What I Learned From My First Triathlon

After all big races I like to document what I learned from my training and race experience so I can make progress in the future.  The General Smallwood International Triathlon was one of the hardest days of my life and even though I didn't meet my goals due to the heat, it was a great learning experience.

1. Safety always comes first.
With record setting temps all weekend and a heat index of 112 on Saturday it was hardly a good idea to be out doing strenuous activity. Around 50 people didn't finish the race because of the heat and three people were even taken to the hospital. Nine people in the state of Maryland died due to heat related illness. Yes, I would have loved to race my heart out on Saturday. No, it was not a smart idea when my body is nowhere near acclimated to that kind of heat. There will always be other races.

2. It is okay to walk.
Along those same lines, it is perfectly okay to walk when you need to. I was embarrassed when I first started walking because I thought it meant I was a quitter. Then I looked around and saw that nearly every athlete in sight was also walking. I absolutely hated walking but given the circumstances it was the right thing to do and I am no longer embarrassed by it. I'm just proud that I finished.


3. Don't be intimidated by all the people with fancy gear.
When my dad and I first pulled into the parking lot all I saw were athletes with really nice tri bikes. I instantly felt inadequate, like I didn't belong there. Not only do I not have a tri bike, but I don't even have a road bike;I have a hybrid. I am saving up to get a nicer bike but besides the bikes the majority of the people there had fancy, expensive gear. As the day went on I realized that I am as much of an athlete as everyone else despite my lack of a couple thousand dollar bike.

So many nice bikes!

4. Make a small rip in nutrition so it is easier to open while riding.
My hands were wet from the swim and then sweaty from the heat, which made ripping open my honey stinger waffles nearly impossible. I tried using my teeth but had no luck. Note: this only works for more solid nutrition options. Don't do this with a gel or you will have a sticky mess everywhere.


5. Start at the beginning of the swim pack.
I tried to start middle to front of the pack but ended up having to pass a lot of people. I am a strong swimmer and need to take advantage of my swimming background. This is the one place in a triathlon where I am one of the fastest. Time to own it.

6. Wear a tri top or a bike jersey without a sports bra built in.
I swam in a two-piece training bikini top and then put on my bike jersey during transition. The problem was that since I was wet the shirt rolled up and took forever to put on. The built-in sports bra only made things worse. I ordered a tri top a few days ago so hopefully I can just swim in my tri top and shorts and not worry about clothes during transition.


7. I suck at transitions.
Speaking of transitions, mine are awful. Like slowest ever. I set my transition up well but there are still things I can do to cut down on my times, like putting my hair into a ponytail before the swim, wearing a tri top, skipping socks, and speed laces.

8. Bricks are an absolute must in triathlon training.
I only did a handful of bricks during training and had I not been forced to walk a lot of the run due to the heat I probably would have struggled on the run regardless. Running with fresh legs and running after biking are two completely different things. Practice accordingly.


9. Always expect more hills.
I thought the bike and run courses were supposed to be flat. Nope. There were quite a few hills during the beginning of the bike and the run was mostly hills. I can handle hills on the run but the hills on the bike really took a lot out of my legs. Hills are no joke and need to be practiced if I ever want to get better.


10. Put sunscreen even in the places you don't expect to need it.
I sprayed my chest, arms, and legs with sunscreen before the swim and that was it. During the run when I felt like I was baking out in the sun I wanted to take my jersey off and just run in my bathing suit but I hadn't sprayed my stomach or back. I am the type of person who burns extremely easily so that was not an option. A quick two minute spray would have probably helped keep me cool on the run.

General Smallwood International Triathlon Race Report

Today was such a whirlwind, but an amazing one. The day started early with a 4:25 wakeup call and 4:45 departure. My dad and I stayed at my apartment down at school Friday night and then drove to Marbury in the morning so we didn’t have to pay for a hotel room. We were expecting it to take 90 minutes to get there but thanks to little traffic we got there closer to 6:00. I ate my breakfast of a bagel with Nutella around 5:30 and sipped a bottle filled with nuun all morning. 

As soon as we arrived I went straight to packet pickup. After, I got body marked and picked up my timing chip. Then I set up my transition area. It was pretty intimidating seeing everyone with their fancy bikes and equipment but I tried to just focus on myself as much as possible. After setting up transition my dad and I went to check out the swim course. The bay looked beautiful and calm, although there was a lot of green seaweed stuff in the water. I hit up the porta-potties a couple times and before I knew it the pre-race meeting was taking place down by the water. I wandered over but when I saw people warming up in the water I knew I needed to get in. As soon as I hopped in I started to panic. I couldn’t see ANYTHING. I was having trouble breathing and was becoming increasingly nervous for the race. After some sculling and treading water I tried just swimming around near some people and my nerves and anxiety were almost instantly calmed. After I got out of the water there was about 10 minutes until the start.

Swim 29:26

About two minutes before the women’s 39 and under wave went off we jumped off the dock into the water. We were given a countdown and before we knew it the horn was being sounded. The beginning of the swim wasn’t nearly as chaotic as I expected. I didn’t position myself close enough to the front and ended up passing a lot of people within the first 100 meters or so. Despite my earlier panic I was very calm during the swim. I felt at ease and very comfortable in the water. I ended up wearing a two-piece bathing suit top and my tri shorts. This worked out very well for the swim as I wasn’t too hot and never felt like my clothes were filling up with too much water. Because I have minimal (none) open water swimming experience I am not so good at sighting. I would swim 10-15 strokes and then remember that I needed to sight. I was surprised how early on I caught people from the first two waves. Definite confidence boost. My goal was to beat as many people from my wave as possible since the swim is my strongest leg. I ended up finishing first in my age group and 12^th female overall. I wasn’t too happy with my time but a lot of people thought that the course was long. Either way I had a great time out there in the water.

T1 4:00

The run from the bay to transition was pretty long and on a concrete sidewalk, making it pretty difficult to be fast. I felt a little nauseous as I was exiting the water so I walked to transition instead of running. I spent a lot of time trying to put on my bike jersey while I was all wet. Note to self: buy a tri top.

Bike 1:38:03

I knew that I was going to be passed by pretty much everyone so it came as no surprise when the first half of the bike I was being passed every few minutes. I didn’t let it get to me and just focused on getting in a good ride. I wasn’t prepared for the hills at the beginning of the course and wanted to quit within the first mile. I, again, have minimal experience climbing hills so I was worried about the rest of the course. Luckily after the first five mile the hills went from big and terrifying to nice rollers. Besides my slowness, I really enjoyed the bike. I pushed myself more than I thought I could and didn’t give up. About half way into the ride I dropped one of my bottles filled with nuun so I turned around to go get it. It was supposed to reach 105 degrees with a heat index of 112 so I knew I needed the electrolytes. With about 5 miles left I was really ready to be done riding. My legs were getting tired from the hills and my butt was hurting way more than it should have been. I was estimating that I would finish in about 1:45 so I was pleasantly surprised when I came in early.

T2 2:30

T2 was pretty uneventful.

Run 1:23:02

As I was starting the run my dad tossed me a cold water bottle and it felt amazing. After you get off the bike the heat hits you like a wall. My legs felt great and I had energy but the heat wasn’t going to let me do anything spectacular. The run was also really hilly, making it even more difficult to run. I started off running but soon switched to walking the uphills and running the downhills and when I felt good enough to run. Most of the run is not in the shade, making it even more unpleasant. There were aid stations every mile and most had ice water. At each stop I would drink two cups and pour another two on me. It was so miserably hot that almost everyone in sight was walking. About 50 people were pulled from the course because of heat exhaustion. There was a girl at the first aid station who looked absolutely terrible and at that point I decided being safe was far more important than running. I tried to run the parts that were in the shade but it was still difficult to do anything. The last mile is on a shaded trail in the park and I was able to run the whole thing. I was holding a decent pace so I know if it weren’t for the heat I wouldn’t had a great time. Before you know it the bay is in sight and the finish line is right around the corner.

Overall 3:37:00

As soon as I crossed the finish line volunteers were icing me down and giving bottles of water to drink. I was pretty dizzy so I sat down for a little and then went to find my dad. We stocked up on food and drinks and then found a spot in the shade to relax for a little. I had a pretty bad headache but I think it was from dehydration. I had at least 10 bottles of fluid between 8:30 and 12:30 and I never had to pee once (TMI, sorry). I was sweating so incredibly much that I felt like I couldn’t get enough fluids in me. I did make sure to drink nuun and Gatorade so that hyponatremia was not as issue.

This race was one of the hardest things I have ever done but I am so proud of myself for not giving up and pushing through the harsh temps. It was not ideal for my first triathlon but now I feel ready for anything. I have a lot to improve on but this was a great learning experience.

General Smallwood International Triathlon Race Plan

I can't believe race day is so soon! I have been getting more and more nervous with each day that passes. I am really excited but the anxiety is starting to build. I have spent the past 14 weeks training for this day and now all I have to do are finishing touches. I have been spending a lot of time lately reading articles online and glancing through The Triathlete's Training Bible. When I ran my first half marathon I didn't really have a plan other then don't go out too fast. I think being naive and just letting my body do what it wanted to really helped me enjoy the day and be stress free. However, a triathlon is not as simple as running. There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of and so in order to minimize race-day stress I decided to write a race plan.

Pre-Race
I will not be staying at a hotel the night before the race so my dad and I will be getting up really early to make the drive down to Marbury from Baltimore. This means I will need to pick up my packet on race morning in addition to setting up my transition area and getting body marked. I am not sure when we plan to wake up/leave my apartment but I am going to eat a breakfast of a bagel with cream cheese and nutella, a banana, and a bottle of nuun about 2.5 hours before the start of the race. I will then sip water until 45 minutes before the start of the race. I will first check in and pick up my registration and then proceed to body marking. After I will set up my transition area. I am hoping to get there early and get everything set up with plenty of time to spare in order to calm my nerves some. I am not sure if it is allowed or not but I am also hoping to be able to get in the water for a short warm up.

Swim
For many reasons I will not be wearing a wetsuit for the swim. Even though I have very limited experience with open water swimming, the swim leg will still probably be my strongest. I am going to position myself towards the front of the pack in hopes of finding some fast feet to draft off of. I am going to focus on keeping  my pace consistent and not going out too fast. I also want to keep my anxiety levels as low as possible so I don't want to go all out during the swim. With that being said, I do want to push the pace and see what I can do on the swim. It is my strongest leg so I don't want to be finishing with the back of the pack.


T1
On my way to T1 I am going to take off my cap and goggles. Once I am at T1 I am going to dry anything off that needs to be dried. I am going to put on my bike shoes, sunglasses, and helmet in that order. Then I will spray on sunscreen, grab my bike and exit T1.


Bike
I will have my bike in a lower gear for the start of the race and keep it low for the first 10-15 minutes until I get settled. About 15-20 in I will eat a honey stinger waffle chased with water. After eating I will work on increasing my pace. I am not a strong cyclist and have little experience riding on the road so I want to play it safe. I will have a bottle filled with nuun and one filled with water that I will drink along the way. With about 5 miles left of the ride I will eat 3 Clif Shot Bloks chased with water. I will focus on finishing the ride strong and fast but not too hard so I still have energy for the run.

T2
After racking my bike, I am going to take off my helmet, take off my cycling shoes, and put on my socks and running shoes. I will then put on more sunscreen, my race belt, grab a bottle of nuun and exit T2.


Run
Since it is predicted to be in the 90's on race day I will be bringing a bottle of nuun with me on the run. I will take a sip every few minutes to ensure I am not dehydrated. I am going to focus on keeping my cadence high and maintaining an easy pace for the beginning of the run when my legs feel like jello. I will take the other half of Clif Shot Bloks about 15 minutes into the run followed by some nuun. After I will pick up the pace for the rest of the run. Based off of how much energy I have during the run I will continue to drop the pace for the rest of the run. I will walk at aid stations to give my legs a break and I will finish the run with a sprint to the finish line.


Finish/Post-Race
After the race my main goal is to refuel. I will be eating and drinking before anything else. Then I will stretch out my legs for a few minutes before changing and heading home. I will wear my compression sleeves for the day to help with recovery and take an ice bath later. I will also spend some time foam rolling to help my muscles recover properly.

General Smallwood Training Week 14

Monday:
Another Monday spent doing schoolwork. All I was able to do was a 2 mile walk at night with my puppy.


Tuesday:
I woke extra early Tuesday morning so I went out for a glorious morning run. The run felt easy but I was going much faster than normal. After the run I went straight to a 60 minute yoga class to stretch out my legs. It is amazing how much help yoga has been since I started doing it last week.


Wednesday:
I wanted to do one last track run before my triathlon next week but I wasn't sure how my legs would respond from Tuesday's longish run. I ended up cutting the run short because I was getting dizzy & my legs felt more tired than they should have. I still got in 3.55 miles of good track running though. After the run I came home & soaked my legs in a bucket of ice water.

Thursday:
I overslept on Thursday morning so I had to cut my swim short in order to make it to yoga on time. This may seem backward since swimming is a crucial part of triathlon training but yoga has really made a difference in the way I recover from running. Instead of doing a full swimming workout I just did 800 yards for time. I finished in 11:05 for a 1:23 pace. This gives me a good idea of where I will be for my triathlon next weekend. After I went to a 60 min yoga class where we worked on headstands. I am pretty terrible right now but I am up for the challenge. I finished up the day with a 2 mile walk with my dad and my puppy.


Friday:
I wanted to do a race simulation to practice my nutrition and pacing for my triathlon next week. I ended up riding 23.63 miles. I was going to run afterwards but it was really hot outside and I didn't think it was worth the risk. I practiced my outfit as well. I am still working on what to wear during the swim though. Any suggestions?


Saturday:
Friday night my boyfriend and I went to a concert and didn't get back to his house until almost two in the morning. We slept in Saturday and enjoyed a day just relaxing by the pool. It was my first full rest day in almost two weeks and it was greatly needed and appreciated.


Sunday:
My boyfriend and I were going to go on a short bike ride so I can practice riding on the road instead of on the trail but he woke up sick. Instead I spent the day taking care of him and enjoying another rest day.


Weekly Totals

• Swimming: 800 yards
• Biking: 23.63 miles
• Running: 10.55 miles
• Walking: 4 miles
• Yoga: 2 hours
• Total hours: 6 hours 28 min

Wrapping Up Triathlon Training

This morning I did my last longer ride before I start tapering for my triathlon next week. I rode for 23.63 miles and practiced my nutrition plan for the race. I still need to write a race plan but I was overall pleased with how today's workout shaped up. Now it is time to relax and start getting mentally and physically prepared to race next week.

I still have some things to work out, like what the heck am I supposed to wear during the swim, but overall I have been pretty on top of things. I took some time this week to create a packing list of all the goodies I will need for my race. I have been doing the little things right and trying to mentally prepare for what lies ahead of me.

This has definitely not been an ideal training cycle but I still made a lot of progress during it. I feel stronger and more confident in my abilities then ever. I feel ready to race and officially become a triathlete.

At the beginning of training I set some goals for myself and although I didn't pay any attention to them during training I still want to reflect on how I did.

1. Don't succumb to the fear of failure.
When it came to running and half marathon training I put so much pressure on myself to do well. I wanted to be fast and always set unrealistic goals for myself. Going into triathlon training I switched to the mentality that I am a newbie and just finishing is enough for me. Sure I want to do well, but I want to do well according to my standards.

2. Train consistently and don't let small things derail me.
Although there were a few weeks where I completely fell off the training wagon I was far more consistent than I was while training for either of my half marathons. During this training cycle I focused more on just getting out there and doing something regardless of how hard of an effort it was. I think the mentality that something is better than nothing really helped me.

3. Practice the things that scare me or I have never done.
I didn't do so good with this one. I did practice running on tired legs, and practiced running fast on the track but I didn't make much progress with my cycling. I also didn't do any open water swims during training. I still have one week left so maybe I can squeeze in some of the things I forgot, or skipped.

4. Make training a priority.
I did really well with this and I am really proud of myself for it. I started focusing on myself and what I need to do in order to be successful. I learned to say no and didn't worry about pleasing everybody anymore. I also did a few training runs with my boyfriend that I otherwise would have missed. It really is great to combine social activities with training.

5. Lose weight but fuel my body properly.
I wasn't so good at this during the beginning of training but over the past few weeks I have really started to pay more attention to my eating habits and how it affects my training. And as a result I have lost a few pounds and feel lighter and leaner.

6. Take things one day at a time.
I could have done even better with this but I surely did better than I normally do. There were many days where I didn't want to ride so I switched to something else. I didn't let a training plan control my life and by doing so I enjoyed training much more than I normally do.

7. Don't forget about the big picture.
I often get caught up in wanting to do everything but lose sight of how things will turn out in the long-run. I didn't stress about my lack of speed on the bike because I know that it will come with time and that I don't want to overtrain in my first season and end up injured.

Overall I would say that training has been a big success. I will be writing about what I would do differently but I am still really proud of what I did do.

General Smallwood Training Week 11

I have been really busy since I have come home and consequently blogging has taken a backseat to all of the many things on my to-do list. I was so busy last week that I forgot to recap my training! I know I'm a little late but I still want to recap my training so here is a very late week 11 recap.

Monday: 
I spent Monday with my boyfriend who had just come home from doing a century ride. I wasn't expecting to see him so I ended up missing my planned workout. I did manage to squeeze in a two mile walk though.


Tuesday:
Tuesday I was crazy busy and was only able to get in a two mile walk. These walks aren't anything strenuous and hardly count as training but they are better than nothing.


Wednesday:
I spent National Running Day out on the trails at a beautiful lake near my house. It was a gorgeous day but pretty hot outside so I kept the run short at 2.5 miles. At night I went to the gym with my boyfriend and did a  60 min strength workout.

Thursday:
I was pretty sore from going to the gym so I thought it was the perfect day to swim. I did a quick 1800 yard swim and really worked on my speed.


Friday:
42 miles on the bike for a new PDR (personal distance record)! You can read my recap of the ride here. I also took my puppy for a two mile walk in the evening.


Saturday & Sunday: 
The weekend was filled with a lot of schoolwork and other obligations. Not ideal but both days ended up being rest days.


Weekly Totals

• Swimming: 1,800 yards
• Biking: 42 miles
• Running: 2.5 miles
• Walking: 6 miles
• Total Hours: 6 hours 31 min

General Smallwood Training Week 8

Monday:
I woke up Monday morning and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep but I somehow convinced myself to do a 30 minute recovery ride on the trainer. My legs were moving pretty slowly but I felt much better after the ride. I spent most of the afternoon studying and was in need of a break. In the evening I did Insanity Pure Cardio and even though I had to modify a few moves I finished strong and dripping with sweat.


Tuesday:
I woke up early for another morning trainer ride. I wasn't sure how long I was going to ride for but ended up getting in a 35 minute ride. I had wanted to ride a little longer but my legs were still really tired. I finished out the day with Insanity Plyo Circuit. I'm not sure if the Insanity workouts are getting any easier but I am definitely becoming more mentally prepared for them. I'm starting to know what to expect and figure out when to push myself the most during the workout.


Wednesday:
Wednesday was my day to sleep in and boy did I enjoy it I woke up feeling rested and eager for that night's workout. Feeling refreshed after sleeping in, I went for a 3.5 mile run just as the sun was setting. It was gorgeous out and for some reason this run was just amazing. I started the run off at a super slow pace so I wouldn't burn out again. Then I picked up the pace for the third mile and finished it in 8:39. It was hard but a comfortable hard. This run reminded me why I love running and left me excited to train for the NYCM this summer.


Thursday:
Thursday was an unplanned rest day due to studying for finals and finishing a paper I had to write. It was the only day I would have been able to swim since the pool had irregular hours but I knew studying was more important. I was frustrated all day that I wasn't able to fit in a workout, which means I must have finally caught the training bug!


Friday:
Friday I only did a 3 mile walk. I had a final Friday morning and then had to pack up my apartment and drive home to my parent's house where I will be staying over the summer. My bike hasn't been unpacked yet and I was just too exhausted to try to do anything productive. I was happy to get back in the habit of taking my dog for evening walks though.


Saturday:
Saturday was another walk day. I spent most of the day unpacking and cleaning, and getting things ready for my sister's graduation on Sunday. I could have gone for a run or done Insanity but I was lazy and only did a 2 mile walk.


Sunday:
Sunday was my sister's graduation and my scheduled rest day. It was a crazy day and I ended up getting pretty badly sunburned. I was going to go for an evening walk but my skin feels like it is on fire whenever I move so I opted to just stay as still as possible.


Weekly Totals

• Swimming: 0
• Biking: 65 min
• Running: 3.5 miles
• Walking: 5 miles
• Insanity: 75 min
• Total Hours: 4 hours 11 min

Thoughts
This was an extremely chaotic week and I knew going into it that I was just going to have to do what I could. The beginning of the week saw some great workouts luckily. I am most frustrated over not getting to swim at all but unfortunately my finals were scheduled during the two hours the pool was open every day. Next week is also going to be a little chaotic because I am pet sitting for family friends all week. I am excited to get some work but I will be staying at their house with the pets and am not sure how much time I will have a sneak away for a workout. I also start my summer classes next week and have my sister's graduation party next weekend. I just need to get through this next week and then I can really start bumping training up!

General Smallwood Training Week 7

Monday:
I woke up ready for a short trainer ride but as soon as I started pedaling I knew it wasn't going to be pretty. My legs felt stiff, sore, and tired. I'm not exactly sure what from, but after about three minutes on the bike I hopped off and did a 20 minute yoga dvd to loosen things up some. I even spent some quality time with my foam roller afterwards. During my lunch break I hit the pool for a 2,000 meter swim. This swim went much better then last time and left me feeling confident and ready for more.


Tuesday:
Tuesday morning I slept in and enjoyed every minute of it. After class I came back to my apartment and did an Insanity workout. I did plyo cardio circuit, which is one of my favorite of the Insanity workouts. By the end of the workout I was drenched in sweat. I was pleasantly surprised with how my body handled this workout, which means I must be making progress.


Wednesday:
Wednesday morning I woke up early and did a 45 minute trainer interval ride. At the beginning of the ride my legs felt pretty crappy but they soon warmed up and were ready to get to work. Then it was back to the pool during my lunch break for another 2,000 meter swim. This was another great swim and by the end my arms were burning.


Thursday:
I was hoping to get in a workout Thursday morning since my afternoon was all booked with end of the semester schoolwork but I hardly slept all night and just did not have the energy to squeeze in a workout. After trying very hard to find a way to fit a workout in I just accepted and enjoyed my unplanned rest day. In the end it was just what my body needed.


Friday:
Friday ended up being another rest day because my stomach was not cooperating again. I was planning on getting a swim in but the pool was closed due to a swim meet. In the end, the extra rest really helped my body and mind recover.


Saturday:
I spent the majority of Saturday studying for finals but managed to squeeze in a short brick at the end of the day. I did a hard 30 minute trainer ride followed by an easy 3 mile transition run. The run was not my best but I know it will take a little for me to get back into it. I started the run off feeling great but then died big time. I almost switched to walking but pushed through and finished the run.


Sunday:
Sunday was just not a good day. I passed out in my kitchen and spent the rest of the day laying on the couch dizzy. As much as I wanted to get in a workout I knew it was absolutely not worth it. My safety and well being come first, which means Sunday was another rest day.


Weekly totals

• Swimming: 4,000 meters
• Biking: 1 hour 15 min
• Running: 3 miles
• Other: 20 min yoga, 40 min Insanity
• Total hours: 4 hours 20 min

Thoughts

I have been mentioning that I have had a fair amount of unscheduled rest days lately that are due to my stomach bothering me. This past week I was pretty dizzy as well and just overall felt pretty crappy. I'm sure some of this is due to the stress of finals but I do have the feeling that something is actually wrong. I already have an appointment to go to the doctor after finals are over so I can make sure that everything is okay. The beginning of the week was pretty solid though and I am still happy with how this week turned out.

Making Progress In the Pool

The last time I swam was a little bit of a disaster. I finished the swim feeling nervous and stressed out.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to complete the 1500 meter swim leg of the General Smallwood International Triathlon on July. I knew that I would need to spend a lot of time in the pool in order to fully feel prepared. I do want to disclose that I know I will be able to actually complete the swim leg. As someone who has a history as a competitive swimmer I doubt that I will ever have trouble with the swim part of a triathlon. But I need to feel strong in the water. I know what my stroke feels like when I have strength, power, and am in control.

So my goal for today's swim was to focus on feeling strong and powerful and in control. I did a quick warm up and then jumped into pulling drills. By the end my arms were burning and it felt oh so good. One thing I like to do to measure my progress is to do a 100 freestyle before doing the drills, and then again after each round of drills. I didn't want to do the 100 all out but rather at a speed that I felt like I could maintain for a few hundred meters. I did the first 100 after my warm up in 1:34. After the first round of pulling drills I did the 100 in 1:32, and the 100 after the second round of drills in 1:30.

I am really pleased with these times since the last time I swam I did a 100 all out in 1:29. I can tell that after 1000 meters of pulling drills that my stroke has improved tremendously. By the end of the workout I felt so much better and I was no longer freaking out about my triathlon. My race is still nine weeks away, which means that I will have plenty of time to work on my stroke. I want to spend a solid chunk of time in the pool focusing solely on building strength and my form so that I will feel ready to workout on building endurance.

Apparently I am on a Finding Nemo kick today

I have two more swims scheduled for this week, weather permitting. I am not sure how many times I will be able to get to the pool next week due to the irregular finals schedule. When I go home for summer break I will be joining the local YMCA since it is the only place where I can both swim and go to the gym for weight lifting. Luckily for me I can join at a specials college rate, since YMCA's are normally pretty expensive. I would prefer to have a place to swim outdoors in the summer but this is really my only option.

General Smallwood Training Week 6

Along with week 5, week 6 was not my best training week. The stress of finals really got to me but I still managed to get in some good workouts.


Monday:
Monday was part of my self sabotage mission. I don't think I did anything productive on Monday, making it a rest day.


Tuesday:
Tuesday morning I woke up determined to make this a great week of training after all. I did a 30 minute trainer ride to kick off my day, and finished up with Insanity Max Recovery in the afternoon.


Wednesday:
Wednesday ended up being another rest day but only because my stomach was in a world of hurt. I think it is stress but my stomach has been hurting pretty badly almost every time I eat.


Thursday:
On Thursday I decided to end my running hiatus. The plan was to do three miles nice and easy, but my stomach didn't want to run. I ended up doing a three mile run/walk loop around campus.


Friday:
On Friday I did another three miles running and walking. I fell and twisted my knee during Thursday's outing and I was feeling a little pain on Friday so I didn't want to push it.


Saturday:
Despite the rain outside preventing me from swimming, I still managed to squeeze in a twenty minute trainer ride followed immediately by Insanity Core Cardio & Balance. This was the best workout I had all week and really left me ready to take on Sunday's workout.


Sunday:
Another unwanted rest day due to stomach troubles. Definitely bummed but I wasn't going to chance heading out with an iffy stomach.


Weekly Totals

• Swimming: 0 
• Biking: 50 minutes
• Running: 6 miles
• Insanity: 70 minutes
• Total hours: 3 hours 23 minutes

Thoughts
I started the week off in a bad place. I was mad at myself and skipped workouts because I felt helpless. Based on how the week started off though I am pretty happy with the workouts I did Thursday through Saturday. Even though it wasn't the best of weeks I am motivated and ready to take on the next week. 

Picking My A Race

After running training for and running two half marathons I decided it was time for a change. I have big goals for myself over the next few years but I know that in order to achieve them I need to start small. I have been interested in doing triathons for awhile now and decided that 2012 was the year of the tri. But I wasn't sure which triathlon to sign up for. There are so many things to take into consideration when it comes to triathlon, making my decision rather difficult.

Check out how gorgeous this swim is!

First, I wanted a race in the middle of the summer. I have finals in the end of May and then my sister has graduation, meaning that late May/early June are off the table. I also wanted to have ample time after all of this to train. Peak training during two weeks of finals and parties is not exactly ideal. I also didn't want a race too late in the summer because of marathon training (I don't think I will ever get sick of saying marathon). This meant I needed a race in the end of June to middle of July.

Additionally, I wanted a race that would fit my strengths and weaknesses. Basically, I needed a relatively flat bike course. I don't care how hilly the run portion is because i can always walk if needed but I do not want to be walking my bike up any hills. Along the same lines, I wanted a race that didn't have a technical bike course. I am not experienced when it comes to sharp turns and the like so they were out of the question. Lastly, I wanted a course that would have a relatively warm swim. I do not have the money to shell out for a wetsuit, and quite frankly I think it will be in my favor to have a wetsuit illegal course since I am a strong swimmer.

The final thing that really affected my decision regarding which triathlon would be my A race was proximity to home. My parents live in Pennsylvania, which is where I will be living during the summer, and I have an apartment in Baltimore meaning races in both Maryland and Pennsylvania were up for grabs. I also did not want a race that I would need a hotel for. All of my money will be going to the very expensive NYC Marathon so minimizing other costs is necessary.

Ultimately I have decided on the General Smallwood International Triathlon. The race is on July 7 in Indian Head, Maryland, which is a little over an hour from my apartment. The race is pretty small, with about 150 participants total. Both the bike and run courses are rolling , and the swim is in the bay with water temps expected to be in the mid-70's.

There are about nine and a half weeks left until the race, which means I need to get my booty into gear. I have been super stressed lately with the end of the semester and finals coming up but I know once I get through all of that I will be golden.