Redman Race Report 2009

Well, I heard once ” Piss poor preparation makes for piss poor performance”. Now that it has been a few days, and I looked a bit through my Garmin run data, I guess I wouldn’t really say it was that poor of a performance, but more so I wasn’t prepared for what I was asking from my body that day. When telling people that I didn’t do that good, they really just don’t understand.  It’s relative. Yes, I posted sub 11 hours that many wish they could get close to that, but considering I did a 9:47 last year, this was slow ( relatively) . The goal wasn’t ” to finish ” , like I’ve said, that is only a matter of time.  It was partly to win again overall.  But I can only control my performance and not who else is going to show up. The fact that my winning time last year isn’t stellar ( again, relatively) to normal IM winning times,  I knew the possibility of being beat is surely there. So I still go with trying to at least better my own time of course. But as I soon found out, the training I did ( or should say didn’t) do this year, was apparent, and no amount of ‘mental’ prep I said I was going to use to override it, could.  So onto the race report.
The 8 hour trip up was uneventful and we arrived in plenty of time. Traveling with someone that likes to be early helps. We check in and take the bikes out for a spin to show Jim the first part of the bike course. Legs feel the best they have in weeks. That doesn’t mean they are at their best…just better than they have been feeling. So I felt a little more confidant in the taper. Came back and went for a little run. Here it is the day before and I still hadn’t decide if I was going to run in some OLD racing flats that I had been doing fine with in training, or a pair of Etonics I won at the State Du race in Aug that I had run in about 4-5x. I had taken the inserts out of another pair of shoes to put in the racing flats because those were shot. But in running in them, the arch was a bit different and I felt some twinges in both arches, so come race morning I had decided on the newer shoes.
Race morning up around 4:40 I have close to what I ate last year for breakfast. A peanut butter/ honey and Chia sandwich, an apple…some pringles, handful of peppered cashews and some raisins. I used Genr8 last year for aabout 250 cal, this year did one scoop of Ultragen and 1 scoop EFS. So total maybe 700 calories. Worked great last year with no over stuffing nor trips to the bathroom later.

We get to transition and I don’t have anything in the changing tent or bags. Everything is right there on the bike and they let us have stuff by the bike just like shorter distances. Nice not mesing with the transition bags.  I get to finally see the ‘pro’ that had entered the race, he is parked right next to me. I had looked up his results from previous races and he has posted some great times.  I was hoping he maybe was taking some time down as I hadn’t seen any results from this year, thus maybe it wouldn’t be a total blowout and I could be somewhat close to him.  He then informed me he had an 8 month old and hasnt been training. Sometimes that means what it sounds like. Other times that he has just been more concise and is still just as fast. Either way, I got a glimmer of hope.  Though, in the back of my mind since I found out he was going,  I kept thinking that it probably won’t even be him that I end up worrying about.

Then it starts to rain.  I hear them calling to the start and, yes, even with getting there early, I am left rushing to put my wet suit on and get to the start.  It doesn’t go on so well when you are starting to get wet. So I make my way over and they announce a delay..then a possible cancelling of the bike portion due to a section of road flash flooded. Great.  About 45′ later they  make the good decision of just having a mandatory dismount to go around the standing 4″ water in the road.  I look for the pro for the swim start. Not really sure why, he posts swim times 10′ faster than me.

I don’t have Michael this year to pace me like I did last year, but find 2 people who did just fine. I usually find somebody that I have a tough time to stay with or that it takes me way more energy to barely pass, and settle in. It took some concentration and I had many times getting disconnected and had to dig a little to get back on. I didn’t race this with any timer on my watch because my HR monitor strap on the garmin had broke so I had switched to wearing only the HR monitor. So I had no idea of the time I came out in the swim. Later find out a 1:04! Hmmph, not sure how that happened considering I was pretty slack on my swimming. But, each course can be measured a bit different so I don’t compare too much.  3′ faster than last year.  As I am running up the ramp and pulling the wet suit down I notice my two pieces of pb/honey/chia bread have fallen out. Luckily they are right there..a little soggy though.

Bike transition is great and off we go. The half IM’ers are on the course already so it won’t be until the first turn around of the 2 loop course until I  will be able to see the leader(s). It looked like about 7′ up, not nearly the deficit I thought it would be..but it is still early. I felt good and cardio wise very relaxed. Being on the Optygen HP really seems to help. But what I was soon to find out was that the muscles didn’t have what the lungs and heart did.

By the end of the first lap, even with the mandatory dismount, I was 4′ up from last year and was in 3 rd position. Just like last year. Only this year I had been passed by a guy at mile 40. That caught me a bit off. But I kept him in site and at 46 almost looked like I was getting closer. After the turn around to head back out for the second lap, he was gone.  There was the ‘non pro’ I was worried about.  As we headed out for the second lap, I felt a bit like I did at the end of the ride last year.  I was carrying 3 bottles ( that new Beaker Concepts water bottle holder worked great! ). I had been sipping on my EFS drinks with about 200 per bottle and  most of 1 EFS Gel Flask ( 400c)and one of my sandwiches already all gone. And I was only56 mi in…hmm, little different than last year.  My wife’s Garmin had been set to tag each mile, so without a HR monitor( it blanked out in the water..so I was racing sans HR) it was a good current pace, rather than relying on ‘average’ speed, which is takes to long to judge from.  But I kept the pace pretty close, but had a rough spell around mile 70…reminiscent of Idaho IM in 2006. All I wanted to do was take a nap. I was feeling the fact I hadnt gotten nearly the amount of  ‘no eating’ rides I did last year, and was feeling the effects this year. I was needing alot more calories than before. I was already through most of my food that was a fine amount last year. This year I was searching for more. I had the gel flask finished, all 3 bottles and the last sandwich were all gone by mile 85 and I started grabbing race course nutrition.  I had prob 400-500c more in gels from the race course. Took my scoop of Pre race I had in a little flask taped to the handlebars and that woke me up. It was like having a little ‘plan b’ secret weapon, even though that is about where I had planned on taking it for the run, just didnt think I would need it for the ride.  I didn’t tank as much as in ‘06, but I did lose some time, coming in just a hair over 5hrs, within a 1′ of last year’s 4:59.

I was going to do this run not at based on trying to chase someone, but rather to try to get through without my usual general blow up. Some years it has been bad run prep, others pushed too hard on bike. The first one, not eating enough etc. So I was going to do a planned walk/run of 8′ running and 30-45″ walking plus a bit in the aid stations and see what I would get. I was getting then about 7:50-8′ miles this way and it felt doable.  That lasted about 9 miles and by then I had passed the ‘pro’ at mile 2.4, but the leader was already 11′ ahead of me. Odd thing, but my quads were shot.  Not even really a ‘cramping’ feeling.  Just like I had done squats for the first time in years with too much weight.  I figured the bike took alot more out of me than I had thought. I never really pulled out of it and I walked and occasionally shuffled, for the next 10-11 miles. I thought it could be calories, but by then I had started eating plenty, and it still didnt help like it usually does when that’s the case. I finally got going about last 6 mi with a 10-11′ pace, but by then, I knew I was damaging some muscle. I had no clue how many I had been passed by and figured I had dropped below the top 20 by then.  It was hard mentally hearing all the “you’re doing great”  ” looking strong” ( HAH!) ” you can do it”(s) and me dealing with the fact they had no clue I had won the thing a year prior.  But it was good for me. Why would they know? Why should they even care.  Most are just impressed we are even out there and I was now amongst those that all had their own struggles and demons to deal with to finish.  I remembered how even last year, most didn’t even know what position I was in while winning, it didn’t really matter.

So I roll in and find out I still got 9th ( there was one relay in there I later found out) 1 hr 10′ slower than last year.  I don’t feel very tired on an overall body fatigue level..just my quads.  I am also disappointed that not only did the guy win, but he killed my last year’s time by 27′.  A time that I know I am capable of getting.  The bar has been set higher. It could be I come back and post a better time, only for someone to better that one on the day too. That has happened to me as well.
I went into the race lighter than the year before, but came home as heavy as the year before. ? . Well, seemed to have some heavy edema after the race. According to the electronic impedance body fat scale on monday, I was up 5lbs of water. Didnt even experience this after my 50mi trail run earlier this summer.  SoI’ll have to look into what possibly caused this besides maybe the micro trauma of the thigh muscles.  There was one thing, peroxynitrite, that has something to do with NO products so will have to look into that. 

So the lack of bike miles, sleep , and stress took their toll. I thought maybe the calories, but I just didnt feel as efficient this year and went through more calories this year and I don’t think I had too many because I never had any gastric upset or bloated feelings either.  I didn’t really crack down until 7 weeks out and even then that was not solid. I did not give Eydie the weekend key day plans like I did last year, so there was a bit more stress in the household. I didn’t get the miles in July and the bike racing I did last year either. Nor did I get a good 4 weeks of good sleep. Right up until departure there was ’stress’. As much as I felt none of it once I got going and there, the effects were still lingering. But, most racers have some level of that going on as well. I have raced well with it before, just depends how long things have been going on.  Rodney had an awesome race. He upped the bar and that only makes me want to go back and drop the time some more. This is what pushes me to get faster, to keep doing this. I know it is doable, it is within reach.  I’ve said before I get by with pretty half ass training really, especially for what I know to do. I of course came home and looked up his times, and everything I could find we are comparable in times, with this one being what looks like his best race to date. My first two parts were on track… yet it is a tri, and that third I just couldn’t hold. I really don’t think even if I did hold it, I am not at that pace just yet and he still would have won.  Ahh, as we always say…NEXT YEAR!

RedMan Training Update Fri 9-18-09

Well, its Friday the day before this years Redman. Attempting an entry from my phone. My luck n I’ll type 3/4 of it and either someone will call or txt and log me out or battery will die or something. Then I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon bummed because I can’t write the same entry 2x
Jim and I left this a.m. and will be arriving in about an hour. So, not to lose too much I’ll try and keep this one short.
I must say, and many times we find ourselves trying to throw our excuses out early so we cover ourselves in case we have a sub par performance, but there is a reality to things. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not already beaten and will be giving it my all, but I sure don’t feel as prepped this year. Many of the key workouts didn’t go the best and we have had the ‘crud’ floating around the house for weeks now. I had my bout for about 3 days, but there seems to be something still lingering.
I didn’t get nearly the sleep in the final 4 weeks I did last year and had a higher stress level all the way to departure as well. All having their effects.
But my racing up till now has been great. My taper? eh…not too sure. Felt like maybe a little too much taper this year. I was sluggish for too many weeks. But you never know and maybe I just needed a little more deep repair. I tell myself that even though I know I didn’t do the same volumes as last year.
I don’t like to do predictions of times as what shows up on race day is what shows up. Sometimes I do my best when going in with the least expectations. Think you’re gonna hammer, and it’s not there, you tend to sink more.
Part of it may be there is at least one guy I know that is gonna be tough to beat. Listed as a ‘pro’ his times are much faster. I love the challenge and will do my best to run him down

RTU ( Redman Training Update) 8-29/30-09 The LLB

I sit here at work playing a bit with the New Leaf Metabolic machine we have at work and I figure…hmm might as well put it on and see my caloric burn rates while sitting here typing.  I know, geek, but I like seeing this stuff.  Usually we test people on a 12 hour fast, but I figure, how often do I really fast and curious what it shows when I go about my day normal. So far..hovering around 1800 cal.
Anyway, back to this weekend. If I remember correctly, 2008 I did my LLB ( last long bike) ride only 2 weekends prior to Redman. Somehow I miss calculated. Did it by weeks and not weekends or something. Anyway, so this year I decided to put it on the weekend it was supposed to be..only I rode 2x instead of just the 1 long day. Why? I guess because some teammates were heading out to Vanderpool ( climbing) and I wanted to go. I really want to get under 5 hrs on the bike again and nothing like a little more strength work .  Not much different in speeds than last year though, but being on Optygen HP this time and MultiV ( both 1st Endurance products), recovery has been better and HR’s way lower.
Last year I think ( will have to check the archives…) but I did somewheres around 120 miles  20mph avg, doing the no breakfast ride ADT training and made it like 80 miles in 4hours before I started taking calories in. Hr had creeped up from 115 to 135 or so and didnt want to go into a full bonk and it worked out great.
RMR ( resting met rate) check- 1950-2000cal
This year, hmph, not so great. Some variables were a bit different though and I am all about the variables. Started 1 hr later than planned, ( which digs into the no eating thing) family was up, little more guilt for going for such a long ride when you aren’t out the door before they are up. There have been sniffles and coughing in the house all week, including me. I had my 3 day cycle of loading my tinctures and pills and it was all breaking up, but could tell it was still in the lungs. Not too worried about it. It is far enough out and erring on the side of rest will only help at this point.
So Saturday’s ride was going to be 135 and though I thought I cut it short since I was feeling flat, still ended up 120. But 7 hours ride time and 8 total. Guess way too much do dah time taking a few pics for FB and txt’ing a sick wife back home. Last year I only had 10′ total minutes between clock and ride time. Avg speed this year just under 18. Bit different course..but still.
So I hit the recovery with a serving of Ultragen before a quick ice bath and send Eydie off to solitude while I make dinner and put kiddos to bed. This would hopefully help for the fact I was going to be gone again all day Sun. No nap as I would have liked..but the stress reduction in the household was probably a bigger help in terms of recovery.
RMR check- still hovering around 1800’s. Hold on , doing some relaxation, not typing in the blog, eyes closed….hmm, …got it down to 1600 and % BFat usage climbed a bit.
Where was I? Oh, so legs felt heavy and no snap…all day…until 100 miles in. Even then still not the best. Now I know you’re saying, well jeez, you didn’t eat anything. No. I can tell the difference and have done this many times before without feeling like this. What I have found sometimes over the years is in these final weeks the body seems to try to teeter into shut down mode to get into full repair, something many don’t allow as they try to train hard for too long thinking they can squeeze that last bit of improvement out in the final two weeks…not gonna happen. You’re growth or any improvement is done and really, that only occurs the most..when you finally let it repair…at the cellular level..deep down. I have some of my best racing after 3-4 weeks of forced time off with 1 hard effort each week.
So as it teeters on that, you tend to get sluggish. I am trying to hold it off for another week as I don’t want to fully go into it.
Back to the ride. Got to ride a new road. Since I don’t get on as many really long rides anymore, when I finally get out there, I like to hit at least one new road. I was also testing some EFS electrolyte  prototype version of the stuff I usually race with.  Since I usually have been just eating normal food and water only, I figured if I was going to use this stuff in the race, like they say, test it out. With the sluggish legs I still follow through with the not eating ( taking into account the late start) and make it about 3:45 before I decide to eat. I have my one piece of bread with PB/Honey and Chia seed and a 200cal serving of EFS Fruit. By the end of the ride I have had another piece of bread pb/h/ch and an EFS bar ( 250) and 600 more cal for a grand total of roughly 1200
cal. They increased the sodium in the prototype I had no problems,  all things good. No prob with the heat or anything.
Sun a.m. I need to leave by 5 at the latest..and I don’t. I leave at about 5:15 and doh! need gas. Long to short, I’m late, don’t see any cars at the cabin. Figuring they are back leaving maybe from town ( 10mi back) and deciding either I missed em or they’ll catch up( it was dark still at the predesg. 7am start time so thought maybe..)
I park on the side of the road that leads to the cabin and head out figuring if they are behind they’ll catch up. Never saw them. Oh well, had a great 96 mile ride , cooler temps, in some of the best riding we have it TX ( or that I have been in). I saw maybe 5 cars in the first 3 hours of riding, ( only 1 passing) fantastic!  5hrs 20 minutes and slightly faster avg than yesterday with tons more climbing. 1 flat tire and about 1000 calories as 8 servings of Grape EFS prototype and 1 EFS bar. Took a little dip in the river to cool the legs and headed home. Had to stop for a car nap…better safe than sorry.
All things seem on track.  I have been tracking %BF and hydration this time around since I took all those measurements last year and so far so good. I must have done good this weekend on hydration because I had been 2-3lbs under avg water content and even after all the miles this weekend I am back up. So currently compared to last year’s date:
9/02/08        9/01/09
149                     146
5.6%                  3.6%
103lbs water      103lbs water
141 lbs LW            141 lbs LW

since the water content matches ( bio-electrical impedance scale) then I can say the numbers are pretty comparative. I don’t really try to manipulate my calories nor count them to change weight but it seems to be working out good.  I don’t want to be any leaner and prob the last 2 weeks it will go up a bit going into the race.
I will be skipping the next two Tuesday night group rides then go the week of the race to start opening the legs back up. I have the last long swim to do still, which at this point I am another week out of swimming due to the slight cough/phlegm I didn’t want to aggravate.  So my usually poor swim will be suffering even more this year I believe and without MJ as my pacer this year, I am a bit worried I will be losing time here. One more ride /run/ride block attempt too but not quite the length of the last one. Stay tuned.

So I stand up for a bit and walk back and forth..still have the mask on mind you..RMR goes to 2200-2300 calories…that’s why I have to eat a lot. When you add that to 1-2 hours a day of training…3500+  though many eat that..without the exercise

Wurst Tri Ever Sprint Triathlon Race Report

As I am doing a mass update on the blog..I will attempt to keep this one short…yeah right!  Sun Aug 23rd was the first Wurst Tri Ever put on by Redemption Race productions. Their attempt at putting one on at Landa Park in New Braunfels, home of Wurst Fest,  I think went well.  A lot of traffic to control getting us out on the bikes I heard.  Swimming in a spring fed pool was neat too.  A staggered start isn’t my favorite as I like to know where everyone is at.  I still go ahead and seed myself towards the front to minimize the congestion I have to get through everyone on the bike, and I am not too far back from the faster swimmers.  Maybe next year they will use this huge slide they have and have us slide down into the start.. I like different stuff like that, others it freeks them out. But Redemption  likes doing stuff a little different.

I am about 15th getting in and promptly get passed by 3-4 people in the just under 400m swim..dang I just suck in the water!  They have a prime( pronounced ‘preem’) for the fastest time up the first big hill out of town, and though it prob isnt the best thing to jack the HR to max right at the start of your  TT , I figure what the heck..you put it out there, I’ll bite.  I don’t quite 100% it and hope that is good.  Legs definitely feeling yesterday’s run ( see previous post).

I reel in everyone by the turnaround 7 mi out except for the 2 I didn’t think I would. Jack Alexander and young Jake Broyles.  This leads into a chase on the run and even though I figure since they started ahead of me I think I have it now within 30″..I still feel compelled to catch them anyway.  If I am going to win , I don’t want to cross the line in 3rd..then they say you won because of the staggered start.  I am surprised I can still run this hard after yesterday.  I go hard the first mile, ease up the second, then hammer the third and catch em both.  Put myself completely anaerobic and blow up about the last 1/4 mile.  Feels awesome to pull it off!

So I end up with the overall, but a fellow bike racer Allan Abel,  out for his first tri,  gets the hill prime and the fastest bike split by  a mere 20 something seconds..bummed, but like I said, the legs were pretty shot from the run so not too bummed   Plus, had the fastest run split…the day after a 26 mile run! Now it was a 19:11,  which by usual competition wouldn’t pull that off..but it did for today.

Hats off to the race promoters, volunteers and the park police for a great race. The rest of the competitors for getting through a hot and hilly race, many it was their first one.  Great location I think..I missed the Church traffic though so there might have been some glitches there I didn’t experience.  And congrats to Jake Broyles, the 15 year old that got 2nd place..he’s gonna be a tough one in this sport!  Only got him by 1:26 on the bike!  Jack, at 55 still killin it.

I think that is it for the racing before RM…there might be one more in Boerne..but I  might just pass this time.

So, again, happy that the heel held up because the speed usually gets it too,  and here it is 2 days later and it is fine. I think I will be able to go into the Redman with it in much better shape than last year.  I have been dilligent in getting that post race Ultragen serving in after each workout and each race and it seems to really be helping.  The Optygen HP of course seems to really be keeping me handling the training work loads and still being able to race well.  I mean, I felt pretty dang good racing after running 26 mi the day before!!

Not quite there yet Redman training update

Actually, things are coming along pretty good I think.  Each time I doubt it, I pull off a good workout.  It seems to generally fall into place these last 4-5 weeks.  The weekend after winning Masters at the Darndst Du State Championship,  I did the Tues night ride with some hard sustained efforts. It is still tough to judge everything because we have had 100+ degree weather for months now and these rides are just hot! If anything, I should be acclimated for anything come race day.

Well, I had a bit of scheduling messed up that a.m. and then into the afternoon, and I couldn’t put off some of these key days anymore so, downed an EFS Gel flask on the way back to the car after the 50 mi group ride and did a 10 mile run . I really didn’t want to keep staying up late, but figured I would be anyway so might as well do the run as planned. Ran down the River Walk from Bluestar Brewery. Very nice.  I hadn’t been on that section before.  Came top side for a bit through downtown then back down on the river and ran the new river extension we ran for the Moon Run recently.  It is really nice.  Took that to the Pearl Brewery and back. My Garmin didn’t seem to be reading accurately being sub street level.  I was wondering because I kept upping the pace a bit to neg split and it just didn’t seem to be doing it until the last 2mi I ran topside and then I saw some low 7’s instead of 10′ miles..so in the end it was going fine. Recover again with a serving of Ultragen…mmm orange creamcicle.

Thurs I attempted my Ride/Run modification of a workout someone sent me from one of the women pro’s.  It was a riding workout…I added the running. I thought I was going to do ok with it all until the final 30 minute ride and I could tell I was just cooked.  Really, this is fine though, as it now gives me something to try to complete.  Two, I got to test out the 1st Endurance EFS prototype electrolyte drink, no problems there.  It still has  a subtle taste and now without the sucralose ( yeah!). No stomach upset from the amino acid brand change or increases in sodium and quality of cal/mag.  I went through about 5 servings during this workout as I was inside on a trainer with no fan and running outside in 100+ degrees. I decided not to use pre-race for this workout as I had used it for the Du and the Tues nighter and some of the local crits and would be using it for the upcoming tri as well.  So sometimes I want to give the body a little break since I seem to be able to take more and it gets easier to over train if not careful I think.

I will try again with the same wattage, but if I can’t get through it again..I prob will have to bring those down a bit and work towards it over the winter for next year.

So the workout was:

30′ at 200 watts 90 rpms / 4 mi run

20′ @ 210 w    / 3mi run

10′ @ 220 w / 2mi run

20′ @ 200w/ 3mi run

30′ @ 210 w/ 4mi run ( so this was the part I didnt get through)

Idea as well is for each of the runs to get slightly faster. It is a big day and I was already at 3.5+ hours w/ transitions and messing with the Vo2 machine and all ( was trying to get some caloric burn rates data…which proved to be interesting) .  Prob would have been better to put this on a weekend day as it is 16mi of running.

Anyway, not sure if I will have time to fit in another attempt before the race, but it gives me a little benchmark.

Saturday saw my LLR ( Last Long Run) – Decided to follow through with it even though I was racing a sprint Tri the next day. After all, RedMan is the goal.  I had figured on 20-22 mi or so and for once, didn’t really map it out and headed out the door.  This was also being done as a no breakfast, water only run until needed.

I headed out Babcock rd. towards scenic loop and that was basically 7 miles of a gradual uphill..so there goes the average. A lot of 10-13′ mi in there to keep HR low.  After that it was good.  About mile 14 I decided to start playing with the walk /run stuff again…musta been because I was finally catching up on my IMTalk podcasts and that was the subject of the day.  It has worked in the past and I am really tossing the idea of using it for Redman.  So I was just doing 30-40″ walks at the beginning of each mile, then running 7:25-7:35 pace and ending up gradually clicking off 7:54 per mile range including the walks.  Problem was I had overshot where I ran to and ended up with 26mi on the dot.  Some would have just continued around the block to get that .2 to make the marathon..but I didn’t.  It was hot and I was done.

I had made it to about 3hrs 20 min before I hit my markers for the calories. I had a little flask of home mix of water, agave, 2 scoops Chia seeds and a serving of EFS prototype.  Drank about 3/4 that and it was enough to get me home over the next 30′ no prob.  Since I raced the next morning I wanted to have a good recovery so as not to dig too deep.  Time for more testing, took my serving of Ultragen recovery drink when I got home,  hit the ice bath, then a PB/Honey on Ezekiel bread sandwich and a big fruit smoothy and a couple more pieces of fruit. Took a nap and then another serving of Ultragen when I got up.   My heel was feeling it a bit and I could tell during the walk breaks it was hurting.  I thought it was really going to be wrecked. Since I am posting this after the race weekend,  It actually held up good and is feeling the best it has in months.  A good dinner and Sun raced the sprint tri…race report in the next post!

Darndest Du State Champ!! *

So I headed back up to the San Marcos Outlet Malls for this years Darndest Duathlon. A 5k run 30k bike 5k run. Since it falls during Ironman prep, I repeated what we did last year and that was to ride up to packet pickup the day before. Last year it was close to 100 miles I believe. This year we started @ a different place so closer to 85 I guess. However, this year I went down early and ran with the Team Trisomy Marathon group and did 8 mi with the kiddos in the double.
So I got plenty in Saturday. I know people always say there is now way they would put that much in the day before a race..but I wasnt really keying on it,  two, didn’t go hard at all and come race day, you just push a little harder. Coming from a bike racing background, if we can do a 80-100 road race hard then turn around the next day and race a 1-1.5hr Crit..why then can’t I do a much easier, controlled ride and still not be able to race well.
The winner from last year was returning and he is a low 5′ mi runner, so I knew overall was outta the question. I was keying in on the Master’s title though. And since I won last year after 6 weeks off running due to a crash at the Austin Crit, figured I could have a chance this year.
Stats in the end: almost identical run splits as last year and a faster bike split, I go about 2 minutes faster than ‘08. Yorek goes 5:10’s or something and is 4minutes faster than HIS time last year! It was close in the masters as I was 8th after the first run with some 50+yr old guys running sub 6’s! But in the end, I get em on the bike and hold em off on the run.  Goal was to get the State Duathlon Master’s title..check. Got some cash too and a pair of Etonic shoes. Haven’t worn that brand yet.  Hopefully they will work out as I need a pair before Redman! My racing flats are beyond their miles by far.

* oh and the “*” once again ( like the Windcrest Tri) is for the fact that some guys in the first group missed a crucial turn. I suspect Yorek was too far ahead, and 2nd place took 3-5 guys straight. NOt sure how the overall would have faired for me, but Masters was not affected that I could tell.  I feel for them..but like they always say..gotta know the course.

So I have been doing mostly endurance work during the week. Some threshold stuff,  and the really maxed efforts/speed work,  at the races.  Up next is/was( since I am doing these all in a row!) the Wurst Tri in New Braunfels.

2009 year end challenge

Well, 2008 saw a ‘pass’ on the year end challenge. Since they seem to be ‘running’ challenges instead of just anything, I had to bail because my heel was still bugging me most of the year. Made it through Redman IM and the San Antonio half, but it just wasn’t ready for the task I still have at hand.
So we’ll see. The last few weeks have been positive for the heel now that I have been running in my racing flats exclusively. This past Sat did a 26 mi run with minimal repercussions and followed it with a sprint tri the next day ( not a normal thing to do) and won the overall and had the fastest run split ( 19:11 5k..so the competition wasn’t too stiff ) But heel still feels 98% after all that and pretty confidant it will hold up now through Redman in Sept.
I am contemplating San Antonio’s Rock n Roll, but as usual $$ fee is getting in the way. Either way, still thinking on doing the year end challenge and have already put the bug back in Corey’s ear. We’ll see…

Is Your Ironman making you Fat?

As many of my personal training clients know, I am really into a lot of the ‘other’ things that go into optimizing health and physical ability. Being that I get by being somewhat competitive at 41 years old on what I would call pretty half ass training, I have to try to get help in all the little things outside of the actual riding, swimming and running.

Without going too much into it here and I don’t use much of it with all my clients, the one thing I will say, there seems to be way more out there in the world of health and performance than what is fed to us through the marketing giants.  Yes, a lot you hear from what’s out there makes you think ‘conspiracy theory’ .  The thing is, over the years, from personal training, my own training, Bikram yoga, massage therapy, Rolfing,  chiropractics, and holistic information, they all seem to have common links about body alignment, glandular and hormonal balance,  though approached in different ways.

Some really interesting info about metabolic typing and cell/ energy production, cancer, etc.  Recently I have gotten into a guy named Sean Croxton from www.undergroundwellness.com . One of my fellow trainers who also believes there is more to weight management than calories in/ out led me to one of his videos on cortisol.  I then went into his blog talk radio show and downloaded his 1+hr long interviews with leading researchers in the ‘alternative’ world of health. This one blew me away ” Am I dead? ” by Fred Hughes  as well as the Paul CHEK interview ( that’s a long one).

From the benefits of Raw Milk to the dangers of Soy products..some very interesting stuff.  But mostly, what I run into with athletes as they start trying to take upon the 70.3 to full IM distances, or a marathon without the proper build up beyond 18 weeks if they are off the couch, is a loss of good body composition and in ability to get any faster.  Anyway, if you can get past Sean’s ” yo yo wass up”  he hits upon all the stuff I have been learning in the last few years.  Check out one of his videos here that is exactly what I am talking about.

So, like I said before. Since I haven’t been getting the sleep and training I should be, I try to at least eat as clean as I can ( well, except the ice cream…still gotta finish that Coney Island entry!)  80/20, and minimize the outside toxins that the cells in my body and liver have to deal with.  The less they are working on detoxing my body, the more they can work on repairing it from the workouts I do get in. This includes cleaner, more chemical free body products ( shampoo, soaps etc) and fluoride-less toothpaste ( good interview on that one) and just cleaner, less packaged, processed foods.  Yes, I got away with some pretty crummy foods in my early racing years and downed my share of Gatorade, but that stuff all catches up as it deteriorates the inside slowly.   But I feel if I am to continue to be competitive, then the little things matter even more now. The fact that there are faster people in my age group and above that could possibly just be fast because they have the time to train more ( or they plain sleep more than me , but most I’m sure don’t know or apply half this stuff  dealing with the  total package of athleticism and body efficiency.  As I continue to learn and apply….and one day sleep more regularly, I will continue to try to exceed my current abilities and pass on what I learn to help others exceed theirs. My fastest IM came 4 years after my first…and I know it can get faster!

Redman Training Update Wed 29th

So I bag the Tues night group ride yesterday,  figuring I will try to get ot bed earlier.  I finally got in the pool for 3000m and it wasnt so bad when I actually follow something I give my clients. But I try for my hill repeats and the body just says no. I stretch and just feel plain lethargic. So I figure with having to not have to get up for once so early, I try to get an actual 8 hours of sleep.

Dane for once  doesnt get up at 4:30 or 5 but 5:45 finally. I get him back to bed and then in and out of sleep till almost 7. I am on the bike by 8am and had decided to do a modified workout I had read from Julie Dibens.  She didn’t include the run portions..I added those.

I end up not getting through the whole workout as planned since I started late and we were going to go to Cascade Caverns and there is a narrow window between naps.

Anyway, I am on the no eating, water only plan for these low zone workouts so the following was done that way.

20min 220watts ( HR 135-138)

3 mi run -  7:58, 8:10 (hill) 7:14  ( HR 138-140)

10 min 240 watts ( HR 140-144)

2 mi run ( each run then is slightly faster than last)   7:39, 7:25 ( HR 144)

5 min 260 watts ( HR only reaches 153…been on the Optygen HP for few weeks now so the Hr never seems to go as high  for how it feels)

1mi run 7:21 or so and HR 150-155   ( after this took 1 gel and 1 serv EFS)

10 min 220 watts  (HR 143-150 by the end)

2 mi run 7:44 7:12  ( HR 144-150)

20 min 240 watts  ( didnt get this or the last run done)

3 mi run

Each run slightly faster throughout. I didn’t get the last 20 min effort or run in so I was sort of bummed. But I could tell I was struggling on the 10 min 220 and Hr /effort were starting to not match.  I had to give in and take some calories in with a little EFS, but it was over.  The thing with the ADT training is once you hit that point, you arent supposed to just ride yourself into a full bonk.  Figured then I would get some recovery and do some weights later in the eve.  The runs were good starting in the high 7’s and then into the low 7’s by the end with HR still in the 145-150 range.  Could feel getting tough to keep form( forefoot) on the second 2 miler. The rides started at 135 and hit 153 for the 5 min 260 watt effort. A little below where I was last year I think..but I can’t find that info right now.

Variables involved in today’s workout.

• went to bed hours earlier than I have in weeks ( maybe months) at 9:30 and slept till 5:45 then in and out till 7.
• I usually then have eaten in the later hours ( midnight..1 am.) and then in the a.m. ( 4:30 to 5 or so)  so roughly only 4-5 hours between the night before.
• didnt start riding until 8 so with the above time frame I was running close to 11 hours no food just starting out. This was not the usual since my body was used to getting late night food.
• Little stressed in getting set up. the children were up, the radio didnt work, the set up of computrainer was taking too long …blah blah blah. But finally got going.

• pressure to be done at a certain time. Had I got up at 5:30 like I said I was going to and on the bike by 6, then the workout might have been different.

So the not eating workout was messed up a bit, but I will try again over the next few weeks. I am hoping to get to the 30, 20 , 10, 20, 30  that she had down and I will put in a 5, 3, 2, 3, 5 run in there as well for 18 total miles. Never really done the whole thing so will be interested to try it out.  It is a neat way to break it up and if you start the run slower and neg split the whole way, something about those breaks works.   I hope to get to this by about 5 or 6 weeks out but we’ll see. I usually want the LLD in there 6 weeks out.  This should be done 8 weeks out.   Julie’s workout has the ride portion only and it is one of her benchmark 70.3 workouts.  She even then adds some higher watt work intervals afterwards! She’ s a machine. My goal was to be able to do her watts .  Anyway, so I added the runs and made it for my IM Full workouts.

Oh and her watts were 30′/220,   20′/230,    10′/ 240,    20′/ 220, 30′/ 230. Then sometimes intervals in the 300+ range.

So since I didnt get the whole workout in as I wanted I went and did a bit of leg weights this evening so its all good. Thurs a.m. will try to get in a 6mi tempo run. I am up later than planned again, but messing with the broken links on the website sucked up too much time..and they are still broke!  I might try the workout again using the longer ride portions on Sunday if I dont do the TT.

River Ranch Triathlon Result

One of these days I’ll get quicker at writing race reports. Last Sat July 25th was the River Ranch Triathlon outside of San Marcos. Put on by Seidel Productions, it was #3 race in Tri Sition Area’s Alamo Tri Series. A new venue using one of those man made ski lakes like Texas Ski Ranch. 400m swim 22..5k bike and 5k run. I thought, cool, a short swim so I shouldnt lose too much time there. Although if we remember from the Windcrest tri..I can.
Jack Alexander, who has gotten faster on the bike this year, was there and usually people I don’t really know since I am real bad at knowing my competition. It doesnt really make me race any different anyway.
We get put up front for the single file entry for the swim which is nice because it lets all the ‘fast guys’ really know where each other is at and can go almost head to head.
Well, the swimming 1x a week showed and I got passed by at least 2 or 3 in 400m!
Well, so I lose 1:44 to eventual winner, Yancey Arrington,  I get 14sec back in T1, LOSE 39 sec on the bike, ( which I was bummed about..supposed to get that bike split! Gain 20sec back in T2 then barely another 8 sec in the run. So usually I can make up the swim deficit, but not when they are good all around themselves.
Other than the swim being off, the bike didnt feel the best , but wasnt bad either and the run I was happy to stay in the low 6’s and form was good staying very mid to forefoot finally. Training in my racing flats has really helped out last few weeks. River Ranch Tri Results
Chad Childers wins out on fastest T1 and T2! Ugh, I try for that too. I was pretty close though
So a 2nd overall and first in the Masters division I now am classified in. Rival Jack had a flat in the first 1/2 mi as well as another contender looked to have some mechanical issues so not sure how it all woulda turned out had they been in there.
Definitely need to get back in the water and crack down. Next up is this weekends tri day camp we are putting on and then the Britton’s TT on Sun I havent decided on yet or not. Then Aug 8-9th is State Time Trial and Team Time Trial. This year it is in Castroville…nice!
Then the Darndest DU in San Marcos. That is supposed to be my LLD weekend so I havent quite figured out how I’m going to work around that..it IS State Duathlon Championships. Then onto Redman Full IM in Sept. Also, feeling a bit behind schedule there. I have been trying to get my video archive going for the training site so been getting spread thin.