My Blog Log

Monday, May 14, 2012

Without Bells and Whistles

     I'm a minimalist when it comes to just about everything. I don't like a lot of decorations in my home, when I dress I tend to choose one piece of jewelry to accent, when cooking I like simple tasty dishes that don't have a lot of ingredients. Triathlon is no different in that when it comes to gadgets or equipment for triathlon, I am a believer that less is more.
     When I started racing triathlon, ten plus years ago, I did my first race on an old mountain bike. I didn't want to spend money on a new road bike when I wasn't sure that I would even finish my first triathlon. I learned later that I would want to continue racing, but even then I decided to buy a used road bike, which I had for several years before my husband bought me my current bike for my fortieth birthday. Again, I know people who obsess over fancy wheels and rims and accessories. I love my bike, but it's not the most expensive or cheapest. My LeMond Reno is great, but the bike alone can't make me a great cyclist. Riding and training makes me a better cyclist.
     I know a guy who used to work with my husband that spent 5k on a bike. It was supposed to be a really," fast bike," and I think this guy thought that the bike would make him a better, faster athlete. Turns out that it did not give him that fast time he was looking for during a race we did together last summer. A lighter, more technical bike can help take some time off a ride because of the aerodynamics, but it can not take the place of proper training.
      I tell people that are new to triathlon not to get bogged down with all the gadgets and gizmo's of the sport. You can spend a lot of money on equipment, but that equipment is not necessarily going to make you faster or better at the sport. I am living proof that you can be successful without a lot of ,"stuff." I had the same cycling shoes for ten years-I put cleats on my old mountain bike shoes. I finally broke down last summer and bought new cycling shoes and I haven't noticed that much of a difference in my race times. Effective training in the seat, on the run, and in the pool will get you results, not the gadgets.
     I would advise a beginner to invest in a good pair of tri-shorts, a tri-shirt, some decent running shoes, and goggles that don't leak. Inside Out Sports in Cary and Raleigh(or any other triathlon store) can provide you with all of those items. Try a triathlon first to make sure you like it. If you don't have a road bike use a hybrid or borrow a road bike. You don't need a wetsuit for many tri's, but if you do need one many triathlon shops will rent one. Many times I've found that newcomers to the sport get overwhelmed in deciding what triathlon equipment they truly need. Don't get caught up in that trap.
     Recently, I had a woman call me to ask about my swim class. She wanted to know what the prerequisite was for coming to class. I asked her how far she could swim without stopping and she said about 25-50 yards. I encouraged her to come to class and swim so that she could build up her endurance. She was a bit discouraged, but my advice to her was that you have to swim to get better. The Nike slogan," Just Do It,"rings true. Most of the time the more you practice something the better you will become- of course there are always exceptions and that is another blog.
      The woman then went on to ask me if I thought she should train in the water with a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors are an important tool, and I do use one for cycling and running, but again that is a gadget that I just recently added after being an athlete all of my life. I told her to work on the being able to swim a little further first and worry about the heart monitor later. I felt she was a prime example of someone who was caught up in technology.
     My friend Mark D. recently asked me what type of bike I have. He was looking for a new road bike. Mark has been racing for a while and like the rest of us tri-people he is hooked. My advice to him was not that much different than what I would tell someone new to the sport. I told him he could get a great bike for around 1k- not 3k or 5k, but that the most important thing would be to get proper bike fit. This can be done at any bike or triathlon shop. The cyclist can avoid unnecessary injuries by having the bike fit to their body.
      A few years ago, I did a road ride in Cary on the fourth of July. It wasn't a race, but a ride for cancer awareness. I had my Colnago road bike that I had just bought used. There was a man riding a Schwinn bike and he maintained a higher cadence than I did- I kid you not. He was doing a fifty mile ride, while I was doing a thirty miler. His bike had no gears on it- it reminded me of a bike I had when I was a kid. The bike had regular, upright handle bars on it and looked heavier than my steel framed bike, yet he was ahead of me and maintained his speed for the ten miles that I saw him. He eventually made a turn that was different from mine because of the different distances we were riding. He was proof positive that you can be fast without the technology.
     Ease into investing in gadgets and equipment for the sport of triathlon. Gadgets and equipment can be great tools to aid in your success, but don't forget that proper training/practice is the way to improve. If you don't possess all the fancy," bells and whistles," in your equipment don't let that deter you from signing up for a race.

Tri- On Friends,
Kelly

Friday, May 4, 2012

Racing to Revitalize

     Life brings so many cycles. Sometimes you cruise along and everything seems to be great and other times you wonder why you should start your day. Sounds dramatic, but there is some truth there. This past year has brought many challenges to my family. Last January my husband left his company of ten years, we moved across country again, I lost two relatives. My brother, who I'm very close with, went through a terrible divorce. Wait a minute isn't this blog supposed to inspire, you ask? Of course it is.
     Through all the challenges the one constant for me was triathlon. I could swim, bike, and run away from the,"stresses," of life. But then this past January I was faced with an injury, so my triathloning was limited to swimming until I was able to heal. Thankfully, it was a just a few short months.
     One of the things I learned through this setback was that you do the very best you can with what you've got. Many times we have high expectations in our lives, only to be disappointed when things don't turn out how we want them to. I decided to accept the injury and do what I could do, but even deeper than that I realized that perhaps the,"higher," power above was telling me to slow down. Balancing family, work, and triathlon is not an easy task, and after being involved in it for ten years maybe someone was telling me to cool it.
    Reflection is a funny thing, and in today's busy environment most of us can't settle down enough at the end of the day to even get a good nights sleep. I would encourage everyone to slow down and reflect upon what the truly important things are in life.
     I am reminded of my step-mom, who I saw over Easter, who is suffering from a disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis. The disease is in the realm of rheumatoid arthritis. Basically, she is in chronic pain most of the time. She has tried many different medications, but nothing seems to help. One of the things I have learned from her is that you live each day as if it is your last, and you appreciate what you have.
     She never complains of her disease, and I know that she physically hurts all the time. She is dignified and happy despite her challenges, and never talks about it. When asked," How are you feeling?" Her response is always,"Great." My dad is the person who explains to all of my family that she is not great, but that she doesn't want to dwell on the negative. That is inspiring and courageous.
     I had my first race of the season last weekend at Beaver Dam in Wake Forest, NC. I was instantly revitalized again after racing. I had a great race, but what was even sweeter was the fact that I was out there doing it, despite the challenges and burn out I had faced months prior. I was reminded, while racing, how lucky I truly am. Through the pain of triathlon I realized the gains I had made. Sounds so crazy, but there was another guy doing the race and on the back of his cycle shirt was the phrase," Feel the pain." I could totally relate. I knew the pain I felt during my triathlon was nothing like the pain my step mom, and many others deal with every single day. What's three hours?
     Another aspect that revitalized me was the fact that there were nice people participating. There were several kind people in my transition area that helped soothe my nerves before we started. We joked around, gave each other tips, and a guy across from me gave me a piece of tape to better attach my race number to my helmet. Sounds corny, but even though we were all competing against each other, we could still be kind to each other. Once the race started, I was encouraged with words from other athletes like,"You look strong, keep it up," on the run course. If you've ever raced you know how important those words can be when you feel like giving up.
     I again was reminded of how lucky I was to be out there participating. It wasn't about the time or winning, but rather enjoying my ability to be there. I would recommend to anyone to sign up for a race. There are all levels and distances of triathlon. You don't have to do an Iron Distance to feel proud. That is one of the many reasons why I love triathlon.

Race- On Friends,
Kelly