Well, now that a full day has passed since the race, it's time to recap the day and look at the good and bad.
All in all, it was a good day. Ran a 7 minute PR with a final time of 2:48:57, something in the 6:26/mile pace.
Let's start with Saturday. Pretty uneventful trip into Philly with my friend Mike and the expo was super fast compared to when I did this race in 2007 (and ran a 3:07!). I was very happy to get in and out so we could find a place to eat and settle in for the night. We probably should have planned that better! It took us a couple HOURS and we walked way too far to finally rind a restaurant that served spaghetti and wasn't a 3 hour wait! We found a place not too far from our hotel and we were eating by 6pm, which was the goal. After eating, we went back to the room and got everythin in order for the morning. We managed to be in bed by 9, sleeping by 10 so we defintiely got enought rest.
Woke up on race morning, showered, and had a bagel and half a banana. For the next two hours I regretted that banana, but by the time we started racing it was forgotten about. We decided to walk to the start, about 1.6 miles, and then got in a mile warm up jog before stretching and doing plyometrics. With about 10 minutes to go, we made our way into the corral to line up. The weather was great, the wind was blowing, but temperature was fine. After the National Anthem, a little Eminem, and a 10 second countdown we were off!
The race runs downhill on the Ben Franklin Parkway with a slight tailwind. Stupid me opens with a 6:01 mile. So you'd think that I would realize that that was too fast. What do I come back with for mile 2? a 6:06. The problem is that I felt fine! My leg pain was non-existent and it felt so good to finally be running. I made my way through the 5k in about 18:30 and that's where I got to talking to a couple other guys. They were planning on a 2:46:00 marathon so I figured I'd try to hang with them and share some of the work as we made our way slightly back uphill and into the wind. The plan worked, but the pace was quick. I kept telling myself to control it, but we ended up throwing in some quick miles, even a 5:59 mile 8. By the time we got to the 10 mile mark, I was actually getting a little tired. Just past mile 10 was the last of the "major" hills on the course and I could feel the work I did in my quads. The next 5k to the half way mark was controlled and we came through the half right around 1:22:28. Too fast.
When I passed the mile 14 flag, I couldn't believe it. There's no way that I ONLY ran a mile. That was probably the toughest mile of the day. From there on, the race was nothing but hard. My fastest mile in teh second half was a 6:19, and I had six miles over 6:30.
I don't clearly remember any of those miles, I just know that it never got any easier. A rabbit was pacinga group of women through mile 15 so they could try for an Olympic Qualifier. We were in a nice pack up until that point, but one he left that whole group fell apart. Mile 16 was along the river and I ran that alone. I cought a couple people through mile 17, which come up an annoying little hill to an intersection. There was a little downhill, a 180 degree turnaround, and then an uphill for mile 18 and that was just painful. From there to mile 20 was OK. We went through a couple rollers but the course finally had some spectators which helped take the edge off. That led to mile 21, which was the last tough uphill.
After I passed the mile 21 mark, I started playing with the math of the race. I still hadn't given in to the fact that I was really hurting and I had hopes of coming in under 2:48, maybe even under 2:47. My race pace plan was to be able to run 5 miles in exactly 32 minutes. That made the math easy, but hitting the pace wasn't happening. Mile 22 felt like a 6:00 mile but was actually a 6:34. That was deflating. After another 6:35 mile, I knew there was just over a 5k left. That's nothing! A 5k is nothing!!! Ha, I wish.
From mile 22 back to the finish, the course was on one road, headed on one direction...into the wind. I was running alone and there was no one to work with and block any of the breeze. It was funny to watch as I was running along without any wind and watching leaves blowing towards me. Then, you felt it. The wind would slow you up like you were running up a mountain.
With 5k to go, my quads were shot. Every step was painful and the desire to stop was huge. There was ZERO crowd support over those last couple of miles, which made it very boring. FINALLY the crowds started to form and after the 25 mile mark, the finish felt attainable. A slight uphill, then a downhill and there was the finish line.
I'm happy with the result, but I know I could have raced smarter and better. Taking off another two minutes is a very real goal, and next year 2:45:00 will be a race plan...if the baby lets me train for one!
Here's the Garmin data...
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/130096044
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
New Jersey State Triathlon Race Report
It's been a while since I've posted, but here's a race report and there will be another one next week!
I woke up at 3am on race morning. This might have been the earliest I've ever woken up for a race. I didn't even have to get up this early for Ironman! Oh well, up early to have a bagel and gatorade. I had to be on the road by 415 to get to my friend Paul's house so we could push off by 445. I went through my usual slow motion morning of checking/sending emails, packing, and eating. I left on time but had to back track after forgetting my helmet. Got to Paul"s house, packed the car, and we were on our way.
We got to the race site a little after 6, which is a little later than I wanted to be. We still had to pick up our packets (which was quick, thankfully) and set up transition. Got everything sorted out and went for a warm up run.
It was hot.
I felt awful.
The last two days before the race I could tell I wasn't 100%. I felt VERY flat and heavy. Sure enough, I felt the same race morning. I ate a quick gel and went to swim. Same story there, arms felt heavy and I had no feel for the water.
So at the starting line I had no great expectations. My initial goal was to go in the 2:05 range but I wasn't even sure if I could break 2:15 at this point. The gun went off and we were on our way.
The first few hundred meters of the swim were physical. I was in the elite wave (which are great) and that meant everyone could swim. There was a good battle for positioning and that took a lot of energy out of me in the 88+ water. We finally get into an organized line but I felt terrible. It was hot and I felt like I was going to throw up. About half way in, two people passed me and I thought I was way out of the top 10. However, over the last few hundred meters I passed a few guys and I think I came out of the water in 5th.
Onto the bike and the nausea wasn't going away. After a few miles I could tell I was in 4th but eventually got passed by 4 people and came off the bike in 8th. I never felt good on the ride. I could never get into a rhythm. I took a gel around mile 15 and that only made things worse. Getting off the bike I was just hoping to hold on to a top 10 finish.
I headed out of T2 and tried to get work my way back. I hit the first mile in about 6:15 and had passed two people. I started to get a little cramp in my stomach and then got passed by another runner. I came through mile two in 6:29 and was not feeling good. There was a slight down hill and I was able to re-pass the guy who passed me. After that section, I started to feel better. From then on I was able to get into a nice rhythm and started running down some of the guys in front of me. By mile four I had moved from 7th to 3rd and everyone I passed, I had passed with confidence. It's always tough to pass people because you never know how they will respond. Each person I passed I was able to get behind them and get a feel for their pace. I would wait a few seconds and then give a strong surge around them. There was a little out and back section and I could see where second place was. I tried my best to find another gear and I was able to close the gap, but was unable to catch 2nd place.
So, in the end, I am very happy with the outcome. I had very low expectations at the starting line and had a very uncomfortable race. I'm not sure if I had a some type of cold before the race, but the two days before I was very run down. Four days later and I am feeling recovered and feeling fresh. I will be racing this weekend at the Pequannock Triathlon and have put in a few strong workouts this week. I am no longer feeling wiped out and am looking forward to a fast race on Sunday.
Congratulations to all those from the Tri Club who raced. It was not an easy day out there and you all powered through for strong finishes. I know a lot of you will be joining me on the starting line on Sunday. I'm looking forward to watching you continue your awesome race seasons!
I woke up at 3am on race morning. This might have been the earliest I've ever woken up for a race. I didn't even have to get up this early for Ironman! Oh well, up early to have a bagel and gatorade. I had to be on the road by 415 to get to my friend Paul's house so we could push off by 445. I went through my usual slow motion morning of checking/sending emails, packing, and eating. I left on time but had to back track after forgetting my helmet. Got to Paul"s house, packed the car, and we were on our way.
We got to the race site a little after 6, which is a little later than I wanted to be. We still had to pick up our packets (which was quick, thankfully) and set up transition. Got everything sorted out and went for a warm up run.
It was hot.
I felt awful.
The last two days before the race I could tell I wasn't 100%. I felt VERY flat and heavy. Sure enough, I felt the same race morning. I ate a quick gel and went to swim. Same story there, arms felt heavy and I had no feel for the water.
So at the starting line I had no great expectations. My initial goal was to go in the 2:05 range but I wasn't even sure if I could break 2:15 at this point. The gun went off and we were on our way.
The first few hundred meters of the swim were physical. I was in the elite wave (which are great) and that meant everyone could swim. There was a good battle for positioning and that took a lot of energy out of me in the 88+ water. We finally get into an organized line but I felt terrible. It was hot and I felt like I was going to throw up. About half way in, two people passed me and I thought I was way out of the top 10. However, over the last few hundred meters I passed a few guys and I think I came out of the water in 5th.
Onto the bike and the nausea wasn't going away. After a few miles I could tell I was in 4th but eventually got passed by 4 people and came off the bike in 8th. I never felt good on the ride. I could never get into a rhythm. I took a gel around mile 15 and that only made things worse. Getting off the bike I was just hoping to hold on to a top 10 finish.
I headed out of T2 and tried to get work my way back. I hit the first mile in about 6:15 and had passed two people. I started to get a little cramp in my stomach and then got passed by another runner. I came through mile two in 6:29 and was not feeling good. There was a slight down hill and I was able to re-pass the guy who passed me. After that section, I started to feel better. From then on I was able to get into a nice rhythm and started running down some of the guys in front of me. By mile four I had moved from 7th to 3rd and everyone I passed, I had passed with confidence. It's always tough to pass people because you never know how they will respond. Each person I passed I was able to get behind them and get a feel for their pace. I would wait a few seconds and then give a strong surge around them. There was a little out and back section and I could see where second place was. I tried my best to find another gear and I was able to close the gap, but was unable to catch 2nd place.
So, in the end, I am very happy with the outcome. I had very low expectations at the starting line and had a very uncomfortable race. I'm not sure if I had a some type of cold before the race, but the two days before I was very run down. Four days later and I am feeling recovered and feeling fresh. I will be racing this weekend at the Pequannock Triathlon and have put in a few strong workouts this week. I am no longer feeling wiped out and am looking forward to a fast race on Sunday.
Congratulations to all those from the Tri Club who raced. It was not an easy day out there and you all powered through for strong finishes. I know a lot of you will be joining me on the starting line on Sunday. I'm looking forward to watching you continue your awesome race seasons!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wyckoff-Franklin Lakes Tri Race Report
This past Saturday was the 29th Annual Wyckoff-Franklin Lakes Triathlon and my 7th year (in a row) racing here. There's something very special about this race and it is one that I plan on doing for as long as I can. It's the race that everyone talks about all year, the race that everyone competes in or goes to watch, and the race that offers some bragging rights amongst training partners until next year's race. The best part is that no matter the outcome, it's always a fun day of fast racing with great company.
So on race morning, there's always a positive buzz in the air. I got to the race real early and got my bike set up. Then, the Wyckoff Tri Club gathered to take a team picture which came out really great. Especially since we got new running tanks and everyone had it on. It's really great to see how for everyone in the club has come since January and they all had awesome races.
After the picture, it was time to warm up. I got 15 minutes of cycling in to check everything out, then ran an easy 1.5 miles with Ian to shake out the legs. Then I headed back to transition to hang out and get the wetsuit on. The transition area before this race is always fun. It's always filled my all my friends and training partners so the mood is light, but since we're all each others competition you can tell there's some tension in the air. I do my usual scope of the talent and psyche myself out. Eventually I head down to the water with Jeff and Ian to swim a little. We were unpleasantly surprised by the amount of weeds in the water, but nothing we can do about it now! So, that was it. Warmed up and ready to go. National Anthem is sung and the gun goes off. Wait! The gun went off!? All of the athletes who were standing by the water's edge couldn't hear the countdown or the timer start the race. When the race started, I still had my goggles on top of my head. Oh well, no time to complain, gotta start swimming!
The swim -
The plan was to go out hard and settle in once I got past the dock. Since there was some confusion at the start, I didn't get to find the guys I was looking for to swim with. When we passed the dock, I looked around and saw I was slightly out in front. Not where I wanted to be. I have a bad history of "pulling" people through the swim at this race. But I wasn't about to slow down, so I kept in controlled to the buoy. I thought for sure that someone would have beat me to the first buoy, but I got there first. I couldn't tell how close 2nd place was, but I knew I had to make a move or I would have the same fate as in previous years. I know that if I go hard, I can swim between the two buoys in about 1:45 so I picked it up and went for it. I got to the second buoy and knew no one was on my feet. Now I had to try to bring it in as straight and fast as possible. The glare coming in was tough, but swimming in the lake a few times had helped with sighting practice. I knew where I should be and trusted my instincts. I swam until I hit the sand and then did three dolphin dives until I could run out of the water. I saw the clock and it read 10:40 and I was shocked! I ran as hard as I could to the timing pad and officially my swim time was 11:40, which I am told is a new course record. I sped through T1 and was on the road with about 30 seconds of a lead.
The bike -
If only I could ride! I knew that I wasn't in great cycling shape coming in to the race, but thought I could hold my own. I got passed by Chris Gebhardt just after mile 4 and he passed me like I was standing still. I rode solo until about mile 12.5 when Mike Llerandi and some relay guy passed me. I was able to keep them in my sights and didn't let them pull away. All in all, I am pleased with my split. It's the fastest I've ridden the course and I entered T2 with Mike basically tied for 2nd. I had a super fast transition and was on the run in no time. Overall bike split was 44:54, 22.7mph.
The run -
As I was leaving transition, Paul Scire gave me a shout to tell me that Chris was about 1:50 ahead of me. This wasn't going to be easy. I've been running the fastest I've ever been, but Chris is still probably faster than me. I was able to put some space on 3rd place, but gaining in Chris was a slow process. After two miles I picked up a few seconds, but it wasn't looking good. At the 2.5 mile mark I actually got a bad cramp running up a hill and had to walk a few steps. After a few seconds of digging into my stomach, I was able to continue running but it was very uncomfortable. At the next out and back section I was able to assess Chris' position and he still had over a minute lead. We were already over 3 miles in and I was running out of miles. At this point, I basically knew I had to hang on for 2nd. As I came back down the out and back, I had a very comfortable lead on 3rd and 4th place so if I could hold the pace everything would be OK. Just past the 4 mile mark, both Chris and I missed a turn so we ended up adding about 0.15 miles onto our race. No change in the outcome (except for the additional time) so no one was upset. Even with the addition, I still ran a 30:28 for the 3rd fastest run of the day.
After seven years of racing here, I have the following results 80, 19, 9, 2, 5, 5, 2. I'm getting there! This was definitely my best race here. I surprised myself in the swim, plus I had the fastest times for T1 and T2. I always try to be as efficient as possible and it paid off here.
So on race morning, there's always a positive buzz in the air. I got to the race real early and got my bike set up. Then, the Wyckoff Tri Club gathered to take a team picture which came out really great. Especially since we got new running tanks and everyone had it on. It's really great to see how for everyone in the club has come since January and they all had awesome races.
After the picture, it was time to warm up. I got 15 minutes of cycling in to check everything out, then ran an easy 1.5 miles with Ian to shake out the legs. Then I headed back to transition to hang out and get the wetsuit on. The transition area before this race is always fun. It's always filled my all my friends and training partners so the mood is light, but since we're all each others competition you can tell there's some tension in the air. I do my usual scope of the talent and psyche myself out. Eventually I head down to the water with Jeff and Ian to swim a little. We were unpleasantly surprised by the amount of weeds in the water, but nothing we can do about it now! So, that was it. Warmed up and ready to go. National Anthem is sung and the gun goes off. Wait! The gun went off!? All of the athletes who were standing by the water's edge couldn't hear the countdown or the timer start the race. When the race started, I still had my goggles on top of my head. Oh well, no time to complain, gotta start swimming!
The swim -
The plan was to go out hard and settle in once I got past the dock. Since there was some confusion at the start, I didn't get to find the guys I was looking for to swim with. When we passed the dock, I looked around and saw I was slightly out in front. Not where I wanted to be. I have a bad history of "pulling" people through the swim at this race. But I wasn't about to slow down, so I kept in controlled to the buoy. I thought for sure that someone would have beat me to the first buoy, but I got there first. I couldn't tell how close 2nd place was, but I knew I had to make a move or I would have the same fate as in previous years. I know that if I go hard, I can swim between the two buoys in about 1:45 so I picked it up and went for it. I got to the second buoy and knew no one was on my feet. Now I had to try to bring it in as straight and fast as possible. The glare coming in was tough, but swimming in the lake a few times had helped with sighting practice. I knew where I should be and trusted my instincts. I swam until I hit the sand and then did three dolphin dives until I could run out of the water. I saw the clock and it read 10:40 and I was shocked! I ran as hard as I could to the timing pad and officially my swim time was 11:40, which I am told is a new course record. I sped through T1 and was on the road with about 30 seconds of a lead.
The bike -
If only I could ride! I knew that I wasn't in great cycling shape coming in to the race, but thought I could hold my own. I got passed by Chris Gebhardt just after mile 4 and he passed me like I was standing still. I rode solo until about mile 12.5 when Mike Llerandi and some relay guy passed me. I was able to keep them in my sights and didn't let them pull away. All in all, I am pleased with my split. It's the fastest I've ridden the course and I entered T2 with Mike basically tied for 2nd. I had a super fast transition and was on the run in no time. Overall bike split was 44:54, 22.7mph.
The run -
As I was leaving transition, Paul Scire gave me a shout to tell me that Chris was about 1:50 ahead of me. This wasn't going to be easy. I've been running the fastest I've ever been, but Chris is still probably faster than me. I was able to put some space on 3rd place, but gaining in Chris was a slow process. After two miles I picked up a few seconds, but it wasn't looking good. At the 2.5 mile mark I actually got a bad cramp running up a hill and had to walk a few steps. After a few seconds of digging into my stomach, I was able to continue running but it was very uncomfortable. At the next out and back section I was able to assess Chris' position and he still had over a minute lead. We were already over 3 miles in and I was running out of miles. At this point, I basically knew I had to hang on for 2nd. As I came back down the out and back, I had a very comfortable lead on 3rd and 4th place so if I could hold the pace everything would be OK. Just past the 4 mile mark, both Chris and I missed a turn so we ended up adding about 0.15 miles onto our race. No change in the outcome (except for the additional time) so no one was upset. Even with the addition, I still ran a 30:28 for the 3rd fastest run of the day.
After seven years of racing here, I have the following results 80, 19, 9, 2, 5, 5, 2. I'm getting there! This was definitely my best race here. I surprised myself in the swim, plus I had the fastest times for T1 and T2. I always try to be as efficient as possible and it paid off here.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Packanack Lake Race Report
I raced the 2nd annual Packanack Lake Tri on Saturday. Quick recap and then the details.
1st place overall and first place in each segment of SBR. Very happy with swim and run fitness, didn't feel strong on bike but a very tough course.
The details...
I had an uneventful morning before the start of the race. I got to the race around 6am and quickly got my bike into transition and then checked in. Then I went for a 2 mile warm up jog and got the rest of my gear together.
Swim: I really like that swim. It's a half mile swim in a flat lake...what's not to like!? I got out to an early lead after the first buoy and then just settled in to a nice rhythm for the rest of the swim. My official time was 10:15, which was over 90sec ahead of the second athlete. I had a very quick T1 and then it was onto the bike.
Bike: This is a hard 12 miles! The course starts out with a BIG climb which really is a shock to your body after swimming. Then you go flying downhill to almost 40mph to a 90 degree right turn. This year the course was marked much better and the cop on the motorcycle actually knew where he was going. However, on more than one occasion, the cop stopped and talk to someone! Oh well. There were no wrong turns so no complaints here. I definitely didn't feel as strong as I would have liked, but I had the fastest bike split of the day. Came into T2 without any problems and headed out on the run.
Run: I headed out on the run without my watch. Last year I ran a 17:50 so I wanted to try and beat that this year. I just saw the splits and I ran a 17:30, which I am very happy with. I've done a ton of running this year and yesterday's 5k wasn't far off what I ran earlier this year in an open 5k, plus I was alone on the run so no real push from anyone. I held a comfortable pace and didn't have any cramping issues.
Next up is the 5k on Sunday June 12th and the the Wyckoff Tri on June 18th. Goals for those races are to break 17 in the 5k and to go top 3 overall at Wyckoff... I'll have to find some cycling legs to do that!
1st place overall and first place in each segment of SBR. Very happy with swim and run fitness, didn't feel strong on bike but a very tough course.
The details...
I had an uneventful morning before the start of the race. I got to the race around 6am and quickly got my bike into transition and then checked in. Then I went for a 2 mile warm up jog and got the rest of my gear together.
Swim: I really like that swim. It's a half mile swim in a flat lake...what's not to like!? I got out to an early lead after the first buoy and then just settled in to a nice rhythm for the rest of the swim. My official time was 10:15, which was over 90sec ahead of the second athlete. I had a very quick T1 and then it was onto the bike.
Bike: This is a hard 12 miles! The course starts out with a BIG climb which really is a shock to your body after swimming. Then you go flying downhill to almost 40mph to a 90 degree right turn. This year the course was marked much better and the cop on the motorcycle actually knew where he was going. However, on more than one occasion, the cop stopped and talk to someone! Oh well. There were no wrong turns so no complaints here. I definitely didn't feel as strong as I would have liked, but I had the fastest bike split of the day. Came into T2 without any problems and headed out on the run.
Run: I headed out on the run without my watch. Last year I ran a 17:50 so I wanted to try and beat that this year. I just saw the splits and I ran a 17:30, which I am very happy with. I've done a ton of running this year and yesterday's 5k wasn't far off what I ran earlier this year in an open 5k, plus I was alone on the run so no real push from anyone. I held a comfortable pace and didn't have any cramping issues.
Next up is the 5k on Sunday June 12th and the the Wyckoff Tri on June 18th. Goals for those races are to break 17 in the 5k and to go top 3 overall at Wyckoff... I'll have to find some cycling legs to do that!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
First Tri of Season - Pre Race
This weekend I will be racing my first tri of 2011 with the Packanack Lake Tri. I raced the inaugural event last year and the event was a bit disorganized. However, the RD was very open to hearing everyone's concerns and hopefully they workout the issues. The one major problem from last year was the lack of direction on the bike course. I had a chance to pride the course before the race last year, so I had a good idea of where to go. However, it was a first year event and problems are to be expected. Hopefully I can go there this year with the same result as last.
So, how do I feel? Pretty good. My last two weeks have totaled almost 30 hours of training. I finally got some open water swimming in, put in over 250 miles on the bike with a bunch of climbing, and had some quality speed workouts running. Racing at the end of this week actually fits my schedule pretty nicely. I had a hard yesterday since it was Memorial Day, but then I can use the rest of the week to get ready to race. After racing Saturday, I can get right back into training.
Predictions:
At last year's race, my swim was a 10:32. Now swim courses are never accurate year after year, so something in that range will make me happy. I'm definitely in better swim shape right now than I was last year for the race. The bike last year was a mess, and I was actually in very good bike shape last August. That's not the case this year. I will definitely give up some time here this weekend. It looks like they cut off a portion of the course this year, so if I can break 40:00 I'll be happy. Last year I ran a 17:50 off the bike for the 5k and that was with a little bit of an injury in my foot. I've had a good year of running so far, so 5:40 pace should be do-able, something in the 17:30's.
Check back for a race report!
So, how do I feel? Pretty good. My last two weeks have totaled almost 30 hours of training. I finally got some open water swimming in, put in over 250 miles on the bike with a bunch of climbing, and had some quality speed workouts running. Racing at the end of this week actually fits my schedule pretty nicely. I had a hard yesterday since it was Memorial Day, but then I can use the rest of the week to get ready to race. After racing Saturday, I can get right back into training.
Predictions:
At last year's race, my swim was a 10:32. Now swim courses are never accurate year after year, so something in that range will make me happy. I'm definitely in better swim shape right now than I was last year for the race. The bike last year was a mess, and I was actually in very good bike shape last August. That's not the case this year. I will definitely give up some time here this weekend. It looks like they cut off a portion of the course this year, so if I can break 40:00 I'll be happy. Last year I ran a 17:50 off the bike for the 5k and that was with a little bit of an injury in my foot. I've had a good year of running so far, so 5:40 pace should be do-able, something in the 17:30's.
Check back for a race report!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Red Bank Olympic Triathlon Race Report
Well, it took me several attempts to figure out how to get Mary Ellen's email into this blog, but I finally got it! What a great compilation of perspectives from all of you and it's so rewarding to see how this club has grown this last year. I have had some really awesome experiences in coaching these last few months between my high school athletes and all of the tri club members. It's experiences like this that make coaching just as rewarding as competing. Congratulations to all of you, keep up the great work!
“Stories Out of Red Bank”
Red Bank Olympic Distance
RACE REPORT
Participants: MaryEllen, Bob, Anthony, Katie, Maureen
I hope all of you take a moment to read the race details of Bob, Anthony, Katie, John, Maureen and myself from our Red Bank Olympic Distance Tri event yesterday. If you ever questioned why you became a triathlete, I think the blogs from each of us will give you validation. I hope you find it as inspiring reading these as I did writing them!!
BOB
Meeting the team at 4:30 was the first thrill of the day! Yes, people I actually know doing the same stupid thing I am doing!!
The ride down to Red Bank was a memorable one:
- telling our stories about getting into the sport
- Mare drilling John on every aspect of his life -- the Feds need her since they stopped water boarding
- Katie’s laughter so early in the morning
- Anthony asking me if I wanted hold hands on the way down
Pre-Race highlights included:
- Setting up in the rain, putting down the towel and have it become a sponge in 2 seconds.
- Wondering if changing my transitions to a sockless strategy would work
- All of us calming each other down about our own prerace phobias
The Race highlights:
I was surprised that on the swim that 50 and older men go first, get out! I was first in the water for the water start -- I am so type A!! I loved having Mare and Katie right next to me at the start, very cool! During the swim, I was wondering how there is no one else within 50 feet half way through the swim except for one guy who was able to kick me three times in fifty yards?
Getting out of the water for T1, I strip, put on my helmet, glasses and shoes and I am off out of the fastest transition I have ever had. I eat a GU, however stick the Aero straw in my cheek then my eye before finding my lips to drink some Gatorade. I check every calf that goes by for age: WHOA, that one said 56!! CRAP! GO FASTER!!
Hey wait! I recognize that cute buttocks: Hey Mare looking great!!! (Mare is typing this and decides to bold and italics this line!!)
At T2, I quickly get into my new Zoots without socks -- blister town here I come!! But my transition time was quick! Realized I forgot my hat and the GPS, oh well. At the first water stop…WHAT??!! You only have water?? No Gu no Gatorade??? I was feeling surprisingly good until …whoosh… runner after runner is passing me: yes running is my Achilles heel! I really need to lose 2-3, maybe 35 lbs!!!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks John!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks Mare!
I start to worry about Anthony -- he should have passed me on the bike? I felt great though the run and cannot wait to see the splits!
At the Finish…Yea! There’s Mare and John! I find out that Ant had bike trouble and am relieved. I watched Katie and Maureen come in, very exiting! The big moment was when all of us were at the finish line for Ant when he came in after having bike problems! But he STILL had a great run!!! It was a very cool ceremony for Mare who placed 2nd in her age group, with some great pictures Gotta love a podium finish and it is only May!
On the ride home, I wonder why everyone is so damn quiet?? At home, I devoured anything that had a bad nutrition label!! Conclusion: would do it again in a heartbeat!!!
KATIE
I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal then meet the group of huddled ducks under Anthony's garage overhang...yes raining!! On the ride down, I got to hear some stories and more personal information about folks. WOW...this is one great group of people!!! I am feeling pretty good, not too nervous about the swim yet...until the Ironman video is put on in the van!! Seeing the swim, people clasping - my stomach started to roll and now I am looking around the car for what I could use as a pail to lose my oatmeal.
Still raining - oh well, not like I was not going to get wet. Registration looks a little clumsy and what's up with only 4 port-a-johns? We decided to drop our stuff at the transition spot and walk the in/out spots and see the swim course. Ok - where's the pail? The swim course looked scary to me and apparently it showed in my face as Mare turns and says "YOU CAN DO THIS!!" I loved hearing the race director say how he mapped out the swim course using his GPS app on his iPhone - what the heck is that!!!! I want state of the art equipment staking out the course!
It was a little weird starting in water, but in the end I think I like it better. Got a great hug from Bob – let’s hope before he warmed the water :-). The course was clockwise which was a advantage to me since I only breathe on the right side. I found a girl spotting a lot and double checked her accuracy a few times. She was doing well. So I let her spot for me while I just swam along side of her. All was good until .6 and we rounded the buoy, got a nice kick to my stomach and made me pop up for a minute to breath. Well, no big deal -- time to finish this!! I know the men are coming soon and sure has hell don't want them swimming over me. Current was pulling me a little out, but spotted every 5th stroke and was fine. I had to wait in line to get out of the water (only 3 ladders) so that was a little annoying. I am in good shape - suit is already half off and ready to fly. Well then like a dummy I decided to wear a silk long sleeve undershirt, under my bike shirt - WRONG. This thing took a solid minute to put on. Lesson learned - no silk on wet body. I chuck on my helmet & glasses and off I go.
On the bike I felt good - tried out the Aero bars and loving them. Into a good pace and then hear - "Is that Katie??" and here comes Anthony riding like the wind!! Wow he's fast! Later I saw him changing his flat tire :-) - I felt so bad for him. I kept waiting for him to fly past me again - where is he? The rest of the bike was uneventful until I got into the home stretch and recognized Maureen. We had a quick chat, well wishes and then ran into transition. Go Maureen!!!
OK - where is my spot??? Took a few extra seconds to find it, but whatever I found it. I rip off my silk undershirt and threaten its life with the trash can on the way out. Put on a dry tee shirt, knee band and start running.
Ok - did someone put lead in my shoes? My legs are tired and I think my butt is dragging on the ground. I tell myself to stop belly aching and get through it. I sight a guy in front of me and just hold onto hit pace. He gets me through the first mile and then I feel better. I turn about mile 1.5 and see John. YEAH - he is doing awesome and looks strong!!!!
I get into the wood part of the trail - I guess mile 2.3 and see Mary Ellen - I yell out to her and we high five. Man she is doing great - but there was no doubt she would! As I start to round the 3 mile marker and start my journey back one of the helpers yells "you're doing great you are almost 1/2 way there" - WHAT?!? I thought that was half way. The lady next to her says "this is 1/2 way" - thank god! I head back into the wood and see Anthony! YEAH - (His darn tire - his story to tell). I was so glad to see him, though!!
I completed the race 3:10 and felt good, but need water. They only had two jugs of water with 4oz Dixie cups - are you kidding!! I drank about 8 cups and then walked back to the finish line to find Bob, John, Maureen, Mary Ellen. We saw Anthony coming and decided to jump in after he crossed and give him a huge hug. We also got a nice photo from the photographer. It was great!!! There was something else - Oh yeah...that little thing about Mary Ellen getting 2nd in her age group!!! Holy sugar Batman!! That is terrific. We were all so happy to see her accept the award.
Mare and I go to change at the hospital and what do we see - is that heaven? Close to it - Dunkin Donuts....oh baby!!! Mary Ellen treats us all - THANK YOU!!
Lessons learned: I should be taking in more fuel. For the car conversation - sounded like 2 Gels/GUs and a bottle of Gatorade would have been good. I only did a 1/2 bottle of water the whole way. Decided I need to try out fueling during my longer workouts. At home, I unpacked all my wet junk, yelled at my silk shirt again. Hugged the family and showered. The rest of the day was spent playing battle games in my son’s room with his castles, reading books, playing with Mikayala & Eirica and making lunches for school the next day! Very exciting!!!
JOHN
The best part of the day for me was having each other for support, mentally and physically. I think there is a huge amount of motivation when you have a team working together cheering each other on! And for the first race of the season I think everyone had a great day. Of course accept for Anthony's blowout. But I loved his positive attitude.
As far as my personal race, I finished feeling strong and injury free. To break it down, my swim is always the toughest part of my race. I felt much better in the water even though I didn’t see my split times. I don’t expect it to be a great time, but I didn’t exhaust myself.
Coming out of T1 I knew I had a lot of catching up to do so I picked up the intensity knowing that the rest were ahead of me. About halfway through the bike I saw Anthony, I told him I hit a pot hole and lost my bottles out of the cage. He offered me one of his but I didn’t want him to be at a loss. Thanks Ant! Unfortunately, there were no aid stations on the bike route so I took in no fluids since the start of the race. I also feel bad cause right after I saw Anthony is when he had his blowout, and I had the tube he needed. Oh Well! That’s life!!
Going into T2 I was feeling a little heavy in the legs due to not replacing the calories that I had lost. But, I wasn’t cramping so that was a good sign. I see Mary Ellen I think near the end of the first mile -- they didn’t have markers out so unless you were wearing a GPS you didn’t know how far you were! She was looking very strong so I knew she would have a good race. Then when I got to around the third mile I saw Bob. He was very focused and was keeping a good pace. I also knew he would have a good race. Coming back around near mile 5 I saw Anthony and knew something went wrong. He was way too far behind. He explained what happened but was very positive. Coming back around into town my body was feeling good. I was lucky enough to pace with another athlete for pretty much the whole run. I finished feeling good and very happy. The weather held out and we all finished safely! I think it was a great race to build off of and tweak what didn’t work out.
ANTHONY
Short and sweet for me:
The swim went OK, although it’s hard to judge how I did until I see the splits. I think I did somewhere around 27:30, but don't hold me to that because I have never been so dizzy after a swim. If I wasn't helped up a ladder I might not have made it. Maybe it was 37:20....................
T1: Between being dizzy and wearing a borrowed wetsuit I had a tough time getting the darn thing off. My game plan was not to rush the transitions so that didn't bother me.
Spending $3,400.00 on a new bike will always make your bike splits go down, CORRECT??? Not on this day. Everything felt good until the flat. I only wish I knew how long I sat on the side of the road waiting, I feel like it would give me a better sense of a realistic finish time for me. You all know the story by now so let’s move on. Now I am back on the bike smiling again.
T2: uneventful
I was not pleased with the run at all. That's the type of course that suits me and I just didn't have the legs. Cramped up after a mile and never recovered. I need to take a serious look at my nutrition because this happens to me often. I don't think GU is for me. Think I did somewhere around 53:00?....................horrible.
Pro's:
- Mare second in her age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Katie having a strong swim...................everyone but Katie knew she would.
- Nice to race this early in the season to get the kinks out.
- Had a blast with some friends.
MAUREEN
Getting there and seeing everyone made me feel sooooooooo much better than doing it alone. Even just asking stupid questions about setting up was helpful -- it just made this the best experience!
The in-water swim was fine, despite the screw-up of them having Ant and John jump in by accident (that sucked). I should have been more aggressive and started more in the front. The open water swim is so much harder for me than in pool, I'm pretty sure it is because I am poor at following the buoys. As a result, it feels like I swim in circles at times. (am going to make a point to do open water swim during training now, there's a place in rye where my sister lives). As Anthony, I was so dizzy when I got back to the transition so I took my time.
T he bike is my weakest part overall. I ran out of drink (gatorade) and really wished i had more. I had a GU, but I can't take it without drink so that was out. I'll take 2 water bottles next time. I lost my chain which was easy to put back on but that delayed me a bit. I also wish I had studied the course a bit more online to know my way. How great it was to hear Katie's voice at the tail end of the bike: really friendly and nice just before the run! Ant and John passed me which was also really nice and a bit inspirational. It made me work harder, even just for a bit.
The run wasn't too bad. I am always a bit wobbly getting of the bike so I'll do this more in training. I was definitely a lot slower than I normally run, maybe even a minute per mile, and my legs don't seem to work well until mile 3. I loved the transition to the grassy area as it really broke up the run. I also liked out and back.
Overall, the best part was doing this with our group. It really made it such a blast for me and so much fun! I agree, we all look so happy in the picture!!!!
MARE
Looking at the weather earlier in the week, it was clear that we would not have ideal conditions for our Red Bank Olympic Distance. I decided to get over it and not let that bother me…it will be what it will be. I awoke at 3:30 am to go through my pre-race ritual: shower (yes, I know…smooth legs are important!!), review the course map over coffee, double check my gear, and say a prayer in the quiet. J Despite the rain and darkness, driving down in Anthony’s van was one of those times I will always remember: we swapped stories about how we got into triathlons, listened to pieces of Bob’s incredible life story, John Pax graciously let me grill him mercilessly about every aspect of his life (you are a good sport, john!!)…and watching the video of Kona!! We got there in record time, by 5:30am and the organizers were just setting up. They were not shy about letting us know their displeasure at our early arrival. Quite frankly, they were the most surly registration bunch I have ever encountered, really giving us the business about having our USAT cards!! We couldn’t register online without paying the $10 fee so come on!!
We held off setting up our Transition spots because of the rain…and decided instead to hit the port-a-johns (there were only 4 which I actually e-mailed the Race Director about – CRAZY!!!) and decided to go check out the water. Holy far buoy!! Really?? This was .9??? You could barely SEE the far buoy!! Participants were freaking out about the distance and the race director informed us that he had, in fact, measured the distance the day before with his…hard to believe…iphone!!! Ummm…this is a USAT-sanctioned event, right???? I didn’t mind because you all pretty much know how I feel about the swim: move that buoy out, baby!!! Good for me…not so good for you!! Haha!!
The first wave was for us old farts: 50 and over men and 40 and over women. The water felt surprisingly good! Must be my new $300 wetsuit!! I loved being near Bob and Katie at the in-the-water start. The hug from Bob…although nearly drowning me…was all the fuel I needed to get going! J I pulled away from the crowd pretty much from the get-go and, still not knowing my splits upon writing this, I believe I was in the top group out of the water in my wave. My sighting was effective and I had this one gal in my vision the entire time, using her as a marker. Upon seeing the dock at the end, I bid her a “thanks” and swam past to the ladder! Coming out of the water of course I yelled, “What # am I???” Someone said…”Third!!”…but I don’t think that is accurate.
Always having a strong swim gives me a real jump start on the bike – my weakness – and for awhile, I was pretty much by myself on the rolling hills course! This one guy passed me saying, “I hate being up front..not sure about this course!!” Was I actually “up front?????” The first few miles, my legs felt strained, tight. I do not have a computer on my bike (yeah yeah…next purchase) and there were no signs on the course so I had NO way of knowing if I was at mile 5…or 20!! I would occasionally yell out to the kid volunteers on the corner – who would often hold arrow signs facing the wrong direction!! – asking them what mile we were at?? They had no clue and looked as though they were not quite sure if they were holding signs for a race…or a car wash. About halfway through the course, the “real” triathletes – on their “tri machines!” – started to pass me one by one. I could hear the whizzing of their high-end wheels before I could actually see them! Think of it like a Ferrari passing a horse and buggy – that’s what it felt like to me!! Of course, I kept my eye on their marked calves for 40’s!!
This was the first time I was smart about my nutrition. I ate every 2-3 hours the day before and drank water all day long. I consumed a PB&J (my favorite!!) on the way down, about 2 hours out, and then a banana about ½ hour before the start. Then, 1/2 hour into the bike, I consumed a GU and sipped water which I powdered with Accelerade throughout the ride. I consumed another GU about ½ hour later. I think consciously thinking about my nutrition powered me because the second half of the course I felt the strongest I have ever felt on the bike…during any training stint or race. Something to note: some guy on the route commenting on my ass. I was both offended and elated at the same time! (Been hitting the Smith Machine for squats so yeah…I’m happy its paying off, alright???) I quickly realized, however, that it was Bob and that doesn’t really count! Haha He said, “hey babe” as he blew by me looking so incredibly strong and fast and showing those 30 year-olds how to REALLY ride a bike!!!! It was so great seeing him and I feel he pulled me along!!
Transition went smoothly and started off running with sunglasses (was I afraid of cloud glare??). Decided they would just distract me so I handed them to a volunteer crossing the mat. She was less than thrilled but as I was running up hill I yelled back at her not to lose them!! As always, that first mile just BLOWS, SUCKS, BITES…! But then, like a beacon in the night, I see John Pax, running shirtless (NICE!!) and his smile and words of encouragement (think he said..Hey ponytail!!) lit a fire under my ass. This time, my head was completely in the game and kept my feet low to the ground for the first 2 miles, tucked my tailbone underneath, and was able to open up on mile 3. Although I love him to death, I had Bob in my sights and had to get him back for dusting me on the ride. In true Bob fashion he says, “I’ll see you at the finish line, Mare!!” Sniff..sniff…
For me, I had two absolutely memorable moments which will probably not only stay with me my entire race career (if you can call it that!), but my whole life. Where’s Katie…where’s Katie… I kept saying in my head. I knew my friend had worked so hard to conquer the open water. I have never seen anyone tackle something so head on. My worst fear was that something had happened to her. And then…coming out of the woods at my mile 4…I saw her. I actually had to choke back tears (ps..sobbing as I write this…) Her smile was one of the greatest things I have EVER seen . SHE DID IT!!!! Although we high-fived, I truly could have hugged or tackled her. She had an incredible time and there is no stopping her now!!!
I kept wondering “WTF was Anthony??” Then I heard him before I actually saw him “GET EM MARE!!!!” I saw him at about mile 5. After I had found out about his flat, I was truly amazed by his positive attitude and outlook on the incident. The fact that he was smiling and screaming for me?? It truly speaks to the kind of guy he really is. Wow…I am so proud to be his friend!!
My second most memorable moment: after the race, John Paxton went to look at the results. He comes back: “Not sure, Mare…but I think you are #2 in your age group!!” Like a true “woman,” I start to cry. (There’s no crying in triathlons!!!). I assured my group that it was ok…they can mail me my award…we don’t have to stay for the ceremony. They would hear nothing of it. The sight of them standing there, with their phones out, taking my picture, was just so emotional for me. It wasn’t so much about placing, or the award, but more about this amazing group which I have stumbled upon, who share my desire to train and compete and simply just “get it.” I am touched by their incredible support, not just yesterday, but every day in every way…with EVERY… SINGLE… E-MAIL
“Stories Out of Red Bank”
Red Bank Olympic Distance
RACE REPORT
Participants: MaryEllen, Bob, Anthony, Katie, Maureen
I hope all of you take a moment to read the race details of Bob, Anthony, Katie, John, Maureen and myself from our Red Bank Olympic Distance Tri event yesterday. If you ever questioned why you became a triathlete, I think the blogs from each of us will give you validation. I hope you find it as inspiring reading these as I did writing them!!
BOB
Meeting the team at 4:30 was the first thrill of the day! Yes, people I actually know doing the same stupid thing I am doing!!
The ride down to Red Bank was a memorable one:
- telling our stories about getting into the sport
- Mare drilling John on every aspect of his life -- the Feds need her since they stopped water boarding
- Katie’s laughter so early in the morning
- Anthony asking me if I wanted hold hands on the way down
Pre-Race highlights included:
- Setting up in the rain, putting down the towel and have it become a sponge in 2 seconds.
- Wondering if changing my transitions to a sockless strategy would work
- All of us calming each other down about our own prerace phobias
The Race highlights:
I was surprised that on the swim that 50 and older men go first, get out! I was first in the water for the water start -- I am so type A!! I loved having Mare and Katie right next to me at the start, very cool! During the swim, I was wondering how there is no one else within 50 feet half way through the swim except for one guy who was able to kick me three times in fifty yards?
Getting out of the water for T1, I strip, put on my helmet, glasses and shoes and I am off out of the fastest transition I have ever had. I eat a GU, however stick the Aero straw in my cheek then my eye before finding my lips to drink some Gatorade. I check every calf that goes by for age: WHOA, that one said 56!! CRAP! GO FASTER!!
Hey wait! I recognize that cute buttocks: Hey Mare looking great!!! (Mare is typing this and decides to bold and italics this line!!)
At T2, I quickly get into my new Zoots without socks -- blister town here I come!! But my transition time was quick! Realized I forgot my hat and the GPS, oh well. At the first water stop…WHAT??!! You only have water?? No Gu no Gatorade??? I was feeling surprisingly good until …whoosh… runner after runner is passing me: yes running is my Achilles heel! I really need to lose 2-3, maybe 35 lbs!!!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks John!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks Mare!
I start to worry about Anthony -- he should have passed me on the bike? I felt great though the run and cannot wait to see the splits!
At the Finish…Yea! There’s Mare and John! I find out that Ant had bike trouble and am relieved. I watched Katie and Maureen come in, very exiting! The big moment was when all of us were at the finish line for Ant when he came in after having bike problems! But he STILL had a great run!!! It was a very cool ceremony for Mare who placed 2nd in her age group, with some great pictures Gotta love a podium finish and it is only May!
On the ride home, I wonder why everyone is so damn quiet?? At home, I devoured anything that had a bad nutrition label!! Conclusion: would do it again in a heartbeat!!!
KATIE
I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal then meet the group of huddled ducks under Anthony's garage overhang...yes raining!! On the ride down, I got to hear some stories and more personal information about folks. WOW...this is one great group of people!!! I am feeling pretty good, not too nervous about the swim yet...until the Ironman video is put on in the van!! Seeing the swim, people clasping - my stomach started to roll and now I am looking around the car for what I could use as a pail to lose my oatmeal.
Still raining - oh well, not like I was not going to get wet. Registration looks a little clumsy and what's up with only 4 port-a-johns? We decided to drop our stuff at the transition spot and walk the in/out spots and see the swim course. Ok - where's the pail? The swim course looked scary to me and apparently it showed in my face as Mare turns and says "YOU CAN DO THIS!!" I loved hearing the race director say how he mapped out the swim course using his GPS app on his iPhone - what the heck is that!!!! I want state of the art equipment staking out the course!
It was a little weird starting in water, but in the end I think I like it better. Got a great hug from Bob – let’s hope before he warmed the water :-). The course was clockwise which was a advantage to me since I only breathe on the right side. I found a girl spotting a lot and double checked her accuracy a few times. She was doing well. So I let her spot for me while I just swam along side of her. All was good until .6 and we rounded the buoy, got a nice kick to my stomach and made me pop up for a minute to breath. Well, no big deal -- time to finish this!! I know the men are coming soon and sure has hell don't want them swimming over me. Current was pulling me a little out, but spotted every 5th stroke and was fine. I had to wait in line to get out of the water (only 3 ladders) so that was a little annoying. I am in good shape - suit is already half off and ready to fly. Well then like a dummy I decided to wear a silk long sleeve undershirt, under my bike shirt - WRONG. This thing took a solid minute to put on. Lesson learned - no silk on wet body. I chuck on my helmet & glasses and off I go.
On the bike I felt good - tried out the Aero bars and loving them. Into a good pace and then hear - "Is that Katie??" and here comes Anthony riding like the wind!! Wow he's fast! Later I saw him changing his flat tire :-) - I felt so bad for him. I kept waiting for him to fly past me again - where is he? The rest of the bike was uneventful until I got into the home stretch and recognized Maureen. We had a quick chat, well wishes and then ran into transition. Go Maureen!!!
OK - where is my spot??? Took a few extra seconds to find it, but whatever I found it. I rip off my silk undershirt and threaten its life with the trash can on the way out. Put on a dry tee shirt, knee band and start running.
Ok - did someone put lead in my shoes? My legs are tired and I think my butt is dragging on the ground. I tell myself to stop belly aching and get through it. I sight a guy in front of me and just hold onto hit pace. He gets me through the first mile and then I feel better. I turn about mile 1.5 and see John. YEAH - he is doing awesome and looks strong!!!!
I get into the wood part of the trail - I guess mile 2.3 and see Mary Ellen - I yell out to her and we high five. Man she is doing great - but there was no doubt she would! As I start to round the 3 mile marker and start my journey back one of the helpers yells "you're doing great you are almost 1/2 way there" - WHAT?!? I thought that was half way. The lady next to her says "this is 1/2 way" - thank god! I head back into the wood and see Anthony! YEAH - (His darn tire - his story to tell). I was so glad to see him, though!!
I completed the race 3:10 and felt good, but need water. They only had two jugs of water with 4oz Dixie cups - are you kidding!! I drank about 8 cups and then walked back to the finish line to find Bob, John, Maureen, Mary Ellen. We saw Anthony coming and decided to jump in after he crossed and give him a huge hug. We also got a nice photo from the photographer. It was great!!! There was something else - Oh yeah...that little thing about Mary Ellen getting 2nd in her age group!!! Holy sugar Batman!! That is terrific. We were all so happy to see her accept the award.
Mare and I go to change at the hospital and what do we see - is that heaven? Close to it - Dunkin Donuts....oh baby!!! Mary Ellen treats us all - THANK YOU!!
Lessons learned: I should be taking in more fuel. For the car conversation - sounded like 2 Gels/GUs and a bottle of Gatorade would have been good. I only did a 1/2 bottle of water the whole way. Decided I need to try out fueling during my longer workouts. At home, I unpacked all my wet junk, yelled at my silk shirt again. Hugged the family and showered. The rest of the day was spent playing battle games in my son’s room with his castles, reading books, playing with Mikayala & Eirica and making lunches for school the next day! Very exciting!!!
JOHN
The best part of the day for me was having each other for support, mentally and physically. I think there is a huge amount of motivation when you have a team working together cheering each other on! And for the first race of the season I think everyone had a great day. Of course accept for Anthony's blowout. But I loved his positive attitude.
As far as my personal race, I finished feeling strong and injury free. To break it down, my swim is always the toughest part of my race. I felt much better in the water even though I didn’t see my split times. I don’t expect it to be a great time, but I didn’t exhaust myself.
Coming out of T1 I knew I had a lot of catching up to do so I picked up the intensity knowing that the rest were ahead of me. About halfway through the bike I saw Anthony, I told him I hit a pot hole and lost my bottles out of the cage. He offered me one of his but I didn’t want him to be at a loss. Thanks Ant! Unfortunately, there were no aid stations on the bike route so I took in no fluids since the start of the race. I also feel bad cause right after I saw Anthony is when he had his blowout, and I had the tube he needed. Oh Well! That’s life!!
Going into T2 I was feeling a little heavy in the legs due to not replacing the calories that I had lost. But, I wasn’t cramping so that was a good sign. I see Mary Ellen I think near the end of the first mile -- they didn’t have markers out so unless you were wearing a GPS you didn’t know how far you were! She was looking very strong so I knew she would have a good race. Then when I got to around the third mile I saw Bob. He was very focused and was keeping a good pace. I also knew he would have a good race. Coming back around near mile 5 I saw Anthony and knew something went wrong. He was way too far behind. He explained what happened but was very positive. Coming back around into town my body was feeling good. I was lucky enough to pace with another athlete for pretty much the whole run. I finished feeling good and very happy. The weather held out and we all finished safely! I think it was a great race to build off of and tweak what didn’t work out.
ANTHONY
Short and sweet for me:
The swim went OK, although it’s hard to judge how I did until I see the splits. I think I did somewhere around 27:30, but don't hold me to that because I have never been so dizzy after a swim. If I wasn't helped up a ladder I might not have made it. Maybe it was 37:20....................
T1: Between being dizzy and wearing a borrowed wetsuit I had a tough time getting the darn thing off. My game plan was not to rush the transitions so that didn't bother me.
Spending $3,400.00 on a new bike will always make your bike splits go down, CORRECT??? Not on this day. Everything felt good until the flat. I only wish I knew how long I sat on the side of the road waiting, I feel like it would give me a better sense of a realistic finish time for me. You all know the story by now so let’s move on. Now I am back on the bike smiling again.
T2: uneventful
I was not pleased with the run at all. That's the type of course that suits me and I just didn't have the legs. Cramped up after a mile and never recovered. I need to take a serious look at my nutrition because this happens to me often. I don't think GU is for me. Think I did somewhere around 53:00?....................horrible.
Pro's:
- Mare second in her age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Katie having a strong swim...................everyone but Katie knew she would.
- Nice to race this early in the season to get the kinks out.
- Had a blast with some friends.
MAUREEN
Getting there and seeing everyone made me feel sooooooooo much better than doing it alone. Even just asking stupid questions about setting up was helpful -- it just made this the best experience!
The in-water swim was fine, despite the screw-up of them having Ant and John jump in by accident (that sucked). I should have been more aggressive and started more in the front. The open water swim is so much harder for me than in pool, I'm pretty sure it is because I am poor at following the buoys. As a result, it feels like I swim in circles at times. (am going to make a point to do open water swim during training now, there's a place in rye where my sister lives). As Anthony, I was so dizzy when I got back to the transition so I took my time.
T he bike is my weakest part overall. I ran out of drink (gatorade) and really wished i had more. I had a GU, but I can't take it without drink so that was out. I'll take 2 water bottles next time. I lost my chain which was easy to put back on but that delayed me a bit. I also wish I had studied the course a bit more online to know my way. How great it was to hear Katie's voice at the tail end of the bike: really friendly and nice just before the run! Ant and John passed me which was also really nice and a bit inspirational. It made me work harder, even just for a bit.
The run wasn't too bad. I am always a bit wobbly getting of the bike so I'll do this more in training. I was definitely a lot slower than I normally run, maybe even a minute per mile, and my legs don't seem to work well until mile 3. I loved the transition to the grassy area as it really broke up the run. I also liked out and back.
Overall, the best part was doing this with our group. It really made it such a blast for me and so much fun! I agree, we all look so happy in the picture!!!!
MARE
Looking at the weather earlier in the week, it was clear that we would not have ideal conditions for our Red Bank Olympic Distance. I decided to get over it and not let that bother me…it will be what it will be. I awoke at 3:30 am to go through my pre-race ritual: shower (yes, I know…smooth legs are important!!), review the course map over coffee, double check my gear, and say a prayer in the quiet. J Despite the rain and darkness, driving down in Anthony’s van was one of those times I will always remember: we swapped stories about how we got into triathlons, listened to pieces of Bob’s incredible life story, John Pax graciously let me grill him mercilessly about every aspect of his life (you are a good sport, john!!)…and watching the video of Kona!! We got there in record time, by 5:30am and the organizers were just setting up. They were not shy about letting us know their displeasure at our early arrival. Quite frankly, they were the most surly registration bunch I have ever encountered, really giving us the business about having our USAT cards!! We couldn’t register online without paying the $10 fee so come on!!
We held off setting up our Transition spots because of the rain…and decided instead to hit the port-a-johns (there were only 4 which I actually e-mailed the Race Director about – CRAZY!!!) and decided to go check out the water. Holy far buoy!! Really?? This was .9??? You could barely SEE the far buoy!! Participants were freaking out about the distance and the race director informed us that he had, in fact, measured the distance the day before with his…hard to believe…iphone!!! Ummm…this is a USAT-sanctioned event, right???? I didn’t mind because you all pretty much know how I feel about the swim: move that buoy out, baby!!! Good for me…not so good for you!! Haha!!
The first wave was for us old farts: 50 and over men and 40 and over women. The water felt surprisingly good! Must be my new $300 wetsuit!! I loved being near Bob and Katie at the in-the-water start. The hug from Bob…although nearly drowning me…was all the fuel I needed to get going! J I pulled away from the crowd pretty much from the get-go and, still not knowing my splits upon writing this, I believe I was in the top group out of the water in my wave. My sighting was effective and I had this one gal in my vision the entire time, using her as a marker. Upon seeing the dock at the end, I bid her a “thanks” and swam past to the ladder! Coming out of the water of course I yelled, “What # am I???” Someone said…”Third!!”…but I don’t think that is accurate.
Always having a strong swim gives me a real jump start on the bike – my weakness – and for awhile, I was pretty much by myself on the rolling hills course! This one guy passed me saying, “I hate being up front..not sure about this course!!” Was I actually “up front?????” The first few miles, my legs felt strained, tight. I do not have a computer on my bike (yeah yeah…next purchase) and there were no signs on the course so I had NO way of knowing if I was at mile 5…or 20!! I would occasionally yell out to the kid volunteers on the corner – who would often hold arrow signs facing the wrong direction!! – asking them what mile we were at?? They had no clue and looked as though they were not quite sure if they were holding signs for a race…or a car wash. About halfway through the course, the “real” triathletes – on their “tri machines!” – started to pass me one by one. I could hear the whizzing of their high-end wheels before I could actually see them! Think of it like a Ferrari passing a horse and buggy – that’s what it felt like to me!! Of course, I kept my eye on their marked calves for 40’s!!
This was the first time I was smart about my nutrition. I ate every 2-3 hours the day before and drank water all day long. I consumed a PB&J (my favorite!!) on the way down, about 2 hours out, and then a banana about ½ hour before the start. Then, 1/2 hour into the bike, I consumed a GU and sipped water which I powdered with Accelerade throughout the ride. I consumed another GU about ½ hour later. I think consciously thinking about my nutrition powered me because the second half of the course I felt the strongest I have ever felt on the bike…during any training stint or race. Something to note: some guy on the route commenting on my ass. I was both offended and elated at the same time! (Been hitting the Smith Machine for squats so yeah…I’m happy its paying off, alright???) I quickly realized, however, that it was Bob and that doesn’t really count! Haha He said, “hey babe” as he blew by me looking so incredibly strong and fast and showing those 30 year-olds how to REALLY ride a bike!!!! It was so great seeing him and I feel he pulled me along!!
Transition went smoothly and started off running with sunglasses (was I afraid of cloud glare??). Decided they would just distract me so I handed them to a volunteer crossing the mat. She was less than thrilled but as I was running up hill I yelled back at her not to lose them!! As always, that first mile just BLOWS, SUCKS, BITES…! But then, like a beacon in the night, I see John Pax, running shirtless (NICE!!) and his smile and words of encouragement (think he said..Hey ponytail!!) lit a fire under my ass. This time, my head was completely in the game and kept my feet low to the ground for the first 2 miles, tucked my tailbone underneath, and was able to open up on mile 3. Although I love him to death, I had Bob in my sights and had to get him back for dusting me on the ride. In true Bob fashion he says, “I’ll see you at the finish line, Mare!!” Sniff..sniff…
For me, I had two absolutely memorable moments which will probably not only stay with me my entire race career (if you can call it that!), but my whole life. Where’s Katie…where’s Katie… I kept saying in my head. I knew my friend had worked so hard to conquer the open water. I have never seen anyone tackle something so head on. My worst fear was that something had happened to her. And then…coming out of the woods at my mile 4…I saw her. I actually had to choke back tears (ps..sobbing as I write this…) Her smile was one of the greatest things I have EVER seen . SHE DID IT!!!! Although we high-fived, I truly could have hugged or tackled her. She had an incredible time and there is no stopping her now!!!
I kept wondering “WTF was Anthony??” Then I heard him before I actually saw him “GET EM MARE!!!!” I saw him at about mile 5. After I had found out about his flat, I was truly amazed by his positive attitude and outlook on the incident. The fact that he was smiling and screaming for me?? It truly speaks to the kind of guy he really is. Wow…I am so proud to be his friend!!
My second most memorable moment: after the race, John Paxton went to look at the results. He comes back: “Not sure, Mare…but I think you are #2 in your age group!!” Like a true “woman,” I start to cry. (There’s no crying in triathlons!!!). I assured my group that it was ok…they can mail me my award…we don’t have to stay for the ceremony. They would hear nothing of it. The sight of them standing there, with their phones out, taking my picture, was just so emotional for me. It wasn’t so much about placing, or the award, but more about this amazing group which I have stumbled upon, who share my desire to train and compete and simply just “get it.” I am touched by their incredible support, not just yesterday, but every day in every way…with EVERY… SINGLE… E-MAIL
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Pre-Race/Transition Seminar
On Friday May 6th we had a seminar that discussed pre-race and transition checklists and went through the steps to take.
Here are the checklists. Feel free to use this or modify it for your own use. As I mentioned, over the years I have really cut back on things I bring with me to a race. That doesn't mean you should limit yourself, I just found certain things unnecessary. This is more than I bring to a race, but I've included some common items many people do use. Also, I will call this list my "Olympic Distance or Shorter" list. For distances further than that, my list will be different.
Here we go...
Swim
Wetsuit
Goggles x2
Cap (from race)
Body Glide
Non-Stick Spray
Race Belt with Number
Bike
Bike
Race Wheels
Helmet
Tri-Shoes
Sunglasses
Race Belt with Number
CO2
Spare Tube/tire
Socks
Run
Shoes
Hat
Race Belt with Number
Sunglasses
Socks
Nutrition
Gels
Powerbar
Gatorade
Water
Extra Stuff
Towels
Bike Pump
Flip Flops
Sunscreen
Post Race Clothes
First Aid Kit
Pre Race To Do's
Hydrate
Rack bike
Put stickers on bike/helmet
Bodymarking
Pump up tires
Put helmet/sunglasses on top of aero bars
Clip in shoes
Lay out run shoes, hat, and sunglasses
Warm-up
Put on wetsuit/cap
I am posting this, but will most likely edit in the coming days. If I edit, I will indicate it here. If you see anything that should be added, let me know!
Here are the checklists. Feel free to use this or modify it for your own use. As I mentioned, over the years I have really cut back on things I bring with me to a race. That doesn't mean you should limit yourself, I just found certain things unnecessary. This is more than I bring to a race, but I've included some common items many people do use. Also, I will call this list my "Olympic Distance or Shorter" list. For distances further than that, my list will be different.
Here we go...
Swim
Wetsuit
Goggles x2
Cap (from race)
Body Glide
Non-Stick Spray
Race Belt with Number
Bike
Bike
Race Wheels
Helmet
Tri-Shoes
Sunglasses
Race Belt with Number
CO2
Spare Tube/tire
Socks
Run
Shoes
Hat
Race Belt with Number
Sunglasses
Socks
Nutrition
Gels
Powerbar
Gatorade
Water
Extra Stuff
Towels
Bike Pump
Flip Flops
Sunscreen
Post Race Clothes
First Aid Kit
Pre Race To Do's
Hydrate
Rack bike
Put stickers on bike/helmet
Bodymarking
Pump up tires
Put helmet/sunglasses on top of aero bars
Clip in shoes
Lay out run shoes, hat, and sunglasses
Warm-up
Put on wetsuit/cap
I am posting this, but will most likely edit in the coming days. If I edit, I will indicate it here. If you see anything that should be added, let me know!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Training Help
I was recently asked the following question by a fellow athlete... "How did you know what pace to run that race at?"
It is a very good question and my answer has a lot to do with the fact that I've been racing for about 8 years and have a good idea of where I should be. But I want to offer a better answer along with an extremely useful tool that I use in both my training and my coaching. Knowing what pace to race at is one thing, but you also need to know how to train to be at that fitness level.
I give you the answer!!!!!
Click on the link above and follow along with my example. Scroll down to the section where you select an event and choose "5K" and then enter 17:12 and then hit "calculate" That was the time of a 5K I ran on March 26th.
As you can see, you are given a big sheet with a ton of information on it. What I want to you focus on is the upper right corner where it says 5000m with 17:12 under it (which is the info we entered) and it also gives you that mile pace. This tool uses the info you put in to somehow project what your times could be at other distances. Now look at the 13.1M area and notice that my projected time is a 1:19:30. So, given that information my goal time for the Rutgers Half was a 1:20. Now even cooler than that is that this website gives you guidelines for what types of times you should run for different workouts.
I am very confident that the workouts I did this past spring led to a big PR for me. I did a long run on the weekend, a tempo run on Tuesdays, and a track workout on Thursdays. I used this website to find those paces.
I used my result from the Rutgers race to then set a new goal for Long Branch. The 9.55 mile race is very close to 15K. So I went back to the calculator, did some math, and put in a time for 15K that projected a 13.1 time to be around 1:18:30. Well, I don't like numbers like that, so I made my goal time 1:18:00.
Mission accomplished.
Please feel free to ask any questions about using that calculator to help you set new goals and how to train for them!
It is a very good question and my answer has a lot to do with the fact that I've been racing for about 8 years and have a good idea of where I should be. But I want to offer a better answer along with an extremely useful tool that I use in both my training and my coaching. Knowing what pace to race at is one thing, but you also need to know how to train to be at that fitness level.
I give you the answer!!!!!
Click on the link above and follow along with my example. Scroll down to the section where you select an event and choose "5K" and then enter 17:12 and then hit "calculate" That was the time of a 5K I ran on March 26th.
As you can see, you are given a big sheet with a ton of information on it. What I want to you focus on is the upper right corner where it says 5000m with 17:12 under it (which is the info we entered) and it also gives you that mile pace. This tool uses the info you put in to somehow project what your times could be at other distances. Now look at the 13.1M area and notice that my projected time is a 1:19:30. So, given that information my goal time for the Rutgers Half was a 1:20. Now even cooler than that is that this website gives you guidelines for what types of times you should run for different workouts.
I am very confident that the workouts I did this past spring led to a big PR for me. I did a long run on the weekend, a tempo run on Tuesdays, and a track workout on Thursdays. I used this website to find those paces.
I used my result from the Rutgers race to then set a new goal for Long Branch. The 9.55 mile race is very close to 15K. So I went back to the calculator, did some math, and put in a time for 15K that projected a 13.1 time to be around 1:18:30. Well, I don't like numbers like that, so I made my goal time 1:18:00.
Mission accomplished.
Please feel free to ask any questions about using that calculator to help you set new goals and how to train for them!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Long Branch Half Marathon - Race Report
Beautiful day for a race! The weather was nice and cool in the morning, but it definitely started to warm up by the start of the race. Decent breeze slightly out of the north and off the water, so that kept things comfortable for the whole race. I wanted to go out controlled today, so that meant being above target pace for the first couple of miles. I hate doing this, because I feel like I am playing catch-up the whole day, but it's definitely the smarter way to run. My goal time of 1:18:00 meant 5:56's was the target pace. However, two years ago my Garmin recorded the race to be 13.35 miles. If that's true again, I will have to be faster than that.
Here are the splits.
Mile 1 - 5:55. How's that for being on target?! However, I wanted to be a little slower than that. It's so hard to relax that first mile. It was tough to get a read on everyone so finding people to run with was tough. It took a half mile or so, but everyone finally settled down and I probably went through the first mile in about 12th place.
Mile 2 - 6:03. That's better. The race started to settle down and all the first mile heroes had relaxed. 6:03, though? Was I a first mile hero too? Can't be, this was the plan...but that wasn't an "easy" mile.
Mile 3 - 6:02. OK, still on plan. Mile 2 and 3 were into the wind and I had sat on a guy (thank you to that guy) and hoped he hit the right numbers. He did and once we turned away from the ocean I went by him. Through the 5k I was sitting in 9th according to someone on the course.
Mile 4 - 5:52. It was time to start getting this on track. The rush of the race was gone and it was time to run. I moved past my wind blocker and did some work on my own. The course became VERY crowded and from here until mile 11.5 I would be navigating the huge field of marathon runners. At some points it got frustrating, but other times it was exciting. I had to make a few wide turns and running the tangents wasn't an option. There was definitely a bit of a rush and we passed the marathoners, though.
Mile 5 - 5:51. Another solid mile. At this point I was in 9th and had 8th-4th all in sights ahead of me. All I remember seeing was a black jersey, yellow jersey, white jersey, yellow jersey, blue jersey ahead of me moving through a see of marathoners. We were literally zig-zagging through the course at some points.
Mile 6 - 5:51. Another mile, same split. I moved up into 7th and caught up to 6th but sat back. We're only halfway there! I went through the 6.55 mark (halfway) at an average pace of 5:57. If I wanted to go under 1:18:00 I would have to have a faster second half. No worries, that was the plan.
Mile 7 - 5:53. I don't remember anything from mile 7. Really, I've got nothing!
Mile 8 - 5:56. Uh-oh. This didn't feel easy, but why was it slower? I did take a gel during this mile and made sure to take in enough water. Maybe that was it, but seeing that on my watch had me a little concerned. My average pace was at 5:56, but I was getting tired! I was dreaming of two weeks ago when we were only running a 10 mile race. This is where I turned it on. I didn't like the pressure of being that close to goal pace, especially since my watch wasn't matching the mile markers on the course. At this point it was time to commit to this race.
Mile 9 - 5:45
Mile 10 - 5:43
Mile 11 - 5:40
These three miles sorta all blended into one big surge. By the end of mile 11 I had passed all of the guys I had in sight and was in 4th. The marathon runners and fans were a big help here. There are a good amount of spectators in the section because it's a couple blocks over from the finish line. I just let the energy of the crowd take over and I put in a strong effort. By this point, volunteers on the course were indicating that the two races would split directions so we could finish and the marathoners could continue south. The road was divided with cones and so I stayed left on the lonely 13.1 course. I remember passing a parked VW Beetle on the turn to head North that had a poster on its windshield that say 1.5 miles to go. That felt good.
Mile 12 - 5:48. One thing I never do in a race is look behind me. In all the races I've done I have never turned around to see if anyone was behind me. However, one of my biggest fears in racing is getting caught from behind at the end of a race. As a ran this mile I just hoped I could runaway from anyone that might have hung on during those three hard miles. The "blue jersey" guy that was in 4th when I passed him definitely looked comfortable when I passed him and I had no idea how far behind he was. Usually I will try to listen to the crowd's cheering, but this was a lonely mile and not many spectators were around so I was clueless. In the FAR distance I could see 3rd place and knew I wasn't catching him. My average pace had dropped to 5:52, but I was alone and had to finish this race, into the head wind, on my own.
Mile 13 - 5:52. My watch said 5:52, my body felt like it was a 4:52. Thankfully the end was in sight. I was pretty sure I was on my own, but the clock was ticking. I remember trying to push the pace a little more during this stretch and actually got a little cramp in my calf. It was right as I came onto the boardwalk. The way my watch is set up, once I pass an hour I can no longer see the seconds of the total time. All I saw was 1:16. That could be 1:16.01 or 1:16.59. In any case, I had to get to the finish line!!!
Mile 0.1 (actually 0.3) - Something under 2 minutes. I tried to find another gear at the very end, but my calf cramped up again. I could see the clock and knew it saw 1:17.XX. As I got closer I knew I had it. Of course I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the line, so my Garmin data is a little off.
Official time was 1:17:51. Snuck in with 9 seconds to spare!!!
Congratulations to all of the Tri Club members who raced today, as well!
Here's the Garmin data...
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82835776
Here are the splits.
Mile 1 - 5:55. How's that for being on target?! However, I wanted to be a little slower than that. It's so hard to relax that first mile. It was tough to get a read on everyone so finding people to run with was tough. It took a half mile or so, but everyone finally settled down and I probably went through the first mile in about 12th place.
Mile 2 - 6:03. That's better. The race started to settle down and all the first mile heroes had relaxed. 6:03, though? Was I a first mile hero too? Can't be, this was the plan...but that wasn't an "easy" mile.
Mile 3 - 6:02. OK, still on plan. Mile 2 and 3 were into the wind and I had sat on a guy (thank you to that guy) and hoped he hit the right numbers. He did and once we turned away from the ocean I went by him. Through the 5k I was sitting in 9th according to someone on the course.
Mile 4 - 5:52. It was time to start getting this on track. The rush of the race was gone and it was time to run. I moved past my wind blocker and did some work on my own. The course became VERY crowded and from here until mile 11.5 I would be navigating the huge field of marathon runners. At some points it got frustrating, but other times it was exciting. I had to make a few wide turns and running the tangents wasn't an option. There was definitely a bit of a rush and we passed the marathoners, though.
Mile 5 - 5:51. Another solid mile. At this point I was in 9th and had 8th-4th all in sights ahead of me. All I remember seeing was a black jersey, yellow jersey, white jersey, yellow jersey, blue jersey ahead of me moving through a see of marathoners. We were literally zig-zagging through the course at some points.
Mile 6 - 5:51. Another mile, same split. I moved up into 7th and caught up to 6th but sat back. We're only halfway there! I went through the 6.55 mark (halfway) at an average pace of 5:57. If I wanted to go under 1:18:00 I would have to have a faster second half. No worries, that was the plan.
Mile 7 - 5:53. I don't remember anything from mile 7. Really, I've got nothing!
Mile 8 - 5:56. Uh-oh. This didn't feel easy, but why was it slower? I did take a gel during this mile and made sure to take in enough water. Maybe that was it, but seeing that on my watch had me a little concerned. My average pace was at 5:56, but I was getting tired! I was dreaming of two weeks ago when we were only running a 10 mile race. This is where I turned it on. I didn't like the pressure of being that close to goal pace, especially since my watch wasn't matching the mile markers on the course. At this point it was time to commit to this race.
Mile 9 - 5:45
Mile 10 - 5:43
Mile 11 - 5:40
These three miles sorta all blended into one big surge. By the end of mile 11 I had passed all of the guys I had in sight and was in 4th. The marathon runners and fans were a big help here. There are a good amount of spectators in the section because it's a couple blocks over from the finish line. I just let the energy of the crowd take over and I put in a strong effort. By this point, volunteers on the course were indicating that the two races would split directions so we could finish and the marathoners could continue south. The road was divided with cones and so I stayed left on the lonely 13.1 course. I remember passing a parked VW Beetle on the turn to head North that had a poster on its windshield that say 1.5 miles to go. That felt good.
Mile 12 - 5:48. One thing I never do in a race is look behind me. In all the races I've done I have never turned around to see if anyone was behind me. However, one of my biggest fears in racing is getting caught from behind at the end of a race. As a ran this mile I just hoped I could runaway from anyone that might have hung on during those three hard miles. The "blue jersey" guy that was in 4th when I passed him definitely looked comfortable when I passed him and I had no idea how far behind he was. Usually I will try to listen to the crowd's cheering, but this was a lonely mile and not many spectators were around so I was clueless. In the FAR distance I could see 3rd place and knew I wasn't catching him. My average pace had dropped to 5:52, but I was alone and had to finish this race, into the head wind, on my own.
Mile 13 - 5:52. My watch said 5:52, my body felt like it was a 4:52. Thankfully the end was in sight. I was pretty sure I was on my own, but the clock was ticking. I remember trying to push the pace a little more during this stretch and actually got a little cramp in my calf. It was right as I came onto the boardwalk. The way my watch is set up, once I pass an hour I can no longer see the seconds of the total time. All I saw was 1:16. That could be 1:16.01 or 1:16.59. In any case, I had to get to the finish line!!!
Mile 0.1 (actually 0.3) - Something under 2 minutes. I tried to find another gear at the very end, but my calf cramped up again. I could see the clock and knew it saw 1:17.XX. As I got closer I knew I had it. Of course I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the line, so my Garmin data is a little off.
Official time was 1:17:51. Snuck in with 9 seconds to spare!!!
Congratulations to all of the Tri Club members who raced today, as well!
Here's the Garmin data...
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82835776
Friday, April 29, 2011
Ready to Race?
The week leading up to a big race is always a tough week for me. I have a hard time cutting back on training and resting for the race. Most weeks during the year I have a full training load and I get very comfortable with that. When I taper down for a race, I have a hard time dealing with cutting back durations and intensities. I'm sure I've gone into races more tired than I should have been. The 6 days before IM Canada I put in 7 hours of training!
That being said, it's race week now and I'm doing what I always do.
Monday I swam hard in the morning then went out for an "easy 5" in the evening. Well the first mile was a controlled 7:06, but over the next 4 miles I ran my pace down to a 6:38 where the last mile was a 6:09. That made me tired.
Tuesday morning started early and I was at the track by 5:15 for my three mile tempo run. Two mile warm up, some plyometrics, and I was ready to go. The plan was to run two 5:55's and then try to hit a 5:53 for the third mile. The half marathon time of 1:18:00 is 5:56/mile so I wanted to get used to that effort. First mile, 5:57, not bad but a little off. Second mile, 5:56, was better but now I'm three seconds off target time. Third mile was a 5:48, but felt controlled. So overall, I'm where I want to be. I felt very tired during the day, but swam easy at night anyway.
Wednesday morning was another quality swim and an easy run in the evening. It's hard to turn down running when it's this hot out!
Thursday morning was my last track workout. Two mile run to the track, some dynamic stretching and plyo's, then into the workout...4x400 with 400 recovery jog in between each. My 400's were :82, :80, :80, :77. Easy jog home and workout done. No PM workout.
This morning I got in an easy swim since I will be going to coach at Penn Relays tonight for my boys Distance Medley Relay team.
Tomorrow will be an easy swim and easy run. My next post will be the race report!
That being said, it's race week now and I'm doing what I always do.
Monday I swam hard in the morning then went out for an "easy 5" in the evening. Well the first mile was a controlled 7:06, but over the next 4 miles I ran my pace down to a 6:38 where the last mile was a 6:09. That made me tired.
Tuesday morning started early and I was at the track by 5:15 for my three mile tempo run. Two mile warm up, some plyometrics, and I was ready to go. The plan was to run two 5:55's and then try to hit a 5:53 for the third mile. The half marathon time of 1:18:00 is 5:56/mile so I wanted to get used to that effort. First mile, 5:57, not bad but a little off. Second mile, 5:56, was better but now I'm three seconds off target time. Third mile was a 5:48, but felt controlled. So overall, I'm where I want to be. I felt very tired during the day, but swam easy at night anyway.
Wednesday morning was another quality swim and an easy run in the evening. It's hard to turn down running when it's this hot out!
Thursday morning was my last track workout. Two mile run to the track, some dynamic stretching and plyo's, then into the workout...4x400 with 400 recovery jog in between each. My 400's were :82, :80, :80, :77. Easy jog home and workout done. No PM workout.
This morning I got in an easy swim since I will be going to coach at Penn Relays tonight for my boys Distance Medley Relay team.
Tomorrow will be an easy swim and easy run. My next post will be the race report!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Backing out of Eagleman
Well, the title of the blog says it all. I just got a refund in the mail from Tricolumbia making my withdrawal from Eagleman official. I never thought I would ever back out of a race, but life has other plans sometimes. It was a tough decision, and one I wish I didn't have to make, but it was the right one.
To get personal, here's the reason why.
A little less than two years ago, May 13, 2009, my 21 year old cousin Danny was killed in a car accident after moving out of his dorm two days before graduating college. However, Danny was an organ donor and he made the lives of seventy people better.
Here in New Jersey, the Sharing Network Foundation is an organization that handles all of the organ donations in the state. Since Danny's accident, this has been an organization that my family and I have supported. This coming June, the Sharing Network will be hosting their first annual 5K to honor those who gave, celebrate those who have received, and hope with those who wait for an organ or tissue transplant. The date of the event will be June 12, 2011, which is the day of Eagleman. So, as I mentioned before, life has other plans. I couldn't imagine not being at the 5K that day, and I know it was the right decision.
If anyone is interested in supporting the race and Danny's team, you can find all that information at the link here...
http://sharenj.donorpages.com/5KWalkRun2011/TeamBuck/
To get personal, here's the reason why.
A little less than two years ago, May 13, 2009, my 21 year old cousin Danny was killed in a car accident after moving out of his dorm two days before graduating college. However, Danny was an organ donor and he made the lives of seventy people better.
Here in New Jersey, the Sharing Network Foundation is an organization that handles all of the organ donations in the state. Since Danny's accident, this has been an organization that my family and I have supported. This coming June, the Sharing Network will be hosting their first annual 5K to honor those who gave, celebrate those who have received, and hope with those who wait for an organ or tissue transplant. The date of the event will be June 12, 2011, which is the day of Eagleman. So, as I mentioned before, life has other plans. I couldn't imagine not being at the 5K that day, and I know it was the right decision.
If anyone is interested in supporting the race and Danny's team, you can find all that information at the link here...
http://sharenj.donorpages.com/5KWalkRun2011/TeamBuck/
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Rutgers UNITE Half Marathon Race Report
Apr 18, 2011 — bryan913
Several months ago I registered for this half marathon when they offered the first 100 entrants would pay $17.66. How could you say no to that?! So I signed up with initial plans of using this as a training day before I pumped up my cycling miles to get ready for Eagleman. However, plans change and I will not be racing Eagleman this year (that'll be for another blog) and this race became a little higher priority. My PR at this distance was set in 2009 with 1:20:28 on a very flat course. Even though the course for yesterday's race was slightly more challenging, I still had all intentions of breaking 1:20 and the plan was to head out at 6:05 pace.
I had a weird pre-race week that left me feeling VERY fatigued after my last tempo run (in the pouring rain) from Tuesday. I felt pretty lethargic Tuesday through Friday last week, but started to feel better after dinner of Friday. I swam and had an easy 20 minute run Saturday and was feeling much better, so reaching my goal was looking very possible. The forecast for the race was to be mid 50's to 60 with strong winds, so nothing wrong with that.
Saturday night, it poured. It started to rain at around 1:00pm and didn't let up until well after midnight. I woke up to nice weather on Sunday, but more on that later. Sunday morning (race morning) was pretty normal. I like to shower to wake up a little, so did that and then got my stuff together. At 5:15am I went out to get a bagel and everything was closed! So I went home and finished getting my gear together and waited around til 6:00am to leave. I went back to the bagel shop, they were open, but no bagels. I had to settle for Dunkin Donut's poor excuse for a bagel and was on teh road 15 minutes later than I was hoping for. No problem, though, no traffic on a Sunday morning. I got to the race site a little after 7:00am and met up with two friends who were running. We stayed warm in the car for a little and went out for our warm up at about 7:45. After finishing the warm-up and pre-care bathroom break we went back outside to run some striders and loosen up. This is where things got interesting.
The race director then made an announcement that the course had to be changed because of flooding of a nearby river that flooded a large part of the course. The 13.1 mile run was now going to be a 10-mile race!!! I was MAD! But, what can you do? So now I had to get into a little different mindset and think about running sub 6:00's instead of the planned 6:05's. The new goal was to break 60.
The gun went off on time and the race got started no problem. I went through the first mile at 5:36, a little too fast! Mile two and three were more controlled at 5:53 and 5:45. Then we hit some huge head winds and I slipped off with a 6:10 and a 6:02. I was sitting in about 14th overall at this point. Not terrible numbers but I wasn't feeling it. I wanted to go out strong, but this might have been too strong. Miles 6 and 7 were uneventful but painful and I stayed on track with a 5:59 and a 5:53, but better news was that I was starting to reel in some runners ahead of me. I Decided I had to suck it up and go for it. Mile 8 was a 5:39 and mile 9 was a 5:26. I moved into 9th place and was gaining on 8th. I checked my watch and thought I could catch 8th place in this last mile. However, the course turned left and there was the finish line! I looked down again and my watch read 9.4 miles! Oh well, not catching that guy! Mile 10 was only 0.65 miles and I came across the 9.65 mile race in 55:25 for 9th place.
So it wasn't a perfect day, but I am very happy with my fitness. My average pace for the run was 5:44/mile (which was my 5K pace in a race last December) and I definitely wasn't exhausted afterwards. If this was a half marathon, I pretty certain I would easily break 1:20:00. Since things didn't go according to plan, I am going to sign up for another half marathon on May 1st to try to PR. It is the same race I PR'd at two years ago. However, given yesterday's run on a rolling WINDY course, my new goal time is 1:18:00.
So I will put in another hard week this week with a tempo run on Tuesday and my last big track workout Thursday and a 10 mile distance run over the weekend before resting up for the race.
I had a weird pre-race week that left me feeling VERY fatigued after my last tempo run (in the pouring rain) from Tuesday. I felt pretty lethargic Tuesday through Friday last week, but started to feel better after dinner of Friday. I swam and had an easy 20 minute run Saturday and was feeling much better, so reaching my goal was looking very possible. The forecast for the race was to be mid 50's to 60 with strong winds, so nothing wrong with that.
Saturday night, it poured. It started to rain at around 1:00pm and didn't let up until well after midnight. I woke up to nice weather on Sunday, but more on that later. Sunday morning (race morning) was pretty normal. I like to shower to wake up a little, so did that and then got my stuff together. At 5:15am I went out to get a bagel and everything was closed! So I went home and finished getting my gear together and waited around til 6:00am to leave. I went back to the bagel shop, they were open, but no bagels. I had to settle for Dunkin Donut's poor excuse for a bagel and was on teh road 15 minutes later than I was hoping for. No problem, though, no traffic on a Sunday morning. I got to the race site a little after 7:00am and met up with two friends who were running. We stayed warm in the car for a little and went out for our warm up at about 7:45. After finishing the warm-up and pre-care bathroom break we went back outside to run some striders and loosen up. This is where things got interesting.
The race director then made an announcement that the course had to be changed because of flooding of a nearby river that flooded a large part of the course. The 13.1 mile run was now going to be a 10-mile race!!! I was MAD! But, what can you do? So now I had to get into a little different mindset and think about running sub 6:00's instead of the planned 6:05's. The new goal was to break 60.
The gun went off on time and the race got started no problem. I went through the first mile at 5:36, a little too fast! Mile two and three were more controlled at 5:53 and 5:45. Then we hit some huge head winds and I slipped off with a 6:10 and a 6:02. I was sitting in about 14th overall at this point. Not terrible numbers but I wasn't feeling it. I wanted to go out strong, but this might have been too strong. Miles 6 and 7 were uneventful but painful and I stayed on track with a 5:59 and a 5:53, but better news was that I was starting to reel in some runners ahead of me. I Decided I had to suck it up and go for it. Mile 8 was a 5:39 and mile 9 was a 5:26. I moved into 9th place and was gaining on 8th. I checked my watch and thought I could catch 8th place in this last mile. However, the course turned left and there was the finish line! I looked down again and my watch read 9.4 miles! Oh well, not catching that guy! Mile 10 was only 0.65 miles and I came across the 9.65 mile race in 55:25 for 9th place.
So it wasn't a perfect day, but I am very happy with my fitness. My average pace for the run was 5:44/mile (which was my 5K pace in a race last December) and I definitely wasn't exhausted afterwards. If this was a half marathon, I pretty certain I would easily break 1:20:00. Since things didn't go according to plan, I am going to sign up for another half marathon on May 1st to try to PR. It is the same race I PR'd at two years ago. However, given yesterday's run on a rolling WINDY course, my new goal time is 1:18:00.
So I will put in another hard week this week with a tempo run on Tuesday and my last big track workout Thursday and a 10 mile distance run over the weekend before resting up for the race.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)