Peasantman Sprint Triathlon 2012 Race Recap, Part One

Preamble

Hmm, what's the best way to explain Peasantman? Perhaps I'll just quote a bit from the Athlete's guide to give you a flavor (and I encourage you to go read the rest of it if you need a good laugh):

Hello Peasant Class Citizens,
The greatest day of your lives is here. For many of you, this will be your first swim, bike, and run combo event of any kind. A few of you may not be able to sleep the night before. Others will likely pee a lot inside their wetsuits prior to the swim.

All I have to say is, please bring a cup or wear your favorite chastity belt underneath your wetsuit. Assuming the later isn’t from the Ballston/Claredon/Court House corridor, where chastity is frowned upon. (n.b.: This is a sophisticated D.C. humorous geographical reference.)

For some, this event will bring validation of all their training and hard work. For others, it will be a rude awakening of work that lies ahead. It may scare many to see what a real open water swim entails.

Getting molested during an open water swim is not as fun as the liberal media may portray it to be. If things do not go as you expect, I give you the below quote.

"Courage doesn't always roar, sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow."

To the new triathletes among us, you guys are doing something that few even have the courage to attempt. I applaud you for that. I’d applaud you louder if you resist the temptation to pee in the lake. If you don’t, it won’t matter – the discharge from the nuclear power plant at Lake Anna will zap anything you discharge. (n.b.: More local humor.)

One of my favorite quotes is “life is not measured by the number of breath that we take but by the moments and places that take our breaths away.” Success or failure, this will be one of those moments for you. Embrace it! Live it! ... for there is only one first time.

The best way I can explain Peasantman is to say it's a training triathlon with both Sprint and Olympic distance options, takes place at Lake Anna (Virginia); the sprint is a 750 meter swim in Lake Anna, followed by 11 mile bike ride, followed by a 5k run. Exactly like a real tri except for all the rules. So, for instance, if you find yourself unable to finish the swim, it is perfectly acceptable to get out early and continue on the bike. Or skip the bike, and just run. Or skip everything and just eat.

My kind of race!

It is the brainchild of D.C. Tri-(er? ist? man?) Tuan Nguyen (aka the "Vertical Swimmer") several time Ironman, who (you might be surprised to learn) is of Vietnamese extraction. He is harder to explain, except to say that he is a mix of juvenile toilet humor (see above) and breathtaking inspiration (see above).

In a word, the perfect man!

Tuan's epic-length weekly email updates about this event are ... well, epic. And hilarious. And really? The main reason I registered, after being absent from triathlon/running/sportsofanykind since oh approximately exactly Jan. 30, 2010 is so I could stay on the mailing list.

So, on a fateful March 8, 2012, apparently while in some sort of fugue state, I hit the register button. For a May 6 triathlon. Which would give me about 8 weeks to go from zero to sprint tri. Continuing to uphold the Notborntorun motto:

Undertrained and overanxious!

Sometime in late March (why rush?) I realized I should probably start training.

My secret plan was to sort of half-assedly train, because I never for one moment thought I might, you know, actually compete.

But a funny thing happened. I found that I had actually missed training. A LOT. I started looking forward to it. I figured out a way to run (ok, run/walk) on the awesome rail-to-trail near my office. And I made it a point to get in the pool at least twice a week.

Oh wait. Isn't there's some third thing in triathlon that I'm forgetting...?? Ah yes. The bike. Yeah, I figured I would just wing the bike. I mean, how hard could it possibly be to ride a bike for 11 miles????!!

Thus began my spring 2012 triathlon training!

Foreword

My friend and mentor Ironwoman Becky was a constant source of encouragement. And about 2 weeks out, I started toying with the idea of actually showing up for this race, if for no other reason than to make her happy! (I should also add that Becky was volunteer coordinator for this event, which benefited the High Cloud Foundation).

So two weeks out, knowing she probably had nothing better to do, I emailed Becky and we had the following exchange (I am soooo not making this up):

Me: Ok, can you give me a (relatively) SANE swim workout for tonight? Forget about 30' or 60'... time goals just totally freak me out. I think the longest continual swim i've done this spring is 400m (and that includes wall clutching!). i have a total mental block about swimming 700 straight thru. i'm completely convinced i cannot do it!

Becky: You've got a week and a half. How many swims will you do between now and then, honestly? I'll come up with a progression with that in mind.

Me: Four swims, realistically. counting tonight!

Becky:

Becky:

Becky: Sigh.

Becky: Try this:

1) 4x200 (30").
2) 3x300(30"),
3) 2x400(60").
4) 600(60"), 200.

Me: Is that ALL for one night??

Becky:

Becky: no, each is a different day's workout.

Becky: 4x200 (30") translation: after your warm up, do 4 sets of 200m swimming. Between each set of 200 rest for 30 seconds.


Me: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Me: i thought you were saying to do it IN 30" !!!!

Me: OK, now I like you again.:)

Becky:

And the next thing I knew, it was May 6, 2012, race day.

To be continued...

(Sorry I know this is lame, but I have so much to share! I promise I won't leave you hanging for long. If it helps, SPOILER ALERT: I FINISHED!)

Games

Brain Games:
Here are two fabulous timewasters, that might just stave off the Alzheimers that is staring me in the face.

First, the FreeRice Game: For each word you get right (and these are HARD words!), the site donates 20 grains of rice through the U.N. World Food Program to end hunger. (Campestral, non? and toothsome!)

Second, the number game will give you your BRAIN AGE. Or so my Japanese friends tell me. You have to memorize the numbers in the order in which they appear, then click on the dots....well, you'll see. My first try? My brain age was 120. This is one game where the higher score is not the better score. Strangely addicting. My second try: 52! Now we're getting somewhere.

Tri-Games:
Speaking of games, I'm tired. Bone-weary tired. Long endless week at work, but here are the training numbers:

Sunday: Ran 2.8, biked 16 miles in the rain so that doubles the numbers right there
Monday: OFF!
Tuesday: Swam 1100 meters (then worked til 1 a.m.)
Wed: Ran 5 miles (first mile at 10 min pace, last mile at 14 min pace...sigh)
Thur: Spin class (Instructor played Pearl Jam, "Soldier of Love")
Friday: OFF!

To come: Saturday: Running clinic with tri club and then 45 min run
Sunday: Bike 1 hour/run 10 min (but am also ringing bells at church in the a.m. and still trying to decide on whether I can run a 10k that morning and get to church on time. Too much to do!)

I think I really need to pick it up. Two days off this week? Was one too many. I need more bike. In fact, my tri club plan says not to worry so much about the run because It's All About the Bike. Spin class kicks my ... quads ... and let's face it, I mainly go to ogle the instructor, plus he plays great tunes, but it's only a 45-minute class. I should probably actually get on the bike, and like, ride it, more than once a week.

Questions? Advice?

Endurance Games:
Someone's graduation is coming up, and I was having a nervous breakdown because of course I have nothing to wear, not that anyone will be looking at me, but there will be pictures, you know, and those tend to last.

My savior Runner Susan came to the rescue and hooked me up with...a PERSONAL SHOPPER. RS tried helping me herself but quickly realized she was way out of her depth. So I called the free personal shopping service at Nordstrom's, and they asked me all kinds of questions, starting with "What's your style?" Errr...yeah. It's possible that I might have mentioned that since I actually have decent leg I might actually like to show some leg (like that floozie on Housewives of New York. You know who I mean. Not that I waste time watching such mindless drivel.)

I have an appointment tomorrow at 3 p.m. Shopping should be its own sport. Some of us would medal in it.

Play-With-Food Games:
I'm still OFF the sugar wagon (Hi Danielle!) I don't think I've lost ONE ounce, though I can't really see the scale, not even with glasses, but I can see that I'm still on the wrong side on a certain number which shall remain annonymous.

I'm eating fruit and veggies til they are coming out of my ears. And I discovered this fantastic new food:



Yes, it has sugar added, but let's not go overboard here

Great source of protein! Very filling. And not sicky sweet like most yogurts. Get it at your local Whole Foods.

Good night, Gracie.

Training at Altitude

We have a winner!!! Technically, it's 21st C Mom, since she guessed California a few days ago. Of course, that's kind of like guessing the East Coast. So 21st and D.C. Spinster can duke it out for the fabulous prize (TBD).

I'm here at beautiful Lake Tahoe with Number One Daugher visiting the charming Bex family. We spent a lovely Thanksgiving crashing the Bex husband's family's celebration, then drove up to Tahoe on Friday morning. It's now about 11 a.m. Eastern Time, or as I like to call it, Real Time, and the Bex entourage, and NOD, are all fast asleep.

Yesterday we hiked up to Eagle Lake, and took way too many photos. Every vista is scenic, and it's hard to resist.

(Trying to get the Christmas card shot just right.)

(Bex in the lead, as usual. It was a big-ass hill.)

(Donner Pass, where we resisted the urge to nibble.)

Today I hav 9 miles on the schedule, and Bex said she'd push me along. I've heard, correct me if I'm wrong, that training at altitude is actually good for you.

What doesn't kill you ...

Pain is just weakness leaving ...

Say It Out Loud*

...I'm a runner and I'm proud!

There's something to this thing of declaring your intentions, and I'm not talking Jane Austen and marriage proposals. Although come to think of it ... nevermind, that's another post entirely.

For weeks now I've only been able to run this schedule during the week:
M-3 miles
W-4 miles
F-3 miles
and then Saturday, whatever is on the long run sked--currently at 6 miles!

I looked back over last year's running log and noticed that at this time last year I was routinely runnng 6 and 7 miles during the week, plus doing hills and track work. Yeesh, what the hell was I thinking??

I KNOW what I was thinking. I was thinking: girl, you got a marathon to run!

So this year, no marathon. But I got a 10 miler to run! And I'd like to get a 1/2 marathon in there, too.

So you know, time to step it up already.

So Saturday, I was complaining (what else is new) to one of my running group peeps that I could NOT seem to up the distances during the week. COULD NOT. And I had no idea why. And together we pondered what that was all about, as she slunk away to talk to someone normal.

So, lo and behold, this week I started Monday morning with a 4-miler, and Wednesday did 5 miles, and tomorrow, if the planets are aligned and my meds kick in, I'll do four miles!!

See? I went from 3-4-3 to 4-5-4!

And all because I said out loud what I'd been thinking for weeks, which was: What the hell is my problem?

I just thought I'd share that with you.

Have a nice day!


* Apologies to James Brown.

If You Can't Beat 'Em ...

... administrate them? Or, I could have titled this post, "Those that can, do, those that can't, hand out gatorade."

When last we met, I asked you all for your thoughts on whether or not I should join this 10k training program. So far the vote is 1-1. (Thanks David!!! Thanks 21stCMom!!!)

But, God moves in mysterious ways. I wrote the coach, P., yesterday, explaining my situation, complete with various caveats and exemptions, addendums and exhibits, and he wrote back today and asked if I would mind giving him a hand with registration and support and e-mail lists and collecting money and maybe setting up a training log/blog, and taking photos, getting post-run goodies, etc. etc. etc., in exchange for which I don't have to pay for the program ($30 saved is a penny earned!) and he understands totally about my need for time off ... soooo, I'm so excited! I'm back in a training program! Even if it IS only for four weeks with a long vacation in the middle.

I don't know if I'll end up walking or volunteering for the Capitol Hill 10k Classic. We'll just have to see.

I am a little nervous (OK a lot) about taking on yet another volunteer job. I already have this great gig and a few other things I do at church and here and there (where did I put my halo? WHERE?). And when I volunteer, I volunteer. Like it's my job. (Now if only I did my real job like I was a volunteer.)

So, I will pour myself into this. And that's a little scary. But it can't possibly be harder than training for a marathon! (I just love saying that.)

So that's what I'm gonna do.

***

P.S. My feed (over there---------->that big orange thing?) is a bit screwed up. I know this is presumptuous of me, but if you are already subscribed to it (and if so, thanks!) could you resubscribe? Yeah, I know. Like you have nothing better to do. You'd have to first delete me and then resub....ah, I wouldn't do it either. :)