FTP Increases

One of the most significant improvements that I made in 2008 was increasing my speed on the bike. Naturally, this didn't occur overnight and without a lot of work. One my goals for the year was to train with more intensity. This meant interval work at Columns, tempo rides and breaking out of the z2 cycle. For 2009, I switched from RPE and HR to power and kept the same goal...train with more intensity. In this case, intensity and improvement is defined as my functional threshold power (FTP). Ah...the joy of a powermeter. It simplifies things.

I played around the with powermeter in 2008. I took the time to learn more about how it measures power and how training with power is substantially different than HR. As a result of minimal training with power, I only completed one FTP test. That test established the baseline for the rest of my training and gives me a comparison point for the next year.

As I established my goals for 2009, increasing my FTP was high on the list. Post IM Florida, I took some considerable time off from training and therefore expected my power to take a similar hit. And it did. So when I began building my power for 2009 I was slightly behind where I left off. Nonetheless, I was still determined to reach an arbitrary FTP figure. I can't say there was a lot of science behind my goal...just something to strive to achieve.

This year I did a total of 4 FTP tests, not counting two time trials that served as additional data points. I didn't quite reach my goal, however, I did have a significant increase over the year. I don't quite know if my goal was attainable but had I not experienced mid-season fatigue, I think I might have reached it.

For the point of analysis, I don't state my FTP number. In the world of cycling, so many people are caught up with comparing and contrasting numbers. In the case of FTP, it really doesn't mean anything. I know plenty of people with a higher FTP that are slower. I know people with a lower FTP that are faster. What really matters is the FTP to weight ratio, or power/kg.

My weight fluctuates throughout the year but it is consistently around 164 pounds. Next year, I probably need to do a better job in noting my weight the morning of the test. However, I think for arguments sake, I can assume 164 lbs for the year.

I am happy to end the year on a high note. Overall, my FTP increased 14.6%. My ratio grew from 3.2 to nearly 3.7. If I use the Coggan and Allen Training and Racing with a Power Meter cycling ratio chart, that places me at the top of the Cat 3 division (if that means anything).


One of my goals for the offseason will be to maintain and attempt to increase these figures. I don't want to experience a drop off as I did last year. Of course, that means becoming friends the with trainer (rolls eyes).

Indian Springs by the numbers...

Well the data confirms what I already knew. Within my age group, I came back into T2 in 3rd place then I got run down. It really is defeating to look at how out of line my OA ranks are. Guess it is time to attack that weakness and change that.

	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Overall
Fastest	8:39	0:30	0:35:45	0:20	0:16:55	1:06:22
Benchmark	10:33	0:45	0:37:34	0:41	0:19:40	1:09:11
Andrew	11:59	0:59	0:39:53	0:55	0:24:18	1:18:06
AG Rank (32)	7	5	4	6	13	6
OA Rank (424)	63	52	28	79	90	38

Georgia Cup Time Trial #5

Saturday definitely marked a good to great day. I was given an option to go on an easy 1.5 hour training ride or follow my race schedule and give a time trial another go. Despite the foul weather, I left town around noon and headed up to Gainesville to take part in the Georgia Cup #5 time trial. I really like racing with this group. It is really a testament to how races were back in a day. There is a guy with some numbers, a table and a computer. That is about it.

I was still struggling a bit with recovering from Gulf Coast but I thought this would be the better workout for the weekend. And despite my fatigue, I warmed to the idea of taking out some frustration on the bike. I arrived shortly after one. The weather wasn't cooperating. It would rain then the sun would make it hot. Humidity was though the roof.

I reluctantly brought my trainer with me. All the cyclist set up shop under the elementary school's awning. The downside of course was that no breeze came through. I hopped on the trainer for about 15 minutes before I reached my threshold point. I focused on just getting warmed up enough. I was warm enough, I was drenched in sweat. I then hopped off and went for a quick spin on the open roads.

The course was a simple out and back on country roads. The terrain was gently rolling with no major sustained climbs. I had an idea of how long it would take me so I mentally divided the race into quadrants. Looking at my power, it worked out pretty well.




As usual, I started out a bit hard. I knew when I hit the two mile marker, I was flying. By four miles, I was feeling good. I can tell that I backed off during the second part of the race. I was pushing it but not quite as hard as I was.

When I hit the turn around I was a bit winded. Plus, I could see how many people were close to me. At this point I had been passed once but others were gaining. I picked it back up a bit on the return. When passed, I tried to pace off him. This seemed to work for a few minutes but in the end, my legs simply didn't have the power in them.

The final stretch was uphill. I ran out of gas at the 45 minute mark. You can actually see where my power dipped as I let out a huge sigh and tried to refocus. I pushed hard up the hill but I was pretty spent at that point. Fortunately, I didn't have to run after this ride.

I really enjoy these events because it breaks up the monotony of training. However, they are VERY humbling. It kills me to know that I had a 2-3 minute headstart on someone only to have them blow by me as if I was standing still. What I try to keep in mind is that a lot of these guys are pure cyclists. They don't train for the swim or run. I am sure if I was able to devote 4-6 more hours to the bike, I would be up there too.

Results:
Time-50:20
Distance: 19.6 miles
Speed: 23.4 mph
Watts: 235
AG Rank: 3/4
Overall: 13/32

Georgia State Time Trial

Last weekend was my first venture into road racing. Given my interest in cycling it was only a matter of time before I entered one of these races. I thought about the Roswell Crit earlier in the season but didn't have the means to race it....yet.

So a group of us ventured to north Georgia, near Chattanooga, for the time trial race. It was a bunch of triathletes versus the roadies. The morning was cool and required digging out my cold gear for the race.

A time trial is simple. Everyone lines up in order and each cyclist is sent off each 30 seconds. The goal, to do the course as fast as you can. You really don't have a clue how your rank. It is truly a race between you and the clock.

I had no expectations for the race. In fact, I was a bit fatigued from a long week of training. My goal was to have a consistent, hard race. The course was moderate hilly. The climbs weren't substantial but there were enough to kindly remind you that you were climbing. And it made for great descents.

The result--55:17 for 20.5 miles...average 22.1 mph and average 240 effort. That is what I call a solid effort. I felt like I pushed it for most of the race. There were definitely times that I was sandbagging. There was plenty of snot and spit coming out of the mouth.

I ended up 5th of 17 in Cat 5. Not too bad for my first attempt.

Ameliaman Race

This was a really late addition to the race calendar. Coach Dan was itching to race and wanted some company. Since I pulled out of the race in Nashville this seemed like a great opportunity. So we departed around noon en route to Amelia Island. We met up with some of his friends and crashed in a hotel adjacent to transition.

We first started moving around 5 am Saturday morning as the women in the room were racing the half ironman. I think I finally pried myself from the hotel sofa around 6 am. I devoured a clif bar and a banana while jostling around. I finally made my way to transition, took the bike for a spin and began to stretch out a bit.

My wave was the fourth to go off, after the half ironman wave.s We started on the beach and ran into the water. You had to wade nearly 50' before you could swim. Before the start, we watched the earlier waves go off and you could see that the current was pushing the athletes left really hard (I think the whole first wave missed the first buoy). My plan was to sit on Dan's feet as long as I can and site about 30' to the right of the turn buoys.

First few minutes were good. I was on his hip for the first 200m. Then he began pulling way so I got on his feet. We both were drifting left quickly. He finally pulled away between the second and final buoy. I rounded the turn buoy just fine but realized I couldn't see anything. I had no clue about the course layout. I tried to find feet but everyone was so spread out. I found the second turn buoy and headed home

Here is where I made a mistake. I forgot to take into account the current pushing me on the return. I was a good 20' off course. And there were NO feet anywhere. So I had to fight the current to make it back in. Then you had to wade the final 50' again. That really sucked.

Swim: 27:59 (1.43y/100)

I came out of the water sucking wind. I was not happy with my swim but it was the best I could do given the conditions. The run from the water to the parking lot was about 150 feet. I could tell my heartrate was through the roof. I made it to my bike and popped off my wetsuit. I put my garmin on my wrist and was already in zone 6. And then I was gone.

T1: 2:14

I came out of transition with 3-4 guys and got up to speed quickly. The race was run concurrently with a HIM so they too were transitioning to the bike. My plan was to push it hard as long as I can in order to build up a lead for the run. The best part was that I was passing people as if they were standing still. One guy caught me and I decided not to chase. I sat right outside the draft zone waiting for him to falter. He began to fatigue and I took off.

As I was approaching the turnaround, I began counting the number of people coming back. I was in 18th place and knew I could make up a few more sports. So I put down the hammer on the way back. I was pushing LT nearly the whole time and gaining on everyone. The funny part was that I was in no man's land most the race. If I passed someone, then I dropped them quick and there wasn't anyone to catch for a few more minutes.

Even in the final 3 miles, I caught another 3 guys and soared past them. I knew I had just put together a kickass bike

Bike: 1:07:22 (22 mph)

Due to the injury, I was under explicit instructions to not push the run. If needed, I was to switch to a 9/1 style in an effort to keep the knee from getting irritated. I came out of transition feeling a bit rough. I felt like I was just shuffling along. My HR was in check so I just kept moving. Imagine my surprise when I hit mile 1 at 7:48. Uh-oh WAY too fast.

And for the first time in a while I had a HORRIBLE side stitch. I can't recall the last time I developed one of those. And it wasn't going away. In fact it was slowing my down. I had to bypass the water station despite feeling parched.

I kept plugging along until I was passed by a guy in my age group. Grrr. I knew with the side stitch and bum knee that I couldn't go with him. I made a deal with myself that I was going to continue pushing the pace until the 2nd guy passed me in my AG. (I had a really good feeling where I stood).

Around mile 3 the side stitch subsided. And more importantly the knee was still engaged. At the turnaround I saw some hungry wolves coming my way about 200m back. I settled into a very comfortable sub 8 pace and kept moving.

Around the final 1.5 miles, my HR started to go up. I could hear footsteps behind me. I pushed a bit harder and said hello to z4. I was passed with right at mile 5 but there were 2 more behind me. So I picked it up a bit more. I put a bit more distance between us. At this point I knew I was going to pr and was having a really good race. I made the final turn and had about 50' on a guy.

Despite it being a race, I really didn't want to blow it out over the final 100m but he came barreling toward the finish line and I had to pick it up. And I'll be damned if he doesn't pass me IN the chute. I look at his calf. It says 26. I am devastated.

Run: 48:08 (7:46 pace)

Overall: 2:26:43
4th in my Age Group (grr)
20th overall

This was a great race for me. I really wanted to get out there prior to IMFL and go through the process again. Given my injury, I really didn't expect much from the run. And I really surprised myself. My knee held up really well and I barely felt it. My bike was the best performance to date. After reviewing the results I am pleased with my swim. All in all, I am thrilled with my performance. This was a PR of about 20 minutes for me. I am just mad that I didn't finish the race and secure hardware!!!

Buster Britton Race Report

What started to look like my first did not start (DNS) became my first hardware.

I did this race nearly 2 years ago. At the time it was just my second tri and my first in open water. It went really well and I was more than thrilled with my finish. So I decided to return to the race this year just for fun. Plus, it was father's day.

I was remarkably relaxed before this race. It is the only sprint on my calendar and quite frankly, it isn't a priority. I wanted to have a good race but having fun was more important. I woke up at 4:30 had 2 pieces of PB toast and some fruit. I made the drive to Oak Mountain arriving at the race venue around 6:00 to picked up my packet and set up transition.

Here is where things took a turn for the worse. Just before 7:00 am it began raining. And I don't mean a few sprinkles....it was an absolute downpour. I can only think of one time in my life where I have been outside in a worse storm. Well it wasn't letting up. Within 5 minutes there was no sense in trying to keep anything dry, everything was soaked. Transition had a downhill slope and I was just sitting next to my rack in a river of water. There was nothing I could do. I did have a gallon sized ziploc bag that I placed over my running shoes hoping to keep them the slightest bit dry.

The RD announced that they were going to delay the start of the race by 15-20 minutes because of the lightening. Well 15-20 minutes later, they are considering a duathlon format. No thanks. I don't want to risk any injury for a race this small. The last thing I need to do is go all out for one mile and screw something up. If the race comes to that, I will pack up and volunteer. However, I knew my parents were on their way so I kinda had to wait it all out.

Around 8:00 the weather began to cooperate and they announced the race was back on in the normal format. Sweet! Still I wasn't excited about racing on soaked roads and in wet shoes. Finally, I made my way to the beach and got in the water for a few warmup strokes. The water felt like bathwater. It was probably low to mid 80s. Quite the contrast to Triple T. When I got out, my teeth were chattering.

Swim:
Swim start was time trial fashion every 3 seconds. I had estimated my time for the race was 6:40. Heh. Boy were their some slow swimmers that mis-estimated their times. I have never caught so many so quick. My plan was to go as hard as I could for the first 50, then settle into a pace and find feet. The first 50 went really well as I passed about 10 people. I was really good at rounding the buoys as there was no log jam there.

For the first time in my life, I swam over people. Sorry. It happened twice. I wasn't about to go around them so I went right through the middle and basically over the top. I felt bad for a brief moment. I even looked back to make sure bubbles weren't surfacing. I could tell that I was hauling on the swim so I was a bit surprised to pop out of the water at 6:41. Hmm. Maybe the course was a bit long because I felt fast.

T1:
Transition was totally different than it was 2 years ago. Out of the water and up three sets of stairs. Ugh. There was no quick way to do this. However, I did manage to pass 2-3 people. Because I got to transition early, I secured the end rack. I found my bike and put on my helmet only to have water pour down on my head. Nice. Off I went.

Bike:
As mentioned, the roads were soaked and to make matters worse the course was full of winding descents. I spent the first few miles settling into a comfortable race pace. My plan was to go as hard as I could on the bike but my concern was the wet roads. I pushed the hills hard out to the first turnaround. When I saw the leaders coming back, I had a good indication of where I stood in the race.

My race plan was to attack at mile 6 and then again at 9. I hit mile 6 at the base of the hill and blasted past people. I was still feeling good at the top and decided to get aggressive on the downhill. Gulp. Wet roads, hard turns, carbon brakes = HR through the roof. But it worked. I was gaining confidence in my cornering. Now I set my sights on picking off people.

At mile 9, I just dropped the hammer and went for it. By mile 10 it was like people were standing still and I felt good. The final .5-.75 miles back to transition is up hill so I got out of the saddle and just pushed. When I could see transition, I settled down my HR, got my feet out of the saddle and knew that I was having a good race




T2:
Fast as lightening. Ok, not really but it was quick. I hopped off the bike right on the dismount line, picked it up and started running. This approach seems to work for me and I like it. I grabbed my wet running shoes and I was out.

Run:
The plan all along was to have a killer swim and bike then just hold on for 3 miles. I knew this would be my weakness, I hadn't done any speed work in forever and my running volume is down due to an injury. If I felt pain from my IT bands, I was to shut it down immediately.

I came out of T2 and saw my parents, I gave them a smile and they knew I was having a good race. I went out hard. And this course had more hills than it did two years ago.

I hit mile 1 at about 7:30 and still hadn't been caught. I could hear a pack of wolves behind me and I was trying to power it up the hills. The second place female caught me on a hill and I tried to go with her. At the turnaround I saw the wolves and thought...crap there are some people my age right on my heels.

I hit the downhills as hard as my body would let me. Mile 2 was just over 7:00. Then I was caught. A small peloton of runners came by me. I was starring at every left calf. Whew...they were younger. I hit the final half mile and I was completely out of gas. There was nothing. I could hear others kicking behind me but I was unable to pick it up.

Then I was passed by some one in my age group. I pushed and the body pushed back. No go. I let out a string of expletives. At this point, I had no idea where I was in my age group but I felt like I was close to the top five. I tried to push again...nothing. I made it to the last turn and had to watch an age grouper beat me by less than 20 feet.

Post race:
So this is where it got interesting. They posted results and I could see that I finished in the top 30 and beat my time by nearly 5 minutes on a more difficult course. I was more than pleased with that. I frequently race with a guy I went to high school with, so I found him and told him that I think he pulled 3rd in the AG. He was stoked but he tells me that he thinks he got called for drafting (he was being blocked and didn't drop back). Sure enough, 2:00 penalty dropped him behind me.

Then the age grouper that passed me in the last half mile? Well he started about 20 spots ahead of me in the swim. The time in which he beat me was less than the time in which he started ahead of me. So I slid into 3rd place. Talk about a surprise! My first hardware!!!!



Note: I need to remember to push it 100% for 100% of a sprint race. I only beat 4th place by HALF of a second. That is why you sprint the last 25-50 meters of EVERY race. Had I let up on more inch, he would have taken the spot.

What can I say? I really surprised myself. I was even more shocked to grab my first hardware (or glassware in this case). I went into the race hope to shave 2-3 minutes off my time from 2 years ago. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought 5 minutes were possible. Much less in horrible weather. And to think I didn't give it 100% of the bike. Increasing my intensity on the bike is one of my goals for the remainder of the year (stop grinning Arnett).

	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Total
Avg Time	8:22	3:09	0:47:14	1:40	26:47	1:27:12
Best Time	4:36	1:21	0:32:25	0:39	14:50	0:53:51
My Time	6:41	1:55	0:37:01	0:59	22:14	1:08:47
Rank	59	26	21	36	53	28

Triple T Race #3

Time for the third installment of the Triple T. I had spent the previous 3-4 hours just chilling at the park. In retrospect I should have stayed out of the sun a bit (can anyone say Marc Street, lol). But the shade was cold and I swear the sun was chasing me every time I moved my chair. I did my best to stay hydrated between the races and eat just enough to fuel the system. I think we had some fun with me running around looking like a hick.

About a 90 minutes before the race, I started moving. There wasn't any need to set up transition because it looked like how I left it. I did swap out shoes and socks. The key to this race was mentally trying to prepare for a bike-swim-run triathlon. Generally I was feeling pretty good. I felt the fatigue in the legs and took a few minutes to spin them out prior to the start.

Bike:
Time trial again made things a bit interesting. I quickly caught the first 4-5 people when we got out of the park. This was also a team race. If you raced as a team, then you could draft off each other. This proved to be a HUGE advantage. As we made our way out of the park we hit a climb at about mile 5. We had descending this hill in the morning so we knew what to expect. It was a sturdy climb and you felt the tenderness in your quads. I was overly cautious on the downhills as I didn't feel comfortable on the tri bike zooming through switchbacks. I really need to work on this but after crashing at 30 mph...you are a bit more cautious.

The next climb was another good one. Short and steep then long and gradual. At the top you had another screaming descent. I so wanted my road bike. I would have easily thrown down 50+ mph. Instead I relished to the fact that upper 30s was my limit. And it really sucks to be passed on a downhill. At the base of the hill was a nice flat section for a few miles to the turnaround. It was here that you saw the benefits of teams. They just zoomed by. I caught a wheel for a little while and though I felt a slight benefit, I still felt like I was overworking to stay tucked in to the draft zone.

Then we hit THE climb. OMFG. That just hurt. It was long and steep. I kept pushing it, wondering if I was going to roll backwards. I knew this was going to hurt in the morning. I have long thought of myself as a climb. I am a masher at the core. I like the pain and I like to inflict the pain on others. Usually this works. Not in this race. There weren't many athletes stupid enough to go with me on the climb. I was more than relieved to reach the summit and back off for a few moment. I threw back as much hydration and nutrition as I could and enjoyed the coast down.

When I hit the final hill for the second time that day, I realized exactly how tired I was. The second part hurt...a lot. I did my best to get to the top and enjoy the final few miles. This race didn't have a dismount line so we were able to ride to the transition start. Feet out and I was off and running.

T1:
I would have loved to watch 300 tired athletes try to put on wetsuits quickly. And I wonder how many people forgot their goggles. I got to my rack and had plenty of space to suit up. I actually feel like I got it on relatively quickly. I met Jess on the beach and she zipped me up.

Swim:
Ker-plash. I hit the water and it felt good given that my body was quite warm. I was very concerned for this swim as I have ready too many stories about athletes cramping during the swim. Apparently this was common as Jess indicated a number of people were pulled from the water. I had a very numbing odd sensation. I did my best to rely on my upper body to pull myself though the water.

Due to the bike being first, there wasn't a major draft. I did manage to find feet a number of times and did what I could. It was also beneficial to have the morning's swim on the mind because I was able to think through what worked as it pertained to drafting. Of course, it didn't help to have the morning's fatigue in the arm or the feeling of a some sunburn.

The first lap was ok. The second lap was a bit tougher. But I felt like I was making good time. I was actually a bit surprised that this swim wasn't a bit better. But I am more than happy with it. I took my time getting out of the water. I needed to re-engage the legs and I wanted to take my time to do that.

T2:
Out of the wetsuit. Helmet. Check. Cleats. Check. Shit. Already did that. I did pause before putting on my running shoes. I also had elected to swim without a top so I tried to put the dry shirt on my wet body. Not easy. Grabbed my gels and I was off to run....again

Run:
It really isn't easy to prepare to run 6.5 miles at 9:30 am and 5 pm. I didn't do too much of that in training. In fact, I didn't do any. Oh well. My plan was to just go with the flow. Run what I could. Walk if I needed. In fact,

I walked the steepest parts of the hills. I wanted to save the legs. This seemed to work. Numb was the only way to describe the feeling. I knew I was climbing but it didn't seem like the same course as the mornings.

I also began taking in as much fluid as I could. I could tell my nutrition was off because I was hungry. I switched to Heed at some point and I HATE Heed. The downhills were a nice welcome. It is funny how the downhills picked up my spirits all weekend. It was just nice to feel fast for a few moments. I hit turnaround and knew I had to make the best of the final 2.5 miles. I had a horrible side stitch which kept dropping and irriating the heck out of me. I actually had to stop in the final mile to keep myself under control.

		Bike	T1	Swim	T2	Run	Total
Average Time		1:22:45	3:30:11	0:32:34	2:42:48	0:58:06	2:54:31
Best Time		1:02:53	0:31:00	0:17:15	0:50:00	0:38:49	2:08:35
My Time		1:22:27	2:45	0:27:28	2:39	1:02:36	2:57:54
Rank		147	98	144	144	201	165

Triple T Race #2

This race report began where the last one ended. As mentioned in a previous post, Portsmouth is far from a tourist destination. Our hotel was a solid 20 minutes from the race site and Walmart or anything was another 15 from the hotel. We didn't leave the race venue until 6-6:30 the night before and quickly lost track of time. By the time we checked into the hotel, hauled the gear to the room and made it out of walmart it was nearly 9 pm. We grabbed nasty pizza/pasta and retired to the room. I wanted lights out by 10. Or at least lights out and the Karate Kid on tv.

The alarm went off at 4:30 and I was my normal spring chicken as I somersaulted out of bed. My breakfast was an ensure, PB bagel and a banana. I packed up the gear for a long day of racing and we loaded up the car...again. It was rather chilly out Saturday morning. Correction--it was butt ass cold. The bank marquee said 51 degrees. At the race venue, the car said 42 degress. Guess who didn't bring any cold gear? Arm warmers? Nope. Tights? Ha.

It was an eiree feeling rolling up to the race sight. We arrive shortly after 6 am for a 7:30 race. We were like the 5th person there. No one in site. I don't think the race director was there. We just laughed at how laid back everything was. And it makes sense. If you are doing the Triple T, you are an experienced racer. There is no need to obsess and stress about the little stuff. Well, that was at least my motto so I stayed in the warm car for another 30 minutes.

As the sun began to peak out from behind the mountains, people started arriving. The sounds of 300 people's chattering teeth could be heard in the distance. Race prep was much of the same. I set up transition per my normal routine, did some warm ups and tried to stay loose. I felt relatively good and was eager to get the day started.

Swim:
Another time trial swim. This time two laps for 1500m. The sad part is that the water felt good compared to the cold air. There was actually 'steam' coming off the water. I hit the water a few minutes after the elites and quickly found a solid stroke. I initially found myself gasping for air but easily settled into my breathing cycling. I found a great pair of feet and pushed the swim to the first buoy. As expected it became congested around the buoys which worked to breakup the draft pack. As I rounded the last buoy the leaders swam right over me. For a moment (very brief), I jumped in their draft line. It was only 2-3 strokes, but I hung with Gordo, Craig Evans and Bruce Gennari. It was brief and very short lived. I started the second lap finding yet another good swimmer to draft off of. One of my key goals for the weekend was to focus on the swim. I hung with my fish as long as I could or until I passed him. This strategy seemed to work. I exited the water feeling pretty good about the swim.

T1:
Another transition. I was having fun hear and even stopped for a pose. Wetsuit off. Helmet on. Shoes on. Run with bike. Go.

Bike:
This was the first of two races for the day so I wanted to keep a moderately aggressive pace. The course had a nice climb stuck in the middle of it and took you down to your easiest gear and out of the saddle. You could feel the pounding. I knew this was going to hurt. I tried to find that fine line between pushing it and saving my energy. The hill also had a screaming descent. Not fun on a tri bike with carbon wheels (I hated this all weekend).

It flattened out for bit until it climbed back to the park. The final climb was a bitch all weekend. You climbed the same hill a total of 4 times. I could feel some fatigue setting in on the legs and began to worry a bit. However, I also found it nearly impossible to hold back. Given my gearing, it was really difficult to not pound the hills to get them over with. I made it back to transition feeling good and managed to get my feet out of my shoes in plenty of time.

T2:
Nothing exciting. Found my rack easily due to the fact that I was one of the first in my area to return. Grabbed my shoes and set out on the run.

Run:
For the past few weeks my HRM has been acting screwy and this race finally killed it. So I threw out the idea of running my HR zones and switched to RPE and pacing. My race plan included running at about 8:30 pace. Sounded good a week ago. Of course, this was also the first view of the course. This race would serve as a primer for the afternoon and the two loops on Sunday.

Within the first mile, I linked up with another runner who liked my pace. We chatted a bit and I told him that he is free to hang if he wants to run 8:30-8:40s. Sounded like a plan. I altered my race strategy to run at a conversational pace. If I couldn't carry a conversation, I was running too fast. It seemed to work.

The first mile is relatively flat but the following two miles were uphill. And they had some pretty significant climbs. The terrain was an old gravel road. On the inclines, you had to deal with washouts so it became a bit like trail running. At the summit of the hill you came tumbling down to the run turnaround before you began climbing again. The backside of the course was great. The downhills and flats for the final 2.5 miles came in handy. I held the pace for the most part and made up a bit of time on the downhills continuing to run with my friend.

It was really odd to get passed in the last mile and not really care. I wasn't about to get into a shoot out with a guy over a few seconds. I will save that for another race.

Post race:
I instantly took off my shoes because I felt the blister forming. I stood in line and got food despite my intentions to bypass the buffet. But free food was really tough to pass up. I downed a bottle of endurox to help. We then found some shade and sat down. I had about 4 hours to kill in between races so we planned on just hanging out at the venue. I set up my foam roller and lounge chair, put on my overalls and stretched out for a while (occasionally dancing a jig for the locals).

	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Total
Average Time	0:24:08	0:02:44	1:25:34	0:01:21	0:53:29	2:47:07
Best Time	0:15:16	0:00:41	1:06:22	0:00:37	0:38:04	2:05:08
My Time	0:24:44	1:59	1:22:32	1:06	0:53:52	2:44:14
Rank	158	112	111	96	166	135

Triple T Race #1

This ended up being a much longer day than it needed to be. We left Nashville around 8-8:30 that morning en route to BFE Ohio. But first, I received the scenic tour of Kentucky bluegrass. Well that was about all there was to look at because there was NOTHING out there until we hit Lexington. A few wrong turns later, we entered Ohio. It was even more depressing. I think reality began to set in around 2 pm because Jess suddenly found me quiet.

We finally rolled into the race site around 3 pm and began to look at the weekend ahead. I got registered and found my rack. The vibe was definitely different than most races. I didn't detect the nervous tension in the air and people were just chillin. So I was set. #145 for the weekend. We actually parked next to Martin Cole #144 so we instantly became friends.

The weather was overcast upon arrival, temperatures were a modest 70 degrees. About an hour before the start, I started moving around only to find that my glutes had a deep cramp from sitting in the car all day. I tried to work it out but nothing seemed to work. Fortunately the race was going to be short. To make matters worse, it began to rain about 15 minutes before the race start.

I had to make 2 key decisions before the race. 1) Should I wear a wetsuit. The water was COLD. The race director announced 56 degrees. But I knew it was only a 250m swim that would take me less than 5 minutes. Thats hard to justify wearing a wetsuit. Regardless, I wore it. 2) Should I wear socks on the run? Was one mile going to bother my feet? Tough to say but I erred on the side of caution. So I grabbed my wetsuit, popped a gel and made my way to the swim start.

All the race starts were time trial. You lined up according to your race number and participants started every three seconds.

Swim:
250m. Not much to say here. The water wasn't deep so the first 10-20m were spent trying wade to deeper water. Only I plunge my face in the water I was off. The only problem was that my right goggle never sealed so I had that constant irritation. Due to the short swim and a time trial start, the whole swim was one big draft. I instantly passed about 10 people. My goal was to swim nearly as hard as I could. I could go all out for a few minutes. The final 10m were spent wading too. As you exited the water you had about a 100 foot run into transition.

T1:
I got out of the wetsuit relatively quickly. I found my gear and got moving. I didn't rush it but kept things moving.

Bike:
Ugh. 5 mile gut buster. The first turn took you downhill to a quick turnaround before heading back past transition. Due to the wet roads and crowded nature, I wasn't going to push it on the bike. The climb started at mile 2. It was enough to get you out of your saddle. You hit a cul de sac at the top of the hill and came back down. The downhill was enough to make you feel a bit squirrelly with the conditions. I kindly let people pass me. I managed to get my feet out of the shoes and had a good run with my bike back into the transition.

T2:
I took an extra moment to put on my socks and get myself situated.

Run:
My goal was to not kill it. Half a mile out on a grassy field and dirt road and back. I kept a comfortable pace and was amazed at how strong some of the runners were. Maybe I should have picked it up a bit but I couldn't rationalize saving 20s over the course of the weekend.

Post race: I grabbed a bottle of water and just chilled. I wasn't winded but felt like I did a solid 30 minutes worth of intensity training. First one in the books!!









Freaking Gordo!!!!

	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Total
Average Time	0:05:59	1:25:08	0:13:17	0:49:24	0:07:11	0:28:38
Best Time	0:04:13	0:00:29	0:10:01	0:00:21	0:05:25	0:20:56
My Time	0:05:46	1:05	0:13:22	0:53	0:07:30	0:28:36
Rank	131	94	160	190	204	149

Powerman Alabama Race Report

Given that the race was in Birmingham, it provided me the opportunity to travel home for a few days. One of the best parts about going home is the ample opportunity to train. The lake provides nearly 24 hour access to open water swimming and Highway 11 stretches for nearly 30-40 miles with low traffic and minimal hindrances. Plus, a free place to stay is always great.

I woke up Sunday morning at 5 am, grabbing a banana and peanut butter english muffin for breakfast. I had assembled most of my gear the night before but my running shoes somehow eluded me that morning. I loaded up the car and was out of there no later that 5:50. I arrived in Irondale and began setting up my bike and going over a few last minute adjustments. I had decided to swap out my wheel cassettes and go with a 12-25 over an 11-23 for the sake of the hills. It proved to be the right decision.

I was also debating which helmet to wear. I recently purchased a new one but I had yet to train in it. I made the decision to wear it solely based on the fact that it was cold and the helmet covered my ears. It too proved to be the right decision.

I made my way to transition but there really isn't much to do there except rack my bike and put my shoes, helmet and glasses out. At this point, I still wasn't certain what I wanted to wear. It was quite chilly out there. And it was windy. But the sun was also out. I remember how cold I was last year and vowed to not repeat the same mistake. So I decided to layer up, figuring that I could shed layers easier than add them. My made my way to the gym to stretch out.

Powerman wasn't a priority race for me so I wasn't fresh. However, I didn't expect my legs to be quite this heavy. I ran about a half a mile and could feel a lot of stiffness in the body. I wasn't getting loose. I kept telling myself that it was the cold and that I would feel fine once I started running.

Run 1

The race began in waves to help spread out the field on the course. I was seeded with the under 34 men. One of these days, I am going to learn a valuable lesson...I am not a runner. I nearly learned it on Sunday. I made every attempt to run with the big boys but I was dropped within the first mile of the race. I held a 7:21 pace and it seemed nearly everyone else was cruising at a 6:30 pace. Not fair. I maintained an accelerated pace through mile 2. I was dying. My heartrate was in zone 5 and I thought I was on the brink of blowing up. Now I was pissed. I was pissed because it seemed like I was in dead last place. I know this race has the potential to bring out some strong runners but looking at these guys, some of them were definitely not runners. I forced myself to back off during the remaining three miles but my heartrate was still through the roof. All I could think of was that I had blown up in my first event and still had two and a half hours left to race.

The course is a loop through the Irondale-Ruffner Rd area. The first mile is nearly all up hill. Then you have about 2 miles for moderate rollers before you do a flat out and back alongside the railroad. See the course profile below for more details.


Surprisingly, I was having a difficult time staying cool. I was on fire. During mile 3, I shed my arm warmers and gloves. I was debating whether I wanted to discard my tights in transition. However, I was still concerned about a cold bike. I made it to transition in 37:45 (7:36 pace).
Mile splits: 7:21 @ 159; 7:29 @ 162; 7:43 @ 161; 7:56 @ 160; 7:14 (.92 mile) @ 162. I made it to transition about 2 minutes ahead of schedule. I would like to say I was elated, but I was more concerned about the rest of the day.

Transition 1:

Not much to report here. I am usually quick in transition. I did fumble my helmet a bit as I have never put on the new helmet quickly. That is something to practice before next race. I grabbed the bike and I was off. At this juncture I am still opting to not jump on the bike and instead take my time. Time: 1:08

Bike:

For whatever reason, I felt the need to start making up some ground...and quickly. I suffer from the mentality that I know I am a much better cyclist than runner so I hate being passed or behind on the bike. This usually works. I immediately start hammering along the course. The first 7 miles are straight out on Highway 78 toward Leeds. There is a small incline but for the most part it is downhill and FAST. The bike has a turnaround just before I-20 and you begin the long climb back. The climb spans about 400 feet over 3 miles. So it is 10-12 minutes of unforgiving and relentless pain. It isn't a massive hill. Just one that seems to never end. Most of the riders began to die at this juncture.

Once you summited the hill, you were met with a sharp headwind that you fought as you made you way back into town. The course then takes a quick out and back on John Rodgers before coming back to Irondale. I hit the turnaround in good time with an average speed of 19.6 mph. I was fatigued but I was ready to punish the second lap. I think the body thought otherwise.

At this point the athletes competing in the shorter race were off the course, so you know all athletes were your rival. Plus, the course was more spread out. Several times I tried to pick up the pace and drop those around me. It wasn't happening. I told myself to find a comfortable speed and just stick with it. Easier said than done in a race. There was a group of about 4 who played leapfrog the entire time.

On the climb back into town, I realized how beat I was. The legs were burning. Each muscle was nearly depleted of glycogen. And I still had 10 miles to go. I began to count down the time left in the race. I also tried to calculate an aggressive move. As I was coasting toward John Rodgers I determined that it was time to make a move. I knew my legs were shot. I was already questioning my ability to run at a decent pace. I decided that it would be more advantageous for me to hammer the final five miles of the bike. Either way, my run was going to hurt.

At the John Rodgers turn around, I put it down. I simply took off. It was as if people were standing still. I averaged over 25 mph during the final 4-5 miles and caught nearly 20 other athletes. My plan was working....plus it energized me. Bike done. 1.41.34 (19.5 mph)

Transition 2:

As stated earlier, one day I will learn to do the graceful dismount where you jump off the bike and run with it. The thought did enter my mind. As I reached to get my feet out of my shoes, I decided against it....for I hadn't practiced it in nearly 6 months. Nonetheless, I got through transition quickly. 52 seconds to get out of cycling shoes, rack the bike, take off the helmet, put on running shoes and get out of transition. I continue to do transitions really well. 34th fastest on the day.

Run 2:

The second run was over the same course except that you did it in reverse. So you went out on the flat out and back before climbing into the neighborhood rollers. You biggest hill was toward the end but you were able to finish downhill.


I took off from transition still a bit optimistic that I would be capable of maintaining a 8:00-8:15 pace. It is difficult to describe the feeling when you go from biking to running. You are using different muscles and your mind hasn't made the transition. You almost want to run in a cycling motion. Plus you legs feel like brick filled jello.

I was a bit shocked to see my heartrate settle into a steady zone...much lower than earlier. Some of the stronger runners that I passed on the bike began to catch me. That's fine. I was catching all those chumps that went out really hard on the first run. They were gassed. For the first three miles I felt good, all things considered. I was holding a steady 8:00 pace. I made a mistake at an aid station. I knew it was the last one and I wanted some fluid. The volunteers were not holding out cups. So I made the mistake of stopping ever so briefly to grab a drink. Get the body moving forward was painful at this juncture.

I finally hit the hill and half the athletes were walking at this juncture. I tried my best to power up it, know there was a downhill just beyond it. I hit the ballfields and let the momentum take control. I definitely picked it up on the final mile but I didn't attempt to make a kick to finish. Now I wish I had. Run 2: 38:47 (7:49 pace). Mile splits: 7:58 @ 150; 7:58 @ 152; 8:02 @ 154; 8:13 @ 156; 6:34 (.92 mile) @ 158

Total Time: 3.00.04

Nutrition:

1 gel prior to start, 1 gel at the beginning of the bike, 1 gel at the end of the bike, 280 calorie infinit in the aero bottle, half a clif bar. Approximately 700 calories. This seemed to work. I probably need to slightly increase this in the future.


Conclusion:

I really do love this race. Team-Magic, for being a small, local company, puts on great events. I have yet to have a complaint in the way the run and officiate a race. It is for this reason that I am inclined to continue racing with them. On the otherhand, Powerman is no long a premier race. Due to the course difficulty and volatile weather, many are choosing to not participate. This is sad for a race that used carry an elite status.

Overall, I am very pleased with my time. This sport lends itself to never being happy with results. I want those four seconds back. However, I shaved 20 minutes off last years time...that is a huge improvement. I am not sure I will compete in this race in the future. I am not going to lie...it is tough. I see why people don't come back. It is one of the more challenging races I have ever done. I said after the race, that I have never hurt like that before. Duathlons just plain hurt. Maybe that is why they are declining in participants.

ING Half Marathon Race Report

Another successful 13.1 miles in the books. Another PR in the books. What can I say? I am loving this season. I just need to keep it together for the next 8 months!!!

So I woke up Sunday morning at 4:45. I could tell there had been a substantial temperature drop...I could also hear rain. My first thought was to just stay in bed and sleep-in. It sounded like a solid plan. But, alas I ventured out of bed and began the fuzzy march to the kitchen in search of a banana and a sports drink

I arrived downtown around 6:15. I debated whether I wanted to stay in my warm car until the race began or if I needed to get moving. The full bladder dictated that decision. I made my way into the CNN center where I found masses of other miserable athletes hundle together. I carved out a space on the floor for some stretching and took in my pre-race routine. Twenty minutes later, I shed the layers and braved the blissful outdoors. Wow it was cold. Some people were wearing garbage bags to shield themselves from the wind. People are weird.

I realized that the bag drop and my corral were on opposite ends of the starting line AND that I had to navigate between 15,000 people crammed into a small area. I finally made it down there and got that situated only to have enough time to jog back to my corral. I entered the corral and instantly found a few friends. We quietly huddled together demonstrating our I have to pee or I am trying to stay warm dance.

Finally, the gun went off and we were loose. The course began in downtown Centennial Olympic Park and made its way down to Georgia State before going up Piedmont. The first few miles went by quick. My first mile was sub-8....a bit too fast. I backed off for a moment during mile 2. I was ok running at an 8' pace, I just wanted my body to settle into a particular pace.

The route went down through the old Fourth Ward and the historic Auburn Ave before winding its way to Little 5 Points. I was alternating between water and gatorade at each of the well staffed aid stations. By the end of mile 4, I knew I was slightly ahead of schedule and that my race strategy called for me to pick it up over the next 2 miles.

Luckily, I knew this area really well and was able to drop about 20s off my pace during mile 5. I slightly misjudged mile6 but maintained an accelerated pace. I took a gel at the half way point and knew that I was about 3 minutes ahead of schedule. There was a sense of jubilation and fear. My concern was the final two miles. Was I pushing it too much?

After you left L5P, you made your way to the Carter Center, Freedom Parkway and the Highlands. When I hit the highlands, I picked up the pace again. Runners are funny about this. No one wants to get passed so when someone picks it up....you try to go with them....ego prevails. That was the case here. Most of them were recovering from the hill and were too gassed at that point to move quickly. I had a little cheering section as my friend Kristi came out to watch the race.

I definitely picked up the pace during miles 8 & 9. Again, I slightly misjudged mile 10 as we entered Piedmont Park. Nonetheless, I had another cheering section(Lindsay, Brady and her father) waiting on the corner of 10th and Juniper. This was the first moment in the race where pain and fatigue were setting in. I knew that I was WELL ahead of schedule but still wanted a conservative approach to the final 3.1 miles.

The hill at 5th Street took some steam out of me. I decided to power up it and recover on the flat. As we approached Georgia Tech's campus, people were dropping like flies. I chuckled for a moment that they have no clue what is coming their way. At mile 11, I caught my second wind...and felt great.

Without intentions, I dropped the gauntlet and began running. The hill coming out of GT was brutal but I had my legs again. I vowed to not get passed over the final 2 miles. I powered up the hill bypassing the final aid station as other were dying for nutrition. I hit the mile 12 mark where I passed a friend Kraig. He had blown up and fell apart in the final 2 miles. That was my fear all along.

I kicked it into high gear for what was the longest mile of all time (1.3 miles). Marietta Street seemed to stretch on forever. I took on the incline at an increased pace and prepare to hit 13.1 with sheer excitement. Imagine my disgust when my watch measured 13.1 miles and I still couldn't see the finish line. The course measured long. Fuckers!

Finally, at what measured 13.27 miles, I found the finish line. My official time 1.42.32. That is nearly 10 minutes faster than Mercedes. And in all actuality, my 13.1 time was 1.41.43 or 7.47 pace. Incredible.

I grabbed the nearest water and chugged it while catching up with Chris and awaiting Kraig's arrival. The weather was miserable and the chills set in quickly. I retrieved my clothes and stretched out on the street. I ran into a few other friends before deciding it was too cold to stick around. Sorry peeps...I'm out.

Overall it was a great race. Several people had a horrible experience last year in this race and ING made a number of improvements...most notably more aid stations that were fully staffed. Also, crowd support was great given the conditions.

My only two gripes were that the course measured long. .17 of a mile might not seem long but that is about a minutes time and just short of a quarter mile. I have already found 3 other people who measured the course exactly the same. The second gripe was the finish line. You had to twist and turn through the park, navigating 90 degree turns. I found this annoying at the end of the race.

I couldn't be more than thrilled with my performance. I better than executed my race strategy. I still think I raced it somewhat conservatively and that I could break 1.40 if given the opportunity again. I also raced it smart. People spend a lot of time taking steps that they don't have to....they go wide into a turn....run to the other side of the road for the aid station....run around people. Not me. I took what I felt was the shortest route possible. I stuck to the inside. If an aid station was on the other side...tough....I will get the next one. Racing is all about cutting the corners. I felt like I did this all throughout the race.

Overall chip time 1.42.31 (7.50 pace)
My Personal 13.1 time 1.41.43 (7.47 pace)
Overall 557/8569 Top 6.5%
Men 449/3784 Top 12%
Age Group 121/778 (Top 15%)

That is one of my strongest showings ever.

Lap (#)	Time (m:s)	Distance (mi )		HR (bpm)
				Avg	Max
1	7:55	1.00		149	158
2	8:08	1.00		154	160
3	7:54	1.00		155	160
4	8:07	1.00		158	165
5	7:40	1.00		158	162
6	7:39	1.00		158	163
7	7:52	1.00		157	165
8	7:31	1.00		158	164
9	7:28	1.00		155	160
10	7:49	1.00		158	163
11	7:25	1.00		160	165
12	7:39	1.00		160	164
13	7:22	1.00		164	167
14	1:58	0.28		166	170