17 years....
I've been in the triathlon game for 17 years.....which seems like a lifetime ago from that first race at White Sands Missile Range in December of 1999.
I couldn't even guess at the number of miles, hard workouts, races, and dollars spent chasing PRs that have come and gone in that time.
But very recently....I could count something.....the number of heartbeats in pursuit of that goal.
My downward slide started (in retrospect) in the Summer of 2015. I had just come off a big and unexpected PR at the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3. I clipped over 20 minutes off my best time, even having done the Olympic distance race on the same course the day before. I was riding high....
As I prepped for Ironman Boulder I was certain that this was it....I was finally set to break through on a new 140.6 PR and put Ironman behind me forever.
But...that didn't happen.
Boulder was a disaster for me.....finishing in over 15 hours and struggling to stay upright on the run (walk). My visions of a PR came crashing down within the first 2 miles of said run. No matter...I slogged my way thru to finish....as if there were no other choice.
I never really bounced back from Boulder however. I signed up for races because I thought I should do them....but without any of the passion I formerly had. Most of these races ended up being DNS efforts as time and again I found a way not to get to the starting line. Some legitimate...some not so much.
My health was affected during this time....I was beset by a myriad of problems including anemia, low hematocrit, an out of whack thyroid, too much CO2 in the blood, etc. I took thyroid meds and iron for almost a year from 2015 into 2016 and have never felt worse. There were days that I literally could not stand up from the couch....and would sit there for hours because I couldn't summon the energy to move. I had little strength or motivation to train...much less race. Finally in October of 2016 I went off my meds a month prior to my annual physical. After seeing my doctor and having my labs done....my system seemed to have fixed itself...as most of my measures were right in line with where they should be for a guy my age. Mentally, I was thankful and excited....physically....I still had no real desire to train or race.
In a desperate attempt to motivate myself to train....I registered for the 2017 Ironman Galveston 70.3 in April of this year. I probably did enough training to finish the race.....but even that would be a stretch. Between a lack of discipline, motivation, and my disdain for riding my bike on the roads in and around Albuquerque, a legal finish was about the best I could hope for....up until 3 days prior to race day.
That Thursday I was teaching a sales training class in Houston when near the end of the seminar I suddenly had an acute and burning pain right in the center of my chest. I mentally acknowledged that something was going on as I continued to talk to the class. In seconds the wave of pain and burning radiated outward through my entire torso. I remember thinking "Shit, I'm going to drop dead in front of this class....what a way to end the day". I was forced to sit on the table at the front of the room while I continued talking....and within 30 seconds the pain, but not the fear, subsided.
This had been the 3rd instance of this similar issue in the past few months and I made the decision not to race. I came home and told my wife what had happened.
I made an appointment to see my primary care doc and during the time he was listening to my heart he stopped....stood straight up....then resumed listening. He called his MA in administer an EKG which showed my heart had an abnormal beat every 4th stroke. These PVCs or premature ventricular contractions are about the most benign cardiac issues you can have (if you're going to have one) but they can be very painful....and when you don't know what's going on.....very scary.
I was directed to see a cardiologist and underwent a stress test, 2 abdominal ultrasounds, I wore a Holter monitor for 24 hours, and waited for the results.
The good news is, PVCs on their own probably won't kill you. I went thru a 4 day period where it felt like my heart was going to push out the side of my ribcage, and was wracked by pain in my chest more or less constantly. The Holter test showed my heart threw off about 4500 extra out of time beats in 24 hours that it wasn't supposed to.....but the threshold for treatment is 20,000-30,000 per day.
That's the good news....
The bad news is....I probably did this to myself. The years of continued long distance training...with too much racing and too little recovery have built up scar tissue on my heart. That scar tissue impedes the electrical signals that tell the heart when to beat and in the correct sequence. My cardiologist could not say with certainty that this was the complete cause of my issue...as age also plays a role, but he also could not say it wasn't the cause.
I've been released to full activity with no restrictions.....although that surprised me.
PVCs tend to improve with exercise. Now, if I were to go back to what I did for the past 17 years, I'd probably continue to damage my heart to the point of creating more and worse issues....but I'm guessing they don't think a 53 year old guy can continue to keep up that pace until I reach 70....so age is going to naturally limit how much more damage I can do.
This all comes to light as more and more research points to the fact that extreme endurance training is doing us no favors. Many of the endurance athletes I know in my general age bracket are now beset by some form of cardiac issue. My cardiologist related a recent study that showed one single marathon does as much damage to the heart as open heart surgery does. What we see as making us better is also making us worse.
Why are we just finding out about these issues now? My theory is that ultra endurance racing didn't really hit the mainstream until the mid to late 90s when Ironman became the drug of choice for so many athletes. We simply didn't have the sample size prior to that to see such a concentration of cardiac damage. Now the chickens have come home to roost and we can see what athletes have done to themselves.
I'm not preaching here. Please do whatever it is that you want to do.....but understand the risks. Had I been satisfied with 2 Ironman races rather than 9 (with 2 DNFs) and probably 25 half irons.....I might not be where I am today. Hindsight, of course...is almost always 20/20.
So....I'm clear to train and race again...and truth be told, I'm embarrassed to do it. I'm almost 20 pounds over my racing weight and frustratingly slow in all 3 disciplines compared to where I was 2 years ago. I'm so far removed from the time and shape I was in when I "enjoyed" racing....that I'll probably have to learn to "enjoy" something else about it....or risk never doing it again.
All of this I have done to myself....and I am not seeking any pity....or even understanding.
My tale is merely one of caution....use it as you will. Everything in moderation is not only good advice, but it might be a lifesaver.
I'll get out there and flounder around on a race course sometime soon.....and it ain't gonna be pretty. But then again....that's just how I started 17 years and 60 pounds ago....so maybe, just maybe...this is a new beginning? That sure seems like a better option than a certain end.
Peace....
ambassador
Monday, May 8, 2017
Friday, September 18, 2015
A Peleton Of One
I tried Albuquerque, I really tried.
I gave second, third, fifteenth chances to you and your crappy drivers to win me back to riding my bike on the roads...but I'm done. I've trained and raced all over the country.....and have never, NEVER found a place with drivers that are so careless, so angry, and drive with such wanton disregard for the lives of others. Say what you will....but my experience says this place sucks for cycling....and it's getting worse.
My last attempt to give Abq another chance was this week with my wife. We headed out on an easy 90 minute ride that was half on the bosque trail and half on the roads. Not 1 mile into our ride a woman ran a stop sign on a side street in a quiet neighborhood and barely stopped before running into us. She even let up on the brakes when she saw that we would probably make it by unscathed and surged closer to us. There wasn't an ounce of remorse, or even recognition, that she'd almost taken us out....just another day in her self absorbed life of society getting in the way of things she needs to get done. While riding on the bike path adjacent to Paseo Del Norte, and with our backs to traffic and doing nothing but riding our bikes and talking, a car flies by on Paseo and a red faced, spittle spraying sub-human screams at us from the top of his lungs FUUUUUUUCKKKK YOOUUUUUUUU!!!!!
I guess the air we were breathing belonged to him....because that's the only thing I can imagine would make him act that way toward complete strangers who were 50 feet off the road and had never seen him before in his life. If this were the end of the ride story, it would be bad enough....but in the last mile of our ride, on a main artery with a bike lane and a 40MPH speed limit, someone in a Mustang buzzed me in the bike lane doing 65MPH within two feet. Had I swerved to avoid a rock or a crack....I'd be writing this to you from the grave.
Fuck you Albuquerque and your awful drivers...I'm done.
Lest you think I'm being too hasty....my LAST ride before this was one where a woman on her phone ran 25 feet into the intersection I was legally crossing on my bike, screamed FUCK YOU! at me and then when the light turned, intentionally tried to run me down with her car....getting close enough that I could have opened the passenger side door as she blew by.
Fuck you Albuquerque and your awful, hateful, drunken, distracted, and just plain bad drivers...I'm done.
So, where does that leave me? If I could move tomorrow, I would. There are situations that keep us here for the next few years....and unless those change, we won't be going anywhere.
I told my wife that I'd be selling my bikes when we returned from this week's ride....but after thinking about it, I don't want to give up something I love because of people filled with such hate.
So, no more riding on the road for me. I'm investing in a Wahoo Kickr trainer and using Zwift software to train indoors. I'll need to adjust my races accordingly.....so no more IM or 70.3 races in my career. I can effectively train for an Olympic or Sprint race indoors....so those local races will be my focus going forward. Since I'm still a Cat 5 road racer, I believe I can still have an effective training plan to get me thru the NM spring races that I planned on doing next season. Bike handling will be an issue, but I've always been a pretty good bike handler. There is a 4 mile trail that climbs past the volcanoes by our house, so if I need to ride outside I guess that's as far as I go. I can drive my bike to Balloon Fiesta Park next year and do some crit training on those closed roads.
I'll have to do more with less.....but I'm not giving up something I love simply because half of the drivers on NM roads think I should be dead.....and are all too willing to contribute to that end.
Lest you think I'm being too harsh, or too reactionary....I've ridden in this town for the last 16 years. More and more ghost bikes dot the landscape and I don't intend on one of those being mine. Wherever you live...do you have to ride armed to make sure you're safe? I do.....
So....I've officially become a peleton of 1. But you'll see me still out there racing because it's what I love, it's what I do, and it's not something I'm willing to give up.
For my friends that do still ride on the road, have fun, be safe, and keep your head on a swivel. I'm jealous of you.....but not so much that I'll be joining you.
Fuck you Albuquerque.......
I gave second, third, fifteenth chances to you and your crappy drivers to win me back to riding my bike on the roads...but I'm done. I've trained and raced all over the country.....and have never, NEVER found a place with drivers that are so careless, so angry, and drive with such wanton disregard for the lives of others. Say what you will....but my experience says this place sucks for cycling....and it's getting worse.
My last attempt to give Abq another chance was this week with my wife. We headed out on an easy 90 minute ride that was half on the bosque trail and half on the roads. Not 1 mile into our ride a woman ran a stop sign on a side street in a quiet neighborhood and barely stopped before running into us. She even let up on the brakes when she saw that we would probably make it by unscathed and surged closer to us. There wasn't an ounce of remorse, or even recognition, that she'd almost taken us out....just another day in her self absorbed life of society getting in the way of things she needs to get done. While riding on the bike path adjacent to Paseo Del Norte, and with our backs to traffic and doing nothing but riding our bikes and talking, a car flies by on Paseo and a red faced, spittle spraying sub-human screams at us from the top of his lungs FUUUUUUUCKKKK YOOUUUUUUUU!!!!!
I guess the air we were breathing belonged to him....because that's the only thing I can imagine would make him act that way toward complete strangers who were 50 feet off the road and had never seen him before in his life. If this were the end of the ride story, it would be bad enough....but in the last mile of our ride, on a main artery with a bike lane and a 40MPH speed limit, someone in a Mustang buzzed me in the bike lane doing 65MPH within two feet. Had I swerved to avoid a rock or a crack....I'd be writing this to you from the grave.
Fuck you Albuquerque and your awful drivers...I'm done.
Lest you think I'm being too hasty....my LAST ride before this was one where a woman on her phone ran 25 feet into the intersection I was legally crossing on my bike, screamed FUCK YOU! at me and then when the light turned, intentionally tried to run me down with her car....getting close enough that I could have opened the passenger side door as she blew by.
Fuck you Albuquerque and your awful, hateful, drunken, distracted, and just plain bad drivers...I'm done.
So, where does that leave me? If I could move tomorrow, I would. There are situations that keep us here for the next few years....and unless those change, we won't be going anywhere.
I told my wife that I'd be selling my bikes when we returned from this week's ride....but after thinking about it, I don't want to give up something I love because of people filled with such hate.
So, no more riding on the road for me. I'm investing in a Wahoo Kickr trainer and using Zwift software to train indoors. I'll need to adjust my races accordingly.....so no more IM or 70.3 races in my career. I can effectively train for an Olympic or Sprint race indoors....so those local races will be my focus going forward. Since I'm still a Cat 5 road racer, I believe I can still have an effective training plan to get me thru the NM spring races that I planned on doing next season. Bike handling will be an issue, but I've always been a pretty good bike handler. There is a 4 mile trail that climbs past the volcanoes by our house, so if I need to ride outside I guess that's as far as I go. I can drive my bike to Balloon Fiesta Park next year and do some crit training on those closed roads.
I'll have to do more with less.....but I'm not giving up something I love simply because half of the drivers on NM roads think I should be dead.....and are all too willing to contribute to that end.
Lest you think I'm being too harsh, or too reactionary....I've ridden in this town for the last 16 years. More and more ghost bikes dot the landscape and I don't intend on one of those being mine. Wherever you live...do you have to ride armed to make sure you're safe? I do.....
So....I've officially become a peleton of 1. But you'll see me still out there racing because it's what I love, it's what I do, and it's not something I'm willing to give up.
For my friends that do still ride on the road, have fun, be safe, and keep your head on a swivel. I'm jealous of you.....but not so much that I'll be joining you.
Fuck you Albuquerque.......
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Surviving The Survival of the Shawangunks….
I did it….I'm a Survivor!
Roughly 14 years ago I read about this crazy race in New Paltz, NY called the Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon (www.sostriathlon.com). This 8 stage, point to point race is comprised of one 30 mile bike leg, and then 7 alternating run and swim legs where you must keep all of your gear with you with no outside aid. I was intrigued by the race and every couple of years I'd try to interest some of my tri friends to sign up with me. I got close a couple of times…..but every time, my friends bailed out before the Halloween night, midnight registration. The race is so remote that they only open 150 slots per year. Time after time, I thought to myself "next year….I'll find someone that wants to do this thing".
Finally, last October I decided that I was ever to do the race, I'd have to damn the torpedoes and do it on my own….otherwise I'd wake up someday and realize I wasn't able to anymore…best decision I ever made, by the way.
So as not to bore you with senseless details, I did some training on the course thanks to SOS veterans Mike Halstead, Phil Vondra, and Mike Vance. These guys gave me a preview of what I was in store for a month before the actual race. I trained back at home in New Mexico as best I could…approximating the conditions and transitions that I'd face on race day. I went back and forth on issues of wearing socks, using a dry bag, what shoes to run in, nutrition….but on race day, it all worked out. That's kind of the way the SOS goes…whatever you get on race day, you make the best of it.
Bike - 30 miles - The bike is a group wave start from the Ulster County Fairgrounds where I'd met my super crew Susan Ann Glass who graciously volunteered to help me out at this year's race. Race check in is easy…give your name at the registration table, get your body marked and get your bike. You never come back to the fairgrounds so there is no transition to set up. I was in the 5th wave with about 20-25 guys and when our time came….the gun went off…and so did we. I planned a very conservative ride so as to prepare for the 7 additional legs of the race…..and I assumed most of the guys who had done the race before would do the same….man was I wrong! When the gun went off…..so did about 20 of the guys in my wave….blasting up the road as if it were a time trial. Within 2 miles the last couple of stragglers had passed me and I was in dead last in my wave. I couldn't believe it! I was riding at 21+ mph and getting dropped like a bad habit. I'm generally one of the stronger cyclists in my AG so I got concerned that maybe they knew something I didn't…but decided to stay with my plan and ride easy. Within another few miles I began catching some of the guys in my wave…as well as some from previous waves….most of the ride is on quiet country roads with little traffic….and the first 25 miles would be considered flat to slightly rolling. I was putting very little effort into keeping the wheels turning and feeling well within my capabilities. The last 5 miles climbs about 1000 vertical feet to Minnewaska State Park…where your crew will help you transition to run #1. The climb is pretty steady with 3 areas where it flattens out a bit. I enjoyed the climb more than the rest of the ride and had a small group that I was going back and forth with as we approached the park. The last bit is a bit steeper….maybe 5-6% for a mile…but nothing earthshaking. I realize I rode too conservatively this time…even though I'd ridden the course in training. I wound up shipping my road bike out for the race as I couldn't fit my new QR in the bike case without taking the aerobars off the base bars. I didn't have much time after my arrival to build the bike and wanted to make sure everything was adjusted right. Next time I'll find a way to get my tri bike out there as that would have been the correct choice for the race.
Run #1 - Your crew grabs your bike at the park entrance and guides you to where they've set up your transition area. After the fact I saw this picture of my T1 and laughed at how pitiful it was compared to my friend Amy's (blue towel)…
but as noted, whatever you take from here…you carry to the finish line. I sprayed on some sunscreen….threw on my Altra One2s and headed out on the 4.5 mile run. This run felt great…my legs were responding well and the temps were still pretty cool (although still very humid). The first big test is a hill called Cardiac which looks to be about .75 miles long at about 13-15%. I knew I'd walk it (and did) but resumed running at the top. The only real technical section of the entire run course is the trail around the lake to the first swim start….rocks, roots, grass with rocks underneath…I paid careful attention and avoided any mishaps.
Swim #1 - This 1.1 mile swim in Lake Awosting was the one giving me nightmares. The distance didn't worry me…I've swum 2.4 miles sans wetsuit in the Ohio River twice…it was the cramps that everyone said I'd have that worried me. At the entry point…a narrow strip of dirt leading downhill to the lake, a few athletes bunched up…no one seeming to want to go first. I just jumped in with my shoes on….then took them off while I was in waist deep water. I put my socks and headband into the shoes, shoved the shoes up the back of my shorts and put on my swim cap and goggles. Mistake #1…didn't clean the anti fog goo well enough from my goggles and was blind in my left eye within 100 yards. At 250 yards the stinging was getting unbearable so I swam for shallow water to stand up and clean them out. That's the point I realized that not only did we have kayak support…but scuba divers standing at the ready as well. I've NEVER been at a race with that kind of swim safety in place. I swam off along the shoreline…..there were no buoys and none were needed…..you just swim along the far shore to the exit point. I did start to develop some cramps a bit past the halfway point…..some of them my fault. I didn't shove my left shoe far enough up the back of my leg…so it was hitting behind my knee and causing an unnatural motion. That was giving me issues….and I made a mental note to do a better job on the next swims of setting my shoes properly. The water is crystal clear….you could see trees and rocks at the bottom 20 foot below you….much different than most races I've done (where you probably don't want to know what's 20 foot below you). At the swim exit, in shallow water…it was like a MASH unit…athletes laying the water unable to stand up due to cramping. It was a shallow water exit and I willed myself to get up and out. I had prepared to put my shoes on while in the water but I just couldn't do it as my hamstrings, feet, and calves traded places in causing searing pain. I hobbled onto the shore and took the advice of one of the many wonderful volunteers "keep moving!….that's the only way to get rid of those cramps"..so I did….and it did work.
Run #2 - 5.5 miles up to Castle Rock and down to the next swim. I ran about 1/2 mile with no socks as I let my Altras drain….constantly wringing out my socks in the process. I had planned to bring 2 dry pair in baggies with me….but I decided on just one which I left tucked safely in my jersey. What I found was that Drymax socks drain out quickly and by just squeezing the water out for a minute I was able to sit on a rock, put the socks and shoes back on…and the water issue never bothered me. I've got to give credit to Altra for designing some amazing shoes…because not only are the One2s light, but they are stable on the gravel trails, drain water very quickly, and I did not get ONE blister or hot spot for the entire 19 miles of running. Thanks Altra! As expected, the water cooled my body temperature and the boost I got from that lasted about 2 miles on the uphill to the lookout at Castle Rock. There was an aid station there (and incredible views) where I fueled up and started the rolling downhill to the next swim. This is the portion of the race that gets kind of lonely as athletes are spread out…you don't have much company on the trails. I'd run for 10, even 20 minutes and not see another soul….but the scenery was beautiful and the feeling of finally getting to do this race was pushing me ahead.
Swim #2 - .5 miles in Lake Minnewaska (really?..seemed longer…and the SOS Facebook page even has it listed at .7 miles). This swim goes straight across the lake. The SOS crew stretches a yellow rope attached to buoys the entire way so sighting is very easy…just swim along the cable. I was with/around 2 other guys on this swim and did a better job of getting my shoes tucked up correctly to avoid the issued I had in Awosting. I started getting cramps in my toes…..which were an inconvenience but not really a serious issue….but my shoulder was another story entirely. I've got bad shoulders…but have had ZERO issues in training and all summer with them. Somehow about halfway thru this swim my left shoulder started aching badly and I wondered if I'd have to lay on my back for the final swim in Mohonk….then I started developing cramps in my forearms too. None of these were the scary "I might sink to the bottom" variety that I feared in my legs….but they gave me something to strategize about once I exited the lake. The lake exit has a rock shelf and the volunteer gave me great advice to sit for a minute and get my bearings before trying to stand up. I did….and used the rocks to get my shoes (again, sans socks) on. It was here that Susan Ann and her friends had come to cheer Amy and I out of the water and it so nice to hear someone yelling for me….up until the point that Susan yelled "This isn't a picnic Michael, get going!!" She shocked me out of my comfy seat and off I ran…
Run #3 - 8 miles - After a steep, paved downhill run to the trail….you cross a beautiful waterfall for the longest run of the race. I got my socks on and headed off for what I had hoped would be a pretty flat run. The first 4 miles are flat…..with aid stations every 2 miles or so. Once we hit the mile 4 aid station the trail started going up. Not steeply…..but not ever letting up. I was starting to feel the fatigue by this point and so I decided to walk until the trail leveled out…..which it never did. This is the domain of the rock climbers of the Shawangunks…with climbers carrying their gear along the trail by the dozens…I continued to wait in vain for some flats but approaching the next big challenge…a hill called Godzilla, they never appeared. After cresting Godzilla (about .7 miles at maybe 12-13%) we had a short run to where a volunteer guided us off the gravel trails to some dirt that would lead us downhill to the final swim.
Swim #3 - Lake Mohonk .5 miles - I was so glad to be back in the water…..it was starting to heat up and the 71 degree water felt amazing. Again, the same drill….lose the shoes, tuck them up tight in your shorts, get your cap and goggles on and swim. This swim seemed like .5 miles and you could see the Mohonk House hotel (a grand site to behold) every time you looked up to sight. The race was very spread out here….I don't think I saw another swimmer the entire time I was in this lake. Approaching the finish you see a rock wall with volunteers at the top. There is another underwater rock ledge that you are guided to….and the volunteers talk you up the wall which you have to climb to exit the lake. It sounds like a lot but it's probably only 6-7 feet high. At the top there are benches to put your shoes on for the final run to the Survivor's Line. Again…Susan Ann and friends were here cheering which was a welcome boost after 50 miles…
Run #4 - .7 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain to the Skytop Tower - Susan snapped a couple of pictures as I got ready to charge up the hill. A few people had decided to skip putting their shoes on which I assume they'd regret as this was a steep gravel patch with rocks, steps, and who knows what else. All I knew was I was close to being a Survivor and didn't want to walk anymore….I started chugging up the hill doing my best impression of someone running. Since the path is the only way down….finishers and their families were walking down…but every time a runner approached they'd move to the side of the trail and start cheering you up. I had one guy in front of me who was doing some good pace setting for the first half…..but he started walking the steps. There wasn't really anyplace to pass and I didn't want to be a jerk and ask him to move aside so I just stayed on his heels as we worked our way up. There is a series of 6-7 rock steps near the top and suddenly the sky opens up as there is nothing higher to climb……you make a right turn and the line is 100 feet away. I was so pumped to finish this race after dreaming about it for years……I crossed the line and couldn't move another step for a minute or two. I am a Survivor!!
This is one of the most well supported races I've ever done…..the people and volunteers are crazy in love with the SOS race…and it shows. Although I was alone for much of my day I never felt alone because of the energy of this event. I had expected I could finish in about 6:15 but my actual time was about 7 hours…..I learned a few things that I'll use next time (yes…as long as I can get in, there WILL be a next time) :-)
1. Ride a bit harder and don't second guess myself.
2. Don't bother with anything that is not absolutely necessary. I didn't need extra socks, an inhaler, or a headband. Keep it as simple as possible. I'm not sure that wearing a jersey is even advisable (except for women I guess..) as the drag slows you down in the water…and without carrying anything extra I didn't really even need the pockets.
3. Speed up the transitions. I lost a lot of time getting in and out of the lakes. I'd wear shorts that didn't have a tight leg band so I could more easily get my shoes in there.
4. Do more long, climbing trail runs. I focused so much on the transitional training…in the water, out of the water…but never really ran more than 5K at a time between swims. I didn't need as much training running into and out of the lake…but I needed more trail time climbing…that would have helped on the 8 mile run leg. I'm sure I lost 15 minutes there…
5. Smile more (I'm just kidding) there was no way I could smile more than I did….this is a freaking amazing race that I can't wait to get back to. It's a race, a challenge, and a puzzle all in one.
Many, many thanks to my sponsors Altra Running Ambassador Team, Trisports.com, Xterra Wetsuits, Boston Bill Sunglasses and Endurance Obsession. I also wanted to say that I got major love for my Champion Systems EO racing kit which performed really well and got lots of praise for the Porsche Le Mans inspired graphics.
SOS Tri…I'll be back….I hope some of you will join me for the fun!
GO EO!!
Roughly 14 years ago I read about this crazy race in New Paltz, NY called the Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon (www.sostriathlon.com). This 8 stage, point to point race is comprised of one 30 mile bike leg, and then 7 alternating run and swim legs where you must keep all of your gear with you with no outside aid. I was intrigued by the race and every couple of years I'd try to interest some of my tri friends to sign up with me. I got close a couple of times…..but every time, my friends bailed out before the Halloween night, midnight registration. The race is so remote that they only open 150 slots per year. Time after time, I thought to myself "next year….I'll find someone that wants to do this thing".
Finally, last October I decided that I was ever to do the race, I'd have to damn the torpedoes and do it on my own….otherwise I'd wake up someday and realize I wasn't able to anymore…best decision I ever made, by the way.
So as not to bore you with senseless details, I did some training on the course thanks to SOS veterans Mike Halstead, Phil Vondra, and Mike Vance. These guys gave me a preview of what I was in store for a month before the actual race. I trained back at home in New Mexico as best I could…approximating the conditions and transitions that I'd face on race day. I went back and forth on issues of wearing socks, using a dry bag, what shoes to run in, nutrition….but on race day, it all worked out. That's kind of the way the SOS goes…whatever you get on race day, you make the best of it.
Bike - 30 miles - The bike is a group wave start from the Ulster County Fairgrounds where I'd met my super crew Susan Ann Glass who graciously volunteered to help me out at this year's race. Race check in is easy…give your name at the registration table, get your body marked and get your bike. You never come back to the fairgrounds so there is no transition to set up. I was in the 5th wave with about 20-25 guys and when our time came….the gun went off…and so did we. I planned a very conservative ride so as to prepare for the 7 additional legs of the race…..and I assumed most of the guys who had done the race before would do the same….man was I wrong! When the gun went off…..so did about 20 of the guys in my wave….blasting up the road as if it were a time trial. Within 2 miles the last couple of stragglers had passed me and I was in dead last in my wave. I couldn't believe it! I was riding at 21+ mph and getting dropped like a bad habit. I'm generally one of the stronger cyclists in my AG so I got concerned that maybe they knew something I didn't…but decided to stay with my plan and ride easy. Within another few miles I began catching some of the guys in my wave…as well as some from previous waves….most of the ride is on quiet country roads with little traffic….and the first 25 miles would be considered flat to slightly rolling. I was putting very little effort into keeping the wheels turning and feeling well within my capabilities. The last 5 miles climbs about 1000 vertical feet to Minnewaska State Park…where your crew will help you transition to run #1. The climb is pretty steady with 3 areas where it flattens out a bit. I enjoyed the climb more than the rest of the ride and had a small group that I was going back and forth with as we approached the park. The last bit is a bit steeper….maybe 5-6% for a mile…but nothing earthshaking. I realize I rode too conservatively this time…even though I'd ridden the course in training. I wound up shipping my road bike out for the race as I couldn't fit my new QR in the bike case without taking the aerobars off the base bars. I didn't have much time after my arrival to build the bike and wanted to make sure everything was adjusted right. Next time I'll find a way to get my tri bike out there as that would have been the correct choice for the race.
Run #1 - Your crew grabs your bike at the park entrance and guides you to where they've set up your transition area. After the fact I saw this picture of my T1 and laughed at how pitiful it was compared to my friend Amy's (blue towel)…
but as noted, whatever you take from here…you carry to the finish line. I sprayed on some sunscreen….threw on my Altra One2s and headed out on the 4.5 mile run. This run felt great…my legs were responding well and the temps were still pretty cool (although still very humid). The first big test is a hill called Cardiac which looks to be about .75 miles long at about 13-15%. I knew I'd walk it (and did) but resumed running at the top. The only real technical section of the entire run course is the trail around the lake to the first swim start….rocks, roots, grass with rocks underneath…I paid careful attention and avoided any mishaps.
Swim #1 - This 1.1 mile swim in Lake Awosting was the one giving me nightmares. The distance didn't worry me…I've swum 2.4 miles sans wetsuit in the Ohio River twice…it was the cramps that everyone said I'd have that worried me. At the entry point…a narrow strip of dirt leading downhill to the lake, a few athletes bunched up…no one seeming to want to go first. I just jumped in with my shoes on….then took them off while I was in waist deep water. I put my socks and headband into the shoes, shoved the shoes up the back of my shorts and put on my swim cap and goggles. Mistake #1…didn't clean the anti fog goo well enough from my goggles and was blind in my left eye within 100 yards. At 250 yards the stinging was getting unbearable so I swam for shallow water to stand up and clean them out. That's the point I realized that not only did we have kayak support…but scuba divers standing at the ready as well. I've NEVER been at a race with that kind of swim safety in place. I swam off along the shoreline…..there were no buoys and none were needed…..you just swim along the far shore to the exit point. I did start to develop some cramps a bit past the halfway point…..some of them my fault. I didn't shove my left shoe far enough up the back of my leg…so it was hitting behind my knee and causing an unnatural motion. That was giving me issues….and I made a mental note to do a better job on the next swims of setting my shoes properly. The water is crystal clear….you could see trees and rocks at the bottom 20 foot below you….much different than most races I've done (where you probably don't want to know what's 20 foot below you). At the swim exit, in shallow water…it was like a MASH unit…athletes laying the water unable to stand up due to cramping. It was a shallow water exit and I willed myself to get up and out. I had prepared to put my shoes on while in the water but I just couldn't do it as my hamstrings, feet, and calves traded places in causing searing pain. I hobbled onto the shore and took the advice of one of the many wonderful volunteers "keep moving!….that's the only way to get rid of those cramps"..so I did….and it did work.
Run #2 - 5.5 miles up to Castle Rock and down to the next swim. I ran about 1/2 mile with no socks as I let my Altras drain….constantly wringing out my socks in the process. I had planned to bring 2 dry pair in baggies with me….but I decided on just one which I left tucked safely in my jersey. What I found was that Drymax socks drain out quickly and by just squeezing the water out for a minute I was able to sit on a rock, put the socks and shoes back on…and the water issue never bothered me. I've got to give credit to Altra for designing some amazing shoes…because not only are the One2s light, but they are stable on the gravel trails, drain water very quickly, and I did not get ONE blister or hot spot for the entire 19 miles of running. Thanks Altra! As expected, the water cooled my body temperature and the boost I got from that lasted about 2 miles on the uphill to the lookout at Castle Rock. There was an aid station there (and incredible views) where I fueled up and started the rolling downhill to the next swim. This is the portion of the race that gets kind of lonely as athletes are spread out…you don't have much company on the trails. I'd run for 10, even 20 minutes and not see another soul….but the scenery was beautiful and the feeling of finally getting to do this race was pushing me ahead.
Swim #2 - .5 miles in Lake Minnewaska (really?..seemed longer…and the SOS Facebook page even has it listed at .7 miles). This swim goes straight across the lake. The SOS crew stretches a yellow rope attached to buoys the entire way so sighting is very easy…just swim along the cable. I was with/around 2 other guys on this swim and did a better job of getting my shoes tucked up correctly to avoid the issued I had in Awosting. I started getting cramps in my toes…..which were an inconvenience but not really a serious issue….but my shoulder was another story entirely. I've got bad shoulders…but have had ZERO issues in training and all summer with them. Somehow about halfway thru this swim my left shoulder started aching badly and I wondered if I'd have to lay on my back for the final swim in Mohonk….then I started developing cramps in my forearms too. None of these were the scary "I might sink to the bottom" variety that I feared in my legs….but they gave me something to strategize about once I exited the lake. The lake exit has a rock shelf and the volunteer gave me great advice to sit for a minute and get my bearings before trying to stand up. I did….and used the rocks to get my shoes (again, sans socks) on. It was here that Susan Ann and her friends had come to cheer Amy and I out of the water and it so nice to hear someone yelling for me….up until the point that Susan yelled "This isn't a picnic Michael, get going!!" She shocked me out of my comfy seat and off I ran…
Run #3 - 8 miles - After a steep, paved downhill run to the trail….you cross a beautiful waterfall for the longest run of the race. I got my socks on and headed off for what I had hoped would be a pretty flat run. The first 4 miles are flat…..with aid stations every 2 miles or so. Once we hit the mile 4 aid station the trail started going up. Not steeply…..but not ever letting up. I was starting to feel the fatigue by this point and so I decided to walk until the trail leveled out…..which it never did. This is the domain of the rock climbers of the Shawangunks…with climbers carrying their gear along the trail by the dozens…I continued to wait in vain for some flats but approaching the next big challenge…a hill called Godzilla, they never appeared. After cresting Godzilla (about .7 miles at maybe 12-13%) we had a short run to where a volunteer guided us off the gravel trails to some dirt that would lead us downhill to the final swim.
Swim #3 - Lake Mohonk .5 miles - I was so glad to be back in the water…..it was starting to heat up and the 71 degree water felt amazing. Again, the same drill….lose the shoes, tuck them up tight in your shorts, get your cap and goggles on and swim. This swim seemed like .5 miles and you could see the Mohonk House hotel (a grand site to behold) every time you looked up to sight. The race was very spread out here….I don't think I saw another swimmer the entire time I was in this lake. Approaching the finish you see a rock wall with volunteers at the top. There is another underwater rock ledge that you are guided to….and the volunteers talk you up the wall which you have to climb to exit the lake. It sounds like a lot but it's probably only 6-7 feet high. At the top there are benches to put your shoes on for the final run to the Survivor's Line. Again…Susan Ann and friends were here cheering which was a welcome boost after 50 miles…
Run #4 - .7 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain to the Skytop Tower - Susan snapped a couple of pictures as I got ready to charge up the hill. A few people had decided to skip putting their shoes on which I assume they'd regret as this was a steep gravel patch with rocks, steps, and who knows what else. All I knew was I was close to being a Survivor and didn't want to walk anymore….I started chugging up the hill doing my best impression of someone running. Since the path is the only way down….finishers and their families were walking down…but every time a runner approached they'd move to the side of the trail and start cheering you up. I had one guy in front of me who was doing some good pace setting for the first half…..but he started walking the steps. There wasn't really anyplace to pass and I didn't want to be a jerk and ask him to move aside so I just stayed on his heels as we worked our way up. There is a series of 6-7 rock steps near the top and suddenly the sky opens up as there is nothing higher to climb……you make a right turn and the line is 100 feet away. I was so pumped to finish this race after dreaming about it for years……I crossed the line and couldn't move another step for a minute or two. I am a Survivor!!
This is one of the most well supported races I've ever done…..the people and volunteers are crazy in love with the SOS race…and it shows. Although I was alone for much of my day I never felt alone because of the energy of this event. I had expected I could finish in about 6:15 but my actual time was about 7 hours…..I learned a few things that I'll use next time (yes…as long as I can get in, there WILL be a next time) :-)
1. Ride a bit harder and don't second guess myself.
2. Don't bother with anything that is not absolutely necessary. I didn't need extra socks, an inhaler, or a headband. Keep it as simple as possible. I'm not sure that wearing a jersey is even advisable (except for women I guess..) as the drag slows you down in the water…and without carrying anything extra I didn't really even need the pockets.
3. Speed up the transitions. I lost a lot of time getting in and out of the lakes. I'd wear shorts that didn't have a tight leg band so I could more easily get my shoes in there.
4. Do more long, climbing trail runs. I focused so much on the transitional training…in the water, out of the water…but never really ran more than 5K at a time between swims. I didn't need as much training running into and out of the lake…but I needed more trail time climbing…that would have helped on the 8 mile run leg. I'm sure I lost 15 minutes there…
5. Smile more (I'm just kidding) there was no way I could smile more than I did….this is a freaking amazing race that I can't wait to get back to. It's a race, a challenge, and a puzzle all in one.
Many, many thanks to my sponsors Altra Running Ambassador Team, Trisports.com, Xterra Wetsuits, Boston Bill Sunglasses and Endurance Obsession. I also wanted to say that I got major love for my Champion Systems EO racing kit which performed really well and got lots of praise for the Porsche Le Mans inspired graphics.
SOS Tri…I'll be back….I hope some of you will join me for the fun!
GO EO!!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
4 for 4 and 2015
The title of this post sounds like the intro to an Abe Lincoln speech…..
Due to some upcoming race volunteering (which we feel very strongly about at Endurance Obsession www.enduranceobsession.com) I've inherited a couple of free or almost free race entries on weekends I wasn't planning to compete. With that, it appears I'll be competing 4 weekends in a row starting this weekend…..in order they look like this…
Las Vueltas de Mountainair bike race - Mountainair, NM
Las Campanas Sprint Triathlon - Santa Fe, NM
Survival of the Shawangunks Adventure Triathlon - New Paltz, NY
Patriot Triathlon - Rio Rancho, NM (as part of a team)
The schedule looks very doable and there are some fun races that I've never done before….I think I'm looking forward the volunteering as much as the racing…
Since I'm here I might as well tell you about the Altra One2 (One Squared)….and how much I love these shoes. I was looking for a pair of lightweight racers and had read some very good things about the One2 in the Altra Ambassador group. "Light" "responsive" "comfortable" were all descriptions posted about them. Since I'm not light, responsive, or comfortable…I figured maybe they weren't for me….but on a leap of faith I ordered a pair.
For me, these might be the most perfect shoes ever made….they are light, very comfortable, and extremely responsive. These are true featherweight racers….the thing that caught me by surprise is how much protection they give while doing all of the other things so well. The shoe definitely has more cushion than a traditional racing flat…but is just as light (if not lighter). The zero drop platform has a really nice amount of cushion in the midsole area which is exactly where I strike. Because of the wide toe box, the shoe seems unbelievably stable to me….almost like a training shoe. I'm getting the best of both worlds when I train and race in these things. I've run a half marathon and done several runs in the 8-10 mile range with NOTHING but comfort from the One2s…and will put them to the test in my final long run in prep for the SOS tri….a 16-18 miler next week. As far as how many miles I can get from them…I have no idea….but I do know that I'm enjoying every one I get in them now!
I'll also be racing the SOS tri in these shoes on September 7th in New Paltz, NY. The SOS is an 8 stage adventure tri that is bike/run/swim/run/swim/run/swim/run (no…you didn't read that wrong). The race is point to point thru the Mohonk preserve so whatever you start the first run with you must carry with you for the entire course. That includes swimming across 3 separate lakes with your shoes, socks, and whatever else you feel you need. I've been training with my Altra 3Sums by shoving them up the legs of my shorts prior to swimming….but the One2s are even better because they have a collapsible heel that'll fit better…plus that have more cushion in less weight. I'm completely psyched to race this event after thinking about it for a dozen years…..
Which leads me to 2015…..
As I was out running this morning (pretty good run BTW), I began thinking about what my goals would be for the season. The EO team is already going back to Tough Mudder AZ in March for the 4th year in a row…..and Michi and I will definitely want to race the Tempe International Tri in May (one of our favorites)….but with no more Ironman 140.6 races on my horizon I didn't have much else in mind. I decided that before I get much older I want to lay down a slew of running PRs (since running is my most challenging discipline) and next year is the year to do it. I've decided that I would like to pursue a running PR at every distance next season from 5K to marathon. I'll need help…in the form of a good running coach…because I've gone as far as I can go with what I know. Scheduling will be an issue as well……as I really don't know which distance to pursue first and what order to put them in.
For the record…my lifetime PRs are
5K - 22:10 (I would love to run under 21 minutes)
10K - 47:55 (under 45 would be great)
Half marathon - 1:54 (under 1:50 is kind of a dream for me)
Marathon - 4:25? (I'm not even sure….I've only run 2-3 marathons outside of Ironman and never really trained for one….I just kind of did them on residual training. Under 4 hours would be the target)
Let's face it…..I'm not a gifted runner. It's like the accountant trying to be the life of the party….it takes a lot of work and goes against type….that's me and running. I figure I'm at the point where I'm not naturally going to get any faster….so hitting these goals all in one year will be tough…but I'm up for the challenge.
I figure the only way I'm going to make running my ally rather than my enemy is to dive into it….with a good plan, some good races, and a good coach….I think I can make this happen.
Ok 2015…..the gauntlet has been laid down…..let's get to work!
Peace….
Due to some upcoming race volunteering (which we feel very strongly about at Endurance Obsession www.enduranceobsession.com) I've inherited a couple of free or almost free race entries on weekends I wasn't planning to compete. With that, it appears I'll be competing 4 weekends in a row starting this weekend…..in order they look like this…
Las Vueltas de Mountainair bike race - Mountainair, NM
Las Campanas Sprint Triathlon - Santa Fe, NM
Survival of the Shawangunks Adventure Triathlon - New Paltz, NY
Patriot Triathlon - Rio Rancho, NM (as part of a team)
The schedule looks very doable and there are some fun races that I've never done before….I think I'm looking forward the volunteering as much as the racing…
Since I'm here I might as well tell you about the Altra One2 (One Squared)….and how much I love these shoes. I was looking for a pair of lightweight racers and had read some very good things about the One2 in the Altra Ambassador group. "Light" "responsive" "comfortable" were all descriptions posted about them. Since I'm not light, responsive, or comfortable…I figured maybe they weren't for me….but on a leap of faith I ordered a pair.
For me, these might be the most perfect shoes ever made….they are light, very comfortable, and extremely responsive. These are true featherweight racers….the thing that caught me by surprise is how much protection they give while doing all of the other things so well. The shoe definitely has more cushion than a traditional racing flat…but is just as light (if not lighter). The zero drop platform has a really nice amount of cushion in the midsole area which is exactly where I strike. Because of the wide toe box, the shoe seems unbelievably stable to me….almost like a training shoe. I'm getting the best of both worlds when I train and race in these things. I've run a half marathon and done several runs in the 8-10 mile range with NOTHING but comfort from the One2s…and will put them to the test in my final long run in prep for the SOS tri….a 16-18 miler next week. As far as how many miles I can get from them…I have no idea….but I do know that I'm enjoying every one I get in them now!
I'll also be racing the SOS tri in these shoes on September 7th in New Paltz, NY. The SOS is an 8 stage adventure tri that is bike/run/swim/run/swim/run/swim/run (no…you didn't read that wrong). The race is point to point thru the Mohonk preserve so whatever you start the first run with you must carry with you for the entire course. That includes swimming across 3 separate lakes with your shoes, socks, and whatever else you feel you need. I've been training with my Altra 3Sums by shoving them up the legs of my shorts prior to swimming….but the One2s are even better because they have a collapsible heel that'll fit better…plus that have more cushion in less weight. I'm completely psyched to race this event after thinking about it for a dozen years…..
Which leads me to 2015…..
As I was out running this morning (pretty good run BTW), I began thinking about what my goals would be for the season. The EO team is already going back to Tough Mudder AZ in March for the 4th year in a row…..and Michi and I will definitely want to race the Tempe International Tri in May (one of our favorites)….but with no more Ironman 140.6 races on my horizon I didn't have much else in mind. I decided that before I get much older I want to lay down a slew of running PRs (since running is my most challenging discipline) and next year is the year to do it. I've decided that I would like to pursue a running PR at every distance next season from 5K to marathon. I'll need help…in the form of a good running coach…because I've gone as far as I can go with what I know. Scheduling will be an issue as well……as I really don't know which distance to pursue first and what order to put them in.
For the record…my lifetime PRs are
5K - 22:10 (I would love to run under 21 minutes)
10K - 47:55 (under 45 would be great)
Half marathon - 1:54 (under 1:50 is kind of a dream for me)
Marathon - 4:25? (I'm not even sure….I've only run 2-3 marathons outside of Ironman and never really trained for one….I just kind of did them on residual training. Under 4 hours would be the target)
Let's face it…..I'm not a gifted runner. It's like the accountant trying to be the life of the party….it takes a lot of work and goes against type….that's me and running. I figure I'm at the point where I'm not naturally going to get any faster….so hitting these goals all in one year will be tough…but I'm up for the challenge.
I figure the only way I'm going to make running my ally rather than my enemy is to dive into it….with a good plan, some good races, and a good coach….I think I can make this happen.
Ok 2015…..the gauntlet has been laid down…..let's get to work!
Peace….
Monday, June 30, 2014
Halfway Home
Just a day shy of the halfway point of the year and it's time to recap how my year/life/season has gone so far. To say it has not gone as expected would be an understatement….but I digress…
Today I might have been basking in the afterglow (read:pain) of Ironman Coeur d'Alene had things gone according to plan. As it is, I think I just bought a $700 backpack. Instead, I'm basking in the afterglow of figuring out where and why I belong in endurance sports at the tender age of 50.
The year started off well enough with a couple of local running races…although there were no magical PRs waiting for me this season. The Endurance Obsession Racing Team (which I love like a family) had a great and fun showing at Tough Mudder Arizona as well….and all systems seemed go.
Then…things changed.
I started to develop what I thought was a wart on my right hand ring finger…..but then it started bleeding….and didn't stop. I got an appointment to see a Doc and was told I had a hemangioma, essentially a group of blood vessels growing thru the skin, and that it would need to be surgically removed and cauterized. The diagnosis was easy….treatment was not. I could NOT find a surgeon of any stripe that would take me until September….and here I was bleeding every time I took off the hundreds of bandages and liquid skin I'd use during this time. Swimming at the local pool was out of the question because I wasn't going to freak out my fellow swimmers by bleeding in their water.
The downward spiral of IMCDA had begun…..no swimming?….hmmm….
In May I did the Jay Benson Triathlon on a new course in Albuquerque and fractured my foot while running into an expansion joint on a pedestrian bridge we ran on. It was totally my fault as I just took my eyes off the road for a few seconds at the wrong time. I did finish the race limping and hobbling around…but it certainly wasn't the age group podium spot I thought I was training for. I barely ran for the next 6 weeks leading up to the HITS Grand Junction full distance Aquabike race. Theoretically this race should have been perfect since we were just doing the swim and bike…..a perfect part of IMCDA training….the reality was much different.
The water was cold…..like 57 degrees or so cold and my body started shutting down not long after I started my second loop. I was miserable and scared for the first time ever in the water. I got on the bike and lost the bandage on my finger while trying to wrestle a water bottle into the cage…so I spent the next 20 miles bleeding my way to an aid station to get some tape for it. My bad left foot began complaining and so I was doing most of the pedaling with one leg…..and at mile 75 that leg did protest too much to go any further. No matter….I'd spent the entire bike ride knowing I wasn't going to IMCDA…..I just lost the urge.
So….flash forward to my season reset and focusing on short course racing and getting more fit. My first reset race was a local 10K where I ran just about the worst 10K I've run in the last 7-8 years….discouraging, yes….but I pressed on.
After a fun run/swim/run/swim/run/swim/run open water workout (in preparation for the Survival of the Shawangunks tri in September) I stepped out of the car to take this picture and sliced my heel open on a broken bottle….one week before the Toughman triathlon….it refused to heal, so I again I was relegated OUT of the pool for the week and wound up racing with my heel split open….
I entered the Toughman AZ olympic triathlon with a goal of landing on the podium and starting my process of race redemption…..but I faded badly on the run after 3 miles (and no water at the aid stations) and finished 4th. Still…it was at least a sign that maybe I was headed in the right direction.
This past weekend I was able to climb onto the 3rd step of the podium at the City of Lakes Olympic Tri in Santa Rosa, NM. Of everything…I was most proud that my run was strong (for the first 5 miles anyway) and only my buddy Arne passed me from my AG in the last half mile. I had a 10 minute course PR and finally felt like things might be coming around.
The 2nd half of the season is upon us….and I'm looking for other opportunities to test myself in these crazy sports we are so fortunate to compete in. I'll surely do the Socorro Chile Harvest Sprint Tri (USAT Regional Championship Race) in August, Las Vueltas de Mountainair bike race with a few of the EO guys, and then to get my groove on at the bucket list race, Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon.
My appetite for long distance racing is gone…….I don't see the point in suffering for such a long time anymore (not for me anyway). I'm sure I'll throw a 70.3 distance race in here or there….but my Ironman career is over.
Today…I wondered how I'd feel hearing about my friends that battled some tough conditions at IMCDA yesterday? Would I be jealous? Envious? Would I wish I had been there….
Today, I felt happy…..happy for them that they met their goals…and happy for me that I have new ones.
No regrets…only opportunities.
Peace…
#zerolimits #zeroinjurieswouldbenicetoo #takebackyourlife
Thanks to Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, Boston Bill Sunglasses, Champion Systems and Altra Running for believing in me and in the EO Racing Team...
Today I might have been basking in the afterglow (read:pain) of Ironman Coeur d'Alene had things gone according to plan. As it is, I think I just bought a $700 backpack. Instead, I'm basking in the afterglow of figuring out where and why I belong in endurance sports at the tender age of 50.
The year started off well enough with a couple of local running races…although there were no magical PRs waiting for me this season. The Endurance Obsession Racing Team (which I love like a family) had a great and fun showing at Tough Mudder Arizona as well….and all systems seemed go.
Then…things changed.
I started to develop what I thought was a wart on my right hand ring finger…..but then it started bleeding….and didn't stop. I got an appointment to see a Doc and was told I had a hemangioma, essentially a group of blood vessels growing thru the skin, and that it would need to be surgically removed and cauterized. The diagnosis was easy….treatment was not. I could NOT find a surgeon of any stripe that would take me until September….and here I was bleeding every time I took off the hundreds of bandages and liquid skin I'd use during this time. Swimming at the local pool was out of the question because I wasn't going to freak out my fellow swimmers by bleeding in their water.
The downward spiral of IMCDA had begun…..no swimming?….hmmm….
In May I did the Jay Benson Triathlon on a new course in Albuquerque and fractured my foot while running into an expansion joint on a pedestrian bridge we ran on. It was totally my fault as I just took my eyes off the road for a few seconds at the wrong time. I did finish the race limping and hobbling around…but it certainly wasn't the age group podium spot I thought I was training for. I barely ran for the next 6 weeks leading up to the HITS Grand Junction full distance Aquabike race. Theoretically this race should have been perfect since we were just doing the swim and bike…..a perfect part of IMCDA training….the reality was much different.
The water was cold…..like 57 degrees or so cold and my body started shutting down not long after I started my second loop. I was miserable and scared for the first time ever in the water. I got on the bike and lost the bandage on my finger while trying to wrestle a water bottle into the cage…so I spent the next 20 miles bleeding my way to an aid station to get some tape for it. My bad left foot began complaining and so I was doing most of the pedaling with one leg…..and at mile 75 that leg did protest too much to go any further. No matter….I'd spent the entire bike ride knowing I wasn't going to IMCDA…..I just lost the urge.
So….flash forward to my season reset and focusing on short course racing and getting more fit. My first reset race was a local 10K where I ran just about the worst 10K I've run in the last 7-8 years….discouraging, yes….but I pressed on.
After a fun run/swim/run/swim/run/swim/run open water workout (in preparation for the Survival of the Shawangunks tri in September) I stepped out of the car to take this picture and sliced my heel open on a broken bottle….one week before the Toughman triathlon….it refused to heal, so I again I was relegated OUT of the pool for the week and wound up racing with my heel split open….
I entered the Toughman AZ olympic triathlon with a goal of landing on the podium and starting my process of race redemption…..but I faded badly on the run after 3 miles (and no water at the aid stations) and finished 4th. Still…it was at least a sign that maybe I was headed in the right direction.
This past weekend I was able to climb onto the 3rd step of the podium at the City of Lakes Olympic Tri in Santa Rosa, NM. Of everything…I was most proud that my run was strong (for the first 5 miles anyway) and only my buddy Arne passed me from my AG in the last half mile. I had a 10 minute course PR and finally felt like things might be coming around.
The 2nd half of the season is upon us….and I'm looking for other opportunities to test myself in these crazy sports we are so fortunate to compete in. I'll surely do the Socorro Chile Harvest Sprint Tri (USAT Regional Championship Race) in August, Las Vueltas de Mountainair bike race with a few of the EO guys, and then to get my groove on at the bucket list race, Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon.
My appetite for long distance racing is gone…….I don't see the point in suffering for such a long time anymore (not for me anyway). I'm sure I'll throw a 70.3 distance race in here or there….but my Ironman career is over.
Today…I wondered how I'd feel hearing about my friends that battled some tough conditions at IMCDA yesterday? Would I be jealous? Envious? Would I wish I had been there….
Today, I felt happy…..happy for them that they met their goals…and happy for me that I have new ones.
No regrets…only opportunities.
Peace…
#zerolimits #zeroinjurieswouldbenicetoo #takebackyourlife
Thanks to Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, Boston Bill Sunglasses, Champion Systems and Altra Running for believing in me and in the EO Racing Team...
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Season Reset
Well…..turning 50 hasn't gone exactly to plan so far.
This was going to be the big one. The year I put it all together…smashed PRs, did new and exciting races, built the EO Racing team to new levels of greatness…..
So far, I've underperformed on a few fronts.
At the Abq Half Marathon I stopped at mile 12 to help a girl who had collapsed near the side of the road. I walked in with her and didn't put up a very good number. I feel great about what I did…and wouldn't do anything differently…but I was hopeful that I'd surprise myself with my early season level of fitness. Now…I'm not sure where I really am?
At the Jay Benson Triathlon I damaged my foot at mile 2 of the run while hitting a bridge expansion joint. I hopped in, pedaled the course with one leg, and swam without kicking. Sure…I finished, but I was expecting a solid time and maybe an age group placing for the first time ever at this race…instead I was a distant also ran. It was wonderful having my EO teammates there to take care of me….and that, perhaps, is the best outcome of all.
I planned the HITS Grand Junction ironman distance aqua bike as part of my training for IMCDA….and this past weekend was the final nail in the IM coffin for me. Even if the water was 58-59 degrees as we later discovered…it was too cold. My body was freezing and already shutting down near the end of the first loop of the swim. The second loop was survival swimming…and for the first time I was actually scared in the water. My legs began to cramp badly so kicking was out of the question. Halfway thru the 2nd loop my core muscles, shoulders, arms, and hands began to cramp. I couldn't even wave for help if I needed it….and I wasn't sure someone was going to be able to pull me out in time if it went terribly bad. The bike was a horror…..from swimming "flat" my neck was already jacked up…so I couldn't stay aero because I couldn't look up. I lost my finger bandage early in the bike and the hemangioma that needs to be surgically removed on my finger began bleeding immediately. I was bleeding until the mile 20 aid station when one of the volunteers had some Roc tape to put some pressure on it. Near the end of the first loop my left foot began hurting so I was primarily pedaling with my right leg again…and finally at mile 75 my right leg seized up at the adductor and I could go no further. It took me no time to decide that the cold water at IMCDA and the short time frame to the race meant it was time to move on. I had not a moment of pleasure this past Saturday….other than seeing my friends and my wife…..every moment on the course was a lesson in pain and futility.
I've decided to reset the season and drop back to the distances that I really love. I'll be racing Oly and sprint tris in an attempt to salvage what is left of my 50th year on the planet. I'm still a go for the SOS Triathlon in NY in September….and will probably go back to the SOMA 70.3 race in Tempe, AZ in October (the longest distance I'm will to suffer these days).
I want to thank the entire Endurance Obsession Racing Team for their friendship, support, and great efforts this season. It's a true blessing to be involved with so many good people who are doing so many good things.
I want to thank Altra Running for their support. The Ambassador Team has been a great source of motivation to me as I get to follow their challenges around the globe this season. Via my new race schedule I intend to get back out there and represent the brand the way they deserve to be represented.
I want to thank EO Racing sponsors Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, and Boston Bill Sunglasses….you have been great supporters of our team and we appreciate knowing that you believe in us and our mission.
Plans change, people change, goals change…..I'm not even 50 1/2 yet (or 606 months for you Moms out there) and it's time to hit the reset button. I'm feeling great about my decisions and ready to get back to work.
Rock on!!
Peace…...
This was going to be the big one. The year I put it all together…smashed PRs, did new and exciting races, built the EO Racing team to new levels of greatness…..
So far, I've underperformed on a few fronts.
At the Abq Half Marathon I stopped at mile 12 to help a girl who had collapsed near the side of the road. I walked in with her and didn't put up a very good number. I feel great about what I did…and wouldn't do anything differently…but I was hopeful that I'd surprise myself with my early season level of fitness. Now…I'm not sure where I really am?
At the Jay Benson Triathlon I damaged my foot at mile 2 of the run while hitting a bridge expansion joint. I hopped in, pedaled the course with one leg, and swam without kicking. Sure…I finished, but I was expecting a solid time and maybe an age group placing for the first time ever at this race…instead I was a distant also ran. It was wonderful having my EO teammates there to take care of me….and that, perhaps, is the best outcome of all.
I planned the HITS Grand Junction ironman distance aqua bike as part of my training for IMCDA….and this past weekend was the final nail in the IM coffin for me. Even if the water was 58-59 degrees as we later discovered…it was too cold. My body was freezing and already shutting down near the end of the first loop of the swim. The second loop was survival swimming…and for the first time I was actually scared in the water. My legs began to cramp badly so kicking was out of the question. Halfway thru the 2nd loop my core muscles, shoulders, arms, and hands began to cramp. I couldn't even wave for help if I needed it….and I wasn't sure someone was going to be able to pull me out in time if it went terribly bad. The bike was a horror…..from swimming "flat" my neck was already jacked up…so I couldn't stay aero because I couldn't look up. I lost my finger bandage early in the bike and the hemangioma that needs to be surgically removed on my finger began bleeding immediately. I was bleeding until the mile 20 aid station when one of the volunteers had some Roc tape to put some pressure on it. Near the end of the first loop my left foot began hurting so I was primarily pedaling with my right leg again…and finally at mile 75 my right leg seized up at the adductor and I could go no further. It took me no time to decide that the cold water at IMCDA and the short time frame to the race meant it was time to move on. I had not a moment of pleasure this past Saturday….other than seeing my friends and my wife…..every moment on the course was a lesson in pain and futility.
I've decided to reset the season and drop back to the distances that I really love. I'll be racing Oly and sprint tris in an attempt to salvage what is left of my 50th year on the planet. I'm still a go for the SOS Triathlon in NY in September….and will probably go back to the SOMA 70.3 race in Tempe, AZ in October (the longest distance I'm will to suffer these days).
I want to thank the entire Endurance Obsession Racing Team for their friendship, support, and great efforts this season. It's a true blessing to be involved with so many good people who are doing so many good things.
I want to thank Altra Running for their support. The Ambassador Team has been a great source of motivation to me as I get to follow their challenges around the globe this season. Via my new race schedule I intend to get back out there and represent the brand the way they deserve to be represented.
I want to thank EO Racing sponsors Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, and Boston Bill Sunglasses….you have been great supporters of our team and we appreciate knowing that you believe in us and our mission.
Plans change, people change, goals change…..I'm not even 50 1/2 yet (or 606 months for you Moms out there) and it's time to hit the reset button. I'm feeling great about my decisions and ready to get back to work.
Rock on!!
Peace…...
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Provisionally Muddy
I enjoy my accomplishments…but I absolutely revel in the accomplishments of others. That makes this blog installment very easy and enjoyable to write.
This past Saturday, the Endurance Obsession Racing Team and friends fielded a group of 14 athletes to take on Tough Mudder Arizona. As has been my custom for the 3 years I've done this event, we lined up in the first wave on the first day at Eastmark in Mesa, AZ.
The Tough Mudder is not a race…it's an event. Mudders are encouraged to help each other thru the course…and not just the people you came with…but anyone around you who needs help.
After our check in and pre race photos we climbed a mini version of the Berlin Wall that leads to the starting corral. Tough Mudder does a good job of pumping you up before they release you to the 10-12 miles course littered with obstacles big and small. Just before the gun went off I gathered the team to review our two simple, yet vital rules.
Rule #1 - If you get tired…lean on me…because when I get tired, I'm going to lean on you.
Rule #2 - We start and finish together…and no one gets left behind.
So….off we go.
I won't bore you with all of the specifics….but there were a few highlights that you should be aware of…
- This year, Tough Mudder seemed to have greatly reduced the number of obstacles. Last year the course was packed with lots of smaller obstacles that didn't take much to get thru…but did break up the running portion quite a bit. I'd estimate 15-17 obstacles this year with few of the "speed bump" kind.
- That fact above made the running portion seem longer since there were not as many breaks in the action.
- The first obstacle that I was NOT looking forward to was the Arctic Enema…a giant vat of ice cubes and water that you jump into, submerse everything including your head in, them attempt to climb out. This year…the "after" portion when you duck under a barbed wire beam was longer and colder than I remember. When I finally was able to climb out…my body felt like I was being stabbed by 100 knives…from every angle..and from all over. The pain lasted for a minute and nothing I did seemed to help. Luckily, it was pretty warm by this point so that we were able to warm up and recover quickly.
- My Altra Provisions kicked ASS on this day. I had saved this pair after taking them out of my running rotation just for this purpose. I knew they were going to be donated at the end but I wanted them to go out on a high note. As much as possible, they provided great traction, drained quickly, and didn't bog down with too much mud. I'm certain this is well outside of what the shoes are designed for…but they should be proud of their effort. About 7 miles in, I did ditch the insoles as mud and rocks were getting trapped underneath and making it a more difficult run….and of course at the end, they hit the donation box to be power washed and to live again as someone else's big adventure shoes. Those shoes took me from a snowshoe race at 11,000 feet to the depths of the Valley of the Sun and 15 feet underwater…. my new slogan for Provisions is #we'llgoanywhereyoutakeus
The crew has already decided that they're up for a run at Tough Mudder 2015….so come out and join us if you'd like. The more, the dirtier, the harder, the bloodier…the better!
My racing season starts in earnest now with the Abq Half Marathon next weekend….then tri season is upon us with Ironman Coeur d'Alene squarely in my sights. Me, Endurance Obsession, Altra Running, Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, and Boston Bill Sunglasses will be ready for whatever it throws at us…..except electrocution….please don't electrocute me at the finish line of Ironman…thanks. :-)
See you out there….Peace…
#rethinkingrunning #toughmudderlegion #takeyouraltrasanywhere #enduranceobsession
This past Saturday, the Endurance Obsession Racing Team and friends fielded a group of 14 athletes to take on Tough Mudder Arizona. As has been my custom for the 3 years I've done this event, we lined up in the first wave on the first day at Eastmark in Mesa, AZ.
The Tough Mudder is not a race…it's an event. Mudders are encouraged to help each other thru the course…and not just the people you came with…but anyone around you who needs help.
After our check in and pre race photos we climbed a mini version of the Berlin Wall that leads to the starting corral. Tough Mudder does a good job of pumping you up before they release you to the 10-12 miles course littered with obstacles big and small. Just before the gun went off I gathered the team to review our two simple, yet vital rules.
Rule #1 - If you get tired…lean on me…because when I get tired, I'm going to lean on you.
Rule #2 - We start and finish together…and no one gets left behind.
So….off we go.
I won't bore you with all of the specifics….but there were a few highlights that you should be aware of…
- This year, Tough Mudder seemed to have greatly reduced the number of obstacles. Last year the course was packed with lots of smaller obstacles that didn't take much to get thru…but did break up the running portion quite a bit. I'd estimate 15-17 obstacles this year with few of the "speed bump" kind.
- That fact above made the running portion seem longer since there were not as many breaks in the action.
- The first obstacle that I was NOT looking forward to was the Arctic Enema…a giant vat of ice cubes and water that you jump into, submerse everything including your head in, them attempt to climb out. This year…the "after" portion when you duck under a barbed wire beam was longer and colder than I remember. When I finally was able to climb out…my body felt like I was being stabbed by 100 knives…from every angle..and from all over. The pain lasted for a minute and nothing I did seemed to help. Luckily, it was pretty warm by this point so that we were able to warm up and recover quickly.
- We had some true badasses on our team. Andrea, who had stomach surgery for a bleeding ulcer just days before completed the entire course! The fact that she was unable to eat anything and even drinking water made her double over in pain didn't stop her one bit. Kyle, our youngest member (21) signed up and decided to do the event THE NIGHT BEFORE! Yep…no special training…just the wonder of youth and a solid team to work with.
- I HAVE to get my should fixed when this season is over. On the Everest obstacle (essentially a slippery half pipe you have to run up out of a mud puddle), I ran and leaped for the edge and caught the hands of two fellow Mudders waiting at the top. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to swing my leg over the edge and I wound up hanging there by my arms until my left shoulder popped….which rendered it completely useless. I told the guys to let me go and I slid down on my belly. Someone mentioned that I should skip this obstacle and go around….but there was no way I was going to be team leader by quitting. On the next run I was able to reach the cleats by myself and a couple of guys scooped up my leg and hauled me over the side. I hung the left arm out of the way and laid on top to help 10 more Mudders get over with just my right arm.
- 14 people is a LOT to keep together and keep tabs on….but I wouldn't have it any other way. It was tremendously encouraging to see everyone gather up at each obstacle, cheer each other on, count off to make sure out entire team was with us…and then start running again. Again…this is not a race…its an experience and the experience of conquering the course with that group of people was amazing.
- Tough Mudder will absolutely f*!K with you. Val, Byron, and I were required to go an extra mile and 3 extra obstacles of the Legionnaires Loop. This was a special part of the course reserved for Mudder Legion…those that had finished at least one event before. They have a pretty cool deal where you earn different colored headbands based on the number of finishes you have. Halfway thru the loop we encountered what appeared to be another electrocution obstacle in addition to the traditional Electroshock Therapy that finishes all Mudder events. I think the 3 of us all said "no f*!king way!" at the same time with the prospect of 10,000 volts going thru us TWICE within the space of a mile. The building it was housed in looked a little shaky though and rather than think too hard I just said "we gotta do it" and entered….once I went in it looked even more shaky…just a few wires dangling from the ceiling and it didn't take me too long to figure out it was a hoax…no electricity. The sign at the end said "Even WE wouldn't make you do it twice!" I waited at the exit and yelled to Byron and Val that we were clear to come thru.
- Tough Mudder is experimenting with the force of their electric shocks. The first year I did the event with Brian (and the first year it was held in AZ) the shock in the midst of a pool of muddy water was so strong it knocked some athletes (including myself) out cold….I went face first into the mud, unconscious and eyes wide open. Last year they dialed it back so much it felt like a pat of the back from your pal. This year they seemed to get it right as I got hit 5x before being knocked off my feet at the end into a muddy bog. I decided to stay down and avoid the wires for the last 10-15 feet as I wasn't interested in being shocked yet again.
- My Altra Provisions kicked ASS on this day. I had saved this pair after taking them out of my running rotation just for this purpose. I knew they were going to be donated at the end but I wanted them to go out on a high note. As much as possible, they provided great traction, drained quickly, and didn't bog down with too much mud. I'm certain this is well outside of what the shoes are designed for…but they should be proud of their effort. About 7 miles in, I did ditch the insoles as mud and rocks were getting trapped underneath and making it a more difficult run….and of course at the end, they hit the donation box to be power washed and to live again as someone else's big adventure shoes. Those shoes took me from a snowshoe race at 11,000 feet to the depths of the Valley of the Sun and 15 feet underwater…. my new slogan for Provisions is #we'llgoanywhereyoutakeus
The crew has already decided that they're up for a run at Tough Mudder 2015….so come out and join us if you'd like. The more, the dirtier, the harder, the bloodier…the better!
My racing season starts in earnest now with the Abq Half Marathon next weekend….then tri season is upon us with Ironman Coeur d'Alene squarely in my sights. Me, Endurance Obsession, Altra Running, Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, and Boston Bill Sunglasses will be ready for whatever it throws at us…..except electrocution….please don't electrocute me at the finish line of Ironman…thanks. :-)
See you out there….Peace…
#rethinkingrunning #toughmudderlegion #takeyouraltrasanywhere #enduranceobsession
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