Race report and photos

Champions Olympic Distance Triathlon
1500m swim (25min)
42k bike (1:20)
6.2 mile run (46min)
[2:34 total]
1st place age group 30-34
5th female overall

I had a very solid race today - hard steady effort throughout, no logistical or gear issues, smooth fast transitions, nutrition was good. The swim was cold (~60 degrees) but I was going so hard and thinking about swimming straight with good form that I didn't really have time to notice. The bike course was gently rolling with a lot of turns, a lot of wind, and variably bumpy road surfaces. I was glad to have my tri bike so I could get down and be as aero as possible.

The run was two laps on a trail around the lake. The sun came out so it started to get warm, but the wind was still strong which meant that half of each lap had a headwind. The tailwind was very nice when running the other way. Mo came with me to spectate and told me my current placement each time she saw me so I knew I was 5th going in to the run. I would have liked to move up a few places but I couldn't make up 3 minutes and ended up 5th overall.

My final time of 2:34 was a 2 minute PR for this distance, but it was on a course where the bike course was 2k longer. I was trying to go under 2:30 and probably would have done it on a standard distance course.

Transition area

Coming out of the swim

Halfway through the run

Coming in to the finish

Hello podium

Post-race

race tomorrow

Champions Olympic distance Triathlon

Bike... check.
Wetsuit... check.
Neoprene cap for 58 degree water... check.
Justin's Peanut Butter... check.
Other gear... check.
Rested up... check.
Good focused attitude... check.

all good

Swim 3200yd
[59:39]
Main set: 5x300@4:23,4:24,4:24,4:28,4:33
My goal pace for those was 4:30 so I came in just under that as an average. 4:23 may even be a PR. For the amount that I am swimming these days (relatively little), I can't believe that I am able to tie and set PRs... could it be all the pushups and pullups? No doubt that all the Crossfit has dramatically increased my upper body strength. This is all good.

Bike roughly 60 minutes, roughly 15 miles
No numbers today, I just went out on my road bike and got my legs moving. I am fairly tight and sore from Tuesday, even after the massage yesterday. It was sunny but very windy, and felt good to work.

--
Champions olympic distance triathlon: T - two days. I can count on one hand the number of olympic distance races I have done in the past. Maybe 3? 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6 mile run. It's a challenging distance because you go almost as hard as in a sprint distance race, but for twice as long. Honestly, it's not my favorite distance, but it's a great way to build fitness because you are at lactate threshold the whole time. i.e. it sucks and you think you might vomit. Those are always opportunities not to be missed, right?

That said... I am excited to race and see where my fitness is at right now. I want to practice putting it all together. So tonight I need to get a good long night of sleep, and then tomorrow I will get all my race gear together and write out my race plan.

run/massage

Run 7 miles easy
[1:01]

Massage

long day

Run 12 miles with 3 x 1 mile repeats
[1:38, repeats run at miles 8-10@7:04, 7:09, 6:58]

Crossfit
WOD 1
5 rounds for time:
20 squats
15 sit ups
10 box jumps
5 knees to elbows
[10:38]

WOD 2
30 walking lunges
30 walking lunges with 25lb plate overhead
50 pullups with green band [4:33]

Swim 1500m
Open water at Pure Austin Quarry
Water temp = 59 degrees!!!

get my head ready to race

This is the beginning of Ironman training Week 7. The weeks seem to be flying by now. I'm almost halfway there. This Saturday is my first triathlon of the season and the first one I have done in a year - the Champions Olympic distance triathlon in Pflugerville Texas. I need to spend some time getting my gear ready this week, and getting my head in race mode. It's a transition to go from a steady training groove, to being in a head space ready to take on some hard competitors. I feel confident in what I am doing in all three sports, and just need to sharpen up my race focus.

---
130 Push Ups
Broken up as: 10-35-23-20-15-20-7

Swim 4000yd
[1:11 total time]
4x300 mod-hard (4:44,4:34,4:39,4:35)
4x200 hard (2:59,3:00,3:01,3:01)
6x100 hard (1:29,1:29,1:28,1:29,1:27,1:28)

I got this swim from Terra Castro back when she was coaching me last time I did an Ironman. Her swims were HARD! and I loved them for that. They made me fast. How could you not get faster doing workouts like this? Endurance and speed bundled together to kick your butt. My shoulders were burning by the end of this one but I stayed steady with my pacing.

blah

Bike 1:30
I was trashed after yesterday. Not sore, just tired and sleepy. It took a lot out of me. I went to a party and ate a lot of delicious junk last night, including chocolate birthday cake. I got 8 hours of sleep but it was not enough. It was super windy today and I didn't have much mental motivation to do anything at all. I decided to ride the trainer again, this time at home. I got in the time and did random intervals to keep my mind occupied, but I was watching the clock every minute hoping that more minutes would pass so I could be done. I was going to swim today, but couldn't even get out the door on that one. I am listening to my body and going to let go of any guilt on the quality of today's workouts and just go to bed very early tonight.

Indication that Ironman training volume is increasing....

backyard looks like a forest...