RR#2 - Up at 5:30am. EN Singlet ...check. Zoot arm coolers...check. Cool sunglasses...check. Hed 3C and Jet Disk race wheels...check. Billy Bad Ass was ready to ride and lay the law down on the Suncoast Trail pelotons. But first a weather check...step outside and - WTF? Back in the house to turn on the weather channel. Temp at the crack of dawn was 80 with "tropical humidity". Mother Nature was about to give an ass whoopin' to Billy Sad Ass! Team Hough Executive Chef and Personal Support Crew had breakfast ready and I started with the Endurolytes first up. Now 6:30am, time to face the dragon.
No clouds, near 100% humidity, but feeling good the first hour...hold back, hold back. Second hour...pushing the pace a little too hard taking down some riders. Had to keep thinking EN Execution NINJA thoughts. Stopped to refill bottles as necessary but I was putting them away. Turned back south at halfway and started fighting the seabreeze from the SW. Was hoping for rain...saw clouds building to the south of me. By 4 hrs the clouds finally blocked the sun, but I could feel a leg cramp coming on the inside of my right thigh. Took some more Endurolytes but too late...AGONY. I had to pedal and coast standing on the pedals and suffering. Finally stopped for 10 mins to let the salt catch up. Then I was OK, but the sun was back out the rest of the ride. Finished with 114 miles in 5:40 excluding water and cramp stops.
Took a full half hour to stretch and rehydrate before facing the run in the heat of the day. Thought I could make 4 miles on the first loop from my house before returning for something to drink. WRONG. I was near heat exhaustion. Made it back in 4.21 miles, drank 3 x 20 ozs of various liquids and still thought I was going to pass out. I laid on the driveway for 10 mins with CINC House (aka the wife) hosing me off and asking if she needed to call 9-1-1. Note to self...I think I'm in the red on SAUs now. So after about a 20 min water stop (literally), I got up and ran enough to get up to 7 miles (8:42 avg excluding the stop).
Finally checked the weather after I finished... 94 high, 112 heat index. Good training if I were doing IM Cozumel, but I suffered like no tomorrow on this RR. Mother Nature used a double can of whoop ass on me, but I'm going to call it a tie because I'm still here. It's downhill from here on in.
RR #2: Still in Colorado, this one was done between 5700 and 7800 feet, with 3200 total elevation gain, most of it in the second half, just to stress my legs a bit. First 56 miles were in 2:56, last 51 in 3:00 for total of 107/5:57. NP=165, IF=.67, TSS=267, HR was 94 avg(?!) Blazing high altitude sun, when I finished ride at 2 PM it was 85-88F. I ran the first 3 miles slight downhill along the river in 28:24, and the return trip uphill (about a 1.5% grade) in about the same time - total was 56 minutes for the six miles. But I really missed the aid stations with ice, water, etc. All I had was 32 oz (2 #) of gatorade along with me on the run. I think the low HR and IF were due in part to the downhill grades and needing to slow down every 10 miles or so going through the towns and the stoplights. But still, 3 weeks ago, I did 105 in 5:53, with an HR of 107, and that was at sea level. So I'm either fitter, or lazier, I don't know which. What I do know is if the temp goes above about 82, then I start to slow down. Hope we get a "normal day", which would be about 76 at that time of year.
Met up with an old classmate who did IMCDA in '08 and is doing it this year again.
Nutrition: Aero bottle with water, Water-Bot with Hammer Gel and Nuun tablet, bottle with 400 cals of Max Muscle stack, Bite-sized Snicker's.
Headed out at about 8am, a little chilly in the morning so I wore spandex leggins and a long sleeved cycling shirt. Kept the pace pretty relaxed for the first loop. Conditions were pretty good. Not much wind, the temps were great and the sun just right.
I managed to fall over on my bike at one of the busy intersections on Government Way. At a stoplight I unclipped the right shoe, but leaned left and down I went. How embarrassing.
Got to the Hayden Golf Club and then the hills. Luckily I have been training on some hills north of Vancouver and these hills didn't seem much different--they hurt about the same. I took it easy and emptied just about every bit of my nutrition on the first loop. Finished first loop in 3:38.
Grabbed a banana, refilled bottles and headed out again. Our goal was to negative split the second loop. Kept a good steady pace the first 20 miles or so. Once we got to the hills along Hayden Lake, "oh my gosh!" These hills feel much different the 2nd loop than the first. I struggled up most of the hills, my buddy just motored on up and I was really lagging behind. But I kept my HR and perceived effort steady and tried not to spike anything.
Stopped at the IM training aid station at about mile 88. I was needing to refill my water bottles, but there was none to be had. Ugh. Okay, I've got just a little bit left in my Max Muscle stack, nuun bottle and nothing left for water. I filled up a little with some Gatorade they had on site and pressed on.
Shortly thereafter, the pain started in. About mile 90 I was really struggling up the hills. My buddy said, "3 more hills." His count was off by about 4. Finally got through all that and pointed back into town. I couldn't wait to get back. All of my aid was gone and my legs were really tight.
Finished the second loop faster than the first at 3:36. Total time is 7:14. Grabbed a banana and some water, put on the runners and headed out on the run course.
Initially the run was pretty tough, but after 20 minutes I loosened up. We kept it really easy at about 10:30-11:00 miles. I was doing great, getting a little tired, but still chugging along. At mile 3 I needed to use a porta-john and once I got inside the world started spinning. I almost passed out. I don't know what was gonig on, but I suddenly felt like crap. I got out of the porta-john and had to sit down. I took a gel and some more water, but things just weren't right. I started feeling nauseous. I decided to call it done right there. My girlfriend was with me riding her bike, so she went back and got the truck.
So what the heck happened? I think I didn't take in enough calories nor fluids on the bike. I probably pushed it a bit too much and burned out one too many matches. The run was being executed just fine, I thought. But now I can't fathom another 23 miles feeling like crud.
@ Mike - I didn't note this in my RR report, but I got a kick in the head about fluid needs, especially in warmer (which for us might be anything over 70F, given the spring) weather. I only took in about 4-5 bottles during six hours, and I was really feeling it by the end of the run - my last mile was 20 seconds slower than my fourth, and the next mornming I discovered I was down at least 2 # from the start of the bike, so I should have taken at least 2 more bottles during the bike portion (the run is too late to really make up any negative fluid balance).
You noted that at mile 88, you were feeling the need for more fluid, but the aid station had little gatorade and no water left. I bet a bit of dehydration was at least partly the cause of your reaction in the porta-potty. You have much more margin for error in calories compared to fluid going into the bike/run transition.
Another thing to consider, if you feel you got enough fluid on the bike, is whether this might be a sign of hyponatremia. Sometimes people can take too much water, and dilute out their electrolytes. Tough to diagnose without a blood test, though. Do you have an idea of what your baseline fluid need is during the bike, what the temp was during the ride, and how much fluid you took in total?
Comments
RR#2 - Up at 5:30am. EN Singlet ...check. Zoot arm coolers...check. Cool sunglasses...check. Hed 3C and Jet Disk race wheels...check. Billy Bad Ass was ready to ride and lay the law down on the Suncoast Trail pelotons. But first a weather check...step outside and - WTF? Back in the house to turn on the weather channel. Temp at the crack of dawn was 80 with "tropical humidity". Mother Nature was about to give an ass whoopin' to Billy Sad Ass! Team Hough Executive Chef and Personal Support Crew had breakfast ready and I started with the Endurolytes first up. Now 6:30am, time to face the dragon.
No clouds, near 100% humidity, but feeling good the first hour...hold back, hold back. Second hour...pushing the pace a little too hard taking down some riders. Had to keep thinking EN Execution NINJA thoughts. Stopped to refill bottles as necessary but I was putting them away. Turned back south at halfway and started fighting the seabreeze from the SW. Was hoping for rain...saw clouds building to the south of me. By 4 hrs the clouds finally blocked the sun, but I could feel a leg cramp coming on the inside of my right thigh. Took some more Endurolytes but too late...AGONY. I had to pedal and coast standing on the pedals and suffering. Finally stopped for 10 mins to let the salt catch up. Then I was OK, but the sun was back out the rest of the ride. Finished with 114 miles in 5:40 excluding water and cramp stops.
Took a full half hour to stretch and rehydrate before facing the run in the heat of the day. Thought I could make 4 miles on the first loop from my house before returning for something to drink. WRONG. I was near heat exhaustion. Made it back in 4.21 miles, drank 3 x 20 ozs of various liquids and still thought I was going to pass out. I laid on the driveway for 10 mins with CINC House (aka the wife) hosing me off and asking if she needed to call 9-1-1. Note to self...I think I'm in the red on SAUs now. So after about a 20 min water stop (literally), I got up and ran enough to get up to 7 miles (8:42 avg excluding the stop).
Finally checked the weather after I finished... 94 high, 112 heat index. Good training if I were doing IM Cozumel, but I suffered like no tomorrow on this RR. Mother Nature used a double can of whoop ass on me, but I'm going to call it a tie because I'm still here. It's downhill from here on in.
RR #2: Still in Colorado, this one was done between 5700 and 7800 feet, with 3200 total elevation gain, most of it in the second half, just to stress my legs a bit. First 56 miles were in 2:56, last 51 in 3:00 for total of 107/5:57. NP=165, IF=.67, TSS=267, HR was 94 avg(?!) Blazing high altitude sun, when I finished ride at 2 PM it was 85-88F. I ran the first 3 miles slight downhill along the river in 28:24, and the return trip uphill (about a 1.5% grade) in about the same time - total was 56 minutes for the six miles. But I really missed the aid stations with ice, water, etc. All I had was 32 oz (2 #) of gatorade along with me on the run. I think the low HR and IF were due in part to the downhill grades and needing to slow down every 10 miles or so going through the towns and the stoplights. But still, 3 weeks ago, I did 105 in 5:53, with an HR of 107, and that was at sea level. So I'm either fitter, or lazier, I don't know which. What I do know is if the temp goes above about 82, then I start to slow down. Hope we get a "normal day", which would be about 76 at that time of year.
Race Rehearsal--On the IMCDA Bike Course
Met up with an old classmate who did IMCDA in '08 and is doing it this year again.
Nutrition: Aero bottle with water, Water-Bot with Hammer Gel and Nuun tablet, bottle with 400 cals of Max Muscle stack, Bite-sized Snicker's.
Headed out at about 8am, a little chilly in the morning so I wore spandex leggins and a long sleeved cycling shirt. Kept the pace pretty relaxed for the first loop. Conditions were pretty good. Not much wind, the temps were great and the sun just right.
I managed to fall over on my bike at one of the busy intersections on Government Way.
At a stoplight I unclipped the right shoe, but leaned left and down I went. How embarrassing.
Got to the Hayden Golf Club and then the hills. Luckily I have been training on some hills north of Vancouver and these hills didn't seem much different--they hurt about the same. I took it easy and emptied just about every bit of my nutrition on the first loop. Finished first loop in 3:38.
Grabbed a banana, refilled bottles and headed out again. Our goal was to negative split the second loop. Kept a good steady pace the first 20 miles or so. Once we got to the hills along Hayden Lake, "oh my gosh!" These hills feel much different the 2nd loop than the first. I struggled up most of the hills, my buddy just motored on up and I was really lagging behind. But I kept my HR and perceived effort steady and tried not to spike anything.
Stopped at the IM training aid station at about mile 88. I was needing to refill my water bottles, but there was none to be had.
Ugh. Okay, I've got just a little bit left in my Max Muscle stack, nuun bottle and nothing left for water. I filled up a little with some Gatorade they had on site and pressed on.
Shortly thereafter, the pain started in. About mile 90 I was really struggling up the hills. My buddy said, "3 more hills." His count was off by about 4. Finally got through all that and pointed back into town. I couldn't wait to get back. All of my aid was gone and my legs were really tight.
Finished the second loop faster than the first at 3:36. Total time is 7:14. Grabbed a banana and some water, put on the runners and headed out on the run course.
Initially the run was pretty tough, but after 20 minutes I loosened up. We kept it really easy at about 10:30-11:00 miles. I was doing great, getting a little tired, but still chugging along. At mile 3 I needed to use a porta-john and once I got inside the world started spinning. I almost passed out. I don't know what was gonig on, but I suddenly felt like crap. I got out of the porta-john and had to sit down. I took a gel and some more water, but things just weren't right. I started feeling nauseous. I decided to call it done right there. My girlfriend was with me riding her bike, so she went back and got the truck.
So what the heck happened? I think I didn't take in enough calories nor fluids on the bike. I probably pushed it a bit too much and burned out one too many matches. The run was being executed just fine, I thought. But now I can't fathom another 23 miles feeling like crud.
@ Mike - I didn't note this in my RR report, but I got a kick in the head about fluid needs, especially in warmer (which for us might be anything over 70F, given the spring) weather. I only took in about 4-5 bottles during six hours, and I was really feeling it by the end of the run - my last mile was 20 seconds slower than my fourth, and the next mornming I discovered I was down at least 2 # from the start of the bike, so I should have taken at least 2 more bottles during the bike portion (the run is too late to really make up any negative fluid balance).
You noted that at mile 88, you were feeling the need for more fluid, but the aid station had little gatorade and no water left. I bet a bit of dehydration was at least partly the cause of your reaction in the porta-potty. You have much more margin for error in calories compared to fluid going into the bike/run transition.
Another thing to consider, if you feel you got enough fluid on the bike, is whether this might be a sign of hyponatremia. Sometimes people can take too much water, and dilute out their electrolytes. Tough to diagnose without a blood test, though. Do you have an idea of what your baseline fluid need is during the bike, what the temp was during the ride, and how much fluid you took in total?