Showing posts with label HFP Racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HFP Racing. Show all posts
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Portage Lakes Olympic Triathlon - 4th overall
Pushed it hard from start to finish and never felt "bad". I did get just a couple of hints of hammy cramps during the last 2 miles. Been a couple of years since I've done the race, and the bike course and run course (2-3 miles of pure trail running) were both new to me. I was 4th overall (3rd amateur if you exclude Pro Ryan Bates who crushed us all). All in all, it was a good effort and a good day!
Swim:
I pushed it from the gun and was 2nd to the first turn buoy. Gassed, I backed off a bit and got into a nice rhythm. First race in while where I wasn't getting the shit kicked out of me constantly. It helped me focus on form, turnover and power. Occasionally, I chased some feet, but they were either slow or terrible at sighting. One guy was doing the backstroke - seriously - he was fast (passed me) but then veered way off course and I let him go. No one else passed me that I saw to grab.
Out of the water around 26:00 by my watch... saw my time, shrugged, and ran up the hill to transition. (Last year and all prior years, seeing a time that slow would have upset me, likewise seeing a 21 would get me excited, but I've learned that swim courses are rarely accurate and to stop getting a feeling one way or the other. After the race, everyone said they thought it was a long swim.
Pretty good transition, except I still get my wetsuit stuck on my left ankle/foot... lost a little time there... took a gel in transition and headed out.
That's about the time that the HR monitor (that was working all day yesterday and during warm-up today) decided to stop working and display "lost signal" again... brand new battery. I couldn't get my Garmin before tomorrow... so I shrugged again... nothing I can do now, but I hate to lose the data! Tried a few more times during the first lap to get it to work. No dice. Gave up on it.
BIKE:
Pushed the bike, but not as hard as I usually start because of your advice and race plan. I bounded up the hills (sure I spiked my HR each time) but passed so many people each time. Felt good, so I kept it going. Plowed through all of the sprint people left on the course in the first loop, had to make a couple of borderline dangerous passes to not kill my momentum thanks to some slower people riding 2 abreast and such.
Second lap I pushed harder effort, but honestly wasn't much faster in all likelihood... the good thing was it was only Olympic people now and I was eating up spots. My split showed about 1:09 - and since I've never ridden the course before, I have no benchmark until I see the other splits posted. My speedometer showed 25.5 miles...It was an undulating course, almost never flat. A couple sections were very recently chip-sealed and were covered in loose stone... I stayed in the saddle for all of those climbs to avoid any mishap. I was generally happy with my gear selection throughout. A few times, I was in the small ring for some climbs. Again - nothing was flat. I used every single gear combination at least twice during the bike.
Saw a couple guys from wave before who were riding well and mixed it up with them a bit toward the end of the second lap, which helped us each work harder I'm sure... but some of the second lap was solo / no-man's land... no one to work off of and keep my pace honest.
T2 was uneventful, except a little trouble getting my cold, numb feet into my runners. I followed Mike Schaffer (SSSMT) into T2 and was worried about that. He's 41 also (but I didn't know until after the race he started with elite wave 2 waves in front).
RUN:
I chased Mike up the 1 mile long hill and passed him about 1/2 way up, and put in a kick to make sure he didn't get any ideas about trying to stick with me. Mile 1 was 6:40 by my watch... and was all uphill. At about mile 1.5, the run course took a most interesting route through the woods on a mountain bike path for the next 1.25-1.5 miles. It was a bit slippery/muddy and was riddled with big roots. it was a non-stop tripping hazard to navigate. Mile 2 sign I'm sure was misplaced, because I was about 8:10 for that mile, and about 6:05 for mile 3... so I'm calling both miles about a 7:07, which given the terrain, I was happy with. Only one guy passed me on the run... a BAFF guy I've never seen before. No age or anything on his leg, so no clue which wave or AG.
Started the second lap and was starting to feel the fatigue of the effort, and also was without anyone to chase or keep in front of me. My mile splits were comperable to +0:10/mile. They only had 1-3 miles marked, so mile "4" included the extra .25 (those with Garmins calculated 6.5 for the course)... mile 4 was 8:13 (including the extra distance), Mile 5 (long mile) was 8:15 (vs 8:10 last lap) and Mile 6 was 6:16 (vs 6:05 last lap) and then into the finish chute.
Will get official splits later to see their times and if they mark the distances differently.
Weather: approximately 52F at start. Light wind. Lake was calm. "warmed up" to about 65F by end of race. Wind stayed light and not noticeable.
NUTRITION: breakfast about 3 hours before.
Bottle of sports drink in the car on the way down, as well as a cup of coffee and a bottle of beet juice (about 100 minutes before start of race was scheduled). Sipped on some sports drink before the race, and took 1 caffinated gel 15min before scheduled start per plan.
Nothing during the swim, except the occasional, accidental lake water sip. :)
T1 - took a caffeinated powerbar gel.
Bike - consumed 24oz EFS during the ride. Took second gel start of 2nd lap (about 35 min into bike) per plan.
T2 - Roctane gel (hated the consistency.. won't do that again during a race)
Run:
I consumed 1 gel during the run, about halfway through, and nearly all of 2 x 8oz bottles of EFS on my fuel belt, with a couple of sips of water at 1,4 mile aid station.
Recovery drink, banana, pretzels and water post-race... and a coke on the way home (guilty pleasure).
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Great way to end the season... Deer Creek Fall Challenge 70.3
WOW! Amazing race! Never felt better in a race before! My first true 70.3 attempt and it was 4:37:06 good for 6th overall (5th amateur), 1st AG. Followed the race plan from Coach AJ Baucco (www.baucco.com) pretty closely and had an amazing experience as a result, especially since this is a new distance for me. Never suffered in a bad way, felt I had the strength and power to build and build right through the very end.
After a frustrating start to the 2013 season... August and September were solid. After 10 years in triathlon (including lots Ironman and Olympic races), I finally made a serious attempt at a 70.3 - with only about 6 weeks of "long course" specific training. First 8 months of the season was about road racing crits, and olympic tri.
Below is the detailed recap of the race... it's written mostly for me and my Coach AJ Baucco to review... but provides some insight into the race plan and execution.
Swim 30:38- I started right behind Jim and dolphined right out to the front for a moment... swam hard to the first buoy (200m?), then turned and settled into a good rhythm. Too good. Felt like pool swimming, and when I turned to breathe like in the pool, I inhaled a wave and took a lot into my lungs. about the scariest moment as I couldn't breathe for about 10 seconds, then coughed some out, got some air in, and was able to shake it off and get back into a decent rhythm... but I lost the fast feet. Off and on solo swimming and drafting. Kept focus on turnover and good early pull (and not breathing any more water). Don't have official split yet, but was out just under 30 minutes by my watch. about 1 minute run from beach to T1.
Bike time: 2:30:48
Out on the bike : My HR was about 180 when I started out. Had to work hard (going easy) to bring it down to target rate. That took about 2 miles/6 minutes. The targets were 155bpm for first 28 miles and 157 for last 28mi (156 avg). Actual splits were 156 (21.0avg) for first 28 and 162 (21.7avg) for second 28... a little more aggressive, but also had 2 of the 3 sets of hills in the second 28.
At first I had a really hard time with the low HR target. It felt stupid slow, and I was getting passed (which rarely if ever happens to me on the bike), which pissed me off, but I stuck pretty close to the plan. Glad I did! I passed most of those guys late on the bike or on the run.
Second loop, I worked a bit harder, and my HR followed. At least no one was passing me now... Still felt easy and the nutrition was going in pretty well. (I kind of figured out during the bike that it must be part of why the low HR is so important... so the stomach can process what is in it, and take on more fuel... instead of bloating because I can't proces it, and then shutting down my intake, leading to a bonk later.) Second loop was 156-160 (21.3mph)
Third loop, worked harder still, and this felt more like what I'm used to racing, intensity-wise, and I got to pass back some people, which made my ego happy. 163avg for 3rd loop (22mph)
Rode into transition still feeling pretty good, except the small of my back was getting a bit sore. A combination of the actual cycling and pushing a lower position on downhills and into the wind, but I have also noticed that is worse when I'm pulling my head up in the swim for lots of sighting, which I think I was doing today in the swim. Nutrition plan was pretty close. 4 full bottles over 2.5 hours (so I should have drank a little more... I have to work on that some more) and I took a gel at start of bike and every 40min thereafter on the dot with my timer.
Run 1:33:31:
Starting the run, I felt pretty good. Came off the bike around 12th place from my estimate. Amazingly, I ran so well and used that to move up to 6th overall. I'm so used to running fast off the bike because of the short course racing this year, that I struggled to hold the first 1/2 mile (net uphill) at 6:40/mi pace. I saw this and slowed down to 6:58 (172bpm) for the first mile... I knew I had to keep my HR down, so next mile felt stupid slow, and was 7:15 (175bpm).
The plan was to keep increasing my effort/HR little by little from there, which I successfully did. The miles splits and HR avg were:
3-7:18, 176
4-7:13, 178
5-7:20, 178
6-7:21, 179
7-7:11, 180
8-7:09, 182
9-7:13, 183
10-7:06, 184
11-7:06, 188
12-7:06, 189
13-7:07, 192
Run nutrition: I started with a 2 bottle fuel belt of EFS (16oz total). Sucked on that between aid stations during the first 6.5 mi loop. I kept right on the gels at 40 min which carried over from the bike. Clockwork. Asked for ice, water and Infinit at each aid station (roughly 1 mile between). 2nd loop I went for coke more than Infinit just to keep things mixed up... I had a LOT of sports drink this day! I took a lot of salt caps on the run too. Started as 3 every couple of miles as a preventative... second loop, I could start to feel a few "pings" in my quads. More salt caps. last 4 miles, that was my only concern about letting myself fully fly and sprint the last mile... more 'pings' in both quads, despite another 4-6 caps with about 3 miles to go. Nothing slowed me down or caused a problem, but I just was wary about trying to go bananas and end up with a cramp I'd have to stop and stretch out or something.
Emotionally: Swim was good except for the literal near-drowning. That shook me up for a few minutes... but I soldiered through. (What a different day/outcome if I had put my hand up, or couldn't have even done that!!)
Bike was tough for me at first. Like I said, people I know I could crush on the bike were passing me, and frankly it was embarrassing to my ego. But I trusted in the plan, and didn't want to mis-execute and not learn from the experience of the day. Turning up the heat on the last 15 miles was satisfying... was quite happy to pass a lot of people then and gain some ground and still be fresh for the run.
Run was just plain fun! Who says that about a 1:33 half mary after a swim and a bike?? I do! The way I was able to build and build and keep taking spots from people was just a great feeling! The second loop in particular was great fun as I really got pushing it and the body was able to consistently respond. My speed may not have drastically increased during the run (7:14/mi first loop and 7:09 second loop)... but seeing the others suffer and slow down and get passed while I felt great was something I've not fully experienced before.
Could I have gone faster on the bike? Of course. But could I have held on to the run like this afterwards? Probably not in my current conditioning state. That's next.
After a frustrating start to the 2013 season... August and September were solid. After 10 years in triathlon (including lots Ironman and Olympic races), I finally made a serious attempt at a 70.3 - with only about 6 weeks of "long course" specific training. First 8 months of the season was about road racing crits, and olympic tri.
Below is the detailed recap of the race... it's written mostly for me and my Coach AJ Baucco to review... but provides some insight into the race plan and execution.
Swim 30:38- I started right behind Jim and dolphined right out to the front for a moment... swam hard to the first buoy (200m?), then turned and settled into a good rhythm. Too good. Felt like pool swimming, and when I turned to breathe like in the pool, I inhaled a wave and took a lot into my lungs. about the scariest moment as I couldn't breathe for about 10 seconds, then coughed some out, got some air in, and was able to shake it off and get back into a decent rhythm... but I lost the fast feet. Off and on solo swimming and drafting. Kept focus on turnover and good early pull (and not breathing any more water). Don't have official split yet, but was out just under 30 minutes by my watch. about 1 minute run from beach to T1.Bike time: 2:30:48
Out on the bike : My HR was about 180 when I started out. Had to work hard (going easy) to bring it down to target rate. That took about 2 miles/6 minutes. The targets were 155bpm for first 28 miles and 157 for last 28mi (156 avg). Actual splits were 156 (21.0avg) for first 28 and 162 (21.7avg) for second 28... a little more aggressive, but also had 2 of the 3 sets of hills in the second 28.
Second loop, I worked a bit harder, and my HR followed. At least no one was passing me now... Still felt easy and the nutrition was going in pretty well. (I kind of figured out during the bike that it must be part of why the low HR is so important... so the stomach can process what is in it, and take on more fuel... instead of bloating because I can't proces it, and then shutting down my intake, leading to a bonk later.) Second loop was 156-160 (21.3mph)
Third loop, worked harder still, and this felt more like what I'm used to racing, intensity-wise, and I got to pass back some people, which made my ego happy. 163avg for 3rd loop (22mph)
Rode into transition still feeling pretty good, except the small of my back was getting a bit sore. A combination of the actual cycling and pushing a lower position on downhills and into the wind, but I have also noticed that is worse when I'm pulling my head up in the swim for lots of sighting, which I think I was doing today in the swim. Nutrition plan was pretty close. 4 full bottles over 2.5 hours (so I should have drank a little more... I have to work on that some more) and I took a gel at start of bike and every 40min thereafter on the dot with my timer.
Run 1:33:31:
Starting the run, I felt pretty good. Came off the bike around 12th place from my estimate. Amazingly, I ran so well and used that to move up to 6th overall. I'm so used to running fast off the bike because of the short course racing this year, that I struggled to hold the first 1/2 mile (net uphill) at 6:40/mi pace. I saw this and slowed down to 6:58 (172bpm) for the first mile... I knew I had to keep my HR down, so next mile felt stupid slow, and was 7:15 (175bpm).
The plan was to keep increasing my effort/HR little by little from there, which I successfully did. The miles splits and HR avg were:3-7:18, 176
4-7:13, 178
5-7:20, 178
6-7:21, 179
7-7:11, 180
8-7:09, 182
9-7:13, 183
10-7:06, 184
11-7:06, 188
12-7:06, 189
13-7:07, 192
Run nutrition: I started with a 2 bottle fuel belt of EFS (16oz total). Sucked on that between aid stations during the first 6.5 mi loop. I kept right on the gels at 40 min which carried over from the bike. Clockwork. Asked for ice, water and Infinit at each aid station (roughly 1 mile between). 2nd loop I went for coke more than Infinit just to keep things mixed up... I had a LOT of sports drink this day! I took a lot of salt caps on the run too. Started as 3 every couple of miles as a preventative... second loop, I could start to feel a few "pings" in my quads. More salt caps. last 4 miles, that was my only concern about letting myself fully fly and sprint the last mile... more 'pings' in both quads, despite another 4-6 caps with about 3 miles to go. Nothing slowed me down or caused a problem, but I just was wary about trying to go bananas and end up with a cramp I'd have to stop and stretch out or something.
Emotionally: Swim was good except for the literal near-drowning. That shook me up for a few minutes... but I soldiered through. (What a different day/outcome if I had put my hand up, or couldn't have even done that!!)
Bike was tough for me at first. Like I said, people I know I could crush on the bike were passing me, and frankly it was embarrassing to my ego. But I trusted in the plan, and didn't want to mis-execute and not learn from the experience of the day. Turning up the heat on the last 15 miles was satisfying... was quite happy to pass a lot of people then and gain some ground and still be fresh for the run.
Run was just plain fun! Who says that about a 1:33 half mary after a swim and a bike?? I do! The way I was able to build and build and keep taking spots from people was just a great feeling! The second loop in particular was great fun as I really got pushing it and the body was able to consistently respond. My speed may not have drastically increased during the run (7:14/mi first loop and 7:09 second loop)... but seeing the others suffer and slow down and get passed while I felt great was something I've not fully experienced before.
Could I have gone faster on the bike? Of course. But could I have held on to the run like this afterwards? Probably not in my current conditioning state. That's next.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Vermilion Olympic Triathlon - 3rd place overall
This was just supposed to be for fun and a last pre-Ironman race-day rehersal... Vermilion is a "home course" for us West-siders and SnakeBite Racing Team was planning to have a good turn-out. I'd been training like mad for long distance, with no speedwork and dead legs from all of the long rides and runs. My goal for the day was to bike pretty hard, and then run on tired legs to simulate Ironman racing.I had my typical mid-pack swim (30th out of the water) and then went after everyone on the bike. I posted the 3rd fastest split on the bike for the day... I was fine that I wasn't the fastest since my focus for the past month had been all endurance rides of 5-7 hours.
When I hopped off the bike, I expected my legs to be shot from all of the training miles and the effort of the day, and figured after a couple of quick miles (6:20/mi pace) that I'd start to feel the pain. I ran those fast miles, and realized there were only a couple of guys in front of me... Was I in 3rd place? Maybe 2nd (since one of the two ahead of me was in regular running clothes = relay team member)...
Wow - I've been as high as 5th overall in the HFP races, but never top 3. That gave some real motivation to push the run the whole way through and see where I could finish. I gritted my teeth and ran my 3rd mile at about 6:20/mi again... A little faster than I normally run Olympic Distance 10ks... (usually 6:45ish average)... at the 3.1 mile turnaround, I could see that I was defnitely the 3rd runner and while there were some coming behind me, nothing that looked a serious threat (at least in my wave).
The next two miles just sucked. My pace slipped to about 6:30/mi and my legs were SCREAMING! But knowing my position and the fact that another wave could have a faster person, I kept pushing the pace and gutting out the pain.
The last mile was easier mentally - knowing I had made it this far on my tired legs, held pace, and wasn't letting anyone get any closer (that I could see anyhow). The last mile was about 6:25/mi pace and I put together my best 10k pace!I burst across the finish line and finally let off the pressure... The Chronicle-Telegram was there and got a nice photo (which was later used in their story about the race...). At the time, it was beleived I was the 2nd overall (not counting the relay team)... but there was one guy in a later wave that managed to beat me too, which moved me to 3rd overall. Still - I was VERY happy with my performance that day personally (Course Record for me by a big margin) and my highest overall finish in an Olympic Triathlon.
The Chronicle-Telegram did a nice story on the race in the paper the next day, and gave a nice portion of the story to my interview: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2012/08/20/vermilion-triathlon-avons-hagan-leads-local-pack/
SnakeBite Racing Team had a great showing on the day - lots of team members won or got a top 3 in thier age groups and everyone had a good time!! It is always great to race and see so many of your teammates out there giving it their all!
All-in-all, it was a pleasant surprise to have done so well, given the lack of specific training / preparation for the race. Sometimes the best races come when you least expect them!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
"And Boom Goes the Dynamite" - Caesar Creek Triathlon Race Report
SUMMARY:
My highest Olympic Triathlon overall finish yet - 5th in a fast, deep field, and on a very hot and humid day. I had a killer run which sealed my high placing. I finally nailed my nutrition - something I've been working on for Olympic Distance races.
I was concerned in the hour before the race. When I rode my warm-up on the bike - my legs were dead and I was feeling pretty out of it. I was worried that doing this race was a mistake. My family was upset that I entered at the last minute, after having been traveling just before. I decided to get up at 2:45am to drive down to the race venue, so I could spend as much time at home with my family as possible. I then stupidly stayed up until almost 12:00 midnight watching the Tour after then went to bed. Ooops..
Prior to this race, I spent 2 weeks overseas - one in India, the other in Germany. Traveling takes it out of you, and I have very little time to train while I was gone. I ran 4 times in India - each time was a hot, sweaty mess - as you might expect... Germany was hot too (95-100F) and I was so busy and tired I could only muster a 5k run here and there... maybe my body used these two weeks to rebuild itself. Let's go with that...
I was still feeling flat when I went down to the water's edge. There were 650+ athletes buzzing around getting ready - and all of their support crew / family / friends. I just wasn't feeling it. I swam out for my last warm-up and to get some sighting landmarks... but still didn't feel my mojo. Maybe this was a huge mistake and waste of time today. Well - I'm here, I might as well make the best of it...
Count down to the Elite Men's start...
SWIM: (21st Overall - 22:49...)
I've been pushing the pace on the swim, and getting good results this season. My swim times are by no means "impressive" - but compared to my times last year - I've consistenly taken 3-4 minutes off my swim time vs 2010 - I'm so happy!
I pushed it hard from the shore, and was about the 3rd to the first turn buoy. Time to find some feet and a good fast pack, and see if I can hang with them. I quickly found some feet... then lost them... then found them... then lost them... then found them... then realized I was following someone who was having a difficult time holding a line and sighting. Not good. Problem was, when I went to find the rest of the lead pack - it was gone. I picked the wrong feet... and now I had to go it alone.
I was frustrated by this, but being inefficient and wasting energy wasn't going to make things better - so I quickly re-focused my mind on perfect form, and rapid turn-over. I did most of the first lap completely on my own. At the start of the second lap, I could see a group at a turn buoy - so I pushed it even harder to catch up to them. Eventually I did... and used the pack for a while - but then we got into the reminents of the sprint wave, and the pack broke up weaving in and out of them. I lost the pack again and finished the swim alone. Before I knew it, the swim was over, and I was scrambling onto my feet.
Running up the hill, I saw a friend and asked how many were ahead... I didn't like the number I heard... 15 or so... damn...
BIKE: (8th overall - 1:03:30)
The bike course was rolling and had a lot of twists and turns in it. Felt like I was never really in "steady-state", but rather always shifting or turning. I'd never been on this course before, and I'm better suited for the flat, steady-state courses, so I felt a disadvantage.
I pushed and pushed on the bike - trying to count how many I was passing that beat me in the swim. It just didn't seem like enough! The only good thing for me about this particular course, is that it had a long out-and-back section - where you get a chance to see who is in front of you, and by how much time... and also who is behind you. As I neared the turn-around, I realized that there weren't many people left in front of me- but the ones who were were a good few minutes ahead.
After the turn-around, I had one guy I could see to chase, and I caught him... after that, I was all alone... Sometimes that makes it difficult to keep pushing the pace when it hurts. That's why they have a "rabbit" at a lot of marathons... to keep the pack from getting complacent. I had no rabbit and no one to chase... My overall placement of 8th tells me I might have let off the gas a little in the last 5-7 miles. (I was 1st overall and 3rd overall fastest bike split in my two prior races this seaons).
I finally got my nutrition / hydration right on the bike! 2 races ago, I under did it and started to cramp the last 30 minutes of the race... this past race, I over did it and wanted to puke for an hour of racing... today - I nailed it! 20oz of HEED first, and then 20oz of a weak electrolyte only solution was just what I needed on this hot, steamy day.
Coming into transition, my legs felt pretty good... and my belly was very happy!
RUN: (5th overall - 42:47 - slow time, but this was a trail run and it was HOT)
I came out of transition with one other guy. I had never done this race, and was surprised to find it was a very uneven, rocky surface. In the first mile, I kept surging to drop this guy, but he kept hanging on. We came up to a gradual hill - and I decided that I was going to drop him on this hill - "because I was going to". I actually said that to myself... BOOM - I was off like a shot and ran full speed. I could hear his footsteps fading behind me, but didn't back off the pace because I wanted to break his spirit and not have him climb back on.
After the hill, I was flying and feeling strong. I saw my high school friend Darryl Miller finishing up the sprint race, and had a chance to say a quick "LOOKING GOOD DARRYL" and sneak a low-five as we passed each other. It was HOT and I was glad to have brought my fuel belt along with 2 bottles of electrolyte solution, and 2 bottles of plain water. Time for a drink. Most of the run was out in the exposed sun - and it was just hot. Did I mention it was hot?
I relized there were more targets in my sights ahead and kept the pace going hard. I could reel in and pass these guys one by one... each time, sneaking up on them quietly, pausing long enough to gather a little extra strength and then going full-speed to pass them and not have them try to stick with me.
At the 5k (half-way point of the run), I could see there were not many more in front of me... 3 or 4 tops. This was great! I just kept pushing it, and keeping the hydration coming. Last thing I wanted was to cramp up in this heat like so many others were. I kept fueling and dumping water on my head at the aid stations... and kept pushing. I only had one target to chase, and he was way in front of me (maybe 45 seconds at the last turn-around). I gave it everything I had... and closed 1/2 of the gap, but just couldn't catch him before the end of the race.
As I came to the finish chute - I heard them call my name and team (SnakeBite Racing)... then I saw my brother Steve, and his three kids waiting for me at the finish line. How very cool!
I felt exhausted, but really quite happy with how the day went for me. My strongest run placements for the season (relative to the field), and my highest overall placement in Olympic Distance - 5th and a time of 2:11:22. (I've won 1st overall duathlons and overall podiums in sprint triathlons... but this means more - the competition in Olympic Triathlon is so much stronger...)
Now, I have to focus my training on the 6 weeks between this race, and my "A" race - the USA Triathlon National Championships in Burlington, VT on August 20th.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Maumee Bay Olympic Triathlon Race Report - June 19, 2011
SUMMARY:
Maumee Bay yielded my highest overall finish so far in an Olympic Triathlon – 6th, against a challenging field and and a PR (2:09:57) on a very windy day. I “went for broke” in the swim and bike and held on in the run. I battled the wind and ended up with the fastest bike split overall in both the Olympic Triathlon and Duathlon! My swim improvement continues, with a 17th overall swim split (compared to 55th last year and 29th at Deer Creek). My run was a bit disappointing, a combination of upset stomach from over-hydration on the bike and fatigue from the bike. I was 1 minute slower than my consistent 40-41min 10k... But this has been the goal this season to date – race harder from the gun, earlier in the day and see what effect it has on my run and overall position.
Last season, I suspected I was holding back too much in the swim and bike. I'd feel (too) good during the run, and while finishing the run strong, I was wondering if I was leaving too much on the table. What I am learning so far this season is that I can push myself harder and earlier in the race, and have a better total race!
SWIM:
This was my second race in the Elite category, starting in the first wave with the fastest athletes. My strategy this year, was to go all-out in the first 5 minutes or so, to stay with the faster swimmers, and then find some feet for drafting/pacing (totally legal in triathlon). It worked pretty well in Deer Creek, so I tried it again this week. It is a physical bunch, really fighting for position. No one backs down. There is a LOT of contact (incidential and sometimes intentional) - so you really have to be aggressive and careful at the same time.
My disadvantage in years past continued to be my swim. I worked on that a lot this winter, and I'm happy to say that I have made a big improvement, with more work to do. So, I had confidence that I could sustain faster speeds, and pushing it so hard from the gun was to put me with the faster swimmers who would help set a faster pace. In the lake, with no "walls" to help you know your pace per 100m, you have to rely on the other swimmers as well as your perceived effort to gauge your speed.
I had more trouble finding a good person to draft on... I bounced between a few sets of feet, and sometimes just had to swim in open water on my own to hold the correct line to the next turn. I wasn't sure if I was in a good position in this swim, because of the trouble to find other fast swimmers, so I kept pushing harder, thinking I started too slowly.
Bottom line, I came out of the water 17th - my highest swim rank ever in Olympic - compared to consstent 50th-60th places last year. BIG improvement in position and time. Good start to the day.
BIKE:
It was quite windy at the start of the race, and I expected it to get worse as the morning went on (and it did!). I was mentally prepared for the cross-winds, and the relentless headwinds - as Maumee is quite flat and open and there is nowhere to hide from the wind.
After being encouraged by a strong swim, I started hammering the bike from the start. I've learned how to ride in the wind, when to push it in the tailwind sections where other people take it easy, and how to push just enough into the headwinds to drive forward, without blowing my legs out. It was working and I was picking off cyclists one by one.
At one point, I passed two guys who were battling for position, and they told me they were the last ones, that I was in the lead. What? I didn't believe them fully... but used that thought to become the rabbit being chased by the hounds, and took the motivation to push the pace harder yet. Turns out they were wrong, and I came up on a couple more competitors during the bike course. Regardless, they added just another spark to drive me forward.
The second loop was noticably windier than the first. Could really feel it in the cross-winds - to know it wasn't just my legs getting tired. It was windy!
2 weeks prior, at Deer Creek, I didn't drink enough, and that hurt my run. This time, expecting the wind to add to dehydration problems, I drank extra on the bike. Plus, in a stupid move, I mixed my fluids stronger (still don't know why I thought that was OK to do... I know better)... and by mile 18 on the bike, my stomach was upset. Stupid!
I later learned that I had posted the FASTEST BIKE SPLIT on the day. That was a very cool feeling to know I did that, even though my bike time was 2 minutes slower than last year (which was the 3rd fastest time), knowing the effects of the wind on the time - seeing I had the fastest split was a new achievement for me and a testiment to how hard I pushed it into the wind.
RUN:
I came into transition ready to run. There was one guy in particular that I hadn't raced before, Brian Stern. I knew I was a faster swimmer and cyclist, and that he was a phenominal runner. I figured I needed a 6 minute buffer against him to have a chance to hold him off in the run. I would later determine from the splits posted, that I had a 6 minute gap on Brian...
My first 2 miles were strong, but my stomach was really sloshing... there was still wind, and it was changing the conditions from reasonable but strong headwind pushing us, or a tailwind that didn't slow us down with force, but took away the feeling of cooling - it got really hot.
Coming to mile 3 I was pushing through the discomfort (I just wanted to puke it out and feel better, but I was concerned that I would then dehydrate as a result, and decided not to take that option). Still posting good splits, and holding the gap on the guy in front of me - wasn't getting away but I wasn't closing in either. I wanted to hold that gap until after the turn-around, when he would see me. I didn't want to pass before then.
At the turn-around, you can see where everyone is and how far ahead/behind they are, and how they look. I was happy with my position, and how I felt compared to how some of the others looked. This was going well, and I knew I was in 5th.
I saw Brian, and knew he was coming... I also threw up in my mouth a few times, and knew things weren't going well in my gut. I needed some extra calories / rush from a gel, but the thought was literally making me puke. Ugh... My nutrition plan / execution sucked today, and cost me 2 minutes in the run, and hurt my chances in the showdown with Brian.
Just about mile 5, I passed the transition area and a number of teammates and friends cheering me along. I still felt OK, but sick inside, and I just wanted to hold off Brian. I could hear people cheering for him now... he was close, and made the pass right at mile 5. I tried to go with him, but something in my brain went "snap". I knew he had me, and the suffering wouldn't undo the pass. I had a goal of PRing at this race, but the windy conditions on the bike killed that. I had no one close chasing me. I hate to admit it, but his pass broke me. With my super-upset stomach... and at the moment, nothing to chase or chase me... I walked for about 30 seconds to try to settle things, regroup, refocus and get going again.
I knew some of my friends and teammates saw me stop and walk. I was embarrassed, but there was nothing left at the moment. The engine room was overheating, my gut was over-sloshed and my targets escaped me.
After the mental reset, I got pissed at myself, and started again. Pushing faster and faster for the last 1.2 miles. There was no one chasing me - but now it was to reclaim a little pride for my stoppage. My last full mile was a 6:12... I was pretty happy with that, despite the other problems. Little goals, little achievements sometimes...
When the final results were posted, I was proud to see that my hard-fought day earned my 6th overall - my highest overall placement in the field, and a new personal record (PR) of 2:09:57 at the Olympic Distance. I was quite proud of this.
The suffering was real, and some of the most intense I have experienced in Olympic distance racing - but that has been the goal this season - race as hard as I can from the start - find out what I am truly capable of - no questions about having something left in the tank at the finish. Mission accomplished - I was SHREDDED at mile 5, and struggled in. But it gave my best result yet - so it was another well learned lesson.
Had I not given myself the total gut-bomb of overcompensation for the Deer Creek dehydration, i'm sure I would have been one place higher, and given Brian a better run for his money at the end... but his jets would probably have held me off anyway. He's a total stud!
COMRADERIE: Friends, team mates and new faces:
Great to see my SnakeBite Racing team out in force - 15+ people there to race and/or cheer (injured taking pictures, etc). We had a great showing there, and a lot of fun, and good exposure for our sponsors.
My friend Darryl Miller from High School (Lakota '90) did his second sprint triathlon ever - and his 18 year old daughter Gabby did her first one. I'm so happy and excited for them - they are totally hooked on the multisport lifestyle!
My college buddy Steve Kauffman was there as well! Did his second sprint triathlon ever and had a fun day, depsite some knee trouble.
Others from the triathlon community were there as well - Maumee Bay is a fun triathlon becaue of all of the local people there!
The Monday right after the race, I departed for a 2 week trip to India and Germany. It was a great trip that I will write about later... and a good chance to rest and recover after Sunday's hard effort.
ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND RACE!
Maumee Bay yielded my highest overall finish so far in an Olympic Triathlon – 6th, against a challenging field and and a PR (2:09:57) on a very windy day. I “went for broke” in the swim and bike and held on in the run. I battled the wind and ended up with the fastest bike split overall in both the Olympic Triathlon and Duathlon! My swim improvement continues, with a 17th overall swim split (compared to 55th last year and 29th at Deer Creek). My run was a bit disappointing, a combination of upset stomach from over-hydration on the bike and fatigue from the bike. I was 1 minute slower than my consistent 40-41min 10k... But this has been the goal this season to date – race harder from the gun, earlier in the day and see what effect it has on my run and overall position.
Last season, I suspected I was holding back too much in the swim and bike. I'd feel (too) good during the run, and while finishing the run strong, I was wondering if I was leaving too much on the table. What I am learning so far this season is that I can push myself harder and earlier in the race, and have a better total race!
SWIM:
This was my second race in the Elite category, starting in the first wave with the fastest athletes. My strategy this year, was to go all-out in the first 5 minutes or so, to stay with the faster swimmers, and then find some feet for drafting/pacing (totally legal in triathlon). It worked pretty well in Deer Creek, so I tried it again this week. It is a physical bunch, really fighting for position. No one backs down. There is a LOT of contact (incidential and sometimes intentional) - so you really have to be aggressive and careful at the same time.
My disadvantage in years past continued to be my swim. I worked on that a lot this winter, and I'm happy to say that I have made a big improvement, with more work to do. So, I had confidence that I could sustain faster speeds, and pushing it so hard from the gun was to put me with the faster swimmers who would help set a faster pace. In the lake, with no "walls" to help you know your pace per 100m, you have to rely on the other swimmers as well as your perceived effort to gauge your speed.
I had more trouble finding a good person to draft on... I bounced between a few sets of feet, and sometimes just had to swim in open water on my own to hold the correct line to the next turn. I wasn't sure if I was in a good position in this swim, because of the trouble to find other fast swimmers, so I kept pushing harder, thinking I started too slowly.
Bottom line, I came out of the water 17th - my highest swim rank ever in Olympic - compared to consstent 50th-60th places last year. BIG improvement in position and time. Good start to the day.
BIKE:
It was quite windy at the start of the race, and I expected it to get worse as the morning went on (and it did!). I was mentally prepared for the cross-winds, and the relentless headwinds - as Maumee is quite flat and open and there is nowhere to hide from the wind.
After being encouraged by a strong swim, I started hammering the bike from the start. I've learned how to ride in the wind, when to push it in the tailwind sections where other people take it easy, and how to push just enough into the headwinds to drive forward, without blowing my legs out. It was working and I was picking off cyclists one by one.
At one point, I passed two guys who were battling for position, and they told me they were the last ones, that I was in the lead. What? I didn't believe them fully... but used that thought to become the rabbit being chased by the hounds, and took the motivation to push the pace harder yet. Turns out they were wrong, and I came up on a couple more competitors during the bike course. Regardless, they added just another spark to drive me forward.
The second loop was noticably windier than the first. Could really feel it in the cross-winds - to know it wasn't just my legs getting tired. It was windy!
2 weeks prior, at Deer Creek, I didn't drink enough, and that hurt my run. This time, expecting the wind to add to dehydration problems, I drank extra on the bike. Plus, in a stupid move, I mixed my fluids stronger (still don't know why I thought that was OK to do... I know better)... and by mile 18 on the bike, my stomach was upset. Stupid!
I later learned that I had posted the FASTEST BIKE SPLIT on the day. That was a very cool feeling to know I did that, even though my bike time was 2 minutes slower than last year (which was the 3rd fastest time), knowing the effects of the wind on the time - seeing I had the fastest split was a new achievement for me and a testiment to how hard I pushed it into the wind.
RUN:
I came into transition ready to run. There was one guy in particular that I hadn't raced before, Brian Stern. I knew I was a faster swimmer and cyclist, and that he was a phenominal runner. I figured I needed a 6 minute buffer against him to have a chance to hold him off in the run. I would later determine from the splits posted, that I had a 6 minute gap on Brian...
My first 2 miles were strong, but my stomach was really sloshing... there was still wind, and it was changing the conditions from reasonable but strong headwind pushing us, or a tailwind that didn't slow us down with force, but took away the feeling of cooling - it got really hot.
Coming to mile 3 I was pushing through the discomfort (I just wanted to puke it out and feel better, but I was concerned that I would then dehydrate as a result, and decided not to take that option). Still posting good splits, and holding the gap on the guy in front of me - wasn't getting away but I wasn't closing in either. I wanted to hold that gap until after the turn-around, when he would see me. I didn't want to pass before then.
At the turn-around, you can see where everyone is and how far ahead/behind they are, and how they look. I was happy with my position, and how I felt compared to how some of the others looked. This was going well, and I knew I was in 5th.
I saw Brian, and knew he was coming... I also threw up in my mouth a few times, and knew things weren't going well in my gut. I needed some extra calories / rush from a gel, but the thought was literally making me puke. Ugh... My nutrition plan / execution sucked today, and cost me 2 minutes in the run, and hurt my chances in the showdown with Brian.
Just about mile 5, I passed the transition area and a number of teammates and friends cheering me along. I still felt OK, but sick inside, and I just wanted to hold off Brian. I could hear people cheering for him now... he was close, and made the pass right at mile 5. I tried to go with him, but something in my brain went "snap". I knew he had me, and the suffering wouldn't undo the pass. I had a goal of PRing at this race, but the windy conditions on the bike killed that. I had no one close chasing me. I hate to admit it, but his pass broke me. With my super-upset stomach... and at the moment, nothing to chase or chase me... I walked for about 30 seconds to try to settle things, regroup, refocus and get going again.
I knew some of my friends and teammates saw me stop and walk. I was embarrassed, but there was nothing left at the moment. The engine room was overheating, my gut was over-sloshed and my targets escaped me.
After the mental reset, I got pissed at myself, and started again. Pushing faster and faster for the last 1.2 miles. There was no one chasing me - but now it was to reclaim a little pride for my stoppage. My last full mile was a 6:12... I was pretty happy with that, despite the other problems. Little goals, little achievements sometimes...
When the final results were posted, I was proud to see that my hard-fought day earned my 6th overall - my highest overall placement in the field, and a new personal record (PR) of 2:09:57 at the Olympic Distance. I was quite proud of this.
The suffering was real, and some of the most intense I have experienced in Olympic distance racing - but that has been the goal this season - race as hard as I can from the start - find out what I am truly capable of - no questions about having something left in the tank at the finish. Mission accomplished - I was SHREDDED at mile 5, and struggled in. But it gave my best result yet - so it was another well learned lesson.
Had I not given myself the total gut-bomb of overcompensation for the Deer Creek dehydration, i'm sure I would have been one place higher, and given Brian a better run for his money at the end... but his jets would probably have held me off anyway. He's a total stud!
COMRADERIE: Friends, team mates and new faces:
Great to see my SnakeBite Racing team out in force - 15+ people there to race and/or cheer (injured taking pictures, etc). We had a great showing there, and a lot of fun, and good exposure for our sponsors.
My friend Darryl Miller from High School (Lakota '90) did his second sprint triathlon ever - and his 18 year old daughter Gabby did her first one. I'm so happy and excited for them - they are totally hooked on the multisport lifestyle!
My college buddy Steve Kauffman was there as well! Did his second sprint triathlon ever and had a fun day, depsite some knee trouble.
Others from the triathlon community were there as well - Maumee Bay is a fun triathlon becaue of all of the local people there!
The Monday right after the race, I departed for a 2 week trip to India and Germany. It was a great trip that I will write about later... and a good chance to rest and recover after Sunday's hard effort.
ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND RACE!
Monday, June 6, 2011
"D-DAY"... Deer Creek Olympic Triathlon Race Report
First triathlon of the season... my first time racing in the Elite Open category... and I'm thrilled to say it went really well! I took more than 5 minutes off my time from last year on that same course, took 3rd in the Elite Open category, and had my first top 10 overall finish. Even better, I was able to share the day with some old friends who came to race and to watch. One in particular who has made an amazing transformation in the past year - losing 180 pounds and doing his first triathlon Sunday. Truly inspirational!
GOAL: B race - shake off the rust from the winter and see how far I can push myself in the swim and bike to measure the effect on the run, in preparation my A races later this season.
Objectives:
1) Swim all out for the first 4-5 minutes to stay with the fast swimmers, find a group to draft with and settle in / hang on.
2) Bike as hard as possible and find out what impact it will have on the run.
2) Take at least 1:30 off last year's 2:15:33 on the same course
Swim: Goal: 25:00, Actual: 23:52 - 29th overall (I was 55th out of the water in 2010)
My first start in the Elite / U30 wave was a smack in the face, literally! I have swum in some aggressive groups in Ironman racing, but there the pace is less intense. This was a really physical swim, and I was pushing my pace all-out in the beginning to see what I could do, and to see if this strategy would lead me to a draft on a fast group. It did... after 4 or 5 minutes of sprinting, I thought my heart might explode and my arms fall to the bottom of the lake, but as I sighted around, I could see a nice pack of swimmers, and I fell into this pack and utilized the draft as much as possible. Drafting is funny in swimming when done correctly... after a while of hitting the guys feet in front of you, you start thinking it is time to pass him and find someone else, but as soon as you come out of his slipstream, you slow down, and he's 5 yards ahead of you, like that! So you scramble back onto his feet and swim another 4-5 minutes before you do the same thing!
I felt really strong in the swim finally. Confident from the focused work I did during the winter, and that confidence allowed me to keep pushing a pace that felt a bit uncomfortable. This was a "throw away" race... time to experiment and learn what I really can (and can't) do. So I kept the intensity up, didn't back down in the turns where it gets really physical, and ended up not only with a faster swim time (subject to course layout and conditions), but a much better overall rank (29th, vs my consistent 53-56th places in 2010).
When I came out of the water and started running up the long set of stairs toward transition, I peeked at my watch... 22:30... "Oh yeah" - off to a good start! Just then I heard "Let's Go Hagan" - and looked up to see Steve Kauffman (OSU Beta '95) cheering me on. Haven't seen the man in person in 14 years! Cool!!
T1: 0:55... no major issues. Wetsuit off, helmet and glasses on... out the door.
Bike: Goal: 1:05, Actual: 1:03:25 - 5th fastest bike split of the day (I did 1:06:33 in 2010)
After what I thought was finally a great swim split for me, it was on to my strength - the bike. Today, I committed to hammering all out for the full 25 miles, to see what effect that would have on my run. This was an experiment to find out how much I was losing by being afraid of blowing up. That was the real purpose of today's race.
I got going on the bike and took a couple of minutes to settle into a good gear selection and cadence. It was already quite hot and humid, with abundant sunshine. I could feel it pretty early into the bike leg. My one "mistake" for the day, the thing I would have done differently, was bring a second bottle of fluids onto the bike. In the past, I think I've gone overkill, hauling too many bottles only to waste energy to return full ones to T2... or drank too much on the bike and sloshed through the run. But today, was hot and humid and I misjudged that.
Toward the end of the first loop, we were moving through the sprint triathletes and duathletes. Time to keep my eyes open for my friends from high school. I saw Darryl Miller and was able to say "GOOD JOB DARRYL" as I went past. He's awesome. Even for those athletes I pass that I do not know... I always alert them to the pass on the left, and tell them "Good Job". It sounds corny, I know, but they are out there pushing themselves to their own limits and hurting just like we are... we just happen to be going a little faster. I'm especially conscious about being a good representative when I'm racing in my team uniform.
As I started the second loop, I looked at my split time, and knew I had a fast first lap... about 31:30 (1:03 pace vs 1:06:33 last year). How long could I keep it up, I wondered as I went for a drink. uh-oh... drink is all gone, and I still have another 12 miles on the bike in this heat. That was a mistake.
The second lap was more interesting - my legs were starting to feel the intensity of the first lap, and the heat of the day, and the lack of additional hydration... then I caught up to a couple of the faster swimmers. I needed the challenge and the pull to keep pushing myself as fast as I could go. I ate up another couple of positions by passing those who left me behind in the swim. Then, someone passed me. This almost never happens to me on the bike. Someone from team Cincy Express. I wasn't having that. Put on one more gear, and bear down to catch back up with him. He and I passed back and forth politely for the next few miles. This guy was a strong cyclist. Coming into transition, he had about 20 yards on me. I know I rode that last 10 miles faster because of him. Thanks!
T2: 0:46 - bike racked, shoes changed, wonder how the legs will feel!
Run: Goal: 41:00, Actual: 41:14 - 10th fastest run (I did 41:04 in 2010)
Well - I can feel two things as I start the run... the heat (and my lack of hydration) and the effort I put out on the bike. Legs are a little heavy. Let's drink up (I brought the Fuel belt because of the temperature) and get some salt tablets in right away. Legs feel like they are in cement, but I'm pulling an "OK" pace - 6:46 first mile.
Second mile - I'm cooking... so hot, humid and there is no shade from the sun. Really glad I brought the Fuel Belt. Only my second triathlon to carry it. At this point, I can feel the effects of the hard biking on my legs. 6:56 mile. Not good.
Third Mile - I saw my split for mile 2 and decided I'd better drink my fuel belt bottles and get all the hydration in I can now - in a couple miles, what goes in my mouth won't matter to the race anymore. I chugged what I had and took more salt tabs, and an Advil, just in case my Plantar Fasciitis wanted to show up. I started concentrating on catching people on this out-and-back section of the course. 6:49 mile
Fourth Mile - Now that the run is 1/2 over, I have only 3.1 miles to go - or about 21 minutes of pain left to endure. I was melting in the heat, and the lack of proper hydration on the bike was coming to roost. This was the first time I was losing my will to push hard. I was starting to worry that I would cramp up and that wasn't good. The Cincy Express jersey I was chasing wasn't getting any closer. Damn. I still wanted to push myself, but not recklessly and explode. I held a 6:50 pace for this mile as well.
Fifth Mile - Alarm, Alarm - the engine room is overheating! I can feel small cramps in both quads with each step. I don't get this often, but I know it can lead to sudden lock-you-up cramps that can bring you to a dead stop quickly. I took the last of my salt caps, all the fluids I could dump on my head at the last aid station, and held on for dear life. I kept the pace up, but wouldn't surge to try to catch anyone. I just need to not do anything stupid, and I'll finish about 2:10 and have had an incredible day! 6:55 mile
Sixth Mile - OK - 1.2 miles to go. I can handle about any pain for 8 minutes or so. time to hunker down, think about all those troops trying to storm Omaha Beach on D-Day... fighting through the fear, the exhaustion, the hopeless of being pinned on that horrible beach under fire for hours at a time... but finding a way to push on and win. That was my objective. The suffering I was feeling was nothing compared to that. It helped diminish my pain and realign my focus. Today was a great race, and I wanted to finish strong. 6:51 mile. I was holding my pace, despite every signal in my body telling me to slow down or stop.
As I came back into the park for the last little bit of distance - it hit me - I ran a 2:10 Olympic triathlon, on the same course where I did a 2:15 last year. Fantastic! Plus, I knew old friends of mine were waiting to cheer me into the finish. One last little spurt of speed... and then the pain is over!
And so, I completed my first triathlon of the season, and I was wildly exciting! I worked all winter on improving my swim -and it showed in the results - both in time and more importantly, in my overall ranking in the swim. Plus - I hammered the bike from the start to the finish, and while I was in some agony during the run, it really didn't affect my run split compared to last year on the same course.
So, I learned some things toady... I can have confidence in my swim now - but I need to keep focusing on improving it... and I can push the bike harder, and still have a good run. What I thought were my limits, were only "mental" limitations I had put on my racing in 2010 because of fearing a blow-up. This race was a great chance to take chances and see what is possible.
Two weeks until Maumee Bay - a target race for SnakeBite racing team, and the best chance for a new PR on a fast course, with great competition.
After the race, I had time to visit with friends I haven't seen in years! Steve Kauffman, who is doing his very first triathlon next weekend at Wendy's in Columbus, came down to see the race and to visit with me - very cool! Darryl Miller and Jen Johoski Ochsenhirt from my grade school and high school days both raced... and SnakeBite Racing teammates Jason Hendricks, Martha Brennan and Michelle Mead both had great races too and meadeled in their divisions! Brian Carruthers from Cleveland raced as well, and sacrificed his perfect day to help someone who crashed while on the bike - the true spirit of sportsmanship.
See you all in Maumee Bay, Ohio for the next stop on the HFP series!
GOAL: B race - shake off the rust from the winter and see how far I can push myself in the swim and bike to measure the effect on the run, in preparation my A races later this season.
Objectives:
1) Swim all out for the first 4-5 minutes to stay with the fast swimmers, find a group to draft with and settle in / hang on.
2) Bike as hard as possible and find out what impact it will have on the run.
2) Take at least 1:30 off last year's 2:15:33 on the same course
Swim: Goal: 25:00, Actual: 23:52 - 29th overall (I was 55th out of the water in 2010)
My first start in the Elite / U30 wave was a smack in the face, literally! I have swum in some aggressive groups in Ironman racing, but there the pace is less intense. This was a really physical swim, and I was pushing my pace all-out in the beginning to see what I could do, and to see if this strategy would lead me to a draft on a fast group. It did... after 4 or 5 minutes of sprinting, I thought my heart might explode and my arms fall to the bottom of the lake, but as I sighted around, I could see a nice pack of swimmers, and I fell into this pack and utilized the draft as much as possible. Drafting is funny in swimming when done correctly... after a while of hitting the guys feet in front of you, you start thinking it is time to pass him and find someone else, but as soon as you come out of his slipstream, you slow down, and he's 5 yards ahead of you, like that! So you scramble back onto his feet and swim another 4-5 minutes before you do the same thing!
I felt really strong in the swim finally. Confident from the focused work I did during the winter, and that confidence allowed me to keep pushing a pace that felt a bit uncomfortable. This was a "throw away" race... time to experiment and learn what I really can (and can't) do. So I kept the intensity up, didn't back down in the turns where it gets really physical, and ended up not only with a faster swim time (subject to course layout and conditions), but a much better overall rank (29th, vs my consistent 53-56th places in 2010).
When I came out of the water and started running up the long set of stairs toward transition, I peeked at my watch... 22:30... "Oh yeah" - off to a good start! Just then I heard "Let's Go Hagan" - and looked up to see Steve Kauffman (OSU Beta '95) cheering me on. Haven't seen the man in person in 14 years! Cool!!
T1: 0:55... no major issues. Wetsuit off, helmet and glasses on... out the door.
Bike: Goal: 1:05, Actual: 1:03:25 - 5th fastest bike split of the day (I did 1:06:33 in 2010)
After what I thought was finally a great swim split for me, it was on to my strength - the bike. Today, I committed to hammering all out for the full 25 miles, to see what effect that would have on my run. This was an experiment to find out how much I was losing by being afraid of blowing up. That was the real purpose of today's race.
I got going on the bike and took a couple of minutes to settle into a good gear selection and cadence. It was already quite hot and humid, with abundant sunshine. I could feel it pretty early into the bike leg. My one "mistake" for the day, the thing I would have done differently, was bring a second bottle of fluids onto the bike. In the past, I think I've gone overkill, hauling too many bottles only to waste energy to return full ones to T2... or drank too much on the bike and sloshed through the run. But today, was hot and humid and I misjudged that. Toward the end of the first loop, we were moving through the sprint triathletes and duathletes. Time to keep my eyes open for my friends from high school. I saw Darryl Miller and was able to say "GOOD JOB DARRYL" as I went past. He's awesome. Even for those athletes I pass that I do not know... I always alert them to the pass on the left, and tell them "Good Job". It sounds corny, I know, but they are out there pushing themselves to their own limits and hurting just like we are... we just happen to be going a little faster. I'm especially conscious about being a good representative when I'm racing in my team uniform.
As I started the second loop, I looked at my split time, and knew I had a fast first lap... about 31:30 (1:03 pace vs 1:06:33 last year). How long could I keep it up, I wondered as I went for a drink. uh-oh... drink is all gone, and I still have another 12 miles on the bike in this heat. That was a mistake.
The second lap was more interesting - my legs were starting to feel the intensity of the first lap, and the heat of the day, and the lack of additional hydration... then I caught up to a couple of the faster swimmers. I needed the challenge and the pull to keep pushing myself as fast as I could go. I ate up another couple of positions by passing those who left me behind in the swim. Then, someone passed me. This almost never happens to me on the bike. Someone from team Cincy Express. I wasn't having that. Put on one more gear, and bear down to catch back up with him. He and I passed back and forth politely for the next few miles. This guy was a strong cyclist. Coming into transition, he had about 20 yards on me. I know I rode that last 10 miles faster because of him. Thanks!
T2: 0:46 - bike racked, shoes changed, wonder how the legs will feel!
Run: Goal: 41:00, Actual: 41:14 - 10th fastest run (I did 41:04 in 2010)
Well - I can feel two things as I start the run... the heat (and my lack of hydration) and the effort I put out on the bike. Legs are a little heavy. Let's drink up (I brought the Fuel belt because of the temperature) and get some salt tablets in right away. Legs feel like they are in cement, but I'm pulling an "OK" pace - 6:46 first mile.
Second mile - I'm cooking... so hot, humid and there is no shade from the sun. Really glad I brought the Fuel Belt. Only my second triathlon to carry it. At this point, I can feel the effects of the hard biking on my legs. 6:56 mile. Not good.
Third Mile - I saw my split for mile 2 and decided I'd better drink my fuel belt bottles and get all the hydration in I can now - in a couple miles, what goes in my mouth won't matter to the race anymore. I chugged what I had and took more salt tabs, and an Advil, just in case my Plantar Fasciitis wanted to show up. I started concentrating on catching people on this out-and-back section of the course. 6:49 mile
Fourth Mile - Now that the run is 1/2 over, I have only 3.1 miles to go - or about 21 minutes of pain left to endure. I was melting in the heat, and the lack of proper hydration on the bike was coming to roost. This was the first time I was losing my will to push hard. I was starting to worry that I would cramp up and that wasn't good. The Cincy Express jersey I was chasing wasn't getting any closer. Damn. I still wanted to push myself, but not recklessly and explode. I held a 6:50 pace for this mile as well.
Fifth Mile - Alarm, Alarm - the engine room is overheating! I can feel small cramps in both quads with each step. I don't get this often, but I know it can lead to sudden lock-you-up cramps that can bring you to a dead stop quickly. I took the last of my salt caps, all the fluids I could dump on my head at the last aid station, and held on for dear life. I kept the pace up, but wouldn't surge to try to catch anyone. I just need to not do anything stupid, and I'll finish about 2:10 and have had an incredible day! 6:55 mile
Sixth Mile - OK - 1.2 miles to go. I can handle about any pain for 8 minutes or so. time to hunker down, think about all those troops trying to storm Omaha Beach on D-Day... fighting through the fear, the exhaustion, the hopeless of being pinned on that horrible beach under fire for hours at a time... but finding a way to push on and win. That was my objective. The suffering I was feeling was nothing compared to that. It helped diminish my pain and realign my focus. Today was a great race, and I wanted to finish strong. 6:51 mile. I was holding my pace, despite every signal in my body telling me to slow down or stop.
As I came back into the park for the last little bit of distance - it hit me - I ran a 2:10 Olympic triathlon, on the same course where I did a 2:15 last year. Fantastic! Plus, I knew old friends of mine were waiting to cheer me into the finish. One last little spurt of speed... and then the pain is over!
And so, I completed my first triathlon of the season, and I was wildly exciting! I worked all winter on improving my swim -and it showed in the results - both in time and more importantly, in my overall ranking in the swim. Plus - I hammered the bike from the start to the finish, and while I was in some agony during the run, it really didn't affect my run split compared to last year on the same course.
So, I learned some things toady... I can have confidence in my swim now - but I need to keep focusing on improving it... and I can push the bike harder, and still have a good run. What I thought were my limits, were only "mental" limitations I had put on my racing in 2010 because of fearing a blow-up. This race was a great chance to take chances and see what is possible.
Two weeks until Maumee Bay - a target race for SnakeBite racing team, and the best chance for a new PR on a fast course, with great competition.
After the race, I had time to visit with friends I haven't seen in years! Steve Kauffman, who is doing his very first triathlon next weekend at Wendy's in Columbus, came down to see the race and to visit with me - very cool! Darryl Miller and Jen Johoski Ochsenhirt from my grade school and high school days both raced... and SnakeBite Racing teammates Jason Hendricks, Martha Brennan and Michelle Mead both had great races too and meadeled in their divisions! Brian Carruthers from Cleveland raced as well, and sacrificed his perfect day to help someone who crashed while on the bike - the true spirit of sportsmanship.
See you all in Maumee Bay, Ohio for the next stop on the HFP series!
Monday, September 20, 2010
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!
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)
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.
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.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Vermilion Olympic Triathlon (OOPS! I had an excellent race!)
It wasn't supposed to happen this way! I'm on the verge of overtraining - preparing for the Ironman distance Rev3 race at Cedar Point in 4 weeks... and I drank too much, too late last night with some friends for "optimal race conditions". Plus - the prior two times I did Vermilion, I had bad experiences. I had the lowest expectations for today - except a good opportunity for me to practice "suffering" for next month's "A" race. Today was supposed to be a C- race.
Summary:
Instead, I had an incredible race - dishing out massive amounts of pain on the bike, with the expectation of having a crappy, survival-mode run (good IM distance mental training). Because of a well-executed nutrition plan (on a super hot/humid day), and a strong will to push through the pain, I held on to post a very good run split. I felt on the verge of "blowing up" during the entire run (right out of transition) but kept pushing through the pain and heat - with the goal to pass the person in front of me over and over. I took about 4 minutes off my time from last year - and went from 2nd in AG and 23rd OA last year, to 1st AG and 12th OA this year! SnakeBite Racing team had a terriffic day today! Eric and I won our AGs, others were on the podium today as well. I believe we had the strongest team of the day! We've had a great season - and are getting a lot of attention for that!
Details:
The swim was typical for this season. Mid pack. 25:30-ish and a reason to work really hard this off-season as I'm usually 50th in the swim and top 15 on the bike/run. It's holding me back from true overall contention.
On the bike, I started off on the easy side for the first 15 minutes to get my HR down from the swim/T1 rush. Then three good descents/climbs - I stayed seated, but pushed them hard toward the top, passing quite a few people. On the flat section, I ramed up the intensity and really started reeling in those in front of me. There were two other guys I caught up to and the three of us kept passing back and forth. Couldn't shake them. Thought I did with about 7 miles to go, then they caught me on the big Vermilion Rd downhill. We were together again through Mill Hollow (last climb of the day) where I hammered the hill and put a permanent gap on them. Whew. Then I saw Kevin Krol (in my AG and on rival team SSSMT)... chased him for about 3 miles before I could finally pass him. I did, and he stayed on my butt going into T2.
Fast T2, and it was out for the worlds hottest run (OK maybe not, but there is no shade, no breeze and 90F+humidity = pain!). I didn't know how Krol's run was, so I pushed the first mile hard (sub 6:40pace) to get a gap on him. From there, it was hunt down those in front of me, and keep the pace around 7:00/mi. In other races, this would be slow for me, but on this course, in this heat, after that hard bike - this was the right pace.
At the turn-around, i felt like crap, but there were some people I wanted to catch, and some behind me I was worried might close in on me... so, I held on for dear life, and just ran fast enough to keep the pressure on, without blowing up.
Nutrition:
Gel and 3 ECAPS 30 minutes before race start, gel in T1, gel about 5 miles from T2... 20oz EFS on bike + 10oz Gatorade Endurance. On run, I used the new Cera Sport and Fuel Belt (I never use my Fuel belt in races)... and this helped me today for sure. I took on countless cups of Heed and water along the way too.
No cramping and only a little fade during the run (my HR steadily increased from 180 to 201bpm). This was a well executed race, and for that I'm quite happy!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Maumee Bay Olympic Triathlon – 2H10M00S – PR, 1st AG & 11th overall!
Summary:
I came to this race with one goal. 2 hours 10 minutes… which would be 3.5 minutes faster than my fastest race ever. I’ve had a good season so far in running (5k, 15k PRs and a solid Boston Marathon)… but I want to see where my triathlon fitness is after a spring of run focus, that shifted into a bike focus for these past 6 weeks. Despite a longer swim time than expected, I pulled it off and hit exactly my goal – 2 hours 10 minutes and zero seconds – 11th overall, including the Elites! It was a thrilling race for me and a testament to controlling the mental aspects of racing.
My cycling was the 3rd fastest of the day (including Elites) and my bike + run was 5th fastest overall! My swim was 52nd overall – which highlights where I need to now focus on improvement to become a true overall contender.
This was a fun and special race because it was a “who’s who” of Ohio triathlon. There were 15 members of Snake Bite Racing (my sponsored team) and a large number of our “rival” team – Spin / Second Sole Multisport Team. Also on hand was one of my fraternity brothers from the Beta House at Ohio State – Scott Anderson – who is an incredible triathlete. Conditions were pretty good for the race… 75-80F, sunny, and with a stronger wind than most gave credit (thanks to the exposed sections of the bike course along the lake and through open spaces). My pre-race routine was a little disrupted because of all of the friends there at the race. Maybe a little too much socializing and not enough focused preparation – left me scrambling a little before race time.
Swim:
When the gun fired, I started the swim with what I thought was great gusto. In the first 100 yards, I got punched hard in the left eye. Thankfully, the new goggles I bought for racing were very “padded” and took the brunt of the hit. Usual racing goggles would have been dislodged, or transferred all the pressure to my eye socket. Whew! While I felt like I was working the whole swim, I knew I was not so fast when Eric Gibb (teammate and kick-ass swimmer) passed me from the group behind (-2:00) right before the swim exit. Out of the water and I saw 26:30 – SHIT – I was hoping for 24:00 to 24:30. Was that the end of my 2:10:00 dream already? I WAS PISSED!!! (and luckily, I focused this emotion on going forward, instead of causing panic and frustration and distraction). I blew through transition with the one goal to beat Eric Gibb out onto the bike. I did. At least I did something right!
Bike:
Now I’m on the bike, and I have nothing to lose. If I don’t give it everything on the bike, I can kiss my goals goodbye. I had a very solid bike + run two weeks before at Deer Creek Triathlon (23rd overall – 54th swim, 12th fastest bike, 15th run). I had confidence after riding with the new teammates and the Spin group this spring, that I should be able to really crank it out on the bike. I did!
I stayed totally focused on the bike… pushing into every headwind… and maybe more importantly, pushed extra hard during the tailwind sections of the course. I think a lot of people coast and enjoy the break from the winds – instead of take advantage of the low wind resistance. I was pushing every meter of that course like it was all I had to do that day. On the second loop, I caught up to Kevin Krol (SSSMT). We went back and forth 3 or 4 times passing each other, before I decided “enough of this”… I put my head down and went as hard as I could for 60 seconds to see if I could get him to crack. As I approached a turn, I had a chance to look and see if he was still there – he was nowhere to be seen! I then saw Joe Bush (SSSMT) ahead and powered hard to make sure when I passed, there was no trying to hold on. After the race, Joe said – “man, you were FLYING on the bike” – hell yeah, I was! I was riding on the edge of stupidity, and didn’t fall into the typical trap of “what will I be able to do on the run”? This was the first of many “shut up and race” moments in my mind. Worry about the run during the run!
I tore into Transition from the bike and there were not very many bikes on the racks – that’s when I knew that I had a good ride! (Turns out I had the 3rd fastest bike overall – including Elites!)
Run:
The run started, and since I’ve been doing more hard bricks, felt “normally bad”. I kept thinking of Mark Allen’s article about the mental side of racing, and how you don’t have to “feel good” during a race to be having a good race. So true. If you feel good, you are probably going too slowly, and your body is comfortable. In this race, I was no where near comfortable!!
The first mile of the run was hot and windy and seemed to take forever. It was a 6:40 mile. Not bad – considering how lousy I felt doing it. But I did have a few thoughts of “how the hell am I going to hold this pace for the next 5.2 miles?”. Quickly replaced with “what do I need to run to hit 2:10:00” and then “shut up and race”.
Mile 2 was still plenty hot, and I settled into an uncomfortable rhythm. I was still mad at myself for the long swim time and that messing up my 2:10:00 goal. Kept pushing, and taking on the fluids and the salt caps I brought along. It was quite warm, and I also knew that the headwind we were running into now, would turn into a horrible “hot windless situation” on the 3.1 miles back. If you are running 9 mph and have a 9mph tailwind, you are stuck in the same hot, stale air. You cannot get any cooling effects from the wind. It is the worst! I was prepared for this in advance and loaded up physically, as well as mentally. Mile 2 (6:37) was faster than mile 1. : ) That’s good!
Mile 3 was toward the out-and-back turn-around, and a chance to see how the race leaders were doing… where were they? Closer I got to the turn-around, the closer to them I was! Wow! I was close! Still running into the wind, and pushing it, banking time for the slow-down that would inevitably happen with the hot tailwind. Mile 3 (6:31) was faster than mile 2 or 1! : ) That’s AWESOME!
Mile 4 was the mental turning point. Doing the math… I may be able to get to that 2:10:00, but it will take one hell of an effort, and a real PR of my 10K run time. I’m in – let’s do it!! (mile 4 was faster than all the others!) (6:30)
Mile 5 was torture! So hot, no cooling from any air movement. At this point, I’m pushing myself inside-out chasing the clock. Someone I pass yells to me… I realize this about a minute later – I’m lost in the pain and the push. Doing the math again – I can get to 2:10:00, if I run sub 6:30 for these last 2.2 miles… PUSH! Everything hurts. Nothing feels right… but this is red-line racing, right? To borrow Mark Durno’s words – “I can endure anything for 15 minutes”. It was time to find out if that was really true for me. I kept thinking about the torrid pace of our track workouts… at times sub 5:00/mi pace, surely I can muster fast miles now. So hot and red-lined for nearly 2 hours… but this is my chance of the season to place high and pull off a 2:10. Mile 5 was the fastest yet!!! (6:27) I CAN DO THIS!
Mile 6 and the last 0.2 miles were just a blur. No thinking now, except - thinking to not think (if that makes any sense). Body is out of energy (or close to it). Everything is screaming for me to take in fluids and calories – but I know nothing at this point will help except some water on the head. Anything else will only slow me down to take in, and could only give me problems in the gut or stay neutral at best. PUSH! The finish is so close! Or is it? The course is ‘mean’ in that you come within a few yards of the finish with about 1.5 miles to go. See the lucky souls who can stop moving, hearing the announcer beaconing in the finishers… but now we run away again, for one last hot loop around the lake. It’s taking forever, and I’m wondering how the body is holding up, but I dare not ask it, for fear of the answer. PUSH! Suffer just a bit more – for my goal, for the team, for the love of the sport! Last mile was 6:25!
I crossed the line and was ready to collapse. I was so glad to be done having to move!! I need a drink, some cookies, and a place to sit down! Then, I had the pleasure of cheering in team mates and friends.
It was quite some time before I knew what my finishing time was for sure. I didn’t trust my watch reading at first, because I’ve had too many mishaps before. When the posted the final results – I was ecstatic! 1st in AG, 11th overall! And true to my goal – 2H 10M 00S!
BULLSEYE!
I came to this race with one goal. 2 hours 10 minutes… which would be 3.5 minutes faster than my fastest race ever. I’ve had a good season so far in running (5k, 15k PRs and a solid Boston Marathon)… but I want to see where my triathlon fitness is after a spring of run focus, that shifted into a bike focus for these past 6 weeks. Despite a longer swim time than expected, I pulled it off and hit exactly my goal – 2 hours 10 minutes and zero seconds – 11th overall, including the Elites! It was a thrilling race for me and a testament to controlling the mental aspects of racing.
My cycling was the 3rd fastest of the day (including Elites) and my bike + run was 5th fastest overall! My swim was 52nd overall – which highlights where I need to now focus on improvement to become a true overall contender.
This was a fun and special race because it was a “who’s who” of Ohio triathlon. There were 15 members of Snake Bite Racing (my sponsored team) and a large number of our “rival” team – Spin / Second Sole Multisport Team. Also on hand was one of my fraternity brothers from the Beta House at Ohio State – Scott Anderson – who is an incredible triathlete. Conditions were pretty good for the race… 75-80F, sunny, and with a stronger wind than most gave credit (thanks to the exposed sections of the bike course along the lake and through open spaces). My pre-race routine was a little disrupted because of all of the friends there at the race. Maybe a little too much socializing and not enough focused preparation – left me scrambling a little before race time.
Swim:
When the gun fired, I started the swim with what I thought was great gusto. In the first 100 yards, I got punched hard in the left eye. Thankfully, the new goggles I bought for racing were very “padded” and took the brunt of the hit. Usual racing goggles would have been dislodged, or transferred all the pressure to my eye socket. Whew! While I felt like I was working the whole swim, I knew I was not so fast when Eric Gibb (teammate and kick-ass swimmer) passed me from the group behind (-2:00) right before the swim exit. Out of the water and I saw 26:30 – SHIT – I was hoping for 24:00 to 24:30. Was that the end of my 2:10:00 dream already? I WAS PISSED!!! (and luckily, I focused this emotion on going forward, instead of causing panic and frustration and distraction). I blew through transition with the one goal to beat Eric Gibb out onto the bike. I did. At least I did something right!
Bike:
Now I’m on the bike, and I have nothing to lose. If I don’t give it everything on the bike, I can kiss my goals goodbye. I had a very solid bike + run two weeks before at Deer Creek Triathlon (23rd overall – 54th swim, 12th fastest bike, 15th run). I had confidence after riding with the new teammates and the Spin group this spring, that I should be able to really crank it out on the bike. I did!
I stayed totally focused on the bike… pushing into every headwind… and maybe more importantly, pushed extra hard during the tailwind sections of the course. I think a lot of people coast and enjoy the break from the winds – instead of take advantage of the low wind resistance. I was pushing every meter of that course like it was all I had to do that day. On the second loop, I caught up to Kevin Krol (SSSMT). We went back and forth 3 or 4 times passing each other, before I decided “enough of this”… I put my head down and went as hard as I could for 60 seconds to see if I could get him to crack. As I approached a turn, I had a chance to look and see if he was still there – he was nowhere to be seen! I then saw Joe Bush (SSSMT) ahead and powered hard to make sure when I passed, there was no trying to hold on. After the race, Joe said – “man, you were FLYING on the bike” – hell yeah, I was! I was riding on the edge of stupidity, and didn’t fall into the typical trap of “what will I be able to do on the run”? This was the first of many “shut up and race” moments in my mind. Worry about the run during the run!
I tore into Transition from the bike and there were not very many bikes on the racks – that’s when I knew that I had a good ride! (Turns out I had the 3rd fastest bike overall – including Elites!)
Run:
The run started, and since I’ve been doing more hard bricks, felt “normally bad”. I kept thinking of Mark Allen’s article about the mental side of racing, and how you don’t have to “feel good” during a race to be having a good race. So true. If you feel good, you are probably going too slowly, and your body is comfortable. In this race, I was no where near comfortable!!
The first mile of the run was hot and windy and seemed to take forever. It was a 6:40 mile. Not bad – considering how lousy I felt doing it. But I did have a few thoughts of “how the hell am I going to hold this pace for the next 5.2 miles?”. Quickly replaced with “what do I need to run to hit 2:10:00” and then “shut up and race”.
Mile 2 was still plenty hot, and I settled into an uncomfortable rhythm. I was still mad at myself for the long swim time and that messing up my 2:10:00 goal. Kept pushing, and taking on the fluids and the salt caps I brought along. It was quite warm, and I also knew that the headwind we were running into now, would turn into a horrible “hot windless situation” on the 3.1 miles back. If you are running 9 mph and have a 9mph tailwind, you are stuck in the same hot, stale air. You cannot get any cooling effects from the wind. It is the worst! I was prepared for this in advance and loaded up physically, as well as mentally. Mile 2 (6:37) was faster than mile 1. : ) That’s good!
Mile 3 was toward the out-and-back turn-around, and a chance to see how the race leaders were doing… where were they? Closer I got to the turn-around, the closer to them I was! Wow! I was close! Still running into the wind, and pushing it, banking time for the slow-down that would inevitably happen with the hot tailwind. Mile 3 (6:31) was faster than mile 2 or 1! : ) That’s AWESOME!
Mile 4 was the mental turning point. Doing the math… I may be able to get to that 2:10:00, but it will take one hell of an effort, and a real PR of my 10K run time. I’m in – let’s do it!! (mile 4 was faster than all the others!) (6:30)
Mile 5 was torture! So hot, no cooling from any air movement. At this point, I’m pushing myself inside-out chasing the clock. Someone I pass yells to me… I realize this about a minute later – I’m lost in the pain and the push. Doing the math again – I can get to 2:10:00, if I run sub 6:30 for these last 2.2 miles… PUSH! Everything hurts. Nothing feels right… but this is red-line racing, right? To borrow Mark Durno’s words – “I can endure anything for 15 minutes”. It was time to find out if that was really true for me. I kept thinking about the torrid pace of our track workouts… at times sub 5:00/mi pace, surely I can muster fast miles now. So hot and red-lined for nearly 2 hours… but this is my chance of the season to place high and pull off a 2:10. Mile 5 was the fastest yet!!! (6:27) I CAN DO THIS!
Mile 6 and the last 0.2 miles were just a blur. No thinking now, except - thinking to not think (if that makes any sense). Body is out of energy (or close to it). Everything is screaming for me to take in fluids and calories – but I know nothing at this point will help except some water on the head. Anything else will only slow me down to take in, and could only give me problems in the gut or stay neutral at best. PUSH! The finish is so close! Or is it? The course is ‘mean’ in that you come within a few yards of the finish with about 1.5 miles to go. See the lucky souls who can stop moving, hearing the announcer beaconing in the finishers… but now we run away again, for one last hot loop around the lake. It’s taking forever, and I’m wondering how the body is holding up, but I dare not ask it, for fear of the answer. PUSH! Suffer just a bit more – for my goal, for the team, for the love of the sport! Last mile was 6:25!
I crossed the line and was ready to collapse. I was so glad to be done having to move!! I need a drink, some cookies, and a place to sit down! Then, I had the pleasure of cheering in team mates and friends.
It was quite some time before I knew what my finishing time was for sure. I didn’t trust my watch reading at first, because I’ve had too many mishaps before. When the posted the final results – I was ecstatic! 1st in AG, 11th overall! And true to my goal – 2H 10M 00S!
BULLSEYE!
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