Mafe Senosian Check in - A Triathlete's Journey - Athletes in Motion Podcast

Narrator: 0:10

Welcome to the Athletes in Motion Podcast from Race to Recovery. With your hosts, Tom regal and Kenny Bailey

Tom Regal: 0:29

Hey, Kenny, how are you?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:30

Good top air you You caught me. goofy smile. I'm fantastic.

Tom Regal: 0:36

I'm fantastic as well. We're back. We're back here on our triathletes journey following up with monta who? Let's see, welcome. Welcome back. We're checking in, we want to know, let's see, last we left you, you were training to run the Rock and Roll Marathon, right? Yes. That was the first thing on your in your training bucket. Really? Yeah. To your tribes this year. So how did that go? How was it?

Mafe Senosian: 1:06

It was fun. It was wonderful. It was it was great. I was really afraid of the winter because he was seemed to be a hot day. But luckily, there was a lot of clouds at the beginning of the race. So yeah, I was. It was it was better than expected a little while for me, the wind was fine. Like, I mean, like, I'm not trying to break any records. I was just like, enjoying the wind and the clouds. And then by the end, it was a little sunny. But but overall it was it was great. It was it was a fun experience. I was expecting it to be Helier. I don't know. So I guess that was good. Because my expectations for the hills were higher than it was in the real like in reality. So I think I had a good time. Yeah, I was able to enjoy it. Yeah. And finish it in four hours. 30 minutes, which is good and job. Um, yeah, I just didn't walk. I just had one bathroom break. And that was it.

Tom Regal: 2:09

That's good. Yeah, so

Kenny Bailey<br>: 2:11

any any surprises that anything that came up that you didn't expect? Anything that that did it go everything according to plan or was there any surprises? That kind of

Mafe Senosian: 2:20

was surprise Yeah. i Oh yeah, I was sort of left that. Listening the podcast on in or watching YouTube. I just show my, my wrist. Yeah, I tripped in a speed bump. While I was saying hello to some friends. Oh, gosh. But like they got like, I I just the all the all the poll was with my hand. Like, I didn't do any damage to my legs. So.

Tom Regal: 2:57

Okay, that's good.

Mafe Senosian: 2:59

So that was good. I mean, it was a little, little bloody, but um, it was not bloody enough to go to the medical Tansa just, like, cleaned it in my shorts and kept writing.

Tom Regal: 3:12

And there you go. Yeah. Yeah, that's good. And there's no it's

Kenny Bailey<br>: 3:16

funny how you you always feel like you're in like a desert or something like, you know, you're in a you're in a big city running and you, you know, you just like pour water on it and go like, you're in the middle of nowhere, right where you could go. Because you have that mentality of just like, you know, I'm gonna finish this thing. Ah, not Yeah,

Mafe Senosian: 3:33

probably one aid station for water and aid, I would say, probably spill more blood in me and whatever. But

Kenny Bailey<br>: 3:41

you don't care. You're racing, racing, racing

Mafe Senosian: 3:44

and doesn't matter. It was. It was an adrenaline shot at that moment. So I was like, I can't loins? Yeah, it was not painful. So it was not that bad. So that's good. Yeah.

Tom Regal: 3:56

And no shoulder wrist injury. Like that's, no, no,

Mafe Senosian: 3:59

it was just a scratch. It was a very scandalous crutch. But But yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 4:04

yeah, but you have a story now. And that's what's cool about it.

Mafe Senosian: 4:06

I do I do have a story. I was actually telling my family and friends that I was surprised that I hadn't felt like I haven't fallen in a previous race before because I'm very clumsy. And I tend to fall a lot. So it was like it took a it took a while. It took several races for me to actually scratch like yeah, it's a couple now

Kenny Bailey<br>: 4:27

you have it out of the way. And it's, you know, you can check that box.

Mafe Senosian: 4:30

Yeah. We've

Tom Regal: 4:32

got that covered every you know, a 1% fall rate is pretty good. Yeah. So you just keep keep racing, you know, no big deal. So how does that fit into your training program? So you had if I remember you who are having some shin splint issues leading up to this race, and how is this fitting into your triathlon training, or did you just focus on run right up to the marathon and now you're switching over? Because we have the waves try coming out, right, that's the next

Mafe Senosian: 5:00

Yeah, I was I was trying to get comfortable with a bike which, which I haven't. Totally not yet. Like, I still don't feel comfortable and that then comes another and that is crashing my knees that I did, actually yesterday. Trying to get in the bike. It was like, one

Kenny Bailey<br>: 5:19

piece. That's all we need. We get you the line in one piece. I think that this is gonna

Tom Regal: 5:23

be very interesting here.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 5:25

That's a win. Yeah. Like, are you uncomfortable with what specifically

Mafe Senosian: 5:32

this mountain? And it's like, yeah, I don't have the cleats and shoes. I'm just like, it's the first time for me riding a road bike. So it's kind of weird to have the seat taller than my legs cannot touch the the route so that's what gets me like that part is like I've been watching like some YouTube videos and like trying to get better at it. And after the fall, I tried a few things. And I felt better at the end of my workout but

Kenny Bailey<br>: 6:03

yeah, flips Do you have your feet and half cups? Are they open paddles?

Tom Regal: 6:09

So one thing we can do we can jump back to before Okay, good.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 6:13

Yeah, I'm sorry. But one thing you could do is just go to a park right in grass and just practice stopping and then just kind of holding so you know you can we stay upright for a second kind of deal. Yeah,

Mafe Senosian: 6:22

that's what I was doing I shall we incarnate Oh, they don't like their park that's treads that has right next to it like some grass patch. And that was what I do. And like, of course, when I was doing that, I never felt like I need a pole. Like I fall when I didn't have a

Tom Regal: 6:41

sort of run all the way back when we last left you you didn't even have a bike. So I jumped way ahead on that because I just totally forgot that we got you got a bike. You gotta ride 615 and Sylvan Park. Vinny helped you purchase your new bike. You have a Which one did you get again? Did you get the giant?

Mafe Senosian: 7:01

It's a live action. Oh, you get the chemo brand from giant. Yeah, you

Tom Regal: 7:07

got a really great road bike. Yeah.

Mafe Senosian: 7:11

Really light? No,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 7:15

you got to name your I have Isabella. I have. Yeah, I have.

Mafe Senosian: 7:25

I'll bring them in next time.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 7:26

You got to. It'll tell you the name right. So you've got to

Mafe Senosian: 7:31

be bloody because I mean, I scratch my knees. Like Raven. Sound but yeah, at some point. I was like, putting my need to. To hide that I like rub my knee. My already scratched me bloody knee to the handles. So there's some blood in the hands too.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 7:54

It's like a Draco. Some

Tom Regal: 7:56

sort of vampire. Yeah. Vampire. fainting. fainting goat theme.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 8:00

Yes. I'm here. Do something like that. Yeah,

Mafe Senosian: 8:04

yeah. But yeah, but it hasn't haven't experienced yet. I'm still. Yeah, I need to get more comfortable on it. But he's like mounting or dismounting. And then the second thing is the making the chips I still like don't fully understand how it works. I'm just playing around and in like very flat surfaces to see what how it feels. I'm still have to, like, get a feeling of it. Like yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 8:34

by the individual. We don't track stance, it'll be fine. You'll be at stop signs hanging out of the bike without even getting out the pedals. And yeah, just

Tom Regal: 8:43

hanging out shining. Everyone at that point. So good.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 8:48

Good, good. Good. So a couple weeks you said you've got the so remind people it's it's a pool swim. Right? It's sprint distance. Yeah. And then, uh, I believe about a 13 mile bike ride and then if okay.

Mafe Senosian: 8:59

It's less than that. I think it's okay. Nine or 1010?

Tom Regal: 9:04

It's like 10 miles. Okay,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 9:06

perfect. Yeah. So you're it sounds like you're doing the bike thing, right? You're just kind of getting used to getting on a bike if you are you feeling comfortable. And you're a good swimmer. Right? I think if I recall. Yeah. I hate people like you. Everybody's a good swimmer when when we get to get people that are bad swimmers. One bad swimmer. So the swim shouldn't be an issue with you the bike you're just kind of getting a feel with and you just cranked out a marathon. So you're any part of this? Is there any part of it that it's bike still the focus of sort of for the next couple of weeks just to try to

Mafe Senosian: 9:35

Yeah, I just want to get comfortable with the bike with the chips and the speeds and yeah, maneuvering, just the bike thing. I'm still gonna start swimming. But this week, I'm not running at all i

Tom Regal: 9:58

like it Yeah, you're good. Good.

Mafe Senosian: 10:03

Um, yeah, then mostly the bike that I want. Okay, well,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 10:08

I would say your run would be your victory lap or your first triathlon. But the way you're paying attention on your run, you may want to be a little bit more focused. It sounds like consumers don't want to train twice in the run. So instead of going like yay than you think, so we don't want you to cross the line you can say afterwards, so. Oh, cool. What about transitions? Are you have you been thinking about sort of

Mafe Senosian: 10:30

picked out? That's a good thing. Well, yeah, that's the other day. I was I was actually like, looking into try suits and clothes and also buy clothes because none of those things I have a right I didn't have before. Um, so yeah, I bought a few things. Try on returning trial. So I'm still waiting for our for one more tries to because the one that I bought, it was a little bit long on me. I'm short. For reference. I'm one by five one. So um, yeah. It was too long and delayed. So

Kenny Bailey<br>: 11:18

are you are you trying to look for a one piece or a two piece? Yeah, I was. I was looking for one piece. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, that's gonna be tough because like you said, because you're, yeah,

Mafe Senosian: 11:28

yeah, I just Yeah, I wanted to try one piece. And if it doesn't work out, then I'm gonna write a two piece but

Kenny Bailey<br>: 11:34

yeah, well and we do have a Tom to plug our podcasts we do have a podcast or about like, if you're going to spend money. contact points are the thing, right? So the one thing you want to it's not like you got a fantastic blog, congratulations. A good a good pair of shorts or, you know, a good Shami on the one PC you're getting is you want to spend a little bit more on that. Because your blood is going to be on that thing. You know, as you do a few of these and if you go longer distance, it's that contact point is is critically important that you get right. So don't skimp on that. Yeah.

Mafe Senosian: 12:11

Can I mention brands here? Yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah, yeah, I bought I bought some try. Everything's good right now. Um, so the choices that I bought, well actually just bought one tricycle, but it was too long. So I'm waiting on the medium and bike bit and the jersey and they feel comfy. And then the wetsuit to go. Okay. Yeah.

Tom Regal: 12:49

Very cool. So maybe we get dessert to sponsor our journey. Zoo. Exactly.

Mafe Senosian: 12:56

There's also like a discount code for for the USA Triathlon membership. So yeah, it was it was a nice discount. 20% Yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 13:07

yeah. And I mean groco makes some good stuff. Yeah. Roca makes good stuff, but they tend to be expensive. And yeah.

Mafe Senosian: 13:16

Yeah, there was there were they were out of stub on my side. So it's like, I just want to try the suit. Zoom. And it was fine. Yeah.

Tom Regal: 13:25

Cool. That's always very

Kenny Bailey<br>: 13:27

cool. So we're working on the kid. We're working on the bike handling skills the full you'll get kind of into but like, sounds like it's just a matter of just getting yourself back comfortable in water again, right? It's not a distance isn't gonna be an issue. It's just more of feeling comfortable. How do you feel around swimming around a bunch of people? Because I think they're gonna be doing it's a right it's just the lanes. Yeah. So you may have people that are gonna try to run past one with an airman.

Mafe Senosian: 13:56

Yeah, that's, that's something that you need to work on. I probably don't have enough time to work on for the first one. But when I was starting doing open water swimming last year, so I've been doing before I've been doing like regular like pool swimming, but open water swimming just from last year. And the thing that I noticed that I didn't have was like the ability to breathe or like, raise my head from the left side. I usually do it on the only on the right side. Feels weird on the left side so So suddenly I need to work on Yeah, to keep to have better visibility, right.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 14:40

That's kind of one of the things this this first one is good for is I think it's in a controlled environment and you're gonna have people touching you right? You're gonna have people around you the bike you're gonna have a bunch of people around on a bike a bunch of people you know, you're used to the Run stuff. So the the part that that as you train either with you train a small group of people or you're trained by yourself, it's just that whole sort of everyone's nervous energy is there and like, especially in the pool or in water when people are swimming. Yeah. So just that will be a, something to be cognitive. But you can, you know, hopefully, everyone, you know, everyone's kind of fairly nice about it right. So, with any luck, that'd be a good first step to kind of get that used to having those kind of that mass around you. And then the second race of the third race, you'll be a lot more comfortable. Yeah, yeah.

Tom Regal: 15:25

Yeah, very cool. Yeah.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 15:27

Well, it sounds like you. It sounds like you've got a good plan. Is there anything you're uncomfortable about or nervous? Other than the bike thing is anything?

Mafe Senosian: 15:36

Are you feeling pretty good sessions that I need to like, learn more about, but overall, I don't feel anxious about anything and just trying to have fun with these races. Which is like, yeah, I just wanted to use these three races that I have for the summer two, is to have fun and like, learn from the sport. Learn learn on the lessons and I don't care. I don't care you play if I can have takes my time. Like, like, I'm not going for any time. I just wanted to have fun, and learn and fall in love.

Tom Regal: 16:14

Yeah, so which sounds a lot like what Sara crane last year was doing right? She was gonna get into one or two. And then she did like, I don't know, five or six all year long. I mean, she was like, every time you turned around, she was at the next race going like, Hey, I'm here race. It's like, okay.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 16:30

You'll give it to you. Also. I think what two weeks later you then you're going to do I believe Music City, right? Yeah,

Mafe Senosian: 16:36

yeah, I'm doing music theory and then doing I changed my raisins, because I was gonna do all the way to August. Which one was it the river blobby? Yeah, we were glad but I can't I won't be available dance. I change it for the shuttle yoga. Was there gonna be stuck?

Tom Regal: 16:59

Like every other week? You're racing? Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 17:05

So I'll be with you. Because I'm racing the same races. So you'll see me there. Okay. Yeah, I'll leave it for

Tom Regal: 17:11

only 251. Kenny towers over everybody. Just look, I

Kenny Bailey<br>: 17:16

don't know. I don't know. Not that tall. There were a lot. So we're excited for I think we're next I'm going to talk to you. It's actually after the second race, I think is what we have scheduled. City, right. Yeah. Music City. So we can't wait to hear sort of the Compare and contrast between the two. Yeah, it should be late and

Tom Regal: 17:34

you'll be fine. You'll be fine. It's called tuck and roll. You'll be fine. Just get up and keep going.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 17:40

I guess. Yeah.

Mafe Senosian: 17:42

When I have, I hope that I can make the last one with cleats and shoes in my bike. We'll see how I feel in the next month or so. Um, so yeah.

Tom Regal: 18:02

Yeah, without that when you're just on with regular sneakers on flat paddles, you have the the world's fastest tee to transition because you just like you just jump off the bike and just run you take your helmet off and just run. There's nothing you don't have to change shoes or any of that stuff. So enjoy right part of it. Because once you start getting into the cleaning Great, yeah, changed a few things, then you have to mess with shoes and socks and everything else that gets crazy. Enjoy it while you're doing it. They go. Oh, well. Cool. Okay, so we'll catch up with you after that. We're excited to keep falling along. Or we said good luck. And it's it's fun. We really appreciate you sharing your story with us this year as we've got the three of you the three athletes that we're tracking along at the triathletes journey. So thanks, everybody for listening. Send us some questions. If there's anything that you want to hear from off a that what she's doing. You want to know about her nutrition and what she's eating all of that stuff sends us lots of questions, keep us, keep us going with with all of that communication, we really appreciate it and plus the five stars thumbs up all that stuff. The ratings help gets this algorithm up gets it out to everybody else. So we get more and more people to be listening in and find us on here. So Mafate thank you so much.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 19:17

We appreciate you. Kenny having me. Yeah, we'll see you on the other side.

Tom Regal: 19:21

And we'll see you Yeah, good luck to races and we'll catch back up with you again. So great. We'll catch you guys on the next episode.