I'm a triathlete!

Here are my results:

http://milliseconds.com/participants/detail/805673658

I am officially a triathlete! My finish time wasn't great but my goal was under two hours and I did 1:51:49, 15th in my division (of 16 lol!) and 303rd place overall (I think out of like 800 participants). The sad part was I was in 6th place in my division and 130th overall after the swim... I need to work on my bike and run!!!

The race overall went almost exactly how I predicted it would. A 15 minute swim, I did 16 minutes. An hour bike, I did about 55 minutes. A 30 minute run, I did 34 minutes. The swim was great. I had no issues with the open water swim. The bike was pretty good, but about half way through my right calf cramped pretty bad, but I pushed through and it went away. The run sucked. Half of it was uphill and off-road, I was not prepared at all for that. The last mile, both of my quads cramped worse than I've ever felt anything cramp before, but I made it. Overall it was a great time and I want to do it again next year for sure!!! I think I am hooked on triathlon now, just another expensive hobby...

Thanks TriUtah for a great race!!!

It's official!

I have the race packet, the bike and the wetsuit all lined up. I'll be using the Cervelo Soloist (thanks pat) and a Zoot wetsuit that I have rented from Wasatch Running Center. I am tired, and it is race week, so I'm going to bed now... BUT here are some pics for you to enjoy.

What is a "good" workout?

What is it exactly that defines a good workout? Is it setting a new personal best on a specific discipline, out-doing your friend in the bench press or maybe simply getting to the gym and finishing a workout? For me, this week was the last option. I gave blood last Monday (some sort of special donation, Double Red Cell I think it's called) and I felt winded and dizzy for every workout last week. It was incredibly frustrating to know that I usually run for at least four miles per workout (I know that isn't a ton but it's good for me)and every run last week I bonked after only twenty minutes of running. My swims were more difficult as well, but the running was killing me! I kept getting dizzy and lightheaded, just very frustrating. I'm hoping this week will be back to normal. It needs to be, considering Jordanelle is now less than two weeks away.

Anyhow, back to what I think really makes a good workout. It's those days when you really just don't want to go to the gym, get on your bike or get in the pool. Those days are the most important days to get to the gym and push. That is where I think you strengthen yourself mentally. By showing yourself that you can get through a workout even when it sucks. By just getting to the gym and pushing yourself through the fatigue and turning a potentially bad workout into a great one is an invaluable part of training.

I have two goals before Jordanelle. I want to do at least two swims in open water and at least one bike ride up at Jordanelle on the bike course. Today I am going to try to get a swim or bike in up there. If not today, Saturday and Monday will be my only other options. I'm really getting that excited/nervous feeling as the triathlon gets closer. Wish me luck...

20 Days...

We (my wife and I) had our first "triple-brick" workout yesterday. In essence it was a practice run of our tri. Not the exact distances, just timed workouts. We did a twenty minute run, a forty minute ride and a twenty minute run. So it was nothing too serious, but still, it was the first time I had done all three sports back to back to back.

There is only twenty days left until the Jordanelle Triathlon!!! I am really excited, I didn't think I would be this excited, but I can't wait! The biggest concern I have is the transitions. I am still deciding how to go about them... I think it will be fine though. My swim and run are getting better with every workout. My biking is fine... on a stationary. I still am yet to get out on my bike! I really need to get on the real bike. I would like to go up to the actual course by Jordanelle and do a couple rides up there, and maybe even do some practice swims in open water.

Alright, I'm going to bed now.