"PIMP"

Post-Ironman Pressure (PIMP). I have totally suffered from this my last two races. After Brazil because I was slower than I thought and I got sick days before. And now after AZ because I was slower than I thought and I had trained like never before. Also, I had a lot of stress with getting a new job on the other side of the world...

Whatever, my point is IM's should have a disclaimer before you sign up asking, "Have you completed an IM race in the past two weeks that you are trying to make up for a less than satisfactory performance in by signing up for this race? Yes or No. If, yes, you may not sign at this time. Luckily, I have not fallen into the the trap this year. And last year I had went through all the motions of getting a backdoor spot to Louisville only to come to my senses and not enter after people worked hard to get me in the race.

I almost signed up for Honu to try and get one of two spots to Internationals to Kona... Silly boy. I've backed off and decided that trying to get another race in to get to Kona this year is stupid. I mean, like, packing what is left of my worldly belongings, selling the rest, starting a new job in the Persian Gulf, trying to train in 100+ degree weather, matching humidity, buy a new car, find a place to live, visas, liquor licence, etc isn't enough to get done in the next couple months? Then fly to Kona (36 hours each way) and back...then fly home in Dec (24 hours each way)...

Shit man, that's crazy. So, I've decided to just train when and where I can until things get settled, hopefully by the end of June, peak "hot time." Triathlon season begins over there in October. Training outside in September should work as I plan to race two of the following:

IM Western Australia (12-9-09)

IM Malaysia (2-28-09)

IM South Africa (4-5-09)

IM Australia (4-5-09)

IM Lanzarote (end of May, can't find a '09 date since '08 hasn't happened)

At any rate, I'm going to go run, the first time since AZ. Adductors are a bit sore. I should really find out about those and really do something about them.

The photos are ones my sister took.

Carbon Collection

While the cross bike is for sale (http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bik/646219902.html), the others are going with me to Abu Dhabi sometime mid-May. Enjoy!

TT Machine (17.4lbs with PowerTap rear wheel)...

New Guinness Cycling Team Issue Veloforma...HOT!

And the cross bike... less than 18.5lbs, race ready!

I'm almost done with my IMAZ race report, prolly finish it tonight while working.

IMAZ 2008 Race Report

I've read a few reports as I tempt to write mine. There are a whole lot of gusty people on my team, and I rarely feel like one of them. Seems like everyone pushed harder than I, but I guess that is mindset I have. However, I refused to let the last 10k be a "self fulfilling prophecy" of meltdown like EVERYONE always says will happen. My meltdown came earlier...more on that later. I am also making this as positive a report as possible and not complaining or adding caveats to my issues. It is what it is, everyone is in the same boat.

So, here's how it went down:

I woke up the earliest I have ever @ 3:50am to get to the Waffle House and eat. I had two pancakes (chocolate chips and pecan). I ordered two eggs, but they were late, so I didn't have time to eat them. Also had some coffee. Back to the hotel and showered, sunscreened, dressed and grabbed my special needs bags and water bottle. I arrived at the scene around 5am, dropped off my bike nutrition on my bike, then my special needs bike/run bags. Dropped off my visor in my T2 bag I wore the day before. Oh, SPF 45+ with zinc oxide on my buzzed head kept it from burning allday, other parts were unlucky... I had minor freakout as soon as I realized that my PowerTap computer (I removed from bike when I dropped it off so no one would steal it) was in my backpack, on Jen's back...but where was Jen? I ran out of transition and found her right away. I could have spent the next 30mins looking for, that would have not been good. Took some deep breaths and recovered. Rolled back into the bike corral to wetsuit up, applying Body Glide to the appropriate spots and dropping off my morning clothes. Saw Jen again as I was headed to the swim, one last kiss for good luck.

The swim confused me at the start. I didn't know right away where to enter the water and swim the 200m to the water start, but it was right by the bike corrals, so that was good. Once in the water, the nerves jacked up on me. I swam an easy 200m to the start and floated there as the pros went off and we waited another 15mins for our start. There were guys in front of me saying they were 50min swimmers, so I stayed behind them, since I had only planned on 55. The gun went off and what happened? I swam over those fuckers! Pissed and swimming with my head up, so not to get kicked for a bit, finally got open water and settled in. Never really found any feet to hang with. But, whatever, no worries. Finished in 58mins and change, 1:33/100m. Not where I wanted, and I know why...
1)Haven't used the wetsuit since July '07
2) Swim consistency was not there this prep period.

T1: Longer than usual run to bags made for a long transition

I love cyclocross! I jumped on my bike cross stylie and totally got cheers as I passed several people throwing a leg over at a time...silly triathletes! So, off and running, while biking into the a nice breeze for the next 5h30mins... Yes, it was blowing a little hard. I was prepared for it. Spent 4 hours in equally fierce headwinds in Lompoc. However, the difference was I wasn't racing then, so single digit speeds were acceptable.

Duration: 5:37:21 (20mph)
Work: 4221 kJ
TSS: 274.2 (intensity factor 0.699) --> IF should have been closer 75%
Norm Power: 217
VI: 1.04
Cadence: 75 --> Kind of low, even for me

My goal was 5 hours on a day with half the wind. I dialed it back early, I really wanted to run this race well. I was 8 watts from my goal average of 225. My last lap was supposed to be 235. I spent the vast majority of Beeline at 235 into the wind. The downhill, with tailwind I was conserving energy and went 200. I think this was a good plan, just not the fastest plan. I had tightness in the glutes I've never experienced on this bike before that was hampering my power in aero. Sitting up too much cost me time, but produced higher watts, not optimal. The best part f the bike was puking on myself just like the baby in the E*Trade commercials!!! Brilliant! I tried to cough and I puked on my shoulder. Good thing I had water and not malto mix to rinse off with. I was unable to get enough water at the start of each lap, as the aid stations were further apart and beginning lap 1 and 3 I had 2 bottles of malto and no room for extra water. I enjoy straying water on my thighs and back in hotter weather, its nice. No cramping issues on the bike, just couldn't get enough water, wind was drying my mouth out too much. Eyes got pretty dry, they should have had a Ben Stien and Clear Eyes aid station!!! I might have stopped...

Aero helmet was not too hot, new shoes were good, Zipp 808s were fine as well as the tires. I should replace the rear before I race again in May. Gear choice of inner ring 44 was fine for AZ, it actually came in hand with the slight uphills in headwind. I was able to keep watts on target, yet not grind the 54 and still keep a decent speed than if I was using a 39. It would have been nice to have 55 for the downhill though.

T2: Off the bike, legs felt fine. I had my 4 Hammer gel Raspberry, coin purse with Thermolytes (150mg sodium per capsule), compression socks scrunched up in my shoes (with pull toggles). The volunteers out numbered athletes here, which is awesome and they are helpful, but the guy helping me uncoiled my sock, not costly, but annoying. In the photos you can see me fumbling with my coin purse and thermolytes as I ran out of T2. I ran a fast 7min mile and then slowed to 8ish... for a couple and my HR was still around 157, just into Z3. I wanted high Z2, which it finally came down to later.

The course was three big loops, which I broke into 6 smaller loops - a 3ish and a 5ish loop. The 5ish loop was not a fun loop. Lots of direction changes, curbs and surface changes made for difficult pacing. I made it two small loops and one 5ish loop before the wheels started to fall off. Nutrition was off a bit. I finished three hammer gels before half, missed one. The next 8ish miles were tough, I went up, I went down. Running from the eastern most bridge to the western most was good and fast with a tail wind and through the crowds, but after that it was tough. Lots of concrete and headwind. I ate three more hammer gels with caffeine an coke every once and awhile. Every aid station was sponges on shoulders, water, ice, water. The ice either went on the thigh under the shorts or in the back jerseys pocket on the left side (where the back ached a bit on the bike). I had a good plan for the heat in ice and water, worked well. Visor was fine, zinc oxide is my friend for a bald head. Thermolytes were every hour or when I felt cramping in my quad. When you reach mile 20-21-22-23 you still feel really far away from the finish and it was hard to pick it up because of that. You were still on the other side of the "lake" and is wasn't until 24 did you cross over and start to hit the crowds. Apparently I was running in 15th in my AG. Wish I would have known, maybe I could have pushed a bit harder to catch some folks. I ended up 18th, my best IM AG placing to date.


What would I do differently?
1) Remember to sunscreen my forearms better/more. The got pretty burnt.
2) Push the bike more, but that's has an unknown consequence. I saw what happen to those who did, I just think I had more on the bike. Increasing my cadence from 75 would help.
3) Use gel flask instead of gel packets for run
4) Run harder in the latter stage from 13-20...I didn't let myself fade late, I faded earlier...nutrition maybe.

All in all, it was a success, now that I have thought about it more. Best AG placing (18th), PR'd the marathon (3:46) for the fourth time in a row - helps when your first is 4:22... and all that in those conditions!

My hat is off every Ironhead who battled hard on that day...some lost, some won, some slept under a tree...but we are all better and stronger and hopefully more wise. Our collective better is better than "your" better!

Thanks to all of my family (Mom, Dad, brother and sister) and Jen for making the trip - the best cheerleaders with airhorns - love you guys! My brother Nick is 4 for 4 on my IM races... lets see if he gets over to Europe/Asia/Africa for my next one!

Photos can be seen here: http://www.asiorders.com/go.asp?31254420

Driving To and Fro...

Unfortunately I have no photos of the drive down...none of Magic Mountain, nor any of the shenanigan's Varnicles, Perkins and I were involved in...


Loaded nearly $100k worth of bikes and wheels into a trailer and left Sunday morning, a week out of IMAZ. Stopping every tank of gas (2-3 hours) along the way. We averaged a stunning 8.9mpg on the way down and back. Go thing we had 15 people paying for gas! We barely paid less $4/gallon on the way to and from.

We got workouts in @ Sacramento and Palm Desert. The Palm Desert pool was short...I swam a "1000yrds" in 10mins...plus it was warm, even Erin said so.

We ate well on the way down, good food. I cant say that about the way home. When else do I have the opportunity to hit EVERY In & Out Burger joint along the 5? That's what Varney and I tried to do. We made it to 2 before the tums were busted out and I "accidentally" missed the third one. The next day was Taco Bell and Arbys!!! Glad that is over!