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This was the end of a the second of three solid weeks of training leading up to 2 hard events I have in Gunnison Memorial Day weekend. Saturday I awoke to crappy weather and only had a pre-race tune-up workout on the schedule. Would have been a good day to skip the long ride. Instead I choose to think big-picture and put in some volume, just without the intensity. My friend Derek and I went on a 4 hour ride up to Masonville. Mid-way through the ride I was shedding my rain jacket and enjoying the sunshine on a weekend for a change.
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Sunday was the first triathlon of the season here in Boulder County. The weather, once again, was fantastic and it was nice to see a bunch of friends and get going on the triathlon thing I have trained all fall and winter for. I took a reasonably long warm-up since at .5 Mile Swim, 12.4 Mile Bike and 5K Run it is the shortest triathlon I would ever do.

The water temp turned out to be great but when the gun went off I just didn’t swim well (or straight). The usually kicks, swim-overs and mouth-fulls of water at the start but I don’t think I had it in my head that this swim was only going last 10 or so minutes and I took it out a little too easy. No excuses, I know I can swim better than this and I will explore a new wetsuit as I think mine has landed itself on the wrong side of snug vs. too tight. I shouldn’t feel fatigued all over my upper body after 13 minutes, right?

The bike ride went much better. I’m not sure I used more than 2 gears the entire ride and I made a point to spin and rest my legs when I could since I had no idea what running hard after biking hard would feel like. I have never practiced this before. In retrospect, I should have pushed harder, my legs felt fine running. The run course took place on a road I frequent that is, literally, directly behind my place of work and comprised of an out and back route. I love out-and-backs since it provides the opportunity to see everyone else. When I arrived at the turn around I saw 2 friends running hard not too far back, which provided some additional motivation.

I finished strong, nipping some other guy in a finishing sprint when he slacked on the last stretch (little did I know I was already 5 minutes ahead of him due to the wave starts. Still, he asked for it ). My run time was only a few seconds off my time for a stand alone 5K a couple weeks earlier. Later in the finishing area the Beej asked if I had checked out the results yet. I hadn’t and he implored that I do without telling me why: results. Damn, didn’t see that coming and I certainly won’t get used to it. I know better.

To reinforce that point, yesterday I came home from work and asked my 4 year old if she wanted to come to the mailbox with me, to which she replied, “Yes! and let’s race!… but YOU get a head start because YOU are SLOW"…
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Next up Sageburner 25K trail run in Gunnison Saturday and the Original Growler Sunday: 62 miles of sweet Rocky Mountain single track at 8,000′ .