Product Review: TYR Transition Backpack

I recently purchased the TYR Backpack at all3sports and had the opportunity to use it at two races.Likes: Overall size, plenty of space for everything, including post-race clothing and pump.  Two external mesh bottle pockets and two closable side pockets, I used them for Body Glide, sunscreen, cell phone and other small stuff. There’re four internal mesh pockets and one removable water-proof pouch for wet items. When unzipped, the pack opens like a clam shell. External mesh helmet bungee, key fob and expandable bottom for wetsuit or other use.  Padded adjustable straps are easy to use, pack is comfortable while biking to/from transition area.Dislikes: The internal zippers are difficult to see, even using a flashlight. Everything is black on black. I used some colored tape which helped, next, reflective tape.Overall, great pack and great value at $49.95

Russell State Park, Tri the Parks Race, 8-15-2009

Olympic distance race [s-1500 m; b- 22 miles; r- 6.2 miles]

My times:  S 49:29; B 1:13; R 1:07; T 3:15:39

The swim seemed longer than the 1500 meters and the race favored the fastest swimmers.  Since the swim is the most challenging part of the triathlon for me, it was the hardest of the five Tri the Parks races I have done this year.  I have improved my swim times a little, but the youngsters and the sleek dudes always pass me in the water.  I always make up some of swim losses on the bike and it’s fun to pedal past some of the people who have passed me in the water earlier.  The bike and run went better than I expected, because at the last 100 meters of the swim I developed a minor cramp in my left calf muscle.  It wanted to come back when I was on the bike, but eventually went away so I was able to continue.  On the run my right leg started to cramp, but it too subsided and I finished.  Olympic distance races require more hydration, electrolytes and nutrition than the four sprint distance races I did earlier this summer.

I am writing this report while sitting in the surgical waiting room at Piedmont Hospital here in Atlanta.  My son Mark shattered the socket of his right shoulder while on a training ride in Peachtree City two days ago.  A specialist in shoulder surgery is doing a 3-hour procedure to mend the socket joint.  Mark and I were registered for the age group national championship triathlon on Saturday, but here I sit praying for God to guide the surgeon’s hands.  Hopefully Mark and I can register for that race next year.

Being on the All3Sports triathlon team with Mark has been a wonderful experience for both of us.  We train and race on our Cervelo bicycles with pride.  Whenever we visit the All3Sports store we get excellent advice on riding technique, nutrition, clothing and other gear.  I looking forward to next year when Mark and I can train, go to more races, and enjoy the All3Sports lifestyle.

DREAM BIG! DREAM FAST! LIVE STRONG!

Race Report Mistletoe State Park Tri the Parks race, 7/25/2009

I was the only one in my age group again [70-74].  S 18:34; B 34:55; R 29:54; T 1:27:38

That’s 12 minutes faster than my time at the Indian Springs sprint race and 8 minutes faster than at High Falls.  It’s not a lot of improvement, but it’s certainly better than going in the opposite direction.  I feel honored to be part of the All3Sports Team-the team that took all three podium spots that day.  The equipment and advice they have provided me has helped me improve my split times. Every time I go into the store I am treated like royalty and I always leave feeling charged up for my next training session and upcoming race.  I have registered for the Nationals Age Group Tri Championship in Tuscaloosa, AL on August 22nd.

First I am going to do a Tri The Parks Olympic distance race at Russell State Park, Ga on August 15th.  Dream Big, Dream Fast, Live Strong.

USAT National Championships 8-22-09

Tuscaloosa Alabama was home to the USAT Triathlon National Championships August 22, 2009.  It was situated around the University of Alabama’s’ beautiful campus. 

We arrived in town Thursday late afternoon in time for a ride on one loop of the bike course.  I really enjoyed the ride, flat to rolling terrain with smooth pavement.  We finished just in time to be greeted by thunder, lightening and rain.  Kevin went in for a quick swim before the storms and found the water to be calm, warm and current free.

Friday was registration and bike drop.  We completed that early, had a chance to catch up with triathlon friends from around the country.  I love Nationals as that may be the only race I would run into old friends…some from my first years of racing

Race morning was humid but cool, low 70’s, picture perfect blue skies but I knew something was amiss as I was standing waiting to swim and Kevin noticed a 3 foot long dead catfish (eyes gone and whiskers out of the water) moving at a fast clip past the 60+ age group already lined up in the water.  The catfish was gone in a blink of an eye.  The current was on and moving fast!  My wave was left at 7:12 and immediately I saw a purple cap pull away.  I wondered why my legs felt tired during the swim and as soon as I exited the water, looked at my watch and realized I had been in the water for 32:00 for an Olympic distance swim, I knew I had just completed .9 miles swim agonizingly slow.  It was an adventure.
 I loved the bike course.  It was a terrific course with some harder climbs and awesome downhill’s.  I finished in 1:03 for the 5th fastest women’s bike split.  (Thanks to all3sports for taking care of my bike before I left for the race)  It was now time for the run and it was heating up.  I did not know where I stood in my age group but after the first uphill climb, I only saw Karen  (from another age group) in front of me, but on the downhill I recognized Liz Buhlman from my age group only :40 seconds back and 4 miles left in the run.  I saw here again on the 2nd and 3rd hill climbs and each time she had taken 10 more seconds back and seemed to be gaining quickly.  The run is not my strength and I was waiting for her to come by, but on the last part of the run, I realized that she was not there and I crossed the finish line winning my age group by 18 seconds (!) and winning the National Age Group title for 50-54.  It was such a surprise and a hard fought win.  It was a great race against an awesome competitor and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the day.  Thanks Liz for pushing me into a new heart rate zone :) 

All in all it was a wonderful atmosphere for a race.  It is so much fun to race the best people in your age group and even better that is over in less than 3 hours!!
Next year, I hope they put mile markers up on the run and bike. 

Hope to see you at Nationals again in 2010.  Laura

Product Review - SaltStick Caps

When training and racing in hot, humid weather, making sure an athlete takes in enough electrolytes is critical.  This is especially important for longer races.  We lose electrolytes when we sweat and depletion of electrolytes can lead to fatigue, muscle cramps, and overall impaired performance.  SaltStick Caps can help to prevent this.  I’ve tried various electrolyte tablets over the years and have found that SaltStick Caps provide one of the highest concentrations of electrolytes per capsule.  This means having to take in fewer capsules per hour.  They are easy to digest and well tolerated.  Combine the tablets with the SaltStick dispenser (adaptable to the handlebars of a tri or road bike) and you have an easy, convenient way of supplying your electrolytes for the long ride.�

High Falls Sprint Triathlon

I arrived at High Falls State Park looking forward to a fun, fast race.  I arrived in plenty of time to set up my spot in transition and head to the water for a quick warm-up.  The water was calm and the temperature was comfortable.  The swim start is an age group wave start.  I had a good swim, finishing in 11:13.  The swim exit was a little muddy, but it was only a short run to T1. 

 I headed out onto the bike, which I found to be fast course.  The course had rolling hills but nothing too major.  The course was well marked with plenty of signs and volunteers to let you know where to go.  I felt like I kept a steady pace on the bike, finishing the 13.4 mile course in 38:20. 

 I quickly got on my running shoes and headed out of T2.  At this point, I knew I was the third woman overall.  The run course had a couple of small hills and one large hill at the turn around halfway through the run.  I was running as fast as I could, but Yvonne Bedell blew by me around mile 1.  I was able to gain ground on one other racer to retake third place just after the turn around.  I finished the run in 22:13.  Overall, I finished the race in 1:13:40 and was third female overall.     

 This was a fun race.  It is well organized with great volunteers.  It’s definitely a race that I would recommend to first time triathletes/diathletes, as well as more experienced racers.�

Peachtree City Sprint Tri

I have to say that the Peachtree City Sprint is my favorite local race.  It’s pretty big - 1000 competitors - and EXTREMELY well-run.  There were volunteers all over the place, even at every neighborhood entrance and intersection throughout the bike course.  I have done this race each of the last 4 years and will keep going back.The swim has a time trial start with 2 racers starting every 5 seconds, so there is not too much jostling at the start.  There were tons of buoys out there.  It seems like there are some races where you’ll try to sight but won’t see a buoy anywhere - at this race, you can see not only the next buoy but several more as well, which makes staying on course relatively easy.  In years past, the lake has been full of grass, but this year they really did a good job of getting rid of it.  Other than being super brown when you get out of the water, the swim is pretty nice - you might want to wear an old tri top because you’ll be very dirty, and nothing is going to get your top clean.The bike course is very fast.  It has some rolling hills - nothing crazy, and it’s an out and back course with a small loop through a neighborhood thrown in there.  It’s a little hillier on the way out than it is on the way back, but it’s not too tough for anyone who is used to riding around Atlanta.The run is on shaded golf cart paths - definitely my favorite run course!  After mile 2, there’s a gradual uphill for a while, but again, it’s nothing too crazy.  The finish is at the top of a hill, and there are tons of spectators cheering people in.This really is a great race, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone.  It is so well-organized, is a fast course, and is lots of fun!  I’m sure I’ll see you out there next year!

Richard B. Russell Tri The Parks - 8/15/09

The day before this race was a very long and stressful day and we did not get on the road to Elberton until evening. We had many issues along the way, and finally stopped for a late dinner.  Since I was still dealing with some of the day’s issues even late into the night, we decided a few beers (Oops, 3 to be exact) were in order for a stress reliever.  We finally arrived at our smokey-room motel at 11pm and got our bikes and things unloaded and into the room, got our race stuff together, and got to bed by Midnight. MUCH later than my usual night before a race bedtime!

The next morning we got a later start to the race site than usual, there was a long wait into the park, and then a long walk from parking down to the race site. I was a bit rushed/stressed when arriving to the race area about 30 minutes before race start! I’ve usually set-up my transition and finished my warm-up jog by this time…and I still had to get my chip, get body marked, have my bike checked out (thanks Rudy for bringing it to me in transition) get my transition set-up, etc. I realized that a warm-up jog was not going to fit in well, but I went ahead and did a very short one anyway.

This race was already going to be much longer than I was ready for. My run training was up to 4 miles at this point…and a 1500 meter swim is not my favorite…especially given that the bike distance only went up to 22 miles!  I did not know until 11pm the night before the race that this was a 2 loop swim and you had to get out of the lake, run along the beach, and then maneuver your way over “Pipes?” and back into the water to do it all again.  Oh joy…my favorite….a long swim with a tease of getting done and getting out…but having to go back for a 2nd round of fun! 

I was happy with my first loop and I was happy to see some girls running on the beach as I got out of the water. These girls are usually much further ahead of me even in a 500-600 meter swim, so I knew my 750m swim wasn’t too bad.  I definitely slowed down a lot on the 2nd loop, so I lost a little bit of that time…but all in all I was pleased with my swim improvement.

I enjoyed the bike and felt that I had a strong bike split. I started to have very bad calf cramping that I had to coast/stand to try to stretch out before it snapped.  I came in with the fastest Women’s bike split and got going out on the run. I was dreading this run already just due to the distance, but I had forgotten about the trail section for the first half mile. That was not a good way to start off the run for my foot. I was limping as I exited the trail onto the roads and was just hoping it started to feel better as time went on.

Well, it really didn’t feel much better…but I just tried to keep focused on holding a steady, consistent pace and picking people off one-by-one. I had no idea how I was doing or where I was in the race line-up since there was also a duathlon, aquabike, and aquathon….so out on the run the people could have been doing the tri, the duathlon, or the aquathon.

I was never so happy to see the downhill to the finish line. At this point, my calves and hamstrings were cramping up and about to snap, my shoes had dug into my heel and top of both feet and were bleeding out of my shoes, and my Morton’s Neuroma was like sharp knives being stabbed into the ball of my foot.

 I was happy to place 1st Overall and to see that I can at least push myself through a longer run than my training has prepared me for. I have a LONG way to go to be ready for a half marathon in Augusta…..but at least I know I can push through the pain….even if slowly! Next up…Age Group Nationals in Tuscaloosa next weekend…..3 races, 3 weekends in a row….I wish my body was recovering faster from this running! It’s going to be a tough race next weekend!

Acworth Women’s Sprint - 8/9/09

Now this was my kind of race….with the kind of swim I like…400 meters…short and sweet!�  However, I heard it was a bit long this year and unless my swim was just even slower than usual, it did seem long to me. As usual in this all Women’s race, you get such a wide range of different level triathletes…from those doing their first triathlon…to the top Women Triathletes in the area. It makes the race fun…but also makes for some interesting and challenging “twists”.  Even though I am not a fast swimmer, I lined up right in the front of my wave and decided to just throw myself into the crazy mix and see how I managed the additional stress of the mayhem.  Although it definitely was brutal, I was happy to be in the chaos and knew that it was good for me to start getting used to being more “on course” instead of off to the side as usual.

I was so happy just to be there racing for my 2nd race back after a long time on the side lines watching. It was tough maneuvering around others who were floating, breastroking, and backstroking within 100 meters of the start. It can really make you lose your rhythm, and a lot of time too.  About halfway through I had the strangest thing happen and my whole body got tingly…then numb/tingly. I had that feeling like I was about to pass out…very strange! I felt myself slow down a lot at that point, but I just kept moving forward…at least it was only 400 meters (on paper).

I got out on the bike and started passing a lot of faster swimmers in my wave and others in earlier waves.  I felt that I had a strong bike and then started dreading the run. Sure enough…the run was very tough for me and I was disappointed to not be able to hang on when I got passed. I knew I could normally run that pace, but I had to keep reminding myself that it was only my 5th run back after no running for 3 months and that I was doing just fine….so I could not be disappointed with myself for my pace not being where I would like/expect it to be. 

My Husband Jeremy and Mother-in-Law came out to watch me race, so it was great to see them and hear them cheering for me along the run. I sure needed the encouragement…WOW am I out of running shape!  My legs were majorly cramping up in the run and my foot (neuroma) was killing me to the point that I was running on the side of my foot and back on my heel on that side to try to alleviate pressure from pushing off with the ball of my foot.  It was a tough run, but at least it was the right distance this year and not over 4 miles like last year! 

As time went by, I knew that worst case scenario I would win my age group, and that this alone would be a respectable accomplishment for the current stage of my “season”.   None of us knew the Woman who won the race, as she had come from out of State. I guess that just goes to show that you can’t really ever fully know who your top competitors are….and that you can’t judge a book by its cover!  In this race, you don’t know how you are doing against your top competitors anyway since there are so many Women age groups, as opposed to most of the local sprints where all Women start together. 

I was happy to finish 3rd Overall among a competitive field (and the overall trophies were very nice).  I was around 50 seconds out of 2nd place and 2 minutes out of 1st place. I know that my run was a few minutes slower than it should have/could have been, so I am looking forward to getting some more training under my belt to work up to where I would like to be finishing against these girls.  As I said before though…I was just happy to be back out there and would have been happy with any results.  Now onward and upward!

Misteltoe Tri the Parks - 7/25/09

I have to admit that I was pretty nervous about this Sprint race since I had just been approved by the Doctor to start running again after 3 months off following a broken foot, and even more painful Morton’s Neuroma. My Doctor had told me to ease back into running with short 10-15 min runs at a very slow pace, and increasing slowly from there. However, after watching most of the race season go by without me…at the last minute (just days before the race and days after receiving the “green light”) I decided to just dive right in for the race.  Thanks to Chuck for letting me in at the 11th hour!

I’m always nervous for the swim, and this time I was a bit worried about everything…my body was just not used to pushing any kind of race pace in general…especially with no run conditioning under my belt.

Although I don’t think I will EVER be able to say that “I had a good swim”….I actually was not unhappy with how I felt in the water.  I told myself I was going to have a great day, have a lot of fun, and not let anything or anyone bother me or get me flustered. That worked and I actually kept pretty calm in the water even with all the kicking/punching/swimming over people/people swimming over me/etc.  This time I even  placed myself smack-dab in the middle of the wave, as opposed to starting far off to the side away from everyone and just planning to swim a longer distance with no chance for drafting as I normally would do just to minimize the level of mayhem I have to deal with. My swim turned out to be less disappointing than I expected and I really wasn’t as far behind the others as usual (and as I had expected)…so that’s always a good way to start back to racing.

Happy to be out of the water, I made my long and slow run up to transition. I quickly realized how out of running shape I was…it was so tough to start off with a hill.  I fumbled around in transition and was slower than I should have been. I started to leave without my sunglasses and had to go back for them…I was not about to have the wind/bugs/etc. in my eyes and contacts….rookie T1 mistake…but I was rusty on all these minor details! 

Once on the bike, I felt pretty good and I was happy to start passing people who always kill me in the water.  By the halfway mark, I was in 1st Overall place and I held that lead for the rest of the bike.  I was happy to see that my swimming and biking had improved and that I was catching people earlier than I usually would (if ever).  It felt good to have a solid bike split and to come into T2 in 1st Overall place. I knew I should enjoy that feeling for a moment because I knew things would change once I got out on the run. ….especially after starting off with a trail run where I was stepping on sharp rocks/logs and my Morton’s Neuroma was screaming in pain! It also did not help to have a big hill within the first .5-1 mile of the run….I was not in shape for that!

I got passed about halfway through the run, and just decided I was not going to worry about anyone else, or reacting to anyone else at that point. I had promised myself from the start that I was going to just have have fun, have no expectations of myself, and that I was going to keep 100% focused on myself and my own race. I made the choice not to push my pace harder to keep up or pass on the run…I was happy with the pace I was holding and how my body was holding up for my first run. 

I finished with a strong 2nd Overall placement, and was pleased to only be 9 seconds out of 1st place. For my first run back, and first race in 3 months, I could not have asked for more out of myself. I felt that I had a solid race, so I’ll gladly take it and build from there.

Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon

This was my first time racing the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon.  I had heard a lot of good things about the race, so I was looking forward to it. 

 I arrived Saturday afternoon and picked up my race packet, which was a quick and simple process.  Race morning came and I arrived early to set up my spot in transition.  The swim start is about a mile walk but I opted for the ride on the shuttle buses taking athletes to the swim start.  The race start is a time trial start and it took about 50 minutes until it was my time to go, so I took that time to relax, stretch and prepare mentally for the race.  Athletes start in order of their race numbers and are grouped with their age group.  Because of the time trial start, it’s hard to know where one is within the age group.  But, it’s a point to point swim with the current.  I tried to stay somewhat close to the buoys to make the most of the current.  I had a good swim , ran up the steps and hit T1 in 23:03. 

 I quickly headed out onto the bike.  It’s flat at the beginning, but you soon come to the hills.  The hills on the bike course aren’t overly steep, but they are long.  It’s an out and back course with a nice downhill on the way back into downtown.  It’s a good place to make up time but watch the crosswinds.  I finished the bike in 1:15:45, averaging 20.6 mph. 

 I was feeling like I paced myself well on the bike, so I started the run with confidence.  I knew there was at least one woman in my AG ahead of me.  The start of the run is a steep uphill followed by a run up some steps that lead to a running path.  Once you are on the path, the run is a pretty flat out and back course.  The skies were overcast, which helped to keep the temperature down.  I was running a 7:30-7:40 pace and holding steady.  Around mile 3.5 I tracked down my AG rival and continued to put distance between us.  The last mile includes running back down the steps and a big down hill, which is another place to make up some time.  I ran the 10K in 47:22, finishing the race in 2:29:41 and 1st in W 35-39!

 This was a really fun race and I’d highly recommed it.  Team Magic does a great job not only organizing the race, but the pre- and post-race events as well.   �

2009 Ironman USA Lake Placid Race Report

2009 Ironman USA Lake Placid Race Report
Jeff Caplan

Total time — 12:56:03
Swim — 1:14:59
T1 – 8:04
Bike – 5:59:41
T2 – 5:40
Run – 5:27:42

Age Group – 121 of 304
Overall – 967 of 2258

This was Ironman number 10 for me.  I didn’t quite hit my goals in terms of my finish time, but just finishing the race put the finishing touches on an outstanding trip!

This was the second time I did Lake Placid, the first time being in 2006.  It only takes one trip to Lake Placid to make it a permanent part of your race rotation – the area is absolutely beautiful.  Lake Placid is in extreme Northeast New York near where New York, Vermont, and Canada meet.  The average drive times from those airports to Lake Placid are about 2 ½ hours each.  Participants from the United States typically fly into Burlington or Albany.  While Burlington is a bit closer in terms of overall distance, a ferry trip across Lake Champlain is required in order to get to New York. 

The sports history around the Lake Placid area is amazing and provides added motivation.  Most of the action during race week takes place in and around the Olympic Speed Skating Oval where Eric Heiden won a number of gold medals in the 1980 Olympics.  The Oval is right next to Herb Brooks areas, where the US Hockey team won the 1980 Olympic gold.  There are self-guided tours of this area and also a cool Olympic history museum that is worth attending.  Other fun things to do in the area include taking a gondola to the top of Whiteface Mountain, trying the luge course, or taking a guided fishing trip.  It is a real outdoorsy area. 

In terms of places to stay, being close to Main St. or Saranac Avenue is key.  The roads tend to back up with the cars of participants quite a bit during race week, and being near the Oval so as to avoid driving is clutch.  It also provides you with convenient access to good pre-race training locations.  I was up there with my oldest son, and we stayed at the High Peaks Resort which was a great location.  Accommodations are not cheap, and often require a minimum of a 5 day stay.  Many folks rent houses for race weeks as well, and there are many options for doing so. 

The Lake Placid area provides one of the more challenging location for an Ironman race.  The day does start off with one of the fastest Ironman swims you will experience.  You swim in Mirror Lake, which is comfortable and fairly clear.  There is actually an underwater cable that you can follow during the swim.  The start is in a cove and pretty tight, so expect quite a bit of contact the first 200 yards and around turns. 

The Lake Placid bike course is the source of much of the race’s notoriety.  The course is absolutely beautiful as you pass by forests and by rivers that run parallel to the roads.  It is a two-loop course with some rolling climbs the first 10 miles, a set of three fast descents the next 8 miles, some slight inclines for the next 10 miles, a mix of rollers and climbs for the next  10 miles during an out-and-back section, and some rolling climbs the last 15 miles.   Folks who get on the course for the first time tend to expect something similar to the Gaps based on the stories, but there is nothing like that – you would find much more similarities with rides such as the Webb Bridge ride.  Many of the hills remind me of what you would experience if you rode your bike on the Peachtree 10K course.  One reason why the bike course is so difficult is that it just sneaks up on you, especially during the second lap.  Simply put, you don’t realize just how much climbing you are doing on the day.

Another note regarding the bike is that the roads are in generally decent shape, but have some rough patches.  This is an area that spends most of the winter under snow and gets plowed, and you do need to keep your eyes open for pavement cracks that run parallel to the shoulder.  Some of the really bad spots have been recently repaved, but it is worth keeping one eye down in certain areas.

The run is also a challenge.  It is a two loop run.  After you leave transition, you go down an extremely steep hill, run a flat-to-rolling section, and then go down another fairly steep hill.  There is then a 4 mile out-and-back that is flat-to-lightly rolling.  You then go back up the same hills you went down at the beginning, hit another out-and-back section where your special needs bag is located, and start your second lap.  After your final lap, you finish on the Olympic Speed Skating Oval. 

In addition to being in such a beautiful area, the race has some of the best crowd support of any Ironman.  The last three miles of each loop of the bike are lined with spectators, and the same is true for the run.  You have people who travel from all over the country just to volunteer, let alone race.  Additionally, there is a competition for the best and cleanest aid stations on the course.  Many folks do come in to volunteer so that they can sign up for the following year.  If you plan on doing so, the line for volunteer registrations the day after the race was extremely long and it is worth it to arrive early.

Much of the conversation in the week leading up to the race was about the weather.  This year has been extremely wet in Upstate New York, and the forecast for race day was pretty ugly with heavy storms expected.  It began raining during race prep in transition, and it really opened up during the swim.  Racer got a huge break however, in that aside from a few brief showers on the bike, the weather turned out to be relatively dry.   There were some weather challenges though in that the rain was replaced by warm, humid weather on the front part of the bike course (and the run course), with some fairly gusty winds picking up as the morning progressed.  Nearly 10% of the starters DNF’d, a high figure for Ironman that was attributed to dehydration resulting from the warmth and humidity.

As far as the race went, I love the fact that you are always learning in the sport of triathlon.  I started the race knowing that thanks to all3sports.com that I had the best possible equipment and set up I could buy.  The swim went fine, and I evenly split the first and second loops.  Water temps were excellent, and my Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit was just the ticket.  and the bike went fairly well (although I could definitely feel the humidity and the effects of the strong winds on the second loop).  I was glad that I wore my road-style Giro helmet to give me a bit more air circulation.  I use a PowerTap with my Zipp 606 wheelset under my Cervelo P2C, and my watts were even between the two bike loops with normalized watts at 184-185.  The full carbon Vision by FSA aero and base bar package on my bike took quite a bit of the bounce out of the rough roads.  The second loop was a bit slower due to the winds, but I felt decent on the ride. 

 When I got into T2, however, I noticed that my stomach did not feel great and that I was pretty bloated.  In doing the math afterwards, I realized that I took in far too much nutrition during the bike and my stomach shut down.  The net result was a pretty ugly run, where I was unable to take in anything other than water or Coke for the last 14 miles.  Having my son waiting for me at the finish was a huge motivator to ensure that I finished upright, and that truly helped to pull me through – while I would be well off my run goal time of 4:30, completing the event became a really big priority.  While it wasn’t quite the finish time I wanted you can’t complain about any day when you hear Mike Reilly announcing your name followed by the phrase “you are an Ironman!!!”  Even with the run issues, this was my third best Ironman finish in terms of my overall place. 

The next Ironman stop for me is Ironman Florida, and I am looking forward to applying some of the nutritional changes that I’ve already made.  As for Lake Placid, I’ve signed up to take another swing at it in 2010!

Augusta 70.3 Pre-Race Course Review

Augusta 70.3 pre-race course review

Swim - The water is a consistent 70 degrees so wearing a wet suit will certainly be legal and probably a good idea. We put in about 200 yards downstream from where the race website claims the swim will begin but finished where we were supposed to. If the swim isn’t short (which I think that it is) then the current will push everyone beyond fast to a Phelps-like performance. I finished the swim in 17:37 at about 80-85% of effort. I did surprisingly get warm in my wet suit but we walked from the planned transition area to the swim start with our wet suits pulled up to our waists. This could have contributed but I don’t know. I’m sure I’ll still wear my wet suit to maximize my speed for the swim. The water was fairly clean with some patches of weeds floating around and the water is about 15 feet deep. The current doesn’t look like it is moving very fast but when that much water is moving looks can be very deceiving. Be prepared for a VERY fast swim

T1 - The exit from the water will be up a boat ramp that is paved with some pretty rocky asphalt but hopefully that will be carpeted. The transition area is/may be gravel and/or grass. I will tell you now…be careful for the rocks in and around transition.

Bike - Oh my god if you are not careful you will blow up your run because the excitement over how fast this bike course is can cause you to push harder than you should. The course is (in my opinion) flat. There are some minor rollers that are short and a couple false flats that will raise your effort level a touch but overall the entire course is flat and very fast. The course doesn’t have too many turns so there are some long stretches to really let it all hang out. Again, I am warning you as a reminder for me, this bike course can break you for the run if you let it. Most of the roads are paved pretty well so not too many bumps. Lots of beautiful farmland to gaze at if you get the chance too. The bike course is spot on for distance so don’t expect transition to come early due to short miles. Coming back to transition you will have plenty of warning for getting your bike shoes off for your flying dismount. Again the pavement near transition is a little rocky so be cautious to not hurt your bare or socked feet.

T2 - Shouldn’t be much different than a local sprint other than the fact that you will be looking for 1 out of 3200 slots to get back to your running shoes. Marking your area can be done with a sock on the rack but balloons are NOT permitted.

Run - As you head out on the run be prepared for some heat and humidity. The bad thing about long course races in the south is that by the time most of us hit the run the sun has made it’s way to a higher point in the sky and the dew of the morning hasn’t burned off yet. This makes for a humidity that can drive your heart rate higher than you want it to be. The fact that there are ZERO hills on the run can make this even worse. The run course is amazingly fast and flat as well. The 2 loop run course takes you through a nice restaurant/private store/bar area of Augusta on both sides of two main street style roads. There is just a little shade from the old trees that line some of the roads but overall not enough to make a difference if you are running. Hopefully there will be plenty of aid stations with ice, water, and provisions to help us along our 13.1 mile journey. All of the roads are paved pretty well with the typical drainage slop on the sides so running the center of the lane is highly recommended. If you have family or friends coming to the race there are a few spots on the run where they could set up and see you run by a few times and still get to the finish line in time to see you set a 70.3 PR.

Overall this race will be very fast and very fun. Tell your coach to train you up for a solid run after a nice long set of flat riding. Don’t forget that on a flat bike course you never get a chance to stop peddling so there is no time for rest. Endurance will play second fiddle in this race as being smart and sticking to a proper plan will make or break you. Start practicing meditation now to prepare your mind. Be smart and don’t forget to hydrate.

Good luck everyone.

Indian Springs Triathlon (All Female) Race Report

Swim
I started out at a good pace but immediately got water in my right goggle. I pushed it tighter on my face and thought I could deal with it. But too much water got in and all I could think about was losing my contact and having to bike with one eye shut. Not a good thing. So I stopped for a few seconds and fixed my goggles. I lost a little time, but not too much. I tried drafting off one woman to my left, but after the first turn, she started drifting too far left. I stayed on track and noticed she swam the rest of the course inside the buoys. Not sure if she got a penalty, but I’m glad I didn’t stay behind her. The sun hit me when I was nearing the last 500 meter buoy but I sighted okay and saw about 4 women in front of me. I noticed Lisa Marshall getting out of the water about 10-15 seconds in front of me, so I was happy that I stayed that close to her. She’s an amazing swimmer.  I debated on whether to wear a wetsuit but I’m glad I did. I didn’t lose much time in transition and definitely went faster in the water.

Bike 

The run down to the dismount line sucked. Way too far to run in my cleats. But once I got on the bike, I quickly got up to a comfortable speed.  I wore a video camera on my helmet for the race director, so I was looking forward to getting some great footage on the course. The first 6 miles are like stair steps…up hill, flat, up hill, flat…not many downhills. So I just kept telling myself that the way back will be fun. I saw Lisa Marshall way up ahead and knew Jamie was in front of her. There were 2 women between me and Lisa, so I started out in 5th. Around mile 4, I passed the woman in front of me, but I just couldn’t catch Lisa Taylor. She slowly got farther and farther away, so I just kept hoping no one would pass me. I thought if I could stay in 4th, then maybe I had a chance to out run someone for third. I had fun on the bike cheering for everyone as they rode by the camera. I kept looking at my time and was hoping to beat 40 minutes (which is what I did last year). As I came into the park, my time was about 38 something, so I was happy. My legs felt a little sore from training, so I wasn’t sure if I could beat my previous time.¼br> I took my feet out of my shoes and had a good flying dismount. I feel pretty comfortable with that now. I heard Steve yelling for me as I ran up to transition. Steve yelled that I was in 4th and only 30 seconds behind 3rd. He yelled at me to catch her. Ugh…here I go again…pressure to out run someone at the end. I took off my helmet as I ran up and made sure to film Kristen and the volunteers that were at the top of transition. I quickly put on my shoes, grabbed my visor, race belt, and watch, and ran out of transition with a mission. 

Run
As I headed out of transition, I put on my watch and fumbled around trying to put my race belt on. It got folded up and it took forever to get it on right. As I headed up the first hill to the road, I noticed my breathing was so loud. I didn’t think this was going to be a good run for me. My heart rate was probably skyrocketing. As I came up to the road, I saw Lisa Marshall and then Lisa Taylor up ahead. Lisa T. looked strong and I didn’t know if I’d be able to catch her. After the turn around, I just concentrated on getting my breathing under control. I think I was mentally trying too hard to catch Lisa right away, so I tried to focus on me and not the “carrot” in front of me. As I settled in to a steady pace, I headed up the first hill at mile 1. That’s when I gained on Lisa T. and passed her. Whew. That relieved a little pressure. Now I was in 3rd and just had to keep anyone else from gaining on me. I ran toward the first loop and all of a sudden I felt this sharp bite on the top of my foot. I think an ant was trying to hitch a ride. I tried to ignore it, but it was intense. I just pictured my foot swollen and covered with ant bites after the race, so I decided to stop and get it out of my shoe. That cost me a few seconds. But I was glad I did that. I didn’t want to worry about that ant crawling around during the rest of the run. I ran down the first loop and dreaded the hill back up. Oh those hills. Ugh. I actually felt like I ran up them pretty fast, but my legs were definitely burning after the first big hill. I kept looking back to make sure no one was gaining on me. I was worried that Katrina might have a crazy fast run and beat me. But at mile 2.5, I looked at my average pace and saw it was 6:49. So I thought as long as I kept that up, I could hold onto 3rd. That’s when I saw Steve up ahead cheering for me. And Lisa Marshall wasn’t too far up either. I didn’t think I was going to catch her, but I was excited to know I was that close to her. As I turned down the hill towards the finish, I was so happy to finish. The run was brutal. I crossed the line 11 seconds after Lisa Marshall and ended up 3rd overall. I couldn’t believe it. I was very happy with another great race. When I looked at my watch and saw my run time, I was amazed. This was a tough course and I beat last year’s overall time by 3 minutes finishing in 1:12:15. I guess training really does pay off.  haha :) 

 Well, when I consider all of the little things that held me back: water in my goggles, biking with a camera (drag), fumbling with my race belt, and stopping to get that ant out of my shoe, I definitely lost several seconds. But that’s what racing is all about. There are always little things that happen that cost you time…every race can’t go exactly as planned. That’s what makes it a fun challenge…there are always things to work on and “try” to perfect.

Bob MacLachlan’s June 2009 Race Reports

High Falls State Park Triathlon

June 6, 2009

Hooray!  I won 1^st place in my age group! 1:35:00   But wait; I was the only one in my age group [70-74].  Oh well, it was all in all, a good race.  Weather was perfect, water 80 degrees, no wind, more clouds than sun and temperature in the 70’s.  These sprint races are perfect for an old codger like me. 

Everyone needs to keep their eye out for my friend David Osborne.  He did his first triathlon a few months ago and at High Falls he finished 3^rd in the 25-29 age group.  Good job David! 

Will see everyone at the Indian Springs State Park triathlon on June 27.

Indian Springs State Park Triathlon

June 27, 2009

I finished the race in 1:39:00 and was the only person in my age group again.  Bud Frankenthaler [76] and John Taylor [88] were also in the race and we are getting to know each other when we are racking our bikes in the transition area. 

My swim times in these races need the most improvement, so I have started some new training techniques in the pool.  Time will tell whether or not they work.  We’ll see you at Mistletoe State Park July 25.  Dream big, dream fast!!

2009 Tri the Parks - Indian Springs

To be honest, I was pretty nervous headed down to Flovilla Saturday morning, knowing that the field for Indian Springs would be stacked.  Not only did we have 2008 winner Jeremy Sipos racing, however we also had teammates Rich Klepacz, Marc Thompson, Mark The Fighter Maclachlan, and Ken Brown.  Quite a formidable group.

As I was doing a warmup run with my buddies, I noticed Ken Brown had just arrived about 20 mins before race start.  He was busy losing some extra weight in the men’s room, and looked like he was ready to roll.  His guns are huge.

I got off on the swim portion unscathed, and headed to the front of the pack, with The Fighter literally on my heels.  I entered into T1 in good position, only to see Ken Brown flying in behind me, armed with his 17 inch guns and Cervelo P3C in tow!  I was so nervous of the pounding I was about to take, that I inadvertently dropped my chain.  After my mechanical issue, I lost contact/sight of both Mark and Ken.   Once off on my bike, I felt great and came into T2 feeling quite fresh.

 I looked up from my rack, and saw Ken and Mark heading out on the run.  I knew I’d have to make up a good 40 seconds on the run.  Feeling confident, I set out on a good pace, and put 15 secs into both of them within the first mile.  However, the effort proved to be too much, as they pulled away.  I ended up 3^rd in the age group (6^th overall), behind The Fighter who took home the silver, and The Hammer, Ken Brown who brought home the Gold. This was a disappointing finish being I had only loss to Ken Brown once in my life, but a lesson was learned. Know how to get your chain back on inside of 45 seconds. My bike mechanic skills have a lot to be desired and need to improve.

Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon

I arrived in Chattanooga early Saturday evening, feeling pretty good about my overall fitness.  My wife and I headed out for dinner after picking up my race packet and found a great Italian place in the Art District next to the river.  A few hours later, the alarm sounds and I’m headed to the race site. 

This race offers several challenges, one in terms of the topography of the bike and run course, and the other is the time trial swim start.  The advantage of this type of race start is that you really get to swim clean, without the elbows and fists of a mass start, but the disadvantage is that you really don’t have a feel for where you are or who is in front of you.

The swim is a point to point, with a slight current that certainly helps everyone.  I got into a very good rhythm on the swim immediately, and was fortunate enough to have one of my swim partners blow by me within the first 100 meters.  Knowing his strength is swimming, I jumped on his feet and tried to use his draft to my advantage.  Thanks to Keith Perkey for the pull on the swim.  Hey pulled away at around 800 meters, but by sitting in behind him I was able to conserve some energy on the swim.  I hit the timing mat at 20:59, and headed into T1.

Getting on the bike, I felt pretty confident that I could hold a good pace, while managing my effort.  The bike course is hilly, with long climbs and long descents.  The benefit of this course is that there are really no turns that slow you down, so you can find a good rhythm and just keep your foot on the gas.  I went out a little harder than I had planned, but I felt like there was a wind to our back, and that the course may have more descending on the way out.  I knew however, that coming back, I’d need to ease up a bit as I still needed to run a 10K, and wasn’t sure who was in front of me.  Coming back there was one descent where I hit 42 mph, and could feel the rear disc start to wobble.  After a quick vision of me meeting the pavement, I decided to hit the brakes and take a conservative approach to finish out the bike.  Coming into T2, I looked down and saw I had averaged a little over 24 mph.  Not bad, and I felt ready to hit the run.

The run course has one large hill at the start, in which you actually run upstairs to a walking/biking path.  I pushed the first mile pretty hard, and then started getting some cramps.  I’ve been battling this issue all year, and have started to use more salt based products before/during the race.  I just couldn’t push myself into the extra gear.  I was sitting at a 6:55 pace and just couldn’t push any faster.  Around mile 4, my quads started seizing up, and my right calf felt like it was about to pop out of my skin.  I slowed the pace for a few mins, to allow the cramps to subside.  They slowly passed, but I knew my run time was going to suffer.  I ended up crossing the line in 2:11:46, good enough for 7th overall amateur(there was an elite field at Chattanooga this year) and 2nd in the M35-39 age group.

Once again a big thank you to the All3Sports team that keeps my bike in top shape, my coach, Kevin Wessinger who knows what kind of weekly training serves me best, and of course my poor wife who acts as race photographer, gear sherpa, communications manager, and most importantly sports psychologist.  She’s truly an angel.  Thank you!

Never satisfied with my race, I am focusing on a stronger run for Age Group Nationals in Tuscaloosa this August.  I know I am close to peak condition, and am looking forward to an extremely competitive field at Nationals.