...comes from some other beginning's end. Tuesday I left behind the heat and humidity of Florida that I have come to know so well for 22 years for the heat and altitude in Colorado. A change of locale is always good to mix up the training and keep the mind focused.
I am heading out to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs today to get in a couple weeks of quality training out there before I permanently move out to Boulder. It should be a great couple of weeks because the way the center is setup, all the athlete has to worry about is training. Meals and lodging are provided to each athlete and the sports medicine staff is great in dealing with injury prevention/recovery so that each athlete is able to train up to their individual potential.
In other news, I am old! Someone please tell me the perks of being 22?...
~AHahn
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
My Sister's Keeper!
I am so excited...I just found out that one of my favorite books of all-time, My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, is being made into a movie! If the movie is anything like the novel, it will be a must-see. You can be assured I will be there opening night whenever it is released in 2009. :) To learn more about the movie, go to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1078588/
That's all the news for now... more to come soon!
~AHahn
That's all the news for now... more to come soon!
~AHahn
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
A mixed bag of apples...
As I mentioned in my earlier post, I raced the Nautica New York City Triathlon this past weekend. Before I tell you about my race, I must say that triathlon has come a long way since I first started competing back when I was 8 and has even made strides since the early 2000's. Back then, I would travel to a race and everyone would look at me standing in airport with my bike box as if I was carrying some explosive that just happened to have a Lance Armstrong Foundation and USA Triathlon sticker on it. However, this weekend, it seemed that many had an idea of why I would be carrying a bike on a plane and had either heard of or competed in a triathlon. That just made me smile!
When I arrived to the race expo Saturday at the Hilton in Midtown Manhattan, the place was swarming with carbon fiber bikes. Not only is New York City a melting pot, so is the New York City Triathlon. The over 4500 participants in this race came from 49 different states and 23 different countries to compete in the triathlon! Again, triathlon is making progress! After picking up my packet and attending the pre-race meeting, I went with my family to a locally owned Italian restaurant(very good) and called it a night around 8:30.
The next morning, I woke up at 3am to begin my pre-race routine. I jogged around the block of my hotel for 15 minutes and then went back to my room to eat a quick bagel and banana breakfast and grab my racing backpack. Since there was no way my bike was fitting in a cab and I needed the bike warmup anyways, I biked from my hotel to Broadway St., took a right turn and headed towards the transition area at Riverside Park. While biking there, I saw David Letterman leaving his studio (4:30 am now) and a bunch of people waiting in line outside the Apple store (I'm guessing for the new Iphone?).
I got into transition and realized that they had placed the numbers on the bike racks extremely close together, and just in the time I was in there, my shoes and helmet were knocked around. So, being on the cautious side I waited a little and watched my equipment in transition to make sure my helmet and sunglasses weren't knocked off my handlebars and that I wouldn't have to go searching for them after the swim. Bad move #1. Then, I headed to the bathroom line at 5:10, 43 minutes before my wave started. I waited there for 25 minutes, checking my watch every minute or so and getting anxious. Bad move #2.Then, I sprinted down to the swim start which was a mile away from transition. What I hadn't planned was that the only way to get there was on a narrow path crammed with the other 4500 participants walking down the path because their waves didn't start for awhile. After a bunch of weaving and "pardon me"s, I was about 100 meters from the diving platform for the start when I heard the horn go off for the pro women, my wave. Flipping out, I ran to the tent where we had to drop off clothing to be taken to the finish line and then headed down to the dock, asking what I should do. The race director said the best thing to do would be to start with the Elite Age Group wave which followed the pro women.
So, that is exactly what I did...because of the almost 100 elite age groupers I was forced to start in the 3rd row back and jump in off the platform instead of dive. The first 5 minutes or so of the swim was a wrestling match with the Elite Age Group men as I tried to muscle my way through and around them. I was at a little bit of a disadvantage though, because while the elites were allowed to wear wetsuits, pros abide by different rules and therefore, the water was not cold enough for us to use them in this particular race. After about 5 minutes I was able to break free and find a little bit of open water to swim in. Then, a couple minutes later as I was swimming along, I felt something clinging to my arm. When I tried to fling it off, I felt like I got whipped in the face. It turns out, jellyfish season started earlier than normal this year in New York and in the Hudson River... the rest of the swim was kind of painful with the jellyfish sting but I was trying to remain focused on keeping at the front of the pack of my wave. I exited the water with the leaders and used a long run to transition to pass a couple of people.
When I hopped on my bike, I used the first couple of miles to get my breathing under control and settle into a steady pace. Then, after about 3 miles, I decided to start hammering a bit. I knew that coming back would be more downhill than going out and I wanted to have a good pace going out. There were a couple of Elite Age Group men that passed me and since my drafting rules state that I have to stagger from the biker in front of me and theirs state that they have to stay to the right, pass on the left, there was some problems, mostly me just being extra sure I was outside the drafting zone so I didn't get stopped for a penalty. With about 5 miles to go in the bike, my legs felt fatigued and I had to fight to keep my cadence.
But soon enough, I was onto the run. For the start of the run, we exited Riverside Park onto 79th street and ran over into West Central Park. As I crossed over 79th street, the street was packed with people sitting outside of cafes cheering on the racers, a greatly needed boost. It took about a mile and a half to get my legs under me and then I was able to pick up the pace a little. I came through the 5k in around 18:25 and tried to keep that cadence for the remainder of the run through Central Park. Running has always been the portion of the race where I try to chase down as many people as possible and since there were no pro women in sight, I decided to just try to pick off as many people as possible and to not let anyone pass me (which I was able to do). I crossed the finish line in 2:14:22 , just 2 seconds behind Andy Baldwin (The Bachelor Season 10 ) with a 9th place finish and mixed emotions. I was very embarrassed and a little disheartened that I missed the start of my race, but I was very pleased overall with the effort I gave. I guess I'll put this one down as a learning experience. I don't race again for another month so, until then, I'll just have to keep my chin up and wheels spinning.
~AHahn
When I arrived to the race expo Saturday at the Hilton in Midtown Manhattan, the place was swarming with carbon fiber bikes. Not only is New York City a melting pot, so is the New York City Triathlon. The over 4500 participants in this race came from 49 different states and 23 different countries to compete in the triathlon! Again, triathlon is making progress! After picking up my packet and attending the pre-race meeting, I went with my family to a locally owned Italian restaurant(very good) and called it a night around 8:30.
The next morning, I woke up at 3am to begin my pre-race routine. I jogged around the block of my hotel for 15 minutes and then went back to my room to eat a quick bagel and banana breakfast and grab my racing backpack. Since there was no way my bike was fitting in a cab and I needed the bike warmup anyways, I biked from my hotel to Broadway St., took a right turn and headed towards the transition area at Riverside Park. While biking there, I saw David Letterman leaving his studio (4:30 am now) and a bunch of people waiting in line outside the Apple store (I'm guessing for the new Iphone?).
I got into transition and realized that they had placed the numbers on the bike racks extremely close together, and just in the time I was in there, my shoes and helmet were knocked around. So, being on the cautious side I waited a little and watched my equipment in transition to make sure my helmet and sunglasses weren't knocked off my handlebars and that I wouldn't have to go searching for them after the swim. Bad move #1. Then, I headed to the bathroom line at 5:10, 43 minutes before my wave started. I waited there for 25 minutes, checking my watch every minute or so and getting anxious. Bad move #2.Then, I sprinted down to the swim start which was a mile away from transition. What I hadn't planned was that the only way to get there was on a narrow path crammed with the other 4500 participants walking down the path because their waves didn't start for awhile. After a bunch of weaving and "pardon me"s, I was about 100 meters from the diving platform for the start when I heard the horn go off for the pro women, my wave. Flipping out, I ran to the tent where we had to drop off clothing to be taken to the finish line and then headed down to the dock, asking what I should do. The race director said the best thing to do would be to start with the Elite Age Group wave which followed the pro women.
So, that is exactly what I did...because of the almost 100 elite age groupers I was forced to start in the 3rd row back and jump in off the platform instead of dive. The first 5 minutes or so of the swim was a wrestling match with the Elite Age Group men as I tried to muscle my way through and around them. I was at a little bit of a disadvantage though, because while the elites were allowed to wear wetsuits, pros abide by different rules and therefore, the water was not cold enough for us to use them in this particular race. After about 5 minutes I was able to break free and find a little bit of open water to swim in. Then, a couple minutes later as I was swimming along, I felt something clinging to my arm. When I tried to fling it off, I felt like I got whipped in the face. It turns out, jellyfish season started earlier than normal this year in New York and in the Hudson River... the rest of the swim was kind of painful with the jellyfish sting but I was trying to remain focused on keeping at the front of the pack of my wave. I exited the water with the leaders and used a long run to transition to pass a couple of people.
When I hopped on my bike, I used the first couple of miles to get my breathing under control and settle into a steady pace. Then, after about 3 miles, I decided to start hammering a bit. I knew that coming back would be more downhill than going out and I wanted to have a good pace going out. There were a couple of Elite Age Group men that passed me and since my drafting rules state that I have to stagger from the biker in front of me and theirs state that they have to stay to the right, pass on the left, there was some problems, mostly me just being extra sure I was outside the drafting zone so I didn't get stopped for a penalty. With about 5 miles to go in the bike, my legs felt fatigued and I had to fight to keep my cadence.
But soon enough, I was onto the run. For the start of the run, we exited Riverside Park onto 79th street and ran over into West Central Park. As I crossed over 79th street, the street was packed with people sitting outside of cafes cheering on the racers, a greatly needed boost. It took about a mile and a half to get my legs under me and then I was able to pick up the pace a little. I came through the 5k in around 18:25 and tried to keep that cadence for the remainder of the run through Central Park. Running has always been the portion of the race where I try to chase down as many people as possible and since there were no pro women in sight, I decided to just try to pick off as many people as possible and to not let anyone pass me (which I was able to do). I crossed the finish line in 2:14:22 , just 2 seconds behind Andy Baldwin (The Bachelor Season 10 ) with a 9th place finish and mixed emotions. I was very embarrassed and a little disheartened that I missed the start of my race, but I was very pleased overall with the effort I gave. I guess I'll put this one down as a learning experience. I don't race again for another month so, until then, I'll just have to keep my chin up and wheels spinning.
~AHahn
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Early Bird Gets the Worm
Throughout the week, I have been researching logistics for my race in New York City on Sunday morning. But one aspect of the race caught my attention right away- the start time. The pro women go off in the 2nd wave...3 minutes after the pro men....at 5:53 AM (this is not a typo)! This is by far the earliest I've ever started a race. Because of the start time, I will set a 3AM alarm clock so that I have enough time to eat breakfast, digest it, do my pre-race warm ups, and make sure I have enough time to get from my hotel to transition and the swim start without rushing around.
This race is an olympic distance race, however, is unlike most of the other races I compete in. It is not an ITU (International Triathlon Union) race and therefore, is not draft legal. That being said, the race is more like a time trial of all three disciplines. Normally, in draft legal races I am able to work with a pack on the bike to conserve energy for the run, but on Sunday, I will be giving it my all on every discipline. I have two more days of training in Florida before I head out to NYC Friday morning. Positive thoughts and prayers are always appreciated!
~AHahn
This race is an olympic distance race, however, is unlike most of the other races I compete in. It is not an ITU (International Triathlon Union) race and therefore, is not draft legal. That being said, the race is more like a time trial of all three disciplines. Normally, in draft legal races I am able to work with a pack on the bike to conserve energy for the run, but on Sunday, I will be giving it my all on every discipline. I have two more days of training in Florida before I head out to NYC Friday morning. Positive thoughts and prayers are always appreciated!
~AHahn
Monday, July 14, 2008
From Workouts to Weddings
Every once in a blue moon comes a day when I get to trade in my bike shoes for high heels and the smell of chlorine for the smell of perfume. This past weekend was one of those times as I headed down to Atlanta to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's (Tina) wedding. Tina is one of the strongest people I have met (both mentally and physically) and I am so excited that she is now hitched to the man of her dreams! The entire event was absolutely perfect. It was held outside of an antique house (Houston Mill House) in a garden setting and, although it had rained every other day last week, there was not a dark cloud in the sky on July 12th. After the reception, we moved inside the Mill House for dinner and dancing for the remainder of the night. Since both the bride and groom are runners, most of the guests were members of the Florida State (my alma mater) Cross Country/Track team. It was exciting to see everyone and catch up one last time before I move out of Florida in a couple of weeks. Now, back to training!
Cheers!
AHahn
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" ~Eden Ahbez
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Racing Update
Last weekend (July 5th) I wrapped up the sprint triathlon portion of my racing season at the Crystal River Sprint Triathlon in Crystal River, Florida. As I have come to learn with any race, I cannot expect everything to go as perfectly as I would like. While I was making my usual race day preparations on July 4th (getting my racing gear together and testing out my Zipp wheels on my bike),the brake cables on the bike snapped, leaving me panicked and wondering what to do for my race in less than 12 hours. Brakes are kind of a necessity! Since it was July 4th and all of the bike shops were closed for the holiday, I decided to race on the bike that had been sitting in my garage for about 2 years and hadn't been raced on since the beginning of 2006. Because this bike had a different cassette on it, I was unable to switch my Zipp racing wheels onto it, so I raced with my training wheels. Not really knowing what to expect from the race, I went in with the mindset that I would take this as a challenge to have a fast bike split with average equipment.
The result: my fastest bike split of the year! I averaged almost 22 miles per hour on the 15 mile out and back bike course and was able to pair that with decent swim and run splits to win the women's overall title and set a new course record! This was definitely a confidence booster for the racing season ahead of me. As my former cross country coach would say, "You have put in the work, now it's time to go get the paycheck."
Now that my sprint season is over, I am moving up to olympic distance triathlons, starting with the Nautica NYC triathlon next weekend in New York. More to come on that race soon!
The result: my fastest bike split of the year! I averaged almost 22 miles per hour on the 15 mile out and back bike course and was able to pair that with decent swim and run splits to win the women's overall title and set a new course record! This was definitely a confidence booster for the racing season ahead of me. As my former cross country coach would say, "You have put in the work, now it's time to go get the paycheck."
Now that my sprint season is over, I am moving up to olympic distance triathlons, starting with the Nautica NYC triathlon next weekend in New York. More to come on that race soon!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Welcome!
Greetings! Whether you are a family member, friend, or just happened to stumble upon my blog, I'd like to welcome you! Lao Tzu, a well known philosopher in ancient China said that "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." For me, this post is the the first of what I hope will be many posts, providing some insight into the life of a second year professional triathlete racing on the ITU circuit. I invite you to come along for the journey...more to come soon!
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Introducing the Sampson prototype that I will be riding for the 2010 racing season...now I just need to think of a name for it! -
With my 24th birthday quickly approaching in a couple of days, I decided to make a list of things I'd like to accomplish in the next 24 ...