Big Kahuna Tri 2009 FTW!

I did it! This past Sunday was the day of my big race, the Big Kahuna Half Ironman Triathlon in Santa Cruz, CA!

Despite Mother Nature’s badittude, Team in Training’s high spirits carried us across the finish line. Here’s how the events unfolded:

Pre-race

Brianna and I drove my trusty steed #1 (#2 being my bike of course) down to Santa Cruz on Saturday afternoon. Using our trusty Yelp iPhone app, we were able to find a 5-star rated Ace Hardware only 2 miles off the highway so we could pick up some car paint and decorate the PT. (Note to all you aspiring car decorators out there: the stuff is not called “car paint”; it’s called “window chalk.”)

We picked up our registration packets, our AWESOME BK dri-fit tshirts, snailshell necklaces (it’s Hawaiian themed!) and about 20 other little stickers, tags, chips and other identifying markers. Then we shacked up at the Dream Inn right on the beach in SC.

Race Day Morning

Sunday morning we woke up at 4:45am to make some coffee. Thanks God for coffee. And eat our wheat bread, peanut butter, banana, and strawberry jelly sandwiches. Thanks God for pbbj’s. We got to transition really early which was GREAT. No lines, we got marked with sharpie, we got to all put our stuff near each other and huddle for warmth in the cold dark October air. Then we headed back to the hotel to “eliminate” and mentally prepare/relax before the race.

Time to Race! The Swim

The first wave of Elite triathletes were supposed to get in the water at 7:00am. Let’s just say that didn’t happen. There we were, standing on the sand in our wetsuits and color-coded swim caps, unable to see 10ft in front of our faces due to the thick fog. At first I thought “This is awesome! I’m used to swimming at Aquatic Park at 6am in the pitch black night. I’ll be totally comfortable out there and have a solid advantage.” However, I guess they were afraid boats were going to run us over. Whatever. Flippin boats.

After 30min of waiting for the fog to lift or move or burn off, they made the announcement I was dreading: the swim was canceled.

I cried. Really. I did. But I take it as a good sign that I now love open-water swimming so much that I cried when that part of the race was canceled. There’s always next year…

The gun fired and the 20-29yo females raced from the water exit to the bike transition area. It was a little silly running the .4mi carrying our wetsuits. One girl ran in Uggs. But it did spread out the group a little bit heading out onto the bike course.

Time to Race More! The Bike

The bike course was glorious. I told my fans (my parents, Jeff and Brooke) that the bike section would take me around 3:30. I had done the 56-mile course before and that’s how long it took me. Let’s just say I SMOKED that time and came in at 3:09. Maybe it was the chocolate Gu that I was eating every 45min.? (Note: one of the main reasons I do triathlons is to have an excuse to consume Ghirardelli chocolate Gu). My biking skills have really improved throughout this season to the point that I was almost able to enjoy the ocean views, pumpkin patches and cow pastures that lined Route 1.

Favorite bike ride moments:
- When one of the fast older guys wearing a speed helmet (I called them Sonic the Hedgehogs) zoomed by me going up the steepest hill on the course. He slowed to give me some words of encouragement “Hardest hill of the day! Enjoy it!”

- Seeing Brooke, my roommate at the bike turn around Mile 28! She was the only person out there – apart from the cop blocking traffic. I love you Brooke.

- Eating 3 chocolate Gus and half a chocolate peanut butter Clif bar. Yay chocolate.

- Getting off my bike. And NOT falling because of my clip-in shoes. And NOT feeling like my legs were spaghetti.

Time to Race Even More! The Run

When it came time to run, my life’s motto could not have rung more true: One foot in front of the other. That’s it. For 13.1 miles.

The best part about the run course was that it was an out-and-back, so I got to see all my teammates and cheer along the other Team in Training participants. “Go Team!” At times, depending on my energy level, this was more like a whisper “ooo tmmm” with a semi-spirited fist pump. The girls working the water stops were super-motivating as well – thanks for that! I also loved the huge Tiki man sculpture at the run turnaround though I was kind of afraid it was a fertility sculpture so I didn’t touch it.

By the time I hit the run course, it was noon and around 75 degrees. I was pretty dehydrated and needed to stop at every water stop to drink and douse myself in water to cool off.

When I hit Mile 10, I picked up the pace. I tried to keep pace with the male seasoned vets in front of me that all seemed to have Ironman tattoos on their calves. Speaking of calves, around Mile 12.5, I got stinging cramps in both my calves.

The last section of the race was a sadistic 0.5mile loose sand run across the finish line. It was pretty brutal but I tried to hide my pain for the fans and the cameras.

And that’s that I guess. I’m now officially a Half Ironman Duathlete! Team in Training totally prepared me for the Half and next year they are training participants for 3 different Ironman events. Maybe I’ll see you there?

Thanks everybody for your support and also your donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I could not have done this without you!

534th place Erin Romig
Bib:# 732
Bike: 3:09:47.1 (17.7MPH)
Run: 2:25:21.7 (11:06/M)
Total: 5:42:23.9

All Results: http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?orgID=218713&rsID=86523

Ask Erin: How do I gain weight while training for a tri?

Quite simple, my dear Watson. First run 10 miles. Then eat In-N-Out. Rinse (your wetsuit). Repeat.

Xoxo,
Erin

You know you’re training for a triathlon when…

As a new addict to the sport of triathlon, I have started to notice small changes in my life. Little tell tale signs that remind me that yes, I am in fact training for a triathlon. (As if training hours every day of the week isn’t enough of a reminder) I have begun to document these moments on my twitter account to share with the world. Other triathletes from around the internet have also chimed in to contribute their witty responses.

Here are a few of my faves:

- You know you’re training for a triathlon when…your targeted facebook ads switch from “Diet” and “Engagement Ring” to “Tri Race Registrations”

- You know you’re training for a triathlon when…you carry Clif Shotblocks in your Louis Vuitton purse.

- You know you’re training for a triathlon when…you have Body Glide residue left on your neck from morning swim, at work, wearing a dress

- You know you’re training for a triathlon when…it’s Shark Week but you STILL go swimming in the SF Bay…in the dark

- You know you’re a triathlete when…you spend more time in the shower with your wetsuit than your significant other

- You know you’re training for a triathlon when…your parents give you birthday money for a bike – two years in a row.

Training Montage! Queue the Rocky theme…

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite part of movies are training montages. Daniel-san preparing to fight for his honor in Karate Kid, Van Damme sword fighting and getting stretched out in the torture device in “Bloodsport”, Rodney Dangerfield being prepped for his exams in “Back to School”, the Toros perfecting their cheer routine in “Bring it on.”

Ahhhh the training montage. What’s not to love? They’re replete with flashes of athletic brilliance, human mind-over-matter dedication, and of course some kick-ass tunes.

This past weekend, I clocked enough hours with Team in Training to be worthy of my very own training montage – first biking 40 miles in Inverness/Point Reyes, then swimming in the San Francisco Bay, then running to the Golden Gate Bridge, ascending the stairs, and running back to Aquatic Park.

So here’s a little photo training montage of last weekend. What’s my montage music, you ask?

“Do It” by The Spice Girls.

Enjoy!

Reflections on my first triathlon

It has been about a week since I completed my first triathlon so it’s time for a little reflection.

The Stone Harbor sprint tri was an eyeopening experience and a perfect introduction to the sport of competitive triathlon. My family and friends there to support me during the race; the course was through the tiny NJ beach town that I consider heaven on earth; and I got to compete with my sister Kelli – also a first time triathlete.

Here are some reflections on my first race:

The Swim!

The most difficult part of the race for me was the swim. It was only .25 miles around a sheltered lagoon by the Stone Harbor Yacht Club, but thrashing around with 50 other people and treading water for 3 minutes before the swim added to the difficulty of the event. It would have been smart to stay on the dock for as long as possible before that mini cannon fired. Lesson learned.

Also, swimming without a wetsuit is much tougher than I thought it would be in open water. The buoyancy of a wetsuit is helpful – not just for the floating start but for the whole swim portion. Even though the water was really warm, it would have really cut down on my time to wear a wetsuit.

My swim split was 10:14.

On the dock in our awesome red swim caps

Running from the swim to my transition area

The Bike!

I successfully rented a road bike the day before the race. Having a road bike was a BIG plus and now I have to have one. I need to work on being a more aggressive rider. For me, biking is a leisurely activity – like pedaling along on a beach cruiser to go pick up bagels with a puppy in a basket and tassles coming out of my handlebars.

My bike split was 40:55.

Almost ran into the biker in front of me

The Run!

Wow my legs felt like LEAD transitioning from bike to run. My lower body was completely stiff and with each step my knees felt like they were going to buckle with each step. After the first mile, however, my legs completely loosened up and my stride felt normal again.

Because I was in the last wave of competitors there were very few people behind me during the run which made me pretty self-conscious. I like having people around me when I run to push me or keep me on pace. I passed a couple people along the course and stopped for a few kids that had setup lemonade stands with water for the athletes, but I really thought I was amongst the last people to finish the race.

My run split was 28:08.

Beating out the 14yo boy behind me

The Finish and Aftermath!

When I crossed the finish line, I truly didn’t feel tired at all. In fact, I felt like I could do the whole race over again (which is probably a good thing seeing as how I have to do a race 4x as long in October!). I was pretty shocked when I looked at the final times and I finished #271 out of #370 – even though only about 10 people probably finished the run after me.

My final time: 1:23:03

Kelli’s final time: 1:32:51

After the race, Kelli chugged a beer and I sold my SH Tri bracelets to raise $ for my fundraiser.

Then we all went out for a big pancake breakfast at Uncle Bill’s. As you can see from our Yelp reviews, Erin R. and Kelli R. both love Uncle Bill’s Pancake House: http://www.yelp.com/biz/uncle-bills-cake-and-steak-house-avalon

Kelli has already signed up for her second race, the Wildwood Triathlon on August 22.

I’m back to San Francisco to train for the Big Kahuna Half Ironman on October 25.

Stone Harbor Tri 2009 = Complete!

Great news– both Kelli and I finished the SH Tri and raised $252 so far from my SH Tri Bracelets! Then we ate pancakes.

More to come later…now I’m off for a dip in the pool and a booze cruise around the bay.

You can still donate (and receive a bracelet) here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/pactri09/eromig

Fight Cancer with your Stone Harbor Tri 2009 bracelet!

Just wanted to remind everyone to get your Stone Harbor Tri 2009 – Swim. Bike. Run. bracelets!

You can get a bracelet by donating to my LLS/TNT fundraiser here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/pactri09/eromig

(just be sure to include your address on your donation form OR email me so you can pick one up at the race!)

Kelli has been rocking her SH Tri bracelet for the past week in the local watering holes of Stone Harbor, Avalon and Sea Isle. It’s proven to be quite the conversation starter so don’t miss out.

Read my palm: STRONG money line

Mottos for the Stone Harbor Triathlon

Kelli’s Motto: “Don’t die.”

Erin’s Motto: “Beat Kevin.”

As it turns out, our shore house neighbor Kevin is also racing in the SH Tri and has done it in previous years. It has been decided that in order to save the family dignity, I need to beat Kevin’s time.

And you wonder where I get my competitive spirit…

My siblings are envisioning some type of FULL OUT SPRINT between Kevin and me across the finish line. Unfortunately, this is unlikely since I’d imagine we’re going to be starting the race at different times.

Eastbound and Down (the Shore)

Last night I left California headed eastbound toward the hot and humid state of Pennsylvania. Flew from SFO –>PHL. Arrived this morning at 10am.

How can you spot a triathlete at the airport?

- Timbuk2 bike bag as carry-on containing Giro bike helmet and Valencia Cyclery water bottle

- Sneakers with Team in Training shoe tag (you know – in case I fall down running through the terminal and am unable to tell people my name)

- A great one-piece swimsuit tan

All of my tri gear made it to PA safe and sound for the Stone Harbor Triathlon. Now I just have to find a great road bike to rent for the race. I’m planning on picking one out tomorrow morning and then test riding it Friday and Saturday to get used to it. I have been training on my hybrid bike for the past few months; for the actual race, I’m going to try to use a road bike. It’ll be interesting to see how that affects my performance.

Now that I’m headed eastbound and down The Shore, I am reminded of the immortal exchange of Terrence Cutler and Kenny Powers re: triathlons in the show “Eastbound and Down”:

Cutler: “I happen to be training for a Triathlon right now. Doin’ a lot of running, and cycling, swimming. Well you know all about that.”

Kenny: “No actually I don’t. I do SPORTS. Not try to be the best at exercising.“

Rest assured, unlike Cutler I am not trying to beat my best (mostly because I don’t have a best yet; this is my first triathlon).

Next stop: Avalon, New Jersey to do a little jetskiing

The “Elusive” SH Tri – Only 5 Days Away!

I am the type of person who likes to know what I’m getting into before I actually get into it. In this 21st century Information Age, this type of due-diligence is usually pretty easy thanks to the internet:

Example 1: I want to see a movie. I don’t go down to the theater with fingers crossed and hope “Twilight” is showing at a certain time. I look up the times on Moviefone.

Example 2: I want quick Chinese delivery. Mmmmmm chicken and broccoli. I don’t pick up a random menu left at my doorstep and call in my order of MSG, I look it up on Yelp and read customer reviews.

Example 3: I’m going on a road trip. I don’t get in my car and follow the road signs to my destination. I look up directions on Google maps, check traffic, estimated driving time, alternate routes, etc.

Standard stuff — Be smart. Be prepared. Use your resources. Know your stuff.

I have an iPhone.

Today I got pretty freaked out because there is so little information about the Stone Harbor Triathlon 2009 on the internet, that I’m starting to think it doesn’t exist. Sure, I registered online and paid a fee. Sure, I emailed the “director” about doing some TNT fundraising at the event and he did reply (even though it was to tell me no, I couldn’t fundraise. Haha – I’d like to see you TRY and stop me from getting donations in exchange for my Ocean Bracelets dude! I’m a TRIATHLETE helping to cure CANCER).

But besides the generic registration page, the only evidence I found referencing the SH Tri online is:

- “Alleged” race times from 2008
- A single blurry photo of some people wearing baby blue swim caps and bobbing in what appears to be the Bay (see below)
- My blog

The one photo depicting what might be a past SH Tri

Stone Harbor is a sleepy town. I know that well. And part of its charm is that residents and shoobies alike are more concerned with basking in the beach sunshine than compulsively checking their email. But why is there so little reference to this race on the web?

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO HAS OR IS PLANNING ON DOING THIS RACE?

Come out, come out wherever you are!

Maybe this is my nervous butterflies getting the best of me before the race…or maybe we’ve entered the TRI-light Zone…