Where did that 2 1/2 weeks go???

Wow, realized it has been nearly 3 weeks since I last posted! Either I was really busy, or just didn't have much to say (probably a little bit of both). Here's a few of the things that have been taking up my time recently:

- Working with a couple of other local triathletes to get a new triathlon club off the ground. I'm really excited about this one. The area I live in has seen phenomenal growth over the last few years, so we're overdue for having an organization for the local triathletes. It's been interesting and challenging and fun. Hardest part seems to be getting the initial momentum started, but I think we're starting to turn that corner.

- Preparation for the Lake Pflugerville Triathlon on June 20th. I'm the swim director, and work with the race director on all things swim related; as well as anything else that I can help out with.

- Assisting with a couple of open water swim clinics. These are held out at Lake Pflugerville, and give new triathletes a chance to learn a few tips about open water swimming; and then try it out on the actual swim course that we set up for the race. I love doing these, as I know how daunting the open water swimming is for many new triathletes (as it was for me). It's great to see the look on their face by the end, when they realize they can do it...

- Traveled to Tennessee for my sister's wedding. Her and her husband are both deaf interpreters by occupation, and a few of their co-workers were there as well. There is something about sign language that is so demonstrative and beautiful, it really made the wedding very special.

- Took a training class related to work. Not too exciting, but it took up 3 days of last week :)

Next month I'll be doing more preparation for the triathlon, including setting up the course the day before. Then the event itself... and then heading off to Florida for another wedding (this time it is my wife's brother getting married). Oh, and I'll throw in some training in between that stuff... : )

Life is a great gift, enjoy it!
JD

2010 Rookie Triathlon - a very good day!

Last weekend I participated in the Rookie Triathlon. The Rookie is a mini-sprint triathlon (300m swim; 11.1 mi bike; 2 mi run) that is well-supported and perfectly suited for new triathletes. The part that I was most excited about was that it was the very FIRST triathlon for two ladies that I have been training (Rachel and Chrissy). I was really anxious to see the results of all the training and hard work they had been doing; and a little nervous as well. I was also competing, partly because I just like to, and partly because that would make it easier for me to help them get situated before the race got started. Another friend of ours (Brittany) was in the race as well, so we had a nice little group.

After finishing up in transition, we all headed down to the water to watch the first couple of waves go out. I could tell everyone was pretty nervous about the swim, so we talked a lot about how to find a little opening, start calm, options for help, etc. Then it was time for my wave, so I wished them good luck and headed off.



I had decided that I was really going to go all out on each leg, red-lining it the whole time. The distances were short enough that I didn't need to worry about endurance, just top-end speed. So, right off the bat I got up front for the swim and when the horn sounded I took off. I just kept pulling as hard as I could for the 300 meters. When I got out, I was disappointed to see a time of 6:40ish; which was slower than what I hoped for. But as mentioned in my 70.3 race report, you really don't know how well you did until you can see how it compares to everyone else (due to all the variables like distance errors). Turns out that my swim time was 2nd fastest in my AG! This race may not be ultra-competitive like some other races, but I'm still pretty psyched about that.

Next, I got thru transition quickly and headed out on the bike. This was one leg where I was really determined to give it everything I had, I didn't want to hold back at all. I just kept pushing the pace, even up the small hills, and finished with a pace that my Garmin showed as 22 mph (21.6 officially; but I also showed the bike distance to be just over 11.3 miles). Later I learned that was the fastest split in my age group - another sign that the bike performance is improving :)

Back in transition, I put on my running shoes and took off on the run. I was able to hold just under a 6:30 pace, and again was not sure how that would compare (ended up 2nd fastest run in AG). I actually thought on a short run like that, I might be closer to 6:15; but I did push hard on the bike. As I started the 2nd mile, I passed one person in my AG. It's funny when you do that, because you don't know if you just moved from 14th place to 13th, or 5th to 4th, or...whatever. In this case, it turns out that I had moved from 2nd to 1st with that pass; and ended up winning my Age Group! I have to admit, that was a lot of fun :)

With my race done, it was time to go catch up with the ladies and see how they were doing. I had started the swim a couple waves ahead of them, so I was able to get back to the run start before they came through. First was Rachel, who was looking great and obviously doing very well. Next came Brittany, who it turns out had rode the last 3 miles of the bike course on a flat tire... wow, that is some tough riding!  After that I was looking for Chrissy, and I grew increasingly more anxious and worried as time went on. I knew she had been having some hip pain, and was going to be riding a little slower (plus being on a mountain bike); but it was getting down to the last few bikers. Finally, the last biker was in, still no sign of Chrissy! Fairly dejected, I went back to the race finish area to find out what happened. As I got closer, I could here the announcer; and all of a sudden I heard him call Chrissy's name at the finish line! I ran over there and found her and Rachel; who were both floating on clouds. It is so amazing to see the joy of someone that conquers a huge challenge like that :)  But I still can't figure out how I missed Chrissy on the bike to run transition...

I caught up with Brittany shortly after that. She was a little bummed about the flat tire incident, but had finished with a strong run and a good time overall. Little bit of a lesson learned, there; as I had myself considered not carrying a flat repair kit since the course was so short. I figured the race would be shot at that point; but the reality is that you always want to finish, and there may not be tech support around - so having a flat repair kit is not an option : )


Everything considered, it was really a wonderful day and a lot of fun. I think the best part was seeing Rachel and Chrissy complete their first triathlon, and the obvious joy and pride they had at that accomplishment. I could tell by the discussion afterwards that they have definitely caught the triathlon bug... good luck to their friends and families!

One other thing... I must thank my wife for allowing me to participate in my hobby (aka obsession) on Mother's Day. It's nice to have support and encouragement like that :)



Now it's time to get back to preparation for the Lake Pflugerville triathlon (as swim director, not participant), and some swim clinics that we're doing over the next few weeks. Found out a couple days ago that the race is sold out, so I better get to work!

JD

*****************************************
Help the kids!

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: to find a cure for childhood cancer for kids like Ishani ... Please help them by donating HERE

Hope For Kidz: program to help educate children in Haiti
*****************************************

Beginnings of a triathlon

This is the new site for the Lake Pflugerville Triathlon, which will be held June 20th. I'm on the race committee responsible for the swim portion, and this past weekend a few folks and myself went out to set up the swim course. The race director does a really nice thing for the community, in that he gets the swim buoys in place by early May; and leaves them out all summer (vandals notwithstanding) for the use of local swimmers. He also runs a few open water swim clinics leading up to the race.

Here's a closer view of the beach area where the swim starts, and if you squint you might be able to see a couple of the yellow buoys out there. I really like this new beach start for the swim, and am looking forward to the swim clinics and the race.

I'll have a couple more posts related to the preparation and setup for the triathlon, as I think it's interesting to see how it all comes together. It's amazing how much work actually goes into putting on a triathlon... these race directors really have to love the sport!

Ironman 70.3 Texas race report - now what?

Went down to Galveston, TX last weekend for the Memorial-Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas Triathlon (that's a mouthful, isn't it?). Overall, I was very happy with the way things turned out. I ended up finishing in just over 5 hours, and placed 8th out of over 100 in my age group (148th out of 1326 total finishers); at a very competitive Ironman 70.3 (aka half ironman) event. The official "Ironman" branded races have an allocation of slots to participate in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon in Clearwater, FL; so they attract people from all over the US (and even some out of country) looking to qualify for Clearwater.

The race day itself had a progression that went from bad, to ok, to very good. That's certainly better than the opposite, in my book :)  Swim was a little brutal for me, the bike went well (although I didn't realize so at the time), and then I ended with a strong run. As mentioned above, I ended up in 8th place in my age group. It is amazing how tight things get in the top 10. A seemingly small 4 minutes is what stood between me and the guy in 4th place in our AG that got the 3rd and final slot to the WC race in Clearwater...  But the reality is that 4 minutes is a surprisingly large amount of time to make up if you are pushing yourself to the max. And that I did... really worked hard on the bike and then gave it every last bit on the run. Can't complain when you know you left nothing in reserve! OK, on to the race details...

Pre-Race
Got to bed at a good time (9:30 pm) and fell asleep pretty quick. Woke up at 3:30 am, about an hour earlier than I wanted - but that's still a decent night sleep for race eve. Susie (my wife) drove me to the start and waited around for a little bit to take the bike pump and a few other items. Set up transition and had plenty of time before my wave, so I hung out inside one of the buildings there at Moody Gardens. When it got closer to my time, I got on the wetsuit and went down to the beach for a little warmup swim, then made my way to the dock and got ready to go.

Swim
The swim course was shaped similar to a squared off arch... starts by heading straight out, then left turn and swim parallel to the shore (longest section), then another left turn that brings you back to shore down the shoreline from the starting point. I knew I was in trouble when I saw that the current and wind were fairly strong and coming across the water the OPPOSITE direction that we'd be swimming for the long leg. That meant cross-current going out, swimming against the waves and current for about 1000 yds, and then cross-current coming back in. Yuck.

Time for my swim wave came, so I jumped in the water off the dock and waited for the horn... then we were off! I got a nice swim lane right away, and was able to have a good start. Everything was going pretty well, and then I made that first left turn. I could tell the progress was going to be very slow, and I kept trying to stay as streamlined as possible. Every time I tried to sight by looking forward, I was greeted with a nice, cold, salty kiss from the waves. Nothing like drinking a few gallons of saltwater to start your morning... I finally made the 2nd left to head back to shore, and pushed to the ramp and got out of the water. I took off my wetsuit down to my waist and looked at my watch - 43 minutes! What?!?!?  That kind of freaked me out, as I was hoping for closer to 35, but I figured everyone else had to deal with the same conditions. It did provide some motivation to move a little quicker the rest of the day, though.

T1
Ran up from the water to the transition area, with a very fast stop for the wetsuit peelers to rip off the wetsuit. Put on socks and helmet, grabbed my bike, and headed out of transition. That all went smooth and quick, and I had my bike out to the dismount line ready to roll in about 2 1/2 minutes.

Bike
The temps were probably in the 70's by bike start, and it was nice and sunny. Winds were moderate for Galveston, 10 mph or so with gusts a little stronger. Once you get out of the Moody Gardens area, the bike is one long stretch along the seawall to the turnaround point, and then you come back. I love being able to just point the bike in a direction and cruise down the road, so I like this bike course a lot. The out portion you are going southwest, and the winds were mainly west and northwest. So heading out it was a cross-wind and a slight headwind. That and the fairly smooth roads had me at around 20 mph avg on the first half. The surprise came when I turned around, expecting to have a little bit of tailwind. Nope, not really gonna happen. I was definitely a little faster coming back, but there wasn't much tailwind until the last 5 miles or so. I managed to get my average speed up to just under 21 mph. I had really worked hard on my bike, so was disappointed to actually be slightly slower this year compared to last year. However, wind is such a huge factor that I knew I wasn't going to be able to tell how I *really* did until the race results were posted and I could see how I compared to everyone else (more on that later). Still, that was a good time, I knew I had worked very hard; and I was ready to run!

T2
Not much to do here. I was already out of my bike shoes (left them clipped to bike), so I just had to rack the bike, get the helmet off, throw on my running shoes, and head out for the run.

Run
I did not hold back much on the bike, as I had planned; so that had me a little nervous as to how my run would go. I had stayed within my planned pacing and heart rate, though; and I always say you have to trust your training and your race plan. After the first couple of miles on the run, I was happy to see that things were going very well and my run was not suffering at all. My pace was just a little over 7 min/mile, my HR was in the range that I knew I could handle, and my legs were feeling strong. I finished the first of the 4 loops feeling good and confident.

I saw my wife and daughter (and her friend) as I came around on the second loop. I've mentioned this before, but it really is a great pick-me-up when you see family and friends out on the course. I was still feeling good at that point, although it was starting to get a little warm. I made liberal use of the ice water soaked sponges that they handed out to keep myself cool - LOVE the sponges :) Made it around the 3rd time and saw the family once more... I was still moving along and keeping a good steady pace. There were a lot of people on the run course, and since it is multiple loops, you never really know which loop anyone else is on. Regardless, if I saw anyone in my age group, I used that as motivation and did my best to pass them as many of them as I could.

Finally, it was the last loop - a little over 3 miles and the race would be done! Still running at a good pace and feeling relatively strong, so I kept trucking along and focusing on the finish. The family had moved to the finish line by that point, so I didn't see them on that last loop until the very end. I came down the last stretch knowing I had left nothing behind and sprinting into the finishing chute. I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch, and could see that I was at about 5:05. After the way the swim had gone, and with a little tougher bike day, it was great to have finished with a fast run... now it was time to recover and see how the results unfolded :)


Post-Race
I met up with my family; ate, cleaned up, and rested. We hung around for the Awards ceremony, it was fun to see the pros like Terrenzo Bozzone, Andy Potts, Chris Lieto, Sam McGlone, Desiree Ficker, etc. I also wanted to be around for the IM 70.3 World Championship rolldown just in case something amazing happened, but it didn't... 3 slots in my AG were gone by the 4th place person (there were a couple age groups where the slots rolled down surprisingly far). Males in the 30-55 range tend to really like ego things like going to the World Championships... surprise!

With the race day done, it was time to head back to the hotel, eat a bunch of food, rest, and get to bed early. Usual post-race fun and excitement :)

Worse or Better?
Warning: Nerd alert... skip this section if you don't get into number-crunching and analysis; but the coach in me loves this stuff : )

The results of this race are an interesting case study in the fallacy of comparing how you did in a triathlon by looking at a different race, or even the same race in a different year. My total time for this event was 5:05, whereas last year at the same event it was 4:50; and I ended up in 8th place vs 3rd place the prior year. However, I feel like I did better *this* year, and here's why:

As far as overall place, last year the race was more of a local event with less than half the number of competitors overall; and about a third as many competitors in my age group. As mentioned above, the IM-branded events with slots for the World Championship draw more people and a more competitive field. The same thing happened with the Longhorn Half Ironman in Austin when it became an "official" IM event.

The swim was pretty much my usual swim in terms of where I placed in my age group. Not much better or worse, which is what I expected given my training. Slower than last year for sure, but so was everyone else due to the wind and current. It was kind of funny, actually, the most common question athletes were shouting out to friends and fellow competitors on the run was "was the swim long or what? my time was terrible!".

The bike was just slightly slower than last year (in avg mph), but a huge jump in terms of where I placed in my age group. I'm normally about around the top 1/3 or so in my age group, but this time I was the 16th fastest bike split out of over 100! After looking back at the results, I am REALLY happy about that; as it shows all that work on the Computrainer is starting to pay off.

Finally, after a tough swim and pushing the bike very hard, I was still able to retain a nearly identical run split. So, can slower = faster and worse = better? It can when you are comparing two different races. You really have to analyze how you did in relation to the field and the level of competition in order to understand your true performance. That's the same rationale (in reverse) for why I didn't get too full of myself after getting a first place in my AG at the Redman iron distance triathlon last year.

Bottom line: You have to analyze your performance in light of all those variables (and more) in order to make sense of things and determine where you are improving and where you are not. For me, it added up to being very happy with my training and performance. I do wish I'd find that magic swimming bullet, though!! : )

What comes next?
So, the big question for me is... now what?!? I have a short triathlon coming up in a couple weeks, and for that I am actually more focused on a couple athletes that I train, who are doing that race as their first triathlon. I am on the race committee for a sprint triathlon in June, and that will keep me busy for a while. But as far as my own racing schedule, I don't have any major events planned up through next April, when I'll run the Boston Marathon again. I will pick out a couple of smaller triathlons and runs between now and then of course, but it's a very strange feeling to have nothing in particular that I have to train for. And you know... it feels kind of good :)

JD

Haiti trip rescheduled!

We finally have a date for making it back to Haiti! (our planned January trip was postponed due to the earthquake)...  So, we'll be heading back to see our friends in Les Abricot Sep 2nd - 10th : )

I'm anxious to get back - we haven't been there now since October 2008. Here's a link to a Flickr photo album from that trip, if you'd like to get a feel for what it's like in the village.

This will be a different type of trip, I'm sure; as most of the people in the village will have family and/or friends impacted by the earthquake. I'm anxious to get there and see what we can do to help. A lot to do in the meantime in order to get the trip replanned... flights, hotels, schedule coordination, etc. Better get crackin' : )

JD


*****************************************
Help the kids!

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: to find a cure for childhood cancer for kids like Ishani ... Please help them by donating HERE

Hope For Kidz: program to help educate children in Haiti

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Getting faster with age (Capitol 10K)

One of the most surprising things to me on this endurance sports journey is that I'm still able to see improvements, even as I get ever closer to that 50 year mark (47 now). I know that I can't win that battle forever, and there will come a point when things will start trending downward; but for now I am very happy to see Personal Records (PR's) continue to fall. My first timed 5K as an adult was in 2002; and I came in over 8 minutes/mile. A year later I did a 10K at a 7:20 pace; and that has come down the last few years to just under 7, then 6:45...  and then this past weekend I managed to get just under 6:30 and achieve a 40 minute 10K! Not sure that I, or my heart, are capable of going any faster, but it sure felt good to reach that milestone :) I also managed to get 6th place in my age group (out of 335), so cracking top 10 in a running event that large was another new experience. A very good day, indeed.

So, next up will be the Memorial-Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas... seriously, it sure was a lot easier to say/type when it was just "Lonestar Half IM"! :) I've been working pretty hard on the computrainer this year to improve on the bike, and the computrainer and training results indicate that I should be at least a little faster this year (potential mechanical difficulties aside). Swim should be about the same, and feeling good about the running; now we just have to see how it all comes together. You just never know what race day is going to bring...

New Garmin 310XT tracking shows delivery for tomorrow, so that will give me something to play with during taper :)

JD



*****************************************
Help the kids!

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: to find a cure for childhood cancer for kids like Ishani ... Please help them by donating HERE

Hope For Kidz: program to help educate children in Haiti

*****************************************

Team Lemon Rides Again!

Well... runs again is more like it. I'm running in the Austin Capitol 10K on Sunday, and I'll be sporting the very yellow outfit that is pictured below. In any other race, that might stand out as a little different; but weird and different is the name of the game for the Cap10K. This is the first stand-alone 10K that I've run in a long time, so I'm looking forward to seeing how I can do. The main focus is still the Half IM coming up in 2 1/2 weeks, but I'd like to give this race a decent shot and see what happens.

In other news - new toy on the way! I found a (relatively) good deal on the Garmin 310XT and decided to take the plunge. I'll sell the 305 that I have now to help pay for it, but I just really wanted to have something that I could wear for the entire triathlon. In the past, I've worn my normal Timex Ironman watch to keep the time until I got the Garmin 305 activated on the bike, which is a little annoying and at times has caused some trouble (as with IM Cozumel, when I ended up leaving the Garmin on the bike and didn't have it for the run).

Back next week with a race report from the 10K, and thoughts on the IM 70.3.

JD