2011 Soma Triathlon Race Report
I am not good at typing these, but here it goes.
Intro:
Went into the race with hugely deflated goals. The spacing with 70.3 Branson has not been well planned as pointed here, it was 5 weeks apart. I went back into it too fast and too hard after Branson and quickly found myself unable to train anything over easy paces. I did do the work prior, had two 80mi ride+ 6-7mi run bricks between two races, had two long runs.......Knowing that my fitness was down, I tested FTP to set the power goal correct as it was critical now more than before. Sure, confirmed, again as indicated here, I went down from north of 275W to 260W. Oh well, I knew if I wanted to race well that I had to use wisely what I have not what I should be capable. I have a history of over swimming and over biking in races.
Huge thanks goes to Matt Aaronson. We exchanged numerous emails on the subject of pacing and calorie intake. I promised I would work on my execution skills.
Venue:
Swim: Everybody knows Tempe Town Lake, pretty flat, wright, no hills there, 74F water temp, little chop, no current, LONGER THAN 1.2 mi
Bike: Nearly flat, 3 loop course with total of 15 out and backs/180 degree turns with near complete stop, has a potential but slow due to nearly stopping so often.
Run: Around the lake, all falls flats, mostly concrete, some hard pack fine gravel, no shade, hot
Environmental: Race start 67F, bike start 70F winds ESE 5-10mph, noticable on the bike, run end over 90F, no wind, pretty hot, but dry heat, wright........
Race result: 4:40:54, 4/128 M40-44, 20/1200 OA
Pre race breakfast: 1 cup coffee, 1 honey stinger, 1 banana, 2 bread and apricot preserve sandwiches, 1 salt tabs, 2 calcium pills, Total about 700cal
Pre swim: 1 honey stinger gel, 2 slat tabs, Total 120cal+430mg sodium
Swim: 32:25 (31:15 of swimming), 13th M40-44, 48th OA 74F, wetsuit legal
Two issues here, course is longer than 1.2mi, many indicators of that, including times across the board with pros as well. Second, you climb up the bleachers out, wetsuit strippers are wright there, down suit off, than run 100m+ to cross timing mat.......
The name of the game was how slow can I swim this race. I wanted to go so slow that it is only a warm up. It was warm water for me and the suit, I knew that. Keeping core temp low early was critical for later hot run but I also promised Matt I will not overswim. I got a clear start and as slow as I thought I was, I was still just behind the lead pack, relaxed, clear water, long stroke, focusing on just geting the arm relaxed through the water with no strong pull, checked on breathing, had to be able to bi lateral breath, that I way I knew I was not pushing. All checked. I was enjoying it. Had down, no feet to sit on, my pace, clear around me, second half was getting into the earlier wave as well as scooping some AG swimmers that went too hard.
All in all, came out perfect, I felt great, did not really care what time I got here. I only thought about that run and how to set the stage for that. Stood up on bleachers 31:15, walked up, took the top off, down, suit striped than run into T1.
T1: 1:08 one of my fastest of all time and that day among AG, I guess a couple of years of wife nagging about T1 T2 pays off, she kept saying, stop giving time away in T1/T2, sure I was not this time, was proud of that
I was quickly out.
Bike: 2:26:45 5th M40-44, 22nd OA
Just some stats first, AP 210W NP 216W IF .83 TSS 167 cad 95 avg HR 147, FTP 260W, weight 152lbs.
I was out on a flying mount, arm coolers in armed position, off I went, look down at HR. Nice 156. It always used to be over 175 coming out of T1. I knew I was going to make Matt proud. I allowed effort to slowly build so power was coming up nicely over the first 26min when I hit my target 210W. Felt really good and RPE was in check. I went in with a loose power goal and HR window of 146-152, midle to top of zone 3 and was not affraid to adjust power lower if the HR and RPE were not both in check. I set 14mi auto lap and data shows very even power and HR proflie, I did back off the last 20min to prepare for running. Fueling and hydration were spot on. I kept focus, took calorie in on regular intervals, water for cooling at each aid station. It was uneventfull, no racing and duking out with others, was minding my own business, setting up the run.
Calories and sodium: 300cal/hr, 1360mg sodium/hr, perfect, no issues
T2: 1:07 one of the fastest I had again
Run: 1:39:27 8th M40-44, 38th OA
I went into the run as 7th M40-44. Great feeling seeing nearly empty T2. I thought, I must have done something wright here. But my day was not going to go as a good swim and bike only, was going to make sure I run somebody down, anybody, more important it was going to be n/s run. Started out observing HR again while I was dialing in the pace, was not going to allow early climb beyond Z3, that produced the pace around 7:35. Keep in mind here, no real EN training for this race, no VDOT testing, all leaves you not being able to use 3-7-3 and MP+30/ MP. Tricky business. In order to race like EN ninja, you have to train like one, I did not. So pacing becomes more of an art. I feed honey stinger gels and salt tabs during run at mi 2, 6, 9. That is what I did. The course is also a little deceptive as it has falls flats+ wind. I got passed by several guys in the first 3mi. I so wanted to respond, felt ok, but thought I would wait. I knew I had to be patient and use that little fitness wisely. I was going to wait til mi 9 for action. Finished the first 6.55 at 7:36 pace. Was going throught the crowd, cheering feels good. By this time I would usually start feeling of cracking some doors to dark places. Not this time. HR confirmed I was now going over 165, my LTHR being 166. Between mi 6-9 I managed to run down 2 M40-44 AG athletes, both passing me early on the run. felt really good, was more or less holding onto the pace, being happy that strategy works, at the same time did not want to get greedy and risk imploding too early. Lapse in focus and I missed to add salt tabs at mi 9, I felt that later. Mi 9-11 I scooped three more M 40-44 athletes and was now near podium finish. I was trying to tame down the thoughts of that. One thing I learned in flying (my real job), it is not over until it's over. I used this awesome freak show cap from Zoot, white color with a hanging thingy over your neck+ arm coolers, pouring water over it helped in cooling big time. I now felt the heat for sure. Last 2-2.5 mi mostly occured on gravel, slowed me down, still on target or close but pace began to slip, 7:38-7:40, my HR was well into the top of Z4 now for 30min, I knew I was pushing just right. Made the final turn into the finish, no event, some kids wanted high 5s, it was fun. Crossed the line, felt relieved that I made something out of race that I thought was lost for me and my lousy form.
I got a decent closure to a stagnating year. I was happy, not knowing why. I was so thirsty for some validation of the work that was done. I did get it partially. My 5 weeks between two races were filled with a rash of workouts where almost no focus was maintained, some dissapointment as I could not run or bike passed Z2, my FTP was going in reverse and was the lowest recorded since I got the PM.
I am glad to take this result and lessons that come with it. Now onto some soul searching and figuring out how to bring myself in 2012 to 4:30 or better HIM.
I want to thank you all for all the help and advice you have been so great at giving. I hope to able to give back.
Comments
Terry, the RD made a statement on PA system in the morning that they had 1200 athletes check in, so just used thay as like you I could not find the exact number. It means nothing to me, used it over on BT as the box is asking for overall number.
Matt, thanks. Never got around to type an email about nutrition experiment. I did try 240cal and 200cal, both crashed and burned. I have been with 300cal for 2 years now using Infinit guidance as well as their counseling services. That is a good number for me. Works. I was willing to try, never afraid to question myself, just confirmed. Hydration was an issue with Branson as I took more than I needed but never went to bathroom.