S: 31,300 yds
B: 9h 31min
R: 1h 23min
Total: 19h 8min
First, the good news. The pool has been long course which is always awesome. This is for the kids, who have their big summer meet, Southeasterns, coming up. Correspondingly, they've been having their main practice in the morning, so I had some pretty sweet workouts with them. Matt W, the coach, has recently started having a "Beast" group and a "Cheetah" group. Naturally, I've been in the "Beast" group due to my massive physique. Or maybe I've just been there because its the distance group, but I prefer the former explanation.... For you swimmers out there, one of the sets last week went something like this:
800 pull + 6x100 @ 1500 race pace
600 pull + 4x100 @ 800 race pace
400 pull + 2x100 @ 400 race pace
All @ 1:30/100m
The rest of the week was more "working out" than actually training as my hamstring is still not functioning properly. I would appreciate it if that got better soon so that I can get back to RACING.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Hamsting FAIL.
Well, this should be a pre-race blog about taking the Timex Ford Edge to either Muncie for the 70.3 or Chattanooga for the Waterfront Tri. But its not, because I'm not racing this weekend. Instead I'm getting ready to head home from work and maybe do some very light exercise followed by a little TP rolling. All this courtesy of what is apparently a bum hamstring.
The problem started sometime before Eagleman 70.3 but naturally I ignored it. Who doesnt have aches and pains in training? At Eagleman, however, it flared up and limited my pace on the run. Being the smart (read: stubborn) guy that I am, I tried to look the other way and hope it would get better in the recovery week after the race and taper before BSLT 70.3, but needless to say that didnt happen. After BSLT, I wasnt as sore as I usually am after a 70.3 (thanks to the flat...), but my hamstring was killing me. Then, when after my first few recovery workouts it was still hurting, I decided something was definitely wrong, and the decision was made not to race this weekend.
The frustrating thing about this is I cant do much of anything in the biking and running departments until it heals, so hopefully that won't take too long. If that is the case, I should be able to be back for a few late season races. Otherwise, well, lets just say we only focus on the positive, here...
The problem started sometime before Eagleman 70.3 but naturally I ignored it. Who doesnt have aches and pains in training? At Eagleman, however, it flared up and limited my pace on the run. Being the smart (read: stubborn) guy that I am, I tried to look the other way and hope it would get better in the recovery week after the race and taper before BSLT 70.3, but needless to say that didnt happen. After BSLT, I wasnt as sore as I usually am after a 70.3 (thanks to the flat...), but my hamstring was killing me. Then, when after my first few recovery workouts it was still hurting, I decided something was definitely wrong, and the decision was made not to race this weekend.
The frustrating thing about this is I cant do much of anything in the biking and running departments until it heals, so hopefully that won't take too long. If that is the case, I should be able to be back for a few late season races. Otherwise, well, lets just say we only focus on the positive, here...
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Jun27-Jul3
S: 29,900yds
B: 5h 57min
R: 58min
Total: 14h 47min
First of all, hopefully everyone had a great long weekend. I certainly did, as it was nice to be home after being away for races 3 of the previous 4 weekends. It was also pretty chill due to a slight change of plans on the racing front.
My hamstring has been giving me troubles since sometime before Eagleman. Then during Eagleman it got progressively worse during the ride and limited my pace a bit during the run. Subsequently it hasnt really got much better since. The situation was similar at BSLT, but slightly mitigated by the fact I had a ~30min break in the middle of the ride. After the race, it was really sore even though otherwise my legs didnt feel too bad. So rather than trying to limp through Muncie, I'm staying home this weekend to get better. I also took last week nice and easy to let my hamstring get better. It was also kind of a mid-season rest week which will hopefully set me up for the rest of the year. After all, if the hamstring doesnt get better, there wont be much racing to do regardless of fitness! With all that having been said, I did have a few FAST swims with the kids to keep me honest.
B: 5h 57min
R: 58min
Total: 14h 47min
First of all, hopefully everyone had a great long weekend. I certainly did, as it was nice to be home after being away for races 3 of the previous 4 weekends. It was also pretty chill due to a slight change of plans on the racing front.
My hamstring has been giving me troubles since sometime before Eagleman. Then during Eagleman it got progressively worse during the ride and limited my pace a bit during the run. Subsequently it hasnt really got much better since. The situation was similar at BSLT, but slightly mitigated by the fact I had a ~30min break in the middle of the ride. After the race, it was really sore even though otherwise my legs didnt feel too bad. So rather than trying to limp through Muncie, I'm staying home this weekend to get better. I also took last week nice and easy to let my hamstring get better. It was also kind of a mid-season rest week which will hopefully set me up for the rest of the year. After all, if the hamstring doesnt get better, there wont be much racing to do regardless of fitness! With all that having been said, I did have a few FAST swims with the kids to keep me honest.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
BSLT 70.3 RR
"That was such and epic fail" -Katy Perry
No, nothing especially bad happened Last Friday Night.* Sunday morning, on the other hand, was a different story.
We (Denny M, Jackie A, Whitney G, and I) arrived (much to the ladies' chagrin) at Buffalo Spring Lake nice and early and after a surprisingly short wait to park were headed down the steep hill to transition. This left plenty of time for warm-up, set-up, and all other imperative pre-race procedures.
Despite recent high temps in upper 100s and an expected high of 110F on race day, the water temperature was only 74. So with wetsuits allowed, I neoprened up and headed to the lake. After a little warm up, we received a last minute clarification on the buoy rules and lined up for the start. No cannon, just a, "Ready, GO!" and we were off.
I had a pretty good sprint off the beach and was soon swimming full speed ahead. Within a minute, though, something was off and the pack was pulling away from me. Naturally I tried to pick up the pace as there was no reason for this to be happening. All off the sudden, though, my shoulders were burning and I was close to hyperventilating. So yeah.... not exactly the best situation 2min into a 4h race! So I tried to mitigate the damage while also maintaining an honest pace. I found some feet for a bit, passed that guy, but then saw what looked like quite a few people further ahead than they should've been only 1/3 of the way through the swim. It was hard to tell the actual number, though, so I just tried to stay positive and hope it was only a small group. Coming out of the water, there were more bikes missing than I wouldve liked, but with the Orca having saved my legs, I was looking forward to a strong ride.
Out on the bike, wow... it was windy. So the wind, combined with the flat farmland, made me feel right at home! (Well, couldve used some humidity...) After a few miles, the two guys that followed me through the water joined me on the bike and the three of us were riding together. 20mph into the wind, 30mph with the wind, and somewhere in between when there was a crosswind. Most of the time, though, I was focused on getting enough to drink and not falling over. Then..... it happened. Somewhere around halfway through the ride, I heard a nice loud hiss, looked down, and saw the result of my front tire spewing air. So I stopped, pulled over, and grabbed my...... oh, wait, there was nothing behind my seat where my saddle bag shouldve been!
So, I waited. A truck came by and he radioed the roaming mechanic and I waited. I saw Timex teammates Jackie A, Chris T, Tim H, Denny M, and Christine A all roll by and I waited. Then I saw the front pro guys on their way back and I waited some more. Finally, I got my new tube, and was back on my way. With wind and looming hills and my place 30+ min behind the last pro guy I certainly was ready to call it a day. But I didnt go all the way out to Texas just to splash around a bit and ride 30miles. Plus, the RD decided, due to the heat, to shorten the cut-off times by 1h (he also condensed the start times) so I knew there would be plenty of others who wouldnt have the opportunity to finish. I on the other hand, had no good excuse not to finsh.
I finished the ride, and headed out onto the run. Admittedly, motivation was waning, but I put on the shoes, and got my butt in gear. Those first few miles were tough, as I was on pace for a PW, and dropping certainly wouldve been easy. But I got some great encouragement from Jackie when I passed her around mile 4.5, as she seemed genuinely surprised I was still racing. Then, the worst part by far... the out and back from mile 5 to the turnaround which was wide open and straight into a headwind. I was passing people, but really wasn't sure whether I was moving forward, or was just moving backwards slower than they were.
I finally got to the turnaround and was loving the tailwind, which made the return trip so much easier. Of course it also helped, mentally, to know that I "just" had to get back to the finish. I did, and immediately headed to the lake to cool off.
So yeah, I was DFL in a PW. But it is what it is, and just gets me pumped for Muncie in a couple of weeks.
*Friday night, on the contrary, was a huge success. After a quick post flight run, Denny, Whitney, Jackie, and I went to Freebird's World Burrito in Lubbock. The food there was very similar to and almost as good as Chipotle, with a much more "indie" feel. So if Chipotle is too "corporate" for you, definitely check out Freebirds, as it is easily a step above Moes, Qdoba, Salsaritas, etc.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Jun13-19
S: 26,900 yds
B: 8h 8min
R: 4h 2min
Total: 19h 15min
Whoa, a week of training... go figure! Well, a few days, anyway. The first part of the week was recovery from Eagleman, but then I did get in a few quality workouts on the back half. After two weeks of traveling, it was certainly nice to be home for the weekend and to get some training done. This weekend, though, I'm back at it at BSLT 70.3 next Sunday in Lubbock, TX. Should be fun!
B: 8h 8min
R: 4h 2min
Total: 19h 15min
Whoa, a week of training... go figure! Well, a few days, anyway. The first part of the week was recovery from Eagleman, but then I did get in a few quality workouts on the back half. After two weeks of traveling, it was certainly nice to be home for the weekend and to get some training done. This weekend, though, I'm back at it at BSLT 70.3 next Sunday in Lubbock, TX. Should be fun!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Eagleman 70.3 Race Report
Another week, another race. After two races the weekend before last, I was back in action on Sunday with Eagleman 70.3 in Cambridge, MD. When Paulo proposed adding this race to the calendar a couple of weeks ago, I was admittedly a bit apprehensive, as I thought two half IMs on back to back weekends might be a bit much. However, I was feeling pretty good by the middle of the week, so I was fired up to race by the time Friday rolled around.
Onto the race! A quick "GO!" and we were off on a beautiful morning in the warm water of the Choptank river. The water was relatively smooth, considering this is a notoriously choppy swim, and I got out to a good start. Things settled down relatively quickly and I noticed I was swimming next to Richie C, so I figured I was in a pretty good position. As we approached the end of the swim, all I was thinking about was a fast transition so that I could get out, ride hard, and stay with the group.
Out on the bike however, the legs had other ideas. The guys I came out of the water with punched it hard. I tried to maintain contact, but the legs just werent there. I was riding what felt like hour TT pace, but only losing time. From there, things didnt exactly get much better, as I threw up a few minutes after every gel I took. I didnt think I had swallowed that much water during the swim, but I cant think of any other reason for the otherwise (seemingly) random vomiting.
Heading out onto the run, I wasnt really sure what place I was in, but was still hopeful I could pick some people off. I felt OK running 6:05-6:15 pace, but when I tried to dip under 6, my hamstring really started screaming. Then, around mile 8, I felt the blister under the ball of my left foot tear. This wouldnt have been too big of a deal except I had already gone through a couple of layers of skin the previous week, so I was now tearing through a couple of more layers. For about a mile this was really painful, but then it thankfully subsided enough for me to keep running an even pass a guy in the last mile.
Crossing the finish line, I still had no idea about my place, but eventually determined I had ended up 10th. So all in all, not too bad. It wasnt a great performance, but at least I got some much needed points for 70.3 Worlds.
This is where I would link to the results, but they seem to be MIA...
PS After the race I was privileged enough to crash at Alyssa's house in Baltimer, after the obligatory post race hamburger and ice cream, of course. AG is an epic ultra-runner/triathlete baller, and was even gracious enough to drag my sorry butt to the airport at 5AM on Monday morning so that I could make it into work on Monday. Thanks Alyssa!
Onto the race! A quick "GO!" and we were off on a beautiful morning in the warm water of the Choptank river. The water was relatively smooth, considering this is a notoriously choppy swim, and I got out to a good start. Things settled down relatively quickly and I noticed I was swimming next to Richie C, so I figured I was in a pretty good position. As we approached the end of the swim, all I was thinking about was a fast transition so that I could get out, ride hard, and stay with the group.
Out on the bike however, the legs had other ideas. The guys I came out of the water with punched it hard. I tried to maintain contact, but the legs just werent there. I was riding what felt like hour TT pace, but only losing time. From there, things didnt exactly get much better, as I threw up a few minutes after every gel I took. I didnt think I had swallowed that much water during the swim, but I cant think of any other reason for the otherwise (seemingly) random vomiting.
Heading out onto the run, I wasnt really sure what place I was in, but was still hopeful I could pick some people off. I felt OK running 6:05-6:15 pace, but when I tried to dip under 6, my hamstring really started screaming. Then, around mile 8, I felt the blister under the ball of my left foot tear. This wouldnt have been too big of a deal except I had already gone through a couple of layers of skin the previous week, so I was now tearing through a couple of more layers. For about a mile this was really painful, but then it thankfully subsided enough for me to keep running an even pass a guy in the last mile.
Crossing the finish line, I still had no idea about my place, but eventually determined I had ended up 10th. So all in all, not too bad. It wasnt a great performance, but at least I got some much needed points for 70.3 Worlds.
This is where I would link to the results, but they seem to be MIA...
PS After the race I was privileged enough to crash at Alyssa's house in Baltimer, after the obligatory post race hamburger and ice cream, of course. AG is an epic ultra-runner/triathlete baller, and was even gracious enough to drag my sorry butt to the airport at 5AM on Monday morning so that I could make it into work on Monday. Thanks Alyssa!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Nashville Kids Triathlon
..........Picking up from yesterday, pretty soon after the Rock 'N RollMan Half, George and I were back in the Ford Edge heading north on I-75 towards Chattanooga before heading west on I-24 towards Nashville. We arrived just in time for me to be introduced as a Celebrity Big Kid during the packet pick up for the race the following morning.
I awoke Sunday morning to some sore legs, but was ready for a fun day with the kids. Timex Teammate Bruce Gennari was there as a Big Kid as well and we started the day off by helping the not-so-big kids set up their transition areas, which was pretty entertaining because with kids from ages 6 through 15, some of the bikes didnt have either tire on the ground and were instead just hanging from the racks. Additionally about half of the bikes were pink with white seats so it was a was pretty funny sight; certainly not the not your typical transition area!
The kids started according to their age group, with the 6-7 yr olds first, and 8-9 yr olds second. I was helping at the swim start and then moved to the transition area, where it was great to see the unabashed excitement on their faces. It was also pretty cool to see the competitiveness; some of these kids were really getting after it!
After the 8-9 yr olds went off, the Big Kids had to race. My feet torn up and my left glut/piriformis was still really tight courtesy of the half the day before, but how could I not race for the kids?? Thankfully I managed to pull out the victory while rocking the speedo the whole way.
After the "older" kids had their races, it was time for everyone's favorite part of the day... the awards! I say this sarcastically as at most races, the only people who stick around are the people who are receiving awards and even they usually arent all that excited to be there, and then jet as soon as their names are called. Not so with the kids! They were genuinely thrilled to get to go up on stage and receive their awards. In addition to trophies, Bruce and I were placing Timex hats on each of the award winner's heads, which really got them pumped!
All in all, I thought it was a really successful event. Almost 300 kids raced and I didnt see a single one disappointed. Rounding out the day, Bruce, George, and I went to lunch at Chipotle... cant beat that!
I awoke Sunday morning to some sore legs, but was ready for a fun day with the kids. Timex Teammate Bruce Gennari was there as a Big Kid as well and we started the day off by helping the not-so-big kids set up their transition areas, which was pretty entertaining because with kids from ages 6 through 15, some of the bikes didnt have either tire on the ground and were instead just hanging from the racks. Additionally about half of the bikes were pink with white seats so it was a was pretty funny sight; certainly not the not your typical transition area!
The kids started according to their age group, with the 6-7 yr olds first, and 8-9 yr olds second. I was helping at the swim start and then moved to the transition area, where it was great to see the unabashed excitement on their faces. It was also pretty cool to see the competitiveness; some of these kids were really getting after it!
After the 8-9 yr olds went off, the Big Kids had to race. My feet torn up and my left glut/piriformis was still really tight courtesy of the half the day before, but how could I not race for the kids?? Thankfully I managed to pull out the victory while rocking the speedo the whole way.
After the "older" kids had their races, it was time for everyone's favorite part of the day... the awards! I say this sarcastically as at most races, the only people who stick around are the people who are receiving awards and even they usually arent all that excited to be there, and then jet as soon as their names are called. Not so with the kids! They were genuinely thrilled to get to go up on stage and receive their awards. In addition to trophies, Bruce and I were placing Timex hats on each of the award winner's heads, which really got them pumped!
All in all, I thought it was a really successful event. Almost 300 kids raced and I didnt see a single one disappointed. Rounding out the day, Bruce, George, and I went to lunch at Chipotle... cant beat that!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Coliseum Rock 'N RollMan Half Race Report
I raced this weekend, but dont have too much to report.
Friday afternoon I headed down to Macon, GA for the Rock 'N RollMan Half. Why Macon, you ask? Well, $1000 was up for grabs to the winner, so I was looking forward to a good race. This, however, this didnt quite pan out.
I arrived at the race site on the morning of the race and heard the announcer say the water temp was a balmy 86 degrees. This, combined with the predicted high air temperature of ~100F, meant it was going to be a warm day from start to finish. I was then thrown a bit of a curve when the valve on my tube in my rear tire broke, necessitating a tube change. I switched out the tube without too much trouble, taking care to ensure the tube wasnt pinched as I certainly didnt want a pinch flat right after starting the ride. Finally, with the start fast approaching, I headed down to the lake.
I got a pretty good start and soon enough Nina Craft and I were swimming together with no one else in sight. I swam behind her for a while, then moved ahead after a little over the half way point, only to have her stick right on me. I felt like were holding a solid pace, but nothing extraordinary. Fortunately though it was strong enough to create some separation from everyone else, and we exited the water at almost the same time.
I had a pretty quick T1, and was out on the bike first. I was out on the road all alone and wanted to keep it that way. The bike course was challenging but fun with plenty of hills and decent road surfaces most of the way. I checked behind me a couple of times at the end of long straightaways, but never saw anyone so I just focused on pouring it on keeping up with calories and hydration. The miles ticked away and before I knew it I was rolling into T2.
Starting the run, I was feeling pretty good. The first half of a mile of the run course overlapped with the bike course, and I still didnt see anyone, so I figured I had a pretty decent cushion over 2nd. So I just wanted to stay comfortable and make sure to not blow up. Of course "comfortable" is a relative term when you have to run 13 hilly miles in 90F heat after biking 56! So it turned into a long run by myself, not counting the encouragement from my buddy George at miles 2, 6, and 11, but before I knew it I had made it to mile 11. This was near the 2 mile mark on the way out, so when I turned back to the park I got to see people heading out on the run. I cruised in from there, crossed the finish line, and, just like in FL, went straight to the med tent for bandages on my blister- covered feet.
Results: http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_results&id=2407
Speaking of people heading out on the run... I have much respect for anyone who finished this race! With a smaller field and brutal conditions (tough course, hot weather) this was certainly one of the hardest half IM courses I've done.
Unfortunately I couldnt stick around for too long post race as that evening I was due in Nashville, TN for events for The Kids Triathlon where I was volunteering as a celebrity big kid, but that will have to wait for another day!
Friday afternoon I headed down to Macon, GA for the Rock 'N RollMan Half. Why Macon, you ask? Well, $1000 was up for grabs to the winner, so I was looking forward to a good race. This, however, this didnt quite pan out.
I arrived at the race site on the morning of the race and heard the announcer say the water temp was a balmy 86 degrees. This, combined with the predicted high air temperature of ~100F, meant it was going to be a warm day from start to finish. I was then thrown a bit of a curve when the valve on my tube in my rear tire broke, necessitating a tube change. I switched out the tube without too much trouble, taking care to ensure the tube wasnt pinched as I certainly didnt want a pinch flat right after starting the ride. Finally, with the start fast approaching, I headed down to the lake.
I got a pretty good start and soon enough Nina Craft and I were swimming together with no one else in sight. I swam behind her for a while, then moved ahead after a little over the half way point, only to have her stick right on me. I felt like were holding a solid pace, but nothing extraordinary. Fortunately though it was strong enough to create some separation from everyone else, and we exited the water at almost the same time.
I had a pretty quick T1, and was out on the bike first. I was out on the road all alone and wanted to keep it that way. The bike course was challenging but fun with plenty of hills and decent road surfaces most of the way. I checked behind me a couple of times at the end of long straightaways, but never saw anyone so I just focused on pouring it on keeping up with calories and hydration. The miles ticked away and before I knew it I was rolling into T2.
Starting the run, I was feeling pretty good. The first half of a mile of the run course overlapped with the bike course, and I still didnt see anyone, so I figured I had a pretty decent cushion over 2nd. So I just wanted to stay comfortable and make sure to not blow up. Of course "comfortable" is a relative term when you have to run 13 hilly miles in 90F heat after biking 56! So it turned into a long run by myself, not counting the encouragement from my buddy George at miles 2, 6, and 11, but before I knew it I had made it to mile 11. This was near the 2 mile mark on the way out, so when I turned back to the park I got to see people heading out on the run. I cruised in from there, crossed the finish line, and, just like in FL, went straight to the med tent for bandages on my blister- covered feet.
Results: http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_results&id=2407
Speaking of people heading out on the run... I have much respect for anyone who finished this race! With a smaller field and brutal conditions (tough course, hot weather) this was certainly one of the hardest half IM courses I've done.
Unfortunately I couldnt stick around for too long post race as that evening I was due in Nashville, TN for events for The Kids Triathlon where I was volunteering as a celebrity big kid, but that will have to wait for another day!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
May23-29
S: 30,200 yds
B: 9h 35min
R: 5h 24min
Total: 23h 24min
OK, so I'm a little late on the update, but things have been a bit busy around here. Last week was rough, as I managed to fall asleep upon arriving home from work on not one but two occasions. This is especially tricky on biking days because as soon as I wake up I have to rush around to get out the door to get the workout done before the sun sets. Then on Friday my hamstring/piriformis acted up enough to necessitate a shortening of the tempo run. Thankfully though after some serious Trigger Point rolling that evening, it didnt impede any other workouts the rest of the weekend.
This week will be starting and ending with travel, but at least the latter will involve a traversing of AL-GA-TN in the brand new Ford Edge. Saturday I'll be racing Coliseum's Rock 'N Roll Man half iron and then Sunday I'll be helping out at the Nashville Kid's Triathlon. Should be a fun weekend!
B: 9h 35min
R: 5h 24min
Total: 23h 24min
OK, so I'm a little late on the update, but things have been a bit busy around here. Last week was rough, as I managed to fall asleep upon arriving home from work on not one but two occasions. This is especially tricky on biking days because as soon as I wake up I have to rush around to get out the door to get the workout done before the sun sets. Then on Friday my hamstring/piriformis acted up enough to necessitate a shortening of the tempo run. Thankfully though after some serious Trigger Point rolling that evening, it didnt impede any other workouts the rest of the weekend.
This week will be starting and ending with travel, but at least the latter will involve a traversing of AL-GA-TN in the brand new Ford Edge. Saturday I'll be racing Coliseum's Rock 'N Roll Man half iron and then Sunday I'll be helping out at the Nashville Kid's Triathlon. Should be a fun weekend!
Monday, May 23, 2011
May16-22
S: 20,600 yds
B: 7h 52min
R: 5h 14min
Total: 18h 31min
And.... right back at it. After a couple of easy days at the beginning of the week, it was back to work on Wednesday, which allowed me a nice transition from "sore from the race" at the beginning of the week to "normal training fatigue" by the end. I'm not sure exactly when the transition was made, but I'm not sure it really matters, either.
In other news, the HHPTC hosted a number of high quality visitors over the weekend. Kicking things off was pro triathlete Kevin Collington who stayed over Friday night to break up his trip back to Boulder. Then my friends Philip and Katherine Thompson were here Saturday evening as Philip was racing his bike in town on Saturday and Sunday. Fun times!
B: 7h 52min
R: 5h 14min
Total: 18h 31min
And.... right back at it. After a couple of easy days at the beginning of the week, it was back to work on Wednesday, which allowed me a nice transition from "sore from the race" at the beginning of the week to "normal training fatigue" by the end. I'm not sure exactly when the transition was made, but I'm not sure it really matters, either.
In other news, the HHPTC hosted a number of high quality visitors over the weekend. Kicking things off was pro triathlete Kevin Collington who stayed over Friday night to break up his trip back to Boulder. Then my friends Philip and Katherine Thompson were here Saturday evening as Philip was racing his bike in town on Saturday and Sunday. Fun times!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Familiar venue, bizarro occurrences: FL 70.3 RR
This was my sixth year racing either the Florida Half Ironman (2005) or Florida 70.3 (2007-2011) and while each race is a bit different, the 2011 edition had to be the out-lier.
Indications of a bizzare day were evident almost from the start. Heading W (actually S) on I-4 from downtown Orlando towards Disney, Mark Vermeersch and I noticed flashes of lightning streaking across the sky off in the distance. Lightning is of course nothing new for Central Florida, undoubtedly the lightning capitol of the US (Rawanda, Africa tops it in the World listings for most strikes). However, it is rare to see an aerial display in the morning, as most lightning is associated with thunderstorms that run across the state in the afternoon. Regardless, certainly not a normal occurance for the start of a race.
Upon arriving at Walt Disney World, lightning was still flashing pretty regularly but thankfully the rain was holding off. Sure enough, though, the rain commenced by the time we reached transition. Rain happens, but again, not usually in the morning, and not during any of the previous editions of the race. Despite the weather situation, though, the announcer continued informing us that the radar indicated the weather would clear and we should be ready for our regularly scheduled 6:20 AM start time. So I continued warming up, kept remarkably dry by my Timex Multisport Team Zorrel Whistler Jacket. This thing looks sharp, is comfortable, and as a bonus repelled the water incredibly well. Before I knew it, 6AM rolled around and I was heading out of transition and down to the swim start.
Once on the beach, the announcement was made that the race would be delayed 20 minutes. This, I thought, was reasonable as the rain and lightning had finally stopped and the sky did appear to be clearing. Of course this meant 20 more minutes of nervousness and a 6:40 start rather than the usual 6:20 start. A little warm up in the water would've been appreciated, but it was too dark for that. (Thus the perils of starting a race before sunrise...)
Finally the gun was off and the madness ensued. On approximately my 4th stride, my foot landed on a sharp object and I felt a slicing pain under my left big toe. It hurt, but I could still feel the toe, so I figured I'd survive. Coming into the first turn buoy, I was in a group with 3 other guys but was a bit worried that I was too far back. I felt like our pace was strong, but it also looked like there were some others pretty far ahead. The water was choppier than it had been in previous versions of the race, so I was pleasantly surprised to be out of the water around 26:40.
Running through the long chute to the transition area, I looked down at my foot and sure enough, it was covered with blood. I couldnt exactly do anything about it, so I proceeded to my beautiful Ordu and took off, hoping it wouldnt hurt too bad the rest of the race. I still wasnt sure of my position, but I did notice quite a few more bikes remaining on the pro men's rack than spots vacated, so that was a good sign.
Once I got moving on the bike I looked down at my PowerTap only to find that the computer was not picking up my wheel. This was bad news. My coach, Paulo, had given me strict instructions for the ride, so I knew he'd be upset if I didnt have any data. I tried remounting the computer and adjusting the wheel sensor, but nothing seemed to work. Without data, I just focused on riding hard and keeping people in sight. I was passed by a couple of people early on, but also passed a couple of riders, so I hoped I was riding well. Without a working computer, I wanted to keep my 5-mile splits right around 12 min. I did, for the most part, with a few under 12 and all under 12:30. This left me confident that I was cruising towards a decent bike split.
Finally the bike was over, and I was off on the run. Up to this point, the day had been one of unfamiliar occurrences, but the run was eerily similar to years past. The theme for this race goes something like this: run fast while you can, and then hang on. Florida in May is hot and humid, and sooner or later the heat will take its toll at which point you just have to fight as best you can to maintain whatever pace you can.
I believe I was around 12th or 13th coming off the bike, but after a strong first lap I was being told I was in the hunt for top 10. The multiple out-and-backs allowed plenty of opportunity for the hunters to see their prey, and I was on the prowl. I had moved into the top 10 by the start of the last lap when I was informed that Kevin Collington was about a minute up the road, so I was hoping I could reel him in as well. By this time, though, the heat was really starting to take its toll and my 5:55s fell to 6:15-6:30. Nevertheless, I caught him with 2 miles to go and he told me 8th place was "fading fast." Once I got back out onto the asphalt, I just focused on keeping the tempo up as much as possible in order to maintain some semblance of a reasonable pace. Finally, I moved into 8th with about a mile to go, and just wanted to cruise to the finish. However, a few moments later I noticed a hard charging Brent Poulsen was closing rather quickly and I sure as hell was not about to get passed in the last half mile after racing for over 4 hours! So I redoubled my focus on turnover in an attempt to increase speed, as I was determined to hold him off. Finally, I reached the barriers and hit the left turn for the chute. I started to think I was in clear when I heard someone say, rather nonchalantly,
"Nice job, almost there. You've got a guy coming up behind you"
Not exactly what I wanted to hear! I went into HS CC mode and began "sprinting." I was thoroughly wiped at this point, so I felt like I looked like a actor who is obiviously not a runner trying to run in a movie. All of his motions are exagerated, but he really not moving that fast at all. So that was me... trying to sprint, but not really moving that fast. At that point, though, it was all I had. Indisputable photographic evidence, courtesy of Katie Hodges:
I crossed the timing mat and then continued through the banner before halting and hunching over to place my hands on my knees. A couple seconds later, there was Brent. Although I had quite a few minutes of not being able to see anything, I did manage to stay upright and prevent collapse.
Summary (full results can found here):
S: 26:55
B: 2:16:52
R: 1:20:29
Total: 4:07:40, Good for 8th place.
In review, my swim start couldve been better, I was pleased with the bike ride, and I couldve used a little more at the end of the run. But there are always things to improve and I was happy with my effort in the first race of the season. Most of all, it was great to see my family and hang out with my Timex teammates.
Indications of a bizzare day were evident almost from the start. Heading W (actually S) on I-4 from downtown Orlando towards Disney, Mark Vermeersch and I noticed flashes of lightning streaking across the sky off in the distance. Lightning is of course nothing new for Central Florida, undoubtedly the lightning capitol of the US (Rawanda, Africa tops it in the World listings for most strikes). However, it is rare to see an aerial display in the morning, as most lightning is associated with thunderstorms that run across the state in the afternoon. Regardless, certainly not a normal occurance for the start of a race.
Upon arriving at Walt Disney World, lightning was still flashing pretty regularly but thankfully the rain was holding off. Sure enough, though, the rain commenced by the time we reached transition. Rain happens, but again, not usually in the morning, and not during any of the previous editions of the race. Despite the weather situation, though, the announcer continued informing us that the radar indicated the weather would clear and we should be ready for our regularly scheduled 6:20 AM start time. So I continued warming up, kept remarkably dry by my Timex Multisport Team Zorrel Whistler Jacket. This thing looks sharp, is comfortable, and as a bonus repelled the water incredibly well. Before I knew it, 6AM rolled around and I was heading out of transition and down to the swim start.
Once on the beach, the announcement was made that the race would be delayed 20 minutes. This, I thought, was reasonable as the rain and lightning had finally stopped and the sky did appear to be clearing. Of course this meant 20 more minutes of nervousness and a 6:40 start rather than the usual 6:20 start. A little warm up in the water would've been appreciated, but it was too dark for that. (Thus the perils of starting a race before sunrise...)
Finally the gun was off and the madness ensued. On approximately my 4th stride, my foot landed on a sharp object and I felt a slicing pain under my left big toe. It hurt, but I could still feel the toe, so I figured I'd survive. Coming into the first turn buoy, I was in a group with 3 other guys but was a bit worried that I was too far back. I felt like our pace was strong, but it also looked like there were some others pretty far ahead. The water was choppier than it had been in previous versions of the race, so I was pleasantly surprised to be out of the water around 26:40.
Running through the long chute to the transition area, I looked down at my foot and sure enough, it was covered with blood. I couldnt exactly do anything about it, so I proceeded to my beautiful Ordu and took off, hoping it wouldnt hurt too bad the rest of the race. I still wasnt sure of my position, but I did notice quite a few more bikes remaining on the pro men's rack than spots vacated, so that was a good sign.
Once I got moving on the bike I looked down at my PowerTap only to find that the computer was not picking up my wheel. This was bad news. My coach, Paulo, had given me strict instructions for the ride, so I knew he'd be upset if I didnt have any data. I tried remounting the computer and adjusting the wheel sensor, but nothing seemed to work. Without data, I just focused on riding hard and keeping people in sight. I was passed by a couple of people early on, but also passed a couple of riders, so I hoped I was riding well. Without a working computer, I wanted to keep my 5-mile splits right around 12 min. I did, for the most part, with a few under 12 and all under 12:30. This left me confident that I was cruising towards a decent bike split.
Finally the bike was over, and I was off on the run. Up to this point, the day had been one of unfamiliar occurrences, but the run was eerily similar to years past. The theme for this race goes something like this: run fast while you can, and then hang on. Florida in May is hot and humid, and sooner or later the heat will take its toll at which point you just have to fight as best you can to maintain whatever pace you can.
I believe I was around 12th or 13th coming off the bike, but after a strong first lap I was being told I was in the hunt for top 10. The multiple out-and-backs allowed plenty of opportunity for the hunters to see their prey, and I was on the prowl. I had moved into the top 10 by the start of the last lap when I was informed that Kevin Collington was about a minute up the road, so I was hoping I could reel him in as well. By this time, though, the heat was really starting to take its toll and my 5:55s fell to 6:15-6:30. Nevertheless, I caught him with 2 miles to go and he told me 8th place was "fading fast." Once I got back out onto the asphalt, I just focused on keeping the tempo up as much as possible in order to maintain some semblance of a reasonable pace. Finally, I moved into 8th with about a mile to go, and just wanted to cruise to the finish. However, a few moments later I noticed a hard charging Brent Poulsen was closing rather quickly and I sure as hell was not about to get passed in the last half mile after racing for over 4 hours! So I redoubled my focus on turnover in an attempt to increase speed, as I was determined to hold him off. Finally, I reached the barriers and hit the left turn for the chute. I started to think I was in clear when I heard someone say, rather nonchalantly,
"Nice job, almost there. You've got a guy coming up behind you"
Not exactly what I wanted to hear! I went into HS CC mode and began "sprinting." I was thoroughly wiped at this point, so I felt like I looked like a actor who is obiviously not a runner trying to run in a movie. All of his motions are exagerated, but he really not moving that fast at all. So that was me... trying to sprint, but not really moving that fast. At that point, though, it was all I had. Indisputable photographic evidence, courtesy of Katie Hodges:
I crossed the timing mat and then continued through the banner before halting and hunching over to place my hands on my knees. A couple seconds later, there was Brent. Although I had quite a few minutes of not being able to see anything, I did manage to stay upright and prevent collapse.
Summary (full results can found here):
S: 26:55
B: 2:16:52
R: 1:20:29
Total: 4:07:40, Good for 8th place.
In review, my swim start couldve been better, I was pleased with the bike ride, and I couldve used a little more at the end of the run. But there are always things to improve and I was happy with my effort in the first race of the season. Most of all, it was great to see my family and hang out with my Timex teammates.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Marathon runners train on the "Road of Death"
This video is a bit lengthy (10min) but a great piece:
And what was your excuse for not training, again? Just something to think about the next time you have trouble getting out the door...
And what was your excuse for not training, again? Just something to think about the next time you have trouble getting out the door...
Monday, May 9, 2011
May2-8
S: 26,300 yds
B: 8h 1min
R: 6h
Total: 20h 56min
All in all it was a pretty good last week of training before FL 70.3 this Sunday. It took a few days to get my "feel" back in the water after being out due to the tornadoes and subsequent extended power outage, but nothing too terribly bad.
The leg injury which kept me from racing in New Orleans has abated, and I was able to finish a couple of runs last week with some fast miles, so hopefully that was foreshadowing for the race this weekend. Of course it'll all really come down to how hot it is. Although we've had a couple of warm days, the temperates have been pretty moderate for the most part, so if it warms up on Sunday, I'll just have to rely on my HS CC training...
B: 8h 1min
R: 6h
Total: 20h 56min
All in all it was a pretty good last week of training before FL 70.3 this Sunday. It took a few days to get my "feel" back in the water after being out due to the tornadoes and subsequent extended power outage, but nothing too terribly bad.
The leg injury which kept me from racing in New Orleans has abated, and I was able to finish a couple of runs last week with some fast miles, so hopefully that was foreshadowing for the race this weekend. Of course it'll all really come down to how hot it is. Although we've had a couple of warm days, the temperates have been pretty moderate for the most part, so if it warms up on Sunday, I'll just have to rely on my HS CC training...
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mothers Day
This post may be a bit cliche, but that doesn't mean its also not totally appropriate. After all, while some people may occasionally stumble here, we all know there is really only one person I can be sure is reading.
So today, I'm giving a huge Thank You to my Mom. Not just for giving me at least one reader, of course, but for all she has done and continues to do. Highlights:
- Birth. This is obvious, but still needs to be stated since without it, I literally wouldn't be here!
- Unwavering support. Throughout middle school, high school, college, graduate school, and continuing all the way to my current job, Mom has been there offering guidance but above all proving unwavering support. This was true in all aspects of my life, academic, professional, and athletic, and is despite the fact that I'm pretty sure she seriously questions some of those decisions. So although I'm sure she would prefer I spent a little less time training (or "working out") and would've rather I lived closer to Orlando, she still has always and continues to fully support my decisions.
- Practical advice. I can't begin to list all of the advice I've received, but I definitely don't go more than a couple of days without thinking of something she told me. But because I should list at least one, here it is: wear your sunscreen!
- Work ethic. If there was one trait above all others which she impressed on me growing up, it was that hard work is necessary to achieve one's goals and become successful in life. Of course it wasn't just talk; she lead by example. When she decided she wanted to go back to work when my siblings and I started to get older, she worked as a realtor's assistant while taking classes for the required certification course to become a Realtor. During this time, she learned as much as she could from the successful Realtors in her office, so that when she finally got her license, she knew what she would have to do to attract clients. And sure enough, she was soon one of the top sellers in her office.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Apr25-May1
S: 15,200 yds
B: 10h 22min
R: 5h 56min
Total: 20h 18min
With so much destruction around training does seem a bit trivial. As I'm sure most of you have heard, the state of Alabama was hit with some fairly major tornadoes last Wednesday from which we are only now beginning to recover. Thankfully my house, and most of my neighborhood, was spared from the worst of the damage but others close by were not so lucky. While much of the media attention has focused on Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, a number of smaller towns in northern Alabama were particularly hard hit with some entire towns being wiped almost entirely off the map. The tragedy, of course, is that many of the residents of these towns were desperately poor before the storm and now have lost almost all of what little they had.
I'll have another post on this later this week but for now if you are in the Huntsville area and want to help or have items to donate, this article on al.com has a nice round-up of places you can go to donate your time or goods.
Of course you often here that cash donations are most effective, so go here, to the Salvation Army, to make an easy, safe, secure donation. If you are too lazy to follow the link, you can simply text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross. Its just that easy!
B: 10h 22min
R: 5h 56min
Total: 20h 18min
With so much destruction around training does seem a bit trivial. As I'm sure most of you have heard, the state of Alabama was hit with some fairly major tornadoes last Wednesday from which we are only now beginning to recover. Thankfully my house, and most of my neighborhood, was spared from the worst of the damage but others close by were not so lucky. While much of the media attention has focused on Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, a number of smaller towns in northern Alabama were particularly hard hit with some entire towns being wiped almost entirely off the map. The tragedy, of course, is that many of the residents of these towns were desperately poor before the storm and now have lost almost all of what little they had.
I'll have another post on this later this week but for now if you are in the Huntsville area and want to help or have items to donate, this article on al.com has a nice round-up of places you can go to donate your time or goods.
Of course you often here that cash donations are most effective, so go here, to the Salvation Army, to make an easy, safe, secure donation. If you are too lazy to follow the link, you can simply text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross. Its just that easy!
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