Rev3 70.3 Quassy, race morning

Rev3 Wrap Up

Mid May involved a 3 day training camp in Lake Placid, NY which left me a little fatigued and disappointed. I was much slower on the hills (especially on the second lap) --maybe I went out to hard on the first. It's especially disappointing in light of the sheer number of hours I've been putting in.

The weekend after I returned to CT, it was a USATF race in Branford. A flat 4 miler, which I ran at 7:29 pace. This additionally contributed to my growing disappointment, as I ran that race last year @ 7:10 pace. Ughh!

The final blow came for me at the Rev70.3, which admittedly I did as Training and did not race. Still I was quite disappointed with my rather slow bike time, 13.59 mph albeit on a very technical course. I think my biggest equipment issues were that my Suunto heart rate monitor lost connection during the swim and I did not get it back until 90 minutes into the bike as well as my bike computer which started flashing, then died... Was lost without my cadence meter.

Well, as planned since I did not race this one, recovery time was minimal. All week I vacillated between quitting tri forever and appreciating how exciting it's been to do something so super challenging in which I have no natural ability.

After getting myself together, I started researching hill climbing technique, and got out to practice the hills a few times. Truthfully, I think the place where I'm losing the most time is on the descents and being too scared to get up out of the saddle. I'm also watching those calories, and will knock this body down to race weight ASAP. Other components of Project Placid include using SwimCordz every morning, taking iron tablets (I think I'm anemic again), tons of body weight squats, only using the stairs at work (those consults on the 8th-10th floors are going to be killer), push ups, taping down my bike computer/ cadence attachment, and using the polar heart rate monitor +/- the add on GPS unit on the run.

I am also contemplating a return to my old training program template as I do not think the volume has been high enough with the Friel program.

So that's it, folks, I'm back at...expecting nothing, prepared for anything, It's Lake Placid or Bust!
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The Countdown is on!

140.6 V2.0

Starting out on the ironman bike course

Home sweet home

Headed out to ironman training camp, on the way stopped off for a jog in the very reservoir where I started running in the summer of 1984. So many years, so grateful for all the friends and experiences I've had!

Granby 10K race report

Better late than never! This race report is 6 days overdue, it was held on 5/5/12, just 6 days out from the Lake Waramaug 50 miler. My legs were tired, conditions were a bit hard for a trail race- rainy, slippery footing inside Mcleans. I concentrated on heart rate, most of my miles were 7:20-7:30 except mile #2 which is straight uphill which was just over 8 minutes. That brought my average pace to 7:42 for a finish of 47:47. This was about 40 seconds than last year, and good enough for an AG 1st prize, which was the Swedish candle you see in the picture. Not bad all things (especially the recent 50 miler considered.

This weekend was more SBR, mostly in zone 2, some low zone 3. I think I have had another technique breakthrough in my swim...we'll see. Turned the screw one more notch on my bike trainer resistance for my 4 hour interval ride this am. I guess the highlight of this 16+ hour training week was seeing a young moose in the middle of my run yesterday. And the low point- in the middle of bike ride yesterday and saw my greyhound, Ben get hit by a car. He's ok, one massive vet bill later.

Next on tap: a few days off this week, for Fireman Ironman Training Camp in Lake Placid NY. Hope to hit 25 hrs. We'll see on that one too!

Lake Waramaug Ultra 50 mile race report

4/29/12. This was my last race as a 40 year old, my birthday was the next day. The day started out well, no hail, rain or snow like last year. I had my traditional pre-race powerbar and coffee. Check in was after 6:30 am, I managed to lose my chip in the first half hour. Luckily, the race director himself found it!

By 7:30 we were off. I felt ok from the start, ran with Rose and Tray for a while. Lee was off like a shot. Lap 2 I listened to an audiobook and ran with Rose. By lap 3, I ran into Andrea Buono and the big time nausea hit like a ton of bricks. I think it was the gatorade they had on the course, zofran and pepto did nothing. I remembered the advice given to us at ironman- before you give up on a race because of nutritional problems try Coca Cola. So I did, and found that I could keep small amounts of coke and ice chips down. Certainly not adequate to supply my caloric needs, but it allowed me to at least power through a walk run. As the day wore on, my right leg was a bit sore from running on the left side of the road that was severely sloped. The crowd thinned considerably. I ran for a few minutes with a scattered individuals but mostly alone in the last miles.

I was able to finish in around 10:19- not fast but I finished. For several hours into the next day later I was in rough shape- unable to eat/ drink and getting very weak and shaky.

But like everything, it eventually passed... And I'm looking forward to the next one!
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