20-week Out Season Ironman Training Wrap-up

Ironman Training Update
March 4, 2012

End of 20 week Out Season Ironman Training Plan

Whew!  This adventure ride officially started way back on October 17, 2011.  That was right after returning from the Big Island of Hawaii and experiencing the Ironman World Championships.  A memorable experience that I will never forget. 

Training for an Ironman is a long road.  People must be dedicated to the training and make time for it.  Especially when trying to train over the winter.  The darkness, the cold weather, the rain, the snow, the wind can all prove challenging to getting your butt out there just to suffer.

During Ironman CDA 2010, I identified that my weakest discipline of the three was the bike.  Even though my marathon time was well over 6 hours, it was my poor bike fitness that contributed to the poor run.  I needed to focus on the bike.  So that became my #1 priority. 

Ironman Training Day 1 Bike Test Video

Run Test #1 Video

As my training started I was scheduled to be on the road travelling for work.  So for the first time, I brought my bike along.  I got to enjoy some great training rides along the Oregon Coast and even rode my bike all the way to the California Border (well, from Brookings, anyway).  Taking my bike to Seattle for Fish Expo week sounded like a good idea, but Seattle is not a great place to bike train.  Too many stops, pot holes, weird routes and such.  I spent most of my time, just figuring out where to go.  And then I got a flat tire while crossing the Ballard Bridge.  That pretty much did it for me and didn’t ride anymore in Seattle.

I set up the bike trainer in my bedroom so I could train indoors and watch TV.  This should be pretty good.  I despise the bike trainer.  Don’t know what it is about it, but I find it too boring and it is pretty noisy for the apartments.  So in December I joined LA Fitness so I could get in on their spin classes.

I enjoyed the spin classes.  They were high energy and I like working out with other people.  I seem to feed off of their energy.  When I see someone else pushing it and giving a lot of effort, I want to do the same.  I liked the puddles of sweat that would pour off of me and seeing the mirrors steam up during the sessions.

Week 4 Update--First Swim Workout

December Bike Test #2 Video

January Bike Test #3 Video

During the out season my coaches don’t recommend we spend any time in the pool.  The return on investment is very little when it comes to spending countless hours in the pool just to improve your Ironman swim time by a couple of minutes.  That’s why they focus so much on the bike and run.  But, I did have an opportunity to take an Adult Swim Clinic at Lacamas Heath Club that was taught by triathlon coach Denise.  OMG!  She basically re-taught us how to swim.  First, we swam only on our backs to get our head position right and to kick properly using fins.  Then we rotated to our sides and then with our heads down, then strokes.  Drill after drill after drill, building upon what we had just learned.  It was amazing.

January Swim Lessons Video

After about 7 weeks we got to have a swim meet with the Masters swimming class.  This was so much fun.  I had never done a swim meet before.  This was the real deal with timing boards, announcer, big reader board and everything.  We were entered in the 50 meter freestyle and the 50 meter back stroke.  I was in Heat 1 against two other swimmers.  I had never done a swim platform start, so I chose to start from the side.  I took off and swam as hard as I could finishing second in 35 seconds.

Then came time for the backstroke.  I had never done a swim start for the backstroke.  I lined up with my feet on the wall and my hands on the bottom of the swim platform.  I pictured in my mind what I had seen during the Olympics.  Swimmers would lurch backwards with their arms straight out over their heads, back arched and dolphin kick while underwater until surfacing and then doing the backstroke.  That wasn’t what happened.  I lurched backwards with my arms over my head, but I arched my back too far and ended up doing a somersault underwater!  I came up staring at the swim platform and everyone else 15 meters down the pool!  I laughed and then proceeded to do my back stroke.  Crazy times.  I finished, but placed 5^th out of 6.

Our class was technically done, but I asked if I could race the 100 meter freestyle with the Masters.  The coach got me into the first heat.  This time I was going to do the start on top of the swim platform.  I would be racing against 5 other swimmers.  I was ready, I was going to rock it!  The horn sounded and I dove in.  My goggles slid down my face a bit, I could still see and they weren’t leaking, but it was a bit uncomfortable, but I didn’t let it bother me.  Glide-stroke-glide-stroke-glide-stroke.  I was on a tear.  I tried to focus on smooth strokes and proper form.  I hit the 50 meter mark and it looked like I was in the lead, but I was only half way.  I started getting tired just before hitting the wall at 75 meters.  I remember taking an extra gasp for air at the wall, but then got my head down and kept going.  I was going to go for broke and leave nothing behind.  I was really tired and could feel my form starting to slip.  I just visualized good form and powerful strokes, soon it would be over and I could rest.  I dug hard the last several strokes, skipping my breathing stroke and powered to the wall.  FIRST PLACE!!!  My time was an impressive 1’11”.  As I got out of the pool, still dizzy from the effort, the Masters swim coach came running over from the other side of the pool and gave me a high five, “dude! That was killer!  I thought you were wearing fins!”  That was pretty cool!

For one of my long runs on Sunday, I did it as part of a running event.  I was slated to run for 90 minutes with 2x1 mile at 8:12 threshold pace and 2xhalf-mile at 8:12 pace and the remaining time at about 8:45 pace.  I decided to enter the Heartbreaker 10K, but that would only last about 55 minutes.  Just so happened they had a 5K that started 30 minutes prior so I did that event first, finishing in about 29 minutes, then I lined up for the 10K.  Wouldn’t you know it, I finished that event just one minute from my personal best!  Pretty amazing if you ask me.

I did my final bike test during the Jack Frost Time Trial.  A 12 mile all out effort at Vancouver Lake.  Just so happens that that is where I do all of my bike tests.  It was a cold and wet day, but I finished and improved my lactate threshold heart rate from 138 in October to 144 in February. 

The final running event I chose to do during the Ft. Vancouver 10K.  I hadn’t been feeling too well leading up to the race.  I think I was coming down with a cold or something nasty.  As of Saturday afternoon I was resolved to walking the 6K, but after a good night’s rest I decided to stick to the 10K and give a good performance. 

I kept things pretty steady and was always pushing throughout the run.  The first 5K was a 26:30.  I had to walk up the land bridge just a bit, but quickly got back to running when I reached the top.  Towards the end I poured it on strong and hustled in to finish in 54:16.  Not a PR, but still very respectable.

This is the first time I have completed an out season training plan.  The training has been intense at times.  Each session the coaches have us pushing ourselves in our various training zones.  Then every 4 weeks we doing a fitness test to measure improvements, but the downside is that it then boosts your training zones for the next sessions.  I did not shirk my tests and even when I didn’t want to, I tried very hard to keep with the training zones.  During the 2010 training season I didn’t do that.

My nutrition has been taking a hit though and that is something I really need to dial in during the 12 week build up.  I have eaten way too many Kit Kats and drank too much Pepsi and Coke.  I have also reacquainted myself with the McDonald’s drive thru opting for the Egg McMuffin and Hashbrown in the morning and the McChicken meal at other times of the day.  Plus Taco Bell seems to be a favorite.  I have to remember that food is fuel and I must do a better job of fueling my body with the good stuff. 

At the end of this training plan I purchased a Kestrel TT aero bike that I hope will improve my bike performance.  I am anxious to get out on the road with it, but first I am going to invest some money into a professional bike fit so I can utilize optimum body position for optimum power and aerodynamics.

Jack Frost Time Trial February 26, 2012

Jack Frost Time Trial

February 26, 2012
Vancouver, Washington

Time:  0:37:08 for 12 miles (19.5 mph avg)

Woke up to a cold and rainy day and seriously thought about blowing off the bike race, but this was the start of the last week of the Out Season Ironman training plan and I knew I needed to complete a bike test this week.  After checking the forecast, it looked like it was going to quit raining later in the morning and I needed a good excuse to get my butt out the door. 

Arrived at Vancouver Lake Park and signed up.  Chose to enter the Cat 5 class and got a start time of 11:43.  That was about 3 hours away so I called Wendy and we ended up going to the 9am church service, all decked out in my bicycle gear and everything.

Back at the venue I pinned my number onto my jacket, installed the rain fenders and lubed my chain.  Brrrr, it was cold.  The rain had stopped but there was water puddled on the road.  I started warming up, spinning easily at first and then building the cadence and resistance to open my legs up.  I was wearing a balaclava hat that also covered my face.  When I stopped to adjust something on my bike, my glasses fogged up.  I couldn’t wear this thing during the event so I hustled back to the truck and put on a different hat.

I had about 3 minutes left so I quickly got over to the starting line as I heard them calling out my name.  “Here,” I answered.  The stager got me lined up in the proper order.  A rider was leaving every 30 seconds and there were about 3 guys in front of me.

As I approached the starter the gals at the scoring table advised me that my number was pinned upside down to my coat.  “Are ya kidding me?”  I have been riding around for 20 minutes and no one noticed or mentioned it to me until now?

“5-4-3-2-1-GO!”  The starter game me the countdown and I took off.  I started my GPS on my wrist and also the MapMyFitness app on my iPhone that I had in a new waterproof case and cradle mounted to one of the aero bars. 

My goal was to give an all out effort for the distance, but also go the full 40 minutes.  I knew I would complete the 12 mile course in under 40 minutes, so I would have to continue pushing it for a few minutes after the finish.  My strategy was to negative split the 20 minute segments.

I focused on smooth pedal strokes and keeping the power on.  I was surprised to see my heart rate up in the upper 140’s.  Although it was hard, I didn’t feel like I was ‘dying.’  For my gearing I tried to keep it in the big ring on the crank, but I could feel my legs getting pretty tired.  So I dropped it back down to the middle ring to keep a higher cadence and it seemed easier although I was maintaining the same speed.

Speaking of speed, my big goal is to do one of these and average over 20 mph.  That seems to elude me every time. 

Oh my goodness, what’s this?  I am gaining on the rider in front of me.  Holy smokes!  The last time I did this event I passed only one rider and it was an old man who was making his way to his favorite fishing hole and had nothing to do with the event!  This rider was a female that started a few minutes ahead of me.  Whoosh!  Nice.  Oh, there’s another one!  Whoosh!  Sweet.  All in all I passed 4 or 5 riders during the event.  Of course, I was passed numerous times.

I hit the turnaround and my GPS read 6.8 miles.  Groovy.  Back to town we go.  The wind wasn’t much, but there was lots of water.  I tried to stay out of the puddles since I could feel them slow me down.  My feet were covered with road grime.  Luckily I was wearing my boot covers and my feet were dry.  The bottoms of my legs were covered in gunk and the shoulders of my jacket were covered in snot from drippy snot-rockets that missed their mark to the side of the road.

Since this was the return trip I tried to keep the pressure on.  Get that negative split.  But I was getting pretty tired and was lacking some motivation.  I just felt flat.  No fire in the gut.  ‘What is my issue?’  I need a boost.  Not sure where to get it.

Here came the finish and I powered across the line, shouting out my race number to the timers since it was pinned upside down.  I had about 3 minutes left to go the full 40 minutes so I kept pushing it a bit and then hit my timer at 40 minutes.  I did not negative split the event like I wanted but managed to average 19.7 the first 20 minutes and 19.3 the last 20 minutes.  But even better was my lactate threshold heart rate increased to 144, a sign of improved fitness. 

Ft. Vancouver 10K Run 3/4/2012

Ft. Vancouver 10K Run

Vancouver, WA

March 4, 2012

Time:  54:16 (8:37 pace)

Energy Events always put on top notch events and I aim to enter every one that I can.  These are the same folks who host the Vancouver USA Marathon in June.  This event was held near Ft. Vancouver Historic Site and offers a beautiful course.  I chose to compete in the 10K race.  Other choices were a 15K and 6K.

This was also the end of my 20 week Out Season Ironman training plan.  This is a rigorous 20 week session that builds an athletes speed and functional threshold heart rate in the bike and the run.  I have seen amazing gains since October and I am in far better shape now than I was 2 years ago when I first did IMCDA. 

I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately; I think I was getting a cold or something.  I just didn’t feel right and as of Saturday afternoon I was planning to just walk the 6K.  But when I awoke on race morning, other than feeling a bit tired, I felt pretty good and looked forward to a fun event.

Got warmed up just a bit by running around the Fred Meyer parking lot.  Then lined up at the start.  A pretty good turnout of about 500 runners.  The 15K had already started 30 minutes prior.  The race started and off we went.  I tried to keep a comfortable pace, but also keep pushing it as much as I could.

First mile was about an 8:37 and the second was 8:16. 

I love this route as it takes us down to the Columbia River and along the water.  Then it crosses the Land Bridge into the Ft. Vancouver Historic Site.  I had to walk a bit up the bridge over Highway 14, but got back to running as soon as I reached the top.

I started checking my time.  For the first 5K my time was about 26:30, if I even split this then I would finish about 53 minutes and set a new PR.  I was getting tired, so it was hard to do the math in my head, so I decided to just leave it all out there on the course.  This race would summarize all the hard work I have done the past 20 weeks.  My pace quickened to less than 8 minutes/mile.  My heartrate went from 154 to 159!  It hasn’t been that high in a long time.  I was determined to finish with a good time.

About a half mile from the finish, my mouth was dry and my tongue was swollen and I honestly felt like I was going to vomit.  But I didn’t care.  If I hurled, then I would hurl like a true champion.  Luckily I kept the gurgles at bay and dug deep as I crossed the finish line.  54:16.  A respectable time but almost a minute from my PR.  It was super great to see Wendy at the finish.  She walked with me as I cooled down.  Whew!  What a race.

Happy New Year! 2011 Year in Review

2011 is long gone and 2012 is now here.  In a way, it is time to peel off this old layer and start anew; start fresh.

2011 was a year that was full of ups and downs.  As I take a moment to reflect, allow me to cover some of the highlights.

As the year started, I was in the 'dating' mode.  Dating at 40 is rather interesting to say the least.  Most women my age are done playing games and if they like something they'll tell you straight up, if they don't like something they'll still tell you straight up.  But it was pretty obvious that I had been blessed with meeting someone very special.  Wendy is truly a gift and I am a very lucky man.

In January, Erik and I had a great opportunity to visit Granny in Texas.  We had a great time with her and some of my cousins.  I even got the chance to go for a long run in downtown Austin at Lady Bird Park.  Very pretty.  We all love Granny very much and Erik and I were very thankful for this trip. 

In February, Erik turned 15 and had a killer birthday bash with a bunch of his buddies at Great Wolf Lodge.  It was crazy and the extra money I spent for the separate bedroom suite was well worth it!  They all had a blast but I think this may be the last year since it seemed the boys might be getting too old for the indoor waterpark.

For March, the kids got to come for spring break.  We had so much fun playing and camping and going to a play called "Go, Dog, Go!"  The kids are getting so big and my time with them is so precious.  Although I should include a picture of the Clark County Courthouse as it seemed we were in court every other week for various issues.  Grrrr. But I will not dwell on the negativity, but be thankful for the time I have with the kids and be the best Dad I can possibly be.

 

 I was training pretty hot and heavy for the Vancouver USA Marathon coming up June 19 and the first big test came at the Eugene Half Marathon May 1st.  Wendy and I travelled to Eugene for the event.  Great venue and very inspirational given that Hayward Field is where the US does its Olympic Trials and NCAA National Championships.  Pretty cool.  I rocked the half marathon and shattered my goal of finishing in less than 2 hours.

We also went to the Portland Rose Fest where Brandon and Erik proceeded to have a contest to see who would hurl first.  I think Brandon edged Erik by just mere seconds!  We also went on a hike in the Columbia River Gorge.

June was a very busy and sad month.  My dear Grandma Rudy passed away after having a stroke.  It was rather sudden and I was glad the kids and I got to visit her just days before the episode.  She was 84 and lived life to the fullest.  Her memorial service saw the Spokane Valley Church packed to the rafters and a full orchestra played some of her favorite songs.  It was incredible to reflect on the many lives that my Grandma had touched.  She was very active in the Washington/Idaho Symphony in Pullman, the Gonzaga Symphony, Spokane Valley Food Bank.  Years ago, she was a volunteer for Save the Children.  But more than the things she was involved in, my Grandma had a way with people.  She was terrible at getting the punchline right in a joke, but she seemed to always make people laugh and a pleasure to be around.  I always cherished my visits with her and her probing questions about my lovelife she has asked me since I was 10.

I also had a great visit with the little ones they got to be around when I ran the Vancouver USA Marathon on Father's Day.  I ran the race in memory of Grandma Rudy and also Naomie.  I wore their pictures on a lanyard during the race.  I did not make my 4 hour time goal, but it was still a Personal Best finishing in 4:23.

Then came time to volunteer for Ironman Coeur d'Alene.  Last year I finished this event and I was so appreciative of the many volunteers.  So, to give back to the sport, I volunteered for this year's event.  What a great experience.  I highly recommend people volunteer.  For starters, you get to be part of something really cool and really big.  Second, you get a cool shirt.  This cool shirt gets you access to places that no one else can go!  Watching the pro's and other people at the event really inspired me and I made sure to sign up for IMCDA 2011!!!

In July, Wendy and I decided to Volunteer for the big 4th of July celebration at Ft. Vancouver.  This is a huge event every year.  So we worked one of the access points/gates to the fort for a few hours, got to meet some interesting people, including the Mayor and our Congressional Rep.  Then we enjoyed a great fireworks show.

For the rest of the month, I had an ambitious plan to do 4 athletic events in 4 weekends.  Starting with the Rev3 half-ironman distance triathlon.  This was a national-level 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run.  I had hardly trained for this event and just wanted to go out and have fun.  But my childhood friend, Scott Boyer, was there too and I wasn't about to go down gently.  It was a difficult day, but I beat my time for this distance by 20 minutes. 

I also did the Lacamas Lake Half Marathon.  I showed up 2 minutes before the gun went off.  I had literally no warm up.  But I was able to really dig hard and finish in less than 2 hours.  I was proud of my performance because it took lots of guts and mental toughness to make that time.

Then I did two more triathlons.  One was a sprint distance at Frenchman's Bar on the Columbia River.  Having a down-current swim was great, but due to the recent rains, that water was sooooo c-c-cold!  Then I did an Olympic distance at Blue Lake Park.  Fun times, but I was really knackered after all of that.

August came around and it was time for another visit with the kids.  We went camping at Battle Ground Lake.  What a great campground and so close.  The kids had a blast staying in the tent and going fishing at the lake.  We had campfire, told stories, read Smokey Bear comic book and just acted silly.

Erik also passed his written driver's test an earned his Learner's Permit.  It was a happy day!  First thing he did was visit the McDonald's drive-thru.  Are ya kidding? 

Then we all took a trip to Leavenworth, WA where my mom had reserved her timeshare.  It was so relaxing and so much fun.  I hadn't been to Leavenworth in decades.  Beautiful little town and I even got to go for a relaxing run.  I took the kids swimming in the pool, they were like little fish.  Then I took them fishing and they each caught a steelhead.  Lauren was so funny!  She had no reservations about handling the slimy and squirming fish.  She even sang songs to the little guy and things like, "Oh, what a sweet little fish!" 

I also participated in the Hood to Coast running relay from Mt. Hood to Seaside.  It was a lot of fun, as always.  My sister is a great leader and organizer and I was thankful she had me on her team.

Labor Day weekend was a super blast going camping to Mt. Rainier with Wendy's family.  The weather was breathtakingly perfect and we camped at Longmire CG.  Great setting. We had so much fun, even when I locked my keys in the truck. 

In October I got to head to Montana for Lauren's 4th birthday.  She is so funny.  It was an over-the-top birthday party, but I think she really enjoyed it.  Especially the jumpy-bouncy house Christi had rented.

The latter part of October saw me head out on the road for 5 weeks for work. Doing safety training up and down the coast for fishermen and then a week in Seattle for meetings and Pacific Marine Expo.  I don't like being on the road so much and it is hard on everyone, but I got it done and I truly appreciated help from my mom and support from Erik and Wendy.

Before we knew it, the holidays were here, Thanksgiving and Christmas and then 2011 was done.  Where'd it go?  We all had a great holiday with the kids and Wendy's family.  Seemed like the last couple of months really went fast.

So what is in store for 2012?  Read the next blog and you'll find out..... Thanks for reading.

Thanksgiving Weekend Race Reports

Turkey Trot 5K

Vancouver, WA

November 24, 2011

Time:  25:49 (8:24 pace)

Simply an amazing example of some of the great people we have in the local area.  This event started several years ago by a group of families that liked to get together Thanksgiving morning and go for a run.  It has grown by leaps and bounds and is one of my favorite events all year. 

Arrived at the event site of Klineline Pond/Salmon Creek Park with Wendy and got signed up and collected our goodies.  For being a ‘free’ event (there is a $15 recommended donation to the Principal’s Checkbook), it is well organized, staffed and the SWAG is pretty cool.

Goal for today was to have a good race, not break any speed records, but also push my effort.  The course was almost exclusively on the Salmon Creek Trail and with 700+ participants, it was very packed.

Gun goes off and we head out, shortly after getting on the trail, I see a man on the ground with a few other people around him.  The trail is slippery in some spots so I figured he had slipped and hurt his leg or something.  There were half a dozen people lending assistance so I kept on going.  Later I would find out from Wendy that the man suffered a heart attack and some of the racers had to do CPR on him.  Yikes, I hope he survived.

The first mile was pretty mellow, kept things steady and then tried to crank it up.  First mile was a 9:20 I think.  Just before the 1.5 mile turn around, we had to ford a deep puddle.  Some people turned around a bit short, but I slogged through, getting my feet wet up past the ankles.  Speaking of ankle, I have a bad injury on my right ankle from walking around Seattle for a week in crappy shoes.  The injury is from my flat feet and my ankle rolling, compounded with the tender area caused by my bone spur.  Ouch.  So every foot strike hurts quite a bit.

I upped the pace and dug deep.  But about a half mile from the finish, I got really fatigued and had to slow to a 9:45 pace.  Ugh.  Sometimes these 5K events are tough if you don’t pace yourself correctly.  After about a minute of this nonsense, I found some energy and picked it back up.  Glided into the finish with a respectable time.

Hot Buttered Run 12K

Ft. Vancouver, WA

November 27, 2011

Time:  1:08:19 (9:06 pace)

This was a super fun event last year and I knew I didn’t want to miss it.  A high energy, family fun and well supported event at Pearson Field at Ft. Vancouver in Vancouver.  Beautiful venue.  Sister and Wendy joined me on race morning.  Wendy and Gretchen opted for the 5K and for me, wanting to test myself a bit, I went for the 12K (7.5 miles).

Remember the ankle pain I have been having?  I decided to visit the running store to have my foot strike analyzed again and see if I need to change my shoes.  The video showed that I am still a neutral runner but it was evident that I was favoring something on my right foot.  The specialist suggested I try some over the counter shoe inserts to give me some arch and heel support.  I tried several types and styles and finally found one that felt pretty good.  So, with new shoes and new inserts (remember—nothing new or different on race day!), I headed out on 12k’s of running fun.

My goal was to maintain a 9 minute pace.  Although I ran a few days ago, I really haven’t done anything of distance for several weeks.  I have been doing a lot of runs in the 3 to 5 mile range.

Things started out well enough, I was digging my new shoes and the inserts felt great, relatively no pain.  The scenery around the fort is so beautiful this time of year.  Big deciduous trees are everywhere and their leaves have all but run their course of the fall colors.  This made for some deep piles of leaves on the road and trails that many runners would swoosh their feet through the leaves. 

I just kept things steady; everything was going well until…… we came to a train in the way.  Hah!  We were on the west end of downtown Vancouver and a freight train had the road blocked.  I had to wait for about 2 minutes but others had to wait a lot longer.  Oh well. 

As we started heading back towards town, I am thinking I was at mile 4.5 or so, I had to dart into Subway and use their bathroom.  Whew!  Thank you Subway, although your sign read “Restrooms are for Customers Only” I will be sure to frequent your establishment on a regular basis.

I was pretty tired and was feeling the sweat rolling off my head and onto my face.  I could taste the salt on my lips.  Just before the finish I caught up to Wendy as she was getting ready to finish the 5K.  “Hey hottie!!!” I hollered as I went by.

Sister was there at the last turn to give me a high 5 before I crossed the finishline.  Whew!  What a run.  Not bad for me, either. 

So, how’s the feet?  The new shoes and inserts worked beautifully.  Although I am still sore and my ankle hurts, this will prove to be the ticket in keeping me injury free.

What a great weekend of activity.  Next weekend is the Jingle Bell Run where I will attempt to break my 5K PR of 23:50!!!  Thanks for your support.

2010 Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report

I did this race in June 2010, but wanted to make sure it got placed on my blog.  It was an incredible day and should be shared!  I am currently training for Ironman CDA June 2012, so check back for more updates!

This report is written with the strategies envoked by my triathlon coaches and our team (Endurance Nation). 




Total Time: 15:32:17 (1848 OA, 350 AG)

IMCDA Race Report and the Four Keys

This race report will not only depict my experiences and performance, but also highlight the importance of the Four Keys and other Endurance Nation “secrets” during my race.

Pre-Event:

The team EN dinner was fantastic. Great location and it was super getting to meet the rest of the team. The connections made at this dinner would later become ever important during the event.

Coach Rich gave his Four Keys talk on the Grassy Knoll to well over 80 people. It served as a good refresher for me, but as I looked around the crowd at the non-EN members, I could see some looks of amazement. “Does this stuff really work?”

Side Note: During the Athlete Pre-Race Dinner I was recognized as having lost the 2nd most amount of weight while training for this event. I won a cool body composition scale. Also, people are curious what I looked like 2 years ago. Can you believe this guy is going to become an Ironman in 2 years???

 

 

 

During a podcast, Coach P listed the importance of having checklists. I typically use checklists for stuff I need to take or put into certain bags, but I have never made a checklist that included things I needed to do on race morning. It seems I’ve always had race morning under control. At the last minute, I decided to make a detailed checklist that covered everything I needed to do on race morning from the time I got up until the time I set foot on the beach for the swim start. I was so thankful to have this checklist because my brain was so distracted when I got to the race site. My nerves were going nuts, I was excited and I tend to get ADD when this happens. Having the checklist kept me focused and I got things done. Even had time for a 20 minute warm-up jog.

 

 

 

Swim: 1:16:39 (2:01/100m—879 OA, 165 AG)

Key: Execution—“Swim only as fast as ability to maintain form.”

I didn’t bother asking other swimmers on the beach what their swim split expected to be, but I did take a look at who was twitchy, who was relaxed and who was scared s*tless. I worked my way down to the water’s edge and lined up directly behind the twitchy fellas in the front row.

Boom! As I predicted, the twitchy fellas took off like a shot, I followed close behind so I wouldn’t be trampled by the masses and plunged into the cold water. The water didn’t feel that bad, thankfully. I wore a neoprene cap for the first time and it seemed to work great cause I didn’t experience any discomfort during the swim (due to the cold).

The first 100m was pretty intense. With quick strokes and jockeying for position I was starting to hyperventilate. I tried to smooth out my strokes, but the steep waves made this difficult. I was not executing like Coach told me so I said, “Mile 18, Mike!” Amazing the first reference to THE LINE came in the first 100m. But it helped remind me to swim easy and with proper form. After that, the swimming went very well. I was relatively relaxed, except for an occasional gulp of water from the waves, or swimming into someone. I even got in some good drafting by following swimmers on the second lap.

T1:

“Slow is Smooth—Smooth is Fast”

In race prep I did not plan on having fast transition times. This being my first Ironman, I was more concerned with not missing anything. But I did keep the slow is smooth/smooth is fast mantra going in my head as I changed out. At my next Ironman I will work on being more efficient.

Bike: 7:36:50 (14.7 mph—1830 OA, 351 AG)

Key: Execution—Just Ride Along first 90 mins.

Going through town and then out along the lake I could see why Coach R said to pay close attention to your HR/watts. Racers were just cruising. Mashing it all the way. I just kept it steady and kept reminding my self, “it is a long day—Mile 18—Mile 18.”

When we got to the hills, sure enough Coach was right, guys were crushing it, while I kept it steady and I actually laughed out loud as bikers went whizzing by—Look I’m going backwards!

The “down and through” Coach P emphasized on the podcast worked like magic. I would maintain my effort across the crest of the hill and then down the first third or when I reached about 30mph and it would carry me a good portion up the next hill as I was passing some of the dudes who had crushed it earlier.

As for nutrition on the bike, I am still having difficulty in what works for me. I was using a mixture of protein & carbs and then an electrolyte bottle with Nuun tabs and then water in my aero jug. After mile 60 I was getting really tired and felt depleted. I was craving solid food. I ate some bananas and powerbars at the next few aid stations and started feeling better, but I ratcheted it back significantly because of THE LINE. And my box was clearly aid station to aid station the 2^nd loop.

T2:

“Take this bike away from me, I don’t ever want to see it again!” That is what I said, but I said it jokingly to the volunteer. He replied laughing, “Gee, I haven’t heard that yet today.”

Again, slow is smooth, smooth is fast. I changed out of my tri-shorts into my running shorts. I hadn’t planned on this, but I was getting some bad chafing from the bike and decided at last minute to make the change. What slowed me down was that I put my hydration bottles in a small cooler to keep them cold while sitting outside during the swim and bike. I had to manage the taking of the bottles out of the cooler and then putting them onto the run belt. Next time I will just freeze them overnight and not mess with the cooler.

Run: 6:24:40 (14:40/mi—1848 OA, 350 AG)

Execution—Easy Run place plus 30” first 5 miles.

Okay, scratch that one because I can’t run right now, my legs are going into revolt.

Box—My box was very small at the beginning of the run. I walked the first 2 miles. In the back of my mind I knew about Mile 18, but the box was too small. I had to dig out my One Thing at this point and that was I wasn’t going to quit, period!

So I plugged along to the aid station and got in some calories. Mmmm, potato chips. These would wind up being the secret to my success. I hadn’t trained with potato chips before, but I was craving these salty, ridged chips of goodness. Between that and copious amounts of water and my G2 Gatorade in my run belt, I started feeling much better at mile 2.

So my box could get a little bigger. Okay, time to count the steps. I started with running 40 steps and then walking 20. I did several cycles of these and then increased it to 60 steps running and 30 walking. Then it was 100 and 30. As the cycles went by I was then able to increase my box to the length of a block or distance. “I will run from here to the turn, or to the sign and then walk 30 steps.” This tactic carried me the entire marathon.

 

 

THE LINE—Mile 18. Right at mile 18 I saw my good friend from high school as he was headed back to town and the finish line. He cheered me on and this gave me an incredible boost. I also had seen Carly, Aaron, Jay, Wendy and Al out on the course and they all had helped me get through other rough patches along the way. I was feeling “great” and started to get that excited feeling knowing I was going to finish!

As the sunset over the mountains, it was a beautiful evening. Lake CDA is one of my all time favorite places to be and this was certainly one of the most memorable. I kept the run/walking thing going and was surprised I felt better and better as the miles added up.

I hit the turnaround and caught up to Carly and Aaron on our way back to town. We chatted it up for a bit and did some run/walking. I told them that I was on a mission and was going to keep going. They said, “go get ‘em Mike!” and I was on my way.

The run down Sherman Ave to the finish was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The crowds, the cheers, the elation, the culmination of a dream. I felt like a champion as I ran what felt like an 8:30/mile pace the last third mile into the finish. Wow! I am and IRONMAN!