Try Phil, Tri!

So, lets start off with the excuses... I've been sick and busy and sick and asthmatic so I haven't really had much time to train in... let's say 2009. Not at all where I wanted to be. Now, that said, the Bartlett Lake Tri kicked my sorry ass.

I had never been to Bartlett before, so I didn't really know what to expect. The race flyers and stuff didn't have a course profile, so I didn't know what to expect. When I got there after dark Saturday I knew I was in for it. All the roads out of Rattlesnake Cove go sharply UP.

Resigned to the pain for Sunday, I tried to sleep in the back of my car in the Rattlesnake Cove parking lot. I need to get a thermarest or some other pad and maybe a new sleeping bag. There was enough room for me, but it wasn't very comfortable (didn't help that I forgot to bring a pillow). Anyway, I did finally get some decent sleep, and got up to all the race hubbub around 7 (was being lazy). The transition area was about 30 yards away, so that was pretty convenient.

So to the race. The swim was cold, but not too bad. My goggles keep fogging on me when I swim in open water, I think I need to try the dish soap trick or something to avoid it (I've read if you put some dish soap inside it wont fog... but too much will irritate your eyes). Anyway I was reasonably happy with my swim... didn't go continuously though, which is still a problem (also went on my back for parts too, which isn't really good). Made it out ok, but I was a little unbalanced or something getting out of the water... I almost fell down on the beach, and then again trying to get my flip-flops back on. Managed to get myself up to the transition.

I took a bit of time trying to get my wetsuit off... I forgot about the timing chip and it was in the way of pulling off my left leg. Finally got that done, had a bit of water and I was off (can't remember if I ate anything... had a banana and some trail mix there ready). The very first part of the bike out of the cove parking lot is fairly steep, but I managed ok. Then there is a milder climb out to the main road, then the main road is just brutal. It is just a long long long steady climb that is a little too steep for me. (I need to profile it to see just what it looks like) I think my big mistake was getting down into the lowest gear I had, then spinning like crazy just to keep moving. I would eventually just feel like I needed to stop and walk a bit, not sure if I was just tired, or out of breath or what really. I think I should've tried to stick to a little bit tougher gear, but put more power through more slowly. I did this at a couple points and it seemed to work a little bit better, but I still couldn't power through steeper parts.

At the top of the hill, I thought we would get to turn around, but in some cruel joke, they decided to give us a bit of fast downhill, then make us stop (I think I was going 20+ easy), and turn around there for more uphill. All the while up the hill (alternately walking and riding very slowly) all I was thinking about was getting to the downhill... finally after the teaser downhill and the bit back up, I was there. I flew down, at some points getting up to 32 mph on my computer (fast for me). This was my favorite part of the day. Had to slow down for the corner back onto the other road, then was a bit slower there, but still going pretty fast, then downhill all the way to transition.

Now to the walk... I mean run section. On the bike I managed to hurt my back (I think my posture is really bad on the bike)... so starting out running just plain hurt. I walked most of the way. This was of course, up a steeper road to the right out of Rattlesnake Cove. 1.1 miles straight up, then a water station, then straight back down. I did try jogging here and there, started to try my patented walk 100 steps, then jog 100 steps, but I couldn't do it. So, I just walked mostly. On the way down the hill I would let momentum make me jog here and there, but that hurt so I would have to stop then too. Well I managed to finish and that was good enough. This was probably the closest I've come to giving up in a tri... there were many points while walking up the long bike hill that I wanted to just cross the road and ride back down. I'm glad I didn't, but I have a lot of work to do. Next event is in 3 weeks in Albuquerque, need to bust my ass until then.

2.16 - nada
2.17 - 500 meters straight, took 11 minutes... fastest yet I think.
2.18 -
2.19 - rode the exercise bike at the gym for 30 mins
2.20 -
2.21 - Vulture Mine Time Trial, Wickenburg, AZ
This was brutal. I did exactly what I was warned against doing, and I started off too fast (I think there was a little downhill early or something that threw me off). Once I adjusted and slowed down to where I thought I should've been going, I was broken. The hill seemed way longer than I was expecting too, and somehow it felt like each way of the out-and-back had 4 miles of uphill and only 2 down! haha Well, I managed to mark the slowest time out of anyone at 54:20 for the 20k... that's a blistering 13.7 mph....hahaha. It's strange, but now I'm wondering if cycling is my worst sport of the three, so I may try to put more time into it (improving the worst is the best way to improve overall).

After the race I went down to Phoenix to hang out. One of my friends was already planning on going for a hike, so I joined him thinking it would be good to loosen me up some more. Not sure where we went exactly, but it was a good little hike... but I was wrecked and maybe should've taken it a little easier. Then going out drinking that night and a bit more on sunday... definitely should've taken that a little easier... haha.
2.22 -

Try Phil, Tri!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Bartlett Lake Sprint Triathlon - 3/22/09

Monday, February 23, 2009

2/23 - 3/1

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

2.16 - 2.22