365 Day Triathlon

By: Graham

Before the race Danah mentioned that I needed to rest for two weeks after the race.  I had not planned on resting at all.  So, we agreed I would rest for one week.  Now, it is important to define rest at this point.  Resting for us means no scheduled workouts.  I have been free to workout if I wanted or felt like I needed to.  It has been interesting managing my energy levels while out of a routine.  Today is the forth day since the race and I have not worked out yet.  My ambition is gaining momentum, and it’s going to be a blast when I am back in the game come Monday.

G

It’s the day after the race and I am little sore but a little wiser.  I had a great race through the first two events.  Then, on the run, I bonked.  I estimate I walked two-thirds of the 5.1 miles of the run course.  I looked everywhere for motivation to run.  I looked inside myself.  I looked at the occasional runner that passed me.  As I attempted to diagnose the cause, I came up with blanks.  I was baffled.  I have never had something happen that was unexplainable.  That’s scary!  How can one fix something without knowing whats broke?  I finished the entire race about 17 minutes slower than I wanted.  Turns out I was five minutes off my age group podium.  After finishing, I was eating some of the solid food available to the racers (the aid stations on the course only have liquids).  As I was eating I noticed I was starting to feel much better.  After talking with Danah and explaining what happened out there, it was obvious; I hadn’t eaten enough that morning.  It’s such an obvious pitfall.  Most racers know not to change routines on race day.  But, I ate a different and smaller breakfast than normal and had a snack at 9.  As it turns out it wasn’t even close to the amount of calories I need to race for two to three hours.  In addition to never doing that again, I am considering packing a solid bar on the bike/run section.  Something like a power bar or cliff bar.  That is something I will try during training and decide if it works.  Today, is day #1.  I am a smarter racer than I was yesterday.  That’s a great start!

G

I woke up this morning and began my everyday routine.  I made my way to the shower where I saw my swim goggles.  (I rinse my swim gear in my shower after pool swims)  So, I started thinking about the gear I needed to remember to pack for the race.  That common process of making a mental checklist quickly morphed into a near panick where I became sure I was going to forget a critical piece of gear like my running shoes, my tri shorts, or my goggles

This is a pretty important moment for a racer.  I knew that I had gotten “overly excited” before some races in the recent past.  When that happens, the starting gun is more like a balloon popping.  Bang! Deflated! Not good!  All the sudden I am exhausted from the high level of emotions leading up to the race and the time has come when I will need that energy the most!  “Pre race jitters” are pretty common.  Aside: Some racers take over-the-counter medicine to help control body functions because they get so nervous.

I know what to do I just wasn’t doing it….until today.  Today, the day before the race, I made a point of staying in control.  During my normal time for the morning workout, I chose to walk our dog and use that to warm my muscles before a great stretching session.  I had a book and a magazine with me most of the day so I could read if I was going to be idle for a while.  Basically, I tried to replace any potential “panic time” with activities that encourage relaxation.  It worked well.  I am rested.  Now, I am after good nights sleep tonight and a 5am wakeup.

G