Message posted by: Jim K.

Did this little Olympic race in Orlando this morning, and I am reminded again why I like the little races better than the big ones……pulled up around 5:30 and parked…right next to the registration booth!!! No traffic, no shuttle busses, no stress. Went to the head, NO WAITING!!! Had the place all to myself!!! About 150 participants in all, plus a duathlon and an aquabike. Moss Park is the biggest park in Orange County, lots of old shade trees and wildlife.

Swim started right at 7; 2 laps around a triangular shaped buoy configuration. Not sure it was standard Olympic distance though; about quarter till I watched 2 kids go out and drop the buoys, and it appeared to be more like "here, this looks good!" Anyway, my swim was a bomb as always. Every time I think I'm making progress I come back down to earth at race time. During the swim I was thinking about a post from earlier this week about flip turns….I'm Michael Phelps Jr. in the pool, can go 2-2.5 miles no problem….but that's with getting a rest and a breath every thirty seconds…I've got to do more open water swimming and do flip turns in the pool to simulate the continuous nature of the race swim….I was gassed after 5 minutes; had to keep taking breast stroke breaks. My form sucks and I know I need to work on that, but my endurance in the swim needs work as well (I understand if I have one I'll get the other)…..I know they say train in proportion to the time spent rac
ing (swim 10%, bike 50%, etc) but swimming is such a limiter for me I need to double down….plus it probably burns 20% of my energy and causes 80% of my frustration. Anyway, thrashed my way to my usual 33 min and change.

Long run to transition, throw my shoes on and I'm off on the bike….feeling really good, it's flat as a pancake and it's not really that hot yet….I probably passed about 20 people and didn't get passed (a first)….decided since it was a fairly short race and a less than olympic standard run (5.5 miles) I would push it on the bike, which I did and felt great, until mile 15 when I dropped my last bottle of gatorade trying to open it…the only glitch of the day. Made it to T2 quickly with a dry mouth, in 1:06…my bike said it was only like 23.65 miles, but I averaged 21.6 including running my bike to transition, so I was happy.

For the first time I accomplished my goal of actually running the entire run, no walk breaks….it was mostly shaded thru the woods, which helped big time. 2 laps total 5.5 miles in 44 flat; crossing the finish line with my daughters (note to purists….made sure I had plenty of space in front of me and behind me!!!!!) 8 minute miles which is real progress for me. Total time 2:29:11

I used to race Clydesdale and usually finished in the money…but the good news is that I've lost so much weight training I don't qualify anymore!!!! Of course I had nothing for the skinny little hardbodies, and finished 10th in my AG; but improved my bike and run speeds for the third straight race and left very satisfied with my performance, and even headed to the pool to work on my #$@$$#%$%$# swimming afterwards!!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who contributes to the banter on Ontri….on days I lack the motivation to train I jump online and nose around, and I find it here!!

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