Capital City Biathlon

Saturday May 29th was the Capital City Biathlon in Springfield, IL. Instead of the traditional Run-Bike-Run duathlon, the format for this race is Run-Bike. I'd never raced this format before and I was looking forward to being able to ride all-out on the bike without having to worry about a second run.

I've raced this course before as part of various Springfield races...Iron Horse, Iron Abe, and Stoneman Sprint. The race director is Bill Winberg, same as for the other Springfield events, and he does a very thorough job. I like the professional touches, like assigned spaces on the bike racks. It helps to keep the transition area well organized.

The race started on time at 7:30. We were split into three waves starting on 3 minute intervals. The first wave consisted of teams, clydesdales, and athenas. The second wave was all men, and the last wave was all women.

I started off at what I thought was a comfortable run pace and was very surprised at the one mile mark to see seven minutes just tick over. I normally run slower than that, but have run this pace or faster in shorter duathlon runs. Into the second mile a runner just a ahead of me dropped one of his bike gloves and I stopped to pick it up thinking I would give it back to him if I caught up to him or saw him after the turnaround. I never caught up and didn't recognize him coming back the other way, so I carried the stupid glove with me for the whole run.

My second mile split was 7:35 and I was starting to get pretty hot. I could tell I was slowing a bit and I ran the last 1.1 miles in around 9 minutes. My total for the run was 23:43. I was happy with that as my goal time was 24 minutes for the 5K.

I hit the transition area and was on my bike in under a minute.

The bike course is relatively flat. There are some rolling hills, but we're in Central Illinois, so they don't last long. My goal was to maintain a 20mph pace on the bike and come in around 1:10 for the entire race.

The park road out to the bike course was bumpy and pretty torn up, but I was getting my speed up and shifted up onto the big ring. My legs felt fresh even after the run, so I started to push a little bit harder and my speedometer was showing 22, 23, 24 mph for parts of the first miles of the ride.

I started to pass a few people, then a few more as I got into a good pedaling rhythm.

There was a little bit of a headwind that blew for the last couple of miles before the bike turnaround, but I knew it would help on the return trip.

I was counting down the miles to go as they ticked by on my cycle computer. I tried to give just a little bit more each time I saw my speed. I knew that I could ride as hard as I wanted and when I was done with the ride, I was done with the race.

As I hit the last turn and headed back into the park I could tell that I was well within my goal time. I could see the finish and gave one last extra effort through to the line. I stopped my watch and saw 1:08:06, which I was satisfied with. I was hoping to finish at least in the middle of my age group, and ended up 6th out of 24, and was 32nd overall out of about 200 who started the race.

I bettered my overall goal by almost two minutes, beat my run goal and managed a 20.7mph average on the bike - all in all a satisfying result.


Photos courtesy of HardyBreed

My Xterra Race Map

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Xterra Utah is a goal.

I Bought Some New Feet

I spent $75 on some new feet.

Lemme 'splain. I wanted to run barefoot, so I got some shoes that look just like feet, except they're blacker and rubber-ier than my permanent feet.

I was just going to take off my shoes and socks and run in my naked feet. But here's the thing. I'm a gear geek, and there's no gear involved in actual barefoot running. Where's the fun in that? I need to buy something to engage in any activity, right?

I've run a few times in my new feet, and I like them a lot. I have gotten some pretty icky blisters though. I have blisters on my feet and sore calves. You're supposed to take it slow when first starting with these things, but I don't do that - so I suffer.

In fact, on my last "barefoot" run I could feel those blister-prone spots heating up, so I stopped and took off the Five Fingers, bared my soles, and ran. It was ok for a bit, but then I started hitting those tiny little sharp pebbles and OUCH. Those little things hurt. I finished up the run with the Five Fingers and continued to blister. I'm hoping my real feet toughen up soon.

I really do like running in these feet. It forces good form, and I run a little faster in them too. I've got a 5 mile trail run this weekend and I'm planning on running it in the Five Fingers. Blisters be damned.

Even Years Only?

I've discovered a pattern in my behavior. I don't know if it's intentional or just some kind of natural rhythm, but for the past 4 years I only seem to want to commit to triathlon training and racing in even numbered years.

2006 was a season full of tris. That was the year I concentrated on Olympic distance events and also did my first Half Iron distance event. I raced a lot in 2006 - 7 triathlons and 7 running events between January and September.

2007 was the year I first felt this motivational struggle. I "raced" two triathlons and a duathlon and 4 running events and I recall forcing myself to do each one. I wasn't training consistently and my results showed it. Mostly, I spent the summer by the pool enjoying the company of good friends and beer.

In 2008 I recommitted myself and had a big goal in mind - USAT Age Group Nationals. I started training in earnest very early in the year and filled my calendar with events - 6 triathlons, 1 duathlon, and 14 running events including three half marathons. I hit my goal and raced in Portland that September.

Last year I again struggled with motivating myself to get out and train. Job stress was a key factor, and I wasn't training for a specific goal as I had done the previous year. The odd-number year malaise struck again and I did not compete in any triathlons and ran only 3 events.

So here I am in 2010. I've done a 5K, half-marathon and triathlon already with plans for a full racing season of triathlon, Xterra, and running events. I might even throw a couple of open water swimming races into my schedule as well. I hope to carry this enthusiasm thorough to 2011, but I'll just have to see what happens...

Wild, Wild Wilderness

Yesterday was the Kennekuk Road Runner's Trail Run at Kickapoo - Wild, Wild Wilderness. It's a run I look forward to every year because it seems to be the ideal combination of weather (early fall), conditions (well-established trail), participants (huge variety of enthusiastic trail runners), and race direction (KRR).

I've been running a bit more lately, back on more of a regular schedule. I did not race triathlons at all this season, but with trail running season upon us I am excited for the events.

Race conditions were ideal. The temperature at race time was in the mid 60s and it was overcast and a little foggy. The run started on time at 10am.

There were over 300 runners participating, so the start was very congested and slow. Once the dirt trail started, the line of runners began to stretch out and pace groups began to form. I wasn't sure what to expect from myself. I have been running more, but my longest recent run was 5 miles. I was pleasantly surprised with how I felt throughout the run.

I think the setting really helps with relaxing and just enjoying the experience of running through the woods. I was hoping just to settle into a comfortable cadence and maintain it, and that's what ended up happening. My pace varied quite a bit...there are some significant hill climbs, obstacles, creek crossings, and stairways on the course that affect pace...but my cadence held pretty well.

This ended up being my slowest Wilderness run yet, but I'm viewing it as a starting point, not the usual "near-end of season" point. Next up will be a pair of October trail runs, Fox Ridge and Allerton park.

I am in suck-tastic shape.

My buddy Hawk and I did a 5K yesterday. It was a contrast in approaches. His worked, mine didn't.

I haven't been very diligent about getting out and running, or biking, or swimming. I've been sporadic at best. It's definitely not a recipe for staying in good cardiovascular shape...I don't think running the bases in softball counts as a good workout - although I do get winded from it.

Anyway, Hawk has been keeping up with his runs, and setting 5K PRs periodically. I have been drinking beer and thinking I should get out and hit the bricks, but not doing it - and it shows.

The 5K was a benefit for Habitat for Humanity, organized through the U of I Business School. It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm, and the run was on a nice grass course on the Illinois campus. I think the course might be used for cross-country...there were some signs designating kilometers that didn't make any sense for our run. There was a little bit of water/mud on the course leftover from our wet spring weather, but nothing really uncommon for this time of year in central IL.

I was a little bit tentative about running. I had been to both a wedding and a birthday party the day/night before and partook in a few libations to celebrate each event. I made sure I was moderating, but I was still out until 2am.

The run started just after 10, maybe about 15 minutes late. It was casual, so no problems with a late start. The course was two loops, marked with pink arrows, and staffed by volunteers at each of the turns. There was a big hill at around mile 1.25, which repeated on loop 2...ugh.

As expected, I struggled a bit. Grass is always slower than the pavement, and wet grass slower still. Combine this with my lack of fitness and it's a run/walk 5K....I took a couple of 30 second walk breaks and tried to keep my pace reasonable for the running portions.

Hawk ran a good race, he didn't PR, but ran strong the whole time. I think I may have set a PR for my worst 5K :-)

I had fun and I was glad I got out for a run on such a nice day. I'm looking forward to working myself back into shape and getting back to an acceptable level. I guess now I have a baseline to compare to at the end of the season.

...and we're baaaaack!!!

Wow. What a crappy winter. Between the freezing, thawing, more freezing, unemployment through December, I got sick again and got way low on the motivation scale.

The new job is intensely crazy, with way too much work and only one person to do it - me. But I'm making money, spring is peeking in, and the sunlight and warmth is a welcome respite from the cold and gloom of another harsh winter.

I'm still finding my legs, having only managed a couple of runs in the month of January and a couple more in February. March has been good so far, and I'm intending to run a half marathon in April...the full marathon will just have to wait.

It's going to be an odd season. After the huge goal I set for myself last year, I really don't have a solid goal set for this year. I'm just going to do the races that look interesting and see how I fare. I'm thinking of getting back to the off-road stuff a little more. My favorite race, Trail Shark has been defunct since the 2006 edition, but there are some Xterra races in Indiana that I have been eyeing for the last couple of years. Maybe this year I'll go do them...of course, I'll want a new bike for that :-)