Atlanta Triathlon club

borrowed from http://www.atlantatriclub.com/

Written on July 24th

My training volume increased this weekend making me feel like a legitimate athlete for the first time ever. 

On Saturday, I ran 14.4 miles followed by an hour and a half swim at Lake Alatoona.  On Sunday, I biked 65 miles followed by a 3.5 mile run in the rain. 

I did all this with Atlanta Triathlon Club.  It is so cool to do something you love with others who share your passion.  Granted, I'm convinced that most of the people in the club are not even human.  They do super-human things like DOUBLE IRONMANS, run marathons in under 3 hours and swim 10k ocean races...seriously, who does that?!  Of course, I've never actually met any of these super-humans because I can't keep up with them long enough to introduce myself!

I have met plenty of other nice club members who are more my speed (literally!).  My favorite thing about triathletes is even though they're competitive by nature, they are some of the most encouraging and caring people you'll ever meet!  Flat tire?  Someone will always stop to help.  Forget something?  No worries, someone will spot you.  And whether you're on pace to set a new PB (personal best) or struggling to finish, they'll always shout an encouraging word. 

I consider myself blessed to rub shoulders with such high caliber people.  to quote an old college buddy "Thems good people."

10 Ways to Spot a Triathlete

1. They have no fewer than 5 tan lines - none of which were earned by laying poolside

2. They say funny things like "Wheels Down", "T1, T2" and "Bonking"

3. They have no shame discussing the benefits of Butt Butter in public

4. They are most commonly described as "Type A" or even "Anal" by family and friends

5. For them, swimming is a full contact sport

6. They have to consult their training schedule before accepting a social invitation

7. Shark Week strikes fear in their heart

8. All of their disposable income is spent on gear and gadgets

9. They take ice baths

10.  Their car has the lingering aroma of sweaty socks

By The Numbers

Yesterday, I completed my first century bike ride.  For those who don't know what that is, think: Biker's Marathon.

4:45                        AM Time Alarm Sounded

100                         Miles Biked

39.9                        Maximum mph (it was scary!)

15.6                        Average mph

6:10:04                 Time Spent in the Saddle (my bum is sore!)

4,130                     Calories Burned

1,470                     Calories Consumed

141                         Average Heart Rate

175                         Max Heart Rate

1                               Back Tire Blowout

.23                          Miles from the Finish Line (when tire popped)

57                           Minutes Spent Running Afterwards

15                           Minutes Spent in Ice Bath

How I felt: LIKE A ROCK STAR!



This photo is actually from a triathlon...I forgot to take a picture yesterday!



Jellyfish, Sharks and Gators, Oh My.

I’ve never had an overactive imagination…until you put me in an open body of water.  Then I literally see visions of sharks with mouth wide open, rows of razor sharp teeth headed directly for me.  I guess that’s what I get for being an avid lover of Shark Week.  

I have an irrational fear of fish.  I don’t like them.  I don’t want them touching me.  In fact, I almost drowned on a snorkeling excursion in Costa Rica because a school of vicious, attack fish closed in on me (ok, in reality, they were probably sweet, friendly fish that just wanted a bite of the cracker I was holding). 

I recently learned that jellyfish are a concern on the Florida Ironman course.  During the Gulf Coast Half Ironman, a girl in my tri club got stung multiple times and still finished the race (she’s my new hero).

And now, to top it off alligators have been discovered in 3 metro Atlanta lakes this summer…umm, WHAT?!  I’ve been nose to nose with a gator.  Even with 4 inches of plexiglas separating us, it was still terrifying!  Besides, I’m a Bulldawg…it’s in my blood to loathe Gators.

 I’m the girl who doesn’t like to go into the ocean past my knees.  If I step on anything other than sand, I shriek and high tail it back to shore.  And yet, this fall I will swim 2.4 miles in jellyfish, shark and fish invested waters.  Oh my.

A Day in the Life

The question I receive most often is "how much do you train every day?" 

The answer is not simple so I'll give you the cliff notes version.  I'm following a 37 week training plan by Triathlon Geek (aptly named because you have to be totally geeked out about triathlons to do some of the insane stuff this plan requires).  I log anywhere from 10 - 18 hours per week.

The plan is divided into 8 phases:

This week I begin the ENDURANCE phase.  Here's a snap shot of this week's plan.

Flipping to the back of the plan, I start to get a little freaked out when workouts are referred to as "Mental Breakthrough."  Whoa dude.

140.6 for Clean Water

On November 5th, I will complete my first full IRONMAN Triathlon. 

That’s 140.6 miles of swimming, biking and running.  All in one day.  All without stopping.  

As you would image, I spend a lot of time training for this event.  Which leaves me a lot of time to think and reflect.   I can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for the many blessings God has poured out on me…my family, my friends, my health.   But there are other blessings that don’t even cross my mind.  I take them for granted…like clean and safe drinking water. 

Every day, millions of women and children have to walk miles to retrieve water for their families.   Most of that hard-earned water isn't even clean and can infect them with deadly diseases.  I think about how 45,000 people die each day from waterborne illnesses. And there's nothing they can do to change it.

So, what can I do to help?  

My mission is to raise $5,000 to provide clean and safe drinking water.  I want every step to matter.  I'm asking for pledges per meter, per mile or flat out donations to help achieve my goal.  Would you consider:

$38.62 for the 3,862 meters (2.4 miles) I will swim in the ocean;

$112 for the 112 miles I will bike;

$26.20 for the 26.2 miles I will run;

Or even $140.60 for the total miles I will travel?

Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to water projects, and each donation is "proved" using Google Earth when projects are complete.  I aim to raise $5,000 in the next three months.  That's enough to build one well large enough to support a community of 250 people. 

I hope you'll join me in helping them now.

http://mycharitywater.org/nicolemooneyhan

Grateful for your support.

“Hey There Stud”

I glance over my shoulder to see the muscley man behind me.  Only to find no one there.  Horrified, I realized he was talking to me.  Since I’ve signed up for the Ironman, I’m been called a stud.  Three times.  And my personal favorite: Beast.  Said in a low, guttural voice.  You know the one where your nose scrunches up and your fingertips curl into a claw as you say the word.  All comments came from what I can only assume to be well-intentioned men. 

Terms like these do untold damage to the female psyche.  It makes me want to immediately petition Webster to add a feminine equivalent to his good book.  Otherwise, I may be forced to start racing in my pearls to maintain my feminine charms.

It’s funny how those terms irk me but when someone tries to be PC and call me an Ironwoman, I am quick to correct them.  I guess we women really are hard to understand.