robeakin.com Triathlete

This Isn’t A Math Test

Sometimes you just have to admit when you're wrong. This is one of those times. I claimed (actually more like swore) to many people that Lance didn't have a chance of winning the Tour de France. However, it seems as though I forgot that sports isn't a math test.

So it may not add up. He's taken years away from the sport. He's past his prime. His team was set up to for Contador to win the tour. Everyone thought he was just trying to get exposure for his LiveStrong brand. None of it added up to a yellow jersey in Paris.

But after watching the first week of the tour, I will say I was wrong. It's still going to be an uphill battle (pun intended) to beat his teammate Alberto Contador but I'm saying he has a fighting chance. Yes, we got ourselves a game.

It terms of training, things are rolling along. As Kelowna gets closer, gone are the 100 km rides and 2 hour runs. Instead, they are slowly being replaced by shorter but faster workouts.

I've decided to schedule in a bike/run combo workout at the track once a week in the hopes of figuring out this running off the bike thing I've been struggling with lately. It was something I had trouble with in my first year of triathlon and so in preparation for Worlds last spring I did lots of little runs whenever I biked and combo workouts at the track. It seemed to really help and I haven't done any of that this year so I'm hoping six weeks of it (along with some solid running) will get things where I need them. 

Decided to take a pass on racing the Vancouver Triathlon (Half Iron or Sprint distance) this last weekend in favour of training hard. Having raced last weekend and taking Monday and Tuesday easy to recover, I didn't want to have to ease off the days before the race and leave myself only a couple of days of real training this week.

So instead I got to be spectator/stand-in coach (no Alan, I don't want your job but it was fun for the day). I ran around cheering and yelling out splits at Martina who came up just short of victory to Ironman (Ironwoman?) pro Lindsey Corbin and deserving a rental car with her name on it.

As for the boys, other than Facundo who ran away with the victory, I motivated them by yelling that Martina was coming fast and was going to catch them (as the boys started 4 minutes in front of the girls). Congrats to Ryan, Kamal, and Jeff for holding her off. Maybe next time Clarke and Choppy. It was also great to see Ben throwing down a 6th place finish in his first year in triathlon. Possibly preparing for a run at another Olympic gold but in triathlon this time?

I will say though, that standing on the beach with everyone else in their wetsuits warming up, all I wanted to do was hop in the water too and race. But the chance to race will come again. Soon.