Something Different Every Day

WHY TRI?

I have always been inspired by my sister, Carol, who is an accomplished runner. A few years ago, Carol traveled to Coeur d’Alene in Idaho to compete in her first Ironman triathlon and I went with her to support her and cheer her on.  I was so amazed by the tremendous effort required to finish this difficult endurance event.  And I also was impressed by the generous support provided by the athletes, administrators, volunteers and spectators.

When I witnessed Carol complete her second Ironman race in Madison, WI a year later, I knew I had to find out more about triathlons and even try it out for myself.  So once back home in Illinois, I gathered up my bathing suit, my hybrid bike, and my running shoes, and then signed up for a local sprint triathlon (750 meter swim, 12.4 mile bike, 3.1 kilometer run).  With no time goal in mind, I was just looking for a fun experience trying out a new sport.

What an amazing day!  Due to a combination of race day jitters and my first encounter swimming in choppy open water, I had a full-on panic attack when the gun went off.  I was hyperventilating so badly that I turned over and did the back stroke just to get through the course.  My feet were so numb from the cold water that I could barely hobble from the beach to the first transition to get my hybrid bicycle.  The bike ride successfully completed, I braked to a stop to enter the second transition, and, in my haste, tipped over and fell off my bike in front of the whole crowd of spectators.  But I picked myself up and headed out for the run.  By then, I had warmed up and the feeling had returned to my feet.  Thank goodness the run segment went well and I looked really tough crossing the finish line with blood dripping down my leg from my skinned knee!


At Last: The Bloody Finish Line

After all that, you probably think I’d never do another triathlon again.  But no!  I was more determined than ever to get educated and figure out how to do better in this new challenge.  So I did a little research and found some triathlon coaching to get me moving forward.

NYC is full of great triathlon training groups.  Some of the more visible are Team in Training, Asphalt Green Tri Club, Terrier Tri, and TriLife.  I decided to join the TriLife team.

THE SWIM

I took Red Cross swimming lessons when I was 7 years old, so I figured I knew how to swim well enough.  But, as I was swimming down the line during my first day of TriLife swim practice, the coaches quickly pulled me out of the water saying words to the effect of, “Don’t do it like that!”  Clearly, I needed some private swim lessons.  I learned quickly that a good swim is all about having good form, and the speed will follow.  There are many places to get private swim lessons – Asphalt Green, Reebok and JackRabbit Sports all have good pools with great coaches to help you out.

My Ironman sister slid through the water on race day in a wetsuit, keeping her warm and buoyant in the choppy waters of the lake.  So I headed downtown to JackRabbit’s Union Square store to buy a wetsuit. JackRabbit also rents wetsuits so you can try it out before buying.  The woman at the store pulled out a couple of wetsuits and gave me a lesson on how to put it on – very carefully!  Starting at the ankles and inching the legs up your body before pulling the arms on.  Finally, pulling the zipper up your back using a long string.  By this time I was in a full sweat and completely encased in latex. Some triathletes don’t compete in a wetsuit but I think it’s the best incentive to stay on my training diet – too much pizza before race day and I won’t be able to breathe in the suit!

To get used to open water and avoid another panic attack, I went to NYC Swim and signed up for the Great Hudson River Swim.  I figured if I could swim more than a mile in the Hudson River, I could swim anywhere.  Despite swimming off-course toward New Jersey (I need to work on my siting skills, too), I emerged from the water happy and dirty and much more confident.


Flyers Richard B, Joan H, Pat D, Diane Z, Ray S, Ken H at the Great Hudson River Swim 2010

 THE BIKE

The first thing I needed was a proper bicycle. I’ve been a social biker most of my life, riding a hybrid with a big, cushy seat (to match my own).  Now I needed one of those road bikes with the dropped handle bars and those strange pedals.  So I contacted a few Flyers who had done some triathlons – Yan P, Ray S, and Scott C – and they recommended several good bike stores.  After picking Toga Bike Shop, I called and made an appointment.

The Toga Bike Shop salesguy, Will, was great.  He asked about my budget and my plans and goals – to the extent I knew what they were – before recommending a bicycle that would meet my needs.  After taking some measurements to get the right size for me, he ordered the bike.  I came back a week later for a bike fitting.  Sitting me on the bike, he adjusted the seat, the handlebars, and the pedals to fit my body.  That was a far different experience than when I purchased my hybrid bike, which entailed a quick spin around the shop’s parking lot to decide that it felt good enough.

But selecting the bike was only the first step.  While I had my credit card out, the bike shop guy loaded me up with a helmet, clip-in bike shoes, saddle bag, tire repair kit, lights, a little computer and shorts with a pad in the seat.  Cha-ching!  There was no turning back now!

Central Park and Route 9W over the George Washington Bridge are both popular places to put in some long mileage on the bike and to get fit for the hills.  Training with a group of fellow bikers makes it that much more enjoyable and really taught me a lot.  In addition to triathlon clubs, New York Cycle Club is a great place to find a group of cyclists that match your speed and skill level.  NYRR offers bike/run workouts, called BRiX, (and led by the NY Flyer’s own Scott C.) that give you great practice with running after biking.

THE RUN

In comparison to swimming and biking, running is so straightforward.  Get yourself a good pair of running shoes (and the right sports bra!) and you’re bound to have a good run regardless of whatever else you’re wearing.

THE RACE

I jumped from my first sprint triathlon right into the half-Ironman distance (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run).  Ouch!  But the Olympic distance triathlon (1.5 km swim, 24.8 mi bike, 6.2 mi run) can be the perfect distance for the newbie triathlete.  The Nautica NYC Triathlon that takes place each July is a good local race, but like most NYC races, it fills up quickly and is becoming hard to get into. Check out Active.com to find other good races nearby.  I also like to read the race reports on Beginner Triathlete before picking out a race.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

Absolutely.  Over and over again during my season of triathlon training, I was faced with doing something I’d never done before.  New skills to learn, new roads to train on, longer distances to cover, new training friends to meet. I’ve become addicted to the new and the unknown.  My body has responded positively to the continuous cross-training.  Doing a different sport every day has helped me avoid the over-use injuries I’ve always battled when I was only running.  Also, being a runner who is now biking in this city has helped me appreciate the perspectives of both sports and I try to be a more considerate runner and biker when out on the road.

ENJOYING INDISPENSABLE SUPPORT AND SMILES FROM LOVING HUSBAND, PHIL Z.

The experience has been exhausting and exhilarating, terrifying and gratifying.  I’ve begun to know myself in ways I’d never imagined.  I’m so glad I had the courage to give it all a try!

Diane Z.