Longhorn 70.3 Race Report #2
Sunday, November 8, 2009
When I made the decision to race the IM 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater my training schedule changed. This meant I was still doing the Longhorn race, however, I would not taper just keep on training hard up to the race and use the day to try some race strategies that I might not otherwise try. So the day would be somewhat of an experiment for Clearwater. I decided I would cruise the swim and then go much harder on the bike than I would normally and see how I would feel on the run on much more fatigued legs. But there is one thing I am learning each and every time I race and that is very few things go as planned.
Race morning dawned some wind but nothing like what we had seen the days prior. As usual the men's 45-49 AG was big, 142 of us I think. As our wave was waiting to start I remember looking around and there was a couple of REALLY big dudes that looked like ex-collegiate swimmers pushing their way towards the front of the pack. Normally I avoid looking at anyone. Not that I am unsocial, because I typically speak to most everyone, but I sometimes find myself challenged by how buff and athletic most of the other athletes look. At 5'11", 158 lbs. I am certainly one of the smaller guys out there. Back to the swim....they had us wade out to a line formed by lifeguards in kayaks. It was about chest deep and I eased up to the line waiting on the gun to go off when suddenly I found big dude #1 on my right and big dude #2 was on my left. Both splashed around rather vigorously and took a few warm-up strokes as to announce there presence to the rest of the Age Groupers and confirm to me what I already knew...these two were swimmers. It was one of the strangest things I have ever experienced....I never looked behind me but I honestly felt the rest of the men retreat a few feet from the starting line. I just reminded myself to stick to my plan....today was a fully catered training day, relax, cruise the swim, and have some fun on the bike.
Well, sounded good didn't it? Gun goes off and my two buddies take off like it's a 50 yard sprint and I'm like...GAME ON! By the time we get to the 1st buoy I was anaerobic. By the time we reached the second buoy the guy to my right fell in behind me and I know this because I would periodically breath to my right to see if he was still there and he was not but I felt him touching my feet while he was drafting. The dude to my left was really wanting to push the pace so by the time we got to the 1st left turn buoy I decided to get in behind him and draft. For once I would love to see what it feels like to swim behind someone who can sight and swim a straight line. This guy was all over the place. He swam more of a serpentine and I refuse to swim anymore than I have too, so I tried to swim a good line and was only able to draft about 50% of the time. With about 500 meters to go I took a quick peek back and the guy behind me had fallen off the pace and with about 200 to go the guy in front really picked it up. I was holding on with all I had and kept telling myself......."You idiot, you are going to blow up before you even get to the bike". But then something crazy happened, big dude veered off course just left of the swim finish, and I sprinted up along side of him. I saw him stand as the water got shallow but I did not stand up till I could touch the bottom with my hand. I jumped up and almost mowed down a volunteer, an old lady that started a couple waves in front of us, and the big dude. I crossed the timing mat 1 second in front of the big guy, anaerobic as I have ever been after the swim, and my only thought was....."Oh boy, this is NOT how I planned for my day to start".
I had a great transition despite needing O2 and was 1st out onto the bike. I immediately started modifying my plan...just get into a rhythm, recover till all the uberbikers come flying by and then try and go with them, hold on as long as you can but don't blow yourself. It was probably 30 minutes into the bike when the 1st guy came by, I was able to stay with him for about 20 minutes and kept him in sight for about 45 then he was gone. I continued to play this cat and mouse game for the entire 56 miles. The best I could figure I was either 4th or 5th as I entered the bike to run transition. I took in a few extra calories this time versus my Augusta race which may have been a mistake.
T2 was horrible. I got off the bike, was slow getting my shoes on, fumbled with my race #, and as I was leaving T2 I stopped to empty my bladder. I choose to do this instead of peeing on the bike and this would prove to be a mistake as well.
As I came out of the coliseum, I felt pretty good. I was running just under 7 min/miles but I knew the hills on this run course would be tough. About 3 miles in my stomach started cramping. Not the "lets do the port-a-potty dance" type of cramp, but just an abdominal knot anytime I would take in fluids. I kept forcing water and my Infinit down but the pain just got to a point I just stopped drinking. I figured I would just keep running and I would either feel better or try and get to the finish on what I had in me. With about 4 miles to go I started taking in some coke. It took about a mile but I started feeling better. I was able to keep a respectable pace and finish hard. The best part of the run was being able to see Julie out on the course. She looked amazing and I knew she was having a great race. Seeing her certainly motivates me to be strong and fight through some of the adversities.
Race morning dawned some wind but nothing like what we had seen the days prior. As usual the men's 45-49 AG was big, 142 of us I think. As our wave was waiting to start I remember looking around and there was a couple of REALLY big dudes that looked like ex-collegiate swimmers pushing their way towards the front of the pack. Normally I avoid looking at anyone. Not that I am unsocial, because I typically speak to most everyone, but I sometimes find myself challenged by how buff and athletic most of the other athletes look. At 5'11", 158 lbs. I am certainly one of the smaller guys out there. Back to the swim....they had us wade out to a line formed by lifeguards in kayaks. It was about chest deep and I eased up to the line waiting on the gun to go off when suddenly I found big dude #1 on my right and big dude #2 was on my left. Both splashed around rather vigorously and took a few warm-up strokes as to announce there presence to the rest of the Age Groupers and confirm to me what I already knew...these two were swimmers. It was one of the strangest things I have ever experienced....I never looked behind me but I honestly felt the rest of the men retreat a few feet from the starting line. I just reminded myself to stick to my plan....today was a fully catered training day, relax, cruise the swim, and have some fun on the bike.
Well, sounded good didn't it? Gun goes off and my two buddies take off like it's a 50 yard sprint and I'm like...GAME ON! By the time we get to the 1st buoy I was anaerobic. By the time we reached the second buoy the guy to my right fell in behind me and I know this because I would periodically breath to my right to see if he was still there and he was not but I felt him touching my feet while he was drafting. The dude to my left was really wanting to push the pace so by the time we got to the 1st left turn buoy I decided to get in behind him and draft. For once I would love to see what it feels like to swim behind someone who can sight and swim a straight line. This guy was all over the place. He swam more of a serpentine and I refuse to swim anymore than I have too, so I tried to swim a good line and was only able to draft about 50% of the time. With about 500 meters to go I took a quick peek back and the guy behind me had fallen off the pace and with about 200 to go the guy in front really picked it up. I was holding on with all I had and kept telling myself......."You idiot, you are going to blow up before you even get to the bike". But then something crazy happened, big dude veered off course just left of the swim finish, and I sprinted up along side of him. I saw him stand as the water got shallow but I did not stand up till I could touch the bottom with my hand. I jumped up and almost mowed down a volunteer, an old lady that started a couple waves in front of us, and the big dude. I crossed the timing mat 1 second in front of the big guy, anaerobic as I have ever been after the swim, and my only thought was....."Oh boy, this is NOT how I planned for my day to start".
I had a great transition despite needing O2 and was 1st out onto the bike. I immediately started modifying my plan...just get into a rhythm, recover till all the uberbikers come flying by and then try and go with them, hold on as long as you can but don't blow yourself. It was probably 30 minutes into the bike when the 1st guy came by, I was able to stay with him for about 20 minutes and kept him in sight for about 45 then he was gone. I continued to play this cat and mouse game for the entire 56 miles. The best I could figure I was either 4th or 5th as I entered the bike to run transition. I took in a few extra calories this time versus my Augusta race which may have been a mistake.
T2 was horrible. I got off the bike, was slow getting my shoes on, fumbled with my race #, and as I was leaving T2 I stopped to empty my bladder. I choose to do this instead of peeing on the bike and this would prove to be a mistake as well.
As I came out of the coliseum, I felt pretty good. I was running just under 7 min/miles but I knew the hills on this run course would be tough. About 3 miles in my stomach started cramping. Not the "lets do the port-a-potty dance" type of cramp, but just an abdominal knot anytime I would take in fluids. I kept forcing water and my Infinit down but the pain just got to a point I just stopped drinking. I figured I would just keep running and I would either feel better or try and get to the finish on what I had in me. With about 4 miles to go I started taking in some coke. It took about a mile but I started feeling better. I was able to keep a respectable pace and finish hard. The best part of the run was being able to see Julie out on the course. She looked amazing and I knew she was having a great race. Seeing her certainly motivates me to be strong and fight through some of the adversities.
"The Genius" was cheering and was waiting on me at the finish. As usual she had to take care of me and makes sure that I'm doing everything to rehydrate and recover. She is the bomb. She told me she thought I might have placed top 3 and the results confirmed I was 3rd. My first branded IM event podium. I could not have been happier. After further analysis of the results I realized the minute I took to empty my bladder in T2 cost me 2nd place. But that is OK. I learned that I can go hard early in the race and still recover enough to have a good race. I learned I can go harder on the bike and still have a good run, it is just going to hurt more. But it's not supposed to be easy, otherwise I might have to find another hobby.......not. Oh my time....4:49.
Post race with World Champ....Joanna Zieger.After the awards we ate at Carrabbas, went back to the hotel, cleaned up, packed up, rested up....till about 3 am Monday morning and checked out. We made it through Houston before rush hour.....and without running into Mr. Nasty.
Aloha.
Flipper and the 2 Other Coconuts
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