Today was, well....utterly exhausting but totally exhilarating at the same time. We did our first BRICK. A brick is when you put two of the three events together, which means that you have to also complete the 'transition' between the two events. Triathlon transitions (there are two of them, one from the swim to the bike, and one from the bike to the run) are considered to be the fourth event of the triathlon because the race clock does not stop counting, and they can be really tricky. If you foul up a transition it can set you back mentally for the rest of the race. So, prior to our actual Brick workout, we learned about how to set up a transition zone (you set it up on a small towel, and that is the only space you have to get out of your old gear and into your new gear!), and how to rapidly change out of your bare feet (SWIM) and into your biking socks/shoes/helmet (BIKE) and how to get out of your biking gear and into your running shoes (RUN). Not a totally simple task, but we are getting great tips from our coaches. We also talked about tri clothing (finally!)....I've been wondering ever since I began this journey how in the world I was going to adorn my body in such a way that I would be ready for anything! Disappointing though it was to Charles (who has been hoping he'd get to see me hopping around on a small towel in my jog bra and underwear trying to get my bike shorts on while soaking wet!), it turns out that they make triathlon suits that you wear under your wet suit, and that double as biking and running gear...they dry really quickly because of the fabric they are made of. Very cool....glad someone has been thinking up these inventions that will make our experience during the triathlon so much more enjoyable (and less naked!).
The Brick today was a 12 mile bike ride followed by a 2 mile run (with a transition in between). We were out at Sauvie's Island so the ride was flat, but we cruised! In fact, Debbie, Val, Will and I leapfrogged the whole way so our overall speed was really good. I kept up with all of them, though I was having trouble figuring out how to drink enough while breathing as heavily as I was (at one point I took a mouthful of water and had to spit it out all over the road because it was more important to breathe than to drink!). We transitioned at the school, ...I jumped off the bike near my towel, bent down to release my shoe clasps and... BAM, major charley horse in my left calf...but I tried to ignore it, threw my helmet off, slipped into my running shoes, tied them up, and set out for the run...very slowly at first, shuffling my feet like Glen had instructed us to. WOW, my legs felt like taut rubber bands at their limit, and they felt totally disconnected from my hips. It took about 3-4 minutes before things started to feel a bit more normal, though I was still tight and really tired. To be honest, I felt like I was running through molasses...I was sure I was moving really slowly! But, it turns out that I was running at nearly my normal pace...I finished second overall and my run pace was about 8:30 per mile. So I guess it just felt really weird. My sense is that it gets easier into the third mile and beyond because my legs started relaxing and loosening at the end of the second mile. After I caught my breath, I stretched a bunch, and drank a ton of electrolytes and ate some nuts right away while cheering on the rest of the team.
Everyone completed the Brick today, and I think all of us deserve to be very proud of what we have accomplished. I was so inspired watching everyone finish! When I got home, I took a long hot bath with mineral salts, and fell asleep for an hour ... I never nap in the middle of the day! I also drank about a gallon and a half of water throughout the rest of the day.
GO PAC GROVE TEAM!
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