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Yes, this is a problem. But one I have accepted since everyone else looks like me. LOL
WOW… What a year. I decided to do Triathlons in December 2005 and ventured out into the pool for a 100 yard swim as the last leg of a backwards Triathlon in which I thought I was going to die. And even faced with death, I ventured on to another one, and another, and yet another.
2006 was tiring. I’m going to pick and choose those special races for this coming year. I will be very selective. There are some races I wished I had done last year that I definitely want to do this year. But one thing’s for sure: I vow to do the Olympic Distance LA Triathlon to ‘cap’ the season. So this year will be the year of the Olympic Triathlon. 2008 will be a Half Ironman!
Here’s a review of those races I finished in 2006. And even though the year was filled with long awaited anticipation from race to race, the year seemed to come and go and now, I have a full year of Triathlon and endurance sports under my belt.
February 12, 2006
My first Tri: The 7th Annual Redlands Triathlon. It was the “Quitting is better than Dying” race. Each stroke I took I thought would be my last before passing out in the pool leaving the lifeguards to do what they do best. But I ‘reached’ and ‘pulled’ in poor technique and it finally got me to the stairs and it was over. Immediately after I crossed the finish line I questioned if I would ever race Triathlon ever again. Thirty minutes later, I realized I was addicted.
- Race: 5K Run | 10 Mile Bike | 100 Yard Swim
- Final Time: 1 hour 17 minutes 20 seconds.
On February 11th of this year, I will go back and confront the same challenge with more experience, a faster bike, and a better swim stroke. I can’t wait to crush my 1 hour, 17 minute and 20 second final time!
April 9, 2006
And two months later I raced the UCLA - IronBruin Triathlon! This was a fun and challenging race for a beginner Triathlete. Running trails and up stairs were tough. Climbing the hills with a bike was tougher. And follow all that with another half mile run to the pool – up a hill! This was the “Pee causes Bladder Havoc for Triathlete… (more)” race.
Race: 4 Mile Run | 10 Mile Bike | 400 Meter Swim
Final Time: 1:49:38
Breakdown:
0:37:15 Run (4 miles)
0:02:27 T1
0:42:51 Bike (10 miles)
0:03:50 T2
0:06:54 Run (0.5 miles)
0:16:22 Swim (400 meters)
I’m going to add this to my 2007 schedule because it’s such a fun race! And I’m going to kick ass!!!
June 10, 2006
I missed two Triathlon races between the April 9th and June 10th. It was very hard because the “A” race of the year was set for May 7th. A prep race was set a week before. I was sick for the prep race and DNS (did not show), and on May 7th I DNS as I was up north for my cousin’s memorial service who passed away a week before. I was, needless to say, very emotional.
Ottie, Rest In Peace…
But on June 10th, I ventured out into a Lake for the Los Angeles Tri Express Series #3. It was my first ‘open water’ type swim. This was my, “Screw That Never Quit’ Idea” race. For me, it was a turning point in my Triathlon ‘career’: so-to-speak. If I had quit, my career would have been over. When I crossed the finish line, I knew ANYTHING is possible. I knew, with hard work and dedication, I could and would someday be, an IRONMAN!
Race: 400 Yard Swim | 8 1/3 Mile Bike | 4 Kilometer Run
Final Time: 1:18:01
Breakdown:
0:13:51 Swim (400 yards)
0:03:32 T1
0:33:38 Bike (8 1/3 miles)
0:01:18 T2
0:25:42 Run (4 kilometers)
June 25, 2006
Every Tri I had up till June 25 had been tough. It never was pretty, nor easy. I experienced it all. A DNS and now a DQ… I DQ’d in the San Bernardino 20th Annual Tinman Triathlon. Yes, I got disqualified for making a wrong turn on the bike course. I finished the race, I just didn’t ‘finish’ the race. When I finished I was so pumped, so jazzed, it was a biking challenge really, and I had to walk ¼ of a mile up a hill. But I survived. Unfortunately… I screwed up. It was my “I got DQ’d from a Triathlon” race. Trust me, I learned from that huge mistake.
July 8, 2006
I had planned to get my family involved in this endurance sport addiction of mine. Get them to at least participate in a relay. It kinda worked. But then my nephew couldn’t do the swim portion of the Triathlon Relay so my cousin and I settled on a Duathlon where I’d run 5K then bike 16 miles, and he’d anchor it with a 5K run (in the heat) at the July TRI for FUN Summer Duathlon (relay). It was ‘our’, “1st Annual Family Duathlon Relay Race.” Although it was just Desmond and me, it was still fun. We had a lot of support: Sherry, Jessica, Drew, Donna, Bella and Jake were there to cheer us on!
Race: 5K Run | 16 Mile Bike | 5K Run
Final Time: 1:53:44
Breakdown:
0:28:02 Glenn’s Run (5K miles)
0:01:42 T1
0:55:58 Glenn’s Bike (15.94 miles)
0:01:00 T2
0:27:02 Des’ Run (5K)
We, “The Triathlete Nuts,” came in first place in the MALE RELAY division and first place in the RELAY DIVISION OVERALL!!! Note: we were the only Male Relay by the way. But hey!!! We beat the female relay and the coed relay and we got a HAT as a prize!
And then came my first open water swim…
August 27, 2006
Yes, my first OFFICIAL open water swim. And was I scared? HELL YEAH. They said the waves were bigger than expected. That made it harder. I almost quit before it started. It was also COLD at the Imperial Beach Triathlon & Duathlon. But you know what, with the help of a ‘swim buddy’ I made it through and actually was looking forward to another open water swim. This was my, “Thank God for Swim Buddies!” race.
- Race: 1/2 K Swim (500 meters) | 15 K Bike (9.3 miles) | 5K Run (3.1 miles)
- Official Results
Swim (500 meters): 0:20:56 = 4:11 per 100 meter
T1: 0:04:19
Bike (9.56 miles): 0:31:09 = 3:16 per mile / 18.41 mph ave speed
T2: 0:01:50
Run (3.3 miles): 0:30:48 = 9:20 per mile / 6.43 mph ave speed
Final Time: 01:29:02
This race was inspiring. It was fulfilling. It was everything a Triathlon event should be and more…
That is until…
September 10, 2006
And here I was. Standing in front of eight foot waves for my true “A” race of the year. The Los Angeles Triathlon!!! I was more in shock than fear as I stood there watching the waves crash on the Triathletes before me. I watched them suffer, I watched them topple, I watched a few Triathletes helped out of the water, I watched some quit. But this was my race. This was the race I trained for. And everything I learned was going to be put to the test. No, not the techniques, or managing endurance, or transition tips, it was the one thing I learned and the one thing I preached to Jacob. How to have ‘Courage’. This is where you practice what you preach to your young son. This is where you face your fears and you bury your face in the dark (literally) and you dig deep, reaching deep inside your gut, and you fight to hold your breath, and you have faith that there will be light and much needed air even when you can’t hold it any longer. And sure enough, just when all seems to be lost, all is found. And guess what… you have to hold your breath and do it all over again.
COURAGE!
The LA Triathlon was a life changing event. Read my, “Los Angeles Triathlon Race Report.”
When I came towards the finish and saw and heard Donna, Jake, Bella and my mom cheering me on, I teared up. They had NO IDEA what I went through. They had NO IDEA what went through my mind moments before I got my feet wet. They had NO IDEA how my heart raced as I took those few steps to the finish - and it wasn’t racing because of aerobic activity. I did the race alone… but I was never alone. I thought about each one of them almost every stroke, almost every revolution of my pedals, almost every single step I took. As I turned the corner towards the crowds I could not wait to see them. They, above anything else in this world, were my inspiration. My family got me through this. I just went to the gym and trained.
This past year I only did the sprint. This year it will be a pier to pier and back to pier swim. An Olympic distance Triathlon.
Will I have enough courage? You better believe it, brother! And I CAN’T WAIT!!!
Race: 645 Meter Swim (.4 miles) | 20 Mile Bike | 5K Run (3.1 miles)
Official Results
Swim (645 meters): 0:29:02
T1: 0:04:54
Bike (20 miles): 1:17:16
T2: 0:05:29
Run (3.1 miles): 0:32:45
Final Time: 02:29:26
I capped the year with a couple races. You know, the tradtional type. The one where you just run. And I just didn’t run 5Ks. I did a 5K, a 10K and finished the year off with the longest distance I’ve ever run to date, a half marathon!!!
October 7 - Saucony Three Point One (Final 5K Time: 25:51)
I dragged Bella and Jake along and they ran the kiddie race.
November 5 - The KOST 103.5 and KCAL 9 Yule Log Jog (Final 10K Time: 55:19)
I dragged Donna along for her first 5K race!
December 3 - The City of Angeles Half Mary (Final 13.1K Time: 2:24:44)
Steve dragged me along as I struggled to the finish line!
So there you have it. My race year in review. Seven Triathlon events and three running events! Whew! 2007 is going to be bigger, better and badder than ever!!! I can’t wait.
Bring it on!