2014 Tri For Fun #1

I hadn't planned on doing a sprint after the Morgan Hill Sprint but, my planned Splash and Dashes were canceled due to the drought. I had also done some work on getting my out of control asthma under control and I needed to see what that did to my performance.

Tri For Fun is a series of low key sprint triathlons put on for people just entering the sport. 400 yards swim, 10 mile bike, and ~5k run. That's where I started in 2010. Because I just needed a place to pull everything together, I chose this over a women's only tri or a bigger race both of which were a lot farther of a drive.

Grumpy had a dog show so, I was off to the race by myself. I was grumbling on my way how I didn't want to do this race and then, I remembered how Molly had made herself get over herself and get infused by the new people.

I pulled in early, registered, and set up my spot. The new people were every where and they had lots of questions. I answered a few and then, I plugged into my ipod - I played  AC/DC Thunderstruck... over and over to get my mojo on. Soon, it was time to do my warm up but, first, remind myself of what I was going to do out there.

To help me really pull it together, printed my top goals/objectives for each sport putting specifics:

Swim: Ease into the first couple of minutes and then push and KEEP pushing.
Bike: Starting watts, build watts, hill watts, and the final back to transition.
Run: Keep my HR into the > low zone 3.

And thanks to Tea,

"We are as slow or as fast as we give ourselves permission to be."

Following my race plan, I jogged around for a few minutes and then got into my wetsuit. The water was very warm. I paddled around trying to get my HR up. The briefing went seemingly for ever. Then the first of the 4 waves went off. My wave was last but, eventually, the horn sounded and off we went.

People were zig zagging every which way until the first buoy. As soon as I rounded the buoy, it started to thin out. I kicked up the pressure on the water and my turnover. Soon, I was rounding the final buoy and heading to shore.


(Pictures from 2010)

Swim: 7:21 (2010- 10:55)

T1: 1:48 (2010- 3:00)

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Time to jump on my ridiculously over swank bike and ride hard. No sooner did I get up the steep hill out of transition then I started picking off people. "ON YOUR LEFT!".

Earlier this year, I had done a couple of time trials to concentrate on the feel of cycle racing. It's a little like doing 5/10ks. You focus on just one sport and do what is needed for that one sport.

I passed people on cruisers and mountain bikes. I passed one guy decked out in tri gear in aero position (that happens - NEVER). 10 minutes in I kicked up the watts. It was all good. Finally, I hit what used to seem like a huge hill and it was nothing to even speak of.

Bike: 32:59 (2010- 38:00)

Dump the bike & helmet. On with the shoes and grab my fuel belt, running belt, and hat. I'm out of here.

T2: 1:02 (2010- 2:00)

So now, the run. My plan was to try to up the pace from the Morgan Hill Sprint. In 2010, I had had to walk a lot of this hilly trail run. As I drove up the first hill, I wasn't sure that attacking the hills was the right thing to do. I decided that I would power walk the top, steepest parts of the hills and run the rest. I came down out of the final hill and I had leg. I had lungs. I had plenty in the tank for the first time in a VERY long time. I just have to learn what that means. I think this time, it means I should have run the entire hill.

My wave went off 20 minutes in.

Run   33:49 (2010- 38:00)

Overall 1:17.01  (2010- 1:31minutes)

2014 Morgan Hill Sprint -- Oyster Point Version

This race report is very over due and after you read it, you'll understand why I wasn't excited about writing it.

I signed up for the 2014 Morgan Hill Sprint as a way to gauge my fitness level before going into the big push of training for Vineman 70.3. The race was intended to be done at Uvas reservoir in Morgan Hill but, it had to be moved. Turns out USA Productions found a really fabulous place to hold the race. Oyster Point Marina is located in between San Francisco airport to the south and Candlestick Park to the north.

Oyster Point Marina

Grumpy and I got up at the butt-crack of dawn and head up to the race site. Parking was a breeze. We had driven up the day before to scout the bike course (although some was blocked by road construction) so, we knew our way around. A-typical for that area of the Bay Area, there was little fog at the start of the race. I set up my transition spot with other SVTC club members. 

Time to do my warm up and after a bit, I was entering the water. As I walked into the water, I noticed how WARM the water was and then, I noticed I was sinking into the silt. I had worn my full sleeved wetsuit and immediately regretted it. As usual, I was in the second to last wave so, we were able to see the first swimmers return just as we were taking off.

I swam what I thought was the same effort that I did in Half Moon Bay the month before. Lots of women short forward. I passed several women. Just as I was passing a woman kicking very loudly, she sped up. I kept going and came up to her again. She sped up. This went on a couple more times and then, I just tucked in behind her. What I SHOULD have done, is just powered past her and I would have had free waters ahead. But, we're taught to only expend so much on the swim and that might have really drained the tank.

That's her. In my club AND my transition spot is right next to hers!!!

Swim (3/4 mile): 30:05  -- pretty sucky

We ran together into transition. I have NO idea what took me so long in transition. I let her get away. Not my usual focused self.

T1: 2:31 (NO. It was NOT a long run between the timing mats.)

Off on the bike. I wasn't able to see part of the course the day before due to road construction. That was the part of the course that had a couple short/steep hills. Blissfully ignorant I went. By then, some fog had come in so it misted a little. 4 laps around the course. First lap was cool because it was something new. I had to pass an odd guy on the bike as a referee looked on... must have done it right since I didn't get penalized. Up through the Genetech parking lot and then a VERY sharp uphill to the road going out. Hard to remember to keep the pressure on the peddles after going up. As I started the next loop, there was a 17 year old riding in the middle of the lane. I yelled "On your left" and SHE MOVED LEFT!!! I screamed "LEFT LEFT LEFT" and she finally moved right before I was going to have to take defensive measures. (felt bad yelling at a kid) Next time around was ok.  Third time around, I was out of the saddle on the sharp uphill and tired of going around in circles. Finally, the fourth time around was done and I turned back into the road to transition. 

Genetech buildings in the background

As I went into transition, I blew pulling my foot out of my shoe only to discover, I don't have to actually pull it out. Just loosen it all the way and my foot easily slips out. Score!

Bike (16 miles): 57:47

Into transition and already feeling raw airways, I managed to do a decent transition.

T2: 1:05

For most of this year, I've hated running. Even when not working out, the asthma has really caused problems. I stopped singing with Grumpy and his friends because my voice was always rough and hoarse. I'd go into coughing fits. But, I would muster through this because I was having fun wasn't I?

The run course was a simple out and back along the bay trail. I saw 2 more women in my age group breeze by me. I beat my swim/club mate off the bike slightly but, she trotted past me early in the run. All I could muster was basically a tempo run. Eventually, I made it back. 

Run (5 miles): 50:02 

Overall: 2:21:48

4th AG

Afterwards, coach debriefed me. I wasn't interested in thinking about it yet. She kept poking (as she does). What was holding me back? At one point, she said if the asthma is the thing holding me back she can't help with that.... Well DUH!!! LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!! HELLO?! MCFLY!!!

It was time to wake up and do something thinking....