Three triathlons in less than forty days! That is a lot of racing for me but April is the AZ race season. Oceanside started us off on March 31 then two weeks later came Marquee triathlon here in Tempe. i really like this race and especially the way in which it is hosted by Red Rock. It is part of the club challenge so this race is almost a mandatory gig. Although it was only two weeks out from Oceanside i had thoughts of doing the half until the day before the race. Hmm race legs not fully recovered from Cali, so I stepped down to the Olympic distance. My time for Marquee reflected the fatigue that was still in my legs from the Oceanside. Another reality that at 58 it takes three weeks to recover from a 1/2 Tri. No worries and No whinning!
MARQUEE:
Get to the joint early and there is Orange/Black/silver everywhere! ONE is all across the yard. In every row there were ONE triathletes. An OMEN as many ONE AG awards. getting ready to swim I am standing right in front of Dan Cadrial who is singing the National Anthem. ONE even sings...lol
In we go for the swim, bumping and kicking all around the track. Out of the water, i am stripped by ONE volunteers, yea! I run to the Solar Storm and head out on the bike. My pace plan was 18.5 miles per hour. Because of the IMAZ bike course i'm was pretty sure what my time would be and so it was. Off to the run. I am a turtle! I'm running but not making progress. The 6.2 drags by and then I finish Not a great time but not horrible. Definitely more run work required.
Post Race: felt ok, but made a decision to get faster on the run. I knew at that point i was gonna need some help. finishing versus racing yourself to get faster, a definite dilemma! So Ive opted for getting faster and getting some help! I just have to keep reminding myself to stay within my self and avoid major injury at all costs. Finishing these major races is paramount to getting injured and laid up for several months
RIO SALADO:
Heat index is up, and I step this race down to Sprint. Again ONE Multisport is all over the place. I have decided to go hard in this race, a gut check..All the training and racing has now caught up and I have attained the new fitness level prize. Lets do this. The swim is wetsuit legal and I was solid in Zone 2. Onto the bike and time to roll 19.5 mph for this distance. Im rolling the bike pretty darn good on this day and pass hundreds of people. NICE..T2 into transition and off on the run, hmmm Im running faster than I have in a long time. I am on the limit at 145-155 HR for most of the race and I was trying to save something for the end. Several of the ONE folks pass me but its all good as Im still way ahead of schedule and and rolling good. As we cross the bridge I find the extra mini gear and run the last 1/2 mile in a pretty good clip. My times were solid all the way thru the race.
Several cool things about this race. happened. I went out in the first wave which put me back n transition T1 when the main filed was still out on the water. When I came back from the bike, most of the bikes were gone and still there. coming back to T2 and the racks were empty...loved this as it gave me great incentive to press on. Next, I met my new guru DIPT specialist and owner Robb Blackaby. A massage from him told the tale of the problems I have been having on the run. From A-Z i have flexibility troubles along with Arthritis and poor bio mechanics. I make a appointment after the race and now Im there twice a week. He has a fantastic team that is getting me healthy and flexible. Ive been playing sports, cops and robbers, running, riding and swimming for 50 years, so I realize Im a mess internally. Now if he can figure this out I might just have a decent Vineman triathlon. Im super excited to have DIPT on my team as well as ONE Multisport. Next up: Ramp up the training for Vineman. Next week I have 9 days off work to gett me kick started toward the Napa Valley. Flagstaff and Prescott Valley here I come.
