A New Saddle & Bicycle Sunday's

I finally invested in a new women's specific saddle. I went to my local bike shop and picked up a Bontrager inFormR WSD. The saddle cost me $75 so I was really hoping it would make a difference. I did feel better knowing it has a 90 day comfort guarantee, so if I don't like it I can return it within 90 days with no questions asked.

This saddle also comes in 3 different sizes so I measured my bum at the shop by sitting on a measurement scale that changes colors where your sit bones have the most pressure which allows them to see how wide you need the saddle to be. I guess I have an averaged size bum because I needed a 150mm and the sizes are 140mm, 150mm and 160mm (the standard (men's) seat which I was using before is 130mm).

The woman's specific design is wider in the back and has a shorter nose. The inFormR WSD product details:

• Rear curvature is carefully modified between saddle widths to provide correct support to the rider's sit bones
• Three curvature (or width) options provide support for different skeletal structures and a customized fit
• WSD saddles are designed to better fit a woman's skeletal structure
• Gender specific CRZ relieves pressure on soft tissue

In other words, all these features help stop your vaj-jay-jay from going numb.

Here is a comparison of the two saddles side-by-side. My new saddle (in the front) has a wider rear and a shorter nose.


This is a closeup of the two saddles. Can you see the awesome dent in mine? It helped to relieve a lot of the pressure!






I had the opportunity to test out my new saddle this morning on the Bronx River Parkway. Now typically you couldn't bike on the the Bronx River Parkway, but on summer Sunday's Westchester County has "Bicycle Sunday's" and closes and 6.5 mile stretch of the parkway for walkers, joggers and cyclists. This is the second time we've taken advantage of this and it really is a great, traffic-free ride. I did two loops for a total of 26 miles. I had similar times on booth loops; each loop took me about 45ish minutes and I held a 17mph average.

{source}

Also, I guess I'm still getting used to my clipless pedals as I managed to fall over while stopping after the first loop (I had quite the audience). I've fallen a few times before but this was probably my hardest fall. I scrapped up my knee pretty good but luckily it didn't hurt too bad.

Show Me the Money

Triathlons are not a cheap hobby. I've spent an embarrassingly large sum of money just to get started.

First, there is all the gear: bike, cycle shoes, cycle clothes, tri clothes, wet suit, etc. For the most part I stuck with the entry level equipment but it still costs an arm and a leg.

Then, there is the race registrations. They average $100 a race and that doesn't include the cost of transportation and lodging to get to the event. In order to find races on the dates and distances we were looking for we ended up with races that required a long drive and an overnight stay.

{source}

And there is always something new to add the the arsenal. I need to replace my saddle with a women's specific model (~$100). The provide more support for women's larger hips and their design reduces blood flow constriction. I'm investing in this over the weekend for the sake of my body and my marriage ;)

{source}

My current wish list:
- A fancy hear rate / GPS watch that tells speed, heart rate, distance, etc. ($200ish)

- A bike computer that records RPM's as that seems to be the focus of most cycle training plan ($50ish)

- A sleeveless cycle jersey so I stop getting a farmers tan ($60ish)

- New running shoes ($100+)

- A new swim suit as the butt in mine is getting a bit baggy ($50ish)

- A (weekly) sports massage :)

The Iron-Nun

ABC News featured a story today about the "Iron-Nun." Sister Madonna Buder is a 78 year old nun who has completed 320 triathlons. Of those 320 triathlons, 40 of them were Ironman events (2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26-mile run)! In fact, she was the first 75 year old woman to finish an Ironman.


Isn't that amazing?!

{Source}

Race Report: Pine Barrens Sprint Triathlon 2009

I know you've all been on the edge of your seats waiting for my triathlon recap. I have so much to say about the race that it has been hard for me to get started.

I guess the best place to start is the night before the race. Do you remember that I told you we had tickets to the Twins vs. Yankees? Well, it was a great game and the Yankees managed to score a walk off run in the bottom of the 9th. It was the first Yankee win we had seen this season! But, with any good baseball game it didn't end until around 10:30 so by the time we got home and hit the road the clock was nearing midnight.

We were stuck in traffic in two separate occasions (only in NYC is there traffic at midnight) and we finally made it to our hotel at 1:45am. We got a restless four and a half hours of sleep and then we were up and moving by 6:30. Getting less than five hours of sleep is probably not a good way to start a race, but I was so nervous I doubt I would have slept much better even if I was in bed by 10.

Race morning found me with a very nervous stomach. I was so excited/nervous for the race that I was having a hard time keeping anything down. I managed to choke down a half a bagel and a small coffee. It was about a half hour drive from the hotel to the race and I used the time to try to relax and drink a bottle of Gatorade.

We arrived at the race site at about 7:45am so we had plenty of time to pick up our registration packets, get marked with our race numbers and set up transition.

Here is our stuff side by side in transition.





This is the transition area and everyone setting up their spaces. The race was relatively small with about 80 people doing the triathlon and 20 in the duathlon (run, bike, run).

After the pre-race meeting we suited up for the swim. Here is Sam with his wetsuit and awesome swim cap!

Here I am showing off my guns (don't worry, you'll see them again later).

Together before our first race!

Swim: .5 miles, 16:40, 26/79

The swim was done in two heats with 3 minutes between. Men under 40 in the first heat and all women and men over 40 in the second heat. It was an in-water start so we were able to get into the water and warm up a bit before starting. The water was cold and dark, just like our open water swim in Connecticut. I started at the back of the second heat so I could reduce the amount of kicking and drowning that is often seen in the swim start. The first half of the swim was tough. I was cold and nervous and having a hard time breathing. I swam most of the first half with my head above the water. I felt like I was going really slow but I was actually passing quite a few people (and nobody was passing me). At the turn around point I passed Sam (I smoked him on the swim) and headed back towards shore. I was getting more comfortable at this point and I was able to swim for much longer periods with my head in the water. I did really well on the swim with 16 minutes and 40 seconds and placed 26 out of 79!

Transition 1: 4:18, 75/79
My transition didn't feel slow but compared to everyone else it was super slow (I "placed" 75 out of 79 in transition 1. I wasn't rushing (obviously) and wanted to make sure I had everything I needed before heading out on the bike. I think this time will definitely improve next time since I won't be so nervous.

Bike: 24 miles, 1:26:42, 67/79

The bike was fairly uneventful. Unlike the swim, everyone was passing me on the bike. At mile 8 Sam came whizzing by (he didn't drown in the lake) and that was the last I saw of him until the end of my run. The course was marked well with state troopers at each turn. The roads were not closed but traffic was minimal so it didn't present a problem. I saw a lot of racers with flats and I was nervous about getting one myself (since I've never fixed one) but I was lucky and never had any problems.

I think the bike is where I have the potential to improve the most this year. I need to get a women's specific seat as my generic (code for men's) seat is presenting some serious problems with restricted blood flow and pain/numbness in my girly regions. I also need to learn to drink out of my water bottle on the bike. Sounds simple but I have not mastered it yet and I think this will help refresh and energize me on the bike.

Transition 2: 2:18, 76/80

I was even slower in transition two (in ranking) than transition one. Part of this was because I took a minute to drink my water since I couldn't drink on the bike. Again, with more practice I think I can speed these up a bit.

Run: 4 mile trail, 43:23, 68/80

The run went pretty well considering I had just swam a half mile and bike 24 miles :) It was a beautiful trail run through the woods. The path was well marked but there were a lot of ruts and sand. A lot of people complain about the sand but considering I'm a slow runner anyhow it didn't really seem to affect me too much. I had a GU at the start of the race and it was really disgusting. I don't know how people eat those. Then I ate the Cliff Shot Blocks and those were much better. I would definitely get them again.

After Sam finished his race (2:15:52, 58th of 80!!) he went and got my camera and then came back out on the course to find me and make sure I hadn't died :) He met me with about a 1/2 mile to go.


I'm smiling in this picture. Probably because Sam is running backwards and taking pictures!

Almost there!

The end! My final time was actually 3 minutes faster - 2:26:44 - because I was in the second heat of the swim.

Here I am walking it off after the finish. I think the guy behind me might be puking...

I look like I might pass out in this picture... Talk about bad posture!

We headed back to our transition area to start packing up. I'm loving my bike for not breaking down or flatting!

I told you the guns would be back!!

After we packed up we grabbed bagels, fruit and coffee and watched the awards ceremony. I was 4th in my age group and just short of medal :( - the third place winner was 12 minutes faster than me though so I never really had a chance.

All in all it was a great race and I'm officially hooked! I'm looking forward to a larger race with a little more competition to keep me motivated. Next up - Massachusetts State Triathlon on July 26th!

Time for a Vacation!

We are leaving for our vacation in 5 hours and we can't wait! Unfortunately life got a bit crazy and I didn't get to post about my very first triathlon this week. On Monday I was so tired that I fell asleep reading at 8:30 (the race really wiped me out); Tuesday I was busy packing/cleaning; and tonight we had tickets for the Yankees game (8 wins in a row!!). So, the town car is picking us up for the airport in 5 hours, I've finished packing and I'm just waiting for a video rental to download to my iPhone before I go to bed.

We will have 5 full days in San Francisco and we are planning on oyster digging with friends (a belated wedding gift to us!), biking in Napa, catching an Oakland game, and generally relaxing! I promise to fill you in on all the details just as soon as we get home!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Officially a Triathlete!

I did it! I'm officially a triathlete! The race was a ton of fun and I can't wait to do it again!


I'm using a gift certificate from Elizabeth Arden for a deep tissue massage tonight. I can't wait! Full recap coming soon!

PS My time was actually 3 minutes faster because I was in the second swim heat!

Almost Race Day!

It's almost race day! Tonight we are going to the Twins vs. Yankees game (I'm conflicted) and then driving down to Southern New Jersey after the game.

We spent Thursday night packing up our gear. If nothing else, triathlons require a ton of stuff! I found a great gear checklist at http://triathlon.racechecklist.com/. It lets you go through each category (swim, bike, run, clothing, misc) and select the items you want to include on your list. You can also add extra items that are not listed.

Clothing & Shoes: Flip flops (before the race), running shoes, cycle shoes, hat, towel, 2 pairs of socks, triathlon shorts, and triathlon top.

Cycle gloves, race number belt, chip strap (to attach timing chip to ankle), sunglasses, 2 sets goggles, 2 swim caps, & watch.

Rinse bottle (to rinse feet after swim), bike water bottle, Sport Beans/GU/Energy Blocks, Glide (helps for wet suit), permanent marker (for marking your race number on arm), sunblock and plastic bag to cover shoes if it is raining.

Almost everything!

This pictures don't even include my bike, helmet, extra water bottle, post race snacks, post race clothing, victory speech and camera!

Wish me luck!

Weather Stalking

I must confess... I'm weather stalking our triathlon.

The race is this Saturday (3 days!!) and I'm really hoping for some decent weather. I'm wishing for not too hot/humid and no rain. My research for Saturday:

Weather.com

"Mostly Cloudy, 20% chance of precipitation"
This sounds good to me! Cloud cover to reduce chance of sunburn and minimal chance of rain!

Accuweather
"Sunny Intervals with a thunderstorm possible in the afternoon"
This sounds good, thunderstorms shouldn't appear until after the race!

Wunderground
"Showers and thunderstorms likely. Highs around 80. Chance of rain 60 percent."

Hmm... less than reassuring. It says 30% chance of thunderstorms between 8am and 2pm...


Lets all do the "No-rain-low-humidity-not-too-sunny" dance!

101 in 1001: Day 83

I've been working on my 101 in 1001 list. I've completed 2 items and made progress on another 4! I really felt like I had done more than this... I guess I need to get cracking!

Start Date: February 17, 2009
End Date: November 15, 2011
Number Completed: 10 of 101

Completed

#51. Go to minor league baseball game (5.2.09)
Several weeks ago we went to Connecticut for a weekend of tri-training. We took the opportunity on Saturday night to go see the Connecticut Defenders, a Double A team for the San Francisco Giants. They were playing Portland, a minor league team from the Red Sox and won 5-2. I have to say that Minor League games are awesome. Field level tickets are $8, beer is 2 for $6 and they have a lot of highly entertaining activities between innings (like tug-o-wars and sumo wrestling).







#80. Make plans with a new friend (5.9.09)
I made a new friend at my bookclub and on Saturday we headed to SELF Workout in the Park. We had a ton of fun with the mini-workouts and yoga classes. Plus, lots of free goodies and giveaways!

In Progress

#10. Drink 20 new types of beer (6 of 20)
I'm actually trying quite a few new beers but I forget to write them down and then I don't remember which ones I tried. I'm hoping my new iPhone will help with this so I can just take a picture for now on! The only one I remember is...

6) McSorley's Old Ale - I liked this quite a bit. Good flavor and not too strong. It probably tasted even better since it was free because I accidentally stole it from the grocery store (I left it on bottom of the cart)!

#52. Visit 3 new baseball stadiums (1/3)
We've been to the new Yankees Stadium for several games now. My favorite new feature is a toss up between the cup holders and the elevators from the Grand Stand to the main concourse.



#84. Donate blood three times (1/3)

After a month of iron supplements my iron was back up and I successfully donated blood for the first time! The experience went really well and I had no complications. I'm going back again in June!

#93. Buy fresh flowers once a month for a year (2/12)

I continued my tradition and brought home a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers in April.

Training Schedule (5/2 - 5/8)

Training Schedule (5/2 - 5/8)

We spent the weekend training in CT with our first open water swim and a couple of nice bike rides. Lots of rain during the week so we didn't get any weekday bike ride in.

Saturday May 2nd
open water swim (~ 1/2 mile)
12 mile bike

Sunday May 3rd
12 mile bike
3 mile run

Monday May 4th
30 minutes weights

Tuesday May 5th
Too much fun at Monday night's baseball game (Yankees vs Red Sox) made this a rest and recovery day...

Wednesday May 6th
20 minutes weights
Outdoor Run @ Astoria Park: 4.2 miles (44 minutes) - my first run with a "normal" amount of aches/pain. Running almost always "hurts" for me - it just doesn't feel good. It feels good to be working hard, it feels good to have the wind on my face, it feels good to sweat, but the actually running? It just doesn't feel that good. Last week it was feeling especially bad (to the point of cutting my runs short) but I was happy when I finished this run with minimal aches and pain)!

Thursday April 30th
30 minutes weights
45 minute indoor bike

Friday, May 1st
Rest!

I love you Mom!

My mom is awesome. I wish I could be hanging out with her today but she's in Minnesota and I'm here in New York. She is one of my biggest role models. First, she can do everything. She cooks, bakes and cans food. She makes delicious jam and awesome lefse. She can sew and knit. She has the most amazing gardening and landscaping skills. She's a great listener, she sends cards for everything, and she is always there when you need her. On top of that, she works hard as a nurse and is a union rep at her hospital. She rocks. I'll be thrilled if I'm half as cool as my mom when I grow up.

Mom
April 1972

Mom & Dad in their tepee
(they lived in a real tepee in Northern Minnesota for an entire summer)

Me and Mom
October 2008

I love you Mom! Happy Mother's Day!

Yankees Stadium

Our view from the new Yankees Stadium

Ride & Wine

In two weeks we will be in California for a much needed vacation. Sam's father lives in the San Francisco area and we've visited each year since he moved there in 2006. Every year we take a day and head up to Napa Valley and enjoy a few wine tastings and a delicious lunch at Auberge du Soleil.

{July 2007}

{May 2008}

The last time we were in Napa was for our wedding last October.

{October 2008}

This year we are going to do things a little differently. We've decided to rent road bikes for the day and explore the countryside by bike! I'm so excited! Napa has the most beautiful countryside. If we ever won the lottery it would be our first destination. The weather is perfect, the views are amazing, the people are friendly. It really is one of my favorite places on Earth.

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We'll be having a recovery week leading up to the trip so I think this will be the first way to get back into the swing of things!

There's an app for that!

I'm the proud owner of an Apple iPhone!



I'm overwhelmed by possibility. I added a couple of aps last night - Facebook & MLB Baseball - but I'm trying not to get carried away at the beginning. My fellow iPhoners - what are your favorite aps?!

First Open Water Swim

Last weekend we headed up to Connecticut for some serious training. The number one item on the agenda - an open water swim. We both have our new Neo Sport 5/3mm Women's Sprint Suit and wanted to give them a test run before our first race. My camera wasn't working last weekend so I couldn't take any photos, but I did get these pictures of us in our wetsuits when we first bought them!

Don't miss Sam's awesome tan lines from our bike in Hariman
(or "What happens when you don't wear sunscreen.")

Look at those guns ;)

With wetsuits in hand we went in search of a good spot for our open water swim. We settled on Hopeville Pond State Park. They have a nice public beach and swimming area. Given that it was cold and overcast, we were the only ones around.

{Hopeville Pond}

I learned to swim in a river near my parents house in Minnesota and I was a competitive swimmer in junior high and high school. To put it bluntly, I'm very comfortable in the water and swimming is probably my strongest of the 3 sports. I wasn't nervous about the open water swim at all.

Let me start by saying that swimming with the purpose of moving long distances in May in 55 degree water in a wetsuit is entirely different than recreational swimming in a lake in the middle of the summer. First, the water was COLD. The wetsuit did a great job of keeping me warm, and I actually didn't "feel" cold once I started swimming, but it was incredibly hard to breathe. I actually felt like there was a huge weight on my chest that was preventing me from exhaling. After the swim I did some research and found out that this is a very common occurrence in cold waters. If you are doing an open water swim in the cold I recommend you check out this website for some helpful tips. I know I'll be using some of these for the race next weekend - the current water temp in Atison Lake is 59 degrees.

In addition to the cold, the water was DARK. Really dark. Like "Cant-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face" dark. It is surprisingly alarming to swim in water when you can't see (or breath). So, the combination of the cold and the dark meant that I completed most of the swim with my head out of the water. Every time I would try to just put my head down and just go for it I couldn't get more than three strokes before I pulled my head up gasping for breath. I also spent some time doing backstroke and breast stroke too.

Even though it was hard, I'm so glad that we did this. I think if this swim had been in a race setting I would have been much more panicked. Now I'll have a better idea of what to expect on race day.

Training Schedule (4/25 - 5/1)

Better late than never right?

Training Schedule (4/25 - 5/1)

Saturday April 25th
1000 meter swim
25 mile bike (Harriman Hills from Hell)
2 mile run

Sunday April 26th
Rest and recovery!!

Monday April 27th
3.5 mile outdoor run @ Astoria Park (43 minutes)
This run hurt a lot! I think I may have needed a little more recovery time from Saturday.

Tuesday April 28th
18.2 mile bike in Central Park - 3 loops (1 hour and 10 minutes)

Wednesday April 29th
30 minutes weights
Outdoor Run @ Astoria Park: 3 miles (33 minutes) - after 2 miles my right hip was really starting to hurt again. At the 3 mile mark I felt shooting pains. I decided not to push it and stopped my run so I could walk home.

Thursday April 30th
18.2 mile bike in Central Park - 3 loops (1 hour and 12 minutes)

Friday, May 1st
Rest!