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8/31/2006

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

I think you get the idea. Where the heck have I been, besides lurking around the blogosphere? Well, I have had a pretty busy August - started a new job at the end of July, so I have been trying to get adjusted to my new surroundings there. I haven't posted about it, because I am still in that stage of figuring out whether or not this was the right move to make. I was at my old job for over 3 years, and even though I had my low points, I really do miss a lot of the people I left. When I took this current job, I also pretty much said "no" to another job that was in my pipeline, that was more in line with my personality, but me getting it was not a sure thing. (Hence my rambling archived posts about what to do with my life. ;) )
Ah, another turn at the proverbial fork in the road of life. Wonder where this one will lead...

And now, for what you are REALLY interested in...have I been training? have I been running? swimming? biking?

Well, I have been running a little. Sadly, another low mileage month, but I am looking forward to getting that up in September. However, I have been swimming a fair amount. I took the plunge in early August and joined the Ohio Masters Swimming. They hold regular workouts throughout the week, all coached, and it's pretty great. In the summer, they swim in a 50 meter pool, which I haven't had the chance to do in a long time, as my "home natatorium" is only a 25 yard pool. Let me tell you, that first practice, I was like "where's the freakin' wall???" It's getting tough, now, because we practice at 7:30 p.m., and it starts to get dark, and there aren't lights in the bottom of the pool. I don't like the fact that it seems really CHILLY these days in Northeast Ohio. I know that Labor Day is this weekend, but I am just not ready to say hello autumn.

I also finished my likely last triathlon of the season. Unfortunately, I didn't really end it on a good note. It was on the 27th, the Lorain Sprint Tri. I finished in 1:40 - SLOW! The conditions were less than ideal. It rained during the entire bike, and for someone like me, that can be devastating. I was just feeling really burned out on racing, I think. All the swimming I have been doing really tired me out, and mentally, my mind was not in the race. I walked out of the lake up to T1, and actually contemplated not finishing. Not because I was hurt or I had bike problems, but because I just didn't want to. But I forced myself to get on the bike and motor through the best I could. But it was raining pretty much the whole time, my shoes were soaked, and I just wasn't having fun. (I know you guys probably want to know if I want some cheese with my whine, but bear with me.) Anyway, I think that was my last tri of the season. Overall, I am happy with my performance - I did my first Olympic, and I PR'd my sprint tri time.

For now, I want to focus on swimming with my Master's team, and getting my running back in shape. I am also starting to look at next year's marathon calender to see what looks good. I am thinking of doing a fall one, possibly a trail marathon, and hopefully in a place that will double as a vacation spot, too. I will be sure to keep you posted on what I come up with.

Sorry for the short-shrifted post on what I have been up to for the last month, but I am out the door to swim practice, but I wanted to do a quick post to let you all know I was alive...

I hope everyone has a fun, relaxing and safe Labor Day!

8/07/2006

Huntington Sprint Tri - By The Numbers

127th out of 219 total finishers
6th out 14 women in age group 30-34

1/4 swim - 4:00 (Personally, I think the swim was a little short. I swim a 500 in about 7:20, so 400 should have taken longer than 4 minutes? We had to run up STAIRS to get up to the transition area - let me tell you I was hurting running up those!)

T1:3:37 (Still trying to catch my breath from my stairclimb.)

12 mile bike: 40:36

T2: 53 seconds!! (My fastest T2 time to date.)

5K run: 26:22

Total: 1:15:28

Comparison from last year...1:21:06. Woo Hoo!

My next triathlon isn't until the 27th, so I have a couple of weekends to rest. I am really bummed, because my pool is closed for yearly maintenence from August 7th-20th. I will have to find a pool to swim in, or resort to all open water swimming for the next few weeks. But hopefully it will give me a chance to get my running mileage and speedwork up a bit. July was pretty low in terms of both.
Congrats to all other bloggers who raced this weekend! Make it a great week, people!

8/06/2006

More Cleveland Triathlon Pics




8/02/2006

1 Mile Open Water Swim


The Lake Erie 1 Mile Open Water Swim was last Saturday. This was my first swim meet that was an open water swim. The fact that open water swimming is a VERY DIFFERENT animal than swimming in a pool is really hitting home with me. I got to the swim site in plenty of time to scout out the scene, grab my stuff, and get situated. Those swimming the 2 mile race were in the first wave, and the 1 milers were divided into age groups after that. We same out about a hundred yards to the start area, and waited until we heard the bullhorn go off. Going out to the turnaround buoy was HARD! I think there was a current going directly against us, so it seemed really choppy and rough. I started to fall behind those in my wave, and the 1/2 out seemed way more than half a mile. The way back was a little easier as the current must have been propelling us instead of going against us. Again, as in my Olympic tri, I had a very hard time sighting. There were 3 buoys set up, but far apart, and due to glare on the lake, I had a hard time seeing them. My course was definitely not a straight line. I think I zigged and zagged my way back. We had to swim back to our starting position, pass through a couple of buoys, and then swim the other 100 yards to the beach, and run up and through a finish chute.
Due to my excitement before the finish, I forgot to hit my watch, and therefore, my chronograph read 00:00 upon finishing, and I didn't hear my time being called out. I waited around towards the end for the results, but it took FOREVER! I snuck behind the result ladies who were feverishly typing on a laptop, to try to see my name somewhere in the excel spreadsheet that held the results. After some sleuthing, I thought I saw my name. I didn't see the time - my eyesight isn't that good - but I saw that I was in second to last place! WTH? I thought for sure I did better than that! And I couldn't believe that there were that many fast swimmers in my age group.
Oh well. Better luck next year, I guess. Official results have not yet been posted, so my sidebar is not updated yet.
Up next, my favorite tri of the season, the Huntington Beach Triathlon on Sunday. Any bloggers out there partaking?

Heading out to the start buoys
Finishing