Boilerman Race Report

This was my first Boilerman, an Olympic distance event (1500m/40k/10k).  I didn’t know it existed, as I have done the Powerman duathlon the past two years.  Though I am disappointed that event was not offered, I don’t miss the cruel conditions it offered the previous two years.  Especially the first one.  You can read about them HERE-2010 and HERE-2011.

Anyway, back to Boilerman.  I was beginning to have reservations as I considered the weather potential: last day of September, cold and rain that week, wind.  The thought of swimming in whitecaps, combined with being soaking wet and nearly naked on the bike with sub-50 degrees and high winds, and maybe rain.  Oh wait, that was Powerman 2010, without the swim.

Anyway, the weather was sunny and cold in the morning, but it warmed up to a near perfect temperature.  The wind picked up, gusting pretty hard on the northbound legs on the bike, but overall, was a great day.  Check in was easy.  I got my stuff, though I was disappointed they ran out of swim caps.  How does that happen?  X entrants=X caps.  I thought Purdue focused on math and engineering…  There were large contingents represented from Purdue, Michigan, Grand Valley State University, Wabash, and others I cannot recall.


The Swim 25:03 1:31/100m pace (NOT)

The swim was interesting.  I hadn’t trained for a swim.  At all.  I did swim 1000m a few days before, just to swing my arms and see if my pace was what I predicted.  It was.  The swim was three waves, separated by three minutes.  Wave one was collegiate, wave 2 was AG 39 and under, wave 3 was AG 40+.

The swim was a little weedy at the start.  I had long strings of “seaweed” caught on my arms, which made me laugh.  I tried to pick a line that kept me clear of carnage, yet I was steamrolled a bunch of times.  I was glad my goggles were tinted, since the sun was in my eyes for the first third of the swim.  I had done everything I could to ensure my wetsuit was pulled up high enough to keep it from pulling me into a curl.  It seemed to work.  But I didn’t get “warmed up” until probably halfway.  And my head was cold until then too.  It was hard for me to sight where the buoys were; I just tried to follow people.  My attempts to draft were fruitless as well, since my speed was not fast enough.  Any eight year old girl can beat me in a short distance.  But I can go a long distance, albeit slow.  Funny thing about open water swims like this: it takes me a long while to get comfortable and in a groove.  During the first five minutes, drowning is a thought.  Odd.  I can swim just fine (but not fast – technique stinks), and tread water for hours.  Why does getting beat up during a swim affect me this way??

The rest of the swim was uneventful, though there was a person who kept hitting and crowding me for quite some time, even though there was plenty of room around us.  It was making me mad.  I exited the swim and had a long run (300m?) to T1.  My observation about the swim course is that it had to be short.  Very short, given my time.  The entry point didn’t agree with what was shown online, so maybe that was it.  But there is no doubt in my mind that it was no 1500m.  My estimate was 1100m.  My 25 minute swim should have been 33 minutes.

T1 2:34

No issues here, except the grass had been cut and I had tons of grass stuck to my feet.

The Bike 1:09:32  21.5 MPH

The bike started odd.  I was sleepy for the first ten minutes.  Huh?  I was passing people most of the race, though near the end I was passed by two people.  My back started to hurt a bit, which hadn’t happened on any other ride.  The only change was my new shoes.  The ride was a bit windy, and for about ½ of it, on roads I have ridden before.  It was very windy towards the end; strong winds came from the north and made me fight for 16mph.  I stayed at a comfortable pace – maybe too comfortable, for most of the ride.  I should have been faster.

T2 0.58

The Run 46:01 (7:24)

I started the run feeling good, and quickly got into a groove.  I wasn’t quite in the pain cave, but I was in zone 4 for sure.  The first 4 miles were through a neighborhood, and though I was passed by two people, they were going pretty fast.  I was running in the 6:30-7:00/mi pace for some time, only slowing because I wasn’t paying attention.  A guy caught up to me and we spoke briefly.  He asked what my age group was and I told him.  He said “Shit, me too.  I can’t sustain this pace.”  We fist bumped and said good luck.  I then left him.  As I hit the last section around the lake, it really slowed me down.  For the last 1.75 miles around lake; ½ of that was lumpy field grass.  I ran okay, but the grass run slowed me down.  My pace was 8min/mi; on the pavement below7 min. The grass was ankle busting for me, but probably carpet for a trail runner.  I picked up the pace on the hard pack, and passed a few people in the last 200m.  I had to look back a few times to ensure nobody was going to sprint by me.  As I exited the finish chute and turned in my timing chip, the guy I had passed finished.  He had closed a rather large lead I had on him by not slowing down in the grass.

The Finish 2:24:07 5/14 AG 78/243 overall

Overall, I think I did okay, especially since I hadn’t trained for it.  I was disappointed that the swim was short, because I wanted to have another benchmark in the deck.  This clearly is not a 2:24 Oly tri for me.  The post-race food was clearly for the youngsters.  There were dozens of pizzas, bagels, and fruit.  I looked for the results and found I was not getting on the podium.  I packed up my stuff and rode the 1.5 mi back to my car.

Fishers Triathlon

This is my third time at this race, and I like it because it’s close to home, in a pool, and the roads are smooth.  There were some timing issues, as the first numbers reported weren’t even close (like, all swim times were sub-5min).  Those were corrected, though there are a few issues related to the location of the time hacks, as well as the overall time.  It seems the pool end wasn’t at the pool exit, but at the T1 entry.  And it didn’t take me a minute to get there.  I was passing people the entire race, in all three segments.  In fact, I was never passed by anyone.


The Swim  watch 11:09, official results 12:13

This was a time trial start, with people lined up based on what they reported their swim pace to be,  It never ceases to amaze me how people either don’t have a clue about their pace, or don’t think about a pace they can actually sustain for the course.  As I entered the pool area, about twenty minutes into the race, I already saw people doing the backstroke, pseudo sidestroke, and dog paddle, before reaching 150 meters.  Holy crap, way to think it through.  Somewhere around the 370m mark I saw a person in the next lane walking.  Yes walking.  Anyway, the swim was uneventful, if not slow.  I swam at the pace I expected; I hit my watch entering the pool, and split at the exit, so I was close to my 2:10/100m projection.  I should be faster, though not by much, as I have not been swimming much.  But I was satisfied with this.  I passed people the whole time, with only a few areas of congestion for me to break through.

T1 2:15, official results 1:47

I was slower than I should have been, as I was putting on socks.  Additionally, I was late arriving, and had a lousy position in the corral – it was first come, first serve, not line up by race number.

The Bike  watch 27:59 22.3 mph, official results 28:25

Uneventful, though I should have been faster.  Couldn’t generate the power I wanted, though I was passing people the entire time.  At one point in the first loop, a guy pulled in front of me and slowed down – to 10mph!  I yelled at him, “Hey, can I get by you please!”  He moved over.  I didn’t want to get a penalty for passing on the right or crossing the center line (there were cones at this point).  The road was smooth, and people were very courteous when they heard “On your left!”; well, except for the one guy.

T2  watch 1:14, official results 1:08

Used my new Zoot TT5.0 shoes.  Had a little trouble getting my left foot in.  I should have been 20 seconds faster here.

The Run   watch 20:50, official results 20:50

The first mile is mostly uphill, and as I got a cadence, things settled just a bit.  I was passing people the whole time, and as I approached the halfway point, spotted a guy to catch.  He was going about the same pace it seemed, and I had a rabbit.  I caught him at mile 2 and as I passed, he started dropping.  I called to him to hang on to me, which he did until the last 300 meters or so.  Entering the school parking lot, I saw another group of people to pass, which I did, and kept the pace to make sure nobody burned me in the last 50m.  Overall my run felt great, as I ran a pace I might have run on fresh legs.  Yes, I know, my legs shouldn’t have been too spent after a 10mi effort, but I found a decent breathing/pain threshold that I could sustain.  Had I upped the pain (a bunch), I am pretty sure I could have gone sub-20 on the 5k.

splits
1 mi 7:39
1 mi 6:09
1.1 mi 7:02

Final  watch 1:03:25, official results: 1:04:23
5/35 AG
29/316 overall

It's Official - Ironman Wisconsin 2013

It's official.  I have signed up for Ironman Wisconsin 2013.  Registration opened at 1pm local time, and by 1:04 I was registered.  Good thing, because it sold out in a record time of nine hours http://ironman.com/events/ironman/wisconsin/ironman-wisconsin-fills-in-record-time#axzz26IpL376N.  It’s official.  By the grace of God and hopefully good training, I will be ready for this adventure.  In addition, I plan to get a hair sample or some other token from my buddy Dave, who got me to sign up for this, so that I can make a voodoo doll of him to carry on the bike and during the run, so I can jam pins in it.  The venue is attractive for only two reasons: 1) It is within reasonable driving distance.  Transporting a bike is too expensive.  2) There is a possibility of cooler weather, though it can be hot.  The flip side is that this is a two-loop course…  I absolutely hate two-loop anything.  Until this year, the swim was two-loop.  Now it is a single.  But the bike and run are two-loop.  Worse, the run turnaround passes within 100 meters of the finish.  That hurts.  And to add to the suffering, the bike course is one of the most hilly and challenging of all of the IM bike courses.  But hey, this is about suffering, and on that front there will be no disappointment.

Richmond Triathlon Race Report

Not much to report, as I waited too long to make notes.  But I must say Muncie Multisport puts on a nice race.   The prizes were good, and there was a sweet bike raffle.  Food and consideration for family that was there to watch was really good.

- Swim 9:09 2:30/100 400yd

·         Hard to breathe with wetsuit

·         Water temp 70; should have left suit

T1 2:25

Bike 41:23 13.4mi 19.4mph

T2 0:58

Run 23:14 5k 7:30 pace

First and last mile (almost) on a rutted levee.  I was concerned about rolling my ankle, considering I only run on pavement.

Lawrence Triathlon Race Report

This is a very late race report, which I "wrote" (made notes) right after, but just have not had time to write about.

• Hot 95
• Worked in yard night before and all day before 4 pm race
• Beer at finish
• Course was good
• COLD water at aid stations was welcome
• Good prizes raffled at finish

- Swim 6:59 350yd 2:11/100

• Right on planned target
• Passed a few people
• Saw worst swim stroke ever

- T1 2:04

- Bike 34:25 11mi 19.2mph

• Not a bad two-loop course
• Excellent traffic control combined with closed roads

- T2 0:49

- Run 27;45 5k 8:58pace

• Meltdown: mind and legs not willing.  Sheesh, it’s only a 5k
• Hot
• Finish line 200yds from last turn was excellent location

Rev3 Knoxville Race Report 2012

This is a very late race report, which I "wrote" (made notes) right after, but just have not had time to write about.

• Expo decent
• Volunteers super
• Very well organized and professional
• Long walk from T1 to start
• Transition in covered parking was nice, but crowded (row-to-row)
• Photos not done by external group, so many kinks to work out as they develop this process.  Like, two weeks + to post some of them, longer for the rest, and low quantity of photos available.  Quality was decent (the reason for bringing back in-house).  Never got promised finish line photo (months later received a link, but not searchable. I never found mine).
• Morning meal not planned well – bought oatmeal (dry) at Starbucks (in hotel) prior afternoon.  Simply didn’t think about meals.
• Neither the Starbucks in hotel, or any other nearby coffee shop location open early on race morning.  Hundreds of people who would get coffee, yet no place opened early for the event.  A coffee stand could have made a killing.
• Street fair night before.  Had to drink beer.
• Never enough portolets – got in line near start. Had to go in barefoot (yuk).  But it could have been way worse.  Later found lines all gone 10min prior to Oly start.

- Swim 32:21 .9mi (2:14/100)

• I was drowning for the first 200m
• Water was cold at first, but temp was perfect with Xterra farmer john
• Wetsuit was first real swim; I swam 500 in pool, but I found I had not pulled it up high enough in the race, which pulled my shoulders down making me bend in the water.  Back started to hurt.  And it is harder to breathe in the suit.
• Don’t know what I was thinking: I knew swim was 1500m/.9 mi, but somehow I estimated time for 900m…  Stupid
• Had suit been adjusted better, I could have comfortably maintained pace for 2.4mi.  Why this distance???  Hmmm.

- T1 6:20

• LONG run from swim finish to T1.  My guess is 500m.

- Ride 1:22:10 40k

• Hilly
• Highway portions interesting, especially with open traffic and merge lane

- T2 2:01

- Run 55:57 10k

• Hot, but shaded for a good portion of it
• Bagged water was really nice – could carry it and drink what I should, vs. ½ cups and dehydration
• 1st 3mi 7:51 pace, 2nd brutal; my brain was cooking.

Cicero Triathlon Race Report

I signed up for this race on a whim. I have not trained well for anything, as there have been too many work/life things that have kept me from any routine. Going into this race, I have not been swimming all year... I was shamed into signing up by some friends. Never mind that I had another event the same day, and two more on Sunday. I was riding a two-hour leg of a 24-hour relay Saturday, and another Sunday, with the Tri-Indy (duathlon) sandwiched in between. But this was a short race (.2 mi/9.5 mi/3.1 mi), so why not??

The race started in three waves: Wave 1 was men younger than 40, wave 2 was men older than 40, and wave 3 was all women. My goal this race was to simply not get "chicked" by the women starting 5 minutes behind me. Some may better my time, but I didn't want to get passed.

Overall, I think I had a decent performance.

The Swim (.2 mi) 7:49 128th 2:26 pace

Slow, as I expected. Not much to say, except training does actually help...

T1 1:48

I easily found my stuff, mainly due to my TMat Pro, with it's dayglo yellow color. I might have shaved 20-30 seconds, but that takes practice.

The Bike (9.5mi) 26:55 45th 21.2mph avg

I liked the course. It was smooth and fast and I was passing people the whole time (and was passed as well).

T2 1:05

The Run (3.1 mi) 22:53 57th 7:23 pace

I should have been faster on the run, but I had a stitch for about half of it, and didn't get into a groove until the last mile. I was then ready to hammer it over a longer distance, just too late.

Result 1:00:28

55/282 overall

13/33 in age group (m45-49)

I know I can shave time from this race. Next year...

And I didn't get "chicked."

Races and updates

I have been too busy to write anything lately, but I was in the Blacksnake duathlon a few weeks ago, and have yet to write a race report. I will say I was a little slower than last year (a minute I think), but I did get 2nd in my age group (the field was small).

I have a busy weekend, having signed up for three events: Saturday morning is the Cicero Triathlon (sprint), followed by a 24-hour cycling relay supporting CASA for Kids, and during that I am in the Tri-Indy (duathlon) Sunday morning (I am riding a two-hour leg Saturday and another on Sunday).

I'll post an update when I have a chance.

Carmel Marathon Race Report

This was marathon number 6 for me. I don't know why I sign up for these things in the spring, since I can't seem to get ready for them. The hard winter and later back pain really delayed my training. Realistically, if not for that it would have been something else. Anyway, I was delusional about what I did to get ready for the 2010 Monumental Marathon, in that I didn't seem to remember the long runs I had completed. I may have not had any structure last October (I didn't), but I did log necessary miles. This time I had just one long run, and I didn't start logging decent miles and training until May.

So why was I doing this race? I signed up for it last summer. Why would a person who usually waits until the final days before the price increase sign up six or eight months before necessary? To use it as motivation to train well in the off season, ensuring better preparedness for the race, ensuring another BQ? Nope. To get a low bib number... That's just plain stupid, and I am not saying anything more about it.

As I entered race week, my plan was to get a run or two in, eat well, hydrate, and get rest. My race strategy was to simply not suffer, and to finish under four hours. Further, I wanted to minimize the post-marathon recovery, as this is the beginning of the du/tri season, and I have other events I want to do in June and July, yet have not spent any time in the pool or on the bike. How did my plan go? I managed to eat well, hydrate, and get one run in. Rest was a bust, including the night before the race. I was glad to at least have my weight in the range where I wanted (154), as useless lbs make a difference over distance.

Packet pick up and Expo

Packet pickup was simple and efficient, after which I toured the expo. I don't know why I even bother at the expos, since I generally don't purchase anything. I just look to see if there is anything that interests me. The Big Sur Marathon expo was awesome, as it went for days, was huge, with all kinds of free stuff. The Flying Pig marathon was also pretty good, huge, and with useful free stuff. Last year's Monumental wasn't bad either, though I didn't see much of interest. The Carmel Marathon expo was small, but had the usual players you'd expect. But I did see one that interested me: St Vincent has an anti-gravity treadmill. And they were giving out coupons to promote it. I learned there are three of these in the city. I simply have to try it. And the cost for future visits isn't bad. There was a bit of irony in all of this: my reason for signing up early. I don't think I had a low bib number (unless the numbers started at 5,000, which is entirely possible).

Race Day

I woke up around 4:30, and made my usual pre-race meal: oatmeal, bagel, peanut butter, and coffee. I had my race gear out the night before, and quickly got things ready to go. As a member of Falkee Triathlon, I had some body stickers to apply, but found the ones applied to my arm and legs did not stay on long enough to even make it to my car (I tried, Ryan - same thing happened at Geist). Though I left the house a bit later than planned, I arrived at the race site about 30 minutes before the race. Parking was easy and uneventful. The walk to the start was maybe ½ mile. I found the line to the facilities to purge some of the fluids I had consumed, and while waiting ran into an old buddy, Steve Martin, whom I haven't seen in years. Crazy stories of Spring Break Fort Lauderdale 1985 were going through my head after I saw him. I will not endeavor to repeat those here.

I headed to the start line and lined up around the 3:40 pacers - not that I was using the pacers. There was a half marathon starting at the same time, and it seemed most of the people were in this group. Note to race directors: I like differentiation in the bibs between events. The single line color and name difference isn't much. Why does it even matter? Vanity. When the full and half courses join again at mile 12, sharing until mile 17 or so before splitting again, then joining again in the final couple of miles, I keep catching the walkers and don't want there to be any question as to why I look red-faced, sweaty, and perhaps a bit uncomfortable, as I pass a 250lb person on the short course. Does it really matter? Of course not. It's stupid on my part, but I'm running a long course, and I want credit for it - from people I don't know, or will ever see, who wouldn't even notice different bib colors. I know. Stupid.

The Race 3:48:54

The race started on time, and I was close enough to the front that things moved out pretty quickly. The field opened up enough in the first ½ mile where I had room to maneuver and find a spot. I found myself passing people for the first mile, and just settled in for a long race. The first mile went by at 7:39, which I knew was too fast, but we had been going slightly downhill. When mile 2 split at 7:34 I thought, "What the heck am I doing?" I needed to slow down. And then the next at 7:52. I knew this would be a problem. I wanted to run in the 8:50 range, but it wasn't happening. As the race progressed, I did slow down. It just happened naturally... One of the problems for me running slower is this: I have a natural stride length and cadence/leg turnover. For me to slow down (or speed up), one of these has to change. Shortening the stride tends to start bothering my hips over distance, and slowing the cadence too much is bouncy, wastes energy, and is hard on the knees due to braking. So how do I maintain stride length and leg turnover? Training, which means in this case I can't maintain it. Eventually, the form and stride degrade into a geriatric shuffle. Well, maybe not that bad, but running efficiency goes out the window when fatigue increases. Which makes the second half of the race interesting... And I mean second half in the sense the first half is 20 miles. The second half is a 10k.

I have to say I really liked the course, with just a few areas of concern (though not worth mentioning specifics). It was pretty flat, open, and nice. I used to live in Carmel, but the course went places I've never seen. The volunteers were plentiful, and I was thankful for so many water stops. I had a drink at almost every one of them. I was thankful for the weather having cooled due to an overnight storm. The sun was behind the clouds for most of the race, except for the last two or three miles. I did see a traffic control issue when some dingbat woman pulled her minivan onto the course and attempted to drive through the runners. She was supposed to cross over the northbound race course on Carey Road, then turn south. Pretty obvious with the cones and runners. Nope. She turned north into the runners and tried to drive through them. I was about 100 meters behind her, and almost caught up, as she couldn't get around some of the people, since they were not moving over for her. Moron. I had almost reached her with the intent of yelling at her through her driver's window when she decided to bail out and turn into a neighborhood.

The miles were ticking by, and my pace seemed to be okay. I did the math in my head and thought I could finish comfortably around 3:45 or so. I was consuming Clif Shot Blocks every 30 minutes or so, and had a Roctane as well. A funny thing happened around mile 9: I suffered an injury, caused by a Shot Block. I popped one in my mouth and as I tried to chew it popped my jaw. It hurt on the right side enough that I couldn't chew for a while. And my jaw hurt for the next two days. Really.

The rest of the race was uneventful, though I walked for a minute on two occasions to try to stretch my hip flexor. I never had any dark places, as I have had in other races. I felt pretty good. The speed wasn't there due to lack of training, but I was okay. And I never pushed my heart rate. Final time 3:48:54 (8:44 average pace).

My splits:

mi lap HR
1 7:39 149
2 7:34 153
3 7:52 152
4-5 16:16 154
6 7:58 156
7 7:40 153
8 9:08 151
9 8:22 151
10 8:25 152
11 8:24 152
12 8:22 153
13 8:39 154
14 8:42 155
15 8:22 157
16 8:32 158
17 8:50 158
18 9:14 156
19 9:08 157
20 9:15 155
21 9:33 152
22 10:37 143
23 9:37 151
24 9:23 154
25 10:24 149
26 9:21 155
0.2 1:42 166

Recovery

Every previous race had some level of soreness or sensitivity on Monday. This time was different. I had a little sensitivity, but felt good enough to go running. I might have been different had I pushed harder, but I have felt fine all week.

So what's next? I am already signed up for Powerman Muncie (10k/60k/10k), and the Monumental Marathon. I am trying to figure out the others. I am planning on the Blacksnake Duathlon, and a couple of the Eagle Creek sprint triathlons. I am also looking at Tri Indy, provided I am back from a trip in time. And a big one on 9/11: Rev 3 70.3 Cedar Point. I am also planning on the Fishers tri and Cancer Free Lungs 5k. We'll see what I can swing this year.

Delayed Race Season

Well, today should have been the kickoff to my race season, but my light November, followed but a paltry December and January (ice), and then made worse with the back issues I had, meat racing today would have not only wasted my $, but burned a race marker. Further, I'd have just felt bad with the result, as my time would have merely confirmed what I already know. I was not prepared. I haven't been swimming or biking.

That said, the back thing is much better, and though not completely gone, doesn't seem to hinder me. What I do have is hip flexor issues, which extend into IT band issues. I think this is caused by the six mile daily walks at work, with huge clunky work boots. I have to stretch at work four or five times per day.

So, I have simply delayed the start of my season. I am signed up for a few races already, and will pick others as the calendar progresses. My revised list is this:

May

• Energy2Action duathlon*
  
• Energy2Action Time trial
• **Geist mini-marathon (already signed up)

June

• **Carmel Marathon (already signed up)
• Blacksnake Duathlon*
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon
• Energy2Action Time trial*

July

• Energy2Action Time trial
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

August

• Tri-Indy
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

September

• Rev 3 Cedar Point 70.3 triathlon*
• Fishers Triathlon*
• Cancer Free Lungs 5k*
  

October

• **Powerman Muncie duathlon 10k/60k/10k (already signed up)

November

• Monumental Marathon*

I have to really look at being smarter with training. I have regressed a great deal, but and slowly getting back to feeling normal.

And lastly, I noticed the time revision impact for the 5-minute reduction in Boston qualifying times isn't five minutes, but 5:59. Bummer...

2011 Race Schedule

There are many races I'd like to do in 2011, but time and budget will not allow me to do them all. That said, here is the list of races I'm looking at for 2011. Clearly I can't do them all, especially with significant changes that will be happening in the future. I have already signed up for two of them, while ten others are races I really want to do. The others are just alternatives to consider, or sign up for if i am able. In the end, I just need to beat my buddy Dave (his blog) sometime this year. He may be younger, but old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.

February

• Polar Bear Run

March

• Sam Costa Half Marathon

April

• Carmel sprint Triathlon
• Terre Haute Triathlon
  

May

• Energy2Action duathlon*
  
• Energy2Action Time trial
• Geist mini-marathon*
  

June

• **Carmel Marathon (already signed up)
• Blacksnake Duathlon*
• Indianapolis Mudathlon
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon
• Energy2Action Time trial*
• Morse Triathlon
  

July

• Ironman Muncie 70.3 (Muncie Endurathon)
• Energy2Action Time trial
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

August

• Tri-Indy
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

September

• Rev 3 Cedar Point 70.3 triathlon*
• Fishers Triathlon*
• Cancer Free Lungs 5k*
  

October

• **Powerman Muncie duathlon 10k/60k/10k (already signed up)

November

• Monumental Marathon*

Fishers Tri race report

500m swim 10 mi ride, 3 mi run

Swim 10:34.4

I felt pretty good, and was catching and passing people. There were a few times, especially at the turnaround/lane change, where I had to either aggressively cut through people, or stop to get through the cluster of people. There were a few passes where I was worried about getting kicked in the face, but overall the swim went well for me. My time of 10:34.4 was 1:38.2 better than my 12:12.6 last year.

T1 1:38.6

Entering T1, I focused on being smooth and deliberate. Glasses on, helmet on, while wiping feet on towel. Socks and bike shoes on, race number belt on, grab bike and go. I was going to skip the socks, but I had a blister I got a week earlier. It was healing nicely, until I skipped the moleskin and tore it through. I hadn't noticed, until I finished the run and found a bloody sock and shoe. With more races coming, I need this to heal. So, moleskin and socks for now. T1 was 1:02.3 faster than my 2:40.9 last year.

Bike 27:04.7 (22.2 mph avg)

I blasted out of T-1 and proceeded to pass people the entire time. Two people passed me, one couldn't hold the pace and dropped back after I caught him again. As I approached T2, I took a little time (too much) to coast and get my feet out of my shoes; I was going to leave them in the pedals. I should have practiced this, but the area where I was coasting was congested and downhill, so I don't think there was much of a consequence. Overall, pretty uneventful, but I felt pretty good. My 27:04.7 was 57.7 seconds faster than my 28:02.4 last year, or .8 mph average faster.

T2 57.9

I quickly parked my bike, helmet and glasses off, shoes on and go. T2 was 57.9, 15.9 seconds faster than my 1:13.8 last year.

Run 21:03.2 (7.01.1/mi)

The first mile is uphill. I felt okay, but didn't think I was going very fast. I goofed up hitting the split button on my watch as I exited T2, so I really didn't know how fast or slow I was going. My goal was to push the pain threshold. This is a sprint, and I should have been in pain mode the whole time. I haven't trained for that, but I figured I'd push a bit on the bike, then hit the run hard. I was passing people the whole time (since I started late in the swim, there were many slower people on the course), and only one person passed me. As I passed a guy in the last 1/2 mile, he said, "God loves you." I waved and drove on. I continued to push hard, though I didn't redline like I should have. More work to do. Still, my 21:03.2 was 1:37 faster than last year's 22:40.2 (7:17.8/mi).

I finished in 1:01:18.9, which is 5:31 from last year's 1:06:49.9. This put me in 5/33 place in my age group and 43/380 overall.

Eagle Creek Triathlon

This was my first time at Eagle Creek. It's a popular three-race series every summer, and I found my first race there to be a good experience. The race was sold out, and as is the case with many sprint races, was filled with a broad spectrum of athletes. From serious triathletes with expensive gear and podium goals, to recreational athletes on mountain bikes, this race has something to offer for everyone.

I arrived at the park later than I had planned, but still had just over thirty minutes before the race was to begin. Once I had my stuff set up in transition, I took a look at the lake. The water was warm, and I kept hearing a nagging voice telling me to switch to the duathlon. Wait, the voice was Don Carr (the race director) reminding everyone of the black algae warning. We had to sign waivers due to the state telling people to stay out of the water due to black algae. Included with the waiver was a list of warnings and symptoms that can occur after exposure. Don also reminded everyone that they have this warning every year, and it has never been an issue… He also reminded people that for the folks who didn't want to swim, there would be a duathlon instead. I was there for the tri, so I chose the black algae.

The Swim 12:52.6

The start was in waves, and I was near the back. When it came time to start, I hit the water and tried to settle in for a steady swim. Since I am not a fast swimmer (most adolescents can beat me in speed, though I can go for a long time), I don't swim hard, because because if I do, I shave almost no time, but expend exponentially more energy. Someday I'll work on technique… During the first 100m, I was focusing not on the race, but on the black algae. I was getting more and more lake water in my mouth every stroke. What did the warning say? Do not drink…cramps…diarrhea… What the hell was I thinking? Crap! Get your head in this race! The people around me were slower than me (wow), and I kept running into people's feet. This was my first open water swim, which I had always heard was radically different than the pool. So, I expected radical difference. I had not considered what to expect. Or I did, but it was not realistic. What I discovered was I did not have a good sighting technique, though I do swim straight. I was struggling to get around/through people, and getting hit by people doing the backstroke as I passed them. I even had to stop once, so I could see a way to get through a large cluster of people that seem to be stopped. The swim was 500m, and it took me 12 minutes, during which I never got settled in; it felt like high effort the whole time. Had I been in a pool, at this effort, I would have finished in about 10 minutes. Okay, maybe a little longer, considering I had been swimming just once during the past month.

T1 2:49

Exiting the water, I was glad to be finished. My bike was near the transition area exit, so I had to hustle. I didn't think I was going slow, but I had bits of gravel stuck to my feet and had to wipe them off. I got my helmet and shoes on, grabbed my bike a ran to the exit. I really have to practice transitions, because this was one of the slowest. Sheesh, I was already dressed and merely had to get a helmet, bike shoes, and bike (plus the time to run from the water and to the exit). But I was in the 20th percentile on transition speed. With practice, I should be able to cut a minute off of that.

The Bike 29:11.6

I hit the road with a simple plan: Go Fast. I'm not very fast, but for someone who doesn’t ride much, can do pretty well (I did recently average 22mph on a 20mi time trial). If I just put time into riding, I could be so much faster… Anyway, the first half mile was a bit clogged with people, making passing difficult. For most of the race, I was blowing by people (especially the mountain bikers). The ground was slick from rain, and though there were numerous warnings about a sharp turn at the bottom of a steep hill, there was a crash being attended to when I went through. I hit the turnaround and rode a steady but solid pace going back. As I approached the hill where I saw the crash, there was traffic control slowing people down to walking speed to make the turn. This was due in part to the meatwagon that was there just getting ready to take someone away, and probably to prevent another crash. As I rode the last half-mile, I had to slow down due to traffic, and a narrow chute to reach T2.

T2 1:46.2

Entering T2, I had a longer way to go due to being positioned near the exit, and running in bike shoes is a bit awkward. Well, the folks parked up front had the same issue before their ride, so I guess it's a wash. This transition also took longer than it should, but still a bit better.

The Run 22:48.4

The run starts at the base of a hill, and is just a simple out and back course. I was passing people the whole time, and was not passed by anyone (same as the ride). I felt decent, but my head was not in the game. I found myself on numerous occasions going too slow. I wasn't paying attention, and would slow down. I'd look at my heart rate and find I was barely in zone 4, when I should have been pushing much harder. I'd speed up, my mind would wander, and I'd slow down again. This is where having fast people in front of you, or behind and pushing would help.

Had I done the duathlon, I would have won overall, as it was small, and the field not very deep. Still, I didn't do too bad.

Next events:
9/19 Fishers Triathlon (sprint)
9/25 Cancer Free Lungs 5k
10/2 Powerman Muncie Duathlon 10k/60k/10k
10/16 Indianapolis Marathon and Mini (13.1mi)
11/6 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon 26.2mi

AND, I have already signed up for the inaugural 2011 Carmel Marathon.

Season Opener

I was in the Carmel Triathlon yesterday. It was a sprint, with a 400m swim, 10 mile ride, and a 5k run. I had fun, and as usual TuxBro put on a good race. I was concerned with the temperature, as I think Saturday night was the coldest it had been in weeks. Looking at the hourly forecast, it showed 29 degrees at 8am. With the race starting at 9, I was sure I was going to freeze. The thought of running to my bike, wet, and having to ride was not appealing. Fortunately, the forecast was not correct, and it was mid-40s in the morning. It was still going to be a chilly ride, but the sun was out, and that might help.


The Swim (8:41)

The swim was in the pool, and starts were in waves, based on self-reported 100yd swim times. I know I am slow, and I was assigned #578 (of 900), which should theoretically put me in an area with people about the same speed. Looking at people with 100s or 200s, I couldn't help but make judgments on how I thought there was no way the Biggest Loser contestants had to have underestimated their swim times. Can my swimming speed suck this bad? This helped, as it gave the sun another hour to warm things outside. The wave start flowed by bringing about 150 or so people from the gym to the pool at a time.

With a wave start, I didn't actually get to the pool until 10am. Looking at the people in the pool, it was clear there were real issues with the self-reported times. There were clogged lanes in places, and people who clearly could not swim. I saw someone dog paddling at the 25m point, and was hoping he would be out before I caught him. When it came time, I jumped in and swam comfortably, passing two or three people every 50m. I felt good, and didn't swim any harder than I do normally, as my technique is not efficient, and would burn exponentially more energy for minimal gain. Getting to the end, it took me a few seconds to figure out how to get out of the pool. The edge of the pool was a bulkhead, and I felt like a seal sliding on the pool deck.


T1-(3:24)

I jogged to my bike, and noticed gravel on the sweatshirt I had set next to my bike. Someone had wiped their feet on my sweatshirt/mat! All I had to do was get my socks and bike shoes on, put on my helmet, glasses and jacket, grab my bike and run to the transition exit. I already had my top and HRM on in the pool. And it still took forever. I could improve my time quite a bit if I actually practiced transitions…


The Bike (30:29 – 19.7 mph avg)

Coming out of T1, I was putting my gloves on as I approached a large speed bump. I was sure to have both hands on the bars as I hit it, because it was a big one. The group behind me didn't heed my caution, as I heard someone go down, and looking back I saw at least three riders laying in a pile on the pavement. Whew, I am glad I avoided that! The first couple of miles were chilly, and as I settled in I was glad to be wearing a jacket, and especially the full-finger cycling gloves. I was blowing by people the whole time, with at least 1/3 of them on mountain bikes. Many of these people were sized in a way that made me think of the self-seeding swim time issue I mentioned above. There were areas on the course where I was riding about 25mph, while other places just 15mph. In the end, the ride was uneventful, and I averaged 19.7mph.


T2 (2:21)

Nothing special here. I hung the bike, changed shoes, ditched the helmet, jacket, and gloves, and ran to the exit. I cycled my watch to recognize my shoe POD and focused on getting my legs.


The Run (21:05 - 6:47 avg)

I hit the split on my watch as I started the run and thought about how I shod add more bricks to my training… My legs didn't feel too bad, but I knew I need to work on it. Checking my watch, I noticed that a decision I made while having a bowl of oatmeal in the morning had come back to haunt me. I had consider changing batteries in my heart rate monitor and shoe POD, and decided against it, because I usually get some indication they need to be replaced. Not this time. Looking at the watch, I saw that both the HRM and shoe POD batteries were kaput. Oh well, I would have liked to seen the data, as it can be useful. I used the course markers for my time splits. My first mile was 7:20. Not bad for me. I felt slower, but had my legs and was passing people. Mile two passed at 6:50, which was surprising, as the perceived effort was not that fast. Mile three was about 6:06, which I have not seen in two decades. And I hadn't crossed into a pain threshold. I think I could have gone faster.

When I ran the Cancer Free Lungs 5k last September, I was well into the pain threshold during the last mile, and Mike had to slow down to drag me along. I was at my derived max heart rate then, and had not been there before. We finished that 5k at 21:44, and the course may have been short. This race was USAT sanctioned, and run by TuxBro, so the distance should be accurate. Given my effort was not as high as the previous 5k, and I was faster, even after a swim and ride, I am sure a major contributor to the added speed was the lighter shoes. I stopped using my orthotics, which made my shoes much lighter. I think it cut my pace by 20 seconds.

My final time was 1:05:52. I finished 14th in my age group, and 96th overall.

Training

This is an amusing application of text to video. Disclaimer: This is satire. I have heard that people have this type of experience, but I don't know anyone who actually has. The names have been changed, and any similarity to anything that might get me in trouble is purely coincidental.
Link to video


Here is another: Link to video2