A Tri-rific Day

Happy happy PR face!

That's the best I can do for a headline. Today, the training plan called for a 30-minute run and 30-minute swim. I ended up completing all the legs of the triathlon in a hybrid training day/virtual race. Amanda wrote about the Jelly Bean Virtual Race, and I signed up to do the 5K and 10K run, along with the 21K bike ride. Because of my triathlon training plan, I figured I'd end up doing both within the April 1-8 time frame. The Jelly Bean Virtual Race isn't actually a race; the prizes are random based on entry alone, so if you're looking for something to motivate you to get out there this week, check it out.

Again, I didn't do the sports in order. I started with the 5K and ended up pushing to a new PR, finishing in 24:10, which was a full minute faster than my last PR a few weeks ago. It was hard, and I felt like puking at the end, but I'm really proud of myself. With any luck, at the end of the summer after the marathon I'm training for, I can run in a not-virtual 5K and place in my age group.

Next, I hit the pool. I've said it before, but swimming is so much more pleasant post-lesson. With my new gym membership, I have multiple locations I can go, so I went to the location near my house. It was a total hell hole. There was hair on the walls of the showers, mold on the ceiling and general grime everywhere. Also, absolutely no toiletries to be found. Nonetheless, I hit the pool and swam laps, along with doing the drills Coach Judie recommended.

Post swim, I went shopping, because that's what I do. Later, Tim decided he wanted to go for a bike ride. We got our bikes tuned this week by a guy I found through my old boss. If you're in the Chicagoland area and need bike work, I've got a guy for you. For $83, I got both bikes tuned up, Tim's bike's handlebars wrapped, Tim's bike's brake cord replaced and my pedals swapped out.

We drove to Busse Woods and I finished 15.36 miles in 54:40. It was much better than my ride there a few weeks ago, and didn't include falling on my face. I did go off the trail at one point, but I managed to stay upright. I got muddy, but not bloody, so I'll take it. For the Jelly Belly 21K (13 miles), my time was 44:06.

Please note the helmet on top of my car in this photo. Guess where that helmet ended up? That's right, I forgot it, then Tim started to drive away and noticed it fall off the top of the car. That was my genius move of the day.

Now, I'll be celebrating with a cold one, paired with ribs topped with Tim's secret rub, grilled sweet potatoes and my favorite roasted cauliflower.