Soggy Run!

Just a quick run last night... only 20 minutes. Had to break out the rain gear!

Did push pretty hard; according to the Nike+, I managed an average pace of 5:12/km not bad.

The Wall, or Why Does Running Hurt So Much Lately?

Got out for a run again last night-- it was great. Was going to go with Nicole, but had some stuff to take care of first, so she went ahead without me. It was great to get out and go my own pace, but man, was I sucking wind!

Obviously, I haven't been running hard enough lately. Sorry, hon, but I think I'm going to have to limit myself to one run per week, and do at least two other runs solo per week.

If there's any part of the Chaparral race that I was disappointed with, it was the run. Plus, my next race is going to be a 10k, and I want to be faster than last time. So, no more swimming until after thanksgiving-- from now until then, the focus is on the run, with cycling and strength training mixed in for variety.

Well, I guess I actually did pretty well last night, after the first 20 minutes or so. Did the Fish Creek Loop in reverse, and ran the hill twice-- I think that sort of flushed things out of my muscles and lungs.

8.2 km, 47 minutes

Simon Whitfield Takes Silver in Beijing!

What an amazing performance! I was jumping up and down screaming at my TV last night!

Colin Jenkins is a hero too, and deserves a great deal of credit for helping Simon win that medal.

CBC recap and post race interview
Simon Whitfield's blog

I'm going to throw my hat on the ground for the final kick of every triathlon I race from now on...

Chaparral Results and New Goals

It's official!
Click here to see the full results of the 2008 Lake Chaparral Olympic Tri

My time:
51 | 3:04:15 | 24/27 |Men 20-29 |184 | 77 | 30:43 | 2:03 | 95 | 1:21:57 | 28.2 | 199 | 1:11:36 | 7:58

Legend:
I was 151st overall in that distance with a time of 3 hours, 4 minutes and 15 seconds. I came in 24th of 27 men aged 20-29 (not that good, but most of the really good racers are in that category).
My bib number was 184, and I was 77th out of the water with a 30:43 1500m swim, which meant my swim pace per 100m was just over 2 minutes.
I was the 95th best cyclist with a time of one hour, 21 minutes and 57 seconds, averaging 28.2 km/h
The run was not so good- my run time of one hour, 11 minutes, 36 seconds was 199th in the field at an average pace per kilometer of 7:58 (on a good day I can run in the neighborhood of 5:30 for 10km).

In the immediate future, the run is the area where I can most improve... which is really a matter of cardio fitness. I had the legs, just not the stamina to run the 52 minute 10k I ran at Open Minds.

My goals for the next Olympic Tri:
sub-30 minute swim
1:15 bike (depends on the course)
50 minute run

This would shave about 30 minutes off my time for a goal time of 2:35

Lake Chapparral Triathlon - Olympic

*Note: Pics in this post still need to be cropped... I'll add a few more when I can crop them later tonight.
I did it! I finished the Lake Chaparral Olympic Triathlon around my goal time. Not the perfect race or results, but not bad considering the heat and the training I've been doing (not so intense).

Here are some hilights of the commentary (aka my inner dialogue):

Should I put on sunscreen before I get in the water? No, it'll just wash off. I'll put some on before I get on the bike.
Okay, time to warm up. Windmill the arms, do the Micheal Phelps floppy arms... maybe i should just get in the water. That's what everyone else is doing. Do a few strokes, get the wetsuit wet.
Should I run into the water? I'm going to start near the back. I'm gonna take it easy at first.
There's the horn, here we go!
Ack! Legs and arms everywhere! Must find space to swim!
Wait a minute. This isn't my stroke... calm the F*** down, Jarrett!
Screw this, I'm going off to one side.
Oops, too far out. Why am I doing this again?
First buoy... doing okay, still breathing too hard. Calm down--at this rate you'll have nothing left for the bike and run!
I can see the dock... crap, keep going too far left! Good rhythm though.
Good corner, I'm back at the start. Feeling good now, just one more lap.
Homestretch! Keep sighting... Why do I feel like I'm not going anywhere? Only a few hundred meters to go!
There's the bottom of the lake... there's the cement of the boat launch.

"Careful- it's slippery" says the volunteer, taking my hand and helping me stumble up the cement ramp. "Thanks!" I think I said "thanks". I meant to.

Need to get out of the wetsuit... where's the zipper? Keep moving...

"Somebody knocked your bike over..." Shit. "Oh well, no big deal." At least they put it back on the rack. Peel wetsuit... stupid timing chip getting in the way! Towel off. Helmet. Sunglasses. Shoes. Gel and Clif bar. Drink water. Grab gloves, can put them on later. Grab bike and go!

***


Stupid bike gloves... I wish I could pedal "no hands" on this bike...
Crap. Didn't put on sunscreen. I'll be okay. Drink.
Wheeeeee! This hill is awesome! Slow down for the sharp turn! More downhill, s-curve, quick right, stand up and pedal, quick left, stand, right, stand, left around the traffic circle...
I'm loving this course! Drink.
F***ing hill. I have to do this four more times? ... And there goes another elite, like I'm standing still...

"You're almost there! Keep going, almost to the top of the hill! Good job! You can do it..."

I love volunteers! Drink.
Cool, I'm passing some people with way fancier bikes! Drink.
Smile for the camera! Hi Nicole!

Repeat 4 more times...

***
Rack bike. Helmet off. Shoes off. Runners on. Drink. Grab another gel. Go!
Legs feel like lead... keep it slow at first. Crap, I'm stitching already... breathe deep... waterstation good... I wonder where Nicole is...

There she is! Cowbell!

I'd better walk until this stitch goes away... So hot...
Sprinklers! YAY! Thank you, Chapparral residents!
Keep running... so hot... like Arizona hot!
What?! No water at the water station??! I don't think I'm gonna make it...

You can walk. No, keep running. You're dehydrated. Just walk for a bit. You'd better start running again, even the old guys are passing you. Yeah, well they're all in better shape anyway. But they started half an hour later!

Sprinklers!
Take a gel... wow, that actually helps!
Made it back. One more time around... Ah water! "Two, please!" Walk. Drink. That's better.
"You're standing in the middle of the course! Move!" Please...
There's Nicole!
This is more like it-- this is my stride.
Hot! Sprinkers!
They refilled the water station! "Two, please!" Walk. Drink. Ahh...
Keep running... good! I actually don't feel terrible...
I made it! There's Nicole! Raise arms in triumph!

I really, really want to just go jump in the lake!

Must... stretch. That was fun. I think I'll do it again!

Swim: 1.5km Bike: 40km Run: 10km
Unofficial time: 3:05 (official times not yet posted)

Overdoing the Taper

I really did plan to train this week. I know I can still finish the race (Chaparral Olympic Tri) this weekend, but I'm definitely not in top form. Too stressed from work and Fiji stuff! Ironically, training helps me de-stress...

Had a great time last weekend at N's race, the Strathmore Women's Tri. She did great, I was so proud! I had a blast making signs with the kids-- our neices and nephew-- and really enjoyed just supporting N, talking her through it, and giving a little bit of last minute advice on positioning her bike on the rack and relaxing, having fun! I felt really terrible though when she came in from her bike a little later than I expected, and told me that her front brake rubbed the whole way, until she held it away from the wheel! Well, she won't find it very hard to improve her time next year.

So aside from me freaking out a little about the increased distance and my relative lack of training, I'm pretty excited about this weekend. Going to be super busy though, as I have to go pick up my wetsuit after work, then I'm going to go buy a tri racing suit. In the Sprints, I've been racing with my Tyr knee-length jams, and throwing on a shirt, but for this race and the others I'm planning for next year, I think it's time for a one-piece suit. Maybe the time it saves me in transitions will counteract my training deficiencies. Yeah, right.

At some point either tonight or tomorrow, I have to check out the course. The bike course has a LOT of corners, and I want to make sure I know it well. If I can squeeze in a run tonight, a lap around the run course (which is also part of the bike course) is probably the best option.

Oh, and I also have to pick up my race package tonight. Can't do it tomorrow, as I have a haircut and a Fiji meeting. Hmm... maybe a buzz-cut will make me go faster?

Just kidding, N. (She married me for my hair ;) )

Sikome "Double Brick"

Bike-Run-Bike. N calls that the "double brick".

We rode to Sikome lake, hauling the bike lock, and my running shoes. For lack of a better means of carrying the running shoes, I had to bring my big backpack... I can't seem to find my old small one since we moved. I must have chucked it-- "That's the dumbest thing you've ever done!" I don't know, honey, I've done some pretty stupid things in my day...

The ride to Sikome through the ever-gorgeous Fish Creek park was perfect. We had a nice breeze that alternated between nice and warm, and cool and refreshing. It was almost like going from hot tub to river and back again.

We locked up the bikes at Sikome, I changed into my runners while N went running ahead, giving me the chance to let loose a little to catch her. I do need to do more training at my own pace, it's just great to do these things with her.

The way back home was very nice, the sun turning orange and red as it set, but it can only be described with one word: buggy. I couldn't believe how many bugs there were! I'd taken off my sunglasses because it was getting dark but had to put them back on, because I could see even less due to my squinting and bugs in my eyes. Seriously, it felt like riding through a small hailstorm.

... and we went swimming on Wednesday night, but nothing much to write about.

Looking forward to N's race on Sunday!

The Preview Brick

For the non-triathletes, a "brick" is a training session involving more than one of the three triathlon sports. Usually it's bike then run, because it is the more physically challenging transition--your legs tend to think they're still pedaling, making the first few minutes of the run an odd sensation.

It's also a good idea to practice the actual transitions... that is, get off the bike, rack the bike, remove the helmet, put on a hat, switch shoes if you need to, take some water, and go! This transition process (from bike to run) is usually referred to as T2, as in Transition 2. T1 is swim-bike.

So this is what we did yesterday. N wanted to check out the course for her race next weekend, so we made the drive all the way out to Strathmore, drove the bike course, checked out the transition area parking lot, and talked through the transitions. As with any sport, the mental aspect is very important, especially in the transitions. It's difficult to fully practice transitions because you can't really reproduce the transition area, so you have to rely on a lot of visualization, mental walkthroughs and imagination. The maps provided by most organizers help, but ultimately you also have to be prepared to be flexible. After all, you don't know exactly where your spot in the transition area will be until raceday.

As I've been taught, we talked about preparation--arriving early, laying everything out, thinking about each task in each transition, and performing them methodically, and in order. Being focused, not rushed.
***
Ride hilight:
"Riding your bike costs more than riding the C-Train!" (Tire tube: $5. Transit ticket: $2.50)

"Eating these energy gels is going to take some practice."

"You are NOT buying a 25$ cowbell!"
"Okay, I'll get the 20$ one then."



Total workout: 20k bike ~55mins (need to go a little faster for the race!), 3k run

Long Ride

We did it! I'm so proud of N... that was one long, hilly ride. Longest I've ever done. 66 km!

The goal was to go out to Bragg Creek from Westhills, have lunch and ride back to the car. We gave ourselves about four hours, and it took us about three and a half, including lunch.

Here's the map, courtesy of mapmyride.com