Having fallen off my bike at IMC, and the disruption from that, I feel like I didn't have a chance to race. That I have a huge amount of untested fitness.
And so I have been looking around at what I might be able to do.
Ironmans though are hard to get into even during the current economic environment in North America.
For example, Wisconsin is next week (sold out but perhaps too soon anyway). In November, Florida, Arizona and Cozumel are sold out. So is the new one in Utah next May. In fact all of the North American events are sold out for 2010 except for Louisville, late next August.
It's true there are 'community foundation spots' at some NA events but I haven't won the lottery and won't be buying my way onto a start line anytime soon.
I could enter WA or Malaysia or NZ or China or Port Mac or South Africa or almost any/every other overseas event - but there is the added cost of getting to these places. Frankfurt is one overseas event sold out for 2010 - and I've raced there already.
In contrast, just three 70.3 events to be held in the year ahead are sold out at the moment: Muskoka, set for next week; Augusta later this month and Eagleman next June.
There is just one 70.3 event which may make sense: Austin, Texas on October 25.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Looking ahead
It's Saturday morning and I was up at 4:40am, though not to train. This is the first Saturday morning in a long time in which I don't have a long bike and short run to do. And that's a good thing.
The week after every Ironman is tiring. I'm out of my routine. My sleeping is disrupted. I have indulged on chocolate, had a few nutella sandwiches and quaffed a few beers. (In the month of August, I had just one Mars bar and one beer - on my birthday.)
I have walked a lot these past few days with Luka and walking has helped a lot.
Overall, I am recovering well physically. I'd hoped to have secured an A.R.T. appointment but for some reason demand is high today, the easiest day of the week for a lot of people it would seem.
In three days from now our local pool will shut for three weeks of annual maintenance. I already miss swimming. I have avoided the pool this week to let my road rash heal a bit more. It's not particularly easy on the eye either.
I'm really looking forward to accelerating through the water through fall and winter. This past season has renewed my love for swimming. At IMC I had a swim split pace of 1:43 per 100 metres. That was bang on the times I was hitting on my 100 metre set sessions.
In many ways I'd like to race again - soon. I'm somewhat envious that Margreet was able to find another marathon to enter soon after her Vancouver effort. Unfortunately there simply aren't enough Ironman events.
The week after every Ironman is tiring. I'm out of my routine. My sleeping is disrupted. I have indulged on chocolate, had a few nutella sandwiches and quaffed a few beers. (In the month of August, I had just one Mars bar and one beer - on my birthday.)
I have walked a lot these past few days with Luka and walking has helped a lot.
Overall, I am recovering well physically. I'd hoped to have secured an A.R.T. appointment but for some reason demand is high today, the easiest day of the week for a lot of people it would seem.
In three days from now our local pool will shut for three weeks of annual maintenance. I already miss swimming. I have avoided the pool this week to let my road rash heal a bit more. It's not particularly easy on the eye either.
I'm really looking forward to accelerating through the water through fall and winter. This past season has renewed my love for swimming. At IMC I had a swim split pace of 1:43 per 100 metres. That was bang on the times I was hitting on my 100 metre set sessions.
In many ways I'd like to race again - soon. I'm somewhat envious that Margreet was able to find another marathon to enter soon after her Vancouver effort. Unfortunately there simply aren't enough Ironman events.
Friday, September 4, 2009
IMC
It wasn't pretty but I got to the finish line and I got a medal.
**
I'd had very high expectations heading into the race.
I felt more fit than before any previous Ironman. I had been training consistently for a solid eight months, responding well to 'The Method' as espoused by my ironguides coach Kristian Manietta.
I was setting PBs in the pool, on the local TT course and running. I was strong and as light (lean) as I've ever been.
And in the final two months before the race I was able to lift my training efforts for which I give a lot of credit to having my Aussie friend Dingo on location here in Squamish.
I felt competitive and believed that I had an opportunity to win my age group.
**
On race morning, my mind was calm. I had been calm most of the previous week.
We arrived early to be bodymarked and I was ready to go more than an hour ahead of the starter's countdown.
As planned, I went for a warm-up run. I remained relaxed. While I've made progress in each discipline this year, I have felt my biggest improvement has been with my run. I was really looking forward to running a 'fast' marathon.
Simplicity was my watchword for the day. I intended to focus on 'what's important now' and continue to remind myself of that through the day.
As per my pre-race plan, I bolted at the start of the swim.
Bam, bam, bam. Strong and powerful strokes. I swam as hard as I could for the first 500m or so to get as much clear water and to get as far away as I could from any potential chaos.
The swim was about 1.6km straight out, then about 500m across and then 1.8km back to shore.
I got to the 1.6km mark in less than 25 minutes. I ran the numbers through my mind and was on track for the 1 hour start to my day. I exited the water in 1.05 and was initially disappointed. But I didn't dwell on it. It was time to spin.
**
The first part of the bike course is flat and fast. I hit the 40k mark in 1:01 and was very happy. I opted to ride without speed or distance on my bike computer, just cadence. My nutrition was going in, I was taking a salt tab every 20 mins or so. All systems on target. Then the first of the 'packs' swarmed me.
I hadn't ever heard of drafting as an issue at IMC and so was really taken aback by it. It really really bothers me. And I saw little to no attempt to control it.
At 60k I had clocked 1:33 and felt strong. Richter - a solid half hour climb - lay ahead. And then ...
**
I took the turn at Osoyoos with a bit more speed than I realized. The road drops a little as it curves and I misjudged how fast I was going and how much room I needed to turn.
I braked a bit and slid on the white painted road markings. My brakes locked and crossed into the adjacent lane.
At the same time a SUV was driving in that lane, fortunately headed in the same general direction as me. And I slammed into the middle passenger door/side and then fell to the ground.
(*Not that I noted at the time but the SUV simply kept moving. I hit it hard enough that I'd think someone would have noticed.)
As I processed what happened, I stood up and a spectator came from somewhere and helped collect my bidons and my bike. I did a very fast bike check, hopped back on and started off. I knew that I had to keep moving.
Needless to say my focus was disrupted! And I was sore. I nailed my left side - shoulder, arm and leg. My rhythm wasn't quite the same after the fall.
I have six road rash areas .. and two wicked bruises. Otherwise I am good. Everything is healing well.
**
The end result was that my mind was now in overdrive and not in the most positive way. In hindsight, I was a bit dazed too.
I was passed by so many athletes going up Richter. It was disheartening after I'd begun with such a solid effort.
I lost the plot for about 100k despite trying to focus on 'what's important now'. I was wary of my bike and so took the downhills a bit easier than I would have, though I'm no downhill specialist.
I eventually regained my composure and put in a solid bit of work for the final 20k of the bike. I came good again. So the first 60k and the final 20k were basically as per my race plan! Small victories!!
I ended up with a bike split of about 5:41, according to the clock on my bike. That was a good 20-25 minutes slower than my plan. Still I had to remind myself it was a decent time given what had happened.
**
The first step off the bike told me that I wouldn't be running quite as fast as I'd visualized. I was far less mobile on the left side than I expected. I wasn't in a happy place.
I walked to get my run bag while volunteers were zooming this way and that way. I almost laughed. At least, I had plenty of time to put on my long socks I thought and I took my time doing so. I got some sunscreen and headed out.
The first 5k were OK. My mobility increased the more I ran and I started to think that I'd still be able to run a decent time. My run cadence was good. I got to the 10k mark in about 52 minutes. I was coming good - I thought. Ha!
I kept my pace for another 5k or so before I started to hit the wall - not ideal! About 25k earlier than the plan.
Then I made a mistake. I walked through a few aid stations to get in my nutrition etc. That wasn't such a good idea. It was tougher to restart than I anticipated. I hit the turnaround at about 2 hours.
My mind switched gears at that point. It's not that I gave up, I just realized this wasn't going to be my day. I couldn't force in my nutrition.
I kept moving though and decided that no matter how slow I was running, I would run to the end. And I did that.
I was in a good place as I entered town for the final 5k or so. The spectators along both the bike and the run courses were superb - among the best at any race I have ever done.
I would not 'sprint' the chute.
I saw Margreet with about 20 metres to go, third time that I had seen her during the day. (IMC is a superb race for athletes but it's not very spectator friendly because the bike is one loop and the run is one loop too.)
I ran 4:24 .. a solid hour slower than I had in mind.
Final time: 11:21 .. well off the Sub10 in my race plan. 53rd in my age group.
No Kona for me this year.
**
Not surprisingly the day after the race, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Ha! But as I said earlier I'm recovering well.
Two solid walks with Luka on Wednesday helped, another on Thursday was good too, and more in the next few days.
While I failed to achieve any of my performance objectives, I don't intend to lose any sleep over what happened.
I'll be back in the pool, pulling on my running shoes and clipping into my pedals in due course. I love being a triathlete.
**
I'd had very high expectations heading into the race.
I felt more fit than before any previous Ironman. I had been training consistently for a solid eight months, responding well to 'The Method' as espoused by my ironguides coach Kristian Manietta.
I was setting PBs in the pool, on the local TT course and running. I was strong and as light (lean) as I've ever been.
And in the final two months before the race I was able to lift my training efforts for which I give a lot of credit to having my Aussie friend Dingo on location here in Squamish.
I felt competitive and believed that I had an opportunity to win my age group.
**
On race morning, my mind was calm. I had been calm most of the previous week.
We arrived early to be bodymarked and I was ready to go more than an hour ahead of the starter's countdown.
As planned, I went for a warm-up run. I remained relaxed. While I've made progress in each discipline this year, I have felt my biggest improvement has been with my run. I was really looking forward to running a 'fast' marathon.
Simplicity was my watchword for the day. I intended to focus on 'what's important now' and continue to remind myself of that through the day.
As per my pre-race plan, I bolted at the start of the swim.
Bam, bam, bam. Strong and powerful strokes. I swam as hard as I could for the first 500m or so to get as much clear water and to get as far away as I could from any potential chaos.
The swim was about 1.6km straight out, then about 500m across and then 1.8km back to shore.
I got to the 1.6km mark in less than 25 minutes. I ran the numbers through my mind and was on track for the 1 hour start to my day. I exited the water in 1.05 and was initially disappointed. But I didn't dwell on it. It was time to spin.
**
The first part of the bike course is flat and fast. I hit the 40k mark in 1:01 and was very happy. I opted to ride without speed or distance on my bike computer, just cadence. My nutrition was going in, I was taking a salt tab every 20 mins or so. All systems on target. Then the first of the 'packs' swarmed me.
I hadn't ever heard of drafting as an issue at IMC and so was really taken aback by it. It really really bothers me. And I saw little to no attempt to control it.
At 60k I had clocked 1:33 and felt strong. Richter - a solid half hour climb - lay ahead. And then ...
**
I took the turn at Osoyoos with a bit more speed than I realized. The road drops a little as it curves and I misjudged how fast I was going and how much room I needed to turn.
I braked a bit and slid on the white painted road markings. My brakes locked and crossed into the adjacent lane.
At the same time a SUV was driving in that lane, fortunately headed in the same general direction as me. And I slammed into the middle passenger door/side and then fell to the ground.
(*Not that I noted at the time but the SUV simply kept moving. I hit it hard enough that I'd think someone would have noticed.)
As I processed what happened, I stood up and a spectator came from somewhere and helped collect my bidons and my bike. I did a very fast bike check, hopped back on and started off. I knew that I had to keep moving.
Needless to say my focus was disrupted! And I was sore. I nailed my left side - shoulder, arm and leg. My rhythm wasn't quite the same after the fall.
I have six road rash areas .. and two wicked bruises. Otherwise I am good. Everything is healing well.
**
The end result was that my mind was now in overdrive and not in the most positive way. In hindsight, I was a bit dazed too.
I was passed by so many athletes going up Richter. It was disheartening after I'd begun with such a solid effort.
I lost the plot for about 100k despite trying to focus on 'what's important now'. I was wary of my bike and so took the downhills a bit easier than I would have, though I'm no downhill specialist.
I eventually regained my composure and put in a solid bit of work for the final 20k of the bike. I came good again. So the first 60k and the final 20k were basically as per my race plan! Small victories!!
I ended up with a bike split of about 5:41, according to the clock on my bike. That was a good 20-25 minutes slower than my plan. Still I had to remind myself it was a decent time given what had happened.
**
The first step off the bike told me that I wouldn't be running quite as fast as I'd visualized. I was far less mobile on the left side than I expected. I wasn't in a happy place.
I walked to get my run bag while volunteers were zooming this way and that way. I almost laughed. At least, I had plenty of time to put on my long socks I thought and I took my time doing so. I got some sunscreen and headed out.
The first 5k were OK. My mobility increased the more I ran and I started to think that I'd still be able to run a decent time. My run cadence was good. I got to the 10k mark in about 52 minutes. I was coming good - I thought. Ha!
I kept my pace for another 5k or so before I started to hit the wall - not ideal! About 25k earlier than the plan.
Then I made a mistake. I walked through a few aid stations to get in my nutrition etc. That wasn't such a good idea. It was tougher to restart than I anticipated. I hit the turnaround at about 2 hours.
My mind switched gears at that point. It's not that I gave up, I just realized this wasn't going to be my day. I couldn't force in my nutrition.
I kept moving though and decided that no matter how slow I was running, I would run to the end. And I did that.
I was in a good place as I entered town for the final 5k or so. The spectators along both the bike and the run courses were superb - among the best at any race I have ever done.
I would not 'sprint' the chute.
I saw Margreet with about 20 metres to go, third time that I had seen her during the day. (IMC is a superb race for athletes but it's not very spectator friendly because the bike is one loop and the run is one loop too.)
I ran 4:24 .. a solid hour slower than I had in mind.
Final time: 11:21 .. well off the Sub10 in my race plan. 53rd in my age group.
No Kona for me this year.
**
Not surprisingly the day after the race, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Ha! But as I said earlier I'm recovering well.
Two solid walks with Luka on Wednesday helped, another on Thursday was good too, and more in the next few days.
While I failed to achieve any of my performance objectives, I don't intend to lose any sleep over what happened.
I'll be back in the pool, pulling on my running shoes and clipping into my pedals in due course. I love being a triathlete.
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