Monday, March 15, 2010

Big Fish, Little Fish, and Bottom Feeders

You probably noticed that someone stole an hour from most of us over the weekend.  Yes, you lucky folks in Arizona and Hawaii still have your hour.  Wait.  Maybe you've been stealing them all along. 

THIEVES!

Off to the races...

After losing that hour and not being able to sleep all that well anyway, I somehow got out of bed Sunday morning for the St. Patrick's Day Triathlon.

The weather was nice.  There was no wind in the chilly transition area at 6:30 am when I arrived and arranged my stuff but I was glad when they let us inside the natatorium to hang around for the start of the race. 

Swimmers hit the water by 7:40 am and I listened to a dude playing bagpipes for over an hour before it was my turn to swim.  Can I have his lung capacity?

In the pool, I felt pretty good until the next to last leg.  That's when I encountered octopi.  No, these weren't critters recently escaped from the ocean, but they were men flailing about doing every stroke imaginable to stay afloat and to get ahead of the other guys (of course!).  There were hands and legs and bodies everywhere going nowhere. They completely blocked the swim lane so I had to invent a slither stroke to get around them.  SHEESH!

The exit ladder was a welcome sight.
  
After dripping my way through the transition area to my stuff and attempting to towel off,  I hopped on my bike for the next part of the race.

While on my ride, I saw a local elite runner out for her morning practice.  This woman chases cars for practice.  No, not really, but she does sprint half marathons. She reminds me of the Energizer Bunny and the vortex of energy around her is surely very powerful.  Her name is Fiona (what a pretty name) which I've conveniently changed to "Speedy Fi (fee)".  Maybe it's good her parents did not name her Phoebe.  "Speedy Phoebe" is just too hard to say.

I must learn to siphon her energy.  Too bad she was going the opposite direction or I might have asked her to carry me and my bike up the hill.

Finally, I finished the ride, found my stuff, racked my bike, took off my bike helmet (very important) and started the run.

But wait. What's this?  My feet were numb.  What the frozen tundra was that about?  Yes, it was chilly on the bike after being in the water but I didn't think I was that cold.  Apparently, I was.  That, and the fact that my brain said "send blood to quads, glutes, and hamstrings" over and over again for almost an hour.

The finish line was beautiful.  Hubby arrived just as the announcer called my name as I was crossing the line.  Hubby couldn't have planned that if he'd tried.   

I got me some pancakes, and no, they weren't green.


The lady with the green hair...

I wore my costume.  I had the shirt and skirt on for the bike ride and added the green hair and a hat for the run.  I received many comments, mostly from guys on bikes passing me saying "nice skirt".......
I certainly didn't mind.  A few of the ladies indicated that they liked my hair.    There weren't too many costumes so it must have been up to me to entertain folks!

The results are in....

Surprisingly, on the running part, I did quite well, coming in second in my age group.  For swimming, I need to advance from bottom feeder to at least little fishie drafting off big fishies in order to improve my swim time.  I improved my biking time by over 10 minutes.  I noticed something else, though.  My quads are about 1/3 the size of some of these ladies' quads.  That can be said for my butt, too, and that's a good thing!

Update: Although I'm happy with my run results, I placed very low in the swim and bike events so my overall result makes me somewhere between a bottom feeder and a little fish.  LOL.

I hope to have some photos soon.

27 comments:

meleah rebeccah said...

I think its terrific you came in second for your age group in the running department!

I also think its FABULOUS you wore your costume! I can't wait to see the pictures!

Leeuna said...

You must be in great shape, Reffie. I would still be gasping. Congratulations on your second-place win and on your new "slither stroke" invention in the swim meet. Sounds like you had a good day all around.

ReformingGeek said...

meleah - Thanks. I wish there were awards for just the running part!

@Leeuna - Thanks. It was hard but fun.

Anonymous said...

Aw look at our little running, swimming, biking Reffie!

Watch Reffie Run!

Congrats! And please show us pics!

Moonrayvenne said...

Congratulations! I'm glad that you did well & had fun! I could never do all that much less even just run! LOL. (((HUGS)))

Ziva said...

Congrats on the great result! I'm really happy it wasn't me, though. I don't think it's really healthy to drown, break a leg and cough up a lung on the same day.

ReformingGeek said...

@Quirky - Yeah. Ok. You can watch me run. Just don't watch me creep along behind all the other really good swimmers.

@Collette - Thanks. I'm proud of myself for getting out there. Some of these folks are really hard core.

@Ziva - Yeah, coughing up a lung would make a big mess.

Marvin D Wilson said...

Second in your age group!? And I'll bet tookh te race was rigged, too ... you're always Numero Uno in MY middle aged, green-haired, Texan woman triathlete book! (wink)

The Old Silly

Kate said...

Congratulations I think second in your age group is awesome

Kate xx

ReformingGeek said...

@Marvin - Thanks, my FAV MIDWESTERNER. Placing second in the running event means something to me but it doesn't mean anything to the overall results. LOL!

@Kate - Thanks. I hope I can improve in the other events at some point!

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

You rock, Reffie! The fact that you do triathlons is amazing! I can barely walk fast, let alone run with my torn ACL & MCL, so I sit in awe of you. (Yes, SIT is the proper verb!)

honeypiehorse said...

My work life in Germany is even more surreal with this strange 2 week period where we're only 8 hours ahead instead of 9.

ReformingGeek said...

@CatLady - Thanks! I hope my knees hold up!

@honeypie - Yeah, I bet that is a bit odd. I wish they would just leave the time alone!

Me-Me King said...

Congratulations!!! I am now living vicariously through you.

Nooter said...

when i go to the park i do try-athalon too: i run for awhile then i splash in the water for awhile, then we go home and i nap for awhile. its fun isnt it!

ReformingGeek said...

@Me-Me - Thanks! Oh, please don't. It's gets a little boring sometimes!

@Nooter - You can come with me to the pool, Nooter. I'm sure the other swimmers won't mind.

Skye said...

Sounds to me like you improved all the way around, which makes you a winner in my books! I enjoy exercise and all but there's no way I'd be able to do a marathon of any kind.

Unknown said...

Congratulations!!! I am so impressed with your athletic abilities. I'm a couch potato and chair spud. I excel in channel changing competitions and body lifts off said couches and chairs.

ReformingGeek said...

@Skye - Thanks. I was actually slower on the swimming part but I felt more comfortable and didn't have to stop at the wall gasping for air. I'm happy with that part of it.

@Lauren - Thanks. What kind words. I'm bad about NOT getting up off the couch sometimes. ;-)

gayle said...

Congrats!! I never have been able to run!

Anonymous said...

Oh I could snatch you bald headed. To think that you came in second for your age group and yet you search for something to feel bad about. If I ran, it would be because a bull was chasing me and I'd have to stop and catch my breath after two steps.

MrsBlogAlot said...

Wow! I'm impressed. I get tired from just brushing my hair. You are a gigantic fish compared to me! Awesome job!!

ReformingGeek said...

@gayle - Thanks!

@dana - Please don't hit me Masser, please! I was only second in the running part. I've got work to do in the other areas. I am happy!

@Mrsblogalot - Thank you for the encouragement! Yes, brushing hair IS exhausting!

The Constant Complainer said...

Congratulations!!! I can't wait to see some pictures.

Jean Knee said...

after seeing that costume I now know you are not reformed at al :)

MikeWJ at Too Many Mornings said...

I thought the St. Patrick's Day Triathlon was about drinking a beer, eating some corned beef, and then searching for a wake so you can get more beer and corned beef. What you did sounds decidely un-Irish. But congratulations. I'm very shamed by your dedication to staying fit.

Mama-Face said...

Please let me siphon off some of your energy.

I'm totally in awe of anyone who competes in a triathlon. It's that dang swimming part.

Congrats.


"1.00s, 1.50s, 1.75s for the short arms. If you know what I'm talking about, you're probably old, too."

"Boomer brain fog: What was the last, middle, and first part of what you just said to me?"