Confessions of a First Time Triathlete

This blog is a guest writer...Janet Dixon, my sidekick pedorthist proves how tough she really is. I am so proud of her....here is the story of her first triathlon!

Well folks, I finally did it. I finished my very first triathlon. I also had every possible thing go wrong today as well.....

So - I wake up at 450am. I thought hey, we are close by and since both Dennis and Claire were joining in as a cheer section for me, we can sleep in a bit longer. That was the first mistake.
Woke back up at 515am. Tummy is grumbling - so are you hungry or are you nervous? Suddenly a bowl of cheerios seemed to be the thing to do so I have at it. At this point I am pretty darn calm and ready to roll. I look for Claire and guess what - the 12 year old is still out like a lightbulb. So I chill as I hear Dennis yap at her to get up. She rises - takes a shower, we now are in human form.

Departure time scheduled for 545am. Hmmm - stomach is feeling funny. Here comes the nerves. I make one last stop to the restroom - much better. Time is now 555am.
Arrive to the race and we are guided to the overflow parking lot a block down. Darn it...should have got here earlier. My cell phone rings and it is Marybeth. I decide to mess with her and tell her I am still sleeping. She reacts, I laugh and tell her I am actually in the area.
So, rule number one - GET TO THE RACE EARLY!
Bike and accessories in tow, I head to transition. I am SO GRATEFUL, I elected to have markings done the day before at packet pickup. There was a huge line and it felt great to squeeze right past folks.
Rule number two - GET MARKINGS DONE EARLY IF OFFERED!

I head to transition and all of a sudden, I am nervous. Now remember my deal a few weeks back on getting into the unitard? Yeah...a two piece seemed to be such a better option at this point.
So I rack my bike and I am a happy girl! I find Marybeth who at this point is thinking where the hell is she and I surprise her in my zingy way. One problem, she tells me I am racked at the wrong bike rack....darn it!
Rule number three - MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS RACKED CORRECTLY!

Ok, so I feel pretty stupid and I am still in need of facilities - big time.
I look for Dennis and Claire and calm down. I tell myself, look nimrod, this is just to see what happens, to finish the race in one piece then look to see where I can improve for the future. Remember, I am and will complete a half ironman in less than six months
So facilities time - of course, as usual, there is a women's restroom line but not for the dudes. So unfair I thought. Finally, the visit to the facilities is complete. I feel fabulous!

The wait for the pool was interesting. Triathletes come in all shapes and sizes. I told myself to stop worring about what I looked like in my second skin. By the time September rolls around, I will have hopefully lost a few rolls of my own if you know what I mean.

The swim begins, I jump in. Water feels great! I start to swim....I am excited, I am doing this, I have propellers for feet, I am so glad to be doing this....I don't breathe! All of a sudden a foot nails me in the right side of my neck. Right where I had a neck injury. Right arm immediately goes numb. I almost call it and get out of the pool - no, I tell myself, you can manage this now breathe and move it!

Rule number four - PACE YOURSELF IN EACH LEG OF THE RACE.
After 150 yards Janet is tired....Janet can't breath right, Janet went out WAY TOO FAST! So, I flip over and backstroke the rest of the race. I don't care, I am not taking first place - I am here to finish. Ok I thought, I will pace more during swim training - I just learned to swim starting three months ago so I don't beat myself up for this.

Ah, transition! I found my bike - good sign. Wait - where is my computer at? Crap, it's in the bag. What felt like an eternity I finally found the Garman. I am feeling disorientated - I can't get the stupid Garman on my bike! So with computer in hand, I begin the ride.
Rule number five - HAVE AMPLE TIME IN TRANSITION TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS LINED UP.

So off I go on the bike. Ah, things feel much better. As I cycle, the Garmin magically fits on the holder and I grab something to drink. YES! I watch my pace climb to 18, good - now hold it I thought. Hmm - did I fail to mention it was a very WINDY day? Oh wait, it gets better. Half way through my chain falls off! Can you believe this? Luckily, I got the oily thing back on - gross I thought. Yep - that affected my ride a bit however, the bike portion I can tell is going to always be my favorite part of a triathlon.

Transition #2
I was completely ready to jump off my bike at the right time and I did. I was impressed. When my feet hit the ground - oohhh what a weird feeling! Trying to run after cylcing is really weird. My brain was ready however my feet were not. I racked the bike - no idea if it was right or not, threw on my running visor, grabbed my running belt. SNAP - running belt and bib number detach from one another. So what, it's still hanging on by one loop - move your arse I tell myself.
Ok - so what rule are we on? Ah yes,

Rule number six - YOU MUST STAY CONSISTENT IN EACH AREA OF A TRI AND TRAIN APPROPIATELY. Yep, all those days in the pool, cycling...what about running? Hmm - my bad.
Running at this point was mute. I ran the first loop and suddenly I was tired. Oh gosh I thought to myself, I am going to walk during a measly 5k? What a hosebag I thought to myself. So, I walked a bit. Then I felt bad...then I got mad. Why didn't you prepare - what is wrong with you - if you come in last, you will let Marybeth down - where are your expectations - you are embarrasing yourself. All this past through my head then my stomach took over...I was hungry. Where is my gel? Yep - BACK AT TRANSITION! Sooo......Rule number seven - make sure you have adequete nutrition for each stage of the tri. So much for the cheerios and one goo before the swim - I want to eat. In fact, I want to chew off my right arm...I AM HUNGRY CAVEMAN GIRL....

Then I see members of the running club yelling out my name, starting running you goober I thought, you can't look that bad to your running group. So I pick it up until over the hill, I start to walk. Darn it...

Second loop felt like mile 19 of a marathon. I am amazed how hungry I am. Marybeth shows up. Springy and happy like she just woke up - note, she finished a half hour ago - she runs me in. She tells me we get a medal. We do? I didn't know that. Well, heck , I have to start running!
Now on top of starving, I mentioned previously I had a cervical injury. I lose my right index finger feeling. I don't want to stop however I fess up and tell her I have to walk. I feel like I am the biggest dope for walking. The throbbing stops, I try to run - comes back.

Finally, the last hill - I slow jog it in. I finish.
I thank Marybeth for her kindness and spirit. I look over to my right and see Dennis and in an instant, all of the insanity that happened during the race didn't matter. I find Claire - I am good. I did it...slowly, but I did it.

I will be a half ironman - you watch. It will probably scare a few people, it will surprise many. I am hooked. Next tri - no walking and I will forever have the above seven steps inbedded in my brain.

I learned today.
I am a triathlete.
I am caveman...girl!

Now go out and do something good for yourself today, I will be running a bit more...... ;)

Newton Shoes Make RunDoc Faster in Triathlon!

Congrats to all who finished King Tut Triathlon in McKinney Texas today!

RunDoc finished her second triathlon today! Not a pretty picture, but not bad for someone who has no idea what she is doing! This was my first open water swim. So much for getting ready in a pool. Does not prepare you for sighting and then looking up and getting blinded by the sun. Had no idea where I was and according to my family, who were spectating, at one point I started to drift toward the shore. Instinct I guess. I finally got back on course and finished but scared me to death :) But I wasn't last, so not so bad :) Did I mention the water was 62 degrees....brrr!

On to the bike. A rolling, hilly course and I had a nice slow ride...ha ha...It took me at least 10 miles to be able to feel my hands and I still couldn't feel my feet when I got off the bike....

On to the run....Thank God for my new Newton shoes! (Did I mention they are hot pink?) I still couldn't feel my toes but they forced me to throw my center of gravity forward and helped me get my stride. They were like a friend helping me get my groove back after the bike:) My run was decent but not outstanding, but would have been much worse if I had worn my regular training shoes! So kudos to the Newton guys today (That's for you Diesel)

Overall...I lived for another day...I may have been running for 30 years, but this triathlon stuff is a work in progress.

Bottom Line...I had fun today...came in 10th (not last) so on to Caveman Tri in Flower Mound next week.....

Run Happy and try a pair of Newton's at your next race!

PS. A Great Big THANK YOU goes out to Janey Dixon for getting up at 4am, driving me to the race, cheering for me, then giving me a Shiner at the finish! Love Ya!

Are Runners More Susceptible to Upper Respiratory Infections?

Do You Have a Spring Cold? Sinus Infection? You Are Not Alone....

I’m just getting over a spring sinus infection. Again! I’ve always considered myself a middle-of-the road, moderate intensity runner. I run two marathons a year and dabble in triathlon in the spring and summer. Nothing crazy. Yet, every spring I seem to be susceptible to the dreaded runny nose syndromes. I’ve always chalked the whole thing up to Texas allergens, but is that it? Or does my running make me more susceptible to the common cold? Interesting question posed to me by an ENT colleague. She pointed out that many marathoners experience significant increase in upper respiratory infections in the post-race months.

Let’s look at the research. A recent survey of 30 different studies of runners and decreased immune function that may lead to increased upper respiratory infections revealed little agreement from the experts. Yes, they all agree that moderate activity may enhance immune function, but they describe this as brisk walking for 30 to 45 minutes a day. What runner does that little activity? Most studies also agreed that high-intensity exercise temporarily impairs the immune competence. Hence the increased incidence of upper respiratory infections in marathon runner and especially ultra-marathon runners.

Athletes, when compared with their couch potato colleagues, experience higher rate of upper respiratory infections especially in the few weeks after intense training and races. In non-athletes, increasing physical activity is associated with a decreased risk of upper respiratory infections.

This so-called open window of altered immunity is temporary, lasting from three to 72 hours after an intense, prolonged event. Nevertheless, it presents an ideal opportunity to viruses and other invading pathogens, especially those that enter the body through the respiratory system.

Sounds bad, so what can we do to increase our immunity and avoid the runny-nose syndromes?
Several vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, E, and C, and the minerals zinc and iron, are essential for normal immune function. Vitamins C and E, in particular, are also powerful antioxidants. It has long been known that long-distance running and other endurance events can increase the levels of free radicals—molecules that oxidize and cause damage to cells, including immune cells. The body produces its own antioxidants to counter free radicals and oxidative stress.
Many runners, operating under the theory that more of a good thing is better, take vitamin and mineral supplements. And while moderate amounts may very well be beneficial for the active individual, there is little evidence to support taking megadoses, with the possible exception of vitamin C. Some studies found that taking vitamin C (about 600 milligrams/day) for three weeks before an ultramarathon reduced postrace cold symptoms. Other researchers have found that vitamin C supplementation made no difference. Sounds like a multivitamin with extra vitamin C can’t hurt, but may not be our savior!
Should you run when you’re sick?

If you have a cold, most doctors recommend waiting a day or so after your cold symptoms disappear to resume intensive exercise. Mild to moderate exercise (such as walking) when you have a cold is fine. If your illness is more serious—fever, fatigue, muscle aches—you should wait two to four weeks before resuming your training regimen. Like any of us do that!

Just as intense, extended physical stress can depress certain immune responses, so too can chronic psychological stress and inadequate sleep. So during periods of intense training and before long races, the take-home message is this: keep other life stresses to a minimum if possible. Get enough sleep, avoid rapid weight loss, and eat a healthy diet. Sounds like a no-brainer!

Bottom line: marathon runners are more susceptible to upper respiratory infections. Getting more sleep, decreasing your overall stress and taking a multivitamin with extra vitamin C may help.

Power Naps Boost Productivity!

Here is an essay on the power of the nap!

I pride myself on getting more done on a daily basis than your average bear. My secret? The Power nap! And a great list!

Recently, on Facebook, one of my friends commented that they didn’t see me as a napper. Probably because most people see me as a hyper whirlwind of activity. What they don’t see is that I have two speeds: Fast and stop!

I truly believe in the power of the nap! I have a comfy couch in my office and have been known to take my 20 minute power nap when the paperwork and activity list is out of control; and I just need a few minutes to focus. Works for me and makes me more productive.

For all you unbelievers out there here is a little science to back up the pro-napping stance!

While small children typically take naps in the afternoon, our culture generally frowns upon mid-day sleep; however, even in those who get enough sleep (but particularly in those who don’t), many people experience a natural increase in drowsiness in the afternoon, about 8 hours after waking. Why not take a little nap? Research shows that you can make yourself more alert reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning with a nap. Mid-day sleep, or a ‘power nap’, means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, increased learning, more efficiency and better health. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of sleep and how a power nap can help you!

How Much Sleep Do You Need?
The body needs 7-8 hours of sleep per day; 6 hours or less triples your risk of a car accident. (Interestingly, too much sleep--more than 9 hours--can actually be harmful for your health; recent studies show that those who sleep more than 9 hours per day don’t live as long as their 8-hour-sleep counterparts!)

The Effects of Missed Sleep: Sleep is cumulative; if you lose sleep one day, you feel it the next. If you miss adequate sleep several days in a row, you build up a ‘sleep deficit’, which impairs all kinds of things:
1. Reaction time
2. Judgment (scary that we sleep deprive our resident doctors)
3. Vision (maybe a nap will get rid of those reading glasses, ha ha)
4. Information processing (Yes, that means thinking)
5. Short-term memory
6. Performance
7. Motivation
8. Patience (especially with stupid people and small children)

Fatigued people also experience more moodiness, aggressive behaviors, burnout and more stress. (If this sounds like you, you need a nap!)

The Benefit of a Power Nap: Studies show that 20 minutes of sleep in the afternoon provides more rest than 20 minutes more sleep in the morning (though the last two hours of morning sleep have special benefits of their own). The body seems to be designed for this, as most people’s bodies naturally become more tired in the afternoon, about 8 hours after we wake up.

How Long Should I Sleep?
Many experts advise to keep the nap between 15 and 30 minutes, as sleeping longer gets you into deeper stages of sleep, from which it’s more difficult to awaken. Also, longer naps can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night, especially if your sleep deficit is relatively small. If you only have 5 minutes to spare, just close your eyes; even a brief rest has the benefit of reducing stress and helping you relax a little, which can give you more energy to complete the tasks of your day.

Tips For a More Effective Nap:
If you want to obtain more sleep, and the health benefits that go with getting enough sleep, here are some tips for more effective napping and sleep at night:
Avoid too much caffeine after 3pm. It’s a stimulant that can disrupt your sleep and stay in your system longer than you think; its half-life is four to six hours!
If you don’t want to nap a long time, set an alarm!
If you don’t have time for a power nap, or don’t feel comfortable napping during the day, try yoga or meditation; it gives your body a rest and produces slower brain waves similar to sleep.

I praise the power of the nap! Try to incorporate a power nap in your day! You will thank me!