It's a very slow process - two steps forward, one step back - but I'm inching in the right direction. - Rob Reiner

May 16, 2012

Bound for the Olympics

Ahhh….fooled you right?  You thought I had somehow catapulted my slow self to Olympic competitor, but alas no.  What I meant to say is that I am bound for the Olympic Distance Triathlon this weekend.
For those of you who have been following my blog for awhile, you know I was supposed to do my first Olympic Distance Tri last Sept, and just a few days before the event I severely injured my shoulder and was unable to compete.  It devastated me, and I kind of promised myself I would never be quite that “vested” in a race again. 
So, maybe that’s why I haven’t made a big deal about this race.  It’s just kind of quietly snuck up on me.  It will still be my first Olympic tri, and it will also be my first ever wetsuit race so it should kind of be a big deal, but I’m really looking at it as more of a training race for my 70.3 in July than anything.  It’s my check point to see where I’m at – it’s my deciding point to see if I officially sign up for the Racine 70.3.

I won’t lie.  I don’t feel ready for the swim – AT ALL.  I am terribly nervous about that part.  My shoulder has still not healed (and I’m not sure it ever will without surgery).  I have had to baby it a lot during my training.  If I swim one day, and it hurts I may go 5 or 6 or 7 days before I swim again.  I have only been swimming 2 days a week max, and many times only 1, when my plan calls for 3xs per week and starting last week I’m supposed to be swimming 4xs per week.  My longest swim in the pool has been 1800 yards and that includes drills and breaks.  My swim Sunday is 1700 yards or 1 mile.  It is not going to be easy.  I am terribly afraid my shoulder will give out during the swim or hurt so bad afterward that I’m not able to swim for weeks.  All I know is that if I manage to make it through this on Sunday, my swim needs to be my focus for the remainder of my 70.3 training.
I feel ready for the bike and run.  I’ve have been putting in 100+ miles a week on the bike and I’ve completed 3 half marathons in the past 3 months.  But, I’ve never put this kind of bike/run distance together before so who knows what might really happen.  I’m hoping once I get out of that water though, that I’m feeling ready to go.

I expect the race to take me just under 4 hours (assuming that I make it out of the swim in around 45-50 minutes – which who knows).  I am excited, but also nervous.  I’m just not 100% sure what to expect.  Going into Hyvee last September, I felt pretty confident.  I knew I had trained exactly how I should for the distance, but I can’t say the same for this race.  The weather is going to be a little on the hot side approaching the mid 80s by the time I’m done. 
But at the end of the day, I love to do tris and I am excited about my first race of the season.  All of my Racine training buddies are racing either the Sprint or the Olympic Distance, so it will fun for all of us to be at a race together. 
It’s going to be a busy weekend though, as my step-daughter gets married on Friday and the race is on Sunday.  I really do like to overbook myself.

Stay tuned for results……………………………………………

21 comments:

  1. Good luck. I've had rotator cuff problems in my left shoulder..so bad I couldn't even do a backstroke or lift anything. I finally went to an orthpod and he injected cortisone..after 2 days, I have zero pain, perfect range of motion and best of all i'm back swimming :) Hope yours heals!!

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  2. Good luck this weekend! Hope the shoulder cooperates. If it does, you'll be fine on the swim, it will just feel like you are swimming for a long time, at least that what it feels like to me since the Oly distance is ~3x the Sprint distance.

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  3. All the best for the race! It seems that you know how to cope with your shoulder so you will be fine.

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  4. Don't be nervous! Ok, ok, so that's easy for me to say but I know you'll get through it and by the end of the day Sunday, you'll be an Olympian! When in doubt, doggy paddle. :)

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  5. Oh Michael...what a weekend!!! I sure hope your shoulder holds up for you and that you have a rewarding race!! I have a feeling that you will finish fine, but good luck anyway and be careful ;)

    Congrats on the wedding ;)

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  6. I'm sure you know this already, but stay toward the back and outside of the crowd for the swim. Take your time, alternate your strokes if you need to (especially if your shoulder starts acting up), and just remember to relax and enjoy. This is supposed to be fun, right?

    And then kick ass on the bike and make up time! :)

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  7. have a great race! You will be great!!

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  8. Best of luck this weekend!! I'm guessing you're so in-tune with your shoulder at this point that you'll find just the right pace/effort to get you through the swim without any issues. Once you hit the land you're going to kill it.

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  9. this is awesome and exciting!!! GOOD LUCK!!

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  10. It sounds to me like your low-key approach to this will be just perfect! Good luck and I can't wait to hear how you do.

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  11. I think if you take it easy on the swim you will be alright. You obviously don't want to aggravate the shoulder. I think that even with a slow swim you will be done in under 3.5 hours. That's my prediction and I sticking to it!!!

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  12. I suggest maybe going crazy super easy on the swim

    Good luck!!

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  13. Best of Luck. My longest swim has been half a mile and I breast stroked the whole distance.

    Dito to other comments - take it slow on the swim, have fun, and pass people on the bike and run.

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  14. What a huge weekend for you. Good luck with both the wedding and the triathlon. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your shoulder behaves itself during the swim.

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  15. Wow. You do have a busy weekend. Good luck in the tri and have a blast at the wedding. I hope your shoulder doesn't give you a hard time. A mile swim? Yuck! 100 mile plus bike weeks is great. And your run has been improving so much. You've got this. Just get through the swim and go for it.

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  16. You've got this. Have a great race!

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  17. good luck!! hope your shoulder holds up ok and you have a great time :)

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  18. Best of luck for your race. Crossing the line after your first Olympic event is truly memorable - enjoy!

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  19. Best of luck for your race. Crossing the line after your first Olympic event is truly memorable - enjoy!

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