Danskin Bike-Run Time Trial

With only 42 training days left before the Orlando Danskin Triathlon, I decided that it was time for me to do a bike-run time trial. I've been doing mini-bricks after every bike ride; however, until today I had never done the actual Danskin bike & run distances back to back.

Danskin Orlando bike-run time trial specs: 9 mile bike + T2 + 2 mile run

Breakfast was normal for me and was consumed about 2 hours before time trial: cup of coffee w/ sugar & creamer; bowl of mini-wheats. No GI upset was encountered during time trial.

Attire: I swear the chamois in my bike shorts irritates my girly bits more than wearing nothing (see a few posts below), so I opted to ride & run in a pair of Nike Tempo shorts, my Moving Comfort Fiona bra with a black Champion bra overtop. A black bra overtop, b/c I didn't want to run in an all white bra for fear that people might think I was a streaker! Anyway, this is the first time that I have EVER bared my midriff in training, but I've discovered that during my runs I end up doing a lot of self-ventilating with my "wicking" shirts (pulling them away from my body and fanning myself). So I decided that today I would ditch the shirt entirely and just wear the sports bras. Ya know what... me LOVED!!!

Conditions: 79F, sunny, 51% humidity, dew point at 59F, "feels like" of 80F, winds out of ESE @ 6mph

Set-up: I set up my running shoes and my visor in my garage and then donned my bike gear. I started my watch and I was off!

Bike: I used my typical neighborhood loop for my 9 mile ride. It is absolutely NOT geared for fast road biking (too many turns, driveways, cars, people, dogs, people walking dogs) but it's all that I have locally without having to drive someplace. My 9 mile bike time was 31:59... a teensy bit slower than what I had hoped for; however, I think a lot of it has to do with the route itself. I am making great use of my aerobars now and wishing that I had purchased a tri bike so that shifting wouldn't be so cumbersome. It's very flat and open around here and I deal with a lot of wind when I ride... so I'm constantly shifting. That means I'm on and off the aerobars continuously.

T2: Obstacle one... my garage door would not open! Grr! I had to key in the code twice! No problem though as I figured that the delay would make my transition time more realistic. Once inside the garage, I docked my bike and ran over to my shoes and visor. Plopped down on the ground (not sure if this is a good idea) and realized that I had failed to untie my laces. Doh! Drank some H2O. Slipped shoes on, peeled cycling gloves off, took off helmet, slipped on visor and away I went! Transition time was 1:34.

Run: All of the little mini-bricks that I have been doing after each bike ride must be paying off b/c my legs felt pretty decent. It was my lungs that were having the field day! I ended up doing two 10 second walks during the first mile of the run. They really seemed to help. Finally, I got my lungs together and was able to run the last mile without a problem. It was an effort, but I didn't feel like I was gasping for breath anymore. I realized somewhere in the middle of my run that I forgot to take off my sunglasses at T2. I never wear sunglasses when I run (that's what my visor is for) and they felt totally weird on my face the entire time. I ended up completing my run in 21:23 (averaging a 10:42 pace).

Total bike-run time trial time including T2 transition = 54:56!!! If I add my 400 split from my swim yesterday (7:32) and stick in another 2 minutes for T1 (which seemed to be avg. for last year), I am able to estimate that if I were to complete the Danskin Tri tomorrow, it would take me approx. 1:04:28! Wow!! That time would have placed me 36/107 competitors in my age group last year! Double wow!!!

With more than a month left to train, maybe I can knock off a minute or two! Would be awesome! If not, I'll take that 1:04:28!! Woot!!!

Rest day tomorrow! Hurray!!!!

OSN 3-28-08: 2100 yds

OCN 3-29-08: tri time trial, 9 miles
ORN 3-29-08: tri time trial, 2 miles