Back to work...Week 4

Alright…Week 4…bring it!!! (2/17 & 2/19)

Since it was a torrential down pour on Thursday night….I opted out of track practice. However, I did not feel guilty about this because I had already gone to my spin class that afternoon during lunch.

We were at Gunderson High School again on Saturday…the weather was iffy, but we were goin’ for it. This week they split us up based on our events – Wildflower Olympic & Maui were one group & Wildflower Long Course was the other. Brian and I are training for and hoping to complete the Wildflower Long Course (1.2mi swim, 56mi bike, & 13.1mi run). So our group was in the pool first and at the time I was happy about this. We went through drills again – working on stroke, breathing, and kicking. I apparently swim with my head looking too far ahead of me. So, I have to keep my head looking down. Hmmmm…some how that was harder than it sounds. I started getting all out of wack…breathing in water, choking, stroke was all crazy. I guess I know what I will be focusing on during my Monday & Wednesday swims. Coach Caroline also had us count how many stokes it took us to get to the other side of the pool. Typically it should take about 14-16 stokes…I’m at 22. :o/ Make that 2 things I need to focus on! When all was said and done…we swam close to a mile. SWEET!

Alright, after changing it was bike time. Finally, some time riding….26miles of time. This was a BIG increase in miles for me. I was definitely up for the challenge, even in the light rain. I also decided to switch groups…I was now riding with the Elite group. We set out and it was definitely wet, but not too bad. Unfortunately as we got further out, the rain got heavier and the roads got worse. I kept telling myself to focus and that I could accomplish this…it was a great challenge for me both mentally and physically. That is until I got my first flat tire at mile 5. Damn it! Luckily Brian was with me and my coach was not far behind. I had not purchased any of my repair supplies so I had nothing to change the tire with. Coach Dave changed my tire for me as I watched and tried to soak in the process. Of course, we were in the rain freezing and getting wetter by the second. Luckily the SAG car came to get us and bring me to the front of the pack, who by this time was 7miles ahead. So, let’s see…26-7= 19mi bike ride for me. Ok, so now I am back on the road…yay! I ride about another mile with the group…another FLAT. REALLY??? 2 flat tires in one day? I yell out that I have a flat tire, but I don’t know the people around me by name, so I just yell” I have a flat”….no one stops. The two people I actually know are in the front of the pack and so far ahead they would have never heard me. There I am on the side of the road, thinking “crap, of all days to not have my phone. Now what do I do?” I knew I needed to be safe and not do anything stupid. I walked a little farther up the road to the parking lot of Calero Reservoir where I saw cars and people. I asked a man to borrow his cell phone and called Brian (who was still in the SAG car drenched and freezing)…no answer. I leave him a message letting him know where I am. While I am making this phone call I see him in the SAG car drive past me…Grrr! Okay…well my next hope is that another team member rides by who has the SAG car phone number. Lucky for me, someone else got a flat tire and Brian had to turn around. He saw me on the side of the road and picked me up. My ride was done for the day! As soon as I got home all the team phone numbers went into my contacts and I will never be forgetting my phone again. I also changed my tire, by myself! Yay me!

No drowning!! Bike 2 Dena 0

Fundraising Website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/wildtri11/dzlatunich

Wedding Planning Break....Week 3

Not much training happened during week 3....as we went to Florida to plan wedding #1. It was a very productive weekend in that regard....not so much for the triathlon.

Definitely no drowning or falling off the biking!!!! :o)

Tri Training...Week 2

Training week two looked something like this…

Thursday was track practice at Foothill College. We started out with a short 2 lap warm up. Then went through stretches as a team. After stretching we were split into 4 groups and had 4 different stations to go to. Brian and I were in the same group and went the Running Form station first. We had to pay close attention to our form and try to correct anything that was "off". Of course our coach, Dave, explained what we should be doing....and I can't remember what that was. HAHA!! Second station was the Leg Strength.....you guessed it - lunges, squats & balancing...oh my! After about 20min of continuous leg exercises, we moved on to the Arm Strength station. In this station we had to do push ups, arm/shoulder circles (you know the ones you used to do in 8th grade gym class), & dips. Finally the last station was core......planks, sit-ups, and more sit-ups. In between each station we ran around the track. Holy cow....the next day Brian and I were sore sore we were laughing at each other.

This week we were meeting at Gunderson High School in San Jose. This was great for Brian and I, as it is only 5 minutes from our house…woo hoo…& we were having a strength clinic first. A former TNT Tri Assistant Coach, Liz Feierabend, came to talk to us about stretching and strengthening exercises we should try to incorporate during our training. Most of the exercises are done using your own body weight…very cool. It was surprising to see what I could and could NOT do….kinda funny considering how much training I have done over the past 3 years. I guess my work is never done….but I think I knew that already. :o) If you are interested in giving it a “go” let me know and I will send you the exersices!!!!

After our clinic, to the POOL we went all 50+ of us. Gunderson has a very nice pool…and not too toxic smelling (chlorine). We swam for about an hour…totaling close .75mi!!! I was very proud of that when we were done. During our swim workout we did various drills to help with kicking, breathing, and our stroke….you know all the things that keep you from drowning. I didn’t drown!!

As I have mentioned before, I believe, there are 3 groups we divide into at times based on our experience/endurance levels – Age, Elite, or Pro. When it comes to the bike, I am still feeling a bit less than confident, so I went with the “Age” group. Those of us who chose this group were split in half to do a short clinic, before riding 10mi. Yay mileage!!! The other 2 groups had left already and were riding 14-16mi….bye Brian. The drills during the clinic were great – stopping and unclipping, handling the bike in a turn, practicing using one hand while grabbing water, etc. These are the things beginner riders have trouble with and rightly so. I would say the drills took about 45min. Finally, once we were done we headed out for our ride…..we got 1mile and had to turn around because we ran out of time. WTF!!! Needless to say I was a little bummed. I really wanted to ride longer and work on getting more comfortable on the bike. Oh well, next time…..at least we did the drills and I got some basic practice.

Week 2 complete….no drowning & no falling of the bike…SUCCESS!!!

Fundraising Website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/wildtri11/dzlatunich

Tri Team has begun.......

So as it turns out the title of my blog doesn't quite fit my task this training season. I have joined the TNT triathlon team!!! I decided after 3 years & 7 seasons with my beloved Run team, I needed a new challenge. With this challenge comes not only the opportunity to train for and participate in my first triathlon, but to achieve this challenge with Brian too. Together we will be able to support one another at trainings, understand why exhaustion strikes mid afternoons on Saturdays, grow stronger as a couple and share in the accomplishments when we are done. We have never trained on a team together, so there will be some trial and error, but much fun will be had by all!!!

Tri team training officially started this past Saturday at the early morning hour of 7:30am. We met at Burgess Park in Menlo Park to embark on a morning of swimming and biking. Needless to say...I was SUPER nervous. I haven’t swam laps in years....and quite possibly never, so while I knew I wouldn't drown I didn't want to make a complete fool of myself either. Additionally, I can ride a mountain bike without a problem...now add clip in petals, a road bike with skinny tires, and the fear of falling down & getting hurt. My spin class has clip in petals and I have clip in shoes...works GREAT...the bike doesn't move!!!

Ok, so first up...swimming. They had us break into groups based on our abilities, Age, Elite, or Pro. Age is for people who don't know how to swim, haven't swum in a long time, can’t do the freestyle stroke, etc. Elite is for those who can swim but need some fine tuning. Pro is for those who were/are on a swim team, in a Master swim program etc. After hearing the options I wavered for a second between the Age and Elite groups...until I found out who was coaching the Age group. Caroline!!! I have heard nothing but great things about her and her coaching, that having her help me was the deciding factor. Age group I went! She was great....all the people in my group truly had unique challenges. I think overall I could swim the most efficient out of the four of us, but my stroke needs HELP. Caroline had us doing various drills and techniques to help us improve our knowledge of how the stroke is suppose to 'feel' and what kicking is suppose to look like. It was a bit comical at times. 40 minutes later we were out of the pool and changing to go on our first team ride, YIKES!!

Lesson One: When you think you are organized, think again. I need to rethink how I pack my bag for the days events. What a disaster I had. I brought two bags, one swim and one bike… and couldn't find anything.

After changing from our swimsuits into bike gear, we all met out on the grass field for a quick Biking 101 meeting. The coaches went over road etiquette, safety, proper alignment on your bike, and mileage. My mentor, Rich, knew how nervous I was and offered to ride with me after we made sure my bike was good to go. I needed to get the seat adjusted and practice riding on the grass to make sure I could get in and out of the petals comfortably. Once all of that was taken care of all the other groups had already left and it was just me & Rich. We set off and he led the way. We were riding 10miles out and back through Menlo Park into Palo Alto. All was going fabulously...I was clipping in and out of the petals without problem, traffic wasn't too heavy, and the weather was crisp & clear. Then we reached the intersection of Sand Hill Rd., Alameda de las Pulgas & Juniperro Serra. For those who know this intersection, my heart was pounding out of my chest with fear!!! We were making a left onto Junierro Serra from Alameda and in order to do that, you have to merge with the cars in the turn lane. Well, there was a truck that I believe thought I was going to cross over in front of him and decided to SLAM on his brakes almost causing me to crash into his rear bumper & fall....but I didn't, PHEW!! I did get a bit unsteady (remember I am clipped in), but regained my balance and all was good. We finished our ride and made it back safely. Unfortunately because I was the last one out, I was also the last one back...which I don't think has ever happened to me unless I was sweeping a course as a Run captain. SO, I missed the announcements and no photos were taken of me. :o(

Overall...my first training day was FANtastic!!! I am eager to learn more, get better, and NOT be last again. :o)

Stay tuned....track practice coming up!

Fundraising Website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/kingtri11/dzlatunich

A personal connection....

When I first joined Team In Training I didn't know very much about blood born cancers or the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Through the first few weeks of my time with the team I realized that I...Dena....had a personal connection to this cause. In other words, I realized that I knew someone directly who had had a form of cancer that I was about to raise money to help cure.

It was Antoinette. She is the cousin of one of my very dearest friends and someone who I worked with for a short time in 2005. During that time we worked together Antoinette learned she had Hodgkin Lymphoma. I have known her since we were both young, as she would visit my friend and we would all spend time together. Never did it occur to me, that I would see, first hand her fight with cancer. Not only did I see her fight, but I saw her courage, her determination to move forward, and her prevail over cancer.

Here is her story:

I had just turned 25 when I found a large lump above my left collarbone – it was cancer. I had Stage 3 Hodgkin Lymphoma and my life came to a screeching halt. I never knew anyone my age with cancer and I was healthy! In fact, I had just run 5 miles the morning I felt it. In the midst of how unfair I felt the situation was, I knew it was happening to me for a reason and that I would be forever changed, but I would get through it. Looking back, I never once accepted defeat.

I quickly engaged the help of friends, family and resources from various organizations to equip me for battle. I found Fertile Hope, an organization that has a financial assistance program to help young adult cancer patients preserve their fertility, and decided to freeze oocytes (eggs) before starting chemo. My dreams of becoming a mother were saved! Then, through the help of the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society, I found everything I needed to know about my disease and an outlet for all my emotions. The local San Francisco chapter asked me to speak about my diagnosis and my fighting power to get through it. I loved every chance they gave me to speak in front of hundreds of people and inspire them to be strong in their own battles!

Now three years later I am proud to announce that my hair is back to its original length, I have a career with Fertile Hope, I’m married to prince charming and we hope to be parents in the near future. I still love sharing my story with anyone who will listen…


Antoinette is my motivation to get through all my races...both in her battle and now seeing her successes. I am very proud to call her my personal Honoree!!

Please help me continue to fight cancer and raise money to help find better treatments, more resources for cancer patients, and bring an end to their suffering.

To make a tax-deductible donation, click on the following link:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/nikesf10/dzlatunich

Just some pictures....Weeeee

Listening to announcements at track practice !!!








Cheese....















At Stanford Dish....running up a BIG hill....Phew!









Crunches....see me? I am wearing turquoise and grey.










Planks...SWEET!

And, we're off!!

Last night was our FIRST track workout and it was great!!! It started out with not very many people, but we doubled in size after the first 10min. Our location was different this week, which was the cause in delay for over half of the group. Last night we were at Gunn High School. It was a light workout for those who are 'seasoned', but for the beginners it was a good way to ease into the rest of the seasons’ workouts. The coaches had us do a 10 min warm up around the athletic fields, stretch and then the drills came....we did toe walking, heel walking, low skips, butt kicks, and finished off with high skips. Once our drills were done, it was off to the grass for CORE...yikes!!! At first, everyone was so happy and laughing at Coach Chris' jokes....then the crunches started...1, 2, 3....10. Only 10...WOOOO HOOO. The whole time I am thinking.....just wait it gets harder as we go...HA!!! Core workout continued with planks, push-ups, and more crunches. To end the workout for the evening, Chris had us do squats and lunges (Amy's favorite!!!)

I decided during our warm up to "pick up the rear" to make sure everyone was doing ok. I happened to be behind 2 women Adrianna and Joan(?) who were run/walking. They were excited to be out and doing something good. Within their conversation, comments were made about just doing the best that they could for the 10min. I smiled. I tried to encourage them by saying they could do it and to take note of today, as they will soon be able to run/walk longer than they have before. Both ladies chuckled and said “we’ll see”. For me it is the best when you see participants progress throughout the season and then can reflect with them on how far they have come. Later this season, I will make sure to bring up last night and congratulate them on their accomplishments!! :o)

During our announcement section of track I took the time to observe everyone who was standing around listening to Cal talk about the team traditions, TNT housekeeping info, and fund-raising incentives. We heard about fund-raising ideas and what to expect at this weekends run. It was refreshing to see all the attentive and motivated participants. Keeping them motivated is the key…getting them involved and supporting their fund-raising efforts will help keep the attitude they have now going strong.

This is why I have come back season after season for the past 7 seasons....I love to watch everyone’s progression, I love seeing people accomplish their fund-raising goals and then some, I get motivated to do the best that I can to make their experience on the team as positive as mine, and most importantly I love to see the progress that your donations have created to help our Honorees over come their battles.

Thank you for taking the time to stay in tuned with my adventures.....and THANK YOU for your support, be it a donation or your company during my training.

MAKE A DONATION: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/nikesf10/dzlatunich