Good News / Bad News / First Unofficial Half IM Tri

First, the bad news:

I signed up late for the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis this year because I wasn’t sure if my knee would be ready. Well, it’s ready. But I didn’t make cut. I hadn’t heard from LTF, so I went to the Expo Friday afternoon. They told me, “Nope, sorry.” I was really hoping I could do that tri. It would have been a blast, just like last year. Super bummer.

Turn bad news in to good news:

Instead of the LTF Tri, I did an unofficial Half-Ironman distance triathlon. Well, nearly. I swam 43 laps in the pool at the Y, drove home and hopped on my bike for 56 miles, got back and went for a run. At the end of my bike, my knee was getting a little sore, and it didn’t hold up well on the run, so I only ran 6.5 miles. The run was half of a half IM distance.

I swam at the pool at the Y. I did 43 laps in the 25 yard pool in 43:34 without using the walls to push off (to mimic open water swimming). Then I got out of the pool, dried off, left the Y, drove home, got my bike ready, made a little poopy, and hoped on my bike. Transition 1 official time was 23:34. Yeah, I’m hoping to take some time off of that during my half IM in 2 weeks.

I biked a hilly course and it was a windy day - perfect training for both the half IM in 2 weeks (Chisago Lakes Half IM) and IM WI in September. The news said the wind was 15-25, and it sucked. But it was good for me. I suppose. I went out on the Gateway and south on 55 nearly into Stillwater and back. Here’s a photo on the rollers at the turn-around point:

My knee got a little sore pushing against that wind, but it was holding up. I figured I wouldn’t try to kill myself on the run, and I’d just go as far as I could. I finished the bike with nearly a 17.5 mph average. My final time was about 3 hours, 10 minutes on the bike (3:23:20 actual time including stops). T2 was better: 4:44.

Then I hit the run. My knee was sore, so took it easy. I walked twice. I’ve NEVER walked on a run before, so that was a new feeling for me.

Unofficial Modified Half Ironman Triathlon:
• Swim: 43 laps (1.22 miles) in 43:34
• T1: 23:34 (drive home, get on bike)
• Bike: 56.3 miles in 3:23:20 (actual time including stops)
• T2: 4:44
• Run: 6.5 miles in 55:59
• Overall: 5:31:13 total time

Oh, more bad news:

I’m still losing weight. After WIBA and that HUGE meal that I ate (see the last post), I still ended up losing a half pound on the weekend. Pharmie and I were grocery shopping the other night, and she was buying me ice cream treats and burritos. She actually admitted to me that she was trying to fatten me up!

Good news!!!!:

When I met with my physical therapist last week, she said that I don’t need to see her anymore! I’m strengthening my butt and knee, and there’s not much more she said she could do for me. We both smiled, we shook hands, I thanked her, and that was that. Thanks for your help, Margi!