Ayerd{dot}com :: Triathlon

Started out pretty good for a Saturday. Up at 5:00 so I could make it to the gym parking lot by 6:00 for a run. Karen and I ran for 1:20 -- not sure how far we got, 9-10 miles or so. It was colder than I'd like for a run but didn't really notice until the end when I pulled the headband off and saw the ice/frost all over it.

After the run it was off to the pool for the JAM (Jersey Area Masters) workout. Had to miss some of it to talk with the coach about team stuff, but I did manage to get in around 3,500 of the 5,000 in the workout. Since I got an extra swim in on Thurday I think I'll let the extra 1,500 go.

For the swim I used a pair of new TYR goggles -- the Aqua Shift™ Rockets. While they are for "racing", the are plenty comfortable for the daily workout. The only problem I had was getting them off inbetween sets. It was hard to get a grip in lens to pull it away from my eye. Since I didn't even notice them on my face in the water, I guess they were just tight enough. After one practice, so far, so good. As I wear them more, I'll keep you updated on their performace.

Overall, it was good Saturday.

Sunday was the bike day. Late start for a ride -- 11:30 -- but at least it allowed the temperature to eek into the 40° range. No cold toes for me! Zipped along for 2 hours thru some slightly more than moderate hills in the Sourlands. I think the final total was only in the 25-26 mile range. This ride wasn't about distance, it was about getting my ass used to hitting that bike seat for 4-5 hours.

I did get a chance to try an electrolyte replacement drink on the bike. Using this stuff called Perpetuem. They claim it has a "mellow-orange 'Dreamsicle' flavor" and it sort of does. Wasn't the best. I think it would be better if was just "orange" flavor, but maybe there is a reason the vanilla needs to be there? The taste was a tad too sweet, but practically nothing in terms of an after-taste. Thanks the Gods for small favors. The most important part is that it works! While it wasn't the hardest workout I've ever done on a bike, slurping down a bottle with 2-scoups in 16-oz of water left me feeling pretty good. We'll see how it goes as I use the product on some harder ride as the temperature creeps up past 50°.

A fine week for training. Lots of stuff to record from this week so here goes. After last week's run-swim-bike combo things looked great for another go this weekend. Even better, it was supposed to over 40° all weekend. w00t!

The great weekend weather held up and Saturday was a nify 9-mile run at 6:00. Last week there were only two of us on the early morning trek, but this weekend we were up to five. Can I get a "Hell yea" from the crowd? For sure!

After the run some of the group headed to a tri-clinic to work on overall tri-related stuff while the lovely Angela and I headed to the pool to attempt the 5,000 yead Saturday swim. I'll admit I was a little more tired than I'd like to be but rather than face my own version of CMS — and after goading Angela into the pool in the first place — it was into the pool for some swimming goodness. Things went well. After about 3,000 a request came over to work on flip-turns. So, yea, I stopped swimming! After all, the Marathon is 35 days away but the first Tri of the year is 70-days away. Plenty of time to swim later 'cause it was turn-time!

Sunday was the day of the Bonk. Up at 7:30 for food and prep. At 9:00 it was onto the bike and off to the races. Or, at least off to the town about 20-miles up the river. The ride went smooth and while trying to keep my speed up I worked on drinking plenty of fluids — I have this habit of missing the bottle holder and having to stop to retrieve the bottle from the road side. Next ride, start to work on eating foods. I'm still not sure how you nosh 300+ calories an hour in an Ironman, but I suppose this is why we get to practice.

After the bike came the bonk. I've told myself that after every ride this year I'll run for 30 minutes. Today, I hopped off the bike and started down to the canal. At the 1.5 mile mark I felt good! So good I said the heck with the stopping, lets try for 4-miles. About mile two it happened. The spirit was willing but the body started to make noises along the lines of "didn't we run yesterday?" and "the bike was plenty for you today". With the complaints coming in, I 180-ed and started to head home. I got about half a mile and made a mistake. I stopped running.

When I tried to restart the motor, I had nothing. /sigh. Let me just say that 40°-45° feels good when you're moving. Not so much when you stop. And are sweaty. And happen to be about a mile and half from home. Sucked walking, but don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

I think I would have been okay 'cept for the running yesterday. At least, that is my story and I'm sticking with it.

Next week, I think I'll bike on Saturday. Maybe. I think I've been talked into the Ocean Drive 10-miler and that may be enough running for one weekend.

Last week managed to partake in the Ocean Drive 10-miler. Did the 10 miles as my longish run of the week. The weather sucked—cold (35°), windy and it was raining pretty steady before the start. Took 1:32 to complete the run. Sure, I wasn't going fast by any definition, but I'll take it. I slowed to a walk for the 4 aid station on the run and tried to slurp as much water as I could. Still managed a 9:13 pace.

I also made a mistake during the run. Didn't fuel as well as I could have and failed to hydrate beyond the water stations. The fuel was just a dumb-ass move on my part. How hard is it to remember to jam a Gu (or two) or something in a pocket before starting out? Still I was hoping since the run would only be an hour and a half it wouldn't cost me that much. It really doesn't seem to kill me on two-hour practice runs, but maybe I just don't pay as much attention to that on those type of runs?

So this 10 miles in 1:32 and the Tyler half marathon at 2:02 make me think that 4 hour race will be damn close. I'll take 4:15, but maybe with a little effort 4-hours will be mine?

Ahh, the joys of a indoor swim meet! This weekend was the TCNJ Frenzy meet at...TCNJ! It was a fine day for swimming. I'm not sure when official results will be posted online but here is what I took away from the meet:

500 Freestyle: 6:05:21! The electronic timer ate it during my swim and I don't know if the watch timer grabbed splits, but that 6:05 works out to around 1:13s. Not too shabby. I was swimming next to Steve who set a very good pace and had just edged me out last meet. This time I was a little smarter and held back a tad on that first 100. In fact, I was in 3rd place until the last 75. At that point, I dropped it into the next gear. I'm always telling people to finish strong.... and I did! Passed Steve and other guy to win my heat by 5-6 seconds. Got to be happy with that. Next stop: 6:00.

100 Freestyle: 59.38! Hell yea! First time swimming the 100 in about 18 years. I was very happy to get in just under a minute. That time included a huge breath off the wall before the final 25. I'll try to not do that (or swim the 500 + 32.47 50 Back in the MR relay) before swimming the next 100.

200 Freestyle: 2:15.30! Man, was my tank empty for this one. The first 50 was on pace at 30 seconds. By the 100 mark I was at 1:05. 150 pushed me to 1:45, but in this meet we finish strong. That last 50 brought me to 2:15! It is all about the finish. I'll take it. At the OCY meet my goggle blew off on the start and I limped in to a 2:24. Yuk. This was much better.

Clearly, I need to pick up that 500 pace a smidge to get to my 6-minute goal. Over the longer hall I think I'm close to my goal of completing the 2.4 Iron-swim in under an hour. (In case you missed it the goal is a 12-hour Ironman: 1 hour swim, 6 bike, 5 for the marathon.) Bring on the open water this summer! I am very ready for it.

Oh, the joys of a long run on Sunday morning. With the family out of state and the woman up for a bike ride, a running I went. Down the D&R Canal path to Washington Crossing Bridge, up Washington Crossing-Pennington Road to the top of the hill, back down the hill to bridge, across the bridge to the PA side, down the PA canal path to New Hope, across the New Hope-Lambertville bridge, and home! A nice easy 19-20 miles. The weather was great. Some sun, mostly clouds and 40°.

Well, it should have been nice and easy, but there was this hurricane/flood thing last year that did great evil to the PA canal path. Very lumpy now and also very under construction. Would have been nice if I was trying to XTerra runs or somehow a "under construction" notice was posted somewhere, but that wasn't the case. There was even a fence to jump! Seems they've closed travel on the path at one point, but only from one side. So, when you get to the fence from the other direction it is big surprise.

Still it was a good three hour run and the last really long run before Jersey Shore. All runs from now on are less than two hours. w00t!