I Am A Triathlete!

Months of training brought me to this moment! The Capital District YMCA's 13th Annual Pinebush Trathlon is just moments away from starting and we are getting some last minute pictures. I'm all smiles, excited and more than a little freaked out that this is about to go down!

With my husband Donavan

 After taking a couple "before" pictures I take note of the fact that triathletes are much more serious than 5k'ers. Everyone was "getting into the zone". I make my way over to the edge of the water, my stomach starts to churn and I totally understand why they are so serious. It's about to get real!

With some of my wonderful training friends

The swim is my biggest fear. You can tell in the following picture of me looking at the water:

Nervously asking a fellow racer exactly where we need to go

I only took my first beginning swimming class at the YMCA just 10 short months ago. I've only been training in the pool. Well, to be fair I did have one open water swim. That didn't go so well. It took me 20 minutes to get into the water and get over the slimy surface, fish and grass rubbing against my legs. Also- not being able to see a thing really freaks you out. This was going to be a challenge.

The horn goes off and I jump into the water to swim 375 yards. My fear of fish and slime go out the window and I put my head down and start to swim. I'm pleasantly surprised the water is warmer and cleaner in the Six Mile Waterworks than it was in the lake I trained!

I start out with the front stroke I worked so hard to learn in class. I had a brief flash thinking- my Y teacher would be proud. Then I realized- I couldn't breathe. Adrenaline is the equalizer. I couldn't calm myself- no matter how hard I tried. So, I flipped over on my back and started kicking, propelling myself across the water in a back stroke (without the stroke! Just the legs). I tried side stroke, flipped back over on my back. Then I tried my strongest stroke. Surly I could do the breast stroke toward the shore line. Nope. My strokes were choppy and I was very worried about my breath. I flipped over on my back and there was my swimming teacher. "Hi JoDee! Keep it up!" Brian said with a sweet smile sitting on a kayak serving as a lifeguard for our race. I smiled, flipped over and gave a half hearted attempt at front stroking past him to show I learned something from all those weeks of classes.

No matter if I was on my back or front- each lifeguard offered a positive word of encouragement and I channeled my favorite quote from the movie Finding Nemo.... "Just keep swimming!" I got out of the water in 9 minutes 54 seconds to cheering people.

My husband was in the second heat and he caught up to me in the transition area. We both dried off and changed into our sneakers. I got on my bike first and set out onto the 11.5 mile ride through the city of Albany and town of Guilderland.

The first three miles were spent trying to catch my breath from the swim and calm my nerves. I was mouth breathing and noticed my helmet was way too tight around my neck because of it and somewhere along the line I noticed my stomach was unsettled. With every volunteer I passed I was sure to say thank you. They were cheering and smiling and offering encouraging words that kept me going. Y Volunteers are so amazing!

I saw a mother and her daughter in a very quite section of the race and I teared up at the thought that they were there just to encourage us. If you've never been on a bike in a race you'll be surprised at how conservative you are when people are whizzing around and in front of you. My husband was one of them! I told him to go do his best and I'd see him at the finish line. I thought I was going much faster than the 55 minutes and 2 seconds it took me to get to the second transition area.

I got off the bike and knew my legs would feel like cinder blocks because of the lactic acid that builds up when biking. I took off slow and steady in the 5k run and it took a little longer to drain the lactic acid than I expected... but I just kept moving forward.

Volunteers and spectators offered positive comments and made me smile as I moved forward. I asked a volunteer if he saw my husband. He did and said he was just a couple minutes ahead of me. I ran faster... for a few minutes thinking maybe I could catch up. I have run this course several times and knew how far I had to go. I ended up incorporating the walk run method. I didn't want to but my tummy problems persisted. There was no way I was going to quit. As I made my way up the last big hill I looked up to the top and saw a huge crowd screaming for every racer. I told myself: I HAVE TO RUN THIS HILL! I did... and with gritting teeth and a smile!

Just when it got tough--- There he was! My husband came running toward me and said "FINISH STRONG! COME ON!" I dug deep and sped up... a lot! I whizzed up the hill with his encouragement. I once stopped on that hill and it cost me second place in a 5k in my age division. On this day- I conquered it!

As the finish line appeared in sight my hubby told me GO FOR IT! And he faded off to the sidelines to watch me finish! It was so awesome to have him there to help me push to the finish!

I finished the 5k portion 40 minutes 56 seconds. Much slower than my normal race.. but this wasn't just a normal. THIS was MY FIRST TRIATHLON! I ran my first triathlon in 1 hour 45 minutes 51 seconds! If you'd ask me a year ago if I would do a triathlon I would have laughed at you... but somewhere along the trip to health I embraced fitness.

I've learned to enjoy the sweat, hard work and determination required to feel strong. There's a certain satisfaction you earn from a hard workout. Not every workout is fun- but there is a lesson learned. That lesson: YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK! I've also learned that training can set you up for success.... but it's about showing up and just doing it that makes you a success!

I want to thank the Y volunteers and the countless citizens who came out to encourage all the athletes. Thank you YMCA for helping me build my confidence and helping my husband set a personal record. The Y's swimming, running and triathlon classes took this average girl and helped to make her a Triathlete! I feel empowered to keep pushing and getting even stronger!

Thank you YMCA for helping me achieve another goal and Rob Totaro for the great pictures! Friends contact the Y to have them help you make your fitness dreams a reality!

The Pine Bush Triathlon Is Coming

Register for the Pine Bush Tri at Active.com or if you'd like to volunteer please call the YMCA. If you'd like to come out and see us compete- be sure to say hi if you see me huffing and puffing my way to the finish line.

Sprint Tri Training

Have you ever considered doing a triathlon? I can’t say I ever aspired to be a tri-athlete, but somewhere along the journey to fitness last year- I got the bug. It was right around the time that I realized that a knee injury was really hurting me and I had to find a way to cross train to be healthy and let my knee rest. I got a bike for my birthday and then in the fall I started taking beginning swimming classes. I realized I loved riding a bike and started getting upper body muscle definition I never knew I could have while learning to swim.

So, right around the time I was munching down on Christmas cookies I decided- I’m doing a triathlon! I took a class to prepare me for the indoor YMCA tri. It was amazing to compete in, but I knew deep down inside- it was just a warm up to a real sprint tri. I needed to compete in a distance based event.

time based and all inside- swim 15 minutes in the pool, spin 15 minutes on a stationary bike and run 15 minutes on the treadmill. It was

Well, this weekend I took my step toward that goal by starting a new triathlon training course- where we train distances.  We started out on the stationary bike. Unfortunately the weather isn’t warm enough just yet to take us out on the road—but they’re hoping for next week. We settled in for an hour class on the bikes. Then we bundled up and headed out to run a 5k.

I am surprised at what my body can do. I am pushing myself harder and feel a great sense of accomplishment when I reach my goals. Was I running as fast as I wanted- no and because of that I had to stop beating myself up over it. Heck- I’m out there doing it right? I could be home eating more cookies- right?

Doing a triathlon is a scary goal, but I’m swimming, biking and running my way toward it because it’s helping me stay fit. Do you have a secret goal? You know what I’m talking about- a goal that just seems too scary to try or tell anyone about. My advice to you is- go for it! You are stronger and more talented than you may believe you are. What’s the worst that could happen if you try and fail? You tried… and you can try again. What’s the worst that can happen if you don’t try? You will never know if you could have done it. Just crossing the finish line will make you feel like a winner. 

You Must Tri

 Adrenaline is the equalizer. I have trained 6 weeks for the YMCA Indoor Triathlon. They teach you how to improve your swimming, cycling and running. You can't be taught how to deal with nerves.

I did my first triathlon this past Sunday. Got there an hour early, set up my items and paced excitedly until they said it was my turn to get in the water. Adrenaline kicked in- I jumped into the water (a first because I'm usually a wimp to the cold water). I did some bobs to get my whole body wet. Then it was time to go!

This tri was a little different than most. It was just 15 minutes in the water, 15 on a stationary bike and 15 on a treadmill. Just see how far you can go in that time. It's a great intro into the world of triathlons.

My breath was ragged and I just couldn't calm. I started out free stroke, mostly did breast stroke because it's my strongest, did a length side stroke, quite a few back stroke lengths. I was sure I only swam a 1/4 of what I was physically capable of doing but in the end was shocked to learn I actually swam 575 yards- 23 lengths of the pool. Not bad for someone who was majorly freaking out.

 It was on to a quick change into my sneakers and onto the stationary bike. The music was pumping and I was pedaling... fast. I felt best here. I wanted to push. I was doing my best to challenge my husband (behind me in the green shirt) and kept checking in (to make sure I was ahead of him hehe).

At one point I almost started to cry. I looked over at my son taking pictures of me and my two daughters who had poked their heads out from child care and they were rooting me on. I just felt so proud to show them that hard work pays off. I was doing it!

I got off the bike and was satisfied with 7.6 miles in 15 minutes.

One of my tri trainers told me that's about how fast he goes! I'm not so sure I'd go that fast on the roadways- but it's cool to know he thought I did really well!

Up to the treadmill. As soon as I started to run I was sure I was going to throw up. I spent the whole 15 minutes trying to convince myself that I wasn't going to. As much as I wanted to push the pace and try to get as close to 2 miles in 15 minutes as possible my stomach just wasn't letting me do it. I took it minute by minute. I would increase the pace but a wave of nausea would come over and I'd pull back and try to breathe. I tried not to think about that steak dinner from the night before and the fact that I should have eaten much lighter. I got through it with a measly 1.36 miles. I could have done better there. I have to keep reminding myself- this time last year I wouldn't have been able to run 5 minutes- let alone 15- I need to stop being so hard on myself.

My stomach was still unsettled for the rest of the day- so I really think it just was not my day to get a good run in.

Then I beat myself up for not being able to settle my stomach... as if I had control over it. But we waited around for the results just for fun. I was shocked to learn I came in first overall for the female cycling! I knew I felt good- and probably could have gone faster. There were just a handful of men faster than me too! Wow.

I am already signed up for a training class that will prepare me for a distance based triathlon. I have only one expectation for that race- to finish. This whole fitness thing has been so fun. I am discovering my athletic ability and it is rewarding to learn the harder you work for something the stronger you get.

I am so thankful to all my trainers. My beginning running and swimming coaches laid the ground work for me to believe in myself. My body pump and shred trainer is helping me discover my muscles and she inspires me with her perfect deary ear. My triathlon coaches are teaching me how to interweave swimming, cycling and running. It has taken a village for me to get here- and it feels so great.

Do you have a fitness goal? Why not make 2013 the year you make it happen?