And the results are in

The results of my triathlon yesterday have been posted, these are the official results. I was 25th overall! Not too bad. In the individual events, I was 75th on the run with a time of 24:09 for 3.2 miles. I know running first was going to help that run time! I was 13th on the bike with a time of 34:51 and an average of 21.2 miles per hour. In my estimated time I blogged yesterday that was taking into account the portions of the race where I run out of the transition area with my bike and run off of the bike back to my transition spot. Anyway, there time is exact pedal to pedal time. The swim time incorporates both of the transitions times I believe, because my swim time is listed as 8:10. I could to 300 Meters doing the dead mans float faster than 8:10, so I think the transitions are built into that time since they aren't listed anywhere else. My time of 1:07:11 was good for 7th in my division, although the top 2 males in my division were first, second, or third in the overall standings. That's why I was listed as 9th yesterday, because you can't win the overall title and win your division. There were 39 people in my division so 7/39 means I finished faster than 82% of my division. and I finished 25/327 which translates to finishing faster than 93% of the total field!

Compared to last year I finished 140/303 and in my age division 18/31. I think that is pretty good progress! Hopefully I'll do even better in my next 4 races this summer and have even more good finishes!

The odd triathlon

I did it! But it was a struggle. So I woke up this morning to rain, and temperatures in the low 40's. I was really concerned that they were going to cancel the race. So much so that I let Bridget go back to bed and let the kids sleep in, I ventured out on my own. Of course, it stopped raining and the sun even poked out for a while. So the Triathlon had already set plans in place to race in inclement weather, so even though the weather was OK (it was still really windy and cool, still in the 40's) they did a "reverse" triathlon. So we ran first, then biked, then swam. I was a little upset at first because the weather wasn't that bad, I thought we should go in the correct order and swim first. But no. So then to make matters worse they staggered the start in waves of 100 based on your race number. Your race number was assigned based on your estimated swim time, so all of us fast swimmers were the LAST to leave on the run. I really don't understand their thinking, I'll explain in a minute. So the run went really well, probably because I wasn't all tired out from having ran and swam. It was a 5K, and I hauled butt. I didn't have a watch on so I don't have an exact number, but I'd be surprised if it was over 25 minutes. The bike was awesome as usual, despite the wind. The wind was head on for all of the uphill sections and at our backs for the downhill. It was nice because it really killed a lot of bikers! I flew through it though, nobody passed me...and I passed a TON! I was a little disappointed in my MPH average of 19.5, but blame that on the head wind when I was only doing 12 or 14 MPH uphill. So then came the swim. So the nice part about swimming with people who correctly estimate their swim time is that you swim with people who are more or less going the same speed as you. Not the case with the jumbled start, I was stuck in spots....kicked in the face (twice)...elbowed more times than I can remember...and I had to wait at two of the turns (indoor pool) for slower swimmers to get out of my way just so I could turn. And forget about flip turns they were out of the question. On the final lap I was just content to finish next to this other guy, then as I was next to him I noticed his age division on his calf...he was in my age division! So I wasted time thinking the chances of him being in the same age group were remote, I only had about 15 meters to pass him. I went all out, he put up a fight. We exited at the same time but I mis-stepped over the finish line (only about 2 feet long, sensor cord to the race computers) and my finishing time didn't record, some lady grabbed my arm and made me go back over and it stopped. He beat me by 2 seconds on the final results, I was upset cause I could have just passed him easily at the start of the lap....don't know what I was thinking.

So the official results have not been published yet, I'll get them up as soon as I find out. Preliminary results have me in 9th place in my age group (30 - 34 is typically the most competitive because that it the "peak" for endurance athletes), with a time of 1:07 and change. I don't know where that pus me overall or my exact times in each sport. Last year on the same course in perfect conditions I finished in 1:16:36, so I was about 9 minutes faster in the wind even! Also if I would have entered the Clydesdale division (guys over 200 pounds) , I would have won the division by better than 5 minutes! But I refuse to enter as a Clydesdale because it seems like handicapping for larger or overweight people, and that's pretty much the opposite of where I am at right now in my life! So I'll post the official results in a day or two, should have a better idea of how I did overall then. I also won a raffle at the end of the race! I won 2 pounds of TwinLabs protein powder to make shakes out of. Says on the bottle, "great way to add mass"....just what I need! I'm trying to lose weight here people! I tried to trade with some guy who won $100 sunglasses but no go. Oh well, I might try some this winter in the off-season or when ever I hit my goal weight and need to start adding calories to maintain that weight. Since I don't have a goal weight in mind yet, I don't foresee me eating it anytime in the near future. And I don't want to take it and like it since it is expensive, $20 for 27 servings!

34 is my new friend!

I went shopping for shorts today, and yep 34 was the size! I must have been excited about that because I bought 7 pairs of shorts I think! I went to a local thrift store though, clothes are much cheaper that way. I really have no idea how long it has been since I have worn 34's. When I started dating Bridget I had 36's, I remember cause I bought a new pair of pants the day before our first date! In high school I was really overweight until my senior year when I lost a bunch of weight, but I think from my freshman year through my junior year I was in 38 - 40 range. So like I said yesterday I was at least Junior High when I was wearing 34's, but since I was overweight then I'm sure it was early junior high. Anyway, I hope that I keep losing weight and get even leaner, maybe at the end of summer I'll be talking about my new 32 inch jeans for fall! We'll see, one day at a time just keep chugging away at it!

In other news I am resting my legs today, no exercise. Saturday is my first triathlon of the season. I hope to write an awesome finishing time on Saturday afternoon for all of you to check out! So check in on Saturday, Bridget will have the camera maybe she can get some good action shots! Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed!

Inching closer!

I am inching even closer to that illusive 100 pounds lost mark. I stepped on the scale today and was at 91 pounds lost! I have been recording everything I eat, their calories, and my exercise on an e-mail that I send to my friend Nick. It has really helped me, for one it adds accountability to what I am eating. It also helps keep me motivated because I keep wanting to hit my caloric mark everyday without going over. Anyway it is cool, and I am really happy to be inching closer to the goal!

Tomorrow I am going to buy some shorts for summer and I think I'll be looking at the 34 inch waist sizes! All of the pants that I bought in November were 36's, and now they are loose in the waist. I think I was wearing 38's when I was in the 9th grade, so you would have to go back to junior high (maybe even 4th or 5th grade) to find the last time I was wearing 34's! I just keep plugging away at it, one day at a time!

Another great day!

Today was really one of the best days we have had in a long time. Bridget had the day off so we decided to go with the Partners in Medicine playgroup which was "Mommy and me movie time" which is when they let all the kids and strollers into the movie theater, they only dim the lights 1/2 way, the volume is supposedly turned down (although the kids all covered their ears when the movie started) and it is acceptable to let your kids run around the theater during the movie. So we saw Horton Hears a Who, and it was a really good movie. Sydney really liked it, and the popcorn! After that we went to the California Pizza Kitchen, I have fallen in love with their salads...they are to die for! Then we walked around the mall for a while and came home. We then took Bridget's mountain bike and my road bike to the shop for tune ups. After that I went for a run, and wouldn't you know it was like the greatest run I've had in a long while. Get this, 8 miles....non-stop....1 hour 9 minutes 42 seconds....breaks down to 8 minutes 42 seconds per mile! I felt great and I really ran well, this after I ate more Easter chocolate yesterday than I'll ever admit to anybody yesterday!!!