So, training hasn't gone so well since the last time I posted. I've gone through several training programs and nothing has stuck. Since my last post I've had a baby and moved. Those things have taken a bit of my time. Plus my job hours were cut, which you'd think would give me more time, but since I'm now on a 4 day, 9 hour schedule, I have long weekends, but less time during the week. So, the bottom line is that I've hardly trained so far this year. I tried to get in a few rides/runs/swims, but nothing that would be considered "training."
Well, this first race came up quick and I figured, what the hell, I'll do the best I can. It's not a big race so it's a good starting barometer. I've decided that going forward from here I'm just going to get in training sessions when I can, but I'm not going to worry about sticking to a schedule, at least for now. The first half of this season will just be fun, and starting in June I'll get more focused as I start training for the Augusta Half Ironman in Sept.
Anyway, back to the race. The swim was a 500 yard lake swim, then a 13 mileish bike ride through what was mainly rolling hills, and then a 5k run.
The swim felt very good, and quite different from the last one. This wave contained five people, where as my last open water swim had 2500 people. A bit roomier. I felt pretty good, considering I've swam 5 times in the last 3 months. Although I got out, I'm hopeful the swim was long, because my time was not good if it were a true 500 yards. I'm a typical 1:43 or less per 100 yard swimmer, and at the race I paced 2:03, if it were accurate. Even in the Ironman I paced 1:45, so I highly doubt I was that much slower, considering I was pushing harder as well.
Anyway, on to the bike. The run to the TA was a joy. Had to run up a short beach, then up a very long staircase, then a slight hill. They never do us much favors with that. I could barely run it, I had to walk a good bit of that. I did a pretty fast transition, and then started running out of transition and I'm running and running, and finally wondering where the hell the mount line is and I yell out and ask, apparently it was a random spot that a few volunteers were standing on, and no one either told me, or they didn't say it loud enough...typically there's a line spray painted. No biggie, that probably only cost me a few seconds. On to the bike...I actually felt great on the bike. The course started with a pretty long, steep climb. All in all it was actually a pretty fun course. Lots of turns, ups and downs, and I surprised myself. I pushed pretty hard and passed quite a few people who had a significantly large head start on me. I really knocked out the hills so that was encouraging for me going forward. I'm really going to try and get more hilly rides in so I can improve in that regard. That is clearly my biggest weakness, and it'll not only help my bike but my run as well. My bike time was around 49 minutes and I averaged right at 16 mph. A little slower than where I was last year, but since I haven't been riding at all, I'll take it.
T2 as usual was super quick. However, I'm starting to think I need tri specific shoes. I'm always have a hard time getting my shoes on barefoot, because the sole slides up with my foot. Sometimes takes a few tries to get it on properly, kind of defeating the time saving aspect of going sockless.
So on to the run. My running seems to have taken the least beating, since that was my best time(not overall, but to me). This run started out with about a quarter mile downhill, so just enough time to let you cool down a bit from the bike, but then went straight into a very steep quarter mile climb. Brutally steep climb, I made up running, but I was barely going faster than a walk. After topping out you were rewarded with an equally steep downhill, so hardly a break. The next mile or so was a steady climb to the turnaround. I think i maintained a fairly steady, solid pace until that point. I knew once I made it to the turn around the rest would be easy. After hitting the turn around I picked up my pace slightly, since I had just a bit over a mile and it was all slightly downhill. As I got closer I kept increasing the pace just slight before breaking out into an all out sprint with about 50 yards to go. It was actually the best I'd felt after finishing a sprint tri. I'm usually feeling pretty lousy and very light headed, but I didn't feel any of that. My run time was 25:46 for a pace of 8:31.
I wound up finishing first in the age group division, but it was only out of three. But hell, a win is a win! I'll take it.
