No Sleep Till P’town

On Saturday, June 27th, I joined my crew from Wheelworks for the annual “No Sleep’till P’town” bike ride.  This was the ninth annual ride from Boston, MA to Provincetown, MA.  My teammate Jon led a great ride, and in his honor, I must re-post his great summary.

Bikes at the start: 11.5 (including our first recumbent)
Bikes that joined us halfway: 3

Miles on the trip odometer: 134
Flats: 0
Lost riders: 0
Suicide divebombing caterpillars on Plymouth’s Long Pond Road: 0
Drops of rain that touched us before we boarded the ferry: 0
First-timers: 10
Arrival time, in minutes, at the Sagamore Friendly’s before the infamous breakfast cutoff: 1.5

Round of beers at the Beachcomber: 1*

Delay in ferry boarding time, in minutes, because of a bogus boat fire investigation: 27

Organized rides to P’town taking place the same day as ours: 2
People who cheered for us as we rode by: 12
People who cheered for us who didn’t think we were the lead pack of the MS ride: 2
Matching Cape Cod sweatshirt/sweatpants combos purchased in P’town: 3

Awesome sunsets over Cape Cod Bay: 1

People on the Cape who were told by Woody from BTT that we were just kidding about riding on our bikes all the way from Boston: At least 6

 

An International Race You Want to See

I’m on my way to DC for the weekend to help out with the Dextro Energy ITU World Championship Series Race! If you haven’t heard of this race, you should check it out. This race will feature up to 130 pro athletes from all over the world. And, unlike any other triathlons, the pros can draft on the bike course.

To make a whole celebration of the event, there’s an age group race on Sunday morning and an expo on Saturday. We even have grandstands set up along Pennsylvania Ave to make it easy to watch the elite athletes loop around downtown DC at record speeds.

Not in DC? That’s ok! The race is being covered on live tv! Check out what Gale Bernhardt has to say, or watch the traffic on twitter this weekend (@ITUonline, @stropes, @universalsports).

And of course, I need to make one last pitch – If anyone in DC has time to volunteer on Sunday, we could use your help – especially at the Finish Line!

 

Mooseman Photos

Check out some photos from this weekend’s race! Click on the photo below to see more.

Mooseman 2009

 

Mooseman Race Report

I spent so much time naming my new Scott Plasma (CK), I never stopped to consider that I might have some new nicknames post-accident.  Apparently, I do.  And, I learned them quickly on Saturday morning before the International distance Mooseman triathlon race.

In no particular order, the new nicknames include: “You’re that girl!” “hey – you look great,” “wow, your face,” and simply “hey-wow!”  It’s three weeks post-accident and many of my Wheelworks teammates and DC friends had not seen me since the crash when my face was an awful bloody mess.  So, it was good to hear the positive responses.  My favorite response was from the body marking volunteers at transition.  One volunteer complimented me on CK, so I told her it was treat after landing in their local hospital three weeks ago (oh yeah, the race site was about 10 miles from Plymouth and Speare Memorial Hospital).  She replies, “OH!  You’re the girl that crashed in Franconia!” Either it’s a really small town up there, or there have not been many exciting accidents.

Pre-race transition area

The Race:

Amy and I headed down to the swim start around 7 am.  It was fun to see Beck, Emily, Jen, Sunny, Matt, Alyson and some other WWMS folks on the beach.  Amy and I were in the 5th wave – bright pink caps.  The water at Newfound Lake was supposedly a crisp 60 degrees.  I felt strong through the swim.  It was only my second time swimming post-crash.  But, by the time I exited the water, I was dizzy and my hands and feet were completely numb. What a treat to have wet suit strippers!  If only they could have put my shoes and cycling gloves on for me too.  I sat in transition for a while trying to get my hands to work.  Gave up.  Threw my gloves down, put my sunglasses in my mouth and rolled out.  Swim total: 26:41

It took a few miles on the bike before I could feel my toes again.  I was sporting my new WWMS tri top, which I quickly learned ejects anything put in the pockets.  Who puts pockets on the side of a tri top anyway?  They’re supposed to be on the back!  So I was left with just one gu and one bottle of gatorade after only a mile into the 27.25 hilly ride.  The ride was hilly, but no Black Bear.  I stayed in my aero bars a fair amount and only got a little frightened on one down hill.  CK was definitely a good choice to help me regain my confidence.  Bike total: 1:35

The run started off a little odd  – I couldn’t feel my right foot at all.  Something has been up with my right leg since the crash.  I decided to just keep hitting the foot against the pavement until it woke up – which it did by mile 2.  There were two steep little hills in the run.  I walked them, and felt really fresh to run, so I think it was a good choice.  I saw Amy on the run and she was looking strong and full of energy.  She’s such a rockstar for her first triathlon!   Run: 55:36

Total for my first olympic race: 3:04

Overall, I felt good.  I didn’t push it at all and just used this race to regain my confidence.  I might have had a little too much left at the end of the race because I really wanted to go paddle on the lake.   I’m really excited to train more now and see what I can do!

The rest of the weekend was fantastic!  Here are a couple highlights:

• Kimberly and I had ice cream while we waited in line for a table at the Big Catch on Saturday night.
• Sunday morning, I sat on the porch of our cabin overlooking the lake and sipped a cup of coffee before heading down to cheer for the girls.
• I met some great folks from the North Shore Triathlon Club and watched the race with them
• I lost my cellphone while trying to capture Kimberly, AJ, Julie and Angela on film crossing the finish line.  The race crew found it – and the announcer called my Mom and Dad!  I got the phone back, and reassured Mom and Dad that I was OK, not off to a hospital again!
• All my DC girls had PR’s on the Half Ironman course!  Woohoo!  Can’t wait to cheer them on in Placid!

Oh, and if any of you are ever thinking about doing Mooseman, Timberman or any other race by Keith Jordan, you should definitely sign up.  The race was extremely well run: great volunteers, great food (ice cream and maragaritas!), good signage and great t-shirts, hats, etc.  I’ll be at Mooseman next year for sure.

 

Mooseman Here I Come

I’m heading up to New Hampshire for the Mooseman Triathlon this weekend.  This race is full of a lot of “firsts” for me.  So here goes the list.

Mooseman is my FIRST:

• Full Olympic distance race: 1.5K swim, 44K bike, and 10K run!  I kinda skipped over Olys in the past few years, only swimming in a relay last year.
• Race on my new tri bike!
• Race with my good college friend Amy – and her very FIRST triathlon!
• Joint club/team race – I’ll be cheering for and racing with friends from DC Tri and Wheelworks Multisport.  I wonder which team’s tri top I should wear?
• Journey back into the mountains of New Hampshire since my crash…(gulp)

I’m excited and nervous, but mostly just looking forward to an awesome weekend of playing outside with great friends.

 

Scott Plasma = Confidence

My new tri bike!

I bought a new bike this weekend – the Scott Plasma 20!  It’s a fantastic carbon frame with a mix of Shimano Ultegra and 105 components.  I put my Easton EA 90 TT wheels on it.  Went for a nice 35 mile ride this morning – and felt strong, confident and fast.  And, my legs felt great on my run afterwards!  Mooseman, Cranberry Trifest and IM Moo - here I come!

If you’re looking for a bike in the Boston area, I highly recommend Quad Multisport in Arlington.  I knew I was in the right place when I found out that Marco  and I grew up not only in the same town, but on the same street.  And, one of the other customers in the shop is my current neighbor.  Talk about good community and good vibes!  In all seriousness though, Marco and Tom are knowledgeable, patient, honest and listen to your needs.  I went to some other shops where they spent lots of time (and money) on the fit, but didn’t let you ride the bikes.  I think I spent about 6 hours at Quad on Sat – test rode three bikes and couldn’t be happier with the one I chose.

Now, according to my pal Matt, the new bike needs a name.  Any suggestions?  “The comeback kid” comes to mind right now.

 

Recovery Road

I traveled to Lake Placid, NY this weekend for a training weekend with a few of my good friends from the DC Tri Club.  Angela, AJ, Julie and Kimberly all signed up for Ironman Lake Placid this year.  I was psyched to join them in Placid to train.  One of the great things about staying on the East Coast – I get to train with my friends from DC to Boston every month this summer!  I’m really looking forward to cheering the ladies on in the race too – especially as I volunteer at the last water stop on the run course. 

Given my cycling accident last weekend, I took a bit of time to recover this week.  I focused on sleeping and putting bacitracin on my face – and not much else.  I barely felt up to anything until Friday.  But, let me tell you, the minute I pulled off exit 30 on I-87 towards Lake Placid, I was ready to ride and run again.  Woo-hoo!

Recovery Ride Attempt #1

Saturday morning started out great.  We rolled out of the house around 8 am.  The plan was for me to do one loop of the IMLP bike course.  About 56 miles.  We hit the road around 8:45 am.  But by 9:15 am, I was in tears.   

On the first descent on Rt. 73 out of Lake Placid (just before River Road), my bike started to shake uncontrollably.  I felt like I was riding a nervous horse that was ready to throw me at any second.  Angela said the rear wheel was wobbly.  I tried to ride a little further, but my confidence was shaken.  Thankfully, Mom and Dad Strope were in LP for the weekend.  They got the “rescue me” call. 

I took my bike into High Peaks Cyclery for a quick check up.  The guys tightened everything up, changed the tires, and even took the bike for a spin down the block.  Everything checked out ok. 

Recovery Ride – Attempt #2

I decided to try the hilly cycling route again around 11 am - with my parents acting as my sag vehicle.   The first few descents felt alright – not nearly as wobbly.  But, I hit above 30 and a little wind, and felt the wobble again.  My parents waited for me after each descent, then followed me along.  I made it to the top of the big descent into Keene, then lost it again.  With tears flowing and my whole body shaking, I flagged my parents down and said, “I CAN’T DO IT!  I can’t do it!  Take me back to town!”

On the Road Again

I spent the remainder of Saturday afternoon cycling around the IMLP run course and Mirror Lake.  It was flat and easy, and I felt much more confident.  I test rode some tri bikes at Placid Planet on Sunday.  The tri bike geometry allows for more weight on the front part of the bike and makes me feel a lot more steady.  My friend Matt said I looked much stronger riding on the Felt B 16!  And, I  joined Kimberly and AJ for a quick ride along the run course on Monday morning. 

In retrospect, heading out on a 56 mile HILLY ride was probably a bit ambitious for my first ride post-crash.  And, it seems like my bike (a Giant TCR) might have picked up a case of Speed wobble post-crash.  The causes of speed wobble are too numerous to count…but it also seems that the more tense, cold, or shaky a rider is, the more pronounced the wobble will be.  Perfect for me coming off of a crash, right? 

So, here’s my new plan to regain strength and confidence on the bike:

• Do a few short and easy rides over the next 2 weeks
• Talk to some coaches and experts
• Buy a new bike.  I’m looking at the Felt B 16, Felt S32, and Quintaroo Dulce now.  Other suggestions are welcome.  Just looking for something other than a Cervelo – great bikes, but I want something different. 

 

I Fought Franconia Notch and the Notch Won

This weekend I went up to Franconia Inn with my teammates from Wheelworks Multi Sport.  Franconia, NH is nestled in the White Mountains and is known as a place to train and conquer hills.  Unfortunately, I think they beat me this year.

Saturday morning, we rolled out for a nice and hilly 68 mile ride.  We were only 3 miles away from Franconia Inn, when the winds picked up.   Then, as we biked down through a final pass near Franconia Notch State Park, a gust of wind about 50 mph strong hit us like mack truck.   Natalie fought the wind and fell down on her side.  With the wind so strong, I knew the inevitable was about to happen.  “NATALIE!” I screamed, then hit her and flipped over my handlebars.  With absolutely no control or grace, I took a face dive into the pavement of Rt. 141.

Startled, but alert, my teammates came to my aid.  Beth, with her awesome EMT background, made sure I was alert and stabilized my head and neck.  Unfortunately, I could see the reflection of my very bloody face in her sunglasses, which made me insist, “Take them off!  Take them off!”   Some other folks put blankets and shirts on me until the ambulance came.  A police man arrived first.  Then the ambulance.  Only in NH do the ambulance medics/EMT’s arrive in cycling shorts and hiking boots – on their way back from their respective outdoor adventures.

While I’ve had a few cycling accidents before, this one was by far my most significant one.  Seeing that it resulted in my first backboard, IV, oxygen, ambulance ride and CT scan.  I thought it was worth capturing on film.  Many thanks to Natalie – for putting up with me running her over, accompanying me to the hospital, and being gracious enough to indulge me in the filming.

Aimee came to meet us at the hosptial in Plymouth.  Once I was finally released, we hit up a little ice cream place in town and made it back to the inn in time for the last dinner.   The drive was a little rough – the wind was still so strong that the car shook on the highway and we learned that I had a hard time keeping any food down.  When we got to the dining room at the Inn, everyone cheered for me.  My whole team was so supportive and took such great care of me.  What a great group!  I’m really lucky.

I felt much better this morning.  I even walked around a little trail with Ann before heading home.  Now, I just to make it through this week of explaining what happened and buy a new helmet and sunglasses. I hope I’ll be ready to hit the road in Lake Placid next weekend with my good friends from DC.

 

Marathon vs. Ironman

What hurts more – a marathon or an Ironman?  You might think, “An Ironman, of course!”  But, the consensus around the table after the Boston Marathon was Marathon!  I thought I was crazy when I felt this way after my Phoenix marathon earlier this year.  But, hearing my buddies from the DC Tri Club (Phil, Kip and Sean) all say they felt worse after the marathon makes me think there is something to this…especially, since these guys are rockstars when it comes to running!

Why would running a marathon leave your legs (and your whole body, really) in more pain than an Ironman?  How could 26.2 miles hurt more than 140.6?  Theories welcome!

Boston Marathon - View from Coolidge Corner

 

Have Helmet, Will Travel #2

San Francisco Trip – Thanks to Blazing Saddles, I rented a road bike and made my way across the Golden Gate Bridge for a ride to Sausalito and Mill Valley.  How great is it that my first time across the bridge was on a bike!!?!

Here are some pics from my travels.

View from Sausalito