Mamas In Training

Master's Swim Class

It's been about 45 degrees at 5am this past week.  So what am I doing for a workout?  Swimming.  That's right, I'm heading to the pool for a 2500 yard workout.  The AF outdoor pool now has the bubble on making it usable year-round.  I heard about a master's swim class that takes place on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 5:20 - 6:30 am, so I decided to check it out.  This class is great.  Knowing that I will have swim buddies and a coach waiting for me with a great workout, will get me out of bed before the first hint of daylight.  Seriously, were I swimming by myself I think I would be tempted to hit the snooze button and skip the workout.  Yes, it's very cold in the morning and it would feel so nice to stay in my cozy, warm bed.  But this is something that I want to continue doing during the "off-season".  It's a great way to start the day!

Tanya

My Summer Plans

Well kids, since completing the Women of Steel Triathlon, I was forced to focus on a few things I had been neglecting while training…namely, yard work. I know, I know, it sounds positively ridiculous to write off my post-tri slack fest as a necessary result of home improvement but IT’S TRUE! We starting building the deck of our dreams in late March and we’re just getting to the finishing touches. Although, as I type…it’s pouring rain on my new deck…part of the finishing touches that we’ve yet to complete…sealing the deck of our dreams.

My point is that for me, fitness comes in cycles…it simply has to. There are times when you simply can’t keep all of the balls in the air that you want to. Occasionally you have to take a step back and focus on your work, your family, your friends and in some cases, yes…your yard.

I’ve read every Fitness magazine article that talks about the importance of getting your workout in every day or every week or whatever. Here in the real world you have to embrace balance.

In an effort to promote balance, I’m quitting my gym. I’m joining a new one! The totally awesome Clearfield Aquatic Center.  Why, you ask? Because it has the best lap pool ever! My summer balance will come in the form of lap swimming 3-4 times each week…I love it so much, I just can’t help myself.

-Erin

Support & Preparation

Never underestimate the importance of race preparation and a good support network. Let’s start with the support network…

Today is my birthday so yesterday three of my wonderful friends took me to lunch. Lunch with these people is always a raucous event and this lunch was no exception, for my birthday party was themed. The Little Mermaid…the theme was The Little Mermaid in honor of the swimming portion of the Triathlon this Saturday.

They brought a Little Mermaid cake (complete with Little Mermaid candle).  Little Mermaid party favor bags that included little rubber fish, a pin wheel to attach to my bike during the race, a clamshell locket with Ariel’s picture on one side and mine on the other, and a Nalgene water bottle with the picture of Rachael, Stephanie and me in our swim caps on it.

Oh and that’s not all.

They decided I should have a little something special for the swim portion of the race so my friend Meikle created a one-of-a-kind swim cap…covered with rhinestones and lest anyone mistake me for someone else, my name is on the cap in purple puffy paint!  There is also a visor for my run – it’s pink, with flowers on it – with “Athena 2007” on it…in puffy paint.

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my entire life…or felt so loved and supported by my friends. I hope everyone is lucky enough to have people this special supporting their race dreams.

Now onto the preparations.

I’ve not been sleeping well, for about a week or so. I have dreams that not only do I suck at running but I’m a lousy swimmer and cyclist too!  I’ve been dwelling on various aspects of the race so yesterday I decided to go shopping for all of the odds and ends supplies that I need for the race – a new bike mounted air pump, CLIF Shot Bloks, more spare tubes, and something to cover my booty-short tri suit. Mission Accomplished!

After my shopping extravaganza, I decided to drive the bike course for Saturday’s race. Now that I’ve seen it and I know what I’m in for, I feel much better. Fewer aspects of the race are a mystery now…and finally, I slept like a baby.

-Erin

Waterslides, Board Shorts, and my 4th Grade Bikini

I had a liberating experience at the pool tonight. I had the realization that in general, I have worn "board shorts" as a staple of my pool side attire for as long as I can remember. The shorts have varied in length and style, nevertheless they have always been there. And in my mind they have been there to protect myself and others from "overexposure".

Since I've been training- I obviously don't train in board shorts. I've let my fairly white, somewhat jiggley mommy thighs out in public. (I say 'somewhat' because I should probably persuade you that all this training has added some muscle to my legs right?)

Well, the point of my story here is that as I was running up the stairs for the big waterslide with my son (laps were over so it was time to slide right?!?!) I had the realization that I really don't care what I look like in my swimsuit anymore. I realized that I'd rather feel like I did when I was a little girl -- mostly just concerned about swimming for as long as possible and going down the waterslide as many times as possible - (note: I'd like to avoid the insane 2 piece swimsuit I choice for myself in the 4th grade because it was a crime against nature) but other than that I think I was set.

So tonight I made the most of the my newfound (or newly realized) liberation and barrelled up the stairs for the big waterslide 8 more times, and if something on my body knocked out the squirelly little high school behind me I could have cared less - I was there to swim -- sans board shorts!

- Rachael

My First Training Injury

Rachael, Stephanie and I went swimming together on Friday morning and now I have a long scratch down my right arm. I think it is from when Rachael tried to keep me from dunking her head underwater.

I’m THAT kid…the kid that thinks the deep end is an opportunity to push a trash-talkin’ friends head underwater.

Is that bad?

-Erin

Less Tortoise, More Hare

For me, training for the triathlon has never been about speed. It’s never been about beating my “best time” or improving my technique…let’s be honest…it’s been about groping around in the dark to FIND a technique. My goal for the TriUtah Women’s Triathlon has been very simply to finish the race (without walking during the run.) I don’t care how long it takes.

That’s not to say that I’m not attempting to move quickly. It’s just that when you choose to train with two women that are in considerably better shape than you are, you spend an awful lot of the training time coming in last. My times are consistently the least impressive of the group…but don’t cry for me Argentina…I’m okay with that because most of the training sessions with Coach Dave have been TOUGH and for me, the mere completion of his regimen has been extremely gratifying.

Just as I was getting comfortable bringing up the rear I got to sample the sweet taste of victory. During swim training I, Erin-the-Athena, managed to land at the end of the lane…wait for it…FIRST!

Okay…it wasn’t even one lap, it was only one length of the pool and I was “first” by one measly second (I’m tall so I’m pretty sure that one second was in body length, but whatever). Coach Dave told us that we’d be doing “speed work” that morning which consisted of five rounds of the following; 100 meters at our regular pace then two 25 meter sprints. I finished my first 25 meter sprint swim in 20 seconds. Hell, I don’t think I could run 25 meters in 20 seconds. I wish I would have had a camera to capture the look on Coach Dave and Stephanie’s face – to say that they were stunned would have been an understatement!

Now don’t worry, I’m not delusional…I DO realize that a quick 25 meter pace won’t amount to a hill of beans on race day. But it is sure nice to keep up with the group every once and awhile.

Erin

Improvement

I was beginning to think that I would never, ever have the opportunity to write the following statement: I’m improving. The swimming practice is starting to pay off!

Now, I don’t want to give the impression that I’ve turned into some sort of world class swimmer, I’m simply not flopping around as much as I did when I started training. Oh, and the oxygen deprivation headaches from my incorrect breathing technique have subsided so there’s another one for the “success” column.

If I said that my swimming has improved due to the long hours of work and toil at the Aquatic Center, I WOULD BE LYING. My swimming has improved because of Coach Dave's swim drills – the zipper drill, the recovery drill, and the…uh…one where you use only one arm. At the end of our group swim training last week, Coach Dave told us that we’ve each improved a lot since our first swim session. With the Women’s Sprint Triathlon less than two months away, that was good to hear.

This week we’ll be doing a “brick” training session at In Training which means that we’ll be alternating between biking and running (ride the bike, hop off to run for 10 minutes, back on the bike, repeat). Personally, I think my brick session will look more like this – ride the bike, run for 3.5 minutes, walk for 6.5 minutes, ride the bike, lay on the ground, cry, bargain, shout, ride the bike, go home.

Erin