Chris Thomas

Kona 2011

2011-11-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

Pre-Game
I was much more at ease going into this year’s race with one exception (explained below). My body was in much better shape this year thanks to the Trigger Point Massage products and a very talented massage therapist, Sue Fegelman. Leading into the 2010 race, I had experienced annoying plantar fasciitis. However, by using the calf roller from Trigger Point and getting a weekly sports massage from Sue, this year I was able to enter the race injury free. My sleep was much better this year as well. My weight was much more comfortable this year. In 2010 I overreached a bit with my weight and I went into the race a little too lean for me. I had a solid final swim prep. I was swimming at my personal best times heading into the race. My bike build was very focused towards Kona this year. I felt very confident about my bike fitness. My run endurance was at my personal best level. Due to these factors, I felt very good heading down to the pier on race morning.
Swim: 1:00:17

The one exception to my pre-race comfort was my anxiety for the swim start. The swim start in Kona cannot be explained properly unless you have experienced it in person. It is truly one of the most chaotic moments in sports. If you want to swim well there, you have to line up in front. However, by lining up in front, you are guaranteed to get thoroughly throttled during the first 200-400 meters unless you can swim sub 2 minutes for the first 200(I can’t).
I lined up towards the inside of the front row (I’m a glutton for punishment). When the cannon went off, I went out as fast as I could, but I kept my head above water as there were a few feet in front of me and they were kicking vigorously. I did not feel like getting one in the face. Once I saw the water in front of me calm down a bit, I stuck my face in and got into a decent rhythm. This year’s start was actually better than I had feared. Then the remainder of the swim was rather enjoyable. In 2010 I had really pushed the 1st half of the swim. That extra effort had caused a decent amount of fatigue on the 2nd half of the swim. This year I felt extremely comfortable the entire time, maybe too comfortable. I exited the water in a little over 1 hour.

It was not exactly the time I was looking for, but it was not horrible either. I was really looking forward to pushing the bike harder than I had before.
Bike: 4:51:52
[caption id="attachment_7522" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="The start of a long day"][/caption]
I planned on being more aggressive on the bike this year. I had my Orbea Ordu dialed in for the day thanks to Doug Berner (Timex Multisport Team: Technical Director/Chief Mechanic/Keeper of the Truck/Rock Star). In addition, I had attended the Lifesport Wind tunnel camp in May down in Charlotte, NC. The camp really helped set up my position so that I was very comfortable and aero (we had picked up 24 watts from the position and helmet adjustment).
[caption id="attachment_7523" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Trying to stay aero"][/caption]
The conditions were very good at the beginning of the day. So I wanted to take advantage and get up to Hawi (59 mile turnaround point) as fast as I could without redlining. In hindsight I actually road this section with the exact same average heart rate as I had the year before. However, I was able to average more power (6 normalized watts higher) and I ended up 10 minutes faster than 2010 for that section. My main focus on the bike was to stay on top of my nutrition, electrolytes, and keep as cool as possible. I managed to do all three better than I had before throughout the race. I grabbed 2 water bottles at every aid station. I dumped one over my entire body and I used the other for my fluids.
The winds were kind to us on the day. However, we did pick up a nice typical headwind heading up to Hawi. We also got a decent headwind once we got back on the Queen K heading back into town. While the winds did pick up as the day went along, they were nothing out of the ordinary for this race. My 2nd half of the bike was all about staying as consistent as I could. I did drop off a bit with my power, but my heart rate was staying very close to my 1st half average. I went through some lows over the last 30 miles, but I was fortunate to avoid the GI issues and cramping that I had experienced every other time I had raced in Kona. I got off the bike feeling the best I have ever felt at this race. Now, that is a relative statement. I was still fatigued and HOT.
Run: 3:09:37
I quickly moved through transition. I grabbed my Timex Global trainer, Lifesport hat, Nathan hydration belt, Native sunglasses, and K Swiss Kwicky Blade Light running shoes.
[caption id="attachment_7525" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="syncing my Timex Global Trainer"][/caption]
I headed out trying to focus on my form and cadence. The first thing that I noticed was I did not have the severe lower back pain I have had in the past. I was moving along at a decent pace while I was trying to do all of my checks and balances. I hit the first mile @ 6:30. I was really hot at this point and I was really looking forward to the 1st aid station. I felt that I needed a change to my nutrition. So once I got to the aid station I stopped, walked and grabbed water, ice, cola, ice, and water. Yes I grabbed it all. I put the ice in my hat, shirt, shorts, and the palm of my hand. This fueling/cooling strategy worked, at least temporarily. I picked up my pace and hit the 2nd mile mark in 6:46. However, I was getting really hot again. So I repeated my aid station strategy again. In fact, I ended up doing this for the first 24 aid stations.
[caption id="attachment_7527" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="walking the aid station"][/caption]
I had not pre-planned this at all. It would be easy for me to say that I could have run faster if I had not done this. However, I truly believe I would have blown up if I had tried to run through the early aid stations. I was having a very hard time cooling down my core temperature. The aid stations served as a mini-respite from the sun and humidity. I came out of every aid station feeling better then I went in.
During any marathon one will experience some extreme highs and some very deep lows. While I was the hottest during the first 10 miles along Alii Drive, I experienced my lowest points once I got up onto the Queen K highway. At mile 11 I went into a LOW point. Fortunately my friend Tim Diseppio was up on the Queen K and he gave my some great pointers and encouragement. I was really happy that I had my Timex Global trainer on at this point. I focused on my cadence. My only goal for mile 11 was to run @ 85 cadence or higher.
[caption id="attachment_7526" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="As I got more tired, the hat came down further over my face"][/caption]
This helped me to get through the low patch and by mile 13 I started to feel better. I rolled along until I got to the Natural Energy Lab. At this point, I started to feel some real mental fatigue. I hit my 2nd real low point coming out of the Energy Lab. It took everything I had to keep moving forward up the slight elevation. I was determined to only walk at the aid stations.
[caption id="attachment_7528" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="coming out of the energy lab"][/caption]
Once I got back up onto the Queen K, I saw my coach. He gave me some form cues and emphasized that it was only 10k back into the finish. Only 10k can be good or bad depending on how one is feeling. I was not feeling great at this point, so I went back to focusing on my cadence. Fortunately, I was not breaking down muscularly yet. In 2010, my quads were screaming at mile 16 of the run. This year they did not start to ache until mile 23sh. I made it to the top of Palani, about 1.2 miles from the finish. I saw my coach again and he told me that there were a few guys in front of me in my age group. I had an outside chance of a podium if I could dig really deep into the finish. Well, I gave it all I had. It was not much, but I definitely left it out there. I ended up crossing the finish line in 9:07:08. It was a PR for me. I felt that I gave everything I had on the day.
[caption id="attachment_7529" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Finished!"][/caption]

Final Results: 8th M35-39 / 28th Amateur / 60th Overall
The highlight of any significant race for me is having my Timex teammates racing along with me. I got an extra highlight this year as I was able to race with my friend and teammate Tim Hola towards the end of the bike and along Alii Drive. While I was not exactly in the most talkative mood at the time, it was a huge lift to be out there with my teammate.
The strange thing about this sport is that one can always do something better. I still feel that I have a better day in me at this event. I learned more at this race that I can work on going forward. So the 2012 campaign will begin soon, ugh.

70.3 World Championships: Vegas

2011-11-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

The new race venue for the 70.3 World Championships definitely lived up to the hype. The course just outside of Las Vegas offered heat, wind, and plenty of hills. This is a very fair course.
I was very excited to go out and race the new venue. Another bonus was having the opportunity to race with several of my Timex Multi-sport teammates. I always find it a huge lift to race with my teammates and have the support of our team management as well.

Swim: 30:12 Ouch!
I was in the 10th swim wave of the morning. The race organizers had all the athletes enter the water 10 minutes prior to their wave starts. While the water was 80 degrees, I still felt a bit chilled when I jumped into the water. I tried to warm up. I’ve learned that it is always better to do a few race start simulations prior to the actual start to get the body ready for the initial surge and hypoxic feelings. However, I did not do a good job of getting my intensity up prior to starting the race.
I lined up in the middle of my wave and focused on holding a good position to start the race. The horn went off to start our wave and I got boxed in right away. Then I got hit in the head and swallowed a nice mouthful of water. This is part of racing, but it affected me a bit more this time. I had a moment of high anxiety and thought about pulling off to the side. Fortunately I was able to get the anxiety under control quickly and I was on my way. The remainder of the swim I just focused on keeping a decent body posture (a little more important with the non-wetsuit swim) and staying consistent. I exited the water feeling good and ready to hit the bike.

Bike: 2:26:00
My goal for the bike was to build into the first 10 miles and then ride a little higher effort than normal. The bike course was set up to be much more challenging than the flat roads of Clearwater, FL. and it lived up to the hype. I felt like we were either climbing or descending the entire day. The course did not offer any real opportunities to settle in. I actually really enjoyed the challenge of the terrain. The landscape surrounding the course was very picturesque. My nutrition and salt intake for the bike worked well for the most part. I did not experience any cramping throughout. I felt very controlled for the first 35 miles. In hindsight I think I got a little behind on calories in the middle of the bike as I did suffer a bit of a lull during the last 10 miles. My heart rate dipped into low Z2 during this time. I tried to push a bit harder to get my heart rate back into Z3, but I just could not make it happen. I gave what I had on the day and I was not the only one losing steam at the end of the bike.

Run: 1:21:42
The run course is set up as a 3 loop course. The start is flat for the first .5 mile then descends for 1 mile. A 2 mile climb is next, then another 1 mile descent.
I sported my K-Swiss Konas with American flag colors. I love these shoes.
My legs did feel a little heavy heading out of T2. Fortunately the terrain helped to get my cadence up and settle into a decent rhythm. My heart rate was still running lower than usual. I ended up running the first 7 miles in Z2 and finally reached Z3 on the 2nd half of the run. I really enjoyed the profile of the run course. I felt that the 2 mile climb was all about keeping steady and strong, while the descent allowed for recovery and cadence. I was able to run without cramps and my energy levels stayed high. At the 10 mile mark I started taking cola for a little extra push for the last 5k of the run. I felt confident that it would not cause me GI distress that late in the race. I finished up as strong as I could. I will definitely try to participate in this race going forward. The logistics prior to the race were a bit messy, but the race itself was worthy of a championship course.
Final Results: 4:21:36 2nd M35-39 / 7th Amateur / 38th Overall
[caption id="attachment_7268" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Timex representing well in the 35-39 Age Group - Tim Hola and I on Stage"][/caption]

Pat Griskus Olympic Northeast Championship

2011-07-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

The forecast was for a beautiful day, but as I drove up to the race the fog cover was severe. The fog seemed to clear while we were doing our swim warm-up. However, by the time we were ready to start the fog had dropped back down to the water’s surface. The decision was made to shorten the swim to under a .5 mile in order to keep things safe. Normally, I would be totally fine with this decision. However, I had tweaked my left calf while racing a sprint distance event the week before. I was actually looking forward to using the swim to loosen up a bit more and hopefully build up a decent spread to the stronger runners.
Swim:
I tried to go out a bit faster, but the fog cover made it tricky to site. A friend of mine who was in the 2nd wave commented that it was a comical site watching our wave start. We were swimming straight out, then we spotted the first turn buoy and had to break hard to the right. It was similar to watching a herd of cattle. Oh well, the shortened distance made it a quick experience.
Bike:
My main focus was to get out quick and be as consistent as possible. I knew that I needed to ride well so I could ease up on the run. My most important race was the following weekend out in Texas and I did not want to jeopardize that race by significantly injuring my calf. I was able to get up to the lead pace car by mile 6sh. Sometimes this can be an advantage and sometimes... well not so much. I was following the police car that had the lights flashing. A truck had pulled out in front of us from a side road. The driver of the truck, apparently, got a little confused and thought the lights were meant to slow them down. Fortunately the situation was resolved quickly as the police car sped up and forced the truck to get moving. I pushed the remainder of the bike as hard as I could without going into the red zone. I was able to finish the bike two minutes faster then the previous year.
Run:
I headed out onto the run in my K-Swiss Kona’s and my Sugoi Timex calf compression socks. I wanted to use the compression socks to keep my calves warm and prevent them from bouncing around to much. My calf was still very tender to the touch. I focused on shorter strides with good cadence. This approach helped to limit the impact on the downhill section at the beginning of the run. I was able to find a comfortable pace quickly. The run is an out and back two loop course. I knew I would be able to determine if I needed to push the pace after the turnaround. I hit the turnaround and realized that I could keep a consistent pace. I came in with a two minute slower run split than the previous year, but it was enough to hold on for the overall spot.

70.3 Rhode Island: Road Rash

2011-07-17T15:24:00.001-07:00

The saying is: “If you ride a bike, it’s not a question of if, but when you will crash”. This was not my first crash and I’m sure it will not be my last crash. I have raced 70.3 Providence each year that is has been staged (4). I really enjoy competing in this race. It is pretty close to home at two hours driving distance without any traffic. The bike course is a fair, rolling course and the run is challenging. Coach Paul had instructed to treat this as a training race with a run emphasis. The best aspect of this race is that I was able to drive the Timex Ford Edge up to the race venue. This vehicle is SWEET!
Swim: 29:32
This year the swim was moved to a local lake that was closer to downtown Providence. The water temps registered at 84 degrees Fahrenheit, which meant that it would not be a wetsuit legal swim. This was not a big deal as I had my Orca skin suit ready to roll. The swim went really smooth. I had a good warm-up that enabled me to go out a bit faster to start the race without going hypoxic. Unfortunately I did lose contact with two guys at the start of the swim, but I was able to find my own pace while swimming solo throughout. My main focus was to maintain good posture with a decent catch. I was able to roll into T1 without any major incidents.
Bike: 2:25:36
I was really looking forward to the bike. I had visited the Lifesport Coaching wind tunnel camp at the beginning of May. My new Orbea Ordu, with Shimano DI2 and SRM power meter, had been lost in transit during the trip home. I had given up all hope of seeing my new ride again. However, on Thursday prior to the race (exactly 2 months after I lost it), I received an e-mail that Fedex had found my bike! They expedited it to me by Friday morning. I quickly built it back up and had it ready to roll for the race. This was only my second time riding the bike, but I knew it was fit properly. I headed out of T1, hit a bump and lost my water bottle(I ended up losing 3 during the entire ride). Oh well, I still had my calories and salt tabs. I knew I could grab a water bottle at the first aid station. I dialed in my effort by triangulating my perceived effort with my heart rate and power data. The Timex Global Trainer is a tremendous tool for tracking all the vital stats. I was rolling along well as I came into a 90 degree right corner at about mile 23. The volunteer manning the corner was yelling to slow down as we entered the corner. I clenched both my front and rear brakes aggressively. Then things started to move in slow motion as I was airborne. My rear wheel was sideways and I was about to hit the deck, hard. I landed on my left side with a few bounces and slid along for a little bit on my back. I quickly got up and tried to figure out what had happened. Fortunately the volunteer ran over and told me to move to the side of the road so I didn’t get run over. He said that my rear wheel had popped out(apparently the skewer had come lose: not really sure how as I try to keep it really tight). I looked down to see if there was any visual damage to my bike. It looked fine with the exception of the dropped chain, wheel off, and DI2 unplugged. I asked the volunteer if my crash had caused any deep cuts to my side or back. He said that it appeared to be only road rash, whew.. I quickly put my wheel back in, got the chain on, and plugged the shifter cable back into the cassette. I eased back onto the bike course as I wanted to make sure that the injuries were not to severe. I was happy to get back into the aero bars without to much discomfort. On the remainder of the bike section I just tried to dial the effort back up while monitoring my electrolyte and caloric intake.
Run: 1:21:48
This was meant to be the focus of the race. However with my crash, I was not 100% sure. I tried to build into the run. I started to feel pretty good at the 1 mile marker. I was able to find my rhythm and maintain a decent pace until the 4th mile where I started to cramp. Fortunately I had my salt stick tabs with me. I quickly bit into one and put it under my tongue. The cramp, grasping my inside quad, slowly faded. The rest of the run went well until mile 11 when I started to feel the cumulative fatigue of the day. I hit the cola at the next aid station and the simple sugars gave me a boost into the finish. I crossed the line and found out that I had placed 3rd Overall and top amateur for the day. I made a straight line for the medical tent to get the asphalt cleaned out of my side. In hindsight, I was pretty lucky that the wheel had not come out during one of the steep descents.

Griskus Sprint

2011-07-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

The 25th year of the Pat Griskus Sprint witnessed 30+ Timex employees compete in addition to 3 Timex Multi-sport team members. This is such a great grass-root race. The event kicks off on a Wednesday night at 6pm. It almost always reaches the 500 athlete capacity. There are many first timers and families that are able to participate. It is a privilege to be able to race with my teammates and Timex employees.
Swim:
I lined up to the outside of the beach start. This race seems to attract a lot of younger competitive swimmers that like to go out hard at the beginning of the race. I had experienced this first hand last year as I was literally swam over. My outside positioning allowed me to get open water this year and I had a very enjoyable swim segment.
Bike:
I started the bike with the intention of trying to discover if there was anything left in my legs three days following 70.3 Rhode Island. I knew I would need to ride smart and safe.
We had a storm come through just prior to starting. There are several technical sections to the 10.5 mile bike course. My legs felt fine, but I wasn’t sure how I was going. There were several athletes that had exited the swim in front of me. I was not sure how many there were, but I knew I was not catching everyone. I ended up coming off the bike in 4th place.
Run:
I hit the run as hard as I could to try to catch the athletes out in front. I was able to catch the lead runner about a .25 mile before the turnaround. At this point I just focused on staying consistent and settling in. I felt really good on the run. My legs were able to turn over much better then on the bike. I crossed the finish line in 57:19 which was my 2nd fastest result. I cannot say enough good things about this race. It is so well run.

70.3 Buffalo Springs

2011-06-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

I headed back out to Lubbock, TX to try to get a coveted Kona slot. 70.3 Buffalo Springs is one of 5 half distance IM events that offer dual qualifying for the 70.3 World Championship and IM World Championship. I participated in this race last year and I really enjoyed the challenging course, hot and windy conditions, and high level of competition. I said after last years race that it was one of the hardest 70.3 races I have ever done. Well, after this year, I can say this is definetely the HARDEST race outside of Kona that I have ever done.
My travel out to Lubbock this year was similar to last year. I was delayed 5 hours trying to leave Newark airport and I missed my connecting flight out of Memphis. This meant I had scramble to find a hotel room at midnight (travel 101: if you are a distressed traveler and you get a customer service agent on the phone, do not lose that connection. I spent 30 minutes on hold after my first call got dropped). Once I got the room situation figured out everything else went smoothly. I got the first flight out the next morning and I was at my hotel by 11:30. Fortunately I had shipped my bike ahead of time and it was waiting for me at the hotel. I figured I had better odds shipping it then bringing it on a connecting flight. The remainder of the pre race schedule was very smooth. I was ready to roll for race morning.
Swim: 25:19
I have gotten thrashed more then usual this year in my first 3 races of the year during the start of the swim. This thrashing has caused me to go hypoxic and I have had to regroup for a bit, which has meant that I would lose contact with the people I should be swimming with. So I decided to line up a little to the left outside to start the swim then try to angle in to the first buoy. This strategy worked well for me as I was able to get a good start without getting the token elbow, foot, or hand to the head. I was able to get right up to a small group of guys that were trying to negotiate their way through the previous waves of swimmers. The remainder of the swim went well as I just focused on keeping high elbows and catching good water without digging to deep. I exited the water and went to unzip my suit, but I got a little surprise that it was already down. Someone must have grabbed my chord during the swim and pulled it down. However, I had not noticed it and my suit did not fill up with any extra water. This is another testament to the quality of our Orca 3.8 suits. These suits are excellent. T1 was nice and smooth.
Bike: 2:18:16
I was really looking forward to the bike for this race. I had a really good bike training build this year and I was excited to use my higher fitness. Coach Paul had given me the greenlight to really push the bike. This was also an excellent opportunity to test my new position that I had picked up at the Lifesport Wind Tunnel camp back in May.
I got right into my heart rate and power zones that I wanted to race in. I felt really good on my Orbea Ordu. I was very determined to stay on top of my salt intake. I have a history of cramping during hot races and this was the most extreme heat I had ever been in my life, with temps hitting 111 degrees. I started taking my salt pills early and often, but I still started to feel my hamstrings twinging around mile 30. At that point I was taking about 1,300mg/hour of sodium. I went to the emergency gameplan of biting on the salt capsule and moving it under my tongue. This does not taste great but it is extremely effective. My twinges went away and I was able to focus on my effort and aero position for the remainder of the ride. This was more important then usual because we hit significant headwinds over the last 10 miles of the bike. I felt really good on the bike and I was able to remain very aero without experiencing lower back pain. This enabled me to come into T2 feeling much fresher then I had during last years race. I moved quickly through T2 and out onto the run course.
Run: 1:27:50
Hot, hot, hot. I felt the heat right away as soon as I started running. The gameplan was to build into the run and to start out relatively easy. However, I was so hot right away that I couldn't get any cadence or rhythm going. My legs felt like two tree trunks and I was really overheating. I kept trying to quite my mind, but the heat was brutal. I struggled through the first 3 miles that run along the lake. Then we climbed out of the valley and the winds were noticeable. It was actually a bit refreshing for a little bit. I felt like I could finally take a deep breathe. A runner had gone by me at the 3 mile mark and I was trying to use him to pick up my pace. It worked and I noticed Jason Shortis right in front of us. At this point, I knew the run was going to be all about survival. He was really struggling. I knew if this Ironman champion was struggling then I better be very careful to not blow up. I was able to hold the pace of the runner who had passed me, but it was a struggle. Then as we went up the hill following the 4 mile aid station, he pulled off to the side and said he popped. My first thought was: "oh boy, just hold it together". I shuffled up the remainder of the hill and made the right hand turn onto the 2 mile out and back section. I was immediately met with a ferocious headwind. The heat-wind combo almost broke me. I was right on the edge. I gave myself the goal of just trying to run to the turnaround without walking. I was grabbing as much water and ice as I could hold at every opportunity. I made it to the turnaround and felt much better once I got the wind at my back. I realized that I had made my way to the front of the amateur race, but I was not sure where the other amateurs were. That question was answered 1.5 minutes after I hit the turnaround. I saw Chuck Sloan and another athlete running strong together. I knew Chuck was in the 30-34 age group but I was not sure about the other guy. I figured I would just try to be a consistent as possible and whatever happened would be fine. I felt halfway decent until I got back down to the lake a little after mile 10. Then I really noticed the heat again with the stagnant air. Chuck rolled by me right before the 12 mile mark. He was running really strong but he was by himself. At this point I tried to pick up my pace, but it was a real struggle. So I made a deal with myself that I would run one minute hard then one minute cruise for the last mile (I was trying anything and everything…). It was not pretty but I was able to hold it together. I ended up just barely holding on for the overall Amateur win (10 seconds) with a time of 4:13:43. I am now heading back to Kona which should feel relatively cool after this race. My nutrition was spot on for this race. I have started using Generation UCAN after experiencing severe GI distress in past years. I am extremely excited to use this product.

Sprinting: Ouch!

2011-06-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Sprint triahtlons are a fantastic way to get involved in the multi-sport world. Trifitness puts on a very fun, safe event down at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT. I had the opportunity to race this year, which was a special treat. This is close to home, so my family was able to journey down to see the race. There is nothing like having your kids cheer for you as you race.
Although the distance of a sprint triathlon is relatively short, it can be quite painful as the effort is much higher.
I hit the swim and almost went hypoxic. I settled down and came out of the water ready to roll on the bike. I tried to hit the bike hard as I knew there would be fast cyclist behind me. I was able to hold 312 normalized watts for the first 5 miles, but I realized this was a bit too high to maintain. I brought it down to 300 for the remainder of the bike. I came through the 2 loop bike and headed onto the run. My legs felt great, but 100 meters into the run I had an issue. My left calf tightened up right away. I shortened my stride and tried to focus on quick cadence. I felt really strong but every time I tried to open up my stride, I could feel the pain in the calf. I was able to maintain a decent pace for the remainder of the run and crossed the finish line with a decent day. Now I need to focus on getting my left calf back to health.
Results: www.coolrunning.com/results/11/ct/Jun12_Trifit_set1.shtml

70.3 Mooseman

2011-06-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

70.3 Mooseman

This was my first year attending this race. I was excited to kick of my 2011 racing season on a very challenging course. The morning of the race was a balmy 39 degrees. I tried to get my transition set up as quickly as possible so I could jump into my sweet Orca 3.8 wetsuit. My wave was the last of the morning. I jumped in the water 15 minutes prior to my start. The water actually felt refreshing at 60 degrees compared to the air temps.
Swim: 28:18
It was a rough start to the swim. I lined up in the middle and got boxed in at the start. I got whacked and almost lost my goggles. I went pretty hard at the beginning, but then went anaerobic and couldn't catch my breath. I literally had to do a couple of strokes of back stroke (very comical). I got it back together and felt good after that. This has not happened to me in about 6 years. I'm not sure why this happened, but maybe it was a combo of the cold water and my first high end effort of year.
Bike: 2:28:02
I was pretty chilled getting out on the bike. The first 5 miles are pretty flat and fast, which did not help to warm up. However, after that we hit the hills and I was immediately warm. This was a very challenging course with some major climbing. I had a very consistent effort and held back as Paul, my coach, had prescribed. My Timex Ironman Race Trainer was reading mostly low 140 heart rate range (low zone 2). However, my heart rate did climb into the 150s on the climbs. My race nutrition felt great! I did have one event on the bike that would come back to haunt me on the run. I dropped my salt tabs at mile 15 of bike after only taking 2 salt sticks (500mgs) I usually race with 800-1200 an hour. Fortunately I did not cramp at all on the bike. I believe this was due to the cooler temps and my reduced effort.
Run: 1:20:47
I felt really good heading onto the run. I did not take it out to hard but felt good as I warmed into the effort. Then at mile 3 I cramped really bad. I was very nervous. I was screaming for salt but all they had was pretzels. I grabbed a handful and stuffed them in my mouth. I almost choked. I decided to grab a Gatorade at every aid going forward and I stuck a pretzel under my tongue until the salt melted for the rest of the race. It was not ideal but it worked. I held it together with only a couple of cramps. I shortened my stride and just tried to run steady. I was a bit bummed because I think I could have put together a better run effort, but that’s racing.
I finished up in 4:20:13, which placed me as the top amateur and 7th overall. Once I thawed out on the course, I really enjoyed this race and would recommend it for anyone looking for a beautiful East Coast destination race.

Brick training: Benefits of Bike - Run Workouts

2011-04-24T04:09:00.001-07:00

I will never forget the first time I did a run immediately after a bike workout. I could not believe the fatigue in my legs and how they literally felt like bricks. This feeling of deep fatigue is extremely common for beginner triathletes. There are also numerous stories of extremely talented runners entering into the sport of triathlon and experiencing less than optimal run splits following the bike section of a triathlon.

One needs to approach brick training just like they would their training for individual sports. There needs to be a prep (foundation) phase, then a build phase, and finally a peak (race) phase. In the prep phase it is critical to train the central nervous system what it feels like to run immediately following a bike session. The optimal goal is learn how to get the run turnover (cadence) up into the 90 foot strikes per minute as quickly as possible. These efforts should be completed as easy efforts. During the build phase of the training program, endurance bricks can be introduced. These longer brick sessions help the body to become more efficient. A few shorter, high intensity intervals can be added into some of these workouts to get a feel for race pace without taxing the body to much. Then as one is entering into the peak phase of training, it’s time to work into longer, sustained effort race simulation brick sessions. These steady state efforts help to sharpen the speed and power necessary to optimize the race experience. With the proper training, one should be able to run off the bike very close to their “fresh” (run race only) pace. The key is to stay healthy, have fun, and train smart. Enjoy the journey!

Race Day Nutrition

2011-03-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

There is an overload of information and claims out there about proper race day nutrition. I have a very strong opinion on this topic. I completely understand that research shows that consuming fructose while exercising can improve performance. However, we all have unique digestive systems and just like anything else in life, one size does not fit all.
As I work with athletes and constantly try to dial in my own race day nutrition, I am constantly reminded how individually specific racing nutrition is. The simple truth is that what might work for Joe is not necessarily going to work for Jane. I, personally, have an extremely hard time taking any sugar while racing. I've found that it causes me extreme G.I. distress. I've tried everything and even bought into the idea of trying to train the gut to digest it while racing. However, I continue to struggle with the symptoms during longer (over 4 hours of racing) events.
If one is going to compete in races up to the 1/2 Ironman distance and above, then one needs to be practicing and testing their race day nutrition strategy frequently. This is so critical. You could be in the best physical shape of your life, but if you run into nutrition issues while racing, then all the fitness in the world will not get you to your potential results.
To summarize: develop a gameplan, practice that gameplan, and have a back-up plan in case things do not go as planned on race day. Try to simulate the conditions of your goal race while practicing your nutrition strategy. Enjoy the journey.

Kona Interview

2010-10-31T04:59:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity to do a couple of interviews during the days leading into the race. Here's one from Everymantri.com:
If you scroll down on this page, there is a short 4 minute video.
www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2010/10/emt-kona-week-2010-athlete-profilechris-thomas.html

Kona 2010 Race Report

2010-10-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Pre-Race:
I felt great heading into the race. My swim intermediate interval splits were a little slower compared to where I was last year, but I was not far off. My endurance biking strength was right on. My threshold power was higher last year heading into Clearwater, but my long rides were the strongest ever. My run was close to the best it's ever been. All in all I felt very good coming into the race. On a bit of a negative side, I was having some issues sleeping and I had to make multiple trips to the bathroom during the night.
Race Morning:
I was up and out of bed by 3:30am. I made my breakfast of 6 eggs with mushrooms and peppers. In addition I had 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread with Almond butter and a banana. I had one cup of black coffee. My stomach felt good and I was anxious to get down to transition. I had planned on taking two salt tabs before the swim start, but in the excitement of race morning, I forgot to take them. Fortunately, this did not hurt me as I only had a very slight calf cramp during the swim that faded away pretty quickly.
Swim:
My game plan was to position myself right up front and let it roll. If you want to swim fast in Kona, you have to give yourself a chance to do so. However, you need to be willing to get pummeled in the process. I'm not sure I fully respected the amount of pummeling that would come. I got in the water at 6:45am and swam out to the start line. When I first got out to the line, the amount of bodies treading water was still thin, but as we got closer to 7am it started to pack in.

The paddlers were trying to keep pushing the masses back. By the time the cannon was ready to go off, we were packed in like sardines. The start of the race was a very interesting learning experience. I had settled into the 2nd row right before the cannon went off. Then everyone attempted to move forward while dunking each other under the water.
After about 20 meters of extremely scary swimming, we were finally under way. I managed to move my way to the inside of the buoys, which enabled open water swimming all the way out to the turnaround boat. I was swimming next to one athlete the entire way out to the boat. We would occasionally bump against each other as the swells would push us one way or the other. Once we got around the turnaround, things bunched up quite a bit.

The only real issue I had while swimming was due to a classic last second decision. My teammate, Cindy Bannink, offered some nice anti-fog drops for my goggles right before the start. This anti-fog solution worked fantastic; however on the way back into transition I realized that I had not cleared the solution from my goggles. My eyes were burning like crazy every time I turned to breathe. This was a minor irritation and I finished up the swim in: 59:49. One of my top three goals for the race was to come out of the water in sub 1 hour. The majority of athletes come out of the water 4-5 minutes over an hour and I wanted to try to have cleaner roads for the bike.

Transition 1:

I hit the split on my Timex Global Trainer coming out of the water and made my way into the changing tent. I attempted to self administer the sun block (this was quite comical!). I was out of T1 quickly and I had my first minor error of the day. My chain had come off while I was running with my bike to the mount line. The front cassette must have rolled backwards and the chain popped off. It was not a big deal at all, but it was a little embarrassing. Picture this: I jumped on my nice Orbea Ordu, started to pedal, and did not make any forward progress. I think my face was as red as my uniform. I quickly hopped off the bike, put the chain back on, and I was on my journey.
Bike:

The beginning of the bike was very mentally challenging for me. I felt great. I really wanted to let it rip. However, I knew it was going to be a long day. Paul, my coach, and I had laid out the game plan during the week leading into the race. I needed to try to keep my effort in Zone 2 heart rate and perceived effort around 6 (scale of 1-10) for the entire bike portion. My power output (third factor) would be used to keep things in check throughout the day. I would also use my cadence monitor to insure that I was not mashing a big gear. I’ve found that my optimal cadence for power and performance is around 87 rpm’s on flat roads. My Timex Global Trainer came in very handy as I used it to track my heart rate, power, speed, cadence, and distance: all on one screen.
I tried to settle into the early miles. However, I was getting passed by quite a few athletes. This was my early challenge on the bike. The little voice in my head was saying: “just go with them”, but I knew it was not the time to “burn one of my matches” (as Lance Watson likes to say). I focused on my own effort and let the other athletes pedal by. Once I got up on the Queen K highway, my new focus was to dial into my nutrition and electrolyte game plan for the day. I saw a lot of those same athletes that were leading the charge at the start of the bike drop back once we got into the rolling hills on the Queen K. I had planned to try to take 250-300 calories on the bike, while consuming 800-1,000 mg of sodium per hour. My journey out to Hawi (the turnaround on the bike) was very methodical. I stayed right in my heart rate zone, averaging 143bpm, and my power output was 231 normalized watts. My perceived effort felt very comfortable. When I reached Hawi, I felt the best I had ever felt in my 4 attempts at this race. I dumped my calorie bottle and picked up my special needs bag which contained my 2nd bottle of carbo pro 1200. The next leg descending down to the Queen K felt great. I was reminded why it was so important to have a good swim. The other side of the road was very bunched up with athletes climbing up to Hawi. The winds were blowing pretty hard at this time, so I tried to stay as aero as I could. In hindsight, I got a little behind on my hydration and calories during the descent. However, while I was in the moment, I did not realize it. As I reached the Queen K, I started to feel the heat of the day. It was reported that temperatures climbed to 104 degrees Fahrenheit and the white line on the road reached 127 degrees. I was definitely feeling the heat. I continued to really focus on my electrolyte intake. I was starting to have some minor stomach issues with my carbo pro 1200. I had decided to use my road helmet instead of my aero helmet for this race. This decision turned out to be a very good decision as I was able to cool down much easier by dumping water right into my helmet as I went through the aid stations. As I passed the 85 mile marker I did a check on my three factors. My heart rate was still in low zone 2 at 141bpm. My normalized power was standing at 228 watts and my perceived effort was still comfortable. Over the next 5 miles things started to come unglued. My stomach really started to bother me. I even had a little internal vomit episode. I tried to take some more carbo pro 1200, but my stomach was not taking anymore. I tried to adjust on the fly and I grabbed a banana at the next aid station. This worked for a little bit, but then I noticed my heart rate slipping down into the low 130s, which is low Zone 1 for me. I wish I had something good to write about the remainder of my ride, but it was a struggle home. The last quarter of my ride was spent in low Zone 1 heart rate with a normalized power for that section of only 199 watts. I was in shut down mode.

I also started cramping pretty severely as well. I finally grabbed a cola at the last aid station on the bike with hopes that the simple sugars would pick me back up into transition 2. The cola did help, but my cramping was pretty severe as I finally rolled into T2. I was pretty happy to hand off my bike to the volunteers. I ended up biking 5:04:35.
Transition 2:
My lower back was very stiff (no kidding) running through transition. My running form was even more peculiar than normal. I hit the tent and attempted to get into my running shoes. My calves and hamstrings were cramping and I was having a very hard time getting my shoes on. Finally, I was able to move out of the door of the tent and I grabbed 2 sports drinks.
Run:
My goal was to make it to the first aid station and walk the entire 100 yards. I saw my coach, Paul, at the half mile marker. He encouraged me to try to have a decent run and try to bring things back together a bit. I was really struggling at this point. Once I hit the first aid station, I walked the entire stretch and I took everything they were offering: water, PowerAde, cola, ice, banana, and more water. I started to run again to the next aid station where I repeated the process of walking and grabbing everything on the menu. Finally at the 2.5 mile mark, I started to feel better.

I was able to put together some decent miles until I started to approach Palani hill. As I covered the ½ mile leading up to Palani, I was starting to suffer again. My body temperature was really rising. I realized that I had made another tactical error. I had worn a visor instead of a hat. Therefore, I was not able to keep ice on top of my head. However, I did pour the ice everywhere else. I repeated my aid station strategy again on the hill. In fact, over the following several miles, I continued to walk the aid stations. I was still running a decent pace from aid station to aid station as I averaged 7:04 mile pace over the first 16 miles of the run. At mile 16, I started to feel very deep muscle soreness in my quads. It was a little early in the run to feel this and I was a little worried about how I would get through the remaining 10 miles. I tried every motivational trick I could think of: segmenting the run, thinking of my kids, counting my cadence, and attempting to pace off of other athletes around me. Every race is unique. This time the ability to pace off of the athletes around me proved to be the most useful strategy to keep me moving forward. As I approached the 22 mile mark, I saw my coach Paul again. He encouraged me to finish up the race strong. I made a decision at that point that I was going to run the remainder of the race. I shuffled my way along all the way to the finish. I crossed the line with a marathon time of 3:12:32 and total time of 9:23:30.

I was really hurting. If I wasn’t so scared of needles, I would have gone right into the med tent for an IV.
Race Summary:
Ironman distance racing is so much different than 70.3 racing. I had been away from the distance and this race for 5 years. My impression of the race was not quite as fresh and realistic as it should have been. I re-learned a lot about the race and myself on the day. It was not exactly my best day, but I gave everything I had. After crossing the finish line, if anyone had asked me if I would return to do another IM in Kona, I would have emphatically said no. The funny thing is that it only took me 2 hours before I told my wife that I have to go back to Kona again. So the recovery is under way and the 2011 campaign will begin soon.
Thanks for reading. Sorry it was so long.

Key Workouts heading into Kona

2010-10-01T10:52:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about some of the key workouts I have done over the past few months. The days that really stick out in my mind are the following:
1. 6.5 hr bike with 15k feet of climbing - 125 miles
2. 25.5 mile run in 3 hours
3. 6hr bike with 14k feet of climbing - 120 miles
4. 29 miles of running split between a 2.5hr morning run and 1hr afternoon run
5. 6hr bike (120 miles) with one hour run off bike @ IM pace

There have been many other key workouts, but these five really stick out.

The Power of knowing

2010-09-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have been working with a healthcare professional for over a year in conjuction with my Standard Process supplements. However, I really wanted to dial in my nutrition needs and specify exactly what I needed. I recently did a full metoabolic testing as well as toxin testing. I did this testing through my nutritionist Alison Held at my facility Personal Training Professionals of Southport. Alison and I worked out the testing protocol. I had about 8 quarts of blood drawn (I'm joking, but it felt like that) as well as some urine samples. The test came back with a 50 page report of my individual profile. This was a very enlightening report and identified many issues I have. Alison was able to use this report and make more informed recommendations for my supplementation. I am a big believer in the Standard Process line of supplements. I also like how they require you to work with a professional.
There are so many supplements on the market these days. The supplement industry is an 18 billion dollar a year industry and 90% of all supplements on the market today are synthetic.
I am very happy that I went through the process of the testing and really dialing in on my supplement needs.

Yearly Training Hours

2010-09-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have just started my taper for the IM World Championship. I thought it would be interesting to see how many hours of training I have done this year. For a little history, in 2008 and 2009, I averaged 13 hours of training per week. So far in 2010, I have averaged 14.25 hours a week with my biggest week at 23 hours. I had never completed a weekly training load bigger then 20hrs before this year. I'm feeling pretty good heading into the big day. I'm really looking forward to heading over to Kona.

70.3 Timberman

2010-08-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

This was my 8th year participating at the Timberman 1/2 IM. Yeah, I really like this race. Although, It was quite a bit different this year under the new ownership. The race expanded to over 2,700+. This was about 800 more than last year and a far cry from the 500+ that competed in the first year. Here's a pic of the transition area:

I drove up to the race on Saturday morning in the most comfortable ride around:
[caption id="attachment_4125" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="This car rocks!"][/caption]
I love this car.
I wanted to get up to the race venue early to register and get organized. I was able to catch up with teammate Mark Vermeersch and last year's teammate Mike Lavery on Saturday at registration. They were looking super fit and ready to have some fun on Sunday. Both Mark and Mike had fantastic races on Sunday.
Race morning came in with perfect weather conditions. It was in the high 60s/low 70s and overcast. We even got a little bit of rain on the bike and run. You just couldn't ask for better weather conditions. I always plan a race strategy with my coach, Paul Regensburg (http://lifesportcoaching.com/coaches.php). The strategy for Timberman was to swim hard, then build into the bike and try to hit the 2nd half more aggressively then the 1st half. We've had different approaches at the other races this year. While each race course and weather conditions are different, we've noticed that I've had problems maintaining a strong 2nd half bike this year in my 70.3 races. So for the Kona prep, the strategy was to hit the 2nd half hard and get the run right up to pace and hold it.
My swim wave was scheduled to go off at 7:55am. It was the 13th wave of the morning. I saw Zach Pratt before the swim start and I thought we might be able to work together on the swim. I had swam behind Zach at 70.3 Rhode Island. So, I thought that if we could work together on the swim, we could be more efficient. However, that game plan went out the window when we got about 400 meters into the swim and started to catch the wave in front of us. It became too crowded. So, I spent the entire swim by myself. This worked out ok as I just focused on finding my rhythm and trying to avoid the packs of athletes swimming on top of each other. I exited the swim in 27:45. My Aquasphere Ironman Icon worked perfectly.

I was out onto my Orbea Ordu and ready to try to put the game plan into effect: I settled in and made sure I got my heart rate under control. I relied on my Timex Global Trainer to dial in on my heart rate, speed, and cadence. I felt really good with the dialed down effort. I was also able to really focus on my nutrition and electrolytes. I still maintained a minimum of 800mg/hour of sodium even with the cool conditions. I found out later in the day that this was a very good strategy. I hit sections on the 2nd half of the bike, that I have really struggled with in the past. However, this year, I felt great. There were a few sections on the bike course that got a little dangerous with all of the extra bodies. There are a few steep downhill sections and there were a few people riding right out in the middle of the road and on their brakes. This created a little bit of an issue when a car was coming up the other side. However, that's part of racing in the age group wave start format. I came off the bike in: 2:17:02. This was about a 2.5 minute CR for me. I was most pleased with how fresh I felt coming off the bike. I was really looking forward to the run.
I went through T2 pretty quickly and tried to build into my race pace. I felt really strong and I started to open up my stride at the 2 mile marker. Endurance racing is funny. You can feel great one moment, then the wheels can come completely off the next. Well, the wheels did not come off, but at the 2.5 mile point I got a massive cramp on inside of my left leg. It almost brought me to a complete stop. I shortened my stride and grabbed my Thermolytes. I started to chew on one. This was not enjoyable at all, but it was very effective. The cramp went away and I made it to the next aid station and took 2 more Thermolytes. In hindsight, it was fortunate that I was so proactive with the electrolytes on the bike. Things could have been a whole lot worse. I continued on my electrolyte dosage the remainder of the run. I felt really strong until the 11 mile mark, when my muscles started to fatigue a bit. I started to incorporate coke at this point for the simple sugars.

I was able to finish the run in 1:19:03, which was my best run on this course by 2 minutes. My overall time was 4:06:36 (my best time by 3.5 minutes on the course). This placed me first amateur overall and 9th including the pros.
Thanks for reading.
-Chris

Park City Olympic 2010

2010-08-18T13:44:00.001-07:00

I came into this race off of my first real big block of training for Kona. I had put in 3 weeks of 20+ hour training. The training has been going very well. I have been handling the bigger volume decently. I have experienced some aches and pains, but nothing has been severe. I did go through a little stretch of overreaching a bit and I noticed that I was having a very hard time hitting key workouts. This lack of ability to hit the tempo threshold type of workouts is a clear sign of muscle fatigue. So, I had backed things off a bit leading into this race to let my muscles recover a bit. I felt ready to roll on race morning.
Every season is different. This season, my pool swim fitness is the best it's ever been. My bike is a little off but my run is the best it's been as well. When I look back at my off-season, it all makes sense. I had a very good run focus in the off-season. My swim had started off the year a little behind where I thought it should be, so we bumped things up in the water. The result was my endurance speed is the deepest it's ever been. My bike is a bit different story. I had to put my bike training on the back burner at the beginning of the year as I was focusing on building my new businesses: Personal Training Professionals of Southport (www.ptpsouthport.com) and Lifesport Coaching (www.lifesportcoaching.com). In addition, I usually start my racing season in late March. However, this year I did not do my first triathlon until the middle of June. These factors have contributed to my bike fitness coming in at a little lower level. This is not such a bad thing, as my main focus this year is to race in Kona in October.
Now about the race: the swim was a bit choppier then last year. This slowed things down a little bit. I felt pretty good once I got going and I came in @ 19:35. This was 31 seconds slower then last year, but comparing it to other swimmers and the conditions, it was actually a faster swim.
I went through T1 quickly and got right onto my Orbea Ordu. I had my powermeter again and I put it on average watts so I could dial in a consistent effort on the flat course. I pushed hard and watched my power climb for the first 3 laps. I slowly built my power output. As I was finishing the 4th lap, I noticed that my wattage was starting to slip. It was not a drastic slip but over the last two laps I lost 5 watts from my average I was holding on the first 3+ laps. My net power comparison was 7 normalized watts lower in 2010 then 2009. I came off the bike in 2nd place and I knew I was going to have to put out a serious run to try to close the gap. In 2009, I had a pretty decent lead off the bike, so I was able to shut things down on the 2nd loop of the run. This race was a lot different. I had a 40 second deficit coming off of the bike.
I thought I could pull back 10 seconds per mile on the run. However, as the run progressed, I was not making any gains on the leader. I hit the turnaround for lap 2 and I went as hard as I could. I finally started to close the gap a little. I got the within 20 seconds, but that was all I could do. I ended up coming across the line 22 seconds down. My racing philosophy has always been to give everything I have and always feel good about my race after I cross the finish line. I can say without hesitation that I gave everything I had. Results: http://www.triandduit.com/webforms/tad_ResultsDetail.aspx?rf=PCMossmanTri2010.rdb&distanceid=1&Event=Park+City+Mossman+Triathlon&distance=Triathlon

Griskus Olympic: 2010 NE Championship

2010-07-16T14:26:00.001-07:00

This was my first real race of the season. I was excited to finally get things going. I knew that I was a bit rusty as I usually start my racing season in late March. My training had been going pretty well going into the race. My swim and run training were the best ever. However, my bike was off quite a bit. I knew that the majority of this lower fitness was due to the lack of racing. So I was eager to get out and get things started.
I was slotted in the 2nd wave of the day. I knew there would be a few really fast younger guys that I would need to chase all day, ouch. My swim wave went off and I got right out to the front of my wave. At least I thought I did. About 200 yards into the swim, I looked over to the right and saw one body pulling away about 20 meters over. I tried to bridge across to him, but I just could not close the gap. I ended up swimming the remainder of the course by myself. I felt fine and the swim was pretty uneventful.
I was quickly through T1 and out onto the bike. I knew I had some ground to make up on the younger, faster swimmers. I tried to put in a solid effort for the first 10 miles. I felt pretty good and I got the legs rolling. Once we hit the hills, my lack of racing and lower power became very evident. I was trying to mash a bigger gear, big mistake. I spent the rest of the ride trying to find a rythm.
I was really looking forward to getting out onto the run. As I rolled into T2, I heard that the lead person had a little over 3 minutes on me. This meant that the net difference was less then a minute as the first wave had gone off 3 minutes before my wave. I found out that I had managed to catch the other racers. However, with a wave start, you never know where you stand until you cross the finish line. So, you just go as hard as you can.
I got onto the run course and found my stride right away. I had two people on my shoulder, which helped to push the pace up a bit. I was able to gain a bit of space just before the 1 mile marker. Then I just tried to focus on the runner in front of me. I kept a good cadence throughout the run and I was the 2nd body across the finish line and first overall.

70.3 Rhode Island

2010-07-16T04:41:00.001-07:00

One fact of racing triathlons is that each race is different. This was my 3rd year participating at 70.3 Rhode Island. I really enjoy the race. The point to point format makes the race unique. It is a bit challenging from a logistical standpoint, but the course is very fair. The swim is in the ocean off of Narragansette, RI. Then the bike rolls from the beach to downtown Providence, RI. The run is a two loop, hilly, course through downtown Providence.
The swim: 29:35
Paul Regensberg (www.lifesportcoaching.com), my coach, asked me to try to really hit the swim hard. I had qualified for the Hawaii IM at 70.3 Buffalo Springs and Paul wanted me to use this race to start my preparation for Kona. My wave was the 9th of the day. As soon as we started I jumped out to the front and tried to find the right feet to follow. I found feet and I swam with a high effort, but I don't think this was exactly what was prescribed. I came out of the water quite a bit slower then I was hoping for. However, that's racing. So I quickly made my way through T1 and out onto my Orbea Ordu.
The bike: 2:21:38
The gameplan for the bike was to take it out hard. This was a different strategy for me on this discipline. Usually I take the first part of the bike a little easier and build into the effort. However, the strategy this day was to go hard and see what I could do on the bike. However, I just couldn't do it. I was having a hard time keeping my heart rate in my racing zone. I felt muscularly limited. I felt like I was riding pretty well, but I just couldn't take it up a notch. So I just focused on what I could control, my caloric intake and maintaining a steady effort. As I said at the beginning: each race is different. In 2009, we had a tailwind on the bike section. However, in 2010, we had a headwind. It wasn't too severe, but it was enough to slow my time by 7 minutes even though I had the exact same normalized power as 2009. I rolled into T2 feeling like I had kept my sodium intake (about 800mg/hr) at the right level. However, I had backed up a bit on my liquid calories. I tried to play catch up a little bit towards the end of the bike as I realized I hadn't taken that much down. The result of this caloric tardiness was a bloated stomach as I headed out on the run.
The run: 1:18:39
I felt very awkward heading out on the run. So I just focused on shortening my stride and trying to maintain a quick cadence. A few of the pro men were starting their second loop as I was starting my first. So I tried to que off of them to find my pace. This strategy worked pretty well. I was able to hold a decent pace, although I did not feel fluid at all. I went with a slightly different fueling strategy for this run. Usually I hit the cola very early on the run to get the simple sugars. The cola is great to give me a lift, but it plays havic on my GI system. So I had decided to run with a flask of carbopro for the first 9 miles, then switch over to cola for the last 5k. Finally at about the 7 mile mark, I started to feel decent and find a rythm. While I had spent most of the run feeling off, my energy level had stayed very constant. In fact, this was the first race in a long time that I felt stronger at the end of the run. Every race is different.
I crossed the line and looked at my watch: 4:12:39. I was shocked. It was 10+ minutes slower then last year. As I started to talk to other participants I quickly realized that it was completely different race conditions then 2009. I found out later that I was the top amateur overall.

70.3 Buffalo Springs

2010-07-06T12:49:00.001-07:00

I started my trip to Lubbock, Tx with a little snag. I was flying out of Laguardia airport in NYC and I had a very quick connection in Houston, Tx scheduled which would have been great if all went smoothly. However, a mechanical issue delayed my first leg of the trip, which meant that I would be staying the night in Houston, Tx. This little delay actually worked out well as I was able to get a good nights rest in Houston before jumping on a puddle-jumper to Lubbock on Saturday morning. These things happen and its much easier to just roll with it, then get all upset with the little stuff.
Once I arrived in Lubbock, I started putting my bike together and soon realized that I had left my rear cassette at home. Fortunately, my friend Mike Zinn had a spare cassette and I was able to quickly get my bike set-up. I was really looking forward to this race. This was my first half 1/2 IM of the year and second race of the season(1st race report to follow). I had purposely scheduled a later start to the race season this year as I needed to really focus on my new businesses: Personal Training Professionals of Southport (ptpsouthport.com) and Lifesport Coaching (lifesportcoaching.com).
My fitness levels felt pretty good, but I was anxious to see how it would come together in a serious race with tough conditions. My coach, Paul Regensberg, laid out the game plan for race day. I needed to swim smart and try to find good feet to follow in the swim. Then start the bike out a bit conservatively in low Z3 heart rate and try to build the second half's effort. The run was to be a similar approach since it was my first long race of the season and the temps were going to be in the mid to high 90s.
Pre-race was fantastic as I was able to hang out with 7 fellow Timex Athletes: Andrew, Alex, Cindi, Dennis, Laura, Tim, and Barry. I also got to catch up with former teammate Curt Chasney. The amateurs were greeted with the news that the swim would be wetsuit legal. I squeezed into my Aquasphere suit and headed down to the murky water to start the first leg. My wave was the 5th of the morning and as we started out, I was surprised how congested things were for the first 400 meters. I tried to find my own space and get into a rhythm. About half way through the swim I had a guy in my wave slide past me. I knew this was my opportunity to hang onto some good feet and I worked hard to get behind him. The rest of the swim was pretty uneventful with the occasional swimming over (sorry Dennis!) and getting swam over. I quickly headed out onto the bike and tried to stick to the plan. I was triangulating (not sure if this is a word) my effort by using my Timex Global Trainer to monitor my heart rate, speed, and power. I kept my stats under control and kept my new Orbea Ordu rolling along. I had my high points and low points during the bike. Everyone has different tactics that they use to get through the tough times. I always think of my three boys to help me get through the low points while racing. I had to draw on their thoughts a lot during this race. I would say that this was one of the hardest 1/2 IM's I've done in a long time. The combination of a very deep, talented field with a very challenging course and the heat rising well into the 90's all played into a tough day. The bike course has several out and back sections and at the 30 mile mark, we had a pretty good tail wind that felt great to ride with. However this same tail wind turned into a head wind on the return trip from mile 46 into the finish. It was pretty brutal, but everyone had to deal with it. I was very eager to get off the bike and start the run. My legs were feeling the effort of trying to push into the wind and I was a bit nervous to see how I would run off the bike. I felt pretty fatigued coming off the bike. Fortunately, I had dialed in my nutrition on the bike and I was able to take in all 800 calories in addition to about 800mg of sodium an hour.
I hopped off the bike and out onto the run with a guy from the 30-34 age group (their wave had gone off right in front of ours). He had a good pace going and I asked what he usually runs. He replied, "sub 1:20". I was running in upper Z2 heart rate at the time and I thought this would be a good pace to hold for the start of the run. So I jumped on his shoulder and tried to settle in. We clipped along for 2 miles until all of a sudden he started running off to the left. I had no idea where he was going until I saw a porta potty ahead, that's racing. Now I was alone and I had raised my heart rate into low Z3. This is right where Paul had asked me to run for the first half, so I kept the effort right there and just made sure my pace was about right using my Global Trainer GPS function. I had to start the cola at mile 2 of the run as I was feeling the bike effort. The run is a out a back course. This allowed the opportunity to see the whole pro race unfold as well as provide an opportunity to see all of my teammates on the course. Its such a huge lift to be able to race with so many teammates, especially out on desolate roads in Texas.
I made it to the turnaround point and attempted to pick up my pace and effort. It felt good to push harder for a couple of miles. Then at mile 10, things started to unravel a bit. I was experiencing some severe GI distress and my energy levels were dipping low. I took my first gel of the day and just tried to focus on maintaining a decent cadence. My form was falling apart and I was just focused on getting to the finish line in one piece. Finally I saw Magali Tisseyre up ahead as she was approaching the finish line. I got across the line in: 4:08:19. My splits were: 24:47(short swim)/2:19:27/1:21:33. I found out later that this placed me as the top overall amateur and I got my slot to Kona! So I'm heading back to the big island for the first time since 2005.

To prepare for the Marathon, Toomer will train with Timex Multisport Team athlete and 2009 USAT Amateur Triathlete of the Year Chris Thomas.

2010-06-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

New York Giants Great Amani Toomer Teams with Timex to Run 2010 ING New York City Marathon for Charity

http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100616006160&newsLang=en

Return to the Scene of the Crime

2009-11-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

I ran the local Pequot Turkey Trot 5-mile race yesterday. This was my fourth time participating in this event. I was curious to see how my recent triathlon run fitness would translate into a fresh road race. I had not competed in a road race in a few years. My first impression is how much different it is then a multi-sport event. I had forgotten just how different the effort is.

A good friend of mine had lured me into this race back in 1999. At the time, I had not run competitively for over 12 years. As I look back on that race, a decade later, I remember how comical our preparation for that race was. We would do 2-3 two mile training runs a week leading into the race. The day of the race was chilly and raining. We lined up in the middle of the 5,000+ pack. I still remember how my lungs burned from the anaerobic effort. I crossed the finish in 37:39 that day. It was not exactly pretty, but I had enjoyed the event tremendously. I would race again the following two years with finishing times of 31:26 and 30:40 respectively. My multi-sport training and racing really started to build after 2001. I found that by the time late November rolled around, I was pretty tired from the racing season. Therefore, I had not participated in the Pequot Turkey Trot since 2001.

This year I felt pretty fresh and I was carrying some good run fitness from my Clearwater preparation. I decided I would give the race a go and see where my "fresh" running was. Race morning was ideal, with temperatures in the low 50s and overcast. As the horn went off, I tried to get out quickly without going out to aggressively. I settled in behind the two lead runners. The pace felt comfortable at the time, so I decided to try to stay with them for a little bit. As we approached the first mile marker, we hit the first slight climb and the lead guy just pulled away. I dropped back a bit and heard 5:10 as I went by the timer. I felt good and I was wondering if I would be able to hold that pace. I then spent the next 3 miles learning what it was like to run a fresh road race again. I went from 3rd place to 9th over this time. My pace slowed some: mile 2 @ 5:24, mile 3 @ 5:27, mile 4 @ 5:20. I was holding it together, but my effort was not the "proper" pacing strategy for a running race. The individuals who passed me, all got stronger as the race went along. I, on the other hand, was holding on for dear life. As I went through the 4-mile marker, my left achilles started to really tighten up on me. This achilles tightness has been a little nuance for me almost the entire year. However, it's never really flared up during a race before. I was a little concerned and I tried to focus on keeping my effort as steady as possible. My form really suffered in this last stretch , but I was able to finish mile 5 in 5:30. That gave me an overall time of 26:54, which placed my in 9th place overall.
I was very happy that I decided to do the race. However, the race and events that events that unfolded during the effort are both fantastic reminders of how different a "fresh" running race can be compared to a multi-sport event.

70.3 World Championship Race Report

2009-11-26T03:35:00.000-08:00

I started my 2009 70.3 Championship journey with the standard flight delay out of JFK airport. Things quickly turned for the better, however, when I landed in Tampa. Timex teammates Bruce and Andrew picked me up in a shiny bright red mini-van, sweet! We then drove to the condo that Bruce had lined up for the weekend. The place was amazing! It even had its own elevator. With the lavish accomodations the pre-race was a very enjoyable experience.
Andrew, Bruce, and I ventured over to the pier Friday morning to do a short swim. We were greeted with rolling surf that made swimming an interesting adventure. It wasn't anything outrageous, but there were some decent size rollers and it was almost impossible to get into any type of rhythm while swimming out into the surf. However, once we turned back towards shore, it was a completely different story as the waves made it feel like I had fins on. We finished up our swim and I was able to catch the Lifesport swim clinic. Lance Watson was going through several race tips to deal with the rough conditions. However, both our swim warm-up and the race tips turned out to be unnecessary as the swim was moved to the bay side of Clearwater. While the decision to move the swim did not make Bruce "the shark" Gennari happy, it made our race morning jog to the start only 400 meters.

The race morning went pretty smooth. Bruce and I headed down to the swim start and found the lines moving very quickly. I jumped right into line; got my Aquasphere Icon wetsuit zipped up, and quickly found myself on the timing dock about to jump into the water. There really wasn't any time for pre-race nerves and I focused on trying to get a decent effort going. The remainder of the swim was pretty uneventful. With the time-trial start, I had no idea where I was in relation to the rest of my age group, so I just went as hard as I could. It was a time trial effort from beginning to end. I exited the water in 27:23, which placed me as the 93rd amateur. I quickly made my way through T1.
Once I got through T1, I was really excited to get on my Trek Equinox TTX. I had just come off of my best bike training heading into the race and I was very eager to see if it would pay off. I quickly dialed into my appropriate heart rate zone using my Timex Race trainer. My perceived effort felt about right and my power output was also coming back with good feedback from my Saris Powertap. The time trial start seemed to spread things out a bit to start the bike, although there were some tight roads for the first 5 miles. I managed to get the cleanest roads I've ever had in Clearwater and I was able to really focus on my own effort. I did hit two packs during the middle section of the ride, but I was fortunate enough to get through them quickly. My nutrition and electrolyte strategies were pretty aggressive as I took down almost 1,000 calories and about 16 Thermolytes. This strategy worked for me as I was able to keep my energy level high and I did not experience any cramping during the entire ride. In fact, this was my first race of the season that I was able to keep my heart rate average up in zone 3. I rolled into T2 with a 2:04:17 split and I had managed to move up to the 4th place amateur position starting the run.
Paul Regensburg, my coach, had asked me to build into my run effort. He wanted me to avoid the adrenaline rush of the first 400 meters out of transition. The plan was to find my cadence and build the effort similar to a progression run. I had done several progression runs in training and that practice was a great source for me during the race. As I was approaching the .5 mile marker, Daniel Fontana (2nd Place Overall), went blasting by me. It was a little shocking and I wondered if my legs were fatigued from the bike. Then I saw the third place bike pull up next to me. I awaited the inevitable pass of the next pro. I was starting to find a decent stride rate and beginning to feel comfortable. I ended up running next to the bike for the next 3 miles. As I approached the aid station around mile 5, Matt Reed came up on my shoulder. I asked him if he wanted to go in front to get his calories in. He said he was just trying to hold his place and he was hoping I could pace him in. I told him that would make my day if I could. I then proceeded to go a little above my comfort level for the next mile and a half. I was thrilled to be able to hold it together for that stretch, but I was a little concerned I might have exerted a bit too much energy. I decided to grab my first cola of the day at the next aid station. The simple sugars kicked in quickly and I was able to keep my form together. I ran the 10th mile in 5:30. However, that fluid stride began to get labored in the 11th mile as my pace dropped to 6:18. I then climbed back over the causeway for the last time. I attempted to carry the momentum from the downhill section of the bridge, but I was starting to fatigue and my 12th mile came in a little over 6 minutes. I saw Paul right after the mile marker and he gave me some nice encouragement to push into the finish. I allowed myself to glance at my overall time for the first time during the run. I saw 3:47 and change. I then realized that I had a chance to have a finish under 3:53. My form went completely out the window at this point. I gave it everything I had. I saw Lance Watson with about .5 mile to go and he yelled to sprint to the finish. I tried, although it certainly was not pretty. I crossed the line with a run PR of 1:16:55 and a total time of 3:52:50. I was completely ecstatic to find out that this placed me as the first M35-39 and 2nd amateur overall. I want to thank Team Timex, Lifesport, and all of our phenomenal sponsors for a tremendous year of support.

Body Fat Testing Methods

2009-11-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

There are several types of methods used to assess body composition. What exactly does body composition stand for and why is it so important to determine? First of all, body composition is the ratio of lean body mass compared to fat body mass. When you see the percentage number from a test, that number is approximately how much of your body is comprised of fat. These numbers need to be treated just like anything else in life. The extremes are unhealthy. Sometimes people believe they need to get as low as possible. However, there are dangerous levels at the lower boundaries. The human body needs 10-12% essential fat in women and 2-4% in men. This is the fat necessary to protect the organs and maintain a healthy daily living. The numbers on the high side are associated with all kinds of ailments including: hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes. The high risk boundaries are >32% for women and > 26% for men. So now that we know the boundaries that we should stay between, how exactly does one measure body fat percentages? Some methods are more accurate than others, but they might not be as realistic to perform. Here are some thoughts on the methods and their relevance.
DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) is used to measure bone density. It also is used to measure body fat percentage in addition to where the fat is located. This is a whole body scanner with two different low-dose x-rays to read bone mass and soft tissue mass. The test takes about 10-20 minutes to complete and is highly accurate (2-3% margin of error). This test is painless and is rated as one of the most accurate tests. It usually costs around $100. Insurance may cover this test.
Hydrostatic weighing is another extremely accurate test (2-3% margin of error). For this test, picture being lowered into a big fish tank. One sits on a scale inside a tank of water, then one expels as much air as possible. Next you are lowered underwater and asked to expel even more air, if possible. The accuracy of the test depends on if one is able to blow out all of the air. The simple explanation of how this works is: fat is lighter then water and the more fat you have the more you will float. So the scale measures underwater weight to figure out body density. This test can be a little scary and is certainly not a good option for high risk individuals as it probably will cause a pretty big spike in anxiety levels. The cost for this test is between $25-$50.
Plethysmography is a technique that requires an individual to enter a dual-chamber device. The device measures the air displaced inside the chamber. This is an expensive technique and it has not been thoroughly researched as of yet. The standard error is about 2.2-3.7%.
Calipers are a common sight at most health clubs. This is the device used to measure skin fold thickness at several locations on the body. The basic premise of this test is that the thickness of fat under the skin reflects total body fat. There are several potential flaws with this test. First, a skilled tester is required. One needs to use the same tester for each test to avoid slight variations in testing methods. This test is not that accurate for people that are fat on the inside. Some skinny individuals as well as older adults can fall into this category. The benefits of this test are that it is generally painless and easy to administer.
Bioelectrical impedance is probably one of the fastest and easiest methods to test body fat. A handheld or standing scale is used for this test. An electrical signal passes from hand to hand or foot to foot. The speed of the signal indicates the amount of muscle one carries. The faster the signal the more muscle the individual has. The basic premise of this test is that water conducts electricity. Fat contains almost no water, while muscle is comprised of 70% water. The margin of error of this test is about 4%. The variables that can affect the accuracy of the test are: hydration, food intake, and skin temperature. If one is dehydrated, then the body fat will register at a higher level. The general rule of thumb is test at the same time each day, preferably first thing in the morning after a cup of water.

Cadence Drill

2009-10-27T15:47:00.000-07:00

I'm going to sound like a broken record. Sometimes the simpliest things, are the most useful. Recent research done by the top running coaches in the world has shown that the variable that holds the highest correlation with performance is cadence or stride rate. Bio-mechanics are extremely important, but when one breaks down the film on the top performers in the sport of running, the one element that consistently has the highest relevance is stride rate. When one stops and actually thinks about it, it makes perfect sense. There's a self-fullfilling prophecy about proper stride rate. One is forced to have better bio-mechanics and form in order to maintain the proper stride rate. The general rule of thumb for stride rate is that 94 individual strikes per minute is optimal. That's either right or left foot strikes for every 60 seconds.
The wonderful element of this simple drill is that it can be incorporated into almost any run. I do it on treadmill runs, tempo runs, and general long base runs. I find that when I really focus on the proper cadence that I tend to float over the ground. At first the drill can be much more aerobically challenging. However, over time, the benefits start to sink in and the efforts become much more fluid. It's less muscularly taxing to be running properly then literally putting the brakes on every foot strike. Unfortunately, so many of us have developed the loping run stride, that is a classic over-stride. This type of stride creates more work and literally slows us down every time our feet make contact with the ground.
A visual que that one can use while running is that you never want to see you foot in front of your knee. If you can see your foot out in front of your knee, then you are overstriding.
Keep training and keep it fun.

Why it's Important to always be working on Form

2009-10-16T02:59:00.000-07:00

You always hear and read about focusing on technique in order to improve. It all seems to make sense. However, it can get a little discouraging as you work tirelessly trying to perfect technique, only to see minor gains in improved performance.
It is so important to stay the course and be as consistent as possible. Recent research has shown that it takes 20,000-50,000 repetitions of proper movement in order to correct an inefficiency and instill the good form. It's very hard for most of us Type A personalities, that want instant gratification, to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. One has to be willing to put in the time and trust the process. However, it's critical that the drills and technique work are being practiced properly. The old saying perfect practice makes perfect needs to be the constant mantra. If possible, having knowledgeable, experienced support around to reinforce or correct technique is extremely important. At the end of the day, one needs to remember that it's all about the journey. Enjoy the ride.

Core Training

2009-10-11T15:25:00.001-07:00

I love watching the on-line coverage of the Hawaii Ironman. There was a lot of chatter this year in regards to the core training that Craig Alexander and Chrissy Wellington put in under the supervision of Dave Scott. Craig and Chrissy were both looking super lean.
I'm a huge believer in proper core training. I, finally, started incorporating core training into my weekly regime, this year. The added body awareness and strength from core training is tremendous. The key is to learn how to perform exercises properly. As the body adjusts to frequent core training, one's bio-mechanics naturally become better. As I like to tell my personal training clients, everything starts with the core. If one's core is weak, the odds of injury go up dramatically. I encourage everyone to build core training into their training programs. In addition, working with a personal trainer that is qualified and knowledgeable on core training is very effective and will help to reinforce proper form and technique. Good luck training.

Benefits of making a list before heading to races

2009-10-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

This is my tenth year racing triathlons, yet I continue to make some classic rookie mistakes. I have traveled quite a bit this year to race. During this travel, I seem to think that I've got my routine down. However, almost every trip I have forgotten at least one critical item for my trip. The simple answer to this is to have a LIST. Everyone should have a race item list written down. Everytime that one travels to a race, every item on the list should be checked off. It's a very simple concept, yet so many of us constantly forget things.
Here are a few of my omissions this year:
1. REV3 1/2 IM: morning of the race, I left all of my calories in my refrigerator
2. 70.3 Calgary - my heart rate monitor battery was dead and useless, however I didn't realize this until I got onto the bike during the race
3. 70.3 Timberman - my powermeter needed to be recalibrated and had some crazy, useless readings. I did not realize this until I got onto the bike
4. Best of the US - my skinsuit ripped the morning of the race. I should have checked it more thoroughly before I left
5. Best of the US - I forgot my powermeter computer at home and didn't realize until I was out in California
Here is the most classic omission I've ever heard of from a friend:
1. IM Lake Placid - a friend of mine forget his running shoes! He didn't realize this until he got to T2. He borrowed a pair from a volunteer that were 2 sizes to big and had a horrendous run. (OUCH!)

BOUS Race Report - Racing against the young guns

2009-10-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

This was my third year racing the Best of the US olympic distance triathlon.
The race, one man one woman from each state, has been run for 5 years. Friend and Timex teammate Cindi Bannink has competed in all 5 events. She rocked it again this year with a third place result. Each year that I've competed in this race, I've been so impressed with the organization and quality of the field. The event has seen 5 different locations over the years and this year's race was held in Mission Viejo, CA in conjuction with the Orange County Triathlon. As teammate Bruce Genarri can attest, Mission Viejo is one beautiful place. The course is extraordinary and very fair. The bike course has some decent climbs and decents. Neither are too steep, but good to break things up. The run starts out pretty flat for the first two miles, but then rises up to some nasty hills for miles 3-5.

The water temp on race morning was a little over 80 degrees which meant the wetsuit stayed packed away in my bike box (ugh). The conditions were perfect race morning. In fact, the entire race seemed to go very smoothly as the volunteers were well prepared and had tons of positive energy. I had a decent non-wetsuit swim, but found myself in the middle of the pack coming out of the water. The bike seemed to go a bit better, but it was hard to tell where I stood in the placings. As I came off the bike, someone yelled "2.5 minutes down" from the leader. I saw 5 bikes in transition and I quickly realized I had some serious ground to try to make up. I hit the first two miles pretty good (5:12 and 5:30), but I still couldn't see anyone. Then the course went off road and the terrain changed to a wood chip trail. I had flashbacks to my highschool cross-country days. It was fun to run on the different terrain. Finally, as I was heading up a REALLY big hill around the 4 mile mark, I spotted one athlete in front of me about 100 yards up the road. I closed out the run well and I managed to pass that one athlete, but three others had stayed out in front for the duration. In fact, they not only stayed out in front but put a serious beating down. I learned after crossing the finish line that the top two were 21 years old! Ouch, that hurts. I had a great time racing and it was a privilege to meet so many unique individuals at the event.
Results:

Tower 26

2009-09-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

I traveled out to Santa Monica, CA this past weekend for a coaching clinic. The day prior to my trip, I received an e-mail inviting all attending coaches to an open water swim the morning of our first seminar. The swim was scheduled to take place at Tower 26, near the Santa Monica Pier.

There would be a workout and the swim was organized and directed by Gerry Rodrigues.

I was a bit late to the workout due to a little navigational issue on my part. However, once I landed, I experienced a fantastic, organized, and energetic open water swim session. I would encourage anyone traveling out to that part of California to look up Gerry. He's a phenomenal swimmer and a great coach. Gerry also coaches at the Trifit Multisport facility in Santa Monica.
It will be well worth it to get involved in one of these open water swims. I took full advantage of the area and swam every day I was out there. I witnessed a few dolphins swimming around the same buoy we were using for our course. That sight sent the heart rate climbing at first, when I saw a single fin, until I realized the fin was coming from a dolphin and not those other swimming machines.
Swim Link

Trakkers Sponsorship 2010

2009-09-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

Trakkers has opened up the sponsorship opportunity for their 2010 team. Please check out the link below. This is a tremoundous opportunity to be involved with a first class group of passionate people.
App's are due November 10.
http://www.trakkersgps.com/Sponsorship/2010_SPONSORSHIP_APPLICATION.doc

70.3 Timberman Race Report

2009-08-25T03:10:00.000-07:00

This was my 7th year racing 70.3 Timberman. I really enjoy this race and I have tremendous praise for race director Keith Jordan and the first class event he has built. I came into this year’s event on the back of a classic pre-race mistake. On Wednesday prior to the race, I had gone through a demo full body training session that had one heavy dose of calf raises. The training session was followed up with a track workout later in the day. I spent the next two days with my calves completely blown out and I was barely able to walk properly. On Saturday, I went down to the race site to watch friend and Timex teammate, Ian Ray, compete in the Sprint triathlon (he got 3rd overall!). Fortunately the massage tent was set up and I was able to get some work done on my calves. I spent the rest of the day trying to stay off of my feet and praying that I would recover in time for Sunday morning.
Race morning I awoke and took that first nervous step out of bed. The calves were still tight and a little tender, but much better then the previous three days. As I walked around, they started to loosen up and I was feeling a lot better about the run effort to come later in the morning.

Once we got down to the race start, the transition area was a buzz of nervous energy. I looked out at the water and it was nice and flat, sweet. We had one little hick-up as a early morning accident between a car and a deer out on the bike course forced a twenty minute delay. However, once the pros were in the water, the wave starts flowed smoothly. I went off in the 5th wave of the morning and I was able to find some clear water quickly. My Aquasphere wetsuit felt great. The remainder of the swim was extremely enjoyable in beautiful lake Winnipesauke. I was able to exit the swim in 27:16.
When I left T1 and jumped on my Trek TTX SSL, I started really looking forward to following the race strategy that my coach, Paul, and I had planned out on Friday. The game plan included taking the first 12 hilly miles in a conservative fashion to save my calves and really push on the flatter 32 mile out and back section. I hit the first 12 miles well, but I was having a hard time really dialing up my effort on the flat section. I felt good and my perceived effort felt about right, but I just couldn’t get into my higher racing zone. I settled in and tried to make the most of it. It was a very humid day and I tried to really concentrate on my liquid calories. I also wanted to make sure that I was taking enough salt tabs so I could avoid any cramping. My calorie game plan combined with the salt tabs worked well to bring me into the bike finish with a 2:19:21 bike split.
I got out onto the run and I quickly realized that I was going to need to stay consistent with my salt intake. The temperature was rising and the humidity was approaching 100%. The two loop run is always more enjoyable as I’m able to see a lot of teammates and friends multiple times. My K-Swiss K onas felt great. Due to my calf issues, Paul had asked me to make sure I really focused on shorter, quicker strides. This strategy really helped me to keep my mind off of the fatigue coming from my calves. In addition, I resisted the urge to over-stride on the downhill sections. By the time I hit mile 11, I was relieved that my calves had held up. I started to open up my stride a little and it actually felt pretty good. I crossed the finish line with a 1:21:27 run split and a total time of 4:10:54. This placed me in 8th overall and the top amateur. Thanks for reading.

Park City Mossman Olympic Race Report

2009-08-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I had competed in the Best of the US (one man, one woman from each state qualify) Olympic distance triathlon for the first time. I had a lot of reservations about the race leading into it. However, once I arrived at the race and met some of the other participants, I quickly changed my perception. There were some super nice people and there were quite a few really fast competitors. I got my butt kicked. It was a very positive eye opening experience. I had such a great all around experience in 2007 that I’ve tried to qualify for this race each year.

My Connecticut qualifier was this past weekend, the Park City Mossman. It is billed as the fastest Olympic distance race in New England. The race takes place completely within Seaside park in Bridgeport, CT. The swim is one loop, while the bike is a five loop pancake flat course with a few turns, and finally the run is a two loop completely flat track. I guess I’m trying to say that this race is pretty FLAT.

I’ve had a game plan for every race I’ve done this year and I find that it helps to focus on different aspects while racing. Paul, my coach, wanted me to try to be aggressive for the swim and the bike, then back off on the run if possible. I’m scheduled to race 70.3 Timberman this weekend and he wanted to keep my legs as fresh as possible. While I was lining up for the swim start, I looked out at the water. It was smooth and FLAT, nice. I scanned over to my right and I saw, friend and Timex teammate, Ian Ray just putting on his swim attire. Ian hates to be early to races and this one was probably one of his latest arrivals. It doesn't seem to really effect him though as about 2 minutes later, the gun goes off and Ian is rocking to the swim lead. It’s a beach start with a shallow section of water for about 50 meters. I watched a lot of competitors actually running through the water. I’m a bit vertically challenged, so I just attempted to do a few dolphin dives, then I tried to get into my own rhythm. I focused on trying to maintain the straightest route to the buoys and it paid off this time as Ian and another competitor managed to swing way out right. The remainder of the swim was a comical array of Ian doing his best impression of swimming like a snake, first off to the right, then off to the left. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining as it allowed me to catch up to him by the last turn buoy. At this point, I think he realized it was me. We both were wearing our sweet Aquasphere wetsuits with the golden soldier trademarks. I tried to take a different route into shore in hopes that Ian might continue his wayward swimming techniques. However, it did not pan out and Ian clocked the fastest swim from our 1st wave at 19:02. I climbed out of the water at 19:04 and focused on a smooth transition so I could get out on the FLAT bike course.
I was a little nervous about the logistics of a 5-loop bike course. I feared that it would become very congested and potentially dangerous. I was pleasantly surprised at the space on the course and I was able to just focus on my own effort. My Trek TTX was rolling smoothly and I was able to see my family on each loop , which is always a huge lift. I was not quite capable of riding the effort prescribed, but I gave it all I had on the day and exited the bike in 55:38 (distance was a little short @ 24.4 miles).

I came off the bike as the first body heading out onto the run course. However, with a 3 wave swim start and the under 35 crowd in the 2nd wave, I still was not exactly sure where I stood overall. I wasn’t able to fully adapt to Paul’s plan until I was heading back on the first loop and I was able to get some splits on the other racers. The run course was entirely along the water. There was ample room on the course even with the two loop format and narrow sidewalks. I crossed the finish line with a total time of 1:52:05 and I was able to solidify my spot for the Best of the US competition out in Mission Viejo, CA on September 27th.
I thoroughly enjoyed this race. It was a true privilege to be able to see my family and friends several times out on the race course.
Thanks for reading.
Results:

70.3 Calgary Race Report

2009-08-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to do my first race at altitude up in Calgary, Alberta this past weekend. It was great to race and hang out with local Timex teammates Lisa Mensink and Kyle Marcotte. Emily Herndon and James Cotter also made the trip into Calgary to represent Team Timex. The race started at 3,500 feet and went a bit over 4,000. Now this is relatively tame compared to Boulder, Co. However, it was an interesting experience for this flat lander.
Race Morning:
The weather was just fantastic and the water was relatively flat. I got lucky with the age group wave start and I was lined up in the 2nd wave, 10 minutes behind the pros. My swim had two events worth mentioning. I got dropped within the first 10 meters and I had clear water the remainder of the swim. Everything else was pretty routine. My T1 was a little sloppy, but once I managed to get into my Bontrager biking shoes I was ready to get rolling. Paul (www.lifesportcoaching.com/coaches.php)
my coach, had given the greenlight for the bike effort. The only problem was that my body wasn't ready to GO. My perceived effort was on the high side right from the start, but I was clearly having some issues. My wattage output was 20watts lower then any of my other races this year. I managed to fuel well during the bike and I did not experience any cramping issues the entire ride, bonus. On the flip side, I did have some lower back issues again. I was definetely looking forward to the run. The bike turned out to be a bit long at 58.85 miles. I rolled in with a 2:16:07 effort.
Once I got onto the run course I was happy that I got up to speed pretty quickly. I've been using my

on a frequent basis and it definetely helped me to get through the anxiety of feeling out of breathe at the beginning of the run. I focused on my form and I tried to shorten my stride to length while maintening a high cadence. At about 2-3k into the run, I started to feel comfortable and settled in. By the 6k mark I decided to start using the cola at the aid stations for the simple sugars and caffeine. The cola definetely helped to keep my energy levels up. As I approached the 8k mark, I realized I had run into the middle of the pro women's race. It was really cool to witness the race unfold. Miranda Carefrae had managed to put in a huge gap by this point, but the rest of the race was wide open. Linsey Corbin, Lisa Mensink, Catriona Morrison, and Magali Tisseyre were all battling in the top 5. These girls are tough and it was truly amazing to watch them battle each other on the hilly run.
I had a couple of minor GI distress moments in the later stages of the run and some rough patches between 14-16km. However, overall the run was a lot of fun. I managed to cross the finish line with a 1:20:13 run and 4:11:01 final time. I had a great time traveling up to Calgary and I want to put out a special Thank you to Lisa and Richard for their hospitality.
Thanks for reading!
Results: http://ironman.com/assets/files/results/calgary70.3/2009.htm

Open Water Swimming

2009-07-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

I decided that I would try something new during my mid-season break. One of our local YMCA's has been running a 1-mile point to point open water swim race for the past 31 years. While I was chatting with friend and teammate, Ian Ray, on Friday afternoon, he informed me that wetsuits are not allowed. This information set me back a little as I clearly do not come from a swimming background and I try to take advantage of any added buoyancy I can get from a wetsuit. Oh well, I figured this would be a great opportunity to try out our new Aquasphere skinsuit.

The suit was fantastic and the race was a blast! I finished in 21:45. I did get my butt kicked by a 14yr old, but I managed to squeak in my first swimming award with a 2nd place age group finish.
Thanks for reading.

Results:

70.3 Rhode Island

2009-07-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

The 2009 70.3 Rhode Island event was a great opportunity to get caught up with many friends and teammates. Our Timex team had 6 members racing: AC Morgan, Andrew Hodges, Bruce Gennari, Cindi Bannink, James Cotter, and myself. It's always a pleasure and a privilege to be able to race with teammates. Everyone is extremely supportive and positive to be around. A special thanks to Tristan, Paul, and Larry for all of the support leading up to and during the race.

The pre-race logistics of this point to point race are still a bit tough, however once the racing begins it is a very enjoyable experience. The weather was fantastic Friday and Saturday. A storm front blew in late Saturday night and we woke up to some wet roads and a bit of wind Sunday morning. When we arrived at T1 to set up our bikes, the surf was a bit choppy. It looked like it was going to be a very interesting swim. I did a short warm-up swim to check out the conditions. I quickly realized how important it was going to be to stay relaxed during the 1st half heading out to the turnaround. The fact that the water temperature was 70 degrees did help to offset the rough conditions, though. The pros were scheduled to start @ 6am, but due to the conditions and a few buoys getting blown off their moorings things got delayed 25 minutes. I started in the 9th wave of the morning. Once the gun went off, I just tried to swim as straight as possible and find my own rhythm. A couple of guys from my wave jumped out really quickly and I had no chance of holding them. I settled into my own swim and played with my stroke until I found something that would allow me to navigate the rollers without to much effort. Overall, I enjoyed the swim, including the thrashing on the way out to the turnaround. I exited the water in 26:17.

Once onto the bike, I was excited to get things rolling. Paul, our team mechanic, had tuned my Trek TTX SSL just right. My game plan for the bike was to ride conservatively. This was a similar approach that I had taken in my last 1/2 IM race @ REV3. Paul Regensburg, my coach, had asked me to dial things back again. He wanted to see if I could put together a decent run off of the bike. I was definitely open to this strategy. In 2008, I had biked very aggressively on the course and I remember feeling extremely strained once I hit the run. The lower perceived effort allowed me to consume all of my calories. I also managed to avoid any lower back fatigue for the first time during a half ironman. The conditions were overcast and cool for the majority of the ride, which made for a very enjoyable ride. I did make one really foolish decision on the bike. I decided to hold back a little on my electrolytes due to the conditions. I paid for that mistake later in the race. I survived the last 3 miles of city riding into T2 and came off the bike in 2:14:56. As I was trying to come out of my sweet Bontrager bike shoes, both of my hamstrings locked up on me. After a moment of panic, I continued to move and they both released.

I hit the run in my K-Swiss K-onas and tried to get my cadence turning over. I did not want to push to hard at the start until I crested the REALLY big hill at the .5 mile mark. Once I got over the top of the hill, I tried to push my pace a bit. I noticed that my heart rate was running a bit low, but I didn't want to over analyze during the race. I decided to run off of my perceived effort. I grabbed some cola from the aid station right before the four mile mark. I had peaked at my heart rate again and it was still running to low. I felt fine but clearly I was having difficulty pushing into my race zone. I thought the simple sugars and caffeine might help to lift me up a bit. The cola did help a little but in hindsight it wasn't enough to get me into Z3. I did the entire run in Z2. I tried not to over think it and I thought I was running decent. I hit the turnaround point for the 2nd loop feeling fresh. Then, as I was at the halfway point up the REALLY big hill, I started to feel my legs cramping up. I was a bit panicked because the next aid station was over a .5 mile away. I grabbed an electrolyte and started chewing on it. This was definitely not one of the most enjoyable experiences. However, it worked well enough to get me to the aid station where I took a water, gel, cola, and more water. The cramps subsided, but I was still very nervous. I slowed my pace a little bit to make sure that my stomach could process everything I had just thrown in it. The remainder of the run was kind of standard with some highs, lows, and GI issues. I finished the run in 1:19:44 and an overall time of 4:02:55, which I later learned placed me in 5th overall and 1st amateur.

Results: http://ironman.com/events/ironman70.3/rhodeisland70.3/?show=raceresults&year=2009&format=txt

Every race is different and each offers tremendous learning experiences.

Griskus Sprint Race Report

2009-07-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Never stop learning. I’m going to sound like a broken record, but I learn something new every time I race. I got up to the race about 1.5hrs before the start and I got my bike tuned up and a short warm-up in all 3 disciplines. I had planned on riding the bike course, but I arrived a little bit to late. I felt ready by the start and I was excited. The conditions were ideal. One of the things about this race series is that it always attracts a bunch of top high school and college swimmers that crush the swim. Well, the gun went off and I had aligned myself behind my friend, Ian Ray, who I do a lot of swim training with. The game plan was for me to draft off of him for as long as possible. He waded into the water a little slowly and before I knew it, I felt a hand on my back. The next thing I knew I was literally getting swam over from behind. This was the 1st time in my career this has happened so severely. I was literally pushed under water and had to find a space to come up. Once I came up I was behind a swimmer that had a motor boat kick. The wave was a foot in the air. I was having a very hard time breathing. Things were really tight and I couldn’t move out from behind the splashing. Finally by the first buoy, which seemed like an eternity, I was able to get around some of the swimmers. There were obviously a lot of sprinters in the group as about 5-6 guys hit the first buoy and literally stopped… I got myself back together after a few choice words under the water. I found a decent rhythm and swam the rest of the .5 mile by myself. This was definitely my highest swim effort of the season. I came out of the water and sprinted to my bike. When I got to my bike, I felt like I was going to throw up! I tried to calm myself and get out on the bike without vomiting.
Once I got onto the bike, I settled in for the 1st mile. However, once the hills came, I found myself back in the red zone and having a hard time recovering. Another tiny mistake I made was I tried to ride the hills in my big ring, because I was a bit worried about dropping my chain while downshifting. I road hard and had the top two guys in my visual path by mile 5 of the 10.5 mile course. Then we hit some more hills and I found myself spiking too high and recovering. I didn’t pass the 2nd place person, Ian, until mile 9 on an uphill section and I never caught the 1st place person. I came into transition and had what I thought was a very quick dismount into T2. I was racking my bike and putting my running shoes on when a volunteer came running over and told me that I had entered T2 in the wrong entrance and that I had to go back out and into the correct entrance, uggh. My fault completely as I’ve now done this race 6 times. The only excuse I have is that I was so focused on a quick transition that I came rolling into T2 and went for the nearest opening I saw. They would normally have roped off that entrance, but athletes were still going out, as it was the bike exit. I made up for my mistake and headed out onto the run. I was now in 3rd place and probably dropped 20-25 seconds on that genius move. I focused on my cadence and tried to avoid going out to hard as I knew my adrenaline was rushing. I caught 2nd place, Ian again, at the .5mile mark and tried to pick up my speed to see if I could bridge up to the 1st place guy. I ran ok, but it was not in the cards and I ended up finishing in 2nd place.
Post race thoughts: I’m happy with the effort. I hit higher points in the swim and bike then I have all year. I wasn’t quite ready for a sprint type effort but it was a good learning experience and a very good workout.

Achilles Injuries

2009-06-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I've just gone through a very big reminder. I strained my Achilles last October leading into the 70.3 World Championship. The strain had subsided in the off-season and had only come back during my track interval work this spring. However, it was a very slight annoyance. That is until the Griskus Olympic race. This was my third race in three weeks and I was probably due for something to flare up. My Achilles was a little irritated following the race, so I decided to have some ART work performed on it. I like the ART technique for muscle strains but a good friend of mine pointed out how tendon strains are a whole different injury. Immediately after the procedure I felt better. However, during my 75 minute run the next day, I noticed something was wrong right away. My Achilles felt tight and irritated. By the time I finished the run, it was really inflamed. I tried to do a very easy 30 minute run the next morning, but the Achilles became inflamed again. I proceeded to ice and rest it for the next two days. Then I had some fartlek intervals scheduled. I felt completely fine during the warm up and the first fartlek, but by effort number 2, I could feel the tendon tightening again. I finished the run and immediately iced the tendon.
I then took the next four days off from running. I also made sure to keep the icing sessions going. I ran this morning for one hour and forty minutes as a progression run. I felt great and was very relieved to not feel any tightness in the Achilles. There is multiple lessons I've re-learned from this episode. 1. Do not ignore any injury 2. Do not treat tendon inflammation the same as muscle tweaks 3. Do not run hills while experiencing an Achilles injury 4. Ice is still one of the best remedies out there 5. Always respect an injury, your body is telling you something

Griskus Olympic Race Report

2009-06-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

I had a very interesting week leading into the race. I was still carrying a serious cough hangover following REV3 at the beginning of the week. I did a swim workout with my friends, Showky and Ian on Tuesday that actually went well. However, I was coughing under the water during the intervals.

I went to sleep early on Tuesday night and when I woke up Wednesday morning, I knew that something wasn’t right. I felt sick to my stomach, achy, and very tired. I proceeded to sleep the entire day and when I did finally wake up at 4 in the afternoon I was only able to take down pedialyte and crackers. I went right back to sleep and I did not wake up again until the next morning.

I felt so much better Thursday morning. While, my stomach was still a bit queasy, I was able to eat breakfast and do an easy 30 minute jog. I weighed myself Thursday morning and I tipped the scales at my lightest weight since my senior year in High School, following my tonsil removal (143.4lbs). I spent Thursday and Friday taking in smaller meals and eating lighter snacks and by Saturday morning I was feeling a lot better.

Race morning turned out to be fantastic weather to compete in. It was overcast and on the cooler side. I went off in the first of three swim waves. I started the swim and was immediately shocked that by 100 meters into the swim I had already lost a big gap to the lead group of swimmers. I chalked it up to the recent sickness and figured I was having an off day. I also remembered that I usually get my butt kicked during the swims at the Griskus race series, since a lot of local high school swimmers will show up to race. I focused on finding a rhythm and ended up swimming solo for the entire duration. I exited the water and ran across the timing mat in 23:54, which was a course PR by over 3 minutes. I still got my butt kicked but it was a great learning experience.
I hit the bike and was focused on having a steady, consistent effort. Coach Paul had requested that I dial the bike effort back a bit again and try to really focus on the run. It felt really comfortable to bike with a consistent effort and I continue to learn more and more. I had one minor hiccup at mile 22 at the bottom of a hill. It was a classic mistake. I tried to shift down into my small chain ring as I had already started to climb the hill and my chain jumped off of the rings. I attempted to shift up and get my chain to jump back on, but it didn’t work and I had to pull over to get it back on. Another important lesson was telling myself to relax and not rush trying to put the chain back on. It probably only took 10-15 seconds to fix. I ended up riding over a 4-minute PR on the bike course.
When I started the run, I felt very fresh and I tried to focus on good cadence and form. I’ve done this race 5 times now and I know the run course very well. I wanted to have a consistent effort and see if I could tap into some of the recent running improvements I’ve seen in training. I was still a bit hesitant to really push into the redzone, but I wanted to make sure I was leaving it out on the racecourse. Coach Paul had said that he wanted to see a 33 handle 10k run soon and I ended up coming in at 33:13. My overall time was 2:00:15, which was a little over 8 minute PR for the course. Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ct/Jun20_2009Pa_set1.shtml

The 24hr Bug

2009-06-18T03:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just came through a full day of sleep. I'm not joking about that either. I went to sleep at 8:30pm Tuesday night and I got a for a few brief stints during the day on Wednesday. I didn't fully wake up until 6:00am Thursday morning. It was a weird experience. I hit the scale this morning just for fun and I weighed in at 143lbs! I have not been that light since I got my tonsils out my senior year in high school.
Following the REV3 race, I had caught a cold mid-week and I had not been able to shake my annoying cough. During my swim on Tuesday, I was coughing under the water during the intervals. Obviously, in hindsight, my body was worn down and my immune system was very compromised. The interesting thing about this bug was that it was not accompanied by vomiting, just fatigue and achy joints. There is no substitute for sleep, though, and I feel a lot better today. Hopefully, I'm turning the corner.

Healthnet Triathlon

2009-06-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

I had a week of recovery leading into this race. Every race is different and every recovery is different. My training week was pretty light this week with some active recovery workouts that helped to flush out my legs. My legs finally started to feel better on Friday just in time for Saturday morning's Healthnet Triathlon. My immune system was running a bit low all week. At midweek, I started to feel a cold coming on. It wasn't a heavy cold, but one of those annoying stuffy throats, headache, with a slight cough.
I was a bit anxious heading into the race with the cold and tired legs, but I was excited to race and have a good tempo effort. The swim is beautiful at this race. It takes place in the housatonic river at Indian Well State Park in Shelton, CT. The water was nice and flat this morning, although the current was running pretty well and it seemed that most swam around 4 minutes slower then last year. I felt pretty good during the swim and I just focused on finding a good rhythm. I ended up finishing the swim as the 3rd male from my wave. Friend and teammate Ian Ray led the wave out of the water with a smooth, consistent stroke.
Once I got through T1 and onto the bike, I focused on finding a good power level and I tried not to spike my effort too high. My legs felt ok, but mentally I was just not ready to go into the pain zone today. I was able to move along the bike course with a consistent effort and I was 1st body into T2. With a 3 wave field, I wasn't sure where the younger guys were as they started 5 minutes behind our wave.
As I started the run, I tried to focus on finding a good cadence and settling in. The run course is hilly and challenging. I was trying hard to keep my pace up without going into the redzone. That strategy became challenging as I hit the hills. My gameplan was to run with a consistent effort and see how things were settling in on the two loop course. The two loop format is very nice to get a look at everyone on the course. It's always nice to get a feel for how people are feeling. I finished the run in 35:14. It was a very interesting race to learn how my body would react to a race effort 6 days after a half IM. Results: http://www.triandduit.com/webforms/tad_ResultsDetail.aspx?rf=HealthnetTri2009.rdb&distanceid=1&Event=Healthnet+Triathlon&distance=Triathlon

REV3 Race Report

2009-06-09T10:07:00.001-07:00

I can say without hesitation that I just competed in one of the most well run races I’ve done in my triathlon career. The volunteers and police support on the course was first class. Every turn was well marked and all the intersections were extremely safe. Although this was a first year event, from an athlete’s perspective, everything flowed smoothly.
The whole weekend leading up to the race was very enjoyable. The Team Timex athletes that live locally and those that were in town for the race were invited up to the Timex headquarters on Friday to meet some of the fantastic Timex employees and tour the facility. It was a great opportunity to catch up with teammates and learn a lot from the experts at Timex.
Race morning: I had a good pre-race routine as I made sure to have a solid breakfast three hours before the race start. The only glitch of the morning happened when I opened the trunk of my truck when we parked at the race site and I realized I had left my water bottles (with all my calories) and gel flask at home in my refrigerator. It’s one of those things that no matter how many races you do; a good reminder list of necessary items is just priceless. After I had my moment of “deer in headlights” fright, I quickly called teammate Ian Ray, as I knew he was planning on traveling up to the race to spectate for the day. Fortunately, I caught him as he was heading out his door and he was able to grab my stuff.The transition area was a buzz of energy, as Heather Gollnick was busy interviewing Pro and Amateur athletes all morning. The effort and professionalism of this race was very impressive. The swim start was very organized and the crew quickly moved each swim wave through the coral and to the edge of the water for departure. My wave was the fourth of the morning: 1. Pro Men 2. Pro Women 3. M30-34, 4. M35-39. My game plan was to try to get out quickly, get some clear water, and see if I could find some feet that I could draft behind. I noticed two guys moving quickly up the middle of the splashing and I veered over to get behind them. I was able to get right on the feet of one of the guys. However after about 200 meters, all of a sudden he stopped and started breaststroke. I was able to slide by him and bridge up to the guy in front of him. I settled in and found the pace comfortable. One thing that is very interesting about getting a draft in the swim is how much it can really bring the perceived effort down. I knew the pace was pretty good as every time I tried to swing out wide and swim up past, I could only get up to the guy’s knees. So I settled in and proceeded to slap his feet every couple of strokes. At the halfway point I had found a good rhythm and I decided to try to move past one more time. This time I was able to move past, but the reality was that we were both swimming about the same speed and he just tucked in behind me. This was fair, though, since I had taken advantage of his draft for the first half. I realized as we were coming out of the water that the guy was my friend Mitch West. I felt very comfortable throughout the entire swim in my Aquasphere wetsuit and I was looking forward to the challenging ride ahead. Swim: 27:12

I tried to move through transition with a steady effort. I was out onto the bike and excited for the opportunity to ride my Trek SSL over the rolling hills. My coach, Paul Regensburg, had asked me to follow a gameplan that included holding back a little bit on the bike. I had just come off my biggest running volume week ever and he thought it would be a good race to hold back on the bike and see if I could really attack the run. I followed the game plan and I focused on monitoring perceived effort, heart rate, and my power from my Cycleops power meter. The bike was going well and I was focusing on taking my fluid calories on a regular basis. Then at mile 27, in the middle of the 7-mile climb, I was tensing up a bit and my left hamstring locked up on me out of nowhere. I quickly reached into my back pocket and grabbed an endurolyte tab. I’ve had some cramping issues in the past on the bike, but previously it’s happened on warmer days. I think the effort from the climbs and the fact that I must have been sweating more then I realized played into the cramping. The endurolyte tab quickly did its job and I was able to continue climbing without further issues. The remainder of the bike went well. At mile 36, there was a 4-mile out and back section that was a great opportunity to get a look at the pros in front and the fellow amateurs. I came off the bike in 2:25:01 and I was pleased that I had followed the game plan. I felt really good and I was excited for the run to see if the recent training would pay dividends.
The first mile was downhill, which was nice to help to get the cadence into gear. I felt really good running in my K-Swiss K onas. I was a little nervous, as I had never felt so fresh coming off the bike before. I found a good rhythm for the first 4 miles. As I was approaching the six mile marker my hamstring and inside quad starting cramping pretty severely. I was still about a half-mile from the next aid station, but I was just about at a downhill section. I was able to hit the downhill and the pounding of my stride on the gravel worked to loosen my leg up enough to make it to the aid station where I took another endurolyte and grabbed everything they were offering. I’ve never really experienced cramping issues on the run before and I was really nervous. I had been feeling really strong and I wanted to see if I could put a good run effort together. For the remainder of the run I grabbed everything the aid stations were offering and I even took a

gel at mile 8.

Whatever you've gotI’ve only taken liquid calories, during the run section, on all of my races. I’ve always been too concerned about GI issues. Well, this time I was more concerned about cramping and I didn’t want to have to stop and walk. So I guess the lesson is, you never can predict the variables of a race and all the preparation in world can still leave openings for first time factors. The attention to volume that I was giving to the aid stations seemed to pay off as I felt well fueled for the remainder of the run and my energy levels stayed high. I saw a lot of Timex teammates on the course in addition to Ian, Keith, Tristan, and Ben. The support and camaraderie on the Timex team is just fantastic.As I came into the finish line, it was apparent that fatigue was starting to settle in as my form was kind of all over the place.

arms to the right, legs to leftMy family was able to make the trip up to see the finish and it was a tremendous feeling to see my three little boys as I crossed the finish line. I finished the run in 1:20:07 and a final overall time of 4:15:03. I was really happy to learn that I ended up as the 1st amateur and 10th place overall.I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this race. It was a very challenging but fair course. I feel that REV3 put on one of the best races that I’ve ever participated in.

Crit Racing

2009-05-26T03:11:00.000-07:00

I've been a big believer in participating in race type efforts during training. We have a local crit race every Wednesday night. This particular race was a point race with sprints every 5 laps with 27 total laps. With this format, the race is much more tactical. This causes many more spikes and lags in power and effort as the power chart shows. This was the first crit race that I've used my CycleOps power meter. I really like having this data while racing and it's a great way to analyze the effort after.

Key running workouts - Great Race Day Prep

2009-05-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

I had an early morning 75min run planned today that included 45 mins at 1/2 IM race pace. I'm a big believer in practicing race day efforts. As my youth ice hockey coaches relentlessly preached, "you can't expect to show up on game day and just turn on the switch". By practicing and training appropriately, one is able to take the guess work out of race day performance. One still has to be "on" at any given race, however if you haven't been able to dial in on specific key workouts during training, it's going to take some pretty amazing luck to be able to pull it off on race day.
Today's session was a nice effort that felt a lot more manageable after my Friday track sufferfest. It still amazes me how the human body adapts to VO2 training sessions. As long as one recovers properly, the fitness gains can be pretty substantial. The perceived effort relative to pace following a VO2 max workout day is almost always a significant jump up in performance. In addition, having the ability to train with others during these hard efforts is a tremendous advantage. The key workouts are not always fun during the effort, however the dividends paid back later in the race season are unparalleled.

REV3 Bike Course

2009-05-17T02:14:00.000-07:00

I had a 3hr base ride with hill repeats prescribed for my Saturday workout, so I figured it would be a great opportunity to go sample the REV3 bike course up in Middlebury, CT. I am really looking forward to racing on this course. The bike is going to be challenging, but fair. The roads are great and the scenery is unbelievable.
I also ran the last 3 miles of the run course. I was very impressed with this section as well. I am really excited for June 7th. The pro list of participants keeps getting deeper and deeper, Matt Reed just signed up for the race. The pro race should be a classic.

Training Partners

2009-05-07T03:42:00.000-07:00

Due to my daily commute into NYC I've spent the majority of the past 5yrs training almost entirely by myself. This can get a bit dull. It's also mentally challenging to really push on some of those key workouts. One can think of a thousand reasons to pull it back a bit, while training solo.
I had a track workout scheduled for Wednesday that included mile repeats. I had performed a couple of these workouts over the winter and I had completed the most recent one two weeks prior to St. Anthony's. My coach has been pushing me to really stress these repeats and find a new pace. He felt that I've been settling into a fixed pace and not pushing myself to another level. Fortunately, I had scheduled to do this workout with my friend, Eric Hodska. There was an immediate impact of having a training partner to push the workout. One of the first things that was noticeable was the ability to key off of someone else and not be completely focused on my own effort. In addition, the pacing and continued focus of the efforts were much more consistent. I have a bad habit of flaking out a bit in the mid-section of some of my harder workouts. While the efforts were still strenuous, they were much more controlled. I cannot stress the benefits, of training with someone else, enough. I was able to drop 10 seconds, per mile repeat, from my most recent attempts. I do still believe that there are certain workouts that need to be done solo, but this was an extremely enlightening workout and much more manageable.

St. Anthony's Race Report

2009-04-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

Where’s the swim? As I’m walking towards the transition area I hear the announcer state that they’ve decided to cancel the swim for all of the amateur athletes. The wind is blowing @ 30mph and they can’t launch the kayakers into the water to monitor all of the competitors. The race has been adjusted for the first time in its 26yr history. The new format will be that each athlete will go off in 2 second intervals running from the swim exit into T2 to start the bike leg followed by the run. The swim report from the pros was mixed following the race, with some including Andy Potts stating that it was the hardest swim of their careers, while others didn’t think it was that bad. Fellow Timex teammate and friend, Andrew Hodges, had a great quote regarding the swim, “I spent the entire time either trying to swim or trying not to drown…”. I fully respect the decision of the race organizer as he’s responsible for 3,800+ athletes’ lives. It was still a bit disappointing as its very rare to get an elite amateur wave of 78 in 1 place and it would have been fun to swim, bike, and run, but it wasn’t in the cards.I had the orders from the coach to let it go on the bike and reach for a new power output level. It was an interesting ride, but I had held the average of 300watts thru mile 21 that my coach Paul had prescribed, then the pack rolled up. It’s a tough setup when there’s no swim to break up things and the level of talent is pretty similiar. It was what it was, unfortunately. I came into the bike to run transition feeling like I had biked extremely hard and I had managed to put out a PR power output that was over 20watts higher then I’ve ever done for that distance. I was pleased but I knew the run was going to be a drag race with guys like Eric Bell and Vinnie Monseau ready to rip it up. They ran 32:47 and 32:51 respectively! Not bad for a 30 and 40yr old. These dudes can run. I was second body out of transition, but due to the timetrial format, I had no idea where I stood. I was able to attain 1st body for approximately .25m before Eric went blasting by. I had no chance of holding him and I was just trying to focus on keeping him in sight. About a .5 mile later Javier Beuzeville went galloping by. I could have sworn this 21yr old speedster was going to catch and surpass Eric, but as he ran up along side, they settled in stride for stride until mile 3. I had the best seat in the house to witness this duel. It always fascinates me to watch really good runners battle. At mile mile 3, Eric put in a surge and it was over. He had broken him. He ended up running :40 seconds faster then Javier on the day and was 1st body over the finish line. I was just trying to find a rythm and keep a decent cadence going. Coach Paul had instructed me to run with the runners, but the individuals that had gone past me were just too fast for me to hold. I saw friend and teammate, Ian Ray, a little after the turnaround and he yelled that I had 50 meters on the guy behind me. At mile 4, Vinnie Monseau ran up along side. We chatted for a few seconds, then he continued his push. I jumped on his shoulder for all of 10secs before the gap formed. I tried to regain my own rythm and focus for the last 2 miles. As I approached mile 5, I started looking down at the road and focusing on the next 10feet in front of me. This was the first time I have had to resort to that strategy since my Ironman racing. I was hurting and just trying to keep some sort of form. Finally, I was able to will my sorry butt across the finish line. I ended up running a personal best 10k of 34:05 and due to the timetrial format I was the overall winner, even though I was 4th body across the line. I’m happy with my effort, but it’s really unfortunate that the race format was modified.

70.3 California Race Report

2009-04-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

I’m fresh off of another phenomenal Timex Team Camp. With 40 of our 46 2009 teammates making the journey out to Carlsbad, CA this year, it was a great opportunity to catch up with teammates from prior years and to meet a fantastic group of new additions to the team.
I spent a good portion of Friday with Paul, one of two phenomenal team bike mechanics. Paul got my bike all set up and dialed in. The bike was ready to roll for the race. Race morning was a bit chilly as all the athletes got their transitions set up and prepared for the race start. I was in the 3rd M35-39 wave and 10th wave overall. My start time was 7:10am and 30 minutes after the first wave of the day, the pro men. By the time my wave got to the water’s edge, the water felt warm relative to the air. I was excited to try out my new Aqua Sphere wetsuit I had received on Friday. The race organizers said the water temp was in the high 50s. I slowly made my way out to the start line about 100 yards off shore. I was just trying to get comfortable sticking my face in the water and breathing without loss of breath. By the time the horn went off to start our wave, I was feeling ready. The remainder of the swim was pretty uneventful as I focused on navigating through some of the traffic from the prior waves and tried to keep good form. By the time I hit the mat at the end of the swim, I was looking forward to trying out the new Trek TTX SSL.
At the beginning of the bike, it was still pretty chilly. I tried to find a rhythm and settle in. I had my CycleOps power meter dialed in and working in combination with my Timex heart monitor. I focused on the data feedback in combination with my perceived effort throughout the entire ride. The combination of the three helped to keep me focused and alert in order to stay hydrated and properly fueled. Every time I would start to feel a bit sluggish, I would take some calories and gradually start to feel better. While this bike course is pretty challenging, it is very fair. It was very cool to see a fully equipped tank rolling at me on the other side of the road on the backside of the course; you just don’t see that in CT. Once I hit the hills, I immediately noticed my lack of outdoor riding this year. The hills are pretty steep and while I love my Computrainer, you just cannot replicate that type of effort on it. As I approached the end of the bike, I increased my cadence in preparation for the run segment.
The run included a .25 mile beach section this year due to construction and as it is a two-loop course, we had to go over that section four times. With the idea of the sand and it being my first race of the season, I decided to wear socks for the first time in over 7 years of racing. It turned out to be a good idea as the medical tent was filled with athletes with major blister issues following the race.
I wore my new K-Swiss K Onas and really enjoyed the comfort and race weight of the shoe. As I settled into the beginning of the run, I was having a hard time settling in and increasing my cadence. I wasn’t sure if I had underfueled on the bike or if it was just due to it being my first race and I was not ready to hurt yet. One thing that really helped to lift my spirits was getting the opportunity to see my teammates on the run course, those racing and spectating. It’s just a fantastic lift to be able to race with that kind of support. In addition to my teammates, my coach was out on the run course and it really helped to dial in after some encouraging words of advice. At mile 4 of the run, I finally started to feel better and started to turn over at a quicker cadence. The remainder of the run went by much better. Of course there were down moments throughout the run, but I kept focusing on positive thoughts and my kids. I, personally, find that I’m able to draw a lot of strength and motivation from thinking about my kids. I crossed the line in 4:17:12 and I was thrilled to find out that I had finished as the top amateur and 27th place overall. Another really exciting moment for me was finding out that my teammate, Tim Hola, had qualified for the Hawaii IM for the 11th year in a row. I can’t wait to watch him throw down on the competition out there in the lava fields once again. The combination of the race and another fantastic Timex team camp made for a great weekend out in CA. I’m looking forward to my next race down in St. Anthony’s, then followed up by the much anticipated REV3 race in Middlebury, CT.

The early season run with Tempo

2009-03-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Headed over to the old rail tracks this morning for a nice longer run with some tempo in the middle. The trails are nice to get some tempo work in as they're relatively flat and you can focus on form, effort, and pace. Parts of the trail are paved, however, and those sections can beat up your joints and muscles. Overall, it was a very enjoyable run and it was nice to get outside for the run, as most runs have been on the treadmill over the winter.

Cause and effect

2009-03-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm sick and I have no one to blame but myself. After my classic training move on Saturday I'm sure my immune system was running a bit low and I was coming off of two decent weeks of training. Oh well, it's a recovery week. So, I'll have to make sure I don't try to overdo anything. My house is a germ fest though, as my oldest son is home with a double ear infection and pink eye. The germs go round and round, gotta love it.

Simple lessons

2009-03-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

Early season race training can lead to some common mistakes. My Saturday workout was a 2hr ride with some tempo efforts followed by a 1.5hr run that was supposed to step up in effort each 30 mins. I did the ride on my computrainer and it went smoothly. I had planned on running outside on a hilly course for the run. I headed out and immediately realized that it was still REALLY cold. Then at 20 mins out, I started to bonk. Now the combination of freezing and bonking was not that enticing to me, especially since it's just March. I had made the common mistake of underfueling during my bike and I was really paying for it on the run as I felt dizzy and disoriented. I decided to turn around and head home for the warmth of my treadmill and see if I could get some calories in. I finished up the workout at home and re-inforced two important lessons. 1. Always check the weather report before heading out 2. fuel properly or pay the price.

1st Outdoor Ride of the Season

2009-03-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

We did our first outdoor ride since Clearwater in November. It was a classic 1st time out. I had 2 flats before I even started, then I couldn't get air into my third tube. Ian had 2 flats on the road during the ride. However, even with these minor frustrations, the ride was a lot of fun. It was a beautiful day as it got up into the low 60s. It was really nice to be riding outside. We hit a lot of hills, since the roads are still in winter mode. We thought it would be better to keep the pace down and try to avoid the monster potholes formed from the winter plows. There is definetely a big difference between riding the trainer and riding outside. I do use my computrainer almost to a fault, but you just can't simulate the total muscle impact of riding outside.

2009-03-08T04:27:00.000-07:00

Whew, interesting how when you start to bring the tempo efforts into your road runs, how quickly you start to feel beat up. I woke up this morning and hobbled down the stairs as my left calf was a bit tight with my quads and glutes sore as well. I had two days of tempo on Friday and Saturday. I had an 1.5hr aerobic run scheduled this morning, which felt pretty good after 15mins of very easy running. Now, I've got a day full of ice hockey as my 3yr old has hockey 101, then I take the two oldest boys to our local semi-pro hockey game, which they get to skate following the game. All good stuff.

Sunday's 3hr trainer ride

2009-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

So I told my kids that I had a long bike workout for Sunday. My two youngest boys asked if they could ride with me. That's Connor (2yrs old) riding next to me and Spencer (3yrs old) showing his enthusiasm. Having the kids ride for some of the workout made things go by quicker, but it got interesting as they both wanted to ride at the same time. My wife has informed me that we need a third trainer... All three of the boys really love to ride bikes. Ryan, my oldest, would ride with me when he was younger and Spencer spent a few days last winter riding with me. I finished up the ride, cleaned up then headed to Spencer's ice hockey lesson. Today was the first day that he really skated (ie. not just walked across the ice). He was even able to participate in the drills with the older kids. I have to say that watching him skate for the first time was one of the most enjoyable moments.