UPDATE, Sept10-16 and then some...

S: 25,400 yds
B: 8h 49min
R: 3h 58min

Total: 19h 58min

No, I didnt work out that much last week just for fun.

After the sh*tshow that was IM Louisville, I had a pretty bitter taste in my mouth. And, although I was hating life for the last 4h or so of the race, as soon as I finished I knew I needed another race to get some redemption. Conveniently enough, IM Florida is far enough out to allow me to recover and get a bit more training, but (hopefully) not too far that I'll get burned out. So, its on. PCB here I come!!

In the meantime its back to the grind. I kicked training off this past weekend with the AYCE Century on Saturday followed by another long ride on Sunday. If this trend continues, I look forward to becoming intimately familiar with my with my bike seat over the next 5 or so weeks.

The weekend before last was spent NOT triathloning in College Station, TX, where the Gators dominated the Aggies:

The weekend before that was also spent NOT triathloning in and around Gatlinburg, TN, including the top of Mt. Le Conte:

IM Lulvull Redux

It was a long day, and I have some time in the plane home (from work, not the race...) so here comes a long report. So what had happened was......

Swim: The morning of the race I felt nervous but relaxed and ready to race. We got in the water, I warmed up the best I could in 5min, and we were off. I was on someone's feet for a couple of minutes, but then was feeling good and moved out, and all of the sudden was out front. I didn't really accelerate or anything, but started pulling away. From there I pretty much just swam the rest of the way at what I thought was a fast but controlled effort. Honestly, I was surprised to be out front, but hey, its a race! It certainly wasnt a goal, but it was definitely cool coming out of the water first! I just swam at what I thought was race pace, and thats what happened. It turns out I had about 40s on the next guy, after swimming 53:12.

Bike: Out on the ride, I quickly settled into a rhythm and started downing the calories. Finally, Evoe, McDonald, and Gerlach caught and passed me around mile 30, and I let them go. I came through 50 in 2:12, which after doing some rough calculations made me think I was on pace for just under 5h, which is right what I was shooting for.

I missed mile 70, but a bit after that another guy passed me but not very fast, so I kept him in sight. Of course at this time the legs were starting to hurt and it was starting to warm up. I don't recall my split at 80mi, but I remember thinking I was still on pace. Soon after that, though, I heard a recurring thump in my rear wheel. I stopped and sure enough, there was a tack. I didnt worry about it because I wasnt far out of 4th and confident I could still catch the guy on the run that had just passed me. It took me about 6min to make the change. I was back on the road, but 5min or so later I could tell I was losing air. So, I stopped and got a CO2 and added some more air. I started back and soon after heard an explosion. My tire had torn and the strands that make up the lip were exposed. I wish I had a pic. So, without an extra tire, I had to wait for neutral support. Who carries an extra clincher tire?? I probably waited 30-35min. I finally got back into it, but the last 20miles were pretty brutal. I finally finished, and knew that although it would suck, I'd have to do the run.

Run: Coming into T2, I still thought I could have a decent run. Why not? When I started running, though, it was a different story, as my stomach was cramping like a champ. It was so tight that I was having a hard time breathing, let alone getting any fluids down. I made it through the first couple miles around 7min pace, but it was a struggle. I kept expecting to feel better, but nothing was happening. So, I started walking through the aid stations hoping I could get some calories and fluid. Nothing seemed to help. I felt like I wanted to vomit, and I dry heaved a couple of times, but nothing came out. Finally with about 4 miles to go I decided I was going run the rest of the way, which I did.

The last two miles were brutal, and I scored a trip to the med tent at the finish after almost falling on my face. I was dehydrated, but also bonking pretty bad, I think. I got a liter of fluid and drank ~8oz of chicken broth out of a straw, and my stomach finally started settling down.

Obviously it was a pretty disappointing day, but that happens. What it means, though, is that I need some redemption! I'm not sure where or when it will come, but I'll figure that out in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, its time for a little vacation weekend hiking with friends in the Smoky Mountains, which will be a nice mental and physical break, and should help me get over the disappointment of last weekend.    

Mountain Lakes Triathlon RR

Another year, another Mountain Lakes Triathlon. Other than the despicable time trial start, this race has become one of my favorites for a number of reasons. To the bullets!

• I get to sleep at home
• It comes at a great time of year, as I'm usually pretty fit 
• Further, August is just an awesome month in general
• There are usually plenty of friends there, which makes for a good time post race
• It is short... 600m/16.2mi/3mi so it takes just over an hour
• The weather has been, surprisingly, pretty good

This year was no different, including the shitty TT start. I was "seeded" 5th, although I have no idea how they come up with these placings. I actually enjoy starting back a bit, but I always think its a little strange when I'm starting 5th after having won the race the last two times I started it. Regardless, Bruce G was first. And, if they were going solely on swim times, that was certainly warranted. He may be old, but the man can swim.

So we went.... after the relays. Nothing like some extra bodies to dodge in the water. After making it around the first turn and past most of the relay swimmers, I tried to find Bruce's yellow cap with the hope of at least having someone to pace off. Coming around the second turn, though, I was suddenly engulfed by a motorboat. A bit shocked, I jumped on the guy's feet and was semi- relieved to see it was Jacob Shults, one of the HS "kids" I used to swim with who now goes to Auburn.

As I got to my bike, Bruce was on his way out, so I knew he didnt have much time on me, which I was happy about. Out on the bike, I passed Jacob within the first mile and had Bruce in my sights. I caught him around mile 3 and went straight by. Apparently not fast enough, though, because to my surprise he came back by me a few miles later. I think he was just trying to be nice. I let him lead for about a minute, then repassed and rode the rest of the way on my own. I kept waiting/expecting someone to come from behind, but it never happened.

Its always good to start the run first but............. you never know when it is a TT start! So I took off running. I didnt feel great, so I just wanted to get to the turnaround and assess the damage. At the turn, I saw my closest competitor 1'20 after the turnaround. So, thats 2'40" back. He was number 15, which meant he started, at most, 30" after me. So, that still put me over 2' ahead. It also helped that said competitor was my doctor, Dr. John Krichev. He is a very solid runner, but I knew that as long as I kept running he'd have a hard time making up 2min in only 1.5 miles.

It was great to see the other competitors heading out as I was heading back, and I was definitely ready for the finish line. I crossed, and stopped my watch. But then I had to run back around to the start to watch the clock, just to make sure my earlier math was correct. It was close enough, and I was pretty confident I had the win. Results confirm this.

Post race gets better every year, as more and more people in and around Huntsville are getting into triathlons. Its pretty cool to see, but I'm just mildly disappointed that this TT style start is the first type of race they get to experience. But it should make the real thing that much better!

During the race I must say I didnt feel great. But, looking at my splits, I had PRs for both the bike AND the run on this course. (I dont bother with the swim, b/c it is always all over the place. But, I was only 13sec behind The Man, which I am not at all disappointed with.) Considering I've done this race in '08, '09, and '10, I was pretty stoked to see the improvement, especially since I did it from the front. Needless to say, I'm definitely feeling pretty good about IM Louisville, which is now less than two weeks away!!!! :-0

Ride, Swim, and Pull

Who says you cant have any fun while training for an IM? Saturday some friends were planning on going out to the river for some fun, so I certainly wanted to join. The only problem, of course, is that I have this little race coming up in about a month, so I needed to spend some time on my bicycle. So clearly the solution was to simply ride to the river. But, because the destination was only about 40 miles away, and I kind of needed a detour via Tennessee:

Map Courtesy of the Timex Run Trainer

I was pleasantly surprised with the route, especially Route 273 and 274 up in TN. The trek from Ardmore, AL to Athens on Al 251, on the other hand, was not so much fun. Then the last 8mi on Nuclear Plant Road, was just awful. Rough pavement and huge bumps just arent the way you want to finish 5h+ in the saddle!

Regardless, 5h 21min and 112miles later, I was finally there. Just a quick 20min run and I was ready for a great afternoon on the river.

At that point the fun was just starting, as the next destination was Tanner High School for a tractor pull!

Yes, those are thousands of people in the stands who paid $15 to watch modified tractors pull trailers loaded down with weight. Cant beat it!

Jun18-24

S: 17,400 yds
B: 8h 16min
R: 5h 18min

Total: 18h 24min

And so it begins... IM training at least. Sunday included a 101mi ride, which was clearly the highlight of my week. Seriously though, I switched to an ISM Adamo Prologue saddle a couple of months ago and I couldnt be happier with it. Although I had a bit of chafing during the first few weeks, that has subsided and now I have no complaints. I used to get that "burning" sensation you-know-where, but no more. This includes yesterday, when I still didnt have any saddle soreness issues at the end of the ride.

The rest of the week was lower key, as I had to travel to California for a PDR at a supplier. The silver lining, though, was the chance to swim at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center. With two outdoor 50m pools with digital clocks and an awesome Masters program, its hard to beat!

Southern Festival, Part Deux

After the fun that was had at the National Cornbread Festival 5k, a group of us decided we should head up to Bell Buckle, TN for the RC Cola and MoonPie Festival. And yes, this is a real thing. 

There were, however, a couple of factors we forgot to consider. First, the NCF was April 28th, while the MoonPie Festival was June 16th. In April it is still cool in the morning; in June, though, not so much. Next, the race associated with NCF was a 5k, while Moonpie was a 10 miler. I didn't major in math, but 10 miles is a lot longer than 3.1. And really... who puts on a 10 mile race in the middle of the summer in the South?? So with this in mind, some of us were having second thoughts... 

What are we doing here, again?

This SO dumb...

So ready to be done.

The race was... a race. The first few miles were pretty hilly, the next few were flat, and then we got to finish with a nice juicy uphill just after the 9 mile mark. I ended up 5th in 56:45, which is nothing to write home about, but certainly was a pretty decent workout.  

Now, enough about racing. The highlight, of course, was the festival! FWIW, I'll give a nod to the Cornbread Festival on food (selection, quality, and quantity), crafts, and overall size. But Moonpie definitely had the better race. Sure, the middle of June isnt the optimal time for a 10 miler, but you dont see the 10 mile distance all that often, so it gets points for that. And this race had close to 850 finishers, which is not too shabby for a race in the Middleofnowhere, TN. Finally, the post race food included fresh buscuits (sausage, chicken, or plain), bananas, muffins, and of course RC Cola and MoonPies.   

The Crew

Yep, they love their MoonPies here. 

Schedule

 

Jun4-10

S: 16,800yds
B: 5h 15min
R: 4h 7min

Total: 13h 38min

Nice little recovery week post half IM. I kept things pretty chill through Friday, then had a great run Saturday morning and solid ride on Sunday. Next weekend its back to racing with the Moonpie 10 miler. And yes, you read that right... I said:

Cant wait!

Racin in Macon (and Huntsville!)

It was a pretty busy week last week! Things started with a bang last Monday with the 32nd annual Cotton Row Run in downtown Huntsville. This is the biggest road race of the year in Huntsville, so its always a lot of fun. However, it is also always hot, humid, and hilly, so its usually a bit of a suffer-fest as well.

I kept things under control and ran 34:40, which was only good enough for 16th place. This race has a pretty substantial prize purse, though, so there were a few "local" Kenyans in town to make some cash.

Saturday, on the other hand, it was my turn to bring home the bacon, as thankfully some of the attributes that help Kenyans run fast, don't exactly help them swim fast. On the line was $1000 for the win in the Coliseum Rock N Rollman Half in Macon, GA. I had won the race last year and was excited to go back to defend my title.   

As for the race itself, there isnt much to report, other than it went pretty darn well. I broke away a few minutes into the swim and was able to get a nice gap on the field. 

Out on the bike, the QR felt great, but it was difficult to tell just how well I was doing, as the course was windy and hilly and I was riding my PRO disc (so I didnt have power). I always ride scared, though, so I just put my head down and pedaled hard. As each 5-mile split ticked by, I became more and more confident that no one would catch me.



Sure enough, I came off the bike in first. I finally got a glance at the second place guy as I was about half a mile into my run. I figured I had about 5' on him at that point, so I knew as long as I had a decent run, I'd be able to hold him off. At around mile 4 there was a turnaround and I had him at ~5'30" back, which meant we were probably running about the same pace. I was feeling OK running ~6' miles on the hilly course, so I knew as long as I kept things under control, I'd hold him off. By the second out and back around mile 9, I had close to 6' on him, so at that point I knew I just had to keep running and I'd get the win.

I ended up finishing in 4:10:09, breaking my course record from last year. Better yet, my bike split was 2'57" faster than last year and my run was exactly 3' faster. (2011 results and 2012 results, for reference) Now certainly the cooler temps this year helped the faster run split, but I'm really excited about the faster ride. I'd like take all the credit and say it was a gain in fitness, but I'd be remiss not to mention the QR CD0.1. That bike is fast!

Up next? Good question. The next big race on the calendar is Ironman Louisville at the end of August. Dumb, I know, but I think its about time I improved on my PR from 2005. In the meantime, there will be plenty of local races, as well as hopefully another 70.3 or two.  

FL 70.3 RR, Chasing Lance across Polk County

I grew up in Orlando and went college in Florida, so I always look forward to going down to this race. It was also my second half ironman distance, and where I qualified for Hawaii way back in 2005. However, this year was like no other. First of all, the race venue had changed with a move from Disney's Fort Wilderness to Lake Eva, in majestic Haines City. I vaguely remember traveling to Haines City for a soccer tournament sometime in the mid 90s, but this was my first time heading there for a triathlon.

The other big difference in the this year's race was, of course, the Lance effect. Lance, yes that Lance, had committed to this race when he announced his "come back" to triathlon and partnership with WTC, and needless to say it was pretty well publicized.

The first difference was in the transition area as we were setting up in the morning. I've raced (as a Pro) in the 70.3 World Championships a few times, and there were always a lot of media there. But this is first time I've seen such a huge throng of other racers standing near our section of the transition area. Furthermore, this is first time I can remember our section of the transition area being separated from the rest. Other than being midly amusing, none of this really affected my preparation any, and I went through my pre-race motions without any issues.

Finally, it was game time and we were off. I had a decent enough start, but was still further back than I wouldve liked after 100m. Thankfully though I was able to pass people and slowly made my way up through the pack. The swim was an unusual 'W' shape, and it wasn't until the last straight coming back to shore that I realized I was in a pretty good position. I was in a group with a few others and was pretty sure there werent many others up the water.

Pretty soon I was tapping the guy's feet in front of me, at which time I looked up and was pretty sure it was Lance. He and another dude made a final sprint for the finish, and I stumbled a bit coming out, causing me to exit the water around 6th in ~25min, only about 1min20 down from the lead.

Out on the bike there were considerably less spectators and also less racers. My swim group took off immediately, likely chasing Lance. I dont think I couldve caught up with them if I wanted to, but if I had, I wouldnt have been able to hang around for long. So, I was all alone for the ride. It was hard, as finishing into a headwind it always tough, and I finally came off the bike in around 2h20.

Out on the run the Lance effect was again in full force. There were noticeably more spectators than usual, especially for a course in a small town. But it was funny how many fewer were there for my last loop... I ran right at 26min for the first two loops, but then slacked a bit on the last one and finished in 1h19.

(As an aside, I've been wearing some Nike Lunarspiders for my track workouts and have really enjoyed them. They are super light and responsive, but I think they're a bit too flimsy for a 70.3 run. That, or I'm just not running fast enough to take full advantage, because they definitely make me run faster on the track!)

So all in all 4:08 in 9th place, which I was pretty pleased with, especially given the lowered training volume this year. This is right in line with recent performances at this race, and I'm really excited for the rest of the summer, as I've only recently started more long course specific training.

Next up: RockNRoll Man Half  (its a half ironman, but they cant call it that...) on June 2nd

Apr30-May13

Apr30-May6
S: 25,300 yds
B: 5h 10min
R: 4h 42min

Total: 16h 26min

May7-13
S: 24,200 yds
B: 4h 9min
R: 3h 44min

Total: 14h 12min

Two for one! So needless to say, things at the real job have been a bit busy, and the blogging is slipping. We've  got our first big milestone coming up (SRR/SDR), and I've had some artifacts due, and its kind of important we convince NASA we know what we're doing, so those have naturally taken priority. But dont worry, there has been some training as well...

First, a couple of weeks ago I went and ran a 5k at the National Cornbread Festival in S. Pittsburg, TN. Yes this is real, and yes it is awesome. The course was short (actually only 3mi) but quite hilly, so I was pleased with 15:30 for 3 miles and the win.

After that, it has been about a week and a half of really solid training. I've had some great threshold workouts on the track, and suffered through a couple of long rides on the QR. I also had a great workout with the kids. 

Fridays have been LCM at the Nat so that the kids can get ready for the summer. This means, of course, that the kids also have practice in the morning those days. This particular Friday 16x100m, leaving on 2'30", best average. The kicker? These were from a dive, starting in heats. This was a great workout, and I definitely swam faster than I wouldve by myself. The only problem was that by the second half, my arms/back were getting so sore that I was having serious difficulty getting out of the pool...

So although New Orleans was more than a bit disappointing, I'm really looking forward to FL70.3. Not only have the workouts been going well, but I get to stay with my family, as my parents and sister still live in Orlando.  

New Orleans Nonsense

So I raced in New Orleans last Sunday. Or at least had the intention of racing a triathlon but ended up stumbling through a quasi-duathlon.

The New Orleans 70.3 turned into the New Orleans 67.1 when on Saturday the race director decided to cancel the swim due to the forecast of windy conditions on Sunday morning. Other than a few extreme situations (ie an impending hurricane) I'm not aware of a situation where the swim has been canceled that early. When it happens, it is usually a game-time decision. And even then there is usually quite a bit of consternation.

But, it is what it is and we were left with basically a bike-run event. After all, its not like there was going to be any real separation in two miles among 35 fit guys who have to ride 10m apart. I had a decent opening run, and was on my bike without any issues. That wouldn't last long, though, as things went downhill quickly.

The details are presented below in list form because I'm in specification writing mode.

• About a mile (1) into the ride ride my front bottle which was filled with PowerBar Perform, decided it really didn't want to be in the cage anymore, so it flew away. 
• A Brazilian who I believe mainly does ITU races decided it would be a good idea to ride in our group. He rode like it was an ITU race, so when he finally decided to move to the front preceded to stop pedaling after passing me. I didn't brake quickly enough and there was the draft marshall to give me a 4min penalty, leading to...
• 4 minutes in the sin box. Never fun, but considerably less so when it is chilly and windy.   
• Replacement Perform grabbed at the aid station had a leaky cap and was spewing Perform all over my front wheel/frame/body/chain. I got a few swallows and had to dump the rest. 
• I probably didn't take enough calories, likely leading to a mild blow up the last couple miles of the run (5:45s to 6:15s).
• The last mile. There was a bridge, then a large roundabout, then the turn to the finish. We had already been through the roundabout once, after finishing the first lap, so I figured the turn for the finish wasn't too far past it after the completion of lap #2. I was wrong. We had to go back over the bridge then turn right and go through some gravel before finally reaching the anti-climatic finishing straight.

• The finish was in a gated parking lot at UNO rather than the French Quarter, the location of last year's finish.  

On the bright side, I did feel great on my new QR CD0.1 (when I was actually riding it) and felt good running as well (outside of the last couple of miles) so while last weekend didn't quite go as planned, I am looking forward to some solid racing in the near future. After all, might as well get all of the nonsense out of the way at once!  

Apr2-8

S: 25,300 yds
B: 7h 21min
R: 3h 58min

Total: 17h 36min

Ouch. It was a pretty busy week, both at "real" work and here in the "other" office. The result was a few really awesome workouts, one day where I got home and fell asleep for an hour and fifteen minutes (oops), and quite a bit of acute soreness. The highlight was, without a doubt the FAST track workout on Tuesday followed immediately by free Ben & Jerry's. Who needs chocolate milk when you can have New York Super Fudge Chunk??

Most importantly though the key workouts were very fast, which leaves me feeling fit just in time for New Orleans 70.3 in a couple of weeks.

Mar26-Apr1

S: 25,800 yds
B: 6h 12min
R: 4h 8min

Total: 17h 41min

Pretty solid week! Lets see... there was another fast track workout on Tuesday, a 4min power PR on the bike on Thursday (in a workout) and then the race on Sunday.

The race was certainly fun, but also a little bit of a CF... Really a combination of multiple CFs.

We started off with a pool swim which, even when designed really well, never actually goes well (CF #1). I was given the number '10', corresponding to the tenth starting position. Four spots behind me was fellow pro Craig Evans, who is apparently a pretty decent swimmer. Now I dont proclaim to be Ryan Locte by and stretch, but while standing for the start, I quickly came to the realization that there'd be a good chance I'd have to swim over a couple of people. So between the lane lines (300 yds in a 25yd pool...) and the slower swimmers, the swim was a bit rough.

Somehow Craig managed to passed me through the madness and I failed to catch the guy who started 4th, so heading out on the bike I was in third before a funny thing happened... I started moving up. I caught Number 4 about 4min into the ride, then just a couple minutes later reeled in Craig. Needless to say, I felt awesome on the QR CD0.1 so I tried to fly by Craig, hoping to gap him. Apparently he wouldn't have any of that, as he re-passed me a little over a minute later. We spent the rest of the ride going back and forth until, a few minutes out, we came to a pretty big intersection without a cop (CF #2). Thankfully we both recognized it as the intersection where we were supposed to turn right to head back to transition, and did so at high speeds while managing not to kill ourselves. After a couple of misdirections, we were finally back in transition.

Craig entered before me and I fumbled with my shoes a bit, so he had maybe 10-15s on me heading out onto the run. While that doesn't sound like much, it is a lot in a 5k, especially since due to the TT start I'd have to finish 25-30s ahead of him to win. So I took off and finally reeled him in around 6min into the run. From there on out, it was all about putting as much time on him as I could while also not getting lost...

Which brings up CF #3. While it was great to have so many volunteers/spectators (sorority girls) out on the course, I couldve done with more markings and less turns. There were no less than three 180deg turns along the way and the course varied from road to sidewalk, so I was never really sure I was going the right way. There also weren't any mile markers which, although not a huge deal, was a bit disappointing, especially when I crossed the line after after having been running for 14min 55s. I've been running well, but not well enough to run a 14:55 5k!

Craig crossed about 50s later, and no one else for another couple of minutes, so I felt pretty good about the win. This race was a great way to start the season, but hopefully next year they'll get some of the kinks worked out. The RD did personally apologize to me after the race, saying there were two cops at one intersection which is why there was one missing from the one where we were supposed to turn. I made some suggestions, like the idea of having a lead car for the bike and bike for the run, so hopefully the event will be better next year. I've been in that situation before (a college student trying to direct a race on a college campus) so I felt her pain.    

Mar19-25

S: 24,700yds
B: 6h 13min
R: 4h 12min

Total: 16h 53min

Wow... other than the pollen, the weather here has been awesome. I dont necessarily want to give it all the credit for recent awesome workouts, but it certainly hasnt hurt. Tues and Thurs were both, "Is my watch/PowerTap working?" kind of workouts... and in the good way!

This weekend I'm heading up to Murfreesboro, TN, for a little sprint race. Its been a while since I last raced a triathlon, so I wanted to get a race under my belt before New Orleans on April 22nd. Should be fun!

Mar12-18

S: 19,400yds
B: 6h 37min
R: 4h 8min

Total: 16h

Another weekend, another race. But who can turn down a free 10 miler? Saturday I ran the Rocket Run Ten Miler in Mooresville, AL, a very small town about 15mi west of Huntsville. The race is free for Huntsville Track Club members, so there really wasnt any reason not do it. (Incidentally, if you live or around Huntsville and arent a member of the HTC, sign up! Its only $12 and you get multiple free race entries, along with other benefits, so it more than pays for itself.) Local fast guy Josh Whitehead and kicked all of our butts, running 52:19 while I was second in a comfortable 56:30.

After a first mile of 5:49, I kept miles 2-7 between 5:40 and 5:40, then started bringing it down, finishing up with a pretty controlled 5:25 last mile. With Josh out of sight after the second mile, I was all alone out there for most of the race, but it was kind of nice to get in a rhythm and go. After helping break the course down and clean up, it was off to Cracker Barrel for some post race deliciousness.