Turby's 2018 IM Maryland RR
I hadn't done a full IM in over two years so my plan was to get back into it with this race. Next year I'll be 65 so my long term plan was to get my feet wet again this year, go back to Maryland next year in the new AG, try to qualify for Kona again and meet Al and Juan there in 2020 as we discussed since we all age up. My training had gone well over the summer other than not being able to do as much training and slowing down about 30 sec per mile on the run from old age! Toward the end of July I started feeling something in my right knee when I ran. It didn't affect my pace or distance at all but was always there. I figured it was my meniscus again as I'd had both knees scoped 9-10 years ago and figured it was going again. Then 9 days before the race I was out for a 7 mile run and halfway in the pain was so bad I had to walk home. I went to my knee doctor 5 days before the race and he said the meniscus was fine, it was arthritis! He didn't want to give me a shot so instead put me on prescription Motrin. Carol and I got to Cambridge on Thursday and I did a short swim, bike and ran 2 miles. By the second mile it was hurting so I wasn't too optimistic about Saturday.
So, I figured I would be doing an aquabike and start the run and see what happened, really never thinking I had a chance to finish.
The day was absolutely perfect with the moon still out and the sun coming up! The water was great for the swim with no chop and I think pretty much no current. Felt great on the swim but with bare minimum swim training (twice a week) my time was slow. Also, I swear I swam right on the buoy line and my yards were almost 4500. Many others had 4700-4900. Whatever!
I got into T-1 and proceeded to take my time drying off, wrestling with tube sock arm warmers that I didn't need and having an extended conversation with the guy next to me. Probably not finishing so what did I care!
I got my bike, saw my #1 most beautiful, cheerleader wife Carol and I was off. I felt really good on the bike. I love this bike course, I just get into my rhythm and stay low. I had to pee 3 times so again probably not finishing I stopped at 3 porta johns, racked the bike, said hello to some volunteers and moved on. I finished the bike and was really pleased my NP was 7 watts higher than when I did the race 4 years ago and I felt good.
T-2 was another leisurely affair and out to start the run.
The first few miles weren't bad but by 4 miles it was getting worse but tolerable. By about 6 miles it was starting to get much worse. That's where I saw Carol and told her it was bad and she told me "you're 90 seconds out of first place". I shook my head and said "oh no". I'm not sure but I think it was in the next few miles I saw @JeremyBehler riding what appeared to be about a 40 year old womans bicycle! I hadn't seen him in a long time and it was so good to see him there. I think he said something like "you're gaining on him". I guess at one point I was ahead and then the other guy was ahead. The knee was just killing me by 13-14 miles but from limping on it my left hip started getting really bad which kind of took my mind off the knee a little. We went back and forth until with maybe 1/2 mile left Jeremy said "you need to make up 5 sec. I tried "sprinting" down High St but just couldn't do it. The big lesson is no matter what, do not fart around in transitions (gave up 6 min) and porta johns There is always something positive after and I was so surprised and happy that somehow the last 6 miles were my fastest of the run.
I've never thought I have a lot of natural ability but I've always been able to make myself suffer which I think is as least as important but this was a really bad one. I was in some dark places I don't want to go back to.
There is no doubt that the only thing that got me through this was Carol and Jeremy. Without them, no way! Also it never fails seeing your teammates out there is just inspiring. Tremendous race by Edgar, Danielle, Skip, Kathy and all. Best team ever!!
A special thank you to my sherpa, training partner, and love of my life, Carol. Couldn't do it without you babe.
Comments
I find farting, while in transition, has improved my times, its like a turbo that pushes everything through faster.... :-)
Seriously, no words. I'm always learning from reviewing your training logs and watching you race.
EN GroupMe was in full @Turby Wright stalker mode as we all followed you on the back half of the marathon.
Incredible focus, fortitude, execution and stamina!
SS
@Turby Wright I've never seen someone hurt for so long like you did on Saturday. To do what you did at the top of your AG with a bum knee is the epitome of grit and perseverance. When I saw you had 5 seconds to make up in the last .8 miles I thought you had it....and when I saw your competitor also turned in on that last stretch and beat your by 5 measly seconds I was so bummed. My borrowed Peugeot 3 speed cruiser helped me find you at all the critical spots but I guess I should have ridden it straight into the transition tent and interrupted your coffee talk and lolly gagging as well!
A great performance nonetheless and the thought of you, Al, and Juan all toeing the line in Kona 2020 will send shivers through the spines of old guys everywhere!!! 😝
following the groupme reports on your knee and reading this great narrative were a great highlight to my week and inspiration as well. A bit younger than you, but this getting old thing sux! heal up and looking forward to seeing what is next!
@Turby Wright, I've heard the legend and then when I saw you pass me, I was like WOW! What you did was awesome, and I learned so much!
@Shaughn Simmons Thanks SS. The feeling is mutual. Just seeing your power numbers this year made my legs hurt!! Keep it up!
@Jeremy Behler Thanks again my friend. Yes I will need you and @Danielle Santucci down there next year to scream into the changing tent for me to "get the hell out of there"!! Enjoy every minute in Kona! We'll be watching.
@scott dinhofer Thanks Scott. Don't worry, you get used to the age thing!
@Jeff Kane Great seeing you out there Jeff! Thanks
Turby having seen you run by me up close and personal I was not a bit surprised watching your performance. However I had no idea the level of knee pain you were dealing with. May the cookie baking transitions be a lesson to all. Hoping for a full knee recovery to see you dominate the next AG in KONA.
What??? You, who told me to get running at Steelhead were being social in transition???? Thats like, MY thing! ;)
Seriously though...Dude, Just Dude. Congrats on a gritty performance like no other! You are pretty darn amazing in my book. Now please let that gorgeous woman of yours help you recover for next year and be super good to that knee. I can only hope to race with your grit and determination as I age up!!!
Congrats and enjoy recovery and healing up the knee. 🙌
@Turby Wright - "it's not the years so much as the mileage"
@tim cronk best lesson for me (and this summer a friend) was seeing that we passed people in transition.. #alwaysracing
@Turby Wright ... followed you all day via IM app, with "color commentary" from Carol and Jeremy via GroupMe ... you had such an inspiring race! Clearly your mindset changed on the run, and your toughness to compete, and even attack!, and Finish given the knee/hip issues was beastly! Recover HARD! ... you definitely deserve it!
@Turby Wright ..... its been great following you this year on Strava, congrats on an epic day in the hurt box, hope you heal up quickly & fully. 👍️
@Turby Wright
The GroupMe was a nail biter. Your tenacity is so impressive. You proved to all of us not to make cookies when racing ;)
Congratulations! Looking forward to some Zwift rides with you and Carol. Hope your knee is better soon.
@tim cronk Thanks Tim. No more cookies I swear!!! Best to you and Heather! P.S. I always think of Jim when we're in Cambridge.
@Trish Marshall I know Trish, I'm hanging my head in shame as I type this. Carol's not too happy about not going to Hawaii! Oh well, next year.
@Rory Gumina Thanks Rory, I really appreciate the support!
@KARL BONNER great following you too Karl. Keep up the good work!
@Sheila Leard Thanks Sheila. I'm off cookies forever! See you on Zwift soon!
@Turby Wright I was wondering what was going on with those transition until I ready your race report. To grind out 13 miles on the marathon is impressive.
Congrats Turby!
@Turby Wright Forget the clock that's following, now we've got to worry about our knees catching up to us on the race course? Reading this was like deja vu for me... "you're 90 seconds out of first place". I shook my head and said "oh no" - check, that was my wife @ mile 17 IM AZ 2011, where I was running on plantar fasciitis. For sure I didn't want to go any harder, but that bugger inside of me who only appears during races was having none of that laggard stuff... Right knee, meniscii fine, but grinding pain from patellar erosion, check, this year in March...finding myself within seconds of a KQ, check IM AZ 2008...No IM for two years+, trying to get ready for next year's attempts, check, doing IM AZ this Nov.
Seriously, that's a tough way to find out you've still got the distance and the resolve in you. I've been tracking your runs on Strava, and you definitely still have the requisite speed (slow as it's getting) and endurance in there, you just need a bit of time to let some inflammation/swelling go down in the joint and surrounding bones. Once I found out about the osteoarthritis/chondromalacia, and had semi-reassuring talks with sympathetic MDs (Sports med and Orthopedist who both said, "Easy on the fast and long stuff, run as much as you want once it stops hurting"), it took a month of total rest, then two months of gingerly getting back a semblance of training. Two months later, I did a half marathon with full confidence yesterday, no pain during or after. I'm saying, there's hope, but don't rush it.
And thanks for the lesson on transitions. No way now will I sit around discussing my grandchildren in the tent (I don't have any - yet) in Tempe. I'm still on for trying to get back to the Dance next year, and the following as well, and I know Juan is, too. If all goes well, we ought to induct some new members into that foolish pact? Best way to keep the terrors of older age at bay, I say.
@Al Truscott Thanks Al. First, it's great to see you firing on all pistons again (been watching you on Strava too). Carol and I will be tracking and sending speedy thoughts your way in Tempe!
Thanks very much for the reassurance about the knee. Much better now and I'm seeing my sports/ortho doc this week to talk about going forward. I'm going to take a nice long break from running then as you say "don't rush it". I will definitely be modifying run training going forward. I haven't really done speed work in years but I think I'll also be capping long runs at about 16 mi.
Yes, that "bugger" we have in us is a very strange thing indeed. If you asked me before the race I would have said there's a 70-80 percent chance I won't be able to finish on the knee (hence the transitions) and if I did it would involve walking much of the marathon just to finish. Then the words "you're 90 sec out of first" flip some switch and I run the whole marathon in a halfway decent time with the last 6 miles the fastest. Even as the knee kept getting worse I remember asking myself why I kept going. It's interesting really, and I think it's what I love about our sport.
I say bring in the new members to the pact! Misery and old age loves company!
Thanks again!
So great to meet you and @Carol DeFazio at Steelhead, Turby. Enjoyed tracking your day in Maryland. What a great example of tenacity and the power mind over body. I look forward to seeing your coming chase to Kona!