4.4 Mile Run

Was hoping to do 6 or so this morning, but I got a late start, it was humid, I was tired and had a lot to do, so I turned around at the 2.2 mile mark. Ran in 45.47, a little slower than the other day.

4.4 Mile Run

I can't believe I didn't work out all week. One thing after the other, plus bad weather. Still, I need to improve.

I ran this morning a tortuous 4.4 miles in the humidity in 45:28.

15 Mile Bike

Beautiful morning to ride. I had taken today off last month in case I wanted to do a race. I explored some new variations of my regular route this morning. I like riding, but i do get bored. I finish, feeling like I should have done more. I do have a lot to do today. I need to make an effort to ride more, even if it is only six miles. My back on the right side just above my hip was getting a little stiff. I did a lot of hills.

1:08:30 Run

Ran down around the Conard track and then ran around the track 5 times and then back home. I'm guessing I did six and a half miles to six and three quarters miles. Had a lot of phlegm when I was done, but other than that I feel alright. I am trying to prepare for the half marathon in four weeks. My next long run will likely be longer, but with some run walk thrown in. This was straight running. No stiffness or aches today. I am just always very short of breath when I start, and I am tired when I run, but not unreasonably so. I probably should have run farther today, but I want to also do a long bike tomorrow, so I need to be careful not to overdo it.

Haven't decided whther or not i want to do the tri next Saturday or use the day to run.

2.4 Tempo Run

Have been meaning to work out each day, but postponing for one reason or another. Finally did my 2.4 tempo run today in 21:40 -- another record. I am hoping to either do a 5K this weekend or a long run and long bike.

Madison Triathlon 9-10-2011

A beautiful day to race in Madison. My goal was simply to beat last year’s time. Recovered from my illness, I felt confident. I had no issues with the swim. Unlike last year when it was low tide and I could sprint the first 100 yards, it was deep right away. I swam straight with few collisions. The only interesting part, was right when we finishing and were very close to the beach, I saw a woman next to me who looked like she was standing (she was in fact breast-stroking, so I stopped and tried to stand, only to feel no bottom.

The bike went well, no flats and I felt like I was riding strong and steady. When I set out on the run, I did have that occasional initial problem I get where one of the tubes in my ear clogs and it feels like every breath I take is echoed in my head like I am wearing Darth Vader’s helmet. It went away after a mile and I had no further problem. I hit the two mile mark and thought about stepping it up, but I decided to wait a little longer. In the end I no real second wind and only managed a fifty yard speed up at the end.

I didn’t wear a watch, and I had deliberately not looked at last year’s time, so when I crossed the time I had no meaning to me. I got a cold water and some food, and sat down, feeling reasonably good about my race. One of the nice things for me about Madison, is I am in the thick of the race. There are enough first-timers and one triathlon a year people that I am not too overmatched. Plus, I am usually in the fourth wave, and the fifth wave has newbies and women, so I don’t need to fear being out alone on the course as the last racer. There were in fact, still racers on the course, long after I had eaten, packed up my bike and gear and headed out.

When I got home and checked my last year’s result, I saw that I was three and a half minutes slower this year, which was a bit discouraging. However, when I saw the actually results on-line later, I felt somewhat better. Most of the lost time was in the swim, where everyone seemed to have longer times. I picked up six seconds in transition and 30 on the bike, while losing 90 on my less than inspired run. I finished in the 76% percentile, same as last year. Not quite getting out of the bottom quarter.

I have no more “comparison” tris this year, although I may do as many as 2 more races (thinking about the Cedar Lake race on the 27th and am definitely doing Clam Man in New Jersey on October 1.). I still hope to break my 5K record and top my half-marathon times from last year. I’d like to do at least one to show I am keeping Father Time at bay.

Results

2011

Swim: 19:41 180 of 374 (47%)
Transition 1: 2:09
Bike: 51:24 305 of 374 (80%)
Transition 2: 1:34
Run: 31:05 321 of 374 (86%)

Total 1:45:53 265 of 349 (76%)

lost 2:34 on swim (longer swim due to tides)
picked up 30 seconds on the bike
lost 1:34 on the run
picked up 6 seconds in transition


2010

Swim: 17:07 (184 out of 403) (46%)
Transition 1: 2:22 (235)
Bike:51:52 (328) (81%)
Transition 2: 1:27 (286)
Run: 29:28 (305) (76%)

Total: 1:42:16 (286) of 374 (76%)

2009

Total time: 1:52:04
288 out of 349. (83%)

368 (includes relays)
Swim 161th 17:44 (44%)
Bike 304th 54:26 (83%)
Run 330th 33:10 (90%)

Very slow in both transitions: 4:42 2:02

5.5 Mile Run

Ran my 5.5 mile route from home around the Conard high track and back in 55:30 including having to stop for traffic in two places. Ran in the evening in the rain and felt pretty good. No stiffness in hip, no leg pain at all.

Bike

Rode my 12 mile route this morning in 55 minutes. Was good to be back on bike. I have the Madison Tri this Saturday.

Lake Quassy Open Water Swim Festival 9-3-2011

I love open water swimming so the Lake Quassy Swimming Festival is one of my favorite events. Swimming the 3 mile race year was one of my goals for the year, but given my limited swim time this summer (only 1 West Hill swim), I decided it would be best to just do the mile and a half and try for the 3 next year. The course is a straight out and back. (Those doing the three mile go out and back, then out and back again.) My plan for the 1.5 was to swim the first leg easy, and then gradually pick up speed on the way back. Before the race, I bought a new pair of goggles at Cornerstone because my current goggles were too scratched to really see well out of. Other then getting water in one eye to start from an errant arm of another swimmer, the goggles were great, and I saw quite well, sighting every other stroke. The buoys were visible and well spaced. I was in a small pack of swimmers most of the way out, including some guy doing the breast stroke the whole way, who I could not shake. On the return trip, I was largely by myself for the first half of it. I got a sharp cramp in my left calf, but since I don’t kick much, I just let my wet-suited leg trail along behind me and eventually, the cramp went away and I was back as good as new. After the last buoy I went into a full sprint. It was suddenly very crowded with swimmers. There were nine of us who finished within 20 seconds of each other. My time was 52:33, which was one minute faster than I swam last year.

The first year I only swam the half mile and was surprised to discover I had come in second in the wet suit division. Last year after the 1.5, I also did the half mile and was a full minute slower than my previous time. I realized then why I had had placed the year before. Most of my competition had already swum 4.5 miles that day while I was fresh. I only did the 1.5 this year, and after finishing, headed right up the hill to the food where I had a hot dog, a yogurt, an oatmeal cookie, a bag of chips, some pretzels, and a Danish, along with a bottle of water. After I finished that I went back up the hill for seconds, and on reaching the top of the hill, felt momentarily light-headed, enough so that I had to sit down for a couple minutes. Then I refueled with a hamburger, two more cookies, another yogurt and bag of chips, along with another water before heading home. I drank much wore water later that day, but that night for the first time in a long time I did not have to get up to pee. (Who says there are no benefits to dehydration?) I think while you don’t realize it, swimming can pretty significantly dehydrate you. Next year I will have to figure out a way to properly hydrate for a three mile swim that at my pace will likely take two hours.

This year 83 did the 3 mile, 113 did the 1.5 and 84 the 0.5. 35 did all 5 miles. Last years numbers were (91, 122, 96, and 35). Someday I would like to take on all three. I think would be quite an achievement.

At the race, a man was passing out flyers for the Connecticut Senior games swim event in May in New Britain. He cornered me and encouraged me to participate. They have no 3 mile swims on their event list, but they do have the 50 yard free, which sounds good to me.

Results

4.4 Mile Run

Ran the 4.4 mile route in 44 minutes. I don't really like running. i like parts of it, how I feel at times and when I am done and what it does for my fitness, but the basic slogging down the street, lumbering 220 lbs, heel strike, rotating hip, stiff body, open mouth breathing, it can be painful. I need to fine a way to improve my endurance and not be bored. maybe I should try running with music again. Or maybe I just need a new route.