Thursday, August 13, 2009

Race ready

Ok, maybe not ready. But I am racing! Xterra Portland at Hagg Lake on Saturday. I picked an off-road triathlon because it offers soft surfaces and the potential that my slowness on the run will be less noticeable in the technical terrain post-mountain bike riding.

The deciding factor: I went on a 48 minute run last Sunday and my foot/PF felt good. No early run stiffness or painful stretching of the plantar. No ankle rolling. No shooting pains on sharp turns. Even managed to run downhill without curling my toes under or putting on the breaks. Also absent were the post-run arch cramps (though this could be do to my pre-run ibruprofen).

I kept it easy by playing Sarah McLachlin on the iPod and focussing on keeping my breathing easy. I picked a trail in the Peavy Arboretum that would allow me to bail at any point in my planned 50-minute run... thanks to the several cross trails and loops that form the Calloway Creek Trail system on the NE corner of the research forest. The only thing... I got tired. Fast (or slow?). It's going to take a bit to get my endurance up again.

But, I am racing! And better yet, I am planning on racing for real in the fall. I have my eye on one of two Half marathons in the late season. Amica Insurance Seattle Half Marathon or a Half Marathon in Eugene that Gerhard mentioned. The Seattle one is great because it would allow me 6 weeks of base building (which I desperately need) and 4 weeks to work on speed before a week or two tapor. What do you think? Of course, there is always cyclocross... there was no question there.

Regardless, find me at the Xterra Portland Triathlon this Saturday morning, the Oregon State Crit Champs this Saturday afternoon (I realize these are the same day), and the Portland Freshwater Triathlon on Sunday the

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