BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE! (Page 53)

Steve,

Not sure where everyone went, I guess everyone is on their post season break. Well the third water bottle dilimma has been solved.  I snapped the screw off when I was trying to break the screw loose that holds the water cage.  I guess it is the original screw and has never been removed for a cage and it just didn't want to come out.   So back to the original plan of perpetum.  I have used this in my first HIM and have used it on training rides.  I just have to be careful not to rely on it vice water so filling up the areo bottle will be key. 

I will head out of town on Friday am and plan on arriving at 1300 and then attend the 1400 meeting.  Tomorrow will be a full massage and that is about it. This head cold is not going away and I did a short intense bike last night which I thought would clear things up.  There is a reason I am not a doctor.  So tonight and tomorrow will be R&R and I will probably get a short run in on Friday.  Not the best taper plan but you work with the hand your dealt. 

On the swim I plan to hold back a bit and let the fast group take off. I typically like to warm up the first 300 yds or so prior to getting into my pace.  That allows the pack to thin so there is usually a little less bumping and grinding.  There is only one turn in the channel so that should also keep the pack from bunching up since we are not all focused on an orange bouy for a turn point.   I fully anticipate the fast swimmers from the last 2 waves to catch up but I do not think we should be that packed in with the bulk of the racers in the earlier waves.  T1 should also be fairly empty.

For the bike I will be putting an old long sleeve shirt in my change bag and if needed I will put it on and then lose it at the first water stop.  Still debating between that and the sleeve warmers and ziploc bag strategy.  The one lady I ride with occassionally is also racing, however, she is like you and the closer it is to 50F the better.  Brrrr.

I am looking forward to the crowds and the karma.  Should be a fun experience. I will keep you posted.....

JK

Hi guys,

I've been taking a break - just running a little. AND EATING.

Looks like I checked back in just in time to stalk Joe.

Good luck Joe!!!!!!

Denise

EATING.... now that is one thing that I'm good at  (not)

Speaking of eating.  I recently listened to a interview with Bob Seebohar on IMTalk.  Really, really, interesting stuff on metobolic efficiency (buring fat versus burning glycogen (carbs)).  On this thread we have talked a lot about race day nutrition.  Bob talks how about an everyday nutritional plan that makes you more efficient and less likely to experience GI distress while racing.  For those of you interested:

http://www.imtalk.me/home/2011/4/25/imtalk-episode-259b-bob-seebohar.html

Starts about 45 min. into the overall podcast.

I just got back from a Monster Dash 5k.  I was happy with my time considering I was running in costume.  Not great time - but ok - it was mostly for fun - I won a hoodie door prize.

Denise

Go Joe!  On the last leg and doing great

Steve,

I'm so happy you've got high speed - you will be happy with it, I'm sure.

Hey, I finished 35/102 overall - not too shabby.  I didn't win my age group because of that darned (kidding) Kathy Peterson.  She's 68 and she finished 19/102 overall.  She's a real speed demon and has a lot of age group records in our state.  Unfortunately (kidding) she lives not far from me so we end up doing a lot of the same races.  But - she doesn't do triathlons.

The red room is our hallway.  About 4 years ago, my husband was off sailing across the Atlantic with his brother and another guy for 4 weeks and I painted the living room and hall poppy red.

Hey All.... It is finished. YEA!!!!!

Overall I am happy with my race, disappointed with the time if that makes since, mainly the last 3 miles of the run I just died.  My half way split at the run was 11 min/ mile which was my target but the second half I just lost my umph.  But I digress.

Race conditions: 50F overcast/20-25 mph north wind/ water temp 69 with the fastest current they ever had for the race.  Peak incoming tide was at 0700 my wave start was 0905.  Organization for the race was fantastic for over 1830 athletes with 1100 or so being HIMs and over 1000 volunteers to support us all. 

Swim Leg:  The swim was aone way channel swim with tide and a dog leg left turn at about the half way mark.  Visibility was poor especially for a guy that does not wear contacts when he races.  Current pushed you to the right, generally away from the turn bouy.  So using all my natical tatics I naturally planned to stay on the far left side of the sight bouys and get pushed into the turn bouy.  Expect for the moored boat I almost collided with I guess it wasn't to bad of a strategy.  At start the line I had picked a line that was to stay right of the moored boat and in line with a white bldg roof and turn buoy.  Well I went too far left and had to do a hard right unless I wanted to get flattened against a side of a boat which was coming up way to fast.  I think I got with in 10 feet of the side of the boat.  I got away from it and then resighted on the bouy.  When I resighted the bouy was only 50-100 yds or so away so I resumed my swim.  However the next time the I sighted I passed the bouy  by about 20 yds.  Big lesson learned is to sight more frequently with a strong current. I did not fully realize how much the current pushes you.  Swim exit went well with a 400 yd run into T1.  With this long of a run I used my wife's aqua socks which paid off well.  I had the stripper take my wet suit down to waist upon exit and priot to the run to T1, but I think next time I will have them pull it all the way off and just carry it.  Through the showers and essentially a fast jog to T1.

T1 bike was located in the best location between the swim entrance and bike exit on the front side.  I did finish stripping off my wet suit off however I did not take the water socks off.  Lost a little bit of time there with fiddling.  I did layer a long sleeve shirt over my tri suit and pulled on my regular bike shorts.  I put my arm sleeves on my tri bars in case of extra warmth.  I used my full finger gloves and put them on prior to my helmet which made fastening the helment a bit tough. Another lesson learned.  Left T1 with one areo water bottle and a bottle of perpetum and a low heart rate.

Bike Leg- As soon as you left T1 we were met with a strong cold wind in our face that did not let up until mile 35-40.  It was cold.  The course kept us on the main roads and we had dedicated lanes for us the whole course. Really nice.   At the pre race meeting they encouraged everyone to stay on the road and off the shoulder to minimize flats and debris.  At about mile 10 or so we went out on Interstate 40 in the left lane for about 14 miles. This was the toughest leg.  It started drizzling and we were right into the wind.  It was cold.  Race rumor was that 3 people suffered from hypotherma on the bike leg. Getting off the highway was a bit cramped also since we had to share the ramp with the cars.  We had a coned path for about a mile or so that allowed no passing so I slowed the for the rider in front of me who set the pace for a bit and I took in some nutrition.  Finally at the 35 or so mile mark we turned and were with the wind.  Yea Yea Yea. Average speed on this leg was easily 22-24 mph without going all out.  It was fun and it was also finally starting to warm up.  Nutrition intake was good with 1 gel 30 minutes into the ride and consuming one power bar throughout the ride.  I had broke the power bars up into 6 segments and covered them with powder sugar to keep them from sticking together since that is what they tended to do in training.  Of course it was a lot warmer when I trained and bar was alot softer.  By the end of the ride my jesey and gloves were coated in powder sugar though. I did refill my areo bottle at each water stop and only missed one bottle.  Oops.  The perpetum I only occassionally sipped but I do not think I got more than a quarter of it down and that was more towards the end of the ride when I wanted to get off solids.  And alas, my zen pretezels got crushed in my change bag.  I had put everthing in my T1 change bag to carry it over in the morning not even thinking about the pretezels. 

T2 was a little different layout for me but well organized.  You dismounted handed your bike off and "ran" about 25 yds to get your change bag and then headed into the change tent.  Going 25 yds in bike shoes on gravel was a bit unique but it went well. Change tent was organized with plenty of chairs.  Stripped off my outer garments and went back to my tri suit however I forgot to remove my bike shorts.  Oh well.  Sorta like running in a diaper. 

Heading out of T2 you go about a .25 miles and then you are met with a nice steep bridge.  I decided up front I would walk up most of the hills so I started my run a little bit slow.  On the back side of the bridge it felt like my gel lifts slide forward so I stopped and readjusted my lifts.  Then shortly afterwards there is a draw bridge which is interesting to run across the grating looking down at the water.  Again it felt like my lifts had slide forward so I stopped and checked again.  By this time I was getting into down town which is a great run.  Again my lifts felt like they had slipped, however, I decided I was dealing with a mid foot cramp or something and figured it would either work itself out or make itself really known.  Luckily, whatever it was it went away.  Chances are it was just the blood and feeling returning to my feet.  Running through historic downtown Wilmington was great.  Spectator support was great and we even had a few "pirates" come out to cheer us on.  The run then left downtown and after about 2 miles we found ourselves running through a senic park.  For faster runners this might of been a little fustrating since we were on the walking path of the park that had a few twists and turns.  At the halfway turn around I looked at my watch and I believe I was at 1 hr 10 min ( my watch is packed so I am relying on memory).  However, I felt good. Running between the water stops and walking through the water stops taking in water.  At about mile 5 I started consuming 1-2 gu chomps each mile.  Things were going great until mile 9-10 then I just could not sustain a run.  Up until this point my heart rate was my limiting factor for my run pace which I kept between 150-155.  But after mile 10 I just could not maintain a run and my heart rate barely hit 150.  And then when I was faced with the bridges in the last 2 miles heading back into the wind.  Well there was alot more walking than running at this point.  I did make it back into the finish area which wrapped around the transition area and the tents and every which way.  It was a little fustrating with all the last minute turns and you are hoping with each turn you will see the chute but you end up seeing another turn.  Sorta like being in a corn maze.  But I did find it and quickly found the warming tent since it was cold once you stopped moving.  Hindsight tells me I think I need to have more training runs the full distance of the race.  I am starting to ponder though if it might of been nutrition also.  I will have to give this some more thought.  

What was really impressive is getting passed by the lead IM guys and gals.  Holy cow, my 50 yd sprint couldn't meet their pace plus after a 112 mile bike.  The lead male passed me about mile 5 or so and the lead female around mile 8.  It was amazing to watch them go.  Then I was heading in the rest of the IM'ers were starting their run looking like they were just starting their morning run all nice and fresh and smiling.  Amazing.

Well time to finish packing and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.  I will catch up on the posts once I return home. Steve,  thanks for all your insights.

JK

Nice picture Denise.  I see your still sporting your GPS/HRM/Watch.  Once a triathlete, always a triathlete, no matter the dress!!

Bummer.  I hope everything gets resolved with your email sending problems. 

BTW: I just purchased my wife an iPad2 for her birthday.  It's a nice piece of equipment.  She really wanted it so she could do Facetime with the kids and grandbaby which we tested out last night.  It's a sweet application that allows us to get realtime video/audio.  So we watched the grandbaby run around in his bedroom and get a bath last night.

My wife managed to get WiFi up and rolling in seconds, had her personal and business emails on the Ipad in less than 10 mintues, sync'ed her Outlook contacts on the PC with the iPad, and had her pictures and iTunes music on the iPad in minutes.  She is diffently not technical.  Apple just makes it so easy.