Solana Beach Triathlon

what a fun day!  we had Debbie, Lisa N, Leslie, Gina, Jess, Terry and myself out representing Queen Bee Sports!  Jamie and Lisa below were part of the cheer squad to top it all off!  we even ended up with 3 QB gals on the podium!  yahhh!!

loads of pics and there are more- i tried to pick the best ones.  please email me if you want them in full size.

i am so proud to be part of such an amazing group of women!  everyone who has the courage to jump in the ocean with a south swell of 5ft. waves morning of the race is so impressive and motivating.  even more inspiring is that all of these gals finished the race with smiles and a feeling of accomplishment.  i couldn't ask for anything more.  congrats to all of our finishers!  you guys rock and continue to inspire me!

jamie and lisa out to support!

lisa n.- i love this picture!

debbie in her new shorts for worlds!

gina and crew!  happy birthday mom!!

deb kicking a** on the bike!

jess- smiling because the finish is just ahead!

terry starting the run.

leslie on the run- bad photographer (me)- can we photo shop the fence out?

gina looking strong!

lisa- going fast on the bike

kristin- always fast and makes it look easy!

leslie on the bike- best comment of the day- 'what bike is she riding??'

beth and i pre swim scouting the course in our speedy ZOOT wetsuits!

skin protection

fun fact: eating tomatoes can prevent and/or lessen your chances of getting sunburned.

yes- i learned this from dr. oz on oprah yesterday. quite a good fact to know for us triathletes. i have used everything- literally- under the sun - figuratively- to prevent getting sunburned.

tomatoes contain a pytochemical called lycopene. the lycopene is more powerful then vitamin E giving it antioxidant powers- aka- saving our skin. there have been studies that may show lycopene preventing some types of cancers.   since lycopene is fat soluble when we eat tomatoes with olive oil we actually absorb MORE lycopene then if we ate tomatoes alone (another dr. oz fun fact).

moral of the story- eat your tomatoes- prevent getting sunburned!

here is my summer tomato salad- very simple:

3 cups chopped cherry tomatoes (i use red, yellow, green so the salad looks pretty)

1/2 cup chopped basil

some drizzle of olive oil

1/2 squeezed lemon juice

to your health,

C

putting the pieces together

the swim-bike-run pieces.  they finally came together at rhode island 70.3.  i cannot be happier with my race and i am proud of my hard work paying off!  if you know the story from my previous two 1/2 IMs this season they have been far from perfect.  i am glad i decided to fit the rhode island trip in just for this feeling of satisfaction that i did my best at ALL three sports.

quick race report:  swim was more like a 2pm rough water swim.  it did rain the morning of the race and there was even a delay of the start because the buoys were going all over the place.  it was stormy, windy and nothing like the beach pictures below.  entering the water was easy- no real surf just a lot of chop.  every time i reached a yellow buoy i'd look up to see the next one WAY to the left... they should really be in a straight line, but given the conditions i knew right off this would not be the case.  i got out fast, made the red turn around buoy and still saw no one from my wave.  there were supposedly orange buoys to follow in... i did not see any of those. just the light from the transition up on the beach.  following that must have worked because i swam a quick 24 min. and i was out onto the bike.  very happy with my swim split- it matches the fastest open water 1.2 mi. i have ever done!

the bike was awesome!  was wet and flat the first half.  but everything felt good until i realized i made a total ROOKIE mistake.  i remembered i had NOT put more air into my tires.  usually want them right at 120 PSI.  it had been 2 days since i topped them off.... so i think i rode the first 10-15 miles at about 80 PSI.  luckily at the water/aid station they had a pump so i pulled over, hopped off and did a quick top off.  kind of felt like i was a tour rider- mechanical error fixed- right back on the bike.  the second half got hilly on the bike.  nothing too steep but a TON of rollers.  i absolutely loved it.  it was beautiful scenery, cool temp and just fun!  i have felt so strong riding hills lately that i rode these like they were nothing.  i did not know where i was in my age group at this point until i caught a gal that must have passed me when i was filling my tires.  i passed her for a bit and at some point she passed me back up.  i guess i ended up third off of the bike but with a 2:39 PR (besides FL).

the run was tuff initially.  i think having so much hill work on the bike made me feel a bit tight coming into the run.  i got into my own groove and was holding right around 8 min. pace.  for me i was back!  i was back on the pace i knew i could hold and have held in the past.  the run had a hill in it close to 10% grade- so inside torrey pines- that we had to get up and go down twice.  having kept 8 min. pace i was happy because that was including the slow climb up hill.  i was conservative on the run which may have been both not so good and good.  not so good because i got beat by two gals by only 1 min.- they passed me at the end.  but really good because i accomplished the half marathon feeling good and confident again that i do know how to race that distance.

the entire 70.3 miles took a whooping 4:57 which is a best time- besides clearwater- that i have done!  i also think it was a hard course and not nearly as easy as the time before i broke 5 hrs.i ended up 7th in my age group and must give props to the gals who were smokin fast on that run course!  so impressive!  all in all i had a ton of fun and feel ready to be re-focused for 70.3 world championship in november!

my dad and i had a great time catching up on our trip.  he got to see the full triathlon scene which is always a scene!  we also got to experience some quality east coast beach blanket be-bop.  see below.  the beach was more packed then i have ever seen in san diego- even more so then the 4th of july.  i guess when you are not as fortunate as us so-callers you have to soak up the sun when you can.

it was hard to even walk around!

this is downtown providence where we stayed.  the race finished right at the capitol building.  pretty awesome!

 

i know these are small- took them off of the web since i do not have my dads pics yet.  thats my finish and start.  in my new kit!!  yahhh!

back to work from here.  both training for my clients and myself.  our QBS gals have the solana beach sprint triathlon coming up in 2 weeks!  it is always a fun day with a big turn out of ladies.  goals for clearwater ill save for a later post- but i am already brainstorming!

to your health,

c

scattered thunderstorms?

i usually pride myself on my ability to rest for a race.  really, how hard is it to kick you feet up and relax?  i have no excuse.  i am not working as much since about 1/2 of my clients decided to travel the world in the month of july.  i just got back from a weekend away, didnt really unpack, so 1/2 of my packing is done.  but for some reason it doesnt feel as easy this time.  i feel like i need to go for a long run.  maybe the rest is working then?

for those of you who have not 'rested' for a race it is a rare feeling.  your body is suddenly not totally fatigued from hours of exercise.  there is free time that can be filled with anything but swim-bike-run- hence the blog post (alternatively there are still chores to be done).  and there is an excitement about having a race that completely contradicts 'resting' for it.  frustrating!

i am headed to rhode island tomorrow and cannot wait!  dad is coming with me which will be great!  i have a few friends from here that will be there so that is always a bonus!  sunday's weather is calling for scattered thunderstorms!?!  a nice race day forecast (sarcastic of course).  i am also stoked because i have my new race kit to wear- thank you bettydesigns and splish- hot pink, yellow and black!  my other big thank yous to zoot, nuun and gu for helping me out this season.  the products i love get me through both training and racing!

if you want to internet cheer- www.ironman.com- i always appreciate the support.  update to follow from the east coast!  yahhhoo!

to your health,

C

independence

all too often we forget and take for granted our abilities.  the ability as an athlete to put on a pair of shoes, where ever in the world we may be, and head out the door for a run.  i had a client two years ago thank me for teaching her that she is capable of running.  it was one of the most satisfying experiences to know i had helped someone find freedom and independence through running. 

in leu of the holiday, when i went for an early AM run through a small neighborhood in napa, i was thinking about how much i value my independence.  having the choice to run where ever for however long i want is incredibly valuable.  there is no judgement of how fast or slow, how long or short.  there is me and an open road.  i ran up a hill because i wanted to see where it would go.  i ran because i wanted to break a sweat.  i ran to clear my thoughts.

i have thought a lot about why i choose to do triathlon.  why i choose to suffer through a hard workout when i could choose to take an easier route.  why i choose to put in the miles of training.  i always come back to the feeling of accomplishment the sport gives me.  i think about paraplegics that may not have the legs to run.  i think about my friends who have been too sick to have the energy to run.  i choose to do the sport simply because i can.

i have run around the eiffel tower, along the beach in argentina, on the bluffs of santa barbara, up the sides of mountains in colorado, along a waterfront bike path in seattle, through snow in sweden and countless other places, including runs i do weekly at home, that never leave me without a feeling of accomplishment.  i am so grateful for the independence running gives me.

throw on a pair of shoes and hit the ground running.  because you can.

to your health,

C