Why Ironman? + Photo Dump

At some point while racing an Ironman, one thought goes through every racer's head: "Why I am doing this?" For me, the answer is because I enjoy the training process, but also because race day is a chance to test myself.

Our modern lives are arranged around being comfortable. Physical exertion is intentionally minimized, our climate is precisely controlled, every pain should have an instant cure, and any diet must include chocolate flavored (fill in the blank) so we can have our cake and eat it too.

With discomfort banished, we now demand instant satisfaction, instant cures from all ailments, and instant food. "Want to lose 20 pounds? With our special program you can lose all the weight you want without exercising and without changing your eating!" People buy that stuff, and not just once but repeatedly. Sacrifice is discouraged.

Tomorrow will not be an easy or comfortable day. Tomorrow I will not be thinking about work or bills or home decorating. By 2:00 PM tomorrow I will be thinking about my instant needs, not wants. Ironman is one of the few times when that change occurs -- when real needs fully occupy one's mind. The satisfaction I get from my race tomorrow will be directly related to the work I've put in and the sacrifices I've made.

Hopefully this post doesn't come across as a crazy rant! My guess is that if you've done a few Ironmans you understand what I mean.
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My family and I drove from Denver to Coeur D'Alene earlier this week, opting for the scenic route. We passed through both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, but didn't have the time to get too far away from our cars. Nonetheless, the scenery was spectacular and I plan on considering a circum-Yellowstone cycling trip next summer. Random photos below:

Ironman Fears + Solutions

Chris McCormack's new book, I'm Here to Win, is the inspiration for this post. While I don't love the book, it had enough useful information that I'd recommend it to any fan of the sport.

One point McCormack makes is that the goal of training is to perform well in races, not to accumulate training hours or push one's self to the brink. Race results, not training logs, define successful training. Triathletes have a tendency to over train, McCormack writes, because they often lack confidence in their ability to race well. Athletes want to bolster their confidence with huge training volumes, or by cramming in one more tough workout before each race just to make sure they've still got it.

I'm not immune to feeling a lack of confidence, especially this year. My training volume in preparation for CdA has not be as great as the past two years, and I don't have many recent race results on which to fall back. However, I have good reason to be confident for Ironman Coeur D'Alene.

Despite a lack of 5- and 6-hour rides, every test workout I've undertaken recently has shown great results. Last week I did a ride with 3 hours at under IM effort and averaged 22.2 mph with an average HR of 131 bpm. (I'll keep my power numbers secret for that one!) The route was two loops outside of Boulder and was nearly as hilly as CdA. That speed is faster than any IM bike split I've done and still came in 15 bpm lower than I can hold for an IM.

Just today I did a 3 hour ride with 1 hour at IM effort on Lefthand Canyon from Boulder to Ward and averaged 230 W at 147 bpm. For comparison's sake, 147 bpm has been my average HR for my last two IMs, while I've only averaged a bit of 200 W for each of those races.

These metrics are much more directly related to race performance than the number of hours of training I log. So, even if my volume isn't up to previous levels, my actual performances exceed benchmark workouts in past IM build-ups. In other words, I've got the fitness I need to perform well. I don't need to get more fit by squeezing in another training effort. Every time I have the urge to squeeze in one more workout from now until June 26, I will remind myself that the workout will likely do more harm than good.

Another insightful section of the book explains one of McCormack's mental strategies for race day. Defeat in an Ironman, he explains, occurs when one convinces one's self that quitting or slowing down is okay. McCormack developed a strategy that he uses to fend off the negative thoughts that all IM racers get.

The first step McCormack takes is to predict all the negative thoughts that might go through his head during the races, essentially creating a list of fears. Then, he comes up with a solution to each fear. This way, if a negative thought creeps into McCormack's head, he can quickly dispel it with his preconceived solution. This strategy helps him avoid rationalizing slowing down or quitting. A great example of this strategy is how McCormack overcomes the desire to ease up when the inevitable pain at the end of an Ironman sets in: he simply reminds himself that he's pushed through the pain before and come out fine. The pain is just temporary, he tells himself, and it actually a sign of a successful race.

I like the McCormack's strategy, so I thought I'd create my own list of fears and write my own solution here. This should help me quickly remember the solution and maintain a positive attitude throughout my race.

Fear: I swim slower than 1:05-1:08.
Solution: Remind myself that my fastest Ironman began with a 1:12 swim. I can have a slow swim and still be in contention to win my AG and be the fastest amateur. Plus, my cycling has been strong lately and I can make up a lot of time on the bike.

Fear: I get a flat tire or have a mechanical issue on the bike.
Solution: I've changed plenty of tires and can do so very quickly. Losing three or four minutes won't affect my overall position much. Again, my cycling has been very strong so I could ride several minutes faster than in the past, negating any time lost during a flat change.

Fear: My bike time isn't fast.
Solution: At Louisville two years ago, I had a horrible swim and what at the time I thought was a poor ride. I saved the race with an amazing run. I can do that again. I've likely run 15 minutes faster than anyone else in my AG, so I can make up a lot of time at the end of the race.

Fear: I feel exhausted at the end of the bike and worry that I went too hard.
Solution: It's a 112 mile ride, I'm supposed to feel tired at the end of it! I've run well under 3 hours in the past on tired legs; there's no reason I can't do it again. Even if my run gets off to a bad start, I can still run 3:20 on my worst days. The key is to keep moving onward and to know that I can have a solid run under any conditions. A good ride and even a 3:20 run will put me in a position to place high in my AG.

Fear: Liquid pools in my stomach during the run.
Solution: Take in some sodium and ease off the calories. Drop the pace for a moment. The feeling will pass. Once it passes, I'm right back in the game. I've seen my HR jump 15 bpm (a good thing) after taking in sodium to relieve pooling liquid in my stomach. Almost everyone goes through a bad patch in an Ironman. Those that do well stick it out.

Fear: I'm in pain.
Solution: Enjoy it! The pain and the challenge of overcoming it are why I sign up for Ironmans in the first place. It's not going to hurt me. Hell, if I don't hurt, I better speed up!

Sunrise Triathlon

This was my first race since IM Louisville 9 months ago. I was curious to see how rusty I'd be and how pushing myself would feel.


Swim:
Blah. A cold and uneventful 25 minutes. I was far enough back from the good swimmers that I passed a Team Timex lady a few miles into the bike, which wouldn't be all that bad but for the fact that the women's wave started several minutes after the guys'.

Bike:
My cycling metrics have been good lately, so I was optimistic about putting up a good time "in the field". I know the course pretty well, and I know that the first few miles are the toughest because they're gradually uphill. My plan was to go really, really hard until the first downhill section on Hwy 36 (about 10-15 minutes into the ride), then push every uphill and flat section really hard until Nelson. At Nelson, the course is pretty much flat or downhill until returning back to the reservoir. I expected to be going ~26-27 mph or faster most of the way after turning onto Nelson, and therefore I figured pushing the effort there offers marginal benefits.

My plan seemed to go well, as I passed everyone in sight on the bike. The course offers a handful of vantage points that allow racers to see far up the road, and the course ahead of me looked clear. I was optimistic that there'd be no bikes in T2 when I returned, but unfortunately 4-5 guys beat me to the run.

My strategy is evident in the graph below, as my HR is highest initially, low along the Nelson decent, and then back up to normal Olympic effort around 75th Ave.

Normalized power appears to be ~270 W. Average HR was 158 bpm. Speed was 25.5 mph, which is a bit slower than expected.

Run:
The big question mark. I took a lot of time off running due to a still not completely healed Achilles injury. Would my speed still be there? Well, the good news is that I had the fastest run split at 5:54/mile at an average HR of 167 bpm. The bad news is that my run isn't good enough to overcome my swim.

Takeaways:
3rd overall, 1st in 25-29 AG
Positives -- I am fit heading into CdA. My running is strong and near or back to my former level. My bike is also a strength.

Negatives -- My swim prevents me from actually "racing" anyone. It'd be more accurate to say I do an individual time trial every race, and then see where I end up. If I came out of the water near the front, I could gauge how hard I need to ride based on the power needed to stay at the front of the race. I have no doubt in my mind that I could have rode harder. Yes, a harder ride may have slowed my run, but if I started out with a good swim at least I'd be in contention. Better to die trying, as they say.

I'm considering basing my entire training and racing schedule next year around improving my swim. This idea deserves a post unto itself.

Finally, congrats to the winner, Drew Scott. He smoked me by 7 minutes. I had to look back at last year's 70.3 results and noticed I beat him by 20 minutes. (I remember his name from that race because at the awards ceremony the announcer made a point to mention Drew's father, Dave Scott, who did a race or two in his day.). He's a young guy but appears to have taken a giant leap forward.

Benchmarks

I'll start off with some pictures of my typical long run in Denver. It's a great running city, and I can pass through and around several large parks in the span of one long run. (I really should stop to shoot to avoid blur...)






The build to IM CdA is almost done. I'm taking a few days easy after an olympic race today -- report coming tomorrow hopefully -- then going pretty hard next weekend before commencing with a two week taper.

Here are a few benchmark workouts I've done over the past month:
-- Benchmark swims have been based solely on time and perceived exertion. I focused on very IM specific sets, such as 4 x 12 minutes with the evens at IM effort and the odds with paddles and a pull buoy. My goal here isn't so much to improve my swim time as it is to ensure I exit the swim feeling prepared for a solid ride and run.
-- Long ride 1: Warm-up, 2:45 at a bit below IM effort (21.6 mph average sans aero-gear over terrain a bit more hilly than CdA), and then 45 minutes of hill repeats up Lee Hill.
-- Long ride 2: A bit over 4 hours with 2:30 at a bit below IM pace on mostly flat terrain. In the 2:30 I covered 56 miles, again sans aero gear.
-- Long ride 3: The plan was 2 times up to Ward from 36 in Boulder, but I cut the ride short due to severe wind. Still, it was a noteworthy ride because I averaged a very easy 215 W at 135 bpm in the aero bars. Last year I did the same climb with a HR several bpm higher.
-- Long run 1: 45 minutes in the morning, 1:30 in the evening. The evening run included a warm-up, 3 times through 2 miles at IM effort + 1 mile easy. IM effort miles were in the 6:35 -- 6:50 range.
-- Long run 2: 9 miles at IM pace based solely on PE. Average pace was right around 6:50. I followed that up with a long steady hill climb and then a cool down for a total of 1:50 running.

So, things are coming along. Before the race I will post a detailed race plan, along with my fears for the race and solutions for those fears.

This week's song is a great listen on a sunny run.

(Jonsi, FYI, is the singer from Sigur Ros.)

More Inconsistent Training

This past month has been busy. Stacey and I went to Saratoga Springs for a wedding a few weekends ago, then I had one weekend of mediocre training, then the past two weekends have been occupied with moving out of our apartment and into a house. That's mostly good stuff, but it tends to really reduce my training load. I'm a big proponent of at least one long day a week during an IM build, yet the most volume I've done on a day is 5 hours, and I haven't done one of those days in a few weeks.

Still, my metrics aren't bad. I set a new PR in a 200m free while in New York. I put an 11-23 or -25 cassette on my new bike, which allowed me to push 265-270 W during my favorite big gear trainer ride (lots of 5 minute intervals at 60 rpm and 150-155 bpm). My long run is up to 1:40, and yesterday my run included three miles at ~6:40/mile at right around IM effort.

Weight is an important number for IM racing, too. Right now I'm around 160 lbs, so that's all well and good. Still, starting tomorrow (not to sound like a quitting smoker...) I am going to adopt a "diet" inspired from a post on Slowtwitch that greatly limits or eliminates eating after 7:30 per night. Running is especially weight sensitive, and given my recent injury I need all the running help I can get. 155 lbs at CdA?

Finally, I should post some recent ride photos. First up, here's my new ride, a Ridley Dean RS, right near I-70 between Golden and Morrison:


Here are some pictures of a climb from Boulder to Peak-to-Peak. The old lookin' town is Gold Hill, which is a 150 or so year old yet still occupied mining town circa 8,000 feet. Evidence of last summer's Gold Hill Fire is also visible in many of the pictures. There were loads of houses burnt to the ground with only their chimneys remaining. (I tried to capture one such chimney with minimal luck in the last photo.) Around 8,500 feet, it became really, really windy and began snowing. I struggled up under-dressed to 9,500 feet over some very rough roads afraid I was going to get lost or stranded. Overall, a great ride.







Finally, this week's song: a metal and flamenco influenced acoustic duo from Mexico City whose recent album topped the charts in Ireland.

Looking up this video, I noticed these two are playing in Boulder in two days. Hmmm...Anyhow, it's good stuff to listen to while running fast.

Big Week

I am ramping up for IMCdA with a huge week of training this week. I kicked things off Friday with an hour swim and 1:20 run, which I was happy to complete pain free. Saturday and Sunday both included 4+ hour rides along with a swim each day and a short run on Sunday. Monday was a recovery-type day with two swims -- one long and one short -- and an hour spin. Today was a moderately long ride and nearly an hour run.

My training volume for the past 4 days is around 17 hours. The plan for tomorrow is a long ride in Boulder and a recovery swim before an easy double swim day on Thursday. Two hard days, one easy day.

All my rides, excluding the recovery spin, have included plenty of climbing. (I'd post pictures of some of the climbs and views, but my camera broke!) I haven't been using power or HR to guide my effort, instead opting to go by feel. Such a leap in volume may raise my injury risk substantially, so hopefully avoiding chasing metrics will allow me to more easily perceive any signs of bodily discomfort.

Oh, and I think I saw a guy exposing himself during my run this evening.

This week's songs, both by Dan Deacon but with vastly different styles:


It's nice to be running again and listening to music on headphones.

One Hour

It's been a while since my last update. Training is coming along, and I may actually be able to pull off a decent race at CdA in just over 3 months. The key for my success will be safely increasing my running and getting up early every Tuesday-Friday to hit the pool before heading to work. With one workout out of the way, I likely won't have a problem fitting in a second one after work.

The title of this post refers to the duration of my run today: a full 60 minutes. I'm hoping to add 10 minutes per week until I hit 1:30, and then hang there for a few weeks to see how things go. Running still feels smooth and easy, although my pace has been pretty slow as a precaution.

Cycling is progressing surprisingly well. I've hit lifetime best power numbers during my favorite trainer ride, an hour or so off big-gear reps. Lately I've seen 270 W at ~150 bpm and 260 W at 145 bpm. I've got to start some more IM specific trainer rides to get some more relevant numbers. The other thing I need to do with my cycling training is to increase my long ride duration and specificity. I've got to start getting the tri-bike out for some 4-5 hour rides, since that's what my day in Coeur d'Alene will require. So far, I've kept to the road bike except for trainer rides.

Oh, and speaking of cycling, if anyone is interested in buying a 2010 Orbea Ordu, size 54, please let me know. I'll beat whatever they're going for on eBay.

This weekend's long ride was 4 hours from Golden --> Morrison --> Evergreen --> the end of some road leaving Evergreen. A pretty stunning ride, I must say:


My only issue with riding right now is getting my cleats set up properly. I'm playing around with different wedges to change the cant of my foot, and I cannot get the correct angle. I feel like I'm pedaling far too much with the outside edges of my feet. My quads aren't getting enough work.

One reason I haven't been able to post lately is that Stacey and I have been pretty busy with buying a house (closing in mid-April) and taking care of our indefatigable puppy, Ozzy:

Poor guy was just castrated.

In honor of daylight savings -- the best day of the year! -- the song of the week is "Hello Sunshine" by the Super Furry Animals: