4 Weeks and Counting

Well, I finished up another (fun?) week of training. Both of my swim workouts were "endurance" based and I even let James have the honors of selecting the Endurance (Form) workout for me on Wednesday. I figured I needed to do a little work on my form after the video James sent me of Monday's swim workout...things start to fall apart when I'm tired.

This is me swimming tired (James said I was swimming like Lindsey LOL)

"See what I see? I know you don't swim like that all the time. But is it happening in races? Losing a lot of distance with that left arm. It starts breaking down half way thru the first lap."

OUCH!!!

Things are better before I wear myself out :-)

Tuesday I skipped Fleet Feet and ran on my own...just so I didn't get sucked up in someone else's pace. I also wanted to run in the heat of the day.

Thursday, my day off, was marked with 30 minutes in the sauna to help me acclimate to the heat. It was significantly warmer than the previous Sunday, probably because nobody in their right mind thinks about sitting in the sauna when it is over 90 degrees outside. Thursday was tough... I even had to exit the sauna for a minute. I clearly reached the "uncomfortable" state.

Friday was another go at Spinervals - Muscular Endurance...this time I had my new speed and cadence sensor mounted on my bike. I worked my butt off and burned less calories...go figure. My guess is that with my heart rate and cadence calculated, I was getting a more accurate reading on calories burned. It's OK though, I never use my calories burned as an excuse to "pig out".

Saturday was an open water swim up at Lake Natoma. I can honestly say that this was the VERY first time I felt completely at ease in open water. It helped that I could see the bank and that I knew that Lindsey (on a SUP) wouldn't let her mom drown...but it was a great feeling finally shedding that anxiety that usually accompanies an open water swim.

Posing for the camera :-)

Sunday was another sauna "workout". Surprisingly, the sauna is considerably busier at 6am on Sunday than on a weekday afternoon. We interrupted a MENSA meeting when we got there and the three gentlemen in full workout gear left within minutes. HS and I started to break into a sweat when another gym patron popped in for a 2 minute sweat. He left rather suddenly and threw the door open in the process as if to say "Ta Da! I made it 2 minutes in the sauna!" Thank you, sir, for making sure the sauna stays below the set temp! WTF! He came back 10 minutes later...probably irritated that HS and I were still there in our Speedos sweating puddles! The sauna eventually crept back up to 175 and I managed to stay in for 35 minutes.

I ended the week with the longest run I've been able to manage since Avenue of the Vines. If I try and maintain a 9:10-9:30 pace at Barb's Race, I should be fine.

The Week Ahead

Ok, enough about what I did, what I really need to be thinking about is what I'm going to do with my last 28 days.

I've been spending a lot of time reading "The Triathlete's Training Bible". Today I read the section about coming up with a race plan. I did not have a written plan last year...this year will be different.

Next Sunday will mark the start of my 3 week taper. At this time, my race plan will be more complete. In the mean time, I have a more general plan.

This coming week will be the last of my "long" workouts, after that, things will be shorter and quicker. Monday and Wednesday will be "endurance" workouts in the pool. I may even let James pick again :-). I'm not sure about Fleet Feet on Tuesday...we're looking at triple digits in the beginning of the week, so I may take this opportunity for a little more heat acclimatization training. Thursday will be another rest/sauna session.

Friday will be my last Muscular - Endurance Spineralvals workout. In all honesty, I think mentally it's the last one I can take. 2 hours and 25 minutes on the trainer is a LOOONNNGGG time. I would gladly trade this for a 50 mile "real" ride any day! Not sure about Saturday, but we may be headed back to Lake Natoma.

Sunday will be my last "long" run. I'm hoping to bump this up to 8 miles in the heat. I don't want to press my luck with my Achilles.

The following week will be similar, without any long/endurance workouts. I still haven't decided about the "Tri for Real #2" on 7/13, but I'm leaning towards doing that race as a final tune up. I need to test out my new helmet and some last minute nutrition tweaks.

Preliminary Race Plan

"Having the performance and race results you want in an A-priority race largely depends on having an effective strategy. A race strategy is nothing more than a plan that covers the race-day variables over which you have control." (Pg. 165)

Race Week - Gotta work...not expecting much change Mon-Thursday. 2 swim workouts, a short quick run, and maybe a 45 minute ride on the trainer. No sauna workouts.

Friday - Housekeeping issues, drop the "kids" off, head to Windsor to check in for the race and have lunch at the same place we ate at last year. Check in at 3pm for the house we rented. Dinner when Lindsey and Max get to the house (James is more than welcome to join us, although we WON'T be fixing chicken fried steak for dinner!) Bed at 8pm.

Saturday - Race Day! Head down to the start and set up T1.

Rest Days and Crazy Thoughts

In P90X, Tony Horton asks "How do you know what to do, if you don't know what you did?" He asks this to stress the importance of writing down your workouts (weight used, number of reps, etc). With my Garmin, all I have to do is remember to charge it and put it on and it takes care of the "writing it down" for me (sport, distance, time). 

I am so thankful to have this information, especially when my mind starts playing tricks on me. I was actually convinced that I had been doing less this year than last year. After comparing my training calendars for June 2013 and 2014, this is definitely not the case. So far this month I have covered 187 miles and trained for 33:50 hours...and I still have a few days left in the month. Last June I covered 142 miles and trained a total of 28:29 hours.

June 2013

• Orange = Swim
• Red = Bike
• Blue = Run
• Grey = Other (strength training & transition times) 

June 2014

One thing that stands out when I look at the two calendars is the lack of cycling I did last year. I was obviously concerned with the swim and that took precedence. This year I have tried a more balanced approach, although I have backed off on the running a bit because of my Achilles issue.

Rest Day

Last week my days got off a bit. I took Wednesday off to go see Steve Winwood with HS and made up for it by working out on Thursday (my normal rest day). Because of this switch, I have seven straight days logged...I am ready for a break. I am actually feeling tired today! Tired and really, really hungry for peanut butter.

However, taking a break can be tough...mentally. Like I mentioned above, I really thought I had been doing less training than last year. Whenever I have a rest day, I am convinced I am sliding back into my chubby, out of shape self. Yes, I know that is totally crazy and that I could probably take two weeks off without losing a significant amount of my fitness, but I'm just telling you what goes on in my head.

My way to deal with these crazy thoughts is to classify non-working out tasks as part of my race preparation.For example, not snacking after work. If I come home and head out for a run or a swim, there's no problem. However, today I won't have that diversion (I'm so glad we are out of peanut butter!). Anyway, I tell myself that by not snacking, I am working towards my goal weight. By going to bed early and getting some extra Z's, I'm helping my body recover. By going to the gym and sitting in the sauna, I'm helping with heat acclimatization. 

So, even though I'm technically not training, I am doing something proactive that at least keeps the "crazies" at bay until Friday :-)

5 Weeks and Counting

Barb's Race is less than 5 weeks away and I am considerably less stressed than I was last year...well, other than worrying about my sore Achilles...I am less stressed.

Since I extended my weekend and took a mini stay-cation, I got in a few additional workouts...

On Thursday, I did Spinervals "Muscular Endurance"...another 2:25 workout on the bike trainer. I followed this with four hours of bar-b-que prep work. HS and I have finally come to an agreement on the location of our new built in bar-b-que so my task was to remove all of the ivy where we are going to build it. I did not intend to spend four hours doing this, I just did. I guess I was in the "flow" state.

Barb's Race 2013

On Friday, I got in a 5 mile run in the morning, and then swam about 2,000m in the afternoon.

Bike

Saturday was our Barb's Race/Vineman practice ride.The team split into two groups and I took the riders that wanted a brisk pace. Because I knew the route, I took the lead. A few times Anthony offered to "pull" for a while if I was tired. I would let him take over, but then I would drop back. My goal was not to draft someone, I wanted to ride the route as I would on race day...alone (since drafting will only get you a time penalty).

Our route was a bit shorter than the actual race. We rode for about 54+ miles at an 18.1 mph pace. My bike split last year at Barb's Race was 3:14 at an average pace of 17.4 mph. I was ranked 12th in my age division for the bike. I would like to finish the bike in about 3 hours this year, so I am going to need to pick up the pace to about 18.6.

Barb's Race 2013 Results

Run

Last year, my average pace on the run was 9:45. I am hoping I am able to rehab my Achilles enough to be able to maintain this pace. If my times remain static on the swim and run and I am able to drop some time on the bike, I should be able to finish in less than 6 hours.

Sunday, after church (and breakfast with the Turners), I did a 6 mile run around Embarcadero...this was my first venture out of my "safety circle" around my house. I've been keeping close to my base just in case I have to walk back. On Sunday, my Achilles were still pretty sore, but I was able to get through the run.

Yesterday (Tuesday, June 24), I skipped the Fleet Feet run, and ran for an hour around my neighborhood. Running as soon as I got home instead of waiting served more than one purpose... 1) It removed the temptation to snack 2) It allowed me to run in the hottest part of the afternoon 3) It allowed me to run as I will in the race...by myself.

My goal yesterday was to run for 60 minutes and to keep my heart rate below 168. It was 91 degrees and after 3 miles, I had to slow down significantly in order to keep my heart rate in check. Three weeks ago I did a run in the hot afternoon and got a mile and a half before my HR monitor started beeping at me that I was out of my zone. Last week I made it for 2 miles before this happened. Yesterday, I made it 3 miles before I had to ease up in order to stay under 168. The average July temperature in the Santa Rosa area is 83, so I should be good to go if I keep up these afternoon training runs.

Tuesday Run by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

I melted on the run last year :-(

More on Heat

Sunday morning before church, HS and I headed over to 24 Hour Fitness to sit in the sauna. I made it for 30 minutes. I'll be heading back to the gym on Thursday for another sauna session (since it is my rest day).

Podcast that got me interested in heat exposure:
http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2014/06/how-to-use-heat-exposure/

From "Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance Health & Life" by Ben Greenfield:

In the same way that cold thermogenesis can cause positive cardiovascular adaptations, heat exposure can not only result in enhanced blood flow distribution, but also better ability to tolerate extremes of heat during workouts and races (44). 

Gradual exposure to repetitive exercise and non-exercise heat stress produces several beneficial physiological adaptations, including improved heat transfer from core to skin, more efficient cardiovascular function, decreased heart rate during hot exercise, decreased skin and body temperature during hot exercise, increased blood volume and less electrolyte loss via kidney filtration (43).

Passive Heat Training

Because it is relatively less uncomfortable, I am personally a bigger fan of passive heat training. Passive heat training involves sitting or standing in dry heat saunas or steam rooms to simulate heat, and induces the same cardiovascular and sweat changes as active heat training, but without the recovery implications or discomfort that accompanies active exercise in the heat – like setting up your bike trainer or treadmill inside a sauna. 

Positive adaptations can occur with as few as 10 days of passive heat training. If you’re doing passive heat training for race preparation, then for optimum results you should begin 4-8 weeks prior to your event. Begin with 10-15 minutes of passive heat training, and gradually work up to 45-50 minute sessions every 1-3 days. 

Active Heat Training

In contrast to passive heat training, active heat training is crucial for experiencing the physiological and psychological responses to hot weather racing, and although more uncomfortable, results in faster results than passive heat training. Active heat training, as the name implies, involves exercising in hot conditions.

Read more: http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/04/endurance-training-strategies/#ixzz35fZ2iVUT

Father's Day Triathlon 2014 - Race Report

James made it clear that this was a "no taper" race for those of us doing Vineman/Barb's. Fine! On Friday, I did a two hour Spinervals workout called "Muscular Endurance" in the morning (actually it was 2:20, but who's counting) and followed that with a long course swim workout in the afternoon.

On Saturday, HS and I took a 20 mile ride around town. Later that day, Lindsey and Max came in to town which meant a little too much eating and little too much wine. After Saturday night, it appeared that not only would I be racing un-rested but I would also be racing a little hung over. Shame on me!

Pre-Race

When I got up this morning, I was not feeling that hungry. I made my usual eggs on toast, but could only eat about half of what I fixed. Coffee also proved hard to get down, so I opted for the sugar free Red Bull I had chilling in the fridge. This seemed to hit the spot and gave me enough energy to get out the door. As we neared Rancho Seco, I drank my chia fresca.

Swim

The only thing that made me nervous about the swim today was the fact that I had Stephanie in my wave...time to get my butt kicked. Our wave was male and females age 30-49. I still remember the thrashing I got from some male competitors at the start last year, so I made my way to the outside. To my right was a pack of testosterone crazed men ready to jump out ahead of everyone...be my guest...I'm not going to get close to you guys.

Lots of orange caps

I turned around to see what was behind me and was shocked to see so many people. Wait a second! I don't want to be in front!! It was too late at that point to do anything, so I stayed put and prepared mentally to have someone dude try and swim over the top of me.

Once we started, I did my best to try to avoid my male competitors. However, I kept touching the feet of the guy in front of me. I moved to my right knowing that I was putting myself in line with the "racers". Thankfully the herd had thinned out and wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. As I neared the turn buoy, I tried to settle my racing heart and get into a groove. This is easier said than done, but before I knew it, I could see the bottom of the lake and it was time to get out. Finished over a minute faster than last year!

Father's Day - Swim by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

Hit the ground running

T1

I could see Stephanie ahead of me going up the grassy bank. I unzipped and started to run up the hill. I continued running all the way to my bike and quickly slipped my wet suit off of my legs...stepping on it to pull my feet free. I slipped on my riding shoes (no socks), my helmet, and my sunglasses and was on my way.

Bike

This is a relatively short ride. I was hoping to average 20 mph but I knew this would be a challenge since a good portion of the eight mile ride is in the park and you have to go over several speed bumps coming and going. After clearing the speed bumps leaving the park, I rode hard to try and catch as many riders as I could. My Garmin showed an average speed of 20.6 mph...not too shabby.

Cruising in to T2

Father's Day - Bike by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

T2

I think this was my fastest transition to date... :34 seconds! Even the announcer made a comment about how fast it was. I was third female coming into transition and second leaving...no time to mess around. Bike helmet and shoes off...running shoes and cap on, race belt clipped on the fly.

As I was leaving transition the announcer also commented about how I was trying to defend my title and then I heard Lindsey yell "Don't disappoint us!" Gee thanks...no pressure!

Run

My plan for the run was to take it easy so I didn't re-injure my Achilles. I purposely did not look at my Garmin because I was afraid if I saw how slow I was going I would push it and get hurt. I could see a female in front of me, and I was slowly gaining on her. About a half mile into the run, I was passed by a female with a 20 something number on her leg. I told myself that it was OK...she started 5 minutes before me...she should be in front.

I tried unsuccessfully to do some race math to see if the girl that passed me could finish the two mile run more than five minutes faster than me. After a couple of attempts I gave up on number crunching and decided that if I could still see her, she didn't have more than a minute or two on me.

Yay! Finished!!!

I saw several teammates along the run course...a couple of them reminded me to stop running if it hurt. Yeah, right...like that is a possibility. I reminded myself that it was a short run and that it would be over sooner than I thought....so I kept going...doing my best to keep the girl that passed me in my sights. As I neared the finish line I honestly thought I was going to puke...hmmm, I may be running faster than I thought.

8:09 minutes per mile average...OK, I was definitely running faster than I thought :-)

Father's Day - Run by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

Post Race

Personally, this race was a success. My official time was 47:21.3 which is roughly 4 minutes faster than last year. However, that is not what I will remember most about this day. My memories are going to be seeing all of my teammates out on the course. I'm not sure how many of us were racing today, but it seemed like every 100 yards or so I would see someone and we would cheer for each other. Heck, even strangers were cheering for us with shouts of "Go Lodi!" (Our team was very well represented at this race and many of us were wearing our new team gear).

Twelve Lodi athletes made the podium, and yes, I was able to defend my title and not disappoint my daughter ;-)

Hope in a Jar

Last month I injured my right calf during the Avenue of the Vines. At the time, I thought it was just a bad cramp but it may have been a little worse. Regardless of what the injury was (no, I didn't go to a doctor) I was surprised that it was in my right leg...my left leg was the one that had been giving me problems.

Prior to the race, my left Achilles had been tender. I had been icing it and wearing compression socks. Honestly, it really wasn't any worse than it normally feels. Both of my Achilles seem to flare up every now and then so when one or both get sore, I don't think much of it...I just pop some Advil and ice the sore spot.

Looking back at the Avenue of the Vines, I think that I over compensated for my sore left Achilles with my right leg which ultimately caused the cramp (strain). Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! A little voice in the back of my head was telling me not to run, but I didn't listen.

Two weeks after Avenue of the Vines I completed the Tri for Real #1. My main goal was not to exacerbate my injury. I almost made it through the entire run without stopping, but a pain in my right calf at mile 5 put a little hitch in my giddy up and I had to walk up a hill. I probably should have just walked the entire last mile, but I don't know if I'm capable of doing that ;-)

Search for a Cure

Since the Tri for Real #1, I have limited my runs to very short and slow excursions that are close enough to my house that, should I have to walk, it won't take forever to get home. Each run is a little better than the last, but my Achilles are still achy...yes, both are sore now. Ugh!

Since I have a 70.3 race in about six weeks, I am desperate to speed up the healing so I can once again start logging some running miles that are out of the single digits. I have tried to learn everything I can about the Achilles and its associated problems. I have also read tons of info on what runners, physical therapists, and doctors recommend for treatment. I've boiled the data down to a few keys suggestions that I am trying...

Shoes

Pure Cadence 1 - Oct 2012

In June 2012 I bought my first pair of Brooks Pure Cadence. The shoes felt awesome right out of the box. I ran those shoes into the ground! I know I logged more miles than I should have in them, but they never felt bad and they didn't give me any problems.

One of the things I loved most about those shoes (besides the hot pink color) was the fact that the back of the shoe was nicely padded and didn't press into my Achilles (see, they were hurting back then). I could run in these shoes and they didn't make matters worse!

Pure Cadence 2 - Barb Race July 2013

I finally retired the shoes when I could see that I had worn the tread down to the soft inner foam. I then moved into the Pure Cadence 2. These shoes were not same as my first pair, but I still liked them.

However, since the Pure Cadence 2 didn't give me the same "wow factor" as my first pair, I ventured into other brands. I tried the Mizuno Sayonara (low & light), the On Cloud Surfer (chunky but comfy on long runs), and the Adidas Energy Boost (springy, expensive shoes last lost their magic after a month).

A lot of the data I read, suggested that my shoes could be part of the problem. So, over the last couple of weeks, I have been trying out my various running shoes to see how each made my Achilles feel. They all made them sore :-( 

On Monday, I ordered a pair of Pure Cadence 3. I found a pair of the originals on eBay, but they were USED and the person still wanted $60! I've got a used pair thank you very much. The new ones are pink with touches of navy, bright blue and yellow (should work with my tri kit). I put them on last night and they felt like the first ones! On top of that, the back part of the heel was low and nicely padded...it didn't rub or push on my Achilles.

Brooks calls this color "Beetroot Purple"...I say Hot Pink!

Massage & Stretching

All I can say is cross fiber friction work works!

Besides stretching before and after a run, I am now stretching while I sleep...I got a night splint to stretch my Achilles during the night.

Hopefully I won't kick HS during the night ;-)

WebMD Article on Night Splints for Achilles Issues

Magic Potion

Ok, I've tried all sorts of creams and sprays to alleviate the pain and inflammation. If there is any relief, it is fleeting. Last night, that all changed. When I ordered my night splint, Amazon suggested a couple of other items commonly ordered with the brace. I skipped the heel cups but went ahead and ordered this anti-inflammatory cream called Penetrex. The stuff wasn't cheap...I think it was $18-$19 for a 2 oz jar. 

While HS and I were sitting on the couch catching up on some shows we had recorded, I started massaging the cream into my Achilles. I was shocked! Previously, I could barely touch my Achilles without significant pain. As I worked the cream in, the pain vanished. I still can't believe how well it worked.

I am going to continue doing what I'm doing and hopefully I can get back to normal in time for Barb's Race.

Hope in a jar

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2014 Tri for Real #1 - Race Report

I was pretty nervous going into this race. I had injured my right calf around mile nine of the Avenue of the Vines and I was afraid of making matters worse by racing two weeks after the injury. Since I didn't want the pressure of beating last year's time, I came up with the following goals for this race:

• Don't swim slower than last year (I need to work on my goals LOL)
• Have a strong bike leg. Average 20 mph.
• Don't make matters worse on the run. If it hurts, STOP!!!

Pre-Race

Breakfast consisted of two fried eggs on a piece of toast liberally covered in unsalted, grass fed butter. I also had a cup of coffee and some FRS.  Since I had packed my bag the night before and prepped my bike, all I had to do after I finished eating was get dressed and head out the door. I opted for my Zoot outfit that coordinates with my bike. (I haven't had a chance to break in my new team kit and did not want to run six miles with that stiff pad in the shorts.)

When we got to Rancho Seco, I checked in, got my body markings, and set up my transition area. HS decided to volunteer instead of standing around waiting for me to finish. About an hour before the race start, I drank my chia fresca and chatted with my teammates...trying to keep my mind off of the race. 15 minutes before the start, I ate a GU, zipped up my wetsuit and headed to the water.

It still seems weird swimming next to the cooling towers.

Swim

TBF has started using chip timing this year. However, the timing mats were at the top of the grass area going into T1 not down by the water's edge where they had taken the tag off of my wetsuit last year. I decided to stop my Garmin at the same point I had stopped it in the previous two races so I could compare them.

Goal #1 achieved

I was sure my time was going to be slower this year. I started drafting an older gentleman (no, it wasn't James) that I figured was some sort of masters swimmer. I assumed he would have lots of experience and would swim in a straight line. When I finally decided to sight for myself, I realized we were headed towards a kayak. Crap!

At first I thought he was swimming for help but he was just going off course. He corrected himself and once again headed towards the turn buoy. Ok, that was enough of following that guy.

A little zig...a little zag

On a positive note, I felt relaxed enough during the swim to think about things like being long in the water and bilateral breathing and about how much longer I was going to have to swim ;-)

T1

I came out of the water feeling pretty good. Heck, how can you not feel good after swimming for almost a mile and not drowning?  I ran up the grass and listened for the beep as I crossed the timing mats (just paranoid that my time isn't going to be recorded). My wetsuit came off easily and I quickly changed into my bike shoes and helmet. I stuffed a Clif "Chocolate and Coconut" bar into my mouth and grabbed my bike. Time for a little fun!

Bike

The bike went great! My average speed was 20.2 mph and I felt strong the entire ride. The bike is becoming my favorite part of triathlons!

Goal #2 achieved 

My only regret is that I forgot to stop my Garmin when I entered T2. I had racked my bike before I realized I was still timing the bike portion. Oh well, makes it easier to improve my average speed next time.

T2

Transition went much better than my T2 at the Tri for Real #2 where I just sort of blanked out. After that race, HS asked me what I was doing because it was pretty obvious I wasn't focused on the race. Who knows what I was doing...all I know is that I missed first place by 19 seconds so I didn't want to do that again this time. Hustle was the name of the game.

Last year HS reminded me to take off my helmet, this year I had my BFF, Kim, there to do the honors :-)

Run

No surprises this season. I knew what to expect on the run course and I was determined to hold my speed down so I didn't re-injure my leg. My first few miles were faster than I wanted to go, and I tried to slow down a bit.

By mile 3 my quads were screaming...probably in part to my bike pace and I wanted to stop. I reminded myself that my quads were not the issue and just because they were tired was no reason to stop. At this point, the course turned into a single track trail that meandered around the edge of the lake. I really like this part, mostly because you don't see a lot of other people.

Goal #3...I won't tell

At a bend in the trail, I had the opportunity to see if anyone was chasing me. There was no one in site. I tried doing a little math in my head to see if it was even possible for a competitor to catch me if I maintained my pace. Unfortunately, I lose all ability to do math in a race and I gave up trying to figure anything out...I just kept running.

As I came up to the final aid station, I called out for water and ice. Water in my mouth, ice down my top. The volunteer cheerfully reported that I had about a mile to go. About a minute later I felt a pain in my right calf. NOOOOOOO!!!!

At this point, I didn't know what to do. My leg/head was saying "stop" but my heart was saying "run". The trail arched upwards and I knew that trying to run up a hill with the pain in my leg could potentially end my season. I slowed to a walk...I wanted to cry. It was like Avenue of the Vines all over again. So close, yet so far away.

I crested the hill and started shuffling a little faster. I changed up my stride a bit until I found something that didn't hurt as much. All I could think was "I am going to be in sooooo much trouble"...oh well, half a mile to go!

I kept going. The best part of the day was sprint (sort of) to the finish! DONE!

Post Race

Overall, I am very pleased with my efforts. While improving on last year's time was not one of my goals, I did end up setting a new PR for this course. Last year my best time was 2:43:19. I finished it in 2:40:28 today...and that's after adding a couple of minutes to my best run time!

Who does #2 work for?
(That's an Austin Powers reference LOL)

Going forward, I am going to do the Father's Day sprint triathlon with the team and them I'm going to stay away from races until maybe the Tri for Real #2 in July. I clearly cannot be trusted with my own well being when in the middle of a race. Barb's Race will be no fun if I have to walk the run.