Anderson, SC...70.3 first-timer

Although the thankfulness of the big picture was present after gettting hypothermia in MD, it was disappointing knowing that my next triathlon would be in March...The only 2 options for racing were 70.3 races. I wrote them off until Stephen suggested that I jump in another well-organized, hoppin' Rev3 race in SC the next weekend, encouraging me with "C'mon, you can do it!"... I thought about it for the next 4 days alternating extreme fear with optimism...and finally Thursday night, I registered. At that point I accepted that it was going to be a huge challenge, but I knew I would regret if I didn't at least try.

We got there Friday night. Saturday was completely full - I feel like I'm still in the stage that there are (more than a few) things new that go wrong the day before the race. We left the room at 10am, and by 6pm we were finally back in the hotel.

Swim: Fine...Will I ever enjoy a wetsuit swim? hmmm...not yet but soon perhaps!
Bike: Long! The last 6 miles I was like, get-me-off-this-crazy-saddle! I drank 2 waterbottles with EFS along with half a waterbottle that a wonderful volunteer handed me, ate 3 Gu's, & carried an entire big, full waterbottle on the back of my seat the entire ride. Ohhh, first-timer.
Run: Before this race, my longest run since foot surgery was 6.5 miles. Of course you're supposed to be able to go in a race double what your longest training run is....and that would get me collapsing ~100m before the finish line...awesome! haha. Not to mention biking in aero position 56 miles right before that. ;) I never felt like I was going hard on the run, I was just trying to keep chuggin'. Within the first half mile, my legs felt like they were about to cramp at any moment which sort of put a damper on the fun of running. I knew I needed to be careful! I walked and drank at every aid station which felt wrong and odd yet it was also a little treat - I'd never walked in a race before. (PS: I probably wouldn't have been as cramp-prone if I drank that other waterbottle on my bike!)

And last but not least I need to figure out how to protect my feet! In the past I have always painted them on race morning with Newskin, and I haven't gotten blisters....not so in a 70.3! At the end of the race, my feet looked like hamburger meat. It took a full 10 days of babying them 24/7 to heal enough to put normal shoes on, no jokin'. I'm not sure if the race itself was more painful, or the first shower I took post-race...or perhaps a 3-way tie with the first time I soaked my feet in Epsom salt and could feel each heartbeat in them...

The exciting result was that I finished first amateur, requalifying me as a pro triathlete. Yahoo! So thankful!!! I had a lot of fun! It was a great way to kick off a base for the winter. Oly distance races will feel so speedy compared to that madness...but excited to know that I can do it. Maybe more in the future, but I will continue to focus main goals with the Oly races. My mom couldn't make it but it was fun to have Stephen & my dad there! Here're some pics...

Trying to hike up my wetsuit to make it 3/4 length sleeves & capris! ha

Readddddddy.....

Energy spent getting a wetsuit off >energy saved wearing it...(!?)

That didn't work...grrr

Putting on a shirt when wet while taking off a wetsuit is harder than rubbing my tummy and patting my head ;)

Dismounting...(thanks, Eric, for letting me borrow your aero helmet since mine is back in Tulsa!)

Start of run, telling Stephen & dad that I think I'm still in first...

Always nice to have fans! :)

Bloody achilles and 19 blisters...but almost finished!

Met some fun new friends!

Ellicott City, MD

The next triathlon was the Rev3 MD - the race I was gearing up for and wanted to requalify to be a pro triathlete. Stephen and I drove up to Ellicott City on Thursday. (Next time we will be sure to avoid DC at rush hour! ha.) The drive was gorgeous, as was the weather...until race morning! 80 degrees on Friday, but 40 degrees & raining by the time we entered the bike course. At the briefing on Saturday, the director mentioned we might want to take the time in T1 to put on arm warmers. Check! I put on arm warmers and had booties on my cycling shoes...yet I still literally froze on the bike. I felt like Lloyd & Harry in Dumb & Dumber, with my snot freezing down my face - ha.
A guy crashed right in front of me and I was so thankful to avoid him! I went down the next steep hill & at that point, my hands didn't work so I couldn't brake nor shift. At mile 15, I wasn't even half way (this Olympic bike course was 32 miles) and had a lot more hills to go down in the rain. I rode up to a policeman and asked him to stop me and hold my bike so I could get off. Ain't nuthin fun about quitting a race(!!!). I knew there was no way I could finish safely, so I told him I was done for the day. He told me to sit in his truck and turned on the heat. I shivered uncontrollably for 30 mins...and was soon joined by another lady. We stayed in his truck for 1:45 & and munched on my 2 Gu gels I taped to my bike (civilians, hotel shuttles, and rev3 vehicles were all picking up the serious hypothermia cases first). I felt bad for Stephen - I knew he'd be worried about me but there was no way to contact him. After 2 hours, a van with other shivering athletes made it back to the start line and I got some warm hugs from Stephen. Lessons learned for me: 40 deg + rain = full clothing including gloves next time. The big picture was that I was so thankful to return without injury/crash...and time spent with Stephen during the long weekend was fun and adventurous. Also, it was neat to be part of a race that so many cancer survivors were racing! Constant reminder of how thankful we all are to be able to just show up at the start line! Pics of Rev3 MD...



Warming my hands...

Yes my hands are in my armpits to stay warm! haha. I think she was telling me how crazy we all were! ha

Louisville, KY

The middle of September, I did the Louisville Landshark triathlon. It boiled down to a really good workout and a long, hilly course. I might've been the only person who wasn't in the LL Tri Club, yet everyone was very welcoming and cheered for me, even offering "more cowbell!" haha.
Here are a few pics:

Getting ready

Swim course - 2 laps! Any course with laps is a great thing!

Dad of course has the right shirt on! ;)



 

Sighting the finish

Should have slithered up to the water's edge - so slick!

Love the TYR Sayonara speed suit!



The TYR race suit feels great with compression down to my knees!

Oh boy!

I'm so thankful to have raced last Sunday at the Fall Creek Falls Triathlon! It was ultra fun, and I'm thrilled that my body is feeling healthy post-race :D
My race report will be pictures and captions. Thanks (!!!) to Stephen for being an amazing hubby, cheerleader, support groupie, photographer, and chauffeur (we woke up at 4am and drove 2.25 hrs to get to the race)!

checking out the transition

I hear Stephen & look back...



chit chatting with fellow pink-cappers

I was informed that the avg T1 time is 4:30. Yikes!

Swim...check!

First time to wear my TYR speed suit - felt great!

Oh T1, I'm grateful we get to wear shoes!

Not much aero about this action! Oh well...here I go.

Bike...check!

Socks & training shoes aren't ideal, but good precaution for the 1st race after foot surgery.

Click it or ticket!

 

Off to run!

 

Up-n-over the big, long crazy hill.

And down a hill...

...to the finish.

My love!

Thanks to the wonderful race director, volunteers, park officials, and others who put on such a fun, beautiful, and safe race!

Waiting & Grateful

Mild & wild outdoor "winter"...There were only a few days that I had to train inside on my bike this "winter"! Mr. Groundhog can prolong that winter any year and I will be excited. Building a base on my trainer was not something that I was looking forward to, especially since there are so many speedy people in Tulsa to try to keep up with! Usually I ride with some tri/cycling friends or with the Tom's Bicycles Team. Fun times!
My neck held up during many-a-miles on my bike (thanks Lord!). One fun thing that I discovered is that I really enjoy climbing. I've been learning how to descend better, so that's also becoming more fun and less scary.
The bike position is slowly getting more aero, although I still sit noticably more upright than... everyone else. ha. I have made friends that way though - everyone likes biking behind me!

A rekindled flame for the black line...
Swimming with the Tulsa Masters has been so much fun! Other than waking up at 5:20am, it's been the perfect way toget back into swimming while meeting lots of great new friends! The Lord has given me a feel for the water and it's been neat to enjoy it again in the midst of great company.

My favorite: running
The lack of running is what the Lord has used to remind me that training hard & racing are gifts and opportunities! Since January 1, 2011, my foot has given me off/on troubles....mostly 'on' troubles - ha. I could run for a couple months this summer...but other than that, I haven't been able to run - I've missed it!

2 days after surgery - sorry for the blurry phone camera pic!

1 week after surgery...ouch!

One of my new cycling friends (who used to play in the LPGA!), Suzie, told me about Dr. Willard who had successful foot surgeries and is an accomplished athlete. I went to her and she sent me to an athletic foot specialist, Dr. Baxter, at Athletic & Orthopedics & Knee Center. Although I had seen 6 doctors in Tulsa (including podiatrist) over the past 14 months, Dr. Baxter identified my problem and said that it was a classic case - an angry little nerve that needed to be released or plucked out. While relieved that it wasn't still a(nother) mystery injury, I wasn't excited about the knife on my foot!  I feel soo thankful that I had the opportunity to see him - he is ultra famous, and has helped out many-an-olympian including Carl Lewis and the list goes on and on...and on....one of the fun things about seeing him was that he's friends with (and has operated on or helped) many of my parents' friends since my dad was a top-caliber runner in the 1970s.

Tessa loves the extra playtime & naps!

Seeing him was a true gift that I didn't deserve...Needless to say, if anyone used a knife on my foot, he's my first choice! Two weeks after I saw him, I went back to get that nerve plucked out. That was a week ago, and it's still pretty sore. I'm logging lots of couch hours and I'm prrrrrretty sure that my cat is the only one hoping that my foot never recovers! haha. I bet she thinks I finally realized that playing with her + being a slug on the couch = fulfillment. (I don't think she's read Don't Waste Your Life by Piper.)  ;o)

Sophia & I both had a bum right foot! Her
stubbed toe didn't stop her from playing
outside, though! :o)

Thanks (!!!) to my Ma, the Pellas, Stephen, Amy, Beth, Kim & Suzie!
My mom met me in Houston to help and take care of me! My friends Teresa (I swam at UT with her) & her husband, Tyler, graciously opened their house to us and we also got to see and play with their two little beauties, Sophia & Madison! When I came home, I wasn't very autonomous...and Stephen has been so sweet and loved me so well - I'm beyond blessed to have a better half like him! Good friends in town have given me food & flowers and taken me places since my right foot is out of commission. I've been so encouraged by everyone's words & prayers - thanks!

I'll continue to close with...
I don't have a schedule planned out for 2012, but plan to fully train & race as a pro triathlete, keeping in mind Proverbs 16:9...
"A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure."
Hope everyone is enjoying the gorgeous spring weather! Cheers!

Hello & Happy New Year!

2012 has been really fun thus far!

I've been able to swim & bike with no neck/upper back pain (whoa!). It's been so much fun to train with new cycling & swimming friends! Building up in endurance/speed with cycling & swimming lately has been very encouraging to me - I'm so thankful for the opportunity to train hard again! I'm lovin' it - truly a gift from the Lord. The winter here has been so mild that my trainer is collecting dust! Ha. Fine by me. It's nice to be outside on the roads putting in the base miles while exploring Tulsa.

Continuous Encouragement & Hope

Schlegel Bicycles has been a true encouragement for me during the entire time that I've been injured. I haven't been able to race the past 2 seasons, & they continue to sponsor me! Whether it's fitting me perfectly on my bike, tuning it up, or just encouraging words, it's definitely a place that I love going!

Dr. Seyoung Kim continues to support me as well, & I'm thankful! Every time I see him, I feel better!

I am thankful to have a great supply of Gu nutrition - especially now that I have been working hard again!

I'm excited to race with my suit that displays my sponsors. It has been tucked safely away the past 2 seasons, but I am looking forward to racing in it sooner than later!

I miss running...

with my friends at TU! My foot pain is back, so I haven't been able to run since early October. This problem originated over a year ago, and after seeing several docs/therapists, I'm in the process of getting sports orthotics to target my problems.

For now, I'll close this post the same that I did a couple months ago...

I don't have a schedule planned out for 2012, but plan to fully train & race as a pro triathlete, keeping in mind Proverbs 16:9...
"A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure."

Happy New Year!

bethany

Thankful!

Teaching ESL at the University of Tulsa...
was so much fun! The students made every day a new adventure...and the teachers and my boss were also wonderful. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to teach there this fall session! I taught 5 classes: 2 Reading classes, 2 Listening/Speaking classes, and one Writing class! It was a whirlwind!

Since I am able to bike and swim again, Stephen and I decided that teaching full-time, training to master 3 sports, being a wife, and maintaining a sense of sanity was not possible! It was bitter sweet to leave my job at TU since I realized what an amazing job it was!

For a while now, I have been ultra tired. I thought it was just because I wasn't fit, or the transitions in life: moving, new job, new house, new friendships....ETC. But last week, I got a follow-up blood test and it showed that my thyroid wasn't working properly. Since the thyroid is "the mother of wellness for your whole body and yours is from 3 times to 22 times slower than the normal range", that explains a lot.

As much as I would LOVE to be 100% back to health, I am still literally taking baby steps and feeling thankful for the fact that I can bike and swim without pain, which were things that i haven't been able to do for a while! Now that I'm taking some medicine to crank up my wellness o meter in my body, I will be feeling better soon.

The doctor said, "Affected patients who start taking medication and get back to normal levels realize what living life is supposed to feel like!"
I thought, "Wow - that sounds just like knowing Christ!" :o) Yay for parallels that surround me constantly in the physical & spiritual world!

This Thanksgiving season, as I look back on the past couple years of health drama, I am deeply thankful for the perspective it gives me. More than ever, I will view the opportunity to work hard = a gift from the Lord & any talent/abilities I have = a gift from the Lord! (...unless I take credit for choosing the right parents and creating my circumstances/culture/support to grow up!)...as well as the love & support of my husband, family, friends, & sponsors = a gift from the Lord!

Right now, I don't have a schedule planned out for next year, but plan to fully train & race as a pro triathlete, keeping in mind Proverbs 16:9...

A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

Thank-FULL...
:o) bethany