It seems like forever since I wrote a blog entry. Looking back it has been almost 2 months. Euro 2012 hadn’t even started yet, ObamaCare hadn’t been decided on by SCOTUS and I was a whole 2 pounds heavier! But I digress. I have continued to train modestly, riding here, running there, but in all honesty I had sort of been struggling with the proper motivation needed to compete in a triathlon. That has changed now, and I am back in training mode. I’m back baby!!
I did, however, compete with a team of 7 others in a 50 mile relay race across Guam about 3 weeks ago. Started at 5:00 AM and finished around noon. I ran 2 legs of the race (every team member did 2 legs…and also had 2 legs to run on). I had a 4.7 mile leg along the beach (with about 1 mile of that actually being ON THE SAND!). Then I had a killer 2.0 mile leg that had a monster incline for about 1.5 of it. You know what, gravity is heavy! I felt like I was running up stairs….for a mile and a half!! Anyway, we made it, had a blast, got a medal, and then shot a picture of the team and the team with their families at the finish (see below). The Guam Sea to Sea Relay was a success and is one of thos unique things that being on Guam allows you to be a part of.
Back to the training. Zinnia and the kids left last week for Texas for 2 weeks and so I have had a lot more free time in the evenings and weekends. I had been running, and biking fairly often for the past month (swimming was rare…only once a week usually) but since they left last week I have been like a training machine. I am so bored (I miss them) that I have nothing to do EXCEPT train. Saturday I actually went out and did the first annual SEAN HUSSEY TRIATHLON. For those of you who have never heard of such an event, well let me tell you, it is a 750 meter swim, followed by a 8 mile bike ride followed by a 2.0 mile run. Yep, I decided to have at it. I timed myself and didn’t include the transitions because I actually had to go from the pool (that’s right I swam in the pool, not the ocean….still need to work on that) to the car in the parking lot to get the bike off the bike rack on my car, then back to the car after the 8 mile ride to put the bike back ON the bike rack before running. So, it wasn’t a good lesson in transitions because I had to basically stop for 5-10 minutes in between each modality, but it was still the closest I had come to doing all 3 events back-to-back-to-back. Did the swim in 17 minutes and change, the bike in 33 minutes and the run in 16:30. So, overall it was about an hour and 7 minutes, not inluding the time transitioning. I was happy that I didn’t completely exhaust myself and was able to do as much as I did. Things I noticed:
1. After swimming, my head is a bit dizzy. I think it is from the water in my ears and constantly turning my head to breath during the swim. It takes about 2 minutes to equilabrate before I feel normal again.
2. Wearing tri-shorts is different than bike shorts. My butt hurt a little because I am used to wearing the very padded bike shorts. I wore the tri shorts this time and after 8 miles on the bike seat I started to feel it a bit on me bum.
3. After the swim and bike, starting the run is hard. My legs felt like tree stumps. Very heavy. They eventually loosened up a bit, but the first half mile was a struggle.
I’ll probably do it again this weekend although I may try the full sprint tri distance of 750 meter swim, 12 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. Just to see how I stack up. The family is still away so what the heck!
Today I went to the gym before work and lifted weights then ran 2.5 miles after the weights. Would have run 3 but was running behind and really needed to get going from the gym to get to work on time. Then, after work I went back to the pool and did a stack workout where I swam 100 meters, rested for 1 minute, swam 200 meters, rest 1 minute, 300 meter swim, rest, 300 meter swim, rest, 200 meter swim, rest and then finished with a 100 meter swim. Good workout. 1200 meters total. Was doing my 100s between 1:50 and 2:00 minutes, my 200s at 4:25 and my 300s at 6:45. I am not Michael Phelps by any stretch, but the key thing is that I am feeling stronger in the pool. My form feels better and my endurance is definitely improving. As I have said before the swim is my most worrisome modality. For one it is my weakest link, and also it is the first event and it sets the tone for the whole race. If I come out of the water exhausted it is going to be hard to bike and run after that. I really want to make the swim my best event. Still need to get more time in the open water and I do intend to get in there. A friend of mine has offered to swim with me in the ocean and I may have to take him up on that just to get in there and do it.
The event date has changed too. Originally I had a July date as the race day, but apparently that is an Olympic distance event. Umm, no I will not be doing that right now. So, the next Sprint distance event is August 19. Perfect. Gives me an additional month to train. Basically 6 weeks from now to get ready. I think I can be ready by then. My training has increased. My diet has been really good as Zinnia was given a meal plan to follow by her trainer and it is extremely healthy and fit for someone who is in a rigorous training program (although with her gone I am on my own and need to keep cooking for myself). And my motivation is high right now as I see some of the improvements that I am making with strength and endurance. I hope to be back blogging at least once or twice a week now so it will keep me honest leading up to the event. Stay tuned, and hold on, things may get a little bumpy from here on out.