2015 Nuun Hydration Nuunbassador!!!

I am very happy to announce that Nuun Hydration (http://nuun.com) has named me as one of their 2015 Nuunbassadors!

I sweat. A LOT! And all-year-round triathlon training in North Florida will quickly teach you about the importance of proper hydration. Already a HEAVY sweater, the heat and humidity of North Florida summers continue to teach me more and more about hydrating properly. I am anxious to share what I have learned and how I use Nuun to stay on top of my hydration needs!

It's going to be an exciting 2015 and I cannot wait to share the #NuunLove!

#StayHydrated

OVERWHELMED By What Matters Most!

In my last post, I talked about my big IRONMAN Florida race. One area I purposefully wrote very little about was what happened to me on the run course, when I went by the various encampments of my friends, family, and fellow athletes from my community. I even said that this was something I wanted to write about more in a future installment.

Why? Because those moments became bigger than even the biggest physical challenge I had ever undertaken, my race! I always wanted this "IRONMAN journey" to be about just that... the journey. The friendship, love, and support I felt as I passed by those groups were beyond what I could have ever prepared for. When you are not prepared for something, you have no choice but to be... overwhelmed.

I had the privilege of writing an article, for the local newspaper, The Tallahassee Democrat, about that experience. I want to share that with you here: http://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/2014/11/17/cold-windy-ironman-overwhelms-expected-reasons/19173139/

This will conclude my blog posts specific to IRONMAN Florida, so you will no longer have to put up with me cross-posting links to this blog in the various IRONMAN Florida Facebook groups I am a member of. However, I do plan to continue blogging on whatever triathlon-related topics come to mind and my 2015 season. Please feel free to use the available tools to "follow" this blog if you would like to be notified of new posts.

I look forward to sharing with you and hearing from you in the future. Thank YOU for being a part of my journey!

The Essence of an IRONMAN: My 2014 IRONMAN Florida Race!

What, no Sharknados?!

Looking at the forecasts in the days leading up to the 2014 IRONMAN Florida, we knew things were going to be challenging. Still, I cannot put into the words the disappointment I felt when the swim was cancelled. That was not what I trained for and not what I wanted. I was more than prepared for my 2.4-mile swim. However, I knew, even then, that it was the right call.

Swim safety unable to get
into and hold position.

During my warm up swim, about 10 minutes before the pros were set to start, I was pulled off of my feet and pulled further into the Gulf no fewer than four times before I realized what was happening and was able to swim out of the rip I was caught in. I made it back to shore and upon pulling my cap and goggles off, I heard, "Athletes, can I please have your attention?!"... the beginning of the announcement cancelling the IRONMAN Florida swim for the first time ever, due to dangerous rip tides and water conditions (waves). I joined the throng of first-timers, with tears in their eyes, making their way to T1 to prepare for the time-trial start for the bike.

Dave Ragsdale announcing the swim cancellation.

I would end up waiting nearly three hours (Having a high bib-number, I finally started at 9:41 am!), trying to stay warm, before starting a gruelling 112-mile bike ride in 20+ mph sustained winds with 30+ mph gusts. Little did I know then that Mother Nature had a plan for wearing out the muscles in my arms, shoulders, chest, and back more than any measely 2.4-mile swim EVER would have. Just fighting to keep my bike on the road, off of other athletes, and from beneath the vehicles flying by would be the second hardest challenge of the day.

Eating wind. All day. Eating wind.

The hardest challenge was hearing and seeing athletes who did not have the same fortune. There were multiple wrecks involving multiple athletes. The worst was around mile 75. Coming down a hill, I noticed a North-South opening in the trees that made up a cut for power lines. The wind was screaming through this cut and I was hit by the hardest gust I had encountered all day. As I was being pushed out into the road, I turned over my left shoulder to see if I was about to impact another athlete or vehicle. As I did, I heard the scream before I saw the crash. It was a woman's voice and, in that instant, she sounded like my wife and every other female triathlete I have trained with this year. She was in the middle of a pass and another athlete was passing her. She was pushed into the bike passing her and they both collapsed in the other direction, into the athlete she had been passing. Two bikes, behind them, quickly entered into the disaster and I saw one rider go over his handlebars and the entire group, sliding along the pavement. As all of this occurred, in slow-motion, the last image registered was the female triathlete sliding to a stop... motionless. Thankfully, there was no nearby vehicle traffic at that moment!

Tears and some strong language flew for the next half mile. This was truly the only dark spot in my day. I had already spent the day praying HARD for the safety of everyone on such a challenging day, but I turned up the prayers for the rest of the ride and hope everyone was OK?!

Heading out on the run!

I went on to survive the swirling crosswinds, mindless drivers, and pedestrian traffic on Front Beach Road for the last few miles of the bike and was overjoyed to be finished! A huge burst of energy washed over me as I dismounted and changed clothes for the marathon. A quick bathroom stop, the only one of the day (I sweat... a LOT!), and I was out on the run course.

Some of my biggest supporters!

As if I was not pumped up enough by being off of the bike, a *HUGE* gathering of family, friends, co-workers, and community athletes was setup within 1/4 of a mile of the run start. An even larger contingent was at another "camp" about a 1/2 mile from there. I will only briefly say that their friendship, love, and support meant the world to me! It may seem strange for me to spend so little time on what was the most memorable part of my day, but I really want to write about this more in-depth in the future. Suffice to say that I have never felt anything like what I felt running by them! It meant SO much on this very special day!

Nearing halfway on the run!

On to the run, I managed my race to plan. This being my first IRONMAN, I was deathly afraid of hitting the wall, going to that "dark place" and having to walk the last half. While I performed to plan, I know I had a lot more I could have poured into the run. My plan called for me to put a little more out there after the final turn-around, with 10K left to go, and I was able to easily pick up the pace. In hindsight, I could have easily done this at the halfway point and probably negative-split the last half. I know for next time and cannot wait to see what I can really do on a marathon at the end of an IRONMAN!

I must be STRONG, then! I had FUN!

In the end, the real highlight of the day was not making time goals or even in becoming an IRONMAN, it was in successfully making the day an "event". I feel like I did that part very right. I was not in such a hurry that I could not stop to hug friends and family. I thanked as many of the AMAZING volunteers as I could. Even though I was not hungry or particularly cold, I stopped to try the world-famous chicken broth that came out after dark. Yes, it was EVERYTHING they say it is! I encouraged fellow triathletes every chance I could. In fact, I really enjoyed regularly sharing what the only blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Erik Weihenmayer, calls positive pessimism. On the bike and on the run, I would frequently tell others, "Hey, this wind may be blowing hard, but at least it's cold too!" After a moment of thought, this would usually be rewarded with a big smile. Those smiles gave ME strength!

Crossing the line. My first IRONMAN!

I will not even begin to entertain arguments that what I did, or did not do, in Panama City Beach, Florida on November 1, 2014 prevents me from calling myself an IRONMAN. Paraphrasing something I saw written on one of the Facebook groups I follow, the 2014 IRONMAN Florida was not the IRONMAN I wanted, but it was the IRONMAN I was given. The essence of an IRONMAN includes factors and circumstances that you cannot control, yet you are required to figure out how to work through them.

On that epic day, we worked through a cancelled swim, a delayed bike start, frigid windchill temperatures, sustained winds of 20+ mph, wind gusts of 30+ mph, smoke from wildfires, and a cold, windy run. My body knows I did something amazing. And, most importantly, at the end of it all, Dave Ragsdale, the voice of IRONMAN Florida can be clearly heard saying, "Ronald Harrison, out of Tallahassee, you're an IRONMAN!"

That is all I need...

My IRONMAN Florida Playlist!

OK, so here is my 2014 IRONMAN Florida Playlist.

This started out to be just my "ring walk" playlist. You know what a "ring walk" is, right?! That is what a Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) or boxer does before the big fight. You know how they saunter into the arena, from their dressing room, and into the ring with music blaring, their entourage in tow, and their adoring fans screaming at the top of their lungs?!

Well, my playlist went from just a couple of songs, to pump me up as I walk into the "ring" (a.k.a. - IRONMAN Florida swim start), to music that will pretty much define my entire race. And, while I do not have a really awesome silk robe, with a hood, like a famous MMA star or boxer, I do have my bitchin' swim parka! I will wear that for my "ring walk" this Saturday!

THE "RING WALK" (a.k.a. - Walking from my condo to the swim start.):
OK, it is time to get pumped up! What better songs to do it with than...

• Bawitdaba - Kid Rock ("Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy said the boogy said up jump the boogy", indeed, my friends!)
• Thunderstruck - AC/DC (Not sure what they are carrying on about at the beginning, but it sure pumps me up!)
• Lose Yourself - Eminem ("Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity, To seize everything you ever wanted. one moment, Would you capture it or just let it slip?")
• Remember the Name - Fort Minor ("This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, Fifteen percent concentrated power of will, Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain, And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!" Make them remember your name!)
• Alive - P.O.D. ("I feel so alive for the very first time and I think I can fly!" Or at least swim, bike, and run 140.6 miles!)

THE 2.4-MILE SWIM:

• Panama - Van Halen (Since 1932, this song has launched the IRONMAN Florida swim start*. For no other reason than having a rocking beginning and the word "Panama" in it... with the race being in Panama City Beach, Florida! See a couple of IRONMAN swim starts and ANY song they play at the beginning of one will get you pumped up! * - I might be a little off on the date.)
  
• Keep Your Hands To Yourself - Georgia Satellites (Yeah, I know that the song is talking about something totally different, but I would appreciate the other ~3,500 swimmers all entering the water at the same time as me to keep their hands, feet, fists, knees, cudgels, snorkels, etc. to themselves!)

T1:

• Strip - Adam Ant ("We're just following ancient history, If I strip for you will you strip for me?" Gotta get out of that wetsuit and into our bike gear somehow! LOL!)

THE 112-MILE BIKE:

• Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen ("Get on your bikes and ride!" Yeah, there will be all kinds of "bottoms" to focus on during that long bike ride. Find one you like and follow it. Just maintain four bike lengths so as to not get a drafting penalty! Or get peed on. Yes, it happens. LOL!)
• I Live For The Sun - Surf Punks (Still not sure what the morning temperatures or winds are going to be. One, early forecast had a low of 48 and 14 mph winds. That will make for a chilly first hour on the bike until that big, yellow, heat-tab-in-the-sky warms things up a bit. I will be looking forward to finding some sun. But not too much, right?!)
• 99 Problems - Jay-Z (More like 112 problems, but I know what won't be one! Keep pedaling!)
• Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts ("Life's like a road that you travel on, When there's one day here and the next day gone. Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand, Sometimes you turn your back to the wind." A good portion of our life, this day, will be a highway. A few of them, actually. Here is to hoping that the wind is ALWAYS at our backs!)
• The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy (And the girls! "Guess who just got back today? Those wild-eyed boys that had been away." Everyone will be happy to get back into "town" after a hundred miles of "not much" scenery. And probably a little "wild-eyed" thinking about that 26.2-mile run ahead!)

T2:

• Changes - David Bowie ("Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes" For many of us, time for another costume change. Me, I'm changing into different duds for every event. I aspire to have more costume changes than a Celine Dion Vegas Show!)

THE 26.2-MILE RUN:

• Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen ("...tramps like us, baby we were born to run!" One of my all-time favorite running songs and the perfect way to get the run started!)
• Beautiful Day - U2 (Supposedly this is played at 9:00 pm at every IRONMAN, or so the announcer at last year's IMFL said. I hope to cross the Finish Line before that time, but will definitely be doing all I can to have a "beautiful day" on the run course!)
• Rainbow in the Dark - Dio ("No sign of the morning coming. There's no sight of the day. You've been left on your own. You are a Rainbow. Rainbow in the Dark." It gets DARK back in that State Park. I hope I have the motivation and energy to "shine bright, like a diamond" or be a "rainbow in the dark"!)
• Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi (Pretty sure that the second lap, heading into the State Park, this is going to me...)
• Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (No, they do not! And I'm going to keep telling myself this on that second lap!
• My Body - Young The Giant ("My body tells me no. But I won't quit, Cause I want more. Cause I want more!" Can't stop, won't stop! ;) Gotta make that turn in the State Park on that second loop!)
• One Vision - Queen ("One man, one goal, One mission. One heart, one soul, Just one solution. One flash of light, yeah, One God, one vision." This whole song rocks. After that turn in the State Park, I will have "one vision"... that finish line!)
• With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker ("I get by with a little help from my friends." I will need a LOT of help from my friends, family, team mates, and fellow triathletes to get through those last miles of the marathon! Let me hear it!)

THE FINISH CHUTE AND FINISH LINE:

• Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake (You might not think I am sexy, but I will, when I finally see that Finish Chute!)
• The Man - Aloe Blacc ("Well you can tell everybody, Yeah you can tell everybody. Go ahead and tell everybody, I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man. Yes I am, yes I am, yes I am. I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man." This is definitely how I am going to feel when I cross that line. There are so many great songs to finish to, but this one would be near the top of the list for me.)
• Iron Man - Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne (Not sure if I want this playing right after my finish or if I will just scream the opening words a few times... "I AM IRONMAN!!!" I guess it is possible that these lyrics may also apply... "Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind? Can he walk at all, Or if he moves will he fall?")
• Hall of Fame - The Script ("Yeah, you can be the greatest, You can be the best. You can be the King Kong banging on your chest." I hope there will be some well-earned banging on my chest when this thing is done!)

BACK AT THE ROOM:

• Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice (Ice bath, bags of ice, ice-cold beer... ice, ice, baby!)

SUNDAY MORNING:

• Thrift Shop - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (Look out Official IRONMAN Store... "I'm gonna pop some tags...")

OK, friends, followers, and accidental travelers... this may likely be my last blog post until after the big day, IRONMAN Florida on Saturday, November 1, 2014! I would like to put out another one to really say thanks to all those who have helped me in this journey and to really wish the best of luck to all of those competing. I don't want to put any pressure, with everything I still have to do this week, to crank out another post, though.

So, until I can more adequately say thank you to the countless family, friends, and well-wishers that have helped get me to the point where it is now up to me to make this dream a reality, let me briefly say it now. Thank you!!! Without your support, this would simply remain only a dream.

And to those of you competing, I pray for your safety and your strength as you travel to Panama City Beach and on race day! I hope you have an incredible end to your journey! One that far exceeds your wildest dreams of how you thought it would!




Good luck, IRONMAN!!!




I'mRONMAN

IRONMAN is...

Early in my IRONMAN Florida journey, I remember seeing a post on one of the IRONMAN Florida Facebook pages that simply said, "IRONMAN is..." and invited members to fill in the blanks. There is even an often humorous, "You know you're an IRONMAN when..." Facebook group that I am a member of.

As soon as I saw that first post and read the first few submissions, I knew I had to turn away and start my own list. I did just that and have kept adding to it throughout my journey. Here is what I came up with.

IRONMAN is...


-Laundry. SO much laundry.

-Bike bottles to wash. SO many bike bottles to wash.

-Going through the inconvenience of shaving just before bedtime because you have an important meeting at work, the next morning, and the pool locker room does not have hot water in the sinks for you to do it there.

-Being completely willing to bike X miles and immediately run X miles over the course of an X-hour brick workout, but being TOTALLY UNWILLING to park more than 3 spaces away from the cart-return at the grocery store, later that day.

-Biting down on your shampoo bottle to keep from crying like a little girl when the water in the shower hits your chafed spots immediately after a long bike or run.

-Having the complexion of teenager with a penchant for greasy foods, thanks to all of the sunscreen and sweat.

-In an effort to avoid skin cancer, committing to always use sunscreen and not getting a single sunburn all season! (Pretty proud of myself on this one!)

-Finally locking in your hydration and nutrition so well that your body ALWAYS wants to eat and/or drink every 15 minutes, not just when you are training!

-By the end of IRONMAN training, seeing a 4-hour bike/1-hour run brick as your “long” workout for the weekend and thinking, “Yes! An easy day!”

-With one week to go before your race, your compulsive hand-washing and hyper-sensitive germ-avoidance makes people suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorders look absolutely normal and well-adjusted!

-Doing ALL of the prescribed yardage/mileage in your cool down. Even when nobody is “looking”!

-Knowing more about the week’s weather, just so you can figure out when to fit in all of your workouts, than all of the local meteorologists combined!

-Realizing that tomorrow’s weather is going to keep you from your swim workout… and doing it today instead!

-Waking up before the alarm goes off for that early morning swim/bike/run!

-Hoping the “raccoon eyes”, caused by your goggles during your 5:30 am swim, are gone before your big 9:00 am business meeting!

-Spending more time, the week before the race, thinking about how you want your finish line picture to look than you did in the pool!

-Spending an hour on IRONMANStore.com, the week before your race, trying to decide what Finisher gear you’re going to buy.

-Wondering if you should buy an extra MDot vehicle magnet to have on hand in case you ever need to rent a car.

-Completely nonsensical, race-catastrophe nightmares in the week or two (during taper) before the event.

-Anyone who finishes in less than 17 hours!!!

These are just a few of the humorous or otherwise interesting observations I have made throughout this journey. I hope that your journey has been equally as enlightening and humorous!

The countdown continues! Only eight more days until 2014 IRONMAN Florida!!!

Please Help Me Live Through This Taper!

While this may be my first IRONMAN, I have tapered before. I tapered before my first marathon and before three half IRONMAN events. There have been other, smaller tapers here and there. I say all of this to establish the fact that I know very well that the taper makes you C-R-A-Z-Y. In fact, a mild bit of taper-related craziness from a "mini-taper" before my "The BIG Day" workout, that I wrote about here: The BIG Day Workout, prompted me to start writing this post.


With each increase in distance I have undertaken in the sports of running and triathlon, the challenges have been commensurate. Therefore, if this holds true-to-form for my IRONMAN taper, I am estimating that the taper-related craziness will be an "11" on the 10-point, Higginbottom Taper Insanity Scale*, as shown here:

1977 Higginbottom Taper Insanity Scale: Triathlons

By definition “tapering” is:

The reduction of the training load for an athlete during a variable period of time in order to reduce the physiological and psychological stress from daily training with the goal of optimizing sports performance on competition day.

That is to say that the taper is meant to help you maintain the intensity of your workouts while reducing the length or volume of the workload, allow the body to rebuild, reduce stress that negatively affects the body, and maximize muscle and liver glycogen stores (energy!).

The following are some of the generally discussed issues/challenges we face during tapering and how to handle them.

1. Everything Hurts! I'm falling apart!! Your body is healing itself. These aches and pains are usually not anything new. While some may be "in your head", more often they are the normal soreness experienced during regular training. The difference is that, during your taper, you actually have time to analyze these things... under the microscope of your taper-addled brain!

If you really want to get on top of the aches and pains and set your body up for success, here is some terrific information from Ben Keyes of the IMFL Sports Massage Team on IRONMAN Race Prep and Recovery, as it relates to massage therapy. Here, you will learn what you can do up to three weeks before your race and immediately after!



2. I Need To Do More! The training is done! The taper is not the time to do more long/hard training to try to make last-minute improvements. As hard as this can be to accept, it is a fact. Quite often, some of your final, longer sessions may be some of your worst. As you approach that tipping point of overtraining and not being able to recover enough, you may start feeling disappointed about the results of some of your sessions.


Do NOT try to squeeze in "one last, long or hard (fill in the blank with swim/bike/run)"! If the siren call to put in more yards or miles gets too loud, simply go back to your training logs or simply think back to all of the workouts you put in to get to this point. Seeing how much you have done to prepare should give you solace!



3. During Training I Have Eaten Like A Starving Hyena and Now I Can't Stop! I am the last person to be giving any kind of nutrition advice. I eat like a starving hyena even when I am not training hard. So... I am simply going to point you to a great read directly from the IRONMAN mothership herself! Taper Nutrition Basics: A 3 Week Plan. While you are doing that, I am going to order myself a pizza...




4. My Confidence Swings More Than My Mood! As discussed in number 2, above, the feeling that you have not done enough is strong. But then, you follow my advice and look at your workouts and you decide you are ready! Heck, maybe you should even drop 15 minutes from your estimated finish time? Wait, your swim has not really felt quite "there" this past week. Maybe you should add 30 minutes to your estimated finish time?! Finish time?! Who said you are going to finish? Who am I kidding? You are going to KILL this IRONMAN thing!


Sound familiar? Remember when I said the training was done?! It is. The taper is not the time to be second-guessing your swim stroke, bike pace, or running form. It is not the place to gain fitness. The taper is where you have to work just as hard at the mental battle as you have to prepare for the physical one! If IRONMAN training is all about preparing you for the physical rigors of an IRONMAN, what you go through during the taper and HOW YOU HANDLE IT is the final preparation for the mental rigors of an IRONMAN!

Again, look back at where you have been. Every stroke in the pool, pedal stroke on the bike, and step on the run have prepared you for this! Rest and relax more. Race day will be here soon enough and you will do great!


5. Stick To Your Plan! Tune out the noise of your training partners and other athletes participating. It can be hard when you hear them talking about how ready they are or how well their training has been going. Remember, this whole journey is as individual a process as the race, itself, will be. The taper is no different. It will vary from person to person. What works for others, may not work for you. Find what works for you to keep you sane and keep you from upsetting all of your hard work.



Again, trust all of the hard work you have done and all of the planning you have put into your journey. If there are any last-minute doubts, talk with your coach or with someone who has done your race before. Go over what you have done and what you plan to do on race day.



Finally, think back to what started you on this journey. Why are you doing this? You will be reminded of what brought you here. That and the study of the hard work you have done will remind you that you ARE prepared for that magical moment when you cross the finish line and hear those ever-important words that we all want to hear so badly, "(Insert Your Name Here)... YOU... are an IRONMAN!"

Follow these tips and you will live through this taper!



* - There is no "Higginbottom Taper Insanity Scale", but it sounds cool and there probably should be one!

The BIG Day Workout!

I have told you about the "KILLER Brick" workout (http://imronman.blogspot.com/2014/09/surviving-killer-brick.html) and the "CRAZY Brick" workout (http://imronman.blogspot.com/2014/03/oh-no-lets-go-crazy-brick.html). Now, let us talk about the mack daddy workout of my 2014 IRONMAN Florida training... "The BIG Day" workout!





This is a workout that my coach, Sandy Holt, Head Coach at TriAttic (http://www.TriAttic.com), gives her IRONMAN athletes right before they start their taper. This workout is NOT designed to make you go the full 140.6 miles. It will, however, do a great deal to give you the confidence that you will be able to do that distance on race day and do it comfortably!




The Big Day workout is really a shorter, less-intense, dry-run of your IRONMAN race. This is where you confirm your nutrition, hydration, clothing/equipment, and your planned pacing. One of the biggest benefits is that it has you starting your day and each, successive activity at roughly the same time of day that you will be during your race.

I even took this dry-run a step further and ate the same things I plan to eat on race day, the day and night before the event! That is right, I plan to power my IRONMAN attempt with a 5 Guys Burgers and Fries hamburger and cajun fries! Why the hell not, right?!

Here is how The Big Day looked for me.

4:30 am: Wake up and eat same breakfast as planned for race day. Do some light stretching and mental prep.
7 - 8 am: 60-minute Race Simulation Swim. Swim One Hour at IM race pace. If unable to swim in wetsuit, use pull buoy to simulate wetsuit.
8 - 8:30 am: Head to Bike Workout.
8:30 am - 1:30 pm: 5-hour Bike Workout. WU: 1 Hour Easy. MS: 3.5 Hours at IM Race Pace. CD: 30 Minutes Easy.
1:30 pm - 3 pm: Eat and Rest. Get off legs and eat a light meal, mostly liquid.
3 - 5 pm: 2-hour Race Simulation Run. WU: 2 Miles Easy. MS: 9 Miles at IM Race Pace. CD: Run Easy until hit 2 Hours.
5:01 pm: Celebrate like a BOSS because taper starts the next day!!!

It was a very interesting day and, as with most big training days, I learned a lot. While I may not have covered the mileage I wanted and at the pace I wanted, I am very pleased with how I managed the day! The most important thing about the whole day was that I dealt with the conditions I was handed and feel confident I could have accomplished 140.6 miles!

!!!WARNING: Boring post-workout recap follows!!!

SWIM: Even with the water temperature being near the mid-80's in the pool (HOT!), my swim was one of the best, sustained swims I have ever had! I swam the fastest, 1-hour-straight set ever! YES! There is not a lot to say when everything goes right!

BIKE: During the first, easy hour of the bike, the biggest thing I noticed was that my "easy pace" heart rate was very near my "race pace" heart rate. I knew something was wrong. I was trying so hard to figure out what could be causing the heightened heart rate that I almost completely disregarded the fact that my stomach was feeling bloated and little achy. The other thing that was going on was an unseasonably warm day, with temperatures in the lower 90's. I have trained in plenty of hot weather this summer, so I did not think that was the cause of the heightened heart rate, but I am sure it did not help.

My rate of perceived effort would allow me to easily reach speeds I was accustomed to on this route, but not without a substantial spike in my heart rate, putting me outside of the ranges I needed to stay within to ensure a strong run. Having learned long ago that I am always better off sticking to the plan, I went ahead and slowed my pace to keep my heart rate under control.


My nutrition and hydration were right on target. I stopped to take a couple of photos and to refill my bottles at halfway. I was much more leisurely on this training ride than I usually am. To make it "OK" in my mind, I told myself that this was a "victory lap" to celebrate a lot of other training rides where I pushed the edges of my goal ranges and enjoyed terrific results!

I ended the ride with a smile and, looking at the data later, managed to keep my heart rate within goals, but with a pace that really suffered for the effort. Definitely a win in the "sticking to the plan" column! (Gotta find positives where you can, right?!)

RUN: I had high hopes that whatever was going on during the bike would disappear and I would be able to have a great run. I changed clothes and had about 30 minutes to hydrate and enjoy some air conditioning in the local Subway before heading out for the run.


Even though the run took place from 3 - 5 pm, it truly felt like the sun was directly overhead for the entire run. There were big, fluffy, beautiful white clouds in the sky, but they were deathly afraid of the sun and would not dare intercede to give me a hint of shade!






I started off with the plan for two "easy" miles. I quickly noticed that my pace was just barely at where I usually am for an "easy" run and my heart rate was more than happy to approach my race pace. The writing was on the wall for how this run was going to be...



While I still did not know exactly what was happening with my body, I was resigned to the fact that something was up and I would just have to use the opportunity to learn as much as I could about how I would have to perform if this happened on race day. I turned my 2-hour run into a giant laboratory.

After running the first two miles at my "easy" pace, I tried to pick things up to get to race pace, but while sticking to the plan for heart rate. This ended up leading to quite a few normal-paced bursts, followed by short periods of walking to get my heart rate down to within goal range. I ended these 2-miles of "experimentation" with a pace lower than my "easy" pace and a heart rate just outside of my goal.


For the next round of experimentation, I decided that unregimented, short bursts and short walk breaks to control heart rate were ineffective so I wanted to try a more-structured, Galloway method of run/walk. I started with 3/1 (run three minutes, walk one minute) and ended with 3/2 run three minutes, walk two minutes). By analyzing the data later, I surprisingly found my overall pace to be significantly faster with a 3/2 than a 3/1. I never would have guessed that. All I can imagine is that the increased recovery on the 2 minutes of walking allowed for a faster pace on my 3-minute run segments.

With the plan being to meet family and friends for a celebration dinner after, I spent the last ~10 minutes walking, to cool down and reflect on the lessons of the day. The one thing that was foremost in my mind was that, even though my heart rate was telling me that my body was not having a good time, my legs felt great, my lungs felt great, and most importantly, my mind was clear!

DIAGNOSIS/PROGNOSIS: In talking with my wife the night after this workout, she began telling me about how sick she had been from the food we ate. In hindsight and based on how I have felt the two days after this workout, I definitely had a touch of food poisoning. My stomach is still not back to normal (Sparing you the gory details here... LOL!). Fortunately, I was not as affected as my wife, but it still did a number on me.

I do not know if I am ready to cast 5 Guys Burgers and Fries aside, as my pre-race meal, though. After all, I have had three other grueling workouts that were fueled by them and turned out great! Even though the "taper" has started, it truly is a taper. Workouts do not STOP! I have a 3:15-hour bike with a ~30-minute run this Saturday. I am thinking that Friday night will be "burger night" again and we will see how it goes on Saturday!

The most important fact was what I mentioned earlier... that I was pleased with how I managed the day! I had a plan that would have gotten me across the finish. For my first IRONMAN, that will not be my goal, but ultimately what will matter most!

To all of my 2014 IRONMAN Florida friends... WELCOME TO THE TAPER!!!

Looking Back Before Moving Forward!

On September 28, 2014, I competed in my second IRONMAN Augusta 70.3. Typically, for IRONMAN Florida athletes, my coach will simply use this race as a training day, but with the added benefit of doing all three disciplines under race conditions. No matter how well you think you have everything (effort, hydration, nutrition, etc.) dialed in, when you throw in the excitement of actual race day, you will learn something!

The IRONMAN company, World Triathlon Corporation, recognizes the value of half-distance races for full IRONMAN preparation and now even provides recommendations for those on the sign-up page for those races. They have even taken it a step further and are providing “Race Ready” packages that allow you to sign up for the half and the full at the same time. This is how I signed up for this year’s IRONMAN Augusta 70.3 and IRONMAN Florida! All in one package, nice and easy.

Two weeks before the race, my coach informed me that, since my training had been going so well, that instead of just doing the race at my IRONMAN Florida pacing, I’d be able to “race” it at a higher intensity. She was very explicit, though, to ensure that I had appropriate expectations. Especially on the run portion.

In the last year, my swim and bike have greatly improved. I have also set personal records in every run distance I have raced. However, having spent the last couple of months focusing on pacing more in line with a 26.2-mile run after a 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike, my ability to hold the intensity needed for a “fast” half IRONMAN simply was not going to come easily. I could push and maybe beat last year’s pace, but it would be very challenging.

Speaking of push… the number one message my coach gave me was to remind me that IRONMAN Florida is my “big race” and what I have been working towards all year. She insisted that if anything felt "off" at any time during IRONMAN Augusta 70.3, I was to stop pushing, pull back, and save myself for my “big race”!

Race morning dawned to near-perfect conditions. The swim was largely uneventful. I had the best swim I have ever had. I was head-down, with good form and strong pulls for the entire distance. The burn in my shoulders told me I had put in some effort. I was later shocked to find that I was only a few seconds faster than last year, but learned that the water flow was also greatly reduced from last year’s! I would have loved to have had last year’s water with this year’s form and strength!


Transition was smooth and I was out on the bike course. The only controllable issue I had on the bike was dropping my prescription sunglasses right after getting underway, as I fumbled to put them on. After circling back to pick them up, the rest of the bike was largely uneventful, save for much bumpier roads than last year and blustery winds! (What was up with those roads?!) I ignored the wind, stuck to my plan, and came off the bike with a good improvement in time. I can now only imagine how great it would have been had we had last year’s conditions on the bike!

Transition was, again, smooth and I was out on the run course. The first issue I had on the run was not being able to get a good feel for my pace. My Garmin was not helping me much, as the real-time pace seemed to be varying wildly. I ended up being just a few seconds above my goal paces for the first three miles. When it came time to pick it up for mile 4, I was, again, just a few seconds above. At the time, I just was not able to tell this and was still feeling great and like everything was within reach.


I cannot remember exactly where things started to change, but I think it was a water stop in mile 5 or 6, where I had already planned to walk, take in fluids, and get some cold sponges to cool my core. As soon as I started running again, I simply could not get back up to the speed I wanted. I started feeling like my right ankle was tightening up. Then there was a twinge in my left hip. Within the space of half a mile, my mind convinced me that these were all the beginning stages of a “big race”-endangering injury or, at the minimum Lupus, Ebola, and/or Psoriasis. OK, I am exaggerating a little bit...

The aches and pains were real. BUT… they were probably the same little aches and pains that I can normally just run through and will go away in short order. In my head, though, I was having a good race and the “big race” was looming only a short, 30 days away. And with that, I did what was probably the smart thing and backed off.

I worked into a rather manageable pace and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the race. I thanked twice as many volunteers as I even normally would and interacted with the crowds lining Broad Street like never before. Something I would not have been able to do if I would have been hammering the whole way home.





In the end, I was very happy with my race. A great swim and a great bike were followed by a good, not great, run. Sadly, this meant I was a few minutes slower, this year, than last year. But, I finished with a huge smile, am healthy and ready for my “big race”, and know that I will one day return to beautiful Augusta to capture that personal record!





And now, all focus is on moving forward… IRONMAN Florida! Panama City Beach, Florida. Saturday, November 1, 2014, baby!

Surviving the "KILLER Brick"!

In late-March I told you about the "CRAZY Brick", interval workout that the coaches over at TriAttic (http://www.TriAttic.com) hosted for area triathletes. You can read all about that workout and the lessons learned in my "Oh no, Let's Go... Crazy Brick!" post.


Last Sunday, my journey to my first IRONMAN at IRONMAN Florida went through a workout my coach calls a "KILLER Brick"! The "KILLER Brick" is done as:

• Bike 40-miles / Run 4-miles.
• Bike 30-miles / Run 3-miles.
• Bike 20-miles / Run 2-miles.
• Bike 10-miles / Run 1-mile.

Total mileage for the workout is 100-miles on the bike and 10-miles on the run!

This workout is great for helping you lock in your hydration/nutrition and especially for getting your body used to that transition from bike to run! If you think a standard brick will help you get in touch with how your legs feel when you run right off the bike, imagine what doing it four times in one workout will do!

Other than the logistical issues and longer "transitions", as you lock up your bike and occasionally refill your bottles from your cooler between sets, there are really no downsides compared to the many great things to learn from this workout.

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My "KILLER Brick" workout started with temperatures in the upper-60s. The workout ended a little under 8-hours later with temperatures in the lower-90s.

The "step-down" nature of the sets are a real psychological benefit to this particular workout. After the first set, you're "Nearly halfway done!" Well, 40% done, to be exact, but I trick my brain into thinking "nearly halfway". Then, as you're doing the second set, you realize that the second set is the combined distance of the third and fourth set. And, when you're done with the second set, you're "Nearly three-fourths of the way done!"

Yes, these little mind-games really helped me get through this one. Naturally, the challenge grew as the day progressed and the temperature rose. However, I managed to stay completely tuned in to my effort, my hydration, and my nutrition.

Assessing the overall workout afterwards, it really struck me that, even if I kept the excessive transition times in my total workout time, I'd still have over 9 hours to complete a 2.4-mile swim, an additional 12-mile bike, and an additional 16-mile run. So, if I even took 2 hours to do the swim, rode the last 12-miles at a 12 mph pace for 1 hour, and then walked the 16-miles at a 20:00 min/mi, I'd still finish well under the 17-hour cutoff. I'd have 40 minutes to spare, in fact!


While a 16-hour IRONMAN isn't what I'm planning, the confidence I gained, that I can do this, from the KILLER Brick was huge!

So, get out there and tackle a KILLER Brick to build your confidence! And if you're successful, feel free to grab a little bite to eat after, as a reward!