Mid-Summer Reflections

Well COVID has certainly changed our lives. I started out the year thinking that I would be opening a new office for my company in Phoenix and I was going to move there April 1st. With COVID quarantine, layoffs at my company, all of that was put on hold, and basically I know in my heart that it isn't going to happen for a long while now.

I have used this time to make myself better and I have been doing a bunch of training too. I don't know if races are going to happen or not this year, but I will use the time I have to keep improving.

The open water swim group has been a welcomed respite from the daily working from home routine. One of those swimmers celebrated his birthday with a group triathlon at his house followed by a couple of adult beverages. What a fun way to spend an evening and aside from everyone wearing a mask and social distancing, you wouldn't even know there was a pandemic going on.

My worlds race in Amsterdam was postponed a year, just as I suspected. But thats ok, it gives me another year to train for that distance. It turns out that biking 112 miles is a long way.

I am thankful for my health, my job, and my friends. I am lucky and I know it.

Positive thoughts always.

Bike Fail...Then Success

I had a 4 hour ride on my training plan yesterday. The weather was outstanding low 60's when I left, sunny and no wind. After a train delay, all hell broke loose. I felt great for this ride, the bike however, is not cooperating. Flat tire, 30 minute change. Then another 6-8 miles and it went flat again. With only the one tube, I then got a ride home.

Took the tire to LBS, pinched tube. All fixed. Get home, reinstall wheels and now the rear derailleur wont shift. I guess it is time to call it a day. I did take the bike to the LBS, he put it on the stand and it shifted fine. Go figure.

Frustrating, but nothing I can do.

Tried again today and there were no issues with the bike today! The weather was actually probably better today than yesterday as the temps were the same, but there was overcast skies most of the time. A great day to ride a bike.

For 3 hours the ride was great, I felt good and strong and then at 3:01 my body was like "nope, I'm done, my legs are tired, lets pedal home slowly." Looking at my last 3 laps of data its pretty obvious.

My legs were just jelly the last hour, so frustrating. I felt pretty good otherwise, I felt well hydrated this time and ate on my planned schedule. I felt hungry though. I wanted food and not gels.

Late in the ride I started to get a headache (still have it) and I don't think it is dehydration this time as I drank a lot. I am wondering if it is salt? I don't think of myself as a salty sweater but my kit had signs of salt sweat deposits. I drank only water for the last 3 hours of the ride. Perhaps I need an electrolyte drink.

So I guess I will keep working on my nutrition and hydration and my leg endurance. That's why we do these practice rides right?

But I hit my stretch goal today of 21mph and 85 miles. It was dead calm out so that helped. I am super happy and also super tired.

Lake Superior Swim

 Last minute announcement of a Lake Superior swim. It was such a fabulous morning. A little fog, no wind, upper 60's. The water was lower 60's but probably the same as the other lakes earlier this year. One of the reasons I like living here.

A Triathlon...Sort of

 A local friend wanted to do his own personal 70.3, so I decided to join him for the swim. I had a longer bike on the training schedule as I slowly ramp up to my first century ride, so I would do that alone and although I have started running again some, I am nowhere near capable of a half marathon.

There were 3 of us that did the swim today. It was flat calm out there and a good day to swim. The water is getting warm enough now that I am actually getting a little warm in my full sleeve wetsuit. I might need to use my sleeveless next time.

The 75 mile bike totally sucked.

I didn't feel good the entire ride. It started right away with my stomach just not feeling right and that lasted most of the ride. The last hour I just had nothing.

The weather was warm in the low to mid 80's for much of the ride. Being from Duluth, that is HOT, and much warmer than I am used to. I am 99% sure I am just super dehydrated. I just didn't drink enough before the swim and in transition and I just couldn't seem to get enough water while biking.

I figured I did 2 legs of a triathlon I should at least do some amount of running and finish it. I figured 1 mile was PLENTY! So just an out and back from my car. It was so hot. I was tempted to jump into the lake to cool off prior to my run. But honestly this would be a perfect triathlon for me. Medium swim, long bike, and a 1 mile run, all with untimed transitions!

It was fun and I am glad I did it. Keep learning.

Beautiful Morning for a Swim

 A few of us gathered at Skeeter's cabin on Shultz Lake for an open water swim, followed by a pot luck breakfast. It was the most amazing morning yet for a swim. Calm waters, warm temps, and good people. The time in the water is just an escape from the pressures of life, and chatting with friends and sharing a socially distant meal brings about a small sense of normalcy.

Turtles!

 I see a lot of wildlife on the road when I am biking. Birds, rodents, deer and even a bear. But today was the first time I have ever seen a turtle. I didn't see one I actually saw THREE. Two were right near each other trying to cross the road, and the third was probably 3 miles further down the road. Big snapping turtles it turns out.

Open Water Swimming

 Well the ice is off the lakes, and the water temp is kinda warm enough to start swimming. With the pools still closed due to COVID, I gotta get my swimming in however I can. There is a small group of local athletes that are going to get together 2-3 days a week to open water swim at the various lakes.

So far it has been Pike Lake and Island Lake, but we hope to hit a couple of others including Lake Superior this summer.

It is actually nice to get out and talk to real people and not just via Zoom or Teams meetings. I do 99% of my training alone anyway, but with COVID, my interactions with others has been limited, so this is good for me.