DESERT TRIATHLON CLASSIC RACE REPORT 

In our customary fashion, we packed the crew off in the Suburban Utility Vehicle for a weekend of triathlon, hotel life, and fine dining.  This weekend's main course: The Desert Triathlon Classic, an International but not Olympic distance (meaning not strictly 1.5/40/10km for S/B/R) race in Palm Desert/Coahuilla, right near Palm Springs.  Race distances were 0.75Miles/40K/6 miles, so it was pretty close. 

The setting was lovely and the pre-race pickup pretty well done.  We got to swim in the lake on the afternoon prior, which was nice. My only issue was that the bike course explanation was a little counterintuitive, and this was worsened by confusing maps with arrows that indicated turns that were not correct come race day.  Luckily, the course was well marked on race day.

Transition setup was pretty standard, as was our routine.  I got up early and set up my wife's stuff while she slept a little and got the kids ready.  Given that it was only a 2 hour-ish race at a protected park with a good playground, we decided our budding babysitter oldest daughter could watch her younger sibs.  I carried a cell phone JIC.

The swim start was in waves, heading straight into the morning sun.  The water was chilly, but not painful.  The buoy was essentially invisible; we were referred to a couple of palm trees on the far shore that marked where it was.  This was not a problem until I got close enough to fail to pick up the buoys and get a little extra swim yardage in before noticing the leftward departure of my compatriots.  No biggie.  Back on course.   

The bike course was my favorite part of this tri, and I'd return just to do a TT on a flat, fast, beautiful, palm-tree lined course.  Even though I let Karen have the race wheels, I felt fast and rode well.  The course was two laps of a flat course.  Power, HR, and cadence all steady and just sub-threshold.  Personal best by >10min, and tantalizingly close to the 1 hour mark.

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The run course was two laps, again flat, around Lake Coahuilla for an even 6 miles.  It was on dirt, some broken pavement, and pavement. Some griped about this, but I'm OK with a non-manicured run course.  

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 I went out just a bit too hard on the run, and started feeling it with a little bit to go.  I didn't fade per se, but I didn't kick it into the finish either.  I didn't lap Karen until just before the end.  She had a mighty race, and knocked about 1/2 hour off her previous best time. Here are our lines:

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All in all, an excellent weekend.  Worth doing again, in my opinion.

Newest Swim Video

In the ongoing quest for improvement and acquisition of all possible "free time" to be had in triathlon, I video'ed myself swimming from various angles.  Like the clown displayed below, I appear to be "crossing over":

Any other observations are welcome.  Here it is:

ADHD and triathlon, a Slowtwitch.com Post

Other Member: I think a lack of exercise is one of the reasons for all the meds today and the ADHD / behavioral issues particularly with boys. When I was a kid we spent a lot of time outside just doing things.... anything and everything. Now it's all changed. Kids roaming around outside are seen as a nuisance or threat to society or what have you. Boys used to explore and just get into things. Boys still need that, but don't get it anymore.

I think boys to some degree have always had ADHD in various degrees or forms. But in the past, boys used to get more exercise, chores and walk to school etc, to use up this energy.

Me: I can see both sides of this issue. Without a doubt, society has become more passive and feminized, and overuses ritalin and other amphetamine derivatives essentially as a pharmacologic means of "norming" energetic kids.

But there are legitimate cases where medication is warranted, and ignoring or undertreating the problem is potentially perilous.

When I was a kid 30-35 years ago, only the most severe cases of ADD, as it was then called, were diagnosed and medicated. Before the diagnostic bar was lowered, many of us with real and significant problems flew under the radar simply because we weren't the worst offenders. I also managed myself on exercise, as a competitive swimmer. 2-4 hours of swimming per day was just about enough to help me to sit still. During the off season, I was off the walls. In junior high and high school, I took a "bathroom break" in the middle of every single class so I could walk around the halls to shake out my wiggles. Retrospectively, there was clearly an issue, but nobody noticed, as I was a good athlete and an "A" student.

College required a little more focus and self-control than I had, and that's when my spazzy, meandering chickens came home to roost. After a very bad run with alcohol and its friends, coupled with three episodes of agitated, melancholic depression, I had to radically alter how I did things. Effective solutions for me have included 12-step programs, antidepressants, and of course, hours of exercise daily. On medical recommendation, I tried vyvanse recently, but found it to be somewhat superfluous, and took myself off it. In addtion to exercise, I find that adrenalizing music also helps me to focus. Call it the neuropsychology of heavy metal. ;-}

When we met, my wife and I bonded around a number of things, energy level being one. Not surprisingly, our three kids are chips of the old block(head)s, and we have a rather busy household, to put it mildly. Our POV started out as very strongly anti-medication. But life doesn't always cooperate with one's prejudices. Our oldest child, now 12, developed not only ADHD symptoms, but concerning mood symptoms as well several years ago. After trying everything else with little significant result and fighting medication tooth and nail, we finally agreed to try medication with her, and it made a world of difference in her school performance, self-manageability, and overall happiness. Our second child, age 9, takes it as well. His symptoms are not as severe, and my feelings about medicating him are mixed. Our youngest is 4, and seems every bit as energetic as the others. But should she manage without needing ADHD meds, we have no intention of putting her on them as a matter of course.

Current medical literature shows properly treating a ***REAL*** case of ADHD lowers the risk of depression and addiction. (Although I'd be cautious around that as well) Overmedicating active kids cannot be a good thing, either. If you're contemplating medication, be thoughtful and cautious about this one, and get a second opinion. And a third.
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Stubbornness is not a widely recognized talent, but it's the only one I've got.