Chesapeakeman Ultra Distance Triathlon - TriathlonFull Ironman

The course was shaped like a long isosceles triangle. There was a steady wind at the start but the water didn't look to bad. Key work being "look". On the first long side of the course, which was closer to the shore, we had a nice push and I was cruising. After making the turn at the first buoy I realized there was a lot of chop out there and I knew once I made the turn to complete the loop the backstretch would be tough, and it was. Sighting was a bit tough on this section with the chop. I did waste some time when I thought I sited the orange turn-around buoy when in actually it was the start line buoy. I went quite a ways off course (with another guy) before we realized we had veered quite a ways (maybe 25m) off the buoy line we should have been on.

I definitely did a better job of drafting and sighting on the second loop. I actually felt pretty strong and was in a good rhythm for the 2nd loop. Only real issue I had was the chafing on the back of my neck.

I didn't push the swim at all and felt strong at the end. Saw Brad cheering as I came out.

Except for the sighting error on loop 1, I really wouldn't have changed anything. I paced it comfortably and given the solid, but definitely not spectacular swim training I put in this season, I was more than content with the time.

Grabbed my bag from a volunteer and then into the changing tent. Volunteer in the tent was awesome...packed up all my stuff. I am certainly no speed demon in transitions during an ultra. Toughest part was getting arm warmers on wet arms. Took at least 30s.

The normal...hussle more.

First IM with a power meter and it certainly helped. Not only did it help me not go out too hard but more importantly for me it helped me push when if I was on RPE I would have eased back.

The first 20mi was a OAB. The 10mi out was all tailwind and you were flying...24-25mph...then I hit the turnaround and was doing 17-18 at the same watts. According to wunderground.com the wind started off 7mph and worked its way up to 15mph by 10am and then slowly eased back to 10mph over the next 4hrs. So anyways, a pretty solid, but not a total killer, wind.

I saw Brad and Dave (dck4shrt) around mile 20...learned I was in ~40th place including A-V racers. I felt strong then...but my hamstrings were starting to feel really tight. I took a endurolyte and it seemed to help but who knows...coulda just been the placedo effect. I kept the watts in the 170s for the first 40mi.

My plan was to race in approx thirds. 0-40, 40-80 and then 80-112. When I got to 40 I actually stopped to check out a rattle on my bike and pee. Hamstrings were still tight and I couldn't really pick up the watts (to the low 180s) like I wanted. I decided to keep the effort as steady as possible and focus on keeping watts in the 170s. Except for a strong headwind across the bottom of the loop and a bad 3mi section of road when you turned north, the rest of the first loop was uneventful minus seeing Brad and Dave again around mile 55 or so. They had perfect timing.

I passed the school, skipped my SN bag and I was off on the second loop. Shortly I saw Brad and Dave again in the same spot as the first time I saw them. I kept the effort steady but could still feel the hamstrings as I headed south with a slight tail/cross wind. I had to focus to keep the power up. I knew the headwind was going to start at the next turn and I made a deal with myself that I would have to focus to keep the effort high for the next 30min after the turn. I stopped about 20min into this section to pee. Amazingly I felt better after this 30min segment and I finished the loop, and bike, feeling strong.

I took the last ~2mi to spin out the legs.


NUTRITION:
~1650cal of 5x5 SE & HG
7 endurlytes. Every 45min starting at 1hr
Water to thirst
TOTAL ~300cal/hr

Tough to say. My power and intensity were way below what I was able to do during long rides in training, but then again those long rides involved hills so maybe that's why I was able to keep the higher power then. May I tapered too much, or maybe I was just having a below avg day on the bike. I had a similar feeling/result at Musselman too. Got to work on this.

I do think stopping to pee (as oppose to trying to pee on the bike on a flat course) was the right choice. It cost me ~1m45s (including looking at the rattle which ended up being co2 after a velcro strap came loose), which I think was better than coasting, and even then not getting an empty bladder.

In the end I didn't hit my power target(s), but I still PR'd by nearly 9min....so not much too complain about. I see room for improvement and that has me excited.

I had my road bike shoes on so no riding with feet on top. I swapped out shoes, loaded by two flasks and put on my garmin. The volunteers in the tent were awesome...brought over a water and gatorade right to my chair.

Again, I have time to shave in ultra-distance transitions, but I use them as a mental pit-stop.

My main goal of the run was to eat! My last cpl IMs ended with below average runs b/c of poor nutrional execution (or so I believe).

I felt really good to start. Tried to settle in over the first two miles so I wasn't worried about the pace too much. At mile 3 I was settling into my intended start pace...~8:45. I held onto this pace for the better part of 10 miles and didn't fade too much until mile 17.

My nutrition was very good this run. I took a hit of gel at approx every 2mi...at every other aid station...10 time in total for about 5 total gels b/t miles 2 and 22. I took water at almost every aid station. Gatorade 3x before mile 20. Started hitting the Pepsi at ~mile 18.

When I got to the final turnaround, I knew I needed to average around 10min/mi to get under 11. My last couple 3 miles were all > 10:30. Time to cowboy up. I was able to bring the pace to 10ish and I felt pretty good about breaking 11. Shortly after mile 24 a guy came by me doing 8:45 - 9:00 pace...I told him he looked strong and to keep it up. He told me wanted to break 11. I told him me too and lets work the last 2+ miles together. I jumped on and we had a nice chat/run. We got to the track together and I told him to go ahead and bring it home. I slapped brad a high five and crossed the line just under 10:55 and PR'ing the run by over 20min. Woohoo!

NUTRITION:
5 Hammer gels - Taken every other aid station, or approx every 2mi b/t miles 2 and 22. 450cal.
3 Endurolytes
3 cups gatorage (~60cal)
4 cups pepsi (~160cal)
TOTAL ~160cal/hr

Certainly not perfect, missed my sub 4 goal, but I learned some things. Running miles 22-26 faster than 18-22 just proved to me that I need to push a bit harder and focus. My fading pace was more mental than physical. I learned A LOT and for that I am excited to race the distance again.

Walk around a bit with Brad and then cheer some others in...including Laura at around 11:19.


Nothing more than what I noted above.


I thought this race was great!! It didn't have all the hoopla of an IM, but I enjoyed racing it more than any IM. Less physical swim. No worries about ppl drafting/blcoking/getting in your way on the bike...so much so there were long stretches (up to 10min) where I wouldn't see another athlete on the bike...and I think I only passed 2ppl (excluding those still on their first lap) the last 40+miles on the bike. I enjoyed the solitude on the bike. The three loop run was actually quite nice. Only negative was its tough to know what position you are in..not a big deal for me but if you are racing for an OA spot, then lead bikes would have been nice.

Cpl things coulda been better;
- Not the most organized run aid stations..not the IM water, gatorade, gel, snacks, water, gatorade, gel, snacks...(or whatever organized order IMs have)
- Stations had soda but when you called for it they had to run to the table and find it. A kid actually gave the OA winner a can of pepsi the one time.
- I think they ran out of pizza post-race...I say I think b/c I never saw it and it was rumored to be there...but I can't see it being out (or temporarily out) since Laura and I both finished in the top 30.

Highly recommended. Would definitely do it again. Maybe A-V next year in prep for IMAZ???