This was my first Ironman 70.3 and as such I set a new PR! Leading up to the race everyone I told I was going to do Eagleman they responded with, wow you chose a hard hot course to start with. Well the course lived up to the hype. As the announcer said, it was 96 degrees and 120 with windchill. I did well on the swim, went out too fast but held it together for the bike and survived (barely) the run. As I was running I was never going to race again but after finishing I’m ready to sign up for my next one.
Pre-Race
The race was held in Cambridge MD and race day was Sunday morning to Anna and I drove down on Friday to get ready and to do some touristing. We camped at Tuckahoe state park in a cabin that had air conditioning. Not a bad way to camp.
After checking in at the camp ground we visited Cambridge to do packet pickup and visit the Ironman Village and listen to the briefing.
Saturday we headed down to Cambridge and Anna found a library book sale while I checked in my bike and did a few transition walk through’s.
We then stopped by a local brewery, the wheat bear didn’t agree with either of our insides which wasn’t great the day before a race, then walked through the downtown and visited the local art gallery's. After a nap at the campground we visited a local church for vigil mass then went to Kent Island for a short hike, dinner and some last minute carb loading.
Race Day
Got up before 5am and headed down to Cambridge. Setup in transition and watched the pros swim in as I waited for my wave.
Swim
Due to higher temperatures the swim wasn’t wet-suit legal but even so it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I was only off my target time by less than 5 minutes. The bay/river was shallow at the start and finish so I was able to walk the first 200 and last 200 meters. After the turn there was a bit of a current that bunched the swimmers together.
T1
Rolled into transition, took a little time to dry my feet and put on socks (I usually don’t in shorter races), quickly downed some calories and rolled out.
Bike
It was a nice flat course and for the first half the wind was at my back and the sun wasn’t too high yet so I was cruising at 18mph. Around mile 30 I realized that I should have kept a slightly slower pace and started to feel it. I dropped down to 16mph and pushed my way into transition.
T2
The sun was out now and it was getting really hot. My water bottles in transition were almost boiling and I was feeling the heat. My biggest mistake of the day was not putting on more sunscreen which I’ve paid for for the last two weeks.
Run
I started out on the run thinking that I would run a mile and walk a tenth of a mile. That thought lasted for half a mile and I transitioned to thinking I would run a half a mile and walk a tenth of a mile. After a mile I joined up with a nice couple and we formed a small pack which grew as the miles progressed and would run a few telephone poles and walk a telephone pole. At mile 8 I was hurting and feeling dehydrated so I took some extra time at the water stations to fill up with water and sodium. The break revived me and I was able to get a boost of energy but that only lasted until mile 11 when I ran completely out of gas. At that point I couldn’t have run if bear was chasing me. I walked the rest of the way in and was able to shuffle across the finish line.
Recovery
After finishing and getting my finishers medal I stretched, drank as much liquid as I could get my hands on and scarfed down a plate for pasta, rice, beans and salad, I’ve never been that hungry.
After packing up the bike we drove back to the campground. I took a long shower and then we headed out to dinner. I downed a large rib eye and slept like a baby. The next day we drove home and I discovered that my sunburn was a second degree burn and for the record a second degree burn on your shoulders and back doesn’t feel good when you are wearing a suit and tie.
Next time - a fall race, more run training and more sunscreen.
#GotTheNerve Sprint Triathlon - Mt. Gretna, PA 2015
Quick Stats
Race Website
Total Time 1:37:30
Overall Rank 189/367
Age Group 30-34
Age Group Rank 26/40
Swim 9:16 - Pace 1:51/100 - Rank 155
T1 1:39 - Rank 9
Bike 56:25 - Pace 17 mph - Rank 187
T2 1:19 - Rank 122
Run 28:51 - Pace 9:18/mile - Rank 266
Race Summary
This was my second race at Mt. Gretna and you couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day, not hot or cold, slightly overcast at the start and sunny for the finish. Overall I improved all my times over last year and shaved off 9 minutes. The biggest difference between this year and last is I felt much stronger through the race and required minimal recovery time. Anna also raced with me this year which made the race that much more fun. The Got the Nerve triathlon has become my favorite local triathlon and one I plan on doing again.
Swim
Started out strong and maintained a steady but not fast pace. I haven’t done much work at all this season on swim speed so I’m pretty sure I could shave 1 minute off of this for next year.
T1
A solid transition, not sure I could do it much faster.
Bike
This is a hilly course but I was able to go 1mph faster than last year which was what I had planned on.
T2
Took a little extra time getting the shoes on but not bad.
Run
Kept a steady pace, around mile 2 my hamstring started to tighten so I slowed for a little bit to ease it and was able to finish strong.
Conclusion
A solid race and based on last years training gains I think I can shave off another 8:30 (as long as I keep training). 1:30 on the swim, 3:30 on the bike and 3:30 on the run.
I wasn’t traveling this year and got to race in the 17th annual Race Against Racism hosted by the Lancaster YWCA. We had a Demme Learning team of racers and several spectators as well. It was a great race for a great cause and I posted my best time on this course which makes it even better.
Quick review of the Spire breathing and activity tracker.
Basics
The Spire is a breathing and activity tracker that you attach to your clothing and close to your torso. It senses your breathing patterns and shows if you are in a state of calm, tension or focus, it also tracks steps like other activity trackers. I purchased on kickstarter a while ago and my unit just arrived a few days ago.
What works well
It attaches well and you don't notice it. There are no buttons on the device to worry about and the wireless charging is easy to use.
What doesn't work well
Even though it is using bluetooth LE there is a noticeable battery drain on the iphone. The connection of the sensors to the body seem to lose connection often and there is no indicator that connection has been restored.
What could be improved
Show more of the raw data on the app, such as connectivity in real time. Allow the device to be worn unconnected and store the data to be batch downloaded. Allow the raw data to be emailed or downloaded similar to Withings data access. Update for sleep tracking and allow the app to pull in my steps data from the multitude of other sources.
Summary
That's it for first thoughts, so far I have learned that I am a consistently calm person and can focus pretty well given a good environment. I'm looking forward to more app and firmware updates as they continue to dev for the Spire.
It was a brisk Thanksgiving morning on a 5k course through a gated community with rolling hills. I felt great and posted a personal record and Anna and I both placed 2nd in our age groups.
Stoudts Brewing Distance Classic 12k - Adamstown, PA
Quick Stats
Total Time 1:09:54
Pace 9:23/Mile
Overall Rank 183/352
Race Summary
I ran this race last year and the hills kicked my butt, I trained much harder this year and kicked their butt back. A fun race with good people and free beer at the end.
I was prepared for the distance but I wasn't prepared for the excessive heat. Temps reached into the 90s and with humidity well into the 100s. Over 50 people ended up having to be treated for heat exhaustion but the it was still a fantastic race.
Pre Race
Got up and had oatmeal, banana and yogurt. Got to the location with plenty of time and got to watch the sun rise.
Race
The first 5 miles went by quickly and it began to get hot after that. I luckily met up with a friend around mile 8 and we were able to keep each other moving all the way to the finish.
Closing Thoughts
The Rita's Italian ice on mile 10 was the best thing I have ever tasted in my whole life. Need to do this one again next year with lower temps.
Score This Summer Sizzler Triathlon - Niagara Falls NY
Quick Stats - Summer Sizzler 8/21/14
Total Time 1:07:29
Overall Rank 43/151
Gender Rank 30/69
Age Group 30-34
Age Group Rank 7/12
Swim 11:50 (2:58/100)
T1 1:04
Bike 36:31 (19.83mph)
T2 :54
Run 17:17 (9:02/mile)
Summary
Perfect weather for a race and a great location along the Niagara river. Score this did a great job organizing the race and I felt strong throughout. Worth doing again if I am in the area again.
Pre Race
We did packet pickup and drove the course the day before so we could save some time in the morning. Got up early at our campsite on Lake Ontario, ate a breakfast of cereal, banana and yogurt. Drove 40 minutes to the location and arrived in time for a non rushed setup.
Swim
Long line to enter the water and we went in by twos. It was pretty shallow for the first 100 yards so I took advantage of my longer legs and ran most of the way. Had a solid swim parallel to the beach and then headed back in. There was quite a bit of freshwater but it wasn't that bad.
T1
After a longer run up the hill from the beach jumped into T1 and make a quick exit onto the bike course.
Bike
Out and back, straight and flat. I dropped into the hoods and did my best to hold a steady 20mph.
T2
Came of the bike well and had very quick T2.
Run
Kept a solid pace headed out. Got passed by a member of my age group but let him go. Hit the turnaround and pushed it a little more headed back for a solid finish.
Closing Thoughts
The training made a big difference this race, I felt like I could do the course again, which was an option had I signed up for it. The Score This folks were trying out the new F1 style where you do a sprint tri twice in a row with the second round being slightly shorter. All in all a fun race and a great way to enjoy the Niagara river.
On Saturday I competed in my first sprint triathlon of the season. I raced my first sprint triathlon in October of last year but due to weather they cancelled the swim portion and shortened the bike so while that was my first this race was my first full triathlon. Here is the race report, if you like the details read along if you want the highlights read the quick stats and scroll through to see the pictures.
Quick Stats
Total Time = 1:46:02*
Overall Rank = 250/438
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 30/41
Pre-race
The night before I set out all my gear, doubled checked everything and packed it up. I had ordered some race gels from Amazon but they hadn't arrived yet so I found some glucose based gels in the diabetic section of CVS. I can't process fructose so my selection of gels, protein bars and energy drinks is quite limited.
Race Day
Woke up at 5:20 and had a breakfast of Rice Chex, loaded the bike and headed to Gretna.
Arrived around 7:20 and registered, got body markings and setup my transition area. Once 7:30 hit the lines got quite long, it's amazing what ten minutes will do.
Swim / Distance 500 yards / Time 10:10* / Pace 2:01 / Place 114th
It was a wave start and when I got to the beach I realize I hadn't double checked with wave I was in and couldn't remember if I had signed up as a beginner or regular age group. *Turns out I had signed up as a beginner which was wave 5 but I swam with my regular age group which was wave 8. Since the waves went off every 2 minutes I subtracted 6 minutes to get my swim time (which matched my watch).
This was my first time doing an open water swim with a bunch of people in a race setting so I started off slow and after rounding the first buoy at 130 yards I settled in and kept a steady pace to the second buoy (about 400 yards) and picked up the pace heading back to the beach. Overall I am pleased with the swim and next time I will start with the correct wave and try to sprint out to the front earlier.
T1 / Time 2:09 / Place 34th
The first transition went a little slower than practice but when I saw my place later I can't complain.
Bike / Time 59:53 / Pace 16mph / Place 254th
My goal was to finish the bike leg in under 1hr and I was able to hit that with 7 seconds to spare. Gretna is a hilly course and my strategy was to take it slow and steady up the hills and go as fast as possible downhill and on the flat section. Overall very pleased with my bike performance as I was able to follow my strategy hit my target time.
T2 / Time 1:15 / Place 137th
My feet had fallen asleep on the ride so I had a little difficulty putting my shoes on and I stopped for some water on my way out but overall a solid transition. I think I could shave off :20 seconds pretty easily.
Run / Time 31:35 / Pace 10:10 / Place 358th
I came off the bike with my feet asleep so I spent the first mile running like I was hobbling on wooden legs, if you could call what I was doing running. The second mile my feet were pins and needles so I knew they were still attached and my left IT band was hurting. The third mile my feet and IT band started to feel okay but the rest of my leg muscles started fluttering and feeling like they were about to seize up. I managed to finish without pulling anything but this is an area for improvement. I see hill sprints and brick runs in my future.
Overall / Time 1:46:02 / Age Group 30/41 Total 250/438
My race strategy was simple. Swim at 80-85%, transition well, hit the bike as hard as I could and hang on for the run. My target time was between 1:45 and 1:50 so I hit that and now I have a baseline to beat next year. My watch time was 1:45:04 so there was either a time discrepancy or an extra wave that I didn't count. I plan on upgrading to the PolarV800 for the next race so I won't have to guess next time.
It was a great race and a fun group of people. I will definitely keep it on the calendar for next year as a great way to start the season.
My wife was on the "Unstoppable Triad" relay team and did the run portion and my mom and brother showed up to cheer us on.
Next year I'm going to see if I can get her to do the whole thing. We'll see.
Run / Time 28:00 / Pace 9:11 / Place 140/666 / Age Group 15/44
Since it was so cold in PA we decided to sign up for a Turkey Day 5k when in Atlanta over Thanksgiving. Who knew that that Thanksgiving would set a cold weather record of 20 degrees.
Brisk start, maintained a steady pace with the goal of negative splits which I was able to do. My wife and sister in law and brother in law also ran. A great way to make some room for turkey.
Total Time = 56:36
Overall Rank = 126/212
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 9/10
Pre-Race
This was my first triathlon so I signed up for the beginner clinic, open water swim clinic and dragged my wife, kid and friend Sam down a day early. The weather wasn't great but the heavy rain had stopped by the time we arrived and setup camp. I grabbed my wetsuit and headed to the clinic only to arrive and it be cancelled. The clinic had a good overview and the organizer said that the odds of us doing the swim portion in the morning weren't good due to the 10 foot ocean swells off the beach.
Swim
The swim was cancelled due to the storm so we ended up starting with a 1.5 mile run on the Duathlon course. The run went well and I kept pace with my age group.
T1
Transition went as well as could be expected for my first time and I made my first ever attempt at a running start with my shoes pre-clipped and succeeded without falling off.
Bike
Due to the storm and high winds (gusts of 30-40mph) they shortened the course to 10 miles. Riding with the tailwind was easy but coming back against the headwind was difficult to say the least. I passed several dozen people who were walking and pushing their bikes rather than get blown over.
T2
Successfully attempted a running dismount and the transition went smoothly.
Run
The run was a 3.1 mile loop through Cape Henlopen park with a few hill thrown in to make things interesting. I held a steady pace for the first two miles then my knee started acting up for the last mile. The last two hundred yards were through a very soggy field and I made valiant effort to not get passed by two older guys from the wave behind mine.
Overall
In talking with the rest of the triathletes there they all said this was the worst weather they had raced in and that I picked a good one to start with. But I had fun, we got to stop at Dogfish Head Brewery which makes any adventure even better and I had some hearty fans who braved the weather to cheer me on.
Run / Time 27:53 / Pace 9:00 / Place Overall 213/581 / Age Group 16/26
A beautiful course and perfect weather for a run. I started off too fast for the first mile. Settled down for the second and pushed it hard on the third. Set a personal record. Hard to believe I couldn't run a mile a few months ago.
So there I was minding my own business enjoying a sedentary life. My wife had been trying to get me to exercise for my health, as I had entered the "obese" section of the BMI spectrum, but the concept of getting up and running in order to be healthy wasn't a compelling argument. She took a different tact and convinced me to sign up and run the "Warrior Dash" complete with obstacles, fire and most importantly free beer.
So I consented and signed up. Now I had a goal and a desire not to come in last place. So I took to the internet to find out how to run fast with minimal work and couldn't find anything. I did find Jason Fitzgeralds strength running website and had him build me a custom 5k plan.
I started off with walking, running and stretching and was soon able to run a whole mile without walking.
By race day I was sufficiently in shape to not make a fool of myself and we hit Mt. Pocono raceway for a morning full of mud, fire and running.
I survived and am grateful my lovely wife was able to convince me to get up and get running.
However I soon found running to be boring so I bought a bike, started swimming again and signed up for a Triathlon in October.
#Train #Race #Tech #Tri @ethandemme - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
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