Tri Training

Yesterday's snow left conditions too slippery to run outside this morning. The only time I could get in a workout was this afternoon at 5. Running on a late Friday afternoon, with nothing in my stomach, indoors at USP, is not my idea of an ideal workout.

Apparently this is a popular time for students, however, as the treadmills were all taken and I was left to go around the 1/10 mile-long track. Running that makes me dizzywith that constant going around and around. In part to relieve the boredom I did my second mile as a mini time trial to see if I could go sub-six on that wretched oval. I did a 5:30 effortlessly, but paid for it with a cramp in my right calf at lap 8 that still feels knotted. Those turns, which are sharp and almost constant, also put alot of strain on my left leg as the track is not banked. I cooled down for another half mile and then did a very lackluster 1.5 more miles on a treadmill that had opened. I did the latter miles because, as elitist as it might sound, if its under 4 miles these days I have a hard time counting it as a workout.

I also did this little time trial in preparation for the "triathlon" USP is holding in the ARC next week. Its a 2-mile run (either on the track or the treadmill), swim 300 yards in the pool (12 laps) and ride 5 miles on the stationary bike. I got talked into it by M., the asst. director there, who overcame my protests by appealing to my ego. I figured the prospect of beating a bunch of kids half my age couldn't but ease any midlife pains I might have. I've never ridden the stationary bikes there, but don't think I'll have a problem with that. However its the pool (I've also never swam for time, let alone competitively) which will give me the biggest challenge. But how hard can 300 yards be?

I'll let you how things go next Friday. I also will probably run that 5k tomorrow in Wilmington, so I'll probably have an LBRR (long boring race report) for tomorrow's entry.