April 2007 Archives

I'm only into my third year of triathlon training, so I'm continuously learning. I'd thought I'd share something that I learned this weekend: Don't expect to be able to walk a round of golf after a long run.

Saturday, I went golfing for the first time this season. However, I woke up early to get in 10 miles. Unfortunately, I didn't think about my stuffing my swollen feet into golf shoes. (And to think, I actually turned down getting a cart. I did pick one up at the turn, but the damage was already done.) I developed some nasty one-inch holes, just inside of my heels.

To add insult to injury, the Band-Aid blister healing bandages I bought failed. I bled through my socks on Sunday and was reduced to a crawl on Sunday night. Every time I sat down, I dreaded to get up because I knew the pain would be worse. We picked up some New-Skin to protect my feet from infection. I needed to take the Band-Aids off in order to apply the New-Skin. As I took the one on my right foot off, it took the flap of skin with it. So now I have a quarter-size hole on my right heel. Fun.

And of course, this happens a week before Crazylegs and my first triathlon of the season. I'll take it easy running this week and see how fast I can make these things heal.

So all this running might be paying off. I ran Bucky' Race for Rehab 5K instead of a running time trial as part of my recovery week. It was the same course as the Valentine's Day 5K, providing the opportunity to compare and see if I could improve on my 22:00 performance on the bitterly cold day in February.

One of my season goals is to run a sub 20:00. In the race registration bag, Runner's World provided a chart that showed the necessary pace to finish a particular time for several race distances. To go sub 20:00 in a 5K, you need to be faster than a 6:30 pace. Gulp. My first thought was to rethink my goal. Nerves aside, it was a beautiful sunny day. Just cool enough, but not so much to be chilled.

I started near the front to avoid the slower starters. However, this induced me to run the first mile a touch fast. I split the first mile in 6:23. Whoa. Too fast. (But it felt so good.) I backed off and settled into an aggressive pace to make sure I would push myself.

Throughout mile 2, I stuck with most of the group and even picked off a couple of guys fading. Granted, they were nearly twice my age, but a pass is a pass. I crossed the 2nd mile mark at 13:00, for a 6:37 split, leaving seven minutes to go 1.1 miles. I would need to run at a 6:22 pace to get there in time. I knew that it wasn't happening today. (That's why a sub-20 is a season long goal.)

At about mile 2.5, there's a hair-pin turn at the top of a small incline. It totally sucks. The combination of the curve and hill zap any momentum that you have for the home stretch. I hit the hell already thinking I'm dead. I feel like I'm in molasses but I press on to the finish, which is also up a small hill.

I turned the final corner and saw the 20:xx on the clock. I didn't expect to see that, so I was excited and stopped my watch at 20:37. A PR by over a minute from last November's 21:49. Now to repeat the run after a swim and a bike.

I started with this YouTube clip about elitist bicyclists. (So true.)

Which led me to this clip of two professional cyclists fighting.

Which led me to this clip of two guys racing in their cars. (I drive a Focus, though not like that.)

Which led me to this clip of a car vs. bike crash. (Whoa.)

Which led me to this clip of another car crash. This time with a scooter. (I can't believe how he gets up after that.)

Which led me to this clip of another Greek driving lesson.

Which led me to this clip of another crash, set to really bad music.

Which led me (finally) to this clip of one more crash.

Which I didn't watch because I remembered the macaroni noodles on the stove that now had been cooking way too long and were totally soggy.

Damn Internet.

The day dawned beautifully. Sunny and potentially warm. I switched my long run and bike just so I could avoid biking in the rain on Saturday. (Luckily, I ran during the only hour and half that it didn't rain.) It was sunny as I ate my breakfast and I was getting more and more excited for my first outdoor ride of 2007. I got ready, clouds thickened, so I gathered some extra layers just in case. A line of storms was heading towards us, but I had enough time to get out and back b1fore it hit. The last thing Kris says to me as I leave is, "The storm is at the county line." Shit. That won't leave much time. I go anyway.

It was windy (as expected) the entire way out. At times, I was leaning diagonally into the wind to stay upright. If I didn't, I would've gotten in the way of vehicles. It was a constant battle as I weaved down the shoulder of county Highway T. At Highway N. I stop for a bite to eat and the bathroom. Now I'm biking directly into the wind, going slower than ever before. As I get to highway BB, the first drop hits. I'm know the furthest point on the loop, and must ride the entire way back in the rain.

In the rain, I thought little about my misery but rather focused on how hard it must've been to ride 112 miles in this crap. It was the exact same conditions: rain, wind and mid-50 temps. My respect for all those that did Ironman Wisconsin in 2006 grew as every rain drop pelted my face, and every grit of sand got in my teeth. I couldn't imagine going for a 2 mile run after my 21 mile ride, let alone 26.2 miles after a 112 mile ride.

Mad props to y'all.