2010 nationals were held in Tuscaloosa, AL. It was hot and moderately hilly. I had a good swim, good bike, and then overheated and completely popped on the run. The same thing happened at St Anthonys Triathlon earlier this year. I can hold it together for a sprint on a hot day, but there's no hiding in an olympic distance tri. Splits were 20:30, 1:02, 48:30, or so. I was 6:35 at the first mile of the 10k run and feeling fine, then got hotter and hotter. It gets to the point where my HR is way over my lactate threshold, then I can't breathe, then everything shuts down, and I feel like I am dying on my feet.
I wound up 20th in my AG and 180th male overall. Them's the breaks. If I ever do nationals again it will be somewhere guaranteed to be cooler or outright chilly. It will also just be the sprint. Or the aqua-aqua.
We are straight into running season so I am fine with all this:
Oct 2 - Community 5k at the Great American XC meet in Cary
Oct 17 - Atlantic City Half Marathon
Thanksgiving - Cary 8k
Dec 11 - Bond Park trail 5k
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
USAT Nationals
Bri and I are competing in USAT Nationals this Saturday. I have been sticking with some short fast workouts and am looking forward to the race. Bri is in really good shape, she has been pulling through on the Inside-Out Sports group ride, which is not all that easy. I have been trailing behind, conducting heart attack mitigation on the same rides. Nationals is in Tuscaloosa, AL. It is another long drive but the cost of shipping bikes on a plane is just ridiculous. I have already decreed within my kingdom that all races next year must be within a four hour radius.
My cross-country kids are doing well - we had 8 or 9 PRs set (out of 35) this past week at either a dual meet or the Wolfpack Invitational, so off to a good start. I am giving them 3 weeks of higher volume and intensity and then we taper for Conference/Regionals/State.
I am looking forward to taking an extended break from bike training. I enjoy riding but it is time consuming. We have a bunch of nice fall/winter trail runs and street races that keep me plenty entertained. During the fall I'll swim a couple times a week but keep the pace mellow.
My cross-country kids are doing well - we had 8 or 9 PRs set (out of 35) this past week at either a dual meet or the Wolfpack Invitational, so off to a good start. I am giving them 3 weeks of higher volume and intensity and then we taper for Conference/Regionals/State.
I am looking forward to taking an extended break from bike training. I enjoy riding but it is time consuming. We have a bunch of nice fall/winter trail runs and street races that keep me plenty entertained. During the fall I'll swim a couple times a week but keep the pace mellow.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Patriot Half report - 9.11.10
I will edit this with a few pictures and more details late Monday or Tuesday. The race went as well as possible and I am really pleased with a 4:34.54, 6th overall male (3rd 35-39). I swam around a 26, biked 2:27 or so, and ran 1:37 or so. A quick recap:
Started in the 4th wave nine minutes behind the first wave, which gave me enough time to see the strength of the current in the James River. I shot way right (into the current) and hit the turn buoy as well as humanly possible. The current was ripping 2-3 knots which is a lot when you have to swim into it. Also compensated coming in by swimming upstream/angled and probably had one of the fastest swim splits on the day if not the fastest - I was the 9th person out of the water.
The bike went very well - a fast guy passed me a couple miles into it and I targeted him for 15 miles, when he found another gear and just started hammering like mad. I rode my own race for the remainder holding 21-24mph depending on the grade. The race is advertised as flat but that is bunk (I grew up in coastal FL) - it is modestly rolling and false-flat 90% of the way. High cadence riding and finished feeling good. Off the bike I was 4th onto the course.
Run: started out around 7minute pace with a tight back that slowly released and I found my happy place in the 7-720 range. I am not a light-footed runner, so the 3 miles of singletrack dirt trails on each loop were very welcome. No problems until I started slowing down at mile 9 - effort was as high or higher than at the beginning of the run but the body just started shortening up (my run volume has not been high). Miles 10-11 were the slowest just under 8 min/mile pace, then I ran with my arms for the remainder and finished strong. Good nutrition / hydration on a coolish day so all was well on that front. Four people passed me during the run which is acceptable on a long run like this.
We had a fun time hanging out with OSB athletes/Raleigh gang at Hooters later that evening and I repacked every calorie I burned between wings and beer.
Bri kicked butt on Sunday, taking 1st OA female in the sprint, in her usual kick-butting way.
The races are in a great venue at the Jamestown Settlement, so put this one on your calendar if you are in the mood for a trip to Williamsburg, VA. It is a really nice town.
I would end my season here but am already signed up for USAT Nationals in Alabama, so will coast-train a few more days. Looking for a top five AG there and then hang the bike on the wall for a couple of months.
Started in the 4th wave nine minutes behind the first wave, which gave me enough time to see the strength of the current in the James River. I shot way right (into the current) and hit the turn buoy as well as humanly possible. The current was ripping 2-3 knots which is a lot when you have to swim into it. Also compensated coming in by swimming upstream/angled and probably had one of the fastest swim splits on the day if not the fastest - I was the 9th person out of the water.
Swim exit
The bike went very well - a fast guy passed me a couple miles into it and I targeted him for 15 miles, when he found another gear and just started hammering like mad. I rode my own race for the remainder holding 21-24mph depending on the grade. The race is advertised as flat but that is bunk (I grew up in coastal FL) - it is modestly rolling and false-flat 90% of the way. High cadence riding and finished feeling good. Off the bike I was 4th onto the course.
Running with actual good running form
Run: started out around 7minute pace with a tight back that slowly released and I found my happy place in the 7-720 range. I am not a light-footed runner, so the 3 miles of singletrack dirt trails on each loop were very welcome. No problems until I started slowing down at mile 9 - effort was as high or higher than at the beginning of the run but the body just started shortening up (my run volume has not been high). Miles 10-11 were the slowest just under 8 min/mile pace, then I ran with my arms for the remainder and finished strong. Good nutrition / hydration on a coolish day so all was well on that front. Four people passed me during the run which is acceptable on a long run like this.
Here I am coming in for a mid-run kiss from my wife.
We had a fun time hanging out with OSB athletes/Raleigh gang at Hooters later that evening and I repacked every calorie I burned between wings and beer.
Erin, Tom, Marty
Bri kicked butt on Sunday, taking 1st OA female in the sprint, in her usual kick-butting way.
The Bri-anator
The races are in a great venue at the Jamestown Settlement, so put this one on your calendar if you are in the mood for a trip to Williamsburg, VA. It is a really nice town.
I would end my season here but am already signed up for USAT Nationals in Alabama, so will coast-train a few more days. Looking for a top five AG there and then hang the bike on the wall for a couple of months.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Patriot half prediction
I just want to have a decent half-Ironman at the Patriot half tomorrow morning, and not feel like someone kicked me in the groin at the finish line. I understand it is a mostly flat bike/run course and the swim has some sort of current, so lets say:
swim 25-30 minutes depending on the course
bike sub 2:30 good - sub 2:25 great - sub 2:20 outstanding
run sub 1:37 good - sub 1:33 great - sub 1:31 outstanding
not falling over, priceless.
The end.
swim 25-30 minutes depending on the course
bike sub 2:30 good - sub 2:25 great - sub 2:20 outstanding
run sub 1:37 good - sub 1:33 great - sub 1:31 outstanding
not falling over, priceless.
The end.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Labor day weekend
We had a nice time in New Smyrna Beach with my family. We got there in time for me to catch the tail end of the Hurricane swell on Friday, so I got out on the board for a few nice waves before turning my attention to the family.
On Saturday Bri got me out on a 46 mile ride that turned a bit ugly near the end. I was in the middle of shifting my hand position and drilled a crack in the pavement. Bounced out of my seat, had no grip, and went splat. Nice road rash but no broken bones. Still managed a transition run and then covered up. Surfed a bit but the swell had died and the wind was blowing off shore.
On Sunday I rode an hour with Bri, then ran about 40 minutes. Tired.
On Monday we got in an hour + run (Bri did more). I am tapering a bit for the Patriot Half on Saturday of this weekend.
The drive home was uneventful, just long. Ten hours in the car wears us out. Tassie gets bored. Bri gets bored. I get bored!
Good fun with the family though. Dinner, drinks, poker with the guys, and playing with our nieces.
This will be a quick week, then off to Williamsburg, VA for the weekend.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Nuclear Swim 2010 in the books
The final swim of the Triangle Open Water Series is in the books, and all went well. We had a bunch of volunteers and lifeguards out to make sure everyone was safe. The course went further into the lake so we avoided most of the weeds that hang near the shallow spots of the lake. 217 finishers.
The men's and women's overall finishes were head to head battles and you can see those videos on the series Facebook page.
After the swim was all said and done, The Angels (my wife and her friends) and I went for a 50 mile bike ride. The bike ride was great, it was a nice day, and I felt good. I convinced Bri to do a 20 minute run with me through the trails of Harris Lake County Park after. Please note this trail system is much more extensive than you initially realize. We wound up running for more than 40 minutes. Bri kept her cool and did not bash me over the head with a log, though I could see her thinking about it.
We had a lot of fun with the swim series. Now we get to focus on two more triathlons - Patriots Half or sprint (for Bri), and USAT Nationals. I am back into good shape, have shed most of my beer belly, and am looking forward to racing well.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Road race prices
Check out this op-ed piece in our local paper about the entry fee of road races. The author essentially argues that road racing is too expensive. In the article the writer states:
The writer goes on:
There is actually an insurance requirement for most road races (and virtually all events on open roads) to have police or county sheriffs provide traffic control, since they are authorized to stop people. Volunteers can yell all they want, but they have no legal right to stop someone from driving through a race course. An armed peace officer has that duty.
He also advocates running as a bandit, so he and his family can continue to enjoy road racing. I have a proposal. Instead of stealing services from your local race organizer and any of their charities, how about you pick and choose your races? You could take your family to three or four events a year. Make it a special family event.
If you are having trouble with your personal finances, making a 5k entry a hardship, perhaps you should work on ways to create additional income streams rather than setting a poor example for your children. "Hey kids, let's go bandit another road race! We'll take advantage of the hard work of other people, and then eat the food and drink afterwards, and go home feeling righteous. Life is not fair, and you are allowed steal from other people as long as we couch the term in something cutesy like 'banditing'. We showed them. F--- the man."
I could go off on a long political tangent here but will refrain.
Running is free - provided you get some decent shoes. Participating in any event you want to is not.
If the author wants to see low-cost running events offered and promoted to the public, I propose he go ahead and establish a free community based running program that culminates with a low-cost 5k. Then he can learn to enjoy things like fixed & variable costs, event design, course design, course management, t-shirt ordering, awards, permit fees, city council meetings, Fire/EMS scheduling, Police officer coordination, volunteer coordination, insurance and event sanctioning, and every other little thing that comes along with running any sort of racing event. He could put in a couple weeks worth of time to operate the whole shebang on a break-even or even slightly money-losing basis (since it is promoting health, after all).
He could then write another op-ed piece afterward and let us all know how he liked fronting the capital and sweat equity ... so he can listen to a small but vocal minority of people tell him they didn't like your t-shirt design, or post-race food, or course, or your entry fee was too high, or whatever.
(In case strangers stumble across this post in isolation: FS Series is our partner for the Triangle Open Water Swim Series, and I operate as a for-profit race director that donates a significant portion of the bottom line of this race series to a non-profit organization.)
Since the race is sponsored by Garner rather than a corporate entity, it should cost less. Promoting exercise and good health should be the goal even if the activity loses money.Do you think he will be willing to pay more in Town of Garner taxes? That seems reasonable, since he wants the town to subsidize money losing ventures for his personal socioeconomic benefit. Just a modest real estate tax increase. Nothing to lose sleep over.
The writer goes on:
We who love the sport of road racing should want our sport to be accessible to the masses, not just the affluent.A quick check of FS Series, which timed the Garner event, revealed several upcoming 5ks that have entry fees of $20 if paid ahead of time, and even one completely free 5k in November. Free! My gosh. It must be an evil communist plot. :P
There are costs associated with races. Police are paid to keep the course safe, but couldn't volunteers do this work? Traffic control is not rocket science. Cutting costs must happen if the sport is to grow beyond its small base of affluent runners. I can play a round of golf with a cart for less than it costs to run a road race.
I'll keep running road races with my family - and begging for discounts - but my days as a bandit probably won't end anytime soon.
There is actually an insurance requirement for most road races (and virtually all events on open roads) to have police or county sheriffs provide traffic control, since they are authorized to stop people. Volunteers can yell all they want, but they have no legal right to stop someone from driving through a race course. An armed peace officer has that duty.
He also advocates running as a bandit, so he and his family can continue to enjoy road racing. I have a proposal. Instead of stealing services from your local race organizer and any of their charities, how about you pick and choose your races? You could take your family to three or four events a year. Make it a special family event.
If you are having trouble with your personal finances, making a 5k entry a hardship, perhaps you should work on ways to create additional income streams rather than setting a poor example for your children. "Hey kids, let's go bandit another road race! We'll take advantage of the hard work of other people, and then eat the food and drink afterwards, and go home feeling righteous. Life is not fair, and you are allowed steal from other people as long as we couch the term in something cutesy like 'banditing'. We showed them. F--- the man."
I could go off on a long political tangent here but will refrain.
Running is free - provided you get some decent shoes. Participating in any event you want to is not.
If the author wants to see low-cost running events offered and promoted to the public, I propose he go ahead and establish a free community based running program that culminates with a low-cost 5k. Then he can learn to enjoy things like fixed & variable costs, event design, course design, course management, t-shirt ordering, awards, permit fees, city council meetings, Fire/EMS scheduling, Police officer coordination, volunteer coordination, insurance and event sanctioning, and every other little thing that comes along with running any sort of racing event. He could put in a couple weeks worth of time to operate the whole shebang on a break-even or even slightly money-losing basis (since it is promoting health, after all).
He could then write another op-ed piece afterward and let us all know how he liked fronting the capital and sweat equity ... so he can listen to a small but vocal minority of people tell him they didn't like your t-shirt design, or post-race food, or course, or your entry fee was too high, or whatever.
(In case strangers stumble across this post in isolation: FS Series is our partner for the Triangle Open Water Swim Series, and I operate as a for-profit race director that donates a significant portion of the bottom line of this race series to a non-profit organization.)
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