Ironman Florida Race Report: "It's flat, it'll be the easiest one yet, right?" (11/2/2013)

The 2013 season was originally focused around one race, Ironman Mont-Tremblant. Partway into my build, I picked up an awesome sponsor, X2 Performance, who was generous enough to get a team of athletes into Ironman Florida. I took a look at the timing and decided it was the year to take a stab at two Ironman distance races in a season. I know a lot of people achieve that and much more, but it seemed like a lot of focus for me. Nonetheless, I went for it and went all in. In my 7 days off of training after Mont-Tremblant, I extended my season with QT2 and we developed a plan to get after Florida. IMMT went so well that I really wanted to get after IMFL to see what I could handle. If the pace was too fast, I'd have some good data and it would help future races. If I was able to hold on, maybe I could find a way to take my racing to a new level. The plan was simple:

Swim with the best swimmers,

Pace the bike within reason but don't be afraid to get into the chase,

Close the season leaving everything else on the run course.

It was hard to find people to travel with me on short notice, especially considering most of my friends and family are around Buffalo and I am halfway to Florida in Richmond. I ended up traveling along in one of my most impressive weekends of travel, 2:45pm-1:30am directly after working all day Wednesday. Finished off the drive Thursday morning and made it to Florida in the early-afternoon. The 13 hours straight Sunday after the race was far more challenging.

Florida proved to be a challenge for lodging. The condo rental was easy although going to three different buildings looking for somebody to check in with was anything but easy. Once I ran around for two hours, I found myself with a pretty kick ass place to crash for the weekend.

My own little condo, right on the beach, a two minute walk from the race start. If only all races could be so convenient. I got in, settled, and finished up my workouts for the day by late-afternoon. From there on out, it was hanging out with Team X2 Performance, putting my feet up, and listening to the ocean.

Race morning was one of the easiest I have ever had seeing that I was essentially sleeping at the race start. My special needs bag drop was on the walk to transition, a short 5 minute walk from my doorstep. I ran into some Buffalo friends and we went back to their condo for a bit to wait for the swim start.

Leading up to the race, the weather had been a little wild with wind and a monster rain storm. The buzz in the air was all about how rough the water had been and what it would be like race morning. I really wasn't worried about how rough the water might be since rough water gives me more of an advantage. I'll take all the time I can over the runners.

Swim 0:53:59 (2 AG / 17 OA):

The water race morning wasn't flat but it really wasn't that bad. Unlike my shake out swims that beat the crap out of me and literally flipping me over at points, thw water was rolling with a few waves turning over near shore. 150-200 yards of swimming and things were no different that swimming in a like, aside from the salt.

Odd as it is being a swimmer, I never know what I'm going to swim in Ironman. My swim time is usually a product of whatever the lead swim group wants to do that day. Lucky for me, I found a guy from Rochester who I know to be a strong swimmer and I was able to ride his heels the entire swim. I swam extremely easy and relaxed and was a little surprised to see that I swam under 54. There wasn't much current to feel on the way out but you could really feel it giving a push on the way into shore on each loop. The swim was uneventful, I was able to close down all the gaps I cared to, and I used it as an opportunity to conserve some energy. The only damage from the swim was the nasty brush burn from the salt water under the edge of my cap.

T1 0:03:41:

Transition was pretty cool in Florida. We were able to change in a building but all our bags were outside in a tropical transition area littered with palm trees and woodwork. I stuck to my transition philosophy, grab what you need, change, and take care of any issues while you're moving on the course. Nothing to speak of here.

Bike 4:57:31 (7 AG / 105 OA):

Heading into IMFL, I wasn't sure where my bike fitness stood. Some of the numbers I saw in training were ok, others were troublesome, but overall I felt extremely comfortable on the bike for extended periods of time. I knew I had to make up for the pitiful ride I had at the Giant Acorn Intermediate but it was undeniable that performance was in my head a bit. I was beyond excited to get a chance to stomp around with my new disc and GrAce was looking fine, as always.

I started the bike with the guy I swam with and we were able to pace off each other to open up the ride. It was very difficult to get my HR to settle in to my target range early in the bike and eventually I decided it just wasn't going to happen. I had taken some X2 Performance and felt like I had a never-ending ball of energy in my system so I decided to rock with it. Two hours into the bike ride the bike groups of cyclists (legitimate peoltons) started to catch me and I started to take better inventory of myself. My avg HR was way high, my power numbers were about 15-20 watts higher than expected but I still felt fine, as if I could sustain that pace for a bit longer. I decided to pace off the groups and let things fall back into place a bit closer to my goals.

In the end, I ended up riding far harder than I had planned and thought I had spoiled plans of putting any sort of a marathon together. It was really cool to ride under 5 hours but, closing out the bike ride, I would have put money on being on my feet longer than I was on the bike; my legs were COOKED!

T2 0:02:57:

Same plan as T1, get what you need and get moving. The course has everything you need to fix the damage.

Run 3:30:29 (5 AG / 98 OA):

If there was one thing I was confident in heading into this race, it was my run. I had plans of really tearing up this course and I had a much better run that what is reflected by the time. Like every Ironman miracle before, I got on my feet and suddenly everything felt much better..well sort of. Leaving T2, I immediately wish I had found a bathroom somewhere in my haste to start the run. It was a troublesome run through the first mile until I found some bathroom on the side of the road. Leaving the bathroom. I was feeling a million times better and ready to rock. Unfortunately, I knew it was only a matter of time until the bathroom would soon again be a necessity. I started ripping through some miles really smooth at 7:25-7:45 and started picking people off left and right. A few miles later, time for the bathroom and another 8:45 poop mile. Back to running down the people I had already run down and what do you know, mile 11 calls for another break. That's right, three bathroom breaks in the first half.

The second half of the run course went much more smooth but my legs were not prepared to handle all the squats I was suddenly required to do. I had to use the bathroom around mile 14 and after that, the legs didn't want to fire anymore. Coincidentally, my Garmin threw a really silly split and I thought I was running much worse than I was. Doing the math in my head, I had to really start pushing if I wanted any chance of breaking 9:30. The second run loop was not impressive whatsoever although it happened and I'm sure the girls in next-to-nothing 2 miles into the course helped me run when I wanted to walk. I did get a spank on my first run loop and could use any sort of encouragement to bring it home. Things started to get really ugly with 4 miles to go and I thought I had thrown away my opportunity to race as fast as I wanted to. I linked up with another QT2 athlete and we started pushing to get each other home. 22-24 were the worst of time on the course and with two to go, I decided I was just going to go for it. I left the guy I was running with and started putting everything I had into my run to try to get back under 8:00 miles. My legs fought me every step of the way but with 1.25 miles to go, I caught another guy in my AG. I had no idea where I was overall so I knew I couldn't let him go with me. I put on a surge down a long road and fought every urge to look back so he wouldn't see I was about to snap. I was able to look back with about 0.75 to go and thought I'd see good news. Nope, he was clinging to me about 100 yards back and the harder I pushed, the closer he seemed to come. My mind told me, "I don't care how hard this is, this guy is not going to pull a pass-back inside the last half-mile of the marathon." IMFL closed my season and I wanted to take in the finish line and chute, but this guy made me fight it out until the very end.

The finished chute felt like a marathon in itself but like all tough circumstances, they pass and it was time to relish in another Ironman finish, the close of the season, and a time that I cannot believe to this day. I raised my hat to thank my BTC crew that I could feel supporting my from 1000 miles away, let out the manliest victory cry I could, and couldn't help but smile as big as possible. Those that have spoke with me in the few months leading up to the race knew how much I wanted "hibernation" to come and it was finally mine.

Overall 9:28:37 (5 AG  98 OA):

If you would have told me that I was going to break 10:30 this season, I would have had a hard time believing you. Mont taught me a lot about myself and my limits but most importantly, it taught me how to surprise myself and how to believe in myself. After that race, I set the bar high, calling a 9:25 finish which I thought was lofty. 9:28 is not the 9:25 I called but in no way am I let down by the performance. I got after it, I tested my limits, and I was still able to hold it together on the run with exhausted legs and bathroom troubles.

I am happy to announce that I am starting to fundraise for IMLP 2014 and can't wait to redeem myself on the course that still has my number. I am a member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation PowerTeam and have set a lofty goal of $5,000. So far, things are moving along very well and if you would like to contribute to my efforts, please visit my DONATION page and contribute what you can! Please feel free to visit my friend Danny's page and help him reach his goal as well.

Thanks to all who help me along inthis crazy journey, you know who you are. A HUGE thank you to Team X2 Performance for making this race one of the most memorable of my life. You are true sportsmen and women! I hope we can all work together in the future!

QT2 Systems, you changed the image I have of myself and made me believe in myself more deeply than I ever though possible. I look forward to working with you in 2014. Looking forward to another big year!

Ironman Mont-Tremblant Race Report (8/18/2013)

August was an extremely busy month for me. I accepted a new job and moved to Richmond, VA.

While the move was exciting and I've been planning this for a long time, it was not a stress I was looking forward to as I prepared for Ironman Mont-Tremblant. The timing of my move allowed me to move in 8/6 only to return to Buffalo, NY 8/14 for the week leading up to the race. The move couldn't have gone more smoothly. I was moved in and settled into my apartment 12 hours after leaving my doorstep in Buffalo. Two weeks out from the race, the move also served as a chance to acclimate to some warm weather before racing in weather I expected to be mid 70s in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.

I cannot speak highly enough of the triathlon scene in Richmond. Within hours of landing, I had a number of athletes reaching out to me and hooking me up with the popular swimming, cycling, and running spots. I happened upon a really cool bike shop that is big into mountain biking and I think I'll be adding another member to my fleet once I have some spare cash.

Enough about the move. If you want to know more, come visit me and I'd be happy to show you around! Winter training camp anybody?!?

The week in Buffalo flew by and before I knew it, I was on my way to Rochester, NY to meet up with Billy Boi for the drive to Mont. I love road tripping with Bill because we go nuts and get each other all kinds of amped up. This trip was no exception and I found myself confident and ready to get out on the course.

Upon landing in Mont-Tremblant I found it hard to believe that there was less climbing than IMLP. The race venue is absolutely stunning and surrounded by mountain peaks. Very reminiscent of the Adirondack region although this looked terrifying. 

We were able to start checking out the course and my mind was put at ease. The roads are nice and rolling, without a single rock to be found. As a matter of fact, we saw a crew sweeping the course, by hand, Saturday afternoon. 

We settled into our hotel and became familiar with the venue quickly. After taking care of all the Ironman formalities (checking in, dropping off gear bags, checking in bikes, etc), we started to prepare our bodies. In Richmond, I had been picking the brain of a very talented athlete, Danny, who races a very similar style to my own. Crush the swim, lay it out on the bike, and try to keep it together on the run. He told me about one of his pre-race routines which was right up my alley. The picture below shows my lunch Saturday night, a large 18" pizza half cheese, half mushroom and onion, delicious! Bill decided to get a smaller, fully-loaded, pizza and a full spaghetti entree on the side.

On the verge of exploding, we relaxed in the hotel with our feet up the remainder of Saturday afternoon and evening. As we were watching some fantastic Canadian television, I did a 3 hour salt load and topped up on water. We listened to Aqueous Transmission by Incubus while we visualized our races and tucked into bed around 10:00 pm. For the first time, I fell asleep right away and slept well through the night.

3:30 AM came interestingly as we woke up to the song of the weekend and started to get out gamefaces on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q1wzwAMMPU

I threw down the essential pre-race breakfast of rice pancakes with banana, OnceAgain Nut Butter, and honey. If it's not broke, don't fix it.

We were on site at 4:50 AM and waited around to get into transition and finalize our bottles and special needs bags for the day. Lines were long and it took a bit longer to get through the bathroom lines as we were heading down to the water.

I am a big fan of huge races because I get into the hype. Ironman Mont-Tremblant took that hype to a new level. Walking down to the water, two fighter jets flew overhead as one of my new favorite songs blasted through the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkIWmsP3c_s

This was the last music I heard as I dove into the water and started to get to work for the day; not a bad tune to have stuck in your head.

Swim (0:53:56, 2 M25-29, 28 OA):

I was happy to be in the first AG wave and I started just how I started in IMLP last year. Out hard, watch for anybody to make a move, and jump on their feet before they can open up a gap. Right away things started to go great. A group of about 8 swimmers formed and started tearing down the side of the course. I sat on the back and went for a ride, swimming moderately and not having to sight nearly as much as if I was leading. My breathing settled in and I went to sleep. About halfway down the side of the course, things started to mix  up. One group started to sight incorrectly and split. Picture a line of four swimmers side by side forming a double-wide echelon. I was int he wrong group and quickly jumped off of my group, into dirty water, and had some work to do to bridge the gap. It took about 3 minutes to chase the group down but once I did, I maintained my pace, settled my HR down and went back to sleep. The other group faded and the group I was in started to ramp up the pace a little bit. I was drafting, 4 swimmers back, and still working pretty hard to hold feet. We made it around the first turn and the group stayed together well, navigating around some of the pro female athletes. We swam about 3 minutes to the other side of the course and this is where my day started to go sour. Turning the corner, we ran straight into the back of a huge group of pro females. It was hard to keep track of our dark green caps so I started chasing feet of people that appeared to not be wearing pink caps. At this point, I was swimming pretty hard as our group was stretching out. As the group snapped back together, I missed my position and started to fall off the back. Knowing that I could easily swim with these guys as long as I closed the gap, I started a few very strong efforts to bridge. It wasn't working and I started to get nervous. This group was MOVING! I spent the next 5-7 minutes putting in strong efforts and when they didn't appear to be closing, I'd settle back in and recover until I was ready to burn another match. I tried this about 3 times before I realized that the gap was not going to come back to me. I had the following internal dialogue, "These guys are flying. I really want to be in that group and I know I belong in that group. I want to bridge but I have a long day and all I can do is ruin my race by expending too much energy right here. I have confidence in my riding and I'll bring it back somewhere I can be in better control." It was torture to watch this group swim away but I really feel like it was the right decision to let them go. In the future, I'll be sure to put myself in a position where I will not lose feet but huge bridging efforts can drain you. I swam in no-mans-land for a while until two guys from our wave just sort of appeared a few yards over form me. I merged into their group and began to work with them into the finish. Overall, I know I could have been 51ish had I held those feet however you will not find me complaining about a 53 any day. I had a sigh of relief exiting the water as I knew my day was in no way in jeopardy and my decision to save some energy was validated. Most important, I saw Russ on the run to T1 and whenever I hear "Nice swim!" from Russ, I know it truly must have been. He has very high standards for the type of swimming I do and he will be the first to level with me if I don't swim well.

T1 (0:04:12):

T1 was very uneventful. Loooong run to the tent but once I was in, I dumped my bag, grabbed what I needed, thanked the volunteers and got right out to my bike.

Bike (5:28:33, 11 M25-29, 105 OA):

I had a plan made through QT2 Systems based on my training indicators and past performances. The plan called for a bike split of 5:25-5:30 with HR and power goals. I had only rode 5:46 and 5:49 in IMLP the past two years so I was hoping this would happen but I honestly had my doubts. Don't take that as not having faith in my training and preparation but it seemed like so much of a drop in time. I got out and stuck to the plan. My HR was a bit high but my power was exactly where it should have been. I nailed my nutrition plan and took some time to really enjoy the course. The first section of the course feels like its an overall elevation gain when you drive it but it's honestly nothing more than rolling hills and it's decently fast for the amount of climbing you accrue. The second section of the course really makes the course fast. There is a long out and back section that screams down the highway and you can really get moving here. You can keep tabs on what's going on in the race and for the first loop there was no wind out there. The second loop picked up a bit but it wasn't anything major. The next part of the course rolls back toward transition and you tear through the village, lined with spectators, before starting the only difficult part of the course. The out and back beyond transition is the only part that has any noteworthy climbs. The great thing about this course is that all steep climbs are short and all decently long climbs are not steep at all. I may have touched my brakes 4 times each loop and that was due to the fact that there were 180 degree turns at the out and back sections. I knocked off the first loop right around 2:43 and this was the first time that day that I had a feeling something unexpected was going to happen. I h ad stayed well within myself and was able to ride 2:45ish for the second loop, feeling only slightly tired but comfortable and in control the whole time. QT2 preaches patience and I feel like while I may have over exerted slightly based on HR, there were not really any points where I burned a match or got into a battle out on the bike course. I let people go by on the climbs as I stuck to my 250 watt ceiling and I brought them back on the flats and descents. I'm a firm believer in this strategy and I'm glad I didn't start to race as I saw multiple M25-29 guys go by.

T2 (0:02:05):

All weekend, if people asked me if I was ready for the race, I kept saying "I can't wait to get out on the run course." This didn't mean that I wanted the race to be over or that I thoughts the bike ride was going to tear me apart, I just had this feeling inside that based on the way I had been training and the way my race strategy was designed, something wild was going to happen on the run. I got through transition without issue and emerged out of the tent and started a painful journey.

Run (3:30:21, 10 M25-29, 80 OA):

If there is one thing that IMMT got right (Honestly, they nailed the entire weekend but this was the best), it was the placement of the run start. Athletes literally pop out of the tent to a swarm of spectators who are screaming and lining the course for the first 0.25 miles. I felt like an absolute superstar and really wanted to make sure I kept things in control on the initial miles. My plan called for 2 x 8:00 miles to lead the run out. I always have a hard time running where I should off the bike as my legs feel great and want to move. Take Syracuse 70.3 as an example where I felt like I jogged the first mile and clicked off a 6:09. This race wasn't much better. I tried to keep my eyes off of the spectators and stay in my "box" (another QT2 protocol) so that I didn't get too excited. I stared at my watch, trying to keep my HR as close to 146 as possible. I couldn't really get it lower than 150 as I felt like I was walking but actually split 7:35 on my first mile. I couldn't believe it and decided to really start taking it easy on the rolling hills that line the first 2.5 miles of the course. To my surprise, I really slowed things down and split 8:00 on mile 2. Leaving transition, I knew that I had to run under 3:31 if I wanted any shot of breaking 10:00. The plan called for 10:17, best case scenario, and this is the point where I kind of said "screw the plan, I'm here to throw down", sorry Tim! I knew I had to be out around 1:45 so I started to get to work. The miles started ticking off and before I knew it, I was tearing down the gravel path, 8 miles into the race averaging 7:42 miles. At this moment, I told myself, "This pace is about to be done being easy. You have to be ready for the waves of discomfort that are about to come and you NEED to make it out the other side and get comfortable." I love my mentality so early in the run but I was wrong on how the pain was going to come, more on that in a minute. Loop one went by quickly and the last few miles proved difficult. My pace slowed a bit as we climbed through town and I knew I was going to have to be smart on the early stages of loop 2 if I wanted to be able to bring it home running. I ticked off a 1:41 for loop 1 and told myself "1:50 for a half marathon. How many times have you done that? This course was built for you! Get out there and get to work but be smart!" I got out of town fine, started to go to sleep a little bit although my legs were screaming. Here is where the real pain started to come. The trail section of the course goes slightly downhill then slightly uphill once you turn around. It measures roughly 10km and is a very fast part of the course. I knew this was going to be make or break and I needed to keep my legs together. I started to push on the way out and the pace wasn't coming. I was barely running under 8:10 and I knew that wasn't good enough. I put the gas down more and things improved slightly to 8:06, still not good enough. "Here we go," I thought. I put the pedal down and the pain started to come like a snowball rolling down a hill. Building and building as my splits remained steady. The turn around and a bit of uphill running didn't bring relief. Here is where I was saved by a friendly face. Out on a crossroad, I saw Russ and seeing him smile made me want to finish this race strong. He drove from Buffalo to watch the race and was one of our only spectators all day, truly saved my weekend. I ran by him and we shared a few words that came out very confident but I was truly scared about what was going to happen over the remaining 7 miles. Vocalizing my plan to him allowed me to buy into it and I went back to work. My stomach started to turn with about 4 miles to go. I got down as much coke as I could, which wasn't much, and nothing else seemed tolerable to I swished water in my mouth and spit it out. I continued to dump water and ice all over my body as I had been doing all day but I knew things were going to start to get difficult mentally. The last few miles were extremely rough, trying to stay focused while I was getting continually more hungry and the finish line was approaching but not fast enough. I had some difficulty getting over the hills in the final 3 miles but I was able to run the entire course which is the first time I have ever covered a marathon without a single step, not even at aid stations. I killed myself over the last 2 miles as the 10:00 mark was quickly approaching and there was still a bit of road ahead of me.

The Finish! (9:59:08, 10 M25-29, 80 OA): 

I made it into the village with about 4 minutes to get to the finish line. I knew something catastrophic would have to happen in order for me not to sneak under 10:00. I took this as a chance to occupy my mind with how I had got to this point. I thought back to the 2012 season which was full of injury and frustration.I thought about the discipline, consistency, and sacrifice I held throughout this buildup. I thought of the nights I was on the trainer until 11 finishing workouts then getting off the bike to do a transition run in the rain. I thought about the days I was so busy with work, coaching, and training that I the only time I had to relax was while I was driving between each.  In previous races, I had numbers in my head and inevitably set myself up for failure. A lot can go wrong over the course of a 10 hour day and I don't find it prudent to focus on what can wrong. I find it takes me away from the moment, and these are moments I want to remember every second of. The entire race, I spent a minute or two thinking about each and every person that helped me get to this point.

I thought about my friends and family that often have to deal with what we have come to call the "zombie"; a lifeless version of myself trying to hang out after long workouts. I want to thank them for dealing with my crankiness and making their own sacrifices to help partake in my goals.

I thought about the Buffalo Triathlon Club and all of the people I train with. I thank you for the never-ending support. For the lead up to this race, I was scared and nervous although your confidence in me allowed me to show up on the race line with a level head and a belief that my goals are possible. Your support during my move and racing is what keeps me doing what I do. You'll always be my hometown triathlon club! People are going to learn..."You don't mess with the WHITEOUT!!!"

I thought about my boy Rusty and his beautiful wife Amanda who are making the best of their early years of marriage. I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding and your lives. You two mean the world to me.

I thought about Bill who I knew was out on the course, having the day of his life. Thank you for dealing with my pre-race nonsense even when you had your own race to focus on. These trips are some of the greatest memories of my life because of the people I get to spend them with and Bill is a staple.

I thought about QT2 Systems and my coach Tim Snow who hooked me up with an awesome plan and taught me how to execute. I have learned so much about myself and long course triathlon thanks to your proven protocols.

I thought about Steve Gonser at RunSmart. If it weren't for your expert eye, I would not have made it through that run without walking a single step. I look forward to tweaking my run form in the future.

I thought about Team X2Performance and how great it feels to be part of such a humble team. I have not met most of you but I feel like we have already formed a bond and safety net of support. Thank you for your kind words and thank you to X2 Performance for believing in me and allowing me to take another stab at this crazy game in November at IM Florida!

The person I thought about most this day was plastered on my water bottle, staring me right in the face. I had a picture of him that I carry with me everywhere. He has a home on my coaching clipboards, teaching clipboards, my desk, my bike color, and most importantly in my heart; Gary Grant. I cannot thank you enough for being a rock of a role model through my formative years. I wish I could share these experiences with you and call you to chat but I know you're up there watching over me and keeping me safe.

 The culmination of this long day of thankfulness resulted in the greatest celebration of my life, heading down toward the finishing chute. To finish the race, you run downhill through the center of the village and wind along paths that navigate between shops and screaming spectators.

At the top of the village, I knew my hard work was done and everything had come to fruition. I looked at the crowd and decided it was time to bring them into my celebration. I threw my hands int he air, looked side to side, and started screaming at the top of my lungs, "COME ON! LET ME HEAR YOU!" and let loose some of the most primal screams I have ever released.

This continued towards the finish line and I started getting light headed from screaming so much. This may have contributed to the bonehead move that happened next but Danny Boy decided he wanted to get some extra running in on the day. I'd like to blame it on the volunteers speaking French but there was a sign clearly pointing left to the finish line, I didn't see it. In the picture above, you can see the split to the finish and the path that leads right, back through the done tent and back onto the course. As I was navigating the section to the right, I kept asking volunteers where the finish line was and they kept pointing straight ahead and told me to kept cheering. I knew it was somewhere to the left but hadn't scoped this section of the course out before the race so I figured it would curve back around. Upon exiting the white dome and getting back out on the run course, my heart sank as I realized I really had missed the finish line. I looked at my watch and saw that it was reading 9:58 when I was expecting to be done in 9:57. A volunteer turned me around, ran ahead of me and cleared a path so I could run back up the hill, around the fountain, and down to the finish line. As I approached the line, I saw the clock tick over to 10:06:++, and I thought I had gone just outside of 10:00 seeing that the pro wave was schedule to start 6 minutes before us, luckily it was 7 minutes prior and I let out one final, exhausted scream at the finish line and pulled my BTC whiteout top in a final show of appreciation. Unfortunately it didn't show up in the pictures but the fact that I poured every last ounce of myself into that race did!

Thanks again to everybody that made this one of the greatest memories of my life! I cannot thank you enough and the support has been overwhelming. I wish I could come back to Buffalo and see my BTC family but we will be reunited again! (Intermediate distance in VA Sept 28th anybody?)

The timing of a project I have been working on with Bob and Ken from the Great Lakes 100 Mile Triathlon Series could not have been more perfect. If you haven't already, check out the video HERE and see what a fantastic job Tom did putting it all together. More importantly, get into their RACES and you'll see how much heart they put into these productions. I'll be back to race with you guys sometime!

Rev3 Williamsburg Intermediate Race Report

Race Report: Rev3 Williamsburg Intermediate Distance:

According to my training plans, I had to race an Intermediate Triathlon 6/23/2013. I had heard that Rev3 put on great races and knew that I wanted to check out the Virginia area in hopes of landing a teaching job down South for the 2013-2014 school year. When I heard that Rev3 Williamsburg was holding an intermediate race on the exact day I needed, the perfect opportunity presented itself. Nonetheless, it was the weekend of my buddy's birthday who is currently living in Virginia Beach.
 I traveled down with two friends on Friday morning and as we were in no rush to get anywhere, it took us 12.5 hours including stops. A painful experience compared to the 10.5 hours it took us to get home from Virginia Beach, which is further South. When we got into Williamsburg, we forgot that you have to request non-smoking rooms when not in New York. After walking into what I can only describe as an ashtray, we promptly checked out of the hotel, packed up the car, and settled into a classy motel charging $39.99/night. The motel was a short drive from the race site and turned out to be a great location.

The plan for the race was to show up, throw down 100% effort, and see where the fitness was as I prepare for Musselman and Mont-Tremblant. I knew I could swim with whoever showed up and form there on out, it would be a matter of staying away from the runners on the bike and marking anybody that tried to get away on the bike or run. Sounds easy enough, on paper.

Swim: 0:21:43 (1 AG / 3 OA):
We sat on the shore of the beautiful James River waiting for the start of the Olympic race.

As with most races of this distance, I was expecting a very fast swim, at least from the gun. There was a considerable amount of dolphin diving at the beginning of the course as it took a while to get deep enough to swim. Through the first 200m there was a good group of about 5-7 swimmers. I sat in the middle of this group and kept an eye on the front of the group, ready to cover anybody that made a move. People started shifting around and jockeying for position. I am extremely comfortable in the water and being on the larger side, for a triathlete, the bumping and thrashing doesn't bother me one bit. The swimmers that tried to cut in front of me quickly realized I wasn't about to budge and decided to drop back. Through the first buoy at 500m our group was down to 3-4 swimmers. Around this turn, the lead swimmer decided to make a move which I almost missed seeing. I quickly got around the swimmer in front of me and started making a move to close the gap. I noticed the swimmer settle back in and I made a push to get on his feet but he had put too much ground on me around the buoy. Instead of wasting a ton of energy trying to close the gap, I just held a steady distance behind him as he wasn't putting any more ground on me. I knew I would catch him on the LONG run to T1 or in transition as long as I could stay within 15 seconds and stay comfortable. The rest of the swim was uneventful and soon enough we were approaching shore. I don't know why people like to throw away time but the lead swimmer decided to stand up in water above his waist and start wading into shore. I dolphin dove up to him very easily and thought "well, that made closing the gap really easy. Thanks!" We reached shore together and stripped our wetsuits to waist level. I decided it was time to start the mind games. I caught my breath and briskly jogged past him as we left the lake and in my calmest and most cheerful tone said "Nice swim, bud" and ran past him without looking back.

T1 0:02:32 (Including the longest run of my life):
Besides being the longest transition of my life, T1 went perfectly. I guess Rev3 decided to make up for cutting the run course short by 0.2 miles by making the run to T1 0.25 miles long.

Bike 1:00:04 (1 AG / 2 OA):
I got out of T1 on a mission to put as much time as possible between myself and the pure runners who typically aren't as strong on the bike. I knew I could handle a HR of 170 bpm on average for the ride and dialed my HR in right at 165-170.

I rode the first 12 miles solo until a young kid from Virginia Beach caught and passed me. After a quick survey, I decided to change the gameplan a little bit. This kid was pretty large and I guessed that if I had to put money on it, I'd favor myself in the run. From that point on, I decided to pace off of him and keep checking back to make sure nobody was bridging up to us, a dangerous game in a wave start. Fortunately, this allowed my speed to increase with a decreased HR as I wasn't stressing over being caught. The catch had happened and now it was time to race which was far less pressure for me. The there cyclist was very strong and tried to make a few moves but I was able to cover them pretty easily thanks to my new bike fitness, thank you QT2 Systems! I could tell the cyclist was frustrated that he couldn't drop me and I made sure to make things look effortless every time he looked back. The rest of the ride continued this way and I started to prepare myself for a monster run. Continuing with the mind games, I smiled as I took over the lead heading into T2, letting him know that whatever he thought was going on throughout the ride, that I was in control despite being second. I was very happy to finish the ride with an average speed of 24.0 mph on a beautiful rolling course.

T2 0:01:05:
I wanted to throw socks in since I hadn't raced in my new Mizuno Musha 4s yet but didn't have time as the other fella was quick in transition and left me chasing him out.

Run 0:38:21 (1 AG / 1 OA):
Exiting transition, I had about 15 seconds to close down on the race leader. I had a guy on a mountain bike pull up beside me and tell me "Hello, I'm Rob. I'm your guy for the rest of the run." It was extremely exciting to have a lead bike and I wanted Rob to be at the front of the race.

The goal was to average 180 bpm on the run and I knew my HR would rise in the last ten minutes of the race so the goal to keep it 170-175 in the early stages of the run. I was very happy to see that I was running 6:00 per mile at 165-170 bpm and knew that this was enough for now. The gap started to come down and closed within the first mile. I raised my HR to 170 as I passed the lead athlete to ensure that he would chose not to go with me. I ticked through the first two miles at 12:02 and reached the 5k in 19:10 including the largest uphill portion of the run. The big hill from mile 2-3 beat my legs up a bit and I was slowed to about 6:30 pace for the rest of the run. I could see that some of the pure runners were starting to work their way through the field once I reached the turn around at the first out and back. I knew that half the race was over and it was time to go to work. The HR started to rise quite a bit, a great sign so deep into the race. I was able to bring it up to 180-185 and settle into a pace for a few miles. We ran past the finish line and there was a 0.4 mi out and back that went downhill and turned around to come back uphill to the finish. I knew that if I could hammer down the hill without being caught, that all I would have to do is jack the HR through the roof and get home. On the uphill to the finish, I reached 191 bpm which is just about a max for me. The only time I have seen higher since I started Ironman training was in a pure running race of 8k or less. Certainly a new high for 10k at the end of an olympic. It was great to come through the finishing chute solo and wait for the resuts of the other wave to see if I had won my first big Olympic distance tri. Results were funny but it turns out that 2:03:45 was fast enough to win it that day. The weather held out great for us and I couldn't have been more pleased with the results.

Things are looking right on track for Musselman and Mont-Tremblant. I cannot thank Tim Snow and QT2 Systems enough for teaching me what endurance training is really about this year. I look forward to more PR and fun racing. I also would like to thank my friends and family for their understanding and support as I make sacrifices each week. I could not make it through the long, tiring, blocks of training without being joined by my awesome training partners and friends. I assure you that your efforts are in the back of my mind as I suffer in the late stages of a race. My trust in my run form is courtesy of RunSmart and the great work they are doing helping athletes become more efficient and less injury prone. Finally, I want to give a big shout out to my sponsor X2 Performance for believing in what I'm doing as they send me to Ironman Florida in November. Be sure to check this company out and use the coupon code "Daniel" at checkout for a $5 discount. I look forward to racing on the X2 Performance Triathlon Team for the remainder of the season.

*Places reflect standing within the race at the end of each leg, not ranking based on split time.

My Best Run: Why I Tri

It's 7:30 pm on a Tuesday night and I am just settling into the beginning of a 2:10 brick. The workout itself was a typical weekday session: Ride 1:35 @ Z1 with two 30 minute, low cadence, efforts in Z2 followed by a 0:30 run @ Z1 with the first mile @ Z2.

The ride went extremely well and I was finally able to realize some of the power gains I have been making as this was my first power session where I was allowed to exceed Z1. Happy with the results of the ride, I threw on some running gear and went to put my Garmin outside while I put on my shoes. Immedaitely upon opening the door, I saw it was thundering, lightening, and absolutely pouring rain; a realization I had missed over my blaring music in my basement. At that moment, I knew there were three directions this workout could go.

Seeing that it was already past 9:00pm, I could have easily jumped in the shower and climbed in bed at a decent hour. If you know anything about me and my level of commitment to this racing season, skipping the run was never anything more than merely a fantasy that would never come to fruition, leaving me with two options based purely on the attitude I chose to carry through the run. I could have felt sorry for myself, trudged through the slop, and had a purely miserable time. Instead, I threw on some old running shoes, a rain jacket, and a headlamp and bounded outside, allowing myself to open up to the top of Z2 in my first mile.
If you read my most recent post, Base Phase Finally Completed, you might expect me to dissect my performance in this run and report on some substantial breakthrough I had regarding heart rate or mile pace. Take a look at the Garmin file, you won't find anything spectacular happening performance wise.

Did I have great splits?

I was happy to open up my stride a little bit and have a decent mile but I have certainly run much faster off the bike. It was nice to see my HR in check off of a hard bike workout for the first time this season. Otherwise, that first mile had a nice downhill section and the rest of the run at Z1 was unimpressive.

Did the weather play a role in my enjoyment?

Remember that it was 45 degrees, pouring rain (0.53 in), wind gusts up to 38 mph, and 9:xx pm on a weeknight. When I finished the run, I couldn't have been more drenched had I jumped in the pool. My shoes weighed 5lbs each, my hands were very cold, and I could have itched a whole through my skin from the road chemicals coating my body. The weather had nothing more to do with the workout than the opportunity it afforded me to think about simpler things in life like splashing through puddles as a child.

Was the route special?

In no way, shape, or form was this route anything special. It consisted of 9 turns which followed a somewhat rectangular route, commencing exactly where it terminated, on roads I traverse daily. That is all.

What was it that inspired a blog entry the day after the last entry?
I have always used exercise as a stress relief tool. Nothing clears my mind like being alone with the road and my thoughts. The greatest part about this time I cherish so much is that often times, solutions to problems jump into my mind without consciously weighing in on them. I cannot tell you how many times the solution to a math problem set appeared to me while on a run. It became a tempo run to get home and record my thoughts before they escaped me. As a matter of fact, I wrote the majority of this post in my head while I was on the road last night.

The past year of my life has been a pivotal one to say the least. I have finished my graduate studies, I am pursuing a career as a teacher most likely far South of New York and I have lost one of my closest friends during what was supposed to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. In September of 2011, I tapered for Ironman Syracuse 70.3 and snagged a qualifying slot for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas. Weeks before the race, my varsity swimming coach was in an accident which eventually claimed his life. I sat poolside in Vegas, balling my eyes out on the phone with my friends and family after hearing the news that his condition was worsening and that we were probably going to lose him. Being so far from home feeling selfish for being on this wonderful trip made me feel guilty and selfish for going to the race under the circumstances back home. Two days before the race, I was crushed and could care less about the race or my performance. I have to throw a big thank you out to my friends and family for reminding me of something that I knew in the back of my mind the entire time.
I started this journey with Coach at the Musselman Half-Iron triathlon in Geneva. We were both competing in our first half, scared out of our minds as we had never attempted anything so crazy. We trained together and discussed strategies for completing the race successfully. Eerily enough, although we were nowhere near each other on the bike course, our bike splits were only separated by 7 seconds. I like to think that we rode together, just in separate locations, an idea that I hold on to and use as a coping mechanism. That year, it poured in Musselman and I thought it was only fitting that it was pouring as I mulled these things over in my head on the run last night.
My friends and family reminded me that Coach raced triathlon and shared the sport with me because it was one of the many thing she truly loved. Talking to his family, his love for the sport is apparent in the stories of the crazy hours he would wake up to fit training in to his busy schedule. I thought back to all the times he would shift around his schedule just so we could get out for an hour on the bike and enjoy the nice day, chatting about anything that came across our minds.
After a few phone calls, I decided that I had to be in Vegas, I had to go through with this race, and I needed to do it with a purpose. Coach would want me to have this experience and he would love to hear all about the results no matter how the race went for me.
Turns out I had a terrible race but I felt Coach with me through the hilly bike course, and 114 degree run course. I didn't want to be out there, I didn't want to suffer in the heat, and I certainly didn't want to drag myself through another run loop but Coach kept me going. I finished the race for Coach and all those who are not fortunate enough to be able to participate in this wonderful sport.
Fast forward a few months, and I find myself in the middle of a very focused build to Ironman Mont-Tremblant. My hectic schedule has left my days packed from the moment I wake up past the time I'd like to go to bed. I am coaching, teaching, and adding roughly 20 hours of training into the grind. I rarely have time to see my friends as my weekends involve 8+ hours of workouts and even more planning and equipment upkeep hours.
This level of commitment does not go unnoticed and I have been asked the same simple question incessantly:


Why are you doing this?
I knew triathlon was something important to me and that the goals I have set are meaningful. I knew physical fitness was important to me and that racing is a passion I share with a lot of great friends. I also knew that training and racing was something I used to love to share with Coach and my other friends. Nothing is more memorable than a road trip to some ridiculous test of human endurance and sharing stories the whole way back. When you share these experiences with people, you get a better understanding for who they are, seeing them at their rawest form, and appreciate the struggles they have overcome.
Last night, on my run, my answer to the question, why do I race?, came flowing to me like the water I was slopping through on the side of the road.

I race for Coach. I race because it is what Coach loved to do. I race and coach racing to carry on Coach's legacy. I race to remember the times we have shared and the person he has helped mold me into. I race because I enjoy the thrill of competition. Most importantly, I race to enjoy the fact that I am able to while there are many people who are unable. I remind myself why I race every day as I carry around my favorite picture of Coach and me. I keep a picture of Coach in my bike box, I carry him around on my clipboard, I have him in a frame on my desk,and my bike is the loudest green I have ever seen in my life to support Grant's Gang. If I ever doubt why I am running through the rain or bundling up to go out for a ride when it's snowing, a reminder of my reasons for getting out there is never far away.

To me, triathlon is much more than pushing your body to the limit and suffering through misery. It's creating goals for yourself and developing a healthy lifestyle to help achieve those goals. It's learning how to become comfortable dealing with uncomfortable situations and coming out the other side a stronger, wiser person. Triathlon teaches me that situations can be experienced a number of different ways  Triathlon provides a temporary escape from the problems in my life and acts as a tool to help devise a solution to those problems. Triathlon acts as a facilitator to meet great people who share my passion. Triathlon makes me a saner, more levelheaded person.

I have big goals for the 2013 season, which I will keep to myself. More-so than any season before, these goals are not lofty ideas that I hope to be able to accomplish at some point without an idea how to bridge the gap from my current self to my ideal self. My goals this season were developed from past results, are verified by my training, and have become my expectation. Anything less is unacceptable as I know these are things I can accomplish this season.

At the end of the day, I can hang my hat on the idea that, chances are, none of my competitors were willing to go outside in a thunderstorm, in the pouring 45 degree rain, until 9:40pm to finish up a simple 0:35 run off the bike. This is the type of dedication I have assumed. When it comes time to drop the hammer with an hour left in Ironman Mont-Tremblant I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I have put in the work and I am capable of bringing it home hard. Even more comforting is knowing that Coach will be with me the entire way, protecting me and carrying me through any misfortunes that find me. It breaks my heart knowing he will not be there to greet me at the finish line or help me sort out what happened on the course. I will have to accept the fact that he will be with me every step of the way in spirit, just as he was in Vegas.

In the words of this wonderful role model, coach, mentor, and friend:

"Let's get after it, Danny!"

Minutes after crossing the finish line at IMLP 2011,
Coach's was the first familiar face I saw.
As always, sporting his infectious smile.

Base Phase Finally Completed!

This is the first season I have really followed strict guidelines for periodized training. I started the first of my base phases January 6 and followed my plan as closely as possible. If I weren't already, I became a master of time management packing my days full of teaching, taking graduate classes, training and acting as head coach of the Alden Varsity Swimming and Diving team. It was a miracle that some of the workouts were achieved. For a while, the only time I ran in the daylight was on the weekends. Every single weekday run I completed required a headlamp which was promptly traded for my bed sheets by the time the workouts was over.


The basic structure of my blocks are three weeks of building followed by a recovery week. At the end of each recovery week is a race to assess fitness gains. Three phases into my plan, I have been training for 12 weeks, have completed 3 running races (5k, 8k, 10k respectively) and am very much looking forward to some more exciting and taxing workouts. I'm sure I will be eating those words in no time at all as my zones creep beyond Z1.
I have never spent all my time training in specific heart rate zones and it was amazing to see the changes in my body throughout the first 12 weeks. At the start of training, I hauled my body, plump from a long hibernation, onto my Withings scale and was appalled to see the damage: 183.2 lbs, 12% of which were body fat. I started to drag myself through workouts, excited to properly build an aerobic base for perhaps the first time in my life. I was absolutely astounded to see that 8 weeks in my weight dropped to near race weight: about 173 lbs and 8% body fat. At one point, I recorded metrics of 170.4 lbs and 7.4% body fat. Never before have I been so sleek this early in the season; a fact that I am reminded of as I shivered my way  through the winter and continued to do so in March.

Swim: 16:52:35 / 51350 yds        4280 yds/wk
Having a background in collegiate swimming, I am used to pounding through 13,000 meters/day (roughly 8 miles)  over training trip in January. With respect to the training I know my body can handle, my swimming in base has been an absolute joke. With a total of 51,350 yards in 12 weeks, averaging 4280 yards/week, the pool and I have grown apart. 51,000 yards was a very manageable volume to swim weekly in college and 4000 yards used to be the point in a practice where my body finally started to loosen up and get ready for the hard sets. I understand that triathlon training and competitive swimming are a light-year apart, although I am very surprised with how smooth, balanced, and powerful I feel in the water despite my lack of time spent there. I most recently recorded a 4:21 400 yard TT where I negative split the swim, something I rarely do at max effort. This is a far cry from the 5:15 500s I used to repeat in sets, although this fitness has been achieved without intervals, speedwork, and obviously few hours logged in the pool. The swim is not something I am worried about at all in my races, I'm just glad to see it isn't completely vanishing despite my neglect of training in the water. Come August, I fully expect to see anything from 52-57 despite the condition I show up in. I'll let the rest take care of itself from here.

Bike: 83:54:32 / 1431.42 mi.     119.29 mi/wk 
Indoor cycling has taken on a whole new meaning for me this winter. I used to think that 3 hours in a week, done as three one-hour sessions was adequate. Once in my life prior to this winter I had suffered through 3 hours on the trainer and decided never to do that again and froze outside. I made sure I had the correct equipment this Winter. Many people get hung up on equipment and I am certainly one of them although I truly believe that with the right indoor setup, trainer workouts can be very enjoyable. Of my 1400 miles completed in base, I have only been outside three times, totaling roughly 150 miles. That left roughly 1300 miles on the trainer in 2013. If I can go as far as to consider myself a trainer veteran, I have a few suggestions to make your time spent spinning more enjoyable.
First and foremost, a nice, smooth, solid trainer is a must. The Kurt Kinetic continues to earn my seal of approval each and every time I lock into it. This trainer is expensive when purchased at retail, thank you chainlove (throwback!), but it is completely worth it if you plan to spend any kind of time on the trainer. The base is so solid that it doesn't even think about moving while I am pumping 1000+ watts into it during intervals.The flywheel is smooth and unlike any other trainer I have had the displeasure of using.First and foremost, a nice, smooth, solid trainer is a must. The Kurt Kinetic continues to earn my seal of approval each and every time I lock into it. This trainer is expensive when purchased at retail, thank you chainlove (throwback!), but it is completely worth it if you plan to spend any kind of time on the trainer. The base is so solid that it doesn't even think about moving while I am pumping 1000+ watts into it during intervals.The flywheel is smooth and unlike any other trainer I have had the displeasure of using.

In order to avoid scratching your eyeballs out and banging your head against your aerobars, entertainment is a must! I turned my basement into a multimedia command station that I can control via a bluetooth mouse without coming close to leaving the trainer. I can access Spotify, Netflix, movies on my computer, TrainerRoad, the television, bumping speakers, blacklights, and for a short while, Google+ Hangouts but more on that in a moment. It's amazing how a change in stimulus can help a rough hour or two in a four-hour ride pass.
One of the major keys in staying focused on my workout and not my misery was setting up a whiteboard with my goals and protocols for each workout. On my whitebaord, I include heart rate goals, low cadence efforts, 30-second pickups in all workouts over 1:00 and sometimes quotes. A 2:10 ride, which has happened more weekdays than I want to know, feels like 45 minutes when you're focused on keeping yourself in check, following the Sabres game, and setting up songs for intermission.
My most important trainer tip is to find company whether virtually or in real life. For a while, the Buffalo Triathlon Club had a number of members who logged onto Google+ Hangouts Thursday nights at 7pm so we could chat as we worked through our workouts. It was kind of a silly setup but it was really nice to know that other people were out there putting work in with you. The outfits, virtual props, and encouragement through tough intervals were also very much appreciated. While those sessions eventually faded out for whatever reason, they allowed me to become consistent and learn how to enjoy myself on the trainer. It also helps that two of my friends have their trainers and bikes set up in my basement and they like to jump on my on a regular basis.
Before I knew it, I was completing four-hour sessions, calling 2 hour weekday sessions "quick rides", and finding myself excited to jump on the trainer to hang out with some tunes and training partners. I was a little shocked to see that on a consistent basis, I was putting in 8-10 trainer hours per week. These hours are hours I will never get back in my life but I am sure that they will be very much appreciated once the racing season is upon us and I'm laying down some sexy numbers on the bike. The addition of a new member in my fleet of bikes will play a major role in my racing this year. She has been flawless so far and spoke her name during her first ride outside, GrAce!

Run: 46:10:55 / 334.14 mi.       27.85 mi/wk
The running volume has somewhat snuck up on me. Last season I was consistently running 35-45 miles per week from December through May. Those miles took a tole on my body and left my injured through October. My workouts are based on time this year and I'm rarely paying attention to how far I am running. A few weeks into my training, I realized that I was running 30+ miles per week and it felt like nothing. A focus on time, HR and most importantly running mechanics, has left me feeling happier, fitter, and much more healthy than previous seasons. My RunSmart analysis allowed me to focus on a few areas of my running to improve speed and resilience to injury. Running still feels the same (striking pavement, muscle stress, etc) however I can now tell how I am carrying the load of my body and I know what to look for to make sure I am not tearing down my joints. The new running form I have been practicing allows my calves to take the brute of the force instead of my knees and ankles. Obviously, this lead to more muscle soreness through the calves while adapting. By design, it also allowed my knees and Achilles tendon to heal and remain stress free.
The volume is sure to increase during my build phase but I am most pleased with how well my body is adjusting now that I have a proper aerobic base. During a typical training run of about 10 miles my heart rate used to hover around the 150 mark and I'd run roughly 8:00 miles. Now that I have rebuilt my base, I can run sub 8 minute miles over the course of a 90 minute run without my heart rate ever exceeding 146. When my heart rate climbs to 156, the pace looks more like 7:15-7:30. I have a long way to go to reach the level of some of my teammates who can run 6:50 miles in zone 1 but I also understand that my zones are a bit lower than theirs so I may never achieve those speeds in zone 1 but I will be able to match it at the same HR at some point.
The race schedule has been finalized and can be found on this blog. It was a tough decision but I decided to bite the bullet and race Rev3 Williamsburg, VA on June 23rd. I have heard great things about the Rev3 races and look forward to testing my fitness against a strong field. It is a little disappointing that the bike course is longer than your typical Intermediate race at 28 miles. I would have liked to look for a PR at the distance but I will have to compared results based on pace. I expect to be at an entirely different level of fitness by this race and shouldn't have a problem laying down a good race even considering I will not have more than a few days rest heading into it.