Ironman #2 Success!!!

Well, i have given myself about a week to relax and reflect after the race last weekend and hopefully will have something interesting to say.

I woke up race morning to perfect weather. the alarm went off just before 4 am and i was up eating breakfast and washing down with the first bottle of sports drink for the day. i didn't really sleep all that well the night before so waking up wasn't really that big of an issue. i gathered the last of the stuff i was going to need that morning and headed into downtown madison.

we parked in the garage just a block from the finish line and started to head down to transition. the first stop i made was to get my numbers applied for the day. i'm not really sure what purpose the numbers serve in an ironman especially because are bike are numbered (and we have a helmet number) and on the run we have our race belt...but i think there is something ceremonial about getting your numbers on race morning. besides affixing your chip to your ankle, and arriving at the race site, the race numbers truely signify that the race has arrived and provides your identity for the day.

next i strolled into the transition area for some last minute preparation with my bike. i pumped up the tires, loaded up on nutrition, got my bearings one last time before saying goodbye and going onto the next steps of preparation

i have never really been all that great at putting all of my thoughts down on paper. it is especially difficult to think of everything that was running through my mind in the hour before the race started. there are challenges that all athletes face on the morning of the race...there is a need to find a bathroom, to stretch, to arrive at the starting line resting, mentally prepared and ready to go. finding a bathroom this year was a bit of a challenge...not really sure why, but we ended up going to the basement and ultimately found some peace and quiet. after that we sat down to get our final thoughts in and think about the day ahead.

here my uncle mike seems to have found some peace of mind and is visualizing the race ahead.

i on the other hand am just a ball of nervous energy. the morning of the race i just felt rushed, and without any good reason. maybe i just wanted the race to start, maybe i was just anxious, maybe i was excited. i knew, however, based on last year, that those thoughts of self-doubt, concerns about preparation, or fears of what the race might bring would melt away as soon as the cannon fired, i just needed to get to the start line.

the walk down to the swim start is the first exposure that you get to the helix on race day. it is incredible that it is already lined with spectators getting ready to cheer on all of the athletes...but all of those people do make the journey to the start line a little longer. at the bottom of the helix i saw my parents and evan and we were able to say good morning/goodbye and make our way to the water.

many people have written all sorts of things about the swim start at an ironman. some are true, some are completely exaggerated, and others, well i guess there is some truth in a lot of what people have to say. we swam out from shore to the mass of people. i positioned us about 5 rows back from the start and smack dab between the ski jump and the red turn bouy. i figured i would be far enough behind the initial malay yet close enough that i could get a good draft. well i was half correct. at 7 am the cannon fires and the calm serene waters turn into a sea of flailing arms, kicking legs, and swarming people.

we are all moving to the same goal, we all have the same objective...some people just have interesting ways of getting there. i knew it was going to be a little physical, but i wasn't expecting the pummeling that i was about to receive. i got kicked in the face, had my ass grabbed (several times), felt someone's fingernails dig into my feet, not once, but at least twice, had others swim directly into my side, and at the end of one stroke got my funny bone nailed by the swimmer adjacent to me...not the sensation you want about 300 meters into a 2.4 mile swim. met a huge log jam at the first turn bouy, got kicked a few more times and then started to move trailing a nice pair of feet for a while. as expected i settled into a very comfortable rhythm, often breathing every 4th and just cruising along. i didn't feel as if i was exerting myself and after the field spread out a little was actually enjoying the swim and letting the pre-race jitters work their way out.

i got out of the water in 1:11:04 good for 92/260 in age group and felt great. i hustled up the helix through transition, got everything for the bike, on the bike and through T1 in 8:29. swim plus T1 time faster than year before. sweet! unfortunately on of the many attacks i sustained during the swim the timer on my watch got a stopped and i really had no idea where i was. add that to the fact that my watch is somewhere around 5 or 6 minutes fast...it was going to be interesting.

i made my way down the helix, no need to ruin the race in the first minute of the bike and start off on the ride. i saw my friends and family who were spectating, as i went flying by them. i headed out on john nolen drive leaving the capitol in the background and getting ready for 112 miles of riding. the bike course presents its own challenges, but on a picture perfect day like sunday, i was ready to ride hard and have a blast.

my game plan was to take it nice and easy all the way out to verona, spin up the first couple of hills, then settle into a moderate pace all the way to the first real hill and the climb into mt. horeb. i was racing my own race, not getting sucked into the people going by and settled into a nice comfortable pace of about 20 mph or so all the way to mt horeb. i didn't feel as if i was pushing it at all. spent some time spinning in the small ring up front, didn't stand up, and just kept up with my nutrition plan and game plant. i had the benefit of having ridden the course numerous times in training, and more importantly having raced the course as well. i knew when to be in an easier gear, i knew when to be patient, when to coast down hills, when to downshift in preparation of he next hill. i felt great, my legs felt loose, my back relaxed, and mentally i was in a really good place without any self doubt.

i make it through mt horeb, up and down the rollers on witte, up the unforseen hill on garfoot #1, fly down garfoot #2, and cruise all the way into cross plains. i average 19.7 miles per hour for the first 40 miles and feel fantastic. now it is time to climb the 3 big hills on the course. at the top of the 2nd hill my family is again waiting and capture some great pictures of me cruising up the hill.

i continue on the first loop and make a quick stop at the half way point to refuel and make a pit stop. after a brief pause i am moving again. then something great happens. as soon as i started the climb out of verona last year i was slowed by an unforgiving nagging pain in both of my knees....this year...nothing. onward and upward. i keep on cruising, feel good, start pushing the pace a little, but really trying to stay seated as best i can. physically i feel great. around mile 70 i look down at my stomach because it feels as if my jersey is tight...it really was odd, my jersey usually is never tight, and i don't really have a big belly...hmmm...i switch from a combo of water and my sports drink to gatorade and my sports drink....if only i had known what this might have been suggesting...

i begin the ascent up the 3 hills again after cross plains and still feel great. my knees are cooperating, my legs still feel fresh, my spirits are high. i guess the 3 century rides this year, and the countless other 80-90 mile rides were paying off.

here i am at the crest of timber lane on the second loop.

after coming off the top of the hill i settle back into an aero position and keep on cruising back to verona.

i pull back on the throttle a for the last 10 miles, still keeping a decent pace but relaxing a little, just to get the legs a little looser, and get my body ready for the marathon that is to come.

overall i was ecstatic pulling into the helix at the end of the 112 mile ride. my time was 6:02:33 for a pace of 18.5 MPH. i dropped just under 30 minutes total and averaged 1.35 MPH faster for the duration of the ride. i was stoked, flew through transition and started the run with high hopes for a great marathon.

I started the run feeling spectacular, much better than last year. i was relaxed, not pushing the pace at all...and i cruised the first mile at 8 minutes...alright slow down a little, second mile was about 8:30....ok...slow down a little more... then somewhere around mile 3, just before camp randall stadium the proverbial wheels fell off the truck.

i'm not completely sure what happened, i thought i had been following my nutrition plan, i thought i had consumed enough fluids, enough energy, enough of everything, i felt as if i held a reasonable pace on the bike, didn't blow up too much, knees felt fine, legs felt refreshed....the problem it turned out was that my stomach just didn't want to cooperate. i was nauseated, felt bloated, and could barely get anything down. not how you want to feel with another 23 miles to run...

so i trudged on, a little walking, a little running, trying to drink whenever, whatever i could, walk again, run again...repeat....one mile after another. it was rough.

the look on my face basically tells the story, i was miserable. physically besides my stomach i felt fine, mentally, i was coming back to the turn around wondering if i had it in me to make it back around the loop for a second time. mentally it was also heartbreaking to watch a great first 2/3 of the race slip between my fingers and the chance to completely destroy my time from the year before slip out of reach. but i figured i had made it this far, and no one ever said that doing an ironman was easy, so i just kept pushing, one foot in front of the other, one step at a time.

around mile 25 despite not really having had much in the way of intake for probably the 10 miles before i decided that i just needed to dig in and finish the damn race. after pausing to let my stomach settle one more time i made the turn up state street for the last time. i could see the glowing dome of the capitol building in the distance and knew that even though the rest of the course basically was uphill, that i was there, that i was going to finish the race. apparently i wasn't as dehydrated as i thought as i could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. the tears of joy of the people cheering and and the knowledge that just a couple of blocks away was the finish line. one last turn around the capitol and the finish line and finisher's chute comes clearly into view. there is no one else around. and then just like the year before, only a little more sweet this year after not only beating my time but also fighting through an unbelieveably tough marathon i hear what i have worked so hard to hear....

"David Salzman, a 31 year old physician from Chicago...

YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!"

it was a really special day and i felt lucky to spend it with my uncle who won his age group and qualified to go to Kona in 2010. what a fun season, it started with the 2 of us down in orlando at the florida 70.3 and ended in madison with the 2 of us racing again.

and just as fast as it had started the race was over. one of these days i'll likely go back and race an ironman distance race again. i had a tremendous season this year. i had PR's at every single race that I did. apart from the marathon at the end of the ironman i significantly dropped time on each of the run segments of every race. hopefully i will be able to carry forward the running training and learn how to be faster, more efficient, and a better runner next year. maybe with a year or two of short course racing i can develop some speed and then transfer that over to longer course racing. we shall see what happens. i have no races in the books for next year...yet....but i've already started looking. a little more time of enforced rest and then i'll gently get back into working out again. just not yet.

thanks for all of the support this year!

this is it....it's time to race!!!!

Well this is it. The last post before the start of the race. The last post before the adventure begins again. I know the race is brutal, it is mentally and physically challenging. But really, I think I have accomplished one of the most challenging parts of the ironman. I have managed to make it to the starting line. I am here, healthy, not injured, haven’t destroyed too many relationships, I have a job, friends, family, and I still love this sport. Really I figure that is 99% of the battle. There would have been too many times where I could have folded, not gone out on “that” training ride, or run, or swim. Other times when I could have stayed out late and slept in later. But I am here. I have soaked up the entire pre-race energy. I am ready for the race. Whatever happens tomorrow, happens. I have done everything I could have done to prepare for the race, and still have a somewhat balanced….alright fine, completely lopsided life. However, I am here, I didn’t overdo it, I got to travel around the world, run along the pacific coast, Turkey, Argentina, ride and run in the beautiful northwoods of Wisconsin. My races have taken me to florida and Wisconsin. I have completed 2 half ironman and one Olympic races. I have lived and breathed triathlon and I can’t wait to race again. The other amazing feat is that I am returning to the starting line just one year after finishing my last ironman. I have figured out a way to stay healthy for almost 21 consecutive months. I am ready to race, I am ready to get back on the course, I am ready to toe the line and get to the finish.

pre-race day

with one day left until the race begins, i spent the majority of the day today getting the last steps accomplished for the race. after a quick and easy swim in the lake with beautiful 75 degree water temps, i brought my bike to the transition area and got it all squared away. below is my bike sitting in the hotel hallway before we left for the morning.

after dropping off the bike we dropped off the bags into the transition areas. my swim to bike bag is where the 3 people are gathering in the upper left part of the picture.

finally, we had a great brunch, wandered around the capitol square at the farmer's market. tomorrow night this is where all of the action will unfold. the day is almost here.

first sights of madison

here are some quick pictures of day #1 in madison

seeing the arch is a true sign that this is getting real.


my racer number

the pre-race dinner

the capitol illuminated at night. what a great sight

tomorrow the support crew arrives which includes evan, the fearless leader of the crew and my best friend. he has put up with my countless hours of training, the even more countless hours of pondering training, the smelly clothes, wetsuits hanging in the bathroom, and general state of disarray. he deserves more thanks than is possible, and far more than is ever given. without him, travel to, and even participation in many of these races would have been very lonely. i couldn't have gotten here the first time without your support, and the second time without your encouragement and even greater support. thanks for being there for me.

along with him my mom and dad also arrive. they instilled the desire to achieve greatness and to keep pushing myself beyond limits that i thought existed. although it may have taken me a while to find a sport in which i could excel i was always encouraged to try new things and explore. with this encouragement, and lots of food, (especially the great home cooked meals, the frequent replenishing of costco food has made everything easier and fueled my ability to get here. i look forward to trying to find you on the course on sunday.

my aunt also arrives, and while i fully anticipate her support, she will have plenty of requirements to cheer on my uncle who is also racing...so i wont' put too much pressure on her, but i am glad that she is here to join in the fun.

and of course to everyone watching at home. i hope you enjoy the race as much as i will.

returning to the start line

So it is with great excitement and trepidation that I get ready for the start of this years ironman. I remember the peace and serenity of the minutes before the race started last year. despite the crowd yelling from the shore, the music blaring over the loudspeakers, and the people splashing in the water there was a complete peacefulness that existed in the water. Floating in the water, lying on my back, looking up at the sky, just relaxing and soaking in the entire experience. It is quite bizarre that in a mass of people fuelled with energy both physical and emotional that I could be so relaxed. Of all of the parts of the ironman that I have been looking forward to repeating for the past year the start is definitely one of the few incredible moments in my mind. I can envision the walk down the helix, walking through the masses of people, then wading into the water to sit and relax while awaiting the blast of the cannon and the rapid change of the calm water into a massive collection of flailing arms and legs churning the water as the race starts.

My memories of the swim are one giant blur. I remember looking off my right shoulder and seeing the thousands of spectators hanging over the edges of Monona terrace, sitting on the edge of the shore, and looking out the windows. Despite being in the churning water you can feel the energy from the shore. After a quick swim, out of the water, wetsuit stripped off, and the run up the helix.

What a brilliant race design, the helix in itself is really intimitading. Just think, having to run up the equivalent of 4 stories after just finishing a 2.4 mile swim. But the turns move quickly with the hundreds of spectators cheering you on.

There are a couple of thoughts that stick out in my head from the 112 mile bike ride from last year. the first was my excitement as I hit the first hill after turing off of paoli. I was smiling and said, alright hills…bring it. And with that, the race began. Little did I know that 40 miles later I would be cursing those same hills…but that is experience. I loved climbing the hills near old sauk pass. It is so much fun with people cheering you on and banging drums. Despite being in a lot of discomfort for the last 30 miles of the ride, I still remember somewhere around mile 100 some people holding a sign indicating that I would be “saved”…um yea, right….

Things that I will try to remember this year are the following: don’t try to go fast the first loop and you will pay for it on the second loop…but don’t go too slow…or you will be paying for it for the rest of the day. More sitting the first loop on the hills, the second loop then perhaps think about getting out of the saddle and going. Don’t carry around the empty bottles or extra bottles of Gatorade just in case…it is just extra weight that I have to get up the damn hills.

Also…don’t sit around in transition, just keep moving

The run, well, I remember how excited I was at mile 20 of the run last year. I knew that I was just 6.2 miles away from finishing…a walk in the park really. I also loved giving the volunteer at the turn around a high five. I am going to make sure that I do that again this year. that was awesome. I am going to try to run more, walk less, keep my head up, soak in every minute, and get to the finish line with nothing left.

And of course the finish line… how could you ever forget the finish line. The sun had just set, the lights were on, the crowd was cheering, and it was just me, all alone, running down the finish chute, arms above my head. YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!

Let’s do it again.

thanks

I really do think that one of the hardest parts of getting to the starting line is the challenge of balancing work, friends, family, travel, and everything else. I simply wanted to give my thanks to many, many people who have helped me along the way. I am greatly appreciative of my colleagues at work who have been able to switch shifts to allow for my travel, race, and training schedule to fit in with my work schedule. I also can’t forget the egging on that I got about 2 years ago from another one of my colleagues that got me on this crazy journey in the first place. I am thrilled that my family has been able to come to races and join me as well. Being able to spend the race knowing your family is at the sidelines and then going to get brunch afterwards really makes racing a lot more fun. Specifically it has been fantastic to be able to race with my uncle this year…and by race with him I mean to be on the same course at the same time, because in reality while we might be on the same course he is clearly in a different league. My friends have also been far more understanding than I could have ever expected, from going home early on nights out to get up early the next day and go on another long day of training. Thanks for your understanding. Well there is one more race to go, one more big push, one more big chance to show that the extra training, the extra time away from everything, the extra time spent getting ready for the race is going to pay off. I’m really looking forward to the start, thanks for all of the support along the way. And bring your sunglasses on Sunday…..it looks like you are going to need them J

getting ready to race

so today was one of the first days when it really hit me that the race is coming up...and by coming up...it is this weekend. i feel ready, i am excited for the race, really hoping to throw together a fantastic day. i have prepared physically, i am resting this week, i have gone through the entire course in my mind. i have a nutrition plan that worked last year. i have legs that are stronger. i have race experience. i am planning on a great day.

in other news the weather just took a change today....um...well how do i put this....i guess, without sounding too happy, i am pretty excited. now i know that it is still 4 days out, and a lot can change, but there aren't any remnants of hurricanes coming our way....and well, the chance of precipitation just went down to 0%. hey, i'll take that, even with a slightly higher chance of rain, say 20 or 30%. granted it will be a little warmer but the winds aren't forecast to be that strong...i'll believe it when i experience it on race day.

in the meantime, more rest and getting ready to head to madison for the big race.

as I get closer to the starting line and am spending less time training I have plenty of time to think about other things. Instead of trying to figure out how far, and where, and when I am going to run, ride, or swim, I have instead been thinking about the past year of training. There is no doubt that I have covered some amazing distances this year. clearly not to the level of a pro, but a lot of distance none the less.

Totals so far

75 miles swimming

2750 miles bicycling

645 miles running

total: 3470 miles

so what does this mean…it is about the equivalent of ORD to LHR, or just short of the round trip from ORD to LAX, or almost from Chicago to anchorage on the ground…yea it’s a long way, but there is still another 140.6 miles to go.

motivation

There are really just 2 types of people, those who say I can’t, and those who say I can. These people have been summoned here, by themselves for their 1700 different reasons. Their unity comes from their mantra, I can. And their destination, a place they absolutely have to get to. What they will do to get there is monumental by anyone’s standards, even their own. The unknown we all fear it, and right now there is an ocean full of it. This is also about limits, reaching them, exploring them, exceeding what you thought yours were, or maybe, coming to the conclusion that there aren’t any limits.

This is the Ironman.

Ironman is a swim, a bike, a run, its what I do every day of my life. It becomes almost addictive once you’ve done it once you want to do it again. Sort of like a drug in a way, Ironman is the drug.

Limits, what limits. There is no can’t in Ironman. Anything is possible, I can, I know I can.

A 2.4 mile swim, 112 miles on the bike, then a marathon. The man who started this said, you can quit and they don’t care, but you will always know. This is the Ironman.

t-10 days

well, i am getting closer and closer to the start date. they released our racer numbers yesterday and i am racer #503. i like the low number, but then again it is only a number. it is the area code for portland and refers to a http error code. it appears as if the numbering started again with the youngest age groupers and then progressed up to the older people....clearly not based on expected finish order.

so tomorrow the 1st weather prediction arrives on the 10 day forecast. friday and saturday look nice, hopefully the trend will hold out. those couple of days will be cool, so the prospect of a huge heatwave coming in overnight is unlikely, and hopefully no rain. it might juset be a perfect day for racing.

i got my bike back from the shop after its pre-race tune-up. as expected i needed a new chain. i also found out that when i bought my bike they installed the "wrong" front derailleur which is why i have been throwing my chain and having trouble shifting as of late. my guess is that it worked for a while but the combination of the tired chain, the loosening or stretching cables made the incompatibility more pronounced. oh well, another small cost that was slightly unexpected but will hopefully the bike will run better. after the tune-up i had my race wheels installed, brakes fine tuned and and the shifting dialed in. i know that it is not all about the bike....but it helps to have a bike in sweet working order. tomorrow i will take it out for a ride, all decked out in race wheels and new gear. it looks ready to go, hopefully it will feel nice and smooth on the ride tomorrow. it needs to ready to go 112 miles in 10 days.

i am well into my taper at this point. i have gone on some short quick runs, some more swims and a shorter bike ride. this weekend and the week ahead has another medium swim, a medium/short ride, and a short run. then just a couple more quick bursts at the beginning of the week, an opportunity to let the legs rest, and yet stay focused and ready to race.

keep your fingers crossed for the weather

T-36 Days

today i accomplished a big feat. i ran 20 miles in the heat, humidity, and slight misting rain at the start. the run started off at a nice and even pace with a little mist in the first 2-3 miles and I finished in the first 10 miles in around 1:32 and change with a couple of short stops for water. i turned around, the clouds broke the sun started to shine and the heat index kept rising. i kept pushing myself, trying to hold a steady pace and not let my heart rate blow up in the heat. i drank about 32 oz of gatorade, 2/3 of a cliff bar and lots of water from the water fountains. at the end of the run, 20 miles later i made it back home

the difference a year makes - this year compared to the same time last year i have run 122 miles more. an what a difference a year makes. last years 20 mile run was about 3:36 with 20 more minutes of stopping at water fountains, stretching, etc. this year - 3:08 with about 15-20 minutes of stopping at water fountains. there is no doubt that the extra running has had a difference, my run times at all the races i have done this year have been faster than before. with any luck the faster run today will pay off in another 5 weeks...

T-52 days

Today I got out for a great ride. 101 miles in total. The week has had its ups and downs. Fantastic race last weekend, good day of training on tuesday with 70 miles and 2 miles swimming. yesterday was a complete waste of a run. wanted to run 8-10 miles, got to 3 and turned around to go home, ended up walking the majority of the way back. i usually have about one or two of those days a year when i think that i should go for a run but my body has other ideas. oh well, it was a nice walk.

today's ride made up for yesterday. 101 miles and I negative split the second 50. its not so much that i went faster the second half, but rather that i had a game plan to go out smart, and leave enough in the tank to get home feeling good. mission accomplished. notes when compared to last year's century ride around the same time - no knee pain, went faster this year. while going faster is nice, i am more excited about how my knees feel right now. last year at the end of the 100 miles every stroke was painful....fast forward to the ironman last year....every pedal stroke after about mile 70 was irritatingly painful. maybe this is a good sign.

i have spent the past hour eating and rehydrating...i love these long work outs. i'll try to run again tomorrow.

Spirit of Racine

This race was the fourth half Ironman distance I have raced in the past three years and my third time completing Racine. Overall, I thought the race was spectacular, I cut some pretty impressive time off of my prior races, and raced a pretty well balanced race.

Overall: 4:54:11 46/102 in age group, 316/1174 total participants
Swim: 26:55 - 30/102 age, 317 overall
Bike: 2:34:53 21.7 MPH - 48/102 age, 355 overall
Run: 1:47:23 - 49/102 age, 328 overall

I woke up on race morning to mostly cloudy skies, almost no wind, and a temperature in the low to mid 60's. Perfect condiions for some quick times. I put on an extra layer to stay warm, packed up the car and drive from the hotel t the race site. My bike had been checked in the night before so I just had to re-inflate tires and get the rest of my gear set up in transition.



The swim in Racine is a point to point, which means a nice long mile walk along the beach to get to the swim start. Once there I tried to get used to the water and waited for my heat with the rest of the competitors.



I was in the third heat and 6 minutes after the first wave left we got up to the start line to begin the race covering 70.3 miles.



After the siren fired we ran into the water and began the swim.



I will have to admit, although the water was reported to be 64 degrees on race morning those first couple of strokes felt a lot cooler. Really I doubt there was any way that the temp was really 64. I think there was a nice little current pushing us along as well. I stood up from the swim in the shallow water and looked at my watch ~ 25 minutes. I thought 1.2 miles highly unlikely but oh well on to transition.



Change out of wetsuit, into bike shoes, etc and onto the bike.



The ride was pretty uneventful. 56 mikes basically through the county roads surrounding Racine. Most were genearlly smooth, although some bumps here and there. The best part of the bike course is the incredible police presence at every single intersection. It really was quite impressive. The winds stayed at bay for the majority if the race and really only started to pick up in the last 10 miles or so. At that time it was generally a north wind which just helped to push me back. There were a couplebof big packs out there this year. I think I did a pretty good job of riding my own race and not being sucked into the draft fest. 56 miles later and a new PR on the bike I was back to transition. Compared to last year i took off about 2:30 from my overall bike time and my speed increased by 0.4 mph and compared to the Florida half earlier this yesr my speed also increased by 1.2 mph. It is probably due to a couple of key factors. 1. More miles this year. 2. absolutely perfect conditions with minimal wind and perfect racing temps. 3. I hear this rumor that race wheels help people go faster as well.



I was able to get through transition and despite riding faster my legs felt pretty fresh. I start on the run thinking that the lack of heat, mostly cloudy skies and and legs that felt better than expects might turn into a great run.



I ran the first 5 miles at about an 8:05 pace which I thought was spectacular. I slowed every other aid station to hydrate. I felt great making the turn at the half way point if the run.



I looked down at my watch and saw 4:00:00 at the turn around. With this and the first 6.55 miles behind me I started to think that there was going to be a great probability of breaking 5 hours and destroying my best prior half marathon time. I kept running and surprisingly felt much better for the last 6.55 miles than I had expected. My pace slowed a little as I made sure to keep hydrating at the aid stations. I ran through the last aid station with my sights set on the finish line and a sub 5 hour finish. Overall run was 1:47:23 at a pace of 8:12 minute/mile, by far the fastest I have ran that distance. That is just over 7 minutes faster than the year prior and almost 20 minutes faster than my Florida time from this year. While I can clearly thank the cool weather and the cloud cover, I think the biggest factor is the nearly 100 more miles that I have run this year compared to the same point the year before.

I got to the finish line with arms up in the air very excited for improvement on the run as well as the overall race.



I packed everything back up and headed back down to Chicago. It really is fun to go fast, and to go faster than prior years. Thanks to my parents for driving up for dinner the night before despite having some conflicts the day of the race and to Evan for being the support crew and and usual taking fantastic pictures. Now, a day of rest and then the last final assault before the big race.

For more pictures from the race go to:

http://salz.smugmug.com/gallery/8974533_KntpX#596459720_5rHNZ

8 more weeks until Madison. See you there.

all dressed and ready to go

here is the bike with its newest addition. a couple of weeks ago i got myself a brand spanking new pair of race wheels. the aerodynamic profile of the wheels is supposed to help me go faster. 2 weeks ago I raced an olympic distance and it felt as if i was going faster. maybe that is part of the advantage...just thinking that you are going faster.

but i think that there might really be something to these wheels. this morning i cleaned the bike. i wanted to get the chain nice and clean and re-lubricated and in the process took off a nice layer of dirt from the rest of the frame. once everything was nice and clean and put the new wheels on just to make sure they would rotate smootly. and smooth they were. i didn't time, but the bearings have very little resistance compared to my regular training wheels and just kept on spinning, and spinning, and spinning.

this weekend i will have another opportunity to see how these wheels work. i am racing up in Racine, wi at the spirit of racine half ironman. this race, like florida earlier in the year, is flat and fast. it looks like i am starting in the 3rd wave, which is nice because it is early, but it looks like there will be some serious potential for massive groups of people because all of the men under 40 are starting within 9 minutes of each other. my guess is that it is going to be rough to find some clean road for the first 20 miles or so...unless of course these wheels have some built in rocket boosters....

i'm looking forward to this race. its my last big race before wisconsin which follows 8 weeks later. i had a great week of training last week with 1.4 miles of swimming, 243 miles on the bike and 26 miles running for a total time of 19:30. this week has been a little slower, as i have tried to cut down the mileage today, and tomorrow will be an off day in preparation for the race. however, i will get some more miles on sunday with the race. then i hope for one more big week next week before going away for a week when ineveitably the numbers will be down.

well i have been a little derelict in posting updates to this blog. it is really hard work to be on vacation. hopefully an update from the race to come next week with pictures and then some intermittent updates leading up to madison part II.

a picture perfect day for a ride

the hardest part about the chicago weather this year, apart from being demoralizing, has been the lack of good days to train when i am not working. that all changed today. low and behold, i come home from a weekend of working overnights and all of a sudden it is summer. not just any old summer, but high 80's with massive humidity. ahhh, the chicago summer that i have missed...

anyway, came home from work this morning and got a quick 4 hour nap. then packed the nutrition onto the bike and off to the lakefront path for a 60 mile ride. i couldn't quite decide if it was going to be a run or a ride today, but when i woke up the rain had stopped, the sun was shining and it was absolutely beautiful outside. the winds were calm and it was wonderful to feel the sun and the warmth again. i can do this, another couple months training in weather like this will be completely tolerable. 3:13 for the 60 miles. sweet. i might have been a little faster but the last 5 or so miles i was starting to feel the heat, i thought i had planned my liquids well, but my guess is that it was just a little hotter out there than i am used to for training.

in other good news the pool is open for swimming. by pool i mean lake michigan. and by open i mean the water is conducive to swimming. the lake officially opened several weeks ago but it looked just too damn cold. first i knew it was cold by watching the weather sites, but more importantly i saw people getting out of the water. there is nothing better to tell you that the water is cold that watching 2 guys wearing sleeveless wetsuits get out of the water with very red/purple arms...and it wasn't sunburn. anyway, the water was perfect yesterday, minimal waves, hardly any current to fight. a trip out to the bouy plus another 400m for 2000 meters made for a nice evening swim before going to work.

my running is really feeling good right now. i am consistently running faster and feeling good. the next objectives are not only to continue to increase the mileage but also to increase the frequency. slowly of course.

this upcoming weekend is the second race of the year - the bigfoot triathlon in lake geneva wisconsin. 6 days out the weather looks good, i'll keep my fingers crossed that it will hold true.

this week marks the last week of residency. 5 more shifts to go.

july will be a big training month, lots of miles, lots of hours, lots of improvement to be had.

oh yea, i got new race wheels. i opted for the flashpoint 60 front, 80 rear. they look pretty sweet. mounted the tires tonight. hopefully will take them out for a quick spin later in the week just to get a feel for the wheels before racing on them next weekend. pictures eventually.

welcome back summer!

really????

the weather this summer has been sub-optimal. rained yesterday, wasn't supposed to rain today, just be cloudy and overcast but instead i was greeted with a nice wet sheen over everything when i woke-up and it is still misting. throw yet another wrench in the training plan. looks like it is swim this morning and if i get lucky and have time and the weather is any better i'll ride later.

the upside is that i am running more. in the last 3 days i ran 23 miles. might have overdone it a a little but suprisingly my legs feel alright today. maybe giving them a little rest and delaying the ride until this afternoon is a good thing.

last week i managed to make it up to madison to ride the course again. i rode the loop. the 1st 2/3rds were tolerable. the last portion i started to get hungy, tired, and just wanted to get off of my bike. my legs felt fine, i think i was just run down. unfortunately it is not too easy to just "turn around" on that course and go home. overall i felt pretty good, better than i thought i would. not a couple more months of training and i will feel even better.

graduation is tomorrow night. i am hoping to keep up my tradition of going on a long bike ride the day of graduation. but oh wait, what is the forecast for tomorrow? yup you guessed it. rain.

yea, its still raining, even delaying just a little by trying to write this didn't really seem to help. oh well. maybe later. i guess i'll do a nice rainy day activity and try to sort through some of my pictures from my last trip.

Florida 70.3 Race Report

I just got back from a fantastic weekend of racing the Florida 70.3 in Orlando, Florida. The weather gave us a slight break…at least from the originally predicted temps and the time spent down there was fantastic.

My weekend started on Thursday with a warm-up/training day with my uncle in Atlanta. We went on a gentle 31 mile bike ride so I could dial in my fit and get used to his extra bike. After that was an easy 4 mile run and walk through a trail in the woods. Finally a quick 600 meter swim in a lake. The day was just enough to loosen me up and get me used to upcoming weekend of racing.



Thursday night we had a great home cooked meal thanks to my aunt and uncle. We packed the car including the bikes and got a good night of sleep in preparation for the drive the day ahead.



Thursday morning we got an early start and headed off to the airport to drop off my aunt. We then continued our journey down I-75 from Atlanta through the southern portion of Georgia.

We stopped for a quick picnic lunch once into Florida and then finished the drive down to Orlando. While the drive did take around 7 and a half hours it really didn’t feel that long because we are able to divide the driving duties.

Upon arrival to Disney we went straight to athlete check in to start the weekend process. The transition area was being set up and was still quite empty without any of the bikes dropped off yet.


We spent the next 24 hours as kids in Disney World. Our first journey took us around Disney via the monorail to see all of the different sites and parks from the outside. A side trip over and around epcot completed the monorail journey. After a good sushi dinner it was back to the hotel for another good night of sleep.


The next morning we woke up early to go to Universal for some roller coasters and other adventures. We got there just before the park opened and we were able to ride 3 roller coasters and one water ride within the first hour of being at the park, without having to wait in a single line. We then transitioned from Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios for more roller coasters and other rides. While it might have not been the most “classic” of activities to do the day before a race it was surely worth it. After all, I had never before been to Disney and it sure made sense to go on some adventures while I was there. After the day at Universal we settled down for a Pasta dinner with one of my friends from Chicago who just happened to be in town for the weekend.


The next morning we awoke at 4:00 AM, got dressed, checked out of the hotel and drove off to the Magical Kingdom. Upon arriving the parking lot was filling up quickly and the line for people to get on the busses was growing, but moving quickly.


I arrived at transition and got everything set up in the dark for the race day ahead. I found a hidden set of bathrooms and strolled right up without having to wait in line. (note, it is these little things on a race morning that really make a world of difference). Mike and I wished each other luck and we headed down to the swim start. The sun started to rise and provided a glimpse at a generally clear sky with just a faint breeze, seemed like it was going to be a perfect day for racing.

My start time was 68 minutes after the first heat of professionals started. Mike was in the 4th heat…I was in the 20th.

The Swim: 1.2 miles 41:52, 115/295 in age group.

The race started off great. This was the first open water swim I have ever done without a wetsuit. It didn’t really feel all that different from the pool training that I have been doing all winter, but I really could feel a difference compared to the other wetsuit races that I have done prior. I kept trying to find a pair of feet to sit on, but more the majority of the race seemed instead just find a lot of open water. It got clustered around the turns as it usually does. Nothing too exciting. I caught up to some of the heats in front of me and tried my best to just get around them. The swim was just a little slower than my prior 1.2 mile open water swim (when measured correctly), but then again this race was 8 weeks earlier with no open water swimming done yet this year.

T1: 5:05

I then got out of the water and felt as if I was doing the Chicago triathlon again. A nice looooooong run from the water to transition. I got all of my bike stuff ready and headed out on the bike

The Bike: 56 miles 2:43:50, 20.51 MPH, 108/295

As Lance Armstrong has so eloquently stated, “It is not about the bike”. Well don’t get me wrong, the bike segment is a really important part of the day. I spend just about half of my day on the bike, and blowing up on the bike and overshooting on the bike can really screw up the rest of the race. It is a challenge to stay within a good zone while racing at the same time.

Preparing for this race was rather challenging. The weather in Chicago had not been too cooperative so getting outside with nice warm weather was a bit challenging. Luckily, I had spent a good amount of time on the trainer this winter and I had at least gotten some miles under my belt. This race added a new dimension as well, I was using my Uncle’s Tri-bike. Now, there is nothing wrong with this bike, in fact it clearly works well as it took him to Kona.

The nice thing about the course in Florida is that it is flat and fast. The downside…it is flat. I started off the ride feeling very comfortable with my pace. Luckily the roads were relatively open, there weren’t as many people at first to get around as I had been expecting. Sure, there were people to pass, but there weren’t huge trains of bicycles to fight with for space on the road. I spent a good portion of the day passing people, primarily people in earlier waves, but passing nonetheless. I got a kick out of flying by someone riding with a disc. My nutrition plan worked out well, the aid stations were well stocked and I got water and Gatorade and I felt as if I fueled just right. Coming back to Disney it had started to warm up and the wind was starting to pick up right in our faces. The intersections were very well patrolled with officers. I got back to the end of the bike course feeling well hydrated, not too burned and ready for a run.

T2 : 3:10

The Run 13.1 Miles 2:07:56, 9:45 min miles, 90/295

I have to admit, this was the one part of the race that worried me the most. While I have run many more miles this year compared to last year at the same time, and have been running faster, all of those miles have been in temperatures and humidity much less than predicted for the race. Also given the weather and work schedule hadn’t gotten too many bricks under my belt (… only 2) I started off the run feeling pretty good, my legs actually felt fresh. I ran the first mile in 8:15, pulled back on the speed a little bit and kept running the first loop. I started to get a little warm on the second loop, was putting ice cubes in my hat and pouring water on top to act as a personal air-conditioner. Worked for a while until my shoes got too wet…

Mile 11 was the toughest. Long, straight, seemingly endless, blazing hot sun, no coverage from the trees, seemingly forever to the finish line. I took a little time to rest, and walked a little, trying to regain whatever energy I could muster. The last mile was in site and I tried to run as best as I could into the finish line, down the chute, arms up in the air, finishing the race.

Overall 5:41:53 91/295 Overall in Age Group

Final Thoughts:

I was very happy with my time. This is one of the first races that I can remember that I have been able to really gain ground on the run. I was very please with the swim and the bike, but I really don't think there has been a race that my run has clearly been the strong point of the three. Looks like the training is paying off and hopefully this will be an indicator of more great things to happen this year.



It was great to spend the weekend racing and going on adventures with my Uncle, it was wonderful to see him take second in his age group.

Quick update from florida-

made the trip down safely to orlando yesterday, nice long car ride with a picnic lunch in the middle of the ride. didn't seem to take nearly as long as it actually did.
wandered around universal this morning, rode some great roller coasters, saw some fun 3d shows, simulator experiences, etc.
now getting ready to drop of the bike, have dinner and go to sleep

Florida 70.3 tomorrow - the finish line awaits

first look at weather

the first prediction for the weather is now available for orlando next sunday

high 90
partly cloudy - fantastic
chance of rain 10%

a little warm

motivation

when the training gets tough, work is bad, motivation runs thin, the weather turns south, or the doubts start to creep into my mind... there is always this, and then i just can't wait to get back to the starting line. i can still feel the calm of the water, see the sun rising over the lake, and hear the quiet anticipation of the day ahead



thanks to the original poster for putting this up.

training season

signs that the true training has begun
-taking 3 showers in one day
-planning doubles
-seeing real human beings out on the lakefront, and lots of them
-the sun stays out later and is still light when i get home from training
-washing work-out clothes more frequently despite having a pretty large arsenal

-going faster
-greater endurance
-eating more food

that is all for now

Getting ready for Florida

several months ago i was trying to create a race plan for this summer and thought that starting the season off with an early race would be a great thing to do. well don't get me wrong, i am very excited to start the season about 6 weeks earlier than last year. however, when i was making the schedule i apparently forgot about one key factor. THE WEATHER. unfortunately, in chicago, the weather is pretty much guaranteed to be unpredictable (read: awful) until sometime in may. well now it is may and the weather is finally getting better.

today i was able to get outside on a nice long ride. a 60 mile ride up and down the lakefront path with relatively little traffic. the winds were relatively calm and even though the weather channel was convinced that the wind was coming out of the south i am pretty convinced that whatever wind was present was coming from the north.

i looked that the forecast for the next 10 days for orlando....yeah, this is going to be interested. so here in chicago it has been nice and cool. my ride today was probably around 65 degrees. beautiful riding temp, nice sun. anyway, orlando, 90 degrees. so in an attempt to acclimate to the heat today i wore what i thought would be some extra clothes...nope, just enough to keep me at the right temp.

so i am still plotting my last week of training before florida. not much time for bricks, i will just have to take it as it comes.

but the good news is that i have hit all of my milestones. i got up to 12 miles running last weekend, outside riding 60 miles this week (not including the 100 mile ride last weekend in california), and have overswam the distance several times.

speaking of last weekend, i had a great ride with my sister. the chico wildflower is a 100 mile ride (or at least pretty close to 100) that is generally a flat ride with 3 climbs. i really had a lot of fun going up the hills. i can definitely say that the time that i have spent on the trainer this winter has really made a difference. i forgot my HRM but i can tell you that i generally felt really good climbing. but, i will say that going downhill on a bike that is not mine is not a fun experience. i had a great time out there riding and hanging out with my sister.

my training plans again got screwed up for this week. i need to get back in the pool, hopefully will find some time tomorrow. have stuff to do in the morning, then going to the cubs game in the afternoon with grandpa. i think the weather will be perfect.

i'm watching the replay of the 70.3 world championships in clearwater last november. it is good motivation to get excited about florida in just under 2 weeks.

another run or two, (although nothing too long) another couple medium rides, hopefully a couple of swims and then a mini taper on my way down to florida.

a week of transitions

this past week was a week of change, mostly moving forward...

it is hard to believe that the first episode of ER aired 15 years ago. shocking that it has been on television for half of my life. now granted, i haven't watched the show in years, but wierd to think nonetheless that it is over. the odd part of the last episode on thursday night was that it coincided with my last official shift at evanston hospital. after 6 years of training there between medical school and residency, it is quite fitting that the same show that opened my eyes to life in the emergency room would dim the lights for the last time the same night that i finished my education at evanston. i don;t remember many of the story lines in the show. dr. greene dying was always sad, romano getting his arm severed by the helicopter might have been what caused me to give up on the show. that or maybe all of the cast leaving. but after working in an er now for the past several years the ability to come up with new bizarre stories never ends.

i added mileage to my training this week. got in a 50 mile bike ride...and when the scenery doesn't move on the trainer, and there is no coasting, you work for every last mile. today i logged a 10 mile run. felt nice and relaxed. kept the heart rate average just under 150. it was a georgous sunny day in the high 40's, beutiful running weather. this week i also managed to get in my first brick. 30 mile ride, 4 mile run.

i am in the homestretch now of the residency. 3 more blocks to go, 1 elective month and 2 in the downtown ED. it is hard to believe that it has been 4 years already, hard to believe that there is so little time left. but soon it will be on to the next stage which i am sure will bring many challenges and exciting opportunities as well.

time to go enjoy the rest of my day off.

could it possibly be?

sure signs that spring is here?

-i am temporarily done with the dreadmill. no more ice, the trails are open for running
-the mooring cans are in the harbors
-it is still late when i get home from work...well at least when i work the day shift
-we have flirted with 70's, it has been in the 60's, back in the 30's
-high of 65 does not mean much with an easterly wind...
-more people are out excercising
-i have hung up the heavy winter coat
-start to think about riding outside on a more regular basis
-seeds for the outdoor vegetables this summer have been planted inside
-it is still cold outside...and it isn't summer yet...but soon

the first ride outside

today i was able to free my bike from the death grip of the indoor trainer and get outside for a long peaceful ride. i had great hopes when it said the temperature was 57 degrees. dressed myself in layers, felt nice and warm. however, i think the slight east/south/east wind was pulling some cold from the lake and dropped the temp just a little bit. needless to say, the changing scenery was far better than anything inside.

somewhere around mile 25 i paused to take some pictures of the sky line and partially frozen lake... just to prove to any naysayers that i was actually outside today riding. well here i am. and there is the frozen lake in the background. it really was a spectacular day, completely blue sky, slight wind, very relaxing.

out on my ride i ran into several of my friends who were out running and enjoying the weather as well.

maybe this is a sign of things to come, maybe the weather might actually be warming up...but then again it is still march in chicago which means that we are probably still in for another snowstorm.

time to go find some toe covers for my shoes, and maybe some warmer gloves, everything else stayed nice and toasty warm.

moving forward

the foot is feeling better. not sure exactly what was wrong, but a day or so later was walking without any pain. it has been 2 weeks now since i last run, since clearly not a bony injury with no xray findings and no pain any longer, will probably start to play on the eliptical soon.

i have been trying to make lemonade despite the minor set-back that was thrown at me. i have taken this opportunity as a chance to try to swim more and get on my bike. the mileage on both has jumped up in the last week. i swam 120 lengths last week - around 53 minutes, and it felt great. i'll just keep adding distance and time. i could feel that i was getting stronger and faster, and the times proved it. i think i took about a minute off of my 100 lap time earlier in the week, which is why i decided to add some distance. the cycling has increased too. i have been holding >20 mph on the trainer, the last two rides i have gotten in 40 mile rides. as a result, i have finally caught up with my distance from last year. unfortunately i had been lagging behind the benchmark i set last year. i am still clearly behind in the swimming department in terms of distance, but i feel better and faster in the water this year. and well running...at least i had the mileage before the brakes were applied, but hopefully that train will leave the station soon as well.

in other news it appears as if spring might be on the horizon, they are predicting 50 degree days soon...it is hard to believe when i drive into work and see the ice covered lake michigan. there is always hope, and it is still only the first week of march.

dinner time, i am hungry.

challenges

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which
difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
--John Quincy Adams

roadblocks are often created for a reason. i don't like roadblocks, i don't like it when things get in my way and wreak havoc with plans. at work we refer to obstacles as "work-arounds." in fact, in emergency medicine we have become so adept at figuring out ways around obstacles that the obstacle itself persists but we have forged a way ahead without fixing an (often insurmountable) obstacle. i have learned to deal with work, after all, it is work, and if obstacles didn't exist it probably wouldn't be half as interesting as it currently is.

but things get different when it involves personal time. i recently made the decision to go race in florida with mike. after many years of trying to get some time and the training i was finally able to book a flight, register for a race and start planning. the whole prospect of an early season race in may clearly threw a big giant wrench in my traning plans. maybe wrench isn't the right word, maybe the better way to deescribe it is adding some grease and a big giant push to the wheels of training. i quickly realized that to get to florida i was going to have to train with a purpose instead of just train to train. well somewhere along that road my foot started to bother me.

wierd discomfort, not quite anything that i have encountered during my training in the past several years. anyway went to see ortho today, xrays are reassuring, might be tendonitis. well i can deal with that. a couple weeks of ibuprofen, no running for the time being. given the green light for swimming and cycling. well foot feels better already...which makes you wonder just how much of this was in my head.

but this posed a big giant obstacle for my training. at first i had to ramp up training, now i have to ramp down training, then gingerly get back into the swing. the season is long, i have another 6 months to go before madison. i need to be careful and smart. i need to get back to the starting line healthy, happy, well trained, and ready to go.

so i will take this obstacle and use it as an opportunity to work on swimming and cycling. i will increase mileage and keep the engine strong so that when i can get back to running all of the different parts are ready and the journey to get trained can be a safe and healthy one.

its going to be a big season, if all goes according to plan two 70.3, one full ironman, and an olympic just for completeness sake. i fell better now, thanks.