Hot!

This adjective was made popular by Paris Hilton, & upon release, I'm certain she'll use that. However, I'm gonna use it to describe both the weather & the team performance.

The weather was sweltering both yesterday & today. Ayer, I did what was supposed to be a light brick workout that left me feeling like I did a long run over the Rick! I was a 4-5 mile bike ride followed by mere mile run & was completed in under a half hour but I felt exhausted, similar to a 2 hour workout. Concerned with this, I first rested a couple of hours then began an extreme hydration campaign throughout the day.

Sunday agenda- Key Biscayne Trilogy

This was the first of three in the series & was the only event this weekend. Due to this, it had over 600 participants & drew a top-notch field. Since I am a land lover, I got the swimmer, Jenny C., from our last event to swim again & she was the first female out on our wave (#5);the 2nd was only 4 seconds behind. I was very happy to team up with long time friend & cyclist Hector (team Orca), of the first relay I ever did. He was referred by co-worker & friend Christy, a triathlete herself. At that time, my services were requested by him. This time, it was the reverse. Although not as fast as (he) desired, he was only about 30 seconds off from the team we beat. Faced with being in 4th position, I brought my A game & took out the runner of the team (2nd co-ed) that just edged our cyclist before mile 1. Somewhere along the line, I past another team & helped to advance the team to 2nd overall relay. Fortunately, the top relay was an all male team, allowing us to capture the co-ed title;hot! I also broke 18 (17:45) in the 5k tri anchor; very hot! Plus, this was the first time I remember having the fastest relay swimmer; hot!

Honorable mention

* Micheal had a PB with 53 & change & placed 2nd, missing 1st by mere seconds!
* Jonathan completed the tri solo, 2nd time in his life
* Diane, teammate with Premier running, won her age group
* Jenny G completed her 1st ever triathlon solo!
* Louis N. competed
I apologize for anyone I missed. I saw so many friends out there.

Happy father's day

To all the daddies & potentials, like me, have a happy one.

For me, this weekend was disastrous. It was raining like cats & dogs on Saturday, enough to force me to do an indoor mini-duathlon. Worse, there were no 5ks. Although there was 1 event held today (reverse triathlon), I could not participate due to my aquatic handicap & the fact that the organizer did not allow for relay teams. Today was better in that I was able to work out in the morning. I decided to rock (using ipod) & roll (on my inlines). Note to file-the nike plus is ineffective with skates, other than using the time feature.

Keep up the training!

Track & feel

Since I could not find a standard race (5k), I accepted the challenge of the track. I decided to make this weekend one for speed training. Granted I could have done a duathlon, either here at Riviera beach (Multirace) or in the Bahamas (Publix series). Both Multirace & ESM offered a triathlon & duathlon. The former offered both for the relay & count toward their respective series, while the latter, only the tri but doesn't count toward their series. However, as an individual, both companies did allow completion to count toward the appropriate series. I could not get anyone to team up with me for the one in Palm beach county, as expected, because it is quite a drive. I am in the publix du series & would only that event, if I could afford to travel outside the U.S. Faced again with financial limitations, I chose to do a bunch of short (less than a 5k) races. Since I feel much better, I'll do the speed work.

Saturday agenda-Northwest track & field classic

The Miami Northwest express track club puts on this event, largely for kids & young adults, plus to promote its own agenda. The event drew people from various parts of the world, especially from the islands. Considering this event draws so many high caliber athletes, I entered it with the idea of using it as speed training. Since the organizers are well known for late starts & delays, I took care of personal issues prior to heading out. However, there were unexpected traffic delays & events that caused me to arrive at an untimely hour. Although I got there prior to the start of the 800 meter dash, I was not dressed & ready to run. By the time I was, the event went off, albeit early due to the combining of the submaster & master divisions. I had to wait around a few hours for the last possible race left- the 1500 meter run. Fortunately, I was able to get them to enter me, since the online registration didn't allow me to do such. Even though I was beaten by a few seconds by a rival master competitor, I still won my age group because he's in the next. I close out the day with the gold medal.

Sunday agenda-Northwest track & field classic

The Northwest track & field classic is actually a 3 day event that began on Friday. Naturally, I can't make a weekday, plus only a few events were held on that day. The workload increases as the event continues. Today was the final day for this running meet. Since I closed out with a 1500 meter event, I was fitting that I begin the day with that distance, only it was a race walk. This year, there were almost 4 times the people starting. Even though I started off last, I finished 3rd overall in the heat & top in age group. Next, the 3000 meter run. Similar to the prior event, I came from worst to first in age group. I was beat in the 1st lap, but those same kids were dropping like flies while I kept my pace. Although I lost to the same master runner, but now by a larger margin, I got past the female phenom who was on my relay team on the last lap. I ran a 100 meter dash that didn't count as warm up for the last event- 400 meter dash. This one was held like the 800 should have been-1 lap with only masters. To the surprise of all, including myself, I beat the field & captured the gold. I earned the 2007 MVP for my age category for this effort, plus for winning gold in all events I could enter (4). Having experience with their events, I brought peanut butter & jelly to eat through out the day and Accelerade for hydration. This event had no food & little drink for the athletes, therefore it can not get even a single star. However, for anyone, especially the spectators, you can buy hot dogs & such at the concession stand. I felt sorry for the dehydrated kid in the 1500 meter race walk who could not get even water from the nearby ambulance. Most races include the t-shirt with entry. I guess because it was low, you had to buy it. This race is reserved only for diehards.

Sick!

Yep, I got sick yesterday & it continued through today. Wanna know what else is sick? For the first time in my 16 year athletic career, I forfeited a major event without injury, in order to mitigate damages. AA refused to honor a promo ticket had I won, when I tried to book a flight to San Diego during the days I needed to participate in the rock & roll marathon. However, they were willing to sell me a ticket at a hefty price or let me use the promo to LA then I'd have to drive over an hour to get there. Note that, #1 I don't know the area & #2, the gas prices are nearly double over there. Don't forget, I'd still have to get a hotel, since a promo I got for that rejected the required dates.


New Sunday agenda-CHAI 5k


In lieu of the distant marathon, I decided to race locally. Two races were being held today- let my people run 5k & the CHAI 5k. Sick! I have to choose. I chose the latter under the "been there, done that rule" & ran at Markham park for the first time in ages versus Tradewinds. On top of that, I convinced Premier running, soccer & tri to enter the new corporate team category. They obliged & formed two teams. Team A had the fastest male runners & triathlete Diane (2nd overall female this race) & team B, I call the Silver-Bell team because the I was teamed up with the store owners, with Adrienne being the fastest female today! Although I was sick, with the grace of God, I managed to break 19 and get past two major competitors, one of which was in my age group, to win my age category. The master winner past both me & Dave of team A. If they went 3 deep, I would've squeaked in. Wanna know something else sick? Had I done this same time at the other race, I would've been second overall!

I need to rest because I am..... sick!