last week's goals:
- get good sleep: mostly FAIL. i got more than usual, but i think i only managed 8hrs once.
- get back sorted out: FAIL. the chiro appointment helped as did some exercises & stretches, but i was still gimped for the race.
- be ready to race sunday!
well, i did race despite the stupid SI joint issues. the swim sucked due to a combination of lack of swim endurance (got a really nice stroke put together but can't keep it up for more than about 400m), taking a few elbows to the face and calf cramps. there was an embarrassing amount of side stroke and kicking/sculling on my back happening while i tried to fix my goggles, loosen up my calves or just plain catch my breath. frustrating, since i was clipping along really nicely when i was actually swimming free. i beat a grand total of 13 people out of the water (out of just over 300).
arrived at T1 bleeding from a cut on the top of my right foot (the knuckle where the big toe joins the foot) from the sharp rocks at the swim exit, then headed out for 90km of suffering. because of the back issues, i couldn't get comfortable in my usual aero position - ended up sitting up a lot, standing up to stretch, and had massive adductor/groin issues starting at about 25km in. have an idea that the left adductors (which were by far the most painful) were overcompensating for the left hamstrings not being up to snuff, as they're what's causing the SI joint trouble. in any case, it was a beautiful course, but i was in no position to properly enjoy it. bottle handups and nutritional plan went very smoothly (1 bottle water + 8 gels + 2 bottles HEED; approx 300cal/hr), though, and i eventually made it back to the dismount where i looked like the biggest n00b in the world! had to unclip one foot, come to a complete stop and very gingerly swing my other leg over the bike to get off. ran like a granny (though the lady beside me looked in just as rough a shape) into T2 and took for-flippin'-ever to change shoes because i was so knackered and bending over was so painful. T2 was actually 1 second slower than T1!
out for the run, it took about 10mins before i fell into a stride and stopped suffering badly - it was looking a lot like i'd end up walking some, but i just slowed my pace a little and tried to get comfy. i was headed out on the course just as the 4th place finisher overall was coming into the chute, so i got to see a lot of the studs hauling ass! the run course was set up as a ~2km out with a short little out-and-back detour, then onto meritt island in the welland canal for 2 x ~9km loops of the island (out & back on the same trail twice) before running off the island and back to the chute. it's all on flat (1 small dip, so 1 downhill then uphill in each direction on each loop of the island) fitness trail and fortunately there was a fair bit of shade, since the sun decided to come out and heat things up. being a little pudgy this year meant cups of water dumped on my chest and/or back at every aid station as well as a cup of HEED to drink; fortunately i never got the 2 confused. the course setup meant you saw the other competitors quite a bit, so i spent my time shouting encouragement to those who looked like they needed it, and taking my mind off my own legs starting to hurt. the kilometer markers could kind of mess with you; passing a flag that says 14k and then seeing the one that actually applies to you saying 5k can be a bit discouraging, but i kept on trucking and eventually made the 2nd loop.
past the 15k mark my legs started protesting loudly, but it never does to let your legs push you around, so i ignored them and spent some more time yapping with the people around me. grabbing a cup of coke (which unfortunately wasn't flat) at ~17k, i was starting to pass quite a few who were fading badly and tried to have a kind word for everyone i left behind. into the last 3km, i pulled up to and passed a whip-thin girl in an "organic athlete" kit who looked far too fit for me to beat, so made it my mission to hit the line ahead of her. she seemed to pick things up as i passed, and i ran the rest of the course with her just off my shoulder - she said she was hoping to go sub-6, and i didn't have the heart to tell her she wasn't going to make her goal (i wasn't wearing a watch, but i'd have had to knock over 20mins off my half marathon PR in order to make it with my swim & bike times). got a nasty stitch with about 2km left to go (stupid coke!), but pushed through it knowing she was only a couple of feet behind me as we chatted a bit. with less than 300m to go, i heard her start talking to a friend at the side of the course who yelled "you can get sub-6:30!" and start to fade back a bit - closing in on the chute, i could see the clock approaching the end of a minute, and since i despise seeing X:XX:02 in results, i threw whatever i had left into a kick.
final result: 6:25:56. had set out to break 6:30, and did that even while gimpy. crappy swim, but i did make up some places on the bike, and ran just 2:37 slower than my open half marathon time (set when i was 10lbs lighter). i may be slow, but damn it i'm relentless! ;)
(proof i'm not a total jerk - we had a nice little cheers with a cup of HEED after finishing)
this week's goals:
- do some walking
- go for a couple of swims
- do some noodling around on a bike if i feel ready and it doesn't hurt my back
- continue to work w/chiro & exercises on sorting out SI joint issue
- a couple of short, easy runs toward the end of the week
cheers!
-mistress k
__________________________________________________________
ill advised racing inc.
- get good sleep: mostly FAIL. i got more than usual, but i think i only managed 8hrs once.
- get back sorted out: FAIL. the chiro appointment helped as did some exercises & stretches, but i was still gimped for the race.
- be ready to race sunday!
well, i did race despite the stupid SI joint issues. the swim sucked due to a combination of lack of swim endurance (got a really nice stroke put together but can't keep it up for more than about 400m), taking a few elbows to the face and calf cramps. there was an embarrassing amount of side stroke and kicking/sculling on my back happening while i tried to fix my goggles, loosen up my calves or just plain catch my breath. frustrating, since i was clipping along really nicely when i was actually swimming free. i beat a grand total of 13 people out of the water (out of just over 300).
arrived at T1 bleeding from a cut on the top of my right foot (the knuckle where the big toe joins the foot) from the sharp rocks at the swim exit, then headed out for 90km of suffering. because of the back issues, i couldn't get comfortable in my usual aero position - ended up sitting up a lot, standing up to stretch, and had massive adductor/groin issues starting at about 25km in. have an idea that the left adductors (which were by far the most painful) were overcompensating for the left hamstrings not being up to snuff, as they're what's causing the SI joint trouble. in any case, it was a beautiful course, but i was in no position to properly enjoy it. bottle handups and nutritional plan went very smoothly (1 bottle water + 8 gels + 2 bottles HEED; approx 300cal/hr), though, and i eventually made it back to the dismount where i looked like the biggest n00b in the world! had to unclip one foot, come to a complete stop and very gingerly swing my other leg over the bike to get off. ran like a granny (though the lady beside me looked in just as rough a shape) into T2 and took for-flippin'-ever to change shoes because i was so knackered and bending over was so painful. T2 was actually 1 second slower than T1!
out for the run, it took about 10mins before i fell into a stride and stopped suffering badly - it was looking a lot like i'd end up walking some, but i just slowed my pace a little and tried to get comfy. i was headed out on the course just as the 4th place finisher overall was coming into the chute, so i got to see a lot of the studs hauling ass! the run course was set up as a ~2km out with a short little out-and-back detour, then onto meritt island in the welland canal for 2 x ~9km loops of the island (out & back on the same trail twice) before running off the island and back to the chute. it's all on flat (1 small dip, so 1 downhill then uphill in each direction on each loop of the island) fitness trail and fortunately there was a fair bit of shade, since the sun decided to come out and heat things up. being a little pudgy this year meant cups of water dumped on my chest and/or back at every aid station as well as a cup of HEED to drink; fortunately i never got the 2 confused. the course setup meant you saw the other competitors quite a bit, so i spent my time shouting encouragement to those who looked like they needed it, and taking my mind off my own legs starting to hurt. the kilometer markers could kind of mess with you; passing a flag that says 14k and then seeing the one that actually applies to you saying 5k can be a bit discouraging, but i kept on trucking and eventually made the 2nd loop.
past the 15k mark my legs started protesting loudly, but it never does to let your legs push you around, so i ignored them and spent some more time yapping with the people around me. grabbing a cup of coke (which unfortunately wasn't flat) at ~17k, i was starting to pass quite a few who were fading badly and tried to have a kind word for everyone i left behind. into the last 3km, i pulled up to and passed a whip-thin girl in an "organic athlete" kit who looked far too fit for me to beat, so made it my mission to hit the line ahead of her. she seemed to pick things up as i passed, and i ran the rest of the course with her just off my shoulder - she said she was hoping to go sub-6, and i didn't have the heart to tell her she wasn't going to make her goal (i wasn't wearing a watch, but i'd have had to knock over 20mins off my half marathon PR in order to make it with my swim & bike times). got a nasty stitch with about 2km left to go (stupid coke!), but pushed through it knowing she was only a couple of feet behind me as we chatted a bit. with less than 300m to go, i heard her start talking to a friend at the side of the course who yelled "you can get sub-6:30!" and start to fade back a bit - closing in on the chute, i could see the clock approaching the end of a minute, and since i despise seeing X:XX:02 in results, i threw whatever i had left into a kick.
final result: 6:25:56. had set out to break 6:30, and did that even while gimpy. crappy swim, but i did make up some places on the bike, and ran just 2:37 slower than my open half marathon time (set when i was 10lbs lighter). i may be slow, but damn it i'm relentless! ;)
(proof i'm not a total jerk - we had a nice little cheers with a cup of HEED after finishing)
this week's goals:
- do some walking
- go for a couple of swims
- do some noodling around on a bike if i feel ready and it doesn't hurt my back
- continue to work w/chiro & exercises on sorting out SI joint issue
- a couple of short, easy runs toward the end of the week
cheers!
-mistress k
__________________________________________________________
ill advised racing inc.