HTT #13

Skipped Saturday's Transition practice to sleep in.

Monday, Ala Moana, 5:30.

short version:
warm up swim, 10'
3 rounds of 200m swim, 1 mile run
1 mile cool down run
core, stretching

Long version:
Damn, that sucked. The first loop was the worst. I did the swim, made a fast transition where I just used my water bottle to rinse off my feet and pulled my shoes on. I didn't even dry off the feet or tie the laces. Headed out on the run and about 30 seconds in doubled over from my stomach cramping. I must have swallowed water, and my tummy wasn't happy. I tried to throw up a bit, but it didn't work. Kept trying to go on, then grinding to a halt. Eventually I managed a slow and stiff jog while I seethed at all the others who were passing me. Finally, the last of my group went by and I got pissed enough to force myself to hang on. I still felt like crap when I got back to the transition.

Then I got in the water, and from then on everything was fine. I don't know what that first lap was about, but I got out of the water the second time and gingerly started the run, and...nothing. I was ok. What the heck? I took it easier than I should have, but at least I didn't have to stop this time.

Third round was better still. Not great by any standard, far slower than I'm happy with. My breathing was so ragged that as I gained on a couple of other runners, they heard me coming and told me I should take it easy. I just said I was having a bad day. They were probably right, but I felt that I hadn't been able to give a hard effort on the other loops, so I should at least do what I could for this one.

I don't know why today sucked so bad. I ate some chicken and rice around 4, but I figured that would be out of my system by 5:30, perhaps not. I also don't get why, even after the stomach issues were gone, could I not get the breathing under control. I wasn't going fast at all, I know I can go faster than that, but the breathing was slightly asthmatic.

Oh well, when we did this workout last year, I couldn't even finish. I was out at the start of the second lap from stomach issues. At least this time I got through it. Thank heavens you go from the swim to the bike in a triathlon instead of directly to the run.