I am a... TRIATHLETE!!!!

Yes! I did it! I did it! I finished my first triathlon!!! Woohoo! That was today, this very same am!!!

I left around 9:30pm last night to go to Barcelona. I slept at my brothers. Alarm clock went off at 6:30, got up, had a coffee, gathered my stuff and set off. Took the underground and was there in no time. Long line of ladies waiting to pick the bib number up. I lined up, saw someone I knew (phew) and waited. Got my bib number and headed to get my bike. Put it away and got everything ready for the "big" moment. We listened to the instructions given by the organization and off we set... first group of ladies in the water, 2nd, 3rd... and then mine... 7th and last! It was impossible to swim in the lake... too shallow (filthy too)but it was done, laughing and all. At times it was soooooooooooo shallow the water was only up to our ankles! If you stood up, the bottom was slippery so it was funny altogether! Transition to biking. That was good, hard little course but nice and then the toughest, transitioning to running... my legs felt, yet once more, like stone. My quads were screaming, but... I did it! It was hard. I passed a few ladies. I have to say my friend Nurita and I were the last, the very last to leave the transition area from swimming to biking, she passed 29 ladies, I passed 25! I finished 204 overall out of 229 in 45:18 total (transitions included) with 4:41 for swimming, 26:09 for biking and 14:28 for racing. Happy with the result and wanting more :P

Maybe my legs could feel the 12k race I did yesterday too... which was great... I was surprised I was able to run the full distance (except hills that were outrageously difficult and steep!) in 1:27!

So, there... it's not Tri-Jacky??? anymore, it's Tri-Jacky... I DID IT! I AM A TRIATHLETE!!!!!

Dress rehearsal...

Or close to it, LOL! On Sunday I was to do 300 easy meters in the pool (thought it was 15 minutes and so I did and swam 450 meters), rode 9kms on the bike and run 2.1kms, the tri is 300-8-2 so... I did it!!! Woohoo! But you was it tough! My legs felt like huge stones when I started my run but still I did it and it was great! Can't wait for Sunday... we'll see what happens!

Tonight I had to do 15x25m pools at full blast. I did those plus 5 extra pools. Felt great!

School starts tomorrow... hope I'm strong enough to put up with all that awaits me!

Bike ride + swim + 5K

Ok, so I rode 13K on Friday and then headed to the pool for 560m of swimming. It was great. Feeling so much more confident in the water. Getting faster and loving it! Nice also to have the 2 sports back to back even if in different order :P

And today... 5K in Ripollet, running alongside with Xavi Papell who was a great help.I did walk the hills with him as he has an injury on his quads and he can't run hills but finished, finished well and could have done yet another lap to complete the 10K race but then again... I would have had to do that 2nd lap on my own and I think it would have been different! In the end 35:35 (would have been around 33 I'm guessing without stopping) and great sensations. Loved being able to be there for him too!

Rest day tomorrow and more pool on Tuesday! Woohoo! Might go for a bike ride tomorrow though :p, depending on what we end up doing... all kids are at school tomorrow... 2 days off for me before going back to work, yippee!!!!

ING New York City Marathon course video

Watch out 2013... Here I come!!!!

A step closer!

Schedule called for 10x100m hills and despite starting after 10am and being extremely hot... I did it!!! So, one more thing done. Swimming tomorrow!

25

Yes, 25kms on the bike this am. We spent the day at my brother's yesterday. It was great. The kids had sooooooooo much fun... it was really nice. We got home late. Pol went straight to bed. Paula and Jan had a little dinner. I just had a yogurt. Nontheless I was in bed at midnight... Pol decided to wake up at 4:30 for a bottle and then at 6:10 with a nightmare. Still I had set the alarm clock at 8. Got up at 8:30, got dressed (everything was ready) and headed out. In the end, a little over 25kms on the bike path from Girona to Cassà de la Selva and back... it was great!

Heading to the pool with the kids now... granted I won't be able to swim with all 3 kids but hey... being fresh and cool is always nice!

On the right track... I think!

Ok... so I've started... I've been swimming and biking... woohoo! And... I'm LOVING it!

I first took the bike on Tuesday evening for a short ride. I have to admit I was dead scared going downhill and turning at the bends/curves but it's getting better! I took Paula and Jan swimming on Tuesday am and it was great... managed to swim 320meters... need to swim more... it was tiring! I also did underwater bike for 10 minutes and had a blast! In the evening, a little over 4km on the bicycle, on the roads and a 1.6km run... trying to see how it felt to bike and then run... geez... it was hard but... sooooooooooooo great! So I got all 3 sports in in just one day :)

I went for a run last night... I did over 2k warmup and then 4.175km that felt AWESOME all the way! I was soooooooooooo happy and felt fullfilled! This am, after droping Pol off at daycare I went for a bike ride... in the end, almost 20kms that felt great! Hopefully my bum will get used to it, LOL! Of course, my legs "demand" an explanation of what I've done to them, LOL but I'm loving the feeling, woohoo!!!!

So, I think I'm on track... need to swim more and bike a little too... I was less scared today... it was simply perfect!!!

Sept. 12th... here I come!

I have a bicycle!!!!

So, on Wednesday, Xevi (what an awesome guy!) lend me a bicycle so I can start training! I'm so happy! I still haven't tried, it, true, but it's there in my bedroom. I just have to find the moment... I'm a bit closer to becoming a triathlete... OMG... less than a month to go! Will I be able to do it???? I need to get swimming regularly and getting out on "my" bike. I will be able to do more of it next week when Pol's back at daycare. I think I'll see plenty of the bike path :p

Xevi's in Helsinki right now, he's running the Helsinki marathon tomorrow at 3pm. Sending all my energy over to Finland! Go xevi Go! I just love the atmosphere in the running "world". I hardly know Xevi and he hardly knows me, yet, he's lend me his bike, he took the time to bring it to my house, he changed the back tyre and put air in both... that's what sport gives you. Lots of companionship. Gotta love it!

The race

I think I've realized that racing in August is not the best but still... I finished my 10K today and I feel on cloud 9. I'm proud and happy for finishing. I was slow but I knew that, still, I couldn't care, as usual, my own race at my own pace ;) Finish time according to my watch 1:11:23.

Now onto finding a bike and getting ready for my first tri! Another race before that but have to keep the tri in mind!

I swam a lap!

Hey, not a lot but a start! I still remember how to swim :p I don't think I had swam a lap in over 2 years to be honest... at a friend's house today, as I took the first dip of the year I swam a little... it was great! Can't wait to keep training. I now am confident I can swim them 300 meters at the Barcelona Women's Triathlon on Sept. 12th!

A 10K race tomorrow in Malgrat, only 6 hours from now I must be up and awake... oh my... I know my time won't be good but I will finish within the time (1:25) given by the organization and most of all have lots and lots of fun as I enjoy the ride!

A day closer to becoming a triatlete... wow... sounds big!

Holy cow!

I've done it... I've signed for the I Triatló de la dona de Barcelona (http://www.triatlondelamujer-barcelona.es/) on September 12th!!! OMG... have I really done that? It's a promotional thing, first time it's done, translated it's the I women's triathlon of Barcelona with 300m swim, 8Kms biking and 2kms running. I signed up just upon knowing about the event wich was yesterday. The organization provides, through a sponsor (a bike shop), bicycles and helmets for the event. I reserved mine today! They've told me it'll be ready in boxes with my bib number and all, woohoo! Only about a month to go. I better get training!

How cool does this sound? I will be a triathlete!!! Sounds great!

Might not be able to do the Garmin triathlon in Barcelona in the end which was actually the purpose of the blog due to having a race the same day here in my home city of Girona, we'll see... depending on how hooked I become :p

So, things seem to be moving forward... a few goals in mind: lose a little weight before the tri date, enjoy, have fun and finish!

Went for a run both on Tuesday and Wednesday. Loved it all the way... wish I always had the stamina to go!

I went for a run!

Well, that's a start I'd say... finally, no excuses, kids in bed by 8:30pm and I set out. It was still daylight which is always nice but it was sort of cloudy (and humid, yuck!) and cooler. I did my usual route and was surprised that after such a long time without doing a thing, I managed my (a little over) 4k run in a *normal* time for me. The time didn't matter much to me yesterday, I would have walked if needed but I didn't have to. The best was the amazing feeling after getting out there... felt soooooooo good, and feel so energetic today. Plus I weighed myself this am and to my surprise I haven't put any weight on, I have even lost a tiny little bit, woot!

So... here I go... I will try and see what happens... I assume/imagine, I will be doing a tri sometime. If it can be the one on Oct. 17th (I had a race in my city scheduled that day...) fine, if not, I'm sure there'll be lots more!

Monkey see, monkey do

So... I first had this *idea* to do a triathlon and was excited about it, but my butt's not moved yet -sigh- but then... last night, I hooked to my team online, corredors.cat and saw that one of my team members just completed a SPRINT triathlon, her and her boyfriend who's lost 25kg in 2 years and is new to sport. Geez... do I want to do it now!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so jelaous... I wanted to do it, yes, but seing others do it, others that I know, that is, makes me want to do it even more... mine will be a SUPERSPRINT but still... I am not going to go crazy on doing perfect transitions... however it happens will be great! So... there we go again... wanting to do like others, although I already had the idea!

Psychologist appointment tonight... get the tissues ready! And then... hopefully on the go... I want to, I need to, I CAN!!!

Wake up Jacky!!!

Tuesday, July 27th... what the heck am I waiting for???? I ask that myself. I have more than a reason to get my behind up and going, yet there's something stoppping me. I wish the human brain wasn't so complicated -sigh- or me, for the matter!!!! I have 3 wonderful little children who are my #1 fans, always encouraging me. During the day I feel so sure I'll go for a run in the evening. The evening comes and I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooo tired that I actually talk myself out of it... I'm self-sabotaging myself, why? Why? Why????????

I have a pshychologist appointment on Weds. Hopefully he can get me moving... won't like what I'll have to hear/say but... if it's got to help... I'm all for it!

I'm still looking at October 17th with pride... I always "critizise" (sp?) people who make castles in the air, but look at me... thinking of a tri and not training at all... slap!

I'll try tonight... if not, I better get my rear end in gear... a 10K on August 8th... I'll try getting up in the am... it's never worked but I can keep trying!

Geez... what a mess I am, but I know I can... I just gotta take that little step and keep going!!!

Info

Just thought I'd share the link to the tri to get used to it. Here it is: www.garminbarcelonatriathlon.com

I really have to get in gear... haven't trained in 2 months I think... I just need that little speck to get going!

Will it happen? I hope so! I am assuming the SUPERSPRINT triathlon will have lots of newbies to the sport and that's what I'd be shooting for... wow... will I remember how to bike? LOL, don't know if I'll remember how to bike and I'm thinking about a tri... that's me 100%!

Me? Tri?

I hardly have time to keep up with one blog and look at me... onto a second one, LOL!

So yes... I think I found what I needed to get my motivation back (I think). I saw a friend comment on Facebook about the Barcelona Garmin Triathlon and hey... something lit up... why not? There's a supersprint one, a sprint and an Olympic... the supersprint is 400m swimming, 9,6kms biking and 2,5kms run... not bad to begin with... I thought of going straight to the sprint: 750, 20 and 5 but then again... it's on Oct. 17th and thought... better start little!

So I think I'm going to go for it. We'll see what happens! Need to find a bike and my swimming cap!

Let's see how this *adventure* goes!