Sunday, April 10, 2016

Beaver Freezer and back to training

I have not updated in awhile and also have not blogged about Beaver Freezer.  First last week...

I swam Wednesday morning and it was a normal workout.  I felt faster and ready for Freezer.  On Thursday I rested and slept until 6:30.  On Friday I hoped to go to Ride but coming home from Bible Study at 9...and just feeling drained and tired--I could not do it.  I figured the extra race before Freezer was not a bad thing.  We had leftover enchiladas for dinner and watched The Amazing Race.  I had a Diet Mountain Dew with dinner (around 8 PM) which was a mistake...I realized that later.  Rob & I watched 20/20 around 10 and I fell asleep during it.  I didn't have to get up too early for Freezer...just after 6 AM.  Which is actually later than I get up for Power, Swim & Ride--honestly it felt a little like sleeping in!

Then I finally went to bed after 20/20 was over...around 11...I was not tired.  Then Rob & I got in this conversation about my work schedule (which is pretty intense right now and the most hours I have ever done) and the demands of my business on top of everything else.  The conversation really turned on all the anxiety that was already there about the race.  Then I really couldn't sleep.  It took A LONG time before I fell asleep.  I stopped looking at the clock.  I am guessing close to 2 AM.  Rob putting on a second Seinfeld episode finally lulled me to sleep.  I woke up at 5:30 and slept another half hour until I really got up.

I wasn't overly nervous for Freezer.  I had done it before.  I had trained really well.  The biking still makes me anxious a bit, but it was only 12 miles and only one big hill. The weather was supposed to be warm and sunny and that would help a lot.  I met my friend at the carpool lot at 7 AM and we made it to OSU on time. We were in back to back swim waves.  I swam at 9:50 AM.  I was overly confident going into the swim.  I timed myself a few weeks back and I was around 11 minutes.  Looking back I am not sure how accurate that is.  The swim timer clock was broken so I was using the actual wall clock...I could have been a few minutes off.  So I was in a wave with 10-11 minute swimmers.  Going into the pool, I struggled at first.  My anxiety was high, I kept bumping into the side rope, and I got passed twice.  I was the last one out in my wave.  The volunteer never told me I had one more lap--I had to pop my head out and ask.  I think the timing was off as well.  My swim time was 14 minutes which I think is slow--but I am guessing it was 13 something.  I am actually going to time myself again soon and see where I'm at.

Going into T1, I was way more confident.  My transition time was much better.  Although I couldn't find my bike at first, I got right on quickly.  I felt more confident on my bike.  I got clipped in immediately, drank Gatorade on the bike without dropping my water bottle...or worse falling.  I went at a good steady pace.

T2 I did better as well.  The running is never that difficult for me.  My time is always about 2 minutes slower than my normal 5K time which was the case here.  I ran the whole way--just walked through the aid station.  I tried to keep a good steady pace.  I was tired--but not dying.

My final time was 2 seconds slower than the last time I did it...which was a little disappointing.  But triathlon is still new to me--I haven't done as many of them as I have running races.  I am still an amateur swimmer and nervous bike rider.  I have improved so much in the last couple of years.  I had fun and enjoyed being outside.  I am not sure the swim time was accurate as it was listed.

I rested on Sunday but jumped right back into it on Monday.  I did about 4 miles Monday morning with Tracy.  On Tuesday I went to Power.  We are regular swim on Wednesday and I really focused more on speed and pushing myself--I think I was faster than normal.  Thursday I rested.  Friday morning I made to Group Ride.  I was quite tired and did not push myself on every single track but was thankful I made it.  I have a history of intending to go on Fridays and choosing to sleep instead.  Yesterday I ran 6 miles with Tracy in the morning and did lots of gardening.  This afternoon I only biked a little over 9 miles on the Keizer bike path.  I would have liked to bike more than that but it was so much stop & start.  The bike path is only 3 1/2 miles long...hardly enough to get a decent ride in.  The stop and start was good practice for me in terms of clipping in & out.  I did really well.  It was not worth it to drive all the way out there when the River Road/Independence route and Minto Brown is so much closer.  I really need to find some riding friends.  I may try the Salem Bicycle Club next month.  I really wish there were bike path options and less fighting traffic, but maybe I can find some long country roads to ride with others on.  I am probably going to do the Deschutes Dash in July but not sure if I will do the sprint distance or olympic.

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