Race Report: Ironman Louisville 2011

8.28.11

2.4 Mile Swim * 112 Mile Bike * 26.2 Mile Run

I don't know if last year I was disappointed after Ironman Arizona. Expectations can be a killer. It is hard to use the word disappointment when you finish any Ironman, especially when you PR. However, there were several things learned last year. I knew I had made mistakes, that I had not made the right decisions at critical points in the race. I knew this year, for this race, I needed to be smarter, cleaner and crisper in my decisions, solve the problems weeks before so that I may execute the plan.

It was weird. All week I wasn't every really nervous. Normally, I am nearly sick with anticipation. This year, I was calm, prepared. I was able to enjoy the greater Louisville area a little bit, and executed the patented 3,2,1 taper to perfection. (3 Beers 3 Nights out, 2 Beers 2 Nights out, 1 Beer 1 Night out.) I just kept going over everything I learned in Arizona and everything I have learned from my coach, Dave Ciaverella. Race morning was the same -- no nerves, just healthy anticipation. 

The swim in Louisville is different than most other Ironman races. Instead of the mass start that strikes fear in the hearts of many and sets the stage for the day with one of the great spectacles in sport, Louisville begins with a time trial-like beginning. Participants cue in a long line that eventually leads to two mats and two jumping off points. The course begins by going up the Ohio River around an island that eventually begins the trek down river to the swim exit. 

As soon as I got in the water I knew it was going to be a good swim. The Ohio, although considerably more skanky than I would prefer, was warm like bath water. Without the wetsuit my arms felt light and my elbows high in the water. After I rounded the corner to begin going downriver a guy swam past me. I quickly jumped on his feet and followed him for a good distance. I would say it was close to 1.5 miles in total that I was right on his feet.  Every time I lost him for a second, I would poke my head out of the water to find him. Luckily his arms were all tattooed up and made it easy to see him. When we got close to the exit and swimmers began to bunch up I lost his feet, but in my head I was thinking, "Thanks for the ride bro." I knew, even before getting out of the water it was going to be close to an hour, and easily my best Ironman swim ever. When I got on the first step I peaked at my watch. It read just under an hour, like one second under and hour. Having a swim like that really buoyed my confidence for the entire day. 

Swim: 1:00:48   


Transition One was pretty smooth. I didn't really face any problems, just had a really smooth go of it. One thing I made sure to do was make sure my feet were clean of any debris. I also wore socks on the bike for the first time. This may have taken an extra couple seconds to get them on, but I think well worth the additional time. 


Transition 1: 3:37


On the bike I immediately settled into my goal watts for the day. It was pretty flat for the first 10 or so miles and I was able to settle in for what would ultimately be a pretty challenging day. The course was not easy for me. I feel I am usually at my best  when I can get into a rhythm. Whether that is sustained flats or extended climbs I am at best at the end. This course was neither of these things. There were multiple short hills that really took me out of my comfort zone and required me to exceed my zone caps for just a second. The descents were not technical in any way, but for someone as light as me, weren't long enough to carry me over any of the following climbs.

At about mile 70 or so, my feet really started to hurt. I could tell my legs were ok, but the arches of my feet were killing me. I had trained all year with no problems like this, but now they definitely required me to eat into some of my mental stability. I had to dig deep, but I know it effected me. Fortunately, there were some pretty good descents that allowed me to rest them a little, but man, that is a problem I need to fix. I am not interested in that kind of pain. 

Also in the last hour and a half my nutrition started to back up a little. I had one vurp (vomit-burb) and back off the 20 minute cycle to 25 minutes for the remaining ride. Normally, I would have just tried to force it down, but experience has told me to be patient and back it off. I took a little more water in between nutrition doses and by the time I got off the bike everything felt great.

The final 8-10 miles are flat to downhill back to transition. I rode the last stretch with basically the entire group of guys that I got out of the swim with. It wasn't the time I was hoping for, but I knew I had left all I could out on the course.

Bike: 5:23:06

Transition was smooth and fast. I was able to get out of shoes in the last 500 yards of the bike and a execute a smooth cross dismount right into transition.

Transition 2: 2:47

The goal was to run 7:45 pace until mile 20 then give whatever I have left for the last 10k. I am very pleased with the way I ran this marathon. It may be hard to describe. I ran the first 1.5 miles at about 7:35 pace. This always happens. I tend to run the first mile way faster than goal pace. I knew I had to dial it back. I didn't think I was going to be able to hold 7:35 for the entire race. I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to hold 7:45s for the entire race. 


Although I was holding my goal pace pretty consistently, I was having a hard time figuring out how long the two loops after the little out-and-back at the beginning were. I played all kinds of tricks in my head trying to wrap my brain about the length and how much of it I had left. Eventually I figured out that mile 20 was going to be right before the turn around. It was there, if I had anything left, I was going to make my move. 


My nutrition, for the first time in an Ironman was spot on. I took my first dose 20 minutes in and was able to hold that consistency for the entire race. I know that was a major contributor towards my final 10k.


There was a slight rise in between miles 3.5 and 8, also between miles 15.5 and 20. My times slowed down a little on this rise, but I knew, coming down the other side I would be able to get it back. I did. At mile 19.5 I chewed up and swallowed two Excedrin. Between the caffeine and the pain relief I was like a new man. By mile 20, I knew I had enough left in the tank to kick. I was flying by people as they wilted in the heat. I know I caught 13 people in my age group. I think most of them were in the last 10k. I ran sub 6:56 or so for the final 6.2 miles. I thought it was going to be enough. It turns out, it wasn't. In the end I know I didn't leave anything on that course. I followed the plan implicitly, trusted my training and laid it all on the table.  

Run: 3:19:14

Total: 9:49:32

As always, I want to thank my family, for their support. I know they don't always understand it, but they know it's important. Thanks specifically to my father, who made the trek to Kentucky in support of this crazy lifestyle. 


I want to thank all my training partners. You push me every time we are out there. 


I want to thank Dave, my coach. The lessons you've taught me are invaluable. I wouldn't be here without you. 


Most of all, I want to thank Dacia for all the obvious reasons and some of the less obvious ones too. Thank you. 

Race Report: Ironman 70.3 Boise 2010

Ironman 70.3 Boise

6.12.10

Swim 1.2 Miles
Bike 56 Miles
Run 13.1 Miles

The real story of this race starts on April 18, 2010 at 1am. This is the morning of Ironman 70.3 New Orleans. I was supposed to be sound asleep. My alarm was to sound in 3.5 hours. Instead, I was barfing my guts out. Food poisoning. Salmonella. Crab cakes in the French Quarter two days before. It was bad, very, very bad. I crawled back in bed, and Dacia said, "Get hydrated, you'll still be able to race." She loves me. Then every hour, for the next 6 hours I ran to the toilet to expel the contents of my stomach. The venom wasn't finally purged for 4 more days, leaving my body weak and my fragile ego cracked.

After a week or two of licking my mental wounds, and getting back in a training rhythm, I knew it was time to seek some redemption. The place for this would be Boise. I knew, over the next few weeks, if I wanted a good result, I would have to bear down. I've probably never worked harder, smarter or was more consistent. Every training session had purpose. The guidance I received from my coach was invaluable.

That leads us to the Thursday before the race. Dacia and I packed up the car and drove to Boise. There was a little rain, but the forecast in Boise for race day looked good. The one thing I neglected to think about checking, was the wind report. The past two years of this race was marked with either cold temperatures or cold temperatures and rain. I didn't consider Boise was also capable of summoning the trade winds across the Treasure Valley. Those winds would be the story of race day.

Friday was marked with the usual preparations: racking my bike, making my nutrition bottles, stretching, drinking water, trying not to dwell on the impending event. We've all been there, thinking about what is going to happen the next day. Visualizing the chaos of the swim, the pedal strokes, each footstep. Preparing for the pain.

Saturday was like no other race morning. I slept in. However, the 2pm start provided some challenges. I was worried about what and when to eat. The ramifications from a wrong move could prove disastrous. Pancakes for Breakfast and some soup for lunch proved to be a smart move. Dacia and I went up to the base of the Lucky Peak Reservoir Dam around noon. The parking lot was filled with the normal business usually associated with the dawn pre-race ritual of checking tire pressures and ensuring proper body glide application. At about 12:30 we walked up the trail to the top of the damn and I began my preparation. I quickly found my Ironhead teammates who had conveniently located one of the few plots of shade in the transition area. The sun was already overhead. Preparation went quick, soon it was time for to get queued for the swim.


The water temps had been brisk and there had been a lot of talk about the previous years and their unbelievable cold temps. But on this day, after baking only a couple minutes in my wetsuit, the water temperature was a quick relief. The gun sounded and we were off.


I went out pretty hard. Usually I try to be conservative at the beginning and press toward the end, but I knew it was going to be choppy coming back in and if I was going to make any time it was going to be in the beginning, not at the end. This proved to be a pretty good strategy. I kept a good line entire time and after rounding the last turn the chop definitely picked up. I thought to myself this can't be good. I was hoping to swim under 30 minutes.  I had trained to do so, but this was my first lesson in revising my time expectations for the day. It would prove useful from this point forward. It was a good swim for me, but not great, and not what I expected.


Swim: 32:00


I got out of the water, looked at my watch, shook off the disappointment, took the top of my wetsuit off and proceeded to the strippers. First leg came off, no problem. Second leg, stuck. The guy was yelling at the chick tugging on the stuck leg, "Get it off!" I reached up to give a quick tug at my heel. "Pop!" Off it went. On to the bike. There was a small complication as my transition bag momentarily blew away. I saved it, stuffed it full of wetsuit, off I went.


T1: 3:05


Away on the bike I knew things weren't right almost immediately. I remembered on the decent from Lucky Peak two years ago hitting 50 mph. This year I was descending at 38 mph and a hot head wind was hitting me in face. Crap. This is a theme. Wind. The expletives in my head were bright and colorful. I just didn't want wind, but I overcame.  Fortunately I spent more than my fare share training on Sauvie Island, wind was something I could at least cope with.


It wasn't hot-hot yet, but I could tell it was going to get hotter. Two years ago, the course included a small climb up to the World Center for Birds of Prey. The course had changed since then and now included what amounted to a long out and back before eventually coming back to town. The course was essentially set up to where the majority was either direct headwind or severe crosswind. Although I had been pretty consistent, holding my pre race power strategy was out the window. I was being blown all over the place in the cross wind. One time the gust was so hard it slammed my knee into the top tube of my bike and I almost fell into the rocks. I saved it, but the next day Dacia asked, "Where did you get the bruise?"


It was getting hotter and by the turn around I knew I would only have about a 6 mile section where I would get a tailwind. I thought a lot of people would use this to rest and prepare to face the wind again. I knew I would have to make a move after the turn. I did, and passed at least three guys in my age group I didn't see again. When we lost the tailwind I just tried to be as conservative as I could without loosing any age group places. I knew a lot of people were going to blow up their legs in the wind and if I could manage to save some strength I could catch many of them on the run. Plus, I was starting to loose my mind. The wind was getting to me.

It was a windy, hot ride and hope never to have to replicate it again.


Bike: 2:42:07



When I finally got back to transition Dacia yelled, "You're only a minute back from the next guy." I put on my socks and shoes. Off I went. It was hot.

T2: 1:29

I started out on my two mile preliminary pace. I knew I had lost a lot of fluid, it was hot. Toward the end of the bike I took in a little more water than I normally would have, but in transition my stomach was already starting to cramp. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to push the pace very much harder, but I would probably be able to hold pretty close to this pace. The first four and half miles were an exercise in complete mental focus. My stomach hurt, I was overheating, but I knew there were people in my age group I could still catch.

Finally it dawned on me to dump a cup of ice down my shorts. For whatever reason, the cramps in my stomach subsided, so did this at ever aid station from this point forward. It definitely cooled my core temp. I should have done it earlier. I finally caught my friend Jake at about mile five, he told me to keep it up and that is all the motivation I needed. I knew I wasn't going to be able to go much harder, but if I kept this pace I was going to have a good result. It was damn painful at this point but I dug deep. The last stretch down to the finish was a blur.

Run: 1:31:06

This was my first podium finish in a big race like this. I am really proud of the result, especially on such a tough day. I can't think of a tougher day. I told a friend of mine, I would rather raced an Ironman on a normal day than go through that again. I also, proved to myself I can dig deep, that I have more to give. There is a deeper reservoir.

The awards ceremony was at 10pm. Late. I was tired and had already forced down a beer, but man was it sweet standing up there. Congrats to all the Ironheads on fighting through a tremendously tough day and congrats to Bill and Kaytee on their podium finishes. Afterward, Kaytee said it was hard to reconcile her time with her age group place. I agree.

Total: 4:49:48
 
Thanks to Dave C., my coach. My success is a direct result of his advice. Period.

Finally, as always, thank you to Dacia for supporting me in this crazy sport. I couldn't achieve any of it without you.

Race Report: Black Diamond Long Course

Black Diamond Long Course

9.26.9

Swim: 1.2 Miles
Bike: 56 Miles
Run: 13.1 Miles

The final race is over and it took me several weeks to post this report. I had a few other things going on, namely getting engaged the weekend after this race.

Life has settled back into its daily routine and its time to finalize another season. This was a good race for the end of the year. Now that a few weeks have past it came at the right time and the season ended at the correct time.

Aleck and I drove up on Friday afternoon. Traffic getting to the greater Puget Sound region was bearable. Aleck's new VW Routon was comfortable, but lacked sufficient bass. I have been assured he is working on it.

One of the great things about this race is its late start time. Nine a.m is nice. I got a great nights rest. Nutrition in the morning was standard. We arrived in plenty of time to get things prepared in transition. This was a welcomed change from my last race. Those escapades were detailed in another race report. I am very happy things went more smoothly this time. After posting my race report from Spokane my coach asked if this was my first race. Apparently things go more smoothly in your second race.

The swim started out very hectic. It felt almost like an Ironman start. Everyone was very aggressive and I am unsure why. There was a smaller channel in between the first buoy and the edge of the lake. I can only think that people wanted to be the first through that gap because it was almost like an all out sprint to the first buoy. That is the only excuse I can think of for such poor behavior.

I swam fairly well, but didn't feel overly strong. I hadn't been swimmingly that well leading up to this race, so I didn't expect to go under 30 minutes which would have been a good swim for me. I was able to find a set of feet to get on for a large portion of the second half of the second loop. It doesn't sound substantial, but it put me in a good frame of mind going into T1.

Swim: 31:08

I did not have the disastrous transitions in this race as I did in Spokane. It just goes to show that you shouldn't over sleep your alarm on race day. My time was pretty much in line with everyone else, so good for me.

T1: 2:15

Heading out on the bike I felt pretty good. This was the first time racing with specific power targets and it made a huge difference. This was easily the best bike split I have ever had. There was a different feeling in my legs throughout that had never been there before. I wasn't overly prepared for this race. Training had gone well, but not superb. However, there was some fluidity in my legs and it felt good.

The course was two loops and I held my target watts the entire first loop. On the second loop the air temp actually cooled down and the wind starting coming off the mountain. I tried to maintain my target watts, but just wasn't able to do it and settled in pretty comfortably 10 watts lower.

Jason passed me about ten miles from the finish. In the last couple races it has been m goal to stay in front of him as long as possible. I know I wont be able to fend him off for an entire race, but the longer the better. I stayed within sight of him the rest of the ride and we came into T2 within a minute or so of each other.

Bike: 2:32:06

My second transition was equally uneventful. Just as it should be. As we left transition Jason yelled to me, "Let's run this together."

T2: 1:25

For nearly the entire run Jason was about 45 sec. to a minute ahead of me. The entire run I tried to bridge the gap and couldn't. He just loomed out there, just far enough I couldn't make up the differential.

The run was tough. There were a couple really steep inclines. They were the kind of inclines that break up an momentum you have and sap the strength out of your legs. I tried not to think about it, and just kept focusing on what was in front of me. I was pretty consistent the entire race in terms of pacing. I know I slowed a little toward the end on the trail portion, but that is the way it ends.

Run: 1:31:08

In terms of overall races it was a good one. I PR'd by a few seconds, which leaves me with a sweet taste in my mouth heading into the off season.

4:38:02

Ironheads did exceedingly well. As we team we took four of the top seven places.

Race Report: Spokane Triathlon

Spokane Triathlon

9.13.9

Swim: 1.5k
Bike: 40k
Run: 10k

This race report will be different than most, as this trip was one part road trip, one part race. I signed up on a whim after some convincing from Aleck. I hadn't planned on racing, but he said, "The team needed me to earn some points for the team competition." I said, "ok."

I met Aleck at his house early Saturday morning. We packed up the van, and after some minor delays getting our bikes set on the rack, made our way to Kaytee's house to pick up the rest of the crew save for A.J. This went more smoothly. We had a system in place for bike loading. I think this helped quell any suspicions, as we were already behind schedule.

The drive to Spokane was relatively uneventful. Kaytee and Kelly seemed to drift in and out of slumber most of the waking only when we stopped for gas or needed a natural break. Aaron, Denny, Aleck and myself chatted lightly, for 5+ hours about how this course was supposed to be 'flat and fast', faster than Blue Lake.

We also learned almost immediately, this van had bass. Dirty, dirty high school bass that would be put to the test later.

We arrived in Spokane, ate food, and some of the contingency left for an ill-fated highway ride. They were only called 'fags' once. I think the perpetrators may have been confused because two of the four people riding were women. Maybe they didn't know the difference. I will give them the benefit of the doubt because this I believe was the only negative interaction we had with locals. Spokane was strangely friendly, even as I wore my University of Washington shirt all day after our first win in 666 days.

Aleck and I stayed behind to pick up A.J. from the larger than expected Spokane Airport. En route we put the bass to the test. This would help define the rest of the trip. Bass. Sweet, sweet bass. On this trip we learned the major differences between new school bass (Black Eyed Peas) and old school bass (Sir-Mix-Alot). Neither one is better than the other, both contain their own merits. We learned that optimally they both should be played on the 'supr bass' setting on a volume ranging from 36 to 40. We also learned that Eazy-E now makes me a little uncomfortable.

We ate at Old Spaghetti Factory. We came back. Watched some of the Oregon/Purdue football game, and fell asleep hoping Oregon would find a way to loose that game. (We awoke to find this was not the case.)

The following morning was interesting. A few of us woke at 4am, on schedule to eat. I drank down my calories, and without even thinking about it, crawled back in bed and quickly fell asleep. Seriously, all of us fell back asleep until there was a report on the door. The girls were waiting and wondering where in the hell we were. We sprang into action quickly, maybe a little too quickly.

We made it to the race site on time. We prepared our stuff. I got in the always long bathroom line. Did my business. Went back to my bike to get my wetsuit on...and discovered my shorts were on BACKWARDS!!!! I needed to get my wetsuit on, I was starting to think I wasn't going to make the start. AGhhh. My friends started walking to the start. I didn't have a towel. I didn't want to strip down right there. Fortunately, a girl sharing my bike rack recognized my dilemma and lent me a towel. I promptly fixed my shorts. I got my wetsuit on, but not well, found A.J., Aaron and Aleck and got position in the water where we thought there was a good line to the first buoy.

We all heard the course was clockwise, keeping the buoys on the right, but things weren't adding up. We weren't the only one who heard this, A.J. even asked someone for confirmation, but there was also a lot of people lined up to the right of us, obviously lined up for the opposite buoy. When the gun went off, I took a quick look at them and realized they were not heading for the same buoy. I thought, "oh shit!" I got back on course, but I know I missed at least a minute, maybe more, getting back on course. I swam the whole, shallow, knuckle-dragging thing, by myself. No drafting, which sucks. I was not happy with my time at all.

Swim: 24:12

T1 was an exercise in frustration. Since I hurried through getting my wetsuit on, I had a hard time getting it off. It got stuck on my ankle. It felt like I was in there forever and ever. I was building a camp there. Staying, making a home, right there in that parking lot. Some one would find me there fossilized and tangled in my wetsuit. Finally it broke free. I was free. Free...and off on the bike.

T1: 1:41

The bike was neither flat nor fast as the website had indicated and liaisons in Spokane had confirmed. It was slow. It was hilly. It was a good course, fair, but not flat and not fast. I went out slightly conservatively. I was expecting it to be flat, but there were obviously hills at the beginning. I thought I was conserving my energy to lay it out on the flats. There weren't any flats. I probably should have gone out a little stronger, but as I was not familiar with the course. I also lost a bar end.

At the turn I decided to give it what I had. I knew there would be a couple stiff rollers, but would power through them. I was a little distracted by the dude that came screaming past me drafting behind a car. He said, "Nice bike" as he passed. I was so flabbergasted I said nothing, but thought about many unrepeatable phrases. I had a good second half and started to prepare myself for a 'flat and fast' run.

Bike: 1:07:36

T2 was pretty smooth. No real issues. I was about average in the top 20.

T2: 0:47

I went out on the run and felt good. At the first mile post I looked at my watch and it read 5:47. "Ummmm.....I should slow down." The run course was flat, but not fast. I passed the dude who drafted past me on the bike. Repeated those colorful euphemisms in my head and proceeded.

There were like a million turns and the entire thing was on a gravel road. Gravel is not fast. I past a couple dudes in my age group and felt pretty good. I feel like I should have pushed a little harder. I should have been under 40 minutes, but it happens. "Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar eats you."

Run: 40:54

It was a fun race, everyone involved was great. They were happy we made the trip from PDX. It was a great experience.

Total: 2:15:07
3rd AG
14th OA




As a team we killed it. Veni, Vedi, Vici. Congrats to all.

Team Scores:

Ironheads- 88 Points (4-1st, 2-2nd, 1-3rd, 1-5th)

Tri-Fusion- 66 Points (3-1st, 1-2nd, 1-4th, 1-5th)

Team Blaze-53 Points (2-1st, 1-3rd, 4-4th)

As with all good road trips there has to be some obstacles and miracles.

The obstacle came in the drive home. We were tired. We had swilled down a few celebratory beers, ate some chow and headed home. We were dropping serious bass on I-90. Cruising. Not reading the signs. We missed our exit. We had overshot US 395. It wasn't by much, but we missed it alright. There was a classic deserted farm road, real 'Grapes of Wrath', that cut the angle back to the highway. We were still dropping bass and also using gas. More gas than we should have. Right before the highway, in what can only be described as as ghost town, we ran out of gas. There was only a Pacific Pride station in town. No one had an access card. We were screwed. As you can see: I decided to check the bikes. Someone was going to have to ride to Moses Lake. It seemed our only option.

And then....the miracle. Kaytee and Kelly flagged down a car. In the very first car, the driver worked at the gas station. No kidding. We were in the middle of nowhere. The first guy that stopped had gas. He would be right back. I was thinking, "No way. The only way out is going to be riding to Moses Lake. We have bikes."

But...he came back with gas. It was enough to make it to a gas station. He told us about the race cars he owned. We paid in cash. We were out of there. A miracle indeed.

We made it home safe and sound, many hours after we started. I wouldn't change it for anything. A very wise friend of mine once said, "the meaning of life is making stories."

We just added a few to the book.

Race Report: Hulaman Half

Hulaman Half

8.16.9

Swim: 1.2 Miles
Bike: 53 Miles
Run: 13.1 Miles

Wake up time was 5a race morning. This race was a point to point race, so I drove out by myself and Dacia came with her family to help facilitate the moving of cars from T1 at Hagg Lake to T2 at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR. I started drinking my standard 700 calories of Endurox as soon as I work up and finished it on the way to the race. I arrived at Hagg Lake, after dropping off my run stuff, at 545a. Set up was pretty easy and I was able to catch up with some friends after racking my bike and before putting on my wetsuit.

There weren't any butterflies fluttering in my stomach before, in fact I was slightly sluggish and unmotivated. For some reason, before the race started, I just didn't feel it. Right before the gun went off I remember thinking, “eek, here we go.” I, however, quickly settled in for a day that would ultimately be one of the more painful races I have endured. It becomes even more clear on days when you are mentally ill-prepared how difficult this sport can be.

I started the swim toward the front, but not far enough. I was busy thinking, "why am I racing today?" and missed my cue to get forward. I should have found some of my friends I know were going to swim faster than me and tried to stay on their heels as long as I could. Instead, I found myself fighting a little traffic and by that time they were gone. I wouldn’t see them again until after they turned on the run.

Pacing was good. I tried to draft when I could, but there wasn’t many people to get behind after I lost the lead group. I was kind of in the middle of nowhere. Also, I have found I almost always take a cleaner line to the buoys than most people. I kept looking out on my breath to see a pod of swimmers about 20 yards to my left. I would immediately sight I found I was on a direct course. I don’t know what they were doing, but I am glad I didn’t swim in their draft. I was pretty satisfied with my time. I would like to swim under 30 minutes, and probably would have if I were a little smarter.

Swim Time: 30:28

There were no real problems in T2. I was pretty smooth. There was a hill coming right out of transition so I decided to get my shoes on before getting on my bike. There would be nothing more embarrassing than falling over because I couldn't get my shoes on. This was a risk I wasn't willing to take. I got out and on my way without any problems.

The bike course was tough. Although I am beginning to think they are all tough for one reason or another. This course was two loops around Hagg Lake before heading into rural Forest Grove. I tried to pace the two loops pretty evenly, but the hills were killer. I knew I was going to probably average less watts after leaving the lake, but I knew this would probably be the best course of action. There was one other climb of note, but Clapshot Hill didn't seem as bad as it could have.

Fuelling was pretty standard. I did lose one bottle of nutrition at the end of the second loop of Hagg Lake. I was able to substitute the missing calories with a few gels I had stuffed in my pocket. My total caloric intake was pretty much the same as if I would not have lost the bottle. The loss could have been worse.

Bike Time: 2:34:37

There were no major issues in T2. I did take the time to put on socks. I know this probably took some time, but I thought it better. I wasn't that confident that my shoes were not going to give me blisters.

I was pretty glad to be off the bike and start the run. I ran the first 5 or so miles Kaytee Petross, a fellow Ironhead and eventual amateur women's champ. She knew she was in the lead, but felt there was someone behind her that could catch up. I wasn't so sure, but when she went I couldn't stay with her. I just tried to stay on a sub 7 minute pace. It was pretty close, as I know I ran miles 9 and 10 at about 7:30 pace. After I realized it was slipping away, I settled into a good pace and let 'er rip. I ran 6:30 for the final two miles to make up the difference, but I was pretty well spent at the line.

My legs just didn't have the strength to rattle off a great run. I could really feel that my turn over just wasn't that springy. I am sure this is the remainder of IMCDA in my legs. They just weren't recovered and I could tell the entire run. It was pretty painful. Nonetheless, it was good for the 6th fastest time of the day. I need to be faster.

Run Time: 1:30:41

Considering I am only 6 weeks from an Ironman I felt ok, and I can feel ok about my time because of that, but if I didn't have that as an excuse I would be pretty frustrated. I need to be faster.

Thanks to everyone.
My new coach Dave.
My training partners: Jason, Aleck, Jake, AJ.
My family.
Dacia. Most of all.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 4:38:48/10/5

Race Report: Ironman Couer d' Alene 2009

Ironman Coeur d' Alene 2009

Date: 6.24.9
Swim: 2.4 Miles
Bike: 112 Miles
Run: 26.2 Miles


The day before was great. Usually it is a day filled with race anxiety as I approach a day of the unknown. This time was different for a lot of reasons. I was the most relaxed I have been before any race for a long time. When I woke up, I chose to accept the next two days for what they are and make the most of them. I focused on controlling what I can control. Watched golf. Prepped my bike and nutrition for the next day. I tried to remain 'zen'. One of my favourite books of all time is Eugene Herrigel’s classic exploration of the Western mind grasping at the complex approach to the Zen arts: Zen in the Art of Archery. In it he says about his task, “the object is not to hit the target, but to be the bow.” For me, this has always meant staying present, remaining in the moment and staying out of my head. I wanted to do my best and this year it meant I needed to focus on the task and not the result. Training for this race was, to say the least, sporadic. It was riddled with obstacles.

Wake up time race morning was 4:30a, sleeping in. Our house was a five minute walk from transition, so I was able to get an extra half hour of sleep. Nice.
I arrived at transition with my friend Aleck at about 5:00a. It is always good to have someone else around for me. It keeps my mind off of things and allows me to stay relaxed. I met up with Jason, John and Laura to get our wetsuits on. For some reason things then got little hectic. Everyone was forced to funnel through a 10 foot gap in the seawall. By the time I got onto the beach and in position there wasn’t much time until the gun sounded. I had barely put my goggles on when I heard the cannon report. Through everything I was calm. Cool as a cucumber. My mental state the day before really helped.

I started the swim from the middle right of the beach. This location was pretty much exactly where I had wanted. The swim conditions were not favorable. The lake had considerable wind chop. On the way out, on the first loop, pacing was more like survival. Although having swam a couple days earlier in similar water conditions I knew it was going to be a struggle to the second turn. I had my goggles knocked ajar twice in the process of jockeying for position. The cross stretch was equally difficult, but different. Instead of swimming perpendicular to the swells, we were parallel. Literally, one wave dropped someone right on top of me right near the turn home. The second loop was slower, but also slightly easier. I knew I had expended a lot of energy on the first loop. Also There were many less yahoos slapping me in the face on the second loop. I really enjoyed that aspect of the second loop. I was able to get a good draft coming home and I exited the water happy to be out of Lake Coeur d’ Alene. There is not much to say about the swim, other than it was brutal. It was draining mentally and physically. I had hoped to swim right around an hour, maybe a little faster, but given the conditions 1:06 was damn good. I was only 4 minutes behind Aleck, I will take that any day.

Swim Time/place/AG place: 1:06:44/247/38

I was pretty calm in T1 until I couldn’t get my arm warmers on. I really wished that would have worked out, but it didn’t. I have learned a few tricks since then and I wont let it happen again. I freaked out a little when I couldn’t get them on. I left them with a tent volunteer and left. (Miraculously, they ended up in my bag after it had left. Thanks to the many wonderful volunteers that made the day a success.)

T1: 3:37

I went out on the bike pretty easy. I tried to break each loop into three sections. I tried to maintain a pretty solid, but easy pace for the first 20 miles. It is about then that the hills start the second section. The hills were tough, but manageable. I really tried to spin up the hills the first time around. I knew they would be much tougher the second time around. I didn’t really get passed by a lot of people, but I did loose some positions, but more importantly time. I managed through, and based on some rough estimates it didn’t seem like I lost too much time. The last section had some pretty good wind all the way in. This really messed with my head and by the end of the first loop legs we a little wobbly.

On the second loop things were about as I expected. Tough. The hills seemed longer and steeper, the wind more stiff. By the time I got off the bike I was more than ready. I don’t really know where things went wrong, but I did expect to go a little faster. I need to find a way to get under 5:30. Period.

Bike Time/place/AG place: 5:38:02/242/49

I felt good going into T2. No problems. I was able to get my compression socks on without any problems. Thanks again to Aleck for giving me a hint on that one. I felt in control and glad to run.

Time: 1:53

On the run I went out at a pretty controlled pace, maybe a little slow, but given my mishaps at Canada last year, I didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes. For the first 50 minutes I ran slightly under 8 minute pace. My plan for the rest of the run was pretty simple. I was going to walk every 25 minutes until the turn to come home on the second loop. Then reel in as many people as possible. This worked pretty well. It kept my HR low and allowed me to break the run into very clear defined segments. At the turn into town I tried to reel in as many people as I could. Every time I passed someone I looked to pass the next. I was moving at a pretty good clip. I don’t know pace and the time on the website is wrong, so….hopefully they will update it.

Fueling was a bit of challenge. My plan was to wear my fuel belt and use the same strategy I use in training runs. I quickly learned my stomach was not going to take any fuel anytime soon and ditched the belt and decided to rely on whatever I could in my special needs and the aid stations. I didn’t really take anything in for the rest of the run besides water. I could tell things were loosening up, but not enough that my stomach was going to be ok with more gel. I decided to take water at every aid station and stay as hydrated as possible.

This was a PR on the run, so I feel good about it, but it is hard to feel that I may have left something out there on the run. It is hard to say.

Run Time/place/AG place: 3:38:22/174/37

I really felt good the entire day. I think, based on my limited running and uneven training this year, I was a little too conservative to start both the bike and run segments. I just didn’t have to confidence to go out harder, so I settled on a comfortable pace. I knew much of the training was in place, but not enough for me to be super confident and let it all out.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 10:28:38/174/37


As always, there are people to thank. People who have been integral in my success.

Thank you Scott for a plan that worked for me this year.
Thank you to my training partners: Jason, Aleck, Jake, AJ, Laura and Bonnie.
Thank you Family. Your patience with me is astounding, your encouragement endless.
Thank you most of all to Dacia. None of this is possible without her love and support.

Race Report: Ironman World Championship 70.3

Ironman World Championship 70.3

Swim: 1.2 Miles
Bike:56 Miles
Run: 13.1



Wake up time as usual was early, 4:15a. I slept well. I wasn't overly nervous race morning, Just excited about the day ahead. I knew, if nothing else, I was going to have fun. As many people told me, I was going to enjoy the experience. This really set me up for a good day. Attitude is everything. Breakfast was not exotic, the standard 800 cal of Orange Endurox. I meant to have a gel before the swim, but forgot.

We arrived at the race around 530a. Warm up consisted of little more than some stretching. My heart rate was a little high all morning. It wasn’t really nerves, but more like excitement for the day. I always take the position that there is nothing I can do now, just have a good day, stay focused and have fun.

Swim

I started in the third row. The beach start was a little hectic; they didn’t really get us through the shoot and on the beach in time to jockey for ideal position. I just took what was available. I would have liked to get a little further to the front. I had to climb over some people and in the end this probably hurt my time a little. In the beginning I felt a little slow. It was probably due to the lack of a real warm up in the water. About a quarter of the way in things loosened up and I felt like I was making up some good ground. After the turn I really started to pull. Drafting was a little more difficult than I expected due to the ocean currents and waves. Any slightest wave would either move me or the person I was drafting off and it took some time to get back on.

After the turn, coming back in was difficult. There was a less than zero percent chance of seeing the finish line because of the glare. It was even pretty hard finding the next buoy. This was a little disconcerting until I was able to sight off the pier about a quarter of the way from the finish.

Swim Time: 31:25

T1

I never really know what to say about transitions. Most of mine have been realtively inconsequential (Save for Boise this year.) I probably should have started with my shoes on the bike. I couldn’t decided the best course of action the day before and am still unsure which would have been best.

Time: 3:06

Bike

I went out at a good pace. With the Causeway right near the beginning it is tough to keep the heart rate down going over it. I felt like I paced the beginning, but started to lag toward the end. Part of this was some frustration seeing large packs fly by while I felt somewhat helpless.

The bike was interesting on a lot of levels. I expected to be swept away in some peloton. I expected this to happen in the first couple miles. I expected to not have a choice; that they would sweep by and I would be caught up in its massive draft vortex. None of these assumptions were true. I didn’t really get passed by more than one person at a time until the 25 or 30 mile mark. By this time I had promised myself that no matter the situation I would stay out of the packs, ride my own race and be confident in my time. Around mile 40 or so the packs kept flying by, but I stayed out of them. I knew I was sacrificing places, but it was more important to feel good about my race when I was done.

I know that mid November on the triathlon calendar is reserved for the endless debate of drafting after the races in Panama City and Clearwater, FL. Sure there was drafting at Clearwater. There was a lot of it. I stayed out of it. I knew I wasn't going to be on the podium that day and it was more important for me to feel confident in my time. I wanted to feel like my day was exactly that, my day, not day where I would have to share any credit with the peloton screaming down the road. I don't participate in this sport for glory or podiums, but rather for the personal challenge in front of me on any given day. I can't and never will be able to change other racers approach to this sport, only approach each day with my best.

Bike Time: 2:27:09

T2

No problems. I decided to put socks on, that cost a couple seconds, but not enough to worry about.

Time: 2:16

Run

My first mile was about 6:40, so I slowed down considerably. I may have slowed down too much. I was supposed to start pushing it at mile 8, but this was the base of the Causeway bridge. I decided to wait until the top of the bridge. This kind of threw off my pacing. I probably could have pushed a little harder though out the run.

I didn’t feel like I ran into any major problems within the framework of my own race. It was important, however, to stay focused on my own race and not worry about the people passing me. I had an expectation of going 4:30. This I realized wasn’t going to happen and sort of made me loose focus. Also, my knee had some pain again at about mile 9 in the run. I really need to figure out what is going on with this. I have some assumptions and am working on getting it straightened out.

Run Time: 1:35:06

I am very happy about the PR by over 4:30, but again I think I can go considerably faster.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 4:39:09/426/84( of 126)

Thanks again to everyone. Scott, My Family, Jack and Brigitte, Most of All Dacia.

Race Report: Gresham Jazz Run 10k

I won overall today. It was a lot of fun. My sister asked me if this was the first time I had won a race. I promptly responded with, "No. I won the Middle School Mile." So It is the first time I have crossed the finish line first in about 16 years. I will take it. This year, the race's first, was very well organized and the course was tough. It was a mix of trail and neighborhood roads. Although there were not a lot of participants I can tell it will grow.

The competition was not outstanding. The Portland Marathon was last week accompanied by its family of races, consequently many of the runners who would have been at a race like this were not. My father quickly pointed out that on days like today you have little to gain, but much to loose. I am glad I didn't end up on the wrong side of that.

I wanted to run about 36 minutes, but after the first mile and its severe up hill, I knew it wasn't possible and attempted to settle into a nice rhythm. That first hill was a doozy. I had to shorten my strides to little pitter patter elf length. The last two miles were pancake flat and I just settled in and rode it home. Not much else to say.

Time: 39:54
Pace: 6:25

Race Report: Portland Marathon 5 Miler

It was a perfect morning for running your guts out. In preparation for Clearwater I am doing a lot of speed work, which includes some shorter road races. My goals today were, first, to go under 30min. This I did not accomplish. Second, Finish top 5 in my age group. This I did. Third, and most importantly, go hard, push the limit. Achieved.

I knew this was not going to be my fastest day, after riding for three hours the day before, but I still felt like I had enough to go sub 6min pace. I was on this pace until about 300 meters from the finish. That is when I started to feel the heave reflex trigger. I knew the last minute was going to be painful, heaving every 10 or 15 steps. I was on the rivet the whole time, but luckily I did not barf. As those of you know who have done any run from downtown PDX, we had to run up the Front Street hill to Broadway. This is stupid and although it does create some separation, it does not make for a fun run. So here are the stats.

Total time - 30:17
Age Group - 2/49
Overall - 13/1239

Ironman Canada 2008 Video

My brother-in-law, Patrick, never ceases to amaze me. His humor is impecibly timed and his thoughtfulness even more so. He put together a video of IMC weekend and I can't thank him enough. It is totally sweet...Check it.

Race Report: Ironman Canada

Ironman Canada

Date: 8.24.08
Swim distance: 2.4 Miles
Bike distance: 112 Miles
Run distance: 26.2 Miles

As usual for race morning wake up time was early, revelry at 4am. I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before, probably four hours, but I felt rested from my taper and not overly nervous. I started my standard 700 Cal of Endurox for breakfast. (Again, I must ask the powers to be that if possible I would like fruit punch to come back as an Endurox flavor. I never liked orange that much to start with and am now certainly sick of it.) My family was quickly roused from slumber and the excitement was palpable. It seemed they were more nervous than myself, everyone had their concerns, none were the same. I just wanted to survive.

I arrived at transition around 450a. I didn't really warm up. I tried as best I could to prepare for the day. I rechecked my transition bags, I made sure my helmet was appropriately adjusted, etc. I felt surprisingly calm. The night before I had the usual apprehension associated with the swim start, like getting trampled in the water or punched in the kidney, but by the time I showed up at the race site my stomach was without excessive butterflies.

I had heard the horror stories about Ironman swim starts, so I did my best to find space where I would have clean path to the buoy line. I started on the left, but not all the way to the left. I found some space where I knew I would be able to get some open water before things got cramped. I really felt like I built into this swim. I started out pretty conservatively, but picked up the pace at every buoy. It was pretty difficult finding anyone that wanted to swim at my pace. The trouble is that to draft they really have to be slightly faster than you so that the draft will carry you. Basically, I would spend sometime drafting and then when I felt the energy build back into my arms I would surge past to find another set of feet to cling on to. I felt good the whole time. All the problems I anticipated, but I have the feeling that this was a fairly calm swim start. I didn’t get mauled or punched….so I have that going for me.

Swim Time/place/AG place: 1:05:59/379/62

T1 went smoothly. I was pretty calm. Since the swim went well, I wasn’t overly concerned about getting on the bike. I probably could have been slightly faster, but I felt prepared. I spent considerable time in the morning figuring out exactly where my bags were and where I needed to go next. I put on my shoes in the tent, but then had to run like a half mile to get to my bike. In retrospect I probably should have waited to put them on when I got to the rack. This probably would have been faster.

T1: 3:16

It was pretty exciting leaving town on the bike, hearing people shout your name. I can see how you could get carried away, but the task at hand forced me to keep things under control. There were 112 miles ahead.

There were times where it felt like I was expending too much energy, especially on the flats. I felt good on the hills. Scott had given me a pretty good description of Richter Pass and am glad he did. It really allowed me to pace the climb much better than I would have otherwise. In fact, the hills were probably the best times of the ride. I was certainly prepared for them. The hardest time, without a doubt was the time between Richter Pass and Yellow Lake. The rollers were not easy and since we had a head wind going down to Osoyoos I felt like we should have had a tail wind the other way. Not the case and it totally screwed with my head.

I stuck to my fueling strategy well. The only caveat being that it took a little longer to get to special needs than I expected. This meant I needed to supplement my calorie intake with gels. Although I don’t know if it ultimately hurt me I would have preferred to have my bottles. When I got back to town I still had about ¾ of a bottle left. (I later spilt this all over myself when I went back to pick up my bike.) The bike was tough, and probably harder than I expected it to be. The downhill back to 97 and into town was much needed as my legs were becoming unwilling to pedal.

Bike Time/place/AG place: 5:37:25/322/52

I was pretty damn glad to get off the bike. My legs were tired and felt at this time the run would be a much needed change. I didn't know someone had ordered up some wind. I wish they wouldn't have done that.

T2: 2:01

It was pretty hard to keep things under control at the start of the run. The 8:00/mile cap was nice, but there weren’t any mile markers going out until mile three and by that time I had already been running 7:30 pace. Pacing was fine after my initial three miles until we got into the head wind about mile 7 or 8. This is where things really started to unravel for me. The headwind was strong and I should have slackened my pace and save my remaining energy for the way home, but I felt like if the wind would keep up it would just blow me home. Of course, the wind softened and the help I had counted on was non existent. By mile 20 there was some pretty good pain in my legs, but I knew I was going to finish in pretty good time and the adrenaline certainly carried me to the finish.

There were points when things started to get a little fuzzy, especially on the bike, but a quick sip and I was right back on track. Between mile 8 on the run and mile 15 I started to have some doubts about my ability to gut it out. The head wind sucked and really took a lot out of me. About mile 15 I felt some strength come back into my legs and this is when I knew I was going to cross the line. I was pretty tough the whole way on the run, and I had to walk a couple aid stations, but they were short walks.

Run Time/place/AG place: 3:45:42/182/29

For my first Ironman I can say I am pretty happy with the outcome. I remember my first Half Iron, I remember it being so tremendously hard, but have learned to understand that distance and what my body is capable of doing. (Although I still think my best races at that distance are ahead of me as well.) Right now my legs are sore, my mind is still a little exhausted, but I know I can improve on this performance. Most importantly however, I am proud to have this race under my belt and am looking forward to IMCDA in June.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 10:34:23/182/29

I want to thank a lot of people:

My family for their support and encouragement even when they don't understand what I am doing or why I would do it. On race day their voices carried me to the finish.

Scott McMillan for his guidance. I couldn't have done it without him. (If you write it down, it will happen. Right Scott!)

All of my Ironheads teammates. Aleck and Jason for those long rides. Everyone on the course on race day. This team is awesome and I am proud to be a part.

Dan for being a friend and confidant par excellence. You made the drive to Penticton with me last year and were here with me in spirit this year.

Finally, Thank you Dacia, you are my inspiration. I couldn't do it without you. I love you.

Race Report: Deschutes Dash Olympic

Deschutes Dash Olympic Triathlon

Date: July 19, 2008
Swim distance: 1.5k
Bike distance: 25mi
Run distance: 10k

Wake Up time for this race came at 545a; not bad. I got a good night sleep, for the most part, considering it wasn't my own bed. As soon as I woke, brushed my teeth and took care of some other necessary morning duties, I started to ingest my standard 600 Calories of Endurox. I have recently switched to Tangy Orange flavor due to the limited availability of fruit punch. I would prefer fruit punch. Dacia and I arrived at Race at 630a, parked and proceeded to get set up.

At some point after arriving the race director made an announcement that we had all parked in a fire lane and would be towed. This incited a mad dash of spandex and lycra clad athletes to road to move their vehicles. Classic. My Pre race Warm-Up included a 15min run about an hour before the scheduled race start. I was not nervous. I felt really calm, maybe too calm. I spent the morning joking around with Aleck and Jake.

The swim took place in the Deschutes River. We had to walk about a 1/2 mile up stream for the start. It was cold but like Boise I went for the double cap. This was a good idea. I started the swim at the front of the pack, but since it was a down current swim a couple people thought that meant they needed to go out hard. In the process they went over the top of me. The current also led to some strange pacing. The current just pulled me along, but it also messed with my form. I wasn't always sure how fast I was swimming. I was in open water the whole time after getting out of the pack. There were a few people in my wave who were certainly faster than me; behind me by 15-20 yds was the next person. Sighting was very important. The river is curvy and to stay on track in the middle of the river I had to sight constantly. That was the basis for some form problems. I think that if you swam the section more frequently you would be able to keep your head down more consistently. That was not my case.

Swim Time/place/AG place: 15:29/14^th/2nd

On the bike I went out hard as my coach, Scott, suggested. The course was pretty flat until about the six mile mark then things took a steep turn up. I pushed it up the hill, but it was tough. I saw 10 mph at one point in the climb. I can’t remember a time when I saw a race speed so slow. Heart rate was low coming back into town. It was downhill the entire way into T2. The second half of the course was screaming fast. Averaged, that's right, averaged over 30 mph coming back to T2. For all the pain going up, it was fun coming back down.

Bike Time/place/AG place: 1:10:18/6^th/1st

I Cramped a little putting my shoes on in T2. That pretty much sucks and I lost a couple seconds in the process. I will continue to practice this in all my spare time.

On the run I went out smooth as usual to get my legs under me. The legs felt good and strong. It was a two lap run course. The first lap was hectic. That is the best way to describe it. This run was kind of xterra-ish. Dirt Trails. Under a bridge on a 10inch wide path. Across some soft grass. The second lap I knew what I was in for and pushed it. I can’t say for certain, but I am pretty sure I negative split the second lap. I felt strong the whole run. My legs felt good, strong even. My lungs on the other hand burned the whole time. The altitude stung.

Run Time/place/AG place: 37:18/5^th/1st

I felt pretty positive throughout the race. There were some fleeting moments before reaching the apex of the bike climb where my legs burnt and my head was not clear. Luckily the turnaround appeared and down the hill I went.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 2:05:29/6^th/1st

In general I am pretty happy about this weekend. I won my age group. What is not to like about that.

Race Report: Blue Lake Olympic

Blue Lake Olympic Triathlon

Date: 6/16/2008
Swim distance: 1.5k
Bike distance: 40k
Run distance: 10k

So, I don't want to start out this report with excuses for my relative performance. I will say, now at the outset, I am please with my performance. I felt a little nervous at the beginning. I knew I was not going to have the legs for a great day, nonetheless it was a good day.

I started the swim right in the middle. This was probably my first mistake of the day. I should have started a lot closer to the front. I know I am not the fastest swimmer, but I am not the slowest either. I should have started closer to the front. I had to climb over several people to get into some open water. Pacing throughout was good, but possibly a little slow. I was able to get a good draft along the back stretch and after the second turn I pushed it around the guy I was drafting. Sighting wasn’t great, the turn buoys were the same color as all the others. This makes for some confusion. One guy, at the second to last buoy made the turn to home. I felt a little bad for him. Also, I have gotten a lot better at swimming straight. I know this sounds maybe insignificant, but swimming straight really helps. The quickest route between two points is that straight line.

Transition 1 was a little shaky. This was the first time I’ve had to take my own wetsuit off in a very long time. At Boise they had strippers (no, not those kind). So, I was a little nervous and it slowed me down. I didn’t have enough lube on ankles and the suit had a hard time coming off. I didn’t panic, but was slow.

I started off on the bike a little quick. I should have controlled myself a little better at the beginning. I did settle into a good pace, but my legs did not feel great. I pushed through it, but there was pain. The kind of pain were you know you are sacrificing some time on the run, but can’t help it. You still push through it. At the end, I pushed ahead of a couple people I was behind the whole time. I knew I wouldn’t see them on the run, but I didn’t know how many people I was going to be able to catch off the bike.

Transition 2 was not better than T1. I couldn’t get my shoes on. It slowed me down considerably. The preset laces were too tight, my feet were a little numb, the combination was problematic.

I really controlled my pace at the beginning of the run. I wanted to run fast, but I knew my legs were not going to be able to kick the whole time. I wanted to save what I had in the tank for the final miles. As bad as my legs hurt I did negative split the final 3 miles. Final mile was 5:45, best mile of the day. However, that was not good enough. I didn’t however, get passed once. For me this is a good measure of my run strength.

As I mentioned this was not the best day I have ever had. My bike was not the best. I just didn’t feel like I had the power I needed or can have on a good day. Because my bike was such a struggle mentally and physically, my run suffered. This is usually my greatest strength, but not today. However, I did learn some things in this race. I need to practice taking my wetsuit off. I need some new laces for my shoes to make the transitions better. I also learned that some days you just aren’t going to have it. The day was good, I don’t have a lot of complaints about my performance, but not great.

Time: 2:09:10
Overall: 21st
Age Group: 4th

Race Report: Ironman 70.3 Boise

Ironman 70.3 Boise

June 1, 2008
Swim distance: 1.2 Miles
Bike distance: 56 Miles
Run distance: 13.1 miles.

Dacia and I drove to Boise early the Thursday before the race. I went on a short run after settling into The Modern Hotel, and found my heart rate about 6-8 beats higher than it should have been. This was my first experience racing at an altitude totally dissimilar to the one I train in. I was kind of concerned I would not acclimate well enough. By race day however, I felt better about things, and during the race heart rate numbers read pretty similar to what I had expected.

I had a good sleep the night before. The last time I saw the clock it was 10pm-ish, maybe earlier. Not bad for a pre-race sleep and its accompanying nerves. I was not overly nervous race morning. I knew the water was going to be cold, but I was prepared. I swam the two previous days and it helped knowing what to expect when that water started to seep in though the wet suit zipper. It was windy, but couldn’t control it. Everyone had to deal with the wind and its offspring -- Choppy Lake Waves. We were in this together, all 1000 of us. I could tell most everyone was nervous about the swim and I knew I felt better than most. I had two goals going into this race:

1. Race under 4:45.
2. Get a slot to Clearwater.

Scott, my coach, wrote a very deliberate race plan. This gave me a lot of confidence through race weekend. Every night before bed I read it over. I didn't want to have to guess about things on race day. I needed the information at hand.

In the swim I started in the middle towards the front. Pacing went well. I felt pretty consistent through the entire swim. I knew everyone was going to struggle based on the conditions. I have had experience with bad swim conditions in the past. Timberman 70.3 two years ago was not as cold, but certainly bigger waves. Rain pouring down. Generally miserable. There is nothing like looking up at 2.5 foot swells on a lake. That was not the case at beautiful Lucky Peak Reservoir. (No joke, it was beautiful. I will post some good race morning pictures Dacia took.)

Based on swims I did the previous two days I was able to sight based on hill landmarks and trees, not the ever invisible buoys. It was cold. That slowed everyone I am sure. We didn’t really get a chance to warm up, so I started pretty slow and didn't really warm up until the first turn. I came out of the water in 35:32, which was slower than I had anticipated, but based on the other times it seemed the cold slowed everyone.

Per the plan I went out slow and controlled I knew I had a long race ahead of me and didn’t want to burn things up. Christian, a fellow Ironhead, flew past me at about 100 mph, and I resisted the chance to chase. I hoped to see him later on the run. I tried to keep pretty constant the whole race. I wanted to make sure I had enough for the run. That was key. There was a period between mile 35 and 45 where there were a lot of false flats with head winds. Aleck, another Ironhead blew by me, and said how hard I was to catch. I was thinking that if I was so hard to catch we wouldn't have made up the 10 minute difference in our start times! (Aleck had a great race. Congrats!) I started to feel my legs weaken from the headwinds, not Aleck's sass, but didn’t let up. After mile 45 conditions became more favorable, Aleck was no longer in sight, and knew I wasn’t going to catch him. It was downhill from mile 50 all the way in to T2. I ended the bike 2:34:23. This is massive improvement for me, but I know I have more to give.

On the run I tried to keep things above 7 minute miles for the first two like my plan suggested, but they ended up being 6:34, 6:38. I felt like I would be able to hold his pace throughout, but slowed down to 7:00 for the next 3 miles. I wanted to be able to kick at the end. Pacing for rest of run? Mile 5 I started to pick things up and at the turn around starting the second lap I dusted the guy I had been pacing. I wanted to hold this pace until mile 8, but at mile 7 something said go and I went. I finally caught Christian around mile 9, I think. Mile markers were inconsistent at best so it was pretty hard to get actual pace times. I got back to running around 6:35. Then things went kind of bust. It wasn’t a full on bonk, most everything felt good, but I wasn’t able to give that kick I had expected. I finally settled in at a comfortable 7 minute pace. I wanted to go under 1:30, probably would have if it weren’t for the last tenth of a mile! In retrospect, I should have waited until mile 8 to push it. That would have been better. I would have had the power to give it a better go at the end. However, 1:30:20, is a good day.

I felt positive the whole day. Much of it had to do with my plan going in. Even before the swim, during that nervous time before the gun, I felt good. Only once did, “Why in the hell do I do this?”, cross my mind and it was fleeting. I was pretty happy with the whole day, but I can’t say I am satisfied. That kind of improvement is something to be proud of, but I know I have more speed in my legs, both on the bike and in the run. I would have liked to get that automatic qualifying spot to Clearwater, but sub 4:31 was not in the cards on this day. At least I got it in the roll down. I am glad to be going. I ended the day 4:44:30, 8th in my age group, 33rd amateur.

Boise was a great host and the race, for being in its first year, was very well organized. The only major complaint was the parking situation at the swim. It was pretty hard for spectators to make it up there. Dacia had to wait in a parking lot for 1.5 hours before they would let her drive back to T2 in downtown Boise. The finish line was great and thanks to all the Ironheads both racing and not for the support. Most importantly, thanks to Dacia, I couldn't do this without her.

Race Report: Hawthorn Farm Sprint

Date: May 3, 2008
Swim distance: 500yds (Pool Swim)
Bike distance: 13.2 Miles
Run distance: 3.1 Miles

Result
Swim Time/place: 7:14/15^th
T1: 0:49
Bike Time/place: 34:10/7^th
T2: 0:35
Run Time/place: 18:17/1^st
Finish Time/place/AG place: 1:01:07/5^th/3^rd

I was not overly nervous for this race. However, I haven’t raced since Lake Stevens last year, so I had a little trepidation about the transitions. Not something I practice very often, if ever. I felt pretty calm throughout, but a little pissed about the swim start stuff. I will get into it later.

Well. I was obviously seated in the wrong swim group which made for several interesting situations and affected my psyche the whole race. I lapped everyone in my lane twice. This was no easy task and certainly slowed me down several times. At one point I was even breast stroking because I had no where to go. I believe I probably lost as much :45 to a 1:00 minute in the pool due to this. Also, I was not really racing with my actual competitors. Much of the race I was wondering where everyone else was. I was finishing as everyone else was getting off the bike. I never saw anyone.

I did, however, feel strong in the pool. If it weren’t for the pacing and obstruction problems I know I could have gone considerably faster. A 6:30ish swim. That makes me happy.

Pacing on the bike was ok. I didn’t feel like I had a ton of strength in my legs and my time indicated it. I was pretty consistent and the one hill, although I slowed more than I wanted, wasn’t as challenging as I expected. Plus, I was able to scream coming down the back side.

I love T2. For some reason it always gives me a charge to get off the bike and start running.

I have in the past gone out too hard on the run and had difficulty maintaining my pace. I started to in this race as well, but was able to dial it back a bit and get things under control fairly soon.

Pacing for rest of run? As I previously discussed with my coach, Scott, I went hard. I knew I had a good run in me, but wasn’t sure how good until I got my feet under me. By the time I got to the first turn around I began to see some people I started the swim with, but they were some distance back. By the second turn around they were even further and this made me push it even more. I wanted to leave no chance of anyone catching me from behind even though at that point I thought it unlikely. The last quarter mile or so I did ease up just a little but still had some gas in the tank to give. In retrospect this was a bad idea. I should have pushed it.

It was a little strange not seeing anyone I was actually competing against until after I had finished and ate a banana. Then to see four of them surpass my time made me start analyzing where and how I could have gone faster. Frankly, I was a little distracted by not seeing anyone.

I felt positive throughout the race, even when I felt a little dry heave at the beginning of the run. I knew it would pass and wasn’t nutrition oriented, but mostly pace related.

I am pretty happy with the result, but know I could have gone faster. Certainly the swim was one place where I feel I lost considerable time, but most of that was out of my control. I also know I left a few seconds out there on the run as well. Mostly, however, I know I need to get faster on the bike without sacrificing my run speed. That is, I believe the real challenge ahead of me. When I look at the times ahead of me the major discrepancy was on the bike splits. So….There you have it.

Also, my brother-in-law took a short video of me finishing. Enjoy.

Race Report: Race for the Roses

Today was the Race for the Roses Half Marathon. The race went pretty well. I felt much more prepared than I did for Shamrock Run a couple weeks ago. Below are the stats.

Place: 26/1909
Age Group: 6/105

Total Avg. HR: 166
Peak HR: 187

Two mile splits and heart rate numbers.

1. 12:46 162
2. 13:29 168
3. 12:40 164
4. 12:45 166
5. 12:38 167
6. 13:11 166
Final 1.1 7:17 165

The second 2 mile split was uphill. As you can see I started to slow off my pace in the final segments.

My lungs felt strong the whole time, but the legs were tired from the get go. Yesterday's workouts were mentally draining for some reason. I am sure this had something to do with my tired legs today. I think I could have gone considerably faster in this race on a good taper. Someday, I know, I will break the 6:00 mile pace.