Posts Tagged ‘bike riding’
9/30/12 – TRIFREAKS Triathlon Sprint: A For Reals Triathlon
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.), Triathlon Training and Races on September 30th, 2012
Today, my brother-in-law, Drew, and I completed the Trifreaks Triathlon Sprint. It was his first ever tri and my second. So, being the seasoned vet that I am, I was giving advice and helping him gather his gear and set up his transition area. I even took him to Greenlake for a pre-race swim on Friday when he arrived in Seattle because he had never had a chance to swim in his wetsuit. Yes, I am rad. Totally.
We excitedly picked up our race packets yesterday in Kirkland, the race location. Having spent relatively no time in Kirkland, I was not familiar with the race course. So, we drove it.
OMG. The bike course.
HILLS.
No, that wasn’t the last hill, there’s more. Oh, good a flat – no WAIT! The hill keeps going around that turn.
For 2.37 miles we climbed a total of 430 feet. Then we went down and up, down and up, down and up, then a final descent of 430 feet over 2.40 miles. That final descent looked kinda scary, but much better than another climb! The real kicker was that we had to do it all AGAIN – yep, two laps to make 13 miles. Yay!
I guess it is good to know what you’re going to be facing, but man, does it have to be so blunt?
Anyway, that was yesterday. Today, we got up to 48 degrees F. Whoa. That is cold. A wetsuit cannot save you.
The rundown:
4:00am – alarm goes off.
5:45am – arrive in the dark and 45 degrees to rack our bikes and set up our areas (note to self: take a head lamp next time to see in the dark).
6:30am – first of TEAM ERIN arrived with Lynda and Matt, who randomly ran into Adam in Starbucks!
7:00am – the sun started to rise, and we have wetsuits on. No shoes – thus begins the numb toes.
Drew and I had decided to go in the 5th or 6th wave (somewhere in the middle) since we figured we were middle finishers. So, we didn’t start until 7:30am. First of all, you know it is cold outside when the 65 degree F water feels warm. By the time I hit the water, I definitely had numb toes and several numb fingers on each hand. I was mildly annoyed and scared by this, but I figured that once I started to swim, I might warm up enough to get those digits back to having some feeling.
Around 7:25am, our self-selected wave started. We were off! The first leg of the triangle went great! I decided to polo free style out of the start line, then I did the breast stroke for the remainder of the race. One goal is to freestyle the entire race. Once around the first corner buoy, all hell broke loose.
I could NOT see! We were heading due East, and the sun was just over the horizon right where the next buoy should be. Wow! Then, there was the steam coming off the lake to add to the fun. I used the boats and other people as sights, but I lost time here due to being disoriented and blinded by the sun. Meh.
Last third was cake without the sun in my eyes and I made it in in 24:41. Not bad! Right on target. I would have been faster if not for that sun thing in the middle.
One long (7minute) transition later, and Drew and I started the bike. My chain was off the bike, I guess from being jostled in the commute or something. So, I put it back on and took off. Drew left me in the dust. His superior mitochondria from Colorado living were starting to show at this point.
Ok. I brought a jacket for the ride, but the transition area was warm, in the sun and out of the wind. So, I did not think I would need it. Until I got on the bike where in the shade with the wind, it was quite chilly. I’ve never wished for a jacket so much in my life!
We started that aforementioned 2.37 mile hill. Then, the down and up portion. Not too bad. Wait, there’s a really steep two hill up ahead! YIKES! I made it in the lowest gear. Then, I bombed the downhill for maximum enjoyment.
When I noticed it took me 35 minutes on the first lap, I realized I was not going to beat my previous Danskin time of around 40 minutes. It also dawned on me that I would have to do it again. I was heavy with doubt that I could do it, but I did! I completed the bike in 1:10. I am totally proud of this time!
I did a 2 minute transition to the run, and I did not have nearly the dead leg this time because I had the dead feet. My toes and forefoot were completely numb. It felt like I was pounding wooden logs on the ground. YUCK!
The run is my nemesis, and as such, I was not too excited for it. As I was getting into the groove, I ran into Drew on his way back – wait a minute! He’s NOT WEARING SHOES!!! Yep, Drew had taken a tip from Adam and run half the race in his Five Fingersâ„¢, and once he figured out the course, he removed his shoes for the last half. So cool!
Meanwhile, I was beginning to feel my posterior tibial tendon as well as my toes and forefoot! I have been working on a new stride and mid-foot strike with Brian during Physical Therapy to relieve the stress on that tendon, which I was trying desperately to obtain with minimal to no success. I could not feel where my feet were hitting the ground through my triathlon shoes.
Wait – what if I took my shoes off, too? So, for the last mile of the run, I, too, ran BAREFOOT! It was fantastic.
I could not have run much more distance barefoot, though. I carried my shoes in my hands and enjoyed the feel of where my feet were striking the ground and the ease with which I could make minute adjustments to help my tendon.
Then, there was the finish line. TEAM ERIN were all there, and they surprised me by running me in! It was so fun!
TEAM ERIN Trifreaks 2012
I completed the run in 38:42, which was basically what I was expecting with a run/walk pace. All in all, the entire race was 2:23:41. Not awesome, but I am proud of it!
Thanks to Adam for being the most supportive and excellent husband ever! Also, thanks for the awesome picture! And thanks to Peggy, Ollie, Brandon, Melissa Charlton, Lynda, Matt, and Julie for all getting up super early on a Sunday, enduring the freakish cold and running me in! You all ROCK!!!
9/1/12 – First crash
Remember how awesome I was on my bike? Yeah, that feeling carried over to Saturday when I decided to ride my awesome self on my awesome bike to Dr. Larry’s office.
All was going well until I got behind the bus. Since there were a lot of cars, I decided to stop behind the bus as it unloaded and loaded passengers. No problem! “Unclip, then brake!”
Well, the bus looked like it was about to go. So, I reattached to the bike, started to pedal, then realized that the bus was not moving.
I braked. The bike stopped. I fell over.
Yes, I did it. The classic new clipless pedal user fall. The most embarrassing fall of them all because there is no reason except for user error. BAH!
I checked my left elbow because I wasn’t wearing sleeves, and I was sure the road had eaten it alive. Not a scratch! SWEET! My left knee was hurting, too, but since my elbow was okay, I assumed it was good, too.
I picked up my bike, put the chain back on, then thought about actually checking my knee. Blood! What? Then, I kind of felt really cool for having an injury. I finished my ride to Dr. Larry’s office, locked up my bike, and bought some large bandaids for the new cool wound.
Needless to say, having a chiropractor appointment after a crash is very well timed! He was worried about my knee, but I told him that since the adrenaline was still going, I was feeling pretty good. He adjusted my wrist, ankles, hips, full back and neck. Then, I had a massage with Jennie, who did the most amazing release on the hip flexors (or the iliopsoas) from the back. Usually, a deep release of the this muscle is from the front with the massage therapist pushing their hand down into your stomach area, following the hip bone until they reach the hip flexor muscle attachment point close to your spine. Instead,she had me lay on my stomach, and while she kept her forearm on my low back applying steady pressure on the back side, she reached up the hip bone to the hip flexor from the front side. This is a great way to release that muscle as well as get the lower back muscles to relax at the same time. I greatly enjoyed this!
After all that, I made it home on my bike without incident, but I learned to have a little more respect for it, for sure.
8/30/12 – First Ride With Clipless, or Scariest Ride Ever
Posted by admin in Triathlon Training and Races on September 9th, 2012
So, after my trip to the PT, I immediately went to meet up with my triathlon training group for a 15 mile ride along the Burke-Gilman Trail. One catch: I had just installed my clipless pedals (Yes, they are called “clipless” even though they make a “click” when you actually attach your shoe to the pedal. For an explanation see the REI website: http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bike-pedals.html)Â the day before.
Yeah.
I got up Thursday morning and tried the clipless pedals out while leaning against the house. After about 2 minutes of practicing clipping in and out of the pedals, I felt that I should ride around the driveway. NOPE! I almost fell off the stupid bike in the driveway – OMG!!!! How on earth am I going to make it through an entire 15 mile bike ride?
Back to present time, I arrived at the group meet up spot and put on my new clipless bike shoes, which are shiny and white. Why anyone would ever make a bike shoe white is completely beyond me. And why would I buy said idiotically white shoes? If you must know, I tried on every pair in my size at REI, men’s and women’s, and the crazy, shiny white shoes felt the best.
Ok. I put on my shoes and with every tightening of the velcro, my anxiety grew. I got my bike off the bike rack on top of my car (another invention that is not as good of an idea as it may seem), and I began to search for Linda, who is the resident bike expert for the team.
Then, I realized I did not have my bike helmet.
For someone who had been dreading this bike ride all day, I was crestfallen. I realized that I had wanted so badly to make this initial ride with the triathlon training team because it is such a safe and nurturing environment. I knew that I could ride and fall without being judged and with lots of encouragement to keep going. So, the thought of having to go home (It is against the law to ride without a helmet in the state of Washington. Thus, no helmet, no ride.) was devastating.
One of my teammates pulls a size small or medium helmet from her car, but, alas, my huge head was too big for it. With tears in my eyes I began to haul my bike back up on top of my car when I realized I had not taken my haul to Goodwill. In my trunk, in all of it’s 15 year old glory, was my old helmet. YIPPEE!!!! HOORAY! I had never been so freakin’ happy to have not actually done all of my errands as I was in that moment.
With my helmet on my head, I excitedly crossed the parking lot to Linda. She told me to stay away from people and cars and to practice clipping and unclipping before we actually started the ride. I have not been that nervous in a very long time. I rode several laps around the lot, and I found that I could actually get my foot off the pedals if I thought, “I want to slow down. UNCLIP, then press the brakes.”
Sweet! I decided to make “UNCLIP, then brake” my mantra for the night.
And away we went.
The ride was excellent, even after it got dark. I realized that a black jacket in the dark was a bad idea, and that a light on the front of my bike would be a very good idea (I do have reflectors!!! They don’t emit any useful light for me, though.).
I did NOT fall down once. I kept my mantra going, and I was able to maintain the average pace of 16 MPH. It was rad.
Needless to say, I felt really badass when we returned to the parking lot. What a great ride! I couldn’t wait to ride my bike everywhere!
Bike Riding in the City: The Art of Dodging Cars
Posted by admin in Reflections on March 9th, 2010
Today marked my first trip biking to work. I figured I would try to follow through with the no load bearing by converting my pedestrian commute to a biking commute. Whoa! Boy, was that an experience and a half! The best part was that I live at the top of a hill. So, the entire way to work was downhill – Wheee!!!
However, the cars on the road are scary. There were taxis parked on my right (hello open door!), cars driving on my left, and little ol’ me on my bike. At least I had a helmet – HA! I was so high strung that I felt like if someone had plucked me I would’ve hit a high c.
Then, I pulled up next to the cop – OMG! Could this get anymore stressful – oh, yes, the left turn into the school. My oh my, how would I make it home? Not only is it up hill the entire way, but traffic would be much more concentrated.
Problem solved, I got a ride 🙂
I know, I know. I totally took the easy way out, but I got home safe. Plus, my foot is still feelin’ fine.