Brad's 2013 Timberman 70.3Race Report
Brad's 2013 Timberman 70.3Race Report
This was my second time at Timberman, last year being my first HIM ever. Last year, my goal was to be under 6 hours, which I accomplished with a 5:48 time, but went too hard on the bike and took in too many calories which caused a train wreck of a run for me. That was pre EN for me. I felt better prepared this season, both physically as well as coming in with a game plan. 5 weeks ago, I raced Vineman 70.3 and exceeded my expectations with a 5:26 finish and felt totally dialed in from start to finish.
My above goals for this race, were based mostly on my testing levels, but also on my performance from last month's race and my knowledge of the Timberman course from last year. I was happy with my swim, bike, run in my last race and looked for only modest improvement in all 3 by some tweaks on raceday. However, my transitions have flat out been slow, exceeded 5 min each, and I looked to cut those in half by working smoothly and eliminating some issues that slowed me down. One of these factors was going no socks on the bike for a time savings as well as accommodating my new found ability to pee on the bike! Total climbing on bike at Timberman vs Vineman was only a very small difference. I figured between my tweaks and savings on transitions, I could shave off 5-10 min giving me a 5:16-5:21 time.
Pre race:
Dinner was later than I wanted. Bad restaurant choice (too crowded) coupled with trying to dine with too many friends left me agitated and worried. This is an easy fix next time around. Some sleep, but could've been better as expected. 4am wake up and my hotel has an athlete breakfast which was ideal. Was dressed, fueled and ready by 5am. My swim wave (40-44M ) was 7:37. Sipped Gatorade in transition + 1/2 powerbar 60' prior swim + GU 30' prior to swim
Swim: goal: 35-36 actual time :36'
5-10 min WU before start. Positioned myself front and wide. Started out ok and looked to settle into a rhythm, which takes me a few hundred yards. At some point maybe 400 yards out, I got kicked hard n the face. Right side of goggles filled with water, which at first I tried to ignore. I realized I needed to fix this, so I treaded water and straightened out my goggles. This was before the first buoy turn, which ended up being the choppiest water on the course thanks to a police boat in the area. I began my hydration and drank a big gulp of water. Coughing and some panic ensued and the realization that my goggles would no longer seal properly. Definitely lost some time here. Had to get myself back in "the box" at this point, which I finally did. However, there was a lot of contact throughout my swim and I never found the rhythm I wanted. 3-4 times, I had someone swim completely perpendicular to me as I swam. This was mostly from the wave or two in front of me which I caught - start times were 4 min apart. Exited water and used the wetsuit strippers.Could've been better, but could've been a lot worse too.
T1: goal: 2-3" actual time 2:31"
No surprises. Moved through calmly and according to plan. Not having to put socks onto wet feet a major plus!
Bike: goal: 2:50 actual time 2:50
2 weeks ago, my powertap got fried and I had to send it back to cyclops for repair. Made a decision at that point that I had a good enough feel for my RPE to go without one raceday by using RPE and HR as a guide, despite an offer from a generous teammate for a loaner (thank you Woody Freese!) I will need to analyze my data a bit to see if this decision hampered me, but my feeling was that it probably did not. HR, as expected was high for the first 15-20 min, but settled down to Z3 at that point. Bike is an out and back with miles 9-13 and 43-47 being the most climbs. I worked the hills in EN fashion and watched lots of guys out of the saddle doing the "paperboy" on the larger hills. Aside from an occasional stretch, I did not find the need to get out the saddle once over 56 miles. The flats that follow the hills on the course are more of a false flat, being faster on the way out and slower on the return. No major surprises for me other than a different feel for me in this race vs my race last month. I never got the totally dialed in feeling. I waited for it to come, it just didn't happen and felt the need to work hard to find my sweet spot at times. Nutrition was changed a bit from the last race. I decided that since Perform was being served on the course, that I'd make the switch during training a few weeks prior from Gatorade. This meant, more calories/oz, and a different type of carbohydrate. I also felt that although I didn't bonk at Vineman, that if I had taken in a bit more calories, I may have been able to sustain my run which dropped off slightly in the last few miles. I drank approx 50 oz Perform, plus ate 1 honey waffle on the bike. Pee'd on bike at mile 42.Felt like a was burping up a bit by mile 40, so slowly tried sipping water for the remainder to set myself up for the run. Never felt extraordinary, but didn't feel horrible on the bike either.
T2: goal: 2-3" actual: 2:55"
Again, no surprises. Banged my knee a bit dismounting bike, but nothing horrible. Moved through smooth with intention.
Run: goal 1:46 - actual 1:58
I remembered while racing last month I was surprised to see how quickly my garmin told me I was pacing in mile 1 and had to really work to slow myself to get to Z2 + 30" as prescribed. I didn't have to work that hard during Timberman. I felt more fatigued than last time around from the get go and knew right away that this might not be the run I planned for, but I moved on. We all know how things can change after a couple of miles on a run. I felt some slight cramping in my side in mile 1-2 but nothing horrendous, and I seemed to shake it off so was not concerned. My nutrition plan for the run was to move to water plus GU as needed. I have had GI issues on runs while training if I'm not careful, especially at elevated heart rates. This seemed to work for me at Vineman. Timberman has too many aid stations on the run, if that's possible - one roughly every 3/4 mile. I did not stop at every one, but most of them and took water and walked 20 steps. After 3 miles, I stepped up my pace from 8:15 and shot for 7:45(Z2). My body told me that it was not going to happen on this day. I ran miles 4 and 5 @ 7:40 and 7:50. After that I was slowing and settled into an average 8:30 pace through mile 9. It wasn't what I had planned, but I was ok with this knowing that is what my body was going to give me and I could still finish at a very respectable time. I don't use a running race time on my garmin since I leave it on the bike during the swim, but knew roughly where I was. Then at mile 9.5, WHAM! I got a major stitch in my side. I tried to run through it, but there was nothing I could do - the pain was sharp and intense and took the breath out of me. I hadn't encountered this in a few years since the days that I was out of shape and could barely run a mile. I was forced to walk and my ego was hurt as much as my side as hoards of people that I had passed, ran right past me in return. I racked my brain for what was wrong trying to recall the pages I had read over in the wiki. When I reached the next aid station I pulled out a salt tab and drank it down with some water. I trudged along knowing that walking was the best I could do and as my Garmin alerted me to mile 10, I reluctantly read the results of that last mile - 12:20...ugh! I walked/jogged the next mile - another 12-13 min...a dagger to my heart. And then as quickly as it had come, the cramp left entirely. I started running, slowly at first, then faster and even faster. I was able to run mile 12 at a 9' pace and mile 13 at 8' pace to finish strong. Not the run I wanted, but more to learn from. Nutrition will be a major factor for me going forward. This is the area where I need to test and retest over and over and get it right, especially before I attempt my first full IM next year.
2013 Timberman finish time: 5:31 (still 17' better than last year)
Thanks to Coaches RnP and everyone at EN who have been supportive on my journey!
-Brad Marcus
This was my second time at Timberman, last year being my first HIM ever. Last year, my goal was to be under 6 hours, which I accomplished with a 5:48 time, but went too hard on the bike and took in too many calories which caused a train wreck of a run for me. That was pre EN for me. I felt better prepared this season, both physically as well as coming in with a game plan. 5 weeks ago, I raced Vineman 70.3 and exceeded my expectations with a 5:26 finish and felt totally dialed in from start to finish.
My above goals for this race, were based mostly on my testing levels, but also on my performance from last month's race and my knowledge of the Timberman course from last year. I was happy with my swim, bike, run in my last race and looked for only modest improvement in all 3 by some tweaks on raceday. However, my transitions have flat out been slow, exceeded 5 min each, and I looked to cut those in half by working smoothly and eliminating some issues that slowed me down. One of these factors was going no socks on the bike for a time savings as well as accommodating my new found ability to pee on the bike! Total climbing on bike at Timberman vs Vineman was only a very small difference. I figured between my tweaks and savings on transitions, I could shave off 5-10 min giving me a 5:16-5:21 time.
Pre race:
Dinner was later than I wanted. Bad restaurant choice (too crowded) coupled with trying to dine with too many friends left me agitated and worried. This is an easy fix next time around. Some sleep, but could've been better as expected. 4am wake up and my hotel has an athlete breakfast which was ideal. Was dressed, fueled and ready by 5am. My swim wave (40-44M ) was 7:37. Sipped Gatorade in transition + 1/2 powerbar 60' prior swim + GU 30' prior to swim
Swim: goal: 35-36 actual time :36'
5-10 min WU before start. Positioned myself front and wide. Started out ok and looked to settle into a rhythm, which takes me a few hundred yards. At some point maybe 400 yards out, I got kicked hard n the face. Right side of goggles filled with water, which at first I tried to ignore. I realized I needed to fix this, so I treaded water and straightened out my goggles. This was before the first buoy turn, which ended up being the choppiest water on the course thanks to a police boat in the area. I began my hydration and drank a big gulp of water. Coughing and some panic ensued and the realization that my goggles would no longer seal properly. Definitely lost some time here. Had to get myself back in "the box" at this point, which I finally did. However, there was a lot of contact throughout my swim and I never found the rhythm I wanted. 3-4 times, I had someone swim completely perpendicular to me as I swam. This was mostly from the wave or two in front of me which I caught - start times were 4 min apart. Exited water and used the wetsuit strippers.Could've been better, but could've been a lot worse too.
T1: goal: 2-3" actual time 2:31"
No surprises. Moved through calmly and according to plan. Not having to put socks onto wet feet a major plus!
Bike: goal: 2:50 actual time 2:50
2 weeks ago, my powertap got fried and I had to send it back to cyclops for repair. Made a decision at that point that I had a good enough feel for my RPE to go without one raceday by using RPE and HR as a guide, despite an offer from a generous teammate for a loaner (thank you Woody Freese!) I will need to analyze my data a bit to see if this decision hampered me, but my feeling was that it probably did not. HR, as expected was high for the first 15-20 min, but settled down to Z3 at that point. Bike is an out and back with miles 9-13 and 43-47 being the most climbs. I worked the hills in EN fashion and watched lots of guys out of the saddle doing the "paperboy" on the larger hills. Aside from an occasional stretch, I did not find the need to get out the saddle once over 56 miles. The flats that follow the hills on the course are more of a false flat, being faster on the way out and slower on the return. No major surprises for me other than a different feel for me in this race vs my race last month. I never got the totally dialed in feeling. I waited for it to come, it just didn't happen and felt the need to work hard to find my sweet spot at times. Nutrition was changed a bit from the last race. I decided that since Perform was being served on the course, that I'd make the switch during training a few weeks prior from Gatorade. This meant, more calories/oz, and a different type of carbohydrate. I also felt that although I didn't bonk at Vineman, that if I had taken in a bit more calories, I may have been able to sustain my run which dropped off slightly in the last few miles. I drank approx 50 oz Perform, plus ate 1 honey waffle on the bike. Pee'd on bike at mile 42.Felt like a was burping up a bit by mile 40, so slowly tried sipping water for the remainder to set myself up for the run. Never felt extraordinary, but didn't feel horrible on the bike either.
T2: goal: 2-3" actual: 2:55"
Again, no surprises. Banged my knee a bit dismounting bike, but nothing horrible. Moved through smooth with intention.
Run: goal 1:46 - actual 1:58
I remembered while racing last month I was surprised to see how quickly my garmin told me I was pacing in mile 1 and had to really work to slow myself to get to Z2 + 30" as prescribed. I didn't have to work that hard during Timberman. I felt more fatigued than last time around from the get go and knew right away that this might not be the run I planned for, but I moved on. We all know how things can change after a couple of miles on a run. I felt some slight cramping in my side in mile 1-2 but nothing horrendous, and I seemed to shake it off so was not concerned. My nutrition plan for the run was to move to water plus GU as needed. I have had GI issues on runs while training if I'm not careful, especially at elevated heart rates. This seemed to work for me at Vineman. Timberman has too many aid stations on the run, if that's possible - one roughly every 3/4 mile. I did not stop at every one, but most of them and took water and walked 20 steps. After 3 miles, I stepped up my pace from 8:15 and shot for 7:45(Z2). My body told me that it was not going to happen on this day. I ran miles 4 and 5 @ 7:40 and 7:50. After that I was slowing and settled into an average 8:30 pace through mile 9. It wasn't what I had planned, but I was ok with this knowing that is what my body was going to give me and I could still finish at a very respectable time. I don't use a running race time on my garmin since I leave it on the bike during the swim, but knew roughly where I was. Then at mile 9.5, WHAM! I got a major stitch in my side. I tried to run through it, but there was nothing I could do - the pain was sharp and intense and took the breath out of me. I hadn't encountered this in a few years since the days that I was out of shape and could barely run a mile. I was forced to walk and my ego was hurt as much as my side as hoards of people that I had passed, ran right past me in return. I racked my brain for what was wrong trying to recall the pages I had read over in the wiki. When I reached the next aid station I pulled out a salt tab and drank it down with some water. I trudged along knowing that walking was the best I could do and as my Garmin alerted me to mile 10, I reluctantly read the results of that last mile - 12:20...ugh! I walked/jogged the next mile - another 12-13 min...a dagger to my heart. And then as quickly as it had come, the cramp left entirely. I started running, slowly at first, then faster and even faster. I was able to run mile 12 at a 9' pace and mile 13 at 8' pace to finish strong. Not the run I wanted, but more to learn from. Nutrition will be a major factor for me going forward. This is the area where I need to test and retest over and over and get it right, especially before I attempt my first full IM next year.
2013 Timberman finish time: 5:31 (still 17' better than last year)
Thanks to Coaches RnP and everyone at EN who have been supportive on my journey!
-Brad Marcus
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