Where Have All My Tris Gone?

As always, at the beginning of the season, I had great expectations. After Smithfield, I anticipated doing triathlons in June, August and September. However, the rest of my life intervened, and it’s likely I’m already done for this year. I’ve maintained a regular training schedule, but my desire to compete in an actual event has waned.

For one thing, I dislike paying the high entry fees. I don’t doubt the tri fees are warranted, but I don’t need to pay a lot of money for another t-shirt or socks and the “privilege” of finishing close to last. I can do that at swim meets and road races for less money, and less stress because I don’t have to worry about falling off my bike. (In May, I swam at the Virginia Senior Games and ran an 8K in Williamsburg. My performance in both events was not as good as I’d hoped, but they were fun to do.) And that brings me to the one event I may do this summer – a swim-run duathlon in August in Lexington. The swim is 500 yards in a pool and the run is three miles, probably with hills (not my favorite terrain, but better to tackle on foot than on my bike!).

The other reason my tri season may be over is that the remaining scheduled sprints I might have done are being held on dates when I’ll be elsewhere, and I couldn’t avoid the conflicts. So, instead, I’m considering another Master’s swim meet in October and an 8K in November. Then it will be time for indoor cycling to start, along with my hopes for next year.

PR!

On March 31, I did my first triathlon of the season. I start every season with optimism, tempered by realistic expectations, so as I trained for the race, I thought about what I’d need to do to get a personal best. It seemed doable in theory, but driving to Smithfield early Saturday morning in the rain and setting up in transition, still in the rain, I began to question why I’d entered. I was prepared for rain, though, so I dumped my stuff in the big plastic garbage bag I’d brought and put my extra towel over my bike. I hoped, since I hadn’t had the winning ticket in the Mega-Millions big lottery, I’d at least be lucky enough to have better weather by the time I got on the bike course.

The swim was 300 meters in an indoor pool. I’ve been working hard to improve my freestyle stroke and was hoping to do the swim in less than 8 minutes – including the time it takes to get out of the pool and to the transition timing mat. Despite some awkward lane changes, I thought I was doing okay while I was in the water – I even passed two people – but I missed my goal by 43 seconds.

The rain had stopped when I came out of the pool, but it was still overcast and cool. I appreciated having the long-sleeved technical shirt I’d received at registration. The shirt was warmer than the one I’d brought with me, and it was bright yellow – sure to be noticed by anyone on the road.

I had driven the 10-mile bike course earlier that morning. It seemed hillier in the beginning than I remembered from when I did the same race four years ago. At about mile 4, there is a winding downhill followed by a sharp left turn and then a winding uphill. After that, it’s a smoother ride.

My first few miles were sluggish. Perhaps I should have had a more substantial pre-swim snack. After avoiding a near collision with a rider who had dismounted to walk her bike up the big hill after the turn, I settled into maintaining my cadence. My time for the bike leg was within the range I’d projected, even considering I fell as I dismounted. It wasn’t a major mishap, though, and I was still within a possible PR, so I quickly transitioned to the 5K run.

I’ve been working on improving my running, too. I’m a proponent of the Jeff Galloway system of alternating periods of walking and running. As I approached the mile 1 marker, I was heartened to see that despite having rubber for legs, I was on my targeted pace. At mile 2, I was still on pace. Within a half-mile of the finish line, my goal time within reach if I didn’t dawdle, I stepped up my pace. My run time was the best 5K I’ve had in several years.

Even more remarkable, I finished the whole race a minute under the time I’d projected and almost four minutes faster than I’d done it in 2008. A true PR.

Of course, there were a few kinks in my performance. I need to be more adept at changing lanes in the pool. I need to master dismounting my bike without falling (it’s not that I can’t unclip from my pedals, because I don’t ride clipped in – I’m just clumsy!). I need to increase my stamina so I can go faster farther. All in all, however, this sprint was a good beginning to the season, and I’m looking forward to a banner year.

“Yumminess”

Coach MB’s favorite word to describe our strength training/cycling work-outs is “yummy.” Nothing about these work-outs, however, fits the dictionary definition of the word. They are not “tasty,” “delectable,” or “delicious.” Unless, of course, you like torture. Although indoor cycling is one of my favorite training activities, three months into the pre-season, I’ve had about all the “yumminess” I want. The past month has been particularly tough as we have focused on power sprints – pedaling furiously in our hardest gear while seated for 10-15 seconds, alternating with pedaling slightly less furiously while seated, or standing, still in hardest gear, followed by a brief recovery in an easier gear. We do these sets repeatedly for most of the hour-long session, while M. reminds us how “yummy” they are.

I know these work-outs are good for me, even though each sprinting segment seems at least twice as long as it is and “four easier gears” is a distant promise. Last year, my first outdoor ride after pre-season ended was considerably faster than a ride around the same course had been six months before. The agony of all those power sprints, jumps, and other drills were worth it. So, come March, having endured so much “yumminess,” I expect to appreciate just how truly luscious it was.

Another Year, and Still Trying to Tri

When I signed up to do my first triathlon ten years ago I don’t think I expected I’d still be doing them now, but, what do you know, I am contemplating another triathlon season. First on my agenda is the Smithfield Sprint on March 31, followed by an 8K run in Williamsburg on May 19, and then maybe other triathlons in June, August, and/or September. I hope my years of training, which have made me a better athlete, will counteract my advancing age, so that while there may not be any PRs, I can at least complete the race.

Waiting for ???

After months of training, I’m starting to see some improvement in my swimming and running as I’ve gotten faster at shorter distances. While that’s a good thing, I’m leery of thinking it will continue, as I’ve been in this same place before – and optimism about my level of performance succumbed to injury. None of the injuries were related directly to training, however. Two years ago, I stepped off the edge of a sidewalk and broke a bone in my left foot. Last year I turned to pick up a suitcase and twisted my back. It seems as though whenever I think I’m getting “up to speed,” something happens, so I’m wondering – what will it be this year?

In The Pink

Two weeks ago (blame delay in posting on Irene!) a friend and I did the Pink Power Triathlon as a relay. She did the bike leg and I did the swim and the run. This was my only actual tri for the year – I enjoy the training, but dislike paying the ever-increasing entry fees for the events. However, the PP has good camaraderie and cute swag – this year’s socks were a special bonus, so I signed up. Overall, I was pleased with our performance. My swim was a few seconds slower than last year, but my run was a few minutes faster. My friend did well on the bike course, although a glitch in the timing added the transition times to the bike segment and skewed her ride time to seem longer than it was because speedy transitions are not our forte. The absolute best part, though, was seeing my daughter at the finish line. She lives in Maryland, and I hadn’t known she was coming. She’d been lurking in the area all morning, waiting to surprise me. As they say, our smiles were priceless.

Adiós, Coach D.

The coach of the UR Masters Swim program has taken another job at a college in Texas. D. had been our coach for the past two years. Our group included excellent, competitive swimmers and other people, like me, who mostly swim for fun and fitness. D. offered us all motivation and encouragement. Under her tutelage, I improved my freestyle stroke enough to take minutes off my tri pool swim times. I also learned to do butterfly and flip turns. Of course, I wish D. well in her new position, but she’ll be missed.