Post Race....okay, 2 weeks post race!

Okay, today marks 2 weeks since I've raced. Jenn and I spent a nice, but very expensive week, in Maui. Other than some water sports (in Maui) and a couple of short runs, I haven't done much physically...except eat and drink. I did do some surfing in Kihei.

After Maui, I came home and Jenn left for China for work. She's got another week there before she comes home. She'll have been away from home for about a month when she finally gets back late next week....crazy. I couldn't do her job. It's been a little tough for me this week, getting back into things...including work. Jet lag has played a role. But, so has staying up late to watch my Phillies in the World Series. Hopefully I'll be good after this weekend.

Now that 2 weeks have passed, I'm starting to think about my future racing plans. When I mention this to people, I get this response...."I thought you were done after Hawaii". Well, I never said that. What I said is that I'm done with Ironman for a while...which I am. But, I'm a competitor and love it. I want to be racing when I'm 80. This next year, I'm thinking of focusing on some shorter distances, however, I did sign up for Timberman 70.3 in August, which is a half ironman. I'm thinking that race will be my longest race of the season and only half ironman. However, my dad (mid 60s) just qualified for the Boston Marathon, so I'm strongly considering running a qualifying race in January so I can do it too. Funny thing is, now that I'm in the 35-39 age group, I only need to run a 3:15 marathon to qualify for Boston. My run split in Hawaii was 3:17. I only missed qualifying by a couple of minutes....crazy. However, if I am going to run a marathon in January, I'll probably try to get myself in decent shape. I'd like to be able to run under 2:50, which I should be able to do. Currently, however, I'm afraid to step onto a scale. Seriously. 2 weeks ago, I was in fantastic shape....weighing 154 lbs. After 2 weeks of doing nothing but eating, I'm sure I'm over 160 (just not too sure how much over!).

As I look back at my race in Hawaii, I'm now realizing how cool it really was. While I was there, it was cool, but it was also another race. Now that it's over, I realize how special the race and the island really are. Not everyone will agree with me on this. Not everyone likes the race after they compete. But, I loved it. I actually miss Kona. It went by soooo fast (including the race). And, I've already decided that I'm going back...someday (I have to qualify again first). I'm also going to do another ironman in the next couple of years. Hawaii was my first solid day at the ironman distance, after 5 attempts...so now I actually see what I can do at the distance. But, I'm keeping my promise...no ironman races this year!

I've decided to keep posting to the blog periodically, for those still following and want to keep following.

Post Note: I've decided to scrap the marathon plan.

Race Day

Sorry for the delay with the report. I was going to post it a couple of days ago, but didn't finish it. Yesterday, we were scheduled to fly to Maui at 10am. However, United failed to send our reservation (and about 50 others) to it's airline partner, Island Air of Hawaii. So, we didn't have a flight. After 8 or so hours at the Kona airport and completely getting the run around, we chartered a Cesna w/another couple (no I'm not that rich!), that flew us to Maui last night. It was actually a very cool trip. And, our pilot was a retired General.

Anyway, here's the belated race report:

It's over! It was an extremely tough day. The heat from the lava fields kicked up the winds, which have been relatively calm all week. I finished in 10:03:54. Prior to the race, I had thought that I could come in somewhere between 9:30-10:00 witha good race, on a good day (w/good conditions). And, although I was really trying to crack the 10 hour mark at the end of the race, it just wasn't to be, and I'm happy with my result....especially on my first attempt at this course. My day, however, wasn't without its hiccups.

My day started as usual for a race like this. The alarm went off at 3:30am. I immediately started to take in my pre-race calories (not always easy this early in the morning). I showered, got dressed, and my dad drove me and Jenn as far down towards the start as he could (there were some road closures). We dropped off the bike and run special needs bags and headed to "body marking". To my surprise, some officials from NBC were waiting to follow me through body marking. I wasn't really expecting this. However, this would be the last time I saw the cameras all day (except through transition). Since you have to pre-pack your transition bags and your bike is already in transition, there isn't much to do but pump up the tires and then sit around and wait. I saw some other friends in transtion...Tim and Cait Snow...and my teammate, Regina O'Toole. I sat w/Regina for a bit and she was definitely nervous. For some reason, I wasn't. Finally, it was time to start getting ready for the swim start. This meant changing into my Xterra Velocity Skin suit and dropping off my "pre race" bag to the officials. I realized as I was dropping off my bag that I forgot my Bodyglide (a lubricant). I borrowed someone's in line, but I just didn't get enough on me....and I knew that I was going to get chaffed pretty badly in the swim (and I did).

I finally made it to the swim start. It's a floating start....meaning you have to tread water for a while. After the pros went off at 6:45, I headed out to the end of the pier (and treaded water for 10 minutes). I saw my buddy, the sea turtle, on the way out (this surely had to be a sign of good luck..right?). I was directly under the starting cannon (literally...a cannon). I thought I was in good position, but when it fired, I just had a tough time getting through the field. I was on the far inside and kept getting pushed further in. I felt great all week during my swims, but during the race, I just could get up to my top speed due to the fact that I was boxed in. It was very frustrating (although this seems to be my MO this year). I got out of the water and ran up the ramp. I looked at my watch, but it hadn't started. So, I just proceeded through transition. I figured, what the heck...what's done is done...I can't let it affect my race. I could see my friend Jesse in front of me running to the bikes.

As I got on my bike I was amazed at the crowds. Kona makes you feel like a celebrity while your racing. The crowds were 5-6 deep. I quickly caught up to Jesse to say hello. He gave me the bad news about the swim time (1:05). Oh well. He also made a comment that he thought the winds wouldn't be a factor....THANKS FOR JINXING US JESSE!!!!! Once we finished the out and back, we headed out on the Queen K for the 50 mile ride to Hawi. My plan was to take the bike out easy....which I did. However, during the first 10 miles on the Queen K, we were flying...riding 25, 26, 27 mph. However, that would be the end of the "wind at our backs". I realized quickly too that I had screwed up my nutrition timing. I should have taken nutrition every 30 minutes...but I started to take it every 15. I quicky realized my mistake and got back on track. However, my stomach was pretty full within the first hour. First, I had doubled my nutrition intake and I had gone through close to 3 bottles of fluids (I was trying to get ahead). I finally caught my friend Jen around 30 miles. I was surprised when she told me that my other teammate, Matt, was just in front of her. Matt beat me in the swim, which I wasn't expecting. However, I knew he was in front of me because I saw him on the short out and back at the beginning of the race, and figured that I may not see (catch) him until the run...if at all. So, I rode up and said hello to Matt. We then proceeded to play cat and mouse for the next 60 or so miles. I'd pass him, then 10 minutes later, he'd pass me. We hit the first bad winds around mile 35. We were riding around 15mph....it was tough. Matt commented on the winds as I passed him. I told him that Hawi was going to be worse....and it was. When we started riding up towards Hawi, we had a ridiculous cross wind blowing toward the ocean. Although we were only riding between 12-14 mph up and into the wind, I was holding on to my bike for dear life. Mat was riding behind me and commented after the race how I was leaning into the wind. The winds were so bad up there that we could see the white caps on the ocean, which was close to 2 miles away. The ride down from Hawi was no treat either. Yes, you go faster (up to 40 mph), but I was so scared that one of the 50mph gusts would get me that I couldn't really open it up. After Hawi, the winds must have switched, because we basically had a headwind the entire way back. Mat was joking afterwards how we were going downhill, doing 17 mph (pedaling). Fortunately for me, I had playing it conservatively during the ride. So, I passed a lot of guys during the last 20 miles of the bike...and felt very good. One thing to note....I went through approximately 8-9 bottles of fluids on the bike....and didn't use the bathroom until I was running through the transition area!!! (also, post note....the lava fields completely cooked my back and arms. I have what are probably 3rd degree burns on me).

After my pit stop, I put on my racing shoes and headed out onto the course. I felt really good....so I was really trying to hold back. I went through the first mile in around 6:10....and was like "whoooaaa....slow down"! I realized that I would need to hold back a little more! I got into a good rythm...but my stomach started giving me some issues around 7-8 miles in. Stomach issues have been my downfall at other ironman races...so I was very concerned. I dialed back my run pace a bit in hopes to settle the stomach. I went through waves of feeling the stomach for the next 10-12 miles. It was the worst when I hit the Natural Energy Lab (which is approximately 1.5 miles down and 1.5 miles back up). I thought I was going to need to stop to use the bathroom for sure....but then the stomach would settle a bit. Finally around mile 23, as I was running though an aide station, I said "screw it....only 3 miles to go"....and stopped. Once I got back on the course, I felt fantastic. I was thinking, "why didn't I do this sooner?" I dropped my pace to under 6:30 miles for the last 3 and was just blowing by people. I finished fairly strong and felt fine afterwards. That's my one regret....because I felt good finishing (too good)...I feel like I didn't leave it all on the course. That, and I would have like to crack the 10 hour mark. But, as I said, all in all, it was a solid day...so no complaints. It is, after all, the world championships....and by far, the most difficult course (w/the conditions) that I've done.

Now, I get to relax on Maui....which is where I'm finishing up this race report. I told Jenn that I just wanted to chill out after the race (easier said than done for me). I'm already thinking about going for a run!

Day Five....Calm Before the Storm

Pre-race day is upon us. Now the nervousness can begin! Last night we attended the pre-race banquet with the rest of the Boston congtingent. It was a good time, although the food left a little to be desired.

On the way back to the car, we walked along Alii Drive...and you could just feel things change. It just had a different feeling.

Today, I got up and did my pre-race warmup which consisted of a quick 10 minute bike/10 minute run...then down to the swim venue for a 10 minute swim. Today was the first time that I put on my XTerra skin suit since I got to Kona.

After I exited the swim, I ran into an Ironman legend....Scott Tinley (my cat's namesake!). He was very friendly. I think I was most excited to meet him out of everyone so far.

I made a quick trip to the ART (active release therapy) Tent to get loosened up...something I've done the past couple of days...we headed to breakfast. Breakfast is my biggest meal of the day leading into a race...sometimes people don't believe how much I eat...here's proof:

When we got back to the condo, I finished putting my race bags together. As I was doing that, a big Navy shipped pulled into Kona. Navy is a sponsor of the race, so this was kind of expected...but pretty cool to see.

I also took a quick pic of my ride....which is ready to roll along the lava fields. My buddy the Geiko Gecko showed up to check my bike out too!

This is my last post until after the race. It's time for me to start focusing. Right now, I'm not quite sure how I feel physically. But, at this point, it is what it is. Mentally, it funny....I'm not that nervous....at least compared to how nervous I usually get. Maybe it's due to the fact that I'm not chasing an ironman slot. Whatever. No disrespect to Madame Pele (fire goddess), who already gave me a flat tire, but I'm ready to give it hell out there. We'll see what happens!

Here are the links to some pictures that I've taken:

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=248872837/a=102381967_102381967/t_=102381967

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=248878627/a=102381967_102381967/t_=102381967

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=248878982/a=102381967_102381967/t_=102381967

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=248878985/a=102381967_102381967/t_=102381967

Day Four....Almost Famous!

I woke up pretty early again...4:30ish. But, I was in bed before 9pm, so it's kind of expected. After some coffee and food, I headed out to the swim venue for a quick 20 minute swim. The swim venue has gotten more crowded by the day. Today seemed really crowded due to the fact that the bleachers for the race had been set up and there were groups of "cruise ship people" hanging around (most of these people should spend a little less time at the buffet). I met up with Matt Pokress and we headed out for a quick swim to the floating coffee bar with his wife Shay. Here's an okay picture of the floating bar...

During the swim, I saw my buddy....the big sea turtle...again!

After the swim, I changed and headed over to the start of the "Underpants" run. This is an unofficial, ironman event that started a few years back....and has become sort of a rites of passage at the ironman world championships. It was a lot of fun. Alot of recognizable faces in the crowd, including Michellie Jones and the Lovatos. Unfortunately, I was rushing and didn't have my camera...although Jenn got a couple...

Following the "run", I quickly changed and headed out to the Outrigger Hotel, where I was interviewed for NBC. They must have recognized the talent:) Kidding. Seriously though, my freind produces the coverage for NBC, so he got me on the list. He told me that they have a different theme each year (not completely up to him). This year their focusing on first timers and the unexpected challenges. It was a pretty neat experience. I was a little nervous, but once the camera was rolling, so was I. However, I'm even more nervous for what's next. NBC apparently follows me for parts of the race! So, I'll probably have a camera car/cycle next to me at times....crazy!!!! Now, I hope I don't wind up on the cutting room floor! Although, if I do, my buddy has to answer to me (and probably a few others from my home town!!).

Tonight is the opening Banquet. It should be fun. We have a large Boston/BTT contingent. Pics to be posted tomorrow.

Day Three....Oh Boy!

Okay, day 3 started out just fine. I rose fairly early (4ish), dropped my parents off for their volcano tour and headed to the swim start to meet up with my BTT teammates for a swim.

We swam for about 30-35 minutes. During the swim, we ran into a very large sea turtle (I literally almost ran into him on the way back in). Also, Coffees of Hawaii set up a floating coffee bar about 500 yards out in the water during race week (very cool), so Jen, Mat and myself decided to have coffee in the middle of our swim. As we were sipping our beverage, a school of spinner dolphins came by and literally swam underneath us. I grew up around dolphins on the Jersey shore, but I've never been around them in water sooo clear. We just watched them swim around. I was wishing I had a waterproof camera! Afterwards, we went to a restaurant called "Tante's" for some Frills (eg. food).

The second part of my day consisted of a fairly long drive out to Hawi (the turnaround point on the bike). I did this for a couple of reasons: (1) I wanted to go out there to ride for an hour and get a feel for the hills and wind...which is typically where it's strongest, and (2) to see the bike course. It took us about 1:30 to drive to Hawi. We snapped some pics along the way...

For those that haven't been to Kona, although the bike course looks flat...it isn't....trust me. And seeing the lava fields on tv just doesn't do it justice. It's incredible...and intimidating. My plan was to ride 10 miles out of Hawi (mostly down) and then back up. Once in Hawi, I unloaded the bike and headed out...

My coach was hoping that it would be windy for this training ride so I could get a feel for it....well this was her lucky day! I don't know what it typically feels like when the winds blow in Hawi...but it felt very windy. In fact, I had to hold on for dear life a couple of times as the wind hit the surface area of my carbon fiber wheels. It was especially tough when an eighteen wheeler would go past. I finally hit 10 miles and turned around. I must have hit a piece of lava rock, because my tire immediately went flat. Upon further inspection, it had a huge tear in it. Great!!!! Now I had to unwrap my tightly and neatly wrapped spare. Since I have tubular tires, they need to be glued on. So, when a spare goes on, it's not really "on"....it just sits there and you hope (and pray) it doesn't roll off. After I got my spare on (pretty quickly I might add), I observed a bubble on the side casing. Basically, it looked as if my spare was going to pop. I contemplated for a few moments, then decided to ride easy and see if I could make it the 10 miles (uphill) back to Hawi. Fortunately the tire held and I made it back safely....where Jenn and I had a great lunch at a restaurant called Bamboo. After we got back to Kona, I dropped my bike off at the bike shop....where they'll glue some expensive, new tires ($100 a pop) onto my ride.

Tomorrow is the underwear run.....pics to be posted!

Day Two

Day 2 started with an early swim. I got up at 5am and got in the water around 6am, so I could get my swim in before our helicopter tour. At 6, there's not too many athletes swimming. I was definitely a little uneasy swimming out there by myself. But, by the time I was exiting the water, it was pretty crowded.

Our helicopter tour was an experience...literally. It was one of the best and worst experiences I've had. The views and sights were unbelievable. But, around halfway through the 90 minute trip, I was green. Thank God I did this early in the week.

As with Day 1, I sighted many athletes today. I saw Craig Alexander and Simon Lessing at the swim. While I was doing a training run, Desire Ficker ran by me in the opposite direction and I passed Kate Major (although she kept right on my heels). I also saw Natasha Badman out on my run. Later, while Jenn and I were heading to dinner, Macca passed us w/a stroller....so did Paula NF and Heather Fuhr. After dinner, we ran into Jen, Dave and Laura....while we stopped at the Specialized table where Macca, Terrenzo Bozzone, TJ Tolakson and Peter Reid were signing posters. We got a good group picture with them. I was going to post that today, until, of course, I got to meet Mark Allen. While walking through the athlete village I spotted him and took a couple of photos while he was talking with someone. He must have spotted me being all "paparazi like" and waved at me. At that point I figured the jig was up...so I walked over and said hello....and Jenn snapped this shot.

Tomorrow's schedule calls for a morning swim w/Matt and Jen. Then I'm heading out to Hawi to ride the turnaround. More to come....

Day One

Well, despite the fact that I had been up for what seemed like 24 hours, I still only got 7-8 hours ofsleep. I was up around 5am. Jenn and I headed down to Lava Java around 6 for coffee and bagels before heading down to the swim start for a quick swim workout. Alii Drive was teeming at 6am with athletes running and biking up and down...including the "Man", Dave Scott. He was too quick for me to snap a pic! We hung around the swim start while the bagel digested and just did some people watching. We saw some of the pros warming up including Desire Ficker and the Normanator. Norman approached me for some tips on the bike, but I told him I couldn't disclose my training secrets:) All for now....

Hello from the Big Island!

Well, it's been a whirlwind of a couple of days. It's 10:20 Boston time, 4:20 Kona time....I didn't sleep on the plan and I only got 3 hours of sleep last night. So, yes, I'm a little blury.

Yesterday was crazy as we got ready to go. I spent a little too much time at Fast Splits. As the bike was being packed, we realized that the front tubular on my Zipp 404 was flat and had to be changed. Pat Wheeler and Co. did a great job of working on the fly.

Not too much to report from Kona yet as I really haven't had a chance to settle in (that and I'm dead tired). There seems to be a lot of fit people cruising up and down the Queen K though! More to report when I'm not soooo tired!

So, this is how a rabbit feels

Overall, I'm a healthy eater. Everything in moderation. However, I decided that I would try to get a little leaner for Hawaii. So, towards the end of August I started to buckle down with my diet: I started eating more salads w/protein at dinner; cutting out bread with dinner; more protein and less carbs throughout the day...however, never depriving myself of needed calories. And, occasionally I would still "treat" myself to some indulgences. But, as race day approaches I've become a little more strict w/my diet....especially during the taper period. It seems to be working. When my season started...way back in March (California 70.3), I was weighing around 160-162 (based on my scale). At Timberman in mid August, I was around my "normal" race weight of 157. This morning, I was weighing a svelt 152.8...which is as light as I've been in about 7 years. Here's what dinner looked like tonight:

Spinach salad
alphalfa sprouts
brocolini
advocado
grape tomatoes
red peppers
shreaded carrots
sliced beef tenderloin (last portion of red meat before the race)
olive oil
sea salt

It's pretty damn good...and pretty filling. However, I can't wait to dive into a burger and a beer (make that plural)!

Random Thursday Thought

As we get ready to leave on Sunday, I thought I'd share my personal nightmare. No it's not showing up on race day and forgetting my shoes or goggles (although that would suck). It's packing for the trip. I'm an "over packer". When I drive to races, it's not too bad....I'm allowed to overpack. However, I can't overpack when flying. Also, trying to get all of my race gear together drives me nuts. You have to make sure you have your nutrition, bottles, clothes, tools, shoes, and the list goes on. Since we leave on Sunday, here's what Saturday afternoon will probably look like:

Pat: trying to pack all his stuff (most of which has been laid out for a week).

Pat: beginning to get frustrated because he's having trouble getting everything into his suitcases.

Pat: beginning to get verbally frustrated.

Billie (our dog): going into the other room, tail down because she thinks Pat's mad at her.

Jenn: beginning to realize she's going to have to intervene.

Pat: beginning to lose it.

Jenn: finally dropping what she's doing and assisting.

Jenn: completely unpacking Pat's bags and repacking.

Pat: thanks wife, then heads off to get frustrated at something else!

Yes, my wife usually packs my bags. Now, in my defense, Jenn travels a lot, so she has a lot of experience! Anyway, just a random thought on a Thursday morning:)

Feelin' It...

Okay, as I sit at my house watching PTI on ESPN, getting ready to head to the pool for the PM Masters practice, I can't keep thinking about how bad I feel. I'm in a complete funk. I'm hoping it's just the taper (it's common to feel like crap during the middle of the taper), but it could very well be the onset of sickness. Of course, I definitely get a little melodramatic as I approach a big race. It's probably all in my head. But, I keep hearing about people getting the flu....Oh well, nothing to do but get rest (easier said than done), drink fluids, eat right and take emergenC!

Bring on the HEAT

How does one get ready for a full day of heat in the lava fields of the Big Island? Well, you can't! But, you can do your best to prepare. My coach is a scientist for the Army, and she does a lot of testing with soldiers in extreme conditions, like altitude and heat. She gave a good heat acclimization protocol...but you need access to a sauna. Unfortunately, I have neither the time nor the desire to go a health club to access a sauna. So, I'm doing the next best thing....cranking up the heat in my garage! Seriously! Today was the first day....although it really should start about 10 days out from the race. Since it's pretty crappy outside in the northeast, I decided to stick to the indoor trainer. My plan called for a 3 hour ride outside. I reduced that to 2 hours since I was on the trainer...w/4x 10 minutes at race pace. It wasn't too bad. I had 2 heaters and a fan going. I also wore a ski cap to keep the heat in. I had the garage up to about 90+ degrees. Although I don't have access to a sauna, I do have access to a treadmill in the garage. So, this week I'll get both bike and run workouts done in the heat. Will this help? Who the heck knows? But hey, at least I can drop a few more pounds before I toe the start line!!!

Realty Sets In!

Okay, so the bib numbers for the race are posted. Yours truly is number 1176. As I began to peruse the start list, something dawned on me....the creme de la creme will be at this race. Now, how do I put this so as not to sound arrogant...I'm used to finishing pretty close to the front of the race. I usually place very high in my age group. But, there's a good chance (make that a very good chance) that I'm not going to be anywhere near the front of my age group. Hawaii will be a combination of all of the top age groupers from all of the qualifying races around the world. I hadn't really thought about this before. Even with a great race, I may not crack the top 25 of my age group, let alone the amateur race. Very humbling!

That got me to further thinking....although I want to have a great day out there (and a great race), I'm going to enjoy it, no matter what the day throws at me.

Taper Time!

Well, I got my last "long" weekend of training under my belt this past weekend. This is going to be my 5th ironman race, and it always seems that the last long bike ride is always the worst. It always seems to be cold, windy, raining, or some combination. Saturday was pretty chilly (40-50 degrees) and somewhat windy. It didn't help that I rode solo...which is how I did the majority of my long rides this year. I wound up with a 5:45 ride and followed that up with a 30 minute run. Sunday was the last long run...or I should say runs. My coach decided that it would be good to split up the long run. So, I ran 1:45 w/my friend Tim at 8am. Tim's a fast runner, so I knew the run would be quality. Although I can't say what the pace was exactly, it was probably between 6:45-50 pace. Following the first run, I went home, ate and tried to rest a little. Then I went out for an additional 45 minutes at 2pm. The first mile was tough, but then I got back into a rythm and ran very well. Now it's time to taper. What that means is the workouts begin to shorten and some quality workouts are thrown in. It's also a time to rest and heal up all of the little injuries. My focus over the next couple of weeks is to get into the water. I need to focus on my swimming which has been a little suspect this year. Less than 3 weeks to race day. Less than 2 weeks until we leave.

Typical New England Summer!!!

Okay, there's a day or two left until the Summer officially ends. In typical New England fashion, it was in the 50's today. Although, it didn't really feel that cold. I left work a little early to get in an open water swim w/a couple of friends. Since I can't wear a wetsuit in Hawaii, I don't train with one. My friends wore theirs. We swam 2x 1 mile loops. The first loop wasn't that bad...but it was a little chilly. I definitely got colder on the second loop. However, the cold didn't really hit me until I got out of the water. I definitely had some mild hypothermia. I drove home with the hood of my sweatshirt over my head and the heat blaring. I couldn't feel the tips of my fingers and my right heel was numb. Fortunately a 20 minute hot shower brings back the feeling to all the extremities! Ahhh....one of the many perks of ironman training. Can't wait for that 5-6 hour bike ride tomorrow;)

Hanging by a thread....

These days I feel like I'm hanging by a thread. What I mean is I'm doing a lot of training and am consistently tired and fatigued. Training for an ironman is a battle of attrition. It just keeps going. The fatigue usually gets worse as the weeks progress. For obvious reasons, this week has been the worst yet. I don't get a lot of sleep as it is, but I was also up late on Monday watching the game (nothing gets between me and an Eagles game). Also, today my foot started acting up. I just hope it's not a stress fracture. That wouldn't be good. My saving grace is that this is my last big week of training....off to bed.

It was a training run

Okay, so I kept up my bargain on Sunday. I ran the Nahant 30k like a training run. It was raining pretty hard off and on before the race and it was very humid. I quickly got into a comfortable 6:40 pace (although I probably peppered a couple faster miles in there). I had originally planned to go out easier and then progressively get faster. I scrapped that plan and just decided to keep the pace at 6:40ish pace. This race was much hillier than I expected...it was a tough course. I had to keep my ego in check a few times as people passed me. I made the decision to push the last 5 miles. So, at mile 13 I pulled off my rain/sweat soaked shirt (that felt like 2 pounds) and pushed. I felt pretty good. Although I probably pushed a little too hard, a little too soon. The last couple of miles I was feeling it. I caught a few people in front of me and finished 16th at 2:03:39 (6:38 pace). Solid training day.

Nahant 30K....It's only a training run.

I writing this as I get ready to head to Nahant, Massachusetts for a 30K road race (approx. 18.5 miles). After putting my body through the meat grinder a couple of weeks ago during a 25k race, I've decided to just use this as a training run...no racing flats, no racing clothes, no racing mentality. The last one is the hardest to shake. I like to race...and can definitely get caught up in the moment. However, I'm tired and it's showing. I'm having some trouble sleeping (definite sign of overtraining). And, yesterday was a 114 mile ride....so the legs are already fatigued. So, today's gameplan is to break the run into blocks of 4-5 miles....and progressively get faster. I hope to run about 6:30 pace by the end. Hopefully I can execute this plan. I have to keep reminding myself...."it's only a training run"!

Timberman and beyond....

Okay, so it's been a while since I last posted. But, I've been busy! First, I did my last triathlon leading up to Kona. It was the Timberman 70.3 up in New Hampshire in the middle of August. I've done this race a number of times, and can say it's really one of the best races out there....even though I really haven't had a great day there yet (the course kicks my ass). This year was no different. I had an unremarkable swim (about 1-2 minutes slower than I should have been). The bike was okay. I kept it steady throughout the ride, but really should have been a little faster. I did have a good run, although it was a complete grind. Overall, I finished with a PR for the course in 4:28:44. I was 12 Amateur and 24th overall (http://www.lin-mark.com/tm70308.txt). Definitely not my best effort. But, hopefully that will come in October.

I followed up Timberman with a big block of training over Labor Day weekend. First up was a 6 hour solo effort on Saturday (5.5 bike and 30 minute run). Sunday was a swim and 2 hour bike. Then, Monday was the Cape Ann 25K road race. With warmup and cooldown, my plan was to get 18-19 miles in. I do a lot of these long races as training runs (I did this at this race last year). But, I had planned to race this...albeit on tired legs. This race is the equivalent of a roller coaster....16 major hills. About 2 miles in I realized that my goal of 6 minute pace was out the door. I was in 9th place and all by myself. So, I just ran my own race. I didn't see another runner until about 14 miles. I wound up 8th overall w/a 6:13 per mile avg. This race beat the hell out of me. I'm planning on doing a 30K road race in a week....but will be wearing training shoes and treating it as a workout. Too much beating on the legs to be racing these things.

One month to go.....

Time For A New Saddle!

Over the past few weeks I've been increasing my volume. A couple of weeks ago I did 110 miles on the bike while I was up in Lake Placid. I followed that up with an 1:30 run a day later. Last weekend was a 95 mile solo ride w/a 30 minute transition run. I followed that up with a 1:45 trail run a day later. This weekend I had been planning on joining the Infinit Tri Team's Iron Distance weekend. Infinit Tri is a small, local team "coached" by my buddy Tony Delogne. So I train with them on occasion. The weekend consisted of a swim and short bike on Friday (which I didn't do); a 92 mile ride/8.8 mile run on Saturday; and a 17.5 mile run on Sunday. Today was the 92 mile ride/8.8 mile run brick workout. The ride took place on an 11.5 mile loop located in Sharon, Massachusetts. It's a great course, which I train on frequently, because it's a rolling course (but nothing too steep that you have to get out of the aerobars) and only has about 4 turns on the whole loop. The ride started at 8am...and boy did it start fast. We averaged over 25mph on the first loop. By mile 15 I had decided that I had enough of the group. First, it was too fast (as I have a big 1/2 ironman race in 2 weeks); Second, we were riding paceline, and you can't do that in an ironman, so I felt it wasn't beneficial for me; Lastly, and most importantly, at the speed we were riding, I was having trouble getting in my nutrition, which is something that I'm really working on (executing nutrition is key). Anyway, I rode the remainder of the ride on my own. It was pretty good until about 50 miles. That's when I realized that it's time to change my bike saddle! On a tri bike, I sit on the nose of the saddle. When the padding goes, you need to buy a new saddle, or it can be VERY uncomfortable to ride. I actually have a new saddle sitting at my house, but I just haven't put it on my bike yet. Well, anyway, the last 42 miles sucked! But, I did it. It's very hard to keep riding in pain like that, especially when you pass your car multiple times. I was very happy when I finished my 8th lap of the course (92 miles). The run was very promissing. I felt very good (all things considered). I ran about 6:20 pace without really pushing. And, I even-split the run. Now, as I sit here typing, I'm beginning to get myself mentally ready to run 17.5 miles tomorrow....FUN!

People sometimes ask me how I do the ironman....swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 and running 26.2. Hell, it's a long race. My response is always this: The ironman is the easy part. It's the training for the ironman that's the hard part. Doing long rides, run, and bricks (ride/run) every weekend. It leaves little time for anything else. Don't get me wrong, I love to train. I like to ride long on the weekends....when i want to....not because I have to. So, even before I had qualified for Kona, I had decided that this year would be my last year doing ironman....at least for a few years. Getting to Kona this year makes it that much sweeter!

No Lake Placid for me.

Well, it finally happened! After 5 years of trying, I finally punched my ticket to Kona. It happened at Eagleman 70.3 in Maryland on June 8th. I went into the race as a prep for Ironman USA in Lake Placid (a spot I secured at Ironman California 70.3). Knowing the conditions were going to be brutal (close to 100 degree temps), I played it conservatively on the swim and bike, and then just tried not to completely melt down on the run. As I approached the finish, I had a pretty good idea that I had done enough to get the Kona spot, but you never really know until you get it. It was far from my best race (see results). In fact, I was over 15 minutes slower than last year, but it did turn out to be one of my best days. I don't know who was happier, me or Jenn, who has been patiently waiting to go to Hawaii since we got married (I wouldn't go until I qualified). Although I'm the one out there training and racing, she has sacrificed a heck of a lot more than I have. So, it was a very emotional day for both of us. With a Kona spot in hand, I decided with withdraw from Ironman USA (no reason to do 2 ironmans). However, I did go up last weekend to train, cheer on my teammates and volunteer. It was actually very cool to actually watch an ironman, rather than race. I had never seen one, other than on tv. The other cool thing was working the finish line from 9-midnight and seeing the last finishers come in. Very inspirational. I honestly don't know how these competitors do it for 16-17 hours. I've never volunteered before, and it was very satisfying. I also figured I needed some good Karma for Kona.

I thought I'd share my journey to Kona with my family and friends. Over the next few months, I'll periodically post about training, racing, and life in general. As October 11th approaches, I'll post more frequently, including many pictures during race week. It should be a fun journey!

-Pat