Welcome Back

Hi. It's Laura.

I didn't think I would do this again but here we go with a new blog for a new triathlon.

I tried to write over the summer after the last triathlon but found myself uninspired (oh the irony) in what to write about. I know I go on and on about goals and, now having found a new one, I feel I have more validity to what I what I have to say.

In addition, it keeps me honest. Honest about my motivations as well as keeping me on track and motivated since I will have to write about it (yes, I know, choose to write about it).

Since is this is our first day back, my intention is to keep it short and sweet we will see how that goes.

Let's start with what was learned from the last triathlon: IT WAS HARD!

The training itself was not so bad (as I remember it [Editor’s note: This is the same memory that allows women to have more than 1 child]). I didn't go back and re-read any of my posts. Each section of the race, when I thought about it, was not so awful. Overall it was hard and I can't quite put my finger on why at this moment.

What I learned from the swim? I can't swim. I only learned to swim in September of 2011 which makes me not that good. Last year was all about just getting through it. This year I would prefer to have a good time coming out of the water with an easy run to T1 (transition one is the transition from the swim to the bike). T1 is about a half mile away from the water's exit. The run is in bare feet. Last year I walked it and I peed in my wetsuit along the way. I was already tired and a little gross from the water. (Reminder, we swam in the Hudson River.) I have a plan.

What I learned from the bike ride? It was tougher than I expected. I had been pedaling my tail off all spring long and missed one aspect of training, hills. I need to focus on hill repeats, especially hill repeats on good steeps with distance. Getting off the bike into the run was painful.

I was suffering from cramping in my upper hamstrings as well as a crampy tummy. I was prepared for the tummy but not the hammies. I am already working on strengthening those upper hamstrings.

What I learned from the run? It was the most difficult of them all. Oh and I also learned: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I did not realize the day was as hot as it was because I started my adventure in the water and was wearing my cycling/running clothes underneath my wetsuit so my clothes were wet to start which had an early cooling affect. Sweat took over after a while but sweating is dehydrating. The spray guns that the organizers used were wonderful to cool my outside but didn't help for my insides. I run often even when not training for an event and had no idea that my normal 6 miler would be so grueling. I am hoping to fix that this year by training for a half marathon in March which will kick off my official triathlon training.

Right now I am getting ready to get ready by finding things in my off season that need work and focusing on those areas.

I finished the triathlon last year in 3:46:45. My goal was 3:30. My goal for this year is 3:30 and secretly hoping to finish in 3:15. I will be happy at 3:30 and ecstatic at 3:15.

I hope I can inspire you with my blogs to go out and try for your goals no matter how difficult they may seem.

Play hard!

Laura