ZOOT Part II – The First Race

I previously posted a very positive review of my new ZOOT shoes (https://triforfun.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/who-gives-a-zoot/).  But now I wanted to follow-up with how they performed on race day.

The race was the Charlottesville Sprint Triathlon which concluded with a 5K trail run.  The ZOOT ULTRA OVWA’s performed well in transition.

ZOOT - OVWA from the Top

The hole in the tongue and the large pull loop on the back, combined with some Body Glide on the inside of the tongue and heel, made for an easy transition.  I was pleased as I headed around the grassy T2 area and onto the road and then gravel path towards the trail.

However, I was less happy when I hit the trail.  As an inexperienced trail runner I made a mistake in shoe choice as this shoe is NOT designed for the trail.  Although I had the shoe tight and my foot fit well and comfortably in the sock-like lining, I could not keep from jamming my toes into the front of the shoe on the trail.  This would not have happened, and did not happen, on the road portions of the run.  Additionally, the smooth bottoms did not provide good traction on the damp path, tree roots and rocks.

Would I blame the shoes for my fall (see race report at:  https://triforfun.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/charlottesville-sprint-triathlon-have-a-good-race-see-you-next-fall/), probably not .  However, they did contribute to my being very tentative as I slipped and slid all over the trail.

Overall, good shoe for T2 and for road races, but definitely not designed for the trail.

Charlottesville Sprint Triathlon – Have a Good Race, See you Next Fall

We arrived at the hotel Saturday night and our room overlooked the pool.  We had plenty of time to go to the park and look at the swim, drive the bike course (hilly!), get dinner (brick oven pizza) and for the kids to swim and tire themselves out prior to bed.  The pool was crowded with players from a Herndon baseball team who were here for a tournament.  I guess they didn’t do too well because the adults were drinking heavily (one guy to Alison “Am I walking straight?”) and they finally were dispersed by hotel security 15 minutes after the pool closed (way to represent Herndon folks!) ….ahh ready for a good night sleep… who was I kidding, all four of us were in one room!

It was a calm and quiet morning but not a cool one.  It was 5:15 when we left the hotel.  Alison and kids dropped me off at the park and then headed back to the hotel where the kids slept past 8 (that never happens when I’m home).  Set up was easy as I had a good spot in the entirely open bike racking area.  The water looked really still so I had nothing to do but warm up a little and wait.  I found Phil, the race organizer, and asked about Clydesdale prizes.  The web site indicated overall and age group prizes only, but did not call out prizes for the big guys. When Phil told me there would be prizes, I tried to switch from age group, but it was too late.

The time passed quickly and before I knew it, I was in the bath-like lake getting ready to start.  I was in the 3rd and last wave which started at 7:38.  The swim was as expected and went off without a hitch.  I drafted behind a couple of guys and then went to pass as we approached the second turn when for some reason the guy I was passing decided that was a good time to start breast stroking – POW – I got kicked in the shoulder.  No harm but I swam a very pedestrian 16:35.  Given the condition of the lake, this was a really slow time.

Transition went well but I made a last-minute change that I probably wouldn’t do again. Given that my bike was racked near the exit of the T1 area and the start of the bike was uphill, I decided at the last-minute to take my shoes off the bike.  This meant that I had to put my shoes on first and then run with my bike to the mount/dismount line.  I had never practiced this and should not have tried something new.  I stumbled with my shoes and don’t think I gained any time when getting on the bike.  Overall I lost time.

The bike was pretty good.  For some reason, it was easier than it looked when driving. My speeds ranged from a low of 9 mph going up hill to a high of 43 going down hill.  I’m not sure I had ever been this fast before but I was in the high 30’s/low 40’s a few times (for perspective, during the Tour de France, Thor Hushovd hit an amazing 69 mph as his high-speed).  I would have felt a lot better if other riders would have stayed right on the downhills.  I had to yell at more than a few “get right, passing” when I would have rather been solely focused on riding.  My bike time was 53:40.

T2 was again slow as I was tired, but off I went for my first trail run ever!  I was actually excited and very happy that the run was in the shade.  When I run, I really shuffle.  I don’t lift my feet high.  Well I paid for that during the first mile when I looked at my Garmin for a second and promptly fell over a tree root or something.  I went down on my left side, or the same side that I fell off my bike onto a few weeks ago.  Apparently I did a pretty good roll and continued as a woman called out “Are you OK?” and then when she was passing me said “Graceful!”.  I’m glad I was there to entertain her.

I struggled through the run but enjoyed it a bit too.  Though when I saw a 2 on the path I was really ready for the run to be over.  It had been a long morning.  When I completed my slowest 5K ever (29:38) I finished with an overall time of 1:42:06.  Not bad, but not really good either.  I had wanted to be under 1:40.  Unfortunately, this place 7th AG, but would have been 2nd in Clydesdale.  I will have a lot of room to improve and I will be back.

Stuart and Mark after the race.

This was a really good and challenging race…but I will definitely not fall again so my kids can’t joke about Having a Nice Trip / See You Next Fall!

Note:  Kudos to Mark Peters who did this race after having done the race in June. Amazingly, Mark improved his time in spite of the excessive heat!

My Bike Gets To Go on a Trip!

Last month my wife ran the Charlottesville Triathlon and placed 4th overall.  The prize was a very generous $200 gift certificate for a sports store….a sports store in Charlottesville…a sports store in Charlottesville that is not open on Sundays (day of the race).  We live almost 2 hours from Charlottesville.  What do we do?

It just so happens that there is another race in Charlottesville this month that is essentially a sister race to last month’s race.  So, because we have to go anyway to redeem the gift certificate, we might as well spend the night so I can race on Sunday! 

This will be an interesting race given that it will pose a couple of unique challenges:

• the air temp is going to be in the upper 80’s – 90 at race time
• the water temp was 86 yesterday
• the bike is 16 miles of hills
• the run is on a trail and I have never even trained on a trail!

At least their should be a good canopy of trees covering most of the bike and the run.

Pack up the bike and let’s go!

Update: Injured or Hurting – Time for Core Strength Training

It has been over a week since the DC Tri and I still have pain in my shoulder.  I went to a doctor I know and trust:  Dr. Raymond Thal at Town Center Orthopedics.  He is an outstanding shoulder, elbow, and knee specialist and former head ortho for the Redskins (don’t like the ‘skins…Go GIANTS, but like the doc).

Q:  Why do I trust him?

A:  He holds about 15 United States patents and 16 international patents for devices and instruments he has invented for arthroscopic procedures through his research efforts.  More importantly, he listens when you speak with him and over the past 10 years has operated on both of my knees successfully.

A couple of quick, simple tests showed significant weakness in my shoulder.   Hmm…..interesting that the chiropractor I saw never checked for that.  The prescription: PT and anti-inflammatory medication for 2 weeks.

I started PT last night.  Range of motion tests were positive and the pain is less than it was a week ago.  The focus is on rebuilding the strength and determining the cause of the weakness.  However, as the rotator cuff is suspected, I am not allowed to do activities for the next week that involve rotation or compression of the AC joint.

Hello Running, Leg and Core Strength Exercises!!

PS  For a very good race review of the Charlottesville Triathlon, see http://racingtales.wordpress.com/