Three Weeks and Counting

Azalea Triathlon is fast approaching and with it the start of the 2010 triathlon season.  Having an early season tri scheduled means that you spend a lot of time on a trainer, fighting for a lane in the pool and running on a treadmill.  Why?  The weather sucks!  If it is not raining, it is bitterly cold.  This means that you have to dress like an Eskimo to go out.  Try running and cycling with 20 pounds of clothes on and forget about swimming unless you have a diving dry suit, even then who would want to get into 40 degree water?  We all clamor to get our long rides and runs in on those days the sun peeks out of the clouds and the temperature is above 50.  How wonderful it was to get the bike off the trainer this past Sunday and go out for a little 80 mile ride.
There are those days that you just can't stomach another trainer ride and you spend 30 minutes putting on layer upon layer of clothes for your ride.  Let me give you a sample of what it takes to get ready for a ride on a cold (sub-50 degree) day.  Let's start with the feet and work our way up, toe warmers on the shoes (these are just to keep the wind out of the shoe and only cover the toe box of the shoe), wool socks that come up well over the ankle, your favorite or a good pair of cycling shorts to be covered by a pair of tights.  You have two pair of tights depending on the temperature, a thin pair that will give you a little protection and a thick pair that will stop the wind and keep you warm.  The thick pair make you feel as if you have splints on your legs and makes pedaling a little difficult.  You have the option of leg warmers if you don't mind your privates being cold.  Those really cold days you wear your tights and warmers.  Then comes a base layer up top, cover with a warming layer and a wind layer making you look like the Michelin Man and acts like a parachute.  A nice pair of gloves or mittens to keep the hands from freezing off.  Top all this off with something to cover your ears, cheeks and nose then put on your helmet (it will not fit not because your head just grew two sizes).  Let's not forget the hand, foot, and body warmers that you have stuffed all over to help you keep warm.  Get on your bike and try and ride.  You feel stiff and cumbersome and 30 pounds heavier.  Having to do this a couple of times really knocks the desire to ride out of you.  This is why you cherish those few, very few, warm sunny days during the winter.
You are probably asking WHY?!  Because you love to get out and feel the freedom a bike gives you.  The sense of freedom that a motor vehicle can't give you.  Cycling is not just an activity, a form of exercise or something to take you somewhere, it is a state of mind.  You can put your worries on hold and enjoy just being.  You feel yourself moving, your mind is at ease and you reach a state of relaxation that is so wonderful it is hard to explain.  I get excited when I know that I am going out for a ride.

The days grow short and the light fades fast. We move inside to ride. Trainer rides in front of the television with a movie, game or something to pass the time. There are those days we get excited because the sun is shinning and the temperature is where we do not need warmers. Those days are few during this time, so we have to find other ways of keeping those legs and saddle going. Trainer riding is fairly boring (two hours sitting in the same spot) but necessary.  My first triathlon is only six weeks away.
Running in Orlando in the cold I developed a little bursitis in my right heel and have not been running.  I have been in the pool and, of course, the trainer.  The weather breaks tomorrow and I expect to go out in the morning and stretch my legs for a little and try the run.  I have actually missed the running.  This is from someone that NEVER liked to run.  Why run when you can get there faster on a bike?  With eight races scheduled this year I have to like the run.  I have to be Gump.  I have gone as far as to put my name in for the NY city marathon in November, so I have to love the run.
Gump, Gump, Gump.
I will keep you posted

The Time Has Come

I have completed my first half-marathon in 2 hours 20 minutes.  Surprisingly, I was not as tired as I thought I would be despite the deplorable conditions.  Let me set the scene.  When I signed up for this to run I thought January in Orlando would be nice.  You know mid to high 60's and sunny.  Perfect weather to run in.  Who would have ever guessed that we would experience the coldest day in 20 years?  We watched the weather in disbelief ad the forecast got colder and colder.  We went to bed wondering.  I am NOT a morning person, so getting up at 4 AM is not for me.  First thing was to tune into the Weather Channel and see the conditions.  Radar was showing precipitation and 28 degrees!  Oh well, good or bad, you signed up for this so get dressed and head out to the bus.  Standing in the start corral I look up and feel ice hitting my face.  The fireworks go off and here we go.  Nope, that was for the elites and para-athletes.  The fireworks go off again.  That one is for us.  We all start walking to the start line.  There it is and the crowd seems to all start on the same foot.  Me and 17000 of my closest, craziest friends were in Orlando on the coldest day in 20 years to run 13.1 miles.  Four months of training came to this moment.  Was I ready?  I was ready for the run just not the conditions.  Running in the dark, down a highway toward the Magic Kingdom, was a little boring.  I see the Cinderella's Castle and realize that I am not thinking about running. We turn down Main Street and toward the castle.  It was not as big as I thought or remembered.  Out of the Magic Kingdom and back on the highway toward Epcot.  Mile eight was a food stop.  They were handing out Cliff shots.  I grabbed one and it was rock hard (frozen) and had to stick it under my arm to get it to thaw.  It was lighter and the sleet had turned into a light drizzle.  Running around Spaceship Earth I knew it was almost over.  The crowd was growing and cheering everyone on,"You're almost there, it's just around the corner".  You could hear the music and the announcer.  The finish line was in sight!  I did pick up the pace a little to get across.  I did it!  13.1 miles in 2:20:09.  The fun had just begun!  I got my medal and my mylar and started the long cold walk to get my bag.  I had to stop for a photo and that is when I realized that the temperature had dropped a bit and it was still drizzling.  Since I was not moving as much anymore I started getting really cold.  I was soaked with sweat and rain.  Standing and waiting to get my bag that had a dry clothes I stopped shivering.  I had to get warm quickly.  Finally made it back to the room and took nearly two hours to warm up.  I will do the run next year.  Hopefully, the weather will be a bit better.
I just saw my finish line photo and I was BLUE!  I have never been blue.  People that know me know that I do not get cold unless I am sick or it is like the Arctic.
With all of that I would have to say that it was the BEST birthday I have ever had.  Thank you, Sami!