So that is the bad news, right at the start. There was no "triathlon" on Sunday. With the water temperature below 50F (10C), the race directors called off the swim leg and turned it into a run-ride-run.
A quote from the email calling it off ...
Brrr.We tried to hold out as long as we could, but Sunday's race will be a Duathlon. This is unfortunate, and we would have preferred to hold all three legs of the triathlon. We understand that many may be upset by this news, but we have deemed it unsafe to hold the swim portion of the race. Having swimmers in the Bay water would be irresponsible on our part. Saturday night, the temperature is forecasted to drop below freezing, with temperatures still under 40 degrees at 9am. The marina water is still below 48 degrees. The combination of water and air temperatures means that hypothermia is a very real risk.
Since medical advice still has me limiting my running this ruled me out (I have a credit to next years event, hopefully). It was definitely bittersweet, I was incredibly happy not to get into the frigid water, but upset the whole things didn't come to fruition. Now I have to start planning the next first triathlon.
I read up on the "rules" and apparently the ITU (International Triathlon Union) won't do a race (swim) if the water temperature is below 55F (12.7C), while the USTA (US Triathlon Association) don't have an explicit rule as regards to water temperature, leaving it to the discretion of the race director, apparently the race director commonly uses the ITU rules. My personal opinion, after my very sad attempts to swim in frigid water, is that 48F (~9C) is waaaay to cold. I cannot now imagine, having previously imagined, doing the "Escape from Alcatraz" triathlon. The water temperature in June (Summer) is ~55F, I am not sure if I can ever consider this being a good time, especially when the entrance fee is $400!
So onto the week that was.
Wednesday
Out for a run. Colleen graciously came with me, she was rugged up rolling beside me on her bike, while I ran just about as hard as I could. I think she spent more time slowing the bike down (if you don't include non-riding activities like cooing at the nice houses) than she did propelling the bike. Over the 3.3 (5.3k) normal running loop I averaged 7:37 minutes per miles and did the run in 25:34. I spent a great deal of the run frustrated at how difficult running was compared to riding, watching Colleen riding beside me with no effort at all. Despite my grumpiness, or perhaps because of it, this was the fastest run I have done so far and each run has been quicker than the last (when I am not doing the run in conjunction with another exercise).
For the rest of the week, laziness set in when it became apparent that the race would be called off and with Colleen's brother and sister in-law (Clayton and Pam, yes Pam of Pam's Law) in town it made for enough excuses to not do anything through until Sunday.
Sunday
On the bike and the same dilemma as usual. I don't want to go fast, but apparently I only have one speed - as quick as i can go. I don't want to do a ride I have done, because then I have to beat my last time or I am a failure, so I end up looking for a new route unless I am feeling confident. So I ride out trying to go slowish (not confident), and wondering what course I am going to do So I manage to create a course that I haven't done post surgery. Straight out Sand Hill and up Old La Honda and back. It is 25 miles and OLH as it is commonly known is the local "test hill" it is very well known locally, as described here. I was quite tentative to go up OLH again for the first time, it can never really be considered "fun".
The whole ride was 25 miles over 1 hour 32 minutes, 26 of those minutes (almost exactly) going up the ~3.3 miles (5.3k) of Old La Honda. Thus I spent about 28% of my time doing 12% of the ride ... hills are stupid. Here is what the ride looked like from my tricky watch: OLH Ride
One thing that happened almost as soon as I got home is that I ordered a new cassette for the back. The current is 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,23,25, while the new one is 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,24,28. Those extra teeth (one on the second biggest cog and three on the biggest) will hopefully make OLH a bit easier as I was spent by the top. On the hill I was out of the saddle much more than I ever remember having to before. But it could well be a combination of still being weaker and the gears, rather than just being the gears. However the time up (26 minutes) was at the quicker end of the times I do up there, so time will tell whether my panic buying was really required.
So back into a training groove until I determine a new race.
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