2015 HITS Palm Springs 140.6

December 5, 2015

At HITS Palm Springs this year I finished my second 140.6 in 11:40:17 for 15th overall and a personal best.  My goal was to improve in each leg and my stretch goal was to hit 11 hours. 

The training build-up to this race was somewhat different than my build-up last year.  Having the St. George marathon in October shifted the balance of my training towards the run and I saw good improvements there, qualifying for Boston by 8 minutes.  However, that meant I did not spend as much time on my bike.  Also, my work schedule was more rigid as I was commuting to North Scottsdale and had several trips in September and October disrupting my training.  In 2014, I peaked at 15 hours of training with 11 weeks higher than 10 hours and I did a century ride every month.  In 2015, I didn’t have any weeks above 10 hours and in the four months leading up to the race my biggest ride efforts were an 80-mile ride to Payson in August and a 50-mile ride with brick three weeks before the race.  I would have liked to do some more long rides, but I wasn’t able to get them into the schedule.  On the positive side, my training was more targeted.  The runs and rides had specific goals and I was better at making the most of my training sessions.  I was in the LTF Masters class during November tuning up my swim.  MW and I did an open water swim at Saguaro the week before the race, which went well for me and helped my confidence.  I also had more experience racing and believed that I was mentally stronger, which fueled my aspirations for a big improvement.  I was happy with my taper having done various workouts with enough high intensity to stay sharp and fast.  I was not happy to catch a cold 2 weeks before the race.  It didn’t grip me hard, but it was enough to feel congestion with coughing and sluggishness.  By race day I was feeling better, but I doubt I was completely over it.  I put it out of my mind and did not let it worry me.

Unlike last year, Kandyce was able to come support and cheer me on at this race.  I was very excited to have her be there.  She volunteered to help at the finish line.  Her cousin FR and her husband MR came out to support and volunteer as well.  We really enjoyed having them out and while I was racing they were a lot of fun for Kandyce.  They had a great time helping the racers at the finish and then at the run transition.  MR ordered some pizza for a runner that was asking if there was any.  It didn’t last long.

We drove out Friday morning and got settled in the condo then headed over to the race check-in.  We saw MW and I put my bike in the transition area.  The water looked cool and it was.  The course was slightly different than it was 2 years prior when I did the 70.3.  The bike leg did not loop back into the park area, which avoided having a no pass zone.  Also, the run course was different and had four loops turning around just before the finish area in the park. 

After checking in, we met FR and MR and went to the outlet mall for some shopping and some dinner.  I had a chicken sandwich at Ruby’s Diner.  Then back to the condo for some sleep.  The plan was for me to take the car early and pick up MW and then the others would come in a second car in time for the start.  The weather forecast predicted starting temperatures in the 50s warming up into the 70s and very little wind.  It was going to be a great day for racing, but the water temp was still going to be a concern.  I hadn’t decided what to wear yet.

In the morning I got myself sorted out and started on my pre-race nutrition.  My targets for the race were 1:20 for the swim, 5:35 on the bike, which is 20mph average, 3:54 for the run, which is 9min/mile average, and a total of 10 minutes for transition for a total of just under 11 hours.  I thought all were within my ability.  The run was the most ambitious given that my previous 140.6 marathon was at 11min/mile but I believed my run strength was greatly improved over last year and I believed my mental tenacity was stronger. 

Gear: Swim:  Zoot 5.0 wetsuit, OYL Racing tri top and shorts, 2 swim caps, ear wax (helps with temperature perception by keeping cold water out of ear canal), TYR goggles; Bike: Trek Madone 5.2 with aero bars, decided not to change into dry gear in T1, arm sleeves, full finger gloves, Oakley sunglasses, Specialized Prevail helmet, Wrightsocks (green stripes to match); Run: Newton Gravity IV shoes with Slick Laces, SPI race belt with bib and pouch for gels, Cadence hat, and added two lights at dusk.

Nutrition: Pre-race: Ionix+Amped drink powder, IsaLean Pro shake, IsaLean Bar, Clif bar, banana, UCAN (3 scoops); Pre-swim: gel, E-shot; Bike: Replenish, gels, IsaLean Bar, Clif bar, IsaLean shake, 2 salt tabs; Run: gels, E-shot, banana pieces, orange slices, grapes, and 2 more salt tabs.

It was an extremely hard day, but each segment went better than Havasu and I avoided injury, flats, and bonking.  The swim was steady but cold on my hands, feet, and face.  It was at least 10 minutes before I could stop thinking about how cold my face was.  My first lap was 35 minutes, which was a PR for that distance.  I accidentally pressed the lap button, stopping the timer for the swim.  I carried on and there were fewer swimmers to pace and draft off in the 2^nd loop as the field spread out more.  I was able to stay steady into the finish and passed 3 racers in the last leg for a finish time of 1:15.  I was pleased with my swim and glad that I was able to withstand the cold.  The sun was out and I looked forward to the prospect of warming up.  Although slightly longer than my previous year’s swim, it was actually a better time because at Havasu the swim was 2.2 miles, a full 0.2 miles short.  On my way out of the water I saw Kandyce taking a picture.  The wetsuit strippers helped me get out of my wetsuit and then I had to run up the hill and down the parking lot pavement to my bike.  On cold bare feet it was painful! 

I decided not to do a full dry change and I only put on sleeves and gloves.  This turned out to be a good decision as I was warm enough within the first few miles except I did not feel my feet until 2 hours into the bike.  The bike course was relatively flat and the wind was light, but the road was unexpectedly rough for long stretches.  At the first turnaround I started watching for MW and AB, the only two racers I knew at the race.  I saw MW and he was about 6 minutes behind me; closer than I expected.  He must have had a great swim and I was happy for him.  He had put a lot of miles on his bike this fall as he prepared for Lotoja, so I thought he had a chance to catch up to me on the bike.  I did not ever see AB because I didn’t know what her riding kit looked like and it is hard to pick out riders when the relative speed difference is around 40mph. 

For the first time on the bike I was able to pee.  This is a difficult skill but saves a lot of time and is worth mastering.  I waited until nobody was approaching from the other direction to be discrete, did a shoulder check out of courtesy to fellow riders back there, then stood out of the saddle, stopped pedaling, then let it go.  It took a few tries and it took some care to avoid it all going in my sock.  It helped not only with time, but also with comfort.  Not that having warm pee dribble down my leg is comfortable, but that sensation soon passes and not having a full bladder on the rough roads made a big difference.

At mile 75 I was soooo ready to be off the bike and be running. I was ahead of my pace goal, but with each loop my average time was dropping slightly.  At each turn I watched for MW and he was consistently about 5-7 minutes behind me.  He was having a good steady ride.  I saw his family at the turn around cheering loud.  At my 3^rd time through the turn around, I stopped to get into my special needs bag.  I wanted to ditch my sleeves, gloves, and empty water bottles, and I wanted to pick up more nutrition.  The volunteer brought my bag over and told me I could just drop my items and she would put them in my bag.  I thought better of this, but since there were no other riders around I figured it was pretty safe to do so.  She must have gotten distracted because one bottle, one sleeve, and both gloves managed to disappear.  The race staff were very apologetic when I emailed them after and offered to reimburse me for new ones, which was both unexpected and appreciated.  In future, I will make it a task to check for all my gear before leaving the race site.  It is hard to do this because all you want to do is go eat and lie down.

Before heading out again I had an IsaLean shake in the shaker.  During the last loop on the bike I ate the bars and a gel and tried to get mentally prepared for the run.  I didn’t have any mechanical problems or punctures.  I finished the bike leg in 5:42 for a 10-minute improvement over Havasu and a 19.6 mph average.  It was slightly slower than my target, but combined with my swim, I was at 7:05 and 11 hours was still feasible if I could do a sub-4-hour marathon.

Out of T2 I started running up the hill to the turnaround.  I aimed for 9min/mi and planned to pick it up a bit after the turn on the way back down.  Mile 2 was at 9ish as well, but I was unable to pick it up any further.  I felt fueled and I didn’t feel any pain in my legs, there just wasn’t any more go.  I settled into a routine of getting water and grapes at each aid station stop, which was about every 1.5 miles.  As the time wore on I hollered out to MW each time I saw him and I tried to hold steady.  At about mile 7 I stopped to take a brief break at the aid station and collect myself.  I did an assessment.  No hot spots on the feet, kit felt good with no chaffing or discomfort.  Stomach was not complaining, but didn’t feel great.  My legs were tired, but there were no pain spots.  Why could I not go faster?  I pushed again, but could not sustain anything below 9min/mi.  I had to let go of my goal to hit sub 11 hours and focus in on my goal of having a PR run leg. 

Each time I hit the turnaround at the park I got a nice welcome and cheer from Kandyce, MR and FR.  They were a great boost.  I stopped for a moment to eat some fruit, grab a kiss, then head out again.  Something to look forward to each time around.  They were uplifting.

I found it harder than I thought it would be to run in the dark for the 2nd half of the marathon, even with the headlamps.  There was very little light for most of the course and it was hard to see the cones and the oncoming racers.  Before my last loop I grabbed another gel from my special needs bag and headed out into the dark.

In the park there were several campers set up with a fire, chairs, and a table of snacks to offer the runners.  They were loud to the end and very encouraging.  I would have liked to have stopped, but I couldn’t imagine stomaching Coke or popcorn or the other concoctions on display.   I did appreciate them though and tried to give a happy wave each time I passed.

I did not have any sense of where I was in relation to the race leaders.  With so many loops it is impossible to tell what loop racers are on.  On my last loop I was still passing racers doing the 70.3.  Full marks to them for staying at it so long!  It takes a special kind of determination to complete the event at such a slow pace.

I tried to keep moving along during the last loop, but I continued to take a break at the aid stations to gather myself.  In hind sight I don’t think the rest was helping me physically, but mentally it was. In the last mile a racer passed me and he looked like he could be in my age group.  I could not respond and stay with him.  I focused on finishing at the pace I could manage.

Up the road, across the sand embankment, along the campground, and onto the grass for the home stretch.  I was so happy to be finishing.  I ran across the finish line alone into the flashes of a camera and into the arms of the best volunteer to receive my medal along with a hug and a shoulder to lean on.  She helped me into a chair and it was all smiles from that point on. 

MW finished just before 12 hours and collapsed on the ground with his family around him.  He stayed there for a good 20 minutes recovering gradually.  I was so happy for him to finish and reach his goal.  I didn’t see AB and I worried that she had had a problem on the bike or something.  Turns out she did finish but didn’t start the run until it was dark so I couldn’t see her out there.  She was thrilled to finish her first.

I was pleased with my gear choices.  My Zoot wetsuit is comfortable, warm, and buoyant.  I kept my Gatorskin tires on and was glad to avoid flats.  I loved running in my Newton shoes (thanks Cadence Running Company​) and Slick Laces, they are fast to get on and very comfortable.  My new Wrightsocks are dual layer and they help with moisture and rubbing and they are a little taller than my Brooks socks so they stay up better for the long runs.

I was satisfied with my nutrition execution, but I wonder what I could do to make it even better.  Since I didn’t have any GI problems, I think I will try taking gels at a slightly faster rate next time on the run to see if that helps with higher energy levels to enable faster running.

My run time was 4:32, which was only 1 minute faster than my previous marathon.  At the end of the race I was somewhat disappointed and perplexed I wasn’t able to improve more.  However, later when I looked at the data more closely, I noted the marathon at Havasu was 25.1 miles, so effectively, I improved by about 12 minutes.  That was more satisfying.  It turns out the racer who passed me finished 3^rd in my age group and beat me out of a podium spot by 1 minute.  Would I have been able to respond if I knew that at the time?  I don’t know.  Next time I want to be better prepared for the run so that I can! 

Overall it was a better executed race than last year with improvements in all three legs and no mechanical, nutrition, or injury problems, so there is a lot to be happy with.  Since the race I have analyzed and studied what I could have done different to improve more on my run since that is where I need to improve the most to reach 11 hours.   

Possible factors and remedies:

• Low training volume – need more long workouts (4+ hrs) in the 8 weeks prior to the race
• Limited bricks – plan more bike/run bricks with several long brick runs
• Not enough fuel – increase the calorie intake on the run slightly
• Lingering sickness – don’t get sick

Splits:

• Swim: 1:15:30
• T1: 7:40
• Bike: 5:42:11 (19.6mph)
• T2: 1:52
• Run: 4:33:04 (10:25min/mi)
• Total: 11:40:17
• 15th overall, 4th in age group

What’s next?  Phoenix marathon in February and could do Oceanside 70.3 in April.  I would like to do another 140.6 next year, but I have not picked one out yet.  IMTX is sold out.  Vineman?  Maryland?  Florida?  Havasu?

2015 Mesa Sprint Triathlon

October 10, 2015

This was a total family event.  Kandyce and I were doing this race for the 2^nd time.  Last time, the three girls teamed up to do the race as a relay.  This time, Devon, Chantelle, and Melissa were doing this distance for the first time.  Brooke and Bryson were teaming up for the relay with Brooke in the water and Bryson on the bike and run. 

Chantelle has been on the Cross Country team so she has been running regularly since early summer.  Melissa loves her new bike and she has been training in all three disciplines.  She has overcome plantar fasciitis to be able to run again through Astym treatments, physical therapy, and self exercises.  Bryson got out and did a couple runs and rides, but his fitness mainly revolves around football.  Devon didn’t do anything.  He says he rides to his friend’s house and he does parkour, so that should be good.  We’ll see.  Kandyce has worked hard at the gym and has done a lot of running as she prepares for the Gilbert Half Marathon.  She has done some swimming and riding as well.  Me?  I was still in recovery from St. George marathon the week before, but I felt I could still improve on my previous time from 2 years ago.

I set the alarm, woke the gang, and loaded up the bikes.  Melissa and Bryson walked to the start since they live so close.  We found them and started to get registered and marked.  The morning was comfortable and not too hot. The only problem during setup was Bryson had a flat.  We put on a patch and hoped it would hold.

Brooke is a great swimmer and she started first.  Then Kandyce followed me into the pool.  I passed a few swimmers and a few passed me.  There was only one annoying swimmer that passed on the inside and caused some problems.  Out of the water and off to the bike.

I have new tri cycling shoes and I went without socks for the first time.  That saved about 15s (and totally worth it:-), and it felt fine.  In fact, I liked the feel of the cool air on my feet as I started out.  In transition I saw Bryson saying that his tire was low; dang.  I told him to go run anyway.

On the bike I started hammering up the hill on the first lap.  Only one rider passed me during the whole bike segment.  I’m not sure if he was on the same lap as me and I couldn’t see his number to find out how well he finished.  I was aiming for 22mph average and nailed it.  On to the run. 

I still didn’t put on socks figuring that 5km was not going to cause any foot issues.  It was getting a bit warmer, but not overly so.  I saw Chantelle and Devon out on the bike, but not the others.  On the run I was aiming for low 7 minute pace, but I could not get there with the fatigue from the marathon.  So I held what I could get.  On the return I saw Kandyce on the other side of the road.  During the last mile a woman passed me, but I stayed in her draft.  With about a half mile to go, I slipped past her and didn’t see her again.  The last bit of the run is on grass so I was careful of my footing worried a divot would take me down. 

Across the field and into the stadium for the finishing chute.  I saw Brooke and my parents on the left.  I was glad to have someone cheering this week!  I crossed the line and did have a PR at 1:05:25.  For a time I was listed as first overall, but I could tell that the swim time was not included.  I told the timer and he didn’t believe me at first, but he finally figured it out.  I was 10^th overall and 2^nd in my age group!  A podium finish for my sponsor.

Kandyce had a PR and won her age group.  Chantelle was 3^rd in her age group.  Devon came next and did surprisingly well for the amount of training he did.  Melissa finished the run and was pleased to be able to run it out.  Bryson ended up doing two laps on the bike with a low tire, and then did the run.  My cousin JJ brought up the rear and he was thrilled.

It was so fun to do this event with the whole family.  It has given us something to work on together.  I think Chantelle was the most surprised at how much fun she had.  I think they will all want to do more races, but not next week though!  Mesa Sprint is a great tri for beginners and veterans alike.  Very well organized and a fun course.  Maybe we’ll be back next year!

Road to Boston: 2015 St George Marathon

October 3, 2015

2015 was my 3^rd time applying to run in the St. George Marathon.  I had applied the previous two years, but did not get picked in the lottery.  Their policy is if you apply three years in a row and don’t get selected the first two, you are automatically in the third time, hence 3^rd time is a charm.  Turns out this year, the race did not sell out before the lottery, so everyone who applied got in any way! 

I had already qualified for Boston at the Phoenix Marathon, so my goal heading into the race was to improve on my time to get a better starting position at Boston, and execute the race to be steady in the last 6 miles unlike Phoenix where I dropped off and gave up too much time.

My build up for St George Marathon was about 80% of the running volume of Phoenix, but with swimming and running, my overall workout volume was higher.  I followed a similar training plan with four runs a week: intervals, tempo, long run, and recovery.  The Thursday group run at Cadence Running was always either a tempo run or an interval run and is always a challenge which pushes my limits.  DB and PR typically have hard intervals to follow and sometimes I could not keep up, especially if I had done a hard session the day before.  But there were some I was able to hang on to.

My weekly mileage was in the high thirties for the six weeks prior to the race.  My last several long runs I ran goal marathon pace for the last 5-7 miles to simulate running at pace when fatigued.  Two weeks prior to the marathon I ran 20 miles in Stuttgart in a forest with hills so I could practice running down long hills late in the run.  The last long run was at Tempe Town Lake with CC, MW, DT, and EK and it was a good workout for me with long stretches of steady pacing.

On September 30, I received an email saying I did not get accepted into the Boston marathon.  Since more runners apply to race Boston than they have room for, the runners get in to the race based on fastest qualifying times for each age group.  My qualifying time was 1:51 ahead of the standard, and in years past it would have been a large enough buffer to get in.  This year the cutoff was 2:28, so I missed by 37 seconds!  I was surprised and very disappointed.  I was really looking forward to running in the oldest marathon in the US and the most famous marathon in the world.  I started to channel my frustration into motivation to run a better qualifying time at St. George.  I was confident in my training and the course is favorable for a fast time.  I was determined.

My previous best marathon was 3:23 and I set a stretch goal of 3:16, which is an average of 7:30 mins/mi.  It was aggressive, but I believed I could run that pace.  MP asked me why 3:16 and why not 3:15 since there would probably be a pace group for 3:15. I didn’t have a good answer for him; I just felt 3:16 was where my fitness and ability was for this course.  I found a pacing plan online that adjusted the target pace for each mile based on an overall average pace goal and the difficulty level of each mile.  I studied this plan and worked out the slowest my cumulative average would be so I could monitor it easily during the race.  I also watched a video online which had a flythrough of the course so I could study it out.  I visualized the pacing I would need at each stage and I prepared myself mentally for the hurting I would experience late in the race.

My biggest execution goal was to maintain my pace in the last 6 miles and not stop to walk, not even through the aid stations.  I learned from my experience at Phoenix that walking does not make running easier afterwards and all it does is waste time.  Walking to complete a marathon may be an effective strategy for some, but walking does not help when racing.  I had trained to build up my ability to run hard when fatigued and my experience at Ironman 70.3 in St. George showed me I could keep running when it was very hard. 

This race almost did not happen for me.  The week prior to the race I found out my boss needed me to attend a meeting with a key customer in Kentucky on Thursday and Friday before the race. I tried to see if the meeting could be moved earlier in the week or if someone else on my team could go in my place, but it didn’t work out.  I managed to find a flight from Cincinnati to St. George through Salt Lake, but it didn’t arrive until 11:02pm Friday night.  KB was originally going to come with me on this trip, but with my late arrival we decided it wasn’t worth her driving up or coming up at all. 

Normally I have a hard time getting a good sleep the night before a race due to jitters, anxiety, not wanting to miss the alarm, etc.  Knowing this, I try hard to get a solid sleep the 2^nd to last night prior to a race.  Thursday night I did get a good sleep and knowing I had a late arrival, I tried to nap on the plane.  On the way to St. George, the last flight was delayed over an hour and I did not arrive until 12:30am.  A short night was getting shorter!  Then I couldn’t find a cab at the airport and started to get worried.  I went inside and there was an attendant at Enterprise.  They only had one car left, but it was reserved.  The attendant considered the situation.  He said again that the car was reserved, however, he had been waiting a while and wasn’t able to reach the person with the reservation, so he decided to give me the car instead so he could go home.  My luck was turning.  I finally got to the hotel and got my gear sorted out.  My alarm gave me 2 hours of sleep. 

Gear: Newton Gravity IV shoes with Slick Laces, Brooks socks, Nike shorts, new Slick Laces singlet from my sponsor JB, Cadence hat, Oakley sunglasses, SPI belt with gels and phone, Motorola S10 Bluetooth headphones, Garmin 910XT, and dollar store camo gardening gloves.

Nutrition: Salmon linguine for lunch Friday, then Chick-fil-A club meal for dinner and nuts and raisins for snacks.   In the morning I took Ionix and Amped when I first got up.  Then before leaving the room I had a chocolate IsaLean shake.  I ate a bagel and an IsaLean bar about an hour before race time.  I carried 2 salt tablets and 4 Isagenix gels (sample products in testing) during the race.  I took water at each aid station starting at mile 3, but no Gatorade.  At each station I took one or two small swallows and sometimes three.  I took the salt tablets at mile 13 and the gels at miles 5, 11, 17, and 22, each right before an upcoming aid station so I could chase it down with some water.

After I picked up my bib, I met MW at the bus pickup and we headed up to the start.  There were wood piles for the fire pits and they were handing out space blankets for warmth.  The weather forecast was for very light winds and the temp around my projected finishing time was low 60s; perfect running weather!  I took throw-away sleeves and the gardening gloves to stay warm for the first few miles, but as we were putting our gear bag in the truck I took off my sleeves and left them too. 

There was quite a jam at the gear check-in.  I waited too long to drop it because I was worried about getting cold and still thinking about what to keep.  Hearing the countdown, MW grabbed my bag for me and told me to head over to the start.  I hustled over the fence into the starting chute and noticed the 3:25 pacer go by.  I crossed the start line about 2 minutes after the gun and was glad that I didn’t hurt myself climbing over the fence awkwardly! 

The first 2 miles were about avoiding runners in the dark darting left and right to gain an open lane.  By mile 3 I was warm so I set my gloves on a table at the aid station.  MW later reported that he saw them thereJ  It was still fairly dark, but the road was visible.  The running surface was asphalt and it had a lot of undulation.  I worked to find the smoother lines which seemed to be the tire paths.  At one point a woman moving behind me tripped me and I nearly went down; close one! 

I settled into my target pacing and the miles slipped by.  I lost myself listening to the music, absorbing the scenery, reading the occasional spectator sign, and enjoying the pace.  At about mile 6 I did a system check: no rubbing, shoes comfortable (love my Slick Laces!), no hot spots on my feet, and music volume was good.  Upper body was relaxed and hands were not clenched.  I felt a bit of tightness in my right calf and in my left quad.  Nothing painful, but I was hyper sensitive to these minor niggles because I knew what was ahead. 

At mile 7 I passed the 3:25 pace group and I was a little surprised it took me so long to catch them.  Several of the aid stations had a race time display and I noted my start time was almost exactly two minutes behind gun time, putting me at about the 3:23 virtual pacer in the race.  I didn’t worry about being behind my target at this point because I had decided to stick to my pacing plan regardless of what was going on around me.  So far I was slightly ahead of my target, but not overly so.

At about mile 8 after Veyo there is a long steady climb continuing until just past the half way mark.  At the top would be the slowest cumulative average according to my pace plan computations.  I was aiming to be no slower than 7:45 average at that point of the race and I was actually at 7:39, so still slightly ahead of plan.  There was no sign of a 3:20 pace group.

Now for the fun.  There is about 2500 feet of descent in the second half and a few shorter climbs.  Many people report the downhill is a quad killer.  I live in Gilbert, which has about 100ft of total elevation change across the whole city.  There are hills in the surrounding area, but they are not convenient to get to, so the bulk of my training is on the flat.  My run in Stuttgart was hilly and a good test.  I cycle a lot to train for triathlon and I have done CrossFit for strength training, so I thought my legs were well prepared for the hills, but it is hard to know until you experience it.  As the road turned downhill, I eased into a faster pace and tried to keep my legs under me with a fast cadence so I would not pound on my heels and cause braking.  The sun had come up and was illuminating the canyons to my right.  It was stunning to behold and a nice distraction.

I kept watching for the 3:20 pacer.  I actually didn’t know for sure that there was one, but I thought there would be.  I didn’t think I would catch the 3:15 pacer since I was 2 minutes behind the gun time, but I thought I would have seen the 3:20 pacer by this point in the race.

I passed each aid station without incident, slowing slightly to take on some water, but not breaking my stride.  It helped that the aid stations always had the water section after the Gatorade, so I knew where to target my approach.  The Isagenix gels were pleasant to the taste (apple flavor) and did not cause any stomach issues.  My energy level never seemed to drop, so I felt they were effective.  I was sweating and salty, but not overly so.  I never felt a point in the race where I was struggling for energy or fluid.  The strategy of hitting every aid station for a bit of water seemed to be working. 

All systems go.  The miles clicked by and my legs got more and more fatigued, and by mile 16 I could feel both calves and both quads talking to me constantly now.  My descent was going well and my cumulative average pace was gradually dropping with these fast miles.  It dropped as low as 7:26 before the course started flattening out. 

The spectators and volunteers were great and provided some encouragement.  In Snow Canyon the density of spectators increased and it did not abate much for the rest of the run. 

Mile 20:  Now comes the hurt.  I was gearing up mentally to stay steady and strong.  My energy level was good, my legs were talking louder to me, but not in pain, and the music was still rocking.  My mental math told me I was on target for my stretch goal of 3:16.  I dared to visualize finishing with a strong BQ time!

Mile 21:  I started passing people more frequently.  For many miles during the race there was little passing as the racers sorted out into their own individual pacing.  Now I was noticing a few runners would stop at the aid station for a stretch or just to lean on the table for a moment.  There was also a few walking for stretches.  Passed them and didn’t even think about walking. 

Mile 22:  I could see the city below and the St. George Temple in the distance.  What a sight.  There was a slight uphill and I worked to maintain a steady pace, easing off ever so slightly.  Others had to slow more to get up the hill.  Passed them too.

Mile 23:  Still holding my pace and getting really excited.  Legs were screaming at me by now, but responding and my pace was still steady.  Two racers passed me in the last two miles, but I must have passed dozens in the last few miles.  For me, passing is motivating.

Mile 24:  The crowds were getting deeper and the cheering louder.  The hill flattens out and there are a few turns in the last two miles to be careful of.  I could tell I was getting a little less maneuverable on my feet so I had to take care to avoid sudden movements.  I was not breathing too heavily, so I felt I was still running within myself.

Mile 25:  In the flat I had to watch my pacing closer as it was easy to slow down too much and not notice because it took so much effort to stay on pace.  I kept looking at my lap average for just the current mile so I could adjust accordingly and keep as close as possible to goal pace.  At this point, my target pacing was 7:30, but I was hitting 7:40.  I was excited about hitting that close to target so late in the race.  Missing by that little did not become discouraging as missing by a minute or more in Phoenix had.

Mile 26:  Time to dig deep and embrace the hurt.  Almost to the end.  I passed more racers in this stretch.  Some were really struggling.  They were on pace for a great finish time and the wheels were coming off.  I felt bad for them.  That was me at Phoenix, but not this time!

Mile 26.2:  I can see the finishing chute.  I try to accelerate to finish with a sprint but I can’t go any faster.  I am happy to maintain and stay on my feet!  I started to get really emotional as I realized I was going to do it.  I crossed the finish line at gun time of 3:19.  I would find out later that my official chip time was 3:16:59!

I threw my hands in the air for nobody but myself and then stopped about two steps passed the finish.  I put my hands on my knees and a volunteer came to check on me and help me move out of the way.  I gathered myself, collected my medal, and started to make my way to the recovery area.  I did it...  I did it… I qualified for Boston! 

The first bottle of cool water and then cold chocolate milk were fantastic.  I found a spot under a tree and sat down.  My legs were spent.  I soaked in my surroundings as runners came through and met with friends or relatives to start celebrating their accomplishment.  One woman spent some time making some deposits into the garbage bin, but she was OK after that.  It wasn’t too long before MW came through.  I was so happy to see someone I knew!  He also had an excellent race finishing at 3:25 and besting his PR by 20 minutes!

I was starting to get hungry so I started to get up.  Whoa!  Legs don’t move.  No strength to stand up.  MW helped me get vertical, and then I gingerly started walking to one of the food lines.  It felt really good to get some calories in me, but I was really struggling to get around.  I learned it was better to stay standing and moving. 

We took some pictures, checked our official times, ate our fill, and got our medals engraved.  Planes to catch so we headed out to the car and hotel.  I dropped MW off at his hotel and then went to my hotel for a shower before heading to the airport.  I thought I had eaten my fill, but a Wendy’s Spicy Chicken and Frosty called out to me from the side of the road and I heeded. 

I was seated in the plane and noticed a few others that looked like they had also done the race.  We shared stories and congratulations.  The worst part was trying to stand up after the flight!  I could have used a wheel chair.

I looked at my race execution on Strava.  I finished within a minute of my stretch goal time.  My average pace was 7:30.  The last 6 miles were steady and only slightly off my target pace.  I was thrilled with the overall race, but most thrilled I was able to stay strong at the end and I did not walk!  I qualified for Boston 2017 with an 8-minute buffer above the qualifying standard for my age group.  That will definitely be fast enough to get me in!

My legs were stiff and sore for 4 days after the race.  I went to Cadence to use the recovery boots on Monday for half an hour, which really helped.  By Thursday I was able to get out and run again.  I felt lingering effects when running until about 16 days after the race.  At that point I was able to run distance comfortably, but I still didn’t have the same top end speed I was used to until about 30 days after.

What’s next?  HITS Palm Springs full triathlon in December and then Phoenix Marathon in February.  I plan to ease up on my running mileage slightly for the next two months while I ride and swim more to get ready for the tri, and then I will ramp up again in Jan/Feb for the marathon.  I want to keep working on my speed, turnover, and mental toughness to finish strong!

2015 Ironman St. George 70.3

May 2, 2015

Last year at Ironman St. George 70.3 my time was 6:06:45 for 106^th in my age group.  It was a hard race with a lot of climbing on the bike and on the run and the temperature rose into the 80s in the early afternoon.  I remember particularly the suffering on the run as I ran and walked my way to a 2:15 run split.  Despite the challenges, the race was scenic with an awesome one-way ride, and I loved the experience, so I signed up to do it again.

After building up for my first full triathlon last fall, I focused on my running to prepare for the Phoenix Marathon and my goal to qualify for Boston.  I met that goal and saw good improvements in my run overall.  In March I got back on the bike and into the pool to prepare for St. George.  My cycling power seemed to come back quickly despite neglecting my bike for 10 weeks in the winter.  I resumed a Masters Swim group at Lifetime Fitness and tried to grow webbing between my fingers. 

Two weeks prior to St. George, I competed with my family in the Coronado Varsity Scout triathlon.  This race is shorter than a sprint so it wasn’t much of an endurance workout, but it proved to be a great tune up for race preparation and transitions.

For St. George, I set time goals of 38 mins for the swim, 2:45 for the bike, and 1:55 for the run, for a total time of 5:25 with transition.  This would be a PR time for the swim and run and overall for this distance.  It would also be a 16 minute improvement on the bike from last year.  I felt that these goals were a stretch for me, but achievable.  I believed the key to the race would be the run, as it is in most long course triathlon races, but especially so here because of the amount of climbing.

During the Phoenix Marathon, I had a great first 20 miles and was on target for about 3:16 finish, but then in the last six miles, the wind wore me down and I succumbed to the urge to walk for periods of time in the hope of trying to recover enough to resume running at a strong pace.  Each time I resumed running, I almost immediately felt the need to walk again.  MP, an experienced marathoner friend, came to Phoenix to run this race with us.  He pointed out that when racing for time, the walking never helps.  The body screams for relief, but the illusion of relief is quickly snatched away.  Of course if the goal is to finish, then walking has an important role and is a strategy many use successfully in endurance events.  As the time ticked by in miles 23 and 24, I soon realized that I was in danger of missing my Boston qualifying time of 3:25!  I had to get on it and push hard for the last two miles.  I finished in 3:23:09 to qualify with just a bit of room to spare.  I was elated about that, but at the same time disappointed that my finish was so difficult.

My run goal for St. George was to hit the time of 1:55, which is difficult given the 2,000 feet of climbing.  More importantly, I set the goal to not walk during this run.  I knew it would be very difficult with the heat, the hills, and the cumulative fatigue of the race.  I decided that it was OK to slow down when needed on climbs, but not OK to walk, not even through the aid stations.  In my training in March, I did one particular run where I tried to simulate the suffering at the end of a race.  It was a 13 mile run on a hot morning in Mexico where I started at an 8:30 pace and gradually sped up throughout the run.  The wind was blowing and the temperature rising, but I refused to walk and when I finished I had greater confidence in my mental toughness, but it still was not the same as running at the end of a 70.3-mile triathlon!

I needed a new cassette for my bike and I decided to go to a 10/28 to give me better ratios for climbing.  Last year at St. George I kept wishing for another couple of gears going up Snow Canyon.  I tried the new drivetrain at Las Sendas in Mesa and I was pleased with the change.  My bike was ready.  Some racers use race wheels or race tires.  I don’t have race wheels and I leave the Gatorskin tires on my wheels.  They are not as light as race tires, but they are stronger and I like the reduced chance of a flat.

Monday before the race I felt a sore throat and I immediately started to worry.  I made sure I got extra sleep and water and hoped that it would not stick.  On Wednesday, I did a swim in the pool with my wetsuit on.  I wasn’t able to get to the lake for open water practice, so this would have to do.  I felt great and set a PR on a 500-yard time trial, which grew my confidence in the water.  The water cleared me out a bit too.  On Thursday I still felt a little congestion, but I was hopeful I had dodged a full on head cold and when I ran I did not feel constricted or noticeably sluggish.  On Friday I did a light run with my daughter Chantelle in Las Vegas to just get moving and everything felt OK.  I think my taper was timed well as I didn’t have any feelings of lingering fatigue from previous hard workouts.

Chantelle was my race support, chauffeur, and cheerleader for the race.  We arrived in St. George Friday afternoon to check in and make our way through the expo.  We bumped into RB and RB and accompanied them to the bike check-in and then met BD and SD for dinner and pre-race banter.  All week the forecast was for wind on Saturday.  When I did my last check of the forecast, the hourly showed the wind was expected to be calm in the morning and increasing after about 2pm.  This was great news as I hoped to be done before then!  The heat was going to be challenging enough.  After sorting out my gear bags one more time I turned in.

I sometimes have a hard time sleeping the night before a race as I tend to lie in bed with anxiety and excitement and a little bit of worry thinking I won’t wake up in time.  This time I was able to go to sleep and stay asleep until the alarm.  Another small victory.

I have practiced my nutrition and learned what works well for me.  My plan for the race was to take on slightly more nutrition during the ride than I had in previous races in an effort to combat the fatigue and increase my energy level during the run.

Friday lunch: chicken sandwich, fries

Friday dinner: chicken linguine, vegetables

Pre-race breakfast: Isagenix IsaLean bar, bagel w/ peanut butter, banana, small muffin, yogurt

15 min before start: Clif Shot Blok

On bike: 3 GU gels, 5 scoops Perpetuem, ½ small bagel w/ peanut butter & honey, 2 salt tablets

On run: 2 GU gels, 2 salt tablets

Swim: This race has a wave start and you need to enter the water and swim to the starting buoys.  I noticed some that took their time and did not make it to the buoys before the gun went off; tactical error!  I made sure to get out there swiftly and waited on the line for the gun.  During the swim I did not break my stroke at all.  I didn’t worry about my elapsed time; I just concentrated on swimming in a straight line and keeping a steady strong stroke.  After the final turn I looked ahead and saw two others in my wave with the same color cap.  I remembered a drill at Masters Swim that was meant to help with finishing speed, so I picked up my stroke rate and sprinted to the finish and passed both of those racers.  Another small victory.  I glanced at my watch and noted that my swim time was 38 minutes; sweet!

Bike: Up the ramp towards transition and then the wetsuit came off and sunscreen went on thanks to volunteers.  Bike in hand I headed out for the first climb around the reservoir.  I was really happy that I did not feel spent after the swim.  I didn’t start drinking water right away as I let my system settle down while I got into a good rhythm on the bike.  The first climb is about mile 6 and I started alternating between standing, sitting up, and in aero.  Before standing I gear down two clicks and then stay standing for 100-200 rotations.  I took nutrition and water regularly on schedule whether I felt I needed it or not.  Snow Canyon starts after mile 40.  At this point my cumulative average speed was better than 20 mph.  I buckled in for the big climb that almost broke me last year.  I stood several times and just kept at it.  Each time it seemed we were near the top there was another upward stretch.  False flats and false hopes.  At one point the course doubles back down the canyon for a stretch which at first felt great until I realized that meant climbing that part of the canyon again!  I was really appreciating my new cassette with a higher ratio for climbing.  I finally crested the top.  Many riders sit up at this point to take a drink and recover.  I put down the hammer to build up speed and only then do I take on water and rest my legs.  It is surprising how many people I passed at that point.  I checked my watch and saw that my average speed was 18.9 mph with nothing but down to the finish.  That was my overall average last year, so I knew I was going to better my time.  While coasting fast I ate a mini bagel with PB and honey; wow did that taste great.  I finished with a bike split of 2:47 for a 14-minute improvement over last year. 

Run: I kept focused on my goal not to walk.  I didn’t hammer to the limit on my bike so I could leave something in the tank for the run.  I got through transition quickly and headed out.  It was so hard up the first hill!  I could not get the cadence going as I was still feeling the effects of the ride.  I got to the top and got down to business.  The temperature was creeping up so I started pouring water on my head at aid stations and eventually ice into my kit as well.  I kept steady and tried to push my average pace down to 9 min/mile.  I tried to eye runners going the speed I wanted to hold to pace off of.  I was surprised at how strong some of the runners were at this point.  There was a woman in her 60s that passed me!  I tip my hat.  Twice I felt a side stitch and I think it was from drinking too much.  So, I eased off the water a bit and just took a swallow at each mile.  The last big climb was a long one; I was so tempted to start walking.  In fact, I think walking may have been just as fast as I was running at that point.  I did not give in to the rationalization and I kept my running cadence going.  It was an epic struggle, and the hill looked like it went on forever, but I believed I had it in me to get through it.  At the crest of the hill I had 5k left and I put on the gas.  I passed several walkers and it felt great.  I spotted Chantelle near the finish and saw that she had made a sign.  I was so touched and I surged again.  Soon I could see the finish and I made the last turn around the traffic circle and into the final chute.  I finished with a run split of 1:58.  The last 5k was my fastest 5k of the run.

My overall time was 5:30:24 for 52^nd in my age group.  I missed my goal by 5 minutes, but it was a complete victory for me.  I beat my previous time in each discipline, I beat last year’s IM St. George time by 36 minutes, I set a 70.3 PR by 8 minutes, and most importantly, I did not walk!

Chantelle found me at the finish and we enjoyed the post-race food and relaxation.  I saw some of my friends that had raced and soon we headed out.  Chantelle and I had a date at the St. George Temple before heading home the next day.  

Road to Boston: 2015 Phoenix Marathon

February 28, 2015

The night before the race I was really nervous to run.  Last year I ran this race in 3:30 and I set a goal to not only beat that time, but to beat 3:25 to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  I not only needed to beat 3:25, but I needed some margin in order to actually race.  For the previous two years, applicants that qualified by less than 1:05 and 1:38 respectively did not get into the race, so I figured I needed to have at least a 2-minute margin.

Three weeks before the race I ran the course with some friends at a good steady pace in the low 7s and it felt very good.  We stopped at 20 miles, but I was on pace for a 3:16ish finish.  The week before the race I run in Ragnar Del Sol with Kandyce and several other couples.  We had a great time, but I probably went too hard at times.  I was feeling the competitiveness of passing other racers and I also had some long segments.  My legs felt OK the next day, but I didn’t think I’d be able to fully recover from the effort before the marathon.

To make matters worse, I got pink eye and an ear infection! I spend Sundays at church teaching the 2 and 3-year-old children, so I suspect someone shared it with me.  I got some meds and hoped they would take effect quickly. 

During my training cycle I had focused on using interval runs to improve my speed and turnover.  The Cadence Group runs on Thursdays provided a cooperative and challenging environment to push myself.  I got faster in those one hour runs, but I wasn’t sure how much it would help in the marathon distance.

In January, I had my first 50 mile week and my first 200 mile month.  I was following the same plan I did for 2014, but this time I did not get injured and I was able to have a solid build up.  In fact, even when I had to travel I was able to stay on track and get the target runs in.  I think this consistency really helped.

So the night before the race I had confidence from my training program, the interval runs, and the pre-race run, but I had some doubts worrying about the effects of being sick and of running Ragnar. 

Race morning was uneventful as we headed to the bus lines and off to the start.  The skies were clear and the temperature was cool.  MP had come from Calgary to run this race with me and he was a wealth of great advice.  My sister MB was also running the marathon and Kandyce, Chantelle, and Devon were all running the half marathon. 

I always enjoy the excitement of race morning at the starting area.  Music, shivering, fires, porta johns, the anthem, and fireworks.  A quick picture with friends and off to the starting chute for the gun.  I placed myself near the 3:20 pacer and got ready for some ‘fun’.

The first stretch is downhill and it was still fairly dark.  At about mile 3 I was running with the 3:20 group and bumped into AC, a regular runner at Cadence.  She has run about 10 marathons and has qualified for Boston, so she is experienced and accomplished.  We settled into a pace around 7:20 min/mi, which was faster than my overall goal pace, but down the hills it was not pushing it too hard.  Her PR was about 3:20 and she did not think she would be able to beat it.  There is an uphill section early on and we slowed to an 8 min pace for the climb.  At the top we eased back into a faster pace and soon we slipped away from the 3:20 group.  The pace was strong and steady.  Each mile was within seconds of the last.  At the halfway point, I noted that my time was 1:39, which is faster than I have ever run 13 miles.  I hadn’t ever raced that distance, but I have done it in training many times.  I was a little nervous about the pace, but it felt good and comfortable.

The wind started picking up and at about mile 17 there is a turn South and into the wind.  We held the pace but at this point I started to think I wouldn’t be able to maintain this pace to the end.  At mile 18 I told AC that I really appreciated pacing together but she should not hold back to pace me.  She told me the same thing.  I could tell that she had more in the tank than I did, so at mile 19, I slowed at the aid station and she carried on.  I eased off the pace just a bit.

At mile 20 I started to crack.  I felt that I couldn’t keep my legs going and my body was screaming at me to walk for a bit.  I slowed, but did not walk at this point.  At mile 21 I noticed the 3:20 pacer coming out of the porta john.  Strangely, I hadn’t noticed him pass me and also he was all alone at this point!  I could not hang on to him and it wasn’t too much after this that I succumbed to the urge to walk.  I only walked a minute, thinking that I would be able to resume my earlier pace after a little break.  I started back up, and thought I was moving pretty quickly, but a quick check of my watch revealed that I was much slower than I thought.  That was very disheartening.

I struggled between walking and running in the 8s and 9s for the next 2 miles.  I was busy doing mental math trying to project my finish time based on various paces for the last bit.  I soon realized that I was dangerously close to missing my 3:25 qualifying time!  I bore down hard and got moving as fast as I could go.  I resisted the urge to walk in the last 2 miles, but it was a constant struggle.  I turned the corner to the finishing chute and saw my family urging me on.  I managed a smile as I surged for the finish line where the volunteer to catch me happened to be my wife’s cousin MR!  He helped me get to a chair safely and gave me a much appreciated water.

When I crossed the finish line, I saw that the race time was under 3:25, so I for sure qualified, but was it enough?  My chip time turned out to be 3:23:09, so I had a margin of 1:51.  I was really happy about that.  On to the medal, food, and rest!  I found my family, took pics, and celebrated.  The girls both had a PR and Devon finished and did surprisingly well.  He even snacked on some bacon along the route offered by a spectator.  Youth has its advantages!

AC not only finished strong, she surged at the end to a PR of 3:15.  MP had an excellent race.  He felt the effects of the wind as well and his pace slowed, but only by about 5s/km.  He finished in 2:54, just 2 mins off his PR at St. George. 

I was very happy that I met my goal to qualify for Boston with a margin I thought would be enough.  However, I was very frustrated with my collapse in the last 6 miles.  I spoke with MP at length about it in the days following.  He told me walking never helps when you are racing; it just eats time and it does not help you run fast enough to make up for the lost time.  It is better to keep running, even if it is at a slower pace.  Even better to push through the pain and keep running strong to the finish.  His strategy is to think about family members for each km to distract his mind from the pain and fatigue. 

I was really bothered by this collapse, so I studied it more.  I read about workouts which would help simulate the difficulty of running when fatigued.  I analyzed my nutrition and I don’t think I had a deficiency there.  I analyzed my pacing and I think the pace of the first 20 miles was beyond where my fitness and readiness were at.  I think the main factors impacting me were the fatigue from Ragnar the week prior, the wind, and to a lesser extent, the sickness.  During the race I did not feel respiratory problems, but I know that being ill does take a toll on your strength reserves.  All excellent lessons that can be addressed next time:

-          Don’t do a hard race or run in the last two weeks before a major race.

-          Make a pace plan that is within or just slightly above what you are capable of and stick to it.

-          Practice mental strength in workouts.

-          Don’t get sick!