StageLeft
No Lifer
I did a local tri this weekend, one of the larger ones locally (666 finishers <-mark of the devil!). The Half-iron distance is on Sunday, but I did the short (750 swim, 16 bike, 3 run), making it my 5th sprint triathlon, but first in two years (took last year off mainly to continue to rehab a knee issue).
Megatomic came out to check out the race and couldn't help but desire afterward to target triathlons again as a supplement to his long running.
The rain held back and the weather was quite honestly superb. It was rather chilly, which for summer means fast racing! The race is well organized but the water, particularly near the finish in the canal, reminds me of swimming in a toilet. Ugh.
Still, my swim time was right on my fastest pool time of the same distance, much to my surprise. Bike was my best event, as always (43rd quickest bike split, I think), and the entire race consisted of me blasting by people who looked like they were out for a leisurely ride.
Then came the run. And the entire run consisted of people blasting by me looking like I was out for a leisurely jog.
Two years ago I had wicked cramping on my run in my last race. I thought it was possibly lack of run training, but too much hydration/food. It's 100% absolutely not a salt or water issue because this year I toned that way back, and considering what I can do in training and the sweat I was putting out (not tons, due to temps), I have no idea what the problem was. The cramping this time gently started on the bike and came on huge on my first run step. My entire chest felt like I couldn't pull enough air (like it wouldn't expand), so my run time suffered. It is not a stroke or anything else silly but just crazy cramping. As soon as the run stopped, it went away. Any ideas?. I had to take many fast little gasps as I couldn't expand my rib cage fully. That said, despite the entire thing being painful, my run time could have been worse.
Overall I got 64th. Now that I'm in the 30-39 age group, it's obvious that to ever place in this in a big event will require a great deal more training. I had one hour 26 minutes. Top guy was 1 hour 9 minutes. That is a world of difference.
Megatomic came out to check out the race and couldn't help but desire afterward to target triathlons again as a supplement to his long running.
The rain held back and the weather was quite honestly superb. It was rather chilly, which for summer means fast racing! The race is well organized but the water, particularly near the finish in the canal, reminds me of swimming in a toilet. Ugh.
Still, my swim time was right on my fastest pool time of the same distance, much to my surprise. Bike was my best event, as always (43rd quickest bike split, I think), and the entire race consisted of me blasting by people who looked like they were out for a leisurely ride.
Then came the run. And the entire run consisted of people blasting by me looking like I was out for a leisurely jog.
Two years ago I had wicked cramping on my run in my last race. I thought it was possibly lack of run training, but too much hydration/food. It's 100% absolutely not a salt or water issue because this year I toned that way back, and considering what I can do in training and the sweat I was putting out (not tons, due to temps), I have no idea what the problem was. The cramping this time gently started on the bike and came on huge on my first run step. My entire chest felt like I couldn't pull enough air (like it wouldn't expand), so my run time suffered. It is not a stroke or anything else silly but just crazy cramping. As soon as the run stopped, it went away. Any ideas?. I had to take many fast little gasps as I couldn't expand my rib cage fully. That said, despite the entire thing being painful, my run time could have been worse.
Overall I got 64th. Now that I'm in the 30-39 age group, it's obvious that to ever place in this in a big event will require a great deal more training. I had one hour 26 minutes. Top guy was 1 hour 9 minutes. That is a world of difference.
