Out of the Comfort Zone

I keep raising the bar and that includes continuing to reach outside of my own comfort zones.  I want to improve and learn more about the sport of Triathlons so I have decided to sign up for coaching.  Last year I spent a fair amount of time looking online for anywhere to get help with my swimming but was never successful.  Finally at the Fitness Expo before the Detroit Marathon in October I stopped by the Fraser Bike Booth and learned about their Triathlon Team and training offered.  I picked up flyers and stacked them on my table and read through them several times before I finally called.

I called one afternoon and set up an appointment to stop out the next day to meet with the coach and learn more about what they offer.  I was excited and full of energy thinking about taking this sport a step further. I really need help with my swimming.  Well, I don't know anything about biking and other than going out and riding. I really didn't know anything about different kinds of runs either.  I knew in my head I wanted to do a half ironman in 2011 but wasn't sure if that was realistic.  I found it out was more than realistic if I wanted to do it.  I was shown the shop and the training lab in the basement of the building and was ready to sign up immediately. ..... Except that I was scheduled for surgery soon so I had to wait until the new year.

After 6 weeks of recovery I was FINALLY able to start exercising again.  The week after Christmas was my first week back to trying any exercise.   I scheduled an appointment to go back to the Bike Shop and sign up for a training package the first week in January.  During that appointment I sat down with Tony (coach) and shared all the race dates I want to do and let him know some of my times from last year's races and he scheduled it into the Training Peaks software used for tracking workouts and training plans.  He explained to me how to use the software and assured me of what to expect.  I signed up for a minimum 3 month coaching plan which gives me access to the Computrainer lab (pictured below), the swim workouts, brick workouts at the facility and group trail runs.  This is in addition to the help planning workouts to gear myself for my various races.  Before leaving he then asked me if I wanted to be on the team.  Wow, on the team?!  Uhm, but I'm slow.  Being fast was not a requirement, and by signing up for a minimum of three months of coaching and committing to so many races was.  So just like that I went home a member of a new team of people I don't have a clue about, Team Fraser.

The shop is a 45 min drive away on a good traffic day and closer to an hour if I come during the week in the evenings so I'll be limiting my sessions to 2 or 3 a week at the shop.  There are swims 9-10 pm during the week and I'll try to hit one of those following a bike ride at the lab.  I will do my best to adhere to the planned workouts on my schedule.  I'll be adding in my other fun exercise like Zumba, yoga, boot camp, kickboxing, wallyball or whatever else I do.  He'll adjust my workouts taking those into consideration. 

I signed up for my first night riding in the Computrainer lab that same week on a Thursday night.  I was petrified.  It was a rather bad day at work.  I had to leave work early for the dentist for a filling and a crown.  Then I rushed home to throw dinner together for the family, gather my stuff that I thought I might need and get there in time to ride at 7 PM.  Tension was high because I was nervous.  My intent was to do the bike workout from 7 - 8:30 which would be some sort of 'test' and then go to the swim workout from 9 - 10 pm at a local high school out on the other side of town also.  I hate the complexity of my bike rack so I had my son help get the bike in the back of my Trailblazer.  I gathered what I thought I needed and was off.

The temperature was cold.  There were flurries.  I was heading to the other side of town with a mouth that was still numb.  I had giant butterflies.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to get my bike out of the back.  I had no clue if I would be able to swim since I haven't done so since my surgeries.  I was nervous about bringing my crappy bike in when everyone else would have fancy road and triathlon bikes.  Mine is a hybrid bike I bought used last year.  It got me through my first two triathlons though!  

It was dark and I was driving in unknown territory.  I was worried I'd be late.  Traffic was stop and go along the way.  My nerves weren't getting any better.  I just wanted to be there on time.

I pulled in at 6:45 pm.  I sat there and called my husband.  I needed his reassurance.  I was scared to go in.  I didn't know anyone.  I felt alone.  I didn't think I'd be able to get my bike out of my car alone.  He gave me assurance and basically told me to stop it, and go in there and if I needed help getting my bike out to ask for it.  I composed myself and got out of the car.

My coat zipper split open and it was freezing.  I couldn't get it unstuck and had to pull my coat over my head to take it off and fix before I slid it back on.  I needed it on to work on getting my bike out.  I opened the back gate of the vehicle and prodded and pulled on the bike to no avail.  I had to bite the bullet and go ask for help.  I went into the shop and said, "I'm new, I don't know what I'm doing.  I'm riding tonight downstairs but can't get my bike out of my car.  Can someone please help me?".  There....that wasn't sooo horrible.  I did it.  Someone came out and helped me.  He got the bike out, I grabbed my gym bag and followed him inside.  He carried the bike downstairs and as I trailed behind him I shared how nervous I was.  He told me not to be and that I was going to have fun.  

As he took my bike over to the computrainer area, Coach Tony pointed me to the changing rooms.  There were so many athletes everywhere.  They all had their fancy garb on.  There was me in my running shorts because I don't yet own any bike shorts and I was racing to get my gear together and landed on running shorts.  Well, there was chatter everywhere and everyone already knew each other.  No one really welcomed me in and kept at their own conversations which made it just a bit more awkward for me.  I didn't really need to change other than to pull off my sweat pants and sweatshirt so I did that and headed to the bike area.  I met Pam who works there and is part of Team Fraser.  She helped me feel more at ease and explained what I would be doing.  It all felt so out of place.  The chatter continued.  There are spots for 16 riders and they were all full on this evening.  Everyone seemed to know what to do.  Except me.   I got on the bike and started spinning at a low gear as directed.  Pam showed me how to connect the wires for the Computrainer (of which I have no clue what she did!) and told me Tony would talk to everyone and explain what we were doing.  

I pedaled and looked around taking it all in.  I was trying to be brave and not to be bothered by all the stupid small things that kept coming to my mind.  Like the fact that they all had cooler bikes.  They all knew to bring enough water cause once you're on bike you don't get off until it's over.  They had their fancy pedals and bike shoes.  They had their pillow butt bike shorts.  And they were IN their comfort zones.  They looked like athletes, acted like athletes and chatted like athletes.  I took it in the moment of being a part of it all but felt like an outsider.  Finally, Tim, on the bike next to me mentioned to Coach Tony that I didn't have a towel and that I might need one. I thanked him and introduced myself.  Finally someone acknowledged my being there.  I needed that.  

Tony explained how the 90 minute ride would work.  It was going to be a flat course and we were to work in the prescribed zones that were listed on the whiteboard for those of us 'testing'.  A few others followed their own workout.  The zones in order of intensity that we work in are aerobic recovery, endurance, tempo, threshold and aerobic capacity (AR, E, T, not sure what abbreviation threshold is, AC).  I think that is them.  After all, I am a newbie so I may have it wrong or missed one in there.  Seems like there is one more.  Hmmm.  We are supposed to keep the cadence, or RPM between 80-100 the entire ride.  The ENTIRE 90 minutes.  Were they crazy!?  I've never ridden for more than 10 minutes above 80 I don't think.  Actually I don't really know but it was faster than I remember every riding before.  We started with a 10 minute ride in the easiest zone, then moved to 5 minutes of the next speed which is still slow called endurance.  This is the speed at which you can go for very long periods of time. Then 5 recovery, 5 of the next up speed (Tempo), 5 recovery.

We then did 3 sets of 10 seconds of aerobic capacity (most power) follwed by 2:50 of recovery.  We were supposed to be up out of the saddle for this 10 seconds.  I tried peddling out of the saddle but it just plain ole didn't work for me.  I watched everyone around me peddle round and round but my pedals felt like kerplunk, kerplunk with each rotation of my legs.  I couldn't keep them going round while out of the saddle.  I felt like I got more power by sitting and peddling hard.  I have no idea if that has something to do with not having the fancy clip pedals and bike shoes but I know for whatever reason, I was not coordinated to pedal fast out of the saddle.  More practice is definitely needed here.

We then had 1 min of AC, 5 min recovery, 5 min AC, 10 min recovery, 20 minute time trial and ended with 10 min recovery.  Around 45 minutes in my butt started hurting from that darn seat.  Around 60 minutes in my left knee started giving me pain that I have never felt before.  During the 20 minute time trial I spent much of it trying hard to pedal with my right leg only so that my left leg didn't have much to do.  I was hurting and a bit of inner groin chafing going on from my non-smart running shorts I wore on this long ride.  Yes, 90 minutes was a LONG ride for me. I couldn't wait to stop pedaling and get my bootie off that darn seat!  Finally, 90 minutes later I finished my first bike test.........and I made it, alive.

Tony asked how I felt and I told him my knee was hurting.  He had mentioned during the ride that my seat might need to be raised to help with that.   He also told me I should invest in bike shoes and pedals.  Then later told me I should probably get bike shorts.  Everything costs money I reminded him so he said bike shorts first, then pedals and bike shoes.  They are needed to perform some of the one legged drills that will be assigned in the lab.  The bike shorts I guess are to keep my butt cushy.  After the ride, I did let him know that the swim was probably not a good idea that night as I had planned.  (Good decision on my part, I was exhausted and had not swam in a pool since before my surgeries and really didn't want to make my debut swim with the team.)

I hobbled off the bike and off the platform to the floor to stretch.  Everyone was stretching and chatting again.  This time there was one gal who said hi and made a bit of small talk with me.  It was much appreciated.  I was glad that I forced myself outside of my comfort zone, going to this strange place, with these crazy athletes, in my running shorts and shoes, with my not so fancy bike, despite the emotional day I was having.  I teared up in the car driving home.  I was glad I finished, and proud but not yet feeling a part of 'it' yet.  I know it will come with time.  So I will test time and force fears of doing things that are not comfortable because I know that with repeated exposure the uncomfortable will become the comfortable.

After all, I am a machine and CAN do whatever I put my mind to.  So I will .