Betsy's 2016 IMAZ RR
Betsy’s 2016 Ironman Arizona Race Report
First, thanks to all of the EN team-Coaches RnP, Mariah Brenda and teammates for all of the learning and support.
And thankful for wonderful conditions:
2015 IMAZ was a miserable wet day. 2016, after weeks of sun, heat and no chance of rain, we had cloudy skies that decreased the suffer level, but no rain! Actually, near perfect racing weather.
RACE GOALS ( have not changed)
1. To continue to learn and improve over previous years.
2. To smile and have fun-this is just a game
3. To finish without injury
4. Kona qualify
5. Time goals:
Swim 1:30
T1 <6'
Bike: 6:00
T2
'
Run: 4:35
PART 1: (skip to part 2 if only interested in race-apologize this got so long)
12 WEEKS IM TRAINING
SWIM-my swimming is always a work in progress, as I am a rock. Early fall of 2015 I went back to my TI teacher and have continued infrequent lessons with her. I spent 2x/week during JOS just working on different TI form drills, no volume. Over the summer I started swimming but a very slow tempo working on form. Each lesson I had 'aha' moments that added to my form. During the IM training, I did all of the sessions, but just did descends on my tempo trainer. It finally crystallized I would swim at 1.2 and did all my long swims at that tempo.
I never really got any faster. But, I didn't dread the long swims and actually found myself saying, 'I actually no longer hate swimming'.
I fretted about the rolling swim entry all year as it was a disaster for me 2015. I had a plan.
BIKE:
FTP-162 3.2w/kg). I leaned out to 109 pounds so actually 3.27w/kg, but by end of IM training I had decreased this by 3-5% based in performance.
I got 100% of the bike training in. Week 15 sat 100mi, Sunday 75 mi on the beeline, week 18 race rehearsal and all the other long rides. We had all hot, to VERY hot days, some windy, some not. I had a fall week 12 that was dumb, only road rash on left arm. I had another one week 16, early start in the dark on beeline. 2miles in ran into a tire tread on my path. This time I hit my side and not only had road rash but a contusion of the rib junction with sternum ( Costco chondral junction) around T8 on left. I finished the ride and ran but it hurt for over two weeks. I also aggravated my existing left shoulder labral tear but it didn't interfere with swimming. My week 18 ride I had a 5:50 ride time (pausing timer at car for water stops). PR!Riding at .68-.7IF of lower FTP.
Nutrition dialed in.
RUN:
vDOT-38, goal 10:30 pace
I really changed my run strategy this year. I embraced run durability and ran more often, 4-5x per week, usually prescribed time. But at end of 2015 I was feeling 'tired' and felt the VDOT method hadn't ever gotten me to my run goal. I started the Maffetoni plan running at my aerobic heart rate calculated by 180- age which for me is 120. Since I had been training regularly without injury I could add 5. So Dec 2015 I only ran at HR 125, which is super slow, like 12/12:30 minute miles. The theory being you gradually get faster at that HR with lower RPE/ no injury. In outseason I did 80/20, 80% slow, 20% z4 with no z2-3. It wasn't until August that I achieved my VDOT high of 2015, 38. But, I definitely felt a decreased RPE (i.e., not gasping and puking at the end)
I did all the long runs. First 6 at low HR, gradually increasing pace to my goal +30" by mile 2-3. Then approximating goal pace. My week 18 run I averaged goal pace with a z2 mile last mile.
RACE DETAILS
13:10:24-3rd AG (7 minutes faster than 2015, 12 min slower than 2014 when I was 4th)
Swim 1:39:03
T1 8:37
Bike: 6:19:32
T2 5:07
Run: 4:58:05
Race week:
Mon-wed: normal work days, ate clean, full 7 hours sleep each night
Thursday-got to registration in early am, got out quickly. Had massage in afternoon, made transition bags after (earliest I've ever got it done in five IMs)
Friday-4 keys, tribe multi sport charity raffle, team dinner at Bucade Beppo. Not much to eat for the gluten free kid on the block. Home, checked transition bags one more time, reviewed checklists
Saturday-participated in practice swim only to rehearse entry. Rolling start was new last year and I hyperventilated on entry and took forever to settle down. Technique: jump in and go completely underwater, start swimming with head out of water until have breathing under control. Repeated this twice and I was able to swim within 10 or so strokes.
Racked bike, placed transition bags.
Home to make all my nutrition.
Called Clark Mitchel to walk me through the quarq tracker set up. While on phone I checked charging status of my Garmin 810 and saw it was in a weird mode and wouldn't turn on normally. Clark took me through all sorts of resets but to no avail. The team came through for me and I found Tim Cronk at his motel and he lent me his Garmin 520. Lots of anxiety over all this (my 'first world problems'I kept telling myself) but I got it set up with my own page of data.
Normal dinner (I don't carb load)
In bed at 9:30, rehearsing Sunday checklist.
Fell asleep quickly and got almost 6 hours.
Part 2-Race day
Sunday-up at 3:30, dressed, day bag and nutrition (separate bag from day bag, didn't want to forget it in day bag like last 2014) in car. Double Bullet proof coffee and full fat kefir-600 cal, no carbs (yet)
4:20 leave, easily in parking lot at 4:45. Learned from previous years that arriving after 5:15 the lines are too long to get in lots quickly, causing lots of anxiety. Had 30 minutes to finish coffee and listen to relaxation MP3.
Arrive in transition, got chores done, using checklist. Francis Piccard met me at the bike to help me pair the 520 to my power meter.
Easily made 6:20 team pic
Drank bottle BCAAs while waiting in swim line.
Positioned at back of 1:30swimmers.
Swim
Goal 1:30
Dress: zoot 3mm suit
Neoprene cap/earplugs
While lining up, realized I forgot my earplugs in day bag. Made decision to forego as water temp 66. Always swim in clear giggles, great decision on this cloudy morning.
High Fived Mike Riley as I passed and entered steps.
Jumped in, followed my planned entry, completely submerging. I was swimming within several breast strokes. ENTRY CONQUORED!I
As bad as last years entry was, I then had, in my opinion, a good focused swim. This year, I felt differently. I never really felt like I could settle into a groove. It was choppy and I swallowed a lot of water. Also, I constantly felt like I was running into people or more likely, getting run over (all those Dougies!) My time was 4 minutes faster but given last years rough start, I really believe it was a worse swim.
Exit, feet on bottom step, pulled up by volunteer, around the corner, two more volunteers pulled suit off fairly easily (over garmin, was worried it would hang up, which it did a little.)Ran fast to transition, not actually too cold.
Challenge-getting started. Conquered!
Challenge-focused swimming. This really felt like one of my worst ever swims. Maybe it's because I had such high hopes-I felt like I did more swimming the last 8 weeks than any previous IM. Maybe it was the choppy water.
Challenge three-I'm a rock in the water, never seem to get faster. Will keep working towards that sub 1:30 swim
T1
Grabbed bag (easy to find with big red ribbons, 3rd row from far end, at beginning of row). Ran into tent
Followed check list:
I had chemical warmers in shoes and under toe warmers. Grab them first to get shoes on feet to warm them, warm hands. Then plastic bag up shirt (to ward off cold on bike). Headband, sunglasses, helmet. Last, Volunteer help put on rolled arm warmers, roll up later. Nutrition in back pockets. Run to bike
Challenge:
My T1 time was about same a minute faster than last year. I would like to shave a few more minutes off. I didn't have many moving parts. Didn't really need arm warmers. Next year if it looks nice may just put them in pocket/or taped to bike. Maybe tape nutrition to bike/place in bento box.
Bike
By end of training felt like FTP had dropped and decreased by 3-5%. Had adjusted my .7 down from 112 to 108-110.
I got out to Rio Salado, into aero position, and started my warmup to Shea, .6-.65 IF. People zooming by me-that's ok. Actually, at my easy pace I was also passing people.
Got up to Shea, hunkered down and starting riding. I felt like I kept my watts at goal +/-5 pretty well. Cadence mid to high 80s. I Don't actually have my record as not on my Computer, but thankfully I had one. I remember thinking, swim behind you, let it go. This is your race now, you know this course/plan better than any other 60 yo woman here. Passed 8 of them on the bike, most first loop. Saw a few ENers. High to Gary Lewis on McClintock where I learned about his computer woes; saw Jay LaKamp on uphill to Shea.
I took all corners in aero, only sitting up at hairpin turnarounds at start and at shea, water stations 1 and 3. Executed water stations flawlessly, having cockpit speed fill bottle open before sitting up, eyeballing my volunteer/water bottle, grab, fill, big sip, throw (never hit the goal at station 3 LOL).
No debris in course, had no flats.
Only mishap was at the very end. REALLY!
I turned onto rio salado last time and increased cadence, stood a few times with feet at 3/9 to relax/stretch. Got feet out of shoes (new specialized Tri valent-awesome easy) and had feet on top (had practiced this). Not 10 feet from dismount line, something happened-shoe caught ground I think and I dumped. Any other place on course I would get up and get back on and move on. But, no, not here. Two volunteers grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. They took my bike, got my bag but despite my protests, I'm fine"! They made me walk to med tent. They tried to say I had a concussion and passed out. I was screaming No! Look, scratches here on arm-that's it. And medical volunteer finally let me go. That had to add precious minutes to both bike and T2 time.
Nutrition plan was for 6 bottles of water and draining my concentrated nutrition bottle on downtube. I started drinking early and was ready for a fill at first aid station on McKellips outbound. I filled cockpit bottle 6 times and did get all my liquid nutrition-BCCA, Base salt and tsp MCT oil-6 servings.
Peed at least 2 times---per loop!! Well hydrated for sure. No problems with the 60 yo female peeing on herself-maybe I'm ready for the DS urology services.
I Also ate 6 servings of my solid nutrition. This year it was sticky rice, salt, MCT oil and scrambled eggs wrapped in edible rice paper. Very full but no GI distress.
WARNING:
skip the next paragrapg unless you are a nutrition/biochem geek:
1 serving rice cake:
170 cal
80cal fat/27g
20 cal pro 5g
70cal carb 18g
I am definitely on the high fat/fat adapted diet but I do eat carbs-usually later in the day. As already noted, breakfast was all fat with protein powder. I ate all of the above on bike, after the turnarounds, at rio Salado and shea. I had Rx bars with me too which a half bar was 6g fat, 3 each pro/carb but never had appetite to eat them on bike. The theory about MCT oil is the
C8 and C10 medium chain fats are not absorbed like long chain fats, to circulate around as chylomicrons and picked up by tissues for storage. The MCTs are absorbed from intestine through portal vein to go directly to liver for energy production. The sticky rice is easy to chew and digest as are scrambled eggs so no GI upset. Fascinating podcast in 'Daily lipid' #25 explains why fat alone will bottleneck the TCA cycle. The last thing in cycle, oxaloacetate, which combines with 2 carbon acetyl groups to enter the cycle, can only be regenerated by carb or protein. So actually beneficial to provide carbohydrate to keep TCA cycle humming with oxalloacetate (also why I supplement heavily with BCAAs) while also directly infusing the MCT Oil to make the 2carbon acetyl groups! Listen to notes podcast to have this make more sense. I also was taking several supplements in high end dosage last few months that are designed to maximally support mitochondrial energy production-ribose, coq10 and Thorne niacel. (NAD precursor).
I never felt hungry, and never felt tired. Trying to channel frustration from swim into a focused bike.
Challenge:
Time was 19' above goal time. I felt I executed well until very end, which probably cost me about 10'. I did stay aero the whole time except for aid stations and turns. Did I leave some out there? maybe, but I was really focusing on execution for a good run.
T2
Already mentioned how end of bike/ beginning T2 got screwed up. When I ran out of med tent, I dumped bag and put helmet in. Put Glide on my toes, shoes on, grabbed go bag and left.
Time: 5:07-should've been half that!
Run
1-6, goal +30-60". Trying to get HR down.
7-20, just couldn't maintain goal pace. But HR which was mid 140s first 12, came down to mid to high 130s second half, which I was very pleased about. Couldn't kick up the pace until last mile when I managed a 10:30 mile.
Ran down the shoot to finish line and heard Mike Riley call my name, along with a pretty long resume '60 yo physician from Scottsdale, 5 time ironman!'
However, I felt really good, my feet and legs felt light, really focused on form, cadence, relaxing. My hips didn't hurt at all first loop. I started feeling hips second loop. Overall mental attitude good. Passed two 60 yo women first loop. Seemed like 2nd loop I passed hoards of people walking. I only walked the aid stations, 10-20 steps except the 2nd time through Papago park, I did walk first half of Curry hill talking to a friend volunteering. Remember being passed by a lithe Davis Richmond, and seeing Gary and Clark on the road.
Nutrition: i was really full from bike nutrition. I had coke at each station. I also had a flask of BCCAs/salt/MCT oil concentrated x4-every hour dumped serving in a cup of water. I never felt need for broth. No solid food. Peed several times while running (on self-no porta potty stops).
Challenge -not slowing down. Actually never getting up to goal pace. I felt the best I remember on an IM run-my hips and legs weren't hurting, a combination of using high cadence on bike, maintaining good form and run durability; Just not enough durability to keep pace where I wanted. Really not surprising given the pace I was so used to doing most of my running. I will keep working on the Maffetoni philosophy this coming year and trust over time I will continue to improve pace at lower heart rate. At this point, health is more important than a faster pace. To steal a CrossFit saying, I am not willing to 'die for points'.
Summary:
All in all, not entirely the day wanted or thought I could have, but probably was in most ways the day I should have had. I had a good attitude most of the day, continued to learn new things. I smiled and expressed gratitude a lot. The one motion my left shoulder labral injury inhibits is raising it laterally-noticed it trying to do 'high 5s'. But, no new injuries!
Sent from my iPhone
First, thanks to all of the EN team-Coaches RnP, Mariah Brenda and teammates for all of the learning and support.
And thankful for wonderful conditions:
2015 IMAZ was a miserable wet day. 2016, after weeks of sun, heat and no chance of rain, we had cloudy skies that decreased the suffer level, but no rain! Actually, near perfect racing weather.
RACE GOALS ( have not changed)
1. To continue to learn and improve over previous years.
2. To smile and have fun-this is just a game
3. To finish without injury
4. Kona qualify
5. Time goals:
Swim 1:30
T1 <6'
Bike: 6:00
T2
' Run: 4:35
PART 1: (skip to part 2 if only interested in race-apologize this got so long)
12 WEEKS IM TRAINING
SWIM-my swimming is always a work in progress, as I am a rock. Early fall of 2015 I went back to my TI teacher and have continued infrequent lessons with her. I spent 2x/week during JOS just working on different TI form drills, no volume. Over the summer I started swimming but a very slow tempo working on form. Each lesson I had 'aha' moments that added to my form. During the IM training, I did all of the sessions, but just did descends on my tempo trainer. It finally crystallized I would swim at 1.2 and did all my long swims at that tempo.
I never really got any faster. But, I didn't dread the long swims and actually found myself saying, 'I actually no longer hate swimming'.
I fretted about the rolling swim entry all year as it was a disaster for me 2015. I had a plan.
BIKE:
FTP-162 3.2w/kg). I leaned out to 109 pounds so actually 3.27w/kg, but by end of IM training I had decreased this by 3-5% based in performance.
I got 100% of the bike training in. Week 15 sat 100mi, Sunday 75 mi on the beeline, week 18 race rehearsal and all the other long rides. We had all hot, to VERY hot days, some windy, some not. I had a fall week 12 that was dumb, only road rash on left arm. I had another one week 16, early start in the dark on beeline. 2miles in ran into a tire tread on my path. This time I hit my side and not only had road rash but a contusion of the rib junction with sternum ( Costco chondral junction) around T8 on left. I finished the ride and ran but it hurt for over two weeks. I also aggravated my existing left shoulder labral tear but it didn't interfere with swimming. My week 18 ride I had a 5:50 ride time (pausing timer at car for water stops). PR!Riding at .68-.7IF of lower FTP.
Nutrition dialed in.
RUN:
vDOT-38, goal 10:30 pace
I really changed my run strategy this year. I embraced run durability and ran more often, 4-5x per week, usually prescribed time. But at end of 2015 I was feeling 'tired' and felt the VDOT method hadn't ever gotten me to my run goal. I started the Maffetoni plan running at my aerobic heart rate calculated by 180- age which for me is 120. Since I had been training regularly without injury I could add 5. So Dec 2015 I only ran at HR 125, which is super slow, like 12/12:30 minute miles. The theory being you gradually get faster at that HR with lower RPE/ no injury. In outseason I did 80/20, 80% slow, 20% z4 with no z2-3. It wasn't until August that I achieved my VDOT high of 2015, 38. But, I definitely felt a decreased RPE (i.e., not gasping and puking at the end)
I did all the long runs. First 6 at low HR, gradually increasing pace to my goal +30" by mile 2-3. Then approximating goal pace. My week 18 run I averaged goal pace with a z2 mile last mile.
RACE DETAILS
13:10:24-3rd AG (7 minutes faster than 2015, 12 min slower than 2014 when I was 4th)
Swim 1:39:03
T1 8:37
Bike: 6:19:32
T2 5:07
Run: 4:58:05
Race week:
Mon-wed: normal work days, ate clean, full 7 hours sleep each night
Thursday-got to registration in early am, got out quickly. Had massage in afternoon, made transition bags after (earliest I've ever got it done in five IMs)
Friday-4 keys, tribe multi sport charity raffle, team dinner at Bucade Beppo. Not much to eat for the gluten free kid on the block. Home, checked transition bags one more time, reviewed checklists
Saturday-participated in practice swim only to rehearse entry. Rolling start was new last year and I hyperventilated on entry and took forever to settle down. Technique: jump in and go completely underwater, start swimming with head out of water until have breathing under control. Repeated this twice and I was able to swim within 10 or so strokes.
Racked bike, placed transition bags.
Home to make all my nutrition.
Called Clark Mitchel to walk me through the quarq tracker set up. While on phone I checked charging status of my Garmin 810 and saw it was in a weird mode and wouldn't turn on normally. Clark took me through all sorts of resets but to no avail. The team came through for me and I found Tim Cronk at his motel and he lent me his Garmin 520. Lots of anxiety over all this (my 'first world problems'I kept telling myself) but I got it set up with my own page of data.
Normal dinner (I don't carb load)
In bed at 9:30, rehearsing Sunday checklist.
Fell asleep quickly and got almost 6 hours.
Part 2-Race day
Sunday-up at 3:30, dressed, day bag and nutrition (separate bag from day bag, didn't want to forget it in day bag like last 2014) in car. Double Bullet proof coffee and full fat kefir-600 cal, no carbs (yet)
4:20 leave, easily in parking lot at 4:45. Learned from previous years that arriving after 5:15 the lines are too long to get in lots quickly, causing lots of anxiety. Had 30 minutes to finish coffee and listen to relaxation MP3.
Arrive in transition, got chores done, using checklist. Francis Piccard met me at the bike to help me pair the 520 to my power meter.
Easily made 6:20 team pic
Drank bottle BCAAs while waiting in swim line.
Positioned at back of 1:30swimmers.
Swim
Goal 1:30
Dress: zoot 3mm suit
Neoprene cap/earplugs
While lining up, realized I forgot my earplugs in day bag. Made decision to forego as water temp 66. Always swim in clear giggles, great decision on this cloudy morning.
High Fived Mike Riley as I passed and entered steps.
Jumped in, followed my planned entry, completely submerging. I was swimming within several breast strokes. ENTRY CONQUORED!I
As bad as last years entry was, I then had, in my opinion, a good focused swim. This year, I felt differently. I never really felt like I could settle into a groove. It was choppy and I swallowed a lot of water. Also, I constantly felt like I was running into people or more likely, getting run over (all those Dougies!) My time was 4 minutes faster but given last years rough start, I really believe it was a worse swim.
Exit, feet on bottom step, pulled up by volunteer, around the corner, two more volunteers pulled suit off fairly easily (over garmin, was worried it would hang up, which it did a little.)Ran fast to transition, not actually too cold.
Challenge-getting started. Conquered!
Challenge-focused swimming. This really felt like one of my worst ever swims. Maybe it's because I had such high hopes-I felt like I did more swimming the last 8 weeks than any previous IM. Maybe it was the choppy water.
Challenge three-I'm a rock in the water, never seem to get faster. Will keep working towards that sub 1:30 swim
T1
Grabbed bag (easy to find with big red ribbons, 3rd row from far end, at beginning of row). Ran into tent
Followed check list:
I had chemical warmers in shoes and under toe warmers. Grab them first to get shoes on feet to warm them, warm hands. Then plastic bag up shirt (to ward off cold on bike). Headband, sunglasses, helmet. Last, Volunteer help put on rolled arm warmers, roll up later. Nutrition in back pockets. Run to bike
Challenge:
My T1 time was about same a minute faster than last year. I would like to shave a few more minutes off. I didn't have many moving parts. Didn't really need arm warmers. Next year if it looks nice may just put them in pocket/or taped to bike. Maybe tape nutrition to bike/place in bento box.
Bike
By end of training felt like FTP had dropped and decreased by 3-5%. Had adjusted my .7 down from 112 to 108-110.
I got out to Rio Salado, into aero position, and started my warmup to Shea, .6-.65 IF. People zooming by me-that's ok. Actually, at my easy pace I was also passing people.
Got up to Shea, hunkered down and starting riding. I felt like I kept my watts at goal +/-5 pretty well. Cadence mid to high 80s. I Don't actually have my record as not on my Computer, but thankfully I had one. I remember thinking, swim behind you, let it go. This is your race now, you know this course/plan better than any other 60 yo woman here. Passed 8 of them on the bike, most first loop. Saw a few ENers. High to Gary Lewis on McClintock where I learned about his computer woes; saw Jay LaKamp on uphill to Shea.
I took all corners in aero, only sitting up at hairpin turnarounds at start and at shea, water stations 1 and 3. Executed water stations flawlessly, having cockpit speed fill bottle open before sitting up, eyeballing my volunteer/water bottle, grab, fill, big sip, throw (never hit the goal at station 3 LOL).
No debris in course, had no flats.
Only mishap was at the very end. REALLY!
I turned onto rio salado last time and increased cadence, stood a few times with feet at 3/9 to relax/stretch. Got feet out of shoes (new specialized Tri valent-awesome easy) and had feet on top (had practiced this). Not 10 feet from dismount line, something happened-shoe caught ground I think and I dumped. Any other place on course I would get up and get back on and move on. But, no, not here. Two volunteers grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. They took my bike, got my bag but despite my protests, I'm fine"! They made me walk to med tent. They tried to say I had a concussion and passed out. I was screaming No! Look, scratches here on arm-that's it. And medical volunteer finally let me go. That had to add precious minutes to both bike and T2 time.
Nutrition plan was for 6 bottles of water and draining my concentrated nutrition bottle on downtube. I started drinking early and was ready for a fill at first aid station on McKellips outbound. I filled cockpit bottle 6 times and did get all my liquid nutrition-BCCA, Base salt and tsp MCT oil-6 servings.
Peed at least 2 times---per loop!! Well hydrated for sure. No problems with the 60 yo female peeing on herself-maybe I'm ready for the DS urology services.
I Also ate 6 servings of my solid nutrition. This year it was sticky rice, salt, MCT oil and scrambled eggs wrapped in edible rice paper. Very full but no GI distress.
WARNING:
skip the next paragrapg unless you are a nutrition/biochem geek:
1 serving rice cake:
170 cal
80cal fat/27g
20 cal pro 5g
70cal carb 18g
I am definitely on the high fat/fat adapted diet but I do eat carbs-usually later in the day. As already noted, breakfast was all fat with protein powder. I ate all of the above on bike, after the turnarounds, at rio Salado and shea. I had Rx bars with me too which a half bar was 6g fat, 3 each pro/carb but never had appetite to eat them on bike. The theory about MCT oil is the
C8 and C10 medium chain fats are not absorbed like long chain fats, to circulate around as chylomicrons and picked up by tissues for storage. The MCTs are absorbed from intestine through portal vein to go directly to liver for energy production. The sticky rice is easy to chew and digest as are scrambled eggs so no GI upset. Fascinating podcast in 'Daily lipid' #25 explains why fat alone will bottleneck the TCA cycle. The last thing in cycle, oxaloacetate, which combines with 2 carbon acetyl groups to enter the cycle, can only be regenerated by carb or protein. So actually beneficial to provide carbohydrate to keep TCA cycle humming with oxalloacetate (also why I supplement heavily with BCAAs) while also directly infusing the MCT Oil to make the 2carbon acetyl groups! Listen to notes podcast to have this make more sense. I also was taking several supplements in high end dosage last few months that are designed to maximally support mitochondrial energy production-ribose, coq10 and Thorne niacel. (NAD precursor).
I never felt hungry, and never felt tired. Trying to channel frustration from swim into a focused bike.
Challenge:
Time was 19' above goal time. I felt I executed well until very end, which probably cost me about 10'. I did stay aero the whole time except for aid stations and turns. Did I leave some out there? maybe, but I was really focusing on execution for a good run.
T2
Already mentioned how end of bike/ beginning T2 got screwed up. When I ran out of med tent, I dumped bag and put helmet in. Put Glide on my toes, shoes on, grabbed go bag and left.
Time: 5:07-should've been half that!
Run
1-6, goal +30-60". Trying to get HR down.
7-20, just couldn't maintain goal pace. But HR which was mid 140s first 12, came down to mid to high 130s second half, which I was very pleased about. Couldn't kick up the pace until last mile when I managed a 10:30 mile.
Ran down the shoot to finish line and heard Mike Riley call my name, along with a pretty long resume '60 yo physician from Scottsdale, 5 time ironman!'
However, I felt really good, my feet and legs felt light, really focused on form, cadence, relaxing. My hips didn't hurt at all first loop. I started feeling hips second loop. Overall mental attitude good. Passed two 60 yo women first loop. Seemed like 2nd loop I passed hoards of people walking. I only walked the aid stations, 10-20 steps except the 2nd time through Papago park, I did walk first half of Curry hill talking to a friend volunteering. Remember being passed by a lithe Davis Richmond, and seeing Gary and Clark on the road.
Nutrition: i was really full from bike nutrition. I had coke at each station. I also had a flask of BCCAs/salt/MCT oil concentrated x4-every hour dumped serving in a cup of water. I never felt need for broth. No solid food. Peed several times while running (on self-no porta potty stops).
Challenge -not slowing down. Actually never getting up to goal pace. I felt the best I remember on an IM run-my hips and legs weren't hurting, a combination of using high cadence on bike, maintaining good form and run durability; Just not enough durability to keep pace where I wanted. Really not surprising given the pace I was so used to doing most of my running. I will keep working on the Maffetoni philosophy this coming year and trust over time I will continue to improve pace at lower heart rate. At this point, health is more important than a faster pace. To steal a CrossFit saying, I am not willing to 'die for points'.
Summary:
All in all, not entirely the day wanted or thought I could have, but probably was in most ways the day I should have had. I had a good attitude most of the day, continued to learn new things. I smiled and expressed gratitude a lot. The one motion my left shoulder labral injury inhibits is raising it laterally-noticed it trying to do 'high 5s'. But, no new injuries!
Sent from my iPhone
0
Comments
Interesting the hear you used the Maffetone method for run training. After reading Primal Endurance in September and hearing numerous podcasts with elite athletes who've had success with it, I decided to use it for my build up to Dead Horse Ultra 50-miler last weekend. I didn't do any interval runs, although I'd occasionally let myself push uphill if I felt like it. It worked really well for the run. Combined with run durability, I think it is the way to go for running if you put in more than 25-30 miles per week. For less, I'd add intensity. For the bike and the swim, I think you can add more intensity since it's not weight bearing and it's easier to recover.
I'm planning to switch to more of a fat adapted / Primal diet, again after reading Primal Endurance and hearing accounts of elite ultrarunners such as Zach Bitter who set the record for 100-miles. I started transitioning away from high carb a couple months ago. I remember you mentioning it back at IMAZ in 2014, and it was the first time I'd heard of it. It sounds like you've really got a deep understanding of the biochemistry.
Again, congratulations on another year on the podium!
What are your conclusions from the Maffetone training approach: did it work well for you, will you continue it for next year?
Betsy, I was waiting patiently for your report. I remember meeting you and racing with you in 2014!
I can't help but to be amazed and your yearly podium accomplishment! Huge congratulations to you Iron Chica!
SS
@ Betsy...a very fine race considering you crashed a few weeks before, and crashed during the race itself. You are one tough lady. Congrats on the podium finish. Keep up the effort and I know you will get to Kona some day. It was great spending time with you during the race weekend. Good luck in IMAZ 2017.
The thing about LOC is ... you're not aware that you're not aware. Like the absence of time one experiences going under to waking up after surgery. The three times I've been knocked out (one bike, two skis...not counting surgeries), I didn't know I lost consciousness, so assumed my head was OK. Anyway, good to hear you kept on going, who needs a few brain cells anyway, eh? We've got billions!
Also, it's good to watch you, over the years, chipping away at the puzzle that is IM success. Jigsaw, crossword, whatever, getting al the pieces to fit is a never-ending project, and you're doing it as well as anyone.
I'll be in the Phoenix area in early February (2/3 and 2/4), maybe you and Gary and I can get together for a ride. I'll reach out via text or group me sometime after the new year.
Looking fwd on whats next to you and what you can achieve and it was really nice to "virtually" train with you
Betsy, sorry for the late chime in. I was tracking you all day, hoping to see you crack that KQ puzzle. So close. Congrats on the podium repeat, a huge accomplishment. I also really like the honest self-assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, giving the opportunity for continued growth. Keep chipping away at the edges - improving swim form, building a few more bike watts and streamlining transitions - so as to put yourself at/near the front next year at Mile 20 on the run. That's when you can use all your experience to seal the deal.
MR