Prof40's Group -- Technically full but ... (Page 31)

haha Pene you know it all.  I do need to just veg out, I was picking up some stuff the other day and saw all the cheap easter sale stuff and was soooo tempted lol.  The job thing is not a big deal.  They are cutting my hours in half starting in May and I have been thinking of leaving for a while so nows a better time then ever.  And I have been saving money for a while so I can afford to leave right now, so, I am :D

Today I finished my 8k.  It was rough but I made it.  At about 5km I had a nasty stitch in my side that slowed me down a bit but I still finished in the time I was aiming (under an hour).  The blahs are just from all this cold and wind.  Its April and we deserve better.  Wheres this damn global warming already :P

Hey Everyone !!! First off, thanks for the kind words and support and for taking the time out of your lives to do some sympathy tri’s for Malph and I !!!!

If you're interested, the race site is: http://trievent.com/escape/ They have the results, the race map, and eventually will have pictures. My number was 406 and it's under Sean Myers.

Well, it's done and I have to say that I had a blast. Learned a bunch of what to do and what not to do and will definitely be doing this again to improve on my times.

Here are the results: (ahhhh.... But first my goals: *Finish* and *Don't come in dead last*)

I am happy to say that I met both of my goals ! I had to trip a 79 year old lady from behind to do it, but hell, she probably needed that hip replacement anyway ;-)

Distances: .5 mile swim (880 yards) (.804672 kilometers)

10 mile bike (16.09344 kilometers)
4 mile run (6.437376 kilometers)
Overall time 1:57:29
Swim 16:50
T1 9:18
Bike 41:13
T2 2:48
Run 47:22

All-in-all, I'm very pleased with my results. I've come a long damn way to get here and even though my times aren't all that great, I have managed to change my lifestyle and embark on a new journey in my life. Yeah ! I've gone from complete couch potato to triathlete in 79 days.

I started working out on January 25th and here I am 79 days later, 46 pounds lighter and completely happy.

So.... Without further ado, the race report !

I leave in plenty of time to get there on time only to find that there is a *HUGE* backup of cars at a toll bridge leading to the island. After spending 25 minutes in stop and go traffic, I get through and get to the start.

Before I set up, I need to take care of some business (e.g. the call of nature) There's another 20 minutes standing in line with everyone else. So, now I've got about 30 minutes to get my timing chip, get marked, and get my transition area set up. I had originally planned to be there and setting up an hour ahead of the race but ah well.... That didn't work out so good :-)

So, I get my area laid out (I had to scoot a couple of bikes over to squeeze in which I hear is a big no-no, but people were really inconsiderate of space. I was very careful however)

I squeeze into my wetsuit and take off for the starting line. I get about 200 yards away and realize that I've forgotten my swim cap which they provide and is required !. Ughhh.... I run back and grab my cap and race back to the starting line. I get about 400 yards away and realize that I've forgotten to put the timing chip strap on my ankle !!! You've got to be kidding me !! I run back to the transition area and grab it and stop for a moment to do a quick inventory to make sure I'm not missing anything else. The starting point for the swim is still over a 1/3 of a mile away so I hot foot it over to the swim start.

So by now, I've probably already run almost a friggin' mile and I haven't even started the race yet.

Lesson Learned #1: Bring some sandals !!! I was doing all of this running barefoot and now I've got a nice little cut under my big toe and a blister on my heel.

OK. Everyone was really nice and because of the situation with the toll bridge (and by toll bridge, I mean *ONE* guy sitting there taking tolls for over a thousand people) they postponed the start by 10 minutes.

So, I'm standing there with about 1000 other people and realize that I'm completely friggin nuts but at least I've got some company. I don’t have too long to consider this as all of a sudden they start the race.

They let us out in waves and mine was the 4th or 5th wave to go so now I'm starting to get a little nervous realizing that I have not swam at all in preparation for this race and I'm wondering how the hell I'm actually going to do this ! Well, I didn't have long to dwell on it because the next thing I knew was that they were calling for my wave to get ready so here I go !

The temp was about 72 or 73 degrees and the water was 70 degrees so I only wore the bottom half of the "farmer john" wetsuit that I had rented. If you're not familiar with this type of wetsuit, it's got long legs and a top piece and resembles a pair of overalls. There are two straps that go over your shoulders and it leaves your arms and chest uncovered for the most part. I felt that this was perfect because I would have full range of motion in my arms.

The horn blasts - I take off running into the water - I start swimming.... As soon as I start swimming, water starts rushing into the wetsuit effectively turning it into a huge sea anchor with me pulling it along. Which leads me to lesson learned #2.

Lesson Learned #2: Try training with what you are actually going to use and don't introduce anything new on race day.

Well..... This is interesting I think to myself. There's nothing I can do now but just keep on swimming and that is exactly what I did. I managed to turn in a fairly respectable swim time considering I turned what should have been a half mile swim effort into a 2 mile swim effort and my breathing sucked and I had a total blast and I didn't float on my back or stop or drown !

So, we get out of the water, I run the 400 or 500 yards up to the transition area and they announce my name and I am jazzed now ! The hard part is over ! Or so I thought... More on that later.... I get to the transition area and strip off the wetsuit and run into lesson learned #3.

Lesson Learned #3: Get a 5 gallon bucket and put some water in it to wash feet off.

It took me so damn long to get the sand off of my feet !!! That's how I ended up with the over 9 minute transition.

OK, so I get on the bike and do my 10 miles. It's pretty uneventful except for the friggin' wind which was brutal but I felt good.

T2 wasn't bad. I hung up my bike, took off my helmet and grabbed my water bottle and was off. To quote Malph "I was completely rooted" Man ! At this point, I had to really push myself.

The first half of the run was fairly normal. It was on a nice paved path, water and gatorade along the way and I alternated between a slow and fast jog trying to get some wind back. I finally started to get into my groove when I reached the half way point in the run. I see one of the race volunteers point which way to go and head over there to find: Stairs ????!!!!!

Yep. Three flights of friggin' stairs. I briefly tried to get the name of the sadistic SOB who came up with this brilliant idea but they weren't talking. Ah crap... Here I go. (and now is a good time to mention that I have little to no cartilage left in my knees) So up I go. And then down I go to.... the beach .... you have got to be kidding me. The last half of the run is along the beach ???!!!! Yep.

So off on my merry way I go, thinking of devious ways to torture this so-and-so who came up with the course. My favorite involves surgically removing the cartilage from his/her knees with a salad fork and then strapping them to a stairmaster rigged with explosives. Ahhhhh... It helped to pass the time and put a little fire in my belly.

I plodded along, determined to finish and finally, against all odds, I round the last turn and see the finish line.

They announce my name and people are cheering and it was wonderful !!!! I had done it ! I was psyched !!!

After I got home, I had a couple of brown bottle carb boosters and immediately passed out for a couple of hours and awoke just in time to drink to Malph's success !

I want to thank all of you for your enthusiasm and encouragement and advice and everything that has made this possible. You are all awesome !

Sean

Wow, Malph - that bike portion - think I'd've gotten off and walked out with my bike on my back.  Way to power on through!

Sean - your story was hilarious - I could just see you ballooning through the swim with your parachute on - lol.  Probably funnier now, right?  Thanks for including the lessons learned - I took notes.

Awesome, guys!  Thanks for sharing your experience!

Mark - Thanks !

I don't have anything planned right now.  I need to get back online and see what other races are available.  Because of the meniscus problems I have in my knees I need to keep the run's at around 4 miles.  Anything more and I start walking like Frankenstein.  :-)  Which is fun but then the little kids start running and screaming and I guess I don't really need to wear the green makeup and bolts in my neck, but hell, a guy needs to have some fun doesn't he ???

Anyway, I digress, I will check on upcoming tri's and adventure races in my area.  I had so much fun on both of them and would love to do anything again.  I keep looking for some friends and family to join me but they all think I'm completely nuts.  Alas...  At least I still have the voices in my head and all of you on BT.com...

Sean 

Thanks CMCKEE !  It was a hoot to be sure.  One thing I forgot to mention was that I got a nasty rash on the back of my neck from the wetsuit rubbing on it.  I was just doing a little research on tri wetsuits and look what I just found.

  Body Glide is the anti-chaffing product to use with all wetsuits. It is very common to use it on the back of the neck.

Ha ha ha...  Wish I had seen that a week ago.

Sean 

Sean and Clint, great work boys!  Always fun to hear the stories.  Before you know it we will be seeing you guys on TV doing the Ironman :P

 
Kanders, I like that idea.  I have been looking for a running partner but having trouble finding someone at my level.  I literally have only been running about 2 months so my pace is fairly slow and my endurance is still being built.  Theres a few running groups around town here but I always feel like I wouldn't be able to keep up. 

 
So who is next on the chopping block for the next race?  I have a 10k on the 28th but its not a tri.  My first tri isn't until June.  I guess the weather is only nice where you guys are from this time of year eh :P  Today is miserable here again.  57km/h gust winds!  Try biking in that!

 
And Pene, don't worry about the other supermen/woman here.  Helen is a running machine.  I think she is doing a full marathon next month!  Just look at how much you improve every month, and think about how far you will be next year.  IM '09?  Lets do it! 

Re: training partners - that's one reason I joined this site - there seem to be only about 3 people in my area who are interested in tri - a couple of heavy-hitting he-men, and a lady who'd be perfect, even a 30 minute drive away, but who just went into her 2nd tri - mester.  sigh  My dh's idea of encouragement is "Where will this end?"  I don't even dare to tell him about having any kind of goal in training other than staying in shape - he thinks I'm nuts as it is.  I quote:  "Those muscle people can have each other."  When I point out he's been married to one of them (except when I was doing MY trimesters) he takes it as a compliment to his tolerance and forbearance....LOL.

Just thought you might like to know you're not the only oppressed one, Pene - but I don't - really don't - know how you do all you do with no help.  I have my mom and a couple of good girlfriends (whose only flaw is their complete disinterest in exertion!)  My hat's off to you!