Race Report by Athlete Rose S.
IMNC 70.3
10/21/2017

The weather was perfect; the start was 52 and high was 74. 
 
Swim:
I was in wave 12 so I had a lot of time before I started.  1.2 miles in the channel seem daunting. I usually get really nervous and the swim is the hardest part for me.  The current is strong this year.  The  water temperature is 70 degrees so I was excited about wearing a wetsuit and having salt water. My friend, Carmen, found me and we talked which relaxed me.  No warm-up time was allowed.  So I started to play with my watch and accidentally pushed the start button with 2 minutes to go.  I tried to stop it. Then, it went into transition mode.  I quickly try to get it restarted.   The horn blows so I just went.  I never made it to the far section of the water like I usually do.  So I just started swimming. I had practiced breathing every 2 strokes.  So I felt relaxed.  I was concentrating staying near the buoys to get the best pull from current.  I was drafting and bumped others.  But It's like I was in a trance because I was not getting overwhelmed.  I started seeing some white caps, the prior wave, which I am pink. So I just kept swimming.  It went by fast.  Swim: 29:46.

Transition 1: 
 
It is long but I just kept moving.  Awesome .25 mile run and I felt great to be able breathe.  I thought I needed arm warmers but now I felt warm and just ditch them.  T1: 7:22. (There is major time to improve here.)
 
Bike:
 
The bike is my strongest part.  I felt good even though it was hard to hold back in the beginning.   I really wanted to follow the race plan even though everyone was passing me now.    I held back in zone 2&3  and concentrated on eating and drinking. There are 3 metal bridges which some people walked. There was no way I was getting off my bike.  So I ignored the volunteers along with a few men.  Someone had an accident.
 I was eating a full Larabar and Scratch bottle every hour. I only practiced with half a bar but I was hungry like I predicted.   At mile 40, I started picking it up zone 4 and felt great even though there was some wind.  It was time for me to have fun, and start passing people.  I saw my coach and friends and the last descend and a zealous feeling came over me.  Bike 3:06:48 
 
Transition 2:
 I was pumped up but I needed to concentrate which is not good for my ADHD. So I tried to go slow down.  I put on my shoes without my calve socks.  So I had to take off my shoes and redo it.  Then I need a bathroom stop I forgot to take off my gloves so I threw them away.  T2: 5:26

Run:
I was stoked because this is the first half marathon I have run in 7 years.  It is a answered prayer so I have to slow myself down.  My plan was to hold a 9:30 pace and go faster.  The first mile was 9:38.  I saw my hubby and I was so excited.  I walked the water breaks to actually drink gatorade, and soda.  Mile 4, Kieth rode his bike and talked to me for a while.   Eight butterflies flew right near me while running.  The run was idyllic through  running in the woods. 
Mile 8, the fatigue sets in.. I tell my self to stay on pace.
Mile 13:  It felt great.  I sped up to 8:56 pace and can't wait to stop running.  The last .20 was glorious with the energy and the crowd.  Run: 2:07:57
 
Total time 5:57:19
 
I did not dream of breaking 6 hours. I enjoyed the race and stayed present.  I felt God's presence through the race and I was so grateful for my ability to do this.  I can honestly say, it was a blast!

Coaches Notes:

I really wanted to be there when Rose completed her first 70.3 Triathlon. There were also other local athletes competing in the race so Heather, Teresa, and I made the short 1:15 hour drive to Wilmington to cheer for everyone. It was a beautiful day and so much fun being the spectator (and not the athlete for once).

Here are a few Coaches Notes from Rose's race:

Positives: There are a lot of positives about this race. From a coaching and athletes perspective. Rose did amazing. She trained hard and she trained smart. She trusted me when my style of training differed from what she was accustomed to. She followed the Race plan and had a successful first Half Ironman. We kept the goals simple for this race... get to race day healthy and complete the race. I'd say we nailed both of those goals!

Things that need to be addressed:  Not much to say here. If/when Rose decides to do another 70.3 there are a few areas we can work on. If she wants to be more competitive (she will) then we'll work on getting her in/out of transition faster. We will continue to work on long course pacing and endurance.

It was an honor and privilege to coach Rose to her first 70.3 finish. I'm looking forward to next year and to see what she's capable of.

Coach Jay

Welcome to the Fifth and final installment of a 5 part Beginners Series.

In case you’ve missed the other posts, so far I’ve covered: Is Triathlon for me?, Picking Your First Race, Training for your First Triathlon, and Race Day!

You’ve just completed your first Triathlon. Congratulations! Completing a Triathlon is a huge accomplishment. Make sure to take time to reflect and enjoy that accomplishment. Then when you’re ready, it’s time to review your race experience.

When reviewing a race, I find it helpful to first review areas that you feel were successful. You can write out a list if that helps.  Then look at areas that you need to improve in or require more training in. Review everything starting with “did I get enough sleep the night before” to “did I finish the run strong”. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember, every race is an opportunity to learn. About yourself, about each sport, and about triathlon racing.

Once you’ve reviewed the individual parts, then review the experience as a whole. Did you have fun? Did you gain fitness while training? Do you want to do another Triathlon? Hopefully the answer to that last question is YES. If it was then you’ll have a few more decisions to make.

So now that’s you’ve finished your first, what do you want to do for your second one? Like I covered in the previous post (Picking your First Triathlon) there are so many different types and lengths of Triathlon to choose from. Remember to keep challenging yourself and try to get out of your comfort zone. You might try a longer distance Triathlon or maybe you will decide to train harder and be more competitive.

Another consideration is to add or upgrade your triathlon equipment. You don’t have to want to be competitive to benefit from better equipment. Triathlon specific equipment is usually more comfortable, easier to use and easier in transition. Tri suit, better/newer bike, Tri specific running shoes (elastic laces), run belt, and/or aero helmet are just a few ideas of equipment upgrades.

 Whether or not you decide to be more competitive in your next Triathlon, hiring a coach is always a good idea. A Triathlon coach will be able to help you become a better over-all triathlete. The coach will help identify areas where you can make the biggest improvements and then help you achieve them. A swim coach, cycling coach, and/or run coach are also an option if you just want help in one specific sport.

I hope you enjoyed this 5 part Beginners Series. If you have any specific questions please use the Contact Page and reach out to us. Triathlon can be a fun and rewarding sport. Even if you decide Triathlon is not for you, make sure to put a race on your calendar to stay motivated and keep moving. Exercise is so important for a healthy happy life. Find a sport or activity that interests you and stick with it. Happy Training!

Coach Jay

It's October and the weather is getting cooler, at least in some places.  Here in South Carolina it's still pretty warm during the day, but soup is always a good option for dinner.  I like to make a big pot of soup on the weekend for meals during the week.  It's a quick fix if you get home from work or the gym late and just don't have time or the energy to cook a meal.

This simple minestrone soup is easy to make and, as most of my recipes, easy to modify.  The recipe calls for white beans and I have used both Lima beans and Great Northern Beans - both are good.  The pasta can be any variety you like, but I find a smaller shape is best (small shells, rotini, etc.)  You can also leave out the pasta and add an ancient grain like Barley or Bulgar.

We think this soup is best when made a few days ahead of time.  It's easy to keep it oil free by sauteing the veggies in water instead of oil.

Jbird Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
2 quarts ( 8 cups ) vegetable broth
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (we like fire roasted)
1 large onion diced
4 - 5 carrots diced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
cooked (or canned) white beans - 3 1/2 cups (2 cans)
8 oz frozen peas
1 cup of bite size pasta
salt and pepper to taste

1)  In a small saucepan, just cover the diced carrots with water and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes.

2)  In your soup pot, saute the onions in water (about 1/4 cup adding more as needed), until soft.  Add the carrots and the carrot water to the onions.

3)  Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and saute for about a minute.

4)  Add all other ingredients.

5) Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, partially cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this soup!
Chef T