Training Week Ending April 28, 2012

A much needed recovery week after my 70.3 last weekend.  I was also traveling so it forced me to take it easy as well.  No bike and no pool to swim.  I ran 3 days this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Today I went for an easy bike ride of 19 miles.  Back to my normal schedule next week and will get some good speed work in on the bike.  I will probably even ride indoors on Thursday to get great controlled workout.

Chattahoochee Challenge Half Race Report

Race day turned out to be a beautiful day.  Everyone was concerned is was going to be raining with a chance of thunderstorms as was predicted all the way up until Friday.

The stats:

Finish Time: 4:58:42
Swim (1.2 miles): 29:36
T1: 2:11
Bike (56 miles): 2:42:31
T2: 0:35
Run (13.1 miles): 1:43:51



Swim:  The swim was in the Chattahoochee river with the first 3/4 of a mile downstream and the final leg swimming into the current.  Although the current wasn't very strong, it was enough to let you know it was there.  One of the anchors on the dock we were starting on broke free and the dock would shift whenever someone would dive or push off the dock into the water.  When we were told to go, I almost fell off into the water.  The swim downstream went fairly well, although I could feel I wasn't completely ready for this distance swim.  Once I made it to the bouy and made the turn back, I was struggling to keep moving forward.  I was really beginning to hurt in my chest and side.  I was passed by a few people here.  Come to find out later, I had a great swim and only a handful of people were out of the water before me.  I haven't been swimming the way I should have over the past few month.  In fact for the month of April leading up to this race I had only swam 3000 meters and didn't swim but 2000 for the month of February.

Swim Start

T1: I ran up the boat ramp removing my wetsuit down to my hips as I finished the run to the bike.  Once I got to the bike, I pulled the wetsuit down stepped on it to get it off my feet and that is when my calf seized up with a nasty little cramp.  I quickly stretched it pulled the wetsuit off the rest of the way.  I put on my number belt, helmet, socks and grabbed my bike and started running for the mount line.  I didn't do such a great job getting on the bike. A bit wobbly at first, but I got it done.  Should I say I need to practice my mount with my water bottle on the back.



Bike: I knew the bike course fairly well since I ride portions of it almost everytime I ride so it was an advantage for me.  My goal on the bike was to ride at about 20.5 mph through the first 20 miles before we hit the hilly portion of the course and then let it play out from there.  I knew the return trip was fast and I didn't want to burn the legs out before I made the turnaround.  I was holding steady to my plan until a little after mile 10 I heard a click, click, click, click and I couldn't figure out what was going on at first.  I thought maybe somehow my computer sensor was hitting the magnet on the wheel.  So I stopped to investigate, sure enough the magnet came loose.  I slide it down and off I went and as I shifted gears my chain came off, which has never happened to me on my tri bike.  I fixed it without getting off the bike.  I was riding with my Garmin 310, GPS for speed and distance so I didn't need the computer sensor on the wheel, but low and behold it wasn't picking up my speed or distance now. I was fiddling with it for the next 1/2 mile or so when I finally gave up on it.  Roughly 12 miles into it my Garmin still registered 10.6 miles and my speed was steady dropping since the time was still running but it wasn't registering as though I was moving.  At this point my plan went out the window and now I was just riding by feel.  Sometime before mile 13 the Garmin started working again, but I was already thrown off my game and had no idea how fast I was really averaging.  At approximately mile 22 I was passed for the first time on the bike and it was fellow Unthinkable teammate Edward Wallace.  Go Edward!  He was flying (taking 3rd overall).  Since this was an out and back course I had no idea where I was compared to the rest of the competitors.  As I was nearing the turnaround I started counting competitors as they were coming back up the hill.  I  counted 5, but with a wave start it really didn't mean anything other than I had a much better swim than I thought.  Once I mad the turn and made it up that hill, it was fast course the remainder of the trip back to transition.  I averaged 20.7 mph for the 56 mile course. Never in my life would I have thought I would have rode that fast for 56 miles. A 5 minute personel record on the bike leg.

Getting Ready to Dismount Bike

T2: Off the bike at the mount line, bike racked helmet off, visor on, shoes on and water bottle in hand and off I went in 35 seconds through the transition.

Run: I felt good coming off the bike although I knew I pushed pretty hard on the bike. My plan was to run a 7:45 mile.  I started off a little fast with a 7:33 mile, but then I settled into my pace for mile 2, 3, 4 and 5.  I was feeling great not pushing too hard. Through mile 6 I thought this was going to be my race and finish strong. Both 1/2 Iron distance races I done before I fell apart on the run, but not this time I felt great.  Mile 7 and 8 went well and then it happened. Out of nowhere the body said no more. The legs felt fine but I was beginning to get side cramps and then the legs said no more. When I made it to the next aid station I grabbed some pretzels and downed the last of my drink mix. I would run for as long as I could and then walk for 10 to 20 seconds and run again.  Sometime shortly after mile 11 I felt better and began to run the rest of the way.  I started doing the math in my head, could I break the 5 hour mark.  This thought got my mind off the legs and I began to run and run as hard as my body would let me at this point.  My legs and body were hurting from the cramping I had through miles 9, 10 and 11, but I knew it would be close to a 5 hour half-iron distance race.  As I made the last turn and could see the finish line I was running with everything I had left. I made the finish in just under 5 hours. A goal I had set for this year, but not for this race.

Final Push to Finish

Nutrition plan:  My nutrition plan was simple. Hydrate early before the race with sports drink and water. On the bike, I had my watch set for every 20 minutes to remind me to eat taking in roughly 240 calories an hour, plus I had a drink mix of gatorade and Base Amino which would round me up over 300 calories an hour.  On the run I carried a bottle mixed with gatorade and Base Amino and 3 gels.  This is where I failed to calculate properly or execute my plan. I didn't drink enough on the run nor did the gatorade provide enough electrolytes to sustain me and I didn't take my gels as planned.  I was feeling good on the run remember, I didn't need it. It caught up to me. I think if I would have taken the gels and grabbed some drinks on the course early on I would have been fine throughout the entire run.

My new goal for the year is to improve my run after coming off the bike. I can run, I am not fast, but I should be able to sustain a 7:45 pace.  The run is where I lost ground compared to my competitors.

Training Week Ending 14 April 2012

What an exciting week in the Lord!  God is so great and I am thankful that He has given me grace and salvation.

"He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go." - Psalm 91:11
"Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of age." - Matthew 28:20
"The Lord will work out his plans for my life." - Psalm 138:8

Although I didn't get to work out the way I would have liked this week, it was a great week of training.  Since I had a 24 hour duty and didn't train at all on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Friday I picked up my "new" used wheels and was able to ride them on Saturday. They felt fast, but not sure if that was because I took two days off or not.  I am excited for the Chattahochee Challenge Half Iron distance race on Saturday (April 21).

This weeks totals:

Sunday: Rest
Monday: 14 Mile Run - I felt awesome throughout the run
Tuesday: 2000 meter swim / 15 Mile Bike - 5 x 3 min sprints with 3 min recovery
Wednesday/Thursday: 24 hour duty - no workouts
Friday: 6 Mile Run - 6 x 100 meter striders
Saturday: 28.5 Mile Bike / 2.66 Mile Run Brick Workout

Swim: 2000 Meters
Bike: 44.82 Miles
Run: 22.66 Miles

May God provide me protection and rest throughout the next training week.

Happy Training Everyone.

Training Week Ending 7 April 2012

A week of traveling which altered my normal training path.  Although I was out of my norm, I did have a great week of training finishing the week of with a 62 mile bike ride.  I wasn't able to get in a swim all week, more out of choice due to the inconvenience of going to a pool I am not familiar and it would have been in the evening verses morning or lunch.

Monday: 15 miles on the trainer doing Spinerval Lean and Mean and flew to Seattle.
Tuesday: Double - 11 mile run in the a.m. and 6 mile run in the p.m.
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: 10.5 mile run and late night flight home.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: 62 mile bike ride

Two rest days isn't normal for a week training but it did feel good and both came out of complete laziness, not intentional rest day.  That is what happens when I get thrown of my normal routine.

Saturday's bike ride ended horribly.  One of the guys I was riding with crashed when a deer ran out in front of him and it happened at the worst time possible as he was aero coming down a hill resulting in a collapsed lung and broken ribs.  He will be in the hospital until Wednesday with approximately 3 weeks of recovery.