Try Tri (Week 3)

First, this week we remember the husband of a Team Honey Badger member who lost a tough and courageous battle with cancer last week.  We had team members at marathons, half marathons, and triathlons, with everyone racing for Sasha and Joel.  Joel touched the lives of many people.  I was honored to have met him a few times, and we are all so glad that Sasha joined our group last year.  Click here to learn more about Joel.





This week’s workouts:

Mon:  Rest

Tue:  Swim 1,300 yards (main set = 12x25 sprints); bike 40 min/10 miles (main set = 10x20-sec sprints)

Wed:  Run 5 miles (easy pace – 10:00/mile)

Thu:  Swim 1,350 yards (main set = 6x100); bike 11.65 miles (easy pace)

Fri:  Run 4.5 miles (w/8x20-sec relaxed sprints)

Sat:  Swim 1,650 yards (endurance swim)

Sun:  Try Tri (300 yard swim, 20 mile bike, 4 mile run)

Weekly total:  58.18 miles

My "aqua pain cave" - The Lodge, Des Peres, MO

(eventually I'll take the GoPro for a swim)

Training during the work week was solid, but uneventful.  I deviated from my training calendar this week because I intended to race the long course at the Try Tri event in at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville on Sunday.  I did my long swim, wrote off my 35-mile long bike, and skipped my 8-mile long run as well.  That turned out to be a good decision.

 With a backpack, tri-bucket, and my bike, I packed "light" for this race.  Packing for Louisville may require a trailer.

No One Fights Alone - in honor of Sasha and Joel

Try Tri is a fairly small race put on by RaceMaker Productions who has a reputation of putting on quality events with great swag (this one had a water bottle, swim cap, and hoodie).  The 300 yard swim was held in the rec center pool and featured full laps in each of the 6, 25-yard lanes.  This meant people swimming on both sides of the lane and the potential for people passing which would result in a 3-4 people trying to squeeze through the lane. 

Our swim venue

This race featured some strong swimmers

The swim was self-seeded, and it seems that most people did well in realistically estimating their time.  My plan was to stay within my 3-stroke breathing pattern that I intend to use in Louisville.  I estimated a 6:15-6:30 swim, so I seemed to be in the right spot according to the people around me.  Once I got into the water, I was pre-occupied with making sure I wasn’t holding anyone up, so after the first 100 yards, I had to bail on my 3-stroke pattern and go with the 2-stroke pattern.  I did get passed by the swimmer behind me (I waited for a moment at the wall so that she could pass easily), and I later passed the swimmer who started before me the same way.  I managed to swim a 6:05 (although the race website says it was 7 minutes plus, but that is because their timing mat was located on the trip from the pool to transition, not at the pool exit). 

My transition area ready to go - note the handlebar rack because my seat is higher than the racking bar

My swim-bike transition wasn’t the greatest, but I really wasn’t too concerned with it.  I knew the winds were going to be an issue, so my plan was to push the 10-mile out portion of the course.  I was averaging about 24mph on this stretch and could feel the wind coming at me sideways.  My tri bike is great, but I definitely feel side winds more than I did on my road bike.   At the 10-mile turnaround, the wind just smacked you in the face.  There was little protection or relief during the return back to transition.  Add to that a decent climb at mile 19.5, and I was really working to get into T2 and off the bike.  My bike wasn’t spectacular, but I was happy given the conditions (I passed a number of riders, but was only overtaken by 2 other bikes).  My goal was to maintain at least a 20mph average, but I ended up at 19 due to the wind.

My T-2 was a bit slower than ideal, because I had to stop and tie my running shoes (I haven’t gotten speed laces yet this year).  I put my shoes on while sitting on my bucket, and realized to my horror that I stashed a Gu packet in my right shoe (that was now tied on my right foot).  I took my shoe off expecting to see something reminiscent of a crime scene, but luckily the packet hadn’t opened.

I got out of transition and started working to find a comfortable running pace.  The first mile was a bit rough as my legs were making the bike/run switch.  I walked for just a second to grab water at mile 1, and started running again.  At the 2-mile mark, I decided I would stick with my Louisville plan and run intervals (briskly walk 1 minute at each mile marker).  After the first interval, I immediately felt my running get better.  I continued to feel stronger at after each interval.  My mile splits were in the neighborhood of 8:50’s, but it felt effortless.  My last quarter mile was in the 7’s, and I still felt loose and comfortable crossing the finish line.

After the race, I quickly grabbed some food, loaded my gear, and headed home, so I really can’t report on the post-race activities.

I ended up 6^th out of 15 in my age group (M40-44) and was 5^th in both the bike and run leg.  Overall I was 41 out of 96 on the long course with bike and run ranks of 31 and 51, respectively.  So, this tells me what I already know – my bike is slightly above average, and my run is average at best.

Race #1 of 2014 - check

Take-aways:

* I remembered to wear my timing band on my LEFT ankle instead of the right as I did last year in Muncie.  For those new racers out there – remember this.  A chip on your right ankle has a much greater chance to get caught up in the front chain ring of your bike.  I don’t speak from experience, thankfully.

* I’m glad that I didn’t become a slave to my schedule and I wrote off my long bike/run this weekend.  Without doing that, I would have not been able to actually race.

*Although I drank 2 bottles on the bike, it probably wasn’t enough

*Need to go get zip laces, a number belt, and find a better place to store my Gu!

Hey look - new Tri Club tent!