Venice Triathlon

I arrive at 6:30 to the staging area. Unloaded bike/gear and proceeded to the marking area. I have to admit getting marked is fun. One feels like entering a mini Kona instead of the local sprint tri. I met up with the Joules and Trisports team. We made our way to the water which was extremely warm and calm. I was in the third wave (old girls 40 and up). I took off with the pack. It was quite fun with all the kicking and pawing for position. I tried to follow bubbles but there was a bit of a slinky effect so it took a while to get into good form. My goal was to swim the whole way freestyle with good form. I felt quite comfortable but needed to pull up occasionally to sight. I didn't get off line too bad having to adjust on two occasions. When we turned for shore the sun was so bright I couldn't tell where the shore was for a few seconds. I then locked onto a flag and was ok.
I came out of the water feeling good. Barefoot running experience helped me to the transition zone without problems. I grabbed my bike and headed out. My bike split turned out to be my best effort. I averaged over 20 mph for entire ride. No muscle fatigue. Slowing occurred with the congestion of the course and tight turns on the double loop course. I was also slowed by a wreck in front of me. My transition 2 time was slow. I was slow hanging bike and had an indecisive moment of whether to take a water bottle. The run was a little slow but uneventful. Anybody can run 3.1 miles right. Finishing was great. I got fourth in my age group at 1:10:54 so I was happy. I enjoyed a great lunch with the Trifit gang before heading back to Port Charlotte.
I think I can squeeze one more sprint tri in before the marathon in October.

Triathlon plan changes

Hurricane Earl has lead to a change in plans. Miami Beach has been having some wicked riptides so I have decided to stay local and do the Venice Beach sprint triathlon. I am disappointed about doing a shorter distance but it is probably for the best for my reentry into the triathlon scene. Last weekend I participated with Trifit tri team in a kamikaze style weekend workout. We started Saturday with a 7 mi bike ride to Manasota Beach where we did a run/swim/run session followed by a swim/run/swim session and then biked back to Englewood beach for a picnic. We covered about .8mi swimming and 8miles running. Sunday was a bike/run/bike/run session where we went out 1:40min bike/2mile run/80min bike. It was my longest ride ever totaling 46 miles. And the pace was hard and into the wind on the way out and hard back. I was dropped from the pack of experienced cyclists but they were very encouraging on my return. Trifit is a great group of athletes and I was happy to join in even if I spent most of the day chasing the pack. The Sprint tri is this weekend then it is all eyes toward the Marine corps marathon. I hope all this cross training pays off. My runs are down to three days a week but they are very specific and intense. I definitely want to do more triathlons in the future with 1 to 2 marathons in between. Future goal will be Olympic distance triathlons next year with a future goal of a 70.3. Need a lot more riding and swimming before I sign up for one of those.

The journey has begun

Big week. Officially started triathlon training. Completed two bricks with a bike then run. Did two swims. One in the county 25 yard pool for 900yds and the other in my endless pool. Running mileage down a lot. My coach assures me this is ok. Definitely feeling the workouts. My runs have all been specific intervals or tempo. Biggest mistake this week was not hydrating and eating properly before Saturday's tempo run. Bonked nicely in the humid hot weather. Had to grab my emergency gel from the car between my fast 10min sessions. When will I learn that you need to fuel high intensity sessions more than the slow recovery runs.
My nutrition has been off this week mainly to the extra out to lunches with Addie before she leaves tomorrow for Emory. Having lunch with her is always special. Too bad this town is extremely limited in healthy choices. Off to Georgia tomorrow so the workout routine will be a little altered. Cross training by setting up dorm room.

Never say never

I like to run. It releaves stress. It makes me feel good and boosts my metabolism. I can go anytime. Just put my shoes and garmin on and out the door. No pumping tires. I like to swim but don't swim much because I would rather get wet running then jump into the water. I like to swim but just don't that much. I like to bike but have to get gear ready and check the tires. Will not ride in dark or rain. Don't really like the trainer. Hard to push myself on bike. So I like to run. That is what I told the triathalon coach. She said ok. Then I saw a triathalon on Facebook. Proceeds go to Southwest Florida Special Olympics, my favorite charity. It is a little longer than a sprint tri with 1/2mi swim, 18 mi bike and 4mi run. That should be long enough not to hurt my marathon training for Marine Corps in Oct. I'm in. Wait, I have to swim a 1/2 mile in the Atlantic. That means I need to practice-swim. Still good. Went to bookstore: 3 magazines on biking and triathalons. Triathalon coach laughed. Got her way. Now she is in complete control because I need her to get me through the swim and bike as well as run.
Then I discovered an olympic distance (they even have a HalfIM) triathalon in Morgantown Wv on August the 8th which happens to be my BD. I'm in. For next year that is. So I am shopping for Tri gear, reading tri blogs and downloading tri podcast and am hooked. I am waiting on a schedule that will add more biking and swimming to my easy run days or instead of easy run days. I was told this will make my marathons stronger? We will see. For now something to look forward to.

Too fat to fight

This site was taken from AirForce Ted's website You Dont Have to Run Alone
It is just another example of what the obesity epidemic is doing to our country. Chances are if you read this website, you are not directly affected. Please join me in the fight to educate and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle.

http://www.missionreadiness.org/MR%20National%20Obesity%20Report.pdf

Summer training

It is certainly summer here in Southwest Florida. I have been starting my runs between 5:15 and 6am. My newest training partner is Tiger, my Dad's German Shepherd. He is almost four and all 110 pounds are full of energy. I have started taking him 2 to 3 miles in the morning before my regular runs. He is great protection and is going well on a short Caesar Milano soft lead. My Shepherd Lexi is getting a little old and little too furry for much running.
This week was week one one of my 16 week marathon training for the marine corps marathon. I hope to run a little faster in this one. I have added a Tuesday speed session and a Thursday longer run. I hope I can keep this up.
The Cardiac running/walking group continues. I am adding in more running intervals now that they are gaining confidences and endurance. The group is growing slowly. I hope to have more patients show up. This week I listened to the Endurance planet podcast and they spoke with the trail Geek of the month. I don't remember his name but the story is similar to others that I have read. He was overweight and out of shape nearly 40 year old that was encouraged to tray a 5k. He liked it and one thing lead to the next and now he has run several 100 miles races and is very conscious of his nutrition and has lost a ton of weight.
I think exercise is the key first step. Especially running. You start running and then start paying attention to nutrition to run better. There is no fad diets or quick fixes just the learned enjoyment of running and then a healthy lifestyle. Otherwise the weight just yoyos on and off.
I had a patient tell me the other day that his son was one of those exercise and nutrition "nuts". I told him he was only a nut in the eyes of overweight sedentary America that we have come to know as normal. Hopefully, someday the nuts will be the known as the couch potatoes that serf from one fast food place to the next.

Firecracker 5K July 3, 2010

I started a group of beginning runners from my patient population about 8 weeks ago. I put sign up sheets in the office advertising free 5k training on two nights a week. I encouraged all my cardiac patients to consider. Most would not even look at the sheets despite them being posted above the sign in sheets, the sign out, and over the scales. I finally got a few takers and the groupt started. 5 patiennts signed up. One has a temporary knee injury. The remaining four patients have had either angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery. They have met and walked and jogged a little twice weekly over the past 8 weeks. Three completed the 5K this weekend with one winning second in her age group. These were non exercisers. The grew to enjoy the walking/jogging and each others company. They had a great time running/walking Saturday despite the heat. I hope that these folks will set an example for the rest of my patients that that they are too old not to join. Hats off to the group. I think we may need a name.