Triathlon!

So.

It's been ages, folks; sorry for the radio silence here, been busy. Some of you may know that I've been training for a triathlon; I just finished it. The QuakerMan Triathlon (http://www.quakermantri.com) is a 600m swim, 22 mile bike, and a 4.5 mile run.

I did the whole thing in a bit over 2:11, and I'm very very pleased with that. Here's the full report:

The race went well.

I overprepared and overthought and overworried, all of which probably stressed me more than it should have, but meant that I had more than everything I needed, and I think I was more prepared for this than ... actually the race organizers. More on that in a bit.

The alarm came early -- really early. Getting up at 5:25 to get going and go work out is a bit disgusting, but this was the first of many times that training really prepared me. After all those early morning trips to the pool, and those 6 AM runs, it didn't feel any better to get up at 5:30, but it didn't feel unusual, either. Got coffee, drove to the event.

Arrived, set up my bike in the transition area. I was prepared for the swim to look insanely far, but the distance from the beach to the TA surprised me. http://tinyurl.com/lmfjqf is good perspective -- we came out of the water towards the right side of the beach, near those white squares, then ran up the path, across the parking lot, and the transition area is almost exactly where the "A" is on the map. So I got the transition area sorted, went to the bathroom, checked out the beach, and asked a few people about the race meeting. There...wasn't...really...one. Everything was a bit disjointed; they were painfully understaffed, and the meeting was going to be at 7:30...then 7:50...Around 7:55, people were ready on the beach. I'd stripped down to my tri shorts and had my swim cap and goggles (as did most other participants). We were all sort of milling around, when the race organizer yelled to us that someone had walked off with their bullhorn, so we'd do the race meeting at the pavilion. Same map, follow Bank St. back up and it's about across from home plate of the baseball diamond. So 400 swim-capped triathletes do the bare-foot ouchy-walk up to the pavilion, and we get briefed about the course, rules, etc.

Then back to the beach, and we started. I was in the second wave. We watched the first one go, then filed into the water. I started swimming, and after about a minute, thought "It's over. There's no way. I can barely breathe. This is horrible." Fortunately, I knew from the pool that this would pass ... and it did, about the time I rounded the first buoy...and everyone else passed me. OK, not everyone, but it felt like there was a steady stream of people flying by. Four and a half years went by [ok, not really, but time did some very strange things during the race], then I came to the second buoy. I was thrilled to make the turn and head back for the beach. Soon I could see people getting out of the water, and then I was out. I did the "Triathlete shuffle", half-run-half-walking to the transition area. I'd had the foresight to get a spot right next to a flagpole, so I beelined for my bike. I picked up my shirt and tried to put it on fast...and two of the safety pins holding my number on popped off. Now ... I'd been warned (thanks, Tommy!) that T1 is like trying to function after several drinks, so there I was, trying to re-attach my safety pins with hands that refused to work. Two days later, I got it sorted, got my bike shoes and helmet on, and got on the bike without drama.

The bike was GREAT. I was off like a shot and didn't really slow down. I passed a lot of the people who had passed me during the swim, some of whom were on triathlon bikes. THAT made me feel pretty good. Once I'd settled into a good pace, I had one of my gels. The weather had been holding to this point, but about 30 minutes into the ride, we got some sprinkles. Lap 1 was uneventful; I had a good push near the lap-1/lap-2 marker, and then again on some hills about 2/3 the way through the second lap. Towards the end, though, I backed off, wanting to save my legs for the run. T2 was much smoother. I had my shoes undone as I approached the dismount line. I don't really remember getting off my bike, but somehow managed to do it and leave my shoes on, which worked well. Back in the TA; put on my running shoes and was off ... slowly.

It took some time for me to hit my pace on the run, but evenutally, I did. Around the first mile, I thought, "I might be able to do this without walking". By the second mile, I was pretty sure. By the third mile, I was confident. With about 300 yards to go, I started to open up (I didn't realize that there was one last loop through some woods)... I eased off, and then when I saw the finish, I ran HARD, sprinting across the line in about 2:11. All in all, I feel good. I didn't push too hard, I trained well, I ate well, and I did it. Could I do it again right now? No. Can I walk upstairs right now? Yes. So... all in all, a success.

One final note, with two thank-yous. First, to Sonya. She's put up with countless 5am wakeups as I dragged out of bed to head out to a workout, and hours and hours of me disappearing to run, bike, and swim. Through it, she's supported me as I did this crazy thing. Thank you, love. Second, to Tommy. I know that, for the past month, I've bugged you with every little last question, from sock choice to passing strategy. Thank you for your answers and your patience.

More on Tour de Cure

Next spring, I will be riding 100 miles in the Buffalo Tour de Cure. This will be the third year I've ridden in Tour de Cure, and the second year for 100 miles. (in '06, I did a metric century - 65 miles).

Tour de Cure is an annual series of bike rides to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. It's a great cause, and I'm proud to support it. Cycling 100 miles seemed like an impossible goal. When I signed up last year, I really wondered if I'd be able to do it. But with hours and hours of training, and the unflappable support of my lovely wife, I managed to finish. And not just finish -- I enjoyed it! So I'm back again for more this year!

If you're interested in sponsoring me, just click here!

Pet peeves

My ride today was REALLY nice -- if not for a brisk wind, it would have been perfect. It was warm enough that I could ride with shorts and a short-sleeved jersey, and no problem with keeping my hands and feed warm; cool enough that I didn't get overheated. Clear blue sky, beautiful foliage....really delightful.

But I was reminded of two things that really irritate me when I'm out riding:.

1. Riding on the wrong side of the street. You should ride with traffic, i.e. on the right side of the road (in the US. Presumably, you ride on the left in the UK and Japan). Do this for two reasons: First, if everyone rides on the same side of the street, it makes passing much easier. Second, it's MUCH safer in terms of automobile traffic. Bear with me as I do a little math. If you're driving your car at 40 miles an hour, and a cyclist is riding 15 miles an hour, and you're going the same direction, you're approaching them at 25 miles an hour. That gives you plenty of time to get around the cyclist, and the cyclist plenty of time to react. If you're approaching a cyclist on your side of the road going the *wrong* way, at the same speeds, you're approaching the cyclist at 55 miles an hour- more than twice as fast.
   
2. Helmetless adults, especially with children. First, if you have kids and send them off on a bicycle, get a brain bucket for 'em. Please. If you wouldn't put your kid in a seat without a seatbelt, don't let them ride without a helmet. This is really obvious. But secondly, if you're riding with your kids, and they have helmets, and you don't, what are you telling your kids? Mom and Dad have titanium craniums[1]?? I don't care how proficient a cyclist you are, the only time you don't need to wear a helmet on the bike is if you're on a stationary trainer. Finally, once you've bought your helmet, make sure you're wearing it right. Hint 1: If it's perched jauntily on the back of your head like a hat, and your hair is sticking out in front, IT'S ON WRONG. Hint 2: Place a flat object (like a book) against your face. If it contacts your nose and the helmet, good, it's on right. If it contacts your forehead, you're doing it wrong.

DISCLAIMER: This guide is NOT a replacement for reading your bicycle's and your helmet manufacturer's instructions. Obey all traffic laws. Always ride within your limits.

[1] Would it be crania or craniums? I went with craniums for the alliteration.

Raison d'etre.

Another fun day of volunteering at Hawk Creek yesterday, and a REALLY wonderful high point: we released a hawk. It was a red-tailed hawk, a species that is common in this area, and it had come in to the center with injuries sustained from flying into a fence. But he'd recovered and was ready to be released. Six or seven of us trudged up the hill behind Hawk Creek. It was a gorgeous fall afternoon, with a strong, cool wind under crystal-clear blue skies. Some cooler weather earlier in the week finally convinced the trees that it was fall, and they've turned beautiful bright reds and yellows. After a careful transfer from handler to releaser, and some last-minute instructions ("Just throw him into the air?" "Yes, he'll know what to do"), and he was away, happy to be gone, flapping over fields, scaring some doves into the air.

It was really a great feeling, watching him fly away. I do a really odd variety of things at Hawk Creek, from cleaning poop and rat guts, to helping with the address book database. But watching that bird fly away today gave me a wonderful feeling of THIS IS WHY I DO IT.

Yesterday was a pretty good day in general. We got there and the weather was nasty - in the 50s and pouring with rain. We had a second classroom session for our handling class, then braved the rain to work with the birds. By the afternoon, the clouds had gone and it had become a blustery, sparkly, clear fall day.

(I wrote the above yesterday, and forgot to post it).

Today it's a bit warmer; on the agenda: Cycling! I'm shooting for something in the 30 mile range, as this could very well be the last weekend of decent riding weather for the season.

Back in the saddle

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I've signed up for next year's Tour de Cure. This has become an annual project with me. Two years ago, I rode 100k. Last year, I rode 100 miles. This coming year, I'm going to do the 100 miler again. It's all-around a good deal: I raise money for a good cause and I force myself to keep up with working out (riding a century is not to be taken lightly). I had been keeping a training blog at my livejournal page, but I think I'll start doing that here. So prepare to see some boring entries here about where I've ridden.

Yesterday was my first time on the bike in ages. Seriously. I rode some in August, once in September, and...yeah. I don't know - every spring, I ride like a fiend; then I do Tour de Cure in June, my riding tapers off over the summer.... and in the fall, I say, "oh, crap! I need to train for Tour de Cure" and I try to get my act together for the winter. This year, though, I'm going to make more of an effort to stay with the workouts through the winter so that I don't have to cram-train in the spring. Anyway... I haven't been on the bike much since I started seriously losing weight, and the difference is AMAZING. I used to be able to do 16-17 mph with a heart rate somewhere in the 150s. Now I'm doing 18-19 mph with my heart in the 140s. To put the difference into perspective, imagine a 5-lb bag of flour. Now imagine stuffing six of them into a backpack. Now, bicycle around with that. Walk with that. Climb stairs with that. Imagine how nice it would feel to take that off. That's kinda where I am now.

And now, I'm off to run errands. First on the list: Riding my bike to the shop to pick up my car.

Tour de Cure

I just agreed to do the 100 mile ride for Tour de Cure next spring. I'm insane. Or committed. Or should be committed. And I'm also late for dinner.