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Archives For Fitness
Three years ago today, I went for my first run.
I’d lost about 100 pounds at the time (all without exercising…counting calories worked very well for me) and, according to my doctor, needed to get active if I wanted to keep it off…this time. “Find something you will enjoy,” she said.
Being basically lazy (ok, i am generally lazy) and not having a desire to do the gym thing, I didn’t know what to select that would last.
On my commute one day, I saw a 2011 Silicon Valley Turkey Trot billboard and thought, “Hmmmm, maybe I’ll run.” [wow, that sounds almost Forest Gump-ish…]
So, I downloaded the Couch -to-5K app, bought some running shoes, and started.
Day One Workout:
- 1.53 miles, “jogging/walking” at a 14:52 min/mile pace – for a total of 25 minutes.
I don’t recall how I specifically felt after that workout; but, as a life-long (at least that far) couch potato, I bet I was winded, tired, and probably wondering simultaneously: “what am I getting myself into?”, “how long will this last?”, and “Hey, I might be able to do this!”
So, I kept going.
I finished or “graduated” from the C25K program and I ran my first 5K…
…and have NOT looked back, checking the 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, and 50K boxes off progressively over the past three years – with a total of 5,347 miles logged along the way.
Fast forward to today’s training run:
- 10 miler at an 8:35 min/mile pace, for a total time of 1:27:35.
whitespace
Three years ago today, I went for my first run.
Dr. Chang, I think I found something I like…
This is totally late. Forgot it was sitting in my drafts queue…
New Equipment & Such:
- HydraPak Reversible Elite Reservoir. In February, I picked up a Ultimate Direction SJ Ultra Vest 2.0 and really like it. In March, after trying several bottle options on the vest, I picked up and really liked HydraPak’s SoftFlask, as it solved the “sloshing” effect encountered with standard bottles and was certainly more comfortable when used in the vest since they conform to my body. This month, I picked up a 2L Reservoir to enable myself to run unsupported for upwards of 6 hours or more (depending upon the climate.) I wore the reservoir quite a bit on my weekly runs before carrying it on a longer, trail run…just to make sure about fit and ease into carrying the weight on my back. Overall, I really like it and carried it on my 4-hour long run with no issues. I didn’t really notice any adverse affect on my posture or any soreness after my run – probably because I had carried it enough to prepare myself/body. One thing I did notice was that the fluid heats up based on body temp. When carrying plain water, it can result in a pretty bad taste. When carrying water with Tailwind, the taste was actually great. I probably won’t use/carry this on all runs, but will work it in occasionally to make sure I am still OK with the added weight on the vest and my back.
Training Plan(s):
- A run-focused training plan:
- MON: 8-10 mile run
- TUE: 20 mile bike
- WED-FRI: 5-10 mile runs
- SAT: REST
- SUN: Long Run – 12-26 miles
Race/Ride Reports:
- 5/18: Bay to Breakers [report]
GIDDY-UP!
April 2014: The build to Big Sur.
Yep, that’s what April was all about – the final stretch in training for marathon number four. It was a great month of training. Some quality runs, though none completed on trails. Based on my Big Sur race, and in reviewing my April training, I need to do more hill workouts.
I also finalized my 2014 race schedule. With a theme of “Let’s take it to the next level”, it definitely will be a solid 2014 and, for certain, a pretty challenging second half. Woohoo!
I did have a quick biz trip to San Diego. I worked in two runs while there: a 21-miler (last 20+ before Big Sur) and a 10-miler. Both were great!
HIGH/LOW:
- HIGH: Ran my fourth marathon and finished with a new PR by 18 seconds.
- LOW: Not really a LOW; but, based on Big Sur, I discovered that my training needs to include more hill work.
As far as new equipment & such:
- Altra The One shoes. With the mileage on my Altra 3-Sums getting up there, I picked up a pair of their The One lightweight running shoes. They actually are similar to the triathlon-focused 3-Sum and only a half ounce heavier. I really like The Ones as they do fit similarly to the 3-Sum; however, they seem to be cut slightly different which results in a weird gathering of the upper when I lace them. I still like the way the feel and run. These are the shoes I wore for Big Sur and my feet felt great at the finish. The one change I did make was switching out the stock laces with some Lock Laces that I got free a while back. The stock laces were too long and I liked the speed laces on the 3-Sum version. Altra just came out with a new version of this shoe that is getting rave reviews. I am at 156 miles in these right now, so I will definitely get a pair of The One2 to have waiting in the wings. I seem to have switched to mostly Altra shoes at this point, using their Lone Peak 1.5 for trail, the Instinct 1.5 for general training, and the 3-Sum and The One for training and races. Altra has also recently come out with some maximalist shoes that I may try at some point, since I really like the zero-drop/wide toe box aspects of their design.
- Lock Laces. See above. Like them and may use the extra pair I have on my Altra Instinct 1.5s.
- Tailwind Nutrition. This is a quick take on this, as I plan to write a review post about Trailwind at some point. I had been reading about Tailwind on Twitter and Facebook a lot and decided to give it a try, looking at using it instead of my usual gels, salt tabs, and electrolyte drink mix for Big Sur and beyond, if it worked out. This stuff worked as advertised. I didn’t miss the gels, salt tabs, and electrolyte drink combo at all. In fact, even though I didn’t really have stomach issues with the gels, salt tabs, and electrolyte drink combo, I always seemed to have mild diarrhea after a long run or race distances over 13.1 (since I would ingest more quantities.) I think my stomach just couldn’t handle the combo, though the result was quite a bit milder than some I’ve read about who have switched to Tailwind. I really like the mild taste (Mandarin Orange is my fav) and it dissolves very fast. When I did my 21-miler in San Diego and again with Big Sur, I had absolutely no stomach issues and felt fueled sufficiently. The biggest thing was that I didn’t miss then gels, salt tabs, and electrolyte drink combo at all, which was a concern. I was nervous about not taking the salt tabs, as the have been good at controlling/minimizing/preventing cramping in my calves; but with Tailwind, I had no cramping on the 21-miler or on Big Sur. Bottom line, this is a really great product, with a personable owner – they include a note in each shipment and even write your name on the packaging, just for that personal touch. More to follow about my use of Tailwind in a subsequent post – probably after my June 50K.
- The North Face Better Than Naked Long Haul Shorts. My utmost, go to, favorite running shorts have been out of production for a while now: ASICS’ 55 Running Short. I love having 5 pockets! I have a good supply of them for training, even a few stashed for the future, but have been looking for an alternative short for a while. I picked up a pair of TNF Long Hauls and liked them, though they did seem to cause some light chaffing on my left thigh because of a seam on the inner liner – nothing that some Glide couldn’t combat though. They wear well and the pockets are great. If I didn’t have a good supply of the ASICSs, I’d consider working these in, though probably only on long runs and races – they are pretty pricey.
Training Plan(s):
- A run-focused training plan:
- MON: 8-10 mile run
- TUE: 20 mile bike
- WED-FRI: 5-10 mile runs
- SAT: REST!
- SUN: Long Run – 12-26 miles
whitespace!
Race/Ride Reports:
- 4/27: Big Sur International Marathon [report]
GIDDY-UP!
[so, this is three months late, but here it is…]
My 2014 race schedule is based on a phrase that a colleague of mine uses…a lot: “Let’s take it to the next level”
Since I started running in the fall of 2011, I have deliberately and purposefully taken things slow, working at increasing distance and skill of this this thang I’ve come to greatly enjoy. I also set the goal back then to run at least one race each month, just to keep myself accountable to a training schedule/plan and to continually challenge myself.
2013 was a very solid year for me: one 10K, eleven half marathons, two full marathons, and a 50K (my first one.) As I was looking at goals for 2014, I thought about sticking with a consistent core of half marathons that surrounded a couple of full marathons. There was also the pull to run more trail ultamarathons, as well as having also registered for my first multisport (South Bay Duathlon in March.) Running ultras was an eventual given and, depending upon how South Bay went, I figured that I would incorporate at least one additional duathlon (if not a triathlon) into 2014. Finally, in 2013, I rode Foxy’s Century and had blast…should I do it again? On top of all that, and certainly more important, there was the aspect of looking at home commitments (my amazing wife being #1) – oh, and work too.
So many options. So many considerations. What to do…and not do?
At the end of the day, I decided to focus exclusively on what I really enjoy: running (after completing March’s duathlon, of course.) I really enjoyed duathlon and can see myself doing more of them – triathlon at some point, as well. I also really enjoyed riding Foxy’s Century as it solidified cycling as another sport for me. All that said, training correctly for duathlon/triathlon/cycling events would involve carving out a substantial amount of time from a run-focused training plan and, realistically, would not enable me to take my running “to the next level” in 2014.
So, with all that considered, this is the schedule I’ve planned for 2014 [updated on 5/9]:
- JAN: Brazen New Year’s Day Half Marathon ✔
- FEB: Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon ✔
- MAR: South Bay Duathlon [International] ✔, Inaugural Livermore Half Marathon ✔
- APR: Big Sur International Marathon
- MAY: Bay to Breakers
- JUN: Big Basin 50K
Lake Chabot Trail Half Marathon - JUL: The San Francisco Marathon
- AUG: Tamalpa Headlands 50K
- SEP: Coastal 50K
- OCT: Skyline to the Sea 50K
- NOV: Morgan Hill Marathon, Silicon Valley Turkey Trot
- DEC: The North Face Endurance Challenge – San Francisco 50K, Brazen New Year’s Eve Half Marathon
- JAN: Brazen New Year’s Day Half Marathon
The count: one 10K, one 12K, six five half marathons, three full marathons, four five 50Ks, and a duathlon.
So, a solid 2014 on tap and, for certain, a pretty challenging second half. Definitely a year that will be a blast. Of course, not all these will be run as “A” races. Some will be preps for the following race (yeah, I’m learning that more and more); but, all will be run with the goal of taking it to the next level in 2014. I also have one or two TBD events in my back pocket, but those are not definite enough to list… 😀
Giddy-Up!
March 2014: Completed my first multi-sport and have now returned to a run-focused training plan/schedule.
Yep, I can now say I have tried multi-sport – a duathlon, to be specific. Not just “tried,” I’m hooked…though I am not planning on doing any others in 2014. I thought about doing others this year; but, at this point, I have too many other running-focused goals set for 2014 to insert training for duathlons and definitely don’t have time for triathlon training. I will certainly be back for the 2015 South Bay DU and possibly give triathlon a go.
This month, I also decided on the rest of my 2014 schedule. I’ll share that in a subsequent post, but it’s gonna be a fun and challenging 2014!
No biz trips this past month – WooHoo!
HIGH/LOW:
- HIGH: First multisport! More to follow for sure!
- LOW: Took a spill/tip on my bike, which bothered me for a few weeks and affected my run on the Livermore Half Marathon.
As far as new equipment & such:
- HydraPak Softflask. Last month, I picked up a Ultimate Direction SJ Ultra Vest 2.0 and really like it. The stock UD bottles are OK, but I’d read where people have used a few alternatives: whether other brands of bottles or soft/bladder-type bottles. I gave my 20 oz. Amphipod bottles a try on a run and liked them better than the UD stock ones – mainly because they lay flat against my chest. I decided to give the Softflasks a try and picked up a pair at REI with my annual dividend credit. The Softflask’s capacity is less than the stock UD bottles (I went with the 500ML size since they would fit better in the vest;) but, since most of my runs/races are supported, that should not be an issue. I actually like the softflasks best, though it took a bit to get used to them on the vest and how to place them in the vest pouches as I drink liquid. They solve the “sloshing” aspect when compared with standard bottles, but they still make a rubbing noise on the vest as you move. That wasn’t a huge deal and one that is solved by cinching the bottle tighter in the vest pouch. They are certainly more comfortable when used on the vest since they conform to my body. More to follow on them as I use them during my longer training runs.
Training Program(s):
- After completing the South Bay Duathlon, I returned to a run-focused training plan – my happy place! Actually, since I’ve planned my race schedule through the end of the year, I went ahead and planned my training schedule as well. I switched things up a bit, swapping my Monday ride day with the Tuesday run day; just so I am doing a longer weekday run the day after my weekly long run (I read about training on tired legs in prep for longer distances.) So, on a standard week, the program schedule is:
- MON: 10 mile run
- TUE: 20 mile bike
- WED-FRI: 5-10 mile runs
- SAT: REST!
- SUN: Long Run – 12-26 miles
whitespace!
Race/Ride Reports:
GIDDY-UP!
Last Saturday, I ran/rode/raced/did(?) the 2014 edition of USA Productions’ South Bay Duathlon in Morgan Hill. This was my first multisport event and, from the “go big or go home” camp, I went for the International distance (they offered a sprint distance as well.) This event is the only duathlon that USAP offers and is billed as a “great opportunity to prepare for the upcoming triathlon season, the remainder of the duathlon season, or just enjoy an endurance event in the bay area.” From my perspective, this was a dipping of the toe into multisport…and I’m hooked. For sure on duathlons…and most likely on triathlons too – I just need to come to grips/train for the swim. I do wish USAP would stage more duathlons or offer them as an option for their triathlons as other tri events often do.
Finishers. This was a small even, which suited me just fine! International: 113. Sprint: 149. There were also relay teams that did the duathlon as well – International: 2. Sprint: 2.
Weather. The weather was forecast to be excellent for a race. At start time, it was about 46 degrees with no wind. At the finish, it was about 61 without any wind. Again, weather was awesome!
Course. The run and bike courses were both flat loops on paved roads. The run was a 3.1-mile, rectangular loop and the bike was a 5-mile loop that covered most of the run course, plus a nice ride along the foothills. I said both courses were flat, but the bike did have a .25-mile “roller” at mile 3.25 of each loop that made the ride portion interesting and gave you a nice push to speed up for the backside of each loop.
Management/Support. Course management, support, and volunteers were excellent! The courses were clearly marked and had signage and cones at the turns where traffic could become a problem (the local roads were not closed for the event.) The aid stations were spaced great and the volunteers were awesome! At transition, there were course officials giving directions to make sure things went off without a hitch.
Post-Race. The post race area was great – all in one: the finish line fed right into the food/SWAG/awards area. They had a great selection of post-race food, including burritos (though I didn’t partake of one.) There were quite a few people just hanging out after the finish of the International distance and the faster finishers from the Sprint Du.
Medal/Shirt. Each finisher received a medal and a non-technical shirt (which was nice for a change.) Both displayed the logo for the event.
My Race
Results:
Recap:
As with my first marathon and 50K, this is a long and detailed report, mainly to capture my thoughts and other stuff about the race for myself. Read on or skim!
So, SBDU was my first foray into the world of multisport. The day I would link two sports I have come to love and enjoy: running and cycling. One I’ve become pretty confident at (running) and the other I’d still consider myself a dabbler (cycling.) Honestly, I was pretty confident about doing well in each of the separate sports (more so with running than biking) – it was the transitions that I was most nervous about. I had practiced transitions, but not in the space or layout that would be at the race – there is quite a bit of difference between my driveway/garage and the properly distanced/laid out transition area at a race. First time or not, I did set a goal for the day, based on my overall training and two, dry-run 10K/40K/5K sessions that I did on two Sundays. More on the goal later.
The transition area opened up at 0600, so I got there at about 0550 to make sure I had time to set up, orient, use the porta-potty, warm up, and then calm down before the start time – I wasn’t leaving anything to chance. As I parked, there were people starting to arrive, so I did the porta-potty thing first – love being “first user”! After that, I got my kit and went to the transition area. I thought transition location was supposed to be based on bib number, but when I checked in, they said people could set up wherever. I decided to grab an end-of-row space in the middle of the area – thinking about having to run out and in wearing my bike shoes (read: less opportunity to slip.) I set my stuff up pretty quickly, remembering to keep things minimal and also place some visuals to make sure I could easily locate my space: orange backpack and purple towel where I could see them coming in. I didn’t want to have to count racks coming into transition.
After setting up, I went for a warm-up run up the course and then back into the event area scoping out the entry to transition from the road, the exit from transition, the start area, and the finish line. I was basically killing time and trying to calm my nerves – most of the people setting up for the international distance looked pretty serious…at least in the eyes of this newbie. When I got back to the transition area, I hit the porta-potty again, did my final set-up with fuel, and then chatted with a few people in the transition area. I must have looked OCDish as I was repeatedly checking my transition set-up, on-board fuel placement, and kit so much – nervous energy!
I headed to the start area at about 0650 and hung out. The international distance started first, with the first of four waves starting at 0700 and my wave (#4) starting at 0712. The Sprint distance didn’t start until 0930, so most of those people were not even at the event at that point. I watched the first three waves head out then lined up with my fellow “males 40 and over” competitors – a total of 48 of us. As we all lined up, I looked at people’s placement and there were definitely three “sub-waves” in the final wave…I lined up in between the first and second ones, knowing that I planned to try for a Run 1 pace right around 8:00 or just slightly below.
Run 1
Lookin’ serious on loop 2 of R1
My plan was to go easy on the first run, keeping the pace at or just under 8:00/mile. My pacing during the two dry-runs was faster, but I didn’t want to have an awesome Run 1 and sucky rest of the race. “At or just under 8:00”…yeah right. I went out like I was running a 10K only and when the first mile split buzzed on my Garmin, I saw 7:33…I thought, “dial it back, Dennis.” I tried to slow and ended up with a 7:44 for the second mile. The final mile of the 3.1-mile loop is a downhill, so I naturally sped up to a 7:23 pace. For the second loop, I again tried to dial it in as best I could, but ended up with miles one and three being faster than the same segments on the first loop. Coming into T1, I said to myself, “Hopefully I this wasn’t the best part of my race”…having seen the Garmin buzz mile 6 as a 7:16 pace!
One funny thing and one total goof happened on Run 1.
-
Akk!
Funny: At about mile one, I noticed that my race number belt was positioned such that when I wanted to get to my GU packets and salt tabs from my jersey, it would be tough. I decided to adjust on the run and ended up popping off one of the little tabs that secure the number to the belt. I saw it fly off and spin around on the ground and instinctively kept running for about a few yards then decided that it would be disastrous to let the bib flap about during the rest of the race (~33 miles.) I did a quick loop, grabbed the tab, and then picked the pace back up – securing the bib back on the belt! I ended up twisting the belt when I put it back on, but the bib was at least secure.
- Total Goof: Actually this was a dumb error. One that, as a runner who knows his abilities and needs, should have never happened. Truth is, I am a sweaty runner and have learned that I need electrolytes to avoid cramping in my calves on longer runs or training sessions. Knowing this, I brought my 12 oz. handheld filled with GU Brew for run 1. Before the race, looking around at my fellow runners, I noticed that most were not carrying any hydration – I assumed that they would be relying on the two aid stations that were on the run course for necessary hydration. I caved to peer pressure (place on my by myself!) and left the handheld where it sat in the picture above…and paid for it on the bike. Stupid, dumb, rookie error on my part.
T1
“helmet, shoes, shoes, GO!” is what I kept repeating in my head over the final .2 miles of the 10K. I wanted to make sure things went well in the first of two transitions – the aspect that I was unsure and nervous about for the race. Things went pretty good on T1. The only thing that tripped me up was getting my left bike shoe on and then mounting and clipping in at the mount line. Ahead of the race, I pictured myself slipping while running in my bike shoes out of transition and purposely took the run out a bit slower to eliminate that possibility. T1 = all good!
Bike
“OK, which loop is this?”
After getting clipped in my pedals (FINALLY!), I headed out for the bike. The result of that total goof/dumb error above manifested itself within the first two miles: a cramp in my left calf. It would nag me for about 15 miles until it finally worked out for the most part. Cramp or not, I kept going;’ easing up when it started to pull too much, but still tying to stick with my pacing plan of about 17 mph. I popped two salt tabs and drank most of my 20 ozs of GU Brew electrolyte drink during that time. I did leave about 2 oz. for the final mile to hydrate up before T2. I am not a strong cyclist, so I did not expect too much from the bike portion. My training rides on much hillier terrain average about 17 mph, so I was at least hopping for something along that pace or better. I ended up with an overall pace of 17.5 mph and believe I could have been faster had I not been nursing the calf cramp for 3/5’s of the bike.
As expected, the little .25-mile “roller” at the backside of each loop was the slowest portion of my bike – probably for most as well. Still, I did pretty well on it, even with doing three iterations with my calf cramp.
All-in-all, the bike went well. I gritted out a decent pace in spite of the calf cramp and ended up with a faster 40K than both dry-runs sessions.
T2
Just as I did for T1, over the final .5 mile of the bike, I kept repeating my transition in my head: “Rack-It, helmet, beanie, shoes, shoes, grab visor, GO!” Things went very smooth – no trips running in with the bike shoes. My shoes straps didn’t give me too much trouble taking them off – my shoes have two Velcro and one clicker-type strap that can be a pain to get out of in a hurry. T2 = excellent!
Run 2
Smilin’ in the home stretch!
Over the last mile of the bike, I weighed taking the handheld on run 2 or leaving it – knowing that it was still sitting on my towel in transition. Since I had worked out the calf cramp and the final run was a single loop with two aid stations, I decided to leave the handheld. I also decided to stick with my original pacing plan to maintain as close to a 7:30 pace as possible; but, decided that I would slow up or walk if the calf cramped again. I felt good about that plan and went with it!
It’s weird, coming off the bike in my training, I am always faster…I may feel totally slow…but I consistently end up with a faster pace than on run 1. I wasn’t sure this would hold true with the cramping I had on the bike, but I went for it out of T2. I felt good on mile one, ending up with a 7:14 pace; however, I really felt tired on mile two. It was around 60 degrees by then and that could have contributed to that feeling as well…it’s been a while since I’d run in temps that warm. I ended up speed walking through aid station one, again at a point when the course narrowed through a dead end fence that separated two roads, and then again at aid station two. I ended up with an 8:20 pace for mile two – still not bad in the scheme of things. I probably should have flipped the mile one and two paces coming out of T2. Mile three on the loop was flat/slight downhill and, since I was felling good again, I decided to go for it. I went from an 11:00 min pace at mile 1.9 to an average pace of 7:20 for mile three and a final kick pace of 6:49 to the finish.
I crossed the finish line (smiling!) , turned in my timing chip, accepted my medal, took the ice-cold bottle of water and chamois that they were handing out, and kept walking to cool down.
First Duathlon complete: BOOYAH!
Overall, I am very, very happy with my whole race – each segment and transition. The goof/dumb error was the only aspect that I would change, of course. I believe the pacing on run 2 would have been different if I had not cramped on the bike. Running in my bike shoes proved to be a non-issue and the transitions went very good for my first multisport.
Oh, back to my goal for the day. My overall time goal was 2:40, based on times of 2:45 and 2:46 during my two dry-runs. I beat that by 1:49 and expect my time would have been even better had I hydrated properly and not cramped on the bike (at least that is what I’m telling myself.)
Fueling. Pre-race, carb loading: I modified my normal routine, increasing my calorie intake by an additional 200 each day: 36 hours of >80% carbs and +700 calories above my normal day. Race-day fueling: I ran out of bagels, so I ate two slices of Sheepherders bread with 2T peanut butter at -3 hours, a GU at -45 min, a GU & salt tab at -15 minutes, and GUs(2) and additional salt tabs (3) along the way. I drank 20 oz. electrolytes during the bike portion and took some water/electrolyte from the aid stations during the run segments.
Equipment/Kit [head to toe]: Adidas running beanie (R1/bike)/Headsweats visor (R2), cheapo aviator sunglasses (SWAG from Picky Bars!), Pactimo Ascent bike jersey, Road Runner Sports arm warmers, Picky Bars #TeamGreen wrist band (more SWAG from Picky Bars!), Road ID (Slim), TYR Ironman Tri Shorts, FuelBelt Gel-Ready Race Number belt, Road Runner Sports Dryroad socks, Altra 3-Sum shoes (R1/R2), Shimano SH-RO87 Road Shoes, 2012 Felt Z85 road bike.
It felt weird but, for the first time in a race, I did not wear my iPhone (in my Armpocket armband) during the race. I read that carrying cell phones is against the rules in triathlon and I DID NOT want to be penalized…or look like a total newbie. Because of that, I took a grand total of two pictures at the event – I didn’t even take the traditional start/finish line photos. I was bummed after, but there will be other races. Here are some photos – some I took, some I bought from the event photographer:
DONE! (looks like I kept running through the finish…
Transition area (sadly, this is the ONLY shot I took besides my transition set-up!)
Pretty nice event shirt and medal
Repin’ Picky Bars’ Team Green!
Wrap-Up
- Bottom line: I did my first multisport!!!
- Post-race meal: Did a quick clean up post race and drove to meet my wife and mother-in-law for lunch. Treated myself to a big BBQ cheeseburger & fries!
- More Multisport events? So, I will admit it – I am hooked. I confess, I spent a portion of my lunch on Monday looking at triathlons in the local area (gulp). That said, I don’t know that I will do any other multisports in 2014 – at least as it stands right now. I have some other running goals that I’ve set (blog post to follow) and don’t think I can work in the proper training for a duathlon – and certainly not for a triathlon. I may re-evaluate in a few months (hehe); but I can definitely see adding multisport races to the mix in 2015 – both duathlon and (gulp) triathlon.
GIDDY-UP!!
Race photos taken by Captivating Sports Photos
Well, today was the day: The South Bay Duathlon.
A 10K run, a 40K ride, and a 5K run through urban Morgan Hill. For those who are metric-challenged, that’s 6.2, 25, and 3.1 miles respectively.
It was my first foray into the world of multisport. The linking two sports I have come to love and enjoy: running and cycling. One I’ve become pretty confident at (running) and the other I’d still consider myself a dabbler (cycling.)
I’ll post a race report later this week, but my preliminary times were:
- Overall Time: 2:38:11
- Run 1: 46:40 @ an avg pace of 7:32
- T1: 1:30
- Bike: 1:25:01 @ an avg pace of 17.6 mph
- T2: :50
- Run 2: 24:10 @ an avg pace of 7:48
More to follow later this week, including some highlights, lowlights, a couple of funny occurrences, and definitely some learning moments.
Giddy-up!
Unless you’re a runner* – in which case, they are completely related…
…though a mashup is probably appropriate:
Have a great weekend!
*or cyclist, duathlete, triathlete, etc.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about putting trail runs on hold while I train for a duathlon I’m doing next month. Well, that lasted two weeks…
I decided to do the run segment of this morning’s 20/10 BRick as an out-and-back to Alum Rock (STRAVA: Ride / Run.] I knew I’d sacrifice time on the transition (putting on trail shoes vs. my tri shoes, etc.), but getting back on the trail was worth it. The weather was wonderful this morning.
I also wanted to do a maiden run with a new piece of equipment: an Ultimate Direction Scott Jurek Ultra Vest, v2.0. I’m getting equipped for a few 50Ks later this year…hehe! It went pretty well and I’m glad I went with a size medium. I need to make a few minor adjustments on the fit and it will be great. My back was a little sore from carrying the water up front; but, I think after a few more runs, I’ll get accustomed to it. It was a nice change from carrying a handheld.
I also may experiment with some different bottle types: my Amphipod 20oz handheld or Hydrapak Soft Flasks. The UD bottles were OK, but I’ve read some good things about replacing them the soft flasks on a few blogs.
Anyway, hope y’all had great weekends.
Giddy-up!
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