Hello all! Welcome to my new blog! I thought that I would start writing a blog keeping people up to date on my training for rowing as well as triathlons. Also I hope to keep posts about trips/vacations that I am going on and include pictures.
I, as most of you know, currently live in Bethesda, Maryland. I am living with my engaged friends James and Kristine (wedding in September!) who put up with all my craziness. By craziness I’ll say the 9 p.m. bedtime, 4 a.m. wake up alarms, two and sometimes three workouts in a day, and the list goes on and on. I do want to point out that the 9 p.m. is earlier than my parents go to sleep, and possibly earlier than some of you put your kids to sleep (assuming you have kids).
My current schedule also includes a job working for the United States Navy, as a civilian. My job title is Financial Management Analyst, and I am currently in an internship. Some of you might not understand this so let me explain (like you have a choice). This internship is a full-time paid program, to make it simple I am an employee of the Federal Government but not. Confusing I know but I do get all the benefits of working for the Fed. The program lasts for three years, and is more of an apprenticeship. I get on the job experience while getting paid (YES!).
I’ll now go into a dream sequence of how I got to D.C., and into rowing and triathlons. ***Insert Wayne’s World “
dellyu”***
I went to Ithaca College expecting to try out for and make the college baseball team. In the fall of my freshman year I was competing for a position on the team, and made it through the first batch of cuts. The second batch I
wasn’t so lucky. This was truly a blessing in disguise. I decided that I would need to get in better shape to make the team, and started going to the gym six times a week.
While at the gym I saw this strange machine that vaguely looked like something that I could gain
cardio fitness on for baseball. While working out on this machine a few times a week and getting a decent distance (in my mind) for 20 minute pieces I started to wonder how I was doing. I needed a baseline to compare my time/distance.
I was talking to my dad one night and he said, “E-mail the crew coach.” That to me seemed a little intimidating at first, but then I realized not to be such a wuss (actually called myself something else but we’ll keep this at least PG… for now). I email the coach and he to my surprise replied. I seemed to be doing alright in comparison to some people and then I started getting confident. My next email asked if I could train with the team to get ready for baseball, and if I
didn’t make the team, I would join for crew.
The Coach replied with a “sure” sort of reply, and in January I started rowing with the team. After a few erg (that strange machine that I mentioned before) workouts, and five thousand (5k) pieces, I realized that I was better at this sport than baseball. So after breaking 18 minutes for a 5k I gave up on baseball and focused on rowing.
***end sequence one***
***begin sequence two – moving to Washington, D.C. ***
Through college I also met a good friend
Steff. She led me to my current career working for the Navy.
Steff also went to Ithaca, and rowed. She also had a dad who worked for the Navy, he use to work for a department that procured one of the many ships in the Navy.
Moving back home to Cincinnati, Ohio for a really crappy “job” after graduation stunk. This company’s name starts with a number that is only divisible by itself and one evenly, combined with the end of America. I was essentially out of work, except for part time work at an ice cream shop,
Graeter’s ice cream.
Steff was hearing me struggle with my job search in the Cincinnati area, and mentioned that I might be able to get a job working for the Navy. One catch would be that if I did get the job I would row with the club her dad rowed with, Capital Rowing Club. How could I say no to that?!
Unlike many people, I was willing to move to where I needed to for the job. After finally being offered a position, I packed up a rental truck, my car, and my parents’ minivan. I drove the 500 miles or so from Cincinnati, through the better part of Ohio, a little Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia to reach the D.C. area. My parents were on their way to start my dad’s dream of hitting all 30 baseball stadiums in one summer, and they were able to help me on the start of their first part of the trip.
***end sequence two***
***triathlons***
I started getting interested in triathlons some point in college. I’
ve wanted to push my body as hard as it can go to see when I would reach some sort of breaking point. Rowing provided a short term sort of stepping stone to the breaking point.
Triathlons seemed to be that option that would be endless. I could start with the shorter of the options (ended up being Olympic Distance), then work up to the big ones…
IRONMAN.
Also there was a clip that many people have seen, and if not Google and watch it right now! There is a father and son duo, Dick and Rick Hoyt, Rick created a video clip of them completing
Ironman for his father.
This (http://www.teamhoyt.com/history.shtml) is their story. After reading their story, and seeing the video clip, I felt that if this man can do this while carrying his son, I should be able to do it to. It’s a very inspirational clip that could make someone believe they could do anything.
***end***
Triathlon Events
My first triathlon experience was in August of 2007, at the Great Buckeye challenge just north of Cincinnati. This was what is considered Olympic or Mini distance, which is 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run (0.9mi, 24.8mi, and 6.2mi respectively). I was lucky enough to convince my friend Kevin to do the race too. More power to him since he only trained for 2 week before this event. Go Kevin!
I went through the race feeling nervous and excited trying to do my best while not dying. The swim went alright, had a minor panic attack/over excitement half way through and
couldn’t actually use my “technique” for swimming. I ended up having to keep my head out of the water for the second half so I would be able to continue. Apparently from my fan base of my parents, Kevin’s parents, and “trainer” Ali, I was one of the first people out of the swim course from my wave (noted by my lovely sky blue swim cap).
Bike was probably the best for me averaging a little over 20 miles per hour. Lesson learned from this was the need for scouting the bike course (note turns and major hills), and that bikes
aren’t the absolute key for going fast. I was beating men that were riding bikes that were much more expensive than mine.
The run was definitely what needed to be improved the most. Even though I had one of my better runs at this distance, I was slow. I finished the run in 58 minutes, crossing the line at 2 hours 39 minutes. This gave me third place in the group of four.
After the race was a celebration! Kevin and I both crossed the finish line. Feeling bad for convincing him to do this I bought the first round at
Hofbrauhaus that night.
Half
IronmanAfter a little more than a year after my first dip into the triathlon pool, I was able to register for a half
ironman distance triathlon, these distances are 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.09km run (1.2mi, 56mi, 13.1mi respectively). This was my second ever swim in open water, and my first even in a wetsuit. Official water temp for the day was 69 degrees Fahrenheit. The swim started just like the Olympic distance, had some sort of
overexcitement and had trouble breathing. After the first quarter of the swim I was able to get my breathing under control and get back to my swimming rhythm.
Heading to the transition was the first time I stripped off the wetsuit in a racing situation. As I was leaving the water, I turned to my Paparazzi for the day Melissa and gave her what she coined as “the death stare” (pictures when I figure out how to do that). I kept moving and got to the bike, apparently too fast since Melissa
wasn’t able to get a good shot of me leaving transition or riding on the bike.
The bike was an interesting two loop ride. They called these hills “rolling” but some of them were definitely not rolling, more like mini Rocky Mountains! The down hills were amazing, getting up to almost 40mph tucked in my aerodynamic position. For those that haven’t seen this, it is a feeling of being a little nervous.
The first lap felt great, I was able to fuel, ride hard and have little wind to contend with. For the second lap, God decided that it was time for a headwind. Somehow this headwind on a loop course never changed to a crosswind or tailwind. When the wind gusted it was an event that brought my mph from about 21mph to around 13 or 14mph.
My Paparazzi was waiting for me at the transition area, and was able to finish a practice C.F.A. test while I was riding! Cheering me on and taking a few pictures, seeing me on my way to the run. A minor lesson learned from this part of the event is to have two sets of insoles for shoes. One set for the bike clip in shoes, and one for the running shoes. Also Yanks! Laces are amazing and worth the four dollars (free if you spend a bunch of money at some decent triathlon shops).
The run had some “rolling” hills, more like roll my eyes these are rolling hills. The first hill that was in the run portion was like climbing up a wall, the second was a long steady incline, and the third was a short little uphill. The worst part was that the hills were not just one and done. After the first lap there were still two more laps of the same hills.
Preparing for this event I read many articles by professionals as well as coaches. The helpful tip for the run portion was to run between aide stations (on this coarse about ever 1.3 miles) and walk at the aide stations to hydrate. My first aide station was also the first time I had the opportunity to pee.
Using the restroom (“relief”) is one part of triathlon races that I have not been able to find information on. Relief on the swim is next to impossible; the constant motion has all the body muscles tense and moving constricting the relief muscles. The bike is hard to relieve yourself as well. This is more to the fact of not wanting to lose time, stage fright while cars are driving by, not being able to pull up the spandex or unzip the three-quarter zip on my
tri-suit that “trainer” Ali got for me. The run is the only option currently, so after 4 hours and 30 minutes or so I was able to finally clear my bladder of all the hydrating I had been doing. At this point I also realized that I
didn’t hydrate enough.
Mile 12 and 13 of the run were probably the longest to run as well as the happiest. At this point of the run I knew I was going to complete the event for sure. There was no way I was going to fall apart and not finish in the last miles. It was at this point that I did not have a focus of continuing, or hydrating. This was a time that I got chills in 80 degree temperature, and started to smile.
Crossing the finish line was an amazing feeling. Paparazzi Melissa was able to get the progression of approaching the finish to just after the line when my body was absolutely spent.
After finishing the race, I was excited to find more events to compete it. Currently I do not have more triathlons this year, but I will be on the look out. I will continue to ride and train in hopes of finding another triathlon that fits into a weekend that I do not have a regatta.
Parents are coming into town on their next retirement excursion. This summer is the Triple Crown of horse racing. This next weekend is Preakness near Baltimore, Maryland. Dad was nice enough to have two extra seats for myself and Paparazzi Melissa. Rowing this season is starting on May 30
th in Washington, D.C. with the Stonewall regatta. In between these events is Memorial Day Weekend hopefully getting to grill out, even out my triathlon tan lines, and relax.
I haven't been able to upload photos on here yet so until then they are available on my facebook page.
