And The Beat Goes On

2021 Totals As of November 7

 Today was the NYC Marathon.  I have volunteered often for the race, but this year I felt it was better to skip it.  Even though I am fully vaccinated, and have my booster, where I volunteer is usually extremely crowded, and would be crowded even with the lesser number of runners this year.

So I watched on TV. Tracked, and cheered for, people I know. But missed being there a lot.

I have not been been training much since Atlantic City, but two weeks ago I popped a 10K plan in Training Peaks.  I do not have any triathlons scheduled for quite awhile - in fact the only one is North Carolina next October because I deferred from this year.

The next race up is running.  In February.  So I am focusing on running.  Which is clearly my worst of the three sports in triathlon.  Actually cycling is not stellar.  My swimming is okay - I actually like swimming.  If there is one place I have a fighting chance not to finish last, it is usually the swim.  Or tying my shoes in T2.  It seems I am the reverse of most triathlon participants 😁  Of course my swimming has taken a hit with Covid.  This year I was only able to tie myself to the fence twice to do some swimming.  And I had started 2020 strong with 25,000 yards in January and almost 20,000 in February.  Oh well.

I have also been having a bit tougher time this year.  I did the math.  Since May 2020 I have had #chemotherapy 247 days.  Since the drug trial started I have had 100 days out of the last 105, give or take, with the only break when my blood work was so bad I could not be given the drugs.  It is building up and recovery is a bit tougher.  The first week of each three week cycle is the worst because that includes the extra tougher drug, and I was bouncing back by 10 days into each 21 day cycle.  Now it is taking over two weeks.  So it takes a lot more effort to get on the trainer or the treadmill.   But I keep on doing it.  I am hoping that in a week or two of the 10K training will kick in.   

During all of this I check yearly totals now and again.  And I saw I was closing in on last year's totals.  (Excluding swimming ;) )  The miles I did on the treadmill today put me over the top.  I biked and ran more this year than I did in 2020 (and I have not been on the bike trainer in 2 weeks :) )

Compared to the totals of pretty much everyone in triathlon, they are not the most impressive.  But I am still happy.   

Anyway in 2018 I was able to do a 2-1/2 bike trainer ride, put on my Hokas and run an hour and a half at a 11:15 pace or so for an hour and a half.  I am about 6 minutes per mile slower now.  On a treadmill.  For a half-hour.    

Hoping I can update things in a month or so saying the running training is kicking back in :)