Post Race Random Musings

For what it's worth, the red squiggly line is my heart rate during the Ironman Louisville bike ride. The spikes and few prolonged higher peaks are episodes of atrial fibrillation. I haven't had so much as a flutter since that ride ended. It's a pretty mysterious condition in that respect - you never know when it'll get triggered. It usually takes two or more triggers to make it happen (adrenaline + too much caffeine, hard exercise + allergy symptoms + dehydration, etc). But sometimes I can be subject to many of the triggers and it never appears. So it goes.

The did not finish (DNF) rate at Louisville was about 16%. For those outside the multisport community, that's a HUGE number.

I had some trouble acclimating to normal life this week. The office environment is a strange contrast to the triathlon-frenzied four square block area of Louisville from where I just returned. I wouldn't say that I have post race depression, but I'm definitely still trying to process what I've been through over the past week(s).

I don't have a plan, yet, for what's happening this fall. That's a dangerous place to be. I'll definitely keep riding but I need to set a goal. I want to do some form of non-tri group exercise; Leaning toward yoga but haven't researched class availability yet. Taking care of deferred maintenance on my house is a given. Pouring myself into my work is also a given. October is strategic planning month. I also signed up for an evening class at church. I suppose these will all keep me busy enough.

Football season kicks off this weekend as well. Kyle plays Sunday. I'm looking forward to doing a little spectating from the sidelines...

Ironman Louisville 2010 Race Report

I decided to post an unabridged race report for a couple of reasons; (1) For my own reflection, so that when the memories of the mental & physical trials of race day begin to fade I might have something of a stick to keep me honest, and (2) As a resource for other athletes living with atrial fibrillation. Such testimonials can be difficult to find.

***

Pre-Race
Race day started with a 3:30 am wake-up call. I drank water and a cup of coffee while applying a layer of sun block and body glide. Breakfast consisted of 1-1/2 Odwalla Protein Monster shakes and a banana. My buddy Ryan and I made our way to transition by 5 am. We dropped off our special needs bags, checked over / stocked our bikes and headed to get in line at the swim start.

We were amazed at the length of the swim line. If transition opened at 5 am, how was it possible for us to be so far toward the back of the line? We heard while waiting that many athletes staged family members in line through the night. Lesson learned. We hit the ground and relaxed in the pre-race darkness.

Swim
The pro race gun sounded at 6:50 am. I popped an energy gel and chased it with some water. The line moved quickly after the age group race start of 7:00 am. Filing down to the boat docks and crossing the starting mat was a unique way to start the day’s adventure. I jumped in the water at about 7:25 am.

I didn’t feel particularly smooth during the swim. I could sense my feet dragging a bit low and tried to focus on body position. Starting so far back there wasn’t much smooth water; Still a lot of swimmers out there. I generally maintained a three stroke count and thought of it as a slow waltz, 1 – 2 – 3 – breathe – 1 – 2 – 3 – breathe, etc. I’d sight on each 3rd or 6th stroke depending on the confidence of my line. The final 400 meters was pretty congested as swimmers started pinching together. Somebody knocked my left calf pretty hard about 200 meters from the finish and I got a Charlie horse. I guess I wasn’t as relaxed as I had wanted! I was obliged to stop and resolve that problem. My official swim time was 1:16:00. A little disappointing given my goal of 1:05:00, but not a heart breaker either (I suppose pool time trials with flip turns weren’t a great testing protocol). The day was young.

T1
T1 took over 8 minutes primarily because I took a long potty break. I was plenty well hydrated early in the day. The spectators lining transition were numerous and loud. I had forgotten how exciting it is to participate in an Ironman.

Bike
I knew from my race rehearsals that the key to a strong, appropriately paced bike was to ride exceptionally easy during the first couple of hours. My brain was programmed to let the hammerheads go during the early climbs on SR42 and the out and back sections. My power targets were 177 watts overall with a first hour target of 168 watts. Having occasional atrial fibrillation and asthma it was also essential for me to closely monitor heart rate, particularly on a hot day.

I repeated the word “cheesy” as I tried to settle my heart rate on the River Road flats out of Louisville. Despite holding a low power output I had my first flare up 10 minutes into the ride. I felt the tell tale “can of worms” feeling in my chest and looked down to see a heart rate of 190+BPM. It was a brief episode. It was followed by a similar occurrence at about the 30 minute mark. At 40 minutes I had five short episodes in quick succession. I adjusted by simply keeping my watts low and focusing on my breathing. On the out and back section I pedaled over the tops of hills and then coasted down in an effort to suppress heart rate. It generally worked. As I left the out and back behind I felt reasonably confident that I had squelched major afib issues and was heading for a strong ride. By the 30 mile mark I managed an 18.4 mph average on only 140 average watts (150 normalized).

Unfortunately the combination of race day nerves and heat proved more than I could prepare for in training. The episodes of rapid heart beat became more frequent and lasted longer, so I stayed at the low watts and focused on hydration and staying as cool as possible. When my heart would reset from afib into a normal rhythm it would settle into an expected rate. My breathing and perceived exertion felt fine the entire time.

The mental game was tough. Overall I was able to detach and remain fairly unemotional about the situation. I determined to “stand down” at special needs (mile 65). I dismounted, waited in line at a porta-potty and locked myself in there for a couple of minutes to do my business out of the sunlight. I downed a water bottle, poured more over my head, popped a couple of Endurolytes, and recalibrated my power meter. Six minutes later I was back on my bike with a low heart rate and feeling quite refreshed. I was going to finish this race!

A mere 15 minutes later my heart was up to its old tricks with several short but frequent flare ups – a 15 minute episode in total. Fifteen’s were wild as I was able to get it settled for another 15 minutes of consistent riding. At the 80 mile mark it shot up again and generally stayed there until the SR42 descent to the flats at mile 100. My goal at that point was simply to get back to Louisville and assess my condition for continuing in T2.

Thankfully the descent got my heart settled down for good. I pedaled consistently into T2 with a bike clock time of 6:03:54 and a saddle time of 5:57:xx. My goal time for the bike was 5:59:xx so, needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised with my time given the struggle. I was relieved to reach T2.

Even with my issues and long special needs stand down I was able to negative split that ride from hell. Eliminating the rapid heart rate from my profile it’s clear that I had no cardiac drift, as my normal rate was actually slightly lower at the end of the ride than the beginning.

For power junkies I finished with an IF of slightly less than 0.59 and a LOW TSS of 208. Considering my heart issues, the amount of blocking happening on the downhill sections, and the constant shifting required of this course, I am really pleased with a VI of 1.07. My smoothed out power profile is almost dead flat, with the strongest hour from 4:22 to 5:22. I don’t think I could’ve executed any better given the weather and my physical condition.

My nutrition consisted of 1375 Calories of Infinit, one bottle of Powerbar Perform, one Clif Bar (250 Calories), six Endurolyte tabs, two FRS chews (to help me focus late), and as much water as I could possibly consume without bloating.

T2
I found a seat in the men’s changing tent and deliberately slipped into my running shoes and tri top. Not wanting the pasty sun block they provided outside the tent, I coated my shoulders, face, arms, and neck with my own SPF50. After two preventive puffs on my asthma inhaler I pulled out the water bottle tucked into my cycling jersey and took a long draw of what remained. Then I retreated into a proverbial monk’s closet by burying my face into my hands. Time for a few deep breaths and a prayer.

Run
Next up, a marathon in 90+ degree sunny weather. I decided to “run” based on heart rate instead of pace. If it reached 160+ BPM I would slow to a walk until it dropped to 150 or below. I would walk the aid stations (spaced approximately one mile apart from each other) and run in between.

It’s just amazing how strong you can feel early on an Ironman run. My target pace for ideal conditions was 9:15/mile for the first six, then 8:45/mile if I could bear it afterward. Mile #1 was 9:15 on the button. Just like Lake Placid in 2007, where I was able to put together a 4:02:59 marathon, my heart rate was occasionally creeping up to the 160 mark. So it went. Jog for a few minutes, hear my monitor start beeping, then walk for a bit. Jog, beep, walk, jog, beep, walk, etc. Continual forward motion!

I alternated nutrition at the aid stations; water + ice at one, then sports drink + ice at the next. I carried Endurolyte tabs and took them at 45 minute intervals. I pushed as much water as I felt I could take. My stomach got pretty sloshy a couple of times.

My pace gradually deteriorated, which wasn’t a surprise in this heat. It rose to a 10+ minute/mile average, then 11+. My walk breaks got longer. As cheesy as it sounds, I found strength in saying “Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.” I also kept telling myself this was only one day… Give me one day! Both were easily recite-able and rang true. The crowds in town gave me strength as I was able to temporarily lift my pace a bit as I headed out on lap#2. Incredibly, my atrial fibrillation issues were gone.

I don’t remember much between leaving downtown on lap #2 and mile 18. I do remember becoming short of breath and needing a hit from my rescue inhaler.

Patrick McCrann was waiting at mile 18 and my memory picks back up from there. He told me I looked strong. I told him about my heart struggles. I had trouble putting it behind me. He encouraged me to keep pushing.

I was dizzy and pretty nauseated. My throat was constricting. I could tell my core temperature was soaring. I reduced my pace to a steady walk. I walked for what felt like an eternity trying to find some strength. I pushed water, ice, and chicken broth. I tried a few test jogs but just couldn’t pick up the pace without feeling like I’d drop.

Around mile 22 I remember thinking about my 12 year old son’s recent issues with asthma and an irregular heart beat. “Damn these genes!” crossed my mind. Soon afterward the athlete with one prosthetic leg approached in the other direction. Inspired I held out my hand. Our palms met and he gave me a strong look in the eyes... and suddenly my issues felt insignificant.

At mile 23 I mustered the strength to jog again. I jogged with a couple of other athletes who were obviously deep into their own private zones. No words were spoken. We just gained strength by being together.

Prior to reaching the center of town I decided to take one last, short aid station walk before attempting to push it to the end. I gained strength by hearing the festivities ahead and was able to run well to the finish. I slowed near the finish line to allow the elated athletes in front of me have their private finish line moments, and then I passed through to have my own. The 4th Street Live finish line was absolutely electric! Though so very far from how I hoped the day would unfold, I certainly feel satisfied with my effort. And that’s all that really matters, right? :)

Brief Reflections
How is it possible that my last mile was the strongest of the day? Did my mind always have the strength to overcome my physical issues, or did my walking and recuperating allow that final mile to happen? Did my early afib issues take too costly a mental and physical toll or was my recovery as complete as it seemed?

I don’t know the answers to those questions. But I do know that I won’t be competing in any more Ironman races until I have a successful pulmonary vein ablation procedure on my heart. I can’t continue to play both sides of that fence. This was the only way to get a crystal clear answer to that question.

I need to bring this report to a close, but I want to relate that I drew inspiration through observing the strong performances of my training pal Ryan Brubaker, several of my Endurance Nation team mates and how Coach P conducted himself race week / day. There are simply too many stories to tell. I tip my cap in admiration to all who were able to thrive during that hot marathon.

7, 6, 5 days...

...And the self doubt rears its ugly head. Trying hard to stay on an emotional even keel. I keep repeating:

+ I am strong.
+ I will thrive in the heat.
+ I will look, act, execute like a champion.

The Hay is in the Barn

We’re getting so close to race day. Tapering is difficult. Training and eating patterns change. I actually feel a little lethargic. Aches and pains start appearing as the body says, “Thanks for the rest… I think I’ll take this opportunity to heal!”

On Sunday I burned some nervous energy by competing in the Lums Pond (Delaware) sprint triathlon. In many respects it was a break through experience. My first sprint triathlon since 2005 and the first one I can remember not being passed by anyone on the bike. I followed a 23.5 mph, 19.5 mile ride with a 3 mile run in 18:36. Big time numbers for me. I finished 24th out of 408 in a very competitive field. Not bad considering that my transitions were excessively slow compared to the fast guys.

So my training is done. The hay is in the barn, as the saying goes.

If you have any inclination to give to my cause – Bridge of Hope of Lancaster & Chester Counties – please give now by clicking on the ”Donate to Bridge of Hope” button to the right. They could use more hay in their barn. And the more hay I raise, the more matching funds Janus will kick into their coffers.

Thanks so much to all who have donated. We’re currently just shy of $3,000. :)

Race Rehearsal Redux

Had my final epic workout of the training cycle yesterday, with a six hour bike ride followed by a one hour run. The goal of the workout is to do everything exactly as you plan to do on race day; sleep, eat, dress, pace, etc.

Overall I had a very good day. I rode 114 miles in 6:04 then hopped off the bike and trotted 10k at a 9:00/mile pace. At 123 BPM average on the bike, my heart rate indicated that my aerobic fitness is as good or better than it’s ever been. It was the “easiest” 100+ mile ride I’ve ever done (Oxymoron, I know. That's how warped my mind has become). Given that I averaged a shade under 19 miles per hour, I’m very pleased with my fitness.

The most frequently asked question I get is, “What do you eat?” Here’s how my day played out:

Breakfast at 4:30 am (roughly 550 Calories)
• Odwalla super protein shake
• Banana
• 20 oz. water
• 12 oz. Coffee
Pre-ride at 7:00 am (110 Calories)
• Power gel with water
During the ride (1775 Calories = 296/hour)
• 10 scoops Infinit Ironman formula sports drink
• 1 Clif bar
• 1 Power gel
• 2 x FRS chews at mile 70
• 8 x 20 oz. Bottles of water
During the run
• 1 scoop Infinit marathon formula sports drink (130 Calories)

Most are surprised at the low Calorie count, but it’s important to keep from overloading your digestive tract. My goal is 300 Cal/hour on the bike and 150 - 175/hour on the run. Your blood is needed in places other than your stomach! Besides, it’s impossible to replace all of the Calories as you’re burning them anyway. I burned in excess of 4,000 Calories yesterday.

Where my nutrition plan fell short is in sodium replacement. That was made clear by how “crampy” my legs got last evening. On the bike I consumed 388 mg sodium/hour. On the run I was only at 175 mg/hour. I should be over 400 mg per hour all day, with a little more on the run since my sweat rate will be higher. I’ll supplement with electrolyte pills such as Hammer Endurolytes.

Recovery Shakes

Here's my top secret bestest long workout recovery shake ever. We found this in Cooking Light magazine. My edits from the recipe are noted. Blend the following:

One cup of Chobani Greek yogurt
Banana
Skim milk (I add by feel)
Ice
Honey
Ground nutmeg
Teaspoon of Glutamine powder (only for extreme workout recovery)

Chobani yogurt is really good stuff, with 23g of whey protein per 8 oz. No added sugar and zero fat.

You can also make a sweeter, heavier version of the shake as follows:

One cup of Chobani Greek yogurt
Frozen mango
Frozen peaches
Peach/mango V8 Splash (I add by feel)
Teaspoon of Glutamine (for extreme workout recovery)

I prefer the lighter, less sweet banana shake after a long bike ride, but they're both great. Enjoy!

You Are What You Eat

Nothing reinforces the adage “you are what you eat” better than high volume training. I feel exactly as I eat and sleep. Eat well, sleep well = High energy, positive outlook, ability to recover from the hardest workouts. Eat garbage or deprive myself of sleep = Ugliness. It’s really that simple. Good diet choices get more challenging when you’re hungry all the time. Eating a healthy, balanced diet while enduring heavy training takes planning and discipline. The office, with the vending machine from hell, is my biggest challenge.

Fund Racing for Bridge of Hope

On August 29, I will be competing in the Ford Ironman triathlon in Louisville,Kentucky, and I need your help.

The road to completing an Ironman can be overwhelming, exhilarating, and immensely personally satisfying—all at the same time. But my deepest desire in this race is to really make a difference in our community by again raising money to benefit Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties.

Please consider a personal or company donation to help me reach my goal of raising $5,000.

As I train to cross the finish line in Kentucky, my “personal best” will be to help Bridge of Hope reach as many single mothers and their children with the opportunity to achieve wholeness and independence.

Bridge of Hope served 38 women and 77 children this year with life-changing skills to end homelessness for single mothers and their families. These families now have a second chance.

Why should you care? The daily challenges these women face remind me of my own journey to the Ironman finish line. Their Ironman consists of roadblocks to employment, a paralyzing fear of failure, the physical demands of being a single parent, and staying on track with financial pacing. The need for stamina, tenacity, and determination to go one more step is crucial. But where do these resources come from? Having the support of mentoring friendships while working with program staff allows the women to be successful and cross the finish line to self-sufficiency and financial stability. That makes a stronger community for all of us.

With no government funding, Bridge of Hope has attained a remarkable success rate of more than 80% of its participants graduating to self-sufficiency. They rely solely on private donations.

How can you help me “race” to make a difference?

1. On the web, go to my triathlon training blog (http://dan-kerr.blogspot.com/) and click on the Donate to Bridge of Hope link in the right margin under “My Favorites.”

2. Please send a check made payable to Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties and send it to me at: c/o McClure Company, 4101 N 6th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110

Individuals contributing $100 or more will be entered to win a free home chef service from Custom Cuisine Personal Chef Service (approximate $300 value).

Thank you for your support!


P.S. To learn more about Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties and read some of their stories, please visit www.bridgeofhopelcc.org. Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

It's the Heat... and the Humidity

Two hour and twenty minute run on the schedule today. I headed out at 10 am in an attempt to get used to the heat. When I finished, the sun was shining, the temperature was 89F and the heat index was 92F. How'd it go? Let's just say my breakfast of birthday cake, coffee, and a Mexican omelette wasn't such a great idea. What was I thinking?

Down Time Thoughts

I just can't motivate myself to get in the saddle during this Saturday morning downpour. I really don't want to put the wear and tear on my high end tri bike, and my road bike isn't equipped with a power meter. With five weeks of hard training to go I really shouldn't be skipping workouts. I'll wait this thing out and make a determination this afternoon. I might end up on the trainer today.

I've been spending the morning watching YouTube videos of the Ironman Louisville course. I think I'll love that bike ride. It consists of a ton of rolling hills, but far easier climbs than what I'm accustomed to in Lancaster County. The key will be maintaining momentum on the downhills, "flattening" the course by maintaining consistent power output. I'll be ready.

My metabolism is going crazy with the uptick in training. I've managed to drop two pounds in the past 10 days or so. I'll likely level off at my current weight of 151 pounds. I plan to show up on race day at a lean 149. Anything less will be unhealthy. My normal weight is between 155 and 157.

I'm a little concerned about my sore left shoulder. It started to get sore during our (training with my buddy Ryan) epic 4,100 meter swim yesterday. I'm going to schedule a massage for the coming week.

My kids dread the Tour de France because I actually compete for TV time. Those guys are so smooth and powerful. Really good mental training for a visual learner like me. Think I'll tune in now while the boys are still asleep...

Big Volume Week 2010

At the suggestion of the coaches of team EN I made use of the long July 4 weekend to gain a volume “pop” in my training. It was a big week by my standards, at 25 hours total training. I spent 21 of those hours in the saddle. Compare this to my consistent weeks of 12 to 14 hours. Some random thoughts:

• With a dramatic increase in cycling volume I have some issues adapting to life off the bike. Yesterday on a family drive to Hershey Park I caught myself shouting out “car left!” I also keep having dreams of dozing off while in the saddle, startling myself awake.
• Due to my occasional episodes with atrial fibrillation I’ve been afraid of using caffeine or other stimulants as performance supplements. Conversely I’ve been bothered by a tendency to lose mental focus around mile 75 of long bike rides. This weekend I used FRS chews at around the four hour mark. I’m sold. I’ve never been so focused deep into a long ride.
• I fear the heat. I drank eight 20-ounce bottles of fluid today and still didn’t have to pee until I got home. That’s insane. I better plan on two bottles an hour in Louisville. I decided to bag my brick run today out of cautiousness. My power meter read 102 degrees at the end of the ride.
• My tolerance for training load like this has increased dramatically since Ironman #1 in 2007. I suppose it’s due in equal measures to a stronger will to endure the pain and an increase in fitness.
• Bullfrog SPF40 sun block is the best I’ve ever used. The sun and heat were powerful this weekend. I have absolutely zero burn. Considering the amount I sweat and how long I was in the saddle, that’s pretty amazing.

I should be ready to resume training as normal by Thursday. Until then it’ll be a combination of complete rest and recovery workouts.

Training Update

I escaped this little accident on Father's Day weekend with cuts, bruises and road rash. Very, very lucky. The elbow and knee are still a little sore but otherwise I'm good to go.

I'm making use of the long July 4 weekend for a big volume training block. In two days I've ridden 176 miles and ran 3.5 miles. Gearing up for another ride today. More details later.

Please take note of the new "Favorites" link to the right. As in 2007, I'm using my Ironman training to raise money for the Bridge of Hope www.bridgeofhopelcc.org. More on that later, too!

Too shelled to put much mental energy into blogging today...

Eagleman Race Report - EN Version

Preview:
• I caught a head cold during race week. I didn’t feel sick and my energy was high, but I did have significant congestion.
• Race day was really, really hot. The heat index reached 101 F. I expected the heat but hadn’t been able to train in conditions this severe.
• My finish time was 5:25. My goal was 5:00.

Swim:
• It was long and we couldn’t wear wetsuits. There’s been enough documented about that. I wasn’t very smooth in the first few hundred meters, but eventually settled down and counted strokes. Enough said.



Bike:
• You can see from the power profile that my peak hour was in the front half of the ride (1st shaded region), after a warm-up period.
• My peak 30 minutes started at the midway point of the ride (2nd shaded region). I was preparing to set up a negative split.
• Around mile 40 Chris Walz caught me and streaked passed. Right on his heels was a group of 5 riders of somewhat equal ability. They caught me and I got stuck in their pack. My power numbers dropped off because I decided to stay within the group. My only other options were to blast through to the front or to coast for a significant period of time and let them go. Both of those options seemed foolish. We all did our best to maintain four bike lengths but still found ourselves playing leap frog. It all seemed OK to the race official who spent some time watching. I focused on staying hydrated and as cool as possible.
• I finished the ride with TSS = 143, NP = 200, IF = .75, VI = 1.02 at a little under 2:32. I ran well during my last race rehearsal after a more aggressive effort of IF = .82. I really thought I was headed for a strong run.

Run:
• I stuck to plan on the front half of the run, going quite slowly for the first three miles. I ran my target paces through the next six miles but took as long as a full minute walking through aid stations, compared to my plan of 15 seconds.
• Somewhere between mile 9 and town I started to develop a significant pain in my upper back and had some trouble catching my breath. It felt like asthma and I grew paranoid about having a major attack. For the remainder of the run I took turns walking and then jogging after the pain subsided. The pain would come back quickly after running again and I spent an awful amount of time walking those last three miles. Really disappointing.

Nutrition:
• Breakfast of 1-1/2 bagels with peanut butter, banana, and coffee around 4:30 to 4:45.
• Sipped water between 4:30-ish and 6:30.
• About 20 minutes before my wave I took a gel and some water.
• During the ride I drank about 550 cals of Infinit, which is basically the Ironman formulation. I drank a ton of water and poured a lot over my head. I opted for my vented helmet in lieu of aero due to the heat.
• During the run I popped a total 4 Hammer Endurolytes and alternated water / ice and Gatorade / ice at the aid stations.
• I did pee at mile 4 of the run, so really think I hydrated better than most.

Lessons Learned:
• Either estimated my cycling functional threshold too high or had physical issues from the combination of the heat & my head cold (or a little of both).
• Though I dialed the ride way back, it wasn’t enough in the heat. I rode IF .75 versus my rehearsals of .82 - .83.
• I did not measure heart rate during the race. If I did I probably would have noticed that my cycling effort was too high. Won't make this mistake at IM Louisville.
• Gained valuable experience racing in the heat, which is likely to be the case at IM Louisville in August.
• “The One Thing:” I need to figure it out between now and August 29. It’s going to matter.

Call to Action:
I’m worried that I have some giant blind spot. Anyone out there see anything else?

Eagleman Race Report

I didn’t come close to achieving my goal time of 4:59:xx on Sunday. I have plenty of external excuses including a non-wetsuit swim that was definitely longer than 1.2 miles (the scuttle butt is that it was close to 1.5), a head cold, and the incredible heat. The latter two contributed to a significant asthma problem that reduced me to a fair bit of walking in the final three miles.
That said I exhibited a lack of mastery over a few things that were within my control, which also contributed to falling short of expectations. Things like…

• Applied sun block in transition before the race. No mirror. No assistance from friends. I missed some spots. My giant red blotches aren’t feeling so great today. I’m too experienced to do that. Really stupid.

• While I dialed my cycling effort back quite a bit, it obviously wasn’t enough. I rode at 200 (IF = .75) normalized watts instead of my target of 220. It felt right at the time, but I could’ve / should’ve recognized the heat was taking a big toll. My great bike split was overshadowed by some late walking on the run. The EN philosophy is true: There’s no such thing as a good bike followed by a bad run. The bad run is usually caused by a stupid ride.

• No clear purpose for racing. Yes I had an asthma attack. But clarity of purpose would have made a difference. It was too easy to shut it down when the self-negotiating started on the back half of the run.
So there’s plenty for me to work on as I head into training for another long, hot day at Ironman Louisville.

Overall I’m really pleased today. I finished. I had fun with friends. I pushed a little beyond my limits. Overall a cathartic experience.
After a short recovery it’ll be time to pump up the training volume for Ironman. More news to follow! It’s all good.

For power junkies, here are my numbers:
Duration: 2:31:50
Work: 1798 kJ
TSS: 142.8 (intensity factor 0.748)
Norm Power: 200
VI: 1.02

Time to Taper

We're a little less than two weeks out from the Eagleman 70.3 race in Cambridge, MD. Originally scheduled as my 'A' race, it's now serving as a stepping stone to Ironman Louisville on August 29th. The allure of Ironman sucked me back in! I'll be training with my friend Ryan, who will be competing at the full distance for his first time. Ryan's a good bit stronger than me, so repeatedly trying to hold his tire on long rides will surely have me ready to go on race day.

On Sunday I completed a race rehearsal for Eagleman. The goal of the rehearsal was to ride at target wattages for the full distance of the bike leg, then hop off and practice the discipline of running slowly for the first three miles before ramping up to target pace for another three. While not an easy workout by any stretch, it is more of an exercise in holding back than a suffer fest. The rehearsals also provide an ideal opportunity to practice the race day nutrition plan.



I did well on this rehearsal and feel pretty confident heading into race day. The attached graph of wattage over time indicates a fairly steady output of power, with the strongest hour being in the back half of the ride (black shaded section). That's good and, admittedly, a little more disciplined than usual for me.

I have a good bit of accumulated fatigue and am looking forward to regaining the skip in my step as I taper over the next two weeks. My goal is to break the five hour mark. My training metrics indicate the goal is within my abilities, but I'll need good weather and nearly perfect execution to pull it off. My previous best at this distance is a little over 5:05.

Training in Blackwater

During our recent heat wave I snuck away from work for two days to do Eagleman 70.3 on course training. I enjoy riding on Maryland's eastern shore. The roads have huge shoulders and the natives are generally bike friendly. I get a sense of escape while riding through the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. The flat, windy marsh land, with its unique and plentiful wildlife, feels like another world.

Day 1 featured a 91 miler, during which I snapped some photos. Day 2 was a race rehearsal consisting of a 56 mile course ride followed by a one hour run. It was good to get on course training in that heat. I was pretty wilted after day 2.

Race day is Sunday, June 13. I'm planning on setting a new PR for the 70.3 distance. My training metrics are on target. To hit my goal I'll have to stay consistent & healthy over these final four weeks, and then execute like a champ on race day.

Return on Investment

So now that I dropped a fair amount of change on a geeked out bike, I'm afraid of being no faster than before. Building my fitness engine is only one of the necessary ingredients to gaining desired speed. How I fit onto the bike is just as important. A great fit will have me producing high power output while cutting through air with minimal aerodynamic drag, in a position that I can hold for several hours at a time.

Pros like Lance have access to high end wind tunnels where they can tweak positioning with realtime data. The rest of us have to learn through a longer process of trial and error.

It looks to me that we have my positioning pretty well dialed in. Thanks to Todd Kenyon at ttbikefit.com for the help. Check his site out if you're questioning your own positioning.

So what do you think... Should I make any other adjustments?

Defying Convention, and Loving It

I like no nonsense high ROI stuff. Work, play, personal – doesn’t matter. I like performance benchmarks.

My career depends upon it. In an industry that too often hides behind legal documents and errors & omissions insurance, my group delivers performance guarantees. We can’t fall prey to doing things just because popular trends or conventional wisdom say so. Our decisions are made on case-by-case analyses: On data that we’ve measured or our vendors have measured and, then, specifically applied to our clients’ particular situations. By doing things that way we uncover a lot of myths. We prove a lot of industry-wide sacred cows wrong (not our goal, it just works out that way). Many within the green building industry aren’t ready to accept our assertions because they sometimes defy convention, so we’re left serving a minority of intensely loyal clients; a loyalty developed out of proven performance.

So it is with my multisport training.

Conventional triathlon training wisdom would have me coming out of the winter with a huge “base” comprised of long hours of easy swimming, cycling, and running. Most training guides and >$500 per month coaches preach this old school philosophy, saying the method provides metabolic benefits like increased capillary density and fat burning capacity. I’m sure that’s great for folks who choose to burn 15 to 20 hours (or more) per week in pursuit of athletic domination. I don’t want to do that. I have a career, a family, and like to stay connected to my community. This triathlon thing keeps me sane and provides an appropriate competitive outlet, but it’s ultimately just for fun.

Enter the coaches and athletes at Endurance Nation. I just completed a 20 week “out season” plan that had me cycling and running very hard for six to seven hours a week - Pretty countercultural in endurance sport circles. At the conclusion of that 20 week period, my cycling threshold power is:

• 20% higher than it was at the beginning of the program.
• Just 5 watts shy of my all time high.
• Just 12 watts short of my lifetime peak goal.

Additionally, today I ran the hilly Caesar Rodney half marathon in Wilmington, DE. I broke my previous personal record for that distance by more than 2-1/2 minutes. I didn’t taper for the race and I did my final painful bike test less than 24 hours earlier.

Not bad for a 42 year old fella on the first full day of spring, eh? I’d say the guys at EN are on to something. Wonder how strong I’ll be this summer?

5K Madness

When my Afib issue surfaced in the fall of 2007 I thought my days of hard racing might be over forever. Last season taught me that clearly wasn’t the case.

The Endurance Nation training strategy includes relatively short but highly intense workouts throughout the winter months. We use 5K races for running fitness benchmarking. The last two seasons had me sitting on the race sidelines, “guesstimating” my running fitness, while I learned to manage my heart electrical problems. So this season I was really itching to train and benchmark the EN way. I signed up for five 5K road races. Today was the final of those, the third of three Frozen Foot series races in Elizabethtown. I was happy to walk away with the third place age group medal for the race series. In all I placed three times over the course of the five races. My first road running medals since I was a teenager. Pretty cool.

My times progressively improved throughout the winter. I started at 21:14 in early November and finished today with a 20:20. My pre-season goal was to break the 20-minute mark by the first day of spring. I didn’t quite make it, but the aggressive goal kept me focused. I still hope to break that mark at Lancaster’s Race Against Racism in late April. Performance goals keep me focused and I have more fun when I set them.

My mom passed away the day before my fourth race – just three weeks ago. I woke up Sunday morning and felt like I’d been whacked over the head. As you might imagine the prior day was quite an endurance event in its own right, but on an entirely different plane. I was at her side when she died just 12 hours earlier. After a brief appearance at church I decided to run that day. I wanted a sense of normalcy. It wasn’t easy and I almost quit about 10 minutes in out of apathy, but somehow I summoned the energy to keep moving forward. My mom certainly did not teach me to quit. She was a fighter.

All that pain for a stupid 20-minute 5K? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m no Ryan Hall. When it comes to endurance sports I’m the guy who metaphorically busts his ass just to make the team. And that’s what I love about it. The beauty is in the pursuit of excellence, in being “the man who is actually in the arena,” as Teddy Roosevelt said. The lessons of mental tenacity taught through endurance sports translate to all facets of life.