Physical v Mental Fortitude

The more things change, the more they stay the same?

Well I certainly hope not. At least that isn't the goal. After nearly five years in this sport I feel that I approach things with a very practical, yet theoretical and analytical perspective. I have cycled over 12,000 miles, ran nearly 3000 and swam another 467. That is nearly 1400 hours (58 days) worth of tri specific training.

I don't put those numbers out there to brag. (I was actually more curious). I know scores of people that put in twice the time and volume during the year. The point is that after competing for a number of years, I have developed a sense for when things aren't going right. I have developed an awareness for my perceived potential. I have succeeded and failed a number of times--each offerings its own lesson.

Many of us enter this sport with the physical maturity to compete. Most of us played a competitive sport growing up so tapping into that part of our personality isn't difficult. We salivate at the opportunity to compete and win. It is barbaric in sorts. For those that lack the physical maturity, they often receive it in the form of consistent training as they develop into athletes.

However, I contend that many of us lack the mental and emotional maturity to sustain this lifestyle for years while gradually progressing in our accomplishments. Many people see this sport with annual goals in mind instead of a steady progression toward one larger goal. I once blogged how the Ironman Burnout effect perpetuates this problem. I see people performing the same routines over and over with the same results but not the awareness to correct the problems.

I understand that for most this sport is a hobby. And I say pffft. I think most people downplay how central this sport is to their lifestyle. They don't want the sport to control or dominate their lifestyle but routinely invest thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours. It is more than a hobby and you should take it (not yourself) seriously.

To that end, I encourage you to think of alternative ways you can push yourself mentally and emotionally in this sport. I am not talking about going out and buying the newest tech gadget or a new bike. Buying speed isn't the answer. How can you become more efficient?

The answer to getting faster in this sport isn't always time. Most of us make the time available when it is most important. Given 40 hours a week to train, there is no guarantee that you would suddenly take off as an athlete. So if time wasn't a constraint, how would you perform more optimally?

What are those 2-3 hindrances you just can't seem to overcome? What is it going to take to get there? Do you keep repeating the same thing over and over expecting different results? Is the obstacle in your head? Do you find yourself going against what you know is right?

Are you willing to sacrifice smaller goals to achieve the larger ones? Are you willing to listen to contrary advice? Do you push yourself to understand your limiters? Why do you compete?

There are millions of questions to ask. The key here is that the sport goes beyond the physical nature of competition. Some people are naturally gifted. Most of us are not. But I assure you that if equipped with the right tools--physically, mentally and emotionally, you will beat the gifted athlete in several aspects of the sport.

Post Blog:

I will admit that this was NOT the blog I set out to write but it just grew from there. This issue is something that is frequently on my mind. I have always found that I catch onto things quickly. I quickly move to the head of the class but then everyone catches up and often surpasses me. I am often left wondering why I didn't continue progressing. I am trying to apply this same method to triathlon. I continually push myself to find alternate routes...ones that fit me best...to the ultimate goal.

I am Tiger Woods...the Gatorade Experiment

Prime, Perform, Recovery

(cue the music)

I don't generally believe that I am a sucker for advertisement. I see through most marketing gimmicks and tend to go against the grain most often. However, Gatorade's newest product line intrigued me a bit.

I am not really a fan of gatorade. I don't use it in training unless I need to stop by the store. I will occasionally purchase one when I want a non-caffeinated drink in place of water. I think it has too much sugar and up until recently contained high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The new formula moves to a sucrose-dextrose blend, which is a step in the right direction.

The new line moves gatorade from just a sports drink to a line of drinks for the pre-workout, workout and post workout. Essentially it falls in line with how many endurance athletes train. While at my neighborhood Kroger, they had a huge display with each of the products so I made the purchases. I thought it would be fun to workout this weekend with gatorade fueling me.

Gatorade 01--This is the 'prime' or pre-workout supplement. It came in a 4 oz package that resembled an oversized gel packet. I was expecting a more gelatin substances so the liquid shocked me a bit. Of the three, I found the taste the sweetest. I was having flashbacks to eating an icee during the summer. Nutritional content: 100 calories, B vitamins, 110 mg of sodium, 35 mg of potassium, 25g of carbs, 23g of sugar, 0g of protein.

Gatorade 02--This is the revision of their traditional formula. I put 20 oz in a water bottle and rolled. The taste was slightly more bland than the traditional formula. I assume this is the absence of the HFCS. Nutritional content (20 oz): 150 calories, 280 mg of sodium, 75 mg of potassium, 35g of carbs, 35g of sugar, 0g of protein.

Gatorade 03--This is the recovery product. It comes in a 16oz bottle. I think I was probably the most excited about this one. Aside from chocolate milk, there aren't many recovery products on the market that I can grab on the go. This often leads to improper recovery. Of the three products, the taste was the mildest. Nutritional content: 130 calories, 250 mg of sodium, 95 mg of potassium, 14g of carbs, 12g of sugar, 16g of protein.

Thoughts? Well I didn't turn into a superstar on the ride. I didn't suddenly surpass my FTP. I didn't grow super muscles and stop cars in my way. So to that end, I guess the experiment was a fail.

I rode for 2 hours or 41 miles. Temperature was steadily climbing into the 80s and probably the warmest ride this year. Overall I was pleased with the products. I didn't have any issues. My stomach didn't cramp. I felt hydrated.

I do have a few concerns. First, it is still a lot of sugar. 380 calories and 70g of sugar seems a bit high to me. I do like that the recovery drink was lower on sugar. Clearly the focus is on potassium and sodium, the electrolytes. Typically I am a zombie after a ride. I wasn't groggy at all when I got home. My assumption is that I got more electrolytes than normal.

In my opinion, gatorade still fails in the calorie department. Essentially, the company is in a catch-22. So many people supplement their everyday fluids with sports drinks as a 'healthy' alternative. Therefore, gatorade has to keep the calories low otherwise people would gain weight. But as a triathlete, that doesn't work. For a ride like that, my body needs close to 600 calories. That is a lot of calories that gatorade can't provide

Overall, I do think gatorade is onto something and will likely have a successful product. I do think the 01 = formula could be at risk. I just don't know how many people really 'prime' before workouts. The 02 formula is basically their staple so that isn't going anywhere. I think the 03 formula has tons of potential. I think it is marketed right for athletes...those who fall prey to advertising.

If you are a fan of gatorade, I would encourage you to check it out. If you aren't a fan, the products aren't convincing enough to make the switch.

Recovering at an HR under 150

Learning from my mistakes in the past, I am focusing heavily on recovery right now. I have learned that my body is willing to take the abuse of training without whining too much. But when I ask it to race, or step up the intensity, then it likes to revolt for a couple of weeks. Generally, I feel good but I know I am not ready to resume any training at a high caliber. Therefore, I implemented a maximum heart rate of 150 on my workouts for two weeks.

Last week, I didn't do much. My focus was eating right and getting solid sleep each night. I also squeezed in a massage. I only worked out for about 4.5 hours. Most of it was easy riding on the bike to flush the legs out.

This week however, I increased my volume a bit. I will likely hit about 8 hours of training. All of it is light. I am running slow and taking note of all the aches and pains. I hope to log some solid miles on the bike this weekend. I love the idea of a casual 2 hour ride. I will probably turn my PM off so that I won't be concerned with my data.

My hope is that I bounce back better than usual. The aches and pains in my legs come and go. I still suspect there is something wrong internally that is preventing me from recovering properly. Hopefully, bloodwork in the next few weeks will put that issue to rest. It is just an odd feeling to wake up with legs that hurt...especially after 8.5 hours of sleep.

So I have about 2 more days on my recovery trail before I need to step it up a notch. One week after a big race is easy to take off. Two is asking myself for some major patience. Not sure I can ask for much more. Hope to be back at it next week!

Rev3 Anaysis and Thanks

The timing and race results for Rev3 aren't in a standard format so conducting solid analysis wasn't as easy as downloading the results. It took more research and I am unable to produce the typical table that I enjoy using.

	Swim	t1	Bike	t2	Run	Total
Top 10	0:29:05	0:02:34	2:32:29	0:02:13	1:29:49	4:36:12
Andrew	0:31:57	0:02:27	2:40:31	0:02:12	1:45:40	5:02:49
OA place after leg	27	23	15	14	23	27
AG place after leg	10	7	5	4	7	7

Looking at the results, I feel even better about the race. I am very happy with my swim. Definitely a PR and I assume that I had some help from a short course or current. However, the leaders times don't strike me as super fast. Hopefully, my swim is in a better place than before.

I am always amazed with transition. It seems that in the races where I slow down, I get out of there the fastest. I felt really slow in transition as I took my time. But comparatively, I was in an out. However there is an anomaly in the Top 10. One guy took a nap, so their average is just under 2:00.



I was a little surprised to see such a margin on the bike. But clearly there were some strong athletes at the top. I know I rode it conservatively but even still, I don't know I could shave 8 minutes off my time on that course. I think realistically I could have shaved 5 by riding a bit more aggressive. Not that I am second guessing myself.

The run was about what I expected. I didn't quite get mowed down but there is a clear distinction between real runners and what I attempted to do. It was a solid run for me but I am still out of my league in this area. My open HM time was only better than one person in the top 10.

Retrospect

A lot of people have asked me why I didn't try to squeeze out that final 2:49. I know I could have done that easily. If I was to have the same race again, then I would make a few adjustments that would have saved me at least 3 minutes. But that wasn't the point of the race. I wasn't trying to go sub-5. I actually didn't think it was all that possible for me on that course.

As I mentioned, I knew when I started the run it was possible. But when I began to bonk I saw it slip away. But I was not willing to give up on an otherwise great race. I kept trying to push. So I definitely don't regret not pushing at times to save another 2:49. I think I executed like I want in races. Plus it still leaves a small carrot in front of me. I know sub-5 is achievable for me on a number of course so I am not overly worried about it.

I am however, slightly mad at myself for not pushing harder on the run. I let a guy in my age group pass me on the final hill. I let another pass me with about a mile and half to go. I shouldn't allow this to happen that late in a race. I need to remember that it is a race until the finish line. I don't care that I would have been 5th rather than 7th in my age group. I care more that I let down my guard.

Kudos

I need to provide a few kudos to people that helped me along the way. First, thanks to all3sports for believing in me and providing me the gear and technical expertise to perform well. It is a different feeling when you know you represent a notable brand out there. Second, I want to thank Dan Arnett and Endurance Concepts for his coaching and guidance. I have trained with Dan for two years and there is no doubt that I am a better athlete today from the experience.

Finally, and most importantly, I want to thank my loving girlfriend, Jessica. She continues to show me unbelievable support in my racing and goes far beyond what is expected of her. This marks the second straight year that she sacrificed her Mother's Day to tend to my needs. For that and the countless other things she does, I am a very lucky and grateful person.

Rev3 HIM Race Report

Tons of fun this past weekend. It really was more of an event than just a race. I was completely relaxed on race morning. We got to bed at a decent hour the night before and sleeping wasn't difficult. I was concerned that my legs would be really tired from being on them the day before but I woke up fairly refreshed.

One additional thing that I loved about this race is the 8 am start. That meant an extra hour of sleep and no rush in the morning. Therefore, a 6 am wake up call was an simple accommodation. We left the hotel around 6:40 and made the 10 minute walk to transition. The morning was cold. A blast of cold air crept in the day before and left us all shivering that morning. The weather channel reported 48 degrees at sunrise and the temps weren't expected to rise beyond 60 before noon.

I slowly shed layers in transition. Since we checked the bikes the night before, there wasn't much to do. I decided to just chill and stay warm. We eventually made the walk down to the swim start. I was ready to get the blood flowing a bit more. I went for a quick jog to jolt the heartrate and then jumped into my wetsuit to stay warm. A few pics later and it was time to head down to the dock. We were able to enter the water a few minutes prior to our wave start. I did a brief warm up and just focused on having a steady day.

Swim 1.2 miles

I think this was the first time I raced with a floating start. We just sat there bobbing like corks waiting for the gun. The wave likely had just over 100 people. Since it was in a river we were spread out pretty evenly. I located a small groove an waited the start.

The first 2-400m were easy. There was little to no fighting. You had to battle for position but it was one of the gentlest I ever had. I just focused on finding feet and getting loose in the water. I always hate the first 5-6 minutes of a long swim. Once the crowd separates, I start remembering how much I hate swimming. It happens every time.

I felt really engaged for the first 10-15 minutes of the swim. I rounded both buoys and just glided. For the longest time, I was in no mans land. I couldn't hold the feet in front of me while pulling the ones behind me. Eventually, we merged with the Olympic distance race and a whole new slew of people appeared. Fresh feet. I never felt particularly fast but I felt smooth. The last few minutes were a bit of a struggle as I could tell I was getting a bit tired.

Time: 31:57 (1:31yd per 100)

T1

It was a long run up the boat ramp and around the corner into transition. Luckily I was racked on the end and had no trouble finding my bike. I debated putting on socks but felt the feet had too much debris to fumble with. Instead, I opted to just deal with the cold. Time to ride

Time: 2:27

Bike 56 miles

Hands down this was one of my favorite bike races. The course was beautiful and challenging. It forced you to stay engaged the entire time. You were constantly shifting, in and out of aero and then descending down a blind hill.

My goal for the race was to ride conservatively. Apparently I felt really good when I started because I was riding hot with my watts a bit high. I tried to take each hill easy. My plan was that if it felt like a hill, then I would shift to my easiest gear and spin up it. I would make up my time on the downhill.

I quickly settled into my race pace. My RPE felt really low. My watts were still a bit high. I made it up and over the first two real climbs and blasted down the backside. The course flattened out and hugged a creek around mile 20. I picked it up a bit through this stretch. I hit the 28 mile turn around feeling pretty good. My watts were higher than where I felt they should be and I was slightly ahead of schedule.

On the return, I was riding with 3-4 other people. I would build a lead, they would catch me on the climb and I would pass them again on the other side of the hill. This went on for the nearly an hour. Finally, I made the decision to pee the bike and I lost the pack. I frequently saw them ahead of me in flat spots but didn't want to push the pace. Things were going my way.

The backside of the previous climbs were a bit more challenging. 45 miles into a ride and a long hill can take it out of you. I started feeling a bit tired around the 2 hour mark. I had to just focus on executing the same game plan.

When I finally hit Neyland Dr, I picked it up a bit more. I tried to wake up my legs. I was unable to feel my left foot for most of the ride. At the time, I just assumed it was the cold weather. I hopped off the bike and prepared for the run

Time: 2:40:12 (20.9 mph)

Transition 2

A bit of a cluster here. Racked the bike, put on socks and shoes and looked for an exit. I had to run down a volunteer to ask where to exit. No signs and nothing in the guide about transition. Just a minor annoyance.

Time: 2:17

Run 13.1 miles

I had a plan. I wanted to try a new strategy for the HIM distance. My goal was to slow down for the first 3 miles, focus on running the next 3 smoothly and then trying to negative split the run. While this race was never about a specific time, I managed to glance at my overall time running out of T2. I knew if I ran a 1:45 then I would go sub 5. That might be doable if I am smart.

I was successful in slowing down the first 2 miles. I nailed an 8 minute pace. By mile 3, I felt like I could hold this pace all day. During the 3rd mile I pushed a little harder and the pace quickened. I hit the first out and back turnaround feeling really good.

On the next stretch the leaders passed and that gave me some added motivation. Nearly the entire run was on a greenway through the woods. It provided plenty of shade and some decent scenery. I hit the 6.5 mile split at about 51 minutes. I had a solid first half of the run. Now it was time to start working.

I knew I need some calories at this point. I then did something...twice...that I have never done in all my years of racing. I refused to stop running at aid stations. I opted to grab what I could. So I grabbed a gel at the next station...ripped it open with my mouth...and threw the packet on the ground. Crap. That wasn't supposed to happen. I kept trucking along and made it to the next station. I did the same thing. Of course I could have turned around but I was worried about breaking my streak.

And then it went downhill. Only fitting. Somewhere around mile 7.5 I noticed that I was feeling a bit lightheaded. I wasn't running straight. I knew a bonk was coming up and quickly. My pace slowed big time. My heartrate plummeted and I entered that dark place. My undefined goals were slipping away. I kept reminding myself that if I finished strong, it would still be a solid race.

My sub-8 pace slowed to 8:45 at mile 8. The next mile was just over 9. At this point I had to force calories into the body. I stopped at the aid station and grabbed everything I could. I forced fluids into the system. I climb the hill back onto campus and talked to Jessica briefly. The wheels were slowly coming off.

And then the calories hit the body and I started running again. At mile 10, I knew I had a 5k to go. I glanced at the overall clock and had to run about a 23 minute 5k to go under 5 hours. I began pushing harder as the terrain flattened. I once again found a 8:20 pace. I pushed for more. I hit the last out and back hoping that I had banked enough time but was very uncertain.

I pushed hard during the last mile until I encounter the most cruel obstacle I have ever encountered in a race. Sitting at mile 12.5 was the biggest hill of the run course. They course needed a little extra distance and all they had was this final hill. And the hill was steep...and then it went up some more...and then some more. It was a quarter of a mile straight up...and then back down. I pushed and it hurt. I had not walked all day until then. I walked the final 15-20 feet of the hill and came back tumbling down. Brutal.

I hit the finish line thrilled.

Time: 1:45:47 (8:05)

Total Time: 5:02:49

I really couldn't ask for a better day. I executed 95% flawlessly. I stayed engaged the whole time. I struggled but bounced back. I raced then entire distance....something I haven't done in quite some time.

Kudos to Rev3

I know I will have a lot more to say on the subject in the coming day but I wanted to put out a general update regarding the race.

Total time: 5:02:49
That is a 20 minute PR for me. I was engaged in 95% of the race. And I nearly loved every minute of racing. For me, I feel like I removed a huge monkey from my back. After the NOLA debacle and GCT pathetic performance, I really wondered if I had it in me to race this distance anymore. I think I quieted those demons in my head. More to come later.

Instead, I want to give some major kudos to the people at Rev3 for putting on a great race. I previously blogged that I had high expectations and they didn't fail to deliver. I arrived on Friday afternoon as the expo was setting up. I worked the all3sports tent next to Heather Gollnick for a while so I got to pick her brain about the race. In my opinion, the race had those intangibles that are missing in the bigger races. It was very athlete focused. It wasn't a stuffy, corporate environment. It was a fun, family focused atmosphere.

What I liked:

• Family focus. Outdoor concert. Little Rev race. Giant bouncy things for the kids. Splash pool behind the finish line. The goal of Rev3 is to make the race an experience for the whole family. Kids had something to do for 3-5 hours during the race. I bet that made a huge difference for families.
  
• Giant jumbotron at the finishers line that broadcast footage from the course and updates on athletes.
  
• Computers where you could look up your results/splits after the race. I also assume they were updated in real time so you could track the athletes.
  
• Pros were accessible. The panel was held outdoors and the pros were seen mingling amongst the plebs most of the day.
  
• Good swag. Visor, shirt, ls shirt, medal.
  
• Easy, no hassle check in.
  
• Wooden blocks in transition instead of racks. Makes things much easier.
  
• BEAUTIFUL course. Very technical. Challenging. Well marked. You never were bored. It was tough, fast and fun. Everyone I talked to said the course was awesome.
  
• Challenging but fair run. Run was shaded on a greenway which was nice.
  
• Tons of timing mats. No way to cut the course
• Police presence everywhere. I think all of Knoxville's finest were staffed on the course.
  
• More volunteers than I have ever seen. And volunteers in some of the most rural areas giving up their Mothers Day to the event.

Room for improvement:

• Confusing transition. There were some swim/bike and bike/run issues going on. I think they will workout these kinks in the future.
• Small field. Only 260 registered for the half. Only 180 race.
  
• Roads were very shaded so you had to use extra caution as you couldn't see problems in the road. They did their best to mark them but you still had to be alert. Nothing the RD can do, just a minor cause for concern.
  
• Neyland Dr has uneven surfaces. Just an annoyance to run on.
  
• Several run out and backs. That is a personal annoyance. I know they maximized the course. I just prefer one giant out and back. The course had about 4 different branches off the main route.
  
• Need a few more volunteers at bike aid stations. If you missed a bottle at the first exchange there was little time to regroup and grab another one.
• Post race food. Boxed lunch? Come on. Pizza and beer!!!
  
• One BRUTAL uphill before the finish line. Cruelest thing I have every experienced in a race. More on this later.
  

Overall, I loved this race. I honestly think it may go down as one of my top 3 favorite races of all time. I give it a solid "A" grade for an inaugural race. I have a strong feeling that I will be back in the future.

Revvvving up for the Weekend

The time is near. Hopefully this will become an opportunity to remove a large monkey from my back. In the morning, I head north to the hills of eastern Tennessee and home of the Volunteers for the Rev3 half.

Much like ING, this race is looming over my head. When an event does that, it prevents me from looking beyond it. I can't see the rest of the race schedule. I can't plan for events beyond the weekend. I am ready to remove that burden.

I am really excited about the race too. Well...not about the athletic side of things. Instead, I am hoping that Rev3 lives up to its billing. I hope that it becomes a strong, sustainable competitor to the WTC and 70.3 model. I really like the family focus of their model. The weekend is packed full of good programming to entertain everyone. And I have faith in the organizers to put on a great race.

Performance wise, I don't really know what to think. I guess I am as ready as I will ever be. My body never peaked. I had a number of issues over the past few weeks that prevented my body from hitting its prime. I did the best with things so it is time to put the body to the test.

I am definitely approaching this race with a completely different mindset. Given the hilly terrain, I don't really have any high expectations. I don't anticipating going sub-5 even on a good day. At this point, I just want to have a solid day.

My goal is to see improvement in my swim area. I want to know that the 5 am wake up calls have really paid off. I have the confidence that I can put together a solid ride. I need to ensure that I ride conservatively. Finally, I want to have a respectable run. I am testing a new pacing strategy in hopes that it will leaving me strong over the second half.

So in the end, I hope I just put together a solid race. It doesn't have to be the fastest. I don't have to feel that I gave it 100%. I just want to be consistent out there.

And if you are in the area, stop by the all3sports tent at the expo. I will be working a number of shifts.

One Mean 5k

In this sport there are many highs...and many lows. You spend all your time training for an event. The competition is the reward. But then you cross the finish line and recall how much you hate it. That was my weekend.

I live in a very runner friendly area and only about a mile from one of the most popular running stores in Atlanta. Each May they host a local 5k that basically runs past my house. Hard not to participate. Last year, I ran about 6 miles prior and still managed a 22:18. It was my first stand alone 5k in nearly 3 years. This year provided me the opportunity to compare results.

My running has slowly come back around and after 2 decent weeks of running, I felt ready. I didn't anticipate leaving tread marks on the road but I thought I might be able to pull off a decent race. Plus, I knew that I didn't push the run at John Tanner. So I wanted to push this 5k and use it to obtain new pacing zones to use at Rev3.

Fortunately, I run these roads all the time. However, I usually run this route in reverse due to the long hill that awaited me. It is nearly a mile long with three different sections of incline. While I still wanted to set a pr, I was not willing to power up the hill too hard. I know my body well enough to know it will leave me injured.

I left my house at 7:30 and jogged for 10 minutes to the start line. Summer also decided to show up that morning. It was the first really humid day of the year. 1.25 miles later, I was soaked. This was going to be slightly more challenging than I anticipated. I toed the line toward the front and took off at the sound of the gun.

First mile was pretty fair. A small bit of climbing, mostly flat with a bit of a downhill toward the end. Mile 1: 6:15. Gulp. Too fast. This is going to hurt. I hit the bottom of the next hill and started climbing the long hill. The pack sorted itself quickly. You could tell who ran hills and who didn't. And then you had me in the middle. Mile 2 fell to about 6:47. Once I hit the top of the hill it flatted out. I remembered that last year everyone died at the top. That didn't change. I was struggling and hurting quite a bit. I pushed hard the last mile and saw my pace picking up but the damage was done. Mile 3: 7:11. I hit the final .1 of a mile with some added effort.

Total time 20:58
Last years time 22:18

I will take that type of improvement. The course is pretty tough so I know there is easily another 30 seconds in the legs without trying. What kills me is that the winners went low 15:00. That is nearly six minutes faster than my effort. That is crazy.

Overall: 72/789
Men: 64/412
M30-34: 14/77