Hello Everyone.
I had an interesting season this year. Not really going as planned, but a wake up call to what I really think I need to pursue.
I race the Long Branch Half Marathon back in April, ran a 1:22 and change and finished first overall woman. I was then inducted into the hall of fame which was unexpected and pretty cool! From there my training continued with the hopes of doing well in some Olympic distance triathlons and racing pro for the first year but it seemed my body had other plans and I just couldn't seem to get my act back together for the season. I constantly felt worn down, never fresh, workout after workout was just a complete disaster, leaving me really mentally distraught and unmotivated. I continued to run but backed off on everything else in hopes of getting it together in time to race a few more triathlons. Just never happened so I called the season way earlier than expected.
Next year I have plans for racing as a professional at the 70.3 distance. I hope to race my first half ironman in the spring so I can get a good feel for it, see where I stand and have enough time left in the year to get a couple more races in. This winter will be much more volume than in the past, trying to build a good base. I believe I am a better athlete as the distance gets longer. I believe I am a better athlete than the level I am performing at now, I just have to put in more work. I can maintain paces for a while and I hope that will show in my racing next year. I look forward to a better season and some good, mind and body strengthening workouts and races.
Towards the end of the summer, into the fall I will switch my focus to the marathon. I am hoping to register for the Chicago Marathon on October 9th and race to a sub 3 hour finish. I think its doable with my time from the half marathon, when I write the numbers it works out well on paper...I just need it to workout in real life! If the marathon goes well, I will reevaluate my racing and see whats next!
I want to give a big shoutout to my sponsors. The Leather Institute for helping with travel and all my tri needs! Powertap, Saris, Cycleops for allowing me to train through the winter months on my trainer and for the new PowerBeam Pro I just got, super excited to get on it! Powerbar for the nutrition, bars and food I can eat that wont upset my stomach! Yippee! XTERRA Wetsuits, for keeping me afloat and hooking my friends up so they can stay afloat and race fast too! The Red Bicycle for hooking me up with a new QR tri bike for the season and for helping me with whatever I need throughout the season and winter months!
Not only do these companies help me during the season but they help me year round to stay fit and ready for the next season. I couldnt do it without them!
Potential races for next year thus far, more will be added accordingly, most likely one in August/September and October/November. I will probably do a couple of local races for speedwork in the middle of those.
70.3 Texas-April 10th or 70.3 Florida same day
70.3 Eagleman - June 12th or June 5th Raleigh
70.3 Vineman- July 10th or 70.3 Racine- July 17th (Wisconsin) (Leaning more towards Wisconsin)
Fall schedule TBD
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
LAVA Pants-Tested and Epic!
Hello Everyone!
I recently received a pair of Lava Pants through XTERRA Wetsuits. I tested them in the pool and they have now become one of the best training tools in my arsenal.
Now I know some people are against the use of LAVA pants when training for this reason or that reason but you think I use them to swim, right? WRONG. I use them to run. Pool Run, in the deep end.
These pants are phenomenal for pool running. With just the right amount of buoyancy to allow you to float but also work hard, I don't think I'll ever go back to the belt! I thought at first that they may restrict my leg movement and make it feel strange but it was super natural and I really forgot I had them on. My chin is kept just about at water level, a tiny bit above because I wasn't struggling to breathe while running but if I want to remain higher in the water thats all on me and my running.
I swear by pool running. For whatever reason when someone asks me what they can do when injured I always say well get in the pool and run. Run long runs, run workouts, run easy days, run two a days. I get looked at like I have 5 heads. But it works. It works extremely well if done right. It works well if you get in the workouts, it does not work as well if you jump in the pool for 20 minutes, short workout, "thats about 3 miles right?" and call it a day. It takes patience, it takes persistence and it takes boredom to a whole new level but I tell you, its worth it when you come back and see the results.
Back in college I was injured in the fall with plantar fasciitis. I finally gave in to the injury at the start of the winter track season because I was in tears most nights and I felt the right time to take off was during the winter months. So after I had the PRP by Doctor Connors and was placed in a boot for a few weeks I jumped in the pool (not with the boot!) From there I did long runs 2+ hours. I did full blown track workouts, I did ladder workouts with time increasing and then decreasing. I did two a days. I would be sweating in the pool. By the time I came out I was exhausted. By the end of outdoor I ran a 17:37, a PR by about 20+ seconds. In a matter of weeks back on the track, because I hadn't lost fitness I was able to jump right back to where I was and beyond. It works, it works well if done right.
So there you have it. LAVA PANTS. The new great tool in the arsenal.
Until next time, train hard, get some Lava Pants,
Caitlin
I recently received a pair of Lava Pants through XTERRA Wetsuits. I tested them in the pool and they have now become one of the best training tools in my arsenal.
Now I know some people are against the use of LAVA pants when training for this reason or that reason but you think I use them to swim, right? WRONG. I use them to run. Pool Run, in the deep end.
These pants are phenomenal for pool running. With just the right amount of buoyancy to allow you to float but also work hard, I don't think I'll ever go back to the belt! I thought at first that they may restrict my leg movement and make it feel strange but it was super natural and I really forgot I had them on. My chin is kept just about at water level, a tiny bit above because I wasn't struggling to breathe while running but if I want to remain higher in the water thats all on me and my running.
I swear by pool running. For whatever reason when someone asks me what they can do when injured I always say well get in the pool and run. Run long runs, run workouts, run easy days, run two a days. I get looked at like I have 5 heads. But it works. It works extremely well if done right. It works well if you get in the workouts, it does not work as well if you jump in the pool for 20 minutes, short workout, "thats about 3 miles right?" and call it a day. It takes patience, it takes persistence and it takes boredom to a whole new level but I tell you, its worth it when you come back and see the results.
Back in college I was injured in the fall with plantar fasciitis. I finally gave in to the injury at the start of the winter track season because I was in tears most nights and I felt the right time to take off was during the winter months. So after I had the PRP by Doctor Connors and was placed in a boot for a few weeks I jumped in the pool (not with the boot!) From there I did long runs 2+ hours. I did full blown track workouts, I did ladder workouts with time increasing and then decreasing. I did two a days. I would be sweating in the pool. By the time I came out I was exhausted. By the end of outdoor I ran a 17:37, a PR by about 20+ seconds. In a matter of weeks back on the track, because I hadn't lost fitness I was able to jump right back to where I was and beyond. It works, it works well if done right.
So there you have it. LAVA PANTS. The new great tool in the arsenal.
Until next time, train hard, get some Lava Pants,
Caitlin
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
From Beginner to Pro and all that in between
Growing up I played a lot of sports. Aside from the organized sports I always enjoyed the mountain bike rides with my dad. "Dad how far did we go?!" "About 10 miles was almost always the answer, sometimes 20. Granted it took forever to go that far where now a days its much faster riding with my dad on our road bikes! Little did I know I was a triathlete in the making.
I loved running, I started in 5th grade to get to know kids in a new school. I loved it. We would run a 3 mile course almost every day and race each other in practice to touch the jockeys butts(the ones that hold lanterns at the end of some older driveways)on the opposite side of Thompson Park. Probably not the best idea to race every single day but who knew?!
I began swimming at age 4 at the Red Bank YMCA and eventually Red Bank Catholic High school but gave it up to pursue running full time in college. The summer going into senior year I met my running coach Gerard Pearlberg who helped me get my running to the next. I was MAC champion and All American in Cross Country in 2010. I ran 17.37 on the track my senior year coming back from injury during the winter season.
Coach GP as he is known to us runners has always been my go to coach for my running especially when I felt it was falling short of my own expectations. I decided this year to have him coach me full time again and my running has come a long way in the few months we have been back working together. I have great expectations for next year in both running and triathlon.
Back to the beginning....
My first road bike, a Specialized Allez stayed in the basement for 2 years. I was terrified of riding clipped in outside, afraid I would go down. I road it on the trainer inside on few occasions. The saddle was AWFUL, so uncomfortable. "Is this what riding was like? Its terrible!"
I finally had the courage to venture outside. A very successful ride. Unclipped my right leg pulling up to the house, leaned to the wrong side and BAM, down in the driveway. Almost made it.
I did my first duathlon back in 2008?-ish. I loved it!
My dad had been encouraging me to try a triathlon as he had been doing them for a little while. I got up one morning, went to the race start and bailed. Terrified of the ocean and so sick to my stomach I thought "no way, this isn't for me." Turns out I had a virus....
Finally I gave it a go. I signed up for a Sandy Hookers Triathlon in Pier Village. I had a good race. I decided to sign up for Jersey Girl the first year is debuted and from there I was hooked. I upgraded all my equipment and dove in head first. This was it...
I decided I needed a slightly smaller bike than the Allez so I upgraded while I was at it and went with the Cannondale SuperSix, my favorite matte black bike I call Batman. I now ride a 52 road bike, down from a 54.
My brother Sean bought an Elite TT bike that wound up being too small for him so he offered it to me. That became my first triathlon bike for my first few seasons and treated me well. It was a great bike but also a little big for me but did the trick for a while.
I eventually sold the Elite and went with the Scott Plasma size 49. I'm 5'6 and love the aggressiveness you get from riding a small TT bike. Its a great fit!
After graduation from Delval I spent a week at the OTC. I raced a draft legal race two summers ago? but ultimately decided that I preferred non drafting triathlons. Maybe I'll change my mind in the future but for now I'm going to stick with non drafting and this year I also plan on racing my first 70.3! I will also be traveling a bit more this year.
I raced Chicago triathlon this past year and was first place amateur. The goal was to finish top 3 to earn my Elite Card AKA Professional Status as a triathlete. To my surprise I actually finished first.
I am proud to OFFICIALLY announce that I will be turning professional for the 2015 triathlon season! (I have to renew in December every year)
So there you have it, in short, my story from Beginner to Pro.
Monday, September 1, 2014
XTERRA Wetsuits Review
I have raced my whole life in XTERRA wetsuits. I received the Vortex as a gift quite a few years ago, I feel it was a little encouragement gift to give triathlons a try. I eventually did try a triathlon in my Vortex and I was hooked. I raced in that suit for years, rinsing it out after each race and storing it in a cool dry place. Its about 7-8 years old at this point and looks brand new! Zero holes, no scratches, nothing.
I then moved up to the top of the line Vendetta having XTERRA as one of my sponsors which is AWESOME. The suit is outrageously comfortable with the right amount material in the right places. The arms are pretty thin making freestyle feel pretty natural while the legs just float along even without kicking if you are more of an upper body swimmer. If you are willing to spend the money for a great quality suit and are willing to take care of it properly after each swim then the Vendetta is the suit for you.
If you don't have as much money to spend on a suit then the Vector Pro middle of the line suit is also an excellent choice. It retails for $600 but with my discount at checkout you can get it for $240 which is a sick deal. I personally have never worn this suit but I know a few who have and they have had nothing but good things to say about it.
Last but not least is my first suit ever, the Vortex. Retailing for $400 you can get it for $149 with my discount code! Their base level wetsuit that you would never know is base level after trying it on. Its super comfortable just like the others with maybe a little less stretch to it. The only time I noticed the less stretch was in transition, I found it much easier to get off than the Vendetta until I got used to it.
Their suits are all designed to have minimal amount of drag. A special coating allows you to slip through the water fast by reducing friction (kind of like a seal :) ) The middle later of the suit adds buoyancy while the inner layer keeps it stretchy. The panels of the suit are created to fit to your body and the seams of the suit are glued and stitched for added strength.
Now some people manage to get holes in their suits. This baffles me to a degree because I man handle my suits while trying to get them on and I have never put a single hole in my suit or broken a seam. So be a little more gentle with your suit. Leave an extra few minutes to get the suit on before a race so you aren't rushing! Pull a little at a time up the legs or arms to get the suit to move to where you need it and be sure to rinse it with fresh water after every race and let dry in a cool place!
The velocity speed suit for those non wetsuit legal swims is a great product. Although I haven't spent much time in mine since all were wetsuit legal this season, the suit cuts down on drag drastically; reducing time in the water and making for a fast swim.
Aside from wetsuits, their triathlon bag is also awesome! A pocket for the wetsuit after a race is perfect so none of your other gear gets wet. Its large enough to hold everything you need!
I am a true believer in the XTERRA products. I think they are a phenomenal brand and fantastic company. Their return policy is great, their exchange policy is great and their support for their athletes is unending as they are willing to invest in athletes to see them succeed; me being one of them.
I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor for this season and I hope to return with them again next year. Thank you XTERRA WETSUITS! Your belief in me as an athlete has helped me achieve my goal of turning professional. Hard work is never over. The bar is set high for next season. I can't wait!
Don't forget to use the code SA-DORGAN for 60% off the Vortex and Vector Pro Suits!
http://www.xterrawetsuits.com/store/index.php/products/triathlon-wetsuits
Caitlin
I then moved up to the top of the line Vendetta having XTERRA as one of my sponsors which is AWESOME. The suit is outrageously comfortable with the right amount material in the right places. The arms are pretty thin making freestyle feel pretty natural while the legs just float along even without kicking if you are more of an upper body swimmer. If you are willing to spend the money for a great quality suit and are willing to take care of it properly after each swim then the Vendetta is the suit for you.
If you don't have as much money to spend on a suit then the Vector Pro middle of the line suit is also an excellent choice. It retails for $600 but with my discount at checkout you can get it for $240 which is a sick deal. I personally have never worn this suit but I know a few who have and they have had nothing but good things to say about it.
Last but not least is my first suit ever, the Vortex. Retailing for $400 you can get it for $149 with my discount code! Their base level wetsuit that you would never know is base level after trying it on. Its super comfortable just like the others with maybe a little less stretch to it. The only time I noticed the less stretch was in transition, I found it much easier to get off than the Vendetta until I got used to it.
Their suits are all designed to have minimal amount of drag. A special coating allows you to slip through the water fast by reducing friction (kind of like a seal :) ) The middle later of the suit adds buoyancy while the inner layer keeps it stretchy. The panels of the suit are created to fit to your body and the seams of the suit are glued and stitched for added strength.
Now some people manage to get holes in their suits. This baffles me to a degree because I man handle my suits while trying to get them on and I have never put a single hole in my suit or broken a seam. So be a little more gentle with your suit. Leave an extra few minutes to get the suit on before a race so you aren't rushing! Pull a little at a time up the legs or arms to get the suit to move to where you need it and be sure to rinse it with fresh water after every race and let dry in a cool place!
The velocity speed suit for those non wetsuit legal swims is a great product. Although I haven't spent much time in mine since all were wetsuit legal this season, the suit cuts down on drag drastically; reducing time in the water and making for a fast swim.
Aside from wetsuits, their triathlon bag is also awesome! A pocket for the wetsuit after a race is perfect so none of your other gear gets wet. Its large enough to hold everything you need!
I am a true believer in the XTERRA products. I think they are a phenomenal brand and fantastic company. Their return policy is great, their exchange policy is great and their support for their athletes is unending as they are willing to invest in athletes to see them succeed; me being one of them.
I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor for this season and I hope to return with them again next year. Thank you XTERRA WETSUITS! Your belief in me as an athlete has helped me achieve my goal of turning professional. Hard work is never over. The bar is set high for next season. I can't wait!
Don't forget to use the code SA-DORGAN for 60% off the Vortex and Vector Pro Suits!
http://www.xterrawetsuits.com/store/index.php/products/triathlon-wetsuits
Caitlin
Chi Town Tri
Arrived in Chicago Friday night around 11:30pm. Gerard was driving up from Georgia for the weekend with a friend who lived in the area and flying back to Georgia on Monday when I flew back to NJ. He was scheduled to arrive around 4am so I headed to bed and set my alarm for his arrival which was timed almost perfectly!
Saturday morning arrived, Gerard and I got up to workout. He went and did his long run as I did my pre race routine. Back to get ready for breakfast and I decided to check on my bike at Fedex so we could go pick it up. I am told its been rerouted to a sorting facility outside of the city and it won't arrive until MONDAY! I thought my race was over before it started.
We called Fedex about 5 times and they kept telling us they would look into it and get back to us. I had almost given up when my brother Sean decided to take over and somehow, with his magical powers, got Fedex to redeliver the bike to the right location, where it should have been all along.
After the bike was put together and everything was ready for race day we went out to grab some dinner at a Sushi place that Gerard would describe as "The best sushi I have ever had in my life."
Up at out by 430 am Chicago time which was 530 NJ time which is awesome!!! Set up in transition and I went to warm up a bit.
The race began at 6:19 am Chicago time. The swim went pretty well, not as fast as I would have liked but I know I have room for improvement. I was slowed down a bit by the massive piles of lake grass at the surface that I ran into and got tangled up in. I had to stop, push it down and swim over it. This happened twice, the rest of the time I was just getting it wrapped around my arms and goggles. I also almost went head on with another swimmer as we looped back to pass the start line because the buoys going out were not completely straight so if you swam straight, you swam into us, which many did. I made it out ok and ran the 450 yards to the transition area. That is where the swim time stopped so everything was a little long.
Out onto Lake Shore Drive on the bike and cruising with the wind at my back. Once we turned around the wind was in our faces but it wasn't so bad. The next part of the bike was new this year and we raced through the tunnels of Chicago. Although it was a little hard to see, there really wasn't anything on the ground that you had to see because there were no big potholes or anything. With no elements I hit 28mph cruising through the tunnels and then out onto the busway which is a road used just for buses that most people don't even know exist! I thought the bike course this year was much less boring than last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Onto the run I was the 11th female. This included the Pro field and maybe some amateurs, I wasn't sure. I ran down one woman on the way out and was able to catch another on the way back with about a half mile to go. Still having no idea where I was in the race, I came up the small hill for the finish. Thats when the announcer said I was the first female across the line! I didn't get too excited just yet because this year has been the year of getting beat by someone in another heat but it didn't happen this time. I have officially earned my Pro card. I still have a lot of work to do but I know exactly what I need to work on and I will get there and be competitive in the pro field come next season. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, I couldn't have done it without you!
Huge shout out to my sponsors, Xterra Wetsuits and Powerbar. The best products on the market have truly helped me succeed.
I am now done with my season, a little early but I felt it was the right thing to do so I can focus on some weaknesses and take a much needed break so I will come back healthy and fast next year!
Until next season...
Caitlin
Saturday morning arrived, Gerard and I got up to workout. He went and did his long run as I did my pre race routine. Back to get ready for breakfast and I decided to check on my bike at Fedex so we could go pick it up. I am told its been rerouted to a sorting facility outside of the city and it won't arrive until MONDAY! I thought my race was over before it started.
We called Fedex about 5 times and they kept telling us they would look into it and get back to us. I had almost given up when my brother Sean decided to take over and somehow, with his magical powers, got Fedex to redeliver the bike to the right location, where it should have been all along.
After the bike was put together and everything was ready for race day we went out to grab some dinner at a Sushi place that Gerard would describe as "The best sushi I have ever had in my life."
Up at out by 430 am Chicago time which was 530 NJ time which is awesome!!! Set up in transition and I went to warm up a bit.
The race began at 6:19 am Chicago time. The swim went pretty well, not as fast as I would have liked but I know I have room for improvement. I was slowed down a bit by the massive piles of lake grass at the surface that I ran into and got tangled up in. I had to stop, push it down and swim over it. This happened twice, the rest of the time I was just getting it wrapped around my arms and goggles. I also almost went head on with another swimmer as we looped back to pass the start line because the buoys going out were not completely straight so if you swam straight, you swam into us, which many did. I made it out ok and ran the 450 yards to the transition area. That is where the swim time stopped so everything was a little long.
Out onto Lake Shore Drive on the bike and cruising with the wind at my back. Once we turned around the wind was in our faces but it wasn't so bad. The next part of the bike was new this year and we raced through the tunnels of Chicago. Although it was a little hard to see, there really wasn't anything on the ground that you had to see because there were no big potholes or anything. With no elements I hit 28mph cruising through the tunnels and then out onto the busway which is a road used just for buses that most people don't even know exist! I thought the bike course this year was much less boring than last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Onto the run I was the 11th female. This included the Pro field and maybe some amateurs, I wasn't sure. I ran down one woman on the way out and was able to catch another on the way back with about a half mile to go. Still having no idea where I was in the race, I came up the small hill for the finish. Thats when the announcer said I was the first female across the line! I didn't get too excited just yet because this year has been the year of getting beat by someone in another heat but it didn't happen this time. I have officially earned my Pro card. I still have a lot of work to do but I know exactly what I need to work on and I will get there and be competitive in the pro field come next season. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, I couldn't have done it without you!
Huge shout out to my sponsors, Xterra Wetsuits and Powerbar. The best products on the market have truly helped me succeed.
I am now done with my season, a little early but I felt it was the right thing to do so I can focus on some weaknesses and take a much needed break so I will come back healthy and fast next year!
Until next season...
Caitlin
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
NJ STATE TRIATHLON
July 20th 2014. Up and out by 4:45am. Headed to Mercer County Park with my parents, my awesome supporters who wake up at terrible hours to travel with me and help me with all my gear.
I got to the race and went into transition to find a little NJ state flag on my bike spot to represent the state champion. The age group state champions had theirs too! It played a nice role in marking my bike so I didn't have to look as hard for my spot when flying in and out of transition!
The water was 77.5 degrees on race day, making it wetsuit legal. So it apparently dropped 2+ degrees from the day before when they had the sprint triathlon.... Into my wetsuit and into the swim. Was out of the water in 23 minutes and change. Not bad but still want to improve that time. The swim was hot, almost too hot for a wetsuit but I was still ok. Into T1 and out shortly after. Onto the bike my legs felt dead for the first loop so dead that I was getting super mad at myself for being so slow! FINALLY onto the second loop of the bike and my legs felt much better so I hammered away. Averaged just over 22mph on the bike and into T2. Out quickly and onto the run. I felt the best I have in a long long time on the run. I had something left in the tank after the bike and that's a great feeling when you have a 10K to run left to go. I averaged 6:22 miles, over 10 seconds faster per mile than last year but I still have some work to do. I finished 3rd place overall but being the first NJ resident I was still able to claim the title of NJ State Triathlon Champion.
Thanks to XTERRA Wetsuits and PowerBar for helping me power my way to the finish and walk away with the NJ State Triathlon Champion Title.
Next stop: Chicago!
Until then....back to training.
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I got to the race and went into transition to find a little NJ state flag on my bike spot to represent the state champion. The age group state champions had theirs too! It played a nice role in marking my bike so I didn't have to look as hard for my spot when flying in and out of transition!
The water was 77.5 degrees on race day, making it wetsuit legal. So it apparently dropped 2+ degrees from the day before when they had the sprint triathlon.... Into my wetsuit and into the swim. Was out of the water in 23 minutes and change. Not bad but still want to improve that time. The swim was hot, almost too hot for a wetsuit but I was still ok. Into T1 and out shortly after. Onto the bike my legs felt dead for the first loop so dead that I was getting super mad at myself for being so slow! FINALLY onto the second loop of the bike and my legs felt much better so I hammered away. Averaged just over 22mph on the bike and into T2. Out quickly and onto the run. I felt the best I have in a long long time on the run. I had something left in the tank after the bike and that's a great feeling when you have a 10K to run left to go. I averaged 6:22 miles, over 10 seconds faster per mile than last year but I still have some work to do. I finished 3rd place overall but being the first NJ resident I was still able to claim the title of NJ State Triathlon Champion.
Thanks to XTERRA Wetsuits and PowerBar for helping me power my way to the finish and walk away with the NJ State Triathlon Champion Title.
Next stop: Chicago!
Until then....back to training.
War at the Shore Triathlon
Rewind to Friday July 11th AKA 7-11, free slurpee day....which I unfortunately did not make it to....By anywhoo.
With the help of the Tri Devils I put together a triathlon transition clinic for Friday night at Thompson park. The clinic included PoweBar product tasting as well since one of my sponsors is PowerBar. Their products are awesome and so I decided to share some of my favorite bars with everyone!
"Thank you for the clinic. I compared my results to my Long Branch race last year (so same set up) and my combined transitions were 30% (or 47 seconds) faster." Sean Casey
Great job Sean! I have to give you the MOST IMPROVED athlete!
Fast forward to Sunday morning....
Up at 5am and out the door shortly after to head to the race and get set up in transition. I found a good spot for my bike next to a landmark so I knew where my bike was when I came out of the water. I ran to warm up after everything was set and then headed down to the start at 6:50ish am. The women started a few minutes after the men. The water was brutally cold for this time of year....last Sunday read 47 degrees....it warmed up a bit into the 60s but it was still cold and my hands were numb while warming up a few minutes before the start.
With the help of the Tri Devils I put together a triathlon transition clinic for Friday night at Thompson park. The clinic included PoweBar product tasting as well since one of my sponsors is PowerBar. Their products are awesome and so I decided to share some of my favorite bars with everyone!
During the clinic I taught a bunch of skill sets that are great to have come race day. Even the smallest change to your transition area and setup can make quite a few seconds difference in the end and maybe a place difference among competitors. I was able to teach some basic skills along with more advanced. The goal was to learn the skill and then it must be practiced to become super efficient at it, just like most other things we learn. However some people used a few of the new techniques on race day two days later and their times showed the difference!
Great job Sean! I have to give you the MOST IMPROVED athlete!
Fast forward to Sunday morning....
Up at 5am and out the door shortly after to head to the race and get set up in transition. I found a good spot for my bike next to a landmark so I knew where my bike was when I came out of the water. I ran to warm up after everything was set and then headed down to the start at 6:50ish am. The women started a few minutes after the men. The water was brutally cold for this time of year....last Sunday read 47 degrees....it warmed up a bit into the 60s but it was still cold and my hands were numb while warming up a few minutes before the start.
Off we go after the men (4 or 5 minutes), I dolphin dove in because the water was shallow and it immediately boosted me to the front and into a nice lead. Left around the first buoy and then the second and straight in. First one out of the water by a good margin (which NEVER happens for me, like ever...) into transition and out in 55 seconds, onto the bike and I began passing some of the guys. I wound up averaging 22mph which is great for me so I am very happy with that bike. Into T2 and out in under 30 seconds. Onto the run my legs took a little too long to get themselves together but I was able to run a few guys down and get my legs under me for the second half. I managed to average 6:12 miles but thats still not where I want and need to be. I will get there in time and I now know what I need to focus a little more attention on.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
The Jersey Shore Triathlon
Pre Race Routine: Everyone always talks about what they do the night before a race to prepare....My pre race routine is pretty simple, eat a good dinner: chicken, fish (personal fave) salad, pasta, whatever is on the menu at the Dorgan household and then either a bowl of ice cream or milkshake. I used to do the whole, eat pasta before a race thing but it never did make a difference in my racing so I just eat a healthy meal...and ice cream.... In moderation. Fact is, I race better when I consume it the night before a race. I know it works for me. Do what works for you...or give ice cream a try!
Now lets get into race morning and the race itself....
Up at 4:30 am to be out the door at 5am. Right on schedule I head to Asbury Park. As I am approaching a light I look to my left to see a guy standing by the crosswalk with a towel around his neck wearing an old school sweatsuit, no big deal. The light turns red, I slow down to a stop...He starts walking towards me. GREAT. Adrenaline pumping he goes towards the back of my car, "ok he's walking around me to get to the other side." NOPE. Next thing I know he's at my window. I make a quick decision and go through the red light....No idea what he wanted at 5:20 am but wasn't about to roll down the window and find out. I calm back down and start mental prep work for the race during the rest of the drive.
I arrived in transition, set my bike up next to a landmark so I knew exactly where it was and warmed up. Down to the beach for the start and the ocean pumping out some medium sized waves that lacked power. Perfect swimming conditions for me having grown up at the beach body surfing. The Olympic distance started first and then the mens sprint wave with us starting 3 minutes later. I swam out, turned at the buoy and body surfed my way back in. I dolphin dove when it became inefficient to swim but still too deep to run. Out of the swim in the lead and into T1. Flawless transition in 51 seconds, wetsuit off and bike gear on, out onto the bike. As I hop on my right shoe came loose from its rubber band and hit the ground popping off into the road. I had to stop, dismount and go get it. Unfortunate but not the end of the world. Back on the bike and into a head wind on the way down and a tailwind on the way back, two loops of that and I hopped off having had a solid ride averaging just about 21mph (20.9 to be exact). Into T2 and out in just over 30 seconds. Out onto the run, I was feeling pretty good. I picked off a bunch of guys who were ahead of me on the bike. As I ran past some geese I got a very serious hiss which I translated as "stay away from my babies," which I happily did. I didn't have the best run but it was a solid effort and I finished in 19:18.
During the run I made up some serious time on the leader... my brother! He put a 5 minute lead on me on the bike, a gap a little too big for me to make up during a 5k but I came within 1 minute 40 seconds by the end. Congrats to Sean for winning his first triathlon ever! I wound up being second overall and 1st female.
A little sibling rivalry...I'm coming for you Sean! All in fun of course.
All in all it was a great day, a great confidence booster and fast transitions which I am very happy with. Ending the day with the fastest swim, T1, T2 and run overall; I am pretty happy with the results but then again never satisfied.
Big shout to XTERRA Wetsuits and PowerBar for the support and products I need to succeed! Wearing their names on my suit is an absolute pleasure!
Now lets get into race morning and the race itself....
Up at 4:30 am to be out the door at 5am. Right on schedule I head to Asbury Park. As I am approaching a light I look to my left to see a guy standing by the crosswalk with a towel around his neck wearing an old school sweatsuit, no big deal. The light turns red, I slow down to a stop...He starts walking towards me. GREAT. Adrenaline pumping he goes towards the back of my car, "ok he's walking around me to get to the other side." NOPE. Next thing I know he's at my window. I make a quick decision and go through the red light....No idea what he wanted at 5:20 am but wasn't about to roll down the window and find out. I calm back down and start mental prep work for the race during the rest of the drive.
I arrived in transition, set my bike up next to a landmark so I knew exactly where it was and warmed up. Down to the beach for the start and the ocean pumping out some medium sized waves that lacked power. Perfect swimming conditions for me having grown up at the beach body surfing. The Olympic distance started first and then the mens sprint wave with us starting 3 minutes later. I swam out, turned at the buoy and body surfed my way back in. I dolphin dove when it became inefficient to swim but still too deep to run. Out of the swim in the lead and into T1. Flawless transition in 51 seconds, wetsuit off and bike gear on, out onto the bike. As I hop on my right shoe came loose from its rubber band and hit the ground popping off into the road. I had to stop, dismount and go get it. Unfortunate but not the end of the world. Back on the bike and into a head wind on the way down and a tailwind on the way back, two loops of that and I hopped off having had a solid ride averaging just about 21mph (20.9 to be exact). Into T2 and out in just over 30 seconds. Out onto the run, I was feeling pretty good. I picked off a bunch of guys who were ahead of me on the bike. As I ran past some geese I got a very serious hiss which I translated as "stay away from my babies," which I happily did. I didn't have the best run but it was a solid effort and I finished in 19:18.
During the run I made up some serious time on the leader... my brother! He put a 5 minute lead on me on the bike, a gap a little too big for me to make up during a 5k but I came within 1 minute 40 seconds by the end. Congrats to Sean for winning his first triathlon ever! I wound up being second overall and 1st female.
A little sibling rivalry...I'm coming for you Sean! All in fun of course.
All in all it was a great day, a great confidence booster and fast transitions which I am very happy with. Ending the day with the fastest swim, T1, T2 and run overall; I am pretty happy with the results but then again never satisfied.
Big shout to XTERRA Wetsuits and PowerBar for the support and products I need to succeed! Wearing their names on my suit is an absolute pleasure!
Friday, March 7, 2014
Out of Hibernation
Well, I guess its time for the blog to come out of hibernation.
As many of you know, I am now being coached by Trista Francis of iTz Multisport. She began coaching me in the fall and I am very happy! I think its safe to say I have been swimming and cycling more this winter on a weekly basis than I did during the season last summer! I am especially excited to get back on the roads with my bike and see what kind of power I can throw down.
New news, Good News:
I have two new sponsors going into this season, Xterra wetsuits and PowerBar Team Elite. I'm super excited to be racing in their gear and chowing down on some great fuel during training and racing.
I am set to compete in my first half ironman in October down in Miami so thats another big one on this years calendar and I am really looking forward to the challenge and anxious to see what I can do at a longer distance.
New news, Meh News:
Last summer I strained my calf muscle pretty bad in July at NJ State triathlon and it wound up hampering my season and cutting it short. Unfortunately it has returned.... but not quite as bad.
I have been working diligently to get myself back to health, going to masseuse once a week for deep tissue work, icing, rolling, pool running, doing PT work etc etc etc.
I expect to have this calf healed up and ready to go in a few weeks when I head to South Beach Miami for my first triathlon of the season. I also hope it is good to go for a half marathon two weeks after but I am not going to push it if I feel its not ready for the distance.
With all of that being said, I am most nervous for the running leg of this triathlon in Miami. Lets hope I am ready!
I expect to see great times this year in triathlon with a whole bunch of PRs and the #1 goal of earning that Pro card. Although Coach T and I haven't been working together long I think I will see vast improvement this season. With that being said I believe it takes more than a few months of working together to fully understand each other and to really see results with a lot of changes made to training and getting accustomed to everything. I think this first season together will be great but I also look forward to seasons to come.
The Fall/Winter training and a race here and there:
My fall and winter seasons have consisted mostly of just training, a lot more strength training and some stressful months with Gerard being deployed.
While Gerard was home on leave from the army after deployment we ran the Polar Bear 5mile race in Asbury Park. He was second male, I was first female. We both ran good times even though the weather was far less than perfect. Temps in the low 40s (if that) with some winds and torrential rain. It was COLD but also a lot of fun.
We raced in singlets I had made to represent the two Rangers from Gerards unit who made the ultimate sacrifice on a mission back in October now known as "Rangers In The Sky"
As many of you know, I am now being coached by Trista Francis of iTz Multisport. She began coaching me in the fall and I am very happy! I think its safe to say I have been swimming and cycling more this winter on a weekly basis than I did during the season last summer! I am especially excited to get back on the roads with my bike and see what kind of power I can throw down.
New news, Good News:
I have two new sponsors going into this season, Xterra wetsuits and PowerBar Team Elite. I'm super excited to be racing in their gear and chowing down on some great fuel during training and racing.
I am set to compete in my first half ironman in October down in Miami so thats another big one on this years calendar and I am really looking forward to the challenge and anxious to see what I can do at a longer distance.
New news, Meh News:
Last summer I strained my calf muscle pretty bad in July at NJ State triathlon and it wound up hampering my season and cutting it short. Unfortunately it has returned.... but not quite as bad.
I have been working diligently to get myself back to health, going to masseuse once a week for deep tissue work, icing, rolling, pool running, doing PT work etc etc etc.
I expect to have this calf healed up and ready to go in a few weeks when I head to South Beach Miami for my first triathlon of the season. I also hope it is good to go for a half marathon two weeks after but I am not going to push it if I feel its not ready for the distance.
With all of that being said, I am most nervous for the running leg of this triathlon in Miami. Lets hope I am ready!
I expect to see great times this year in triathlon with a whole bunch of PRs and the #1 goal of earning that Pro card. Although Coach T and I haven't been working together long I think I will see vast improvement this season. With that being said I believe it takes more than a few months of working together to fully understand each other and to really see results with a lot of changes made to training and getting accustomed to everything. I think this first season together will be great but I also look forward to seasons to come.
The Fall/Winter training and a race here and there:
My fall and winter seasons have consisted mostly of just training, a lot more strength training and some stressful months with Gerard being deployed.
While Gerard was home on leave from the army after deployment we ran the Polar Bear 5mile race in Asbury Park. He was second male, I was first female. We both ran good times even though the weather was far less than perfect. Temps in the low 40s (if that) with some winds and torrential rain. It was COLD but also a lot of fun.
We raced in singlets I had made to represent the two Rangers from Gerards unit who made the ultimate sacrifice on a mission back in October now known as "Rangers In The Sky"
I also raced at Milrose in a DMR put together by Shore AC. It was a little last minute but we got it together and I met my teammates for the first time at the race!! We all warmed up and raced well as a group just having met. I raced the mile, anchor leg. My time wasn't what I had hoped but I also hadn't been doing much speed work yet.
I am really looking forward to this season, I have a bunch of races lined up and I am just really excited to race and have some warm weather!!!!
Train Happy,
Caitlin
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Powerbar Team Elite
I am excited to announce my new sponsor for 2014-2015
PowerBar Team Elite! #PBTE
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| www.powerbar.com |
GET FUELED by POWERBAR
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Hot Chocolate 15/5k Chicago!
Hello Everyone!
While I was out in Chicago for the Chicago Triathlon my cousin Kim and I decided we should sign up for the Hot Chocolate 15k in November. I was battling a calf injury that began the end of July and continued through August so I knew I would have to be seeing Dr. Goldberger and probably taking time off to rehab...I needed a race to come back to and what better than a no pressure 15k! Of course I always have my own expectations when racing, who doesn't? but it was more of a race to see where I was in my training, a confidence booster, a starting point to continue getting faster.
I arrived in Chicago on Halloween, went to workout at the gym and then later handed out candy to some kids, until we ran out of candy! I have never seen so many children! Once the candy was gone we had to get the heck out of the house before more kids came! We went out to a friends "Fall Festival" party across the street for the rest of the night. Friday morning I was dragged to a yoga class against my will. Kim is a super yogi and so I really had no choice. In the beginning of class Kim tells everyone to "set their intentions" my intention was "I was forced to be here, just survive the class." I did just that. I survived...and I felt I needed a nap afterwards...downward dog is not easy...
Saturday I did a shake out run with some strides to make sure I was ready, the usual. I was feeling good and confident but still had really no idea what pace I would be able to average. Partly because this was my first race back from an injury and also because I had never raced a 15k before. My goals were just to negative split and run sub 7s.
Saturday afternoon Kim and I decided to be real tourists and go on a Segway tour, a 2.5 hour Segway tour. We were unaware of the length when we signed up...but regardless it was still a lot of fun and REALLY cold. We learned a few things about the city, but questioned some of it since the other tour guide from the group next to us was saying different information about the same object...So don't ask me anything about Chicago...I still have no idea.
Sunday morning rolls around, rise and shine, time to race! It was cold but not unbearable. My uniform was blacked out and for a specific reason...I had on black shorts, black arm warmers, red sports bra (to match the red "Rangers Lead the Way! on the back of my singlet), and my custom made singlet with the American flag on the front and the names of the 3/75 guys KIA October 5 2013 on the back in support of my boyfriend who is in the Ranger Regiment and his friends who were killed and injured that night. I was bundled up and had my gear check bag with me so I could check all my sweats before the race. I didn't realize how far the gear check was from coral A...Surprisingly the run to the start was long enough for a warm up so once I dropped off my gear I headed to the start line, I was warmed up by then and jumped into the crowded Coral where I was able to stay pretty toasty due to all the body heat! I was planning on starting out at a decent pace, warm my body up more and then go after it. I was successful in my attempt and by mile 2 I was feeling great. With every mile I was picking up the pace slowly and I went through 3 mile in 21 minutes. I went through 10k in 41 minutes. I finished in just over 1:02 for the 15k. I heard from a few people that the course wasn't exact and I had the course quite long according to my watch it was 9.54 and thats even with losing satellites on my GPS when we ran in tunnels for quite a bit. So I can either go by averaging 6:30 pace for 9.54 miles or averaging 6:40 pace for 9.3. Either way I was happy with my time. The lead woman finished in 59 and change. I was 15th, which means all of us were within two and a half minutes of each other! Thats a good race! I will most likely be going back next year to see what I can do, hopefully not coming off an injury and in a little better shape.
Lets back track a minute. When I say crowded I mean 20,000+ people!!! Not all in Coral A but I think there was a Coral for almost every letter in the alphabet. It was insane. There were about 6500 women in the 15k and many more in the 5k that went off simultaneously and split mid race.
Headed home Monday where somewhere in my travels I caught a cold. Off for a few days from training but now I am back at.
Train Happy.
While I was out in Chicago for the Chicago Triathlon my cousin Kim and I decided we should sign up for the Hot Chocolate 15k in November. I was battling a calf injury that began the end of July and continued through August so I knew I would have to be seeing Dr. Goldberger and probably taking time off to rehab...I needed a race to come back to and what better than a no pressure 15k! Of course I always have my own expectations when racing, who doesn't? but it was more of a race to see where I was in my training, a confidence booster, a starting point to continue getting faster.
I arrived in Chicago on Halloween, went to workout at the gym and then later handed out candy to some kids, until we ran out of candy! I have never seen so many children! Once the candy was gone we had to get the heck out of the house before more kids came! We went out to a friends "Fall Festival" party across the street for the rest of the night. Friday morning I was dragged to a yoga class against my will. Kim is a super yogi and so I really had no choice. In the beginning of class Kim tells everyone to "set their intentions" my intention was "I was forced to be here, just survive the class." I did just that. I survived...and I felt I needed a nap afterwards...downward dog is not easy...
Saturday I did a shake out run with some strides to make sure I was ready, the usual. I was feeling good and confident but still had really no idea what pace I would be able to average. Partly because this was my first race back from an injury and also because I had never raced a 15k before. My goals were just to negative split and run sub 7s.
Saturday afternoon Kim and I decided to be real tourists and go on a Segway tour, a 2.5 hour Segway tour. We were unaware of the length when we signed up...but regardless it was still a lot of fun and REALLY cold. We learned a few things about the city, but questioned some of it since the other tour guide from the group next to us was saying different information about the same object...So don't ask me anything about Chicago...I still have no idea.
Sunday morning rolls around, rise and shine, time to race! It was cold but not unbearable. My uniform was blacked out and for a specific reason...I had on black shorts, black arm warmers, red sports bra (to match the red "Rangers Lead the Way! on the back of my singlet), and my custom made singlet with the American flag on the front and the names of the 3/75 guys KIA October 5 2013 on the back in support of my boyfriend who is in the Ranger Regiment and his friends who were killed and injured that night. I was bundled up and had my gear check bag with me so I could check all my sweats before the race. I didn't realize how far the gear check was from coral A...Surprisingly the run to the start was long enough for a warm up so once I dropped off my gear I headed to the start line, I was warmed up by then and jumped into the crowded Coral where I was able to stay pretty toasty due to all the body heat! I was planning on starting out at a decent pace, warm my body up more and then go after it. I was successful in my attempt and by mile 2 I was feeling great. With every mile I was picking up the pace slowly and I went through 3 mile in 21 minutes. I went through 10k in 41 minutes. I finished in just over 1:02 for the 15k. I heard from a few people that the course wasn't exact and I had the course quite long according to my watch it was 9.54 and thats even with losing satellites on my GPS when we ran in tunnels for quite a bit. So I can either go by averaging 6:30 pace for 9.54 miles or averaging 6:40 pace for 9.3. Either way I was happy with my time. The lead woman finished in 59 and change. I was 15th, which means all of us were within two and a half minutes of each other! Thats a good race! I will most likely be going back next year to see what I can do, hopefully not coming off an injury and in a little better shape.
Lets back track a minute. When I say crowded I mean 20,000+ people!!! Not all in Coral A but I think there was a Coral for almost every letter in the alphabet. It was insane. There were about 6500 women in the 15k and many more in the 5k that went off simultaneously and split mid race.
Headed home Monday where somewhere in my travels I caught a cold. Off for a few days from training but now I am back at.
Train Happy.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Big Announcement- XTERRA
I am proud to announce I have partnered with XTERRA for the 2014 triathlon season!
XTERRA was my first wetsuit brand and my only wetsuit brand. I am so happy to be able to represent and promote XTERRA, a brand I love, stand behind and highly recommend to fellow athletes. I look forward to an awesome season with them, crushing times and reaching goals!
Please feel free to use the code below to get 60% off of a new wetsuit!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Chicago Triathlon
Hello Everyone!..Catching up on my blogs, which have all been done for a long time but never published!
Just want to say thank you to all who supported the Girls On The Run charity that I raced for this past weekend, together I beat my goal and raised over 700 dollars! That money will go towards scholarships and running programs to keep young girls in school and running! Whats better?!
Rise and shine 4am Chicago time, 5am our time which was actually lovely! I was in bed the previous night by 9pm their time so I was still on NJ time schedule so it didn't seem so bad. Transition opened at 4:15am. My cousin, Kim let me crash for the weekend and she was 1.5 miles away from the transition and about 3/4 of a mile away from the start of the swim. I walk out the door and there is a small park out front of her house FILLED with rabbits. Bunnies running everywhere it was insane! Cycled over to transition with all my stuff and racked my bike in a decent spot that was easy to find. Racks were all marked too which made everything easy. The sprint race started at 6am, the olympic didn't start until 7:38am so I went back to Kims house to eat and relax for a bit. I then warmed up around the neighborhood and headed over to the swim start. The swim was in Monroe Harbor, we swam along the bulkhead and the water was a nice 70 degrees. I was honestly almost too hot in my wetsuit. My right calf (the one that was previously injured) started to cramp up again for whatever reason but I was able to stretch it out while swimming and had no issues once out of the water. We swam to the up about 1/3 and then did a 180 turn to swim back the rest of the way....Never ending swim. BUT I did pretty well. I wasn't far behind the top 4 women, sitting in 5th place maybe about 15-30 seconds back. The run out of the swim was 450 yards or so and the swim time didnt stop until we hit the mat crossing into transition so that added quite a bit of time to everyones swim. Out of my wetsuit and onto the bike in 1 minute 39 seconds. Could have been a little faster but it was ok. The bike was an out and back out and back. Relatively flat, some rollers but nothing crazy. There were quite a few bumps and holes though that I had to watch out for and I saw a few guys with flats and one with a busted disc wheel. I had no issues, if you payed attention you were fine. The weird part was they made us stay to the left and pass on the right, in any other big USAT race thats illegal. So I found myself drifting to the right a few times and having to get back over. At one point an official told me to move and I thought I had gotten a penalty as I saw her writing something but lucky for me I did not! Phew! My bike was 1:07:59, way down from last year where I struggled to be under 1:10 in many races. I have found my bike has gotten faster but in the end my bike was still the thing that cost me first place since my run and swim were on par with the top 3 women. Off the bike and onto the run. At this point it was getting warm. The run turned out to be long, Id say about .15 long in both directions. It got to the point where I had to look back to make sure people were still coming and that I hadn't missed the turn around! Then I saw it up ahead and I knew it was way long. I spoke to a few people after the race and they both said the same thing. Unfortunate bc it was hot! I hope they fix it for next year. I managed to pass one woman on the run but the other 3 were a little too far ahead off the bike and although my running was a tiny bit faster than theirs, it wasn't enough to catch them. I placed 4th overall woman, 25th overall and first in my age group 20-29 in the elite division. No pro card this time around but now I know what I need to work on for next year and I expect big things from myself. Overall the race was good, the course was nice and it was well run. Definitely will do it again next year with faster splits and a triathlon coach guiding me.
To celebrate we went out to the street festival that was within walking distance from Kims house. We decided it was a good idea to Sumo Wrestle in the blow up sumo pit with Sumo suits....
Monday I felt my calf bothering me again. I may have masked the pain by taking advil before the race but I wasn't about to quit during the run so I had to deal with it regardless of advil or no advil. But now I am in pain again although it seems to have moved up the calf and to the right. I will be going to see the doctor soon and I am calling it a season. As much as I want to get in a couple more races, I know it is not smart. I need to get myself healed and back on track. Injury is the worst part of the sport but something we have all dealt with. I find the hardest part isn't the injury itself but knowing when to tell yourself enough is enough and I have reached that point this season. I feel I am causing more harm than good and I don't need to be out any longer than I will be because I wasn't smart about it to begin with.
A side note: Bikeflights.com was awesome. My bike was at the fedex location when I arrived, put it together, raced, disassembled it, dropped it back off at fedex and it arrived back home two days later! You can have it shipped to bike shops to assemble and disassemble for you but I chose to do it myself. You can also have it dropped off at a house and picked up as long as someone is there to sign for it since its value is over $500. A great company, take advantage of it if you are traveling as it will save you some money!
Train Happy.
Just want to say thank you to all who supported the Girls On The Run charity that I raced for this past weekend, together I beat my goal and raised over 700 dollars! That money will go towards scholarships and running programs to keep young girls in school and running! Whats better?!
Rise and shine 4am Chicago time, 5am our time which was actually lovely! I was in bed the previous night by 9pm their time so I was still on NJ time schedule so it didn't seem so bad. Transition opened at 4:15am. My cousin, Kim let me crash for the weekend and she was 1.5 miles away from the transition and about 3/4 of a mile away from the start of the swim. I walk out the door and there is a small park out front of her house FILLED with rabbits. Bunnies running everywhere it was insane! Cycled over to transition with all my stuff and racked my bike in a decent spot that was easy to find. Racks were all marked too which made everything easy. The sprint race started at 6am, the olympic didn't start until 7:38am so I went back to Kims house to eat and relax for a bit. I then warmed up around the neighborhood and headed over to the swim start. The swim was in Monroe Harbor, we swam along the bulkhead and the water was a nice 70 degrees. I was honestly almost too hot in my wetsuit. My right calf (the one that was previously injured) started to cramp up again for whatever reason but I was able to stretch it out while swimming and had no issues once out of the water. We swam to the up about 1/3 and then did a 180 turn to swim back the rest of the way....Never ending swim. BUT I did pretty well. I wasn't far behind the top 4 women, sitting in 5th place maybe about 15-30 seconds back. The run out of the swim was 450 yards or so and the swim time didnt stop until we hit the mat crossing into transition so that added quite a bit of time to everyones swim. Out of my wetsuit and onto the bike in 1 minute 39 seconds. Could have been a little faster but it was ok. The bike was an out and back out and back. Relatively flat, some rollers but nothing crazy. There were quite a few bumps and holes though that I had to watch out for and I saw a few guys with flats and one with a busted disc wheel. I had no issues, if you payed attention you were fine. The weird part was they made us stay to the left and pass on the right, in any other big USAT race thats illegal. So I found myself drifting to the right a few times and having to get back over. At one point an official told me to move and I thought I had gotten a penalty as I saw her writing something but lucky for me I did not! Phew! My bike was 1:07:59, way down from last year where I struggled to be under 1:10 in many races. I have found my bike has gotten faster but in the end my bike was still the thing that cost me first place since my run and swim were on par with the top 3 women. Off the bike and onto the run. At this point it was getting warm. The run turned out to be long, Id say about .15 long in both directions. It got to the point where I had to look back to make sure people were still coming and that I hadn't missed the turn around! Then I saw it up ahead and I knew it was way long. I spoke to a few people after the race and they both said the same thing. Unfortunate bc it was hot! I hope they fix it for next year. I managed to pass one woman on the run but the other 3 were a little too far ahead off the bike and although my running was a tiny bit faster than theirs, it wasn't enough to catch them. I placed 4th overall woman, 25th overall and first in my age group 20-29 in the elite division. No pro card this time around but now I know what I need to work on for next year and I expect big things from myself. Overall the race was good, the course was nice and it was well run. Definitely will do it again next year with faster splits and a triathlon coach guiding me.
To celebrate we went out to the street festival that was within walking distance from Kims house. We decided it was a good idea to Sumo Wrestle in the blow up sumo pit with Sumo suits....
Monday I felt my calf bothering me again. I may have masked the pain by taking advil before the race but I wasn't about to quit during the run so I had to deal with it regardless of advil or no advil. But now I am in pain again although it seems to have moved up the calf and to the right. I will be going to see the doctor soon and I am calling it a season. As much as I want to get in a couple more races, I know it is not smart. I need to get myself healed and back on track. Injury is the worst part of the sport but something we have all dealt with. I find the hardest part isn't the injury itself but knowing when to tell yourself enough is enough and I have reached that point this season. I feel I am causing more harm than good and I don't need to be out any longer than I will be because I wasn't smart about it to begin with.
A side note: Bikeflights.com was awesome. My bike was at the fedex location when I arrived, put it together, raced, disassembled it, dropped it back off at fedex and it arrived back home two days later! You can have it shipped to bike shops to assemble and disassemble for you but I chose to do it myself. You can also have it dropped off at a house and picked up as long as someone is there to sign for it since its value is over $500. A great company, take advantage of it if you are traveling as it will save you some money!
Train Happy.
War at the Shore
Hey everyone! Catching up on my blogs....Almost there
Well never made it to Wisconsin as I pulled my calf muscle at NJ State and was on and off (mostly off) running the next 3 weeks to heal it up and start training again. There was a chance I could go to Age Groups but I wasn't ready to risk the re-injury if it wasn't fully healed yet so I opted out this year and I have to say I think it was a good choice. I hit the track my first week back with a brick workout and knocked it out of the park. A HUGE confidence booster telling me I hadn't lost a lot of fitness if any at all between pool running and a lot more cycling and swimming. I decided War at the Shore would be a good short test/prep race for Chicago.
Off to War at the Shore, the race with many issues....but dont get me wrong, I still loved it and raced well despite the issues!! Made the best of it. But I will go into detail below of what I am talking about....
Rise and shine 5am Sunday morning. Out the door around 5:15 and down to Pier Village shortly after to sign up for the race since I officially decided on Thursday that I would be doing it. I got everything set up in transition and went out for a short warm up jog. In my wetsuit (to practice transition for Chicago) and down to the race start. Swim went ok, not great, got wacked in the head not once, not twice but THREE times by the same girl who decided she had to swim super close and squeeze her way in between the men right next to me instead of going to the one side while I went to the other. Like LEECH I tell ya!! ....Anywhoooo
Out of my wetsuit with no issues and onto the bike. Everyone and their mother decides to mount at the mount line of course, so I run by all of them and then jump on. Remember, you don't have to mount at the mount line! If its crowded, run up past it and then get on your bike.
Pedaling along at about 23-24 MPH in the beginning and through the third intersection with the cop standing there (where we continue straight) he decides to wave his fellow cop buddy through the intersection. Luckily the cop in the car saw me and didn't go. As I passed I was sure to yell "Dude! Are you serious?!" Continue along into Lake Tak..."Hmm this is weird why are we making the right in the middle and not at Ocean Avenue?" Didn't think too much of it and made the right, eventually turning left at the end of the block and then right onto Ocean Ave. On my way back I see people coming out onto Ocean Ave where we should have at Lake Tak. You can not change a USAT certified course in the middle of the race! Regardless of whether its the same distance or not you still cant do it, they should have left it the same the whole time after making the mistake. I continue just doing my thang....After the loop in the neighborhood to turn around I see a guy in a black and white outfit come speeding by me only to realize he slows down once he passes so naturally I go around, about 30s-1 min later there he goes again, I go around AGAIN. 30s-1min later same thing! I then realize him and maybe one other guy I caught a little later on the bike were drafting hardcore off of me. So annoying. They weren't the only ones drafting though. I saw a bunch of people drafting who I know know that they shouldn't be doing it. You can avoid drafting, its not that crowded. Practice good habits, this race doesn't have officials but other races do and they are looking for you, they will find you!...Hide yo kids, hide yo wife.... Off the bike and onto the run. The run is where I had zero issues with other people, the course etc. AH a breath of fresh air! Except I was having issues breathing due to the fact I didn't take my inhaler BUT I still had a really good run considering I was only a week back running. I averaged 6:07 pace which I was super happy with and I felt I could have kept going.
I actually have to just laugh out loud at this race. What a disaster! But I still had fun and it was still a decent race. Getting out of the swim a little angry made me want to run as fast as I could into transition and get the heck out of there and onto the bike! And on the bike I was trying so hard to drop those two behind me so I probably worked even harder! So hey, it may have worked in my favor. Finishing time was 55:00.
On to Chicago this weekend. Supposedly a very nice course so looking forward to it! Also get to see and stay with some of my family that I don't see as much as I would like. My cousins house is 1 mile from the start of the race as well so it really cant get much better! Just shipped my bike today through Bikeflights.com. Check them out if you have to ship a bike. Shipping mine 2 day ground to arrive on the 22nd (the day before I arrive). Shipped to a Fedex location where they hold it for 5 days for me to pick up. Cost was $125 bucks round trip. Call them and ask them to guide you through the process, the guys are super nice.
Train Happy,
Caitlin
Train Happy,
Caitlin
NJ State Triathlon
Wow I have had these blogs done forever and forgot to publish! Catching up....
Rise and shine! 4:10am on a Sunday morning....My mom and I were out the door just after 4:30. I said to her I hated getting up for swim meets so early in the morning, I used to sleep in my bathing suit the night before, why do I do this to myself?! I guess because I love it so much! Arrived at Mercer County Park at 5:38, a few minutes before transition opened because Im so tired of having to rush rush rush. I headed over to the packet pickup tent and got all of my stuff, had my wristband put on and headed to transition to get a good spot on a bike rack...First of all as the morning started to warm up my skin started to expand a little and that wristband started getting tighter and tighter. I finally had to get a new one because my skin was bulging from around the sides of it! Secondly I had no idea I had signed myself up for the elite wave way back when I registered so when I racked my bike I racked it with my number where its 7 bikes per rack not on the elite rack where its 4 and you have much more room. Lucky enough my numbered bike rack was the one right behind the elite rack so I was in the same area, no big deal. I get everything all set up in transition and head out for a mile warm up run. After I am all ready I head to the start line. Some swim chords to warm up the arms without having to get in the water was what I felt the best way to go. The announcer for the race told us the water was at a very warm 89 degrees. After I am all warmed up, I look around, still not realizing I had signed myself up for the elite wave and everyone else in my age group has a white cap! WHAT THE HECK!? So the green caps (me) started heading into the water, I said I guess Ill go since there are no green caps left for another wave. So in the water and off we went. Then it all clicked. I must have signed myself up for this heat and not realized it! Duh.
The swim was HOT but surprisingly I was comfortable. The water was dirty, not with garbage but just with dirt. The First Responder wave (which they always do for firefighters, policemen etc) and the elite wave were the same so I had a few manly men breastroking and weaving back and forth in front of me until I was able to fight my way around them. Finally out in more open water and I have this big dude drafting off my left side. I found myself getting angry, every time I took a breath to my right I could feel the water flinging off his hand onto my face. I then realized he's a drifter. He drifts to the right. I cut in the left forcing him right and finally I was free!!! I began closing on those in front of me. All of a sudden I hear a loud clicking under water, something was down there. I swam my butt off to get away from that area. My right calf got a little tight in the water, after all you are sweating in 90 degree water and unable to drink.
Out of the swim and into transition. I get to my spot and the guy next to me is sitting down getting ready pretty much in front of my area. My thoughts were: WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!? I get around him and get myself together, pull my bike off the rack and run the long run to the road to mount the bike. Id say it was 100-150meter run with the bike to the mount line. On the bike and my legs were ok but not fully there. 2 loops of the same course, a portion of which had a lot of turns. Once I went through it once I felt more comfortable the second time and was able to hammer away even through the turns. I had one girl ahead of me out of the swim and on the bike and had another girl pass me on the bike. I felt 10x better on the second loop, my legs came around and I was feeling really good! I averaged over 22 on the bike which was a big goal of mine even with all the turning. The girls ahead had about a 2 minute lead off the bike.
Back into transition and onto the run in just over 41 seconds. The course is 3 out and backs which may be a little boring but its great because you can see your competition. I felt good on the first out and back, decent on the second and pretty good on the third. I grabbed a bag of ice they were handing out and shoved it down the back of my suit. I then took it out and held it to try and cool my body a little and then I started drinking it to get in as much fluids as I could. At the last turn around both girls still had a decent lead on me, Id say just over 1 minute. I continued with my pace and I could see her way ahead of me still. Once I got to the top of a small incline I could tell she was starting to fade. With each step I got a little closer and with about 4-600 meters to go I was able to close in and pass her. Finished in just over 2:08.
My transitions were good. My first one could have been faster but the dude sitting in front of my bike didnt help the process. Nothing I can do about that, its just another unexpected part of triathlon. Transition #2 was 41 seconds. Very happy with that one. My swim is getting faster but still need to get the time down a bit more. My bike was good but I need to keep getting faster on that as well! The turns in the course were great for me. I am just getting used to my new TT bike and learning how aggressive I can be on it. I have improved over the past year which is very nice to see. So hopefully that will keep moving in the right direction and my run wasn't as fast as it should have been. I was hoping for sub 40 but with the swim being so hot and pulling a calf muscle on the run I guess I did the best I could! I have a few different sophisticated workouts up my sleeve to incorporate into the next couple of weeks so I can make sure I am ready for transitioning from swim to bike and bike to run before I head out to Wisconsin to race Age Group Nationals.
Train Happy
Caitlin
Rise and shine! 4:10am on a Sunday morning....My mom and I were out the door just after 4:30. I said to her I hated getting up for swim meets so early in the morning, I used to sleep in my bathing suit the night before, why do I do this to myself?! I guess because I love it so much! Arrived at Mercer County Park at 5:38, a few minutes before transition opened because Im so tired of having to rush rush rush. I headed over to the packet pickup tent and got all of my stuff, had my wristband put on and headed to transition to get a good spot on a bike rack...First of all as the morning started to warm up my skin started to expand a little and that wristband started getting tighter and tighter. I finally had to get a new one because my skin was bulging from around the sides of it! Secondly I had no idea I had signed myself up for the elite wave way back when I registered so when I racked my bike I racked it with my number where its 7 bikes per rack not on the elite rack where its 4 and you have much more room. Lucky enough my numbered bike rack was the one right behind the elite rack so I was in the same area, no big deal. I get everything all set up in transition and head out for a mile warm up run. After I am all ready I head to the start line. Some swim chords to warm up the arms without having to get in the water was what I felt the best way to go. The announcer for the race told us the water was at a very warm 89 degrees. After I am all warmed up, I look around, still not realizing I had signed myself up for the elite wave and everyone else in my age group has a white cap! WHAT THE HECK!? So the green caps (me) started heading into the water, I said I guess Ill go since there are no green caps left for another wave. So in the water and off we went. Then it all clicked. I must have signed myself up for this heat and not realized it! Duh.
The swim was HOT but surprisingly I was comfortable. The water was dirty, not with garbage but just with dirt. The First Responder wave (which they always do for firefighters, policemen etc) and the elite wave were the same so I had a few manly men breastroking and weaving back and forth in front of me until I was able to fight my way around them. Finally out in more open water and I have this big dude drafting off my left side. I found myself getting angry, every time I took a breath to my right I could feel the water flinging off his hand onto my face. I then realized he's a drifter. He drifts to the right. I cut in the left forcing him right and finally I was free!!! I began closing on those in front of me. All of a sudden I hear a loud clicking under water, something was down there. I swam my butt off to get away from that area. My right calf got a little tight in the water, after all you are sweating in 90 degree water and unable to drink.
Out of the swim and into transition. I get to my spot and the guy next to me is sitting down getting ready pretty much in front of my area. My thoughts were: WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!? I get around him and get myself together, pull my bike off the rack and run the long run to the road to mount the bike. Id say it was 100-150meter run with the bike to the mount line. On the bike and my legs were ok but not fully there. 2 loops of the same course, a portion of which had a lot of turns. Once I went through it once I felt more comfortable the second time and was able to hammer away even through the turns. I had one girl ahead of me out of the swim and on the bike and had another girl pass me on the bike. I felt 10x better on the second loop, my legs came around and I was feeling really good! I averaged over 22 on the bike which was a big goal of mine even with all the turning. The girls ahead had about a 2 minute lead off the bike.
Back into transition and onto the run in just over 41 seconds. The course is 3 out and backs which may be a little boring but its great because you can see your competition. I felt good on the first out and back, decent on the second and pretty good on the third. I grabbed a bag of ice they were handing out and shoved it down the back of my suit. I then took it out and held it to try and cool my body a little and then I started drinking it to get in as much fluids as I could. At the last turn around both girls still had a decent lead on me, Id say just over 1 minute. I continued with my pace and I could see her way ahead of me still. Once I got to the top of a small incline I could tell she was starting to fade. With each step I got a little closer and with about 4-600 meters to go I was able to close in and pass her. Finished in just over 2:08.
My transitions were good. My first one could have been faster but the dude sitting in front of my bike didnt help the process. Nothing I can do about that, its just another unexpected part of triathlon. Transition #2 was 41 seconds. Very happy with that one. My swim is getting faster but still need to get the time down a bit more. My bike was good but I need to keep getting faster on that as well! The turns in the course were great for me. I am just getting used to my new TT bike and learning how aggressive I can be on it. I have improved over the past year which is very nice to see. So hopefully that will keep moving in the right direction and my run wasn't as fast as it should have been. I was hoping for sub 40 but with the swim being so hot and pulling a calf muscle on the run I guess I did the best I could! I have a few different sophisticated workouts up my sleeve to incorporate into the next couple of weeks so I can make sure I am ready for transitioning from swim to bike and bike to run before I head out to Wisconsin to race Age Group Nationals.
Train Happy
Caitlin
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Race Recap-LB Sprint #2
Hello Everyone!
Race Recap! Lets reverse to this past week first... A sudden sickness fell over me on Wednesday, little sore throat but nothing of great concern but I took the day to just relax and not push myself so maybe I could avoid a full blown sinus issue and by Thursday it was BAM holy sinuses. Got tons of off the shelf crap and chamomile tea to knock it out of me before this race. Friday I took off again, still trying to knock it out of me since I was feeling a tiny bit better but still not great. Saturday was a track day, the race in long branch wasn't a big one so I headed to the track for a workout since I was finally able to breathe out of my nose again! About 6 miles at the track, warm up, workout, cool down. Felt decent, had trouble breathing and with the humidity it made it even more difficult but as long as it doesn't go to my chest I do what I can, I usually cut back but still try and get in some workouts except for the worst of days when I really just need to give my body a break. Sunday morning I woke up, feeling a tiny bit better but still no where near 100%. I headed down to the race very late and had to throw on my wetsuit and head to the start with 4 minutes to go time! Oops. Who needs a warm up?! GO! We were off. Rounded the first buoy feeling great just chilling. Another girl and I came out of the water neck and neck, got to transition, I had my wetsuit half off already and I was able to pop it off my legs super fast. Out of transition in 50 seconds, and onto the bike. Anything under a minute with a wetsuit Im happy with! On the bike, my legs hurt. The workout yesterday definitely affected my race today as I was aiming to be well above 22mph but it just wasn't happening especially with not being 100%. Overall the bike was decent, it was the first race on my new bike, not having many miles on it yet its working new muscle groups Im not sure I even knew I had! My legs just weren't there on the bike today. But thats ok, Im not alarmed, I need to get used to my new bike and a completely new position. Most exciting part of the race? Id say the deer that jumped in front of me on ocean avenue near deal casino!…Going towards the ocean!…It was hot so maybe he wanted to take a dunk and cool off…Anyway, off the bike, through transition in 34 seconds and onto the run. Again not as fast as I would have liked but decent under the conditions. It was hot out there on the run. I usually run with a certain breathing cadence, breathing out on a certain foot strike but today I was pretty much just gasping for air in between spitting (gross I know. Triathlons aren't always pretty). Overall I would call it a decent race. Nothing great, nothing terrible. Somewhere in the middle. I always try and look at the things that went well. My transitions were good, my wetsuit came off with zero issues and super fast! My mount and dismount were spot on and I had a decent swim. I swam in my wetsuit today for two reasons, one because I didn't warm up and two because I need the practice under race stress for future races. The next two days are kept relatively easy to try and get myself 100% before this weekend.
A lot of dudes got CHICKED today. Congrats to Amanda and Janet!
Congratulations to everyone who raced, you all did great!!!
Train Happy.
Race Recap! Lets reverse to this past week first... A sudden sickness fell over me on Wednesday, little sore throat but nothing of great concern but I took the day to just relax and not push myself so maybe I could avoid a full blown sinus issue and by Thursday it was BAM holy sinuses. Got tons of off the shelf crap and chamomile tea to knock it out of me before this race. Friday I took off again, still trying to knock it out of me since I was feeling a tiny bit better but still not great. Saturday was a track day, the race in long branch wasn't a big one so I headed to the track for a workout since I was finally able to breathe out of my nose again! About 6 miles at the track, warm up, workout, cool down. Felt decent, had trouble breathing and with the humidity it made it even more difficult but as long as it doesn't go to my chest I do what I can, I usually cut back but still try and get in some workouts except for the worst of days when I really just need to give my body a break. Sunday morning I woke up, feeling a tiny bit better but still no where near 100%. I headed down to the race very late and had to throw on my wetsuit and head to the start with 4 minutes to go time! Oops. Who needs a warm up?! GO! We were off. Rounded the first buoy feeling great just chilling. Another girl and I came out of the water neck and neck, got to transition, I had my wetsuit half off already and I was able to pop it off my legs super fast. Out of transition in 50 seconds, and onto the bike. Anything under a minute with a wetsuit Im happy with! On the bike, my legs hurt. The workout yesterday definitely affected my race today as I was aiming to be well above 22mph but it just wasn't happening especially with not being 100%. Overall the bike was decent, it was the first race on my new bike, not having many miles on it yet its working new muscle groups Im not sure I even knew I had! My legs just weren't there on the bike today. But thats ok, Im not alarmed, I need to get used to my new bike and a completely new position. Most exciting part of the race? Id say the deer that jumped in front of me on ocean avenue near deal casino!…Going towards the ocean!…It was hot so maybe he wanted to take a dunk and cool off…Anyway, off the bike, through transition in 34 seconds and onto the run. Again not as fast as I would have liked but decent under the conditions. It was hot out there on the run. I usually run with a certain breathing cadence, breathing out on a certain foot strike but today I was pretty much just gasping for air in between spitting (gross I know. Triathlons aren't always pretty). Overall I would call it a decent race. Nothing great, nothing terrible. Somewhere in the middle. I always try and look at the things that went well. My transitions were good, my wetsuit came off with zero issues and super fast! My mount and dismount were spot on and I had a decent swim. I swam in my wetsuit today for two reasons, one because I didn't warm up and two because I need the practice under race stress for future races. The next two days are kept relatively easy to try and get myself 100% before this weekend.
A lot of dudes got CHICKED today. Congrats to Amanda and Janet!
Congratulations to everyone who raced, you all did great!!!
Train Happy.
The New Blog!
Hey Everyone!
I used to keep another blog but I have recently decided to start Life Through Numbers. Aside from my usual race recaps and other news in my life I will be posting some tips and interesting articles for everyone to read!
Train Happy!
I used to keep another blog but I have recently decided to start Life Through Numbers. Aside from my usual race recaps and other news in my life I will be posting some tips and interesting articles for everyone to read!
Train Happy!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Life Through Numbers
Hello Everyone.
I decided to create a new blog, Life Through Numbers. I was speaking with my coach, Gerard Pearlberg, the other day and we were discussing workouts while I was inside on the bike due to storms in the area. I asked if I could give him a call when I was done, he said "how about 6:30?" I said "Ill be done at 6:33." He said "6:33, not that you're counting!" And thats when I said "I live my life through numbers."
How true it is that us athletes live our lives in the form of numbers. Starting from when we wake up to the chime of the alarm clock to the time we head back to bed that night. Swimming, Cycling and Running are all full of numbers. Triathlon is full of numbers, from the one you wear on your chip, to your calf, to your finishing time. My life has become numbers. Tons of numbers. I live my life through numbers.
I decided to create a new blog, Life Through Numbers. I was speaking with my coach, Gerard Pearlberg, the other day and we were discussing workouts while I was inside on the bike due to storms in the area. I asked if I could give him a call when I was done, he said "how about 6:30?" I said "Ill be done at 6:33." He said "6:33, not that you're counting!" And thats when I said "I live my life through numbers."
How true it is that us athletes live our lives in the form of numbers. Starting from when we wake up to the chime of the alarm clock to the time we head back to bed that night. Swimming, Cycling and Running are all full of numbers. Triathlon is full of numbers, from the one you wear on your chip, to your calf, to your finishing time. My life has become numbers. Tons of numbers. I live my life through numbers.
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