Olympic Series Championship - Portage Lakes, Ohio - Last Tri of the season!

Goal:- Place top 3 in AG to secure points needed to win the 2010 HFP Olympic Triathlon Series.

Result: I won my Age group by 4 minutes! and won the points to claim the 2010 Olympic Triathlon Series Champion!)

Goal:- Race hard as I can in the swim, push the bike, see what's left on the run! Remembering that just 7 days ago I did the Rev3 ironman distance triathlon

Result: I did, and had a surprising amount left for the run - see below)

Goal:- HAVE FUN - it's the triathlon of the season!

Result: I had a great day!


Prerace: I was calm and focused. Just before arriving at the venue, Eye of the Tiger came up on my playlist. It was the perfect song for the day (corny as it is)... there really was no tomorrow - today would be the last Triathlon of the season! Time to let it all hang out!

I arrived at 6:30am (8:00am start) and immediately went to check in. I heard them announce that this was a record group for them. Some 800+ for the day and 1700 for the weekend (they had kids and women only races the day before). I calmly got transition set-up, and took my bike out for my warm-up. Did a solid warm up and was debating if arm warmers would be necessary - as well as figured out the best time to put my shoes on while riding - because the transition area was a labyrinth.

Once back from the bike, I saw fellow SnakeBite Racing teammates Martha Brennan, and William Cousino. Chatted with them a bit, then grabbed my running shoes for that warm-up. I never exercise with music - but I did my warm-up run with my headphones on. Building the intensity - there is no tomorrow!

After a solid run warm-up, I grabbed my pre-race snack, wetsuit and headed to the beach for my swim warm up, sighting landmarking and final mental preparation.

I was ready.


Swim -
I pushed it hard from the gun. Based on pre-race swim practice, I determined starting to the outside was going to be better for the first turn because of how it leads to the next turn, and that I needed to run in to the knees, porpoise 3 times, and swim all out to the first turn buoy. Make the turn and swim to the notch in the trees (my sighting landmark I found earlier). I tried to find feet to follow, but didn't. I pushed it hard whole time. I would focus on head position (it's too easy to have it up in racing / sighting conditions) and my turn-over. PUSH! For me, it took a lot of mental focus to hold that intensity. I was next to another guy at the last turn buoy before the long finishg stretch and wanted to beat him out of the water... I sprinted that last long length to the exit... I beat him.

I emerged from the water. I could feel the effort, but wasn't really worse for wear. Looking at my watch... my time was longer than last year, but I knew they added an extra turn buoy vs last year. What was more important was how I did compared to the field. Today, I was 35th of 170, I'm usually 45-50 of 160. Better? I think so.

T1 - wetsuit quickly off, Garmin on (I stopped wearing it in the swim after two failures the past two seasons), took a Gel, put on my clear glasses, aero helmet, and I'm gone in sixty seconds!

I knew from reviewing the course I needed to wait to put my shoes on until on the road, well out of the park - there are too many little turns to get out - messing with the shoes would only slow me down the first 1/4 mile or so.


Bike - 1:01:24 (24.2mph)

Once on course, I immediately put the hammer down. I usually go easy for the first 15 minutes to settle in on the bike and hold back. This day, I would attack from the start. I stayed seated for all but one of the climbs on the first loop - but still pushed each one hard. I reeled in the faster swimmers one after another. With every pass, I'd be sure to say "good job" and thank every single volunteer on the course. Racing is hard business, but there is no energy lost in being a good representative of my team and my sport.

On the second lap, I pushed even harder... out of the saddle with urgency on every climb and crest. This was an all out assault on the course and on my body. I was pretty sure it was going to give me problems on the run, especially because of the unknown of my ironman race the week before, but I didn't care. It was my last race on the bike this year, and I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory. I could hear Mickey in my ear screaming "There is no tomorrow..." (Rocky II) and kept pushing! I usually don't take a gel during the bike, but knowing how hard I was pushing it, and that I did the ironman the week before, I didn't want to take a chance and bonk later.

I rode back into transition knowing I put it all out there on the bike course, and still felt surprisingly good. Out of my shoes well before transition - again because of the last set of turns by transition.

T2 - bike racked, helmet off, running shoes on, visor - gels in hand and off to run (0:56).

Run - 40:49 10K (6:35/mi avg)
OOOOFFFF! Legs were not happy in the first 1/2 mile. I wondered how much damage I did on the bike, but kept pushing. Kept reminding myself that this was the last hard effort of the season... and "SHUT UP AND RACE!". Mile 1 - 6:44... Mile 2 is uphill - I'm always strong on the hills and pushed it to pass people and shake out the discomfort - uphill Mile 2 - 6:43. Mile 3 downhill was 6:25 - I might have lost some focus... Mile 4 was painful... I kept telling myself this was the last time I'd have to endure such pain - and kept pushing. 6:45. Mile 5 was back uphill again - starting to get tired and had no one to chase... 7:03. I was in agony!

Just after that mile marker, I heard footsteps - I hadn't been passed by anyone all day... I could feel him coming behind me for a draft, and then the change in his stride as he surged to pass - I surged to match him and we were shoulder to shoulder for about 50 feet before he dropped back... I couldn't relax because he was right behind me, drafting and regrouping for the next push. I heard the change in his step again and knew he was trying to pass again. I surged to match him yet again and we went another 50 feet until he dropped back again. We beat each other up another 2 or 3 more times during mile 6. It was brutal and the pace was suicidal. We ran mile 6 at 5:50 pace! I was at the end of my rope and when he surged again, I just couldn't match him again - and he got about 8 seconds on me in the last 0.2 mile section to the finish. When I crossed the line, he shook my hand and immediately asked what age group I was in. When we realized we were in different AGs, we had a laugh about how brutal we were to each other for almost no reason.

Didn't matter! I had a great race! Finishing in 2:10:48!! I won my age group by about 4 minutes over 2nd place, and was 14th overall out of 170 Olympic finishers. This was my second 2:10 Olympic distance triathlon this season, and almost 5 minutes faster than last season on the same course!

What a day it was! I had low expectations about what I would be capable of after the intense effort of the Rev3 Full the week before... I was unsure if I succeeded in having a faster swim at the time - but it seems that the effort paid off... I went crazy on the bike, had a great ride, and somehow my legs survived to deliver one of my best runs of my triathlon career.

Rev3 Cedar Point Full Rev (Ironman Distance Triathlon) - PR 10:40:39!!

2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run... 140.6 miles in 10 Hours 40 Minutes 39 Seconds!!
This was my 5th Ironman Distance race - 12:18, 11:50, 11:46 and 11:45 were my past races... My goal for this race (and for life) was to find a way to break 11 hours. Sunday was 10:40. Unreal! I crushed my previous PR by 1 hour 5 minutes and FELT GREAT doing it! I came in 40th out of > 500 who started the day and 7th in my age group. One of the best parts was that there were so many people that I knew doing the race and watching the race... so the encouragement was there before, during and after! Plus I got to watch some of my friends finish their first ever Iron Distance race - a very special occasion!

My 2010 season has been incredible! I ran my first Boston Marathon, had a big PR at Olympic Distance Triathlon this year (2:10:00) and I've won my age group in virtually all of my races this year. I worked so hard this year getting ready for this race and had great coaching from Gregg Brekke (http://www.gbcoaching.com/gbc/index.html/) this season. My training volume was up a whopping 20% versus my 2009 Ironman preparation. My family was incredibly supporting and understanding to my demanding training schedule this year... I mean REALLY supportive!

I was set for a super race - if I could keep myself on plan during the bike leg and have a decent marathon (past problem is I hit the bike leg too hard and blow up early in the marathon leg). This year was different... I stuck to the plan exactly during the race (1:13 swim vs 1:15 plan and 20.8mph bike vs 20.8mph plan - despite bothersome wind) which led to my first sub 4-hour Ironman marathon (3:58 vs 4:39 last year and a 4:20 my best case plan)!


Pre-race:
I was so (too?) relaxed in the days before the race. I was getting worried that I wan't mentally prepared for the challenge that ironman distance racing brings. I was worried I would be flat on race day. I was wrong to worry! I simply didn't get worked up and waste energy before the race, and I was able to sleep 6+ hours both nights! Friday night was the private opening night for Cedar Point - I ran around the park like a little kid... I rode the Top Thill Dragster 4 times - 0 to 120mph in 4 seconds... it is the BEST sensation! (OK - second best... my Iron PR Sunday felt better!!)

Race morning was great. I woke up before my alarm at 4:11am and was able to lay in bed an quietly think through the day - visualizing the challenging places on the course, and how I was going to handle the difficulty of the marathon. Then I was up, got my things together, and met Mike Cousino (Mikey Donuts), Mike Briehl (Aero-DB) and Michelle to head to transition. My bike was racked in the same row as Ken Beech (Tuesday morning track buddy) and teammate Mike Briehl. Cousino was just a few rows over. We could all talk to each other and get a few pictures - and help each other out. Still relaxed... had my headphones in... listing to my IronMix.

Time to head back to the hotel, grab the wetsuit and get a "good luck" kiss from Amy and the rest of my pre-race nutrition in me. Then down to the beach to join the masses who were ready to start the day. The sunrise must have been delayed, because it was still dark at 6:40am (10 minutes before pro start)... they announced a 10 minute delay. Fine. Amy found me on the beach, we talked again, another kiss... some pictures... and it was time to get in the start area. I saw the Mikes as I walked toward the front of the mass start and waited with Ken Beech for the gun to fire.

Calm... focused... READY...

SWIM (1:13 - 69th overall):
Mass swim start of 400+ from the beach was an experience - with a long, shallow run through the water. I settled into a steady rythem right away - despite taking a big punch to the face that should have knocked off my goggles. The water was choppy, but not a problem for me since I've done plenty of open water swimming. I'm known as "Kenny Zig-Zag" and I lived up to the name. I would find feet for drafting and 10 strokes later, be off the pack to the side... over and over. I'm guessing I swam 3 miles to everyone else's 2.4. This winter I'm focusing on the swim (I've neglected it the past 3 seasons). This will be improved. My goal in this race was to put forth an even, strong effort.

I swam / dolphined as long as I could in the shallow approach to the beach. I've practiced this, and was gliding through the shallow waters through those who stood up too soon and were slogging their way to shore. Step, dive, gliiiiiide... repeat. Save energy... pass people. : ) I was 2 mintues faster than my goal, a good start to the day.

Transition 1 was very relaxed. I made a point of slowing down when getting my gear on for the bike. 5.5 hours is a long time to be on the bike if you get something wrong. Smooth, calm, relaxed and effective. Took a gel while in transition, wetsuit off, sunblock on, 3 minutes total - time well spent!

BIKE: (5:23 - 20.8mph - 38th overall - PR)
All of my past Ironman experiences have ended painfully and slowly because I've pushed the bike too hard and blown up in the run. My #1 priority for this race was to keep it under control on the bike. For me - this required restraint, espeically because the wind was really picking up, and changing directions a lot - so I was starting to worry about my time falling off the goal. I've focused on the bike this year and become incredibly strong compared to years past... and learned how and when to push it in the tailwinds, and how to hold the line in headwinds and keep my heart rate steady instead of spiking in the headwind and getting too low in the tailwinds.

Having ridden the course dozens of times this summer helped me know where to expect wind impact, what gear I needed for the hills and how fast I could take the turns. I have to say I rode the course extremely well that day. I held back (my training rides were all 21.5-22.0mph for 100 miles) and averaged 20.8 to make sure I had something for the run. The biggest challenge for me could have been the last 18 miles, which virtually seemed to be into headwinds... it wasn't that it was terribly hard - but it required my restraint to not push it into the wind. I didn't have to. I hammered in the tailwind sections and banked time beforehand, so I could ride the smart pace into the wind and not worry about my time. The other challenge was that nearly all of my second lap was a solo ride. Luckily, I ride my long rides alone and in concentration. I'm OK alone, I know how to push myself, and how to hold back when I need to. I don't get bored or stir crazy. I was lucky enough to come upon Marty Mason (SSSMT) and ride about 10 miles with him back and forth. It was clear neither of us wanted to push the bike too hard - holding back for the run.

For nutrition - I used what they had on course. Rev3 uses "Cera Sport" - an unusual sports drink - on their course. Knowing this, I practiced with "Cera Sport" for my long bike and run sessions to make sure it would work with me. This way - I could rely on a steady supply from the race course and not have to lug the extra weight of my own fluids. There is no way I could pack enough for 5+ hours on the bike anyway. To avoid past stomache issues, I rotated through gels, bars and chews during the bike. This worked perfectly!

Weeks of preparation and mental planning for how to ride the bike course SMART had finally paid off! I came into T2 in 38th place over-all and averaged 20.8mph - exactly where I wanted to be, despite the challenging winds. I felt GREAT and was ready to tackle the marathon. There was no trepidation or worry about the run. I had been going pretty hard for 6.5 hours now - and I still had to run a whole 26.2 mile marathon! Gotta love Ironman racing!

< RUN: (3:58 - 9:05/mi - 40th overall - PR )
When I came out of T2 (3:00 transition), I fell right into what felt like a very comfortable run... good turn-over, legs felt great, breathing good, HR right where I wanted it! YES! I was starting my marathon and the Pro Men were just starting their second lap of the marathon. I literally was running with them. Dave Thompson (#1 and in 2nd at the moment) was actually drafting off me the first 2 miles. When we came to an aid station, I pulled to the side and slowed a little to let him get to it first so I didn't interfere with him. Instead, he shoved me and yelled - KEEP RUNNING... so I did. I didn't realize it - but the first two miles were 7:07 and 7:17! OOPS! The pace felt good, and I was caught up in the excitement of the leaders and moving with them... but when I realized the pace, I knew I needed to pull that back - or else I would blow. It was suicidal. I dropped back to about 8:20 pace and held that effortlessly for the next 8 miles or so. Click, click, click... the miles went past, and I could not believe how good I felt! Of course, I started doing the math... this was going to be one hell of a fast race for me, if I didn't blow up!

I finished my first half marathon at 8:20/mi average! I couldn't believe it! I was on pace for a 10:30 Ironman, but I also knew that eventually, the day would catch up to me and I'd probably need to start walking some aid stations just to make sure I kept my nutrition up. I've had hyponatrimia in all 4 of my prior Ironman races... I know what it feels like, and how to react... but mainly - for me - I know it is a matter of when, not if - and to be ready. (My nick name is "Salt Spray" for a reason!).

When I came into the turn-around area (by transition and the finish line), I started hearing my name a lot. Plenty of Cleveland-area people were nearby and giving love. It was a great pick-me-up. My Coach, Gregg Brekke found me and ran with me a bit - talking to me, assessing me, and encouraging me. I told him I felt great, but I was starting to feel tired and the wear of the day. I was doing well on nutrition - but could start to feel that things were going to start to get more difficult. He gave some more encouraging words, took some photos, and left me to finish the job.

Nutrition wise, I stayed with Cera Sport during the run since I practiced with it, and alternated gels & chews. I mixed in cola and water as well during the run. the Coke was good because it was different, but I was careful not to take too much in because of the carbonation. What was missing (but I knew it would be) from the course was chicken broth. late in an ironman, that is the best fluid to take (salty and not sweet).

On the second lap, I started seeing people I knew. I saw the Pro Men on their way to the finish while I was heading out. Ken Beech, an IM rookie and one of the Tuesday morning track crew, looked fantastic! He was having a great race and a great time. Mike Cousino (Mikey Donuts) was next... You could tell he was happy to be doing this - but running is his least favorite discipline. Mike Briehl was a few minutes behind Mikey Donuts. He announced to me as we passed that he packed 2 right shoes in his transition bag and lost time! Iron Rookie mistake! (Luckily, he had extra shoes in his special needs bag and a teammate was given permission by a race official to get them for him).

By mile 16, I could start to feel the fatigue of the day, but more importantly (and suddenly) I could feel hyponatrimia hit me hard. It was like this numb, blackness moving from my feet, to my knees to my waist. It is a terrible feeling - and I was surprised how quickly it came on. I knew what to do, got out my salt tabs, crunched one (ugh) in my mouth and somehow dry-swallowed a second one. I was 1/2 mile from the next aid station - needed to get sport drinks and more salt tabs in quickly!! I did, and felt much better within just a couple minutes and returned to normal speed.

Miles 17 and 18 went by uneventfully. Feeling strong and knowing I needed to keep up on nutrition. I was on pace for sub 10:45 and I wanted to protect that. I walked a couple aid stations during 19, 20 to make sure I got everything I needed to keep fueled. The aid stations were out of salt caps - luckily I packed quite a few extras - I needed them all.

Miles 21-23 were lonely and difficult. There were zero spectators to speak of (that I noticed anyhow, I might have been a little inwardly focused!) I was still going at about 8:50 pace when I was running, but I walked the aid stations to load up. I was more than willing to give up a minute or two here and there to avoid a cramping fest or run out of fuel and screw up my dream day.

SSSMT had an aid station somewhere around 23-24. I ran up to it and saw lots of friendly faces. That was a big boost after running in the "post-apocolypic", empty city of Sandusky on the second lap alone. I was tired by this point, and in dire need of fuel and hydration. I grabbed an armload of stuff. Whatever they were selling - I was buying! I walked away from their station with an armload of goodies to devour - this would be my last stop before the finish line (if I could help it). Tim Walsh walked with me for a minute or two... encouraging me... pushing me... and watching me eat and drink like a ravenous wild animal. I thanked him for his company - and was determined to push off for the final 2.5 miles of personal history.

That was the LONGEST 2.5 miles I can ever remember! I never broke stride and knew for the last 20 minutes, nothing I would eat or drink would help now - so no point to bother with aid stations. I pictured the last 2.5 miles of my long run route - complete with an overpass like the Cedar Point Causeway. It didn't help. These last two miles were really tough, and I dug in to hit 10h 40m. My miles got faster again... last miles were 8:44 and 7:18! I found a way to push through all the pain and fatigue and find a way to get to 10:40 overall finish!! I came around a corner and teammates Jason Hendricks and Eric Gibb were there - screaming for me! What a lift for the last push!

The last 0.2 miles brought us into the actual Cedar Point amusement park while it was open. I didn't notice - all I wanted was to see the finish line, and find my family! I was flying now, down the carpeted runway toward the finish. My photo was on the jumbotron now - I had Amy, Andy and Tommy sit in my photo so they were on the jumbotron too. They were such a big part of helping me be successful this year - this race victory was theirs too. I found them in the finish chute and was able to give a happy wave to them before breaking the tape to stop the clock.

I made it to the finish line - saw the official clock which showed that I did, in fact, go 140.6 miles in 10 hours and 40 minutes in an Ironman triathon!!

Post-Race:
I seriously thought during the day that I messed up my watch and that it was wrong, because there was just no way I'd run such a fast race! I kept telling myself it was a good race, just break 11 hours... but I really, truly did make it in 10:40!!

That's when I went crazy! Jumping up and down, fist pumping, yelling"I did it!!". I didn't win the race, I came in 40th out of about 500 who started that day... but I CRUSHED a lifelong goal to somehow break 11 hours. An entire year (or more, really) of hard work, sacrifice, focus and effort paid off in a big way.

It then moved me to tears when I saw my family and coach and said to them... "I really did it"... still dumbfounded... and cried... yep... I cried a little... the utter relief it was done, the raw physical pain and fatigue, the mental battle between mind and body during the last 10 miles of the run... and the shock at how well I actually did just washed over me.

We visited at the finish area for a while (I hung onto the fence... 140.6 miles was enough for now). And then Amy took the boys -they had to return to Cleveland to get ready for school the following morning. We said our goodbyes. I was sad to have them not stay the night - but the rest of the evening was for recovery activities and watching my other friends and teammates finish their races.

My Coach took over... got me to an ice bath to speed recovery (I hate them, but they are so effective)... recovery drinks... massage... food... He was very helpful because I might have been a little dilerious at times! (plus I couldn't get myself out of the ice bath - it was a deep tub and I was freakin' tired!). After I was taken care of, he also headed back to Cleveland, and I headed to my hotel to shower up, eat and get ready to come back and watch the rest finish.

Ken Beech was next. Ken and I met during the winter. He joined Mark Durno and I for our Tuesday morning track workouts. He did his first IM race and kicked butt. 12h 08m and looked solid the whole time. Mark Murphy and Ben Noroton both came in at 12h 56m. Mike Briehl came in at 13:43 - another new IM athlete. And Mikey Donuts finished his first iron-distance race in 14:05 to round out the group.

We had a great time talking about the battles of the day - the wind, the other swimmers, the fatigue on the marathon - and the very primal, basic struggle between mind and body during the closing phases of the marathon - when the body says "NO" and the mind says "KEEP GOING". It is an epic struggle - and in a sick way - part of the draw to me of racing Ironman. You never have truly known yourself until you are in such a difficult, demanding position. What can the mind will? What pain can the body ignore? How empty can the fuel tank be an still move?

There were so many IRONFANS and people who did the HalfRev race from the Cleveland area there. It was so much fun to see them all, hear their stories of triumph and tribulation.

Grattitude:
I could not have accomplished what I have this season without a serious support network and team. My family - Amy, Andy and Tommy were more than accomodating to my high volume of training this year. Although I did a lot before they woke up, I was gone on a lot of weekends for long chunks of time this summer. They endured it - and without their support - it wouldn't have been possible. I love them, I was thrilled to have them there, and happy that with all of the sacrifices, I could make them proud by my big accomplishment. If I had another bad race like 2009 IMLP, I'd have had to seriously reconsider it all.

My Coach and SnakeBite Racing teammate Gregg Brekke (http://www.gbcoaching.com/gbc/index.html/) was excellent this season. Challenging me with new and difficult workouts and weekly plans... and keeping me restrained in weeks when I wanted to do more (an important bonus!). He kept me from freaking out when I got sick in India and couldn't train for almost 3 weeks... and when I was freaking out during my taper, he calmed me down too. Thanks Gregg for an amazing season! (which isn't quite over yet!)

This was my first season representing SnakeBite Racing. I got to know some great athletes on the team and enjoyed the comraderie. I'll single out two training partners who really helped me improve this season Mark Durno (running) and Mike Larimer (on the bike). There are countless others I've trained with but these two challenged me in ways I hadn't been before. Thanks guys!

And to my friends Ken Beech, Mike Briehl and Mike Cousino - congratulations on your first iron-distance triathlon! Be proud of your accomplishment. You have done what very few people in this world can say they have done! "Swim 2.4 miles, Bike 112 miles, Run 26.2 miles... Brag for the rest of your life!".

Special thanks to sponsor GreatRaceNutrition.com for fueling my season and Oakley for the great shades. Visit SnakeBiteRacing.com to see the rest of our sponsors and team.

Rev3 Full Iron / Cedar Point Weekend Recap

What a weekend for me and the family! The Rev3 Full Iron triathlon took place September 12th at Cedar Point, in Sandusky, OH – the roller coaster capital of the world. What an awesome venue to bring the kids! We stayed at Hotel Breakers right in the amusement park, which was very nice and convenient not only for the race, but also for visiting the park, swimming in the lake, and in one of the three pools there. To make it better – the weather was quite good for the weekend as well.
Friday night the park was open only for Rev3 athletes, volunteers and family. There were literally no lines for the big rides! I was in heaven! In less than 2 hours, I was able to ride Top Thrill Dragster 4 times, Millennium Force twice and the Magnum. If we wanted to ride again, we just stayed on or waited in the station for the next train! I’m spoiled now! These are rides you have to wait 90minutes – 5 hours for on a normal weekend. Plus Camp Snoopy was open for the kids – and Andy and Tommy both rode their official first roller coaster that night. (The video I took of Tommy during the ride is PRICELESS!).

Our hotel room was a Snoopy Suite in the towers of Hotel Breakers. Very nice, big, comfortable and had two separate rooms so the kids could go to bed early and Amy and I could hang out in the evening… and wake up early without disturbing them. Plenty of room for a triathlete to spread out everything before the race to make sure it’s ready too.

Saturday was an interesting day. We had a lazy morning together, then I had to go swim the swim course… get my things ready for the race… check my bike in to transition… pack my bags and make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. Then we bummed around the hotel… played “Extreme putt-putt” (Amy actually lost her ball in a water hazard! LOL) and then drove the go karts. Andy was so excited to get to drive – I think that made his weekend! The Ohio State – Miami (FL) football game was on in the afternoon – and we went to Danny Boy’s in Sandusky to have an early dinner and watch the impressive victory. A few of my friends from the Cleveland area triathlon scene were there too – it was a fun time.

I had good sleep both Friday and Saturday nights. I was amazed how well I slept Saturday night before the big race. The whole lead up to the race, I was so relaxed – I was worried that I was TOO relaxed. But as you’ll find out – that wasn’t a problem for me!!

Amy and the kids were awesome on Sunday. The swim start literally was right outside our hotel, so Amy came down to the beach to see us off and take pictures/video and such. Then she collected the boys and they watched me exit the swim and head out on the bike. After seeing me off and knowing I wouldn’t be back from the bike for like 5h30m… they went into the park to have fun and ride rides. Apparently they came back (based on my schedule of “expected” and “best case” times) to watch me finish the first half of the marathon… but I was having such a good race, I had already been through 10-15 minutes before they got there. Luckily, she saw one of my teammates who told her – so they didn’t stand around and worry about me.

When I came to the finish line (at 10H 41M) – they were all there cheering me on. When I checked in for the race, they took our picture to display on the Jumbotron. I had Amy, Andy and Tommy in the picture with me –so we had a nice family photo on the display. They have been such a big part of my training and preparation for the race- they are a part of this personal victory as well!

After I finished (10:41) and we talked, my coach Gregg took me into the recovery area for an ice bath (ugh), massage and recovery drinks. I said goodbye to Amy, Andy and Tommy, and they drove back to Avon for the night since the boys had school Monday. After that, I went back to the hotel to shower and put some clean clothes on to watch my other friends and teammates finish their races. It was exciting to know so many Ironman finishers that night. Saw Marty Mason (10:36), Ken Beech (12:09), Ben Norton (12:56), Mark Murphy (12:56 also), Mike Briehl (13:44) and Mike Cousino (14:06) finish. Plus there were a ton of teammates and friends from the Cleveland area who raced the Half Rev. It was great I stayed another night at the hotel and had a nice, easy morning with Mikey Donuts and Mike Briehl before coming back to reality.

For me – it was a perfect weekend!

I hate Tapering for big races! (but like the results)

I guess it is because I am “Type A” and driven by my mind and will to train hard and heavy to prepare for important races. I love the training and the build up before a race, sometimes more than the race itself! It’s the taper once or twice a year for a big “A” race that I hate – with a passion!

For one thing – it is my mind that pushes, drives and organizes my training. When I taper – that whole section of my brain seems to shut off, and I forget to bring workout clothes to work or the gym… or find reasons not to train, etc. I end up tapering too low (like 40% of pre-taper volume instead of 60-70% step downs) and I feel FLAT! (Think of Eric Gibb’s blog about that – I totally agree!). Plus with the lack of training I’m used to, I can’t fall asleep well at night – so I short my self on sleep – and I feel even worse!

Not only that, but also I have found in a number of these tapers, that my heart rate starts doing weird things when I do work out. Usually it is up 10-15bpm versus normal for a given pace/intensity. I know my HR zones very well… and it always freaks me out! This week, 3 days before the big Rev 3 Full Ironman race… my coach sent me to have multiple blood pressure readings and nearly sent me to the ER to check my heart (he was worried about a blockage or some other defect that was causing the big HR elevation. I was + 25 on the systolic… but right on for the diastolic Friday. By Saturday – both were back to normal… so we think I was just keyed up and out of routine.

I love training! I love how it makes me feel during… after… and planning the next workouts. I HATE NOT DOING THAT – like it is part of my daily routine and psyche. Plus – my body is “addicted” to working out – so you take away the drug (both the activity and the euphoric hormones released after (AKA the runner’s high) and I’m like a junkie looking for a hit!

But on the plus side, I get a lot more time to focus on the family and make up for time I’ve spent off doing 6-7 hour bike rides (Saturdays) and 3-4 hours runs (Sundays) plus the recovery/ice baths / showers/etc afterwards.

My family has been the best this season! They supported me along the way with just enough complaining to let me know they miss and love me – but not so much to make it an issue. I must thank them for that since my volume is up 20%+ this year.

LOVE YOU AMY, ANDY, TOMMY!!! You are the best part of my taper (and life in general!!)!

My first trip to INDIA! (July 2010)

WOW, Colorful, Intriguing, Uncomfortable, Crowded, Beautiful, Poverty...

"It is the only place to offend all 5 senses at once"...

Such a stark contrast of extreme poverty and vast displays of wealth.

I was in three very different cities and regions of India during my 10 day trip: Chennai (Madras), Vadadora (Baroda) and Mumbai (Bombay). The "old English" names are in paranthesis after the proper Indian names.

I've been all over the world... enjoy traveling and discovering new cultures, food and places. This was the most difficult and uncomfortable trip for me. Plus, I'm doing an Ironman Triathlon 8 weeks after this trip, I was very nervous about getting sick, and should be in the peak of my training. It certainly didn't help that my luggage was lost for the first 4 days I was in India!

The food was excellent! I love spicy curry, and there is such an amazing variety of flavors and spices!! I allowed myself to be adventurous in my eating there. I was absolutely careful/paranoid about drinking. Sure to only drink from bottles that I saw had the seal on, etc. One funny meal was a Chinese lunch... I was taken there by Martin - the same guy who, while I was in China, refused to take me to a Chinese restaraunt and instead took me to an Indian place!

Our mission was to find Free Trade Zone warehousing and distribution options to better support our importing into India for the rather large market we have been servicing there. We visited with a dozen different possible options and came away with some good ideas. Doing import business into India is very difficult to say the least.

When you arrive in India - the HEAT, HUMIDTY and POPULATION density are the immediate things you notice. You can't help it... it's IN YOUR FACE everywhere you go! Chennai is at a lattitude of 12 degrees or so above the equator (Panama City, FLA is about 30 degrees north).

The people I dealt with are generally very pleasant, friendly and eager to help. The population as a whole is well intentioned - but there are some "quirks" in this region you need to understand.

1) It is a caste society - meaning very specific, structured social classes that are rarely if ever crossed exist. If you are born into one of the low castes... that's it. It isn't like America - the land of opportuity to pull yourself up by your boostraps... and the upper castes talk down to and treat the lower ones as if they are sub-human. It's hard to witness. They say it is getting better - OK... I can only imagine life when it "wasn't better".

2) When they are agreeing with you, they shake their heads from side to side (like how we indicate "no"). it is VERY confusing and distracting when you are trying to explain a complicated financial/legal transaction like I was doing. You are talking along - looking to them to see if they follow you, and they are all shaking their heads. You stop to make sure they understand? (yes) Is what you're saying wrong or not allowed? (It's fine!)... this is how the agree as you talk. Very, very hard to get used to!

3) There is a "poverty mentality" - and many of the basic things we all assume as fundamental things simply are not over there. It's difficult to explain the basic thought process being so different, but it is. Hard to wrap your mind around because from birth, we are conditioned to think a certain way - which can be different to other ways - but because we know it from birth, we don't even realize that we are "programmed" that way. As basic as "trash collection" (which really doesn't exist from what I can tell in most of the areas of India I visited)... you dump your rubbish right onto the street - for the "Rag Pickers" (super poor people) to sort through and collect whatever they can from it. Scraps of rubber, shards of broken glass, food scraps, etc. Imagine a month's worth of garbage piled up in the 90-120F heat! Pretty gross! The movie Slumdog Millionaire didn't exaggerate (might have held back!)

4) There are huge divides between rich and poor there. The split in the USA is trival compared to the millions and millions in Mumbai alone that live in the shack slums and live off picking through the garbage and begging... with the handful of super-rich and the splendor they live in. Unreal difference, and I feel fortunate that when I traveled there, I was in the "latter class" there. Our hotel was a simply amazing multi-acre 5 star resort complex in the middle of the city, surrounded by slums. You forget where you are, until your car pulls out of the complex into the huge throngs of people everywhere... and you see their living conditions, and can't help but feel bad about it. You want to help - but you can't. There are too many... and if you do give a beggar something - you will immediatly be swarmed by 1000 (no exaggeration!) more beggars... small naked children begging... old sick, crippled people... it's heart breaking.

Having said all that, there is a rich culture and heritage in the country. Amazing art and a few beautiful monuments, historic sites and the like. Again, the people are quite nice, despite their situation... and the FOOD IS INCREDIBLE!

The food could cause a 20 page blog alone. Such strong and amazingly different flavors, textures, sights and tastes. Some so simple, some complex! I was quite adventureous with the food, and it didn't disappoint. Wow. The curries are all so different! The heat/spicy is so intense (sweating more than you already are there!), yet you can taste all of the complicated flavors.

Before arriving in India, I researched running groups - and found a very nice group in Chennai and also in Mumbai that helped me find places to run (difficult to find safe places in India to run!). I ran with the group of runners in Mumbai on a Sunday morning. What a great group! I ran 25k (the first 10K with another runner at my speed, the rest were 9-10min/mi pace runners). It was really a nice place to run along the Mumbai coast (actually along the Mumbai Marathon course) and they had guys on scooters with water to support the runners along the way! That was great! (Except that I took some, and drank it, and then realized a few minutes up the road that it was probably LOCAL water - and therefore a really bad idea to drink it!!). The heat and humidity were INSANE! Also, it was windy and monsooned a litte during the run, then the sun came out and evaporated it all back into the air again to make it even more hot and humid! You can see a picture from after my run of all of the water bottles I drank to rehydrate! That was a highlight for me - to meet a group of like-minded runners on the other side of the world and share the run with.

I did great from a "not getting sick" standpoint... until I made one mistake - the water from the guy while doing the run. I'm used to taking and chugging water during a race. This was the same scenario - except that this water apparently came from the contaminated local water source. A couple minutes after I took the big drink, I realized that this was probably a bad idea (funky taste in my mouth was the first clue...). Next day, I was SICK AS A DOG! The other possible contributing factor was drinking a lassi at a restaurant which probably also had local water in it. This was at lunch on the same day I was sick. Not sure which one did it to me... but both were gaps in judgement in an otherwise fully "on guard" trip. Oh well - I'm human I guess!

I'll be back in India again - probably before the end of 2010. And I'll have a guy working for me there starting in the next couple of months... so... I'll be back! And next time, visiting Kolkata (Calcutta) and Jamshedpur. Stay tuned!