Pre-Race

While it was nice being local for a big race, it also meant still getting up at 4am to get some breakfast, prep and drive down to the race site. We had dropped off our kids with my parents the night before so Jillian could join me for the day. We were out the door shortly after 5 on our way to Decker Lake. As we arrived there was already a large number of athletes, spectators and volunteers at the site. We got parked and found Matt & Nikki right away. We made our way to T-2 in order to drop off my run gear bag. We loaded on shuttles and headed towards the lake. I got my body markings and was off to T-1 to finalize my preparations for the day. I borrowed an air pump, mixed my bottle of Perpetuem, applied sunscreen, and made sure everything was in order. Restrooms were definitely an issue on race morning as every set had long lines. Being a guy I was able to venture off on a warm-up run and take care of things pretty easily. We met up with Troy and Corbin who were also racing. The wives picked out a good spot to spend for the swim portion.

Swim

I was very unimpressed with how the swim waves were scheduled for this race. Normally they lead with pro’s and go in age group order after that. I have also seen where they seed ‘faster’ age groups towards the end in order to give everyone the most time on course. I couldn’t really make out how they decided on waves for this race because I was one of the last, yet the 30’s males were mid-way through the waves. I had been telling myself for several days not to worry about it, because there wasn’t anything I could do about my 8:25 start, it just meant I would have to pay extra close attention to electrolytes and fluids. It was cool having the canon send off the pro’s then seeing Michael Raelert lead the men out of the water. One by one the waves kept going, and it wasn’t long before I was on deck. I hugged and kissed my wife one last time and got set. I spent a minute of prayer and quiet reflection before heading in the water. I’m notoriously slow in the water, so I did my usual count to three after the gun before swimming. Depending on the course, I like to stay a little towards the outside as to avoid uber chaotic swims. It worked pretty well this time as I didn’t have to battle with a lot of folks. It felt like forever before we finally hit the first turn in our giant triangular swim. The back side of the course seemed to move a bit quicker. I felt like I was holding a pretty steady pace and could tell there were still some of my age group around me although I could see the caps of the wave behind me already. I didn’t go so great on spotting for some reason and really did some nasty zig zags almost the whole course. There was a couple of times that a kayaker pointed me back on course. As I got close to the end, there was noticeably more traffic as we were squeezed in a smaller place to exit the water.

T-1

I was on dry land! What relief! As I ran up towards the wetsuit strippers (which was freaking awesome by the way) I scanned the crowd for the pink shirt of my wife and spotter her near where I got my wetsuit yanked off. I continued on into transition, applied some additional sunscreen, put my bike shoes and helmet on, and I was off.

Bike

As I crossed the mount line and got on my bike, I knew something was wrong immediately. There was mud in my cleats preventing me from clipping in. Not again I thought! We had the same problem last weekend during the LIVESTRONG Challenge. I made it about a mile before stopping and grabbing a stick to get some of the dirt out of my right cleat. I got it clipped in and continued. My left foot however would still not clip in. I danced on the pedals and decided I would stop on the back side of the lake because I wanted to get out of some of the heavy traffic. I kept working my cleat, and it finally clipped in around mile 5. The first 5 miles had flown, most likely due to the fact I had to deal with my clipping in issue. I finally got settled in and played yo-yo around Decker Lake with a couple of other athletes. Before getting to the first major checkpoint, I looked at my stats and was fairly pleased averaging 17.1 mph. The plan was to take it easy for the first 30 minutes or so to settle in. Mission accomplished. I turned up the pace a bit after grabbing a Gatorade bottle from the Tough Cookies at the first aid station. I made quick work of the next section which had most of the ‘rollers’ for the course. When I checked my average next it was 19.2! I was feeling great and almost halfway done with the course. As I turned south suddenly things changed. Part of my accelerated time had been due to a solid south/southeast wind. I knew my average speed would suffer some from this point out. What I didn’t expect was how bad it would. I’m still not really sure what happened but from that point forward on the bike course I really suffered. I wasn’t able to pick up a quicker pace and it was a slow grind in, much more so than should have been. I kept on my nutrition and hydration plan and opted for a pit stop after about two hours to use a port-o-potti. I thought it would be better to take a quick break on the bike and recover than have to do it on the run. While there I popped some endurolytes and another racer asked if I had any extra as she had dropped her container on the course. Knowing it was a long day, and I had a separate container for the run I helped her out. The return section of the course was mostly flat and through our training rides determined it would be a great place to pick up some speed & time. However with the cross S/SW wind we had, it made it very difficult. I still managed to pass a few more riders on hills before heading into transition.

T-2

I shuffled my bike into transition and made the long jaunt to the other side of the racks where my assigned spot was. I had originally liked the spot, but after realizing I had to trek my bike all the way across, I was less enthused. I racked my bike and got my run gear out. I had made the decision several weeks ago that I would put on compression socks in T-2 in order to get a ‘fresh’ feeling in my legs for the run. They went on easy enough, along with my awesome Brooks PureProject Flow shoes, I grabbed my visor and was on my way.

Run

As I left transition I scanned the crowd desperately looking to get a glimpse of my wife. I didn’t see them in the turn-around where I thought they would be. Slightly deflated I continued up the hill where there were tons of spectators. Not long after cresting, I spy the pink shirts and hear some screams. I was elated to see the cheering squad! I gave them a big wave and a smile as I set out to complete the 13.1 mile run. I knew it would be a long afternoon because my quads were already feeling tweaky. I settled into a descent pace and hoped it was just the initial transition for the discomfort. After almost a mile my legs felt a little better. However the near 90 degree temperature did not. Aid stations were supposed to be every half mile, but during the first of three laps I discovered two stretches that were almost a mile before stations. At each stop I would get Gatorade, ice water and dump ice down my shirt. Let me tell you, ice down the shorts have NEVER felt better than I did on that run during the heat! There were cold sponges at some of the stops which I stuck in my top to hold some cold water. It was very apparent that the name of the game would be trying to keep my core temperature down as much as possible. I opted to get some coke at a couple of the stops for a quick pick me up as well. Although I took in a lot of fluids on the run yet still felt like I needed to drink more. I liked the 3 lap option because it let me spend some time with my wife more on the run. When I was completing the second lap she walked with me for a bit to check on me. I told her I was hot and my legs were cramping some. She said “it’s just hot out, you’re ok, only one more lap, you’ve got this!” I told her what my pacing was and she would see me inside the arena at the finish. The final lap was much harder than I had hoped. Before the race, my plan had been to try and hold 9-9:30 minutes for the first two laps and then see what I had left to open up on the third. That was not the kind of day I was having. It quickly became a game of finishing. Mile 11 was extremely tough. I had been taking walk brakes on the rest stops. But most of mile 11 saw me walking due to my calf cramping so bad that my toes curled in my shoes. I kept pressing on, just excited to finish the day. Nothing would get in the way now. There was quite a bit fewer people on the third lap and most were taking extended walk breaks. When I hit the mile 12 sign I decided it was time to finish strong. I picked up the pace and pressed on to the arena. It seemed like the longest mile of my life, but finally rounded the corner preparing to enter the arena. I could feel the cool breeze of the A/C pouring out of the opening and the dark shade approaching. Spectators were lined deep on the arena floor and the air was filled with cheering. I hear the announcer yell my name and I’m overwhelmed with emotions.

Post-Race

I cross the finish and darn near collapse in a volunteer’s arms as my legs wield one final big cramp. Another volunteer puts a finisher’s medal on me and hands me a hat. I see Matt, Troy & Corbin all cheering and hear my wife yelling my name. A volunteer asks if I need to go to medical. I decline and say that my legs were just cramping. The boys give me lots of smiles and congratulations and I get a big hug from my wife. Let’s just say that isn’t normal. I’ve been racing for almost 7 hours and soaked with sweat and water. Any wife will tell you it’s less than desirable to touch someone after that! They all ask what I need anything- water, medical, oxygen, etc. I get some water and slowly walk to the med tent to see if they’ll give me oxygen. They were pretty swamped so I opted out and got my name on the waiting list for massage. I find a picnic table and sit down with Jillian for a few minutes. I’m overcome with emotions. I had no idea what this kind of race would do to someone, both physically and emotionally. Everything finally settles down and we decide as a collective group to hit up Pappasito’s for post race recovery/celebration since it was Tanya’s birthday as well. Let me tell you I’ve never enjoyed it so much. I had to wrestle with internal conflict about finishing and the time it took me. I had expectations and planning on finishing about 45 minutes earlier than I did. Race day during long distance events is a horse of another color. You can plan, but there’s no telling what will really happen on race day. Playing back everything, I felt I gave it my all. And on that particular day, during that particular race, I did what I could and there wasn’t anywhere that I could have made up more time. I’m proud to have notched my belt with 70.3 and look forward to the next race.

By the numbers-

Total Time- 6:57:48
1.2 mile swim- 48:46
T1- 6:17
56 mile bike- 3:28:39
T2- 7:15
13.1 mile run- 2:26:52

We arrived in Marble Falls mid day Saturday, with enough time to get our packets, drive the bike course, relax and take in some poolside relaxation. All of which were awesome. When deciding on dinner, we stayed at the resort and opted for their dinner buffet which happened to be a fajita/Mexican buffet. So awesome. So much food. Slightly incorrect choice for pre-race meal. We got back to the hotel room to go through the normal evening before race rituals as my wife calls it. When inspecting my bike, I wasn’t comfortable with the state of my front tire. I had brought a spare, so I grabbed a tube, the new tire and proceeded to change it in the hotel room. Something wasn’t sitting just right, and I was a little nervous about it. I aired it up and left it in the room. Sleep was so-so, as is usual before a race. Then about 2am we here a POP!! As I had feared, the new tube blew in my tire. Now I would have to change the tube when I got up. Great, that’s just what I wanted to do on race morning.

Aside from changing the tube, it was a pretty usual morning. Got my nutrition in, water bottles filled with NUUN and car loaded to head to the start. It was a small field in the race, so that’s always nice not having to worry too much about rack space in transition etc. While getting everything set, the wives headed off to patron the local Starbucks, which much to their dismay didn’t open until 6:30 on Sundays. What gives? Matt was having some stomach issues, and didn’t really have an appetite. Since we were so close to the start, I told him to forget the bagel and just have a Gu.

We proceeded to the swim start, found the wives for kisses and approached the water. My group went off first, and I started towards the first buoy. It was a simple triangle swim of 1,000 meters, but the first buoy was against the current of Lake Marble Falls and seemed to be forever before I got there. I kept plugging along, and didn’t really have many issues with other swimmers until about half way through when I was caught by the group behind me. There was a fair amount of jockeying going on in the water and at one point a strong grab on my left arm. This is where I wear my Road ID bracelet, which I felt get ripped off. How does that happen? I  was really upset, but kept plugging along. Thankfully I had recently ordered the new slim version of Road ID. Finishing the swim with sighting was a little difficult due to the rising sun. I finally exit the water and run up the hill to transition to the cheers of my wife.

I get set and off I go on the bike. Out & back, 23 miles with some nice rolling hills. Interestingly enough, within the first mile we started a Category 5 climb. My legs felt money, and passed quite a few folks going up the first climb. I settled in at a solid but steady pace. I kept expecting to see the lead pack soon, but they didn’t pass me till a few miles from the turn around. Most athletes did well with following passing and drafting rules, but one chump tried to pass me on a hill and I called him out. I don’t want to be mean about it, but if you can’t make the pass, don’t try! I don’t want to get penalized either. About a mile before the turn, I saw Matt coming the other direction and yelled at him to keep it up! I hit the turn right at 40 minutes. I wanted a negative split and knew there was some nice downhill at the end, so just needed to keep the pace I had set. When I made the final turn a few miles out I knew I was in good position to make my goal. I kept pressing and finished the bike with a solid effort.

As I approached T2, I almost rear ended another rider who had stopped right before the dismount. I smiled at my wife cheering and was on to grab my running shoes. HEAVY LEGS. I immediately knew the 4.4 mile run was going to be a challenge. It was hot, and I could tell that the lack of time training was about to pay off. I set off, my new goal just to finish solid, regardless of run time. I decided that I would take 10-15 second walk breaks at the aid stations to help keep my HR down. By the time I hit mile one, my stomach was not my friend. I took my final Gu of the day, and just about sent it heaving out on the road. I saw Matt heading in for the finish and signaled to him that I was out. I continued on the not-so-fun-run and when I hit mile 2-3 finally felt like I should be out there. That feeling went away, and I was ready to finish the run. The run course was actually really nice as it stretched through some neighborhoods and offered quite a bit of shade. I made it through the park, and up the approach to the finish line. I could see my wife, Matt & his wife in my peripheral vision and hit what was left in the gas to make the finish. Exhausted and relieved the race was done, and I came in under my ‘realistic goal’ time. We regrouped and headed back to the hotel so that we could enjoy the rest of the day relaxing by the pool. As with every race these days, there were good points, not so good points and lots of lessons learned.

By the numbers-

1,000 meter swim- 26:16 (crazy slow!)
Transition 1- 2:04
23 mile bike- 1:15:48
Transition 2- 0:53
4.4 mile run- 42:12
Total Time- 2:27:15
Overall Place- 135/210

Anyway, my best friend Matt & I have kicked around ideas of what 70.3 races we wanted to do first. I had thoughts of maybe doing 70.3 San Juan in March, but logistically would be really challenging. Living in the Austin metro area we’re blessed with an abundance of triathlons and just a generally active community. We have several friends who had signed up for the 70.3 Austin race in October. The more we looked at the calendar (and our wives) the more it began seeding itself in our minds as a great opportunity to race. So we’re both taking the plunge, literally. I was a little apprehensive about finally registering for a long distance course, especially remembering the pain of the two half (there’s that word again) or 13.1 marathons this spring. But after lots of support from my wife and knowing that pain is temporary and finishing times are posted online forever, I’m in.

A funny thing is actually reading the waiver you have to sign when registering. Lots of you have called me crazy, and this pretty much solidifies it, take a read-

“I understand and acknowledge the physical and mental rigors associated with triathlon, duathlon, or other multi-sport events, and realize that running, bicycling, swimming and other portions of such Events are inherently dangerous and represent an extreme test of a person’s physical and mental limits. I understand that participation involves risks and dangers which include, without limitation, the potential for serious bodily injury, permanent disability, paralysis and death; loss or damage to property; exposure to extreme conditions and circumstances; accidents, illness, contact or collision with other participants, spectators, vehicles or other natural or manmade objects; dangers arising from adverse weather conditions; imperfect course conditions; water, road and surface hazards; equipment failure; inadequate safety measures; participants of varying skill levels; situations beyond the immediate control of the Event Organizers; and other undefined harm or damage which may not be readily foreseeable, and other presently unknown risks and dangers (“Risks”). I understand that these Risks may be caused in whole or in part by my own actions or inactions, the actions or inactions of others participating in the Event, or the acts, inaction or negligence of the Released Parties defined below, and I hereby expressly assume all such Risks and responsibility for any damages, liabilities, losses or expenses which I incur as a result of my participation in the Event.”

Anyhow, here’s to ramping up my training during this unusually cold Texas summer… it was 105 yesterday.

I love the week, the days, the hours before a race or event. Laying out all of my gear to make sure everything is in order; the final check of my bike and other equipment to make sure it’s in top shape; calculating the hours to make sure I have enough nutrition and fluids. And yes, the waiting game, taper madness begins to take over. It’s more of a love/hate relationship that I have with this time period really. I get antsy thinking about the challenges ahead. It’s an excited nervous energy. My wife usually thinks I’ve lost my mind when I begin laying out all of my nutrition and clothing, but hey to do endurance events aren’t we all a little crazy to begin with? As I prepare for Ride the Rockies my mind won’t rest. This will be the first time that I’ve ever completed an event like this, heck I haven’t done anything close to this in the past! For me this is a rare opportunity. My father-in-law from Wyoming  affectionately calls me a ‘land lover from Texas’ due to our extremely low elevation. Am I ready for this? I think so, at least as much as I’m going to be at this point. I’m in for the whole gamut of what this incredible bike tour has to offer. I look forward to making more blog posts along the way as we traverse over 400 miles of scenic Colorado. So for now as I head off to pre-pack all of my gear again I sign off with these final thoughts- you never know what you’re capable of until you try. And as my good cycling friends like to say may the wind be at our backs and the sun on our faces… and keeping two wheels down.

I’ve been selected to be a guest blogger for the Denver Post (title sponsor of Ride the Rockies) along the way. I’ll be posting over at http://blogs.denverpost.com/ridetherockies so be sure to stop by each day and see what we’re up to.

Last summer my father-in-law started telling me about this event which some of his neighbors did. Being a glutton for punishment was very intrigued. He said I should look into doing the ride next year. When registration opened up I put my name in the hat for a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s a lottery registration, so there was no guarantee of getting in, but I had a feeling I would. Sure enough I did, and began methodically adjusting my training schedule as much as I could to adapt for the mountain climbs at high elevation. This was particularly difficult during Q1 when I spent much of the time on the road for work. But as the weeks drew on, so did my climbing and long miles. I finished up some solid hours in the saddle before leaving Austin and making our trek north.

My wife and I decided it would be best to get to high elevation as soon as we could so that I could begin acclimating. Once we arrived in Laramie, I hopped on my bike and sought out a category 3 climb for a 2 hour training ride on Saturday. There’s not much to describe the feeling of high altitude where you’re unable to take a full, deep breath. I followed that ride up on Sunday afternoon with 3 hours out in the country. Knowing these were my last long rides before the tour, and adjusting to the altitude made for a long weekend. But it’s done, it’s in the books and now I wait. I begin… the taper.

The taper is a very interesting concept for me within endurance events. A lot of times I think it can be used by athletes as a crutch before events. However, the longer the event, the more applicable the taper becomes. Knowing this ride will most likely take me to places I’ve never been (both physical and mentally) I don’t want to leave anything for chance. So I had a quick lunch ride yesterday, and will tomorrow as well to keep my legs fresh. And that’s it. Then the real fun begins bright & early next Sunday in Crested Butte. It’s going to be an amazing experience and I’m full of anxiety heading into next week. I cannot change how much I trained or didn’t train, I cannot change the weather, but I can control my mental game even in a deprived oxygen state.

I wanted to leave this blog post with one final thought. I’m riding for those who can’t. Once again this year I will be participating in the LiveSTRONG Challenge Austin. I’m offering up to you a chance to donate to helping those with cancer and eradicate this enemy who knows no bounds. For any donation made, I will ride in honor or memory of who you choose. It can be any day on the tour or even one of the summit climbs we do. Just go here to donate then let me know who I’m riding for.