a bike and a run

i am trying to add more miles

60 mile bike

4.5 mile run

and i just hit the wall

time to sleep so hopefully i can get in a long run tomorrow

take that lake michigan

4,000 meters swimming today.

The day was absolutely beautiful, calm water, sun out, blue sky, warm water.

It was great, now time to sleep so i can ride again in the morning.

Spirit of Racine - Last Stop Before Madison

The short version:
I had an excellent race this past weekend at the Spirit of Racine. Second time for the event 5:11:36. I felt like I really went out to race the event this weekend, and had an absolute blast. Still one of the best courses and well organized races I have raced.

The (really) long version:

Well the “fun” really began for this race about 3 weeks ago when I got a phone call from the hotel that I had made reservations at in april calling to kindly inform me that they had to cancel my reservation due to overbooking. Great, thanks. Quickly went to the internet and found the next closest hotel, just south of the Milwaukee airport.

Saturday-

It is overcast and raining here in Chicago. The 10 day weather forecast for Sunday had changed several times every day ranging from 20-60% chance of rain. The before leaving it seemed as if the weather might hold at least until the afternoon. So I drive up to racine and complete registration. I learned that the water was a balmy 56 degrees. Sweet, it’s a great thing that I have a full sleeved wetsuit, but 56 is still chilly. I had trained in Lake Michigan here in Chicago earlier in the summer when the temp was in the high 50’s, but lately it has been beautiful approaching the high 60’s. I head down to the transition area and check-in my bike. Cover the drive train, handlebars, seat with plastic bags and say goodnight to the bike.

Next we head up to Milwaukee to the hotel, and rest for a little before going to dinner. The original plan was to go to an olive garden for the breadsticks and salad. So we drive about 15 min, find the olive garden and learn of the 60 minute wait. Jeez, I mean seriously 60 minutes. So we walk outside and right across the street is another Italian restaurant. So we cross 6 lanes of traffic and get seated right away. The food was great, and we were done eating by the time we would have gotten food across the street.

Back to the hotel, watch the weather channel, there is a huge line of thunderstorms in Iowa / eastern Wisconsin moving on toward us. Off to sleep.

Sunday-

4:20am, the alarm goes off, and it is time to wake up, get dressed, pack the car, and drive to the race. Look at the radar one more time and whatever is left of the storm is out over the lake, nothing left to the west. Sweet.

Arrive at the race and find a parking spot about 3 blocks away, excellent, this will make the end of the day much better. I bring my race stuff to transition area. The temperature is comfortable but the visibility is horrendous, maybe 200 feet, and getting worse as we get closer to the lake. I make the requisite stop at the port-o-potties and then head off to transition to unwrap the bike and set up all of my stuff.

As everything is set and I am ready to go the race director announces that there is a 15 minute delay due to the fog. The coast guard won’t let the race start until the visibility is a little better at the shore. Apparently, they are unable to see the last buoy before the turn into the shore. Luckily the buoy’s were only 50-100 feet off of shore or the race might have never started. I look at my numbers and realize they have already started to wear off so i ask for some family help in reprinting them.

The masses start the mile walk down the shoreline to get to the swim start. The sight of athletes disappearing into the fog was quite surreal.

When we finally get to the start we are informed that the rolling start delays have continued. An hour later at 8am the race directors were given the go-ahead for the race and the pro wave took off. After that just like clock-work on 3 minute intervals each heat started the journey.

At 8:12 the horn sounded and I ran into the water to begin the race along with the rest of my heat. We were able to run about ¾ of the way out to the first buoy before starting to swim. And then crap was that water cold. 55 degrees. The two swim caps really helped to dampen some of the chill. After the first several minutes of swimming my body was warm enough that I could tolerate the water. Then I was able to settle into my swim, switch from breathing every 2 to breathing every 4 and find some feet to swim with. Sighting was definitely interesting as the visibility was so poor. It was also a challenge because there was a guy about 20 meters in front with a bright yellow cap that I kept confusing for the buoy. I keep swimming and make it to the final turn and head for shore. There were a bunch of people that missed this final buoy. I get out of the water and look at my watch. Huh? 10 minutes faster than last year…really…how is that possible?…is the watch still working?…did I miss part of the course?...was there a really strong undercurrent?...am I just that fast?

I trudge my way through the sand up to transition. My hands and feet are still a little chilled from the swim so it takes me a minute to get coordinated to put on shoes, socks, and gloves. Helmet and sunglasses are on, and we’re off. Start the odometer and I am off up the hill and onto the course.

The first 10 miles of the bike felt great. I was cruising around 21-22 mph and really enjoying my time despite the fact that I couldn’t see much due to the fogging of my sunglasses. There was still some fog that was lifting and it was overcast. There were a lot of people out there up until mile 35. I had to fight for clear airspace several times, making some passes that required a little extra energy but I just didn’t like the idea of sitting behind someone. There were A LOT of officials on motorbikes and I didn’t want to get caught up on one of these big packs. So I let a couple go by, I found some road and enjoyed my ride. I saw a couple of people on the side of the road. One looked like a blown tire. I saw some guy take a corner a little too tight and wiped out. He slid sideways into the drainage ditch, popped out of his cleats, rolled one more time, stood up and walked away from the crash. Looked like some road rash but hard to tell as there were a bunch of people all around as we were turning. There was a cop at the intersection who was talking to him and made sure he was ok. I kept riding around people and then around mile 35 the course entirely opened up. There was no-one out there. There I passed someone and chatted with them for a little around mile 40 then trailed someone else by about a ¼ of a mile for a while. Didn’t really see many others until back on main street. I guess the huge crowds had managed to get in front of me and my pace of around 21-22 was holding off the others. I cruise down the final hill and manage to get off the bike unscathed ready for a run.

Bike time 2:37:28 avg speed 21.3

Back into transition, change shoes and socks, out to the run. Wait, first things first. Mandatory stop in the port-o-potty. Off to the run. By now the sun had come out, the clouds had cleared, the fog gone, and could see beautiful blue sky. I am out running and really feel good, it takes a little to get my legs working again, but I feel much better than I thought I would have after the 21.3 mph ride.

I complete the first lap and look at my watch. For the first time all day I start doing the math. I am at the turn around pretty close to 4:15. I had run the first 6.6 miles in under an hour. I start thinking that if I can keep close to the same pace I will break 2 hours for the half marathon and have a chance to beat last years time by 30 minutes. Wow, where am I going to get this energy from. Let’s just hope that the new nutrition plan on the bike of consuming nearly 700 calories in the 2 hours and 30 min that I was out there was going to be enough to start.

I keep running, I find someone that I tag along with from about a mile, I like his pace and he is motivating me to keep running. After a little I leave him and keep running. One last turn around and I keep trying to push back home but it is a challenge, I walk through a couple of aid stations, try to get fluids, salt, tabs, some solid gels as well. Finally mile 12 and I am excited to finish. I ran through the zoo with some other guy and we talked about all of the food we were going to eat once we got to the finish line. The burgers on the way home, watermelon, anything really. We ran down the last hill together and I let him go.

I hit the final stretch and start to hear the crowds and music. I look back down at my watch and realize that I am about to smoke my time from last year. I turn around, no one else around, head into the finisher’s chute smiling from ear to ear with excitement.

Run – 1:58:02 avg 9:01min/mile

Total – 5:11:36

440/1360 finishers

52/121 30-34 age group

Overall it was a great day. I am trilled with my time, ecstatic about the run, and happy that the nutrition and hydration seemed to work out. Thanks to my family and friends that came out to watch, and take pictures. I think they are all getting practice for how to be a spectator in Madison.

One day later I am not too sore, will probably try to walk around a little later and maybe swim tomorrow. Then one last push for some big miles before Madison.

goals

so i had originally started the thought for this blog over a year ago. it was sometime around then that the idea was planted in my mind to try and do a half ironman. i was sitting in the MICU one night on call waiting for stuff to get done when i decided to create the blog. the original title was "the journey begins". that was great when i created the blog as the journey had just begun. however, i never actually started blogging until much later. then i decided that since the journey had long since begun, it was time for a new name. i hope to continue to write for the next 50 some odd days until the big dance.

4 months ago i sat down with a calendar from march through september to plan my attack on madison. i didn't plan exact daily work-outs, just general goals. between my work schedule and the weather it is often too difficult to make plans too far ahead of time. so instead, i wanted to have distance goals that would keep me on track for the full race. i hadn't looked at the original plan in several weeks because it seemed as if things were moving along well. so, much to my happiness, i looked at the plan this afternoon and noticed that i am ahead of my intended goals.

my training this year has far surpassed last years. i have more than doubled the total training hours. compared to last year i have ridden 1300 more miles, run 150 more miles and swam 50k more.

i am about to enter the last big couple weeks of training. but first, the last several days of rest. i am going to do a mini taper over the next several days in preparation for the spirit of racine. the race is on sunday. one or two short swims a short run or two, and a quick ride. some time to clean and prep the bike. then i am off to racine on saturday for the race.

the weather prediction is now down to 40% chance of rain, better than the 60% earlier in the week. let's keep our fingers crossed

a run and an ear infection

16.5 miles running today

it felt pretty good, in fact, the best i have felt on a run.

one week until spirit of racine. still a 60% chance of rain. but that looks better than yesterday when it was going to rain both saturday and sunday....

time to go to sleep and go back to work tomorrow morning.

oh, and i have an ear infection...where did that come from. last night i thought it was just water stuck in my ear after my swim. but this morning when it was still there and the ear hurt and the noise was slightly muffled i figured it must be something else. so i had someone look at it...ear infection, fascinating. not swimmer's ear, but an ear infection. i don't know if i've ever had an ear infection before. its probably related to all of the allergies i have had lately and is just backed up... i'm on antibiotics, anti-histamines, and during the day some decongestants. i'll get this all cleared up by next weekend.

the first nightmare

so the nightmares begin...

i have read all about the nightmares, the self doubt inducing, anxiety provoking, angst creating nightmares. well, i had my first one last night.

i was sleeping pretty well, typical of my usual night, head hits pillow and asleep within about 30 seconds.

then the dream begins, i will try to pain the picture. it is sunday morning, ironman day. it is 6:30, i stare at the clock wondering why the hell i am still asleep when the race begins in 30 minutes. crap, i somehow make it to the terrace, but the problems begin. i had forgotten all of my hydration and bottles at the hotel. even worse the security won't let me in the the transition area because somehow my athlete band had been cut off. i looked down and my ankle to find that my chip was missing. so i can't get to my bike in transition, i have no water, no chip, and no band. but somehow manage to have my wetsuit and goggles around my neck. great, at least i might get to race. i look over the terrace into the water to see people warming up. great, at least i am in the right place...but why is it still dark out, the sun should be out by now.

i go to put on my wetsuit, it wont go on. so i run over to where i think the start of the race should be. usually it is a nice calm walk into the water. not last night. there was a giant jump off of a cliff to get into the lake.

i am standing on the edge of the cliff, ready to jump....my alarm goes off.

57 days
crap
double crap

the spirit of racine is coming up this weekend. 8 days out with 60% chance of rain....lets hope that forecast gets changed. otherwise it will be a great training day in the rain. last night i commuted home in the rain, that was actually a lot of fun.

hopefully a long run and a long swim this weekend, one more long ride, and a psuedo-taper into the weekend.

that's all for now, this really starting to become real instead of just a pipe dream.

100

one hundred miles today on my bike

i'm going to sleep before i have to work tonight on the busiest day of the year in the ER.

millions of people coming to watch fireworks.

good night

breakthrough race

the day started off picture perfect. the sun rising out of the east striking the clouds turning them a bight red....red sky in morning, sailors take warning...



i got to the race site and my support crew pulled in right behind me. my grandparents and mom were able to make it up to the race to cheer me on. they helped me unload the car and then i made my way over to the transition area. after a quick stop to get my numbers and then my chip it was time to set up my space. no problems here. continued with my pre-race nutrition game plan and then the pit stop. races like this really need more portapotties, i mean seriously, you know that everyone is going to want to pee or crap before the race starts....oh well. mission accomplished, back to transition to get my wetsuit and down to the lake. i said goodbye to my family and they found a place to watch the race.


i started in heat #1...i have never started in heat #1. there were some pretty fast people that i recognized from other races in my heat and knew that my time at the front would be non-existent. the gun goes off and we start for the bouy. i get caught up in the initial fight for space and end up tailing the lead group. this was great and all, except they were headed on a really wide path. so i ditched them and caught another set of feet on a better course. i turned the far bouy and pretty much had the water by myself with 2 other people. i swim on back to transition and get out of the water in 27:44 which i think is a new PR for me on the 1.5k swim. off to transition,
my wetsuit just wouldn't come off. finally get off wetsuit and run out with my bike.


after about the frist 1/2 mile i get my legs back and i am starting to feel pretty good. i keep looking down at my speedometer and can't figure out why my average speed is only 10mph. i know i am going much faster. the current speed is correct but the average is just way off. after about 5 miles of trying to ride faster to get the average up it occurs to me that i had reset the computer at the car and then walked it to transition screwing up both the time and the distance. oh well. i figured i would get to transition when i got there. somewhere around mile 2 or 3 we turned heading straight south. i was staring at a massive thunderhead, black as night, with rain pouring from the clouds...and oh yea, bolts of lightening. oh well. i figured i was pretty safe, being fully insulated on my tires...luckily the storm stayed south and didn't impact the race. (what i found out later was that this same cloud, and same lightening could be seen while we were swimming, my mom wasn't too happy i was in the water) there was a fierce headwind as we were heading west which ultimately cramped my riding speed a little, but nonetheless i managed. on the way home i was holding around 26-28 mph...yeeehaaa. that was was fun, i was flying. back to transition in 1:15:09. a little slower than usual, but i will take it with the wind and the hills.

second transition was a little better, despite the fact that i had to tie my shoes because i forgot my speed laces. (at least this year i didn't forget my bike shoes...) i start running out of transition and actually feel pretty good.

there is a new run course this year because of all of the storms that we have had recently, too much mud, too many trees falling, etc. i made it to the 1/2 way point and look at my watch 24:45...holy crap. i am flying. i figure it i keep up this speed i might have a chance to break 50 min a wall that has since i started racing triathlons been unbreakable. i decide i am going to keep pushing for the finish line. i cruise past the turn around, wave to my support crew and keep on going. no time for smiles now. i keep going, up one last hill and then i see the finish line. i really dig in to find whatever energy is left to get me across the finish line.

run time: 49:22 for 7:58 min miles. not only did i break the 50 min barrier but i also broke the 8 min mile barrier. i couldn't believe it. i was just thrilled.

total time 2:35:59. a new personal best

all in all it was a spectacular race. the weather held out, i got to spend some time with my family, and i had a great race (well probably my best ever).


i guess that all of the extra training this winter and spring, even if not speed training, has really paid off. i am starting to have high hopes for racine.

this race is just what i needed to regain my motivation for training. madison is in 76 days. bring it on.

off to the races

yea!!!!! I finally get to race this year. after a 3 week delay due to travel and work commitments i am ready to hit the starting line. i am racing tomorrow morning up in lake geneva at the bigfoot triathlon. i have done this race during the last 2 years and really enjoy the course and the venue. latest weather predictions suggest that the rain will hold off until the afteroon with low winds in the morning. sweeeeeeet.

i think the race will go well. i have trained my butt off this year, but the majority of the training has been geared at long distance endurance. it will be interesting to see how my times stack up this year when i need to go short and fast. i'll probably have it in me. there is also a chance that i will be starting in the first heat...i've never had that happen before...however, little chance of sitting in front for any of the race.

i'm looking forward to having my grandparents at the race with me. it should be great.

i'm going to head up there today to relax, get my packet, try and find something to eat, get some work done. now i am off to finish packing, get the bike ready, eat some more, and drive back up to wisconsin.

by the way, i checked my fuel mileage yesterday when i had to refill my tank. 39.2 mpg, how about them apples.

oh yea, cubs win, take that you silly southsiders.

tackling madison

with a forecast for perfect weather i drove up to madison to ride the course. i had just finished nights and knew my sleep schedule would be rather screwed up. so i woke up at 5:45am without an alarm and was out the door by 6:15 after eating a bowel of cereal.

after a very relaxing drive of just under 3 hours, and 2 bagels later i was in verona. ah the memories of last year when i tried to do this. let me take you back. it was the sunday of the ironman. i didn't really have much to eat for breakfast, hadn't slept well the night before, had barely had any liquids during the day. all in all the perfect set up for one of the worst headaches i have ever had. that coupled with trying to ride on all of those hills and pay attention. equals BAD...very bad. i think i had to stop about every 5 miles last year because i felt like absolute dog poo. well not this year...different story all together.

i get the bike all set up, chain lubed, water and gatorade loaded, and i am off. there is a little wind from the northwest which is building and the sun is out. not a cloud in the sky. i have the cue sheet in my back pocket and use it for the turns on the first loop. i definitely remembered almost all of the first 2/3 of the route from last year.

what i didn't remember was how annoying witte road about 1/4 of the way into the loop and midtown road were. i just forgot how punishing those hills were. i remembered all of the other hills, the climb into mt horeb, old sauk pass, timber lane, but the midtown climb just caught me off guard.

after the first loop i stopped at my car, refueled my bottles and headed out for the second loop. i think i was going about the same speed, maybe just a tad slower but it felt much better. it was probably an 80-85% effort throughout the day. two loops 86 miles, 5 hours.

during my 5 hours of riding i passed 3 bikers going in my direction and around 5 going in the opposite direction, sure different than my usual training day on the frightening path.

i felt really good at the end of the day, my neck was a little sore and i was tired of sitting.

so i changed, packed the car and headed back home. 3 hours later i was making myself i nice ribeye steak to get in some protein to help build me some big climbing muscles.

things to take away from today
-i have no idea how fast i was going down garfoot, when i finally mustered the courage to look at my spedometer i was going 32.
-if i remember correctly i was above 35 a the end of timber lane
-climbing timber lane will be so much more fun when it is lined with people
-it is much easier to ride this course without a headache
-oh yea, i think i am glad that i won't have deep wheels, that wind was pushing me around all over the place, i think i might have ended up on my face with a disc...
-i feel much better about being ready to really take this thing on in september, but feel great knowing that i could do it today

what a day, what an absolutely perfect day