For my first triathlon, I signed up on a whim. Took a week off from work and hit the gym. Trained WAY too hard (and on completely useless things) and when it was time for the tri, my body was shot.
My inability to swim face down meant I did the entire distance head-up (a feat that I doubt I could do again). My 2 ton mountain bike slowed the bike portion to a snail’s pace and my jack rabbit racing personality mean that I would sprint as hard as I could for 20 feet then walk exhausted for 500 feet. This continued from the beginning to the end.
All in all – it was a horrible, S.l.o.w. and miserable race.
It’s good to know that after two years of experience and 3 months of intensive training…I still suck just as much!
If there was a way to account for time the same way accountants can account for inflation, then I am sure that my performance this past weekend would be exactly equally if not even worse than my first one!
Talk about encouraging!
Now I’m sure that there are some VERY good reasons. I was coming off of 5 HARD days of training, including a long run, a long bike, two bricks and lots of endurance swimming throughout.
The 35 mile bike ride 16 hours prior was probably the main factor in undermining my performance. I could really feel the burn on even the slightest hills and the run? Fugetaboutit!
There are lots of ‘reasons’ why I had a “stellar” performance. But in the end all I can do it chalk it up to a training experience and leave it at that.
Very encouraging.
Maybe that’s why that have a taper period!
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6 comments:
That's a good story about your first tri, it's cool that you keep coming back.
The taper realy does make all the difference. I know there are so many times during training phases that I can hardly get in the necessary workouts one sport at a time and I start to get discouraged but then with some rest it all turns around.
Your first tri sounds very similar to mine. Which was yours? Mine was Pumpkinman -- up those hills, on a mountain bike!
I think a taper will help a lot as well as figuring that Rage will be the first tri of the season. Plenty of room for more training and improvement as the season goes on!
There will be good things and probably not so good things about Rage -- plenty of war stories to tell, and things to celebrate, as well as things to work on to do better next time.
Please tell "the Mrs" good luck at Irongirl. Wish I could be there, but next time. :-)
(raising hand)
I'm still pretty new to this, but it sounds familiar! After my first sprint tri, I trained so hard to improve my swim time on the second one....and I was slower!! go figure. I think I was more nervous and put too much pressure on myself.
Tell your wife good luck with the Iron Girl this weekend! I can't wait!! Hope to run into you and say hello :)
Where ya been dude!!
rockon`
That is why we taper!! We're always learning, aren't we!
;)
You are missing the whole point.
Sure, you sucked.
But, you look much more knowledgeable doing it.
I am sure everyone was saying, "Wow, there goes Formulaic. He sure looks good, even though he is sucking right now."
Look how good you did on your half marathon with a 3 month taper.
See, Taper = Good!
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