On Sunday, August 19 the Bowling Green Sprint Triathlon was held. As its name suggests, this was another sprint triathlon. This time the distances were 400m swim, 14 mile bike and 5K run.
My buddy Andrew Chinn and I drove to BG Saturday evening where we met my son Jason and celebrated his 29th birthday with my granddaughter, Emmy. Before dinner, we found the swim center and drove the bike course just so we would know what we were in for. After dinner, we checked in for the triathlon registration at the hotel and went to have some birthday cake.
We excused ourselves early to get a good night's sleep. Once in the room, Andrew and I were sitting around talking about nothing in particular when SUDDENLY Andrew jumped up and ran over to my bike. My front tire was FLAT and it was after 10 PM. Andrew went on to bed while I jumped in the car to try to find someplace open that might have bike innertubes. Thanks to TOM TOM, I was able to find a Target, but unfortunately Target did not sell tubes that would work for my bike. Next I was able to find a Walmart, which had exactly 2 inner tubes for tires like my bike although neither one was exactly the size listed on my tire. Having no other options, I bought both tires hoping that one would work. I also bought a small tire changing tool kit AND an inner tube repair kit just in case all other options failed.
I got up around 5:30 to see if I could salvage my triathlon. Luckily, one of the inner tubes looked like it would be a close enough fit to save the day, if I could only get the tube changed without damage. All went well, albeit slowly and I was thanking my lucky stars that Andrew had noticed that the previous night rather than this morning which would have ruined my race.
Starting to feel a little time pressure, I took a quick shower to wash off the tire grime. I got dressed. Andrew got dressed. We were again talking about the race and other miscellania when SUDDENLY Andrew jumped up and ran over to his bike. HIS front tire was FLAT. Unbeleivably, the other tube that I happened to grab was exactly the right size to fit his bike! Andrew went about getting his tire changed as well. Crazy luck.
We got to the aquatic center for check-in in plenty of time. Having one triathlon behind me, things were much easier to figure out. We got our bikes and equipment set up in the transition areas and wandered over to the pool to figure out how things were going to work.
There were right around 300 participants and the weather was perfect. Once again we had a 50 m pool. We were dropped in every 10 seconds. I had a better idea of my time this time around and was much closer to where I needed to be in the swim. I still passed several people but did not get bunched up behind others nearly as much as at Tom Sawyer. I was out of the pool in about 9 and a half minutes. Andrew not knowing what his time would be had severely over estimated his time. He had to pass several people and got out of the pool about 9 seconds faster than me.
Onto the bike. This time I opted to bike and run without a shirt, which was really a lot more comfortable. It took a second to find my bike because I didn't have my glasses when I was swimming. Cleats on. Helmet on. Number on. I was off. The course was fairly hilly with one particularly long and steep uphill and also one particularly long and steep downhill. Once again, on the whole I was passing people. Really only one person passed me on the bike. With Andrew being 23 and having a whole lot more bike experience than me, I kind of expected Andrew to catch me here but he did not.
Back for the run and off the bike. At this point, I was a little concerned because I had not had any fluid. I didn't bring any with me (at Tom Sawyer, I had found it was not allowed). So I did not have a water bottle on the bike. To this point there had been no water stops and I really wasn't sure there would be any. Sooooo, (I'm not proud of this) I took a big swig from someone's gatorade bottle that was sitting on the ground near my bike. Then I put on my shoes and started to run.
The transition from bike to run is the hardest part for me. Once again, I felt like I couldn't breathe. It took about a mile again to feel right and I never really got into the rhythm I usually do with my morning runs. Luckily though, there was water on the run section. I was awfully glad to see that although it did make me feel guilty for taking a gulp of my competitor's gatorade.
By and large the run was fairly flat. But the run is where all of my competitors caught up with me. I was running a little slower than my usual pace, at just a little more than 10 minute miles. And here with only about a half mile left to run, Andrew passed me. Actually, he literally and figuratively spanked me, giving me a big slap on the behind as he ran past.
So the final results - overall finish 132 male - swim 9:27; bike 47:37 (18mph); run 31:42 (10:14 min miles); overall time 1:33:48
Andrew's results - overall finish 101 male - swim 9:18; bike 47:08 (18.2mph); run 26:44 (8:38 min miles); overall time 1:27:16
Congrats to Andrew on his first triathlon and for beating me by more than 6 minutes!
In terms of overall performance, I am right in the middle of the pack on the swim and the bike. Maybe even a little ahead of them. In the run, I am in the lower quarter. I have room to improve in all areas but it looks as though the run is really my Achilles heal and I am not really sure that will change.
At this point, I have to stop and assess where to go from here. I haven't really planned any other triathlons for this Fall. I may still get another one or two in but at this point, I am thinking it is time to work on the bigger plan of doing an Ironman next year.
All for now.
Have a great day!
BTW - it has been a while since I mentioned this but please feel free to make any comments. If there are questions, I am happy to respond. If you have an experience you would like to share, I would love to hear it. If you have advice, beleive me, I could use it. The only thing I ask is that comment be appropriate. Thanks.
David (aka lazy triathlete - aka ROGIOP - "ridiculously old guy in obvious pain" - suggested caption of my picture running in the BGST)
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Ohio River Swim
On Saturday, August 11, my buddy / mentor Patrick Ryan coaxed me and another friend / pastor Chris Caldwell into doing the Ohio River Swim. As you might guess, the swim was in the Ohio River, more specifically at the Cardinal Harbor subdivision dock in Goshen . People could swim one half mile, 1.2 miles or 2.4 miles.
By this time, I had already done a couple of swims in the Ohio but I still had some butterflies. The projected morning air temperature was 52 degrees and I wondered if I would need a wetsuit. As it turned out the actual temperature was 61 degrees and it was far more comfortable than I had expected. In fact, after being marked, I stood around in my trunks without a shirt the rest of the morning.
A lot of the wait time, my buddy Chris and I were trying to blend in with all of the triathletes. Many of them were here for the 2.4 mile swim and were training for the upcoming Ironman Louisville in a few weeks. Standing around with these guys, you probably never would expect to hear things like, "You know what really scares me??? - River Otters." I was incredulous at this because after all River Otters are cute and I thought it was probably far more likely that I would drown or have a heart attack in the swim than face an angry River Otter. Still wanting to be accepted by these uber-studs, I may have said something like, "yeah, when you're swimming but it's the bunnies that are the real threat on the marathon."
Oops. Went on a tangent. Back on point -
This was an organized swim. I think the North Oldham High School and Blairwood were the main organizers. The marking was different from the triathlon. My number was marked on each arm/shoulder, my neck and on each calf. In addition, we all had to wear swim caps with our numbers. I'm not sure the reason but it was comforting to think that if I somehow got dismembered, they could match up all of the parts.
They started us in groups. The first group was the triathletes who were swimming 2.4 miles. After about 5 minutes, they started the group Chris and I were in which was swimming the 1.2 mile. The water temperature was about 86 degrees and was very warm. We all started at once and at first I was running into some other swimmers. So, I stopped to let several of them get ahead so that we would not all be bunched up together.
I got a little nervous again this time. I'm not really sure why. I think that even though there were a lot of swimmers, this time I was in essense swimming along. I had to calm myself down a little and remind myself that there were lots of people around me and there were several people in kayaks keeping watch. Then I was able to get down to business.
We started out going against the current which was pretty strong that morning. I was having some problems navigating because I couldn't always see the buoys without my glasses. In order to calm my nerves and to try to see better, I settled into a pattern of breast stroke for maybe 20 - 30 strokes followed by free style for 20 - 30 strokes. That worked well for me, although I knew that it would hurt my overall time.
The rest of the blow by blow isn't important. I made it to the turn around buoy and made it back. I hit a couple of obstacles along the way but manage to negotiate those appropriately. I made it to the dock and the finish in just under an hour. Not bad but I would have predicted my time would have been about 50 minutes. (By comparison, the fastest swimmers, finished their 2.4 mile swim in just a little under the time it took me to swim 1.2) Once again, I know that I will never win any of these competitions. I wasn't the first but I also wasn't the last. The main goal here is to get comfortable doing these swims in open water.
Following the swim, I felt great. I came home and lied down for a second and the next thing I knew it was 2 hours later. Still I felt great. Then on Sunday, I felt tired all day but still no soreness. Monday again, no soreness but again felt tired and THEN all at once Monday evening, I CRASHED! I fell asleep at 7 PM and stayed asleep until 6 AM.
The swims are just deceptive. They are far more taxing than I realize during the swims and for that reason, the swim will continue to be the most difficult part of training.
One more down, next up is the Bowling Green Spring Triathlon.
Have a great day!
David
By this time, I had already done a couple of swims in the Ohio but I still had some butterflies. The projected morning air temperature was 52 degrees and I wondered if I would need a wetsuit. As it turned out the actual temperature was 61 degrees and it was far more comfortable than I had expected. In fact, after being marked, I stood around in my trunks without a shirt the rest of the morning.
A lot of the wait time, my buddy Chris and I were trying to blend in with all of the triathletes. Many of them were here for the 2.4 mile swim and were training for the upcoming Ironman Louisville in a few weeks. Standing around with these guys, you probably never would expect to hear things like, "You know what really scares me??? - River Otters." I was incredulous at this because after all River Otters are cute and I thought it was probably far more likely that I would drown or have a heart attack in the swim than face an angry River Otter. Still wanting to be accepted by these uber-studs, I may have said something like, "yeah, when you're swimming but it's the bunnies that are the real threat on the marathon."
Oops. Went on a tangent. Back on point -
This was an organized swim. I think the North Oldham High School and Blairwood were the main organizers. The marking was different from the triathlon. My number was marked on each arm/shoulder, my neck and on each calf. In addition, we all had to wear swim caps with our numbers. I'm not sure the reason but it was comforting to think that if I somehow got dismembered, they could match up all of the parts.
They started us in groups. The first group was the triathletes who were swimming 2.4 miles. After about 5 minutes, they started the group Chris and I were in which was swimming the 1.2 mile. The water temperature was about 86 degrees and was very warm. We all started at once and at first I was running into some other swimmers. So, I stopped to let several of them get ahead so that we would not all be bunched up together.
I got a little nervous again this time. I'm not really sure why. I think that even though there were a lot of swimmers, this time I was in essense swimming along. I had to calm myself down a little and remind myself that there were lots of people around me and there were several people in kayaks keeping watch. Then I was able to get down to business.
We started out going against the current which was pretty strong that morning. I was having some problems navigating because I couldn't always see the buoys without my glasses. In order to calm my nerves and to try to see better, I settled into a pattern of breast stroke for maybe 20 - 30 strokes followed by free style for 20 - 30 strokes. That worked well for me, although I knew that it would hurt my overall time.
The rest of the blow by blow isn't important. I made it to the turn around buoy and made it back. I hit a couple of obstacles along the way but manage to negotiate those appropriately. I made it to the dock and the finish in just under an hour. Not bad but I would have predicted my time would have been about 50 minutes. (By comparison, the fastest swimmers, finished their 2.4 mile swim in just a little under the time it took me to swim 1.2) Once again, I know that I will never win any of these competitions. I wasn't the first but I also wasn't the last. The main goal here is to get comfortable doing these swims in open water.
Following the swim, I felt great. I came home and lied down for a second and the next thing I knew it was 2 hours later. Still I felt great. Then on Sunday, I felt tired all day but still no soreness. Monday again, no soreness but again felt tired and THEN all at once Monday evening, I CRASHED! I fell asleep at 7 PM and stayed asleep until 6 AM.
The swims are just deceptive. They are far more taxing than I realize during the swims and for that reason, the swim will continue to be the most difficult part of training.
One more down, next up is the Bowling Green Spring Triathlon.
Have a great day!
David
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
The Big Event! - Tom Sawyer Triathlon 2012
Saturday was the big day! I was a little bit nervous and my knee although better was still not quite right. I had been instructed to check in before 6 AM but I really didn't know when they would open or how many people would be there. I got up at 4:30 AM, got dressed and loaded up my bike, trying to make sure that I had not forgotten anything. By 5:15, I was on the road to Tom Sawyer Park and I got there about 5:25 or so. I was surprised to find that I was one of the first to arrive. But that worked out well for me because I really had no idea what to do or how to do it.
A couple of fellow participants, who appeared to be veterans, got there about the same time as me. There was some lightning and I was cautioned not to mention it or draw attention to it, so that it wouldn't hold us up.
No one mistook me for a veteran. I didn't know how to register. I had to go to my car a couple of times to retrieve things. I didn't know how or where to set up things for the transition area. But as it turned out, none of these things were nearly as big a deal as I had worried they would be. I got my shirt. I got my timing band. I got my number (551) for the run and also marked on my shoulder and calf for the swim and bike. It really was pretty simple once I was there.
A 6:30 I was pacing around the pool because I had been told that we would start swimming but no one else was in the pool yet. After checking around, I found that the swim was not going to start until 6:45ish. Finally around 6:40, everyone began to make their way to the pool and the organizers made some announcements and gave some very helpful instructions.
As instructed, we lined up along the fence by the pool in numerical order. With just a few exceptions, our numbers had been assigned more or less according our projected swim time. When I signed up, I really had no idea how long it would take me, so I estimated 30 minutes for the swim, which put me near the end of the line. I was happy to be there though, so I could watch the people in front of me to figure out how this was going to work.
They started dropping us in the pool, one swimmer every 20 seconds. One swimmer would start; the next swimmer would get in the pool. The timer would count down from 5 seconds and you were off. Tom Sawyer is a 50m pool. The lane lines were up and there were 8 lanes. You swam up and back and then switched to the next lane. 800m later, you had finished the swim.
It was kind of a carnival atmosphere. Everyone was excited and while waiting in line for the swim, there was a lot of chatting, joking and encouraging among the participants. Most of the people there had done triathlons before. Thomas, a powerfully built former marine was in line next to me. Thomas and several others around me were members of the Louisville Landsharks, a local triathlon club. They discussed how they had swims in a local lake to prepare.
The swim has been my biggest concern this whole summer. And really, I think that it was a good thing that I was so concerned. But as I observed everyone in the pool, it was obvious that there were all levels of ability for the swim. The fastest people were able to swim this half mile in around 10 minutes. On the other end of the spectrum, one lady literally walked in the pool the entire way, sort of paddling with her arms as she went. People took a breath at every turn. Most people literally stood up to step over the lane lines to be able to move to the next lane. Had I known this, I would have been much less stressed. It just wasn't nearly as rigorous as I had feared. But I am glad that I didn't know. Had I felt that way, I may not have prepared well enough.
The biggest problem for me in the swim turned out to be getting tied up behind other people. You are allowed to pass and most people are very kind and considerate and try to make it easy for you to do so. But in each lane, there are people coming and going, so timing is an issue. I ended up passing several people and really had no one pass me. In future triathlons, I should be able to do better in the swim simply by being more accurate about my time. Being in the right spot would keep me from being held up by slower people in front of me. For my first triathlon, I think I was right were I needed to be. I could have swum faster, but I think it really helped my confidence to be in a spot where I was able to pass some people instead of having everyone pass me.
From there, you get out of the pool and run to the parking lot for the transition area. As you go, you run over the first timing mat that ends your time in the pool and starts your first transition time. Once again the transition was easier than expected. It was really pretty simple. Put on your shirt / number. Put on your shoes / cleats. Put on your helmet. Go. I probably wasted 30 seconds to a minute just worrying about whether I had forgotten something.
On the way out of the transition area, you cross another mat that ends your first transition time and begins your bike time. The bike wound 14 miles through Anchorage over to Chamberlain Lane and turned around in front of the Ford Truck Plant. Some people considered it to be a hilly ride. To me, it seemed relatively flat. The course was monitored by volunteers and some police but it was an open course. For me that meant that I would slow down at intersections, ready to stop if needed; slow down on turns and curves, and signal my turns. Many people did not think that this was necessary. One fellow passed me in traffic (both bikes and automobiles) and then rode into on-coming traffic to pass autos that he felt were going too slow. I guess I could have logged a better time, had I done this as well but I wouldn't change the way I rode.
Riding back into the park to the transition area, you are instructed to dismount and you walk / run your bike over the mat to end your bike time and begin your second transition time. This transition is simpler. You put your bike on the rack, remove your helmet, remove your cleats, put on your running shoes, and go out of the transition area, again over a timing mat to end your second transition time and begin your run time.
Switching from the bike to the run was probably the hardest part for me. I guess that the breathing mechanism for biking is just different from that of running. After feeling really great on the bike, as I began the run, I just felt out of breath and felt like I was having a hard time getting things going. Also, of all of the events, the run was hardest on my sore knee. After about a mile, things seemed to fall into place. However, I was concerned about food and fluid. There was a water stop at mile 1 and mile 2 on the run. I stopped both times to take some water and walked for a while as I drank it. I really felt like I was running extraordinarily slow. I remember thinking at the time that I thought I was running 12 to 13 minute miles.
The last half mile or so, seemed to just fuel the adrenaline. My knee stopped hurting. Although I was hot, I felt like my breathing was working. AND I could see the finish line. I certainly didn't spring across the finish line but I did pick up the pace.
Since everyone starts at a different time, there is no clock at the end. Based upon my training times, I had expected to finish in about 2 hours. I knew that I had done better than that. But it wasn't until late afternoon that the results were posted to the website for review.
Final results - I finished 71st out of 119 participants! Overall time 1:44:45.67.
My mean swim coach (my daughter Ginny) and my trainer buddy Cody Eubank deserve the credit for getting me ready. Ginny and her husband Dan were there to cheer me on as was my buddy Rob Benefiel came out and took some pictures while I was on the bike.
Later that afternoon, we went to VO2 to get a triathlon sticker to put on my truck. Then we had a ceremony that involved alcohol where we put the sticker on the truck, sand the National Anthem and drank an adult beverage.
Putting things in perspective, I know that this was just a sprint triathlon. I didn't set any world records and never will. I am sure I can improve but I have no illusions that I could ever win. But I got to tell you, that was an amazing feeling. It wasn't harder than a marathon but it really felt great.
These last several years have been tough for me personally and financially. Much like that first swim in the Ohio a week or two ago, in all of that turbulance, I lost a lot of confidence. I was making my way along but it was really hard and I was often worried about getting by in life in general.
After finishing this event (especially doing so much better than expected), for the first time in a long long time, I felt like I could do just about anything if I put my mind to it. The little TRI sticker on the back of my truck reminds me of that. And that was the greatest reward of all.
BTW - Congrats to all of my co-participants and thanks also for being kind to me as I learned this process.
Also, so you know, this is not the end. This is the beginning. Next Saturday, I swim in the Ohio River swim and the following weekend, I am in my second triathlon in Bowling Green. Cross your fingers and wish me luck!
Thanks all and have a great day!
David (lazy swimmer BUT now a Triathlete!)
A couple of fellow participants, who appeared to be veterans, got there about the same time as me. There was some lightning and I was cautioned not to mention it or draw attention to it, so that it wouldn't hold us up.
No one mistook me for a veteran. I didn't know how to register. I had to go to my car a couple of times to retrieve things. I didn't know how or where to set up things for the transition area. But as it turned out, none of these things were nearly as big a deal as I had worried they would be. I got my shirt. I got my timing band. I got my number (551) for the run and also marked on my shoulder and calf for the swim and bike. It really was pretty simple once I was there.
A 6:30 I was pacing around the pool because I had been told that we would start swimming but no one else was in the pool yet. After checking around, I found that the swim was not going to start until 6:45ish. Finally around 6:40, everyone began to make their way to the pool and the organizers made some announcements and gave some very helpful instructions.
As instructed, we lined up along the fence by the pool in numerical order. With just a few exceptions, our numbers had been assigned more or less according our projected swim time. When I signed up, I really had no idea how long it would take me, so I estimated 30 minutes for the swim, which put me near the end of the line. I was happy to be there though, so I could watch the people in front of me to figure out how this was going to work.
They started dropping us in the pool, one swimmer every 20 seconds. One swimmer would start; the next swimmer would get in the pool. The timer would count down from 5 seconds and you were off. Tom Sawyer is a 50m pool. The lane lines were up and there were 8 lanes. You swam up and back and then switched to the next lane. 800m later, you had finished the swim.
It was kind of a carnival atmosphere. Everyone was excited and while waiting in line for the swim, there was a lot of chatting, joking and encouraging among the participants. Most of the people there had done triathlons before. Thomas, a powerfully built former marine was in line next to me. Thomas and several others around me were members of the Louisville Landsharks, a local triathlon club. They discussed how they had swims in a local lake to prepare.
The swim has been my biggest concern this whole summer. And really, I think that it was a good thing that I was so concerned. But as I observed everyone in the pool, it was obvious that there were all levels of ability for the swim. The fastest people were able to swim this half mile in around 10 minutes. On the other end of the spectrum, one lady literally walked in the pool the entire way, sort of paddling with her arms as she went. People took a breath at every turn. Most people literally stood up to step over the lane lines to be able to move to the next lane. Had I known this, I would have been much less stressed. It just wasn't nearly as rigorous as I had feared. But I am glad that I didn't know. Had I felt that way, I may not have prepared well enough.
The biggest problem for me in the swim turned out to be getting tied up behind other people. You are allowed to pass and most people are very kind and considerate and try to make it easy for you to do so. But in each lane, there are people coming and going, so timing is an issue. I ended up passing several people and really had no one pass me. In future triathlons, I should be able to do better in the swim simply by being more accurate about my time. Being in the right spot would keep me from being held up by slower people in front of me. For my first triathlon, I think I was right were I needed to be. I could have swum faster, but I think it really helped my confidence to be in a spot where I was able to pass some people instead of having everyone pass me.
From there, you get out of the pool and run to the parking lot for the transition area. As you go, you run over the first timing mat that ends your time in the pool and starts your first transition time. Once again the transition was easier than expected. It was really pretty simple. Put on your shirt / number. Put on your shoes / cleats. Put on your helmet. Go. I probably wasted 30 seconds to a minute just worrying about whether I had forgotten something.
On the way out of the transition area, you cross another mat that ends your first transition time and begins your bike time. The bike wound 14 miles through Anchorage over to Chamberlain Lane and turned around in front of the Ford Truck Plant. Some people considered it to be a hilly ride. To me, it seemed relatively flat. The course was monitored by volunteers and some police but it was an open course. For me that meant that I would slow down at intersections, ready to stop if needed; slow down on turns and curves, and signal my turns. Many people did not think that this was necessary. One fellow passed me in traffic (both bikes and automobiles) and then rode into on-coming traffic to pass autos that he felt were going too slow. I guess I could have logged a better time, had I done this as well but I wouldn't change the way I rode.
Riding back into the park to the transition area, you are instructed to dismount and you walk / run your bike over the mat to end your bike time and begin your second transition time. This transition is simpler. You put your bike on the rack, remove your helmet, remove your cleats, put on your running shoes, and go out of the transition area, again over a timing mat to end your second transition time and begin your run time.
Switching from the bike to the run was probably the hardest part for me. I guess that the breathing mechanism for biking is just different from that of running. After feeling really great on the bike, as I began the run, I just felt out of breath and felt like I was having a hard time getting things going. Also, of all of the events, the run was hardest on my sore knee. After about a mile, things seemed to fall into place. However, I was concerned about food and fluid. There was a water stop at mile 1 and mile 2 on the run. I stopped both times to take some water and walked for a while as I drank it. I really felt like I was running extraordinarily slow. I remember thinking at the time that I thought I was running 12 to 13 minute miles.
The last half mile or so, seemed to just fuel the adrenaline. My knee stopped hurting. Although I was hot, I felt like my breathing was working. AND I could see the finish line. I certainly didn't spring across the finish line but I did pick up the pace.
Since everyone starts at a different time, there is no clock at the end. Based upon my training times, I had expected to finish in about 2 hours. I knew that I had done better than that. But it wasn't until late afternoon that the results were posted to the website for review.
Final results - I finished 71st out of 119 participants! Overall time 1:44:45.67.
- Swim time 21:34.05
- T1 time 3:12.35
- Bike time 47.48.80
- T2 time 1:35.71
- Run time 30.34.70
My mean swim coach (my daughter Ginny) and my trainer buddy Cody Eubank deserve the credit for getting me ready. Ginny and her husband Dan were there to cheer me on as was my buddy Rob Benefiel came out and took some pictures while I was on the bike.
Later that afternoon, we went to VO2 to get a triathlon sticker to put on my truck. Then we had a ceremony that involved alcohol where we put the sticker on the truck, sand the National Anthem and drank an adult beverage.
Putting things in perspective, I know that this was just a sprint triathlon. I didn't set any world records and never will. I am sure I can improve but I have no illusions that I could ever win. But I got to tell you, that was an amazing feeling. It wasn't harder than a marathon but it really felt great.
These last several years have been tough for me personally and financially. Much like that first swim in the Ohio a week or two ago, in all of that turbulance, I lost a lot of confidence. I was making my way along but it was really hard and I was often worried about getting by in life in general.
After finishing this event (especially doing so much better than expected), for the first time in a long long time, I felt like I could do just about anything if I put my mind to it. The little TRI sticker on the back of my truck reminds me of that. And that was the greatest reward of all.
BTW - Congrats to all of my co-participants and thanks also for being kind to me as I learned this process.
Also, so you know, this is not the end. This is the beginning. Next Saturday, I swim in the Ohio River swim and the following weekend, I am in my second triathlon in Bowling Green. Cross your fingers and wish me luck!
Thanks all and have a great day!
David (lazy swimmer BUT now a Triathlete!)
Friday, August 3, 2012
Payback Time
As planned, I made it to my afternoon weights session with Cody yesterday afternoon. Because of the triathlon Saturday, we decided to keep things light. But as they say, no good deed goes unpunished. For no reason at all, my right knee made a loud pop during the workout. Now, I don't know about you, but my joints are popping all the time. Cody asked if I was okay and I said, of course I was and didn't think any more about it.
Unfortunately, I guess things weren't okay. I still do not think that I injured myself but my right hip and right knee didn't feel right the rest of the night. Cody tells me that was probably my IT band. In any case, Cody got me in first thing this morning for some Muscle Activation Therapy to see if we could fix things up. Things are definitely better but I would not say that they are quite right.
I don't expect this to cause any problems for the swim and probably not for the bike. It might be a little bit of a problem though for the run. But luckily, the run is only 3 miles. So, we will see.
Tomorrow is the big day. Still don't really know what I am doing but I guess I will figure it out as I go.
Wish me luck!
David (lazy swimmer, slow biker, bum kneed runner)
Unfortunately, I guess things weren't okay. I still do not think that I injured myself but my right hip and right knee didn't feel right the rest of the night. Cody tells me that was probably my IT band. In any case, Cody got me in first thing this morning for some Muscle Activation Therapy to see if we could fix things up. Things are definitely better but I would not say that they are quite right.
I don't expect this to cause any problems for the swim and probably not for the bike. It might be a little bit of a problem though for the run. But luckily, the run is only 3 miles. So, we will see.
Tomorrow is the big day. Still don't really know what I am doing but I guess I will figure it out as I go.
Wish me luck!
David (lazy swimmer, slow biker, bum kneed runner)
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Mid Week Report
Once again, I am earning a reputation of being lazy. Sunday afternoon, I ended up skipping the bike in the heat of the day thinking I would go back to it later. I did make it to the gym and did some weight training. That turned out to be a lot of fun because for some reason, a bunch of my buddies happened to be there at the same time. All in all, Sunday afternoons are fun days to go to the gym. It usually isn't very crowded and there aren't a lot of time pressures.
Diet wise, also not so hot, I'm afraid. I had a coupon for $20 off on dinner for 2 at Stony River Steak House. I called Mom and we went and watched the Olympics while we ate. I had a 12 oz Prime Rib but I did at least get broccoli for my side.
Monday, up early to start a bike ride at 6 AM. First time trying out the bike and lights while it was still dark. Went better than expected. In some ways, it was very nice. It was still nice and cool and there was very little traffic, especially at first. Finished 14 miles before work. That is probably about as much as I can reasonably expect to do in the morning before work.
AND to make myself accountable, on Monday, I signed up for my second sprint triathlon in Bowling Green on August 19 and an Ohio River swim at Cardinal Harbor on August 11.
In the early afternoon, I got some very frustrating news regarding my on-going divorce. I won't go into a rant or anything but I will say that I was VERY upset the rest of the day. So, it worked out well that I went to Tom Sawyer on Monday night to swim, and swim, and swim. I swam 2000m, which is my longest continuous swim to date - about 1.2 miles. This is the length of a swim for a Half Iron Man and also the length of the Ohio River Swim I signed up for on August 11.
It felt great to get rid of some frustration and aggression by swimming but that was a long way. I didn't notice anything until I stopped swimming when my right calf started cramping terribly. I had to jump back in the pool to apply pressure to my toes to stop the cramp. It did pass but the rest of the night I had practically every muscle of my body trying to cramp on me.
Tuesday, I had big ideas but really no big plans. I convinced myself that I needed a day off from the bike. It also wasn't a great day to do weights again. After 3 contiguous days in the pool, it seemed like I needed a break from swimming. So, it seemed like a perfect day for a run - maybe after work. Maybe on a treadmill because it is so hot. As I was pondering these things I got an invitation to dinner and you know what? I don't get a lot of dinner invitations. So, I totally ditched training for the day and went to dinner at my sister's house to wish my nieces well before they returned to college.
Maybe I needed a day off because I just loved it and when I started up again on Wednesday, I really enjoyed my bike ride. I started off maybe 15 minutes earlier than Monday and finished before 7 again. I seem to be getting accustomed to the dark and I wasn't as nervous as I have been.
Later in the day, my buddy / mentor Patrick grabbed me, Chris Caldwell, Scottie Collier and another triathlon friend of Patrick's for another Ohio River swim. Scottie followed along side us in a canoe to make sure everyone was okay while the rest of us swam a mile in the Ohio. This time, it went really well. I was much less anxious. We swam about a half mile with the current and returned against the current. I actually did best on the return swim. I was able to "find my groove" and was able to maintain free style for the entire way back against the current. The total time for the entire mile was under 40 minutes, which I thought was a pretty good time for open water. It was actually very relaxing. By the time we finished and all got back to our cars and home, it was past 9:30 pm.
Now down to 2 days before the triathlon. Today the plan is for weights only. It seems that when I bike I do best with a couple of days off in between. Likewise with the swim. I suppose I really could run some but I really am not concerned that I will not be able to do a 5K. Probably the bigger issue now is to figure out the race courses for the bike and run and to figure out how to do the transitions.
Have a great day!
David
Diet wise, also not so hot, I'm afraid. I had a coupon for $20 off on dinner for 2 at Stony River Steak House. I called Mom and we went and watched the Olympics while we ate. I had a 12 oz Prime Rib but I did at least get broccoli for my side.
Monday, up early to start a bike ride at 6 AM. First time trying out the bike and lights while it was still dark. Went better than expected. In some ways, it was very nice. It was still nice and cool and there was very little traffic, especially at first. Finished 14 miles before work. That is probably about as much as I can reasonably expect to do in the morning before work.
AND to make myself accountable, on Monday, I signed up for my second sprint triathlon in Bowling Green on August 19 and an Ohio River swim at Cardinal Harbor on August 11.
In the early afternoon, I got some very frustrating news regarding my on-going divorce. I won't go into a rant or anything but I will say that I was VERY upset the rest of the day. So, it worked out well that I went to Tom Sawyer on Monday night to swim, and swim, and swim. I swam 2000m, which is my longest continuous swim to date - about 1.2 miles. This is the length of a swim for a Half Iron Man and also the length of the Ohio River Swim I signed up for on August 11.
It felt great to get rid of some frustration and aggression by swimming but that was a long way. I didn't notice anything until I stopped swimming when my right calf started cramping terribly. I had to jump back in the pool to apply pressure to my toes to stop the cramp. It did pass but the rest of the night I had practically every muscle of my body trying to cramp on me.
Tuesday, I had big ideas but really no big plans. I convinced myself that I needed a day off from the bike. It also wasn't a great day to do weights again. After 3 contiguous days in the pool, it seemed like I needed a break from swimming. So, it seemed like a perfect day for a run - maybe after work. Maybe on a treadmill because it is so hot. As I was pondering these things I got an invitation to dinner and you know what? I don't get a lot of dinner invitations. So, I totally ditched training for the day and went to dinner at my sister's house to wish my nieces well before they returned to college.
Maybe I needed a day off because I just loved it and when I started up again on Wednesday, I really enjoyed my bike ride. I started off maybe 15 minutes earlier than Monday and finished before 7 again. I seem to be getting accustomed to the dark and I wasn't as nervous as I have been.
Later in the day, my buddy / mentor Patrick grabbed me, Chris Caldwell, Scottie Collier and another triathlon friend of Patrick's for another Ohio River swim. Scottie followed along side us in a canoe to make sure everyone was okay while the rest of us swam a mile in the Ohio. This time, it went really well. I was much less anxious. We swam about a half mile with the current and returned against the current. I actually did best on the return swim. I was able to "find my groove" and was able to maintain free style for the entire way back against the current. The total time for the entire mile was under 40 minutes, which I thought was a pretty good time for open water. It was actually very relaxing. By the time we finished and all got back to our cars and home, it was past 9:30 pm.
Now down to 2 days before the triathlon. Today the plan is for weights only. It seems that when I bike I do best with a couple of days off in between. Likewise with the swim. I suppose I really could run some but I really am not concerned that I will not be able to do a 5K. Probably the bigger issue now is to figure out the race courses for the bike and run and to figure out how to do the transitions.
Have a great day!
David
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