The Season That Isn't Happening

This season seemed over almost before it started.  No I didn't get injured, instead I got burnt-out.  I have zero motivation to do any type of training.  It's not the lack of motivation that can sneak-up on you a few times during the season, It's different than that.  I just don't want to train at all.  ALL my training metrics are down and not down by a little, by A LOT. 

Sport          Hours           Distance

Swim          -154%            -63%
Bike           +17%             +5%
Run            -14%             -16%
MTB           -40%             -43%
Strength     -31%

I've made the executive decision to pull in the reins on this season.  I know I had plans to do a full Ironman but unless my training picks up and picks up by a lot, that just isn't happening.  I think after last years intense schedule I'm just burnt-out on the whole process.  I'm tired all the time, I'm not really having fun in the pool, although I do enjoy running and biking still.  Thus maybe a slow year is something I need.  Instead of a full Ironman, I'll take another swing at Steelhead Ironman 70.3.  That race SUCKED last year so maybe I go hard after a PR in that race.

The races I have done I really enjoyed.  Lowell 50 was a 35-mile race that was a fun. It's much like the Barry-Roubaix, which was also a nice race this year.  I then moved on to River Bank Run 25k and i'm really happy with how the first 20k went.  Unfortunately it was a 25k race, thus the remaining portion was very very tough.  Then a couple weekends ago I did the Yankee Spring TT.  That was a last minute addition.  I'm really happy with my performance despite not training for MTB intensity.  I train for endurance not short anaerobic races.  My avg. speed at that race was higher than previous years but tough to gauge time since the trail has changed slightly and they added a new segment for the race.

I'm not really sure where my race season is going to go, but I'll make one last hard push at training and see how that turns out. Maybe it will kick-start something, Maybe it will confirm I need to a slow year.

Ironman Steelhead Race Report

Oh, where to start with this one.  How about I start with the venue and course set-up/conditions.  Then we can get to my so called results and explosion on the run.

The race is held at Jean Klock Park in Benton Harbor, which is a perfect venue for it.  The park is right on Lake Michigan and has a nice loooooong parking lot that easily fits an athlete village (expo) and transitions area.  Below is an aerial shot of the park.

The transition area is very narrow compared to other triathlons I’ve participated in.  My rack was right near the entrance of T1 so I had a long run (with my bike) to exit T1.  It was very congested with people either sitting down taking off wetsuits or just blocking the path.  I don’t remember it being this narrow last year.  Another thing I really like about the Ironman branded event is transition area security. ONLY athletes allowed in transition.  No families, no spouses, no dogs, etc.  One would think this is common sense, but no other triathlon in West Michigan has this type of security.  The Grand Rapids Triathlon comes close, but just not enough volunteers to prevent families from entering.  Family members ignore the announcements and the signs that say no family, so not much the RD can do about that.

As always, the walk to swim start is long (about 35 minutes).   Not a bad walk, just make sure to bring nutrition because you could be standing around for an hour.  There is a clothing bag for athletes that don’t want to put on their wetsuit during the walk. The athlete can pick up their clothes after the  race.  I just gave mine to Heather and she carried back to her beach chairs.



Now let’s get to the race:

Swim: 1.2 Miles
Time: 41:37  Category Rank:  55th       (2012 Time: 39:41  Category Rank: 69)

Swim times this year were slower due to choppy conditions.  Last year the lake was like glass, however this year, the waves were 2-3 feet and we swam against the current.  I’ve done a lot of swimming in Lake Michigan so the choppy conditions were not really a factor to me.  It did take me 2 minutes longer to swim, however my swim rank dropped quite a bit.  During the swim I did catch up to the previous waves before me.  This created some traffic, but nothing major.  Other than that, the swim was uneventful.   I do need to work on picking up the pace in the last few hundred yards.  If I can reduce my swim by 90 seconds, that will put me in the top 20. 

T1: Swim to Bike
Time: 3:58 (2012 Time: 4:39)

T1 was rather uneventful, although I had a hell of a time getting my wetsuit off over my wrist.  Usually that’s the easiest part, but for some reason, I had to really yank on that thing to get it off.  I was also messing around with my Garmin during the run to T1 (locking and unlocking the keys).  I had my shoes clipped into my bike (confirmed this was okay with RD) so I did a modified flying leap with no problems (make sure clear bottles on back of bike).  The WTC rules state that only pro’s can have shoes clipped into their bike, however implementation of that rule is up to each RD.  I confirmed this was okay during the athlete meeting the day before.

Bike: 56 Miles
Time: 2:37:23 at 21.35 MPH/Avg   Rank:  36th  (2012 Time:  2:44:11 at 20.46 MPH/Avg  Rank: 60th)

The bike course seemed smoother this year than last year.  The RD did mention that some of the roads were paved, however there were some portions that were really rough.  The city tried to get those roads paved before the race, however they didn’t have time.  The RD mentioned that the paving started the Monday after the race. Thus 2014 should be a very smooth bike course.

Bike safety and traffic control seemed good.  I did have to pass one car on the bike course, which I felt bad about doing.  I did hear about one bike who was almost hit by a car because the driver ignored the police officers directions and drove the intersection.  I’m sure that driver was presented with a nice ticket and I’m also sure the driver blames the cyclists or the police because it’s never the drivers fault.  There were two aid stations on the bike, however I carry my own nutrition so I didn’t need them.

My bike split was rather uneventful other than there being a lot of bike traffic.  Despite the numerous warnings and threat of penalties, many bikers still clogged up the left lane.  I’m guessing these are the same car drivers that drive in the left lane despite driving slower than everybody else.  I did see the course marshal a number of times as well as a few cyclists at the penalty tents, so hopefully they learned their lesson.

I did have one biker almost take me out.  The guy was on a Cervelo and as I approached, I noticed he was changing his water bottles.  This was causing him to zig-zag all over the road (much like a texting driver).  I watched him carefully and he started to stay to the far right, so I started my pass on the left.  Out of no where, he veered to the left almost ramming me.  I stopped him with my hand on his shoulder and pushed him away.  I believe I pushed him hard enough to go all the way across the lane and into dirt on the shoulder (thankfully he didn’t fall).  I also gave him some choice words.  If you can’t change a water bottle while holding a line, then stop your bike and change it.  Way too dangerous to ride like that.  The course marshal was right behind me and they did slow next to the biker.  The marshal pulled up to me and told me that she talked to him but no mention of a penalty.

I should mention that this was my first triathlon using an aero helmet.  These helmets look very funny, however they are very effective.  I used a Rudy Wingspan which doesn’t have a very big ‘tail’ on it, thus doesn’t look as funny as the others.  These helmets are slightly heavier than my road helmet so my neck did get a little sore.  Once I get some miles with it on, my neck will get use to it.

T2: Bike to Run
Time: 3:49 (2012 Time: 4:41)

No issues in T2 other than congested lanes.  My rack was right by ‘Bike In’ so I didn’t have far to go.

Run: 13.1 Miles
Time: 2:39:34  Pace:  12:10  Rank: 123    (2012 Time:  2:20:55   Pace: 10:45  Rank: 89)

I felt good leaving T2, however by the time I hit mile 1, the wheels had fallen off.  First came the leg cramps and then around mile 4 came the nausea.  I wanted to take nutrition to deal with the cramps, but every time I tried, I almost puked.  I was reduced to running 200 yards, then walking.  Repeat this for 13.1 miles.  It was awful.  My goal pace was 9 minutes.  Then that changed to matching 2012 time.  Then it changed to just finishing.  Then it changed to just surviving.  I’ve never felt so bad during a race.  I was actually sick for most of Sunday.  I could barely eat anything the rest of the day without feeling like I was going to puke.

In hindsight, the problem seems to stem from my nutritional intake.  I’m not going to go into details here since I need to analyze it further, but upon first glance, I consumed way too much sodium.  This forced my body to take water from my muscles to absorb this sodium.  This left my muscles dehydrated, which of course leads to cramps.  My nutritional plan was based on training, well my training is usually done mid-day in hot weather.  The race was morning and the temps were 15 degrees cooler.  I never changed my nutritional requirements, thus I didn’t need the sodium.  Stupid mistake on my part that just ruined my race.

So this race I learned a very valuable lesson about nutrition.  Other than that mishap, the day was a lot of fun.  My dad and Heather came out once again and spent the day at the beach while I was out torturing myself.  The weather was perfect the race was organized to perfection as always.  I wasn’t planning on doing this race again next year, however given my crappy performance, I will be back.  I can’t let it end like that.  No way.

Flickr Photo Set Is Here

One Week To Ironman Steelhead 70.3

The big event of the year is a week away.  Although I haven’t hit my training goals exactly, I have come close:

The Swim = 1.2 Miles
Training hours compared to last year:  Swim Hours: +18%   Swim Distance:  +28%

Last year my goal was 35 minutes, however I came in around 39:41, thus 4 minutes off.  This year my goal is 33 minutes.   Last week I had an Olympic triathlon (Tri Del Sol), and that swim went really well for me and helped boost my confidence that I could hit my 33 minute goal.  Of course the key will be water conditions.  Last year the water was smooth as glass and relatively warm.  As of today, the water temps are 58 degrees.  The water did break 70 degrees this summer but the currents have shifted bringing colder waters from the bottom to the top.  Let’s hope the currents switch back to warm up.

Transition 1
Last year T1 took me 4 minutes.  I didn’t rush, but also didn’t take my time.  There is a beach run so feet will need to be rinsed of beach sand before mounting.  Last year I had my shoes clipped in and jumped on my bike.  I need to check the Athlete Guide to make sure that is still legal.  Apparently the rule against clipped shoes has been in place for awhile, but rarely enforced.  My goal for T1 is 3 minutes.

Bike: 56 Miles
Training hours compared to last year:  Bike Hours: –13%   Bike Distance:  +1.5%

The bike is my strength so my training hours are down, although my distance is still up.  There will be very little room for improvements on my time.  Last year I averaged 20.4MPH, which gave me a time of 2:44.  This year my goal is 21.7MPH, which will give me a time of 2:35.  This assume race conditions are similar.

The issue last year was nutrition.  I became very hungry on the bike.  This year I will be prepared for that with Cliff bars.  I will still carry my own nutrition via a bottle between the arms (Speedfill A2), an aerobottle on down tube and two smaller bottles behind the seat (used to refill A2).  I’ll also have gel and salt tabs on the ride.  My Garmin will be set to beep every 15 minutes to remind me to drink and every 30 minutes to 45 minutes to take a salt tab. There is still a chance I may strip away one water bottle to reduce weight.  It will depend on projected temps race day.

Transition 2
Transition did take just over 4 minutes last year so I’ll try to drop that by 30 seconds if I not more.  I don’t wear a Fuel Belt and all my gels will be on my race belt, so no real reason to take a long time in T2.

Run = 13.1 Miles
Training hours compared to last year:  Run Hours: +27%  Run Distance: +46%

Running is my weak leak, thus the reason you see such big increases in my training times. Last year my average pace was 10:44, resulting in a run time of 2:20.  Dropping my pace time was the fact I walked every aid station.  This year I’m hoping to walk every other aid station.  The key will be not to push too hard the first few miles.   My goal is a 9:45 pace, which will give me a time of 2:08.

Total race time is projected at 5:22, which would be 32 minutes faster than last year.  It does seem very aggressive goal, but talking with other racers, many have seen huge improvements after completing the first HIM.

Let’s look at some nerdy training data.

During 2012, my average training stress score was 271.7, while in 2013 it is 347.5.  The TSS score is basically a measurement of workload.  The higher the number, the more stress you put on your body during training.  Thus this number needs to be managed to prevent over-training.

Below is my Performance Management Chart (PMC) showing my entire training year, as well as 2012.  The picture is tough to read so I’ll point out the highlights from it.

The first box on the left shows the date of 8/12/12.  This is one week before Steelhead.  At that point, I had a Training Stress Balance (TSB) of –1.0, an Acute Training Load (ATL) of 44.9 and a Chronic Training Load (CTL) of 49.4.  Quickly, TSB is the balance between fatigue and freshness.  A TSB of zero means you perfectly balanced.  A positive TSB means you are very fresh (recovered).  Each athlete has to determine their own balance.  ATL and CTL are the same thing, only difference is duration.  ATL measures training stress the past few weeks while CTL measures training stress over the past few months.

Now my current numbers are much higher.  As of 7/28/13 (one week before Steelhead), my TSB is –8.8, my ATL is 67.9 and my CTL is 68.7.  Just three days ago I had a –25 TSB, which indicates a very high training day.  Thus, I’ve tapered it down to –8.8 as I approach race day.  This number will drop a few times as I have harder workouts, but as I approach Sunday, it should be closer to zero.  Last year, my TSB on race day was +13.7.  I won’t let it get that high this year.  Ideally closer to zero.

Race Comparison: Pacing

I was reading an article on how to pace an Ironman race and it got me thinking about my own pacing statistics.  So I went on TrainingPeaks and compiled the information based on race type/distance.  I only picked from 2012 races:

Race Name	Type of Race	Avg. Heart Rate	Avg. Power	Power Zones	Heart Rate Zones
Fort Custer Stampede	Mountain Bike XC	155	NA	NA	51% Zone 4
Grand Rapids Triathlon	Olympic	151	227	24% Zone 4 14% Zone 5 21% Zone 6	50% Zone 3 50% Zone 4
Tri Del Sol Triathlon	Sprint	149	243	20% Zone 3 27% Zone 4 20% Zone 5 & 6	90% Zone 4
Reeds Lake Triathlon	Sprint	153	173	19% Zone 3 36% Zone 6	44% Zone 3 56% Zone 4
Ironman Steelhead	Half-Ironman	131	180	20% Zone 1 26% Zone 2 & 3 18% Zone 4	74% Zone 2

Although not all my races are listed, there are still a few take-a-ways from this table.

 

1. Mountain bike races are more anaerobic.  This I already knew.  However, this does mean there is a conflict in my training.  If I want to compete at mountain bike races, I will need to more high intensity training. 
   
2. The GR Triathlon pacing is spot on perfect pacing for that distant race.  There is really nothing I would change about that.
   
3. Tri Del Sol pacing is also spot-on for sprint level distance.   I could push more power, however I’m already 90% of my time in HR zone 4.  I would need to up my anaerobic capacity to get a higher power reading.
   
4. Reeds Lake Triathlon pacing is rather unique.  I have a high HR and spent close to half my time in power zone 6.  Yet my average power is low.  I’m thinking this is because I was either going up hill or down hill.  Minimal flat terrain.  Thus the reason you see very little power zone 4-5. 
   
5. Ironman pacing is probable a little slow, which I knew.  However at the time, I was worried about the 13.1 mile run.  The HR Zones should be split between zone 2 and 3.  The power zone I’m okay with.  The course was flat, thus the higher power average than Reeds Lake. 

 

 

 

Escape From Alcatraz: The Run

The latest newsletter covered the run course.  I don’t know too much about it other than there are two very big hills which includes some sort of long stair climb up the dunes.

“The run course of this event can challenge even the most seasoned athletes as you run from road surface, to park trails, to sand, to the infamous Sand Ladder and on to the grassy finish line at Marina Green.”

The elevation profile for the run:

The good news is that the first 1.5 miles is flat.  In addition, that distance will be lined with spectators, so that will also be a nice energy/moral boost.  It really sounds like the views on the run will be spectacular:

“The first mile of the run course is flat and the first half of that first mile is stacked with spectators providing a much needed adrenaline rush to float out of transition and fly until you exit the Marina area and enter Crissy Field. Take the time to enjoy the crowd, after all, they are there cheering for you! As soon as you enter Crissy Field, you are reminded once again of one of the many reasons you entered this race as the most photographed object in the world looms in front of you: the Golden Gate Bridge”

Around the two mile mark, things get interesting. I will climb the stair ladder to the Golden Gate Bridge and go through some Civil War era tunnel.  Not sure why they refer to it as Civil War since I don’t believe there were too many battles in SF.  It does appear I will run underneath the GG Bridge, so that will be cool:

“Around 1.75 miles into the run you start the climb up to the Golden Gate Bridge and towards the aid station at Mile 2. This is the time to pace yourself, shorten your stride, swing your arms and let the legs follow…The stairs up to the GG Bridge are narrow and this is not the place to pass people. You will also run through an old Civil War era tunnel where you will duck and, once again, keep an eye out for other runners coming from the opposite direction. When exiting the tunnel, enjoy the view and continue to pace yourself accordingly as you have about a quarter-mile to go before you pass underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and get a break from the climb….

After you pass underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, you will run onto the Land's End trail. The Land's End trail is rolling and beautiful; stay focused, but take the time to enjoy the scenery.”

After mile 3, we will start to run on the beach.  I’ve done similar run’s during Xterra events. Nothing destroys the legs quicker than sand.  Hope it’s not too deep.  The newsletter (see below), makes a point not to use calf muscles during the beach run.  I learned that lesson the hard way a few years ago.  I won’t make it again.

“As you wind around the trail and the historic remains of the retired US Army Base Presidio, the trail has you passing the aid station at Mile 3. This is the highest point of elevation on the run course (300ft). At this point you transition to the bike lane of the road that offers a short, winding and fast downhill and also a nice smooth surface change….Following this downhill road section, you will be directed off road and onto a trail that will bring you down to Baker Beach…When you hit the beach you will naturally feel bogged down as the energy return is minimal when running on the sand. Do not run 'deep' or 'heavily' and do not push off from the sand using your calf muscles expecting return and bounce. Instead skip lightly across the soft sand using more hips and less hamstring and calf muscles.”

After the run on the beach, we hit the ‘Sand Ladder’ at mile 5:

“Utilize this Aid Station as an opportunity for calories before your climb up the infamous steps. The Sand Ladder is approximately a 400-step staircase made of sand and wooden beams and is located near Mile 5 of the run course. Use those wooden beams of the steps to push off as you climb and touch every one with your own rhythm. If you are not careful you can waste a great deal of energy on this portion. Even the Professionals will walk up the Sand Ladder while using the cables to pull themselves up the steps. Once you reach the top of the Sand Ladder, it is not "all downhill" to the finish line. You still have about five to ten minutes of climbing until you hit the aid station at Mile 5 (originally passed at Mile 3) and the highest point of the run course (300ft) for the second time... Now it is all downhill from here!”

The remaining two miles are downhill and on too the finish chute:

“The finish chute and finish line are located at Marina Green adjacent to transition and the Fitness Festival Expo. Friends and family will have the opportunity to sit in grandstands on either side of the finish chute to cheer on their favorite participants.”

Escape From Alcatraz: The Bike

I started with the swim newsletter, which you can read here. Now it’s time to move on to the bike portion of the race.

The newsletter starts out discussing the weather.  This race is normally in June, but moved to March because of the World Cup Yacht Race.   Due to it being earlier, I will have to bring additional layers.  I’m thinking some arm and leg warmers. Not my heavy winter ones, but lighter ones.  These will be easy to pull off if I need too. 

“With temperatures likely cooler than in June, we want to make sure all participants stay warm especially on the bike. Please bring appropriate layers for the bike leg of this race.”

I’ve rented a bike in SF so I won’t have to worry about transporting my bike from Michigan.  Plus, I heard it is better to use a road bike than a triathlon bike.  The newsletter confirmed this:

“When discussing the Escape bike course, the first important fact to mention is there is no advantage to riding a triathlon/time trial bicycle on this particular course. Kona coast: Yes. San Francisco: No. Aero bicycles may look cool, but you can still look cool and have better handling skills on a traditional road configuration. If you must, you can add a tiny pair of aero bars like the Vision Mini TT clip to your road bike and you will be dialed in for those rare aero moments here in San Francisco.”

The first mile of the bike starts out flat, which means I will most likely be very cold.  However, after that, the hills start.  The bike course elevation map (below) shows exactly what I will be facing.  Not only that, unlike traditional triathlons, there will be a significant amount of turning. 

“Within the second mile of the bike course you are climbing. This course is hilly and technical;…There is 1200 feet of climbing and descending on the bike course as well as ten left hand turns and ten right hand turns over the 18 miles so be advised that you will be turning or shifting every few minutes on this bike course. By mile 2.5 you have climbed from sea level to 300 feet. At mile 5.5 you will reach the Legion of Honor, the highest point of elevation on course at 380 feet. You will come by the Legion of Honor again on your way back to Marina Green.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It appears that one of the changes this year is the removal of aid stations on the bike.  Previous years they had two aid stations.  Given the race is only 18 miles I’m surprised they had two.  I know there is a lot of climbing, but it’s still only 18 miles.  I know I wouldn’t use an aid station.  I don’t like using any course support until I’m on the run.  Exception of course is long-course races.

“In previous years we have had two aid stations on the bike course. After careful discussion and environmental analysis, we have decided to eliminate ALL bike course aid stations. We will however have plenty of water, Cytomax and aid station support at Marina Green. In the past, these aid stations were highly underutilized yet generated high amounts of unnecessary trash. We thank you ahead of time for your understanding.”

The newsletter does provide a mile-by-mile break-down of the bike.  Nice to read over, but I’m most likely going to forget all of that.  The rough asphalt areas are probable the only areas I’ll really remember. 

Mile 1 - Spin your legs out, take in 100 calories.

Mile 2 - Get ready to climb to 300 feet. Top off your fuel tank with Cytomax.

Mile 3 - Descending and climbing stay focused, keep your line.

Mile 4 - Climbing, conserve energy, stay in saddle.

Mile 5 - Still climbing to Legion of Honor. Get out of saddle as you make it to the top.

Mile 6 - Rough asphalt immediately after Legion of Honor.

Mile 7 - Smooth asphalt, good time to take in Cytomax prior to downhill.

Mile 8 - Rough asphalt by Cliff House, enter Golden Gate Park.

Mile 9 - Gentle climb up MLK Drive, good time to push the pace. Take in calories if comfortable.

Miles 10 & 11 - Gentle downhill take in 100 calories; take in beauty of GG Park. Don't miss Buffalo on right side of JFK drive.

Mile 12 - Tough 0.8-mile climb from Balboa and Great Highway to VA Hospital.

Mile 13 - Downhill and uphill pass Legion of Honor again.

Mile 14 - Downhill through Sea Cliff neighborhood. Keep your line, stay in control.

Mile 15 - Final climb up to GG Bridge. Ride it like you stole it.

Mile 16 - Downhill past GG Bridge. Stay focused, keep your line as you descend and keep bike in control.

Mile 17 - Continue downhill, be careful on the last downhill on Crissy Field Ave as you enter Crissy Field area.

Mile 18 - Spin your legs out, don't push too high a gear, take in 100 calories, visualize your transition routine. 

Escape From Alcatraz: The Swim

The race director does a great job sending out newsletters about the March 3 event.  The first newsletter discussed the overall schedule of the event.  The second newsletter discusses the big item: The swim.  The picture below gives you an idea of how the swim is structured.

The main even area (transition, finish line, etc) is marked with the red ‘A’ on the map below.  Around 6:30am, the shuttle’s take racers from transition to Pier 3. This is where the boat takes us to The Rock. (see bottom right of picture).

“…board shuttle buses at Marina Green to take you to the Start Boat, the Hornblower's San Francisco Belle at Pier 3.  Here you will receive your timing chip at Pier 3 and board the boat.  Athletes will be organized on the boat by age group as determined by the Race Staff.”

Given the distance to Pier 3 and the amount of time before the race starts, it does appear we can bring a warm-up suit:

“You will have a numbered plastic bag given to you at packet pick-up that you will be able bring with you on the Sunday morning shuttle and will leave at Pier 3. This bag will contain any appropriate items you bring/wear that morning (i.e. light sweat suit and sandals) but do not want to take with you on the boat for the swim.”

It looks like we will be on the boat for 30+ minutes.   

“For the 'One Way' boat cruise out to the start of the race, you will bring/wear the items in which you will swim.  Depending upon the air temperature, don't put your wetsuit on too early as this will have you potentially overheated. You will have plenty of time to put the wetsuit on while on the boat. Booties are allowed during the swim and this year we highly recommend them; gloves are NOT allowed.  We also recommend bringing two pairs of goggles in case one pair unexpectedly breaks.  We suggest a personal swim cap (latex is best) IN ADDITION to the one you receive in your race packet; one swim cap is ok but two will give you a little more warmth.  You may opt to wear a neoprene cap (aka a 'squid lid') as it is going to be slightly colder in the water this year, however please note that the chin strap restricts breathing and any time you cover the ears you lose 30% of your balance and you have a tendency to lose the 'feel' of the water.”

It appears that racers were nervous about jumping from the boat.  I can promise you that jumping off the boat will not make me nervous. 

“All athletes will start in order of age group or division as dictated by race staff and position on boat.  Past year's exodus off the California Belle has taken too much time; athletes were still hesitantly jumping 10 minutes after the start of the race. This is not a time to be mentally weak, BE READY TO JUMP!!”

“When you jump from the boat into the water, it is a huge shock to your system. Be prepared for the cold water (52 to 54 degrees)”

Now for the question I always get asked: Won’t the currents pull you out to sea?  The answer: yes. 

“The current on race morning will be pulling participants west (towards the Golden Gate Bridge).”

Here is some other great advice about the swim, although it does leave me with a question: WTF is a ‘Swirling Eddy’

Make sure you take the time to enjoy this experience of swimming from Alcatraz. Approximately five to ten minutes into the swim we suggest you roll on your back to make sure you are making some movement and not stuck in a swirling eddy current keeping you from leaving the Rock. This will also give you the quick opportunity to take in the moment and beautiful sights of Alcatraz and the San Francisco skyline.

Here is something else that is kind of cool.  If you need a rest, you can without penalty.  Not only that, if you can’t finish the swim, you maybe picked up and brought to shore where you can finish the race without penalty (granted you swim time will put you on the bottom of the list).  This really shows you how unique this event is.  One thing I know for sure, I will finish the swim. 

“If you need help while swimming, there will be over 100 water craft in the Bay to assist you.  Should you simply need a minute or two to rest and re-orient yourself, you can hold on to the bow of a kayak, get settled, rest a minute and keep going as this will not DQ you.  If you need to be repositioned you will be put on a small boat and repositioned.  Listen to and abide by the aquatic personnel in the water craft, kayaks, Jet Skis and boats as they are there to assist you and keep you on course.  There is a one-hour cut-off time for the swim. Anyone not finished after 60 minutes will be picked up and assisted to shore where they will be allowed to finish the race without penalty.”

At swim exit, the RD is recommending we leave our wetsuit on for warmth. It is .5 mile run from swim exit to transition. Not only that, they are recommending we bring three pairs of race shoes: 1 pair left at Pier 3, one at swim exit for the run to T-area, and final pair used on the run.

“This is a "3 pairs of shoes" race, one pair will be left at Pier 3, one will be used for the short run from swim exit to Marina Green, and one will be needed for the 8-mile run. If you choose to use the same pair of shoes for the short swim exit run and the regular 8-mile run you will find on the second run that the shoes are heavy and waterlogged, not good news as you head for the Sand Ladder.)”

Fueling For 70.3

This is from a September 2012 Lava Magazine article written by Ben Greenfield.  There is no direct link to the article since Lava requires a digital subscription.

Completing my first 70.3 event this year, I spent a lot of time researching how to fuel during the race.  Sprint triathlons are fairly easy to stay properly fueled.  Olympic triathlons are very similar to sprint distance, the only difference is the frequency in which one fuels.  However, jumping from olympic to half-ironman (HIM), there is a big difference.   The first thing I learned was to front-load the calories by doing the majority of my fueling during the bike leg.

"Ultimately, if you've kept your calories topped off on the bike, you won't need to concentrate as much on fueling during the run, and your goal is to give yourself just enough hydration and sugar to get by so that you can concentrate on maintaining a high run intensity"

Ben does recommend a starting point for calorie consumption:  Women: 250-350 calories per hour on the bike, followed by 150-200 calories per hour on the run.  Men: 300-400 calories per hour on the bike and 200-250 calories per hour on the run.  Again, these are starting points that need to be perfected during training.  Since I weigh around 190 pounds, my consumption was higher than the recommended amount.  Not by much though.  Per my HIM race report:

"I had my GARMIN set to beep every 15 minutes to remind me to hydrate.  I had four water bottles on my bike: Two behind the seat and one on the seat tube.  These were filled with nutrition.  I had one bottle between the arms filled with water.  There was also a salt tab dispenser under that water bottle.  Every 15 minutes I’d drink, every 45 minutes I had a salt tab and a gel.  It worked perfectly.  Thank you GARMIN."

I felt my nutrition was perfect, except I did get very hungry on the bike.  I'll make an adjustment by adding a solid food to my bike fueling.  I did carry much of my fuel with me because I had no idea how my body was going to react to the fuel at the aid-stations (Ironman Perform).  Ben Greenfield agrees with my approach:

"I tell many athletes I coach to stick to their own fuel on the bike and then switch to aid station gels and Coke for the run.  You can get away with this fuel switch because you will be consuming far fewer calories during the half-marathon."

During the run, I did not carry any fuel other than gels and salt-tabs.  I normally run with a fuel-belt, however there was an aid-station every mile, thus no need to bring the belt.   I lived off of Coke, Gu Chomps and pretzels.  I had no GI issues at all.

As stated earlier, the calorie recommendation is just a starting point.  However, Ben Greenfield does give a sample fueling strategy in the article:

1. 5-10 minutes pre-swim: 1 gel or 4-6 ounces of sports drink.


2. Coming out of T1: 1 gel every 20-30 minutes (or concentrated sports drink).  Break-up the monotony of gels and liquids with chewable fuel sources at the end of each hour (this is where I made my mistake).


3. During the bike ride:  Drink plain water when thirsty.  Continue fueling and do not go into T2 hungry (oops) or thirsty.


4. Coming out of T2: Eat 50-100 calories if you have not had any fuel in the past 15 minutes.


5. During run: 1 gel every 20-30 minutes or small sips of Coke at every aid-station.  Drink plain water when thirsty.


6. Final miles:  Intensity usually increases so limit fueling.  Otherwise you could run into GI issues.

Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

A couple of months ago, I submitted my name and race results hoping to get picked in the lottery for the 2013 Escape From Alactraz Triathlon.  Last Monday, I got the call (well, email) that I was selected.   The race is during Spring Break (March 3rd) so that works great for me.

The triathlon consists of: 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz to SF, an 18  mile bike around SF and then an 8 mile run, again around SF.

There are a lot of unique things about this race.  First, of course is the swim.  The water will be COLD and the current is strong.  For biking, most people use a road bike due to the climbing required.  As for the run, the organizers throw a long stair climb.  This is climb is referred to the Equinox Stair Climb, which is 400 feet of stairs up a cliff.  This should be a lot of fun.  Below is the elevation profiles:

Ironman Steelhead 70.3 Race Report

Race results: 5:54:07 Placement: 89/196
Swim (1.2 miles): 39:41 (70th place)
Bike (56 miles): 2:44:11 (61st place)
Run (13.1 miles): 2:20:55
TSB: 6.7

I survived my first HIM.  Really happy with my placement as well. Being in the top half is not too bad for this being my first.

This was my first Ironman branded event.  These are expensive events, but the experience was well worth it.  The organization and execution was like nothing I’ve seen before with the local triathlons.  That’s no disrespect to those race directors, but Ironman branded event was at a whole new level. 

The vendor expo cost me some money.  Just about everything was 30% to 50% off, which is rare.  So I stocked up on some stuff that I really don’t need now, but know I’ll need in the future.  I’d like to highlight one item: Ironman Headsweats Visor.  I need a new visor badly. I had recently purchased an Under Armour visor that was designed for running.  It sucked.  Sweat ran right through and into my eyes.  It didn’t do anything.  Headsweats on the other hand, worked perfectly.  I never had a single drop of sweat get in my eyes.  I highly recommend this product. 

Okay, done with commercial.  Let’s talk race.

SWIM
Conditions in Lake Michigan were perfect.  Lake was smooth as glass and the water temp was a non factor.  My goal was 35 minutes, but I missed that by four minutes.  My swim was very methodical.  I just focused on my stroke and plugged away for 1.2 miles.  I passed a ton of people, but I stuck to the inside so rarely had to change my line to get around anyone. 

I was told that a few people swam to shore and DNF.  The swimming part is by far the most dangerous and the cause of many deaths this year.  So I’d rather see people be safe.  However, if some of them DNF because they couldn’t swim 1.2, well that doesn’t make sense.  A HIM is not something you sign up for at the last minute.  If you know you’re doing a HIM, I would think the swim would be something people would really really focus on.  I expect a lot of DNF during a sprint triathlon, but again, it’s better safe than sorry.

T1
I finished T1 just over four minutes. I didn’t rush through like I usually do. I knew it would be a long bike ride so I wanted to make sure I had everything. 

BIKE
The bike was good, however the roads sucked awful.  When they were smooth, they were really smooth.  However, when they were bad, they were warzone bad.  I felt like I needed ice for my nads after the bike.  It was terrible. 

My speed averaged 20.5 MPH, so it was a little slower than normal.  I feel like I could squeaked out more, but I was really focused on keeping a consistent tempo pace in order to have a decent run.  I had my GARMIN set to beep every 15 minutes to remind me to hydrate.  I had four water bottles on my bike: Two behind the seat and one on the seat tube.  These were filled with nutrition.  I had one bottle between the arms filled with water.  There was also a salt tab dispenser under that water bottle.  Every 15 minutes I’d drink, every 45 minutes I had a salt tab and a gel.  It worked perfectly.  Thank you GARMIN.

Only issue on the bike was getting really really hungry.  I didn’t use the aid stations other than grabbing one banana, but it wasn’t a very good banana and it didn’t tide me over for long. 

T2
Again, I finished in just over 4 minutes.  Didn’t rush anything because it was going to be a long run.  They did have somebody applying sunscreen at run exit which was really nice. 

RUN
The run was my main concern.  I had my GARMIN set to only show me pace and cadence.  I just focused on my form and keeping my cadence at 82.  Some miles my pace averaged 8 minutes, other miles it averaged 10 minutes.  Being an Ironman event, there was an aid station every mile.  There was a whole bunch of different things to pick from, however my favorite turned out to be Coke.  Never had that at an aid station, but it sure was a kick in the butt.  Loved it. 

The run course was really nice.  Other than one VERY steep hill, it was nice terrain.  The course included about 4 mile run to the Whirlpool Corporation campus and then two laps around the campus.  After I finished my second lap, I switched my GARMIN over too see my time.  I had 5k left to go and 40 minutes to do it.  I knew I nailed my 6 hour goal, as long as I didn’t implode.  I was hurting but pushed my pace down to an 8:30 average the last 5k.  The last mile seemed to last longer than the entire race.  Once I saw the finish chute though, all the pain went away.  It was an awesome feeling finishing this race.

Next year will be my first Ironman event.  I’m looking at either Wisconsin or Louisville.  For the rest of this year, my focus now shifts to Iceman. 

More pictures from the race here.

Countdown To Steelhead Ironman 70.3

 

My first half-ironman event a week from Sunday.  Nothing I can do in my training now to improve my performance.  All I can do is taper properly and trust my training. 

Over the past week or so I’ve really focused on my open water swimming in my full wetsuit.  Swimming in the pool doesn’t prepare one for the conditions in open water.  The full wetsuit also puts a little more strain on the shoulder muscles, so I need to get use to that.  I use an Xterra wetsuit that is very flexible, however it does take a bit longer for my shoulders to loosen up. 

I’ve also been really focusing on my run.  I haven’t hit the 13.1 mile marker yet in training, so race day will be my first attempt at that distance.  My training has ranged from 8-10 miles, which should be enough to get me through the run.  There is no doubt that the run will be my biggest challenge. 

I’m paying close attention to my performance management chart.  As you can see, I’m –19 as of today and I’m hoping to continue to push that lower (thus putting more stress on my body) until Sunday.  After that, I’ll let the number start to creep up to the –10 to –5 area.  I have NO idea what impact this will have on my performance, I’m just going off past race experience.  In races I’ve performed well, I’ve been in the –10 to –5 area.  This is my first time actually managing that number to where I want it to be. 

Tri Del Sol Triathlon Race Report

Race results: 1:49:04  Placement: 16/41
Swim (1/2 mile): 13:52 (9th place)
Bike (18 miles): 51:04 (6th Place)
Run (4.5 miles): 41:51 (33rd)
TSB: –7.8

 

It’s been awhile since I’ve had a race.  I’m use to having a race every other weekend, but my focus has been on training for Steelhead 70.6 Ironman. Tri Del Sol was part of my training, with my primary focus on my swimming and running. 

The swim went perfect.  This was my first year in the seeded wave (wave #1) so I was a little nervous.  This wave was reserved for fast swimmers so I was worried I’d come out last.  Turns out I came out not to far from the lead, so I was really happy with that. 

The bike I’m not really impressed with.  Faster than last year, but not by much.  Biking is already my strength so there is little time that can be gained, but I was still hoping to come in around 45 minutes.  I still came in 6th, buy my heart really wasn’t into the effort like it should have been.  My average power and heart rate show this as well. 

Going in to T2 was a little strange because it was nearly empty.  Since I went off in the first wave, everybody was still out on the bike course.  I think I even saw a swimmer coming in, but wasn’t sure how that was possible. 

Leaving T2 I felt great and the run continued to go really well.  I’m not the fastest runner so my goal was an 8:30 mile, which should put me at 35 minutes.  Didn’t quite hit my goal, but wasn’t that far from it.  I finished the run with some energy still in the tank.  Last year I about collapsed at the end, but this year I was faster and felt great at the end.  Granted I should leave it all out on the course, which I clearly didn’t do.  There were times during the run I was definitely pushing it, but my overall tempo should have been faster. 

All in all, a confidence building race as my first 70.6 Ironman approaches.  The idea of running 13.1 miles after I swim and bike concerns me, but it will get done….some how.     

More race pictures here

Setting Weekly Training Schedule

My training schedule is very weak.  Although my training hours is up significantly compared to last year, the actual structure is pathetic.  To solve this, I refreshed myself on Friel’s methods of putting together a weekly schedule.  If you are just starting out and don’t even have annual hours set, you may want to start here.

With your annual training plan already set up in ‘training periods’, now you have to set your daily schedule to match those periods.  Knowing that, we have to first set the weekly pattern and then the daily hours.

PATTERN

Friel’s training bibles do show examples on how to structure a week depending on what period you are in.  Below is for BASE, RR, BUILD 1 and BUILD 2.  At the end of this post there will be examples of PREP, BASE, BUILD, PEAK, RACE, so be sure to check those out. 

Note: The codes for each day can be found here, however those codes are based on Friel’s Mountain Biking Training Bible. If you want the codes for cycling or triathlons, you should buy the book. Regardless, it still gives you an idea on what type of workout Friel is recommending.  Another note, the light blue lines represent duration and the dark blue lines represent intensity. 

When it comes to duration and intensity, that varies for each athlete.  Also, the structure should be fluid, meaning when life get’s in the way of training, adjust your schedule.  These examples are great starting points but they don’t factor in everything.

DAILY HOURS

Your annual training plan will dictate your weekly hours per period (based on your annual hours).  Example: I’m currently in Build 2 period, which dictates 15 hours this week (based on a 550 annual hour goal).  Friel gives a good example on how to divide those 15 hours up:

With the suggested daily hours, first thing to do is set your anchor workouts.  These are the workouts that are already scheduled such as a Masters Class.  After that, your time flexible workouts, and then your break-through workouts (Which can include bricks, two-days, etc).  Be sure to include recovery time and if your planning a lot of running, be very cautious that you don’t cause an injury by running on fatigued legs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy.

Grand Rapids Triathlon Race Report

Swim Course (1500M): 28:44
Bike Course (40K): 1:07:47
Run Course (10K): 1:06:45

The race went really well….okay, 2/3rd’s of the race went well:

SWIM
No major issues with the swim.  Actually, the swim was rather peaceful.  Other than at the start, I rarely hit another swimmer.  I actually stopped to make sure I didn’t take a wrong turn. It appeared that many of the swimmers were taking an outside line, while I took the inside line.  Worked out great for me.  After the turn, the sun made it very difficult to site the swim exit.  The swim exit was maybe 10 feet away from swim start.  So there were moments where I saw swimmers getting in the way of those starting their swim.  With the sun and the exit close to the start, it was easy to cross paths. 

The major take-away I have from the swim is my pacing.  Although I was three minutes faster than last year, I still exited the swim feeling like I could have given a better effort.  I need to get in more open-water swims so I can work on my pacing. 

BIKE
The bike went fantastic as I was almost three minutes faster than last year.  Last year I had a Felt road bike, this year I had a Felt triathlon bike with disc rear wheel.  I was extremely comfortable in the aero position, although my butt really started to hurt on the way back in.  Seriously started to hurt.  As a matter of fact, it kept me off the saddle for four days after the triathlon.  I was more concerned about my neck and arms, not my butt.  I need to work on a solution for that. 

Although I don’t own an aero helmet, I did tape up the vents. I was concerned this would cause me to over-heat, but there were no issues with that (88 degrees during the bike).  Actually, the taped vents removed all wind noise so it was a very quiet ride. 

Much like the swim, I finished the bike with some energy left in the tank.  Although I was never passed on the bike, looking at my data, I spent equal time in HR zone 3 (tempo) and zone 4 (steady state).  Even though I need to pace myself for the run, there is still some capacity to increase my zone 4 time. 

RUN
Do I really need to talk about the run?  Not only did the wheels fall off, but the entire machine imploded.  I was one minute slower this year than last year.  My pace exceeded 10 minutes, which is disgusting when compared to my 8.5 minute goal.  I just had nothing left.  It wasn’t a HR issue since most of my time was in zone 3.  It was a muscular endurance issue.  I felt like I was dragging bricks.  I was completely miserable out there.  It’s easy to blame the 90 degrees, and no doubt that was a factor, but it’s also my conditioning.  This will be my number one focus as I train for Whirlpool Ironman in August.

TRANSITION
Last years transition area sucked.  It was ridiculously long.  This year was a little better.  The area for moving around was very narrow, but during the race not much of an issue for me.  I had zero issues transitioning from sport to sport.  There is no doubt room to shave some time off, but overall I’m happy with how it went.  

Summary
When I crossed the finish line, I never wanted to do a triathlon again, and most certainly not Whirlpool Ironman.  This race destroyed my confidence.  However a couple days later, I recovered from that.  I am determined to conquer the race.  I will scale back some of my other mountain bike races and focus on my bike/run transition.  My other goal is to shed about 10 pounds to a more appropriate race weight.  By no means am I over-weight, as my body fat is at 14% (May), but I’d like to really lean up.

Other than the run issue, I really enjoyed the race.  It’s hard not too.  It’s easily one of the most organized race I’ve ever participated in.

More pictures on Flickr

Fort Custer Last Stand Xterra Race Report

Race results: 1:58:02  Placement: 12/25
Swim: 14:28 (8th)
Bike: 56:24 (6th)
Run: 44:37 (21st)
TSB (Biking/SBR): 1.9/-3.0


First triathlon of the year and was feeling very confident.  The morning started out great, although I arrived almost two hours before the start.  Being the first TRI I wanted to take my time setting up the T-Area, which really only took me 15 minutes, but I guess it’s better early than late.

Swim
Water temp was 72 degrees, which surprised everyone.  I choose the sleeveless wetsuit and that was perfect. Other than the first dribble of cold water going down my back, I never thought of the water temp again. 

I was extremely confident in my swimming abilities so I went to the front of the pack and tried to stay with the lead pack as long as possible.  I ended up three minutes behind the leaders, but did finish 6th in my class.  The only issues I noticed during my swim was my right arm drag was very weak and I didn’t push myself as hard as I should. 

When I got in my groove, I lost focus on my non-breathing arm (right) so I did not create much pull.  I corrected it every time I thought of it, but I’d eventually fall back into my groove and the arm would have a weak pull again.  It’s 100% mental issue, not strength issue.  Being in a groove on the swim is great, I just need to make sure I train myself to maintain the same level of pull while in my groove. 

Bike
I already had one race at Fort Custer this year and I do know the trail extremely well.  Once I got my bike I put the hammer down and took off.  True to the nature of Xterra’s, I was quickly stuck behind a line of slow people. The entire ‘red loop’ was so slow I started to get very very frustrated.  It got worse.  Going into the gavel pit whoopy-do’s, the guy in front of me went OTB.  I ran him over and I mean that literally.  This caused me to go over the bars as well.  I managed to catch myself with my feet, however my feet landed on his front wheel spokes.  Once I found out he was okay I took off.  I highly doubt his front wheel was functioning 100%.  The fall also left my legs really really bruised and cut up. 

The rest of the bike went fine.  I found myself behind slow riders again in Grannies Garden, but managed to get around them quickly.  Other than that it was smooth sailing.  I did not go 100% all out on the bike since I knew my greatest weakness was next: trail running.

Run
The top runner had a 7 minute pace.  I had an 11 minute pace.  Very very slow.  My training going forward is really going to focus on getting this run moving faster.  Mark my words, I will have an 8 minute pace next year. 

As for this year, nothing really went bad other than every time I tried to get to a 9 minute pace, my engine sputtered and died.  I was over-heating, mentally crashed and just wanted to cross the finish line.  I did not walk one inch, which is the only victory I can hold on too.  I wanted to in some situations but knew that would be the ultimate defeat for me. 

I met a few people there which is always nice, although the ones I met after the race I was kind of zoned out so I apologize to anyone that was talking to me.   The weather was perfect for the race and as always EE put on a great event.

MORE PICTURES HERE

Olympic-Distance Race-Day Fueling Strategies

This information is from an article written by Lance Watson.  I'm not sure where it was published since that part of the page is missing.

During an Olympic (Oly) distance triathlon, the athlete will burn anywhere from800 to 1200 calories in approximately 2-3 hours.  It is almost impossible to replace what you burn during the race, so the real challenge is to help supplement muscle glycogen stores by consuming simple carbs. The article states that a carb rich diet the day before is ideal and that the athlete does not need to 'carb-load' for this distance.  However, I would think that is more athlete specific than a general statement.

Pre-Race Nutrition and Hydration

As with any race, stick with foods that you KNOW work for you.  About three hours before the race, consume 300-500 calories of carb-rich foods like bagels, energy bar or banana.  But again, make sure you eat foods you know will work for you and not send you into the woods clinching your butt cheeks.  If you're a coffee drinker, this is the time to consume your caffeine.   The article states that many athletes formulate a breakfast shake high in carbs because the liquid is easier to digest.  I may try this for my next race.  Before the race, sip on water or a carb drink but be careful you don't over hydrate.

Before The Swim

Since you won't be eating again until you get on the bike, you can take in more calories about 10 minutes before the start of the race.  If it worked for you in training, try taking a caffeinated power gel (I use GU but the article mentions PowerBar, which I use to take).  The caffeine is minimal enough to be easy on the stomach (practice this in training) and should kick in half-way through the swim which is perfect.

During The Bike

As with all triathlons, the bike is the best opportunity to get nutrition into the body.  Your muscles can store about two hours of glycogen, thus replenishing carbs is necessary to perform at optimal levels.  Fueling depends on factors such as intensity of the race and the heat.  Generally aim for 30-60 grams of carbs and 24-32 ounces of water every hour on the bike, starting the first 15 minutes of cycling.  Be strategic in how you consume the calories.  Consume in 15-minute intervals, but also on down-hills and other optimal areas.  During MTB races and Xterra's it is extremely important to know the trail so you can determine when it's safe to take in fueling without running into a tree.

The article goes on to suggest mixing a gel with water and putting it in a flask for Oly distance race (for spring nutrition is purely liquid).  I may try that strategy during my next training ride.  Note, the main reason athletes miss calories is because they fail/stumble opening food packets, thus make sure you pre-open all packets.

During The Run

Aim for sips of water during the run. Have a gel 20 minutes into the run and again at the 45 minute mark if you run longer than 60 minutes for a 10k.  Sipping on cola's or other soft drinks is okay as long as you know it works for you.  Hot weather will require additional fluids with electrolytes. 

After You Finish

Consume around 200-300 calories within 30 minutes of finishing the race.  This should include an energy drink, fruit, or gel.  Within two hours, you should consume 800-1200 calories consisting of 60-65 percent carbs, 20-25 percent protein and 15-20 percent fat.  This can consist of recovery smoothie or bar, chocolate milk or a full meal. Plan ahead so you properly replenish your body.  This is extremely important for recovery and future improvements in performance.  The article mentions nothing about beer, but damn an Oberon goes down nice after any race, activity, walk to the mailbox....well, anytime is a good time for an Oberon.

Pro Transition Tricks

Article: Triathlon

• Bring a 'one-shot' tire inflator and hide it.  The reason she mentions hiding it is to keep it out of the wind.  Triathletes can be very anal when it comes to wind resistant.  

• Rest your helmet and sunglasses on your aerobars.  Seriously, who DOESN'T to this.   Make sure the tail is pointing away from you so you can just flip it on your head.  Grab your sunglasses first so they don't go flying through the transition area.

• Suspend your shoes with rubber bands so you can get a perfect flying mount.  I started using rubber bands a couple years ago.  I finally have the flying mount down and I will still use rubber bands to hold my shoes in place.  It's not so much that it saves you time, but prevents you from losing time and momentum from the 'flying run'.  Also, from personal experience, keep the rubber bands clear of all down tube mounted water bottles.  I had a rubber band snag it before the band broke, sending my water bottle across the road.

• Stash extra nutrition on the bike.  I don't really do this for Sprint triathlons since those are usually 18 miles, but for anything longer there is always extra nutrition in case I need it.  I most particular the last few miles as I prep myself for the run.