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.

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.

2013 Arsenal: Weapons Added

It has been a while since I took the time to sit down and record my thought on training and racing. The winter months aren't very exciting, leaving me with little to comment about. The break in the weather and the thought of the 2013 season approaching find me far more inspired than years past.
The completion of my graduate studies have left things up in the air, with a few close calls in the months of February and March. The plan was to finish my master's degree, seek a permanent teaching position, and move out of state if it were required.
I graduated from UB in December and knew the job market for teaching in NY was garbage so I began to look out of state. For some reason, North Carolina seemed particularly appealing and I submitted applications to all the vacant positions I could find. I also took a look at the Virginia  Beach area, trying to land a job near Rusty Cat. Virginia Beach didn't have much going on but I received a job offer in Jacksonville, NC right away and chose to decline the position. After scoping out the area and the school, it did not feel like a good fit for me. A few weeks later, I received an offer from Wendell, NC located just East of Raleigh. This position appeared to be my dream position. 7th grade classroom, awesome location, great schedule, cooperative staff and administration, etc. The fact that the offer was late in the year, February, the county is not allowed to offer permanent contracts. It seemed like far too big of a risk to accept a position that could only be temporary, far away from home, when I have to be in NY racing all summer anyway. I decided to sit things out and wait until next school year - stress averted.

On to he racing side of things, I believe that I have a few weapons in my arsenal for the upcoming season.  I decided to start working with QT2 Systems at the end of the 2012 season. I have always coached myself and believed that I had a solid understanding of training principles and a fair amount of experience with the sport and its distinct disciplines however, I decided that it couldn't hurt to see if there was anything I could learn and I'm glad I did. QT2 is helping me see how the entire picture falls into place.

QT2 Systems Training Protocals:

QT2 is a company out of Boston, MA which specializes in training endurance athletes. I was first turned onto them from some local athletes who have worked with them and decided to bite the bullet after watching their athletes perform at Ironman Lake Placid. Not only did they have a number of professional athletes racing extremely well, their age group athletes were putting in phenomenal races. The biggest selling point for me was the fact that all of their athletes reported seemed to have the same story, "QT2 does things slightly differently but if you are patient and adhere to the protocols, your efficiency will improve tremendously."
I began working with them in early January, after a two month hibernation and a one month prep phase.I knew my aerobic system had some holes in it and I was looking for QT2 to make the system sound. Immediately after receiving my training zones, I realized that I was really going to have to slow things down in my base phase. I started running my Z1 Efforts around 8:00 and within the first month, the paces had dropped to sub-7 miles. After my first race, the zones were adjusted to lower heart rates and I noticed the same effect again. An intial slowdown, keeping my HR in zone, led to the paces coming down at the prescribed heart rates. 10 weeks into my plan, I am running sub-8 miles and my engine is barely even turned on (HR 136-146). I'm sure that with time, these paces will continue to drop, as their goal is to become as fast and efficient in these zones as possible by race day.
Early March left me dealing with a cold for a little over a week so it was hard to see gains in my fitness although things are really starting to fall into place now that I have kicked the cold. My power is increasing dramatically on the bike in my zones and my running paces are starting to come down more. I believe in this system and cannot wait to see the results in Musselman and Ironman Mont-Tremblant. I have seen, firsthand, the damage that QT2 athletes deliver at races, and I cannot wait to be a part of that mayhem.
In March, I have already dropped to racing weight, and my body composition seems to be changing drastically.

RunSmart Running Analysis:

My  2012 season was plagued with injury. In my early season training, I had patellar tendonitis. Later in the season, I developed some Achilles issues which stayed with me through Ironman Lake Placid, Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Vegas, Pain in the Alleghanies, and The Great Lakes 100 Mile Triathlon. The injury is not to say that I couldn't run or that I was not pleased with some of the run splits I recorded in the late season however I do believe it impacted my training and created a ceiling for my race potential. I had attributed the injuries to not taking the time to stretch frequently enough, but I am now convinced the issues were directly related to running form.
I took advantage of a Black Friday deal with RunSmart. Since I was planning on getting an analysis at some point, the deal made the opportunity one I could not pass up. I recorded my running form and sent it into Steve Gonser who quickly analyzed it and get back to me with detailed instructions on improvements I could make. Through his video tutorial session, he taught me to pay attention to things I had never looked for in a running stride. Being a math brain, I appreciated the way he used physics and clear explanations to describe the different forces acting on the foot, leg, body, and how we can tweak our run form to not only limit the braking forces, but to maximize our efficiency and work with the ground and our bodies to run fast.
A single 30 minute session based on a 30 second clip of my running form showed me that I was overstriding and lacked knee drive and trunk rotation. It was interesting to see that my footstrike was considerably different on opposite feet. I have been working on the tips that Steve gave me and I never feel any issues with my knees or Achilles. The changes in my running form allow my body to support itself through the muscular system instead of the skeletal system, as I used to put a lot of stress on my bones. I am intrigued to see how my running improves, especially at longer distances, while keeping Steve's pointers in mind. If you have never had a running analysis, get one! I was a runner all my life as a soccer player, track athlete, cross country athlete, and triathlete. It's unbelievable to see and feel the changes that one session of running analysis can make.
Big shout out to Steve Gonser at RunSmart for all of his help and a happier, stronger, injury-free version of me!

Trek Speed Concept 9 Series:

My final weapon for the upcoming season is one of the most exciting, I mean, who doesn't love a new bike? The number one woman in my life, Cecilia, is no longer happy with me due to the fact that I've been spending a lot of time with her new, younger brother; who has yet to be named. As everybody knows, it will take at least one desolate outdoor ride in the countryside before my new steed whispers it's name from underneath me. I have a few more adjustments to make until I can cruise down the pavement with my new ride but that day is quickly approaching.
I found my new Trek Speed Concept 9.5 at a fantastic price and bought it on somewhat of an impulse. I knew that an XL speed concept frame is comparable to a 58, which is a tad on the large side for me but the amount of adjustment on the bike allowed me to dial in my position and the bike feels great. I will always have an issue dragging around excess frame from a weight perspective, although I understand that this bike is an upgrade from Cecilia and is the best I can do for this season and possibly next. Once I land a permanent teaching job, I can start setting some money aside for an even more superbike. In the meantime, I will proudly mount my new ride, in Grants Gang green, at my big races this year and hope to see some improvements over last season. I'm sure the 8-10 hours per week I have been spending on the trainer will have something to say about some fast bike splits, but a fully-integrated superbike certainly won't hurt the mixture. If you are unfamiliar with the technology of the 9 series Speed Concept, I highly suggest you take a look at how engineered bikes have come. Trek seems to have though of every detail, including plugs for the screw holes that enclose the front brake in the fork, unbelievable.