Running is Dangerous

Running is Dangerous. I don't know about other people but when I run I am never more vunerable then when I am in the middle of a nice long run. Something happens in the middle of a run that makes you think you can do anything. And I for one hate to argue with myself so I usually just nod my head until I get home. That is when running is it's most lethat, when I get home and get on the computer. That is one google starts to work overtime and I start typing in searches such as ultras in Spring, marathons in New england, double ironmans and even once typed in grand slam of ultras. For those that are not up on ultra running the grand slam is four 100 mile races in eleven weeks. Do I think I can do it? sure. Would I do it if I got into the western states lottery(this is a lottery only race)? You bet you I would.

So all this leads back to the fact that, for me and maybe some of you my craziest ideas come to me when I run long. There is just something about being out there for a couple hours that makes you think you can do anything. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, especially when sometimes they stay just that, dreams. However sometimes you just got to google that dream and make it happen. This is how I found Ironman and every other ultra marathon (3 and counting) I have done. It all started for me by picking up a copy of Competitor magazine and seeing a off road duathlon (run, bike, run) that was 8 weeks away. I was about a month removed from my mixed martial arts debut for which I had trained 3 years for. I went the distance and lost a decision, but I learned far more in that octagon than any school book could teach you. I learned that I was capable of anything. This information in the wrong hands can be deadly. I am the wrong hands.

After completing that first duathlon I jumped on google and decided to ratchet up the training. I did a sprint triathlon, I trained all summer and did an Olympic triathlon, and then I followed that up with 3 half ironmans the following year. Then I signed up for Ironman, and not once did I think I would fail at any of these events. I am not afraid to fail and in fact I a constantly looking for an event that will kick my ass, throw dirt on me and leave me in a heap on the ground not wanting to go any further. I suspect that day will come when I do a 100 mile run or a ultra Iron race. This is what makes me tick. Constantly pushing myself to see what I am made of. I know that failure is possible at anything I set out to do but I feel with the proper training and the right mind set I can do anything I set out to do.

My very first half Ironman race was Rev3 Quassy in CT and it has been called by the best triathletes in the world one of the hardest 70.3 courses in the world. That race without a doubt kicked me square in the face. I physically could not run from miles 2 to 4 and then again from 6 to 8. I loved it. As I ran by Amy at mile 10 I shouted over to her that I had been humbled. Finally a race had given me something that forced me to dig deep and show me that it aint all rainbows and unicorns. I live for challenges like this and for me all these ideas come to me when I run long.

So with every run comes a new, crazier idea and I am sure Amy will tell you that she has learned to tune more than half of them out. She knows by now that when we talk about things like a 100 miler over lunch that she doesn't need to worry. However when it comes up at dinner she knows that it is go time and I am just working out the details in my head. So really I have two options, stop running long or disable google. Neither of these options are very reasonable so for now I will just acknowledge that running is dangerous.

It's not all about fast

Athlinks.com is every endurance athletes best friend and worst enemy. For those that are not aware of this facsinating site, it is a listing of all ones race results that they can gain access too. From my own experience they have about 75% or so of every race I have ever completed. All your race results are out there good or bad for everyone to see. But do these results really tell the whole story? What can you determine from strictly looking at finishing times?

http://athlinks.com/racer/results/88959192

In my opinion finishing times only tell half the story. Take my half marathon times for instance. I have run 6 half marathons, but only three of those have I run with the sole purpose of running my best time, the other three I ran in support of my wife Amy. I have completed 5 half Ironmans only 3 of which were posted by Athlinks. Of course my PR race of 4:59 is missing, but my tuneup race prior to Lake Placid in which I flatted 3 times is listed (6:41). So just by looking at these results you can never get the whole picture and I believe that is the beauty of racing.

It is not always about your fastest time. I can say without hesitation that the three half marathons I ran with my wife were my favorites. The tuneup half Iron I did in 6:41, well I had a pr for the swim and the run so at the end of the day I was ecstatic with the result. For me I have been blessed to be able to compete in the top 25% of a lot of the races I enter and have won some awards along the way. But at the end of the day all my medals from every race I have ever done are buried in a bag in my basement. Those medals do not tell the story that I wish to remember. Sure it's great to have that finishers medal around your neck and you can rest assured that I always wear mine for a few hours after the race. However once that race high wears off and the medal goes into the bag in the basement, the thing that lasts far longer are the good times had, the bad weather endured, all the flat tires, the cramps and the long, long days of running, biking and swimming to get to those finish lines.

So for me it is not always about fast. Fast is relative to each of us and no matter what your finishing time the fact that you did indeed finish is a far greater triumph. When I am old and gray I will be most proud of the list of races completed, not the finsihing times. I was never the fastest and probably will never win a race, however the best days of my life have been on a race course, competing against my peers or just running along side my best friends (wife and dog). So if you do get a chance to check out Athlinks, and I do recommend it, make sure you not only view the finishing times but that you also take a moment to remember the race.

Looking back

The reason I started this blog was to be able to have a written record of my journey to completing an Ironman. It allows me to be able to go back and review my thoughts and actions leading up to that event. Going forward I hope to continue to write (as their appears to be some interest) and track my progress to what will one day hopefully be greater success in this sport. I say "greater" success because I am never quite sure what that means to me. Will qualifying for the World Championships in either the half or full Ironman give me a sense of success in this sport? I am very grateful to even be able to toe the line at most of these events let alone possible qualify for a championship event. However I do realize alot of people can't fathom running 50 miles, cycling 150 in a single day, or completing one half ironmans let alone 3 in 3 months. So I don't believe if I never qualify for these events that I will not be satisfied. The problem for me is being patient enough to realize my potential in a given endeavor. When I am prepping for a ultra I am completely immersed in the task and dream of greater distances and faster times. While training for Ironman, I literally thought about nothing else for 6 months. So for me to be able to look back and see where I was at each interval of the season is quite interesting. So I thought it would be beneficial to take a step back and look at not what I accomplished this season, but what I learned along the way. It is cliche to say but it is truly the journey not the destination.

-Patience is the number one thing in athletics. It takes time, alot of time to master a single sport never mind 3 sports all rolled into one. I am not known for my patience but going forward realize that I am very capable of all the fast times I dream of I just have to be willing to work hard and be patient.

-Pacing a race is paramount to being able to run fast times. So many times this year I went out to fast in road races and completely blew up in the final miles. I believe had I went out more controlled and paced my self I would have had the same if not better times.

-There is no better feeling then that sick to your stomach feeling before a race. Why you ask? because it lets you know that you are heading into the unknown and no matter how much you prepared, things that are out of your control may pop up. (see 3 flats at Quassy HIM)

-That sick to your stomach feeling goes away and you learn alot about yourself while you are out on a race course for 12+ hours. Then when you cross that finish line whether it be at a 5K or an Ironman, everyone there, including yourself thinks you are a rock star.

-It is absolutely the best feeling to assist or participate in a event with someone who never could imagine doing something like that before. (Amy's century ride, Brothers duathlon, and yes even Miles 5K)

-The people that I am meeting through running and triathlon are without a doubt the best, most welcoming people in the world. Many outsiders see what they do and think that they are elitists and only socialize with those who can put up fast times. All the people I have met could care less about your finishing time, just that you did indeed finish.

-I wish more people would get involved with sports and completing events themselves. I had the pleasure of volunteering at a triathlon and watching a few road races and everyone and I mean EVERYONE was on cloud nine upon finishing. There is no better feeling then accomplishing something that takes time and effort.

-I don't think there is any event that I can not do that I set my mind to. When you start training for your first Ironman you think that it would be great to finish, and that slowly evolves into a goal race time. Everyone that I know that has done a Ironman this season or previously can tell you weeks ahead of time when they will finish and I guarantee that it will be within +/- 10% of where they actually finish. Funny how confidence builds throughout a training cycle.

These are just a few of the key things that I took away from this season. Of course there are many other little things that are paramount to my education in this sport. So I guess to answer my own question about will I get a sense of success if I qualify for a world championship, the simple answer is no. It will just be one of many successes that happen along the way. It will be no greater or no worse than that first 5k or first sprint triathlon. Success is measured by you and only you, not by how many trophy's or awards that collect dust on the shelf.

On the shelf

No running until Dec 5th! That is the goal I have set for myself, with the help of my doctor of course. It's the only way to let my ankle rest up and hopefully be able to come out of the gates flying in 2012. After logging 1100 miles this season this is clearly my bodies way of telling me to take a break. Now most people would welcome such a break, I am not most people. I LOVE running, it comes easy to me and I can't think of anything I would rather do then to head out on a long, fall trail run. I don't think people enjoy running as much as I do because they do not allow themselves to shut their mind off. They are out there dreading every minute of every run, thinking about every ache and pain and not allowing their mind to escape the fact that they are exercising.

People ask me all the time (or they don't ask and just say I am crazy) what the secret is to running long distances. I don't think about running. Sure I check my pace and on many of my shorter runs I have time goals and distance goals like everyone else. However that is just the competitor in me and I never let it define my run. To truly appreciate running you need to let your mind wander and not let it become a dreaded task. Did you hate running as a kid? probably not. You just ran for the sake of running. You would run for no reason at all and never once think of what you were doing as a necessary evil. I truly believe running long distance is the only way to have this happen. You can't possible get lost in a 3 mile run, never going to happen. Running 13, 26 or even 50 miles is when you can completly get lost in a run. You just lose track, you stop thinking about what hurts and what doesn't and the next time you look down at your watch it is 20 minutes later and you are 10 miles from home. Now believe me when I tell you this does not happen every time. This "runners high" is not as rare as some would have you believe however.

I would venture to say every long run leading up to the Lake Placid Ironman for me was a slow, painfull death march. I got too wrapped up in pace and distance and making sure I had done the mileage to have a great race. However once the race began and I headed out for the marathon, after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 I got to the point where I really enjoyed that run. For me this is what happens When I train for and run ultras (any distance longer than 26.2). I don't worry about time, pace or distance so much as I take in what is around me and let my mind wonder which is a pretty cool thing.

So with this love affair I have with running, the next month will be a real challenge. I have had to cancel 4 races I had planned on running (all for fun) this month but know that it is the right move to make. With patience and learning comes the potential to be even better next year. So in order to keep my self sane and continue to progress and become a better athlete I am going to focus on my swimming and biking. So do me a favor and run a mile or two or twenty for me this month, I would greatly appreciate it.

Injuries and Ultras

Well it seems official that I am injured. Not the kind of injury that my people(endurance junkies) like either. The type of injury that is there but kinda not really. Basically the long and short of it is some sort of ankle injury which I can not even pin point when it happened. My best guess is that it occured during my double race weekend on Oct 1st and 2Nd. On Saturday I did a all out off road duathlon and then on Sunday came back with a half marathon which I ended up going a little harder than planned and pr'd. Never felt anything in particular and was actually fine until Tuesday when I just felt like I rolled my ankle of the trails. Well having a Ultra in two weeks made me think it would be best to stay off of it and use it as a "super" taper. My legs were getting pretty smashed up from a big month of shorter, harder races so it was a welcome break.

For the record normal people with ankle injuries do not run 50K off road trail runs. I however am not normal people and realized my own stupidity several (see hundreds) of times during the race. I did feel going into the race that my ankle would be a problem but would not prevent me from completing the run and seeing as I was registered and we use it as an excuse to head to CT and see the in laws it was a go. Well the ankle did not really hold me back and only really hurt when twisting or turning it. I finished almost an hour ahead of what I did two years ago at this race but was about a half hour from where I thought I could be. All in all the race was great, the weather cooperated, and it is always nice to be in the woods running.

So it is now a week after the 50K and the ankle still bothers me. This is where I start to get worried because the long and the short of it is I need this to go away. I love running, and especially love running ultras where the races tend to be more laid back then triathlons (like a thousand times less). I have the opportunity on the table to run one and maybe even two more ultras before winter hits and I am stuck with spin classes, treadmills and endless laps in the pool. So it is important to me to deal with this now and not let it linger. But like I said earlier it is the kind of injury that is not restricting but that you know is there. My fear is that the doctor will not have a concrete idea of what it is and just give me the usually, "stay off it, take Motrin and see me in two weeks". Nothing is more frustrating for an athlete then a non answer to a injury. Tell me something,, anything and put a concrete time table on it. How great would it be if the doctor said, "Dana, looks like a sprain of the medial frontal typhoid angular ankle tendon and if you rest it for 13 days and 6 hours you should be back to normal". Don't really see this happening so I guess I am in runners limbo until then.

So I guess what all this drivel that I just wrote means is I need to get my arse to the doctor so he can charge me my co-pays, take an educated guess and tell me running is not the best thing for an ankle injury. And with that I will have to play along and become mildly depressed as the season comes to an end. We all hate injuries and I guess on the bright side this is the best time for one, so I will play along and use this time to write more blogs (topics anyone??).

The List

So as I was running my last BIG race of the 2011 season I was thinking about writing a race report for the blog. These are the things one thinks about at mile 20 of a 32.5 mile run. Yes that's right a 50K race is supposed to be 31 miles, but somehow this particular race measures 32.5 according to the trusty Garmin. So anyways I was thinking of things to write and thought that a race report would be pretty boring. After all not much happens between aid stations in a race with less than 150 people spread out over the course of 30+ miles. It did occur to me however that this very well may be the toughest event I have done in my albeit short endurance career. So the idea for a list of the hardest events I have done began formulating in my head. Well I had plenty of time (6 hours and 8 minutes to be exact) to come up with the last and the reasons why they are the hardest. I even came up with a ranking system using cans of Red Bull (again this is what happens when in the woods all alone and 8 miles to the next aid station/can of Red Bull). So the hardest events are the ones that require many Red Bulls (see caffeine) to keep going.

I want to preface this list by saying what is hard for me, may be easy for others. I have the unique ability to zone out on long runs and just kinda hang out in side my own head. I too would much rather run a marathon than a all out 5k in which I can taste the lactic acid in my mouth. So take this list for what it is worth and know that just because I rank something as "harder" does not mean that I think things below that are easy. This list is made up events that are all physically challenging and require serious consideration before doing another of the same or greater magnitude.

#1- Bimblers Bluff 50K- I know what you are thinking, this one is fresh in my mind so of course this would top the list right? Well yes and no, this was my second time doing this race and I really feel like it has given me the most difficulty. I was able to knock almost a hour off my time from two years ago but this is without a doubt a really challenging course. The run uses barely marked trails, crosses streams and rivers, and the course is marked using one sided red/white tape which often on a windy day is impossible to spot. There are several spots where you must scale rocks and or slide down paths on your butt. The downhills are soft and loose in terms of footing and even during a dry spell alot of the fire roads are filled with pond size puddles. Tack on a extra 1.5 miles and 2,500ft of vertical gain and this is without a doubt the toughest single day event I have done.

#2- Stone Cat 50 Miler- Running 50 miles is just a major grind on ones body. This particular course utilizes (4) 12.25 mile loops and all though they are relatively flat, the year I did the race one of the roads was flooded so at the end of each loop I had to change my socks. Running 50 miles is hard, running 50 miles in wet squishy sock sucks.

#3- Lake Placid Ironman- Everything was great...till I got sick....30 minutes into a 12 hour race. My swim time was 1:43 which put me with the Age group average of the 70-75 Males. While hanging onto one of the lifeguards and heaving he said to me "not in the Navy huh?" to which I replied "no I'm a {heave} Army guy". After that I thought the bike was not as hard as people make it out to be. Granted due to my poor swim I passed 1300 people so I guess that makes it more fun when you are the hunter and not the hunted. The run, well they say a Ironman run is where the race is made or broke and I got stuck somewhere in the middle. I knew running under 4 hours would put me under 12 for the day so I went out hard (see too hard) and just could not hold it together. When you are relegated to a walk/run because even though your mind wants to run but the body can't you know you are in for it. I did pull it together to finish by running all of the last miles after the hill into town. Overall this was a challenge worthy of it's title but I don't put it up there with being alone in the woods with 8 miles to go and not really sure where you are.

#4- Rev3 Quassy- It was my first and fourth half ironman and it is my white whale. So much so that I left it off the 2012 schedule to give me some time to take a deep breath before I attempt it again. First year looking back I was not trained to the level of a half ironman but that takes nothing from the difficulty of the course. Since it's inaugural race all the pros that have done it say it is easily one of the toughest bike/run combos on the HIM circuit. Second time I did it I was flying along have the race of my life when I got a flat 20 miles in. Then another and then another, lack of bike support had me walking a mile before getting assistance finally and finishing the race.

#5- B2B 150 bike ride- This is a 148 mile bike from Harpoon brewery in Boston to their brewery in Vermont. Sitting on a bike seat for 8 hours is less than fun. Add in heat, wind and a ton of hills and you have yourself a real long day. The first 100 was fine but everything after that is just monotonous and you really wish you were doing anything but. Overall I did not see the "fun" in doing this ever again, even with the allure of free beer once at the finish.

Looking back on the list I guess the common factor is that all these events exceed 5 hours. So events like the Boston Marathon (a very uninspired 4:13) did not make the list. I guess the shorter the event the less likely it is to make you regret what you signed up for. I am on record as saying I would much rather run a marathon than a all out 5k. I did just that last weekend running a 5k in 19:17 which is a pr for me. It hurt, my lungs wanted to explode, my legs were like dragging weights and I wanted to puke for exactly 2.9 miles. So it all is relative but when you are out there swimming/biking/running for more than 5 hours you start to question a lot of things. Will I finish? why am I here? This is stupid? Never again? However at the end of the day all those things fade and all that's left is a rinky dink piece of medal that goes around your neck and says you finished. And as cheap as that medal is I always wear it with pride for the rest of the day. Then it gets put in the bag with all the others and forgotten about. They are worthless in value but priceless in memories.

One last thing I thought of while running on Sunday. "Momma said there would be days like this, I just did not think I would be registering for them"

Tis' the season

It's Ultra season again!! Last two years the end of my season has been finished up rather nicely with ultra marathons. For those that don't know, a ultra is any distance longer than a marathon.So two years ago it was my first ultra, a very tough, challenging 50K (31 miles), and last year it was a moderatetly hard 50 miler. After last years 50 I told Amy I would not be attempting that distance again but we both knew that would be a lie. I guess when we went out to dinner that night and she had to drop her fit 30 year old husband at the front door before she parked the car, running another 50 seemed stupid. Well as they say time heals all wounds and I found my self looking to end the season again this year with another ultra. And as much as I like to do different races and not repeat the same events the only race that fit the schedule was too yet again tackle the Bimblers Bluff 50K.

It was my first Ultra and I have come a long way since then and really hope it reflects in my race. To say I am in great shape right now would be far off. Two weeks ago I did something to my ankle in a off road duathlon and have not been able to really do much since then. So an injury has turned into a taper and I hope that I can gut out the race and do well placing wise in the process. Regardless of the outcome however is that ultra's are just a small group of people who are just genuinely happy to be out running. Rain, sleet, snow, or wind, nothing bothers these people and their enthusaism for running shows through. This is probably the reason I continue to get pulled into the Ultra races and look forward to running at least one every season. They are low pressure, fun challenges that are truly what I believe is the essence of endurance sports. Entry fees are reasonable, participants are welcoming, the courses are diverse and challenging, and the rules are simple.

I realized the other day while running that I was 29 when I ran my first 31 miler, then 30 and ran 50 miles. So this will be the last year that I can say I will run my age in miles but running 50K's. So this leads to my next thought.....If I can run 31, and I can run 50 then why not a 100...hmmmmmm. So I hope to keep running my age as long as I can, and or I reach 101.

Moving forward

Long time since my last posting and can honestly say it is not for a lack of training, but more so for a lack of inspiration. As the season wore on, and especially following Lake Placid everything said kinda lame. Sure I filled the last few months with races and events and took some time to just enjoy some long runs and rides. But with that came the same type of motivation that the Ironman had brought out in me. Bottom line was that no matter what "event" I did, none of them would pose the same challenge that LP did. Looking back I think that was a good thing, in that it gave me freedom to go out and enjoy some races, spend more time with Amy and really lock down a solid game plan for 2012.

First a quick look back at the time following Lake Placid. First I took it easy for a couple weeks which for those that know me was easier said than done. However it gave me some time to put together a good little plan for a targeted half ironman on Sep 11th. So after the rest it was back to a structured plan and a short buildup to FirmMan half Iron in RI. This turned out to be a great plan because all my long mileage carried over from Ironman training and allowed me just to sharpen the spear so to speak leading into the race. My goal for the half iron was a solid 5:10 and that would be a 13 minute pr for me at that distance. I knew the fitness was there and said to anyone that would listen, that I was gonna leave it all out there, or as I put it "die trying". Well that combined with a relaxed approach and picture perfect weather and conditions lead to a breakthrough race. I knew from the start that I was going well, and my swim and bike were both dead on, where I predicted them time wise. From there I pounded a Red Bull and headed out for the run. Immideatly I was flying but made a concerted effort to hold back knowing that even in a half marathon there can be a wall to hit at some point. Well that wall never came and I paced the absolute perfect half marathon for me. My Garmin shows that I never slipped out of a ten second window from my target pace. End result was a 1:37 half marathon that was only 3 minutes slower than my open pr for that distance. With my disatisfaction from all the time I felt I left out on the Lake Placid course I can say with a straight face that this race was the highlight of my season. I broke under 5 hours and allowed me to dream even bigger going into 2012.

So with the unexpected breakthrough at FirmMan the season was essentially over aside from some fun events that I would certainly train for but have no expectations (this is a complete and utter lie, Every true competitor can not and would never race without expectations, even if those expectations were to just enjoy oneself at xx:xx pace). So after the half my focus turned to supporting Amy in her goals of completing a century ride and then a half marathon in consecutive weeks. Mind you with her school load her training has been iffy but she always made the effort to get the "must-do" runs and rides in to be ready to go. And with that she absolutely crushed the century ride and then came back the following week and had a solid effort on a rainy,m windy day at the seacoast half marathon. I could not have been prouder of her effort and she continues to do things that even she thinks is not possible (marathon/triathlon anyone??).

Also since Lake Placid I was able to volunteer at a triathlon, which if you haven't stood on the non-competing side of a triathlon is great to experience. Really motivating to see people on the outside looking in. I also had the pleasure of nudging my little brother into a off road duathlon which he was able to compete in and also win his age group. Again could not be prouder of another family member doing something that they never though they would or could do. So what is left? oh just a ultra marathon (50K Bimblers Bluff)and then a gracefull exit stage left to get ready for 2012. I can honestly say that I think 2012 will be a breakthrough year for me. I learned so much this season both on and off the race course and will take all those lessons to be in the best shape going into all my races for 2012.

So without further adiue here is the game plan for 2012 (in pencil of course)
Feb- Hyannis Half marathon
Mar- Quincy Half marathon
Apr- Wrentham Duathlon
May- Lions spring sprint
June- Pat Griskus Olympic
July- Providence 70.3 and Race the Rez Xterra
August- Timberman
September- GSW century ride
Oct- TBA
Nov- Ironman Cozumel

We came we saw we conquered! Kinda

I AM AN IRONMAN! I did it. Not that I ever doubted I could do it but the unknown has a way of biting you in the ass sometimes and Ironman is the greatest unknown. From the minute we swiped our credit cards, called the coach, asked for the wife's blessing and put the date on the calendar we have never really known what to expect. The tales of Ironman misery and glory are all over the internet and everyone who calls them self an Ironman has more than a few horror stories to tell. However the one thing that stands out amongst these tales of woe is the all say they would do it again. Not all do do it again, life gets in the way sometimes, but you will never hear someone say they wish they hadn't done it.

That is just the way it is. A very satisfying acheivment which I would not ever compare to a birth or a wedding like so many do. I can only speak on one of these things (married one year one week) and I would never compare the two. Your wedding day usually does not consist of 3000 sweaty miserable people all struggling to get somewhere but never really going anywhere. Basically we swim, bike and run around in circles all so we can get back to where we started. I will say without a doubt my wedding day was far more enjoyable and it did not include cliff shot bloks.

That being said completing an Ironman is by far one of my greatest accomplishments. It took the most dedication, the most sacrificies, and TONS of money. And it was all worth it. Coming into that stadium finishing in front of hundreds of specatators, family and friends was a special moment. I have done a lot of things in my 31 years, many of which I had to struggle to acheive and this is one I am very proud of. I put it right up there with finally reaching my life long dream of becoming a firefighter. It took the same dogged determination and mindset to acheive both goals. I set my sights and I took aim. I made sure I crossed the t's and dotted the i's. I did not rely on luck, or wait for things to come to me. I went out and did what I had to do to make sure I got what I wanted.

The day did not go as planned. From what I hear it never does. I took in a ton of lake water and got sea sick on the swim. Combine that with a non-wetsuit swim and I got out of the water 24 minutes after I thought I would. Hanging on to a kayak as I puked twice in the water exactly .6 miles from shore was not in the plan. But the day never goes as planned so I pushed on. From there I hopped on the trusty bike and set out to finish what I had started. The bike went exactly as planned. I wanted a 6 hour ride and aside from 3 minutes (got to at least slow down when you pee on your bike) I nailed it. No problems, no dark moments only my desire to erase that poor swim and set myself up for a sub 12 finish. So I got off the bike just before the 8 hour mark leaving almost to the minute, 4 hours to run a marathon which I had been trained to run in 3:45. Perfect right? This did not goes as planned. From what I hear it never does. Went out with the right mindset and just plugged along. Walked all the aid stations to make sure I got my nutrition down and then ran to the next one. This went on for 14 miles. 1:58 for 14 miles, perfect now I just need to maintain and I can check that sub 12 goal off my list. Then Ironman decided 128.6 miles into my race to put up a wall and make me earn my stripes. They did that and more. From there on it was all mental. The legs were spent the sun was hot and the gatorade was warm. Nothing was gonna stop me but there sure was nothing there pushing me either. I reached into the well and dug deep and the body just said enough. With about 8 miles to go I did the math in my head and realized sub 12 was out. I was ok with that because I was gonna be an Ironman regardless of time. And so I just plodded along and made sure to enjoy the moment. Lake Placid offers a great run course for enjoying the last few miles and especially entering the olympic stadium on a downhill and getting to soak in the cheers from hundreds of spectators.

And then it was over. Never having set up a meeting place with the wife so I just kinda stood there. It was over and I had no one to share it with. Then it happened. I looked back and saw the faces of the other finishers as the came down the shoot and I realized what we all had accomplished. I was now a member of a fraternity and we were all family so to speak. We started congratulating each other and everyone had that I just did something special kinda smile. After that I meet up with my wife and I felt such a relief come over me. It was done. There was no race tommorrow and if I never choose to do another (yea right) I could do it knowing that I saw this to the end. The medal was around my neck, I had just become a part of a very exclusive club and I could finally stop moving in circles. The day was perfect. Bad swim? what bad swim? hitting a wall on the run? ahh it wasn't that bad. 12:19 and change, not bad for my first Ironman.

So what now. Big let down right? No not really I cured that post Ironman fever with plans for a half Ironman in September to wind down the season. Already had planned on Ironman Cozumel in 2012 to just so I would not wonder what is next. But regardless what ever happens from here I am branded an Ironman and I am very proud to say that. Might even get it branded on my leg just to remind me of what I accomplished but more importantly that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Race Week

Long time since last post and all I can say is that Ironman training schedule combined with 2 jobs hit a peak a week or so ago. Luckily for me I have discovered Base performance supplements which have been a saving grace in keeping me fresh for all my workouts and the long hot work days ahead. Another great tool is putting on the compression socks nightly for a couple hours to get the legs fresh and ready to absorb a good nights sleep. Like I have said in previous posts, rest and recovery is the key to Ironman. If you are not able to put the miles in then it is gonna be a really long day. And let's face it from what I hear even for the best trained athletes it is gonna be a really long day.

So it is the Tuesday before Lake Placid and the excitement is building. Well the excitement and the ever present thoughts of "Am I tapering too much?" or "I have ridden my bike in 3 days". I will say having a coach whom has an outstanding track record with Ironman athletes is a great relief and allows me to relax and not have to question the plan. So the final taper is in full swing and consists of a 60 min swim each day until Friday and two short runs with some short bursts thrown in to build confidence. Friday will be a short swim and a quick EASY empahsises on EASY spin on the bike to keep legs loose. Saturday is a complete rest day and Sunday at Sun up is go time. Amy and I are leaving Friday morning for LP, we will head over to race registration and then back out to Wilmington where we are staying and I will do my easy workout. From their all that's left is to check the bike in on Saturday and wait, and wait, and wait. If you can't tell I am dreading the waiting part but hopefully all that will do is keep my fired up to unleash hell on Sunday.

Looking back at the log book for this year, from January 1st till now I have logged 150,000 yds in the pool (85.2 miles), 2700 miles of cycling and just shy of 700 miles running. What this tells me is that I am ready, without a doubt in my mind I have done the efforts, I have logged the miles, and I will go into the race injury free. I am in a great place leading up to the biggest race of my life and I feel confident that I can exceed even my own expectations. The weather reports are trickling in and it looks like a chance of rain (rains everyday there it seems) and a fairly hot day with some humidity. Without question the biggest key to my race and that of everyone else will be how we handle fluid intake and nutrition. Being out on the course in the heat for 11+ hours is going to require meticulus attention to the fueling plan. My plan has been locked in since June and I have practiced it in every training session since then.

These are the things that should make the difference come race day: A proper taper, come in injury free, know and have in place a solid nutrition plan, having done the amount of miles required to be fit and ready to race. So with that I am going under the radar until Sunday night. At that time I hope to call my self an Ironman, celebrate with a few beers and a bunch of new friends and we can swap war stories until the magical hour of midnight when the last finsishers will cross the line. Hell worst case for most of us is that we are pushing that 17 hour cut off and that would be ok too, because wether you finish in 8 hours ( avg pro times) or 17 hours you get the same medal around your neck and get to call yourself an Ironman. So I am off to rest up, do some laps in the pools, eat healthy and try not to do anything too crazy between now and then.

To follow the race and keep an eye on me go to Ironman.com on Sunday July 24th at 7pm and type in my last name under the athlete tracker tab or my race #1038. Thanks and stay tuned for what I am sure will be a in depth post race report.

Ego we all have one

Ego. There it is out in the open for everyone to see. After all that is what Ironman is isn't it? Whether we want to admit it or not that is why we line up for events such as the Ironman. In fact that is how the Hawaii Ironman became a reality. It was the ego of several men who wanted to see who was the best athlete by combining three existing events on the island of Oahu. This lead to what we now recognize as Ironman. Ego was and is the driving force behind most all competitions such as Ironman. You can not attempt one of these events without having a healthy ego in which you truly believe you can complete the race. The word ego has taken on a very negative meaning over the years and this is really a shame. Ego is what drives us everyday to be better people and it also can hold us back in many respects as well. Many people whom protect their ego never realize their full potential because they are afraid of failure.

The reason this thought of ego has come to my attention is for several reasons. First is that I am currently reading "I am here to win" by Chris "Macca" Mcormack. This is without a doubt a book that delves into ego in many ways and how you can use it effectively to increase your race performance. Macca explores his ego and learns to harness it, to effectively beat his opponents before the race even begins. The second thing that brought ego to my attention is that I just got back from swimming, biking and riding the Lake Placid course for the first time. I went up with my tri team (roughly 10 of us whom will be doing the race)and was able to really realize what this race is going to be like. One of the biggest things that I took away from this weekend is how important ego will be to this race. I need to harness it and not let it take me out of my game plan. Bottom line is with my projected swim time their will be a healthly number of people out on the bike course before me. With a bike that is 112 miles long I need to let certain people go and not worry about anyone but myself. Basically I can not let my ego dictate the pace in any of the disciplines but most importantly on the bike.

The way I see it my swim will be my swim. Even a bad swim should not negatively effect my day. A good swim would be welcome and I do think that I might surprise myself but all and all not being able to "clock watch" means you just do what you can do and live with the result. On the Bike however is where this race could be impacted the most for me. My ego usually dictates my pace in training rides and even rides I do alone. I am constantly analyzing how far I have gone and in what time. And when I get into group rides I am always trying to ride up front regardless of what the pace is. I need to let my ego go come race day. If I try to chase someone whom I think I should be beating, or simply go to hard because of my goal time then it will only negatively effect my run. And the run is where I hope to make my race. However that being said, I do know from running the course this weekend that I will need to not go out too hard on the first lap. On that last lap of the run is when my ego is going to allow me to be the aggresor. My goal all along has been sub 12 hours but more importantly a sub 4 hour run. I choose this goal above all else because I read that only 10% of Ironman athletes run a sub 4 hour marathon. So when I read that my ego said lets be in that 10%. On that last lap I will put it all out there to make that happen. A saying that I like to use is "there is no race tommorrow right" which for me means lay it all on the line today.

As the race draws closer and with this weekends course preview behind me I have begun to think more of the mental aspect of the race. I feel my coach has me physically ready so all that is left is a solid nutrition plan and the mental toughness that will make or break the race. My ego had me sign up, it has made my daily training bearable and now I need to keep it in check for 127.5 miles and then let it carry me home for the last 13.1.

To Ironman or not to Ironman

So heading into this whole Ironman thing I had a good feel that I would handle the race fine and then move on to the next big thing. This lead to thoughts of "maybe I will do two in one season", or "hmmm would be cool to do a double Ironman". All of this came to an end on Sunday's Lucky 7 workout (70 min swim, 7 hour bike, 70 min run)in the pouring rain. Well actually it did not rain the entire time just for the swim and the first 45 miles of the bike. It was one of those days where you know it needs to get down but you really have to dig down deep, like to China, and find the motivation to get through the day.

So all of this lead me to this blog post and how Ironman is sooo much more than a 12 hour race a couple times a year, or a double which would take a full day. Ironman is the training time, the prep time, all the laundry, the bike cleaning, rainy 55 degree Sundays getting up at o' dark thirty to go workout for 7 hours, and don't forget the HUGE cost associated with doing these type of events. I more than alot of people I know have the mental capacity (of a fly) to be able to do these long sessions and not be bothered at all. Even this Sunday there was no hesitation getting out of bed or driving to see if anyone would even show up. I just did it, why? because I had to do it. It was on the schedule and when the cannon goes off on race day the only thing that seperates us is the quality and quantity of training time. Now for different people this can mean many things. For instance someone who finishes in 16 hours does not mean that they trained any less than someone who does the race in 10. The difference is that those that go in under trained pay dearly for missed sessions. There is no hiding not being properly trained for an event of this magnitude.

This leads me to my point that to do Ironman you must commit 100% of your being to the race. Weekends, family time, money are all things that are required of a successfull finisher. These are things that are precious to everyone and especially to those around us. It is true what they say that both spouses need to be on the same page when it comes to Ironman. You simply can not fake this race. It takes 8, 9, 10 hour weekend training sessions, 15 to 20 hour training weeks, early mornings and most of all it takes time away from loved ones. So what the conclusion that I came to this Sunday in the pouring rain is that this sport is my passion but I don't want it to be my obsession. I enjoy training (sometimes alot more than racing) but up until now I have been very open to new events and I would like to keep it that way. I don't want to lock into an Ironman race every year that requires countless lost weekends to put in the proper time. I do however want to continue to challenge myself and experience different races of all kinds. Doing an Ironman and having already completed two ultra marathons I have the confidence to put my name on the start list of any race of any distance. What I don't want is to be a slave to a goal (such as Kona) that becomes an obsession that makes you lose perspective on why we do this sport. With that said this does not mean that I will not do more Ironmans or not attempt a double at some point or try and qualify for Vegas or Kona. It simply means that I enjoy trying new things in and out of this sport, wether it be a new vacation destination or a race in a place I would never go to in a million years. I want to stay open to these oppurtunities and not get locked in to countless hours of mindless Ironman training that someday instead of being new and exciting will just be routine.

Rev3 race report

Rev3 went as follows: PR swim by 5 minutes, average 20 mph on bike for first 33 miles, then flatted, then co2 got stuck on replacement tube and it exploded, waited 40 minutes for somebody to offer a spare, installed but could not get it to sit right but decided to wing it, 7 more miles and that exploded putting a hole in the tire as well, walked 1 mile, sag wagon assisted with new tube and tire, rode it in and then Pr'd the run by 10 minutes. The END thanks for coming.

T-minus 72 hours

First triathlon of the season coming up in three days. As I right this the only workouts I have missed have been two swims since February 1st. All the bikes and runs have been accounted for and no injuries to report. Last week did my first century in a little over 5 hours and had little to no soreness or fatigue the next day.

My age group goes off at 7 am Sunday morning into Lake Quasipaug in Middlebury, CT. To say I am excited is an understatement. The only downside to this trip is that I am going it alone. Very rare that the wife has to miss one of my races but this is one of those times. As with all the training and racing that goes into being an Ironman, sacrifices have to be made and you can't let them constantly affect those around you. That has been one of the toughest things about this journey but also the most satisfying. When I can look back and say I trained for an Ironman while working two jobs and maintaining a fairly normal social life that is what I will be most proud of. This is one of those races that is a just tuneup for the big one in July, of which alot of sacrifices have been made on her part. So with that the decision was made I would head down alone. Normally I would not like this at all, as I always love the calming influence that she brings but I have done this race before and there should be no surprises.

All the training miles are in the bank and now I am off to get all the gear prepped and laid out. I always like to create a list of everything I will need and check it not once but at least twice. This avoids any race day disasters and lets me sleep very comfortably the night before a race knowing that everything is taken care off. As with a lot of HIM's bike drop off is the day before and that really is a great feature knowing that all I have to do Sunday morning is top off the tires, load up the water bottles and put on a wetsuit.

As for goals for this race I have no expectations. Last year it was my first HIM ever and I learned alot but also was able to knock off 30 mins in my two subsequent HIM's. My training schedule has a 2 hour bike the next day (Monday) and I did just do a century less than 10 days out so to have high hopes would be foolish. However I will not be mailing this one in. This race is a dress rehearsal for the big day in 7 weeks and I hope to do really well while not going into the hurt box at any point. I would be very happy with a sub 40 min swim, sub 3 hour bike and a 1:45 run. Add it all up, throw in transitions and anything in the 5:30 range would be awesome. Bottom line is my goals for this season revolve solely around Lake Placid.

Turn of the century

So here it is before me. My first century ride ever. My legs are trashed but my mind is right. I am so looking forward to seeing what a long, real long bike ride is about. I have been excited about this ride for a while and usually am when it comes to big training events. Even though the pace will not be "race pace" it is things like this that I live for. I guess this is why I am constantly looking for newer, bigger challenges. This is the stuff that I live for.

Like I said this ride will not be anywhere near as hard (or as long) as the Ironman and certainly will not be followed up by a marathon, however I really look forward to the unknown. Having these events on the schedule are what gets me out of bed at 4:45 on a Monday morning for two rides before work. These are the events that make the 20 mile long runs on Sunday mornings on a hotel treadmill bearable. Bottom line is that this is what everyone needs in their life. It may not be a century or an Ironman for everyone. But people need something that motivates them to be better at something.

My wife and I watch the Biggest loser and time after time it always comes down to the fact that these people buy into the plan and decide to go for it. The people that give up and quit are the ones who don't go all in. Century rides and Ironman races aren't possible unless you really want it. In fact nothing that is worth getting comes without a price. And it's not until people buy into this philosophy that they become the person they are destined to be. Destiny might be a strong word choice here, maybe becoming a complete, happy person would be more appropriate. Anyway you look at it, once you find that one thing that gets you out of bed on the coldest of mornings or without the least bit of hesitation grab a hold and don't let go. Become that person, make it part of who you are. You have to put it all out there for it to pay off and win lose or draw you will be a better, happier person for it. So with that I am off to pack my bag and prep my bike for a good 7 to 8 hour ride tommorrow. Why? because I could not imagine doing anything else.

The real Ironman

More and more as I get further along in my Ironman Lake Placid training I come to the realization that Ironman isn't about the long swims, bikes, and runs. It is about time management and the journey of getting to that start line on July 24th. Working two jobs, looking after a energetic puppy, doing 90% of the work on my addition, and maintaining what I can of a social life is the real difficult part. Give me 3 hours to go out for a 20 mile run any day of the week and you will not hear me complain. The real challenge is making time for that 20 miler and the long mid week bike rides. The short sessions are the ones that are easy to work into an overloaded schedule. However when the schedule says 2.5 hour bike on a Monday that is when ones resolve is put to the test.

They always say that it is the journey not the destination and that is never more evident than in training for an Ironman. At times I don't even feel like I am training for an Ironman. Recovery has been great and I have seamlessly gone from session to session really looking forward to each. However the last couple weeks as we are getting closer to finishing the addition and me heading back to work my time management has been put to the test. Every hour training is one less for me to do other things and lately the guilt has been somewhat present. I say somewhat because this is something I choose to do with the support of my wife and I view training as studying the for the exam. I have to be prepared on that day or I have not given myself or those who support me a fair shake. This Journey is much more that me doing a race, it is also a way of quietly doing what I believe anyone can do if they put their mind to it. Sure I selfishly make time to train when sometimes other things can be more pressing however I take great pride when what I do inspires someone close to me to get out their and do something they never thought possible. Whether it be a 5k run/walk or a full fledged marathon their is something to be said for setting a goal and seeing it through to the end.

The Ironman is 67 days away but already I feel confident that my day will go well. And if it does not then it won't be the first time that in training or during a race that I will have faced adversity and have had to overcome it. The tough days come in training and racing but it's how you deal with them is what really defines success. In 9 and 1/2 weeks all those Monday long rides, double sessions on Tuesdays and back to back weekends with 20+ mile runs will all payoff as I enter the finishers chute at IM Lake Placid.

Recovery is the key

So after 3 months of "Ironman" training I am finally getting how important recovery is. Include in that nutrition, rest, active recovery, and supplements and you have the part of Ironman training that is rarely discussed. Sure it pops up from time to time on blogs and various websites but I almost believe it is something you really need to figure out for yourself. It has taken me 3 months to realize that yes I can go out and nail a 20 mile run at 8 min/mi pace and then go out in the yard and work all day, but the end result of that is a buildup of fatigue that simple isn't going away. Every week the fatigue and muscle damage builds and builds until eventually it will get harder to hit my paces and my body will break down. All this has been a good lesson to learn, especially 3 months out from my A race. Any later and it would have no doubt had a major effect on my race.

1) Nutrition- Make sure you are getting plenty of quality calories from fruit, vegetables, and all the major food groups. A well rounded nutrition plan eliminates the need for a multi-vitamin and keeps your energy levels where they need to be to accomplish your training goals.

2) Rest- Short nights of sleep will drive your motivation to train in the ground. You will constantly be chasing that "fresh" feeling, using things like Red Bull and caffeine. Not to say these things can't be a great training aid and used occasionally to boost performance, but relying on them to just get through a training session is a sure sign that you need rest. Aim for at least 8 hours and remember to elevate your legs whenever possible for as long as possible.

3) Active Recovery- This is one of those things that is not for everyone but I feel is real important in keeping you in the game. I need to do something every day to feel connected to the training. If I miss a swim and go for any length of time without getting in the pool I seemingly forget how to swim. I know this is not true but this is how I feel. So even something as simple as a 15 to 20 swim on a off day can make me feel refreshed. They are no pressure sessions with not set goals but keep the body in tune with training. In my opinion a run can never be active recovery. Running is too taxing on the body and for most people the run is the biggest mental task of the 3 sports involved with training.

4) Supplements- This can be the key to putting together all the principles discussed above. Supplements are just that, an additional boost to ones training and aids in recovery of cells and muscles. I have used tons of different supplements for all different sports and have always felt they were a huge part of any plan. Supplements can be abused and they should not be relied on to be the end all be all. But make no mistake a good supplement, produced by a solid company can be huge in aiding in recovery. I would never recommend someone take a multi vitamin because I firmly believe these things should come from a well rounded nutritional plan, but things like Amino Acids, and electrolytes are things that one can not get from diet alone. The addition of these supplements combined with a well rounded diet is the key to success.

Bottom line is that all of these things need to be practiced on a daily basis in some form. From here on out I am making every effort to a) have well rounded nutrition b) rest my legs whenever and wherever I can c) keep my recovery sessions easy and light while working on good form and d) regular use of supplements to aid in recovery. All the swim, bike, and runs are nothing without practicing these additional principles.

Less than 3 months

Well everything has been crazy lately and I completely missed the 90 day countdown for Lake Placid. It just got really, really, real and I couldn't be happier. Training has gone very very well. I almost said surprisingly but so far the volume has been right about what I was putting in for my last 3 half Ironmans. That being said I am awaiting my next block of workouts from coach Beth and not really sure what to expect. I would think bike volume is gonna go through the roof and run and swim volume will have about a 10% increase. I think my base is really solid and I will be able to handle all the distances that Ironman throws at you, now the key is learning to pace the race, nail the nutrition and achieve my two major goals for the race.

The pacing will come with longer bricks and a solid race day at Rev3 Quassy. The nutrition has been a work in progress and is being assisted with great products by Base performance supplements, Odwalla bars and drinks, and of course using Ironman perform which will be on the course come race day. As for my race day goals, they are sub 12 hour overall time and to run the marathon portion in under 4 hours. Sub 12 was always a goal from day one and I feel it is really achievable with all the work I have put in. As for a sub 4 hour marathon, this goal came about from a article in Triathlete magazine that said only 10% of Ironman finishers are able to do this. And while I think a sub 12 hour time is very credible it would be the icing on the cake to nail both of these goals.

Heading into the last weekend of this block and think this is gonna be the first really nice weekend that I can bike and run outside. On tap is a 3k swim on Friday, 2 hours steady bike on Sat and finish it off with a 16 mile run at 8:10 avg pace on Sunday.

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.”