The Next Eight Weeks

Ok, I mentioned this on facebook, so some of you already know, but I signed up for my first triathlon. Yep, that's right, me, your friend Tam. Eight weeks from now, at Lake Berryessa in May, I'll be swimming, biking and running my little self across and around the lake at eight in the morning.

How do I feel about this? I'm trying to stay calm and not freak out. The numbers seem doable: 1/2 mile swim, 11 mile bike, 3 mile run. All things that I do already or can do. I'm hoping it will be fun. For now, I'm just trying to keep myself from getting injured so that I can finish the darn thing.

I know nothing at all about how to go about this. In case you are considering dipping your toes in the triathlon waters as well, or just want to come along for the swim, run, ride, I thought that I would share the things I learn along the way.

So far:

1. This from the former triathlete physical therapist I saw today to help me with my mild IT band issue:

To test a running shoe to make sure it has adequate support: a) first, push in on the sides of the back of the shoe, where it cups the heel. They should only bend in 1/2" on each side. b) Next, holding the front and back of the shoe from the bottom, twist in opposite directions, to see how much flex there is. Again, the shoe should be fairly rigid, and shouldn't collapse. c) Last, hold the shoe at the front and back again, and bend it upwards. If the shoe "breaks" or easily bends at a right angle at the arch, where your foot doesn't, it might force your foot to bend or push off awkwardly to compensate.

This is why the $50 special Asics I got on sale from Big 5 make my feet feel flat and my knees feel tired, but the same brand, different style, that I bought from a local running store for twice that, don't. Some styles offered by the same company offer more support and stability. Save your knees and hunt down the right shoes for you. New running shoes should be as comfortable as bedroom slippers. If bedroom slippers came with a nice firm corset of support around the arch and heel, that is.

2. Running shoes should be changed every 500 miles or so. Figure out how much, roughly, you run a week, and from there, figure out how long your shoes will last. If you're just starting out like me, this may seem like a huge number that you'll never reach, but you will eventually. Do this on the day you buy them and put it on your calendar so you're thinking about it BEFORE your feet and knees remind you. I suggested to my local running store that they send out a postcard (even email) every season or twice a year to their customers, reminding them of how much better they'll run and feel when they keep their shoes up to date. (It goes without saying that you should not get new shoes the week or day before your event, just in case, so plan ahead.)

3. A friend who is a triathlon pro says to take a can't-be-missed bright towel for your changing/transition area. Something like neon pink or a bold print, so that you can sort your stuff out from the crowd. He also suggests a little dish tub and a container of water for rinsing your feet after the swim, as sandy toes do not feel good once on dry land. It was also news to me that you can't be naked in the transition area. I had envisioned little Victorian-era canvas cabanas in neat little rows, or at least, a very crowded bathroom. This is going to take some planning...

4. The consensus seems to be that the bike to run transition is the suckiest. I'm trying to think of it as the home stretch.

5. Wetsuits, should you need one, can be rented for the day of the event. The company that does it rents it to you for 40 days, so you have time before your event to practice in it. If you like it, and you keep it beyond the 40 days, you keep it, and they keep your deposit. If you're done with it, send it back and pay just the rental fee. Cool. I perused the pictures from last year's race, and it looked like 90% of the people wore wetsuits in the 70-degree water.

6. Some people use toe-cages on the bike so that they can bike in their running shoes to save time.

That's it for now. If there is anyone who has advice or tips for me, send 'em on in. If there are any beginner triathletes out there who happen to go to Health Spa Napa Valley and want a buddy for run, bike or swim, let me know, too.