Beer Drinker Appreciation Society (BDAS) - Open (Page 90)

Alright. So I finished my first and only Tri for the year. Times are not what I wanted but the result was good so I'm not going to complain. 

500m - 8:55 (Not bad considering)

20km Bike - 32:14 (38.1kph - a little slower than I wanted but I foolishly went into the Park yesterday, where all the hills are in my area, and dished out some watt bombs for 2 hours sprinting up hills and trying to get some Strava PBs). 

5km Run - 20-21min (estimated. I didn't have a way to track my run, my wife had the Garmin and my official time included my transition zone time). 

6th overall, 1st in age group, fastest bike split overall. Not bad for having spent all of 20min and 13min training for the swim (one short OWS in June)  and run (two 1mile runs) respectively in all of 2016. 

Here's a pic. I thought you all might appreciate the cap... 

(13876358_10153754292002113_1255018696945945285_n.jpg)

Awesome race, Alan.  I like your taper strategy: watt-bombs LOL.  That's a quick swim time regardless of how much you've trained.

Wow, that's sucks on the nutrition piece, but awesome job Gretchen.  The Terminator rules!!! 

Can't wait for the "long story" RR.

Oh, and to me Alan's experience reflects my mantra - it's ALL about the bike in triathlon.  Assuming you can MOP swim (like Alan), hammer the bike with room to spare, and then perform a solid run (though 21-flat even is pretty impressive...), you'll do well in most races.

Got in my first outdoor ride this year (yeah - I know...).  About 26 miles of rolling terrain in Eastern Baltimore County, including where The Baltimore Triathlon is held in Gunpowder state park.  There were like a gazillion cyclists out yesterday morning.  I chatted with another guy for a few miles and he gave me the scoop on the local area, and then another guy asked me for some advice on road bike buying.  Friendly bunch which was cool.

Oh, and I randomly set a 30" PR on Trainer Road Saturday morning.  If there's a tri with a bike sprint finish, I am SO ready!

Injury-wise, my back is improving but I think I'm a ways from running again.  I might try a little sand jogging when we go to Costa Rica later this week.  Looking forward to getting some OWS in - hopefully I can avoid the crocodiles!! 

Another option to try is a spin class - I get up to 130 RPM in there.  It's a totally different animal because of the weighted flywheel (which continues to spin your legs even after you stop putting effort towards it), but it helps with the mental timing.  I know there's a cost to the gym membership but the Y is usually pretty cheap if that's an option.

Another thing you could try are shorter, high-spin intervals.  Get up to your cruising speed, go down one gear, and then spin FAST to accelerate a little bit.  Start with like 10-15 seconds at a time.  Your HR will probably jump a little, but that's what we're looking for.

As someone who has only been healthy enough, long enough, to race triathlons in 3 of the past 6 seasons (and the jury's still out on this one...), I know first-hand what you're going through.  The two things I've done to adjust are to 1) do what I can, and do it the best I can (like last season I focused solely on the 40k TT), and 2) mange my expectations (like unless I walk the entire marathon, ain't no way in hell I'm doing an IM).

The first bolded point is the crux of the matter here - if this sucks, and there's no joy in the journey at all, I would focus (like you said) on trying to accomplish smaller goals and build from there.  That's not quitting, by the way, it's managing expectations and creating a positive environment to work (and live) from.  Your shoulder is bothering you so you've had limited swimming, you hate your bike, and you can't run more than two miles - I don't see this as a really good recipe for success in even getting to the starting line, much less finishing, an IM.  

On the second bolded statement, my "experiment of one experience" suggestion to you is this:  focus on getting healthy, both physically and mentally.  Dial back but stay consistent on the training where you can, focusing on the things that will get you back to a position where you can handle the rigors of intense or long training.  Get in the pool often, get on the bike often and nail down that fit and cadence, do some strength flexibility work, try yoga, find a place to hike, drop weight reasonably and consistently.  Do stuff that makes you feel better, not stuff you NEED to do to complete a race.  There will be a time and place for that.

I know there's a financial loss in the entry fee to consider but I think IM does deferments or transfers or something - maybe you can move something to earlier next year and do a more local HIM or something.  I've lost close to $1K in race fees I've never started.  And you won't incur the travel costs this year, unless of course you've pre-paid those, and if you've done that - maybe get a little R&R and volunteer or something.

Normally I would say, "suck it up buttercup", but I think you've already tried that and it's not working for you.

So, lots of healing, positive vibes, and prayers your way as you make this decision.  Remember, you're already an Ironman.

Congratulations on your race! Even a tough finish is finish, especially at that distance!

I'm not sure what your training load has been like recently but lack of motivation, loss of enjoyment, changes in mood, etc, are all symptoms of overtraining. You're a guy who sets very rigid goals in terms of speed and performance for events so I wonder if maybe self-induced stress and/or anxiety over your training in conjunction with a heavy training load might be affecting you. Overtraining isn't just about physical ailments, it can and often does manifest psychologically. I recommend taking a week away from structured training to give yourself a chance to recharge. Ride your bike if you want to but don't do training rides. Just ride casually (ride in regular clothes to remind yourself that you're not on a training ride) and just enjoy riding your bike for the sake of riding your bike. (or run, whatever activity you have a greater affinity with). Whatever you choose, make a point to notice something new along your ride or run along the route every time you go out. Don't take your computer or garmin with you. Just pay attention to surroundings. I think this will help you decompress and find some balance both in training and life. 

I honestly can't remember exactly where the turn around is. I'll try to find the GPS track from when I did it.