Experior and Slornow's Spring/Summer Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 37)

Good morning everyone-the weekend looks like a washout here with heavy rain and thunderstorms predicted. So, I'm headed to the garage for a 2 hour ride.  Hopefully weather will break enough to allow for short run today and long run tomorrow.

Good luck to all those racing!

Randy

Hey everybody, just got done with my tri this morning, here's a quick recap:

the swim was a total ^$*#ing disaster. I mean, like Shakespearean tragedy. It was Macbeth, Othello, and Hamlet all rolled into one and thrown into a lake. My goggles wouldn't work, I couldn't ever catch my breath, it was breaststroke the whole way. Such as setback after my last race, which I did OK in. I need to OWS practice soooo much more.

bike & run: bike was ok, not great and not terrible. i was so pissed about my swim i never even set my watch up to record my speed/time/heart rate, so i don't have any data yet. then i ran without pace either, just figured i would give whatever i had left.

oh yeah, and in T2, i turned my race belt around (i had it on backwards during the bike) and my &^%ing buttons flew off! so, i turned my backpack upside down and dumped everything out, found my race packet and put on two safety pins as quick as i could.

time: right at 2:00 unofficial (750m swim, 17 mile bike, 5k)

Jamie-tough day.  You gained some great experience but that probably won't help you feel any better today.  For what its worth here is my miserable swim story.  In my second year doing triathlons I qualified for olympic distance USAT AG Nationals.  It was being held in Tuscaloosa so only 3.5 hours away.  Decided to do it for the "experience." Theoretically I was a competent triathlete, I had done several races and done well enough to qualify. My AG was last wave. Got in the water (no wetsuits) to warm up and immediately HR soared.  Almost climbed out before we even started. But, I knew my I would be p!ssed and kick myself if I did.  Told myself I would swim to the first buoy and if it was still miserable I would head to the near shore (river) and pack it in.   Sure enough the first couple hundred yards were awful. No rhythm, swallowing tons of water. Finally, I decided I would swim 20 strokes, do a couple of breast strokes to recover and sight and then repeat.  About halfway through my HR settled and I had a decent 2nd half of the swim.  I still struggle with the first couple of hundred yards in any swim but I just "trust" that things will settle down at some point. All I can tell you is the more you do it the better you will get at OWS.   Hang in there!

Couple of other little things that I think help in races. Race belt-I use a Spibelt that uses short cords and toggles to attach the number.  I think this works better and is more secure than the little snaps on some race belts.  The Spibelt has a small pocket in the front where you can put a gel.  If you have any doubts about how secure your number is I would use a couple of safety pins as a backup.  Also, I always put a a safety pin on my chip strap to make sure the velcro does not come loose if it gets kicked or the velcro is weak. 

Keep racing and keep learning...it will get easier.

Randy

Rene-thanks for the pep talk. I actually don't feel terrible about the whole race, I feel like I gave a good effort; that swim just blows my mind though! My last OWS race wasn't amazing, but it was acceptable. I felt like a baby horse out there flopping around. Practice, practice, practice. I swear I'm going to do well in my OWS race!

Randy-two things I'm ordering asap, that belt you recommend and new goggles! 

This race definitely isn't going to get me down! I'm already planning for my next races in July, August, September.

About the race, here's my full race report: Tri Latta Race Report Overall, it was a good race, they just have to figure out the traffic. I was up at 4:45 and at the race site by 5:30, and still almost missed my wave start at 6:38. The parking traffic was bad, and then the actual course start is 1/4 mile away. My pre-race routine was non-existent this morning. 

Live and learn, I'm just using this to power me through training for my next race.

On a different note, I'll be away for a bit. I leave Monday to go to Spain, so that's good! I lead a trip for my school every year, and this year we're doing Madrid. I'll be away until the following Tuesday, so I won't be able to get any training in other than a few runs. *sigh* Life could be worse...

New bike purchase today, Lynskey Sportive road bike.  I ordered the bike back in Feb and finally came in.  Took it out for a quick ride, Love It!.

-Steve

(lynskey.jpg)

Steve-great looking bike. Lynsky so titanium? I bet that thing rides great.

Randy

Jamie-trip to Spain sounds great.  Should be alot of energy there with Euro 2012 soccer going on. Games are not being played there but Spain is certainly one of the favorites.

Michael/d3-Germany had a nice win today. Portugal had some nice chances but the German keeper came up big. 

What a washout here.  Many local areas getting as much as 10-12 inches of rain. I was suppose to do a 25 minute run after my ride but thunderstorms kept me from being able to head out. Weather finally eased up some and I was able to get an easy run in.  Looks like more rain for tomorrow.  Can't really complain. Between the 2 Euro games and the NCAA Track and Field Championships being on TV I took advantage of the rainy day.  Nap was nice too.

Randy

I swear I was nowhere near your area today :-)

I volunteered for the local kids tri this morning.  If you're wondering, yes, it did rain.

It was such a great time.  My son did it last year but he's taking this summer off from triathlons -- he's intimidated by the longer distances now that he's in the 11-14 age group. It's great to see kids try doing something hard and succeeding.

Then, I played in a father/son lacrosse game.  I feel worse after that game than I did after my tri last Saturday :-)  It was a good workout though.

Family day today so no internet until now.  I just got done gtting my bike ready for a race tomorrow

Jamie -- tough races are great learning experiences.  You did great!  I'm really glad to see that it isn't getting you down.  I was surprised to read that you get there well in advance of your start but still had no time to warm up.  That sounds like poor organization (on their part, not yours), and certainly could have contributed to swim anxiety.

Steve -- nice bike!

Michael -- nice workout today!

Randy -- sorry to hear about the rain.  They are calling for it for us tomorrow.  I just hope we make it through the bike before the rain starts -- technical course and rain will make it hell.

The kids doing family hash:

Blanda-great pictures. But, have to ask...what is "family hash"?

More rain here today. Headed out for 1:20 minute run during what looked like a break in the weather.  Told my wife where I would be going as there are several good places with shelter if weather turned bad.  Well, about 40 minutes in the weather got bad with heavy rain, winds and lightning.   Fortunately, I was near a school and was able to get in covered entryway. Was probably there for 30 minutes before my wife came and picked me up.  I was fine but they were worried.  I always plan my runs to have shelter close by if the weather is questionable.  Hope everyone plans for bad weather when mapping out runs. Be careful out there!  Crazy thing was that this older (than me) guy who I had seen shuffling along earlier was headed back the other way during the worst of the weather right in front of the school.  Can't imagine continuing to run in those conditions.  I actually like running in the rain but no way when there is thunder, lightning or dangerous weather. Will try to get the other 40 minutes in later if weather allows.

Randy  

Randy: It's a kid and furkid friendly hash run! They keep it clean for the little kids.

Randy, we're getting your rain here too.  Not as much as you are getting, but enough to make roads slippery and make Michael crash.  

Still, the race was OK, despite the crash.  I still stink at swimming, but that's not exactly surprising.  I just noticed that everybody was slower all around this year (due to conditions, no doubt), so I feel a little better about being 3 minutes off my time from last year...

Race report here:  http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=444971

Now figuring out how to deal with the lack of skin on my leg and upper arm.  Swimming is not on for a least a few days until it scabs over.

Holy cow Michael!  Glad you are relatively OK.  Hope that you are getting all of your bad luck out of the way before heading to IMWI.  Not sure I would have been able to continue the race without first having a "chat" with the driver.  You are a better man than I.

Randy 

Michael - great race report!  Your drive to complete the race is impressive.  I cant wait for the day when they create technology that prevents drivers from messing with their cell phones.  Your transition times are pretty darn quick.  Great job on completing the race and maintaining focus!!  Are you working with a therapist to help with your ankle issues?

Steve - love the bike! 

Randy - hope the weather improves.  My greatest memory of riding in the rain was IM Moo in 2007.  Cold, windy and rainy all day.  I wished I had had more practice riding in the rain prior to that race.

Finally done with work and off this week.  I will plan to get lots of biking done.  Just did a 9 mile run tonight and paced it pretty well (for me).  Feeling great!  Now for some R and R. 

Jason-that is FAST! Great job.

Randy