Back again.....

Well, it's been too, too long since I posted. I've continued to do triathlons - so I've decided to start posting again. Not sure how often or how many of these I'll do - or how training specific it will be.

But, if the secret to getting ahead is getting started....let's begin...

First, a review. After finishing the TNT program and the Philadelphia race, I did two other races
in '08 - Montclair and Nation's. Montclair was more than a sprint, less than an international distance race - and was really, really hot. Several other TNT'ers joined me for that race. generally a fun course.

Nation's was a lesson learned. I relied on my base fitness to get me through it - thinking that alate September race would be a nice way to spend the day. I maintained most of my training but didn't dedicate. Unfortunately, Mother Nature got in the way. Weather the day of the race was a very unusual 95F with humidity in the 90's also. It was miserable. I saw several racers getting IV's on the course, a biker almost go over the side of Whitehurst freeway, and lots of people suffering. I was one of them. I hurt the entire race. Swim was hard, Bike was painful - back and legs were aching. And, the run was not fun. The lap around Hains Point was one of the more un-fun things I've done.

That said, I finished. And I finished - and only a minute or two off my Philly time. I saw that I was going to be close to breaking that time, put a kick in to sprint to the finish - and felt my left hamstring pull. "Pull" is such an understatement and doesn't do justice to what it felt like. I had hit the carpet, 100 yards from the finish line, the hamstring pulled - and I nearly went down. I was going to finish, even if I had to crawl.

The finish pictures are pretty funny. Along with all the TNT'ers raising their hands in triumph, I limp across the finish line, holding my leg like I've been shot. Hot, exhausted, in much pain - I was swarmed by EMT folks thinking I was having heat stroke or a heart attack. When I brushed them off and said "cramp! cramp!" - they all but disappeared. I think there were molks folks in more dire straits that day.