Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Xterra Lory 2011
'It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.'
-Andy Warhol
1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 4.8 mile run
6500' elevation, Lory State Park, Fort Collins area
I love this race. It's a beautiful course, well organized, fun atmosphere, a great way to finish out my triathlon season. My main goal for this race is to take some time off the bike. I did the course at a pace of 9.0 mph 2 years ago (bike course was different last year) and the realistic goal is for 9.4 mph but my secret stretch goal is 10 mph. I know it'll be a hot day, predictions are for 90's and the sun is already blaring at 7:00 a.m. so I don't want to push the swim for maybe a minute or two of time gain. I know the run will be tough in the heat but I'm going to keep my focus run it as hard as I can. I'm frustrated with my running this year and this is my last chance to improve.
I don't have any goals for placements. There are 12 people signed up in my age group and I know 2 are way faster than me but I don't know about the rest nor do I know who will actually show up so setting a placement goal is pointless.
For the second weekend in a row I'm headed north up to Fort Collins in the pitch black and hoping not to run into any drunks or deer. Or drunk deer. I start off the journey by watching a guy next to me start to turn into oncoming traffic on a 55 mph highway as I wait at a red light. I honk at him not knowing what else to do and this works in that he stops but he doesn't back up out of harm's way and I can see cars starting to come at him off in the distance. He sits there for a bit sticking out in traffic then finally decides to do a U-turn in front of me on the red light with the oncoming traffic getting ever closer. Thankfully he pulls this off and takes off in the opposite direction.
I arrive to the race 15-20 minutes later than I normally do (6:40 a.m.) and while I still have plenty of time I arrive at the same time as everyone else and the busyness is a little on the frazzling side for my sleepy brain. I get a nice spot in transition but it's crowded and eventually a guy with a huge bike racks next to me and his giant handlebars block me in.
Busy Busy
I'm #97
Then I go down to the end of the transition area to take a picture of the swim course and see a ton of empty racks so I grab my stuff and relocate. The transition area is neutral meaning it doesn't matter where you rack, the only advantage is being on the main row and not in a row that's off the main runway. I can't believe my luck and as people head down to the water they comment that they should have come down here too.
This never happens in a triathlon
Last year I didn't wear socks and got horrific blisters on the arches of both feet. They were horribly painful and took weeks to heal. So this time I'm planning on wearing socks but nonetheless I glob a ton of Bodyglide and Aquaphor onto my feet and especially on my arches. It seems like ridiculous overkill but no way I'm getting blisters this year.
I had originally planned to leave a cooler in transition with 2 big bottles of ice water but the cooler was too heavy to carry on my bike the long way from my car to transition so I grab the small cooler packs out of the cooler and place them on top of the bottles then put my backpack over that in transition. If not for this simple thing my race would have had a much different outcome.
There are lots of dogs milling about with spectators. This one reminds me of Lola a bit. She's wagging her tail at anybody who'll pay attention to her.
Swim (880 yards)
The water temp. is a balmy 75 degrees but I stick to my guns and wear my wetsuit. I'm glad I have it and I don't get hot at all. I'm in the 5th of 7 waves and they're putting around 6 minutes between waves so I have plenty of time to warm up. There's a huge area to warm up in right next to the start line so I'm able to swim right up until the start of my wave. This year the waves are organized by a combination of our swim times and biking ability so instead of being in the old lady wave at the end of the race I'm in a wave with all manner of hooligans. Men, 20 year olds, a mish mash of everybody and most of us supposedly close to each other in swim ability. This is a good idea to eliminate congestion on the single track trails for the bike. However it means I'm swimming in a mass of humanity for about half the race. I get bumped and swum into a bit and I've got to swim around all manner of people breast stroking, back stroking, etc. and no way to pass them but to swim into the mass. Normally this would send me into a panic but I've been working on this outside of the water, and I'll write more about that later, and I'm not the least bit worried, just keep siting to find an opening somewhere and keep moving forward. I try to find feet to draft off of but they all end up being way too slow and I have to pass them. I'm so preoccupied with managing the crowds that the turn-around buoy comes up before I know it. And once I turn and head back to shore there's suddenly no one in front of me. So weird. After a minute or two I feel like I've somehow drifted way off course but after looking at photos of the buoys I realize it's just the way they positioned the buoys. I make it back to shore without incident and stop for a moment in the water to take off the top part of my wetsuit and get my clothes underneath as wet as I can.
Swim (880 yards): 16:44 mins. (1:54/100 yards), 2/8 in age group, 150/273 overall
Dash to T1: 58 secs.
T1: 2:03, 5/8 age group
Bike (12miles advertised, 12.3 miles by my cyclometer)
My brain is a bit muddled after coming out of the water and I think I can get on the bike as soon as I cross the timing mat out of transition but I see a bunch of people running way past the mats so I start to get on then think I can't and get off and run a bit more then realize, duh, I can, I don't know what these people are doing. And I was supposed to be working on quick, cyclocross style bike mounts this summer but I can't even figure out when to get on the bike.
There is only one woman in my swim wave that's also in my age group and though I'm out of transition before her she quickly passes me on the flat road before the single track. I plan to at least keep her in my sights but she's way too fast for me and I have to abandon that strategy early on. The race is a little crazy for the first lap with people trying to pass me as well as me trying to pass other people but for the most part it works out o.k. There's only one woman who gives me a little bit of a hard time about letting me pass because she's already fallen once trying to let people pass. But there's soon a group of people built up behind her and she's going to have to let us by at some point. She eventually slams on her brakes to a stop in the middle of the trail with no warning then makes her way to the side. I have enough time to stop but the guy behind me nearly runs into me. Everybody else is really nice about letting me pass or nice about passing me so for the most part it's not a big deal. It always seems there's one person that you pass back and forth several times and for me it's a tall skinny 24 year old woman who I'm guessing might be doing her 1st triathlon because she did the swim with no wetsuit and wore a swimsuit for the whole race. So I try to be extra nice to her when I need to pass and at a couple points I get caught up behind her and don't try to pass because it seems more trouble than it's worth. But at some point near the start of the second lap I pass her and take off and get way ahead and that's the last of my passing difficulties.
My average speed for the first lap starts out at around 10.1 mph then goes down to 9.8 at the slower part of the course with the hills. With a possible 10 mph ave. speed in my sights and the course a bit more clear I attack the second loop, using my new bike handling skills to works around the turns and get as much speed as I can on the downhills. I can't ride the switchback/drop on the first loop because someone's in the way and there's also someone there off her bike on the second loop but she steps off the trail to let me by and I cruise down it no problemo and the person I pass is from my age group. I pass one other person from my age group on the bike but there's no sign of the person from my wave that passed me at the start.
I get over the final hill before transition and there's a mile, maybe more, and I'm at 10 mph ave. speed so I try to go even faster on the remaining downhill because maybe I'll exceed my stretch goal! I get off the bike and my cyclometer reads 10.1 mph! I'm so happy and I realize I've taken 10 minutes off my bike time from 2 years ago. But when I see my official results my time is only 8 minutes faster and my ave. speed is 9.8. I realize my cyclometer only records time and distance when the bike is moving so the time I wasted mounting the bike at the start and stopping to let people pass is about 2 minutes. But still, I know my actual riding time was 10.1 mph, can't help the stoppage time for letting people pass, and I'm very very happy about it.
Bike (12 miles advertised, 12.3 miles by my cyclometer): 1:14:48, 9.8 mph official time,
5/8 age group, 184/273 overall
T2: 1:29 (ouch), 5/8 age group
Run (4.8 miles)
T2 took a little longer than normal because I had a hard time racking my bike with no other bikes to weight the rack down and the rack moving all over but also because I took the time to dump one of my ice water bottles over my head. I was already starting to overheat on the bike, temps. were high eighties pushing into 90 degrees for the run.
I carried my other large size water bottle with me on the run. The ice packs had kept it cold enough that there were still loads of ice cubes even without the cooler. It's heavy though and throwing off my stride. After only half a mile my hip is starting to ache and I consider abandoning it on the road by the cars before I hit the single track up the steep hill. I'm cool enough from the water I poured on my head in transition and it feels like it's slowing me way down. But I remember how badly I struggled in the heat last year and I was already overheating on the bike this year. In the end I decide to keep it. And I'm so glad I do.
My plan is to wait until mile 2 then dump half of it on my head and take the rest as I need it. But soon after the 1 mile mark I'm already struggling with the heat. The hill is steep and goes on for 2 miles or so and there's no shade, the sun is beating down and I start to see how valuable this water will be to me. I end up squirting small amounts of it on my head, face, arms, chest, etc. every time I start to feel myself overheat. I take the occasional sip as well. I ration it out and it lasts until maybe the 3 1/2-3 3/4 mile mark. The heat effects me for sure but the water makes it possible for me to run the entire course unlike last year where I was sick and dizzy and had to walk a good portion of it especially at the end. My race would have been miserable without it.
Lots of Runners pass me on the uphill but no one from my age group. I used to be a Runner and it kind of makes me sad that I'm not anymore but I can't worry about that and I focus only on the trail in front of me and moving up the hill and forget the heat and the other people. Somehow despite the heat and my diminished running abilities this year the top of the hill seems to come faster and easier than any other year I've done this. But I notice what feels like a blister starting on the arch of my left foot. I can't believe it but what can I do but head down the hill? At least it's only 2 miles or so to the finish. I pick up some speed going down and pass back some of the people that passed me on the way up. The downhill seems longer this year though, I think I'm slower on it than 2 years ago because of the heat.
I get to the bottom of the steep downhill part and after a bit I can hear and see the finish line but it still looks so far off that it's actually discouraging. I hit the 4 mile marker, only .8 mile left, but somehow this is discouraging too. Can I hold on for that long? I'm so hot and tired. But again I forget all that and look only at the trail in front of me and next thing I know I'm off the single track and at the last water station. The volunteer dumps water on my head and I take another quick glass even though I'm minutes from the finish. It only costs a few seconds and it tastes so good and gives me a little boost for the finish.
That last stretch down the dirt road to the finish seemed so cruel last year but this year it zips by and soon I see the finish and the ridiculous Slip-n-Slide with the filthy tub of water at the end.
Thankfully there is not a little kid blocking my way at the finish. I think I probably would have thrown him out of the way if there was I was so thankful to be done.
I'm planning on avoiding the Slip-n-Slide this year but I'm so hot and I see a woman spraying a hose down the ramp. The announcer tells me that I'd better go faster than that or I'll never make it to the end and he's right but I don't care. I make it about halfway down and lay there in the spray of the fabulous hose. Feels. SO. Good. I get up and climb over the side to get out so I don't have to get in the horrible filthy brown pit of doom.
Yes I do know how funny that looks, didn't take the photo on purpose but oh well.
Run (4.8 miles): 1:09:21, 13.53 min./mile (not great but better than I though it would be given the heat)
Finish: 2:45:19, 5/8 age group, 56/99 women, 199/273 overall.
So very happy with this race given the conditions. My finish time 2 years ago was 2:44 but the swim was maybe 100-150 yards shorter and it was overcast and in the high 50's. My bike was 8 minutes faster and run was only 5 minutes longer.
Compared to last year's race the swim was exactly the same time (freaky!), bike was 8 mins. faster this year, run was 9 mins. faster this year in similar hot conditions but the bike course was much harder last year so I'm not sure it's fair to compare those 2 races.
No hardware this time but it's o.k., this race was better for me than any of the races that I did manage to place at. The woman from my wave that passed me on the bike right out of transition ended up in 3rd and it was her first off-road triathlon. First and second place went to the 2 super fast people. I was only 7 1/2 minutes behind 4th place and 5th place was over 1/2 an hour behind me. I was 46-47 minutes off of first place and 1/2 an hour off of 3rd so nowhere close to placing. But I'm happy about the improvements over previous years and holding up physically and mentally in that heat. Fun day out on the trails despite the hot run.
The only downside to the day, aside from the heat, was the finish line food. No food at all for vegetarians, just fish tacos and chicken burritos, some gross puffed fries and oreo cookies. Funny thing was I asked if they had any vegetarian options and when they said 'no' the 2 girls standing next to me also groaned, 'This is Fort Collins, how can there be no veggie food?!!' The caterers were apologetic and said they did have veggie burritos at their restaurant but weren't told to bring any. They kindly gave a coupon for a free veggie burrito to the women but this didn't help us right then and there. I did have energy bars in my car but my key was about 1/2-3/4 mile away back in the transition area. I missed the raffle and a good portion of the awards going back to transition then coming back to my car and the finish area. I did get to see the sides and roof of the Slip-n-Slide collapse though and it is a beautiful finish area. Can't complain too much when there's blue skies and red cliffs.
Was tired and bonky on the way home but I eventually made up for the lack of finish line food no problem once I got home. I wonder if I can spend the next week just sleeping and eating?
FINAL STATS
Swim (880 yards): 16:44 mins. (1:54/100 yards), 2/8 in age group, 150/273 overall
Dash to T1: 58 secs.
T1: 2:03, 5/8 age group
Bike (12 miles advertised, 12.3 miles by my cyclometer): 1:14:48, 9.8 mph official time,
5/8 age group, 184/273 overall
T2: 1:29, 5/8 age group
Run (4.8 miles): 1:09:21, 13.53 min./mile, 6/8 age group, 255/273 overall
Finish: 2:45:19, 5/8 age group, 56/99 women, 199/273 overall.
-Andy Warhol
1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 4.8 mile run
6500' elevation, Lory State Park, Fort Collins area
I love this race. It's a beautiful course, well organized, fun atmosphere, a great way to finish out my triathlon season. My main goal for this race is to take some time off the bike. I did the course at a pace of 9.0 mph 2 years ago (bike course was different last year) and the realistic goal is for 9.4 mph but my secret stretch goal is 10 mph. I know it'll be a hot day, predictions are for 90's and the sun is already blaring at 7:00 a.m. so I don't want to push the swim for maybe a minute or two of time gain. I know the run will be tough in the heat but I'm going to keep my focus run it as hard as I can. I'm frustrated with my running this year and this is my last chance to improve.
I don't have any goals for placements. There are 12 people signed up in my age group and I know 2 are way faster than me but I don't know about the rest nor do I know who will actually show up so setting a placement goal is pointless.
For the second weekend in a row I'm headed north up to Fort Collins in the pitch black and hoping not to run into any drunks or deer. Or drunk deer. I start off the journey by watching a guy next to me start to turn into oncoming traffic on a 55 mph highway as I wait at a red light. I honk at him not knowing what else to do and this works in that he stops but he doesn't back up out of harm's way and I can see cars starting to come at him off in the distance. He sits there for a bit sticking out in traffic then finally decides to do a U-turn in front of me on the red light with the oncoming traffic getting ever closer. Thankfully he pulls this off and takes off in the opposite direction.
I arrive to the race 15-20 minutes later than I normally do (6:40 a.m.) and while I still have plenty of time I arrive at the same time as everyone else and the busyness is a little on the frazzling side for my sleepy brain. I get a nice spot in transition but it's crowded and eventually a guy with a huge bike racks next to me and his giant handlebars block me in.
Busy Busy
I'm #97
Then I go down to the end of the transition area to take a picture of the swim course and see a ton of empty racks so I grab my stuff and relocate. The transition area is neutral meaning it doesn't matter where you rack, the only advantage is being on the main row and not in a row that's off the main runway. I can't believe my luck and as people head down to the water they comment that they should have come down here too.
This never happens in a triathlon
Last year I didn't wear socks and got horrific blisters on the arches of both feet. They were horribly painful and took weeks to heal. So this time I'm planning on wearing socks but nonetheless I glob a ton of Bodyglide and Aquaphor onto my feet and especially on my arches. It seems like ridiculous overkill but no way I'm getting blisters this year.
I had originally planned to leave a cooler in transition with 2 big bottles of ice water but the cooler was too heavy to carry on my bike the long way from my car to transition so I grab the small cooler packs out of the cooler and place them on top of the bottles then put my backpack over that in transition. If not for this simple thing my race would have had a much different outcome.
There are lots of dogs milling about with spectators. This one reminds me of Lola a bit. She's wagging her tail at anybody who'll pay attention to her.
Swim (880 yards)
The water temp. is a balmy 75 degrees but I stick to my guns and wear my wetsuit. I'm glad I have it and I don't get hot at all. I'm in the 5th of 7 waves and they're putting around 6 minutes between waves so I have plenty of time to warm up. There's a huge area to warm up in right next to the start line so I'm able to swim right up until the start of my wave. This year the waves are organized by a combination of our swim times and biking ability so instead of being in the old lady wave at the end of the race I'm in a wave with all manner of hooligans. Men, 20 year olds, a mish mash of everybody and most of us supposedly close to each other in swim ability. This is a good idea to eliminate congestion on the single track trails for the bike. However it means I'm swimming in a mass of humanity for about half the race. I get bumped and swum into a bit and I've got to swim around all manner of people breast stroking, back stroking, etc. and no way to pass them but to swim into the mass. Normally this would send me into a panic but I've been working on this outside of the water, and I'll write more about that later, and I'm not the least bit worried, just keep siting to find an opening somewhere and keep moving forward. I try to find feet to draft off of but they all end up being way too slow and I have to pass them. I'm so preoccupied with managing the crowds that the turn-around buoy comes up before I know it. And once I turn and head back to shore there's suddenly no one in front of me. So weird. After a minute or two I feel like I've somehow drifted way off course but after looking at photos of the buoys I realize it's just the way they positioned the buoys. I make it back to shore without incident and stop for a moment in the water to take off the top part of my wetsuit and get my clothes underneath as wet as I can.
Swim (880 yards): 16:44 mins. (1:54/100 yards), 2/8 in age group, 150/273 overall
Dash to T1: 58 secs.
T1: 2:03, 5/8 age group
Bike (12miles advertised, 12.3 miles by my cyclometer)
My brain is a bit muddled after coming out of the water and I think I can get on the bike as soon as I cross the timing mat out of transition but I see a bunch of people running way past the mats so I start to get on then think I can't and get off and run a bit more then realize, duh, I can, I don't know what these people are doing. And I was supposed to be working on quick, cyclocross style bike mounts this summer but I can't even figure out when to get on the bike.
There is only one woman in my swim wave that's also in my age group and though I'm out of transition before her she quickly passes me on the flat road before the single track. I plan to at least keep her in my sights but she's way too fast for me and I have to abandon that strategy early on. The race is a little crazy for the first lap with people trying to pass me as well as me trying to pass other people but for the most part it works out o.k. There's only one woman who gives me a little bit of a hard time about letting me pass because she's already fallen once trying to let people pass. But there's soon a group of people built up behind her and she's going to have to let us by at some point. She eventually slams on her brakes to a stop in the middle of the trail with no warning then makes her way to the side. I have enough time to stop but the guy behind me nearly runs into me. Everybody else is really nice about letting me pass or nice about passing me so for the most part it's not a big deal. It always seems there's one person that you pass back and forth several times and for me it's a tall skinny 24 year old woman who I'm guessing might be doing her 1st triathlon because she did the swim with no wetsuit and wore a swimsuit for the whole race. So I try to be extra nice to her when I need to pass and at a couple points I get caught up behind her and don't try to pass because it seems more trouble than it's worth. But at some point near the start of the second lap I pass her and take off and get way ahead and that's the last of my passing difficulties.
My average speed for the first lap starts out at around 10.1 mph then goes down to 9.8 at the slower part of the course with the hills. With a possible 10 mph ave. speed in my sights and the course a bit more clear I attack the second loop, using my new bike handling skills to works around the turns and get as much speed as I can on the downhills. I can't ride the switchback/drop on the first loop because someone's in the way and there's also someone there off her bike on the second loop but she steps off the trail to let me by and I cruise down it no problemo and the person I pass is from my age group. I pass one other person from my age group on the bike but there's no sign of the person from my wave that passed me at the start.
I get over the final hill before transition and there's a mile, maybe more, and I'm at 10 mph ave. speed so I try to go even faster on the remaining downhill because maybe I'll exceed my stretch goal! I get off the bike and my cyclometer reads 10.1 mph! I'm so happy and I realize I've taken 10 minutes off my bike time from 2 years ago. But when I see my official results my time is only 8 minutes faster and my ave. speed is 9.8. I realize my cyclometer only records time and distance when the bike is moving so the time I wasted mounting the bike at the start and stopping to let people pass is about 2 minutes. But still, I know my actual riding time was 10.1 mph, can't help the stoppage time for letting people pass, and I'm very very happy about it.
Bike (12 miles advertised, 12.3 miles by my cyclometer): 1:14:48, 9.8 mph official time,
5/8 age group, 184/273 overall
T2: 1:29 (ouch), 5/8 age group
Run (4.8 miles)
T2 took a little longer than normal because I had a hard time racking my bike with no other bikes to weight the rack down and the rack moving all over but also because I took the time to dump one of my ice water bottles over my head. I was already starting to overheat on the bike, temps. were high eighties pushing into 90 degrees for the run.
I carried my other large size water bottle with me on the run. The ice packs had kept it cold enough that there were still loads of ice cubes even without the cooler. It's heavy though and throwing off my stride. After only half a mile my hip is starting to ache and I consider abandoning it on the road by the cars before I hit the single track up the steep hill. I'm cool enough from the water I poured on my head in transition and it feels like it's slowing me way down. But I remember how badly I struggled in the heat last year and I was already overheating on the bike this year. In the end I decide to keep it. And I'm so glad I do.
My plan is to wait until mile 2 then dump half of it on my head and take the rest as I need it. But soon after the 1 mile mark I'm already struggling with the heat. The hill is steep and goes on for 2 miles or so and there's no shade, the sun is beating down and I start to see how valuable this water will be to me. I end up squirting small amounts of it on my head, face, arms, chest, etc. every time I start to feel myself overheat. I take the occasional sip as well. I ration it out and it lasts until maybe the 3 1/2-3 3/4 mile mark. The heat effects me for sure but the water makes it possible for me to run the entire course unlike last year where I was sick and dizzy and had to walk a good portion of it especially at the end. My race would have been miserable without it.
Lots of Runners pass me on the uphill but no one from my age group. I used to be a Runner and it kind of makes me sad that I'm not anymore but I can't worry about that and I focus only on the trail in front of me and moving up the hill and forget the heat and the other people. Somehow despite the heat and my diminished running abilities this year the top of the hill seems to come faster and easier than any other year I've done this. But I notice what feels like a blister starting on the arch of my left foot. I can't believe it but what can I do but head down the hill? At least it's only 2 miles or so to the finish. I pick up some speed going down and pass back some of the people that passed me on the way up. The downhill seems longer this year though, I think I'm slower on it than 2 years ago because of the heat.
I get to the bottom of the steep downhill part and after a bit I can hear and see the finish line but it still looks so far off that it's actually discouraging. I hit the 4 mile marker, only .8 mile left, but somehow this is discouraging too. Can I hold on for that long? I'm so hot and tired. But again I forget all that and look only at the trail in front of me and next thing I know I'm off the single track and at the last water station. The volunteer dumps water on my head and I take another quick glass even though I'm minutes from the finish. It only costs a few seconds and it tastes so good and gives me a little boost for the finish.
That last stretch down the dirt road to the finish seemed so cruel last year but this year it zips by and soon I see the finish and the ridiculous Slip-n-Slide with the filthy tub of water at the end.
Thankfully there is not a little kid blocking my way at the finish. I think I probably would have thrown him out of the way if there was I was so thankful to be done.
I'm planning on avoiding the Slip-n-Slide this year but I'm so hot and I see a woman spraying a hose down the ramp. The announcer tells me that I'd better go faster than that or I'll never make it to the end and he's right but I don't care. I make it about halfway down and lay there in the spray of the fabulous hose. Feels. SO. Good. I get up and climb over the side to get out so I don't have to get in the horrible filthy brown pit of doom.
Yes I do know how funny that looks, didn't take the photo on purpose but oh well.
Run (4.8 miles): 1:09:21, 13.53 min./mile (not great but better than I though it would be given the heat)
Finish: 2:45:19, 5/8 age group, 56/99 women, 199/273 overall.
So very happy with this race given the conditions. My finish time 2 years ago was 2:44 but the swim was maybe 100-150 yards shorter and it was overcast and in the high 50's. My bike was 8 minutes faster and run was only 5 minutes longer.
Compared to last year's race the swim was exactly the same time (freaky!), bike was 8 mins. faster this year, run was 9 mins. faster this year in similar hot conditions but the bike course was much harder last year so I'm not sure it's fair to compare those 2 races.
No hardware this time but it's o.k., this race was better for me than any of the races that I did manage to place at. The woman from my wave that passed me on the bike right out of transition ended up in 3rd and it was her first off-road triathlon. First and second place went to the 2 super fast people. I was only 7 1/2 minutes behind 4th place and 5th place was over 1/2 an hour behind me. I was 46-47 minutes off of first place and 1/2 an hour off of 3rd so nowhere close to placing. But I'm happy about the improvements over previous years and holding up physically and mentally in that heat. Fun day out on the trails despite the hot run.
The only downside to the day, aside from the heat, was the finish line food. No food at all for vegetarians, just fish tacos and chicken burritos, some gross puffed fries and oreo cookies. Funny thing was I asked if they had any vegetarian options and when they said 'no' the 2 girls standing next to me also groaned, 'This is Fort Collins, how can there be no veggie food?!!' The caterers were apologetic and said they did have veggie burritos at their restaurant but weren't told to bring any. They kindly gave a coupon for a free veggie burrito to the women but this didn't help us right then and there. I did have energy bars in my car but my key was about 1/2-3/4 mile away back in the transition area. I missed the raffle and a good portion of the awards going back to transition then coming back to my car and the finish area. I did get to see the sides and roof of the Slip-n-Slide collapse though and it is a beautiful finish area. Can't complain too much when there's blue skies and red cliffs.
Was tired and bonky on the way home but I eventually made up for the lack of finish line food no problem once I got home. I wonder if I can spend the next week just sleeping and eating?
FINAL STATS
Swim (880 yards): 16:44 mins. (1:54/100 yards), 2/8 in age group, 150/273 overall
Dash to T1: 58 secs.
T1: 2:03, 5/8 age group
Bike (12 miles advertised, 12.3 miles by my cyclometer): 1:14:48, 9.8 mph official time,
5/8 age group, 184/273 overall
T2: 1:29, 5/8 age group
Run (4.8 miles): 1:09:21, 13.53 min./mile, 6/8 age group, 255/273 overall
Finish: 2:45:19, 5/8 age group, 56/99 women, 199/273 overall.
Friday, August 26, 2011
How to Get Hypothermia in an August Heat Wave
I have a triathlon tomorrow so of course we're having a heat wave at the end of August. Last year I blew up in the unseasonable heat in this race and conditions look like a repeat for this year. I've also been struggling a bit with swimming in the Rez in my full wetsuit in the warmer weather. I'm o.k. for a lap but by the second lap I'm getting too hot. Or at least I had been for the past few weeks. Once I even took off the wetsuit for the second lap and was a little chilly after I got out but was mostly o.k. I didn't even own a wetsuit when I did my first couple of Olympic Distance (1500 meter swim) triathlons in the Rez way back in the day. So I came up with the idea of not wearing a wetsuit in the race tomorrow in the hope that I might be a little chilly when I get out of the water and I won't overheat too badly for the rest of the race. It's only an 880 yard swim, how cold can I get?
I was a little toasty after my first 1100 yard loop of the Rez yesterday morning so I thought I'd test out this theory and take my wetsuit off for the second lap. The coach suggested I just do half a lap but I told her I'd done this a few weeks ago and was fine for a full lap. Unfortunately I'd underestimated how much the Rez had cooled down in the past few weeks and I was cold as soon as I took my wetsuit off. But I needed more yardage and there's no way I was getting the suit back on while it was wet so off I went figuring that the sun was blaring warmly on the water and I'd warm up once I got going like I did a few weeks ago. Except I never quite warmed up. I probably swam my fastest loop ever though even without the advantage of the wetsuit. Even when I got to the place where I could head back to shore for 1/2 a loop I stubbornly kept going, need more yardage, can't turn back until I get a full workout in. I was already cutting the workout short by doing only 2 laps. I made it back to shore and thought I was o.k. and even changed into dry clothes at the car but when I got in the car to drive home I starting shaking, well beyond shivering even. I blasted the heat and luckily the Rez is close to my house because it was an interesting drive home. I got in a hot shower and 50 minutes after getting out of the Rez I finally felt o.k. So the plan for tomorrow is to wear my wetsuit because the water will likely be a couple of degrees colder even than the Rez. At least I figured that out before the race and didn't have to try to navigate a mountain bike on single track while shaking uncontrollably.
Unlike last year I've been training in the heat this year so I'm better prepared. My plan is to have a small cooler in transition with a bottle full of ice water to pour over my head before the run and a small water bottle to carry with me on the run to pour over my head as needed. Last year the water supplies for those of us at the back of the race weren't so great. There aren't many aid stations which is understandable but when I finally did get to one they gave me a cup of water filled maybe 1/4 of the way. I think they let me have 2 cups but it still wasn't nearly enough. I hate to carry a bottle, it's such a nuisance and extra weight to haul up the hill, but I don't trust the race to provide enough water and I'd rather be sure to have it. Also I can have it when I need it and not have to wait so long between water stations. I'll be able to go faster if I can keep coolish so it'll be worth it.
This race is not an 'A' race, it's a fun end of season go out there and enjoy race. But I am going to race my hardest, especially looking to improve my running. But I haven't been training in earnest, no more 2 a day workouts, no more intervals. I did the bike in 1 hour 22 minutes for the last 2 years, weird since the courses were different each year, and I plan on cutting some time off of that. And I'm always trying to better my swim.
In other news Strummy finally got to go play at agility this morning.
If you throw the ball I might forgive you for ignoring me all summer.
I finally got him doing some dogwalks. Set-up was curved tunnel on one end, jump on the other. If he hit the contact he got his toy, if not I kept going until he did. He got all 4 reps with the jump at the end, all 4 perfect contacts. However he only got 1/4 with the tunnel at the end and it was the 4th tunnel rep that he finally got. I ended there but played with him a bit so he didn't think hitting the contact with a tunnel there meant the end of his fun. Even at 7:15 am it was too hot to do any more dogwalks after that.
Then my training partner and I worked on a little exercise that was already set up. We managed to work everything in - weaves, teeter, table, A-frame. Strummy was pretty perfect except for leaving the teeter when I moved ahead to front cross. His teeter had been so good but was getting sloppy at the last trial so I'm back to working it in practice. Weaves were pretty awesome even with coming at them at speed out of a tunnel and me doing a rear cross. Good practice over all but it was quickly too hot to do too much. Bring on the fall!
I was a little toasty after my first 1100 yard loop of the Rez yesterday morning so I thought I'd test out this theory and take my wetsuit off for the second lap. The coach suggested I just do half a lap but I told her I'd done this a few weeks ago and was fine for a full lap. Unfortunately I'd underestimated how much the Rez had cooled down in the past few weeks and I was cold as soon as I took my wetsuit off. But I needed more yardage and there's no way I was getting the suit back on while it was wet so off I went figuring that the sun was blaring warmly on the water and I'd warm up once I got going like I did a few weeks ago. Except I never quite warmed up. I probably swam my fastest loop ever though even without the advantage of the wetsuit. Even when I got to the place where I could head back to shore for 1/2 a loop I stubbornly kept going, need more yardage, can't turn back until I get a full workout in. I was already cutting the workout short by doing only 2 laps. I made it back to shore and thought I was o.k. and even changed into dry clothes at the car but when I got in the car to drive home I starting shaking, well beyond shivering even. I blasted the heat and luckily the Rez is close to my house because it was an interesting drive home. I got in a hot shower and 50 minutes after getting out of the Rez I finally felt o.k. So the plan for tomorrow is to wear my wetsuit because the water will likely be a couple of degrees colder even than the Rez. At least I figured that out before the race and didn't have to try to navigate a mountain bike on single track while shaking uncontrollably.
Unlike last year I've been training in the heat this year so I'm better prepared. My plan is to have a small cooler in transition with a bottle full of ice water to pour over my head before the run and a small water bottle to carry with me on the run to pour over my head as needed. Last year the water supplies for those of us at the back of the race weren't so great. There aren't many aid stations which is understandable but when I finally did get to one they gave me a cup of water filled maybe 1/4 of the way. I think they let me have 2 cups but it still wasn't nearly enough. I hate to carry a bottle, it's such a nuisance and extra weight to haul up the hill, but I don't trust the race to provide enough water and I'd rather be sure to have it. Also I can have it when I need it and not have to wait so long between water stations. I'll be able to go faster if I can keep coolish so it'll be worth it.
This race is not an 'A' race, it's a fun end of season go out there and enjoy race. But I am going to race my hardest, especially looking to improve my running. But I haven't been training in earnest, no more 2 a day workouts, no more intervals. I did the bike in 1 hour 22 minutes for the last 2 years, weird since the courses were different each year, and I plan on cutting some time off of that. And I'm always trying to better my swim.
In other news Strummy finally got to go play at agility this morning.
If you throw the ball I might forgive you for ignoring me all summer.
I finally got him doing some dogwalks. Set-up was curved tunnel on one end, jump on the other. If he hit the contact he got his toy, if not I kept going until he did. He got all 4 reps with the jump at the end, all 4 perfect contacts. However he only got 1/4 with the tunnel at the end and it was the 4th tunnel rep that he finally got. I ended there but played with him a bit so he didn't think hitting the contact with a tunnel there meant the end of his fun. Even at 7:15 am it was too hot to do any more dogwalks after that.
Then my training partner and I worked on a little exercise that was already set up. We managed to work everything in - weaves, teeter, table, A-frame. Strummy was pretty perfect except for leaving the teeter when I moved ahead to front cross. His teeter had been so good but was getting sloppy at the last trial so I'm back to working it in practice. Weaves were pretty awesome even with coming at them at speed out of a tunnel and me doing a rear cross. Good practice over all but it was quickly too hot to do too much. Bring on the fall!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
USDAA Jumpers Run
Thanks to Julie for taping our advanced Jumpers run from this past weekend. I couldn't find anybody before our run but she was in the stands and had a great view. Those handling errors are so easy to spot when you have video. A big part of the problem with the run is that Strum broke his start line for maybe the second time ever because he was freaked out by all the flies in the arena. This was the last run of the day and he was at the end of his rope with them. He was jerking his head around to snap at them while sitting on the start line and actually I can't remember if he broke the start or I saw him fussing and released him before I had led out to where I wanted to. In any case it threw me off my plan and I got a bit behind setting a poor line and causing a run by then a back jump. That rear cross towards the end though, ugh, I'll have to practice that set-up some more.
I tried more rear crosses this trial then I normally do, mostly because they're a weak spot that I've been working on in practice and I wanted to see how they held up in a trial. I'd say the results were mixed. In some cases I really prefer a front if I can get there but sometimes I can't get there no matter how hard I hustle or I can get there but it isn't pretty.
I realized I have only 3 trials left for the whole year, all of them DOCNA. At least with the exception of DOCNA Champs. they're all 20-40 minutes away. Now if only it would cool down a bit so I could practice. It's not fair having 90 degree weather so far into August.
I tried more rear crosses this trial then I normally do, mostly because they're a weak spot that I've been working on in practice and I wanted to see how they held up in a trial. I'd say the results were mixed. In some cases I really prefer a front if I can get there but sometimes I can't get there no matter how hard I hustle or I can get there but it isn't pretty.
I realized I have only 3 trials left for the whole year, all of them DOCNA. At least with the exception of DOCNA Champs. they're all 20-40 minutes away. Now if only it would cool down a bit so I could practice. It's not fair having 90 degree weather so far into August.
Monday, August 22, 2011
I Drove HOW Far for 2 1/2 Minutes in the Ring?
That would be about 4 1/2 hours total thank you very much. The majority of trials I do these days are less than an hour from home but I made the exception to go up to Laramie, WY this year for one day because they were having a measuring judge. And it was totally worth it because Strummy measured 20 7/8" for his final CMJ measurement. SO happy for that. At this point it's not even so much about him getting to play in Championship as it is the ability to put him in 16" Performance when he's older. But we don't have a single Starters Standard Q so we may as well start over in Championship. I figure it should be easy enough to get 1 leg in each of the games then if I'm still lagging behind in Standard we can play in Perf. at the upper levels that he's already earned his way into until we catch up in Championship. Unfortunately there are only 2 USDAA trials left this year and I'm not entering either. One is a 2 ring trial in a confined space and when I looked up some videos from Regionals at the same site last night I about had a heart attack at how close together the rings were and only some skimpy survey tape between them. There's no way I'm taking a chance with that. The other trial is too far and the weekend after DOCNA Champs. so I'll be too fried for a nearly 2 hour drive and overnight stay and another 2 ring trial with only survey tape for a barrier.
I had such a good time running Grand Prix though, I think the focus next year will be USDAA because the courses are interesting AND we finally get to play in Championship. I'm especially looking forward to the International classes. I won't go to USDAA Nationals and I don't care about titles but I'm sure I can come up with some sort of goal to keep me motivated next year.
As for the trial, on the one hand my handling felt good on the more complicated courses. I felt some good teamwork coming through from the wee Strum man. No bars down either! On the other hand his contacts fell all to pieces. 0/2 on the dogwalk, 1/3 on the A-frame, even had some bad teeters. Sheesh. Weave poles were perfect though all entrances were very easy and after the first jump or the table so he didn't have any speed going. Still struggling with pulling him off jumps on lateral sends. It's a matter of figuring out how to balance those cues and it's just a matter of more practice.
Here's some video of his Grand Prix run and part of Starters Standard
I guess this doesn't look so good on paper but I don't know, the runs felt good, just little things here and there and those darn contacts. Guess I better get back to the practice field. If only fall would come and bring some cooler temps.
Trial Stats
No Q's or titles
Dogwalks: 0/2 (0%)
A-frames: 2/4 (50%)
Weave entries: 3/3 (100%) No pop-outs (Yay!)
Knocked bars: 0 (Yay!)
Teeters: Lost track
I had such a good time running Grand Prix though, I think the focus next year will be USDAA because the courses are interesting AND we finally get to play in Championship. I'm especially looking forward to the International classes. I won't go to USDAA Nationals and I don't care about titles but I'm sure I can come up with some sort of goal to keep me motivated next year.
As for the trial, on the one hand my handling felt good on the more complicated courses. I felt some good teamwork coming through from the wee Strum man. No bars down either! On the other hand his contacts fell all to pieces. 0/2 on the dogwalk, 1/3 on the A-frame, even had some bad teeters. Sheesh. Weave poles were perfect though all entrances were very easy and after the first jump or the table so he didn't have any speed going. Still struggling with pulling him off jumps on lateral sends. It's a matter of figuring out how to balance those cues and it's just a matter of more practice.
Here's some video of his Grand Prix run and part of Starters Standard
I guess this doesn't look so good on paper but I don't know, the runs felt good, just little things here and there and those darn contacts. Guess I better get back to the practice field. If only fall would come and bring some cooler temps.
Trial Stats
No Q's or titles
Dogwalks: 0/2 (0%)
A-frames: 2/4 (50%)
Weave entries: 3/3 (100%) No pop-outs (Yay!)
Knocked bars: 0 (Yay!)
Teeters: Lost track
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Crazy Mushroom Lady Finds Some Zombie Food
I did have an agility trial in Wyoming yesterday and I'll get to writing about it. The important thing is that Strum got his final measurement under 21" (20 7/8"!) which was the main reason I drove up there to that trial. So happy about that!
In the meantime I think I might be turning into a Crazy Mushroom Lady. Because apparently I don't have enough quirky, time consuming hobbies that might kill me already. I found myself noticing mushrooms on the side of the trail during my triathlon a couple of weeks ago and wishing I could stop to check them out. I didn't but it surprised me that it took some restraint. Today however I had no such time pressures and I pulled off the trail to check these guys out.
Brains. Perfect for if you ever have zombies over for dinner.
I was squatting in the dirt digging them up when a woman on a bike saw me and she and her dog came over to see what the excitement was about. Turns out she is also a Crazy Dog/Bike/Mushroom Lady and she knows exactly what they are-Albatrellus Confluens-and she also knows that they are edible. This saves me a lot of time and aggravation because it turns out they are not in my mushroom book and she warns me that you don't often see them in books. But I memorize the name (Albatross confluence) and Google helps me out with the spelling when I get home.
If I only had a brain . . .
She warns me that they degrade quickly and are often full of worms but this doesn't deter me and I stuff a couple into my backpack. I think I'm going to have to get a bigger backpack for my mushroom hauls, I could only fit 2. I washed them as soon as I got home, sliced them really thin, sauteed them in butter and ate a few slices. Because apparently I'm o.k. with trusting my life with a total stranger that I met in the woods. It's been an hour or so and so far no tubes down my stomach. They tasted very mushroomy, so good. The house smells like mushrooms. I suppose this could be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.
I can take them or leave them. Maybe if they came with a nice steak.
We had a nice but short ride. I felt o.k. when I woke up but when I hit the trail I was more tired than I realized. I hate how agility trials wear me down like that without even providing any training benefit. Jonny took me on some different trails for a change.
The wildflowers are starting to fade a little but there are still a lot.
More about the agility trial when I get my video uploaded.
In the meantime I think I might be turning into a Crazy Mushroom Lady. Because apparently I don't have enough quirky, time consuming hobbies that might kill me already. I found myself noticing mushrooms on the side of the trail during my triathlon a couple of weeks ago and wishing I could stop to check them out. I didn't but it surprised me that it took some restraint. Today however I had no such time pressures and I pulled off the trail to check these guys out.
Brains. Perfect for if you ever have zombies over for dinner.
I was squatting in the dirt digging them up when a woman on a bike saw me and she and her dog came over to see what the excitement was about. Turns out she is also a Crazy Dog/Bike/Mushroom Lady and she knows exactly what they are-Albatrellus Confluens-and she also knows that they are edible. This saves me a lot of time and aggravation because it turns out they are not in my mushroom book and she warns me that you don't often see them in books. But I memorize the name (Albatross confluence) and Google helps me out with the spelling when I get home.
If I only had a brain . . .
She warns me that they degrade quickly and are often full of worms but this doesn't deter me and I stuff a couple into my backpack. I think I'm going to have to get a bigger backpack for my mushroom hauls, I could only fit 2. I washed them as soon as I got home, sliced them really thin, sauteed them in butter and ate a few slices. Because apparently I'm o.k. with trusting my life with a total stranger that I met in the woods. It's been an hour or so and so far no tubes down my stomach. They tasted very mushroomy, so good. The house smells like mushrooms. I suppose this could be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.
I can take them or leave them. Maybe if they came with a nice steak.
We had a nice but short ride. I felt o.k. when I woke up but when I hit the trail I was more tired than I realized. I hate how agility trials wear me down like that without even providing any training benefit. Jonny took me on some different trails for a change.
The wildflowers are starting to fade a little but there are still a lot.
More about the agility trial when I get my video uploaded.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Lory State Park - Getting Ready for Next Weekend's Xterra
Today was my birthday so Jonny took the day off and we went for a ride up at Lory State Park. Jonny had bought me a lesson with former Olympic mountain biker Ann Trombley during the week and I was itching to try out my new found skilz. Which included how to go down a drop-off. It's sort of like riding a horse over a jump. Ann started out showing me some simple drills to do to feel what it's like to shift my weight around on my bike. She also showed me the 'Attack' position which is how I'm supposed to ride downhill from now on. In just over an hour she had me riding down a steep rocky hill into a ledge/drop off with a turn right after it. The trail is near my house and all these years I've always gotten off my bike and walked down that step/ledge because I never knew how to ride it and now it's no problemo. Plus I feel much more stable on the downhills since she showed me the proper position to be in so I can go faster and feel more in control. Very cool.
Anyway, I wasn't planning on going up to Lory to pre-ride the course again but I thought what the hey. Normally it's too hot this time of year, no shade at all and it's only at around 6600 ft. so it's not much cooler than in town which was supposed to be in the low 90's. However we had wonderful cloud cover and mid-70 degree temperatures - perfect for one more chance to check out the course.
And I'm glad I did because I found out that they've done a bunch of trail work and smoothed over a bunch of stuff including the only downhill portion that I couldn't ride so now with the exception of a very tiny piece of technical uphill I can easily ride the whole course now that I have my fancy new downhill skilz. Even some stuff that wasn't really technical but maybe bumpy/rocky or tight switchbacks or whatever has been smoothed out. It's going to be a fast and furious race for a lot of folks.
This is the one downhill part that used to be tricky, a drop-off on a switchback. I was so proud of myself riding down it using the skills Ann taught me then Jonny realized some trail work had been done and it was now much easier. But still, so happy I know how to ride it now even if it is easier.
Looking downhill
Looking uphill
Easy Peasy. In fact I wonder if I could ride this part all the time and the part with the steep drop off is somewhere else and has been re-routed or somehow filled in. I seem to remember it was rockier with a much steeper drop off.
This is the uphill that I can quite make it up.
It's hard to show the true steepness of it. I can make it almost to the top then get stuck at that last ledge of rock. It's sort of possible to go to the right to the smooth part to miss out the rock but it's a very tight turn and you need a lot of strength to have enough speed/momentum to carry you into the turn and I couldn't quite make it. Riding over the rock at the top is also possible but I simply don't have enough leg strength. Jonny can do it but he said it was a bit hard even for him. He watched me trying to do it and said I was in too easy of a gear so couldn't get enough power going to make it up. I don't have the leg strength to push much harder of a gear so this challenge will have to wait until I can build up more strength. I'll only lose a few seconds having to get off for a few steps so no big deal.
Lovely singletrack heading into where the transition area will be.
Hello Eltuck Bay. I'll see you next week.
Bike course felt fast and easy today, pace was 9.1 mph for the second loop. The first loop I stopped several times to take pictures of parts of the course and re-ride the 'tricky' parts. I rode this course at 9 mph during the race 2 years ago. My goal is to be faster this year, maybe 9.4-9.6 mph. Maybe even 10 mph! That would be cool. In any case I'm excited for the race next week.
Tomorrow I get up at some unspeakable hour to drive to Laramie, WY for one day of a USDAA trial. The only reason I'm going is that there will be a measuring judge there so Strummy can finally get his very final measurement. He has 3 measurements under 21" from regular judges and one just over and one just under from CMJ's so hopefully the CMJ tomorrow will measure him under. If so I may do more USDAA in the future since I'm tiring of the 'sameness' of the DOCNA courses. I signed up for 4 classes and I'm driving the 2 hours, 10 minutes back the same day so will be a long day. I love this trial, the site, etc. but it's such a long drive. Ah well, it'll be fun anyway.
Anyway, I wasn't planning on going up to Lory to pre-ride the course again but I thought what the hey. Normally it's too hot this time of year, no shade at all and it's only at around 6600 ft. so it's not much cooler than in town which was supposed to be in the low 90's. However we had wonderful cloud cover and mid-70 degree temperatures - perfect for one more chance to check out the course.
And I'm glad I did because I found out that they've done a bunch of trail work and smoothed over a bunch of stuff including the only downhill portion that I couldn't ride so now with the exception of a very tiny piece of technical uphill I can easily ride the whole course now that I have my fancy new downhill skilz. Even some stuff that wasn't really technical but maybe bumpy/rocky or tight switchbacks or whatever has been smoothed out. It's going to be a fast and furious race for a lot of folks.
This is the one downhill part that used to be tricky, a drop-off on a switchback. I was so proud of myself riding down it using the skills Ann taught me then Jonny realized some trail work had been done and it was now much easier. But still, so happy I know how to ride it now even if it is easier.
Looking downhill
Looking uphill
Easy Peasy. In fact I wonder if I could ride this part all the time and the part with the steep drop off is somewhere else and has been re-routed or somehow filled in. I seem to remember it was rockier with a much steeper drop off.
This is the uphill that I can quite make it up.
It's hard to show the true steepness of it. I can make it almost to the top then get stuck at that last ledge of rock. It's sort of possible to go to the right to the smooth part to miss out the rock but it's a very tight turn and you need a lot of strength to have enough speed/momentum to carry you into the turn and I couldn't quite make it. Riding over the rock at the top is also possible but I simply don't have enough leg strength. Jonny can do it but he said it was a bit hard even for him. He watched me trying to do it and said I was in too easy of a gear so couldn't get enough power going to make it up. I don't have the leg strength to push much harder of a gear so this challenge will have to wait until I can build up more strength. I'll only lose a few seconds having to get off for a few steps so no big deal.
Lovely singletrack heading into where the transition area will be.
Hello Eltuck Bay. I'll see you next week.
Bike course felt fast and easy today, pace was 9.1 mph for the second loop. The first loop I stopped several times to take pictures of parts of the course and re-ride the 'tricky' parts. I rode this course at 9 mph during the race 2 years ago. My goal is to be faster this year, maybe 9.4-9.6 mph. Maybe even 10 mph! That would be cool. In any case I'm excited for the race next week.
Tomorrow I get up at some unspeakable hour to drive to Laramie, WY for one day of a USDAA trial. The only reason I'm going is that there will be a measuring judge there so Strummy can finally get his very final measurement. He has 3 measurements under 21" from regular judges and one just over and one just under from CMJ's so hopefully the CMJ tomorrow will measure him under. If so I may do more USDAA in the future since I'm tiring of the 'sameness' of the DOCNA courses. I signed up for 4 classes and I'm driving the 2 hours, 10 minutes back the same day so will be a long day. I love this trial, the site, etc. but it's such a long drive. Ah well, it'll be fun anyway.
Monday, August 15, 2011
This Charming Man
Strum had a pretty good weekend on paper. Hit all his dogwalks, 5/5, and all his teeters. Didn't get called on any of his 6 A-frames but on the video it looks like he might have gotten a gift on one of them. I made a compilation of his dogwalks and most of his A-frames for the running contact freaks. SO so happy about those dogwalks, first time he's ever hit 100%. And one of those was at a distance in a gamble! He was such a Mr. Awesome Pants.
Running Contacts Compilation
He had 5/6 Q's on Saturday (maybe we can forget about the 0/4 Q's on Sunday) and finished up his Specialist (Masters) Jumpers and Standard titles. He also had only 1 bar down the whole trial and thankfully it was during a run where lots of other stuff went wrong as well. I think the footing at that trial a couple of weeks ago isn't the best for Strummer. It's hard packed dirt and while I've trialed there before and never thought of it as being a problem I just can imagine why else he had so many bars down. In any case I'm glad to see the issue was an anomaly.
Saturday's Jumpers and Standard Runs
I have video for the North American Challenge and Traditional Gamblers but it's not posted to vimeo yet and it's not all that interesting though he did get a distance gamble with a dogwalk which was something of a miracle.
On the one hand I suppose I should be happy with all the Q's. On the other hand my goal for the weekend was to have nice smooth runs that were truly clean, ie no refusals or missed weave entries, and we didn't have a single such run. A refusal here, a missed weave entry there put us out of all the placements for the weekend. Even our most awesome Trigility team came in 2nd by fractions of a second because I had a refusal in my Jumpers run while teammates ran clean. Thankfully the 1st place team had my same 2 teammates so I didn't deny them their 1st place, just shifted it to their other team.
Weave entries were iffy on Saturday. One of them looks like a handling error but the others, I don't know. No refusals on Sunday but I was tired and came out of the nine zillionth pinwheel of the weekend on a Jumpers run and briefly forgot where to go next. I hate getting lost, especially during Jumpers. Then called him a fraction of a second too late and got off course tunnels in both Standard runs. Mr. McSpeedypants needs to hear his name before he takes off for the jump before the turn. I had just practiced this on Friday too. I was tired by Sunday, I didn't finish Saturday's runs until 6 pm and even Strum was tired for once when we got home. Sunday I left after 4 runs at around 11:30 a.m. and it was a good decision. Sitting around for 4 hours in the heat for 1 run is not my cup of tea.
Sunday's runs
I know, deliver me from Pinwheel Hell.
Anyway, I was so hoping to have nice smooth runs before Champs. in Sept. The courses were so easy if not repetitive and tedious. SO many pinwheels this time. We can do pinwheels no problem but they're oh so boring. Especially by the 6th run. I'm hoping we'll see some more challenging courses at Champs. And hopefully not so many pinwheels.
I'm starting to wonder if the announcement of an Arizona Champs next year will also effect this year's entry in Grand Junction. Maybe the AZ folks won't bother to come up this year because they know it'll be in their backyard next year and they'll wait and go to that. I guess we'll find out in Sept. I know, I should be bitching to the folks at DOCNA not to you folks but I think they're busy w/ Champs. stuff for this year right now and it seems easier to pick a different agility goal for next year than to kick up a fuss. There's always something to do on any given weekend.
Final Stats
Specialist Traditional Gamblers Q-6th place (re-did the weave poles due to pop-outs 3 times so lost a lot of points)
Specialist Standard Round 1 Q-4th place (missed weave entry and a spin on a poorly managed rear cross)
Specialist Standard Round 2 Q-5th place (missed weave entry and run by at last jump when I let up at the finish)
Specialist Trigility Q-2nd place (We had a refusal in Jumpers, partners ran clean)
Specialist Jumpers Round 1 Q-4th place (lost time due to a refusal)
Completed Specialist Jumpers Title
Completed Specialist Standard Title
Dogwalks
5/5 (100% baby!!!)
A-frames
6/6 (100%) Technically perfect but I think we got a gift on one of them. All the others looked great though.
Teeters
100% , very happy w/ his teeters
Correct weave pole entries
6/9 (67%) Three of these were with the weave poles as the first obstacle
Weave pole pop-outs
3/9 (33%) Popped out on 3 runs
Bars down
Only 1 bar down out of 10 runs, pretty fantastic
Running Contacts Compilation
He had 5/6 Q's on Saturday (maybe we can forget about the 0/4 Q's on Sunday) and finished up his Specialist (Masters) Jumpers and Standard titles. He also had only 1 bar down the whole trial and thankfully it was during a run where lots of other stuff went wrong as well. I think the footing at that trial a couple of weeks ago isn't the best for Strummer. It's hard packed dirt and while I've trialed there before and never thought of it as being a problem I just can imagine why else he had so many bars down. In any case I'm glad to see the issue was an anomaly.
Saturday's Jumpers and Standard Runs
I have video for the North American Challenge and Traditional Gamblers but it's not posted to vimeo yet and it's not all that interesting though he did get a distance gamble with a dogwalk which was something of a miracle.
On the one hand I suppose I should be happy with all the Q's. On the other hand my goal for the weekend was to have nice smooth runs that were truly clean, ie no refusals or missed weave entries, and we didn't have a single such run. A refusal here, a missed weave entry there put us out of all the placements for the weekend. Even our most awesome Trigility team came in 2nd by fractions of a second because I had a refusal in my Jumpers run while teammates ran clean. Thankfully the 1st place team had my same 2 teammates so I didn't deny them their 1st place, just shifted it to their other team.
Weave entries were iffy on Saturday. One of them looks like a handling error but the others, I don't know. No refusals on Sunday but I was tired and came out of the nine zillionth pinwheel of the weekend on a Jumpers run and briefly forgot where to go next. I hate getting lost, especially during Jumpers. Then called him a fraction of a second too late and got off course tunnels in both Standard runs. Mr. McSpeedypants needs to hear his name before he takes off for the jump before the turn. I had just practiced this on Friday too. I was tired by Sunday, I didn't finish Saturday's runs until 6 pm and even Strum was tired for once when we got home. Sunday I left after 4 runs at around 11:30 a.m. and it was a good decision. Sitting around for 4 hours in the heat for 1 run is not my cup of tea.
Sunday's runs
I know, deliver me from Pinwheel Hell.
Anyway, I was so hoping to have nice smooth runs before Champs. in Sept. The courses were so easy if not repetitive and tedious. SO many pinwheels this time. We can do pinwheels no problem but they're oh so boring. Especially by the 6th run. I'm hoping we'll see some more challenging courses at Champs. And hopefully not so many pinwheels.
I'm starting to wonder if the announcement of an Arizona Champs next year will also effect this year's entry in Grand Junction. Maybe the AZ folks won't bother to come up this year because they know it'll be in their backyard next year and they'll wait and go to that. I guess we'll find out in Sept. I know, I should be bitching to the folks at DOCNA not to you folks but I think they're busy w/ Champs. stuff for this year right now and it seems easier to pick a different agility goal for next year than to kick up a fuss. There's always something to do on any given weekend.
Final Stats
Specialist Traditional Gamblers Q-6th place (re-did the weave poles due to pop-outs 3 times so lost a lot of points)
Specialist Standard Round 1 Q-4th place (missed weave entry and a spin on a poorly managed rear cross)
Specialist Standard Round 2 Q-5th place (missed weave entry and run by at last jump when I let up at the finish)
Specialist Trigility Q-2nd place (We had a refusal in Jumpers, partners ran clean)
Specialist Jumpers Round 1 Q-4th place (lost time due to a refusal)
Completed Specialist Jumpers Title
Completed Specialist Standard Title
Dogwalks
5/5 (100% baby!!!)
A-frames
6/6 (100%) Technically perfect but I think we got a gift on one of them. All the others looked great though.
Teeters
100% , very happy w/ his teeters
Correct weave pole entries
6/9 (67%) Three of these were with the weave poles as the first obstacle
Weave pole pop-outs
3/9 (33%) Popped out on 3 runs
Bars down
Only 1 bar down out of 10 runs, pretty fantastic
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