Baton Rouge to New Orleans Relay Race - 2015

This is a race along the Mississippi River levy from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.  I have run a couple of races on the levy, in February, and they are always cold and windy.  The levy is raised (no-duh) and has not shelter or wind block. The river acts as a wind corridor.  I packed 5 changes of running gear including 3 long sleeved shirts for running at night.  I checked the forecast one last time and it indicated that the high, during the day would be 70 degrees and the low would only be 48 degrees.  I repacked and 86’d the long sleeved shirts.

There were 6 of us in a van.  Originally we had a driver but we overlooked the fact that the driver was not over 25 years old – not permitted to drive the van.  Oops.  It would work out for the best – with 6 in the van and all of our gear it was already tight.

FUELED BY BOUDIN

Race headquarters.

Some of the Krewe 

(one of these guys would lose a couple of socks and gloves on the run - don't ask)

Charles started us out.  His strategy was to start out hard since we would surely fade as the night came.  Well, he went out hard and we each followed suit.  It was hot, while the levy is flat it is also gravel – this made for a tough run.  Miraculously, after about the first 20 or so miles, when Jason brought the fifth leg home, we were first overall.  We were elated and did not really know what to think.  This was a shot across the bow of the younger faster teams.  Unfortunately, they responded in spades.  We gradually slipped back a couple of paces per 10 – 20 miles.  Team fancy pants – a group of co-ed kids with tie-dyed running tights grabbed a bunch of time from Keith’s second leg.  We were now in third place.

The last bathroom I would see for 17+ hours.

Then the race got hard.  Day turned to humid night and in most legs we were all alone.  On my third leg Charles was neck and neck with Team Mercedes.  He handed off to me and I was 10 steps behind.  I paced the runner.  Our van roared past me on the river road below and ridicule was spewed from the open windows.  They were incredulous, how I could be behind.  Breathing hard I eased up to the runner and said that “yes, these were my friends”.  He understood – he has giving more than he had in hopes of not getting the wrath of his own team.  I pushed passed him and put in a very respectable effort – weight graded this may have been a new PR.  I arrived a couple of minutes in front of the disgraced runner to zero fan fair.  Jason had become the relay Sherpa – no one else was even getting out of the van at this point.  Half way done!  That'll do pig.

We were passed by Team Mercedes in the next 10 miles or so and were finally regulated to fourth overall.  We could not make up time on the front runners.  We just had to maintain pace to stay in fourth (we had all but wrapped up the masters division (40+)).

We called them Team Mercedes because they had one of these.

Keith ended up taking an hour or two powernap and holistically healed his broken body with sheer will and cold beer.  His last two legs would be his fastest of the night.

We were ahead of our predicted time by 20+ minutes but ended up giving about half of that back.  We finished the 126.2 + miles in 17:10:48 with an average pace of 8:10 minutes per mile.  We were 13 minutes behind 3^rd and about an hour from first overall.

If I had to pick one word to describe this race, the first word in my mind is not fun.  It was a challenge and much harder than I thought it would be.  We raced hard, every one of us for every leg.  Once again, it was a challenge.  It was satisfying to finish the race.

We made a good team.  Thanks - Charles, Terry, Jason, Keith and Jim!

This would prove telling.  I caught a flight right after the race.  Southwest has open seating.

  No one sat next to me on either flight - go figure.

Good thing I had it covered!

Mighty Magnolia 2013 Race Report

As I mentioned previously, there were a lot of changes (2013 training and prep) since the last time I raced the Mighty Mag (2011 Mighty Mag Race Report).

SWIM -

Well, the equipment for the swim was the same and the starting lineup was similar.  I started at number 16 towards the very front of the 350+ line.  I had not been swimming much the past year but my times were close to where they have been in the past.  Without many people in front of me I just cruised the swim.  I was alone except for the 4 or 5 people that I passed.  I gave them a wide berth and did my own thing.  I ‘water jogged’ the swim 18 seconds faster than 2011 (2013 – 8:20 / 2011 – 8:38) and placed first in my age group, go figure.  That being said I was 1:13 slower than the fastest swim of the day – that is a lot of time in a third of a mile swim.

T1 -

I ran out of the water as soon as I could stand.  I unzipped my long john wetsuit and ran up the short rise to T1.  I had some trouble getting the wetsuit off of my legs and sat down in transition and pulled the legs off.  I felt like I gave back the 20 seconds I gained in my swim in T1.  I was actually 5 seconds faster (2013 – 1:11 / 2011 1:16).

BIKE -

I made the decision to not race on my race bike due to lack of conditioning.  I am a better cyclist this year.  The course is tough with lots of rolling hills.  I was out on my own for the entire ride passing only a couple of people that were ahead of me.  I also got passed twice, I think.  The bike was uneventful except that being in the aero bars and the slammed stem I was not able to produce the amount of power that I should have.  There is a compromise between aero and power and by not practicing or adapting to the position I think I left a lot of time on the table.  I finished the 16.5 mile bike 92 seconds faster than 2011 (2013 - 46:10 @ 21.4MPH / 2011 – 47:42 @ 20.8MPH).

Me on the bike testing the position.

T2 -

I grabbed my running visor and race belt and headed out.  A volunteer noted that I had my swim goggles in my hand as well.  I dropped the goggles prior to leaving the transition (a great volunteer put them back next to my bike – super cool).  I was 5 seconds slower than 2011 (2013 – 53 / 2011 47).

RUN -

Running has been my strong suit.  Not during this race.  I blame a lack of bricks (1), low run mileage (15 – 20 miles a week) and being heavy (10 lbs).  I remember running this in 2011 and while it hurt I was running well.  I was charging through the few people ahead of me.  This year I was over cooking the run and not moving as fast as I wanted.  I had to back off and actually walk for 10 seconds around mile 1.  Looking at my heart rate average (after the race) I really was working hard – I just wanted more.  In 2011 I ran the ‘3 miles’ (it is a little short) in 19:01 (4th best overall for the day).  This year I gave up a whopping 2:41 – almost a minute per mile (2013 – 21:42 @ 7:14/mile / 2011 19:01 @ 6:21/mile).

I finished the race in 1:18:19 (57 seconds slower than 2011).  However, I did legitimately win my age group (Sam was the only 40 – 44 male that was faster and he won the overall). 

In my age group I was 1st in the swim, 2nd in the bike (behind Lance) and 4th in the run.

Not a bad overall showing but there is definitely room for improvement.  I feel like this race was a high school test – sure I got a B but what if I would have studied?

Mighty Magnolia 2013–Training and Prep

Congrats on your come back – Ginger – Living the Tri Life

Don’t call it a come back, I’ve been here for years – LL Cool J

Before the race, the last triathlon I did was the Mighty Magnolia (clears throat) 2011 and I did not do any running races since RnR NOLA 2012 (half PR).  Well, there was a trail run that I ran in a banana suit last fall (Rattler Ramble).  It is not like I have been sitting on my duff – it is just I have not needed to toe the line.  My bike volume has been the biggest ever (I have averaged 130+ miles per week since March), the run volume has been low to moderate but consistence and the swim – well, I got in the pool some before this race.

Packet pick up the night before

I signed up for the Might Mag way back early in the spring.  I made a commitment.  I put down my money for accountability reasons (and the race is much cheaper the earlier you register).  You also get to start earlier (time trail start based on when you register – I was number 16).

I ended up having a good race, not a great race but a good, solid race.  I generally only sign up for races (triathlon, running or otherwise) when I can do my best.  I like to push myself, test myself and reach for PR’s.  I have a good track record of achieving these because I don’t race every weekend.  I am not interested in doing a training race – training is training and racing is racing.

But this race would be different.  I haven’t exactly been sitting on the couch the past year (remember, lots of biking) but I am at the very upper limit of my comfort zone in weight, which is defined as all of my clothes still fit me just fine but they might be a little snug.  I’m not hitting the big and tall racks but I could stand to lose 10 pounds (and 15 to get to my absolute leanest).  And when it comes to racing light is right – nowhere around that fact.

TRAINING AND PREP -

SWIM -

I often say that I am a proficient swimmer – I’ll get through the swim but I’m not going to win any races in the water.  Looking it up (well advanced in an art, occupation, or branch of knowledge), proficient that might be too strong of a word.  I am more of a confident swimmer.  I am a water jogger and like most triathletes the swim is just a way to get to the bike.  I am not a line watcher and I would much rather being playing water basketball or water volleyball than swimming laps.  I tallied my swim training sessions for the year the breakdown is nothing to brag about.

MAY	4
JUNE	2
JULY	5
AUGUST	7
SEPT	7
OCT	4
TOTAL	29

 

One of those (the weekend before the Mighty Mag) was actually an open water swim.  I also wore the wetsuit for the first time on race day since the last time on race day (2 years).  I tried it on the night before and hoped that it would fit (I did have to get some help from a big strong man to zip me up – thanks Chris).

 

BIKE -

 

I have been biking a lot this year – more than ever AND better than ever.  I have travelled to 3 large group outings (century rides and the type) and I have been training with a lot more focus.  I have embraced the training with intensity and concentrating on longer power efforts.  This has meant that I have participated in fewer group rides.  I have found that when I am in a group ride I am very rarely riding where I need to ride.  Depending on the group, I am either coasting along in the draft or in fear of being dropped.  A lot of my rides have been solo (early morning) and at my intensity level.  Guess what?  I am riding better than I ever have.

 

Last year I rode my race bike twice, for a spring time trial on the trace (I got a PR - 30:21 @ 23.33 MPH (for 11.85 miles)) and for a fall (late summer) time trial on the trace (I got another PR and finally broke 30 minutes – 29:46 @ 23.78 MPH (for 11.85 miles)).  I did not ride my race bike at all this year – all miles were on my road bike (even a hilly Epley Road TT – road bike no aero bars – results).  I also got a new road bike in mid September (a Litespeed C1 – I will tell you all about it in another blog post, promise).  I brought my race bike and my new road bike out to the Mighty Mag race site the weekend before the race.  I wanted to do some aero testing.  I have a powertap power meter and with a careful consideration for details you can extract the difference in CDA (coefficient of drag) using the Chung method (pdf and calculator).  I used the same wheels and tires on my race bike and my road bike.  I did a couple of test runs to establish a base line.  After about 30 or 40 runs (8 combinations tested) I determined that my HED-3 wheel (with Bontrager Aero TT tire) and my Rocket Air aero helmet is the fastest combination on both the road bike and the race bike.  The race bike was a good deal faster than the road bike (riding in the drops).  However, the race bike was very uncomfortable (soft tissue issues – in fact I wondered to myself how I could have ridden this bike in an IM – oh yeah, actually riding the bike more than once a year, that’s how).  Even though the Mighty Mag is only 16.5 miles I decided to stick with the road bike (it was not as fast but pretty fast for a road bike).  I then sent out the call to triathlete community to see if I could borrow a set of clip on aero bars.  They responded, in fact Lance even brought me two pairs to my house.  I slammed the stem on my road bike and bolted the bars into place.  I only got a short shake down ride of about 10 minutes the morning before the race with the new set up.

 

 

Road bike in race trim

 

 

 

Slammed stem

 

RUN -

 

I went out to the race site two weeks before the race to ride the

course with some friends.  After riding the course and a slow transition I ran most of the run course (skipped the little out and back sections).  This was my first brick in two years (since the last time I did this race).

 

So that was my training and prep for the race – lots of things were not optimum -

 

1. Very little swimming and zero practice in the wetsuit
2. Changed everything on the bike (including the bike)
3. Running mileage way down, weight up and zero bricks

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This started as a race report but ended up being a short training / prep / triathlon year in review.  Stay tuned for the race report!

 

 

Rattler Ramble Trail Run

It’s been a long time…

At the end of October I was asked to help time a trail run near my house. Actually I was asked to time the race two days before the event. I scrambled some pacer friends, procured the club’s clock and decided to race the event. I hoped to finish high enough in the rankings to that I could race and time.

Since the race was just before Halloween I donned the banana suit. I figured that this would give me a pretty good excuse if some of the fast guys showed up for the race. I could always say that I was in a banana suit – what do you expect.

It was a brisk morning, I say brisk but it was really about 50 degrees outside. It was kind of cold standing around but definitely hot while running. I wore an extra-long sleeved shirt while we were milling about before the start of the race. I did get to use all of the banana puns (peel off the extra layers, timing splits, etc.). Funny stuff!

The race started on a slight downhill on a dirt road. I was running fast and wanted to stay at the front. However, there was a girl in front of me. She was running smoking fast down this dirt road. I glanced at my GPS watch and we were in the high 5’s (very high 5’s – like 5:55, but high 5’s none the less). I was not going to put in a pass – this was too fast for me. I fell in behind the girl and stayed about 10 feet back. I was going to stick to the pace as long as possible. Flashing through my mind was a race that had taken place the previous week where a girl won the overall with an 18 high something 5K. I was thinking that if this was that girl then I would have to let her go. Once again, the pace was too fast for me.

I looked at the watch again, we were already a half mile into the race but she was not slowing down. I stayed with her and thought negative thoughts. Something would have to give and soon.

We rounded a corner and saw a long gradual rise before us. Finally, the girl slowed down. She huffed and grunted that she had gone out too fast. I thought – no doubt! I was thankful for the reprieve.

I settled into a very hard but sustainable pace. The route was technical and had many switch backs. I was able to glimpse the second place runner.  I did not want to get into a sprint on these trails.  I kept the pace up sufficiently enough to take the win.

Not my fastest run by far but it was my best race in a banana suit!

2012 Rock N Roll New Orleans Race Report–Half Marathon

So my ITB was acting up in early January. This caused me to shut down my marathon volume build prematurely. With that, the sub-3 marathon goal went out the window. I was having pain and discomfort in sessions as short as 4 miles. With the reduced volume, my speed took off. I was running fantastically fast but short. As my injury improved, I was able to push the distance to the 10-mile mark. I was still able to run fast.

I was also dropping some stubborn weight during this time. I was not as hungry as normal and I had voided the house of bad foods. I was leaning out and getting fast!

But, 6 weeks is much too long for a taper. About 2 weeks ago, some of the weight started to creep back on. Some of the speed started to slip. I still thought I could put together a good half marathon but I was losing my mojo. The half was not my goal.

We went down to NOLA the day before the race. The expo was a lot of fun and I did win a new pair of Brooks’s shoes from their huge carnival type booth. I ordered the Brooks Glycerin 9 neutral high mileage trainer. I have never had a pair of Brooks so I am excited to try them!

We also went and walked around the quarter. I have never had a daiquiri in NOLA. We stopped and I ordered a LARGE white Russian (with an extra shot). This was a strong frozen coffee daiquiri. We stumbled around the quarter for a while. Charles and Terry stopped and grabbed cigars. I skipped the smoke.

We made it to the hotel. I was bunking with Terry. He had rented what we would call the Emperor’s Suite! The suite had a couch, dining room table, recliner, king size bed and bathroom. I stayed upstairs and had my choice of two queen-sized beds and my own bathroom. We also got late checkout so that we could shower prior to lunch.

We made our way down St. Charles for dinner. The restraint that we selected was very crowded and much to our surprise did not have ANY beer on tap. They did, however, have several vodkas on draft! (wft). There was also a frozen wall with bottles of vodka being chilled. I did not partake of any alcoholic beverages during dinner. But I did have my second meal of the day that came with a bowl of brown gravy for dipping! I could not have planned that.

After dinner, we made the short walk back to the hotel but first stopped at the convenience store for early morning provisions. I got a bottle of sports drink and a couple of Cadbury eggs. Great pre-race foods. The eggs did not make it back to the hotel.

It was still early and Charles, Audrey and I decided to venture out for a nightcap. The Avenue Pub was just around the corner. This is Charles favorite place and he is not along. Draft magazine voted it as one of the top 100 best beer bars in the country (http://theavenuepub.com/ )! It was pretty crowded; after all, it was Saturday night. We stayed for one round and called it a night.

I had my alarm set for 5AM but I knew that I would not need it. You see, I have bunked with Terry before. By 5AM, he would have been awake for hours hydrating and taking nutrition. We left the hotel just after 6AM and made the just under a mile walk to the race start. Audrey slotted into her corral and Terry and I made it to the front the of the race – corral number 1! I was still not very excited about the race and I was not sure of my race plan. Two weeks ago, I was confident of shattering my half PR. Now, not so much. I knew I did not have a whole lot of extra speed and I was just not sure if I was prepared to suffer.

Still, I threw caution to the wind and set my paces at an aggressive 6:30 minute per mile. The first mile clicked off easily and fast – 6:22. I settled down and concentrated on running the tangents. I had studied the course the night before and knew that there was a huge sweeping turn all the way out to Audubon Park and back. If you were not careful, you could easily run a couple of hundred extra yards!

The pace got hard quick. Mile 3 ended up being one of my slowest. I really thought about slowing dramatically and waiting for Terry (who was running a hair slower but also the full marathon). After the turn around, I got a few shouts of encouragement from friends running the opposite way. I could not slow down now although it was tempting to jumping to the Avenue Pub again for a quick beer. It could have made for a great story. If Charles had been standing in front of the pub I would have stopped. Instead, I saw Charles about a mile later. The pace had slipped to 6:40 but I was holding steady. I knew that if I could make it to mile 10 then it would be a straight shot to the finish. I can do anything for 5k!

I was never in any deep pain. Sure, I was uncomfortable but never really hurting. I just wanted to stop. I did pick the pace up the last couple of miles and brought the pain. I finished strong and much to my surprise, I was able to chip a few seconds off my PR. How many seconds I was not sure but maybe a couple. I finished in 1:27:13, which is a PR by 7 seconds (a half second per mile faster).

I was one of the first to arrive at the reunion area. I had procured my clothing, cleaned up and sat down for a snack. I also got my 2 8 ounces ultra-light beers. As people trickled in, I got a couple more ultra-light beers. Then Charles showed up with a New Orleans Track Club shirt. Now, I am a member of the NOTC but did not think to venture to their tent. They had free food and kegs of beer. We grabbed a few more shirts (they were begging us to take them) and invited a few people to join us. We finally left the race site at about 11 AM. I had been there since 8:30 AM. We jumped on a bus back to the super dome. We had to high tail it back to the hotel room. Charles and Terry had to stop for a bathroom break so Audrey and I made our way back alone. We got to the hotel at 11:55 AM.

When I got to my room the key would not work! I asked the maid next door to let me and thankfully, she obliged. I threw a towel in the sink and ran hot water over it. I took a quick bath and washed all of the important stuff. Terry had arrived and while he cleaned up I went had checked out of the hotel.

Next stop was an Irish Pub and once again, for the trifecta, I had another meal that included another bowl of brown gravy! I don’t know how this happened.

It was a great time in the Big Easy!

I filled up with post-race snacks since at the RnR events once you leave the finishers area you are on your own. I also grabbed a solar blanket to use in the field.

Race Report–Oh what a beautiful day- 5 Mile Race

I decided to run the race when I woke up that morning. I knew that I would either work the race or run the race but I was on the fence. My training plan certainly did not call for a 5 mile race. Especially since my long runs are on Sunday. How would a race affect the long run? When training for a marathon, the long run is more important than a 5 mile race.

I hopped on the mountain bike with coffee in a disposable cup that I had kept from the day before. I was dressed in my race attire. I had on my racing flats, running shorts, running visor and a sleeveless running shirt. The first thing that I noticed was it was damp outside, like 100 percent humidity damp. It was one of those mornings were it felt like it was in a constant state of rain but it was not really raining. Oh yeah, it was also 70 degrees.

Charles and I timed this event last year so we both decided to race it this year. I also saw Terry L., he had just wrapped up a 9 mile run at marathon pace (sub-7 minute miles) prior to the race. There was a good chance that he would still beat me.

My strategy for the race was to try to run 5 – 10 seconds per mile faster than the Hobble then Gobble, which is a much harder course due to the hills. However, I changed my mind because of the conditions. Instead I was simply going to try and run the same pace, which is 6:20ish. Terry said that he was going to go out at 6:30 and pick it up at the turn around.

There are 2 guys in front of me.

We lined up for the race and there were a couple of young fast kids on the front. I recognized some of them. Anthony S. wins a lot of these races. I had my gps watch dialed in and I was just going to race my own race. We started off and it was immediately apparent that there was a head wind. I was in third place and jumped on the should of one of the kids. I was running too fast. I let second place pull ahead. That first mile came up at a 6:03 pace – way too fast. Anthony was in the lead and pulling away from second and third place. The kid on front of me started to labor hard between miles 1 and 2. I worked my way back up to his shoulder. I wanted to hang for a while but I would have had to slow too much. I passed him on the right and kept the pace up. I was working hard.

I was still in second at the turn around and I got a look at the field. Terry was in third 20 – 30 seconds behind me. It looked like a training run for him and not a race (he actually stopped at the turn around for a few seconds to talk with the marshal).

I kept the pace up for the 2 ½ mile return. I was hurting but dying. I was trying to embrace the pain and just let it flow. I kept the effort high but I could tell that I was starting to fade. I was damned and determined to keep Terry from overtaking me. I never turned around (not until the end) but I was listening intently for foot falls. I was trying to gage how much of a buffer I had. At Lake Thoreau Road (2k to go) the field marshal said good job and I waited to hear him say it again. I did not here it. I still knew that Terry was closing. I was the one fading.

I kept the intensity high but now I was starting to really suffer. I want to stop, just a mile to go.

I kept looking at the watch to see just exactly how far it was to the finish. Three quarters of a mile and then a half. I knew that I could finish strong.

 

I finished 2nd overall and 1st in age group.  It was a great race.  Most clock an extra tenth of a mile.

Splits:

Mile 1:  6:03

Mile 2:  6:13

Mile 3:  6:32

Mile 4:  6:34

Mile 5:  6:20

0.1:  0:28

2011 Ole Man River Half Marathon–Charts and Numbers

The 2011 Ole Man River Half PR – wow, what a lucky race.

As I am sure most of you know, everything has to be just right to get a PR. Why? Because it is the fastest you have ever run at the distance. A PR just won’t happen on its own (well, maybe that first year of running, but after a few years under your belt it takes a lot of work).

Race morning was a cool 40 degrees, very little wind but higher than normal humidity. For December, in the South, on a scale of 1 -10, I would give these conditions a 9 (maybe 9.5). A 10 would be 35 degrees, zero wind and no humidity. I want to be cold at the start of the race. But we were lucky with the conditions this year.

The Friday before and the days after the race were not what I would call ideal race conditions. I ran two days before the race and a couple of days after the race and it was tough – much harder conditions. Yesterday, during an 8 mile run (6 at tempo) the temperature was 65 degrees and drizzle (100 % humidity). In these conditions I would not have been able to maintain half marathon pace for even a 10k!

While no race PR’s are easy, this one might have been easier than some of the races in the past. Why? Because I paced myself better.

Even though it was a PR by 7 seconds the charts look very different. My average heart rate for the two races was within 2 BPM. 2010 was higher – 2010: 176 / 2011: 174. This was because of the blow up.

Boring stuff.  These charts are for me.  I am a visual kind of guy.

2010 – Notice the slowing at miles 2 – 4.  I was just trying to hold on.  The HR peak does correspond with the ‘fast’ at mile 5.  I am not sure why that mile was fast.  The difference between fastest and slowest miles was 20 seconds (6:26 / 6:46).

2011 – This was a better race.  The heart rate progression was linear.  Sure, the race got harder but there were not nay blow ups.  Also, the pace was a lot tighter.  The difference between fastest and slowest miles was 11 seconds (6:31 – 6:42).

This chart shows my average heart rate from 2010 and 2011. You can see that I went out too fast in 2010. I actually went out per the game plan but I did not have the fitness to maintain a 6:30 pace. That first mile was 6:26 pace. I still need to work on this because 2011 was also too fast but not enough to blow up (6:31 pace). By the second mile I had settled into my half marathon pace of just under 6:40. The difference was that in 2010 it was a struggle because of the blow up and in 2011 it was an easy transition to half marathon pace. I remember 2010 well; I was dying from mile 2 – 6 and just trying to hold on. This year I was running hard but strong and in control of my race. 

I was able to go out at an appropriate pace and cruise the first 10K.  I say cruise like it was easy – it was hard work, this pace is fast for me, but it is a lot easier than blowing up.

The question I am asking myself, could I have run faster if I had gone out quicker?

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How do you pace your races?  Do you go out slow, fast or steady?

Ole Man River Race Report - 2011

The alarm went off at 4AM. I normally get up at 5, usually without an alarm. I am perfectly fine with 5AM most mornings, but an hour earlier, that seems ungodly. I rose and clicked the brew button on the coffee maker. I had set out a number of possible running outfits the night before. I was prepared for everything. Before dressing I jumped on the scale. It read 5 pounds higher than my normal. There have been a number of holiday parties and I have not been diligent with my diet. This worried me.

I poured myself two travel mugs and drove in darkness across town to meet friends for the drive to New Orleans.  This race takes place at City Park in New Orleans – one of the largest and oldest urban parks in the country).

Botanical Gardens

I have raced the Ole Man River Half Marathon the past 2 years. Both of those years I achieved PR’s, first by several minutes and the next by several seconds. I was fearful about this year’s race. I developed a race plan in my head – I would go out at PR pace and then kick it up at mile 10 (or crash and burn). My confidence was lacking.

The drive was painless and I enjoyed the conversation with Dawn, Terri and Tanya. Tanya was gunning for a PR and Terri was going to pace her to the finish. Dawn had planned on running but a recent injury has her sidelined, she still rode down for moral support (and to pick up her race packet).

This is Louisiana. There is always beer at the finish line. On top of that, this race also has one of those pancake machines. You race and reward yourself with pancakes and beer. I call it a Vermont Car-bomb. I was actually thinking of getting a shot glass full of maple syrup and dropping it into my beer – mmmm. Good stuff.

I had brought several possible race outfits. Everything from log sleeves to sleeveless, from visor to insulated cap. At the start, the temperature was 40 degrees. I wore what I always wear – shorts, sleeveless shirt, sunglasses and a cap (I guess that is not what I always wear – I usually wear a visor). Oh yeah, I also had a pair of knit gloves. Standing near the start of the race I was already warm.

I had my virtual nemesis queued up for my PR time – that would be 6:40 pace for 13.2 miles. I always input just a little long so that the watch does not cut off early. I had looked at my past two years and I had run 13.15 and 13.16 miles (I would end up with 13.9 this year). This US Track and Field certified course is accurate. On top of that, I have become a better racer with the tangents. There is a run / bike path that winds its way along part of the course, most people follow the edge of the trail. Not me! I clip each and every apex on that trail. I do not want to run a yard farther than necessary.

Race Course

Although I have PR’d the past two years at this race, I have also gone out too fast. I was damned and determined to slow my roll and pace the first few miles better. I hate blowing up in the beginning and suffering to hold pace for 10 miles. Remember, my strategy was to hold my PR pace and then try to pick it up at the end (easier said than done).

The race started promptly at 8AM. I took off towards the front of the pack but not on the pointy end. There is also a 5K that runs the first couple of miles with the half marathon. There is no need to even pretend that you can run with the 5k big dogs. I settled into my pace with several whole packs in front of me. The pace was brisk but unattainable. It was hard but not too hard. Mile one came quick, people were starting to drop off and I passed a few. There was a large pack of 5 or 6 in front of me. I was two miles into the race but I knew I need the comfort of group. I accelerated and caught the back of the pack and settled in. There was not much wind but I run much better on someone’s shoulder than I do when I am out in the open. Mentally I attached the elastic band to the runner in front of me. It would pull and stretch but it kept me along. Even thought this is just a middle distance race I am amazed at ups and downs that I experience. There were times when I thought the pace was just right and other times when I knew I could not last. But I kept on; I used the pacing of the Garmin and group.

We were passing a few runners here and there. Some would stick and some would fade. We lost a few of our group. The group started to thin out. There were just four of us. I learned that the leader was named Cory. Once we had turned at the out and back point, dozens of people shouted his name. He had ready told me that this was a training run (he pointed out that he had already run 9 that morning) and he was pacing his buddy. He was pacing me as well. I made a point to limit the water stops. I had two gels with me and took them at miles 6 and 9. At mile 10, the guy that Cory was pacing yelled that he needed water. He was hurting – he was done with the pace that we were running. The group was shattered. I was now in my much familiar “no man’s land”. I hate this place. I can run the paces. I can keep from fading. The effort, however, is so much more. This is when self doubt creeps in – this is when you have to have your mantras ready. Game on!

I hunkered down and targeted the runner ahead of me. I kept my pace measured but I threw that elastic lasso way out in front. It caught him on the waist. I started to close the gap. It took nearly a mile to cover that 100 feet but the victory was mine. Actually, I was not speeding up, he was fading slowing – but in the late stages of a race not slowing down is the victory!

I was burning up in the 40 degree weather. The gloves had been off since mile two; the beanie cap now came off. I stuffed it in my running shorts. I was still sweating like it was the dog days of summer. My sunglasses had sweat dripping down the insides. I kept taking them off and clearing the moisture from my eye sockets. Finally, I took the glasses completely off and stuffed them in my waist band. I should have worn the visor (lesson learned).

It was too far to bridge to the next racer but I still held the pace. I was hurting – not a specific hurt but a whole body ache. I WANTED to stop but I was not going to allow myself to stop. The decision was made. I kept the pace and brought the run home.

I gave all to pick up the pace in the last quarter mile of the race. I ran towards the stadium and through the tunnel. The race finishes on the track at Tad Gormley Stadium. This is where the 1992 US Olympic Track and Field Trials were held. Olympic dreams were made here! I sprinted the last turn of the quarter mile track. The door to my half marathon PR time was closing quickly on the clock. I ran hard and passed the line. I was not sure if I had achieved my goal.

Tad Gormley Stadium

I crossed the finish line and waited for Cory and the other guy. I shook their hands and thanked them for carrying me. The next couple of runners, who I did not see the entire run, shook my hand and thanked me for carrying them! I love the camaraderie of sport!

I spoke with Dawn, who was bundled up in a blanket watching the finishers. There were no pancakes this year – my visions of a Vermont Car-bomb would be delayed. I ate light and drank a lite beer or two (not my favorite). Dawn and I saw Terri and Tanya finish a few minutes later. Tanya PR’d by 3 minutes. It was a great day of racing.

I ended up with a 1:27:27 (a PR by 7 seconds)!

Side note – I did see Nester at the race. It seems that he is at just about every race that I am at!

Hobble then Gobble Race Report

I still had the clock and the timing equipment from the Shamrock 5K the previous weekend (last Sunday) so I needed to be early to the Hobble then Gobble 5 Mile race. Well, since I was going to be on site and I did not have to time the event I decided to compete. This is a tough 5 mile out and back in a hilly area of town (Lake Serene).

Once again, I had not really prepared for this race. There was no taper and I have not had an off day since the drive up to the Cheaha KOM bike event (12 days of training – 11 running days and 1 biking). Since we had gotten off work early on Wednesday (Thanksgiving Eve) I went for a short bike ride with a couple of friends. It was a little over 20 miles but I did do a couple of short, hard intense efforts. One such effort was the hill out of Sumrall. I have made this a segment on Strava.   If you ride the trace you should upload your Garmin files to Strava and try to knock me off the KOM for the Sumrall hill – I’m on top right now but it should not be too difficult to knock me down a rung or two. (http://app.strava.com/rides/2451038#41460617) .

Back to the Hobble then Gobble. It was a cold morning here in South Mississippi. When I arrive at Lake Serene the temperature was in the low 40’s. An hour later at the race start the temperature had risen to about 50 (later it would be in the 70’s – nice winters here in Mississippi). In fact, I am writing this race report on my back porch grilling some chicken on the grill, having an adult beverage and wearing short sleeves and shorts.

The Hobble then Gobble is a big race around here. It brings out a lot of strong runners. It is also hilly and goes across two spillways – the water is ankle deep. You are going to get wet on this course.

Start of the race – look at that lead already.

Having raced the 5k 5 days ago I knew that I needed to better pace myself. I did not want to go out too fast this time. I set my sights on running a 6:20 pace. This would have been achievable with an off day the leading up to the race or on a flat course. Instead I noticed that as we ran across the levy there was a stiff breeze in our faces. My pace was already slipping to a 6:30. As we reached the first spillway I saw the runners up ahead splashing through. There is a wooden bridge to the side and a couple of people in front of me ran off course to use the bridge. I followed suit. I did not mind the extra 2 or 3 seconds for dry feet for a couple of miles. At mile one I would guess that I was in 10^th place. Not a great showing at this point but considering the big guns that can show up I just ran my own race. Between miles 1 and 2 I had moved up a couple of places but the leaders were already out of sight.

I was running behind Daniel McK. He is a very nice kid that shows up at almost every race. At the 5K last week I passed him half way through but he re-passed me and made it stick with a mile to go. He has gotten fast. I trailed him this entire race.

There was no choice but to get wet in the second spillway. Fortunately, it was only a few inches deep. I ran straight through it with no effort to limit the wetness. I was running hard. At this point I would not notice something as insignificant as wet feet. As I neared the turnaround I could see that I was locked into 4^th place. Now I just had to keep pace.  I needed to keep the intensity at a rolling boil.  I kept the effort high and focused.

I never looked behind me. You must never look back! If someone is close then they will know you are on the edge and it will encourage them. If no one is in sight then you will slow down. Never look back! (I guess you can look back if you are going to be the overall winner but even then you are probably just asking for trouble.)

I crossed the second spillway again and continued to run hard. I knew that I was in a solid fourth place. When I started the race I had a time goal of sub-32. With the slow starting mile and the hills this was going to prove difficult. I turned on to the home stretch with a mile to go. I was running full bore. When I got to the final spillway crossing I thought about taking the bridge again but it was full of walkers – there is also a 2 mile walk associated with the Hobble then Gobble. Through the water I went. An SUV was approaching. I threw a quick hand in the air and told them to stop.  I certainly did not want to be splashed as I made the water crossing. They stopped in their tracks. I bounded through the water. My feet and shoes were now completely soaked but the end was near. I increased my effort. I would fight hard this last ¾ of a mile. I rounded the last turn and saw the clock in the distance, it read 31:4X. I sucked it up and dug deep. I trucked out that last two hundred yards. When I hit the line I heard Charles, who was timing the race yell “31:59!”

Sprinting for the finish.

Mission accomplished. I finished the race with an average pace of 6:24. That is not far off my 5 mile tempo pace but it is a much more challenging course than the trace.

First and second place finished minutes ahead . (Chad M., a kid who runs at university ran sub-28 and Terry L. ran sub-30).  Daniel McK finished a couple of hundred yards ahead of me in the 31’s. I was proud of the effort. It was a good race for me.

I won my age group, I think my stache got second (http://www.movember.com).  My friend Jason was close behind.

The bad news is I am a little slow on my paces. The good news is I have 3 ½ months to get faster for my A-race marathon!

Shamrock 5k–no PR

I was asked to bring the clock to a local 5k this past Sunday. I think I have timed about 14 events this year. But this event was different. They only wanted the clock. They were going to handle the timing.

So I thought, why not, I’ll go ahead and race this 5k. These races are not my favorite and in fact, I have not raced a 5k since March 2009 (I looked it up). That race was on the trace and I got a PR – 19:09. In fact, I have a great average for PR’s – it is way up there at 90 – 95%. I can only think of 2 races that I have not PR’d in the past 5 years – one was a half marathon and the other was a full marathon (I’m throwing Boston out of this summary because I was hurt, factored collar bone and well, it is Boston). So I have a good batting average. It is only because I do not race often. Since that last 5k I have raced about 10 half marathons, a 25k, a 30k and a full marathon – plus 20ish triathlons including a full ironman.

But I usually get a PR. So I decided to do this 5k on a whim. And guess what? No PR. I missed it by 10 seconds. I was a little deflated but I can chock it up to a couple of reasons. These are not excuses – I did not get a PR – but they are reasons. I do believe that I am a faster runner.

• I went out too f’ing fast (sub-6)  and faded hard
• ZERO taper. I ran 9 miles the previous day
• PLUS started marathon training this week (bunch of miles)
• Still recovering from Cheaha bike riding (read more)
• HOT for November – it was 30 degrees earlier in the week
• Hilly (compared to my PR race on the trace)
• 21 turns – damn tangents

21 turns, count’m

I won my age group (bunch of gift cards and a candle!!!). I had a good race.

This race has got me back into the racing mood. Bring on the halfs!

Mighty Magnolia 2011 Race Report

To tell you the truth, I was not looking forward to the Mighty Magnolia. This is the 4^th year of our local race and I have never done it. I have volunteered several years but there was always a reason I was unable to compete.

I let things get in the way so I would not have to race. You see, I hate racing this late in the year. By the time October rolls around I have already peaked, crashed and peaked again. I am worn out from the summer. I have also already started my marathon base building.

But this year was different. I signed up for the race the first week registration opened. I knew that if I waited I would have another reason to not sign up. Heck, last year I even had a promotional entry (that I won at an auction) that I donated to another athlete. I wished that I had gone ahead and raced last year. I regretted not competing.

But once again, by the time race week rolled around I was not excited. I must admit that it was nice sleeping in my own bed and waking up at a reasonable hour and still getting to the race site with plenty of time to spare.

Enough about my motivation, the swim was changed this year to be a point to point across the lake. The water temperature was a brisk 71 degrees at race start. I had gone out to the lake for packet pickup the night before and swum across the lake and back. I needed to try out the wetsuit. I had not worn it for about 18 months, not since the Dragonfly or Heat Wave last year. I was not concerned about my swim but I really have not been in the pool much since the summer session of Master’s Swim ended back in early August. I have been going through the paces and swimming twice a week but never more than 1500 yards at a time.

I have done this twice before, while walking across the dam to the swim start.  Even though I was wearing flip flops my foot slipped and got cut. It was not enough to have an impact on the race but it was disturbing.

The start of the race is in time trail fashion. You enter the water every 3 seconds. I was number 27 so I would be in the water pretty quick. Most of the really fast swimmers were in front of me and I would never see them. When it was my turn I ran into the water and started my swim. I just swam a nice steady pace. I never got in any danger of blowing up. I never needed to slack off and catch a breath. I just motored through the water. I passed several people and got passed once or twice. My swim effort is what I call ‘water jogging.’ I often say, “I not going to win the race in the swim but I sure can lose it.” I am a much better swimmer than in years past. I exited the water knowing that I had an efficient swim. I had forgotten how much the wetsuit aids my swim. I ran up the hill into T1. I was surprised at how well I removed the wetsuit. I mean, I have not practiced this at all this year. I completed the 500ish yard swim in 8:48. Swim age group rank 2 out of 15. T1 – 1:16

I rolled out of transition and started the bike. I was surprised at how much I was struggling. I was biking hard up some of the small hills exiting the subdivision. I was not making any progress passing the bikes up ahead. I had my race wheels (HED3’s) on my bike with my race cassette. I have not had these wheels on the bike much and the shifting left much to be desired. I was already looking for another gear going up the easy rises. Turning onto the surface road you could start to feel the wind. It was whipping everyone around. I am not a strong enough cyclist to punch through a head wind. It was a challenging bike with the hills and the wind. A couple of miles into the bike my legs started to come around. I wasn’t riding any faster but I was not hurting as much. I was reeling in several riders that were in front of me. It was the second group of riders. The super fast guys were long gone, never to be seen. It took a couple of miles but soon I was in between the groups riding out in no man’s land. I never had another cyclist near me. My heart rate was steady. I was trying to cycle right near my biking LT level. I know that during our 11.8 mile TT my heart rate will average 175 BPM. However, at that level I cannot even stand after the bike, much less run. So I kept it in check and rode a solid bike. My heart rate for the bike averaged 170 BPM for the 16.5 miles. I finished the bike in 47:42 with a 20.8 MPH average. Bike age group rank 4 out of 15.

I hit the dismount line and ran through transition. From out of nowhere there was a guy racking his bike next to me. He must have come on me quick. We were right next to each other and I mentioned how windy the bike was. I racked the bike and changed shoes. Grabbed my hat and race belt and ran out of T2. I knew that I was still at the front of the second pack. There couldn’t be many behind me. T2 – 0:47

Starting the run (clipping on the race belt)

I just started off on the run. I could see someone just ahead of me. I started to pull them in. Once again I was keeping my heart rate in check. This time I was letting it rise an additional 10 BPM to 180. I made some progress and passed the next runner. I also got passed by the guy that was next to me in transition. This is a hilly run but I was feeling strong. I kept the pressure up and kept the heart rate at a solid rolling boil. This was not an easy simmer on the back burners. This was front of the stove, pot uncovered, steam filling the air, making a mess. I was having a good run. I kept the guy that passed me in sight but I was really in no man’s land again. My heart rate averaged 180 BPM for the run.  This will be my new run LT training range – about 5 BPM higher than it has been.  I finished the 3 mile run in 19:01 with an average pace of 6:21. Run age group rank 2 out of 15.  (If my math is correct it was also the 4th fastest of the day.)

Talking with friends post race.

Total time for the race was 1:17:22 which placed me 3^rd in age group (I was helped because the guy who won the race was in my age group) and 11^th overall.

I had a great time at the race and I am glad that I participated. I had a solid swim and a solid run and a good enough bike. I know where I need to work.

I am proud of the intensity!

2011 Sunfish–Lessons Learned

I have raced three triathlons this year. They have all been hot and tough. Last weekend was the Sunfish. This was my first triathlon 5 years ago. Let us look back at this race.

A hard effort!

1. PRE-RACE – I ate a quick bowl of oatmeal at 3 in the morning. Drank some coffee. I had a gel about 30 minutes prior to race start. I also got in the water and swam easily. I had zero anxiety regarding the swim. My pre-race routine is pretty smooth.

2. SWIM – I swam easy the entire swim. I never got out of my comfort zone. I stuck to the left of the line of athletes and swam my own race. I passed a whole lot of people and only got passed by a couple – Sam and Judy. Now is the time to start actually pushing the pace on the swim and not just surviving it. I am at a comfort level that will finally allow me to swim fast. My swim was 9:06 swimming comfortable. If I really pushed the pace, I probably could have shaved off maybe 30 seconds. Is it worth it? If I need to gain a minute and a half and I can pick up 30 seconds in swim – well, yeah, it is worth it.

3. BIKE – I pushed the bike hard. My heart rate averaged 174 beats per minute and peaked at 184. This is actually the same average I have seen for my best TT (11.8 miles compared to ~16). This is a hilly challenging course where as the TT is flat. Oh yeah, I don’t have to get off the bike after the TT. Did I push the bike to hard? Well, yeah. However, I have been faster on this course. I wish my speed reflected my effort. On a short race like this I don’t think I can hold back much on the bike. A race like this has to be all out.

4. RUN – All right, let’s get this out of the way. It is only a 5k and … I walked. I was pushing hard and I walked a few seconds after the first water station. Then I walked a few more seconds a quarter of the way around the lake. Then I walked again at the 2-mile mark. That is where Robin yelled at me! I did not walk any more. I think I probably lost a minute total with the walking. A minute is a long time in a sprint race. What was my problem? I was blowing up for the run my heart rate averaged at 180 peaked at 190. This run was slower than I wanted but it was not for lack of effort. I ran a hard race. I just wish I were faster.

5. TRANSITIONS – Big improvements from years past. I can still work on this free speed. This is what is keeping the race close with Robin.

Although I am not very good at math I like to so some stats.  I am not going to show you the super complex spreadsheet (but I do this after almost all races).

I averaged the SMIW / BIKE / RUN / TRANSITIONS and TOTAL time of the top 3 finishers in my age group.  Last year I was behind by 3.17 percent.  This year I closed the gap to 2.66 percent.  There was improvement.  To actually get on the podium, last year I was behind by 2.71 percent.  This year it was only 1.76 percent.  I am inching up!

My swim improved, my bike improved and both of my transitions improved.  The run slipped by 0.27 percent.  However, my run was 15 percent slower than Robin’s.  That was the kicker.

 

2010	SWIM	T1	BIKE	T2	RUN	TOTAL
TOP 3 AG	-6.26	0.56	-1.13	-1.20	-6.71	-3.17
TO PLACE 3RD						-2.71
2011	SWIM	T1	BIKE	T2	RUN	TOTAL
TOP 3 AG	-5.70	14.97	-0.81	5.76	-6.98	-2.66
TO PLACE 3RD						-1.76

* higher numbers are better

(FYI – a negative 1 is higher than a negative 2)

2011 Dragonfly Race Report

We arrive at packet picket at 4PM the day before the race.  Walking down the beach to the water it was brutally hot.  The air was still and the sun was harsh.  I took my shoes off and stepped into the water.  I only got ankle deep.  The water was so hot that I did not want to get in any further!  I preferred the mid 90 degree air temperature over the lake water.  We had a good showing from Hattiesburg:  Sam, Chris, John, Judy, Shawn and a couple of others.  This being the Best of the US, same was shooting for top 3.

Tomorrow would be tough.

The next morning the temperature had broken.  Sure, it was still hot but not like it had been the day before (and for damn sure not like the Heat Wave a couple of weeks ago).  Clouds had moved in and block the scorching sun.  I set up transition and walked down to the beach.  Expecting the worst I waded out into the water.  It was cool.  Not cold by any means but it was cool.  The swim takes place in the lower lake.  They must have let some water out from the much larger Lake Sardis.  The difference was dramatic.

While not wetsuit legal the 84 degree swim was much more comfortable than it could have been.  I think the warm water during the Heat Wave a couple of weeks ago really took its toll.  I would be swimming in the second wave for this race.

We waded out into the lake and the siren sounded.  I remember be so nervous at the starts of these swims a few years ago.  I still get excited for a race but the anxiety has subsided.  Shawn is a bit faster than me in the swim and I had hoped to draft off of him in the swim.  Per normal I lost any feet in the first 50 yards.  I stuck to the left of the main line and swam my own race.  I felt comfortable the entire swim.  In fact, after rounding the last buoy I picked up the pace!  I never actually do this in swims for fear of blowing up (panic).  But I was water jogging.  I emerged from the water only a few feet from Shawn.  We ran all the way up the beach and across a field to transition.  (1/2 mile SWIM:  14:10 – Age Group 3/4).

The transition could have been a little faster (0:54) but I was on the bike soon enough.  The cloud cover was still in place and I started to make up time.

As soon as we left the park you could feel the wind.  It was not quite a direct head wind.  My HED-3 race wheels were being pushed dramatically.  I never felt out of control but it was difficult to hug the white line all the way to the right.  A gust would come by and I could feel the bars turn.  You really had to brace yourself against the wind.  I was not alone.  Everyone was getting tossed about.  I came up on Shawn within the first couple of miles.  He was racing with a full disc and I could see him fighting the turbulence.  I yelled at him about the wind as I passed.  As soon as we turned North the wind situation improved vastly.  I reeled in a couple of people but I also got passed by a couple.  I also had to gear all the way down to my granny gear for the first of the two hills.  I still have no power in the legs. 

I have also thought that tail winds were a myth told by old roadies and triathletes.  I have never experienced one.  It always has seemed that you fight the wind coming and going.  Well, let me tell you that I am now a believer.  After I turned on the the home stretch I was being pushed.  Although I do not had a speedometer on my race bike I could tell that I was making great speed.  Looking back at the data I was pulling 26+ MPH with the help of the wind. (18 mile BIKE: 50:01 21.59 MPH – Age Group 4/34).

My second transition was actually longer than my first.  That should not happen!  I did, however, start to run the wrong direction leaving the transition area.  That cost me a few seconds.

Off on the run I was feeling good.  I quickly caught and passed a couple of guys.  The first mile of the run is along an asphalt road.  Then it heads off road on trail straight up into the trees.  This is a challenging course.  I was running hard but I was in no mans land.  I was running by heart rate.  I was keeping everything at a low boil – basically my LT running level.  After rounding the lollipop turn around there are a series of hills.  Some of them are quite steep.  I made a decision to walk up one of the steeper hills.  I regained my composure and kicked it back in.  I got passed my someone in their 50’s.  Once I was running down hill I was able to make up some ground.  I ended up passing a couple of people in that last mile stretch.  They were people from a previous wave.  I also caught back up to the 50’s guy.  But once I realized that he was not in my age group I backed off some.  I need to get better about this.  (4 mile RUN: 31:26 7:52 PACE – Age Group 6/34)

Overall I had a good race.  However, I did not race it like a race.  I raced it like a training run.  But what am I training for to race it like a training run.  Sure, it was a last minute race but I need to step up!  Also, I am not sure what has happened to my run this year.  The last two triathlons I have not run fast.  Last year in this race I ran 7:20’s – this year 7:50’s, WTF.  I just have not been running much this spring. 

Overall I finished in a time of 1:37:32 (Age Group – SWIM  3/34 – BIKE 4/34 – RUN 6/34 – TOTAL 5/34).  I placed the highest ever in the swim!  For comparison, my rankings two years ago (in a race that I really raced, was SWIM 5/31 (wetsuit) / BIKE 1031 / RUN 8/31).  I am definitely faster and I am on the cusp of a podium! 

My run used to be my strong suit.  This gives me push to get back on the pavement.  Fortunately, I do know how to work the run.  I will be faster next race – guaranteed.

Sam got second overall and qualified for the Best in the US! 

Saturday, September 10

Alabama Coastal Triathlon
Gulf Shores, AL

Best of the U.S. brings together the top amateur triathletes from every state, creating America's ultimate elite amateur wave. Each state has just one Qualifier Race, from which the top three men and women–– regardless of their age ––qualify to represent their state at the National Championship.

Heat Wave 2011–Race Report

Left work a little early on Friday to head up to Ridgeland for the Heat Wave.  It was hot.  Central and Southern Mississippi has been under a sever heat warning for the past week.  The temperatures have been hitting the triple digits and combined with humidity in the 90’s – well, it has been warm!

I got to talk to a couple of friends at Indian Cycle and Fitness during packet pickup.  They always do a great job.  There were finger foods, wine and beer.  I was on good behavior and stuck to the soft drinks.  I did eat a lot of cheese and crackers.

They had all of their super cool triathlon bikes on display with big mark downs.  It is always temping.  I got to see a Specialize Shiv up close and personal as well as a Speed Concept with electronic shifting.  Both of those bikes are out of my league.

Trusty steed

Four thirty AM came quick.  Ate my normal oatmeal breakfast (cooked via hot water from the in room coffee maker).  We packed up and were on race site just before 6AM.  The race starts at 7.

You racked your bike by bib number.  I would be in the very last rack, meaning I would have to run with my bike the entire length of transition – twice.  Oh, well.  At least the bib numbers were deployed by age group.  Everyone I was competing against would have to do the same.

Long run in transition

I set up my transition, picked up my chip and got marked.  I decided to grab a quick warm up swim.  The water was warm.  It felt like 80 degrees.  It was fine for standing around in but it might get warm.

Robin and I pre-race warm-up

They had us start by waves which were 7 minutes part.  This would alleviate some of the congestion during the bike.  I was in the very first wave.  This is a wading start.  As we were wading out to the imaginary start line they said ready set go and sounded the horn.

Lining up for the start

We were off that quick.  I saw Robin just to my right and I wanted to draft off of him.  He is just a little quick than me in the swim and why not take an easy swim at his expense?

I sped up after him and grabbed some feet.  Every time that I have drafted off of someone I either start to blow up because they are too fast or get impatient because I feel like I should be going faster.  As I said, Robin is about my speed but I felt like I was barely moving.

Well I started to get around the fish I was drafting off of and it was not Robin.  Oops!  I passed the swimmer and swam alone for the rest of the half mile swim (half mile was published but several people believed it to be long). 

What can I say about the swim?  It was probably my best swim ever.  I swam my own race at a comfortably hard pace.  I never got discombobulated and just swam.  At one point my mind drifted to transition and I knew that I had forgotten to turn on my GPS watch.  I tried to send telepathic waves to someone to correct the situation.  It was all for not.  I snapped back to attention and concentrated on the swim.

You were to swim to the left of all buoys.  As I closed on on the swim exit I noticed that I was indeed to the left of the final orange buoy but I was also left of the exit.  I quickly adjusted and accepted a hand from a volunteer.  The boat dock was rather slick.  I also saw Robin just a few feet ahead of me.

I ran to transition.  I turned my GPS watch on and donned my helmet, sunglasses and such.  I spent a little too much time messing with the watch.

I sprinted out of transition.  My heart heart rate was sky high mounting the bike.  I was in the red zone as I started to push the bike.  There were not many riders out on the course (or rather, there were not many rider out on the course within sight).  I tried to let my heart rate settle as I shifted to an easier gear.  I was spinning at my confortable cadence zone in the high 90’s.

I was putting in a solid effort when I got passed by Mike V.  He lives in my neighborhood.  He is a strong rider.  However, within seconds I got passed again.  This time it was Robin.  He motioned for me to pick it up and follow them.  Let me state, neither of them were drafting.  From my perspective this was an extremely clean race.  Everyone that I saw riding was strictly by the books.  That was refreshing!

They were pulling away some and I dug down and picked up the pace.  Fortunately we had turned onto the Natchez Trace and had some rolling down hills.  By the time a caught back and passed Robin, Mike V. was long gone.  Robin, another rider and myself battled it out for about 10 miles.  We would dig deep and pass each other multiple times.

At the turn around I saw that I had a sizable gap between myself and Robin.  The back section is more uphill and I could feel it in my legs.  I just kept spinning and keeping my heart rate at a slow boil.  Although there was a bottle exchange at the turn around I did not feel that I needed to take on any water.  I was still leery about the vomiting from last year.  I only had my front mounted water bottle and I was only taking small sips during the ride.

I was not able to bridge many gaps on the return ride.  I passed a couple and got passed by a blazing fast rider in the 25 – 29 age bracket.  He started 7 minutes after my wave.  Damn!

I rode threw the bike strong.  I ran through transition and changed into my running attire.  I was hot and had some fatigue. 

At the start of the run my heart rate was high.  It was a high effort.  It was where I wanted to keep it during the entire run.  I wanted to run at a measured effort.  I have been practicing running harder.

The first water stop came up at less than a mile.  I was hot.  I was blowing up.  Kendrick from the MS Heat Tri club had caught me and we were running together.  Kendrick is also in the 25 – 29 bracket and had made up 7 minutes on me.  He was also hurting but toughing it out.  We traded places for a while.  At the water stop I stopped and walked it.  I was thankful that the water was cold and I drank a cup while I dumped one on my head.  The shock of the cold too my breathe away.  I started the run again.

Kendrick was still with me but I was losing ground.  On a shady hill I took my first walk break.  I counted my steps, 1 – 2- 3- 4 and did that 5 times.  I do not know why I picked that pattern.  It gave me  20 second break.  My heart rate did not budge.  It was still firmly planted in high zone 4.

Oh yeah, I’m not real sure where it occurred but Robin passed me during the run.  It was either just before the first water stop or just passed it.  Robin is a pure runner.  I could not go with him.

Although they were rolling hills it seemed like it was all up him.  I just kept thinking that on the back it would be all down hill.  At every water stop I continued to dump 2 waters and drink one.  My shoes were making a swishy wet sound.  Now I never dump water on myself.  I hate running in wet feet.  I did not care.  However, my feet did start to rub and I could feel hot spots turning to blisters.

The blisters hurt but they were not an issue.  I can run through that, it was the heat that I was battling today.

I could hear footsteps behind me.  Someone was back there but they were not making up any ground.  I slowed on each hill and shortened my stride.  My heart rate was still sky high.  I was running at a very hard effort.  I was just not going very fast. 

I took a quick walk break on one of the hills.  The footsteps got closer.  This went on for what seemed like forever but it was actually just a mile and a half. 

During anther quick walk break I was caught.  I started running with them.  He said his muscle would not let him run fast and that his heart rate was low.  I said that I was overheating.  I asked him his age hoping…  He said 50 and laughed.  We were both aged up to 39 years old. 

I ended up letting him go.  I quickly shut that out of my mind and made sure that I would not be passed again.  That made 2 runners in  my age group that passed me.  That was tough on me.

I saw the 1 mile marker on the other side of the trail and knew that I was close.  I did take a quick look over my shoulder and saw no one.  Granted the trail had many curves but I was reasonably sure that I was safe.  Still, I was able to muster up enough to finish strong.  Actually finish a little too strong.

I was blowing up and over heating as I charged up the last hill towards the finishing shut.  I was hurting.  Once I relinquished my timing chip I made a bee line to the kiddie pools filled with cold water and ice.  I stuck my fore arms in the ice cold water.  I was trying to drop my core temperature.

I filled my unitard front and back with ice.  The race was over.

I am not quite that heavy – that is ice – front and back

This was the hardest Heat Wave that I have ever done.  The race was true to it’s name.  Many strong runners struggled.  I had a best swim and a strong bike.  I had a tough run. 

I did not win, place or show but I did compete well.  I will post the stats after the official results are posted.

UPDATE:

AG – 11/34 OVERALL – 43/4xx

SWIM – 17:27 (age group place 14)

T1 - 0:56

BIKE - 1:07:14 – MPH 22.1 (age group place 10)

T2 - 1:06

RUN – 47:50 – PACE -  7:51 (age group place 10)

TOTAL - 2:14:30