In Your Face: HITS Olympic Palm Springs

C'mon Kirk...it will be fun! That's about all the enticement I needed to add one last race to my 2015 race schedule. Joining a great group of friends and YBCC Racing teammates it was just what I needed as the icing on the cake for a truly remarkable 2015 season....hence...In Your Face! I even had the opportunity to volunteer at the full and half distance races along with my cohort's from YBCC adding to the fun and supportive environment. Thank you Klas and Lisa Kuntze for organizing the team race, activities and all that you do.

Heading to Palm Springs with no pressure--no expectation was a great feeling and came to manifest itself in the most beneficial way on race day. I finished 1st in my age-group and 6th overall with the 2nd fastest Overall bike split,  2nd fastest swim and fastest run split in my AG. Yup...In Your Face!

Since my brother lives in Palm Springs and was able to make it to the race, it was extra special coming across the finish line. I even did my best Usain Bolt (without the cape of course) - You got it...In Your Face!

It's time to change gears once again and shift my focus back to long course racing for IM 70.3 California Oceanside on April 2nd -- it will be here before I know it. Before I do...I'll reveal in this result for just a little longer, after all, this race blog title says it all...you get the picture...In Your Face!

I've decided to keep this summary short and sweet and to the point. I'm feeling thankful, grateful and proud of this season and this season finale effort in Palm Springs. I hope you enjoyed following my 2015 season-long race-capades and it was as much fun to read as it was to write. Stay tuned in 2016 for a new season of racing representing the great Timex brand navigating life as a passionate age-grouper triathlete. Cheers!

Not Quite Yet.."Day of the Dead": Ironman 70.3 Los Cabos



Apparently racing in Mexico agrees with me. IM 70.3 Los Cabos first hit my radar screen in the early summer months as an option for racing a late-season 70.3 distance race. The event became more prominent when my strong interest in racing 70.3 Austin was thwarted due to an unchangeable work commitment the same weekend. As I contemplated my races and destinations, the notion of racing in Mexico for the second time this year and fourth time ever sounded good and won me over. What a great decision it was!

Did I happen to mention I love Mexico!  Having visited Mexico many times over the years, there is an allure and charm that keeps taking me back south of the border. The simple culture, laid-back lifestyle, and friendly people amidst the blue Pacific waters make for a perfect resort style “roughing it” adventure. I found the town of San Jose del Cabo to be a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Cabo San Lucas which I had experienced during previous trips to the Baja California Sur area.

 

Speaking of adventures…racing in Mexico certainly is one and an experience all unto itself. Throw in the fact that it’s a tough course with very hot and humid conditions and you’ve got the makings for an early Day of the Dead. Well, hopefully not that kind of day of the dead. What I’m referring to is an observed Mexican holiday called “Day of the Dead” on Oct. 31^st (our Halloween) to remember and honor friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. Umm…from what I can recall every 70.3 and full Ironman distance race I’ve done turns into a spiritual journey at some point so in sorts, yes, Day of the Dead. Wonder what kind of spiritual journey Los Cabos has in mind?!?

I arrived in San Jose del Cabo a few days before race day to acclimate and familiarize myself with the surroundings. I got there about the same time Hurricane Patricia announced herself further south of the Baja Peninsula making its way towards mainland Mexico. Ut-oh! Anytime a Category 5 hurricane is in the vicinity it is clearly reason for concern, but fortunately Patricia tracked far enough south that she was a non-issue for the race.

It was a treat to get in a couple open-water practice swims right from the race swim start at Palmilla Beach. The beautiful water was a balmy 82-degrees so the race was declared non-wetsuit. Prepared with my Blue Seventy PZ3TX Skinsuit, I was glad it was non-wetsuit and couldn’t wait to see what my swim had in store for me. I’d spent a lot of recent swim training focused on correcting bad stroke habits, becoming more streamlined and increasing buoyancy. Onto to race day and let’s see!!
 

The swim featured a rolling start where you enter the water according to your predicted swim finish time. Theoretically it’s a good idea as long as everyone is positioned at least relatively close to their ability. But in reality there are slow swimmers who get in the water first and fast swimmers who get in last so still plenty of contact as you attempt to maneuver around slower swimmers while the faster ones swim over your back. Despite plenty of swell to take in a few mouthfuls of super-salty Mexican seawater and hinder sighting, I had a great swim coming out of the water 7^th in my AG in a time of 38:47.

Making my way up Palmilla Beach to T1, the cheers of the crowd were exhilarating. As I exited transition I saw and heard Amy VT (Coach Bagg's wife) giving me an extra boost as I mounted my bike. Although I had been experiencing some nausea before the race which continued off and on throughout, I was feeling good at this point and stoked to ride.

The bike course at Los Cabos is challenging with over 2000 feet of elevation gain at an average incline of 6.6%. My race plan called for moderate to just below threshold power output (185-190w) throughout the ride. Keep it cool on the big early rollers to save my legs when I get to the hills on the latter part of the course, but more importantly, on the hills at the end of the ride so my legs aren’t trashed on the run. Very cognizant of this, I forced myself to back off several times, yet I still exceeded my prescribed average power output at 209 watts. This would come back to haunt me on the run. Two miscues were costly; 1) at mile 15 I dropped my chain; and 2) less than a mile from T2 I was directed by a volunteer to make a turn when I should have gone straight, by the time I could turnaround it added an extra 3-4 miles on the bike. Despite the miscues I came off the bike in 4^th place in my AG in a time of 2:49, moving up 3 spots.
 

Encouraged to see most of the run bags still hanging up as I made my way through T2 I entered the changing tent uncertain what to expect on the 13.1 mile run through the streets of San Jose. Only one way to find out! As I exited the changing tent the run course was hauntingly clear -- stay focused and get after it, but it was at this point that the handle on the heat and humidity lever took its first big turn. My goal for the first mile is to keep my HR the same as my average HR on the bike which was 140 bpm. Well, this would be an issue since it was already above that I hadn’t run more than a couple hundred meters. I backed off the pace but my HR continues to climb. Clearly I am about to be consumed with controlling my HR in these stifling hot conditions. The ensuing 12-miles became a game of give and take as my mantra became “take what you can get”. I watched my per mile pace drop from 7:10; 7:13; 7:55; 7:59 and 8:14 respectively over miles 1-5, then range from 8:46 to 9:20 except for a dark 9:50 mile-11 when more nausea forced me to seek shade. Thankfully, seeing VT and a couple of other familiar faces during the run was encouraging. Gritting it out I ran down two spots to 2^nd place in my AG in a time of 1:51.
 

I’m thrilled to make my first IM race podium with a 2^nd place age-group finish in a time of 5:24. Not close to a PR but on this course in that heat I am very happy. In Mexico, Ironman holds their awards celebration and Worlds slot allocation on Monday night. Since I had to leave on Monday, I was unable to claim my 2016 Worlds slot or accept my award in person. I’m stoked to create my next opportunity to accept both.

 

Many thanks to coach Chris Bagg who again had me focused and ready to race, the Timex Factory Team, and team sponsors Scratch Labs, Blue Seventy, SKINS, Castelli and Bonk Breakers.

Thanks for reading…and sorry, obviously no Writer’s Block on this one!!

Writer’s Block: USAT Olympic Distance National Championship

I am severely late in writing and posting this race report. I would like to attribute my tardiness to the fact that I’ve been sooo busy that I couldn’t put the ink to paper (or would it be fingers to the keyboard). But truth-be-told I’ve had a difficult time dialing in exactly what to say and how to say it. In the writing world they refer to this as Writers Block. According to Wikipedia... Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. Hmm..slowdown…how about a friggin shutdown? Well, it’s not like I’m Stephen King writing the next Misery or The Shining; however as a journalism major I can recall this happening in college. You’re never really sure when or how a breakthrough might happen but for me I was watching ESPN’s C’Mon Man segment and I thought, seriously…it’s just a race summary from an event that lasted 2:20, so C’Mon Man! And the writing began.

The USAT Age-Group Olympic-Distance National Championship race features the best triathletes in the country who qualified at a previous race at the Olympic distance to earn an invitation to compete at the championship. Simply stated…it’s the best of the best. Fortunately, I was blessed to qualify at every Olympic race I competed at during the 2014-15 season…but qualifying is one thing and competing at Nationals is an entirely different experience. This will be my 3^rd time competing at Nationals. The first was in 2010 in Tuscaloosa, AL, again in Milwaukee in 2013 and again this year at the same race venue as 2013 in Milwaukee. The USAT (USA Triathlon) Association moves the race around every 2-3 years to allow new host cities and provide a change of scenery. This will be the third year for Milwaukee which has been a great venue. The race takes place downtown at Discovery Park on Lake Michigan. The swim is in the protected harbor, the bike along the waterfront and an out and back over the Lincoln Memorial Bridge through a residential neighborhood and the run through Discovery Park and the waterfront ending with a beautiful finish in the park. It’s no wonder the race was extended for a third year at this venue.

Not only is the competition stout – but the energy is uberlike! Nearly over the top for me. Imagine for a moment 3,000 type-A athlete personalities all converging on the same race because they were invited to compete by USAT? It sets the tone for a triathlon battle-royale. But just like in 2010 and 2013 my race face is on and I’m ready for the challenge. Battling an unknown leg injury in my lower right leg that appeared with sudden onset just 10-days prior, leaving me barely able to walk and a trip to urgent care, I’ve recovered to a place that will allow me to race, but I’m not entirely sure what to expect come race day. Shall we say I’m cautiously optimistic?

My age-group started in Wave-6 which is great -- relatively early considering there is 17-waves total. The earlier the better is my philosophy, especially at a large venue like this where the longer you wait forces you to spend too much time in your own head. Lake Michigan is a brisk 62-63 degrees -- much colder than 2-years ago when it was 69-70-deg. Clearly a pre-race buzz topic the day before at the practice swim.

The swim is an in-water start, clinging to a dock, waiting for directions from the race starter and the horn…and off we go. Despite the cooler water temps I’m happy with my decision to still wear my sleeveless wetsuit and although a bit chilly for the first 400-500 meters my core temperature rose to a comfortable level.  With over 170 guys starting in my AG it’s crowded and body contact is unavoidable but by the time I warmed up I also found open water. Many successful Olympic distance triathletes have a strong swimming background which draws them into the sport where their bike and run skills are not as prominent. Some develop the bike and run while others already possess the full package as my coach Chris describes it. Regardless, they can swim. There are many with the full package racing today. That said, I am glad to simply hold my own amongst this fast swim field and come out of the water with enough poise to bike and run down as many of the “swimmers” as I can. I completed the 1.5K swim in 27:22, over a minute faster than 2-yrs ago, but still only 94/168 in my AG.

After a fast and incident free transition to the bike I am on my way. My race plan calls for a conservative start keeping power in the 75% power range of FTP (functional threshold pace) and then building to 90% FTP. Sometimes it’s difficult to race your own race as the “hammerheads” push the pace early…like offering candy to a kid...hard to resist. But I stayed in my range, raising my power and building a sustainable pace to finish much stronger than I started. The strategy is smart, sound and effective but I felt I lacked the sense of urgency I’d had at Alcatraz and NYC. Perhaps my leg injury was affecting me or I was just having a bit of an off day? I was getting passed but knew I had some fast age groups behind me so I focused on managing my own race effort. Past the half-way point and turn-around I locked onto two other riders to elevate and sustain my pace and completed the 40K bike leg in 1:05:23 -- 3-minutes slower than my 2013 bike split, and 56/168 in my AG.

In and out of transition quickly I knew I had to try and settle into a fast – sustainable run pace as quickly as possible. I felt strong enough to push early and began to make up some ground passing several guys in my AG, some who passed me on the bike and others who were fading on the run. Question was….how many could I catch? With only 10K to work I would begin to run out of real estate and tried to stay focused. I kept my eye on a guy in my AG who came out of transition just in front of me who I was playing cat and mouse with on the bike. My intent is to pass him within the final 1-2K but no such luck. We were running just sub-7 and he had a nice kick at the finish and I couldn’t run him down. I managed a 10K race split of 43:35, 45/168 in my AG.
 

I can possibly attribute my Writer’s Block condition to a subconscious way of not recognizing an off day compared to other races this season which have been really pretty great. It’s been an amazing year. Yes, not every race can be an “A” race, but each race is an opportunity to shine and if there was ever a time to want to shine brightly it’s racing against the best of the best at a championship venue. My goal was to finish in the top 25 with a shot to make Team USA and compete at ITU Worlds next year. I finished in a time of 2:20, and 49^th in my AG (out of 168 finishers). I’m pleased to finish in the top 29% of my AG on a day like this amongst this competitive field, and in the words of the Great-One Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. Like most races, I learned a lot racing here and the best take-away is I will have many more shots to take...starting with IM 70.3 Los Cabos the end of October with my eye on a personal record and a spot on the podium.

Much thanks to my coach Chris Bagg, the Timex Factory Team, and team sponsors Scratch Labs, Blue Seventy, SKINS, Castelli and Bonk Breakers.

Thanks for reading.

A Bite Out of the Big Apple: New York City Triathlon

As a Phoenix native, born and raised in this great southwest city, I grew up blessed with sun, clean air, beautiful sunsets, and of course that desert heat. There has always been the novelty of being from a place where the vast majority of the people who live there are from someplace else. When I meet people I’m always interested to learn where they are from and what brought them to the Valley of the Sun. Like them, I have lived other places, but as life often does – I’ve managed to come full circle more than once, back to the place I love for family, lifestyle and quality of life.

 

To that point I believe it adds to a an intrigue and sense of adventure associated with this great sport of racing in new and epic venues all over the world and I can now cross NYC off my bucket list.

Not only did I have the pleasure of racing in NYC, but I took a huge bite out of the “Big Apple” with a 4^th place age-group finish out of 190 finshers, and 98th overall out of over 3200 competitors in a time of 2:18 in the Olympic distance event. It was a hot and sticky NY summer day -- indicative of what you would hear a New-Yorker refer to as “nasty”, but that didn’t seem to faze many of the more than 3200 finishers who gained entry through the race lottery process. In the days leading up to the race I wondered exactly how race organizers could pull it off. After-all NY is the largest city in America and they will have athletes swimming in its busy waterways, riding on its busy cab-filled streets and running through one of the most infamous and picturesque tourist attractions in the world. But they did it and even made it look easy. My personal account of the day goes something like this…

The swim at NYC Tri has been called the fastest swim in triathlon. Launching from a dock on the Hudson River using a time trial start format, you swim 1.5K downriver alongside beautiful Riverside Park. Some fun-facts about this swim, which presented themselves in a need to know fashion. 1. The downriver current is stronger earlier in the morning and actually changes direction mid-morning…the key here is the earlier your swim wave the faster you’ll go. Unfortunately, I was in a later wave. 2. The closer you are to the shore the slower the current…makes sense. You want to be nearer the center of the river to maximize full benefit of the swift current. I started nearest to the shore. 3. It's freshwater, no inherent benefit from saltwater to be had. Unable to take full advantage of these nuggets, I came out of the water in 19:37. Swim: 38/190 in AG.
 

After that fun-fast swim down the Hudson it was onto the bike. The bike course exits transition via 79th St. and heads out on the Henry Hudson Highway -- the view as you cross the Henry Hudson Bridge was breathtaking.Then onto the Mosholu Parkway for an out and back to the Bronx. I felt strong from the get go and stayed very aggressive from start to finish. The course had just enough risers to keep you honest but allowed for ample time in your aeros.  Unable to get my power meter properly calibrated despite having it ready and checked during pre-race I relied on heart rate and perceived exertion as my guide..and was my HR humming, averaging 159 bpm during the 25.4 ride at an average speed of 22.8 mph. I managed the 3^rd fastest bike split in my AG with in a time of 107:12. Bike: 3/190 in AG.

 

Exiting T2…the heat is on the rise…I made my way out 72^nd street across Broadway to the entrance of Central Park. The northbound loop around the park is anything but your average Sunday morning stroll…its hilly! I was so glad I did my pre-race run a couple days before the race to clue me in and even then I was still amazed. The elevation gain was over 500-feet on the 6.2 mile course. The intrinsic value of actually racing through Central Park was intense. Spectators were fantastic -- several deep in some areas and very engaging – in true to New Yorker fashion. It was encouraging to hear Go Timex several times. At one point as I came up on another runner I heard someone say…'these guys are probably running a sub-7 pace in this heat, that’s impressive'…I couldn’t help look down at my Timex One GPS and it read 6:58—I thought, Wow, that guy is good! I pushed throughout to maintain a steady pace but felt myself slowing as the temperature and my HR continued to climb…Finally onto Dead Rd into the finish chute and across the line. My 10K time was 46:12...slow by 10K standards, but good enough for 5th in my AG and on a hot and hilly course like this -- I’ll take it!  Run: 5/190 in AG.

There was New York magic in the air on this Sunday in July and I am stoked to continue my strong season momentum with my second top-five finish and fourth top-ten finish out of 4-races this season.

 

Much thanks coach Chris Bagg - I couldn't have done it without you! Your direction, lead, and guidance (DLG I like to call it) always has me prepared physically and mentally to race.

 

Thank you Timex Factory Team for the sponsorship, and team sponsors Blue Seventy, Scratch Labs, SKINS Compression and Castelli for the great gear.

15-minutes of Fame: Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

What's your "15-minutes of Fame"? Everyone is destined for it at some point in life. Maybe you’ve

brushed fame several times or possibly just once. Regardless, when it happens we tend to own it with a story to follow. It’s relative depending on who you know, and what you consider to be fame-worthy could be entirely different to someone else. Amidst the social media revolution–exposure to multiple 15-MOF increases exponentially allowing some people to rack up hours without even trying. Our 15-MOF evolves as we go through life and a better more relevant experience is allowed to trump a previous therefore creating a new, more exciting story to tell.

So my latest 15-MOF is a sub-set of a recent event and happened when the San Francisco Chronicle included my picture in their post-Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon story on Monday, June 8^th. Click SF Chronicle Story to view. Random, yes, considering there were 2000 competitors racing that day, but more likely I was an easy target for the Chronicle photographer. My shoe grimace says it all…fingers numb from the cold water as I struggle to get my tingling feet into an old pair of race flats for the 1200-meter run from the water exit to T1. Whether random, easy-target or dumb-luck, photojournalism is all about capturing the essence of the moment and I will definitely give them that.

 

My full race report goes something like this…

The ferry ride out to Alcatraz is unlike any boat-ride you’ll ever take. There is a calm masking nerves abound the 2000 athletes about “to jump” (from the ferry into the bay). This will be my 6^th jump and even knowing what to do from the previous 5, pre-race butterflies are doing barrel-rolls in my tummy. You tend to meet a lot of new people on the boat from all over the world who have traveled far to jump. Most of the nervous chatter amongst strangers is about the jump, swim and race strategy. As we get closer to the island the race director announces there is a 4-knot current, (roughly 4.6-mph) and that the water is 60-deg (balmy by bay standards considering one year I raced it was 52). It normally ranges from 1-5 knots so 4 is considered pretty strong and it always moves out to sea under the Golden Gate Bridge. Good to know as it helps to adjust your land sighting points across the bay. They liken it to swimming across the river…the faster the current the more it will carry you so aim according to your swim ability and magically you’ll land on Marina Green Beach next to the St. Francis Yacht Club. One year I over-shot the exit having to swim against the current to get back – it was no picnic. But today, despite relatively dense fog -- my sighting was spot on using familiar landmarks such as the trees and rooftops of Fort Mason to stay on track. Heeding to coaches advice I made a concerted effort to stay relaxed and gradually increase my pace. The strategy worked well settling into a comfortable 2-stroke breathing tempo and after 34-minutes I could see the beach area and water exit arch straight in front of me. That's a good feeling! I came out of the water, crowd cheering, adrenaline and HR pumping. Swim time 36:11. (29/171 in AG)

Shoe grimace and warm-up run from the water exit to T1 behind me it’s time to take on the hilly-technical bike course. The first mile on the bike is flat before you hit your first big climb from Crissy Field through the Presidio to the bluff, followed by a fun descent to the entrance of Golden Gate Park. I found a small pack of 2-3 riders to use as my rabbits moving in and out of racer traffic pushing the pace and each other. I’m having a very strong bike when on a steep hill around mile-15 some dude cut me off and slowed way down. In order to avoid contact I swerved quickly to the right and found myself down on the gavel shoulder. Slightly scrapped, knee and elbow bruised – I got up, put my chain back on which had fallen off, and got back on my bike. Struggling to start on the steep grade I looked down and my rear brake caliper got pushed against my wheel. Umm...nothing like trying to start uphill with the brakes on! A quick adjustment and I was back on my way. I was having a great bike and almost done when I went down so I had to re-focus and not let this affect me. I went on to finish the bike in 58:10. (10/171 in AG)

Exiting T2 feeling no lingering effects of the crash--the hilly run course is ahead. It’s a mixed bag of roads, single-track trails, beach and the infamous 400-step sand ladder, in-all totaling nearly 1500-ft of elevation gain. If you’re a versatile runner you will love this course. It’s no doubt one of my favorites. Not to mention it’s gorgeous with the Golden Gate peeking through the fog making for many surreal moments. After exiting T2 you have approximately 2-miles to get your legs under you before you hit the hills and trails. Pacing is critical early on this run, be patient, don’t attack and let the hills come to you. I focused on a quick but steady pace early, conservative on the uphill segments -- pushing the pace when I could, saving myself for the final 2.5 mile open-throttle to the finish. Experience and strategy pay off with a run split of 55:10 (5/171 in AG). A shout out to fellow CBCG Athlete Jake McCall who I saw a few times on the run and exchanged encouraging words...great race Jake! 

 

Despite the crash on the bike I went on to finish 9th in my Age Group (out of 171 finishers) with a time 2:38 -- just a few minutes off the podium! I learned so much about myself and racing during this highly competitive-challenging event. EFA is my all-time favorite race and I’m already looking forward to my 7th jump in 2016. As for the grimace on my face…my daughter told me…,“Dad you have that funny look all the time”…well so much for the essence of the moment….ha-ha.

A big thank you to coach Chris Bagg #CBCG Chris Bagg Coaching, Timex Factory Team and team sponsors Blue Seventy and Skratch Labs.

Fun in the Sun: Rocky Point Triathlon

So I went to a beach party and a triathlon happened. The next  stop on my 2015 race season continues with an Olympic effort at the Rocky Point Triathlon in Puerto Penasco, MX, AKA, Rocky Point to AZ and CA locals and commonly referred to as “Arizona’s Beach” only a 3.5 hour drive from the Phoenix area.

Puerto Penasco is nestled against the northern most point where the Sea of Cortez greets the Mexican coastline in the State of Sonora. A once quaint fishing village has grown into one of the top tourist and go-to spots for ‘fun in the sun’ of residents of AZ, So Cal and NM.  Known for its warm water temps, ocean breezes and crazy tide changes, Rocky Point is the perfect venue for this race. The race takes place at the Las Palomas Resort and boasts having the best post-race party. I cannot disagree!  Although the Mexican ambiance is super laid-back with your typical Uno Mas attitude, the course is no joke featuring a rough breakwater swim, windy bike and hilly run through the resort golf course.

Making a relatively last minute decision to race Rocky Point, I was looking forward to coming back to avenge my 2^nd place AG finish (by a mere 17-seconds) of 2012 with my eye on winning my AG and a top-5 or even possible Overall podium. I hit my goals taking 1^st in my AG and 5^th Overall, and stoked with an Olympic PR of 2:12 -- only a few minutes off the OA podium.

Feeling fit and ready, Chris (Bagg, my awesome coach) has effectively transitioned me from early season long course training for Oceanside 70.3 to short course focus over the 4-weeks between races. Our work together has again paid big dividends. With a short course focus over the summer months I’m very excited about the Rocky Point outcome setting a baseline for us to build, tweak and execute as I am quite certain the competition at Alcatraz, NYC Tri, and USAT Nationals will have built and tweaked all they can and definitely be ready to execute. 

I love ocean swims and was glad to see the surf on race day, although fairly rough, had calmed from the day before when I got banged around during a practice swim. The great thing about fighting the surf going out is using it to your advantage coming in, and with a two loop course – the fight out and trip back in provided double the fun. My new Blue Seventy PZ3TX Skinsuit worked like a charm. I exited the water 7^th (out of 26) in my AG ready to ride.

 

The bike course was 3-loops of 14.4-km (9-miles) or roughly 43.2-km’s total. A bit longer than the standard Olympic 40-km distance, but what the hell, this is Mexico and they’re close. The ride out was fast and fun with a strong prevailing tailwind making the return into the headwind a grind. Either direction the key was to keep low in your aero’s to maximize or negate the wind. I had the 2^nd fastest bike split in my AG moving up 5 spots into 2^nd place. Coming into T-2, I was told I was the 7^th racer in. Feeling energized by this news – I was anxious to run.

As I exited T-2 there was no other runners in sight yet I knew there were at least 6-guys in front of me if spectator intel was accurate. I had my work cut out for me. For the first time the dry-arid Sonoran heat caught my attention forcing me to now pay closer attention to a climbing HR. As I got my legs under me I focused on keeping a steady-conservative pace in the 6:30-6:45 range. Within the first 1.5-miles I came up on the first guy and passed him.  The constant ups and downs created cramping in my left hamstring causing me to slow up on the downhills.  At mile-3, I came up on the next runner, Greg Stelzer who is in my age-group, after passing Greg I could now see the resort in the distance but still had some work to do. Thoughts of cold cerveza at the finish fueled my efforts as I came into the home stretch, rounded the last corner onto the beach across the finish line. My 10K run split of 40:33 was the fastest in my AG and 3^rd fastest overall – allowing me to secure the AG win and top 5-finish.

Thank you Chris for changing gears so quickly to short course and to the Timex Factory Team and team sponsors Scratch Labs, Blue Seventy, and Skins for the sweet training and racing tools.

The good people at Human Movement Management work hard and do a nice job organizing and putting on a great race.  So if you’re looking for a little fun in the sun – I highly recommend the Rocky Point Triathlon. Thanks for reading.

IM 70.3 California (Oceanside) Race Report: "Five W's and One H"

Kaboom! The 2015 race season is game-on! My first race working with Coach Chris Bagg, proudly representing the Timex Factory Team was nothing short of an awesome experience.

Prepared! Not just a word but a resonating theme I can’t get out of my head best sums up
this big early season test. My left brain forced me to analyze (likely over-analyze if you know us Type-A triathletes) why prepared fits so well while my right brain is just feeling warm and fuzzy about the outcome. To satisfy my need for analysis I decided to apply the “Kipling Method” or better known to my son’s 5^th grade class as the “Five W’s and One H” questions. None of these questions can be answered by a simple “yes” or “no”, but even Capt. Kirk Obvious knows the Five-W’s…Who, What, Where, When and Why are fairly self-explanatory, albeit, Why was murky at times training through cold/wet/winter days in GA. But as an avid and competitive age-group triathlete, Why was easily justifiable. It all boiled down to the mysterious and clearly most exciting part of the equation – the 6^th and final question…How. How was I prepared?

 

The “How Blindfold” seeped a glimmer of light when I received my first training block from Chris on November 1^st. It didn’t take long for me to realize the herald line from Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” was staring me straight in the eye. I was coming out of a 6-week Transition Period (arguably 12-weeks beginning post IM Boulder -- with the Lifetime Olympic Tempe Triathlon in mid-Sep interrupting it...), lulled into the annual comfy and secure transitional period zone. But things were about to change and I couldn’t have been happier and more thrilled to get going with Chris.

My training blocks began to build like a carefully crafted and very cool “How Lego Set” as pieces magically fit on-top, alongside or below the prior like they knew exactly where to go.  Heart rate based speed work pushed the pace and I was making gains across the board like running an 18:04 5K in my Kiss MS Goodbye virtual charity race. As race day approached Chris was dialing me in and my focus and training efforts intensified -- I was prepared!

On to race day...                              

Decent swell near the mouth of the Oceanside Harbor along with patchy fog and glare towards the water exit made for challenging sighting at times, yet I would classify my swim as good. Not great, not really good, but good enough to come out of the water 39 out of 180 guys in my AG – or top 22% -- a nice improvement from my typical top-third placing. I was in a great spot -- I had 56-miles on the bike and 13.1-miles on foot to run down the 38 guys in front of me.

The bike at Oceanside is no joke! With 2,720 feet of elevation gain that really begins past the halfway point at mile-28, you can get pulled into an early course vortex that will turn-around and spit you back out by mile-41 if you’re not mindful. Chris said be patient, be patient and I was. But after-all this is a race so I found my rabbits creating a sense of urgency, staying with a Wattie athlete and a local San Diego guy through the hills and into the 11-mile home stretch.  The bike strategy paid dividends as I came off the bike in 19^th place, moving up 20-spots.

I came out of T2 super stoked -- feeling strong and focused. I was also excited to see my kiddos with my awesome brother Craig along the course. I gobbled down my T2 banana, locked and loaded into my first 5K HR zone and off I went. As I moved into my 2^nd 5K, I came up on the heel of a female pro and used her for pacing. We were running a slight sub-7 pace and I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. After approximately 2-miles she faded a bit and I passed her. I ran each 5K as a race within a race focused on managing my ever-drifting HR. I pulled down a 6:45 final mile and held on for a 133:03 ½ marathon – the 4^th fastest run split in my AG, and more importantly moving up 11 spots for an 8^th place AG finish. 

Thank you Chris for your direction and guidance answering my How getting me so well prepared.

Ironman 70.3 California will serve as a fantastic springboard for what is shaping up to be a banner 2015 season. Next up is the Rocky Point Olympic triathlon in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, and then onto Escape from Alcatraz for escape number 6. You’d think even Capt. Kirk Obvious should be able to figure out how to get the heck off the "Rock" again, but one thing is for sure – I will be prepared to do so.  Stay tuned and we’ll see.