Let’s start by saying that I knew that I might struggle in the run. I knew it wasn’t going to be fast, because I’m not a fast runner. But I was hoping to slog through at between 10:30 and 11 minutes a mile. My coach asked me what I was worried about on the run, and I even told her the Thursday before the race that the one thing I have not been able to run through is being nauseous. Pain, I’m ok with. Feeling like I’m going to ralf? Not so much. So what do you think happened?

Yep. Blargh.

But let’s back up. I came off of the bike feeling pretty darn good, but it was pretty darn hot. And while biking in the heat isn’t super bad since you have all the wind in your face (and sweat evaporating), it was hot to run. So I knew my water, fuel, and salt (I use endurolytes) intake had to be spot on. Fortunately, Ironman Maryland is essentially 2.5 loops, so you get crowd support nearly the entire way, I got to see my husband, mom, and later my coach, and it was FLAT. I know some people think doing loops is boring, but I love it–you know exactly where you are, how far you have to go, and what to expect. For a control freak that loves to know what’s coming, this run course was just perfect

I was feeling decent, but not great, until mile 6. Mile 6 thru 10 I was feeling fine, but could tell my stomach was starting to act up. I started to chew on some orange slices as they made me feel better (perhaps not so wise in hindsight)…though I hate oranges in real life and would never, ever eat one. I kept getting my endurolytes down as I had planned, and also my nutrition (Hammer Gel). I ran at just about 11min/mile to mile 12, when the wheels started to come off as everything in my stomach started to come out.

FUN.

I walked (ok, shuffled) through 6 miles of vomiting. I threw up all over my sunglasses that fell off at a very inopportune moment, and some very sweet and just amazing volunteer plucked them up, washed them off, and returned them to me. I mean, that is just going above and beyond. When I say the volunteers were just amazing and incredible, they were. They would have done anything to make your day better on your way to becoming an Ironman, and it was so…just…it still makes me smile. (Note to self…return the favor! Go be a volunteer!). Around mile 18, I grabbed my Dr. Pepper from my special needs bag, and started sipping it very slowly. I realized I was feeling better, and started jogging again. In fact, I was feeling a lot better. So I ran about mile 19-26 at around 11 min a mile.

Overall I had about 6 crappy miles…really crappy miles that I think I’d like to erase from my memory forever, but I never questioned whether I would finish. I never questioned signing up for an Ironman, and I never, ever questioned that I would definitely do another 140.6 in the future! Plus, out of 140.6 miles, having 6 bad miles…in my very first Ironman…is a learning experience. Nothing more, nothing less. Still not sure why I got so sick, and wish I hadn’t because it wasn’t very much fun, but I did this first Ironman to get the experience under my belt, which I accomplished with a huge smile on my face at the end.

But all this means I also have an axe to grind with the Ironman marathon. Yep, I’ll be back! Probably not in 2018, but I’m not done with you 140.6. I can’t overstate how happy I am with my first 140.6. But I also know that I can do so.much.better. Keeps me hungry, that’s for sure.

Marathon: 5:35 ish / 12:40 ish … sigh … if you take out miles 13-19, it would have been darn close to just under an 11:00 pace. 

Again, such a huge shout out to all the volunteers (including those that told me I should sit down and try to get something down before restarting…I know you were worried!) and the organizers who put on such a fantastic race in Cambridge. Cambridge is such a lovely town, and while I know some residents are not thrilled with the hosting of this event, the amount of cheering, support, and just overall kindness shown by neighbors to the venue was pretty amazing. Thank you.

Here’s to a great 2018 season.

After a few years of bad weather, I think the organizers and athletes alike were excited to wake up to the most beautiful morning. It was to be a bit hotter than I certainly wanted (got up to about 87-88 degrees F), but training in DC all summer, I was prepared for the heat, humidity, and nutrition/hydration requirements that come with it.

The SWIM

The swim start was rolling, where you were supposed to seed yourself by your estimated finish time. Ok, people suck at this. I don’t understand why, as a faster swimmer, you would want to seed yourself with people that are going to swim over you, but people do it all.the.time. And your cutoff for the race started when you started–so there was no advantage to seeding yourself with faster swimmers. I started probably in the first 150 people, and was swimming past (and hopefully not over) people the entire time. I ended up swimming so far to the outside because it was the only clear water I could get. Lesson learned. It got even worse on the second loop where I was catching up with swimmers on their first loop. But that’s part of the sport–gotta deal with it.

There was a timing ‘mat’ overhead and strung between two buoys half way through the course. This led to a huge bottleneck. I somehow happened to be just able to squeeze in with a bunch of men who I swore were trying to race me…but a lot of people had issues going thru this area. There was definitely some current – but because it was 2 loops, I don’t feel as if you got a huge advantage from going with the current or disadvantage going against. The only place I noticed it was the final turn coming out of the water where you were definitely pushed hard out into the river.

Overall, I was really pleased with my swim considering the ridiculously large extra distance my Garmin suggested I swam (and I would concur, considering how I swam really wide on loop 2). The swim course is two counter-clockwise loops, which for me was perfect because I breathe to my left so I didn’t have to sight quite as much. The sun was coming up during lap 2, so there were many times when I couldn’t see the next buoy. Fortunately, I swim a lot straighter these days! I was so glad my coach had made me do a few weeks of multiple 4,000 yard or meter swims and I also got in an open water swim prior to the race. That gave me a lot of confidence and I was able to relax and just swim, coming out of the water not at all out of breath and ready to start the bike.

So, wetsuits–I have the Synergy Endorphin wetsuit, which is the cheapest non-entry level wetsuit that you can buy. It tests really, really well in the water and I love swimming in it. It is a tad big for me, as I’m right between sizes, but I’ve worn it for two seasons and have grown to adore it. I’ve never been in a more expensive wetsuit, but for all of you just starting out or looking to acquire a wetsuit–it really is possible to not spend $800 on a wetsuit and still have a good wetsuit. Would I be faster in a different wetsuit? Maybe, but my bike and run have so much catching up to do to my swim that its certainly not worth the investment (insert rolling on the ground laughing…while crying…face here).

OH, and the jellyfish. Yes, they were everywhere. Yes, they sting. What do you do? Put on vaseline/trislide and just swim thru them. Everyone else is in the same boat. No, not ideal. But what open water swim is ideal?

Time: 1:10 for 2.4 miles (1:38/100y) / Garmin Time: 1:10 for 2.6 miles (1:32/100y)

The BIKE

Oh, the bike. I’ve struggled on the bike. It’s the newest sport to me – I bought my first bike around Christmas in 2015. While my training went as planned, and I got some great 100 mile rides in, I’m just not that fast. And as a good swimmer, I’m used to being passed pretty much non-stop on the bike. Not to my surprise, I was passed by people for the entire first lap. A lot of people were really pumping and breathing hard around miles 20-60, which I was warned I would see, but still was shocked to see…I mean, you have an entire marathon in front of you!

The road is mostly very smooth and in good condition–I only saw two flats the entire way. The course is pancake flat, and I had pre-ridden it so knew exactly what to expect. Almost. The winds actually were the opposite direction of when I rode the course in practice–really strong on the way out, with crosswinds most of the way back. There may have been some tailwind, but it wasn’t particularly strong or noticeable! I felt really good just going along, riding my own race…and no more tired at mile 90 than at mile 50 or mile 30, which was really exciting (thanks, coach!). I also got a great surprise to see my husband and my mom at the halfway mark–I didn’t know they were going to come out to the bike course, so it was really nice to see them for a few seconds.

I successfully swapped water bottles every other aid station, and my nutrition was what I had planned (hard food for the first lap, liquid food, gels, and honey stingers for the second lap). I stopped once at the half way point to quickly run to the bathroom. Around mile 90, I started catching up to groups and groups of people who had flown past me many miles earlier, and was able to pass people pretty much the last 20 miles as they faded out. My legs never got very tired, and thanks to my very comfortable Cobb seat (thanks Sportfit Lab), I never wanted “off” the bike.  In fact, in those last 20 miles I felt like I finally learned how to bike. Considering that my 70.3 was around 18.6 mph, I was pretty thrilled with my pace and more thrilled with how great I felt particularly given the really strong headwind on parts of the course.

Time: 6:29 for 112 miles (~17.8mph)

I know there was a lot of grumbling that Ironman didn’t have bike catchers for this race, but having never had a bike catcher before – and having to run past my bike rack to get to transition anyway – I didn’t think it was any big deal to have to rack your own bike. What was a fun experience, though, was the amazing volunteers in the changing tent who helped you change, get water, put on sunscreen, etc. Um, so great. I didn’t rush through transitions but both were about 5 minutes, which included getting some fuel and water down as well as changing – putting on my aero top for the bike and switching tops for the run. A lot of people did do full changes, but that just seems exhausting to me and my kit was so comfortable I figured it wasn’t worth the trouble or time. Also included bathroom stops!

I was so happy when I came off the bike – and a bit sad because the end of the bike went so well and I knew the run was going to be where I felt great or…not. I hit my hydration exactly on point (about 1 bottle/hour), and all my nutrition was down the hatch. It was also nice to see people cheering again!!

Next up, Part 2: The Run.

But she looks so happy, right? If you follow me on Instagram (which you should, I don’t neglect that as much as my blog, @travelingsaurus), you will know that they did bring her a dog bed. Which she sniffed and looked at like, “Are one of you going to sleep on this?” before leaping back onto the king size pillowtop. Yep, that pretty much sums up our dog. I did appreciate the gesture, though.

*Side note: It is $150 to have a dog at the Hyatt for up to 6 nights. Yep, I’m sure this seems like a fortune to some of you, but when you think of going kennel rates or a dogsitter ($55/day on up + taxes and extra walks), this actually saved us some money over the long weekend since we arrived on Thursday and left on Sunday.

The hotel is about 3.5 miles from the race site, and a very easy drive. We did not have issues parking in downtown Cambridge, with only short walks to get to the Ironman Race Village.

Check in: Totally easy. Even though I had called and mentioned I had a dog, I don’t think it got put in my reservation, however. And they had to do some moving around of rooms to get us a dog-friendly one. Which actually turned out spectacularly, as we had a corner room with two sliding glass doors which was not only dog friendly, it was beautiful looking out to the river/bay!

Room: As mentioned, it was quite nice. I think the corner room may have been a touch smaller, but it made up for it with the two doors. All dog-friendly rooms are on the ground floor (which, if you travel with a pup, you know that sometimes that is just more convenient), which made me think the view would be bad, but it wasn’t at all. We looked straight out at the river and the 18th hole on the golf course. It was pretty much gorgeous. I felt like I was on vacation. Which I sort of was…an Ironman can be considered a vacation, right?

The room itself was pretty standard, free coffee and tee in addition to the routine bathroom amenities and a pretty darn large mini-fridge which we used frequently. And yes, the Hyatt does offer shampoo AND conditioner. Not 2-in-1. Any girl with long hair will tell you that 2-in-1 is pretty much does not do sh*t in 1. If you read a forthcoming post on Panama, you’ll know why I bring this up!

Just for the race: I’d just like to note that the Hyatt is beyond welcoming to triathletes. Some hotels get very annoyed about bikes coming in and out, and as the host hotel for the Ironman, the Hyatt not only didn’t care about the bikes, they did some little extra things that were pretty awesome, like offering a shuttle to the race site for athletes and also putting a toaster and microwave out for use at any hour.  They also offered a pasta dinner on Friday, as well as a celebratory dinner on Saturday (for those that really finished early?!). I didn’t partake in either, but it was nice to know.

Parking: Valet parking is $20/day and the self-park lot is literally a five minute walk. No big deal.

Amenities: Now, I do wish I had a little more time to spend enjoying and lounging at the hotel. Because the pools looked amazing, the spa would have been nice, and I definitely would have done a little bit more exploring if my legs weren’t either preparing to be dead or dead. The property is really pretty and well manicured. The dog and I did get to do a bit of exploring Friday morning. If you are a golfer, the golf course looked lovely (according to my mother and husband, who both golf).

Food: We only ate at BluePoint (well, I did eat breakfast at the athlete breakfast), but it was really good! Like, I’d go back there even if I wasn’t staying at the Hyatt good. Their crab mac and cheese was huggeeee and delicious. I also had some ginormous peel an eat shrimp and some of a very good cobb salad. Two thumbs up.

Would I Stay Here Again: Yes. The Hyatt was not cheap (probably the most I’ve ever spent for a hotel room and definitely the most in the continental United States), but it was pretty convenient to the race site, was super accommodating for a dog, and the property is just lovely. I would consider going back there for a quick weekend away from DC, in fact. Particularly when the rates are more reasonable than on Ironman Maryland weekend.  For Eagleman or Ironman Maryland races, if I didn’t stay at the Hyatt, I would consider looking at AirBnB in the future. I’m personally not a huge fan of AirBnB or VRBO (maybe I should discuss this in a future post), but having a house within blocks of the finish line certainly has its merits. But the Hyatt was very, very nice.

This is the very first time I’ve ever traveled for a race, and I can’t really decide how I feel about it. It’s expensive, but it wasn’t as much of a hassle as I was expecting it to be, which was nice. That said, I shipped my bike “fully assembled” using TriBike Transport, which was well worth the money. If I traveled more for races, I would probably learn to assemble/disassemble my bike on my own. But I don’t, so I paid to get it trucked across the country so I could just arrive and pick it up! I’d highly suggest this route if you are concerned about flying with your bike, or if you don’t like putting things together (raises hand…I HATE assembling anything).

Is a vacation-race in our future now that DH also races?!  Time will tell, but it’s not a bad idea

Anyhow, let me start with the end here: this race did not go as planned but I still had a great experience and would definitely return to Nationals in the future, if I can qualify again (both my early season races, where I did qualify again, still counted to 2017, not 2018, unfortunately).

Omaha: Omaha is incredibly welcoming and we had a great time exploring downtown. It is very cute, and there are a lot of restaurants, breweries, and a candy store. Priorities, priorities. It’s easy to get around, but critical — because it is not a big town — to acknowledge that an event like the USAT Nationals brings in a lot of people. In other words, cars and hotels. Reserve early. We did not have restaurant reservations and did have to wait about an hour the first night. No big deal, we needed to make a snack run anyway.

Tip: While a bit out of the way of downtown, The Drover served me the best steak I’ve had in a very, very long time for those omnivores out there. A good, very old school, meal.

Check-in: Really easy, no more work than a normal event. Picking up packets was quick and easy, I grabbed my bike for a quick ride on the course, and then put it in transition. It really was simple, and the distances you had to walk were not huge.

Tip: If you don’t use the USAT’s preferred bike transport provider, you had to walk about 2 miles to get your bike. That seemed a bit unnecessary, considering…but good to know.

Race Day: Yowza. USAT still has some work to do on understanding traffic flow. The race was delayed really significantly–like an hour, at least, if I remember correctly. Because you could not get into the race site. It is a two lane road and it was slow. We eventually got out and walked about a mile, along with most other athletes. That’s all fine if you have someone else to drive the car, but some people don’t, so I do appreciate them delaying the race to ensure everyone got a fair shake to get there. Everyone was SO, so nice in transition, excited for the day to start and happy to help with air pumps, etc. Really, really, great experience with lovely people.

Tip: Carpool or bring a sherpa. That way you can walk if you need to!

Course: The swim course was lonnnngggg (I had 1730 yards, most people had somewhere between 1700-1750 yards) and for some reason, I was SO slow. Swimming is my strength and I guess that was a good indicator of how the day was going to go. The water was freezing – I am highly suspicious of their over 80 degree temperature reading, considering it they reported it much colder just a few days prior. Lots of teeth chattering, that is for sure.  The bike was interesting, with a big climb that got very crowded and you couldn’t really maneuver, a wild turkey that almost hit me, and some headwinds. I also hurt my hamstring half-way through, which nixed the “race” part of the day for me. A bummer, but I’ve moved on. The run was pancake flat and I had fun cheering for everyone, young and old.

Tip: Next year is in Ohio, so doesn’t matter!

Post Race: I hung out in the med tent, where the guy was kind of a jerk to me and told me it was my equipment. It wasn’t, as later diagnostics and evaluations would show. Anyway, they wrapped me with ice and sent me on my way. I wasn’t that hungry, but there was plenty of food as well as little ice baths if you wanted one. I was panicking that I wasn’t going to get to Ironman Maryland, so a lot of this afternoon is a blur of limping and whining.

Tip: Dropping your bike off fully assembled may be a bit pricey, but seriously is the easiest and was very unstressful.

Overall, I learned a ton about my racing-self and how to travel for a triathlon this year. While I didn’t have the day I wanted, the day I had in Omaha (which was by far and above the worst race of my season) is still probably better than my BEST day in 2016. Which is pretty darn exciting.

And if I ever go back to Omaha, I’m buying that gummy party python. YES. Tank, edible rocks and all.

I got some good tidbits of advice from my excessive googling, including that tides could be bad in a lot of places and that some harbors were ok for swimming but beware for boats. When we pulled up to Nauset Light Beach, the first thing I thought was–man, I should have brought my wetsuit! There were no breakers and barely a white cap in sight. Now…it did appear like there were possibly some pretty good riptides. But it was super calm. And…then…I…looked….closer…

There was something in the water. Lots of them! SEALS. Ok, I think sea lions are cute and nice and we swam with them in the Galapagos. But SEALS are enormous and sort of terrifying. I don’t think I’d just duck in the water and join them for a swim, and many were very close to shore. Then, as we are at the top of the stairs leading to the beach, I see the signs. Many signs.

In any case, there was only one questionable great white sighting in 2017 when we visited (though there have been more sightings since), but let me tell you–I hate open water swimming under great conditions. And I am a swimmer. You couldn’t pay me enough to get in that water. I know some people have less self-preservation than I, so if that is you: 1) go with a local who knows the current and tide situation, 2) do not go where the seals are or swim close to them, 3) choose a protected harbor area if possible, 4) heed posted warnings. There, that’s my PSA. And if you are terrified of open water swimming (my fear is due to my irrational fear of sea snakes…but let’s move past that); I have a solution for you.

Great Pond does have a roped off swimming area that is quite large. I stuck to that area as I didn’t have that long to swim and I didn’t have a bouy to alert boats, which I think is critical when you are swimming in an area where boats do not expect to see swimmers. It is really, really clear. Now, I know clear doesn’t mean clean, but I swam through mud last week where it was pitch black when you put your head in, so clear is good in my book. In addition, it is warm. I’m the girl that gets cold in the Seychelles, and I didn’t start shivering while swimming–I’d ping it at 77 degrees or so. Much better than the chilly Atlantic!

Great Pond does have its downsides–it is a popular family spot, and can be filled with kids who probably aren’t concerned with your workout. So go early if this bothers you. The parking lot can also fill up quickly. The water may almost get too hot in the summer, but since Cape Cod never gets as sweltering as DC, the water should not be unsafe for a workout even if it feels like a bathtub. Obviously, individual judgment is always a good thing!

Long story short, if I head back to Cape Cod I know where to go to get my open water swim in. And it will not be in the ocean. I like my limbs a little too much…seeing a great white would be pretty sharking. Get it? Sharking? A jawful experience?

….I may need more sleep.

Let’s start with the end up front: if you are thinking about a summer 70.3, at a non-Ironman branded race, and it is your first 70.3, this is a great race.

This was my first attempt at this distance, and I primarily used it as a prep race for Ironman Maryland in October, and to see how I liked the distance. It was hot, but it is July in Virginia. It’s going to be hot. I used it as an opportunity to test my fueling and hydration, most of which went off without a hitch.

The Venue: You have to get there the night before or pay extra to pick-up your packet race day. Since I was coming in from DC the night before, this was no big deal and honestly it was sort of nice to not have to trudge my bike in and out of a hotel room. Packet pick up was seamless and uncrowded. There was plenty of water and Gatorade for all.

Hotel: I stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Williamsburg (I am a Marriott Gold member and credit card holder, and it was the cheapest Marriott property available). It was clean and only a 15 minute drive to the venue. Down seriously one road with no turns. Even I can do that without thinking at 4am.

Morning: I had a little incident this past week (actually, there was no incident. I got bitten by what I think was a spider and the freakin’ bite got infected and I had to go to the ER). And I was on antibiotics, and they made my stomach feel less than desirable. But I shoved some food down my face (and by shove, I mean that almost literally); I used to try to eat “healthy” on race morning, failing miserably to eat anything at all. I now eat whatever I want as it is better than nothing. I hate eating in the morning.

Transition: Rev3 had people pumping your tires (or you could do it yourself) which was so nice since bikes were racked day prior. I was the very last row, which was also nice – less people, less stuff, lots of room. I prefer the racks that Rev3 uses where you tire sits in a little wooden box on the ground. Less shenanigans as it is very clear what your space allotments are.

Swim: This swim course is really peculiar in some ways and may not be the same from year to year. They do swim you with the current, but for the half, you had to swim up and out into the main river (from a tributary) before you turned around. I could not sense there was a strong advantage from the current for the half since you were both with and against at different times. It is shallow. They had to add another bouy for us to go around because it was too shallow in places. The last 500 meters I was swimming in sea grass like swamp monster and my hands were scraping the bottom. I tried to stand up at one point and sank past my knee. No thanks, I’ll keep swimming. I’m too squeamish for that sh*t. To all the men who stood up and started walking–thanks, guys, you made sure I was covered in river scum all day! Kidding, it’s all part of the fun . I came in at 31 minutes which is pretty much exactly what I expected. The Olympic times were super speedy since they didn’t have to go upstream before heading downstream.

T1: Because I was on antibiotics that cause sun hypersensitivity, I spent time putting on sleeves (Desoto Sport Wings…highly recommend) for the bike (and left them on for the run) and sprayed sunscreen on my legs again. Also got a gulp of my Carbopro and some Hammer endurolytes down. Not fast, but I needed to get those things done.

Bike: The bike is where I struggle. People were flying past me, but I had a great ride (for me). I came in exactly at 3 hours and felt exceedingly comfortable the entire way. I definitely could have gone faster, but I had no idea what I’d feel like on the run. This course is rolling hills–nothing too steep up or down. Really easy to maintain speed. It’s also mostly shaded; not a lot of shoulder space, though. Side note: everyone, be careful. There were some horrible crashes and cars don’t always pay attention.

T2: Sprayed on more sunscreen and got in and out in a minute. Nothing to do here but get out on course.

Run: On what planet does anyone categorize this as a “flat” run course?! I mean, I’m no hill-hugger, but jiminy crickets. This run is not particularly flat. Particularly for the half. Because you have to run up/down a bridge/overpass four times. Mile 1, Mile 6, Mile 7, Mile 13 or thereabouts. There are some gentle rolling hills right after that as well. Whatever, I slogged through. I ran the whole time. I got my electrolytes all wet and threw up a half dissolved capsule that burned my throat. At least that was at mile 6. Most of the run is in the sun, and they did have ice and sponges at most stations, which were every mile. Besides my fail at electrolytes which left me depleted at the end, my hydration and fuel were good and my stomach felt great which was something I wanted to test out for the Ironman. My run base has been lower as I had some nagging pain here and there, so my longest run prior to this was less than 10 miles. So while I know I’m capable of better than a 2:12, it is what I had that day and that’s ok.

Finish: My goal was 6 hours, and I came in at 5:48. I’ll take that. First, I learned a ton about my fitness and ability to push through, something I previously lacked completely. Thanks to my coach for both of those things. Second, I know I’m capable of much more, if I want to focus on a 70.3 distance in the future. Third, I was thrilled with my bike. It was so comfortable and … fun! Fourth, my fueling and hydration looks on point, minus the electrolyte debacle (Hammer endurloytes/gels + Carbopro on the bike are my go-to’s).

Rev3 puts on a great race! I’m not sure I like heat enough to come back to Williamsburg, but it is tempting. Really tempting.

It’s no secret that my triathlon training is taking a priority ’round here these days, and I had started with my new coach back in December, before we went to Mauritius, The Seychelles, and Dubai. I had asked to start with her after the trip, but she suggested before as it would have put me well into spring before I got into the swing of things.

(I’m now very glad I listened to her–I’m so thrilled I had that extra time, as I definitely needed it to make some necessary adjustments to prep for more intensive training!).

She set out a great schedule for me while I was away, that included lots of short workouts and options. And I got a lot done while I was away, while not feeling at any time like it was “interrupting” my vacation or taking away from the trip or time with my husband (who joined in on nearly all of my workouts). Here’s what I learned!

Flexibility is Key: We got stuck in Dubai on the way over, and the short run I had planned just wasn’t going to happen in the economy hotel we got put up in. So it didn’t. And that’s ok. I added a run in on another day when I couldn’t bike. Sometimes being active is more important than worrying about the activity; sometimes life gets in the way. While flexibility is NOT my forte (and that is putting it lightly), traveling helps me just move with the flow.

Keep Things Short: My husband is always up for a run under an hour, but not one that lasts longer. I wanted to be sure we were spending time together (that is part of why we travel, after all), so scheduling a few half hour runs we could accomplish on the beach or together at the hotel gym was perfect. I got a quick workout in and we got to spend that time together. Even sliding 2 shorter workouts in during the day, when we had a pause, was easier than one longer workout.

When All Fails, Work That Core: There were 2 days where I didn’t want to run more than I had, there was no bike, and the ocean was too rough to swim in. Those 10-30 minute core workouts left us both with sore ribs, but were well worth it! A strong core pays dividends, and core workouts require…a towel, a piece of ground pretty much anywhere, some gumption to get through them, and probably some swear words.

Temper Expectations: Hotel gyms are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes they are lovely, as advertised. Sometimes, they are a shoebox with no working equipment. How long has that treadmill really been out of service…? You are on vacation, you are not trying to get the best workout of your life. No really, you aren’t. Don’t let a measly piece of equipment ruin your mood. How stupid and self-absorbed does it sound to say “I had a horrible day in The Seychelles because the bike at the gym was broken”? Exactly.

[Side note: I didn’t say this! Promise. But a few years ago it would have been uncomfortably close to the truth. Heather, meet big picture. Big picture, smack Heather.]

Know When No is Good: Jet lag, airplane food, and recirculated air are pretty much the triumvirate of germ summoning. Hey, cold virus! Over here, ME ME ME! Don’t be that dedicated triathlete who “needs” to get a workout in so badly they ignore the obvious fatigue and exhaustion. Sleep, a healthy meal, and lots of water will do more for you long-term if travel has gotten the better of you. I hate admitting this more than anyone, but it is nearly always true. And, if you are trying to reset your clock, try a long walk rather than a crammed higher-intensity session.

While I know that heading to a far-off island chain during the peak weeks of Ironman training is pretty much idiotic if I want to prep myself as best as possible, there are plenty of times during the training season when a vacation is easy to fit in or actually should be prescribed. With some common sense and flexibility, I’ve found I can blend travel and training with mostly success.

Any other tips out there from frequent travelers?

Doing a triathlon has been a very long-term goal of mine, and I completed my first one April 30 at Lake Anna. I chose Rumpus in Bumpass (Olympic distance) because it fit into my schedule, mainly, and because the name of the triathlon is amazing. I mean, check out these finisher medals?

First, Rumpus in Bumpass is a pretty good drive from DC…Lake Anna is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. And given how unpredictable/terrible traffic on I-95 south can be, going down the morning of just seemed like a bad idea. Not to mention that the race didn’t start until around 9 or so I think (wonderful April weather), and I hate getting up early if I don’t have to.

So we made the quick trip down to Fredericksburg the day before, leaving just about 1pm. It was a good drive, just before it started to get super busy. Princess chops (the dog) came along for the ride–because I need her emotional support (kidding…sort of), and because DH also likes to have Toasty tag along to keep him company for my athletic endeavors. I’m lucky to have such a sweet support team!

We stayed at the TownePlace suites in Fredericksburg, which was close to the interstate and, wait for it, had its very own cute dog space where Toasty could run off leash.  Very, very dog friendly. With a kitchen, fridge, and microwave, it was perfect for filling up water bottles in the morning and enjoying an early pizza dinner. It took me about 35 minutes to get to the marina where the tri started from, door to door. Not too shabby. Particularly when I paid for it using Marriott points.

Lake Anna is really pretty. I hate lakes (swimming in them), and it was pretty clear, very clean, and I was all warm in my new wetsuit. So here is the quick rundown on the course.

Swim: Wetsuit legal and just fine. First time I’ve swam in open water, first time I’ve swam in a wetsuit (eh, give or take that…keeps me warm but don’t think it speeds me up much as my technique is pretty good as is). Kids, don’t do that if you aren’t a really confident swimmer, I know lots of people cringe when I tell them those things. Practice beforehand. I swam for over a decade, so swimming is my strongest leg–I was #6 out of the water of about 120 women at 26:59 (about 1:38/100y). I spent a lot of time swerving, since I didn’t ‘get’ the whole sighting thing till about half way through. But if only the swim were longer and the bike was shorter.

Bike: Um, this ride was characterized as “flat” which was blatant BS. It was not “flat” by any characterization of the word, and certainly not by someone who hates hills. Seeing your speed get down to 8mph is demoralizing. Nonetheless, I averaged just under 18 mph and finished in 1:21. For my very first competitive bike leg, again–ever–I can’t complain too much. Did I say I hate hills?

Run: Again. Not. Flat. If there is anything I hate more than biking up hills, it’s running up them. Fortunately, while these hills were steep they were also short. And I proudly held my bad attitude in check to finish in 54:51, or 8:50/mile. Considering I’m not a fast runner, I was pretty happy with this given that this was my first time, and well, hills are pretty much my nemesis.

The race was so well run, well organized, well signed, and just “easy”. Everyone was incredibly nice and very helpful. I’m doing another race in the VTSMTS series in July! Super excited about that, even though I don’t do well in heat, it is purportedly flat. Yes, I choose races based on lack of hills, no shame in that.

Overall, I ended up with a very surprisingly 3rd place finish in my age group and was 25th overall of about 120. Moral of the story: I think I’m switching from just running to triathlons. I’m really working on my biking, my speedwork when running, and keeping my swimming strong to make up as much time as possible.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this race, particularly to first-timers/novice triathletes. It’s a beautiful location, not too big, not too small, and well executed. On to Colonial Beach in July and I think my real goal, a half-ironman distance race in September.

Biking photo purchased from Joe Schrader Photography.

We had snow here last Friday, and I think that may be the last of it for the winter (though I’m always up for a late March snow). It also marks the start of a few super busy months with lots of traveling!

We are heading to the Ecuador and the Galapagos, and I’m excited about that (as I’ve already mentioned more times that necessary). I’m only concerned that there may not be enough time to sleep…and I really need to get back to my 10-12 hours a night. I don’t know whether it’s more work, more exercise, or more naughty dog wake ups, but I’m exhausted lately. Our dog may be almost ten years old, but she still terrorizes us from time to time to let us know who is boss. Guess what? It’s not us.

On the other hand, there is no internet on the boat in the Galapagos. Gasp. Stutter. Gulp. No internet? When is the last time I haven’t had internet for more than a single day? I honestly cannot remember. We had internet daily in Bhutan, Kenya, and Peru. But this really forces me to not check email, hope for updates from the dogsitter extraordinaire about Toasty’s antics, or read useless rambles about the presidential election (I mean, really, the United States has reached a very new low there).

I’ve downloaded two new books to enjoy–first up, City of Thorns (I had already read another book on Dabaab, and my mom recommended this one), and Flames in the Field (about women spies in World War II). I really would like to read another new fiction book, but so much of fiction is just…so….bad.  I have no patience for books that don’t immediately grab my attention.

I’ve also started my triathlon training, and even though I ran a lot before this (with the once a week bike and swim), the quantity and intensity of the 8-week program is tiring. Three to four days a week are >90 minutes. I guess I get about ten days off during our vacation, though we will be doing lots of hiking, paddling, and snorkeling. When we get back, we have about 2 weeks before the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, an annual favorite! And then two weeks before my very first metric century ride in Delaware. And then two weeks to my very first triathlon in Virginia. Named Rumpass in Bumpass. Which is an awesome name for a triathlon. No of course that is not why I signed up for this race.

It will be a lot of firsts in April. Plus, we are headed to Virginia Beach for the dog’s annual vacation (like 2014 and 2015)! The dog needs her vacation (and we love spoiling her).

Can’t wait to share pictures of Ecuador and the Galapagos in a few weeks!

Here is what has been going on in the meantime.

Spinning. Spinning is hard. It would be way, way easier to go run 6 miles rather than be in spin class for 60 minutes. That said, I’m intrigued. I’ll definitely go more often. In part because I’m really thinking of…

Signing up for a triathlon. Yea, I don’t bike. This is the biggest problem, and one I’ve yet to tackle. Need to acquire a bike and actually ride it outside. Everyone is scared of swimming–I swam competitively for over 10 years. Swimming is no issue (and I checked out the pool again to make sure I hadn’t forgotten how). But biking is way hard. Uphill? You mean I have to bike uphill instead of just walk the bike? As I said…I have some mental obstacles to tackle, first.

Thinking about next trips. We have a lot of miles to burn in the near future, but I’m sort of stuck right now. We have a Kenya safari planned for June, and I don’t know whether to squeeze in something before or after. I don’t ever take my current leave situation for granted, either, so that’s something I need to figure into the mix. And I’m having a hard time narrowing down the choices, and I’m not really feeling the hectic 4 days in Europe right now trying to see lots of things. More on a palm tree sort of kick…

Speaking of trips, I am researching the Galapagos, again. DH and I are committed to a 2016 foray to see the wonderful wildlife, but need to decide which ship and which time of year. Choices, choices. We are interested in a ship-based 8-10 day trip, so if you have any suggestions, please leave a comment!

Laughing my ass off at Smartpak’s “If Horses Were People” videos. I really don’t know if these are funny to people who don’t ride or know horses. Um, they totally may not be? But if you have horses, these are absolutely freaking hysterical. If only I could act like a horse and less like a person in every day life and snort and shy away at everything I didn’t like…how much fun would that be?

See you in a few days with tales of Costa Ricaaa!