I had been visualizing this race for the past week. My plan was to swim hard, bike harder and then run as fast as I could.
I had planned on getting to the race site early and getting in a very long easy warm up. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. My daughter got her driver’s license today and we went to the DMV, where it took 2 1/2 hours! So, instead, I had just about 15-20 minutes of easy biking and then 10 minutes of swimming before the race.
The start also didn’t go as planned. There was actually no organized start, people were milling about in the water and on the beach when the horn went off! I was just at the edge of the water, realized what was going on and turned and just swam as fast as I could. I imagine that the guys who happened to be about 20 yards in actually got a good head start. I actually felt like I did a good job getting to the first buoy in what appeared to be the front pack of swimmers. I swam the whole swim as hard as I could, to the point where I needed to walk a bit coming out of the water on the way to transition. My swim time was over a minute slower than last year, but most everyone swam slower and I’m pretty sure that the course was long. I typically do this 1/2 mile loop at the Res in 12 minutes, and today it took closer to 15. It seemed like the last turn buoy kept drifting further away due to the current! Still, I was only a couple of minutes behind the fastest guys in my age group getting into T1. Since the route to T1 was uphill about 50 yards, I figure that my swim was very solid.
I had a very quick transition and headed out onto the course. There is an immediate hill that I had planned to go hard on. Because of the swim, I couldn’t quite go all out, but I still attacked the hill as hard as I could, getting off to a solid start. I got up to speed, kept a fairly high cadence (I’d guess about 90-95) and just kept in my head Phil Ligett’s favorite repose about cyclists “turning themselves inside out”, that’s what I tried to do. I was breathing every 2 pedal strokes and for a change, when faster cyclists passed me, they didn’t put a lot of distance on me right away, I was really maintaining a good pace and effort. There were the usual headwinds at the Res, wind conditions were 15-20 mph; and on the way back, I had hoped to attack the hardest hill, which I did, but couldn’t quite give it the kind of effort I’d hoped to give for fear of completely blowing up. I could feel the lactic acid building up in the form of incipient side stitches, but continued to press hard. As I came down the long downhill (with yet another headwind) and saw guys coming back up the same way, I realized that I had misread the course map and that the course was about a mile longer than I’d thought, and finished with a long mild climb. As I hit the turnaround at the end of the road and came through it, I saw the top woman (she started 5 minutes behind me) and made it my goal to stay ahead of her until the run. I was able to do that and completed the bike in just under 35 minutes, which was a minute faster than last year at a pace of ~ 21 mph, not bad with the headwinds.
I had another quick transition and started out on the run. My plan was to start running as fast as I could, but I couldn’t completely ignore the side stitches and the obvious fact that I’d bike as hard as I could. I tried to focus on good turnover, massaged my diaphragm, focused on grunting hard with every exhalation, and just going as fast as I could. I was breathing every 2nd to third step and to anyone standing on the side of the road, probably sounded like I was near death. But I was committed to running as fast as I could. When the top woman passed me, about 1/4 mile into the run, I stayed fairly close to her for another 1/4 mile, my legs felt absolutely great, but my breathing was holding me back. The faster I would run, and I tried to pick up my pace multiple times, the more difficult my breathing became. Still, I kept pushing, hoping that it would get better. In fact, during the last mile I felt a little more comfortable in terms of my breathing. Instead, I began feeling a bit light headed! But I still continued to push, to turn the legs over, to keep grunting, and to keep breathing hard. As I got to about 100 yards from the finished I turned back and saw someone gaining on me, he was about 20 yards back, so I just picked up my leg speed and went as fast as I could to the finish. Good thing, the guy behind me was in my age group! I got a podium spot in the age group (officially 2nd, but really I was 3rd--they screwed up the aging up numbers and another friend of my should have been first in our age group instead of 3rd in the younger one). My run time was about 8:13 average per mile. My heart and lungs would have rather I did 9:00 pace, my legs wanted to run sub-7:00 pace.
When I got to the finish line I stopped and it was a good thing. I don’t think that I stopped breathing hard for several minutes.
A couple of post mortem thoughts. My legs felt fantastic! If I was at sea level, I could have run faster. This is clearly an issue for me and I need to figure out how to work on it. My heart and lungs and ability to clear lactic acid are holding me back. My legs are capable of running faster. That said, I am just 4 weeks post-ironman St. George. I don’t know how much influence that has on me at this point. I was able to go out first thing this morning and run an easy 10 miles (didn’t wear a HRM or garmin), not sure of the pace but probably in the 9+ minute/mile range
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Lance Armstrong, cyclists and politicians
I don't really know what to make of the Lance Armstrong situation, and am not sure that I really should care. I read a comment recently that we have bankers, insurance companies and politicians screwing us all out of our money, and we're spending our tax dollars investigating guys who choose to risk their health in order to win a bike race. Where are our priorities? I met Tyler Hamilton a few years ago and immediately knew he was lying, funny isn't it. The evidence would seem to be against Lance, but I will always give someone the benefit of the doubt until I have the facts. The irony is, if we believe that even Lance doped, then what to we make of all of the pros today, have they just not gotten caught yet? Did Contador choose a steroid that he could blame on contaminated meat on purpose? The way he is dominating the Giro, either he's just a freak, or he doped too. One thing is clear, whether you're a politician, a CEO, or a top cyclist, it is easy to be seduced by power and fame and believe that you're above it all. So, again, why are we investigating cyclists, and not the real criminals?
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Ironman St. George Race Report
Pre-race Race Report
So, it’s Saturday morning, May 7th, I wake up at 3:45 am and drink some vitamin water and eat a banana and a few pretzels right away, as well as a small yogurt. This is about 400 calories right away. I put on my race outfit and then put sunscreen on me, making sure to get all of the important spots. I put on my race chip (that’s one thing you can’t forget). I drink some more, eat some more pretzels and the yam that I prepared last night. Another 200 calories. I have more pretzels to munch on over the next hour.
I’ve got my wetsuit ready to go, my swim cap/neoprene cap/goggles/Body Glide/gel all together and ready to go. I’ve got two bottles of water, my bottle with my race nutrition in it, and an extra bottle of water for getting my hair wet before putting the cap on (one thing about having long hair). I’ll put the chamois butter on now, never know how much of it washes away, but it seems to do ok. I’ve got a couple of top layers and a wind breaker to keep me warm this morning while I wait, as well as sweat pants. I will put all of this on.
I’m bringing my bicycle pump in order to have one less thing to stress about and to save some time this morning, TJ (#1121) will use it as well and his wife will take it back with her. I do double check as I get in my car. I’ve got my Bike and Run Special Needs bags, and my morning clothes bag has my nutrition and 3 bottles of water in it, as well as my wetsuit, cap, etc. And, the bike pump.
I leave the hotel at 4:15 am and drive the 1 mile to find a parking space not far from T2. I then head over to the drop off for the special needs bags. Now it’s time to catch the bus. I get in line for a bus and leave around 4:45am, so I get to the swim site around 5:15 am. Now, since my T1 bag is already there, all I have to do is put my Nutrition bottle on my bike, fill my Profile bottle with water and put air in my tires. Then, I get in line for the port-a-potty. I don’t want to be rushing to get to the start like I did in California. I put on body glide, my wetsuit and my swim caps.
The pros start at 6:45 am, and we start @ 7:00am, so I get in the water about 6:50am and swim to the front of the line, towards the center. The water is cold, but I’m moving and starting to warm up. I originally plan to be right at the front, but people keep getting in front of me and the line is moving forward, and I’m moving backward. Finally, I find some clear water and actually get close to the front of the line.
I start out right in the thick of things and head out solidly when the cannon goes off. I do my best to breath bilaterally when I can, but adjust depending upon any waves and where people are around me. As people passing me or get ahead of me at the start and I make a concerted effort to latch onto feet whenever I can. I maintain form, and really keep in mind all that I’ve learned about swimming properly over the past few years. While I certainly don’t want to “blow up” on the swim, I also don’t want the swim to feel too leisurely. There has to be some “effort” attached if I’m going to have a good swim, but it’s an easy effort. It’s rough at the start, but I’m used to that. I keep my elbows high to ward off blows to the head (only got one elbow in the face about half way through the swim). When the occasional mouthful of water occurs (3 times overall during this swim), I spit it out, maintain calmness and keep swimming. I find myself feeling like I’m keeping pace with the people around me for much of this swim. Calmness is the key, as is enjoying this part of the race. The water is cold, but that feels really good. I attack the turn buoys, making sure that I don’t get too slowed down by the inevitable crush of people around them. I come to the large rock island, that tells me the last turn buoy is around the corner and I need to be getting ready to leave the water. I increase my kicking to get blood flowing to my legs. I start visualizing T1. Out of the water in 1:10:56 just a minute faster than last year, although I feel like I swam better and harder, others tell me later they think the swim was either longer or with a greater current against us this year (comparing folks who raced last year).
I get out of the water, unvelcro my wetsuit, pull my strap down and get the arms off. I make my way up the ramp and lay down for the wetsuit strippers. I have my wetsuit in hand and am just a few feet from my Gear Bag. Last row, #1738, I grab my bag and quickly move to the changing tent, take off my goggles and swim cap, take my bike shoes out of the bag, grab my sunglasses and put them on, then grab my race belt and put it around my waist. Shoes go on my feet, strap them on, grab helmet and put it on my head, buckle up, then stuff my wetsuit, caps and goggles into the bag and get sunscreen put on my neck and shoulders (whoops, they didn’t do my legs and my right calf sunburn will attest to that), then head to row #30, grab my bike and I run down the carpet in T1, not too hard, but enough to remind myself how good I feel. T1 takes me 3:30, over 6 minutes less than last year!
I get the the Mount line get on and clip in. The only focus I have for the first few minutes is getting comfortable on my bike and keeping a good cadence that feels easy. I make the right turn out of the reservoir and head down the road. There’s a slight headwind, but it’s also slightly downhill. I think “be small”, which will be my mantra for the day. I will minimize the wind today. I take some sips from my Profile bottle, it’s just water right now, and continue to get into an easy feeling rhythm. People pass me, but I don’t care, I’m moving pretty fast and I’m not working hard. About 20 minutes into the bike, I start up the longest sustained climb on the course. I take my Nutrition bottle and put took long squirts into the Profile bottle. 300 calories and I’m good to go until the first aide station. The climb feels a little long, but it also feels easy. I stay “small”, tucked into my aero position. I’m hydrating and take my first gel, then my second gel. When I get to the first aide station I slow down, making absolutely sure that I take a bottle of water from the volunteer, and immediately pour it into my profile bottle, filling it to the top. After I get past the aide station, I squeeze two more squirts from my nutrition bottle in the Profile bottle, another 300 calories, stir it and “get small” again.
I keep the effort easy on the bike, the first loop goes by in no time and doesn’t feel that tough, I did have to stand going up “the wall” towards Veyo, but didn’t have to press it, it just felt easier to stand, just like at California. As I climb “the wall” I start thinking about my special patients who have passed away, and as I think of each one, I feel a surge of energy. A ton of people pass me going up “the wall”, in fact, lots of people pass me on every steep climb, but generally I pull many of them back on the downhills and less steep sections. I get the my special needs bag and take my additional gels, eat a few ginger cookies and I’m on my way. I’ve got the downhill to recover some, although I do pedal when the opportunity for some extra speed that doesn’t cost much occurs. I continue to stay “small” in my aero position. One problem I have during the first loop of the bike is stomach cramps. They are manageable, generally worse in my aero position, but I am committed to staying aero. But, I can suffer with stomach cramps on the bike, it only hurts and doesn’t seem to affect my performance. What I didn’t really pay attention to was the reality that the cramps got worse every time I took electrolyte capsules (more on this later). Before I know it, I’m already climbing on the second loop and I still feel good. As I get to the latter part of the climb I decide to just maintain my effort, I feel good, and I continue to make sure that I’m not straining and my legs aren’t burning. The second time up “the wall” feels so much better than last year, I know that my race is on target. No one is passing me anymore, and in fact, after I get over “the wall”, I start to pull back most of the people who had passed me earlier. Of note, my bike pace for the first section (from the swim to the first loop) was 18.54mph, not bad on a rolling section with a headwind, going easy; my pace on the first loop was 17.46mph, not bad for 30 miles of climbing followed by a downhill against a moderate head/crosswind. My second loop was 17.01 mph, really not bad, the headwinds were brutal (I’m going to guess over 20mph with gusts to 30-40mph, a little scary in fact. I stop eating about Mile 108 and just take a few sips of water. Summarizing my nutrition on the bike, I take in 1800 calories of carbopro, about 1000 cal of gel and 4-5 ginger cookies (another 100-200 calories), so about 3000 calories for the 6:24:28 bike ride, 25 minutes faster than last year, and conditions were much more challenging this year. In fact I’m 38th in my age group and 558th overall on the bike.
I’m heading down Main Street and T2 beckons. I dismount and a volunteer takes my bike, I move left to the last row and call my #1738 and a volunteer hands me my bag. I jog to the changing tent, sit down, take off my bike shoes, put my hat on, take my shoes out of the bag, grab the vaseline which I quickly put on my left foot, followed by my left Zoot Compression sock, up to the heel, then up the leg; then do the same with my right foot, vaseline, sock, slide my feet into my shoes and grab my race belt. A volunteer had put my racing shoes into my gear bag, which he takes. I up, on my feet, and moving out of the changing tent onto the course. I stop briefly to get sunscreen (fortunately everywhere), I put water in my two small Fuel Belt water bottles (with 50 cal of carbopro in each already), then grab a couple of cups of water to drink and start moving onto the run course. T2 takes me 4:37, five minutes faster than last year.
I’m excited, all I need is a good run and I will smash last years time. But it is not to be.
My mantra is that I am going to run the whole course this year. I start very easy, breathing every 5th step. I put on my arm coolers and get into a rhythm. I will enjoy the scenery and use it to keep out the fatigue and suffering that is inevitable. I just need to keep running. I only pay attention to the mile markers form the second loop, 14, 15, 16...I’m practicing for how good those numbers will look the second time around. I’ve broken the course into four sections, essentially the turnaround points tell me that I’ve made it through 1/4 of the course. Unfortunately, this plan is not to be. My stomach cramps have returned and as soon as I hit the short 8% grade section, I realize that I have to walk. When the grade is 1% or so, I can run, but anything higher is a killer. Not only am I getting stomach cramps, but a side stitch as well. I start taking in cola, and that’s “ok”, but doesn’t solve my issues. I end up running about 65% of the first loop of the run, keeping an overall pace of about 10:45/mile. It is hot, I’m putting sponges in my tri top. One thing is notable, I’m not upset by how I feel. I’m not disappointed. I’m not discouraged. It is what it is and I will persevere.
I’m getting my Run Special Needs bag after the first loop, those ginger cookies taste ok , but I’m struggling with my nutrition. I decide to hydrate and eat, focusing on cola and pretzels for the next three uphill miles, which I walk. I figure, if I start feeling better I can do better. Adjust to the circumstances. I’m really trying to take control over the situation. But, I’m continuing to have trouble running uphill, every time I try, my GI tract rebels. So, I fall back into last years approach, walk every uphill and run every downhill. Running the downhills is actually a little harder this year, but I do it, because I know I can. The difficulty certainly has something to do with the 90+ degree temperatures and how my nutrition has taken a turn for the worse. With 6 mile to go, I decide to limit my intake to water and some cola and see if my stomach feels better. Not so much. At mile 24 I get a nosebleed! I tear off a piece of sponge and stuff it in my nose and don’t miss a beat. I have to do this twice before the nosebleed is under control. Before I know it, I’ve got 2 miles to go, it’s hard, but I’m running the whole way. As I get to the finish line and hear Mike Reilly say, Michael Wasserman, from Englewood, Colorado, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN! My run time is 5:02:23, 4 minutes slower than last year, but 29th in my age group (best age group result of each discipline!) and 509th overall. Everyone suffered today, I think that this years race was actually harder than last year, but I have gone 33 minutes faster. Overall, I’m 29th in my age group and 509th overall, also an improvement from last year. Not bad for a 52 year old guy.
I was really happy with my swim and bike, and the run was what it was. If I had tried to push harder, I very well could have done much worse. I adjusted and did the best I could under tough conditions. I feel really good about how I did in the worlds toughest ironman (after the race spoke to a guy who has done Lanzarote, he thought this was harder).
So, it’s Saturday morning, May 7th, I wake up at 3:45 am and drink some vitamin water and eat a banana and a few pretzels right away, as well as a small yogurt. This is about 400 calories right away. I put on my race outfit and then put sunscreen on me, making sure to get all of the important spots. I put on my race chip (that’s one thing you can’t forget). I drink some more, eat some more pretzels and the yam that I prepared last night. Another 200 calories. I have more pretzels to munch on over the next hour.
I’ve got my wetsuit ready to go, my swim cap/neoprene cap/goggles/Body Glide/gel all together and ready to go. I’ve got two bottles of water, my bottle with my race nutrition in it, and an extra bottle of water for getting my hair wet before putting the cap on (one thing about having long hair). I’ll put the chamois butter on now, never know how much of it washes away, but it seems to do ok. I’ve got a couple of top layers and a wind breaker to keep me warm this morning while I wait, as well as sweat pants. I will put all of this on.
I’m bringing my bicycle pump in order to have one less thing to stress about and to save some time this morning, TJ (#1121) will use it as well and his wife will take it back with her. I do double check as I get in my car. I’ve got my Bike and Run Special Needs bags, and my morning clothes bag has my nutrition and 3 bottles of water in it, as well as my wetsuit, cap, etc. And, the bike pump.
I leave the hotel at 4:15 am and drive the 1 mile to find a parking space not far from T2. I then head over to the drop off for the special needs bags. Now it’s time to catch the bus. I get in line for a bus and leave around 4:45am, so I get to the swim site around 5:15 am. Now, since my T1 bag is already there, all I have to do is put my Nutrition bottle on my bike, fill my Profile bottle with water and put air in my tires. Then, I get in line for the port-a-potty. I don’t want to be rushing to get to the start like I did in California. I put on body glide, my wetsuit and my swim caps.
The pros start at 6:45 am, and we start @ 7:00am, so I get in the water about 6:50am and swim to the front of the line, towards the center. The water is cold, but I’m moving and starting to warm up. I originally plan to be right at the front, but people keep getting in front of me and the line is moving forward, and I’m moving backward. Finally, I find some clear water and actually get close to the front of the line.
I start out right in the thick of things and head out solidly when the cannon goes off. I do my best to breath bilaterally when I can, but adjust depending upon any waves and where people are around me. As people passing me or get ahead of me at the start and I make a concerted effort to latch onto feet whenever I can. I maintain form, and really keep in mind all that I’ve learned about swimming properly over the past few years. While I certainly don’t want to “blow up” on the swim, I also don’t want the swim to feel too leisurely. There has to be some “effort” attached if I’m going to have a good swim, but it’s an easy effort. It’s rough at the start, but I’m used to that. I keep my elbows high to ward off blows to the head (only got one elbow in the face about half way through the swim). When the occasional mouthful of water occurs (3 times overall during this swim), I spit it out, maintain calmness and keep swimming. I find myself feeling like I’m keeping pace with the people around me for much of this swim. Calmness is the key, as is enjoying this part of the race. The water is cold, but that feels really good. I attack the turn buoys, making sure that I don’t get too slowed down by the inevitable crush of people around them. I come to the large rock island, that tells me the last turn buoy is around the corner and I need to be getting ready to leave the water. I increase my kicking to get blood flowing to my legs. I start visualizing T1. Out of the water in 1:10:56 just a minute faster than last year, although I feel like I swam better and harder, others tell me later they think the swim was either longer or with a greater current against us this year (comparing folks who raced last year).
I get out of the water, unvelcro my wetsuit, pull my strap down and get the arms off. I make my way up the ramp and lay down for the wetsuit strippers. I have my wetsuit in hand and am just a few feet from my Gear Bag. Last row, #1738, I grab my bag and quickly move to the changing tent, take off my goggles and swim cap, take my bike shoes out of the bag, grab my sunglasses and put them on, then grab my race belt and put it around my waist. Shoes go on my feet, strap them on, grab helmet and put it on my head, buckle up, then stuff my wetsuit, caps and goggles into the bag and get sunscreen put on my neck and shoulders (whoops, they didn’t do my legs and my right calf sunburn will attest to that), then head to row #30, grab my bike and I run down the carpet in T1, not too hard, but enough to remind myself how good I feel. T1 takes me 3:30, over 6 minutes less than last year!
I get the the Mount line get on and clip in. The only focus I have for the first few minutes is getting comfortable on my bike and keeping a good cadence that feels easy. I make the right turn out of the reservoir and head down the road. There’s a slight headwind, but it’s also slightly downhill. I think “be small”, which will be my mantra for the day. I will minimize the wind today. I take some sips from my Profile bottle, it’s just water right now, and continue to get into an easy feeling rhythm. People pass me, but I don’t care, I’m moving pretty fast and I’m not working hard. About 20 minutes into the bike, I start up the longest sustained climb on the course. I take my Nutrition bottle and put took long squirts into the Profile bottle. 300 calories and I’m good to go until the first aide station. The climb feels a little long, but it also feels easy. I stay “small”, tucked into my aero position. I’m hydrating and take my first gel, then my second gel. When I get to the first aide station I slow down, making absolutely sure that I take a bottle of water from the volunteer, and immediately pour it into my profile bottle, filling it to the top. After I get past the aide station, I squeeze two more squirts from my nutrition bottle in the Profile bottle, another 300 calories, stir it and “get small” again.
I keep the effort easy on the bike, the first loop goes by in no time and doesn’t feel that tough, I did have to stand going up “the wall” towards Veyo, but didn’t have to press it, it just felt easier to stand, just like at California. As I climb “the wall” I start thinking about my special patients who have passed away, and as I think of each one, I feel a surge of energy. A ton of people pass me going up “the wall”, in fact, lots of people pass me on every steep climb, but generally I pull many of them back on the downhills and less steep sections. I get the my special needs bag and take my additional gels, eat a few ginger cookies and I’m on my way. I’ve got the downhill to recover some, although I do pedal when the opportunity for some extra speed that doesn’t cost much occurs. I continue to stay “small” in my aero position. One problem I have during the first loop of the bike is stomach cramps. They are manageable, generally worse in my aero position, but I am committed to staying aero. But, I can suffer with stomach cramps on the bike, it only hurts and doesn’t seem to affect my performance. What I didn’t really pay attention to was the reality that the cramps got worse every time I took electrolyte capsules (more on this later). Before I know it, I’m already climbing on the second loop and I still feel good. As I get to the latter part of the climb I decide to just maintain my effort, I feel good, and I continue to make sure that I’m not straining and my legs aren’t burning. The second time up “the wall” feels so much better than last year, I know that my race is on target. No one is passing me anymore, and in fact, after I get over “the wall”, I start to pull back most of the people who had passed me earlier. Of note, my bike pace for the first section (from the swim to the first loop) was 18.54mph, not bad on a rolling section with a headwind, going easy; my pace on the first loop was 17.46mph, not bad for 30 miles of climbing followed by a downhill against a moderate head/crosswind. My second loop was 17.01 mph, really not bad, the headwinds were brutal (I’m going to guess over 20mph with gusts to 30-40mph, a little scary in fact. I stop eating about Mile 108 and just take a few sips of water. Summarizing my nutrition on the bike, I take in 1800 calories of carbopro, about 1000 cal of gel and 4-5 ginger cookies (another 100-200 calories), so about 3000 calories for the 6:24:28 bike ride, 25 minutes faster than last year, and conditions were much more challenging this year. In fact I’m 38th in my age group and 558th overall on the bike.
I’m heading down Main Street and T2 beckons. I dismount and a volunteer takes my bike, I move left to the last row and call my #1738 and a volunteer hands me my bag. I jog to the changing tent, sit down, take off my bike shoes, put my hat on, take my shoes out of the bag, grab the vaseline which I quickly put on my left foot, followed by my left Zoot Compression sock, up to the heel, then up the leg; then do the same with my right foot, vaseline, sock, slide my feet into my shoes and grab my race belt. A volunteer had put my racing shoes into my gear bag, which he takes. I up, on my feet, and moving out of the changing tent onto the course. I stop briefly to get sunscreen (fortunately everywhere), I put water in my two small Fuel Belt water bottles (with 50 cal of carbopro in each already), then grab a couple of cups of water to drink and start moving onto the run course. T2 takes me 4:37, five minutes faster than last year.
I’m excited, all I need is a good run and I will smash last years time. But it is not to be.
My mantra is that I am going to run the whole course this year. I start very easy, breathing every 5th step. I put on my arm coolers and get into a rhythm. I will enjoy the scenery and use it to keep out the fatigue and suffering that is inevitable. I just need to keep running. I only pay attention to the mile markers form the second loop, 14, 15, 16...I’m practicing for how good those numbers will look the second time around. I’ve broken the course into four sections, essentially the turnaround points tell me that I’ve made it through 1/4 of the course. Unfortunately, this plan is not to be. My stomach cramps have returned and as soon as I hit the short 8% grade section, I realize that I have to walk. When the grade is 1% or so, I can run, but anything higher is a killer. Not only am I getting stomach cramps, but a side stitch as well. I start taking in cola, and that’s “ok”, but doesn’t solve my issues. I end up running about 65% of the first loop of the run, keeping an overall pace of about 10:45/mile. It is hot, I’m putting sponges in my tri top. One thing is notable, I’m not upset by how I feel. I’m not disappointed. I’m not discouraged. It is what it is and I will persevere.
I’m getting my Run Special Needs bag after the first loop, those ginger cookies taste ok , but I’m struggling with my nutrition. I decide to hydrate and eat, focusing on cola and pretzels for the next three uphill miles, which I walk. I figure, if I start feeling better I can do better. Adjust to the circumstances. I’m really trying to take control over the situation. But, I’m continuing to have trouble running uphill, every time I try, my GI tract rebels. So, I fall back into last years approach, walk every uphill and run every downhill. Running the downhills is actually a little harder this year, but I do it, because I know I can. The difficulty certainly has something to do with the 90+ degree temperatures and how my nutrition has taken a turn for the worse. With 6 mile to go, I decide to limit my intake to water and some cola and see if my stomach feels better. Not so much. At mile 24 I get a nosebleed! I tear off a piece of sponge and stuff it in my nose and don’t miss a beat. I have to do this twice before the nosebleed is under control. Before I know it, I’ve got 2 miles to go, it’s hard, but I’m running the whole way. As I get to the finish line and hear Mike Reilly say, Michael Wasserman, from Englewood, Colorado, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN! My run time is 5:02:23, 4 minutes slower than last year, but 29th in my age group (best age group result of each discipline!) and 509th overall. Everyone suffered today, I think that this years race was actually harder than last year, but I have gone 33 minutes faster. Overall, I’m 29th in my age group and 509th overall, also an improvement from last year. Not bad for a 52 year old guy.
I was really happy with my swim and bike, and the run was what it was. If I had tried to push harder, I very well could have done much worse. I adjusted and did the best I could under tough conditions. I feel really good about how I did in the worlds toughest ironman (after the race spoke to a guy who has done Lanzarote, he thought this was harder).
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Iron Commitment
It's just 18 days before Ironman St. George and I've been giving a lot of thought lately to the commitment I made this year. Sometimes in life we take on tasks and goals without fully realizing the extent of the commitment we have made and the impact on our lives. Last year I did my first ironman, and finished it. It was an accomplishment, especially completing an ironman just 6 months after breaking my hip and clavicle. I patiently recovered and then decided that I wanted to not only do another ironman, but to do St. George again. As work took over my life last summer and fall, and knowing that there was a light at the end of that tunnel, I decided in the late fall to make my commitment to St. George more than just finishing another ironman. I committed to doing my best at this years race. Whether that brings me a qualifying slot for the World Championship at Kona, I don't know. Ironically, while that is what pushed me to give this years race everything I've got, I am once again confronted with the reality that it still is about the journey. Everything else will ultimately take care of itself.
Ironman training can be all consuming, especially, if you are pushing your limits. It's one thing to train to finish the race, and it's another thing to train to be ones fastest an best in each discipline on race day. That's what I have done. I have achieved new heights in my run, bike and swim training. I've realized that I can be competitive on race day. But this has come at a price. While I'm only working 3 days a week, training 16-17 hours a week ultimately takes twice that amount of time. There's the preparation for workouts, there's the cool down. There's the recovery and yes, the fatigue, an almost constant fatigue. I've handled it pretty well, but at times I'm sure it's made me a bit irritable. My wife and family doesn't really deserve that, and I will be needing to make it up to them in the months following this race.
My wife says that ironman is an addiction, and she is partially true. The highs of realizing that ones body can take more than it ever has is probably an addictive experience. However, it is also a reminder that we can achieve whatever we set our minds to. I'm not sure why I have to prove that to myself, except that achieving physical goals has always been something that seemed out of my reach. Maybe my childhood with asthma has something to do with this. Who knows?
To complete an ironman is one commitment. To be competitive at an ironman is a completely different type of commitment. My mind is now trained to react positively when confronted with the fatigue I will feel on the bike and certainly on the run. Instead of slowing down and "enjoying the view" as I did last year, this year I will remember that I can keep running despite the fatigue.
I am trying to avoid having time goals this year, but I know that they are still in my head. I want to swim faster than last year, and I absolutely am capable of that. I must ride my bike faster, and my training suggests that this is doable. Finally, I want to run the entire course, rather than just walk the uphills and run the downhills like I did last year.
The one thing that I know I can control and do faster are the transitions. Last year was a daze, and I managed to spend almost 20 minutes between the two transitions. This year I will use my obsessive nature and move quickly through both transitions, and they will be much faster.
I will not be defined by my results at St. George. I won't even be defined by my effort, although I expect to give it my best, as I always do. I will be defined by my commitment. However, when St. George is over, I will be defined by my commitment to my wife and family. For, so often, my other commitments in life have typically come before my wife and family. I've always made a good excuse for that, but no more. That will be my primary commitment.
Ironman training can be all consuming, especially, if you are pushing your limits. It's one thing to train to finish the race, and it's another thing to train to be ones fastest an best in each discipline on race day. That's what I have done. I have achieved new heights in my run, bike and swim training. I've realized that I can be competitive on race day. But this has come at a price. While I'm only working 3 days a week, training 16-17 hours a week ultimately takes twice that amount of time. There's the preparation for workouts, there's the cool down. There's the recovery and yes, the fatigue, an almost constant fatigue. I've handled it pretty well, but at times I'm sure it's made me a bit irritable. My wife and family doesn't really deserve that, and I will be needing to make it up to them in the months following this race.
My wife says that ironman is an addiction, and she is partially true. The highs of realizing that ones body can take more than it ever has is probably an addictive experience. However, it is also a reminder that we can achieve whatever we set our minds to. I'm not sure why I have to prove that to myself, except that achieving physical goals has always been something that seemed out of my reach. Maybe my childhood with asthma has something to do with this. Who knows?
To complete an ironman is one commitment. To be competitive at an ironman is a completely different type of commitment. My mind is now trained to react positively when confronted with the fatigue I will feel on the bike and certainly on the run. Instead of slowing down and "enjoying the view" as I did last year, this year I will remember that I can keep running despite the fatigue.
I am trying to avoid having time goals this year, but I know that they are still in my head. I want to swim faster than last year, and I absolutely am capable of that. I must ride my bike faster, and my training suggests that this is doable. Finally, I want to run the entire course, rather than just walk the uphills and run the downhills like I did last year.
The one thing that I know I can control and do faster are the transitions. Last year was a daze, and I managed to spend almost 20 minutes between the two transitions. This year I will use my obsessive nature and move quickly through both transitions, and they will be much faster.
I will not be defined by my results at St. George. I won't even be defined by my effort, although I expect to give it my best, as I always do. I will be defined by my commitment. However, when St. George is over, I will be defined by my commitment to my wife and family. For, so often, my other commitments in life have typically come before my wife and family. I've always made a good excuse for that, but no more. That will be my primary commitment.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Attaining Goals
When I look back over the past eight weeks, I actually have trouble believing what I've achieved. My buildup of running and biking as been nothing less than remarkable. In fact, I'm achieving goals that I've never been close to before.
In the last six weekends my run totals have been as follows: 20, 22, 18.5, 25.8, 23, and a half marathon (18). In terms of solo runs, in four of the last five weekends I've run 20, 20, 19, and 19 miles.
In terms of biking, for the last 8 weekends I've had bike totals of 94, 100, 85, 116, 80, 0, 80, and 88 miles.
For St. George, I probably still need to get my bike volume up a little bit more. However, from a run perspective, I'm ready. Last year, I never came close to these run distances or totals. It bodes well for me achieving my goals at St. George.
Even more amazing is how I've felt after these weekends and runs in particular. Really, no soreness to speak of. Plus, I'm just enjoying the long runs, they don't really seem very long. This will be nice on race day. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a short day in 3 weeks at the California 70.3 half ironman!
In the last six weekends my run totals have been as follows: 20, 22, 18.5, 25.8, 23, and a half marathon (18). In terms of solo runs, in four of the last five weekends I've run 20, 20, 19, and 19 miles.
In terms of biking, for the last 8 weekends I've had bike totals of 94, 100, 85, 116, 80, 0, 80, and 88 miles.
For St. George, I probably still need to get my bike volume up a little bit more. However, from a run perspective, I'm ready. Last year, I never came close to these run distances or totals. It bodes well for me achieving my goals at St. George.
Even more amazing is how I've felt after these weekends and runs in particular. Really, no soreness to speak of. Plus, I'm just enjoying the long runs, they don't really seem very long. This will be nice on race day. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a short day in 3 weeks at the California 70.3 half ironman!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
No Stress, No Pressure, Just Enjoy the Effort
I can't believe that I haven't blogged since October. Of course, I was consumed with the sale of my business for the last 6 months of 2010. On December 1st I was no longer the stressed out owner of a large company. The amount of stress that came off my shoulders was remarkable, I never really realized how much stress I carried around with me and what an impact it had on me. I have felt good and relaxed for the past 6 weeks. My training shows it! In fact, a few weeks ago, my swim coach had me do 4 x 50 yards fast and I started to say, "I'll do them in 40...", I was going to say 40 seconds. Instead, I said, "I'm just going to go fast and not focus on the time". I did the 50's in 34 seconds each! More often than not now I try not to set specific time goals in my training. I really focus on the effort. The result? I'm going faster in my swims and runs, and I'm producing more power on the bike. There is a lesson in life here. Stress does lots of bad things to us. It isn't healthy. It slows you down. Taking the stress away can be transforming. I'm really trying to remember this when I'm working out, racing, dealing with patients, spending time with my family. There's no point in letting the stress get to you.
My journey to make myself a better person, husband, father, and triathlete has begun. I'm loving it. I'm doing workouts in the pool that I never thought possible. I'm fitter, stronger and faster than I was a year ago (at which time I was just 10 weeks off of breaking my hip and shoulder). This bodes well for all of my races. However, I will really try hard to avoid thinking about specific time goals. I just need to go out and enjoy the work and the results will come.
My journey to make myself a better person, husband, father, and triathlete has begun. I'm loving it. I'm doing workouts in the pool that I never thought possible. I'm fitter, stronger and faster than I was a year ago (at which time I was just 10 weeks off of breaking my hip and shoulder). This bodes well for all of my races. However, I will really try hard to avoid thinking about specific time goals. I just need to go out and enjoy the work and the results will come.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
KONA OR BUST and mile repeats
I’ve completed by post season rest break and have already started thinking about next year. So, what’s new? After following this years Ironman World Championship, I was reenergized in terms of the thought of trying to qualify for Kona. For someone who was humbled at his one trip to Olympic distance Nationals (55th out of 64), I needed to do a gut check on my potential to actually qualify. So, I looked at the 6 guys in my age group at St. George who went to Kona this year. The slowest time was around 11:10. Of interest, all six went faster at Kona than they did at St. George. So much for those who question the challenge of St. George:) What was remarkable was that four of these guys ended up in the top 20 at Kona. It seems like the competition at St. George was pretty stiff as well. I can’t control that, so I could only look at the 11:10 time and ask myself and my coach if I could do better than that time. It certainly gives me something to shoot at.
I should preface my analysis with the recognition that St. George was my first ironman. While I had achieved pretty good fitness the prior year (four half ironman distance races and an average of 10-12 hours of training per week), I did break my hip socket and shoulder just 6 months before St. George and really only had 3 ½ months of solid training in the range of 14-16 hours a week. As I have reviewed before, my 13:18 time included almost 20 minutes in transition and a marathon that I literally walked half the distance and still managed to run in 4:58.
I e-mailed my coach for my gut check and here’s what we decided. It’s possible! Of course, I need to do the necessary training. I assume that this means getting closer to 20 hours a week. It also means even more time on the bike, as I never did a training ride last year greater than 5 hours. Finally, I just need to get stronger. So, I have to be more dedicated to the weight room and my core.
So, I’ve got my goals set. Here they are:
Swim-I really think that I’m capable of swimming faster. My confidence has improved considerably as I’ve discovered that I just need to be more aggressive in my approach to the swim. Last year I really took it easy, which is fine, but I can swim faster and still not push myself too hard. I think that a swim time in the range of 1:04 to 1:06 is quite reasonable.
T1: Last years T1 felt like the beach landing scene in Saving Private Ryan! Now that I know what it’s like, I will dispense with the extra time and do what I normally do in T1, get in and out! I think that a goal of 4 minutes is reasonable.
Bike: In some ways this is the toughest. I can’t stop to pee 4 times like I did this year, and I have to stay adequately nourished so I don’t bonk in the last 30 miles of the bike. I also just need to get stronger on the hills and put in the time and work to be strong. My goal here will be between 6:00 and 6:10. Considering that I typically have done various half ironman courses in 2:30-2:45, I really think that this is reasonable.
T2: Again, another 10 minutes transition would be truly disappointing. There is also no reason that I can’t get through this transition in 4 minutes.
Run: Ironically, this is where I’m most confident in my improvement! At the Multisport camp last year I did one loop of the course in 1:54 just a day after riding 5 hours. I have felt good running hills and will continue to prepare with that in mind. I also need to stay adequately nourished. I think that a marathon in the range of 3:50 to 4:00 is quite reasonable.
So, what does that add up to:
Swim- 1:04-1:06
Bike- 6:00-6:10
Run- 3:50-4:00
T1/T2 0:08-0:08
11:02-11:24
This is realistic and gets me close. Obviously the closer I get to 11 hours or even less, the greater my chances of qualifying for Kona.
All I can do is try!
So, as I start my preparation, last Saturday I did 5 mile repeats up a hill with an average grade of 5-6% w/ average pace of ~10:30; Today I did 5 mile repeats on level ground w/ an average pace of 7:29. I have to say that I'm on my way!
I should preface my analysis with the recognition that St. George was my first ironman. While I had achieved pretty good fitness the prior year (four half ironman distance races and an average of 10-12 hours of training per week), I did break my hip socket and shoulder just 6 months before St. George and really only had 3 ½ months of solid training in the range of 14-16 hours a week. As I have reviewed before, my 13:18 time included almost 20 minutes in transition and a marathon that I literally walked half the distance and still managed to run in 4:58.
I e-mailed my coach for my gut check and here’s what we decided. It’s possible! Of course, I need to do the necessary training. I assume that this means getting closer to 20 hours a week. It also means even more time on the bike, as I never did a training ride last year greater than 5 hours. Finally, I just need to get stronger. So, I have to be more dedicated to the weight room and my core.
So, I’ve got my goals set. Here they are:
Swim-I really think that I’m capable of swimming faster. My confidence has improved considerably as I’ve discovered that I just need to be more aggressive in my approach to the swim. Last year I really took it easy, which is fine, but I can swim faster and still not push myself too hard. I think that a swim time in the range of 1:04 to 1:06 is quite reasonable.
T1: Last years T1 felt like the beach landing scene in Saving Private Ryan! Now that I know what it’s like, I will dispense with the extra time and do what I normally do in T1, get in and out! I think that a goal of 4 minutes is reasonable.
Bike: In some ways this is the toughest. I can’t stop to pee 4 times like I did this year, and I have to stay adequately nourished so I don’t bonk in the last 30 miles of the bike. I also just need to get stronger on the hills and put in the time and work to be strong. My goal here will be between 6:00 and 6:10. Considering that I typically have done various half ironman courses in 2:30-2:45, I really think that this is reasonable.
T2: Again, another 10 minutes transition would be truly disappointing. There is also no reason that I can’t get through this transition in 4 minutes.
Run: Ironically, this is where I’m most confident in my improvement! At the Multisport camp last year I did one loop of the course in 1:54 just a day after riding 5 hours. I have felt good running hills and will continue to prepare with that in mind. I also need to stay adequately nourished. I think that a marathon in the range of 3:50 to 4:00 is quite reasonable.
So, what does that add up to:
Swim- 1:04-1:06
Bike- 6:00-6:10
Run- 3:50-4:00
T1/T2 0:08-0:08
11:02-11:24
This is realistic and gets me close. Obviously the closer I get to 11 hours or even less, the greater my chances of qualifying for Kona.
All I can do is try!
So, as I start my preparation, last Saturday I did 5 mile repeats up a hill with an average grade of 5-6% w/ average pace of ~10:30; Today I did 5 mile repeats on level ground w/ an average pace of 7:29. I have to say that I'm on my way!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
