I was able to finish the 2010 season with a very good race which I would like to share for anyone who may want to participate in the future. The setting was White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on Dec. 4. It is a nice army facility with an indoor pool and wide open spaces to ride. As the name indicates, it can have pretty inhospitable conditions this time of year. We had a really cold spell earlier in the week but the temps on race day were not bad. I arrived at the gate at the prerequisite time of 0600 for the 0800 start due to security. It was a 45 min ride from home where the only eventuality was 2 jackrabbits crossing the road which I had to avoid so as not to run over them. The temp in car thermometer dipped down to 24F on the way but by the time I arrived at the base it was 31F. I got my transition area set up and ate a powerbar 1 hour before the start of the race. Went through registration and got body marked. In line I met some people who came all the way down from Albuquerque, some had only done 1 triathlon before.
As 0800 aproached, I lined up around the start line with some fellow El Paso Triathlon Club members. The sun had warmed the temp up to 38F with very little wind. A perfect day for racing...
The Run 7K 30:00 7:40 min/mile avg. pace
I lined up close to the front and started out as quickly as I could to gain some time. My running has improved much since the beginning of the year and I was able to stay close to the front for a while but the inevitable separation happened on a slight incline. Overall, felt good as I had tapered for 2 days and the conditions were perfect for running.
T1 1:18
I arrived in transition and was pretty deliberate without incident. Got my aero helmet and bike shoes and I was off. I had run with the cycling gloves so I saved some time that way.
The Bike 35K 1:08:22
Felt good on the bike but was cold at first. I had worn underarmers on top and bottom but as the speed and wind kicked up, I was glad that I had dressed warm. Some other folks had shorts and tri tops, I sure they were regretting their decision. The WSMR course leaves the base out into the desert where the testing grounds are. The way out has a fast downhill with some wind coming from the north. Initially the road is smooth asphalt but later it becomes rougher and with few potholes and bumps. I got passed by a few fast riders early on but largely maintained my position. There were several teams but there were no calf markings telling us that so there was no way to know. On the way back was when I had the most problem. I had a gu at the turnaround and then faced a little headwind. The nice descent turned into a 4 mile 2% grade which does not seem like much, but my speed took a hit. I started cramping in the calfs as well which had never happened before. I drank some gatorade as I approached T2 .
T2 2:03
Put the bike on the rack and proceeded to strip down to bathing suit. Surprisingly did not feel that cold. Grabbed a large towel and ran to the pool. As I ran I struggled a bit to put on swim cap and goggles.
The Swim 400 meters 10:47
The water was very warm thankfully but instantly I started to cramp. It was mostly the calfs again so I had to kick very little at first. The first laps were slower as I got the cramps to go away and got in a good rythm. I was checking behind me to make sure I was not going to get caught in the pool. Only one guy passed me going very fast, but he was rested as he was in a team doing the swim only.
Total time 1:32:52
I found out that I got 2 Nd in my 45-49 age group. That was the second medal I have gotten, the first a 3rd place finish at the Wind Triathlon at the same location. It is a good feeling to be able to still improve my time and gives me added motivation to keep training.
Next, I have plans to undertake an entirely new and different challenge. I started mountain biking this Fall and have signed up for the Puzzler. The annual event is 35 or 50 miles (I will be attempting 35) over the Franklin Mountains. It promises to be a tough course but it will serve as good training to the mountains in Nice, France. But that is not until June 2011.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Eagle in the Sun Triathlon 2010 Race Report
The inaugural Eagle in the Sun Triathlon was a great success. Held on Sept. 5 at the Tigua Indian Reservation the organizers and volunteers put on a very organized event, specially for the first time event.
My day began at 0500 at the transition since Blanca was volunteering that day. Got body marked and set up my bike in a good spot next to the start of the course. It was good to get there early and set up with plenty of time. I saw some athletes arrive shortly before 0700 and by then most of the good places were taken and they were rushed.
I decided that I would race with just my swim shorts and no shirt. I had shaved my chest and legs the day before and didn't want to wear a tri top because I felt it would slow me down. We lined up next the pool by our race numbers which were assigned based on our estimated 400 meter swim time. Everyone was pretty nervous as we lined up to wait our turn for the swim portion.
The Swim 400 meters 09:24
I jumped in for the swim and felt good to get started. I was able to pass the guy in front of me pretty quickly and got in a good rhythm. The pool was 50 meters in length and we raced one way and changed lanes on the way back. There were 5 seconds between each swimmer so it was not too crowded. I got out of the water feeling good and ran towards the transition.
T1 02:30
I got to transition and found out something very important about putting on the tri top with wet skin... It is not easy, and I struggled to put it on and had to take it off and put back on again. In retrospect, should have just rode the bike and ran with tri shorts only but I guess I'm too shy and self conscious for that kind of thing. Got the helmet on and forgot to buckle it in but fortunately no official saw it for that could be a penalty. Got to the mounting line and started on the bike.
The Bike 12 miles 36:10
The course was flat and fast plus the road was closed to traffic. I had a good bike split overall. The out was slightly uphill with a head wind but the back was faster with the tail wind. The crowd support was great along the course and riding the mission trail was cool. Saw the Socorro and the San Elizario Mission along the way. Passed several people along the way and finished 29 overall on the bike.
T2 0:38
I was faster on the next transition as the my set up was next to the exit. Grabbed a gatorade on the way to start the run.
The Run 3.1 miles 26:42
I feel like at the beginning of the run went too slow which cost me several precious seconds. Got in a rhythm and settled at about a 8:30 minute mile pace which I had trained with on the brick workouts. Again the crowd support was great and there were tons of volunteers guiding us through the neighborhood. Towards the end as I saw that I was less than 1 hour and 15 minutes, I slowed down a bit as I felt like I had accomplished my goal time. Finished with a sprint run.
Total chip time 1:14:28 48th overall. 5th in my age group.
Prologue.
After reviewing the results I found out that I had tied the 4th place person in my age group. Even worse, I was 21 SECONDS behind the 3rd place podium finisher for our age group... Needless to say, I have been going back and have no end of places that I could have made up those 21 seconds. The lesson for me is that you have to go hard the whole way and don't leave anything behind, specially on these sprint races. My plan is to try to apply these principles during my next race on October 10 in Alamogordo, NM. The 5K run, 30K bike, and 700 meter pool should be fun and a chance to take care of some unfinished business!
Bobby Gonzales (1st place), Angel Vela, and Me
My day began at 0500 at the transition since Blanca was volunteering that day. Got body marked and set up my bike in a good spot next to the start of the course. It was good to get there early and set up with plenty of time. I saw some athletes arrive shortly before 0700 and by then most of the good places were taken and they were rushed.
I decided that I would race with just my swim shorts and no shirt. I had shaved my chest and legs the day before and didn't want to wear a tri top because I felt it would slow me down. We lined up next the pool by our race numbers which were assigned based on our estimated 400 meter swim time. Everyone was pretty nervous as we lined up to wait our turn for the swim portion.
The Swim 400 meters 09:24
I jumped in for the swim and felt good to get started. I was able to pass the guy in front of me pretty quickly and got in a good rhythm. The pool was 50 meters in length and we raced one way and changed lanes on the way back. There were 5 seconds between each swimmer so it was not too crowded. I got out of the water feeling good and ran towards the transition.
T1 02:30
I got to transition and found out something very important about putting on the tri top with wet skin... It is not easy, and I struggled to put it on and had to take it off and put back on again. In retrospect, should have just rode the bike and ran with tri shorts only but I guess I'm too shy and self conscious for that kind of thing. Got the helmet on and forgot to buckle it in but fortunately no official saw it for that could be a penalty. Got to the mounting line and started on the bike.
The Bike 12 miles 36:10
The course was flat and fast plus the road was closed to traffic. I had a good bike split overall. The out was slightly uphill with a head wind but the back was faster with the tail wind. The crowd support was great along the course and riding the mission trail was cool. Saw the Socorro and the San Elizario Mission along the way. Passed several people along the way and finished 29 overall on the bike.
T2 0:38
I was faster on the next transition as the my set up was next to the exit. Grabbed a gatorade on the way to start the run.
The Run 3.1 miles 26:42
I feel like at the beginning of the run went too slow which cost me several precious seconds. Got in a rhythm and settled at about a 8:30 minute mile pace which I had trained with on the brick workouts. Again the crowd support was great and there were tons of volunteers guiding us through the neighborhood. Towards the end as I saw that I was less than 1 hour and 15 minutes, I slowed down a bit as I felt like I had accomplished my goal time. Finished with a sprint run.
Total chip time 1:14:28 48th overall. 5th in my age group.
Prologue.
After reviewing the results I found out that I had tied the 4th place person in my age group. Even worse, I was 21 SECONDS behind the 3rd place podium finisher for our age group... Needless to say, I have been going back and have no end of places that I could have made up those 21 seconds. The lesson for me is that you have to go hard the whole way and don't leave anything behind, specially on these sprint races. My plan is to try to apply these principles during my next race on October 10 in Alamogordo, NM. The 5K run, 30K bike, and 700 meter pool should be fun and a chance to take care of some unfinished business!
Bobby Gonzales (1st place), Angel Vela, and Me
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Ironman France 2011
Well, here I go again! I registered for Ironman France to be held on June 26, 2011. The location is Nice on the Cote d'Azur. The bike is famous for its difficulty as it is a mountainous route but also very scenic. The run is in the city and it tends to be very hot and humid. So training in El Paso is not going to be favorable. On top of that, there is a 16 hour time limit instead of the usual 17 hours. I plan on posting from time to time as I train for this event. Meanwhile, I am focused on the Eagle in the Sun Sprint Triathlon on Sept. 5 and the Elephant Man Olympic Distance on Sept. 26.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report 2010
Well, I finished !! As I promised, I am going to give a race report to share the event with the reader and hopefully help someone else who is considering doing an Ironman. The night before departure, I packed the bike in a travel box I borrowed from my friend John. I was nervous about this, as I had never traveled with a bike on a plane; but it fit nicely with room to spare for my helmet, shoes, and air pump. I had made a checklist to make sure I did not forget any of the gear and this made packing a lot more stress free. I highly recommend this. Our flight on Thursday afternoon was delayed and we arrived in Spokane at 12:30 AM. On Friday AM, Blanca and I headed for Couer d’Alene lake to try out the water. I had been watching the lake temperature on line and the last few weeks, it finally started to climb into the low 60s F. There were several people gathered by the flagpole and I got my wetsuit, neoprene cap, and goggles on for a swim. It was definatly cold, and the wind was kicking up some sizeable waves. I swam for 30 minutes with the first 5 minutes the hardest getting used to the cold. At 10 AM, I attended the free “Four Keys to Ironman Execution” talk by Endurance Nation, the guys that helped me train, http://endurancenation.us . It was a good review and nice to meet Rich Strauss in person. After that I picked up my race stuff. I got transition bags, bibs, race chip, stickers for the bike/helmet and got a bracelet to allow me to access the facility. We then went to check in to the hotel and went to scout the bike course in the car. We mainly drove the hilly portions and I got on the bike for a small portion to make sure everything was working with the bike after the plane ride. The athlete banquet was Friday night and this was followed by the mandatory pre-race meeting. Saturday, slept in as planned and later in the day took the bike and transition bags to get them checked in. The rest of the day, rested and went to bed at 9 pm. I woke up a little after 0300 AM and went through a mental checklist of the race. Finally, got up at 0400 and had breakfast before heading out to transition. Got body marked and went put on my wetsuit and headed out to the beach to line up. It was an amazing site to see 2500 people along the beach lined up for the mass start . At 0700, the cannon went off ready or not….
The Swim (2.4 Miles: 1:36:49)
As I have done before, I started too fast on the swim and immediately found myself hyperventilating and probably had a heart rate up to 170. (not sure as my HR monitor does not work in the water). I did some backstroke, side stroke and after about 7 minutes was finally able to start on a rhythm. I noticed I was a little far from the buoys and started heading towards the first red turn buoy. The lake was choppy and I swallowed a little bit of water, specially as I was trying to sight. As we went away from the beach to the turn the waves got bigger, but on the way back the waves were pushing us back to shore. Finished the first 1.2 mile loop in 46 min and headed back for the second loop. Now I was able to navigate the course better and kept a good pace for the second loop. I got out of the water and headed out to T1, glad to have made it before getting too cold.
T1 15:36 ouch.
I went to transition and got my wet suit stripped off by two volunteers, got my bag with by biking gear and headed for the changing tent. I got my bandana, glasses, and helmet on and got sunblock from a volunteer. Went to the bike and ate a Powerbar I had left there, something I could have better done while I was riding. Then I walked to the mounting line to start the bike portion. I don’t know where all the time went, there is no excuse for such a long transition.
The Bike (112 miles 7:37:24 )
The plan for the bike was to go easy the first 30 miles and then steady for the next 82 miles. As expected, I was passed by several people in the beginning but I cought up to them later on in the hilly portions of the ride. I kept my HR below 120 and a cadence of 80. I don’t trust my power meter, so I did not look at that number as much. The first loop was nice and cool. I had arm warmers and some old gloves which I got rid of after 2 hours. The hills were short and some afforded the ability to go fast on the downhills. The crowd support was great in Coeur d’Alene and Hayden. The towns both come out in force to volunteer and cheer. The second loop was getting hotter and there was not as much shade as I had hoped. I tried to pace myself so I didn’t blow it on the run which is hard to know what the right amount of effort is, specially with the hills. I got Gatorade and water on the course and had several powerbars plus goo. I would have like to get more calories in me but the Powerbars were not tasting as good after the fourth one. I was glad that I had to make pit stops in the porto potty. This meant I was not getting dehydrated which was a priority to set up a good run.
T2 4:27
I returned my bike to a volunteer and headed to pick up the run gear before heading back to the changing tent. I put on my shoes, bottle carrier and hat and headed out to the run course.
The Run (26.2 miles 6:05:13 )
As I headed out to the run my goal as prescribed by the Endurance Nation guys was too go at a slower pace the first 6 miles. The goal was to run 12:30 miles and then try to increase it to 12:00 minute miles. I was going to do the same thing I have done for all 3 marathons I have run and that is to walk at every mile marker for a tenth of a mile. By the time I started on the run 4:30 pm, I was getting hotter and more humid. The first half was pretty smooth and I got to cool down with ice and sponges that were provided on the run course. By the second loop, things began to get harder. My main problem seemed to be my feet which were sore. My pace began to slow even more and I was walking for longer stretches of time. It doesn’t help that in an Ironman there are a lot of people walking significant portions of the run and you are tempted to do the same. After a particularly bad place I found myself on mile 14, I was able to resume running again. After it got dark around 9:30 pm it got hard again and then it got cold. I was taking goo, water and Gatoraide for the most part but by the end the best thing was the warm chicken broth. Most of the aid stations had it, and it really helped to drink it with some sugar cookies. The last 4 miles were the hardest of all as there was a bad hill that everyone was walking up and then down after the turnaround. They handed out glow necklaces which I had hoped I would not have to have but it was pretty dark by then. As I arrived at the last half mile down to the finish, I was so exhausted that I could not hear the announcer say my name. I passed the finish line and looked at the time…. 15:39:27
Post Race
After finishing, I was greeted by two volunteers, (Frank and Jose from Kileen, TX ) They wrapped me in a reflective blanket and was handed a finisher medal, hat, and T-shirt. Got a picture taken with Blanca and then went to get some food. I had a slice of pepperoni pizza that was the best tasting pizza I have had in a long time. Fortunately, Blanca was nice enough while I was running to put away my bike and gear bags in the car so, we were able to head straight to the car and back to the hotel. Next AM, I was a little sore but mostly hungry and a little sunburnt.
The Swim (2.4 Miles: 1:36:49)
As I have done before, I started too fast on the swim and immediately found myself hyperventilating and probably had a heart rate up to 170. (not sure as my HR monitor does not work in the water). I did some backstroke, side stroke and after about 7 minutes was finally able to start on a rhythm. I noticed I was a little far from the buoys and started heading towards the first red turn buoy. The lake was choppy and I swallowed a little bit of water, specially as I was trying to sight. As we went away from the beach to the turn the waves got bigger, but on the way back the waves were pushing us back to shore. Finished the first 1.2 mile loop in 46 min and headed back for the second loop. Now I was able to navigate the course better and kept a good pace for the second loop. I got out of the water and headed out to T1, glad to have made it before getting too cold.
T1 15:36 ouch.
I went to transition and got my wet suit stripped off by two volunteers, got my bag with by biking gear and headed for the changing tent. I got my bandana, glasses, and helmet on and got sunblock from a volunteer. Went to the bike and ate a Powerbar I had left there, something I could have better done while I was riding. Then I walked to the mounting line to start the bike portion. I don’t know where all the time went, there is no excuse for such a long transition.
The Bike (112 miles 7:37:24 )
The plan for the bike was to go easy the first 30 miles and then steady for the next 82 miles. As expected, I was passed by several people in the beginning but I cought up to them later on in the hilly portions of the ride. I kept my HR below 120 and a cadence of 80. I don’t trust my power meter, so I did not look at that number as much. The first loop was nice and cool. I had arm warmers and some old gloves which I got rid of after 2 hours. The hills were short and some afforded the ability to go fast on the downhills. The crowd support was great in Coeur d’Alene and Hayden. The towns both come out in force to volunteer and cheer. The second loop was getting hotter and there was not as much shade as I had hoped. I tried to pace myself so I didn’t blow it on the run which is hard to know what the right amount of effort is, specially with the hills. I got Gatorade and water on the course and had several powerbars plus goo. I would have like to get more calories in me but the Powerbars were not tasting as good after the fourth one. I was glad that I had to make pit stops in the porto potty. This meant I was not getting dehydrated which was a priority to set up a good run.
T2 4:27
I returned my bike to a volunteer and headed to pick up the run gear before heading back to the changing tent. I put on my shoes, bottle carrier and hat and headed out to the run course.
The Run (26.2 miles 6:05:13 )
As I headed out to the run my goal as prescribed by the Endurance Nation guys was too go at a slower pace the first 6 miles. The goal was to run 12:30 miles and then try to increase it to 12:00 minute miles. I was going to do the same thing I have done for all 3 marathons I have run and that is to walk at every mile marker for a tenth of a mile. By the time I started on the run 4:30 pm, I was getting hotter and more humid. The first half was pretty smooth and I got to cool down with ice and sponges that were provided on the run course. By the second loop, things began to get harder. My main problem seemed to be my feet which were sore. My pace began to slow even more and I was walking for longer stretches of time. It doesn’t help that in an Ironman there are a lot of people walking significant portions of the run and you are tempted to do the same. After a particularly bad place I found myself on mile 14, I was able to resume running again. After it got dark around 9:30 pm it got hard again and then it got cold. I was taking goo, water and Gatoraide for the most part but by the end the best thing was the warm chicken broth. Most of the aid stations had it, and it really helped to drink it with some sugar cookies. The last 4 miles were the hardest of all as there was a bad hill that everyone was walking up and then down after the turnaround. They handed out glow necklaces which I had hoped I would not have to have but it was pretty dark by then. As I arrived at the last half mile down to the finish, I was so exhausted that I could not hear the announcer say my name. I passed the finish line and looked at the time…. 15:39:27
Post Race
After finishing, I was greeted by two volunteers, (Frank and Jose from Kileen, TX ) They wrapped me in a reflective blanket and was handed a finisher medal, hat, and T-shirt. Got a picture taken with Blanca and then went to get some food. I had a slice of pepperoni pizza that was the best tasting pizza I have had in a long time. Fortunately, Blanca was nice enough while I was running to put away my bike and gear bags in the car so, we were able to head straight to the car and back to the hotel. Next AM, I was a little sore but mostly hungry and a little sunburnt.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Three Weeks to Go...
Second race simulation done on Sunday, June 6 (D-Day). Started at 0600 with a 30 min swim at easy pace. Rapidly transitioned to bike and started out with some course and pace as On May 9 race sim. Easy for the first 30 miles, keeping HR below 120. With a little bit of headwind had an average speed of 16 mph (80 cadence). Made a good effort to hydrate on the way and drank bottles of Poweraide on the way to La Mesa and stopped at 25 miles to pick up more liquid nutrition. Then it was back to the car and then the second 50 mile loop to complete 100 miles. Total time was 6:30. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating as the high temperature was 110. It was hard to keep going against headwinds on mile 75-100. Next transitioned to run and finished 4 miles run-walk. After the brick was completed had all the symptoms of profound volume depletion and sun exposure. THe temps in CDA are going to be a lot cooler I expect but this was good training for any future races in similar climate. Now, will be starting to taper for the next 3 weeks that remain until June 27.
Monday, May 31, 2010
One month to go...
Over the Memorial Day weekend I have been able to complete a good series of workouts in anticipation of the CDA Ironman on June 27. The weather conditions here in El Paso have gotten more challenging with the heat, but that is the price for the mild winters we have here. On Saturday, I rode out to Las Cruces on the I10 "rollers" and back to the Anthony Gap which has an elvation of 4400 feeet and then over the Transmountain pass which is 5200 feet. That last bit was tough as by then the temp was over 100 and there was a headwind going up the mountain. The total distance covered was 85 miles, and it took me 5:40 including several stops to buy Poweraide along the way (2 stops). Sunday, was a long run day and I went out from the house to Artcraft, to McNutt, and back on Sundland Park for a 20 mile run in the heat. Total time was 4:34. Had to really push the fluids with several stops in convenience stores along the way. There are a few hills on this course but it gave me a feel for how tiring it can be even to maintain a 12 minute mile pace. On Monday, Memorial Day, I swam at the Country Club for 1.2 miles (46 min) then got out of the pool, had a sip of water, and back again for an additional 1.2 miles. The total time was 1:35. Not too bad, I feel it was good to do once at least being that is the longest distance I have ever swam at one time.
Overall, with 4 weeks to go feeling pretty good about the training I have been able to put in. Next Sunday is the last race simulation and then I will taper with 2 weeks to go...
Overall, with 4 weeks to go feeling pretty good about the training I have been able to put in. Next Sunday is the last race simulation and then I will taper with 2 weeks to go...
Monday, May 10, 2010
Ironman race simulation, six weeks to go...
As prescribed by the Endurance Nation coaches (more at http://www.endurancenation.eu/ ), I scheduled my Ironman race simulation for Sunday, May 9th. I set up the gear in the car and planned to set up a transition in the car the pool. My first hiccup of the day happened before I started when I found out I had a flat tire. Worse yet, it was in my car. It took me 45 min to change the tire since I had never changed the tire in this car and had to read the instructions to figure out where everything was.
When I finally got out to the pool, was able to swim for 30 min, estimate 1500 yards. Got on the bike and went 30 miles easy (15mph) with focus on hydration and nutrition. Went 25 miles out and back, stopping in La Mesa for more food and drink. On the way back, picked up the pace but by then the headwinds were starting up. After 50 miles, got more food and drink from the car and started the 2nd loop. Again, more wind, heat, and crazy motorcycle riders on Hwy 28. Stopped again in La Mesa and headed back to complete 100 miles total. At mile 94 had the obligatory flat on the bike and was able to change it pretty quickly.
At the car, transitioned into the run and went 6 difficult miles with the afternoon heat and dehydration slowed me down to 12 minute miles. Total time was 8'30" including transitions which made for a very long day. I got a nice sunburn to show for it as I forgot the sunblock.
When I finally got out to the pool, was able to swim for 30 min, estimate 1500 yards. Got on the bike and went 30 miles easy (15mph) with focus on hydration and nutrition. Went 25 miles out and back, stopping in La Mesa for more food and drink. On the way back, picked up the pace but by then the headwinds were starting up. After 50 miles, got more food and drink from the car and started the 2nd loop. Again, more wind, heat, and crazy motorcycle riders on Hwy 28. Stopped again in La Mesa and headed back to complete 100 miles total. At mile 94 had the obligatory flat on the bike and was able to change it pretty quickly.
At the car, transitioned into the run and went 6 difficult miles with the afternoon heat and dehydration slowed me down to 12 minute miles. Total time was 8'30" including transitions which made for a very long day. I got a nice sunburn to show for it as I forgot the sunblock.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Trip to Tour of Gila and Elephant Butte Lake
Had a good 5th week of training last week. On Sat. rode 50 miles in the course that I plan to use for the race simulation next Sunday. More about that next week. On Sunday, May 2 we headed to Silver City, NM to watch the final stage of the Tour of Gila. Arrived in time to see the Pro men and Pro women take off for their rides of the 5th stage, the Gila Monster. Went up to Pinos Altos to the finish line and we rode down the mountain for about 3 miles and back up twice. The second time Blanca joined me and we were met by the Cat 3 men zooming down the mountain on their way to the finish. Once we arrived to the finish we waited for the pro men and got to see Levi Leipheimer (the winner of the tour) and Lance Armstrong arrive. Got some cool pictures of Lance and tried to get an autograph but he was eager to leave after signing a few autographs. It was really cool to be in that enviroment and see these great athletes up close and personal.
After the race we drove to Elephant Butte Lake for a little cold open water swim training. We arrived and at the entrance they posted the water temperature. It was 52 degrees!! We had come a long way to turn around so I put on my wet suit, neoprene cap, ear plugs and swim goggles. I experienced all the familiar feelings as I jumped in the water for a 14 min. swim. The air was knocked out of my lungs, my feet, hands, and face were freezing and after 2 minutes I felt like I was getting used to it. I just hope the water is warmer in Coeur d'Alene.
(it should be).
This AM, I went to the Y for a swim and I was told that the pool was really "cold" because they had some problems with the furnace. I then asked what the water temperature was. They told me it was 80 degrees! No problem, I swam 2500 yards.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Getting ready for Coeur D'Alene
As I start this blog, I am in the 3rd week out of 12 training for my first Ironman. Last year the Ironman 70.3 in Lubbock was the first long distance tri, but this is a much bigger challenge. In anticipation of this upcoming event, I ran the El Paso Marathon in March (4:38), and I have put in a lot of swimming time improving my technique. Lastly, I purchased a tri bike (Quintana Roo Lucero), and for my birthday got a new aero helmet from Blanca.
Finding time to train has been and will continue to be a challenge, but I feel that with a lot of help from my support team it can be done.
I will periodically update this blog with training anecdotes and things I find out along the way. My ultimate goal is to have a race report if and when I complete the Ironman on June 27th.
Finding time to train has been and will continue to be a challenge, but I feel that with a lot of help from my support team it can be done.
I will periodically update this blog with training anecdotes and things I find out along the way. My ultimate goal is to have a race report if and when I complete the Ironman on June 27th.
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