It was a weird weekend all together starting with Friday night. Maybe with the end of the world coming on Saturday, I should have known better than to race Sunday??? Well, here's the weekend recap...
Friday night was the "Stay Out of the Sun Run" in NW Rochester. The weather was reminiscent of the whole weekend - WEIRD. The forecast threatened rain and by the time Kathy and I got ready to drive in a little after 5 PM, it was getting dark and pouring. To be clear, I was only a spectator at this race, saving my legs for today's event in Orono (not to be confused with Oronoco). We pulled into Holy Spirit and boy did it look like a crappy night. I'd planned to do a couple of short runs before and during the race to keep fresh for the weekend, but just wasn't in the mood to gut out another wet run. Of course, 15 minutes before the race started, the rain stopped. I enjoyed seeing good friends at the race and while it was difficult not to compete, I was feeling some things going on with my stomach that would have made racing miserable that evening....so it worked out.
Saturday morning I got up and knew I needed to do something to wake my legs up a little, since I'd done nothing of value since about Tuesday night. I decided I'd do an easy run/bike combo outside. I pulled up the radar quick - nope, not going outside. It was just about to start raining again. I went into the DAHLC to do an easy 30 minute run/30 minute bike combo. Man, was the run tough! I wasn't doing anything that hard but my legs were sound asleep. By the time I got off the bike, I felt a little better about it. I got changed and looked outside - absolutely pouring. Wow, go figure.
I hadn't taken close notice of the race start time for today's race until yesterday - realizing about 2 PM that the race started at 8. The transition therefore opened at 6:30 - yeesh! I mentioned the situation to Kathy and she promptly started looking for hotel rooms in the area. We were able to find a very nice Sheraton that allowed dogs in Minnetonka. Perfect!
On our drive up, we again dodged major storms. MPR was breaking in with tornado warnings for the exact area we were heading to. It was odd as there were no storm clouds in our area. As we got closer to Minnetonka, it started to get scary dark. We arrived at the hotel at the perfect time though - right after the storms came through. But it was still weird looking out there (notice how much I'm saying weird?).
During the remainder of our evening, Kathy and I worked on plans for what we'd do in the morning for breakfast and getting to the transition area at a decent time. We didn't seem to have a ton of options and I was a little concerned with getting something in my stomach early enough to digest and be ready at 8. We had a plan in mind but it wasn't ideal...perhaps that was one of the reasons I had trouble settling down for the night.
I had an awful time falling asleep. I don't know what it was - perhaps some nerves, maybe the room was unfamiliar, I can't put my finger on it. I didn't finally drop off to sleep until past midnight and knew I only had 5 hours before I was up and getting ready. I had an uneasy feeling the whole evening - the rain perhaps, knowing the course was tough, understanding how the rain was going to make this a tough race? I don't think I have psychic powers, but something just felt off.
At 2 AM, I received a wet wake up. It was Riley - he was freaking out because there were more thunderstorms in the area. Our golden commonly goes crazy when it storms - we think the thunder hurts his ears. Anyway, he wanted me to know it was time to get up and address his fears - he was panting loudly and circling the room. Kathy immediately flew out of bed to take care of him and let me go back to sleep. I could hear them in the bathroom - Riley panting and crying and Kathy trying to shut him up. Fortunately, I'd brought ear plugs, so I popped them in and was able to get back to sleep. At 5 AM, the alarm went off.
Where is Kathy? I thought perhaps she had taken Riley outside when the alarm went off. I got up and went in the bathroom and there she was - asleep in the bathtub! She had taken the comforter off the bed, rolled it into a makeshift cushion and crawled in the bathtub with Riley. I walked in and she laid there asleep with a smile on her face - funniest thing I've ever seen!
We got ourselves ready to go and made it to the transition area right at 6:30. I got my things all set up and ready to go -- then the mental game began. I had known going in that this was going to be a tough and competitive race. I looked around at all the aero bikes - rows and rows of them. One solid athlete after another. I couldn't believe how many strong guys I saw. I tried shaking it off but it was tough to do. I'm sure time and experience will help with this block. I got warmed up and we were ready to start.....
I didn't really have a stategy for this particular race. I have zero experience running on trails or grass and had no idea what to expect. I figured I'd just wing it and see what happened. The competitive wave started, followed by the relays....then it was my turn. The first mile was pretty well all paved for the most part. I started out fast and had a 5:51 first mile. That's when the course got much tougher. We started doing short, very steep (and slippery) up hills on grass/mud surfaces. Eventually, we wound back into the woods on what appeared to be on some sort of man made trail. As you can imagine with all the rain, it wasn't just wet, it was pure mud. I've never run in mud before - but it's hard. You can't gain any traction and you just go all over, not to mention it's nearly impossible to pass. There were 10-15' patches that weren't even grass - you were running in ankle deep water and mud. It was a mess - it was extremely difficult. My second mile was a 6:40 - understandably. I was also tanked. By the time I finally wound out of the woods, I wondered if I'd ever make it past the first run. I had moved to about 4th in my wave right behind this guy that didn't look like a runner at all. As I followed him around a bend, I heard some guys yelling, "You have to run up the hill." Shit. I looked back and saw what they were saying - we'd missed a turn. So much for my strategy of following the guy in front of me!
It was a small detour but probably cost me 15-20 seconds. By the time I wound back, I think I'd dropped to 6th or 7th in my wave but very close to the others. I hoped my bike would make up for the small blunder. As it turned out, it wouldn't matter that much.
I came in R1 very winded and just shy of 19 minutes. I felt good about my time, but looking at my Garmin data, it appears R1 was only about 2.9 miles....so not that impressive. I located my bike, got ready and got on the road.
As has been true in past races, I was immediately moving past people. I shot past 3 of the guys in my wave right away and every other one but the lead guy by mile 3 or 4. I was feeling descent about possibly catching the little speedster from our wave who'd run SO fast and was probably 3-4 minutes ahead of me off the run. Just as I was getting into a good rhythm and comfortable, it started to rain. Shoot, here we go again.
The roads were getting slippery now and the corners more treacherous. That said, it wouldn't be the roads leading to my demise today...it was purely getting careless. Somewhere between mile 6 and 7, after passing a couple relay cyclists, I drifted a little too close to the gravel shoulder. I was at a point in the race where I could feel a moderate cross-wind but had ducked into a wooded area for a moment. Without realizing it, I came out of the woods and caught a little puff of cross wind. It was enough to push me off the road onto the gravel shoulder. This has happened to me before and in hindsight, I probably got lucky in not crashing before now. I'd been able to slowly and confidently bring myself back onto the pavement and keep going. Today wasn't that day. I might have panicked a little - I don't know - it happened very quick. As I hit the gravel, I tried to guide my tires back onto the pavement. There was a small lip in the pavement and the tires couldn't overcome it. My tires stuck and down I went. It wasn't the worst fall in history but it was the worst fall (the only fall) in my history. I knew immediately I'd hit pretty hard and had been moving 20+ MPH.
I popped right up and looked down at my left hip. I knew that's where the greatest impact was and was shocked that my shorts hadn't shredded. I suspected I had scraped the heck out of my hip too but couldn't tell. I looked up and down my arm down to my ankle - I was starting to bleed pretty good already. Without thinking, I threw my leg over and tried to clip back in. My pedals spun....I'd dropped my chain. I flipped my bike over worked to reset the chain. It never even dawned on me that my bike could be unrideable. It seemed like I was only there about a minute but my Garmin data says it was almost 3. About 10, maybe 12 people rode by, most asking if I was okay. I was bleeding pretty good at this point.
When I got my chain put back on, I hopped back on the bike. Now reality was starting to set in. "Should I even try to get back to the transition area? I've got 10-11 miles yet. Can I ride? Is it safe?" I decided at very least I needed to ride to the next corner where there'd be a volunteer. My arm, shoulder and pinky finger really stung, especially those portions of my arm that were to sit down on the arm rests. For the first half mile, I did this interesting little half aero stance....right arm in aero, left arm sort of hanging out like I'd broken my arm.
I finally decided I'd be okay to bike in. Other than it hurting to put my left arm down in the arm rests, everything else felt as good as it could. I quickly picked up my speed, though a little gun shy, and started to pass the people who had gone by me. By about 3 miles in (10 or so of the 17), I started to think about finishing the race. Yes, my time wouldn't be reflective of my ability and my 'real' time, but at least I wouldn't have to DNF again. Other than the fact I was bleeding a fair amount, I felt okay. The only thing that concerned me was the impact of my hip on the pavement. I knew, before I slid to a stop on the cement, that my hip had hit the ground very hard. Certainly I knew it wasn't broken, but I wasn't sure the extent of the damage. I literally debated myself the entire rest of the bike course. Finally, cresting the final hill into T2, I decided I'd just make a game time decision once I got into the transition.
As I rounded the corner into T2, I could see Kathy's excited face. She started cheering. Unfortunately, she chose to stand on my left side and in less than 5 seconds, her face turned to complete horror. I started hearing words come from her mouth that are very rare. I knew right then that I couldn't finish - she wouldn't allow it even if I'd wanted. I dismounted and walked my bike across the line. I met her at the side of the transition - I thought she was going to break down right there. All she kept saying is, "Oh my God, Erich." I didn't have to tell her what had happened. She asked me, "Are you going to run?" I knew it wasn't really a question, though for just a second before I answered, I thought seriously about it. I'd had plenty of time to ponder the question the past 30 minutes.
About all I could do was look at the ground, very disappointed and agitated with myself and say, "I don't think I'd better." "Yeah, I don't think so either. I can see how swollen your hip is." I hadn't realized that yet, but did notice once my feet hit the ground off the bike that it was in rough shape. There wasn't much more to say at that point - I carefully navigated those still racing as I racked my bike. People kept looking at me, then got wide-eyed when they saw all the blood, as if they thought I might pass out right in front of them. Many of them asked if I was okay - I guess the answer was dependent on how they meant it.
I was so disgusted with my lack of focus that the scrapes didn't hurt that bad initially. Kathy ushered me over to the medical tent and the two girls working went from smiling to not smiling when they saw me. I spent the next 20-30 minutes with them getting cleaned up and bandaged. It wasn't the worst pain I've ever felt physically...but it gave me more time to reflect on my own carelessness. That's probably what hurt the most.
We didn't spend much time at the race afterwards - I wasn't really in any mood to stay. I packed up my stuff and we headed home. I took a bath/showered (that was enjoyable) and got a second application of Neosporin/bandages.
So I've had about 12 hours to think about the situation. I've replayed the crash over and over in my head, thinking about what I could have done differently (other than not fall asleep at the wheel) and trying not to think "what if" in my head. I also think about if I could have finished and if that would have been wise. Seeing how swollen my hip is right now suggests I could have caused some major damage or at least lengthened my time of healing greatly had I run the final 4k. Just the same, I hate not completing a race. I know in my head it was probably best I called it a day, however.
Now the healing begins. I'm not scheduled to race now until late June, so I have plenty of time to mend and get back into training. I'm going to guess I'll wake up tomorrow morning recognizing fully the impact of my crash that I may not be feeling right now. As Kathy said, it's kind of like a car crash. Hopefully I can be doing some running by mid-week and who knows - maybe time trial on Thursday night? We'll have to see how my body responds and if my hip is as bruised as I think it might be.
I'm thankful in many ways - it could have been way worse. I've seen guys break their clavicle, arm, shoulder, just about anything in a major crash. I've witnessed some miserable crashes out there - some where guys do this kind of wild dance and lurch before they finally meet their fate. In that respect, my wreck was rather graceful. Overall, I wouldn't consider this to be a major crash and I was still able to get up, pull myself together and ride in (at a pretty dang good clip too). My only regret is that I chose this race to do it in. Gear West is one of the most competitive races of the year - a chance for me to really compare myself to some of the amazing athletes in the area. On the flip side, I know that I'll have other opportunities and God willing, will be racing this event for many more years. As I told Kathy on the way home, every race I learn a little more. This was a (painful) learning experience but one that I'll carry with me as I go out the next time. Hopefully the next time around, I'll stay a little further off the shoulder.....you know, closer to all the cars whizzing by. J
Race on!
I've always wanted to have my own blog - now I do! My blog will contain things about me and what's going on in my life, including: races & training, family, business news and other interests!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Orlando and Lake Elmo - the Tale of Two Cities
This was a pretty good week for me! Lots of business and personal successes during the past few days....
Orlando Trip Successful
I attended the Fusion 2011 conference in Orlando this past week. I originally found out about the event by submitting a request to speak about one of the tools my team developed at work. After being accepted to speak, I looked at the venue and elected to attend the entire week.
I flew out on Sunday with no issues. The conference started on Monday morning. During the week, we saw some really excellent speakers on a variety of topics. One of the most exciting parts of the event was on Monday when I accepted the Huntington Innovation Award for AP, an award my team received in recognition of a creative product we developed in house. I received the award on stage in front of about 2200 people. Right before I went up, they asked if I'd speak 2-3 mintues on the product - on the fly. Sure! I got through it and shamelessly plugged my session for the next day.
My session on Tuesday was packed with standing room only. The presentation went really well with lots of interest. I felt great about it!
On Wednesday night, myself and a colleague were invited to a backstage meet and greet with the entertainer for the evening, Kevin Nealon. He was a nice guy and super funny. I made it home Thursday night with no issues, bumping into a couple of people I knew on my MPS to RST flight.
The weather in Orlando was super hot - mid to upper 90's every day. Needless to say, I didn't have much time nor a strong desire to do much outside. I did one run after dark but being no trails, settled for the traditional Orlando run around the hotel parking lot (a 1.33 mile loop no less - it was a huge hotel). Otherwise, I spent the limited time I had in the gym. I met some great people at this event and it was one of the best conferences I've attended.
Oakdale Duathlon Today!
This morning, Kathy and I traveled to Lake Elmo, MN to compete in the Oakdale Duathlon. This is the first and likely only race Kathy and I will do together this year, given she does more tri's and I'm not yet swimming...
We woke up this morning to rain - when the dogs went out, they didn't roam around long before wanting back in. I was hoping/praying for it to rain itself out before the race started. On the way up, Kathy was reviewing the radar and it looked promising. She showed me the largest portion of the rain was upon us and it looked descent west.
We arrived at the race site early as is our standard. It was just misting and sprinkling a little so no major issues. Everything was set up and I was debating tri shorts versus running pants. I went out on a brief warm up run, trying to figure out where in the world the run course was. After Falls two weekends ago, I wasn't willing to take any chances. :)
After putting in a few miles on the bike, I decided I would switch to shorts, though I was concerned about how cool it was. Still no major rain. It was looking good.
This is the first week I've felt any real nervousness pre-race. My stomach was doing funny things and I began to worry more and more about how my body would respond to the past week of eating poorly, drinking more than usual and not being on any kind of consistent training schedule.
By the time we lined up to start, it was starting to rain again. Nothing too heavy or anything, but a bit more constant. The elite group started in wave 1 and I was up next. The run started in a weird loop around the parking lot and right back to the start line, causing everyone to dart off on the right to let the waves past. Strange. I took off in my wave and the rain was picking up...and I was getting cold.
R1 went pretty well. I did my first mile in 5:51....usual for me with the adreneline. However, this time I felt as if I could sustain that pace for all 3 miles. I was much more confident about this course than Cinco - I knew it was generally flatter and kinder. My mind and legs didn't seem to be synced though and my second mile was a 6:20 - I was a little surprised. At T1, I'd come in at a 6:09 pace in about 7th in my individual wave. It was now raining pretty good.
The transition out was a little rough. It was getting colder and wetter now, though I'd wisely worn my gloves on the first run. At least my fingers weren't freezing. My biggest issue was getting clipped in - still something I continue to struggle with, especially when it's so wet. I eventually got in and going...I was off. I remember seeing a couple of the guys in my wave out ahead of me and said to myself, "time to put the hammer down."
It wasn't long before I was passing people on relay teams and those in my wave. I don't really remember how many I passed - in hindsight, it must have been more than I realized. I was cooking along pretty well, though I didn't feel as if I was killing myself or going extra hard. The first part of the bike features the toughest hill of the day - a steep up hill followed by a deceptive second hill. I wasn't exactly cruising yet passed a handful more people. However, as the ride continued, the rain got heavier. I don't yet have unshaded sunglasses, so the rain was hitting me directly in the eyes (ouch!). It wasn't all out pouring, but I was drenched and cold. The wind just added another slap in the face. By the end of the bike, it was raining steadily.
I came in off the bike feeling pretty good - no calf cramps this time - a first. My feet were predictably VERY cold but everything else was fine. When dismounting the bike, I forgot what cold feet can do and nearly fell right over. I finally got my leg swung over and hobbled like a handicapped guy into the transition. My only saving grace was that I'd experienced this feeling before and knew my feet would thaw out in about a mile. I got through T2 in what seemed like a longer time than normal and got out on the run.
R2 started out okay. The first quarter mile is always just getting your legs back used to running again and I felt pretty good. I got passed by a guy right away, but concluded he was likely part of a relay, so I didn't worry much. I rounded a corner on a hairpin turn and looked back, seeing a couple of guys I thought were in my age group/wave. Here we go!
I felt exceptionally strong on R2 today - better than the first two weeks by far. Once my feet thawed, I was moving pretty well, running a 6:30 first mile. I felt as if that was sustainable and kept my foot on the gas, constantly glancing over my shoulder for anyone sneaking up. My watch beeped the second mile: another 6:30. I knew I had a half mile remaining and felt as if I could push the tempo a little. I realized soon thereafter that the final .5 featured some quick up and down hills, with arguably the hardest one right at the end. I kept looking back and saw no one - I was pretty comfortable coasting in where I was.
As I rounded the final corner with about 100 yards to go, there was a guy in the first wave standing there cheering. As I ran past, he said, "Finish strong. There is someone closing on you!" I turned the corner and looked back - crap, where had that guy come from?! I knew by his jersey he was in my wave because he'd shot off the first run and was a little ways ahead of me - I'd subsequently passed him about half way through the bike. I saw the finish and turned it on - full out sprint to the end. I looked back again at about 20 meters and knew he wasn't closing anymore. If he'd had another half mile, he might have caught me. My final .5 miles was at a 6:18 and I hadn't been passed on R2 by anyone other than the relay guy at the beginning.
As is usual, I was spent at the end. I also had no real idea where I'd placed for a couple reasons. First, when you're in waves, you never know where people are and if people in later waves will beat your time. Second, I had no idea how many I'd passed on the bike who were in my wave. As it turns out, I must have passed all of them.
I took 9th in this race, 18 seconds behind my new arch nemesis, Charlie Roach. Charlie beat me by about a minute last week - he's the 53 year old guy who is a crazy fast runner. Both of his run splits today were sub-6. Amazing. The first 7 in today were all elite guys - 2 of which I wasn't that far behind (I came in faster than 4 elites). I also won my age group. The guy I held off at the end - by 10 seconds - took second. Whew! (Incidentally, I beat him last week by about 50 seconds. Our times - mine, Charlie's and this guy behind me - were a lot closer this week!) Here are this week's splits. I'm also posting links to Cinco du Mayo from last week.
Next week: Gear West Duathlon! A very competitive and large event. After Gear West, I get to take a month off!
Oakdale results: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/oakdaleduathlonresults2011.txt
Cinco 'du' Mayo results: http://www.andersonraces.com/_uls/resources/TRI_FIT_CINCO_DU_LONG_INDIV_RES_2011.pdf
Orlando Trip Successful
I attended the Fusion 2011 conference in Orlando this past week. I originally found out about the event by submitting a request to speak about one of the tools my team developed at work. After being accepted to speak, I looked at the venue and elected to attend the entire week.
I flew out on Sunday with no issues. The conference started on Monday morning. During the week, we saw some really excellent speakers on a variety of topics. One of the most exciting parts of the event was on Monday when I accepted the Huntington Innovation Award for AP, an award my team received in recognition of a creative product we developed in house. I received the award on stage in front of about 2200 people. Right before I went up, they asked if I'd speak 2-3 mintues on the product - on the fly. Sure! I got through it and shamelessly plugged my session for the next day.
My session on Tuesday was packed with standing room only. The presentation went really well with lots of interest. I felt great about it!
On Wednesday night, myself and a colleague were invited to a backstage meet and greet with the entertainer for the evening, Kevin Nealon. He was a nice guy and super funny. I made it home Thursday night with no issues, bumping into a couple of people I knew on my MPS to RST flight.
The weather in Orlando was super hot - mid to upper 90's every day. Needless to say, I didn't have much time nor a strong desire to do much outside. I did one run after dark but being no trails, settled for the traditional Orlando run around the hotel parking lot (a 1.33 mile loop no less - it was a huge hotel). Otherwise, I spent the limited time I had in the gym. I met some great people at this event and it was one of the best conferences I've attended.
Oakdale Duathlon Today!
This morning, Kathy and I traveled to Lake Elmo, MN to compete in the Oakdale Duathlon. This is the first and likely only race Kathy and I will do together this year, given she does more tri's and I'm not yet swimming...
We woke up this morning to rain - when the dogs went out, they didn't roam around long before wanting back in. I was hoping/praying for it to rain itself out before the race started. On the way up, Kathy was reviewing the radar and it looked promising. She showed me the largest portion of the rain was upon us and it looked descent west.
We arrived at the race site early as is our standard. It was just misting and sprinkling a little so no major issues. Everything was set up and I was debating tri shorts versus running pants. I went out on a brief warm up run, trying to figure out where in the world the run course was. After Falls two weekends ago, I wasn't willing to take any chances. :)
After putting in a few miles on the bike, I decided I would switch to shorts, though I was concerned about how cool it was. Still no major rain. It was looking good.
This is the first week I've felt any real nervousness pre-race. My stomach was doing funny things and I began to worry more and more about how my body would respond to the past week of eating poorly, drinking more than usual and not being on any kind of consistent training schedule.
By the time we lined up to start, it was starting to rain again. Nothing too heavy or anything, but a bit more constant. The elite group started in wave 1 and I was up next. The run started in a weird loop around the parking lot and right back to the start line, causing everyone to dart off on the right to let the waves past. Strange. I took off in my wave and the rain was picking up...and I was getting cold.
R1 went pretty well. I did my first mile in 5:51....usual for me with the adreneline. However, this time I felt as if I could sustain that pace for all 3 miles. I was much more confident about this course than Cinco - I knew it was generally flatter and kinder. My mind and legs didn't seem to be synced though and my second mile was a 6:20 - I was a little surprised. At T1, I'd come in at a 6:09 pace in about 7th in my individual wave. It was now raining pretty good.
The transition out was a little rough. It was getting colder and wetter now, though I'd wisely worn my gloves on the first run. At least my fingers weren't freezing. My biggest issue was getting clipped in - still something I continue to struggle with, especially when it's so wet. I eventually got in and going...I was off. I remember seeing a couple of the guys in my wave out ahead of me and said to myself, "time to put the hammer down."
It wasn't long before I was passing people on relay teams and those in my wave. I don't really remember how many I passed - in hindsight, it must have been more than I realized. I was cooking along pretty well, though I didn't feel as if I was killing myself or going extra hard. The first part of the bike features the toughest hill of the day - a steep up hill followed by a deceptive second hill. I wasn't exactly cruising yet passed a handful more people. However, as the ride continued, the rain got heavier. I don't yet have unshaded sunglasses, so the rain was hitting me directly in the eyes (ouch!). It wasn't all out pouring, but I was drenched and cold. The wind just added another slap in the face. By the end of the bike, it was raining steadily.
I came in off the bike feeling pretty good - no calf cramps this time - a first. My feet were predictably VERY cold but everything else was fine. When dismounting the bike, I forgot what cold feet can do and nearly fell right over. I finally got my leg swung over and hobbled like a handicapped guy into the transition. My only saving grace was that I'd experienced this feeling before and knew my feet would thaw out in about a mile. I got through T2 in what seemed like a longer time than normal and got out on the run.
R2 started out okay. The first quarter mile is always just getting your legs back used to running again and I felt pretty good. I got passed by a guy right away, but concluded he was likely part of a relay, so I didn't worry much. I rounded a corner on a hairpin turn and looked back, seeing a couple of guys I thought were in my age group/wave. Here we go!
I felt exceptionally strong on R2 today - better than the first two weeks by far. Once my feet thawed, I was moving pretty well, running a 6:30 first mile. I felt as if that was sustainable and kept my foot on the gas, constantly glancing over my shoulder for anyone sneaking up. My watch beeped the second mile: another 6:30. I knew I had a half mile remaining and felt as if I could push the tempo a little. I realized soon thereafter that the final .5 featured some quick up and down hills, with arguably the hardest one right at the end. I kept looking back and saw no one - I was pretty comfortable coasting in where I was.
As I rounded the final corner with about 100 yards to go, there was a guy in the first wave standing there cheering. As I ran past, he said, "Finish strong. There is someone closing on you!" I turned the corner and looked back - crap, where had that guy come from?! I knew by his jersey he was in my wave because he'd shot off the first run and was a little ways ahead of me - I'd subsequently passed him about half way through the bike. I saw the finish and turned it on - full out sprint to the end. I looked back again at about 20 meters and knew he wasn't closing anymore. If he'd had another half mile, he might have caught me. My final .5 miles was at a 6:18 and I hadn't been passed on R2 by anyone other than the relay guy at the beginning.
As is usual, I was spent at the end. I also had no real idea where I'd placed for a couple reasons. First, when you're in waves, you never know where people are and if people in later waves will beat your time. Second, I had no idea how many I'd passed on the bike who were in my wave. As it turns out, I must have passed all of them.
I took 9th in this race, 18 seconds behind my new arch nemesis, Charlie Roach. Charlie beat me by about a minute last week - he's the 53 year old guy who is a crazy fast runner. Both of his run splits today were sub-6. Amazing. The first 7 in today were all elite guys - 2 of which I wasn't that far behind (I came in faster than 4 elites). I also won my age group. The guy I held off at the end - by 10 seconds - took second. Whew! (Incidentally, I beat him last week by about 50 seconds. Our times - mine, Charlie's and this guy behind me - were a lot closer this week!) Here are this week's splits. I'm also posting links to Cinco du Mayo from last week.
Next week: Gear West Duathlon! A very competitive and large event. After Gear West, I get to take a month off!
Oakdale results: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/oakdaleduathlonresults2011.txt
Cinco 'du' Mayo results: http://www.andersonraces.com/_uls/resources/TRI_FIT_CINCO_DU_LONG_INDIV_RES_2011.pdf
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Update!
Dear readers:
I have been horribly abusive to my blog the past several weeks. It seems like life just sweeps you up sometimes and at those times where it’s actually less busy, a guy just feels like resting a little bit. I’m starting to think it’s probably better to do short, quick updates on this blog rather than waiting months and then trying to recap in one larger one. If only I were as good as Mario Minelli in keeping my blog updated. I shall try to be better. J
Racing season has begun
After a longer than normal winter (with no guarantees it’s over yet), racing season has officially begun. I’ve now raced the past two weekends, with varying degrees of success. Both races, in their own respect, were difficult.
Falls Duathlon – Cannon Falls
I was optimistic about my ability to flirt with a top 10 finish this year, given the level and intensity of my off-season training. I also acquired a ‘big boy’ bike in the offseason, so even if I couldn’t really keep up, I could at least look like the elite guys.
The day started off rough weather wise. The forecast had called for rain the whole week. Fortunately, I woke up to dry pavement. I began to feel a little more optimistic about the probability it might not rain. After review of the radar, my hopes were dashed. I could see lots of green on the radar north of Rochester
Pre-race was very wet and miserable. I got set up, trying to put things in bags or under towels as much as I could. It seemed like a losing cause – it was more to humor myself at that point. It continued to rain through warm-ups. Gosh, this was going to be really awful.
Ten minutes before the start, it stopped. Now, let’s not get too crazy here – it didn’t get sunny and warm, but it did stop raining. Ironically, it wouldn’t rain again until after race completion. Of course, it’s important to note that once your bike, shoes, socks, clothes, etc are wet, they are probably going to stay that way. But at least a guy wouldn’t get an eye full of rain during competition.
The race began pretty well. As is usual with the adrenaline rush at the gun, my first mile was fast and a little faster than was sustainable or at least desired as I ran a sub-six. I came into T1 at a 6:08 and in around 15th or so place. The bike out was wet but doable. Cross winds hit followed by a little tail wind. I was blowing past guys on the course and making up for my slower run. The most difficult/scary part of the bike course was the semis. They would fly past, spraying us with rain and blasts of wind. This is one of the few times in multi-sport events where being bigger is an advantage – I was less prone to be blown square off my bike by the sudden, strong gusts of wind. All in all though, I felt good off the bike. I’d moved past several and was somewhere 7th to 8th.
I came out of T2 a little concerned. Both of my calves were cramping fiercely and my feet had gotten wet and were now frozen blocks. I came up over the first hill in R2 unsure if I could keep going. Cramped badly, I stopped for about 5 seconds to try and rub out the cramps. No dice. I wasn’t going to quit so I kept going. Fortunately, but about the half mile mark, I’d run through the cramps and my feet had warmed. I was on my way.
I could see what I believe were the 5th and 6th place guys out ahead of me. They were 50 yards or so ahead and I’d stayed even with them since the bike. Having re-established my running legs, I felt as if I might be able to make a run at them. I crossed up a short hill and over a bridge. In hindsight, I should have known right away when I didn’t see them out ahead of me there was something wrong, but I didn’t…..
I ran about 2-3 blocks straight ahead and suddenly got that sinking feeling. You begin to realize that you’re all alone and wonder if there’s a chance you’ve run off the race route. Yes, indeed. I came to a T-intersection and hung a left, no clue of where I was. Oh crap. As I took a left, I saw the bike course and a volunteer. Maybe I could get back on course and pull out a top ten yet.
He directed me back to the path and said I could get back on there. He was absolutely correct – unfortunately – he didn’t tell me how to complete the mile loop I’d end up short. As I got on the path, I saw cones and felt good I was going the right way. However, about a half mile up, I rounded a corner and saw the finish. I looked at my watch – one mile short. I looked again – 1:01:30. The course record was 1:03. I was out ahead of the leader. *#*)!^)*!
It was here I had a decision – get back on the course and run the 3 miles again or call it a day. I felt absolutely horrible about making the decision to DNF – I’ve never had to do that before in any race. Even if I’m way behind I always finish. The only thing that would keep me from quitting would be a broken bone. However, I decided to quit. It was a decision I thought about the whole next week.
I try and not looking back at what could have been, but I probably would have finished somewhere between 5th and 7th that day. Oh, what could have been…
Cinco ‘du’ Mayo – Stillwater
This race would be different in many ways. Although rain was again threatened right up to the night before, it would start out cloudy and cool, turning sunny, warm and beautiful by the end. And most importantly, I’d run this route last year and it required much less thinking and paying attention.
That said, the Cinco course is a much tougher, hillier and grueling course than is Cannon Falls
I came into T1 at around a 6:15 pace, about 15 seconds faster than goal. I was planning to play the R1 conservatively, which I had done, but was still able to hold a good pace. I was 9th after the first run.
On the bike I felt fast, faster than I thought I would be given a few wicked hills and some rollers to add flavor. I immediately passed a female cyclist and could see a couple out ahead of me. It took me about 8 miles to reach the other two, who I passed within a few seconds of each other. From there, I continued to survey the landscape as I entered my second loop of the 20 – no one there. I was pretty sure the other 5 out ahead would not be seen again until the run. I was right.
Again, I started to feel cramping on the bike. I’m not sure if it’s my positioning, my aggressive nature on the bike or what, but this is the second week. At one point, I dropped into the little ring and tried to stand on the hill, which made the cramping so bad I had to slow down. I was eventually able to move past it and finished the bike in 6th. As I passed Kathy on the run, she shouted out my place. “The 5th place guy is 3 minutes ahead,” she announced. “Yep, sorta what I figured,” I thought.
R2 was one of the most difficult I’ve experienced. I’d mentally talked myself into believing the hills would eat me up. I also seem to panic a little bit on the second run. I always feel my breath get to such a fast level and I have to literally tell myself to calm down and relax. I got out to the turn around for the second 5k and circled back. Crap, there was one of the guys I passed right on my tail. Crap, there’s another one and another one.
The first guy I saw, a 53 year old, blew past me at about the 1.8-1.9 mark. He ran past like I was standing still – he had to be at a 6:00 or better pace. The only positive thought I had in my head was, “Well, at least he’s not in my age group.” J I wasn’t sure how fast the guy behind him was moving. I didn’t necessarily realize it, but after mile 2 (my slowest at 7:02), I kicked it in. I was breathing so hard I’m sure the people crossing me on the other side of the road thought I was going to keel over. I felt like that was possible!
As I rounded the final corner into the park (less than .25 miles left), I glanced over my shoulder and saw no one. There it was – a 7th place finish. Not too shabby! As I ran into the finish line gate, several people yelled out, “You’re going to break the course record!” I looked at the timer – 1:33:00 flat. I’d broken the record by over a minute.
I couldn’t breathe for a few minutes afterwards. I was so glad to be done yet pretty stoked. I slapped the guy on the back who’d passed me on R2. We congratulated each other for out individual accomplishments – him blowing past me on the run, me blowing past him on the bike. I greeted and congratulated the other top guys.
I ended up second in my age group and 7th overall – redemption for the weekend before.
Upcoming Races
Kathy and I are racing Oakdale next weekend – we believe it’s a 3/14/3 race. From what I recall, it’s markedly easier than Cinco. From there, I have one more race before a pretty good break. The fourth race weekend in a row for me is the Gear West duathlon in Orono. That will be a true test – lots of tremendous athletes.
Kathy will begin her triathlons in June and I’ll be done until one straggler at Du at the Dam at the end of June. After that, I don’t race again until August (Minneapolis
Other happenings
Other than training and racing, work has continued to be busy yet productive. I’m still trying to figure out everything I’m responsible for in my new role while continuing with my current duties too. It’s been a crazy couple of months with various fraud cases and things that rarely crop up day to day, but I’ve managed. It’s slowed down a little now which has been nice – just in time for taking some afternoons off early and enjoying some nice weather!
We also just found out that a product I co-developed with a peer won a pretty prestigious award for innovation. I’ll be accepting the award tomorrow. It feels good for lots of hard work and is nice to receive recognition.
I’m off to Orlando Orlando Florida
We will be starting co-ed sand league VB in the next week or so. Our spring season came to a premature end as we missed the playoffs in 5th place. It’s been a trying couple of seasons – I’m hoping we’ll bounce back in the summer. I’m playing 4 on 4 this summer.
I also finished my third year of teaching Forensic Accounting and Auditing a couple weeks ago. It was another whirlwind class – the seven weeks flew. We had a lot of fun and had some interesting conversations – very standard for this course. I decided not to teach Auditing this summer – I just can’t do another summer class. I hope to pick up another course or two in future years though – I like the consistency of having some of the same students in multiple classes. Time will tell – but I know future summer classes are out!
Farewell Iowa
At the end of March, I planned and executed my final PBL State Leadership Conference as Iowa PBL State Adviser. The weekend went well and the conference evaluations were overall very positive. It was a bitter-sweet weekend for me and I’m glad the hectic feeling around a large event is past. I will miss all of my friends in Iowa PBL as I step away from my leadership role. However, I will be back to help in a lower profile role. I look forward to seeing what the new leadership team is able to accomplish.
It’s official! Kathy and I are headed to Australia
That’s all for now……………
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