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March 17, 2009
Wow... what a few weeks Team Tri Life has had! We have been racing fools. A few people have had great days; some others didn't quite meet their goals, but lessons were learned in these early season races. So... how did it go... (This is long... I'm hoping you can take the time to read it:)
- Billy... I don't think any of you know Billy. He is a helicopter pilot in NorthernBC. He works 2 weeks in camp and then is out for 2 weeks. He raced at Ironman New Zealand a week ago, and despite a flat tire and a never ending cold in January he had a best time. He was not able to get the run training in that he wanted, but a faster swim and faster bike allowed for a pretty darn good day! 10:20... GOOD JOB Billy! You will get to meet him at Great White North as he'll be traveling to race with our team!
- Sharon is another team member that most of you don't know. She started with TTL a few months ago and came to this event thinking she didn't have much run training in and looking for around a 44 min 10k. (Sharon used to be a very competitive runner. Her 10k PR is 40:11 so she's speedy!) At St. Patty's Day she surprised herself after a blistering fast start to hold on for 6th in her AG in 42:51.
- Trish... We set our sights on Trish breaking one hour in this race. We've learned however that she runs better the day after a run, and that icy courses are not ideal for racing for Trish. She finished in 1:02 which is a bit slower than last year's 10k but a really hard effort.
- Ken... Ken had no idea what he could do. He was hoping to break 40 min and was close with a 40:35. This is a great early season race for Ken.
- Leana... Another PR... Leana took a few minutes off her best 10k ever with a 57:?? finish time on an icy course with a cold! Her big goal is to break 30 min in a 5k... a time that has eluded her thus far. I don't think it will be a problem based on this result!
- Michelle S.... Her best 10k was 61 min at Melissa's a year ago. She NEVER EVER thought she could run a sub 6 min k. Well, she proved she can, avg'd a 5:45 km and had a 4 min PR at the other St. Patty's day race in Eau Claire! CONGRATS!
- Stephen... At the ripe old age of 42 our resident doctor pulled off a spectacular 1:20 PR on an icy 10k course without run only training! Apparently all those hard bike workouts are paying off along with the swim and run workouts. Congrats Stephen...41:29. I suspect there will be more where that came from.
- Tracey... she didn't hit the mark she was shooting for. I have to say that Tracey's goal time was a realistic one too. For some reason her legs didn't have it today and while 45:18 is a GREAT 10k time, it's not where she wanted to be. Tracy has been working hard at her running. This is a blip... one that I am sure she is soon to beat.
- Kelly... what can I say. We are working at getting Kelly to train at higher HR's. I've been pushing her into zones she hasn't seen before and this race proved she can work harder than she thought she could. Kelly typically sits at 72 min for a 10k... today she was 70. This is only the start of best times for Kelly.
- Kelvin... when he started with TTL he wanted to work on his running. Despite a sore ankle (which he neglected to tell me about) from the half marathon he ran 1 week earlier, he set a PB by close to 2 min for the 10k distance and broke the elusive 50 min mark! GREAT job Kelvin!
- Kori... she is new to this racing thing! Her background is skiing, and she has at times found running and swimming akin to a torture session. I am happy to report that she had a GREAT 5.7k race on Sunday and actually was smiling about the whole experience! This is a great step moving forward to the Irongirls OD race she'll be doing in Vegas in May!
- Sarah P. .. Sarah was the 3rd place woman in the Vegas Half Marathon a week ago. She had not been running for 2 weeks prior to that due to a bizarre pain in her foot. On a course that went uphill for 7 miles then descended for 6 miles (the same one Kelvin did) she was able to run her half mary PR AND get third! WAY TO GO! (Second place went to her sister Lara who took the finish line by a shoelace!)
- John B... another PR for John B... He has been having some issues with his calf, and it didn't magically disappear during the race. Despite that he "raced" through discomfort and saw a new best time for the 10k distance at 48:48! GREAT job John!
- Doug Barker... Doug didn't quite hit the mark he was looking for in this race. 43:20 and 5th in his AG is an awesome time, but not quite in the 42 min range that he was hoping for. A niggly in his hamstring was a factor, but he's looking after it and should be really good to go for the next one. He decided he likes half mary's more than 10k's! They don't hurt as much!
- Christine F. from Strathmore has had a bad spring. A few falls on ice really affected her training leading up to this race. In the end, her time goal didn't happen, but she was there. With the spring she's had this was a MAJOR accomplishment!!! I was very proud of her for making it to the start line. She is doing her first Half Mary at the Police Half which is very exciting! No more falls CF!
- Carla... A GREAT PR by Carla! Her first 10k EVER under 50 minutes! She executed well and snuck it in at 49:57 which is outstanding! Carla is new to TTL and the training is paying off! CONGRATS!
- Cindy... Cindy isn't training with us at the moment but will be back soon! She still deserves a mention with her 10k PR also! 50:21 down I think about 1:30 from her previous best last year at the Icebreaker! GOOD JOB Cindy!
- Nola started the day with a plan to take it easy! It might not have been her best 10k, but she raced it at a very respectable "race worthy" heart rate and finished in 53:45! She was really there for the beer although she didn't win it! Next year Nola... next year!
- Sarah D... I haven't actually talked to Sarah yet, but I looked up her time! It's not a PR for her but a descent early season race. She finished 7 / 36 in her age group. I look forward to hearing about it Sarah!
- Susan G... Susan is our Vancouver athlete who had a HUGE 8k pr about 6 weeks ago, then a HUGE half mary PR 3 weeks ago. She raced another half mary this weekend and was hoping to see a best time yet again. Unfortunately the running Gods weren't with her on this race, and it was a tough go from the get go. It was her second fastest 21.1k race EVER in 1:42:36 with her fastest being 1:39 and change. Good lessons learned and I suspect we'll see another PR from her in the not to distant future.
- I guess that leave me! At the ripe old age of 41 (pushing 42) I ran my fastest 10k to date. It hurt, and at 7k I was wishing for a sprained ankle! Unfortunately I stayed upright to finish in 45:07 and 6th in the women's 40 - 49 age group which I am pretty darn happy with. I've been working hard at my running speed, and was pleased that it's paid off. I set a goal of 44:59 and was disappointed to miss it by the smallest of margins. On the other hand, a PR is a PR and I'll take it!
I think that's all. Thank you to Toni for cheering us on in her great TTL jacket! As a team we looked spectacular and made quite an impression! If I need to add anything please tell me. There was a lot of racing this weekend and I will feel terrible if I miss somebody!
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