Race Coverage

Whip Cream Hand-Ups & Confused Legs...

Friday, 30 January 2015 06:10

By Lisa Lendway

I have a problem. I’m absolutely addicted to competition, and I think it’s at its worst. Usually at the end of the triathlon season, I’m ready for a little break, but this year was different. I immediately started thinking about the 2015 season and anxiously waited for the local races to finalize their race weekends. My schedule for the year has been more or less set since November. And, I have to say, the main reason I get so excited to compete is because of all of the great people who are there with me. Yep, that’s all of you. So, thanks for fueling my fire.

So, what to do until the season starts … I did give myself a little break from triathlon. I dabbled in cyclocross racing, which was more than a little fun. If you don’t know what it is, google it. I mean, where else can you get whip cream hand-ups (Photo below) in a race, right? You might even spot World Champion Triathlete Gwen Jorgensen at some races! I also did my first half marathon. I made a deal with my body that I’d do that before doing a half Ironman. It was weird to do just a running race. I think my legs were a little confused about not feeling like jelly for the first mile. But I finished and I LIKED it! I plan to do at least one more running race this winter.

For the first time ever, I’ve also participated in some indoor triathlons. After competing at the YWCA Women’s Tri this summer, I was excited to participate in another event run by Nicole Cueno. So, I signed up for the YWCA indoor tri in December. As expected, it was well-run and loads of fun. The weirdest part was riding on the Keiser bikes, where the miles rack up faster the faster you spin. So, I think I covered “12 miles” in roughly 18...

minutes, spinning over 140 rpms. I love that we ran on an indoor track, rather than a treadmill, and there were volunteers counting the laps for you. It felt good to compete in December and get a sense of where I was at. And, of course, it was great to catch up with some tri folks and meet some new ones.

I did another indoor tri on January 4^th. It sort of happened by accident. I showed up to the Crosstown Lifetime around 7:30am to swim. I got in a short swim and was told the pool was closing for an indoor tri. Hmmm, I had my swimsuit, running shoes, and clothes to bike and run in. No cycling shoes, but, what the heck? I wanted a longer swim, so decided to sign up for the race about 5 minutes before it started. It was a 10 minute swim, 30 minute bike, and 20 minute run on the treadmill with some built-in transition times. Around mid-December, I actually started swimming 2-3 days a week, rather than my measly 2000 yards once a week I’d been doing the past couple years. So, I was excited to see how that would help. I was happy to complete 775 yards in 10 minutes. The bikes at Lifetime were nice because they used power to calculate distance. So, it felt a little more like riding a real bike. Then, onto the treadmill. I do all my running outside and hadn’t run on a treadmill in years. So, I was a little nervous. I started at a pretty easy pace and just kept moving it faster. I have to say, it was fun being able to control my speed so accurately. And, I was pumped when I did the last minute under 6-minute pace!

Well, I couldn’t stop there. I signed up for another YWCA indoor tri that was held this past Sunday. Same “course” as the first so I could compare my times from the previous one I did there. Wahoo, I improved on all three legs and transitions! Plus, the infamous returned-to-amateur-status Devon Palmer was there announcing. He made the bike and run portions much more entertaining.

Now what? I have a few races planned before the season starts here in MN. Maybe another indoor tri? For the first time in a long time, I’ve actually set goals for myself this season. I wrote them down and even shared them with my teammates to hold myself more accountable. Some are focused on times. Others are not, like giving my two daughters high fives every opportunity I have when they’re cheering for me at races. Those goals are keeping me motivated to train hard this winter. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone out there at the races. Happy training.

ED. Lisa, that silly goose, forgot to mention that she won all three of the indoor tris she's entered thus far. If you're indoor tri-curious, we recommend the Tri-U-Mah on February 28. Better hurry, though. All but two waves have already filled. TRI-U-MAH LINK