Reach the Beach 2013 AKA smelly laundry

RtB.  If you know what that is you probably know it really means smelly laundry.

The End.


Okay smelly laundry is the by-product of Awesome, especially when you are part of the #wimps.  If you have read this blog before you might know my sherpa is my sister.  Sherpa is not just a damn good race day manager (aka tells me what to do once I throw up my chocolate milk) but also a really good marathoner.  And Captain of a team who annually descends on New Hampshire every September to run a 200 mile relay race.  I won't share what wimp stands for- that you learn if you get the chance to be one, but it is definitely not wimpy.  But Wimp is our team name and being one is cool.

Being a part of the Wimps starts about 9 months or so before the race weekend with an email asking if you are in.  Immediately you need to say yes.  Because it is worth it- I will race on bad legs for this.  Then about 8 weeks out there are a flurry of important emails about ensuring you have paid - pay when you sign up, your pace- sandbag a bit, and travel details- get there early on Thursday.  Good thing I am the Captain's driver so I don't have to plan when to leave.  On our drive up, we have to be careful while we drive through Connecticut- there is no food in CT, but as long as we are prepared we are good.  And the drive through CT is only 100 miles or so...

This year we all met at the Finish line hotel - all 12 of us and got into our 2 mini vans for the drive up to the Start- at Cannon Mtn.  The way the RtB relay works varies based on the type of team, but our team is 12 Runners who each run 3 legs varying from 2.5 to 9+ miles.  We start on Friday afternoon and run straight through the night until we Reach The Beach at Hampton Beach.  Every 6 legs the vans switch off from running to not running.  Not running involves a lot of laughing, eating bad food (unless you are in van tutu) and finding clean portos.  Running is pretty much the same, except you also have to run.

During our drive we stop in Manchester NH to pick up food.  Our Van- Van Won buys crap- pringels, pretzels, Utz Ridged Chips, Frosted Animal Crackers, Cheez-its, Fake Oreos, Devil Dogs (well now they are know as Devil Cremes),  water and Vegan Bologna.  The other Van, Van TuTu buys water.  This year our normal store Stop N Rob was closed, as was the other Stop N Rob in town??? So we had to find a new place to buy our crap.  While we were successful- the drive through town was definitely a door locker.  After leaving manchester we had to drive through a monsoon- I could barely see out the window, but the road was sorta straight and we made it to our start line hotel- Right Before a massive tour bus.  So glad!

So after the initial hugs and handshakes our first time as a team is dinner at a really cool restaurant.  I am not sharing the name but it is a pretty common in NH- plus they have Smutty Nose on tap.  The pre race dinner is awesome and great to catch up on how everyone is doing.  Post dinner everyone pretty much crashes trying to get as much sleep as possible- the next night well don't plan on much shut eye.

Now something that is a bit cool and crappy at the same time is the Wimps are pretty fast (cool) but because of that we start kinda late on Friday (cool and crappy).  It means we are not rushed on Friday AM, but means we have to hammer when we run.  So Friday Morning is a low key breakfast followed by Van Packing and Decorating.  Here the two vans start to assume their own identities.  And Sherpa who is both Captain and part of Van Won makes stuff happen.  My Sister is in charge and that works for two reasons.  She knows everything about RtB and having one person make decisions lets the rest of us just show up and run.  We know she is the one who reads the manual, knows every rule and time check.  There is no other ideas- and for me it is awesome- all I have to do is drive, run and laugh (as long as I don't waste time...).

When we packed our vans the weather was nice, almost warm and sunny.  I even put on sunscreen- didn't need that.  On  the short drive to the mountain the sky exploded and the monsoon from the day before looked like a drizzle.  Rain and RtB is a fact of life- one that I really wanted to ignore.  But hey it was what is was gonna be- wet.  And after a couple of hours of final pre-race stuff- check in, pictures and pretzel eating (we shared our stash with van tutu) it was time for our first runner to crush it.    So while RtB is about having fun, eating and laughing, we also run.  Pretty much the entire team are serious marathon runners- we had three at Boston last year.  I am working hard to get more Ironman Finishers in the mix (no not new people, but getting these awesome folks to swim and bike).  What does that mean- we run Hard.  The running portion is sorta serious.  Not 100%, but then again not a laughing matter.  You bring your A game and run.  And then laugh at Vegan Bologna, Well Done Steaks and the guy who always wears a visor.

Running- Van Won- Off the mountain.  The first two legs are long and hard.  This year Captain Bligh (notice we shift from Sherpa to Bligh once the day starts) switched up Van Won's legs so everyone had new legs.  I did not run these two legs, but instead drove the van and tried to stay dry- which I did well and got wet.  I was runner 4 so after our first two folks finished liked almost drowned rats- really fast drowned rats it was almost my turn to run.  Now I had requested to be runner 4 based on the middle leg- more on that later, but it was almost time for me to run- finally!

My week leading up to RtB included a lot of business travel and a PR in the 70.3 distance - 4:59:27 (that Never Gets Old). So on race day I was a bit tired but 100% determined to crush my run.  Plus runner 5 was Capn Bligh so I really wanted to go fast.  My secret goal was to beat the van- 2.9 miles of sprinting downhill.  My leg was short and steep- like diving off a cliff.  Almost 600 feet of drop in 2.9 miles.  So what did I do- yup run sub sixes down the mountain in the rain.  Did I beat the van- nope. Did I crush my legs- yup.

Leg 1- 2.9 miles -5:39 pace - About 530 ft of descending

Best part of the leg- easy. Seeing Capn Bligh sorta smiling as I came flying in.  And she crushed her leg- 7:20 pace.  She is a freakin awesome runner. Our final runner then hammered his run- man that guy is fast and runs so nice.  He thinks 50 milers are easy (must have an IM gene...).

Once we were all done, it was time for dinner.  Let's just say Vegan Bologna beat Pantech,  Portland, visor guy and even Capn Bligh.  We need better planning and local staff support. And Circle K clerks are liars with good coffee.

Our next set of legs took us through the middle of the night.  And while we might have been off the mountain- the legs were not flat or downhill.  The first three runners were flying- the lack of rain was nice but these folks fly and soon it was my turn to hit the inky black night.  But my middle leg is the reason I wanted to be runner 4- 6.5 miles, 3 hills and Pitch black (minus a casino).  When I started we were over 10 minutes behind our rival team- the Bubble Wrappers.  But I ran hard and passed their runner at mile 3 and gave Capn Bligh a big lead.  The run was everything I wanted+ it was really hard. Leg crushing X2.  And part of each legs are the number of people you pass or kills in RtB speak.  Leg 1 had 1, leg 2 had 24. Leg 3 had 36.

Leg 2- 6.5 miles 7:00 pace 732 feet of climbing

Capn Bligh had her longest run- just over 9 miles including a Loooong climb but of course she crushed it.  She might sandbag on paper, but we all know that she will dominate her legs.  And before long our number six was handing off to van tutu.  It was time for us to sorta sleep.  Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms are good to discuss before an hour of sleep.

Last year VTA number 2- Bear Brook SP was my favorite part of RtB.  Sherpa/Bligh and I had coffee/hot chocolate and a nice egg sandwhich as the sun came up.  This year we were a bit later, but breakfast was the same- goodtimes.  And we bough coffee for the morning bear.  So worth it.  And soon our runner number 1 was hammering the hills.  Now our van does not stop during each runners' leg- we don't nurture.  But runner 1 has a wild card transition which means we find a place on the route to hand off to runner 2.  The two of them decided where to pass the baton (wrist strap). And Our guy from Portland made everyone wish then had stayed in the VTA- getting a ton of road kill running uphill.  And waiting for him was kinda cool since we had an awesome spot to wait and we got to cheer lots of runners- but glad we only do this once- nurturing would be so hard.

Before long it was my turn for Leg 3.  A rolling 5.6 miler that had a couple of false flats.  We were again down on the bubbles by 10 minutes- it would be a lot harder to catch their runner but I decided I would run hard. And I did.  The first two miles were both up and down- not as steep but my legs were hurting and I had a couple of coughing attacks (where the heck did that come from).  But I was running at 5K race pace and at mile 5 I caught my target.  As I passed she was first complimentary- nice run, but then realized it was me.  A couple of friendly curse words and a wave- but really in good fun and I passed.  And then ran to Santa who always hangs out at this transition.  Super Sherpa (back to Sherpa) had the entire crowd cheering for Thumper- does it get any better- nope.  The best thing about finishing my leg is it meant it was time for Beer and Tacos- yup that's how we roll.

Leg 3 -5.7 miles (yeah it was long...) 6:35 pace- rolling

After tacos, we actually head to the beach and walk to the water.  It is cold, but feels so good.  We waited on the beach for van tutu and before long they were there and our awesome # 12 runner was making her way through the sand- yup- the last 1/2 mile or so is on the sand and the whole team runs in together (well we ran the last 100 meters or so).

So in closing- since this has taken me more time to write than the weekend itself...  The race is by far the highlight of my racing calendar- yup better than Ironman's, Podiums and the simple joy of racing.  The wimps are awesome.

And I have smelly laundry- guess I will just throw it away since there is no hope...  #wimps

A mountain bike race, Podium and PR!

So post IMLP or for that manner, any post IM race is often a let down. You go from training 15 hours a week, daily training emails, tons of FB posts to nothing.  The first few days are great- recovery, beer, recovery beer, food, beer, recovery beer- you get the point.  Post IM 72 hours is the greatest feeling.  You are a bit sore but life is grand.  You Are an Ironman!  Enough said... But what's next.  How do you fill the hole of training?  We for me it was two things- lots of family time and more racing.  Yup more racing. Remember nothing beats race day!

So what did I do?

Race number 1- a mountain bike race with Spinervals team friends Kelly and Eddy Mendoza up in Hodges Dam MA.  Post IMLP two weeks I raced with Team Mendoza on an 18 mile bumpy rock garden race.  Eddy and Kelly took great care of me on race day- I met EVERY single racer thanks to Eddie!  And I felt like a King.  Eddie and Kelly know everyone- especially Eddie- he should be a mayor!  The introductions pretty much went like this- "Hi fellow racer, this is our friend Dave from New Jersey who came up to race with us today.  And he just finished IMLP"  it was so cool.  I am so glad I got the chance to race with them even if Kelly chicked me!  Wow she can race and as usual finished on the podium!  I did not.  I got muddy, went over the bars a couple of times and had a great time.  Post race we had some Awesome coffee.  Coffee and cycling rocks- kinda like beer (had one of those too).

The weekend after the Hodges Dam Race, it was back to triathlons.  But this time its was a Sprint- TriRock Asbury Park.

Race 2- TriRock.  Now Dave why would you do a sprint? A race that will be over faster than your swim at IMLP?  Well two reasons.  I wanted to qualify for the USAT Nationals in 2014 and Asbury Park was the location of a race in 2010 that I had 2 flat tires and finished the bike on a flat wheel- redemption was on my mind.  My goal was sub 1 hr and I wanted to win my AG- and maybe even break the tape.  Did I- no, but I was 3rd.  3rd Overall.  57 and change.  USAT 2014 slot for me.  And I won shoes, glasses, a beer mug and a bottle opener.  WIN!  Racing short and fast is fun, stupid but fun.  It hurts a lot, but it is awesome. And it was a top 3 podium- not AG, but Overall- WOOHOO!

Now on to race 3- Toughman Half.  Toughman is a special race for me- my first 70.3, my PR course and my worst 70.3 as well.  Its special.  And my kids race at ToughKids so it means a lot. I had one goal for Toughman 2013- go sub 5.  Sure finish, finish fast, finish first- my mantra, but going under 5 hours was my goal.  And while my post IMLP  training was lighter than normal for a 70.3- I knew I had fitness in the tank. The day was cool, slightly overcast and I felt great at race start.  I knew the course- where to hammer and where to pedal easy and I have learned to race my race- not some drafting asshole's race.  As an aside I hate drafters, I hate drafters, I hate drafters and there were some drafters...  But drafters are part of racing so ignoring them on the bike and running past them on the run is sweet!  So I crushed the swim, rode a solid easy bike and positively crushed the run.  The bike has 3K of climbing and the run has over 1K but being conservative on the bike let me open up on the run.  And for the first time in a half nobody passed me on the run.  Passing mile 12 I knew I was close (hell passing mile 1 I was calculating sub 5) and I ran hard- pain was there (not an IM/ Mike Reilly mile 25) but I pushed.  I was too close to not go sub 5.  Turning into the finish chute, my garmin said 4:58 and crossing the line .2 miles later the finish time was 4:59:27- SUB 5.  Goal Achieved.  And I finished just off the AG podium in 5th.

So while I did not achieve my ultimate race goal at IMLP 2013 has been pretty good.

8 Podiums
4 PR's
My Third IM Finish

And this weekend is Reach the Beach.  Do I need to say more.  #wimps

Ironman Lake Placid Race Report

Ironman- yeah that is just a cool race name.  Iroman Lake Placid was my 3rd Ironman and I had very high goals for this race.  It was my A race and I trained specifically to be ready to have a great race.  Training for IMLP officially started on December 1, 2012 during the Spinervals 32 Day Challenge and included a 3 day on course training camp.  Going into IMLP I was ready. Ready to break my PR, ready to break 11 Hrs and ready to see how close I could get to a Kona Slot.

But my day ended up not being a day of goals.  Disappointed- sure.  BUT FINISHING AN IRONMAN IS CRAZY HARD.  Am I happy with hearing Mike Reilly call me across the finish line- hell yeah.

So on to the report.

I was really excited to have my wife and girls along with my mom, dad and super sherpa sister come to LP.  Having fans is awesome, especially on a course like LP- 2 loop everything.  So on Thursday morning the girls, Sue and I drove up to one of the greatest sports meccas in the entire world.  Imagine finishing an Ironman in the Olympic Speed Skating Oval that Eric Heiden dominated in 1980 & right below the arena that we beat the Soviets and then Swedes to win the Gold in Hockey.  Yeah Lake Placid!  As you drive into town you pass the Bob Sled/ Luge courses and see the Ski Jumping hills. And the number of bikes on Subarus is crazy cool.

Once we got to town, we went right to athlete check in- really easy although parking was a bit of a pain.  But the race swag was pretty sweet- a really cool backpack (I like backpacks) and free stickers. Well the stickers weren't supposed to be free, but they were printed with the wrong date.  After getting my gear we went to our hotel- which was right on the bike and run course and had a great indoor pool.   I then met up with a good Spinervals training/ racing buddy Ginny Angus and we swam one loop of the swim course.  For those of you not familiar with Mirror lake- the swim has a white cable underwater which allows you to follow the course as if you were swimming in a pool.  Fast!!!  Ginny and I had a good swim and chat about the race.  We both had high goals and had trained together a month earlier in the camp- we both felt good and ready to have great races.  Ginny did for sure and more on mine soon.

The next few days were a bit of training, a bit of kid stuff and a bit of relaxing.  If you go to LP with kids go to Santa's Village near Wilmington- you will have fun.  And before long it was 10 PM on Saturday night- no I was not sleeping but felt great about toeing the line for IM #3.

Sunday morning Super Sherpa picked me up at 4 and we drove to the oval.  The morning was cool, but not cold- definitely not like IMNYC which was crazy stupid hot.  Transition set up for an IM is simple- hang your bags since you don't set up near your bike like most triathlons.  As the sun came up I had the chance to run into Merle, Lola and George in Transition- so cool to have friends at the race.

Soon it was time to get my wetsuit on, drop off special needs and get ready for the swim.  This year LP was trying a new approach to reduce swim anxiety- allow swim warmups and a rolling swim start instead a mass crazy charge into the water. While the mass start did not really bother me, the rolling start meant maybe cleaner water and less violence in the first few hundred meters.  Yea maybe not...

After warm-up I got to my swim corral- the 1:11-1:20 group.  I was feeling like a 1:10 - 1:12 swim was in the cards and figured the front of the 1:11 group made good sense.  While waiting for the race to start I ran into Ginny- we chatted quick and wished each other luck.  Then the cannon boomed and within a few minutes we were in the water. It was not crazy initially but soon I was swimming over all sorts of people.  People who self seeded into a much faster group.  During the entire 2.4 Miles I passed several hundred people - I was constantly swimming from one scrum to another.  And I felt great, except for the ASSHOLE in the red wetsuit who thought breaststroking into the aussie exit was a good idea.  Dude you Fucking Suck with your big frog leg kick. He kicked me in the throat as we were exiting the water for the second loop.  There was no reason for breast stroke there.  As I started the second loop my throat hurt a bit, but I still felt strong and soon I was rounding the dock for the exit.

Swim Time 1:09:36- nailed it.

But leaving the water I noticed that it was raining- and the bike has a long steep crappy descent that is not rain friendly.  Oh well race the race you have.

Transition was quick- I was calm and knew what I needed to grab out of my bag.  Shoes, no socks, helmet, glasses, no gloves (never ever), arm sleeves (went with coolers- good choice) and off to get my bike.  The volunteers are supposed to grab your bike from the rack and bring it to you- well that did not happen for me, but I am cool with that and I was out of T1 in good time.

T1- 6:46.  Now 6:46 is stupid slow.  But at LP, you have a 300 yrd run to transition, have to grab your bag, get your gear on and put your swim gear in the bag, then get your bike.  So 6:46 for an IM is good.

The bike was a two loop 56 mile per loop course.  The first 15 miles is mostly climbing until you reach a long 7 mile screaming downhill- in the rain.  But before I get to that fun stuff it is important to mention where my family was going to be.  My parents were staying at the Mountain Brook - right by the Haselton out and back so we decided they would watch me there.  My wife and kids were at the Econo Lodge on 73 so could see me twice on the bike and 4x on run.  And super Sherpa well she would be everywhere.  At the start of the bike, she was right below the high school and seeing her as I got started was perfect.  Super Sherpa comes to my Ironmans- to make sure I am okay especially post race.  So I saw her right away and felt good.

Now back to the bike- rain was spitting from the sky and ground and lots of standing water over the first 20 miles including the keene descent.  When I was at the Spinervals camp in June, I hit over 50 mph on the keene descent.  On lap 1- about 35.  But soon I was passing the post office and on my way to the easy out and back.  I kept repeating race your race and this is lap one.  And I road pretty easy and felt great.  And before long I was back in Jay climbing to Wilmington.  Having trained on the course made me feel good that I knew what to expect and when to hammer vs. spin easy.  As I descended into the Wilmington I could hear Super Sherpa's dog, AndyLab bark and then saw my parents- very cool to have family on the other side of the race course and AndyLab looked relaxed.  The climb back into town was good and before long I was on Lap 2.  I saw Super Sherpa right after the oval and then saw my kids at the econo lodge- WooHoo!  Lots of family support in 1 hour.  However as I got to the top of the Keene descent I realized something was wrong- I felt sick.  I was struggling to get calories in and when I did I gagged and threw up.  Fun times.  But this is were training kicks in- you just keep going even when you feel like shit.  And knowing the course meant I knew that if I could fight through the next 30 miles I would only have to climb back into town and then run a marathon.  But it meant I had to face facts- today was not going to be a great day but I would see my parents, sherpa, wife and kids on the course.  So head down and lousy stomach I pushed through.  I felt crappy but miles kept moving and after passing my parents at Haselton it was time to climb back into town.  Best two parts- doing a sweet wheelie at the campground and the bears.  The bears are TdF style with fans (not grade...) but so worth it after 110 miles.  And after riding down Mirror Lake drive I was back in Transition ready for a run.  My stomach felt crappy, but I knew I only had 26.2 to go.  The finish line was far but I would get there.

Bike 6:01:32- about 20 minutes slower than I wanted.

T2- 3:56.  Happy with this especially since I took my time.

Run- Well I knew it would tough, but I also knew what to expect.  The first 4 miles are easy and I figured maybe I could get some calories in and start running faster.  I did learn that wearing a fuel belt is not gonna happen again- too much bouncing on a bloated stomach is not fun.  Best part of the first out and back was seeing my daughter katherine and giving her a hug.  My body did not feel better but my spirit did.  As I shuffled my way along the course Ginny passed me- she reminded me that she was gonna chick me- and she was running great.  I ended up doing  mix of running/ walking and finished the first lap starting to feel a bit better.  On the second lap, I ran more than I walked- still slow but I felt slightly better.  My goal became to run under 5 hrs.  Passing the Smith kids for the final time I really started to feel good and Felt that as long as I kept running a Sub 5 hr marathon was doable.  The best part of the last 2 miles was seeing Alan MacDougall who was not racing, near the Boathouse.  Alan was wearing his TdF polka dots (guy climbs like a mountain goat)  and I yelled to him- he ran with me for about 50 yards then took (while running) a kick ass picture (now my profile pic).  After that I passed the turn around point and had LESS than a mile to finish.  Running back towards the Oval was awesome.  Tears began to flow and as I turned into the last straight away I could see Mike Reilly in the tower.  I pointed to him and then the most magical words you can hear- David Smith from Sparta NJ YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.  Never gets old.

Run-4:52:48
Total- 12:14:38

Not the day I planned for, but the day I got. I worked hard and earned the finish and that rocks And 2014 is already planned- IM Texas.

Ironman racing is hard- crazy hard.  But so awesome.  And at the end of the day it does not matter how fast you are- crossing that line is beyond special and to my friends who know what it is like well you know.  And those who want to - train hard because it is Worth It!

Quassy Race report. AKA it was hot and hilly. Did I mention it was hot. And hilly...

So it was hot and hilly.  I hope you got that.  If I had a month of hot weather training, it would have been hilly and I like, wait no I love hills.  But coming off a cold spring, the 90+ temps and bright sunshine were a little bit more than this body was looking forward to.  But hey it was race day- doesn't get much better than that.

My original race was going to be the Ironman Raleigh 70.3, but I decided to switch to Rev3 Quassy based on the good feedback that the race is a great tune-up for IMLP.  And Everything this year is all about IMLP for me.  And I was excited to finally race a Rev3 race (I was supposed to do the Oly at Quassy last year but my schedule fell apart).

The couple of weeks prior to Quassy were a bit crazy with a lot of traveling for work and some decent long workouts- especially on the bike.  And the Monday before I did a hard and fast 10K, so no Taper.  But that was the plan- Quassy was a 100% effort training race.  Meaning stress the body the same way I will at LP, but without the benefit of Taper to get a good gauge of where I am and what I need to work on over the next 6 weeks before Taper starts for real.

On Saturday morning, I packed the car and took the nice drive up to Middlebury CT.  I took the Merritt Parkway which can be a nice drive, passed one of my company offices and eventually drove through some hills to arrive at Quassy Amusement Park in Middleburry.  I parked and made my way to packet pickup and the expo.  Rev3 has a rep for being super athlete friendly and awesome.  And while everyone was nice finding the expo and getting my packet was a bit confusing- lack of signs and once I found the expo, it wasn't clear were to go.  I ended up waiting in a couple of lines before I found the right spot.  But hey- you gotta roll with it sometimes and relatively quickly I got everything I needed. 

The swag was okay- a visor and some cool race numbers (love when your name is on the bib).  The expo was pretty good.  A nice mix of high end race kit, t-shirts, other visors (all headsweats) and a bunch of good race gear- bottle, hydration stuff and fuel belt products.  I love fuelbelt.  Just sayin.  I ended up spending about $50 on another visor (quassy specific), a t shirt, a rev3 magnet and a new fuel belt aero bag for Thumper.  Once I my gear, I got my bike out of the car, put the bike number on Thumper (and the new aero bag) and rolled the race steed to transition.  Rev3 uses a ground mounted rack- and everyone has their own spot.  A bit easier to pull from compared to a seat rack which is always good.  After racking the bike it was time for the Pro meeting and athlete meeting.

My only real complaint besides the heat was the athlete meeting and pro session was held outside, with no cover and no water provided by the race.  I did buy a couple of waters from the park and loaded them with Nuun Tablets, but it would have been cooler to have some tents for everyone to sit under and be out of the hot sun.  During the pro session, I ended up hanging in the Normatec tent getting an air massage- kinda cool- even sorta hurt a bit, but they are on the to get list (eventually & after the disc wheel). So that was at least out of the sun.  For the athlete meeting I ended up getting a spot under the finish tent so still crazy hot, but out of the sun.  The athlete meeting was pretty fast, but nicely detailed.  The pro session was very cool- especially since the pros then hung out for autographs and generally just being uber cool.  Got to meet Bevan Docherty, HJ and Rinny.  Sweet!

Now during the meeting while checking FB, one of my Spinervals teammates, Chrissy Brooks posted that her car had blown a tire on rte 84- I was ready to get in my car to get her, but luckily she got some help and made it in time.  It is awesome to be part of the Spinervals team- best group of folks.  And this was my 3rd this year with teammates- a total of 4 us toed the line.

After the meetings and racking and all that stuff, I decided to drive the bike course.  During the meeting there were a couple of caution areas so I wanted to get some eyeballs on the course.  The first 15 miles reminded me of riding at home- crappy roads and hills- short steep punchy hills with short nasty downhills.  But hey- that is what I train on so I felt pretty good about what to expect.  The drive was kinda cool- there must have been 15 or so of us driving at 20-25 miles an hour with cue sheets.  But worth it since I bookmarked key areas- both to hammer and to sit up.

After driving the course, I got to my hotel, checked in, ate my usual beer, burger sweet potato dinner and settled in to watch the clock.  Yeah I don't sleep much the night before a big race.  And as usual I woke up before the alarm went off. After an easy hour in my room, it was time to drive back to quassy. The morning was warm.  Not IM NYC warm, but hot enough to say this was gonna be a hot day.

One of the things I like about dropping my bike off the night before is how much easier race morning is.  And since I use tubeless tires there is not much risk of tire deflation or explosion due to the heat- lower Tire Pressure is a good thing. Once my bottle were loaded, shoes on the bike and run gear laid out, it was time to slowly sip on a bottle and chat with the folks around me. I also got to see Chrissy, but missed Mark and Bernard.  And I got watch the pro's prep.  I left them alone since their day was a work day, but they do things the same way we do.  And before long the transition area was closed and it was time to head to the beach.  Hey its almost time for the race to start!

Rev3 changed their swim policy and allowed people to be in the water up until their wave start- which is a good thing.  You can warm up without having to wait around for your start time.  What I did was do a quick swim and then take my wetsuit down to my waist since my start wasn't until 35 minutes after the pro men.  And I got right next to the start line to watch the pro men and women go off.  Very cool to see people like joe gambles, richie cunnigham, bevan docherty, rinny, heather jackson and meredith kessler start right in front of you.  These are some of the Triathlon rockstars and I am racing with them- very very cool.

Before long it was time for my wave to start.  We got to the start line and did the clap.  If you have raced a triathlon you know what the clap is.  About 30 seconds before we go, a quick good luck guys followed by some clapping.  It means a good day (hot and hilly good day).  The horn sounded and I was in the water fast. The lake Quassapoug is clear so finding friendly feet was easy and while there was some early bumping, I found smooth water fast.  My first set of feet however were a bit off course so after doing some quick sighting I found a good pair and followed for a while.  The course was a triangle with right turns.  The first third was fast and easy.  However the 2nd third was right into the sun.  By that time I had passed my initial draft and it took a while to get a sense of where we were going.  I ended up swimming next to a guy for while which helped find the final 3rd turn buoy.  The last third was also a bit crazy since we had to swim through the slower portion of some waves.  I am a firm believer in wave starts, but I think we should be seeded via time and not age.  This would allow for less swimming through/ or getting swum over and an all around smoother swim.  In any case before long my knuckles hit sand and it was time to stand.  My goal for the swim was sub 35.  I came out of the water in 33 and change and hit the mat in a mid 34.  Long run to the transition area (long but not crazy long and carpeted the whole way).

Official time was 34:12.  My T1 was just okay- still having some issues getting the wetsuit off my feet.  Actually sat to pull them.  Will be doing some OWS/ T1 practice soon to correct this.  T1 time was 2:04. 

I did my usual flying mount for the bike and was quickly out on course.  The scouting of the day earlier helped me set the right pace over the first 10 miles.  Basically go up, go down, rinse and repeat.  The only issues were I screwed up with my Garmin 310- paused for T1 instead of lap.  And my 500 couldn't find the satellites.  I spent the first 10 miles jiggering/ resetting until it finally found the GPS signal.  Frustrating since I rely on the data to tell me how fast, far, steep and power.    But I got it fixed and had an okay idea of where I was- glad for the recon on Saturday.  The first 25 miles went by fast, especially after I got the 500 working.  And I was passing people without burning matches.  In fact the only guys who passed me was a relay guy wearing aero shoe covers and 3 20 something guys in a tight draft (cheating a holes).  While the course was very hilly, there was one long climb-about 4 miles long.  Gotta say I loved it!  I train every day on hills so the quassy hills were pretty normal.  The only pain was the last 5 miles- climbing back to T2.  The hills were short, but steep and really sucked.  The heat was definitely peaking.  However before too long I was pulling my feet out of my shoes and getting ready for the run. 

My time was 2:43- slower than I would have liked, but 3,900K of climbing will make you go a bit slower sometimes.  T2 was 57 seconds.  Pretty much nailed that one.  And it was time for the run.

The run start was two miles in the sun- flat, but hot sun.  I ran okay, but really felt like the temps were climbing fast.  My only real complaint on the run was no sponges, only ice.  Ice is great, but does not stay in place like an iced sponge.  Sponges rock.  But I tried to make due.  I also pulled off my arm coolers- they felt hot and so I decided a sunburn was better than hot arms on the run.  The first 4 miles of the run were okay and then we made a right turn and started climbing- for what felt like the rest of the race.  The first mile was on dirt and shaded.  However the next 2 were on pavement- rolling but almost no shade.  At mile 8 I started to walk the aid stations and went to coke.  The coke was flat and they had ice, except for mile 10- no coke.  That sucked.  But I ran, albeit slow, but on purpose.  I decided that I would suffer, but not crush my body- this week is not a real recovery week so a bit easier effort was in the cards.  I did my best to stay cool (didn't work) and ran relatively slow until the finish.  Crossing the line was nice- basically because it meant I was done and could go lay in the lake- which I did.  The finish line was pretty cool- iced towel, awesome finisher shirt and big medal.  Time across the line- 5:19.  Not my slowest, not my fastest.  But a great prep for IMLP.  Nutrition worked well. I need to figure out how to keep my run nutrition cold.

Overall I am happy- the swim and bike were very much in line with my goals.  The run was just okay, well crappy, but an early season hot race day with hills can do that. 

Devilman Half Lite Race Report

My early season multisport season continued last Sunday with the Devilman Half Lite Triathlon in Cedarville, NJ.  When I signed up for this race I did not realize how far Cedarville is from Sparta- it is about 170 miles- essentially as far away from my house and still in NJ.  But I was excited about the race since it is a medium long distance tri- .8 mile swim, 40.3 mile bike and 8.8 mile run or 50 miles in total.  In actuality it was closer to 51.3 miles but long is good any way you look at it.  Given that I have raced a lot this year, this race my focus was on form, nutrition and pacing as I get about 12 weeks out from IMLP. As an added benefit one of my virtual teamates from the Spinervals group on facebook, Ginny Angus was also racing.

The drive down to Cedarville was early- I was up at 1:50 AM and got to the race site at 6, but I felt great.  The drive was easy and relaxing & traffic free.  Packet pick-up was straight forward.  One touch I liked is the race numbers were event branded - no individual names, but had the event logo which will go nicely on my pain cave number wall.  Getting my bike racked was also easy since every spot was pre numbered.  I really like that since it helps to ensure everyone racks the opposite directions- of course there are some people who like to rack via handle bars instead of seats.  But it allowed for easy gear layout.  As I completed my layout, I noticed the wind started picking up a bit- not severe, but certainly windy & greater than the original forecast of 6mph winds.  I also randomly ran into Ginny- which was great that we got a chance to chat pre race.

The Race Director did a good job keeping time and before long I was getting into my wetsuit.  I made a tactical decision that was very smart- I wore my neoprene booties.  The water temp was about 68- so definitely not too cold, however we had to stand around for 45 minutes due to the sprint folks going first and the wave start for my group so having the extra warmth helped my toes stay less numb (more on numb toes later.)

The swim was a two loop .8 mile lake swim.  The loops were a box with left turns.  I like left turns since I default breath on my left side.  I have been working on bi lateral breathing this year and am pretty good at it, but when I Need to breathe- left is the side I go to.  The start was in water- about 4 feet deep and a murky mucky bottom- the booties were nice here too.  Quickly I settled into a nice groove although there was a fair amount of bumping - especially at the turn buoys.  I started to pass a lot of the 39 and under wave on the second lap along with some of slower women who were on their first lap so the last two turns into the finish were washer machine time for sure.  When I reached the ladder to climb out of the water I looked down at my Garmin- 21:30 for the .8 mile swim.  I was very happy with the time since I swam at IM pace (everything leads to IMLP)  so looking at this time and extrapolating out to the full 2.4 miles- about 1:05ish.  Ideally I will swim about 1 HR at LP, but 1:05 works too.  My official time was 23:10- there was a Long run to transition.  Having the booties on was a win again.

Here I am just out of the water and working my wetsuit off- you can see the booties.  I highly recommend them for any race that has very cold water & long runs to transition.

My T1 was pretty crappy again- 1:56.  The downside of the booties is they are a bit of pain to get off especially with cold fingers.  And I put on gloves.  I was going to wear arm sleeves but they did not want to cooperate so I decided to skip them- was a good idea.  The run out to the bike mount line was about 150 yards past the exit of the transition area- over a gravelly access road. I elected to go sockless and did a flying mount.  Good call, but I had to run a bit longer since I stayed in the grass instead of the gravel.  But mounting went fine and I was quickly out on the bike.

The bike course was a two 20 mile loop out and back course.  So 10 miles turn around, and repeat.  The course was flat with only some very minor elevation changes.  However it was WINDY.  The first out was a mix of right side cross and head winds.  But I hammered and felt very strong.  I stayed big ring 17-13 pretty much the entire 40 (well ended up 41 miles).  Cadence was low 90's Avg power 254 and HR 152.  So while I was hammering I was below FTP and AT- win!

Here is the strava file  http://app.strava.com/activities/52582443#

The good news on the bike is there was not much drafting, except for two guys who I passed early on the outbound first loop and then saw them in draft as I passed them again on the inbound second loop.  And as for the wind, the only time I got a bit of relief was on the inbound of the first loop, I picked up a tail wind for about 2 miles- AVG speed about 30 mph.  However that tailwind did not materialize on the second loop (the head and crosswinds however did...)

Lastly on the bike, I raced for the first time with my custom Infinit blend- and really felt strong.  The folks at Infinit create a custom nutrition blend you drink that has your carbs, protein, electrolytes and amino acids based on your distance, weight, BF%, sweat rate, flavor profile etc.  So one race in and I am happy- I felt especially good at the finish line- where I have had issues in the past.

My bike split was 1:48.22 and this included the long run from the mount line to Transition on both the start and finish of the bike.  However from the mount line to mount line, my time was 1:46:36 or 23.1 MPH.  The run to transition counts in my final time and everyone had to run that, but actual riding time/distance - I hammered.  And speaking of the trip back to the TA for T2 I did leave my bike shoes on since my feet were very numb from the cold and I knew the run was over the gravel road- it was a good call.

Rocking the bike- the lack of arm sleeves was not an issue.  Having gloves was good. 


T2 was a bit better- I did have to take off my bike shoes which is abnormal for me and I learned that putting on my running shoes with gloves still on is not as fast as naked fingers- the gloves got a bit stuck.  I should have taken them off as I really didn't need them on the run.  T2 time was 1:11.  Lastly I did wear my fuel belt 2 bottle hydration belt.  Normally for a run under 10 miles I wouldn't bring anything, but I wanted to test the Infinit run solution- which is a bit different compared to my bike and I will use the hydration belt at Rev3 Quassy and IMLP so it made sense.  Good call as I felt great on the run.

As I started out of transition for the 8.9 mile run, my feet were numb bricks.  My legs felt great but my feet were just heavy.  However I knew that they would feel better soon so I concentrated on getting my stride set and running strong.  The course was a 4.4 mile out and back- flat, but also very windy.  I passed one guy at mile 1 and two more guys at mile 4.2.  At the turn around I was in 13th place but figured I might finish higher since most of the guys were likely in the 39 and under AG.  I was passed by one other guy on the run at mile 6.5 so I crossed the line in 14th overall.  But because I started 5 minutes behind the younger guys, my place overall was 12th.  As for the run itself- WOW I felt great and ran consistent between 6:30 and a 6:50 pace- Avg was a 6:40 which for a roughly 9 mile run following the bike was phenomenal for me.  And I didn't fade or feel like I had nothing left at the finish line.  I definitely could have kept this pace for a couple of miles further.  Now this is not my IMLP run pace- that is going to be around 8:15-8:30  And the bike pace will be around 20.5-21 MPH.  But given the conditions I executed to plan and felt great.

My finishing time was 3:14:12 based on a 59:31 8.8 mile official (closer to 9 on my garmin) run.  12th place overall and 1st in the 40-44 AG.  Technically it was 2nd but the overall race winner was also in my AG.

Here I am about the cross the finish line- feeling very good about my day.

Here is the link the race results: http://www.piranha-sports.com/Results/EntryDetail.aspx?RegistrationID=68476

Post race I got to see Ginny finish- who finished 4th Overall for the women!  Great job!  I also ate a couple of sandwiches (which I have never been able to do immediately after a race- maybe the Infinit is going to be a hit for IMLP) and relaxed before the awards ceremony.  The Pirana Sports folks had a guy playing some music on his guitar and it was very relaxed sitting finally in the warm sun!  Ginny and I chatted a bit- we are both racing IMLP and doing the Spinervals LP camp which should be a lot of challenging fun.

Lastly this is a race I would highly recommend to a wide variety of triathletes.  Newbies- the sprint distance is a great course- it is flat and on limited use roads with police protection at intersections. And for people looking to step up to the 70.3 distance- it is long enough across each discipline to give you an idea of what a 70.3 is like.   And for me as a build towards IMLP- it was great to race for 3 hours to stress all of the systems and focus on pacing & nutrition.  Even though it is in the middle of nowhere I will likely race it again in 2013.

And just a plug- spinervals works folks.  Here is a link to find out more.  www.spinervals.com

I am lighter, stronger & faster across all three disciplines this year and I know it is based on my training that started last December with the Spinervals 32 day challenge.   My results so far are proving that Coach Troy and the Spinervals DVD's & training plans will make you a better racer.  I have raced 12 times so far this year across a variety of distances and types of racing and have 7 podiums including 1 overall win and 4 AG wins.  Yes I have put in the hard work, but the training philosophy is the back bone.

Finally next week is a free weekend (well not really but I am not racing) Saturday is my youngest daughter's  first communion and Sunday is Mothers Day.  So my next race is JerseyMan classic- the tri that started it all for me.

Xterra Jersey Devil Race Report

Racing Xterra is a crazy fun experience.  Last year I raced my first off road Tri at the Jersey Devil and had a great experience.  So when registration opened up I absolutely knew I wanted to race again.  I also was supposed to race on Saturday doing the High Point Hill Climb TT.  However Friday night, I ended up coming down with a fever.  Unfortunately that meant that Saturday's race was off.  But I felt well enough to race on Sunday.

This year I decided I wanted to camp at the race- both because it was free & it meant I could pre ride the bike course - which had some changes on Saturday.  This was my second time camping for a race-last year I camped before HITS and I loved the experience.  The weather forecast for Saturday Night was relatively nice- about 40 degrees and no rain.  So after spending the morning with the Smith Kids, I packed up my gear and drove down to the Jersey Shore to the race.

Once I arrived I picked up my packet and set up my tent.  The weather was gorgeous - about 70 degrees and sunny.  Perfect for a couple of laps of the bike course.  The course is pretty flat, but very sandy and has a couple of technical sections that are very narrow.  So after a first easy lap, I opened up a bit and rode at 90% of race pace for the second lap.  I wanted to get a sense of challenge spots at speed and bookmark them in my mind as to what line would work best.  The plus side is the course was free of rock gardens.  Now I like rock gardens, but for a 2 loop race they can be a nightmare since they often serve as choke points and crashes.

After riding two laps I decided to shut it down and get some food.  The camp we raced and stayed out is a Boys Scout camp and has rudimentary facilities including showers.  However they were cold water showers.  So after riding I took a very cold shower and then drove into town for dinner.  I ended up finding a burger bar and had my usual- plain burger with sweet potatoes and a beer.  The food was okay, but they had Curious Traveler Shandy on Tap.  Pretty cool summer beer.  If I wasn't racing I might have stayed for a while...

Once I got back to the camp, the race organizer had set up a dvd player and we watched the 2012 Xterra World Championships from Maui.  One of the guys racing with us had raced there a couple of years ago so it was really cool to chat with him about the experience.  I definitely want to race in Maui someday- perhaps do a Hawaii Double- Kona & Maui...

As it got dark I went to my Tent and very quickly fell asleep.  I woke up a couple of time- once I was sweating, but given that this was a pre race sleep I was pretty happy.  I got a good night sleep and felt great compared to Friday.  My plan was to wake by 6 and rack my bike then prep for the day.  As usual I woke up early and ended up having my bike racked by 5:50.  I did not lay out my gear- just racked the bike and decided to pack up my tent. Why wait for post race.  As camping goes this was a great success- easy setup & tear down, good warm sleep and relaxed & ready for race day.

As the sun came up, the air temp really warmed- I think by race start it was 60+, which race start was 9 AM.  For a lot of road Tri's, 9 AM is the start of Awards so Xterra is definitely more relaxed!  I got my gear set- I decided to wear my Sparta Tri One Piece tri suit, no socks but I did decide to wear gloves.  Not sure if I needed the gloves or not, but I felt great on the ride and run in just the tri suit.

About 8:30 I got into my wetsuit.  I am definitely leaner this year- my weight is about 168 vs 175 last year and putting on my wetsuit I noticed that it was a bit easier to zip down.  I use a Blue Seventy Helix which zips from the neck down to the back (most wetsuits zip up).  And it can be a pain to get the zipper aligned at your neck and zip down.  Being a few pounds lighter meant it was a bit easier to zip down.  I am right in the weight range for my suit- 165-180 so it was definitely not loose, but sure did feel good.  Once I was suited up, I walked the 1/4 to the water and did a quick warm up swim.  While the water was cold- about 60 degrees, it was much warmer than last year.  Plus the lake was full- last year the lake was only half full meaning we walked most of the swim and the water temp was below 50...

After a couple of safety briefs, we sang the National Anthem Boston Bruin style- acapella. I love the National Anthem and singing it is very cool to start a race.  And then the 3,2,1 horn and we were off.  The course was supposed to be an 800 meter swim, with 2 400 meter loops.  It was definitely long- at least 1000 meters, likely a bit longer but we all had to swim on the same course so it was fine.  The first loop was a washer machine for sure and the second was pretty close to the first.  I felt very good in the water- swam easy and had no issues.  I exited the water in the main pack. Garmin time out of the water was about 13:00

Official Swim Time was 14:31 including the 1/4 mile run to T1. 

T1 Sucked.  My hands were numb and I could not get the wetsuit over my feet- A guy in my bike row did a quick pull for me- which was very cool.  I got my mtn bike shoes on- they are not T1/T2 friendly, glove glasses and helmet and got going.  Total time 3:55- hello sucky. But I have to take it for what it was- slow, cold fingers & gear not designed for fast transitions.

On to the bike.  I quickly passed a bunch of guys and settled in for the first couple of miles.  There was only one technical section- a very narrow stretch with trees on either side of the trail, and while there were some sandy sections, staying on the edge of the trail meant fast riding.  Very soon, I was at the first real technical section- a half mile storm cut filled with a mix of packed and loose sand.  The cut was about 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide- so single file and slow as the first 200 yards were slightly uphill through loose sand.  That was a leg sucker for sure, but spinning in a small gear made it passable.  Once I cleared that section I passed a couple more guys and hit the second storm cut- this was much easier since it was muddy and slightly down hill.  Having time on the course the day before really worked since I knew where I could hammer and where I needed a bit more control.  I quickly finished the first lap and started on the second.  There were fewer folks on the start of the second lap and I did pass a couple.  There were a couple of times in the single file storm cuts where slower riders actually hopped of their bikes to let me pass- which again highlights the cool & relaxed vibe of Xterra racing.  Before long I was back at transition having ridden a solid bike.

Bike time 57:40 (1 minute 25 seconds faster then last year). T2 was fast, although I am not used to taking shoes off.  If this Xterra thing gets more serious I will be investing in better tri specific racing shoes.  T2 time 0:49.

Heading out on the run is crazy- within the first 100 yards you are in the woods dodging obstacles.  This is not a trail run, instead it is a run through woods, swamps, streams, sand and lots and lots of low hanging trees, stumps and other assorted debris.  Up and down some short be steep ridges.  I felt relaxed, got passed by one guy, but passed a couple of others.  Before long I emerged from the woods and had a quick out and back loop to complete the race.  I crossed the finish line in 1:42:20 in 25th place overall and 5th in my AG.  The time and place is better than last year (1:44:00, 41st OA and 10 in my AG).  And my run was faster too- 25:24 for the 3.5 miles of mud, sand and lots of scrapes on my arms & legs.

I am happy with the day- Xterra is just crazy fun.  And I am racing another one in mid may...

A week I don't think I will ever forget.

Much has been written, shared, filmed and posted about the terrorist attacks on the Boston Marathon and the subsequent capture of the remaining scum who did this.  This post might be a bit of that, but more about what it means to me, what I and my friends have done and will continue to do. 

First I have never run Boston.  I am a triathlete so Kona is my nirvana and I will qualify sooner rather than later to finish on Ali'i drive.  But I understand what Boston is to runners- heck I want to race at Boston just because I love running too.  And more importantly my Mom is a multi Boston finisher & Super Sherpa and my Step Dad have spectated multiple times RIGHT AT THE Place the bombs went off.  So while they weren't there this year (glad mom needed surgery for a meniscus tear), it hits home, close.  Furthermore I had 4 friends running- One who absolutely Crushed the course, PR'd by 8 minutes and ran a 3:24.  She and two others are fellow RtB wimps, plus she is a Van Won wimp so that makes it even cooler.  I am proud of her accomplishment and feel so bad at the same time- an 8 Minute PR at the most Iconic Marathon in the world coupled with a terrible senseless attack.  How dare those terrorists ruin what she worked so hard for.  Instead of celebrating, we grieve for the loss of life and life changing injuries. 

I also had another RtBer who had a bit of different day.  She is a great running- put her on a road and she can run forever.  50 miles in 20 degree temps- no problem.  She is a multiple Boston finisher and this year was one where she was a nursing an injury but it is "the race" so she toed the line.  Like many, I was tracking my runners as they hit the timing mats along the storied course.  And one by one they crossed the line.  And my last runner was just about there.  All of sudden I got an alert on my phone via my Eurosport app (which gives great cycling coverage) that there was a bomb explosion at the Boston Marathon.  Immediately I turned on the TV, checked FB and Twitter and started getting updates.  Quickly my first 3 runners were able to post they were safe, but Runner number 4 was MIA.  What followed was a 20 minute stretch of fear and concern that she could have been in the maelstrom.  Thankfully there were some posts on FB reporting that she was okay- in fact she ended up in a stranger's apartment (well after what happened, strangers became lifesavers) in dry clothes drinking a beer.  Time to do a quick happy dance.

Later in the day, Super Sherpa and I had a good phone call.  Simply chatting about the day made me feel better & I hope she as well.  Having her with me on my greatest days is nothing short of special.  Seeing your family on course as you race is such an uplifting experience, and my sherpa does it so well (BTW she is a 10 time marathon finisher and my RtB Captain so she has some Serious running chops).  Last Monday cut way to close for us- she has been there and there are big races on the 2013 schedule.

Okay enough of Monday- what did I do following the attacks?  Well there was a huge Facebook groundswell that Tuesday was wear a race shirt to work to show solidarity and support to our fellow runners and spectators who had been attacked.  What I chose was my Super Sunday 4 Miler shirt from Super Hero Events.  My logic was those brave folks who ran towards the bombs to help are superheros.

What I also did was use the Charity Miles app to give back as much as I could based on runs, rides and walks for the Achilles Foundation and Wounded Warrior.  Both groups focus on helping people who have been injured, especially amputees, lead normal lives and compete.  If you don't have charity miles and your walk, ride or run please download it now.  It is free and effortless to use.

Here is the link  http://www.charitymiles.org/  Please do it now.  It is worth it.

Lastly the best way to beat terrorism is head on- terrorist attack to create fear.  So to fight back, I raced on Saturday- well I race almost every weekend, but this saturday was a bit more special- an FU to those who use fear and violence instead of brains.  I ran in my local 10k- a race I have done for the last 3 years.  The course is definitely not my favorite- lots of turns and a long one mile climb at mile 5.  The race director is my least favorite RD.  But when the gun fires (took him 3 times to get it right...) it is go time.  The first 2 miles are slightly downhill and I let it hang out. I ended up doing an 11:25 for the first 2 and then averaged a 6:18 a mile pace.  While the last mile sucked- uphill into a head wind, I felt strong and finished in a 39:06- 7th OA and 1st in my AG (my 6th podium of the year and 3rd AG Win- THANK YOU Spinervals).  And crossing another finish line means we win.  Terrorists lose.  And I am racing next weekend too- Saturday and Sunday.  So We win again.  Not just USA, but everyone around the world who values freedom.

A great training weekend (plus a race...) & Paris Roubaix

Originally I had two races on the schedule this weekend.  Saturday was a Sprint Duathlon and Sunday was a 15K hard running race.  Early last week following L'Enfer D'Hunterdon I decided that two max effort days back to back would likely not be great for me so I decided that Saturday would be a training ride and Sunday would be the race.  There were a couple of factors in making this decision:
1) I have raced two Duathlons this year- so I will get a ranking in the annual USAT ranking system for Du.
2) Sunday was a chance to race with my mom, dad and super awesome Iron Sherpa sister.  We have all raced together in the past- but never all 4 of us so this was a race I did not want to miss.  Plus my mom is recovering from a Meniscus repair and this was her first race back.
3) Giving up the race on Saturday meant I could do a training ride with one of my Spinervals team members- although it also meant giving up racing with another Spinervals team member.

So Saturday became the training ride and sunday the 100% effort race (all of my races leading to IMLP are part of my training).

The weather planned for Saturday morning was supposed to be warmish (at least for spring)- north of 50.  Yeah weatherman suck. When we started the temps were about 35 & when we finished about 2 hours later they were around 40.  I however was dressed for closer to 50.  My team member, Chrissy Brooks lives on Long Island so not much for hills.  She said she wanted to get some practice on hills since we are both racing the 70.3 at Rev3 Quassy and IMLP.  Both courses are know to be hilly so I was happy to join her at Harriman State Park north of NYC.  If you have ever driven north along the Palisades you will know near Bear Mountain things get very bumpy with lots of ridges and steep climbs.  Chrissy and I certainly climbed our share- roughly 1660 ft.  Good day to work on spinning up the ramps.  Here is a link to my Strava ride profile for the day:

http://app.strava.com/activities/47531552

Sunday dawned a bit windy although slightly warmer for race day.  After an easy drive to the Atlantic Highlands, I got to the race site and did the packet pickup. This race is a 700 point race so it attracts folks chasing points in the USATF-NJ long distance running campaign since it counts more.  Plus the team I run for- Clifton Road Runners competes in the team portion so definitely a day you want to run hard.  However IndianTrails is not flat or easy.  The run a couple of hills that make you question why you rolled out of bed- but hills on the bike for Saturday and hills on the run for Sunday- perfect for IMLP.  And channeling last week's epic ride- there were several dirt & gravel sections.  The gravel sections were heavy gravel- similar to running in sand.  During the climbs I reminded myself to bank this for the sucky parts of LP.  IM racing is physical and mental.  Overall I ran well- the first 5K in 19:56 (which only had one climb) the second 5K was slower - about 21:13- but some significant ramps and loose gravel.  The third 5 K was about 20:01- total time was 1:01:12.  4th in my AG and about 610 points for my USATF-NJ LDR campaign. 
http://my-finish.com/results.php?timer_id=6&race_id=226201301&bib_number=3297#.UWHO6BmbXzU

As I mentioned my mom, stepdad and sister were also racing.  My Sister and stepdad finished within seconds of each other (IM Sherpa has just started her 2013 training for Reach the Beach).  And my mom finish 1st in her AG in her first race back from minor knee surgery.  And I got to run my mom in from about .3 miles out- very cool.


Lastly I am relaxing on the couch watching Paris Roubaix.  I so wish cycling was on TV more than fishing or auto racing or basketball or hockey (and I like hockey) or infomercials or 90% of the news magazines that take up channel space.  But the Hell of the North is epic so nice to enjoy a beer or two watching the greatest single day bike race.

Why I use Spinervals - Beside the fact they work.

So for you folks that read my Blog, I thought giving a bit of how I got into the sport and more importantly the reason I use Spinervals.

I have been racing Triathlons for 4 years and have completed all of the major distances- Sprint to Ironman. I did my first race at the Jerseyman Sprint and immediately was hooked- as many of us are after we cross that first finish line.  In my first year I ended up racing a total of 9 races- 7 sprint, 1 Olympic and 1 70.3 and based on that experience I decided to train for my first Ironman in 2011 at Beach2Battleship.  As part of my training build for B2B, I started using Spinervals to support my Winter training.  I distinctly remember the first time the video called for a standing 39/15 rep- you know time to run on the pedals.  The thought running through my mind was this is crazy hard.  But soon I grew to love my Spinervals DVD's and the value they provided in improving my bike split.  At B2B I road a 5:35 for the 112 miles- thanks in no small part to spinervals  (and a tail wind the last 30 miles).  My experience with Spinervals took a great turn with the introduction of the 2011 32Day Challenge and the creation of the Spinervals Cyclist page on Facebook.  Now we had a focused training block and a group of likeminded crazy folks to share our training success, challenges and perspective.  The 2012 season for me was a great success- I finished my second Ironman- this time IM NYC.  My Spinervals FB friends tracked and posted my race day performance- it was such an amazing experience for me to read through after that race to know my training buddies were so invested in the race with me!

Now heading in the race season for 2013 my training has been going great.  Coach Troy offered a bigger 32 Day challenge program which has directly translated into results for me.  My FTP is up 30 watts, I have PR'd in a Half Marathon, Won my AG in on Duathlon, and finished 3rd in another.  And have plans to race with a bunch of the Spinervals team at various different places this year.  My goal race this year is Ironman Lake Placid.  I will be doing the Spinervals LP training camp as a way to get some great experience on the course before race day.  And I am using Coach Troy's 16 week IM plan to ensure I am in the absolute peak performance on race day. 

My favorite spinervals workouts are 33- pain cave, OTR Lake Placid, 39 ABB at 10K & my first #6 the Zoot Challenge.

L'Enfer D'Hunterdon

Ever want to ride a Belgian classic style ride?  You know on the Pave (cobblestones, dirt, gravel).  Through cold, wind, narrow roads, steep climbs, screaming descents.  With 500 other crazy cyclists?  Well I did so yesterday I road in the 5th annual Hell of Hunterdon, AKA the L'Enfer D'Hunterdon.  76.4 miles including 20 dirt sections and 5,100 ft of climbing.

The ride took place in central New Jersey, in Hunterdon county - near the Delaware River.  The course was one giant loop with lots of turns, however it was very well marked and I never once had to pull out my Cue sheet, even when riding alone.  The start and finish took place in Lambertville NJ, and while the town is tiny, there was enough parking and pre ride pickup was easy.  The weather for the day was forecast to be nice- almost 60 degrees by lunch time, but the start of the day was closer to 30 degrees.

The ride started right at 9 AM and was supposed to be a wave start- I was about 5 rows from the front and went off in the first wave.  I decided to wear as little as I could get away with since I knew the weather would warm up soon.  So I had tights, knee warmers, a jersey, wind vest and arm warmers- and was perfect the whole day.  I think folks who wore tights, full booties and jackets were uncomfortable by 11 AM.  I also used some Embrocation- essentially some warming oils on my legs- & kept me very comfortable the whole day.  Right as we rolled out we started on the first of many climbs and within a mile or so we were in the first dirt section.

Now the dirt sections are basically dirt roads.  Not trails or off road, just unpaved roads.  With ruts, potholes, bumps and lots of gravel.  And we road on them at speed- 20+ MPH in many cases with a full peleton of riders. At every dirt section, there were several riders who had to change flat tires.  I road on a set of tubeless wheels at about 85 PSI and had no issues or flats the entire day.  I use tubeless on my road, tri and mountain bike wheels- and really love the fact I don't get flats and have a much smoother ride compared to tubulars or regular clinchers.  I am surprised more folks aren't using tubeless, but for me they work wonders!

Within the first hour the field began to thin out- some folks pulled ahead and some behind as we began to settle in for the long day.  I started to ride with group of guys and took some big pulls on some long rolling sections.  I really opened up the engine and bridged my group to a couple of groups ahead of us.  In hindsight I probably pulled more than I should have- I ended up suffering for a while mid ride (more to come on that).  I ended up meeting a guy named Mike Crocker and we road together for about an hour- nice to have a chat in between hard efforts.

At about mile 30 I took my turn leading our group which was about 15 or so.  We started up a moderately steep, but long climb.  I accelerated a bit and three of us surged ahead.  However two guys who were on my wheel quickly passed me- I felt a bit like Tommy Volkler cracking in the tour, but I just could not match their acceleration.  However my initial surge had cracked the group behind me and I began a solo ride for the next 35 miles.  Initially I was fine with this- soon after this climb the first aid station appeared.

At the aid station the organizers had porta potties, water & gatorade, food including PB&J, bananas, cookies and gels.  So I hopped of my bike, hit the head and reloaded my bottles, had a sandwich and some fig newtons.  It felt good to stretch the legs- I am definitely not used to stopping ever on a ride, nor drafting so this was nice.  However it was time to go and I got back on the bike and started out on my own.  The next 10 miles were great- some rolling back roads, a long dirt section (about 2 miles long) and a nice climb which I passed a group of cyclists out for a fun ride- I felt great.  However I was about to have a rough time for a while.  I turned on to a busier road and into a nasty headwind, and I started to get a slightly bloated feeling.  I knew I had a bit too much liquid in my stomach and while I had to keep getting some calories into my system the next 30 -45 minutes would suck.

But this is what I wanted (no not misery), but this ride while fun is also a training ride- everything I am doing this year leads up to IMLP and 76 hard miles on the bike is part of that. Having some gut issues and then having to mentally push through it is great training in the bank.  When I hit one of those sucky patches at IMLP, I will call on this day to help me push through it.

So for the next 10 miles I was miserable.  But I kept pedaling, albeit slower and I kept taking in some calories.  The good news was my legs felt good, actually my whole body felt good, except my gut which made me feel like I did not have energy to push hard.  So nothing hurt, but the engine just did not want to rev. The road was the longest stretch without any turns and without a doubt the most boring stretch of the day- granted I felt like crap so that might contribute to that feeling.  And if this was a triathlon, I could see that section being a hammerfest, but at that point of the day I hated it.  To make matters worse, the first turn off the boring road was on to Pine Hill Road.  Pine  Hill road is steep.  A 1 mile climb with an Avg grade of 3.1% with a middle section that is .3 miles and a 12.1% avg grade.  Certainly not a climb that if I was feeling fine would bother me, but being at the low point of the ride I had doubts in being able to get to the top with out walking.  As I started the steep section I stood on my pedals and while I was not dancing, something happened.  My legs took over, got my HR back up and got me back in the ride.  The climb for me was slow, but I never felt like I was not gonna make it- funny how the body just got in gear.  It was the kick start I needed.  As I finished the climb and we turned onto yet another dirt section my gut stopped feeling funky and I had more energy.  At this point I had about 10 miles to the next aid station so I basically buried my head and road through each section.  The hardest part of these miles was a 1.5 mile steep twisting descent on dirt.  Yeah it was hairy, but I felt great again and let the bike and gravity do its thing.

Speaking of bike- what did I ride?  My road bike, a Ridley Noah RS, carbon aero road bike, full ultegra group set , ultegra tubeless wheels and hutchinson fusion 3 tires and my Adamo breakaway saddle.  There were a couple of folks on mtn bikes and some on cross bikes and a few single speed guys (crazy but cool). My gearing is standard- 53/39 with a 11-25 cassette.  I did see a lot of compacts. But I would guess at least 60% of the riders were on standard gearing.

After the descent I rolled into the second aid station and met up again with Mike Crocker.  We ended up riding the rest of the way back to the finish together and while we didn't crush it, we road strong but chatted the entire way.  A really nice way to end a great day on the bike.  And when I rolled into the finish, it was time to kick back and have a beer.  One of the main sponsors of the race is a local brewery- RiverHorse so of course it was on tap.  So I signed in officially finishing & got my trophy- a L'Enfer D'Hunterdon pint glass.  (I really love beer glasses as trophies or awards).  I had my beer (could have had more, but had to drive home & the line for a refill was really long).  Bought my tee shirt (pavement ends) and headed home.

Overall I am very happy with the day on every level.  One- it was a great training ride- nothing beats being outside on the bike for 4+ hours.  Two- stressing my nutrition and powering through. Mental strength will power me through my A race IMLP as much if not more than the physical strength.  And I need to trust that my body will respond when I call on it.  Three- riding on dirt.  Duh.

Since this was not a formally timed race, I don't where I finished.  I think I was somewhere in the top 100 finishers based on getting my beer glass prize and the crowd at the finish area.  In lieu of formal results, here is my data from Strava http://app.strava.com/activities/46536227.

And  are some links to a couple of videos posted Youtube from the ride.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T2PlDDhemw&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR-Qko9ybuE (I am in this one- about 40 seconds.  I am wearing a rudy lime green helmet and a white vest with black arm sleeves)

And next week I get back to the Multisport Season- Duathlon number 3- the Delaware Valley Duathlon.

Race number 2 of the spring Multisport season

I am doing a lot of short racing this season- duathlons, TimeTrials and running races.  The goal of these types of racing is speed work.  I am going at or near 100% in a race environment with the goal of continuing to train my body for success at IMLP.  This week the race was the 27th annual March Madness Duathlon in Central Park NY. 

The race was a bit shorter than last week's Du in prospect park- 2.2 mile run (straight out and back) 12 mile bike (2 loops of central park) and a second 2.2 mile run.  But those differences are not very significant- it was gonna be a short but very hard day.  One thing that made this race great was fellow Spinervalian Rob Crane was also racing so we got to meet up.  Having teammates at the race is great as we do so much training alone in our dark and cold pain cave basement & garage locations.

Pre Race- It was cold, very cold- about 33 degrees.  So I was very glad not to be swimming again this week (first official swim as part of a race is not until April 28, but I hope to get some open water time by mid April).  For those of you not familiar with the nightmare of parking in NYC, Sunday is a special day- you don't need to feed the meters so it meant I could safely park on the street without fear of a ticket (& I parked on Columbus and 78th so a nice safe area too).  When I got to the transition area, the organizers weren't quite ready so I had some time to hit the porta pottie and get in line to enter the transition area. I ended up with a great location- single rack near the bike out/ in area although the guy next to me was racing on a folding bike- kinda cool. 

Once I got my packet and had my bike set up it was time to warm up.  I did a short jog and watched the weekly sunday morning central park bike race.  These guys start at sun-up and crush it for an hour and then go home / riding for the rest of the day.  But it was good to see the other side of cycling (even though a lot of the guys in the peleton think we triathletes don't appreciate cycling since we also know how to swim and run...)  And maybe this summer after LP I will take a turn or too in the peleton on my Ridley & look like a "real cyclist'.  As an aside I love cycling- road, tt, mountain, but I am proud to call myself first and foremost a triathlete.

As we waited for the race to start, the sun came out- not really warming, but it was nice to see the sun rise over the east side of the city and make its way over the park.  Quickly we were ushered to the start line and given our final race briefing- run straight to the turn around and back to here, ride two laps and do the run all over again.  Be careful as the park was closed to vehicular traffic (except garbage trucks) and other cyclists, runners and pedestrians (with dogs- not on leashes).  This was important for two reasons- one be careful and two don't follow the person in front of you blindly, they may not be racing.

And then the horn went off and we ran up a 1/4 mile hill to start the run.  Starting on hills kinda stink, but if that is the only hill and it is an out and back you have a down hill coming home.  Plus you are burning a match at the start so getting it out of the way first was not a big deal.  What was interesting about the first loop is there were a couple of guys near me wearing the same Zoot Kiawe shoes.  First time I have noticed them on other racers and here we are running together.  Now the run after the first hill was essentially flat and straight so quickly I settled into nice 6:15 pace.  I ran with a pack of about 5 guys through the turn and essentially all the way back to T1. 

Run 1 -14:23, T1 :30.

The transition area was tight and really not enough room for double file but thankfully I was there early so it was not too crowded.  I was on the bike fast and geared correctly to spin up the short hill.  I nailed a flying mount and  decided not to even worrying about getting my feat into my shoes until I got to the top of the hill.  Once my feet were in my shoes, I spun the bike up to speed and hammered.  Something cool about accelerating at the start of the bike- especially a short bike.  There is no rest in an hour long race- kinda like sprinting the whole way.  The first loop was pretty empty of racers- was probably in the top 30 or so on the first run.  There were a lot of cyclists noodling around following their race, but they stayed left closest to the running lanes so not in the way at all.  About the only issue on the first lap was some garbage trucks that were hogging some of the bike lanes and a bit of a headwind on the west side of the park.  BTW most folks thing NYC is flat, but near Central Park- 60th to 100th street or so it is hilly.  Nothing crazy, but short steep match burners- especially on the north west corner of the park.  Coming around the south side of park I was heading into my second lap- here things began to get dicey.  Lots more racers including a tight fit at the bike mount area- instead of pushing folks up the hill, the organizers were pushing them out on to the course and in the way of the second lap folks.  Some cones creating a bike start area would have worked better.  The second lap- while more crowded was also uneventful.  I passed a bunch of folks on both loops but one guy beat me- I had caught him early on the first lap, but he was able to open a gap on the second lap that wasn't worth trying to close. About 300 meters, but if I could have caught him I would have likely fried my legs.  He was on a Trek Speed Concept- with a disc wheel so obviously he was fast (if I had a disc wheel I would have been faster.... well maybe not).  As I got ready to come into T2 I had a nice clear path, pulled my feet out of my shoes and glided up to the dismount line with my left leg already kicked over.  Nice being near the pointy end of the race- just not as crowded.

Bike- 31:53 (5th fastest) T2  0:39- was a bit slow since I went down the wrong row first. 

But quickly I was out on the run.  The hill part 2 was not fun, but I knew it was short so I concentrated on getting a stride and breathing pattern and focused on getting to the top of the hill.  While I did get passed by a couple of guys, I felt really good and actually was surprised when I got to the turnaround.  On the run back, I was gaining on a guy in front of me and decided it was worth the pain to push for the pass.  I increased my stride and with about 400 meters to go I passed him and continued to accelerate.  I held on and ended up finishing 14th overall and 3rd in my AG.

Run 2 14:56
Overall 1:02:18

I am very happy with my effort on the day- two consistent runs and a very strong bike.  Transitions along with Bike mounting/ dismounting very well executed.  

And now that I have finished two Duathlons this year I can get ranked since they are treated separately compared to triathlons in USAT's ranking program.

Congratulations to Rob Crane for also having a solid day.  There were about 470 total racers and Rob finished in 1:10:14 66th Overall and 9th in a very competitive & large age group.  And he negative split his second run!

Here is the link to the race results- hoping to add some pictures in soon.

http://www.nytc.org/results_full.cfm?ID=211

And next week I am not racing, but riding in the Hell of Hunterdon- a 76 mile Belgian style ride including about 5000' of climbing and 15% of the roads are dirt/gravel or otherwise bad.  Should be a great day.  Here is the link to HoH:

http://www.hellofhunterdon.com/

CityTri Propsect Park Duathlon Race Report

The 2013 campaign is officially underway.  My first multisport race of the year was the CityTri Prospect Park Duathlon.  I decided to race the Classic distance- 5K Run, 13.3 Mile Bike, 5K run.  The other options were a sprint and Intermediate.  While the longer distance would not pose any issues, I am using my early season racing as speed work training sessions, so shorter is fine.  I have enough longer pre IM LP racing on the schedule too, so this race was about speed.

My goal for the race was to run my first 5 k in about 21 minutes, do the bike in 36 and do the second 5 K in about 21:30 or faster.  The weather was cold but dry and not windy- perfect racing conditions.  The pre race organization was a bit crazy- you had to wait in one line for your race number and a second for your chip, but I was early so not stressed at all.  There were only 2 porta potties but lines were short (I did find a third one about 300 yards from the start area).

Transition area was a bit tight and a broad mix of athletes and bikes.  About 1/3 were hybrid, 1/2 road with clip ons (some) and the rest were high end tri bikes.  But I had a good spot at the end of a rack.  As for my set up, I went with my Zipp 101's, a single bottle between the aero bars and my old Shimano TR 51's shoes with neoprene toe covers.  I wore my Sparta Tri trisuit with a long sleeve compression top and a Sufferfest wind vest and lightweight gloves (gloves I got from the 10K Relay Race the sherpa and I did in Feb).  For the first run I wore a knit cap, on the bike I wore my Rudy Wingspan aero helmet and Rudy Noyz Glasses with red lenses (great for low light).  I wore a visor for the second 5 K and both runs were done in my Zoot Kiawes (These are the greatest running shoes I have ever owned- light, Tri specific and super fast).

On to the race.

The Intermediate guys went first since they were doing a 10K to start and had a bunch of loops and turns to contend with.  For us in the classic, we had a short loop on center drive in Prospect Park followed by a longer loop around the lake before coming back to T1.  My plan was to run at a 6:45 pace per mile for the first 5K.  However once the race started I was closer to a 6:25 pace since there was a large pack.  I felt smooth and strong, especially after I passed the small loop and really settled in.  If this had been a 5K race I think I could have held sub 6 based on the way I felt and the relative flat course. 

Coming into T1 I was focused on the bike and thinking through what I needed to do for a fast transition.  I took off my cap as I ran into the transition area and put my sunglasses and helmet on.  Then running shoes off, grab the bike & go.  I use a flying mount and my tri shoes are pre clipped in so no wasting time getting them on.

Run 1- 19:55
T1- 32 Seconds

Bike- 4 Laps around prospect park.  Each Lap about 3.3 miles.  The bike start puts you right on the bottom of hill- plenty of time to get geared in and my feet in the shoes, but climbing soon.  The hill is not crazy hard or long, but you definitely go up.  For each lap I stayed aero and spun up in my 39/19 or 21.  I felt very strong on the bike- took the first lap a bit easy to recon the course and make sure I knew where to hammer and where to be careful.  The only downside of the course was people and their dogs- a lot were not on leashes which is a bit scary at 35 mph.  But I did not hit any dogs.  I passed everyone but one guy (the guy who won).  I hammered hard on the bike, but not to the point I had nothing left.  I have not seen the splits of everyone else, but I should have the fastest bike - or at the least the second fastest.

Bike- 35:41
T2- 26 Seconds

Starting the second 5 K my legs were definitely screaming, but I pushed a steady pace and more importantly I was breathing easy (well easyish).  I did get passed by two guys soon after T2- and they were definitely faster runners than me so I settled into my pace.  The first mile was at 7, however miles 2 and 3 were at 6:35 each- yeah I was happy with that.  I did get passed by one other guy about 300 yards from the finish- I kicked too soon and he was able to beat me by 5 seconds. (good lesson learned)

Run 2- 21:31

Total 1:18:05  5th Overall, 1st in My AG.

I am very happy with the performance (placing is great too- but this race is part of the plan for IMLP success).  I know for sure my off season training using Spinverals DVD's has been a huge part of my success.  I am running and riding faster which is leading to some strong early season results.