Charlottesville International RR

In preparation for Timberman I returned to Charlottesville, VA to take a crack at what is known as a tough and hilly course. I rode the course last October and squeaked out an average of 18.8 mph, which didn't include the two stops I made for food and pictures. My goal for the race was to see where my fitness stood by testing out the race paces I intend to keep in New Hampshire, now only a month away. I had some concerns about how my recent hip injury would respond to the hill climbing but everything seemed to work out.

.9 Mile Swim - 21:42 (1:30/100m)
The water temperature was 80 degrees so it was time to test my open water abilities sans wetsuit. I was eager to see what I could do and had a pipe dream about posting a top ten time. Reality set in about 400 meters into the swim and I decided to hang back and follow some feet. When I popped out of the water my watch only said 21:00, which was much lower than I was figuring. Turns out everyone had that thought. I calculated the course was 300 meters short.

T1 - 1:09
Not having to fight with a wetsuit was nice. I was going to try to grab the bike with shoes already clipped on but the course jumped into a serious hill right away. I figured the situation was better suited for a traditional approach.

23.5 Mile Bike - 1:08:15 (20.7mph)
I perfectly hit my mark of 20.5 and did so being somewhat reserved. I attacked a few of the steeper climbs early and noticed lingering fatigue from Friday's 25-mile ride up the Custis Trail from Rosslyn (had to test the hip). I watched my average and kept the cadence high over the last ten miles. The 41mph decent to the race site certainly helped the average. As I approached the dismount line I began to slip out of my bike shoes. In the process I felt the right shoe come unclipped so I reached down and grabbed it. I set the shoe on my aerobars but that lasted all of two seconds before it flew off, ironically landing next to my car.

T2 - 0:47
I tried the stretch laces for the first time in a race and it wasn't too much easier. I think I need to loosen them a bit.

10K Run - 41:56 (6:52/mile)
The most exciting part of the race was the trail run. I had never competitively run through a wooded course before and could not wait. I quickly realized its dangerous to run full speed over roots, mud, rocks, hills, and streams, right after you biked. I almost ate a tree when I attempted to turn at the bottom of a hill. I decided to keep a pace that seemed safe until my legs rebounded from the bike. My splits were: 7:10, 7:08, 13:56 (two miles), 6:38, 6:26, 0:38.

Total Time - 2:13:47
I was pleased with the results, especially since I swiped my first AG win! It was a small race of 101 men so there is only so much cheering I can do. I placed 7th OA so that was nice too. But more importantly, I know where my fitness stands and I can now gameplan for Timberman.

Bike MS 100 - Washington, DC

This past weekend I took part in the National Capitol Chapter MS Ride outside of Washington, DC. Coworkers, friends, and I donated $300 for my old roommate Ryan's Team OutSPOKEn. In return, I pledged to ride the century course. I had no idea what the profile looked like but I figured I could handle another 100 miler.

When the ride began I realized I was going to be doing most of this alone. There weren't any "competitive" cyclists around to ride with so Ryan and I headed out as usual. At Mile 36 we split ways since he only wanted 60 miles. Feeling pretty good I took off and attacked a surprisingly hilly course. Despite the grades I managed 19mph for the first 60 miles. It was at that point my left knee began to ache again (remnants from MoM). I backed off but finished strong over the last 15 miles.

So over the past three weeks I've completed my first two century rides. And I don't think I'll be doing any more in the near future. The good news is... 56 miles now seems like a short ride.

White Lake Half II RR

Two years ago I completed the White Lake Half triathlon in 5:49:52. It was my first ever triathlon and most painful, that is until yesterday. Previously, the pain was largely in part to being unprepared for the half-iron distance. Since 2007 I've learned a great deal about training and racing but nothing that prepared me for the heat I experienced this time around.

1.2 Mile Swim - 34:45 (1:49/100m)
It was a beautiful morning on the lake. The water was flat and a degree under wetsuit legal so everything was set for a quick time. This time around my wave was much smaller than a few weekends ago at Rumpass In Bumpass. When the horn sounded I went hard and focused on stretching out. I had not swam in the past three weeks due to an ear infection so I wanted to take it easy and get into a comfortable groove.

T1 - 2:10
Nothing to mention here. I do however want to work on getting my shoes connected to my bike so I can shave some time.

56 Mile Bike - 2:45:44 (20.3mph)
I had some minor concerns about the bike leg because I didn't put in the long rides I had wanted prior to the race. Nevertheless I wanted to focus on a 22mph pace. By the twentieth mile I had 50-51 minutes on my watch and felt great. I started doing the math and figured out I was way out of my range and backed off. After slowing for the first water station I stood up to pedal back to speed and felt a slight pull in my hamstring. To make matters worse, the wind picked up thirty miles in and was relentless the second half of the race. I decided I'd be content with a 18-20mph and not disturbing the pulled muscle.

T2 - 2:24
Once off the bike I began to notice just how hot the day had become. The weather was in the low 90s but that must have only been in the shade. I spent extra time to apply sunscreen and drink electrolites.

13.1 Mile Run - 2:07:32 (9:45/mile)
I had battled back and forth with a few guys on the bike but saved it for the run. I figured this was going to be my ace in the hole. I have been running 7:20/mile with ease in training so I figured I could rock a 1:37:00 without a problem. What I didn't count on was the heat destroying me completely. My run splits tell the story: 7:16, 7:23, 8:35, 8:38, 11:11, 9:10, 12:17, 9:11, 12:00, 13:10, 9:03, 9:28, 9:05, 1:05. The race became a war of attrition as I ran/jogged/walked my way past other age groupers. The heat was probably pushing over 100 degrees in the sun and there was zero shade for the entire run. No matter how much ice water I poured over me I could not cool off. It was brutal. I felt blisters developing in my shoes and when I looked down at my feet I noticed blood seeping out.

Total Time - 5:32:34
Going into the race I thought I had a shot at breaking 5:00:00. Even after the bike leg I thought my goal was possible. Sadly it was not my day. If you look at the results you'll see 9.6% of the men DNF'd. It was tough mentally and physically. Finishing 14/42 in my age group and setting a new PR in a half isn't bad I guess with all things considered. Good news is, my muscles aren't too sore today, however my feet are another story. It will probably be a week before I lace up the running shoes again.

Muddy Buddy RR

Muddy Buddy! Last year I was a spectator with a broken thumb and no partner. But this year I conned Ryan to saddle up and get muddy. Thus Team Hammer was born. Most teams dress up so I made Hammer t-shirts for the race.

Some background info - Muddy Buddy Richmond is an eight-mile bike/run course through Pocahontas State Park. Team members share a mountain bike by leap-frogging each other along the way. Between each bike swap teammates complete obstacles like a balance beam, climbing wall, and cargo net. The grand finale is a low crawl through a mud pit.

The course was a little damp from all the rain we've been getting so you had to hold back on the bike a bit. However, we gave it hell through the woods, a river, and dodged a deer, to speed home for an age group win. And as you've seen above the race lived up to its name.

We had a mix-up when I stepped over the start line after the race. The computer system thought we started the race again and deleted our time from the results. After a few anxious minutes before the awards things got straighted out. I have to wait for the online results to see how we placed overall.

Rumpass In Bumpass Sprint RR

I opened my triathlon race season at the Rumpass in Bumpass Sprint yesterday. Since this was my first triathlon of the year I wasn't expecting anything amazing. In the back of my mind I hoped for a new PR on the course, even without a taper.

750 Meter Swim - 13:55 (1:51/100m)
Brrr... The water was 62 degrees when the horn sounded. I'm not sure how much this affected my performance but my breathing and my ability to reach/extend my body was limited. The mass in-water start was larger than usual because the director grouped the elites with men 34 and under. There was a real battle in the first 200 meters that never truly sorted itself out, at least not around me. A little over halfway I got punched in the face out of nowhere by someone possibly trying to swim back on course. I swallowed water and had to adjust my goggles. As I rounded the last buoy I got kicked in the face.

T1 - 1:48
I had some difficulty with my wetsuit and a long run to the bike mount line.

12 Mile Bike - 35:29 (20.3mph)
The bike course was reversed from last October's Giant Acorn (and I guess shortened?). I welcomed the change because I felt it was faster in the way you approach the hills. However, this wasn't reflected in my bike split.

T2 - 1:15
I finally remembered to put my race belt on while running from transition.

5K Run - 20:08 (6:30/mile)
If there was a real gripe to have about the race course it would have to be the changes done to the run. In an effort to keep the bikers away from the runners the new course was routed through 300 feet of wooded trail and then 200 feet of gravel before reaching the road. The trail was ridiculously littered with roots and potholes. There literally was not a flat spot to step on.

Total Time - 1:12:34
I was hoping to break 1:10:00 but I don't think I've put in enough training to do that yet. Between the subtle changes in the course and my fatigue from the week's workouts I think it is safe to say I haven't lost anything over the winter. Also, another bright spot was my swim, which was somewhat competitive (36th vs 68th OA).

Shamrock Half Marathon RR

My 2009 race season started this past weekend at the Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA. In my last blog I was concerned about how I would perform on race day. And much like last year, my knee was tender leading up to the race. When I tried to push the pace over 7:00/mile in long training runs it would act up. The day before the race I was still debating what my target tempo should be.

Race morning I figured I would give it hell and try maintaining 6:30/mile for a few miles and see how I felt. If things were okay I would then try to negative split the race and finish under 1:25:00. This would be a nice PR from last year's 1:31:33.

Unlike last year the weather was decent with a light breeze and in the high 30s at the sound of the gun. I went with my warm gear, which has no pockets. For some reason I believed there was a power gel station at Mile 8 so I went without nutrition.

At the start line I saw Joel Bell from Coastal Racing. After discussing pacing I figured I would hang with him until the mid-point and then he would probably take off. For the first mile we ran with a few guys and came in at 6:07 with relative ease. I was a bit confused with my speed so I decided to play it safe and slow down. I took the next slightly uphill four miles at 6:18, 6:19, 6:24, 6:30. With five miles down I was feeling tired but with minimal knee pain. Since I was well above my pre-race pace I backed off again for fear of aggravating the knee. The next five miles were 6:40, 6:38, 6:45, 6:45, 6:45. When I passed the Mile 8 water station I searched for gel without success. I had been craving the extra energy the entire mile before only to be letdown. After Mile 11 I began to feel the effects of no nutrition. My pace for the remaining three and some miles slowed to 6:45, 7:00, 7:08, 0:50. This adds up to 1:26:54 (6:38 pace).

While I am happy to set a new PR I am disappointed I made such a stupid mistake with the gel. Apparently I missed the gel stop at Mile 10. That might have helped me cover the last few miles a bit faster. As far as pacing goes, I ran a really stupid race. I got excited with my first mile and changed my race plan on the fly. I should have stuck with the plan.

Giant Acorn RR

Two weeks after Sandman it was time to attack my final triathlon of the season on Lake Anna at the Giant Acorn. Joining me for the race was my roomate Ryan. I had been looking forward to this race ever since last year's finish. My only goal this year, given the circumstances this past summer, was to beat last year's finishing time of 1:14:27. I figured the swim was a wash but my bike and run fitness was superior regardless of missing ten weeks of training.

750 Meter Swim - 14:32 (1:56/100m)
I've never enjoyed the swim portion of a triathlon before this race. I didn't have any expectations in terms of time so I relaxed and swam comfortably. And for the first time I believe I swam a straight line point to point. This is the only reason I can justify why I matched last year's swim of 14:34.

T1 - 1:39
Not bad for me.

12.5 Mile Bike - 33:55 (21.2mph)
As usual I had a difficult time settling into the bike. This time I decided not to force the issue and was content with relaxing and hovering in the 22mph range when I found long flats. Having beautiful weather in the 70s coupled with the moderate hills, turns, and scenery made the course enjoyable. And best of all I finished 1:34 faster then last year.

T2 - 1:38
Same old story... Eat a GU and hit the pavement.

5K Run - 18:51 (6:05/mile)
Since I had slacked off on the swim and bike I wanted to focus on the run to turn in a respectable time and maybe grab a spot in the AG. I missed my split at the first mile marker but felt confident as I passed the second in twelve and change. Fueled by finally seeing Ryan I dropped the hammer and rolled home 1:55 faster then 2007's run of 20:46.

Total Time - 1:10:34
I'm pleased with the result especially since I beat my previous effort by 3:53. An AG place would of been nice but 5th in my AG and 34th OA isn't bad. It was a good way to finish off the season.

Sandman RR

With four weeks of training in the books since my return I felt good enough to race the Sandman sprint triathlon in Virginia Beach, VA. Now when I say good enough I mean I had been running well and without pain. And I had been seeing some fast times on the bike but not much endurance. That's to be expected after a 10-week layoff. I can't forget to mention the fact with my wrist/shoulder still in pain I neglected to swim a single yard in preparation for the race. I figured it was only 1000 meters. Huh, what was I thinking...

The week before the race I tried to grab a short ride and flatted eight miles in, which was my second flat in two weeks. Luckily both times I had my roommate with me and he rode back to the car to pick me up. On the last occasion we put my tri bike on the roof rack for the ride home. When Tropical Storm Hanna begun to drop rain on us we became distracted and forgot my bike was on the top of his new Lexus. As we entered the garage I heard the crunch of my bike and the scratching of the rack digging into his car. Not pretty at all. The car had a few dents and my Adamo Saddle was toast. The aluminum bike frame appeared solid though. After some tense moments at the Contes in Arlington I was able to acquire a new seat the Thursday before Sandman. I fitted everything that night but didn't get a chance to ride the bike until early race morning. A few minor tweaks was all it needed I thought.

During the five mile ride to the race site I fiddled with my positioning a few times but couldn't get it right like I had been training on. I also noticed my cadence wasn't working anymore. I probably should have rode the bike after the garage crash.

1000 Meters Swim - 18:30 (1:51/100m)
This was my first time doing an ocean swim and it wasn't pretty. The swim consisted of going out 25m and passing three orange buoys by swimming parallel with the beach before returning back to the sand. My wave was full of red caps that looked much like bobbing orange buoys in the distance. My goggles didn't help much when they came off as I dove into a wave and then fogged up several times during the swim. Throw in the fact I was way out of shape for 1000m and you get a crappy time. No shocker there.

T1 - 2:02
Nothing to report other then having to pass too many women from the wave before me that walk their bikes in the transition zone.

14 Mile Bike - 39:28 (22.4mph)
I was excited to finally get a chance to bike on a flat course after all the training in the mountain I had done back in May. During the race I found out why my cadence wasn't working when the bike computer fell off a mile from T1. I stopped and wasted two minutes or so going back to get it and then waiting to merge into bike traffic. If you subtract the extra time from my bike split I was more in the neighborhood of a 23mph average. I was quite pleased with the time but felt I had more power in my legs. With the bike positioning I setup that morning I was unable to get comfortable, thus lacking the power I was used to.

T2 - 1:41
Uneventful here. Notwithstanding I need to work on it.

5K Run - 20:47 (6:42/mile)
By the time I hit the boardwalk along the oceanfront the sun had come out and started baking everyone. I stopped at every water station for a cold drink and a second glass for over my head. I'm proud to say I had a decent time posting the 3rd best run in my AG and 10th best OA.

Total Time - 1:22:29
I felt going into the race I had a chance to place in my AG but the swim was terrible and I lost too much time on the bike. Overall I was happy placing 7th in my AG and 42nd OA on only a few weeks of training. I look forward to getting in a few more weeks before closing out my short racing season at the Giant Acorn in October.

Week 14 Recap / Shamrock RR

The goal of the week was to prepare myself for a tough run at the Shamrock Half Marathon. Given this was my first half marathon race outside of a half-Ironman triathlon I intended on putting forth a good effort despite my minor injuries. I had trained hard this off-season and a good race was going to be my payoff.

When race day arrived the weather took a turn for the worst. The forecast was miserable with temperatures in the 40s and 15-20 mph winds. Luckily the rain ended before the race began. I registered a time of 1:45:00, which I felt would be a great achievement since my PR from the Duke Liver Half triathlon was 1:57:13. This time put me in the first coral with some serious distance runners. I decided not to toe the line with them. Instead I huddled with a mass of individuals that appeared to be more my speed. The plan was to draft off the pack as long as I could before braving the wind alone.

Once the horn sounded the pack separated rather quickly and I chose to stay with two particular guys. I had spoke to them pre-race and knew they were shooting for 1:40ish. When I reached the first mile marker I was surprised to see 6:57 appear. The pace felt good, almost unchallenging, so I decided to keep it although it was out of my planned range. Before the second mile marker, the small pack began to separate when someone blew past. I thought we had slowed down too much so I made a move. My second mile came in at 6:51, which was much faster than I wanted to go, but I was feeling great. I continued to click off 7:00 or so miles to the halfway mark. I thought once I had the wind at my back I could ease up and coast home at the same pace.

At mile eight I began to feel my hip tightening and my IT band soon followed. I noticed I had begun to lean forward from exhaustion. The poor form not only hurt my legs but my back as well. I had to concentrate on my posture for the remainder of the race. Once I reached eleven miles I was ready to walk but didn’t want to ruin a good race. I had somehow managed to run a 7:00 pace for eleven miles so another two and change was nothing. A guy noticed me laboring and tried to coax me to break 1:30 but I wasn’t having any of it. I didn’t want to blow out my knee on the first race of the season.

I ended up finishing with a PR of 1:31:33 (7:00 pace). I placed 25th out of 380 in my age group. Not bad for my first half marathon. My splits were as follows: 6:57, 6:51, 6:59, 7:00, 7:05, 6:55, 6:59, 7:00, 6:59, 6:55, 6:59, 7:55

By the end of the week I logged 4100 yards swimming, 6 miles biking, and 17.1 miles of running in 3 1/2 hours. If I can manage to get my biking up to par I should be good for the Smithfield Sprint in two weeks.