Las Vegas Rage Half-Ironman

This year I decided to throw in a little warm-up race to ramp up the season by doing the Rage Half-Ironman in Las Vegas, NV. I've heard many good things about this course such as the rolling terrain and the run course that takes you up to the Hoover Dam....well just shy of it. On the other hand I also heard about the organization of this race or the lack there of. Overall it was the perfect set-up for me to get the season rolling with Vegas only being a 7hr drive from Grand Junction. My intentions for the race as they usually are, is to go out fast and give it everything I have. But my coach (Tony DeBoom) had different plans for me. The plan was to build into each discipline and avoid going out like "gang busters", find a good rhythm and focus on my nutrition. You got it coach!!!

The swim was held in crystal clear Lake Mead, I've never swam in water so clear but yet so dangerous. Many locals refer to Lake Mead as "dead body water". Just as it sounds, they do have many deaths in this lake whether they were accidental or not. Why would I mention something like this or even fret about it in this blog, well when visibility in the water is so clear you can spot a few interesting objects down on the bottom of the lake. The day before the race I went for my usual pre-race swim. About 300m out from shore after passing a few rocks and tires I spotted two cinder blocks tied together with rope........let that play with your mind a little as your out in the lake alone.

Race morning we were set to go off a 6:30am. The water was cold (about 60 degrees) but manageable. The swim was a mass start around a one loop course that stayed pretty close to shore. I decided to brave the crowd and line up near the front row. Right on time the gun went off, my start was good, I was able to settle into an early rhythm without pushing myself too much. I noticed only a few "gang busters'' out front but didn't worry about them to much keeping my focus on my stroke. About halfway through the swim I began to pick the pace up a little bit. I was breaking most of my own water, with a few guys on my heels. I popped out of the water in 30:17, right where I wanted to be then made the long trek up to transition.

Swim: 31:11

I exited the water 7th overall but made a quick transition to pick up a few spots coming out of transition

The bike course was my kind of course. It consisted of rolling hills with a few steep climbs and some fast descents. I've never considered myself a good climber but today sure seemed to point to that. I was able to work my way past a few of the leaders to get into second place. I played cat and mouse with a few guys on the climbs and descents. At the turnaround I was holding onto a solid 3rd place with the chase pack about 3-5min behind, the leader had a good solid 5min or more on me at the turn around. He looked solid and I knew unless he had a breakdown he was holding on to that lead. It felt good to be out front with the leaders for once, something I plan to work for even harder for for future races.

On the way back at about mile 40 I could feel my pace begin to slow up a bit. I tried hard to get calories in but my stomach wasn't really feeling it. I also knew my race fitness (or lack of) was coming into play, something I didn't worry to much about for this being my first race of the season. I was in a good position and from here it was to see what I had left in me. 

Bike: 2:39:02
I entered T2 in 6th place, but again with a fast transition I got out of there in 4th after maneuvering my way thru the sprint and Olympic finishers. 

The run course was mostly on dirt, that eventually made its way from Lake Mead up to an old Rail road trail that worked its way thru about 4 or 5 dark tunnels up to the Hoover Dam. They used this old rail road trail for when they were building the dam, it was a nice distraction from the pain of climbing up to this trail.The first 4-5miles were a gradual climb out of the park, before eventually flattening out to the turnaround then it was all down hill, a fast descent if you had the legs to keep up.

Out of  transition 2 I was able to regain 3rd quickly, it wasn't until about mile 4 that I was passed and fell into 4th place, it felt like I was standing still when he blew passed me. Since it was an out and back course I knew I would get a good look at the leaders and there pace. Once at the turnaround I saw that I was only a minute back from 3rd, I turned up the heat a little bit and began to open up the pace. But this didn't last long, the pace began to fade fast. By mile 10 I was in survival mode, I was once again passed and from here I tried my hardest to hang on to 5th. For the last 3 miles I struggled to hang onto any pace, I found that I was looking over my shoulder a lot (shhhh...don't tell my coach). Just when I thought it would never come I crossed the finish line to be greeted by my girlfriend who shouted "hustle-up"......hahaha. That's why I love her!!!!

Run: 1:36:07
Overall 4:49:44 1st in age, 5th Overall

I knew it was a tough course with some good athletes out there, I enjoyed this type of course, it kept everyone honest and was a challenge every step of the way. This race was a big confidence booster that all the hard work of the off season is paying off. From here its back to training hard and smart as I prep for a small sprint triathlon in Denver in May then its off to Boise 70.3 in early June.

Kick Start to the Season.

20min: 60 laps=1500m

Earlier this month Mesa State College put together an indoor triathlon that consisted of a 20min swim, 20min bike and a 20min run. This was the 1st Annual Indoor Triathlon, so it was exciting to see some interest in the sport of triathlons coming from the school. This was a great way to test the fitness level and also a great excuse to train indoors.

20min: 11.1 miles

20min: 3.1miles

 Also this month I was jumped into my first official 1/2 marathon in Gateway, CO. Only about an hour drive from Grand Junction, Gateway is a beautiful resort that lies only miles from the Utah border surrounded by the Uncompahgre Plateau, Pinon Mesa and the La Sal Mountains of Utah. Its hard to escape the beauty of the soft-red sandstone that make up this hidden gem of Western Colorado.

For this being my first 1/2 marathon (without a 1.2mile swim and a 56 mile bike before hand) I was curious to see how much I could push the body on fresh legs. Not much training went into this race specifically as I've been plugging away at my base miles and preparing for next months 1/2 Ironman distance in Las Vegas, NV.

Overall the race went well, in the first 5k I ran a 18:28 which is my fastest 5k to date. I knew I was flying and going at a pace that was a little out of reach for me, but I was able to maintain the pace till about mile 10. The next 3.1 miles were a struggle as my pace faded.  I held on and kept pushing hard, I ended up 4th Overall and 1st in age group with a time of 1:28:38. I was pleased with the results, my goal was to beat 1:30, so with that I couldn't complain to much.

From here I move forward in training and work on making that time from 1:28 to 1:20 while preparing for the RAGE Triathlon in Las Vegas, NV.  Safe training and as always Chase Your Dreams.

48hrs

I don't spend much time blogging, usually because of the fact that I am rushing from a training session to work or vice versa at multiple times a day. Even between that I'm scarfing down fuel for my next training bout or finding a comfy spot on the couch for a quick nap, while trying to find time for a somewhat normal social life. But right now I find myself with plenty of time: 48hrs to be exact, why the sudden change??? Well in between all those hours of training (12-15hrs a week) and work I didn't make enough time for the most important aspect of training; Recovery.

Too many hard long days and too little rest and recovery have put me on the sidelines for now. Not due to an injury( Thank God)  but to having an extreme change in mood, fatigue, sleeping pattern, eating habits...etc. After a quick phone call to my coach: Tony DeBoom, he quickly replied with "its as simple as this, chill for the next 48hrs....go see a movie, take a nap....."  So in part of my down-time I thought I would share a quick overview Overtraining and how to avoid it, keeping you on track of training and away from possible injury.

Without adequate recovery from a days or weeks training an athlete can find himself pushing his body to the limit, past the ability to allow the body to recover. Overtraining usually occurs when an athlete is training specifically for an event or competition and they train past the body's ability to recover or adapt. Very often athletes train longer and harder so they can improve, but this can backfire on you if you don't allow adequate rest and recovery between training sessions. Too much overload/training and too little rest can actually decrease your performance in both physical and psychological.

Warning signs and symptoms of Overtraining:

• Loss of enthusiasm for sport, training, exercise..
• Decrease in appetite
• Increase Heart Rate (both resting and during activity)
• Lack of Sleep (insomnia) 
• Washed-out feeling, tired, irritable, lack of energy.
• Depression
• Increase in Injury's

                                                                                        How to Treat Overtaining:

• Rest and recovery: reduce the volume of intensity and training. Allow your self a few days of rest whether that be 48hrs off or easy easy training days.
• Sleep: get adequate rest by taking frequent naps or going to bed an hour earlier.
• Sports massage: if you can afford a professional massage; great. If not use a foam roller, The Stick or a tennis ball and rub down those muscles.
• Nutrition: be sure your getting the proper nutrients for your training, and drink plenty of fluids.
• Cross-Train: in your down time choose another activity/sport to get your mind off of just swimming, biking and running.

 Now these are a few but important signs to look for, but take each warning sign with a grain of salt. Athletes like myself who train daily usually up to 3-6 hrs a day will more then likely feel the effects of training on multiple occasions. As my coach has stressed to me, the most important thing to take home today is to listen to your body. You know your body more then anyone else. But in many occasions as well its not that you may be overtrained but that your lacking motivation or your making up pitty excuses. In this case I suggest you dig deep and lite a fire under your A$$ and HTFU (Harden The F*#% Up).

A New Gig!!

Its been awhile and for good reason, its been a busy couple weeks with training, moving a new job!!! More and more I'm realizing that the season will be here sooner then I think...which makes me very excited. Ive been logging in some good miles especially in the swim. Grand Junction has had a fairly mild winter for the most part, unlike Denver which is seeing temperatures in the 60s.we haven't been that lucky but lucky enough to stay off the trainer for a bit.
Besides training I've acquired a pretty sweet job at The Bicycle Studio  You can check it out here  http://www.thresholdsport.com/. At the studio we work with Retul, What is Retul you ask??

Well Retul is a state-of-the-art 3-D motion capture system that is designed to specifically collect the most accurate and realistic data off of a cyclists riding position. With this tool you are as the rider are able to maximize your power and comfort. How we find your "ideal" riding position is by placing 8 inferred motion sensor dots on 8 anatomical points in the cyclist current riding position. We collect the data and repeat on the opposite side. Once we collect the data we look at the results and decide from what the date tells us where we should address the issue of changing your position.

I will go into further detail in a later blog of why Retul is and would be a great investment for any enthusiast cyclist. For now here are a few photos of the shop. We also carry a line of Wilier-Tristina, an Itialian based company as well as Seven cycles; a custom bike manufacture.

                                                                                    

Sweat Fest....

I've always resisted the idea or thought of riding on a trainer. But week after week temperatures in the teens, it makes it a lot easier to stay indoors. For me when the temps drop below freezing I like to set up in font of the tube to a good ol' western movie and/or Sports Center.... I'm in the process of trying to convince the girl to move to Hawaii...we'll see how that one goes. =)

2011

Another year is upon us and so are the New Year Resolutions. Many people set out resolutions for the year, whether its to lose weight, eat better, or to get out of debt...etc. Most are made just for the sake of making them and are doomed from the beginning. For me I have never made a New Years resolution and I don't plan to start now. I find that everyday is an opportunity to explore new ideas, goals and dreams. Why limit yourself to one day out of the year.

For 2011 I'm excited for another season of racing. I have put together some great races that I look to compete in. My big goal is to return to the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas, NV. My first race will be in Las Vegas at the RAGE Long Course. After that I look to do Boise 70.3 and Boulder 70.3 with a few races mixed in between. For those few readers out there (if any) stay tuned as I think 2011 will be an awesome season. I feel more and more passionate about this sport and more determined to chase that goal/dream of becoming a pro triathlete.

Here are a few shots I took from my run today to bring in the new year!!!

VO2 Max Test

70.3 World Championship

My season is finally over, but I was very thrilled to have the opportunity to race in Clearwater, Fl for the 70.3 World Championship in only my second year of racing, I came into this race with few expectations, the main goal for me was to enjoy the experience and race hard.

Swim:
The weather was throughout the week with temps in the low 80s...perfect!!! We were the last age group (19-29) to go off for the day, 8am. There were about 200 in our wave which made for a very chaotic swim start. I figured since it was the world champs I would start in the second row to allow the faster swimmers to go and to avoid bumps and kicks of usual races....I was completely wrong. The first 300m of the swim was a like a cage match, a true swim start that so many experience. Next time ill take my chances up front.

Once I found open water I knew I had a lot of ground to make, it was pretty much smooth sailing from here as I pushed hard to get back into the race. I also quickly got over my fear of swimming in ocean water after the mayhem of the swim start.

Swim:  30:36 (343 OA, 50 AG)

T1: 3:39

Into T1 I went, I found my bag pretty smoothly, headed into the tent and had very little problems getting ready for the bike.

Bike:
I've heard nothing good about this bike course like how flat, fast and the drafting that ensues. I didn't take long for me to realize this problem among age groupers. Coming out of T1 I hopped onto my bike but had to soon get off when my chain fell off....yikes!!! At about mile 7 I was stuck in a small peleton that was difficult or to dangerous to get around  What made my day was when a rider (in my age group) rolled up to our group and informed us how "well we were doing for a peleton"...as he tried to break away from our group I quickly chased him down to put him and his mouth back in line where he belongs. What made my day is that I would soon pass him again as he waited ever so patiently in the penalty box.....LOL!!!
Once we reached the highway, our Sunday cruise quickly thinned out especially when the race officials rode by from here I backed off the group not taking the chance of a penalty. I rode back the rest of the ride solo, I was passed by many more groups that were literally wheel to wheel. But I tried hard to stay true to the sport and myself. It was also too much of a risk to ride in a group in that triathletes are not the best riders in groups. This was very real when I saw over a dozen athletes either being carried off on a stretcher, being attended to by medics or road rash from head to toe.

Bike:  2:24:29
T2: 2:16

T2 my legs felt really good coming off the bike. I handed my bike of to the volunteers, found my bag and was quickly out the tent off to the run.

Run:

The course was a two loop out and back course. The toughest part of the run was going over the causeway bridge 4 times. On my first loop my legs were feeling great, I was making up some lost time on the other athletes. This race I was able to role through the aid-stations without walking. My main source of calories on the run was the new Ironman Perform, not to sure about this new form or "Gatorade" like drink , but it had to do. As on the bike I was able to make up more ground on athletes as I ran up the bridge.

The first lap felt like it flew by but it was the second lap in which "all hell broke loose". By about mile 8 I wasn't sure if my legs were still attached. From here it was survival mode. Coming into the race I backed off my running due to an injury on my foot. Not only am I a weak runner to begin with, this injury made me really worried on how I would do or even survive the most important part of the race.

I kept chugging with two goals in mind.
1) Don't walk
2) get to the finish
I reminding myself that he fastest way to the finish was running. Once I came to the roundabout just before the finish I smiled and painfully cruised in. FINISH!!!!!

Run: 1:37:21  (547 OA, 75 AG)

I was happy with the how the race went and my effort. I couldn't expect too much, with this being my 2nd half-Ironman so far and it being worlds.  There were a lot things I took away from this race that I know will make me a better athlete. I head into the off season pumped and eager for new challenges that await for me next season as I step up my game and training. For now its 2 weeks of R&R....and I'm loving it.