Definition of do-athlon

Do: [doo] verb
to perform; to accomplish; to complete; to execute

Triathlon: [trahy-ath-luh n] noun
an athletic contest comprising three consecutive events, swimming, biking and distance running

Do-athlon: [doo-ath-luh n] verbish-noun
term used for actually doing a triathlon

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Registration Time!

Registration is open for the Ripon Medical Center Triathlon at Green Lake. 

Waves are organized by age and gender, so you can register anytime.  (A "wave" is the group of people that you start the triathlon with, this staggers out the numbers so there isn't as many people on the course at one time.)

To register, visit the official race website by clicking here.   Register for the "Individual Short Course" if you are planning to do the sprint distance.  There is also a relay option on the site.  The cost is $60 / person until July 1st. 

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

It's Time - Make The Commitment!

The New Year is here and now it's time for you to get moving and start getting ready for the Ripon Medical Center Triathlon in Green Lake!  We've had a great response so far, but I know a lot of you are still on the fence.  There is still plenty of time to get ready, even if you haven't worked out in years! 

So take a few minutes to re-read my previous posts, and get motivated!

I've been hearing from some of you that you don't know where you would be able to practice swimming.  So I checked out a bunch of the local park and rec departments, and it turns out that you can't use that as an excuse!  Lots of them have open swim, adult swim instruction, and swim groups, and you usually don't have to be a resident to participate.  Here are just a few:
Greendale Whitefish Bay   New Berlin  Milwaukee County  Wauwatosa   Muskego

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Why TRI?

I needed a reason to exercise.  With 3 small kids at home, and little motivation to work out, I just needed something to shoot for.  The Door County Sprint Triathlon was it.  I was somewhat hesitant to commit, not sure if I could pull off the training, but my friend Mical was doing it (also a mother of 3), and with my husband Jason on board I signed on. 

Now, to set the record straight, as I always say "I am an athletic supporter, not a jock".  So I was not looking for anything hard core. I've never swam competitively, my bike has a big cushy seat with shocks (yes, shocks on the seat), and I really don't like running.  But after I completed my first triathlon I was hooked! 

For me the key is doing the short distance triathlon, known as the Sprint.  Usually a 1/4 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run.  Each of these are challenging, but doable if you can commit a moderate amount of time to training.  Plus, the events are relatively short, so it isn't boring like it might be if you were doing the same thing for an hour and a half.    There are longer distance triathlons (in which I have zero interest), but if you're hard-core, like my sister Erica, you just might want to shoot for an Olympic distance, 1/2 Ironman, or full Ironman.  Or, if you are totally not into one of the events, there's a relay option too. 

I went on to complete 3 triathlons this past summer, and some of the things I've really enjoyed are:
*  Jason and I can compete together, but at our own levels
*  It has given me a goal for working out and made it much more enjoyable
*  The entire event itself is fun - it's a great family-friendly atmosphere
*  We've had fun traveling around the state for races
*  I've met lots of great people at races, also connected with friends who are competing too
*  It's great for my girls to see their mom doing something active and competitive
*  My kids are excited about trying it too - what a great thing to do together as a family as they get older

Can you tell I'm excited?  In 2011 I have my sights set on the Ripon Medical Center Triathlon at Green Lake, and I want you to do it with me!!!

SO, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?  Sign on to follow my blog, or e-mail me at erin@madamnutrition.com and I'll keep you in the loop. Invite your friends and family members to do it with you too!  I'll keep you posted on when to register, and available places to stay in Green Lake, and give you information on things like equipment rental, training, etc.  Later we can get together to train and discuss the actual event.

Training

I'm certainly no expert in triathlon training, but I did get ready for my first one in about 8 weeks (with a baby, 3 and 4 year old at home to boot). I had not been working out regularly, so I was probably starting from the beginning.  I followed a pretty moderate schedule, usually 3 days a week. I didn't use a set training schedule, my goal was to take it slow and steady, not worring about the total distance to start.

Swim:  My first time in the pool I made it 3 lengths and thought I was going to die. I swam for about 20 minutes with a combination of strokes, and used a kickboard much of the time, and took lots of breaks.  I wasn't sure what I was getting into!  The next time I swam, I noticed 2 old ladies who were swimming literal laps around me, and was amazed at their stamina, and realized that they were just taking it slow and steady.  So I worked on going very slowly, regulating my breathing and not wasting too much energy by kicking a lot, and it worked!  I quickly found my groove, and within a short time I could swim for 30 minutes without getting winded.  

Bike:  I started out using the spin bikes at my gym and was quickly discouraged.  Again, I rode for about 20 minutes and was beat.  But, like the swimming, the more I did it, the easier it got.  I also tried to bike outside whenever I could.  I found it helpful to use a speedometer so I could guage my speed and effort.

Run:  I really don't enjoy running, so I was not looking forward to this part.  My goal was to start running for 10 minutes, and work up to 30, no matter how slow I went.  I did this a few days a week, and before I knew it I was running 30 minutes - but VERY slowly.  I tried working on my speed, but never really picked it up very much.  My goal was to finish, not win - so I didn't worry about that much. 

Bricks:  One of the important things in training is to practice bricks.  These are when you do two of the events back to back.  I met my friend Mical once a week to bike and run together.  We would bike about 14 miles, and then run.  We started out running 10 minutes or so, and then worked up to the full distance.  This SUCKED, but I really think it helped in the end.  You can't be prepared for how heavy your legs feel after the bike until you do it! 

So, basically for the first 4 weeks or so I just focused on the length of the workout, increasing slightly each time.  The second 4 weeks or so I tried to put them together, and increase my speed.  

There are lots of websites that provide information on training for a triathlon.  You can even pay for a training schedule designed for you.  I just tried to read a bunch of different program information and put together something I thought would work for my schedule.  The bottom line is that you really CAN get ready for this in a relatively short time!