December and 2023 Round Up

 Oh 2023. I'm glad you're gone. But let's talk about December first, shall we?

Swimming: 0m (0 mi)
Cycling: 39.7 mi
Running: 16.27 mi
Lifting: 16 sessions (5:41)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:18), two sessions indoor rowing (:15), four walks (1:28)

Swimming just ended up being a disaster. I did actually try to go to the gym to swim ... only to find out that the pool was closed due to a broken heater. I almost went to another gym to try ... but the amount of energy I expended just to even go that day meant that nope. Not a thing. Pretty sure I started this year being frustrated by a closed pool, so it's fitting that it ended that way, too.

Cycling was marginally respectable (by this year's standards). I attempted the yearly Stomp the Trainer challenge, but only got two days done. But I tried. And we actually had a nice day in mid-December so I GOT OUTSIDE. Because that wasn't a thing at all last year.

Running ... was a bit of a struggle.

Lifting I had a plan which helped and as for the rest of it ... I have officially decided to get back into hockey (yay?), so more of that to come. And for the rest of it ... I moved. Some.

As for 2023 ...

Everything was terrible. My swimming hasn't been that bad since 2011. The cycling was the worst since I started logging it seriously back in 2010. Running wasn't my worst year. Definitely in the bottom half (third) of years, but still marginally respectable.

My main "goal" for the year - if you even want to call it that - that I blogged about here was to get back into shape and take back my health. Did I do that? I would argue no. But I do think I might be on my way.

The best thing I can say out of 2023 is that, while it was pretty shitty, it didn't break me. And I think I can finally see some light at the other end of the tunnel.

On Pivoting

I don't know if I've mentioned it here before, but I have finally decided that I'm going to run my first marathon in 2024. And yes, I'm going to add the caveat of first standalone marathon, as I have technically schmecnically run four marathons at the end of all my Ironmans.

Years ago, I said the only marathon I really wanted to run was Boston. While I still would love and adore Boston, I realistically know that the odds of qualifying - for me - are ... not good. And yeah, I could try for a charity slot, but I loathe asking people for money, so there's also that.

But obviously, things change. Last year, while virtually cheering on friends and family at the NYC Marathon ... I decided that you know what? Maybe it's time. I haven't had a big, scary goal - one that truly does scare me - in a while and a standalone marathon does scare me.

I crowd-sourced some and got a lot of different responses, but the one that came up a bit more than others and did make the most sense - particularly given the family that runs it (or tries to run it) every year - was the Chicago Marathon.

So, as soon as the lottery opened up this year, I entered it. And yesterday was the day we would find out if our applications were successful.

I ... was not.

I knew this was a possibility. I could in theory take this as a sign that, well, running a marathon isn't for me. However, I also decided on two backup options: the St. George Marathon and the Tucson Marathon.

St. George takes place in early October - usually the week of or before Chicago (week before in 2024) and Tucson in early December (it's actually this weekend).

Both have their perks.

St. George: driving distance, smaller, has won many awards for being well-organized, downhill but not crazily so, can easily sneak down to Vegas after as a reward.

Tucson: technically driving distance, obviously it's in cactusville and we all know how much I love Tucson, also downhill (a little more ridiculous though), I know some people locally.

In looking over what I'm hoping to do for the rest of next year, though, I think ultimately, St. George makes the most sense. So, when registration opens up in April, I'll be on my computer ready to sign up.

(And if I somehow miss out on that? Well, Tucson was still open as of yesterday, so I've got that as a backup to the backup plan.

November Round Up

November, you were also crap. But this is also my life.

Swimming: 1000m (.62 mi)
Cycling: 11.74 mi
Running: 17.37 mi
Lifting: eight sessions (2:26)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:14), 10 walks (3:45), one session yoga (:22)

I did hit my main goal for November, which was to survive, because clearly I'm here typing out this recap. 

And I don't know whether it's the time change, or the weather, or just the overwhelming malaise that is life for ever so many of us, but yeah. Shit's tough.

I also fucked up my little toe a bit a few days ago, so that's made things interesting. Do I lose toenails to running? No. I lose them to grocery carts and doors. At least I fucked up the left little toe for a change; I think the next time I do the right, it's giving up and not growing back.

We all know December is about doing the best you can and surviving and that's even more the case this year.

October Round Up

Oh October. You were crap.

Swimming: 1000m (.62 mi)
Cycling: 5.7 mi
Running: 20.97 mi
Lifting: five sessions (1:23)
Other: one session elliptical (:10), two hikes (3:52), one session hockey (1:06), 12 walks (8:33), two sessions yoga (:51)

Life is a fucking struggle right now. I'll just flat out say it. It has been for a while and is continuing to be that way and I just don't know why.

I swam once.

I rode once.

I skipped runs again (and yet, somehow pulled a halfway decent 5K out of my ass).

Lifting was a joke.

Hiking was good - once here and though I logged it as one, it was really two in Acadia National Park. And we got back on the ice which was also good, and is looking to potentially be a regular thing.

I was hoping for yoga to happen at least twice a month in October - clearly that didn't happen at all.

Honestly, the only thing that saved my (literal) ass this month was joining B in his work's Walktober challenge. I had my highest ever step month, logging over 390,000 steps. I had more walks than I even officially logged.

(me not really eating much the last half of the month probably also helped, tbh).

I need to figure out my shit for November, but I have no idea how to do that yet. Survive? That's the main goal. Anything else is just gravy at this point.

Race #3 of the Season: Haunted 5K

... maybe the Haunted Half 5K? I don't know.

I've done Runtastic races before - ye olde Dino Half back in the day - and got back on their email list now that I've moved to Utah. I knew I might not be around for the Provo race (... which, turns out, I would have been, as it was this morning), but I definitely knew I would be for the SLC race, so I signed up for that one.

(Had I known about the closer Halloween race in Farmington that same morning, I may have done that instead, given that it was like 25 minutes closer, but alas.)

I drove down to Sugar House Park perhaps a bit too early, but eh. Triathlete - it's what we do. Later than the buses went off to deliver the half-marathoners to their start, but definitely well before the 5K.

 
Sunrise.

I waited in the car for a bit, then wandered off to make sure I was parked in an okay spot (fairly close to the start/finish - more the finish and then the start line was up the hill from the finish). I wandered some, warmed up a little, and took a few photos.

Part of the finisher's chute. We finished under that pumpkin arch which is pretty cool tbh.

Soon enough though, time to start.

I had absolutely zero expectations for this race because my training hasn't really been training and except for walking, my movement has been basically poop for the past month or so (spoiler for the monthly recap).

That being said, I seeded myself a bit back from the front but not horribly far, knowing how the first mile or so of 5Ks always goes with people starting out way too fast and the like.

I started off pretty steady, doing well to keep running but also not push myself too hard. It took a good chunk of time before my first walk break and the first mile (according to my Garmin) was a fairly standard for me these days 10:44.

The race, however, had the mile 1 marker at like 1.2 according to my watch.

Things went downhill (literally) soon after through the neighborhoods so I was able to take advantage of gravity some and wind my way through Sugar House, not walking too terribly much. I was getting passed a little, but not much. I also think I was making up some ground, as well. Mile two was a very happy neg split ... and happened a bit before the mile 2 banner - 9:44.

Most of the last mile and change was back in Sugar House Park so I got to internally wave hi to my car. There was also a race photographer on the curve just past where I parked.

Couldn't find my ref jersey and decided to not attempt running in the inflatable dino ... but I can always manage some sort of '80s something.

As you can kind of tell, the photog was on a slight incline and there was a decent hill we were climbing after. I made it almost all the way up, but had to walk a bit. I was kind of dying this final stretch, but I was fighting as much as I could ... meaning I also somehow completely neg split this race - 9:39 for mile 3.

I walked for the last time a bit before the world's longest finish chute ... which not only included the pumpkin arch, but a giant long black inflatable tunnel to run through. 

(I watched quite a few people run around it after I finished, but I didn't even consider that possibility at the time).

My Garmin had things a bit short (3.07), but I finished. And kinda died.

Final Stats:
Time: 30:38.84
10/50 AG (F40-44)
76/436 gender
198/704 overall

... I don't know if all the fast people here do the half-marathons when there are these combined races, but dang. I was just outside the top-10 AG at April's 5K and 10th in this one? Obviously no awards for it, but I'll take it.

I will also take, somewhat reluctantly, the scariest race medal known to man. Thanks, Runtastic Events.

Random finishing tunnel behind said creepy-ass medal.

September Round Up

So September was weird. We had the tri, and then I have no idea where the rest of the month went. Except for nothing good.

Swimming: 2259.32m (1.4 mi)
Cycling: 32.14 mi
Running: 33.64 mi
Lifting: seven sessions (1:40)
Other: two hikes (1:50), one session hockey (1:10), nine walks (6:17)

Swimming fell off and fell off hard. Part of it was travel and part of it was my shoulder, but mostly it was just because getting to the damn gym to swim is hard. It's the process.

Same with the bike. That fell off too. But I have fewer excuses there.

Running ... is actually maybe coming around a bit. Potentially.

Strength needs to get a lot more consistent (... I am a broken record here).

Walking was actually more than I have here - that's just when I logged it when I had nothing else (or it was long enough/part of a coffee run/walk back situation). Hiking needs to become more because I love it and it's a good hiking time. Hockey ... well, we're actually trying to get back into that. Because why not.

Race #2 of the Season: Brineman Sprint Triathlon

While I've mostly been dealing with a break from racing due to various reasons, we both decided to race a local sprint triathlon that literally took place a half mile from our house - TriUtah's Brineman.

Brineman has a kids' splash 'n' dash race, a sprint, an Olympic, and a half-distance race. When I was first tossing around the idea, obviously I was thinking the half, sort of mulled over the Oly (even though I'm not the biggest fan of the distance), but ultimately we both settled on the sprint.

We drove down Wednesday night for packet pickup instead of dealing with it race morning as why would we want to go about a mile to packet pickup and then that mile to the race venue and then back to our house (and back again) when we could just avoid going to the stupid nature center until we finished there with the race later that day?

Because the fun, weird thing about this race, is that it takes place on a Friday morning. 

Transition/bike drop off opened up earlier than I thought I had read, so we literally just rolled out of bed and went to drop our bikes and gear off before doing anything (except maybe brushing my teeth). Bikes got dropped and we walked home to make breakfast and do all the things (happily poop in our own toilet, get changed into our tri kits, sunscreen (and bug spray) up ...). With about an hour to go before the start of the sprint, we headed back over to transition.

Been a while since I've set up a transition zone like this ...

Chilling out.

Around about the time the Olympic race went off, we got into our wetsuits and went for a quick little practice dip into the lakes. Oh yeah, the swim takes place in one of the two private waterski lakes that are in our neighborhood. Probably the only time (unless I race again) that I'll be allowed in these lakes. Even though I want to make friends with the kid who was skating on them when they froze over last winter ...

The Swim:

The swim course of the lake was either a half loop (if you were doing the sprint), a full loop (the Olympic), or one of each (the half). We lined up due to estimated 100yd swim pace (I went in around the 2:00-2:20 group iirc? maybe the 1:50-2:00?) ... B actually decided to line up with me. 

The timing mat was a few feet from the actual water so you crossed the mat, gingerly took a few steps on the boat dock, and then popped in the water. I took about two steps off the dock and said "fuck it" and started swimming, though many others around me waded in a bit more.

I think it happened at CdA, but pretty much ever since then (with a few notable exceptions), the swim leg of triathlon has been a non-issue for me. Like, it just is. I don't question my life on it - I just put my head down and swim.

I did, however, feel like I got beat up the most on this swim than ANY OTHER. Early on, I got smacked in the face and my goggles slid just enough to be annoying, but not annoying enough for me to want to stop to tread water to fix them. If it had been a longer swim, maybe, but this short? Eh. I got a forearm to the back, constant smacking of feet and legs and arms, another smack in the face ... it was brutal. I'd do my best to swim away from someone and through a hole and that person would just swim back into me. Like, really? Figure it out.

Other than the physical contact, an uneventful swim except for me almost swimming into a boat dock and having a bit of trouble sighting to the finish due to the sun.

Popped out, saw 15:something on my watch (decently happy with for 750m) ... and proceeded to still have to run a decent stretch back to transition to where the timing mat was. And I did flop off the path on the grass to take my wetsuit off as I knew space in transition was limited.

Time: 17:46

T1:

While I saw B's bike was gone (figures), there were a good chunk of us in our tiny little corner all at the same time. I do think I beat most of the other guys out, though. Did take a second to toss a bit of Aquaphor on my neck even though I didn't really feel like I chafed. It was also nice being on a fence as that's where I tossed up my wetsuit. It was nice and dry by the end of the day.

Time: 2:12

The Bike:

So. We had pre-rode the course (using the very terrible directions on the site) about a week prior. Figured out that the turns that gave us issues would be well-marked on race day and didn't worry about it from there.

The course started off normal - in fact, it started off on my usual ride from the house - but then a little bit after where I thought we should have turned ... we didn't. And kept riding off my usual path. And then we turned toward the Antelope Island causeway ... which I knew that the other two distances did, but not us. We rode over the bumpy dirt section (which, in the final pre-race e-mail, was mentioned as a concern for the half and Olympic distance racers, but not the for the sprint ...), went past the guard gate for a little bit and then flipped it.

So, what was in theory a 12.5ish mile bike turned into a 10.6ish mile bike. Which means the race results have me as a lot faster of a speed than I actually had.

That being said, I did ride it a lot faster than I usually do in training, so that's a plus. I was kind of going all out all day, and my Garmin definitely showed it.

Time: 35:49

T2:

Just as there were a few of us in T1, most of us also all rolled into T2 at the same time, too, including a guy that I had been going back and forth with a little. Which was hilarious.

Mostly uneventful again except trying to figure out where one of my socks went and choosing to not deal with BodyGliding my feet.

I should also say that I saw B very early on in the run as I rolled in, so I knew I wasn't far behind. I also wasn't sure if I could catch him (spoiler: I didn't).

Time: 2:26

The Run:

The elevated heart rate I had all day really came into play on the run as it was a little rough trying to run. I did try to run as much as I could and did my 20 breath walk breaks (as per usual). Mile one was sub-11, which I was very grateful for.

The run goes right behind our house at one point and we put the dinosaurs up in a window so we could see them which made me very happy. Our neighbors also put a sign up which made me crack up:

In-joke. Apparently one of their family members hates encouraging signs, so they do signs more like this when cheering for EVERYONE in the family now. I heard about this and thought it was hilarious and was totally fine with them doing it for us, too.

Mile two was in the 11s, but I was still actually passing some people. I had no idea where I was place-wise or anything, but I did know that I was doing more passing than being passed - even with my walk breaks.

The run was in theory a 5K ... but both B and I definitely had around 3.4 miles instead. While mile 3 was still in the 11s, it was actually faster than mile 2. Race results have me averaging a 12:08/mi, but the race also thinks that my time was for a 5K. Which it totally was NOT.

Perk to B finishing before me - finish shot! He put his phone in his jersey for the run for Peloton app tracking because he is a nerd.

Time: 38:01

Overall Stats:
Time: 1:36:13.78
3/11 division (F40-44)
32/82 gender
107/209 overall

Wait, what's that? Third in my AG? Yep.

Didn't wait for an official medal ceremony, but they accepted my print-out results for my award thingy and then we staged this photo.

Technically schmecnically I was fourth in my age group, but the overall women's winner was also in the 40-44 AG so she got pulled into the overall top three letting me sneak up onto the podium. My first official AG award in a triathlon - I've done it in a 5K and in a few duathlons, but this is a triathlon first for me. Woo!

B was official champion of the house, finishing just under four minutes ahead of me, but he didn't place in his age group, so we both kind of win.

Fun day, and it makes me excited to jump into the local tri scene more next year.