PLMsbr (JD) Group - FULL (Page 23)

http://www.triathica.com/
 
The link is above, obviously not much use to you in Texas, but maybe this will start to catch on.

Thanks for the link... that place looks great!

How's everybody doing getting ready for Boise this weekend?!!?  Hope you're all fired up and ready to go

I have baowolf (Steve), mtnbkr (Tom), and triscruggs (Will) all showing as participating. You guys going to meet up at all?

JD

6 days and counting!  What's everyone's plans for Boise?  My wife and I are getting into town on Friday and staying at the Doubletree Inn somewhere there in town.  We're driving out again on Sunday.  My number is 808-778-9978. 

I had a solid 30 mile ride and 6 mile run yesterday with several hills and jumps to race pace and beyond.  It felt good - better and faster than I expected.  I still haven't made it into any cold water with the wetsuit I borrowed...  I might get out tomorrow, but I'm not real excited about it.  I'm planning on cruising through the swim anyway. 

Coach, do you have any thoughts on breaking the race down?  My biggest concern (beyond becoming a popsicle in the first 40 minutes) is going out too hard on the bike. I'm used to the 40k - balls to the wall - distance now.  I know I can't do that for 56 miles and still have anything left for the run, but it's hard not to crank it up when I finally get on the bike after flapping around in the water.  Also, what about nutrition?  A the Oly distance I tape a couple of Gu's to my bike.  I'm planning on the same for this distance.  I figure I can get through 4-5 over the bike and then maybe two more on the run. 

And have you looked at the forecast??!  Thunderstorms?  Ouch.

Will

Do yourself a really big favor and make sure you do try the wetsuit you'll be using in cold water similar to what you'll be swimming in. My worst swim performance ever was in a half im with a new wetsuit and cold water, because I failed to follow my own advice

As far as race breakdown, I agree with your thoughts on just cruising thru the swim, especially at the beginning. Once you get into a good rhythm and have some distance in, you can pick it up a little if you feel up to it. Just make sure you keep good form, minimize your use of the legs, and try to keep calm and relaxed in the water. Not worth it to pick up one minute in the swim but come out dizzy and exhausted.

My last 1/2 IM, the way I kept the bike under control was to concentrate on the cadence I wanted (for me was 90+ rpm); and to consciously check myself anytime I was tempted to put the bike into a harder gear. If I could still keep the 90+ rpm without feeling like I was starting to overtax my legs, then great - but otherwise I'd put it back into the easier gear and just take what speed that gave me. I don't think that cost me more than 5 minutes on the bike, but allowed me to have a better run than I had even hoped for. There is a famous quote on that topic that is something like "go too hard on the bike, you have 26 miles to pay for that mistake; go too easy, and you have 26 miles to make it up". Obviously in reference to IM, but same thing applies. Finally, have a realistic time goal for the bike, and then as long as you are at that pace - be happy! Meeting your bike goal time without over-exerting yourself simply means that you now have good strong legs with which to meet or beat your run goal time.

When you plan nutrition for half IM, make sure you are accounting for the difference in time as well as distance. Most of us can go 2+ hours without any nutrition at all (other than some water). So, in an Olympic, the minimal nutrition you talk about is great; and similar to what I do. In a half IM, you have another 4 hours or so to go after that 2 hours is up, so nutrition is a little more important. I have learned through much trial and error that I can take in about 300 calories per hour (100 from gatorade endurance, 200 from gels/bloks/food) on the bike, and a little less on the run. Gu's are 100 calories each, so seems like you're right around that same number. If that's worked for you in training, then that will work on race day. Pretty easy to grab an extra gel or banana on the course if you get hungry, but if you put too much sugar in your stomach, that can take a while to clear out.

Hope that helps, and fear not the weather. Weather forecasters are universally inaccurate this many days out from a race...

Good luck!!!

Will...if you get here early enough on Friday you may want to head up to Lucky Peak pond just below the dam. The water will be very similar temp. It cost $4 to park in the park where the pond is but it may be worth it, like JD suggests.
Take a look at the forum where people are talking about the Boise70.3...
I may be pretty easy to spot on race day...I'll be wearing a Hammer Nutrition tri suit...swimming with the 50+ group...1/4 inch buzzed hair...good looking guy...we jump in at 2:10...don't run me over..please go around me...thanks.......................Tom 208-861-0732

Just to jump in on the nutrition, I had good luck with Perpeteum - a Hammer Nutrition product - on my HIM's.  I trained with this product, and it provides more than just sugar and carbs so it is something you can use all day.  If you haven't trained with it or something similar, be careful though.

I can't survive on gels and Gatorade for 5 1/2 hours, so I needed to use something like this to make it through. 

I'll second that on the Perpetuem. It is too late now if you haven't used it in training. Something worth looking into for the future though. If you want something better than sugar gels and Gatorade, I would recommend Hammer Gels and HEED electrolyte/complex carb drink in your water bottles. Hammer products use NO simple sugars. Very easy on the digestion. They also have a variety of capsules that really do work as advertised and their recovery drink is excellent.
I've been needing to get rid of some of that nervous energy this week but am trying not to over do it. My last OWS will be Wed a.m. at Lucky Peak...about 1000yds.

Good Luck in Boise Guys.

Whew!!  What a crazy race.  If you haven't read about the pro results, you should check them out.  Craig Alexander caught Chris Lieto in the last 50 yards to win by 2 seconds!  I wish I had been there to watch it.

Pac10er, I have the same feeling you did after finishing my first HIM.  Don't try to race it.  I'm stoked I got through it, but I'm a little bummed about my time.  I was hoping for 5:30 and finished in 5:48.  The swim site is beautiful, but I haven't had nearly as much time swimming as I needed recently and the water was cold enough to help me cramp up by the end and the wetsuit I borrowed was a size too small.  I finished the swim in 51 minutes - I was hoping for 40 minutes.

I'm not unhappy about the bike.  We were pummeled with rain and hail in the middle of a thunderstorm!  I finished the ride in 2:52.  I expected something below 2:45.  I was scared to death about a few of the descents.  Heading back into Boise at the end of the ride there was a driving rain, all you could see of the cars were their headlights, and I could barely read my computer through my fogged glasses.  The sky in Boise is light beyond 9:30pm now, but that was only 5:30 and it looked like dusk.  Crazy! 

The run wasn't nearly as bad, but I was fighting the cramps and finished in 1:55.  I expected more like 1:45.  I had been taking in Gu gels, water, and Gatorade through the bike, but for the firs 8 miles of the run I felt like anything I put in was going to come right back out.  I finally got a couple slices of orange down and felt like a million bucks after. 

Nice race overall.  Super friendly volunteers and support staff.

I heard about the finish of the men's pro race, that sounds amazing! Hard to imagine a 4 hour race coming down to 2 seconds...

Will, sounds to me like you did excellent, especially in those conditions! Cold water and then dealing with rain on the bike, not my favorite scenario for sure. You have to be a little more cautious when the roads are wet. I had that crash a couple months ago where I went through one small low-water crossing and hit some algae; could have ended my season.

BTW, beating 6 hours for your first half IM is really very good... so be proud of that. For the body to adjust to these extreme distances just takes time and mileage. My first half IM was nearly 6 1/2 hours, and then this year it came down under 5. That was a long road, and it was not due to me suddenly working hard; it came from about 5 years of my body adapting to increasing workloads and efforts.

So, enjoy the fact that you have now completed a HALF IRONMAN! There is a huge majority of the population that can't even fathom what it takes to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56, and then run a half marathon. Rest up and enjoy it

JD,

Thanks for your support and advice.  That 'USAT Certified Coach' looks good down there.  Do you have advice for finding a swim coach?  I've decided I need professional help.  I have a Tinman tri coming up in 5 weeks.  I think I'll be pretty competitive in my age group in the run and bike, and maybe get into the top five if I don't lose too much time in the swim. 

Will

Thanks Will. I actually mean to uncheck the box for my signature when I post in this thread, seems kind of silly to keep that in there every time

5 weeks isn't a whole lot of time to improve swimming, but if there are big gains to be had it will be in technique. I would ask around, post to the BT/ST forums, etc. to try and find a real good masters program in the area (preferably one that has a few triathletes in it). Once you check it out and decide it will work, ask the head coach about having them (or a good assistant coach) provide a few private lessons. The benefit of that approach is that the same coach you work with at the private lesson would be there for the masters workouts; so if you're getting off track they can step in and correct you. Under that type of guidance, get in as much swimming as you can for the next 3-4 weeks.

If the above won't work, ask around and get recommendations on good swim coach with experience teaching triathletes, and try to get in a couple private lessons. When you swim on your own, if you have someone that can videotape you, that is hugely helpful. Doesn't have to be underwater video, you can learn a LOT about your form and technique from someone just walking next to you along the side of the pool and taking video.

Only other thing I can think of is to get in a number of open water swims, and really work on efficient sighting, maintaining body position, and keeping a straight line. When you sight, you don't have to keep your head up a long time and think about what you're seeing; just get a quick look and then process the info as you keep swimming forward. The constant sighting and watching for other swimmers also causes many people to hold their head higher than in a pool, which leads to bad form and slower times. And, of course, swimming zigzag doesn't do much for swim times either. We all drift to one side or another, so learn what that is for you and learn to correct for it incrementally as you go.

Hope that helps some. Fun thing about this sport is you never run out of things to work on!

JD

Hey gang...have to say that my Boise 70.3 was pretty miserable. I do see it as a great accomplishment and am proud of myself for finishing. As you can read in my race report I had thoughts of giving up. The swim was extremely difficulty for me, especially after the wind and waves picked up. I was in the water a long time...at least 15-20 minutes longer than I thought I would be. I was so hypothermic by mile 50 on the bike that I was ready to quit...my run was slower than planned but I was pretty beat by then, even though the rain had stopped about 1/3 the way in and I did warm up about that time also. My time was 7:04...my goal was under 7 with a hope of being closer to 6:30. Considering my terrible swim and extreme bad weather, I'm pretty satisfied. After all, it was my first and I had only been training/swimming for 7 months.
Thanks you all for your help and encouragement. Sorry we didn't meet up Will. Would have liked to meet you.......Tom

Congrats to you guys who did that tough race!  I know how I felt in a sprint with the same conditions and I can't imagine what it must have been like to endure for an additional 5-6 hours.  Great job and way to hang tough!

Congrats on the performances at Boise this weekend.  Sounds like you got more of a challenge than you bargained for.  Great job finsihing.

Nice job sticking through a miserable day and completing your first HIM! Most of the things I mentioned above for Will apply here as well... over the next couple weeks it will starting sinking in that you completed an endurance event that most will never even consider

You guys did a nice job of toughing it out.

JD

Thanks JD..Mike..Tim...Even though I swore on Sat that I would not do it again next year, I'm already considering it as long as I can become a better swimmer...thanks again for all the support and advice from this forum...I'll still be recording my training as I get ready for the Death Ride and my first full marathon..........Tom

My wife reminds me frequently of the first words I spoke after I finished my first half IM... "don't ever let me do this again!" 

Death Ride and a full marathon; sounds like someone's addicted to self-inflicted pain.

By the way, Baowolf posted his race report linked to his profile, if case you haven't already checked that out.

Well, if that's not enough, my buddy and I are heading to Yellowstone on the 23rd (next week) to ride a loop from West Yellowstone, out the South gate, thru Teton Park, to Jackson (140mi). The next day we ride back to West Yellowstone over Teton Pass, thru Ashton and several towns (140mi). This will be our 3rd year doing some kind of crazy 2-day long distance ride. That should get us ready for The Death Ride or kill us before we ever get there!!!

Bummer...my riding partner had to cancel the yellowstone trip and the Death Ride. I'll skip Yellowstone and use those days to train locally for the Death Ride. My wife will go to CA with me (she won't be riding) and we'll make a get away out of it. No matter what, I'm doing all 5 passes. I really want that 5 pass jersey. Take a look at them on the website...they are really cool!
www.deathride.com

That is a bummer, but you'll be happy that you continued on and did it. That is a pretty impressive jersey, and you have to love being able to tell people you did something called a Death Ride!

Got a century ride in today...4850ft of climbing...getting ready for the Death Ride!

Nice...   How are you feeling now that you have the half IM behind you?

Physically I feel great...I was running and riding 3 days later. You know how it is...with time one feels better and better about a miserable experience. I feel great about finishing, esp under such terrible weather conditions. I think I could have easily reached my goal of 6-6.5hrs with better weather. Next year? Likely will..won't sign up until later (unlike this year..I signed up last Sep)...main reason being that I hope to do the King of the Mountain challenge in S. Ca next spring. It's a series of 3 grueling rides with tons of climbing. The first ride is in early April, second early may and third late May. If you do all 3 in one year you can get the "coveted" King of the Mountain jersey. Not sure I can do all that and be ready for IM also.
The Death Ride is in 2 weeks...this will likely be the toughest ride I have ever done. I really hope to do all 5 passes so I can get the "coveted" 5 Pass Jersey!!!
I'm also starting my FM training this last week. It's going to be a great summer JD!!!
Later...............Tom (thanks for keeping in touch)