Kansas 70.3

Well it has been a while since I last posted and so I figured it was time to post my race report for Kansas 70.3.  It was a great weekend with my wife and kids and met some fantastic people.

Well we left for Kansas on Friday morning and decided to pull the camper down with us.  We only had a primitive camp site but figured we could score a full hookup site once we got down there.....wrong!!  Well the kids were pretty good on the drive down and didn't fuss too much.  I think we pulled into Clinton State Park around 2 pm so we decided to go get the campsite set up first before we did anything else.  Well we had a great corner campsite but absolutely "zero" shade.  We got everything unloaded and the camper set up and realized it was very hot outside.  I think it was 95 on Friday and that set the tone for what the weather was to be like for the entire weekend.  Well we were having some issues with the camper not being able to pull power off the of the battery for the toilet and lights but my friend Scott showed up and helped us out on that.....big shout out to him.  We decided to walk up to the Ironman tents and I got registered for the race and picked up my packet.  We got some nice things in the goodie bag....Kansas 70.3 backpack, t-shirt, snacks, posters, etc....about average really....I think for the race fee that you pay, it would have been alot better.  Another thing that I would have thought that there would have been "free" gatorade out there while you waited in the hot sun, especially since this was a gatorade event....wrong...oh well.  Well we toured the Ironman store and went back to the campsite.  We decided to go out for dinner at Old Chicago that night with Scott and we had a great time.  The kids were absolutely crazy and I'm sure Scott thought that they were as well but we had a good time.  By the time we got back to campsite it was around 8 pm and we decided to go to bed.  It was hot and muggy inside the camper but after a couple of hours it cooled down and turned out to be a pleasant night of sleeping.

Saturday:  Well got up early on Saturday, like normal, and I decided I would take my bike out for about a 10 mile ride just to check and be sure it was functioning properly.  Everything was great and Blaine at Xtreme Wheels, thanks for getting my bike ready on short notice...it worked fantastic.  After the ride, I decided to go through a short run and I think I ended up going about 2 miles and my legs were a little tight but figured they probably would be.  After that, we took the kids up to the playground and they played for a while.  Then we decided to go for a warm-up swim down at the beach.  They said "no swimming" at the race area so we had to go to the beach, which was a nice area.  Scott, me and my camping neighbor Brandon went down and got in a nice swim.  It was great to get that in.  Afterwards, Brandon and I went up to the mandatory race meeting and took all that in and then went over to the Army Helicopter that landed.....kids thought that was pretty cool.  After a trip (expensive) back through the Ironman Store, we took the kids back to the beach because they wanted to go swimming.  At this point, it was gettign very hot outside and was around 100 F and pretty sunny outside.  We lasted about an hour and the kids had a blast but it was time for me to get out of the heat and sun.  As we were leaving the beach, Jaxon fell asleep right away and by the time we got back tot he camper he was out...so we just decided to leave the truck running and let him sleep.  As hot as it was outside, all of us decided we would just do the same and sleep inside the truck.....man I would have killed for A/C in the camper at this point.  Everyone else napped but I didn't but I did relax some.  After a couple of hours, I decided I would take my bike down to the bike check in.  I was a short ride and I got my bike checked in and it was hard leaving it not knowing that if I would be forgetting somethign or not.  My spot was close to the water exit but then I would have a long run to get to the bike mount...oh well I guess that is how it goes.  It was a long walk back to the campsite and I walked through the vendors and chatted it up with the guy from Zipp.  He had a pair of 404 Carbon Clinchers and they were sweet....only if!!!!  Went back to camp and Jaxon was up and he was crying so I played with him for awhile and then we decided to go get dinner.  We cruised around the lake for a little bit and then decided to cruise through Lawrence since we haven't ever been there before.  We went by the campus and found the football stadium and it was a pretty cool town.  We ended up going to Applebees for dinner and the kids were much more behaved this time around.  Had a light dinner and then went and got some ice cream at DQ and talked with some athletes from KY...really nice people.  Well we made back to camp and it was still hot but starting to cool down.  Joni took the kids up and got showers and I packed all of my stuff for tomorrow's race and re-packed and re-packed.  I was very nervous about leaving something behind.  Got everything packed and then decided to hit the shower myself....it felt fantastic....went to sleep and then the winds picked up and howled all night long.  The temps dropped as well making for a nice cool sleep.

Sunday (Race Day):  Woke up around 4:30am and decided to head up and go to the bathroom, brush my teeth and put my contacts in.  It was a little cool out but not bad.  When I got back, Brandon was up and we were talking about not forgetting anything.  Carrie our other neighbor was also up and getting ready for the race.  We then heard over the loudspeaker that the water temp was 77.5, just under 78 making it a wetsuit legal race......sweet!!!  The three of us then headed for T2 where we were to put our run gear, then headed to T1 for the final preparations.  I loaded my water bottles, borrowed a pump from the guy next to me, and then checked and re-checked my stuff.  Figured I couldn't do much more so then took alook at the buoys in the water and man they looked really far away.  Ended up meeting the guys from TNT so we all got a group picture together and then I decided it was time for the bathroom.  I was getting really nervous.  Stood in line for about 20 mins and then when I was done I saw another guy I knew and chatted for a few minutes.  Saw my wife and kids and that felt great seeing them before I took off.  Such great support from my family.

Swim:  Put my wetsuit on and took a gel about 10 mins prior to race start.  Found out it was a treading water start and I was nervous because I have never done one of those before.  They were playing some great music to get everyone pumped up and then it was my swim wave's turn to go out int he water.  It took a few minutes to get out there so the treading wasn't too bad.  I was messing with my Garmin when the horn went off so I was a little unprepared.  I started on the right side of the buoys and towards the back and it turns out that was a perfect spot.  There really wasn't too many people to run over or get hit and was a pretty uneventful swim, except that the buoys kept coming and coming and i didn't think we were ever going to see the turnaround but then I finally did.  The orange and green buoys were easy to spot but the red ones were really hard to see.  THere was quite a bit of sun glare from the early morning sun as well.  I made the turnaround and headed back in and my stroke felt good.  I got to the dock and was a little disoriented so I walked out of the water and cost me some time.  My swim time was 41: XX.

T1:  What else is there to say other than I took my sweet time.  I thought there would be wetsuit strippers but there wasn't and so I was a little confused on how in the hell was I to get this wetsuit off of me.  I finally got it off after struggling.  Then I took my time looking thru my back, for what....I don't know, then I found my sunscreen and then took my time to pack my bag, etc......get the hell going....I finally left and it was a disaster gettign thru all of the bodies to mount line.  Time 5:4X.....way too long.

Bike:  I saw my wife and kids right as I was getting on the bike and that helped a little bit.  My legs felt great on the bike and I used the first 4-5 miles just to get some fluids and gels in my stomach.  AFter the big hill from the dam, I decided it was time to start getting it going.  I felt really good on the bike and felt strong.  i stayed in the big ring most of the time and really pushed it up the hills.  When we got to the first aid station, I about wiped out trying to get the gatorade from the volunteer....I was going way too fast coming into the aid station....then I struggled filling my aero bottle.....i had gatorade all over me, my handlebars and my bike....very sticky later on!!!  I proceeded on the course and then we came to a spot in the road where we had to slow way down.  It turns out someone had put oil on the road, so they were cleaning it up.  Not sure if that was a spill or from one of the locals that didn't like us racing on their roads.  If it was the latter, then that is a real shame.  Well I made it to the turnaround and I was feelign really good.  Started to get some hydrating going again so I slowed down while I was getting my nutrition.  I picked it back up and then we came to the next aid station. Much better this time, although I still felt I could have wiped out.  I went alot slower this time but grabbing a water bottle while moving is kind of hard.  The rest of the bike leg was pretty uneventful except for coming back up the dam.  Not sure the grade but it is very steep and I think I was moving at around 6 mph at one point up the hill but I made it to the top and then decided to cruise on in from there.  Really good bike leg for me.  Time 3:03...about 45 minutes faster than when we rode the course in April!!

T2:  Got off the bike and had a little trouble finding my bike and not remembering which side of the rack to go down.  Finally got it racked and started to put my socks on.  I had them rolled up but still took a little time to get them on.  Slid my shoes on and I should have been gone.  But I had a severe chaff mark under each arm from the swim and so I decided to put some cream on it.  Couldn't get the lid open but finally managed.  Grabbed my hat and gel and I was off......oops I don't like the way the gel is bouncing in my shirt so back to the rack to put my gel away.  Can't find my rack again....damn it this is taking forever.  Finally found my bike and threw my gel flask at the bike and then turned around and out to the exit.  Time 4:XX....should have been a quick exchange but again took forever....definitely some things to work on for next time.

Run:  First mile uphill and my legs were feeling okay.  The rest of my body was aching.  My lower back tightened up with about 10 miles left on the bike and I was still feeling that.  Once I got to the first aid at mile 1, I decided I would walk the aid station from front to back and this seemed to be the way it was goign to be for the entire run.  It was a 2 loop run around the campground basically flat with a couple of hills.  Lap one wasn't so bad and I was feeling decent.  I grabbed some sunscreen from my wife and some gel as I ran by our campsite and that helped.  Next time i will be taking gel packets with me on the run.  The aid stations were great with music and fantastic volunteers.  At this point in the race I didn't want any more Gatorade.  I would still take some to keep my electrolytes up but was mostly drinking water and ice.  It was very hot and not very much shade.  I was stopping at every aid station to cool down and that helped but not for long.  The 2nd loop was the worst.  I tried taking my endurolytes to keep my system in check but I was just having a hard time keeping my feet moving forward.  The last 2 miles of the course seemed to be the longest.  I took a stop at the aid station about 300 meters from the finish line and I saw my wife and kids.  That helped me get to the finish.  It was a hot run and one of my worst to date.  Time:  2:11:xx...

Overall:  6:06:xx and I was pleased with the time as I was just wanting 7 hours and a finish.  It was a hot and miserable day but one that I look back on and I really enjoyed it despite the pain and misery I was feeling.  I will be back next year to try and improve my performance and be a little more prepared for the event.  It was a great time with my family and met some new friends.

4 weeks Left

Sorry, but I've been a little busy the last few weeks so I haven't updated my blog.  We are halfway through week 5 and so basically about a month left until raceday.  I am getting a little bit nervous as I have never gone this distance before but my body seems to be adjusting to all of the training.  The last couple of weeks have been great training weeks.  I have averaged around 9.5 hrs the last 3 weeks of training and would have hit 10.5 last week if I wouldn't have missed a swim.

I am still a little worried about run training.  It isn't coming along as nicely as I would have hoped but I did manage to get in a 13 mile run last week, so I am there.  I am running the CB Half Marathon in a couple of weeks, so that should give me an idea of where I stand.  Probably won't run it lightning fast just a comfortable pace to allow me to get back to training within a few days.  My wife is planning the run as well, so I will probably end up running with her. 

I'm in recovery week this week, so not a lot of volume and just enough to keep the body / mind moving.  Sometimes we get caught up so much with the miles and numbers in training that when you do get a slow week, you tend to feel that you are not doing anything.  Well I am sticking with the plan, so I will just have to deal with it. 

7 Weeks

7 weeks remain to train prior to race day at Kansas 70.3.  My friend Jason and I went down to the race location this past weekend for the free tri clinic which included riding the bike course.  The clinic was great as they previewed the entire race course and gave us tips to use during the day.  The bike ride was hillier than I expected but the roads were in really good shape.  The wind was at our backs for most of the way out and then as we turned around it smacked us right in the face.  Everything was going fine until around mile 30 and I got a flat tire.  What I thought was a leaf on the ground was actually a river rock and of course as I was looking at it .... my tire went right over it causing an instant flat.  It took us about 10 minutes to change the tire, which I thought was pretty good considering I have never changed a tire before.  I learned all of the intricasies of using the CO2 and how to get the tire on the rim properly....good experience.

The wind was definitely a factor on the way back.  I think around mile 40, Jason hit the wall.  He hasn't done much bike training, as he is preparing for the the HyVee race (25 mile bike).  I think the bike was starting to catch up to him but he did a great job to press on and finish the course.  He is a natural athlete so that said alot about him coming out and doing the 56 mile bike ride.  There were 2 large hills at the end of the course and they were quite challenging but getting to see the entire course was nice and should help come race day.

After we returned from the bike, we decided we would try one loop of the run course.  Once we got started, it took about a mile or so before the legs would loosen up.  I think we decided to call it quits at around the 3 mile mark....it was a nice brick workout though!!!  We definitely took the time to stretch (something I need to do more of) due to the 4 hour ride home.  It was a great experience and I am looking forward to racing in 7 weeks.  We have signed up for camping spot so the entire family will be going down there with me this year.  The kids should have a great time and I am looking forward to spending the weekend with them.

Happy Training!!

Recovery Week.....Yay!!!

Well I made it to recovery week and I am very excited about that.  Last week I had a bike focused week and it went great.  That is probably my weakest area from last season and I have made the commitment to get better.  I had a great off-season riding the trainer and haven't seemed to be able to take that pacifier out yet...until today...I finally made the jump to get my new bike outside.  It felt great to get my new Cervelo on the road (although the road was a mine field of potholes).  It was windy but it is always windy.  I didn't go that far (12 miles) because, hey, I am in recovery week, so my volume is supposed to down!!

Learning to use the aero bars and drink from a bottle on my tri bike is going to take some time getting used to.  I am really excited about the upcoming tri season and learning the intricasies of my new bike.  I am intrigued to learn about bike maintenance...(and I am not a wrench guy)...!! 

Last week I logged about 9.5 hrs of training and it felt great.  Trying to not sacrifice family time is tough, but my time management skills are getting better.  Getting the early morning swims out of the way has been really nice and I am usually utilizing my lunch for a run or bike.  My wife is training for a half marathon, so we have to coordinate our schedules to be sure we are maximizing our time and not affecting the kids.  Going well so far.

On a family note, the Easter bunny stopped by and he was really good to both Emma and Jaxon.....lots of candy, movies, new socks, etc.....I think the kids thought Santa was coming too!!!

I am off to my Recovery Week....good luck in your training!!

Training Update

Its been a few weeks since I last posted and the training has been going well.  Following my plan as best as I can but there have been a few interuptions but that happens and I'm not going to worry about it.  I did take a few days off last week because we went to the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Tournament in Omaha.  It was a great time and too bad the Cyclones didn't have a better tournament but they finished strong and ended up with a 3rd place trophy.  Getting back on the training was tough after drinking 16 oz Budweisers for 3 days!!!  This week is a run focused training week for me so the bike segment is a little down as well as the swimming.  My swim yesterday was terrible and I just didn't feel comfortable in the water.  It was another speed work day and I have come to not like those as much...I am not a fast swimmer and I think trying to be really throws my stroke mechanics out of whack.  I did an interval based run yesterday for an hour and the speed work "was" a nice change of pace for me as I typically just run at a certain pace for a certain time.  During my 6 minute intervals, I managed to start at 8:30 and work my way down to 7:30 by the end.  Legs were tired from the swim that day but overall it was a good training day and ended on a positive note.  Speaking of positives, I finally had a swimming breakthrough today.  My plan called for 2x1200 but the pool doesn't open early enough to get that amount in, so I thought I would swim for a mile if possible.  Once I got in the pool, I was still a little panicky from the day before.  I finally settled into my stroke after about 200 meters and was smooth sailing after that.  Once I got to 2000, I wanted to go further but I was starting to get to the end of my time limit, so I had to get out and get showered and head to work.....breakthrough day for me in the pool today. 

Today's swim is giving me confidence that I can complete the swim in the Kansas HIM that is still 10 weeks away.....hopefully that carries over to the other areas as well. 

Good Week of Training!!!

Its been a great week of training this week.  After the long layoff of wrestling season, this has been a really great week of training.  Got in some good runs on the treadmill and a couple of good biking sessions.  The one thing that I am really happy about is my swimming.  I got in the pool twice this week and it was great to finally get my stroke back.  It means getting up at 4:30 am but that means I don't have to miss family time to get my swims in.  I think this is shaping up to be a great tri season this year and I am looking forward to more training and getting some quality races in this year. 

Early Morning Swim......ugggh!!!

Well I decided the only way for me to get my swimming back was, well.....to get back in the water.  Since we live in the middle of nowhere (swim wise) I decided to join the YMCA in Red Oak, about 25 miles from home.  My plan is to be at the Y at 5:00 am, get in the pool by 5:15, workout done by 6:00, shower and on the road to work by 6:15, this should put me at work around a little before 7.  Well day one was yesterday and my alarm went off at 4:15 am and my wife was a little than less than impressed.  I finally got up around 4:30 and on the road by 4:40.  I got to the Y and much to my suprise there were already half dozen cars in the parking lot.  Well all in all, there were about 12 people swimming laps at the same time.  It was very busy but it was nice to get the swim in.

Once I got back to work, I could barely keep my eyes open all day long.  It was a long day and hopefully that will get better once I get used to my swimming schedule.  To top it off, I got in an hour bike ride at night when the kids went to bed.  My legs felt great and it was the best I have felt on my bike in a while.  Once I finished I showered and was wide awake.  It was amazing that I couldn't keep my eyes open all day but after another workout, then I was good to go.

Starting to get used to my tri training again and am at the point that I am enjoying every minute of it.  Can't wait for race season to get here so when you can see how much you have improved.