My Triathlon Adventure

This weekend was supposed to be our 5K race, the Cupid Run, however that was canceled mid-week so we ended up with a downer for the weekend.  We were really looking forward to our first real race.  We decided to register for theO’Hartford 5K which really seems like it is going to be a lot of fun.

All I did on Saturday was my P90X workout.  It was Chest and Back and it was a bear.  Really tough workout for me.  Of course that was capped off by Ab Ripper FU.  I can’t believe how tough that ab workout is.  I can’t even imagine a day when I will be able to make it all the way through.  I did a bit better than last time, but that doesn’t say much.  Needless to say, my whole upper body was sore the next day.

Sunday morning I did spin.  I used my HR monitor and calculated a burn of 560 calories over 50 minutes.  I think my legs were still burning a little from the P90X leg and back workout earlier in the week.  It was a really great workout.

After spin we went to the pool and did laps.  I started right out of the gate to try to get some laps in.  Before my wife even got to the pool from the locker room I had finished 4 laps in a row and felt good.  I tooled around a little more trying to help my wife with her form (like the blind leading the blind) and wrapped up the day with an attepmt to max out my laps.  My goal was to go for as many laps as I could before needing to stop.  I had cycles where I felt I couldn’t go any longer, but then I would get a rhythm and I would feel perfectly fine.  I got all the way to 6 laps and then I notice a couple of people trying to find a lane.  I stopped to let them in, but I think I could have squeaked out another lap or two.  I did the 6 laps in about 7:22.  That’s about 1:14 a lap. That isn’t quite at my goal of 1 minute per lap or better, but I have until May to get to that.  My early laps are all sub 1 minute, so I know I am slowing down as I get tired.

The first thing to go for me now is my arms and shoulders.  They just start getting fatigued.  That is a big difference from my last race where my legs nearly fell off and I couldn’t keep my heart rate and breath regulated.  I’m wondering too if the P90X chest and back workout isn’t causing some of the fatigue.  As silly as it sounds, I will probably taper before the next tri, at least by not doing the chest and back workout on the Saturday before the race.

Tonight I did the P90X arms and shoulders workout.  My arms and shoulders are really mad at me about it.  I gave it all I had and I don’t think I have ever felt my triceps as sore as they are right now.  Tomorrow will be another swim session, it won’t be pretty if my shoulders and arms feel anything like they feel right now.  Ouch!

Just got a notice that the Cupid 5K we were training for this weekend has been canceled :(.  We are now planning on doing a St. Patrick’s Day 5K in Hartford in March.  Looks like our first race will have to wait.

Just received the schedule for the triathlon training club at the YMCA so the first bunch of events are at the Y.

Updates:

2/13 Canceled Cupid Run and Added O’Hartford 5K

I’ll update as the season goes on. (Planned) Indicates events I would like to do but have not registered for at this point.

Update: I have registered for the Hartford Half Marathon and Reality called and reminded me to cancel the glory that is the Hartford Full Marathon and the Half in Virginia Beach.  A good plan because, as Reality clearly explained on the phone, I haven’t run more than the 50 yards required to catch the closing doors of elevator in years, and even then most days I say, buh, I’ll get the next one.  You didn’t have to be so flippant Reality, give me a break.

Update 2 (4/22/2010): I missed the March YMCA Triathlon because I was away in training.  I am also going to bow out of the April one because I injured my knee.  The doctor says I need to take a full week off from running.  Bummer.