Hagan Stone Park Winter Duathlon Race Report

• Distance: 2.25 Mile Run, 15 Mile Bike, 2.25 Mile Run
• Time: 1 hr 32 min 29 sec overall; 18:49 Run, 53:05 Bike, 20:34 Run
• Place: 1 out of 2 in age group; 19 out of 29 men; 22 out of 39 overall
• Weather: Sunny, 5 mph winds, temps in the upper 40's

I came into this race feeling pretty low-key. Earlier last week I experienced what can best be described as a right calf muscle strain. Ever since it happened I have stayed away from any running to rest my calf as much as possible for the race. I was still able to do some swim and bike training without any pain, but I was concerned that my calf would be an issue during the race. I made sure that I warmed up and stretched as much as possible beforehand to minimize any problems. This was the fourth year I've done this race so I knew the course well. The race is normally small with 75 to 100 people participating, but this year's turnout was half the usual amount. The temps were milder and the winds were lighter than in some previous years so the weather wasn't going to be a factor. The race is a 2.25 mile run that is almost entirely on wooded trails, followed by a 15 mile two loop bike course on the road, and ends with the same trail run again. The first run started out fairly crowded but quickly spread out on the trails. There were a few areas on the trail that still had snow and ice from the snow storm several weeks earlier, but the bigger problem was from all of that melting. The mud and water puddles on the course definitely slowed the pace. About halfway through the first run I could tell that my calf still wasn't 100%. It was causing me to be slower than I wanted, but it did force me to pace myself for the rest of the race. My transition to the bike went smoothly and I headed out on the road. The bike course has a couple of long gradual hills that really cut into your mph pace, but I was anxious to see how my recent bike training would improve on my old times on this course. After the first loop everyone was so spread out that it was hard to see anyone in front or behind me. I guess if given the choice I would prefer a more crowded course because it gives me a target to focus on trying to pass. As I finished the second loop I realized that my calf was a non-issue on the bike, but the second run would probably be a little more painful than the first. My second transition was noticeably faster than my first, and as I started out on the run course it took me a while to feel like I was running with a normal gait. The run course was now in worse shape than the first time around because of all the footprints in the mud. I certainly got a little more wet and muddy the second time around. My calf was hurting but not enough to stop, so I figured I could finish the race without any major damage. As I finished the race my overall time was a couple of minutes faster than any of my previous times at this race. I was a little disappointed with my run time splits, but with the muddy conditions and my calf problem I guess I couldn't be too upset. I was happy with my bike split because it showed improvement from my training. Overall I think there is still room for improvement, but I will try to get my calf back to full strength and keep moving forward. On a side note, it feels a little embarrassing to win first in my age group when there are only two people in that category. I don't understand why there was such a low turnout this year.

Winter Wonderland Run

As soon as it became obvious that it would snow, I looked forward to my weekend run. The thought of the ground covered in snow and temperatures in the mid 20's made me want to run more than I usually do. Everyone I mentioned it to thought I was crazy, but it was the idea of something different that made it more entertaining. When you plan on training as much as I do this year, variety can be your best friend, and I welcomed the opportunity to have a little different scenery. As far as I'm concerned I'd choose cold temperatures and great views over running on a treadmill at the gym any day.

Conditioning Over, Base-Building Ahead

The workouts with the personal trainer are now complete. Many thanks to Terrance for the motivation and variety of workouts he provided to whip me into shape. I can definitely say that he pushed me to work harder than I would have done on my own, and the workouts kept me going during the off-season when it would normally be easy to take a break. I'm now going to focus on gradually building up a base of workouts each week over the next couple of months. The goal is to start with one swim, one bike, and one run workout per week for a few weeks and then increase to two workouts of each for the next few weeks. I expect to be doing three workouts of each by March and top out at four workouts of each by April. These 12 workouts per week will continue at that point for the rest of the training schedule as I slowly increase the mileage.

No Pain, No Gain

In an effort to help with my off-season training I've decided to work with a personal trainer at the gym. I haven't really incorporated weight training into my normal triathlon routines before, so I wanted to focus on improving the muscle groups that are going to take a pounding over the next year. I've done five sessions so far and can already tell a little bit of a difference. I was very sore after the first couple of sessions but now I feel like I've gotten into the swing of things. I've found that the biggest benefits about using a personal trainer are that you get instant feedback when your technique starts to slack, and you tend to push yourself a little farther than you would if just doing the exercise on your own. I plan on doing a couple of sessions with the personal trainer each week until the end of the year. At that point I should be ready to start building my base mileage before the distances begin to increase in the spring.

And So It Begins

I have officially registered for the 2010 Ironman Florida, and now have exactly one year to get ready for it. In all honesty I was a bit nervous about signing up. I've completed a race that was half of this distance before and I know it will take a lot more time and effort, but all of the unknowns about doing a race of this distance will make you wonder what you just got yourself into.