Year End Review? I think NOT!

I think the band Boston said it best: “Don’t look back.”  So instead of a year-end recap of races and events, let us look forward to 2013.  A big year is planned.  How are we going to get there? 

A big year you say.  What will make 2013 big?  I am signed up for two triathlons so far:  California 70.3 in March.  This will be my third 70.3 race.  It will be the first time a 70.3 is not my A race of the year.  Why?  Because in June, I will attempt to become an Ironman.  Coeur D’Alene, Idaho on June 23^rd.   

After Superfrog 70.3 September 30^th, I had an off-season of sorts in October.  I worked out, but with no plan, and it was a low volume month.  We ramped back up in November and started base-building for 2013.  I added strength training to my regimen to get more durable;  using a tri-specific plan.   That's me on the grueling beach run at Superfrog.

 

 

Biggest challenge to pulling this off?  The run.  Running is by far my weakest event.  I have the most issues with running.  To help, I took a run clinic put on by TCSD coach Brian.  Now I am working on my form and what Brian noticed and pointed out during the session. 

The over-all plan is to continue to ramp up my swimming, which I am very pleased with.  I just finished my second year of swimming, and while I am far from fast, I progressed further than I would have thought at this point.  Next is to hit the bike so hard in training that I can go 112, and get off the bike as fresh as possible.  Finally I just want to get my running to where I can run 2/3 or more of the run.  I know there will be some walk breaks; I am using a Galloway type run/walk for my long runs.   

In the short-term I will be doing the Bumble Bee 5K this week, the resolution run 15K on January 6, and the Stagecoach Century on January 12^th.  From December through February USA Triathlon (USAT) is having their National ChallengeCompetition.  This is tri-clubs throughout the country competing in total miles logged over the three months.  Run and swims are weighted, so regardless of the sport, your efforts are pretty much equal.  This works as an additional motivator and fits well with a big base building plan for 2013. 

So why not a recap of 2012?  Nothing I did this year compares to my wife.  My wife went through six rounds of chemotherapy, 32 sessions of radiation, battles lymphedema and numerous other side effects from cancer treatment.  And at the end of the day, she told cancer to take its ball and go home.  She kicked cancer’s ass!  She's walked a few 5Ks, and has resumed riding her bike!

 

 

I hope all of you had a good 2012, and will have an even better 2013.  Thanks for reading!

Rock and Roll San Diego Half Marathon

Those of you who have read my blog know my wife, Angi is fighting breast cancer.  Good news, she is done with chemo and her last scan was clear.  She is currently going through some radiation. 

I mention this because she always does the Rock and Roll half marathon.  It was her first major event, when she did the full, and she really enjoys the half-marathon race.  Of course she could not do it this year, so I did.  I put a pink ribbon on my bib and wrote her name on it.  Along with her mom, who is a 15 year survivor.  I ran this race for them. 

A group of us joined in on a race day fast pass so we could park at Sea World (finish) and get shuttled to the start.  Smartest money spent!  

Leading up to the race, I had been having issues with pain behind the knee, on the outside of the left leg, and soreness in the ankles.  I made two shoe changes, and I think the most recent will work.  I just bought them a week ago.  “Nothing new on race day be damned;” what I had was not working.   

Change one was documented in this post.

Change two was just a week ago.  Using Good Feet custom orthotics that I had along with a neutral shoe, the Asics Nimbus. 

The elites started at 6:15, which meant that not so fast Steve started at 6:46.  A little crowded at the start, some bunching, but not as bad as I thought it might be.  Got into a nice little groove.  Started ticking off the miles.   

The Rock and Roll series always brings out some characters and costumes.  My favorite was Mario, mostly because he was near a band that started playing the music from the video game, and Mario would jump like he was hitting the little buttons, and the band would hit the “scoring” notes.  Great stuff.  Lots of energy at a Rock and Roll event.   I heard later Chrissie Wellington and Bob Babbit dressed as Elvis and ran.  That is classic!

One of the bigger challenges of the race is running on route 163 as the road is heavily cambered.  I figured out the best place was way inside, and made pretty good hay along this portion. 

One of my concerns going into this race was that I would hit the wall early, like mile 8 or 9 since I didn’t get the length of training runs in I wanted to.  I hit it, but not until mile 12!  You can see my mile splits below and see how I fell off during the 13^th mile even though I thought I was pushing pretty good, and passing lots of other runners. 

Overall I am happy with this race.  While I would like to get faster (who wouldn’t) I see this as progress, and hopefully will lead to a good run split at Superfrog. 

Mile	Split
1	10:54
2	10:40
3	10:32
4	10:03 – downhill
5	11:06 - uphill
6	11:20 - uphill
7	10:59
8	10:50
9	11:20
10	11:07
11	11:06
12	11:14
13	11:44 – THE WALL

 

Hit the finish line, received my medal, very nice!  Water, chocolate milk, jamba juice, and chips. 

Met back up with the Fast Pass Express group.  3 of the 5 of us had a PR!

Good event, felt strange to run without riding my bike first.  Next up: Chula Vista Challange -

Gear: Asics Nimbus shoes