- i won my age group! 1st place men 25-29 (out of 4)
- good pre race nutrition strategy: this was essential due to the later than usual start (9:45 am)
- steady & disciplined first run
- hanging in tough on the bike even when legs weren't feeling so good
- bike fit needs a lot of work, not going to be able to hold it for 90k in CP
- came flying off the bike & did a smoking 10k run
- my run technique is atrocious: arms are flailing all over the place, pictues are ugly
RACE REPORT: THE LONG VERSION
Race Morning
5k run
T1
Armed with my new elastic speed laces, I was able to slip off my shoes almost instantly. I decided before the race to not take any chances with mounting my bike with my shoes already attached to the pedals. I began the long run from T1 to the mount line, running in my bike shoes. I avoided gravel & ran on grass as much as possible. This worked well. I swing a leg over my bike & off I go.
44.4k bike
I zoom off down the recreational pathway to the Ottawa River Parkway where I did 4 loops of the course. During the first loop my legs felt AWFUL & I was worried that I was going to have a bad race. I was still going fast (30 km/h+) but just didn't feel good doing it. After the first lap my legs settled down & I got into a groove. For the last 3 laps I focussed on keeping myself locked into the aerobars, only breaking the aero position to eat or drink. I finished the bike in 1:27:33, including T1.
T2
Blazing fast, no messing around.
10k run
My legs felt surprisingly good considering the effort i put in on the bike. Settled into a 4:15 pace. Always difficult to decide how much risk to take with running pace. I am 95% sure I can maintain a 4:15 pace but am only 66% sure I can maintain a 4:00 pace. And if I attempt a 4:00 pace & blow up, that will set me back to 5:30 - 6:00 pace, I will have ruined my race and would have felt horrible crossing the finish line. Conversations like this are what racing is all about. There are scientific principles behind training & racing, but racing has a definite artistic element to it as well. I played it safe and maintained a 4:15 pace and I was passing a ton of people, including a couple in my age group. Because I was passing so many people, I didn't feel a need to up the pace to a risky 4:00 kilometer pace, finishing the run in 42:59.
Results
2:31:02 8/40 overall 7/28 men 1/4 in age group men 25-29
Splits: 5 km run - 9/40 overall - 20:31 - 4:07/km 40.4 km bike - 14/40 - 1:27:33 - 30.4 km/h 10 km run - 3/40 - 42:59 - 4:18/km
I won my age group!
Reflections on race pacing
- there is no straight forward answer to the question "how should I pace myself on the run?". If there was, we all be little race execution robots out there on the course, and how much fun would that be? Plus, I strongly doubt that world records or even personal records are broken by following a formulaic race plan to the "T".
- ideally, pacing should be tested and reflected upon in training, particularly key "race simulation" workouts. But there are some things you can only test in true race conditions.
- the way I see it, the amount of risk I am willing to take with my race pacing is inversely proportional to the priority/importance of the race to me. For example, if I am doing an early spring or late fall sprint tri or 5k as a "C" priority race, I am going to go full throttle, take enormous risks and not hold anything back. But if I have trained all year & tapered two weeks for a big half iron distance triathlon, I am going to take minimal risks to give myself the best chance of having an excellent race.
- good pacing
- kept my head in the game/no daydreaming
- mental attitude: not just "hope" that i can run well, i now "know" that i can run well
What i need to improve
- run technique
- bike fit
- carrying way too much nutrition on the run: use the bike as an eating & drinking platform. when you dismount the bike you should be fairly well hydrated & carbs/electrolytes should be topped up. that way all you need to carry on the run is maybe a gel or two. get your fluids from the aid stations, don't carry them with you. this will save you from carrying an extra 1-2 pounds across the run course.
- clean & lube your bike chain the night before your race! i'll say it again. clean & lube your bike chain the night before your race! i heard the sound of so many squeaky & dirty chains out there. a queaky or dirty sounding chain is the sound of you giving away free speed for no reason. we spend so much time training for these races. what's another 15-20 minutes the night before the race to ensure your bike is operating at peak efficiency?
- resist the urge to "race" against others on the bike course: this is a duathlon/triathlon. it's not a race to see who gets to T2 first. in fact, who gets to T2 first means absolutely nothing. there is no such thing as "I had a great bike but I fell apart on the run". if one of your close competitors passes you on the bike, keep going at your intended pace. do not overdo it on the bike in an effor to catch up. if someone passes you, it means one of two things: 1. they are going too fast; or 2. they are better than you anyway. just let 'em go. something i say to myself if i see someone in my AG pass me on the bike me is "see you on the run course at the 4k mark".
- focus on things you can control, not things you can't control: i heard lot of negative chatter about two things on the riverkeeper course: 1. how long the run was from the transition area to the mount/dismount line & back; and 2. how hot it was on the olympic 10k run course. i will use these two issues as examples, addressing them individually. #1: the run to the mount/dismount line. there is nothing you can do about this & all competitors must run the same distance, so it doesn't really matter. how about focussing instead on how you are going to make that run as easy for yourself as possible. which hand will you use to hold your bike? will you hold your bike at the stem or the seat? are you gong to run in shoes or just socks? are you going to run on the grass or the path? #2 temperature on the run course. again, you cannot contorl the temperature. but you can control how you will respond to the heat. dress & hydrate appropriately. make good use of the aid stations. run in the shade whenever possible. plus, as a little extra motivation, just think...the sooner you get the run done, the cooler the average temperature will have been during your run ;)
Thanks for reading.
May 23, 2009
10 kilometer run
Weather: 18 C, sunny, light wind
Course Conditions: Mostly flat asphalt but crowded.
Race goal: less than 40 minutes
Race strategy: Get a really good warmup in before the race & then get to my area in the starting corral. Start running at a 4:00/km pace. Gradually increase the speed with 2 km to go if I'm still feeling good.
RACE REPORT
Results
Gun time 46:19 | Chip time 42:46 | 525/ 8341 overall | 456/3579 men | 76/435 in age group men 25-29
The race
-Because the crowds were so big, I wasn't able to get to my area of the starting corral. It was literally shoulder-to-shoulder people everywhere. I wanted to do the race in < 40min but when I started I was horrified to see the 55 min pace bunny in front of me.
-For the first few kilometers I am literally jogging/speed walking at a 6:30/km pace instead of the intended 4:00/km pace. I am sidestepping, accelerating and & decelerating all over the place in an effort to pass as many people as possible.
-I'm thinking the crowd will thin out after a few kilometers and I'll be able to pick up my speed and get back on pace for a 40 min 10k
-After 5k, the crowds still haven't thinned out, I'm getting pretty angry at this point, still jogging/sidestepping and starting to realize that this race is going to be a total waste of time.
-At the 8k mark the crowd FINALLY thins out and I'm able to run at my own pace uninterrupted.
-I have totally given up on 40 minutes at this point. My head is no longer "in the game" and I'm just running just so I can get to the finish line and get this run over with.
Aches, pains & recovery
-I was actually quite sore after this race because of all the sudden sidestepping, accelerating and decelerating.
What I did well
-Attitude: As angry as I was throughout the entire race, I maintained a mental outlook of "how can I make the most of the situation?".
-Didn't give up: As slow as the pace was, I still did my best to keep maneouvering around people in an effort to go as fast as possible.
-Finished strong: At the 8km mark I was able to finally start running at my own pace and my legs felt pretty good considering the situation I was in. I was running just over a 4:00/km pace.
What I need to improve
-Next time I will be arriving at the start line MUCH MUCH earlier so I can actually start racing when the race starts.
Thank Yous
Alana: She was at the start line to cheer me on once again. This time she had to put up with a very angry & frustrated runner post-race.
Race directors: As negative as my personal experience was at this race, the event as a whole is first class. It was really cool knowing that some of the world's fastest 10k runners were on the same course as me. This event gets better & better every year.
Would I do this race again?
Yes I'll be doing this race again sometime, but I'll be arriving at my area of the starting corral MUCH MUCH earlier.
What's next?
The Riverkeeper Olympic Duathlon on Saturday, June 13th. My 2nd duathlon of the season.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
7:30 am
Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Long Duathlon: 5 km run, 34.2 km bike, 5 km run
Run Course: out and back on Colonel By Drive and University Drive
Bike Course: 3 laps on Colonel By Drive from Pretoria Bridge to Hog's Back Road.
Weather: 9 C, cloudy, light wind
Course Conditions: Run course was a mix of grass and asphalt in good condition. Bike course was smooth asphalt with a few potholes and a 200m section of construction zone.
Race goal: ~1:55 - 2:00, depending on wind conditions on bike course.
Race strategy: Run the first 5k in 22:00. Breeze through first transition smooth and steady. Bike 34.2 km @ 4/5 effort level in approx 1:10, depending on wind. Push through second transition focused and purposeful. Hang on for dear life during the second 5k, running it in 23:00 or less.
RACE REPORT: THE SHORT VERSION
Results
1:51:34 | 11/27 overall | 10/19 men | 1/1 in age group men 25-29
-an excellent race that exceeded all expectations
-flat tire less than 15 minutes before race start!
-thank you Pecco's for fixing my flat so quickly!
-accidentally ran the first 5k 2 whole minutes faster than planned on my way to a 5k PB.
-very happy to beat my 5k personal best, but to do this during the first leg of a duathlon? uh oh, what would this mean for the rest of my race???
-because of my fast first run, had to hold back a little bit on the bike. i lost a lot of time to the faster cyclists because of this.
-apparently i paced the bike well because i ran the second 5k only 6 seconds slower than the first.
RACE REPORT: THE LONG VERSION
Morning of the race
I woke up at 5:00am, had some coffee and a banana, then hit the road at 6:00am. Since the race site was only 11km from home, I decided to ride my bike there to sneak in a little extra bike mileage for the weekend.
Warm up
It's 7:15am and I'm about to start my 15 minute pre-race warmup. I eat a gel and do one last equipment check to make sure my brakes are working, chain is in the right gear, bottles are secure, etc. I pinch my rear tire to make sure there's still enough air in it and it's FLAT! Flat tire and there's less than 15 minutes before the race starts and I'm supposed to be warming up! I grab my bike off the rack and sprint over to the on-site Pecco's bike technicians. I try to keep my composure and inform them I have flat. They calmly and efficiently change my tube, pulling a piece of glass out of my rear tire in the process. They fixed my flat in less than 5 minutes. Without the help of those guys there's no way I would have been able to start the race on time. One of them cracks a joke saying "that will be 10 dollars". In the panicked state I am in, I force out a polite chuckle and run with my bike back to transition. Now that I think about it, that technician might not have been joking. Pecco's: if you are reading this and I owe you 10 dollars, email me and I will get you your money! I arrive at the start line frazzled and with only 3 minutes to do an insufficient warm up. Oh well, at least I'm still able to do the race.
The start
This was my first duathlon in several years. The field is small with what looked like 20 or 30 people. This is to be expected at a small community event like the Ottawa Early Bird. I quickly noticed was that although the field was small, EVERYONE looked like they were in it to win it. Apparently in the world of duathlon there are few if any "participants", only "competitors".
The gun goes off and the pace is fast. A group of 8-10 people are out in front and there's no way I can match their speed. I notice many of them have their first and last names printed on their jerseys. I think to myself, wow they must be good if they have personalized jerseys.
First 5k run
After the first 5 minutes or so, I find myself in no man's land: not able to keep up with the lead pack, but running faster than the rest of the field.
I was planning on using my watch and the kilometer markers to monitor my pace, only to discover that there are no kilometer markers. Before the 2.5 km turnaround I pass a pylon with "3km" printed on it. Not much help. I had no choice but to pace the run based on feel.
I arrive back at transition, I'm switching to bike shoes and glance at my watch for the first time in a while. It reads 20 minutes and counting. I ran the first 5k 2 minutes faster than planned and recorded a 5k personal best in the process. I am extremely happy to beat my personal best for a 5k but what would this do to the rest of my race? Only time would tell.
Bike
I get settled in on my bike and I decide to ride a little easier than previously planned because I did the first 5k so fast. My legs are feeling good but I'm wishing I could be going a little bit faster.
Second 5k run
With the bike leg done, I dismount my bike and proceed back into transition. Another quick shoe change and I'm off and running again, legs are feeling pretty good.
Once again, I'm running in no man's land. A few people are way ahead of me and a few are way behind me. Again, with no kilometer markers I am forced to run the 5k on feel. I run it hard and finish strong, feeling good. I check the results and see that I ran the second 5k only 6 seconds slower than the first. Wow that is nice steady running! Good thing I held back on the bike.
Results
1:51:34 | 11/27 overall | 10/19 men | 1/1 in age group men 25-29
Splits: 5 km run - 9/27 overall - 20:37 - 4:08/km | 34.2 km bike - 12/29 - 1:10:15 - 29.2 km/h | 5 km run - 5/29 - 20:43 - 4:09/km
I am VERY happy with that second run split and my overall placing.
Aches, pains & recovery
-Is there anything better than mindlessly eating that post race bagel while blandly staring off into space? I don't think so.
-I regain my composure fairly quickly and am able to ride my bike home. This helped flush out my legs and speed up recovery.
-I was home by 11:00am and still had time for a nice easy 2 hour ride in the Gats that afternoon. It had just finished raining, the park was whisper quiet, which made for a very relaxing and enjoyable ride.
-After my afternoon ride I take a shower and lie down for an epic 2 hour nap. Sooooo good.
-The next morning I am feeling a little stiff but nothing out of the ordinary.
What I did well
Composure: I didn't let that pre-race flat tire freak me out. I took quick, decisive action and fixed the problem. Over and done with, let's move on to the next challenge.
Making adjustments on the fly: I was able to successfully change up my race strategy on the fly after running the first 5k way too fast.
Transitions: fast and efficient.
What I need to improve
Run pacing: I was wrong to assume there would be kilometer markers on the run course. Should have had a back up plan.
Thank Yous
Alana: Always supportive and attends every single one of my races, no matter how cold, dark and dreary it happens to be when they start.
Coaching: Endurance Nation. I plugged these guys before but I will plug them again. They offer affordable training resources for the self-coached triathlete. I have been following one of their half iron training plans this year. The plan works. Enough said.
Somersault: another great event, well done!
Massage: I have been treated twice at RE:FORM Body Clinic and they have helped keep me healthy and injury-free. If you've never had a massage before and you have insurance coverage, give it a try, you won't regret it.
Would I do this race again?
Yes. This is was my 4th Early Bird event but my first time doing the duathlon. The Somersault staff once again put on another successful event and should be very proud of their work. The Early Bird is quickly becoming the area's "must do" event for first-time and newbie triathletes.
What's next?
MDS Nordion 10k on May 23, 2009. Based on today's run performance, I will be shooting for < 40 minutes. Lets hope for another great race but less pre-race drama next time :)
Thanks for reading.
I have been reading a lot lately about the benefits of attending an early season triathlon training camp. An out of town training camp is not in my triathlon budget for this year, so I decided to organize my own self-supported camp based out of my apartment. It was a great experience and I would like to share it to hopefully inspire others who want to reap the benefits of a training camp but lack the time or money to attend one.
Taking advantage of the Easter long weekend, my goal was to ride 400 kilometers in 4 days. I would alternate short "recovery" days with longer "stretch" days. Due to factors out of my control, I fell short of my goal (only 308 km's). Read on to find out why.
Because the Easter weekend is always full of family events, I set a daily training cut-off time of 12:00 noon, committing to being available for family time each day by 1:00pm. Once you start doing the math...400 kilometers divided by 4 days divided by average speed of 25 km/hr...it all adds up to some very early mornings! The main problem with training at this time of day, during this time of the year is 6:00am - 12:00 noon is pretty much the coldest part of the 24 hour day. This created major problems for me throughout the weekend.
THE RIDES
Day 1: Thursday, April 9 - 87 km
Negotiated an arrangement with my boss for me to come into work early and leave early. Bike commuted to/from work, dropped off my stuff at the apartment, then did 2.5 loops of Colonel By for a total of 87 km for the day. Had the pleasure of letting a few bike commuters draft off my wheel on their way home while on Colonel By. Very nice weather for a ride.
Day 2: Friday, April 10 - 107 km
"Stretch" day. Two separate rides with a 30 min rest stop in the apartment to refuel (and thaw out as it turned out). First ride was out to Richardson Side Road and back into town. Nice route, nice and sunny, but VERY cold hands and feet by the end. Second ride up Flewellyn half way out to Carleton Place & back. By the time I finished the second ride my feet were 100% numb. It was weird walking around my apartment afterwards not being able to feel what I was walking on. Other early spring cyclists can relate I'm sure.
Day 3: Saturday, April 11 - 79 km
"Recovery" day. Only one ride, up to the Gamelin parking lot, western parkway, Hunt Club and Cedarview. Hands/feet again frozen at the end of this ride.
Day 4: Sunday, April 12 - 35 km
"Stretch" day. Hoping to finish the weekend with a huge day of 127 km of riding. Checked the weather that morning... -8 C windchill. -8 C was definitely outside my cycling "comfort zone". I add an extra layer onto my hands and feet. It doesn't help. I ride south into the Barrhaven area. After 17.5 km of riding [with a tailwind] I realize my hands and feet are extremely cold already. I am imagining what it would feel like riding 30+ kilometers back into a -8C headwind and decide that I would be borderline unsafe. I didn't want to ruin my Easter Sunday by needing to pay a visit to the ER with frozen hands, frozen feet and frostbite. At 17.5km, I swallow my pride, abort the 400 km mission, turn things around and head home. I arrive back at the apartment, happy to be warm again, treat myself to a big hot breakfast and then head out for a 15km run for good measure. I laugh as a 15km run now feels "easy" after all that riding in the early morning freezing cold weather.
WHAT I DID WELL
-route planning
-bike mechanics [lots of preventative maintenance = no mechanical issues]
-nutrition [everything bottled/mixed the night before, no digestion issues]
-post workout recovery [took advantage of a post w/o smoothie and naps whenever possible]
WHAT I NEED TO IMPROVE
-cold weather cycling gear: need better stuff! these rides would have been way more enjoyable if i had the right stuff. i thought i had the right stuff, but the clothing you need for a 45 min commute ride is MUCH different than the clothing you need for 4 hrs + of riding
-time of day: if i'm going to do an early spring cycling weekend like this again, I'm going to structure things so that I'm riding during the warmest parts of the day, not the coldest.
ACHES, PAINS AND RECOVERY
-i was amazed by how easily by body recovered day after day from such a steep increase in cycling volume
-cycling truly is a non-impact sport. keep yourself properly dressed, fueled and hydrated and you can seemingly ride forever with almost no risk of overuse injury.
THANK YOUS
-thank you to alana, my wife, for supporting/tolerating me throughout this crazy adventure. i wouldn't have been able to do this without her help.
WOULD I DO THIS AGAIN?
-ABSOLUTELY! i find myself already planning another epic weekend of training in may. hopefully i won't need to worry about frostbite next time :)
WHAT'S NEXT
-Early Bird Long Duathlon next month. hoping this big weekend of riding gives my cycling fitness a big boost. see you out there on the roads!
Thanks for reading.