Great Illini 70.3 Race Report

4 weeks after winning the 70.3 in Springfield, I had another chance to check my fitness. The humidity was about 20% less, and the temp was 5 degrees cooler. I plan on going into a fair amount of detail, so as always, cliff notes will be at the end 😉

Pre-Race: I continued the tradition of eating Taco Bell 2 nights out, and I am officially making this a thing based on the results. We drove the course beforehand and noted the bike route was smooth, and there were 5 hairpin turns. I showed up to transition early race morning and grabbed a bike rack 1 from the end.  

Swim (27:14 – 3^rd): The swim was wetsuit legal and a rolling start with 2 athletes every 5s running down the beach. My buddy Mitch and I started together about 10-15 deep. The swim was 2 loops and the water calm. After settling in, I found 2 swimmers to draft behind. Unlike last race, I decided to sit back until we completed the first loop before making my move. I passed on the inside around the lap buoy and pushed for 200 yards to make sure I wasn’t pulling anyone this time. I came out of the water in 3^rd with a 3-minute gap and split 27 minutes on my watch. After the race, Garmin showed it about 300 yards short, and I confirmed with other athletes. My actual pace was 1:29/100yd, which would have been 31:40.

T1 (0:49 – Tied for 1^st): The timing mats were at the edge of transition, so my time did not include the run from the water. I botched the flying mount and looked like a fool, so please enjoy the horrendously awkward video. I also had the hardest time getting my cycling shoes on. They kept collapsing and took ¾ mile to get them on, so I need to reassess that. Both “issues” factored into my bike split.

Bike (2:23:33 – 4^th): The roads were smooth, but there were 5 hairpin turns that hurt the average pace. Out of transition I was in 3^rd with a 3-minute gap. I passed the female winner around mile 10 but was not able to close the gap on 1^st. With 5 turnarounds, I was able to see where he was as well as everyone behind me. I lost about 2 more minutes by the end of the bike and wasn’t sure I’d catch him. I used more liquid based nutrition for the first time putting 300 calories in my 1 bottle. This was a good strategy until the aid station at miles 16 and 48 were nonexistent. At the start of loop 2, I barely snagged a water and nearly took out a cone (and myself). I ate ¾ of a Cliff bar and 4 of my 6 shot blocks. No emergency gel needed this time. I averaged 227 watts at 23.9mph with an average HR of 154. This was 9 watts higher than 4 weeks ago and a few BPM lower HR. I felt like I could have pushed it harder, but my legs were limiting me. Knowing I had a 4-5 minute gap to close, I focused on saving them for my specialty, the run. The bike ended up being a mile long, so that kind of offset the short swim =)

Receiving Information from Dad

T2 (1:01 – 2^nd): After rubbing my Achilles raw at the last race, I decided to roll my socks on. 10/10 would recommend! Nothing special here, but I bolted out of transition ready to run this guy down. My dad told me 4 minutes, and he isn’t the greatest runner. I felt strong but made sure I settled into a comfortable pace.

Literally Flying out of the Gate

Run (1:21:09 – 1^st): My plan for the run was to go out at a 6:30 and slowly drop down to 6:10-6:15. I wanted to keep HR under 170 for the first 4 miles and slowly bring it up until I cut loose with 5K to go. I hit a 6:26 to start and grabbed a Gatorade at the first aid station. 1.5 miles in I caught my first glimpse of 1^st as he was making a turn. I noted the time on my watch and saw my gap was 2 minutes when I got to the turn. Closing about 1 min/mi, I knew I didn’t need to do anything heroic to catch him. At the first turnaround 3.25 miles in, I was 50 yards back. I made the pass at mile 4, exchanged some words, and pulled away. I loved the 2 out and backs because it allowed me to check gaps and see my teammates throughout the run. I felt I had the race won with 3 miles to go and was ready to coast her in. As I ran by Mitch he yelled, “Don’t let up. Hammer that mfer!!!” And with that extra push, I closed the last 10k in 38:01, 5k in 18:31 and 1 mile in 5:40. 1:21:09 is now a stand-alone PR for me.

Post-Race (Race Time - 4:13:45): After crossing the finish line, I knew I was under 4:20. I had no idea I’d be under 4:15! I quickly grabbed a cold water, I started my cooldown back onto the run course to find Mitch. Last I saw him, he was still ¼ mile behind 2^nd with 4.5 miles to go. I was almost a mile back into the run and saw he already took 2nd. I met him back at the finish line ready to celebration. As training partners and teammates, we had set a goal to take 1^st and 2^nd, and that’s exactly what we did.

1st and 2nd / Matchy Matchy

Summary: I was very happy with my swim and got to wear my wetsuit for the first time this year. I held back a little to save more for the bike and was still 3^rd out of the water. Transitions were short, and I posted 2 of the fastest splits. The bike course was smooth with 5 turnarounds. I held 23.8mph and was very happy with the ride as well. I made it into 2^nd going into T2 but lost another 2 minutes to 1st place. Starting the run, my dad told me I had a 4-minute gap and the guy wasn’t the strongest runner. I opened in a 6:26 mile, and that ended up being the slowest mile split of my run. I took 1st 4 miles in, gaining 1 min/mi. I widened my lead to over 2 minutes at the halfway point and took the win by over 13. I closed the last 5k in 18:31 and logged a half marathon PR of 1:21:09. My buddy Mitch took 2^nd making his pass at mile 11, and the rest is history.

Keystone Shower from Matt: Finished Smooth ~

Overall, I am blown away by what I was able to do in that race. My goal was to win and break 4:20, and I wound up under 4:15. *I would attribute about 2 minutes to the short swim/long bike, which would put me just under 4:16. Whether a course is long or short, the improvement I saw from my training is paying dividends.

Not sure who reads this far but hit me up with any questions or if you just want to chat!

Route 66 70.3 Race Report

Officially back to racing! After Ironman cancelled Wisconsin, I signed up for this race a week out (bib 99 out of 100). I was still recovering from my backyard 70.3 and road a century that next Saturday, but I couldn’t miss an opportunity to race. After the century, I took my last few days easy and felt pretty good by race day. As always, if you want the cliff notes version, feel free to skip to the Summary at the end 😉

Setting up Transition with my support crew

Pre-Race: I am starting a tradition of eating Taco Bell 2 nights out before my race. I like to think it clears everything out, and I honestly just want another reason to eat TB. The night before the race, I usually eat a sub sandwich (preferably from Firehouse), but I’ve been known to eat a rack of ribs. I drove the course the evening before and took note that the bike route was rough. This made the decision to run lower tire pressure easy. I showed up to transition early race morning to grab an end rack and had plenty of time to get that pre-race poop taken care of.

The train was moving too slow, so I decided to pull it

Swim (32:38 – 4^th): We did a rolling start with 2 athletes every 6s jumping off the dock. I was probably the 15^th person in the water and naturally forgot to start my watch until a few strokes in. This was possibly the easiest swim course ever, a straight out and back with a slight overshoot before finishing. Water was calm, I only had to pass around 10 people, and we were already "spread out". I knew I was pushing my pace since I didn’t have enough air to maintain a bilateral stroke. Halfway through, I came up to a short draft line and wasn’t willing to sit back. So I made the pass and ended up pulling the entire line for the second half of the swim. Overall, very happy with my swim time and the swim skin. Thanks QR!

T1 (0:41 – Tied for 1^st): Not much to say other than I struggled to undo my swim skin and buckle my helmet. The timing mats were at the edge of transition, so my swim time included the 75 yard run from the water. Pretty quick and easy, but the flying mount was a pain going uphill.

Rough Roads all Ride

Bike (2:24:11 – 4^th): The route itself was scenic, but the roads were very rough. Out of transition I knew I was in 4^th, but no one was in sight. I never caught anyone, and no one passed me. It was a lonely ride for sure. The aid station wasn’t setup when I hit it the first time, so I missed my first chance at fluids. I was able to snag a water the next 3 times I passed and drank all of it. I ate ¾ of a Cliff Bar, 1 tube of shot blocks, and my 1 emergency Gu since they didn’t offer Gatorade. I only held 218 Watts (seems low), but my average pace of 23.3mph was good considering. I intended to stay under 155bpm heart rate before the race, but continuously exceeded it to maintain the pace I thought was necessary to catch everyone on the run. Average ended up being 157bpm.

T2 (1:00 – 4^th): This one was a struggle for me since I don’t normally wear socks in a half. I was moving fast and lost time fighting my sweaty feet (next time I’ll roll the sock on). So because of that, I didn’t pull the backs up enough and rubbed my Achilles raw by mile 3. I started the run in 4^th, and my dad said 2^nd and 3^rd were in sight. With the sprint and Olympic athletes on course, it was very hard to tell who was in my race.

Closes the 4 minute gap in 2.5 miles: Dad, "You're in 1st!" - Me, "Wut???"

Run (1:25:29 – 1^st): My plan for the run was to go out at a 6:30 and slowly drop my pace down to 6:10-6:15. I was hoping this would be naturally fast enough to pick off the 3 runners in front of me, but was ready to push it as needed. Around mile 1, I passed 3^rd place as he started walking. Around mile 2, I caught who I thought was 2^nd place. At this point, I was already suffering and knew 6:15 pace wasn’t going to happen. I chose to pass him strong and appear to have more in the tank than I did. Once I was a full turn ahead, I backed it down and just tried to keep the HR under 175bpm. As I passed the Olympic turn around, I asked the volunteer if anyone else had gone straight yet. Without anyone in front of me, I was focused on the gap I was creating behind me. 5 miles in, I was able to see that I put over ½ mile on 2^nd place. At this point in the race, I was on damage control and focused on HR and perceived effort to still finish well. The run was hot, humid, and athletes needed to grab bottled water from swimming pools – which required a complete stop each time. There was no Gatorade offered, so I salted every 2 miles and took my 1 Gu at mile 7. The rest was pretty much a blur, but I closed the last mile in a 6:04.

Post-Race: I knew I formed a pretty good lead, so I waited 15 minutes at the finish line for the next athlete to come through. No one was coming, so I got on with my cool down and started grabbing my gear from transition. I caught up with a female pro who finished 2^nd overall with a time of 4:44:42. It was certainly a rough day for everyone out there, so I like to think that I handled the conditions more effectively than the competition.

 

Summary: Going into this race, I’d say my body was at 90-95% in terms of being recovered. I was incredibly happy with my swim, as it was my fastest time without a wet-suit. Transitions were short keeping the overall time down, and I posted 2 of the fastest splits of the day. Out of T1 I was in 4^th. The bike course had some rough roads and intersections with a layer of gravel. Running lower tire pressure was the way to go, and I still held 23.3mph. I wasn’t able to catch anyone, but still maintained my position in 4^th. Starting the run, my dad said 2^nd and 3^rd were in sight. It was tough to tell who was in which race, so I had to guess. I focused on opening with a 6:30 mile and passed 3^rd place by mile 1 and 2^nd place at mile 2. I saw my dad at 2.5, and he believed I was already in first. I was able to confirm my position with a volunteer at mile 5 where the Olympic turnaround was. At this point, I had an out and back to see my 1/2 mile lead. I was afraid of pushing too hard, so I stayed on the “easier side” of redlining. By mile 10, I was leading by nearly 2 miles. At the finish, I wasn’t super impressed with my overall time, but the heat and picking up our own waters slowed everyone down. I found out how bad it was when the next person (a female pro) finished 20 minutes after me. I also peed blood for the first time (Not sure who even reads all this, but hey...we're in this together now right?!?).

All in all, I am beyond excited to have won my first 70.3. The training is clearing paying off, and I am excited to test myself whenever the next Ironman event is. I am currently signed up for 1 more 70.3 in September where I hope to break 4:20 if the conditions are right.

That’s all for now

Backyard 70.3

Back to Racing! Well, sort of 🤷🏼‍ been a while since my last post, so I’d like to get back to it with a race report on my backyard Ironman 70.3. It was a carefully planned day, but not everything went according to plan :) I’m going all out with the details, so if you get bored feel free to skip to the summary at the end.

Swim: Thanks to my friend Roger, I was able to do an open water swim and completely time my transitions. After a few practice swims at the lake, I knew 8 laps would get me over 2112 yards. Based on the splits I was seeing, I knew the gps was losing me and granting extra yardage. This was my first time using the swim skin that I purchased from my sponsor Quintana Roo. Even with the swim skin, 1:24/100 yards seemed too quick, so I swam an “extra” 150 yards in attempt to balance it out. I came out of the water at 30:50, which would be 1:28/100 yards. I have been holding 1:26-1:27 for 2150 in the pool, but I still believe this time to be slightly fast.

Bike: I wasn’t quite sure how the bike was going to go, but I had a goal of pushing 240W. In the first few miles, I wasn’t able to hold over 220 without my heart rate getting too high and my legs fatiguing on me. With a tailwind on the way out, I was averaging around 25mph and just pushing by feel since I was so far off my goal. The route I had planned was going to end farther west than I started, and the wind was increasing from the west all morning. It was frustrating to deal with a stronger and longer headwind on the back half, but in a true race everyone would need to deal with the same conditions. Ty came out for a bottle exchange at mile 40 for me and drove with me the last 16 miles. When I got to my final turn with 6 miles to go, the railroad crossing was closed and we had to call an audible. I wrapped up the bike with a 221W average, but still held 23.7mph despite the low wattage. 2:22:12 was my split.

Bottle Hand off on the bike

Run: A mixture of being over zealous and too much Gatorade at the end of the bike made for an incredibly painful run. My first mile split was a 5:54, and it only got more challenging from there. The road we ended up on switched to gravel for 2 miles, and I had a terrible side stitch from miles 2-5. My goal of 6:10 pace quickly dissipated as I split 6:33 and 6:39 on miles 2 and 3. I couldn’t take any fluids either as the pain flared up. After 5 miles in the heat, I slowly started taking half sips of water and eventually Gatorade. At this point it was a little too late and I just focused on holding form. Although I was frustrated with my run being crippled by a stomach cramp, I was happy to pull together 1:23:53.

Transitions: Last year and Muncie 70.3, my combined transition time was exactly 4:00. For this simulation I was right at 4:30, so I believe this to be a true comparison. I did not flying mount because of my rear hydration (I normally race 1 cage and use aid stations), and I nixed the flying dismount because our route change ended on gravel. 

Summary: I finished my backyard 70.3 with a total time of 4:21:23. The swim went great, but I am not sure how many extra yards the gps gifted me with. In a race I’d have athletes to draft and swim around, but I still believe this to be a reasonable (maybe 1 minute fast) swim time for me. The bike was challenging with an 5 extra miles into the increasing headwind, but I am very happy with holding 23.7mph solo. Again, in a race setting there would be drafting from 6 bike lengths back as well as from athletes passing/being passed. The run was brutal as I cursed into the farmland from the pain from miles 2-5. I missed much needed fluids while battling, and struggled on the back half from dehydration. I held it together the best I could and closed in 1:23:53 for my 4th fastest half marathon. 

All in all, it just felt good to rest and put my fitness to the test. I couldn’t have done it without Roger or Ty, and that shows why the support of friends is paramount in this sport. 

After finishing, Ty and I packed our bags to see my dad and race another 70.3 with him the very next day. 

Throwback Thursday

This post is a throwback to my first Ironman 70.3 in Madison Wisconsin. I just want to share some pictures from that race and what has happened since. It's been exactly 3 years since I took that first major step towards completing an Ironman. I remember the race well, but my most vivid memories are of my parents coming to support me.

Mom: The Super Fan

Dad: The Triathlete Himself

What has happened since that race? I've:

Been on the podium twice

Broke the 3 hour marathon

Completed 5 full Ironmans

Dropped 56 minutes off my 70.3 time

Raced 2 sprint triathlons with my dad

Watched my dad complete 6 half marathons

It's been a long 3 years since then, and I've grown into a much different athlete. I feel closer than I have ever been to qualifying for Kona, and I have just a few short months until I lay it all out there. 

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