My hopes of completing the Portland Triathlon in September last year were dashed when I struck a raccoon on bicycle during an early morning training ride just two weeks before the event. The accident left me with a broken collarbone, and three broken ribs. My injuries required a titanium plate and twelve screws in my shoulder to fix the pieces of my collarbone and several staples to close up a laceration on my head caused by my helmet breaking as I impacted the ground. All told, I was laid up for six weeks before I could slowly start to return to normal activity which included a few miles to work, and some easy morning swims.
My disappointment at missing out on the actualization of my training have only sharpened my resolve to get back into racing shape and participate in a triathlon event. This year, however, I have been ratcheting up to the next level and will be taking part in the Leadman Epic 125 Triathlon in Bend, featuring a 2.5k swim in Cultus Lake followed by a 106km bicycle ride around Mt. Bachelor and then a 12km run around Tetherow Golf Club.
To prepare for the event I’ve been putting in 3 training swims per week focusing on my stroke, distance swimming technique and endurance. For the bicycling portion, I’ve been training three times a week with interval sessions and one long distance ride per week from 70 to 100 miles highlighting longer climbs. For the running portion, I’m slowly working back up to race distances, trying to get my pace back to where it was last year. As the event gets nearer I’m planning several open water swim sessions planned as well.
