July Round Up

So, July. We have positives? We have fear? Read on ...

Swimming: 1300m (.81 mi)
Cycling: 28.08 mi
Running: 19.89 mi
Lifting: 19 sessions (4:36)
Other: one hike (:53), two sessions hockey (2:32), 11 walks (3:47), one session yoga (:25)

So. Some progress made. I swam twice! I cycled more often! (I think that was three rides). Running ... is still not long, but I'm doing it! I actually hiked! I DID YOGA!

All good things. 

But there's a reason for me trying like hell to focus on triathlon-specific things again and NOT just because I signed up for Brineman sprint again (because I did that, too).

It's because next year, on my birthday, I'm doing Challenge Roth.

If you don't know it, Challenge Roth is a full distance (140.6) mile race that is iconic and has been around for over 40 years. It takes place in Germany. Almost all - if not all - the speed records set at the distance have been at that race. There's a hill - Solarer Berg - that you climb single-file due to the Tour de France-style crowds (look it up on the 'gram). 

It also has a shorter time cut.

Most Ironman races are 17 hours with a few notable exceptions (Chattanooga being one at 16 or 16:30). 

Roth? Used to be at 15:30. Now? 15 hours.

I have never done a 140.6 race in 15 hours.

If you combine my fastest times across all disciplines (including transitions), I still have never completed 140.6 miles in 15 hours.

Am I terrified? Yes. Do I think I can do it? ... yes. I have to say yes. There's no other answer. I have to believe I can do it or there's no point. I've already paid my money. I'm going.

So wish me luck. And maybe more importantly ...

... wish me speed.

June Round Up

... you can probably guess by now.

Swimming: 0m (0 mi)

Cycling: 12.6 mi

Running: 17.74 mi

Lifting: 6 sessions (2:25)

Other: four sessions hockey (4:00), 19 walks (8:11)

I keep meaning to call VASA to see if their stupid pool is open (... I swear it's always closed when I try to go), but then I don't. And I don't swim.

I rode ... I think once for global cycling day and then again when I got my oil changed (will ride home and then back to pick up my car). But do I need/want to ride more? Of course. Do I? Obviously not.

And running ... is hit or miss. And mostly miss. And short. 

Lifting was the biggest frustration this month. I fucking know better, and yet.

At least July is off to a decent start ...

Race #2 of the Season: Jurassic Run 5K

We were supposed to run this race last year.

We found it, saw "oh hey, dinosaurs," signed up. Then bought tickets for "How to Train Your Dragon" in concert (symphony plays to the movie) that night. Realized the race was an evening race and ... oooops. Thankfully, the race allowed us to defer a year so we got to run it this year.

The race takes place partially inside (but mostly outside) the Ogden Dinosaur Park so you know, right up our alley. Downside is that it's an evening race in late June, so it's also hot. Thankfully not as hot as last year would have been, but still.

Photographer got us walking around pre-race.

We got there relatively early - mostly for parking purposes - and then just hung out walking around and stretching before we were set to start at 7p.

Sign.

Like I wasn't wearing my T. rex (T. flex) shorts for this race.

Neither of us have been running a lot this year (you know I haven't and it's been a lot less for B), so we had zero expectations for this race. Well, that's not entirely true: since B doesn't do well in heat, the goal for him was to not die.

We ran together - what I didn't know is that the little park you do an out-and-back in nearby has a MONSTER hill. Yeah, we mostly walked that. 

But other than that, we were running fairly well early on, but the lack of any training for either of us, plus the fact that, y'know, balls, meant that we crumpled some in the back half. Eh. It was expected.

Final bit was actually in and around the dino park, as evidenced by the official race photo.

Weeeeee!

Wasn't much to the finish after this and though I crossed the line first ... B beat me by .1 second. Grumble.

Overall Stats:
Time: 33:13.5
7/30 division (F40-45)
40/211 gender
101/368 overall

What I DIDN'T know going in is that we got medals.

... and this picture made me realize that there were several different medals and that the third option was way cooler than mine. So obviously I swapped.

Regrets, I have zero.

Ultimately, fun race, we enjoyed it. Would it have been better had we trained? Yes. Would it also be better in the morning prior to the park opening as opposed as to at the end of the day? Also probably, but I get why it's in the evening.

Still, fun, small, local race. May do again. Probably. 

(because dinosaurs.)

May Round Up

Another month down. 

Swimming: 0m (0mi)
Cycling: 31.68 mi
Running: 20.69 mi
Lifting: 13 sessions (4:16)
Other: one hike (:55), three sessions hockey (3:46), 22 walks (11:37), one session yoga (:13)

Swimming ... is a struggle. To be transparent, I did try to go ... and the pool at my regular gym was closed. Because of course it was. Because this happens to me all the time. 

Most of the cycling miles were in one giant 20 mile ride I did with B and one of his friends ... and it went pretty well despite me having no miles in my legs, but that's how the bike tends to go.

Running is about par for the course for me right now. I do have a 5K at the end of June that was deferred from last year, but I have zero goals except have fun at it since it's through a dinosaur park and I know I'm going to want to take pictures. So there's that.

Lifting wasn't terrible but DEFINITELY needs to be more consistent. I'm proud I did some yoga, but I really need to do a lot more bodywork. Because I can tell that I'm in my damn 40s. 

As for June? I know I can do better, so let's hope that I actually do for a change.

April Round Up

Well, in some ways, April was an improvement. Read on ...

Swimming: 800m (.5 mi)
Cycling: 7.87 mi
Running: 22.02 mi
Lifting: 12 sessions (4:54)
Other: one hike (1:37), three sessions hockey (3:58), 22 walks (12:01)

Can you believe that first one? I actually got back into the pool. Crazy, I know. Hoping to do it again here shortly. 

Only got on the bike once, which I'm not happy with, but given my general spring bike anxiety ... I'm also not surprised.

Running was decently consistent even though I'm not yet really upping any mileage. But I'll take the consistency. Same with strength training - I think I only missed two or three scheduled lift days, which is DELIGHTFUL.

Still managing hockey even though my season's over and got out for a hike while in Tucson. And I'm logging every walk I do this year, which is why that's so crazy. But I'm not mad about it. Steps are good.

Hoping to keep building for May ...

March Round Up

... you can guess ...

Swimming: 0m (0 mi)
Cycling: 18.31 mi
Running: 11.52 mi
Lifting: seven sessions (3:17)
Other: eight sessions hockey (8:00), one session erg (:05), one day skiing (2:50), seven walks (3:04)

Can I get into the pool? No. Am I intending on it? Yes. Will it happen in April? We can only hope.

Both cycling and running were ... if not marginally better, they happened. Consistency is rough. But hey, I managed to race a du and podium, so whatever, right?

Consistency is also rough with strength work, but I'm trying. As I am with everything - like walking. March was a good hockey month, but that will taper off as the season is coming to an end this week. It's not like I won't still keep playing, but it'll be more intentional and not scheduled.

I still don't necessarily have many plans for the rest of the season - still aimless - but I have finally sketched out a loose plan for at least this month.

Race #1 of the Season: Icebreaker Sprint Duathlon

... did I sign up for this race, knowing that I enjoyed it the year prior? Yes. Did I train for it? No.

Is this my life these days? Unfortunately, yes.

Still, I paid my money so I showed up to race. Got there early for parking and then just hung out. Eventually made my way to race. Weren't a lot of people racing the du again as usual, and the other women I saw were first timers to multisport in general.

One B was helping with her bike and we realized she needed her tires pumped up badly so we quickly managed that with a few minutes still to go prior to the start.

Lined up, waiting to go. Glad to have the new winter weather cycling jacket.

The Bike:

Similar to last year, the two older dudes racing took off and left the rest of us in the dust. I did not forget the two terrible hills early on, but they were a bit more terrible with very few bike miles on the legs. Also, it was cold. I don't think the legs officially thawed out until the second loop.

Which, I might add, I did NOT miss the turn off for this year. I swear it wasn't labeled as clearly last year. I SWEAR.

(I did, however, encounter a car that, had I not been paying attention, I may have collided with, since they do not know how to turn with urgency on a race course.)

More people were on the course for loop two - people finishing the swim portion of the tri as well as more cars - but I managed well. Ate a maple candy at the halfway point and continued dealing with the shitty hills.

Time: 47:21

T:

So this was a lot slower than last year, but I also peeled myself out of my cycling jacket since I knew it would be way too warm on the run. So eh.

Time: 2:04

The Run:

Like last year, B was there for the first little bit. I ate a maple candy right out of transition - oh look! I'm learning how to fuel! - and wandered off. I didn't really run much of those two nasty hills - the run course follows the bike course for a bit - having learned my lesson from St. George. I was fine walking them if it meant quicker things later.

Other than that ... fairly uneventful. Ate a maple candy at miles one and two. Felt like there were fewer people on the run course with me than last year. Saw B a bit earlier on the run but I'm not mad at that.

And it was short, again. But I'll take it.

Time: 34:11

Overall Stats:
Time: 1:23:36.03
1/3 gender
3/5 overall

Slower than last year, but faster than the others who showed up which means ... podium for meeeee.

I dunno where the other two went. I had seen them around prior to the official awards ceremony ...

Glad to have raced ... even though damn do I need to figure out a way to train. Also: did race for pancakes again, but they were WORSE this year. No butter? For shame.

(Flippin' Flapjacks, I miss you.)