Happy National Scrabble Day!

Today is National Scrabble Day!
I love playing Scrabble with my family and friends!
It helps keep my mind fresh and young and working!!



Triathlon is a lot like scrabble....you take a lot of pieces and fit them together and hope you get a great score at the end!



Happy National Scrabble Day to all my Triathlon friends and all my Words for Friends friends and my family who will play scrabble with me at family gatherings.

Triathlon and Scrabble - both will keep me young in the future!

My Coach and Running!

I went to my Master's Swim Lesson for Triathletes last night and my coach said he liked my blog on swim golf. I'm glad he liked it. It would have been uncomfortable if he said he didn't like it. At least he liked my blog. He usually doesn't like my swimming form.

Then he asked me what I was going to write about next.

I hadn't really thought about it until he asked.

 Well, I guess I could write about going to a Zumba class that morning and it turned out to be Kickbox Cardio class and I had to move my feet for 50 minutes straight and how I think that equaled about 50 minutes of running, or about 5 miles for me.

I am not sure he would go for the equating part, though he likes it when I run.

"Running is the name of the game" - that's a quote from my coach.

He wants me to run more and faster. I want to run faster, too! I am trying to run more. But I would rather bike than run. And believe it or not, I am liking swimming more than running. But don't get me wrong, I like running - especially when I am done.

Last year, I ran a total of 312.5 miles.

At the beginning of the year I said my goal was to run 10 miles a week. I know that's not a lot, but it is way more than I am used to running. If I run 10 a week, that will be 520 miles for the year. That seems like a lot to me......until I look at some Triathlon Connection friends who run about that much in one month.

For January, February and March I ran 126.53 miles.

That's 13 weeks with an average of 9.7 miles a week.

In my defense for not quite making my weekly goal, there was that one week in March where I had an upper body running injury and couldn't run.

But I see where my coach is coming from. He is looking down the road and thinking that I better pick it up if I want to finish my half Ironman in October.

He has my best interests at heart when he pushes me to be a runner.

At least we have come to an understanding about my running. In my previous training plans, my coach would write Run 9 miles/50 minutes.

Okay, so that's an exaggeration, but the numbers he wrote for me seemed out of my reach.

"Uh, Coach, I think you've got my plans mixed up with someone elses', you know like Paulene's or B's, those fast runners," I told him.

I asked Coach, "Do you want me to run the time or the miles?" He said for now I should run the time, but eventually I was going to have to run the miles for the distance.

We seem to have come to a happy compromise.

Now my plans seem realistic - run 5 miles/50 minutes. I can do that if I try really hard.

Today before work I ran the 5 miles on my training plan. I ran some of the time fast and some of the time slower. I guess I ran Fartleks.

Since I know some of the lingo, does that help make me a runner?

Coach? 

Golf...I Need to Improve my Swing, I mean Stroke

Today was the first time I have played golf since it was required, along with badminton and swimming, as part of my 9th grade P.E. class. I don't want to tell you how many years ago that was, but it was more than 25 years and less than 45 years.  

Yes, it was a challenge, especially because my golf

did not involve a green or a sand pit or a club.

My golf involved a pool lane, a stop watch, a soggy piece of paper and pencil and an overloaded brain.

Here's why my brain was overload:

Swim Golf is a game you can play to improve your swim efficiency. The objective is to reduce the amount of time and strokes to get across the pool. Swim efficiently, emphasize glide, use proper technique, and manage your energy to derive a good score. Brute force will not work and will result in a poor score. Here's how to play. Determine a reasonable distance, number of repeats for that distance, and an interval for each repeat. For example…
Distance = 50 yards
Repeats = 10
Interval = 1 minute (Use your first interval time)
Perform your first repeat: Count your stroke cycles for your first repeat. A cycle is each time your left hand (or your right hand, but only one hand) enters the water.
Note your time for the repeat.
For example, it takes you 20 strokes of your right hand to complete 50 yards in 1 minute.
Add the two numbers together for your “PAR” score. For Example 60 seconds plus 20 strokes = a par of 80.
Perform your second repeat. Let’s say you swam the second repeat of 50 yards in 65 seconds and it took you 21 strokes. The result for the second repeat is 86.
Your score after 2 repeats (AKA holes), is +6. It took you 6 extra strokes to do the same repeat.
Now let’s say you do your 3rd repeat in 20 strokes and 55 seconds for a result of 75 which is 5 less strikes than PAR.
Your score after repeat #3 is:
Repeat #2 score = +6
Repeat #3 = -5
Combine the two repeats (+6) and (-5) for a score of = +1
Remember Repeat 1 is not a score, it is a baseline = PAR = 80
After 10 repeats, tally up your overall score as in the example below.
1. 50 seconds & 20 strokes = 70 PAR
2. 50 seconds & 18 strokes = 68 (-2)
3. 50 seconds & 17 strokes = 67 (-3)
4. 53 seconds & 17 strokes = 70 (0)
5. 55 seconds & 20 strokes = 75 (+5)
6. 50 seconds & 20 strokes = 70 (0)
7. 50 seconds & 18 strokes = 68 (-2)
8. 50 seconds & 17 strokes = 67 (-3)
9. 50 seconds & 17 strokes = 67 (-3)
10. 50 seconds & 18 strokes = 68 (-2)

Add all individual repeat scores. -10
Continue to derive a result for each repeat as we did here and apply it to your overall score. Try to finish an overall score of 0 (zero). To learn how to get more out of each stroke by playing the game of Swim Golf! This simple swimming drill will help swimmers develop better swimming technique, improved efficiency, and sense of pace. .

I had to remember all this, keep track of how many times my right hand entered the water, while remembering to have good form, while remembering to breath, while remembering to count my arm strokes, while remembering to keep my head down, while remembering to keep my arm in front of me and not pull too soon, while remembering to breath, while remembering to count my right hand strokes, while remembering that I was swimming and not in a math class, while remembering to breath. I did take in some water a couple of times because my breathing was not synchronized with my counting. 

At the end of the 50 I wrote down my time (when I remembered to push the button on my watch) and strokes.

DEMORALIZING!!!!!!

Did you see the numbers above?

Let's compare them to mine.

My coach's example:

1. 50 seconds & 20 strokes = 70 par

MINE: 114 seconds & 35 strokes = 149 par

Like I said, DEMORALIZING. But I didn't want to give up. Good thing I was in the water and had a lot of water dripping down my face. No one could tell I was crying. I told myself I sucked so badly I could only improve.

From my coach:

2. 50 seconds & 18 strokes = 68 (-2)

MINE: 115 & 35 = 150 (+1)

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

My par was going in the wrong direction. That must mean my form was really off. Or maybe my counting. My third lap I concentrated hard on my form and my counting. It is a skill to have form and count, kind of like rubbing your head and your stomach at the same time.

I don't know these people, but they

can rub their head and their stomach at the same time

way better than I can swim with form and count. I want to

learn their technique. If this is you, please reply and tell me

your secret.

Lap 3 example from coach:

50 seconds & 17 strokes = 67 (-3)

MINE: 114 & (uhm, my paper seems to have a hole in it here, but it looks to be a...yes, I can make it out) 35 = 149 (neither a plus nor a minus)

Lap 4 example: 53 seconds & 17 strokes = 70 (0)

Okay, so even the example has a bad lap or two. I am feeling better now. I do want to know how someone takes so few strokes to get up and down the length of the pool. I think my coach's example is based on someone way taller than my 5 feet. Do short people have to take more strokes to get through the water?

MINE: 112 & 34 = 146 (-3) YEAH! I big negative.

I LOVE THIS EXAMPLE:

Lap 5: 55 seconds & 20 strokes = 75 (+5) Wow! This example swimmer really let his form go on this lap. I think they may need a coach. Man, he sucked on this lap.

MINE: 112 & 33 = 145 (-4) Yeah, baby!

Here's my lap 6: 112 &

That's right there is no stroke number because I was so focused on my form that by the time I got to the end of the lane and click the button on my watch I had no stroke number in my head. I am not even sure if I even counted on that lap. What do I do about that? Is there a penalty number or something? I didn't see anything about this in the rules. I guess I can just make up a number......and I'll go with my high stoke number of 35 = 147 (-2)

Here's the rest - all of it MINE:

lap 7: 110 & 31 = 141 (-8) I think I may have miscounted.

lap 8: 113 & 34 = 147 (-2)

lap 9: 114 & 32 = 145 (-1)

lap 10: 119 & 35 = 154 (+5) Uhm, I guess I shouldn't have said those awful things about the example swimmer. I can totally commiserate with him now.

Anyone have a better way of doing this at the pool? Maybe a white board with a dry erase marker? What works for you?

There is another part of this golf game. Something about adding all the scores up and then doing it again next week and comparing scores.

This triathlon training is really getting complicated. I mean, I was all in for the swim, bike, run, but swim, bike, run, MATH?

Next week: train-n-tri to do better at math!

Also, feel free to check my math. If you find any mistakes, please let me know. Thanks.

 

Benadryl, Bee Sting and Training

The darn bee sting I got yesterday on the Riverside Bicycle Club's 3-club ride got swollen and itchy very early this morning. I took 2 Benadryl and went back to bed.

My plan was to wake up at 6:30 p.m. and meet some Triathlon Connection friends for an open water swim at Lake Perris.

That was the plan.

What actually happened was this - I woke up at 6:30 a.m. loopy from the Benadryl. I didn't think it was a good idea to drive, much less swim in a lake when I was feeling drowsy and goofy, so I texted my friends and begged off.

In hindsight, I probably should have gone. Since I tend to stress out at the beginning of open water swims, maybe swimming while on Benadryl would have been a good thing. I was feeling very relaxed and carefree. I wish could carry that feeling with me into open water.

Later in the day, after the drugs had worn off, I did manage a 7-mile run. The entire time my neck itched. My itchy neck did keep my mind off my tired legs. After my shower I took more Benadryl and put Amish Origins on it.

I am allergic to wasps, but have never had a problem with bees.....until now.

The white part is the actual bee sting. It is raised and itchy. The red around it is swollen, hot and itchy.

I did learn one lesson from this - In case of wasp stings, I should always carry some Benadryl on my bike rides or runs.

Tomorrow I am swimming, without benefit of Benadryl, at Lake Perris with my guy.

Wasps and Bees - Stay away!!!!

The 60-mile ride that turned into 43

Today Robert and I started our bicycle adventure with the Riverside Bicycle Club on its 3-club 60-mile bike ride. We rode with our friend AnneMarie. AnneMarie is a fairly new rider, but she has a lot of gumption and she doesn't give up. I told her she could do the 60-mile ride with us and we would hang with her and take stops along the way. I knew we would quickly get dropped and we would pretty much be on our own.

I didn't realize how much we would be on our own or how far behind we would get until we met Victor.

Victor is an even newer rider than AnneMarie.

The ride started from the Riverside Plaza and went straight uphill on Central Avenue. 2, 3, 4 and some 5 percent grade. I waited a couple of times for AnneMarie, but she just kept plugging along. The fast riders had already dropped us. We were riding with some riders from the two other clubs. About five miles later at the top of the hill, we made a right hand turn and found some level road. Shortly, we took a break at Wendy's. A guy in a red jersey followed Robert, AnneMarie and me into fast food joint. He was with us when we pulled out.

We kept riding for a while and it was obvious that the four of us were a little pack, so I asked the red jersey guy what his name was and he said, "Victor." I introduced myself and asked Victor what ride he was on...the 20 mile, the 30 mile or the 60 mile? He said the 30 mile. I asked him where he turned off, but he said he didn't know because he had lost his route slip.

"Uh, Victor? I think you are on the 60-mile ride with us," I told him.

At about mile 25, Victor asked if we could stop at the ARCO station so he could get something to drink. We pulled into the Arco with him. Victor said he couldn't do the 60 mile with us because he couldnt' be away from home for long because he had left his wife home alone with their toddler and their new baby.

Get her flowers!

That's what AnneMarie and I told Victor, because obviously he had already been gone awhile and I didn't see him getting home anytime soon.

Shortly we came upon the RBC's sag stop. Since Victor was way off course and was going to have to stick with us for the remainder of the ride, we decided it would be best to cut some miles off our route.

We took off from the SAG with a modified ride.

The next several miles were uphill.

It really wasn't like this, but I think it may have felt this way to Victor.

AnneMarie and Robert were riding ahead and I was trying to stay back with Victor to make sure he was making it up the hills. It was hard to ride that slow and I ended up getting pretty far ahead of Victor. I met up with Robert and AnneMarie who were taking a break on the side of the road on a 9 percent grade. I pulled over and we all waited for Victor. Eventually Victor pulled up and stopped. I think his legs must have been pretty torqued because he fell over when he stopped.

He popped right up and said he was okay. His knee may hurt tomorrow. He took his helmet off and mopped up. He hinted at turning around and going back.

Oh no! No turning back. We were going forward. I did throw him a lifeline. I told him that the rest of the way was mostly flat and downhill. I didn't know for sure, but it sounded good.

That's when the bees decided I needed to see how fast I could pedal up the 9 to 11 percent grade hill.

One bee buzzed around my head and stung my neck. I dropped my bike on the ground and my reflector light came off and broke on the ground. While AnneMarie and Robert picked up the light, another bee started buzzing around my head.

When AnneMarie said something about my light, I grabbed my bike from off the ground and said something like, "Who gives a shit about the light. I am out of here."

And I rode off, as fast as I could up the steep grade. I could not get my left foot clipped in and every time I tried another bee would start buzzing around my head.

I rode my bike as fast as I could until the bees stopped buzzing me and I pulled to the side of the road. Soon Robert and AnneMarie joined me. We waited and waited and waited and waited for Victor.

We had to wait for Victor.

By this time we knew Victor. We had only been riding together for about 2 hours, but we knew stuff about him. He has only been riding since December and for some of it he couldn't ride because he had a broken arm. During the ride, Robert pointed out that he had a bent back rim. Well, we did the math and we quickly realized that Victor is a newbie rider that was way in over his head for the ride. But he was with us in the middle of nowhere and we had to make sure that Victor made it home to his wife and kids.

I didn't totally lie to Victor about the rest of the way. It was flat and downhill, then uphill, then flat and then downhill, then uphill, then, well, you get the idea.

We stopped at the strip mall at Washington and Van Buren and filled up our water bottles.

Since it was about 85 degrees and I knew we were getting close to home, I filled my bottle up with an ice tea with extra ice and lemon.

We eventually made it back to the parking lot. Yep, my car was there...one of the last ones!

Victor thanked us for the ride.

My Garmin said we rode 42.86 miles and it took us 3:31:39. Our route had 2,622 elevation gain and 2,605 elevation loss. We average 12.1 miles an hour.

At one downhill I looked and I was going 30 mph, so I know our "Victor" uphills were slow.

My last parting words on this story - Victor, I hope you bought your wife some flowers. Victor, I hope you work on riding some hills. Hills are hard, but the more you do them the better rider you become. Victor, I hope that someday you put your own ride aside to help a newbie get through that hard ride. AnneMarie, you did awesome today and you are about ready for a century ride. Robert, thanks for being my wheelman. 

P.S. Lent ended tonight and my glass of wine accompanied me during this blog, so if it is wordier than usual, well, let's blame the vino.

Train-n-Tri

National Walking Day

Yesterday was National Walking Day!

I got a few steps in.....

I walked from the parking lot to the beach so I could Stand up Paddle board with some friends.

That's not us, but put some wetsuits on those bods and I don't think you could tell the difference.

Then I walked from the beach to the parking lot to get back in the car to drive to lunch, where I walked from the car into the restaurant with my buddies for a scrumptious salad at Rockwell's near the base of Griffith's Park.

I did walk to the observatory at Griffith's Park. My legs took many steps up and down the stairs. No hike to the Hollywood sign, but it was a small hike to where we parked the car.

Barbara, Hannah, Carolyn and me

If you look very closely you can see the Hollywood sign over my shoulder.

We walked around inside of "Out of the Closet," a Hollywood thrift store. I bought a few books and a kettle ball. None of us took any of the free condoms or asked for the free HIV testing.

I took lots of steps, some of them REALLY FAST, around Hollywood Forever, the cemetery of stars and others.

We were chased by a duck guarding Toto's marker.


Then we were kept at bay at Douglas Fairbank's Tomb by an evil swan.


Don't be fooled by his appearance.

Not to be left out, a goose chased my friend Carolyn while she was on a grave-site search.



We scooted out of the cemetary before they closed the gates at 6 p.m.

Our timing to start our trip home was horrible. The traffic was backed up to Canada...okay, so I exaggerate, but red brake lights lit up the 10 freeway from LA to Riverside, so we stopped the car and walked.

We walked all around The Farmer's Market and The Grove.

I bought some licorice and ginger Altoids. The ginger Altoids are going to help with the wooziness I get when I swim in open water. Ginger is suppose to be good at treating nausea from seasickness. Since I plan on swimming a lot in open water, I bought 5 tins of the ginger mints.

I bought 3 tins of the licorice, just because I like them.

Finally, it was time to make the long drive home.

This was one of the best cross-training days I have had in a while.

While I didn't run, bike or swim, I did WALK!

Open Water Swimming - Progress and Injury

I made some swim progress Sunday. My friend Edith and I met my husband in Long Beach and jumped in the bay for a swim. I had swam in this bay last summer and then I was scared to death just to go out deep enough so my feet couldn't touch. 

Sunday I was adamant I was going to swim from the bridge to the dock and back without being a scaredy-fish. I had Edith there to hold my hand, and I was there to hold Edith's hand. She is afraid of fish!

Me and Edith

We suited up and got in the water. It was BBBBRRRR COLD!

I followed all the advise I have received lately about getting use to cold water. I splashed the almost-freezing water on my face several times before sticking my face in the water.

I admit it - I heated my wetsuit. And don't pretend you don't know what I am talking about!!!

We practiced our sighting.

We swam and took a breather and swam and took a breather and swam what seemed like forever from the bridge to the dock. It was only .3 miles.

I didn't swim very fast because I was trying to work on form. I am sure my coach will appreciate that. Thinking about my form kept me from thinking about how cold my feet were getting.

At the dock we turned and started our .3 mile swim back to the bridge. My feet were numb and my hands were turning red. I just wanted to finish the swim and get out and get warmed up. I continued to sight, but only every 10 to 15 strokes instead of the 5 to 6 strokes I was using before.

BIG MISTAKE!

I was swimming along when BAMMM, my head ran right into a wall. But it wasn't a wall. It was the top of a head of a man who was swimming in the opposite direction of me. The collision stunned me. My nose clip flew off and my goggles ended up half off my head.

Wow, that hurt!

I asked the guy if he was okay and he said yes. He asked if I was okay and I said, "No, I think I have a concussion." He laughed and swam away.

I found my bright orange nose clip floating about 5 feet away and I swam over and grabbed it. I put my goggles back on and swam on.

I had open water swim practice and rought start triathlon practice combined.

I told Edith I was proud of the two of us. We swam the entire .6 mile without a fuss or hyperventilating or swimming to shore.

Progress was made.

I am even excited about my next open water swimming adventure!!

The top of my head still has a sore spot.