German Monkey Challenge #7 - Getting serious

[german]

Thanks girls!, today I swam again, 2500m, I am amazed how much I've been able to handle this week, tomorrow (and friday) I'll reduce volume a lot for the race on Sat.

[german]

I finally got the tax thing started, Yesterday I decided to brute-force it, meaning I dedicated as much time as needed until I hit a bureaucratic wall, (work was light, so I could do it), the result: I am "theoretically" one step away from issuing electronic receipts, sounds like a little step, but it actually involved a long time in a government office, plus around 10 different steps online (which are not connected via any logical sequence), all of it without a manual (there is a very brief explanation of each step, but not the entire process). At the end of the day, I am supposedly nearly there. Now I understand why almost everybody hires an accountant for that. The good news is I have learned a lot and should be able to do my taxes myself (i know in some countries that is normal), and save myself some dough on fees.

 

Oh, and also, I have removed the stats from this challenge, and added some brick workouts, the truth is, I am not very fond of the whole points thing.

[shortstuff]

I finally got the tax thing started, Yesterday I decided to brute-force it, meaning I dedicated as much time as needed until I hit a bureaucratic wall, (work was light, so I could do it), the result: I am "theoretically" one step away from issuing electronic receipts, sounds like a little step, but it actually involved a long time in a government office, plus around 10 different steps online (which are not connected via any logical sequence), all of it without a manual (there is a very brief explanation of each step, but not the entire process). At the end of the day, I am supposedly nearly there. Now I understand why almost everybody hires an accountant for that. The good news is I have learned a lot and should be able to do my taxes myself (i know in some countries that is normal), and save myself some dough on fees.

Oh, and also, I have removed the stats from this challenge, and added some brick workouts, the truth is, I am not very fond of the whole points thing.

Woot!

[18ck]

Mm, dealing with bureaucracy is not the most fun thing in the world but it's nice when you stagger out the other end having achieved something tangible, eh?

[german]

Today I did not swim, went to bed really late last night and, since I should be tapering, I skipped the morning swim in favor of an evening walk.

 

Also, I actually got to issue a receipt today (ok, two, had to cancel one due to a stupid mistake), meaning I am getting paid some extra money and will be receiving my regular payments painlessly and on time.

 

Meaning: I am not only a triathlete monkey, but a taxpayer monkey as well!

[Everstorm]

woot!  good luck this weekend.

[german]

Easy taper swim today, 1200m. Bad news is I am not signed up for tomorrows tri, I hope to be able to get a number there, but not sure.

[german]

Good news! There were still numbers available onsite. Race report soon

[shortstuff]

Good news! There were still numbers available onsite. Race report soon

Yay! *starts to wait eagerly*

[KiwiChick]

Yay! *starts to wait eagerly*

x 2

[shortstuff]

Still no update? *goes back to eagerly waiting, only this time even more eagerly*

[german]

Awesome course! Felt great an finished in 2:21. Race report soon, as soon as I am near a computer.

[shortstuff]

Awesome course! Felt great an finished in 2:21. Race report soon, as soon as I am near a computer.

Woot!

[german]

Sorry for the lack of updates here, crazy monday at the office, race report (with pics) tomorrow, I promise.

[Hammlin]

squeee!!!

 

[KillerGriller]

Awesome course! Felt great an finished in 2:21. Race report soon, as soon as I am near a computer.

Awesome

[german]

Race report:
 
The race was a xterra triathlon, sport distance (750m lake swim, 15km mountain bike and 5km trail run), at the beautiful little town of Tapalpa, which is a two hour drive from home.

 

I woke up early to set things up, my bike was already in transition from the day before, so I went on through my stuff and got out to T2 (transition bike-run), which was at the main square of the town, set it up and went (drove) to T1 (swim-bike), which was out in the field, near the lake, I set up my bike and equipment, and waited, the first waves were the elites, then the "world tour" distance (twice my distance), and then us "sport", so I ended up starting around 10:15am (I entered T1 at 7:30), so by that time I was already thirsty (no hydration points before the start!), bad planning, my water was at the bike and I had none with me, fortunately I found a swimming partner and he gave me some gatorade (better than dehydrated).

 

The swim.

 

It.  was.  cold. I mean, freaking bloody cold, like Thames river cold (I guess), I am used to swim in a heated pool, but I have swam in lakes and at the sea, but I had never, ever, swam at such a cold water for so long (It took me 17 minutes), fortunately, I was expecting it (race control said 18ºC, felt like 5, probably was around 17), and followed some expert advice and kept the warming up at a minimum, and instead swam the first 250ish meters at an easy pace. The first maybe 25 was "what-am-I-freaking-doing-herrreee", then I remembered something I read about swimming when exhausted, about focusing on your stroke and putting the way you feel aside, and it works for cold water too!, after the first buoy (250m), I was feeling quite confident, my body was responding and my mind had already accepted the fact that this was going to do it and started cooperating. I also had some navigation issues the first meters, but I did not deviate that much, maybe swam about 50m extra, then I found some good reference points and did not loose course again, the fact is, I felt really strong finishing the swim leg, stronger than in my previous races.

 

T1

 

As soon as I left the water, I started jogging to T1, but I felt a little dizzy, plus the weak legs that is common at this point, and since the way to T1 was a very narrow set of rock stairs, with a considerable drop to the left, I walked, then I saw my family cheering me up!, it's always a great feeling!. When I reached my bike, and started putting on my cycling shoes, I was very dizzy, almost fell to one side!, so I put on my shoes calmly, buckled my helmet, put on glasses and stood up to wait for the feeling to pass, turns out it's normal after a cold swim, I just did not know it!, (something called caloric vertigo FWIW), all I had to do was wait around a minute (maybe less) and it passed, so off I went to the bike course!.

 

Bike

 

The bike course was a combination of some secondary asphalt roads, with lava rock paths and some single track as well, so it was varied and fun, I went through it without incidents, other than stopping once to help a fellow triathlete with a punctured tire (he was carrying his bike on his shoulders and running, I could not help but give him an inner tube!), and having some problems accessing my water, I used a gatorade bottle which sits too tight in the bottle mount, so I finished the bike thirsty.

 

T2

As I entered the transition area I saw my family again!, then, as soon as I dismounted, I took my bottle and started drinking, left the bike and helmet, changed shoes and started running.

 

Run

 

As I said, I tarted running, for about two minutes, until I got a nice side stitch, so I ditched the water, and started walking/running, and then I hit the most steep hill ever, it was like hiking!, I have no idea on the angle, but I am sure you cannot go up there in a vehicle, everyone else was walking, so I tried a run/walk strategy, but the running raised my pulse violently, so I opted for a power walk, it was the fastest anyway for me. By the time I got tho the highest part of the trail I was ready to run, and so I did, I ran like the wind (or so I felt), downhill, even passed a few competitors (most of them walking, but still..), I just kept on going, I don't remember running so fast for so long (about 2.5K), downhill or not, the feeling was great!overall, my run time was not bad at all, 45 minutes for 5k with side stitches and the elevation change is good for me!

 

Then I got to the finis line, it was an amazing feeling, I saw my family again right before the line!

 

 

All in all, a great event, I felt good, had fun, improved my time and took the family to a nice weekend at a beautiful location, a great weekend overall!

 

 

 

 

 

[Everstorm]

Awesome!  Tempts me to take up the tri.  If only I owned a bike....

[18ck]

Woohoo! I haven't checked on here for a while and look, an excellent race report complete with a my-river's-colder-than-your-river call-out.

Some great drama and pics and I like that you helped a competitor out of difficulty. All in all, that's a heck of a writeup and an impressive race! Good job!

[Grizzy]

Nice job!

[NicoleCanoes]

you are awesome

[Grizzy]

you are awesome

+1

[KillerGriller]

Sounds like you really excelled at the swim this time, great work!  How were your transition times (even with the vertigo)?

[bgvanbur]

Great job.  And photos came out really well.

[german]

Sounds like you really excelled at the swim this time, great work!  How were your transition times (even with the vertigo)?

Thanks KG, T1 was 4:46 (with the vertigo and a long distance between the swim and transition area), T2 was 2:02