Welp, my first triathlon is tomorrow. It's of the "micro" variety. Tiny tiny tiny.
225 yards in the pool, 5 miles on the bike, 2 mile run.
Preparation wise, how'd we do?
Run - Superb. Knee is a bit creaky, but other than that, plenty of training in.
Bike - Fair. I've been riding once or twice a week for 5 weeks. Not stellar, but every ride has had hills and has been 5 or more miles. I generally try to run a quarter of a mile after the rides as well. Mini-bricks.
Swim - I last swam, oh, 3 1/2 years ago. Fail.
Whatevs. I'm doing this one for fun. I have no goals in mind.. I just want to use this to try out the sport and get ready for the sprint tri at the end of the month. If I didn't wind up last, that'd be good, but as long as I stay healthy through it, that's all that matters.
I don't know what kind of timing they'll have. The outfit which normally does race timing around here isn't signed up for this race, so it should be interesting. I'm stoked the race is at 9, which means I can get up at my normal time before heading over.
I've been making a checklist of crap to bring. Holy cow. So much more than a typical running road race. lol.
I'll keep you posted with how it goes.. Keep on rockin!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Early run, long run
Well, I tried something midweek that I haven't done for a long time. I woke up early to get up and run. I figured it was a good way to keep peace in the house.. I get my run in, but don't shirk my child rearing duties. I must admit, apart from it being early, it was a pretty good time. There's so little traffic at that hour, and the temperature was wonderful.
The most interesting thing I saw on my run was a new in box Volvo big truck air filter. I saw the box, and it had that description, but I thought "what are the odds?". Well, in this case, the odds were pretty good. I wasn't expecting a new one though.. maybe a used on in the new box? Don't ask me, it was sitting in the middle of a rarely used parking lot. It was gone by the next day.
Saturday I did my long run of the week. I did an out and back 12 miler. Turns out the local head shop is 6 miles away. Kind of fun, right? I do question my sanity of signing up for a marathon, but oh well.
Nothing much to report about the long run.. probably the most interesting thing I saw was a set of guard rail bolts. I think they were just an extra set, as the guard rail looked properly secured (as in "no bolts missing").
The next day, I feel fine. That's pretty cool, I must admit.
That's all for now. Keep on rockin!
The most interesting thing I saw on my run was a new in box Volvo big truck air filter. I saw the box, and it had that description, but I thought "what are the odds?". Well, in this case, the odds were pretty good. I wasn't expecting a new one though.. maybe a used on in the new box? Don't ask me, it was sitting in the middle of a rarely used parking lot. It was gone by the next day.
Saturday I did my long run of the week. I did an out and back 12 miler. Turns out the local head shop is 6 miles away. Kind of fun, right? I do question my sanity of signing up for a marathon, but oh well.
Nothing much to report about the long run.. probably the most interesting thing I saw was a set of guard rail bolts. I think they were just an extra set, as the guard rail looked properly secured (as in "no bolts missing").
The next day, I feel fine. That's pretty cool, I must admit.
That's all for now. Keep on rockin!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Weights
Well, I've been working on the whole "let me clear my shizz out of the house, and hopefully get some coin for it." I've been eBaying old magazines (I mean, really, someone wants them? Who am I to judge?) and books. I got rid of some stuff on Craigslist as well (talk about a spotty user base).
So, with this new found moola, what would I do? Buy more stuff, of course!!!
I've been eyeing up a set of weights since about Thanksgiving.. I've been jonesing for a set of Powerblocks. So, I scored a 15% off coupon and got a pair at Dick's.
Yeah, they're not the latest and greatest, but they were at a good price, and they'll suit my capacity quite well.
Of course, mini-Raul views them as a place to put stickers:
Since I haven't been swimming yet, I've been doing some exercises that will hopefully get me more ready, namely some kickback/curl/press combos. Cyberpenguin is kind enough to let me beta-test a "100 bicep curl" program she's working on, so I've been doing a bit of that, some bench presses, some squats, some lawnmowers, etc.
The weights are killer. You can swap out weight levels in seconds, and are adjustable up to 50 pounds per dumbbell. (There is an expansion pack that will bring them up to 70 each). If I max these bad boys out, I'll upgrade to the latest and greatest version. (lol, that'll be the day.)
All in all, I think it was a good investment, and I'm really very happy with the product itself. I'm certainly seeing results with using them on a regular basis, as well.
Keep on rockin'!
So, with this new found moola, what would I do? Buy more stuff, of course!!!
I've been eyeing up a set of weights since about Thanksgiving.. I've been jonesing for a set of Powerblocks. So, I scored a 15% off coupon and got a pair at Dick's.
Yeah, they're not the latest and greatest, but they were at a good price, and they'll suit my capacity quite well.
Of course, mini-Raul views them as a place to put stickers:
Since I haven't been swimming yet, I've been doing some exercises that will hopefully get me more ready, namely some kickback/curl/press combos. Cyberpenguin is kind enough to let me beta-test a "100 bicep curl" program she's working on, so I've been doing a bit of that, some bench presses, some squats, some lawnmowers, etc.
The weights are killer. You can swap out weight levels in seconds, and are adjustable up to 50 pounds per dumbbell. (There is an expansion pack that will bring them up to 70 each). If I max these bad boys out, I'll upgrade to the latest and greatest version. (lol, that'll be the day.)
All in all, I think it was a good investment, and I'm really very happy with the product itself. I'm certainly seeing results with using them on a regular basis, as well.
Keep on rockin'!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Brick
So, today I did my first brick.
And, in my normal form, I didn't start out with an easy one. Noo...
That's the hill loop I took. A little over 10 miles.
And, this is how fast I went:
Yeah. I completely suck. That's about a 10 mph ride. Way to go.
Side note, most interesting item seen while on my ride: what looked like a brand new Backstreet Boys CD. No jewel case, though.
Afterward, I parked the bike and hit the road running. Also, not an easy course:
Yeah, I was in a masochistic mood.
Splits went very well here, though:
So, it was a tad over a 5K
All in all, about an hour and a half.
My thoughts are this:
I loved it. I got a hell of a workout, I did better on the hills than I thought I would on the bike, and I was able to run well afterward.
I'm not sure Mrs. Raul cared for it as much, with me being out of the house for that long, again. I may need to start getting up at the asscrack of dawn to do shenanigans like this. Oh, mini-Raul, please get some sleep some day.
I wore my shorts. They're kind of weird, but it seems like a good idea to get used to them. No chafing, no serious complaints. They're a lot tighter and more "form fitting" than what I would normally wear, though.
I also think this is a good baseline to see how much I improve at the end of the summer.
Yeah, it was a serious workout in some serious heat, but I really enjoyed it.
Keep on rockin!
And, in my normal form, I didn't start out with an easy one. Noo...
That's the hill loop I took. A little over 10 miles.
And, this is how fast I went:
Yeah. I completely suck. That's about a 10 mph ride. Way to go.
Side note, most interesting item seen while on my ride: what looked like a brand new Backstreet Boys CD. No jewel case, though.
Afterward, I parked the bike and hit the road running. Also, not an easy course:
Yeah, I was in a masochistic mood.
Splits went very well here, though:
So, it was a tad over a 5K
All in all, about an hour and a half.
My thoughts are this:
I loved it. I got a hell of a workout, I did better on the hills than I thought I would on the bike, and I was able to run well afterward.
I'm not sure Mrs. Raul cared for it as much, with me being out of the house for that long, again. I may need to start getting up at the asscrack of dawn to do shenanigans like this. Oh, mini-Raul, please get some sleep some day.
I wore my shorts. They're kind of weird, but it seems like a good idea to get used to them. No chafing, no serious complaints. They're a lot tighter and more "form fitting" than what I would normally wear, though.
I also think this is a good baseline to see how much I improve at the end of the summer.
Yeah, it was a serious workout in some serious heat, but I really enjoyed it.
Keep on rockin!
Thoughts from my long run
Well, thoughts from my long run. I did this Saturday, before I decided to sign up for a marathon.
I had made a deal with myself that if the long run went well, I'd go for it. I went out at a long slow pace + 30 seconds a mile extra slow, due to the heat.
I went along and got it done. Most interesting thing I saw while out: a steak knife. In the road.
What was its story? How did it get there?
If I had my phone with me, I could have taken a picture of it, so that we could all gaze at its glory. Or tragic end.
Anyway, I felt great. A little tightness in the glutes, but nothing serious. I kept to the prescribed pace, not more, not less. Right on. The next day, I felt fine, and so I sent in my registration.
I'm pretty excited. Nervous, but excited. I've sketched out a rough training plan, basically listing my long runs. Slowly build up, back off every few weeks, etc. For June, there's 2 triathlons to throw into the mix, which will force me to get some cycling in.
I was telling my parents about the triathlon schedule, and they were all "oh, wow, how's it going?". 'Well, the running part is fine, and I'm getting a bit of biking in now.' "What about swimming?" 'Uh, yeah. That's a bit of an issue.'
Thankfully, the parks opened up the pools/lakes around here today, so hopefully I can get out and do some of that swimming thing soon..
Keep on rockin..
I had made a deal with myself that if the long run went well, I'd go for it. I went out at a long slow pace + 30 seconds a mile extra slow, due to the heat.
I went along and got it done. Most interesting thing I saw while out: a steak knife. In the road.
What was its story? How did it get there?
If I had my phone with me, I could have taken a picture of it, so that we could all gaze at its glory. Or tragic end.
Anyway, I felt great. A little tightness in the glutes, but nothing serious. I kept to the prescribed pace, not more, not less. Right on. The next day, I felt fine, and so I sent in my registration.
I'm pretty excited. Nervous, but excited. I've sketched out a rough training plan, basically listing my long runs. Slowly build up, back off every few weeks, etc. For June, there's 2 triathlons to throw into the mix, which will force me to get some cycling in.
I was telling my parents about the triathlon schedule, and they were all "oh, wow, how's it going?". 'Well, the running part is fine, and I'm getting a bit of biking in now.' "What about swimming?" 'Uh, yeah. That's a bit of an issue.'
Thankfully, the parks opened up the pools/lakes around here today, so hopefully I can get out and do some of that swimming thing soon..
Keep on rockin..
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Caution, meet wind
Ah hell. I've been pretty conservative for the past year, slowly working up to where I'm at.
Screw it. I signed up for the Wineglass Marathon today. 9/30. My date with destiny.
Keep on rockin'.
Screw it. I signed up for the Wineglass Marathon today. 9/30. My date with destiny.
Keep on rockin'.
Monday, May 21, 2012
June plans
So, my half marathon is done. I did my 5K goal for the year. What's next?
There's a local race at the end of June/early July.. I was looking to go for it 3 years ago, but Mrs. Raul was put on bed rest before mini-Raul's arrival. (Who knew, that would be the last rest she'd get?) I wasn't in tip-top shape, but it would have been fun.
When I was up at Fleet Feet, I bought one more thing:
Tri shorts, baby!
Yes, the local race is a sprint tri. I'm going to dip my toe into the water and see how it is. I've started biking a couple of times a week. At the very least, it's some nice cross training. I'm waiting for the parks and pools to open up this weekend, so that I can get a wee bit of swimming in.
And, as a special bonus, I found out there's a first ever "micro" tri a few weeks before the sprint tri. I got my application in there, and I made the cut (only 100 racers allowed). I'm waiting for my check to get cashed for the sprint, and I should be set.
I have no goals for these races, I'm just looking to have a little fun and give the sport a shot. I figure that I will have minimal swim time before these races, and only moderate bike time. At my level of fitness, I also figure that I can muddle through the race and survive.
Depending on how these go, I hopefully will get a clue on what race(s) I want to go with for the fall. My race plan runs out at the end of June.. I seriously am lost where to go next. lol
Keep on rockin!
There's a local race at the end of June/early July.. I was looking to go for it 3 years ago, but Mrs. Raul was put on bed rest before mini-Raul's arrival. (Who knew, that would be the last rest she'd get?) I wasn't in tip-top shape, but it would have been fun.
When I was up at Fleet Feet, I bought one more thing:
Tri shorts, baby!
Yes, the local race is a sprint tri. I'm going to dip my toe into the water and see how it is. I've started biking a couple of times a week. At the very least, it's some nice cross training. I'm waiting for the parks and pools to open up this weekend, so that I can get a wee bit of swimming in.
And, as a special bonus, I found out there's a first ever "micro" tri a few weeks before the sprint tri. I got my application in there, and I made the cut (only 100 racers allowed). I'm waiting for my check to get cashed for the sprint, and I should be set.
I have no goals for these races, I'm just looking to have a little fun and give the sport a shot. I figure that I will have minimal swim time before these races, and only moderate bike time. At my level of fitness, I also figure that I can muddle through the race and survive.
Depending on how these go, I hopefully will get a clue on what race(s) I want to go with for the fall. My race plan runs out at the end of June.. I seriously am lost where to go next. lol
Keep on rockin!
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