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...
Monday, April 29, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
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.
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.
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.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
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.
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.
Friday, April 5, 2013
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.
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.
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