salvaging the goal?

Hi all,

been a long time since I've posted. It has been a busy summer, and my once aggressive tri schedule was whacked months ago, due to a new house purchase. Well we are moved in, finally, and my big bike ride which eats up basically all of late june/july training is done too, and went quite well so I am pleased about that...

A few weeks back I picked out a tri I wanted to do in mid Sept thinking, Ok, now I can snag a tri. Fitness wise I am all set for a sprint. It is a women's event, a longer swim than a sprint but a shorter bike (I would like more bike miles but whatever) and supposed to be beginner friendly... I figured this way I could still get in my goal of a tri this season.

Anyway, all was pretty good as of a few weeks ago - I was doing swim workouts to offset my riding days and even did some OWS in Cape Cod Bay if you can call it that- first time with wetsuit, yucky salt water etc - which now I understand COMPLETELY why people freak out, even without having a thousand or so others around... My tactic was just try to spend a decent time in the water (that is 20-30 minutes) even if I wasn't swimming every moment, and I found I could not swim into the waves at all, so I'd backtrack and do laps swimming with the waves. It also took some getting used to the flotation (but cool) and the lack of a nice clear line to look at... Anyway, I want to try again this weekend in a lake which is fresh water and this is a lake event anyway. We'll see how it goes.

Pool swimming distance I can comfortably complete a longish swim (defined as 50-75 lengths of 25 yrd pool) with pretty good time consistency and comfort. Thanks, BTW to an old thread in which some of you helped me find a good lap counter...

But OWS definitely adds some wrinkles to the swim and I could stand to do more of it. I have a new respect for those who are comfortable with it...

Here's my other concern, I've been having some leg issues with a tweaked foot and now knee. Pretty sure I know what is going on with both (foot traces back to long unplanned walk in clipless shoes from a late July training ride, and is aggravated by running, and knee is 2 days old issue but probably triggered by a pavement run on Monday, issue surfaced on Wednesday). anyway long story short I still want to do it, but I may have walk the 5k if these pains don't go away.. and the only way I can think they'll go away is by not running for a few weeks which leads up to the event...

I need to decide if I will enter soon. If I don't get this event, I'm pretty out of luck due to schedule, and colder weather coming soon, for the rest of the year. There is one duathlon I could probably do (the same one I did last year). Of course, I will still be riding for a while...

what do you think? I hate to have to shelve the idea but I really might have to walk if I enter... BTW swimming (Wednesday) went well even with above issues though I took it somewhat easy. I am planning to bike on Sat with a friend and don't expect a problem there either (also not weight bearing).

anyway, thanks for reading the ramblings. feeling a little discouraged after having set this as a goal for this year and unsure if I should take the gamble of entering.

I'm can't begin to help with your actual question...just wanted to chime in with encouragement. I know it is hard to think about whether or not to drop a goal. I know the triathletes here will weigh in!! :)

Now first off as far as the OWS:

Just keep getting in with your wetsuit on. Skip the bay, get in the lake. It took me 2-3 times to get comfy in my wetsuit when I got it last spring. Just push through it. If you can do that distance in the pool, you will be ok in the open water. Swim parallel to the shore so that you can stand up if you need to.

Secondly about the knee. Have you tried icing? I have had tweaks over the past 8 onths of training. Ice has been a huge help. try starting back with a walk run schedule. Are your shoes worn out?

Thirdly, if you have to walk during the 5k, so what? Is your goal to finish the race, or to try and place ? Lots of people have to walk some portion of the run.

Lastly, have fun and enjoy the day.....

Nice to see you around again, Tygab! Glad you're back among us now that you're settled.
RNRgirl said some good things!
I'm going to tell you to sign up and do the race. I think you will be ready and will have a great time!

OWS does get easier the more you do it (and I think a lot of that just has to do with your comfort level in the water). Sounds like the distance isn't a problem so much as the OW experience. Just get in some more practice and you'll do fine on that part.

Walking the run? I KNOW I'm going to have to walk a big part of my HIM run next month because my knees and lack of training. Won't be a PR or anything to write home about- but it doesn't matter to me. Finishing is what I want to do- and if you feel the same way- there's no sin in walking. Don't let the fact that you may have to walk hold you back. It all depends on how you feel when you wake up that day. If you're feeling like it hurts too much- walk. If you're feeling good- run. Nobody will think a thing if you walk. I've seen some of the fittest triathletes walking portions of the run. You do what you gotta do to get to the finish line. :)

Thanks, tri gurus! I probably am just looking for negatives, but you're right, I can do it. I don't mind walking (I run as slow as a snail so it hardly matters), just don't want to be seen as wimping! Of course, not going at all is more wimpy isn't it? The goal right now is to finish, and that is a good goal.

And you're right, can always decide to run the day or moment of. I might have to walk for other reasons anyway, like just being tired!

I will get hopefully a few more OWS practices in and that should help.

And I will definitely add some icing into the regime, maybe walk more instead of run etc for training. Obvious simple suggestions...

Thanks for the encouragement. I will sign up this weekend!

The other ladies gave really great advice, so I don't have too much to add.

I will say that last year, I signed up for a tri thinking I would be running a 5K easy by race day. Well due to a running injury and setbacks, come race day I had barely run 1 mile straight in training.

So, I just did a walk/run combo. I found a buddy and we walked/ran together. It was fine and worked out great. In fact, that I think that run time was the same as the other times I have RUN the entire distance in a race!

Good luck, you can do it!

I second the question about how old your running shoes are. Whenever the midsole begins to break down in mine, even if they look new, my knees hurt. You might also try to get a cushioned insole.

Another thought for nonimpact running is running in the pool. I've never tried it, but I've heard it's great for rehabing injuries.

Go for it! And good luck!