Yucca Triathlon, Weekend training

Did the Yucca Triathlon at White Sands Missile Range on Saturday.  I really, really thought about not going to this one. I am tired.  Just got a huge influx of cases from a big shot television advertising lawyer from out of town who decided he didn't want to handle his El Paso cases. Have a trial starting on Tuesday. Worked what seemed like 80 hours this week and I left all I had on the table at Eagle in the Sun. But come 9 the night before, I dutifully started putting my stuff together by shaming myself by asking what would Cody or Gretchen do? They'd compete and so I did. Not to mention this event was carbon made as a good training event for the upcoming Elephant Man as it was advertised as an 8K run, 45K bike, and 400 meter swim. Close to olympic distance and would be the longest distance tri I've done so far.

If you haven't done a triathlon at WSMR, I highly advise it. The base is never crowded, it's only a hour drive from the west side of El Paso, and they have good volunteers and are well organized. The schwag? Not so good but who couldn't use another cotton race t-shirt right?

Got up at 4 to get ready and make the drive and was searching the base for the staging area by 5:30.  When in doubt, just follow the other guys with tri bikes and they'll get you there.  There was noise about cancelling the race because only 30 people had signed up but they got enough late registrants to yield about 51 racers so we were on. Race was a reverse distance course.  Run was basically a 4.25 loop on streets and I felt good and managed to negative split the miles and came in just under 34 minutes.  I needed to put time on my Clydesdale competitor John G. because I knew he'd be coming for me hard on the bike.  The slightly longer run gave me an opportunity to get ahead of him but the longer bike to come would give him a greater opportunity to catch me and pass me before we got to the swim. We're about equal in the water, so I didn't want him passing me on the bike.

One of the good things about a non-USAT sanctioned race held on a military base is they are not sticklers for the rules. Case in point - no mount/dismount line.  You could run up to your bike, get your shoes on, mount and cycle right out of the transition area.  You could also do the same coming in off the bike which I took full advantage of and made for some lightning fast transition times.

The bike route was out the base down a long a gradual hill and then a small loop off the main road on a pea gravel road that shook the crap out of everybody.  You were on that road for about 12-13 miles and felt it later in the day.  No volunteers at the turn points anywhere so you just had to follow the crowd and keep an eye out for markers.  One guy missed the turn barrel and ended up doing the bike portion backwards but got it done.  After getting off the gravel road, you were back on the main road going back up that long gradual hill which strangely wasn't so gradual anymore.

Obligatory Cheesy Medal Shot

I thought I was flying down the hill and keeping the distance between me and John but at the 14 mile turnaround, he was right freaking behind me!  He looked beat though but I knew that didn't mean anything when it came to John.  I figured I could hold him off to maybe 20 miles and then he'd pass me but I kept going as fast as I could go.  Shockingly, he never caught me on the bike and into the pool.  I was Cadillac'ing the swim because there was nobody in front of me I could catch and nobody trying to catch me.  Swim was up and back in 25 meter pool for 8 lanes. I was looking for John and saw him coming up the first lane when I entered the 3rd.  The rest of the swim was something like swim, swim, swim, look for John, swim, swim, swim, look for John, repeat.  Finished in 1:54 and took 1st in the old fat guy division!

Then I looked at the Gretchen torture, er, training calendar for tomorrow hoping for the always appreciated but rare "off day."

Bo the wonder dog

Nope - I quote "This is a critical workout for Elephant Butte." 26 mile ride followed by 6 mile run. Gulp.  I was tired but, again, dragged my sorry butt out of bed and joined the group for the ride.  Kept up just fine until I got to 13 miles then turned around and headed back on my own. Grabbed my running shoes and my running buddy "Bo the wonder dog" and off.

6 miles was 2 miles to get legs under me, 2 mile at Yucca tempo (8/mile) and then last 2 doing 30/30s. I forgot to take my "sports legs" power pills this morning and my legs started to cramp something fierce while doing the tempo miles.  I managed to keep up the tempo but I could feel that if I tensed up my quads at all, they were going to lock up.  I had never felt that while running before. After the workout? Lotsa times. Never during. Note to self - load up the sports legs pills before any 2 hour or longer workout!