Good morning.
I am happy to report that I got in my first LSD, long slow distance run yesterday.
It was such a perfect day to run along the lake. The lakefront path was busy, even for a Monday.
I thought about my triathlon schedule and decided to fit in a long run yesterday. That way, I have plenty of time to let my running legs recover before the Chicago Triathlon.
My next long run will be a few days after the Chicago Tri which will allow me to recover before the Branson 1/2 Ironman, Sept 19.
So, as of now, it looks like only two long runs before the Chicago Marathon. Cardiovascular wise I should be fine. It's the endurance of the legs for 26.2 that I am concerned about.
I may or may not have a PR in Chicago. Only time will tell.
The 17 mile run along the lake was spectacular. It was so good to do a long run again. It's been a while since I've run over 13.1 miles. The sights and sounds helped get me through it. I have total respect for these long slow runs. They are hard. Sometimes as I am running them I wonder how it's possible to actually run a marathon at marathon pace. But the LSD run works to prepare you.
Today is a leg recovery day. An open water swim may be in the cards.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:16 0:09:00 1 0 6 9:16 9:00 3:29 113 124 0 82
2 0:08:57 0:08:38 1 13 0 8:57 8:38 6:12 114 121 0 74
3 0:08:51 0:08:37 1 0 0 8:51 8:37 6:02 119 124 0 77
4 0:08:54 0:08:46 1 0 10 8:54 8:46 4:14 120 126 0 77
5 0:09:06 0:09:07 1 0 9 9:06 9:07 5:13 123 134 0 83
6 0:09:06 0:09:06 1 4 0 9:06 9:06 8:29 125 130 0 83
7 0:09:08 0:09:03 1 0 5 9:08 9:03 8:30 123 137 0 70
8 0:09:07 0:09:07 1 5 0 9:07 9:07 2:41 123 132 0 67
9 0:09:06 0:09:06 1 0 6 9:06 9:06 7:54 124 137 0 68
10 0:09:11 0:09:03 1 3 0 9:11 9:03 8:16 124 130 0 71
11 0:09:08 0:09:09 1 0 0 9:08 9:09 8:17 126 129 0 77
12 0:09:09 0:09:09 1 0 2 9:09 9:09 8:36 127 131 0 72
13 0:09:08 0:09:09 1 5 0 9:08 9:09 8:28 131 134 0 87
14 0:09:19 0:09:11 1 15 0 9:19 9:11 4:07 126 145 0 74
15 0:09:17 0:09:15 1 0 0 9:17 9:15 7:23 132 136 0 88
16 0:09:16 0:09:16 1 0 7 9:16 9:16 7:32 135 140 0 95
17 0:09:13 0:09:13 1 7 6 9:13 9:13 8:00 139 142 0 101
Summary 2:35:18 2:33:55 17 52 51 9:08 9:03 2:41 124 145 0 1,346
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
El Quandry
Good morning.
What a great summer, weatherwise.
As I traveled in my car this weekend I noticed, ever so slightly, the leaves starting to change hues. Slowly they are going from dark healthy green to a lighter green which is a sign of seasons changing.
Before we know it we will be into the cooler fall months. I mean, it's only 8 weeks until the Chicago Marathon. The weather can change sooo much in those 8 weeks.
My advice: Really enjoy the wonderful days that summer has left for you. Before you know it the Holidays will be here. Almost time to go Christmas shopping.
This wonderful weather has allowed me to train in ideal conditions, "for me." I qualify that statement because I know it as not been ideal for all.
I have been busy as usual with training. Lots of thoughts going on in my head on how best to approach training.
The quandry: I have the Chicago Tri next week, Branson 1/2 Ironman 3 weeks after Chicago and then the Chicago Marathon not long after that. How the heck am I supposed to be ready for the marathon and also staying fresh for the triathlons???
I feel the need to get in some long marathon training runs of 17-20 miles so I will be prepared for the 26.2 miles in October.
One thing I wonder is if triathlon training adds to or enhances training for a marathon? Time will tell as I figure this out. My major thought is to stay healthy during the whole process.
The recent training:
Friday:
34 mile bike along Lake MI.
Saturday:
Awesome open water 1.4 mile swim in Lake MI. I really pshed it a bit but my Garmin was not timing me. I forgot to delete the training history. The Garmin could not fit in any more data. My bad. But, it was a strong swimming effort that made my lats a little sore.
Later in the day I decided to go for an aerobic run:
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:08:51 0:08:39 1 6 0 8:51 8:39 7:38 121 130 0 89
2 0:08:45 0:08:43 1 7 0 8:45 8:43 7:37 127 133 0 93
3 0:08:42 0:08:43 1 0 7 8:42 8:43 6:25 132 137 0 98
4 0:08:35 0:08:22 1 0 13 8:35 8:22 3:33 135 140 0 94
5 0:08:43 0:08:35 1 14 0 8:43 8:35 6:19 135 141 0 95
6 0:08:31 0:08:32 1 5 0 8:31 8:32 6:48 139 140 0 97
7 0:08:38 0:08:38 1 0 5 8:38 8:38 6:44 136 140 0 92
8 0:08:34 0:08:32 1 0 8 8:34 8:32 7:38 137 142 0 93
9 0:01:50 0:01:51 0.22 0 0 8:30 8:32 7:18 140 141 0 21
Summary 1:11:13 1:10:35 8.22 32 33 8:40 8:35 3:33 132 142 0 772
Sunday:
Sunday morning was the 38 mile bike ride with the Chicago Tri Club. The ride was pretty easy. I would like to push the pace a bit more. One thing I've noticed is that my hill climbing is much stronger.
Later in the day another easy run. I was surprised how low my heart rate stayed.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:30 0:09:14 1 0 8 9:30 9:14 7:42 119 128 0 95
2 0:09:21 0:09:15 1 14 0 9:21 9:15 4:27 121 127 0 94
3 0:08:50 0:08:51 1 0 0 8:50 8:51 6:01 125 128 0 91
4 0:09:16 0:09:10 1 0 0 9:16 9:10 7:39 119 125 0 74
5 0:09:00 0:08:55 1 0 6 9:00 8:55 6:43 123 130 0 81
6 0:08:49 0:08:48 1 0 8 8:49 8:48 7:35 124 132 0 79
7 0:00:49 0:00:48 0.09 0 0 8:53 8:38 8:11 125 127 0 8
Summary 0:55:38 0:55:01 6.09 14 22 9:07 9:01 4:27 121 132 0 522
Now, it's onward and upward.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
What a great summer, weatherwise.
As I traveled in my car this weekend I noticed, ever so slightly, the leaves starting to change hues. Slowly they are going from dark healthy green to a lighter green which is a sign of seasons changing.
Before we know it we will be into the cooler fall months. I mean, it's only 8 weeks until the Chicago Marathon. The weather can change sooo much in those 8 weeks.
My advice: Really enjoy the wonderful days that summer has left for you. Before you know it the Holidays will be here. Almost time to go Christmas shopping.
This wonderful weather has allowed me to train in ideal conditions, "for me." I qualify that statement because I know it as not been ideal for all.
I have been busy as usual with training. Lots of thoughts going on in my head on how best to approach training.
The quandry: I have the Chicago Tri next week, Branson 1/2 Ironman 3 weeks after Chicago and then the Chicago Marathon not long after that. How the heck am I supposed to be ready for the marathon and also staying fresh for the triathlons???
I feel the need to get in some long marathon training runs of 17-20 miles so I will be prepared for the 26.2 miles in October.
One thing I wonder is if triathlon training adds to or enhances training for a marathon? Time will tell as I figure this out. My major thought is to stay healthy during the whole process.
The recent training:
Friday:
34 mile bike along Lake MI.
Saturday:
Awesome open water 1.4 mile swim in Lake MI. I really pshed it a bit but my Garmin was not timing me. I forgot to delete the training history. The Garmin could not fit in any more data. My bad. But, it was a strong swimming effort that made my lats a little sore.
Later in the day I decided to go for an aerobic run:
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:08:51 0:08:39 1 6 0 8:51 8:39 7:38 121 130 0 89
2 0:08:45 0:08:43 1 7 0 8:45 8:43 7:37 127 133 0 93
3 0:08:42 0:08:43 1 0 7 8:42 8:43 6:25 132 137 0 98
4 0:08:35 0:08:22 1 0 13 8:35 8:22 3:33 135 140 0 94
5 0:08:43 0:08:35 1 14 0 8:43 8:35 6:19 135 141 0 95
6 0:08:31 0:08:32 1 5 0 8:31 8:32 6:48 139 140 0 97
7 0:08:38 0:08:38 1 0 5 8:38 8:38 6:44 136 140 0 92
8 0:08:34 0:08:32 1 0 8 8:34 8:32 7:38 137 142 0 93
9 0:01:50 0:01:51 0.22 0 0 8:30 8:32 7:18 140 141 0 21
Summary 1:11:13 1:10:35 8.22 32 33 8:40 8:35 3:33 132 142 0 772
Sunday:
Sunday morning was the 38 mile bike ride with the Chicago Tri Club. The ride was pretty easy. I would like to push the pace a bit more. One thing I've noticed is that my hill climbing is much stronger.
Later in the day another easy run. I was surprised how low my heart rate stayed.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:30 0:09:14 1 0 8 9:30 9:14 7:42 119 128 0 95
2 0:09:21 0:09:15 1 14 0 9:21 9:15 4:27 121 127 0 94
3 0:08:50 0:08:51 1 0 0 8:50 8:51 6:01 125 128 0 91
4 0:09:16 0:09:10 1 0 0 9:16 9:10 7:39 119 125 0 74
5 0:09:00 0:08:55 1 0 6 9:00 8:55 6:43 123 130 0 81
6 0:08:49 0:08:48 1 0 8 8:49 8:48 7:35 124 132 0 79
7 0:00:49 0:00:48 0.09 0 0 8:53 8:38 8:11 125 127 0 8
Summary 0:55:38 0:55:01 6.09 14 22 9:07 9:01 4:27 121 132 0 522
Now, it's onward and upward.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Thursday, August 12, 2010
LSD...Not The Drug...Long Slow Distance
Good morning.
Another sunny and warm summer day on track for today. Gotta love it.
I need to swim and the thought of heading to Ohio Street Beach instead of the X Sport pool is on my mind. Either way, I'll be in some water somewhere.
I enjoyed the heat yesterday with a nice 11 mile slow run along Lake Michigan. The water was so calm and flat that I wanted to jump in. Since I started triathlon training something has happened to me. Sometimes when I am near water I have an urge to jump in like a Lab.
My average pace was over 9 minutes per mile. It has been a long time since I've had the discipline to keep the pace slow like this. But, I know the slow twitch muscle fibers need some wakening up.
One thought that kept me slow was thinking of burning fat instead of glycogen. Also, it has been a while since I've run on two consecutive days and I wanted my legs to adjust.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:35 0:09:28 1 0 7 9:35 9:28 7:07 110 123 0 83
2 0:09:10 0:09:02 1 14 0 9:10 9:02 6:53 117 123 0 85
3 0:09:14 0:09:16 1 0 0 9:14 9:16 6:45 123 129 0 91
4 0:09:21 0:09:20 1 0 16 9:21 9:20 4:11 124 129 0 91
5 0:09:28 0:09:28 1 6 3 9:28 9:28 8:37 131 137 0 100
6 0:09:09 0:09:01 1 17 6 9:09 9:01 7:58 135 140 0 99
7 0:09:28 0:09:23 1 5 4 9:28 9:23 6:58 135 141 0 94
8 0:09:28 0:09:29 1 0 0 9:29 9:29 5:45 133 140 0 93
9 0:09:28 0:09:24 1 0 0 9:28 9:24 7:19 137 146 0 100
10 0:09:19 0:09:13 1 0 5 9:19 9:13 7:15 138 145 0 99
11 0:09:26 0:09:18 1 9 9 9:26 9:18 6:12 143 148 0 109
12 0:00:01 0:00:01 0 0 0 8:10 5:48 7:56 144 144 0 1
Summary 1:43:13 1:42:23 11 51 49 9:22 9:18 4:11 129 148 0 1,045
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Another sunny and warm summer day on track for today. Gotta love it.
I need to swim and the thought of heading to Ohio Street Beach instead of the X Sport pool is on my mind. Either way, I'll be in some water somewhere.
I enjoyed the heat yesterday with a nice 11 mile slow run along Lake Michigan. The water was so calm and flat that I wanted to jump in. Since I started triathlon training something has happened to me. Sometimes when I am near water I have an urge to jump in like a Lab.
My average pace was over 9 minutes per mile. It has been a long time since I've had the discipline to keep the pace slow like this. But, I know the slow twitch muscle fibers need some wakening up.
One thought that kept me slow was thinking of burning fat instead of glycogen. Also, it has been a while since I've run on two consecutive days and I wanted my legs to adjust.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:35 0:09:28 1 0 7 9:35 9:28 7:07 110 123 0 83
2 0:09:10 0:09:02 1 14 0 9:10 9:02 6:53 117 123 0 85
3 0:09:14 0:09:16 1 0 0 9:14 9:16 6:45 123 129 0 91
4 0:09:21 0:09:20 1 0 16 9:21 9:20 4:11 124 129 0 91
5 0:09:28 0:09:28 1 6 3 9:28 9:28 8:37 131 137 0 100
6 0:09:09 0:09:01 1 17 6 9:09 9:01 7:58 135 140 0 99
7 0:09:28 0:09:23 1 5 4 9:28 9:23 6:58 135 141 0 94
8 0:09:28 0:09:29 1 0 0 9:29 9:29 5:45 133 140 0 93
9 0:09:28 0:09:24 1 0 0 9:28 9:24 7:19 137 146 0 100
10 0:09:19 0:09:13 1 0 5 9:19 9:13 7:15 138 145 0 99
11 0:09:26 0:09:18 1 9 9 9:26 9:18 6:12 143 148 0 109
12 0:00:01 0:00:01 0 0 0 8:10 5:48 7:56 144 144 0 1
Summary 1:43:13 1:42:23 11 51 49 9:22 9:18 4:11 129 148 0 1,045
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
One Sweaty Dude
Good morning.
Did you hear that? That was the sound of summer flying by. And, way too fast for me.
Weather wise, this has been a terrific summer for me. I really do enjoy the heat and we've had plenty of it. It won't be long before we are reminded how crappy the Chicago weather can be.
My thought, enjoy the heat and humidity while it's here.
On one hand I continue to juggle my workout schedule so I can incorporate one long run per week in preparation for the Chicago Marathon. On the other, I need to stay healthy and fit for the Chicago Tri and the Ironman Branson 70.3.
The schedule:
Chicago Triathlon: August 29
Ironman Branson: September 19
Chicago Marathon: October 10
I may have a surprise event in November if things work out.
If not the surprise event I must partake in the Hot Chocolate 15K so I can hoard pounds of Hershy's candy.
Yesterday I waited until 4:45 pm before heading outside for a 6 miler. The heat, humidity and dew point were way up there. As I went along I realized that my body has adjusted nicely to these conditions and this really helps on race day as it gives me an advantage. It's only an advantage because I like these conditions and I train in them.
I know, some of you think I'm crazy. You are correct!!
The run was one of those with no set in stone goal. At first I thought it would be an easy run. Then as a couple miles clicked away it became a run in which each mile was faster than the last. The fastest mile was number six.
At the end I was one sweaty dude.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:03 0:08:58 1 0 7 9:03 8:58 4:34 126 138 0 98
2 0:08:17 0:08:18 1 14 0 8:17 8:18 5:58 137 147 0 95
3 0:08:05 0:07:55 1 0 0 8:05 7:55 5:53 143 150 0 97
4 0:07:55 0:07:55 1 0 0 7:55 7:55 5:54 148 157 0 97
5 0:07:28 0:07:27 1 0 5 7:28 7:27 6:10 153 160 0 97
6 0:07:06 0:07:07 1 0 8 7:06 7:07 5:44 161 165 0 100
7 0:00:01 -- 0 0 0 --:-- 7:29 --:-- -- -- 0 0
Summary 0:47:58 0:47:40 6 14 20 7:59 7:56 4:34 143 165 0 584
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Did you hear that? That was the sound of summer flying by. And, way too fast for me.
Weather wise, this has been a terrific summer for me. I really do enjoy the heat and we've had plenty of it. It won't be long before we are reminded how crappy the Chicago weather can be.
My thought, enjoy the heat and humidity while it's here.
On one hand I continue to juggle my workout schedule so I can incorporate one long run per week in preparation for the Chicago Marathon. On the other, I need to stay healthy and fit for the Chicago Tri and the Ironman Branson 70.3.
The schedule:
Chicago Triathlon: August 29
Ironman Branson: September 19
Chicago Marathon: October 10
I may have a surprise event in November if things work out.
If not the surprise event I must partake in the Hot Chocolate 15K so I can hoard pounds of Hershy's candy.
Yesterday I waited until 4:45 pm before heading outside for a 6 miler. The heat, humidity and dew point were way up there. As I went along I realized that my body has adjusted nicely to these conditions and this really helps on race day as it gives me an advantage. It's only an advantage because I like these conditions and I train in them.
I know, some of you think I'm crazy. You are correct!!
The run was one of those with no set in stone goal. At first I thought it would be an easy run. Then as a couple miles clicked away it became a run in which each mile was faster than the last. The fastest mile was number six.
At the end I was one sweaty dude.
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:03 0:08:58 1 0 7 9:03 8:58 4:34 126 138 0 98
2 0:08:17 0:08:18 1 14 0 8:17 8:18 5:58 137 147 0 95
3 0:08:05 0:07:55 1 0 0 8:05 7:55 5:53 143 150 0 97
4 0:07:55 0:07:55 1 0 0 7:55 7:55 5:54 148 157 0 97
5 0:07:28 0:07:27 1 0 5 7:28 7:27 6:10 153 160 0 97
6 0:07:06 0:07:07 1 0 8 7:06 7:07 5:44 161 165 0 100
7 0:00:01 -- 0 0 0 --:-- 7:29 --:-- -- -- 0 0
Summary 0:47:58 0:47:40 6 14 20 7:59 7:56 4:34 143 165 0 584
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Monday, August 9, 2010
This That and the Other
Good morning.
I have not blogged since Thursday. But, that does not mean I have not been busy. This week has been a recovery and step back week after the recent half Ironman.
I have been contemplating my training approach considering I have the Chicago Tri, (Olympic distance) Aug 29, Ironman Branson 70.3, Sept 19 and then the Chicago Marathon Oct. 10.
In a way I feel like I am behind the marathon training schedule regarding miles run. But, something needs to give in order to stay healthy. My speed is still with me but I need to maintain my running endurance base.
These are nice problems to have.
Over the last several days I've been busy swimming, biking and running. Most of this took place in Glen Arbor, MI. One thing I took advantage of here is bike training with the hills. This will help prepare me for the 1/2 Ironman Branson coming up in 6 weeks. I have heard that there are some serious hills on that course.
I'm not sure how those hills compare to the ones I've been on here. Some people say to train on 2-5% inclines to prepare. As I laid in bed last night I was visualizing the percentage inclines of the hills I've trained on. They have to be greater than 5%. I was thinking at least 10% inclines that can go for a mile at a time. So, perhaps I will be able to capitalize on the Branson hills and be very competitive in my age group, 50-54.
The last few days looked like this:
Thursday:
15 miles on trainer.
Friday:
1.46 mile swim in Glen Lake and 13.77 mile hilly bike ride.
Saturday:
20.5 mile bike around the Glen Lakes. Run speed session in afternoon:
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Steps Calories
1 0:08:34 0:08:34 1 77 55 8:34 8:34 6:48 0 135
2 0:07:28 0:07:28 1 0 10 7:28 7:28 6:25 0 135
3 0:06:28 0:06:29 1 11 0 6:28 6:29 5:19 0 133
4 0:07:03 0:07:02 1 0 18 7:03 7:02 5:55 0 133
5 0:00:05 0:00:07 0.01 0 0 9:05 12:43 6:22 0 1
Summary 0:29:39 0:29:40 4.01 88 83 7:23 7:23 5:19 0 537
Sunday:
1.48 mile morning swim in Glen Lake
Medium long slow 9 mile distance run in afternoon
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:03 0:08:57 1 7 15 9:03 8:57 7:02 121 130 0 94
2 0:09:07 0:09:07 1 101 41 9:07 9:07 7:40 128 137 0 99
3 0:08:45 0:08:46 1 0 72 8:45 8:46 7:49 126 131 0 89
4 0:08:49 0:08:49 1 16 0 8:49 8:49 8:04 137 174 0 94
5 0:08:36 0:08:37 1 13 38 8:36 8:37 7:56 135 151 0 94
6 0:08:43 0:08:42 1 10 0 8:44 8:42 8:06 138 141 0 99
7 0:09:00 0:09:00 1 58 0 9:00 9:00 7:28 140 146 0 103
8 0:08:49 0:08:50 1 59 95 8:49 8:50 7:22 139 151 0 98
9 0:08:38 0:08:38 1 17 10 8:38 8:38 6:29 140 143 0 96
10 0:00:01 0:00:02 0 0 0 7:10 8:01 8:42 139 139 0 0
Summary 1:19:36 1:19:28 9 281 271 8:50 8:49 6:29 133 174 0 866
That's it. Now I feel I can resume more vigorous training since I feel fully recovered.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
I have not blogged since Thursday. But, that does not mean I have not been busy. This week has been a recovery and step back week after the recent half Ironman.
I have been contemplating my training approach considering I have the Chicago Tri, (Olympic distance) Aug 29, Ironman Branson 70.3, Sept 19 and then the Chicago Marathon Oct. 10.
In a way I feel like I am behind the marathon training schedule regarding miles run. But, something needs to give in order to stay healthy. My speed is still with me but I need to maintain my running endurance base.
These are nice problems to have.
Over the last several days I've been busy swimming, biking and running. Most of this took place in Glen Arbor, MI. One thing I took advantage of here is bike training with the hills. This will help prepare me for the 1/2 Ironman Branson coming up in 6 weeks. I have heard that there are some serious hills on that course.
I'm not sure how those hills compare to the ones I've been on here. Some people say to train on 2-5% inclines to prepare. As I laid in bed last night I was visualizing the percentage inclines of the hills I've trained on. They have to be greater than 5%. I was thinking at least 10% inclines that can go for a mile at a time. So, perhaps I will be able to capitalize on the Branson hills and be very competitive in my age group, 50-54.
The last few days looked like this:
Thursday:
15 miles on trainer.
Friday:
1.46 mile swim in Glen Lake and 13.77 mile hilly bike ride.
Saturday:
20.5 mile bike around the Glen Lakes. Run speed session in afternoon:
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Steps Calories
1 0:08:34 0:08:34 1 77 55 8:34 8:34 6:48 0 135
2 0:07:28 0:07:28 1 0 10 7:28 7:28 6:25 0 135
3 0:06:28 0:06:29 1 11 0 6:28 6:29 5:19 0 133
4 0:07:03 0:07:02 1 0 18 7:03 7:02 5:55 0 133
5 0:00:05 0:00:07 0.01 0 0 9:05 12:43 6:22 0 1
Summary 0:29:39 0:29:40 4.01 88 83 7:23 7:23 5:19 0 537
Sunday:
1.48 mile morning swim in Glen Lake
Medium long slow 9 mile distance run in afternoon
Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR Steps Calories
1 0:09:03 0:08:57 1 7 15 9:03 8:57 7:02 121 130 0 94
2 0:09:07 0:09:07 1 101 41 9:07 9:07 7:40 128 137 0 99
3 0:08:45 0:08:46 1 0 72 8:45 8:46 7:49 126 131 0 89
4 0:08:49 0:08:49 1 16 0 8:49 8:49 8:04 137 174 0 94
5 0:08:36 0:08:37 1 13 38 8:36 8:37 7:56 135 151 0 94
6 0:08:43 0:08:42 1 10 0 8:44 8:42 8:06 138 141 0 99
7 0:09:00 0:09:00 1 58 0 9:00 9:00 7:28 140 146 0 103
8 0:08:49 0:08:50 1 59 95 8:49 8:50 7:22 139 151 0 98
9 0:08:38 0:08:38 1 17 10 8:38 8:38 6:29 140 143 0 96
10 0:00:01 0:00:02 0 0 0 7:10 8:01 8:42 139 139 0 0
Summary 1:19:36 1:19:28 9 281 271 8:50 8:49 6:29 133 174 0 866
That's it. Now I feel I can resume more vigorous training since I feel fully recovered.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
And The Beat Goes On
Good morning.
First of all, I thank all of you who left congratulatory remarks after the 1/2 Ironman. I really appreciate what you say and it does spur me on to bigger and greater things. So, thanks so much.
The past few days have been pretty much devoted to recovery from the 70.3 miles covered on Saturday's 1/2 IM.
I have done a few workouts. Sunday I went to the lake and swam 1.4 miles and later in the day a 10 mile recovery bike session on the trainer. Yesterday consisted of a 1000 yard swim. That's about it.
The legs, body and spirit are feeling really good. Today I will start to do some light running or ellipting. Looking forward to that.
It's time to move forward.
I think I am truely addicted to triathlons. The training is very enjoyable and it's fun to work on the three disciplines. The races are a blast and they last awhile. I also enjoy meeting other triathletes. There is an unspoken respect for each other that you just sense. There also is a lot of support from the athletes as you compete. Words of encouragement hit you from all sides.
One thing I've learned so far is that my running is really an asset during the tri's. I will maintain and hopefully improve my running. But, what I really need to work on is my bike. I will work on becomming stronger and faster. Also, equipment plays a major role. I spoke with Adam at Get A Grip Cycles about tri bikes and he said a properly fitted tri bike might improve your times by 5-10%. During a 2:45:00 bike that could shave off 10-20 minutes with equipment alone.
So, hard work and better equipment will make a huge improvement.
I also will work on speed and endurance in the water.
I want to be breaking the 5 hour mark on a regular basis in a 1/2 Ironman.
My next event is the Chicago Triathlon on August 29. It is an Olympic/International distance event. Did you know that the Chicago Tri is the largest triathlon in the world? It is.
I have also decided to participate in another 1/2 Ironman this year. The event is, Ironman Branson 70.3 on September 19. The web-sight: www.ironmanbranson.com.
My goal here will be to be fast enough to potentially get a spot in the Foster Grant 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater Florida in November.
I want one more 1/2 IM for 2010.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
First of all, I thank all of you who left congratulatory remarks after the 1/2 Ironman. I really appreciate what you say and it does spur me on to bigger and greater things. So, thanks so much.
The past few days have been pretty much devoted to recovery from the 70.3 miles covered on Saturday's 1/2 IM.
I have done a few workouts. Sunday I went to the lake and swam 1.4 miles and later in the day a 10 mile recovery bike session on the trainer. Yesterday consisted of a 1000 yard swim. That's about it.
The legs, body and spirit are feeling really good. Today I will start to do some light running or ellipting. Looking forward to that.
It's time to move forward.
I think I am truely addicted to triathlons. The training is very enjoyable and it's fun to work on the three disciplines. The races are a blast and they last awhile. I also enjoy meeting other triathletes. There is an unspoken respect for each other that you just sense. There also is a lot of support from the athletes as you compete. Words of encouragement hit you from all sides.
One thing I've learned so far is that my running is really an asset during the tri's. I will maintain and hopefully improve my running. But, what I really need to work on is my bike. I will work on becomming stronger and faster. Also, equipment plays a major role. I spoke with Adam at Get A Grip Cycles about tri bikes and he said a properly fitted tri bike might improve your times by 5-10%. During a 2:45:00 bike that could shave off 10-20 minutes with equipment alone.
So, hard work and better equipment will make a huge improvement.
I also will work on speed and endurance in the water.
I want to be breaking the 5 hour mark on a regular basis in a 1/2 Ironman.
My next event is the Chicago Triathlon on August 29. It is an Olympic/International distance event. Did you know that the Chicago Tri is the largest triathlon in the world? It is.
I have also decided to participate in another 1/2 Ironman this year. The event is, Ironman Branson 70.3 on September 19. The web-sight: www.ironmanbranson.com.
My goal here will be to be fast enough to potentially get a spot in the Foster Grant 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater Florida in November.
I want one more 1/2 IM for 2010.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Monday, August 2, 2010
Steelhead 1/2 Ironman Race Report
Monday, August 2
Good morning.
STEELHEAD 1/2 IRONMAN RACE REPORT
How on Earth did I get here?
INTRODUCTION:
It all started after I watched the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii. That is when I decided to enter the lottery for a spot in the World Championships.
After I entered the lottery I decided to start training last December. My thought was, what if I find out on April 15 that I got that spot. I would not have enough time to train for a full Ironman. Therefore, I went and bought a decent road bike and a Cycleops indoor trainer. I also joined XSport Fitness to use their pool. My triathlon life started December 2009.
Another thought occured to me. What, if after all this training, you find out you do not get that Kona spot. Why waste all this training? So, I decided to enter some triathlon events. Namely, Bigfoot, Steelhead 1/2 Ironman and Chicago Triathlon.
A TRIATHLETE IS BORN!
STEELHEAD 1/2 IRONMAN
How did I get here? Lots of hard work. Also, I thank all those individuals who gave me advice to get me to this point. You all know who you are and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. THANK YOU!
Lets get to the event.
I drove to Benton Harbor, MI Friday morning. My first stop was athlete check in. There was a long line to check in and go through the whole process. This is where you get your wrist band.
The wrist band allows you access to the event venue, etc. You also get your goody bag which actually is a nice sturdy useful bag. I like it. After meandering your way around the various lines to pick up your timing chip, etc. it's time to do a little shopping at the expo.
The expo was small and I only bought a Steelhead 1/2 IM Hat and some stickers.
After the expo it was time to make the drive to the event venue.
The venue was on the beach at Jean Kloch park. This is where you bring your bike to the transition area.
There are sooo many bikes that will be stationed here. Mine is the white one. The newbie. This is just the beginning. There will be rows and rows of beautiful high end triathlon bikes.
As I stood there I could hear the other tri bikes whispering about my little road bike. "Who is that?" "Not sure, looks fast though." They were intimidated.
As I walk along and rack my bike I have to say that the importance of the event is starting to hit me. Chills race down my spine. This race has a big time event feel to it. The athletes I see are in amazing shape. They are a happy and healthy bunch. Talk about bike shopping. My God, if you ever wanted to see awesome tri bikes just go to an Ironman event. Simply amazing.
After the bike is racked I walked around a bit and then headed to my hotel in New Buffalo, MI. I stayed at the Four Winds Casino. It was 25 miles from the event and one of the few hotels that would allow a one night stay.
I checked in and went to the room. After freshening up a little I went and walked through the casino to the Timbers Restaurant and had a pizza. I am always amazed watching all the casino patrons sitting in front of their slot machines like they are in a trance. I don't even know how 95% of the slot machines work any more. There are so many different games. I did not play. After dinner it was off to the room to get organized for the 1/2 Ironman.
Participating in a triathlon requires organization. You have various things you need and you will use them in a certain order, etc. You must be prepared for any contingency. I'm not going to cover all of that. Just know that there is a lot of thinking about this.
After getting organized I went to bed. My alarm was set for 3 am.
Good morning. Lets get that coffee brewing. Yes, I brought my own coffee machine again. I'm just sitting on the bed with my coffee and computer, killing time. The weather doesn't look good. Hopefully we will get this in. I shower and put on my Chicago Tri Club triathlon suit and pack the car and head for the event.
At this point I am really getting excited.
The rain was coming down as we all prepared in the very dim lighting in the transition area. This is the time when you pump your tires full of air, lay out your bike shoes, socks, running shoes, fill water bottles with Ironman Perform Energy Drink, position your helmet on the aero bars, make sure you have all your nutrition to consume on the bike, etc. You want this to be as organized as possible so you can be as swift as possible in transitioning from swim to bike and bike to run.
For this event I decided to position my stuff in a plastic bag so they would not get soaked in the rain. When I was organized it was time to don the wet suit. Once I had the suit on it was time to walk the 1.2 mile to the swim start.
I ended up walking with another guy in my age group. He had a lot more experience than me and I learned a lot on that walk. After the event I saw him. I could not find his name on the results page. Was he an Angel?
I asked him about the swim start. This has always been my biggest question. Where should I position myself within my group? I told him my swim goal time and he said, be in the 1st or 2nd row. So, that is what I did. Once we arrived at the swim start we talked a bit. My heart was beating just a bit faster. But, for the most part I was calm.
There were all different swim cap colors on heads all over the place. Grey, yellow, ours were white. Each age group has it's own color. The rain was still coming down.
Wave 1 was male pros. Wave 2 was female pros. Wave 3 was 55-59 age group men and women.
Finally, we were called. WAVE 4 PLEASE ENTER THE SWIM START. THREE MINUTES TIL THE HORN.
I position myself and look around at the other men in my age group. The look on their faces said it all.
THIRTY SECONDS...HOLY CRAP!....5 4 3 2 1...HORN
THE SWIM
I was in the first row and took off. When the water was crotch high I dove in and started swimming. The water was 76 degrees. Two degrees below the wet suit legal limit. I swam hard at first to get a good start. This was very anaerobic and after a couple minutes I could feel my lungs saying, "slow down." The water deepened the further I went and soon the lake bottom was gone.
After slowing down a bit I finally got my wind back. I was a little concerned at first. But, I just relaxed and was fine. There was no contact with me on this swim start. None. I was wondering if I was on course. I was. Just no contact. I guess that Angel I met was right.
It was an enjoyable swim and I sighted frequently to stay on course. Every time I would look ahead all I would see are the arms of other swimmers in the air getting ready for another plunge into the dark water. I just focused on the orange bouy's and stayed on course.
It was not long before I saw feet kicking in front of me. Must avoid and swim around, which I did. I'm not sure how many people I passed. But, I focused on my technique and breathing and staying relaxed. Finally I see the green bouy's which meant the finish was coming up. I slowly veared to the right and saw, SWIM EXIT. I swam harder and passed more athletes. Once My finger tips touched the sand I stood up and began my exit.
As I did this I was also slowly taking my wet suit off. I went under the swim exit sign and realized I had a 150 yard climb up the loose, deep sand beach. This was like running in deep snow. It was also a workout. Finally at the top I crossed the timing mat and made my 100 yard trek to my transition spot.
My swim time, actual swimming, was faster than my results suggest because your swim time includes that beach climb.
SWIM TIME: 38:18:00
Now I am running on the pavement to my bike. When I get there I move as fast as I can to remove my wet suit and put on my bike helmet, glasses, bib number and shoes. Then I run through transition to the bike mount area. Then, I am off.
TRANSITION 1 TIME: 3:59
THE BIKE
The bike went well. Basically, you just keep pedaling. I constantly am watching my cadence and speed. The legs felt fresh. I was soaking wet because of the rain. The roads were wet and there was no way to avoid water. So what!
After a while the sky started to clear which was nice.
You must be careful when biking to avoid any penalties. That's right, you can receive time penalties in triathlon for illegal drafting on the bike. You must stay 4 bike lengths behind the rider in front of you unless you are passing. Then when you decide to pass you better get that done in a certain amount of time or else you could be charged with drafting time penalty. Three penalties in the event and you are done.
Up and down the rolling hills we went. I have a lot of respect for the female athletes that passed me on the bike. They are really strong. I got "chicked" often.
My bike strategy was to go as fast as possible while allowing me a good bike to run transition. I was not sure what that effort level was because this was my first race at this distance. I just remember my first Bigfoot Olympic tri and how my upper hamstring areas felt after the bike. I did not want that to happen again.
Every now and then I would stand up on the pedals and do a little stretch.
The crowd support was nice.
The miles clicked away and finally I was pulling into the bike finish shute. I dismount and my hammys and legs allowed me to run with no pain or problems. I run to my transition spot and quickly change into my running shoes and hat and take off.
BIKE TIME: 2:46:52
TRANSITION 2 TIME: 2:57
THE RUN
Hey, I can run. Good. Time to suck it up. Churn those legs and let them adjust from the bike. Thank you Mr. Brick workout.
I passed people from the get go. As I passed other athletes they would say, "nice job." Every one is so supportive. We all share the same sport and we all appreciate the hard work it took us all to get here. You could say it's respect for each other.
By now the sun was out and it felt hot and humid. This was to my advantage because I do well in those conditions. I just kept chugging along. As I passed one older gentleman he said, "hey Chicago." I slow a bit and I say, "me?" He says, "how old are you?" I say, "50." He says, "good, you are not in my age group." He was 60 years old. I kept moving. A lot of spectators would call me Chicago because of my Chicago Triathlon Club tri suit. "Keep it up Chicago, looking good."
There were a couple steep hills to deal with. I drank gatorade every chance I could. I would think, "this is harder than I thought."
SHUT UP LEGS!
I was still passing a lot of runners. I was monitoring my pace with my Garmin. The pace was decent considering I just biked 56 miles. I had several sub 8 minute miles.
I only had two hamstring cramps to deal with on my right leg. I had to stop twice and stretch for about 20 seconds each time.
Finally, there is a 1/2 mile to go and I realize I am really gonna do this. I'm really gonna make it! I run thru the crowd lining the last 200 yards and hear my name. "Here comes Randy Egge." I run over the timing mat and stop. A volunteer hands me a Gatorade and I say, not yet. I bend over to catch my breath and stretch the hamstrings again. I stand up and take the Gatorade and start walking.
I DID IT! I AM 1/2 OF AN IRONMAN.
Got the finishers shirt and medal.
What an experience.
RUN TIME: 1:45:54, PACE 8:06 AVERAGE
I basically came in 18th place in my age group.
After the race I just walked around to keep the legs moving. They were sore and tired. Still are today. Not marathon sore but still a very respectable sore. Enough to let you know that you just had one hell of a time.
TOTAL FINISHING TIME: 5:18:00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How did I get here?
I took a chance. I took a chance to believe in myself. It all starts with the thought/idea to do something. Then, action. I had always watched the Ironman World Championships on TV. I always thought it would be cool to do a triathlon.
I finally had the confidence in myself to take that leap of faith. After I registered for the Kona lottery the wheels were turning. The engine had started. I was off on another life dream and journey.
My goodnes, please. Whoever you are that is reading this, never be afraid to take that chance, That leap of faith to accomplish one of your life dreams. Just do it. You won't believe what you may become. Just open that door, walk inside and see who you really are.
You are a star!
Next up for me is the Chicago Triathlon, Aug. 29. Can't wait.
-----
" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
Good morning.
STEELHEAD 1/2 IRONMAN RACE REPORT
How on Earth did I get here?
INTRODUCTION:
It all started after I watched the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii. That is when I decided to enter the lottery for a spot in the World Championships.
After I entered the lottery I decided to start training last December. My thought was, what if I find out on April 15 that I got that spot. I would not have enough time to train for a full Ironman. Therefore, I went and bought a decent road bike and a Cycleops indoor trainer. I also joined XSport Fitness to use their pool. My triathlon life started December 2009.
Another thought occured to me. What, if after all this training, you find out you do not get that Kona spot. Why waste all this training? So, I decided to enter some triathlon events. Namely, Bigfoot, Steelhead 1/2 Ironman and Chicago Triathlon.
A TRIATHLETE IS BORN!
STEELHEAD 1/2 IRONMAN
How did I get here? Lots of hard work. Also, I thank all those individuals who gave me advice to get me to this point. You all know who you are and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. THANK YOU!
Lets get to the event.
I drove to Benton Harbor, MI Friday morning. My first stop was athlete check in. There was a long line to check in and go through the whole process. This is where you get your wrist band.
The wrist band allows you access to the event venue, etc. You also get your goody bag which actually is a nice sturdy useful bag. I like it. After meandering your way around the various lines to pick up your timing chip, etc. it's time to do a little shopping at the expo.
The expo was small and I only bought a Steelhead 1/2 IM Hat and some stickers.
After the expo it was time to make the drive to the event venue.
The venue was on the beach at Jean Kloch park. This is where you bring your bike to the transition area.
There are sooo many bikes that will be stationed here. Mine is the white one. The newbie. This is just the beginning. There will be rows and rows of beautiful high end triathlon bikes.
As I stood there I could hear the other tri bikes whispering about my little road bike. "Who is that?" "Not sure, looks fast though." They were intimidated.
As I walk along and rack my bike I have to say that the importance of the event is starting to hit me. Chills race down my spine. This race has a big time event feel to it. The athletes I see are in amazing shape. They are a happy and healthy bunch. Talk about bike shopping. My God, if you ever wanted to see awesome tri bikes just go to an Ironman event. Simply amazing.
After the bike is racked I walked around a bit and then headed to my hotel in New Buffalo, MI. I stayed at the Four Winds Casino. It was 25 miles from the event and one of the few hotels that would allow a one night stay.
I checked in and went to the room. After freshening up a little I went and walked through the casino to the Timbers Restaurant and had a pizza. I am always amazed watching all the casino patrons sitting in front of their slot machines like they are in a trance. I don't even know how 95% of the slot machines work any more. There are so many different games. I did not play. After dinner it was off to the room to get organized for the 1/2 Ironman.
Participating in a triathlon requires organization. You have various things you need and you will use them in a certain order, etc. You must be prepared for any contingency. I'm not going to cover all of that. Just know that there is a lot of thinking about this.
After getting organized I went to bed. My alarm was set for 3 am.
Good morning. Lets get that coffee brewing. Yes, I brought my own coffee machine again. I'm just sitting on the bed with my coffee and computer, killing time. The weather doesn't look good. Hopefully we will get this in. I shower and put on my Chicago Tri Club triathlon suit and pack the car and head for the event.
At this point I am really getting excited.
The rain was coming down as we all prepared in the very dim lighting in the transition area. This is the time when you pump your tires full of air, lay out your bike shoes, socks, running shoes, fill water bottles with Ironman Perform Energy Drink, position your helmet on the aero bars, make sure you have all your nutrition to consume on the bike, etc. You want this to be as organized as possible so you can be as swift as possible in transitioning from swim to bike and bike to run.
For this event I decided to position my stuff in a plastic bag so they would not get soaked in the rain. When I was organized it was time to don the wet suit. Once I had the suit on it was time to walk the 1.2 mile to the swim start.
I ended up walking with another guy in my age group. He had a lot more experience than me and I learned a lot on that walk. After the event I saw him. I could not find his name on the results page. Was he an Angel?
I asked him about the swim start. This has always been my biggest question. Where should I position myself within my group? I told him my swim goal time and he said, be in the 1st or 2nd row. So, that is what I did. Once we arrived at the swim start we talked a bit. My heart was beating just a bit faster. But, for the most part I was calm.
There were all different swim cap colors on heads all over the place. Grey, yellow, ours were white. Each age group has it's own color. The rain was still coming down.
Wave 1 was male pros. Wave 2 was female pros. Wave 3 was 55-59 age group men and women.
Finally, we were called. WAVE 4 PLEASE ENTER THE SWIM START. THREE MINUTES TIL THE HORN.
I position myself and look around at the other men in my age group. The look on their faces said it all.
THIRTY SECONDS...HOLY CRAP!....5 4 3 2 1...HORN
THE SWIM
I was in the first row and took off. When the water was crotch high I dove in and started swimming. The water was 76 degrees. Two degrees below the wet suit legal limit. I swam hard at first to get a good start. This was very anaerobic and after a couple minutes I could feel my lungs saying, "slow down." The water deepened the further I went and soon the lake bottom was gone.
After slowing down a bit I finally got my wind back. I was a little concerned at first. But, I just relaxed and was fine. There was no contact with me on this swim start. None. I was wondering if I was on course. I was. Just no contact. I guess that Angel I met was right.
It was an enjoyable swim and I sighted frequently to stay on course. Every time I would look ahead all I would see are the arms of other swimmers in the air getting ready for another plunge into the dark water. I just focused on the orange bouy's and stayed on course.
It was not long before I saw feet kicking in front of me. Must avoid and swim around, which I did. I'm not sure how many people I passed. But, I focused on my technique and breathing and staying relaxed. Finally I see the green bouy's which meant the finish was coming up. I slowly veared to the right and saw, SWIM EXIT. I swam harder and passed more athletes. Once My finger tips touched the sand I stood up and began my exit.
As I did this I was also slowly taking my wet suit off. I went under the swim exit sign and realized I had a 150 yard climb up the loose, deep sand beach. This was like running in deep snow. It was also a workout. Finally at the top I crossed the timing mat and made my 100 yard trek to my transition spot.
My swim time, actual swimming, was faster than my results suggest because your swim time includes that beach climb.
SWIM TIME: 38:18:00
Now I am running on the pavement to my bike. When I get there I move as fast as I can to remove my wet suit and put on my bike helmet, glasses, bib number and shoes. Then I run through transition to the bike mount area. Then, I am off.
TRANSITION 1 TIME: 3:59
THE BIKE
The bike went well. Basically, you just keep pedaling. I constantly am watching my cadence and speed. The legs felt fresh. I was soaking wet because of the rain. The roads were wet and there was no way to avoid water. So what!
After a while the sky started to clear which was nice.
You must be careful when biking to avoid any penalties. That's right, you can receive time penalties in triathlon for illegal drafting on the bike. You must stay 4 bike lengths behind the rider in front of you unless you are passing. Then when you decide to pass you better get that done in a certain amount of time or else you could be charged with drafting time penalty. Three penalties in the event and you are done.
Up and down the rolling hills we went. I have a lot of respect for the female athletes that passed me on the bike. They are really strong. I got "chicked" often.
My bike strategy was to go as fast as possible while allowing me a good bike to run transition. I was not sure what that effort level was because this was my first race at this distance. I just remember my first Bigfoot Olympic tri and how my upper hamstring areas felt after the bike. I did not want that to happen again.
Every now and then I would stand up on the pedals and do a little stretch.
The crowd support was nice.
The miles clicked away and finally I was pulling into the bike finish shute. I dismount and my hammys and legs allowed me to run with no pain or problems. I run to my transition spot and quickly change into my running shoes and hat and take off.
BIKE TIME: 2:46:52
TRANSITION 2 TIME: 2:57
THE RUN
Hey, I can run. Good. Time to suck it up. Churn those legs and let them adjust from the bike. Thank you Mr. Brick workout.
I passed people from the get go. As I passed other athletes they would say, "nice job." Every one is so supportive. We all share the same sport and we all appreciate the hard work it took us all to get here. You could say it's respect for each other.
By now the sun was out and it felt hot and humid. This was to my advantage because I do well in those conditions. I just kept chugging along. As I passed one older gentleman he said, "hey Chicago." I slow a bit and I say, "me?" He says, "how old are you?" I say, "50." He says, "good, you are not in my age group." He was 60 years old. I kept moving. A lot of spectators would call me Chicago because of my Chicago Triathlon Club tri suit. "Keep it up Chicago, looking good."
There were a couple steep hills to deal with. I drank gatorade every chance I could. I would think, "this is harder than I thought."
SHUT UP LEGS!
I was still passing a lot of runners. I was monitoring my pace with my Garmin. The pace was decent considering I just biked 56 miles. I had several sub 8 minute miles.
I only had two hamstring cramps to deal with on my right leg. I had to stop twice and stretch for about 20 seconds each time.
Finally, there is a 1/2 mile to go and I realize I am really gonna do this. I'm really gonna make it! I run thru the crowd lining the last 200 yards and hear my name. "Here comes Randy Egge." I run over the timing mat and stop. A volunteer hands me a Gatorade and I say, not yet. I bend over to catch my breath and stretch the hamstrings again. I stand up and take the Gatorade and start walking.
I DID IT! I AM 1/2 OF AN IRONMAN.
Got the finishers shirt and medal.
What an experience.
RUN TIME: 1:45:54, PACE 8:06 AVERAGE
I basically came in 18th place in my age group.
After the race I just walked around to keep the legs moving. They were sore and tired. Still are today. Not marathon sore but still a very respectable sore. Enough to let you know that you just had one hell of a time.
TOTAL FINISHING TIME: 5:18:00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How did I get here?
I took a chance. I took a chance to believe in myself. It all starts with the thought/idea to do something. Then, action. I had always watched the Ironman World Championships on TV. I always thought it would be cool to do a triathlon.
I finally had the confidence in myself to take that leap of faith. After I registered for the Kona lottery the wheels were turning. The engine had started. I was off on another life dream and journey.
My goodnes, please. Whoever you are that is reading this, never be afraid to take that chance, That leap of faith to accomplish one of your life dreams. Just do it. You won't believe what you may become. Just open that door, walk inside and see who you really are.
You are a star!
Next up for me is the Chicago Triathlon, Aug. 29. Can't wait.
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" Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
* It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin
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