Virtual Races and Winter Beard

A lot to recap from the past few weeks! I participated in a virtual half Iron bike/run, trimmed my winter beard, and set a new marathon PR.

9 miles into the marathon: Feeling strong

Virtual Half Iron Brick

What started as a friendly competition between me and my Wattie Ink family turned into me carefully planning a race. Many chose to complete the bike on the trainer and finish the run the next day, but I wanted to truly gage where my training was at. I don’t trust trainer miles, so I chose the best day of the weekend to get it all done outside. I stripped down my bike, swapped on race wheels, and drove out to a county road to avoid traffic and any forced stops. I also set some goals prior to competing, so here’s how I did:

Bike goal 22mph (under 2:33): I finished in 2:29 at 22.6mph – I admit there was probably a wind benefit.

Run goal under 1:30 (6:50/mi): I smashed my goal with a 1:22 at 6:15/mi! I was less than 30 seconds off my stand-alone PR, so it was a great effort off the bike.

Overall, I was extremely happy with this effort and proud of my run. The weather was perfect for fast times starting in the 40’s and only getting up to 55. Feeling pretty good about my fitness for April.

Winter Beard

6 months of work!

At long last my winter beard is gone, and Ty couldn’t be happier. Apparently, it “needed to go” so we could take some nice photos. The weather was finally starting to turn anyway, so I suppose it was time. A sad day indeed.

Breaking 3:00

Last weekend I wanted to break 3 hours at the IL marathon before it was postponed. My last attempt was slower than the 3:15:30 I ran at Ironman Wisconsin, so I still wanted to set a PR I was proud of. More important than breaking 3 hours, I wanted to see where my run form is at.

With bike support from both Ty and my brother Scott, I had access to nutrition and fluids whenever I wanted (definite advantage over an actual race). My training partner Jeff also ran the 2^nd half to encourage and push me.

Jeff Paul pushing me through the 2nd half: Wearing his new Fit After 40 tank!

Based on what I knew about my current fitness level, I believed I could hold 6:40s if I kept my HR below 160 for the first half and under 165 until I was 10K out. It was a perfect 55 degrees with 10-15mph wind, so the conditions were right.

Through 13.1 miles, I split 1:27 and was feeling strong. It wasn’t until mile 16 that I started to fatigue and have shortness of breath. Despite losing a little time into the headwind, I was confident I would get back to 6:40 pace on the return trip. With 5K to go, I was just under 6:40 pace and decided to push it home. I closed it in a 19:30 5K and a 6:00 last mile.

Final time was 2:53:01, so I can finally say I broke 3 hours!

Aside from losing the beard, it’s been a successful month despite races being cancelled. Motivation is certainly hard to come by, but seeing results at race effort gives me a boost.

Cheers!

Matt

What Drives You: Friends Edition

Not everyone trains for the same reason, so this post is about gaining perspective from others. Plus, you’re probably tired of reading about me anyway ;) For this, I called on some friends to share their why.

Here is what each of them had to say:

Brent Pease – It started as a personal project.  Just get in shape I told myself.  That was for a 10k, but then I bought a bike and did a triathlon.

I still was just chasing a small personal goal.  Then my brother came and watched me race, only he sat in his wheelchair and just watched.  After, he wondered out loud if people in wheelchairs could test their mettle too. That's when I realized that watching my brother all the time, watching him struggle and sit on the sidelines.  That is what drives me, that is what drives me every time the alarm goes off and I don't want to get up.

We all have a why, and sometimes that why is simple.  It's just waking up to do something you didn't think was possible.  To do something that scares you.

Other times that drive comes from deep within, it is your spouse, your kids, your parents, or even a lost loved one.  It allows us to enter into that "flow" state where nothing seems to enter or leave, we are fixated on the one thing in front of us.

I have been racing in endurance sports since 2007 and with my brother, Kyle since 2011.  Together we drive each other, and we push beyond what we think we are capable of, to a place we never imagined we would go.

To lean more about Brent and his brother Kyle, here is a link to the foundation they started together: https://www.kylepeasefoundation.org/

Brett Jackson – I have never been athletic. Skinny kid in school, always picked last for sports. I never thought of accomplishing anything with physical skill or discipline. Instead I focused on academics, earning multiple degrees and career advancements to satisfy the need to achieve. Fast forward to middle age; lack of exercise meant I put on way more pounds that I was meant to carry. Outside of a Turkey Trot, I had no interest in running. I did like bike riding and was terrified of open water swimming. After my sons decided to complete a Sprint Triathlon, the youngest (Matthew) got hooked. Watching him line up for a Half and then multiple Full Ironman races was both terrifying and inspiring. When I commented that I could never do it, he looked me in the eye and said I could. I decided to give it a try and set an audacious goal, Ironman.

The thought of toeing the line with my son is what keeps me going. That, and seeing my own progress. From not being able to swim a length to 4500 yards, stopping every 50 yards in open water to fighting the panic, and stopping at the end of the block to finishing half marathons. Matthew and my family have been there every step of the way, and the student has become the teacher. We have raced sprints together and there is nothing like it. The thought of racing the Muncie 70.3 with my son it what gets me up and training. After Muncie the plan is a full marathon, and then to decide if a full Ironman is in the cards. I’m not sure how far this 60-year-old body will take me, but I’ve already gone farther than I imagined. I want more. I want it all. I want to race an Ironman with my son.

Jeff Paul – When I first started training hard in 2009 to earn professional status in triathlons, I had NO desire to race Ironman...I thought it was a distance for the mentally unstable. However, as I realized I was better racing longer my mind was changed.  Despite more success at the 1/2 Ironman distance something about the challenge of Ironman...never knowing how the day will go regardless of how fit I was...kept drawing me back.  I desperately wanted to break 9 hours knowing only a handful of Iowans has ever accomplished that task.  It was a goal I never realized as I went 9:05, 9:14, 9:04, 9:17, 9:21...but the challenge of trying to do that had me training 20-25 hours a week for 3-4 years.  I wanted to motivate others to "Dream Big" through my own story...helping others to believe anything is possible if you set a goal and work relentlessly towards it.  

Now What? As my children have gotten older and I no longer have the time to train like I used to, my motivation for training and racing has changed.  I'll be turning 40 this year and have heard people talk about how hard it gets when they age.  I believe aging is more of a mindset than anything.  I want to prove that at 40 I can be more fit than at 30 even with less time to train.  I have big plans for this year including creating a logo, giving t-shirts to people who are living "Fit After 40", and creating a website.  I will kick off the "Fit After 40" campaign by trying to run my all-time fastest 800 meters at the Drake Relays in April in a Master's 800 competition.  I plan to run faster than I did 18 years ago as a college athlete.  

Everyone has a why, tell me yours

Races Cancelled: What's Next?

23 hours of training last week was my biggest yet! With just over 15 hours on the bike, 51 run miles and 1:15 of strength, I am beat. Being my first full week back after influenza A, I could feel the fatigue in my body. On Sunday, I decided to hit the reset button after the news of Ironman Tulsa being postponed (date TBD). I started my week with no training and focused on neglected house maintenance before tackling a century ride on Monday. The rest of this week will be focused on recovery.

With IM Tulsa postponed, my training is up in the air, for now. My next official race is Des Moines 70.3 June 21^st followed by Muncie 70.3 on July 11^th. DSM is likely to be cancelled soon, and Muncie is still on the fringe.

This week I decide where to go from here. I can go back to Zone 2 base build in hopes of racing a full in the fall, or I can drop some volume and target more speed for a faster 70.3. Either way, I am anxious to test myself and check fitness.

April 4^th-5^th, I am planning on racing a virtual half Ironman (duathlon) to find out. To give myself that race feel, I’ll take a few easy days before, use race wheels, wear my kit if it’s warm enough and make my car the transition area away from town. I also have the following goals so I have something to shoot for:

22mph on the bike (self-supported) just under a 2:33 split. I haven’t been over 21mph in training, but hopefully my race effort will get me there.

1:30 half marathon 6:50 min/mi or better.

Total time under 4:00 hours excluding transition. I don’t plan on dawdling or recovering before the run. Hoping to drop the any time over 2:30 on the bike from run split.

Some pictures from my Century Ride with Jeff Paul.

1st fuel stop at 45 miles. 2.5 hours of 15-20mph headwinds

Jeff pulled most of the ride / 100 miles right at dusk

The Flu: Quick Update

It’s been a crazy last few weeks with the Covid-19 outbreak and self-quarantine regulations. Unfortunately for me, I picked up influenza A from my office 2 weeks ago. It actually put me in the emergency room after passing out and smacking my head against the sink. I was probably out for 2 minutes, and I couldn’t even sit up without blacking out again.Ty found me on the floor and worked with me to get in the car. 

At the hospital, they took my blood pressure and pulse laying down and sitting up. Each time I sat up, my pulse jumped from 50 to 90 BPM, and my blood pressure tanked. I received 2 bags of IV fluid a piles of warm blankets. When they swabbed me, it came back positive for Influenza A. The flu put me out for 5 days where the most I did was walk around my cu-de-sac. All I could do was impatiently wait it out until it passed. As soon as my fever lifted, I was back on the bike trainer hardly pushing 80 watts. 

Since that first ride, I’ve ramped back up to a 15-mile long run and 3.5 hours of cycling. My legs are beat up from the sudden volume increase and lack of swim recovery, so I plan to back off after my current 20+ hour week. Even though IM Tulsa is unlikely to be held on May 31^st, I am training as if it will be. I will continue ramping up unless I hear otherwise, and at that point I may switch to less volume more speed for the 70.3’s coming up.

With that, I encourage everyone out there to please be smart and stay safe. It’s not just for yourself, but for everyone else around you too.

Why Race Ironman

Many times, I am asked why I spend so much time, energy and money training for Ironman. Simply put, I set a goal and I will not stop until I achieve it. And even after that, I doubt I’ll slow down. I know that’s a pretty weak answer, so that’s what this post is about.

I’m taking a deeper dive into WHY I do what I do by answering the following questions:

“Why race Ironman?”

“What gets you out the door when you don’t feel like training?”

“What Actually drives you?”

I originally wanted to complete an Ironman to test my limits and join a rare company with the title Ironman. Now, I compete to chase a far less attainable dream. Training for and completing my first Ironman was lifechanging on its own. But now, I have set an even higher goal, to reach the pinnacle of Triathlon at Kona. To qualify, I must earn a slot by coming in 1^st or 2^nd in my age group (unless a slot is rolled down). On this journey, I am determined to inspire and show everyone that Anything is Possible. I also believe fitness is essential in getting the most out of life: better health, stress coping, improved sleep, etc… 

Most days I get out that door simply because it’s become habitual. I determine my workout for the day ahead of time and just go do it. When I really don’t feel like training, I remember my goal and all the people following my journey. My competitive nature fuels me because I know that when I’m not out training, someone else is.

The hardest question for me is what Actually drives me. Exercise in it of itself “feels” good, especially after completing a hard-earned workout. For me, there is something deep inside that wants to see improvement. I love the idea of progressing forward, and I get to watch my body get stronger and faster first hand. So for me, a timed race is one of the simplest ways to track both progression and improvement, and watching that time drop keeps me motivated.

There is Nothing like running down that finish chute

If there is anything I should go deeper into or other questions you want answered, please let me know and I will include it in my next post.

I will also call on a few friends to share their whys as well.

Calorie Intake and Meal Prep

Endurance athletes consume A LOT of calories. Questions I get asked are “Can you eat whatever you want and not gain weight?”and “How many calories do you consume?”

I definitely can't eat whatever I want, and I've never tracked calories (until last week). No matter how much I train, a steady diet of junk food will cause weight gain. It would also reduce the energy needed to sustain a high training volume. To better control what I eat, I choose to meal prep.

Sunday Meal Prep

My typical lunch consists of hardboiled eggs, carrots, avocado, an apple, yogurt, chips, granola bar, a “main dish” and a piece of candy. The main dish last week was slow cooked chicken with black beans, salsa, pineapple and cream cheese laid on a bed of rice and lentils. Recently, I’ve been prepping a 2^nd main dish for lunch each day to keep my energy level up.

Reason to Meal Prep:

It’s Quick - With a full-time job and 15-20 hours of training each week, time is limited. With the main dish prepared, assembling my lunch takes a minute. Having that little bit of extra time is invaluable when I’m jumping between workouts and trying to have a life.

It’s Cheap - Eating out/using the cafeteria adds up! With how much I consume, I’d be spending at least $15 a day on lunch. Based on grocery bills, a week of meal prepped lunches costs me around $20. Some quick math shows me saving at least $55/week, $220+/month and almost $3000 a year! Helps pay for the sport =)

It’s Healthier – By controlling what I bring to work every day, I am forced to either eat what I brought or go hungry. When I DO get hungry, I eat everything in sight. So at work, I’m stuck staring at container of carrots and an apple every day. Sure I can order a salad at work, but I’d like to refer back to the green point =)

Since I always gave a ballpark on how many calories consume, I used MyFitnessPal to track consumption last Wednesday.  The app allows you to conveniently scan bar codes and create recipes by listing the ingredients and quantities. For items that can't be scanned, there is a search option for restaurant items and miscellaneous foods. Below is what I entered in the App:

Breakfast

2 hardboiled eggs, 3 slices cinnamon bread, ½ cup baby carrots, 2 Tbsp Guacamole, Plain Bagel with cream cheese, 2 clementines

Lunch

Mountain Dew (a rarity), 2 servings of Famous Dave’s Georgia Chopped Pork with 1 bun, 1.5 cups hand mashed potatoes, 1.5 cups Cheesy Mac & cheese

Dinner

2.5 cups of my pulled chicken and salsa recipe, avocado, 1 cup 2% milk, chocolate chip cookie

Snacks

Zone bar, protein shake, Honey Stinger Waffle, Packet of Emergency

= 5,700 Calories!!!

That day, my workout was a 2:45 trainer ride at a low Zone 2 effort. Garmin estimated I burned 4,200 calories that day. I would guess that my typical intake is around 5,000 calories/day, and the catered Famous Dave’s made the number a little high when I was tracking.

As always, I’m up for feedback and future topics if anything interests you!

Building Aerobic Base

Took a few weeks off from posting, but I’m back in action! The last 4 weeks have been the longest stretch of training I have ever done. It was recommended by friends/coaches Brent Pease and Stacy Sims (link to their page below) that I lower my intensity and focus on volume for the first 6 weeks of the year. Rather than running near my race effort of ~155 bpm or cycling at 200 Watts, I have significantly decreased my effort. Watts are down to 150-160 and my running heart rate is 145 bpm or lower.

How I feel about treadmill running

Ice has forced me inside a few times, but I'm still finding ways to get outside as much as possible. 

Building an aerobic base: With this new (at least to me) way of training, I have found that I no longer need a dedicated rest day every week or 2. Since the end of December, I have taken 1 rest day to recover for the increased volume. Since starting this, I have noticed a few things…

1.    The pace I can run at while maintaining a heartrate in the low 140’s has dropped 5-10s/mi. So with the same effort, I am running slightly faster. I believe this will also translate to increased speed at my race effort once I get back to training at a higher intensity.

2.    I do not constantly feel beat up and needing of a rest day. Even though I have added 4-5 hours of training each week, slowing down and keeping my heartrate low has allowed me to continually feel “fresh”.

3.    I am itching to start pushing myself again and get back to the harder workouts. While training at an easy effort feel nice, I find myself missing the sense of accomplishment from hitting those tough splits.

4.    My caloric intake has increased dramatically. I was already eating a lot, as most triathletes do, but I am now needing 2 full lunches to get through my work day. I believe this is due to both the increased volume and from staying in the aerobic zone. Next week I plan on posting about what my weekly meal prep looks like ;)

With two weeks of high-volume Zone 2 training left, I plan on closing out this first block with a lot of hours. My goal is to swim at least 10,000 yards, bike 8-10 hours, and run 30+ miles both weeks.

https://www.dynamomultisport.com/triathlon-coaches