Look! There's a banana.

Props for #23578's quality photo bomb

Turns out my sister had signed me up to run the Detroit Half Marathon in the spring,since her and mom were running. This fact had slipped my mind because who would want to run a half marathon only a week after Kona? Long story short, we realized I was registered on Friday. I paid for it so I was going to get my shirt and my medal, plus it would be an opportunity to continue the running in costume tradition (having run as a pirate the year before). Thus I put the call out on Facebook for costume ideas and someone noted they had a banana costume. Thus I give you the fastest banana at the 2013 Detroit Half Marathon.

Kona 2013 Video

I was completely blown away by the support I received for this race. I offer a HUGE thanks to everyone that sent me messages and/or followed me on race day. Unbeknownst to me my siblings gathered good luck videos from family and friends and put them together into a pre-race inspirational video. Here is a link to that collective as well as some race day pictures and video. Enjoy!

YouTube Link Here

Special shout out to Dave Anderson and Tom Mills for the B-Nuts jersey.

Kona Race Report

Pre-race Rundown

I arrived on the Big Island last Saturday and spent the week acclimating. I’m pretty sure my workout activity level this week was lower than 98% of the other competitors. But I take the term “taper” pretty seriously. Leading up to the race it didn’t seem as hot as I remember it being in 2010, but maybe that’s because I was more acclimated in my preparation before leaving Michigan. This included running in long underwear, a winter hat and a rain jacket, as well as humid and 85 degree trainer sessions at the secret Groom Lake training facility. It was nice to have the whole immediate family in town and my buddy Jason even found an excuse to bail on work and come to Hawaii.

I was significantly less anxious (i.e. grumpy) leading up to this race, which I think is just a function of experience and knowing pretty much exactly what kind of shenanigans I was getting myself into. I still don’t like to get caught up in the “Ironman Testosterone Show” hubbub, but it was cool getting some free swag at the expo, getting my picture with Chrissie Wellington and spotting other pros out on the Queen K and around town. I checked my bike in on Friday and was escorted by Reebnut who, along with the rest of the family, was volunteering for the afternoon. During this time I learned that my sarcastic quips frequently did not register with other athletes. This was due to the language barrier for I know no smart remarks in German or Spanish. But I wasn’t going to let these limitations keep me from trying.

We retreated back to the condo and had homemade pizza for dinner. I was then surprised by an amazing Reebnut production which incorporated videos submitted by friends and family, all wishing me good luck in various degrees of humor and seriousness. I’m not going to lie; I felt slightly overwhelmed inside at the support I was receiving. After that I was off to bed.

October 12^th-Race Day   

Course Map

The family was volunteering for body marking so they were up at 3am, which meant that I was mostly awake at this time. I officially got out of bed around 4:15 and began my standard morning routine. My stomach was not feeling very receptive of food, which for me is about as rare an occurrence as a solar eclipse. I choked down a bottle of Ensure Plus and about three quarters of one pop tart. Jason drove me into town.

Security was a little tighter in light of Boston, which was comforting as well as annoying. I was body marked by my siblings while the parents photographed and hugs/good lucks were distributed. For being an elite group of Ironman racers it dumbfounds me how slow some of them walk and/or how oblivious some are to their surroundings. I finally made it through the cattle chute and to my bike, got set up and got out of there.

Pre-race my friend Russ Brandt had organized a group of guys to start together that all wanted to swim around an hour. This was fantastic. I don’t enjoy swimming anyway, which is compounded by the washing machine, smacked and clawed in the face swim start. We all met up and chilled out for a while, before pushing our way through the heard of slow moving people to get in the water. After a short warm up out to the start line, we lined up to the far left in the front row.

The crowd noise, drum beats and Mike Reilly’s demanding voice grew in intensity. We had to tread water for 10-ish minutes. My feelings were in stark contrast to the nervousness and tension I felt in 2010. Now my impatience was growing by the minute as I just wanted to get this show on the road. Finally the cannon went boom and we were on our way.

The swim was uneventful as far as Ironman swims go. I think I swam mostly straight, got some okay drafts, didn’t go into oxygen debt nor lose my goggles. I got knocked around more on the return leg than I was expecting. I exited the water in 64 minutes, a bit slower than I had hoped, but a 3 minute improvement from 2010. The T1 tent was THE place to be, that is if you enjoy a soaking wet mess of mostly naked dudes. I calmly got my jersey and shoes on and quickly exited the tent, while looking for some bottles of sunscreen on a table. Alas there were none, only a lady with gloves on smearing it on athletes. Now I’m not really a germaphobe, but I did know about 600 people ran by before me. After all I HAD applied “water resistant” SPF 30 prior to the swim. These factors, compounded with the hurried nature of this being a race, I decided to skip the sunscreen station. T1 was three minutes and I was on to the “more fun” stuff.

I was experienced enough to know not to get caught up in the hype/adrenaline/testosterone for the early part of the bike. Going through town is a mess as there are about 800 people all getting on their bikes within 10 minutes of each other. My goal wattage was around 215 so I tried to stay right there as many people blasted by me in the early miles.

I knew it was a long day and just settled in, but there was an unexpected tail wind and everyone was flying. I took on some calories and my stomach still felt kinda crappy. But I knew I needed calories so I just had to push through it. I came up on Russ a ways out on the Queen K and he reminded me to save it for the return trip, which was a good ego check reminder. We ended up riding in the same vicinity and pacing each other for the rest of the bike ride.

There were a noticeable number of packs on the bike. It is just the nature of having that many people on the course capable of swimming an hour and biking around five. I would highly doubt any AGer who said they were legal the whole time. Not that it was blatant “hey I’m cheating” drafting, but keeping 7m spacing with that many people is practically impossible, without wasting massive amounts of energy. This is exacerbated from trying to ride at a steady power effort when other athletes are surging and slowing down. I did my best to avoid the packs and targeted my pace.

I just ground it out on the climb up to Hawi, keeping a steady 215 watts. Despite my less than receptive stomach I had knocked down my first 900 calorie bottle and picked up my second bottle at the turn around. The descent was completely tame wind wise, compared to what I remembered in 2010, when I felt there were times I was hanging on for my dear life. I noticed things starting to heat up on the climbs back toward Kawaihae and especially on the gradual climb back up to the Queen K. My Joule GPS read 88 degrees, the sun was out in full force and the head wind was starting to pick up. I didn’t need to pee yet and figured I needed to up my water intake. 

I wasn’t feeling super strong at this point and realized Russ was a bit up the road. I made a conscience decision to push back up to him for the mental boost. At this point it was pretty hot and pretty windy, but my steady effort was paying off as I was passing a fair number of athletes at this point. At mile 80ish I was doing the math, invigorated after calculating a low 4:50s bike if this pace held. Then I would look down and be going 16mph, uphill, into the wind and wishing the bike ride was over.  My stomach was still unhappy but this is what the Iron Stomach training was for. I switched to some on course Gu and kept pushing down the calories, which seemed to help.

I finished off the bike course strong, coming into town feeling ready for a solid run performance. I topped off the calorie tank while putting down a bottle of water in the final miles. I dismounted having biked a 4:54. I calmly put on my calf sleeves, socks and shoes and exited the tent while asking and looking for sunscreen. But again none was to be found in my hurried nature. I was destined to fry.

Exiting T2 the race clock was at 6:05.  I saw my family cheering and my dad yelled I was something in the neighborhood of 16 minutes down to 5^th and 20+ some guys back. Any small chance at my goal required a sub 3 hour dream, but considering what I pulled out at Placid I was going for it. I set off with 6:45 pace in my sights, while staying relaxed. I was diligent to take an extra few seconds at the aid stations to keep cool. By some miracle the clouds came in for the run, so it was hot but, “Not Africa hot, just warm.” Around mile 3 for the first time ever I shamefully peed my pants while running. Don’t worry I rinsed off at the next aid station.

I consistently moved up the field along Ali’i drive, keeping close to my goal pace and staying relaxed. I was methodically steady up Palani hill, knowing the most mentally taxing part of the run was coming up. I came up on another guy in my age group, Scott from Canada. We paced each other and BS’ed for a bit. The pro guys were coming back which I’m thinking (well the word “thinking” indicates logical brain function but…), “Wow that’s X he’s like a famous triathletes guy I’ve seen in magazines and stuff.” Those thoughts followed by, “Wait those guys are way faster than me, and they started a half hour before me... So I have a long way to go… (♪ And a short time to get there…♪)” But I just kept that diesel chugging along. 

 

Up ahead I saw an athlete struggling to get his one piece suit off his shoulders as he ran off the road toward some large boulders. I’m thinking, “Oh. No. NO! Yep. Oh… He’s going to poop right by the side of the road.” He leaned back right up against a rock and that’s what happened. I made an offhanded comment, to which he had a miserable reply. I tried to lift his spirits and remind him, “Ya but you’re now a Queen K Legend!” Like he was the first person to do that…

At some point there was a sign that said “No Spectators Beyond This Point.” Not sure who decided this rule but it was a bit disheartening, because now there were no pick me ups in the loneliest part of the course. Just shuffling along, trying to turn all but the most necessary parts of my brain off. My 13 mile split was 1:31 and change; close to goal pace.

“How long do I keep hurting myself? How far into that pain cave am I willing to venture?” I’ve been in pretty deep before, but today I wasn’t prepared to go any deeper. Rarely is there a single factor contributing to race performance but today was a factor I hadn’t experienced before. I’ve bonked before. I’ve been too hot, cramped up, GI issues, trashed quads/calves and mentally checked out all before. Today the overwhelming factor was that my feet, ankles and hips just hurt! Not like the muscles were tired hurt, but down to the bones, tired of pounding on the pavement hurt. Today the incentive wasn’t close enough to go any deeper and the last thing I wanted was to injure myself.  

Still running with Scott our pace slowly slipped to 7:30s. He took a pit stop heading into the Energy Lab. An age group girl passed me on the downhill, which stung my pride a bit, but only a little as I had already conceded that the “racing” was over. I soldiered on and dropped to 8 (and change) minute miles, now distracting myself by making amusing/sarcastic comments, but also offering words of encouragement to fellow racers. I asked the aid station workers if they had any beer or shots, but none were to be procured. Spectators were of no help in that department but assured me there were both at the finish line. Mark and Dave Hill was actually a relief for the painful feet, and running down Palani meant that I was almost done.

As I turned onto Ali’i drive I was content on soaking in the finishing chute, something that I hadn’t really taken the time to do in previous races. Kids wanted high fives, which made me feel like a really cool guy and I obliged. I saw my family cheering and acknowledged them as I walked up to the finishing arch, pausing long to get a good B-Nuts promo finish picture; official finish time 9:21:03. 

Post Finish

I collected myself and hobbled over to try and put down some food. After about 15 minutes of nibbling I had managed to eat a half slice of pizza and 1/3 of a chocolate milk. Most atypical for Ben’s stomach except after an Ironman. They had free (or $800 depending on your perspective) massages, so I figured I should get my moneys worth. I showered off with a hose and went to stand in line. As I was waiting and despite it being 85 degrees out, I started shivering and asked a volunteer for a blanket. She brought a mylar blanket and I was back to my Lake Placid-esque Hot Pocket. At the front of the line a concerned volunteer asked me, “As a medical doctor would you like me to take a look at you?” I responded, “No thanks. I just took a cold shower over there and I have no body fat. I’ll be fine.” She then directed me to the massage table. The next 10 minutes of lying down were the best I felt all day.

I located my family and we made a mad rush (I mean hobble) to get out of there and back to our condo. I managed to shower, saw I had the most amazing tan lines ever and then promptly felt like I was going to throw up. So for the next hour or so I sat on the bed with a cooking pot, nibbled on a plate of various breads and sipped on water. I finally managed to put down a bacon cheeseburger before crawling into bed like a beat up old man.

We stayed in Kona for a few more days, mostly just sitting on my butt.  We flew back to Detroit on Wednesday; a typical Michigan October day, cloudy and 50. I promptly put on my winter hat.

Reflections: 

Quality Post Race Burn/Tan Lines

Ironman races are not like your cross country or track race from college. The time frame for preparation is so long and exaggerated. So much more effort and emotion gets placed on a one day performance and more time is given to reflect and analyze that performance. It’s not like there is another race to look forward to next week; quickly another opportunity at continued improvement or redemption from falling short. This is one factor that I find makes this form of racing so rewarding, challenging and yet frustrating at the same time.

I suspect there are few under 30 that feel like a truly “seasoned” Ironman racer. Part of overcoming the adversities in racing is having seen and experienced those many factors before and adjusting training and racing strategies appropriately as to be able to execute them on race day. The extra environmental factors of Kona make this even more challenging. I applaud the athletes that excelled in those conditions and had amazing performances. I’m sure this factor has a small play into the fact that those who win Kona, pros or AGers, have usually been there multiple times.

Looking at myself, it is amazing the changes I’ve made since my first Ironman race in the physical side and equally so on the mental side, even when comparing Kona of 2010 to 2013. This includes race day factors like patience and pacing, focus and diligence on nutrition and cooling as well as simply having a better handle on the way I train. So even though I felt I had the above factors accounted for, there was that unexpected factor that came up out on the run. But that’s Ironman racing for you. That experience now gets filed away to be considered for future tweaks to training and racing. For now I’m going to spend a month to completely recover and de-tune and decide what path to venture down for next season. I think I need a break from the Ironman distance and time to have a different focus.  

Data: (Searchable Results)

Finish Time: 9:21:03 (148^th OA, 18^th AG)

Swim-1:04:24

T1-2:56

Bike: 4:54:22 (AP-206, NP-216, IF-.72)

T2-3:21

Run-3:16:00

Sightseeing on the Big Island

I started off the morning heading down for a short swim. The smell of testosterone and men's skin care products wafted in the sun drenched pier. I did a 20min swim and retreated back to the condo quickly. That was my only "workout" for the day. I really think most people put in too much work during the taper period. On the other hand I would prefer to be slightly over rested.

Weasel is a masterful snorkeler.

The rest of the day was an interesting adventure for the 3/5ths of the McMurray Family currently on the Island. We headed south for a scenic drive and also a snorkel. Our first stop was a Macadamia Nut farm, which was most intriguing for me considering my trail mix business. Apparently the trees produce all year round. They fall to the ground, then are picked up, cracked and dehydrated. It is much simpler than I thought. Interestingly enough a fresh nut tastes much different from what comes from the store. They are almost juicy and have a coconut like taste.

From there we continued to Honaunau Bay near a National Historical Park of the same name. The guide book talked about a cool hike that ended up at a lava tube, which you could then walk through and it ended with a 15' jump into the ocean. Of course that was right up my alley. However thanks to our Government folks, the park was closed. Despite this the snorkeling in the bay was fantastic. I brought the GoPro and whipped up a quick video. Direct Link

 

Next we headed to check out a Greenwell Kona Coffee Farm. Our tour was lead by a very informative man named Daniel. We learned how the coffee was grown, picked, processed, dried and roasted. We also saw Avacado, Banana and Orange trees and were shown where Carl the Chameleon hangs out. Finally we headed back to the car. Only then did I discover that I locked the keys inside our Dodge Caravan. There they are sitting right on the console, so close but so far away. Go Ben.

Carl the Chameleon

Our first plan of attack was to pry open the back window in an attempt to reach the unlock button near the rear door. Despite being able to reach my scrawny arms inside, I couldn't quite reach the button. Daniel came over, assessed the situation and then speed off in his golf cart to find another guy who, "was really good at getting into cars."


The back window was a no go, do we resorted to the old wedge in the front door frame and use a clothes hanger, bent with 13 minute angle changes to hook the handle and open the door. Turns out Mara (aka Weasel) had the finest dexterity to perform this task. After about an hour of looking like fools we were in, having saved lots of money from calling a "professional" as well as being entertained. However that savings was short lived when we realized we left some sunglasses on the top of the car as we were driving home. Despite our best efforts in retracing our steps they were no where to be found. Just another adventure in the life of the McMurrays. What's going to happen once Reebnut and Pop get here?

Bike Course Pictures and Video

Yesterday I rode the HWY 270 up to Hawi and back. This section has the most elevation change and is also where the crosswinds tend to be the strongest. It was a balmy 82 degrees and windy, but not gale force. It was almost pleasant. I took my GoPro to try and give everyone an idea of what the infamous descent from Hawi is like. It's not the most interesting of videos, but you may find some interest. Or at least have a 12 minute video for some intervals on the trainer. Link below or here.

Youtube Link

On the drive back I got a few pictures of the  ugly/beautiful lavascape on the side of the Queen K.

The expectation that Hawaii is green, lush and tropical is so different from the landscape on this part of the island. The drive along the Queen K is highlighted by three or four shades of lava rock interspersed with brown grasses. (A'a is the Hawaiian word for sharp lava rock) . It seems very otherworldly to me. Then again we don't have too many igneous rock formations in Michigan.

I also got a short swim in. Here is a picture with Mom near the pier.

#2008's Kona Goals

Now that I'm settled into our accommodations I thought it be a good time to promo my new race kit, provide race number and tracking info and also give a run down of my goals for this Saturday. So to start off I have to give props to Dave Anderson his buddy Tom of Tom Mills Design, who put together a B-Nuts jersey. Dave said if I was going to Kona then I better properly represent my business. I think they look pretty sharp. I also got the Great Lakes Proud logo from my buddy Austin. So I can represent for the Michiganders.

So my race number is 2008. By my count there are 98 men in the 25-29 age group. When race day comes around you can find all the athlete tracking information here. If you're interested in watching a streaming broadcast you can find that link here. The cannon goes off at 7am Hawaii Time, which is 6 hours behind EST.

My first shot at this race back in 2010 I finished in 9:52:45, 360th overall and 14th in my 19-24 Age Group. I swam 1:07, biked 5:08 and ran a 3:29. If you're interested in that race report it starts here.

This go around I have high expectations for myself. I would be ecstatic if I managed to podium in my age group (Top 5). Based on past times I would have to be right around 9 hrs flat, however times are highly dependent on weather conditions. Given my current fitness this is a tall task. However throwing down a 9:25 at Lake Placid, highlighted with a 3:01 marathon was a huge confidence booster. Now LP and Kona are two very different courses, but I think knowing what to expect for this course is invaluable.

I know I am capable of swimming in the 62 minute range, biking a 5:00 or just under. My biggest concern from my past experience here is toughing out the heat for the marathon. If I effectively manage the heat I am in a great position to have a solid marathon. I made a few changes to my training while back in Michigan to try to stimulate the heat of Hawaii. I'm also approaching my prep here on the island slightly different. Hopefully all those little things pay off come Saturday.

Airplanes and Rental Cars

Besides all the hard work, qualifying, etc, there's the logistics the traveling to physically get to Kona that are a challenge. I think most will agree that airline travel is always an enjoyable experience! So here's list of amusing challenges/occurrences/observations between leaving Petoskey and falling asleep at the condo in Hawaii.

1) Trying to pack. Extra whatever for any possible situation (tires, tubes, chains, clothes, B-Nuts etc.)

2) Being paranoid that TSA will not like those extra things I packed.

3) It was 30 degrees warmer in Detroit than Petoskey. I was sweating in my winter hat.

4) Sister #1 (Reeb-Nut) takes unflattering pictures while I was sleeping on her floor.

5) I realize that while I packed all those extra "things" I didn't bring extra contacts. Which are important to, you know, see.

6) Flight #1 DTW-PHX 3.5 hrs. A man just behind me started snoring before leaving the gate. Pretty much didn't stop until we landed. Combined feelings of irritation and being impressed.

7) Sister #2 (Weasel) takes another unflattering picture of me sleeping in airport.

8) Flight to Kona is delayed because of maintenance. (I think airplanes are on time less often than I am).

9) It is easier to heard a troop of monkeys through an elementary school full of children, than to load people on an airplane. Second in difficulty only to Politicians agreeing on a budget.

10) It is not "illegal" to put your luggage in the first class overhead bin, if there is no room in your regular seat overhead bin. Weasel asked first. Many laughed with her. 

11) Flight #2 PHX-KOA 6hrs. A couple just in front of us has a baby. This baby likes to cry and doesn't breastfeed. Thus it continues to cry. Amen for headphones.

11) Computer check ins for rental cars are not faster than waiting in line for a real person. However mini vans are super fly.

12) We made it! Priority #1 make sure my bike is in one piece. Priority #2 Food!!

"Unpacked"

13) We found $8 for 64oz orange juice at the grocery store. Passed on that, but spent some time deciphering the billions of coffee options.

14) 6:00 Hawaii time is really midnight in Michigan. And my bed time was two hours ago.

15) My bike is in one piece. Amen.

"In one piece."

Boyne City Triathlon

This first year event happened over a month ago, but now that I finally have some time to kill I thought I'd do some catching up. The Boyne City Triathlon was a superb event and I was super impressed with how well it went off for being the first year doing it. Besides being a great course, and only a 15 minute drive from my house I knew the significant prize purse would draw some super fast guys. Turns out I was right (Full Results Here). Between the Olympic and the sprint there were at least 6 guys with their Elite Licenses.

Having come off Lake Placid a month earlier I had about two weeks of "getting back in the groove" training but felt confident I could put down a decent showing for this race. Pre-race was unremarkable and as the gun went off I quickly figured out that these guys must be ex-swimmers. Way faster than me that is. About a quarter of the way through the swim I made a tactical error and let one guy gap me, missing the draft and thus swimming most of the swim solo. I came out of the water in fifth (23xx) and played catch up from then on.

If I had any shot at being in the podium I had to get into contact on the bike. I held 280w for a while and tried to get some splits to guys up the road. Two guys were way ahead and another about a minute, but I couldn't seem to close them down, despite the very familiar rolling course suiting my strengths. Making little progress on closing the gap I faded a bit toward the end of the bike. (1:01; 279 NP).


I started the run and settled into my default olympic run pace. It seems I've turned myself into a diesel and have one running speed. I got a split that I was about two minutes down to third place. The run course was a two loop, with a significant climb from mile 1.5-2.25 and downhill to 3.1. On the second loop I got word I was closing on third and that he was "really struggling". I dug a little deeper on the uphill section and finally made visual contact with third. He wasn't having fun and looked over his shoulder several times. I was closing the gap until the course started downhill. After that there was no more closing to be done and that was that. (36:48)

I finished fourth in a 2:02xx. In my experience, fourth is the most disappointing place to be in. I was satisfied that I left it out on the course, but less than pleased with the result. But that is racing, and considering all the circumstances I didn't dwell on it. Looking at the results and seeing that my bike and run splits were comparable to the top guys was reassuring I'm doing a lot of things right and it comes down to what distance one prefers to race. I know if I choose to focus on some shorter races next year, I will need to improve my swimming.

The cool thing about this race is it was organized by my friend Rob as a benefit for his new non-profit, raising money for Neurological Research. It's just getting going but you can check out his FB page or this short news article. At the end of the day when there's a well organized race, with competition that pushes you AND it benefits a good cause, it will be on my "must do" list for next year.

Photo Credits: Freshwater Photography. Check out her FB Page!

Ironman Lake Placid

Thank you for tuning in to the fourth edition of Ben’s long winded, more details than I really wanted to know, but slightly sarcastic and laughable Ironman race report. Having arrived in Lake Placid four days early everything seemed on track for fulfilling my goals in the days leading up to the race. Of course that included feeling tired, unusually sluggish, easily irritable and a bit anxious about the whole deal. Check out the course details here.

July 28^th dawned cloudy and cool; essentially perfect race conditions. The only time I can be startled from sleep at 4:30AM and instantly be awake is before races. Or maybe if there was a bear breaking in the house. I had my typical breakfast of Pop Tarts and Ensure Plus. To be honest it was Meijer brand because I had to save a few bucks to balance the ludicrous race fee I paid, just to go hurt myself. Triathletes and heroin addicts have more in common than you think. After shuttling the five family members through our bathroom we were out of the house mostly on time.

Pre-Race doing my most flattering model pose

I got my stuff situated in transition, used my skillz to find the fastest porta potty line (sparing details here) and walked down to the beach at Mirror Lake. I found the family, got my wetsuit situated and received hugs and good lucks. I then navigated the corrals of fencing, not dissimilar from cattle being lead to slaughter and reached the lake for a short warm up.

Backing up, I wouldn’t have been at Lake Placid if my buddy Dave Smith hadn’t called me a year ago saying, “If Placid goes online I’m signing up, you in?” So I thought about it for 23 seconds and said, “Sure lets drop another $700. At least I’ll have someone to do it with.” It was Dave’s first IM and he claims the title of second most B.A guy there without shaved legs (after Potts). Anyway with the rolling swim start this year, we met up in the 60min and under corral, exchanged pleasantries and waited to get this show on the road. Waiting is the worst. 

Swim

Without a lot of build up, people were running for the water. The first “out” on the two loop course was about as much a washing machine as other races I’ve done. I’m not the only one who can’t swim straight and a few were out to defend their personal space. Of course there was no way to identify Dave in this mess. Things settle down after the turn and I swam right on the underwater cable that marks this course. We had to exit the beach before starting the second loop and I was very pleased to see 29xx on my watch.  Right off the bat I found a nice big draftee and just settled in, conserving energy. We began to catch a few swimmers still on their first lap and I just stayed in the draft as he snaked/bulldozed his way to the swim finish. I exited the swim in 1:01, a PR, and feeling very fresh to get to work on the sports I actually enjoy. 

Bike

I had an efficient, but not hurried T1 and headed out on the bike. I had prepared an 1100 calorie bottle of maltodextrin and was going to supplement with on course nutrition, going for a minimum of 350 calories per hour. One goal for this race was to be very focused on consuming as many calories as possible on the bike, hence my “Iron Stomach” training technique.

The bike course begins with a steady climb and I was focused on keeping in my target watts and “just chillin”. This was my first IM with my PowerTap, and I was shooting for a 215 avg, with up to 230-240 on the climbs. A light rain started, which was not unwelcome, but made for the descent into Keene a bit sketchy. The most eventful part of the bike happened on the second descent. My nutrition bottle bounced out, due to the less than bumpy pavement. I said some choice words to myself, but there was no stopping this bike from 40 to zero, on a steep descent, in the rain and then hiking my butt a half mile up the hill to get it. Thus I would be consuming more on course GU than anticipated. But that’s IM racing; deviation from the plan and handling the adjustments.

I continued onto the flats by Jay and caught up to Dave around mile 20. We settled into a legal draft distance and paced each other, just trying to chill and settle into the long day.

We steadily caught other racers on the 11 mile climb back into town, but there really wasn’t much “traffic” out on course. The spectators really added to the experience and I had to focus on not getting jacked up for the climbs. Coming into town for the first lap there were so many people. I felt even more so than in any other race I’ve done.  I was behind Dave and we just cruised through town, before heading back out for the second lap.

Caution More Detail Than You Really Want To Know: 

This was the first race I managed to piss myself while riding my bike. Twice. What kind of sick sport allows a full grown adult to be proud of the fact he peed his pants?  Of course emptying a half bottle of water all over to “clean myself.” This is acceptable behavior in IM and yet discretely peeing behind a tree in public could get me public indecency and on the sex offender list? That’s just messed up. 

Now back to the second lap of the bike. I was feeling really strong and confident at this point. On the descent a guy in my AG went by and I made sure to keep him in site. On the Jay flats we had four guys in our AG riding in the same vicinity. This continued for a while and I decided I felt good and, even with my run confidence, I was going to put some time in here. I upped the pace a bit and started gaining a bit of time on them. Dave chose not to follow. Just after this I missed a calorie pickup at an aid station, so I had a good 45 minutes with nothing. I’m experienced enough to know that this can lead to epic meltdown, so at the next aid station made sure to get some calories.

Strawberry Bananna GU is the WORST flavor ever! (We have some history). But I was going to take what they gave me at this point (Iron Stomach training again). I caloried up, and got back to business on the climb back to town. I kept a steady effort, riding by myself and passing few people all the way back into town. I continued to top off the calorie supply in the final few miles.

As I entered T2 I felt like I was racing by myself. There was only one other competitor in the changing tent as I calmly and methodically got myself taken care of and headed out for the run. I didn’t know for sure what place I was at this point, Dad had tried to tell me when I went by but it didn’t really register. I assumed I was 2^nd or 3^rd in my AG at this point, but knew there were multiple guys close behind and had no idea of any time gaps. 

Run

Exiting T2

I’ve had a history of going out too fast on the run, so I was determined to hold back and properly pace myself. I felt like I was keeping a comfortable pace until I saw my split at the second mile 6:13. “Shit. I know it’s all downhill, but you had better control yourself or it will be an epic blow up in about 10 miles.” I continued out toward the flat part of the course on Riverside, but couldn’t seem to “chill out” Some more 6:20/30s and I told myself I needed to grab a GU, stop for a pee and reset things. So that’s what I did and was able to find my pace after that. At one of the turn arounds I recall seeing a kid I thought was in my AG from the bike. He wasn’t that far behind, but at this point it didn’t really matter. If he came up next to me, I wasn’t going to be able to go any faster. “Just keep running and don’t blow up.”

About 8 miles in (or 18 miles to go if you’re a half full vs half empty person), was when most higher level brain function ceased. At least in my case it was, “Keep running. Aid Station. Consume calories. Lots of calories. One mile at a time.”

In previous races I’ve had emotional moments during the run. Times when I think about my past accomplishments and experiences as well as those people who’ve been a part of the journey and have been able to find some extra energy and toughness when I just want to slow down.  That didn’t really happen in this race. I don’t recall my brain thinking about any such things, just intently focused on getting calories and "wrestling the line between speed and chaos". It was interesting; I remember the whole run but I don’t really remember the details. This sensation eased in and was very present as I headed out for the second lap. Maybe it was just an utterly intense focus. I was aware enough to hear my dad or sister tell me I was in second place.

You may be thinking, “WTF there’s still 13 miles to go and obviously this kid is already a bit out of it. I don’t understand how that works.” Frankly I really don’t either. But I do know that if one thinks about the entire distance left to run it is easy to become overwhelmed. The urge to give up becomes easy to succumb to. So I don’t even think about it, just one mile at a time, one aid station and just don’t stop running.

Once I got down to a “reasonable” numbers of miles to go, then mental game changes slightly. The "ouch factor" increased but this extra pain was offset by some other chemical release that occured when I realized the finish was close(er). At the Riverside turn around, I was aware enough to try and ascertain a split to the kid who was trying to run me down. I was hoping his mental game had broken, but he was still there 2 min and change behind me. On the flip side, if he hadn’t been there it would have left me with an “out” for slowing down. Who knows if I would have taken it or not. At this point there were a lot of first loop racers on course and it was hard/impossible to tell who was ahead of me, what state they were in and try to track them down.

I began the long climb back into town. I would be interested to hear the comments of the aid station volunteers when a zombie kid “runs/stumbles gracefully” up to the table yelling, “coke, coke, coke. GU! Anything!” And then guzzles the two cups down like someone who has been stranded in the desert for two days, all the while spilling the precious drops down his face and chest. This malnourished kid then despondently changes his walk to a shuffle and stiffly runs off. "What is driving these people to do this to themselves?" Then while they’re still pondering the sorry sight of that racer, here come three more, all looking as terrible as the last.

The run continued and as I entered the main square in town, all I wished for was the grade of the hill to slacken sooner. I registered my sisters flipping out that I was now in first in my AG. Having no idea when that really happened, I was just going to get this race done! During the run I sometimes feel a slight fear of what’s behind. Who might be right there stalking me? I don’t want to look back to see, display some weakness. But at the same time I want to know what I’m up against. I tried to push through the last aid station with less than a mile to go. But I honestly feared the wheels coming off in that time and had to pull over for my last cup of coke.

As I turned for the finish I stole a glance back and was utterly relieved to see that no one was there. I entered the finish oval and saw my sister with a bag of B-Nuts, which I grabbed for promo in my finishers pic. (Which I'm sorry to say turned out pretty terrible.) I was full tunnel vision for sure as I comprehended 9:2X and was coddled by the finishers people telling me, “Just try and keep moving…” 

While in my head thinking, “No lady, I’ve been moving all F-in day give me a (expletives) minute and I’ll be fine.”

Rebecca laughs at her brother.

 “Ok, here’s your finishers stuff and a mylar blanket. Let’s keep moving.”

“Damn it lady that was 13 frickin seconds, which may seem like an eternity for you but all I want to do right now is stand still for a bit, in fact where is a couch? I’d like to just lay down.” 

I didn’t really say that, I convinced the lady I was fine, walked a few steps and leaned over a table…where I proceeded to have a minor emotional breakdown. Upon observing this a medical guy came over to ask what was up and gave me a chocolate milk, which I promptly knocked over. So there I was in the most literal sense… crying over spilt milk.

I was handed over to my family and composed myself. I said I’ll be fine, just give me some time to chill out. Very much like college kids carrying their utterly inebriated friend home from the bar, my sisters escorted me to a grassy area out of the way, where I finally got to lay down. It was glorious. 

My final time was 9:25:08 with a 61 swim, 5:16 bike and a 3:01 run, qualifying me for my second go at Kona this October. I’ll have to get selling a lot of B-Nuts to fund that trip.

Special thanks to my Mom and Dad, Reebnut and Weasel for coming to cheer. Also Daryl, Gail, Wendy, Christy, Matt and Olive for making the trek to share the experience.

Sisters and their brother who, "looks like a Hot Pocket."

Credit for my result needs to be distributed to many people. For me it has been a roundabout yet defining journey to get this far. I honestly don’t know how my family puts up with me at times; make that most of the time. My mother’s willingness to help and having more patience than Job is one of the biggest blessings. I have to credit my father for raising me as someone who can embrace working hard and am also appreciative of his opinions on many medical matters. While Grandpa continues to wonder why I enjoy doing these activates, he is also an important link in the chain. My sisters, Rebecca and Mara know more personal details about me than siblings should be required to know. Those details thus get turned into laughter, which is a good thing.

I’d also like to thank my friends. Rob for continually checking in as well as the trip to Groom Lake. Joe for listening whenever I “call to B.S.” be it big or small stuff. Also Colin for giving me an excuse to have, “rest” days filled with massive quantities of grilled meat concoctions, beers and sitting on our butts, striving to keep the balance. Going back a ways, Dr. Guettler for getting my knee back on track and Jeff Smith for post surgery PT. I hope your services continue going unneeded. Also Chino, Bob, Deja and Dave A. for checking in on me and for consulting on various matters. Daemian, Drew, Cowan, Tram and Dave for continued butt kickings and improving my cycling. If it wasn’t for Dave Smith I would have never signed up for Placid. Thanks for pushing me in preparing for the race, as well as during the race. You’re a real stand up guy. To everyone who I haven’t specifically named, thanks for taking the time to follow along on my journey and contributing in your own ways. 

Full Results

                                                                                                                                   

Reflections on the Work. It's time to Taper.

Today I finished up my last official "workout" before Lake Placid. It's time for the taper. Tapering is a strange thing in that it is a much needed recovery and "tuning" time. In a way it is "easy". This contrasts the "work, work, work" attitude that tends to drive athletes. It's hard to sit on your butt and keep the workouts to a minimum. As the body recovers and the energy level fills back up,

Resting up and refueling post long ride.

anxiousness and restlessness can creep in. Thus the taper is a great time to use the new found "extra" time to focus on other tasks that have been neglected during the build phase of training. I will be working to make some extra $ during this time which to fund the infinite list of projects at my new home. Which I should mention has recently been named. Please check out Hill Valley Farm on Facebook.

I set big goals for this race. The big goal is for a Age Group win and thus qualify for the big dance again. In fact Dave Smith and I both want to toe the line in Kona together this October. I've put in some solid work to get there. I'm certainly able to look back and see periods of slacking. But the big picture is that I had a great 70.3 performance in early June and I'm coming into this race healthy, with no nagging injuries. My "test" workouts as of recent: Long rides and runs, 40K TT and 1600 on the track have only added to my confidence that I'm where I need to be to achieve my goals. I started my swim taper a long time ago. Now it just comes down to patience and execution.


On a more personal note I find myself reflecting on the past and the journey that has got me to this point. The time frame can be varied, but for me the past two years are of most significant, mainly stemming from my knee injury and work to get back to Ironman fitness. But the past eight or so months certainly provide interesting reflection for me. In two weeks, when I dive into Mirror Lake, it will be one more stepping stone added to the path of life experiences. Life comes with its turbulent highs and also challenging periods of lows, personally both seem to have strangely coincided with my training for this event. But no matter if you find yourself at that blissful high spot, crashed and burned at that rock bottom low, or somewhere in the middle, the important thing is to keep riding. Eventually we get to the payout. 

Grand Rapids Tri

The Grand Rapids Triathlon was my first real test for the season, and for that matter my first longer event since recovering from my knee injury. My tri buddy Dave Smith (we're both doing IM Lake Placid this July) turned me on to the race, knowing it would be a good test point for fitness leading up to July and the only early season half ironman distance race within a reasonable driving distance.

We had some family friends that just so happened to live one mile from the starting line, thus allowing for the best accommodations I will every have for any race. Ever. The race started at 7:00am. I woke up at 5:45, did my pre race prep including my traditional breakfast of Strawberry Pop Tars and Ensure Plus and rode to transition at 6:20. The best benefit of my accommodations: not having to wait in line for a porta potty. I set up my gear feeling a bit hurried, which is how I like it so there is no time for anxiety to build up. I found Dave, chatted about strategy and was in the front for the start.

The swim was uneventful, I lost contact with Dave early on and I cruised the rest of the way through it, having pretty good feel for the water despite neglecting my swim training in the past months. I exited in 32 minutes and change, pleased with that time and focused on a smooth transition, despite having to run what seemed like 400yds on pavement that was anything but smooth. I mean I don't have Hawaiian Feet.

Coming into this event I had the most confidence in my cycling fitness so my plan was to push the bike and see what happened. This was also the first time I was racing with my power, having got a Powertap G3 last fall. I wasn't really trying to focus on a goal wattage, just trying to keep the power spikes down, race by feel and check out the data at the end.

I knew Dave was up the road so I tried to settle in, find my cycling legs and "work my way to the front". I caught Dave maybe 20ish minutes into the bike and we legally paced each other, catching a few guys as we went. Approaching the turn around I believe I was in fifth place, and about 6 minutes down to the leader. Just after the turn I got passed and made the move to stay with this guy. We pushed the pace a bit, which always carries risk but I had made my mind up I was here to throw down. We finished the bike together and exited T2 within seconds of each other.

I was trying to settle into my run, but at the same time it's a race and you don't want to loose contact with your competitors for the mental aspect. We ran together, exchanged a few words and learned his name was Chris and he was from Canada. For the first bit of the run I was trying to feel out how good of a runner he was, just trying to keep it steady and look strong.

But to be completely honest when I got off the bike and started to run legs were hurting more than they should. Apparently today the Thunder Thighs had lost some thunder. I could tell I had pushed the bike a bit and this run was going to hurt. As the first mile marker came up I hit my watch 5:40, thinking to myself, "That can't be right. I must have started my watch at the wrong spot in transition." So I tried to settle into a realistic pace, at the same time trying to balance racing this guy. Mile 2 hits, 5:55, a pace I've held for an Olympic distance run, but never for even in a stand alone half marathon. Just try to stay cool. Mile 3 hits, 5:52, we're still running together. Long ago I realized this was going to be an excruciating run. Now I decided it was going to be a breakthrough performance or an epic implosion for the ages

I tried to front load damage control with some calories at every aid station, but that's kind of like trying to fill a leaking car tire with 20g CO2 cartridges. Two more 5:55s and then I started to loose contact. There was no major move, Chris just slowly pulled away and I was already at the red line. At this point I don't really know what place I was in, but I knew we were getting close to podium spots. Did I mention top three get money? From there it was 6, 6:09, 6:26... Grabbing calories at every aid station. Coherent enough to notice the weird looks from aid station workers every time I dumped ice down my pants to cool off. But soon it was back to survival mode. "I think that guy was ahead of me on the bike, but I don't really know. Ah this sucks, I feel terrible!"

There are points in any race where the mind and the body battle each other. These battles are what make the longer races most challenging for me, the conflict rages for a longer period of time, back and forth. There are more chances give into the hurt. But also, in a sense all the extraneous crap gets stripped away leaving an utterly simple battle between quitting or continuing to hurt yourself.

Every time I can push to and hold that red line, go deeper into the pain cave or ride the Highway to the Dangerzone, it's easier to go there next time. I guess it is not really easier, but in a sense reassuring or almost comforting that you've been to this familiar place before, this time we'll go a little further and see what happens.

So back to the race, which was the deepest I've had to go to date. More than Kona, maybe because it seemed like there was more on the line, more to prove to myself. The entire run hurt and I had that battle with myself through almost all of it. Usually in races I have a few miles where I feel "good." With the run course being multiple loops, late in the race it's hard to tell who the competition is and what place you're in. All I knew was I was close to the podium spots and Chris was about 20 seconds up the road, but for the life of me I couldn't close that gap.

At this point smaller goals get made. Don't slow down between mile 9 and 10; then "5K to go. You've ran 5K like a million times."

Then two to go, "Shit I really hope there is no one running up on me. Don't show them how much I hurt. Don't show how vulnerable I am right now." 

One to go, "OK risk exposing yourself and sneak a glance back just to see if anyone is there. No... Shit there's still a whole mile to go. There's Chris up the road but there's nothing I can do, the tank has been beyond empty for a while."

"That's the finish line. Wow I've never had to dig that deep, but I went there and survived." I crossed the line in 4:16, good enough for third place overall. I was ecstatic! Even though Chris had outran me by less than 30s I knew I left it all out on the course, pushed myself to a new level and had a great result because of it. Also I was more than on track for the big goals for Lake Placid. Now I will rest up for a couple days. Then get back to work.

Race Stats:
4:16.21-Third Overall
S-32:23 (1:32/100yd)
B-2:21 (According to Joule GPS-57.3 Miles; AP 234w; NP 240w; AVG 24.4 mph, CAD 92)
R-1:19.38 (AVG 6:05)

Bayshore Half Marathon

I may have started a tradition after running the Detroit Half dressed as a pirate (pictures here). My mom, sister and I all signed up for the Bayshore Half Marathon in Traverse City. Well race day was approaching and I just wasn't feeling the "race" part of racing. So again I decided to add a little fun to the event. First I decided to don my Iceman Volleyball shirt as well as my aviators. My friend Mike gave me some purple compression calf sleeves as a joke so I also had to appease him and wear them for a race.

Now anyone who's ran in college is familiar with an event called the Beer Mile. Since my first Marathon was Bayshore back in 2009 I had observed some spectators enjoying the race by partying early and offering beers to runners. In addition I knew some college friends that were specifically going to be doing that. Thus I decided to attempt somewhat of a modified Beer Half Marathon. There were no real rules, only that I would stop and drink any beers that were being offered, not knowing what kind of quantity that would entail.

Race day dawned about 40 degrees, sunny and calm; basically perfect running weather. The race started and I began my adventure. My buddies house was at the one mile mark. I arrived to great fanfare from the three guys and was handed a can of Budweiser. It was quickly consumed and I was off, actually feeling pretty good.

Some miles later, maybe around mile 6 there was a guy hanging out in his drive with a sign that said "Before, During and After Party." He had four small cups on a table next to a half keg. I stopped and had one, two, three, then heard "I think you're only suppose to have one..." four. I mean there was no sign saying there was a limit. Off I went.

I knew there was a quality group of partiers around mile 10. Actually it was closer to mile 11 and I think I was their first taker for the day. Five small cups of beer with fantastic crowd support I was on my way again. Another runner, having observed this gave me a, "You're crazy!"

So I finished up the race pleased with my performance and found they were giving out free chocolate milk. Bonus! Then I met by my friends Rob and Dani, who had brought me a cinnamon roll and bacon. Then I thought was this might be the best race ever! Now obviously this was a for fun, lighten the spirits kind of race. But I also worked on my Iron Stomach Training as well as some initial data gathering for fueling with beer. I really think this is an area with untapped potential.




 

Winter Fun Skiing Videos

Of course being a children's ski instructor has it's advantages. Like those late January periods when there's no kids to teach but epic powder dumps every night. Enjoy. 

Direct Link

 

Direct Link

Winter Training Summary

So the winter in Steamboat was another good one. The plan going into it was to work, eat, sleep and train a lot. But of course I was going to get in some good free skiing in. Besides some of the inevitable ups and downs the training went well. I'll spare the boring details (i.e. trainer, pool, treadmill in gym), and skip to the fun stuff.

I got a few chances during the slow part of the season to drive to Fort Collins to get some outside riding in. I got some nice GoPro footage of a couple descents I did. Of course I rode up them first, but 10mph footage is boring. The first is the decent Rist Canyon.

Here's the youtube link as well as the Map My Ride  profile. 

 

Here's another video from Pole Hill Road. 

Riding Reflections

My writing generally lacks eloquence or true literary genius. I try to leave that to the real writers out there. But every now and then one comes across an article that needs to be shared. In this case it was a recent article in VeloNews written by Matthew Beaudin entitled, "Notes from the Scrum: Tranquillo." The entire article can be found here and is worth a read.

A common question people ask is "Why?" referring to my constant exercising, choosing to race a distance of 140.6 miles in a single day, pushing myself to exhaustion or similar trends. I have never had an eloquent, deep or well prepared answer, but sometimes articles like the one above can provide a hint into why so many like minded people do what they do and how those actions can relate to the larger picture of Life. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts.

“Restraint, patience, whatever one wants to call it, is the most important element of cycling, because without it, you are nothing as a rider, no matter your skill level or natural ability. Nothing but a book of burnt matches."

"To ride, though, is to escape from this bullshit, from the rules and constraints and niceties of our real lives. Attacks are accepted and encouraged here, so long as they’re executed with class there is a code here the rest of the world doesn’t care about.”

"To be a cyclist is an exercise in suppression. In this way, it’s no different than going to work each day, than being a friend, than being an enemy. There are times and places for our attacks, just as there are moments for our honesty and our criticisms. If we bumble these chances, we ride alone. If we bumble these chances, we are alone."

On that note I'm going for a ride.