I hit the pool in a pretty good mood this morning, ready to roll with my regular Tuesday and Thursday morning Masters Class. Another local triathlete, Bill, has joined the group recently and it's a good match. Bill's a solid sprint specialist; younger than me (early 40s). He swims well, but hasn't been doing as much yardage, so he starts to fade towards the end of class. But it's a good match -- the inevitable friendly competition keeps me moving during the early sets, and he's getting a chance to improve his endurance.
Today's class started with a 12-minute warmup swim. 700 yards for that, keeping my pace right around 1:40/100. Then a continual 300 yard kick with the board and fins. Then a 600 yard set with the pull buoy, breathing every 3 strokes for 200 yards, then every 5 for 200, and finally gasping for air with 7 strokes for every breath over the last 200.
Warmup done. Whew.
Now the meat of the session. 18 x 100 yards. 1-6 on 1:50; 7-12 on 1:45 with paddles; 13-18 on 1:35 with fins and paddles. An easy 50 to collect ourselves between sets of 6.
1-6 nice and smooth, hitting each 100 on 1:35-1:36. Bill's drafting along and providing a nice incentive to me.
7-12 I pushed hard with the paddles and clocked each interval at 1:30. I'm tired, but this is going well.
On to the last 6, and a morning well spent. First two, coming in nicely at 1:22 and 1:23. Then on the third, BAM! I push off from the wall and caught a cramp in my right calf, and a bad one, too. I floundered around in the water for a few moments until I could finally straighten out the leg and hobble back down to the end of the pool. I collected myself enough to put in a few easy 100s to finish the day out, but the rest of my morning was shot. No post-swim run or kettlebell class for me -- this thing hurt. It was all I could do to walk without limping.
Well what to do? I got a free protein smoothie at the gym snack bar (my birthday gift from the club), then went home and took a nap before rolling into work. I guess recovery is important too!
Ken
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- Wrapping up an easy week
One of the key principles for any type of athletic conditioning is recovery. You have to give the body a chance to make adjustments and repair itself after you stress it. So it's typical to see an easier week about once every four weeks on a training plan.
No exception here. I've been doing a lot of base training at targeted heart rate zones -- typically in the extensive endurance zone, with some step ups into the intensive endurance zone. (roughly zone 2 and zone 3 in most plans.) Nothing too long so far -- my bikes are peaking out at around 2 hours and my weekend runs at 10 miles. But this weekend I'm reaping the benefit of the easy week -- no workout today!
Back at it next week, then my base training period wraps up. Going on from there, the biking will start to pick up, and hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate. Only about six weeks now until the Belmonte 25K trail run, though I might shoehorn in the Martha Jefferson 8K before then -- it's a popular early season tune up on a very tough downtown C-ville course.
Weekly totals:
Swim -- 2:25, 7250 yards
Bike ----3:00, 54 miles
Run -----2:50, 20 miles
Strength -0:20
Totals -- 8:35
No exception here. I've been doing a lot of base training at targeted heart rate zones -- typically in the extensive endurance zone, with some step ups into the intensive endurance zone. (roughly zone 2 and zone 3 in most plans.) Nothing too long so far -- my bikes are peaking out at around 2 hours and my weekend runs at 10 miles. But this weekend I'm reaping the benefit of the easy week -- no workout today!
Back at it next week, then my base training period wraps up. Going on from there, the biking will start to pick up, and hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate. Only about six weeks now until the Belmonte 25K trail run, though I might shoehorn in the Martha Jefferson 8K before then -- it's a popular early season tune up on a very tough downtown C-ville course.
Weekly totals:
Swim -- 2:25, 7250 yards
Bike ----3:00, 54 miles
Run -----2:50, 20 miles
Strength -0:20
Totals -- 8:35
Friday, February 10, 2012
60 and counting (and that's not my age...)
Actually, I turn 53 on February 16...
I've known for a while that I've had a good streak of workouts going since I got my training back on track in December. But the other day I counted it up, and realized that today will be 60 days straight of not missing a workout. So obviously, I have incentive not to miss my time on the bike this afternoon.
Now, that doesn't mean I haven't had a few days off during that streak, or I haven't had to shift things around on occasion. And, truth be told, there have been a couple of times where I've had to cut the scheduled workout a little short.
But on the other hand, sometimes I've done more work than my training plan has called for. And there have been many days with multiple workouts. In fact, there were about 90 different workouts in those 60 days -- all told about 75 hours of work. It's a good start, and I'm confident I'm putting down a solid foundation for this early in the year.
This has been a pretty good week so far. Had two good masters swim classes, and a good result with my heart-rate run test on Wednesday. And best of all, I get a day off on Sunday -- I'm gonna enjoy that!
Ken
I've known for a while that I've had a good streak of workouts going since I got my training back on track in December. But the other day I counted it up, and realized that today will be 60 days straight of not missing a workout. So obviously, I have incentive not to miss my time on the bike this afternoon.
Now, that doesn't mean I haven't had a few days off during that streak, or I haven't had to shift things around on occasion. And, truth be told, there have been a couple of times where I've had to cut the scheduled workout a little short.
But on the other hand, sometimes I've done more work than my training plan has called for. And there have been many days with multiple workouts. In fact, there were about 90 different workouts in those 60 days -- all told about 75 hours of work. It's a good start, and I'm confident I'm putting down a solid foundation for this early in the year.
This has been a pretty good week so far. Had two good masters swim classes, and a good result with my heart-rate run test on Wednesday. And best of all, I get a day off on Sunday -- I'm gonna enjoy that!
Ken
Monday, February 06, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- Adapt and Focus
Sometimes your workouts don't go the way you want, but if you stick with it there's always an opportunity to get something positive out of it.
Case in point was my Sunday run. I'd had a solid week of training, and was really starting to feel some positive energy and improved fitness coming out of this base-building period. But as I started the run -- an easy-paced 10 miler -- something just didn't feel right. My form felt clumsy, my heart rate was way over target, and I just couldn't get into a smooth rhythm.
I tried pulling back on the speed and settling down, but after 3 miles I felt gassed, wobbly and worn out. I considered turning it around and calling it a day, but then I started thinking to myself -- in a long race there are going to be some tough patches to go through -- try to work through this one.
Time for a change in strategy. First get the heart rate down, second break the remaining 7 miles up into easy chunks. Get through this. I shifted into a run/walk mode with a 1-minute walk at the start of every mile. On the runs I counted steps to 50, then checked my heart rate to make sure I was keeping it easy.
It worked -- after a couple of miles I was into a good, smooth running rhythm and was still holding 9-minute/mile pace -- plenty fast enough on an easy day. And I got home satisfied -- I'd stuck to it; my 10 miles was in the bag, and I'd taught myself a valuable lesson in adapting and staying focused on the goal.
Weekly Totals:
Swim -- 2:10, 5950 yards
Bike --- 3:45, 65 miles
Run ---- 3:19, 23 miles
Strength/Core --- 1:20
30 weeks to go.
Case in point was my Sunday run. I'd had a solid week of training, and was really starting to feel some positive energy and improved fitness coming out of this base-building period. But as I started the run -- an easy-paced 10 miler -- something just didn't feel right. My form felt clumsy, my heart rate was way over target, and I just couldn't get into a smooth rhythm.
I tried pulling back on the speed and settling down, but after 3 miles I felt gassed, wobbly and worn out. I considered turning it around and calling it a day, but then I started thinking to myself -- in a long race there are going to be some tough patches to go through -- try to work through this one.
Time for a change in strategy. First get the heart rate down, second break the remaining 7 miles up into easy chunks. Get through this. I shifted into a run/walk mode with a 1-minute walk at the start of every mile. On the runs I counted steps to 50, then checked my heart rate to make sure I was keeping it easy.
It worked -- after a couple of miles I was into a good, smooth running rhythm and was still holding 9-minute/mile pace -- plenty fast enough on an easy day. And I got home satisfied -- I'd stuck to it; my 10 miles was in the bag, and I'd taught myself a valuable lesson in adapting and staying focused on the goal.
Weekly Totals:
Swim -- 2:10, 5950 yards
Bike --- 3:45, 65 miles
Run ---- 3:19, 23 miles
Strength/Core --- 1:20
30 weeks to go.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Mid-week thoughts: Keys to success
I've been racing tris for 8 years this season, and have been a runner for 10 more. I've been fortunate enough as a triathlete to have achieved a pretty good level of performance. I've been in the top 20-25% of my age group (50-54) each of the last three years, have qualified for USAT Age Group Nationals the last two years, and I usually get on the podium for my age group a few times each season.
I think one of the next challenges I want to bite off is to start coaching triathletes. There's a lot I think I can pass on to newer athletes, especially. So, I was wondering to myself -- if I could tell a new triathlete three keys to improving in triathlon, what would they be?
1. Have a goal
It's a good starting point. Goals aren't the same for everybody -- to some it's "just win, baby," while to others it's "just finish." Or you may want to do a lot of short races, or a few longer ones. But a goal that defines what you want to get out of the sport is important, because it helps you avoid an aimless approach to your training. And unless your bar for success is very low, you likely won't achieve your goals with an aimless approach. That leads us to...
2. Have a plan.
I start each season with a plan on what I want to do, and why I want to do it. For example, this year it's do an IM, because I want to take on the challenge of racing the iconic triathlon distance. Last year the plan was to race longer (two 1/2-IMs) in order to get more experience in longer races. Once you've decided on your plan, you can tailor your training to that purpose. And with a purpose-driven plan, you may find yourself able to reevaluate how you measure success, too!
3. Be consistent.
Once you've got a plan in place, it's time to execute it. Consistency in executing your plan is one of the most important keys to improving and meeting your goals. Your body improves through many small adaptations and progressions, not through huge leaps as the result of a single workout or two. And consistency will yield habit -- habit that may keep you active and healthy even if you're not racing.
I think one of the next challenges I want to bite off is to start coaching triathletes. There's a lot I think I can pass on to newer athletes, especially. So, I was wondering to myself -- if I could tell a new triathlete three keys to improving in triathlon, what would they be?
1. Have a goal
It's a good starting point. Goals aren't the same for everybody -- to some it's "just win, baby," while to others it's "just finish." Or you may want to do a lot of short races, or a few longer ones. But a goal that defines what you want to get out of the sport is important, because it helps you avoid an aimless approach to your training. And unless your bar for success is very low, you likely won't achieve your goals with an aimless approach. That leads us to...
2. Have a plan.
I start each season with a plan on what I want to do, and why I want to do it. For example, this year it's do an IM, because I want to take on the challenge of racing the iconic triathlon distance. Last year the plan was to race longer (two 1/2-IMs) in order to get more experience in longer races. Once you've decided on your plan, you can tailor your training to that purpose. And with a purpose-driven plan, you may find yourself able to reevaluate how you measure success, too!
3. Be consistent.
Once you've got a plan in place, it's time to execute it. Consistency in executing your plan is one of the most important keys to improving and meeting your goals. Your body improves through many small adaptations and progressions, not through huge leaps as the result of a single workout or two. And consistency will yield habit -- habit that may keep you active and healthy even if you're not racing.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- 31 weeks to go
Another week done, and looking ahead to the next -- 31 to go! I should point out that at this stage I'm not yet training specifically for IMWI. This is the base period: time to get in steady, lower-intensity miles, work on technique, and train very specifically in heart rate zones designed to increase endurance. So a lot of time I'm trying to work at very specific levels of effort -- not too much, not too little. Just call me Goldilocks!
Totals for week 32:
Swim: 2:25, 6900 yards
Bike: 3:20, 55 miles
Run: 4:00, 28 miles
Core/strength: 0:40
Total: 10:25
Totals for week 32:
Swim: 2:25, 6900 yards
Bike: 3:20, 55 miles
Run: 4:00, 28 miles
Core/strength: 0:40
Total: 10:25
Friday, January 27, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- Late Week Thoughts
I've been reading "Going Long" by Joe Friel and Gordo Byrn. A lot of good pratical advice in there, though I think I'd probably self-destruct if I tried to put together a training plan from it. A lot of it's a bit over my head at this point.
But one thing they talk about that's pretty relevant to me is the discussion of "limiters." A limiter can be as simple as weighing too much, or being a poor swimmer, or it can be a bit more refined, like your approach to pacing during the bike leg. It's got me thinking about my limiters. So let's see -- here's three off the top of my head, with thoughts on how to correct them.
1. Too heavy. OK, Carmel would slap me for saying that, but I do weigh a bit more than I need to. I weighed about 165 at the time of Eagleman back in 2006. I've stayed near that since then, but I've drifted up a bit this winter and I'm at around 171 now. Better diet, less beer and more training should correct that over time. No need to panic or diet.
2. Bike endurance. Relative to my age group, I ride pretty well, but I don't always come off the bike as well as I'd like considering my strength as a runner. In an Olympic, I can run pretty close to my 10K standalone time (46 minutes olympic vs. 43 standalone), but I've had less success in longer races. My standalone 1/2 time is 1:34, but I've never broken 1:50 in a 1/2 IM. More long rides and better run pacing would suggest themselves as answers.
3. Focus. I've got a tendency to get too caught up in the moment when I'm racing. Getting too pumped up is bad for my pace, and getting frustrated with other racers for sloppy riding, etc. is just wasted energy. Got to work on just getting in a zone and chilling out. A lot can happen in the course of a long race, so I'll need to stay on an even keel. I'm looking forward to my 25K trail race coming up -- it should be good experience in going with the moment and rolling with what comes.
But one thing they talk about that's pretty relevant to me is the discussion of "limiters." A limiter can be as simple as weighing too much, or being a poor swimmer, or it can be a bit more refined, like your approach to pacing during the bike leg. It's got me thinking about my limiters. So let's see -- here's three off the top of my head, with thoughts on how to correct them.
1. Too heavy. OK, Carmel would slap me for saying that, but I do weigh a bit more than I need to. I weighed about 165 at the time of Eagleman back in 2006. I've stayed near that since then, but I've drifted up a bit this winter and I'm at around 171 now. Better diet, less beer and more training should correct that over time. No need to panic or diet.
2. Bike endurance. Relative to my age group, I ride pretty well, but I don't always come off the bike as well as I'd like considering my strength as a runner. In an Olympic, I can run pretty close to my 10K standalone time (46 minutes olympic vs. 43 standalone), but I've had less success in longer races. My standalone 1/2 time is 1:34, but I've never broken 1:50 in a 1/2 IM. More long rides and better run pacing would suggest themselves as answers.
3. Focus. I've got a tendency to get too caught up in the moment when I'm racing. Getting too pumped up is bad for my pace, and getting frustrated with other racers for sloppy riding, etc. is just wasted energy. Got to work on just getting in a zone and chilling out. A lot can happen in the course of a long race, so I'll need to stay on an even keel. I'm looking forward to my 25K trail race coming up -- it should be good experience in going with the moment and rolling with what comes.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- 32 weeks to go.
Wrapped up a good training week today with a snowy 10-mile run. It was warm enough that I didn't have to worry about footing, but the big wet flakes of snow gave it an appropriately wintry feel. Ran with Marc, a 30-something runner and triathlete. Good company -- he's pretty new to the sport, so I was able to pass on some veteran wisdom (or at least opinions) as we ran.
It was nice to get some time outside, even with the snow. I end up spending a lot of time indoors during my winter training. I've usually got cycling and swimming work in the morning, and if there's a run to do as well, I just hop on a treadmill or scoot around the indoor track at my gym. And my tolerance for cycling outside drops quickly when the temperature starts falling below 40. Of course, that's once reason I chose to do a September IM!
Training totals for last week:
Swim: 7000 yards, 2:20
Bike: 60 miles, 3:30
Run: 23 miles, 3:20
Core/strength: 1:20
Total time: 10:30
It was nice to get some time outside, even with the snow. I end up spending a lot of time indoors during my winter training. I've usually got cycling and swimming work in the morning, and if there's a run to do as well, I just hop on a treadmill or scoot around the indoor track at my gym. And my tolerance for cycling outside drops quickly when the temperature starts falling below 40. Of course, that's once reason I chose to do a September IM!
Training totals for last week:
Swim: 7000 yards, 2:20
Bike: 60 miles, 3:30
Run: 23 miles, 3:20
Core/strength: 1:20
Total time: 10:30
Sunday, January 15, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- 33 weeks to go.
Last week was a good one. Nothing huge in terms of miles or time, but every session felt good. Wrapped it up on Sunday morning with an 8-mile run. The plan was to pick up the pace over the last 20 minutes, finishing at around 10K pace.
I ran an out-and-back course, and as usual on a 32-degree winter morning, it seemed the wind was in my face no matter which direction I went. But with a long-sleeved shirt, vest, tights, hat and gloves, it was pretty tolerable.
Out to the turnaround in 35 minutes and change. Flip around and head back (wind in my face, of course). Pace picking up nicely. I felt smooth and pretty quick -- concentrate on a good forward lean and keep my core tucked in. With 20 minutes to go I kicked it in. Down a hill, across a busy highway and then a steady climb. Big breaths of cold air, and I can feel the sweat building up, even with the chilly air.
The turn for home and a mile to go. 10K pace should be about 7 minutes, so it was time to dig in and go. I was running harder than I had in quite a while -- time to put those base miles to work.
Done. Hit the watch. Back in 31 minutes and change. Last mile in 7:30 -- not too bad, considering a steep hill near the end -- and the wind WAS in my face.
Totals for the week:
Swim -- 7000 yards
Bike -- 49 miles
Run -- 18 miles
Core -- 60 minutes
Total time -- 8 hours, 40 minutes
I ran an out-and-back course, and as usual on a 32-degree winter morning, it seemed the wind was in my face no matter which direction I went. But with a long-sleeved shirt, vest, tights, hat and gloves, it was pretty tolerable.
Out to the turnaround in 35 minutes and change. Flip around and head back (wind in my face, of course). Pace picking up nicely. I felt smooth and pretty quick -- concentrate on a good forward lean and keep my core tucked in. With 20 minutes to go I kicked it in. Down a hill, across a busy highway and then a steady climb. Big breaths of cold air, and I can feel the sweat building up, even with the chilly air.
The turn for home and a mile to go. 10K pace should be about 7 minutes, so it was time to dig in and go. I was running harder than I had in quite a while -- time to put those base miles to work.
Done. Hit the watch. Back in 31 minutes and change. Last mile in 7:30 -- not too bad, considering a steep hill near the end -- and the wind WAS in my face.
Totals for the week:
Swim -- 7000 yards
Bike -- 49 miles
Run -- 18 miles
Core -- 60 minutes
Total time -- 8 hours, 40 minutes
Friday, January 13, 2012
34 Weeks Update -- Testing and Training
As I mentioned in my last post, the schedule for this week hasn't been too heavy, primarily because there were a few test sessions involved.
I did the first on Thursday morning. A bike test of 20 minutes all out. I did the test on one of my gym's spin cycles, since they have a watt meter and HRM installed on them. I don't train with power on my bike, but at least I can use that as a reference point for future tests. After warming up, I dove in, and felt pretty good about the effort:
Time: 20 minutes
Avg HR: 161, with a max of 171 near the end.
Avg Wattage: 296
RPMs: 96
This morning was a run test. After warmup, 4 miles, with 1-minute rest periods, each at 70% of my Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). The idea is to see if you're able to maintain speed without spiking up the HR. If so, it's time to ramp up the intensity of the runs a bit.
I think the results were good. Speed stayed the same or got faster as I went along, while keeping the AHR below the 70% HRR. I was surprised to find myself running at marathon pace with such a relatively easy effort -- guess the discipline of holding back this winter has been paying off.
1 - 8:24 - 134 AHR
2 - 8:17 - 138 AHR
3 - 8:15 - 140 AHR
4 - 8:20 - 138 AHR
We'll see what Coach Debi has to say about where I stand, but I'm feeling pretty good about that.
The rest of the week is pretty light: an hour easy ride and 4 mile run on Saturday, then an 8 mile run with some speed towards the end on Sunday. I'll post totals and look ahead on Monday.
I did the first on Thursday morning. A bike test of 20 minutes all out. I did the test on one of my gym's spin cycles, since they have a watt meter and HRM installed on them. I don't train with power on my bike, but at least I can use that as a reference point for future tests. After warming up, I dove in, and felt pretty good about the effort:
Time: 20 minutes
Avg HR: 161, with a max of 171 near the end.
Avg Wattage: 296
RPMs: 96
This morning was a run test. After warmup, 4 miles, with 1-minute rest periods, each at 70% of my Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). The idea is to see if you're able to maintain speed without spiking up the HR. If so, it's time to ramp up the intensity of the runs a bit.
I think the results were good. Speed stayed the same or got faster as I went along, while keeping the AHR below the 70% HRR. I was surprised to find myself running at marathon pace with such a relatively easy effort -- guess the discipline of holding back this winter has been paying off.
1 - 8:24 - 134 AHR
2 - 8:17 - 138 AHR
3 - 8:15 - 140 AHR
4 - 8:20 - 138 AHR
We'll see what Coach Debi has to say about where I stand, but I'm feeling pretty good about that.
The rest of the week is pretty light: an hour easy ride and 4 mile run on Saturday, then an 8 mile run with some speed towards the end on Sunday. I'll post totals and look ahead on Monday.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
34 Weeks to go
Good training last week. Basketball season is on for Colin, which makes the schedule a little tricky. The weekend bike ride had to be turned into an early morning spin session on Friday, since we'd be in Richmond for a tournament on Friday and Saturday. Of course, that meant I'd have to run on Saturday and Sunday, but that's life.
Had a good run on Saturday morning, but felt a little dead on Sunday morning, so I cut that run a little short. Otherwise, I felt good about everything else, including a good kettlebell session on Thursday morning. Think I'll do some more of that.
This week looks pretty easy, with a bike and run test to provide Coach Debi some feedback. Here's last week's totals:
Swim: 1.7 hours, 5100 yards
Bike: 3.25 hours, 55 miles
Run: 3.25 hours, 21 miles
Strength: 1.35 hours
Total time: 9.55 hours
Had a good run on Saturday morning, but felt a little dead on Sunday morning, so I cut that run a little short. Otherwise, I felt good about everything else, including a good kettlebell session on Thursday morning. Think I'll do some more of that.
This week looks pretty easy, with a bike and run test to provide Coach Debi some feedback. Here's last week's totals:
Swim: 1.7 hours, 5100 yards
Bike: 3.25 hours, 55 miles
Run: 3.25 hours, 21 miles
Strength: 1.35 hours
Total time: 9.55 hours
Friday, January 06, 2012
35 Weeks to Ironman Wisconsin
I've put off doing an IM for some years. This will be my 8th season of competing in triathlon, and I've been pretty lucky along the way. I've stayed pretty much injury free, with the exception of knee surgery after my first season, and I've had some pretty good results along the way -- a 5:09 1/2-IM, got to race Boston, plus a smattering of AG awards.
So with my son Colin graduating from HS this year, it was time for me to pull the trigger and give the IM distance a shot. We'll see how well my 53-year old body will handle the training and racing, but I'm feeling pretty confident at this point. My coach, Debi Bernardes, will have a good plan for me, and I've been getting in a good training rhythm over the last month or so. Need to work off a bit of weight, but I'm confident I can do it over the long haul.
I'll try to update how training is going every week, going forward, along with my usual race reports.
Ken
So with my son Colin graduating from HS this year, it was time for me to pull the trigger and give the IM distance a shot. We'll see how well my 53-year old body will handle the training and racing, but I'm feeling pretty confident at this point. My coach, Debi Bernardes, will have a good plan for me, and I've been getting in a good training rhythm over the last month or so. Need to work off a bit of weight, but I'm confident I can do it over the long haul.
I'll try to update how training is going every week, going forward, along with my usual race reports.
Ken
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Giant Acorn Intl. Triathlon -- 10/1/2011
Summary: Olympic distance tri -- 2:27:42 (PR). 2nd Age Group.
Long report:
It's odd, but sometimes I come off of a bad race feeling very motivated and strong for the next one. In this case, the bad race was my melt-down at the Patriot's Half-Iron, where the only good thing about my result was that I managed to have a "5" as the first number, not a "6." And that was a near thing. Debi sagely made me take it very easy the next week, then gave me a week with some nice intervals, followed by a week of mild taper before the race. It seemed to work -- I felt sharp coming into the weekend. My running felt especially strong. Relaxed, but speedy.
Race day was breezy and cool (low 50s), with some scattered clouds. As I set up in transition, I heard many of the triathletes debating what they would wear on the bike and run. They were concerned about it being cold. I wasn't -- this was perfect racing weather. I was there early, so I puttered around my set up, adjusting things this way and that while I waited, sipped some hot tea, and socialized a bit with Debi and some other Charlottesville triathletes who'd made the trip.
Swim:
I'd warmed up a bit in the sheltered waters near the docks, but when out wave swam out to the line I could tell it was choppy. The first leg of the triangle had the wind and swell in our face, followed by a sideways swell. We'd finally be able to ride the waves on the way in for the last leg. The weather was clear, so sighting was good, and since the old guys were in the 6th wave, there'd be plenty of other swimmers to sight off of. I seeded myself up front on the right side and the horn blew.
The swim was rougher than any I'd done before, but I got into a good rhythm and was sighting well. Despite a few momentary collisions I managed to stay in the clear pretty well. The water temp was in the low 70s, so it was ideal for swimming with a wet suit. I came out of the water in the middle of one of the previous waves and hustled around them best I could as many of them strolled into transition (guys -- it's a race!). My watch said 28:47 -- no way of knowing how that stacked up, but I felt strong and ready to punch the bike.
Bike:
The area around my bike looked like a bomb had gone off, but my less-than-neat rack mates hadn't disturbed my gear. Thanks to a heavy spray down of PAM, my suit slid off smoothly and I grabbed my bike to jog over to the mount line, fighting slow traffic along the way. It's a price you pay for being in the older AGs -- you're always going off in the last waves and having to pass slower competitors.
After moving past the scrum at the beginning of the bike, I settled in for the ride. The course is two loops, and roughly rectangular. I've ridden it before, so I knew to lay back a little over the mainly uphill rollers during the first few miles. I felt good, and worked on accelerating over the top of each roller to maintain my speed. In the first 5 miles I caught and passed three guys in my AG. Hopefully that was a good sign.
While I was passing a lot of riders, I did have to keep an eye back. The race was the USAT Collegiate Regional championship, so some fast young riders were making their way around the second lap and zipping by fairly frequently. I felt strong as I got into the ride, but kept my RPMs high and avoided kicking it out too hard -- I wanted to hit the run fresh.
As lap two started I fired down a couple of Endurolytes and a gel. The speedsters had peeled off to transition and I kept working at the same effort level, putting in a bit of a burst over the last few miles. Life was good, and this was fun!
Run:
One of the cleats on my left shoe had come loose, so I kept my shoes on for the dismount and did the long run into T2 in my cycling shoes. As I started to put on my running shoes I realized I couldn't feel my toes and had to guide them into the shoe carefully. I guess it had been a little cooler on the bike than I'd thought. Not to worry, they'll warm up soon enough...
The run at Giant Acorn is a 2-loop out-and-back. It made for a crowded run course, but it was fun to have people to key off. My plan was to take the first two miles easy, kick into a good rhythm through 3 and 4, then take it home hard. The run was feeling smooth, and the advantages of knowing the course were helping -- I knew how long each of the hills would be, and where I could kick it in harder.
At two miles my watch showed 14:45 -- excellent, and better yet I felt in control. I notched it up a bit and settled in at a little faster pace. I saw Mark Robbins coming the other way -- looked like he had about 8-10 minutes on me. No surprise there. Debi passed going the other way shortly after. She'd had a 4 minute head start, and it looked like I had a chance to beat her time.
Miles 3-4 zipped by as we started the second lap. The faster runners were off the course now, and I was catching runners starting their first lap. Lots of incentives ahead of me. I caught and passed a 51-year old. No way of knowing if he was on the first or second lap, but I wasn't taking any chances. Now was the time to go hard, with only two miles left.
As I passed the 5 mile mark it was hurting, but a good hurt. My stride felt good, I just needed to gut it out for the last bit. I passed a 56-year old, a competitor who used to beat me on occasion when he was in my AG. I heard him tuck in behind me, maxing out his effort. After about 20 seconds he said:
"I don't want to be a ****, but does that say 58 or 52 on your calf?"
"52."
"Thank God," he said, as he dropped off.
Now or never, as I got the finish in sight and went full bore across the line. Hands on hips, spent, but a satisfied feeling.
Run --
Stats:
Swim -- 28:47 ----- 8/30 AG, 157/454 OA men.
T1 ------ 1:59 -------1/30 AG, 93/454 OA men
Bike --- 1:09:07 -- 4/30 AG, 126/454 OA men
T2 ------ 2:14 ------ 3/30 AG, 152/454 OA men
Run ---- 45:38 ---- 3/30 AG, 101/454 OA men
OA -- 2:27:48 -- 2/30 AG, 103/454 OA men
Ken
Long report:
It's odd, but sometimes I come off of a bad race feeling very motivated and strong for the next one. In this case, the bad race was my melt-down at the Patriot's Half-Iron, where the only good thing about my result was that I managed to have a "5" as the first number, not a "6." And that was a near thing. Debi sagely made me take it very easy the next week, then gave me a week with some nice intervals, followed by a week of mild taper before the race. It seemed to work -- I felt sharp coming into the weekend. My running felt especially strong. Relaxed, but speedy.
Race day was breezy and cool (low 50s), with some scattered clouds. As I set up in transition, I heard many of the triathletes debating what they would wear on the bike and run. They were concerned about it being cold. I wasn't -- this was perfect racing weather. I was there early, so I puttered around my set up, adjusting things this way and that while I waited, sipped some hot tea, and socialized a bit with Debi and some other Charlottesville triathletes who'd made the trip.
Swim:
I'd warmed up a bit in the sheltered waters near the docks, but when out wave swam out to the line I could tell it was choppy. The first leg of the triangle had the wind and swell in our face, followed by a sideways swell. We'd finally be able to ride the waves on the way in for the last leg. The weather was clear, so sighting was good, and since the old guys were in the 6th wave, there'd be plenty of other swimmers to sight off of. I seeded myself up front on the right side and the horn blew.
The swim was rougher than any I'd done before, but I got into a good rhythm and was sighting well. Despite a few momentary collisions I managed to stay in the clear pretty well. The water temp was in the low 70s, so it was ideal for swimming with a wet suit. I came out of the water in the middle of one of the previous waves and hustled around them best I could as many of them strolled into transition (guys -- it's a race!). My watch said 28:47 -- no way of knowing how that stacked up, but I felt strong and ready to punch the bike.
Bike:
The area around my bike looked like a bomb had gone off, but my less-than-neat rack mates hadn't disturbed my gear. Thanks to a heavy spray down of PAM, my suit slid off smoothly and I grabbed my bike to jog over to the mount line, fighting slow traffic along the way. It's a price you pay for being in the older AGs -- you're always going off in the last waves and having to pass slower competitors.
After moving past the scrum at the beginning of the bike, I settled in for the ride. The course is two loops, and roughly rectangular. I've ridden it before, so I knew to lay back a little over the mainly uphill rollers during the first few miles. I felt good, and worked on accelerating over the top of each roller to maintain my speed. In the first 5 miles I caught and passed three guys in my AG. Hopefully that was a good sign.
While I was passing a lot of riders, I did have to keep an eye back. The race was the USAT Collegiate Regional championship, so some fast young riders were making their way around the second lap and zipping by fairly frequently. I felt strong as I got into the ride, but kept my RPMs high and avoided kicking it out too hard -- I wanted to hit the run fresh.
As lap two started I fired down a couple of Endurolytes and a gel. The speedsters had peeled off to transition and I kept working at the same effort level, putting in a bit of a burst over the last few miles. Life was good, and this was fun!
Run:
One of the cleats on my left shoe had come loose, so I kept my shoes on for the dismount and did the long run into T2 in my cycling shoes. As I started to put on my running shoes I realized I couldn't feel my toes and had to guide them into the shoe carefully. I guess it had been a little cooler on the bike than I'd thought. Not to worry, they'll warm up soon enough...
The run at Giant Acorn is a 2-loop out-and-back. It made for a crowded run course, but it was fun to have people to key off. My plan was to take the first two miles easy, kick into a good rhythm through 3 and 4, then take it home hard. The run was feeling smooth, and the advantages of knowing the course were helping -- I knew how long each of the hills would be, and where I could kick it in harder.
At two miles my watch showed 14:45 -- excellent, and better yet I felt in control. I notched it up a bit and settled in at a little faster pace. I saw Mark Robbins coming the other way -- looked like he had about 8-10 minutes on me. No surprise there. Debi passed going the other way shortly after. She'd had a 4 minute head start, and it looked like I had a chance to beat her time.
Miles 3-4 zipped by as we started the second lap. The faster runners were off the course now, and I was catching runners starting their first lap. Lots of incentives ahead of me. I caught and passed a 51-year old. No way of knowing if he was on the first or second lap, but I wasn't taking any chances. Now was the time to go hard, with only two miles left.
As I passed the 5 mile mark it was hurting, but a good hurt. My stride felt good, I just needed to gut it out for the last bit. I passed a 56-year old, a competitor who used to beat me on occasion when he was in my AG. I heard him tuck in behind me, maxing out his effort. After about 20 seconds he said:
"I don't want to be a ****, but does that say 58 or 52 on your calf?"
"52."
"Thank God," he said, as he dropped off.
Now or never, as I got the finish in sight and went full bore across the line. Hands on hips, spent, but a satisfied feeling.
Run --
Stats:
Swim -- 28:47 ----- 8/30 AG, 157/454 OA men.
T1 ------ 1:59 -------1/30 AG, 93/454 OA men
Bike --- 1:09:07 -- 4/30 AG, 126/454 OA men
T2 ------ 2:14 ------ 3/30 AG, 152/454 OA men
Run ---- 45:38 ---- 3/30 AG, 101/454 OA men
OA -- 2:27:48 -- 2/30 AG, 103/454 OA men
Ken
Friday, September 16, 2011
Patriot's 1/2-IM Race Report -- 9/10/11
It's been a long summer, and quite a while since I've posted a race report. My goals for the season centered on doing two 1/2-IM races -- preparation for the jump to the long journey at IMWI in 2012. The season got off to a pretty solid start: I had a good international with a strong run leg in April, and then snagged a PR of 5:09 at the Kinetic Half in May, though a miscalculation on my run pace probably prevented an even better time. If I put together a good summer of training, I felt that a sub-5 was in reach on the flat course at Patriots in September.
Life has a way of intruding on the best-laid plans, though. My father-in-law's terminal illness meant we spent many weekends on the road to WV, and the entire process left all of us wrung out, physically and emotionally, before he found his final relief at the end of July.
I managed to shoehorn in a couple of small sprint-distance races after things settled down, and had a couple of AG podium finishes. But the run-up to the race was a little more dramatic than I wanted, with a stingray assault on my foot while at the beach, a nasty summer cold that I just couldn't shake, and an unpleasant bonk during a 4-hour ride. Lingering hot and humid weather didn't improve my mood either. But race day wouldn't wait for me to get everything right -- it was time to do the best with what I had.
After meeting up with Debi and a fun bunch of other athletes for dinner on Friday night, things went smoothly on Saturday morning. I snagged a good spot on my rack and got my gear in order in plenty of time -- no drama, just the way I like it. The word came down that tha water in the tidal James River at Jamestown was at 79 degrees, so no wetsuits for the competitors today. Eh, no problem, just keep it steady.
The race
As usual, the old guys were one of the last waves. That's not all bad, at least you can sight on the caps ahead of you. . We'd been promised that the current would be coming in on the roughly triangular course -- a factor that played into the swim later on. I got into a nice smooth rhythm on the swim, sighting every 4 strokes to correct for my inevitable leftward drift. Rounding the first buoy we caught the current and made good time. Almost too good of time -- I got a little wide and it was a bit of a challenge to keep on course for the second buoy.
The last short stretch of the swim was back against the current, then a hard left to the beach. This dragged on for quite a while as we fought against the tidal flow. Though I felt great throughout the swim, but could tell I'd been in the water a long time. As I exited the water I could see I was right -- 47:36(!). No panic -- there were lots of my competitors around me. And the times for the race bore this out -- only 3 out of 33 in the 50-54 AG were under 45 minutes.
Swim: 9/33 AG -- 47:36.
Transition is where I always make up time. This race had the longest run to T1 that I've ever seen, about 1/4 mile over muddy fields. I'd scoped out the run on Friday afternoon, so there weren't any surprises in store. I kept up a nice jogging pace and got into transition feeling good. I wiped off my muddy feet with a towel, got into my shoes and took off. A smooth clip-in and away I rolled.
T1: 3/33 AG -- 4:22.
The goal for the bike was to set myself up for a good run. At Kinetic I hadn't left enough in the tank and faded over the last few miles of the run. Today I resolved not to get caught up in jockeying for position on the bike.
Soon I was jockeying for position on the bike. I found myself in an annoying pack of riders (especially YOU, Mr. Draft Everybody and Pass On the Right, wearing the Alaska bike jersey...). It was an annoying round of getting caught behind someone slow, pass them, have them suck on your wheel then pass and slow down. Patriots isn't a hard bike course, but a few rollers along the way finally broke up the group and I could concentrate on my own thing.
My bike computer wasn't working, but some simple calculations at the 5-mile markers showed I was easily averaging over 20 mph. I drank Cytomax on my watch's timer, every 12 minutes, and fired down a gel about every 4th time, with a few Endurolytes thrown in for good measure. One positive for this year has been that my cycling has gotten stronger, and I felt it today. I only had a few short bad patches along the way, and stayed pretty comfortable for most of the ride, keeping a nice brisk pedaling tempo and staying in control throughout. Still, it was relief to see the 55-mile mark and know I only had 3 miles to go (yes, it was a 58 mile bike course). I did a shoes-off dismount to the ringing of cowbells and jogged into T2.
Bike: 6/33 -- 2:48:40 (20.75 mph).
T2: 3/33 -- 1:24
If you'd asked me when I started the run how the rest of the race would go, I would have predicted "great!" I had a smooth transition and my legs were clicking along nicely. One of my local rivals was about 50 yards up the road, but I entertained hopes of keeping with him (he eventually got 3rd AG). I passed by Debi with a jaunty wave and kept moving along, stopping for my planned walk breaks.
The first mile was 8:15, and the second, with a walk break, at 8:30. Then the wheels came off. First the quads, then the calves started cramping. That, combined with the sun and heat (high 80s and humid) were enough to take the wind out of my sails. I kept slogging along, adding more walk breaks as my legs failed, but the splits got slower and slower, as I got crampier and more nauseous with each mile.
It was a long and depressing finish to what had been a strong day, as I limped along at 11-12 minute pace over the last 5-6 miles. I put on a brave face in the final chute, but it was a disappointing finish.
Run: 11/33 AG -- 2:16:12
Overall: 7/33 AG, 162/407 Men -- 5:58:12
Postscript
As I lay in the medical tent getting my IV (ah, relief!), I tried to put it all in perspective. I've always prided myself on good race execution, but there was no getting past the fact that I'd screwed this one up. True, conditions were very tough, and a lot of people had bad races. But in the end, you've got to be prepared for what mother nature and the race throw at you. But I learned a valuable lesson -- one that I hope I can apply to my next big race.
Ken
Life has a way of intruding on the best-laid plans, though. My father-in-law's terminal illness meant we spent many weekends on the road to WV, and the entire process left all of us wrung out, physically and emotionally, before he found his final relief at the end of July.
I managed to shoehorn in a couple of small sprint-distance races after things settled down, and had a couple of AG podium finishes. But the run-up to the race was a little more dramatic than I wanted, with a stingray assault on my foot while at the beach, a nasty summer cold that I just couldn't shake, and an unpleasant bonk during a 4-hour ride. Lingering hot and humid weather didn't improve my mood either. But race day wouldn't wait for me to get everything right -- it was time to do the best with what I had.
After meeting up with Debi and a fun bunch of other athletes for dinner on Friday night, things went smoothly on Saturday morning. I snagged a good spot on my rack and got my gear in order in plenty of time -- no drama, just the way I like it. The word came down that tha water in the tidal James River at Jamestown was at 79 degrees, so no wetsuits for the competitors today. Eh, no problem, just keep it steady.
The race
As usual, the old guys were one of the last waves. That's not all bad, at least you can sight on the caps ahead of you. . We'd been promised that the current would be coming in on the roughly triangular course -- a factor that played into the swim later on. I got into a nice smooth rhythm on the swim, sighting every 4 strokes to correct for my inevitable leftward drift. Rounding the first buoy we caught the current and made good time. Almost too good of time -- I got a little wide and it was a bit of a challenge to keep on course for the second buoy.
The last short stretch of the swim was back against the current, then a hard left to the beach. This dragged on for quite a while as we fought against the tidal flow. Though I felt great throughout the swim, but could tell I'd been in the water a long time. As I exited the water I could see I was right -- 47:36(!). No panic -- there were lots of my competitors around me. And the times for the race bore this out -- only 3 out of 33 in the 50-54 AG were under 45 minutes.
Swim: 9/33 AG -- 47:36.
Transition is where I always make up time. This race had the longest run to T1 that I've ever seen, about 1/4 mile over muddy fields. I'd scoped out the run on Friday afternoon, so there weren't any surprises in store. I kept up a nice jogging pace and got into transition feeling good. I wiped off my muddy feet with a towel, got into my shoes and took off. A smooth clip-in and away I rolled.
T1: 3/33 AG -- 4:22.
The goal for the bike was to set myself up for a good run. At Kinetic I hadn't left enough in the tank and faded over the last few miles of the run. Today I resolved not to get caught up in jockeying for position on the bike.
Soon I was jockeying for position on the bike. I found myself in an annoying pack of riders (especially YOU, Mr. Draft Everybody and Pass On the Right, wearing the Alaska bike jersey...). It was an annoying round of getting caught behind someone slow, pass them, have them suck on your wheel then pass and slow down. Patriots isn't a hard bike course, but a few rollers along the way finally broke up the group and I could concentrate on my own thing.
My bike computer wasn't working, but some simple calculations at the 5-mile markers showed I was easily averaging over 20 mph. I drank Cytomax on my watch's timer, every 12 minutes, and fired down a gel about every 4th time, with a few Endurolytes thrown in for good measure. One positive for this year has been that my cycling has gotten stronger, and I felt it today. I only had a few short bad patches along the way, and stayed pretty comfortable for most of the ride, keeping a nice brisk pedaling tempo and staying in control throughout. Still, it was relief to see the 55-mile mark and know I only had 3 miles to go (yes, it was a 58 mile bike course). I did a shoes-off dismount to the ringing of cowbells and jogged into T2.
Bike: 6/33 -- 2:48:40 (20.75 mph).
T2: 3/33 -- 1:24
If you'd asked me when I started the run how the rest of the race would go, I would have predicted "great!" I had a smooth transition and my legs were clicking along nicely. One of my local rivals was about 50 yards up the road, but I entertained hopes of keeping with him (he eventually got 3rd AG). I passed by Debi with a jaunty wave and kept moving along, stopping for my planned walk breaks.
The first mile was 8:15, and the second, with a walk break, at 8:30. Then the wheels came off. First the quads, then the calves started cramping. That, combined with the sun and heat (high 80s and humid) were enough to take the wind out of my sails. I kept slogging along, adding more walk breaks as my legs failed, but the splits got slower and slower, as I got crampier and more nauseous with each mile.
It was a long and depressing finish to what had been a strong day, as I limped along at 11-12 minute pace over the last 5-6 miles. I put on a brave face in the final chute, but it was a disappointing finish.
Run: 11/33 AG -- 2:16:12
Overall: 7/33 AG, 162/407 Men -- 5:58:12
Postscript
As I lay in the medical tent getting my IV (ah, relief!), I tried to put it all in perspective. I've always prided myself on good race execution, but there was no getting past the fact that I'd screwed this one up. True, conditions were very tough, and a lot of people had bad races. But in the end, you've got to be prepared for what mother nature and the race throw at you. But I learned a valuable lesson -- one that I hope I can apply to my next big race.
Ken
Monday, June 20, 2011
Dual Race Reports: Bath County Tri and Men's 4-Miler -- 6/18-19/2011
Summary: A busy Father's Day weekend.
Saturday -- Bath County Tri -- 1:17:58. 2/8 AG, 20/131 OA male.
Sunday -- Men's 4-Miler -- 26:41. 4/48 AG, 53/449 OA
Bath County Sprint Tri:
A small field, beautiful scenery, and a course with a few tough wrinkles summed up the Bath County Tri. Bath County is located in the Allegheny foothills of western Virginia, and is notable for bed-and-breakfasts, The Homestead Resort, and miles of beautiful and wild rivers favored by anglers. A scenic but long drive deposited me at Lake Moomaw, a small reservoir with clear mountain water in the George Washington National Forest.
Packet pickup and setup was uneventful. I chatted it up with a 50-year old on my rack who saw my Boston hat. "2010, huh? I've got the same hat. It was windy this year..." We chatted a bit more as we sized each other up. Nice guy, but probably my competition. A short jog, a little practice with my shoes on the pedals mount/dismount, and a little swim and it was time to race.
Second wave for the swim, a long rectangle in nice mountain water. 76 degrees, so I wore my wetsuit. Thought I sighted well, and moved up through the first wave as I went along. Stopped my watch at 15:24 for the swim, which seemed slow. Based on other times, I think the course was a bit long.
Swim -- 15:24. 3/8 AG, 32/131 OA male.
Wetsuit off in a jiffy at T1 -- plenty of BodyGlide this time around. Helmet, glasses on, grabbed the bike and ran. Smooth shoes on the pedal mount and off to the bike.
T1 -- 1:03. 1/8 AG, 20/130 OA male.
The bike was an out and back on closed roads with pretty smooth asphalt. There was a steep climb about 1/2 mile in that caught me by surprise and in the wrong gear while I was grabbing a drink. Weaved embarrassingly across the road while I got into the right gear. I hammered down the other side of the hill and then into the false flats and small climbs of the outward leg. There weren't many on the course around me, but I overhauled a few riders. 21 minutes and change for the first 6.2 miles.
At the turn-around it was hammer time and I really got rolling. This was fun! Payback came on the return of the course's first hill, but at least I was ready this time. A nifty barefoot flying dismount and it was into T2.
Bike -- 37:00. 1/8 AG, 21/131 OA male.
I noticed that my rival's bike wasn't into transition yet as I racked. Maybe I could hold him off, since I figured he'd have a strong run leg. Shoes on, grab my hat, belt and gel and go.
T2 -- 0:36. 1/8 AG, 9/131 OA male.
Not a good start to the run -- there was a nice hill right out of the gate, and I couldn't get my legs on track right away. After about a mile in the course leveled off and I got into a good rhythm.
Then my shoe came untied. I ran with it for a while, but finally decided it had to be tied. The second I knelt down I saw a figure with a "50" on his calf zoom by me. C***!
I took chase, but he had too much speed for me on this day. Nonetheless I made up for a disappointing start for the run with a strong finish over the last mile. Not a good run though, even factoring in a hilly run course.
Run -- 23:56. 3/8 AG, 32/130 OA male
Overall, I thought my run let me down a bit. I'd done everything I'd needed to win my AG until that point. Anything near what I think I'm capable of would have sealed the deal. But hey, I won an insulated lunch bag!
Overall -- 1:17:58. 2/8 AG, 20/130 OA male.
Men's 4-Miler
This race, which benefits prostate cancer research has always been the junior partner to the Women's 4-Miler. This year, with the date changed to Father's Day, and the location changed to UVA, there was a much bigger field. I think a lot of us looked forward to the on-field finish projected onto the stadium scoreboard video screen. Pretty cool.
I started towards the front, near Mark Robbins. As we got onto the course he pulled about 5 seconds ahead. In our last race together that was the end of it, and he crushed me by over a minute at the MJH 8K. Today I didn't let the string snap and kept him in sight, but couldn't quite find the speed I needed to overhaul him.
Had a good finishing 1/2 mile or so, and came in strong. Really fun to emerge out of the stadium onto the field. Overall a good run on a warm and humid morning.
26:41 (just off my 2008 PR). 4/48 AG, 53/450 OA.
Saturday -- Bath County Tri -- 1:17:58. 2/8 AG, 20/131 OA male.
Sunday -- Men's 4-Miler -- 26:41. 4/48 AG, 53/449 OA
Bath County Sprint Tri:
A small field, beautiful scenery, and a course with a few tough wrinkles summed up the Bath County Tri. Bath County is located in the Allegheny foothills of western Virginia, and is notable for bed-and-breakfasts, The Homestead Resort, and miles of beautiful and wild rivers favored by anglers. A scenic but long drive deposited me at Lake Moomaw, a small reservoir with clear mountain water in the George Washington National Forest.
Packet pickup and setup was uneventful. I chatted it up with a 50-year old on my rack who saw my Boston hat. "2010, huh? I've got the same hat. It was windy this year..." We chatted a bit more as we sized each other up. Nice guy, but probably my competition. A short jog, a little practice with my shoes on the pedals mount/dismount, and a little swim and it was time to race.
Second wave for the swim, a long rectangle in nice mountain water. 76 degrees, so I wore my wetsuit. Thought I sighted well, and moved up through the first wave as I went along. Stopped my watch at 15:24 for the swim, which seemed slow. Based on other times, I think the course was a bit long.
Swim -- 15:24. 3/8 AG, 32/131 OA male.
Wetsuit off in a jiffy at T1 -- plenty of BodyGlide this time around. Helmet, glasses on, grabbed the bike and ran. Smooth shoes on the pedal mount and off to the bike.
T1 -- 1:03. 1/8 AG, 20/130 OA male.
The bike was an out and back on closed roads with pretty smooth asphalt. There was a steep climb about 1/2 mile in that caught me by surprise and in the wrong gear while I was grabbing a drink. Weaved embarrassingly across the road while I got into the right gear. I hammered down the other side of the hill and then into the false flats and small climbs of the outward leg. There weren't many on the course around me, but I overhauled a few riders. 21 minutes and change for the first 6.2 miles.
At the turn-around it was hammer time and I really got rolling. This was fun! Payback came on the return of the course's first hill, but at least I was ready this time. A nifty barefoot flying dismount and it was into T2.
Bike -- 37:00. 1/8 AG, 21/131 OA male.
I noticed that my rival's bike wasn't into transition yet as I racked. Maybe I could hold him off, since I figured he'd have a strong run leg. Shoes on, grab my hat, belt and gel and go.
T2 -- 0:36. 1/8 AG, 9/131 OA male.
Not a good start to the run -- there was a nice hill right out of the gate, and I couldn't get my legs on track right away. After about a mile in the course leveled off and I got into a good rhythm.
Then my shoe came untied. I ran with it for a while, but finally decided it had to be tied. The second I knelt down I saw a figure with a "50" on his calf zoom by me. C***!
I took chase, but he had too much speed for me on this day. Nonetheless I made up for a disappointing start for the run with a strong finish over the last mile. Not a good run though, even factoring in a hilly run course.
Run -- 23:56. 3/8 AG, 32/130 OA male
Overall, I thought my run let me down a bit. I'd done everything I'd needed to win my AG until that point. Anything near what I think I'm capable of would have sealed the deal. But hey, I won an insulated lunch bag!
Overall -- 1:17:58. 2/8 AG, 20/130 OA male.
Men's 4-Miler
This race, which benefits prostate cancer research has always been the junior partner to the Women's 4-Miler. This year, with the date changed to Father's Day, and the location changed to UVA, there was a much bigger field. I think a lot of us looked forward to the on-field finish projected onto the stadium scoreboard video screen. Pretty cool.
I started towards the front, near Mark Robbins. As we got onto the course he pulled about 5 seconds ahead. In our last race together that was the end of it, and he crushed me by over a minute at the MJH 8K. Today I didn't let the string snap and kept him in sight, but couldn't quite find the speed I needed to overhaul him.
Had a good finishing 1/2 mile or so, and came in strong. Really fun to emerge out of the stadium onto the field. Overall a good run on a warm and humid morning.
26:41 (just off my 2008 PR). 4/48 AG, 53/450 OA.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Kinetic 1/2-Ironman Triathlon -- May 14, 2011
It's unusual for me to be writing a second triathlon race report this early in the season. But I decided late last year that I wanted improve my racing at longer distances in preparation for an IM debut in 2012. So the Kinetic 1/2 looked like a good early season race to keep me working through the winter.
I felt good going into the race. I've done a lot more riding than I normally do this spring, and a pretty solid bike/run combo at an international-distance race a few weeks back looked like a good sign. And despite some issues with my knee in the winter that limited my speed work, my last few long runs had felt nice and smooth.
Sub 5-hours? Probably a bit of a stretch, but I was thinking I could get close. At least, I wanted to ditch my old PR (5:13).
The weather was a bit misty and hazy, but the water was a comfortable 71 degrees and there was no wind. I ran in from about the 3rd row on the beach start and found a good spot with some open room around me but plenty of other swimmers to sight off. Felt nice and smooth throughout the swim, popping my head up about every 6 strokes or so for sighting. Got out of the water in good shape and jogged up the long path to transition with a lot of energy. Lots of pool time this winter paid off -- I'm still not really fast, but the distance was no sweat.
Swim -- 36:05. 12/33 AG, 151/410 OA men.
My last race had been a disaster in T1, when I decided to put on arm warmers. No problem this time, the weather was perfect and I could go minimalist -- tri top, shorts, shoes, no socks, no gloves. Because the run out to the mount line went through a gravel parking lot, I slipped on my shoes rather than leaving them on the pedals. On the way, no drama.
T1 -- 2:15. 3/33 AG, 62/410 OA men.
I started conservatively on the bike, getting comfortable and settling in for the ride. The first couple of miles out of the state park are uphill anyway, so there's no reason to pound it hard at the beginning. As we got out on the course I got into a nice rhythm on the mainly flat-to-rolling course. I'd set my watch timer to 15 minutes, so each time it went off I got a drink, then stood up on the pedals for a few seconds and stretched out. Once every 3-4 intervals I fired down a gel (Honey Stingers).
Coach Debi passed me, then I passed her back, and I found myself out by myself for large portions of the ride. Around mile 30 I stopped briefly at a water bottle hand-off to top off my Cytomax concentrate with water and get free of draft pack that had sucked me up a mile or so before.
Through the second time around the course's loop I kept up a nice tempo, shifting gears to the big ring on the flats, but dropping it down and being conservative on the rises. Hitting mile 50 I was psyched -- I felt great, and was rolling along well below my goal time of 2:45.
A few seconds of wobbly legs off the dismount and I ran into T2 feeling ready to hit the run strong.
Bike -- 2:40:11. 14/33 AG, 146/410 OA men.
The run ended up being a "close but no cigar" moment. My goal was to do 8 minute miles, and after a slow first mile up the 3-loop course's first hill, I was on pace. By the end of the first loop I'd gotten about 20 seconds ahead of pace and was moving smoothly -- taking a short 30 second walk on every second water stop and alternating water/orange slices and HEED.
I started to give a little back on the second loop, but was still only about 20 seconds over pace by mile 8. But the cumulative effects of the course's hills had trashed my legs by now. I hung on, but by mile 10 I couldn't will them along any faster and started shoveling bucketfuls of time back. The last downhill to the line was gutting it out to try to get under 5:10 with some seriously sore and straining quads.
Run -- 1:49:28. 12/33 AG, 166/410 OA men.
Total -- 5:09:26. 13/33 AG, 144/410 OA men.
Post-mortem:
Tickled pink with a new PR, but humbled by the competition in my AG. There's a lot of fast guys moving up. The top three were all 4:52 or better, and there were 8 guys in the 5:01-5:09 range. Solid competition!
But, I think I've got a good base to move into summer training and racing. Let's see if I can drop that PR again at the Patriot's 1/2 in September!
Now off on a 6-day backpacking trip on Wednesday -- a great way to recover and relax!
Ken
--
"It isn't what you do, but how you do it."
John Wooden
I felt good going into the race. I've done a lot more riding than I normally do this spring, and a pretty solid bike/run combo at an international-distance race a few weeks back looked like a good sign. And despite some issues with my knee in the winter that limited my speed work, my last few long runs had felt nice and smooth.
Sub 5-hours? Probably a bit of a stretch, but I was thinking I could get close. At least, I wanted to ditch my old PR (5:13).
The weather was a bit misty and hazy, but the water was a comfortable 71 degrees and there was no wind. I ran in from about the 3rd row on the beach start and found a good spot with some open room around me but plenty of other swimmers to sight off. Felt nice and smooth throughout the swim, popping my head up about every 6 strokes or so for sighting. Got out of the water in good shape and jogged up the long path to transition with a lot of energy. Lots of pool time this winter paid off -- I'm still not really fast, but the distance was no sweat.
Swim -- 36:05. 12/33 AG, 151/410 OA men.
My last race had been a disaster in T1, when I decided to put on arm warmers. No problem this time, the weather was perfect and I could go minimalist -- tri top, shorts, shoes, no socks, no gloves. Because the run out to the mount line went through a gravel parking lot, I slipped on my shoes rather than leaving them on the pedals. On the way, no drama.
T1 -- 2:15. 3/33 AG, 62/410 OA men.
I started conservatively on the bike, getting comfortable and settling in for the ride. The first couple of miles out of the state park are uphill anyway, so there's no reason to pound it hard at the beginning. As we got out on the course I got into a nice rhythm on the mainly flat-to-rolling course. I'd set my watch timer to 15 minutes, so each time it went off I got a drink, then stood up on the pedals for a few seconds and stretched out. Once every 3-4 intervals I fired down a gel (Honey Stingers).
Coach Debi passed me, then I passed her back, and I found myself out by myself for large portions of the ride. Around mile 30 I stopped briefly at a water bottle hand-off to top off my Cytomax concentrate with water and get free of draft pack that had sucked me up a mile or so before.
Through the second time around the course's loop I kept up a nice tempo, shifting gears to the big ring on the flats, but dropping it down and being conservative on the rises. Hitting mile 50 I was psyched -- I felt great, and was rolling along well below my goal time of 2:45.
A few seconds of wobbly legs off the dismount and I ran into T2 feeling ready to hit the run strong.
Bike -- 2:40:11. 14/33 AG, 146/410 OA men.
The run ended up being a "close but no cigar" moment. My goal was to do 8 minute miles, and after a slow first mile up the 3-loop course's first hill, I was on pace. By the end of the first loop I'd gotten about 20 seconds ahead of pace and was moving smoothly -- taking a short 30 second walk on every second water stop and alternating water/orange slices and HEED.
I started to give a little back on the second loop, but was still only about 20 seconds over pace by mile 8. But the cumulative effects of the course's hills had trashed my legs by now. I hung on, but by mile 10 I couldn't will them along any faster and started shoveling bucketfuls of time back. The last downhill to the line was gutting it out to try to get under 5:10 with some seriously sore and straining quads.
Run -- 1:49:28. 12/33 AG, 166/410 OA men.
Total -- 5:09:26. 13/33 AG, 144/410 OA men.
Post-mortem:
Tickled pink with a new PR, but humbled by the competition in my AG. There's a lot of fast guys moving up. The top three were all 4:52 or better, and there were 8 guys in the 5:01-5:09 range. Solid competition!
But, I think I've got a good base to move into summer training and racing. Let's see if I can drop that PR again at the Patriot's 1/2 in September!
Now off on a 6-day backpacking trip on Wednesday -- a great way to recover and relax!
Ken
--
"It isn't what you do, but how you do it."
John Wooden
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Rumpass in Bumpass Internation Triathlon -- 4/16/2011
I don't think I've ever started a race with more apprehension than I have with the 2011 Rumpass in Bumpass International.
It wasn't the distance or my training. I've done plenty of Olympic-distance races, including Giant Acorn last season, which is on the same course, and my training has been very solid this winter and spring. In fact, I don't think I've ever come into a tri season with such a good base so early in the year.
It was the weather. In a word, it sucked. A steady rain was falling, with increasing and gusty winds. And the temperature, in the 50s at race time, didn't do anything to keep me warm. After setting up transition and covering my gear as best as possible I sheltered for a while under the C-ville Tri tent, shivering in my wetsuit.
By the time I got into the water for the 6th wave I was thoroughly discouraged. Cold, wet, and with no confidence. But the activity of treading water started to warm me up as we waited, and being in the water took away thoughts of the rain.
Swim
The triangular swim course starts on one side of peninsula and finishes on the other, with the transition area located on the ground in-between. The first leg went smoothly, after the initial bumping and jostling. Turning to begin the second leg I had trouble sighting the second leg. After a while I realized I was well off to the left and had to adjust to get back onto course. Eventually I sighted the second turn buoy and got my bearings. By the second leg the wind was coming from our right, and the water was much choppier. For some reason this made me happy, and I found myself enjoying the pitching around I was taking as I finished this and the final leg.
Swim -- 32:54. (9/32 AG). This was ridiculously slow for me. Everybody seemed to have slow swim legs, but I usually place higher relative to the field. I can only assume that my navigation errors really held me back.
T1
I decided before the race that I would put on arm warmers for the bike. I knew it would be slow, but I was afraid of the cool air and rain. My transition time, usually a strong point, showed the effects of this decision. T1 -- 3:32, (17/32 AG).
Bike
As I got on the bike I felt comfortable and warm, despite my earlier fears. I got down in the bars quickly and started overhauling riders from the previous waves.
Rumpass has a two-loop bike course, and it's one of my favorites. A few rollers, and several sections where you can really get going. I was surprised at how many riders I was passing as I got going.
By the end of the second loop I was feeling good and ready for the run. Coach Debi's infamous "double bricks" had me ready to go. A shoes-off running dismount and it was on to the final acts. 1:08:59 (4/32 AG, 21.5 mph avg) -- Very happy with this. A good bike leg.
T2
Transition was a mud pit by now, but I got a pretty quick change and got out on the run with no problems. 1:35 (6/35 AG)
Run
Despite the mud bog that was transition and the run start, I felt comfortable going into the run. Got in a good groove with a solid woman runner for the first few miles, then started to pick up my pace on the second half. Saw Mark passing the other way on both legs of the run, about a 1-1/2 miles ahead -- c'est la vie.
A strong run leg -- over 2 minutes faster than my run leg from last year's Giant Acorn, after a similar bike split. A good omen for the rest of the season. 46:12, 6/32 AG.
Recap
I had an enjoyable race, not what I anticipated when I was shivering at the start. Were it not for a lousy swim leg and T1, I had a good shot to fight for the 3rd podium spot. Nonetheless, I was very pleased for an early season race, especially with a strong run off of the bike. Next up, the Kinetic 1/2 IM, then a relaxing 6-day hike on the Appalachian Trail. 2:33:10 (6/32 AG, 109/435 males)
Happy Racing!
Ken
It wasn't the distance or my training. I've done plenty of Olympic-distance races, including Giant Acorn last season, which is on the same course, and my training has been very solid this winter and spring. In fact, I don't think I've ever come into a tri season with such a good base so early in the year.
It was the weather. In a word, it sucked. A steady rain was falling, with increasing and gusty winds. And the temperature, in the 50s at race time, didn't do anything to keep me warm. After setting up transition and covering my gear as best as possible I sheltered for a while under the C-ville Tri tent, shivering in my wetsuit.
By the time I got into the water for the 6th wave I was thoroughly discouraged. Cold, wet, and with no confidence. But the activity of treading water started to warm me up as we waited, and being in the water took away thoughts of the rain.
Swim
The triangular swim course starts on one side of peninsula and finishes on the other, with the transition area located on the ground in-between. The first leg went smoothly, after the initial bumping and jostling. Turning to begin the second leg I had trouble sighting the second leg. After a while I realized I was well off to the left and had to adjust to get back onto course. Eventually I sighted the second turn buoy and got my bearings. By the second leg the wind was coming from our right, and the water was much choppier. For some reason this made me happy, and I found myself enjoying the pitching around I was taking as I finished this and the final leg.
Swim -- 32:54. (9/32 AG). This was ridiculously slow for me. Everybody seemed to have slow swim legs, but I usually place higher relative to the field. I can only assume that my navigation errors really held me back.
T1
I decided before the race that I would put on arm warmers for the bike. I knew it would be slow, but I was afraid of the cool air and rain. My transition time, usually a strong point, showed the effects of this decision. T1 -- 3:32, (17/32 AG).
Bike
As I got on the bike I felt comfortable and warm, despite my earlier fears. I got down in the bars quickly and started overhauling riders from the previous waves.
Rumpass has a two-loop bike course, and it's one of my favorites. A few rollers, and several sections where you can really get going. I was surprised at how many riders I was passing as I got going.
By the end of the second loop I was feeling good and ready for the run. Coach Debi's infamous "double bricks" had me ready to go. A shoes-off running dismount and it was on to the final acts. 1:08:59 (4/32 AG, 21.5 mph avg) -- Very happy with this. A good bike leg.
T2
Transition was a mud pit by now, but I got a pretty quick change and got out on the run with no problems. 1:35 (6/35 AG)
Run
Despite the mud bog that was transition and the run start, I felt comfortable going into the run. Got in a good groove with a solid woman runner for the first few miles, then started to pick up my pace on the second half. Saw Mark passing the other way on both legs of the run, about a 1-1/2 miles ahead -- c'est la vie.
A strong run leg -- over 2 minutes faster than my run leg from last year's Giant Acorn, after a similar bike split. A good omen for the rest of the season. 46:12, 6/32 AG.
Recap
I had an enjoyable race, not what I anticipated when I was shivering at the start. Were it not for a lousy swim leg and T1, I had a good shot to fight for the 3rd podium spot. Nonetheless, I was very pleased for an early season race, especially with a strong run off of the bike. Next up, the Kinetic 1/2 IM, then a relaxing 6-day hike on the Appalachian Trail. 2:33:10 (6/32 AG, 109/435 males)
Happy Racing!
Ken
Friday, December 03, 2010
Philadelphia 1/2-Marathon (11/21/10)
Summary: 1/2 marathon -- 1:34:59. 10/228 AG, 225/8412OA.
Long report:
I'd decided that I'd close my season this year with a 1/2 marathon. I'd already run a marathon in the spring, and I thought that training for a fast half would be beneficial in building stamina and speed for future longer runs and triathlons. Going into the race I felt good about my training -- I'd had a good series of track workouts and had tapered nicely. I'd even lost a few pounds in the previous month, thanks to some careful calorie counting.
After an uneventful drive up on Saturday, I got checked in, went to the expo and headed out to dinner. It was great to actually meet so many of the regular list contributors in the flesh.
Sunday morning I was up at 4 AM and driving in at 5:30. Got right off the freeway and into a parking garage, then a short walk to the starting area. It was a beautiful morning and I relaxed for a while, watching the hustle and bustle that's such a part of a big-city marathon. With 30 minutes to go I checked my bag, jogged for a while and worked my way up to the first corral.
Standing in the first corral, with about 16,000 people behind me, I reminded myself not to get too amped up, and seeded myself at the very back of the pack in my group. At 7 AM the horn went off and the journey started.
Debi had given me strict marching orders -- first mile at 7:30, then drop it down to 7:05 or so and go hard. "Quit thinking that you're slow," she'd said, and I was determined to break out of my usual conservative racing style (within reason, of course).
I settled in nicely during the first mile, right on pace. The weather was perfect, and I took off my fleece hat and tucked it into my shorts. Now I was wearing shorts, a short-sleeve technical shirt, home-made arm warmers and throw-away running gloves. Mile 2 clocked in at 7:08, as we headed across town. As we turned south along the river I passed the 3:10 marathon pace group and got some open space around me. We turned back and started back across the city. Some great crowds lined the streets in the central city and it was easy to feed off their energy as I kept the pace in the low 7's.
After crossing the river we turned onto the Drexel campus and passed a couple of rowdy frat houses. The first notable hills were here, and I had to push hard to keep up with the runners around me. It was a little humbling to try to keep pace with the marathoners who were shooting for times in the low 3-hour range. They were running easy, and I was having to dig deep to keep up.
Mile 8 was a tough uphill slog, and my speed was dropping, but I kept telling myself I just had to gut it out a little longer then kick the downhill to the river and the final flat stretch. I grabbed a gel at mile 9 (I'd forgotten and left mine in my checked bag) and choked down a little bit. I was into that stretch in every race where your body starts telling you it doesn't want to do this anymore.
Finally we hit the fast descent to the river. I picked up some time, but when I hit the flats along the river I could feel my speed slipping. I had a bad patch from mile 10 to 11, but rallied a bit and pulled my form back together when I saw mile 11. If I could just keep it together I could break 1:35. Off came the gloves and arm-warmers -- pitched to the side of the road.
After the 12th mile I sensed something behind me. I glanced back and saw the 3:10 marathon pace group. They'd gathered numbers and were catching up. I felt like a wounded elk being chased down by a pack of wolves. As I came to the turn-off for the 1/2 marathon finish I had to fight my way through them to get to the right side of the course. Then suddenly I was in the clear, with just a run past the art museum, a looping turn and a short straight to the finish.
I crossed theline breathless and totally spent. 1:35:03 on my watch, but the official results have my chip time at 1:34:59. A fun race on a great course, and then I went and got a cheesesteak sandwich. Good times all around.
Ken
Long report:
I'd decided that I'd close my season this year with a 1/2 marathon. I'd already run a marathon in the spring, and I thought that training for a fast half would be beneficial in building stamina and speed for future longer runs and triathlons. Going into the race I felt good about my training -- I'd had a good series of track workouts and had tapered nicely. I'd even lost a few pounds in the previous month, thanks to some careful calorie counting.
After an uneventful drive up on Saturday, I got checked in, went to the expo and headed out to dinner. It was great to actually meet so many of the regular list contributors in the flesh.
Sunday morning I was up at 4 AM and driving in at 5:30. Got right off the freeway and into a parking garage, then a short walk to the starting area. It was a beautiful morning and I relaxed for a while, watching the hustle and bustle that's such a part of a big-city marathon. With 30 minutes to go I checked my bag, jogged for a while and worked my way up to the first corral.
Standing in the first corral, with about 16,000 people behind me, I reminded myself not to get too amped up, and seeded myself at the very back of the pack in my group. At 7 AM the horn went off and the journey started.
Debi had given me strict marching orders -- first mile at 7:30, then drop it down to 7:05 or so and go hard. "Quit thinking that you're slow," she'd said, and I was determined to break out of my usual conservative racing style (within reason, of course).
I settled in nicely during the first mile, right on pace. The weather was perfect, and I took off my fleece hat and tucked it into my shorts. Now I was wearing shorts, a short-sleeve technical shirt, home-made arm warmers and throw-away running gloves. Mile 2 clocked in at 7:08, as we headed across town. As we turned south along the river I passed the 3:10 marathon pace group and got some open space around me. We turned back and started back across the city. Some great crowds lined the streets in the central city and it was easy to feed off their energy as I kept the pace in the low 7's.
After crossing the river we turned onto the Drexel campus and passed a couple of rowdy frat houses. The first notable hills were here, and I had to push hard to keep up with the runners around me. It was a little humbling to try to keep pace with the marathoners who were shooting for times in the low 3-hour range. They were running easy, and I was having to dig deep to keep up.
Mile 8 was a tough uphill slog, and my speed was dropping, but I kept telling myself I just had to gut it out a little longer then kick the downhill to the river and the final flat stretch. I grabbed a gel at mile 9 (I'd forgotten and left mine in my checked bag) and choked down a little bit. I was into that stretch in every race where your body starts telling you it doesn't want to do this anymore.
Finally we hit the fast descent to the river. I picked up some time, but when I hit the flats along the river I could feel my speed slipping. I had a bad patch from mile 10 to 11, but rallied a bit and pulled my form back together when I saw mile 11. If I could just keep it together I could break 1:35. Off came the gloves and arm-warmers -- pitched to the side of the road.
After the 12th mile I sensed something behind me. I glanced back and saw the 3:10 marathon pace group. They'd gathered numbers and were catching up. I felt like a wounded elk being chased down by a pack of wolves. As I came to the turn-off for the 1/2 marathon finish I had to fight my way through them to get to the right side of the course. Then suddenly I was in the clear, with just a run past the art museum, a looping turn and a short straight to the finish.
I crossed theline breathless and totally spent. 1:35:03 on my watch, but the official results have my chip time at 1:34:59. A fun race on a great course, and then I went and got a cheesesteak sandwich. Good times all around.
Ken
Monday, October 04, 2010
Giant Acorn International Tri (10/2/10)
Giant Acorn International was the end of the triathlon season for me in 2010, and I couldn't have asked for a better day to get out and race. Comfortable water temps, wetsuit legal, bluebird skies, light wind and sun. Add a fast course, a strong field, plus SetUp Event's usual competent management.
To top it off, a big contingent of C-ville athletes were on hand, complete with tent and post-race goodies. It made for a fun Saturday at Lake Anna.
I got to race early and snagged a sport near the end of my rack segment, got my gear laid out and hung out at the tent for a while, watching the transition area fill up with the usual assortment of contenders, newbies, and "just happy to be here" competitors. After liberal applications of Pam on my legs and wetsuit, I was ready to get started.
As usual, the gray hairs were near the back. Wave 6, in fact. The swim started in-water, then followed a triangular course with a long middle segment before we turned for home and T1. I felt smooth throughout the swim, and sighted pretty well -- easy because of all the people in front of me. Got a nice kick in the face from a red cap on the last leg, but otherwise no big issues.
Swim -- 28:54, 5/28 AG
I was determined to blast my transitions today, and I went hard through T1. The wetsuit came off quickly, and it was glasses/helmet on, grab the bike and go. It always surprises me how many people I see jogging or walking through transition -- I know I can't afford to give up any chance to make up time!
T1 -- 1:45, 1/28 AG
The bike started with a long run over the grass then a run up a hill on some pitted asphalt to the mount line. I was running barefoot, but it didn't seem to bother me any. I got on the bike, keeping it in the small ring for the first minute or so while I got my feet into the shoes and my breathing under control.
I enjoyed the two-lap course, and felt very good on the bike. Knowing the course for the second lap was a real advantage, and I upped my average speed on the second lap. I had a couple of 40-somethings pass me, and then played tag with a 51-year old who caught me on the second lap. He was a bit stronger so I let him go, figuring I'd get him in T2. It was one of my better bike efforts, but I've got to hit the bike harder this upcoming year if I want to be competitive (so look for me bringing up the rear on the Saturday rides in the future.)
Bike -- 1:08:32 (21.72 mph), 6/28 AG.
A flying dismount got me a few kudos from the crowd, then I booked hard down the hill into T2. I slipped my shoes on, grabbed my gear and headed out, keeping an eye ahead for the guy who'd passed me on the bike.
T2 -- 1:31, 1/28 AG.
The run was also a two-loop course, and hillier than I'd anticipated. At the first turn-around, I saw my bike competitor, maybe 30 seconds back, so I had some good incentive to keep it going. The first two miles came in at around 7:45 pace, but I started to fade a bit in the third mile. Fortunately I got a second wind as the second lap began and started picking up speed. Barry Young, a fellow C-ville triathlete (and Masters winner) went flying by at one point, causing the guy I was passing to say "that dude is fast." I could only agree.
By the last mile I knew I'd given it a good effort and was putting on as strong a finish as I could manage, hoping no one would sneak up on me. No worries -- I had space on either side as I finished.
I felt great about the effort on the run -- I was completely cooked at the end. The time was a bit slower than I would have liked, but I'll chalk that up to the rough patch in the middle.
Run -- 48:21 (7:41/mi), 5/28 AG
Overall -- 2:29:02, 4/28 AG
I felt good about the race. I figured I'd need to get under 1:30 to have any chance to place in AG, but that wasn't quite good enough. But no regrets, I gave it the best effort I had that day. It's been a good season, and an eventful year. Time to try and raise the bar for next season.
Ken
To top it off, a big contingent of C-ville athletes were on hand, complete with tent and post-race goodies. It made for a fun Saturday at Lake Anna.
I got to race early and snagged a sport near the end of my rack segment, got my gear laid out and hung out at the tent for a while, watching the transition area fill up with the usual assortment of contenders, newbies, and "just happy to be here" competitors. After liberal applications of Pam on my legs and wetsuit, I was ready to get started.
As usual, the gray hairs were near the back. Wave 6, in fact. The swim started in-water, then followed a triangular course with a long middle segment before we turned for home and T1. I felt smooth throughout the swim, and sighted pretty well -- easy because of all the people in front of me. Got a nice kick in the face from a red cap on the last leg, but otherwise no big issues.
Swim -- 28:54, 5/28 AG
I was determined to blast my transitions today, and I went hard through T1. The wetsuit came off quickly, and it was glasses/helmet on, grab the bike and go. It always surprises me how many people I see jogging or walking through transition -- I know I can't afford to give up any chance to make up time!
T1 -- 1:45, 1/28 AG
The bike started with a long run over the grass then a run up a hill on some pitted asphalt to the mount line. I was running barefoot, but it didn't seem to bother me any. I got on the bike, keeping it in the small ring for the first minute or so while I got my feet into the shoes and my breathing under control.
I enjoyed the two-lap course, and felt very good on the bike. Knowing the course for the second lap was a real advantage, and I upped my average speed on the second lap. I had a couple of 40-somethings pass me, and then played tag with a 51-year old who caught me on the second lap. He was a bit stronger so I let him go, figuring I'd get him in T2. It was one of my better bike efforts, but I've got to hit the bike harder this upcoming year if I want to be competitive (so look for me bringing up the rear on the Saturday rides in the future.)
Bike -- 1:08:32 (21.72 mph), 6/28 AG.
A flying dismount got me a few kudos from the crowd, then I booked hard down the hill into T2. I slipped my shoes on, grabbed my gear and headed out, keeping an eye ahead for the guy who'd passed me on the bike.
T2 -- 1:31, 1/28 AG.
The run was also a two-loop course, and hillier than I'd anticipated. At the first turn-around, I saw my bike competitor, maybe 30 seconds back, so I had some good incentive to keep it going. The first two miles came in at around 7:45 pace, but I started to fade a bit in the third mile. Fortunately I got a second wind as the second lap began and started picking up speed. Barry Young, a fellow C-ville triathlete (and Masters winner) went flying by at one point, causing the guy I was passing to say "that dude is fast." I could only agree.
By the last mile I knew I'd given it a good effort and was putting on as strong a finish as I could manage, hoping no one would sneak up on me. No worries -- I had space on either side as I finished.
I felt great about the effort on the run -- I was completely cooked at the end. The time was a bit slower than I would have liked, but I'll chalk that up to the rough patch in the middle.
Run -- 48:21 (7:41/mi), 5/28 AG
Overall -- 2:29:02, 4/28 AG
I felt good about the race. I figured I'd need to get under 1:30 to have any chance to place in AG, but that wasn't quite good enough. But no regrets, I gave it the best effort I had that day. It's been a good season, and an eventful year. Time to try and raise the bar for next season.
Ken
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Big Lick International Triathlon -- 9/26/10
Summary: International distance. 2:37:57, 1/10 AG 50-54.
Long report:
The Big Lick International, at Smith Mountain Lake, has been around for over 20 years, but this was the first time I've ever traveled to it. The race has a reputation for being a pretty challenging course, with a lot of rolling hills on the bike, and a pretty challenging run course. Complicating the day would be unseasonably warm weather coupled with a late start -- meaning a hot, sunny run.
I rolled out of bed at 4 AM, loaded the truck and hit the road. Got to the race site with no problems, even before packet pickup had opened up. I picked up my packet when they opened, got marked, grabbed my chip, and snagged a good spot on the end of my rack. I puttered around for a while with my set up, then settled down to wait.
Since the race was serving as the mid-Atlantic Collegiate Championship, waiting was pretty entertaining. Lots of college kids running around in their team kit getting set up and pumping each other up. College tri teams are always an interesting contrast. Since they're strictly club teams, you'll see everything from serious young athletes, like the young lady from Virginia Tech with the P3 racking next to me, along with kids who are doing their first or second races ever.
Swim --
The swim was wetsuit legal and comfy at 77 degrees. My wave, the fourth, started on the beach. I lined up on the outside and found pretty clear going as we charged to the first turn of the triangular course. Not much to report on the swim -- I had a good rhythm throughout and no problems siting as I went along the course.
The swim ended with a quick jog up the beach, up a short flight of stairs and then a relatively long run to transition.
T1 --
After my last race, where I'd had some difficulty with my wet suit, I'd planned ahead. I'd trimmed 1 inch off the legs of my suit and applied liberal amounts of PAM on my legs and the inside my suit. Of came the suit, quick as a whistle. On with my glasses, then the helmet, grabbed my bike and trotted out.
Bike
T1 to the mount line required a short run up a pretty steep hill. I was a little breathless as I mounted the bike, but got riding and got my feet into my shoes without any problems.
Then the fun started.
Three times in the first four miles I dropped my chain. No rhyme or reason, except that each time I was in the small ring. Well, enough of that, I'll just stay in the big ring. After getting my wits back about me, I settled into a good rhythm, passed a couple of guys in my AG and was starting to enjoy myself. But the second half of the course is harder than the first, and my decision to stay in the big ring started telling on my legs. Still, I didn't want to risk another thrown chain, so I kept grinding away.
The last mile or so was a nice relief as the course sloped back down to the lake. I jumped off at the dismount and trotted down the hill barefoot into T2. Not the best bike, but at least I didn't panic too badly after the snafus at the start.
T2 -- smooth sailing.
Run --
No fun here. It was definitely hot now. The first mile was uphill, around 8:15 then picked it up a little on the next couple miles. But I didn't have any legs to go faster -- it was just suck it up and grind it out. At least most of the other people I saw on the course didn't look like they were enjoying themselves any more than me.
I managed to slog through a couple of difficult miles at 4 and 5, and picked it up some on the last downhill mile. Still, I was darned happy to see the finish line.
Stats --
Swim -- 29:15, 5/10 AG
T1 -- 1:31, 1/10 AG
Bike -- 1:13:43, 1/10 AG
T2 -- :57, 1/10 AG
Run -- 52:29, 1/10 AG
2:37:54, 1/10 AG
Ken
Long report:
The Big Lick International, at Smith Mountain Lake, has been around for over 20 years, but this was the first time I've ever traveled to it. The race has a reputation for being a pretty challenging course, with a lot of rolling hills on the bike, and a pretty challenging run course. Complicating the day would be unseasonably warm weather coupled with a late start -- meaning a hot, sunny run.
I rolled out of bed at 4 AM, loaded the truck and hit the road. Got to the race site with no problems, even before packet pickup had opened up. I picked up my packet when they opened, got marked, grabbed my chip, and snagged a good spot on the end of my rack. I puttered around for a while with my set up, then settled down to wait.
Since the race was serving as the mid-Atlantic Collegiate Championship, waiting was pretty entertaining. Lots of college kids running around in their team kit getting set up and pumping each other up. College tri teams are always an interesting contrast. Since they're strictly club teams, you'll see everything from serious young athletes, like the young lady from Virginia Tech with the P3 racking next to me, along with kids who are doing their first or second races ever.
Swim --
The swim was wetsuit legal and comfy at 77 degrees. My wave, the fourth, started on the beach. I lined up on the outside and found pretty clear going as we charged to the first turn of the triangular course. Not much to report on the swim -- I had a good rhythm throughout and no problems siting as I went along the course.
The swim ended with a quick jog up the beach, up a short flight of stairs and then a relatively long run to transition.
T1 --
After my last race, where I'd had some difficulty with my wet suit, I'd planned ahead. I'd trimmed 1 inch off the legs of my suit and applied liberal amounts of PAM on my legs and the inside my suit. Of came the suit, quick as a whistle. On with my glasses, then the helmet, grabbed my bike and trotted out.
Bike
T1 to the mount line required a short run up a pretty steep hill. I was a little breathless as I mounted the bike, but got riding and got my feet into my shoes without any problems.
Then the fun started.
Three times in the first four miles I dropped my chain. No rhyme or reason, except that each time I was in the small ring. Well, enough of that, I'll just stay in the big ring. After getting my wits back about me, I settled into a good rhythm, passed a couple of guys in my AG and was starting to enjoy myself. But the second half of the course is harder than the first, and my decision to stay in the big ring started telling on my legs. Still, I didn't want to risk another thrown chain, so I kept grinding away.
The last mile or so was a nice relief as the course sloped back down to the lake. I jumped off at the dismount and trotted down the hill barefoot into T2. Not the best bike, but at least I didn't panic too badly after the snafus at the start.
T2 -- smooth sailing.
Run --
No fun here. It was definitely hot now. The first mile was uphill, around 8:15 then picked it up a little on the next couple miles. But I didn't have any legs to go faster -- it was just suck it up and grind it out. At least most of the other people I saw on the course didn't look like they were enjoying themselves any more than me.
I managed to slog through a couple of difficult miles at 4 and 5, and picked it up some on the last downhill mile. Still, I was darned happy to see the finish line.
Stats --
Swim -- 29:15, 5/10 AG
T1 -- 1:31, 1/10 AG
Bike -- 1:13:43, 1/10 AG
T2 -- :57, 1/10 AG
Run -- 52:29, 1/10 AG
2:37:54, 1/10 AG
Ken
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