1/2 M training & IM Branson thoughts

Switching to training for the half marathon has been a little different. I miss the variety of training for multi-sport events. Now I run five days a week, when before I was running three times a week. I have added a bike ride or two just because I can and I enjoy it. I need to hit the pool sometime in the coming weeks just to see if I can apply any of the lessons I learned at the swim clinic.

I pulled a real boneheaded move last week. I haven't given blood in some time because it would have meant a disruption in training and my race schedule. However, I decided that I could manage it with a couple of days rest. So, I gave. I decided AFTER I gave to research the recovery period. What I found out was much worse than I imagined. While my fluids would be back up in time for my eight mile weekly long run, my hemoglobin would take in the neighborhood of two-three weeks to get back to normal. Needless to say, my long run was a debacle. Average split was about a minute to a minute and a half slower than my last long run. I walked much more than I would have liked. Hydration is becoming an issue as well. I bought a fuel belt the other day so I don't have to worry about where to find a water stop anymore. I'm switching up my long run route too. I'll hit the Ozarks Greenways South Creek trail this Sunday.

I went down to Branson last Sunday to watch the athletes compete in the IM 70.3. I missed the swim, but managed to find a pretty good vantage point for the bike portion. I got to see all the leaders fly through. When the main pack came through I moved to the T2 are to see some of the run. The bike course is very challenging. I know because my last race of the season was the same route. Long and steep hills are de rigeur for this course. I knew several people that were doing the race. One friend got food poisoning and couldn't compete. Another finished, but got ill on the bike section. One acquaintance had reportedly killed on the swim and bike, only to bonk from dehydration on the run. My neighbor Dennis finished with a pretty fair time even though he tells me he walked some of the run. I salute all these folks for having the guts to train and enter this very grueling race. It's on my radar if they continue to have it. I'm reviewing training plans now. 2011? No. 2012? Maybe...

Swim Clinic & 10k

I attended a swim clinic sponsored by The Starting Block at the Meyer Center last weekend. Poor timing perhaps because, basically I'm done swimming for the year. I didn't want to pass up the opportunity for some coaching and my own underwater video. I was given some tips to help me, and I also identified a couple of things that should help me be more efficient and as a result faster. I'm told that there will be more of these in the future. I'll attend if I'm able.

I started my eleven week 1/2M training last week. Strength training has replaced swimming and I still bike some just to keep in the groove, and also because I enjoy it. Figuring out routes for long runs will be a challenge.

I did a 10k in Saddlebrook MO this past weekend. It was a very nice course and a beautiful morning for running. My good friend Don ran with me and helped me keep pace. I finished with a time 52:02, a PR for me including training runs. I should be on track for a fair pace in the 1/2M. We went to breakfast afterward and it was great to visit and catch up with Don. I'll probably do another 10k in October.

New bike & 10k coming up

I started shopping in earnest for a new bike right after the Tiger-Tri. Craigslist Kansas City, Tulsa, and Springfield were the main ones I looked at. I checked several times a day and waited patiently for an upgrade at a decent price. This one came up one Sunday afternoon and I was enthusiastic that it might fit the bill. I'm very happy with my purchase. It's a nice light bike. I added my pedals and saddle. I think I'll eventually swap out the handlebars for a wider set. I sold my old bike the very next weekend after I did some long overdue maintenance and repair. New brakes and a headset, then some slight adjustments. I think the girl that bought it has more bike than she was looking for, but I sold it at a fair price. Ironic that I get a new bicycle just as I plan to switch to training for the half marathon.

I'm doing a 10k this Saturday. It will be my first. I'm looking forward to seeing how I do. My long run these days is a 10k. I've been sub 9' pace the last two times, so I'm hoping for 8:40-8:50 pace in this race.

Looking ahead, I think I'll get back to triathlon training in February. For now, I'll try to maintain a base that will make the transition to multi-sport training easy. I did a swim clinic Sunday. I should have an underwater video to post soon.

End of the season

I raced my last triathlon of the summer yesterday. Since the last entry I raced in the Tiger-Tri in Republic, and the Mountain Man in Branson. That's a total of five sprints and one Duathlon for the summer. I have enjoyed almost every grueling minute.

Republic Tiger Tri- This was a very well organized race that fielded nearly four hundred athletes. Chris my neighbor Dennis and I rode over together. I had a good race. I knocked off about 45 seconds off of my time from Willard. I was a bit faster on the swim, but T1 and T2 were not as fast as they could have been. The ride course was advertised as "Flatter and Safer than last year". I would hate to have seen last years course. This course was not flat at all. But, what do you expect for this area. I had ridden part of the course on a training ride the previous week, so I was prepared. The run was pretty uneventful, and I did okay with an 8:24 pace. At the end they had Popsicles, my favorite post race treat, and pizza. Dennis managed to win third in his age group.

Mountain Man- This was a tough race and the longest of my season. Many of the participants of this race are prepping for the 70.3 in September. I wish them all luck. I did about as expected in the swim and my transitions went fairly well. The bike was the hardest ride I've ever done. One huge hill right right at the beginning, a long slow climb, followed by a short steep climb. The downhills were thrilling with speeds approaching 45mph. Everyone I saw was slowed to a walking pace several times by the challenging hills this course provided. The run was equally hilly and difficult. I had the worst 5k of my life I think. Pace was over 10 min. I don't know if it was the hilly course, or following a difficult bike, but I started cramping about halfway on the run. This was something new for me. I probably needed to hydrate better than I did for such a long race. One thing that was a little distressing and cost me some time was getting to the second aid station and finding they were out of cups. By this time I really needed water. I wound up grabbing a discarded cup to get a good drink. This alleviated the cramping for a while, but I still had to walk portions of the last half mile. This was along fairly steep up hill. By the time I got to the finish, I was about locked up. More water and some massage and I was okay. It was a fun race even with the difficulties. My friends Chad and Zach, and Dennis each won prizes for placing in their age groups. Congrats fellas.

It's been a terrific season. I want to do all of the same races again next year. I think I can improve on all aspects of my game. I'm done swimming for a while, but I'll stay on the bike to cross-train and switch to running farther to begin training for the half marathon in November. We'll see how training goes. My goal next year is to do the Concrete-Man long course. With that goal in mind, I'll have to train harder, but I should have a better base from which to start.

What's in a name?

When do you become a Tri-Athlete? Is it when you begin to train like one? After you complete your first swim/bike/run event? How big does that event have to be, sprint distance, Olympic, Iron man? I would like to consider myself a tri-athlete. But I think I have to say I'm more of an aspiring tri-athlete. I've been training seriously all year for sprint distance races. I've completed three and I'm on track to complete four for sure and perhaps five. I think I can call it a success when I've completed an Olympic distance, open water swim race. But will that even be enough?

Looking to the future; I know I want to keep on doing this. I've never felt better in my life. And it's not about the health. It's about the race. Without the races, I would not train with the same intensity that I do now. I wouldn't challenge myself in the pool, on the bike or on foot. As I said before, I want to do some bigger events. I also want to get faster in the shorter events. I'm not sure I have the inclination to do a full IM race. I may, someday, attempt a half IM. With my first season coming to a close, I'm finding it a little sad. I'll shift gears soon to begin training for a half marathon. If the training goes well, I'll do one in early November. In the near future, I expect to do a 10k or two, and a 5k or two before the end of the year. Shifting gears to a running only workout will be a little odd. I've gone back through this blog since I started writing it, and I'm pretty amazed at how far I've come. I have more to build upon for next year. I also have a lot to learn.

Concrete Man thoughts

I finished this race yesterday. It was my first open water swim triathlon. There was a simultaneous Olympic distance race going as well. The swim portion was a triangle and began in heats. I went in the last heat. I had a terrible time initially getting any rhythm going. I was even dog-paddling for a few seconds because the shear number of people in the vicinity made free-style swimming too difficult. My time was poor, but I met my goal of doing free-style for the entirety. I didn't have to resort to resting backstroke or side-stroke after I got away from the crowd. My plan was to swim outside the crowd, but I found that moving inside was better. I did get bumped and crowded a few times. I even had to hip-check one swimmer. I finished feeling good. The bike was uneventful as these things go. Me and a couple of other riders kept trading positions for the first half of the course. I finally left one of these guys behind and thought I had left the other one behind as well. He showed back up within the last three miles or so and stayed ahead of me slightly into the transition area. I passed him during the run and didn't have to worry with him the rest of the way. The run could have been slightly better, but with the heat and the general uphill of the first mile, I'm okay with my time. I finished 53 out of 117. I'm considering the Olympic distance for next year, although the thought of doing that swim loop three times sounds a little intimidating right now. I have to remind myself of something that my friend Mike tells me when the subject of swimming comes up; this time last year I was struggling to finish 100 yards. One more race for sure this year, with perhaps another if I feel especially good about it. Back to training tomorrow.

One word about some of the better athletes that participate in these events. Some of these people are animals. I can't believe how fast they are able to swim bike and run. Getting lapped by the first wave wasn't really demoralizing as they started ten minutes before, but some of them moved past so fast I felt like I was treading water. Then on the bike, I was moving along at a decent 20-21 mph and I heard this WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH. Then I get passed by someone on a high tech time trial bike with aerodynamic wheels. The next thing I know, he's at the top of the next hill and gone. I find it all pretty amazing. I wish I had started this sport much earlier in my life.

Concrete Man Results

ConcreteMan and beyond

I registered for the ConcreteMan Triathlon which is this Saturday. I'll be doing the short distance; 500y swim, 12.5 mile bike, and 2 mile run. I've been reluctant to register for this race because the open water swim was a little intimidating. I started training at Table Rock Lake every week to see if I can get my head wrapped around it. I finally got in a practice swim of some substance last Monday, so I pulled the trigger and decided to do it. I gathered some confidence in the pool a few days earlier when I did a mile total. I two small breaks. One at 1000, the next at 1500. Both were just long enough to set the stopwatch, and rinse the goggles. Look for results when I get done.

I still plan to do the Tiger Tri in Republic. I think Chris will be doing that one with me and perhaps another old Friend. My sister in law is planning to do it as well. I found out that there will be one in Branson the following week. I may do it as well. I find that I'm a little sad to see the season come to a close. my efforts will then turn to training for a half marathon in November. We'll see how the training goes before I commit. I'll miss my swim training, but I'll cut that off until next February.