Getting Close

I can’t believe I’m just a little bit over 6 weeks away from my first triathlon! And I have a feeling that those six weeks are going to fly by because I’m going to be super busy.

In addition to my regular training I’m also going to start taking a whitewater kayaking class through Georgia Tech’s Outdoor Recreation. I’m signed up for the first of three sessions but I’m kind of in a waiting mode because priority is given to students of Georgia Tech. When I signed up on Friday there were two spots left and tomorrow is the class for the first session so as long as I don’t hear anything today, I’m in! After the class on Wednesday we will have a trip to a “slow moving river or lake” on Saturday, May 23rd which will complete the first session. The second session consists of two class and two trips and I must complete the first session to participate in the second. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to participate in the third session because it conflicts with my triathlon. The class should be a lot of fun, but it also means that I’m going to have to rearrange some of my workouts and do a little bit of juggling with my schedule. In addition to all this, I may have a few potential visitors in the month of June (which will be so much fun!) And finally, the week before my triathlon is the Muddy Buddy

I’m getting pretty excited for the Muddy Buddy as well. My friend from work participated in it last year with her husband and said they had a great time. Here is the official race description from the Muddy Buddy website:

Each race features a 6-7 mile course and 5 obstacles. At the start of the race, one team member will run and one will ride the bike. At the 1st obstacle, the rider will drop the bike, complete the obstacle, and begin running. The runner will arrive, complete the obstacle, find their bike, and begin riding. Teams will continue leapfrogging each other through the entire course. At the end of the race, racers will crawl through the infamous Mud Pit crossing the finish line together!

It should be a lot of fun, and good practice for the triathlon the week afterwards.

I also went to an Intro to Triathlon class that was offered at REI on Sunday, May 17th. Most of the things that we discussed I already knew such as eating during the bike, good workouts to do, what kind of clothing to wear, etc. But I also learned and was able to confirm some things too. The class was instructed by Mike Gaw, a 8-time Ironman participant. He was very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. He is actually going to be at the Tri the Parks Indian Springs Triathlon, but he is doing the swim portion on a relay team. He also gave everyone his email and phone number so that if we have any questions we can contact him.

My First Road Bike

This past week or so I began my search for a road bike. I wanted an entry level road bike, nothing fancy because, well, I wouldn't know what to do with it. I first looked on Craigslist, which had many postings, but most were older touring bikes, large men's bikes or way out of my price range. Since I'm a shorter lady (5'4") there really wasn't much out there for me.

My next stops were Atlanta Cycling and REI where I found two great candidates.

First from Atlanta Cycling was the Trek 1.2 Triple WSD, this is a great bike that Trek has put a lot of R&D into for a women's specific fit. Another benefit of getting this bike or any bike from Atlanta Cycling for that matter, is that you get a lifetime warrenty, 30 day trial and a very detailed custom fit assessment for no additional charge.

The second bike from REI was the Novara Carema Women's Bike. This bike was at about the same level as the Trek but is a brand that is made for REI. Buying a bike from REI is good if you are a member because you'll get money back at the end of the year from all the purchases you make. They also do custom fitting for no additional charge.

And the winner is...

The Trek 1.2 Triple WSD. It came down to personal preference and service. I liked the Shimano Sora STI, 9 speed shifters compared to the Shimano Tiagra shifters on the Novara. The Sora STI shifters were similar to the shifters on my mountain bike so it would be a easy transition. I also liked the smaller frame on the Trek, it is easier to stand over and overall easier to handle.

The service at Atlanta Cycling is great. They spent over a half hour sizing the bike for me, for no extra charge! In addition, if at any time I want something readjusted, I just have to bring it back into the shop and they'll take care of it.

Another great aspect of Atlanta Cycling is that they also host group cycling events. To learn more about their event, click here.

Happy riding!