Mega-Ride

Yesterday started out at 3am. I loaded up with gu, bars, water, extra tire and tube, and headed west under a full moon to Savanna, a picturesque little town on the Mississippi. It was moonlight (and headlamp) only for the first two hours of the ride, sunrise not until 5:40am as we move toward the 1st of August. There'd been severe flooding the day before--Geneva received 5-7 inches of rain, and area's around Rockford got 8-10. Water covering fields, and the Illinois and Peru rivers were out of their banks. No rain Sunday, though. Just calm, sunny, 80 degree weather. I didn't anticipate I'd be doing the amount of climbing I did. Terrain gets rather hilly west of Oregon. Also gets rather gorgeous. Stopped for 20 minutes in Savanna and joined a bunch of gawkers on a closed (due to flooding) bridge overlooking the Peru river. The river had surged far beyond it's banks onto a railroad track, where a train was stopped/stuck with flowing water covering it's wheels.

This was the longest single day ride I've ever done. 208 miles. 11 1/2 hours. Body held up very well, although tough to stay hydrated on such a long ride. Had to make 4 water stops on the return, each time drinking about a half gallon, and refilling bottles with another half, which seemed to evaporate in no time. Only casualties were a missed spot on my back, under my right arm (the south side on the return in full sun) where I didn't get sun block. So I have a bright red spot on my back. And the other: saddle sores. Even though I used saddle soap. Make it hard to sit. Good news is they'll heal up fast.

Here's the stats on the ride:

Savanna and back by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Racine

I'll start with the facts. Overall time 5:02:47. 176 out of 2000 participants. 7th out of 107 in my age group. Full results are at:

http://ironmanlive.com/tracking.php?race=racine70.3&year=2010

As mentioned in an earlier post, it's been 9 years since I raced this distance. Forgot how much it hurt. 9 years ago my time was 4:37. Biggest difference was the run. Didn't have much of one this race. Swim was decent, bike was strong, run needs work. 8 weeks to work on it.

The bike was a flat, fairly fast course. I learned this year that when you get passed by a female racer, it's called "getting chicked" I got chicked. Then after a few miles I "geezered" her. Then after a few more miles she chicked me again. And after a few more miles I geezered her again, and I didn't see her after that on the bike. Ofcourse she chicked me on the run.

My inner dialogue was rather active during the run as I slogged forward at what felt like a slugs pace.

"This hurts....ouch....this hurts....why am I doing this? This hurts...ouch...need water...I need a nap...howcome all these people are passing me? Ouch...this hurts...what am I doing?....Mile One? What?! That can't be mile one...feels like mile 95...okay, mile one...12 to go...I can do this...crap...chicked again...need more gu...need more water...crap...there goes another guy in my age group...this hurts...and I'm going to do double all this in 8 weeks?!...maybe this isn't so bad...no...this is really bad...ouch....

I think I need to change my goal to finishing at Ironman Wisconsin. Qualifying at this point seems a bit delusional. My coach agrees. Actually my coach suggested it, and I agreed.

On with training. Next up, Naperville Sprint on August 8.

Thoughts on The Cusp of Racine 70.3

Okay I’m ready. I tapered this week, slowed it down, eased off the volumes. Not posting any of the taper-week workouts…not very interesting…Now I sit in my hotel room in Racine, listening to fantastic Brazilian techno pop (DJ Dolores) and thinking about this crazy sport. Perspective. Two thousand people here competing, testing themselves, celebrating intensity and endurance. I have split sentiments. At times I’m totally obsessed-into-it-this-is-the-greatest-thing-ever-what-a-way-to-spend-a-Sunday, and at other times I’m pondering the utter selfishness and self-absorption of this largely lone ranger sport. I’ll give it my best tomorrow and see what gives.

One curious human aspect of triathlon is how the body prepares instinctively. One way it prepares is it cycles through an evacuation process that seems to begin for me about 48 hours before a race, and continue up until 30 seconds before start time. The frequency of peeing seems to increase exponentially as race time approaches, to the point where within one hour of start time, my bladder seems to go from empty to dancing/jumping/bursting full in 2 minutes and 7 seconds. It’s a fucking nuisance. Of course there are porta-potties everywhere with infinite rotating lines of worried looking hopefuls to keep me company. Don’t think I’m solo in this phenomenon. Regardless of how I time things, most races I’m forced to…well….let me put it this way…NEVER, EVER borrow, (or lend) a wetsuit…Good news is, I’ve decided to invent and market a device to the triathlon community. The concept formed while I was peeing in my wetsuit at Batavia. (I repeat: NEVER, EVER borrow—or lend—a wetsuit) I’m convinced it would sell quite well in the Triathlon world. It’s a simple plastic bladder-like device that you discreetly insert into your wetsuit, attach where needed, and then simply let go, detach and remove the device, and throw it away. No muss no fuss. I’ve got three names with tag lines for it: Johnny on the spot—Go where you are! Peeline Direct—the waiting is over! Discreet Relief, when where you are will have to do.. And the corporate name—Pro-active Elimination Enterprises.

Planned on a century this morning before the taper for Racine, but cut it back to 56 miles. Couldn't bring myself to get up at 3 this morning and ride in the dark for an hour and a half, and had to get home by 8:30am to go work on a classroom at the school. Although short, a great ride. Met up with Chris at Fermi, headed out toward Johnsons for hill repeats, then a beeline back to Geneva to get home in time.

Fermi/Campton/Johnson by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Chris gave me a really good reminder: He quoted an article from a couple of ironman coaches, who said "there's no such thing as having a great bike and a lousy run..." which is to say, if you had a bad run, you went to hard on the bike. Often strong cyclists will have an attitude of going all-out on the bike, figuring it's they're strength and they should give it their all and hang on for dear life on the run. The argument the coaches make is that you wind up giving far more away by blowing up on the run, than you gain by having a strong bike leg.

I think this applies strongly to me. The only time I've done a longer race, a half ironman in the Hudson Valley of New York, it looked a lot like the above description. There were 500 people in the race. I'm not a strong swimmer--my weakest leg--but by some fluke involving a sandbar in the swim that allowed you to legally "lope" or run for a third of the swim, I came out of the water 21st overall. I blazed on the bike, and even though I jammed and dropped my chain on a climb, costing me a minute or so, by the end of the 59 (longer than standard Half Ironman distance) mile bike, I was in 3rd place overall. Then came the run. One guy after another passed me, each one congratulating me "hey dude, great bike leg" as they passed me by. I wound up 11th overall, 3rd in my age group. Still a happy result, but the point is I gave to much back on the run, and where that REALLY happened was in giving too much to the bike.

Now it's time to taper. An easy, low volume week with a few intense burst workouts early in the week.

Long Run

16 mile run Friday morning. Longest run since I did the Jacksonville FL. marathon in 1995. Definitely over the cold of last week. Started out easy, slow, 10 minute pace, and worked up to a couple 7:50 miles toward the end of the run. Ran along east side of the Fox River from home to Aurora.

16 mile run by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Gorgeous trail. Much of it recently resurfaced. I was a bit worried about such a long run after a two week period in which I only got out running twice, both times 4 miles. But I felt good, solid, strong. Ready for Racine in a week.

4 mile by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

...and a little "nightcap" run...

4 mile by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Lake Geneva/Elkhorn by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Lake Geneva/Elkhorn by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Tour de Southern Wisconsin

Yesterday went for a long one. 112.69 (approx...ha...) miles starting at home, and heading north through southern Wisconsin, ending up at Lake Geneva for a kids birthday party with the family. Beautiful ride. Even a few nice climbs in and around Lake Geneva. That's the ONE THING I sorely miss riding in these parts. Hills. Massive, thigh burning climbs. The Catskills had lots of 'em. Nothing anywhere around here compares. The chest cold is now gone. Green light for the few days of long miles between now and Sunday, and then a easy taper week heading in to Racine 70.3. My friends tell me the down time last week won't hurt me. My experience tells me they're right. If there's a weak spot in my training disciplines, it's not building in sufficient recovery after long or hard efforts, or long hard efforts. A good, hardy chest infection will do the trick.

80 mile by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

80 mile by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Back in the saddle

Got out biking in earnest today for the first time since the chest cold set in a week ago. 82 miles up toward the Wisconsin border. It was a warm, gorgeous, very humid morning. 75 degrees at 5am. Pretty good breeze out of the south the whole ride, 10-15 mph. Made for some quick splits on the way out, and some slow ones on the return. Overall very happy with how I felt. This is the last week before the taper for Racine.

Still Hacking Around...

Hacked all night. Slept on the couch downstairs so I wouldn’t keep Lynn awake. Used to get this upper respiratory crap two or three times a year. Haven’t been sick in well over a year now. It’s strange, and a bit frustrating because other than the hacking, I feel okay. Energy feels good. Busting out of my skin to get back out and train. Yesterday, I couldn’t sit any more and went out for an easy pace, four mile run. It felt really good. Legs felt light and fresh after four days off. And it didn’t make me feel any worse, or any better. Today I rode 15 miles easy. As I write, still hacking. But it seems to be diminishing. I’ll kick it out over the weekend. Fourth of July weekend. Racine 70.3 looms two weeks from Sunday.

I long for the long ride. It’s my cave, my sanctuary. The 3am start, all tip-toe quiet. Roads stark empty. No sound but the hum of crickets and street lights, and the rush of air. Dark horizon lit by moonlight, dawn only a faint pink suggestion in the north east sky, cool mist floating in wispy blankets over the corn fields, and the rhythm of pulse, breath, cadence flowing in circles.

What the hell is up with the Red Wing Blackbirds? Aggressive little twits. Swear to God, I was being dive-bombed, hissed at, scouted, the entire 107 miles between Geneva and Tiskilwa. Is it my clothing? My bike? Am I unwittingly emitting some aggression inducing pheromone? Felt like I was starring in a remake of Breaking Away directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

4mile by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

4mile by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Four Winds 1 way by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Four Winds 1 way by rjhill4th at Garmin Connect - Details

Opening Salvo

On September 12, 2010, I'll be doing Ironman Wisconsin in Madison. My first time at this iconic distance. After 25 years and hundreds of triathlons, I decided that this is the year, at 51, (52 in USAT years...) to do it. And in I've jumped. As of this post, there are 10 weeks until race day. Between now and then, I'll be doing a 70.3 (half ironman) in Racine, Wisconsin on July 18, (Second time at this distance, last time was 10 years ago) and a sprint in Naperville, Il. on August 8. Everything is a warm-up for Madison. I figured blogging would be a way to chronicle the journey, keep myself inspired, and share the story for anyone interested. I have a fantasy/stretch goal of qualifying for Ironman Hawaii. The Holy Grail of triathlon. I'd need a top 5 finish in my age group to qualify. Last year there were 171 guys in my age group. Top 5. That's a thin slice. Top 3%. If I have my absolute best day I have a shot.

I'm ramping up the volumes. Last week, rode 315 miles. Ran 36. Swam 6k. Integrating speed work as races approach. Had my first race of the season two weeks ago. Batavia sprint. My 6th time in this race. My fastest time yet.

http://www.bataviatriathlon.org/results/2010/default.asp

Won age group by 6 minute margin. Placed 12th overall, out of 540 entrants. In other words, I think I might have a shot. If I can bring my A game. If I do qualify, I'll go to Hawaii with Lynn and the kids in 2012. If I don't, I'll likely hang up the ultra distances and go back to having a normal, sane life. Ironman training approaches the time commitment of a 3/4 time job. 20-30 hours a week of training. In order to achieve some level of balance with work and family, I'm taken to early morning workouts. Out training by 4am every day, except on days like last Fathers Day when I rode 120 miles, when I was on the road by 3:15am so that I could get back in time for breakfast with the family. I was back by 10:00. Last Saturday I integrated a 107 mile ride with family time by riding to Tiskilwa, IL, where I met Lynn and the kids at an organic blueberry farm. What a great way to end a long ride! Surrounded by mountains of organic blueberries...Lynn had a goal: Pick 30 pounds before the kids melt down. It was blazing hot, no shade, and Lynn insisted "don't be eating any of them now or we'll never get to 30 pounds!" Right. Don't eat any. (Snarf, snarf, sclorch, schmonch, glaunch, glorch...mmmmmm!) We still got to 31.5 pounds...after getting 28 pounds two weeks earlier. Needless to say our freezers are PACKED.

This week I've been down with a chest infection. Making me nuts. Resisting the urge to get back out and train before my lungs have healed up a bit. I've been here before. Patience.

Long weekend coming up. Going for a ride with two buddies, other 52 year old age-groupers. Both way talented. Doug Morris nationally ranked number 12 USAT. Chris Evans ranked 42.

(I'm ranked 206.) out of 1,979 ranked 50-54 year olds. So fortunate to have these guys to train with, to push me. Chris is generously acting as my coach as well.