I did this race last year and was not sure I wanted to do it again. Not because of the distance- 70.3 is my favorite- but the course conditions especially on the bike were pretty hairy. Roads in the northeast are bad due to the extreme hot and cold every year causing potholes and cracks galore. However after I did not get into the NYC Olympic tri and knowing I needed a good race before IM NYC, the RI race made sense. Plus the race organizers promised the course would be in better shape. So I pulled the trigger and entered for Round 2- And glad I did.
PreRace/Packet Pickup- My company has summer friday hours so I was able to leave NYC by 1:30on Friday and make the drive to Providence. My hope was I would make it before 6 so I could pick up my packet, but if traffic was against me I would still be in the city early on Saturday so either way worked. As luck has it (and knowledge of multiple ways to get through Connecticut- read Merritt Parkway), I got to the RI convention center by 5:15 and breezed through packet pickup and the expo store. The swag bag was pretty nice- good KSWISS tech shirt, very good drawstring backpack- the good kind- not the ones that rip (IM Pocono Mtn 70.3 and Toughman this is addressed to you) as well as a bottle shaker from Vitacost. And the Spinervals brochure- folks if you don't use Spinervals DVD's you are doing something wrong. Buy them, Use them-YOU WILL BE FASTER. Once I left the expo, it was time to check in at my hotel-The Hampton Inn on Weybossett Street. If you need to travel to Providence I highly recommend this hotel-2nd year staying here and will do next year (yeah round 3 is on my agenda). I had a great dinner at a local restaurant and then got a good night sleep.
On Saturday it was time to drop off my run bag at T2 and my bike at T1- RI uses a 2 transition area setup. This is a bit of a pain, but actually is great practice for full IM distance races since you often have to bag your gear instead of setting everything up at Transition. And I knew what to expect since I did this race last year- definitely helped from a stress perspective. Once I got everything squared away it was time for Lunch and then Dinner as well as a lot of hydration- it was HOT.
Race Morning- I was up by 3 and managed to eat pretty well- coffee, bagel with pb, banana and oatmeal. And by 3:45 I was out the door to the race shuttle to get to T1 and the swim. I sat next to a guy from Montreal who was using the race as tune-up like me- his race was IM Mont Tremblant (which is a week after IM NYC). Once we got to Transition it was time to set up everything- no problems and the lines to the porta potties were not bad (nice!!!).
Swim- One of the best things about RI is they let you stay in the water before your wave is called- so you can stay warm (the water temp was 80- Air temp at 6 was closer to 70). I was in wave 7 M 40-44 about 125 folks. The first 300 Meters were VIOLENT- one of the rougher starts I have experienced for 2 reasons- lot of guys pushing for position and some rough water due to the lifeguard boats with motors creating wakes. I swallowed a big gulp of water instead of air as I was getting swum over- but I was able to push through and before long found some clean water to swim- and the good news is I was on the Buoy line. Since the water was 80 degrees it was not a wetsuit swim- but I gotta say It seemed long (it did last year too). Even the pro times seemed a few minutes slower than normal. But everyone had to swim the same distance so even if it was closer to 1.4 miles (my guess) we all had to! Eventually I found my fingertips scraping sand and it was time to stand up- my time was about 41 minutes - slow for sure, but like I said the swim seemed long (at least in my mind). The swim for me is not fast, but not slow- I am not too concerned about the swim- I am faster on the bike, run and transitions.
T1- a long run from the beach to Transition meant for somewhat slow times- I was about 2:30 (about a minute slower than I like). But I also took time to put on arm sleeves to keep me cool and had to pack my bike bag with my swim gear (googles, cap and speed suit - not sure if it makes me faster But I look cool!) I did a great flying mount and was quickly off on the bike.
Bike- So I am a good cyclist, but I knew within a couple of miles today was not my day. My legs felt a bit tight and I could tell I was not 100%- I would say about 90%. So the first 15 miles was a lot of talking - push/ can't push, free speed, dammit I need to stand up, crap I suck, I am slow. But I told myself- push to what your limit is today and concentrate on what you are doing. Yeah you want a 23 MPH avg, but your body is giving you 20- make the best of it. It's a freakin IM 70.3- enjoy it dave. And I did (sorta) as only 56 miles in aero can. My only concern once I won the mental game is my mouth tasted like sour sugar- like you drank too much soda as a kid and have that rotten taste in your mouth. BUT I was able to keep getting nutrition in without feeling like I wanted to throw up or any GI issues. Now the roads were a bit bumpy, however they were much better than last year - I did get the bike up to about 45 MPH on a long descent- that was cool!
I rolled into T2 in 2:45- about 10-15 minutes slower than I wanted, but I was feeling pretty good and ready for the run.
T2- Just gonna say I don't like the bag- took at least 20 seconds to get my gear out and on. T2 is normally 30-45 seconds for me (no I don't wear socks and I am fast), but today I had to switch sunglasses as well as get my two bottle fuel belt out of the bag- it just did not want to come out. So my time was 1:30.
Run- The run is a two loop jaunt through Providence with two hills per loop- one hill is a short incline heading to the turn around/ finish- only about 300 meters long. Easy. The other hill Sucks. it is a slow steady 1.5 mile crusher. It Sucks. Wait did I mention it Sucks- especially when it is 90+ degrees out. Other than that it is great- in a Sucky way. But I knew what to expect and I actually felt very good- especially as I ran up that sucky hill twice & passed a lot of people from the bike and run- just sayin' -know your course! Since it was so hot cooling the body was key and the aid stations had some good hookups- icy sponges and ice chips. I love ice. At each aid station i would grab 4-5 sponges to at the front and put them down the front of my tri kit. Then grab two cups of water and cover my arms (still wearing the arm sleeves- which are awesome) with icy cold water. Then grab another cup of ice water and a sponge or two. The extra sponges went down my back & the cup of ice got carried to the next aid station. I emptied and refillled my fuel belt bottles twice (I use the revenge 20 with 2 bottles). It was so hot that getting cool liquid was so awesome. Overall I felt best on the run, although I was running about 20 seconds slower per mile than I normally do- BUT I knew I was gonna finish and was very happy with my mental strength. I even started to encourage other runners- when I do that I am feeling good. And the fan support especially near the finish chute was great. I also have to say thanks to the woman in the gardening hat on the hill- cheering for everyone up and down. Cheering is cool- It makes you feel great.
I crossed the line in 1:48 and and overall time of 5:19:41. I was slower compared to last year by 5 minutes but happy with the overall effort. I finished 23rd in my AG and 164th overall.
And the best part of the day was three fold- crossing the finish line, getting an awesome post race massage and having a big mac and two cheeseburgers from McDonalds. So bad but oh so good!
Would I recommend this race- yes and I will be back for round 3. However I would not recommend this to be your first 70.3. The combination of heat and hard run can add up to a hard day. But if you are looking for a great northeastern race in a great city- do the Ironman Rhode Island 70.3.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
HITS Hunter Mountain Race Report
I was very excited about racing this past weekend at the HITS Hunter Mtn series for a couple of reasons. My son was going to race in his first Tri, I was racing at my favorite distance- 70.3 and I wanted to experience the HITS Triathlon Series with the hope that it would be another set of 70.3 and 140.6 races.
All three of my reasons for being excited were definitely exceeded.
The venue for the race was near Hunter Mountain at the North South Campground in Haines Falls. Packet pickup took place right at the campground and near the finish line. It was easy and while the expo was small there were some good vendors providing a wide range of gear. In the race bag was your standard mix of product samples and a nice tech t-shirt. And your race number envelope. HITS provides a full sheet of numbers from Tri Tats including some extra numbers- just in case. Plus Tri Tats race number temporary tattoos and your timing chip.
What made this even better was the fact that my son who was competing in the Open distance got the same packet that I did. However the cost to race the Open distance was FREE- except for the one day USAT license. HITS treated the Open competitors identical to all other racers. Their race was just as important as the other four distances- perhaps even better since they were given VIP treatment. On to the races.
My son raced in the Open which was a 100M swim, 3 Mile Bike and 1 Mile run. Sure the distance is short, but it was all about the experience. There were 3 waves- Men, Women and Family&U17. Each wave had a ten minute break in between- more than enough time but allowed for major separation and avoided a lot of bunching up on course. What was really cool is Mark Wilson the race director took the time to learn each racers name before the start. As they excited the water he greeted them by name- Really cool!
So my son was in the 3rd wave- definitely had his share of pre-race nerves but was excited for the race to start. When the horn sounded he looked like a motor boat for the first 50 meter or so. I am not sure if he paused to breathe- just swam as hard as he could. When he hit the Turnaround, he seemed to tire a bit but finished the swim well. I got to run with him up to T1 and then get some pictures of him getting ready for the bike. HITS does a great job in transition- everyone has a personal rack and stool. And my boy used the stool. While his T1 was not blazing fast, he did everything correctly and was soon running his bike out to the mount line. The bike course was a 3 mile out an back- the road was a bit bumpy and definitely not flat. He has a good ride, especially considering he had a chain issue. Coming back into T2 he looked tired, but excited. His bike to Run transition was very good- he did not sit nor waste time. He did take a big swig of water- which was a good call since the 1 mile run did not have (nor need) an Aid Station. Once he took off I ran up to the Finish line to wait for him. And soon I saw his white visor turning the corner to the 200 Meter uphill finish line. And when he hit that stretch he turned on the gas a bit- he ran hard to the finish line! He ended up finishing 1st in his Age Year (HITS reports AG to USAT, but awards based on Age Year). So in addition to getting his race packet, tshirt & finisher medal, he got a plaque, second tshirt and swim cap. And he was Happy!
Following his race and awards ceremony, it was time for me to rack my Bike and have the Half and Full athlete meeting. The meeting was pretty cool- outside with all of us gathered around Mark Wilson to share some key thoughts about each of the courses. What impressed me is he covered the tight turns and key "gotcha" sections of the bike both by mileage as well as landmarks. So as we were riding it became very easy to make sure you were ready for those hard turns and quick climbs that can jump out at you. Once the meeting was done, it was time to set up our campsite- first time camping before a Tri. I will do it again!
One of great things about being in a small town like Hunter is the local food scene. For dinner T-Dog and I went to a place that served artisan cheese, sold antiques, had 300 different types of beer and some awesome burgers. Yeah cool place.
Race Morning- The day could not have been better- about 60 degrees, very light wind and an overcast sky. Since I camped close to transition, it was a very easy morning and I quickly set up my transition area and had some great conversations with the folks around me. I think pretty much all of us wanted to see the race be successful so HITS becomes another long course option. I am a big fan of Ironman branded full and 70.3 races but hope HITS can gain enough traction to give us more choices. More long races is a good thing.
Swim- The swim was a single loop with left turns (most of my races have right turns, but I like breathing more on the left so this was pretty cool). The water was cool- about 65 degrees- perfect wetsuit water. And the lake was pretty clear so finding friendly feet to draft was rather easy. There was only one wave for the half and full (the full did two laps) so we had a pretty nice scrum at the start. I did have to flip on my back twice to clear my left goggle, but within 200 meters settled in to a nice steady stroke. I felt pretty strong and consistent through out the entire swim. The only real challenge was when we turned at the final swim buoy, we were swimming into the sun rise so sighting was a bit hard. But since I was in a pretty good pack, I stayed on course and was quickly out of the water. I usually swim about 37-38 minutes for the 1.2 miles. This race I was out of the water in 34:45 and hit the transition mat at 35:35ish. I was pretty happy about that, although I knew it was likely the swim would be the only fast leg- after all we were racing on a Mountain.
T1- I am pretty good at T1 and T2. I do a good job of getting my gear set up and come into the Transition area with a clear plan of what I need to do and in what order. What was pretty cool is the AV crew was taking video of me as I got ready to head out on the bike- I will share the link if I can get it. Time was about 1:15.
Bike- The first 35 miles were flat to a slight downhill and I hammered Hard. While I had not ridden the course, HITS is working with Map My Tri to showcase route details including elevation, so my pre race strategy was to ride hard during the first 35 miles and then sit up during climb or the last 21 miles- at an average grade of 5%. I executed well- first 35 miles in about 1:25. Next 26 in about 1:27. Total time 2:52. Which is about 15 minutes slower than what I usually do, but I knew the course was very hard so I was happy with my effort. And coming into T2 I felt very good- legs were loose, stomach was fine and I was looking forward to 13.1 of up and down- yeah the run was a lot like the bike.
T2- nailed it- 46 seconds. My T1 time was the fastest and T2 was second so practice and consistency works.
Run- An out and back with minimal turning laterally, but lots of up and downs! The first 4 miles were pretty much downhill outside of two short but very steep hills. Then the next 5 miles were rolling hills. I felt pretty good- although I did have two blister form and pop- one on each heel. Once they popped I did not feel any pain (but knew I would later). Since the first 4 miles were downhill, the last four miles were uphill. I ran slower than I would have liked, but never once felt like I needed to walk or even slow down (my body did that on its own). Normally I run a 1:40-1:45 for the run- but I ran a 1:58. Given the heavy climbing and the fact that I was recovering from a minor knee injury I was very pleased.
Total time- 5:28:53. 18th place overall and 4th in my AG (40-44). In the last two years I have been pretty consistent finishing in the top 10-15% in most races and my performance was on track.
Post race- plenty of food- bagels, pretzels, HEED recovery drinks, lemonade, coke, ice tea and fruit.
Without a doubt this was the hardest 70.3 I have done (number 6 so far). But also very satisfying. I nailed the swim, nutrition, transitions and executed my pre race strategy. I will definitely do another HITS race and recommend it very much to everyone else. And bring one of your non triathlete friends to do the open- soon they will be one of your triathlete friends!
You can check out the rest of the HITS season of races here www.hitstriathlonseries.com
All three of my reasons for being excited were definitely exceeded.
The venue for the race was near Hunter Mountain at the North South Campground in Haines Falls. Packet pickup took place right at the campground and near the finish line. It was easy and while the expo was small there were some good vendors providing a wide range of gear. In the race bag was your standard mix of product samples and a nice tech t-shirt. And your race number envelope. HITS provides a full sheet of numbers from Tri Tats including some extra numbers- just in case. Plus Tri Tats race number temporary tattoos and your timing chip.
What made this even better was the fact that my son who was competing in the Open distance got the same packet that I did. However the cost to race the Open distance was FREE- except for the one day USAT license. HITS treated the Open competitors identical to all other racers. Their race was just as important as the other four distances- perhaps even better since they were given VIP treatment. On to the races.
My son raced in the Open which was a 100M swim, 3 Mile Bike and 1 Mile run. Sure the distance is short, but it was all about the experience. There were 3 waves- Men, Women and Family&U17. Each wave had a ten minute break in between- more than enough time but allowed for major separation and avoided a lot of bunching up on course. What was really cool is Mark Wilson the race director took the time to learn each racers name before the start. As they excited the water he greeted them by name- Really cool!
So my son was in the 3rd wave- definitely had his share of pre-race nerves but was excited for the race to start. When the horn sounded he looked like a motor boat for the first 50 meter or so. I am not sure if he paused to breathe- just swam as hard as he could. When he hit the Turnaround, he seemed to tire a bit but finished the swim well. I got to run with him up to T1 and then get some pictures of him getting ready for the bike. HITS does a great job in transition- everyone has a personal rack and stool. And my boy used the stool. While his T1 was not blazing fast, he did everything correctly and was soon running his bike out to the mount line. The bike course was a 3 mile out an back- the road was a bit bumpy and definitely not flat. He has a good ride, especially considering he had a chain issue. Coming back into T2 he looked tired, but excited. His bike to Run transition was very good- he did not sit nor waste time. He did take a big swig of water- which was a good call since the 1 mile run did not have (nor need) an Aid Station. Once he took off I ran up to the Finish line to wait for him. And soon I saw his white visor turning the corner to the 200 Meter uphill finish line. And when he hit that stretch he turned on the gas a bit- he ran hard to the finish line! He ended up finishing 1st in his Age Year (HITS reports AG to USAT, but awards based on Age Year). So in addition to getting his race packet, tshirt & finisher medal, he got a plaque, second tshirt and swim cap. And he was Happy!
Following his race and awards ceremony, it was time for me to rack my Bike and have the Half and Full athlete meeting. The meeting was pretty cool- outside with all of us gathered around Mark Wilson to share some key thoughts about each of the courses. What impressed me is he covered the tight turns and key "gotcha" sections of the bike both by mileage as well as landmarks. So as we were riding it became very easy to make sure you were ready for those hard turns and quick climbs that can jump out at you. Once the meeting was done, it was time to set up our campsite- first time camping before a Tri. I will do it again!
One of great things about being in a small town like Hunter is the local food scene. For dinner T-Dog and I went to a place that served artisan cheese, sold antiques, had 300 different types of beer and some awesome burgers. Yeah cool place.
Race Morning- The day could not have been better- about 60 degrees, very light wind and an overcast sky. Since I camped close to transition, it was a very easy morning and I quickly set up my transition area and had some great conversations with the folks around me. I think pretty much all of us wanted to see the race be successful so HITS becomes another long course option. I am a big fan of Ironman branded full and 70.3 races but hope HITS can gain enough traction to give us more choices. More long races is a good thing.
Swim- The swim was a single loop with left turns (most of my races have right turns, but I like breathing more on the left so this was pretty cool). The water was cool- about 65 degrees- perfect wetsuit water. And the lake was pretty clear so finding friendly feet to draft was rather easy. There was only one wave for the half and full (the full did two laps) so we had a pretty nice scrum at the start. I did have to flip on my back twice to clear my left goggle, but within 200 meters settled in to a nice steady stroke. I felt pretty strong and consistent through out the entire swim. The only real challenge was when we turned at the final swim buoy, we were swimming into the sun rise so sighting was a bit hard. But since I was in a pretty good pack, I stayed on course and was quickly out of the water. I usually swim about 37-38 minutes for the 1.2 miles. This race I was out of the water in 34:45 and hit the transition mat at 35:35ish. I was pretty happy about that, although I knew it was likely the swim would be the only fast leg- after all we were racing on a Mountain.
T1- I am pretty good at T1 and T2. I do a good job of getting my gear set up and come into the Transition area with a clear plan of what I need to do and in what order. What was pretty cool is the AV crew was taking video of me as I got ready to head out on the bike- I will share the link if I can get it. Time was about 1:15.
Bike- The first 35 miles were flat to a slight downhill and I hammered Hard. While I had not ridden the course, HITS is working with Map My Tri to showcase route details including elevation, so my pre race strategy was to ride hard during the first 35 miles and then sit up during climb or the last 21 miles- at an average grade of 5%. I executed well- first 35 miles in about 1:25. Next 26 in about 1:27. Total time 2:52. Which is about 15 minutes slower than what I usually do, but I knew the course was very hard so I was happy with my effort. And coming into T2 I felt very good- legs were loose, stomach was fine and I was looking forward to 13.1 of up and down- yeah the run was a lot like the bike.
T2- nailed it- 46 seconds. My T1 time was the fastest and T2 was second so practice and consistency works.
Run- An out and back with minimal turning laterally, but lots of up and downs! The first 4 miles were pretty much downhill outside of two short but very steep hills. Then the next 5 miles were rolling hills. I felt pretty good- although I did have two blister form and pop- one on each heel. Once they popped I did not feel any pain (but knew I would later). Since the first 4 miles were downhill, the last four miles were uphill. I ran slower than I would have liked, but never once felt like I needed to walk or even slow down (my body did that on its own). Normally I run a 1:40-1:45 for the run- but I ran a 1:58. Given the heavy climbing and the fact that I was recovering from a minor knee injury I was very pleased.
Total time- 5:28:53. 18th place overall and 4th in my AG (40-44). In the last two years I have been pretty consistent finishing in the top 10-15% in most races and my performance was on track.
Post race- plenty of food- bagels, pretzels, HEED recovery drinks, lemonade, coke, ice tea and fruit.
Without a doubt this was the hardest 70.3 I have done (number 6 so far). But also very satisfying. I nailed the swim, nutrition, transitions and executed my pre race strategy. I will definitely do another HITS race and recommend it very much to everyone else. And bring one of your non triathlete friends to do the open- soon they will be one of your triathlete friends!
You can check out the rest of the HITS season of races here www.hitstriathlonseries.com
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
January Blues- Sort of
So the last few weeks have been tough- lot of hours at work, bumpy home life and not enough time to train. But Things always have a way of working themselves out. Work is not better, but I am focused on the things I can control (as well as keeping my eyes open for shorter commute!). My bumpy home life is getting smoother- let's just say we are communicating better and seeing each other's perspective more clearly. And training- I would like 30 hrs a week- I get 10-15. So it is not like I am not doing good things- just not enough.
But what have I been up to? Spinervals Super6. As you may recall, I was a participant and finisher of the first Spinervals 32 Day challenge. An indoor bike focused training event during the month of December. Coach Troy Jacobson (www.spinervals.com & www.coachtroy.com) the genius behind the spinervals series of cycling training videops created the program. And it was great! So continuing on his successful program, he launched the Spinervals Super 6- six days a week for six weeks, but not just cycling- a lot running and weight training (there was a pretty good amount of weight's in the 32D challenge too).
The good news is my daily fitness is way up for this time of the year- the downside is I want more time!
Now you may also recall that I am on a search for the right running/ racing shoes to replace my beloved Saucony Kinvera 1's. The Kinerva 2's are sized wrong for my feet (have tried both the 9 and 9.5 and neither fit right). So I have embarked on a search for my new kicks.
Key requirements are light, minimalist and sockless friendly. In short I need to be able to pull them on during T2 super fast in order to keep my T2 times well be low 1 minute (for everything but full iron- I learned that taking my time on T2 for a 140.6 is worth it in spades!).
So my first attempt was the brooks connect pure- interesting shoe, light weird walking feel, but super smooth running feel. However not the insides are not barefoot friendly. A couple of seems and the tongue is hard to adjust quickly. Plus there are no loops to ease the shoe on my foot. Perhaps I will consider it for full irons, but definitely not for 70.3 and below.
2nd has been a couple of KSWISS shoes- the Ruuz 1.5, Blade Light Run and Blade Foot run. Ruuz had to be sent back since the sizing was off. The Blade Light Run is comfortable, and works with elastic laces & has toe/ heel loops. But it is not great barefoot and a bit heavier than I like. The blade foot run is a slimmed down version of the blade light. First Run with them was great, but I wore socks. This morning- sockless and miserable. Blisters on both heels and my left foot too. Really bummed as I was hoping KSWISS would be the right shoe. The Blade foot run is a strong contender for full irons, but alas likely out of the 70.3 and below option.
So the next shoes up are some from Zoot- I had stayed away from zoot based on some reviews of the TT 4 with the heel collar being too high. But the newest version is much lower and zoot does have a good reputation for sockless comfort and transition ease.
My new zoots will be here in about 2 weeks (shipping on 2/6) so look for my review soon after.
And I ordered from RoadRunner Sports which has a pretty cool vip program- check out the details here
But what have I been up to? Spinervals Super6. As you may recall, I was a participant and finisher of the first Spinervals 32 Day challenge. An indoor bike focused training event during the month of December. Coach Troy Jacobson (www.spinervals.com & www.coachtroy.com) the genius behind the spinervals series of cycling training videops created the program. And it was great! So continuing on his successful program, he launched the Spinervals Super 6- six days a week for six weeks, but not just cycling- a lot running and weight training (there was a pretty good amount of weight's in the 32D challenge too).
The good news is my daily fitness is way up for this time of the year- the downside is I want more time!
Now you may also recall that I am on a search for the right running/ racing shoes to replace my beloved Saucony Kinvera 1's. The Kinerva 2's are sized wrong for my feet (have tried both the 9 and 9.5 and neither fit right). So I have embarked on a search for my new kicks.
Key requirements are light, minimalist and sockless friendly. In short I need to be able to pull them on during T2 super fast in order to keep my T2 times well be low 1 minute (for everything but full iron- I learned that taking my time on T2 for a 140.6 is worth it in spades!).
So my first attempt was the brooks connect pure- interesting shoe, light weird walking feel, but super smooth running feel. However not the insides are not barefoot friendly. A couple of seems and the tongue is hard to adjust quickly. Plus there are no loops to ease the shoe on my foot. Perhaps I will consider it for full irons, but definitely not for 70.3 and below.
2nd has been a couple of KSWISS shoes- the Ruuz 1.5, Blade Light Run and Blade Foot run. Ruuz had to be sent back since the sizing was off. The Blade Light Run is comfortable, and works with elastic laces & has toe/ heel loops. But it is not great barefoot and a bit heavier than I like. The blade foot run is a slimmed down version of the blade light. First Run with them was great, but I wore socks. This morning- sockless and miserable. Blisters on both heels and my left foot too. Really bummed as I was hoping KSWISS would be the right shoe. The Blade foot run is a strong contender for full irons, but alas likely out of the 70.3 and below option.
So the next shoes up are some from Zoot- I had stayed away from zoot based on some reviews of the TT 4 with the heel collar being too high. But the newest version is much lower and zoot does have a good reputation for sockless comfort and transition ease.
My new zoots will be here in about 2 weeks (shipping on 2/6) so look for my review soon after.
And I ordered from RoadRunner Sports which has a pretty cool vip program- check out the details here
Friday, December 30, 2011
Day 30 of the Spinervals 32 Day Challenge
I am on the home stretch- just two more big days to go and this challenge will be history. But today was not a good day effort wise. Sometimes you get on the bike (or in the water/ on a run) and just don't have the legs. Today was that day for me. After doing the warm-up (nothing beats 3X30 in a 53/15), I realized my legs felt blah. What is blah you ask? An inability to get power, HR and cadence up- at all. So sometimes you have to accept that you can't go hard. So what I did today was spin easy for about an hour. My HR was low- about 120, power was low about 115-125, speed was slow- about 16-18 and cadence was low- about 75-80.
But I got off the bike feeling two things- 1) I road through a day I would have rather stayed in bed & 2) I just felt better. Legs still feel blah, but I know I will be ready for tomorrow and Sunday- 7-8 hrs total on the trainer.
The last 30 days have been a roller coaster for me at work and home. Things are not great and I am working on fixing both. What has been great is the challenge- day in, day out & working on improving my engine. I know I am stronger, faster and leaner! And the best part- Coach Troy is running a second challenge- Super6. Six weeks of training, 6 Days a week. So stay tuned!
But I got off the bike feeling two things- 1) I road through a day I would have rather stayed in bed & 2) I just felt better. Legs still feel blah, but I know I will be ready for tomorrow and Sunday- 7-8 hrs total on the trainer.
The last 30 days have been a roller coaster for me at work and home. Things are not great and I am working on fixing both. What has been great is the challenge- day in, day out & working on improving my engine. I know I am stronger, faster and leaner! And the best part- Coach Troy is running a second challenge- Super6. Six weeks of training, 6 Days a week. So stay tuned!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
End of the Year Reflections
Today is 12/28/2011 and as I sit here, I amazed at how fast the year has blown by. And like many, this the end of December is often a time to think about the what has happened in the past year, as well as outline some goals for 2012. 2011 was a mixed year for me; racing, work and family. So here we go:
2011 Race Performance
Jan- Spa 23 Indoor Tri- 1st place Overall. Not sure I am a fan of the indoor racing format, but it was good to push my body up to race pace.
April- Sandy Hook Time Trial- 7 miles on a flat and windy course. I was happy with my effort- about 26MPH, but got crushed and finished in the 50s.
April- MainStreet 10k- 10th overall and 2nd in my AG- rainy day, but I ran pretty well- about 41:20.
May- JerseyMan Half 70.3- 29th overall, 5th in my AG - 5:15:21. Nutrition was a bit off on the bike which hurt on the run. But overall I was happy- first race of the season (not including the indoor) & things went pretty well.
June- DC Olympic Tri- 164 Overall, 13th in my AG (and Qualified for the 5150 Championships & 2011USAT AG National Championships) 2:23:29
July- Ironman Rhode Island 70.3- 213 Overall, 39 in my AG- 5:14:00. Raced a solid race- nutrition & Pacing were very good (swim sucked)
July Muddy Buddy with my son. Fun!
August- TriRock NY Sprint- 10th overall, 2nd in MY AG (Qualified for the 2012 USAT AG National Championships- 1:24
September- Toughman Half 70.3- 210 Overall, 27th in my AG- a TERRIBLE race. My nutrition was off- not enough pre race eating, and I walked on the run. But I learned a lot from this race (which I had very high hopes for since I did so well last year). Worst and best race of the year. 5:37:40
October- Ironman Pocono Mtn 70.3 (well 66.xx) No swim and a slightly shorter bike due to very bad weather. But I really did well. 111 Overall, 21 AG. 4:22. Likely would have PR'd and broke 5 hrs for a 70.3. The good news is everything I needed to learn from past races - taper, pre race eating and hydrating, in race nutrition, pacing, etc worked & worked well.
October Beach to Battleship 140.6- MY FIRST FULL IRON. 141 Overall, 27 in my AG. 11:38:13. I hurt my knee at a potty stop at mile 100 or so of the bike- just twisted it a bit, but it hurt on the run and forced me to walk about 8 miles of the run. (lesson learned- bring tylenol just in case). But it was a great experience and I am looking forward to my next full in 2012.
November -Turkey Trot 5K- 87 Overall 10 in my AG- 20:54 A bit slow for me, but I was definitely fighting some post B2B injuries (knee and toes) as well as trying to find new shoes- Damn you Saucony for changing the Kinvera! The Kinerva 2 is MUCH different on my foot.
2011 Job-
I switched from Dynamic Logic- a part of the WPP group (advertising) to a start-up -EachScape, a mobile app development company. Long hours, lots of commuting- not sure if it is for me.
2011 Family- Being a Husband, Dad, Employee and Competitive Triathlete is very tough. It is a balancing act that I am not always good at. I am sometimes very selfish about training & racing, but make sacrifices in the number of races I do. The reality is I want to race more, but don't and that sucks for me. 3 races that I did not do in 2011 were the HyVee 5150, USAT AG National Championships & the Ironman Timberman 70.3- all for family reasons. I know my wife does not love my triathlon training and racing- which sucks for both of us & and I am not sure what the next steps will be. I am trying to adjust my racing and training but if I cut back I am MISERABLE. And if I train off hours (early and late) I am exhausted.
2011 Wrap -up- A good year of racing with a lot of ups and downs. Good lessons learned. And more time needed in my day.
2012 Goals:
1) Improve my work, family and Tri dynamics- not sure how that is gonna work (new job without a 2HR commute might work) But real family acceptance could work as well.
2) Race in the USAT National Championships- am registering, but the race is one week after IM NYC (may be a tough fit, but will cross that bridge when I get there)
3) Break 5 Hrs for a 70.3
4) Break 11 hrs for a 140.6
5) Continue to have fun.
6) Find my new race shoes (see above- Damn you Saucony)
More to come on the race schedule for 2012.
2011 Race Performance
Jan- Spa 23 Indoor Tri- 1st place Overall. Not sure I am a fan of the indoor racing format, but it was good to push my body up to race pace.
April- Sandy Hook Time Trial- 7 miles on a flat and windy course. I was happy with my effort- about 26MPH, but got crushed and finished in the 50s.
April- MainStreet 10k- 10th overall and 2nd in my AG- rainy day, but I ran pretty well- about 41:20.
May- JerseyMan Half 70.3- 29th overall, 5th in my AG - 5:15:21. Nutrition was a bit off on the bike which hurt on the run. But overall I was happy- first race of the season (not including the indoor) & things went pretty well.
June- DC Olympic Tri- 164 Overall, 13th in my AG (and Qualified for the 5150 Championships & 2011USAT AG National Championships) 2:23:29
July- Ironman Rhode Island 70.3- 213 Overall, 39 in my AG- 5:14:00. Raced a solid race- nutrition & Pacing were very good (swim sucked)
July Muddy Buddy with my son. Fun!
August- TriRock NY Sprint- 10th overall, 2nd in MY AG (Qualified for the 2012 USAT AG National Championships- 1:24
September- Toughman Half 70.3- 210 Overall, 27th in my AG- a TERRIBLE race. My nutrition was off- not enough pre race eating, and I walked on the run. But I learned a lot from this race (which I had very high hopes for since I did so well last year). Worst and best race of the year. 5:37:40
October- Ironman Pocono Mtn 70.3 (well 66.xx) No swim and a slightly shorter bike due to very bad weather. But I really did well. 111 Overall, 21 AG. 4:22. Likely would have PR'd and broke 5 hrs for a 70.3. The good news is everything I needed to learn from past races - taper, pre race eating and hydrating, in race nutrition, pacing, etc worked & worked well.
October Beach to Battleship 140.6- MY FIRST FULL IRON. 141 Overall, 27 in my AG. 11:38:13. I hurt my knee at a potty stop at mile 100 or so of the bike- just twisted it a bit, but it hurt on the run and forced me to walk about 8 miles of the run. (lesson learned- bring tylenol just in case). But it was a great experience and I am looking forward to my next full in 2012.
November -Turkey Trot 5K- 87 Overall 10 in my AG- 20:54 A bit slow for me, but I was definitely fighting some post B2B injuries (knee and toes) as well as trying to find new shoes- Damn you Saucony for changing the Kinvera! The Kinerva 2 is MUCH different on my foot.
2011 Job-
I switched from Dynamic Logic- a part of the WPP group (advertising) to a start-up -EachScape, a mobile app development company. Long hours, lots of commuting- not sure if it is for me.
2011 Family- Being a Husband, Dad, Employee and Competitive Triathlete is very tough. It is a balancing act that I am not always good at. I am sometimes very selfish about training & racing, but make sacrifices in the number of races I do. The reality is I want to race more, but don't and that sucks for me. 3 races that I did not do in 2011 were the HyVee 5150, USAT AG National Championships & the Ironman Timberman 70.3- all for family reasons. I know my wife does not love my triathlon training and racing- which sucks for both of us & and I am not sure what the next steps will be. I am trying to adjust my racing and training but if I cut back I am MISERABLE. And if I train off hours (early and late) I am exhausted.
2011 Wrap -up- A good year of racing with a lot of ups and downs. Good lessons learned. And more time needed in my day.
2012 Goals:
1) Improve my work, family and Tri dynamics- not sure how that is gonna work (new job without a 2HR commute might work) But real family acceptance could work as well.
2) Race in the USAT National Championships- am registering, but the race is one week after IM NYC (may be a tough fit, but will cross that bridge when I get there)
3) Break 5 Hrs for a 70.3
4) Break 11 hrs for a 140.6
5) Continue to have fun.
6) Find my new race shoes (see above- Damn you Saucony)
More to come on the race schedule for 2012.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Spinervals Challenge Update- Sick Days
Sick Days-
I spent a long day in the car last Wednesday and was feeling kinda bad on Thursday morning. I did the normal set- an ABB, hit the pool for a short swim and then drove into the city. By the time I got to my office, I felt bad- head was in a vise and I had a low grade fever. So decided to head home and get some rest. I spent all of Thursday evening in bed and woke up Friday pretty much feeling the same. Since everything was above the neck, I decided to do a short spin- 30 minutes or so and then spent the rest of the day on the couch. Saturday I got up- feeling a bit better, but not ready for Tough Love, so I did a 45 minute spin, building to Threshold over the last 10 minutes. That really helped. I got a runners high from the workout and I think that helped to push whatever I had out fast. Finally on Sunday I did a 2:15 moderate spin at low zone two and about 180watts (yeah I finally have a power meter!).
Today is a rest day and I am taking it- I slept in until 7 AM and am taking it easy. I think my body will appreciate the rest. Tomorrow I am ready to hit it hard!
Hope everyone else is having fun with the challenge. Being sick sucks, but I definitely feel that the Spinervals 32 day challenge has had some awesome impacts on my fitness and motivation!
I spent a long day in the car last Wednesday and was feeling kinda bad on Thursday morning. I did the normal set- an ABB, hit the pool for a short swim and then drove into the city. By the time I got to my office, I felt bad- head was in a vise and I had a low grade fever. So decided to head home and get some rest. I spent all of Thursday evening in bed and woke up Friday pretty much feeling the same. Since everything was above the neck, I decided to do a short spin- 30 minutes or so and then spent the rest of the day on the couch. Saturday I got up- feeling a bit better, but not ready for Tough Love, so I did a 45 minute spin, building to Threshold over the last 10 minutes. That really helped. I got a runners high from the workout and I think that helped to push whatever I had out fast. Finally on Sunday I did a 2:15 moderate spin at low zone two and about 180watts (yeah I finally have a power meter!).
Today is a rest day and I am taking it- I slept in until 7 AM and am taking it easy. I think my body will appreciate the rest. Tomorrow I am ready to hit it hard!
Hope everyone else is having fun with the challenge. Being sick sucks, but I definitely feel that the Spinervals 32 day challenge has had some awesome impacts on my fitness and motivation!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Day 13 of the Spinervals 32 Day Challenge
Day 13- Another trip into the blue zone. The workout called for Spinervals 39- which I don't have yet, but one of the options was Spinervals 21 which I just got when I renewed my membership at CoachTroy.com.
If you have not done Spinervals 21 yet- go out and buy it. It only has 2 sets. A warmup set (the usual) and then just one more set. A SIXTY minute steady state effort. Nice! It is a nice long ride with Coach Troy having you changing gearing, cadence, hand positions and occasional short standing efforts. The goal of the rep is to stay aero- aerobic and aerodynamic (I added that part, but 95% of the hour you should be on your aero bars so a great way to practice solid technique and position).
I liked the workout a lot, although I definitely felt a bit slow- my legs were not as fast as I would like them to be. I felt like I was on the lower end of the cadence goals, but actually felt a bit stronger during the last 15 minutes (so I know I did not go out too hard). The other thing I noticed is I really need to get a new HR monitor strap- Several times my HR spiked to 240 in 15 degree increments and then down to 55-60. My effort was consistent, breathing was fine (not labored) and my focus was on maintaining good form and effort. So today I will head down to my favorite store in NYC - Paragon Sports and get a new strap for my Garmin.
Workout Details
Bike
Time- 1:25:23
Distance- 26.59 Miles
AVG HR- Blue Zone
Calories 1425 (approximately)
Tonight I am doing a 30-40 core Workout- planks, crunches, flutter kicks and all of those fun things!
Tomorrow we ride with the Harvest Bread Company- Spinervals 24-Hills.
If you have not done Spinervals 21 yet- go out and buy it. It only has 2 sets. A warmup set (the usual) and then just one more set. A SIXTY minute steady state effort. Nice! It is a nice long ride with Coach Troy having you changing gearing, cadence, hand positions and occasional short standing efforts. The goal of the rep is to stay aero- aerobic and aerodynamic (I added that part, but 95% of the hour you should be on your aero bars so a great way to practice solid technique and position).
I liked the workout a lot, although I definitely felt a bit slow- my legs were not as fast as I would like them to be. I felt like I was on the lower end of the cadence goals, but actually felt a bit stronger during the last 15 minutes (so I know I did not go out too hard). The other thing I noticed is I really need to get a new HR monitor strap- Several times my HR spiked to 240 in 15 degree increments and then down to 55-60. My effort was consistent, breathing was fine (not labored) and my focus was on maintaining good form and effort. So today I will head down to my favorite store in NYC - Paragon Sports and get a new strap for my Garmin.
Workout Details
Bike
Time- 1:25:23
Distance- 26.59 Miles
AVG HR- Blue Zone
Calories 1425 (approximately)
Tonight I am doing a 30-40 core Workout- planks, crunches, flutter kicks and all of those fun things!
Tomorrow we ride with the Harvest Bread Company- Spinervals 24-Hills.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)