The last week of August, just a month after the NYC Triathlon, I woke up with a pain in my neck which worsened throughout the morning until I can hardly move. Turned out I had two herniated discs in my spine. After months of physical therapy, a cortizone shot and absolutely no running- I'm starting to get back into the game. For months I was not able to do anything physical. I hardly had any movement in my back or neck. I could hardly look side to side. My left side was tingly. But now, things are looking brighter. So i'm back on my bike, finally, thankfully. Twice a week I take a spin class and this morning L and I went for a windy ride on the path- the bitter cold brought us back inside a little too quickly but it felt so good to ride!
We are doing the 5 boro bike right in May- I'm hoping to be in better shape by then so I can take off!
I've tried swimming a few times over the last couple of months but the movement of the stroke still aggravates my shoulder. I'm hoping over time I can get back into the groove- though sadly, I'm not so sure about running. It is still too much pounding on my body. So i'm taking things slow- one day at a time, getting back into shape, into Tri shape.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, August 10, 2008
DC Adventure
I ran a bit when I lived in DC and trained for the Vancouver marathon. That was before I broke my foot walking to work one morning. Before I switched to the half. When I did train with the Wellness Community we ran on a path near Georgetown. This weekend, back in dc to visit friends, I went for a run with Caryn up Connecticut Avenue and through Rock Creek Park. I moved to DC the year Chandra Levy disappeared. The thought of her running in the park and never returning, put enough fear in me that I never thought of stepping in the park alone - let alone for a run. With Caryn, who sort of knew her way, I was ok with the idea and excited for our early morning Saturday run. C is training for the DC Marine Corps Marathon. Running with her was great, we are just about at the same pace. I loved running through the park and if I still lived in DC I would now run there regularly. It was gorgeous and a nice change of pace from the loop of Central Park. The best part was seeing 5 deer! We ran for an hour and ended up shooting out of the park near where the Legg Mason tournament is held- too far away! We actually had to hop in a taxi to head back down 16th street to Dupont! It was a great run, great company and I love that I can run in any city I happen to find myself in.
Monday, August 4, 2008
The Way To Cycle City
Sunday morning I woke up stiff and sore from Saturday's class at CP. I took some tylenol and hopped on my bike to meet EW and AA at Riverside Park for a ride. We headed up Riverside Drive. The ride to the George Washington Bridge was pretty, I forget how nice things are above 23rd street- such a downtown snob, i know. We made our way through the maze of streets to arrive at the bridge, the massive bridge. I've always wanted to cross the bridge by bike but being that I have a newly acquired fear of heights I'm not sure why I had such a desire. Needless to say the bridge is long and high and huge and scary with a very narrow bike path. The views, however are worth it- I loved seeing the city from a different perspective. I'm thankful I had just purchased a new Canon. It fit perfectly in the back of my jersey.
I really had no idea how much of a cyclists haven the bridge that leads you to New Jersey is. there were bikers every which way. A few adults with young kids--crazy! But mainly cycling teams. I saw all of the team jerseys I recognize from the park and the various races I've been to. The ride was relaxing and fun. We were just a short distance outside of the city but it felt like a different country. Who knew Jersey could be so nice and could smell so good? The roads are perfect for riding- plenty of hills and long stretches of open road. Its nice to do something other than ride Central Park. All of the other cyclists were friendly- some came beside us and chatted for awhile as we biked. Its a great community feeling.
After we came back into the city we had a great lunch at the lower Boat Basin then rushed home to change and head out to the Beer Garden. Yes, I went to Queens and I want to go back soon (gasp!). The beer garden was totally worth the subway ride. The Brats were mighty tasty! YUM!
All in all we biked a total of 37 miles- there and back. While I wanted to go to Nyack, we decided to save it for another trip. My body couldn't be more thankful! I had a hard time walking the long halls of the office today at work. I had a great day riding and I know there is a lot of improvement to be made. I can get faster and more confident on my bike. I'd like to get aero bars put on soon.
CORRECTION: Danny placed 1st in his age group at the Insbrook Sprint, not second as previously reported. Congrats, Oh Great One, Congrats!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Life, Post-Tri
I miss training for the Tri. I miss the group training sessions. I miss the people. I miss the coaches. I miss pushing myself harder than I ever had before. So, I'm not stopping. The tri crew and I are signing up for more. There's a sprint in Montauk in October and a few more races in September some or all of us will do. Tomorrow I'm riding with the tri girls out to Nyack- a ride I've been hoping to do for awhile now. Wednesday I met the gang for a 4.5 mile run in the park... based on how I ran, you wouldn't have thought I did a tri two weeks earlier! Needless to say if I don't keep up with the running I know my endurance will vanish. So i'm running and swimming and biking and pushing myself (not as hard but still) to keep going.
I'm experimenting with different classes at the gym that I was too wary to try earlier- went to an intense, crazy, weight/cardio/painful class lead by a US Army Master Trainer- I don't really know what that is but Gerald kicked my ass! He teased me throughout the hour and I broke a sweat within the first five minutes. For the first time, I was the most fit woman in the class and it felt good.
Afterwards I treated myself to a much needed pedicure- something I had been avoiding because of the awful looking and sometimes painful black toe on my left foot. I didn't want to risk getting an infection before the tri. But today I went and a sweet woman named Debbie made my worn out feet look purrrty. She gave me an extra 10 minute reflexology massage to work out the strained muscle in my calf and she told me I work out too much. Me? Me? Puhlease! I just laughed and sat back to enjoy her fingers digging into the pressure points along my ankles.
Since I'm not training the way I was, I have more time for all of those other things that were put on the back burner for a few months. This includes going out more, stepping back into my social life, spending more time at work and finally finishing my darn thesis. Did I mention how much I miss training?!
Congrats to Danny who placed second (5th overall) in his age group at the Insbrook Sprint this morning. Whoohooo!! What a Tri Rock Star!
I'm experimenting with different classes at the gym that I was too wary to try earlier- went to an intense, crazy, weight/cardio/painful class lead by a US Army Master Trainer- I don't really know what that is but Gerald kicked my ass! He teased me throughout the hour and I broke a sweat within the first five minutes. For the first time, I was the most fit woman in the class and it felt good.
Afterwards I treated myself to a much needed pedicure- something I had been avoiding because of the awful looking and sometimes painful black toe on my left foot. I didn't want to risk getting an infection before the tri. But today I went and a sweet woman named Debbie made my worn out feet look purrrty. She gave me an extra 10 minute reflexology massage to work out the strained muscle in my calf and she told me I work out too much. Me? Me? Puhlease! I just laughed and sat back to enjoy her fingers digging into the pressure points along my ankles.
Since I'm not training the way I was, I have more time for all of those other things that were put on the back burner for a few months. This includes going out more, stepping back into my social life, spending more time at work and finally finishing my darn thesis. Did I mention how much I miss training?!
Congrats to Danny who placed second (5th overall) in his age group at the Insbrook Sprint this morning. Whoohooo!! What a Tri Rock Star!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Triathlon Jellyfish Update
After the triathlon i knew the memories from the race would stay with me for a long time to come. I never thought that my jellyfish stings would too! I woke up this morning with a crazy rash/reaction from exactly where the jellyfish got me on my left arm and right elbow. Some quick internet research explained that this is a common experience. The reaction can last 5-30 days after the initial bite! OUCH. Anyone have suggestions on how to treat my arm?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Tri- Part 2...THE FINISH LINE!
We arrived to transition when it was still dark and set up our areas. I laid out my bike and running shoes on my little towel. I put out my extra water bottles- one to wash my feet after the run and one to carry with me for the start of the run that i could toss. We grabbed out wetsuits and headed to the swim start. Along the way we were body marked and received chips that would record our splits and our overall time. We slid into wetsuits and lined up for the start by 6:00. I waved goodbye to my mom and LW and I headed out onto the dock with all the other pink swim caps.
The SWIM: We were instructed to get into the water and we grabbed hold of a rope. There were so many of us holding on that the rope started to go down. I felt like I was holding on for my life- i knew if i let go, I'd be washed away with the current. I heard people on land start to scream and cheer- i looked at LW and asked if that was the gun- she laughed and screamed Go and I did and so did everyone else. Bodies were all around me. Girls swam over me and elbowed me. I was kicked and grabbed. I fought for a bit then just let a few get ahead of me-- what's a couple of seconds? My swim was smooth and I spotted regularly until i felt the first sting on my left arm. Then another. What was that? I stopped to stare at my arms. I realized I was far from the finish. THe crowd was cheering on the side. I put my head back into the water, raised my right hand and felt the sting- a rake across my arm. JELLYFISH! I was stung and my arm felt numb. I lifted it over my head to stare at it- nothing. Ok. Deep Breath. Swim. A few more strokes and the sting took over my arm. I looked for the lifeguards in the kayaks. I kept them in my view and I swam. Every few strokes I looked at my arm to check out the sting. The one thing i feared all summer with the swim in the ocean was jelly fish. Everyone seemed to think there wouldn't be any in the Hudson. I guess if anyone told me there would be I would have been more scared about getting in. I kept thinking don't panic- don't go into shock. I started to think it was a mind over matter thing and I could control any reaction that might take over my body- which I know by now I can't. I've gone into shock so many times and I'm so aware of the feeling that I knew I had to get out of the water as quickly as I could. So i put my head down and I swam faster than ever. 22 minutes in all for a 1 mile swim.
Transition 1: I got out of the water and examined my arm while I ran .5 mile back to transition. Hives started to appear. My panic grew- I saw medics on the path but knew I just needed to get to my bag. I had my packed my bag carefully and had plenty of Zyrtec and Benedryl - just in case. The first thing I did was pop a pill. I slid out of the rest of my wetsuit. Buckled my helmet. Wiped the Hudson dirt off my face. Grabbed sunglasses. Washed off my feet- put on my bike shoes and ran to the exit with my bike. I hopped on and pedaled to Hot Corner.
The BIKE: Crowds were lining the path. I saw my mom and screamed her name. I made it to the top of the hill as girls around me fell like dominoes. I screamed at one to fall left- not on me! I have gone up that hill so many times I wasn't about to be taken out on my turf! Around the traffic circle and onto the highway I went. I pedaled hard while keeping my hand in view, watching as the hives began to disappear. Thank goodness for Zyrtec-i can only imagine what would have happened had I not taken an antihistamine. The ride was gorgeous. I pushed myself hard but took in the views. It doesn't happen often that the highway is closed to traffic and opened to riders. Speed demons screamed "on your left" as they flew by. I passed a few people but kept a good pace all the while. I loved the bike. Towards the end I had to keep myself focus- i repeated You Can Do It over and over again. I prayed I wouldn't get a flat. I studied the road signs. 235th street. 125th. 56th street. A U-turn and back to 72nd street. 1:44:40. Not so bad for a 25 mile ride.
Transition 2: I quickly changed shoes, took off my helmet, grabbed a water bottle and was off!
The RUN: I ran across 72nd street to the park with a smile on my face. I couldn't believe this was happening. The crowds were cheering. People were sitting in the middle of the street. People saw my TNT Jersey and screamed louder. I approached Central Park West. I saw blue shirts and could see my friends and family. they screamed and clapped. I blew them a kiss and smiled more. No, I didn't cry but I was ecstatic to see them. It gave me the push I need. Up the West side of the park- I ran - slowly- I ran. I saw J. he gave me a high five and I ran up the hill. Harlem Hill. I pushed myself- do not walk. I ran. I was tired. I saw water and slowed as I went through the station. Around the bend, I ran and ran. Just get to the finish. I ran! I saw Coach T. Keep going. You can do it. I grabbed more water and ran. Saw Coach M and she jogged alongside me- go, go, go. Down the East side. Then there was Coach M. Focus K he screamed. Look at me! You can do this- now GO. And off I went to the finish. I ran so hard. The crowd cheered. People screamed go Team and I ran. The crowd thickened. Again, I saw my family. My friends in their blue shirts. I ran across the finish, I felt my knees give out and a man on the right caught me as I collapsed into his arms. He was a catcher. yes, he was there to catch people and he caught me. A woman put a wet towel around my neck. Another person gave me water. The man propped me up. E came over and pulled me away. Someone put a medal around me. I was in a daze but I knew it was over. I started to smile. 3 hours and 25 minutes. My first triathlon!
I met up with the fam and friends. I showed off my jellyfish stings. I could hardly walk. I was amazed. I loved every second of it. I'm a triathlete. Months of training paid off. I swam in the hudson, i biked on the highway, i ran through the park and I crossed the finish. I put my mind to this incredible challenge and it happened. I'm still in shock when I think about it. We hung out in the park. I got a massage. We ate and drank. I came home and passed out... then we went to the victory party.
On a sadder note, one of the athletes was not so lucky. A 32 year old man didn't make it out of the water. They still aren't sure if he died from an allergic reaction to the jelly fish or if he had a heart problem. Either way, the joy of the day is darkened by a young father's death. I know how awful my allergies are- how close I've come before. I feel truly blessed that I didn't have more of an extreme reaction to the stings. I can't imagine the incredible sadness his family is experiencing. The day was bitter-sweet.
Overall the New York Triathlon was an incredible experience. I did my best and I know next time I can do even better. With the help of family and friends I raised over $2700 for Cancer Research. I made new friends I'll have for years and many more tris to come. I tested myself and I learned that when I set a goal I can accomplish it- 5 minutes faster than I thought!
The SWIM: We were instructed to get into the water and we grabbed hold of a rope. There were so many of us holding on that the rope started to go down. I felt like I was holding on for my life- i knew if i let go, I'd be washed away with the current. I heard people on land start to scream and cheer- i looked at LW and asked if that was the gun- she laughed and screamed Go and I did and so did everyone else. Bodies were all around me. Girls swam over me and elbowed me. I was kicked and grabbed. I fought for a bit then just let a few get ahead of me-- what's a couple of seconds? My swim was smooth and I spotted regularly until i felt the first sting on my left arm. Then another. What was that? I stopped to stare at my arms. I realized I was far from the finish. THe crowd was cheering on the side. I put my head back into the water, raised my right hand and felt the sting- a rake across my arm. JELLYFISH! I was stung and my arm felt numb. I lifted it over my head to stare at it- nothing. Ok. Deep Breath. Swim. A few more strokes and the sting took over my arm. I looked for the lifeguards in the kayaks. I kept them in my view and I swam. Every few strokes I looked at my arm to check out the sting. The one thing i feared all summer with the swim in the ocean was jelly fish. Everyone seemed to think there wouldn't be any in the Hudson. I guess if anyone told me there would be I would have been more scared about getting in. I kept thinking don't panic- don't go into shock. I started to think it was a mind over matter thing and I could control any reaction that might take over my body- which I know by now I can't. I've gone into shock so many times and I'm so aware of the feeling that I knew I had to get out of the water as quickly as I could. So i put my head down and I swam faster than ever. 22 minutes in all for a 1 mile swim.
Transition 1: I got out of the water and examined my arm while I ran .5 mile back to transition. Hives started to appear. My panic grew- I saw medics on the path but knew I just needed to get to my bag. I had my packed my bag carefully and had plenty of Zyrtec and Benedryl - just in case. The first thing I did was pop a pill. I slid out of the rest of my wetsuit. Buckled my helmet. Wiped the Hudson dirt off my face. Grabbed sunglasses. Washed off my feet- put on my bike shoes and ran to the exit with my bike. I hopped on and pedaled to Hot Corner.
The BIKE: Crowds were lining the path. I saw my mom and screamed her name. I made it to the top of the hill as girls around me fell like dominoes. I screamed at one to fall left- not on me! I have gone up that hill so many times I wasn't about to be taken out on my turf! Around the traffic circle and onto the highway I went. I pedaled hard while keeping my hand in view, watching as the hives began to disappear. Thank goodness for Zyrtec-i can only imagine what would have happened had I not taken an antihistamine. The ride was gorgeous. I pushed myself hard but took in the views. It doesn't happen often that the highway is closed to traffic and opened to riders. Speed demons screamed "on your left" as they flew by. I passed a few people but kept a good pace all the while. I loved the bike. Towards the end I had to keep myself focus- i repeated You Can Do It over and over again. I prayed I wouldn't get a flat. I studied the road signs. 235th street. 125th. 56th street. A U-turn and back to 72nd street. 1:44:40. Not so bad for a 25 mile ride.
Transition 2: I quickly changed shoes, took off my helmet, grabbed a water bottle and was off!
The RUN: I ran across 72nd street to the park with a smile on my face. I couldn't believe this was happening. The crowds were cheering. People were sitting in the middle of the street. People saw my TNT Jersey and screamed louder. I approached Central Park West. I saw blue shirts and could see my friends and family. they screamed and clapped. I blew them a kiss and smiled more. No, I didn't cry but I was ecstatic to see them. It gave me the push I need. Up the West side of the park- I ran - slowly- I ran. I saw J. he gave me a high five and I ran up the hill. Harlem Hill. I pushed myself- do not walk. I ran. I was tired. I saw water and slowed as I went through the station. Around the bend, I ran and ran. Just get to the finish. I ran! I saw Coach T. Keep going. You can do it. I grabbed more water and ran. Saw Coach M and she jogged alongside me- go, go, go. Down the East side. Then there was Coach M. Focus K he screamed. Look at me! You can do this- now GO. And off I went to the finish. I ran so hard. The crowd cheered. People screamed go Team and I ran. The crowd thickened. Again, I saw my family. My friends in their blue shirts. I ran across the finish, I felt my knees give out and a man on the right caught me as I collapsed into his arms. He was a catcher. yes, he was there to catch people and he caught me. A woman put a wet towel around my neck. Another person gave me water. The man propped me up. E came over and pulled me away. Someone put a medal around me. I was in a daze but I knew it was over. I started to smile. 3 hours and 25 minutes. My first triathlon!
I met up with the fam and friends. I showed off my jellyfish stings. I could hardly walk. I was amazed. I loved every second of it. I'm a triathlete. Months of training paid off. I swam in the hudson, i biked on the highway, i ran through the park and I crossed the finish. I put my mind to this incredible challenge and it happened. I'm still in shock when I think about it. We hung out in the park. I got a massage. We ate and drank. I came home and passed out... then we went to the victory party.
On a sadder note, one of the athletes was not so lucky. A 32 year old man didn't make it out of the water. They still aren't sure if he died from an allergic reaction to the jelly fish or if he had a heart problem. Either way, the joy of the day is darkened by a young father's death. I know how awful my allergies are- how close I've come before. I feel truly blessed that I didn't have more of an extreme reaction to the stings. I can't imagine the incredible sadness his family is experiencing. The day was bitter-sweet.
Overall the New York Triathlon was an incredible experience. I did my best and I know next time I can do even better. With the help of family and friends I raised over $2700 for Cancer Research. I made new friends I'll have for years and many more tris to come. I tested myself and I learned that when I set a goal I can accomplish it- 5 minutes faster than I thought!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Tri - Part 1
Five months of perfecting my swim, five months of picking up my pace on the hills in the park, and five months of learning to bike distances all paid off when I jumped into the Hudson River at 6:23 AM and raced to the finish line of the 8th Annual Nautica New York City Triathlon on July 20, 2008. The day was amazing. I pushed myself harder than I ever have in my life. It was an incredible day that I doubt I'll ever forget. I realized as I crossed the finish line, that if I really put my mind to something, I can make it happen. 5 months ago I could hardly run 1 mile. Today, I'm a triathlete!
There's so much to tell- so to get through it all- I'll break it down.
Friday afternoon I headed to the Racers Expo at the Hilton on 5th Avenue with my Mom who came in for the weekend. I attended a mandatory participant's meeting. In the thirty minute meeting a race official went through the race day, the important things to note, and rules of USAT. He answered questions and calmed nerves. Afterwards Mom and I walked around the expo and I purchased The Stick. The best item I could have bought. I've been using this incredible massage tool regularly and the pain in my calf all but vanished before race morning.
From the Expo we headed to Central Park for the Chipotle Underwear Run. Check out pics below. The run was hot and sweaty but fun and light. A great way to forget about my nerves and just relax with tri friends.
Saturday I biked up the Westside Highway to the transition area to check in the Contessa. It was a nice ride, I stretched my legs and got my bike into the easy gears I needed to start the race. All bikes had to be in transition the day before the race. Most women, the pros and some men were in Yellow Transition. The majority of the men were in the Red. The different transition areas had pros and cons. Yellow was further from the swim which meant a longer, barefoot run. But it was closer to the run out. The red was closer to the bike start but less time to get going before the first big hill. The red however was much closer to the swim exit- so less time running on the concrete. Based on my race number, I found the spot to rack my bike. It was right in the middle- so I had easy access to both exits. Each race number had a quote below it. Some were inspirational. Others, like mine, just made me laugh. Very fitting, right?!
Toga Bikes had a tent set up in the transition area. They were pumping tires and looking over the bikes. I had a guy check mine out. Even though I had taken the Contessa in for a tune-up the weekend before, my brakes, still didn't look right. With a quick pull the bike guy was able to adjust them properly so the pad didn't rub along the tire.
After I wrapped the Contessa up in plastic bags (in case of rain) LW and I walked around the area and checked out the scene. It was crazy to really look into the water and now that we would be swimming in it. Everything was set up and as we stood at the exit and looked down to the swim start I got nervous- I could hardly see the dock 1 mile away.
Saturday night was a fun Pasta Dinner for our team. We chowed down, decorated jerseys and encouraged each other about the big race. A few friends mentioned they weren't going to wear wet suits because of how hot the water was. JS tattooed my right arm (temporary tat) with the TNT logo. I put one on the back of his neck. Why not, right?! We were all excited and nervous-- by 8 I was home. By 10 I was in bed. By 4 am my mom and I were up and on our way to pick up LW and RB and head to the race! To be continued....
There's so much to tell- so to get through it all- I'll break it down.
Friday afternoon I headed to the Racers Expo at the Hilton on 5th Avenue with my Mom who came in for the weekend. I attended a mandatory participant's meeting. In the thirty minute meeting a race official went through the race day, the important things to note, and rules of USAT. He answered questions and calmed nerves. Afterwards Mom and I walked around the expo and I purchased The Stick. The best item I could have bought. I've been using this incredible massage tool regularly and the pain in my calf all but vanished before race morning.
From the Expo we headed to Central Park for the Chipotle Underwear Run. Check out pics below. The run was hot and sweaty but fun and light. A great way to forget about my nerves and just relax with tri friends.
Saturday I biked up the Westside Highway to the transition area to check in the Contessa. It was a nice ride, I stretched my legs and got my bike into the easy gears I needed to start the race. All bikes had to be in transition the day before the race. Most women, the pros and some men were in Yellow Transition. The majority of the men were in the Red. The different transition areas had pros and cons. Yellow was further from the swim which meant a longer, barefoot run. But it was closer to the run out. The red was closer to the bike start but less time to get going before the first big hill. The red however was much closer to the swim exit- so less time running on the concrete. Based on my race number, I found the spot to rack my bike. It was right in the middle- so I had easy access to both exits. Each race number had a quote below it. Some were inspirational. Others, like mine, just made me laugh. Very fitting, right?!
Toga Bikes had a tent set up in the transition area. They were pumping tires and looking over the bikes. I had a guy check mine out. Even though I had taken the Contessa in for a tune-up the weekend before, my brakes, still didn't look right. With a quick pull the bike guy was able to adjust them properly so the pad didn't rub along the tire.
After I wrapped the Contessa up in plastic bags (in case of rain) LW and I walked around the area and checked out the scene. It was crazy to really look into the water and now that we would be swimming in it. Everything was set up and as we stood at the exit and looked down to the swim start I got nervous- I could hardly see the dock 1 mile away.
Saturday night was a fun Pasta Dinner for our team. We chowed down, decorated jerseys and encouraged each other about the big race. A few friends mentioned they weren't going to wear wet suits because of how hot the water was. JS tattooed my right arm (temporary tat) with the TNT logo. I put one on the back of his neck. Why not, right?! We were all excited and nervous-- by 8 I was home. By 10 I was in bed. By 4 am my mom and I were up and on our way to pick up LW and RB and head to the race! To be continued....
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