Wednesday sucked. Rain, rest and lots of food. I worked my butt off not to try to not get a cold. Not much else to Wednesday really. Jess ran some errands and bought me another loaf of spicy cheese bread. It’s my new vice.
Thursday was much more eventful. It started off with some work issues. Basically I was wondering some things about my current position and my suspicions were confirmed. So I officially have no room for advancement in my job (despite believing for 4 years to the contrary) so now I have to either look elsewhere or try to move horizontally to a position that can move vertically. For now though I sit, lots of events coming up and next year will be my 5th so more vacation. Once Ironman and the wedding are done I’ll reevaluate things although the resume is ready just in case something should pop up here or elsewhere.
Anyways, Thursday was the Pacific Cycle Gun Show ride. I go outside at noon to see a bunch of co-workers but then I also see Sparky from the UW Team and some Jelly Belly guy. Stephen said it was Adam Bergman. He’s a doper…actually I am guessing he was a doper. That is another subject for another day (I have opinions and theories on why people dope, read Velo News for more doping stories today.) Anyways, once he saw me come out he must’ve got scared and he decided not to ride with us and rode off. But Sparky stayed and we started to ride and it started to rain. Someone in the group had a flat and it really poured when we waited. Then it was one of those deals. Everyone wanted to quit and not ride but no one would be the first one to quit…so we went on. It cleared up a bunch. Right before we hit Range Trail Stephen and I attacked. It worked decently and we were down to 5 people, which quickly became two, and then three when I was able to regain the top 2. We worked it hard and then Sparky and I drag raced it to Paoli and I took him! I was pretty excited as he raced at collegiate nationals. It didn’t matter much though because he doesn’t work here so he wasn’t eligible for points anyways, kind of like the Russian dude in the US championships. Anyways the pace was kept pretty moderate all the way to Seminole. I tried an attack that totally sucked (there were 5 of us at this point.) Finally Chuck went for it early and I chased him down trying to get whatever draft I could. Then Sparky went on the outside and I forced him outside but a car was coming so I didn’t want to push him to the curb. He took me by a length but I still got the Pacific points. I really love sprinting thank god points are for sprints and not for climbs and stuff. Anyways, it was a great ride and a great time, I love riding with Stephen and Chuck it is always entertaining and they both pull hard.
So all afternoon it rained and thundered and all of that. I was supposed to do an Aquathon (Swim and then Run) at Warner Park. Well I went anyways and when I got there the weather was perfect. High 60s and blue skies. J.Bro and wife (Missy or Melissa) were there which was a huge relief as I don’t know the first thing about triathlon or aquathon or such. I registered for the series and got ready. Brozek quizzed me on everything I should have brought and I had everything but body glide and a swim cap. Fortunately he brought an extra swim cap.
With help from Missy I was able to get in my wetsuit and get it zipped up. J.Bro showed me how the wetsuit works and everything. We took a warm-up practice swim (maybe 300 meters) and then got ready to race.
The race started at 7pm (yes, we are swimming in Lake Mendota at 7pm on May 25th) and we were off. I tried to get right in the middle (edge of) the madness.
I got kicked a couple times and did a little kicking, I loved it. It took only about half way to the first buoy before I realized I went out a little hard. J.Bro passed so I stepped it up. I rounded the first buoy (I estimate it was 400m to the first, 250m to the second and 350m back in) and the second stretch was my worst. But I made it. After the second, I hammered, I used the crawl stroke all the way in. Everyone else hammered too though, I think I got passed about 6 times. I come out of the water and saw the clock was 24 something. Awesome!
I get into transition and peal off my wetsuit, put on my shoes, down some Gatorade and throw on my shirt. Probably took me a couple minutes and then I was on to the run.
Three problems:
1. I had to pee…I held it
2. I didn’t tie my shoe very well and it came untied right away…I retied it
3. J.Bro hadn’t finished the run so I’d have to push it…I pushed it.
I guess everyone there must’ve been swimmers because over 5k I passed a dozen people and only got passed once. And my 5k time was like 27-29 minutes and I believe my finish time was like 56 minutes so only maybe 20 minutes behimd the winner! :)
The whole way back though I was worried…no J.Bro. I was pleased to see him at the finish. I can’t even imagine what his swim was like. He said right after he passed me he had some terrible cramps. But the kayak was attending to another swimmer so he had to back stroke it for a while. He ended up surviving through the swim but that has to be every swimmer’s nightmare, cramping in the middle of the lake with no helpers in sight. Anyways, I wish him better luck next time and I seriously thank him (and Missy) for all their help and guidance.
I knocked down 12 cookies afterwards (which were small, so like 4 real cookies) and that was my supper! Got home, washed out my wetsuit and watched some house hunters with Jess. Now it is Friday morning and I am sore!
