Indian Springs Race Report

Saturday morning marked other Tri the Parks race just south of the city. I left out early and made the winding journey through farm pastures to Indian Springs State Park. I remember this race from last year. And in nearly 6 years of racing, I think it is the first time I have ever done a race in consecutive years without substantial course changes. Finally, I could benchmark my progress and see if I am really improving!

I made it in plenty of time to pick up my packet, ride the bike, chat with my parents and kick it with everyone in transition. I didn't have any real goals for the race but to go hard and hang on for the run.

Swim: 600m

The wave was a bit smaller with all men 34 and under. That made about 75 of us in the first wave. I didn't seed myself too aggressively, just to the right and in the second tier. There was a little jostling for position but nothing that I wasn't accustom to. I made it around the first turn buoy and focused on stretching out. I felt like I was working but as usual, I found myself in no man's land. I can never hang with the fast pack but I am faster than the next. At the final turn buoy I found some feet and just hung on for the ride.

Time: 11:17 exit (12:09 total)

T1:

One of the reasons I despise this race is that transition is on a giant hill. I seriously wonder if you were to bump the top rack the wrong way if all the bike would tumble down. The worst part is that when you exit the run you must run straight up the hill, back down it to your bike. Not fun. I found my bike, did my thing with only a fumble or two and then headed out.

Time: 56s

Bike: 14.4 miles

I recall the course being rolling but fast. I particularly remember the backside being really fast. I spent the first 5 minutes trying to settle into my riding position and getting the HR down. I didn't attack the hills, just spun up them. Once I found a groove I was ready to work and I took off. I attacked this course really hard. I think for the first time in my life I rode scared, lol. I waited until mile 10 to crank it up a bit more. Fortunately, I had that extra gear and I pulled away from the group. The only two people that passed me were the overall 1&2. Overall #3 was on my backside once we entered the park

Time: 38:41 (22.4 mph)

T2:

Back up the hill to rack the bike and run. Felt smooth here. No issues at all.

Time: 42s

Run: 3.1 miles

And this is why I HATE this course--probably the hilliest sprint I have ever done. I don't mind rolling hills but this one dives into a campsite twice and brings you back out. It nearly reduces you to a walk.

I knew I was in trouble. I felt like I had slightly overcooked the bike. Plus, I have only been running steady lately so I knew my top end speed wouldn't be there. I could only hope to hang on. And that lasted until about mile 1. Then I was passed...numerous times....by people in my age group. I was pushing as hard as my body would let me. I survived the hills and made my way back through the woods to the finish line.

Time: 23:04 (7:27)

Total time: 1:15:34

Overall it was a good race. I was pissed off due to the run. I was mowed down and that just chaps my hide in a bad way. It is just the story of my life right now and I can't seem to break that cycle. On a positive note, I did shave almost 3 minutes off last year's time so that indicates some positive improvement. More to come once I run the numbers.

Big Volume Week and Moving Forward

I had the opportunity to spend all of last week in Nashville. My job is flexible in that I occasional telework which allows me to spend extended periods of time with Jess and provides me the chance to get out of the office a bit more. When I telework, I don't keep rigid hours. I pick things up, move around the schedule and work often at unique times so long as still put in 40 hours during the week. It also allows me to be a little more liberal with training.

My goal for the week was to increase training nearly 100%. I planned to cut back intensity, just focus on quality volume and see what the body thinks. In the past three months, I have only approached the 10 hour mark in training twice. It seems that I am able to train (and produce) on a solid 8 hours a week so long as the intensity is high. And normally, I am good with this. As intensity goes up, I need to recover more, namely in the form of sleep. So I don't typically double up on many days.

For the big volume week, my goal was to aim for 15 hours of training....like I said, nearly double. I really wanted to see how my body responded. I know I need to run more so I put a heavy emphasis on increasing my mileage (note--this is generally not recommended for athletes however, after years of running, I know when to can a run if my body is revolting). The second emphasis was cycling. And as usual, I totally shirked the swim--but I have plans for it another week.

I didn't quite hit my goal for the week. I landed at 13.3 hours. I still feel a strong sense of accomplishment. Last week happened to be the hottest of the year and it certainly took a toll on me. I was beat after easy workouts. In fact, my runs on Monday and Tuesday were the hardest. I quickly made the adjustment to run first thing in the morning. I was up at 5:30 and out the door. On Saturday, I started riding by 6:15.

Totals for the week:

Swimming: 45 minutes and 2200 yards. I missed my other swim when I left my keys in Jess' car.

Cycling: 8.1 hours or 161 miles. That is a big week by non-Ironman standards. One ride was cut short when a storm caught me for the third time. And my ride on Sunday was the only workout of the week that was below standard. It was extremely hot and I was fatigued and under nurished.

Running: 4.2 hours or 31 miles. I am thrilled about this. I have pushed my mileage above 30 in well over a year and only on a few occasions that weren't IM race week. I ran 6 of the 7 days last week. I ran twice on Tuesday, a long run on Thursday and bricked Saturday. I failed to brick after Sunday's ride but ran once I returned to Atlanta. Call that determination.

More importantly, I felt really good. Yes, I was tired and took Monday off. But I jumped by in on Tuesday and didn't feel like I missed a beat. I am spending this week training less and recovering. But I am still stressing the body with some intensity. Then I start my first build toward AG Nationals. I hope to consistently run 25+ miles a week. That is what I need.

Clinics, Certifications and Business

It has been a whirlwind past 10 days. So much going on and never enough time to blog. I actually left blogger open for three straight days to encourage myself to blog and I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

It should come as no surprise to those who follow me on BT or facebook but Jessica and I have been working toward establishing a business together. A few months ago we invested into the idea of hosting a local bootcamp in the suburbs of Nashville. This was the first step of many in establishing a business. She has been crazy busy teaching classes, providing nutrition counseling and promoting the business. I have been working behind the scenes to provide the business support to help her succeed.

The second part of the business is the multi-sport coaching aspect. This is something I have been interested in pursuing for quite some time. With her support, I finally took that next step. For the past few months, I have worked tireless on developing the framework for the business, website maintenance and all the other minute details that seem to take forever. While many of our closest friends are familiar with our endeavor, neither of us have gone public with our announcement. So for those readers who didn't know, feel free to visit www.ftpcoaching.com and take a look around. I am always open for feedback and criticism--especially if you see errors.

Last weekend, Jess and I spent 3 days in Indianapolis at the USAT Level 1 clinic. It was 20+ hours of lecture, discussion and death by powerpoint from some of the leading coaches in the triathlon community. She has a good write up on here blog here. Overall we were pleased with the instruction. Now we just need to take the tests and officially become certified. I am also working toward my Level III cycling certification and she is headed to Florida next weekend for additional nutritional training.

As part of the business model, there are many different facets to keeping up with us. First, we of course can be found of facebook. Feel free to join the group where we will frequently post the latest news and updates from racing and our athletes. Second, and one that will impact this site, FTP Coaching has its own blog. We both will frequently blog to the homepage as well as the additional pages created. Eventually we will consolidate that blog into one. But for now, my brain is fried on these issues. So I will likely blog less here and more over there in the interim. My plan is to cross post a lot, so my apologies to those who use RSS feeds.

Finally, we have participated in a number of successful business meetings in Nashville. We have lined up a solid number of sponsors to help our athletes. We also recently had a promising meeting about partnering with two other endurance companies to form a strong alliance. Hopefully in the next few months, all the parties can agree to terms and I will be able to announce the next stage in our business endeavors. (crossing fingers)

In the meantime, I would love for my readers to help spread the word. If you or anyone you know is interested in coaching, contact Jess or me. We are only accepting a limited number of clients this year and anticipate those few slots to fill up fast.

Blalock Lakes Sprint Tri

Another racing opportunity! I have grown to love sandwiching a few sprints into the race calendar. Despite how much they hurt, it is good to test your training...or lack of training. Since Rev3, I haven't really trained like normal. I took off a solid two weeks and spent the past two easing back into 8-10 hour weeks. I have only trained with any intensity 2-3x. I am keeping everything around z2. So I didn't really know what to expect this weekend. I was also battling a cold so my body was especially achy.

I left the house with Dan at 5:30 to make the hour drive south. One of the things I love about TTP races is the 8 am starts. It just makes the morning easier on the body. I arrived in plenty of time to check-in and set up. I even had time to take the bike for a 10 minute spin.

Swim: 600m-11:02

After getting mauled at John Tanner, I seeded myself behind the lead pack. And it worked well as I didn't get trampled. I felt really good and smooth the first 200m. I rounded the buoy and tried to maintain my pace and form. I could tell that I wasn't killing myself but maintained an aggressive pace.

One of the things I am learning is that I keep getting strung out in no man's land...even if it is just for a few minutes. I am not fast enough to hang onto the back of the fast group. I am faster than the group behind me. The swim is often lonely. I finally found feet for the final 100m and used them.

It was a slow swim for everyone. I was nearly a minute slower than John Tanner. Maybe it was the lack of wetsuit. Maybe it was the non-aggressive pace. Not sure but I was generally happy.

T1: 43s
One of my goals for this race was to focus on transitions. I feel I have gotten sloppy. I need to get in and out without giving up time. I made one minor mistake but felt like I was moving.

Bike: 14.9 miles (39:32)

For a sprint race, this was a longer bike. Naturally this played into my advantage. I wanted to push hard and open up a sizable lead so that I wouldn't get mowed down on the run.

The course was rolling and a bit tough. The hills weren't crazy but they kept you honest and constantly shifting. I hit the road with 3-4 other guys and played leap frog for the first few miles. No one wanted to budge. I finally made a move and hoped to break up the pack but most of them just grabbed a wheel. I refused to play that game so I backed off and focused on getting my HR under control. I proceeded to watch 3 guys draft all the way until mile 10. grrr.

On the second half of the course, I picked it up a bit more. I was pushing the pace but not quite to the uncomfortable part. I was quickly picking off people left and right. Finally, I kicked it in the last 3 miles. I could tell some people were dragging and I had some extra energy so it was time to make my move. And it worked really well. I didn't see anyone for a while.

T2: 31s

I fumbled with my shoes but otherwise had no issue.

Run: 3.1 miles 22:50

My body was really tight coming out of transition. I knew this run was going to be brutal. I found a nice stride and started moving. I tried my best to focus on just running and figuring it out. Lucky for me, my plan worked. I didn't get mowed down. I would say about 5 guys caught me. And I actually caught 2 guys.

I ran right behind one of the drafters and I was determined to beat him. I pushed a few times but the body only had so much to give. The run was rolling terrain. And each hill hurt that much more. I was never able to catch the guy. However, I did run very consistent splits which made me VERY happy.

Total time: 1:14:44

Monthly Totals

I have become very lazy about getting out these updates. I really just like to have them for record keeping purposes.

May was a solid month of training. I tapered the first week of the month and took nearly an entire week off. The swim total certainly reflects those adjustments.

May's totals:
Bike: 14h 08m 23s - 275.8 Mi
Run: 9h 51m 27s - 72.17 Mi
Swim: 6h 15m 40s - 18212 Yd
Yoga: 25m

With 5 months (42%) of training in the books, I feel pretty good about my totals for the year. I anticipate my focus this summer will be volume as I will race less.

2010 totals
Bike: 69h 17m 50s - 1320.84 Mi (44% of goal)
Run: 45h 58m 19s - 348.84 Mi (46% of goal)
Swim: 37h 35m 07s - 107868.2 Yd (54% of goal)

Total hours: 152h 51m 16s

Change...change...change

Life is changing around these parts. I set out to write this blog last week and it morphed into something else. I feel like I am at a point in my triathlon career where I am wanting a bit more from the sport. I have come a long way in the past few years but I never seem to seize hold of that mythical goal. I seem to continually fall just short.

One of my favorite quotes is by Albert Einstein: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. While I am not sure I qualify for clinical insanity, I do often feel like I repeat the same methods expecting the same results. So it is time to mix things up...

1. Changing the position on my bike. The reality is, I have never been that comfortable on the bike. The headset and bars are too narrow for my shoulders. Despite putting nearly 7000 miles on the bike, I needed to change things. So a few weeks ago, I headed up all3sports to sit down with Matt Cole and discuss how to ease the tension on my neck and shoulders. Lucky for me, I got out of there for only a few hundred dollars and a new set of aerobars that allow me to space myself differently. So far so good....

2. Medical care. One of the positives and negatives of my personality is that I am a VERY loyal person. I will stick with people through the good and bad. I have seen the same chiropractor for over 3 years in Atlanta. I really like working with the guy. However, I have long known that my care was short of what I would really like it to be. So it was time for a change. I hired a new chiropractor that deals more with comprehensive care. I am about to go through some serious ART and see if once and for all I can rid my self of aches, pains and inverted hips.

3. Coaching. After two years with Endurance Concepts, I recently decided that I wanted to go a different direction with coaching. I am very grateful for all that Dan did for me that past two years. I know I am a better athlete as a result of his direction. At the end of the day, I want something different from coaching. I am a complicated athlete (he can attest). I know too much to be completely obedient and a slave to my training plan. I want to mix it up in life. I felt I needed the added freedom so I am going back to self-coaching.

Finally, there are a number of other changes on the horizon. I am going to wait to see if the ART doctors can fix me, if not, I want to sit down with a running coach to once and for all fix my gait. I am also continuing with Masters swimming. Despite hating it, in a good way, I do feel like it has been good for me.

There are a few more changes in the pipeline...though the pipe has leaks. I am looking at the remaining schedule and already planning for next year.

Hendersonville Classic 5k

(not enough time in the day for me to catch up on all my needed blogging)

Last year, Jessica and I both did this local race and took home some hardware. I still laugh that my pathetic 10k time was good enough for 3rd in my AG but it just goes to show that you can't control who shows up on race day.

This year, I wasn't feeling the 10k. I had a lousy long run on Saturday and didn't feel like going through the pain of 6.2 miles. I will admit that I was a total wuss. Instead, I opted for the 5k race. I wanted to see if I could better my time from 4 weeks prior.

Race morning, my body ached. Aside from running and cycling over the weekend, Jessica and I ventured into our next challenge--rock climbing. Three hours on the gym wall left me aching in muscles I didn't know existed. DOMS set in late Sunday night and wasn't kind to me the next morning.

Aside from setting a pr, I just wanted to run this race smart. I knew I needed to control my first mile time and build from there. Then I needed to continue pushing the final mile and take note of the pain.

Well I accomplished all that.

First mile was solid. I paced behind two women who were moving but kept me in check. 6.42. I pushed up the hill and hard on the flat during mile 2. 6:30. I knew most of the final mile would be downhill and I did what I could to hang on. 6:20.

Total time: 20:28 (6:28/mile)

Good enough for a 30s pr and 2nd in my age group. I ended up 13/366. I really wanted top 10. I pushed hard but probably left some in the tank. I knew I couldn't catch the 2 guys in front of me so I didn't see the need to kill myself.

Overall, I am very pleased. Hopefully, I can get this time under 20:00 for the year. That would make me VERY happy

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

All is Quiet

The past two weeks have been really quiet on my front. John Tanner came and went. Rev3 is about 10 days out. I guess I will start thinking about it at some point.

Training has been fair of late. I went through this nasty stint running that hopefully has subsided. For about 3 weeks after ING my legs were complete toast. All my runs were killing me. I would wake up the next morning feeling as if I just finished a race. My legs would be on fire.

I still don't know exactly what caused the problem. My best WebMD, armchair quarterback, self-diagnosis led me down two different paths. The first was masters swimming. I never developed a strong kick and certainly never used fins in the pool. Our heavy reliance on fins might leave my legs slightly more fatigued than normal.

I can certainly admit to feeling tired legs when swimming. My concern was that I didn't just start masters. I would assume than any adaptations had taken place. And if this was the leading cause then why did it go away?

Just as bizarre, is my second theory. I wonder if I have a peanut or nut allergy. I kept digging through my 3000/d diet looking for new foods. I didn't find much. Except nuts. To assist me in the challenge, I bought a pound of almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts. Each day I ate about 300 calories worth.

It does strike me odd that a nut allergy would suddenly appear after 30 years. Not to mention my love of peanut butter wasn't affected. However, if the allergy was to exist it probably lay dormant due to the infrequency in which I consumed the foods. A PBJ on the weekend wouldn't trigger it. However, eating 3 pounds of nuts over 2.5 weeks might do the job.

I also suspected the nuts were giving me some slight digestive issues. So 3 weeks into the challenge, I eradicated them from the diet. Oddly enough, a few days later, I had a good run. Since that time, I have began running well again. I body doesn't feel as run down. And I have 3 small packs of uneaten nuts sitting on my desk.

I certainly don't draw any conclusions from this experience. It could just as easily been the recovery session at the doctor's office. Or maybe my body was fighting a sickness. But for now, I am staying away from the nuts. And remaining thankful for my body responding.

As mentioned, Rev3 is about 10 days out. I really haven't given it too much thought. It's going to be a tough race so my expectations aren't too high. I just hope to have a solid race. Once it is complete, I can focus on some bigger things. And hopefully make a few exciting announcements.

John Tanner Results

First race of the season is under the belt and it did not disappoint. There were thrills, chills and some downright ugly weather. Despite the beautiful weather of the week, Mother Nature brought her scorn upon Georgia Friday night and Saturday morning. Many of us questioned still participating in the race.

John Tanner State Park is located an hour west of Atlanta in Carrolton. We departed around 5:30 to make the drive and thankfully we left in time. It poured and poured and poured on the way there. In fact we encountered three different wrecks...two involving flipped cars. I again questioned my sanity for the day.

I arrived in plenty of time and took the opportunity to spend a few extra minutes in the car relaxing. I headed to transition only to find myself one of the first people there. The rain had slowed to an annoying sprinkle, just enough to get the gear wet. I found my way to body marking, the bathroom and back to the car.

I didn't see much use in warming up that morning. It was cold, I was wet and I just hoped for the best. I slipped into my wetsuit and made my way to the water for a brief warmup. The race combined the M30-34 & 35-39 into one wave. I was feeling pretty confident in my swimming so I seeded myself in the second line of people.

Swim (600m):

Hands down this was the most physical swim I ever encountered. The first 200m were a melee of punches, pulls and kicks. I can only recall one other race where I seriously grew concerned about being trampled. I was concerned. The fight was intense as we made our way to the first turn buoy. It finally spread out a bit. I was exhausted. I felt spent after fighting through the mess. I focused in on long smooth strokes and finding feet. Unfortunately, the idiot in front of me couldn't swim a straight line to save his life. I tried to get around him a number of times and if I didn't know any better he was trying to block me at every turn. I finally went over the top of him as I felt it was my only opportunity.

I came out of the water in worse shape than I wanted. My watch read 9:40. I was thrilled with the time and it was a solid minute faster than normal. I did however feel like I drank half the lake. I carefully made my way up the hill toward transition.

Total time: 10:42

T1:

I wasn't feeling so hot making my way to my bike. I took my time getting out of the wetsuit and few extra breaths before grabbing the bike. I wasn't trying to make up any time right here.

Total Time: N/A Est: 1:45

Bike (11.4 miles):

I set out to hammer this course. My plan was to make up all my time in the straights but take every turn extremely slow. The roads were soaked and the rain was still slowly falling. Immediately, I got up to speed but was still feeling the effects of the physical swim. I tried to push but the body was pushing back a bit.

The course was rolling fast with only one sustainable climb and maybe two shorter ones. I knew I was being aggressive in my pace but my watts were much lower than where I anticipated. Plus I got passed by 4 people which I didn't expect.

I took each turn at a snails pace. I didn't see any need to wipe out at the first race of the season. I ended up pulling 3 guys for the final 10 minutes which didn't make me happy at all. I did see a fair amount of drafting in the race.

Overall, it was an ok bike for me. I felt really flat. I took 3 sips of my nutrition and spit it back out. It took a solid 20 minutes for my HR and stomach to stabilize. I knew I had made up some time but it wouldn't be enough.

Total Time: 30:30 ish

T2

Good dismount and it took an extra second to find my bike rack. I hopped in my shoes and came running out in no time.

Total Time: N/A est :45

Run: (3.1 miles)

As usual, I knew I was in trouble here. My run has not been there since ING. In fact, this past week was the first week in a month where I was actually able to hit my running targets for the week. I knew I was in a good position and didn't have the opportunity to slow.

The first mile was a painful 7:06 but I was pleased. The next mile of rollers knocked me back down to 7:30s and I was getting passed left and right. This continues to be a humbling feeling each and every race. I managed to hold on for the last mile at a rate of 7:15. I had the course just short which pleased me.

Total Time: 22:02

Overall Time: 1:05:35

In retrospect, I am pleased with the race. It wasn't good but it was far from bad. I came out of the water slightly ahead of schedule. I wished I had more oomph on the bike. My run, while still dismal, is able a minute faster than last year. So there is a line of good news somewhere in there.

Results:

	Swim	T1/Bike/T2	Run	Finish
Andrew	10:42	0:32:50	22:02	1:05:35
Top 10	9:06	0:31:20	18:48	0:59:15
Fastest	7:46	0:30:28	16:47	0:56:37
AG Rank (40)	11	5	15	6
OA Rank (492)	56	26	116	43

Race Season Begins

Less than 48 hours away from donning the lyrca and unleashing pure sexiness...erm....hell on the course. I am kinda excited. Not jumping up and down excited. But I am looking forward to putting things into practice.

This year I opted to race a sprint tri prior to my early season "A" race. I have actually never done this before. I typically used Powerman Alabama as an early season tuneup but my duathlon career might just be over.

One of the things I have learned the past few years is that without racing prior to my A race, I often feel lost. My body isn't tuned into pushing it that hard. I forget about the pre-race jitters. I haven't dialed in my focus.

John Tanner promises to be only about 65 minutes of pain. But if forces me to mentally focus starting the day before. I will begin to mentally dial in the race plan and execution. I will mentally walk through everything.

Hopefully this strategy bodes well for me this year. I think it will suit me better and take away some of the shock that comes with the first race. More importantly, I just hope to have a good race. I haven't had one of those in quiet some time. I would like to start this season off right.

21,000 Calorie Challenge

Today marks the end of the 21,000 calorie a week challenge. Four weeks. Trying to average 3000 calories a day. It was tough. I more or less made my target for 3 of the 4 weeks. My caloric intake went 21,200, 19,470, 20,850 and 21,810.

As mentioned in previous posts, it was much harder than I anticipated. Over the past three weeks, I only ate out once. So that meant a lot of cooking and planning ahead. I feel like there were three areas where I struggled the most.

• Eating calorie rich dinners. I enjoy chicken and seafood. The problem is that a 6 oz piece of tuna doesn't have many calories. It is a great source of protein and fats. Shrimp is the same way. I can eat 2 dozen shrimp but not stock up on calories.
  
• I need to eat larger portions for dinner. The problem is that I feel like I eat enough. I may have a piece of grilled chicken, potatoes, spinach and bread. I feel full. It met my immediate needs. But my dinner needs to be more than 800 calories for me to achieve 3000.
  
• Snacks. More to come on this later. I focused on cheese, nuts, milk and occasionally ice cream. The nuts didn't workout and left me with a 2-300 calorie void.
  

There were a number of positive benefits that came from the challenge as well.

• Protein intake went WAY up. I average approximately 145 grams per day which is where I should be for my body weight.
  
• Smoothies and whey protein helped in a big way.
  
• I know I ate much better than normal. Oddly, I cut out a bunch of crap from the diet. I snacked less around the office.
  
• No eating out. That was amazing. I hope I can continue this trend though it is extremely difficult on the weekend after training.
• Afternoon energy was up a bit more.
  

This was a very enjoyable challenge. I do feel like my diet still needs some more changes as it is not exactly where I want it to be. However, I hope to continue on with a number of these changes.

The most interesting aspect was watching my weight and body fat. The weight slowly came down (163), popped back up (167), bottomed out again (162) and then settled into about where it was before (165). Last week, I had three consecutive days around 162. I do anticipate that after a weekend of traveling, the weight will settle back down to 163. This seems to be the case when I go out of town for an extended period.

The more interesting aspect was my body fat. It started plummeting. And quickly. After four weeks of this challenge, I am down nearly 1.5%. This morning, I weighed in at 7.2%. That was a weight increase but body fat decrease from last week. I suspect this will climb back into the mid to upper 7s by the end of the week.

What do I think of all this? Not really sure just yet. The reason I set out on this was because I thought my body was literally eating itself. I believed it had become inefficient. When I trained, I theorized that my body looked to muscle instead of fat/glycogen storages because of the calorie deficiency. I still maintain that theory. I would go one step further in that I think that is why my body fat is dropping....my body is learning to attack the fat instead of the muscle.

Recovery like a Professional Athlete

Training hasn't gone well for the past couple of weeks since ING. It seems that my body is slipping back into non-recovery mode. My runs are in the crapper. I skipped 2-3 runs one week because my legs felt completely trashed. I had to literally stop in my two long runs and walk home. I couldn't complete them. Then my power started to slip on the bike. I grew more concerned.

That led me to reconsider how I can recovery differently to jump start the process. I feel like my diet is good. Certainly eating more good calories should aid in the recovery. I do feel like I am sleeping good. The other weekend, I slept for something crazy like 19 hours over two nights. I was wearing my recovery tights nearly everyday and night. I took two ice baths. I went for a massage that only worked the upper parts of my legs. I feel like I was doing everything right. But nothing was working.

So I called my chiropractor and told him I want to do recovery right. After my typical adjustment, I slipped on a pair of NormaTec leg sleeves for 30 minutes. This the same equipment that the riders of the TdF slip on after each stage. Basically, it feels like the sleeves are taking my blood pressure...only in the leg. Each sleeve is divided into about 10 segments. Starting at my ankles, compression was added for 30 seconds then released. For 30 minutes my legs received a flushing up and down.

I found the process quite humorous. It didn't really hurt. Like I said, it was like getting your blood pressure taken. You knew you were being squeeze and it was slightly uncomfortable. Instead, I laughed because my legs looked like the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man. They were huge. And all I could do was lie there with them in the air. I certainly couldn't bend at the joints or walk. I kept waiting for them to burst. Alas, they didn't

The idea behind the sleeves is to provide compression to your muscles to flush out lactic acid and increase blood flow, thus, improving the recovery of those muscles. When I stepped out of the sleeves, I could literally feel the rush of blood down my legs.

The recovery didn't stop there. The second piece had me crawl into a coffin like structure called a hyberbaric chamber. I felt like I was being buried alive as he zipped me into this contraption that only had few windows letting light inside. I was told to take a nap to feel like a new man. Well, I didn't really want to feel like a new man. I just want to have fresh legs. So I didn't nap much. The drumming sound of the chamber's motor above my head didn't help.

The chamber works similar to the cabin of a plane. First it was pressurized. Then took me to 8,000 feet above sea level. My ears even popped. For an hour, I just hung out in this cave falling in an out of sleep and playing games on my phone.

I typically don't suffer from acute injuries like sprains or tears. But as an endurance athlete, my body is continually undergoing tissue and muscle repair. I break down the muscle fibers during exercise and rebuild them during recovery. But this isn't occurring properly. Either the body is fighting multiple battles...illness, allergies or other inflammation or something else is going on. As a result the cells and tissues surrounding the inflammation become starved for oxygen, which impedes healing.

When I crawl into the chamber, the body is receiving a rush of 100 percent oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure. We typically only breath about 20-25% oxygen. The rest is nitrogen. My muscles then are rushed with fresh, untainted, oxygen to help rebuild and repair the damage. The change in pressure also helps promote additional growth in blood vessels. The lactic acid, swelling and inflammation is stripped from my body and replaced by oxygen circulating blood.

I will say that is was positive experience for me. I didn't run that afternoon as I wanted to reap 24 hours of its effects. But I did notice that I wasn't as sore. When I ran upstairs, my quads weren't screaming. I woke up the next morning feeling fresher than I had in nearly a month.

Now, I just need to find the resources in my wallet to support this type of therapy more often. That is unless anyone wants to donate about $20k so that I can purchase these bad boys on my own. Oh...to be so lucky.

21,000 Calorie FAIL

The past seven days were a colossal failure in my 21,000 calorie challenge. The week, however, does epitomize the struggle I have with my diet. I found myself on the go a bit more than usual. This included traveling to and from Nashville. The failure was further complicated by the fact that Jessica and I have a no eating out contest going on right now. Typically each of my trips would include a stop somewhere to eat. I am sure that would have put me closer to 21,000.

So in my second week of trying, I only hit 19,470 calories. That is a solid 1500 short of where I need to be. Looking at my food log is is very easy to see what went wrong. First, I fell behind in the beginning of the week. Life was busy and I found myself incapable of preparing a solid meal for dinner. Second, traveling really killed me. I all but skipped dinner on Thursday night and ate very little of Friday. Third, when I did eat it wasn't calorie dense food. We cooked ceviche on Saturday night. While great on the protein end, raw fish just doesn't have the calories needed.

The worst part is that my diet was complete crap last week. Too much snacking. With Easter, I think a half of my calories came in the form of ice cream, jelly beans and other candy. That might explain why the weight was slightly up Tuesday morning.

I did much better on the protein front and averaged 138g per day. That is pretty close. And given the limitations of last week, I consider it a moderate success. Overall, I am not noticing any changes. I do find myself a bit hungrier than normal so I take that as a sign that my body is not starving itself for calories any more. I am growing fond of mixed nuts and cheese.

I am determined this week to hit the 21,000 calories. I forced myself to spend $150 at the grocery store the past two days. Last night, in honor of my challenge, I bought some red meat and went to town on some burgers. Protein and calories UP. I also bought some ice cream which should help top me off each night. I will be even more interested to see what happens to my weight over the next week!

Pre-Season Top 10

No not that list, though I am eagerly waiting for spring practice to end so that we can all engage in mindless banter about which college football team will be crowned the national champion. Instead, I am talking about the top 10 things triathlon to-do items before the season begins. With all the beautiful weather this weekend, I hope everyone found their way outside. I also hope you began thinking about what all you need to do to get ready for upcoming season.

Over the past few weeks I began spending a bit more wrench time on my bike. I began thinking about ordering some new shoes. And I have visited the bike shop on a few occasions for various purchases. All of this in the name of tuning up. Here are the top 10 things you should be doing to prepare yourself for the upcoming season

1. Bike Tune Up. Many of us spent more money than we would like to admit on our sleek bikes. With springs arrival, opt to give your bike a wash and wax job in the form of a tune-up. Take it to your local shop and ask them to clean and lube it. The reality is that most of us put the bike away after the last race so it is caked in gatorade, gel, etc. The rest of us who rode through the winter have bikes full of sand and grime. Brake calipers, rear deraileurs, shifts and bottom brackets collect junk faster than that the attic in your house.

2. Replace your Chain and Tires. Along with the first point, it is probably time to replace your worn chain. Bike guides say once a year or every 5000 miles. I personally find that I crush a chain every 4 months from intervals and heavy climbing. A new chain will improve shifting. Also examine your tires. Look for large cuts or gashes. Feel the tread and see how worn it is. I particularly like to put new tires on my bike to start the season. My old tires, in theory, become my trainer tires during the offseason.

3. Wetsuit. If you wait until race day to put on your wetsuit, you will wonder if you gained 10 pounds over the winter. Go ahead and get your suit out and soak it a few times in your tub. A wetsuit is like a sponge and when it sits all winter it shrinks. Allowing water to enter the 'pores' will allow it to expand a bit. You will be thankful when you put it on for the first time.

4. Replace the Batteries. This is a hard lesson to learn but one that always catches me. Go ahead and replace your Garmin or Powertap batteries to start the season. They WILL die on race day if you don't.

5. New Running Shoes. Check your running shoes and consider new ones. If you took the winter off, head down to your local running store and have them size you up. For those that did ING, it is likely that you put around 200-300 miles on your shoes. It might be time for new ones.

6. Throw out your old clothes. Sorry. I hate to be the one to tell you but you swim trunks are a little see through. Your tri shorts aren't baggy because you have lost weight. It is because they are stretched out. Please replace them before I have to ride behind you in a pace line. Thank you.

7. Nutrition. Time to remember how to fuel your body correctly. Those short winter rides were easy because you could just grab a bottle of gatorade. That won't cut it for a 3 hour ride. You don't need to bonk for a told you so moment. Go ahead and order some Infinit and buy a box of gels. Better to have them than need them.

8. Don't ramp up too quickly. Yes, the weather is beautiful. Yes, you will want to ride forever. Be smart about it. Stick with your training plan or make modest adjustments to your schedule. Don't take on a century when you aren't in shape yet. It is too early for an injury.

9. Plan your season and goals. You need to have an idea of what you want to accomplish this season. You need to lay it out on a 4-6 month calendar and see how it fits in with your other obligations. I don't think your spouse will take to the idea of racing a HIM when the in-laws are visiting. Consult your family, loved ones, friends and even co-workers. Make sure your goals aren't in direct conflict with your other commitments.

10. Check your ego. It is too early in the season to try to smoke everyone on the initial group rides. Keep in mind that beginners are everywhere and that at some point, you too were just starting out. No need to be that guy in April.

Masters Swimming

This blog might be the most painful one I have ever written. It forces me to search deep inside and admit something that I don't want to admit. I really don't want to admit it. But I am....kinda...enjoying...swimming. (shudders)

I have attended masters now for a month. Not a day goes by that I don't hate the 5 am wake up call. But after every single workout, I am glad that I made the choice. Of course, I am a zombie the rest of the day but the feeling is starting to grow on me.

In the past weeks, I swam with the triathletes. The workouts were typically in the range of 2500-2700 and lasted about an hour. This week I decided to make the switch and join the real swimmers. Suddenly I was overwhelmed again. These people were crazy fast. And my first workout jumped to 4000m.

All in all it really is an enjoyable experience. I am moving to swimming 3x a week. I am slowly meeting and getting to know my lane mates. It is just nice to have company while I suffer. I feel like 90% of the time training is so isolated. With other people, it is much more motivational and helps the time go by quicker.

So I am one month into a three month experiment. I do feel that my swimming endurance has improved significantly. I know that my mindset about swimming has improved. I certainly hope that my speed is increasing. Guess we will know it about a month if the 5 am wake up calls are paying off.

21,000 Calories Later

Week one of the 3,000 calories a day challenge is in the books. Wow, that was much harder than I thought. I typically log my calories the next morning but in an effort to reach 3,000, I had to be a bit more proactive at night. For the week, I ate a total 21,200 calories or just over 3,000 per day. My weight was down exactly one pound with my body fat holding steady.

For the first week, I tried to not alter my diet too much. Obviously I was forced to add things to the list but overall I don't think I went out of my way to eat more. I tried to rely on items that would occur naturally in my diet. I ate out about as much as I normal would. I ate the typical portion sizes. Here is what I learned:

• This was harder than I thought it would be. Trying to be proactive on the calorie count, I was consistently hitting about 2600 calories for the day.
• Even harder was getting 150g of protein a day. I tried and I only hit 117 for the week.
  
• Milk, nuts and cheese are my friends. This means planning more snacks during the day. My afternoon snack is cube cheese, almonds, macadamia nuts and cashews. Voila, another solid 3-400 calories.
• Smoothies are a staple. I don't see a way around it. A smoothie for mid-morning snack gives me about 500 calories. Plus, it fills me up!
• Milk before bed. I drink whole milk and a large glass provides me an additional 200 calories before bed. Add chocolate syrup and make it 300 calories. :)
  
• My dinners are still on the light side. Chicken, fish and sushi might be a great source of protein but the calories don't add up. I need more options.
  

What I found most interesting is that I was content at night. This seemed to be about the right about of food...comfortable but not stuffed. Of course, I suppose the real lesson here is that I need to train my body to take in the extra calories. Adding a 500 calories a day to my diet certainly shouldn't leave me hungry but riding 3 hours should.

For the first week, I can't say that I felt any difference in working out. But then again, given that it was post ING and a big week, I probably can assume that the lack of calories would have left me even more sluggish. My body certainly needed all the food to aid in recovery. And I think my body is enjoying all the food.

Moving forward, I am going to make a few subtle adjustments. First, I need to eat bigger dinners. I need more dense food to accompany my meal. I probably need to eat more for breakfast, even if it is just a glass of juice. My focus this week will be not eating out. I would rather devote those expenses to my grocery bill. Finally,

Georgia Ride to the Capitol

In honor of my furlough day, I decided to take part in the annual Georgia Ride to the Capitol. This is one of my favorite events throughout the year. As in years past, the General Assembly was considering an important bill requiring drivers to yield to at least 3 feet when passing. Naturally, the bill is bogged down in committee and likely won't pass prior to crossover day. Nonetheless, the ride still occurred.

Each time I participate in the event, I start in Roswell. There is just something exciting about riding down Roswell and Piedmont roads where cyclist are lead by a barrage of blue lights clearing all the intersections. The trek is 21 miles one way and is conducted in a parade fashion, at least on the way down.

Tuesday morning was bitterly cold. The ride started in the low 40s which made the downhills that much more unbearable. The sun made an appearance around 10:45 as we made our way through midtown. We ascended up the Capitol around 1130. This years turnout was very impressive...easily over 1000 cyclist. The break was nice as the sun emerged and a few dignitaries took the stage for comments. It was also great to catch up with a number of friends, many who I only see at cycling events.

The ride back is the *cough* real reason you participate. It is a hammer fest. The police try to shut down a few intersections and allow us to speed our way back to Roswell. This year we kept hitting traffic jams that slowed the progress. Trying to do this 48 hours after ING wasn't one of my more intelligent plans. Of course, I told myself that I wouldn't hammer. I would just ride....get this....moderately hard. Sure. I hit every hill hard and finished with the lead pack. It end up being a beautiful day. I just couldn't resist the urge to get out of ride.


Updated: Naturally, HB988 didn't make it out of committee prior to crossover day. So it looks like we are back to the drawing board for next session.

Weight, Body Fat and New Challenge

Too much to blog about and not enough time. I meant to post this blog last week as I ended the magnesium challenge but time once again alluded me. I am still tracking my weight and body fat each and every week. I was reminded to blog about this when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw my weight down significantly (though it is not reflected in the weekly totals).

Yesterday marks the beginning of a new challenge. The timing couldn't be any better for this one as I moved from the base to the build and eventually the peak periods of my training. Training is going up therefore my caloric need is going up. As I mentioned in the past, I frequently track my calories. I am on a good roll right now with nearly 2 months worth of data.

Aside: Tracking your calories is really not that difficult. Most people shy away from it for two reasons. First, they think it is time consuming. The reality is that most of us eat the same foods over and over again. That makes logging it very easy. It takes me approximately 5 minutes each morning to log the previous days food. Second, it forces people to face the reality that their diet is crap. Very true.

One thing that I frequently ponder is if I am fueling my body properly. I never really question if my diet is 'good.' I think I have a moderately healthy diet and don't splurge on snacks. Junk food is very sparse. You won't find it in my home, minus a few remaining girl scout cookies. If anything, my diet isn't diverse enough.

More importantly, I often wonder if I eat enough. Given that I have a very consistent diet, my caloric intake is relatively stable. I wonder if it is too LOW. So this month, I am revisiting the challenge from last summer...to eat more. My goal is to consume close to 3000 calories a day. Gulp. That should put me nearly 21,000 calories for the week. In the past seven weeks, I have only achieved 21,000 calories a week....once. And that was a week of major eating out. That means I need to eat about 2000 calories MORE a week than I typically do.

My hypothesis is that by keeping my caloric intake low, 2000-2300 cal/day, I am starving my body. This prevents it from recovering after a long workout. It also prevents it from preparing for the next workout. If my glycogen stores are not topped off, then my body goes through the fat and carbs as fuel sources too quickly. It then turns to the muscle for fuel...not good. My hope is that by not 'starving' my body, I will actually lose a bit more weight because the body isn't trying to hoard the calories. Counter intuitive? Maybe, but I don't suspect that will be the case.

I actually think this will be a real challenge for me because I like to eat healthy. Most dinners consist of chicken or fish...both great sources of protein but low calorie options. I also don't want the calories to be empty. They need to be natural foods that I would select in ideal situations. That means not splurging on wings and beer. I suspect there will be five staples in this challenge: nuts, cheese, milk, ice cream and peanut butter. I also don't want to cheat by eating out more often.

As a subset of this goal will be my attempt to ingest 140 grams of protein a day. I seriously slack off in this area and often only get about 110 g/day. The adjustments to the diet should aid the protein goal. They will also raise my fat intake which should help will the weight loss challenge.

The timing, as mentioned, is perfect. I will try this for four weeks and see how I feel. That puts me right into my taper for Rev3...an ideal time to cut back the diet. So can someone pass me a smoothie and protein bar?

ING Half Marathon

Finally. ING is over. For some reason this race was looming over me like a dark cloud. I guess in part the race signifies the end of the offseason and ushers in the beginning of tri season. 13.1 miles is a bit too much to overlook so it required a certain amount of mental focus. I was never able to look past it far enough.

Sunday was a perfect day for racing. The temperature hovered around 50 degrees with a light sprinkle in the air. I got moving around 5 am and made it downtown shortly after six. I had a solid 45 minutes prior to the race so we entered the Omni hotel and just found somewhere to hang out. It was warm and moderately quiet, despite the buzz of nervous athletes. I was feeling good that morning. My legs felt recovered and ready to race. I wasn't as giddy as normal but I didn't feel sluggish at all. I entered the corral with about 15 minutes to go and naturally ran into everyone and their mother.

As previously mentioned, my goal for the race was 1:35. I seeded myself between the 1:30 and 1:35 pace group. The first two miles were downhill and my times clearly reflect that as I went out fast, but comfortably. Just before the mile 2 marker, the 1:35 pace group swallowed me up. At this point, it threw me for a major mental loop. I had my first two miles WELL under the 7:15 pace. I spent most of mile three settling into my correct pace, adjusting to the hills and trying to refocus on running MY race only.

As I made my way into the Old Fourth Ward, I was burning up. I wore a sleeveless UA top under a short sleeve wicking shirt. I immediately shed the top shirt. My pre-race strategy was to bank time during miles 4-9, as those are the flattest sections of the course. I tried to make a move but my body was not budging. I started to suspect that things were going to fall apart for me around mile 10.

I was able to push the pace around mile 7 and get back under 7 minute miles. At the half way point, I was nearly dead on for a 1:35 finish. I did begin to notice that my garmin and the mile markers were off quite a bit. I made the decision to push again once I entered Piedmont Park. I found some extra motivation there and began surging for the next mile. By mile 10 I was pretty wiped. And the worst was yet to come.

The final 2 miles roll through Georgia Tech and are all uphill. The terrain has two small hills that you pop up quickly, 2 long gradual ones and 1 really long slight incline. Hands down, it is the hardest part of the course. I knew I was going to lose some time here and didn't have an accurate gauge on how much time I banked. I pushed and pushed. I was hurting at this point. I made it to the top of GT and into the final turn. My watch said I was on pace, race clock said I needed to push it even more.

I know I was pushing that final mile but the speed was just not there. It was a matter of trying to hang on for dear life. I had a decent cadence and form so I stuck with it. I hit the split on my watch when I crossed the 13.1 threshold as I had the course 13.35. The best part was finishing within 5 minutes of numerous friends. It allowed me to just hangout at the finish line congratulating several others.

Official chip time (13.35 miles) 1:36:04
Unofficial 13.1 split: 1:34.10
Pace: 7:11
Overall 283/10481
Men: 248/4618

I see it as a success. My goal was 1:35 and I feel like I made it. As always, I am the hardest on myself. I am pleased with the time but don't feel that I raced it well. I know I went out too hard. I really need to work on that. From there I never had that extra gear to push it. I was too afraid to go into the hurt zone too early in the race. Maybe I was right, maybe I wasn't. I just feel like I crossed the finish line and still had more to give. I need to work on that. For now, I am happy it is over. It gives me some added confidence for Rev3 and I can turn my attention there.

ING Pre-race thoughts

Looks like the first real race of the season is finally here...ING half marathon. This will be my second time racing it with the other being in 2008. It should be a very interesting story to tell when it is all done. If I look back at my training log comparing then and now, I had two totally different approaches to training.

In 2008, most of my training was volume based. The intensity was low and came in the form of mile repeats. I also had the added benefit of an extra half marathon on my schedule prior to ING. In the four months leading up to ING, I put in over 385 miles of running, including a 130 mile month, my biggest ever. (I had to double check my logs to see how I did that).

Fast forward two years and I find myself in a totally different place. My volume certainly isn't there but I am running better than I ever have before. In part (knock on wood) is that I continue to be injury free. The extended volume has been replaced by weekly tempo or track sessions to increase the intensity of the runs. My four month volume is only 265 miles. Both my time and distance are nearly a third less than previously.

So what does all this mean? Well it definitely offers two contrasting training perspectives. In 2008, my offseason goal was to work solely on my running. I was doing very little other than running. And this approach panned out well for me in that all the base building came back into play after injury left me down for Ironman Florida.

This year the goals are different. I wanted to maintain my FTP on the bike throughout the offseason while steadily bringing my run along. Also given that I continue (crosses fingers) to be injury free means I really don't want to mess with my training much more. I would love to be running more but I have a good thing going. No need to mess with it. My speed is coming along. I just hope my endurance is there too.

Two years ago, 9-14 mile runs were prescribed left and right. This year not so much...which has me slightly concerned. In fact, I only hit 12 miles once in training. Gulp. This is where I just have to rely on the cumulative effect of training. I was still able to do 12 miles after running 10-12 during the week. So ideally, Sunday my legs should be a bit fresher and guide me to the finish line.

In 2008, I pulled off a 1.41 and was very proud of my effort. Well it is time to surpass that as most of my training runs are in the 1.39-1.41 range. If I visit VDOT or McMillan Running both tell me I should be capable of running a 1.35. Ouch...sounds painful. That really is my goal. I have wanted to get my half time down into the low 1.30s for some time now. But I am a bit weary of doing that this weekend. I just have a feeling that I will come in 1.36-1.37.

Here is to hoping that the low volume and more intensity approach works better for me