Race Time!

 

Normal week of training = Time to race again!

With a solid week of swimming, biking and running, it is now time to get everything ready to race again. It is not looking good Ironman 70.3 Boulder, so I better find something locally or somewhat local. Right now I am looking at two options for a possible race. The first option is the Wilkes Barre Olympic Distance or the Brigantine Sprint Triathlon. Both races are next Saturday but even though it requires more traveling I am leaning towards Brigantine as it was one of first ever races I competed when I started triathlons. The distances for Brigantine are 1/4 mile swim, 11  mile bike (pancake) and 4 mile run. In all, it is a race that will take 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes. I will make my decision on which race by Monday. After this race my next race will be 3 weeks after this one. I still have rime to get 3-5 more races before the end of the season.

As for training, it felt great to get back in the pool, even as much as it is my least favorite of three disciplines. After missing one week in pool, times came back quickly. I also added a bit of faster intervals to kick start my speed. The bike and run continue to remain strong but I could benefit from so more miles on the run. I think in the very near future I will need to add some speed work on the run.

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 180 miles/ 8.75 hours/ 20.6 mph/ 4741 feet of climbing
Run - 4 runs/ 26 miles/ 3.17 hours/ 7:19 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 4 miles/ 1.95 hours
Total - 13 workouts/ 210 miles/ 13.87 hours

2012
Bike - 162 rides/ 5186 miles/ 244.45 hours/ 21.2 hours
Run - 98 runs/ 616 miles/ 74.40 hours/ 7:14 per mile
Swim - 63 swims/ 54 miles/ 26.25 hours
Total - 323 workouts/ 5856 miles/ 345.10 hours

Brigantine Triathlon
http://brigantinenow.com/2012-brigantine-triathlon-details/

Wilkes Barre Triathlon
http://www.wilkesbarretriathlon.com/

Which one will it be?

TdO ' 12!

More race reports soon to follow.

Vacation Over

   

In a manner of speaking, vacation is over. this past week was the annual family vacation and for the second year in a row it was in the Poconos. This year we stayed in a house near Lake Harmony, PA. It was great for riding and running but for the week, I had no access to a pool. So for a week my swimming would suffer but since it is my least favorite event, I did not mind. With being in the mountains, training was a little slower but the intensity and volume were there. Two of my rides this past week totaled over 3000 feet of climbing each ride. It was also a very scenic change to training for 5 days. Of course, needless to say, it was a good week with the family and catching up with them. It was also a good opportunity to think about what happens next with the race schedule.

Training Totals
Bike - 5 rides/ 202 miles/ 10.05 hours/ 20.1 mph/ 6588 feet of climbing
Run - 4 runs/ 29 miles/ 3.525 hours/ 7:18 per mile
Swim - N/A
Totals - 9 workouts/ 231 miles/ 13.575 hours

2012 Totals
Bike - 157 rides/ 5005 miles/ 235/70 hours/ 21.2 mph
Run - 94 hours/ 590.5 miles/ 71.22 hours/ 7:14 per mile
Swim - 59 swims/ 50.5 miles/ 24.30 hours
Total - 310 workouts/ 5646 miles/ 331.22 hours

Goals For Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 195-205 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 28-32 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 2.5-3.5 miles

If possible, I would like to possibly race this week but definitely the weekend of August 4th & 5th. I am still hoping for some good news regarding the Ironman 70.3 Boulder possibility. I know if given another chance I can qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas.

July 28th - Checking Schedules 
August 4th -  Brigantine Triathlon (if no Ironman 70.3 Boulder)
August 5th - Ironman 70.3 Boulder (????)
August 26th -  Keystone State Triathlon
September 8th - Quakerman Half Distance Triathlon or Olympic Distance
September 9th - Ironman 70.3 World Championships

These past 7 months of returning to triathlons have me motivated for a huge 2013. I know it may seem like a long way off but on just my first result at Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island, I know returning to Kona will happen sooner than later. I am sometimes surprised how quickly the comeback has progressed given the medical setbacks in April.

Back to the pool tomorrow!

TdO '12!

No Time To Rest!

     

While waiting on word about the potential for Ironman 70.3 Boulder on August 5th, training picked right up after the race Sunday. Surprisingly, I felt strong this week in my training. I was able to keep the volume high but at the same time kept intensity to a minimum. I eased into every workout and as I loosened up I picked up the pace. I am hopeful to get into the race in Boulder since I will be my only chance to qualify for Ironman 70.3 Las Vegas, which is the World Championship race. If I can't get into Boulder, I have 2-3 races I am looking at for August but shorter distances. I know if I could get into Boulder, I should easily be able to qualify for Worlds as it would give me the 5 weeks of training I needed for my first 70.3.

New Training Totals:
Week
Bike: 5 rides/ 193 miles/ 9.30 hours/ 20.7 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 30 miles/ 3.68 miles/ 7:21 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 3.5 miles/ 1.86 miles
Total: 12 workouts/ 226.5 miles/ 14.84 hours

2012
Bike: 152 rides/ 4803 miles/ 225.63 hours/ 21.30mph
Run - 90 runs/ 561.5 miles/ 67.68 miles/ 7:14 per mile
Swim - 59 swims/ 50.5 miles/ 24.30 miles
Total: 301 workouts/ 5415 miles/ 317.61 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 190-200 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 28-32 miles
Swim - ??? (On vacation in Poconos so not sure if I have access to pool)

This week I also will start to work on some of things that I learned during my race. I know I need some more time on my feet running and start to get some solid speed workouts. I also need to work on a more concerted effort to watch my nutrition on the bike to prepare for the run that follows. I think a solid brick workout will be in order! I am looking forward to some nice riding and running in the Poconos.

Potential Races Ahead:
July Like to race one of the nest two weekends
August 4th Brigantine Triathlon (if no Ironman 70.3 Boulder)
August 5th Ironman 70.3 Boulder (????)
August 26th Keystone State Triathlon

More to be added!

TdO '12

Race Report - Successful Return!

   

It may not have been the time I was hoping to hit but given the weather and a tougher course than I thought, I think the race was a successful return to triathlons. While it was not as humid as the days leading up to the race, it was a hot day (68 degrees when I woke up at 4AM) and the water temp was 82 degrees (no wetsuit allowed).

5:00AM - Body Marking and Transition Set-Up (These races start to early!!!!)
Arriving at the race start, I had no idea what to expect from the day. I know I was prepared to finish the race but I was there to race. I am not one who can just do something to say they did it. I had been to the highest levels of triathlons prior to my 14 year hiatus.

6:25AM - Men's 40-44 Swim Start
I really hate the swim portion! It has and will always be my weakest of the three disciplines. Standing on the beach looking over the lake that morning, all I could think about was just get through swim. About 100 yards into swim I also remembered why I hate the swim start as you wrestle for clear space and have 100+ other swimmers beating the crap out of you for a little bit. I just kept telling myself stay calm and it will eventually clear slightly. I also had to assist another swimmer who panicked 150 yards into the swim until a lifeguard could to him. I just happened to hear yell for help when I popped my head up to sight a buoy. There is not much to say but it was a slow swim 38:43 and I had trouble sighting buoys for the first half as we swam directly into the sun. But I survived and it was now off to my best events.

Bike
Once on the bike I knew I was going to have to make up some time. The course was a lot hillier than what the course map showed. On the map, it said it was a total of 1300 feet of climbing throughout the race. They were a little off as it was 2744 feet of climbing. Once I realized how hilly it was going to be I altered my goal time, and set off through the field picking off riders quickly. Also, given how hot it was going to be on the run 80-85 degrees, I rode a little conservative to save my legs for the run. The hills were not to bad and I was able to climb them without taxing myself. There were some railroad crossings and potholes as we rode back into Providence which slowed everyone down for the last 5-6 miles. Coming into T2, I had went from 28th in my age group to 13th off the bike. My time on the bike was 2:40:15 or 21mph for the 56 mile (56.44 on my Garmin) bike leg.

Run
I will admit running out of T2 and going down a slight hill, I had doubts that my legs would survive the run. My longest training run to this date was 12.25 miles and that was with no biking beforehand. The run was a 2 loop course through Providence with the first 3 miles of each loop basically going up hill and there was not much shade on the course. I ran the first 3-4 miles without looking at splits and just on feel. It felt easy and conservative and something like 7:00 per mile pace. After mile 4, I looked at my watched and it was more like 6:40 pace. I was surprised to see that but also knew I had to back off a little relax. I felt strong through the first loop but the second loop was not as good. I lost sometime on the second loop but I just kept telling myself, there will be no walking today. I actually thought my run had slowed to 10:00 per mile pace but in all actuality it was 7:30 per mile. I finished the run with a time of 1:34:54.

Total race time: 4:58:57 - 10th in age group(120 total)/85th overall (1100 started)

I learned a lot from this experience. I know I need to work on my nutrition while on the to better prepare for the run. I know as my training improves, my swim and run will be better and top 3's in my age group will be there again. Overall, I think it was a good race given the set backs in April and then  finding out National Harbor was cancelled and compressing my training schedule by 5 weeks.

Breaking 5 hours on this day was a good race. I went there also hoping to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas in September. Once I realized I was 10th in my age group, I figure there is no way the qualifying slots will drop that low so we set off for home. Well yesterday on twitter, I saw someone who did the race tweet he got his qualifying slow so I checked his results. Low and behold, he finished 14th in my age group so if I stayed I would have qualified. You have to be present for the qualifying slot roll-down. But to me at that time Sunday, I did not feel my performance was a championship qualifying performance and I still feel the same way. I wanted to qualify on my terms (not roll-down) and that was having a championships caliber race. I am my own worst critic, but if I were to get to Vegas for the championships, I would be going to compete at the highest level.

Better races ahead!

I'M BACK!

  

It is hard to believe that I have not competed in a triathlon since May 1998 in Bakersfield, CA. Sitting in my hotel room now and I kind of have indifferent feelings about the race. Please, don't get me wrong, I am pumped to be keeping tomorrow as I have missed being around triathlons and the awesome challenges they present but at the same time I am not new to the idea of competing. Yes, it will be my first triathlon in a long time but in the mean time I have competed as a runner (2:27 marathon and 15:18-5K PR's) and as a cyclist since that race. I am going into tomorrow with a time goal in mind and I will see where it places me if I can hit the time. I know my training has been awesome the past 10 weeks and I feel fresh after this week of taper.

New Training Totals
Week (May seem high but remember my week starts on Sunday so 7 day taper)
Bike - 5 rides/ 130 miles/ 6.25 hours/ 20.8mph
Run - 4 runs/ 19 miles/ 2.60 hours/ 7:18 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 3 miles/ 1.55 hours
Total - 12 workouts/152 miles/ 10.40 hours

2012
Bike - 147 rides/ 4610 miles/ 216.30 hours/ 21.3mph
Run - 87 runs/ 531.5 miles/ 64.00 hours/ 7:13 per mile
Swim - 55 swims/ 47 miles/ 22.40 hours
Total - 289 workouts/ 5188.5 miles/ 302.70 hours

Goals For This Week
To Be Determined After Race Tomorrow

Race report either tomorrow night or Monday depending on when I get home tomorrow night.

TdO '12!

Knowing how I can be, I am sure I will be planning my next race before I am even in the car headed home!