Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A triathlon, a DNF, and goals for the rest of the season

I ran the Nation's Triathlon in DC on September 9. This race is great because they close all of the roads to the southwest of town, including large parts of Constitution, Independence, Rock Creek Parkway, Canal Road, and the road around Hains Point (which Spencer ran with me the other month). Lots of new pavement made the bike course a bliss. My swim was abysmally slow, but not having been in the water at all since the Boulder 1/2 iron in August (and before then not at all since the Rock Hall triathlon in June), I couldn't complain. My bike was not fast, but OK, and I was happy with the 10K run split. Overall 2:20 and change, my 4th fastest time for the distance.

Last Wednesday I took the start for the Last Chance 1200K (cycling), departing Louisville, Colorado for Kensington, Kansas and back at 3 a.m. After a hot and dry summer all across the country -- and after it was 95 degrees and sunny driving to Louisville the day prior -- we rode all day in 50 degree rain. I made it 208 miles to St. Francis, Kansas, and quit. A whimpering end to what was until then a great season of cycling.

Between now and the end of the semester I have a few things on my plate. I'm signed up for the Oil Creek 100 mile, but I won't run it. If my buddy J__ feels up for it, I may show up and run the first loop -- 50 kilometers -- just to enjoy the fall and the beautiful running near Titusville, Pennsylvania. Nice thing about that course is that the serious hills guarantee you will run slowly. I want to PR at the 1/2 marathon distance in early October at the Wilson Bridge Half. And I'm taking my yearly crack at a 3:00:00 marathon in Las Vegas on December 2.

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