Bike Diva

 

Delusions of Grandeur

I started participating in duathlons two years ago, at 45 years old. I'm not a very fast runner, but I'm a half way decent cyclist, and end up doing okay. In fact, I've won an award at every duathlon I've competed in so far. But that's not as impressive as it sounds. A lot fewer people compete in duathlons, compared to triathlons, so at most events, you are almost guaranteed to win an award. I've mostly won age group awards, but a few times I've placed in Masters Overall. Masters are the top three fastest competitors over 40 years old.

I competed in my very first half Ironman distance duathlon, only 11 months after starting to race duathlons. And those other races were all short, sprint distances. I DO NOT recommend doing a 1/2 Ironman distance race without more prior racing experience. I finished the race, and even placed 3rd Masters Overall, but I guess there weren't that many girls racing that day. But I struggled throughout the race, and almost DNF during the bike leg, of course winds were 18-21 MPH during the bike leg, everybody had a difficult race. But I mostly walked the entire half marathon after getting off the bike, no energy left to run. Not a fun way to get through a half Ironman.

My second year of racing duathlons, I participated in 11 sprint distance and 1 Olympic distance race, before competing in the Miami Man 1/2 Ironman distance duathlon on November 14. I did much better this year, and was 49 minutes and 23 seconds faster than last year. That is a HUGE improvement. But because there were more girls competing in the duathlon this year, I only won 2nd place in the 45-49 year old age group, and didn't place in Masters. But that's okay, a 6:01:36 finish this year VS a 6:50:59 finish last year is freaking awesome!

Above: Bike Diva during the bike leg of the 2010 Miami Classic Duathlon, held in South Beach.

Try a Tri?

I have to stop listening to the voices inside my head. One voice wants me to do a full marathon. That's fine, I know at some point I'll do a marathon. I've participated in 8 half marathons in the past two years, so I think eventually I can ramp up my run mileage to do a full.

But I should stop listening to the voice inside my head that says it wants to do an Ironman triathlon. I don't swim! We have a pool at our house, but I never go in it. Open water ocean swimming really intimidates me, so I am thinking I'll have to do an Ironman that has a lake swim. The swim portion of Ironman Lake Placid is two loops in Mirror Lake. I grew up in Lake Placid, graduated from LP Central High School in 1981, the year after Lake Placid was home to the 1980 winter Olympics. So I am familiar with swimming in Mirror Lake and riding and running throughout town.

BUT Lake Placid has a few cons:

1. Lake Placid is one of the more popular Ironman distance races and sells out fast. I would probably have to travel up there and volunteer/watch the race the year before I want to race and try to get on site registration.
2. Lake water is cold, even in the summer, so I would have to buy or rent a long sleeve wetsuit.
3. Mass swim start - no individual wave starts. So yeah, imagine around 2,700 bodies all starting the swim leg at the same time - INSANITY!
4. Lake Placid is hilly - bike and run have quite a bit of climbing. LP IM is one of the more difficult Ironman distance races, probably not recommend for a first time Ironman. But I'm stubborn, and like the 2 loop lake swim, so I think I'll go for it. There is an Ironman near me, in Panama City Florida, but that is an ocean swim, so no thank you.

Above: Bike Diva crossing the finish line at 2009 Miami Man, after competing in her very first half Ironman distance duathlon.

Bike Diva's Three Year Ironman Triathlon Plan

Since I am not a swimmer, and I don't think you can fake your way through the swim leg, I am taking my time building up my distances at triathlon events. My long term goal is to do a full Ironman triathlon. That's a crazy 2.4 mile swim - 112 mile bike - 26.2 mile run. Although I've done 8 half marathons in the past two years, I have yet to do a single full marathon. So not having a good running base and zero swimming experience, I am guesstimating it will take me 3 years to work up to full Ironman distance. Patience is a virtue, and not drowning during the swim leg of a triathlon is the key to a long and fruitful life!

Above: Bike Diva during the second run leg of the 2010 Miami Classic Duathlon, held in South Beach.

Triathlon Swim Distances

• Sprint distance swim - .25 mile
• International distance swim - .6 mile
• Olympic distance swim - about 1 mile
• Half Ironman swim - 1.2 miles
• Full Ironman swim - 2.4 miles

I'm being realistic in my triathlon expectations. Unlike when I started racing duathlons and signed up for my first 1/2 Ironman distance with less than one year experience, and did the race on a brand new bike, my first ever triathlon bike - stupid!

Besides the triathlons, I also plan on racing a few running events (5k & 10k), time trial bike races and duathlons throughout the year. I posted up my complete 2011 race schedule about a week ago: Bike Diva's Tentative 2011 Race Schedule.

Above: Bike Diva's finishers medal and award plaque from the 2010 Olympic distance duathlon at Tri Miami. Most duathlons are a smaller part of larger triathlon events. There usually isn't a seperate award for duathletes so we get a triathlon award, kind of funny. If you look through my trophy case, you would probably think that I am a triathlete, not a duathlete.

Bike Diva's 2011 Triathlon Race Schedule

• 4/03 - sprint triathlon with lake swim
• 4/17 - sprint triathlon with ocean swim
• 4/23 - sprint triathlon with lake swim
• 5/15 - sprint triathlon with ocean swim - Biscayne Bay
• 7/04 - sprint triathlon with lake swim
• 9/04 - sprint triathlon with lake swim
• 10/09 - sprint triathlon with lake swim
• 8/06 - sprint triathlon with ocean swim
• 11/13 - International distance triathlon - lake swim

Bike Diva's 2012 Race Plans

• April through October - sprint triathlons with ocean and lake swims
• May - Olympic distance triathlon - ocean swim in Biscayne Bay
• November - half Ironman triathlon - 2 loop lake swim

Bike Diva's 2013 Triathlon Race Plans

• April through October - sprint triathlons with ocean and lake swims
• May - Olympic distance triathlon - ocean swim in Biscayne Bay
• July - Ironman Lake Placid - 2 loop lake swim
• November - half Ironman triathlon - 2 loop lake swim

This may be a totally unrealistic plan, if I end up being a really sucky swimmer. My husband and I recently purchased membership at our local YMCA. They have an indoor lap pool, so we can train at night and during the winter before it's warm enough to start training at outdoor pools or in the ocean. We are also signing up to do the FAU sprint triathlon in April, through our local Team in Training chapter. We will work out Saturday and Sunday mornings with the team starting the end of January. So hopefully I'll be ready for my first open water ocean swim triathlon by April 17. Wish me luck!

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva