Running, Cycling, Triathlon
Mini baguette, organic apricot preserves, organic mixed berry preserves , Nutella, honey goat cheese, cantaloupe, wildflower honey, coconut water, Fair Trade organic coffee
All admit it, I’m stilling missing proscuitto. But proscuitto or not, this homemade brunch was amazing. And great post-run fuel!
I’m 11,000 words into my first novel. Only nine days of writing and already 11,000 words! Not too shabby. I’m going to ignore the fact that my sister is 20,000 words in right now, and take a moment to celebrate some other cool achievements of November:
1. I’ve been a vegetarian for a month and a half! And despite the occasional temptation of proscuitto, it’s been surprisingly easy. The Veganomicon cookbook has been an excellent resource for delicious recipes, including baked goods (my weakness).
2. I’ve started a new training plan with a goal of a half Ironman this summer. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing my trials and tribulations right here on occassion!
3. In September, I had a goal of not buying any piece of clothing for three months. Well, I lasted two months. I had to buy a new pair of jeans, okay!? Despite falling one month short, I am pretty proud of myself. I remember in detail the moment I put a patchwork maxi skirt back on the rack at GoodWill. Best $2 not spent.
Now back to National Novel Writing Month. I’ve got one month to write 50,000 words. Check out my progress here, and I dare you to start your own adventure this November (no, not shaving your beard doesn’t qualify).
Ciao,
Sarah
p.s. In honor of NaNoWriMo, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite reads.
“Decide what to be, and go be it.”
-Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise by the Avett Brothers
“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.” -Max Ehrmann
About a month ago, I competed in my first triathlon. Generally, I’m pretty relentless when it comes to researching something I’m about to seriously commit time and energy (and sweat and tears) to. When I trained for my first marathon, I read books, talked to experienced athletes, made friends with my local running shop, and otherwise drowned myself in any and all marathon knowledge. My foray into triathlon was different in only one respect: I researched even harder.
My mom is a pretty amazing athlete herself. She competed in her first half marathon this summer (having had very little prior running experience besides her training and coming away injury free- something I can’t boast at 23). Now, she says (and I plan on holding her to it!) she’s up for racing in the Finger Lakes Triathlon with me next year. So this list is for you, Mom! And anyone else who’s bold enough to tri.
First things first:
Triathlons aren’t as intense as they seem. Not that you have to tell your friends and admirers that. I don’t mean to say that the race won’t push you to your limits (and beyond, if you let it), but that the triathlon community is actually very encouraging and supportive. There is nothing more relieving than sharing your pre-race jitters with a fellow athlete. And most are willing to relate. I got quick bike maintenance advice from a veteran Ironman and embarrassing wet suit tips (yep, I was the girl who tried putting her wet suit on inside out) from a group of young women triathletes. Nobody is there to judge you, and if you make it to the start line, you can be sure that you’ve garnered a whole hell of a lot of respect from everyone of those wet suit-glad athletes around you.
Great Reads:
From inspirational to super practical, these books were some of my best reads to jump start my training.
Triathlon 101 by John Mora
This is a great read for beginners as it breaks down just about everything you would need to know to race your first tri. It also has fairly detailed training plans for the most common tri distances, which is why I picked up the book in the first place.
Every Woman’s Guide to Cycling by Selene Yeager
I recommend this book to my girl friends who are considering buying their first bike but don’t know where to begin. The author provides a great quiz and lots of details to guide you on the big purchase. She also gives lots of useful information on cycling in general (particularly with women in mind). I enjoyed reading a women’s-specifc book because, as a petite women, I felt like there might be some logistical things (like finding the right sized bike) that a more general cycling book wouldn’t provide.
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
An inspirational true story of a long-hidden tribe of ultra runners and the crazy American ultra champions who decided to race them. I’ve heard this book (rightfully) called the runner’s bible. It’s informational, inspirational, motivational, and reminds runners that as focused as our sport is on the individual, we are all part of amazing community.
Eat & Run by Scott Jurek
Another inspirational non-fiction read about ultra marathon champion Scott Jurek and his experience with running…and you guessed it, eating. Jurek is a vegan athlete whose dedication to personal as well as physical and athletic health is inspiring. So inspiring that I immediately went on a six mile run after finishing the book.
Swim Drills:
The most difficult leg of the race for me (mentally, anyway), was and still is the swim. Unlike running and cycling, swimming requires you to focus relentlessly on technique and efficiency. Not that technique doesn’t matter for the other disciplines, but you can’t just expect to put hours and hours in the pool and see speed and endurance results. Swimming takes careful focus on techniques, a large part of which is breathing. I recommend taking lessons if you aren’t a strong swimmer or joining a local swim club. Even having an experienced swimmer friend analyze your stroke is worth it!
Breath easy swimming tips and drills
Open Water Swimming & Wet Suits:
It’s a good idea to practice at least one open water swim before race day. During the course of my research, I read horror stories about the massive difference between pool and open water swimming. It freaked me out considerably, since swimming in a pool was hard enough for me. I managed to squeeze in one open water swim with my wet suit in before the race and one thing I noticed: yes, open water is different, but you can do it because let’s be real, swimming in swimming. You might battle more waves, more people, and no guiding lap line in the water, but take heart that if you stick to your swim training you’re probably going to be just fine. If you can’t manage a practice swim during your training, I suggest trying to get a quick dip in the day before your race at the starting point. It’s a massive relief on the nerves to test out the waters!
And what about wet suits? My best tip: use one if you can! Wet suits provide more buoyancy in the water, which helps in swimming (obviously). It was also a relief to me to know that if I panicked in the water (which I did by the way), I could simply turn over on my back and float. I chose a sleeveless suit for my first race because I was using a rental and wanted the security of knowing I’d have free range of movement in my arms.
Buy and rent new and used wet suits from Xterra
Bike Maintenance:
For my first race, besides drowning in the swim leg, my second worst nightmare was getting a flat tire. My local bike shop offered a class on changing a flat, during which I could change the tire on my own bike. It was the best research I could do, but I also reviewed some great informative videos to keep myself up to speed.
How to fix a flat tire
How to inflate a bike tire with CO2
Ok, now some straight up inspiration:
Seriously, you can do it.
Related posts:
Running Hard, Getting Healthy, & Going (Almost) Vegan
My pre-ride meal.
Three eggs, cherry tomatoes, extra firm organic tofu, low sodium soy sauce, green onions, cilantro
Next time, I’ll try it with a little spinach!
“Every single one of us possesses the strength to attempt something he isn’t sure he can accomplish.”
-Scott Jurek in Eat & Run
This was my lunch today…
Spring greens, extra firm organic tofu, sweet cherry tomatoes, cranberries, carrots, chia seeds, and lite ceasar dressing
…and it was amazing! On Monday I decided to commit to vegetarianism (and to slowly transition into veganism in my own time). For now, I’m cutting out all meat except fish and also cheese. As a runner, I was hesitant to consider cutting out meat because protein is fundamental to my diet, but that was before I read Eat & Run. Wow, is Scott Jurek convincing! I’ll be honest; proper treatment of animals is important to me, but it was never enough to convince me to take the leap. Jurek’s transition into veganism is simply practical. Food=fuel=great performance. (Supporting animal rights and the environment is just a plus that comes along with it!) Vegansim made the runner feel better, perform better, and win. I’d be a fool not to at least hear-out the advice of an ultramarathon champion. I run marathons. Jurek runs 150+ miles races through deserts and up mountains. On a plant based diet. Just try not to be curious!
I’m sick of getting sick, of bonking out on long runs and rides, and feeling sluggish at work, so I’m giving a vegetarian diet a try! And eating vegan when I can limits my diet is good ways. At the work cafe, if no options are vegan, I have no choice but to eat the salad I brought that day.
The result?
Feeling deprived? Not getting enough protein?
Nope.
Just a really, really delicious homemade lunch.
On Sunday, September 8th, in Canandaigua, New York, I participated in my first triathlon: the sprint distance Finger Lakes Triathlon, an annual fundraiser for Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center.
Obviously, I was quite stressed preparing for this race. Certainly because of the swim (before February of 2013, which is when I started my swim lessons, I could barely doggy paddle and couldn’t tread water), but also because this was my first race without my twin sister, Angie. …And also because I was preoccupied with, you know, moving halfway across the country (Madison to Pittsburgh to be exact) as well!
During the race (probably a minute after finishing the swim), I realized that my stress was all for nothing. Here I was, finishing the swim leg (my biggest enemy until this point), and running to the first transition. I was doing it, and it felt both awesome and ridiculous (have you ever gotten onto a bicycle soaking wet?)…and not so serious at all! It was actually so fun! The racers were surprisingly chill and open. Like at my first marathon, I felt like I was a part of something bigger- sharing a well-deserved moment with like-minded strangers.
Honestly, when I first stepped up to the registration table to collect my bib and timing chip, I felt rushed, intimidated, and nervous. I thought, “I definitely don’t belong here!” Thankfully, a swim clinic hosted by Ironman athlete (she’s swum along side Lance Armstrong!), Mary Eggers the evening before the race, erased my unease. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of questions asked by the racers…everything from swim technique questions to how to best put on a swim cap. And each question, no matter how simple or obvious, was answered by Mary with enthusiasm. I realized, nobody was judging anyone here! After all, we were all here at the starting line, weren’t we? It didn’t really matter if this was our first triathlon or our 100th because we were all racing.
When Mary led those of us in wetsuits down to the edge of the water for a quick practice swim, I was surprised to find that I couldn’t wait to get into the water! Me, a girl who couldn’t float let alone front crawl eight months ago, was actually excited to swim. I had made it to the start line. It wasn’t quick and it wasn’t easy, but for sure, it is where I belong.
For my run this weekend I traded the the concrete trails of the Southside for the dirt trails at Schenley Park. The view was amazing (I’m still amazed that a city can be this green!), and for someone from the Midwest, the hills were challenging. I manage to get a bit lost, so my run was about a mile longer than I anticipated. Still, it gave me more opportunity to snap some great photos.
gibbsongirl.com 