How to do a triahtlon cheap (er)

Are you a middle to the back of the packer? Do you do triathlons because they are fun, a great way to keep in shape, and have no hopes of being sponsored? Do you have kids, a spouse, students loans, car loans, mortgages, rent, a life outside of triathlons? Read on.

So... triathlons are an expensive hobby. The race entry fee alone is enough to break the bank. But, have no fear, here are some tips to help lower the cost.

Race Entry Fee:

This is the hardest to cut costs on because, unfortunately, there aren't many coupons out there for discounts on your triathlon. However, there are some ways to help.
1. Register Early.
There is usually an early bird registration fee that is discounted.
2. Volunteer.
Many triathlons give discounts to people that volunteer for other races. I have received half off my entrance fee (for an Olympic distance)!
3. Sign up for multiple races at a time hosted by the same organization.
Often, organizations offer discounts when you sign up for more than one race.

Bike:

1. Craigslist.com

Don't be afraid of a used bike. The internet is loaded with deals. You might even find a good deal on a used bike at a local bike shop. You do not need to spend over $800 to find a decent bike.
2. Borrow
Are you preparing for your first triathlon? There is no need to go out and buy a fancy bike right away. You might do it and hate it (though you will probably be hooked!). Don't invest in something until you know this is something you're going to commit to. Ask around and see if any of your friends have a bike they would be willing to spare for a few months. Granted, the bike portion of the race is a lot easier in a lighter bike, you will see people riding on bikes from all decades in a triathlon. (For anything longer than a Sprint distance, I would recommend a road or hybrid bike.)

Bike Equipment

1. Shoes.
Depending on what kind of pedals you have will depend on what type of shoes you need. If you have clip pedals, you can just wear your running shoes. If you have clipless, you will need a pair of bike shoes. Wait for sales at stores or buy online. I don't like the idea of used shoes... check out Amazon.com or Ebay.com for some sweet deals.
2. Helmet and Glasses
$20 and you're done. Again, not used. Pick up some clearance sunglasses that will fit under your helmet straps.
3. Attire.
As long as you don't care about looking like Lance, this category is really easy to find some sweet deals. THRIFT STORES. You can find bike shorts, pants, jerseys, etc. at thrift stores. Again, it's going to take some commitment, but it's fun! Bring a friend, you never know what kind of treasures you'll find. I have gotten all of my bike shorts and pants at thrift stores. I broke the bank of a pair of pants for $6. No sign of wear. I also scored a pair of new Cannondale bike shorts for $4.
4. Cyclo-puter
You know, one of those computers that tell you how fast/far/temperature/etc. I got mine for $8 at Target. It is very accurate. It tells me my distance, speed, max. speed, average speed, calories burned, temperature, time, overall time used, overall distance used. They have more expensive ones but I'm happy as a clam with my Schwinn brand from Target.

Swim

1. Suit
I do not swim in a wetsuit, however I have also seen a LOT of wetsuits at local thrift stores for dirt cheap. Amazon and Ebay are also great to search for cheaper prices. I buy my swim suits (sorry you males reading this!) at Costco. For $20 you can get a Speedo racing bathing suit... and if you're on the smaller side... they have up to size 14 girls for only $12! You have to hit the season at the right time, but they have a pretty good selection when they are in stock.

2. Goggles
Costco. A three pack of Speedo racing goggles for $15. When they put out the pool stock, check for the goggles, I have seen them every year for the past three years.

3. Tri Shorts.
These are harder to find at thrift stores, but I have seen them. I bought mine on amazon.com for $15. I train in bike shorts, but I race/swim/run in tri shorts.

4. Bike Pack
Make sure you have your pack stocked with an extra tube, multi-tool, etc. This cost is minimal and will be a life saver when you get a flat in the rain.

Run

1. Shoes
Sorry, no savings on the shoes. A good pair of running shoes are essential to avoid injury. However, I did just discover something about my Chase credit card. One of my rewards that I can redeem with my credit card points is a "statement credit". For a couple of thousand points, I can get a $100 statement credit. I redeemed the points for the statement credit, bought my shoes with my credit card and... voila! A "free" new pair of shoes!

Training

Instead of paying way too much for a personal trainer, join a local triathlon team. They hold practices and coaching sessions. They offer great discounts and sometimes even discount your race entry fee if you wear their logo during the race. The cost per year is usually around $30. If the schedule of the team doesn't fit your schedule (that's my problem)... get a friend to sign up for the race with you. You can motivate one another and save a whole lot of cash in the process.

Miscillaneous

What about a heart rate monitor, bike trainer, triathlon bag, etc.??? If that's what you're looking for, you're at the wrong blog. This information is for people that are looking for what they need... minus the bells and whistles. Let's face it... we're middle to back of the packers and a bike frame that is an ounce lighter really isn't going to help our time.

Good luck in your upcoming season. May your stoke be efficient, your cadence be steady, and your legs not feel like jell-0!

Nude or Prude

My workout today was a double header. Short swim and short bike. Right now I am not doing them back to back, just on the same day. The swim was nice. It was a little chilly outside, but the water was nice and warm. I felt pretty good the entire duration and I started to get a little bit of that familiar rhythm back. I can remember when I first started swimming how boring I thought it was and it seemed like the time couldn't pass by quick enough (not so much that I was tired, but I was just bored). However, after a month or so I started to get into a swimming rhythm and the time started to fly bye in the pool. I got a glimpse of that today. Only a glimpse though.

Now onto the blog title. I ran into the locker room (despite all the "No Running" signs posted... but it was freezing out of the water) and went to my locker to get my shower stuff. Lo' and behold a naked woman was sitting on her towel in front of my locker on the bench. She asked "I'm sorry, am I in your way?" I wanted to say "No, just your boobs ma'am." But I held back. Not so weird because most people get naked in the locker room. However, when she moved down she didn't bother to cover up... she just scooted her bottom on over and proceeded to attempt to chat it up about my bathing suit. I did my best to avoid eye contact but seriously, it was like a train wreck. Her boobs hit her lap while she was sitting. I told her I got it from Costco and they are really cheap there, but you gotta go fast because they sell out quickly. Thinking the conversation was over I quickly turned to walk to the shower. She had other plans. Instead of letting me get out of the incredibly uncomfortable situation she stood up and explained that Costco did not sell the extra long sizes that she needed and demonstrated what she meant with her hands measuring her torso. No need lady, really.

I escaped with minor emotional injury only to practically run into another boobalicious naked woman coming out of the shower... towel in hand (picture deflated watermelons... sorry, misery needs company). She also wanted to chat it up about my bathing suit. I took her through the same quick story and darted into the shower before she could say anything else. What in the world? I felt like a prude because I didn't prance around the locker room without clothes on. I'm wondering how people get to be so comfortable that they can let it all hang out in front of complete strangers?

There was a pool highlight however... I ran into a friend, Amber when I was about to get out of the pool. She shared with me that her and her cousin wanted to do an Olympic this summer. Hopefully they'll want to do one in July and I'll could join them. Races are always better with friends. Because sharing is caring... I shared with her that I use the pool ladder to get out like the old people. When I try to get out using the side of the pool I always seem to get my gut stuck on the ledge and flop around like a fish out of water. I avoid the embarrassment and swim across the pool, wait in line behind the seniors and the toddlers and climb up the steps of shame.

I showered, left the gym and thought about the days events. Which made me think about Costco. Which of course made me think about the vanilla ice cream bar dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in almonds. Mmmmm. James and I drove to Costco and ate some ice cream and then I road my bike back. Thankfully I didn't run into any naked people on my bike ride back.

Upcoming Workouts in minutes:
Tomorrow: 48 Bike
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 24 run
Wednesday: 24 swim

Total Miles: 8ish
Total Miles in a 1/2 Ironman: 70.3

Crossroad

So, setbacks happen. I've managed to get sick close to the end of every major training endeavor. And it's been ok (one was even over 2 weeks of no training about a month before the race). Maybe it was really just my body telling me to slow down.

But a set back during week one of training? We'll see if I bounce back from this one. James' grandfather is not doing well, so we flew back to Maryland this weekend to say goodbye. Thankfully, he was very alert and even looking much better the day we left. BUT, because we flew back, that means no training for me (that sounds incredibly selfish). I brought my running shoes with the hopes of getting a run in, but no such luck. So here I am, Friday of week 2 and I have done a total of three workouts (out of a scheduled 8).


So now I'm at a crossroad. A power of will to keep going. Instead of building up to week three of my training, I'll basically be starting with it. Either I will push on, or I won't.

Ok, enough with the drama. Of course I'll push on, I'm too competitive to let two weeks win. In the words of Monica... MY TEAM ALWAYS WINS!

I have still yet to sign up for the half. The deadline for the race to be $200 is April 20. They accept 500 athletes. There are a little over 100 signed up right now. I think they should pay me $200.

Upcoming Workouts in minutes:
Tomorrow: 14 swim, 29 bike
Sunday: 48 bike
Monday: 13 swim/26 bike
Tuesday: 48 bike

Possible upcoming races:
Feb. 21 YMCA Run for the Kids 10k: Chinatown San Fran
March 14 Dublin 5k Fun Run: Dublin
April 17 Shortest Triathlon Ever: Emeryville

Anyone interested?

Another Journey...

I've decided to train for a half ironman. It's going to be a little tricky because I can't take a lunch break to go for a run. When I get home, it's dark (for now anyway). So I have to get up before work to fit in workouts. No big deal right now, because this is week one of training and the workouts are really short.

Most people that do endurance races say that you should make a journal about the process so that you can look back on it during times of pain/setbacks and be encouraged. If anyone has any suggestions of what to include, I'm open to suggestions.

Going into this training, I am in about "4 mile shape", meaning I can consistently run 4 miles. The training plan I am starting will actually not have me run even that far for a couple of weeks, but since I am adding a lot of other workouts to my week... it won't hurt to take it easier on the runs to start.

I am hoping to run this race: TBF HIT III- The Return.
on Saturday, September 11, 2010.
1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 run

This morning I completed my first AM swim workout. It's January and I swam in a pool OUTSIDE. California is so weird. The pool, however, was the perfect temperature. So props to the local community center for that because the YMCA back home was always hecka cold (also, thank you Bay Area for "hecka") and it was INSIDE. That and there were far too many times that the pool was closed because someone pooed in it.

Getting in the pool I felt great. My little swim cap and goggles in place I took off and seemed to get right back in a rhythm. And then... after a couple of laps... I realized the danger of attempting to swim with mucho mucus in your system. Every time I took my head out of the water to take in air through my mouth it wasn't so fun due to the mucus. But I survived (the embarrassingly short workout of 22 minutes), showered, and made it to work with time to spare.

I did, however, eat like a horse at work. What's the difference you ask? I was actually hungry this time! ALL day. But, I LOVE the workout hunger. Being able to chow down and know that it's all actually serving a purpose rather than boredom is wonderful. Despite getting up at 6am, I felt pretty energized throughout the day.

Upcoming Workouts:
Tomorrow: 13 min. run
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 13 min. swim/26 min. bike
Sunday: 44 min. bike

Parental Neglect

I'm a horrible mother. I have had my new bundle of joy since September of 2008. Five months have gone by (almost to the day) and I have yet to blog about Tobias (I have yet to blog about anything really... but as the first blog says... don't get too attached).

So here he is in all of his glory:
He actually has a little less glory now in his southern region, but, you get the point. He is a pit mix (I think he's mixed with boxer...) and such a sweetie. We are currently in obedience class and he is doing wonderfully. I don't just say that because he's my dog... but really... he is excelling with leaps and bounds.

Tobias is the laziest dog on earth. He has about 45 minutes of play in him and then he's down for the count for the rest of the day. His favorite spot is under the covers, on the brown love seat, or on the floor laying in the sun (if Chara happens to be there first, he doesn't care. He'll just lay on top of her).

I got Chara from the Animal Welfare Society in 2005 after going in just to look. In September of 2008 I went in just to pet some dogs that could benefit form a little extra love. I went home with Tobias (James was there and he didn't stop me... that shows that Tobias is a special little man). I'm not allowed to go back now. Here's a little diddy I wrote about them for their website: http://www.howardcountypets.org/happytails.html (scroll down and you'll find it-- there are pictures on them on the right side).

Chara has actually adjusted quite nicely to having a brother. She is still in charge and bosses him around, but he loves her all the same. Just like a proud mother... I am now going to visually vomit my childrens' pictures all over the page... turn away if you start to feel queezy.

Northeast Triathlon August 17, 2008

So, I am officially a triathlete. On Sunday around 1130am I finished my first triathlon. Just to let you know, if you are reading this and you could really care less about triathlons, then you are about to read more than you would ever want o know about triathlons, so I would not be offended if you just closed out of this now and waited for my next blog.

So, consider that your warning of what is to come :)

This is all of us that competed together. This is actually post race... still look pretty good, eh? From left to right is Chris (Heather's boyfriend), me, David (behind me, John's brother), Shannon, John (behind Shannon looking as if he's choking her... I guess that's ok though because they are married), Heather (shannon's siter), Mr. Jackson (Shannon and Heather's Dad). Go ahead and laugh at my pink bathing suit now. This will be the last time that we talk about it.

Heather did the sprint distance. The rest of us did the Olympic distace which was a 1500 meter swim, 23.5 mile bike, and 6.2 mile run. My time was 3 hours, 3 minutes, and 56 seconds (my goal was 3 hours and 30 minutes, so I was pleased). My splits were:

Swim:39:26 (to help you understand my SERIOUS freak out in the water for the first half mile, my send half mile time was about 16 minutes, haha)

T1: 1min. 55 seconds

Bike: 1:25.37

T2: 1min 26 seconds

Run: 55:30

The Swim:

Above is how we started. We kind of treaded water for 2 minutes or so and then some guy on a loud speaker said go. Off the to top left hand corner of the picture is where we were headed. It does not show our turnaround buoy though. It was much farther, haha.I am the one in the pink swim cap. That guy was in my way. Loser. Not really. At this point in the swim, I am really close to shore and about to head to the bike. I was feeling GREAT. Mostly because the front end of my swim was so disasterous. There was no doubt in my mind that I could swim the distance. I had done it many times in the pool. The fear that I had was being eaten by something in the water. Once we started swimming, I honestly thought that I was going to have to quit. I felt like I couldn't make it. The whole first half I never got into my rythm and had to breast stoke and back stroke the entire way. I coudln't put my face in the water long enough to get into a stroke because of my hyperventalating breathing that was going on. After a while though I finally got into a rythm and felt great. If not for my freak out I could have definetly broke 3 hours.

On to transition:

This is me running from the water to the bike. The run to the transition area was actually pretty long, but I liked it in the end. My legs were pretty wobbly getting out of the water, but by the time I got to where my bike was racked, my legs were back to normal. I spent a little bit more time in this transition than Iwould have wanted to because of helmet issues. I put the helmet on and for some reason it was too tight. I tried to fix it but my fingers would not cooperate, so I pulled on my socks, strapped on my bike shoes and left. The middle of my forehead feels like it should have a bruise because of the tightness of my helmet, haha.

T1:

I was certianly not as efficient as some of the more experienced/better triathletes there. I simply ran my bike to the mount and got on and and rode off. Other people had their shoes clipped to their pedals and jumped on their bike and put their shoes on while they were riding. I'm just more old fashioned I guess. :)

The Bike: I actually felt really good on the bike ride, but it was kind of lonely. I really wanted someone to talk to. But I just took in the sites instead. I really could have pushed it much harder on the bike. I found myself zoning out and forgeting I was even racing and instead just enjoying what was around me. Thankfully I did not get a flat (though I finally did learn how to change one). But, the road was actually kind of rough and I passed many of people that had them. The first person that I passed that was changing one I almost stopped to help... then realizing that I was actually racing I gave them the biker's head nod and kept on going. I actually felt kind of bad. I feel ok about my bike time... but I know I could have road harder.

T2: This was a super easy transition for me. I just had to get my bike shoes and helmet off and slip on my running shoes. I think my bungee laces/lace locks were the best investment ever (other than the bike of course, haha). It was so easy just to slip my feet in them and not worry about tightening them or anything. And they held their snugness the whole 6.2. The day before and day of the race I loaded up on Ibuprophen to help ease the inevitable knee and ankle pain that I would be experiencing. I also had some Flexall at my transition station. So, I slabbed some Flexall on my knees, grabbed my pre-peeled orange, and took off running. After exiting the transition area I shoved a couple of orange slices in my mouth. GAG. I chewed and spit. My hands and thus the oranges were COVERED in Flexall. Stupid rookie mistake, haha. So much for that. If you look closely in the picture, you can see that I'm pointing to my legs. I was asking James if I actually still had some because I couldn't really feel them getting off the bike. They were SO shakey.

The Run: Though 8:57 minute miles are not that great, I was really expecting to run 10 minute miles because of coming off such a long bike ride. I felt great the first 3 miles of the run, but then after I passed the turn around, I hit a wall. It became a mental game then. I really think my marathon trained me mentally for this run. I just kept telling myself that it doesn't hurt as bad as the marathon and I need to suck it up and keep going. There was no way I was sprinting across the finish line, but I did manage to throw my hands up in victory. I did not have the same emotional overload that I did after the marathon, but it did feel great to not be moving anymore.

Well, that's my story. It was hard, but I'm so glad I did it. Next Race: Duathlon September 13th, 2008. And the recovery is SO much better than a marathon recovery (for me anyway). It took me just about a week to recover from my marathon. It is now Tuesday and I am recovered (so only 2 days). Even though I felt good today, I still didn't work out. I'm really going to take it easy this week. If anything, my joints need the rest.

Could this be obsession?

I really do hope not. I don't have time for one more thing to take up the time that I don't have to give to it. But, since I have so much fun blog stalking other people, I might as well become a bit more stalkable myself... haha. But, with that, it's official. The Watson's are blogging... well, actually, I (Amanda) am. James and Chara are unaware at the moment, but I promise I'll let them know.

But, don't be too attached, because just like most things I become OCD about, the inevitable ADD kicks in and I'm on to the next thing. So, really, what I'm trying to say is, enjoy it while it lasts.

So let's see... in 5 days James and I will be celebrating our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY. I really can't believe that it's been a year already. God has really blessed us in some awesome ways this year. For all of you out there in single land, I highly recommend the marriage thing (to the right person in the right time of course).

So, that was us August 18, 2007. I'd like to think that not a lot has changed since then... except for maybe our weight. We've both dropped a few pounds/inches becaues we've both started to exercise more. In April I ran my first (and last) marathon. 26.2 miles later I decided that running for a long time really was not my thing. However, after I got home, James and I went out and bought him a pair of running shoes. He is training for a half marathon in September and then a full marathon in the spring. I'm excited for him and plan to be there cheering him on (not running). BUT, have no fear, I have found something else to OCD about in the mean time. THIS SUNDAY I will be competing in my first TRIATHLON (http://www.cgievents.com/cgiracing/net/index.html). I have a couple other friends that are also doing it. Most of us are doing the Olympic distance (1500m swim, 23.5 mile bike, 10k run). I'm scared about the swim. I have an irrational fear of open water. I'm not afraid of drowning per-say. I'm scared of being eaten by something (or being touched by a jellyfish).

After said triathlon I'll post some pictures, etc. of my bike and such. James suprised me with a road bike for an early anniversary gift. When I went to visit him at his internship he asked me to try out a friend's bike so that I can see if I liked it or not. After I came back he asked me what I thought and I said I liked it, but too bad we can't afford one. He said, well, it's yours. I was SO excited. Though, admittedly, a little confused at first. haha. But it has definetly made training a whole lot easier. (If you want a bike and think you could never afford one, my advice is to take a look on Craigs List... it's awesome!)

I really could ramble on forever about the triathlon. But, don't you worry, there will be plenty more to read after I actually do the race. And in my truest fashion, I have already signed up for a race September 13th. This one is a duathlon though. It's a 3.1 mile run, 20 mile bike ride, and another 3.1 mile run. Sounds a lot easier than Sunday, so that will be a relief. James' half marathon will be the next weekend, so he'll be taking it easy with a 5K that day.

Oh, what are we doing for our anniversary you ask? Well, that's a great question :) On Monday we will be hitting up the Melting Pot for some AWESOME (but way too expensive for having to cook it yourself) food. And then, on the 23rd, we're off to Mexcio for a 5 DAY CRUISE (well, not just us... my grandmother, mom, stepdad, James' mom, and little brother). We went on a cruise for our honeymoon to the Bahamas, so we're REALLY looking forward to another one.