Long Time No See...

I have been very busy at work, so many things happened, so few hours in the day...

Let me start reporting that I had a real Catholic Lent: for about six weeks I worked hard, almost completely keeping myself away from serious training, eating badly, and sleeping 4 to 6 hours a night. And as a real resurrection, I had my birthday on Easter, finally (but late) resuming my training for Wildflower Long Course.

Not that I had some fun and endurance challenges during the last months... On March 1st 2009 I took part in the Gran Fondo, a challenging ride at San Diego, my first Century. Let's say a century hurts more than any marathon. And it was a good lesson: I did not take enough fluids for a Tmax of 75F, and started cramping at mile 35, and had to walk my bike for many points of elevation. But I really wanted to finish, and did it, in 10 hours and 15 minutes, right when the finish line was being disassembled. Result: I earned unforgettable memories and experience, and up to today I did not receive my medal (promised to be sent by mail) and my jersey (also promised to be sent by mail by the organizers).

All that effort brought unexpected results: on 03/21/09 I ran the Stand for Hope 5K race around the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (see the first picture) and got a new PR, 21:10. On the very next day I ran the Pasadena Marathon and also got a new PR, 4:13:32. Better than that, I was able to run the first half few seconds less than 2hours, in a hilly course, in a happy preparation for Wildflower.

Aware of my urgent need to increase my hours on the bike, on 03/28/09 I took part in the Spring Metric Century organized by the Orange County Wheelmen, on the Santiago Canyon, happily finishing 66 miles in 4:18, less hurt, without cramps or dehydration.

Still in the same spirit, I went for a ride with experienced LaTri athletes on the Santa Monica Mountains, and of course got left behind in a 50+ hilly course, but got home sure that I was able to tackle a harder course than the real Wildflower Long Course.

Joining LA Tri Club and USAT meant the beginning of my mature age as a triathlete (not to mention all the perks and discounts). Last weekend I had another beautiful bike ride on Palos Verdes, at a very mellow pace, followed by a short run at the beach and a barbecue.

Of course, with maturity comes accountability and hard reality; I could be "more ready" for Wildflower. An unrealistic goal of 6hours and 30minutes came down to a threatening attempt to at least beat 7 hours and 30minutes. But I am really having fun, achieving new PRs and exciting experiences. Considering Wildflower will be my first 70.3 distance, I am going to enjoy the most.

And still have time to prepare my redemption at Vineman 70.3.

Experience is not what happens to a man.

It is what a man does with what happens to him.

Aldous Leonard Huxley

Learning to live with myself, part 1

It has been a while since my last post because I was on a trip, so I will divide my news in two parts. I have learned a lot about myself playing hard over these last weeks, and this actually came adequately as end-of-year reflection.

On 11/30/08 I raced the Turkey Tri (0.5M swim, 14M bike, 4.5M run), in commemoration of Thanksgiving and Triathlon season finale. I neglected swimming and cycling for a while, and I knew I would pay a price for that. My prediction was a finish in 1h50min, without knowing the course.

Bonelli Park is a beautiful place, with mountains at sight, a big central lake, and a lot of green. But the water was dark and cold, the bike course is moderately hilly, and the run path is narrow. That together with my unpreparedness brought a weird result to a beautiful day and a beautiful course. If you can believe, the race organization did not track transition times, even using chips. So my times were: swim 28:31, bike 56:35, run 40:31, finish 2:05:37.

During the swim I had shortness of breath, probably a mix of cold water, bad technique and panic, and I needed to float for about three minutes.
The first buoy was very far from the start, and all swimmers had navigation problems. On top of that, many experienced triathletes had the impression that the course was longer than 0.5 mile. At T1 I checked my time, and then I started a personal race against the clock. The bike leg was exciting, with many turns and rolling hills, my first using cyclocomputer. From that I know my bike time was 49 min, with probably T1 5:35min and T2 2 min. My legs complained a little on the run course, but I still could have a relative catch-up. I placed overall 318/601, and age group 54/76.

I paid the price for not being prepared, and I will have to live with that. But within a context of Half-Ironman training for next season, this showed me this is the time to stop racing for fun and curiosity, to know courses and have experience, and start objectively racing, with defined training plan, goals and purpose. I already know I can do it and finish it, even without preparation, but it is time to train against myself. I am always very enthusiastic and hungry for new experiences, bright characteristics of Aries natives, but hard-headed and hard to adhere to hard long and steady plans.

Now it is time to be a grown-up triathlete and focus my time and energy.

Next races: Big Cat Challenge 12-hour Ultramarathon (12/27/08), Surf City USA Marathon (02/01/09), 27th Annual Avia Wildflower Triathlon Long Course (05/02/09), Vineman Ironman 70.3 (07/19/09).

Hero of the week: Manny Pacquiao, who won against the odds and the media, making history starting a new era in boxing.

Quote of the week: “The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.” Alden Nowlan.