Triathlon Stuff

It's Tuesday morning. I just finished a 5K in 29:48. Since my heartcath, my exercise has been limited, but not eliminated. The doctors like me to keep my heart rate at about 130 when I exercise. Before my condition was diagnosed, I tended to do my longer running workouts with a heart rate in the 150s, and in the 160s for short workouts like a 5K. My best 5K earlier in the year was about 24:30, or just over 8 minutes per mile. That would send my heart rate into the 160s. My longer distance pace is more like a 9 minute mile, putting my heart at about 150 to 155. In order to reduce my heart into the 130s, I had to slow my run pace to about 11 minute mile for 3 miles. I also limited all my workouts to no more than 3.5 or 4 miles. Since the initial "slow down," I've been able to get closer to 10 minute miles, like today. Tomorrow morning will probably be my last run before surgery. I wonder a lot about my recovery. How long until I can walk a 5K? When will my first 5K run take place?

Triathlon Goal for 2010
My goal for 2010 is to finish Vineman 70.3. I've completed the race twice before, in 5:56 in 2003 and 6:19 in 2008. About two weeks before the race in 2009, I had to withdraw. I've already registered for the race which takes place in Sonoma County on July 18. I have confidence in my doctors and in myself. :)

Triathlon Background
I started triathlons at age 40 in 2002. In my teens I ran cross country and ran on and off all through my adult life. Before 2002, I hadn't done any "competitive" swimming since I was 12 years old on the JCC swim team. I hadn't cycled much since my teens. I did some some little races in 2002. 2003 was my best season, I did an under-marked (the swim must have been less than .9 miles) Olympic distance triathlon in 2:33. That was good enough for 18th out of 30 men in their 40s that day. (An Olympic is a 1.5K swim, a 40K cycle, followed by a 10K run.) My 10K in that race was in just under 48 minutes. I'm very proud of that race and run. At the finish, my heart rate was approaching 180 (back then I wore a monitor).

Various minor injuries over the years have slowed me down some since then. I've never been below 2:40 for any Oly since that year. My greatest accomplishment was finishing Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2006 with a total time of 15 hours and 30 minutes. The race is a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26 mile run. I mostly power walked the running portion. On that beautiful 90 degree day, 2200 started the race, 1900 finished, and I finished about 1600th. Depending on the level of competition, I'm usually in the back third or back quarter of the finishers. At my level, triathlon is about racing against my own goals and expectations, not the other amazing competitors.