Training Update: 1st Taper

Freedom Run 10K: 4th Place Overall

It’s been a while since my last post, and nothing too exciting has been happening. I am currently gearing up for Ironman Wisconsin in 10 days, and taper has officially started.

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: Mile 19/20

2 weeks ago I finished my last 20 mile run, and last weekend I completed my first (and only) 100 ride. I haven't been as good about getting the longer workouts in this season and with Ironman Louisville as my A race 6 weeks out, I will not be doing a complete taper. I plan on partially tapering down for IMWI, but will be using it as a building block going into IMLOU.

I don’t normally share my personal goals before a race, but here is what I want to realistically achieve.

1.    Top 10 Age Group finish

2.    Finish under 10:20 for both a course and Ironman PR

3.    Improve swim from last year (1:05)

4.    Hold 20mph on the bike

5.    Run under 3:30

Bib #: 1220 for tracking! #MaximumEffort

Spirit Lake, Idaho: OWS Training

Race Report: Crossroads Sprint Triathlon

This was my second time racing the Crossroads Triathlon in DeWitt, IA. It was the first (and only) sprint I have won, so I returned to defend my title.  Despite having completed multiple races, I still had some pre-race nerves. That all went away as I jumped off the dock to start my swim.

Swim 500 yards: 8:13, Rank 5

Last year, I didn’t swim straight and cost myself some time. I made it a point to sight more often and not swim extra. Even with my new strategy of backing off the last 50 yards of the swim, I managed to drop 22s by swimming straighter.

T1: 57s, Rank 1

It was unfortunate that my bike was on the first rack with farthest distance to push it, but I still put down the fastest T1 of the day. While my T1 was great, I made a huge mistake with the flying mount. I left my shoes Velcroed shut and had one heck of a time getting my feet into the shoes. I shaved 21s from last year.

Bike: 38:24 (23.4mph), Rank 3

The time I saved in T1 was probably added into my bike split as I fumbled to get my shoes on for the first half mile. While I was fumbling, my buddy Matt Drobney blew past me and yelled pick it up! Once I got my shoes on I sprinted after him, but could only hold on for a mile. I slowly watched him drop me until he had a solid 2 minute lead going into T2. I dropped 34 seconds from last year despite my mounting issue, but this was most likely due to less wind.

T2: 36s, Rank 6

T2 was executed incredibly well for me, and I took a slight risk going sockless. Dropping some baby powder into my shoes before the race definitely helped. I sprinted out of transition and started to chase down Matt. Saved 34s from last year with a flying dismount.

Run: 17:40, Rank 1

By far the best run I have put together in a sprint. I ended up catching Matt around the half mile mark to take first. I was led by an old motor scooter that made breathing a little difficult running through the exhaust the entire time. I felt strong and I knew I was holding sub 6:00 min/mi, but I wasn’t expecting to see a 5:42 avg! I dropped a whopping 54 seconds from last year.

Finish: 1:05:50, Rank 1

There wasn’t a tape for me to break this year, but I finished incredibly strong. Within a few minutes of finishing, I had my trainers on and was ready for a quick 4 mile cool down. I love running back onto the course to cheer on the other athletes while they’re out working hard.

Takeaways:

I need to pay closer attention to detail when I am setting up transition. I forgot to open my shoes and spin my wheels

All 5 splits were faster than last year thanks to training and experience. I AM getting faster, and I AM improving my race strategy.

Overall great execution and a great race! Maybe I’ll go for the 3-peat next year =)

Muncie 70.3 Race Report

Going into this race I had 2 goals:
1.    Top 5 Age Group spot 
2.    Break 4:30

Swim: 34:23 (64^th Overall)

It was a hot day, but conditions were ideal for racing. I did not have the swim I wanted (going a little off course), but overall I was happy considering I raced without a wetsuit. The water was 79 degrees and felt great.

T1: 2:16

This transition was almost a ¼ mile and uphill. The importance of having race experience was paramount here.  I took what I learned from my slow transitions in the QC sprint tri and applied it to this race. First, I held back the last 100 yards of the swim to catch my breath before exiting the water. Instead of sprinting for a better swim time, I saved my energy for the transition run. I may have lost a few seconds on my swim, but I saved many more using my feet. I also learned how to do a flying mount and my time savings showed.

Bike: 2:23:40 (56^th Overall)

I knew this course was going to be flat and fast, but I didn’t anticipate holding 23.3 mph! I held a faster pace than the QC sprint tri AND it was for 56 miles.  It was a very hot day, and I knew I would struggle to take in enough fluids. I took 2 large drinks of water/Gatorade every 10 minutes and salt and shot blocks every 20.  I also skipped 2 aid stations to save more time.  As I was nearing the last 15 miles, my girlfriend told me to punch it if I wanted to stay in contention for an AG award. I was a little concerned about saving enough for the run, but I took her advice and pushed that last 15.

T2: 1:44

Again, transitions were something I really wanted to focus on after my QC results. I struggled to pull my foot over the top tube of my bike last time, so I drilled new holes into my nutrition box and shifted it forward to help me clear it. I also transitioned my base salt to my jersey pocket while still on the bike to avoid picking up an extra item.  Overall, my 2 transitions were nearly the fastest in the race.

Run: 1:28:28 (15^th Overall)

Typically my strongest of the 3 disciplines, I still wasn’t sure how I would handle the heat and that last push on the bike. Out of transition, I was 5 minutes back from 5th place and at 3 hours and 2 minutes of race time. I started pacing out at a 6:40 (1:28) in hopes of catching 5th and breaking that 4:30. Thanks to aid stations every mile and the best volunteers, I was getting sponges, ice, Gatorade and plenty of water as I cruised through each one. I admired Patrick Lange’s ability to not break stride during his 2:40 Kona marathon, and strived to be as efficient.  With 6.5 miles to go, I was still 4 minutes back and my pace was starting to slip. I held a 6:41 on the way out and hoped to hold on for a 1:30 half marathon. I hugged every tree line to stay in the shade and did my best to relax and hold form.

Finish: 4:30:31

As I gritted my way through the finish, I couldn’t even see the clock. After catching my breath, I found my supporters and they told me I took 5th in AG. Because of the rolling start, I still could have been bumped. I refreshed the Ironman App every minute for the next half hour just to be sure. Attending the awards ceremony, my time held up and I took 5th in my Age Group and 25th overall. I also qualified for 70.3 worlds in New Zealand because a slot rolled down, but I had to decline =)

Key takeaways:

Trusting and executing my race plan led to a very successful race.
None of my individual race splits were in the top 5 for my AG, but my transitions and well roundedness in all 3 still earned me 5th.

Feedback from my support crew during the race gave me the insight I needed to execute the plan.
Based on pacing and hitting that top 5, I have more confidence in my ability to qualify for Kona some day.

Boundary Waters Training

Absolutely loving my vacation (and training) in the Boundary Waters! Yesterday was a 2.4 mi OWS, and today was one of the toughest workouts I’ll do all year. A simulated 70.3 Iron-Brick (no swim). Pacing on the bike and run were slower than I would have liked for a race, but I gave everything I had. It was a tough workout, but I’ll reap the benefits on race day.

Lessons learned:

1. I need to drink more fluids on the bike despite feeling alright, so I started the run dehydrated.  Working out in varying temperatures and humidity is necessary to determine ideal fluid intake. Today I learned the hard way.
2. Attempting to train like an elite athlete requires strong support from friends and family.  My dad chased me around for 4.5 HOURS while I trained today. He gave me much needed encouragement as well as additional nutrition and some sweet footage.
3. I can’t get hung up on the numbers when it comes to my performance. Conditions vary and preparations for a particular workout are not always ideal. Putting forth my best effort will always yield positive results.

Besides the physical benefits, lessons learned are just as critical when it comes to training.

Enjoy the footage =)

Race Report: QC Triathlon

This is my first time blogging thanks to some encouragement from a new friend Jeff Paul. I am a passionate triathlete, and this will be a great outlet to share what I’m up to. June 15th was my first time racing in the Quad Cities Triathlon, and I was aiming for a spot on the podium. As a newer triathlete, I figured the podium would give me some visibility as I work towards sponsorships and a professional license. I walked away with 5th place overall, 1st place Age Group (25-29) and a humbled mindset. I knew the other athletes were talented, but I hadn't imagined being that far behind.

Despite that, let me share some stats!

4^th fastest swim (600 yards in 7:53)

5^th fastest bike (23.2mph for 15mi)

3^rd fastest run (18:28 5K)

My combined transitions took nearly 3 minutes while the faster athletes were closer to 2. Overall not bad, but my bike needs more work and it’s time to learn a flying mount!

Although I was disappointed at falling short, I am even more motivated to train hard as I approach Muncie 70.3 in 3 weeks. Maximum Effort! 

Shout out to TriMafia and Epix for the sweet kit!

Age Group Awards with my girlfriend