Second Try at a Tri

I guess it's time to commit some race goals to writing, especially since my next triathlon is this weekend.

Old College Tri Goals
April 26, 2008
www.oldcollegetri.com

* Goal: Finish in 1:19:57 (yes, that is only one second faster than my last race)
* Swim Goal: 300m in 5:30 (my official seeding time is 5:10)
* Ride Goal: 12 miles in 40 minutes (that's an average of 18 mph)
* Run Goal: Run 5K in 28 minutes
* Total Transition Time: Less than 4:30

So, doing the math, that totals 1:18:00. But my overall goal is to simply be faster than the last race.

I see the bike ride being my area of biggest improvement. When I rode the St. Patrick's Triathlon, you could count the number of times I had ridden my bike on two hands. Since then, I've ridden with and joined the Carrollton Cycling club and have spent more time on the bike. My confidence has grown and I've learned how to tolerate and mange any back pain.

My biggest worry is the run considering the achilles problems I have had. Plus, I haven't trained on the run at all this week, focusing on bike and swim. Training not to break I call it. If the pain is tolerable, I believe I can run faster than 28 minutes. Shoot, I managed to beat that time at St. Patrick's while limping through several hundred meters when my calf exploded.

I'm excited for the race though. The weather is looking good. Rain is forecast for Friday night but Saturday morning will be in the upper 50s. The race starts at 7:00 a.m. so by the time I hit the bike and run the temperature will be warm but not super hot.

The theme of the race is the old college tri so most people will be wearing college-themed gear. I'll be sporting a sweet IU swim cap that one of my ad reps scored for me. Kara will be wearing one as well as a show of support. I'll probably wear a red shirt for the bike and run and maybe an IU cap for the run. No IU t-shirts as the one shirt that I have will be uncomfortable to race in. I may do some body marking, too. We shall see. Until then, I'll leave you with this:

Indiana, Our Indiana
Indiana, we're all for you
We will fight for
the Cream & Crimson,
For the glory of Old IU
Never daunted, we cannot falter
In the battle, we're tried and true
Indiana, Our Indiana
Indiana, we're all for you!
I-U