ALCATRAZ Training - week 9 - Rest & Recovery

I've been beating my body up for the last eight weeks and am starting to pay for it. I have a very tender, sore shin and I'm worried it might be a stress fracture. A visit to the orthopod this week will determine, but I still have to take it easy.

That said, I'm not counting anything this week. If it gets done, then great. Otherwise, I'll resume the hours/mileage tabulation again next week.

Enjoy the time; I know I will!

ALCATRAZ Training - week 8 - Preparation

Still having shin pain, but I'm slogging through it. I haven't run in a week and I'm anxious to get outside. That said, I probably do another elliptical session (or two) before I start running again. Will also consider pool running, especially after swim sessions.

Monday
Planned - Bootcamp/Strength Class - 90 min
Actual - Stairclimber - 15 min/Bootcamp - 90 min

Tuesday
Planned - CompuTrainer Class - 60 min
Actual - CompuTrainer Class - 80 min

Wednesday
Planned - Swim - 2,500 yds - 90 min
Actual - Swim - 2,450 - 81 min

Thursday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Friday
Planned - Bootcamp Class - 60 min
Actual - Bootcamp Class - 60 min, Run - 21 min

Saturday
Planned - Computrainer Workout - 60 min, Run 15 min
Actual - CompuTrainer Workout - 80 min, Swim 15 min

Sunday
Planned - Swim -3,000 yds - 90 min, Elliptical or Run - 60 min
Actual - Swim - 2300 yds - 73 min,

TOTAL
Planned - 525 min
Actual -

ALCATRAZ Training - week 7 - Preparation

UPDATE 2/17: Snow screwed up my schedule. I should still make most (if not all) of my workouts...but just not on the days listed. ;-)

Shin is okay, but not great, hence the Elliptical.

Monday
Planned - Bootcamp/Strength Class - 90 min
Actual - Stairclimber - 10 min/Bootcamp - 90 min

Tuesday
Planned - CompuTrainer Class - 70 min
Actual - OFF (snow canceled classes)

Wednesday
Planned - Swim - 2,100 yds - 60 min, Run - 60 min
Actual - No swim (snow), Elliptical - 60 min

Thursday
Planned - OFF
Actual - Computrainer Workout - 80 min

Friday
Planned - Bootcamp Class - 60 min
Actual - Bootcamp Class - 60 min

Saturday
Planned - Computrainer Workout - 60 min
Actual - Computrainer Workout - 90 min

Sunday
Planned - Swim -3,000 yds - 90 min, Elliptical - 60 min
Actual - Swim - 2,500 yds - 80 min

TOTAL
Planned - 550 min
Actual - 470 min

ALCATRAZ Training - week 6 - Endurance

I was close last week, but didn't quite make my target. That said, I'm already off to a bad start this week. Petra came down with strep yesterday so I had to pick her up from school early. I had planned on going to the gym, but unfortunately, she started vomiting and was too sick for me to leave. So Monday was a complete loss; will try to make up later this week.

Monday
Planned - Bootcamp/Strength Class - 90 min
Actual - OFF

Tuesday
Planned - CompuTrainer Class - 70 min
Actual - 70 min

Wednesday
Planned - Swim - 2,000 yds - 60 min
Actual - Swim - 2,100 - 65 min

Thursday
Planned - Run - 60 min
Actual - Run - 63 min

Friday
Planned - Bootcamp Class - 60 min, Run - 60 min
Actual - Bootcamp Class - 60 min

Saturday
Planned - Computrainer Workout - 60 min
Actual - Computrainer Workout - 60 min

Sunday
Planned - Swim -3,000 yds - 90 min
Actual - Swim - 2,700 yds - 75 min; Elliptical - 60 min

TOTAL
Planned - 490 min
Actual - 453 min

ALCATRAZ Training - week 5 - Endurance

So I'm going to write using the actual vs. planned model I adopted last season. I'm still trying to work it all in, so no yelling at me if I miss a workout here or a workout there. Seriously, I'm working out more than I ever have, so I feel no remorse for missing one....now. Once travel slows down a bit (to once a month or so), I'll need to do a better job...so I don't bonk at ALCATRAZ.

Monday
Planned - Bootcamp/Strength Class - 90 min
Actual - 5 min stair climber/90 min Bootcamp

Tuesday
Planned - Run/Elliptical - 45 - 60 min
Actual - Run - 60 min

Wednesday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Thursday
Planned - BRICK - Cycle - 20 min, Run 60 min (treadmill at hotel)
Actual - 41 min - combo run, stair climb to 15th floor room (naive to think I could get such a long workout in while traveling)

Friday
Planned - Bootcamp Class - 60 min, Swim - 30 min
Actual - Bootcamp Class - 60 min

Saturday
Planned - Computrainer Workout - 60 min
Actual - Computrainer Workout - 70 min

Sunday
Planned - Swim - 2,800 yds - 90 min
Actual - Swim - 3,000 yds - 95 min

TOTAL
Planned - 455 min
Actual - 421 min

Workout. Travel. Workout. Travel. Workout.

That's been my life for two weeks now and with another trip on the horizon, my crazy schedule isn't getting better anytime soon.

But I promised JP I'd blog about the road to Alcatraz; he, in turn, promised me it would be worth looking back on the journey. So, here goes...

______________

Workouts have been fairly consistent; I'm logging anywhere from 7-9 hours per week and desperately trying to stay above 8. If I get it all in, I swim, run, bike and take a bootcamp/strength class twice a week. I've managed to do most of my running outdoors, but have relied on my elliptical more than once when the weather proves too much. I take a Computrainer cycling class Tuesdays (when I'm not traveling) and Saturdays at the Y and although it's tough, it's probably the best possible workout for me right now. The bike is a weakness and I need to build up as much power as possible.

Swimming continues to go well enough, but I'm still having some trouble with the breathing. I can swim much longer, much faster when I breathe each stroke, but I find that I have a better rhythm when I breathe every third. I've heard it takes 3-5 years to become a good swimmer, which means at a min, I still have two years to go. That said, I am in the pool every opportunity I get. And even though I'd like to perform better, I still manage upwards of 2,200 yds. each workout and have hit a high of 2,700. I need to get up to 3k per workout, so I'll be increasing yardage slowly each week.

Travel has certainly made my schedule more challenging, but I've managed to workout while on the road. Most of my travel has been to Denver, however, and the altitude is a kicker. Even in the 'burbs, the air is so thin, I feel like I have a six-pack a day habit once I start running.

I'm still in the Foundation stage of training, which will last six weeks (unless the coach decides I need another week or two) and then it's off to Intensity school. ;-) As if this hasn't been intense enough.

I plan to pop in and see JP next week; I can't believe we haven't trained together in four weeks. I miss our workouts and hope we'll be able to pick back up once this tri is over.

More updates to follow. Suffice it to say, I am well on my way to Alcatraz. 93 days and counting...

Tri Training - Week 24, Sept 20 - Sept 26

I am so incredibly unmotivated this week. I have no desire to do anything. At all. I'm not sure I'm over-trained; there are far more people who put in far more time than I do. But, perhaps I've been so consumed by triathlon these last few months, that I just need to put a brake on it. For a while. I'll still continue to train, but perhaps not with the intensity I have been.

But before I can take time off, I have one more challenge: next Saturday's Mainiac triathlon in Biddeford, ME. May the weather gods be gentle.

Sunday
Planned - 45 min Run
Actual - 50 min Run

Monday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength
Actual - OFF (JP canceled)

Wednesday
Planned - 60 min Tri Swim Class/45 min Spin Class
Actual - 45 min Tri class only (knee is acting up and I'm really uncomfortable about putting any pressure on it

Thursday
Planned - OFF
Actual - 45 min Strength Training

Friday
Planned - 30 min Swim
Actual - 30 min Swim

Saturday
Planned - The Mainiac Triathlon (1/4 mile swim, 14.85 mile bike, 3.1 mile run) - hope to finish in 10/55/28...we'll see. I have no expectations.
Actual - 10:18/52:46/29:19 - total time (with transitions) 1:36:04

TOTAL
Planned - 318 min
Actual - ~266 to date

Tri Training - Week 23, Sept 13 - Sept 19

Sunday
Planned - 3-4 hour WALK for the Jimmy Fund
Actual - 3:30 Walk

Monday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Tuesday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Wednesday
Planned - 60 min Tri Swim Class
Actual - 60 min Tri Swim Class

Thursday
Planned - 45 min Spin Class/15 min Strength
Actual - 30 min Arc Trainer/20 min Strength/45 min Spin Class
* Knee is really bothering me so I am not planning to run until Sunday. Chiro told me to lay off the side lunges (we did a few) and keep knee iced. Hoping it's not a slight meniscus tear.

Friday
Planned - 45 min Strength
Actual - 45 min Strength

Saturday
Planned - 45 min Run
Actual -

TOTAL
Planned - 420 min
Actual - 410 to date

Tri Training - Week 22, Sept 6-12

This is a big week. I attempted (and succeeded at) a mile swim on Sunday and have Pumpkinman next Saturday. This will be a taper week since last week's workouts were so intense (think speed).

Sunday
Planned - 45 min swim - the Mighty Merrimack 1 miler
Actual - 43:48 swim

Monday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength/30 min Run
Actual - 45 min Strength

Wednesday
Planned - 60 min Tri Swim Class
Actual - 50 min Tri Swim Class

Thursday
Planned - 45 min Spin Class/15 min Strength
Actual - 50 min Spin Class/20 min Strength/10 min Arc Trainer

Friday
Planned - 20 min Run
Actual - OFF

Saturday
Planned - Pumpkinman (.33/14/3) - hopefully better than - 15/55/30
Actual - Pumpkinman (9:54/59:27/26:49) - 1:41:14 with transitions

TOTAL
Planned - 305 min
Actual - 320:02 (to date)

Tri Training - Week 21, Aug 30 - Sept 5

This is a tough week for the family. Petra starts first grade and Raya transitions to a new class. Also, it's the week before my classes (bike/swim) start, so I plan to take it easy. I think you'll find that what I plan isn't necessarily what will happen.

Sunday
Planned - 60 min Bike/30 min Run - BRICK
Actual - 59:30 Bike/30:02 Run - BRICK with Beckie

Monday
Planned - 45 min Swim (Tri Swim Class)
Actual - OFF

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength
Actual - 45 min Strength

Wednesday
Planned - 30 min Open Water Swim
Actual - 60 min Swim (Tri Swim Class)

Thursday
Planned - 30 min Run
Actual - 35 min Run

Friday
Planned - 45 min Bike
Actual - 50 min Bike

Saturday
Planned - 20 min Run
Actual - 30 min Speed workout

TOTAL
Planned - 305 min
Actual - 309:32 min (to date)

Tri Training - Week 20, Aug 23 - 29

Sunday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Monday
Planned - 45 min Swim (Tri Swim Class)
Actual - 45 min Swim (Tri Swim Class)

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength/30 min Run
Actual - 45 min Strength/31 min Run/Walk (legs were still brick-y...had difficulty with back half)

Wednesday
Planned - 30 min Open Water Swim
Actual - 24 horrible minutes of Open Water Swimming.
Panicking halfway across? Not. a. good. idea. Not sure what's going on, but this swim freaked me out. Elated (not) that I get to go out and do again tomorrow. Areas of improvement - not freaking out.

Thursday
Planned - 45 min Open Water Swim/45 min Bike
Actual - 60 min Open Water Swim/60 min Bike (class with Sharon Johnson)

Friday
Planned - OFF
Actual - 31 min Run

Saturday
Planned - 45 min Run
Actual -

TOTAL
Planned - 285 min
Actual - 296 min

Redemption.

The Timberman Triathlon 2009 might go down as my favorite race - marathon, tri or otherwise Despite the iffy weather, Timberman didn't disappoint. Set in one of the most beautiful parts of the state - the Lakes region - the short course offered arguably the most scenic, but challenging race routes out there. A two-day festival drew thousands of people to swim, bike and run (either the Sprint or Ironman 70.3) or cheer for their favorite athletes. And this race wasn't just for amateurs - two-time Ironman World Champion, Chrissie Wellington was back to defend her Timberman title (and ostensibly prepare for Kona in October).

Best moment? Finishing the bike. I know I had a grin from ear-to-ear, and rightfully so; it's a challenging course and I'd given it my all.

But let me take a step back...

My mother, Petra and I drove up Friday afternoon to avoid the nightmarish Lakes traffic and to register (great idea)/rack my bike (needless). We arrived at the hotel in Tilton, checked in and then rushed out again to head up to Gunstock, where the Timberfest (note: not tri) was taking place. And although it was raining, there was quite a crowd. Registration was fast and painless - no long lines - and we happened to arrive in time to hear the newcomers' Q&A. There was a bit of concern about whether wetsuits were going to be legal (temp had reached 77 degrees), but since wetsuits had been allowed the last twelve years, it was highly unlikely they'd be banned. Water temp on race day: 75 degrees.

After registering, we visited the merchandise tent where I purchased a Timberman bike jersey and bought Petra a teddy bear. A woman dressed as a devil gave Petra a Timberbuck to spend at the general store (which we couldn't find) and a tattoo, which she sported proudly on race day.

After dodging rain drops between tents, we went to Ellacoya so I could rack my bike (recommended by race directors). I spread a tarp over it to protect it from the rain and spent about ten minutes vacillating over whether to leave it. I did.

We then headed to Patrick's Pub to meet other TriFury (my tri club) members for dinner. There were a few glitches - reservations were not allowed and a nearby concert filled the restaurant with pre-concert goers - so after hanging with club members for about an hour, we took our food to go.

I'm thankful I slept well Thursday night because I didn't get a wink Friday night. Call it anxiety over missing the wake-up call, pre-race jitters or just a foreign bed, I rested little.

4:00 - Wake up call. We were on the road 15 minutes later. Surprisingly, Petra woke up and stayed up until the ride home later that day.

4:50 - We arrived at Ellacoya State Park (a few miles from Gunstock) and made it in in time to get good parking (a huge concern). I set-up my transition in the dark (note to self: flashlight in gear bag...not a bad idea) and pulled the soaking tarp off my bike. Since we had to rack by number, there was absolutely no need to rack the night before; you couldn't better your position. Lesson learned.

(By the way, as I write this, I have the webcam up so I can watch the 70.3 start.)

7:00 sharp - The start of the swim. I was in the sixth wave so I had to wait approx. 30 min to get in the water. Oh, and here's the craziest thing about this tri. You could water walk the entire swim, it was that shallow. Even at the buoys, which seemed so far out, the water was only chest-deep. It didn't make the swim any easier, though. The Wave was big and didn't spread out as much as I'd thought it would. We were very tight and I kept getting bumped, pushed or grabbed. Not fun. But it was only 1/3 mile, so I dealt. After rounding the last buoy, I tried to stand too early and had to start swimming again, so I probably lost some time there.
Swim time: 12:13.

Coolest feature of the Timberman Tri? WETSUIT STRIPPERS. There was an area in the transition chute where you just flopped down and let someone rip your wetsuit off. It was quick and I was back to my transition area in no time.

T1: 2:34 (long chutes, big transition area made for (what felt like) a long transition.

7:45-ish - The bike. What can I say about the bike course, but wow. Breathtaking views, lots of challenging hills and plenty of company. This was a no-drafting race, but let me tell you, it was impossible to keep three bike lengths between any two bikes. There were so many people on the course. I did my share of passing, and of course got lapped by the serious athletes, but felt very good about my performance. People had mentioned the grueling hill at the turnaround (it was an out-and-back) but I was shocked by how hilly the course was overall. Still, I felt good and entered the finish chute with a smile.
Bike time: 56:55 (15.8 mph)

T2: 2:10 (I don't bike with socks so I tend to take a bit longer than others at T2 when I have to wear them for the run.)

8:45-ish - The final leg of the race was a blur. The out-and-back run course was wonderful. The street was blocked to traffic so the entire road was filled with runners. With triathletes on both sides of the road, I got to see many of my clubmates either finishing before me or following just behind. I had been told the run was 1.5 miles up and 1.5 down, so I was entirely prepared. I was conservative on the way up (hit the turnaround in about 15 min) and then let myself fly on the way back down. I felt like the run was over almost as quickly as it began. Don't get me wrong: it was grueling on the way up and I didn't get rid of the brick legs until well after the first mile, but I was still happy with my performance. I had a tri run PR with a pace of 8:49/mi.
Run time: 26:27

Total race time: 1:40:18 and I couldn't be happier.

For those considering Timberman - this is a very well-supported race and was a lot of fun for me and my family (can you say, Kids' Zone?). I can't wait for 2010 registration to open; I plan to be first in line.

Oh, and did I mention? Free margaritas to all finishers. Enough said.

Tris, Trips and Tetanus - The Sharon's Back 2009 Recap

Did I get your attention? Because let me tell you, Sharon's Back was a doozy. And not necessarily in a good way. I've waited so long to write this and I plan to keep this short and sweet:

• It was hot and humid,
• I crashed my bike in T2 and gashed the top of my foot,
• I nearly passed out after crossing the finish line.

Actually, the race wasn't all bad...just the run. The swim was 1/2 mile and therefore the farthest I've raced. I was happy to have finished and had I not veered of course TWICE, I might've had a stronger swim time. Still, I was satisfied with 21:29 (2.67 mins/100 meters).

T1 - 1:44

The bike was flat and fast, but as Carol mentioned in a recent blog post, flat means a lot of work. There is no coasting; your legs are moving and working the entire time. It's more tiring than you might think. I went the 12.3 mi distance in 42:07 (17.52 mph).

And the race went downhill from there. Figuratively. Why? Because I'm a complete idiot. I've been doing rolling bike dismounts where I unclip and swing my right leg over the back of the bike while it's still moving for a while now. It didn't work so well this time, however, and I went over on the "clean" side of the bike (i.e., no gears) and caught my right leg on one of the sprockets (which meant there was a tetanus shot in my future). I didn't realize I had hurt myself to such a degree until I reached the transition area; I was far more upset...actually embarrassed...that I had dumped the bike in front of so many people. One of the volunteers in T2 offered to look for a bandage, but I didn't want to wait. I threw on my sock and ran/limped out of T2.

T2 - 1:59

Oh, the run. What can I say except it was horrible. With all the excitement in T2, I had forgotten to eat a gel or take one last gulp of my gatorade/water mix, so I started the 4.4 mile run with no energy, an injured foot and wobbly brick legs. I ran/walked the first half. I was fortunate then to find one of my clubmates who kindly offered me a gel, which I gratefully took although it was too little, too late. I managed to run most of the back half of the race until the very end when I just felt too exhausted to move. At that point, a man ran up behind me and yelled, "Hey Tri girl! Start moving." So I did and he and I ran until we could hear the cheers of the crowds at the finish line.

And then I made my second stupid mistake (and arguably the bigger of the two). A younger woman who had been just behind me for most of the race decided to make one last push to the finish. Well, I couldn't let her pass me, could I? Could I? Nope. So I raced her in. RACED. HER. IN. After I had gassed out. And did I mention that it was 90 degrees with high humidity? Well, I beat her by tenths of a second (hurrah), but the minute I crossed the finish line, I started seeing stars and went down. I managed to grab the arm of a woman in the crowd (you should've seen the poor woman's face at that moment) before I was picked up by a volunteer. Not my finest moment, for sure. I was taken to the medical tent where moments later I was right as rain (thanks to some coconut milk and an ice compress). And although my girls saw me cross the finish line, they didn't see me (almost) collapse, for which I am eternally grateful. Run: 46:15 (10:51 pace).

This was a tough race, but one in which I learned many painful lessons. So Sharon, I will be back. And next time, I will get the best of you.

Tri Training - Week 19, Aug 16-22

I'll post an official recap, but suffice it to say, Sharon's Back was tough. To make a long story short, I fell off my bike, gashed my leg, and then didn't hydrate or eat properly on what was, without a doubt, the hottest day of the year and ended up in the Medic tent.

Yes, I will do Timberman on Saturday, but my training between now and then will be practically nil. I need to rest and recover in a major way.

Sunday
Planned - Sharon's Back! Hoping to do fewer than 2 hours
Actual - Swim - 21:29, Bike - 42:07, Run - 46:15; TOTAL - 1:53:32

Monday
Planned - 45 min Swim (Tri Swim Class)
Actual - OFF (had to get tetanus shot and shoulder is very sore)

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength/30 min Run
Actual - 45 min Strength/15 min GRUELING rolling session (no running - foot needs to heal)

Wednesday
Planned - 30 min Swim
Actual - OFF

Thursday
Planned - 45 min Open Water Swim/20 min Run
Actual - 45 min Open Water Swim only

Friday
Planned - OFF
Actual - 20 min Run

Saturday
Planned - Timberman Sprint! Hoping for sub 1:45, but we'll see.
Actual - Finished the Timberman. Met my goal with a 1:40:18

TOTAL
Planned - 434:30 (unrealistic given Sunday's turn of events. Will modify in actuals)
Actual - ~323

Tri Training - Week 18, Aug 9 - 16

This is taper week, so I'm going to reduce my training by approx. 50%. We'll see how successful I am.

Sunday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Monday
Planned - 30 min Swim
Actual - 25 min Swim

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength/30 min Run
Actual - 45 min Strength/40 min Run (ladder)

Wednesday
Planned - 45 min Bike
Actual - OFF (incredibly sore from yesterday's workouts)

Thursday
Planned - 45 min Open Water Swim
Actual - 45 min Open Water Swim

Friday
Planned - 20 min Run
Actual - 44 min Bike

Saturday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

TOTAL
Planned - 215 min
Actual - 199 min

Tri Training - Week 17, Aug 2 - Aug 8

I am planning to be pretty aggressive this week since I just had a nice (although not necessarily relaxing vacation). Since I have a race on the 16th and another on the 22nd, this will be the last *hard* week before I taper back.

Sunday
Planned - 60 min bike ride (Route TBD)
Actual - 47 min RUN - speed workout (bike is in the shop with bad derailleur. Won't be able to ride until Thursday)

Monday
Planned - 20/45 min Swim (20 in Silver Lake in the am/45 in swim class that evening)
Actual - 30 min Silver Lake/50 min Triathlon Swim Class, YMCA

Tuesday
Planned - 45 min Strength
Actual - 45 min Strength/10 min Stretching

Wednesday
Planned - 20 min Swim (Silver Lake)
Actual - 30 min Swim (approx. 1050 m at Silver Lake)

Thursday
Planned - 70 min (Try the Tri)
Actual - 45 min Open Water Clinic AND 9:25 Swim/35:33 Bike/18:21 Run - TOTAL: 1:05:15 - Try the Tri

Friday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Saturday
Planned - 120 min (30 mile TriFury bike ride)
Actual - 107 min (25+ bike ride with Cara-Jean)

TOTAL
Planned - 380 min (aggressive for me)
Actual - 419 min (um, can you say....holy crap!)

Tri Training - Week 15, July 20 - July 26

Monday
Planned - Swim - 45 min - class
Actual - OFF (overtrained last week. Must. take. break.)

Tuesday
Planned - Strength - 45
Actual - Strength - 45

Wednesday
Planned - Swim - 30
Actual - Swim - 45 (went to class)

Thursday
Planned - Try the Tri (1:05:00)
Actual - Try the Tri (1:09:05)

Friday
Planned - Swim - 30
Actual - OFF

Saturday
Planned - OFF
Actual - OFF

Total
Planned - 215 min
Actual - 159 min
__________
Note: I've removed Sunday's training. Next week, I'll start with Sunday and end on Sat so I can line up my blog posts with my training log at BeginnerTriathlete. So yes, between taking it easy because of over-training and removing Sunday, this week will look light.

Try the Tri Recap

I recognize that I'm posting this rather late, but I've been too busy OVER-TRAINING. Yep, I think I might've overdone it this weekend and am paying for it now - muscle aches, exhaustion, random sharp pains (calf). Anyhoo, this post is not supposed to be about my woes, but instead my second turn in the TriFury Try the Tri series.

The series, which takes place Thursday evenings , has suffered because of nasty weather. Two of the six races scheduled have been canceled because of storms and I was fairly worried it would happen again. Thankfully, the rain held off and just left us with the nastiest humidity possible. ;-)

Though the pond felt like bathwater, I decided to buck convention and wear my wetsuit anyway. I'd never trained in open water without it, and I didn't want to test my abilities in a race. Did I care that I was the only person in a full wetsuit? Not a bit. Because I performed three minutes better than my previous attempt - 7:39/.25 mile vs 10:55/.25 mile a month ago.

Despite the wetsuit, I still managed a decent transition (1:14) and was on the bike in no time. Once again, I knew how fast my swim time was by the number of people who passed me on the bike. I. really. need. work. And while my bike performance was better than my last outing, it was still only 1 mph/avg better. Oh, and did I mention? I was drafted the entire time. And I'm not talking about a questionable draft. I'm talking about his front wheel on my back wheel THE ENTIRE RACE. I couldn't even spit for fear of hitting him in the face. Had it not been a young teenager who was probably not aware of USAT drafting rules, I might not have been so tolerant. And despite a warning re: spacing, he still drafted. I think it threw me off mentally. Bike - 35:57/9.5 miles vs. 38:29/9.5 miles a month ago.

My second transition was very fast (:56) and I needed that time. (Note: I went sockless for the 2 miler and had no issues. I tried to run 3+ yesterday without socks and ended up with several blisters. So, socks it is).

The run was challenging (as all Tri runs seem to be for me). My drafter (fortunately) found someone else to shadow and loped after her. I ran my pace and didn't stop (except to throw back some water) and managed to come in at 19:06 vs. 20:44 a month ago.

Overall time:
July 16 - 1:04:52
June 11 - 1:12:58

I managed to knock more than 8 minutes off my first tri. I don't expect to make those types of marked improvements in the next few races, but if I could lose a few minutes on the bike and get out of the water just a wee bit faster, I'll be happy.

Not bad for a newbie triathlete, no?

Benefits of Triathlon Training

As you probably know, I started on a lose-the-baby-weight program (notice I didn't say the word "diet") almost a year ago. September, actually. I saw a friend at an industry conference who had lost 16 lbs by eating healthy foods and was inspired by her commitment and progress.

So I started. JP and I developed a nutrition and weight-lifting program and off I went. I lost 20lbs by the beginning of this year, but then hit a big plateau. I had two choices - eat an entirely clean diet (um, no) OR add in cardio.

In March, on a whim, I signed up for a triathlon swimming class at the local Y, which is incredibly funny because I was never a swimmer. I mean, I've always known *how* to swim, but had never really done it...not since I was a small child. The first class was impossible (I almost quit) and the following six were not much better. I managed to finish the Spring Fling triathlon only because the swim took place in a pool and I was able to stop at the end of each lane. I realized I wouldn't have the stamina or skill to compete in open water and I was discouraged.

I hit the pool the the following Monday (presumably for the last time) and struggled as I always had. Fortunately, I met Mary. A strong swimmer, Mary had been doing laps and stopped to watch me swim. She saw my visible frustration as I struggled to complete a 75 meters straight and offered up the best piece of training advice I'd been given - SLOW THE HELL DOWN. Apparently I was trying to sprint every pool length and gassing myself out quickly. Best. advice. ever.

Long story short....I've since improved my swim (see Mill City results) and lost another 10 lbs. I had a health screening at work and the numbers showed that all of my hard work is indeed paying off:

Total Cholesterol - 172
HDL (the good stuff) - 59

Glucose - 95

Blood Pressure - 90/62

BMI - 21.3

And weight...well, let's just say I'm the lowest I've been since my mid 20s.

Here's to the triathlon.

No formal training week

I will workout and probably do quite a bit of training, but I've decided not to set targets ahead of time. I just finished the Mill City sprint and I really want to relax this week (as much as I can). I also (apparently) need to get used to my new asthma medication (for my mild condition), which should improve my performance.

Times below are actuals:

Mon - Swim - 45 min

Tues - OFF

Wed - Swim - 30 min

Thurs - Strength - 45; Try the Tri (7:39 - swim, 35:57 - bike, 19:06 - run) - Total TRI - 1:04:52

Fri - OFF

Sat - Bike - 2:00:31

Sun - Swim - 35 min, Run - 30:46

TOTAL: 336

Um...not really a post-race week at all. This was way too much activity and I can feel it now.