Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

20 minutes better. Racing the Columbia Triathlon 2008 I managed to shave 20 minutes off my previous olympic distance triathlon time (Mooseman 2006 – 3:53), which I’m sure says more about my lack of preparation for the previous one than my admittedly more able participation for Columbia, but regardless, it was a happy, happy thing to see.

The day started out a bit out of sorts. I’d not gotten to sleep as I’d have liked to, so I woke up almost 40 minutes (!!) after my alarm started going off. Thankfully I had set it to give me an hour to get ready, so I was only about 10-15 minutes later out the door than what I’d planned. Packing the night before was a huge help for that.

Got all set up in transition in plenty of time to get out and drag my stuff over to the club tent. Get wet-suited up, and hopped over to the dock to get into the water for the swim start. It had been so long since I’d been in my wetsuit I’d forgotten how much more buoyant they make you. I’d been practicing swimming out into the pool to tread water for a bit, then start swimming without a wall to hang onto, and in the wet suit the treading part was a heck of a lot easier. The announcer told us to go and off I went. The leg to the first buoy was interesting – I was swimming pretty well, when I decided to try flipping over into sweet spot for a brief rest and orientation. Mistake! Flipped over and immediately got dizzy. Dunno if it was the waves or the cold water in my ears, or maybe I was a little dehydrated, or what, but that was not exactly fun. Just like Diamondman last year, though, once I was about halfway through the swim I found my groove and it was great after that.

Oh, and this time I had prescription goggles for the first time at an open water swim. Best. Thing. Ever. I could actually see where the heck I was going without having to guess based on the other swimmers around me. That alone was a major factor in calming me down in the water. Result: I shaved 9 minutes off the swim time and came out of the water much more relaxed than I ever have.

Calmly went into transition, got changed up and out on the bike (lost 1.5 minutes here). I have got to work on uphills this year because those all kicked my butt. Downhill and flats I was flying along – I’m much more comfortable now at faster speeds, especially on downhills, and it showed. But man, put me on an uphill slope and I’m down to barely a crawl. Regardless, I shaved 13 minutes off my bike time, a large part of which I attribute to the better, more relaxed swim (though riding the course two weeks before helped a lot with that, too.

Once in off the bike, I changed quickly (made up the minute and half I’d lost in T1), and headed out. Did a run & walk, but more confidently than on previous tris. Again, having run the course two weeks prior I knew I could do it, and I knew what to expect. Saw a ton of DC Tri Club folks out on the course, both running and as volunteers, and that was a huge boost. Getting and giving high-fives, thumbs up and/or shout-outs was wonderful. Funniest moments were entering and exiting the neighborhood north of the park, where neighbors had set up an aid station for the “Dollys” – all of them were dressed out in blonde wigs and/or fake chests, a la Dolly Parton. Absolutely hysterical to go past, and another great boost on the run. I actually lost 2 minutes on the run from Mooseman (which surprised me), but didn’t consider it a bad run. I might’ve been able to run a bit more and walk a bit less, but I’m still happy with the results. Finished in 3:33, as I said, a full 20 minutes better than my last olympic distance race.

And I wasn’t dead at the end, or injured, so all in all it was a great race for me. I know some things I need to work on that’ll make the next race even better, and I’m very much looking forward to that next one, the Nation’s Triathlon here in DC in September. Gonna be a fun one.

Haven’t done up the full race report, but it went very well – I shaved 20 minutes off the time it took me to do my last Olympic race (Mooseman in 2006 – did that one in 3:53, did Columbia in 3:33). So I’m quite pleased with the results, but haven’t had any time to write up the race yet!

In 12 hours, hopefully I’ll be done with my swim and be out on the bike course.

Popped up to Columbia this afternoon for packet pick-up, bike check and back racking in transition. I have a hospital bracelet plastic wrist band on, so I can get into transition in the morning, I’ve laid out my gear and gone over transition in my head. Tried on the wet suit again (it still fits, thankfully), got out the bags to haul stuff out there. The car is full of gas, so I should be all ready to go.

The goal is to finish in less than 4 hours. Doesn’t look like I posted a race report for the Mooseman two years ago, the last Olympic race I did, but I seem to recall I was just under 4 hours there. Or maybe it was 5 hours, I don’t remember, past that I was sloooooow. In any case, I feel better prepared this time around, especially for the swim. And having biked and run the course two weeks ago, it’s not an unknown quantity this time, which should help a ton.

In any case, it’s about time to crash here. I’ll try to remember to post a race report soon.

Prescription goggles seem to be a hit or miss proposition. Most of them at my approximate prescription are fine, but the one which listed itself merely as “strong” and a pretty broad range of prescriptions seems pretty damned useless. With the others I can see, even on land, almost as well as with my glasses. These, well, might as well be regular goggles for all the good they do. Which is, of course, why I ordered multiple pairs to try them out, both for vision and for fit. Two more to try tomorrow (excluding the bad ones). I really liked the first ones, so these have a lot to live up to.

Spent some time adding people to the Wii and the two games there (see my LJ for the codes). BC and I spent most of yesterday together, over at his place. Bought some Birkenstocks so I have shoes to wear inside the house, as well as outside for pre-race/post-race wear. Damned podiatrist and his sensible orders not to go barefoot. Not pleased with it, but wearing them inside does seem to be helping. Which is even more annoying, that he was right, and that walking around barefoot inside was somehow a bad thing. Blasted flat feet. Did the mom’s day brunch thing with BC’s family. Came home mid-afternoon in the rain (ugh), played some, made some dinner & lunches for the next couple of days. Just chatting and being a bum here tonight before I crash.

Have to take the Mini in at some point. It’s got this neat trick where if I accelerate too quickly, the run-flat tires’ pressure sensor thinks the tires have just gone down by more than 10% pressure, so the warning light cuts on, which then cuts out the ABS brakes and several other lights come on, the car dings at me, and it’s altogether incredible annoying. I know it’s not that the tires are actually going flat, because Dad gave me a plug-in pump that I’ve checked them all with. So it’s a bad sensor. Grrr. It did manage not to do the trick until I got onto the bridge over the Potomac on the way home this evening, thankfully.

Of course, I mention this to Dad and his reaction was to tell me about the other trick it has of cutting off the AC if you accelerate too quickly with the AC on. That, thankfully, resets when you stop the car and turn off the engine, but not until then. Gotta love it when your car’s computer has to reboot itself.

Anyway, off to bed so I can run & swim tomorrow. Taper week, with the race next Sunday, but it’s still got to be done.

Nothing like preparing for the brick workout tomorrow on the race course we’re going to be racing on in two weeks and reading things like this:

The Columbia Triathlon run course has been acknowledged as one of the most challenging in triathlon.

Ugh. This race is going to be an interesting challenge.

BC and I had a nice, low-key NYE, over at a friend’s house with a few other folks. Much fun was had playing Godzilla Unleashed on his Wii, and aside from a single glass of champagne at midnight I didn’t touch a drop (I drove up there so we didn’t have to deal with taxis or Metro). Driving home was the most challenging part – drunken people popping out in the road at random intervals, all trying to flag down any taxi they could. What. A. Mess.

No new year’s day run this year – we got up too late, and then had to zip off to another get-together at Richard’s place in the afternoon. No matter, we got in a nice 4 miles today which, while cold, wasn’t bad. The cold symptoms are calming somewhat finally, but aren’t completely gone quite yet. Rest, relaxation, lots of water, and no drinking. Am going to begin exercising again, though. I just can’t wait any longer.

Speaking of which, signed up for my third and final triathlon for this year, the Nation’s Triathlon here in DC. So I’m doing Columbia in May (Olympic distance), Nation’s Tri in September (Olympic again), and Ironman Arizona (aka IMZ) in November. And a couple of other running events, I’m sure, sprinkled in between (Lawyers Have Heart 10k in June, the National Press Club 5k in September, etc.). Aside from IMZ, they’re all local things, so not a ton of travel for races this year, which should be a bit easier, especially if I’m transitioning jobs later this year.

We did a little shopping today, and I picked up some extra controllers for the two gaming systems, as well as recharging stations for both – no more disposable batteries.

So, a nice quiet beginning to the year, which I hope bodes well for the rest of it.

Getting up at the butt-crack of dawn, driving an hour to Baltimore, and then running a 5 mile race in the low 30s is perhaps not the best way to get rid of a head cold. That said, I had a great deal of fun at this race.

Chips aside, the race is a fairly low-key event. If a race with around 2,000 people in it can be said to be “low-key,” that is. Regular registration was $10, $45 if you wanted the jacket. Having seen the race shirts from prior years, I sprang for the jacket – embroidered, not ironed-on, and very comfy for post-race attire (and would work well to run in as well). Money well spent.

Started a few minutes after the stated time, which I find to be normal with a race this size. The beginning was a nice uphill to get the heart rate going and warm us up. BC ran this one with me, and save for a couple of moments in the middle, and right at the end, we ran together this time. Was nice to chat with him as we ran. The last race, a turkey trot right before Thanksgiving, he and his dad left me in the dust, which isn’t a big deal, but it was nice to have some time running with him for once.

After the initial hill, it was a roundabout, gently rolling course around Druid Lake park, with one of the final miles around the lake itself. The course wasn’t too crowded, folks were able to pass and be passed without much difficulty. The one water stop could’ve been a bit better laid out from what I saw (I had a bottle, so didn’t stop), but the volunteers there were very friendly and helpful from what I heard while passing it. Which was pretty much par for the course here – the volunteers were, hands down, some of the best I’ve seen at a race. Friendly, happy to be there, and enthusiastic with cheering out on the course.

The initial uphill was the final leg coming into the finish line as well, and I picked up a bit of steam coming down it. Actually, a bit too much steam – I ended up with that lovely “hi, I’ve run too fast and now I want to puke” sensation after the finish line. Whee! Didn’t ralf, thankfully, but it’s not the most pleasant sensation. My own fault for kicking up my heels a bit too much at the end.

What was pleasant was that immediately after I could breath clearly for the first time in days – my sinuses were completely clear, and no cough. Not the case at the moment (later this evening), but it felt great right as we got done, and lasted until we got ready to leave Baltimore, post-brunch.

There were a ton of folks at the race from the tri club as well, and it was great fun to wave at folks while running, and hang out with them before and after (as well as at brunch up the road at Cafe Hon).

All in all a great race, and one I’ll happily run again.

Headed up to Baltimore shortly for the Celtic Solstice Five Mile Run. Looks like it’s going to be a cold one. At least it’s not snowing like they first thought it was going to this morning.

So, if all goes right in a year I’ll have finished an Ironman race. Let’s let that sink in. An Ironman. Wow. This is definitely a big deal.

A 2.4 mile swim to start, 112 miles on the bike in the middle, then 26.2 miles of running, a full marathon at the end. It’s easy to see why they allow racers 17 hours to finish the race (7 a.m. to midnight).

I’ve known for years that I eventually wanted to complete an IM race. It’s all RNJTM‘s fault – he generously took me up to see him race his 3rd 4th IM Canada in 1999 and ever since it’s been sitting in the back of my brain, waiting for the right time to happen. When IM Arizona announced a second race in 2008, with easy online registration, well, I jumped at it. After an hour or so of contemplation, that is.

This isn’t something one can enter into lightly – it’s going to involve a lot of time, and a lot of foregoing of other activities. Folks who’ve done marathons know what I’m talking about – early bed times, not going out drinking with friends, and lots of time on the road. Just add “in the pool and on the bike” to the “on the road” part.

I know where my first steps are, getting back to my regular exercise routine, reducing my caffeine and alcohol intake, and spending some quality time working on swimming technique. The swim is my big limiter (along with nutrition) – if I can keep my heart rate down during the swim, not have a panic attack, and stay on a good rhythm, then I can get through the rest of the race much more easily than I’ve done to date. I’m getting there, but it definitely needs polishing. Get to test that in May here locally, thankfully.

Did get in a swim this evening, mostly drill work to retrain me how I should be feeling in the water while I’m swimming. It did help – wasn’t terribly fast, but was more comfortable than it’s been in a while.

I’m still processing the magnitude of signing up for this race. I know I can do it. Might not be terribly fast, but I know I can finish it with the right training. Doesn’t mean it’s not intimidating, or freak-out worthy, but I know I can do it. The fun part is going to be the long runs and rides well into cooler weather here in DC (October and November), then adapting to the warmer temps in Tempe.

But before that, it’s getting the base built up, which is where I find myself now. Wow. This is going to be a lot of work.

Not content to stay put, and despite my resolve to race less next year, I just signed up for Ironman Arizona, 23 November, 2008.

Yes, I am insane.