Jason's Build-Up to Ironman

Ironman Louisville Race Report

2008-09-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Louisville is a great, up and coming town. It’s been four years since the downtown area has been undergoing a revitalization. This town has got a lot of energy and there were a ton of activities going on and around the city un-related to Ironman. We got to visit some great places like the Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville Slugger Factory, and a very cool museum/restaurant called Proof.

Pre-Race:
4:15 am. My pre-race meal consisted of two bottles of Ensure and one banana. I took a Gatorade Endurance with me for the two mile walk to the swim start. Ben and I walked to transition together pumped our tires up, put bottles and nutrition on our bikes, and headed south to the swim start.

The swim start area in Louisville is a narrow channel that starts between an island and some boat docks. Therefore it’s impossible to put 2000 athletes in the water at the same time. Unlike most Ironman races, Louisville is a time trial start; each athlete lines up one after the other, crosses the timing mat, and hops into the water to begin the race. They estimated it would take 45 minutes to put all athletes into the water. We wanted to be closer to the front and it turns out, Ben and I were in the water 18 minutes after the 7am start.

Swim:
The shape of the swim course looks like the letter “J” as you start by swimming south in the Ohio River around Towhead Island before turning north. At the pre-race briefing, Lance Watson suggested that for the .75 mile initial portion of the swim to keep the turnover in our strokes a little higher because of a small current in the channel between the island and shore. I took his advice and had a great start to my swim, passing many swimmers and plugging away. As we started to pull away from the island and closer to the turn-around point, you could feel the current working against you. I got to the turn-around and had to choose whether to swim closer to the middle of the river or near the shore line where the buoys were lined up. Lance Watson noted that at a camp he hosted a month prior to Ironman, he had two groups of athletes swimming 1) near the shore, and 2) in the middle of the river. The athletes in the middle of the river were moving faster. I chose to go close to the middle but I could see athletes even further towards the middle of the river off to my right. We had to swim underneath three bridges and underneath each bridge, you could feel a small current working against you as the water bounced between the pilings. It didn’t feel like my goggles were on too tight but after awhile I had to move the muscles in my face and squint a bit to relieve some pressure from the goggles. That seemed to help and I kept plugging away. I exited the water and heard the cheers from my family and Ben’s then ran to the Great Lawn and T1. A volunteer handed me my race bag and I headed for the changing tent. I pulled my Blue Seventy Speed Suit all the way off put some Assos chamois cream inside my shorts and headed to my bike. I put on my Spiuk Time Trial Helmet, sunglasses, and off I went, shoes on my bike. As I ran to my bike, I saw fellow triathletes, Reid Keiser and Scott Baldwin on the sidelines cheering me on. It was great to see and hear those guys.
Swim Time: 1:10:10 (1:50/100m pace)
T1 Time: 2:20

Bike:
The first 20 miles of the bike is fairly flat, fast, and moderately rolling as it takes you along the banks of the Ohio River south towards Oldham County. There is an out-and-back section that breaks up the terrain around mile 10 with some short climbs that felt like ant hills compared to my training rides. I kept my wattage in check for the 1st hour of the bike; average watts: 173, average speed 21.1 mph.

After the first 20 miles or so you link onto the La Grange Loop which takes you through some beautiful horse farms in Oldham County. Though, I didn’t see many horses, I enjoyed the rolling terrain and smooth roads along the loop. The small town of La Grange puts on an Ironman Festival like you wouldn’t believe and encourages spectators to come out. This was a great spot to break up the monotony of the ride. This was a highlight of the ride as we would pass this area twice on the loop. I drew motivation from the cheers of the crowds. Rows of spectators lined the streets of La Grange as the noises of cheering and cow bells filled the air. I saw my family and Ben’s again as they were able to take the courtesy shuttle to La Grange.

My on-the-bike nutrition consisted of: 1-650 calorie aero bottle of Infinit on my down tube, constantly filling up on water in my aero bottle between my aerobars, an occasional packet of GU, and 1-3 Thermolyte tablets per hour. I threw away my 650 calorie aero bottle at my special needs bag on mile 66 and grabbed another bottle with the same mixture for the rest of the way. Let me just say that the profile aero drink bottle, while a good concept, is a piece of crap. The flapper that is supposed to keep liquid from splashing up into your face and legs fell down into the bottle. I must have spent a majority of the ride continuously sticking my finger inside to pull it back up only to have it fall back down when I hit a bump in the road. Finally it flew off my bike so I no longer had to worry about it.

I don’t know why but I was unable to keep my wattage near my goal watts and I was significantly below where I should have been. My FTP is 265 and my goal wattage was 172-198. I ended up with an average of 157 for the entire ride. I didn’t sweat it too much if I undershot my goal as I felt good the entire ride and averaged 20.4 mph for the entire ride. I knew my legs were going to feel good getting off the bike and running strong was more important than my bike split. Interestingly enough, my powermeter read 113 miles for the ride. Go figure. I took my shoes off as I approached transition and set my feet on top of them as I pedaled the last hundred yards in. At the dismount area I threw my leg over the side and handed my bike to a volunteer, grabbed my run gear bag, and headed into the changing tent. I made it a point to turn my Garmin 305 on first to give it a little more time for the satellites to upload. I put on socks, shoes, took another dispenser of thermolyte tablets, put on my hat, and was out the door for the run course.

Bike time: 5:29:06, (20.42 mph)
T2 time: 3:36

Run:

I got going on the run and I was feeling the effects of the heat a bit and the long ride but overall, I felt pretty good. My legs felt a little crampy getting off the bike but I think it was due more to the heat than anything. I took 2 thermolyte tablets at the first aid station and found myself easily running a sub-8 min mile pace. I had to force myself to slow down. Rich Strauss from Endurance Nation was great. He was on a bike and rode up next to me. He simply told me to “slow down” for the first 6 miles. I knew this already but I needed to hear it again as my legs just wanted to run. The Garmin was a great tool for this point in the race as I had to force myself to slow down. You do a short out and back on one of the bridges during the first few miles before getting onto the main run course. It was hot. I took water, sponges, and ice at the first aid station and doused myself to cool down.

As we approached the downtown area, I saw an electronic bank sign that read ninety-two degrees. Along the route there are places where you can run in the shade along the curb and near the trees. The draw back is the road is canted there and the amount of shade wasn’t enough most of the time to make it worth it. Kevin Kunkel passed me around mile 3-4 and we both gave each other words of encouragement.

I saw Rich again and he told me to hold it back until mile 6. I was grateful to have him there and it gave me something to focus on. I feared I wasn’t holding back quite enough on those first 6 miles however. I picked up my pace after six miles and I think I made a mistake at this point as I felt the effects of trying to go a little faster. I was feeling good until about mile 8 and whatever it was; the heat, the distance, just got to me. For the middle 8 miles, I was suffering but still plugging along. At that point, I was just trying to get from aid station to aid station to cool myself off. Those aid stations were little oasis’s in the heat of the day. I was grabbing water, cola, or gatorade at each aid station and pouring water and ice all over myself. Rich rode by me once again and told me I was 15th in my age group and to not slow down.

Going back into downtown Louisville, I started to feel a resurgence as the cheers from the crowds and seeing friends and loved ones again, gave me an extra boost. I didn’t start my watch at the beginning of the race on purpose so I had no idea of how I was doing on my total time for the day. I caught up to Kevin again. He was walking and not in a good place. He said he was cramping whenever he ran. He later pulled ahead of me again briefly, only to stop and dry heave on the side of the road as I passed him. There were a TON of people walking. The heat, poor pacing, or what have you was taking it’s toll on the majority of the field.

I made it a point after the turn around at mile 13 that I would only walk briefly at the aid stations to take down fluid. Other than brief moments at the aid stations to take fluid down, I never walked the entire race. As I approached mile 16, I was in my zone, focused, and determined. I told myself not to slow down. Making matters worse however was a blister on the left ball of my foot that started at about….oh, mile 3 and was quite painful. I took heart that I was nearing the end and told myself to suck it up and not let it get to me.
With 4 miles to go, I started to kick it in and good lord did an 8:30 pace feel hard and anything below that feel like sprinting. I saw the buildings from downtown Louisville drawing closer and closer and finally I made the left and right turn down the homestretch. 4th Street Live has got to be one of the best finish lines EVER. It’s a busy street lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars and filled with energy. Again, I had no idea what my time was and I wasn’t about to let up at that point so I gave it a good effort the last two blocks. The clock time read 10:58 but that included the 10’ professional buffer and I didn’t know how long it had taken me to get into the water at the start. I estimated my time to be around 10:45-10:48. They took me over to the Kentucky Convention Center to medical where I would get some treatment for the blisters on my feet. They set me down right next to Heather Gollnick who was getting and IV and not looking too good. She waved to me and I smiled back.

Total Run Time: 3:55:03 (8:58/mile pace)
Total Race Time: 10:40:15, 72nd overall, 14th in the M30-34 AG.

Kona Roll Down the following day:

I’ve been to Kona as a lottery winner and I would like to get there as a qualifier. I had a good race but not quite good enough to get to Kona. However, I wanted to show up, cross my fingers, and just enjoy even being remotely close enough to stay for roll down. As it turned out three out of the four slots had been taken already for my age group. Only one slot remained. It rolled down to 6th place who finished with a 10:25. My goal time was 10:15-10:30 but I was happy with my race. I put together a smart race and I ran well off the bike. I know I need to continue to get stronger in the run to get closer to my goal. It was a 48’ P.R. for me over my 2005 race at Ironman Canada. Who cannot be ecstatic about that? I made some tremendous break throughs in training this year and I intend to continue that into next year after some much needed rest.

Special thanks to:
My family for their support. Rich Strauss from Endurance Nation, Eric Sorensen, Pete Warner, Catherine Freck, and Mike Flanagan, and last but not least my good friend Ben Britton for their advice, suggestions, humor, and friendship. It makes all the difference in the world to share your accomplishment with people that care about you. My mom handed me my phone and I had a bunch of text messages, voicemails, and e-mails congratulating me and letting me know they watched me finish on the live streaming video. Even though I knew they were probably watching, I was touched. I'm not going to list all the names but you you know who you are...THANK YOU.

New Pics

2008-08-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, my training is getting pretty boring and much less interesting to talk about as the volume drops WAY down this week for everything. Today, I packed up a bunch of gear. Cleaned, tuned up, and lubed my bike. My race wheels came in from www.racedaywheels.com. They sent me the wrong front wheel but it's ok because he's gonna knock off some $ from the price of the rental. Check out the pictures of my on-the-bike race set-up. Everything I've been talking about lately is on there for you to see. It is no longer a bicycle...it is a MISSILE.

6 days and counting...

2008-08-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

Oooh...got a new toy for the race today. A Garmin Forerunner 305 wrist computer. This thing is pretty cool for distance running, especially long stuff like a marathon. It gives you your current pace/mile which is going to be extremely helpful during the first few miles of the marathon. You see, you think after 112 miles of cycling that your legs will be dead when you start running but usually they are not. In fact, in most cases you will start running much faster than the speed you intend to hold for the entire marathon in those first few miles. This is where you can either make or break your race. I intend to force myself to slow down for the first three miles and keep the pace a conservative 8:30-8:45/mile. After 3 miles, my plan is to pick it up to a steady pace, 8:00-8:20/mile and hold on for dear life. At one point, this steady pace will become difficult and then my Garmin will be my "whip" as it keeps me on track and on pace for my goal.

My four keys to success for Ironman Louisivlle::
1) The race is about execution not fitness
2) The "race" doesn't officially begin until mile 18 of the marathon
3) Race in a "box" only controlling what you can control
4) When things get tough and you start to question why you're doing this, have one thing to focus on to get you out of that rut. For me that thing is: "redemption." It's been a tough last couple years; relationships, career, questioning the path I have chosen, questioning many things in life. I'm in a different place now, a better place and I intend for this race to be my exclamation point.

I had my last appointment before Louisville with one of my chiropractors, Daniel Hockstra. He worked on my hamstring, IT band, and lower back. He also Kinesio Taped my hamstring. Kinesio tape is the same stuff Kerri Walsh had on her shoulder in the Olympics. It helps to support and aid an injured area.

Tomorrow...I get my race wheels from www.racedaywheels.com My Zipp Sub-9 Disc rear wheel with Power Tap and 808 Front wheel. The Zipp Sub-9 Rear wheel is the first wheel to show negative drag numbers in the wind tunnel and 10-15 degrees of YAW. What does all that mean: it actually helps propel you forward at a certain angle of wind, which equals greater time savings, and FREE speed; )

Bib # 592

2008-08-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

They released everyone's Bib numbers for the race today. I am # 592. I can be tracked using the link in the right hand column of my blog here or at www.ironmanlive.com

Workout Log:

Swim: 2400 yds. (300 Easy, 300 Pull, 300 Pull + Swim Snorkel, 2 x 100 drills, 10 x 50 Fast on :60", 2 x 200 Build speed every 50, 2 x 100 Build every 25, 200 cool down).

Bike: N/A
Run: N/A

Dear Kharma Rebate Center...

2008-08-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Kharma Rebate Center...I have spread more than my fair share of good Kharma around lately: helping out all weekend last week at two triathlons. Rescuing frightened, unsure swimmers, guiding them between the buoys and safe shores. Filling up cups of water and directing bike/run traffic to insure safety. Helping out a Starbucks employee who will be out of work for a couple of months due to surgery. Giving a ride to a husband and son who were walking from their hotel to see his wife race. Helping a friend shop for a bike. I've been a good guy and then some. It would be nice if I could redeem it all on Sunday, August 31st at about 7am when I am swimming in the Ohio River at Ironman Louisiville: )

Ah...today. What a nice relaxing Sunday. Well, almost. I still got up early to watch the all female Iron Girl Triathlon in Columbia, MD. I had 4 clients and a few friends racing today and it was nice to be able to watch and cheer for them. This sport has grown so much since I started back in 1997. I could count all the triathletes in the area on two hands back then. Now I see as many tri-bikes as I do road bikes riding around. Thanks to Lance Armstrong and now Michael Phelps, the sport is going bananas with participation. I love it.

I spent today icing, stretching, and doing e-stim on my hamstring IT band. It's feeling good but I might race with a compression sleeve I bought today. I was also busy getting equipment ready and setting aside things I intend to take Thursday morning.

The extended forecast for next Sunday in Louisville is 87 degrees with a low of 67, clear and sunny. 87 is cool for Louisville so I will take it. No word on water temps yet but most of us were counting on a non-wetsuit swim. No worries. I will be swimming in my Blue Seventy Speedsuit that is not that far off to a wetsuit.

It was great that the Olympics were on during these last few weeks of training. It's been so inspirational and motivational. I think folks that aren't athletic are nicer during times like these. We had a few more drivers give us space and not try to blow us off the road during the last few weeks. Hopefully next Sunday I will bring home some gold of my own: )

Tracking Me on race day, August 31st

2008-08-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, everyone. I can be tracked live next Sunday, August 31st by going to www.ironmanlive.com or the link below. The good news is that you can leave, go do whatever it is you do on a Sunday, come back the site, and I will still be going, lol: ) Simply go to athlete tracker and type my name in: Jason Goyanko. You should see the last time checkpoint I've gone through. Also, there should be a live video feed for the finish line so if you're so inclined, you can watch me finish. My goal time is around the low 10 hour mark and the race starts at 7am so if you're trying to time it, I hope to be finishing somewhere between: 5 and 5:30pm. If I haven't finished by then, most likely I am having a rough day out there and you're prayers and good kharma will be welcomed.

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/louisville/?show=about

One more ride...

2008-08-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Eva threw me a birthday party/good luck party at her house last night. It was a nice surprise. When it comes to wealth in family and friends, I am a rich man. Ok, on to training ; )

Ben and I did our last ride today. I wanted to pick a route that was similar in terrain to Louisville so we drove out to Old Town Leesburg and pushed off from there. The plan was to do a 2-2.5 hour ride at race pace, wattage, equipment, etc. The both of us geeked out in our race singlets, aero helmets, and appropriate nutrtion provisions. Can you believe this weather? It hardly feels like August.

Immediately, I set the pace at a steady effort and kept a close watch on our efforts during the rolling hills and short climbs. We both exclaimed how good we felt and how easy riding seemed to be today. About 40 miles into our ride, Ben said: "You're the best coach in the world. You've made my legs tough by pushing me to climb Mount Weather, Taylorstown, Stumptown, and Sugarloaf Mountain. This feels like nothing." I smiled and told him Thank you and that we would both have good races.

Total Time: 2:20:57
Mileage: 47.68 miles
Average Power: 187 Watts
Normalized Power: 194 Watts
Average Speed: 20.2 mph

We finished our ride with a speedy transition into a 20' run. Easy out and steady back. I asked Ben what kind of pace we were running off the bike and he said, he was running faster than he should be. I asked again: "how fast are we running right now." He said 7:45/mile. The good news is that it felt easy and I quickly slowed down as I will on race day the first three miles. We were still moving at an 8:15 clip after slowing down and finished at a 7:15 pace coming in. The running itself felt easy. However, I did feel my left hamstring/IT band tighten up again half way through the run. I can tell it's getting better but I'm a little frustrated it's still lingering. It appears to have move up my leg and to the side, just below my hip. I will keep up the efforts to ice, massage, stretch, electrical stim, and heat this week.

FEELING GOOD THOUGH!!!!

Short timer...

2008-08-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Time is getting short now. Not much left to do in terms of fitness. I'm still working out but the volume has dropped. Swims are now in the 2200-2500 yard/m range. Cycling is 1-2 hours max. Running is 60' or less. I'm focusing on doing some light strength training with my left hamstring. After 5 days off of running, it felt good today so I decided to test it out. If it felt awkward, I would jog or walk back easy home. No need to risk anything now. If I've only got a few matches to burn, I'm going to save them for when it counts. I ended up feeling pretty good on my run. Enough to let go a bit and do a 12' Tempo Effort letting my heart rate float to 170-174 bpm. It started to tighten up at the end as I ascended some hills on Cottage St. but overall it's showing a lot of improvement. Iced it and did some electrical stim.

Now is the time to get your head in the game. Sports and competition in anything in life among equals sometimes comes down to strategy and mental toughness. When the blows are coming and the opponent doesn't flinch when you throw a punch, what will you do? Will you back down or will your take the blows and hit back even harder?

At the pool I am seeing the "Phelps-Effect" everywhere. Maybe I just didn't notice it before or maybe the All Universe Swimmer is really having an affect on all of us to swim. I notice a few more people working on dolphin kicking just like Phelps does after pushing off the wall. I noticed a high school teen warming up his arms and shoulders on deck, cap on, goggles on his forehead, Ipod in his ears, posturing, getting ready to crush some sets of fly just like Michael.

12 days to go...

2008-08-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

Whew...busy weekend. My friend and business associate, David Glover, he himself an incredible Ironman triathlete directs the Luray Triathlons. He hires me to help him out during the weekend doing various tasks to insure safety, quality, and satisfaction of the participants. I was busy all weekend in Luray, VA helping him out. Great turn out for both races and fantastic weather all weekend for outdoor activities. I left NOVA early last Friday morning and headed for Luray. I needed to do one last "Race Rehearsal" ride and run. Race Rehearsal means I wear what I plan to wear during my race: Aero Helmet, outfit, nutrition, etc. I was trying out a new plan for my nutrition. An aero bottle on the downtube of my bike with a "Bomb" bottle of 650 calories with my customized Infinit Drink Mix. Water in the aero bottle between my bars, 1 GU Gel pack per hour, and 1-2 Thermolyte Pills per hour based on heat.

My plan was to do as many loops of the 16 mile triathlon course this weekend that would equal 100-105 miles or roughly 5.5 hours. After the first 5 laps, I got pretty bored and started doing some out and backs and reversing the loops. I lost track of how many laps I did. The course is not easy. Not incredibly hilly but a lot of long stretches with 2-4.5% grades which are grinding efforts on your legs. The road looks flat but it is clearly not.

The 2-4% grinders took their toll on my legs during this workout. I averaged 170 watts for the ride (low for me) and 19 mph (also low). That just showed how challenging the ride actually was. I managed a 35' out and back run post ride that I had to keep in check. My left hamstring is still acting up. It catches when I step the pace above approximately an 8:30/mile pace. It also seems to catch on any hills. I'm a little worried about this but I have some time until race day and I am calling on all my resources to help me get this better.

I had a massage with Barb Boinest of Transitions Massage in Fairfax yesterday. She is a fellow triathlete and a great, great massage therapist. She helped work things out a bit and though I was a little sore afterwards, I feel it helped. I also saw Daniel Hockstra, Chiropractor and Active Release Technique Certified Specialist. Active Release is amazing for athletes. Tight muscles, pulls, adhesions, muscles that aren't tracking right...these situations can be helped by A.R.T. I've worked with Kirsten Grove, D.O.C. after meeting her in Ironman Florida in 2000 and without her help, Ironman training would have been more difficult and injury riddled.

Saturday...pretty tired from getting up early and helping out with the race. I think we had somewhere around 550 participants for the Olympic and 650+ for the Sprint on Sunday. Amazing how much this sport has grown. While the swim course was still set-up on Saturday, I swam 3 laps of the 750 meter loop. The water temperature was a perfect 74 degrees and the air temp in the mid-80's with low humidity. A wonderful day for an open water swim.

This week...another birthday. Who counts these anymore? I'm glad I've got Ironman to look forward to so I can forget my birthday.

3 weeks to GO!!!

2008-08-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I finished my final building block that culminated with 22 hours of total training time. Friday I did 71 miles on my own + a 30 minute run afterwards, riding from Rt. 28/WO&D and doing the Taylorstown/Stumptown loop that goes through the Lovettsville area. During that ride I was very focused on dialing in the wattage range I intend to use during the race. I threw in 1 tempo effort for 25 minutes, averaging 220 watts, and 22.9 miles per hour for that time period. I averaged 19.3 mph for the entire ride and my legs felt great afterwards. My race wattage is just about perfect. I have a time trial test tomorrow to get my final threshold numbers from which I will work from. Stay tuned: )

Saturday: David Glover (25 time Ironman finisher and local coach) and I hosted one of our many Luray Triathlon Clinics in Luray, VA. It was a working day for me but I got a light workout (16 mile ride) riding slowly with the participants and getting in an open water swim post clinic (1000 or so meters). Beautiful, beautiful day. Feels like California!

Sunday: Last very hard long ride. Ben and I started from Georgetown and headed North East from Macarthur Blvd to River Road to Poolesville to Clarksburg in Frederick. Ben was testing out some different equipment set-ups for race day and had a couple small issues which we had to pull over for. My schedule had me doing 4 x 20' minutes at tempo threshold, 10' + 5 watts, and 5' + 5 watts up from that. A very hard workout. We ascended Sugarloaf Mtn. which is a nice little 2 mile climb with 5-8% grades. Coming back from Sugarloaf we were making good time and I was putting in another interval effort when my front tire went flat. I went about changing it as Ben was getting his CO2 cartridge ready. Right before I put the CO2 cartridge on, I hear and see PHFEEEEWWWWW. Ben had popped the CO2 open and just let all the air out of 1 cartridge. I still had mine though. However, as I let air into the new tube, air immediately went back out. Son-of-A-%$#@. It wasn't a pinch flat or exterior puncture to the tire. I took it off again and checked the inside of the tire where I found a very small piece of glass that had cut a jagged line inside the tire. The bad news is while we had another tube, we were out of air sources. Stuck in nowhere, MD. Ben started making some calls, I was getting ready to start walking. For 20' minutes we didn't see a car. Then, another cyclist (finally) rolls by and we ask him if he's got a pump or CO2 cartridge. He kindly gives up his only CO2 cartridge and comments how he's just getting back into cycling shape and how nice our bikes are. I offer to pay him but he gives it up as good cycling Kharma. I know the feeling as I've the same thing before. It all comes back to you. We hit the road again but the stop has messed with our legs and energy systems. We're both feeling the blood lactate in our legs and stiffness of our long stop. Despite it, we still make good time back home knocking out 93 miles in 4 hours, 58 minutes. Off for our 45' run on the C&O Canal. My legs feel great despite my monster week. I hold back but am still running an 8:30/mile pace with ease. I get 22:30 and turn around eager to pick up the pace back to the car. I see Ben approaching me in the distance and give him a thumbs up. He feels great he says. I pick up the pace to what feels like a 7:30 or so effort but my left hamstring (which has been acting up since Thursday) starts getting uncomfortably tight. Then it catches me like pulled muscle. Darnit! I start to walk and Ben soon passes me. I start running again and find that as long as I don't speed up faster than about an 8:00/mile, I'm good to go. My body is desperate for some rest this week. We hit Chipotle before heading back home and shovel down some giant burritos.

Team Hoyt at Ironman Hawaii...amazing

2008-08-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Anytime you feel you've lost hope, motivation, think you can't take one more step, push yourself anymore...you watch this video. Team Hoyt...absolutely amazing. Take the "I" and "M" out of the word IMPOSSIBLE and ironically you have the letters IM, for Ironman and the word possible. "Anything's possible."

18.5 miles of hard work

2008-08-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ughh...last really long run today. 2.5 hours, approximately 18.5 miles. I can't stop thinking about that verse in the Sound of Music; "far, a long, long way to run." I've felt great on my long runs but today, I was feeling pretty flat and it was apparent around 9-10 miles into it that finishing this run would take a lot of hard work. I ran east along the WO&D trail to the Custis Trail into Arlington and made it just about 1 mile outside of the Ballston area before turning back. At about 14 miles, I started to feel my muscles fatiguing, the effects of 21 straight training days without a day off. I was cramping up. I swallowed my last two Thermolyte tablets (300mg of sodium each) and hoped they would do the trick. I don't think my body was cramping because it was dehydrated. It was cramping today because it was tired. I managed to ward off the cramping in my legs but a weird cramp wanted to creep up my neck and left shoulder. I focused on breathing, relaxing my arms, and shoulders. I managed to negatively split my run by 1.5 minutes.

My thoughts wandered from pace, stride count, and intensity to what gets you through an Ironman or anything difficult in life for that matter. The carbon fiber bike, the fancy running shoes, the slick wheels, aero helmet, and wetsuit, these are all tools for job. Peripheral devices. Ironman doesn't care if you have the most expensive bike, six pack abs, sleekly sculpted leg muscles, or how good you look with your shirt off. These things are all smoke and mirrors. It doesn't matter how fast and slick the car you drive is. What matters is what's in your head and in your heart. If you've worked hard on developing the fitness, then all you need to do is execute a smart race then let your head and your heart take over after mile 18 on the run.

3 weeks 3 days to go...

2008-08-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

This is it. My last big week of training. I am feeling extremely fit. I'm in the best shape of my life. My threshold for training volume is through the roof. By the end of this week, I'll have trained a total of 21 hours (10,200 yards of swimming, 35 miles of running, and 230 miles of cycling). I did a 3.5 hour bike workout Tuesday in which I rode 3 x 12' intervals (holding 260 watts) at Hains Point in D.C. followed by 2 x 4' (holding 280 watts) followed by a 30' run. Today, Wednesday, I swam for 1 hour 15 minutes and did 4200 yards. Later this afternoon I ran to the track at Madison and ripped off 4 x 1 mile repeats at 6:40/mile pace. With a warm-up and cool down my run total was 70' minutes or about 8 miles for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm tired but I feel like I'm absorbing my workouts. Little things are acting up in my body (left hamstring, base of my big toe) but for the most part, I'm managing those little nagging issues with ice, stretching, heat and self massage. I have two days completely off in my schedule next week and the first major drop in volume. Just in time for the Olympics: ). Completely off topic here but I am actually friends with Hilary Phelps, sister of Michael Phelps. I spoke with her before she left for Beijing. Pretty exciting stuff.

I'm starting to feel the nerves rising and self doubt wanting to creep forward from the back of my mind. Have I done enough? Am I going to be able to live up to my expectations? I've sacrificed to get to this point. BTW, note to self: I don't think it's a good idea to start dating anyone new while training for something like this. No matter how understanding they say they are about you having to train all day and go to bed early, THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND. If they do...well, might want to hang on to that one.

No matter how experienced or fit you are, there will be a dark point at Ironman where things just get hard. It's supposed to be that way. It's always a gut check, a look inside your own soul, and one of those opportunities in life to find out just who you are and what you're made of. This year I've decided that when that happens, I'll be prepared. I've made myself write down three reasons I'm subjecting myself to this.

1) Validate the time I've spent away from friends, family, opportunities to have fun with my non-triathlon friends.

2) Prove that I can race this distance, not just get through it, by setting a personal record and have a shot at that coveted Kona slot.

3) Prove that I can effectively coach someone to successfully complete an Ironman with confidence.

Georgetown to Sugarloaf

2008-08-02T14:28:00.001-07:00

Great, great ride today. The steady stream of rain in the morning was a nice change from the heat and humidity of previous weekends. The roads and scenery around Poolesville, Clarksburg, and near Sugarloaf are perfect for cycling. Today's ride featured 4 build intervals that required me to maintain my watts at an intensity just above what I intend to ride at Ironman.
So, it looked like this:
20' @ 200 watts, 10' @ 205 watts, 5' @ 210 watts, 5' easy
20' @ 205 watts, 10' @ 210 watts, 5' @ 215 watts, 5' easy
20' @ 210 watts, 10' @ 215 watts, 5' @ 220 watts, 5' easy
20' @ 215 watts, 10' @ 220 watts, 5' all out effort.

Ride time: 5 hours, 34 minutes
Average Speed: A steady 18.2 mph
Avg. Power 168 watts
Norm Power: 193 watts
Avg. Heart Rate: 159 bpm

Ben and I started our 45' run heading from Georgetown down to the Canal. We stood out in the crowd as we ran downhill through the busy weekend shoppers and tourists in G-Town. I have to make it a point to run along the canal more often. The scenic views were a nice change from my runs along WO&D. I started the first half as easy as I could but I was still holding a solid pace. I picked up the pace on the turn around to a steady tempo pace and was running at a strong clip as I negatively split my run by 1 minute.

Easy day

2008-08-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

Fri = long swim day. Total: 4000 yds. Overall, a pretty easy day though. I feel good after a tough week. Tomorrow, Ben and I are riding from Georgetown to Sugarloaf Mtn. 92 miles. followed by a 45' transition run on the Canal Towpath. Looks like rain and possible thunderstorms tomorrow. Should be interesting for a change and a welcome respite from the heat we've been accustomed to.

Gotta clean my bike today, lube it up, and make sure it's good to go for the long trip tomorrow.

"First with your head, then with your heart, that's how one stays ahead from the start."
-Hoppie Gruenwald, The Power of One.

1 more long run to go...

2008-07-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today I did one of two long runs left before my running goes into taper mode. Running is more traumatic and stressful on your body than swimming or cycling so in terms of tapering, it starts further out from race day. I ran east from Evolution on the WO&D Trail through Falls Church and onto the Custis Trail in Arlington. My legs are a little heavy from the track workout last night but overall I felt good, a "7" on a scale of 1-10. A total of about 17.5 miles today in 2 hours, 20 minutes. Amazingly, I feel good even as I type this. A tribute to the training and frequency of my program.

I thought about things that have been motivating me lately during my run. My client and good friend Ben, who is doing his first Ironman. He's going to do great and I am proud to be his coach and doing the race with him. I also thought of a conversation I had this weekend with my friend and injured Iraq veteran, Captain Patrick Horan, U.S. Army. Pat was shot in the head about this time last year and for a number of weeks he lay in an induced coma. It was a scary time for his family and friends. Fast forward 1 year later and he has had an amazing recovery. He's walking with the aid of a cane but soon won't need it. His speech, memory, and ability to hold a conversation are just about back to normal. He's even been riding a recumbent bike under supervision for therapy. Today, my friend Pat was my inspiration.

I will carry a lot of thoughts about pacing, nutrition, and what I am supposed to do to execute a good race on race day. However, I will also carry thoughts about how lucky I am to be able to do this. I will carry thoughts about my friend Pat, my family, friends, and all those who made it possible for me to train and compete.

"To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift."
-Steve Prefontaine, running legend

Week 22 of Training in Detail

2008-07-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of people asking me what I do to train and when I train so I thought I would post my training schedule for this current week just to give you a picture of what a build week looks like for an Ironman. The total time for this upcoming week is roughly 18.5-19 hours of training time. There is no substitute for consistency, frequency, and recovery.

Mon:
Swim 3200 yards total. Warm-up: 800 yards including pull sets and drill work. Main Set: 2200 yards done as 12 x 100 done as: 1) 1-3 Descend in time 2) 50 Fast/50 Easy 3) Descend 1-3 in time 4) 75 Fast/25 Easy. 2 x 300 Pull with paddles (negative split the set). 8 x 25 Sprint. Cool Down: 200 easy as 25 drill/25 swim.
Tues:
Cycling with interval work, 1.5 hours. Done as: 20' warm-up, then 3 x 12' at lactate threshold effort (100% of Functional Threshold Power) (5' easy spinning between). 2 x 4' at VO2 Max/Aerobic Capacity (105% of F.T.P.). Easy for rest of ride.
This ride is followed immediately by a 35' run at a comfortable pace that included 10 x 100 meter pick-ups on the astro turf at Madison.
Wed:
Swim 3400 yards total. Warm-up 1000 yards including pull sets and drill work. Main Set: 2250 yards done as 10 x 150 (100 Hard, 50 Easy). 3 x 200 Pull with paddles-steady with good form. 6 x 25 Sprint. CD: 150 yards.
Lactate Threshold Effort Run, 70' minutes. 20-25' minutes easy (about 8:30 pace/mile) followed by 4 x 1 mile at the track @ 6:40 pace/mile with a 400m jog between. Easy pace for rest of run.
Thursday:
Long Run Day : ) 2 hours, 20 minutes (roughly 17.5 miles). Done as: 140' minutes at an easy pace (8:30-8:40/mile pace) followed by 30' minutes at a Tempo Effort (7:15-7:30/mile pace). Back to easy pace for rest of run.
Follow run with light core work and stretching.
Friday:
Swim day. 4000 yards total. Long distance steady state work. Highlight is 6 x 500 yards as 200 @ Lactate Threshold Effort, 100 Easy, 200 @ Lactate Threshold.
Saturday:
Long Bike 5 hours from Georgetown to Sugarloaf Mtn. and back. Highlight of the ride includes: 2 x 40' of Steady State Tempo Effort (85% of my Functional Threshold Power) and 2 x 10' at Lactate Threshold (100% of FTP).
Brick Run: immediately following the ride execute a 45' minute run @ goal race pace (8:20-8:40/mile pace).
Sunday:
Med-Long Bike: 3.5 hours including similar intervals as Saturday or an easier day depending on how I'm feeling.
Brick Run: immediately following the ride execute a 30' minute run at an easy pace.

As you can see, every workout has a purpose and goal specific to my race. I do the best I can to set myself up for success in every workout. I may not always feel superb but if I'm prepared it takes a lot of the stress out so I can focus on my workout. This is something I cannot stress enough as an athlete. If you want to do well, you must set yourself up for success. I know many athletes that unknowingly self-sabotage themselves with poor planning and preparation.

I've become familiar with this poem that's popular among the Navy SEAL Teams. It's become my mantra throughout the tough training days. I might get the Latin word "Invictus" tattooed on my rib cage after Ironman:

"Invictus"

Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced or cried aloud,
under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloodied but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears looms but the horror of the shade,
and yet the menace of all the years (miles : ) finds me and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate, the captain of my Soul.
-William Ernest Henley

Altitude Tent

2008-07-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Ooooh. I just found out a friend is going to loan me his Altitude Chamber until Ironman. Soooo excited: )

5 Weeks to race day

2008-07-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

Mondays come to early and too fast even when you're not training for an Ironman. After 190 miles of cycling Saturday and Sunday, Monday just blends into Sunday. My weekly total after Sunday was 190 miles of cycling, 34 miles of running, and 10,000 yards of swimming, and last but not least 45' of stretching, foam roller, and core strength exercises.

Another week/weekend of epic training in the books. Saturday was a 6 hour, 6 minute journey that amounted to 111.4 miles from Vienna all the way out to Round Hill then to Mt. Weather. Over and back Mt. Weather (4375 feet of climbing). My client and friend, Ben Britton, who is also training for Louisville is either blessed or cursed to have me as a training partner and coach. Our goal today was to ride like we are planning to ride on race day, i.e.-Race Rehearsal Ride #1.

Strategy:

Easy the 1st hour-55-60% of F.T.P. (Functional Threshold Power 143-156 watts), steady through the middle of the ride 65-70% (169-182 watts) of F.T.P., and strong the last hour (182-206 watts). My current FTP is 260 watts.

Data:

Total Ride time: 6:06
Average Power: 167 watts
Normalized Power: 187 watts
Average Speed: 18.4 mph (keep in mind that on Mt. Weather there are lots of sections where you are going only 8-10 mph). The out and back over Mt. Weather is about 16 miles total.

Nutrition:
I've estimated my hourly caloric intake at roughly 256 calories per hour. My drink of choice is a customized drink mix from Infinit Nutrition. One bottle contains 256 calories with a 492 mg of sodium, 142 mg of potassium, 4 grams of protein, 60 grams of carbohydrates, and amino acids. My body can't seem to get enough sodium and I lose it quickly. A sodium imbalance = cramping so I keep it very high to avoid it at all costs. On Saturday, I went through 2 bottles of Infinit, 3 bottles of Perpetuem (260 cal each), 2 Gu Gels (100 cal. each), 1 can of coke, 2 gatorade bottles, two bottles of water, and 8 Thermolyte Tablets (each contains 300mg of sodium). A total of 2084 calories or 347 calories/hour. I went through more than I anticipated because of the heat and humidity.

Run:
A 45' min brick run followed our 111 mile ride immediately. We took off heading east on the WO&D trail. My goal on race day is to jog the first 3 miles, let my legs loosen up after the bike, and conserve energy for a LONG run. At a jog, I am still running at 8:30-8:45 mile pace. I maintain that pace on the out and back run, hydrating with water, and taking in a GU Roctane. At around 20' I reach Gallows road and take a right for another 2:30.' Coming back home, my legs have found their rhythm and the three miles of easy jogging pay off. I pick the pace up to a steady pace of 7:30-7:45 effort and hold it all the way home. I end up negative splitting my run by 1' minute and having to run an extra minute after arriving back at Evolution.

Recovery:
Ben and I arrive at Evolution, and immediately start taking in our recovery drinks. Recoverite from Hammer Nutrition or Endurox R4. Both are interchangeable as far as I'm concerned. However, both contain whey protein isolate, complex carbs, glutamine, and amino acids for recovery. We both lay on our backs with our legs elevated, sip our recovery drinks, and enjoy the cool breeze of the fan. The best thing about training like this is my bottomless pit of a metabolism. A workout like that is a free pass to eat whatever you want for the next two hours. After that, you resume normal eating. We hit church street pizza where I consume three slices of pepperoni pizza, a giant garden salad, and 1 coke.

34 days to race day and counting....