A Look Back At 2012

Besides becoming wiser as my last blog examined, I did become faster.  Looking back at my workout history (my gym has a kiosk and online portal through FitLinxx that allows me to record my activity), I think there was a direct correlation in the effort I put into training.  But it’s not just the quantity of workouts  – in fact, I actually had fewer number of workout sessions in 2012 versus 2011.  It’s also about what you put into each workout, and on that account, my records show I burned over 15,000 more calories and put in 29 more hours.

In my first season in 2011, it made sense to have more workouts.  I was trying to build both strength and endurance and to learn new technical skills.  On a given day, I often did a 30 minute cardio / strength workout in the morning and a swimming session in the evening.  In those early days, a swimming workout was totaling a quarter mile, or 450 yards.  I had to laugh as I re-read a blog about my second swimming lesson when I couldn’t do a 4 x 50 yard set without breaking into breast stroke and gasping for air.  A recent swim session with my coach Matt was a 3 x 400 yard set followed by a 4 x 100 yard set.  (Actually, we set out to do 8 x 100 yards but we cut it short after my shoulder began hurting.  I had plenty of endurance left, but my body was probably telling me enough after my last swim workout 48 hours prior had been 1800 yards).  So, as the graph shows, in 2012 I got a lot – actually twice as much - more swimming miles in versus 2011.

With the yardage came speed.  Early in 2012, I was able to get my fastest times on short distances – 47 seconds on a 50 yard in-pool start sprint; 1:47 on a 100 yard in-pool start sprint.  I had trouble meeting those times later in the season likely due to slower wall turns with my knee situation.  But, I have been able to continue building speed over long distances.  I can consistently swim ¼ mile in under 10 minutes.  And, I cut a full 10 seconds on my pace per 100 yards on my mile swims.  On Jan. 7, 2011, I recorded a one mile (1800 yard) swim at 46:19, or a pace of 2:34 per one hundred yards.  On Dec.  3, 2012, I recorded a one mile swim at 42:51, or a pace of 2:24 per one hundred yards.

On the cycling front, I did put in 31 more miles despite having to cut back on my cycling for a couple months after my July injury.  I was happy cutting 1:36 off of my cycling time in the Independence Triathlon, and coming in with an 18mph pace for the Montauk race which included a pretty long uphill at the end.

On the running front, it’s not surprising I did log fewer miles but when you consider my 2012 miles only represent one half of the year, I was running more (and perhaps that is what contributed to my injury).  I worked more on my speed this year and that had as significant impact on my 2 mile run in the Independence Triathlon, which was 3:27 faster.  I logged a 5K personal best in the Memorial Day run in Oak Bluffs at 26:28 with a pace of 8:31 per mile, which improved over the same route I did in the 2011 Columbus day run when I came it at 27:52 with a pace of 8:58.

So, what’s my total mileage?  I logged a total of 1036 miles across the 3 sports in 2012, 36 more than in 2011 (which as crazy as it seems was serendipitously a flat 1,000 miles).  Here’s to going farther and faster in 2013!

Getting Older and Wiser In My Second Season

2012:  My first one mile open water swim!

When I sought to fulfill my 2011 New Year’s Resolutions, I didn’t know if it would be a one time deal or something bigger.  With a second season under my belt, it’s safe to say I’m hooked!  But after my second season, I’m more aware than ever of the fact that you can’t take your physical abilities for granted.  While I was very happy with my early race performances and began to have visions of half ironmans dancing in my head, I was abruptly reminded of one’s body limitations in mid-July with my knee injury.

The season started out great returning to the Independence Triathlon which had been my very first race in my first season.  Cutting 16 minutes off of my time with dramatic improvements in my swim and run pace felt really great!  On to the Stamford KIT Triathlon, I felt good being part of a relay team and doing my first 10K run.  Then, all went very smooth with Montauk and my first ½ mile open water swim.  I felt like Superwoman accomplishing all of this in the first half of the season and didn’t doubt by ability to then take on an Olympic distance race in September.

But a week after Montauk, my body had a different message for me.  The MRI revealed a very small “articular cartilage defect” (a small piece of cartilage had fallen out), but it’s likely I’ve had that for some time since it's typically a result of an acute injury (thinking back I did fall on that knee about 20 years ago).  Perhaps I was doing too much running?  It wasn’t a lot compared to athlete standards.  Perhaps my running form was not correct?  Or, perhaps I’m just aging?

I did at least accomplish two firsts in the fall – my first 1 mile open water swim as part of a relay team at the Martha’s Vineyard Warrior Triathlon in September and my longest bike ride to date in the Martha’s Vineyard Bicycle Tour in October at 55 miles.

As I look forward to my third triathlon season, I’m adjusting my expectations.  Fortunately, there are still things I can do – relays and aquabikes (many races offer a category of swim and bike only which many middle aged athletes are starting to do) are looking more attractive.  I will still attempt a Sprint triathlon, and I would really like to still do an Olympic distance race but I’ll take my events one at a time and first see how a 5K run (or walk as the case may be) feels.

Last year I was thinking how turning 45 in 2013 would have its benefits in being at the bottom of the totem pole in the next age group.  Now I see our physical condition can change as we age.  At least with age comes wisdom.