FAA Part 25 aircraft certification refers to performance standards for airliners and business jets. Every time you or a loved one purchases a ticket with either an airline or a business jet charter company, the management team, pilots, and aircraft manufacturers are guaranteeing that if an engine quits while on takeoff roll, the aircraft can stop safely on the remaining runway. If the engine quits shortly after takeoff, they guarantee the paying public that the aircraft can climb to a safe altitude.
That's kind of a nice feature to have in my opinion...clearing terrain is always a good thing!
There have been many airlines and charter companies that have been forced to cease operations because they didn't meet these performance standards, so they do their best to review performance data to ensure your safety. Money is made and lost with performance data in aviation, and lives have literally been lost because it was disregarded.
Perhaps it's my background in aviation, the fact that I love to chart an athlete's progress, or maybe it's my propensity to give into the dark side of obsessive/compulsive disorder and try to chart, analyze and forecast everything to the "nth" degree. However, I think it's far more captivating to chase a number on a powermeter during a four hour trainer ride than just to pedal into oblivion not knowing whether I'm making progress. I also think it's more encouraging to see that Athlete "A" has improved their threshold pace from a 8:10 mile to a 7:15 instead of waiting for that "one big race" to see if they've improved. Besides, the finishing position is always dependent on who shows up for the race, but the measurement of lactate, heart rate, and wattage are not subjective. They're black and white.
Recently, Bill Robertson completed an eleven month training cycle that culminated in a 9:36 finish time in his first Ironman event. Bill trained with a power meter, GPS pace watch and heart rate monitor all year, and had tons of data from all of the files that he has collected and uploaded during the course of those eleven months.
One of the neat things about all that data is our ability to forecast a finish time for a race. Since Bill had completed 99.9% of his intended training, we knew that he could swim "X" pace, ride at "Y" watts, and run at "Z" pace as long as he executed his nutrition plan according to schedule (which he did).
We predicted that Bill would swim under one hour, and were hoping for a 58 minute swim. He actually swam 59:50 due to some congestion.
Deviation: 00:01:50
We predicted that Bill would come in under five hours for the bike, and were hoping for a 4:58:00. Bill actually rode a 4:57:59.
Deviation: 00:00:01.
We were shooting for a run time under 3:30:00. Bill's running has come a long way, and he was able to hang tough and finish in 3:33:32.
Deviation: 00:03:32
After over nine hours of racing, Bill finished within 5 minutes of what we had predicted. Bill's ability to stay on his nutrition and pacing plan allowed us to forecast this so precisely, but we would never have been able to be so accurate if he hadn't used a power meter and GPS watch during his build.
While data does help make your training more precise and effective, it doesn't mean you always have to hit a certain goal wattage or nail a certain pace. We certainly need to listen to our bodies when it comes to rest and recovery, and on those days it's sometimes a good idea to just use the device to collect the data but not let it direct our effort. In other words, sometimes we need to chill out!
However, there are other days when (in the words of Jens Voigt) we need to tell our legs to "shut up" and stay on pace and wattage. This is something that comes with practice!
In summary, the next time you're hesitating uploading your files for later review, remember that it really does help your coach to determine your progress, write an effective plan, and forecast a race performance if they have the data to analyze. Although we're not trying to clear obstacles at the end of the runway, we can certainly use technology to our advantage during our training sessions.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Super Spooky Pumpkin Ride Report
The festivities started with a tour of the trails and we began to realize that the riding might get a little gooey. "The trails would surely improve as the night wears on", we all thought. However, they actually got a bit sloppier as more people passed over them which made for some very technical riding in a few sections while others were absolutely perfect.
Our intent was to have a "Hot Lap" competition, but it seemed that merely completing a lap was deemed a "hot lap" and we simply enjoyed each other's company whilst riding. We do think that Chris Reel deserves a special award for pulling a buggy behind his bike with his son Sammy onboard. Sammy could be heard laughing and chatting along happily as the buggy bounced and ricocheted off trees.
After completing numerous daylight and several night laps, the group gathered around the bonfires to warm up and enjoy chili, cookies and the cool fall air.
The event was a great success and 100% of the money brought in by the team went to Matt Field's nephew's cause - The Cured Foundation. One of the reasons Matt is racing Ironman Wisconsin is to generate money for eosinophilic esophagitis research. We'll certainly be putting on several more fundraisers throughout the year and hope to help him meet his goal for a great cause!
If you have any fun ideas for future fundraisers that involve running, biking, sledding, snowshoeing, etc., please let us know. We'd like to have even more athletes from the area get involved next time to help Nice Tri help others!
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| One of the trails at the Super Spooky Ride - Pine Lane! |
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Pumpkins, Trails and Fundraisers at Nice Tri
As a corporate pilot and manager, I spent most of my time directing a flight operation and ensuring that required documents met or exceeded FAA standards. When I wasn't flying a trip somewhere or fulfilling my administrative obligations, I enjoyed learning as much as I could about human physiology, performance and training. I also started cycling and running as much as I was able and enjoyed performing well in local races, until one day I had an epiphany.
One day I will die.
That's not meant to sound morbid, but the last time I checked, there's a 100% chance that at some point, you will die. The question then becomes: "What are you doing with your life while you're alive?" Is your goal to accumulate money, race wins, Ironman finishes, or do you long to do something more lasting and fulfilling?
In the Christian-based belief system, the Bible teaches that this life is not all about us. It's not about what type of airplane we flew, how much money we made that we will leave to our heirs, but it's about relationships.
Human relationships.
That's precisely the reason that I formed Nice Tri and moved away from the "get all you can while you're alive" mentality. I decided since this life is finite, I'd rather invest my energy into something that has lasting value. My goal with my business was not to proselytize the world, but to get involved in other people's lives and use the business to help others. I have been blessed with a successful business in a short period of time, and want to leverage that success for those who are less fortunate.
It's time to put that belief into practice!
Sunday, October 23rd marks Nice Tri's first fundraiser event. We'll be opening the trails around our 33 acres of land to runners and riders to benefit the Cured Foundation. This is an excerpt from their website (curedfoundation.org): CURED is a not for profit foundation dedicated to those suffering from eosinophilic enteropathy, which includes eosinophlic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, eosinophilic colitis and other eosinophilic disorders. It is the hope of CURED to raise substantial funding to aid in research and public awareness for this complex disease. Although the disease is being diagnosed at an alarming rate, very little is known about Eosinophilic Disorder. It is our heartfelt belief and mission that CURED can make a difference for the individuals and their families who are touched by this disorder.
Please come and join us for some trails, food and invest your time into something worth more than your 401k: Helping others!
We will be starting the ride at 5:30 until 9:00pm, and riders are required to have a headlamp, helmet and eye protection. This ride isn't a "race", but we will have a special prize for the rider with the fastest "Hot Lap" around the course. Come with your friends, enjoy some of the best cider, donuts, chili and trails in Ontario County. Donations are not required, but are appreciated, and 100% of the money taken in will go to the Cured Foundation.
We'll look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
One day I will die.
That's not meant to sound morbid, but the last time I checked, there's a 100% chance that at some point, you will die. The question then becomes: "What are you doing with your life while you're alive?" Is your goal to accumulate money, race wins, Ironman finishes, or do you long to do something more lasting and fulfilling?
In the Christian-based belief system, the Bible teaches that this life is not all about us. It's not about what type of airplane we flew, how much money we made that we will leave to our heirs, but it's about relationships.
Human relationships.
That's precisely the reason that I formed Nice Tri and moved away from the "get all you can while you're alive" mentality. I decided since this life is finite, I'd rather invest my energy into something that has lasting value. My goal with my business was not to proselytize the world, but to get involved in other people's lives and use the business to help others. I have been blessed with a successful business in a short period of time, and want to leverage that success for those who are less fortunate.
It's time to put that belief into practice!
Sunday, October 23rd marks Nice Tri's first fundraiser event. We'll be opening the trails around our 33 acres of land to runners and riders to benefit the Cured Foundation. This is an excerpt from their website (curedfoundation.org): CURED is a not for profit foundation dedicated to those suffering from eosinophilic enteropathy, which includes eosinophlic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, eosinophilic colitis and other eosinophilic disorders. It is the hope of CURED to raise substantial funding to aid in research and public awareness for this complex disease. Although the disease is being diagnosed at an alarming rate, very little is known about Eosinophilic Disorder. It is our heartfelt belief and mission that CURED can make a difference for the individuals and their families who are touched by this disorder.
Please come and join us for some trails, food and invest your time into something worth more than your 401k: Helping others!
We will be starting the ride at 5:30 until 9:00pm, and riders are required to have a headlamp, helmet and eye protection. This ride isn't a "race", but we will have a special prize for the rider with the fastest "Hot Lap" around the course. Come with your friends, enjoy some of the best cider, donuts, chili and trails in Ontario County. Donations are not required, but are appreciated, and 100% of the money taken in will go to the Cured Foundation.
We'll look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Why do we do it?
My last post talked about Ironman Louisville and how the race went in 2011. As I was typing up my race report, I started waxing nostalgic about the year in review, and how far the gang has come. We've had a great year of firsts, PR's, successes, and accomplishments interspersed with the occasional setback or niggle. 2011 wasn't all smiles and giggles, but I can honestly say that it was one of the best years athletically both for me and many of the athletes on the team.
While training throughout the year, I remember receiving several pointed questions from people that I've bumped into.
From an older lady at Kershaw: "You cyclists don't look healthy. You're too skinny. Are you sick?"
"Why thank you ma'am! I appreciate your thoughtful insights regarding my physical appearance!" I responded.
From a well-intentioned athlete after a training session: "Why do you ride the bike so hard? You really should throttle back a bit so you can run better". I reminded them that intensity is relative, and my "easy" might be your "hard" (or vice versa). I suggested that offering fitness advice using your own FTP as a reference point is not objective, and that you should always measure improvement against your own performance, not someone else's.
But quite possible the most probing question of 2011 is "Why do you do it?" "Why do you do Ironman?"
Some things are easy to understand internally, but more difficult to convey in a concise response that doesn't cause the listeners eyes to glaze over and their head to bob up and down as they nod off into a deep slumber.
Trying to explain the reason why we swim, bike and run as many as 40 hours per week to a non-athlete is like trying to explain atomic physics to my 8 year old nephew. It just doesn't sink in!
Endurance Nation teaches that part of preparing for long course triathlon is to figure out your "ONE THING". Why are you here pushing your body this way? If you don't have your reason to push through pain and discomfort during your Ironman marathon, you probably won't push yourself very hard and you may actually quit!
To some readers, my explanation of my "one thing" might elicit some glazed eyes, a few head bobs, or a statement like "I just don't get it". However, there are those of you right now that have either completed an Ironman or are training for that one, and this is for you.
I hope you will GET IT.
Ironman mirrors life. I think the journey of completing an Ironman is like a lifetime all crammed into one day. Let's look back on a life well-lived in Louisville Kentucky on August 28th, 2011.
The Early Years - Ironman starts with a clean slate. Two weeks of reduced training stress have left you feeling like a new person and ready to tackle anything! The soreness in the knees and the fatigue of the long training hours are all gone, and you start your journey with a bit of trepidation, excitement and uncertainty. It's like being a kid on your first day of school all over again! However, your childlike enthusiasm starts to feel more like a cramp in the arch of your foot, but you try rub it out while you hold onto each kayak and buoy you pass. Real-life forces you to grow up fast and conclude the swim with a time that is not what you were hoping for, but not enough to make you throw a temper tantrum.
Out of the water and on to the bike, your youth and enthusiasm quickly pass as you reach the mid-point of the bicycle, and you enter your first mid-life crisis.
Middle Age - You've reached a point of stability in your "career" that consists of eating, drinking and pedaling your bike but start to ask the question "Why? Why am I out here doing this? Maybe I should consider another line of work that has less pedaling and more eating. Did anyone just notice that stream of pee running down my leg?"
These are the types of questions that make Ironman so exciting and interesting. For most of us, Ironman will not reward us financially (quite the opposite) or land us a professional racing career. I think the reason that most of us do this distance is to find out what we're truly made of. What will we do when something goes wrong? Will I crack? Will I persist?
It's enjoyable to come face-to-face with these issues and deal with them as they come. Like I said, it's just like life! Our 10:30:00 finish time quickly slips into the eleven and then the twelve hour mark. Do we give up, or make the best of the circumstances with which we're faced?
The Golden Years (Finishing Well) - Twelve hours after we have started, we have become elderly. We find it difficult to walk, even more difficult to run and almost impossible to eat anything solid. We wonder if our farts really should have lumps, and we witness others on the course [of life] who have expired or given up. We want to make it back to where we started...to see our family and friends again and to celebrate our journey.
Ironman Louisville 2011 was different than 2010 for several reasons. For starters, it was cooler. This should have made the marathon easier.
It didn't.
I rode the bike on the easiest ride of 2011 which should have made the marathon easier.
It didn't.
The thing which made the marathon a success in 2011 wasn't just the training, or the nutrition, or the support that I received while racing that day. Although all of those things played a part, the thing that made the difference was one thing.
MY one thing.
I remembered how precious life is...how much of a gift good health is. The memories of watching the bodies of people I've loved grow weak with cancer and stop working...the battles they fought to try to live with a disease that was taking their lives.
My Ironman Louisville 2011 swim started 45 minutes later than my 2010 swim. I wanted to let the end of the line come to me and just waited until 2500 athletes walked by me to start their day. After about 10 minutes, the swim line stopped because an athlete had experienced a heart attack and died. They would remove his body from the water and try to revive it to no avail, and this day of celebration would become a day of mourning for one family and remind us of how brief life is.
But the most memorable experience of the day was coming into the finish. Due to the late start, it was dark outside during my finish, and the lights that illuminated the finish chute were blinding. I was startled by the outpouring of love and support that I was receiving from the onlookers - people that I had never met were screaming for me so loudly I couldn't hear the loudspeakers that must have been blaring at 110db. I was quite literally running into a bright white light at the finish!
I couldn't help but think of my loved ones at the end of life's finish line cheering for me and offering encouragement.
Family members and the true friends that made the journey to Ironman with me.
That's my "One Thing".
So to answer the question of "Why do you do it?"
For me, it boils down to that "One Thing".
And to those of you on your journey to Ironman or who have completed it, I'll bet you know exactly what I'm talking about.
While training throughout the year, I remember receiving several pointed questions from people that I've bumped into.
From an older lady at Kershaw: "You cyclists don't look healthy. You're too skinny. Are you sick?"
"Why thank you ma'am! I appreciate your thoughtful insights regarding my physical appearance!" I responded.
From a well-intentioned athlete after a training session: "Why do you ride the bike so hard? You really should throttle back a bit so you can run better". I reminded them that intensity is relative, and my "easy" might be your "hard" (or vice versa). I suggested that offering fitness advice using your own FTP as a reference point is not objective, and that you should always measure improvement against your own performance, not someone else's.
But quite possible the most probing question of 2011 is "Why do you do it?" "Why do you do Ironman?"
Some things are easy to understand internally, but more difficult to convey in a concise response that doesn't cause the listeners eyes to glaze over and their head to bob up and down as they nod off into a deep slumber.
Trying to explain the reason why we swim, bike and run as many as 40 hours per week to a non-athlete is like trying to explain atomic physics to my 8 year old nephew. It just doesn't sink in!
Endurance Nation teaches that part of preparing for long course triathlon is to figure out your "ONE THING". Why are you here pushing your body this way? If you don't have your reason to push through pain and discomfort during your Ironman marathon, you probably won't push yourself very hard and you may actually quit!
To some readers, my explanation of my "one thing" might elicit some glazed eyes, a few head bobs, or a statement like "I just don't get it". However, there are those of you right now that have either completed an Ironman or are training for that one, and this is for you.
I hope you will GET IT.
Ironman mirrors life. I think the journey of completing an Ironman is like a lifetime all crammed into one day. Let's look back on a life well-lived in Louisville Kentucky on August 28th, 2011.
The Early Years - Ironman starts with a clean slate. Two weeks of reduced training stress have left you feeling like a new person and ready to tackle anything! The soreness in the knees and the fatigue of the long training hours are all gone, and you start your journey with a bit of trepidation, excitement and uncertainty. It's like being a kid on your first day of school all over again! However, your childlike enthusiasm starts to feel more like a cramp in the arch of your foot, but you try rub it out while you hold onto each kayak and buoy you pass. Real-life forces you to grow up fast and conclude the swim with a time that is not what you were hoping for, but not enough to make you throw a temper tantrum.
Out of the water and on to the bike, your youth and enthusiasm quickly pass as you reach the mid-point of the bicycle, and you enter your first mid-life crisis.
Middle Age - You've reached a point of stability in your "career" that consists of eating, drinking and pedaling your bike but start to ask the question "Why? Why am I out here doing this? Maybe I should consider another line of work that has less pedaling and more eating. Did anyone just notice that stream of pee running down my leg?"
These are the types of questions that make Ironman so exciting and interesting. For most of us, Ironman will not reward us financially (quite the opposite) or land us a professional racing career. I think the reason that most of us do this distance is to find out what we're truly made of. What will we do when something goes wrong? Will I crack? Will I persist?
It's enjoyable to come face-to-face with these issues and deal with them as they come. Like I said, it's just like life! Our 10:30:00 finish time quickly slips into the eleven and then the twelve hour mark. Do we give up, or make the best of the circumstances with which we're faced?
The Golden Years (Finishing Well) - Twelve hours after we have started, we have become elderly. We find it difficult to walk, even more difficult to run and almost impossible to eat anything solid. We wonder if our farts really should have lumps, and we witness others on the course [of life] who have expired or given up. We want to make it back to where we started...to see our family and friends again and to celebrate our journey.
Ironman Louisville 2011 was different than 2010 for several reasons. For starters, it was cooler. This should have made the marathon easier.
It didn't.
I rode the bike on the easiest ride of 2011 which should have made the marathon easier.
It didn't.
The thing which made the marathon a success in 2011 wasn't just the training, or the nutrition, or the support that I received while racing that day. Although all of those things played a part, the thing that made the difference was one thing.
MY one thing.
I remembered how precious life is...how much of a gift good health is. The memories of watching the bodies of people I've loved grow weak with cancer and stop working...the battles they fought to try to live with a disease that was taking their lives.
My Ironman Louisville 2011 swim started 45 minutes later than my 2010 swim. I wanted to let the end of the line come to me and just waited until 2500 athletes walked by me to start their day. After about 10 minutes, the swim line stopped because an athlete had experienced a heart attack and died. They would remove his body from the water and try to revive it to no avail, and this day of celebration would become a day of mourning for one family and remind us of how brief life is.
But the most memorable experience of the day was coming into the finish. Due to the late start, it was dark outside during my finish, and the lights that illuminated the finish chute were blinding. I was startled by the outpouring of love and support that I was receiving from the onlookers - people that I had never met were screaming for me so loudly I couldn't hear the loudspeakers that must have been blaring at 110db. I was quite literally running into a bright white light at the finish!
I couldn't help but think of my loved ones at the end of life's finish line cheering for me and offering encouragement.
Family members and the true friends that made the journey to Ironman with me.
That's my "One Thing".
So to answer the question of "Why do you do it?"
For me, it boils down to that "One Thing".
And to those of you on your journey to Ironman or who have completed it, I'll bet you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Ironman Louisville Race Report (Short version)
Ironman is not easy. I don't care if you race the "toughest" course or the "easiest" course, 140.6 miles is a long day in the saddle for even the most fit and gifted athletes. A century ride is tough, but there's something about those last 12 miles...
Ironman Louisville 2011 was a great experience both as an athlete and a coach. My client and close friend Alvah Aldrich would make this his first Ironman attempt. Alvah has run several marathons and numerous 70.3 events, but has never swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 and run a marathon all in one day.
If you don't know Alvah, his motto or catch phrase is "Is that all you got?". We could have done 2 hours worth of Bopple hill repeats and no matter how badly Alvah is hurting, he would still utter this phrase at the end of the session. I like that attitude - "Bring it on". "Make it hurt". "I can take anything you throw at me".
That attitude is a great way to approach life and a great way to approach Ironman.
This year the temperatures at Louisville were at least ten degrees cooler throughout the day with a fairly strong wind out of the north. We even had some cloud cover to make the run a bit more bearable.
Our plan for the start of the swim was to hop in the back of the line and start the race dead last. This actually set a great tone for the day and allowed us to just sit back and let the race come to us. Unfortunately, the swim line stopped for about five minutes when one of the athletes dove in the water and experience cardiac arrest and died. Our hearts go out to the family and friends that came to cheer him on today, and really makes us reflect on how fragile and precious life is. Rest in peace, Ironman.
My swim started with leaky goggles, but once I got that fixed we were under way. I settled into a strong pace and was really enjoying myself until about 1 mile into the swim. My left arch started cramping up something fierce, and I had to stop every five minutes or so to try to rub it out. I found that if I stopped kicking I could keep the cramp at bay, so it was good to get out of the water and onto the bike. I occasionally get those cramps in my feet at night too, and will disturb my saintly wife by jumping out of bed and putting weight on the arch (which is the quickest way to cure it).
After a smooth transition, I settled into a Zone 1 ride (Active Recovery Zone) which keeps my heart rate and wattage very low, even on the hills. I found that my calorie and hydration intake were right on the money and felt great the entire ride. The best part of the ride was coming up on Alvah at mile 80 and finishing the ride together. That was AWESOME!
Alvah and I hit T2 together, but took a bit longer than we had hoped after his fuel belt broke as soon as he pulled it out of his bag. Alvah would now be getting his nutrition on the course! We ran the first several miles together, but I lost touch with him after mile 2 since I had trouble getting my heart rate down. We met again at mile 6 after Alvah made a porta-potty stop and ran together again for a bit. We both seemed to hit a bit of a wall at mile 12, but after walking for 1/2 mile we both got our wind back and started chugging away. Alvah looked great as I saw him go by on the out and back, and my mission at that point was to stay running as long as possible.
My goal for this year was to have a better Ironman marathon than 2011 where I walked most of the run. This year was better, but started bloating around mile 12 and had to slow the intensity down to allow my nutrition to get out of my stomach and into my system. I still ran 80% of the run, but found it once again to be extremely difficult and very rewarding at the finish.
Truly the best part of Ironman is the family and friends that support your effort. I have had the pleasure of developing some of the greatest friendships through triathlon, and wouldn't trade it for the world. My business "Nice Tri" has also opened up the doors to meet new people and get to train and race with them and I'm very thankful for what a great year we've had in 2011. I want to thank every friend, family member or curious onlooker that tracked our progress through the day.
Lastly (but most importantly), I wanted to publicly thank my wonderful wife for all she has done. The support and encouragement, the travel to races and providing wisdom and advice are a just a few ways that she truly stands by me and defines the phrase "better half". Training and racing would not be nearly as fun or rewarding without your support.
In conclusion: Ironman Louisville 2011 was a terrific success and a wonderful experience we'll treasure for a lifetime!
Ironman Louisville 2011 was a great experience both as an athlete and a coach. My client and close friend Alvah Aldrich would make this his first Ironman attempt. Alvah has run several marathons and numerous 70.3 events, but has never swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 and run a marathon all in one day.
If you don't know Alvah, his motto or catch phrase is "Is that all you got?". We could have done 2 hours worth of Bopple hill repeats and no matter how badly Alvah is hurting, he would still utter this phrase at the end of the session. I like that attitude - "Bring it on". "Make it hurt". "I can take anything you throw at me".
That attitude is a great way to approach life and a great way to approach Ironman.
This year the temperatures at Louisville were at least ten degrees cooler throughout the day with a fairly strong wind out of the north. We even had some cloud cover to make the run a bit more bearable.
Our plan for the start of the swim was to hop in the back of the line and start the race dead last. This actually set a great tone for the day and allowed us to just sit back and let the race come to us. Unfortunately, the swim line stopped for about five minutes when one of the athletes dove in the water and experience cardiac arrest and died. Our hearts go out to the family and friends that came to cheer him on today, and really makes us reflect on how fragile and precious life is. Rest in peace, Ironman.
My swim started with leaky goggles, but once I got that fixed we were under way. I settled into a strong pace and was really enjoying myself until about 1 mile into the swim. My left arch started cramping up something fierce, and I had to stop every five minutes or so to try to rub it out. I found that if I stopped kicking I could keep the cramp at bay, so it was good to get out of the water and onto the bike. I occasionally get those cramps in my feet at night too, and will disturb my saintly wife by jumping out of bed and putting weight on the arch (which is the quickest way to cure it).
Alvah and I hit T2 together, but took a bit longer than we had hoped after his fuel belt broke as soon as he pulled it out of his bag. Alvah would now be getting his nutrition on the course! We ran the first several miles together, but I lost touch with him after mile 2 since I had trouble getting my heart rate down. We met again at mile 6 after Alvah made a porta-potty stop and ran together again for a bit. We both seemed to hit a bit of a wall at mile 12, but after walking for 1/2 mile we both got our wind back and started chugging away. Alvah looked great as I saw him go by on the out and back, and my mission at that point was to stay running as long as possible.
Truly the best part of Ironman is the family and friends that support your effort. I have had the pleasure of developing some of the greatest friendships through triathlon, and wouldn't trade it for the world. My business "Nice Tri" has also opened up the doors to meet new people and get to train and race with them and I'm very thankful for what a great year we've had in 2011. I want to thank every friend, family member or curious onlooker that tracked our progress through the day.
Lastly (but most importantly), I wanted to publicly thank my wonderful wife for all she has done. The support and encouragement, the travel to races and providing wisdom and advice are a just a few ways that she truly stands by me and defines the phrase "better half". Training and racing would not be nearly as fun or rewarding without your support.
In conclusion: Ironman Louisville 2011 was a terrific success and a wonderful experience we'll treasure for a lifetime!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Team Nice Tri Musselman Race Report
The temperatures for Musselman 2011 were forecast to be rare on Friday, medium rare on Saturday, and well-done on Sunday. If the Musselman Half Iron were a restaurant, I would have sent my steak back to the kitchen because it was burned to a crisp! I was talking to a guy in a red suit with a pitch fork and he said it was 94 degrees out, and suggested I may have taken a wrong turn on the run course.
Suffice to say that the weather for Musselman was epic! It really was a beautiful weekend, and the nice thing about a July race is that it gives most athletes an opportunity to acclimate to the higher temperatures. In the weeks leading up to the race, I had mad a concerted effort to exercise in the hottest part of the day to try to give myself every advantage possible, but if it made the race easier, I'd never know it!
On Sunday, the gang was hydrated, fueled and ready to go when the gun went off at 0700. Actually, Coach Dan was busy talking and enjoying the pre-race bathrooms and had to rush to the swim start. Our wave went off first, but teammate Chris Reel was there doing some filming and would relay how everyone was doing as the day progressed. We had several first-timers at the half, and the heat of the day put everyone's training and resolve to the test.
The swim was very choppy and had several larges patches of weeds to plow through. I didn't get roughed up at all on the swim (other than from the waves), and had a small improvement in my swim time.
My goal on the bike was to throttle back and ride extremely conservatively. We had ridden this course at least 8 times since spring, and knew which parts to push and when to recover. My goal was not to go under 2:30:00 since this seems to be a very hard push, and the plan went off well as I was about 3 minutes over the "red line".
After an easy bike, I was looking forward to pushing it a bit on the run, and my enthusiasm caught up to me around Barrack's hill. The intensity of the run made it difficult to assimilate hydration, and despite taking it in, it wasn't getting absorbed. The only choice was to slow down (actually my body seems to have made that choice FOR me) and recover.
It was great to see several teammates as I was coming in from my run and tried to relay something helpful and motivating as each one passed. I think I recommended that Athena "Grunt, wheeze, and gasp", and I subtly suggested that Lauren should consider "Cough, burp, gurgle". I'm not sure if they took my advice or not, but as I was saying it it seemed eloquent and timely.
I was really amazed at each person's demeanor and their perseverance as they continued on their run. Lauren had been quite sick for several days leading up to the race, and I admire her toughness not only to finish, but to do so with a smile.
Kelly Davis (see picture below) had a GREAT event for her first 70.3 and ran the entire 13.1 miles. She too refused to stop smiling (at least while I was looking). Very impressive, Kelly!
Alvah got a flat tire at mile 50 (after Sampson), and cramped badly when he bent over to change the tire. The cramps plagued him for the run, but he used that opportunity to encourage others while toughing it out.
Eric Malone should receive the award for being the racer with the biggest lungs. I could hear him screaming at me from 300 yards away, and it was awesome!
This was Jesse's first event as well, and he did a remarkable job of pacing and persevering. Jesse had a full contingent of family supporting him, and it was neat to get to see everyone cheering him along.
Danielle had a terrific race on Sunday too, and should really be proud of how well her training is progressing. Danielle can clearly do well at all three sports, and it's fun to see her execute well.
Athena (our Dietician) has certainly gotten the hang of executing a 70.3 well, and despite the brutal temperatures was also smiling every time I saw her. Paul had a HUGE improvement in his cycling at Musselman on his new TT bike. I couldn't resist the picture of Paul with the grimace - hilarious!
It was GREAT to see our family and friends out on the course cheering us on. Bonnie and Watts braved the blast furnace to cheer us on (Watts is STILL sleeping), and our friends Chuck, Ed, Doug, Chris and Dale were there to scream, yell, holler and talk (when they got hoarse) us to the finish. Jim and Sandy were there cheering as Placid is next weekend. Thanks to everyone who gave their time this weekend to hang out, encourage and share a great weekend with us.
I guess the next logical question is: "Who wants to do Syracuse"?
Suffice to say that the weather for Musselman was epic! It really was a beautiful weekend, and the nice thing about a July race is that it gives most athletes an opportunity to acclimate to the higher temperatures. In the weeks leading up to the race, I had mad a concerted effort to exercise in the hottest part of the day to try to give myself every advantage possible, but if it made the race easier, I'd never know it!
We had a great time cheering everyone along on Saturday. Danielle Ohlson did a great job and won the sprint, and Matt "Turbeau" Curbeau was sporting a Nice Tri jersey all the way to the top of the men's podium. Ryan Park did a great job with his race (and set a 5k PR...nice job, Ryan!). Dan Sanford had his fastest performance of the year and ran sub 7's on his 5k. Great job, everyone! I didn't see any grimaces after the event as everyone was all smiles!
 |
| Pre race dinner at Scandling |
On Sunday, the gang was hydrated, fueled and ready to go when the gun went off at 0700. Actually, Coach Dan was busy talking and enjoying the pre-race bathrooms and had to rush to the swim start. Our wave went off first, but teammate Chris Reel was there doing some filming and would relay how everyone was doing as the day progressed. We had several first-timers at the half, and the heat of the day put everyone's training and resolve to the test.
The swim was very choppy and had several larges patches of weeds to plow through. I didn't get roughed up at all on the swim (other than from the waves), and had a small improvement in my swim time.
 |
| T1 "Pit Stop" |
After an easy bike, I was looking forward to pushing it a bit on the run, and my enthusiasm caught up to me around Barrack's hill. The intensity of the run made it difficult to assimilate hydration, and despite taking it in, it wasn't getting absorbed. The only choice was to slow down (actually my body seems to have made that choice FOR me) and recover.
It was great to see several teammates as I was coming in from my run and tried to relay something helpful and motivating as each one passed. I think I recommended that Athena "Grunt, wheeze, and gasp", and I subtly suggested that Lauren should consider "Cough, burp, gurgle". I'm not sure if they took my advice or not, but as I was saying it it seemed eloquent and timely.
 |
| Typical shot of Kelly - ALL GRINS! |
Kelly Davis (see picture below) had a GREAT event for her first 70.3 and ran the entire 13.1 miles. She too refused to stop smiling (at least while I was looking). Very impressive, Kelly!
Alvah got a flat tire at mile 50 (after Sampson), and cramped badly when he bent over to change the tire. The cramps plagued him for the run, but he used that opportunity to encourage others while toughing it out.
Eric Malone should receive the award for being the racer with the biggest lungs. I could hear him screaming at me from 300 yards away, and it was awesome!
This was Jesse's first event as well, and he did a remarkable job of pacing and persevering. Jesse had a full contingent of family supporting him, and it was neat to get to see everyone cheering him along.
Danielle had a terrific race on Sunday too, and should really be proud of how well her training is progressing. Danielle can clearly do well at all three sports, and it's fun to see her execute well.
 |
| Aldrich sprints it out! |
It was GREAT to see our family and friends out on the course cheering us on. Bonnie and Watts braved the blast furnace to cheer us on (Watts is STILL sleeping), and our friends Chuck, Ed, Doug, Chris and Dale were there to scream, yell, holler and talk (when they got hoarse) us to the finish. Jim and Sandy were there cheering as Placid is next weekend. Thanks to everyone who gave their time this weekend to hang out, encourage and share a great weekend with us.
I guess the next logical question is: "Who wants to do Syracuse"?
 |
| Nice wheels, Eric! |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Nice Tri returns from Eagleman!
The air was crisp and cool as I rounded the final turn at the end of my Eagleman 13.1 mile run. I was glad it was nearing its end, because I was starting to catch a bit of a chill as a nice cooling mist fell over the Maryland landscape...
I snapped out of my daydream and back into reality as I plodded along in the 88 degree heat. Maryland actually was experiencing a bit of a cool spell, as the temperatures had been in the upper 90's in the weeks preceding the race.
This was our team's first exposure to Eagleman. Bonnie and I set out with the official Nice Tri mascot "Watts" on Friday, and met the rest of the team in Maryland that evening. The drive really wasn't that bad except for a few delays near Philadelphia. The total drive time from Canandaigua to Salisbury was under eight hours.
I thought it might be fun to go out to an all-you-can-eat crab shack once we arrived, and the air was filled with flying crab shell splinters and kernels of corn-on-the-cob. We settled down that evening in an attempt to get a good night's rest since I tend not to sleep extremely well the night before an event.
The team left on Saturday morning to make the 40 minute drive to Cambridge for bike racking and package pickup. Once we got our packets at the expo, we had a little fun trying on some air bladders on our legs that are meant to aid in recovery. It was also cool to hang around and hear some pre-race smack-talk from the likes of Matty Reed and Mirinda Carfrae. Actually there wasn't any smack talk, just some neat conversation about training and preparation for this event. Athena and Paul picked up some new tri shorts (which Athena RAVED about in her blog) and we were on our way.
We parked about a mile away from the start and had plenty of time to drop off our nutrition, pump up our tires, and greet some up the folks we knew from Upstate NY.
Our swim wave started without too much contact, and my goal was to stay SUPER conservative on the swim and not to let myself get anaerobic. My policy of staying conservative went a little overboard, and I used my technique of wandering back and forth across the swim course to try to get a bit of an extra workout in and to give some of the other athletes a head start on the bike. My plan worked flawlessly and I was out of the water mid-pack. At least I felt remarkably fresh, but the swim time was a bit of a disappointment.
My thoughts on the bike course would be that it would be full of drafting and blocking. I actually saw very little drafting, but there were quite a few riders that stayed in the middle of the road even though they weren't passing anyone. My plan was to stay very conservative on the bike in order to have a good run, and I actually throttled back a bit too much in the second half of the ride. My goal time for the ride was to go under 2:20:00, but I was over 3 minutes over that goal. Regardless, it honestly felt like one of the easiest 56 mile training rides that I'd done to date, and most of the team felt the same way.
Train hard, race easy is our motto for a reason!
The run was tougher than most of us expected. The flat terrain did not make up for the high temperatures, and it was tough to stay on pace after mile 4. Everyone on the team did their best to keep with their pre-race plans, but moving forward in a fashion that looked like a run was our primary priority. We filled shirts, shorts, and sports bras with crushed ice in an effort to keep our cool, and it actually worked very well! EVERYONE did a great job pacing their race well, and I can't tell you how great it was to see other friends and teammates on the course at the same time. Mary Eggers read me like a book and yelled "COKE!!!" at the top of her lungs when she saw me. I started laughing until the next aid station when I enjoyed a tepid flat coke with a fly in it. Mmmmm....protein.
Overall, the team decided that they would definitely do Eagleman again. Not only was the event well-run, but the courses were beautiful, well-marked, and in great shape. It was great to see our friends and teammates there as we cheered each other on, and it was great to see Paul as he crossed the finish line on his first 70.3. Athena had so much fun at Eagleman that she's already booked rooms for next year, and Alvah vowed to work on some more karate stretches to keep us all entertained before the start of the event. It was also great to see our good friend Andy Nazworth as he struggled through a hamstring injury (and still kicked some serious carcass on the bike and run). Andy could be one of the nicest guys to ever don a tri top, so send us a Facebook message so we can introduce you to him. You'll be glad you did!
Eagleman, we didn't necessarily love every minute of it, but we hope to see you again in 2012!
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| Loaded up and ready to go |
This was our team's first exposure to Eagleman. Bonnie and I set out with the official Nice Tri mascot "Watts" on Friday, and met the rest of the team in Maryland that evening. The drive really wasn't that bad except for a few delays near Philadelphia. The total drive time from Canandaigua to Salisbury was under eight hours.
I thought it might be fun to go out to an all-you-can-eat crab shack once we arrived, and the air was filled with flying crab shell splinters and kernels of corn-on-the-cob. We settled down that evening in an attempt to get a good night's rest since I tend not to sleep extremely well the night before an event.
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| These things were AWESOME! |
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| My exceptional photography skills at work |
The team left on Saturday morning to make the 40 minute drive to Cambridge for bike racking and package pickup. Once we got our packets at the expo, we had a little fun trying on some air bladders on our legs that are meant to aid in recovery. It was also cool to hang around and hear some pre-race smack-talk from the likes of Matty Reed and Mirinda Carfrae. Actually there wasn't any smack talk, just some neat conversation about training and preparation for this event. Athena and Paul picked up some new tri shorts (which Athena RAVED about in her blog) and we were on our way.
 |
| Alvah, Athena, Andy, Paul and Coach Dan |
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| Paul heading out for a GREAT bike split! |
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| The gang listens intently to Dan's fierce pre-race instructions |
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| Alvah scaring everyone off with some karate moves |
My thoughts on the bike course would be that it would be full of drafting and blocking. I actually saw very little drafting, but there were quite a few riders that stayed in the middle of the road even though they weren't passing anyone. My plan was to stay very conservative on the bike in order to have a good run, and I actually throttled back a bit too much in the second half of the ride. My goal time for the ride was to go under 2:20:00, but I was over 3 minutes over that goal. Regardless, it honestly felt like one of the easiest 56 mile training rides that I'd done to date, and most of the team felt the same way.
Train hard, race easy is our motto for a reason!
 |
| Athena contemplating the error factor on her GPS... |
Overall, the team decided that they would definitely do Eagleman again. Not only was the event well-run, but the courses were beautiful, well-marked, and in great shape. It was great to see our friends and teammates there as we cheered each other on, and it was great to see Paul as he crossed the finish line on his first 70.3. Athena had so much fun at Eagleman that she's already booked rooms for next year, and Alvah vowed to work on some more karate stretches to keep us all entertained before the start of the event. It was also great to see our good friend Andy Nazworth as he struggled through a hamstring injury (and still kicked some serious carcass on the bike and run). Andy could be one of the nicest guys to ever don a tri top, so send us a Facebook message so we can introduce you to him. You'll be glad you did!
Eagleman, we didn't necessarily love every minute of it, but we hope to see you again in 2012!
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| Andy looking super strong! |
Friday, May 27, 2011
Nice Tri's Swim Coach and the Year in Review
It's nearly June, and it's been a fast-paced and exciting year for Nice Tri. We've had a what seems like a full season already.
Nearly everyone on the team has PR'd something at some point this year - FTP's, Vdot's, 5k's, 10k's, half marathons...it really has been a year of big improvements and newfound fitness.
Nice Tri has been looking for ways to provide more "value added" services for our athletes. We have a Registered Dietician (Athena Visel) who has helped quite a few athletes find balance and moderation in their nutritional pursuits. We've conducted numerous video swim stroke analyses to help our athletes become more efficient and faster in the water.
Our latest development is teaming up with local swim coach and uber-fast triathlete Danielle Ohlson. Danielle is rounding out the coaching compliment at Nice Tri with her 10+ years of swim coaching experience and terrific personality. She will be offering swim stroke analysis and recommending drills that will help you eliminate chronic flaws that are slowing you down in the water. As we know, swimming well is largely related to technique, so it is imperative to have a good grasp on the fundamentals of swimming well and breaking old habits in order to get faster.
Our goal is to provide "hands-on" instruction for our athletes in order to help them meet their goals. It's one thing to provide someone a structured training plan for the year, but it's another story to ride along with them and recommend changes that they could make in their position or race execution to allow them to get faster.
It's been fun to keep track of the improvements we've made. These numbers have come from a combination of tests and actual race results, so they are not "pie in the sky" calculations.
The "average" athlete at Nice Tri:
Nearly everyone on the team has PR'd something at some point this year - FTP's, Vdot's, 5k's, 10k's, half marathons...it really has been a year of big improvements and newfound fitness.
Nice Tri has been looking for ways to provide more "value added" services for our athletes. We have a Registered Dietician (Athena Visel) who has helped quite a few athletes find balance and moderation in their nutritional pursuits. We've conducted numerous video swim stroke analyses to help our athletes become more efficient and faster in the water.
Our latest development is teaming up with local swim coach and uber-fast triathlete Danielle Ohlson. Danielle is rounding out the coaching compliment at Nice Tri with her 10+ years of swim coaching experience and terrific personality. She will be offering swim stroke analysis and recommending drills that will help you eliminate chronic flaws that are slowing you down in the water. As we know, swimming well is largely related to technique, so it is imperative to have a good grasp on the fundamentals of swimming well and breaking old habits in order to get faster.
Our goal is to provide "hands-on" instruction for our athletes in order to help them meet their goals. It's one thing to provide someone a structured training plan for the year, but it's another story to ride along with them and recommend changes that they could make in their position or race execution to allow them to get faster.
It's been fun to keep track of the improvements we've made. These numbers have come from a combination of tests and actual race results, so they are not "pie in the sky" calculations.
The "average" athlete at Nice Tri:
- Will make an 8% improvement in their Vdot score over the course of 8 weeks, and will improve their 5k time by over 2 minutes.
- Will make a 15% improvement in their FTP on the bike. This will translate to over 4 minutes saved on a 40k time trial, and an average of over 17 minutes saved on an Ironman bike split.
- Will have a very good idea how much they can eat and drink on race day without getting bloated or nauseous through race simulations.
Remember, not everyone is average! Some of us are still figuring out our pacing and nutrition, but it has been a great year so far and we're excited to be working with our new swim coach to make things even better!
If you haven't had a chance to meet the gang yet, make sure to say "hi" at our next training event or race. We spend a lot of time getting together, training, and socializing which really has made it a great team to be on.
Next stop: Eagleman 70.3. The word on the street is that it's a little bit toasty there, so let's hope for some warm Upstate weather so we can get some heat acclimation going!
Train Hard. Race Easy.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Coach, I didn't feel well on my workout today because...
1. ...I didn't get much sleep last night.
2. ...my hydration was off.
3. ...I might be coming down with a cold.
4. ...I really didn't feel like pushing hard.
During the course of your training cycle, you will inevitably have good days and bad days. Sometimes, you feel invincible on the bike and run and are shocked when you check your GPS because the pace couldn't possibly be correct. You even consider writing a sternly-worded letter to Garmin when you get back because you are certain that the satellites are playing games with you, and providing you with a false pace that is way too fast for your level of conditioning.
There are other days when you don't feel quite as invincible. You are certain that your Garmin is experiencing trouble calculating an accurate pace and consider another sternly-worded letter to Garmin telling them that once again the satellites may be slightly out of their orbit and that your pace is too low for your level of conditioning.
Whether you think your pace is too hard or too easy, there is a good chance that the Garmin unit is correct, and that your body's physiology might be off a tad. It's more plausible that the satellites are in their correct plane of orbit, and that YOU might be the variable in the equation.
On days like this, it's often interesting to figure out "why" this is happening, and what the causes might be.
I've been fortunate this season to be healthy and not to have had any colds. We started our training on November 1st, and I've only missed several workouts due to a slightly tweaked "this" or "that", and have been quite consistent.
Until this month.
If you've been outside of New York state this spring, it has been quite cool, rainy, and windy. Actually, that's understating things a bit. It has been downright crummy!
However, we (as a team) have gotten fed up with riding indoors and have moved our sessions outdoors on even the coldest and rainiest days. In fact, we did a 60 mile ride in 40 degree temperatures, rain and 40 mph winds (I just got the feeling back in my feet from this ride last week). All was going well, until the Bristol road race several weeks ago.
My CTL (chronic training load) was at a lifetime high just prior to Bristol and I was feeling fatigued but in very good form. The Bristol road race went well, but a freak thunderstorm dropped temperatures into the 40's and drenched us with heavy rain about 10 miles from the finish. The worst part was the 3 mile ride back to the parking area after the finish after cooling down. I actually had trouble riding the bike I was shivering so hard, and haven't felt quite right since that day.
I got to do a spirited ride with Danielle Ohlson (our swim coach at Nice Tri...more on that later!) for 83 miles yesterday. The plan was to ride out at Half Ironman(Zone 3) power and ride back at Ironman power (Zone 2). The truly cool thing was to confirm my suspicion that I really wasn't feeling well. My power ended up being in low Zone 2 and my heart rate was high Zone 3! Without being able to match up my power and heart rate data for this ride, it would have been just another "I didn't really feel that great today" kind of ride and not know WHY. Today I'm dealing with a nice dose of chest congestion, so it's clear that the reason why I was dealing with the decoupled power and heart rate is because I was fighting a chest cold.
Here are some other reasons that you might not feel well and what you can do about it:
1. Lack of sleep - This can really affect your heart rate during exercise and your perceived exertion. Make sure to get 8 hours of sleep each night or be prepared to deal with the consequences. The solution to this issue is never to add more training stress to the schedule, but often the athlete needs to be reminded to rest as hard as they train!
2. Improper hydration - If your hydration has been off, you will notice an ever-increasing heart rate relative to pace and/or power during exercise (or if you are maintaining a steady heart rate, you will notice that pace and power drop). The only way to deal with this is to increase hydration levels pre, during and post-exercise, and try to get your body back into balance. Excess heat and improper acclimation to increased temperatures can also cause your HR to drift upward, so that athlete needs to allow several weeks of working out in high temperatures to get used to its effect on the body. Once your HR starts to creep upward due to heat stress, it is very difficult to stop. Make sure you're well-hydrated, and be conservative with pace and power goals if it's warmer than usual.
4. I might be coming down with a cold - If you are well-rested, well-hydrated, and just don't feel your "usual self" during your workout, it could be that your body is fighting off a cold. Be cautious when returning to exercise after illness. Start out slowly to test the water before returning to your full volume and intensity levels.
5. I just didn't feel like pushing hard today - Sometimes we're just plain tired. Stress levels can alter our body's response to training stress, and sometimes it's nice to put the Garmin and power meter away and just go out and blow off some steam. Every day doesn't have to be a new PR (nor should it be), and a relaxing ride or run can be just the thing to clear our thoughts and make us feel refreshed.
After all, isn't that why we're doing this in the first place?
2. ...my hydration was off.
3. ...I might be coming down with a cold.
4. ...I really didn't feel like pushing hard.
During the course of your training cycle, you will inevitably have good days and bad days. Sometimes, you feel invincible on the bike and run and are shocked when you check your GPS because the pace couldn't possibly be correct. You even consider writing a sternly-worded letter to Garmin when you get back because you are certain that the satellites are playing games with you, and providing you with a false pace that is way too fast for your level of conditioning.
There are other days when you don't feel quite as invincible. You are certain that your Garmin is experiencing trouble calculating an accurate pace and consider another sternly-worded letter to Garmin telling them that once again the satellites may be slightly out of their orbit and that your pace is too low for your level of conditioning.
Whether you think your pace is too hard or too easy, there is a good chance that the Garmin unit is correct, and that your body's physiology might be off a tad. It's more plausible that the satellites are in their correct plane of orbit, and that YOU might be the variable in the equation.
On days like this, it's often interesting to figure out "why" this is happening, and what the causes might be.
I've been fortunate this season to be healthy and not to have had any colds. We started our training on November 1st, and I've only missed several workouts due to a slightly tweaked "this" or "that", and have been quite consistent.
Until this month.
If you've been outside of New York state this spring, it has been quite cool, rainy, and windy. Actually, that's understating things a bit. It has been downright crummy!
However, we (as a team) have gotten fed up with riding indoors and have moved our sessions outdoors on even the coldest and rainiest days. In fact, we did a 60 mile ride in 40 degree temperatures, rain and 40 mph winds (I just got the feeling back in my feet from this ride last week). All was going well, until the Bristol road race several weeks ago.
My CTL (chronic training load) was at a lifetime high just prior to Bristol and I was feeling fatigued but in very good form. The Bristol road race went well, but a freak thunderstorm dropped temperatures into the 40's and drenched us with heavy rain about 10 miles from the finish. The worst part was the 3 mile ride back to the parking area after the finish after cooling down. I actually had trouble riding the bike I was shivering so hard, and haven't felt quite right since that day.
I got to do a spirited ride with Danielle Ohlson (our swim coach at Nice Tri...more on that later!) for 83 miles yesterday. The plan was to ride out at Half Ironman(Zone 3) power and ride back at Ironman power (Zone 2). The truly cool thing was to confirm my suspicion that I really wasn't feeling well. My power ended up being in low Zone 2 and my heart rate was high Zone 3! Without being able to match up my power and heart rate data for this ride, it would have been just another "I didn't really feel that great today" kind of ride and not know WHY. Today I'm dealing with a nice dose of chest congestion, so it's clear that the reason why I was dealing with the decoupled power and heart rate is because I was fighting a chest cold.
 |
| Dan's Decoupled 80 Miler! |
1. Lack of sleep - This can really affect your heart rate during exercise and your perceived exertion. Make sure to get 8 hours of sleep each night or be prepared to deal with the consequences. The solution to this issue is never to add more training stress to the schedule, but often the athlete needs to be reminded to rest as hard as they train!
2. Improper hydration - If your hydration has been off, you will notice an ever-increasing heart rate relative to pace and/or power during exercise (or if you are maintaining a steady heart rate, you will notice that pace and power drop). The only way to deal with this is to increase hydration levels pre, during and post-exercise, and try to get your body back into balance. Excess heat and improper acclimation to increased temperatures can also cause your HR to drift upward, so that athlete needs to allow several weeks of working out in high temperatures to get used to its effect on the body. Once your HR starts to creep upward due to heat stress, it is very difficult to stop. Make sure you're well-hydrated, and be conservative with pace and power goals if it's warmer than usual.
4. I might be coming down with a cold - If you are well-rested, well-hydrated, and just don't feel your "usual self" during your workout, it could be that your body is fighting off a cold. Be cautious when returning to exercise after illness. Start out slowly to test the water before returning to your full volume and intensity levels.
5. I just didn't feel like pushing hard today - Sometimes we're just plain tired. Stress levels can alter our body's response to training stress, and sometimes it's nice to put the Garmin and power meter away and just go out and blow off some steam. Every day doesn't have to be a new PR (nor should it be), and a relaxing ride or run can be just the thing to clear our thoughts and make us feel refreshed.
After all, isn't that why we're doing this in the first place?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Ramble Around Prattsburgh Race Report
This past Sunday Team Nice Tri descended upon the scenic town of Prattsburgh for the annual Ramble Around (appropriately enough) Prattsburgh.
Our Registered Dietician (Athena Visel) had asked us to join her for this race, and after making her promise not to injure herself, we agreed. We had a total of six teammates on the course that day (which is pretty cool considering we're all triathletes and road racers).
I used my years of meteorology study and experience as a professional pilot and boldly made a prediction to the group that most of the rain would push through the area prior to the start of the event. The cool thing about meteorology is it is one profession where it is acceptable to be wrong 70% of the time, and in keeping with those statistics, the rain began coming down in earnest just after the start of the race.
At first it was a light drizzle, but transitioned nicely into rain of Biblical proportions. In fact, I'm fairly certain that I saw one of the locals building a small ark in his back yard.
The event starts out with a parade lap around town before ascending Route 53 out of the village. Once the group hit the base of the hill, the race had clearly begun with the strongest riders flooring it to the top of the hill before turning right into some single track that was both beautiful and technical (at least for me).
I was really looking forward to the offroad portions of the race so that I could draw on my years of racing enduros and hare scrambles. At the height of my career, I had earned the number one placing in the Vet Expert class in enduro racing, so tight and technical single track was like second nature to me.
Perhaps it's more accurate to say that it used to be second nature to me. On our first descent, I used my patented move of gripping the handlebars as tightly as I could, locking my knees and elbows, and staring six inches in front of my front tire. I also tried to gain extra leverage on my bucking and kicking steed by gripping my saddle as tightly as I could with my butt cheeks (which was no doubt made harder through a chamois and tights). I opened my eyes again at the bottom of the hill and was cheered on by Suzanne Hartman of Geneva Bikes, and safely pulled back onto the pavement and headed on to the next section.
As the day wore on, I eventually got used to the traits of the narrow cyclocross tires and rigid frame and fork, and started having an absolute ball! Every rider was soaked from head to toe, but it seemed as though everyone was all smiles as they pulled into the finish line. Uphills, downhills, side hills, hills with rocks...the terrain was challenging and absolutely beautiful. The leaves were out on the trees (not uncommon for May, but quite an achievement considering the weather we've been having) and the single track sections were absolutely gorgeous!
I have to say that of all of the races that I've done, this one ranks right up there as being one of the most scenic, enjoyable, and downright FUN times I've had on a bicycle! Mark, Suzanne, Casey, Swarty and the whole gang did a great job of organizing and marking the event. I'd like to sincerely thank them for their hard work and congratulate everyone that came out and enjoyed the day.
I'd like to say that I'll come back again next year and do a bit better, and hopefully that will indeed be the case. But despite the rain and 50 degree temperatures, it will be very hard to top the amount of fun that was had at the 2011 Ramble Around Prattsburgh!
Our Registered Dietician (Athena Visel) had asked us to join her for this race, and after making her promise not to injure herself, we agreed. We had a total of six teammates on the course that day (which is pretty cool considering we're all triathletes and road racers).
I used my years of meteorology study and experience as a professional pilot and boldly made a prediction to the group that most of the rain would push through the area prior to the start of the event. The cool thing about meteorology is it is one profession where it is acceptable to be wrong 70% of the time, and in keeping with those statistics, the rain began coming down in earnest just after the start of the race.
At first it was a light drizzle, but transitioned nicely into rain of Biblical proportions. In fact, I'm fairly certain that I saw one of the locals building a small ark in his back yard.
The event starts out with a parade lap around town before ascending Route 53 out of the village. Once the group hit the base of the hill, the race had clearly begun with the strongest riders flooring it to the top of the hill before turning right into some single track that was both beautiful and technical (at least for me).
I was really looking forward to the offroad portions of the race so that I could draw on my years of racing enduros and hare scrambles. At the height of my career, I had earned the number one placing in the Vet Expert class in enduro racing, so tight and technical single track was like second nature to me.
Perhaps it's more accurate to say that it used to be second nature to me. On our first descent, I used my patented move of gripping the handlebars as tightly as I could, locking my knees and elbows, and staring six inches in front of my front tire. I also tried to gain extra leverage on my bucking and kicking steed by gripping my saddle as tightly as I could with my butt cheeks (which was no doubt made harder through a chamois and tights). I opened my eyes again at the bottom of the hill and was cheered on by Suzanne Hartman of Geneva Bikes, and safely pulled back onto the pavement and headed on to the next section.
As the day wore on, I eventually got used to the traits of the narrow cyclocross tires and rigid frame and fork, and started having an absolute ball! Every rider was soaked from head to toe, but it seemed as though everyone was all smiles as they pulled into the finish line. Uphills, downhills, side hills, hills with rocks...the terrain was challenging and absolutely beautiful. The leaves were out on the trees (not uncommon for May, but quite an achievement considering the weather we've been having) and the single track sections were absolutely gorgeous!
I have to say that of all of the races that I've done, this one ranks right up there as being one of the most scenic, enjoyable, and downright FUN times I've had on a bicycle! Mark, Suzanne, Casey, Swarty and the whole gang did a great job of organizing and marking the event. I'd like to sincerely thank them for their hard work and congratulate everyone that came out and enjoyed the day.
I'd like to say that I'll come back again next year and do a bit better, and hopefully that will indeed be the case. But despite the rain and 50 degree temperatures, it will be very hard to top the amount of fun that was had at the 2011 Ramble Around Prattsburgh!
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| Dirty girls! |
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| I truly felt human when I saw Chris Reel shivering. That NEVER happens! |
Friday, May 6, 2011
The "Back End" of Fitness
"Front end and back end are generalized terms that refer to the initial and the end stages of a process".
We all want to get faster. More fit. Less prone to injury. Some of us have been blessed with a large aerobic capacity, or the ability to push through discomfort better than our competitors. There has been a large amount of discussion lately about which is better.
Carbon fiber or aluminum.
VO2 Max testing versus Lactate Threshold testing.
Forefoot striking versus mid-foot or heel striking.
This is what Dr. Jack Daniels (legendary running coach and physiologist) has to say about "back end" engineering with respect to performance improvements.
Most athletes are very dedicated to maximizing their training input. They balance family and work obligations, and want to get the most return on their training time investment. Technique is a very important aspect to racing successfully, but it's often very difficult to quantify exactly what comprises good technique.
I often hear of an athlete having changed their running form after reading "Born to Run" which clearly promotes running on the forefoot. For a very high percentage of these new forefoot converts, their next reading assignment is "Bourne to Heal" after tweaking an achilles or calf muscle.
There truly is a secret to running well and doing so at a faster pace than the one at which you're currently running. I'm willing to share that secret today - and share it to athletes that I don't personally coach.
The secret is CONSISTENCY.
Western society longs for that "next product" or revolutionary idea that will propel it into the next millennium, and often forgets that all of the technology in the world won't do you any good if you aren't well enough to utilize it. In order to get faster at running or cycling, there needs to be an increasing stress to the body's muscular system in order for it to adapt and a sufficient amount of rest to allow it to rebuild and recover. To some, this may seem very basic, but to others it's precisely what they need to hear.
In a nutshell, the reason you're not running as fast as you'd like is not because you're a heel striker. It's because you need to raise your effective pace at Lactate Threshold.
The reason your cycling has plateau'd is not because you need to increase your cadence 2 RPM. It's because you need to increase your power output at Lactate Threshold.
Most often, with athletes that are struggling or have plateau'd have several traits in common. They're not challenging themselves in the right manner and they're not doing it consistently enough.
This is when having a good coach surely helps, as he or she can help identify areas that you may have been neglecting. It's also nice to have a plan laid out that has a progression planned that will provide you with the training stress and rest that you need.
When you're looking at how to get faster this year, look at your program first and consider changing your technique second. Otherwise, you may be guilty of engineering the "back end" of fitness before the "front end".
We all want to get faster. More fit. Less prone to injury. Some of us have been blessed with a large aerobic capacity, or the ability to push through discomfort better than our competitors. There has been a large amount of discussion lately about which is better.
Carbon fiber or aluminum.
VO2 Max testing versus Lactate Threshold testing.
Forefoot striking versus mid-foot or heel striking.
This is what Dr. Jack Daniels (legendary running coach and physiologist) has to say about "back end" engineering with respect to performance improvements.
Most athletes are very dedicated to maximizing their training input. They balance family and work obligations, and want to get the most return on their training time investment. Technique is a very important aspect to racing successfully, but it's often very difficult to quantify exactly what comprises good technique.
I often hear of an athlete having changed their running form after reading "Born to Run" which clearly promotes running on the forefoot. For a very high percentage of these new forefoot converts, their next reading assignment is "Bourne to Heal" after tweaking an achilles or calf muscle.
There truly is a secret to running well and doing so at a faster pace than the one at which you're currently running. I'm willing to share that secret today - and share it to athletes that I don't personally coach.
The secret is CONSISTENCY.
Western society longs for that "next product" or revolutionary idea that will propel it into the next millennium, and often forgets that all of the technology in the world won't do you any good if you aren't well enough to utilize it. In order to get faster at running or cycling, there needs to be an increasing stress to the body's muscular system in order for it to adapt and a sufficient amount of rest to allow it to rebuild and recover. To some, this may seem very basic, but to others it's precisely what they need to hear.
In a nutshell, the reason you're not running as fast as you'd like is not because you're a heel striker. It's because you need to raise your effective pace at Lactate Threshold.
The reason your cycling has plateau'd is not because you need to increase your cadence 2 RPM. It's because you need to increase your power output at Lactate Threshold.
Most often, with athletes that are struggling or have plateau'd have several traits in common. They're not challenging themselves in the right manner and they're not doing it consistently enough.
This is when having a good coach surely helps, as he or she can help identify areas that you may have been neglecting. It's also nice to have a plan laid out that has a progression planned that will provide you with the training stress and rest that you need.
When you're looking at how to get faster this year, look at your program first and consider changing your technique second. Otherwise, you may be guilty of engineering the "back end" of fitness before the "front end".
Monday, April 18, 2011
Slightly windy with a chance of rain...
Saturday morning our group had a recon session planned for the Musselman Half Iron bike course. We were to meet at the Geneva Chamber of Commerce and depart at 0930 for a relatively spirited ride.
Friday afternoon, we all had hopes that the forecast would change to show unexpectedly-beautiful conditions on our adventure, but instead the forecast read:
Saturday: 100% chance of rain, heavy at times. Winds gusty from the southeast at 40 mph with occasional gusts to 50 mph. Temperatures in the low 40's.
Oh good heavens. What have we done?
Saturday morning began with the sounds of whistling winds, pelting rains, and something in the air that looked distinctly like snow flakes. Even Watts (our black Lab) was unnerved by the epic conditions as he ventured out for his morning walk. In keeping with our motto to continue the mission (or "Charlie Mike"), we decided to go ahead and ride the course!
Danielle Ohlson also pulled into the Chamber of Commerce and was ready to get the adventure started. We did have several hiccups in the first several miles that included a dropped chain that knocked out a power meter magnet and a wipeout from getting a tire caught in one of the cracks in the shoulder of the road. Thankfully no one was injured and we were on our way.
Here's a summary of my thoughts on what turned out to be a 3.5 hour ride:
Hour 1 - This isn't so bad, but my torso is sweating profusely while my feet are cold. Probably should eat some nutrition, but these gloves are so bulky. Cool road spray that douses me when cars go by! Ha ha! I'm already wet!
Hour 2 - Feet going numb. Really don't want to eat because I might have to take off these gloves. MAN these roads are hammered in places. Time to drink, but continually fighting to stay in control. Wow! Rain stopped and it's actually getting nice out! I think the wind gusts are down to 30 mph!
Hour 3 - This tailwind is AWESOME! Riding through the park is the best part with 30 mph tailwinds! Nutrition going well...feet don't hurt any more, but I think my toe fell off 15 miles back. Might try to drive back later and find it.
All said, this was a character-building exercise and a great example of not giving up! Thanks to Lauren, Chuck, Alvah, Eric and Danielle for showing up and having great attitudes. It sure makes the time go much more quickly when you've got a great group to train and share memories after the event. As they say in the Marine Corps to describe someone who's the hardest of the hard core -
"They're as hard as woodpecker lips"!
Friday afternoon, we all had hopes that the forecast would change to show unexpectedly-beautiful conditions on our adventure, but instead the forecast read:
Saturday: 100% chance of rain, heavy at times. Winds gusty from the southeast at 40 mph with occasional gusts to 50 mph. Temperatures in the low 40's.
Oh good heavens. What have we done?
Saturday morning began with the sounds of whistling winds, pelting rains, and something in the air that looked distinctly like snow flakes. Even Watts (our black Lab) was unnerved by the epic conditions as he ventured out for his morning walk. In keeping with our motto to continue the mission (or "Charlie Mike"), we decided to go ahead and ride the course!
Danielle Ohlson also pulled into the Chamber of Commerce and was ready to get the adventure started. We did have several hiccups in the first several miles that included a dropped chain that knocked out a power meter magnet and a wipeout from getting a tire caught in one of the cracks in the shoulder of the road. Thankfully no one was injured and we were on our way.
Here's a summary of my thoughts on what turned out to be a 3.5 hour ride:
Hour 1 - This isn't so bad, but my torso is sweating profusely while my feet are cold. Probably should eat some nutrition, but these gloves are so bulky. Cool road spray that douses me when cars go by! Ha ha! I'm already wet!
Hour 2 - Feet going numb. Really don't want to eat because I might have to take off these gloves. MAN these roads are hammered in places. Time to drink, but continually fighting to stay in control. Wow! Rain stopped and it's actually getting nice out! I think the wind gusts are down to 30 mph!
Hour 3 - This tailwind is AWESOME! Riding through the park is the best part with 30 mph tailwinds! Nutrition going well...feet don't hurt any more, but I think my toe fell off 15 miles back. Might try to drive back later and find it.
All said, this was a character-building exercise and a great example of not giving up! Thanks to Lauren, Chuck, Alvah, Eric and Danielle for showing up and having great attitudes. It sure makes the time go much more quickly when you've got a great group to train and share memories after the event. As they say in the Marine Corps to describe someone who's the hardest of the hard core -
"They're as hard as woodpecker lips"!
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| The flag wasn't broken when we showed up... |
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