Most (or all) of you already know this, but I'll be racing IM Wisconsin this year (9/9/12)!!!
83 training days to go.
Keep dreaming...
Monday, June 18, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Race Report - Grand Rapids Tri 70.3
Hey to all 2 of my blog followers! You might already know this, but I raced a half-iron distance triathlon this past weekend. This was originally going to be an "A" race for me when I planned out my season, with a goal of shattering my previous best 70.3 time of 5:03 and change. Being the hometown race, I was excited to attempt to take an age group podium spot. The setback with my quads really hurt my chances, but after the positive result at the Madison Half Marathon, I was feeling positive and very excited to race. Not to mention, some sweet new wheels on my bike meant I was almost guaranteed a PR no matter how fast (and by fast I mean slow) I ran. With no additional delay, here's the race recap...
--PRE RACE--
I've started a new tradition pre-race that sort of came about as a joke last year. My pre-race dinner, which has been met with great success thus far, consists of a burger topped with a fried egg (among other various toppings, like avocado, sauteed onions, etc.), and a couple tasty microbrews. To ensure I didn't break the new tradition, we headed to Bagger Dave's (known for their burgers and selection of Michigan beers on draft). Great decision. The food was delicious and didn't cause any issues on race day. Some might say that is a terrible pre-race dinner, but I like to avoid high-fiber foods (pasta) as they don't always sit well with me the following day during extended periods of exercise. I do most of my carbo-loading leading up to the day before the race, allowing my energy stores to build up and race with a gut full of mom's spaghetti. I also spent the pre-race day hydrating with electrolyte drinks (not just water) as the forecast called for temps in the 90s on race day. I think this paid dividends on the run.
On race morning, after downing a few cups of coffee, I made my way to the race. Transition was set up well and I had no issues with the other guys on my bike rack. Always makes it more enjoyable. I do have the benefit of being able to tell people that I'll be gone before they get to T1. Sometimes people look at me like I'm a egotistical prick, but just explaining that I've swum competitively for 25 years seems to mitigate any issues.
--THE SWIM--
Love the swim. It's like a nice and easy warm up for the next 4.5 hours of pounding my legs into oblivion. No, I'm not an egotistical prick, I'm a swimmer. I won't hate you when you blow by me on your $5,000 bike. I found Timmy and cruised through the swim together. We agreed that a 28-29 minute swim would be perfect, and when the gun went off, we somehow managed to get through the crowd and into open water. Great swim course, though a few more buoys for sighting would have been nice. I almost ran into one when staring into the sun trying to find the next buoy. Guess I deserve it for not having done any open water swims this year. But we made it out of the water and into T1 with no issue. Solid. Tim was maybe 5-10 seconds behind me.
T1 was a bit slow for my liking, but I wanted to make sure I was set. 56 miles is a long way to ride if you forgot something like the 4 PowerBar gels that were in my nutrition plan, sunglasses, etc. Having not practiced transitions this year, I guess a slow transition is to be expected. Tim beat me out so I knew I had some ground to make up.
--THE BIKE--
I was more excited for the bike leg than any other. This is the polar opposite for me. But as I mentioned, my new Reynolds race wheels were ready to be shown off. Initially, I had a hard time getting my heart rate down to my planned range. Not wanting to get passed by everyone and their brother's used car salesmen, I may have pushed the tempo a little too much in the opening miles. After 10 or so miles, I caught Timmy. At this point, I thought about letting off the gas and cruising for a while, but the 5-hour goal rang in my mind. I did let up just a bit, which finally brought my HR down to my goal range, barely.
We hit the one climb on the course, out of Saranac, and I had to sit up and spin. My quads were starting to tighten and I didn't want to have to walk 13.1 miles to finish. Somehow, this seemed to get them to relax enough that I could up the tempo again at the top. Relieved, I stepped up again and pushed the pace, letting my HR be the guide to my effort. Around mile 25, Aaron caught me. And Tim. I hadn't realized Tim was still sitting outside the draft zone following my pace. Aaron sat up and said he wanted to cruise with us. Pretty cool to have company on a ride this long, so thanks Aaron and Tim. Note: we followed USAT drafting rules.
At mile 50, after sitting up several times and slowing down the pace, Aaron dropped back with a sore back. Knowing that 5:00 was still possible, I stepped up and pushed the tempo for the last 6 miles. Secretly, I wanted my bike split under 2:40, and it wasn't going to happen without closing fast. When we rolled into T2, my garmin displayed 2:40. Pretty great, that was 10 minutes faster than last year! (Garmin/Strava file here)
I had a slow T2. I managed to get only 1 foot out of my shoes on the bike, so I ran to the bike rack with one bare foot and one shod foot. Oops.Unfortunately, I don't have quick laces on my running shoes and Timmy passed me in transition, again.
Bike nutrition: 2.5 bottles of gatorade, 3 PowerBar gels (Kona Punch and Tangerine)
--THE RUN--
As I exited T2, one thought ran through my head. It is hot. Very hot. Aaaand you left your cooling sleeves in T2. Ugh. Hate having mental lapses on race-day. Execution is so important in triathlon...it's like this:
Your level of fitness is the size of the engine in a plane. Your execution is the pilot. If you aren't a good pilot, it doesn't matter if you fly an F-16 or a Cessna. You probably aren't going to make it very far.
Back to the race...Timmy probably had a good 30-45 seconds out of T2, and wanting to have some company on the run, I took off after him. Again, execution failure. Mile 1: 6:30 pace. Sustainable in a sprint/oly distance, but not a good idea in a 70.3 in 90 degree heat. I caught up with him though, and we cruised through mile 2 in 7:20ish. Again, too fast. During mile 3 I find myself a step ahead. I stopped to tie my shoes (I need some quick-laces). The course dips down into the river valley and I took off, leaving Tim behind. I intended on letting him catch back up, but when I looked back, I didn't see him. We'd be on our own to run it in. At this point in the run, the heat really started to take it's toll on me. My splits are indicative of this. (Garmin/Strava file here).
After a quick pit stop, I took off again into the heat. Nothing like a porta-jon in the sun to bake you on an already hot day! Cooled down with lots of ice (ingested, in the shirt, down the shorts), I managed to keep myself from overheating. At the turnaround, I saw a lot of familiar faces lining the road, and was given a boost from the support (thanks!). Knowing there were another 6.5 miles of suffering ahead, it was great to hear the encouragement. My recollection of the second lap is a bit foggy. I just focused on encouraging people that I passed and thanking the volunteers on course. This is a good trick when your'e in the pain cave/hurt house. Keeps your mind off of the pain. With 3 miles to go I picked up the pace again and started to push to the finish. I didn't want to pull the trigger too soon, but with a solid "shopping spree" at the aid station, I was ready to finish. Looking ahead and not down, I targeted people I wanted to pass before I finished. This gave me a tangible goal that was closer than the finish line. Had I known that I was so close to breaking 5 hours, I definitely would have pushed harder. But, given the heat and the injury setback, I am very pleased with a PR by 3 minutes. 5 hours 42 seconds and 3rd place in the 25-29 age group!
From a nutrition standpoint on the run, I made sure to take gatorade, water, and ice at every aid station. The course provided hammer gel, but I've never liked the stuff. Way too think, almost like peanut butter. I carried two PowerBar gels with me and took them at mile 4 and 8. I wish I had carried another for the closing miles, lesson learned. What I like most about the Powerbar gels is how fluid they are. I can take them without water in a pinch. By far my favorite gel product.
--THANK YOU--
A huge thanks for the organizers, volunteers, spectators, and fellow competitors for making this a great race. Also thanks to PowerBar for supporting Team Elite. I will be back next year. This is a must-do hometown race.
Until next time, keep dreaming...
--PRE RACE--
I've started a new tradition pre-race that sort of came about as a joke last year. My pre-race dinner, which has been met with great success thus far, consists of a burger topped with a fried egg (among other various toppings, like avocado, sauteed onions, etc.), and a couple tasty microbrews. To ensure I didn't break the new tradition, we headed to Bagger Dave's (known for their burgers and selection of Michigan beers on draft). Great decision. The food was delicious and didn't cause any issues on race day. Some might say that is a terrible pre-race dinner, but I like to avoid high-fiber foods (pasta) as they don't always sit well with me the following day during extended periods of exercise. I do most of my carbo-loading leading up to the day before the race, allowing my energy stores to build up and race with a gut full of mom's spaghetti. I also spent the pre-race day hydrating with electrolyte drinks (not just water) as the forecast called for temps in the 90s on race day. I think this paid dividends on the run.
On race morning, after downing a few cups of coffee, I made my way to the race. Transition was set up well and I had no issues with the other guys on my bike rack. Always makes it more enjoyable. I do have the benefit of being able to tell people that I'll be gone before they get to T1. Sometimes people look at me like I'm a egotistical prick, but just explaining that I've swum competitively for 25 years seems to mitigate any issues.
--THE SWIM--
T1 was a bit slow for my liking, but I wanted to make sure I was set. 56 miles is a long way to ride if you forgot something like the 4 PowerBar gels that were in my nutrition plan, sunglasses, etc. Having not practiced transitions this year, I guess a slow transition is to be expected. Tim beat me out so I knew I had some ground to make up.
--THE BIKE--
I was more excited for the bike leg than any other. This is the polar opposite for me. But as I mentioned, my new Reynolds race wheels were ready to be shown off. Initially, I had a hard time getting my heart rate down to my planned range. Not wanting to get passed by everyone and their brother's used car salesmen, I may have pushed the tempo a little too much in the opening miles. After 10 or so miles, I caught Timmy. At this point, I thought about letting off the gas and cruising for a while, but the 5-hour goal rang in my mind. I did let up just a bit, which finally brought my HR down to my goal range, barely.
We hit the one climb on the course, out of Saranac, and I had to sit up and spin. My quads were starting to tighten and I didn't want to have to walk 13.1 miles to finish. Somehow, this seemed to get them to relax enough that I could up the tempo again at the top. Relieved, I stepped up again and pushed the pace, letting my HR be the guide to my effort. Around mile 25, Aaron caught me. And Tim. I hadn't realized Tim was still sitting outside the draft zone following my pace. Aaron sat up and said he wanted to cruise with us. Pretty cool to have company on a ride this long, so thanks Aaron and Tim. Note: we followed USAT drafting rules.
At mile 50, after sitting up several times and slowing down the pace, Aaron dropped back with a sore back. Knowing that 5:00 was still possible, I stepped up and pushed the tempo for the last 6 miles. Secretly, I wanted my bike split under 2:40, and it wasn't going to happen without closing fast. When we rolled into T2, my garmin displayed 2:40. Pretty great, that was 10 minutes faster than last year! (Garmin/Strava file here)
I had a slow T2. I managed to get only 1 foot out of my shoes on the bike, so I ran to the bike rack with one bare foot and one shod foot. Oops.Unfortunately, I don't have quick laces on my running shoes and Timmy passed me in transition, again.
Bike nutrition: 2.5 bottles of gatorade, 3 PowerBar gels (Kona Punch and Tangerine)
--THE RUN--
Your level of fitness is the size of the engine in a plane. Your execution is the pilot. If you aren't a good pilot, it doesn't matter if you fly an F-16 or a Cessna. You probably aren't going to make it very far.
Back to the race...Timmy probably had a good 30-45 seconds out of T2, and wanting to have some company on the run, I took off after him. Again, execution failure. Mile 1: 6:30 pace. Sustainable in a sprint/oly distance, but not a good idea in a 70.3 in 90 degree heat. I caught up with him though, and we cruised through mile 2 in 7:20ish. Again, too fast. During mile 3 I find myself a step ahead. I stopped to tie my shoes (I need some quick-laces). The course dips down into the river valley and I took off, leaving Tim behind. I intended on letting him catch back up, but when I looked back, I didn't see him. We'd be on our own to run it in. At this point in the run, the heat really started to take it's toll on me. My splits are indicative of this. (Garmin/Strava file here).
After a quick pit stop, I took off again into the heat. Nothing like a porta-jon in the sun to bake you on an already hot day! Cooled down with lots of ice (ingested, in the shirt, down the shorts), I managed to keep myself from overheating. At the turnaround, I saw a lot of familiar faces lining the road, and was given a boost from the support (thanks!). Knowing there were another 6.5 miles of suffering ahead, it was great to hear the encouragement. My recollection of the second lap is a bit foggy. I just focused on encouraging people that I passed and thanking the volunteers on course. This is a good trick when your'e in the pain cave/hurt house. Keeps your mind off of the pain. With 3 miles to go I picked up the pace again and started to push to the finish. I didn't want to pull the trigger too soon, but with a solid "shopping spree" at the aid station, I was ready to finish. Looking ahead and not down, I targeted people I wanted to pass before I finished. This gave me a tangible goal that was closer than the finish line. Had I known that I was so close to breaking 5 hours, I definitely would have pushed harder. But, given the heat and the injury setback, I am very pleased with a PR by 3 minutes. 5 hours 42 seconds and 3rd place in the 25-29 age group!
From a nutrition standpoint on the run, I made sure to take gatorade, water, and ice at every aid station. The course provided hammer gel, but I've never liked the stuff. Way too think, almost like peanut butter. I carried two PowerBar gels with me and took them at mile 4 and 8. I wish I had carried another for the closing miles, lesson learned. What I like most about the Powerbar gels is how fluid they are. I can take them without water in a pinch. By far my favorite gel product.
--THANK YOU--
Until next time, keep dreaming...
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Race Report - Madison 13.1
Some quick thoughts on the back-to-back races I did on Memorial Day weekend...
First up, the Madison Half-Marathon. Hopped in the car on Friday afternoon with JR and Ronda for a quick trip to Madison, WI to get a nice training weekend in and for them to run the 13.1 on Sunday morning. I was hoping to get multiple loops in on the IMWI bike course. When we woke up Saturday morning, it was storming. With plans rapidly derailing, we went to the expo to pick up packets at which point I decided to register and get a nice training run in on Sunday morning. Not exactly what I was planning, but I figured it would be a good barometer for where I will be at the Grand Rapids 70.3 in 2 weeks. It was also a test to see if my legs have recovered from injury. By the time we left the expo, the weather had cleared. JR and I got dropped off in Verona and we took a nice spin around the loop portion of the bike course. It was great to see the course again, it brought back some fun memories. I also rode over the infamous "bump" that threw off my last big training block before IMWI 2011. Fortunately, it was intentional this time. I can see why I crashed when not expecting to be jolted like that. Pretty fun course. Strava file: http://app.strava.com/rides/9514415
After a good ride and getting Ronda completely turned around on the way back to the hotel (thanks for driving, Ronda!), we cleaned up and went to watch Ty run the kids race and to get dinner at the "Old-fashioned". It stormed again, which delayed the kids race, but the timing worked perfectly. After Ty finished running and we made it back to the restaurant, the buzzer went off and our table was ready. I only mention the restaurant because it is a MUST when visiting town. Great food, and 50 Wisconsin brewed beers on tap. Perfect night before a race meal: a burger with a fried egg on it, and a couple beers. Winning combination so far this year. We all crashed pretty hard after dinner. The prospect of running 13.1 miles the next day was daunting, given forecasted temps in the 90s.
Race day - after not sleeping well at night (poor Marley was teething all weekend!), we all made our way to the start. I decided to run with JR and Ronda for the first few miles to test out the leg. If it felt good, I would take off, otherwise I'd stick with them. I got to 3mi and felt great. Wished them well, and took off on what ended up being a great progression run (when each mile trends faster than the previous). Looking at the strava file, I couldn't have done much better: http://app.strava.com/runs/9514419 It was hot, but not too hot. I made sure to grab two gatorades each aid station and used a PowerGel at halfway. nailed the nutrition, felt great the whole way, and kept pushing the pace. The only complaint I had was the lack of ice being handed out at aid stations. They had it, but you had to stop and ask for it. Not ideal in a race. The last .5mi is uphill but lined with spectators. In fact, there was a lot of crowd support the entire way. Made it a fun race. Back to the finish, you can see the State Capitol as you turn and it is a good marker of how far you have to run up the hill. Motivated to finish strong, I pushed hard up the hill and ended up in the finish chute by myself. Clocked an open 13.1 PR (half-iron splits are faster) at 1:43. Felt great. Grabbed a free Fat Tire that I convinced the beer tent worker to give me for 2 beer tickets, and went to watch JR and Ronda finish. Great race. Fun city. I'll be back.
Thanks to JR and Ronda for bringing me along!
First up, the Madison Half-Marathon. Hopped in the car on Friday afternoon with JR and Ronda for a quick trip to Madison, WI to get a nice training weekend in and for them to run the 13.1 on Sunday morning. I was hoping to get multiple loops in on the IMWI bike course. When we woke up Saturday morning, it was storming. With plans rapidly derailing, we went to the expo to pick up packets at which point I decided to register and get a nice training run in on Sunday morning. Not exactly what I was planning, but I figured it would be a good barometer for where I will be at the Grand Rapids 70.3 in 2 weeks. It was also a test to see if my legs have recovered from injury. By the time we left the expo, the weather had cleared. JR and I got dropped off in Verona and we took a nice spin around the loop portion of the bike course. It was great to see the course again, it brought back some fun memories. I also rode over the infamous "bump" that threw off my last big training block before IMWI 2011. Fortunately, it was intentional this time. I can see why I crashed when not expecting to be jolted like that. Pretty fun course. Strava file: http://app.strava.com/rides/9514415
After a good ride and getting Ronda completely turned around on the way back to the hotel (thanks for driving, Ronda!), we cleaned up and went to watch Ty run the kids race and to get dinner at the "Old-fashioned". It stormed again, which delayed the kids race, but the timing worked perfectly. After Ty finished running and we made it back to the restaurant, the buzzer went off and our table was ready. I only mention the restaurant because it is a MUST when visiting town. Great food, and 50 Wisconsin brewed beers on tap. Perfect night before a race meal: a burger with a fried egg on it, and a couple beers. Winning combination so far this year. We all crashed pretty hard after dinner. The prospect of running 13.1 miles the next day was daunting, given forecasted temps in the 90s.
Race day - after not sleeping well at night (poor Marley was teething all weekend!), we all made our way to the start. I decided to run with JR and Ronda for the first few miles to test out the leg. If it felt good, I would take off, otherwise I'd stick with them. I got to 3mi and felt great. Wished them well, and took off on what ended up being a great progression run (when each mile trends faster than the previous). Looking at the strava file, I couldn't have done much better: http://app.strava.com/runs/9514419 It was hot, but not too hot. I made sure to grab two gatorades each aid station and used a PowerGel at halfway. nailed the nutrition, felt great the whole way, and kept pushing the pace. The only complaint I had was the lack of ice being handed out at aid stations. They had it, but you had to stop and ask for it. Not ideal in a race. The last .5mi is uphill but lined with spectators. In fact, there was a lot of crowd support the entire way. Made it a fun race. Back to the finish, you can see the State Capitol as you turn and it is a good marker of how far you have to run up the hill. Motivated to finish strong, I pushed hard up the hill and ended up in the finish chute by myself. Clocked an open 13.1 PR (half-iron splits are faster) at 1:43. Felt great. Grabbed a free Fat Tire that I convinced the beer tent worker to give me for 2 beer tickets, and went to watch JR and Ronda finish. Great race. Fun city. I'll be back.
Thanks to JR and Ronda for bringing me along!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)