NEMO Triathlon: Fastest bike split by 1:20!

NEMO is the big local race that I have been looking at for the past month since we moved
here.  The course is .75miles, 18 miles, and 5 miles.  The bike split includes a decent grass
hill run-up and your first and second transition.

The swim is the only part of the race that went bad. After pushing a couple people to get
sleeveless wetsuits (which they did and swam great) I used my full sleeve wetsuit and
could just not get enough shoulder rotation. It felt like my recovery stroke to put my hand
back in the water was harder then the actual stroke. At the time I guessed a two minute loss
plus the proverbial matches burned going at redline trying not to lose the race on the swim.
My time 21:16 (1:36 pace),first was 18:16 and a team guy from Truman went 14:00!

Onto the bike and I just felt flat. I never did get the feeling and shifted about 5 times more
then I normally do.  I had a team guy just blast by me like I was standing still about a mile
into the ride.
My split 45:16 which was 43:33 (24.8mph) on my watch. Next best was 1:40 behind and the
team split which had easier transitions was only 1:20 in front of me so I don't know how I
pulled that off. Left some time on the course there as well. It kinda felt like wind in both
directions which would explain the slower times this year on the bike portion.

Onto the run I felt pretty fast at first and held on pretty well.  There was a good runner behind
me and I got caught with about .5 miles to go and he just sat there. In retrospect I should have
went right then as he took off with 400 to go and put 20 seconds in me there.
Run was 31:59 (6:23) and that was good for 3rd best as the run is really hilly. First place had a
29:45 and he is known for his running.

Overall was a 1:38:31.  I am really happy with this race as I am 15 pounds off of a heavy race
weight as I am right at 180 pounds right now. Thats worth 1:15 to 2:30 minutes off the run
alone without any sacrifice on the bike. A better wetsuit is also going to be KEY.  At least I felt
like I pushed myself the entire time pretty well without folding. Could have done the race again
today so my top gear wasn't there. Had a bad headache after the race every time a beer wore
off as well.

It was great to have a lot of friends racing and cheering me on and to have fun at the awards
ceremony.  I won a $50 savings bond and a $150 entry to the Hy-Vee triathlon next year. Really
want to race again but that might be the last Tri of the year :(

Form Evaluation and 5K report.

This is a picture of the start of a 5k with me taking off with a very fit and "pure" runner that has about 40 pounds on me. I am still slightly overstriding but my arms, front leg, foot strike and lean are all great. Just need to kick up the turnover a tad. In order to really do that and start utilizing my engine I really need to cut those pounds. I am about 179 in the race. That is just pure speed on the table. I am beyond even being able to tell my potential at this point. I know this is a recurring theme on the blog but in the interest in science and performance I really need to bring it up again. I ended up fourth overall and only one place out of where I should have been. I still think the tri will go alright after a couple of full days of training. The run course is a power course and I will be ready for it by then.

Tri-ng to Help Race Report (Course Records!)

The race in Quincy IL is a 400M (or 437 yards) pool and is a 5 sec per participant serpentine swim. The lanes where pretty wide so it ends up being 464 yards if you want to figure out your pace. With only 50 participants this was pretty good as no one passed me and I didn't pass anyone. This was good bc a 12 year old girl started right behind me. (may have went out a little fast bc of this). The run to the bikes was a little long and winding and I almost fell on the slippery grass.

The 13.1 mile bike course is where it gets interesting. Definitely the toughest tri course I have ever done. I pre-rode only half of it so I could see "Ghost Hill" which I supposed is because you are ghostly white at the top from lack of O2. I slightly missed geared in my second lowest gear, a 42x21 and had to walk about 50M of the hill during my warm up. That messes with you a bit. During the race the course is decent sized hill after hill with two turnarounds and 8, 90 degree turns so it is fairly slow. There is only one somewhat flat mile in the whole thing and the descents have turns at the bottom. Wanted a 22mph avg with the new chipsealed sections and added turnaround. Coming into the big hill I got in my low gear, stood and cranked as hard as I have ever gone in a race and took a minute of spinning to regain composure which was less then I planned bc the minute was all uphill still.

My second transition went well and I was off on the run. I quickly knew I had pushed too hard on the bike and with the rising temps I just wanted a solid run. The run course is ALL rolling hills and the downhills felt good so I knew I wasn't myself. I stayed strong the whole time and got really hot but held on.

Results Link http://www.mattoonmultisport.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=151&Itemid=66

This was the 4th year for the event and the only difference is that the bike course had an added a tiny out and back turnaround which kinda sucked. Humidity was really high.

Swim 7:43 Best in the top 29 overalls. (~1:35 pace with the long run to T1)

T1 :36

Bike 34:26 Course Record by 44 seconds even with new slower course. 22.7 mph. Next two best were 20.7 (37:30) and 19.9 (39:09)

T2 :31

Run 20:21 (6:34 pace) Course record was set today at a 20:04 which shows how tough the bike course is as an team runner knocked out a 19:33.

Total 1:03:40 Course Record by 1:19 and with the added turnaround it should stand for a while I hope.

Kirksville MO, June and July totals

Wow, its been May since I last posted. Only did one race which had some water temps in spots in the 40's so my swim was a 38 and I dropped out after a lackluster bike. A little way into the year my wife found out she got a job at Truman State Univeristy (our alma mater) so we were moving to Kirksville MO. My job with the prairie dogs got a little crazy and I got a little lazy. Since being back in Kirksville a week, I am loosing weight, signed up to two tri's and getting in some real quality work on the bike.

June

7:17:00 18900

12:10:00 236

12:04:00 82.5

31:30:00

Not too bad for swimming but nothing really to write home about.

July

0 0

16:12:00 299

7:50:00 58.1

Yeah, thats a big fat zero for the swim. After another DNF due to cold I just couldn't take it anymore. Should have bought the booties and caps and crap. I am just too cheap sometimes.

New Goals. I have a lot of little races planned and I think that is going to be really good for me. I have already started working out with the Kirksville Multiport Club and running my old trails and biking my old routes. Prolly won't give the pro card a go until next year unless I make it down to Branson after a win at our local tri bc that would pay for the entry since my volume is not there.

Race Depression before race even scheduled

Well, Provo 5150 was cancelled. That was what was keeping me going in this windy and cold spring. I swear Jan and Feb were better. It is just unsafe to ride in the wind here, and even running hurts with the sand.

All of a sudden the roads surfaces are terrible. They always were but I wasn't road riding for pure fun. I can't even get to Kolob climb bc of construction on the Interstate. Yes I ride on the Interstate.

I have gained 8 pounds in about as many days. Work is long and tiring. I am also waiting to hear if we will be moving in 2 months. Combine this with the car fiasco and I am burnt out. The only problem I am having is figuring out how to break the spell. I tried a mountain bike ride and my bike is a POS when I try to crank on it in the granny gear. I even set the derailluer to stay in the granny in two positions and I was still ripping it down the cassette. That just made me even more angry.

There are four things I get from training.

1) Fun. I am tired of the same routes and lack of a trail system. I am not getting in enough of those runs like I had in Moab on those trails. Pushing in the wind is getting real old. We have the most days over 20 mph in the nation but the gusts are just frightening when riding. 2 out of 10

2) Social aspect. Well I have one training partner who is on the mend and I have two triathlons under my belt in the last YEAR. 2 out of 10.

3) Challenge. I am not racing enough and in my past races I am going for the course record and to not loose. I really need to just race more but can't right now. 0 out of 10

4) Nature Deficit Disorder/Societal Congruence. I have to get outside pretty much every day. Training helps with not having woods in my backyard to go trompsing in looking for bugs, mushrooms and the whatnot. I do not like living in an apartment in town. I miss my tent. 8 out of 10. I am sitting getting out, but I also work outside.

Life is moving too slow and too fast for me in many ways. I guess I just have to wait.

Total Race Calendar Change

On the way to Moab, and the Moab Tri, our Subaru blew a rod. Only took the mountain bike as I really wanted to ride the slickrock and figured I was too stressed to race. I did the practice loop and chickened out. You need knee pads and elbow pads to ride this. My eggbeater pedals are also crap and I forgot to switch them out before so I basically couldnt unclip. The grades are seriously granny gear stand and sprint. There are ZERO climbs anywhere like this. I just didnt want to get injured. Got in a crazy 2.5 trail run as well then.

Anyway, we bought a 2008 Hyundai Elantra that is getting great gas mileage and the next race planned is now a 1600M open water swim followed by the Provo 5150. The wife has two job interviews they are flying her out to MO and IA for so we may be back in the area as soon as Aug 15.

I have been uber stressed lately but plugging away ok and losing weight. I also found out I am 5ft 10.75 inches instead of 10.0. I hadn't measured in a long time and my posture has improved dramatically with the vibrams. I have about a 2cm leg diff but it may not be as much as I thought. Brings my BMI down to 23.7. For Ironman I would need to be 163 pounds, or 23.0 BMI to be competative and that is finally within reach.

As of May 23 I will have 3 weeks without the family and the training will be epic. It will be a hard base type session with 12K a week in the pool, 150 on the bike, and 45 on the run. Should set me up for Provo just perfect from where I am sitting now. Just need to supercharge the bike and tweak the run. The swim is about there already.

May and April wrap ups and updates.

Man, had another sickness. Went out for a group ride and literally rode off the front after I held the first 4 mile pull into the wind. Made it 4 out of 5 miles solo before being gassed. Some of the trucks out here spew black smoke that can actually be a hazard to see through and I was holding 39.5 the whole time this truck tried to pass but we hit an incline and I only slowed to 37 and he just held there. I fell apart after that. Rode more and then went home and couldn't eat. Woke up the next morning and moved from the couch about 4 times.

These sicknesses, stress from finances, and starting work again have really played on my psyche. Looking back at my log the workouts that I complete are rocking so that is a good sign.

I just bought a Profile Design Wahoo wetsuit that fits great and has catch panels on the forearms. Even with this I can't bring myself to sign up for the race next weekend. The OLY's around here have all gone over 100 bucks. Call me elitist but I don't want to "race" unless the prize for first is at least the entry back. Thats really all I want bc I like the fun of it but it is getting ridiculous in my opinion. Can't wait until Provo. Gonna be racing with a chip on my shoulder that no one is gonna knock off.

Not gonna do a write of of the months but they are in my training log on the 2011 Months tab. Just gonna have to start from scratch. The big change for the month is swimming 4 days a week in a row in the mornings now that I have 5am pool access and running sucks in the dark when you actually have another choice. More harder runs as well and if not hard then a 6.3 mile stroller push so I have the recovery to push the run workouts.