Even grown men fall off their bikes...

I hope everyone's training is going better than the last time I checked. I know the Tough Cookies are having a wonderful time each week and working hard each day. I haven't heard from any of the other lovely triathletes who are working their butts off as well but I'm sure y'all are doing great!

So over the past few weeks you are probably getting into a routine to workout more and more as the race approaches. The key is to just do as much as you can and to not overdo it or else you will be hating the next time you go workout and that is no fun. I thought you all could use a little bit of encouragement with this photo...

Yes he fell off his bike! And as the saying goes once you fall off you have to get right back on. I too fell off my bike but didn't have a camera handy since my tight tri shorts don't have any pockets...thankfully! but it isn't as bad as i remembered from when i was little so just get back on and keep riding or else your knees will swell up and you won't be riding your bike for a day or so.
Also...The T-shirts are IN!!! and we sold 76!! we ordered 10 extra and only have 8 left to sell so let me know if you know of someone who wants one.

Keep working hard and thanks to those for supporting the cause!!

TRI-ing For A Cause T-Shirts

Purchase a t-shirt to help us raise funds for the Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund. They are a standard royal blue pocket t-shirt for $17 each. The brand is Gidian Ultra Cotton which is different from last years and won't be as heavy.

We will be ordering the shirts on April 17th so please let me know if you would like one (emailing or calling me) or you may purchase one online by April 18th!! 

We will order extras but there are no promises we will have the size you prefer. 

Front: TRI-ing For A Cause, 2009, Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund

Back: Float the Swim, Walk the Bike, Crawl the Run

To keep you motivated

Here are some tips to keep you motivated...

• Triathlon Newsletters...once you have registered for the Danskin they will send out information about the race and little tips to keep you on track
• Mentor Program...Danskin also has a mentor program where a person will email you and check up on you and give you advice. i signed up for it and have already started getting emails. 
• Active Triathlete...i signed up online to get updates and pointers. it is really helpful and they walk you through different workouts and tips on how to swim, bike, run etc. Active Triathlete Website
• Map My Run.com...this will help if you don't have an odometer and you want to find new trails in your neighborhood. it is really helpful since you can log your distance and search for other running paths in austin. Map My Run Website
• Most Important...just think of why you TRI and you'll push yourself to work hard. I know it sounds corny but self motivation is key. You can train as a group and work hard together but when it comes to race day it comes down to just you to push yourself.

The Race is On!

We are off to a great start with training...but oh was it cold and windy on Saturday morning! We learned about all the bike types and how women ride anything and everything in these triathlons. It was fun to see Anne and Gloria at training. It is all new to them and they are hanging in there giving it their all. Just wait until we learn to change a tire! Go girls! We talk on and on about equipment we have to have. The list never seems to end! Swimming coming up on Wednesday....bring on the heatwave,please!

First Week of Training

So the first week of training is coming to an end with so many more to look forward to.

Last year, being my first year to do a triathlon, i kept a training log of my daily activity each week. 

It was quite humorous to look back and see that in my first week it read:

Monday- biked 20 mins, 3 miles

Thursday- biked 10 mins, 1.86 miles

Friday- ran 1 mile

I didn't start swimming until 3 weeks in and that is even funnier to read:

first time at the pool: swam 20 mins- DROWNED! (within those 20 mins i only did 4 laps of the pool meaning 200 m, taking rests after every 25 m length)

I decided it was best if i took notes on how the exercise went and the majority of my swimming ones say "drowned" so no worries. I was using kick boards and flippers up to 1 month prior to the Danskin. 

Hopefully everyone is staying motivated and focusing on the weeks ahead. 

Things not to worry about:

- how far of a distance you are going in the first weeks of training because it is a gradual process to reach the final distance for the triathlon (it took me up until the day of the race to finally bike 12 miles!!)

- don't think of this as a chore but have fun doing it

- if you don't have the best bike, shoes, socks, shorts, etc...you will be fine. In the Danskin you will see women with mountain bikes to $2,000 road bikes, onesie swimsuits instead of tri shorts/tri top, tri running shoes to 5 year old beat up new balances, and the such.

If any of you have questions please feel free to email me annmariefrancese@gmail.com or my mom at annfrancese@yahoo.com.