Injury

So, I'm injured. Not like how I was when I fell off my bike, but in a worse, less vissible way. Last Saturday I did my first open water swim. I totally freaked out. Swimming in a lake is significantly different from swimming in a pool. It's especially freaky to be in the deep cool dark expanse of the lake. My form went all to hell, and in the process I totally strained/pulled my right shoulder. I've tried to take a little time off from the practice to let myself heal, but I got back into it too soon, and today my should is still hurting like all hell. It stinks that it's my right shoulder, too. Since I'm right handed I use that arm A LOT.

Ah well, such is the life of a triathlete.

technical note on comments

to those friends who would have left a coment before, but were disuaded by the complex nature of it, the process should be much simpler now. The blog was on default settings, I had no idea it was such a pain. So feel free to comment abundantly now (please!).

Over the Hill

Last night we did hill training in west Austin. For the first time since the team workouts began, I am so super sore. This hill was probably about a 20-30 degree incline over 100 yards. We went up and down that thing five times. I was consumed by mosquitos, sweating like a sweaty runner, and nearly wanted to die by the time I reached the top. I hit 193 bpm, which was unpleasent, but I think I need to adjust my max heart rate (which I had estimated at 195). I just don't think I was that close to meeting my absolute limit.

This morning I am sore and stiff, and looking forward to an easy hour bike ride this afternoon. My hip kinda hurts, but all and all I feel fine.

This Saturday we have our first open water swim practice. I'm a little nervious, but excited too. I love living near the race site, I think it gives me an advantage over out of towners.

bike bite

You are now looking at my first wound inflicted by a fall off my bike caused by my clippless pedals. It's my first fall with the pedals, and only my 2nd fall in my adult bicycling venture. This picture doesn't fully capture the grossness/coolness of this battle wound. There's also a lot ofbruising, and there was more blood.

I was on a longish (very long 30 miles to me) ride with my friend, S, when I tipped over during our rest at the half way point. I was standing over the bike, began to loose my balance, and couldn't get my foot out of the left pedal. I knew I was going to fall, and there was nothing I could do about it. My right leg hit across my front gears, and I scraped up my left knee (I think there are still tiny pieces of
sand in my knee). Totally embarrassed, I brushed it off, got back on and we road back home.

The back of my right calf was killing me. Water leaked from the mouth piece of my camelback and ran down the back of me leg stinging and burning the whole way. For
a while I thought I just lost a couple of layers of skin, but after a bit I was sure I was bleeding. Being clipped into the bike and the cuts being on the back of my leg, there was no way I could see what was going on there. When we got back to the car I finally got a good look. My leg was cover in dirt, chain grease, blood and sweat. Thebruises where barely starting to show. And I though, "This is the raddest scrape I've ever had!"

I'm at work today in a skirt for two reasons. The scrape is kinda sensitive and pants across the skin kinda hurt. And I'm hoping someone asks me about it so I can sound all tough and hardcore.

splish splash

100 feet is longer that 25 yards, I'll have you know. And when you do a workout in a pool that is 25 feet longer than you usually swim, it take a lot longer to do. This morning's swim was nearly an hour, but it was awesome none the less.

Odd note, I've gained 1 lb, but lost 1% body fat. Huray muscle!

New Heart Rate Monitor

Timex Ironman Triathlon Heart Rate Monitor (the new HRM)


So, somehow between last Wednesday and last Thursday I've lost the watch to my heart rate monitor. The HRM is a two part system, one is the chest strap that picks up the electrical sygnals and transmits them to the reciever, which is the watch part. I've been at a total loss without it. I've looked high and low for this thing, and alas, it could not be found.

Yesterday I looked all over Austin to see if I could either buy a watch to go with my chest strap, or just get a whole new contraption. From training with my team, I've learned one thing about HRM. I really like Timex. It seems like the way the computer is set up is just much more intuative than Polar, and the design is much more normal looking than any other brand I've seen.

So I figured I might as well upgrade. My new HRM has 5 zones it tracks, calorie counter, 30 lap (something the old one didn't have), watch, timer, average and max HR, and recovery timing. Myabe it will do my taxes too. It's not as pretty as my old one, but it's still pretty sweet. I know now that in about a week, when this new HRM gets all sweety and there's no way I can return it, the watch to my other HRM will show up. It's truely the way of the world.