Loading Up On The Miles, A Little Racing & Something New

Week 10 of high volume training and racing is complete! 

This past weekend I race in a very low key local triathlon. The Lewisburg Triathlon consisted of a 300yd pool swim, 15 mile bike and 3.25 mile run. As the previous three sprint triathlons during this stretch, there was not a taper for this race. 

Race morning was quite a shock as it had dipped to 48 degrees overnight and it was still about that temperature when the race started. The racking of bikes was first come first serve, which is something I have never liked. Even if low key I still think there needs to be some organization to the transition area but for now, so be it!(more to come on this) The swim was conducted in time-trial fashion with swimmers going every 20 seconds and it was self-seeded. There was about a 50-60 yard to the transition area and the timing mat. Race time!

Swim - 4:31 (Hitting watch for split once I climbed ladder to the deck -31 second run to timing mat)

I felt good throughout the swim and actually was catching the person who started 20 seconds in front me and was on my last 50 as several higher seeded swimmers were finishing up their last 25. I actually had the 3rd fastest swim split. I will savor that is that truly does not happen too often! Counting the run to timing mat of transition my swim was  listed 5:02. I still have a lot work to do in the swim but things are going in the right direction!

Transition 1 - 1:28 

Yes, you read that correctly! My slowest transition ever but for a very good reason & beyond my control. In all my years of triathlons I have never had this happen but as I ran towards my bike I notice that the competitor next to me, who started the swim before me, had left and in their haste knocked all my bike stuff to the ground and it was left strewn over a couple transition areas. I scrambled to pick up my helmet. singlet and sunglasses and get them on as quickly as possible. I figured given my normal transition times and similar set-ups, T1 should have taken 35-45 seconds at the longest! I was so pissed but had more racing to be done.

My look as I realize my stuff was no longer on my bike!

Bike - 42:49/21.2 mph - 9th fastest

The bike course was a rolling course, 712 feet of climbing. Bike times were slower than normal for all competitors as in typical Central PA fashion, some of the roads were oil and chipped. I have never seen this before but it is the worst thing in the world for biking! There was also another section that you had to cover on the way out and way back, that was pothole filled and a disaster. Being unfamiliar with course and having had a pretty bad crash in the past, I think I rode a little too cautious and would not let myself attack the course the way I wanted. Still rolled into T2 feeling strong going and ready to run. 

Transition 2 - 39 seconds (more normal and my run stuff was where it was supposed to be!)

Run - 21:05/ 6:29 per mile - 9th fastest

I felt really strong on the run! I was able to pick up the pace throughout the race and negative split the course (went through mile 1 at 6:35). Even though I was done I still had to wait to see how I would finish with the time-trial start. I will say it was weird to complete the course basically alone which at times made it tough to gauge where I was and just hammered away.

 

Overall - 1:11:05/7th OA/2nd AG 

This was a very competitive race as places 3-7 were separated by 26 seconds. Knowing that it was that close, even if not an "A" race, it still pisses me off that something out of my control (an ignorant competitor who knocked my stuff off my bike) cost me a top 3 finish. Some people might think how much could that have messed anyone up, but I think we all know we have our set routines and something like this can wreak a lot of havoc! And the competitor who racked next to me was not an inexperience triathlete (higher seed in the swim and a tricked out Cervelo!), they were just a rude competitor. OK, bitch session done as bigger and better races ahead but I implore all.......be considerate of your fellow competitors, even in the heat of competition! We are all in this together! And congratulations to all the competitors who made this such a close race!

Here are the totals for the past 10 weeks:

Bike - 44 rides/ 1627 miles/ 79.42 hours/ 20.5 mph/ 47411ft of climbing
Run - 35 runs/ 235.75 miles/ 29.29 hours/ 7:27 per mile
Swim - 29 swims/ 25 miles/ 12.66 hours
Total - 108 workouts/ 1887.75 miles/ 121.37 hours
Per Week - 10.8 workouts/ 188.78 miles/ 12.14 hours

I am undecided on racing this weekend but should have a definitive answer in a few days or at least know after Tuesday! But I am hoping to get at least two more races before the end of the season. With each week, my confidence for Ironman training grows! Plans are already in the works for training and taking this to the next level!

List of Ironman Races That Fit Into T&F Coaching Schedule (as of writing this blog)

May 16 - Ironman Texas

June 28 - Ironman Coeur d'Alene
August 2 - Ironman Boulder

Thanks to Wattie Ink for the coolest racing kit and teammates that keep me motivated with their performances! Also, thanks to a great list of sponsors of the team - Power Bar, Speedfil, ISM Saddles, Herbalife, Blue Seventy, Rudy Project, ! Your support goes a long way in helping me achieve my results!

Rock the W!