Rambin' Rose Raleigh 2014 AKA my first official triathlon

Ramblin' Rose Raleigh

I've been training for the last 12 weeks with Tri It For Life in preparation for completing my first official triathlon. 

Race was scheduled for May 18, 2014 at 8am. The race consisted of 225 yard swim, 9 mile bike and 2 mile run. Race was held at AE Finley YMCA in Raleigh. 

My plan was to be at the race site at 6am to get a good parking spot and a good spot in the transition area. I realized I was super dooper early when the race was still being set up. Early bird gets a good parking spot and bonus an end spot on the bike rack.

This was my first official TRI so I was kinda wandering around like a lost kid in the mall. A lot of my TIFL mentors would come up to me and guide me on what to do. I love those chicks.

Helen Bac AKA Claudio Mello help me mount my bike properly and all the way to the end of the rack. Martha helped me attach my timing chip. Then I headed over to the orange shirts aka the volunteers to get marked. I was familiar with being marked as we went through the same process during the mock TRI. I made my necessary pre-race potty stop. Went back to the transition area to get ready for the fun. 

I met up with the 3 amigos. Let me explain the 3 amigos = myself, Julia Reed and Erin Keener. 

We head over to the front of the Y for the pre race announcements and the start of the race. After the announcements, our TIFL cheerleader Sharon lead us into our TIFL cheer. Who are we? Triathletes What do we do? Finish Strong. We were so loud they could probably hear us in Durham. 

We filed into the Y. We line up in the gym based on swim ability. 10 is the fastest level and goes down to 1. I signed up with group 6 along with Julie. Like most things I got talked into moving up to group 7. Peer pressure I tell you.

Group 7 is headed towards the pool. I'm thinking OMG we are about to swim. We head towards the pool. Erin and Julie are ahead of me. Then I'm up next. I climb into the pool and start swimming. I'm moving slow and steady. Next thing I know I'm apparently holding up traffic because there are like 3-4 women who pass me. No problem. I'm in no hurry. At the end of each lane I see a TIFL mentor who is calling my name and rooting me on. Then I'm on the last lane and TIFL mentor Amanda Law is pointing to the ladder and tells me "Jo you are done. You can get out" why do feet act like they can't move. I do make it out the pool. We head back to the transition area. There are spectators along the route rooting and cheering fellow participants are running past us to get to the transition area. Did I mention we noticed as we were getting out of the pool, we could see ladies already on the run course. That meant they had already done the 9 mile bike course. Holy Smokes batman. 

I make it to the transition area. I'm wishing I had brought a shirt to put in over my Tri suit but I totally didn't think about that when I was packing. Shoes and socks are on. CamelBak is on. Helmet and gloves are on. I drink some powerade and head out for the bike run. I meet up with other 2 amigos. We head out round 2. This is actually my 3rd time on this course so I know it very well. 

I'm rolling down Baileywick and cross into the neighborhood and I see folks headed back. Rebecca Sitton yells out "good job Jo" I see my fellow TIFL athlete Emily hauling tail back to the Y. This bike course is not for the faint. It is up and down. Up and down. We hit mount Vernon which is a busy road and when we get to the hill. We all walk it along with everyone else. We get to the top and get back on. Turn and turn through the neighborhood. Then we make that right on Countrywood. I know what's next the devil disguised as Carrington. I rock downhill. I will pass you going so fast it will make your head spin. I'm hauling down Carrington. Then here comes the uphill. Did i mention that Carrington is the devil in disguise. I don't even try, I get off the bike and walk it up. Because there is no shame in walking. There's a family bless their heart that lives on that devlish hill. They have a pit stop at the end of their driveway. They tell us there was food but it's gone. The story of my life. Erin asks "where's the beer?" The mom says she has champage and offers to run into the house to maker her a mimosa. I hear about this after the race. I was oblivious to the conversation as I was in a zone pushing my bike up Carrington.

After that it really is just a few more turns back to Baileywick. When I ride over the bridge and see 540 I am so excited because I know soon as I will be headed back to the Y. I'm head down the hill and I see the turn and the cops and course monitor are holding traffic and that turn is made with ease. I have less than 1/2 mile to go. I pedal and pedal. I see 1 of the amigos Julie I'm front of me. She is walking the last bit and I am still biking and I yell out "on your left" then there's the turn into the Y. I see a TIFL mentor and she yells out "you can dismount now" she tells me the hard part is over. You know what she is right. I check RunKeeper and will you beleive it i have another PR on the bike course.

I walked my bike back to the transition area. I see people leaving which means they are done. I hear someone yell my name and it's a friend of mine who has come out to see me at the race. That just made my day.

I load the phone in the armband, take the helmet and gloves off. Then I head out for the 2 mile run. The run at this point is a slow stroll. Slow and steady until the finish. It felt so good to cross that finish line and see all my TIFL ladies waiting for me as I crossed. I am a triathlete. 

None of this would have been possible without the love and support from my TIFL family. 

Bike course PR

This is taper week before Ramblin' Rose on Sunday. Since it's Tuesday, the schedule had a run/walk training session listed. When I left the house this morning for work, I was all prepared to make the run/walk session. Some time during the morning at work, I was on facebook as always via my phone not the work computer. I would never do that. One of my fellow TIFL athletes posted about doing the bike course instead. The biking is what I need more than swimming and running.

After work I make a pit stop at the house. Change into my workout clothes and load up the bike. I loaded up the camelbak with ice cold water. AE Finley Y is a hopping place. This place is packed like a sold out concert. I head to the back of the lot and I see Lillie and Erin. I always forgot stuff until I see it when I come out. Lillie pulls out her ice cold frog tog. I slap my head remembering i have one sitting in the fridge. Note to self: I must put that in the bucket for Sunday. Trish and Meg show up. We head out.

Trish, Lillie and Meg have the course route with them. Erin and I are winging it and hoping the pink arrows I was going by last week are still there and lo and behold they are. SCORE!!

We are down Baileywick. We turn on Chandler into the neighborhoods and right before we hit the 540 bridge I see a road closure sign.

The plan when we left the Y was to get to Mount Vernon Church road and then turn around due to Mount Vernon being such a busy road. Wouldn't you know by the time I meet up with the group at the stop sign, they have decided to brave it and continue on. Hi Ho Hi Ho and it's off to Mount Vernon we go. It actually it isn't too bad. Going uphill is starting to kick in and so I decided there's no shame in walking. I look up and I see Erin sharing the same agenda. We walk up mount vernon without getting hit. Woo Hoo! Once we make it to flat ground, I hop on the bike and then make the turn back into the neighborhood.

The ride is going pretty good. I've only walked my bike up one hill so far. I push through others that I walked through during the mock. Progress baby. We come up on a street where I had a slight mental breakdown during the mock. I just push on through. We make a right onto Countrywide. Trish tells me "after this turn you know what's next. Carrington" Carrington = the HILL from HELL. We meet Erin at the turn for Carrington. We tell each other, "see you at the top".  Carrington starts downhill. if you ever see me on a bike, i "fly like the wind bullseye" going downhill. No brakes, just me and the wind. Uphill is my achilles hill. I pedal and pedal as much as I can. then a part of me said F.. and i remembered there's no shame in walking. I see Erin on the same page. We make it to the top. I tell Erin and Trish "i know how to get back from here" I really do. We continue through. Few more turns and guess what we see as we are heading back, the albino deer. Last time we ran into, folks in the neighborhood told us that it means you will have good luck. I sure meant to go buy me a mega million ticket.

I cross Baileywick and wait by the park entrance until the street is clear. I check RunKeeper and i have a 1/2 mile left to go. I pedal and pedal. I even pedal up the hill back to the Y. I'm trying to cross the street back into the Y. OMG this street is busy. I wait int the middle until it's clear. Why do my feet forget how to work. I almost can't pedal. They eventually work and I pedal into the parking lot. The Garmin beeps meaning i just hit 9 miles. I see the Max waiting for me. (side note:the Max = my car). 9.03 miles is done in 1:31. Did you see that? That means I just shaved off 29 minutes off my time. PR baby!! Ramblin is on Sunday and I am ready :-)

Ice ice baby

With ramblin being on May 18 which was my original weekend rotation, I swapped with a coworker. That's how I ended up working Mother's Day weekend. I missed the bike course ride this morning with my fellow TIFL triathletes. When my shift ended at 4:30, I was headed out the door with my camel back and TIFL water bottle. It's all about hydration these days.

Checked the tire pressure, put the phone in the holster, helmet on, Garmin set and I flew down my driveway. It's really an exhilarating feeling to ride out my driveway. Makes you feel like you can do anything. "I'm the queen of my driveway" I crack myself up sometimes.

I had already set a goal of 5 miles for today's ride. I needed to be done in time to get home and hit Starbucks before happy hour ended at 6. Priorities I know. If I knew what was good for me I would have not been set on that venti frappuchino. OMG that thing was delish.

Back to the lecture at hand. That's my love of old school hip hop coming out. I ventured over to spring forest road park. I did about 6 loops around. That's a new PR for me. As I was coming up on walkers and runners I would yell out the courtesy "on your left". Few folks "acted" like they couldn't hear me. When I run your ass over and keep moving don't come looking for me. J/K 😍

I've been riding since march but when I get to an incline or a hill I feel like I just started riding. Me and hills are not destined to me friends. I don't care if I'm running/walking or biking. It's just not meant to be. 

After my 6 loops, I headed out the park. To get to and from the park, you have to cross spring forest road AKA 4 lanes of busy will run you over traffic. Once again I got across without any issues. I still had under a mile to hit my 5 mile goal. I rode through my neighborhood, I passed one house that was having a cookout and OMG the smells coming from their house made me want to crash. It was the house of a guy who cut my grass awhile back who was confused and started to stalk me. 😝😝

I head back to my street. I only have about a 1/10 of a mile to go. I ride up and down until I see 5.00 on RunKeeper. Woo hoo! I made my goal. I head back to the house. 5 miles is done.

As I was chilling on the couch tonight after foam roller and tennis ball stretching, it hits me like a brick. Why don't I try icing my butt. I pop off the couch and hit the freezer and commence to ice my bum. after 10 minutes, i am painless. Then i realize why stop there, let's give my #1 problem child my lower back some ice. Lower back gets some ice love as well. ICE ICE BABY it can't get too cold.

T minus less than 8 days until Ramblin Rose. I am as ready as I will be. Wish I was about 30-50 lbs lighter. That's another struggle i will work on after next weekend.