My turn......hugs, Val
Wow Wow Wow! What an amazing experience. I was all nerves the night before the race. Elizabeth and Andy were the best veterans to share my experience of my first Long Triathlon. It really hit me the night before when I was estimating how long this was going to take me. I was making the jump from the sprints that take me around 1hr 45 minutes and I was jumping to something I knew was going to take me about 5 hours. Never in my life have I done anything at such intensity for 5 hours!!! Andy & Elizabeth said it best: Do your best, for yourself, compete only against yourself and finish even if you have to crawl across!!! And I did just that, I FINISHED! (Running, not the crawling part!)
The swim, 1 mile, was long. The windy conditions made water choppy which made it hard to get into the rhythm we are so used to getting into swimming on calm ocean waters. Towards the end I was cold and felt like my legs weren't moving, but I think it was that current was strong and I felt like even though I was swimming, I wasn't getting anywhere. But I finished the swim!! The ride was also long. I felt great with my little cheat sheet about when to eat/drink and when the hills were coming! I felt very prepared for ride. The first 2 hills didn't hurt so much. The third hill almost killed me! The last 4 miles back into Santa Barbara felt like eternity. Did I mention I want to move into any of the houses in Montecito....gorgeous!! My lower back, not used to 30+ miles began to ache around mile 20, but I pushed thru. When coming into the transition area after the bike, I actually sat down to put my socks and shoes on, when it hit me that I had 2 more hours. Convincing myself, I put shoes on and started the run. Back still aching, I approached run mile by mile, trying not to think of the full 10miles ahead of me. I ate my first GU Gel packet and LOVED IT! Much prefer the squeeze and swallow to the chewing required for the chomps. I loved the run and would have run fast except for my back made me run like a slug! However upon the turn at mile 5, pace downhill was faster and easier on the back and as I approached finish line I was cruising and felt great! The absolute best cheerleaders in Elizabeth and Sissy awaited me. Thanks to Elizabeth for hugging me and letting me cry! What a release, rush, relief all in one moment! In a nutshell, this was the greatest physical accomplishment of my life to date. I am thankful for having found TT Team because without their training, support, encouragement, hand holding and true care for each other, accomplishing something like this isn't possible. I was prepared and felt great!! I can't wait to do this race again. It also gave me crazy confidence that maybe one day, someday, maybe I'll try a Half Ironman!!!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Santa Barbara Long Distance Tri August 28th Part II
Elizabeth Sugarman writes:
It was fun representing the TT Team in Santa Barbara with Val and Andy this weekend. This race is a great reason to spend a weekend in gorgeous Santa Barbara. The TT athletes are such a special group of people and I was so glad that my parents could meet Val and Andy on their first triathlon adventure. My parents loved them and finally are beginning to understand what I love about this sport.
This is a well organized race and a challenging but manageable course. I had some tire issues before the start of the race and the bike tech went above and beyond, supporting me with that problem. He was able to fix a broken valve but continued to check the tire while I was swimming to make sure the repair held. He found a wheel from a friend's bike and had it ready to put on mine, just in case. He even checked in with me after the race. I was so grateful!!
The swim was cold and I felt exhausted by the cold water toward the end. I need to swim more! It was several miles into the bike course before I warmed up and started feeling like I could get to work. And that's when Cherie Gruenfeld passed me. I had paced with Cherie on the bike last year. She passed by me like a blur and I thought the back of her calf said 65. I raced up to her and verified that number. She was 66 this year and just as fast as ever. I worked hard to keep up with her and catch all of the positive energy she was throwing off. She is such an inspiration and says we should all come out and race in the desert next spring. You can check out Cherie and all the cool stuff she does for children and triathlon at http://www.cheriegruenfeld.com/
The run was tough and I was wishing I had done some long runs before the race so I would feel more speedy. I think more sleep and better nutrition the week before might have helped that too. But overall it was a very positive experience. I LOVED having my parents and children cheering for me. That made it the best race ever. And Sissy ran the last 150 yards with me and had a big hug for me at the finish. She and I hung out to cheer Val in and we were so glad to see her cross the finish line. What a tremendous accomplishment this was for all of us.
I definitely want to stay a few days longer next year because I did not get enough of SB. And next year, I think I will have the children do some racing on Sunday too. There is a parent/child race and an all women's race, in addition to the Sprint on Sunday. After cheering for triathletes for hours on Saturday morning, both my children were ready to get in on the action and wanted me to sign them up for Sunday. But one lesson I took from this race is that each triathlon needs special preparation and attention. I am already looking forward to next year!
It was fun representing the TT Team in Santa Barbara with Val and Andy this weekend. This race is a great reason to spend a weekend in gorgeous Santa Barbara. The TT athletes are such a special group of people and I was so glad that my parents could meet Val and Andy on their first triathlon adventure. My parents loved them and finally are beginning to understand what I love about this sport.
This is a well organized race and a challenging but manageable course. I had some tire issues before the start of the race and the bike tech went above and beyond, supporting me with that problem. He was able to fix a broken valve but continued to check the tire while I was swimming to make sure the repair held. He found a wheel from a friend's bike and had it ready to put on mine, just in case. He even checked in with me after the race. I was so grateful!!
The swim was cold and I felt exhausted by the cold water toward the end. I need to swim more! It was several miles into the bike course before I warmed up and started feeling like I could get to work. And that's when Cherie Gruenfeld passed me. I had paced with Cherie on the bike last year. She passed by me like a blur and I thought the back of her calf said 65. I raced up to her and verified that number. She was 66 this year and just as fast as ever. I worked hard to keep up with her and catch all of the positive energy she was throwing off. She is such an inspiration and says we should all come out and race in the desert next spring. You can check out Cherie and all the cool stuff she does for children and triathlon at http://www.cheriegruenfeld.com/
The run was tough and I was wishing I had done some long runs before the race so I would feel more speedy. I think more sleep and better nutrition the week before might have helped that too. But overall it was a very positive experience. I LOVED having my parents and children cheering for me. That made it the best race ever. And Sissy ran the last 150 yards with me and had a big hug for me at the finish. She and I hung out to cheer Val in and we were so glad to see her cross the finish line. What a tremendous accomplishment this was for all of us.
I definitely want to stay a few days longer next year because I did not get enough of SB. And next year, I think I will have the children do some racing on Sunday too. There is a parent/child race and an all women's race, in addition to the Sprint on Sunday. After cheering for triathletes for hours on Saturday morning, both my children were ready to get in on the action and wanted me to sign them up for Sunday. But one lesson I took from this race is that each triathlon needs special preparation and attention. I am already looking forward to next year!
Santa Barbara Long Distance Tri August 28th
Andy Burke writes:
Here goes from me.
The weather cooperated and it was a perfect morning for our race---a little overcast. Swim was chilly but not as cold as we all thought it would be----great current with us heading out, but at the turn, had to fight the current coming back in, swells and wind chop.
The ride was good---its an uphill staircase on the way out with Toro hill that again claimed 2 bodies-----nothing fatal but riders are reckless going down that section. What goes up must come down so the turn at mile 17 is time to get on the gas so hammer home until you get to Toro hill again. (I knew the legs were getting cooked when a little old lady walked pass me on the uphill and asked if I wanted a glass of lemonade-------LOL )
Run was a really beautiful scenic out and back through Santa Barbara harbor and up into one of the older neighborhoods. Was psyched to see Shug on the way back----she was looking stronggggggg!!!!! Never saw Val so we must have passed and didn’t see each other. Run was fast with only a slight hill at mile 4---then at the turn the pace picks up because its all down hill and flat to the finish line. Elizabeths family gets the award for best cheering section-----that was awesome.
Highlights for me were hanging out with Val and Shug at dinner and sharing some laughs while trying to get Elizabeth’s mom to divulge some of E’s skeletons--------but come to find out that Elizabeth was an ANGEL growing up and never did anything wrong. Great weekend, great fun--------will definitely have SB back on the calendar for 2011.
Here goes from me.
The weather cooperated and it was a perfect morning for our race---a little overcast. Swim was chilly but not as cold as we all thought it would be----great current with us heading out, but at the turn, had to fight the current coming back in, swells and wind chop.
The ride was good---its an uphill staircase on the way out with Toro hill that again claimed 2 bodies-----nothing fatal but riders are reckless going down that section. What goes up must come down so the turn at mile 17 is time to get on the gas so hammer home until you get to Toro hill again. (I knew the legs were getting cooked when a little old lady walked pass me on the uphill and asked if I wanted a glass of lemonade-------LOL )
Run was a really beautiful scenic out and back through Santa Barbara harbor and up into one of the older neighborhoods. Was psyched to see Shug on the way back----she was looking stronggggggg!!!!! Never saw Val so we must have passed and didn’t see each other. Run was fast with only a slight hill at mile 4---then at the turn the pace picks up because its all down hill and flat to the finish line. Elizabeths family gets the award for best cheering section-----that was awesome.
Highlights for me were hanging out with Val and Shug at dinner and sharing some laughs while trying to get Elizabeth’s mom to divulge some of E’s skeletons--------but come to find out that Elizabeth was an ANGEL growing up and never did anything wrong. Great weekend, great fun--------will definitely have SB back on the calendar for 2011.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Camp Pendleton Tri Report from Jody
Spencer, Elizabeth, Val, and I competed in the Camp Pendleton Triathlon today. The 500 meter swim had some good surf to get through, with a big south to north current, which was fun for the straight away section, parallel to the beach. The 30K bike was an out and back course with a few rollers. I thought we were going to head towards the Las Pulgas gate, but we went east at the T at the bottom of Stuart Mesa Road instead. The 5K run was all on the flight deck with a few hair pin turns. It was all flat, except for the long gradual incline out of the transition area. I was thanking Rachel for all the up hill run starts when we do our Wednesday brick trainings. I felt it was very well organized (not surprising) and a race worth doing, and we got a nice technical shirt! Hope we can get more team members to do it next year! Now onto the MONSTER weekend! I know Spencer, Elizabeth, Val and I are looking forward to it...I think???
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