I hope to have time to do a full racereport this weekend. I should have some good pics to add to the report at that point, but for now I'll just check in with a quick summary.
So I missed a PR by about 3 minutes, and really wanted to crack the 5:30 mark in this race, and I think I was prepared to do so. However the 5:30 mark came and went and I was still about a half mile from the finish line. I think I realized my goal wasn't going to come to fruition about 45 minutes before the race came to an end for me. It is quite odd to know that you have in this case 40 minutes to achieve your goal, and knowing that under normal circumstances (ie a training run) that covering the ground needed to finish in 40 minutes would be a piece of cake, but not being able to will yourself to achieve it. I tried and based on how torn up my legs felt then and now 2 days later, I know I did all I could at that moment. Unfortunately the damage was already done.
The long and short of it is that I had a good swim, though probably burnt one or two matches trying to fight through a group that went out fast but then slowed and around earlier waves of swimmers. I probably went out a little too hot on the bike, had a mechanical issue at mile 15 that twisted my chain and caused ghost shifting in my rear derailluer on every chain revolution for the remaining 41 miles on the bike. Still managed a good bike split (within 1 min of my PR at Florida) though I burnt too many matches on the bike, and I hit the run more fatigued than I had hoped. The speed and rythm were good on the flats and the downhills, but the uphills that I was running in the first loop of the run were taking a lot out of me and I wasn't recovering in between them. so for the 4th out of 4 70.3s, I did some walking, which is something I really wanted to avoid. I still had a run PR of about 2 mins, but I know I can run better, and hoped it would show.
Still, I think this was one of my better races, and is certainly something to build off of. Look for more next weekend.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
2010 Kona Prediction Time
Nothing like waiting until the last minute to get my 2010 predictions in. Here we are on the eve of the big race, and I've finally sat down to one of my favorite annual traditions, getting my thoughts for the how the race will play out down in my blog.
Lots of things to be excited about in this years race. Real chances for course records, a new comer on the women's side who is sure to factor deep into the race and potentially change the game, and a wide open men's field that will prove to be hard to handicap.
So without further ado, here we go, starting with the women.
I think we all have come to appreciate the brilliance that is Chrissie Wellington. We even have come to recognize her genius while in the midst of her era. No one in their right mind will predict a changing of the guard, so we look to other unknowns in the women's race. Frankly, even though the winner is a foregone conclusion (on par with Tyson over Buster Douglas!) there are a couple of things to be excited about. One is what time Chrissie will post. Her time in Germany earlier this year was and still is mind boggling. The question of if she will go sub 8:40 on the big island is one I'm excited to see unfold. Where she'll place overall is also something to watch. Can she crack the top 15 overall? Another thing to watch out for is what Mirinda Carfrae does on the bike. Will she go sub 5 hrs and narrow her gap to Chrissie coming off the bike this year. Finally, I look forward to seeing Julie Dibbens make the jump to IM. She can swim and bike like no other and could have a gap on Chrissie coming off the bike. She is a ~3:20 marathoner so she'll need one to be a factor for the win by the half way point of the marathon.
(Updated 11:07 CT on race morning) In light of the news that Chrissie has withdrawn due to illness, I wanted to quickly give my thoughts. I think this is a good thing for the big swim/bikers who should come off the bike with big leads and no solid runners with them. Dibbens, Van Vlerken, Griesbauer and Macel along with others should come off with a good lead, and it will be up for the Corbins and Carfae's to bring them back.
In light of the news, I like the podium to be 1. Carfrae, 2. Dibbens, 3. Van Vlerken
Podium: 1. Chrissie, 2. Carfrae, 3. Dibbens
Sleeper: Catriona Morrison - She toed the line last year with a hefty case of swine flu and gutted it out, but didn't make it on to the run. She has loads of talent and is a name you always hear or read the big guns talking about as someone to look out for. Another sleeper for me will be Sam McGlone. She finished 2nd to Chrissie in her first win back in '07 and has had a string of bad luck ever since with injuries and the like. She had a great end to '09 with a strong performance at IMAZ but her '10 hasn't quite been what you'd hope, still she could push to crack the top 3.
Sentimental Favorite: It has to be a tie between Hillary Biscay for the personal connection, and Lindsey Corbin for her outstanding blog and approach on life. She is in good form this year with a win a IMCDA and some strong showings on the 70.3 circuit.
And on to the men. What a field! I see 7 guys who I believe have legit shots at wining the thing. You might as well put Alexander, Lieto, Realert, Potts, Hennings, Van Hoenacker, and Llanos in a hat and draw names. It is hard to pick against Alexander as he is so talented, so steady, and is a machine.
What I think does him in this year is the way the race breaks down. Without the speed suits this year, the swim should be more wide open which means the bike will start out more fragmented, and will likely stay that way with groups getting big gaps. If the guys are smart, they don't do any work in the main group and make Crowie put out in an effort to tax him prior to the run. We'll see, it certainly hasn't worked out that way in the past. There have always been an ample number of guys shooting for a top 10 spot in hopes of getting the spot in next years race, and as a result, guys might be playing it conservative from a competitive perspective. With the change to WTC rules and the top 10 no longer qualifying for next year, the dynamic on the bike should change.
One thing is certain however, the men's race is going to be great.
Podium: 1. Raelert 2. Henning 3. Alexander. I think Raelert gets away on the bike just behind the stud group, and runs them down by mile 15. He probably gets pushed by Henning most of the way, but the gap never closes to less the 2 mins, and he only gives up a couple of minutes to Alexander on the run, but has more than enough of a gap coming off the bike to keep Crowie at bay
Sleeper: Pete Jacobs - Pete will be out of the water quick, will bridge up with Potts early, and has the legs to ride with Lieto, the Germans (Twelsiek, Stadler, and Faris) and the other stud bikers if he chooses to. He may let that group go and fall in with the next group that will include Raelert and maybe Macca, but can't muster enough in the marathon to compete for the win. I think he'll be top 10 for sure.
Sentimental Favorite: Got to be Potts (like this blog post, picking Potts is also an annual event). How about if we also throw in Luke Bell to keep it interesting. After a great '03 placing top 5 while in his early 20s, he'd vanished into obscurity a bit. He seems to be back on form this year and could be a factor.
So there you go. Enjoy the fire works tomorrow. Here is hoping for good bandwidth and plenty of servers to bring us good coverage.
Lots of things to be excited about in this years race. Real chances for course records, a new comer on the women's side who is sure to factor deep into the race and potentially change the game, and a wide open men's field that will prove to be hard to handicap.
So without further ado, here we go, starting with the women.
I think we all have come to appreciate the brilliance that is Chrissie Wellington. We even have come to recognize her genius while in the midst of her era. No one in their right mind will predict a changing of the guard, so we look to other unknowns in the women's race. Frankly, even though the winner is a foregone conclusion (on par with Tyson over Buster Douglas!) there are a couple of things to be excited about. One is what time Chrissie will post. Her time in Germany earlier this year was and still is mind boggling. The question of if she will go sub 8:40 on the big island is one I'm excited to see unfold. Where she'll place overall is also something to watch. Can she crack the top 15 overall? Another thing to watch out for is what Mirinda Carfrae does on the bike. Will she go sub 5 hrs and narrow her gap to Chrissie coming off the bike this year. Finally, I look forward to seeing Julie Dibbens make the jump to IM. She can swim and bike like no other and could have a gap on Chrissie coming off the bike. She is a ~3:20 marathoner so she'll need one to be a factor for the win by the half way point of the marathon.
(Updated 11:07 CT on race morning) In light of the news that Chrissie has withdrawn due to illness, I wanted to quickly give my thoughts. I think this is a good thing for the big swim/bikers who should come off the bike with big leads and no solid runners with them. Dibbens, Van Vlerken, Griesbauer and Macel along with others should come off with a good lead, and it will be up for the Corbins and Carfae's to bring them back.
In light of the news, I like the podium to be 1. Carfrae, 2. Dibbens, 3. Van Vlerken
Podium: 1. Chrissie, 2. Carfrae, 3. Dibbens
Sleeper: Catriona Morrison - She toed the line last year with a hefty case of swine flu and gutted it out, but didn't make it on to the run. She has loads of talent and is a name you always hear or read the big guns talking about as someone to look out for. Another sleeper for me will be Sam McGlone. She finished 2nd to Chrissie in her first win back in '07 and has had a string of bad luck ever since with injuries and the like. She had a great end to '09 with a strong performance at IMAZ but her '10 hasn't quite been what you'd hope, still she could push to crack the top 3.
Sentimental Favorite: It has to be a tie between Hillary Biscay for the personal connection, and Lindsey Corbin for her outstanding blog and approach on life. She is in good form this year with a win a IMCDA and some strong showings on the 70.3 circuit.
And on to the men. What a field! I see 7 guys who I believe have legit shots at wining the thing. You might as well put Alexander, Lieto, Realert, Potts, Hennings, Van Hoenacker, and Llanos in a hat and draw names. It is hard to pick against Alexander as he is so talented, so steady, and is a machine.
What I think does him in this year is the way the race breaks down. Without the speed suits this year, the swim should be more wide open which means the bike will start out more fragmented, and will likely stay that way with groups getting big gaps. If the guys are smart, they don't do any work in the main group and make Crowie put out in an effort to tax him prior to the run. We'll see, it certainly hasn't worked out that way in the past. There have always been an ample number of guys shooting for a top 10 spot in hopes of getting the spot in next years race, and as a result, guys might be playing it conservative from a competitive perspective. With the change to WTC rules and the top 10 no longer qualifying for next year, the dynamic on the bike should change.
One thing is certain however, the men's race is going to be great.
Podium: 1. Raelert 2. Henning 3. Alexander. I think Raelert gets away on the bike just behind the stud group, and runs them down by mile 15. He probably gets pushed by Henning most of the way, but the gap never closes to less the 2 mins, and he only gives up a couple of minutes to Alexander on the run, but has more than enough of a gap coming off the bike to keep Crowie at bay
Sleeper: Pete Jacobs - Pete will be out of the water quick, will bridge up with Potts early, and has the legs to ride with Lieto, the Germans (Twelsiek, Stadler, and Faris) and the other stud bikers if he chooses to. He may let that group go and fall in with the next group that will include Raelert and maybe Macca, but can't muster enough in the marathon to compete for the win. I think he'll be top 10 for sure.
Sentimental Favorite: Got to be Potts (like this blog post, picking Potts is also an annual event). How about if we also throw in Luke Bell to keep it interesting. After a great '03 placing top 5 while in his early 20s, he'd vanished into obscurity a bit. He seems to be back on form this year and could be a factor.
So there you go. Enjoy the fire works tomorrow. Here is hoping for good bandwidth and plenty of servers to bring us good coverage.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Long Time No Post
I was gearing up for my annual Kona prediction post, and realized I hadn't posted to the blog in months and that I'd better do that.
Training has been going great in preparation for Austin 70.3 in a little over 2 weeks time. I've managed to hit almost all of my planned sessions, keep the skinny side of the bike down this year and avoid injury, have lost a ton of weight (now weighing in less than I did the day I graduated from college), and feel fit. I'm excited to race!
Check back here in the coming days for my Kona predictions, thoughts before Austin 70.3, and my race report after the race.
Training has been going great in preparation for Austin 70.3 in a little over 2 weeks time. I've managed to hit almost all of my planned sessions, keep the skinny side of the bike down this year and avoid injury, have lost a ton of weight (now weighing in less than I did the day I graduated from college), and feel fit. I'm excited to race!
Check back here in the coming days for my Kona predictions, thoughts before Austin 70.3, and my race report after the race.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Good Week in the Bag
I just completed a good week of training. My first structured week of training in some time. I've hired a coach (David) which should help take some of the stress out of game planning, get me focused on the little things that you often overlook when time is an issue, and help with motivation.
I'm a long way off where I've been, so we're building this thing up from the ground floor. It is nice not to feel like I'm rushed.
I've also signed up for Longhorn 70.3 in Austin, TX this Oct 17. I've got an Olympic on the calendar in July between now and then, and may add something else if it works with the calendar.
This week, I trained just shy of 8 hours. Here are the stats:
Swim: 6,400 Meters (7,000 yds)
Bike: 60 miles
Run: 11 miles
TSS: 483
Kj: 2,653
weight: 174.2
BMI: 18.2
The summer is upon us in North TX. Temps well into the 90s by mid day. It is a shame our Spring only last about 6 weeks, and are windy as hell. I'll never get used to it.
Happy Memorial Day.
I'm a long way off where I've been, so we're building this thing up from the ground floor. It is nice not to feel like I'm rushed.
I've also signed up for Longhorn 70.3 in Austin, TX this Oct 17. I've got an Olympic on the calendar in July between now and then, and may add something else if it works with the calendar.
This week, I trained just shy of 8 hours. Here are the stats:
Swim: 6,400 Meters (7,000 yds)
Bike: 60 miles
Run: 11 miles
TSS: 483
Kj: 2,653
weight: 174.2
BMI: 18.2
The summer is upon us in North TX. Temps well into the 90s by mid day. It is a shame our Spring only last about 6 weeks, and are windy as hell. I'll never get used to it.
Happy Memorial Day.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Life
Work has been too stressful, I am too "connected" too often, and I am not taking care of myself. That all changes tomorrow. Baby steps. I will think more about what I eat, I will get out the door at the end of the work day with energy to spare to devote to my training and family. I'll sleep better. With yoga I will improve my flexibility and core strength making me feel better. I'll get back to regular training, and with all of this, quality of life will improve.
Monitor this space for updates...
Monitor this space for updates...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Train to Train
Today brought to a conclusion my 6th consecutive week of adding hourly volume, and TSS accumulation on top of the prior week. By no means am I rocking the house - week one was less than an hour of training, and week six had me just crack the 7 hr and 400 TSS barrier. The other milestone I eclipsed was that I trained 6 of the 7 days this week.
I think the plan is that I'll build up to 8 hours and perhaps 450 TSS next week, then start writing down workouts for each week, as opposed to doing what I want when I feel like it.
I've got some weight to drop, but it is coming around. I started logging my diet into the Daily Burn iPhone app, and am learning a lot about my food consumption habits. I naturally eat too many carbs, and not enough protein. I'm going to make a conscious effort to shift my diet in a more balanced direction, and hope I'll fell good in doing so.
I think I'll try to do a little build up for the Lonestar Oly in Galveston at the end of April. Perhaps slip in a local sprint in March weather permitting.
For now, the focus is base training, getting my running legs back, and being consistent.
I think the plan is that I'll build up to 8 hours and perhaps 450 TSS next week, then start writing down workouts for each week, as opposed to doing what I want when I feel like it.
I've got some weight to drop, but it is coming around. I started logging my diet into the Daily Burn iPhone app, and am learning a lot about my food consumption habits. I naturally eat too many carbs, and not enough protein. I'm going to make a conscious effort to shift my diet in a more balanced direction, and hope I'll fell good in doing so.
I think I'll try to do a little build up for the Lonestar Oly in Galveston at the end of April. Perhaps slip in a local sprint in March weather permitting.
For now, the focus is base training, getting my running legs back, and being consistent.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Trip to London
I just returned from a short trip to London to hang out with my friend and co-worker Guillermo. The highlight of the trip was a visit to Craven Cottage to take in my favorite EPL side Fulham take on the Black Cats of Sunderland.
The trip was a ton of fun, mostly because I was there with a friend, and felt a slice of what it was like to live in London as opposed to doing the touristy visit I've always done in the past.
Here is some video from the game, and a hand full of photos I selected to post to the blog.
Enjoy, and more later!
This was as the Whites took the pitch for the second half.
A view down the street from Guillermo's front gate
Guillermo and his family as we headed for the park in Chiswick
A cool view atop the bridge over the Chiswick Rail Station near Guillermo's house
At the football grounds, looking at the Johnny Haynes stand from Stevenage Rd
Me on Stevenage Rd with Craven Cottage in the background
Guillermo and I from the Johnny Haynes Stand before the match
Fulham take the pitch, with Clint Dempsey ready to do battle
The Whites ready to go 90 mins
The Cottage from the inside
Just minutes to go as the Whites hang on to their 1-0 lead
It all over, 3 pts for the good guys as security rushes the field
A gritty Clint Dempsey leaves the pitch, no doubt thinking about how he'll dismantle England in So. Africa on June 12th
The trip was a ton of fun, mostly because I was there with a friend, and felt a slice of what it was like to live in London as opposed to doing the touristy visit I've always done in the past.
Here is some video from the game, and a hand full of photos I selected to post to the blog.
Enjoy, and more later!
This was as the Whites took the pitch for the second half.
A view down the street from Guillermo's front gate
Guillermo and his family as we headed for the park in Chiswick
A cool view atop the bridge over the Chiswick Rail Station near Guillermo's house
At the football grounds, looking at the Johnny Haynes stand from Stevenage Rd
Me on Stevenage Rd with Craven Cottage in the background
Guillermo and I from the Johnny Haynes Stand before the match
Fulham take the pitch, with Clint Dempsey ready to do battle
The Whites ready to go 90 mins
The Cottage from the inside
Just minutes to go as the Whites hang on to their 1-0 lead
It all over, 3 pts for the good guys as security rushes the field
A gritty Clint Dempsey leaves the pitch, no doubt thinking about how he'll dismantle England in So. Africa on June 12th
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