May 2008 Archives

I headed out for a "long run" to see if I could handle the new paces set forth by new training plan. (More on that later.) Ten miles at a 8:20 pace should give me a good feel for what I'll encounter at the the beginning workouts. Everything went swell and I averaged 8:19 for the whole ten miles. I even managed to bring the pace back down after fatigue set in around mile 7. My pace amplitude wasn't as tight as it should be, but that will get better as I run more, I'm sure.

What I really wanted to share (in the spirit of Steve In a Speedo!) is the new blisters from my shoes. It seems that my feet swell up a bit, which fill the insides on my shoes and overflow my inserts, rub along the outside and irritate my skin. The result is what you see below:

Winter's final grasp
After a record-breaking winter season of snow, spring and summer have had difficulty establishing consistent temperatures and conditions. Just this past Monday, it was 82. The following day, it was 55. We're three weeks away from the official start of summer and I haven't even taken the cover off the air conditioner. Thus, the long, drawn-out winter hasn't given enough time to warm the lakes. I asked the lady marking me if the lake was cold. She hesitated a long while before replying with a drawn out "wellll..." I asked if it was above or below 60°. I got no reply. Yikes!

I readied my transition area and went on a warm-up run. The ankle showed no ill affects, so I tested it with some successful strides; all was good on the running front. Next up: the lake. I squeezed into my wetsuit and went to the water's edge. Then I couldn't feel my feet. Actually, it wasn't that bad, but it was cold to be sure. The first few face plants in the water definitely took your breath away, but after a few minutes, you got used to it.

Since I'm more under-trained than I'd like to be, the strategy was to get on someone's feet for the swim and run my own pace & race. Nice and easy, just survive the day to get ready for the next one.

SWIM
The gun went off and we're off. There were two PRO* guys right in front of me. What better feet to draft off than a couple of PROs? Turns out, one's pretty damn fast, and the other can't hold his line very well. I'm on his feet one stroke, the next he's three feet to the right. Then he's right in front of me, the next, he's on my left, pushing both of us right. I let him go and resign to a long slow swim by myself until a catch an orange cap streaking up the left side. NICE! I'm on his feet until we turn around the first buoy when he stops dead in the water. I nearly scaled his back and swam over him but thought better of it and skirted around. I'm left to my own thoughts now, trying to keep my strokes long, even, and smooth. The cold moved beyond the exposed skin and is now sinking into my muscles. My triceps are heavy and stiff. I can feel the tension building with every stroke. All the more reason to keep things long. I try breathing to my off-side (right) for a while and catch myself drifting off-line. I continue zig-zagging the course chasing what I think are the two PROs in front of me, but I see nothing. I swim into the shore as far as possible until I grab clumps of sand instead of all water. Getting up is a challenge until the warm blood returns to the legs. Transition is empty save for the top PRO. Second out of the water? Really? That's a nice surprise. At my stuff, my hands are like clubs as I fiddle with wetsuit and try to put on socks and shoes. The other PROs arrive while I'm leaving for the run.

RUN
Everything about me is cold right now. My feet are anvils swinging from frayed ropes. I have no control over anything, but somehow I manage forward progress. It feels real funny. My fingers aren't really moving. My triceps are stiff and sore. And then a gull shits on my head. Then another. And another until I realize it's starting to rain. Fun! I settle into a nice pace. The other two PROs pass me before the first hill, which I climbed with surprising ease, probably because I couldn't really feel the pain. Back down the hill and around the path, I didn't get passed by the PRO woman until just before the turnaround. Now getting a first look at what was coming up my backside, I thought a few more could catch me. But I never heard footsteps. Up and down the final hill, I powered down the long straightaway that leads to the finish. It was now raining at a fine clip and I finally felt my fingers move. I held off a late charge to maintain fifth place overall.

I felt no feedback from my ankle, Achilles or calf, which is promising for the upcoming marathon training. And I also got a $15 gift certificate to Quaker Steak and Lube for my 2nd place swim.

1K SWIM: 12:01 (1:13/100m) 2nd/74
5K Run: 23:09 (7:28/mi) 28th/74
Total: 35:59 5th/74

What's shocking is that when comparing the times above to last year's performances, I'm right there. I swam slightly slower, but that's expected given the solo effort and cold water. But my run split was the fastest ever! At this point, I don't know if it's a fluke or a sign of things to come. We'll see what happens next time with a warmer lake.

*PRO to me means really, really fast. Plus, I heard them discussing other races and whether they'd be racing as PROs there.

Smoothies are a great way to refresh after an especially hard workout. Here's my recipe:

• Frozen Strawberries,
• Frozen Raspberries,
• Soy Protein Powder (Trader Joe's works well)
• Vanilla Yogurt,
• Orange Juice, and
• Magic Bullet

Here's how to make magic:

1. Take one of the handled glasses and the four-bladed mixer.
2. Put five to eight strawberries (depending on size) in the bottom.
3. Add raspberries until the glass is about half full.
4. Add a scoop of soy protein powder
5. Pour in some OJ until it reaches the top of the fruit (Careful! It may float the fruit. Don't put in too much.)
6. Pour in some yogurt (about a 1/2 cup or so.)
7. Fill the rest of the glass with OJ.
8. Screw on the lid real tight, and blend it for about a minute, and enjoy!

Signup for WIBA closes really soon! Have you signed up yet?

Running is back on track. I had my final appointment with Jenny, the Super PT. The ankle is progressing nicely. Just a few more weeks of some jumping exercises and I'm as good as before. (If I said 'good as new,' I'd be a baby, and that's too young for triathlons.)

I finished my first run without a walk break this morning. At just over three miles, I'm confident I can get through the 5K at the aquathon next week. That is if I finish the swim.

Which brings me to Friday's workout where I thought things were good, but the clock said otherwise. I continuously came in about three seconds slower per 100 than I felt, so it was a bit discouraging. But tonight, tired after the weekend and this morning's run, was swimming long course 100s within 5 seconds of the short course yards on Friday. And doing it consistently. If I pace myself, I've got a fighting chance of finishing.

You remember that feeling during final exam week when you realize you know nothing? It is that feeling of despair mixed with a tinge of hope that if you could just stay up all night and cram a semester's worth of notes into a fatigued head, you just might be able to salvage a passing grade. Right now, it's occurring all over campus; and in my training.

I realized last week that I have a test in three weeks that I haven't studied one bit for. The first aquathon of the season is May 29, and I haven't swam with any regularity in the last three months. I've been distracted by my stupid ankle and stupid work. So now I have to cram three months of swimming in three weeks. And the first two sessions last week didn't go so well. I spent the weekend with some sore, stiff shoulders and back, and little to build from.

I need to get to work. HTFU, right?