Vineman 70.3 2010 - another frustrating story.
Friday, 7/16
Flight left Dallas at 8:30am. From Dallas to El Paso, then Los Angeles to change planes; then onto Sacramento.
My dad was pulling up just a few minutes later to get me.
Stop for lunch in Davis, on our way to Napa – my home for the weekend.
It’s really at this point, that I realize that Napa is ~40 miles away (90 minutes of driving, usually) from Guerneville (race/swim start) and Windsor. Kinda poor planning on my part, but I do get a free place to stay with family, and get to see my dad, so it’s all good.
I get to sleep outside my cousin’s house in their camper van. It’s like camping in the driveway! My own little house! (Funny tangent, the camper bed is 6’1.5” long, and I’m 6’1” tall. A little cramped, yes, but still a free place to crash!!!)
We head to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner, Rutherford Grill (owned by the same folks as Houston’s steakhouses, and Bandera’s). Have a fabulous rotisserie chicken, some incredible mashed potatoes, a few garlic-covered green beans and a pint of Sierra Nevada; with some strawberry shortcake for dessert. After some bad experiences in the past, I won’t eat beef before a race.
Saturday, 7/17:
Take my dad’s little red truck over the hills (basically it feels like a goat trail) to Windsor High School to pick up my bike from TriBike Transport and to turn in my T2 run gear. I tried to avoid the major Napa-area highways, as they’re all backed-up with raceway traffic.
Run into the Chavez clan from Endurance Nation; chat with them for a bit. See several of my friends from Dallas too who are doing the race, including my next door neighbor. And, of course, get to meet some of my fellow TriBike Transport teammates.
Spend way too much time out at the high school, without sunscreen. Finally made my way out of there, up to Guerneville to hopefully get a little practice swim in. The roads are PACKED on the way to Johnson’s Beach. I end up just pulling over and parking, and riding my bike the ~1 mile to the beach – not to swim, just to check out the detail of the area.
Run into another EN peep, David Ambrose, his wife Jen and her friend Trina. David is running back and forth to the food stand, eating and drinking stuff that must be the key to his nutrition plan – like ice cream shakes. But, hey, it seemed to work for him as he ended up beating me badly on race day! More power to you, David! We talk for a bit, and then we all head out. I’ve got to drive back to Napa!
Stop off at Jamba Juice in Napa to pick up several smoothies, which now make up my breakfasts.
One of my oldest friends, Rob, comes down from the Chico area to spectate, and shows up shortly after I arrive back to ‘home’.
Prep my race stuff, including putting my wheel covers on my race wheels; while my dad and cousin constantly question why I’m doing certain things. Pretty funny, actually.
We all sit down, have a late dinner. After dinner, it’s already ~9pm and I’m still on Texas time, so I’m practically falling asleep on the couch watching the Tour de France on TV.
Have one of my smoothies before putting my head down.
Sunday, 7/18 (Race Day):
Woke up to a 3am alarm clock. Grabbed my other smoothie for breakfast, packed my stuff and headed out the door. Drive over to Guerneville. Being so early, there’s NO traffic, so I arrive about 45 minutes earlier than I anticipated. I get to park less than a block from the street where the beach is on. I relax in the truck, nodding on and off, while hearing all the other people and cars start to accumulate outside; the hissing of bike pumps, etc.
Set up my transition area, say hi to more people – including more TriBike Transport teammates I haven’t met yet.
Head over to the water and get in. Seems like perfect water temperature for a wetsuit! The usual pre-race in-wetsuit relief (it is an auto-pilot thing for me whenever I’m in a wetsuit. TMI, I know).
Swim:
One loop swim up the less-than-straight current-less Russian River, and down the other side. It’s got a cool little horror movie fog clinging to the surface.
At some points the river is less than a few feet in depth, which means I can’t even stretch my arms down in front of me without scraping the bottom. That means that, even with intentional bad swimming technique/form, I can’t even stay horizontal – it’s just easier to get up and walk several feet before diving back in to swim some more.
I do that more than a few times before I can put my head back in the water.
Gotta tell you though, it’s mentally nice to know that this is possible. Only thing missing was a black line on the bottom to follow!
I feel good most of the time. I feel like I’m booking along pretty well. Clamped on to some fast feet in front of me a few times, but have difficulty holding on when other people run into me or when I run into someone else, including a bunch of people from my wave and several people from the wave in front of me. The faster swimmers from the wave behind catch and overtake me, as usual.
Goal Time: 40 minutes or less
Actual Time: 42:06
Transition #1:
Exit the water and jog to my rack space.
Before the race started it felt chilly enough that I was going to wear a light jacket on the bike, so I had that set-up on my handlebars. After the swim, I decide that I’d be warm enough with just arm warmers. Problem is, I put the warmers back in the bag. So I dig out them out and roll them over my wet arms. Put the jacket back in the bag. Throw on the helmet, race belt with number, shoes and cycling socks (after getting all the gravel off of my feet with a small towel).
Stuff all my swim stuff in the transition bag (since this is a point-to-point race, they’ll take a single bag to the finish site for us to pick up after the race).
Grab my bike and run down the carpet path to the bike course. Run up the slight hill in my bike shoes, avoiding all the folks that didn’t set the right gearing to ride the little hill out of transition, as they’re falling over themselves.
T1 Time: 7:00
Bike:
I was planning on using between 80 and 85% intensity factor (IF) for this race, which should provide enough of a range for all situations. My FTP was set at 320 based on the last 28 days of data in WKO+. That range produced my four ‘gears’ that I would race in:
Gear |
Wattage Guidance |
Low/Min |
High/Max |
|
1st |
0-.5hrs, slight downhills |
GW - 5% |
243 |
258 |
2nd |
Goal Watts (GW) |
256 |
272 |
|
3rd |
Long hills (>~3') |
GW + 5% |
269 |
286 |
4th |
Short hills (<~1-2')</span> |
GW + 10% |
282 |
299 |
Theme of the day…”Oh my gosh my lower back hurts whenever I’m in aero and trying to push any watts”. Unfortunately, it’s been this way for weeks and I really have no idea why.
Mostly flat with some slight rollers, which is a good course for a bigger guy like me. On all the flats and downhills, I’m pushing 25+ mph it seems; big gear, high cadence – the whole time. No problem.
Whenever I need to go upward, when I needed the bigger watts and the slightly lower cadence, the lower back hurt if I stayed in aero position. So I’d have to get out of the aerobars and put my hands on the drops in order to push any power, which didn’t help me stay very aerodynamic, unfortunately.
About half way through, I eat a Larabar that was in my bento box. But the rest of the time it was Infinit out of my bottles. I didn’t even finish two whole bottles of Infinit, which makes for a little over 400 calories the entire ride. This entire year, I’ve been able to reduce the amount of calories on my rides to about half ‘doses’ of my usual Infinit mixture. I’ve adapted quite well, I think. I topped off my profile aero bottle at every aid station with pure H2O.
I was told that Chalk Hill, at about mile 46, was the biggest hill on this course. Well, there was another one after that, which seemed MUCH tougher. It actually forced me to my granniest gear and slow spinning. Several folks just about screeched to a halt on that hill. I got out of the saddle several times to stretch and to change positions.
After that, it seemed mostly downhill or flat on the way back home – which means FAST!
Arrived in Windsor with little fanfare. The worse part was the long section of running between the dismount line and the second transition area. I did it in socked feet, not in the bike shoes this time, like I usually do.
I love the aero helmet with the visor; so much easier than using sunglasses.
My (pathetic) power data:
Entire workout (210 watts):
Duration: 2:47:30 (2:47:38)
Work: 2107 kJ
TSS: 142.6 (intensity factor 0.715)
Norm Power: 229
VI: 1.09
Distance: 56.256 mi
Elevation Gain: 2119 ft
Elevation Loss: 2051 ft
Grade: 0.0 % (69 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 546 210 watts
Cadence: 45 121 85 rpm
Speed: 1.2 34.3 20.2 mph
Pace 1:45 48:17 2:59 min/mi
Altitude: 315 741 442 ft
Crank Torque: 0 701 216 lb-in
Temperature: 55.4 71.6 62.8 Fahrenheit
Goal Time: 2:35:00
Actual Time: 2:47:55 (20.1mph avg)
Transition #2:
Once I found my rack space (that I set up on Saturday), I racked my bike. I’m glad nothing was changed around by anyone else.
As I’m racking my bike, I hear the announcer talking with the race winner, Chris Lieto. HELLO, I’m not even on the run course yet and he’s finished?!? Man, that’s humbling!
Ripped open the plastic bag with my shoes, running socks, hat, gu packs and Garmin. Turned on the Garmin so it would get its satellite fix. I downed the pickle juice (yes, pickle juice – it’s great for hot runs, and I use it all the time), before heading to the portapotty. Unfortunately, all the portapotties were occupied, so I had to wait before I could head out on the run (aka, death march).
Get out of the bathroom and head over the timing mat.
T2 Time: 7:01
Run:
Just about as soon as I cross the timing mat, my shins cramp SEVERELY. So much so, that my run screeches to a limping walk. This usually happens for the first few miles after I get off the bike. I’ve never been able to figure out why. I can never recreate it in training, even at higher training intensities than what I race at (especially this race).
This run course was more hilly than I was expecting, or was told about. The sun and heat that came out didn’t bother me too much, as living and training in Texas with humidity, prepared me for it. But, because of the EXTREME heat and humidity we’ve been experiencing lately, I’ve not been running outside too much – mostly treadmills inside.
I see lots of people I know, from Endurance Nation, TriBike Transport, Dallas and ex-Dallas friends, coming to/from the run. I get to see the eventual women’s winner, Mirinda Carfrae, as she’s just hauling booty back to the finish line. Just looked fluid in her running. I’m so jealous of this, as I’m trudging along.
Over four miles into the run, I’m still walking trying to let the shin cramps ‘release’. So frustrating to have a lot of fitness and not able to really use it.
As soon as the shin cramps release even a little bit, I start jogging, then a side stitch hits me. I try to push through some of them, and sometimes it works. Most of the time it does not, and I have to slow to a walk again, to let the pain subside.
Saw one woman in an Endurance Nation kit, but have no idea who it is. I even say “Go EN”, and get no response. Oh well, maybe that person will identify themselves later.
Around the half-way point, around the retention ponds at La Crema Winery, I get behind this taller/bigger guy and start drafting him. He’s only pushing ~9:45/mile, but it’s still faster than the death march I’m doing. I trail him all around the ponds and back out of the winery area, before I have to slow again because of another side stitch. The shin cramps aren’t completely gone by now either, which is very unusual.
Basically, that’s the whole story of my half marathon…walk/shuffle/run for a bit, then repeat.
Someone PLEASE help me identify these issues!!!
Forerunner305 [Run]:
Duration: 2:33:56 (2:33:56)
Work: n/a
rTSS: 130.8 (0.671)
NGP: 11:33 (139.2 m/min)
VI: n/a
Distance: 12.988 mi
Elevation Gain: 686 ft
Elevation Loss: 696 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-10 ft)
Min Max Avg
Speed: 6:00 321:52 11:47 min/mi
Altitude: 60 142 101 ft
Goal Time: 2 hours or less
Actual Time: 2:34:02 (11:33min/mile avg)
Overall Goal Time: 5:30 or less
Actual Time: 6:18:05
Post-race, Sunday 7/18:
After the post-race Guinness that my friend Rob brought for me (yes, it’s a worthy tradition), my dad, my cousin Bill, Rob and I head over to turn my bike in at TriBike Transport. We have to spend some time in the shade (thank goodness) taking the wheel covers off, and I need to repack some bags because only one goes with the bike back to Dallas.
We head to lovely downtown Windsor, to Patterson’s Pub, where we partake in an “Incredible Burger”, with bacon, guacamole, cheese and sautéed mushrooms! Tasted SO good! All while drowning my sorrows in some Sierra Nevada pints.
Off to Sacramento Airport on Monday, for my trek to Phoenix, El Paso and then home to Dallas.
My head finally hits the pillow at about 11:30pm, making for a very long day – and an early work morning on Tuesday.
Issues:
1) Lower back is seizing up in aero.
-Lack of flexibility?
-Bike fit? Since last year, I’ve even added a spacer back into my stem to raise the aerobars.
-previous injury resurfacing? L3 and L4 vertebrae are permanently fractured (still have pieces floating around in my back), but have never been an issue as long as I’ve done triathlons.
2) Shins are cramping on the run.
-Lack of flexibility?
-Shoes? It happens in all the shoes I’ve had over the years.
-Stride/gait off the bike, different than pure-running?
-Nutrition?
-It never happens in training situations.
3) Side stitches on the run.
-Stride/gait off the bike, different than pure-running?
-The way I’m breathing?
-Nutrition?
-Sometimes happens in training situations, but not many.
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Comments
It sounds to me like you could really use some help on your bike fit. All sorts of problems going on there that sound like a combo of cleat adjustment and bike fit issues which are causing you problems both on the bike and on the run. Even the shins on the run could be from the bike fit (in training you probably don't stay aero as long as you do during a race). Hook up with Todd at TTBikefit and get that fit fixed!
Congrats on finishing a tough race in tough conditions, Scott! I hope you get your kinks worked out soon so you can race the way you want to.
I will also say, having had my own race challenges this season, that the questions you ask yourself exploration you do to find the right answers will make this race way more valuable in the end than a perfect day.
It does sound like you had fun out there!
It was great seeing you on Saturday at the River. I wish I could hang with you after the race but I was anxious to hop in a pool and have an ice cold beer. BTW, choc shakes are a great pre-day pre-race delight! Interesting that your NP is slightly greater than mine but my bike split is shorter by 8 minutes. Your VI is greater than mine --- 1.05 me for 1.09 yourself. Don't know if that may contribute to a tougher run for you. I felt bad for you when I saw you on the run stretching that calf. You looked much better when I saw you just after the turnaround. Interesting about your shins. There has to be something different, even if marginal, that you are doing different in the race compared to training since you comment that the shin is not an issue during training. Anyway congrats.....Vineman is always a challenge due to that run and corresponding heat/hills.
I heard rumor you are targeting IMAZ for 2011. Is that correct? Stark and myself are committed to registering for it also. Take care and hope to see you next year.
I'll try them out and report back.