in the pain cave...
Won the overall today by 4 seconds. Rode a 25:38 20k time trial, which is a 29.09 mph average speed. That crushes my time from the previous month by about 1min30secs. I focused using a lower cadence of about 90 rpm. My usual time trial cadence is closer to 97 rpm.
Feeling so fortunate to be able to ride and enjoy the outdoors in this way!
Woke up at 3 AM to eat breakfast and get ready to race. I slept very well and was feeling good. Breakfast consisted of 2 cups cooked white rice with honey and dried cranberries. I also ate a banana and half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After eating I loaded the car and L and I were soon driving to Oceanside.
Once there, I set up T2 (bike to run transition) and then proceeded to T1 (swim to bike transition). On the way l, I picked up a goathead sticker in my rear tire and flatted. Nytro Bike Shop had a few mechanics in T1 and they quickly changed he tube and had me on my way. However, I couldn’t help but wonder if that was forshadowing how my day would go.
I quickly set up my bike in transition and focused on staying warm, eating/drinking a bit more, and making sure to put on sunscreen and get my number written on my left arm and calf.
Before I knew it, I was in the water and waiting for the countdown. I lined up in the front row on the outside of the course and focused on trying to swim evenly instead of trying to follow the initial acceleration that usually happens.
At the horn, I swam a hard but steady pace. I quickly reached the turnaround which was at the end of Oceanside Harbor and exposed to the large southern swell that was hitting SoCal beaches. It felt like I was swimming hills until I was able to return to the more protected inner waters in the harbor. The rest of the swim was mostly about not running into people and getting kicked/hit as I had caught the slower swimmers from age groups that started earlier.
I felt really good coming out of the water and posted my fastest 70.3 swim in 32:XX. I raced to transition and was quickly on my bike.
The theme of the bike ride was “On your left!” My age group started in the 21st wave of 24 total groups. I was constantly passing people and yelling that so they knew I was coming around and they wouldn’t veer into me.
I felt amazing on the bike and knew I was riding fast, but when I pulled into T2 and posted a 2:17:44 bike time (24.39 mph avg speed), I was shocked. That time was good for best amateur bike on the day and was over 7 minutes faster than the next closest person in my age group. Little did I know, but I had ridden into 1st place in my age group and had a 7 minute lead.
I quickly transitioned into my runnung shoes and was on to the run course. My legs felt really good coming off the bike, but i wanted to try and negative split the run so I stayed conservative. I was running high 6 min to low 7 min pace and feeling good.
I hit mile 7, though, and the wheels started coming off. My stomach was getting sloshy, my kidneys hurt, and my legs were cramping. I needed salt badly. I drank as much sport drink as I could stand to get salt quickly. Sadly, I didn’t have any supplements with me.
I fought to the finish line, walking for about 10 seconds per mile and running the rest. My pace slowed to the high 7 minute to low 8 minute range and my hamstrings/glutes were locking up.
Before long though, the pain was over as I crossed the finish line in 4:48:XX. That was good for 14th in my age group and 151 overall. This is also a new 70.3 PR by about 35 minutes.
Any ideas on which one to do next?
20k Time Trial on 3/6:
Big effort today. Wasn’t expecting much, but ended up winning my age group with a 26:58. That is a 27+ mph average speed. Was really surprised I went that well. Next time I need to pace better though. The first lap around the island was much faster than lap 2 or 3.
Great day for Team ViaSat too. METAL and the Animal won their age groups too.
Went into this race with a very clear head and not really expecting too much. Woke up at 4:30 to eat a good breakfast. I had a cup of brown rice with honey and dried cranberries and a bottle of sport drink.
As a warmup, found the start line and ran in the opposite direction of the race for about a 1/2 mile, used a secret bathroom, and ran back. I did some dynamic stretching to open up the hips and then found my place in the crowd about 6 rows from the start line.
The race started quickly with a 5:3X first mile downhill and I quickly settled into a more sustainable pace around 6:30/mile. I planned to work extra hard in the first half of the race because that is where most of the 800+ feet of climbing were. I worked the uphills really hard and then focused on recovering downhill. Pace on the ups was around 7:00/mile and the downs were around 6:20/mile.
Once over the last hill befoe the San Dieguito reservoir I knew I was having a great day. I was more than halfway done, had great legs, and was only about 44 minutes into the race. The last 4 miles of the race felt very hard though.
The last hill that climbs up to the top of Via de Fortuna was brutal and my legs felt heavy all the way back down the hill. I was fighting my head a lot and refused to let myself walk. My pace was decreasing into the high 6 min range but I kept pushing.
On the last climb to the finish, my legs were on fire. Every step felt like needles in my quads and glutes. It was nice to see L just a 1/4 mile from the finish andit gave me the extra kick I needed.
I finished with a new course and half marathon PR of 1:28:30! Thit is about 7 mins faster than my previous best. I’d say the run base building I did in December and January is really paying off.
Stoked on this huge improvement and excited about the next adventures!
2011 was a great year! I accomplished many sporting goals, traveled to many new cities, visited 5 different national parks, started a new job, and landed myself a spot on a team competing in an epic trans-continental race (more on that later).
If you missed it: 2011 in Review: Part 1 — Sports
I love(!) to travel. 2011 was wonderful because I was able to go to many places I’ve always wanted to check out, including:
Zion National Park
I traveled to Utah in May to race in the 2011 Ironman St. George triathlon. The landscape is phenomenal and includes mountains, deserts, rivers, snow, ancient volcanos and lava flows, and the famous red rocks. The race course started in a freshwater reservoir filled by snow runoff (very cold swim!), rode my bike right by an ancient lava field, the gorgeous Snow Canyon, and finally up into the mountains north of St. George where I passed ancient volcanos on the screaming descent back into town. The race finished with a run onto the high red cliffs that tower over the town.
The next 2 days after the race were spent in Zion National Park with family who traveled to see me race. Zion is amazing! This park belongs on the to-do list of every outdoors lover. There is something about the canyon, river, high red cliffs, and wilderness that is inspiring. It left me awestruck.
Rocky Mountain National Park
I had two great trips to Colorado. The first was in July for a wedding that occurred in Estes Park, CO. Estes Park was a great little town, but was definitely a tourist trap. However, I had a great time spending nights sleeping in a cabin by Fall River, and the days hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. I was able to hike/run over 40 miles of trails in the short time I was in Estes Park. It is an amazingly beautiful place that I must get back to. The views were incredible and the hiking/running was some of the best I’ve ever done.
Garden Of The Gods
In August, I had the fortune of racing Ironman Boulder 70.3 with some amazing people. I met up with friends in Colorado Springs where we rode bikes in Garden of the Gods Park. Be sure to check out Colorado Springs Bike Shop if you are in need of anything “bike”. My bike arrived through FEDEX with a bent rear derailleur hanger and those guys were able to get me on my way again.
Colorado Springs is a cool spot. It has everything you could want/need to live an active outdoor lifestyle and is the home of USA Triathlon and USA Cycling. It has a great small-town feel and is only about an hour or two away from Denver. I would love to spend more time there. The crew left Colorado Springs and headed for Boulder, CO after 2 nights.
Boulder is a great spot right on the front range of the Rockies. So far, it’s been one of the few places that I left thinking “I could live here,” especially since I’m so spoiled in Southern California. There are seemingly endless adventures, hikes, bike rides, runs, and other activities that would keep me occupied year round. Additionally, it is amazingly beautiful. I found it to be an interesting mix of mountain landscape and prairie. The only problem is that my experience with snow has not been great, especially once I’m behind the wheel of a vehicle. I can’t imagine having to deal with it for several weeks/months at a time.
Boulder Reservoir on Ironman 70.3 Race Morning
The food and bike culture in Boulder is incredible. There are bike lanes everywhere, and I never once ate a bad meal. All the food was well above average and people with alternate eating lifestyles will easily find happiness there.
Check out more photos from Estes Park, Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Rocky Mountain National Park
Over Labor Day weekend, I had a fantastic trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. This trip was all about relaxation and enjoying the fact that I didn’t have a race to train for. I spent time hiking, trail running, bathing in rivers after the hikes and runs, and generally enjoying myself.
High Mountain Lake in the Sierra Nevada
Sequoia is all about the trees. Giant Sequoia trees are amazing. My jaw was on the ground when I first saw them. All you have to do is look at the pictures to understand. However, despite the great trees, there are many other amazing activities. One of the best hikes I’ve ever been on started out of Sequoia. I saw a bear, swam in a high mountain lake (above 10,000 ft), and got to spend one of my favorite days ever with my wife.
Kings Canyon was all about, you guessed it, the canyon. It is hard to appreciate the massiveness of the landscape, both from the top rim of the canyon and from the bottom of it near the river that helped cut the rock. I must visit this place again!
Check out more photos from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
In September, I visited Portland, Oregon. I had never been to the Pacific Northwest before, and was really excited. I visited great friends, drank amazing beer, ate great food, and had more coffee in a single weekend than I ever had before.
Run at Forest Park in Portland, OR
My very favorite part of the trip, besides getting to see friends, was running in Forest Park. Forest Park is a densely wooded area in the middle of the city. It has hundreds of miles of soft trails under a thick canopy. The day I want running, there was a great misty fog that settled in the trees and hills of the park. To date, it is my favorite run that I’ve ever done. It was made even better by the fact that I got to share it with my wife.
Check out more photos from the places that didn’t make the blog. They are still amazing!
2011 was a great year! I accomplished many sporting goals, traveled to many new cities, visited 5 different national parks, started a new job, and landed myself a spot on a team competing in an epic trans-continental race (more on that later).
After breaking several bones in a mountain bike crash in late 2010, I did the unthinkable and signed up for Ironman St. George 2 weeks later. That left me only 6 months to train and prepare, assuming I was fully healed from my injuries.
I completed the Ironman in 15 hours, 22 minutes, and change on May 7, 2011. Despite achieving my goal and finishing the race, the best part of the Ironman experience was all of the accomplishments, new friendships, and appreciation that I gained in the months leading up to the event.
During that time, I set a personal best in the Carlsbad Half Marathon (1hr35mins; ~7:12/mile), Superseal Olympic Triathlon (2hrs10mins; took almost 15 mins off of my time from the previous year while finishing 7th in my age group), and logged 227hrs47mins of training time from 12/1/2010 to 5/7/2011.
I also had the great fortune of meeting and training with many new and old friends. They are all amazing athletes and very motivating, inspirational people. Thanks to all of you for your guidance and inspiration.
Lastly, while training for Ironman, I learned to really appreciate my surroundings: the people, the places, the food, and everything else that I too often overlook. I came out of the Ironman experience a more enlightened person.
In addition to Ironman St. George, I had a few more notable races, including my first age-group podium at the Solana Beach Triathlon on 7/24/2011 where I came in 3rd place and took almost 4-and-a-half minutes off my time from the previous year. In a race that lasts less than an hour, that is a large gain in speed. My last major race of the year was at Ironman Boulder 70.3 with some amazing friends.
I’ll write more about my travels to Boulder in Part 2, but the short version is that I really like it there. The triathlon was held at the Boulder Reservoir on a very warm, and windy day. I had a good swim, great bike, and not-so-fun run (really a walk) and logged my slowest Ironman 70.3 time to date. The best part, though, was getting to race and explore the town with several good friends.
Look for 2011 in Review: Part 2 – Travel in the next few days.
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