Platte River Half Recap

I got up at 6:40 and had half a bagel with pb and a glass of water while I checked the weather report. Predicted was an overcast day with a high of 41* during the race. Too cold for a tank top and shorts.

I got to the race site an hour early with enough time to tape my feet, mount my bib number and chip, check my shoes and running fuel. As an added precautionary measure I also wore smartwool cushioned socks to protect my feet from the pounding. I followed that up with a short warm up of no more then a 10 min jog around and some drills. By this time the sun started to shine as well, the temps were debatable warm enough to go with selves and shorts but I decided to keep the wind pants and Under Armour on. Id rather be hot than cold on a run.



The race stared promptly at 9am and I had good position in the middle of wave 1 (of 3 waves), standing next to a few familiar faces including some of my other Runners Roost teammates (of whom I knew were going to smoke me in this race). My race plan was as follows:

Go out no faster then 7:25 first mile
Hit 8 miles under an hour
22 min final 5k

Drink water at mile 4
water, Gel, and Powerade at mile 6
water mile 8
Powerade mile 10



I didn't deviate from that plan all that much, but like in any race, there are always factors out of your control that you can not plan for. I went out out at 7:14 pace the first mile, really smooth and controlled. So most of that pace must have been due to the amount of downhill inclination. At about 800m in I had a twinge in my left hip flexor and feared that I had pulled it due to my limited warm up but I was able to take a few leaps on the fly and stretch it out enough that the pain went away. In mile 2 not much changed, we traded windy streets for the windy Platte River Path again @7:17 pace. Waiting at the conclusion of this mile was the first water station which was run by Runners Roost volunteers, where I did take a small sip to wet my mouth/lips and tried to slap some high fives without getting too excited. After all I had a lot of race left to run at this point.

With no major problems I settled into a 7:25 pace and marched on. I tried to tuck behind people when I could and stay out of the strong headwind. I stuck to the plan alternating water and Powerade at each stop (however they were not at every 2 mile mark so at some points I was getting a bit dehydrated). At 2 of the stops I actually walked a few steps in order to take in more fluids without making myself choke, it truly is the best method as long as you can get yourself moving back at pace afterwords.

I passed through the 8 mile mark under an hour and I knew I was going to be able to finish, I was on pace for a strong half marathon debut of 1:36. However, my legs grew tired at @9 miles, neck got stiff and my feet hurt but a lot less then they had during my longer training runs. Mile 9 has a mental barrier associated with it (which I was successful in overcoming in training runs), its the mile marker where I stopped and withdrew from the race in the Syracuse 70.3 (click here to read why.)
At @10.5 miles I really started to fall apart, I slowed as my legs grew heavy and each stride was a fight against the wind and foot pain. My training buddy Chris had finally caught up to me, we conversed a little and I just couldn't hang on with him. I swear as the miles increased, so did the wind! My bare minimum half marathon SLR training just didn't take into account the extra energy needed for this added factor.

Mile 12 was a great sight but it brought the only uphill portion of the downhill race, a 1000m overpass. I barely had enough left in the tank to take this hill, and I probably could have walked faster then I was running. I overcame the last obstacle and just like my finish at the Virginia Beach 8k I made the last turn, opened up my stride and finished like a champ.



Other then the wind I think it was a great course. I was surprised to see so many fans out there on the path and the volunteers did a great job at the water stations, esp. the Roost Volunteers! I was happy that I didn't have any stomach issues, I didn't have to stop to go to the bathroom, I didn't feel light headed and my foot blisters weren't nearly as bad as I thought they were going to be. I could still walk. Just a year ago my longest run was around 3-4 miles and now I'm a half marathon finisher. Its a long race, and great personal accomplishment but I'm not sure that this distance is ideal for me. Only time will tell though as I progress into a hardened endurance athlete and continue my switch over from pole vaulter.




The day after my knees/ankles were really sore and my quads had a dull soreness. Weak legs, I wouldn't even think of taking a run/jog but I did get into the pool.

Two days after my quads were even more sore, my knees were fine but my systems were a bit shaken up. Just like a few days after my 70.3 I found that my bladder had no capacity at all. At least I'm hydrated.



Coming up: Its time to start tri training, I have 7 Weeks till my first sprint Tri. Next race is 5/1 the Cherry Creek Sneak 5 miler.

Mile Splits:

1. 7:14
2. 14:28
3. 21:46
4.
5.
6. 44:25
7.
8. 58:18
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
13.1= 1:41:43
Over All Pace= 7:46

AG 43/137
Sex 176/893
OA 234/2235

100 Mile Month!

http://www.trifuel.com/training/run/ironman-athletes-stop-running-long-on-sunday

With the inclusion of my post work 8 mile run on Platte River Path (pre race course run) I've hit a 100 mile month! My previous best was about 66 back in July/Aug. and around this time last year I had only run 47 miles in March. The weather is only going to get better and more inspiring too... See you out on the roads.

8.1 at 7:24 pace.

Long Run Fail

Check out the movie


My intention today was to get in a long run that would test me mentally and physically in preparation for the Platte River Half Marathon (1/2Mary). I wanted to break down some barriors and get in an 11 mile run (which would have become my longest to date).

Well its not xmas, its not my birthday, its not even summer.. so we dont always get what we want. The set up (no these are not excuses, these are the facts): I biked 16 miles yesterday over rolling hills, at a fast pace on my new ISM seat with the winds howling and 50* temps. Its safe to say that I had underlying soreness, but this was a key run in my half marathon training. I was forced to run this as an out and back instead of my usual looping long run around Boulder Res due to the Boulder Half marathon being raced. I dont like to run more then 6 miles without water if I can help it (more so in the summer months, but its important to keep hydrated). I was on a gradually inclining gravel path with the occasional caddle crossing by.

I went out at my usual long run start pace of 7:35, blasted my music and hit the path. I passed by kick ass pro runner Renee Metivier Baillie around mile 3 going the other direction and she was moving! Its so inspiring seeing pros out on runs and rides in Boulder. However I continued to slow down, my legs grew heavy and I started to get blistered sore feet at mile 5. I stopped at the car for water and to refuel at mile 7 and somehow forced myself to go out for another 2 miles. It was painful and slow, it was painfully slow!

8.96miles Pace=7:54

Initial ISM Review

Today I took my first ride on my new Adamo Road ISM seat and since my new Felt bike hasn't come in yet, I was forced to mount it on my Cannondale road bike. Its a process in getting the seat at the exact position that you need but I got it pretty close and went out for an hour ride on the rolling hills of Boulders HWY 36 in some pretty windy conditions.

My first impression of the Adamo out of the box was, "wow this has more padding then the Racer? That's not much!" I pedaled onward and with in 10 mins I was already feeling some discomfort. To be honest, I have a boney/muscular butt not whats described HERE in a recent post of mine, so my sit bones easily found contact with the ISM seat. Problem is that I have never sat on them like this so it was an awakening of sorts. The discomfort did subside as I scooched forward. Ill have to make a few more adjustments but in just looking at the numbers I was able to hold a higher pace and run better off the bike so the seat did do what it said it would. More rides and testing are needed.

I would have liked to spend more time in aero position but due to the cold temps and a need for gloves, I didn't feel comfortable holding on to slippery aero bars on highly trafficed roads.

Bike (Cannondale with stirrups) 16 miles 53:18 Speed: 18.1

FUBAR Syracuse 70.3 Race Recap

"Fucked Up Beyond Any Repair"

Muhammad Ali said it best when he said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

The Owner of Ironman expresses a similar concept,"Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 112 miles. Run 26.2 miles. Brag for the rest of your life!"

Shortly after my arrival into Rochester, NY I picked up my bike from FedEx and put it together. I was reminded of why I live and train in Boulder when I was greeted with 60* temps and a mix of rain with a shot of cold. I also found that when you fill your bike tires up at alt. they will be under less pressure here at sea level, they were flat! Which made for an interesting test ride after no pump was found.

Other then the tires the ride went well and I reintroduced the legs to this thing called biking. It wasnt more then 5 miles and everything seemed in good shape except for having a miss alignment of the front wheel and handle bars (quick fix). I guess sometimes I just cant see straight, Its like those times you hang a picture and swear that the ceiling or floor is crooked.

The next day I went for a short run of 1.5 miles at 7:48 pace and I actually had sore hamstrings from my test bike ride the day earlier. This leads me to believe that I may have tapered a little early (which is tough when you have to ship your bike 5 days early). We then packed up the car for an hour ride headed to Syracuse for packet pick up around 2pm under sunny skies and warmer temps that were not destine to last. The expo was pretty much the weakest I've ever seen but the pick up was very organized.




After signing my life away and getting my wrist band we headed down to Jamesville Park to check in our bikes (to leave overnight). I had a great TA spot about 3 rows from the bike out transition and was even greeted by a sticker with my name on it. After pumping up my tires to 105 psi and changing the gears to prepare for the short hill that started at the mount line, we went to the water to check out the swim course. The water was 62*, cold, but manageable in a wetsuit. The Transition from the swim to the bike however was about 800m long spanning across a rocky parking lot. I felt like they could have had the transition a little closer to the water, but I guess this isnt Nam, there are rules.

I had Grilled chicken and garlic pasta for dinner and went to bed around 10pm, after visiting with some old friends who were just in awe at the mere mention of this race.

The morning of the Race:

I got up at 4:45 not feeling nervous or tired in the slightest. I opened a good luck card as I ate my bagel. Apparently the secret surprise awaiting me at the finish line was that Ky, flying and traveling through the night from Ashville to Syracuse to be there. Cue the nerves, but more so I was just in disbelief and concentrated my focus on getting to that finish line. The drive to the start line was about 40 mins with an added 40 mins due to limited park access and the morons directing people to park (they seriously needed additional training), dont worry, I told them a thing or two.

Due to our late arrival the bathroom lines were already long so my sister and I opted for the woods. We set up our transition areas just as they were closing it, got kicked out of there and then 5 mins later they delayed the start by 15 mins and reopened. We got our body marking out of the way and picked up our chips (not sure why they did this the day of the race but it ran pretty smoothly).

I was the first AG wave (30-34) right after the Pro Men and Pro Women. My wave seemed stacked!! I waded into the water at about position center, offset right. The air temp was about 58*, much warmer then the 44* expected and I enjoyed the fact of not having to stand around in my wetsuit for an hour waiting for my wave start. The announcer seemed a bit groggy still and really didnt get the excitement from the crowd.

My swim was extremely bumpy at first, but I stayed calm, steady, and strong throughout, and fended off my space with honor. I had moments where I was next to someone and did manage to draft a little. With 1000m to go I felt strong, and even passed a pro male. I could have pushed it maybe 2 mins faster but took it easy as this is a long race.

My T1: Ran without a stagger but huffing pretty good to my bike. Took some water and got the rest of my wetsuit off. I decided to put my socks on now and not have my bike shoes already attached to the bike (since it was a wet grassy run to the mount line).

It was still dark when I got on my bike and my sunglasses instantly fogged up making it hard to see anything at all. At mile 2, the first turn, I hit a storm grate but kept on trucking. At mile 3 I was greeted by a massive hill that slowed progress but I did pass a few people still recovering from their swim (I guess thats the Boulder in me).

At mile 5 there was trouble! My front tire went flat. I stayed calm though, knowing that it was way too early for a flat but nothing I could do about it, I formed solutions not hysteria. It only took me 7 mins to change out and I was back rolling. At mile 6 however my back tire started to thud a bit and I thought I may have bent my rim from that sewer grate.




Downhill at mile 10, my first opportunity for a little rest I had a massive blowout. Air was rushing out of somewhere and at first I thought it was just my compressed air, but about half way down the hill I had my second flat. Second flat with no way of repairing it because I had already used my one reserve tube. Basically I was screwed! I took off my wheel and walked up the hill in my bike shoes (I figured no one would stop on the down slope but there was a chance of flagging someone down at the top of the hill when they were still going slow). I managed to flag down #218 telling him its over for me, I just want to finish, and he let me have a tube. Thanks man!

I was starting to hate the bike section and even though I had spent time off the bike, my legs and body were by no means recovered. I took it slow, determined stay on the bike and not to have another flat.

That was until mile 15 when that back tire I had just repaired, went flat. Those compressed air cans really are only a one time use thing even if you get the size 16. This time I had to borrow air and a tube but I was on a flat and the riders passing me were going much slower. Rider 246 felt my pain and without stopped dropped supplies beside me in the grass and pedeled on. I wasnt even half way yet and I was starting to feel like I was on some pit crew or something. By this time it had started to rain and I stowed the sunglasses. A dense fog had rolled in preventing anyone from seeing more then 2 miles in front of them and the inability of seeing how high the next hill was. An hour had already passed since I left transition and I had a lot of race left to go. The first water station was around this point and I grabed some G2. I was surprised of how many spectators were out cheering us on and making noise, that was awesome!




At mile 20 I passed by a ski resort which had mowed the face of the main run all but the a HUGE Ironman M and the Dot. Wish I had a picture of that. Half way, it was time to get back to my plan and have a gel, I mean not having a flat tire for over 10 miles was something to celebrate at this point. The party was short lived when faced with another massive hill to conquer. This one even took a few bikers off their bikes and on foot. Something that I refuse to allow in my tool shed!

The next 30 miles were a blur exept for the 12 Warriors standing at one of the turns roaring their heads off (finishers of the Warrior Dash, NY a day earlier). To be honest I dont know what happened to me in the last 10 miles but I know it was slow because I was getting passed by people that I should have never seen the whole race.

I reached the dismount line itching to get off, along side another guy with similar feelings but poor exicution. As he teetered over still clipped in I skidded down the wet grass to my spot. My socks were soaked so I decided to change them and I had had to go to the bathroom for 2 hours now so I stopped by the jon on my way out to run. My legs were beat but not entirely heavy, I thought to myself.. im off the bike, there is nothing that is going to stop me from finishing now.

The run course started out with this wacky u-turn and apparently the bathroom idea was contagious. At mile 3 the curse returned and I was overcome by the worst stomach cramps of my life. I was slowed to a humbling hunched-over walk. I stopped at each water station for liquid intake and left it in search of the next a mile a way, taking it a mile at a time. At mile 6 it wasnt getting better, I pulled off into McDonalds, no not for a Big Mac. I began to shake and I even threw up. Downed more water and after 30 mins of this I decided it was time to get to the next mile. As I got back on course my sister was there trotting along and looking strong. We walked a little and I told her my troubles so that she would be able to relay the info to my fans at the finish (a destination I was now 3 hours late to).




I spent 30 mins at mile 7 sitting on the curb in the fetal position hoping for the pain to subside when Ky came running up from the finish nearly 6 miles away to try to find me. Before that moment all they knew from Ironmanlive.com was that I had finished the bike and was somewhere out on the run. I was in rough shape but after 4cups of water I started to feel a little better.

I got to mile 9.3 and reached a point where I couldnt go on. My first Ironman 70.3 was going to be a Fail. I couldnt stand up straight, It was too painful to even move, I was wet and now cold from the lack of movement. Getting your timing chip taken off is one of the worst feelings in the world. This is when you succumb to the realization that the dream will not be coming true today.

As it turns out, the training was the easy part and no amount of preparation can see you through when luck is not on your side. So How do I feel? Part of me agrees with Thomas Edison, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work," but what have I learned from this? Much of it was out of my control. Either way I will forever have the experience under my belt and I wouldnt take back my decision to enter, they dont call it a "Tri" because its a walk in the park. I guess we can consider this attempt #1 and every training cycle and race from here on out will be that much stronger because I redefined my limits that much more.

Looking at the positives: I had a great swim and new PR in that, I was able to finish the bike course even though I couldnt keep air in my tires, and I did complete 66.3 miles which is more then enough activity for one day.

Whats next?

Not sure. Right now its dependent on how my body recovers. In the days that followed I had sore ankles, knees, shoulder and my bodily systems were not representative of the well oiled machine I was going into the race. I'll be seeking medical opinion to try to figure out what happend and if its even safe to have a second attempt.

SWIM BIKE RUN OVERALL RANK DIV.POS.
35:40 3:25:13 --:-- --:-- -- --

LEG DISTANCE PACE RANK DIV.POS.
TOTAL SWIM 1.2 mi. (35:40) 1:52/100m 402 59


TOTAL BIKE 56 mi. (3:25:13) 16.37 mph


TOTAL RUN 13.1 mi. (--:--) --/mile --

TRANSITION TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE 3:33
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN 4:54


I want to thank Ky, and my family for coming down and showing their support (sorry for the scare), and my fans for their support through my long 10 months of training. My goal was to at least inspire others and modivate them to get out there and try new things. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the race or my experience.

Pistons pumping and fist pumping

This blog is about my longest long run (in training for the Syracuse 70.3 and its included half marathon 13.1 miles).

Today after work I met up with my training partner and we hit the gravel trails of the Bobo Link/South Boulder Path and Marshal Rd. for a long run. The goal was 11-12 miles and to be honest I wasnt entirely excited about it. I've been biking hard lately and been feeling blah the last few Wed...actually thats an under statement. I stopped on my last 2 wed. runs, and as someone who has that never say die attitude, it was a huge confidence buster. That aside, you have to press on and learn from training failures and become that much more determined next time to push yourself to and beyond that level. Today Had the cards right.

This was my first long run of over 6 miles that I would be without water or a fuel plan, I was just going to go and take note of where I began to falter. Out of the gates I took it slow at about 7:30 to 8 min pace for the first 4 miles. At mile 3 I that familiar ghost had returned and I started to have stomach aches and eventually began to see halos. For a moment I thought this is it, im going to go down on my first practice. My next thoughts though did help. My taper starts next week and this was pretty much my last opportunity to get in a long run, and I already failed on a 7 mile run this week due to extream stomach cramping (which I then bounced back from and had the best 2 mile return pace of the year 6:30 flat!). So I pressed on while my partner began to break away from me. To add to this, for some reason I was feeling the affects of the altitude more today then I had in a while, possibly due to my hard training the last 2 weeks.

The course out is a gradual uphill and has always given me trouble making for a very uneven run. When we got to Marshall Rd, it was new territory for me, a road I had never run on and it was flat. At least for a little while, what happened next I have no explaination for. It was as if I had the best energy drink known to man at the right moment because when we made our next turn and were faced by a pretty substantial hill I instantly became the strong runner I set out to be today. I took the hill like it was the first 400m of the run, the ghost was gone. I was going to finish the run on a hot note.

The GPS had died and we were flying blind, so we went out 40 mins and thought that would be enough for over 11 miles. It ended up being 5.31... 7:35 pace. We turned around at a spot that at the time looked like a unique turn around mark (but later I couldnt find it as easily on google sat.). It was time for downhill, I kept that strong pace and even pushed harder in some spots. I caught up to Ky and we ran together until we had 3 miles to go. I broke away a little until 2 to go and then had a pace slow down (loss of focus?). With one mile to go I was praising myself for how strong I felt, I kept telling myself "Im ready." I even got up on my toes and had a stride out finish the last 600m. In all coming back in 6:34 pace and not really that shaken up from it, not really out of breath. My legs shaked as I drank some water and downed a gel... the return of Elvis.

Boulder Res TT

I didnt get much sleep last night so I got up and had a little breakfast and then took a 1.5 hour nap. The swim area didnt open up until 10am (which is way later then I'd want to start a TT with the warm summer days and hot sun). I felt a little better on round 2 but my legs and feet were achy for some reason.

I got to the Boulder Res park around 10 and began setting up. I backed my car up to the bike rack and locked my bike to that. I then filled up a shallow plastic tub with water to act as a foot rinse. My transition area was the tailgate of my hatchback car. I laied out my towel and shoes, some water and clif blocks.

The swim today was sands wetsuit, the water ended up being about 68* and it was cold at first but I got used to it within a few mins. After that I wasted no time in kicking this TT off with a strong but smooth swim (5 laps). Each lap was calculated to be @300m which should have given me a 1500m swim but I finished in 16mins (half the time of my Boulder Peak swim), so im guessing theres some error there and ill call the swim @1000m for now. Its amazing how much better you swim when you dont have to worry about navigation, bumping into people, turning at the wall, or goggle/ ear plug leakage.

I ran out of the water like a swamp monster attacking the half naked beach goers sunning on the beach. Without my usual stagger and constricted run I got to the car feeling great but extremely confused with that swim time.

I unlocked my bike, threw on my socks and bike shoes, locked the car back up (with the key, one gel, a bottle of water and a bottle of G2 strapped to my bike) and hit the streets. The previously overcast morning had turned into mostly sunny with a chance of 90!! I swear I dried off in the first mile. Included in that distance was my first of 3 hills going out that I would have to conquer, this is where I realized how much I used my legs on the swim, and how much less power they had in them then I had on the same ride a few nights prior (my first 20 mph ride!). Lets get one thing straight, these are not hills, these are pretty much mountains or mega hills in my way. I got into a nice rhythm even though I didnt have music on me and tried to take in my surroundings to keep my mind sharp. I made it to the turn around after a long rest down hill, but you know what comes after that. Yea I had to go back up that same hill and I didnt really get into attack mode until half way up it. I was good about keeping a steady supply of water and G2 and at my first major down hill I took the gel (powerbar strawberry banana). It was a little sticky and doesnt taste as great when its sun cooked. After that I took a few swigs of water and stowed the wrapper down the back of my shorts.

I was surprised that I was stopped only one time by lights but it was one of the longer ones and gave me more rest time then I would have liked (trying to keep this as a mock race). The T2 was at the bottom of a hill so I slipped out of my shoes and put my feet on top of them to let the feet breath and come back to life a little. I only had a little bit of numbness but by the time I got off the bike I was good to go.

T2 I unlocked the car and re locked the bike, took a block and some water and slipped on my shoes (with my new elastic laces). My legs felt pretty good and again I was surprised with the quick bike time (turns out that it was 3 miles short). I felt like I was taking it easy out of the gate on the run and much of the first 2 miles was downhill but when Ky tried to drive up to me, park and hand me water she was unable to catch up to me so went on to the next parking lot along the route. It was probably around 6:45 to 7 min pace and then the only major hill on the run slowed me down a bit even though I fought it hard. My Calv's were burning but I never really got too out of breath. My right toes were going numb after that and slowed me down. The first up hill burned my calfs and I had a little pain in my right ankle. The water hand off a mile down the road was a successful one however, it wasnt water!! Nope it was very strongly mixed Gadorade and it burned going down. I remember my last race that surprise happened and I choked on it, and let me tell you Gadorade stings when its coming out of your nose.

I was alone for the next 2 miles on a stretch of path that I had never been on, there was a little shade and a cross wind breeze to cool me down (I seriously wanted to just jump in the lake at this point). I grabbed my water from the bushes where I had stashed it during my set up and skipped the gel I had planned on taking at this point. I felt strong and I now had company (Ky on her bike pacing me to the finish). She said she was amazed at how much stronger I looked on the run this time then I did at the Boulder Peak event of the same distance. I did feel strong, I didnt "go" but I did feel strong and didnt slow up the last 2 miles.

After the finish I downed a whole bottle of water and felt a lot better then I did in July. To combate overheating I went back into the swim area to wade around a bit and muttle over how the TT went. Its a new Olympic distance PR (even when you add in extra swim and bike time). It was a huge confidence builder and the only major problem was that I held back too much in each event when I could have pushed a faster pace. In all, I feel ready for 2x that distance.

1000m, 20.36 mile, 6.2 mile

Swim: 16:00 Pace
T1: 3:30
Bike: 1:4:19 Pace=18.99
T2: 2:00
Run: 45:46 Pace=7:22

Total: 2:11:02


Description: Boulder Res TT Notes: After a 3:30 T1 I got on the bike out 55th to Right on Jay Rd, L on Independence, L on Diagonal, Right on Jay, Left on 63, Right on Spine, Right on Lookout, to 95th and then turn around, Left on 75th and Right on Jay Rd, Right on 55 to T2.

Practice Mistakes

Back when I was a D1 NCAA athlete I remember my coach corrilating how you practice is how you are going to compete. This statement holds some value but we must not forget to make mistakes and learn as we go. There isnt only one way to get you to that finish line with your goals in hand.

Today while on the bike I was thinking as a Triathlete. Every detail matters no matter how small because any number of factors could stop you cold and prevent you from becoming and Ironman or can add on mins that youve worked so hard to shave off.

In that mindset, there are definately mistakes you wanto to make and learn from in practice so that they dont occur on race day. Its about controling the things that are within your control. Weather, road conditions, current, cars and what other competitors do just have to be adjusted to. The things you can control are pace, technique, falls, mental status/decisions, intake (refuel and hydration). There are also things included in your race that you can minimize the threat of failure but once you start the race it is all up to chance. These things include: flat tires, blisters from shoes, fogged goggles, and lost or forgotten items.

With 25 days left until my first 70.3 I must rely on my limited tri experience as well as my researched materials. Ive been testing out different equipment, bike positions, and transition formulas to find which will work best for me and how I organize thoughts in my head under extreme pressure.

Once I have made my mistakes and found what seems to work best for me then and only then is it time to Practice Practice Practice until its engrained into me and im programed to default to that movement without thought or hesitation.

Some of the mistakes im working on:

Swim/Bike/Run pace out of the gates/TA

The use of anti fog when it actually fogs my goggles up more

Getting familiar with the Syracuse course so that im confident of where im at and where im going and how much I have left at all times.

Brake tention, tire pressure, seat height

Shoe tightness (bike and run)

nutrition


Its not graded so you can get credit with C's but only A's will get you there first!



Workout:

Spin for 52 mins
Roost Run 6.6 mi Pace=

Shallow Breathing

Last week while at a questions and answers panel with Pros such as Joanna Zeiger, and Tim O'Connell at Runners Roost an age grouper about to do her first half Ironman the Boulder 70.3 asked a swimming question about breathing. If you are a runner trying to transition into a swimmer you'll notice that you cant just take a breath whenever you want/need it. You really rely on that VO2 max and once you red line in the water, thats it panic starts to set in!

I come from a sprinting background (polevault) and to be honest I never really had to think about my breathing. Actually, I know for a fact that many times on a jump I would hold my breath and then yell or grunt out on my fly away phase (I have it on video), just as the throwers do. It seems that there is a general trend here, the shorter the activity the less important breathing is. You could possibly hold your breath for a full out 100m sprint, what is that? 12 seconds? and then just catch your breath later. The longer runs however are a combination of relaxed breathing and recovery breathing.

I have 2 strengths that I bring to the table: the ability to hold my breath for almost 3 mins and the ability to slow my heart rate to about 37 bpm. Like anything else it takes practice, and if you want to make this transition (to the water and long runs) you too will have to become comfortable with limited and strategically timed breathing. On top of that you have to develop proper control over your core.

While on a 7 mile tempo run (yes I finally know what one is) I started to get into a rhythm. After months of fighting the altitude I've reached a point where I can run hard and not be gasping for air. Its a great feeling. I went from huge gasp of air on my sprints to this calm shallow breathing. My body has finally figured out the exact amount of oxygen I need to sustain pace or recover in reaching that goal of efficiency. Even in the water I try to stay as calm as possible and tell myself the next breath is coming soon. I try to keep an even pace and save the panic for the start and the turns when people are fighting for space. The only way to get here is to put in your time in open water and become comfortable with it.


Wonderland Lake loop 6.70 Pace=7:07 with a 6:45 return for 2.5

I am Dans legs

I am Dan's Legs. Standing at roughly 39" we are a delicate ensemble of muscle and bone which propels Dan wherever he wishes to wonder. Without us Dan would obviously be without legs, an immobile lump of dreaming flesh. We make dreams come true. The feet which are afraid of sun and enjoy the cavernous sanctuary which Dan's shoes provide. We perpendicularly enjoy a windy hilly route in which we must orchestrate a well timed series of delicately balanced moves. We enjoy working long hours and weekends. Overtime keeps us lean and mean.

This was a journey to say the least, you needed a break early on to hit the bathrooms at the 2 mile mark, just as I was warming up, But we were soon back on the horse. I took the largest hill of the run with a few grunts but unlike last time the gasps for oxygen and over consumtion of fuel were not present.

Sincerely,

Dan Legs

10.14 mile run at the Boulder Res. at Pace=7:17

After loop 1, I took in some much needed water and a bit of gel and started to wonder if stopping is a good idea on long runs. When things start to catch up with you and your body starts to try to recover..pumping blood back into your stomach, you start to sweat like crazy. Both of which lead to problems back on the road for loop #2. I now had sweat in my eyes and a deep cramp on my lower left side. Seeing Chrissie Wellington merge onto the trail was more then enough encouragement to trudge on at the awesome pace I had started however after a mile of running behind her I got dropped like a stone in water.

Luckily for me there were plenty of other motivators also getting in a run on this beautiful day. I pulled 2 loops around the main parking lot and set back for my finish, my first 10 mile run. A little ankle soreness/tightness, but no major knee pain like last time. I had a strong finish up a mini hill and could have been more out of breath.

Post run I jumped into what we are going to start calling the "doggie Pond" because i saw a little girl fall in after throwing a stick to her dog and then throwing a fit because she was all wet with water that the dogs were in. A ten min soak is all I needed.

Ferlow is over

I havent done much training lately, in about a week. Since last Thurs we hiked a lot and on Sat morning I got in a 5 mile run in 37 mins at 7000 ft alt in Durango. Then we hiked probably 20 miles total up till Monday.

Tuesday I started work and from all the driving I did on my road trip I just couldnt muster the energy or organize my time enough to get anything in.

Today I figured it out and got up at 6am for the Airport 57 loop with Kylee 6.01 miles in 43.17 at Pace=7.12
hit a wall at around the 3 mile mark, its such a mental run! Least this time I didnt stop.

After work threw on my Arizona Ironman gear and I jumped on the bike headed to Jay road and up 36 to Lee Hill Rd. My legs felt powerful and I did push this ride to about 85%, didnt make it all the way up the hill though, turned around and booked it back down. Aero position went pretty well and it feels good wearing professional gear. 15.4mph up and 25.7mph back

all toll: 9.92 miles at an avg of 19.10 mph

More pain, more gain

At the point just before this run I dont think there was a spot on my legs that wasnt sore, tight and pretty much felt like someone had beat the hell out of them while I was sleeping (minus the noticeable bruises). Now say what you like, you may call me a masochist after this run, but if it feels good, do it (as long as its in the best interest of your health).

It was a slow start but I set off on my Home to Wonderland Lake Loop run which is about 7 miles. It starts out up hill at about a 3% grade for a mile and a half where you catch a few short lights. Then at the 2 mile mark there is a massive hill that would take the breath out of a manatee. Being that I am a human being I just had to pant like a dog, bite down hard and make little goals for myself. "Pick your legs up and push, get on your toes all the way to that sign, and another, and to the top, and up and over." On the other side you are rewarded by your first down hill at the 2.5 mile mark, but its short lived at its 5% grade and you start going back up hill on the next turn at Poplar St as you head closer to Wonderland lake. Once you hit the lake park, and its scenic spender you have 2 choices; stop and take lots of pictures until you puke, or have a wonderful yet fast run around the lake with very little effort. Since I didnt have my camera, I chose the later and pulled off 6:36 pace all the way around (some of it is downhill, some is flat, but the gravel takes a lot of impact out of it).

The return trip after the loop is a sustained fast pace for a little over 2 miles due to a little help from your friend gravity (downhill), and you are greeted with a recalculated view of just how much uphill effort you had starting out. I tend to fizzel out around 27th St, but its getting better (2.19 at 6:24 pace).

In all, I feel a lot less sore and Im really surprised at how much my legs had in them judging on how sore and painfilled they are.

Wrap up:

6.94 miles in 49:26 Pace= 7:07

I went out the first 2.8 miles at 7:28 pace up hill the whole way.

Its also worth mentioning that I didnt have any hot spots this time with the use of my new shoes.

Peace be to journey, get out there and enjoy the sunshine!

Lets beat the rain home

5.5 at 6:47 pace.

I have Endured

Res loop 5.2 then one min rest/refuel with a Gel and water, then 4.44 to around main parking lot and back to start. I then waded into the small res to cool off the legs for 8 mins. Run: I went out strong, but controlled. At the 4 mile mark I had a strong stride down hill and it wasnt hindered at all on the uphill. Remained strong through the windy turns on the path and over the narrow bridge. Took it home but didnt over do it to the refueling after lap one (5.2 miles in 36:45 Pace= ). After refuel I didnt go out as hard or strong as I left the first time, nor how I came in. I tried to go mind numb for the first mile and relaxed. Started to get a hot spot on my left foot at about mile 6 then my hip flexor got tired around mile 7. Mile 8 my left ankle and knee had a bit of pain and slowed me from pushing the pace home on the return after the parking lot loop (decided not to hit up the hills on the road). The last mile could have been a lot stronger, mentally and physically I had it, but didnt want to push anything on the spots that were experiencing pain (and possibly make them worst). The last 400 just happened to be up hill and I blasted out a high knee stride finish which I could have held for at least 2x that distance.

After the soak, and ride home Im not experiencing too much pain. Lungs have a slight cough when I take a deep breath, left foot has the beginnings of a blister, and my quads are going to be sore tomorrow for sure.

I have finally endured the pain, not to the point of failure but to the point where the decision was going to have to be made... do I continue and risk injury, or do I slow or even stop? For me the hardest part is both the first and last 2 miles. Maybe its because I push the pace during those phases, maybe my mind needs to settle in. I do notice that I run better off the bike. Its almost like im using my peddle cadence on the ground and just pumping along as I run as an extension of my ride without the bike.

Apparently I race my tempos

I reversed a running route that gave me a lot of trouble last time and its been about a month since. Past Boulder Airport, down 57th (hill), Left on Jay Rd., 4-mile creek to Wonderland Creek Path, and home.


6.01 41:50 Pace= 6:58 (accuracy is less then 400m off, I use Google Earth for continuity).


Just goes to show how much faster I was ready to go for the Bolder Boulder if my training runs after a really hard day yesterday, not that one route can be compared to one another.

My left calf was a little tight but the greatest part was that I handled my breathing like a champ. The final mile stretch had to been at least 6:30 pace because I was moving!


In the evening I went down to Denver for a social run, the Irish Snug Run 2.9miles in 21:45 Pace=7:30

not a bad 8.9 mile day!

Bolder Boulder 10k

Well when I originally heard about this race and how many people it draws I thought it was going to be a shit show. I mean it cant be easy to organize such an event. However the more and more I heard people talking about it, it turned into a must attend event, and im so glad that I did it.

On Sunday the night before the race I volunteered and helped set up the start line and sound system. It was a little labor intensive moving huge speakers and taking a ride on one of the sketchiest scissor lifts ever in order to get those speakers up on top of the towering scaffolding. All this to earn free entry into the race.

Since I dont have a huge history of road racing, I didnt have a qualifying time to get me into a qualifying wave. To be honest, I did the 2000 Fathers Day 5k in Rochester, the 2008 Montclair 5k and a few sprint triathlons and thats about it! The rest are track meets where I pole vaulted. Yea that is how new I am to racing. That aside I was extremely excited to make my 10k debut and get a time on the board to work off of.

Race Day morning:

I got out to the start line, which is conveniently located less then a block from my house, @6:30 to watch the starting waves and to try to get pictures of Emma and Kylee. It was a mad house, I didnt see anyone I knew. They announced that @56,000 runners had signed up for the race, a record year.

There were a few logistical issues that needed to be worked out. First off, I wanted my camera with me at the finish, and Kylee needed her keys in order to grab her car and hit up the post race parties. So, I waited in the mobile locker line for about 30 mins to check the gear that would be transported for me to her at the finish line. Little did I know that they wouldnt even allow her to pick it up even though it was in her name and bib number.

After about an hour of waves going off every 5 mins, It was my turn. I had a short 10 min warm up and stretch and then waited in the mass of bodies for about 20, so that was somewhat useless. I was a little nervous but had rehearsed the race and felt rested and ready.

Joining me in my wave was the Denver Nuggets Mascot and 2 CU grads in their cap and gowns. There were a lot of people dressed up and for the most part it was more of a party then an actual race.

The start was announced by bugle and gun and we were off! The first mile was basically down hill and it didnt take me more then 800m to catch up with the slower runners from the sequential wave. I started weaving and cutting in wherever I could, aided by a group of polished shirtless runners who lead the way.

At @2 miles was the first water station, I didnt drink but I lost my pack of guys and I was going to have to break through on my own from there. The side lines were strune with fans offering everything from Bacon and Doughnuts to Beer and tots. There was Elvis and other live bands belting out fantastic classic tunes. You couldnt help but feed off all that energy and march on. The Colfax Marathon Relay was sort of like this but not at this magnitude. I mean they had slip and slides, sprinklers, and kiddy pools for those who needed to cool off.

My goal for half the race was actually to try to catch up to Chris who was in the first of the G waves (about 15 mins ahead). Mile three down 19th street was my favorite but then getting into all the following turns, the crowd started to bottle neck and I got slowed down considerably. I then heard this pick up line from a hs cheerleader..."how long have you been modeling?" Mile 4 concluded at the course's highest elevation and my plan was to take off at that point. I didnt really reach that point with as much energy as I thought I would have left and I was about 1 min off pace already. I did pick it up coming down the hill but once again with the turns near Pearl St., the crowd began to bottle neck. On top of that we were nearing the later parts of the race an more and more people began walking and not keeping to the sides, nor single file. Yea its safe to say that I worked for that 43min finish.

Folsom street was inspirational, I started passing out high fives and it really did increase my energy. With the stadium in sight I tried to open up my stride as much as possible, but all the weaving didnt really help. When I got into the stadium there was a huge roar but also a familiar voice from the stands. Kylee and Scott were there and I threw up a quick gang sign before turning on the after burners and beating as many 11 yr olds to the finish as possible. They are going to need to get used to disappointment.

Post finish I was happy with my effort, not so much the time but I know I could have at least matched my goal and will definitely get it next time out. By far that was the most fun race I've ever experienced! We were corralled up the hill to tag drop off and snack pack pick up. I downed about 4 cups of water and then walked around for 20 mins looking for any familiar faces, it was a mad house at CU's Folsom Stadium. It reminded me of Penn Relays.

I have a little more then 6 weeks of training before I run my Oly Distance Tri here in Boulder and have another shot at Mr. 10k. Here are the results:

overall place:
1280
location:
Boulder, CO
division:
M29
division place:
38 out of 481
gender place:
1131 out of 22554
mile 1:
0:06:15.42
mile 2:
0:06:50.83 (hill)
mile 3:
0:07:19.61
mile 4:
0:07:06.63 (hill)
mile 5:
0:07:00.39
mile 6:
0:07:16.88 (hill)
net time:
0:43:15.82
pace:
6:58 (based on net time)

The post race party included a BBQ picnic at Emma's where we had a reunion of the Colfax Marathon Relay team D.I.R.T. that lasted into the night.

Legs do me a solid and keep going!!

6.7 miles from my house down Iris, up Broadway (N), West on Utica and around Wonderland Lake. Returned East on Poplar, South on Broadway and all they way back down Iris.
47:18 at Pace=7:03


Just once I want my lungs and legs to get together on a run! I started out the first mile and a half strong, but then as the elevation increased my legs slowed and my stride shortened. On at the top of the pitch my lungs started to be tired and so on the down hill when the legs get a break, the lungs arnt ready for the charge.

What im talking about is not only on hilly runs, you know when you want to push the pace because you really arnt out of breath yet but your legs just wont go any faster? Or when your legs are strong, and you have a great stride going, but you just cant seem to catch your breath enough to hold it for very long?

I have another problem which I have no idea how to remedy, im going to need help with this one.. At about 6 miles (sometimes 4-6) and when im pushing the pace to about 6:30 or better, so im toe (or mid foot) planting, full stride out I start to get blisters and rubbing. Any ideas? Im going to go out and get running specific socks (mainly bc im running through socks like crazy lately) and I ordered new running shoes.

Happy Trails

Colfax Marathon Relay D.I.R.T

Got up @5 after not getting much sleep. I guess I was anxious for my first road race in 2 years (not counting Triathlons). I had a bowl of oat meal and a banana for breakfast.

Left the house for Denver at 5:45 to drop Emma and Kylee (leg 3 and leg 5) off at their respectable transition zones.

The marathon started with Chris as lead off (3.8 miles) at 6:05am. He made sure to get there early and was rewarded with a great front of the pack starting spot with the 7 min mile pace racers and was accompanied by Full, half and Relay loonies.

Soon after the start I arrived at my T zone which I thought was probably the coolest one. We had 2 live bands playing and a guy in a gorilla suit running around.

Chris handed off to Scott after 26 mins of glory and as one of the top 10 teams, for the 2nd leg of 5 miles. Scott had a boring straight shot down Colfax Ave., but wasted no time in collecting colored bib numbers and improved our positioning and set the tone of D.I.R.T with his 33min shift. So fast in fact that Emma was not even ready. She was expecting him 10 mins later and didnt have time to warm up let alone get her warm ups off to show her unique uniform. She jumped to the line and sped away under stress. When she passed my transition zone I hardly recognized her because I was looking for her in blue. We call her leg "incognito" since she passed 2 more teams that didnt even know she was a relay runner (due to the hidden bib number and D.I.R.T uniform). Emma had a leg that would choke a pack mule..7.4 miles out and back with about a 300ft elevation gain. Poor planning by the race committee on that one. Miraculously though she was able to finish in just 47 mins, right on the time I was expecting her.

It was hard for me to see the runners since they had to come into a parking lot to reach the transition. I waited at the road and then ran back to the arch when I saw her. The plan was to hand her the keys to the truck and for her to trade me with a watch (somehow I forgot my watch at home, huge freshman mistake), and I was also supposed to tell her where the truck was while I stomped down on my way. I pretty much went out at the same pace that Emma came in, which was 6:30-7:00 min pace approx.
It was a smooth transition and Scott actually could have been there for it but the race officials told him to walk the wrong way to catch the bus back to the start/finish at City Park.

I passed 2 full marathon runners in the first mile and held one of them off until the conclusion of the second. This is where my calf tightened up and pretty much shut down. My shins also locked up and I ran in the grass for a bit to see if that would help. Around this time my leg led me to a majestic lake where I could see the next leading relay team of women (I really wanted to pass this team-Team Boulder Express), but she was half way around the lake, and I had no concept of pace or time, so I kept it conservative for probably longer then I should have. I ran from mile 18 to 21, the point in the race that kills the full marathoners, I passed 2 more who just about had it. However with a mile to go I planned on kicking some Lycra and striding out to the finish. I was hindered at that point by a hill that pretty much broke my stride and made me second guess how much I had left in me. The view of Mile High Stadium and the Aquarium summoned what im good at.. kicking a great finish. I guess it didnt hurt that it was mainly down hill either. I passed a member of the Denver Road Runners. 4.7 miles never felt so long!

I saw Kylee rearing to go, I guess after a 2 hour wait you would be that ready too. Not knowing my time exactly but I knew we were still on pace for our goal time beating 3 hours. I high fived our anchor leg and she was off after handing me her bag of warm up gear. The Marathon started at 41* but by this time the sun was high (only about 8am still) but it was more like 46*. Kylee had a smooth 5.3 mile journey about downtown Denver. She got to see all the sights.. city hall, Broadway, and some really sketch areas of dead quiet. What she didnt notice (and what we found out later) was she ran through a gas leak that later on at 9am the fire fighters were called to action for. Race officials were faced with a decision to either let the racers run through it, or divert and add to the course at mile 22. They decided to put the racers in danger. Kylee gunned down an impressive 31 min leg, passing 2 relay teams and finishing us up with a time of 3:54!! Go D.I.R.T!!

Emma picked me up at the Aquarium and we all met up at city park for some BBQ, free beer, energy drinks and good times. For a few of the members of the team this would be the first time they would meet, knowing only that they wore the same shirt.

In all the organization of the event wasnt the best and the Colfax course takes a lot of imagination to battle though (pretty boring).

We placed 6th of all 450 relay teams and 1st of 150 teams in the Co-ed/Charity division. We received the great honor of the Colfax cup with complimentary Native Shades for each member. I want to extend my gratitude to all the volunteers, including the nice old couple at mile 20 that took it upon themselves to set up and fund their own water station. And to the team for getting the job done and coming away with our goal realized and a well deserved win. See ya'll next year when we defend our title, and better our time.

Hug a Track and Field Runner for good luck

Yoga class at 24hr fitness to loosen up. Im majorly sore, so I took the day off from lifting. The class really did help out, and you wouldnt expect it but you do work up a bit of a sweat. I managed to master the Birds of Paradise pose but I fell on some pretty easy ones due to my mat moving and lack of yoga practice. I'm going to try to throw 2 sessions in a week to get my flexibility back before the next cycle which i'll be lifting again heavily (after the Colfax Marathon relay), and ill be doing a lot more hills and mountain hiking (have to make up for lost exercise from skiing).

I got on the bike after that to ride up to Boulder Reservoir, however 2 miles in I slammed a pot hole and lost pressure in my back tire. Flat and stranded there was only one thing to do. Walk home in disappointment with my helmet in hand. The negative energy that I just expelled had returned 2x, for when I got home I found that my spare tube also had a hole in it.

Devotion, Dedication, whatever, I made it up to the Res parking lot. Got out and blasted out the of the gates the first mile which was close to 6:15 pace, crossing the 2 mile mark in about



5.24 miles in 37:34, Pace=7:09

Sore as hell!! My quads felt like someone hit them with a bat. So I never opened it up, there are 3 major hills and I feel like I can go at least 6:30 pace. Which would be @35mins. Less windy this time then last time.

My goals for the month were Run, Bike, Swim=90,200,2 but at this point they are 37, 125, and 1.45. With my bike out of commission and my leg soreness im not sure if ill be able to reach those goals. I certainly got in more then last month already and its a result of both increased distance and getting in more nice training days. I've done more blocks and Bricks this month and so far that trend is working out. Ill chart my improvements (Run, Bike pace) in one of the next entries. until then, stay healthy

Nomaste

The sun will come out in 10 mins

Its time to log some major miles. I had a little calf soreness from yesterdays track workout and it lead to a slow, yet grueling pace but I got through it and did some local exploration. Foothills Path to Wonderland Creek Path, to Gray Goose Path, to Boulder Creek Path, Colorado Ave and then Foothills Parkway Path home.

4.58 = 36:35 pace 7:59

7.48= 57:36 pace 7:48 (2.9= 22:01 pace 7:35)

The numbers are looking good, but there is an apparent wall that im hitting at 3 and 5 miles. Mental blocks need to take a back seat to my goals, I need to hunker down and start passing everyone I see. Eye of the tiger? Is it still in there somewhere because im not feeling very competitive lately.