After a sketchy ride to the airport with a total wacko and a disappointing non-delivery with some trip treats from REI, I'm off. I'll be in Mombasa Kenya for a week and then.....Tanzania!!
More to come,
Jane
Friday, June 6, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
The hardest sprint tri on earth!
So this weekend I eh-hmm "competed" in the Black Bear sprint triathlon. At the same time, my sister competed in the 70.3 mile Half Ironman. Oh my goodness.
So the distances were:
swim 750 meters
bike 17.7 miles
run 3.4 miles
What makes it hard you ask? One word for you people: HILLS. Straight up, straight down, straight up, straight down...for 17 miles!! About .7 was flat....but the rest--straight up and straight down. It was brutal.
I finished in 2:20 which isn't great, but whatever. The swim and run felt good as did the flat part of the bike where I was going 25 miles an hour...but hills--not my best.
My sister Sarah did these as her last big race before Ironman Lake Placid. She said that this course was WAY harder. As did the big, burly, 20 year olds also doing LP who competed yesterday. Basically, she had 56 miles of straight up and straight down. Bleech. I don't know how she did it. I would have quit. But congrats to her!!!!
I will not do this race again. Ever. Unless I'm paid LARGE sums of money.
So the distances were:
swim 750 meters
bike 17.7 miles
run 3.4 miles
What makes it hard you ask? One word for you people: HILLS. Straight up, straight down, straight up, straight down...for 17 miles!! About .7 was flat....but the rest--straight up and straight down. It was brutal.
I finished in 2:20 which isn't great, but whatever. The swim and run felt good as did the flat part of the bike where I was going 25 miles an hour...but hills--not my best.
My sister Sarah did these as her last big race before Ironman Lake Placid. She said that this course was WAY harder. As did the big, burly, 20 year olds also doing LP who competed yesterday. Basically, she had 56 miles of straight up and straight down. Bleech. I don't know how she did it. I would have quit. But congrats to her!!!!
I will not do this race again. Ever. Unless I'm paid LARGE sums of money.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Columbia Triathlon 2008
So yesterday was the Columbia Triathlon (in Columbia Maryland). My sister Sarah and a friend from her triathlon team stayed over Saturday night. Sarah's training for Ironman Lake Placid and her friend Julie Deery just came in second at the national duathlon championship...so she qualified for nationals. I was hoping that some of their training and endurance would rub off on me.
Though I don't think that happened, I did have a good race. I swam the mile in 29 minutes. That's a little slower than I did it last year. I blame it on the 70 degree water and some wetsuit issues. But I also haven't been swimming as much as I have in previous years. All in all, an addition of 1 1/2 minutes isn't too bad!
The bike was where I really improved. The 26 mile (41k) course is a beast with a few rolling hills. And in the past couple of rides, it's been a real mental game for me. But on Sunday, with lots of other people out there (passing me, that I was passing, that I could just plain see), it was much better. Last year it took me 1 hr and 43 minutes, this year it took me 1 hr 35 minutes. So, for me, that's a pretty good improvement.
There was a crash on the bike course. I'm not sure what happened but another amateur athlete had an accident and was medivacced out shutting down the bike course for 20 minutes. I don't know what happened--the only paper reports "multiple injuries" but Julie said there was a lot of blood. Hopefully he'll be ok. My mom was at transition and reported a lot of people crashing there as well. A combination of nerves, slick pavement for the on and off rain showers, and inexperience I guess?
Then, the run. Oh, the joy. I improved my time over last year. Wait for it. By 9 seconds. That's right people, 9 seconds. I did have some issues during the run, like shin splints for the first 2 miles, but I actually felt better than I did last year. maybe I could have pushed myself harder, but it's not like I was "in it to win it" so I'm just glad I could still walk afterwards!
Sarah had a great race, Julie, despite being disappointed, still managed to average 21 mph on the bike (to my 16 mph) and a 7 minute mile on the run (BLECH!)
So it took me 3 hrs and 26 minutes overall, and Sarah 3 hrs and 6 minutes. I'm pretty pleased with that. It took Julie on 2:28, but then, she is a duathlon champion.....
My friends Stefanie, her husband Brian and their friend Mark did the race as a relay team for the third year in a row (each year they do a different leg). They finished this year in an official time of 3 hrs and 22 minutes...but really you need to subtract 20 minutes because Stef got caught on the bike leg for the life-flight.
So, the training continues--my next race is in two weeks in New Jersey.... But the tough one is out of the way!!!
My sister Sarah Aloise, Julie Deery and me after the finish.
Though I don't think that happened, I did have a good race. I swam the mile in 29 minutes. That's a little slower than I did it last year. I blame it on the 70 degree water and some wetsuit issues. But I also haven't been swimming as much as I have in previous years. All in all, an addition of 1 1/2 minutes isn't too bad!
The bike was where I really improved. The 26 mile (41k) course is a beast with a few rolling hills. And in the past couple of rides, it's been a real mental game for me. But on Sunday, with lots of other people out there (passing me, that I was passing, that I could just plain see), it was much better. Last year it took me 1 hr and 43 minutes, this year it took me 1 hr 35 minutes. So, for me, that's a pretty good improvement.
There was a crash on the bike course. I'm not sure what happened but another amateur athlete had an accident and was medivacced out shutting down the bike course for 20 minutes. I don't know what happened--the only paper reports "multiple injuries" but Julie said there was a lot of blood. Hopefully he'll be ok. My mom was at transition and reported a lot of people crashing there as well. A combination of nerves, slick pavement for the on and off rain showers, and inexperience I guess?
Then, the run. Oh, the joy. I improved my time over last year. Wait for it. By 9 seconds. That's right people, 9 seconds. I did have some issues during the run, like shin splints for the first 2 miles, but I actually felt better than I did last year. maybe I could have pushed myself harder, but it's not like I was "in it to win it" so I'm just glad I could still walk afterwards!
Sarah had a great race, Julie, despite being disappointed, still managed to average 21 mph on the bike (to my 16 mph) and a 7 minute mile on the run (BLECH!)
So it took me 3 hrs and 26 minutes overall, and Sarah 3 hrs and 6 minutes. I'm pretty pleased with that. It took Julie on 2:28, but then, she is a duathlon champion.....
My friends Stefanie, her husband Brian and their friend Mark did the race as a relay team for the third year in a row (each year they do a different leg). They finished this year in an official time of 3 hrs and 22 minutes...but really you need to subtract 20 minutes because Stef got caught on the bike leg for the life-flight.
So, the training continues--my next race is in two weeks in New Jersey.... But the tough one is out of the way!!!
My sister Sarah Aloise, Julie Deery and me after the finish. (The space blankets are to keep us warm.)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Only four days until race day!
Yikes! Columbia triathlon in on Sunday. I've been "training" but I haven't been as dedicated as I probably should have been. The hills are calling and I'm afraid. How on earth I'm going to get through this I'm just not sure. Why do I sign myself up for these things? I mean, I actually pay for this torture?? I must be mad.
But it's good that I did becuase it's given me the confidence that I am in shape enough to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro! I'm heading to a meeting in Mombasa and then taking some leave for the climb, a mini-safari and a few days with my sister in Dar before coming back to the grind. I'm super excited!!
Anyway--other than that, just trying to stay dry in the heavy downpour!
Love ya,
Jane
But it's good that I did becuase it's given me the confidence that I am in shape enough to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro! I'm heading to a meeting in Mombasa and then taking some leave for the climb, a mini-safari and a few days with my sister in Dar before coming back to the grind. I'm super excited!!
Anyway--other than that, just trying to stay dry in the heavy downpour!
Love ya,
Jane
Monday, April 21, 2008
Some more photos from Costa Rica
For those of you who are interested....here are some more photos from my recent trip to Costa Rica. I'm back in Silver Spring now and trying to get in my final month (!) of tri training before my first race. May 18th is coming too soon.....
I can't figure out how to get this right side up...but a craftsman carves out a box at his workshop
I can't figure out how to get this right side up...but a craftsman carves out a box at his workshop
Posing by the largest ox cart wheel....
Pointing to the lagoon in the background. Do you see it? We didn't either.
Two oxen get a reprieve from pulling their load while they pose.
The ox cart owner and I share a moment.....Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Photos from Mexico and Costa Rica
Here are some photos from my recent trip to Mexico and my current (and on-going) trip to Costa Rica:
Mom gets a pedicure poolside in Mexico.
Mom and I pause at the top of the hill.
The main office of Rio Caliente.
I pose with one of the mascots of the Beijing Olympics at the arts fair in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The panorama of coffee fields as we drove out of San Jose to the Poas Volcano.
At Poas, our view of the crater was obstructed by clouds and rain. I hid under the viewing platform to escape the worst of it.
Alisia and I pretend to be oxen big enough to pull the world's largest ox cart. Seriously, even the Guinness Book of World Records says it's the biggest.
Mom gets a pedicure poolside in Mexico.
Mom and I pause at the top of the hill.
The main office of Rio Caliente.
I pose with one of the mascots of the Beijing Olympics at the arts fair in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The panorama of coffee fields as we drove out of San Jose to the Poas Volcano.
At Poas, our view of the crater was obstructed by clouds and rain. I hid under the viewing platform to escape the worst of it.
Alisia and I pretend to be oxen big enough to pull the world's largest ox cart. Seriously, even the Guinness Book of World Records says it's the biggest.Monday, April 14, 2008
Buenos dias!
Greetings from Costa Rica. I'm here until Friday for work. Not a bad gig...and I rarely (seriously) get the "not bad" gigs. I'm here to do OFDA's NGO training for partners. It's a nice break from the Darfur routine.
Today was a national holiday (I think to celebrate a revolution) so my friend Alisia and I went on a little one day tour of a volcano crater, a town with a metal church and a town where they make the traditional ox carts. It was ok, but tiring. The problem is that it's the start of the rainy season so while we hiked up to the crater---nothing but clouds. Oh well. But it was good.
The main problem so far is food. I always think of Central America as having similar foods, but I'm much better off in Guatemala then here. But they are big meat eaters here. The other problem is options close to our hotel. There's a burger king, a chinese restaurant, a subway and a Houston-based chicken chain. Seriously? I just want some rice and beans. Fortunately there's fair nearby so we went to have some "street food".
Our hotel's a little ghetto on the outside but the room's are ok and there's cable (which I don't have at home) so it's a nice treat! Of course, the gym is under renovations...so I'm totally screwed. this is supposed to be one of my big training weeks and with my race at the end of May I've feeling the pressure!!!
Anyway--I've also been to Mexico for a vacation with my mom which was fantastic. I have some photos of both trips and will post more soon. I haven't been writing mostly becuase there's not a lot to say and I'm mostly just trying to get myself together.
Anyway--more soon. Cuidense!!
Today was a national holiday (I think to celebrate a revolution) so my friend Alisia and I went on a little one day tour of a volcano crater, a town with a metal church and a town where they make the traditional ox carts. It was ok, but tiring. The problem is that it's the start of the rainy season so while we hiked up to the crater---nothing but clouds. Oh well. But it was good.
The main problem so far is food. I always think of Central America as having similar foods, but I'm much better off in Guatemala then here. But they are big meat eaters here. The other problem is options close to our hotel. There's a burger king, a chinese restaurant, a subway and a Houston-based chicken chain. Seriously? I just want some rice and beans. Fortunately there's fair nearby so we went to have some "street food".
Our hotel's a little ghetto on the outside but the room's are ok and there's cable (which I don't have at home) so it's a nice treat! Of course, the gym is under renovations...so I'm totally screwed. this is supposed to be one of my big training weeks and with my race at the end of May I've feeling the pressure!!!
Anyway--I've also been to Mexico for a vacation with my mom which was fantastic. I have some photos of both trips and will post more soon. I haven't been writing mostly becuase there's not a lot to say and I'm mostly just trying to get myself together.
Anyway--more soon. Cuidense!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)