Swimming can be frustrating for me. In the big picture, I've got no problem with swimming. I don't suffer from the anxiety of open-water swimming that bothers many less experienced triathletes, and I can put in some pretty respectable yardage in my workouts (for an age-grouper triathlete that is. Real swimmers are a whole different breed...).
So what's the problem? Simple -- I can't seem to get any faster. Some years ago I made the leap from plodding along at 1:50 to 2:00 per 100 yards down to 1:30 to 1:40, depending on the distance. And there I've stayed. Occasionally I'll feel like I'm ready to make a leap forward, but I eventually settle back down into the same old rut.
Now for a little self-analysis. It has to be technique. I'm pretty strong in the water, but as Coach Don Easterling once told me, "If strength were everything, a bull could catch a butterfly." It's telling that my speed decreases the further I get into a workout.Fatigue can play a factor in that, but I can feel my stroke falling apart as I do sets of intervals or longer distance sets. What was pretty smooth and relaxed at the beginning devolves into a choppy mess at the end. I fight to stay smooth, but there's some missing key that I can't grasp hold of to get me on the right track.
But you might wonder why I'm worried about it. Generally my swim times in races are respectable -- top 1/3 or so in my age group, and I don't come out of the water excessively tired.
It's because I like to compete. Giving away 3-4 minutes in an Olympic-distance race to my competitors sticks in my craw. Sure, the fastest swimmer doesn't always win, but I'm tired of starting from behind the guys I want to compete with. And any efficiency I can pick up along the way is sure to pay dividends in Wisconsin. It'll be a long day, and energy saved in the water is energy I can use later on.
So, only one solution. Laps alone aren't going to get the job done. Time to get professional help. I'm meeting with Val Oswald, local swim coach and former University of Texas swimmer, on Friday to let her take a look at what I'm doing wrong (and right). I'll let you all know how it goes.
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Rumpus in Bumpass Race Report -- 4/14/2012
Summary: 2:30:03. 10/39 AG.
Long report:
It's been a while since I've written, but I hope you'll excuse me. There's been a lot going on -- or rather, not going on -- with my training since early March. I caught a cold which devolved into a case of pneumonia and left me much sicker than I've been in a long while. Two weeks of training scratched. Once I recovered from that, I was off on a 5-day backpacking trip with my son's school. Not something I would have missed for the world, but not exactly tri-specific stuff.
Eventually my health came around, and I started to increase my training load, but I'd missed my usual spring road races and didn't quite know what to expect of myself. But the weather was good, and it looked like a great weekend for racing.
Rumpus has grown every year -- now it seems like a real early-season destination race for Mid-Atlantic triathletes. Lots of Maryland plates in the parking lot, and plenty of calm, competent, and fit-looking athletes in transition. I didn't have very high expectations of competing well in my AG, but I was looking forward to getting a race under my belt.
Swim:
The swim was in a lovely protected cove of Lake Anna. While the water was a bit cool at 65, the sun was bright and the air warm -- nice conditions all in all. The course was a simple long rectangle, so sighting was easy. As usual, the old guys jumped in late -- Wave 7 -- after nearly everyone else had gone off. I got into a good rhythm and found a nice little pack to swim with, even managing to draft off some feet for a while. As we encountered traffic, the pack broke up as we maneuvered around slower swimmers. Soon enough the swim was over and I scrambled out of the water and ran up the long grassy slope to transition.
1500 meters: 29:40. 14/39 AG.
I've put in some good distance this winter, and been very consistent with my swimming. I feel much stronger over long distances, but it's not showing up in speed in the water. The top 3 in my AG averaged almost 4 minutes faster in the swim. That's about 15 seconds per 100, so I've got some serious time to make up if I want to stay in the hunt with the strong competitors. Time to get some individualized instruction and work more extensively on technique.
T1:
Transitions are usually a strong suit for me, and there weren't any problems here. I put on my cycling shoes in transition, since there was a stretch of gravel to run over, but still got out pretty quickly. 2:03. 5/39 AG.
Bike:
This is a fun and fast bike course. I've had very little time on my tri bike so far this year, having spent most of the winter and spring on the road bike. But I got down comfortably on the bars and started right up. As usual, there was plenty of traffic ahead -- it's the bane of the last waves to have to pass lots of slower riders. I worked on keeping my RPMs up throughout, a point we've been emphasizing in training, and felt good about that. After one lap of the 2-lap course I was holding an average speed of a bit over 20 mph and felt great -- despite a stiff breeze, it was a fun day to ride a bike!
The second lap was pretty much more of the same, though the field started to sort itself out and I found myself leapfrogging around with some other riders in my AG. But as I rolled toward the dismount I started to get a nagging feeling that I'd left too much in the tank.
23 miles: 1:08:39. 14/39 AG.
Lack of training, lack of racing, and lack of time on the tri bike showed here. I was too comfortable, and needed to push the pace if I wanted to be a factor in the race. It was a strong field, but generally my bike times are much more competitive than that. More time on the bike and a more go-for-broke attitude at this distance will move me up in the pack.
T2:
Shoes off dismount, fast run into transition, smooth exit. :58. 4/39 AG.
Run:
This was a challenging run course. The race was moved at the last minute to a new venue, and a large majority of the run was on a very rough gravel road -- the kind of road where you can turn an ankle if you don't watch where you're stepping. By now the temperatures were rising, but there was plenty of water and ice at the aid stations. Take a drink, dump the ice down the back of my tri top -- worked like a charm!
I started off pretty well, running in the high 7:30s, but started to fade a bit through miles 4-5 of the 2-lap course. Over the last mile I pulled my form together and managed to put together a strong finish.
6.2 miles: 48:53.
Not too bad on the run, especially considering lack of any racing this spring.
Overall Impressions:
I'm disappointed with my bike performance -- I had better in me, I'm sure, but I was just being too conservative. But on the whole, I executed a pretty smart race, and it felt great to be out competing again. There's plenty of work and racing to come this season as I get ready for Wisconsin -- I'll chalk this one up as a pretty solid first step.
Ken
Long report:
It's been a while since I've written, but I hope you'll excuse me. There's been a lot going on -- or rather, not going on -- with my training since early March. I caught a cold which devolved into a case of pneumonia and left me much sicker than I've been in a long while. Two weeks of training scratched. Once I recovered from that, I was off on a 5-day backpacking trip with my son's school. Not something I would have missed for the world, but not exactly tri-specific stuff.
Eventually my health came around, and I started to increase my training load, but I'd missed my usual spring road races and didn't quite know what to expect of myself. But the weather was good, and it looked like a great weekend for racing.
Rumpus has grown every year -- now it seems like a real early-season destination race for Mid-Atlantic triathletes. Lots of Maryland plates in the parking lot, and plenty of calm, competent, and fit-looking athletes in transition. I didn't have very high expectations of competing well in my AG, but I was looking forward to getting a race under my belt.
Swim:
The swim was in a lovely protected cove of Lake Anna. While the water was a bit cool at 65, the sun was bright and the air warm -- nice conditions all in all. The course was a simple long rectangle, so sighting was easy. As usual, the old guys jumped in late -- Wave 7 -- after nearly everyone else had gone off. I got into a good rhythm and found a nice little pack to swim with, even managing to draft off some feet for a while. As we encountered traffic, the pack broke up as we maneuvered around slower swimmers. Soon enough the swim was over and I scrambled out of the water and ran up the long grassy slope to transition.
1500 meters: 29:40. 14/39 AG.
I've put in some good distance this winter, and been very consistent with my swimming. I feel much stronger over long distances, but it's not showing up in speed in the water. The top 3 in my AG averaged almost 4 minutes faster in the swim. That's about 15 seconds per 100, so I've got some serious time to make up if I want to stay in the hunt with the strong competitors. Time to get some individualized instruction and work more extensively on technique.
T1:
Transitions are usually a strong suit for me, and there weren't any problems here. I put on my cycling shoes in transition, since there was a stretch of gravel to run over, but still got out pretty quickly. 2:03. 5/39 AG.
Bike:
This is a fun and fast bike course. I've had very little time on my tri bike so far this year, having spent most of the winter and spring on the road bike. But I got down comfortably on the bars and started right up. As usual, there was plenty of traffic ahead -- it's the bane of the last waves to have to pass lots of slower riders. I worked on keeping my RPMs up throughout, a point we've been emphasizing in training, and felt good about that. After one lap of the 2-lap course I was holding an average speed of a bit over 20 mph and felt great -- despite a stiff breeze, it was a fun day to ride a bike!
The second lap was pretty much more of the same, though the field started to sort itself out and I found myself leapfrogging around with some other riders in my AG. But as I rolled toward the dismount I started to get a nagging feeling that I'd left too much in the tank.
23 miles: 1:08:39. 14/39 AG.
Lack of training, lack of racing, and lack of time on the tri bike showed here. I was too comfortable, and needed to push the pace if I wanted to be a factor in the race. It was a strong field, but generally my bike times are much more competitive than that. More time on the bike and a more go-for-broke attitude at this distance will move me up in the pack.
T2:
Shoes off dismount, fast run into transition, smooth exit. :58. 4/39 AG.
Run:
This was a challenging run course. The race was moved at the last minute to a new venue, and a large majority of the run was on a very rough gravel road -- the kind of road where you can turn an ankle if you don't watch where you're stepping. By now the temperatures were rising, but there was plenty of water and ice at the aid stations. Take a drink, dump the ice down the back of my tri top -- worked like a charm!
I started off pretty well, running in the high 7:30s, but started to fade a bit through miles 4-5 of the 2-lap course. Over the last mile I pulled my form together and managed to put together a strong finish.
6.2 miles: 48:53.
Not too bad on the run, especially considering lack of any racing this spring.
Overall Impressions:
I'm disappointed with my bike performance -- I had better in me, I'm sure, but I was just being too conservative. But on the whole, I executed a pretty smart race, and it felt great to be out competing again. There's plenty of work and racing to come this season as I get ready for Wisconsin -- I'll chalk this one up as a pretty solid first step.
Ken
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- 27 Weeks to Go Report Card
Didn't get anything posted last week, with nothing to blame for my omission than the usual "stuff to do." But as I look at the calendar today I see that I'm down to 27 weeks to go -- about half a year. Which got me thinking -- how's it going, anyway?
So I decided to rate myself on a few aspects of my preparation. Here we go, in no particular order or method...
Diet and nutrition -- B
Looking back, I've realized that I usually eat like c***. I'm very fond of fatty, salty foods with poor nutritional value -- in other words, I'm an average American ;-) But without being too drastic in my diet, I think I've made some good improvements over the last few months. Fruit and vegetable consumption is up, fast food , meat, and cheese consumption is down. And I'm about two weeks into a 30-day break from beer and wine. I'm feeling slimmer, and have dropped 2-3 pounds since the start of the year.
Strength, core, stretching -- C
A "C" isn't too bad, considering I probably used to earn a "D-" on this. I've established better routines for core, strength, and stretching, though I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be. As I get older, I'm realizing the importance of these. Need to work on this.
Faithfulness to training plan -- A
This has been a strength for me so far this year. Having an IM coming up has really focused my mind on the task at hand, and I can count the number of missed workouts for this year on one hand, with several fingers held in reserve. With actual IM training still on the horizon, building a good base to work with is very important. It's not always easy, but I've been sticking to it.
Swim, bike, and run -- A
These flow primarily from the previous rating. Consistency has been paying off for me here. Swim endurance has gotten better, with a moderate increase in speed. I'm not putting in big mileage numbers on the bike, but the work has paid off in better HR and watt numbers inside, and smoother, stronger riding outside. Running -- knock on wood -- has been injury free, and I've been able to shake it up with some good specific HR zone training and trail running.
Mental attitude -- B
It's tough to be "up" every day, but I think my mental attitude towards training has been pretty solid. For the most part I'm enjoying what I do. Sure, there are mornings where it all seems like something of a chore, but I'm doing the little things to keep myself going. There's still a long road ahead, though, so this is something to work on and keep improving.
So I decided to rate myself on a few aspects of my preparation. Here we go, in no particular order or method...
Diet and nutrition -- B
Looking back, I've realized that I usually eat like c***. I'm very fond of fatty, salty foods with poor nutritional value -- in other words, I'm an average American ;-) But without being too drastic in my diet, I think I've made some good improvements over the last few months. Fruit and vegetable consumption is up, fast food , meat, and cheese consumption is down. And I'm about two weeks into a 30-day break from beer and wine. I'm feeling slimmer, and have dropped 2-3 pounds since the start of the year.
Strength, core, stretching -- C
A "C" isn't too bad, considering I probably used to earn a "D-" on this. I've established better routines for core, strength, and stretching, though I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be. As I get older, I'm realizing the importance of these. Need to work on this.
Faithfulness to training plan -- A
This has been a strength for me so far this year. Having an IM coming up has really focused my mind on the task at hand, and I can count the number of missed workouts for this year on one hand, with several fingers held in reserve. With actual IM training still on the horizon, building a good base to work with is very important. It's not always easy, but I've been sticking to it.
Swim, bike, and run -- A
These flow primarily from the previous rating. Consistency has been paying off for me here. Swim endurance has gotten better, with a moderate increase in speed. I'm not putting in big mileage numbers on the bike, but the work has paid off in better HR and watt numbers inside, and smoother, stronger riding outside. Running -- knock on wood -- has been injury free, and I've been able to shake it up with some good specific HR zone training and trail running.
Mental attitude -- B
It's tough to be "up" every day, but I think my mental attitude towards training has been pretty solid. For the most part I'm enjoying what I do. Sure, there are mornings where it all seems like something of a chore, but I'm doing the little things to keep myself going. There's still a long road ahead, though, so this is something to work on and keep improving.
Monday, February 20, 2012
"Extremely fit"
We've been fortunate to have made the decision to send our son Colin to a fine private school since the 6th grade. Tandem Friends School has rigorous academic standards, yet still makes time for interesting and enlightening non-academic pursuits. One of these is "Emphasis Week," a time when students will get together with teachers to pursue non-academic interests.
One of Colin's teachers, Steve, guides an Appalachian Trail hike each year. He'll take a group of about 15-20 Tandem students out for a 5-day, 4-night hike on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. I'm an avid AT section hiker (500 miles down, 1500 to go!), so it's fun to talk to him about his plans every year. Colin has been on one of Steve's trips before, and has hiked with me on the AT too, covering the Maryland section of the trail in 2010.
Colin signed up to do this year's trip, and Steve needed another adult -- so it was on me to fill the spot. I was tickled pink when Steve sent out his pre-trip email to the group and it said:
Ken Nail will be accompanying the trip as well as a second adult chaperone. If you know Ken, you know he is an extremely fit, experienced hiker/backpacker. I am thrilled that he can take part in this adventure!
I'm convinced that Steve doesn't know anything about my triathlon background, or even care. But I can't think of a nicer compliment! And I can't wait -- there's nothing like a backpacking trip to focus yourself on the essentials -- walk, eat, sleep, repeat!
Weeks totals:
Swim: 2:40, 7000 yards
Bike: 3:45. 64.25 miles
Run: 2:50, 21 miles
Strength/core: 1:20
Total: 10:35
One of Colin's teachers, Steve, guides an Appalachian Trail hike each year. He'll take a group of about 15-20 Tandem students out for a 5-day, 4-night hike on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. I'm an avid AT section hiker (500 miles down, 1500 to go!), so it's fun to talk to him about his plans every year. Colin has been on one of Steve's trips before, and has hiked with me on the AT too, covering the Maryland section of the trail in 2010.
Colin signed up to do this year's trip, and Steve needed another adult -- so it was on me to fill the spot. I was tickled pink when Steve sent out his pre-trip email to the group and it said:
Ken Nail will be accompanying the trip as well as a second adult chaperone. If you know Ken, you know he is an extremely fit, experienced hiker/backpacker. I am thrilled that he can take part in this adventure!
I'm convinced that Steve doesn't know anything about my triathlon background, or even care. But I can't think of a nicer compliment! And I can't wait -- there's nothing like a backpacking trip to focus yourself on the essentials -- walk, eat, sleep, repeat!
Weeks totals:
Swim: 2:40, 7000 yards
Bike: 3:45. 64.25 miles
Run: 2:50, 21 miles
Strength/core: 1:20
Total: 10:35
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Pain in the Pool
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
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)