Bit By the Bug: Triathlons

Been a while since my last update but that's not to say I've been a slouch...

Though it would be unfair to say I've been eating entirely healthy and honestly have seriously come up short in my efforts to tame the craving (read: late-night Mama Celeste microwave pizza, double helpings of apple crisp after a cup of ice cream from Annabelle's, etc.) Really none of it is warrants a photo (had I remembered to do so...) because it's quite a trainwreck of poor eating decisions. In the midst of all this chocolate, sugar and unnecessary carbs, I was left to my own devices and revisited some simpler foods. Check out this chicken soup (with stars!!!) for comfort food on Friday afternoon after spending two hours outside of a cafe reading in the cold wind:


And here's a personal creation of rice, black beans, mushrooms and what I thought was guacamole (it turned out I ingested way too much pesto - B-May told me three days later...)

But, regarding the exercise portion of the equation...it's been alright! B-May and I have taken off as the average mileage of our runs is comfortably capping around 6 or 7 miles. A 5K is no problem and it's becoming easier and easier to do 5 miles. Sweet! And I got my bike tuned up for a reasonable fee and have sweet new handlebar tape in addition to responsive brakes and tighter shifting. It's like an entirely different bicycle and I love it. Must remember that big mile days are also for the bike - not just running! '

So there's a reasonable account of my eating and exercise during my weekend off from blogging. But I must mention in some detail the coolest part of the weekend: I went to a triathlon! The Lobsterman Olympic Triathlon in Freeport, Maine. My coach, Brad, was competing in his third race of the year and with 32 miles of forward motion behind him in under 3 hours! he totally crushed it. This dude is 53 years old and he can move.

So here's a brief narrative: This is Brad just before he hits the water. Notice his wetsuit - they were required by the race directors given the water temperature of 62 degrees. Some people could not unzip their own suits when they got out; their hands were too cold.
Here's all the masochists just before the race, getting a warm-up dip. I was wearing two sweaters when this photo was taken...Yeah.

With the first leg of the course complete - a mile-long swim, the triathletes hurry through the throngs of spectators and bee-line it into their first transition to the bike.

This is the transition area, a vast collection of expensive endurance equipment. There are over 700 bicycles, wetsuits, pairs of running shoes and lots of other cool stuff. It was guarded from spectators but I did manage some close-up shots, satisfying my inner gear nerd.

And here is the same zone after all swimmers got out of the water and onto their bikes - like a storm tore through.

Brad was by no means the last swimmer out of the gate onto the bike. Rather the opposite; he swam a mile in just over an hour and set off blazing on his 26 miles ride. And just before his three-hour mark, Brad spirits down the finish chute. And thus ends the race. While I did not compete myself, I had plenty of time when Brad was not whizzing by to contemplate how I wanted to get ready for next season. Being surrounded by athletes and the spirit of the race, I can say with certainty that I have been bit by the bug.

With that, I am off to hike in the White Mountains for the day with B-May as part of my cross-training, and an opportunity to enjoy a sport we haven't practiced much in a long while! Pictures to follow...

Later!