TRI-TRAINING HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN!

Up until now, I have really just been screwing around.  No schedule or plan to speak of, just going out and doing it.  I guess I just wanted to make sure I could at least finish all the events separately, then worrying about putting it all together.  Well, that plan met with limited success.  Yes, I did prove to myself that I could finish all the events.  But, I do not think I was improving my endurance or strength in any way.  I was really just killing time until the training really started.

Yesterday was the first official training session for the 16-week couch-to-triathlon training program, TRI-101.  The program is being run by FleetFeet.  At the first session yesterday, there was a complete spectrum people, old, young, skinny, fat, you name it; about 75 people in all.  There were several people who had even taken the class last year.  I don't know if they were held back or what, or if they just really liked it.  Each class begins with some sort of related discussion topic followed by some kind of training.  The topic yesterday was Proper Running Technique.  Very informative.  Nothing earth shattering, but good information. 

The training was a 1-mile evaluation run.  We split ourselves into groups by expected pace.  There was a coach running a constant pace for each group.  You didn't have to stay in the group, it was just kind of a starting point.  The groups were 8, 9:30, and 10:30 mi/mile and the two interval groups, 4 min run/2 min walk, and 1 min run/2 min walk.  Well, crap.  I know I can run a mile without walking, but my pace is more like 12 min/mi.  Ok, ok, before you start in with the "12 min/mi!! that IS walking", that's running to me, so BACK OFF!  I decided to get in the 10:30 group and just lag a little.  We were supposed to run our own pace anyway, so it didn't really matter.

We all started at the same time and tried to stay with our groups.  As usually, I started off way too fast.  When I download my watch that night, it appears that I started at about an 8 minute pace, which of course, only went down from there.  Well, I trotted my 1-mile (without walking thank you) and ended up with a time of 11:32.  Not too bad I guess.  Something to improve on anyway.

I learned a few things, first, I really need to learn how to pace myself.  I ALWAYS start off too fast and then run out of gas.  Second, posture and how your feet land while you are running are pretty important to efficiency and comfort.  And lastly, not to be mean, but there are just some people that don't need to be wearing spandex...I'm just saying.

Next week: Bike Fit/Riding Etiquette and 20-minute evaluation run