Hello, friends! I know, I know, I've left you hanging for awhile. I was in Colorado for one of my sorority sister's (and former roommate!) wedding. It was beautiful!
It's always challenging to fit a work out in on vacation but I did go for a 4 mile hike with the bridal party (pictured above) and a solo one-hour run. I also did a short run the morning after the wedding (hardcore!) All I can say is, I know why most professional triathletes move to the Colorado Rockies! The altitude whoops your butt! I thought I was just making things up in my mind when I started having shortness of breath running uphill...that is, until I started getting dizzy! Unfortunately, it does not burn any additional calories, it only acts as a drag. I guess the theory is when you come down to flat land for races, you have full oxygen and perform a lot better!
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| God's beauty is amazing! |
REDMAN Race Course
So I finally checked out the Redman bike course. I heard it was posted online not too long ago. Drum roll...
http://www.redmantriathlon.com/Portals/0/docs/Bike_2011_062811.pdf
Whoop! There it is! For some reason I could not get this as a pic...but just click on the link for the pdf map of the course. Joleen and I are going to try it tomorrow morning...or I should say, we are striving to ride the course tomorrow morning. I just think we'll feel a lot more comfortable getting to know the course instead of letting it be a surprise race day. The only thing I don't like is how we loop around the same roads. This may make me painfully aware of how much further I have to go. Or perhaps...it can help me gauge how much further I have to go? I guess we will see!
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| If we get sick in the bike or run portion...this is why. |
Here is the swim course. I wish we were swimming clockwise instead of counterclockwise. I breathe to my ride side, so clockwise is more favorable in terms of spotting buoys.
The run is included on the map as well. For anyone familiar with Lake Hefner, it looks like the focal point of this race is near the parking lot accessed from Hefner Road. The run seems rather straight forward, from the fore-mentioned parking lot to the ball park and back...twice. Once again, I do not enjoy the loop concept because I will be painfully aware of the distance I need to go and have to pass the finish line the first time around.
Other Musings From the Redman Web Site
Swim to Bike Transition:
After exiting the swim, you have the option to have your wet suit stripped. Following the wet suit strip, proceed through swim exit. Full distance athletes then proceed to the change tents. Athletes may dress for the bike portion of the race in the tents or at their rack! We do strongly urge you to consider the impact your changing may have on traffic through the bike lanes. This suggestion is for your safety as well as our race staff. NO PUBLIC NUDITY ALLOWED! Personal nutrients are permitted if carried on your person, in a front pack or in your gear bag. Sunscreen will be available in the changing tents.
So no getting naked! Wasn't planning on it...
7. Bike Repair: Each athlete will be INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE for any repairs or maintenance of your bike. Each athlete should be prepared to handle the repair needs or mechanical breakdown of your bike. Technical vans/roving bike support will be on the course to assist with emergency repairs whenever possible, such as replacement of tubes, tires, chains, etc. Technical vans will roam the course throughout the day, but are limited in number. Be prepared! If you require medical assistance, medical vans will pick you up and take you back to the medical tent, where you will receive treatment. If you have a technical problem or have bonked then the medical vans and technical vans will only take you to the next aid station. The Sag vehicles can take you back to the transition area if you still require it. We will not leave any athlete stranded on the road. We will have radios to contact ambulances and medical assistance. If you have a problem, please go to an aid station for further help.
Bonked? What does that mean? All of my flats may serve me well in the field...at least I will know how to fix it!
And as if we didn't have enough to worry about...
SEVERE HYPONATREMIA IN ULTRA ENDURANCE ATHLETES:
CAUSES, PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION:There have been many athletes with symptomatic hyponatremia (low blood sodium concentration).
Severe hyponatremia is rare but a life-threatening complication of ultra endurance athletic events.
WHAT IS HYPONATREMIA?To remain healthy, the body requires the concentration of sodium to be regulated within a very narrow range. The body achieves this through the kidneys, which are able to adjust the concentration of sodium in the blood by varying the amount of water released from the body. To do this, when deprived of water, the body secretes a hormone called anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) which instructs the kidneys to conserve water. On the other hand, when an excess of water has been ingested, ADH secretion is shut off, allowing the kidneys to release the extra water. ADH may be secreted in amounts that are inappropriate to the body’s needs for water conservation. For example, some vomiting and nausea and severe pain can cause ADH to be released beyond the body’s normal needs, resulting in abnormal water retention and lowing of the serum sodium concentration. Mild hyponatremia may cause no symptoms, or may be associated with headache and mild confusion. As serum sodium concentration fails, headaches may be become more severe, and confusion more obvious, to the point of disorientation with unusual and inappropriate behavior.
In severe cases, severe hyponatremia can lead to collapse, convulsions, and rarely death.
For More Info, Click HERE
The good news is that we will get to practice swimming both Thursday and Friday morning before the race from 7-9am. I will definitely take advantage of this.
This is NOT a picture of Lake Hefner. This is a picture of Lake Arcadia. Our past 3 TNT swim practices have been in open water. I love swimming in open water. It's very peaceful and I feel like time flies faster when you're not looking at a lane line or doing flip turns.
The race starts at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, September 24th. I can't believe it's only 23 days away! AH!
Since it's now officially the hottest summer on record in OKC (hardcore training!), I'm wondering if the race will truly be "wetsuit legal." Other triathletes swear by wetsuits and say it adds bouyancy, but I think I'd rather not wear one. Oh well, if they deem the water too cold and make it "wet suit legal," that means you have to wear a wet suit or you will be disqualified. ***CORRECTION *** Wet suit legal means you CAN wear a wet suit. If it is not "wet suit legal" then you are not allowed to wear a wet suit or your time won't be official. *** Thanks Coach Megan for the correction!
And finally, here is the "weather" section on the web site:
In many ways, Fall is Oklahoma's most attractive season. Autumn features mild days, cool nights and plenty of sunshine. The cool spells, which herald the approach of winter, are normally not seen until after mid-October. The brief periods of cool weather are frequently followed by extended periods of mild, dry weather. Fall leaves in the wooded regions of the state put on a breathtaking display of color. For the weekend of REDMAN:
Will Rogers once quipped, "If you don't like the weather in Oklahoma, wait a minute and it'll change." I believe the record for the day is 92 degrees. The way this summer has been going so far, it would not be out of the question to have a new record high. This would be unsafe for many athletes, however, I have been training in 100 degree + heat, so I think I could do it! My biggest concern is the wind. I pray it will not be incredibly windy. That would make the swim choppy, the bike much more tiring, and fly particles in my eyeballs during the run. I will start praying now! Okay, friends! This is enough for today! Joleen and I had a fundraiser Tuesday night! It went really well! I will have details in an entry soon... Thank you for all of your donations so far! Please donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...my goal is $5,000 and every dollar counts! Just click here! |
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