Whooha

Whooha

Women Having Optimistic Objectives and Healthy Attitudes

 

I am an Ambassador for Whooha Gear.

I didn't plan it.

But it was meant to be.

 

I know a lot of my fellow triathlete women friends filled out the application to be a Whooha Ambassador and all of them would have been a GREAT choice.

 

I waited until the last day to submit the application and, yes, I did write about myself, but I also urged Whooha to take on my entire triathlon club.

 

Here's part of what I wrote in my last-minute application to Whooha:

 

"I think several women in my triathlon club, Triathlon Connection, have applied to be WHOOHA Ambassadors and I think that is fabulous. You would be lucky to have any of them representing you. My club is filled with awesome women, all of them working hard and setting a good healthy example for women. It would be great if you could pick all of the women in my club that applied. We  are WHOOHA!!!!"

 And all of the women in Triathlon Connection are WHOOHA's.

 

 There is a lot of Whooha in this picture!!

 

I am so lucky that I get to see a lot of them this weekend at Desert Tri.

I have an athlete racing in Saturday's sprint. And I am racing in Sunday's International Distance.

Besides myself, we have five other Whooha women competing. Whooha may not have picked up all the women in my club - but all the women in my club are Whooha women!!!!

 

 

 And Thank you to Whooha for making me an ambassador.

I really appreciate your write-up about me:

 

"Kandi

When we read Kandi’s feisty and fun story, we knew right away we needed to have her as our ambassador!! We have included some of her quotes below that inspired us and made us smile!

 

Kandi says “If you asked me 10 years ago if I would be racing at Wildflower (a famously difficult triathlon) I would have said NO! But I got myself some WHOOHA since then and have made huge changes in my life.” She went from a non-exerciser to a USA Triathlon Coach and Certified Personal Trainer. She is 53 years young and didn’t even start swimming, biking or running until she was 49 years old!!! She says: “If I can do it, so can other women. I am not even very athletic. But, completing a triathlon or a run, or a bike ride, makes me feel as if I can do anything.”

 

Kandi now spends her days and evenings encouraging other women to make positive changes and live a healthier life. She says “I think a lot of times women, especially older women, are afraid to get out there and try new things. “ Her goal is to encourage all women to make some type of positive change in their life.

 

I know that just reading Kandi’s story encouraged us! There is no doubt she spreads W.H.O.O.H.A in everything she does!!!

 

Thanks Kandi!!! "

 

 

 

I really love representing Whooha Gear...

 

But next year, I want Whooha Gear to pick up all the women in my Tri Club!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Juggling the Schedule

 

 

I was blessed this week that most of my activities involved my training.

 

Sunday my guy and I went mountain biking with friends. While my training plan clearly stated REST DAY since it was the day after the Race on the Base sprint, my legs still had some life left in them, so I figured why not?

 

We biked all around the Puddingstone Reservoir at Bonelli Park...a lot of it on rocky single-track, some on fire roads, some on pavement.





It wasn't just a bike ride, it was an adventure.

We stopped and let the boys play with rocks.
They built a cairn.

Of course, theirs had to be the biggest.

Tom and Robert (mine).
Monday, my plan said easy bike ride. Since I had ridden the day before on my rest day, I skipped the bike ride and helped my daughter move. I counted lifting and carrying all her heavy boxes as my strength training for the day.



Tuesday, I worked in a school classroom, tutored after school and ran my Tuesday night bike ride. This was the first night bike ride in a while and I forgot how much I missed riding my bike at night on dark roads with training friends. I can't ride as fast as during the day, but riding in the dark makes the climbs go a little easier because I can't see how steep the climb is.


In the night time I can't see the end of the climb until I am there...and then I am done.

We ride with bright front lights and rear flashing red back lights. Sometimes I think cars can see us better at night than during the day.

Wednesday, I took my daughter swimming with me. It was great to spend an hour with her in the pool.



Tonight is my "slow, but go and want to go faster" run group...then an hour on the trainer in my garage.
The weatherman said it was going to be raining and while I can run in the rain, I don't really like to ride my bike in the rain.


Looking out the window this morning, I don't see any rain in sight. I see some clouds, but also some blue sky.



I wish I could go ride my bike right now.....but it's a work day - training and classroom.

Sometimes I look at my calendar and I feel as if I am juggling to get all my workouts in while working.

Does juggling my schedule count as a workout?





Race on the Base 2014...Older, but not Slower

My goal the past few years has been to NOT slow down.

I have thought it would be great if, as I aged, I could keep the speed I had in 2010 - the first year in which I decided I wanted to have some speed.

 

And my speed is your slow.

 I'm sure the same can be said for triathletes!
 

Race on the Base 2010 was my first triathlon.

I can't use splits from that race to measure my run, bike, swim and transition speeds because that race, - my first triathlon every - my chip did NOT work. At first I was disappointed, but it kept me in the game because ROTB gave me a free race the next year.
 

 

The only speed fact I have from that first year is that I finished in 1:26:13.


Oh, and this remembrance blog from last year that recounted my Race on the Base races through 2011.

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2012/02/race-on-base.html


In 2012 the run course was more than a 5K (about 3.7) and I finished in 1:38:01:7 and 8th out of 33 in my age group.

Last year, 2013, they had shortened the run course back to a REAL 5k and I finished in 1:26:22:6 and 16th out of 48 in my age group.

I am SOOOO happy to tell you that this year I was faster than all my ROTB races in the past.

My run was my fastest, my T1 time was my fastest, my bike time was my fastest, my T2 time was my fastest AND my swim time was my fastest, than all my other ROTB races.

Today I finished in 1:21:59:2.
I came in 15th out of 24 in my 50-54 age group, but I am so happy that today was MY fastest ROTB!!!!

If you read any of my other blogs, you know that my first few years, I was a backstroker during my swim. Even last year, my goal was to make it through the 200 swim without having to breaststroke or backstroke at all, which I did, but I had to take it slow.

I've gone from a swim time of 6:25 for a 200 in 2011 to today's 5:13.

That makes me happy.



Yes, I know that my fast is your slow....



My goal is to continue to tack years onto my age group age and maintain my fitness.....

And take my guy along with me.....



2014 - the Year of Women Cyclists

Women Cyclists!

2014

This is your year!!!

 

First the announcement that women cyclists will be riding the last day of the Tour de France in an event called La Course.....

 

 

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2014/02/its-not-tour-but-its-close.html

Click on the above link to read my full blog about women being allowed to ride in the tour.

 

And today the announcement was made that women cyclists will be riding in the Amgen Tour.

 

Here is the announcement:

Two Days of World-Class Professional Women's Racing Announced

For the First Time in Race History, Professional Women Cyclists
Will Compete in a Circuit Race and a Time Trial Presented by SRAM

LOS ANGELES (February 18, 2014) – The 2014 Amgen Tour of California will feature more professional women’s racing than any previous race of its kind on U.S. soil when America’s largest cycling event hosts two days of action-packed competition. Invitations are now being extended to the world’s best women cyclists to convene an elite international roster of competitors to assemble in downtown Sacramento May 11 to compete in a circuit race surrounding the California Capitol. The following day, a field of nearly two dozen of the world’s top-ranked time trialists will have the opportunity to race against the clock during a time trial in Folsom.

The 2014 Amgen Tour of California, held May 11-18, will begin in the state capitol of Sacramento with circuit races for both the men and women. Shortly after the men roll out from the start line at the steps of the Capitol building to kick-off the eight-stage race, the women will take to the street to show off the power and technique that they are known for throughout the world. By invitation and application, women from the top professional, national and composite teams will compete along a four-corner,1.25-mile circuit course surrounding the Capitol for the overall title as well as part of the  $10,000 purse being offered by race organizers. Cyclists not already selected for the next day’s time trial will have one last opportunity to gain a spot based on their finish.
 
  The very next day, Monday, May 12, the Women’s Time Trial will be held in the gold rush town of Folsom, preceding the men’s time trial over the same yet-to-be-announced course. This invitation-only race (plus the top three finishers from the day before not already qualified for the time trial) also includes a prize purse of $10,000.

 

I love that more opportunities for women in cycling are becoming available. Okay, I won't be holding my breathe waiting for my invitation.

 

Having women cyclists riding at the same date on the calendar as the men cyclists means that these girls will have more athletic role models and maybe one of them will be a professional cyclist someday.

 

Girls Scout ride with my friend Linda.

I'm not holding my breathe, but I will celebrate when the WIN money $$$$$ for the men and women is equal.

 

Cycle on!!!!

 

 

 

 

Ghost Bike - Second Time Around

Today Mark Friis, of Inland Empire Biking Alliance, and I put David Mendez' ghost bike on Central Avenue near where he was hit.

 

It was the second time we placed his ghost bike.

 

Unlike the first time, when it was just Mark and me, today we were joined by another 100 people  - some of David's family members, some cyclists who knew David and lots of cyclists who did not, and even some non-cyclists.

We started the David Mendez Memorial Ride from Riverside City Hall.

I had the ghost bike in the back of my Suburban. With David's sister's permission, I had lifted a few pictures off his Facebook page and made a poster that I had attached to the bike. My guy was nice enough to drive the Suburban at the back of the cycling pack with the blinkers flashing.

David's Mom, Silvia, and his sisters, Marlene and Ginnie, were there for the ride, but they only had two bikes, so Marlene started the ride riding shotgun with Robert and the ghost bike.

Eric, another IEBA member, and I led the group out. I rode my mountain bike figuring we wouldn't be going too fast.


Picture by Dave Bauman, The Press-Enterprise


About half way to Olivewood Cemetery, where David had been hit, we had to ride up Panorama, a short hill for a cyclist, a BIG hill for a mom who does not bike. My friend, Jeanne, who was being sweep for our ride, told Robert to pull over and Silvia and Marlene switched places. I like that they both had an opportunity to ride bikes at the memorial ride.

After riding a bike, Silvia said she understood why David liked riding so much! Silvia even said she may take up cycling.
 

 
Picture from IEBA

 

Silva and a family friend, who said David helped her pick out her bike, but wasn't around long enough to help her learn how to ride it. She did a great job riding it today!!!

Cyclist line up on the sidewalk along Central Avenue waiting for the ghost bike to be placed.

Cyclists lined the sidewalk on Central Avenue. There are no bike lanes along this street and while the posted speed limit says 35 mph for road work, most people drive 45 to 55 mph on this section of road.

I do not want to have to place another ghost bike.

 

 

 

 

Photo by Dave Bauman, The Press-Enterprise

Several participants had posters urging cyclists and drivers to have respect for each other and share the road.

Let's all share the road!!!
 

 

 For the Press-Enterprise article, click on the link.

  

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20140215-riverside-memorial-ride-honors-cyclist-killed-in-crash.ece

Surf City 2014.....It was Sick!

 

Another name for this blog post could have been - Shit Happens.

 

 

 

Or in my case.....the run goes on..

And that again, could be a play on words.

 

Before I start my recount of the Surf City Half Marathon 2014, I need to publicly apologize to a person I know, but will not name in order not to cause her further embarrassment, and say, NOW I totally get how you could poo your pants and keep moving forward until you cross the finish line!

 

Sorry I gave you coupons for

 

these....

 

Okay, that's my apology.

 

The Surf City day started out early.

 

 

 

Pretty much before the sun was up. We left my house at 5 a.m. and parked the car within the hour. Then we sat there and stayed warm because our corral didn't start until around 8 a.m. We enjoyed the sunrise and watching people walk to the starting line 1.8 miles away. We figured they must be running the marathon.

The sunrise at Huntington Beach was gorgeous!

 

 

Orietta and me

The sun was out, but it was still chilly.

 

Me, Marc and Orietta.

 

Orietta was my guy's replacement runner. 

 

Here's my blog that explains why I was running this race to begin with and why my guy was not when it was his idea.

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2014/02/surf-city.html

 

We found our corral and waited...

 

 

and waited...

okay, that pic didn't turn out.

and waited.....

 

 

and finally, the horn went off.

 

And we were running. Marc stayed with Orietta and I for a while and then he dropped off.

Orietta was hanging back with me and we were running about 10:30 a mile. I could tell it was hard for her to have so many people passing by her. She is used to being the passer, not the passee.

 I would have tried to go faster for her sake, but I just wasn't feeling it. So, after holding her back for five miles, I sent her on.

 

I kept a pretty steady 10:41 mile to about mile 10 when I felt a little whoozie.

Yikes. The last time I felt this way during a run was during the half marathon run at the end of Vineman 70.3 when I ended up having food poisoning so badly that I ended up in the hospital.

 

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2013/07/vineman-703-good-bad-and-ugly.html

My blog about Vineman.

 

 

Nah, that wouldn't happen two times to me...would it?

 

At about 10 1/2 miles, I had a couple of stomach cramps and thought maybe I should stop by the next porta-potty.

I held on the best I could, but my body had other plans.

And by the time the porta-potty was in view, I knew it was too late.

 

If I stopped, it was going to take me quite a while inside that little box to clean up....and every second inside that box was going to add onto my finish line time.

Since now I only had about 2 miles to go, I figured that would be about 22 minutes.

 

Sorry if this grosses you out, but I figured it would be better to run with a little poo in my pants and wait until AFTER I got across the finish line to change into my clean clothes, then to stop and try to clean up, THEN run some more to get over the finish line and THEN change again.

 

My reasoning seemed to make sense to me.

 

So I ran on and enjoyed the scenery.

There was a pod of dolphins out in the ocean.

I concentrated on them for a while.

 

Then I found myself running behind two women that were about my size and were running about my speed. I decided that I would just draft off of them all the way to the finish line.

 

I just kept following their shoes. When they went to the left around someone, so did I. When they went to the right around some, so did I. Maybe they were trying to shake me. I was hoping I wasn't putting off an odor.

But even if they were trying to shake me, I was going to stick with them to the end.

 

And then they pulled over to the side of the road and started to walk.

 

"What are you doing?" I asked them.

They looked at me kind of shocked.

"Come on, you ladies are pacing me and we only about half a mile to go," I urged them. "I've been drafting off you."

 

"Okay," one of the said and thankfully, they started running again.

 

I hope I didn't scare them, but I took my place right behind them and let them lead on.

 

After about a quarter mile, I assured them that I would get out of their way at the end and NOT be in their finish line picture.

 

When the finish line was in view, I moved to the right of them and sprinted.

 

After running over the last timing mat, I got my surfboard medal, my bottle of water and my bag of nutrition and started walking the 1.8 miles back to the car.

Luckily, I was the one with the car keys.

I looked for Orietta as I walked, but there were TOO many people to find anyone.

 

The first couple of beach bathrooms had a line, so I kept walking. I mean, after running with dirty pants for a few miles, what was a little more time walking in them.

 

Finally, I came across a bathroom with no line.

 

I won't go into details, but I cleaned up and walked on.

The walk seemed to take forever and I was getting goosebumps and a headache.

The lifeguards had put out an easy-up about a mile down the walkway and I stopped there and bought a cup of coffee. As I pulled out the $10 bill I had been carrying in the back zip pocket of my running capris, I did refrain from smelling it before handing it over. I'm pretty sure it had escaped being fouled.

They didn't have enough change so they insisted I take two bananas and a bottle of water.

 

When I got to the car, I changed into my CLEAN clothes, turned on the car, the seat heater and the car heater. I was so cold, even though I was wearing my wool pants and jacket.

 

I ate two bananas and drank the water and waited for Orietta and Marc.

 

 

 

This is how I really felt.

 

Okay, I am sporting my SunRype gear and my new medal, but that picture is NOT going to make the activeambassador page.

 

 

This picture maybe would have, if only part two of "shit happens" hadn't happened.

 

I managed to drive Marc, Orietta and myself home.

But I have no pictures of us celebrating or them with their medals because I just didn't feel like taking pictures or celebrating.  Almost as soon I REALLY got cleaned (hot shower), and settled in to watch the Super Bowl,the real intestinal issues started.

 

 

 

And I know it's has nothing to do with running 13.1 miles because now both my boys also have it.

 

 

The stomach flu may have taken me out for a few days, but I am better now, so I am going out for a three day late easy recovery run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



It's Not the Tour, but It's Close

I got an email today from Kathryn Bertine. She wanted to thank me for signing her petition several months ago asking that women be allowed to compete in The Tour.

 

When the Tour started last summer, I blogged about the odds of a woman being cycling in the tour.

 

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2013/07/could-i-be-tour-de-france-rider.html

 

Shortly after my blog I was notified that Kathryn Bertine, along with some other spectacular female athletes petitioned the ASO and it's president Christian Prudhomme (Amaury Sports Organization/race director of the Tour de France) to allow women's professional cycling teams to compete at the Tour de France - not against the men, but in conjunction with the men's race.

 

Believe me, my blog was not the catalyst for the petition.

Rather, the four women (Bertine, along with Olympic silver medalist Emma Pooley, Four-time world ironman champion Chrissie Wellington, and Current Olympic and world road champion Marianne Vos), who started the petition just thought the same way as I did - that it was time for women to be able to compete in such a prestigious cycling event also.

 

 

I wrote a blog about it when the petition came out.

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2013/07/maybe-next-year-women-will-ride-tour.html

 

Well, today I received an email that said a victory was made.

 

"We're happy to announce that La Course by Le Tour de France will take place in 2014! While this is not a full three week race, it is a huge step forward. We now have the opportunity to showcase our talents to the world and grow the sport. Thank you to more than 97,000 people who signed our petition on Change.org. We look forward to your continued support for women's cycling and thank you for your commitment to equality."

 

What it really comes down to is the women will be allowed to compete in La Course on July 27, the last day of the Tour

 

According to the email, "This is a huge step toward including women in the full race."

 

I'm not sure this is a huge step forward, but more like taking back what women already had. There was a separate Tour Feminin in the 1980s, but it lacked parity, media coverage and sponsorship.

 

When I searched the internet for Tour de France, the site came up with a big write up on La Course.

 

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/pre-race/news/ahc/la-course-by-le-tour-de-france-innovating-women-s-cycling.html

 

 

 

 

So maybe this year will be different.