Kamakura rough water swim report

Last year I did my first open water swim ever in Kamakura. Swam 3 (3.2) kilometers in the ocean without much training in me. Wore a wetsuit but forgot to lubricate my body: the result: terrible. You can read about it in my report from July 2009.

This year a once again ventured to the rough waters in Kamakura to take part in the 3 km event. My goal was simple, to swim much faster than last year.
To avoid any gear problems, a simple solution: no wetsuit, just my swimsuit and googles.

I did swim faster and placed higher.
Finished 20th out of 230 with a time of 49.30 (last year 58 minutes)
Was it really faster though??
This year due to the strong currents and waves the races was shortened to 2.5 km.
My original plan of breaking 50 minutes changed into breaking 40 ... but once in the water I realized it would be impossible to do.

We swam parallel to the shore, with waves breaking next to us.
Every stroke was difficult and changing my style did not help. Every time I got into a good pace a wave would roll me over and force me to come to a total stop.
Looking at my watch was totally useless ... I could not keep a constant pace and I had no idea what distance I was covering. A bit of a nightmare

The ending though was pretty exciting and made the race a good one after all.
Stepped into the shore in 22nd place with a 50 meter run to the goal. Place 21st was 5 meters ahead and 20th some 15 meters ahead. The 3 of us tired and cramped. But the runners in me said "you have to win this little race ... you have 50 meters to go ... he has 35 ... but you are probably 10 times faster RRRUUUUNNN!!!"
And I flew, caught the 21st place and with 10 meters to go managed to sneak through and beep my wrist chip before the other guy ending in 20th. Collapsed on the finish line with cramped muscles knocking out some of the crowd .... epic finish.

.... and to my surprise 22nd place was my good friend Tahara-san. I had been looking for him the entire swim. Impossible to find though ... but we ended up racing each other at the end. What a coincidence.
20th, 21st and 22nd place were all given the same time of 49.30

June training: still not where I want to be

Swimming keeps improving but my running is as low as ever. Ended the month with a shocking 17.04 for a 5km time trial. Will have to put in a lot of work in the next 3 months if I want to be sub 16 again this fall.

June

1. Swim 2500 meters
2. Rest
3. Rest
4. Jog 10 km
5. Rest
6. Swim 2000 meters
7. Rest
8. 6 km tempo - Total 15 km
3.32 - 3.25 - 3.22 - 3.26 - 3.32 - 3.23
9. Jog 13 km
10. Swim 2500 meters
11. Jog 15 km
12. Rest
13. Rest
14. Swim 2500 meters
15. Jog 13 km
16. Jog 15 km @ 4.10 pace
17. Rest
18. Swim 3000 meters (1500 meter time trial)
19. Jog 6 km
20. Saiko road race 10.5 km - 39.09
Total: 19 km
21. Jog 13 km
22. Jog 15 km
23. Jog 15 km
24. Rest
25. Rest
26. Rest
27. Swim 1700 meters
28. Rest
29. Jog 15 km
30. 5 km time trial - 17.04
3.24 - 3.25 - 3.27 - 3.27 - 3.20
Total 13 km

Total Run: 177 km
Total Swim: 14,200 meters

Like a fish in the water

I have been swimming once a week without fail since mid April and have increased to twice a week now and then since late May. As a result I now feel I am in PB shape.
Last Friday I time trialed myself. Swam 1500 meters in a 25 meter pool.
My lane had 4 other slow swimmers in it which made it a bit problematic. Also due to pool rules I had to leave my stop watch at the border of the pool, meaning stopping every hundred meters to press my watch to get my splits.
The result though was surprising. Finished in about 23.10
Two years ago I did the same workout in an empty pool and barely ducked under 26 minutes.
I am sure that at 100% in an empty pool I would have kept a 1.30 pace for every hundred meters.
Does that mean I will swim under 23 minutes in my next triathlon?
Not really, but it would be great if I did.
With a good current and use of wetsuit, who knows! might even break 22.

1500 time trial splits:
1.26 - 1.31 - 1.33 - 1.33 - 1.33 - 1.34 - 1.36 - 1.35 - 1.34 - 1.34 - 1.33 - 1.33 - 1.34 - 1.33 - 1.33
Avg: 1.33

May running: twist twist twist

I twisted my ankle again. Kind of sucks but at least it was just a minor sprain. I should be running soon again. Been swimming instead. Hopefully I can get in good result in the Rough Water Swim 3k in July.

May

1. TELL 10k - 35.02 (2nd place)
total: 19 km
2. Rest
3. Rest
4. Rest
5. Rest
6. Jog 15 km
7. swim 2400 meters
8. Jog 15 km
9. Jog 10 km
10. Rest
11. swim 2000 meters
12. Jog 17 km
13. swim 2600 meters
14. Jog 20 km
15. Rest
16. Jog 18 km
17. Jog 17 km @ 4.06 pace
18. Jog 15 km
19. Rest
20. swim 2100 meters
21. Jog 17 km
22. Rest
23. Rest
24. swim 2300 meters
25. 3x200 - 400 meter 2 min recovery jog - Total 15 km
7.07 - 7.07 - 6.35
26. Jog 10 km
27. (injured) swim 2000 meters
28. (injured) swim 2200 meters
29. injured
30. injured
31. injured

Total Run: 188 km
Total swim: 15,600 meters

Injured

Damn.
I always get injured.
I have lived 5.5 years in Japan and this is the 6th time I twist my ankle. Fortunately it was not that bad. Should be ready to run by Monday ...
This time it happened while playing soccer.
This 14 year old kid fouled me, sending me flying towards a fence and in the process making my ankle twist.
Kids these days are strong.


Good thing is at least I am swimming. So I can do swims instead of runs this week.
Still though, have a 10.5 k race in Yamanashi in June and this injury won't help at all.

Why oh why are my ankles so twistable!

My first Ironman!!

...will probably take place 5 years from now.

Well at least I have come to the conclusion that if I don't do one I won't be able to die satisfied.

I must die an IRONMAN.

That is the first goal in mind, do one, finish one.

After that I will go for the Peruvian national record of 9 hours 19 minutes muahaha.

I have recently been reading about Vladimir Figari, Peru's top triathlete and holder of various records (including that 9.19).
Legend says that he began running at the age of 29. Running for fun that is. Just to be fit. He then went into duathlons at the age of 31 or so and triathlons after that. In few years but with lots of hard training he was able to rise to the top of the podium in this multisport. That is where I want to be some day ... some day when I have time to train the way I wish to.

9 hours and 19 minutes. That is pretty damn fast. How the hell am I going to do 9 hours and 19 minutes when I do not even own a bike. That is the question. Good thing I have an entire decade to accomplish this task.

Lets divide this into parts:

2.4 mile swim: I need to do this in about 65 minutes. This is do-able with training.

112 mile bike : A bit over 5 hours should do the trick. I do not even own a bike.

26.2 mile run : Finishing a bit over 3 hours should be in the save zone. Again do-able.

So I have 10 years to be able to do this in a row. As up there when I write do-able it means I can do it ... as in I can do just IT not do it after having done another sport before. Also 10 years to buy a bike and be able to ride it fast. TEN years.

Let's see .... IF I were to train hard on JUST swimming how fast can I do 2.4 mile swim???

If someone said Omar I will give you $10 K next year if you swim 2.4 miles under 60 minutes I think I can do it for sure. A 58 minutes time would be very realistic IF I were just to train my swimming.
Running ... I already have a 2.47 in the snow and rain ... in a few years I will for sure be in the 2.35 zone or so. That makes a 3.10 realistic.

Cycling ... won't get into it haha .... no point lol.

Oh well it is important to have high goals isn't it?

April running: down with the running but swimming again

Having a hard time starting to run again .... what else is new?
Oh started swimming! That's what's new.

April

1.- Rest
2.- Jog 12 km
3.- Setagaya track trials - 5000: 16.17
Total 16km
4.- Rest
5.- Rest
6.- Rest
7.- Rest
8.- Jog 15 km
9.- Jog 13 km
10.- Rest
11.- Bike 65 km
12.- Rest
13.- Jog 15 km
14.- Jog 15 km
15.- Jog 15 km
16.- Swim 2000 mts
17.- Jog 13 km
18.- Rest
19.- Jog 15 km
20.- Rest
21.- Jog 17 km
22.- Swim 1500 mts
23.- Rest
24.- Rest
25.- Jog 17 km
26.- Jog 15 km
27.- Swim 2000 mts
28.- Rest
29.- Jog 10 km
30.- Jog 10 km

Total run: 208 km
Total bike: 65 km
Total swim: 5500 meters

March running: relaxing

Finished with Tokyo Marathon and now taking a rest for the month.
Have a couple of ekidens coming up but nothing too hard planned for a while.

March

1.- Rest
2.- Rest
3.- Rest
4.- Rest
5.- Rest
6.- Rest
7.- Rest
8.- Rest
9.- Rest
10.- Jog 12 km
Bike commute 22 km
11.- Jog 9 km
Bike commute 22 km
12.- Rest
13.- Rest
14.- Tomin Ekiden – 5km first leg: 16.00
Total 10 km
15.- Rest
16.- Jog 9 km
17.- 5 x 1000 – 1 min 200 meter recovery jog
3.23 - 3.18 - 3.13 - 3.11 - 3.07
18.- Jog 15 km
19.- Rest
20.- Rest
21.- Rest
22.- Tamako Ekiden 7.2 km first leg 25.10
Total 9 km
23.- Rest
24.- Jog 15 km
25.- Rest
26.- Rest
27.- Rest
28.- Rest
29.- Rest
30.- 3 x 1000 – 1 min 200 meter recovery jog
3.07 - 3.08 - 3.09
10 min rest
1 x 2000: 6.29
31.- Jog 13 km

Total Run 118 km
Total Bike 44 km

February running: tapering

Marathon month. Time to run long and take it easy.
Unfortunately had some blister problems at the beginning and middle of the month which intervened a bit with my training. Wished I would have ran more the first 2 weeks.

February

1. Rest
2. Rest
3. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 21 km @ 4.05 pace
4. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 24 km @ 4.10 pace
5. Jog 17 km
6. Rest
7. Jog 32 km @ 4 min pace down to 3.40
8. Rest
9. Jog 18 km
10. Rest
11. Jog 20 km
12. Jog 17 km
13. Rest
14. Jog 21 km @ 3.55
15. Rest
16. Rest
17. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 18 km @ 4.05 pace
18. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 9 km
19. Jog 17 km @ 4.10 pace
20. Rest
21. Jog 17 km @ 4.10 pace
22. Rest
23. Bike commute 22 km
5 km tempo 17.23 : Total - 13 km
24. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 9 km
25. Rest
26. Rest
27. Rest
28. Tokyo Marathon - 2.47

Total run: 297 km
Total bike: 132 km