Moving Blog Sites

I have moved the Lazy Triathlete to a new host.

If you are interested please follow me to www.thelazytriathlete.net

All the best. 

Columbia Triathlon Race Report

I completed my first triathlon since 2008 yesterday.  Why I chose to start with the Columbia Triathlon in Columbia, MD I have no idea.  It is one of the tougher Olympic Distance races around here.  I guess because it bills itself as the “Right of Spring” in the Mid Atlantic and I am sucker for marketing. 

I told the Bride that I would stay close to home this triathlon season.  Other than a late summer trek to Dewey Beach, DE for the Dewey Sprint Tri, Richmond, VA is my farthest trip.  The trip to Dewey is a long weekend trip with for us and some friends.  So we just rent a house and enjoy the weekend.

I was up early on Sunday morning for the 50 mile drive to Columbia.  I arrived just after 0500 and set up my transition area.  The weather Sunday morning was just about perfect for a race.  This is the first time I have done this race or even a bike ride on the course that it hasn’t rained. 

My wave went off at 0718 and would you believe that the men aged 40-44 was the seconded largest wave?  Men 35-39 was the largest.  What is it with us old guys?  The start of the swim was about what you expect.  There was plenty of kicking and jockeying for position.  After about 5 minute it all settled down and I got in a nice groove.  I made the turn at the dam and then made the turn back to the swim exit.  I was feeling good, my strokes were strong, I was in a good zone, and started to get a little cocky.  As I was sighting on the buoys, I started to hear the announcer  getting louder and louder.  This wasn’t a surprise since you swim by at a greater distance in front of the start/announcer.  Then I realized I had been sighting in on the wrong buoy.  So I had to turn to the right to get back on track.  I probably wasted 3-4 minutes due to my sighting error.  However, I came out of the water at 32:04.  Without the sighting problem I am comfortable I would have gone under 30 minutes for the swim which was my goal. 

I took my time in transition.  This was just a long training day for me.  I pushed the bike to the top of the hill outside of transition, mounted up and I was off.  The course is a hilly 41k (25.4 miles) that I had two weeks earlier with a friend of mine.  I am glad I had done the practice ride, because I had forgotten how tough it was.  I warmed up my legs during the first couple of miles and then it was down hill for a little ways.  The first 10-12 miles of the race has some downhills, but it is a net uphill.  OUCH.  The middle part of the bike is more rolling hills.  I was cruising a long on the rolling hills and flat land.  Very pleased with my progress in just two weeks.   Then it was back up the final big hills and the transition to run. 

As I started to run I realized how much my shoulders and lower back were hurting from the bike.  I have made myself a promise to do more upper body/back workouts and much more core exercises in the coming days.  I have to strengthen that part of this old body.   As with the bike, the run is hilly.  I told myself I would run the flats, downhills, and I would walk up the hills.  I did more walking than I wanted.  I legs did not cramp like I thought they would, but the shoulder and lower back were just hurting.  By about mile 4 I had loosened up enough to get in a good trot.  By the time I was crossing the dam, I had a pretty decent pace.  But then you have only a half mile to go before the finish, so I am sure that had something to do with it.  You have to love triathlons.  The announcer is always calling out the names of the finishers (got to wear those numbers).   I typically don’t hear my name called, but this time I was directly in front of a speaker when he called out my name.  I gave some kids some high fives, low fives, and middle fives as I came down the chute. 

It was good to get a hard race out of the way.  Made me feel much better, gave me an idea of what I need to work on, and made my muscles that good sore. 

Deep in My Head

So far this has been a good week of workouts.   I have gotten in workouts every day and even some two-a-day workouts.  This afternoon it is back in the pool.  Tomorrow morning I have an easy 4 mile run and I may even try to get in a bike ride when I get home.  It is suppose to be in the 70s on Friday.  Plus the Bride and I are heading to Philly  to do the tourist thing.  I haven’t spent much time in Philly and I am looking forward to seeing some of the historic sites that led to the founding of this country.  Call me a nerd, but I do enjoy it.   Plus I can get a good Philly Cheesesteak!!

Before we head out on Saturday, we have to do our annual phone/computer attempt to get Jimmy Buffett tickets.  We do this every year.  One of us is on the computer and the other one is speed dialing.  One year we actually both got tickets.  If you have never been to one of his shows I highly recommend them.   The tail gating is awesome!!!  It is the only during the year that I get drunk. 

When I workout (especially swim), I really get  into my own head.  I tend to think deep thoughts, things that confuse me, irritate me, or anger me.   When I was swimming on Tuesday I started thinking about Fukushima 50.  I had read a little about them online during the day and some of us had discussed them at work.  A couple of people could not understand why these people would risk their lives, if they are killed outright then they will slowly and painfully die of radiation poisoning.  One of the guys shocked me.  Call me sexist, call me old fashioned, but I expect men to be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of their world.   To me, a man should want to be John Wayne.  Do the right thing regardless of the consequences.  But more and more males (especially younger ones) are not what I would call a man. 

So as I was swimming I started replaying that conversation back in my head and I got more and more angry (my 100 splits also got faster).  In the world I grew up in as child, adolescent, and adult just did not tolerate this type of thinking.  I have known many firemen, policemen, and soldiers who would (and have) laid down their lives for others.  It is just a code of honor that I have come to expect, maybe even demand.   We need others who will take the proverbial bullet for the greater good; that man or woman who quietly sacrifices so that others may live.  The US Air Force Pararescue Force has the motto – That Others May Live.   In my humble opinion, that sums up the type of life we should all lead. 

Strange Things afoot in the weight room

We all have our weird people (Whiskey Foxtrots as DC Rainmaker calls them) at the gym or pool that we frequent.  In the last couple of months I have going to one of the Fairfax Co Rec Centers near my house.  I have noticed that the men in the locker room are not as fit, nor as friendly as the ones at the YMCA I had been visiting .  The Bride and told me about some of the WFs using the weight machines and using the cardio equipment.  It was not that I did not believe her, but I had to experience these WFs for myself. 

WF #1 was fully dressed and using the weight machines.  He is fully dressed in an outdated button down shirt and khaki pants.  He is balding, thin (with a little gut), wears wire rimmed glasses, and reads a magazine between sets.  He also does not like to share the machine as he rests between sets. 

WF#2 was dressed in a dingy old yellow shirt and royal purple running shorts.  The Bride informed me that he has used the weight machines in nothing but a Speedo (banana hammock type).  So the two “gentlemen” start up a conversation.  I am not listening until they start talking about guns.  This piqued my interest, so I started to listen a little more.  The guns in question were of Civil War vintage which led to a talking about Civil War reenactments and re-enactors.  We all have our own hobbies and I am not one to question hobbies.  Then dingy yellow shirt guy stated the reason he was opposed to Civil War reenactments is…wait for it….wait for it…wait for it….the people in the 1860s had no fashion sense.  I almost lost it. 

What a strange bunch of people using the weight machines.  I will not even say anything about the lady who could give Tom Selleck lessons on growing a mustache. 

I would love to hear about your Whiskey Foxtrots!

Weekend Update

This weekend was a long weekend and unfortunately it was a not filled with long runs and bike rides.  This was more a recovery weekend.  I try to schedule my recovery weeks on the weeks that I have my Reserve Weekends.  I am up and out of the house before the sun and it usually about 7 when I get home.  I could workout after I get home, but I have made a deal with the Bride to do something with her when I get home.  It is only fair.

Today, I hit the pool and did 2000 meters in 45:20.  It was a strange workout:

4x200 (Swim, Kick, Drill, Swim), 4x150 (Swim, Kick, Drill, Swim), 4x100 (Swim, Kick, Drill, Swim), 4x50 (fast) 100 cool down.  I had a good swim.  I don’t think I went that hard on a lot of the sets.  My time was within 2 minutes or so of my normal time, but I did not feel worn out.   Tomorrow is a morning ride with Crockett and Tubbs. 

The house is coming along nicely.  We are set to received the dining room set on Friday.   Today we had first cleaning with a new cleaning service and she did a great job.  The

lady who had been cleaning our other house wanted shit load (that is a financial term) of money and when we had her clean the house prior to us moving in, she did not do a very good job.  This new lady did a great job.  To the left is the front of the house.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The downstairs Den

Another View of the Den.  The reason I am only showing the downstairs den is that is the only common room that is finished. 

I hope that everyone had a great weekend and keep working hard.