Become fully engaged In whatever it is you’re doing, whenever you’re doing it. You will find value in this experience…

Given what this summer has been, I was not sure if racing an Ironman was such a good idea.  I left Honu feeling good about my training for a Half, but taking on an IM is always a different story.  As most of you know, riding 2-3 hrs vs riding 4-6 hrs makes a big difference on the life schedule.  Throw in the longer runs and the additional swimming needed for an Ironman, it takes a toll.  Not a toll as much on the body as it is towards the summer schedule with kids out of school.  Add to this that being a single dad for the first time, well, you get the idea:  Ironman might not be in the cards.

Gradually the summer started presenting itself to me.  Mini camps, training camps and some fun weekends (Occidental training camp at SAG Monkey World Headquarters!) started to fill the calendar, and the math of volume with recovery looked pretty good.  The kids, when I did have them, presented a great recovery window – no training.  Next step: 6 weeks of focused work.  Not just figuring it out, but either training or no training.  Either the switch is on, or it is off.

The one things I was going to commit to from the days after Honu:  aerobic miles were going to be easier than past years.  I am not going to carry fatigue into spending time with my children, so the volume might be high, but the aerobic miles were going back to being easier.  How easy?  cycling miles @ 60% of LT.  1x quality session per week on the bike and in the pool.  No running quality at all.

I have been coaching for 13 years now, and I have worked with many athletes that were going through some personal turmoil.  Ironman seemed like a good way to focus on personal health, growth and time for these athletes.  Well, in my personal turmoil, I knew that Ironman would NOT be this for me.  It’s been my job in the past, its my daily work now, it doesn’t carry that escape for me.  I was also not looking for that.  I have always enjoyed the training, the fear and discovery it creates – towards the next race or the next training plan for my athletes.  The nice part of training for Ironman this summer:  it validates that I can trust who I am.  I don’t need to justify my love for family, friends and life.  You can either receive, understand and appreciate that, or not.  Whatever path we take, its our path, and it is just as meaningful of a path than any other path out there: the main thing is to have a path, and feel confident & good about taking it.  It doesn’t matter what other people think about your path, still your path.  And if I change paths, or turn around, its still my path.

Become fully engaged In whatever it is you’re doing, whenever you’re doing it. You will find value in this experience…

Final Race prep observations:

• Lead up to the race race continued in the new format:  due to the divorce and the kids time with it, I remained on 3ish big days of training, then 2 days ish off or just swim or just a cycling class etc.  With all the turmoil trading kids time for training time was not an option.
• training hours were decent.  Nothing crazy, plenty of bigger weeks but nothing too big besides the Tahoe Training Camp.  Even that week started on a Wednesday and therefore didn’t get as big as past years.
• Swimming: volume was good with Masters and the frequency was there.  I lacked the bigger swims in Tahoe, but it was plenty as is.  Felt the speed of masters, but not the steady state.  Included stretch cordz as I built to 300ish but not frequently enough to build up to the usual 500-600 prior to a solid swim workout.
• Cycling: decent volume, actually had a 1000 mile month in July, that always creates the platform.  Felt fresh in training, good balance between low HR/watts and intensity in class.  Did notice that low HR built a healthier platform, but curious if a second class per week for ‘work’ would have provided a better top end.
• Running:  hard to track the volume and training as I just went out and ran. Little planning or thought, went more by repeating weekly schedule.  But this did not have an impact on race as speed was there.
• IM Lou mini camp was incredibly helpful for fitness & race day knowledge.  Again validates that Mini Camps on race site are a huge ingredient for success on race day.
• Hardest workout:  90/9.  Barely survived that.  But it was a kick in the ass 3 weeks out of race day.
• Taper felt fine, 2-3 weeks out was still pretty big, but all possible with lack of run quality as well as limited cycling quality.

Once in Louisville: chill days, plenty of sleep, simple and fun.  Arrived early enough, made it even lower stress.  Decent meals, went bland as possible/realiity 24hrs, but for sure 18hrs. out.  race dinner was bland pasta and bread, no meat or veggies. Lunch was huge salad, sweet potatoes, brown rice, chicken, and plenty of salt.  Osmo PRELOAD the night before with cranberry juice.

Race morning: woke up at 4, oatmeal with pb at 4:30am, some coffee, kashi 7 grain waffles with pb.  Powerbar right before start.  30oz water. 1x preload serving with water.  With the unusual TT start in Louisville, the logistics were a bit different, but actually turned out very relaxed and fun.  Thanks to some funny Dynamo Multisport athletes that we stood in line with, the time passed quickly.

Swim: decent 51+. Started off fast with a gradual drop off.  Again, different with no huge pack/gun start – so you just drift into your pace and swim.  Basically stayed a tick faster than aerobic, included one section of effort, but nothing dramatic.  Didn’t want to overheat or work too hard in 84+ degree water.  2nd out behind Matt Rose who swam 40 sec faster, and should since he is one of my athletes…!

T1 just not paying attention, missed bike, running all around. Slow & goofin around too much if it were a serious day.  All good with supplies and needs, just forgot to wear race belt (oops).

Bike: cooler temps and decent legs the first 90 minutes so the goal was to push a bit at this time of day.  Not much there to force and legs actually felt tired, but I also never challenged them or opened them up.  Would have been interesting to find out, but also was committed to going quite easy all day.  Ended up with a lot of 250-270w time early but as of 2hrs into bike shut it down to mainly riding on feel.  That made it quickly look like at lot of 220s, late a lot of 200s.  Lowest watts of any IM ever done with watts, but went totally on feel and easy based on wanting to run.  Avg wattage early was 256, then 246, ended with 240. Loops were dead on planned time – felt good for most of this ride besides a lull from mile 45-60, but then recovered and felt quite relaxed the remainder of ride with no pressure of watts or effort.  It was awesome from having done mini camp knowing exactly where to be a the time checks on the course.

Food: Probar, 2xClifbar, 1x Powerbar, 6 chomps pieces,  2x Osmo, 2xroctane drink lightened = approx 1450cals, 300/hr

T2: slow as I took my time to cool off a ton.  Totally wet and relaxed, waited and got situated.

Run: felt great from the first step.  No lethargy, no aches, nothing, felt great, hard to keep it controlled since I knew the hard miles were coming.  Felt great until mile 8/9, then gradually got heavier and felt pavement.  Bored yet observant until mile 12, then some hard miles 12-15.  Grabbed Advil at special needs and roctane.  Took Advil and stopped, doused with 20 cups of water and drank a fair amount at once.  Felt ok running for about a mile, quickly regained feet and speed, thought the Advil was doing its trick, but then side stitch punched me, stopped, tried to stretch a few times, worked it out very gradually, but took some small steps miles and slight hunch to keep contained. Duh on drinking a few big gulps at once a mile back!  Then gradually went away and could regain form focus.  Form was not light, but back to tired, form focus that allowed usual tired stride.  Had to apologize to Bree for leaving her for 3 miles, she said she was ‘ok’ with it.  Good timing as it was time for her to take a rabbit and go win her first IM.  Went to coke once side stitch happened so late in the run now was feeling low on energy.  Half was 1:31, return was 1:39, but that included walking so I think when running was always in low 7s.  Overall ran completely on aerobic, ‘what legs give me’ feel.  But was also pushing carefully.  Never out of control, always based on what my legs gave me and carried me.  Hence why run fitness was good or bike effort dead on since I ran 26 miles on aerobic pacing.  Not easy, but also not hard. 3:10

Had I known I was 20 sec. from 4th place things would have shaken out differently, but 11 minutes (pro start was 10 minutes prior to TT start, then I started about a minute after the gun) was hard to see on the course, so somewhat bummed to not have found 20 sec.  Also – not having done IM this year and Kona being a walk for a lot of the miles, I was weary to run strategically: its been a long time since I was in good enough shape or feeling in control enough during the marathon to actually let ‘er rip.

Food: roctane at 1-5-8-11 then coke after 2 Advil.  One sip of perform. 2 salt early in run

Ran first 10 miles with FuelBelt. Felt good to have water to wash down go when I wanted it.  Mentos holder was perfect for salt and advil.

1st AG, 1st overal amateur, 5th overall.  9:21

Become fully engaged In whatever it is you’re doing, whenever you’re doing it. You will find value in this experience… I did…and hence no Kona this year.  I would compromise being a dad, being a coach, being an athlete by continuing on with training & racing into Kona.  6 weeks into training for IM I knew there would be no Kona.  I knew I could carry fitness, fun and experience into another 6 weeks, but not another 13 weeks. Either the switch is on, or off.

Now I need to find a bike sponsor.