So it’s been awhile and I blame this entirely on Justin for not posting enough… technically it’s his turn! ;)
Anyways, not much has been going on over here. Jus and I have been doing some really light workouts but nothing to demanding. A few runs here and there with a mix of biking. Swimming… ummm…. yea, swimming… we’ve done none of that. This weekend I start my first 20 miler for my marathon training – John says to keep it easy, goal is to just finish. This should be interesting.
We’ve done a couple races since the last post. 8/30 we raced in the Cranberry TriFest. Sprint was on Saturday, Oly on Sunday. Saturday’s race was cancelled due to a tropical storm but lucky for us the Oly was still on. Conditions weren’t excellent, but not bad either. Overcast skies, dry roads (considering how much rain we got the day before), the air was a bit cool. This race is used as a regional club championship race so there are a lot of fast racers on the course.
Swim: [30:36 - 1:55/100yds]
The swim is in Loon Pond in Lakeville, MA, a shallow pond where you can easily stand the entire 0.9 miles. I was the second to last wave group to go out, Justin I think the 4th to go out. I lined up close to the front of the group only to get agitated and annoyed once I started swimming. I slowed down and dropped back to find a spot of my own. I’d rather get a slower time and enjoy my swim, esp. when I wasn’t competing, but rather just doing. I desperately need new goggles, mine are so scrapped up and worn that they look foggy before I even put them on. It made for a difficult time to spot but I made it somehow or another. I was out in 30:36. That’s a whole 13 sec faster from last year… sweet! (OK, I’m an awful swimmer, but something I’m going to work to improve for next year).
T1: [3:43]
I love wet suit strippers… none at this race. Not much to say about my time, but slow.
Bike: [1:15:47 - 19.7mph]
Over the last year of training, my bike times have improved a lot. I feel better on the bike and it shows in my times. I’ve done a ton of biking and put myself into some tough training rides (I guess I need to think twice when I decide to ride with Joey, he never makes anything easy). This year was 7:21 faster than last…sweet x2! Given that I am writing this three weeks after the fact, and my old age, I don’t really remember a whole lot about the bike course except it’s a great, 25 mile rolling hills ride.
T2: [2:09]
Hm, I need to work on my transition times for next year, too.
Run: [51:00 – 8:13 min/mile]
I wanted to push myself on the run, I wanted to give myself the goal to not let anyone in my age group pass me, if they did, I would chase them. The short start of the run is on grass/dirt and I hate races that don’t start you immediately on the road because I get discombobulated and have to focus on tripping over rocks and tree stumps instead of getting my hat, water and GU’s situated. I was pretty tired in the beginning of the run and my right calve was cramping. 
I refused to walk or stop and stretch cause I figured it was a short course, suffer through it. Quickly, at mile one, a girl passed me with a 26 on her calve – crap! I kept on her heels when not soon after another girl passed in my age group! Ugh, man, I was starting to fall back. With an extra boost of determination, I passed one of the girls as she fell back and I was happy enough with that accomplishment. The run was pretty quiet the rest of the way, I just kept on going. After the race when they posted the times, I was pretty amazed at my run pace – I certainly didn’t feel like I was going that fast and I absolutely did not feel like I could even go that fast in my condition. And…sweet x3, I ran 26 sec faster than last year. (Don't make fun of my hair... Justin keeps calling me a banshee. I got my haircut and I don't know how to deal with it yet when racing!)
In the end, I placed 15/39 in my age group, which I feel good about. I think if I treated this race as an A race, I would have done far better, but given I haven’t worked out since Ironman, I am pretty darn happy. Total time: 2:43:21.
And, last but not least, here are Justin’s times:
Swim: 30:32 [1:55/100yds]
T1: 2:59
Bike: 1:15:19 [19.8 mph]
T2: 1:46
Run: 51:40 [8:20 min/mile]
Total Time: 2:42:14
If you want to see where Justin and I were in relation to each other throughout the race, check this out. It’s a new results review that is pretty freakin cool. I’m the red dot, Justin is the blue dot. Watch me chase him down the whole race! : )
Another race report to come soon for the Pumpkinman Half we did last weekend! We’re falling behind on these posts!!!
(My favorite view of Boston from run)
(6am in Boston - good morning!)
(one of the hills of Beacon Hill - it's far more intimidating in person, I swear)
Over the last year of training, my bike times have improved a lot. I feel better on the bike and it shows in my times. I’ve done a ton of biking and put myself into some tough training rides (I guess I need to think twice when I decide to ride with Joey, he never makes anything easy). This year was 7:21 faster than last…sweet x2! Given that I am writing this three weeks after the fact, and my old age, I don’t really remember a whole lot about the bike course except it’s a great, 25 mile rolling hills ride.
I refused to walk or stop and stretch cause I figured it was a short course, suffer through it. Quickly, at mile one, a girl passed me with a 26 on her calve – crap! I kept on her heels when not soon after another girl passed in my age group! Ugh, man, I was starting to fall back. With an extra boost of determination, I passed one of the girls as she fell back and I was happy enough with that accomplishment. The run was pretty quiet the rest of the way, I just kept on going. After the race when they posted the times, I was pretty amazed at my run pace – I certainly didn’t feel like I was going that fast and I absolutely did not feel like I could even go that fast in my condition. And…sweet x3, I ran 26 sec faster than last year. (Don't make fun of my hair... Justin keeps calling me a banshee. I got my haircut and I don't know how to deal with it yet when racing!)
