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Last time I wrote about how it had been a long time since I actually got to see where I was at by participating in a race. Over four days last week I participated in four different events, with mixed results.

Thursday morning I started the fun with the usual long run routine. After work I participated in an informal 10K timed bike Time Trial and finished very well and 2′ better than my best time last year on about the same course. Friday I took off to recover from the accumulated efforts of the previous week and prepare for the weekend. Saturday I ran my second ever 5K race at Lake Macintosh.

I proved once again that I am not so good at the pacing strategy. [Pacing? it’s only 5k, how hard could it be? Well, I was reminded that the answer to that question is: muy difícil. I think I would rather run 10 miles at a reasonably uncomfortable pace than 3.1 at a very uncomfortable pace.] I completed the first mile in 5:40, which is about as fast as I am capable of running. That I was running on a gravel trail with my cycling knee warmers falling down to my knees and made several attempts to pull them up while running before finally succeeding made it muy interesting. I managed to finish with a 6:04 average, well behind the first 3 horses I was chasing, but my first ever AG first placing. Next time I’ll ensure I warm up run more than 200 yards and test the equipment. Results.

Sunday was the Haystack Time Trial and whatever ego I had developed was quickly deflated in a big way. My ride was extremely windy, I was cold, my cadence felt all wrong, my hamstrings were barkin’, couldn’t get my heart rate up and just wasn’t feeling it (no more complaints). Still I was doing ok, passed my 30″ man within 10′ and was chugging along at 30′ when my -90″ man cruised past me leaving me feeling quite slow. Damn. I finished 8/15 in my group; 1 minute faster than last year, although this year was a bit shorter but much windier - so, I’ll call it a wash. The good news is I used the borrowed PowerTap to collect some data and I got some experience keeping-on-going-hard on tired legs, which is a big deposit into the IMCanada bank and the most important part of all this. Results.

I pedaled home in the cold and rested for a couple hours before suiting back up and doing it again in the Team Time Trial. I felt like I had nothing to give but it is much easier when you are only On for 15-20″ at a time. We finished in a decent time, but that just might be the most fun one can have on a bike: hauling ass at 25-40+ mph inches away from each other pedaling in a smooth line .

Time to take it easy for a couple days before starting at it again…