Race Upcoming and Off Topic Pics

How's this for a hodge-podge (sp?) post?! Pics of my latest obsession (Deck!) Pics from my vacation (yes, photography is a passion of mine) and ramblings about my upcoming race: The Strawberry Fields Triathlon (Olympic Dist.)

This Sunday is just my second Tri - although I feel like I'm not quite that green! I've been working pretty hard on the bike for the last month or so. I must say I've falled off the wagon running a bit - track work once a week and a medium run or two a week and that's it....Swimming so-so. That's the one sport I'm decent at so I tend to neglect it. So without further adieu...my goals.

Swim 1500m: 27:30ish (1:50/100m) - should be pretty doable, no faster than my first tri back in March

Bike 40k: 1:14:30ish (20mph) - up from 18.5, more comfy on the bike, easier course

Run 10k: 54:20ish (8:45/mile) - I'd be more ambitious here but know myself and if I go out to hard after the bike I'm done. I'll start out here and if I feel good I'll go harder!

With the transitions I'm thinking between 2:40 and 2:45, about 6-10 minutes off my first. I'd definitely like to go sub 2:45 and possibly 2:40 if it goes really well. We'll see!

Without further adieu, here's my favorite pics from my trip up North...

For more you can check out my MobileMe gallery: http://gallery.me.com/codymusic

And here are the promised pics of the newly completed deck! :)

Oh yeah, the lens I shot with (Canon 10-22) makes it look much, much bigger!

Will letcha know how Sunday goes! Hopefully I'm not too sore from hauling all that wood!

I'm Ready!

Less than 36 hours to go before my big day - turning 30 and ringing it in with my first tri - the UCSB Triathlon!  Thought I'd take a moment to jot down my goals for the big day...

• First and foremost = have fun and finish

• The time goals:

Swim = roughly 30 minutes...I can do 1.5k in less in ideal conditions, but this is freezing open water with tons of swimmers around me for the first time

T1 = swim->bike...shouldn't take too long, right?  I'm hoping for under 4 minutes, depending on how far I have to run to get to my bike...let's say 5 to be safe...

Bike = 40k...I'm hoping ideally I can go sub 1:20.  This requires around an 18.5 mph average...I think I'm capable of that - but this is the biggest question mark for me.  I'm pretty sure I can finish in under 1:30, so that's my "B" goal...

T2 = bike->run....again shouldn't be a big deal, let's say 3 minutes!

Run = 10k...on a good running day I might be able to break 50 minutes (around 8 min/mile pace,) but after the run I'm thinking around 54 minutes...let's say 55.

That brings me in at 2:55.  Breaking 3 hours (which I'm told is a respectable time) would definitely be huge in my book.  I'd really love to give it a go.  I'm feeling pretty darn confident in my training - I've worked hard...especially on the bike which is newest to me.  My friend Billy says he's never heard me so confident going into a race.  I sure hope so.  I know I can finish.  It'd be rocking to go for a killer time on my first, but if I don't make it in the twos I'll have many, many more chances!  Can't wait for Sunday!  (and the party after!)  :)