TriSupporter

Back from WIBA

Rianman and I went to Madison this past weekend so Rianman could partake in WIBA...a weekend of training on the Ironman Wisconsin routes. This post is recap of the weekend. I'm hoping Rianman will be a guest author and give his own recap. You can also check out other recaps at tri.robbyb.com, Ironwil and Steve in a Speedo?! (funny to read and there are some group photos).

Friday

We left KC Friday morning at 4 am (!) so Rianman could get in a 56-mile bike ride before the 5pm registration. Well work got in the way and instead of riding, he worked from the hotel. At 4:45pm we walked from the Hilton to Gino's for the registration and so I could drop off the cowbell keychains as part of the swag for WIBA participants. We met RobbyB and Ironwil (organizers); Rianman registered and I helped stuff the keychains into water bottles along with red and white WIBA 2008 rubber bracelets (think Live Strong). Unfortunately Rianman couldn't stay for dinner and the presentation because of last minute conference calls. I went to Fitchburg to meet my MIL and SIL who drove in from Illinois--girls night. Later Friday, Rianman and I met up and got all his gear ready for the morning. (Tip: fill the sink with ice and use it to keep water bottles cold till morning--works great.)

Saturday

The plan for Saturday was swim in the morning then ride the course and finish with a short run. Let me say that on Saturday morning when Rianman got up at 5 am...I was asleep. While he swam in Lake Mendota (venue change due to high bacteria levels in Lake Monona), I slept. Around 9 am Rianman came back to the hotel after the swim so he could get the bike. I needed the car Saturday so I had to drop him off at Olin Park to start the bike course with other WIBAers (is that a word?)

Here's a group picture before the ride...Rianman is in yellow jersey on the right.

While Rianman was out riding 112 miles...I was in Delafield (about an hour east of Madison) having a wonderful visit with friends. At about 2:45 pm terrible storms came through the region with high winds, hail, and rain. I was sure the WIBA crew were going to be hurtin'. I returned to Madison, but not before hitting the outlet mall in Johnson Creek (I have my priorities). I had planned to meet my MIL that afternoon, but she stayed in Illinois due to the storms.

I got back to Madison and Rianman soon returned to the hotel having done the entire 112 mile route. He said he had a great ride and rode with a great group of people including Kat, Kerrie, and Val. (Note: he rode the whole time with girls!) He said he was feeling pretty good and was really glad he did the whole route cause the 2nd loop was tougher giving him respect for the course but also confidence that he could do it. He did struggle with the food issue...just gels and liquids for that long is not working for him. He'll try to get some solid foods in during long rides to test it out.

Saturday night was a group dinner at The Great Dane. I wasn't planning on going but Rianman said the "bell lady" should be there. Apparently, I was being called the "bell lady". As long as I'm not called the "CRAZY Bell Lady", I'm okay. Anyway...we went to The Great Dane, but after awhile Rianman was just wanting something bland...like rice as his stomach was not doing well after the long day. So we didn't partake in the group dinner and I didn't get to meet the ladies Rianman rode with.

Sunday

On Sunday morning, the WIBA plan is to run at 7:30 am for 2 hours. Again, Rianman woke up at 5 am and I slept. Again, while Rianman was running, I was sleeping. You can sort of see how the weekend went for me. I spent the morning sitting at the Monona Terrace overlooking the lake and reading. It was perfect. A little respite before the long ride home. At 10:00 or so Rianman got back and we got ready to leave. We planned to go to the final WIBA event, a talk at Endurance House. It would also be an opportunity for me to meet some of the people he met. But the fates were not on our side. We left the hotel at 11 am and thought we were going to Endurance House, but we actually we were going the wrong way. By the time we got turned around it was 11:30 and we just decided to head out home. With an 8 hour drive ahead of us, we just needed to get moving.

So was it worth it???

"Heck yeah," says Rianman. Kudos to RobbyB, Ironwil, and Evotri for organizing a great weekend. Rianman needed to ride and run the route and get his bearings on the venue...where the transitions are, what to expect, etc. He did that, got great information, feels much more comfortable and confident (thanks to Rob, Sarah, and Ann). A big plus for him: he met some very nice people and he hopes to see them on September 7th.

Water bottle anyone?

Do you have a shelf like this in your house?

There is another shelf just for supplements and space alloted in two other cabinets for bulk purchases/over stock...enough to start selling online I think.

 

Is there a bike mechanic in the house?

Bikes aren't complicated, right? I mean I don't really understand all the physics of them and the gears and the shifting. Last night I read a section in "Going Long" that "gear down" means shift up and "gear up" mean shift down? What??? Heck when I ride my Specialized hybrid, I leave it in the middle ring and just shift around from there. I don't know what those other rings are for and I'm too lazy to figure it out.

But, fixing them isn't supposed to be complicated is it? There's no motor. No computer. No muffler. It's all exposed...right there for a person to fix. But there is no bike mechanic in this house and that is one thing this TriSupporter is not going to become.

This morning, Rianman called to say I've got to bring the bike into Trek to see what's causing a new rubbing sound and get it ready for this weekend.  Okay, fine. I'll go. But.....

Why doesn't he fix his own bike? He took an all day bike mechanic course in NC. He's got a book with pictures. He's even got a killer stand and tools. It's all collecting dust in the basement.

He's not mechanically inclined. I need to accept that. It's not just the bike...he doesn't fix things around the house either. I know this after 12 years together. It's why we have a regular handyman.

And, why I'll be leaving for the Trek store soon.

A long, lonely training day

Another Saturday and another long training ride...for Rianman, courtesy of Coach Ken. Rianman left around 9 am for a 90 mile ride followed by a 20 minute run. What does this mean for me? Well I started with a 1 hour 20 minute walk with a 20 minute break at the local Starbucks. I cancelled spin...didn't feel like sweating out in a class when I could enjoy a decent summer day.

Came home, showered, sat down with the laptop and mindlessly turned the tv on. It took me 10 minutes to realize I was watching "Veggie Tales"---damn I need to find something else to do.

I could work in the yard except now it is too hot and quite frankly I'm tired of being the only one who works in the yard around here!

I could shop. That's always a good way to fill the time. But expensive. And I'm trying to avoid mindless consumerism if possible.

I could go to the gym and hang out at the 'adult' pool. But I hear it's like meat market there so I'll avoid it.

What's a TriSupporter to do? We don't have kids, but we have dogs. I think I'll go check out a fundraiser for a local animal shelter. At least I'll fill me time for a good cause.

I am a TriSupporter....hear me whine!!!!

Sharing the road with cyclists

This morning I was driving around town completing some errands. After a stop at Starbucks, I was making my way home through scenic residential neighborhoods. As I was rounding a bend, a dump truck was stopped in my lane forcing me into the oncoming lane, which also had a parked vehicle.  But as I approached, I almost didn't notice the two cyclists, maybe on a training ride, coming towards me...so I stopped and waved them through before weaving my way through the parked cars. They thanked me as they passed.

I'm glad I stopped...but as I continued on, I wondered if my own husband weren't out on the streets several times a week, would I have stopped? Would I have even seen them? If it had been another driver, would he or she have stopped?

I think Rianman taking up triathlons has been a good thing for a number of reasons and one is that I'm much more aware of cyclists (and runners). I think I always was, but maybe I didn't defer to them as much as I do now.

Rianman isn't big into group rides, despite me begging him to ride with others. Everytime he leaves, I worry. I don't worry so much about him being stupid by running lights or anything, but I worry about all the  drivers. The ones that aren't paying attention, that don't defer to cyclists, and those few that actually have disdain for cyclists.

It's hard to tell all the drivers to share the road, but I hope that when I or anyone else stops or slows down for a cyclist, that other drivers are paying attention and they learn to be aware and Share the Road--it's our husbands, wives, moms, dads, children, sisters, and brothers out there.

Cowbells at WIBA Wisconsin Brick Adventure

As part of Rianman's Ironman Wisconsin training, he's taking part in the 2008 Wisconsin Brick Adventure aka WIBA (wee-bah) put on by uber tri-bloggers IronWil and RobbyB, and Team EvoTri. So next weekend we'll hop in Charlie, the trusty tri-mobile, and drive the 8 or so hours to Madison...hopefully avoiding the flooded highways of Iowa. (Please keep the residents in your thoughts.)

Rianman's weekend will be full of training fun while mine will be full of sitting around! Yup, TriSupporter duties call for a co-captain and navigator on long road trips. I don't mind...heck...if I want Rianman to get there alive, I need to help drive. If you know him, you know two things:

1. he gets lost
2. he gets very sleepy behind the wheel

Last night I contacted the the friendly folks putting on WIBA to see if they'd like a donation of keychain cowbells. Happily they said yes. I'm proud to announce the TriSupporter cowbell keychains will make their first Swag appearance. I want to hear mini cowbells ringing across the Midwest!!!

It's too late to register for WIBA 2008, but if your triathlete is planning for the 2009 IMWI, then keep WIBA in mind.

IMKS 70.3 Flickr Photos UP

Put up the photos from the weekend at our Flickr account.

The Day After Ironman Kansas 70.3

It's the 70.3 that wasn't. Rianman found this modified logo (citation anyone?)

I also checked out Little Miss Runner Pants and I think she sums it up nicely in her blog. Heck she's moving to Texas!

The results are in and Rian finished the shortened race at 6:01:49.25. He took about 5 minutes each for the two transitions.

Today this TriSupporter is feeling very very tired. Funny how I didn't participate but I always feel like a Mack truck hit me at the end of the day. Why is that? See the life of a TriSupporter ain't easy.

Ironman Kansas 70.3 Race Day

Starting Out

We started the morning at 3:00 am…well to be honest I started it at 3:16 am while Rianman started it at 3:00 am. Our goal was to be on the road at 3:45 and at 3:47 we were in the car. Rianman drove while I tried to stay perky. We arrived at 5 am among a convoy of cars loaded with triathletes and their supporters and parked in a wet, grassy knoll a quarter mile from the race site. Not too bad.

Rianman and I got all the gear together and schlepped it down to the transition area. I think combined we had 4 bags including my chair-in-a-bag and a bike pump. While Rianman set up his transition space, I set up my TriSupporter space under an oak tree perfectly situated at the bike start/finish and the first turn of the run where any triathlete would have to pass four times.

We then met up to check out the swim start and to watch the Navy Seals drop from the sky and land perfectly on the big 'x' in the sand. It was impressive, as they seemed to toss and turn about the sky; it seemed certain they wouldn't make the 'x' but in their precision, they did. Their jump immediately preceded the National Anthem, which was followed by the start of the Pro wave of about 40 racers.

The Race Begins: Swim

At 6:54 am, I helped Rianman into his wetsuit. I sprayed him down with silicone spray and he managed to easily put it on …zipper in the back! At 7:00 am he joined the other 35-39 year old men in their 7:03 start wave. By then the Pros were well on their way to finishing the 1.2 mile swim. The horn sounded and what has to be one of the biggest age groups slowly marched their way into the water to start their 70.3 mile journey.

I then went to stake out a spot at the swim exit so I could try to get some pictures. I met some nice people from Wichita and from Arizona sharing some cowbells. About 39 minutes later, Rianman came running out of the swim. I rang my little cowbell and snapped a picture. He looked fresh. I walked over to the bike start to wait for Rianman to move to the bike portion.

The Bike

After I saw Rianman off at the bike start, a woman stopped to ask about my t-shirt (70.3 miles till I get my husband back). Carla is from Lenexa and was there supporting her triathlete, Carl. Both Rianman and Carl are in the same age group. We ended up spending the better part of the race together and it was a great time! We had much in common and it made the long day go by quickly.

We tried to hop on the shuttle that was to take us to a prime viewing spot for the bike course, but the organizers had to cancel it for logistics reasons – I think it disappointed many people. We ended up back at the oak tree waiting for the guys to return from the bike and transition to the run. While there we met Susan and her two young boys living in Overland Park (from Greenbay – lots of cheeseheads today). Both Rianman and her husband are training for Ironman Wisconsin so I'm sure we'll be seeing them around.

The Run

As the Pros started the run, it became apparent there were not enough volunteers to keep the runners from crashing into each other. We watched as a woman from Greenbay took it upon herself to volunteer guiding the runners on the course. As the number of runners continued to climb, Carla and I took our positions as volunteers trying to keep the runners from crashing into each other at a tight turn where runners were both coming and going.

I guess that's another TriSupporter duty…volunteer when necessary. We don't only support our favorite triathlete, but all triathletes.

Welcome to Kansas

Just as the last cyclists came in to start the run, the storm clouds came too. What started as a beautiful, summery day turned stormy very quickly. The winds were gusty and it was quite dark…it didn’t look good but there was no lightening so the race would continue despite the giant blow up Gatorade bottle blowing over along with the other inflatables. It seemed like a storm that would quickly blow over but the race organizers felt it was necessary to call the race. This is never a good thing. Many were just starting their first loop in a two-loop course. They would never have the chance to finish what they started.

I anxiously waited to see Rian round the last turn hoping he'd make it in before they called it. When I saw him, he had a smile on his face and he said, "Don't tell me. I don't want to know." And kept running. As the sherpa, I felt so bad…pretty sure he wouldn't have an official finish, but I worked my way over to the finish line waiting for him to cross, hoping that somehow he would get to complete the whole course.

With three bags in hand, rain starting, thunder and lightening around us, we supporters waited for our triathletes sad to know they were indeed forced to cut the race short but proud to see them cross the finish line. I actually missed Rian crossing the line but he found me and told me that with only 3 miles (out of 13.1) left, they cut him off and he was forced to go down the finish shoot.  I know he's disappointed, but he also feels really good because he finished feeling strong and he knew the last three miles were possible and he was on target to beat his Duke Half time. I think it built his confidence for Wisconsin and that's what's important.

Post Race

As for more TriSupporter duties, I went with him to go get his bike and gear and, of course, it started pouring as we made our way back to the car each of us weighed down with multiple bags, towels, etc. The line of cars out was long and hardly moved. Some cars got stuck in the muddy parking areas but we eventually made our way out with me at the wheel and Rianman chatty from the endorphin rush.

All in all a great race day and I even made some new TriSupporter friends. I'm proud of Rianman's effort, but I'm prouder of his attitude. When some would be angry not to finish, he kept his focus on the positive and that rubs off keeping ME from getting whiney at having to schlep stuff through the cold rain.

(Writing this as Rianman is getting a massage.)

Tips for wearing a wetsuit

Today was bike check in at the Ironman Kansas 70.3 at Clinton Lake in Lawrence. After Rianman got his  gear together in our dining room(!), we took off with the bike, wetsuit, and running gear so he could also do a light workout at the site before checking his bike in.

When we pulled up to the race sight around 2 pm, we parked in the grassy edge along the road to the beach behind a line of cars most decked out with a bike rack of some kind and at least one item that identified the driver as a triathlete. We parked behind KS tag 'SWMBKRN' who was clearly an Ironman(woman actually--you rock!!). There were 140.6, M-Dot, 70.3, and USAT oval stickers every you looked. Triathletes are not a shy bunch.

While I sat in the car and read my book, Rianman started with a quick bike ride...everyone seemed to be doing that as the road was littered with the drivers and passengers of those cars previously mentioned. Rianman returned after about 30 minutes and then went on a quick run. Once he returned, we got the bike and wetsuit and walked about 1/2 mile to the bike checkin and beach so he could also test out the waters and the wetsuit. Gosh it was hot - sunny and about 85 degrees--thank god for my sun hat.

Rianman got his bike checked in and then we headed over to the beach where locals and triathletes mingled at the beach...but with very different intentions. Relaxing at the beach, tossing a beach ball was not what the triathletes cared to do. Small groups of men and women were slathering on Body Glide, adjusting their goggles, and putting on wetsuits to test out the choppy, murky lake water.

As Rianman prepped the suit, I sprayed him down with TriSlide which is a silicone lubricant that should help with putting the suit on and with chaffing. I felt like I was prepping a pan for cooking some eggs. Well he put one leg in, stretched to get it to fit, then the other leg. It was going pretty smoothly. He started getting it up around his waist.

So, maybe you're thinking..."where's the tip?" Let me say it's not about using TriSlide or Body Glide or Pam -- most people have that down. The tip is below.

As Rianman pulled the suit up to slide in an arm...I noticed something was off. Oh my god!!! I quick looked around as the group next to us got their wetsuits on and there it was...Rianman has his suit on backwards!! The zipper was in the front, and the not the back where it should be!!

Without laughing too loudly to bring attention to the disaster about to happen (putting it on backwards is NOT cool when 50 other triathletes are standing around), I quickly said, "It's on backwards!" We think he stopped before anyone noticed. At this point he is dripping sweat. He peels off the wetsuit as we're both laughing out loud.

He finally did get it on okay. Chalk this up to lesson learned. So the tip for wearing a wetsuit is, make sure the zipper is in the back BEFORE putting it on.

We leave at 3:30 am tomorrow morning. See you at the race.