Been a Long Time...

Wow! I haven't posted anything since June! Been very busy though. Where we last left off, i was setting my gaze onto triathlons. The season is now officially over and it was amazing! I went from being a truly poor swimmer and biker to being an average swimmer and slightly below average biker. And as to not bury the lead, i made it to the US Long Course Nationals (as well as qualified for next year) AND did well enough in the nationals to be an alternate for the U.S. team! I find out next week if i made it (not looking very likely), but overall felt like it was a good season.

All in all, i did 8 triathlons this season! That is kind of amazing considering i had done a grand total of 3 before this season. Being new to the sport, i improved in nearly every way. In the sprints, i got better at starting faster in the swims. I still get a little panicky in the water, but hopefully that will go away completely with practice. I did 4 sprints, 1 international, and 3 halves. The highlight of the year may have been the international distance. I swam a mile in 28:27 (wetsuit legal) and ran a very hilly course in sub 40 minutes. I hadn't run sub 40 in 4 years (and only did it once before ever).

The entire season was shadowed by a knee injury i sustained in the 24 hours of booty charity ride. Unfortunately, my bike fit was not correct and caused the injury. I have since had the problem corrected but some pain still persists. The doctors tell me it is nothing to worry about. I don't believe them, but it hasn't slowed me down much. This underscores my poor cycling that occurred this year. I simply did not practice enough. In fact, in the National Championship, when i got off the bike, i almost couldn't run at all. This is because the adjustment to fix the problem with my knee worked fine. But i had never practiced with the bike since the adjustment and it caused me to use WAY more quad then i ever had.

Goals for next year are to first off improve cycling. I need to practice with the new fit. If i can get off the bike and run as well as i did in Asheville in the international distance or as well as i did in Williamsburg in the half there, i will be happy. Next, i need to kick this fear of open water. That will come with more practice. I already qualified for next year's national championship team. I have a VERY strong desire to make the national team next year (since it will be my last year i can qualify for the 30-34 age group and 35-39 is basically impossible.

Ahh, but now it is fall and time for half marathons. I ran one last weekend and felt good. Got 15th in Greensboro (if i was in half marathon shape, i could have gotten top 10). Then it is on to a couple of marathons early in 2011 - Mississippi Blue in Jan and Jersey Shore in March or April. Please no Snooki or Situation jokes.