More injuries

So since the middle of summer, my left knee has bothered me when riding my bike either hard or for a long period of time. It really was a limiter to what I could do and bothered me quite a bit the last half of my Superiorman race.

I took some time off in September, and then have been easing back into it the last couple of months in hopes that it might just be an overuse injury. But it never really went away. I got fitted for my new tri bike and thought maybe that might change things and in reality I think it is causing me some additional hamstring issues as well.

So I went to the doctor yesterday to see what he thought. He said my knee had some swelling and that it might be some meniscus related degeneration or injury. He also discovered that the external rotator muscles on my hip were pretty weak. He asked if my knee turned inward when I biked. I have no idea, not really sure how to check that.

So I got some exercises to do to strengthen my hip. I am doing my hamstring strengthening exercises as well now. I am going to try to get back to my bike fitter to see if there is something they can do from the fit perspective to help my hamstring pain, along with my knee pain. The hamstrings are on both sides, so I think I have a position issue, or maybe just a severe flexibility problem. I am not sure yet. I don't like where my hands sit on the bars anyway, so I want to get that adjusted. I have some talking to do with the fitter no matter what.

So a frustrating start to my off season training with nagging hamstring and now knee pain.

Gobble Gallop 5k

A chilly morning here but the family was out for a 9:30am start to the Duluth Gobble Gallop 5k. There were nearly 3000 athletes for the 3 events they had (1/4 mile, 1 mile, and 5k).

I didn't have a goal time or anything like that heading into this race. I was just going to try and go as fast as I could. As we got underway it was SO CROWDED. I was mixed in with a bunch of walkers so it was nearly impossible to run in a straight line. It was slushy on the sides of the road so most everyone was in the middle making it even more crowded.

Since this was an out and back race, as the lead runners came back we had to all move to the right hand side of the road which didn't help matters much. So the second mile was really tough being squeezed in. Then after the last of the walkers went by the whole road was opened up again.

I was doing a run/walk, but not a specific time. I was looking at my watch and keeping an eye on my HR. I would run with it in the 170's for a bit and then walk until it was back into the 150's and then start running again. My pace was all over the place because of the crowds.

With about 1/3 of a mile to go, I was going to throw one last short walk segment in before I ran the last bit to the finish, but my friend Amy saw me and paced me through to the finish line. That gave me my fastest 400m time ever and also a new max HR record.

Overall time was 29:29. My last open 5k race that I ran, that I can find a record of was 15 years ago and I did it in 31:33. I have gone faster for a 5k both in training, and during my first sprint triathlon. I probably would have gone faster if the crowds were less.

So overall 742/2112, 393/792 men, and 31/69 in my age group. Solid middle of the pack which is what I expect.

It was fun, I didn't get injured, legs felt good, and then we went home to eat turkey, watch the Macy's parade on TV, and have a glass of wine.

Unique People at the YMCA

So snowy weather forced me inside to the YMCA for a brief core workout and run.

As I am doing my core stuff on the gym floor next to the walking track I have one person giggling away to whatever she is listening to on her phone, and another with headphones on who is belting out the "fast gospel songs" she requested from Siri when she entered the track.

An interesting afternoon that's for sure.

New Gear and Run Test

I ended up buying a Nox Vest which is a lighted vest that I can wear when I run. Since it is dark most of the time now, I wanted something more than the reflective vest that I also wear. It was obnoxiously bright, but I think it did the trick because the cars gave me a wide birth.

My training plan called for a 1 mile running test to see how fast I can go. So my plan was to go easy to start my 20 minute warm up, after about 10 minutes I began to add some short sprint segments, just trying to get my cadence up some without getting my HR up too high (thinking about spin ups on the bike), then back to slow before starting my timed mile.

I did most of the warm up time on the road, and then the measured mile on some clear sidewalk. It is a 3/4 mile loop around the school on the sidewalk.

My right hamstring started to tighten up a bit towards the end of my warm up, so I stopped a couple of times to stretch it. Haven't had an issue with either hamstring in a while so it was a bit frustrating.

Began my sprint mile, took 4 short walk breaks in there, just couldn't keep it up continuous. With about a tenth of a mile to go, my right hamstring seized up. I hobbled to the end of the mile.

I stopped my watch at that point, sat on the sidewalk and stretched. Then I walked/limped home.

This SUCKS. I wish I could run and enjoy running like everyone else I know in this sport. But my legs fight me all the time on this.

I don't think my hammy is too serious. I will ice it and stretch it and see how it goes.

Flip Turns

Only 3 of us today for swim class, and coach decided that she was going to work only on flip turns. We had discussed it some last week. There are several people who don't do them at all, and those that do, can use some serious work on it.

So after warmups we just did flip turn drills. Coach even put her suit on and demonstrated the drills, watched us underwater etc. It was really nice.

I joked with her that she is taking away the only advantage I have over others in the class by teaching them flip turns. It is often that the other swimmers catch me during the swim and then I pull ahead after the turn.

But I have a lot I can work on too. I tend to turn too close to the wall, I flip and rotate at the same time, etc. So it was good to reinforce the good habits.

But I didn't get many yards in today, so I may need to go to the pool tonight and get some more in.

I can't say it was an easy day, not a lot of yards, but a different workout thats for sure.

Winter Running

Fresh snow, clear skies and 9.5F this morning. Coldest run I think I have ever done. Still figuring out the layers to wear for different temperatures. I chose pretty well today, as really only my neck was cold.

The roads were plowed but still snow on the ground. Just a couple of slippery spots. In fact I had more of an issue running through the slightly deeper snow, more like sand. But really I could run with confidence for the most part.

Fast 400

Full class of six of us today for Tri-Swim class. After the warm ups, coach divided us up. 2 people in the "fast" group, myself and two others in the "Slower" group, and Katie our new swimmer doing her own thing.

I thought it was odd, that I was placed in the slower group, but whatever.

I wasn't feeling particularly fast today. Not like the last couple of swims. We started with some 200's which were good. Faster than normal but felt good. Then some 300 pulls, which were also fine. 

We finished with a 400 "strong" The 400 strong was meant to be strong as in forceful stroke, not in pace. So from the full reach forward through the pull and a final push out the back lots of power.

The first 150 of that felt great, I was feeling really fast, then as I began to tire the mechanics break down some. My arms were really tired by the last 100. So it was less an aerobic challenge than a muscle endurance one. My HR was up of course, but it was muscle fatigue. I finished it in 6:25, nearly a full lap ahead of the other people in the slow group.

So after the 400, coach says "Tim, I clocked you at 6:25, did you miss a 50?" She was serious too. Ah...nope, I did the full 400. So she says "well then you should be in that group" point to the faster group.

LOL, so I guess I am moving up in the world!

Good swim today. I am actually really happy with where I am starting this swim season. As I train through the winter, I should see some good results.

Tri-Bike Fit

So I have had my new tri-bike for a month now and I have not ridden it or anything. I needed to get a bike fit first. I scheduled my fit for today a few weeks ago. I got a call from Bob the fitter earlier this week asking if I can come at about 1pm as they were a bit short handed in the morning.

My fitter and main bike shop is located in St. Paul which is a 2:10 drive from my house. I have a local bike shop that I trust to do some basic maintenance and tune ups for me, but they don't do much with higher end road or tri bikes.

I drove down to the store and they were eating lunch when I arrived. So it worked out pretty good that I was able to change clothes, and get set up while they finished lunch. Bob and I discussed how a tri-bike fit is very different, what to expect, and what to look for. It was a very informative discussion.

Then we got underway. They use a GURU bike fit system which allows for computer control of the location of the various parts of the bike. So moving seats and bars and such up and down forward and back. The position is VERY different but our whole goal was to try and get a position that is aerodynamic, but more importantly comfortable. If I can't stay in that aerodynamic position because it isn't comfortable then the advantage is lost.

At times it kinda felt like the eye doctor. We would be in one position and he would ask if I like the first one...then move the seat....or this one? "One...or two....? 😃

It took about 2 hours from when I got there to go through the fitting. I even spent about 15 minutes just riding the fitting machine to ensure that the position was good. The whole experience was very positive, and I seemed to fall into a very normal category for fitting.

Then they needed to modify my bike to the fitting measurements. They were also going to clean up some of the cables which were dangling. They were going to try and get it all done before they closed, but they were not sure. I was prepared to spend the night if needed as I knew this was a possibility.

So I drove to the mall and walked around for a couple of hours doing a bit of shopping. Then I got the call from the mechanic that he was done. It wasn't nearly as bad as they thought it was going to be to clean up my bike and get all the stuff on it.

So now my bike is all set to go and it will go on the trainer tomorrow for a 90 minute ride.