Long Time: A Lot Has Happened
Dudes,
Lots of training and Real Life™ has resulted in less than optimal updates to the blog. I'm working on it. Here is the skinny on what has been going down:
- Car Roof Rack: Bend Over, Here It Comes. As mentioned on Mazda 3 Forums where I found out about the roof rack, sometimes it takes a tad longer than advertised to get the Foot and Fit kits from the UK to the US. So, after much forwarding of the same message asking, "what up wit da rack?" I got a response that it had shipped about 3 weeks later than promised. Not the end of the world, but less than optimal. I hope the parts will show up next week. Then I just need to get the actual rack to hold the bike — US purchase so they should show up in a matter of days. I still hope to have everything in place for the drive to White Lake. If/when it is all in place, I'll post more info on it.
- First Race of the Year or Duathlons Blow When It Rains: Choose One. After many, many talks about "focus on one race" my coach decided, at the last minute (well, at the end of a recovery week) that the semi-local Brandywine Duathlon would be a Good Thing. So on a warm, muggy morning and the promise of hard rain, the Loving Wife™ and I headed down to Delaware for the race. 5K-30K-5K event. Started out strong in a light rain and the first 5K zipped by in 26:14. At T-1 the rain came on with more force and I started out on the bike. Mostly flat with one "hill" that was actually a bridge. The challange came at the bottom of the bridge where there was a metal grate instead of road surface. Rain + Bike Tire + Metal = Taste of Your Own Blood. Lots of poeple wiped out and the two ambulances there got a heafty workout. As the miles ticked by the rain and wind really started to pick up. I walked my bike across the grate on the way back. Total time on the bike 51:32 with an average speed of 21.7mph. By the start of the second 5K I wasn't tired but the wind, rain, and cold — it was around 45° at the end of the bike — took a toll. I decided not to push the run and did it at a training pace of 29:30. Not great, but not bad. Poor Bretta fell on the bridge but didn't take any damage. As I was hanging out after the race she was just coming in on the bike and still had a 5K to go in the bad weather. She is not the fastest person on the course but she held in there and finished. Not easy by any standard.
- Suck It Mr. Kurt Kinetic Road Machine: I'm Riding Outdoors. It has finally gotten warm and light enough to ride outside after work and on the weekends. Hell Yea! While it is cool to hang out on the trainer in front of TiVo watching re-runs or spinning in the basement with a group of friends talking about nipple rings (not for me thank you. that has got to hurt way more than any other plus it would bring) it is way better to be outside. 90-minutes of hills Tuesday after work and 4.5 hours/30 minute brick this Saturday. I feel so overcome with joy that I'm thinking of buying a new bike jersey. How's this one?
- Can't Swim, Got Help. Well, not 100% true, but it feels that way. I can swim. My IM goal is 55 minutes. Shouldn't be a problem. Did a 1:02 at IM-F and was trying to go slow and save it for the bike and run. But, I know my stroke has problems. My catch is weak. I have terrible stroke position. I over reach on the non-breathing side when I do take a breath. Elbows are too low during after what little catch I do manage. So, I went to a swim lesson with Greg Wriede who Bretta and I used to swim with before we bought our house. Greg busted out the underwater camera and showed me the error of my ways in a kind and gentle manner. /me smirks So. I've been working on my catch and trying keeping my head down as I swim. So far I can sort of feel the difference. I'm a tad slower in the pool: I can hold a 1:20 for 100 yards all day long but when I aim for 1:15s I tucker out after 8-10 of them. True, it is a set back, but my stoke count per lap has dropped and it feels a bit "stronger" when I swim, so, I have that going for me. For now, more and more practice with the new stroke pattersn. We'll see at White Lake how well it is working.
- White Lake: Taste The Run I'm getting very stoked for White Lake. My only real goal for the race is to run the whole 13.1 without walking. Something I've not yet been able to do in a triathlon with any real distance in the run. Came close at Timberman last year but tanked around mile 9. Not this time. Every long run I tell myself, "This is how you'll feel at White Lake. No need to walk." Damn, it is going to be great. Then, just a little while ago the Tri-Daddy left a note mentioning that Trimojo had a brief summary of the bike course. Sweet. The flat course is very welcome news. Yea. (And, I'm glad she got her position tweaked so it feels better. A good fit is worth your weight in gold.)
Okay, that about sums up the last 3 weeks. Kind of sad, really. My life is work and exercise. I suppose it could be worse!
