Push the Button, Stupid!

If you asked me yesterday why I was looking at new tri bikes, I would have told you that I liked my current bike and that it was HS's idea because he was feeling guilty for spending so much money on his new toy.

Today, after trying out a few new bikes I would say I wanted a new bike because the new bikes are sooooo pretty!  LOL

My precious...is that carbon fiber?

Felt B12

After our triathlon practice at Discovery Park, HS and I headed to Davis Wheelworks (yes, in Davis) for an appointment I had set up to try out a couple of bikes. Let me just say that the guys at Davis Wheelworks were very knowledgeable and professional.

First bike was a Felt B12 with Ultegra Components.

James with Davis Wheelworks, took measurements of my current bike, put my pedals on the Felt, and even swapped the stock saddle with an Adamo saddle (so it would be what I was used to) and then put the bike on a trainer. He watched me ride for a bit and made a few adjustments. I was then ready to roll.

Navigating through downtown Davis was a bit scary at first, but I then got to a nice straight section that seemed to go on forever. About halfway through my test ride I decided I should be tracking the ride on my Garmin. Unfortunately, after setting the Garmin to "bike", I forgot to press start, so my Felt test ride went unrecorded :-/  PUSH THE BUTTON, STUPID!!!

Just a bit too small

One of the few complaints I have with my current bike is that I can't get the aero bars close together.  My elbows seem just a little too spread out for my liking. The Felt was the opposite and the bars were very close together. The bike felt very twitchy which I thought was due to the different aero bar position. It was a nice bike, shifted smoothly, but it did not win me over.

Cervelo P2

While I was out on the Felt, James at Davis Wheelworks set up the P2 for me. The P2 seemed so much more stable then the Felt. Unfortunately, I did not like the SRAM Rival group set. The shifting required way too much effort for my liking.

There was another P2 in the shop that was white/silver with Ultegra components...unfortunately, it was too big for me :-(

BMC Time Machine TM01

Word to the wise, if you can only afford a Pinto, do not test drive a Mercedes!

This bike was my favorite in Davis. Unfortunately, it was way out of my price range.  Fortunately, I am not as impulsive as my hubby otherwise I would have a new BMC sitting in my front room! 

This bike just felt right! Sigh...

Aloha colors!

Test Ride Summary

Since I forgot to press start on the Felt, I only recorded my pace with the Cervelo and BMC. Lap 1 = Cervelo, Lap 2 = BMC.

Davis Wheelworks - Test Rides by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

During both rides (that I managed to record), I tried to keep my effort the same and rode in the same gear. On the Cervelo my average pace was 16.9 and on the BMC it was 18.3. Is the 1.4 MPH difference worth $2,400??? I don't know, but the bike is so cool!

Actually...that difference would mean a 25 minutes in a 70.3 race....so maybe it would be worth it!  LOL

After 3-1/2 hours, HS and I were both done and I was no where near making a decision. I did not like the color scheme on the P2 and I definitely did not like the SRAM Rival group set. The Felt colors were nice, but I did not like the feel of the ride. After talking with another guy at Davis he said that the Felt was probably too small for me. That left the BMC, but I could not justify paying that much for a bike (even with the Profile Design Aeria aero bars).

I left Davis more confused than when I arrived.

Specialized Shiv Expert

As we headed home and came up to Elk Grove, HS asked if I wanted to stop at Kinetic Cycles...just to look. I figured why not....even though I was tired and not really in the mood to look at any more bikes.

Kinetic only had two tri bikes in stock. Both were 2014 entry level Shivs with Shimano 105s on the rear and Shimano Tiagra on the front. The sticker price was $3,000. Not exactly what I was looking for.

Bruce, the salesman at Kinetic, then said that they had 2013 bikes on sale. He started going through his book and showed us the Shiv Expert with Dura Ace...black satin with hot pink...normally $4,400 on sale for $3,000! OMG! This was the same bike I drooled over at Bikes Plus in Folsom only months ago.  A bike that I was "this close" to getting. I am so glad I waited :-)

Bruce asked if I wanted to take one of the entry level Shivs out for a test ride and was nice enough to stay late while I cruised around the neighborhood.  I did manage to set my Garmin, but the route was completely different. In Davis, I had a long straightaway without much traffic or stops. In Elk Grove, I had to ride through a residential area with quite a few intersections.

That being said, the Shiv felt great and it was very comfortable....I think I may be going back to Elk Grove :-)

Walk Down Memory Lane

...it's early, early in morning and I'm in the bathroom crying. It's the morning of my first triathlon...October 7, 2012 and I am scared to death.  I think I even shed a few tears on the way to Sacramento...ah, memories...

James insisted that we get there early ;-)

Last year I did the Golden State super sprint. It was a very short distance race and I had more than adequately trained for it. I think my fear came from the fact that I was convinced that the competition was going to destroy me. Of course I was going to get destroyed... every hardcore triathlete longs to wrap up their season with a super sprint...or so I thought. 

As it turned out, my competitors were no different than I was. Most were new to the sport, many were nervous, everyone was friendly though. 

There was really nothing to worry about.

What to Expect

After you check in, you will get your body markings (race number on your arms and hands, age on your calf).

You can then go into transition to set up.

First with our markings done (since we were so early)

James will show you around the race course to make sure you know what to do.

Waiting to warm up

You can swim or walk across the bridge to get to the start.

Most of our group (don't know where Eric went)

 Be prepared to pose for a few pics!

Waiting for the start

More people than our practice triathlons, but still a relatively small field.

Leaving T1

No fancy bike shoes necessary. 

Stephanie finishing the run

If I could make one suggestion for anyone doing their first triathlon... it would be to relax and have fun. Put a smile on your face and enjoy your race.

Smiles all around!

Congratulations from USA Triathlon

Yesterday I got a very interesting email from USA Triathlon. It read...

Congratulations Tracy Pengilly. You have qualified for the Olympic-Distance race at the 2014 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships on August 9 in Milwaukee, Wis., after finishing in the top 10 percent in your age group at the Vineman Triathlon, Barb's Race and AquaBike Events. 

Can I just get the shirt?

Who would have thought that after only a year in the sport I would qualify to go to a race like this? I certainly didn't. I don't think James did either because he seemed quite surprised when I told him last night.

I qualified for this race because of my finish in Barb's Race. Ironically, I won't be going to this race because of Barb's Race. Barb's Race 2014 is July 26. The National Age Group Championships are Aug 9. This leaves two weeks between races, which would not be enough time for me to recover from Barb's Race :-(

I'm sure some of you are thinking "Just don't do Barb's Race" but I have some very good reasons for doing Barb's again:

• Traveling to a race is stressful enough without having to get on an airplane (I hate flying!!!) I would be a nervous wreck before, during and after the flight! Now, maybe if I was going to Kona.... ;-)
• I was a mess the weeks before Barb's race. I cannot imagine what it would be like before going the National Age Group Championships...I'm just not ready for that kind of pressure.
• I've got teammates racing at Barb's in 2014. I was very lonely on the run this year and was jealous of my competitors whenever they high-fived a teammate.  Next year I'll be high-fiving Emily and Nancy!
• I've got a couple of demons to slay at Barb's such as breaking the 6 hour barrier and not walking on the run. 

Maybe someday I'll be ready to go to Milwaukee...

Juicin' It!

What initially got me into juicing was watching the film "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". The link below will take you to a trailer for the film, but you can also watch the entire film online for FREE by going to the film's website http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/. I highly recommend this film...it may change your life!

My Experience

After watching the film, HS decided that we needed to upgrade our juicer. We had the Jack La Lane juicer from Costco, which was fine for making the occasional orange juice, but definitely wasn't what we needed for the amount of juicing we had planned. We chose the Green Star Elite. It was pricey, but well worth the money.

This juicer is "high yield" which means you get more juice out of your fruits and veggies. It is also "low heat" which helps preserve the enzymes and vitamins (see below for a list of things that can potential degrade the nutrients in your juice).

The Green Star Elite is also available from Costco

My first juice cleanse was seven days long. I lost eight pounds that week and felt great. The first couple of days were rough (I also gave up coffee for the week, so I had a bit of a headache in the beginning). Days 3-4 were much better. I felt good and didn't feel like I was starving. By day seven, I was glad it was ending and I went to bed that last night dreaming of what I was going to have for breakfast. Like I said, it wasn't because I felt like I was starving, but I just missed the variety of my normal diet.

My Tips

1) Be prepared to make a mess. Don't worry, it's only juice :-)

This is a pic of the mess after I made my favorite beet juice (beets, green apple and red/black grapes). Proper preparation helps cut down on the mess, but I always have a little clean up afterwards.

Beet juice is the worst!

2) Have lots of bottles handy. 

I like Snapple bottles. Once you peel off the label, use something like "Goof Off" to remove the glue. Wash the bottles with soap and water to remove the "Goof Off" and then boil the bottles and lids to sanitize.

3) Be Creative

You will be amazed at the amount of plant fiber left over after you juice. Some people freeze this to add to soups. I've used it before to make a sort of veggie muffins. Other people may want to compost this and add it to their garden.

Usually I just toss this ;-)

4) Only make enough for 2 days

When I do a juice cleanse, whether it's 3 days or 7 days, I only make enough juice for two days. Joe Cross's Reboot website states that juices should stored for "24-48 hours in the fridge (72 hours is maximum time suggested)". 

Some nutrients are susceptible to being degraded or broken down by exposure to heat, light and air (oxygen).

Heat: Reduces many B vitamins, Vitamins C and E 
Light: Lowers Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B1 (thiamin), B6, Folate, Vitamins A and E.
Oxygen: Degrades Vitamins C, A, E, K and many B vitamins
Freezing: Reduces Vitamin C, Potassium, Copper

5) Enjoy!

I don't look at juicing as a diet or some sort of punishment. There are plenty of calories in a bottle that you aren't starving your body. I think of it as liquid vitamins!

Post run refresher

What I Learned About Running from My Dogs

Now that the weather is finally cooling off, I decided to take my dogs out for a run/walk after work. 

Buster doesn't always support my training

Light Hands

If you've read anything about running technique, I'm sure you've come across many different suggestions for "light hands" Pretend you're holding and egg... a potato chip... a butterfly...

Well, I've got the perfect visual aid...pretend you're holding a bag of hot, squishy dog poo!

On my run with Buster today, we didn't even get a mile from the house before I saw him start to hunker down. Usually Buster is a bush pooper and will choose ivy over a sidewalk. Well today, for whatever reason, he decided the sidewalk, right in front of someone's driveway, was the perfect spot.

ARGH!!!

I had no choice but to pick it up. I grabbed a poop bag and swooped it up. Since I only brought one bag, I knotted the bag as close to the poo as I could. To avoid feeling the heat, I gripped the bag at the end...far away from the fresh doo doo.

Once I started running again, the little ping pong ball size poo blob was bouncing around and whacking me on the top of my hand...GROSS! I then tried holding the bag by the knot between my thumb and finger while lightly cradling the poo ball in my hand.

Light hands...you don't want to squish the poo! Try getting that image out of your mind! LOL


Call Me Smuckers

Since it was cooler last Sunday, I decided to wear a short sleeved shirt instead of a tank top. By the time I finished my 13.5 mile run, I had a raw spot under each arm. It was pretty painful, so I started looking for something to put on it.  I couldn't find anything, so I decided to use Hannah's hot spot spray.

Why not? On the bottle it says to use it for raw sore skin.

Works for humans and dogs ;-)

Let me just say...it worked great!

Meet Smuckers

Full Iron???

Last weekend was Ironman Lake Tahoe. I'm not sure if it was the proximity to Stockton or the fact that I completed a 70.3 race earlier this year, but I had quite a few people ask me if I was doing this race. I would just laugh and say "No". The people asking had no idea what kind of training and strength this race would require...heck, I don't think I have a true understanding. I guess I should just feel flattered that they thought this was something I could do.

Ironman Lake Tahoe

Change of Heart

Before completing Barb's race, the 70.3 I just mentioned, I always thought that one day I would eventually do a full Ironman race. I've read plenty of books about people that have completed a full iron distance and figured that if they could do it, I could too. My favorite part of the books is always when the author reaches the finish and hears their name called out. I like to imagine hearing my name at the finish line..."Tracy Pengilly you are an Ironman!" Just to experience that moment is enough to make me want to do that race...well, it was enough until I tried racing half that distance.

After completing Barb's race, my desire to do a full Ironman waned. Actually, I decided I was never going to do a full Ironman before I even completed Barb's race! As I was finishing my 13.1 mile run, I noticed the competitors rolling in on the bike. They we're finishing the 112 mile bike course of Vineman. They looked hot and tired...and they still had a marathon to run. I could not wrap my mind around the enormity of the task in front of them.

This photo captured how I was really
feeling towards the end of Barb's Race

Fortunately, endurance racing is a lot like childbirth. At the time you are going through it, you vow never to do it again. Then a couple of months go by and you start thinking "Well, that wasn't so bad..."

Support Needed

I am once again entertaining the idea of completing an Ironman...and by entertaining, I mean I'm back to reading stories about it. If I decide to do one, it won't be for a couple of years. I still need to increase my fitness and work on my swimming, biking and running skills. I will also need the buy in of key people...first and foremost...Hot Stuff. Without his blessing, an Ironman just won't be possible.

While I may not fully understand the amount of training required, I have read enough to know that you need the support and understanding of your significant other. This support is essential!

I would also need the support of my teammates. Not that I'm planning on having a workout buddy for all of my training, but for the times that I do need someone (open water swims and long rides)...I can't expect HS to always be the one. If HS was going to do all my training with me, he may as well sign up to race too! (Just kidding, Honey...relax!!!)

Location, Location, Location

Another thing I'm kicking around is where I would like to race. Lake Tahoe is out...it's cold and it's at a much higher altitude...no thank you!

I like the Vineman course but it's not an official Ironman race...I wouldn't get to hear "Tracy Pengilly you are an Ironman!" at the end of the race...no bueno!

So the search continues...

What I'm thinking right now is maybe...MAYBE...doing Vineman in 2015 (I'm doing Barb's Race again in 2014) and waiting until 2016 to do an official Ironman race. However, if I wait until 2017 I would be competing in 50-54 age division as a 49 year old! (FINALLY! Having a December birthday pays off!).

Lots of things to think about...plenty of time to think...

Back At It

I haven't posted anything for about a month now...so I'm going to start out slow, in reverse triathlon order...

Running

My training has continued...basically trying to improve my overall fitness. I've been adding more running to my routine because I have the California International Marathon on December 8th. According to the official countdown, there are 74 days, 23 hours left!  My goal is to improve on last year's time and to go under 4 hours.

Biking 

I haven't been riding as much as I did before Barb's race, although I did get in a 31 mile and a 19 mile ride earlier this month in Monterey. I need to get my bike back on the trainer and just ride...I haven't even tried out my two new Spinervals DVDs.

I could ride here every day!

Swimming

Saturday morning was the first time I've been back in my wetsuit since Barb's Race. It felt good to have it on again and it felt even better to make it out to the buoy...for some reason I never think I'm going to make it :-)

Sort of a gloomy day for a swim

We will be swimming out to the buoy again this coming Saturday. My goal is to swim a little more continuously and not worry so much about where the kayak is.