Independent-Tri #1: Independent- Baby Du

Note: This picture is not of me (since I'm a girl!) or anyone I know- but the guy is really cute!

My first Independent-Tri was today. It was actually a duathlon. I ended up running 2 miles, then biking 4 miles, then running another 2 miles. My total time including transitions was 1 hour 27 minutes (yeah, I'm slow!)



This morning I went for a swim at my local health club, which lasted about 45 minutes. I then went to the grocrey store with my mom and did some other things before I went home. I started my Independent-Baby Du (called "Baby Du" because the distances were so short) in the late afternoon. The weather was perfect for a bunch of running and bicycling. Temperatures were in the lower sixties.



Run #1: Run #1 started out nice. I ran almost to the end of a long street and back. This was the first time in a while that I wore a watch while running- actually the fist time in a couple years. I ended up staring at the watch for a good portion of the run! I was still a little tired from this morning's swimming when I started, but I quickly warmed up. As I ran back towards my house, I spent a few minutes fumbling around to get my bike (The garage door was locked, so I tried to open the back door. The back door was also locked. I finally went in my house from the front door then went to the garage to get my bike) I got my bicycle, put on my helmet, and took off bicycling.



Total time for the run (excluding the transitions) :25 minutes



Bike: I rode my bike up and down the same street I ran on- I just went further. It felt nice to be on my bike outside again. There have only been a handful of times I rode my bike outside since last September (the end of triathlon season for me) My legs burned riding the uphhills, but I loved riding the downhills! It felt incredible having the cool wind blow on my increasingly sweaty face. I eventually rode back to my house and put my bike up. Transition only took about a minute this time since I left the garage door unlocked. This made it easy to put my bike up. I then quickly ran out of the garage to start my final leg of the Baby-Du



Total time for the bike (again, excluding transition): 30 minutes (I never said I was fast!)



Run #2: This second run was located on exactly the same route as my first fun. I ran up and down the same street on much more tired legs. My legs did not feel as brick-like as when I do triathlons, however. This was probably because I only rode my bike four miles. I ran through this route, enjoying the spring weather but eager to get done. I was hungry and wanted to shower. As I ran back to my house, I was proud that I finished my first Independent-Du and resolved to do these types of "races"more often.



Total time for Run #2: 28 minutes (yes, it actually WAS possible to slow down)



Total time for the whole event: 1 hour 27 minutes



Home: I was pretty tired when I got home. I took a quick shower, ate a bunch of food, read a book for a little while, then started on this blog. I am now eager to go to bed, and now have a new favorite workout.

I LOVED DOING THE INDEPENDENT- BABY DU!

Independent-Tris and other ramblings

Dear Blogger,

It is a very nice day out again today. it is about 75 degrees. I am very much looking forward to the OSU triathlon May 4. It is now official. My mom even picked out the hotel rooms. This time she actually booked 2 rooms, giving me my very own hotel room. I am spoiled!

This is awesome because dad's snoring and the TV running untill late at night mean I never get any sleep when I share a hotel room with my parents. Now I get a good night's sleep before the triathlon. I guess mom just got sick of the complaining.

I am so excited for summer! I am really eager to try out the Independent-Tri idea. I am hoping to to one this Saturday at the gym. If i can't get to the gym, I will make it an Independent- Du (run, bike, run).

Ways an Independent-Tri is different form a triathlon:

1. I can do them when ever I want

2. I can do them where ever I want

3. They don't cost anything

4. There are no other competitors (no 100,000 "on your lefts" on the bike- also no motivation to sprint to try to catch a 10-year old on the run!)

5. No t-Shirts or any other freebies

6. I don't have to rely on anyone to take me to an Independent-tri (except if I want to go to the gym)

7. I can pick the distances ("lengthen the swim?" you ask. I'm already ahead of you!)

8. It's less official :(

Ways an Independent-Tri is different from a workout:

1. it will be timed

2. I'll go as fast as I can

3. I will plan for the Independent-Tri at least a day ahead of time

4. It will be in the format of an official triathlon

5. It will usally be longer then the average workout

P.S. I just had the most IMPOSSIBLE math test today! I understood how to do most of the problems, but it took forever and I'm not sure how many problems I got right. I'll find out my grade soon. I hope he adds a curve to the test. I really want an "A" . I need an "A" average this quarter so I can exempt the final exam! I don't want to take the final exam in math. Finals in math always take 10+ hours to study for. Ugh!

Spring is finally comming!

There are less than 2 weeks untill my first triatlon this season. 13 days to be percise. The thing that is intresting about this triathlon is that the swim will take place in a pool. All the triathlons I have done so far have had swims that took place in lakes. A pool swim will be very intresting. Not really- since I swim in pools all the time.

Speaking of which, I am also looking forward to long course season in swimming. It starts for me, in June (Since I have to take lifeguarding classes in May) One of the swims I am really looking forward to is a 3000 meter (or yards, I can't remember) swim that will be taking place at the end of June in Lake Eerie (spelling?)

It is finally Spring and will be summer in a few months. I am also thinking about what other races I would like to do. I would like to do an olympic distance triathlon and half-marathon this year. There is a good olympic distance triathlon about 20 minutes from home that I could do in July.

I am also thinking about doing my own triathlons. These would be triathlons that I would organize and complete all by myself- in the gym or on the road somewhere. I remember I used to do a few of these when I was 11 years old (this was when I thought I was too young for triathlons- so I did some of my own). These triathlons were typically very small distances- about a 300 yard swim, 3 mile bike, and 1 mile run.

I thought about the idea of doing some more of these types of independent triathlons after reading this blog: http://crackheadfe.blogspot.com/ where she talks about doing NothingMan triathlons.

The benefit to doing these types of triathlons (with real races thrown in, ovbiously) is that untill I learn how to drive (which I am hoping to learn how to do this summer) I can only go to triathlons when my parents feel like taking me. This means I can only do a triathlon maybe once a month, if that.

If I did Independent-Tris (as I will call them) I would not have to collaberate my idea of fun with my parent's ideo of fun as much. Plus, I can do Independent-Tris in the winter as well!

I will do as many triathlons as I can, but the idea of an Independent-Tri sounds awesome!

P.S. If photos do not upload correctly, is there any way to delete them?