Challenge Roth Training: Week 12

14 weeks to go.

Week 12 totals:
Swim: 4. 6500m, 3hr 19min
Bike: 3. 3hrs 2min, Sunday Ride: 28mi, 374elev.
Run: 5. 20mi, 3hr 20min
Strength: 1. 10min
Total time: 9hr 51min

Challenges:
Raced my first Splash & Dash of the season on Thursday. This race series (typically a 1500m swim followed by a 5K run) is a good opportunity for multisport athletes to get in some open water swim training as well as work on transitions. Outside temperatures hit 99 this past week, which made the 6pm starting time just a wee bit warm. This was my first real open water swim in a race setting (not coaching) since IMCDA, and it showed. Got a little panicky all the way out to the first buoy, which resulted in a lot of embarrassing doggy paddling. But once I managed to calm down, I actually had a really good swim. My time was exactly where I'm used to it being for 1500m, which means I was moving at least a little faster for the majority of the swim to balance out the crappy first couple hundred meters.

Accomplishments: 
I raced my first Olympic-distance triathlon since Lavaman 2011 - and set a new PR! The Marquee Triathlon was on Sunday, and it obviously went well. PR'd by a few seconds on the swim (I'll take it!), averaged 18.25mph on the bike, on a windy day, on a course with precisely 36 turns (which means a lot of slowing down to corner safely), and actually ran the entire run course without stopping to walk for the first time in any triathlon I've ever done ever. All this resulted in a time of 3hrs 22min, which is one minute longer than my time for Lavaman. Doesn't sound like a PR, does it? Ah, but this bike course was 4-miles longer than the Lavaman course. Bam! 

Surprises:
Rode the new bike for the Marquee Tri, and aside from a few issues, I loved it. Issue #1: every time I hit a bump, my left aerobar would drop down a bit. Every couple miles I'd have to sit up and try to yank it back into place without crashing. Issue #2: dropped my water bottle about 3 miles into the course, so didn't have any hydration for the next 20 minutes (which doesn't seem like a huge problem, but I was an hour into my race by this point and (obviously) you can't drink while you swim (lake water notwithstanding), so I was really getting thirsty by the time I reached the first bike aid station.)

Bonus:
JK and I had plans to see Broken Bells on Thursday. He was covering the show, so he arrived on time (headed over right after cheering me on at the Splash & Dash), but I was ridiculously late because I had to run an additional 5 miles post-S&D, then hurry up and try to eat something and get cleaned up. I managed to catch the last 30 minutes or so of the show (which was GREAT!), but apparently missed a top notch opening act and the first 2/3 of the main set. Oh, Ironman training. Sometimes you're a real bitch.