Hello people!! It's been a long time. I have been reading - but haven't had a chance to write and I'm sorry! Work has been intense - but, I've kept up the training for the triathlon and have been so looking forward to giving you guys the update on where I am!!
Dude. Triathlons and triathletes are ridiculous. This will be a recurring theme throughout this post. So, last week - I finished up the base/winter training program. Always, my plan was to do that four months on my own and then join a triathlon club so I really learn how to do this stuff, figure out the gear, make some friends that "get" this stuff and why I want to do it, have motivation of others to push myself harder....
So. I joined one. I found a good club with a great gym and huge pool. Included in the annual fee are a daily TOUGH workouts with superstars instructors. I was scared. Excited. I signed up for my first bike class on Tuesday morning at 5:30am . I put out my clothes and my sneakers the night before. Figured out what time I had to leave to get up there by then... I was like a kid before the first day of school!
I got myself to the gym no problem. And, I'm a morning person, so it's not that hard for me to get up at 5am. I walked into the spin class and there were a bunch of people dressed alike who looked at me like -- "what the f*ck are YOU doing here". So. A hard core spin class at a hard core gym???? Very different that my shi-shi manhattan experience - with orchids next to the spin bikes. Basically. It's a bare room. So I look around trying to figure out what to do - and see ok - I have to drag a spin bike to the middle of the room. Ok. Fine. So I do it. Then, someone starts screaming "NOOOOOOO put it on a mat" Ok. So grab a mat. Drag the bike onto the mat. Then think.... what now? The class is full at this point - with people who are all in the same get up and have fancy shoes made especially for bikes... hm? Anyway - so I am standing there - trying to look pleasant so maybe someone will help me. I'm smiling and I'm sure I looked like Rainman.
Finally, the girl next to me decides to speak to me... there is a God.... and, she opens her mouth... and I think...God Bless her she's going to help me! And, she says "what is WRONG with you?" Oh. Wow. So, I just say that I'm not sure how to work this stuff and she looks at me like I'm Osama Bin Laden - AND I smell like dog sh*t - and just says "ask the instructor". Nice. Also? She's clearly been doing this for an eternity. Whatever. So I walk up to the instructor when he finally shows up and, as I say a big "Hi! I'm new - do you think you can help me?" He interrupts and rudely says "give me a minute - i'll come over when I can..."
Ok. Fine.
But, I will tell you, and this is the Army brat in me - I know I will win over all of these people by month's end. They have their clique. They are going to be mean for a while - but, I'll wear them down. I went to three high schools - I know how to do this!!!
It turned out ok. The instructor finally set me up. I really enjoyed the class. All the base training paid off. I could do it all for the whole hour. It was really intense and geared completely towards tri-prep. But, they spoke another language completely. "Get it in the 3s!" "Let's do a cadence. Ok stop cadence!" I will get it eventually. Right now, I haven't a clue what they are talking about.
One girl forgot herself and actually smiled at me at the end of the class. I'm sure she was flogged for it later.
No matter. I got up the next morning for the 5:30am brick - and, I put my mat down and dragged the bike out and set up my seat. And, kicked a**. Then went and did a 25 minute run following. It felt great.
But, now all the training moves outside in Central Park.... and I don't have a bike yet - so, this is where my level crotch comes in.....
So, I want to get out in the Park with the tri club. Need to bite the bullet and buy a bike. Which - not only is it expensive - it will take up 100square feet of my 500square foot apartment...It's a real commitment I'm making. Anyway - I decided to take advantage of this "tripackage" that SBR has - so you get a bike, a helmet, the fancy shoes, two shorts and singlets... it's a great deal.
I went to SBR after work - thinking, I'll just go pick up a bike. Lord. FYI? Nothing in triathlons is easy. The SBR people are awesome - the people in the store were awesome... it was the first time I have encountered nice triathletes and I can't tell you how happy I was.
But, you just don't walk in and buy a bike. First of all, a bike comes in 295,035 pieces. Second, you need to pick out pedals - they aren't one of the 295,035 pieces. Third, you have to have your crotch measured. I am not kidding. I had to lean against a wall with a level between my legs - literally ALL the way up - when the bubble was where it was supposed to be - they measured my height to my knee and to my collar bone. Part of me thought maybe he was hitting on me - and then I remembered that my breath smelled like McDonalds and I have two inches of gray roots at the moment, and I thought, my crotch balance/imbalance must be important to this transaction.
I'll get a call tomorrow to find out when they will have a bike in my size and we'll go from there.
I am really loving this stuff. Which is good because now I have to work out six days a week for one to three hours. It's absurd - but, it's really helping that I'm a morning person because I can get it all out of the way before the city wakes up.
I will start writing more regularly and hope all of you guys are doing ok!!!! Love, Cathy
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4 comments:
Cathy, you just made my day. Wow, where do those people come from? In the Springs here we have gold medalists all around and at the gym (the US Olympic Training Center is here) and none act like that, most are super friendly and always willing to help.
You will love your shoes once you get them, they make a huge difference. Biking outside is a lot harder than spinning (if you have hills or wind), but spinning helps a ton. When you get your bike I would practice before your first group ride.
Cadence is your pedal strokes per minute. The most energy efficient pedal stroke is 90-99 per minute (what you want to maintain during a Tri). They are either checking for this (counting for 10 seconds) or he wants everyone to get into cadence and hold it there. I do at least one cadence ride a week using different gears but maintaining my cadence.
3s... I belive they would be refering to hand position (aerobar)? The only time I have ever heard the number 3 mentioned was in refence to hand position...but who knows with this group.
Good Luck and keep us posted.
I had two easy/off weeks due to a sick kid and I am suffering for it this week. Only one month to go for the Sprint Tri. I am pretty sure I am going to do a half Ironman at the end of the summer, but not sure if I will get any in between, C will most likely deploy midsummer.
I missed you Cathy! Glad to read you still have your sense of humor after all that. You're a better woman than me--I'd have walked out of that gym fuming!
My husband is hoping to do a sprint tri early next month. We're a little busy right now so he might not get it in. I'll watch and warn you if I see any "do not do this" moments. Good luck!
Cathy,
Welcome back. I missed you! Your post are always so entertaining.
I'm with E, I would have been so pissed that I would have just left. I aspire to be gracious, but I continue to fail.
You are right about that army brat thing. Ian will be in 3 high schools before graduating as well. He is very adaptable and not easily put off as well. Quite the survivor.
The people at your store sound great. Do they do group workouts? I love my store for the same reasons you found. They are positive, supportive and they push me. My store is also a tri store. They have group workouts all week. If they don't do the group thing or it is not what you need, maybe you can find a partner that can go to the gym cycling class and kick those other girls asses for you and not be their friend.
Your post made me remember my experience being measured for a bike. It was in Germany and the guy had me lean over into a riding position; then got right behind me in a sorta sexual position. Meanwhile he's saying something in German; I can only imagine what, all the while feeling for my hip bones. So much fun :).
I agree with Rachel...get out there and practice if you can. I have fallen on my bike about 3 times now. Each time has been when I had to unclip on an uphill. That is by far the most difficult thing to do! Not too many hills in Central Park but ya never know!!
good luck!
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