1.43 hours (86 minutes) per day. Nearly 6% of 2009 was spent exercising.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Turtle tri – a recap
Getting on the bike for a quick warm-up before the turtle tri I felt ready and eager to race. The annual triathlon event here in Cayman had come so quickly and now it was time to wring the legs and arms one final time before the off season. Sadly it was not be the race I had hoped for.
The swim start was an odd affair with a fair amount of jostling for space. My plan was to push hard on the first lap to stay near the front. During the year at 800m sea swims I have easily stayed with the initial surge and it was my plan to do the same here, but within 100m I was dropped and any drafting possibilities gone. The result was a solo swim nearly the full 1500m.
Exiting the water I heard I had lost two minutes to my main competitor Marius - the same deficit as last year. I had hoped to close the gap by at least a minute this year.
On the bike I felt okay, but still struggled to push the bigger gears which I did more easily at Clearwater and at the Reefathlon. I managed to make up a lot of ground on Marius and caught him with 12 km to go. My final bike split was reasonable, but again I had hoped to be at least a minute faster.
Jumping off the bike I knew I was going to lose to Marius with only a 90 second gap between us, but thought I might still make this a decent race. Having cruised the last 400m of the bike my heart rate was low and I was ready to give the run section a good effort in order to set a PB. However, 200m into the run I could feel my heart rate shoot up and knew a PB was out of the question. Ultimately, I settled into a training pace mildly disillusioned by the lack of spring in my legs.
Crossing the line I was really annoyed with myself. I had hoped for a PB. In retrospect though I’m happy with my time and glad I gutted it out. It’s been a huge season for me. I raced in a fatigued body and still managed to finish in a time I would have been very pleased with last year.
Racing to ones full potential requires careful planning and prioritization. Physically the body has to be ready and mentally you must be prepared to push to the limits. I know from experience that I can put myself into a world of hurt during races, a place I was very far from at the Turtle tri. Earlier in the year at Ironman Louisville I laid everything on the line and had absolutely nothing left. It was incredibly painful and at the same time incredibly satisfying. But hovering close to the limit is draining both physically and psychologically and something I clearly can’t do many times during a race year. It was necessary to qualify for Kona and will also be required if I am to beat the likes of Marius in an Olympic distance triathlon.
In the future I will carefully select a few key races for these mammoth efforts. That doesn’t mean I won’t race other events I enter, but rather let circumstances, feel and ambition dictate race execution.
The swim start was an odd affair with a fair amount of jostling for space. My plan was to push hard on the first lap to stay near the front. During the year at 800m sea swims I have easily stayed with the initial surge and it was my plan to do the same here, but within 100m I was dropped and any drafting possibilities gone. The result was a solo swim nearly the full 1500m.
Exiting the water I heard I had lost two minutes to my main competitor Marius - the same deficit as last year. I had hoped to close the gap by at least a minute this year.
On the bike I felt okay, but still struggled to push the bigger gears which I did more easily at Clearwater and at the Reefathlon. I managed to make up a lot of ground on Marius and caught him with 12 km to go. My final bike split was reasonable, but again I had hoped to be at least a minute faster.
Jumping off the bike I knew I was going to lose to Marius with only a 90 second gap between us, but thought I might still make this a decent race. Having cruised the last 400m of the bike my heart rate was low and I was ready to give the run section a good effort in order to set a PB. However, 200m into the run I could feel my heart rate shoot up and knew a PB was out of the question. Ultimately, I settled into a training pace mildly disillusioned by the lack of spring in my legs.
Crossing the line I was really annoyed with myself. I had hoped for a PB. In retrospect though I’m happy with my time and glad I gutted it out. It’s been a huge season for me. I raced in a fatigued body and still managed to finish in a time I would have been very pleased with last year.
Racing to ones full potential requires careful planning and prioritization. Physically the body has to be ready and mentally you must be prepared to push to the limits. I know from experience that I can put myself into a world of hurt during races, a place I was very far from at the Turtle tri. Earlier in the year at Ironman Louisville I laid everything on the line and had absolutely nothing left. It was incredibly painful and at the same time incredibly satisfying. But hovering close to the limit is draining both physically and psychologically and something I clearly can’t do many times during a race year. It was necessary to qualify for Kona and will also be required if I am to beat the likes of Marius in an Olympic distance triathlon.
In the future I will carefully select a few key races for these mammoth efforts. That doesn’t mean I won’t race other events I enter, but rather let circumstances, feel and ambition dictate race execution.
Friday, November 27, 2009
World Champs
Two world championships in five weeks! First Kona and then Clearwater 70.3 less than two weeks ago. What a year!
Hawaii was simply an awesome experience: magical, heartbreaking, humbling and tough as hell. Clearwater was fast , furious, impressive, but stands no comparison to Hawaii.
The organization of both events was excellent. The best I’ve tried so far in each category (Ironman and 70.3), but that’s what you would expect; both are the world championships. Some may complain that the issue of drafting in Clearwater should be included in organization, but I'd rather categorize it under “race execution”.
The setting for the swim in Hawaii is spectacular, and swimming the course a few days before the race I could really appreciate the beautiful waters. However, on race day the swim was pure mayhem and all business. With the mass start format this is what you would expect. Except in Hawaii everyone is a great swimmer making it absolutely crazy. I was boxed in all the way and spent the time defending my personal space from start to finish. Remarkably I had a good swim time completing in just under 1:01.
For safety reasons the swim in Clearwater was moved to the harbour side. I was looking forward to battling the waves and was disappointed by this move although I appreciate the organizers concern for safety. Visibility was zero and I had the sun in my face all the way to the first turn making it difficult to sight and also causing me to swim slightly off course. Towards the end there was an acute smell of diesel in the air from the surrounding boats, add to that a general feeling of unease during the entire swim and it was not a pleasant experience. Time 0:30.
In Hawaii the bike starts with a section through town before the real action starts on the Queen K. I powered along the first 60 km without holding back. As a result, I was passing riders as I normally do in Ironman events and gradually working my way up the field. This was in retrospect a big mistake. As soon as we hit the climb to Hawi and the subsequent head and cross winds my legs where toast. All the distance I had made up on the first part was lost. On the final 10km stretch to the turnaround the serious head wind started and I could only manage a pitiful 25 km/h. After Hawi (the turnaround) my legs slowly returned with some initial speeding around 65 km/h towards the Queen K. Back on the Queen K, however, we were hit by another massive head wind. I have seldom had to dig as deep as I did during the last 2 hours. Bike split 5:19, much slower than I had expected.
The bike course in Clearwater is flat, fast and furious. My strategy in Clearwater was to ride the bike section like I would ride an Olympic distance event. After having ridden for about 50 km it became clear the organizers were not marshalling the course properly and allowing big groups of riders to form. At one stage I had to slow because I could not pass a large group of riders in a pack. Shouting at them for 20 seconds finally got them to let me through (barely). One of the pack riders even had to the audacity to scold me for shouting at him. F%$¤ idiot. Anyways, although I was careful not to draft, some drafting was simply unavoidable. The narrow stretches with cars passing on the right also contributed to a drafting effect and towards the end I must admit that I was not as careful as I normally would be simply because it was obvious the organizers had lost control. My final time was 2:08 with an average speed of more than 42 km/h (see here for more details, bike is short b/c I pressed the start button late).
The run in Hawaii was fairly uneventful affair. With my injured foot I did a combination of walking and running. A few days prior to the race I had tested my foot on Alii Drive and knew there was no way it could run the full marathon. My walk/run strategy actually worked remarkably well. Only after the first 10 km did my foot start to give me any trouble. By the end no matter what I did it was painful, but there was no way I was going to DNF. Reaching the final turn onto Alii Drive a mere 400 m from finish line the pain vanished. Finishing in Kona is unique. The crowds and surroundings are great, but there is simply something mythical and indefinable about the final few minutes and the realization that you have just retraced the steps of the many triathlon greats. You will know when you try for yourself. My final time: 10:54. I’ve gone faster, but I’m not disappointed, not at all. Getting to Hawaii is an accomplishment. Finishing the race is an experience for a lifetime.
Jumping off the bike in Clearwater my legs were trashed and I wasn’t sure I could run at all. However, by taking it easy in transition I gained my composure and started the run feeling fairly good. After initially trying to push the pace (i.e. close to 4 min per km) I had to slow down in part due to an upset stomach and in part lack of energy. Luckily some deep breathing solved my stomach issues but I couldn’t hold the pace and settled into a more comfortable pace around 4:30 min per km. The worst part of the run course was negotiating the incline on the bridge crossing. I had no spring in my legs to help me across. My final time: 4:19. A PB.
This weekend the triathlon season ends with the annual Olympic distance triathlon event here in Cayman. Bring on the off season!
Hawaii was simply an awesome experience: magical, heartbreaking, humbling and tough as hell. Clearwater was fast , furious, impressive, but stands no comparison to Hawaii.
The organization of both events was excellent. The best I’ve tried so far in each category (Ironman and 70.3), but that’s what you would expect; both are the world championships. Some may complain that the issue of drafting in Clearwater should be included in organization, but I'd rather categorize it under “race execution”.
The setting for the swim in Hawaii is spectacular, and swimming the course a few days before the race I could really appreciate the beautiful waters. However, on race day the swim was pure mayhem and all business. With the mass start format this is what you would expect. Except in Hawaii everyone is a great swimmer making it absolutely crazy. I was boxed in all the way and spent the time defending my personal space from start to finish. Remarkably I had a good swim time completing in just under 1:01.
For safety reasons the swim in Clearwater was moved to the harbour side. I was looking forward to battling the waves and was disappointed by this move although I appreciate the organizers concern for safety. Visibility was zero and I had the sun in my face all the way to the first turn making it difficult to sight and also causing me to swim slightly off course. Towards the end there was an acute smell of diesel in the air from the surrounding boats, add to that a general feeling of unease during the entire swim and it was not a pleasant experience. Time 0:30.
In Hawaii the bike starts with a section through town before the real action starts on the Queen K. I powered along the first 60 km without holding back. As a result, I was passing riders as I normally do in Ironman events and gradually working my way up the field. This was in retrospect a big mistake. As soon as we hit the climb to Hawi and the subsequent head and cross winds my legs where toast. All the distance I had made up on the first part was lost. On the final 10km stretch to the turnaround the serious head wind started and I could only manage a pitiful 25 km/h. After Hawi (the turnaround) my legs slowly returned with some initial speeding around 65 km/h towards the Queen K. Back on the Queen K, however, we were hit by another massive head wind. I have seldom had to dig as deep as I did during the last 2 hours. Bike split 5:19, much slower than I had expected.
The bike course in Clearwater is flat, fast and furious. My strategy in Clearwater was to ride the bike section like I would ride an Olympic distance event. After having ridden for about 50 km it became clear the organizers were not marshalling the course properly and allowing big groups of riders to form. At one stage I had to slow because I could not pass a large group of riders in a pack. Shouting at them for 20 seconds finally got them to let me through (barely). One of the pack riders even had to the audacity to scold me for shouting at him. F%$¤ idiot. Anyways, although I was careful not to draft, some drafting was simply unavoidable. The narrow stretches with cars passing on the right also contributed to a drafting effect and towards the end I must admit that I was not as careful as I normally would be simply because it was obvious the organizers had lost control. My final time was 2:08 with an average speed of more than 42 km/h (see here for more details, bike is short b/c I pressed the start button late).
The run in Hawaii was fairly uneventful affair. With my injured foot I did a combination of walking and running. A few days prior to the race I had tested my foot on Alii Drive and knew there was no way it could run the full marathon. My walk/run strategy actually worked remarkably well. Only after the first 10 km did my foot start to give me any trouble. By the end no matter what I did it was painful, but there was no way I was going to DNF. Reaching the final turn onto Alii Drive a mere 400 m from finish line the pain vanished. Finishing in Kona is unique. The crowds and surroundings are great, but there is simply something mythical and indefinable about the final few minutes and the realization that you have just retraced the steps of the many triathlon greats. You will know when you try for yourself. My final time: 10:54. I’ve gone faster, but I’m not disappointed, not at all. Getting to Hawaii is an accomplishment. Finishing the race is an experience for a lifetime.
Jumping off the bike in Clearwater my legs were trashed and I wasn’t sure I could run at all. However, by taking it easy in transition I gained my composure and started the run feeling fairly good. After initially trying to push the pace (i.e. close to 4 min per km) I had to slow down in part due to an upset stomach and in part lack of energy. Luckily some deep breathing solved my stomach issues but I couldn’t hold the pace and settled into a more comfortable pace around 4:30 min per km. The worst part of the run course was negotiating the incline on the bridge crossing. I had no spring in my legs to help me across. My final time: 4:19. A PB.
This weekend the triathlon season ends with the annual Olympic distance triathlon event here in Cayman. Bring on the off season!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Waikiki
Finally arrived in Waikiki / Honolulu. Majken and I are staying here for two nights before we fly out to the Big Island. Bags are all here and everything looks in order. At LAX there were already signs of Kona with wheel bags, Ironman caps and bags, compression socks etc. Already looking forward to swimming from Kailua Kona Pier in a few days. But first a bit of sightseeing on O’ahu.
My foot is feeling better. I tried a short jog Saturday. I think the foot will be ready for running on Saturday, the question is how much running. I would have been confident had it only been a half marathon, but a full marathon I am not so certain. Regardless I'm optimistic. “Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” – Dean Karnazes
My foot is feeling better. I tried a short jog Saturday. I think the foot will be ready for running on Saturday, the question is how much running. I would have been confident had it only been a half marathon, but a full marathon I am not so certain. Regardless I'm optimistic. “Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” – Dean Karnazes
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Bad Timing
Towards the end of a solid long run a week ago I felt a pain in my left foot. I stopped momentarily and stretched and continued on home. I didn’t think much of the pain until later in the day when it was still there. I had no idea what it might be and thought a good nights rest surely would sort it out. Sunday morning I was scheduled to participate in the Cayman Islands Road Championships. Getting out of bed that morning I could still feel a slight pain, but it wasn’t enough to keep me home. Indeed the road race was an excellent training ride although it was cut short by an unfortunate crash of the peleton. However, I did manage a 40.1 kph average pulling at the front for most of 80 min. until the race was neutralised. During the ride I didn’t feel the pain.
Tuesday I did speed work comprising 10x800m. Starting out I was sceptical because the pain was fairly acute, but I reckoned it would go away as the session progressed. I managed the full set, but it was not without pain in the foot. Although running at speed was bearable, starting and stopping was a strain. In retrospect it was a stupid of me to run the set. I should have stopped straight away when the pain did not go away. Afterwards my foot was very sore.
With my symptoms and history it is very likely that I have stress fracture of the heel bone. These stress fractures are very difficult to diagnose so I can’t be certain, but no matter what it makes sense to treat it as one and rest my foot. With less than 2 weeks to Hawaii this is obviously a less than ideal outcome. I can still cycle and swim, but running is a problem. In the hope that I can run on race day I will do some aqua running this week, but otherwise shift my focus to swimming. I’m in taper mode already so I need to rest anyway.
Tuesday I did speed work comprising 10x800m. Starting out I was sceptical because the pain was fairly acute, but I reckoned it would go away as the session progressed. I managed the full set, but it was not without pain in the foot. Although running at speed was bearable, starting and stopping was a strain. In retrospect it was a stupid of me to run the set. I should have stopped straight away when the pain did not go away. Afterwards my foot was very sore.
With my symptoms and history it is very likely that I have stress fracture of the heel bone. These stress fractures are very difficult to diagnose so I can’t be certain, but no matter what it makes sense to treat it as one and rest my foot. With less than 2 weeks to Hawaii this is obviously a less than ideal outcome. I can still cycle and swim, but running is a problem. In the hope that I can run on race day I will do some aqua running this week, but otherwise shift my focus to swimming. I’m in taper mode already so I need to rest anyway.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Participant Stats - IM World Championships 2009
I had a look at the participant list at this year's Ford Ironman World Championships. Below are a few graphs I made in the process.
First up a pie chart showing the distribution of nationalities. Unsurprisingly, USA dominates and Germany is easily second. On a per population basis New Zealand has the greatest participation with Switzerland a close second.
Age distribution is shown below. The 40 year olds are the largest group comprising 91 individuals. Notice the spikes at the ages of 40, 50, 60 and 70. The youngest is 20 and oldest 80 (Robert Southwell from Australia - amazing!).
The 40-44 male age group is the largest with 276 athletes. Age group declines every year from 40-44 and onwards.
The picture is slightly different in the female age groups. Here the two largest age groups comprise athletes in their thirties.
First up a pie chart showing the distribution of nationalities. Unsurprisingly, USA dominates and Germany is easily second. On a per population basis New Zealand has the greatest participation with Switzerland a close second.
Age distribution is shown below. The 40 year olds are the largest group comprising 91 individuals. Notice the spikes at the ages of 40, 50, 60 and 70. The youngest is 20 and oldest 80 (Robert Southwell from Australia - amazing!).
The 40-44 male age group is the largest with 276 athletes. Age group declines every year from 40-44 and onwards.
The picture is slightly different in the female age groups. Here the two largest age groups comprise athletes in their thirties.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Interview in the Compass
So far recovery has been going well. Did my first run this morning. 57 minutes at an easy pace. Judging from my heart rate I am not fully recovered with a bit of upward drift the last 10 minutes, but other than that I feel good. Will keep intensity to minimum this week. Next week I hope to be back on a normal training schedule.
Otherwise I'm in the local paper today:
Otherwise I'm in the local paper today:
Mikkelsen’s long road to Hawaii
By Eugene Bonthuys, eugene@cfp.ky
Tuesday 8th September, 2009 Posted: 16:31 CIT (21:31 GMT)
When Jasper Mikkelsen started competing in triathlons in 2006, he could scarcely have imagined where the sport would take him. Now, a mere three years later, Mikkelsen has qualified for what is arguably the most important event in the triathlon world – the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Hawaii is the birthplace of the Ironman triathlon, a supreme test of endurance composed of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run.
This year will see the 31st running of the event, and on 10 October, Mikkelsen will take his place alongside the best Ironman athletes in the world in the hope of doing Cayman proud.
He reached his goal of qualifying in his second ever Ironman–distance triathlon. His first Ironman–distance race was the Grand Floridian triathlon, which took place on 25 October 2008. Mikkelsen had been hoping for a good time, but his time of 10 hours 17 minutes and 43 seconds surprised everyone, Mikkelsen included. Speaking after the race, he said that he knew he had a faster Ironman in him. On 30 August, Mikkelsen proved his prediction right, finishing Ironman Louisville in a blazing 9 hours 49 minutes, well under the 10 hour barrier he had been taking aim at. It was good enough for fifth place in the 35 to 39 age group, earning Mikkelsen a spot among the 1800 tri–athletes invited to Kona.
With only some six weeks between Ironman Louisville and the Ironman World Championships, Mikkelsen has to prepare for the event very quickly.
“I’ve been told the swim is extremely rough which is not surprising given the standard of the athletes there. Other than that it will likely be the heat on the run.
“But I can’t complain as the Cayman heat and humidity makes running just as tough. I’m not expecting the bike to be a significant challenge other than it is 180 km which is always going to be a long ride,” he says.
Although Kona is the greatest of the challenges ahead of Mikkelsen, it is far from the only one.
“I have the world championships on the half ironman distance coming up in November which I qualified for earlier this year,” he says.
This will make it two world championship events in one year for Mikkelsen. However this certainly did not come easily.
“There is no faking an Ironman. It requires many long hours of training. If you skip on one of the three disciplines it will show come race day. The long hours require dedication and planning.
“With a family it can be difficult to work the long training hours into the family’s schedule. So for me the challenge of training is really one of time management. My body seems to cope well with the training load,” according to Mikkelsen.
As one can imagine Mikkelsen’s training regimen is exhaustive and could easily wear out a lesser man.
“So far this year I have trained on average about 12–14 hours per week. Leading up to Louisville I ramped up the training and had a few weeks of 18 hours,” he says.
As he spends so many hours training, Mikkelsen views himself as quite fortunate to be able to train in Cayman.
“Training conditions in Cayman are good especially if you are competing in similarly hot conditions.
“For cyclists the lack of hills can be a bit of a problem, but the beautifully resurfaced roads out around East End with plenty of wind to spice it up make up for it to some extent.
“Swimming is a no brainer. There is simply no where better to train than Cayman,” says Mikkelsen.
However, training in Cayman is not all moonshine and roses as far as he is concerned.
“I can’t say running in Cayman is a joy, it is simply too hot and humid, but running in the early mornings helps.”
Even for someone as dedicated as Mikkelsen, getting up for an early morning run is not always easy. Fortunately he does not have to do it all on his own.
“When you have get up at 4:30 on a Sunday morning to go for a 2.5 hour run it’s nice to be able to meet up with someone. Having strong and dedicated training partners is extremely important.
“For me personally, having the likes of Beth Schreader, Mike McDonald, Russell Coleman, Scott Brittain and Marius Acker around really helps,” according to Mikkelsen.
He is quick to admit that holding down a regular job as well as training for an Ironman makes it tough to spend as much time with his family as he would like.
Fortunately he receives a lot of support from wife Majken and their two sons Tobias and Christoffer.
“I try to schedule training when they are asleep so it doesn’t affect family time. In the weekends that is not always possible, but I try to make it up to them,” says Mikkelsen.
Fortunately, it does not seem to trouble his boys too much.
“They seem fairly keen on following me at races and they like the medals, but other than that I think they would rather play with their friends,” he smiles.
However, Mikkelsen hopes that his children will follow his example.
“I hope my love of endurance events and the healthy lifestyle it necessitates will rub off on them when they are older.”
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Race Report IMKY 2009
Prerace
We arrive in Louisville on Thursday past midnight. Fellow Cayman triathlete Rebecca Lillywhite (Beccy) has booked accommodation at the Galt House Hotel. Staying at the Galt has its advantages. It houses the expo, athlete check-in and is within walking distance of swim start and transition.
Friday morning we make our way to the designated practice swim area. The swim course is in the Ohio River, supposedly a polluted river with strong currents. My first impression of the river is actually pretty good. I guess it helps when expectations are low. The water isn’t visibly dirty, but visibility is zero. This basically means that we will be swimming blind. The current is fairly strong but easily manageable and water temperatures are pleasant. Although I have brought my wetsuit to Louisville with rumours of colder water temps, there is no way we will be swimming in wetsuits on race day.
After a successful dip in the river we head back to the Galt. Breakfast buffet is on the second floor. We meet up with Beccy’s friends from BVI: Ian and Ashling. Ian is racing. I stuff myself with all the breakfast goodies. Registration is next. It takes nearly two hours. My weight is measured at 145 lbs (65.8 kg) and body fat is 7%.
In the evening there is a Pre-race dinner at a convention center nearby. A massive room has been converted into a dining area. A large scene is placed at one end with a screen running commercials. After dinner the race briefing commences. But no race briefing can commence before the national anthem with appointed soloist and a prayer. It is way over the top, but typical American and I love it. I don’t know what it is about the Star-Spangled Banner, but it never disappoints, maybe it is because it's set to the tune of an English drinking song.
Saturday we check in the bikes and transition bags and go for light pre-race pasta meal before heading back to the hotel for an early night.
Race day
The alarm clock is set for 4 am. Coffee, oatmeal and two small bottles of Ensure, approx. 1,200 calories. At 4:45 am we are on our way to transition at the Great Lawn. Bikes are loaded and wheels receive a top-up of air and we’re off to the swim start at Tumbleweed about 1 mile away. We queue for body marking at the swim start. There are plenty of body markers on hand so we are soon able to follow the herd of athletes making their way to the end of the line for the time trial start.
Most Ironman events are mass starts. Louisville is different. Athletes self-seed themselves at the start based on their arrival at the swim start. A mass swim start for the pros is scheduled for 6:50 am followed by a 7:00 am time-trial start for the rest of us.
The line seems to snake forever along the river bank. How did all these people manage to get here so early? We didn’t leave it till last minute. Waiting in line is cold and I feel a bit miserable. There is still an hour till the start. Worse still, the anticipation of the race and low temps triggers a bladder filling reaction and I have to relieve myself on several occasions. Starting the race in a slightly dehydrated state is not ideal.
Finally we hear the gun and the pros are off. I spot the pros through the trees making good progress along the river bank. 10 minutes later the age groupers start entering the water one by one. The line is moving quickly so they must be getting the athletes into the water at a very fast rate. As the line works its way forward and we approach the start the volunteers are prepping us for the entry. Final “good lucks” pass between Beccy, Ian and I and we cross the timing mat and jump into the water.
The first 200m I am zigzagging between swimmers, but soon find some clear water. I had anticipated swimming along either left or right side of the bank, but surprisingly find plenty of room in the middle. I am kicked a few times, but this is really nothing compared what I have tried in the past. I reach the turnaround point feeling okay but not great. I know from training that it sometimes can take 1-2 km before I feel comfortable and can start cruising. Especially without any warm-up and a cold hours wait I don’t expect my body to be in full race mode yet. We are now outside the sheltered area and in the main river. I can see the bridges in the distance. The swim exit is just passed those bridges. I try to sight a good line, but the course is now so wide that athletes are spread and congestion is less of an issue. However, it seems to me a wide right is a good option. After a couple of minutes I settle into a nice grinding rhythm. The pace is a comfortable hard and I do a combination of two, three, four and occasional five stroke breathing. I feel strong all the way to the exit.
Swim Time 1h02m18s
Overall 117th
Age Group 14th
T1
As I exit the water I feel great. I can’t believe it, maybe I should have pushed harder? I sprint up the hill to transition passing several athletes in the process. It must be those monster swimming efforts with a maxed out heart rate at the Stroke and Stride that are now paying dividends. I look for the race clock to give me an idea of my swim time. No clock in sight. I find my bike bag after a bit of stuffing around and head into the change tent. Speed suit off, helmet, sun glasses, bike shorts and race belt on and I’m off running again with Garmin and bag in hand. I drop of the bike bag (which now contains goggles, swim cap and speed suit) outside the tent. Locating the bike is easy. By now I have put on the Garmin and turned it on. I head out of the bike park crossing the timing mat to register my time.
Time 3m53s.
Bike
I jump onto the saddle, gather some momentum and slip my feet into the bike shoes. About 2 minutes into the ride I hit a bump and one of my Power Bars fall out of my bento box. Damn it, that was 240 calories. Oh well, will just have to grab something from one of the aid stations. I make sure to drink plenty of water straight away to make up for the dehydrating start. My Garmin is still trying to find the satellites. How long can this take? I have no idea how fast I am going. I don’t want to push the pace too much to start with. Finally, it comes online. Yikes, 41 km/h that is much faster than I want to go. I regulate speed and perceived effort and finally settle into a good rhythm.
After about 15 km the hills begin. The temperature is still quite low and I’m not sweating as much as I am used to. My nose is also a bit runny from the cooler weather. I reckon I might be able to skip water at a few aid stations.
The course contains an out and back section and two counter clockwise loops before we head back into town.
The out and back section is very picturesque and contains some fairly steep but short climbs. These are not mountains, but they are steep enough to get you out of the saddle for a while. There is a bridge crossing across a creek at the bottom of a hill that is marked for danger, but it doesn’t give rise to any trouble even though travelling at 65 km/h.
Finishing the out and back, I embark on the first of the two loops. The roads are good, the terrain is still rolling and the temperature is still nice and cool. The rolling terrain is making me shift gears constantly. By the end of this ride I will probably have shifted gears more than I would in a year in Cayman. Until now I have been passing riders constantly since the start, so I am surprised when a rider overtakes me. Fine, I’ll use him as a focus point to keep up my pace. I stay about 7 meters behind him to avoid a drafting penalty. This can be difficult at times with differing riding styles on the hills. I probably push too hard on the ascents and too little on the descents. But this is the way I like to ride. At La Grange the crowds are out. Lots of cheering, shouting and cow bells. Awesome. I lose contact with my riding “buddy” as he surges up a longer hill. While I could have stayed with him, I feel I’m riding at a good solid pace and there is no need to increase the perceived effort at this stage in the race.
At the start of the second loop I pass Beccy. She shouts words of encouragement. Thanks Beccy. This time around the course is seriously congested. I am constantly passing slower riders. I approach a rider on one of the downhill’s going suspiciously slow with one leg to the side. He is relieving himself. I swerve far left to avoid the stream of fluid.
Having completed the second loop it is time to head back to Louisville. I am alone again. I spot one rider in the distance that’s all. I look at my Garmin and try to calculate my final time. I know that I started the watch about 2km into the ride and assuming for simplicity an average speed of 40 km/h for those first 2 km gives 3 minutes to add to my Garmin’s time. Okay so I won’t be going sub 5 hours, but it will be close to 5h10m. I’ll take that as long as I can run!
Unfortunately my stomach feels tight. Not a good sign. Should I eat? My nutrition plan calls for a Power Bar, but I haven’t any left since I dropped a bar at the beginning. The bike ride has set its mark and I’m feeling tired. I decide on some calories despite the tight stomach. At the final aid station I grab a gel. It’s café latte taste, definitely not my favorite, but nothing I can do about it.
I make the final turns towards the bike park, get my feet out of my shoes and start thinking about the run. I dismount and hit the ground running. Now we’ll find out whether the stomach is agreeable or not.
Time 5h09m22s
Overall 50th
Age Group 9th
T2
I hand off the bike and start running towards the transition area. I grab my run bag and continue into the changing tent. A volunteer runs with me. My helmet is already off so I proceed to take off my bike shorts. The volunteer asks what I want from the bag. I tell him to empty the contents in front of me. I put on cap, socks and shoes and dump the rest on the ground. The volunteer says he’ll take care of the bag for me. I thank him and head out of the tent. I can feel the stomach acting up so I decide to visit a portaloo. If that can solve the problem it would be well worth the extra time. After about a minute I emerge feeling none the better. Damn. Will just have to get on with that marathon.
Time 4m08s
Run
First part of the run is an out and back on the bridge. My stomach is in turmoil and I’m running much slower than I want to. I am being passed by several athletes. This is so annoying. You can swim and bike to your very best, but if you can’t pull off a decent run your overall time will suffer. I have to do something to calm the stomach. A guy named Charles runs up beside me and we exchange a few words. He is easing into the run and happy to go at a slower pace. We start the first loop. I try some deep breathing. It’s helping!! After about 500m I feel great. As Charles drops something and stops I speed up. This is it, crunch time. I decide to take full advantage of the fact that I feel good. My pace increases to sub seven minute miles or close to 3 hr marathon pace. I start passing the athletes that overtook me earlier. This is such a high.
After about 3 km I settle on a more reasonable pace. The initial surge was very well, but I risk burning out at that pace. A guyed named Evan comes flying past me. Wow, he is killing it. Post-race I look him up and he did a 2h55m marathon. Amazing. I can see the pros coming in the other direction finishing their first loop. I guess it won’t be long before race leader Luke McKenzie passes me.
We are running through a residential area and the locals are out, blasting out music and cheering us on. It is pretty flat. Feed stations are about every mile and I’ve been taking on water and coke. I figure the coke will help settle my stomach. I also grab a few cold sponges which I place inside my tri suit in the chest area. Ice is somewhat sparse at the aid stations. When I do manage to grab some ice I toss it down my tri suit where it settles in my crotch area. From experience I know this is one of the best places for cooling the body as some major blood veins pass in that region. So far I have been running through each aid station slowing only a little. Walking aid stations will kill my running splits so I purposely try to keep running.
I finally reach the turnaround. I see race leader Luke McKenzie. It won’t be long before he passes me. I pass the half way mark in around 1h39m (I later find out the split was 1h38m28s). I’ll take that. It is actually faster than my half marathon at Florida 70.3 earlier in the year. If I can just keep a reasonable pace I should be able to go under 3h30m. With a good swim that means I am easily heading for a sub 10 hr finish. Excellent.
A cyclist pulls up beside me bearing the marker “1st Male” and Luke is right behind. As he overtakes me I shout some words of encouragement. Within a couple of minutes the second placed male pro Viktor Zyemtsev comes storming past and I mean storming. I can’t believe how fast this guy is running. Unbelievable. He’ll catch Luke in no time. Post race I read that Zyemtsev was surging at this point in the race to catch Luke.
I am nearly in town again. There are lots people and lots of noise. I turn right less than 200m from the finish line and head out on the second loop. Now it’s a case of holding on. Mentally it is tough, but I am determined. I run with a guy on his first loop. We’re running 8 min mile pace (5 min per km). I lose contact with him when I decide to walk an aid station (my first). However, I quickly catch up with him again. Slowly mile after mile are ticked off. I’m still managing at least 8 min mile pace, but walk the aid stations to ensure sufficient calorie intake. Don’t want to risk running into a serious bonk.
I pass the 25 mile marker. It is really starting to hurt. My stomach and quads are tight. To compensate, I lean into the run. I must look ridiculous, but who cares getting to the line as fast as possible is the prime objective. I can get through this, less than 10 minutes to go. As I reach the home straight the noise is deafening, I try to straighten my back and run strong, but it is impossible. I normally always have something left at the end, but not this time. The race clock reads 10h12m so I’m sure my own time is under 10 hours. My body gives in as I cross the finish line and a volunteer grabs me.
Time 3h28m25s
Overall 95th
Age Group 10th
Total Race Time 9h48m06s
Overall 46th
Age Group 5th
Post Race
A volunteer takes me to the medical tent in a wheelchair. The medics check my vital signs and ask several questions. I try to drink some Sprite but can’t seem to stomach it. After lying down for another 10 minutes they offer me an IV. After a liter of fluid I feel much better. They check my vitals again and sit me up. Pro athlete Peter Kotland is sitting next to me. He has also had an IV. Incredibly he is doing another ironman in two weeks time!
I head back to the hotel to check my time. Facebook comes up per default and I can see Marius has already commented on my time. 9h49m (corrections where later made so I ended on 9h48m). How good is that? With that time I would easily have qualified for Kona last year. I check the official website, fifth in my age group. My hands are shaking. Last year there were 8 slots in my age group, if there are the same this year I will have qualified directly, no rolldown needed. There is supposed to be a listing of the slot allocations somewhere, but I have no idea where and I am too drained to go looking now. I call Majken in Denmark. It feels so good to talk to someone about the experience. She and her dad had following me closely on-line all day and she is full of praise and excitement. Have I really done the impossible? Surely I have, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. I will wait till the morning to find out.
After a shower and a few biscuits I head down to transition to pick-up my bike. Once back in the hotel room I check Beccy’s time. She is about half way on the run. I wait another 45 minutes and then make my way slowly to the finish line. I meet the BVI gang. Ray has just finished and Ian a bit before him. They continue on to the post race area for some drink and food. I find a look-out spot about 50m from the finish line. I take a look at the race clock and estimate that Beccy is at least 30 minutes from finishing. Plenty of time to grab some food and drink. As I‘m finishing a coffee, bagel and strawberry banana milkshake concerto, Beccy approaches the finish line in strong stride. She looks remarkably fresh. Her major concern is her time because the race clock shows 15 hours something. I confirm that she has gone under 15 as we have to deduct 24 minutes to reflect our later start time. Well done Beccy.
The next day I head down to the slot allocation area. Standing in line with the other hopeful athletes makes me nervous. Finally it is my turn. I approach the table and indicate name and age group. I see a list of names. I’m above the cut-off line. I’ve fricken qualified!! It’s a near impossible dream come true. I’m so happy. All the hard work and sacrifice has paid off. A three year plan has been executed to perfection. In fact it only took 2 years.
We arrive in Louisville on Thursday past midnight. Fellow Cayman triathlete Rebecca Lillywhite (Beccy) has booked accommodation at the Galt House Hotel. Staying at the Galt has its advantages. It houses the expo, athlete check-in and is within walking distance of swim start and transition.
Friday morning we make our way to the designated practice swim area. The swim course is in the Ohio River, supposedly a polluted river with strong currents. My first impression of the river is actually pretty good. I guess it helps when expectations are low. The water isn’t visibly dirty, but visibility is zero. This basically means that we will be swimming blind. The current is fairly strong but easily manageable and water temperatures are pleasant. Although I have brought my wetsuit to Louisville with rumours of colder water temps, there is no way we will be swimming in wetsuits on race day.
After a successful dip in the river we head back to the Galt. Breakfast buffet is on the second floor. We meet up with Beccy’s friends from BVI: Ian and Ashling. Ian is racing. I stuff myself with all the breakfast goodies. Registration is next. It takes nearly two hours. My weight is measured at 145 lbs (65.8 kg) and body fat is 7%.
In the evening there is a Pre-race dinner at a convention center nearby. A massive room has been converted into a dining area. A large scene is placed at one end with a screen running commercials. After dinner the race briefing commences. But no race briefing can commence before the national anthem with appointed soloist and a prayer. It is way over the top, but typical American and I love it. I don’t know what it is about the Star-Spangled Banner, but it never disappoints, maybe it is because it's set to the tune of an English drinking song.
Saturday we check in the bikes and transition bags and go for light pre-race pasta meal before heading back to the hotel for an early night.
Race day
The alarm clock is set for 4 am. Coffee, oatmeal and two small bottles of Ensure, approx. 1,200 calories. At 4:45 am we are on our way to transition at the Great Lawn. Bikes are loaded and wheels receive a top-up of air and we’re off to the swim start at Tumbleweed about 1 mile away. We queue for body marking at the swim start. There are plenty of body markers on hand so we are soon able to follow the herd of athletes making their way to the end of the line for the time trial start.
Most Ironman events are mass starts. Louisville is different. Athletes self-seed themselves at the start based on their arrival at the swim start. A mass swim start for the pros is scheduled for 6:50 am followed by a 7:00 am time-trial start for the rest of us.
The line seems to snake forever along the river bank. How did all these people manage to get here so early? We didn’t leave it till last minute. Waiting in line is cold and I feel a bit miserable. There is still an hour till the start. Worse still, the anticipation of the race and low temps triggers a bladder filling reaction and I have to relieve myself on several occasions. Starting the race in a slightly dehydrated state is not ideal.
Finally we hear the gun and the pros are off. I spot the pros through the trees making good progress along the river bank. 10 minutes later the age groupers start entering the water one by one. The line is moving quickly so they must be getting the athletes into the water at a very fast rate. As the line works its way forward and we approach the start the volunteers are prepping us for the entry. Final “good lucks” pass between Beccy, Ian and I and we cross the timing mat and jump into the water.
The first 200m I am zigzagging between swimmers, but soon find some clear water. I had anticipated swimming along either left or right side of the bank, but surprisingly find plenty of room in the middle. I am kicked a few times, but this is really nothing compared what I have tried in the past. I reach the turnaround point feeling okay but not great. I know from training that it sometimes can take 1-2 km before I feel comfortable and can start cruising. Especially without any warm-up and a cold hours wait I don’t expect my body to be in full race mode yet. We are now outside the sheltered area and in the main river. I can see the bridges in the distance. The swim exit is just passed those bridges. I try to sight a good line, but the course is now so wide that athletes are spread and congestion is less of an issue. However, it seems to me a wide right is a good option. After a couple of minutes I settle into a nice grinding rhythm. The pace is a comfortable hard and I do a combination of two, three, four and occasional five stroke breathing. I feel strong all the way to the exit.
Swim Time 1h02m18s
Overall 117th
Age Group 14th
T1
As I exit the water I feel great. I can’t believe it, maybe I should have pushed harder? I sprint up the hill to transition passing several athletes in the process. It must be those monster swimming efforts with a maxed out heart rate at the Stroke and Stride that are now paying dividends. I look for the race clock to give me an idea of my swim time. No clock in sight. I find my bike bag after a bit of stuffing around and head into the change tent. Speed suit off, helmet, sun glasses, bike shorts and race belt on and I’m off running again with Garmin and bag in hand. I drop of the bike bag (which now contains goggles, swim cap and speed suit) outside the tent. Locating the bike is easy. By now I have put on the Garmin and turned it on. I head out of the bike park crossing the timing mat to register my time.
Time 3m53s.
Bike
I jump onto the saddle, gather some momentum and slip my feet into the bike shoes. About 2 minutes into the ride I hit a bump and one of my Power Bars fall out of my bento box. Damn it, that was 240 calories. Oh well, will just have to grab something from one of the aid stations. I make sure to drink plenty of water straight away to make up for the dehydrating start. My Garmin is still trying to find the satellites. How long can this take? I have no idea how fast I am going. I don’t want to push the pace too much to start with. Finally, it comes online. Yikes, 41 km/h that is much faster than I want to go. I regulate speed and perceived effort and finally settle into a good rhythm.
After about 15 km the hills begin. The temperature is still quite low and I’m not sweating as much as I am used to. My nose is also a bit runny from the cooler weather. I reckon I might be able to skip water at a few aid stations.
The course contains an out and back section and two counter clockwise loops before we head back into town.
The out and back section is very picturesque and contains some fairly steep but short climbs. These are not mountains, but they are steep enough to get you out of the saddle for a while. There is a bridge crossing across a creek at the bottom of a hill that is marked for danger, but it doesn’t give rise to any trouble even though travelling at 65 km/h.
Finishing the out and back, I embark on the first of the two loops. The roads are good, the terrain is still rolling and the temperature is still nice and cool. The rolling terrain is making me shift gears constantly. By the end of this ride I will probably have shifted gears more than I would in a year in Cayman. Until now I have been passing riders constantly since the start, so I am surprised when a rider overtakes me. Fine, I’ll use him as a focus point to keep up my pace. I stay about 7 meters behind him to avoid a drafting penalty. This can be difficult at times with differing riding styles on the hills. I probably push too hard on the ascents and too little on the descents. But this is the way I like to ride. At La Grange the crowds are out. Lots of cheering, shouting and cow bells. Awesome. I lose contact with my riding “buddy” as he surges up a longer hill. While I could have stayed with him, I feel I’m riding at a good solid pace and there is no need to increase the perceived effort at this stage in the race.
At the start of the second loop I pass Beccy. She shouts words of encouragement. Thanks Beccy. This time around the course is seriously congested. I am constantly passing slower riders. I approach a rider on one of the downhill’s going suspiciously slow with one leg to the side. He is relieving himself. I swerve far left to avoid the stream of fluid.
Having completed the second loop it is time to head back to Louisville. I am alone again. I spot one rider in the distance that’s all. I look at my Garmin and try to calculate my final time. I know that I started the watch about 2km into the ride and assuming for simplicity an average speed of 40 km/h for those first 2 km gives 3 minutes to add to my Garmin’s time. Okay so I won’t be going sub 5 hours, but it will be close to 5h10m. I’ll take that as long as I can run!
Unfortunately my stomach feels tight. Not a good sign. Should I eat? My nutrition plan calls for a Power Bar, but I haven’t any left since I dropped a bar at the beginning. The bike ride has set its mark and I’m feeling tired. I decide on some calories despite the tight stomach. At the final aid station I grab a gel. It’s café latte taste, definitely not my favorite, but nothing I can do about it.
I make the final turns towards the bike park, get my feet out of my shoes and start thinking about the run. I dismount and hit the ground running. Now we’ll find out whether the stomach is agreeable or not.
Time 5h09m22s
Overall 50th
Age Group 9th
T2
I hand off the bike and start running towards the transition area. I grab my run bag and continue into the changing tent. A volunteer runs with me. My helmet is already off so I proceed to take off my bike shorts. The volunteer asks what I want from the bag. I tell him to empty the contents in front of me. I put on cap, socks and shoes and dump the rest on the ground. The volunteer says he’ll take care of the bag for me. I thank him and head out of the tent. I can feel the stomach acting up so I decide to visit a portaloo. If that can solve the problem it would be well worth the extra time. After about a minute I emerge feeling none the better. Damn. Will just have to get on with that marathon.
Time 4m08s
Run
First part of the run is an out and back on the bridge. My stomach is in turmoil and I’m running much slower than I want to. I am being passed by several athletes. This is so annoying. You can swim and bike to your very best, but if you can’t pull off a decent run your overall time will suffer. I have to do something to calm the stomach. A guy named Charles runs up beside me and we exchange a few words. He is easing into the run and happy to go at a slower pace. We start the first loop. I try some deep breathing. It’s helping!! After about 500m I feel great. As Charles drops something and stops I speed up. This is it, crunch time. I decide to take full advantage of the fact that I feel good. My pace increases to sub seven minute miles or close to 3 hr marathon pace. I start passing the athletes that overtook me earlier. This is such a high.
After about 3 km I settle on a more reasonable pace. The initial surge was very well, but I risk burning out at that pace. A guyed named Evan comes flying past me. Wow, he is killing it. Post-race I look him up and he did a 2h55m marathon. Amazing. I can see the pros coming in the other direction finishing their first loop. I guess it won’t be long before race leader Luke McKenzie passes me.
We are running through a residential area and the locals are out, blasting out music and cheering us on. It is pretty flat. Feed stations are about every mile and I’ve been taking on water and coke. I figure the coke will help settle my stomach. I also grab a few cold sponges which I place inside my tri suit in the chest area. Ice is somewhat sparse at the aid stations. When I do manage to grab some ice I toss it down my tri suit where it settles in my crotch area. From experience I know this is one of the best places for cooling the body as some major blood veins pass in that region. So far I have been running through each aid station slowing only a little. Walking aid stations will kill my running splits so I purposely try to keep running.
I finally reach the turnaround. I see race leader Luke McKenzie. It won’t be long before he passes me. I pass the half way mark in around 1h39m (I later find out the split was 1h38m28s). I’ll take that. It is actually faster than my half marathon at Florida 70.3 earlier in the year. If I can just keep a reasonable pace I should be able to go under 3h30m. With a good swim that means I am easily heading for a sub 10 hr finish. Excellent.
A cyclist pulls up beside me bearing the marker “1st Male” and Luke is right behind. As he overtakes me I shout some words of encouragement. Within a couple of minutes the second placed male pro Viktor Zyemtsev comes storming past and I mean storming. I can’t believe how fast this guy is running. Unbelievable. He’ll catch Luke in no time. Post race I read that Zyemtsev was surging at this point in the race to catch Luke.
I am nearly in town again. There are lots people and lots of noise. I turn right less than 200m from the finish line and head out on the second loop. Now it’s a case of holding on. Mentally it is tough, but I am determined. I run with a guy on his first loop. We’re running 8 min mile pace (5 min per km). I lose contact with him when I decide to walk an aid station (my first). However, I quickly catch up with him again. Slowly mile after mile are ticked off. I’m still managing at least 8 min mile pace, but walk the aid stations to ensure sufficient calorie intake. Don’t want to risk running into a serious bonk.
I pass the 25 mile marker. It is really starting to hurt. My stomach and quads are tight. To compensate, I lean into the run. I must look ridiculous, but who cares getting to the line as fast as possible is the prime objective. I can get through this, less than 10 minutes to go. As I reach the home straight the noise is deafening, I try to straighten my back and run strong, but it is impossible. I normally always have something left at the end, but not this time. The race clock reads 10h12m so I’m sure my own time is under 10 hours. My body gives in as I cross the finish line and a volunteer grabs me.
Time 3h28m25s
Overall 95th
Age Group 10th
Total Race Time 9h48m06s
Overall 46th
Age Group 5th
Post Race
A volunteer takes me to the medical tent in a wheelchair. The medics check my vital signs and ask several questions. I try to drink some Sprite but can’t seem to stomach it. After lying down for another 10 minutes they offer me an IV. After a liter of fluid I feel much better. They check my vitals again and sit me up. Pro athlete Peter Kotland is sitting next to me. He has also had an IV. Incredibly he is doing another ironman in two weeks time!
I head back to the hotel to check my time. Facebook comes up per default and I can see Marius has already commented on my time. 9h49m (corrections where later made so I ended on 9h48m). How good is that? With that time I would easily have qualified for Kona last year. I check the official website, fifth in my age group. My hands are shaking. Last year there were 8 slots in my age group, if there are the same this year I will have qualified directly, no rolldown needed. There is supposed to be a listing of the slot allocations somewhere, but I have no idea where and I am too drained to go looking now. I call Majken in Denmark. It feels so good to talk to someone about the experience. She and her dad had following me closely on-line all day and she is full of praise and excitement. Have I really done the impossible? Surely I have, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. I will wait till the morning to find out.
After a shower and a few biscuits I head down to transition to pick-up my bike. Once back in the hotel room I check Beccy’s time. She is about half way on the run. I wait another 45 minutes and then make my way slowly to the finish line. I meet the BVI gang. Ray has just finished and Ian a bit before him. They continue on to the post race area for some drink and food. I find a look-out spot about 50m from the finish line. I take a look at the race clock and estimate that Beccy is at least 30 minutes from finishing. Plenty of time to grab some food and drink. As I‘m finishing a coffee, bagel and strawberry banana milkshake concerto, Beccy approaches the finish line in strong stride. She looks remarkably fresh. Her major concern is her time because the race clock shows 15 hours something. I confirm that she has gone under 15 as we have to deduct 24 minutes to reflect our later start time. Well done Beccy.
The next day I head down to the slot allocation area. Standing in line with the other hopeful athletes makes me nervous. Finally it is my turn. I approach the table and indicate name and age group. I see a list of names. I’m above the cut-off line. I’ve fricken qualified!! It’s a near impossible dream come true. I’m so happy. All the hard work and sacrifice has paid off. A three year plan has been executed to perfection. In fact it only took 2 years.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
From Island Sea Swim to Louisville Preparation
It has been ages since I posted to this blog. No particular reason, just haven’t had the urge to write anything.
The previous post was about our sea swim in Denmark. To round that off, we had a great swim without any upsets. After a few test swims in our wetsuits where Alex was introduced to the jellyfish soup, we could only wait for calm waters which came a week after our arrival on island.
Jellyfish soup may sound a bit terrifying and it certainly took a few swims to become comfortable around them. For some reason the first test swim we did, only 40-50 m off shore, was probably in some of the worst jellyfish conditions we would experience. There were literally hundreds if not thousands of Moon Jellies and one in every twenty was a Lions Mane capable of a nasty sting. During the actual swim jellyfish were not really a big issue. We did go through patches with fairly large concentrations, but by and large they did not cause much concern (I think Alex might have a different perspective). I did get one fright when I came within 5-10 meters of the mother of all Lions Mane. The largest Lions Mane I have ever seen, a body 80 centimeters across and with tentacles 5-10 meters long.
It was a great experience to do the swim and it has given me a completely different perspective on the waters that surround my home island. We are indebted to Svend who took the time to sail with us all the way. Thanks Svend!
Once we reached Ærøskøbing we were greeted by a journalist from the local paper. Her spin below (I won’t bother translating it) with picture of Alex and I.
Once back in Cayman after a much too short holiday in Denmark I started my ramp up towards Ironman Louisville 30 August. Training has been going well and without the family around I have been able to put in some very solid hours.
With less than two weeks to go I am tapering for the big event and gathering information on the event that will help me lay a race strategy. My primary goal is to break 10 hours and set a new PB (current PB is 10h17m). If I can do that there is a reasonable chance of qualifying for the world champs in Hawaii. Unfortunately I was reading on a forum the other day that the bike course is pretty tough and could add as much as 3o min to the time you would have on a flat course. Having looked at its profile and watched several videos from the event I think 30 min might be an exaggeration (it should really be measured in relative terms as well), but I guess we’ll just have to see. A couple of weeks ago I did 4h56m in training for 180 km in the flat and horrendously hot conditions here in Cayman. I expect sub 5h15m to be possible. My run training has been going really well lately and I’m going to pace myself for a sub 3h30m marathon off the bike. I won’t know for certain whether that is the right choice until half way into the run (on the second loop). Regardless, during my last (and first) Ironman I played conservative during 95% of the race. That strategy worked like clockwork. This time I intend to take some chances and accordingly reap the benefits that may bring or bear the costs should I struggle.
For those interested below are youtube links to an overview of the Louisville course with Heather Gollnick (split in 7 parts):
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgwRSdmPf9A
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB5-fWb1YYg
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgjravy9PGs
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiAxQ1-9KcA
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15sfllGuj6M
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHSiakDpGbo
Part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA5WYXhspHA
And here is a profile of the bike course.
The previous post was about our sea swim in Denmark. To round that off, we had a great swim without any upsets. After a few test swims in our wetsuits where Alex was introduced to the jellyfish soup, we could only wait for calm waters which came a week after our arrival on island.
Jellyfish soup may sound a bit terrifying and it certainly took a few swims to become comfortable around them. For some reason the first test swim we did, only 40-50 m off shore, was probably in some of the worst jellyfish conditions we would experience. There were literally hundreds if not thousands of Moon Jellies and one in every twenty was a Lions Mane capable of a nasty sting. During the actual swim jellyfish were not really a big issue. We did go through patches with fairly large concentrations, but by and large they did not cause much concern (I think Alex might have a different perspective). I did get one fright when I came within 5-10 meters of the mother of all Lions Mane. The largest Lions Mane I have ever seen, a body 80 centimeters across and with tentacles 5-10 meters long.
It was a great experience to do the swim and it has given me a completely different perspective on the waters that surround my home island. We are indebted to Svend who took the time to sail with us all the way. Thanks Svend!
Once we reached Ærøskøbing we were greeted by a journalist from the local paper. Her spin below (I won’t bother translating it) with picture of Alex and I.
Once back in Cayman after a much too short holiday in Denmark I started my ramp up towards Ironman Louisville 30 August. Training has been going well and without the family around I have been able to put in some very solid hours.
With less than two weeks to go I am tapering for the big event and gathering information on the event that will help me lay a race strategy. My primary goal is to break 10 hours and set a new PB (current PB is 10h17m). If I can do that there is a reasonable chance of qualifying for the world champs in Hawaii. Unfortunately I was reading on a forum the other day that the bike course is pretty tough and could add as much as 3o min to the time you would have on a flat course. Having looked at its profile and watched several videos from the event I think 30 min might be an exaggeration (it should really be measured in relative terms as well), but I guess we’ll just have to see. A couple of weeks ago I did 4h56m in training for 180 km in the flat and horrendously hot conditions here in Cayman. I expect sub 5h15m to be possible. My run training has been going really well lately and I’m going to pace myself for a sub 3h30m marathon off the bike. I won’t know for certain whether that is the right choice until half way into the run (on the second loop). Regardless, during my last (and first) Ironman I played conservative during 95% of the race. That strategy worked like clockwork. This time I intend to take some chances and accordingly reap the benefits that may bring or bear the costs should I struggle.
For those interested below are youtube links to an overview of the Louisville course with Heather Gollnick (split in 7 parts):
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgwRSdmPf9A
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB5-fWb1YYg
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgjravy9PGs
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiAxQ1-9KcA
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15sfllGuj6M
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHSiakDpGbo
Part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA5WYXhspHA
And here is a profile of the bike course.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Inter-island swim
Tonight we fly home to Denmark for a bit of a break from the Cayman heat. We will be joined by Alex. He has agreed to the mildly crazy idea of swimming to my favourite island in Denmark Ærø located in the Danish Baltic Sea. Click on the picture to get better view of the swim route.
Total distance is about 12 km with about 9.5 km of that swimming. Should be fun - in a wetsuit of course. Look out for more posts on the swim. We will be trying to do it ASAP upon arrival which might already be Friday this week.
Total distance is about 12 km with about 9.5 km of that swimming. Should be fun - in a wetsuit of course. Look out for more posts on the swim. We will be trying to do it ASAP upon arrival which might already be Friday this week.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Race report Florida 70.3
My two main goals for this race were to go sub 4:40 and have good run, as my previous run effort on the same course last year was pretty slow and painful. My running fitness has been coming along nicely since New Year so I was pretty confident that I could pull off a decent run.
The swim was fairly uneventful. I placed myself in the second row upfront closest to the buoys. With a bit of leap frogging we were off. As is normal in events like this there was a bit of struggle for position initially, but after about 100m it calmed down. I basically adopted a comfortable cruise tempo for the duration of the swim, keeping myself aerobic and focusing on my stroke. At times it was difficult to keep a steady pace having to pass masses of slower athletes, but experience from last year’s event made it a lot easier. I had only one minor mishap; swallowing a large gulp of lake water causing me to cough and stop momentarily. I was out of the water in exactly 33 min.
Feeling relaxed and fresh from the swim the transition was quick and easy. Compared to last year the transition was moved a bit making the run to the bike a bit longer.
Out on the bike course I settled into a good pace. Initially my stomach was fairly tight, but 30 min into the bike I had my first power bar and the tightness disappeared. My ride can be seen below. The graph reflects a fairly flat course with only a few rolling hills.
My initial plan was to race a bit conservatively on the bike to save myself for the run, but I just felt great on the bike and ended up pushing harder than planned, but enjoying the speed! The result was a 2:19 bike split, about 4-5 minutes faster than I had planned (average speed 38.8 km/h or 24.1 miles/h).
Into transition again, a quick change and I was off.
The first 2 miles I felt good and kept a solid pace of just under 7 min/mile. However, it quickly deteriorated. By the first 10k my pace had slowed and I was on target for about a 1:36 finish. But even that would not hold. I simply didn’t have the energy to run faster or rather it was as if my mind/body just wouldn’t let me go any faster. When that is said, the pace I did settle into was fairly “comfortable” and felt very much like a full IM pace. Final run split was 1:42, slower than expected.
Final time was 4:39, 21st out of 361 athletes in my age group (94th overall out of 2150).
Post race I was lucky to qualify for the Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater Florida. There were 10 slots in my age group and based on the principle of role down (where unwanted slots are rolled down to the next athlete) I was awarded a slot. While qualification to Kona is my main focus, I couldn’t say no to a chance to race Clearwater. If I do manage to qualify for Kona, it will be some busy months leading into Christmas.
The swim was fairly uneventful. I placed myself in the second row upfront closest to the buoys. With a bit of leap frogging we were off. As is normal in events like this there was a bit of struggle for position initially, but after about 100m it calmed down. I basically adopted a comfortable cruise tempo for the duration of the swim, keeping myself aerobic and focusing on my stroke. At times it was difficult to keep a steady pace having to pass masses of slower athletes, but experience from last year’s event made it a lot easier. I had only one minor mishap; swallowing a large gulp of lake water causing me to cough and stop momentarily. I was out of the water in exactly 33 min.
Feeling relaxed and fresh from the swim the transition was quick and easy. Compared to last year the transition was moved a bit making the run to the bike a bit longer.
Out on the bike course I settled into a good pace. Initially my stomach was fairly tight, but 30 min into the bike I had my first power bar and the tightness disappeared. My ride can be seen below. The graph reflects a fairly flat course with only a few rolling hills.
My initial plan was to race a bit conservatively on the bike to save myself for the run, but I just felt great on the bike and ended up pushing harder than planned, but enjoying the speed! The result was a 2:19 bike split, about 4-5 minutes faster than I had planned (average speed 38.8 km/h or 24.1 miles/h).Into transition again, a quick change and I was off.
The first 2 miles I felt good and kept a solid pace of just under 7 min/mile. However, it quickly deteriorated. By the first 10k my pace had slowed and I was on target for about a 1:36 finish. But even that would not hold. I simply didn’t have the energy to run faster or rather it was as if my mind/body just wouldn’t let me go any faster. When that is said, the pace I did settle into was fairly “comfortable” and felt very much like a full IM pace. Final run split was 1:42, slower than expected.
Final time was 4:39, 21st out of 361 athletes in my age group (94th overall out of 2150).
Post race I was lucky to qualify for the Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater Florida. There were 10 slots in my age group and based on the principle of role down (where unwanted slots are rolled down to the next athlete) I was awarded a slot. While qualification to Kona is my main focus, I couldn’t say no to a chance to race Clearwater. If I do manage to qualify for Kona, it will be some busy months leading into Christmas.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Florida 70.3
The weekend and Florida 70.3 is nearly here. For all you that unfortunately can’t make it to Orlando on Sunday, you can follow and cheer me on via ironman.com where you should be able to look me up either by bib number (2152), age group or name. I am looking forward to testing my fitness and getting some revenge on a course that last year sucked the life out of me on the run.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Super Patch
I have had a few problems with punctures lately. Came across this today: the pre-glued Super Patch. Exactly what I need as an extra precaution when all else fails.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Start of a new phase
My "limiter" phase is soon over. Scott and Russell are off to race the Boston marathon 20 April and as a consequence I will switch my attention to biking.
The focus of this first phase of my preparation for IM Louisville has been to improve my running which has been my main limiter in previous triathlons. Looking back there is no doubt that I have experienced substantial improvements since the beginning of the year. Indeed I don't think I have ever been in such good overall running shape as I am now. Further, I think I might finally have cracked the nut wrt. running off the bike. On the second leg of the DHL Duathlon last weekend I was able to run comfortably off a hard bike without the stomach issues that previously have caused me a lot of grief.
For my second phase I will cut back a little on running, continue to do at least one long ride a week and spice it up with a number of indoor trainer sessions. Here are two I am going to try:
Workout#1 (duration 1 hr) - Threshold
On the subject of short work-outs, something else I am going to do a couple of times a week is the Tabata protocol adapted for cycling: 8 x 20-second intervals at maximum intensity with 10-second passive recoveries between intervals. That’s a four minute workout with two minutes and 40 seconds of all-out sprinting. I'll do a bit of warm-up, but the whole thing should be over within 15 minutes.
The focus of this first phase of my preparation for IM Louisville has been to improve my running which has been my main limiter in previous triathlons. Looking back there is no doubt that I have experienced substantial improvements since the beginning of the year. Indeed I don't think I have ever been in such good overall running shape as I am now. Further, I think I might finally have cracked the nut wrt. running off the bike. On the second leg of the DHL Duathlon last weekend I was able to run comfortably off a hard bike without the stomach issues that previously have caused me a lot of grief.
For my second phase I will cut back a little on running, continue to do at least one long ride a week and spice it up with a number of indoor trainer sessions. Here are two I am going to try:
Workout#1 (duration 1 hr) - Threshold
- 10 min warm-up
- 20 min Build by 5 min to 90% effort last 5 min.
- 3 min Easy
- 5 min 90% effort - Finish with all out 20 sec effort
- 3 min Easy
- 5 min 90% effort - Finish with all out 20 sec effort
- 3 min Easy
- 5 min 90% effort - Finish with all out 20 sec effort
- 6 min Cool Down
- 5 min warm up
- 15 min single leg drill (3 repeats of 2 min left leg, 2 min right leg, 1 min both)
- 15 min steady riding
- 20 min low cadence (5 min 70 rpm, 7.5 min 60 rpm, 7.5 min 50 rpm).
- 20 min ladder effort (1 min easy, 1 min hard, 2 min easy, 2 min hard, 3 min easy, 3 min hard, 4 min easy, 4 min hard)
- 5 minute cool down.
On the subject of short work-outs, something else I am going to do a couple of times a week is the Tabata protocol adapted for cycling: 8 x 20-second intervals at maximum intensity with 10-second passive recoveries between intervals. That’s a four minute workout with two minutes and 40 seconds of all-out sprinting. I'll do a bit of warm-up, but the whole thing should be over within 15 minutes.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Odds in Compass
Click on the image to read the article.
UPDATE: The journo got it right! Read the article in the Compass.
UPDATE: The journo got it right! Read the article in the Compass.
Monday, March 23, 2009
4x1600m relay
Sometimes it is a real thrill to race and this weekend was no exception. We had assembled two teams for a 4x1600m stand-off at the Truman Bodden Stadium:
Dave gave Team A a good start, beating Mark by about 5 seconds. Dave passed the batten to Samuel who managed to keep Russ behind him for nearly a lap. However, Russ proved to strong for Samuel and by the time Russ handed the batten to JP he had created a considerable lead. I was running third and started out fast in an attempt to close the gap. By the start of the second lap I reduced the pace to not burn out too quickly and kept it nearly constant for the third lap. Seemingly not making lots of progress in catching JP I increased the pace for the final lap and could start to see it closing (I also think JP slowed) and by the time I handed over to Scott, Team B had about 100m on us. Below is footage of Scott and Marius on the last lap. Scott narrowly managed to win it for our team clocking a 65 fourth and final lap to finish off.
My splits are shown below (note that Scott had me down for a 5:00.3 split):
All in all, I'm pretty happy with my run, especially considering I was faster than expected. I probably went out a bit too fast, but was able to run a strong final lap. With more experience I would probably be able to run a better race, but the distance is never going to be one I train specifically for anyway. It is more about the excitement of the race and having a lot of fun.
- Team A - Dave, Samuel, Jasper, Scott
- Team B - Mark, Russ, JP, Marius
Dave gave Team A a good start, beating Mark by about 5 seconds. Dave passed the batten to Samuel who managed to keep Russ behind him for nearly a lap. However, Russ proved to strong for Samuel and by the time Russ handed the batten to JP he had created a considerable lead. I was running third and started out fast in an attempt to close the gap. By the start of the second lap I reduced the pace to not burn out too quickly and kept it nearly constant for the third lap. Seemingly not making lots of progress in catching JP I increased the pace for the final lap and could start to see it closing (I also think JP slowed) and by the time I handed over to Scott, Team B had about 100m on us. Below is footage of Scott and Marius on the last lap. Scott narrowly managed to win it for our team clocking a 65 fourth and final lap to finish off.
My splits are shown below (note that Scott had me down for a 5:00.3 split):
All in all, I'm pretty happy with my run, especially considering I was faster than expected. I probably went out a bit too fast, but was able to run a strong final lap. With more experience I would probably be able to run a better race, but the distance is never going to be one I train specifically for anyway. It is more about the excitement of the race and having a lot of fun.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Wednesday splits
A month ago (see here) I hoped to be able to do sub 6 minute mile pace comfortably for all five pushes on the half marathon loop by the end of this month. Didn't quite make it today, but came close:
1 - 3.44/km (6.01/mile)
2 - 3.43/km (5.59/mile)
3 - 3.42/km (5.58/mile)
4 - 3.44/km (6.01/mile)
5 - 3.33/km (5.44/mile)
I wasn't comfortable on the last one, but otherwise felt good all the way.
1 - 3.44/km (6.01/mile)
2 - 3.43/km (5.59/mile)
3 - 3.42/km (5.58/mile)
4 - 3.44/km (6.01/mile)
5 - 3.33/km (5.44/mile)
I wasn't comfortable on the last one, but otherwise felt good all the way.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Reaching your limit
On our normal Wednesday half marathon loop yesterday I tried to push very hard on the second 5 minute push from the turn around. The average pace for the push was 3.31/km (5.39/mile) and at times we were running 3.25/km (5.30/mile).
I reached my limit. The last minute was uncomfortable and my legs were burning pretty hard. I got the distinct impression / feeling that I would not be able to sustain that pace for much longer than the 5 minutes and on the third push when Russ started out running 3.35/km I dropped off the pace to settle at a more reasonable 3.45/km (6.02/miles). Nevertheless, I still managed to reach the 5km mark from the turnaround in 19.25. That is pretty fast considering we had 4 minutes at a slow recovery pace mixed in as well.
It is nice to test your limits once in while. The Wednesday run in particular gives a good impression of overall fitness as you start the pushes when your legs have been running for an hour at a moderate to easy pace beforehand.
I am looking forward to my first 5 km race of the year next month to see what kind of speed I can sustain. Based on yesterdays workout breaking the 17.30 barrier is out of the question, but I should stand a chance of going sub 18. We will see.
I reached my limit. The last minute was uncomfortable and my legs were burning pretty hard. I got the distinct impression / feeling that I would not be able to sustain that pace for much longer than the 5 minutes and on the third push when Russ started out running 3.35/km I dropped off the pace to settle at a more reasonable 3.45/km (6.02/miles). Nevertheless, I still managed to reach the 5km mark from the turnaround in 19.25. That is pretty fast considering we had 4 minutes at a slow recovery pace mixed in as well.
It is nice to test your limits once in while. The Wednesday run in particular gives a good impression of overall fitness as you start the pushes when your legs have been running for an hour at a moderate to easy pace beforehand.
I am looking forward to my first 5 km race of the year next month to see what kind of speed I can sustain. Based on yesterdays workout breaking the 17.30 barrier is out of the question, but I should stand a chance of going sub 18. We will see.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Milestone
Last week was a bit of milestone. Since beginning training again after New Years, I reached the longest week (14 hours) so far leading up to Florida 70.3 and also managed to cross the 100km mark in running, 105km to be precise.
So far, I have roughly spent 50% of my training running, 25% swimming and 25% biking. This is all in keeping with my overall strategy for this first training period: to improve on my main limiter running. Judging from the triathlons I did last year both swimming and running should be my focus, but running is relatively more important for the final time, so it makes little sense to put the same effort into swimming.
I'm also fairly happy with the progression that is visible in my running. I have yet to put myself to a serious test, but feel much stronger than last year. Indeed in the weekend we did a fairly tough brick workout consisting of an out and back:
The idea was to take note of the turning point on both run and bike, and to try to go further or at least as far each time. On the run portion I managed to run further each time coupled with some very decent pace splits. However, my biking portion was not as successful, not quite managing to reach the turn around point on the second leg. There was a lot of wind that day and my average speed wasn’t that bad at 37 km/h for the first leg, but I still believe my biking has suffered as a consequence of my focus on running. I don’t feel outright slow at the moment, but just not as strong. However, with some purposeful training I am certain it won’t take more than a month to get back on track with the biking.
This weekend I have a killer biking session planned with Johan who is off to Ironman South Africa soon and in need of a bit of race pace / speed work for his final prep. Distance is around 110 km and consists of:
For the time trial I will be giving Johan a 2 minute head start and subsequently adjusting that head start for the second time trial based on our time difference on the first one. Should make it interesting.
So far, I have roughly spent 50% of my training running, 25% swimming and 25% biking. This is all in keeping with my overall strategy for this first training period: to improve on my main limiter running. Judging from the triathlons I did last year both swimming and running should be my focus, but running is relatively more important for the final time, so it makes little sense to put the same effort into swimming.
I'm also fairly happy with the progression that is visible in my running. I have yet to put myself to a serious test, but feel much stronger than last year. Indeed in the weekend we did a fairly tough brick workout consisting of an out and back:
- 20 min run
- 1 hr bike
- 20 min run
- 1 hr bike
- 20 min run
The idea was to take note of the turning point on both run and bike, and to try to go further or at least as far each time. On the run portion I managed to run further each time coupled with some very decent pace splits. However, my biking portion was not as successful, not quite managing to reach the turn around point on the second leg. There was a lot of wind that day and my average speed wasn’t that bad at 37 km/h for the first leg, but I still believe my biking has suffered as a consequence of my focus on running. I don’t feel outright slow at the moment, but just not as strong. However, with some purposeful training I am certain it won’t take more than a month to get back on track with the biking.
This weekend I have a killer biking session planned with Johan who is off to Ironman South Africa soon and in need of a bit of race pace / speed work for his final prep. Distance is around 110 km and consists of:
- 20 mins easy (warm-up)
- 3 x 5 min hard pushes with 2 min easy
- 25 km time trial
- 5 km easy
- 25 km time trial
- 5 km easy
- 2 x 5 min hard pushes with 2 min easy
- 30 mins easy (warm-down)
For the time trial I will be giving Johan a 2 minute head start and subsequently adjusting that head start for the second time trial based on our time difference on the first one. Should make it interesting.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
10k track workout
We tried something a bit different at the track today: 10k split into 5 hard laps, 4 steady, 4 hard, 3 steady, 3 hard, 2 steady, 2 hard, 1 steady, 1 hard, with the hard laps run faster than 10k race pace and the steady laps not so easy as to fully recover for the next set of hard laps.
The overall time for the session was set to 2-3 minutes slower than current 10k race form, ensuring it wasn't an all out session, but rather a threshold session with a bit of variation.
I aimed for a 40 min total (88 sec lap hard and 108 sec lap steady). Below are my splits.
Turns out I went out a bit too slow on the hard pushes. I first realized this towards the end so ramped up the pace for the final laps. During the run I was using pacing information from my Garmin, the better option would have been to write down the required splits and run by the clock.
The overall time for the session was set to 2-3 minutes slower than current 10k race form, ensuring it wasn't an all out session, but rather a threshold session with a bit of variation.
I aimed for a 40 min total (88 sec lap hard and 108 sec lap steady). Below are my splits.
Turns out I went out a bit too slow on the hard pushes. I first realized this towards the end so ramped up the pace for the final laps. During the run I was using pacing information from my Garmin, the better option would have been to write down the required splits and run by the clock.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Half marathon loop splits
We did our usual Wednesday half marathon loop today with 5x5 minutes pushes for the final 30 minutes or so. Russ was without his Garmin and Scott was being careful with his ankle injury so I lead the pushes.
After a careful start I ran pretty hard on the second and third pushes with the result that the final two pushes were tough. However, all in all the level of perceived effort wasn't as high as previous weeks and the splits were the fastest so far. Averages were:
1 - 3.52/km (6.14/mile)
2 - 3.40/km (5.54/mile)
3 - 3.37/km (5.50/mile)
4 - 3.40/km (5.55/mile)
5 - 3.39/km (5.53/mile)
Encouraging!
After a careful start I ran pretty hard on the second and third pushes with the result that the final two pushes were tough. However, all in all the level of perceived effort wasn't as high as previous weeks and the splits were the fastest so far. Averages were:
1 - 3.52/km (6.14/mile)
2 - 3.40/km (5.54/mile)
3 - 3.37/km (5.50/mile)
4 - 3.40/km (5.55/mile)
5 - 3.39/km (5.53/mile)
Encouraging!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Half marathon loop
It has been about 3 weeks since we started doing the full half marathon loop with 5 x 5 minutes pushes for the final 30 minutes or so. Compared to our splits 3 weeks ago we were a lot faster today which is encouraging. Averages were:
1 - 3.56/km (6.20/mile)
2 - 3.46/km (6.03/mile)
3 - 3.40/km (5.55/mile)
4 - 3.45/km (6.02/mile)
5 - 3.42/km (5.58/mile)
By the end of next month I hope to be doing sub 6 minute mile pace comfortably for all five pushes.
1 - 3.56/km (6.20/mile)
2 - 3.46/km (6.03/mile)
3 - 3.40/km (5.55/mile)
4 - 3.45/km (6.02/mile)
5 - 3.42/km (5.58/mile)
By the end of next month I hope to be doing sub 6 minute mile pace comfortably for all five pushes.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Swim / Run at Public Beach
Last year we did some very successful swim / run training sessions at Seven Mile Beach (SMB) in preparation for the Ogier Stroke and Stride event.
At Public Beach (part of SMB) buoys can be used to define a swim course and cabanas as turn around points for the run. The last session we did before the final Stroke and Stride looked like this:
Today we (Marius, Johan and I) did a slightly different work out:
At Public Beach (part of SMB) buoys can be used to define a swim course and cabanas as turn around points for the run. The last session we did before the final Stroke and Stride looked like this:
- Swim 450m pushing hard to the first buoy
- Run hard to cabana and back
- Swim 450m with all out effort between first and second buoys
- Run hard to cabana and back
- 3 minutes rest
- Repeat set.
Today we (Marius, Johan and I) did a slightly different work out:
- Swim 1km along SMB
- Run 1km back to the starting point
- Swim 1km along SMB
- Run hard 1km to starting point.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
First long run of the year
Today, Russ and I did our first long (2.5 hr) run since we started training again after new years. We were joined by Johan for some of the way. Johan is training for IM South Africa in April.
After a slow and easy start to the morning, we had a good push the last 30 minutes or so finishing at a sustained pace of 4:15 - 4:00 min/km (see below, click on pic to enlarge). Total distance: 32.3 km.
After a slow and easy start to the morning, we had a good push the last 30 minutes or so finishing at a sustained pace of 4:15 - 4:00 min/km (see below, click on pic to enlarge). Total distance: 32.3 km.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
35th Annual Cross Island Relay
This morning I participated in the 35th annual Cross Island Relay.
The relay is the longest continually held running race in Cayman. It began its life as the "High School Cross Island Relay", conceived by PE teacher Winston Skinner, as an inter-house competition in 1975 (a similar race was run in his native Barbados). From the beginning other teams were welcome to participate. When the High School decided not to continue with the race the Hash House Harriers took over the tradition of organising the event.
The course runs from East to West. Starting in East End and finishing not far from George Town in the West. More specifically the 6 four mile legs are:
The Hash House Harriers have the course record of 2:14:04. The fastest female leg is held by Herfa Ebanks in a time of 24:12 set in 1984 (barefoot apparently!). That year Tim Byrne also set the record of the fastest individual leg in a time of 20:12.
I ran with the team "Beauty and the Beasts". They came second last year to UBS1 so were keen on revenge. The line-up for our 6 legs were as follows:
Start was 6 am in East End which meant an early 4:45 am wake-up to get there on time. Once at the start-line it became clear I would be "battling" Sammy from UBS. He has a reputation as a fast starter and sure enough the first km was run in 3:34. Next km was also a fast 3:39, but I was gradually able to pull away. I kept a good pace for the third km, but started to feel the quick start about half way and at times I dropped the pace to a more human 4 min/km. However, I managed a decent sprint finish. My average pace for the whole run was 3:45 min/km (6:02 min/mile) which translates to a finish time of 24:09. However, my official time for the race was 24:45. My Garmin is usually not that far off, so I guess the leg is long, maybe not the full 160m according to the Garmin, but at least 100m. I will check it on the bike one of these days for good measure. Regardless, I am happy with the outcome and think I am making good progress in my running at this stage.
While the outcome of the relay last year was determined on the last leg there was not much excitement this year with us leading from start to finish. All team members ran some great times. Our final time was 2:24:50, which translates to a 24:08 average per leg.
Picture of the winning team below (from left to right; Jasper, Marius, JP, Russel, Beth, Hayden).
UPDATE: Measured the leg on the bike this weekend, was approx. 145m too long.
The relay is the longest continually held running race in Cayman. It began its life as the "High School Cross Island Relay", conceived by PE teacher Winston Skinner, as an inter-house competition in 1975 (a similar race was run in his native Barbados). From the beginning other teams were welcome to participate. When the High School decided not to continue with the race the Hash House Harriers took over the tradition of organising the event.
The course runs from East to West. Starting in East End and finishing not far from George Town in the West. More specifically the 6 four mile legs are:
- 1-Gun Bay -> Blow Holes
- 2-Blow Holes -> Frank Sound Junction
- 3-Frank Sound -> Junction Old Drive-In by Everglow
- 4-Old Drive-In by Everglow ->Savannah Meadows
- 5-Savannah Meadows -> Sunrise Apartments South Sound
- 6-Sunrise Apartments South Sound -> Smith Cove
The Hash House Harriers have the course record of 2:14:04. The fastest female leg is held by Herfa Ebanks in a time of 24:12 set in 1984 (barefoot apparently!). That year Tim Byrne also set the record of the fastest individual leg in a time of 20:12.
I ran with the team "Beauty and the Beasts". They came second last year to UBS1 so were keen on revenge. The line-up for our 6 legs were as follows:
- 1 -Jasper
- 2 -Beth
- 3 -Marius
- 4 -Hayden
- 5 -JP
- 6 -Russ
Start was 6 am in East End which meant an early 4:45 am wake-up to get there on time. Once at the start-line it became clear I would be "battling" Sammy from UBS. He has a reputation as a fast starter and sure enough the first km was run in 3:34. Next km was also a fast 3:39, but I was gradually able to pull away. I kept a good pace for the third km, but started to feel the quick start about half way and at times I dropped the pace to a more human 4 min/km. However, I managed a decent sprint finish. My average pace for the whole run was 3:45 min/km (6:02 min/mile) which translates to a finish time of 24:09. However, my official time for the race was 24:45. My Garmin is usually not that far off, so I guess the leg is long, maybe not the full 160m according to the Garmin, but at least 100m. I will check it on the bike one of these days for good measure. Regardless, I am happy with the outcome and think I am making good progress in my running at this stage.
While the outcome of the relay last year was determined on the last leg there was not much excitement this year with us leading from start to finish. All team members ran some great times. Our final time was 2:24:50, which translates to a 24:08 average per leg.
Picture of the winning team below (from left to right; Jasper, Marius, JP, Russel, Beth, Hayden).
UPDATE: Measured the leg on the bike this weekend, was approx. 145m too long.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Group riding
Although we don't ride in packs or groups in non-drafting triathlon events, it is good to know the rules of group riding. Pez cycling has a good overview today of the basic rules to follow. You can access the article here.
Key take-aways include:
Key take-aways include:
- Whenever riding in a group you should be riding 2 by 2, side by side, handlebar to handlebar keeping it tight.
- When there is an uneven number of riders you should place yourself in between the two riders ahead of you, with your front wheel between their two rear wheels.
- When peeling off gradually move to the outside and let the group come through the middle.
- There should be no gaps in a group ride.
- Move gradually and steadily.
- Use hand signals to indicate obstacles.
- When someone slows down ahead of you, don't jump for the brakes. You should be riding ever so slightly to the side of the rider in front of you; so when they slow down, you either stop pedaling and start to slightly overlap your front wheel with their rear wheel, or you touch the brakes gradually, once again using the “wheel overlap” as a buffer zone so as not to slow down too suddenly for the riders behind you.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Events Schedule Cayman
Today I received the events schedule from the new President of the Cayman Triathlon Association. It is as follows:
The local events I will be doing this year include: the Cross Island Relay, the Duathlon, all the sea swims I can fit in, at least one or two of the Stroke and Stride events (swim followed by run), the Cayman TT championships, the Turtle Tri, the Pirates Week 10k and finally the half marathon. I might convert the half to a full, only time will tell.
- Jan 31 Kiwanis Bikeathon
- Feb 1 Cross Island Relay(6 x 4 miles)
- March 17 Irish Jog (5 km)
- March 29 DHL Duathlon
- June 20 Flowers Sea Swim (1 mile)
- June 28 Social Triathlon
- Aug 12, 19, 26 Stroke and Stride Series
- Sept Fidelity Series Runs (3 x 2 miles)
- Oct 18, Nov 1, Nov 15 Triathlon Build Up Series
- Nov 29 Turtle tri (Olympic distance)
- Dec 4 Cayman Islands Marathon
- Dec 25 Christmas Day Triathlon
- Dec 26 “Dashing Thru the Sand” Beach
The local events I will be doing this year include: the Cross Island Relay, the Duathlon, all the sea swims I can fit in, at least one or two of the Stroke and Stride events (swim followed by run), the Cayman TT championships, the Turtle Tri, the Pirates Week 10k and finally the half marathon. I might convert the half to a full, only time will tell.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Dreaded Wednesday
Today was the first time in a while Russ, Scott and I did the full half marathon loop. We have been building up to this mid-week medium-long run since the beginning of January. Today we did the first hour at around 4:30 min/km pace and the last 35 minutes with 5 minute pushes with 2 minutes active recovery. The pushes were run around 4 min/km pace which is slightly slower than we did them last year. Suffice to say, five pushes at that pace was more than sufficient for me. In coming weeks the pushes will get tougher as we approach Scott's marathon race pace of around 3:45 min/km and beyond (well, not for me).
Seems to me this is an excellent workout. It is long enough to stimulate endurance, yet short enough to not prolong recovery. In addition, it allows us to incorporate a variety of intensities that would be difficult in longer runs and in particular to recruit muscle fibers at tempo speeds when they have already been taxed for an hour or so.
UPDATE: Scott provided the push splits:
1- 4.14/km ave
2- 4.06/km ave
3- 3.59/km ave
4- 3.55/km ave
5- 3.52/km ave
No wonder I was feeling the heat on the last one.
Seems to me this is an excellent workout. It is long enough to stimulate endurance, yet short enough to not prolong recovery. In addition, it allows us to incorporate a variety of intensities that would be difficult in longer runs and in particular to recruit muscle fibers at tempo speeds when they have already been taxed for an hour or so.
UPDATE: Scott provided the push splits:
1- 4.14/km ave
2- 4.06/km ave
3- 3.59/km ave
4- 3.55/km ave
5- 3.52/km ave
No wonder I was feeling the heat on the last one.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Getting Sloshed
A slosh pipe or tube is a large PVC pipe filled partially with water and capped on the ends. I understand that working out with one of these is very effective and surprisingly difficult.
All that is needed is a PVC pipe from the local hardware store 2-3 meters long and 5-10 cm in diameter. The longer and wider the pipe the more difficult it is to use. A cap for both ends and water to it at least 1/2 full of water.
The sloshing part comes from the water moving around inside the pipe when you pick it up and hold it horizontally. This is what makes it so difficult to use. The slightest imbalance moves the water inside. Fighting both the weight of the tube and momentum, makes movement of the tube very taxing on the core.
Check out this guy, here is "only" trying to hold it stationary:
I am off to AL Thompson this weekend.
All that is needed is a PVC pipe from the local hardware store 2-3 meters long and 5-10 cm in diameter. The longer and wider the pipe the more difficult it is to use. A cap for both ends and water to it at least 1/2 full of water.
The sloshing part comes from the water moving around inside the pipe when you pick it up and hold it horizontally. This is what makes it so difficult to use. The slightest imbalance moves the water inside. Fighting both the weight of the tube and momentum, makes movement of the tube very taxing on the core.
Check out this guy, here is "only" trying to hold it stationary:
I am off to AL Thompson this weekend.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
First workout on the Cayman track
Today we finally managed to get on the Cayman track at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex and do some running. It has been a long time in coming.
The Islands' first track which was laid in 1995 and was open to the public up until a few years ago. It was closed for re-surfacing due to weather damage and poor quality of the running surface. Last year it was opened again, albeit with limited access.
Majken helps out at the track with the kids training, so it was through her I arranged to meet track and field technical director (Coach) Kenrick Williams. Williams has kindly let us use the track Thursday mornings. So far, Scott, Russell and I have access, but others should also be able to join our sessions.
Today we did the following workout:
The Islands' first track which was laid in 1995 and was open to the public up until a few years ago. It was closed for re-surfacing due to weather damage and poor quality of the running surface. Last year it was opened again, albeit with limited access.
Majken helps out at the track with the kids training, so it was through her I arranged to meet track and field technical director (Coach) Kenrick Williams. Williams has kindly let us use the track Thursday mornings. So far, Scott, Russell and I have access, but others should also be able to join our sessions.
Today we did the following workout:
- 4 laps - 1600m
- 3 laps - 1200m
- 2 laps - 800m
- 1 lap - 400m
- with very slow lap jog between each lap.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The 6-Count Burpee
I have been looking for strength building core focused workouts lately and found a few that are fairly interesting.
The 6-Count Burpee is a classic. I remember doing this in the military. It has it all: vertical and horizontal level changes, a strong core component, upper body pushing and explosive leaps. See it below.
I will post other findings later.
The 6-Count Burpee is a classic. I remember doing this in the military. It has it all: vertical and horizontal level changes, a strong core component, upper body pushing and explosive leaps. See it below.
I will post other findings later.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Group Speed Workout Week #2
This morning was with the biggest turnout so far. At the moment we start at the the Cost U Less round-a-bout because it is not light until around 6:40 am. When it is light at 6:00 am we will we return to the softer surface of the golf course. So for now we run up and down the bypass.
This week's workout:
This week's workout:
- Warm-up
- 6 min (3 min out and back finishing in the same spot),
- 2 min recovery
- 6 x 20 second strides with 40 seconds walk back recovery (all done on the lower street off the bypass)
- 2 min recovery
- 6 min (3 min out and back turning in the same spot as the first rep and getting all the way back again)
- Warm-down
Monday, January 5, 2009
Running plan first quarter 2009
The core of my training plan for first 4 months of 2009 will be running. Core exercises, riding and swimming will all revolve around my running schedule.
The plan (to be used as a guide) will consist of 5 core weekly training sessions.
1 - Tuesday group speed session. None at 100% all out effort, but say 90% effort so not to jeopardize training during the week. Sessions will vary depending on group, but likely consist of hills, 5 min reps, 10 min reps, pyramids, monas, etc.
2 - Wednesday morning the Cayman half marathon loop with 5 x 5 min efforts at or just quicker than half marathon pace at end (starting at turn around at Prospect Point).
3 - Thursday morning speed session. Again none at 100% all out effort. Would be geared towards track type workouts. 800m reps, 1000m reps, 1600m reps, 10km monas type sessions and then always finishing with a few 200s or 400s to build more raw speed.
4 - Friday morning 2.5 km easy followed by 5 km tempo run (at or just below 10 k race pace) and 2.5 km easy.
5 - Long weekend run. Building to 2h30m by beginning of Feb. 2h30m every week for February and March maybe even a few 2h45m.
The plan (to be used as a guide) will consist of 5 core weekly training sessions.
1 - Tuesday group speed session. None at 100% all out effort, but say 90% effort so not to jeopardize training during the week. Sessions will vary depending on group, but likely consist of hills, 5 min reps, 10 min reps, pyramids, monas, etc.
2 - Wednesday morning the Cayman half marathon loop with 5 x 5 min efforts at or just quicker than half marathon pace at end (starting at turn around at Prospect Point).
3 - Thursday morning speed session. Again none at 100% all out effort. Would be geared towards track type workouts. 800m reps, 1000m reps, 1600m reps, 10km monas type sessions and then always finishing with a few 200s or 400s to build more raw speed.
4 - Friday morning 2.5 km easy followed by 5 km tempo run (at or just below 10 k race pace) and 2.5 km easy.
5 - Long weekend run. Building to 2h30m by beginning of Feb. 2h30m every week for February and March maybe even a few 2h45m.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Goals for 2009
A new year began today and as tradition requires it is time to look forward. There are several things I would like to accomplish in 2009. I would like to set new personal best times in the 10K, half-marathon, marathon, Olympic distance triathlon, 70.3 Ironman, and full Ironman and qualify for the Ironman world champs in Hawaii and 70.3 in Clearwater. Of course that is all a bit overly ambitious, so let's group them by priority.
A Goals:
There will be a lot of suffering and sacrifice to reach these goals but also plenty of reward to go with it if I succeed.
A Goals:
- Qualify for the Ironman world champs in Hawaii
- 10K PB
- Full Ironman PB
- 70.3 PB
- Half marathon PB
- Qualify for 70.3 in Clearwater
- Olympic distance triathlon PB
- Marathon PB
There will be a lot of suffering and sacrifice to reach these goals but also plenty of reward to go with it if I succeed.
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