TM's IMTX Race Report
This is actually my first race report, because I am terrible with these things. I just get busy and let them...
Let me start with overall.
Overall I loved my IMTX experience. I felt good physically and emotionally. The heat didn't seem to bother me as much as it had during previous races, but then again it also stormed for the run portion. I did spend many of nights sitting in the sauna to prepare tho, as it is still quite chilly in NY State. That was an issue I had during Eagleman last year; my body had not adjusted to the heat. This is a technique I will continue to use going forward, in preparation for warmer races. I am quite happy that I changed my fight, based on a recommendation from Coach P; and I few in Wednesday night, as opposed to Thursday. That would have been a mad dash through hell to try to get all my chamois butter together.
Swim
My swim time was rather unimpressive. I haven't really had time to swim - as my schedule and pool availability can be quite challenging. I work too much. For previous races I was able to overcome some of the limitations through swimming in open water. This is a challenge when you are doing a race early in the year. Previously, my earliest race had been in June at Eagleman - but I prefer later on in the year. It is hard for me to compare my swim time with IMLP, because the swim there got flasked up with lightning. For some reason it always seems to storm when I'm doing a full IM.
Bike
I flasking loved the new bike course! I did love the old one too; the national forest is beautiful, but I LOVE TURNS. <3 My time here was much faster than Placid. There was rain on the Placid course tho; torrential; I remember even stopping at one point because I could not see. I was far more prepared for that this time tho, because I have been MTB despite the weather, evening riding DH in heavy rain. Something I did differently in preparation for this race tho was I honestly didn't train the full time that was schedule as per the plan, nor the distance. I have been having a rough time finding the time, since I work 6 days a week, and still have family obligation + a house built in 1886, and it's just me. But, I have been going harder when I am training. I have mostly been riding MTB, with a group of guys that are pretty good riders. When I got back on my TT bike - after not being on it for a few weeks - it felt so freaking light, it was awesome... not at all like lifting my 50 lb downhill bike to put it on the roof of my Subaru. So, I would say that my training was more efficient. </p>
Run
Well, I've had this real pain in my ass - literally. I have been battling a piriformis injury for a while now, even going to PT twice a week, after hoping it would get better on its own. I haven't been able to run more than 5/6 miles without pain. The week before the race my PT tried something new - tho he was hesitant with the race. We put a thin insert inside my left shoe only. There is a 3 cm difference between my right leg, being longer, than the left. I also did stretches on my right leg, trying to get it stretched out. This helped a lot! I was able to get halfway through the run without pain, tho I knew it would be coming, and frankly not giving a flask. When the pain came tho, it was on the right side, because it wasn't used to working as it should, now that my hips were more balance. My PT and I also met this morning. He thinks that the difference in leg length - over an inch is a lot - causes the injuries that I have been having leading up to this race and possibly even the training injury that I had for Placid. So, we are working on continuing to stabilize my hips, so my body can go the distance and I can also get faster with all my large muscle groups correctly firing, as opposed to one side doing a lot more work that the other.
Not a whole lot other to say than I don't think that my run time is correct in all honesty. Maybe it is, but not taking in account the stopping of the storm. 16 minute miles? Even when I walked at times during the race I know I wasn't that slow. People jogging have a hard time keeping up with my fast paced walk. But I don't give a flask. I finished; I feel awesome and elated; there will probably be another IMTX in my future. I'm thinking of 70.3 Austin next year, along with some other races - XTerra races are definitely on the schedule. I'm bringing my racing to both on road and off road.... but first I plan to take some time off to focus on my yoga practice and let my body recoup, while I also beat the hell out of it riding downhill.
Comments
By the way, my wife and I volunteered at IMLP 2014 and my wife "caught" you at the finish.
Congratulations on finishing a tough day out there with pretty much everything thrown at you T!
I very much understand the TIME issue with training for IM. One thing pretty much impossible to track/measure is the load associated with all the other stuff/stress getting done outside of the IM training schedule.
It has taken me years, with life style changes, to improve in that area along with watching/learning/listening from others much smarter and more focused than me in the same situation.
I very much admire you guys that carry a full load each day, train for IM, then find a way to get yourself to the race and across the finish line on that big day!
SS
My favorite part of your race report is the fact that you managed to work in the word "flask" 4 times! That's flasking awesome!!!!! Great hanging again even though it was very limited this time around. Sounds like a smart course of action to be working with PT to correct any imbalances. IM is so long, as you know, that any imbalance, even minor ones, get exposed during the course of the day. I'm really looking forward to see what you can do in an x-terra. I think you will absolutely tear it up on the bike! Keep me posted about your thoughts on 2017 training camps and lets see if we can get the band back together!