A belated thanks

I keep forgetting to thank my employer: Xcis Software, for allowing me the flexibility in my schedule that allows me to train as much as this sport requires! You can find their web site at www.xcis-software.com. They are a great group of people, each with their own athletic agenda.

Antsy in recovery

Different week/race, same results: I should be enjoying the easy week after but instead find myself antsy to get back into the thick of the training. It was hard for me to get motivated to start any training and I'm afraid that these slow weeks will allow me to slip back into couch-potato ville. I swam yesterday, 1.2 miles, and today I get to ride the bike for about an hour. I guess what I'm waiting for is the run. Not a recovery run where I'm just plodding along at 10 minute/mile pace, but a real run. I want to run hard enough that I'm breathing hard, maybe even feel like throwing up at the end. Now that's a run! This Sunday might be my first change to get the old ticker going.

The next step

Now that I've finished my first season, far exceeding my goal of just getting out of the water, it is time to get ready for the next step. I want to do a 1/2 Iroman next year, in April. Actually I'd like to do three of those. I'd also like to try one of these smaller races again to see if I can break into the top 20%. Those may be mutually exclusive, so the long races definately come first. Lonestar in Galveston April 24, 2010. There, I've said it, now I have to do it!

Triathlon #3 - Katy Tx

Car trouble started me in a foul mood. It was cold and I was underprepared to stand around for hours in shorts, sandals and a windbreaker. I was irritated at myself for allowing my diet to slip, knowing that those few Pringles had added extra pounds I would now have to carry. We stood in the water for 8 minutes before our wave started and I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering. That all goes away when the gun sounds. It really was cold to me and I was never able to warm up on the swim. During the swim I felt like I was being battered around like a sparring partner. No wonder, I was in the front of the wave! Who would have thought that a non-swimmer like me could crawl out of the water in 6th place. Finally out of the water, I approached the female wetsuit stripper and wondered if I'd remembered to tie my shorts after my last bathroom break. Fortunately for both of us there were no surprises here!

The bike leg was flat and windy. The wave behind me was young women, and they proceeded to fly by me in droves. I tried to watch as they passed, and I believe they were all on TT (time trial) bikes which made me feel a bit better. Rounding one corner the bikes in front of me all slowed down. Foolishly I thought I could take a better line and make up a second or two. Wrong! There was a pothole in the middle of the road I had to swerve around, which then sent me off the shoulder into gravel. Fortunately I was able to keep going and made it back on the road without a flat. I especially appreciated the rider who came up and told me to watch the road. Angrily I picked up the pace and left him behind.

I don't know why my head felt so muddy, but it did, and I almost left T2 without my race number. Many thanks to the volunteer who pointed it out to me before I got far down the road. The run was short, but by now I really needed to pee. I kept looking for a spot on the side of the road where I could stop for a quick break, but there were too many racers and the woods were too far. One leg of the race was off-road; I love running off-road. It was an out and back, and probably too narrow for the number of runners. At times we were three wide as we passed, having to speed up so we didn't run into the runners coming the other way. There were lots of spectators as we approached the finish line. Two little girls were particularly loud and full of energy. They really made the last little bit fun!

I finished strong and felt good. Thinking back I would do a few things differently, but I doubt it would have made a significant difference. I finished in the top third of my age group, and only one minute off my target time (where did I come up with that number?)

Tri season is over for me this year - it is too cold!

When to start

I wish I had started this months ago, when the idea of running in a triathlon for my 50th birthday first entered my mind. The problem is I don't know when I got started. I think it was August before I first entered the pool. In September I emailed a prospective trainer that my goal was to get out of the water unassisted. Finishing the race was a distant second thought. I was really afraid I'd have to be pulled out of the water by one of the safety boats. I can't believe that was just 6 weeks ago!