well too. Tonight is my big Pasta Party with my team, so I'm looking forward to good food and some last minute advice.
Other than my worry about the heat, I have to say that I feel pretty good today. I'm not that nervous about the race itself. I feel like I've finally got the logistics down for race day for both myself and my family. I feel like my body is prepared for the hell I'm going to give it.
Now I just want it to be here!
Have I mentioned the heat yet? I think that I might have. Well, I'm a bit worried about it now. The National Weather Service has just issued an "excessive heat watch" for Saturday and Sunday. They are expecting the temps to be between 100 to 105 degrees.
THAT'S INSANE!!! It's worse than they originally anticipated!
I'm going to focus really hard on water intake and on listening to my body, but holy crap that's hot. I love that the National Weather Service has advised people to stay indoors this weekend in the air conditioning. Not only am I going to be outdoors, but I'm going to be heavily working my body for about 4 hours!
But, I'm being optimistic and going over my goals once again. Goal number one is to finish this race. I want to finish the race safely. I'm reminding myself that a good finish time was never part of the initial contract I had with myself. My revised goal is to finish in 4 hours, but not at the expense of my health. I'll push as much as I can within a safety zone.
As for my pre-race prep, I'm doing ok. I'm drinking a ton of water, and I'm eating well too. Tonight is my big Pasta Party with my team, so I'm looking forward to good food and some last minute advice.
Other than my worry about the heat, I have to say that I feel pretty good today. I'm not that nervous about the race itself. I feel like I've finally got the logistics down for race day for both myself and my family. I feel like my body is prepared for the hell I'm going to give it.
Now I just want it to be here!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Triathlon Countdown: 3 Days
Three days to go. THREE DAYS! It's getting right down to it, now.
I got up early this morning and did a whole round of stretches. It felt good to get my body up and moving. My knee has been bothering me for the past week or so, and a good stretch really helped to get it loosened up. I think I might head out for a walk tonight to keep my legs loosened up and keep my body moving.
Starting today I'm supposed to really focus on my water intake, my healthy proteins and carbs intake, and my rest. Today and tomorrow are really the most important days for this stuff. Friday, of course, is still important, but the day before the race is not the prime time to prepare. You've gotta get your body ready to go days in advance. So, I'm drinking water like crazy today. I think I'm going to make myself salmon for dinner tonight.
I'm nervous today. I read over all of my information last night, and I was feeling very calm about the whole thing, but I'm back to being nervous again this morning. Not about anything in particular, but just an overall feeling of HOLY CRAP! But I've still got my feelings of excitement right along with it, so it's a good balance of the two. I know that once I get down there I'll just be so excited and ready to go that the nerves will melt away...hopefully.
I'm taking half of my day off from work on Friday to prepare for the big day. I've got to head out to the transition site to go through the motions, and I've got to get over to the convention center to pick up my race packet. Plus, I've got the whole family coming into town for the event, so I have a house to get in order, too!
I can't believe it's only three more days until the event. I feel like I've been training forever. I guess we'll see if all the training helped...
I got up early this morning and did a whole round of stretches. It felt good to get my body up and moving. My knee has been bothering me for the past week or so, and a good stretch really helped to get it loosened up. I think I might head out for a walk tonight to keep my legs loosened up and keep my body moving.
Starting today I'm supposed to really focus on my water intake, my healthy proteins and carbs intake, and my rest. Today and tomorrow are really the most important days for this stuff. Friday, of course, is still important, but the day before the race is not the prime time to prepare. You've gotta get your body ready to go days in advance. So, I'm drinking water like crazy today. I think I'm going to make myself salmon for dinner tonight.
I'm nervous today. I read over all of my information last night, and I was feeling very calm about the whole thing, but I'm back to being nervous again this morning. Not about anything in particular, but just an overall feeling of HOLY CRAP! But I've still got my feelings of excitement right along with it, so it's a good balance of the two. I know that once I get down there I'll just be so excited and ready to go that the nerves will melt away...hopefully.
I'm taking half of my day off from work on Friday to prepare for the big day. I've got to head out to the transition site to go through the motions, and I've got to get over to the convention center to pick up my race packet. Plus, I've got the whole family coming into town for the event, so I have a house to get in order, too!
I can't believe it's only three more days until the event. I feel like I've been training forever. I guess we'll see if all the training helped...
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Triathlon Countdown: 4 Days
Well, I had wanted this countdown to start on Saturday, with a full 7 days to go until the big event. Unfortunately, I was home for my grandma's funeral, and I didn't feel much like posting. To be honest, I don't much feel like posting right now, so this'll just be a short one.
I met with Courtney, my TNT staff member, earlier today to go over the logistics of the race. There was a big meeting that I missed last night, and Courtney was kind enough to meet with me today to go over everything. It REALLY helped to alleviate some of my fears about the day of.
Today I'm feeling very tired, probably caused by a variety of things: not eating well, not sleeping well last night, and the whirlwind of emotions I'm experiencing right now. I'm hoping that throughout this week I can really focus on eating well, getting plenty of rest and fluids, and keeping my head focused on the race.
I saw the weather this morning. The forecast for Saturday is 99 degrees, hot with high levels of humidity and no cloud cover. Holy crap. I was told to remember my fluids during the race course, and to listen to my body. I'm still going to push for a finish time of around 3:44, but the heat might play a major role in my finish time. But, as instructed, I'll listen to my body and what it's telling me. Extra breaks might just be the trick for my successful finish.
Ok, this post isn't all that coherent, but I'm tired and not really focused. I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day. Check back then.
I met with Courtney, my TNT staff member, earlier today to go over the logistics of the race. There was a big meeting that I missed last night, and Courtney was kind enough to meet with me today to go over everything. It REALLY helped to alleviate some of my fears about the day of.
Today I'm feeling very tired, probably caused by a variety of things: not eating well, not sleeping well last night, and the whirlwind of emotions I'm experiencing right now. I'm hoping that throughout this week I can really focus on eating well, getting plenty of rest and fluids, and keeping my head focused on the race.
I saw the weather this morning. The forecast for Saturday is 99 degrees, hot with high levels of humidity and no cloud cover. Holy crap. I was told to remember my fluids during the race course, and to listen to my body. I'm still going to push for a finish time of around 3:44, but the heat might play a major role in my finish time. But, as instructed, I'll listen to my body and what it's telling me. Extra breaks might just be the trick for my successful finish.
Ok, this post isn't all that coherent, but I'm tired and not really focused. I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day. Check back then.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Triathlon Update
Mark and I went to South Dakota for vacation this past weekend, and it was fantastic. I'll blog about that later when I've pics and stuff.
Only a week and a half to go until the BIG DAY, and I'm REALLY nervous today. But I'm nervous about stupid stuff. I'm not nervous at all about the race. I've broken down the race into these thoughts:
Swim - I'm going to try really hard to swim the crawl, but if I just can't do it or I need a break, I'll flip over and do the back stroke. This is what I did during the mock tri, and it worked wonders for me. It was still able to get through the water quickly, but I didn't get tired out as easily. I'm hoping to finish the swim in 45 minutes or less.
Bike - I'm quick and 100% prepared for the bike. I know the bike portion is long, but this is by far my strongest of the three sports. I feel ready and excited about this portion. If I need a short break, I'll coast down some of the larger hills of the course. I'm hoping to finish the bike in 1 hour, 45 minutes or less.
Run - I feel pretty prepared for this. I'm sticking to my strategy of run for 20 minutes, walk for 2 minutes, then back to running. If I get really tired out or my body shuts down a bit, I can always walk and still make it to that finish line. That is, after all, the goal here! I completed my last 6 mile run in 60 minutes, but that was without doing to swim and bike first. I'm hoping to finish the run portion in 1 hour, 20 minutes or less.
So, overall, I'm hoping to finish between 3.5 hours and 4 hours.
But again, I'm not that nervous for the race itself. I'm nervous about all the stupid little stuff that I have to deal with - Where do I park at race site? Where do I go to meet up with my team? Where do I go to check in and set up my transition area? I have to be at the race site by 5:30am, but my race doesn't start until after 8:30am - what am I supposed to do during that entire time? Where should my family and friends go to watch me? Where should they park?
Seriously people, I'm nevous about the most stupid things in the world! Ah well. Who's surprised by that? I have a big meeting on Monday with my Team in Training folks, and I'm assuming that all of my little fears will be cleared up by then.
For the next 10 days we're not supposed to do major training sessions. I am going to ride the bike course one last time on Saturday just to make sure that I've got it down. But other than that, I'm not going to do anything strenuous. Maybe I'll do a short 1 mile run a couple of times, and I'll get into the pool to do easy laps. I'm going to be doing a lot of stretching and keeping my muscles loose over the next few days.
Starting on Saturday, I'm going to try to post everyday until the triathlon to keep my thoughts focused. Keep coming back with supportive comments - I'm going to need them!
Only a week and a half to go until the BIG DAY, and I'm REALLY nervous today. But I'm nervous about stupid stuff. I'm not nervous at all about the race. I've broken down the race into these thoughts:
Swim - I'm going to try really hard to swim the crawl, but if I just can't do it or I need a break, I'll flip over and do the back stroke. This is what I did during the mock tri, and it worked wonders for me. It was still able to get through the water quickly, but I didn't get tired out as easily. I'm hoping to finish the swim in 45 minutes or less.
Bike - I'm quick and 100% prepared for the bike. I know the bike portion is long, but this is by far my strongest of the three sports. I feel ready and excited about this portion. If I need a short break, I'll coast down some of the larger hills of the course. I'm hoping to finish the bike in 1 hour, 45 minutes or less.
Run - I feel pretty prepared for this. I'm sticking to my strategy of run for 20 minutes, walk for 2 minutes, then back to running. If I get really tired out or my body shuts down a bit, I can always walk and still make it to that finish line. That is, after all, the goal here! I completed my last 6 mile run in 60 minutes, but that was without doing to swim and bike first. I'm hoping to finish the run portion in 1 hour, 20 minutes or less.
So, overall, I'm hoping to finish between 3.5 hours and 4 hours.
But again, I'm not that nervous for the race itself. I'm nervous about all the stupid little stuff that I have to deal with - Where do I park at race site? Where do I go to meet up with my team? Where do I go to check in and set up my transition area? I have to be at the race site by 5:30am, but my race doesn't start until after 8:30am - what am I supposed to do during that entire time? Where should my family and friends go to watch me? Where should they park?
Seriously people, I'm nevous about the most stupid things in the world! Ah well. Who's surprised by that? I have a big meeting on Monday with my Team in Training folks, and I'm assuming that all of my little fears will be cleared up by then.
For the next 10 days we're not supposed to do major training sessions. I am going to ride the bike course one last time on Saturday just to make sure that I've got it down. But other than that, I'm not going to do anything strenuous. Maybe I'll do a short 1 mile run a couple of times, and I'll get into the pool to do easy laps. I'm going to be doing a lot of stretching and keeping my muscles loose over the next few days.
Starting on Saturday, I'm going to try to post everyday until the triathlon to keep my thoughts focused. Keep coming back with supportive comments - I'm going to need them!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
