Cheribundi 7 Day Challenge - Day 3: The day after Steelman

Day 3 of the challenge was a pretty good test for Cheribundi. After doing the Steelman Olympic Triathlon yesterday, setting an Olympic Distance PR thanks to a Top 10% OA bike split and then volunteering to help break down transition and all the bike racks, tents, fencing, etc, in the sun; I was pretty likely to have some aches and pains and inflamation to deal with today. I slept like a baby all night, and awoke in the morning to....nothing. No aching feet or knees. Other than the nasty blister on my hand from the mallet, I felt great.

I only had a lunch run planned today for a workout. I did a 5.43 mile run (River Road Loop) with about 300 ft of climbing. My legs were a bit heavy at first but they seemed to wake up by the end. Just a shakedown pace, but not too bad considering how hard I pushed it yesterday.

I had a visit with my Chiropractor, who is doing a 7 day detox/clense and was complaining a bit about that, but when we looked at what he can eat: Cherries and Apples were on the list, so I recommended he pick up some CheriBundi and Biotta Naturals Beet Juice at Giant. Plus came home and found my wife brought two big bottles of CheriBundi for herself

Starting to feel really good about Revolution 3 Maine!!

Cheribundi 7 day Challenge: Day 2

Day 2 of the CheriBundi 7 day challenge. Started off very early as my alarm went off at 4:15am so I could hit the road as late as possible to get to the 10th annual Steelman Triathlon at Lake Nockamixon. Only 4.5 hours of sleep, but I can say I did sleep well and felt pretty good. Got to the park at 5:25am and had to park in one of the upper lots and hike with my bike and tri backpack down to the marina. My legs felt pretty refreshed after feeling very heavy and fatigued earlier in the week.

I did my pre race ritual of Biotta Naturals Beet Juice, a half bottle for 6 days prior to the race in addition to my 2 days worth of CheriBundi Tart Cherry Juice (and a bottle of CheriBundi Restore). I also ate 2 bananas and a pear for a pre race meal. Overall, I felt great. I had a nice smooth swim and rode an aggressive bike leg and a steady but not spectacular run. But my legs felt good the whole time and those nagging aches and pains in my left calf (which I strained last season) and my knees were absent today. I ended up going 2:31:01, an Olympic Distance PR by over 2 minutes and a course PR by over 5 minutes.

Was it all the CheriBundi, probably not but I'd like to think it helped. Additionally, my Tri Club, The Spring Valley Multisport Gators, volunteered to help stay and help the race director tear down transition and the expo/food tents and load up the truck. Other than a blister, I wasn't stiff or sore at all. Same was true after getting out of the car after an hour plus ride home.

Overall, I would call day two a success!

Cheribundi 7 day challenge- Day 1

Hello everyone.

I have been pretty bad about updating my blog lately, but I hope to remedy that and introduce myself (and hopefully you) to a new product CheriBundi. I responded to a twitter tweet and was asked if I would like to participate in the 7 day CheriBundi Challenge. Tart Red Cherry juice is said to help reduce inflammation, assist in athletic recovery, and help improve your sleep.

Why? One 8 oz bottle of Cheribundi contains 50 cherries. The ingredients are cherry juice and apple juice nothing else. Tart Cherries have one of the highest Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) among all so called super foods. Tart cherries do this by offering a high dose of anthocyanins, a specific class of antioxidents shown to battle free radicals and repair cell damage inside the body. Drinking 8 ozs of tart cherry juice for seven days has been shown to increase the body's anthocyanin levels needed to achieve maximum health benefits and feel your best.

I am an age group triathlete who is starting to get up there in age, I have found recovery get harder and slower so any product which can naturally help my body recover, I am will to take for a test drive. This week also happens to be my first race back after a month an a half and two week short of one of the races I've circled on my calendar Revolution Three Maine. Plus being the proud owner of two teenagers and two new dogs, I don't tend to get the most restful sleep, so again if this product can help me sleep better. I'll try it.

Had my first bottle last night. I have had some heavy legs this week as I finished up a couple weeks of hard efforts in training. I am a big fan of cherry juice and love the taste. I think it is best chilled in the refrigerator which tempers the initial blast of tartness. Last night I got woken up several times but I did feel very well rested this morning. Went out to packet pickup, tuned up my bike, and rode a loop of the bike course (in running shoes) and then jogged a loop of the run. Legs felt good not great, but not as heavy either. So far so good.

Biotta Naturals - Legal Juicing.

When I was a kid I remember my parents making me sit at the table until I finished my beets. I remember sitting at the table by myself an hour after dinner trying in vain to wait everyone out before finally relenting. So last year, when I heard Team Rev 3 was getting a Beet Juice sponsor, I was less than thrilled.

But then I met Doug Weiss, and got the opportunity to learn a bit more about Biotta and I started to like what I was hearing. Founded in Switzerland in 1931 by Dr. Hugo Brandenberger, the organic beverage company, Biotta, has remained dedicated to their original goal of producing top-quality juice from fruits and vegetables just as nature intended–fresh from the field into the bottle. Biotta produced and launched their first line of juices in 1957. Over the years, Biotta has farmed more than 1,700 acres of chemical, fertilizer, and toxic-free land — a very rare find among today’s farmland. Along with three generations of family farmers, Biotta has established reliable and scientific organic growing techniques, which leads to a uniquely designed production process, protecting the natural wholesomeness and taste of all ingredients. Biotta juices use only natural and physical processing methods as opposed to commonly used chemical methods. Nothing artificial is added during the manufacturing process. Production routines at Biotta have a direct impact on the quality of the juices: the fewer processing steps the higher the nutritional value.

All Biotta organic juices are made from naturally grown fruits and vegetables. The quality of Biotta’s produce is the foundation of the nutritional value of their juices. All fruits and vegetables are vine/field-ripened and are selected using the highest quality standards in relation to flavor and content. After thorough washing and inspection of the raw materials, the selected fruits and vegetables are placed in a closed manufacturing process. The next time oxygen and the product will meet is when the consumer opens the bottle. This process is one of three key steps that result in Biotta’s quality.

The second key to Biotta’s quality is juicing. Instead of pressing the fruit or vegetable, where it may lose some nutritional value due to the rough process, Biotta pulls the juice out of the fruits and vegetables through a gentle process called decanter technology. Decanting is a short process of centrifugation (separating the juice from the mash) which takes only a couple of minutes, allowing maximum nutrition to be maintained in all of Biotta’s juices.

The third and final key to Biotta’s quality is the pasteurization. Biotta juices are pasteurized at a very low temperature, whereas many competitive juices are sterilized at a very high temperature. The low heat levels of the pasteurization process permit Biotta’s juices to retain the high nutritional value, fresh taste and two-year shelf life. Biotta not only believes in producing high quality, functional organic juices, but also places great value on being environmentally conscious: Biotta sells the unusable by-products from the processed fruits and vegetables to farmers for use as organic animal pomace, ensuring that every element of the crop is put to good use; Biotta uses only glass bottles providing the best product protection and allowing for full retention of flavor, content and nutrients as well as recyclability; Biotta’s labels are printed on FSC-certified paper in an effort to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations

I also started to learn about the health benefits of beet juice. Beet Juice is high in nitrates. When dietary nitrate turns into nitric oxide in the body, it reduces the amount of oxygen required to perform exercise. Nitric oxide has many functions in the body, one of the key ones is that it facilitates vasodilation or widening in blood vessels, which promotes increased blood flow and regulates blood pressure. Nitrates also function to help with muscle contractility, glucose and calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial respiration. More research needs to be done in order to understand exactly how nitrates are producing these results, however the results are significant and so far they are worth juicing for!

With regards to blood pressure, a study published online in the American Heart Association Journal found that blood pressure was lowered within 24 hours in people who took nitrate tablets, and people who drank beetroot juice. This was a follow up to a previous study that wanted to isolate nitrates as the cause for the blood pressure reduction. Study author Amrita Ahluwalia, Professor of Vascular Biology at Queen Mary's William Harvey Research Institute notes, "We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed —just 250 mL—to have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate."

Beet Juice also has been shown in a number of studies to enhance athletic performance in endurance activities. In several tests with cyclists, researchers observed an increase of up to 16% in time to exhaustion, and improved ability to lower oxygen demand to increase power output. As beet juice has been shown to thin blood and reduce blood pressure, it does allow the blood to deliver oxygen to the muscules more efficiently which will impact endurance.

I decided to put test Biotta Beet juice to the test at the Revolution 3 Quassy weekend last year, to see how it would work for me. I found beet juice mixes very well with out juices including cranberry and cherry juice, which makes it tasty for those who are fans of beets. I drank half a bottle a day for four days before Quassy, did the 5K glow run Friday Night, the Olympic Rev Saturday morning, and the Half Rev Sunday Morning. I definitely could feel the difference, I finished 2nd Overall in the glow run, running a 5K PR and it felt easy, I finished with a course PR in the Olympic (4th time) and had a good time in the Half Rev. I had dehydration issues on Saturday and Sunday which impacted my running (Poor execution of my nutrition plan on the bike legs)which hurt my times, but I was absolutely convinced that Biotta Beet Juice worked for me. As a result, I used it before every major race in 2013 including the USAT Half Max, Rev3 Williamsburg, and Ironman Lake Placid. At the end of the year, I qualified for the Rev3 Age Group Series Championship and achieved my best ever USAT Ranking/score at age 43. Proof is in the pudding Beet Juice certainly can help improve performance.

I am now a huge fan of Biotta and Biotta Beet Juice and am excited that I can now find it at national grocery chains such as Giant Foodstores, and Whole Foods. I strongly recommend trying out Biotta Beet Juice and their other products such as Breuss Vegetable, Black Currant, Elderberry, Celery, and many more. Healthy, organic, and may help you improve your performance on race day. Gotta love it.

Rev3 South Carolina /USAT Long Course National Championships

Anderson, South Carolina
United States
REVOLUTION3 Triathlon
83F / 28C
Overcast

Total Time = 5h 39m 33s
Overall Rank = 178/387
Age Group = M 40-44
Age Group Rank = 25/46

Pre-race routine:


This was my first USAT National Championship race and I did have a legitimate qualifying time even though I didn't need to qualify this year (same at Sprint Nationals) Things were looking good until Oct 2nd when I strained my right calf pretty good. A half week of ICE, heat, and COMPEX really didn't help much for Half Full Olympic which I hobbled through. The week leading up to USATs, I decided to try a little spin to see if I should go Aquabike. Felt it the entire ride but it loosened up and felt a lot better afterward. Did that for a week with more COMPEX each day and my calf felt good enough to decide to stick with the Half. Drove down to Anderson in a driving rain storm which turned it into a 12 hour drive. Saturday I checked in about noon drove my bike to Darwin Wright Park and dropped it off in Transition. Talked to a nice local lady with Team in Training then headed back to the Expo. I manned the NormaTec tent and got the entire Auburn Triathlon Team in the boots at one point, watched the Kona webcast coverage on the big screen and watch Michael Lavato doing Sean's job. Had a team/crew dinner and then a team picture and then waited for the Glow run and helped/ cheering everyone in.

Event warmup:

Woke up at 5:00am on race morning. Packed everything the night before so just brushed my teeth and had a bottle of Perform and a Performance Gel and a Harvest Bar. On the road by 5:20 and got a good parking spot at the convention center. Set up T2 and then headed to the bus to head down to T1. Had Heidi, Chloe, and Kristin right in front of me on the ride and found out about Maggie's troubles at Kona. Got to T1 walked in the dark to the transition area. Pumped up my tires first thing then set up T1 and sat down and caught a nap. Got up got my wetsuit out trislided my self and hit the potta potties. Had another Performance gel as I got my wetsuit on and got a short swim warmup in. Water was very nice. Did the invocation and National Anthem and head over to the starting area. Was in the second wave. so 5 minutes between waves. Soon the first wave was off and we herded in for wave #2.

Swim

Time: 37m 37s
Distance: 2112 yards
Pace: 01m 47s / 100 yards
Age Group: 17/46
Overall: 149/387
Performance: Average
Suit: Hurricane Cat 5 Full

Course: Couterclock wise loop from one side of the pennisula to the other. 5 turn bouys to negotiate. Unlike the last two years the lake was full of water The start was way back and the dock was actually in the water and the sandbar/island on the back side was covered. .

Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 76F / 24C
Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average
Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average
Drafting: Below average
Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average

Comments:

This was a National Championship race and there were a lot of serious Type A folks in the start corrall who had to get way up front. I started in the back to the outside and planned to stay outside until the mess calmed down. Well the media boat ended up on the path where I wanted to go. So we took off and I was forced to swim into the major traffic pattern. First 200 yards were very crowded and I got wacked about 6-7 times including a nice goggles swipe which would have been really bad it I didn't tuck it under my cap. Had to dump the water out though. After the first 200 yards I was able to maneuver to the outside and find some open water. FInally got in a rhythm and got swimming. Other than having to dodge the folks from the wave ahead and keep from running over them from that point on it was an easy swim, Had a guy from the wave behind catch me rounding the peninsula tip and those speed demons kept coming for the rest of the swim. Like last week I limited my kicking. Good swim overall but never really got after it.

What would you do differently?:

Better starting position and a HTFU attitude would have helped. In a field like that I needed to be more aggressive. Felt good though.

Transition 1

Time: 04m 11s
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Average
Helmet on/ Suit off: No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes
Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average

Comments:

Short run up to transition. Fought with my wetsuit a bit and then really took my time getting my glasses and sunscreen on and shoes, Then fought to get the big Performance Blend pouches into my uniform pockets. Kristin got a picture but it took a while. Trotted to the start and went well ahead of the line to mount. Didn't notice I was now in the small ring.

What would you do differently?:

Use small gel packs with the small pocks, large ones work fine for bike jerseys and similar type pockets. Lost a bunch of spots 17th to 21st AG and 149th to 174th. Pretty bad.

Bike

Time: 2h 51m 14s
Distance: 56 miles
Pace: 19.62 mile/hr
Age Group: 23/46
Overall: 152/387
Performance: Average

Splits: First 5 miles 18:18 (16.40 mph)
Mile 5 to mile 32.2 (27.20miles) 1:23:27 (19.56 mph)
Mile 32.2 to mile 56 (23.80 miles) 1:09:29 (20.55 mph)

Wind: Some

Course: Winding rolling course through the country side. First 30 miles was into a headwind. Rolling hills through out but none that I would classify as very difficult. Number of technical decents including Millers bend, a quick downhill with a sharp left turn onto a bridge over a creek with a nice drop off on either side right into another climb. After mile 30 you headed back towards Anderson, twisting thru Penbrook? with a ton of turns in order to avoid the railroad tracks which was appreciated. Then back to town over some of the larger hills, past the start area into Anderson itself and highway 81 bypass and then back to the civic center. Joined back up with the Olympic course (which started later) for the last 7 or so miles.

Road: Rough Dry
Turns: Average
Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good
Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard
Drinks: Not enough

Comments:

Started out and we started the first few rollers and I wasn't catching any one and getting passed except on the uphills. About 7 miles in I figured out why. I was still in the small ring which I shifted to in T1 per Sean's advice to make sure it would shift and fix it before the race if needed. Well I left it there and until I started bouncing on a downhill I didn't figure it out. Once that was taken care of I was steadily making progress the rest of the ride. This isn't a ride with any monsterious hills but it is constant rolling for 56 miles which is a bit of a challenge. Did a few back and forths with a Tenn Valley Tri guy and a girl with a purple/pink disk wheel. I took the technical downhill very easy and since almost overcooked it at the bottom. I rode really well for the first 90 mins. I hit a few lulls but then my two buddies I was going back and forth with would pass me back and snap me out of it. I really got going on the way back into town and dropped the guy and ended up with a MPH negative split. Really glad to hit the merge up with the Olympic as that was the 7 miles to go marker. Catching some Olympic folks was good for the psyche as while I was going forward it wasn't that much. Rode really well up highway 11 and the last hills and followed my buddy on the pink disc in and found out she was Aquabiking it today.

What would you do differently?:

I was able to stand and started doing that the second half of the race. Should have check the front gears sooner as I lost a lot of spots but I got most of those back and it helped in the long run I suppose allowing negative splits. Couldn't get my Energy Blends out of my pockets without nearly wrecking so I went without. Did drink every 10 miles. 21st to 23 AG and 174th to 152nd OA.

Transition 2

Time: 02m 4s
Overall: Average
Jumping off bike: No
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Average

Comments:

Got in and had a long jog down to my rack. Got there to find the guy on the other side had his bike in my rack. Contemplated what to do but remembered the guy to my left was a no show. Quick change after that other than sunscreening.

What would you do differently?:

Was an OK transition after figuring out the racking issue which was beyond my control. Should have beat the other guy to T2. Maintained 23rd in my AG and dropped from 152nd to 154th OA.

Run

Time: 2h 04m 28s
Distance: 13.1 miles
Pace: 09m 30s min/mile
Age Group: 25/46
Overall: 178/387
Performance: Average

Splits: First 3.63 miles 31:19 (8:36/mile)
Next 6.69 miles 1:02:58 (9:25/Mile)
Next 0.54 miles 4:36 (8:41/mile)
Last 2.25 miles 25:35 (11:25/mile) Don't think the distances for the 2nd and 4th were right, distance from the post turn around timing mat to the finish was closer to 2.5 at least. I was slow but not that slow.

Course: Two loop course different from both the last two years since there was a carnival in a section of last years run course. Looped through the conventions center and sports complex to Civic Center Drive up to Martin Luther King Dr past the Convention Center entrance up a hill to a residential street to a divided highway for and up and back segment. Olympic turns first then the half. Then back to the Convention Center entrance. Up and down to the corner and down to the finish chute or start of second lap.

Keeping cool Average
Drinking Just right

Comments:

This was the big question mark and as I got going I was glad to find my legs felt OK or at least as good as they should after 56 miles of rolling hills. I let my legs come in for the first mile and was running farly well. The little rolling hills were actually pretty challenging. Did start getting hotter. The first loop I hung in well and saw Josh coming back. Made the end of the first turn around and felt decent. Not a lot of pop in my legs but for not running most of the last few weeks it was good. The little hill after the entrance to the convention center was tough and then down to start lap #2 as a few folks were finishing up was a bit demoralizing. Legs started to tighten up a bit the second loop and I was more in iron distance mode than race mode for the second loop. Did go back and forth with a few folks mainly do to running the water stations. I didn't have a Energy Blend on the bike and I don't do gels on the run so I finally bonked the last segment. However I did manage to pass someone in my AG am sneak into the top 25. Down to the finish chute and got called in my Sean.

What would you do differently?:

Not pull my calf 9 days before. Wasn't really able to race but at least I was able to run this week. Needed to do better nutrition wise on the bike since my tank hit Empty pretty hard. Only had coke at one aid station maybe should have got to that more often. 23rd to 25th in my AG and 154th to 178th on the run.

Post race

Warm down:

Got my water and medal and ice water soak towel. Got some food and shuffled down to the team tent. Ate then returned my chip and went to T2 to pack my stuff. They brought the T1 and dry clothes bags right to our racks which was awesome. Packed up the car. Walked back and gave back my chip and then visited the Norma Tec tent. They were having some issues with two set of boots. One wasn't reset/turned off so I fixed and used it for 20 min. Other one had a flat segment so it won't get out of the inflation stage. Did the NormaTec tent the res of the afternoon and then broke everything down as we cheered in the last few finishers and then got to be part of the final finisher ceremony.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Wasn't in the best racing mindset and then poor nutrition on the bike caught up to me at the end of the run.

Event comments:

By finishing 25th I was eligible for a roll down spot to the AG Worlds in China next year. Great race with the Collegate Championships and the USAT Nationals and Anderson is a great community. Clemson had a home game this weekend so the whole town was hyped and made for a cool atmosphere. Throw in the Lil Rev Adventure race and Glow run and it was a cool weekend. Plus the worst wetsuit contest!

Half Full Triathlon 2013- Team Fight

Ellicott City, Maryland
United States
REVOLUTION3 Triathlon
78F / 26C
Sunny

Total Time = 2h 44m 57s
Overall Rank = 68/368
Age Group = M 40-44
Age Group Rank = 14/33

Pre-race routine:

Revolution3 and the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults Welcomes You to Howard County, Maryland!

Welcome triathletes, volunteers, spectators and families to the Rev3 Half Full Triathlon! We are in our third year with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and the Half Full Triathlon and this is the first year that the Half Full is part of the Rev3 Series. We are more than excited to be working with the Ulman Cancer Fund and Half Full. You will see that the Half is not quite a 70.3 but is instead a 70.0 this is to represent the 70,000 young adults affected by cancer every year. 70,000 is the estimated number of young adults diagnosed with cancer each year. This is a statistic that needs people’s attention. The Half Full Triathlon will help make the young adult cancer issue a priority and together we can improve the 70,000 statistic. With every mile you race you’re helping support this population of young people battling cancer.

Thank you for choosing Half Full Triathlon.

This was supposed to be my first big race after IM Lake Placid back in July. I recovered well and was feeling really, really good going in to the week before the race. Then came the government shutdown and the stress associated with that and then the Wednesday before the race I am doing an easy mid day run and bang my calf clamps up hard. Had to walk and was barely able to hobble home. I had strained my calf before IM LP by stepping in a sewer grate and guess what came back with a vengeance. Had new shoes was tapering but I still pulled it on an easy run. Iced and COMPEXed it for the next few days and headed down Saturday afternoon. Hoped I could recover like I did for IMLP but I had 3 fewer days. Well this race was supposed to be about the Ulman Cancer Fund, beating cancer and fighting so I decided I would swim and bike and just take whatever the run dealt me.


Event warmup:

Got up at 5:00 am. Had a Powerbar Performance Energy Blend, and a Harvest Energy Bar for breakfast and headed to the race site. Could still feel a big knot in my leg so the enthusian was gone, Set up my transition area, got my wetsuit half on hit the potta potties and headed down early to the start. Observed the pre race speeches and ceremonies and shuffled to the sign for 40-44. The 6 waves of college kids, then the survivor's wave, and Team Fight wave, then we were up.

Swim

Time: 26m 16s
Distance: 1630 yards
Pace: 01m 37s / 100 yards

Comments:

Settled in to the back of the line since is was a time trial start, position didn't really matter. Was in the twosome in front of the CAF athlete with one leg and a great attitude which did rub off. I was going to do whatever my leg would allow. Got a big hug from our cancer survivor starters and off we went. Got a good clean start and got into a quick rhythm. Swim was a lot like Lake Placid, I just barely kicked but pulled my way forward to the next group and the next. Really felt good and felt like I was passing people the whole time. Got a bit far to the inside on the last leg (too far to middle) and had to be herded back left to the boat dock and ended on the non carpeted side.

What would you do differently?:

Really good swim for me. The last I try to kick the better my swims seem to be. Was 3:21 faster( 29:37 vs 26:16) than last year (Both races swim the same distance.) Other than swimming too far inside and adding distance on the last leg, I would change too much.

Transition 1

Time: 04m 12s

Comments:

Long run uphill to transition on concrete then grass. Could felt the knot in my calf didn't loosen up after the swim, so I ran slow. Took my time with my wetsuit and got a nice methodical transition. Then slowly walked/trotted my bike to the mount line.

What would you do differently?:

Not pull my calf 3.5 days before a race. Lost a bunch of spots 10th to 15th in my AG and 59th to 76th OA

Bike

Time: 1h 17m 6s
Distance: 25 miles
Pace: 19.46 mile/hr

Comments:

It was actually foggy for most of the bike which was good. Got clipped in and got going and had a 69 year old pass me right of the bat, but this was the same guy from Williamsburg and can really bike. I could feel my calf on the hills but if I stayed aero I could avoid putting too much pressure on it. Standing was out. Found a good tempo and steadily grinded out a good pace. Even though I couldn't stand or sit up I still was riding the hills pretty well, I was making go progress and it always felt good to pass the college kids who started a few waves in front of us.

What would you do differently?:

Was feeling out what my body could safely do for a good chunk of the early miles so even in my condition I could have hammered it a bit more but it was still a good ride considering. Went from 15th to 12th in my AG and 76th to 56th OA.

Transition 2

Time: 01m 33s

Comments:

It is always a good sign when the bike rack your age group is in is basically empty. But I turned in too early and when I got to my rack the idiot on the other side put his wetsuit on the rack where my tire goes. SO had to move that and balance my bike before racking. Other than than I put on sunscreen and got shoes changed and went.

What would you do differently?:

Can't do much about my rack mate and going down the wrong row was a brain fart and I had a good landmark (row E). Good transition.
12th to 13th AG and 56th to 57th OA

Run

Time: 55m 51s
Distance: 6.5 miles
Pace: 08m 35s min/mile

Comments:

Well right from the start this was clear it was going to be a struggle. The knot was getting bigger. Couldn't push off my right leg much at all so speed was out. I found a way to shuffle and minimize the strain on my leg and reminded myself this was about finishing and struggling and fighting to get to the finish just like those folks with the yellow bids. Got right to the point of clamping up on the hill out of the park but it held off and I shuffled on. Worked up and through the neighborhoods where I was having my best run ever last year. I passed a couple of people on the way out but every time I tried to pick up the tempo, my calf twinged and reminded me of the speed limit. The jog through the upper park went well and soon it was back towards Centenial. The two big hill on the way back in were rough but I kept shuffling and passed a few college kids and even someone in my A/G and another team fight person. Got back into the park and my calf really started to act up. but I was just a half mile to go so I modified my shuffle and slowly got around the lake and up to the finish chute. Wasn't pretty but I got it done.

What would you do differently?:

This race was about a lot more than times or winning and losing, it was about overcoming obsticles and fighting the good fight. Finshing this race is was very meaningful as I was racing in Honor of my Dad a cancer survivor for 5 years now and for Debby W. who lost her fight Sept 30th 2013. I really wanted to honor them with a great race and maybe a podium but I would be dammed if I was going to DNF, if nothing else I would honor them by seeing this race to its end. So that it what I did! 13th to 14th AG and 57th to 68th OA, so at least I limited the damage.

Post race

Warm down:

Got a picture and got some post race food and plopped on the ground near the Team Fight tent. After eating I checked out my results and saw I fished 14th in my AG and didn't even help my Rev3 AG series standings (have two 13th place finished at Knoxville and Quazzy). Packed up and loaded the car and headed home. Saw Susan on the bike making the turn towards the park.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Pulled/strained calf just sunk a great swim and a decent bike. Should have been able to go about 10-15 min faster if I was right. But it wasn't meant to be. COMPEX did a great job to get me to the starting line and finish line.

Event comments:

Great race and a great cause and for once a great weather day.

Ironman Lake Placid Race Report- Rocking the R!

Lake Placid, New York
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
73F / 23C
Precipitation
Total Time = 13h 35m 30s
Overall Rank = 1355/2536
Age Group = M 40-44
Age Group Rank = 248/397


Pre-race routine:

Iron distance racing is a journey with a quite important destination. This was the 7th time I've taken on this journey. Each time the challenge is unique and often time unexpected. I had done an Iron Distance race once a year from 2006 until 2011. After that race, I decided I needed a break, so 2012 I decided to focus on Olympic distance races and I found my skill set, although I may not want to admit it, are more suited to shorter faster racing. 2012 was somewhat of a break through year for me as I PR at the Olympic distance (several times), PRed at the Half Iron Distance, scored my first top 10 finish in my AG and followed it up with 3 more at decent sized races (6th Rev 3 Wisconsin, 5th Rev 3 Maine, 7th Half Full 70, and 6th Rev 3 South Carolina). But in July, I found myself watching one of the Iron Distance races I still wanted to do, Lake Placid following Jacqui Gordon and several other of my REV3 and BT teammates and I knew if this race had spots available at 12:01 EST the next day, I was signing up. They did and I did. As 2012 came to an end, I spent a lot of time on the bike and was running great, so I focused in the off season on working on my swim leg. 2013 was an interesting year in January I felt something wrong with my right foot and then got to spent the next 2 month not running due to a tendon issue. While I couldn't run, I did take advantage of the opportunity to swim and quadrupled my yardage. My foot finally healed by May for a nervous Olympic at Rev 3 Knoxville in the rain, then did the Rev3 Quassy triple with a great 5K, dehydrated on the Olympic (but top 20% in my AG on a bad day :), and struggled through the run on the half the last day). My last race prior to Lake Placid Rev 3 Williamsburg, I ripped off a monster bike leg and decent run, but then discovered a broken toe on my right foot. More time off.

Came back and was feeling good through the summer heat and humidity, but Monday before Lake Placid I did a short run and got my foot caught in a sewer drain and yanked it pretty good. later that day my calf (right calf off course) started hurting. Foolishly the next day I went for a short run to test it out and it cramped hard on me. Minor strain/pull but the week before and Iron Distance just crushed me. I took the rest of the week off and used my COMPEX, and iced and hoped. Drove up to lake Placid on Friday, and was just blow away how cool the area is. Checked in and then had to walk back to my car to put away my backpack (no Backpacks allowed at the welcome banquet thanks to those AHs in Boston- Understandable). The banquet was incredible for me.

I remember 1980 like it was yesterday. Several of the guys on that team were locals from the Boston area where I lived, and there I was literally on the Ice. Chills! That was worth the price of admission! I was staying out in Plattsburg, NY about 80 min away but fortunately my drive into LP and out to Plattsburg covered most of the bike course (wrong direction). Next day came in to drop my run and bike bags and drop off my bike and then drove the bike and run courses. I was amazed how many people were out there biking the hard parts of the course the day before. Hit the grocery store got some Amy's of Hanover for dinner and hit the sack at 7:30. Alarm went off at 2:50am, long drive in to John Browns farm, for the shuttle and took it in. Dropped off my run and bike special needs then headed to the oval and put my bottle on my bike and got my tires pumped, put on my wet suit to waist hit the potta potties then headed down to the swim start.

Event warmup:

Hung out on the slide at the park as my lower back was starting to bother me. Really not a good sign. Have not even got on the bike and my back hurts. I stretched and then just laid back and hoped. They opened out the water for "Practice at 6:10" so put on my arms of my wetsuit and weaved my way down to the water. Way to crowded to really swim but was able to get wet, then headed to the start corrals. My calf was feeling better but didn't want to push it so I seeded myself in the 1:20-1:30 corral. The gun went off for the pro men and then the pro women. Then it was time!

Swim
01:14:12 | 4224 yards | 01m 46s / 100yards
Age Group: 164/397
Overall: 893/2536
Performance: Good
First loop 1.2 mi - 35:41 Second loop 1.2 mi 38:31
Suit: Hurricane Cat 5 Full

Course: Two clockwise loops in Mirror lake. Follow the rowing course up and back with about 25 yards at the top. Short run out of water and under the two arches to the second loop. New start format. Rolling start self seed in corrals by predicted swim times then groups of 40-50 sent off over the scoring line every 30-60 seconds. Took over 14 min for me to get in the water but as a MOP swimmer I actually liked it.

Start type: Run Plus: Time Trial
Water temp: 72F / 22C
Current: Low
200M Perf. Average
Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good
Drafting: Below average
Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average

Comments:

Lap 1:
The cannon went of for the AGs and similar to a few major marathons and road races I've done, nothing happened. We slowly started walking forward after a few minutes. As we got closer to the arch we passed the swim out arch and the clock almost 16 min for the pros, Andy Potts would be here real soon. As we got close you saw how they were doing let a group out wait 30 seconds to a min then next group. finally got to my turn and crossed the line and I was totally relaxed. Waded in slowly and then got going. Felt great and after some usual congestion, I found some open water and started getting into a nice rhythm. Was very conscious to minimize my kick as I didn't want to test my calf before I had to. Starting back with the 1:20s I got to swim through my group, leave them behind and then swim to the next, through them and up to the next. Felt pretty good. Soon was near the top of the first loop and crossed over and to the inside lane to the second turn. Navigation was great I was right on the buoy each time 9 up and nine back. Got very busy after the 8th buoy coming in and especially as we angled in to the 9th and to the finish arch. Beat up someone trying to swim through me (turn out to be a pro) but didn't feel too bad. If your that fast, the overtaken vessel is to maintain course and speed and has the right of way. (Rules of the Road baby). Got done with the first loop and had two other prop zip by as I headed back around for lap number 2.
Lap 2:
For some reason I seemed to have a real tough time finding clear water on the second loop and as a result it was a lot less smooth as I had to navigate around traffic a lot more. Got into it a few times but soon was boxed in and had to wait patiently for an opening and surge through it when it arrived. The turn on the second loop was the most congressed spot for me on the course and was stuck in a large clump of folks around the top and coming off the second turn buoy. Was stuck in that clump for about 200 yards which hurt me and kept me out of rhythm. Finally got clear and got going as I saw the boat house and then paced off a few pink caps and stayed outside main traffic lane. Finally after a lop and a half I spotted the under water line marking the course (rowing course lane lines) Rest of the swim was uneventful and the trip to the end was pretty spread out.

What would you do differently?:

Second fastest swim of 7 Iron distance swims for me. Hardly kicked at all and navigation was awesome. Didn't really want to start on the inside but with the rolling start it wasn't much of a problem. Other than finding myself in a few clumps of swimmer at times, I couldn't me more happy with the swim. Actually enjoyed the start format, worked well for those of us in the MOP.

Transition 1
Time: 11:53
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average
Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average

Comments:
Actually forgot these races have wetsuit swimmers and ran past most of them before stopping. Got out of the wetsuit arms then plopped down and she pulled off the wetsuit. Lost my White Eagle Martial Arts braclet right there. :( Long jog to transition at the Speed skating oval and got to do it in my shimmer suit and got a few funny comments along the way. Got to transition had to get my own bag, then to the changing tent. Full change and then lost one of my arm warmers (went into my bag with my wetsuit, so had to dump out the bag again. Then shoes on and sunscreen and off I went. Volunteer grabbed 2133's bike not mine 2123, nice bike but had to have him put it back and I grabbed mine, slow trip to the exit and then on to the bike, Took a few tries to clip in first foot and left other until after the hairpin turn going out. Just started raining.

What would you do differently?:

Not the smoothest transition but with the long run and full changes and all it wasn't that bad.

Bike
06:39:19 | 112 miles | 16.81 mile/hr
Age Group: 230/397
Overall: 1190/2536
Performance: Average
0 to 30 mi (30 mi) 1:24:59 21.18 mi/h
30 to 56 mi (26 mi) 1:42:56 15.16 mi/h
56 to 86 mi (30 mi) 1:31:58 19.57 mi/h
86 to 112 mi (26 mi) 1:59:26 13.06 mi/h

Wind: Some with gusts

Course: Awesome Bike course. Two loops. Start short down hill through town then a series of climbs (500 ft) out of town past the ski jumps and bobsled center for first 10 miles then the monster downhill segment to Keene. Left turn to 9N and to the flat section (except for two gradual hills. Past 86 to the out and back at Upper Jay, turn around and back to Rt 86. Big hill right away once go around that corner then a series of rollers, to a short flat out and back with a very tight turn around then turn on Rt 86 to follow the High Peaks Gorge and the mainly uphill section back to Lake Placid. last five hills are named Little and big Cherries (By Cheriton pond) and the Three Bears. None of these are that tough but where they are makes them more of a challenge. Then up Riverside road down to Mirror lake drive past the swim area, to special need, then out and down Main street, and left around the Herb Brooks arena to Transition entrance or lap 2. Scenic and hilly.

Road: Rough Wet
Turns: Below average
Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average
Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard
Drinks: Just right

Comments:
Lap 1:
Started out easy going around the first corner and the tight corner at the bottom so rode the breaks, then got to start riding as we did the first set of rollers, the hill right after the River Road intersection, is one of those features most people don't talk about but it is a tough little hill up and around a corner and you have to consciously hold back, rode to the first aid station which was superhero themed and got love from Captain America. Rode smooth and steady for the first 10 miles and those hills, but then it was nail biting time, except I couldn't take my hands off the handlebars. The hill down to Keene is scary enough with dry roads. The roads are very choppy and cut up especially near the median so everyone has to ride toward the second lane, fortunately they have an extra lane coned of on the other side of the yellow line for those who were really moving. But thrown in wet roads, and OMG that was scary. Only thing is my biggest wreck was due to slamming on the breaks. So I was out of aero hands locked on the bars and simply flying down that hill. Going across that wet yellow line on turns doing 45-50 mph was scary but you had no choice. Wasn't hitting the breaks, stay still as possible and don't forget to breath. You hit a flat section in the middle and I hammered in my highest gear till we hill the next cliff. As we hit the bottom our extra lane disappeared and had to hit the breaks a few times to stay off a slower rider. Finally we hit bottom and on to the flats on 9N. Boom had a gel and drink and then got into a rhythm as we passed 20 miles. Got into a good rhythm on the flats and felt really good and under control to the turn around and then back into the wind. Then you turn on to Rt 86 and boom the hills introduce themselves. The Rt 86 hill is without a doubt the hardest on the course, dropped into my granny gear as I rounded the turn and it starts steep and then just keeps going and going flatten out and adds another tier, I rode this section well and was still feeling good through the roller to Wilmington. Turn to short out and back. Got a second gel in and then got to the turn around and it was too tight I go of rode and fell over. Was stuck and then got up and was consoled by another rider who just did the same thing. Got going and then back on to Rt 86 then turned to follow the gorge. At this point, I hit my first low of the day. I banged up my left knee on my fall and once the adrenaline wore off I was starting to pay for the HR spike. The road in this section is awesomely smooth and the view is amazing but I came down pretty quick and was really starting to struggle mentally and physically. Got to the last aid station where Byron and Jen from the YMCA were volunteering. Got a water bottle from Jen but she didn't recognize me. It was funny I rode well up the hills then fell crappy on the downhills and flats to the next hill. Was waiting and stressing about where are the cherries and three bears already, but was on big Cherry when I finally realized where I was (saw the sign). The tree bears were slow but ok and papa bear it a bit steep but I was granny gearing everything and actually passed a bunch of folks. Made a conscious decision to stay in the saddle all day to not test my strained calf. Got up it and headed back down to Mirror Lake and in to special needs. Got some Rev 3 cheers which perked me up some. Changed out the bottle and loaded up more gels and drank my Red Bull. Then down Main Street where you feel like a rock star and then up and around to that start of loop 2.

Loop 2:
Again took it easy on the down hill and rode the brake and took the tight turn easy and slow. Slowly got back into a more positive feeling as the Red Bull kicked in. The hill coming out of town I went granny gear but I was moving forward once again. Felt good through the roller for the first 10 miles and the second trip down to Keen was a bit less nerve wrecking as the bikes were a lot more spread out and the pavement had dried out. But it was still one fast ride. Free effort saving speed, gotta love it. Hit the turn onto 9N and got a gel and got into a good rhythm again and rode well to the turn. My back actually held up very well and was able to stay in the bars quite a bit. Hit the turn around and into the wind and then started into my second low point on the bike. Started to fade on the way back in and then at the turn to RT86 I was mentally toasted. Rode the first hill well but the second tier and flat I was dead and stayed in the granny gear and slowly grinded through that hill and the rollers to Wilmington. Finally, I figured out, hey dumbass you are bonking, eat something and had a gel. Was drinking water at each aid station, but went about 15 miles beyond my nutrition strategy. Ate the gel in stages up the second roller and glided down the hill to the out and back. Actually navigated the turn around this time and started to perk up as we turned back to rt86 and turned to the hills heading for home. Rode well on this section, shift early and rode well on the flats, mile 100 was a great site and I continued to grind through this section and stayed within myself. Felt better as we hit the cherries and the three bears. Crowd was great on papa bear as one group wanted us to do wheelies but that wasn't happening for me. Spun up papa bear and turned for home. Again the trip down Mirror Lake drive and past the tri clubs was cool plus seeing the really fast people including Jacqui Gordon on the run. Down Main Street and up to transition and finally got off that darn bike!

What would you do differently?:

Not fall down and probably ride more long rides. But I stayed seated the whole time which isn't my normal style but didn't want to test/stress my calf, so was good I stayed with the plan. Need to stick with the nutrition plan better, but at least I recovered. Overall considering my longest ride over the last 2 years was 56 miles, not a bad ride.

Transition 2
Time: 11:02
Overall: Below average

Comments:

Slow walk off bike and handed bike to a volunteer which was great, then had a volunteer ask me if I wanted him to take off my cycle shoe. That was a first and was great. Nice walk to the gear bags and then to the changing tent. Took my time and did a full change from my bike clothes to my Rev3 kit and changed socks. Then headed to the potta potties as I was feeling a bit bloated. Had to wait in line for the 3 porta potties in front of T2 (the 12 in back are unused. Then get inside and nearly puked. It was full the urinal clogged and backed up and no TP. Decided I could only pee which helped . Got out and felt really bad.

What would you do differently?:

Wait until mile 1 to use the porta potty.

Run
Running
05:19:04 | 26.2 miles | 12m 11s min/mile
Age Group: 248/397
Overall: 1355/2536
Performance: Below average
0 - 3 mi (3 mi) 32:45 10:55/mi 3 - 8.2 mi (5.2 mi) 54:55 10:33/mi 8.2 - 12 mi (3.8 mi) 44:12 11:37/mi 12 - 16.1 mi (4.1 mi) 45:48 11:10/mi 16.1 - 21.3 mi (5.2 mi ) 1:20:19 15:26/mi 21.3 - 25.1 mi (3.8 mi) 48:52 12:51/mi 25.1 - 26.2 mi (1.1 mi) 12:13 11:06/mi
Course: Two loops. Out of transition then down main street to Rt 73. Through town and past the equestrian center and Jumping center. Down the hill to River road. Then down the long out and back along a nice little river (small rolling hills). Coming back you see the ski jumps then back up the hills to Main Street to Mirror Lake drive then past the tri clubs and to special needs turn where the bike turned onto Mirror Lake drive and then back to main street and around for lap #2.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Too much

Running
05:19:04 | 26.2 miles | 12m 11s min/mile
Age Group: 248/397
Overall: 1355/2536
Performance: Below average
0 - 3 mi (3 mi) 32:45 10:55/mi
3 - 8.2 mi (5.2 mi) 54:55 10:33/mi
8.2 - 12 mi (3.8 mi) 44:12 11:37/mi
12 - 16.1 mi (4.1 mi) 45:48 11:10/mi
16.1 - 21.3 mi (5.2 mi ) 1:20:19 15:26/mi
21.3 - 25.1 mi (3.8 mi) 48:52 12:51/mi
25.1 - 26.2 mi (1.1 mi) 12:13 11:06/mi

Course: Two loops. Out of transition then down main street to Rt 73. Through town and past the equestrian center and Jumping center. Down the hill to River road. Then down the long out and back along a nice little river (small rolling hills). Coming back you see the ski jumps then back up the hills to Main Street to Mirror Lake drive then past the tri clubs and to special needs turn where the bike turned onto Mirror Lake drive and then back to main street and around for lap #2.

Keeping cool Good
Drinking Too much

Comments:

Lap 1:
Out transition and down main street was awesome as everyone is reading your name on your bib and cheering you by name. Then getting to the down hill got rolling to the first aid station. Walked the aid station taking water or Perform and fruit and later cola. each stop. Got going again and started to feel my calf tightening up but not cramping so I kept shuffling along. Had my super star AG teammate Alyssa Godesky pass me on her second lap going down the hill to River Road and she gave me some encouragement and that really seemed to help as I got into an nice smooth rhythm and my calf loosened up and wasn't a problem the rest of the run. Ran pretty well the first loop and ran the hill off the River Road turn but walked the big hill up to Main street (just as everyone else was. Got going once on main street and again felt like a rockstar. Came around to Mirror Lake Dr and heard "Go Andrew, Hey that's Andy, Go Andy!" It was Byron and Jen. Hit the special needs and grabbed my Red Bull and drank and waved to my teammate Laura on the other side. Then came back down the road and high fived Byron and Jen and felt like a million bucks.

Loop 2:
Actually felt like I was running at the start going down Main and onto Rt 73. Going good but my bloated feeling was back. Each porta potty was occupied for the next two miles. Really started to hurt, think the Red Bull which worked like magic on the bike was a bad idea on the run. So I stopped and walked just before the top of the River Road downhill. Got going again but after the next aid station I was really not feeling good and getting hard stomach cramps so did a few short walk break and got going. Finally got a porta potty at mile 16. Lock was broken and got an unwanted opening, but I couldn't go either 1 or 2. Bloated and felt like I really needed to but couldn't do it. So got out and tried to run but had to walk. Stopped with the Perform and so much water and started on chicken broth at mile 18. walked most of mile 16 and then convinced myself to run the flat and walk the hills. Seriously started to get the toots which actually was a good thing but was sort of embarrassing. After the turn around , I really tried to run more and finally got enough gas out that I could go, but still walked the hill but was going a lot better. On the second out and back we got another good rain storm and they handed out glow sticks, but as we got closer to the ski jumps the rain eased up. Walked the River Road hill but was running well after than and got some positive comments. Passed a guy (for the second time) in a 2011 Valley Forge Revolutionary Run shirt and told him I did that race. Ran to the big hill to Main street walked hard up it and then got going up Main street bolster by the crowd. Last time down Mirror Lake drive and witnessed a pep talk with at one of the club tent with a lady on her first loop as I had made the turn around. Turns out she was the 65-69 AG winner and I would be talking to her husband the next day at the awards banquet. She made it and qualified for KONA! For me the only prize was about a mile away but I was starting to feel the excitement. Passed 4 crossfit folks who were on empty, and got to the tri teams and got cheers from Kelly Covert and her group and the to the chute marked to the finish (what a beautiful site!) Turned up Main St to the Speed Skating Oval and over the evil curve and into the oval and the that awesome lap around the oval. I was out on the edge high fiving every kid who wanted one and seemed so excited that one of the athletes was giving them some time. Coming round the turn and seeing that finish line just evoke such powerful emotions. It was here Eric Heiden gave the most dominant athletic performance winning every event in the Olympic speed skating program, and it was here I overcame injuries, falls, stomach issue and major lows to feel this incredible high. My hands went up high and I just went to a double hang loose and then to some Rev 3 Goggles as Mike Riley called my name again. Don't know if he actually called me an Ironman this time, for some reason he never has in 4 opportunities, but it didn't matter. I completed this journey again. From 230 pounds and a heart attack waiting to happen to a 7 time Ironman! DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRICLES? YEEESSSSS!

What would you do differently?:

Don't try something new on race day (Red Bull), don't step into a sewer grate a week prior, run a lot more, Longest run this year was 13.1 thanks to all the injuries and the crappy weather this year. But the struggles make this finish so much more rewarding. Could I have gone faster and PRed, I was on pace but I am still very happy with this race.

Post race

Got my medal and picture and got some food and chocolate milk. Got my bags got changed as my legs started to tighten up. Couldn't find the message tent, so got and checked out my bike and rolled to the shuttle to my car. RANT ON: Get told that bikes aren't allowed on the shuttle. Driver says it said that in the paper, it replied it did not, and the driver responds well your bike isn't getting on the shuttle. What am I supposed to do? I don't care your bike is not getting on the shuttle. I showed incredible restraint to not cuss this guy out. OMG I was so pissed. I just spent 13 hours plus on the course I'm parked some 4-5 miles away, it's dark, I have 3 sets of bags. Fortunately I went across the road before I started screaming, and talked to a LP Police Officer. While he couldn't help me, he at least told me what I needed to do. The Westover lot was at the bottom of the hill, if I dropped my bike off near transition, take the shuttle back to John Brown Farm and drive back to Westover and the retrieve the bike. I thanked him for his help because he gave me a solution. Rolled back to transition and got a photo op from the Ironman Facebook page, ugly picture. had some nice volunteers let me drop the bike in an area they were watching. Then back to the shuttle and waited a while and got on a full bus. Got back to the farm and had a scare when I found I left my inside light on (but it turns off with the key removed and my car started immediately. Drove back to the WestOver lot and then walked up that steep hill past the police officer again and down to the transition and got my bike then backup to the shuttle stop, shook the police officer's hand and thanked him again, then wheeled down the hill and over to the car. Drove to Rt 73 and traffic was stopped so went to the Iphone and found the alternate route via Rt3. A long twisty foggy drive to the hotel. Didn't bother unloading the bike, got Wendy's and just ate the Frosty. As I got back at 12:30. Texted Tammy and crashed hard.

Next morning got up and then headed back in parked at the boat house, got my special needs bags, brought them back to the car, then went to the post race breakfast and awards celebration. Was on the second floor of the Convention center and had a nice breakfast only problem then was now where to sit. Check out the Kona spot stuff and saw Alyssa won her AG and was 5th OA amature and Kate was second in her AG.. The kona spot sing up was in a huge room and the awards ceremony was in the small room so it was standing room only for most the athletes. That was BS! Got done and finally got to sit as people left and ended up talking to the husband of the W 65-69 age group champ who was the person who gave the pep talk I witnessed and was a fellow gov't employee, so we talked until Alyssa's AG was on stage and I had to take some pictures. Talked to Alyssa and Kate then hit the road. Got some picture of the course and went into the High Peaks Gorge trails spot and walked the waterfalls and nature trails. Super cool spot. Drove home took a nap and had dinner then drove home the next morning.


What limited your ability to perform faster:

Injuries, pulling my calf a week before the race due to an errant step, GI issues on the run and simply not training for an Ironman. But was my 4th fastest of 7 and was a tougher course by fast than the other three quicker ones.

Event comments:

Race was a great experience but the last two impressions were horrible. Course and volunteers were top notch and it was very cool. Great lake to swim in and an awesome bike and run course and fans were great.

Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes

Evaluation
Course challenge Hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Bad
Race evaluation [1-5] 4