1 Day: Tomorrow

The day has finally arrived. Tomorrow morning, at 07:00, I will begin my quest to become an Ironman. I've thought about this moment for a long time and it's hard to believe it is less than 15 hours away.

I've gone through registration and the Athlete Expo and turned in my equipment at the transition area. Now it's all about resting, taking in calories, staying hydrated and not over-thinking the task at hand.

Gear laid out with the appropriate bags

This morning the athletes were allowed to swim in the river to get a feeling for what it will be like tomorrow. The water was a balmy 85 degrees with a barely noticeable current when swimming up river. I plan on keeping my equipment simple on the swim with slightly tinted goggles, swim cap, and trisuit. Some athletes will be wearing a speed suit, which goes over your trisuit to reduce drag, but I feel that the benefits would be minimal tomorrow. The course takes you upstream for 1300m, where you then loop the edge of an island and head back down stream for 2600m. The swim exit leads you up a stone walkway to the transition zone.

Transition

After grabbing my bike gear bag and  getting to my bike, I plan on pushing out at a slower pace, ~17.5-18 mph. This is slower that I have trained at but with the uncertainty of the course, it will make sure I can pound the pedals hard on my ride back to transition. The course involves a loop that has a few challenging hills. And the nice thing about the last 30 miles is that it is a slow downhill. Once reaching transition, I plan on staying in my trisuit, slapping on my shoes, visor and sunscreen and tackling the marathon.

The run is a two lap course that basically runs you straight out of town then back twice. It is flat which will be nice because the heat will be at it's peak when I plan on putting my feet on the pavement. 26.2 miles later I hope to coming down the finisher's chute with my arms and head held high.

The finish line being set up

I know this post is nothing special, but I can't put my thoughts into words right now. I hope this tides most of you over. To you others, wait until the post race report.

Happy racing!

Drew

6 Days: Pre-race Strategy

There is a fair amount of planning that goes into an Ironman race.

I'm not only talking about registering ($600- that hurt), finding a hotel (another $400), traveling (I'll be driving the truck-$250) and assembling an entourage (the girlfriend and possibly a couple friends).

Planning out the race is the equivalent to writing out a 4 year plan. You can put tons of work into it and have short and long term goals, but one hiccup can derail the entire plan. Look at my Ironman Kansas 70.3 in June. When my bar extensions started to come loose, my entire plan went out the window.

Many things can wrong over the course of 140.6 miles. For example, I could cramp up at any point of the race, a could break something on my bike, I could crash on my bike, i could get bloodied up during the mass swim start, I could run out of gas on the run, I could push any discipline too hard, etc...You get the idea.

My race plan started yesterday following my 4000 yard swim. I am now in what is called a taper week. What a taper week does is allow for you body to recover while staying loose. You are not going to be building any strength this week or adding volume. Today was an easy 35 min run with four 5k pickups. Just some light intervals to get the heart rate going. Following my shorter and lighter workouts, I will be watching everything I eat. I mean EVERYTHING. I have all but knocked artificial sugars and alcohol out of my diet starting last week and this week I will slowly reintroduce carbohydrates into the diet to build energy stores for Sunday. These will go along with lean protein and a variety of fruit and vegetables. I also do not planning on doing anything outside of my exercise in the evenings. No yard work, different sports, and anything that could add stress to the day. There will be a fair amount of icing on the knees, a few ice baths and lots of stretching. Starting at 8, I will be winding down to get into bed at 9. I hope this leads to 8+ hours of sleep each night.

All of my triathlon equipment is strewn around one of the rooms in my house. The vast majority of these things will not be taken on the trip but serve at reminders to the things I really need. Tomorrow I will be prepping what will be going into my transition bags and what goes into my special needs bags. See, in an Ironman, you are not allowed to pile all of your belongings in the transition area. You put your bike gear (helmet, shoes, glasses, watch, HR monitor, etc.) into a bag which is given to you in the transition tent. If you so choose you can change clothes but most will not. The same thing happens when getting off the bike and going to T2 but only now you are putting on your run gear and heading back out. It's a little different from 70.3s but I think I'll manage. I will also be looking over every bolt on my bike for proper positioning and tightness. I will not have another mechanical failure due to not checking over parts of my bike.

I will be arriving in Louisville on Thursday evening and plan on checking into the hotel, getting a light run in and finding dinner. Then into the hotel to get a large amount of sleep. On Friday, I will check in and get all my registration items. There will be plenty of time to walk around the Expo and look at vendor products, along with spend a little money. After leaving, I am planning on touring Louisville and possibly going to the Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat factory before heading back to the Pre-race banquet. Every athlete is invited (with the option of paying for guests) to partake in the festivities and then to stay after for the mandatory pre-race meeting. Then it will be off to bed.

Saturday will consist of four things: doing a quick 10 minute workout of each sport, getting my bike and gear bags to transition, eating, and keeping my feet up. I plan on being in bed by 8 which is very early by any one's standards but the next morning starts at 4:30. The more sleep, the better.

Speaking of sleep, it's that time of the night.

Happy training!

Drew

27 Days: No Pressure

My race is four weeks from yesterday, and to be perfectly honest, I do not feel a bit of pressure. After riding more than 130 miles this weekend and having two solid runs, I think that my fitness will get me across the finish line on August 26th.

Lots of things can happen between now and then...lots...but what I am hoping happens is that my knee continues to heal. It has felt very good for the last few runs and I will be focusing on not over-training. I would hate for the strain to creep back up. 

I don't have much to say tonight even though it has been some time since my last post. This is my last week before tapering begins. It will be nice to scale back on training.

That's it for me!

Happy training!

Drew

P.S. Here's an article on what it takes to be an Ironman Champion: http://ironman.com/columns/ironmanlife/ironmanlife-alexander-the-great

41 Days: The Unknown

I've learned a lot since beginning my triathlon career a year and a half ago. For three sports that appear so simple on the surface, they sure are difficult once you really hone in on them. And once you realize how difficult they are individually, go ahead and throw them together. What a mess.

My Ironman race is quickly approaching. I'm not intimidated or worried that I won't finish. I am more concerned about the unknown; concerned about the bridges I have yet to cross since my racing began. One would think after 4 half-Ironmans that I would be ready for what is about to thrown my way. But to be honest, I might as well be standing at home plate with a blind fold on.

Your body responds differently than mine, and my body responds differently than the next person's. No one person gets through an Ironman the same way. Then again, I am only going off of what I have read and seen online. I have hit some large training benchmarks but is that enough? I've rode my bike for 6 hours then hopped off and ran for 45 minutes; the leg wobble is incredible. I've swam 5000 meters then got on my bike for a couple hours; I would compare the first few minutes to vertigo. What I haven't experienced is all three sports together.

Yes, I know, I've completed half-Ironmans. That should be all the experience I need right? Wrong. What are my legs going to feel like after swimming in a river for an hour then running into the first transition? Yes, I can simulate this to the best of my abilities but nothing compares to a race scenario. What are my neck and back going to feel like after roughly six hours on the bike? I know after three hours during previous races I am more than ready to get on the run. What do miles 14, 15, 16, 17,....26 of the run feel like? What do they feel like after 112 miles on the bike?

There are things I don't know and I wish I did...

But then again, that's what makes this journey exciting. It's the feeling of not knowing what I'll be experiencing during the race and figuring out a way to push both my mind and body through it.

It will be hot, humid and hilly. Those are the things that are certain. Everything else is up in the air!

One last question...what do I do after I complete an Ironman?

Happy training!

P.S.- Shout out to my parent's neighbor Tami (I hope I spelled it right). Thanks for reading!

P.S.S- Go U.S.A!

55 Days: The Sufferfest

Suffering: an experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with the perception of harm or threat of harm in an individual.


Have you ever experienced a form of suffering, either physical or mental? Maybe it was both but either way we've all gone through it. I've finally stepped into a new world of suffering but this one involves me, my bike, my trainer and a series of workouts that are designed to crush your legs and your mental barriers. 


I was skeptical at first. I had heard great things about The Sufferfest and another cycling series called Spinervals. One of the largest differences was the cost. For $95, the Sufferfest offered 10 videos that covered a wide range of techniques and levels of suffering. The videos use race footage and great musical selections to push the riders during the workouts. Spinervals on the other hand cost $25-$30 a video but have a library of 40+ videos. Spinervals also force the rider to watch other riders on trainers. Ultimately, The Sufferfest sounded more appealing and to be honest...I made an excellent decision!

After a little more than a week of using these videos, I have already noticed gains in my strength, force and endurance. Not bad if you ask me. These videos make you earn every pedal stroke and are quick to call you out right as you think about slowing down.




I am now in a constant state of waiting for my next trainer ride. That is how much I look forward to these workouts.

And in other news, I may be buying a road bike in the near future...more on that later!

Happy training!

Drew

P.S.- I am at 186 lbs!

66 Days: Crazy

Triathletes are a special breed. Some would say they are a little crazy...

I don't get it. Everyone loves early Saturday morning brick workouts. Wait...most people don't go to bed early on Friday night just so they can get up at 5:30 and be riding their bike at 6 on Saturday morning? Weird...

What about doing it again on Sunday but with a 2 hour fun-run? No? Oh, I see what's going on here. The people who sleep in aren't normal. Why would you sleep when there are long workouts to be done?

Okay, fine, triathletes are nuts. Crazy. Obsessed. *Fill in your own adjective here*

Call me what you want but I look forward to my 5 a.m. workouts every morning (except Fridays-Rest day!!!!). I look forward to sitting on my bike for 4, 5,or 6 hours on Saturday and then going right into a run. The thing is, I'm not alone. There are other people up at those times. Other people who are logging early morning miles or getting that second workout in after work. People who skip lunch to swim 1500 meters or hop on the bike trainer for an hour.

See, I'm not crazy. Not at all. Just know that the longer the distance of a triathlete's upcoming race, the more dedication they will have. Yup, dedication is not insanity.

Anyone going to meet me on the roads this weekend? I think I'll ride 5 hours before lunch on Saturday.

Happy training!

Drew

73 Days: The Results

Two words can describe the race: hot, windy.

I knew that the wind may play a factor in the race. If I had only known how wicked it was going to be, I may have attached a rocket to my bike.

Pre-race: I arrived at the course (at 5:00 a.m.) with everything but the water and Gatorade bottles I purchased the night before. I use the 24 oz. squirt tops so that I don't have to toss my good bottles while on the bike but am not waiting for fluids after T1. Alli kindly went and picked up on of each while I set up both transitions. My wave did not begin until 7:10 so I had plenty of time to hang around the start and watch the pros come out of the water. To give you an idea, the pro men began at 6:30.

Swim: The 18-24 M and the 35-39 W were to leave together at 7:10. We got into the water at 7:06 and tread water until the horn sounded. I set up in the front but on the outside to avoid the buoy-hugging chaos. As expected, there was a sprint for the first 300 m. Once the wave spread out I was able to settle into a groove and figure out my stroke. Now this was not easy. Due to the high winds, the waves were white capping. The course also took us almost head on into the current. This lead to a slow swim time but I wanted to find a solid groove and just push through. At the turn I experienced some calf cramping which was partially due to fatigue but more to the people slamming down on my calves at the buoy. After the turn the current helped to push you in, but more worked in pushing you off course. The swim ended up being almost 10 mins slower than normal.  TIME: 44:39, 2:14/100m

Transition 1: My transition was slower than normal because I had to put on sunscreen and calf compression sleeves. I put the sleeves on because I was worried with the swim cramps I would experience another bought on the bike. And to top it off, my bike show came off my pedal while mounting my bike which forced me to hop off and pick it up. TIME: 4:08


Bike: I always look forward to the bike. For me, it is normally a peaceful 2:30-3:00 hours of cruising. This was not going to be the case. I should have known when I had issues getting clipped into my bike. I rode out of the park at a solid effort, trying to orientate myself to being on the bike post-swim. As soon as I hit the Clinton Lake dam, my right aerobar elbow pad began to rotate away from me as I settled into an aero position. I thought it was just an loose elbow pad issue and I would adjust my weight slightly forward off of the elbow pad. 5 miles later, I realized the problem was that the clamp connecting the aerobar to road handle bars which meant that shifting my weight would do no good. The clamp became looser each mile I rode, eventually getting to the point where I could not ride in an aero position but was forced to ride like a normal road bike. To make problems worse, I did not have an  Allen Wrench to fix the clamp. I would have to hope that when I got to the next aid station, someone would have a wrench.



I quickly learned that that riding upright was going to crush my legs due to the high winds and rolling hills of the course. I really began to hate on myself for missing that bolt while tightening the bike down. I eventually made it to the second aid station where one of the race directors had the proper wrench to fix my bike. From that point on, I pushed my pace up 23 mph to try and make up time. Unfortunately, this would be detrimental to my run. TIME: 3:26:36

Transition 2: This transition was also a little slow. Due to my IT Band injury in my left knee, I had to wrap it to help my stride during the run. However, it did not add much time because I was well practiced in doing the wrapping. TIME: 2:48


Run:  I knew the run was going to be difficult. I was not bothered by the heat and my knee felt great early on. It was a matter of being beaten down on the bike and the mental struggle that ensued for those 3+ hours. I was upset that my bike failed me and that I had ridden so far off pace but I knew I had to finished. With friends and family in the crowd, I was going to just push through.


I set out at a 9:00 min/mi pace for the first two miles but that pace quickly slowed down as the cramps crept into the legs. The way the run course was set up through the Clinton Lake camp grounds did make sure that the run was somewhat enjoyable, even with all the struggles. There were many friendly faces, positive encouragements and ice cold spray hoses. TIME: 2:36:43

RECAP: So in a nutshell, the race was a disaster. My swim time was 10 mins slower than goal, my bike time was 40 mins slower than pace, and the run was 40 mins slower than pace.

I was frustrated, upset and annoyed that the weight I had lose and increased fitness had not paid off in my finishing time. How could I take nearly 20 lbs off since my last race, yet add 45 mins?

However, I finished. I persevered. I realized that this race was not the main objective. I reminded myself that I have a goal farther down the road. That goal is completing Ironman Louisville; a 140.6 mile monster that is quickly approaching. Ironman Kansas 70.3 prepared for the heat and showed me that I can push away my physical and internal struggles.

I want the Ironman to know I am coming for it and that I will conquer it.

Happy training!

Drew