Round and Round We Go...

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 13

 

Activity: Biking in Central Park 

 

I went for a thirty mile bike ride this morning in Central Park. The park is 6.2 miles, this meant I needed to go round the park five times to get my mileage in. The ride was quite monotonous, specially since I always yearn for variety during my workout. To keep myself entertained during the ride, I started making a mental list of things that annoyed me while riding - read on below:

- People on bikes who suddenly stop in the middle of the road to look at their phone or at a map trying to figure out where they want to go next.  
- Dogs: I love dogs but when they are off leash in the park they have a mind of their own; they come running onto the road, which is highly dangerous for cyclists.
- People strolling without looking: I know it's a park, and people should leisurely stroll in the park; but why do they need to do it right in the middle of the road where people running or biking; there is an entire park with green green grass... maybe I am being too harsh but it is really scary when people pop in front of you and you have to suddenly break or swerve to miss crashing into them.
- Garbage trucks: The garbage truck moved at the same pace as I was biking which meant my wonderful biking companion became the truck until it stopped to pick up the garbage (thank god!)

That was the list for today, while there are many things that come in the way while I am riding in the park, I do enjoy every minute of it. I guess if I wanted a less crowded ride I should get up super early and go round and round when it is empty.

Training at Coney Island in Pictures

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 14

Activity: 1 mile swim and 4 mile run at Coney Island 

Left home at 6 am on a saturday morning - the streets were empty!

We gathered on the Coney Island Boardwalk at 7:30 am to put on our wet suits. 

The Team in Training group set up thier gear on beach before we plunged into the cold rough sea

The water looked deceptively calm from far away.
The waves were high and choppy - tough day to swim a mile in the ocean. 

Devoured the hot dog from Nathan's after the Swim and Run.

The Sweet Aroma of Central Park

Days left till the NYC Triathlon: 16

Activity: Bike Ride in Central Park

I have been trying to train in the mornings these last few weeks. When I am in New York my morning runs or bike rides are almost always in Central Park. As I entered the park at 6 am this morning there was a sweet aroma that was subtle and calming; it bought a smile to my face. I have not been able to figure out where this sweet wafting smell comes from as it lasts only for a short time. After the first 15 minutes of my workout the sweet smell goes away and the smell of garbage, cars and sweat overpowers as the city slowly but surely starts waking up. It was cloudy today I rode 15 miles.

Nearing the Finish Line

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 17

Activity: Various in the last 10 days

I have been bad about writing about my training these last ten days. Work, life and travel got the better of me. Last week I was in Charlotte and all I did was run run run, when I am on the road it is difficult to do anything else. I have a great 5 mile running route in Charlotte that I ran twice during my stay there. This weekend I did my second BRick, which is biking, followed by running. I biked 20 miles around Central Park and ran 5 miles at Riverside Park. It was extremely hot and I thought I was going to collapse by the end of it! Saturday marked my second last long training – the end is near and I do not feel very ready. One needs to be at a certain level of fitness to finish an Olympic tri, but the mind is a very powerful tool as well, it is amazing what one can achieve if you are focused and determined. I am hoping my mind kicks in if my body decides to shut down!  

I ran 5 miles yesterday (Tuesday) morning. I love doing morning workouts, it really gets you going and I feel like I can take on the day with my workout done by 7 am. Training for a triathlon always seems like a good idea at the start but as the end draws closer I wonder what I was thinking taking this on! Race day is a couple of weeks away and as my mom says ‘the only way to do it is to do it’ so that is my plan for the next few days – train, train and then taper off. 

Running by the Light Rail in Charlotte

One Mile Swim

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 26

 

Activity: Swim Group Training Session

I was so tired this evening, I had an intense day at work and my leg muscles were still recovering from Sundays long run. It took all my energy and willpower to pack my bag and head towards Brooklyn for my Swim GTS. It wasn't the thought of swimming that tired me, It was the thought of putting on my wetsuit that made me feel like skipping the session. Yes, the wet suit is a daunting piece of clothing that takes a minimum of ten minutes to put on. Today we were doing the one mile swim; this essentially meant doing 5 out and back snake swims in the pool. After the 4th out and back we got out of the pool removed our wetsuits and jumped back in for the last one. When you remove your wet suit you realize how warm and buoyant it keeps you. I welcomed the cool touch of the water for the last drill. I wasn't particularly tired post the long swim, I am hoping this means that on race day I will be fine. I also made it a point to barely kick in order to conserve my legs for the bike and run, it is important to be conscious of your legs as the natural thing to do is kick. It took me 33 minutes to swim one mile, hoping the Hudson current helps me go faster on race day. 

Say What You Do and Do What You Say

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 27

Activity: Running in Central Park 

I was determined to run today, and not just any old run; I wanted to run from my home to Central Park do a 6.2 mile loop and run back. I knew it would be tough and would probably be the longest distance I have ever run, I was willing to push myself. During this long run I wanted to experiment with nutrition, I took gels with me (Lime Sublime and Tri Berry flavors) I think I like the more citrus-y flavors vs. the gooey chocolate ones. I started pretty late at 10:30 am; it wasn't very hot today and there was a nice breeze. I need to get used to running in hot weather; as I have no idea how hot it will get on race day. I passed Harlem Hill feeling in control (I think I was on mile 5 at HH), the toughest part for me was the long flat stretch on 92nd street on the east side (parallel to the reservoir); I popped a gel and felt much better after that. It is important to know what your tough spots are beforehand so that you have a plan to overcome them. The nice thing about the NYC Triathlon is that you train on the course and can figure out your weak spots. I ran 8.53 miles, this is the longest distance I have ever run; a few weeks ago I did 7.5 miles and today I took it a step further, who knows maybe before the Triathlon I hit the double digit mark?

    

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Special 26

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 28

Activity: Bike Group Training Session

The bike ride is twenty six miles; it is the longest part of the triathlon. One has to be careful about how they pace themselves on the ride, you can't go all out because you have the run after and your legs need to be conserved (which is also why you don't kick during the swim). Today's training session was to figure out what your bike pace is in order to have enough energy and strength to run after. We started with doing repeats of Harlem Hill for 20 minutes. Harlem Hill is the worst climb in Central Park, it has a rise of 84 feet and is 0.32 miles in distance. I did this loop 4 times and thought my legs would fall off! Post the Harlem hill torture I biked for an hour doing Central Park loops; total distance biked this morning was twenty six miles - the special 26 after which I have to run a 10K! One of the most important things during the bike is to keep yourself hydrated, as my coach says 'grapes roll better than raisins'!  I practiced drinking water on the ride, it was a cool day so I did not feel too hot or dehydrated. Let's hope the weather cooperates on race day! 

Harlem Hill is at the tip of Central Park as shown in the map above

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Running On the Road

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 29

 

Activity: Running in Jackson and Charlotte

 

This week has been packed with travel, Wednesday through Friday was spent on the road with a visit to Jackson followed by a stop in Charlotte. When I check in at a hotel I make it a point to ask if they know of a running route I could take from the hotel, most of the time I get enthusiastic responses with many suggestions and pointers. In Jackson when I asked the question I got a weird look and was told the only running that I could do was on the treadmill in the gym. They thought I was crazy trying to run in 100 degree weather, so run on the treadmill I did. No outdoor runs in Jackson, which probably was a good thing. In Charlotte my experience was the opposite; I was given a print out of all the running paths from the hotel, they were listed in order of difficulty level. I ended up going for a nice 4 mile run this morning on a path that was beside the light rail. It was perfect running weather with a cool light breeze and beautiful sunshine. Charlotte is a great city with an awesome vibe that comes alive in the art, architecture and people. While running almost everyone I passed wished me good morning; which being a new yorker was a weird experience, since no one in NYC even acknowledges your presence when on a run. I am back in Charlotte next week and am looking forward to exploring some of the other routes that were listed. Few pictures from the run below. 

Off Track

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 32

 

Activity: Biking in Central Park 

You may have noticed that there have been no posts for the last 7 days. Well, the truth is I have not trained in a whole week - YIKES (I am freaking out). I am almost a month away from race day and I slacked off. Obviously I have excuses for being so bad these last few days. Friends visiting from India 'forced' me to go out for dinners, have drinks and partake in NYC sightseeing - NOT ! The truth is I willingly ignored my training and decided to enjoy some time with friends. The Second reason was it was my Birthday so I felt like I had permission to take it easy. Well all that is over now and I must focus and train hard the next few weeks. 

Today was the first day back after my hiatus, I biked 15 miles this evening in Central Park. It felt good I don't think I have lost it all as I feared. Upwards and onwards towards the finish line - the end is near. I am traveling the next few days and intend to run while on the road. 

Torture Run

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 39

 

Activity: Run Group Training Session 

Yesterday we ran the famous 8 loop at Bethesda Fountain; I call it the torture run. It is 1 mile long with only steep inclines, followed by jump squats and high knees. I was not in a mood to run last evening and through out the pre-run nutrition clinic I was thinking of excuses that would justify me going home; my excuses were pretty lame, so I stayed, ran and got tortured.

The nutrition clinic started at 6:30 pm, they took us through what we should be eating before, during and after the race. Fueling your body properly makes all the difference, there is a lot to it and you have to make sure it works for you; which means for the next 4 weeks of training that I have left I will need to practice my nutrition plan to make sure it works! I ran 5 miles today three of the 8 loop and two miles to Bethesda and back - pure torture. The lack of motivation to run made me realize how important the mind is in these edurance races. You have to mentally prepare yourself and know that you can push through no matter what. Yesterday my mind was not ready to run and my entire being felt like lead, each stride was a feat!

In other news, I had signed up for the Pancake Sprint Triathlon this weekend, but it got cancelled due to low numbers of entrants. I am back to going to Coney island on Saturday where we will be swimming in the cold water and running on the boardwalk.

The 'Bondage' Suit

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 40

Activity: Swim Group Training Session 

The wet suit is also known as the bondage suit and today was the day to squeeze into it. I took it out from storage after three long years, hoping that it would still fit me. After much tugging, pulling and sweating I finally got it zipped up. I tried it on at home before going for swim training, imagine being at the training and not being able to zip up or worse what if it split right down the middle! Yes, I have had nightmares about not fitting into my wet suit.

Today we swam with our wet suits on in the pool, this was in preparation for next Saturdays training which will be swimming in the sea at Coney Island. From here on out we will be wearing our wet suits for every swim. We practiced sighting and swimming with breathing on the left side. During the New York Triathlon if you breath on the left you see the city and on the right you see New Jersey; breathing on the left is preferred because it is easier to keep track of where you are going, there is a big wall on the New York side. Lucky for me I naturally breath on the left.  We also practiced how to swim around the buoy, I learnt the corkscrew turn; which is alternating freestyle and back stroke so you turn around an object like a corkscrew. Lastly, we swam with our eyes closed; to see if you veer towards the left or right. It was hilarious to watch people swim across the pool!  It is very freaky to swim with your eyes closed, I swam pretty straight but that was because I was very aware of where my hands were entering the water, your hands are your rudders and determine the direction you will go. 

During my swim session,  I chatted with a co-triathlete who was doing a sprint triathlon this coming weekend called Flat as a Pancake in Staten Island. I went home and signed up for it, so instead of swimming at Coney Island this weekend I will be doing the Pancake Sprint Tri and most definitely indulging in some yummy pancakes after! 

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Tiring BRick and Tire Changing

Days left till NYC Triathlon: 42

 

Activity: BRick at Riverside Park & Central park

Today was the second "Brick" session of the season and I was ready to take it on. I planned my nutrition the night before; bought some gatorade, which I would took with me and for breakfast I had a PBJ sandwich (yum). I was on my bike and off towards Riverside Park at 6:45 am. Manhattan is so serene and peaceful early in the morning; it was great to bike with no cars on the road, specially the mean cabs and big buses that love to bully the cyclists (me) on the road.

Today we did a 1.5 hr bike ride and a 4 mile run (1 mile before the ride and 3 miles after). We do a mile before the bike ride to simulate what it would be like when you get out of the hudson, we also do pushups; this is to replicate how your arms would feel after swimming. Post training we had a "learn how to change your tire" bike clinic. I am not sure what I was more worried about - the workout or changing my tire! The bike ride was good, I rode 23.31 miles in Central Park. I am getting better at gear changing, the better you get at this the less you tire your legs and the stronger you are on the run. The run was at riverside park where we did 3 out and backs; I felt like I was going to die by the end of it!

With training done we went on to the next part which was changing the bicycle tire. I have never changed a tire in my life which made the task extremely daunting. The coaches took us through it step by step, I needed help at every step. I pray and hope that I do not get a flat on race day because that will be the end of my race. Long workout done, now I have the whole weekend ahead of me - I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.