July 29, 2007
Blue Lake Park - Mid-Summer Sprint Triathlon.
Swim 1/2 mile, Bike 12.5, Run 3.1
For over 6 years I've been wanting to participate in a triathlon but I kept coming up with excuses. The main one being that I couldn't run 3 miles. However, after a full year of inconsistent training, I finally had the legs to do something.
It was a nice Sunday morning, 65F, with a hazy over-cast.
I rode the 15 miles from my apartment to the park in less than an hour with all my gear on my back. A quick trot by the registration desk and setup in the transition area, I was ready to rock.
I wandered around a park for a little bit trying to take in some of the course, find out where we would be swimming, where the run would start and the exit of the bike course. I was nervous, anxious and unsure if I would even make it all the way through the swim course since the only time I've spent in the water since 2002 was the day before at this very park.
The thoughts rattling in my brain centered on trying to make it through the 1/2 mile swim. I don't recall ever trying to swim that distance in open water and after seeing a small boat place the floating course markers, it seemed even more difficult than anticipated.
Even with many stops to get my bearings, catch my breath and re-adjust my goggles, I crawled out of the water in 21:06 and stumbled my way to the transition area (T1). The temperature in the air was a bit cool and had me at a slight shiver until I toweled off a little before putting on my jersey, bike shoes and helmet. I snatched my bike from the rack and trotted to the exit of T1 and hopped on my steed.
This was my best section since it is something I do all the time. I quickly passed many people that had beaten me out of the water including a few in my own age division. But, I was passed by quite a few other riders but each of them was on a time-trial bike with aero-bars and lots of carbon fibre parts. I finished this section about mid-pack in the division.
I pulled up to T2 in 37:11 and trotted with my bike back to my gear. I quickly removed my helmet and bike shoes and put on my running shoes and cap.
Did you notice what I didn't put on?
SOCKS!
Arrgh...I took the advice of some fellow racers that I could easily do the run without socks. Man-oh-man did I pay for that in the first 1/2 mile. I quickly developed a blister on my inside arches of BOTH feet. The next 35 minutes were just agonizing.
I can normally run 3 miles in about 24 minutes without much effort but today was just pain pain pain. I had two large blisters and my right calf was really developing a sharp pain like someone had hit me in the leg. It was 35 minutes of limping, trotting, and hobbling along as best I could to finish. I felt so embarrassed to be past by several 12-year-olds.
I eventually crossed the finish line, had a volunteer cut the timing chip bracelet off my ankle and collected my finishing medal.
Final finishing time: 1:42:20.
Division Place Ages 30-34 : 23/25
Swim Time: 21:30
Swim Place: 24/25
T1: 4:59
Bike Time: 37:11
Bike Place: 18/25
T2: 3:00
Run Time: 36:03
Run Place: 25/25
Despite the pains, I still had a lot of fun!
20070730
20070716
Seattle to Portland 2007
Saturday and Sunday was the 2007 Seattle to Portland Classic Ride. I rode it in 2006.
This year I really wanted to push myself and see what kind of distance and speed I could maintain on such a long course with minimal hills, supported rest stops and plenty of food and water along the way.
I rode the entire 205 mile course in one day and have the patch to prove it.
Mile 0 - 5:36 am, I departed from the University parking lot in Seattle, WA.
Mile 50 - 8:35 am, I pull into the "Lunch" stop for 2-day riders. I grab a bagel, banana and energy drink, stuff it down my gut and get in line to wait for an available porta-potty. This was my longest planned stop at 20 minutes.
Mile 100 - 11:45 am, I pulled into Centralia College, filled my water bottle, grabbed a creamsicle to eat it on the road. I was there for less than 2 minutes. In retrospect, I should have stuck around for a few minutes to grab some free food.
At this point, I felt pretty damn good about reaching 100 miles in a personal record time of just 6 hours and 10 minutes. My legs still felt strong but getting only a bit stiff, the sun weather was perfect, everything was going excellent.
Mile 108 - 12:15 pm(ish?) A near miss. I had started chatting with a fellow from Seattle that was riding a really nice triathlon bike so I started drafting off of him to rest a little bit and make some good time through some farm area. But as we were coming up to a corner, I could see an oncoming motorcycle that was approaching a bit too quickly for my comfort. I tried to yell out a warning to the the other rider but the motorcyclist slammed his brakes, we slammed ours, he skidded over the line and into the middle of our lane causing Kai and the motorcycle to collide side-by-side.
Crunch.
Somehow, the worst injury was actually obtained by the motorcyclist's ankle. Kai's chainring bit right into the foot and caused a series of cuts that looks like a shark bite. Kai's bike was not so lucky. His large chain-ring was taco'ed and his carbon fibre rear wheel was just crunched with broken spokes. Ruined.
A lady that lived on the corner quickly came out with a first aid kit, about a dozen riders behind use saw the accident and we were able to contact the organizers for a support vehicle to pick up Kai and his ruined beauty. So sad.
I could only hang around for about 15 minutes to make sure everyone was OK and help was on the way before returning to my quest for speed and distance.
After this brush with disaster, I felt a bit uneasy and had a dramatic drop in energy. Perhaps it was my nerves getting the best of me, but my right knee was starting to bug me even though I'm not the one to hit anything. So, the next 80 miles or so were quite an ordeal.
I did make a couple more stops along the way to dowse myself with water since the temperature started to climb and the sun scorching exposed skin. Power-Ade, Mountain Dew and Gels started to become regular in my consumption as solid foods started becoming less and less appealing.
As I started slowing down, the groups of riders started thinning over the distance of Highway 30, my energy waned and the pain in my knee came and went in waves as I figured out that it was slow and hard spinning that irritated it.
I eventually got another peak of energy and was finally able to start gunning my way through the last 20 miles into Portland.
Mile 205 - 7:15 pm. I roll across the finish line with many strangers cheering me and all finishers for our accomplishment. I've not felt so fulfilled about a ride in such a long time.
A quick trip via the Max to my apartment, Endurox into my gut and a most awesome feeling shower later, I was out for the next 10 hours.
Sunday: Ouch. I was going to try to do some more riding and meet up with some friends but my quads were so sore and my knee so cranky that I couldn't get up off the toilet without propping myself up on the water-tank.
I then spent the rest of the day trying to rehydrate, stretch and ice my knees.
I can't wait to hit the road again. :-)
-Tomas
This year I really wanted to push myself and see what kind of distance and speed I could maintain on such a long course with minimal hills, supported rest stops and plenty of food and water along the way.
I rode the entire 205 mile course in one day and have the patch to prove it.
Mile 0 - 5:36 am, I departed from the University parking lot in Seattle, WA.
Mile 50 - 8:35 am, I pull into the "Lunch" stop for 2-day riders. I grab a bagel, banana and energy drink, stuff it down my gut and get in line to wait for an available porta-potty. This was my longest planned stop at 20 minutes.
Mile 100 - 11:45 am, I pulled into Centralia College, filled my water bottle, grabbed a creamsicle to eat it on the road. I was there for less than 2 minutes. In retrospect, I should have stuck around for a few minutes to grab some free food.
At this point, I felt pretty damn good about reaching 100 miles in a personal record time of just 6 hours and 10 minutes. My legs still felt strong but getting only a bit stiff, the sun weather was perfect, everything was going excellent.
Mile 108 - 12:15 pm(ish?) A near miss. I had started chatting with a fellow from Seattle that was riding a really nice triathlon bike so I started drafting off of him to rest a little bit and make some good time through some farm area. But as we were coming up to a corner, I could see an oncoming motorcycle that was approaching a bit too quickly for my comfort. I tried to yell out a warning to the the other rider but the motorcyclist slammed his brakes, we slammed ours, he skidded over the line and into the middle of our lane causing Kai and the motorcycle to collide side-by-side.
Crunch.
Somehow, the worst injury was actually obtained by the motorcyclist's ankle. Kai's chainring bit right into the foot and caused a series of cuts that looks like a shark bite. Kai's bike was not so lucky. His large chain-ring was taco'ed and his carbon fibre rear wheel was just crunched with broken spokes. Ruined.
A lady that lived on the corner quickly came out with a first aid kit, about a dozen riders behind use saw the accident and we were able to contact the organizers for a support vehicle to pick up Kai and his ruined beauty. So sad.
I could only hang around for about 15 minutes to make sure everyone was OK and help was on the way before returning to my quest for speed and distance.
After this brush with disaster, I felt a bit uneasy and had a dramatic drop in energy. Perhaps it was my nerves getting the best of me, but my right knee was starting to bug me even though I'm not the one to hit anything. So, the next 80 miles or so were quite an ordeal.
I did make a couple more stops along the way to dowse myself with water since the temperature started to climb and the sun scorching exposed skin. Power-Ade, Mountain Dew and Gels started to become regular in my consumption as solid foods started becoming less and less appealing.
As I started slowing down, the groups of riders started thinning over the distance of Highway 30, my energy waned and the pain in my knee came and went in waves as I figured out that it was slow and hard spinning that irritated it.
I eventually got another peak of energy and was finally able to start gunning my way through the last 20 miles into Portland.
Mile 205 - 7:15 pm. I roll across the finish line with many strangers cheering me and all finishers for our accomplishment. I've not felt so fulfilled about a ride in such a long time.
A quick trip via the Max to my apartment, Endurox into my gut and a most awesome feeling shower later, I was out for the next 10 hours.
Sunday: Ouch. I was going to try to do some more riding and meet up with some friends but my quads were so sore and my knee so cranky that I couldn't get up off the toilet without propping myself up on the water-tank.
I then spent the rest of the day trying to rehydrate, stretch and ice my knees.
I can't wait to hit the road again. :-)
-Tomas
20070711
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