My first Triathlon season

My first Triathlon season is now complete. It's amazing how I even got talked into it, but it has been a great incentive to get back into shape. In April, I was talking to one of my friends about my new bike, and somehow the conversation shifted directions, and I found myself saying "yes" when Anita asked me to do the Danskin Triathlon with her and Jennifer. When I searched the internet about the triathlon, I found out that it was considered a Triathlon SPRINT: 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride, and a 3 mile run. I thought that I could probably do that. I may not be a runner, but 3 miles shouldn't be that bad, along with swimming and biking that I love. Yikes! I was in for a surprise.

I had 2 months to train and prepare for the Tri, so I used my gym membership more frequently, and tried to get into jogging (I hate running). I have been a strong swimmer, and I biked long distances a few times in SD (thanks to my brother Wayne..), so I thought I didn't have much training to do, just combine them to increase my endurance. What I neglected to remember at the time was that it's been QUITE a while since I've been on a bike and since I've been in a pool. My endurance did increase, but I later found out it still wasn't enough.

By the time the Triathlon came I already was able to swim 1000 meters (in a pool) and bike the 12 miles (lets not talk about the jogging). This was my first time to swim in open water. A couple things about triathlon swimming is that it's in open water (Decker Lake), and you're trying to swim around a lot of arms and legs of other swimmers. This is the biggest women triathlon sprint that Austin has, so there were A LOT of arms and legs. I started off pretty good, had a good rhythm, but ran into someone's legs and got kicked. When I slowed down to recollect myself, I got slapped by someone's arm that was swimming by. I was told that if I got tired during the swimming to just float on my back to rest before continuing on, but when I did that I got splashed on that there was no rest. What would take 20 minutes for me to swim, it took me nearly 40 minutes. The good thing was that there were plenty of volunteers in Kayaks to rest and wait until there was an open spot in the sea of people to continue on without battling others to swim. When I finally made it to land, I praised God that was over, until someone yelled, "Way to go! One leg of the race down, 2 more to go!" WHAT?! Can I just finish now?

The biking and running were not as bad, since they were both on dry land, and I could rest more often without worrying about drowning. I did pretty good with the biking, except with 2 steep hills that a lot of women actually walked their bikes up. There's one interesting hill that surprised everyone even when we were warned about it at the pre-race meeting. There's one hill that you would go downhill and pick up speed, but as you turn the corner of the trail there's an even steeper hill to bike up. You would have to change your gears to the lowest gear as possible before you get to the bottom just to take the steep hill around the corner. I didn't get to that low gear in time, so I got half way up the hill before I had to walk the rest of the way up.

Of course, its not a complete bike ride for me unless I fall off at some point. While I was biking, my seat somehow became loose. I decided to stop to fix it. [Ok, before going on I need to say this: I don't like clips on my pedals (instead of pedals, bikers clip special bike shoes into specially made pedals for more pedal control). Fearing that my shoes won't unclip off the pedals in time before I stop, I decided to use a cage and strap pedal that you can slip the toes of your shoe into.] When I was slowing down to stop, I slipped my right foot out of the strap and was going to lean to the right as I stopped (you know where this is going, don't ya.) Instead, my bike started leaning to the left, and I couldn't get my left foot out of the strap in time and I fell down on my left side (I'd say "how embarrassing", but that's me --I might as well embrace it), and I almost got ran over by another biker. Needless to say, I got my seat fixed, my abrasions cleaned up, and what pride I had left back on the bike and rode on. By the time I got back for the running portion, I was ready to walk the rest of the way. I did jog every so often, and especially at the last mile. Praise God I made it to the finish line on my feet.

After the Danskin triathlon, I was determined to finish a triathlon sprint, but swim non-stop, bike non-stop, and run non-stop. I signed up for another Tri Sprint with my friends Jocelin and Dana, and trained a lot more. My second and last Tri Sprint of the season was this past weekend. The swim distance was 500 meters (less than Danskin's), but I still remembered my last experience in open water and was getting nervous. I prayed I wouldn't choke like I did at the Danskin, and the Lord reminded me what I've always done whenever I swim: find my swim stroke rhythm and pray while working out. I went into the water with my swim wave group, and prayed how awesome He is. I had friends motivating me, but none did as great a job as the Lord did. Thank you, Jesus. I swam non-stop, and had a few arms and legs, but not as bad as the last time. I got out the water, and ran to the transition area where our bikes were racked at (1/4 mile away from the lake shore). I got my bike equipment on, and off I went. I biked 14 miles, non-stop, and then run/walk non-stop (it was hot (96 degrees)). I ran the last mile in, but felt a whole lot better in my accomplishment (especially the swimming portion). Maybe I'll do another Triathlon season next year, but let's see how in shape I am by then. Hopefully, I might have actually found the love for jogging by then.

Click here to check out my photos on Facebook.

Another Texas experience?..

Ok, about a month or so ago, I met this fabulous lady named Jen. She moved from St Louis about 3-4 months ago,and has been learning about Texas as well. One story she shared with me recently is so funny that I can't even describe it as well as she did, so below is the link to her blog site to read her adventure. Jen, thank you so much.

http://healthydoseofgrace.blogspot.com/2008/08/for-those-of-you-who-may-have-been.html

Enjoy.
Leona

Is Texas a foreign country?

It's incredible to see how much things have changed in my life. When I first moved to Texas, I could only describe it as a another country. I've lived in 3 states so far when I first got here, and I've seen how different it is. When I was first here, I was constantly reminded that I was in Texas by every billboard I drove by on the freeway, and I found myself saying, "wow, I'm in Texas. What am I doing in Texas?" I have to admit, I didn't like it at first. A lot of pride, a lot of country music, and no friends or family. I learned that the kids learn World history, US history, and Texas history. I've heard of different laws here, that I've never heard in other cities, like: if you lend your car to a teenager, and they are at fault of a fatal crash, YOU are charged of the death even if you weren't in the car. There are other things, but I can't remember them now.

But, Texas has grown on me now.

I love living here. Living in Austin, the liberal dot of Texas. I love the live music I hear especially on the weekends as I run passed a little leagues baseball field. I love the green lushest sceneries only the Hill Country of Texas can give you. Not the same as SD. I love the friends I've met here. The hospital I work at. Even the church that I'm going to, Austin Stone Community Church. My heart has changed, and I've been assimilated ..TO A POINT. I still have the salty ocean in my blood, and San Diego is always on my mind and a special part of my heart. I now have 2 homes: San Diego and Texas. (BTW, did you know there's a San Diego, TX here? Nothing like the real thing though) Of course, some things in Texas throw me for a loop, and on occasion its still a foreign country to me.

On the Trails again (to the tune of On the Road again.)

Yes, that's right. I bought myself a new mountain bike. Check it out. I'm back on the trails. Actually, I'm not on the trails yet. I promise I will be careful this time.





For those of you that don't know, I've had a history with mountain biking before I stopped. I gave my mountain bike to my niece when I was getting closer to leaving as a travel nurse, and I couldn't take it with me. (Others would give another reason, but I like mine better.) We don't need to revisit the past. And, like I said, I'll be careful..

Austin is filled with so many trails to ride, and quite a few for novices. However, I haven't taken it on the trails yet. I've been training for a triathlon sprint right now, so I changed my tires out to slicks (road tires) to ride on the roads. I did my first Triathlon sprint in June, and crossed the finish line on my feet!! Big accomplishment there. I have yet to get the pictures for that, but I promise (Wayne) I will share them when I get them from a friend. My next Triathlon Sprint (shorter version of a triathlon) is on Aug 24. I'd say wish me luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. By God's grace, I'll finish, so pray for me that I do better than before.

A "friend"-ly visit

I haven’t written in my blog for a while. (last Thanksgiving) I’ve been trying to think of what to write about, and a few of my friends gave me some ideas: make it a non-travel blog, write a different journey, write about my experiences in Texas/Austin, about life, etc. So, be prepared to see interesting trips, silly and trivial thoughts, and whatever comes to my mind. Since it HAS been a while since I last written, there’s a lot I need to update you on, but I won’t bombard you with it all at once.

Recently, my friend Kerrie made it to Austin, TX, on her way to San Diego, and I’ve been touring Austin with her for the past week or two. I don’t have any pictures to share, since I’ve been to most of these places, and I also forgot my camera. I’ll steal some of her pictures once she downloads them, and share them with you.

We went to Barton Springs Pool which is a natural spring, and as cold as the Pacific Ocean. Well, the temp of the ocean in San Diego (60’s), opposed to in Vancouver area (40’s). It was nice. No waves, we were able to float and chat, and stay cool. The difference was that instead of seaweed floating on the water, it was moss. LOTS of moss. There was a point where there was so much moss floating around us, that we attempted to move to a more clearer area. Still moss, but not as much. Afterwards, I took her to lunch at an awesome place called Austin Java. GOOD food.

One of the things that Austin has besides independent coffee shops/restaurants, live music on every corner, and a health-y atmosphere (almost everyone jogs here), they are famous for their largest urban bat colony. Yes, those rat-looking creatures with wings. The bat colony made a home under one of the bridges in downtown area, and every night at dusk, the bats fly out from the same spot of the bridge in a black/grey ribbon. I took Kerrie to that bridge to watch, and the whole side of the bridge where the bats come out from under it had people lined up at the railing to watch. Austin also has a park at the bottom of the bridge for people to sit and watch from. When it was dusk, the bats were punctual. They dumped before they flew out, and it was “potent”, as Kerrie described it. We watched 3 ribbons of bats coming out from under the bridge, and came together as one big ribbons as they flew higher. They didn’t fly above us, so we were good. The stench was not as bad, and we didn’t get any of the guano (bat poop) on us. Neither did the observers at the bat park.

The next outing we had, we road tripped to San Antonio. This is the second time for me, and the first for Kerrie. We went to the Alamo and The Riverwalk. The Alamo tour had a LONG line, so we just took pictures of the Alamo, and then spent the rest of the day at the Riverwalk. We took a boat ride tour of the Riverwalk, but most of the time just window shopped and caught up on what was going on in our lives since we last saw each other in San Diego.

Right now, we’re just relaxing at a Coffee shop, and enjoying a sunset view over Lake Austin, while playing on our computers. This is a day of rest for both of us. Be ready for more stories. To be continued….

Leona