Ironman Louisville Race Report: Run

Not just the basics, the ugly truth

                           2012                                         2013                                     Diff.

  Run:                  6:11:42                                     6:08:52                                   -2:50

I did not swim with my watch but I had a pretty good idea that my swim was at least as good as last years.  In fact I was confident that it was faster than last years.  Even if it was faster it still would not have represented much of an overall increase in performance.  A 10% improvement on a 90 minute swim would only represent a 9 minute improvement in your overall time.  It has been said and proved many times you cannot win an Ironman on the swim but you can sure lose it there.  In short the swim leg was far out of my mind.

I was well aware of my improvement on the bike.  I had my polar watch on the bike so I could keep track of my heart rate and cadence.  That is one of the reasons I do not use the watch on the swim. Why carry something you are not going to use.  If I had a high end device that stored all your info then it would be worth while having it on the swim.  You can down load the stored data and analyze it later.  Since mine does not do that why worry about it.

So out of T2 and on to the run.  Needless to say my confidence was pretty high.  I was building on the  confidence of my swim and the strength of a fast bike.  I was at least an hour ahead of last year.  In fact I was more than an hour and a half ahead of last years time.

The general run plan was to walk out of T2 for 10 minutes and let the heart rate settle down.  Then a lite jog for a couple of miles and then into medium training pace heart rate for the remainder of the run.

One thing I did notice about the faster bike and swim,  you start the run in hotter weather (Ha Ha).  Things seemed to be going quite well.  I felt relaxed and strong as I moved into miles 3 and beyond.  I ran the entire first loop.  I then slowed down on the first part of the second loop.  I walked for 5 minutes and then ran for 5 minutes.  After the turn I started to run and continued the run for the last part of the loop.  So basically I ran 3/4's of the run course and did the 5 minute run/walk for only a quarter of the course.  Last year I ran half and did the 5 minute run/walk for the other half.

I am still a little mystified as to why my run time was basically identical to last years.

Split Name	Distance	Split Time	Race Time	Pace
2.5 mi	2.5 mi	31:22	8:14:38	12:32/mi
5.5 mi	3 mi	36:04	8:50:42	12:01/mi
7.1 mi	1.6 mi	25:57	9:16:39	16:25/mi
8.8 mi	1.7 mi	24:05	9:40:44	14:10/mi
10 mi	1.2 mi	16:53	9:57:37	13:50/mi
12 mi	2 mi	31:16	10:28:53	15:38/mi
15.1 mi	3.1 mi	43:26	11:12:19	14:11/mi
18 mi	2.9 mi	45:07	11:57:26	15:20/mi
19.6 mi	1.6 mi	28:06	12:25:32	17:27/mi
21.3 mi	1.6 mi	23:18	12:48:50	14:12/mi
22.5 mi	1.3 mi	14:44	13:03:34	11:30/mi
24.6 mi	2.1 mi	30:51	13:34:25	14:54/mi
26.2 mi	1.6 mi	17:43	13:52:08	11:04/mi
Total	26.2 mi	6:08:52	13:52:08	14:04/mi

Looking at the splits I seemed to start ok.  I am not sure why I was slower around miles 7 - 10.  I do believe that I had a restroom break in there but I do not think that it took overly long.  I did encounter the most disgusting port a potty scene ever on this part of the route.

I did seem to pick it back up again after mile 10.  The run/walk would have started around mile 15 and continued until mile 21 or so.  This is were I started running again.  As you can see the pace picked up again.  I still had a slow leg in there.  My fastest leg was the last one at an 11:04 pace.

I have to think that a lot of the variation had to be mental.  Given that I finished quite strong I feel that I left a little out on the course.  Instead of finishing like I did I should have been able to push the other legs just a little faster.

My over all pace was 14.04 min/mile.  If I could get it down to 13:30 the would have been a time under 6 hours.  An average of 13:00 would have been a time 26 minutes faster.

Do able?  We will see IM Houston is a mere 7 months away.

Ironman Louisville Race Report: Bike Race day

Again starting with the basics;


                           2012                                         2013                                     Diff.

  Bike:                 7:14:52                                     6:04:14                              -1:09:38

So now armed with new insights into the bike course I left T1 with a great deal of confidence.  Not only did I felt confident about my swim I also rocketed out of the changing tent 8 minutes faster than last year.  In short I did not forget anything in my transition bag this year.

The course was the same as last year but (see previous post) my approach was different.  In spite of the difference the strategy on the first part of the course was the same.  The first 10 miles was a flat and mostly straight road that ran along the Ohio river.  The over all course was a modified out and back so this also constituted the last 10 miles as well.  The modification was a 30 mile loop that you rode twice.

As for my overall ride my strategy seemed to work well (as the time differential showed).  Last year I coasted down every hill.  As part of my "attack" strategy this years plan was to maintain my cadence and HR on the down hill portions of the race.  The more perfect tactic would have been to maintain the same power on the entire course.  I have yet to invest in a power meter for my bike.  Just a little too cost prohibitive at this time (a story for another time).

By maintaining cadence and HR I can do a fairly decant job of cycling with a consistent effort (A power meter does an excellent job at this).  Last year I did not pedal at all down the hills so my cadence was 0 (if I had a power meter it would have also been 0).  Also last year on the down hills my HR would drop well below my "Training Pace".

This years strategy worked like a champ!  As the time for 2013 indicates.  The 1 hour plus improvement was attainable because I was in better physical condition and I was simply able to approach the bike with a different strategy.  There is really not much else to say.  About the only trouble I experienced was around mile 90 as I approached the last few climbs.  I felt my legs cramping up a bit as I began to push into the climbs.  Easy enough, I just dialed back the "Attack" mentality and took it a little easier on the last climbs.  In a couple spots I got up out of the saddle to change my position on the bike.  These, along with self massage on the down hills helped me avoid my severe problems on the bike.

The best part of the bike was on the first part of the 30 mile loop.  Due to a number of factors I found my self having to ride through large groups of riders.  Also there seemed to be more people riding in the middle of the road rather than keeping to the right.  So it was difficult at times trying to keep attacking the course.  I really did not want to get into yelling at people ahead of me.  I still am more of a "participator"  than a competitor.  So I worked with it as best as I could.

I then heard the distinctive sound to bike gears shifting down and then a person yelling, "LEFT LEFT".  The polite interpretation of this yell is used by riders to indicate ones desire to pass on the left.  The impolite version (especially at high volumes),  "Get the hell out of my way!!!!!"  Ha Ha.  I could see about 3 dense packs of riders ahead of me.  So I thought I would use this guy to help me through the packs.

I would let him yell and have riders move to the right and I would follow his line through these packs.  I waited on the right until he passed me.  I was on the right so he did not need to yell at me.  As he passed me he yelled at the riders in the pack ahead of us so I knew this was the guy to follow.  As he passed I immediately locked onto his rear wheel.

There are very specific rules regarding drafting in WTC events.  As the person being passed I have 20 seconds to drop back 4 bike lengths from the person who passed me.  This gives me 20 of free speed ( see a later post regarding all the techniques associated with this).  This tactic worked great!  I used this rider to escort me through the packs of riders ahead of me.  Once we hit some open areas he took off and he was much faster than me on the open parts of the course.  So I waited for another rider that was much closer to my speed to draft off of for most of the rest of the race .

Best part of the story.  At one point the course was so congested that I was able to pull up beside the rider I was following through the packs.  To my utter amazement his bike number had only 2 digits.  2 digits means "PRO TRIATHLETE"  I was shocked to find out that I was keeping up with one of the best in the world.  This is also why he was able to quickly pull away from me when we hit the open area of the course.  Obviously I was able to stay with him due to the congestion on the course.  Also the only reason we were at the same place on the course together is that he was on his second loop and I was on my first.

Any way thanks to Pro Triathlete # 12  Andrew Hodges!!!

Ironman Louisville Race Report: Bike (Drive it the day before)

Since this was my best part of the race I have broken it into a couple of posts

Again starting with the basics;


                           2012                                         2013                                     Diff.

  Bike:                 7:14:52                                     6:04:14                              -1:09:38

If I had to say that one leg made the biggest difference, it was the bike.  I actually had to use a time calculator to computer the difference!

To begin, the course was the same as the previous year.  The roads had experienced a year of wear and tear. Also there were a few patches of repairs.  Other than those minor differences an exact copy of the 2012 race.  I still drove the course the day before to familiarize myself with the course.

I was looking for 3 basic things.  First and foremost checking for areas that would present dangerous situations.  Knowing where steep hills are and sharp corners can be the difference between finishing and not.  I am not just talking about serious injuries but anywhere you could have an incident that would take you out of the race.  A damaged rim will take you out of the race just as quickly as an injury.  You may be able to finish with an injury but not a broken bike.  So knowing these areas and what to do when you approach them is very important.

Secondly I like to have an overall sense of the course.  Mostly for mental reasons.  It is easy to stay motivated and focused in areas that have a lot of spectators.  I have always found the noise and "action" very motivating.  It is the longer lonelier sections that can wear on you psychologically.  The stretch that I was most concerned about had not changed from last years race.

The course was an out then a double loop and back course.  The double loop was a 30 mile loop in Oldham county east of Louisville.  I have done a bunch of 70.3 races and I am familiar with the bike course at IM Texas (the Woodlands area north of Houston).  I'll say that nothing matches the course at Louisville.  It s a beautiful ride.  Being Kentucky,  you would assume that there would be lots of horses.  You would be correct!!!  The 30 mile loop is full of nice roads, great scenery and lots of horses.

There were 3 basic sections to the loop.  The first is very populated.  There is a water station as you get close to the town of La Grange.  The town does a first job of hosting there part of the event.  After you leave the water station you turn east and head into the main part of town.  This is the funniest part of the entire bike course.  La Grange shuts down the main part of the town for the race.  It is loud and rowdy!  Literally thousands of people cheering.  Busses run from downtown Louisville to this area of the race.  It is cool!!

The second part of the loop is short and challenging.  It begins about 5 miles east of la Grange.  It is a 7-8 mile stretch of sharp turns, steep climbs and narrow roads.  You definitely need to be careful here.

On to section 3.  This is the long lonely part of the loop.  Mentally I would say that this would be the toughest part of the course.  I was prepared for this.  My goal here was to use the lack of distractions to focus on 2 things.  One my drafting (legal),  and two inventory. I would focus on the person I was following making sure I was doing my best to use every legal advantage.  Am I the correct distance (4 bike lengths), are they slowing down or speeding up?  In other words am I following the right person or should I look for another one.  As for inventory I wanted to go through everything I could possibly check.  Nutrition, bike, body and mind,  is it all in working order.  Have I been eating properly.  Does the bike fell and sound right.  Do I have any aches or pains that are unusual or new?

Third and final reason for driving the course was a new one for this year.  I wanted to find areas where I could be aggressive.  I had a strategy that my coach and I worked out for the race.  Still,  there was room in that strategy for tactical choices throughout the race.  So I was looking for areas where I could adhere to the strategy and still make tactical choices that were more aggressive than last year.  I was looking for areas such as long down hill stretches were I could attack and ride aggressively.  Last years race I did not peddle on about 90% of the down hill sections.  I coasted to conserve my energy for the run part of the race.  With another year of training under my belt I felt that I could be more aggressive on the bike.

So during the drive these areas got most of my attention.  Some hills, way too steep to do anything other than focus on not crashing (fast enough without peddling thank you).  There were a couple on section 2 of the loop that had sharp turns at the bottom so they were out as well.  Even after eliminating these there were still a good many parts of the course that were excellent candidates for attack!!!

Next post the bike leg itself.

Ironman Louisville Race Report; Swim

Hopefully I will get these next posts out in a timely manner.  Since Louisville my training schedule has focused on rest and recovery.  What I am trying to say, is that without 6 hour bike rides on the weekends there is no excuse for not finishing this earlier!

                           2012                                         2013                                     Diff.

Swim:               1:38:07                                     1:20:16                                 -17:51

The course was identical to the 2012 course.  Start in the channel between Tow Head island and the south bank of the Ohio river.  Swim east about 800 meters, turn and swim the remaining distance west to the swim finish at Joes Crab Shack.  Joes is the closest landmark to the Great Lawn and the transition areas.

The course may have been laid out the same but the course played very differently (borrowing a golfing term).  First off the water temp was cooler than last year.  On race day the temp was just over 80 degrees.  Last years water temp was over 85.  This cooler temp put the swim in wet suit optional status.  This meant that you could were a wet suit but you had 2 restrictions.  First you had to start at the rear of the pack.  Second is that you will not be eligible for any awards or Kona slots.

I had very little chance to finish high enough to compete for awards or Kona slots so that did not factor into my decision to not were a wet suit.  Simply 80 degrees is too hot to wear a wet suit.  I was well aware of the lower water temp before leaving Texas and I did not even bring my wet suit.

The second difference was that there was much more of a current this year.  this was very apparent on Saturday when then allowed athletes to swim a small part of the course.  it is great to be able to swim part of the course the day before the race.  You can get a feel for the temperature and any other environmental factors.  They let us enter the water at the swim finish and they set a couple buoys for sighting.

I had planned on a 20 minute light swim.  Since we started at the finish we immediately swam against the current.  However you could not really feel any current.  My plan was to swim 10 minutes out, turn and swim back.  I swam a nice smooth easy stroke for 10 minutes and made my turn.  Much to my surprise I made it back in just over 6 minutes!

There could have been many reasons for the different times; I got loose and warmed up at the start so the return was a little faster.  I could have taken a less direct line going out and a more direct one coming back.  None f these would have fully accounted for the difference.  Also around me many people were discussing the same thing.  Slow out and fast back.

So the question is what to do with this nugget of information.  Is there any way to use this to gain an advantage.  After all it is a "race".  There is not much you can do to change the current so your best bet is to work with it.  So my plan for this new info was to focus on drafting.  Since the first part of the race was into the current drafting would be vitally important.  With the current drafting may not be as important.

So as I entered the water I immediately got on the hip of another swimmer.  Since I felt that drafting was hyper important getting a draft was the priority not the speed of the draft.  Draft first, speed second.  So I grabbed my draft and as a faster person passed me I drafted of them.  The channel was quite narrow so as I changed drafts I did not have to swim in open water for very long (if at all).

Another benefit of this forethought was an easing of any frustration.  The buoys were placed a set distance apart and they were numbered 1-whatever.  So you could gauge your progress as you passed the numbered buoys.  It seemed to take forever to get passed the first couple of buoys.  For an instant I thought that at this rate I will never finish!  Then I remembered the current and the difference between swimming upstream and downstream.  I immediately calmed down and continued my focus on drafting.  I was soon clear of Tow Head Island and into more open water.

I still had laser focus on my draft and was soon at the turn buoy.  I made the turn and held my draft.  The remainder of the swim went like clock work.  The only problem was for the last half of the swim my drafts started to slow down and even stop.  So on the last half of the swim I had to find a new draft a half dozen times.  I really think I need to research a race and find a specific person to draft off of in the future.  This way I can have a continuous draft off of a consistent swimmer.

As a final note:  At about the 3/4 point in the swim I was wondering how well I was doing.  I had started nearer the back of the pack (I thought I had got to the swim start really early).  I had passed a number of swimmers.  So I had a quick peek back over my shoulder.  The wall of swimmers behind was immense.  It looked like a tidal wave coming at me from behind.  I thought holy crap!  I better get moving!!!!!

Next post Bike report!

Ironman Louisville Race Report (overall info)

I may as well start at the top and work down to the details;

                           2012                                         2013                                     Diff.

Swim:               1:38:07                                     1:20:16                                 -17:51

T1:                       18:02                                        10:27                                   -7:35

Bike:                 7:14:52                                     6:04:14                              -1:09:38

T2:                       12:13                                          8:19                                   -3:54

Run:                  6:11:42                                     6:08:52                                   -2:50



Total               15:34:56                                   13:52:08                              -1:42:48

Big picture:  1:42:48 improvement over 2012.  On the whole not bad.

This being my second time at Louisville some of my report will obviously involve differences from last years race.  Also previous posts have covered the training and lead up to this years race.  In summary preparing for last years race and this years race were very different.  My approach last year was "Train to survive".  The goal was to complete the distance and enjoy myself.  I pretty much conquered that goal.

This years approach was "Train to attack".  When push comes to shove I was going to sacrifice a little comfort for a better time.  In other words finishing the race and ending up in the medical tent at the IV bar was a distinct possibility this year.  Thankfully I did not end up there.  As the time comparison shows I improved on last years time by quite a bit.  My coach felt that a time of 14:30 was doable and would represent a big improvement.  So it seems that my 13:52 came as a surprise to most.

Except me,

Other than a better time I had a couple of goals for this race.  One was to finish fast enough to not have to wear a lighted necklace.  If you are finishing in the later hours you are required (asked) to wear a tube around your next that is filled with a luminescent liquid.  This is for safety reasons. 

From last years race.  Notice the lighted safety "ring"

 

I know it is a silly goal but not having to were one of these means that I have finished the race faster.  I must admit it felt good not having to wear one.  I know childish but still rewarding given my goals.  A second goal was to finish in the day light.  this one was hard to quantify but for the most part I think I missed this one.  When I crossed the finish line the lights were on on fourth street and the chute.  So I have to count this one as missed.  Not by much,  I would have to say that I was about a mile from the finish line when the sun set.

 

A goal of all races was to finish strong.  Looking at my run splits my last mile was my fastest. 

 

My Ironman Louisville Results



So mission accomplished there.

I know this has been said by me and many others but it needs to be said again and again.  None of this is possible with out the hundreds of volunteers.  You people are the greatest!  The volunteers spend as much if not more time on the race course than most of the competitors.  They help us with our bags in the changing tents, hand us water and food.  they hold our bikes during "Bio Breaks".  There is no way to express enough thanks to all these wonderful people.  To all of you;

Thank you so very much!

Next post swim report.

The Craziness continues. Counting Blessings

August 28th

Now August 31st.

Usually these posts come in rapid fire succession as approach a race.  Not this year (obviously).  The fact that I started this post one August 28th and all I got was the date typed is pretty indicative of how the year has gone.  Hopefully I will be able to catch things up in the next couple of weeks.

I have been post about the events in our lives and I admit I was a little apprehensive about a long drive.  It seems that most things this year have occurred in bunches this year.  So on departing for Louisville my mood was a little guarded.

The trip did begin with an amusing incident.  We left Dallas Wednesday after my wife finished work.  We packed up the vehicle, I racked my bike and headed to the gas station to 'fill er up'.  AS I started to pump the gas a car pulled up behind me.  I noticed the Tri bikes in the rear of that SUV.  I saw the driver and passenger commenting on looking at my bike.  As the driver got out we exchange a quick glance and I ask him where they were going.  They were going to Louisville for the same race.  Small world!!

Thankfully the trip was uneventful.  Dallas to Little Rock the first day and then Louisville Kentucky the next day.  Also different was that my Mom was along for the ride.  Most of the talk in the car was catching up on family news and talking about future plans for the families.  Along with everything else our youngest daughter got engaged this month and so we discussed plans for that.  Mostly how we will work the Wedding around my race schedule HA HA!

When we got to Little Rock the first night I realized that I had forgotten my charger for my laptop.  Actually it is a Surface RT.  It is not doing that well in the market but I really like it.  So without the charger I had to be careful about my battery life.  My wife had her laptop so if I really needed internet access I could use hers. (as I type this I realize that I left the charger at work).  So I was hoping that the charger was the only thing I forgot this trip.  If it was I was doing just fine.

Upon arriving in Louisville we spent most of the evening relaxing and getting settled in our room.  The Galt House is a beautiful hotel.  It is the kind of place that I would usually not stay in, but this trip is a special trip so we splurge and live like royalty.  Louisville is also know for a horse race (ah Duh the Kentucky Derby).

The Galt House seems to be one of the premier places to stay in Louisville so I assume that many of the wealthy horse people stay there.  Horse racing is called the sport of Kings.  So I was wondering how the hotel staff view the different groups.  We (the triathlon community) come in with our gear and our nutrition.  I am not sure how the Derby crowd looks but I am pretty sure that they all do not bring bikes into the lobby.  We walk around in shorts and compression socks and the Derby crowd dons fancy hats and jackets and ties.  I am obviously speaking from a complete lack of knowledge about people that attend the Kentucky Derby.  I am only going by what I see on the telecast.

On thing that we do have in common is financial blessings to stay in such a nice hotel.  Being a triathlete is not an inexpensive past time.  Bikes alone can cost up into the lower 5 figure ranges.  When it comes to financial investment I fall into the middle usually.  At  a big WTC event like any Ironman event I am usually in the lower middle of financial investment in the sport.  Some of those people have really nice bikes.  At a local race here in Dallas I would put my self near the upper middle.

Our family has been through many trials this year.  At times it has been difficult to move forward.  There were times this year were I was so distracted by family events that I could not train.  It was not that I was doing anything, it was that I was so upset and distracted that I felt unsafe riding my bike.  I made the decision to start training in spite of the events.  By training I felt that I made my contribution to my family and the difficult times.  It was the simple fact that training was a representation of life and living.  Training I felt infused life into a family that was running low on life.   I trained by putting one foot in front of the other.

I count my blessings this way.  One at a time.  My life is full of blessings,  family, safety, health, etc.  It is hard to poll them unless you do it one at a time.

One thing I have learned this year is how to work at counting your blessings.

Louisville, Kentucky (1)

It is easier to relax once you get to your race destination.  Some for obvious reasons.  The drive is over.  No need to worry about flats or breakdowns in some backwoods area.  Also during the trip everything is on hold.  Everything is packed away.

Now that we are in the race city the action can begin.  Really two main decisions at this point.  What did I forget and how am I going to adjust.  I come to accept that for all the racing there will be times when I forget something.  In most cases anything forgotten can be purchased.  Unless I forget my bike.  Not sure what I would do if I for got that.

Once over the trauma of forgetting something it is on to the next steps.  Usually orienting myself.  Just the basics,  Food, shelter.  After the basics on to more race specific stuff.  Athlete check in,  race bags organize gear. Recheck everything, go over the race plan, make sure everything is coordinated.

Also, have to get the last minute work outs into.

Funny how driving can feel like standing still and being one place feel like moving.

Getting Nearer

Getting ready is a little different this year.

Last year things were pretty quiet around the house.  I could set aside an area and get my gear ready.  I could get things packed and checked off the "list".  This year toys and diapers are on the floor.  I think that there are a couple of Fin McMissles and a least 4 different Lightening McQueens.  A couple Tow Maders, a Woody and a Buzz Lightyear are around too (I hope I spelled all this right).

No, me and my wife of 30 years did not have twins.  Our daughter and her kiddos are visiting.  She and her husband are between duty stations and they have been with us on and off for the last month.  Things are a little different with a newborn and a 3 year old running around.

How's this for a balancing act?

 



I guess balance has been one of the key skills this year.  In a previous blog I talked about the simplicity of my Ironman Louisville 2012 quest.  Well actually I used the term easy first then changed it to simple.  It was by no means easy.  In training for IM Louisville I did the workouts my coach sent me and all was pretty simple.  Few distractions, few adjustments, everything was very familiar.

This year; not so simple.  Distractions, adjustments and unfamiliarity seemed to be the norm this year.  I did bike workouts in at least 4 different cities this year (Oklahoma City, Houston, Corsicana as well as my DFW home).  I did swims in these cities as well as 3 or 4 different ones.  I lost count on the places I ran.  I have fellow triathletes that would laugh at this because they travel and train in different cities every week.  Me, being a bit of a home body I found it difficult.  Dropping into a city and trying to find a good bike path is not easy.  You want one that is smooth enough for the bike and relatively free of traffic.  You can go to several web sites and find some routes but you can never be quite sure if the one you are selecting will meet your needs.

Also trying to find a pool that is at least 25 yards and will accept a non member can prove challenging as well.  As good as a pool as you can find it is still not my familiar pool.

Like I said it has been more difficult this year.

One Month out!

One month until Ironman Louisville!

Needless to say it has been a long journey.  More about the journey in a latter post.  I want to talk about motivation.  I have taken to reviewing videos, books, and websites for motivational quotes.  I find a particularly pertinent one and I write it on a piece of paper.  I then pin it to my bulletin board (old school; cork, really old school).  I leave it there for the week.  I read it and re read it.  It is an intricate part of my life for the week.  It is not only part of my Ironman training it is also part of my work as well.  It sits there within my field of vision. 

I teach on-line computer classes so I spend the better part of every day in a 6' X 10' studio so anything on my bulletin board is always with in eye shot.  On Friday I take a picture of the card and post it on Facebook and Twitter (@tirtexmike).  Here are the first 2

This post is not here to delve into the meaning of each of these quotes.  They are what they are.  They did start me thinking about "bulletin board" material.

We hear this term every time a pro athlete in a team sport shoots off his mouth a trash talks an opposing team.  If an athlete says disparaging things regarding an upcoming opponent you will hear the hosts of the local sports radio station reference the quote as "bulletin board " material for the opposing team.

In spite of my advanced age I remember this from playing high school football.  One example in particular the opposing team "decorated " the entrance way to our school with signs and banners claiming how they were going to beat us.  Generally said with colorful language.  No cursing or fowl language just how they were going to wipe the field with us and stomp us into the ground.

Our coaches took this art work and placed in our locker room on the day of the game.  They're goal is somewhat obvious.  Use our competitors lack of respect for us as motivation.  I assume that they we were not expected to get all riled up and crazy but to get focused on the task of beating them.  Winning the GAME!  It was meant to focus our collective thoughts and efforts on our competition.

In looking at my bulletin board I recalled those days.  Then I started to think about the material I currently have posted and compare it to the good old days.  Then I started to think about the content of these messages.

I do not have copies of the High school banners but as I remember them and their purpose of focusing us outward.  Focusing on our opponent.  My new bulletin board is adorned with sayings that are more focused inward.  Definitely very different messages.  Reasons for the differences; some are obvious.  Two entirely different events.  A football game pitting 2 teams against each other and an Ironman Triathlon where you are generally racing against yourself.

I guess the biggest difference is the latter.  You are racing against yourself.  In a team sport you sense of self is usually sacrificed for the good of the team.  This is admirable and honorable.  We need to put the common good first in many cases.

What about delivering your best for the cause.  How do you know if you have given enough to the team.  We sometimes need to know how far we can go.  We can only know that by pushing ourselves.  By pushing ourselves we know were our limits our and where they are not.  The only way to know is to take on a task and see where you get to.  Something like say an Ironman Triathlon.

Now we are into something that does not really have an opponent.  Or better said,  the opponent is the task itself.    That is why the quotes that seem to resonate with me at this time are ones that build the spirit, shore up the man within and most importantly address the fears that we all have.  I do not fear my opponent in an Ironman  triathlon.  The task is fearful enough.  I know it will hurt and I want the strength to carry me through.

That strength will only come from within me.

On the podium!

The quick news:  2nd in my age group at the Disco Sprint at Lake Ray Roberts just north of Dallas, Tx.

My first podium!!

I had a great race.  The swim was excellent and the bike near perfect.   I still need work on the run though.

Swim:  It was a beach start and I lined up on the far right of the wave.  When the horn sounded I was off like a shot.  I quickly moved past the people on my left (there was no one on my right).  When the water hit just above my knees I dove in.  I swam like mad to get to the lead group.  My main goal was to keep my draft throughout the entire swim.  The major focus was not losing the draft at the turn buoys.  In the past I tended to get distracted at the buoys.  Mostly because I was so excited at how well I had drafted that I would lost track of the person I was drafting off of.  Net result, I came in on the heels of the lead group and had the fastest swim split in my age group.

Bike:  Second fastest split in my age!  No real magic here.  I caught a draft and stayed the legal 3 bike lengths behind.   As we passed riders I moved in and out of the legal draft zone.

Run: What can I say still needs a lot of work

Kansas Oread 70.3 Race report

All in all it was a good race.  The stats

Swim           35:41
Bike          2:57:55
Run           2:23:26

Overall     6:07:11

Marble Falls

Swim          35:22
Bike         3:07:36
Run          2:54:27

Overall    6:47:41

40 minute improvement!

The Swim:

The course was a simple, out quick left and a return.  The biggest issue was the wind and cold.  The wind produced a bit of a wake.  Other than that, the swim was close to text book.  I still had trouble holding on to a draft.  I was able to pick up one soon after losing one.  However I felt that I could do better if I concentrated more on holding a consistent draft.

The Bike:

It was a nice bike course.   It had a some tight turns, some hills and some straights.  It was a good mix of everything. One the best experiences was that the stretch from mile 40 to 50 was smooth and over quick.  In the past I have had some trouble along this stretch.  On a couple of past 70.3's the 10 mile stretch from mile 40 to 50 seemed take for ever.  It was nice to have a ride during this stretch.

The Run:

As one can tell from the results this is where I made the most improvement.  From 2:54 to 2:24.  A 30 minute improvement!  The run course wound through Clinton State park.  There was one significant hill that we ran up and down twice.  I was able to run strongly up it both times.  It felt great to put in such an improved time.  Most of the improved time was due to better management of the bike leg.  The bike leg was almost as hilly as Marble Falls.  This time however I was able to concentrate and keep the heart rate under better control.  This left me much more energy for the run.

Over all:

I was very tired for a week or so after this race.  I had Monday off from training but I was back in the pool Tuesday doing a light swim.  The week continued with short light workouts.  The common trait of all these was a general sluggishness in the legs. Actually I thought that this was a good thing.

If my race strategy was designed to get the most out of me on a particular race that would mean that I left it all out on the course.  If it was all left on the course it would then it is only natural to be tired for an extended period of time.  So the fact that I was tired means that my race strategy was spot on and I followed it well.  That along with a lot of hard work lead to a 40 minute improvement!

Now race prep! IM Kansas 70.3

I am on my way.  Well not really traveling just this second.  Tent, sleeping bag etc. is all looked after any thing I have forgotten can be replaced at the local Walmart (The only thing that I have realized that I forgot is a folding chair).  So now time to focus on the race preparation.

For me race preparation has three elements.  They are:

1.) Logistical

2.) Mental

3.) Emotional

So a few brief notes about each of them:

1.) Logistical.  Not much to say here.  I have certain gear that needs to be in transition before the race.  So it has to be there.  Check list control this section.  Sounds simple,  a list of what you need and check off each item as it is prepared, packed etc.  The two main issues are forgetting something and bringing too much stuff.  In spite of check lists things may get forgotten.  Certain forgotten items can be replaced quickly.  Goggles for example; very often you can find someone with a spare set.  Some things not so easily.  Anyone got a spare wet suit with them.

Oh well a cold swim.

As for the right amount of stuff, I have found that bringing too much stuff is usually worse than too little.  With too much stuff you are more likely to loose something that is needed because it is buried among all the unneeded stuff.  Or as you start stripping away the useless stuff odds are that you will discard a needed item along with the unneeded.

I keep all my lists from all my races.  Each list is slightly different from the previous one.  Also the list varies based on type and distance of race.  The perfect list is always being refined.

2.) Mental

The biggest step here is to take my race strategy and convert it to a series of tactical actions.  For example part of the strategy is how much nutrition to take in during each part of the race.  I use a variety of products during the race.  Most cliff shot bloks on the bike and honey stingers on the run.  My strategy is to consume 200 calories an hour on the bike.  Each sleeve of bloks is 200 calories so obviously I consume one entire sleeve an hour.  By experimenting during training rides I find that eating every 20 minutes is maximum for me.  Each sleeve has 6 bloks so 2 bloks every 20 minutes.  The second and third hour I am to consume 300 calories an hour.  After all the arithmetic it works out to 3 bloks every 20 minutes.  Nutrition strategy tactically becomes 2 bloks every 20 minutes for the first hour and 3 bloks every 20 minutes after that.  Total of 4 sleeves.

Tactics enforce the strategy.  Race day is to busy and emotional for in depth strategy.

3.) Emotional

Million dollar question;  should you be calm and relaxed or tense and edgy?  Is it better to be loose and almost indifferent, or better to be poised on the edge?  If someone has the answer let me know.  So for now I think somewhere in the middle works best.  I think to loose would lead to indifference and mental mistakes.  However being to focused and keyed up can lead to mental mistakes as well.  Being loose may lead to not reacting to a change fast enough where as too edgy can lead to over reactions.  For me I definitely gravitate to the edgy side of things.  So I do have to spend more time trying to put me into a calmer state.  I cut down on the caffeine intake leading up to the race.  Today being the day before the race I just finished my only cup of coffee for the day.  As for other things to keep calm, taking care of 1 and 2 (Logistical and Mental) is probably the biggest factor.  The more confident I can be in these two areas the calmer I usually am.

Note weather forecast is predicting storms for the area tonight.  So they are letting us rack our bikes in the morning rather than this afternoon.  I can squeeze mine in my Honda Civic for the evening.  Oh well so much for my well planned logistics!

Travel Thoughts.

One of the hidden joys of triathlons is traveling to places you would not normally go to.  The impact on a city hosting a triathlon can be large.  Road closures, services are all taxed on the day of a race.  So needless to say hosting more than one major race a year is not the norm.  So if you are like me and you want to participate in more than 1 major race a year you gotta pack up and hit the road.  I have yet to fly to a race, something I am hoping to do in the next couple of years.  IM Canada in 2014???

These are a few observations about traveling to races. The first one is a general observation and the second 2 are specific to this trip.  The fourth one is race specific.

The first observation is the joy in discovering wonderful cities across the United States.  All my races have been US based thus far.  Not being much of a partier I had little interest in the city of New Orleans.  I went to the 70.3 race there and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience.  I did not take in much of the night life but the city is much more than just that.  The thing I loved about New Orleans is the pedestrian nature of the city.  People are walking everywhere.  I left the hotel at 4:00 am to get to the race and there were people out walking.  I assume that they were still enjoying the evening.

I do not think that Louisville Kentucky is on most peoples radar when it comes to summer vacations.   I found a city that is great to visit even if you are not into horses.  They do have lots of them.  Fourth street live is a vibrant downtown core.  You have to go to "The Toast" for breakfast,  the bread pudding pancakes are to die for!

Now Lawrence Kansas.  What a great place!  The city is beautiful.  Tree lined streets old homes and the campus of KU.  I am looking forward to seeing more of it.

Skipping to observation 4, there is no better way to get a sense of the topology of the race than on the drive into the area.  Right now I am getting a queasy feeling looking at all the hills LOL.

Now 2 specific observations regarding this trip.  The first part of the drive was north from Dallas along I35.  This is a stretch of road that I am very familiar with.  My company has an office in Oklahoma City and I have traveled there a dozen times over the last couple of years.  I was anticipating a relatively mindless first leg of the trip.  Just past Norman Ok is the town of Moore.  This is the town that was hit a couple of weeks ago by an F5 Tornado.  The stretch of highway from Norman to Oklahoma City is pretty Generic.  A lot of new development mostly stores and restaurants.  As rolled past Norman and entered Moore it was the usual grouping of stores; Super Target, Ulta cosmetics, Academy sports, Pet Smart etc.

The traffic then slowed to a crawl.  As you inch along you struck by this sudden swath of utter devastation.  The tornado destroyed everything in its path.   It almost seemed wrong to gawk at something that caused so much heartache in peoples lives.  It was just too hard not to look.  There were cars piled in ditches several deep.  Building made from steel and brick were leveled.  Impossible, even after seeing this to imagine the terror this caused.

My last observation is about my favorite part of the trip and it is this that has compelled me to post this.  It was the drive through Kansas, and mostly the 60 mile stretch from Wichita to Emporia.  What amazing scenery.  The 2 main things that struck me the most were first the unspoiled nature of the landscape.  Yes there are roads (the one I was on but not many others), cell towers and fences.  Other than those I could imagine the vista being exactly the same as the first settlers coming into the area.  A very moving image and thought.

The second was that you could see for miles.  While not being a perfectly flat prairie, you could still find high ground and see for miles.  There must be an aura of peacefulness in being able to see that far ahead.  It is what we all would like in our lives.   A clear path into our future.  I found myself really enjoying this part of the trip.  In fact I set the cruise control lower (apologies to all who had to pass me) relaxing and really enjoying this part of the trip.

Race #2 IM 70.3 Kansas

This week IM Kansas 70.3

It is race week.  Many things to do!  So much to do so little time on my!

Preparing for a race has many parts.  It is not just the race part as well.  I live in the Dallas area and is a 8 hour Drive to Lawrence Kansas.   Hotel reservations, travel plans meals etc. are all part of the preparation.  Most age groupers do not have assistants or personal managers to make the plans for us.  Although I cannot imagine anyone more helpful than my wife at getting things organized.

I am getting ready for IM Kansas 70.3.  The race is this Sunday.  EEK that is only 5 days away.  My main goal is to have this posted before the weekend.  I will probably finish it and post it Thursday might from the hotel.

The actual race prep is almost done.  I have my race plan set.  I will have to review it several times before Sunday.  Nutrition plan is set and needs to be reviewed as well.  Just a little bike work and pack it up and I am all set.

Now time to put the plan in action.  This is the difficult part.  You can have a great race plan but if you forget your shoes your plan kind of goes into the crapper.

June 6th, 2013 Wichita Kansas

Hotel room Thursday night so I am getting this finished and posted.  I am focusing on the non race part of the preparation.  Since this race is out of state there are a number of details to attended to.  The first is accommodations.  For this race I also needed a mid point hotel as well.  hence the stay at the Best Western here in Wichita.  As for race accommodations, I decided that since the race is in a state park I will camp in the park.  A camp site is significantly cheaper than a hotel.  A tent site at Clinton State Park is only $8.00 a night so 3 nights will only cost me $24.00 + $3.00 booking fee.  $27.00 all together.  I am not planning to "Camp" camp.  So I do not need to bring cooking supplies.

I do however need my tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag.  I will still eat meals in restaurants, as if I was staying in a hotel.  This has brought about a few challenges.

1.) Digital presence.  A lot of last minute info is distributed via various on line channels (twitter FB etc.)  I may regret not having a smart phone.

2.) Electronic devices.  Before I left I made sure that my cell phone, kindle and Surface were all fully charged before I left this morning.  I will probably spend some time this weekend in the local Starbucks  or Panera.  These should be adequate for internet access but may not give my the access to recharge my electronic devices.  I may need to do some rationing of my device usage.

3.) Race morning meal.  I have always relied on the hotel fridge and coffee for my race morning meal.  This one I am still working on.  I brought plastic forks and knives.  If I can find a shop that may be able to supply coffee early in the morning I should be ok.  This one I will still have to work on.

Next morning breakfast and about a 3 hour drive to the Race site!

The season Begins!!

The first race of the season is in the bag!

Hits Series Marble Falls Texas

The date was April 27th 2013.

First off Marble Falls is a very nice place.   Is 30 minutes from Austin Texas.  It is situated in "hill country".  When it comes to Triathlons "hill country" should be a warning, ha ha.

Really not that funny.

It started with the swim (doesn't always).  Actually I had to scramble to fix my bike the night before.  When I got to Marble Falls to check in I saw that the pad on my aero bars had come off during the drive.  Marble Falls does not have a bike shop so other than taking a couple of hours to drive to Austin I was going to have to improvise.  After some quick text messages I decided to fix it with the insoles from an older pair of shoes and duct tape.  It actually worked out well.  I was 10 miles into the bike leg before I even thought to check on the repair work.

Back to the swim.  Crowded start.  I usually try and start on one of the sides.  Since I am comfortable swimming bilaterally, I can start on the least crowded side and breath to the side that alllows my the best draft position.  In this case the starting channel was so narrow and the number of so swimmers high that the start looked more like a marathon corral start.  I did not hurry to the start line so when I got there it was shoulder to shoulder across the entire start line.  In fact it was 3-4 deep as well.  I worked my way up to the second row.  I knew that I was in a bit of trouble where I was.  Starting on the side gives you a bit more freedom to move and relax.  Unfortunately I was in the "Washing Machine"; so when the gun went of it was a bit of a riot.

My plan was to cut quickly to my left and get to the side of the main pack.  this meant that I had to go over, around, under or through a half dozen people.  When I played hockey I had no apprehensions to going in the corners and digging out a loose puck.  So bumping into a few swimmers is not such a big deal.  I got bump a few times and someones foot grazed my cheek.  I was quickly where I wanted to be.  In open water (open water is only a couple yards from the closest person) and letting the pack string out.  This then allows me to watch and quickly look for a swimmer to draft off of.  I quickly found a swimmer and locked on to their hip.

Swim time was 35:22:18.  Generally not a bad time.  I should be able to do better.  When I got the good draft I got a little complacent.  I could have looked for a faster draft and got a better time.  I did have the 3rd fastest time for my age group.

Smooth T1 and on the bike.  The plan on the bike was to go easy and let the HR go down below training pace.  Then after about 5 minutes of low intensity slowly bring up the HR into training pace.  Unfortunately the bike began with a 5 km climb.  Pretty hard to keep the HR low when you are climbing a long and relatively steep hill ( it is hill country).  Also with the bike problems the night before I did not have enough time to fully scout the bike course.  I did drive the first 10 miles or so.  I knew that after the first climb that a series of average size hills remained.  I was able to lower the HR on a couple the down hill sections but not enough to keep on the plan.  The entire course was a series of hills, almost not flat sections.  The biggest issue with hills is your heart rate (HR).  If you are trying to maintain a consistent HR hills do not help. Yes you can recover on the downhill side of the hill but you spend less time going downhill than uphill.  This was definitely a bike course that you would need to train specifically for.  I spent about 2/3's of the time in Race Pace.  The plan was to spend all of the bike in Training Pace. Considering the Hills and the lack of scout time a 3:07:36 time was not bad.

The run course followed the bike course.  So again a 5 km climb out of transition.  After the first 200 yards my right leg started to cramp up.  I was able to quickly stretch it out and massage it and get on my way.  Run strategy was similar to the bike start slow and low HR and build through out.  Again the hills made this a little difficult.  I was able to settle in a build to a nice pace.  Noting flashy just a nice steady pace.  The only problem I was having was that my HR was staying a little higher than I had hoped.  With a little "emotional"
relaxation is was able to lower it a few beats.  Emotional meaning relaxing my mind and any muscles that should be relaxed.  Just a general de tensing of your body.

At about mile 4 I began to pick up the pace a bit.  I was feeling pretty good and moved the pace a little faster.  At the water stop around mile 5 I was hoping to get hydrated and I heard those fateful words " we are out of water".  At mile 6 the same message no water.  The course was a simple out and back so after the 6 mile mark there was the turnaround and you then passed the aid stations on the way back.  The 2 aid stations  that were out of water still had no water.  I was coming up to 3 miles now without water.  At the pace I was running that was a good 30 minutes without water.  So after the mile 7 I decided to slow it down a bit.  At about mile 8 I came a across an aid station that had water.  I guzzled down a bunch and continued on..  Time was quite slow, 2:54:27.  I really need to get faster (a lot faster).

All in all not a bad start to the season.

Swim 35:22
bike 3:07:36
run   2:54:27
total 6:47:40

Reflections of the past couple of months.

I have used a analogies writing these blogs.  Reading through previous entries one that is prevalent is how we as triathletes train and how musicians train.  Train, practice, rehearse are all verbs that describe what we do to prepare ourselves for the big day.  It is fair to say that whether you are an athlete or a musician you spend much more of your time preparing for that big day than the event itself.

I may compete in one ironman event per year.  Along with that maybe 2 or 3 half ironman distance races and a handful of local sprints or Olympic distance races.  For a musician who does not derive his or her income from playing music may have a similar number of gigs throughout the year.

What I am leading to is that as a non-professional we really have to love what we do.  Why would anyone spend as much time as we to training and preparing and practicing if we truly did not enjoy the actual day to day toil?  Not to say that professionals do not enjoy their work.  Of course they do.  It is true as well that they usually have contractual obligations to fill.   Athletes have to finish above a certain spot to continue to receive performance money from sponsors.  Musicians have to play well enough so that customers enjoy the music and return to listen to them again (In that way I think musicians have it much harder, much more subjective than a first or second place finish).  So professionals do have other motivations.

Back to us non pros.  What motivates us?  This is thought has been in the back of my mind lately mostly because I have hit one of those rough spots in life where other things became much much more important than training.  Especially the concept of what is important in our lives.  There is probably no better indicator of what is important in our lives than that little day-timer that sits in our heads.  If we had a constant log of how we spent every minute of every day we should get a pretty good indicator of things that are important in our lives.  In the end we are the ultimate decision maker in how we spend our time.

Even work, if we feel that our job is taking too much time away from other things we are free to look for another. So if I was to look at that log I would have to say that I have chosen to make training an important part of my life.  I could make a “magazine list” of reasons (a magazine list is a collection of generic items that most anyone could come up with).  Health, focus and wellness are some of the magazine list items.  How about companionship; I have met many people that have become good friends.  You get the idea of a “magazine list”.  Maybe I should update the term to “internet list”.

The obvious danger to any hobby is to have it become too important.

Back to the rough patch that has derailed my recent training.   I guess my log file got radically altered for a month or so.  Just hit the low points.  Imagine sitting around with part of your family anticipating the trip of a life time.  The vacation was booked and paid for.  Not only where we going to Hawaii but the rest of my family was going to meet us.  I was especially excited to have my wife, both children, their husbands/boyfriends and best of all my grandson under one roof for a week.  My oldest daughter and her husband are stationed overseas.  It has been close to two years since we were all together.  I was pumped!

Beginning about 2 weeks before the trip the wheels started to come off.  My mother in-law has been ill since the New Year and her condition deteriorated rapidly.  She passed away the week before the trip.  While this was going we received news from overseas of a serious medical condition that was affecting my daughter and her pregnancy.  These 2 events caused many changes in plans.  Changes that were altered and then altered and altered again.  My daughter and her family were not able to meet us in Hawaii.  They were to proceed immediately to the states.   Along with these events 3 other deaths occurred that impacted my family.

My wife and I decided that I would go to Hawaii with my younger daughter and her boyfriend.  My younger daughter and I had less flexible work/vacation schedules so we had to take the week we requested.  My wife had a more flexible schedule and was able to alter vacation days.  My wife made plans to go to Houston and help our older daughter's family get settled in Houston.

Hawaii is a beautiful place but it is hard to enjoy while part of your family is flying half way around the world for medical reasons.  Each morning in Hawaii I walked from the Hotel to the local Starbucks to get on Facebook and e-mail to get status updates as to where everyone was.  With missed flights weather delays etc.  It took my daughter and her family about 4 days to get to Houston.

Through all this it was very difficult to train.  Logistically you are flying, sitting in airports.  You are in locations where you may not have access to all the right facilities.  It was definitely more to it than just logistical roadblocks.  The focus was just not there.  I remember telling my coach that I was so distracted mentally and emotionally that I did not think I could ride my bike safely.  I could easily see myself getting lost in thoughts and riding off into a ditch or worse a moving vehicle.  

So many training sessions got put aside while we dealt with things.  I did a few runs here and there mostly because I really did not know what else to do.  These runs were merely distractions from the events around me.  They were not focused training sessions.  I did some beach runs on the in Waikiki and enjoyed them, like I said a beautiful place.  I returned from Hawaii  ready to focus on training again.  

When we returned home my older daughter and her family were there!  SCORE! it was grandpa, grandson time!!!!  My daughter was still needing surgery but now we were all together and would be able to face it together.  In the next 36 hour period the 3 other deaths occurred and it was separate cites again.  We were all afraid to ask, "What next".  My desire to train again was instantly derailed.

Training to me was always something that conveyed a sense of living.  Both in the physical sense (strong and healthy bodies) and the spiritual sense (I feel alive when I train).  It was difficult to train and approach this living sense when you feel surrounded by death and fear.  Fear is one of the most limiting feelings. Fear of failure, fear of the the future, not knowing what is coming next can all impede our growth.  In fact it can all out stop it.

I am not a psychologist and I have never been a bar tender so I am not trained or predisposed to dispensing wisdom.  All I can tell you is what happened over the ensuing week and month.  There was not great lightening bolt from the sky. No great cathartic event.  Just a slow and deliberate desire to train.  No inspirational background music, no "rocky" speeches (it's time Rock!).  Just a family working to get its feet under itself.  Slowly getting on track after life throws it a few (or more) curve balls.  We had a lot of support from friends.

During this I made a conscience decisions to return to a training regime.  Not because i needed to train for a race not because I wanted to maintain my level of physical fitness.  I wanted to return to it because I felt a responsibility to infuse life into an aura of fear and death.  By training I felt I could in a small way face and help my family continue to face the fear and uncertainty of the current time.  

Still Running (or trying to) part deux

I had this post saved as a draft before getting derailed with family issues (see the previous post).  I thought I would post it as is.

Last Night:

8 X 400 repeats FAST

In a word ouch!

I feel comfortable running slowly for long distance.  I can focus and get a nice stride (it still may be an incorrect stride).  My Heart rate levels out and off I go.  The minute I try to accelerate:

1.) I do not actually go that much faster.
2.) My HR increases rapidly
3.) I tire quickly

To generate speed I seem to need considerable energy.

Here is another example;  At track the other day we ran 5 X 1000 (5 1000 meter sprints).  The goal was to start at a moderate speed and do each one faster than the next.  When it comes to runs like this I use an 8 minute mile as a "base".  This a pace that I can run a 5K race.  This then breaks down to a 2 minute 400 meter run.  So using this as a base the 1000's should be in the 5 minute range.  A 1000 meter is 2.5 laps of a 400 meter track; 2 minutes X 2.5 = 5 minutes.

This is how I begin my track workouts (4th grade math??).  So with a workout being  descending 1000 meter runs I try and shoot for the middle one to be the 5k pace.  So I began with the goal of the first one being in the 5:20 range, the second in the 5:10 range, the third (the middle) at 5:00 minutes.  The last half should be faster than the 5k pace.  Following the pattern then, fourth at 4:50 and the fifth and final one at 4:40.

My actual times: First 5:38, second 5:26, third 5:05, fourth 4:45, and finally the fifth at 4:42.  So, all in all not a bad workout.  I could have been a little faster in the beginning.  Most importantly I did decrease my times.  Even if each run was only 1 second faster than th previous one I would have considered it a success.

However what is driving me nuts is this.  During the first four 1000's me and another person ran together.  We basically paced off each other.  On the last 1000 she moved ahead of me after the first 200 meters.  I tried to stay with her but there was no chance in that.  In the end she was about 150 meters ahead of me.  The frustrating thing is not that I was tired it was that I just could not move my body any faster.  At the end I still felt strong, in fact strong enough that I could have run another 1000 at the same pace.

I just could not propel my body any faster.  How does one go faster?

I have always been slow.  Let me rephrase that; I have always been really slow.

My mile times and 5 k times have gone down so why do say that I have not gotten any faster. It is true that I am faster at these distances but over short distances I am really slow.  I am only going get so fast at the longer distances if I get faster at the shorter ones.

Mid Season Break

Well it is mid season and other than a couple of light runs I have not trained for the last week.  I have been so focused on training that it seems almost surprising how easy it is to put it aside.

However when family is first foremost in your mind and heart you need to switch your focus.  Now,  it is not like this was not planned.  We have been planning this trip to Hawaii for the last 6 months.  My oldest daughter and her Husband are in the United States Marine Corps. They are stationed in Okinawa Japan.  They have been there for a year and have 2 years left on their tour there.  So the 2 of them and our Grandson (obviously the most important of the 3, Ha Ha).  Left the states a year ago.  We inherited their dog.

So this trip was supposed to be a family reunion of sorts.  I was looking forward to having the entire family together.  My wife and younger daughter were flying from Dallas to Hawaii.  My elder daughter and her family were to fly from Okinawa to Hawaii.  We were then to spend the week together.  The Marine base in Hawaii here has cottages to rent.  They are on the base and are situated near the beach.  Who could ask for a better week.

Well it was not to be.  My eldest is now in Houston awaiting surgery and My wife is there helping her get settled.  I am here in Hawaii with my youngest.  Oh the joys of non refundable tickets.  Also the week before the trip my mother-in-law passed away and we traveled to that as well.

As this was unfolding training was on the back burner.  I was so distracted with daily news, changes to plans, news of canceled flights that I did not even trust myself to ride my bike safely.  That is all we needed is for me to crash my bike and end up in the hospital.

When it comes to training I feel that I have been fairly dedicated.  Two weeks before this trip I traveled for work.  I drove to Corsicana Texas.  Before the trip I checked out the facilities and there was no pool in the area to swim in but I brought my bike and was able to get a couple of rides in.  I travel to  OKC from time to time for work and I found a pool to use.

I was able to do this because of my focus. I am training for a purpose.  That purpose is what gives you the focus.  Now that that purpose is secondary to the immediate needs of my family the focus is gone.  Once the immediacy is gone the focus will be back.

It will be different though.  My daughter and her family will need on going support for quite a while  definitely through the summer and into the fall.  This falls into the peak build period for my "A" race (IM Louisville).  With the help of many I will still do this.

On thing I have certainly come to understand is Ph 4:13

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength"

Still running (or trying to)

Before I get into the main topic of this post I need to rethink a previous post.  I summarized my Ironman journey as "Easy".  I detailed how I approached the training and how with the help of many and good fortune how easy the endeavor was.  I really think describing it as easy was a poor choice of words.  In an entirely unrelated topic was described by Pastor Todd Harris as simple but not easy.

I think that was a much better was of describing the process. Yes it was simple.  I did what I was told when I was told to do it.  Getting up at 04:30 (yes that is AM) to get in 2500 yards of swimming before work is not easy!  Six hour bike rides on a hot Saturday Morning: not that easy.  Interval runs, weights, more biking more swimming more running, simple but not easy.  Thanks to Pastor Todd for the insight!

Back to runnin'

Having grown up in the Great white north, saying that I learned to skate before I learned to run would be a bit of an exaggeration.  I could with  100% confidence say that I was taught to skate before I was ever taught to run.  Whether or not this has anything to do with my inability to run fast it does play into any run analysis.  Skating was the only way I have ever analyzed the way my body propels itself.  It is my only baseline.  The only run technique I ever remember hearing about was back in the late 70's.  It was the classic heel strike with a roll.

here is a quick article regarding the dangers of heel strike

Then along comes playtri and a new way of running.  Oh the joys of a mid foot strike.  The fun of  unlearning 40 years of doing something one way (running),  The basic form is this:

1.) Begin by standing upright.
2.) Lift one leg.  When you lift your foot comes up in a line that is perpendicular to the ground.
    i) Your heel should be directly under you "butt"
3.) Keep your body in a straight line lean forward.
4.) As you lean you get to a point where your foot that was raised proceeds downward.
5.) As the raised foot goes down the other goes up.
6.) Repeat for the duration of the run.

I started this post with an explanation of easy and simple.  Especially when demonstrated this is simple.  Performing it after 40 years of doing it wrong, now that is NOT EASY. I have been at this for 4 years and I still have not perfected it.  Not even close yet.

It is interesting how much this can be attributed to physical change and how much to mental.  I am not the most gifted athlete (far from it).  Still, I am coordinated enough that I can repeat a series of steps if demonstrated and explained.  Just because I can repeat them does not mean I can"preform' them.

About the only analogy I can think of is when my accuses me of not listening and I repeat verbatim what she said to me.  Just because I can repeat the words spoken I have not actually "listened" to her.  Words are simply words when I repeat but when I listen those words have tone and context the heighten there meaning.

Merely repeating the 6 steps above is like hearing but not listening.  Every step above is done in context to all the other steps.  Not lifting the leg properly means that the lean is not straight which leads the downward motion to land the foot either to far in front or behind etc. etc..

In the end it is the mental as much as the physical that must change neither of which is easy.  Simple but not easy.

Back to Business

Christmas is over.  It is time to get to the business of training.

Kind of funny, don't you think.  Mostly because my training continued through the holidays.  With family visiting I still found time to sneak away and get some training in.

The business of training contains a number of basic steps.  Letting my coach know my future availability for training,  receiving and reviewing the training plans, and providing feedback to my coach.  Just the basics.  I guess following the training plan is a part of it too!

Since my theme this year is train to attack (last year was train to survive)  the basics are just not good enough.  What is beyond the basics?

It is not just more training, more and longer workouts.  If more and longer were the only keys to any successful endeavor there would be 1000's of multi-million businesses everyday, there would be far more successful musicians and a lot more gold medal winners.  Many have worked long and hard to achieve success.  Their efforts are  applauded but not always rewarded.  Not every hard working musician makes it big,  not every entrepreneur makes millions (even if he has a better mouse trap).

Now do not get the impression that there is an easy way to achieve big things.  It is not just the only thing.  This is a coy way of saying that:

 "Practice Does Not Make Perfect.  Only Perfect Practice Makes Perfect."

Most of us grew up with the opposite of the first part of the previous statement.  In fact a quick google search on the statement "practice makes perfect"  brings up an entire industry of responses.  From self help books to academic journals everyone has an opinion regarding Practice makes perfect.  I guess that that is true for most things.  Everyone has an opinion.

Simply put if you practice something the wrong way you /may end up getting very good at doing it wrong but never good at doing it right.

Here is my example of that.  For the last 3-4 years i have been diligently working on my running.  If I could get my run times to just average I could place much higher in races.  My work has paid some dividends.  I am faster.  I am no where near average yet.  At Ironman Louisville I did place reasonably well but that was mostly because of the large number of DNF's.

I still am unable to generate any more raw speed than I did 4 years ago. Even after dropping about 20 lbs I am still a very slow 40 yard guy.  I felt I was doing everything right; still no speed.  I have never been a fast runner.  One of the reasons I gravitate to distance running is total ineptitude at sprinting.  I must be doing things wrong.

So back to the basics.  At club workouts I badgered the coaches to watch me very carefully.  At every movement of every drill I made them pay close attention to me.  Am I doing this right?  Is this movement fast enough?  I had them watch me enough until they finally pointed out an exercise that I was very poor at.  Without going into all the finite details we came to the conclusion that I still "push" too much when I run as opposed to lifting.

I was doing about 90% of it right but is the 10% that was slowing me down.  Has it fixed it, am I now generating the raw speed.  NO!  just because I have identified the weakness does not mean it is fixed.  Now comes the fun part, deciding how to fix the problem.

Since Christmas  I have coaches watch me a number of times.  After all I am paying my club membership fees.  Still no definite fix.  Still working on it!!!