The main group is heading to the Track today for a few (i.e. 3) one mile repeats at about 5K pace.  This is going to be used as a tune up for those competing in St.Louis this weekend at the St.Patty’s Day 5 miler.  One of our very own members of the lunch group won that race a few year’s back.

Hardybreed Dan and I are sticking to the park and running 2 mile W/U, 8 x (5:00 @ T pace followed by :30 recovery), 2 mile W/D

Springfield High Track @ 12:05

With the size of the crowd we had last week, we should have a great group.  12 finishers last week for our 4th annual President’s Day 5K was pretty impressive.  Hell, we could rival some of the local 5K attendance numbers.  Plus the weather looks to be fantastic.

Meet at 12:00 noon at 1st and Madison.  Today.

See you there.

The 4th annual President’s Day 5K.  The event was originally organized to meet the criteria for qualifying for a seeded corral at the Indy Half Marathon.  I know it hasn’t been used for that since the first year, but for some reason we’ve kept the tradition of the race alive.

The course for the 5K is our usual 3 mile course.  It starts at Vine and MacArthur and goes through the Park, exiting at Wiggins down to Outer Park and then back up Park Street to Laurel.  The course is exactly 3 miles and then we add 30 seconds to make it a 5K time.

*New Course Record
^Clydesdale Division Record (190+)

Previous years: 2010 Results and the 2009 Results.

*2008 results:

1. Bennett, Greg   18:05
2. Sommer, Eric  18:06
3. Egan, David   18:11
4. Taft, Alex   18:53
5. Gilmore, Greg   19:28
6. Dowell, Tracy   21:28

My VDOT score is a 41.  I used my time from the Frostbite run.  I was running sporadically and was no where close to where I was when I BQ’d.  Training at that pace would certainly lead to injury.  11 weeks to go until Champagne and my running is starting to really progress.  I hope to PR with a time between 1:40-1:45.

With all the snow and the below zero temps this week, most of my runs were on the treadmill.  I did 10 outside on Monday, 10 on the treadmill Tuesday, 5 on the treadmill Wednesday, Thursday on the treadmill again with 10, and back outside Friday and Saturday.  Thank God for Glee, or I could never make it through the long treadmill runs.

And now for some training talk…

This winter I have been mainly focusing on running.  I think this is going to be pretty important come early triathlon season.  My main goal this year is to qualify for the 70.3 Championship, and without a solid kick ass run there will be no chance.  A couple of months ago Eric put together a half marathon training plan based on the Daniel’s Running Formula and your VDOT.  It is a 22 week plan with 4 phases.  There is a lot of fitness theory behind Daniel’s Formula, and you can see that in his training principles.

Eric’s plan is demanding yet forgiving.  Once you figure out your VDOT, you do 2 quality workouts per week, with the rest of your weekly milage at you VDOT easy pace.  So no more running by feel.  Easy is exactly that.  For me my VDOT was calculated from my most recent race, the Frostbite.  With a time of 1:09:11 my VDOT calculates out to 49, leaving me an easy pace of an 8:36 mile, a marathon pace of 7:20, a tempo pace of 6:55 and an interval pace of 6:22.

Of course you VDOT will change over time depending on fitness.  So as you progress through the phases of the plan you may need to re-access your VDOT.

The goal of this plan is to run the Lincoln Memorial Half and peaking for the Illinois Half.   This really is an experiment in progress that I can hopefully reap the benefits of!

I am planning on doing today’s workout on the treadmill.  (I know!)  At least my pacing will be spot-on!

Next week starts Phase III which involves quite a bit more running.  So much running in fact, that I don’t think we’ll be able to run the entire workout during our lunch “hour”.  I’m pretty sure that this means I’ll have to find another time to run my Q2 workouts from here on out.  Besides the two cronies (Dan and John) I bring from my house, this only affects David, Greg and Alex.  Everyone else was a one-hit wonder… at best.  I’m not sure what you guys would like to do.  I’d be glad to continue to give you some workouts for Tuesdays lunch until the end of April, or we could try and find a time/ day that’s suitable.  I’m guessing these next 2 phases are going to be at least 90 minute actual workouts, start to finish.  You guys let me know what you want to do.

Dan and I had a very specific plan last week regarding pace and distance.  It could have been one of the most well-executed workouts we’ve done.  Normally our pace is based on egos and how guys are feeling.  Neither of which is really applicable to proper training.  David (not Egan), Dan and I stayed together and in control.  It felt good to systematically stay at about 6:20-6:25 pace during the intervals.  (That is based on our Vdot- Look at the training plan to find yours… It’s important!)  The best part of staying in control and cruising through a solid workout… I didn’t need until Friday to recover.

Today’s plan (after a thorough warmup) is to run 5 minutes Hard with 3 minutes of recovery jogging, to total 4 miles.  With the paces we’ll be running, we’ll probably only have to do a little more than 4 Hard intervals.  Each interval and recovery should be a little more than a mile total.  12:05pm today at the usual meetin’ spot.

This week we have a very similar workout as last week.  The caveat: instead of 3 miles, we’re doing 4.  So it is 800m at interval pace “I” (6:22/mile for Dan and me) followed by 3 minutes of recovery jogging.  4 miles worth.  We’ll do the 5K course we’ve been doing, except carry it on back to MacArthur through the park.

See you all there.

The workout is 800m at I (interval) pace followed by 3 minutes of recovery repeated for a total of 3 miles.  Figure out your Vdot to know your interval pace.

While I was busy recovering (which involved making and drinking a lot of beer) I read a book called Daniels’ Running Formula.  I had heard about it in various circles and a few people had recommended it, but I just never had the desire to read a book specifically about distance running.  Ultimately, I decided to give it look and have been extremely interested in it ever since.  It’s based on a higher mileage program than I’ve ever run before.  I feel like I need to really target my running in order to achieve the goals I would like to in triathlon.  I feel like last year was really a breakthrough year for me in cycling and time trialing and now my focus needs to be the run.

I have targeted two half marathons in April as early season motivators to get me into shape (using the Daniels’ running program) and then hopefully building from there to a season of triathlons.  The half marathons are the Lincoln Memorial and the Illinois Half Marathon.  I detailed a plan based on a sample plan from the book.  It has been modified for these two races specifically and it’s based on a peak weekly mileage of 50 miles a week.  There is a small group of us following the plan so far.  You are welcome to view the plan and follow it if you’d like.  I’d be glad to help if you have questions about following it.  It’s pretty simple once you have a basic understanding of how it works.  Training Plan

With that said, the format of the Tuesday speedwork is going to have to change (at least for me).  The Tuesday workouts need to be a little slower and a little longer.  For instance, tomorrow is supposed to be 4 minutes at hard pace (6:30) followed by 3 minutes at easy pace (8:30) for a total of 4 miles.  I’ll be at the corner of MacArthur and Williams Blvd at 12:05 warmed up and ready to go.  I hope to see you there.  Welcome back to another season.

This race was not an A race but one I had focused on since my Ironman.  While I had good intentions my training did not match my desire.  However, I did put in more effort than usual for the this time of year for this race. 

The temperature was cool enough for shorts, short sleeves, and gloves.  Most people were decked out in tights and long sleeves.  The sun was shining and it was actually a great day for a run.  A few things I forgot about this race.  The funneling down to single track so fast with little opportunity to pass runners at the start.  I actually was stuck behind 2 people in costume through the grove.  The only way to pass in the grove is to get caned by branches as you pass.  I also forgot about the set of stairs you have to climb early in the race (shortly after obtaining a rhythm).  Lastly I forgot about the hills.  It was actually quite hilly this year.

After about a mile I got into a rhythm and paced myself off another runner.  Fast enough to maintain speed and heavy breathing but slow enough to allow for extra speed toward the end.  Once I felt he was slowing I passed him and started to weave my way through the crowd.  By the time I hit mile 3 it was pretty strung out and I wouldn’t pass another runner.

The squishy ground and hills toward the end put me back in the hurt locker.  The grassy field didn’t come soon enough.  The final nail in the coffin was the last 100 yards; uphill, in wet grass, and into the wind.  I stopped the clock at 39:22.  This put me almost 2 minutes faster than 2007.  However, it left me with 4th in my age group, almost 4 minutes behind 3rd place.  I finished 31st overall. Yes, there were quality runners that came over from Champaign.

A tough, quality race and one worthy of attending next year.  Springfield needs a trail race…….

This marathon was somewhat stress free.  I didn’t have a whole lot of time and miles wrapped up in it, and didn’t really have any expectations.  My plan of attach was to run with HardyBreeed Eric and his wife Nicole.  Eric was in the same boat as me, and planned on pacing Nicole to a 3:45 marathon.

We headed up to Chicago Early Saturday morning before the race.  We were staying at the Palmer House Hilton which was just a couple of blocks from the start line.  When we got in town we walked to the Chicago Hilton, where there was a shuttle to the Expo at McCormick Place.  The shuttle wasn’t the quickest thing in the world. We had to wait at least a half hour for a bus, because the line stretched the entire block of the Hilton.

Walking into the Expo was amazing.  Thousands of people, all looking to get their packet and check out the exhibitors.  This is that largest Expo I have ever seen and by far the coolest.  Nike had the largest spot, and had a ton of 10-10-10 apparel.  I picked up a cool black track jacket, I had to have a souvenir.  Nike wasn’t the only one there though.  Asics, Newton, Saucony, North Face… you name it, everyone had a booth.  Selling shoes, clothes and anything else that had to do with running.  We were there more than a couple of hours, and could have easily spent a couple more.  Shopping all day was not conducive to running a marathon, so we called it a day and went back to the hotel.

Marathon morning, I walked to the start line in corral C. I met everyone at the 3:40 pace group, which Alex and Billy were proudly pacing.  The race started and it took around 3 minutes for use to make it the starting line.

We ran the race to stay on pace around 8:30 mile.  By mile 10 or so, we were off pace by a minute or so.  I think all of us had taken a bathroom break.  The race was still amazingly crowded with spectators and runners.  At mile 14 Eric dashed off the the bathroom again, and Nicole and i kept running.  About a mile later, Eric was still not on, and Nicole was having trouble.  At that point I was on my own, I had a good first half at 1:52, but wanted to catch back up the 3:40 group.

My legs felt great, and I had already been taking in plenty of Endurolytes, Gel, Gatorade, and water.  I quickly brought my pace down to 7:50s to catch them, and before I knew it I was back on and then passing them.  I don’t think my legs were ready to keep that pace up for the rest of the race though.  I quick got sucked back in by Alex and Billy.  At this point I decided I would just try to stay with them.

The last couple miles were the hardest.  My legs were getting tight, and cramps were setting in.  I stopped briefly to to rub my cramping quad, and to my surprise it subsided quickly and I was able to continue.  My pace slowed way down though.  I was off the back of the group and could not catch them.  I was happy to see the finish, and crossed in 3:41:09.  A negative split on the half  by a couple minutes!

After crossing the finish, I walked one of the longest finishing shoots ever.  Water, then Gatorade, then bananas, then BEER.  I think I hit everyone of the stops and made my way out to find my family, which was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.  I eventually borrowed a phone from a volunteer to call, and only then was I able to find an meet up them.

What a day!  This was one of the most fun races I have ever done.  So many people from Springfield, really made it feel like a hometown race.  I will definitely do this race again and would encourage everyone else.  The big race was a different kind of experience.  HardyBreed congrats go out to everyone that ran! (You know who you are)

So, once again we are heading back to the track for some half mile repeats.  8x800m @ 2:52 with 90 seconds recovery.  Time to test the strength.

I won’t even predict next week, but we are close to the end of the season.  And it’s been real.

The date, October 16, was perfectly placed to allow some time for me to start training again and to get me jump started for the Allerton Park Race.  My information was vague.  The only things I knew was that it was off-road, 7 miles, on horse trails, and just south of Decatur.

It took me about 45 minutes to get there and I was greeted with enthusiastic volunteers.  It was refreshing to attend a low-key, grass roots race where there aren’t a bunch of peacocks showing their feathers.  Parking was plentiful at the Sand Creek Conservation Area.  I got in a good warm-up and was ready to go with about 75 other runners at 10:00.  Sizing up the crowd I noticed some Ironman finishers t-shirts.  It made me smile and reminisce.  I was clad in anonymous North Face gear.

The cream immediately formed at the front of the peloton as the race filtered down to double-track.  I was sitting back in about 10th place just trying to conserve energy.  As the race progressed into the first 0.5 mile I couldn’t control myself and made my way to a pack consisting of 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place.  1st and 2nd were already out of sight.  Initially I dreamed of sprinting for 3rd place but this soon evaporated when the course took its toll on me.

The course was mainly double-track but was rocky, sandy, and littered with tree roots.  Just before the 5 mile marker I did a face plant after getting my foot caught in a tree root.  No injuries just a break in rhythm.  The surface of the trail was not the problem, the constant up and down was the problem.  We had to make a total of 7 creek crossings.  I’m not talking about jumping over a creek or finding a rock to land on in the middle and get across by bounding over.  I’m talking calf deep water that splashed all over your pants and totally submerged your feet.  My shoes, pants, and socks were soaked the whole race.  Most of the crossings took about 4 strides to get across.  The worse part was that you had to climb out of the ravines in the sand after exiting the water.  It’s not called Sand Creek for nothin’.

By the time miles 5 and 6 rolled around I was hurting.   Our little group was only caught by one runner; the women’s winner who finished 4th overall.  She was really consistent.  Eventually the group I was in picked up the pace on a climb and I couldn’t hold pace.  I finished alone in 7th place with a time of 51:57 (07:26)/mile).  My place was good enough for 2nd in my age group and a lawn chair door prize.  I was happy with my time considering the tough course and less-than-stellar training.

The race was pretty cool.  If you are tired of road running try trail running, it’s refreshing.  The goal for this race is for every 2010 participant to bring another participant with them in 2011.  Please oblige.

We made our way down to the start.  I left Travis and Steven in the transition area and went to find some coffee and a place to watch the start.  Julie, Sandy and I found a great spot on the roof top.  Watching the swim start was scary, and amazing.  All those people!  It was really cool seeing the pro’s in T1.  Thanks to the Hardy Breed Kits, it made it easy to spot the guys.  We saw them all in T1 and we shouted as loud as we could, but it turns out they couldn’t hear us.

Thanks to Chad we found our way to Verona.  The crowds were great!  We saw all the boys go around the first loop, and we had time to go grab some lunch, come back and make a spot on a street corner before they all came around again.  Eric S.  was off to a great start, Travis too!  I know Steven saw me on the second loop.

We headed back down town to see Steven, and Jason get out of T2 and start the run!  Chad and I made a detour to the Great Dane and had a beer.  The run course is also 2 loop so we got to see everyone on the run.  My brother came by and was looking good.  Steven gave me a quick kiss on the first loop.  ” It’s gonna be a long second half”  was all he said.  When Jason came though, he didn’t look so hot.  All we saw was Sandy darting into  Walgreens, and coming out with a Mountain Dew.  I think we shouted some words of encouragement, but what can you say? 

We went to the finish line and watched everyone role in.  Seeing my brother , Steven, and all the Hardy Breed rabbits cross the finish line was so cool.  I was instantly filled with a sense of pride.  I still don’t know how they were standing, and in some cases leaning.  Everyone finished and did an amazing job!  We got all the gear back to hotel and grabbed a quick bite before going to bed.  Just watching the race was exhausting!   After watching the Ironman, I knew I wanted to do one, but it also put a lot of doubt in my mind.  Seriously?  12 hours of constant movement?  I just don’t know. Watching my husband train, and the time and dedication he put in to it makes me appreciate the Ironman race.  Great job everyone!

The drive was uneventful.  Having someone to talk to made the time pass and relieved some stress.  Getting to eat at JJ with the other Rabbits on the way up also added to the excitement.  The registration process was also smooth.  It is quite an experience going to a well-organized, established event.  No details were spared.  Interestingly, it was the first time I have ever been weighed before an event.  I guess they want to make sure you don’t lose too much weight (dehydration) if you have to go to the medical tent on Sunday.  We all compared our weights and decided the scale was heavy.  On the way up Dan and I listened to some podcasts from Endurance Nation.  They had made fun of the “bigger, badder” t-shirts that Ironmen wear at check-in to try and intimidate other competitors.  So I was very self-conscious of what I was going to wear.  I didn’t want to be one of “those” guys.  I opted for my IMBA t-shirt.  It was still multi-sport related but didn’t scream “hey, look at me, see how cool I am.  I did this race”.  It was sort of alternative.  I got quite a few compliments on the shirt.  Mostly from vendors that were happy to see a mt. biker at such a tri-geek event.  Luckily I brought the credit card as I dropped some coin on Ironman swag. I was a little hesitant purchasing items from a race that I could potential DNF out of.  Everyone else was doing it so I did too.  When I mean everyone else I mean all the other rabbits.  You can see from the photo that we all think alike.

Later that night a nice dinner turned into having a little too much to drink.  We celebrated at a swanky restaurant on the square and the evening spilled over into the bar next door.  I was drinking some kind of local hoppy beer.  Not quite sure what the name of it is but it was a little too smooth.  Not too many people in the bar at that time of night with Ironman wristbands.  I guess I know who are the real Ironmen…..

The rest of the rabbits planned on swimming Friday morning.  It was cold, windy, and there were white caps in the water.  I opted to sit out the swim and stretch on the shore while everyone else struggled in the water.  I just didn’t want to expend the energy.  Eric, Nicole, Dan, and myself then hopped in the van and headed out to the course.  Does anyone know how hard it is to not drink caffeine?  I feel like a vegetarian in a meat locker; John in “Brave New World”.  Everything has caffeine.  We stopped at a Subway for lunch and I had to either drink water or hopefully the rootbeer won’t have caffeine.  It’s been like that all week, a constant struggle.  It must be a caffeine industry conspiracy.  Anyway, after a brief lunch, we drove the course.  Let’s just say my excitement turned into apprehension.  The reconnaissance revealed a very hilly, undulating terrain.  It worried me.  However, once we stopped and rode the 2 major hills I felt a little better.  After all it was just another ride with some hills………..  This knowledge turned out to be critical during the race because I now knew when to ease up and rest before the “3 bitches”.  I was happy for the foresight.  The loop was long and I was happy when we arrived back at the hotel.

Friday night was pretty cool.  Dinner at the expo.  There was a presentation with rules, course details, and some entertainment.  Did I mention all-you-can eat pasta?  Interesting  information I learned from the presentation; almost half the field were 1st time Ironman competitors, 25% are female,  there were some 70-year old competitors, a couple of 18-year old competitors, a mom with 5 kids, and a couple of people that lost over 80# training for the Ironman.  While we were at the presentation Travis and Clarence were out drinkin’.  A couple of real HardyBreeds.

Saturday was a day of preparation and hot tubs.  We spent the day assembling our gear bags and checking in our bikes.  Dropping off the transition bags and bikes the night before is always stressful.  Once the work was done Dan and I rested and watched “Hot Tub Time Machine”.  It was hysterical and created some comic relief from the stress.  A must see.  Later in the day Dan and I were fortunate enough to have dinner with our wives.  They had arrived just in time to see the event.  Needless to say, Saturday was an early night.

Race morning was actually pretty smooth.  I wasn’t as anxious as I thought I was going to be, so I was able to have a decent breakfast.  There was plenty of time to distribute our special needs bags and use the facilities.  There was even a calming few minutes in the plaza for stretching and reflection.  However, as I waited in line for the port-o-potties and watched everyone don their wetsuits I began to get nervous.  The long walk down the Helix to the water seemed to take forever.  It was wall to wall people all headed the same direction and with same nervous energy.  I entered the water with about 5 minutes to go.  This was ideal for me so I didn’t have to tread water that long.  I was able to find some “personal space” and think about the long day ahead.

The MC got the crowd worked up into a frenzy, the music was pounding, and the gun went off.  Like a bunch of mothers with their teenage daughters at opening night of Twilight, it went from build-up to absolute chaos.  All 3000 of us were off swimming the same direction and clobbering each other.  It wasn’t like we were doing it on purpose; you just couldn’t help it.  I was clawing swimmers and was getting pounded on the heels.  People were stroking over the top of my head and dunking me.  It wasn’t long before I was gasping for air.  Never in the entire 1:22 swim was I alone.  Never did I feel like I could make a full stroke without worrying about running into someone or someone else running into me.  No rhythm was ever established.  Still, the swim really didn’t seem to last that long.  I was happy with my (average) time.

The transition was made difficult by the long run up the Helix.  I anticipated walking but really didn’t feel like I needed to.  The area was a little chaotic but the volunteers were amazing.  They got you everything you needed and would even help you dress; crazy.  I thought I really took my time (10:33) but my T1 was probably less than average.  I was surprised to find out a volunteer was going to get my bike for me.  By the time I got to the rack the guy was getting my bike and I was off running down the transition zone to the bike mount.  I didn’t even think about my Garmin that I had laid across my handlebars.  I was too nervous about donning my shoes at the bike mount (something not advised by Endurance Nation).  About 2 miles down the road I realized that not only had I just lost an expensive piece of equipment but I would never know my speed, pace, or time the rest of the race.

The bike course simply killed me.  It was so brutal.  Always up and down and never flat……never. There were 3 major climbs that just destroyed any kind of rhythm you might have developed.  Although, on 1 of the climbs there was a Tour de France-like atmosphere.  People had to get out of the way so riders could get through, people were running next to you, and everyone was screaming words of encouragement.  Strangely, my impression was that I was looking through a window in dead silence (except for my breathing and pain) seeing the fans from inside a silent room.  The action and noise seemed distant or detached.  It was actually invigorating.   To make matters worse there were even times when the nearest rider was 30 seconds up the road.  It always helps my motivation to have riders around me.  I was alone ALOT.  This definitely slowed my pace.  The other part that affected me was the cramping.  I was cramping so bad.  At one point on the last climb my legs basically locked with every down stroke.  So I stayed seated, gritted my teeth, and struggled through it in my easiest gear.  The final 10 miles were a little down hill so I think that allowed me to recover a little.  Ironically when I hit 112 miles after 6:20 (17.7 mph) I didn’t feel too tired.  I was hoping all the training had paid off.

Again, I purposefully took my time in T2 (9:56).  Again, the transition area was chaos but the volunteers were so helpful.  At one point I had to tell the volunteer to get away; I needed some “alone” time and just rest.  He obliged.  So apparently 8 hours had passed and nary a rabbit was seen.  Just like in training all those hours the previous year I was alone, inside myself.

The first mile of the run was great.  The strides seemed effortless and crowd was encouraging.  At mile 2 I said to myself “hmmm”.  At mile 3 I was suffering and wondering WTF.  By the stadium I was walking.  From the stadium I was in the hurt locker.  I just couldn’t get relaxed nor get into a rhythm.  I started to look for places to lay down but was too embarrassed.  Once we hit a dirt trail I spied a place in the shade  near a turn that was isolated and I could hide.  I vowed that upon my return to this area I would sneak away and rest.

That shady area didn’t come soon enough.  My worst fears came true, though.  As soon as I layed down 3 or 4 people came up to make sure I was OK.  I just wanted to rest in anonymity.  So I shrugged them away and proceeded to wet myself laying in the serene grass.  I wanted to lay forever but the pendulum of the internal clock was swinging: tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.  The guilt was maddening.  Even though I just wanted to finish, let’s be honest, I wanted go under my goal of 13 hours.  This was not helping.  So I pounced up and got back into my jog/walk rhythm.  I was not doing well and had to walk every couple of minutes.  It was pure agony.

As I rounded the corner heading into the 13th mile (run special needs bag area) I caught a glimpse of Sandy.  Instantaneously I screamed out “can you get to Walgreens?”   While she was answering “yes” I asked for a Mt. Dew-full strength.  Rarely do I see her run and never have I seen her run so fast.  She bolted to Walgreens and had a Mt. Dew waiting for me as I exited the Special Needs area.  I knew outside assistance was a crime and could cost me a few minutes but I didn’t care.  The first few swigs were like nectar from the gods.  Not only had I not had much caffeine in awhile but a regular Mt. Dew even longer.  As I stood there I thought I was going to pass out and had to crouch down.  Then I rested my head on the railing.  But all I could hear was that tick tock.  So I downed most of the Dew and headed out for the second half.  Prior to leaving I asked Sandy for the time.  I didn’t know my pace or overall time because of the Garmin issue but felt I was way off target.  She was excited to tell me that I had hit all my transition goals right on.  It was 6:00.  I was on pace for just under 13 hours.  This gave me some encouragement.

By the time I ran out of sight from the finishing area every muscle in my legs cramped…..simultaneously.  My legs were locked in extension and I couldn’t move.  I had to pull over, stand there, and try to stretch.  After a minute or 2 I decided to suck it up like I did on the bike and take off.

It was like when the Grinch’s heart grew to normal size.  After a 1/2 mile or so something miraculous happened.  The cramping started to dissipate and my sky-high heart rate and breathing rate dropped.  I began to feel pretty decent.  Each stride felt less and less effortful.  My grimace turned into concentration.  I began to actually enjoy the run.  I was passing runners and walkers with every step, having to weave my way through the carnage.  My legs felt fresh and eager.  It felt like I was flying.  Spectators were acknowledging the contrast between my speed and all the racers I was passing.  I was beginning to catch people who were struggling on their 1st lap.  By this time the sunlight was dimming and I wanted to finish in the daylight.  I didn’t want a glow stick.  So I ran as fast as I could sustain a decent pace.  Run, Jason, run.  I’m not sure if it was the Mt. Dew or what but it was an extreme turnaround.  I actually ran the way I was capable of.  The first 20 miles were so miserable, I was happy to finally be able to run to my ability.

I was going so fast toward the finish I tried to slow down so I could get some good photos.  Vain I know.  It didn’t work.  The photos suck and they missed my “gun show” pose.  The volunteers had to reach out and grab me to slow my progress.  I collapsed to my knees.  The clocked stopped at 12:34, nearly 30 minutes faster than my expected time.   My marathon took 4:31 (10:20 pace)Immediately a swarm of volunteers took hold of me and began to make sure I was coherent and physically able to walk.  I was still on the high from the last 30 minutes of running.  The volunteer support during the entire event was phenomenal.  The volunteer that grabbed me when I finished not only held my medal, he got me a t-shirt, got me a Coke, and stayed with me in line for the medal photo and all the way until I exited the finishing area.  He was my personal escort.  How professional!

Usually when I finish a race I can’t wait to do it again.  Not this one.  I was just happy to finish.  The hardest part about the race wasn’t the  race itself.  It was the 12 months of training and sacrifice.  Every meal was scrutinized. Every waking minute was spent efficiently.  Every mile was contemplated.  My whole life was focused on September 12, 2010.  I am glad it is over.

I am thankful for my family (wife, kids, and Mom) giving me the support to pursue a life goal.  I am thankful for all my training partners pushing me to my limits.  I am thankful for my Dad instilling in me a work ethic.  I am thankful for all the rabbits that offered emotional support.  Thank you to all that supported me in this endeavour.

The Chicago Marathon had many of us up to the windy city over the weekend.  Great performances by Wes, Burns, Hardybreed Dan & Birtch.  And the pacers… Perfect Timing yet again.  I found the heat to be a factor and it made for some serious cramping and tough races for a lot of the runners.  Especially during the second half.  We saw bank signs that showed temps in the upper 80s.  A decent time on 10-10-10 was especially impressive because of the heat.  Congrats to all that dug deep and finished.

Today is sort of an encore presentation at the track.  Lawyer has chosen today to break 17 in the 5,000.  It’s one of those milestones that puts you in a different category, a different league.  I know many of you (myself included) couldn’t jog a lap on the track today, but I promised him that I’d be there to time.  If you’re available and can swing by to cheer him on, he’d really appreciate it.  And obviously, if you’re up for a track workout you’ll be at the right place.

Congrats again everyone!  This is most likely our last track session of 2010.  We’ll be back to Tuesdays at 12:05 in the park on January 4th.  See ya then.

At first you would think, “Luck”  what the hell are you talking about?  I have been training for months, there’s no luck involved, it is all about the training.  Well in all honesty training will only get you so far.  In multisport there are just too many variables that could ruin a race.  This is where luck comes in…

I could eat the same pop tarts every morning for a year, but come race day, that pop tart mixed with nerves and a little coffee could cause you some trouble.  You just don’t know.  Every race is a crap shoot if you ask me.  You either have a good race or a bad one, there’s no in between.

So I will take all of the “Good lucks” you can bless me with.

And by the way you can track Me (my name will be David Friedman #7119 on Sunday), my sister Kim, Lunch with Eric and the whole Springfield crew online.

• David Friedman (Me)
• Kim Graves
• Eric Sommer
• Nicole Sommer
• David Egan
• David Drennan
• Alex Taft
• Mark Birtch
• Wes Wooden
• Jim Cinotto
• Matt Burns
• Bryan Glass
• Tracy Dowell
• Bill Owens

http://www.chicagomarathon.com/

Or get text messages sent

http://www.textinterface.com/pls/text/tf_bacm_dt

Good luck to everyone!

The lunch group is putting it’s finishing touches on their marathon training.  I spoke to Burns about it yesterday and we were noting how nice it is to be a marathon shape and how the perspective of distance changes with various training.  Hardybreed Dan is looking to just get into a marathon for the hell of it.  Noting that, “when else can you just ‘do’ a marathon” after racing an Ironman.  It’s a great feeling.

The guys have continued to push the track workouts and today is no exception.  The plan is to run a workout that David has on his schedule.  Something about 1200s.  Show up and find out.  …And I know I’ve said this for 10 weeks straight… but it’s gonna be a scorcher out there at Noon.

All my eggs in one basket.

That’s how to sum up Ironman Wisconsin.  Training for an ironman was one thing I had no experience at.  A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run, all put together in one event.  I remember watching the Ironman World Championship on TV 4-5 years ago when I just got into triathlon.  I thought to myself, there was no way I could ever do such that distance.  I mean think about it???  2.4 miles in open water, that’s like… 85 laps at Eisenhower (4224 yds) plus you have to throw in 2550 of your closest friends in a mass start event.  Just crazy stuff!

112 mile bike really didn’t’ scare me.  I came from a cycling background. But doing it in a TT position for 112, that’s another story.  And of course following it all up with a marathon.  I have completed 2 of those in my life and the pain I felt after those, I was pretty sure I couldn’t start or even complete one after the two previous events.

So I was headed into the unknown, with a years worth of training for a 1 day event.  Now that takes guts!  But I wasn’t going to do it alone.

Jason Beeler, Eric Sommer, Dan Dungan, Steven Graves, Joe House and Travis Schroll all dedicating and sacrificing their  lives, family and friends to become an Ironman.  But of the IMWI gang,  Jason, Eric and I were consider to be Ironman virgins, and would rely on the experience of everyone else.

My plan of attack went something like this:  Put in a ton of bike miles. Do a long run every weekend. Put in as much time as possible with the masters swim.  Sounds like a good training plan right?  Well I think it was a good base if anything.  But signing on with a coach really helped me focus in the 2 months preceding.  Eric Bean, professional triathlete took it upon himself to get Eric and I to the finish line.  Getting a plan on paper and worked with our life style and workout schedule was the key.  Most of the focus was on intensity.  There were several key workouts that we would have never done on our own.  Hell, my longest run was 16 miles, but everything was quality.  He built our confidence and that was all we needed.  I definitely advise you to work with a coach, such as Eric Bean of FFT (Fast Forward Triathlon).

We headed up to Madison Wisconsin Thursday morning before the race.  That would give us 3 full days to prepare for the race.  These were the quickest three days of my life.  I don’t think we ever really had any spare time.  Thursday we did packet pick up, and went to the Ironman Store.  I would advise doing this and buying any merchandise the first day.  All the good stuff and sizes sell out quickly.  And after spending $125 buck on Ironman Wisconsin gear, you start to think… What will do with this stuff if I don’t finish?

Thursday night the entire gang met up for dinner and enjoyed a few beers, Madison is such a cool place to hang out. Friday was going to be my last workout before the race.  We all met up for a swim at the Monona Terrace.  The water was choppy to say the least.  But we got in the water and swam a good 800-1000 yards.  After swimming, I felt dizzy and nauseous.  At this point I started to pray for glass on sunday morning, because I wasn’t sure if I could have swam 2.4 in those conditions.

Later that afternoon we loaded up our bikes in the van and headed out to a couple of the toughest climbs on the course.  We rode easy and got a good feel for the hills. That evening was the athlete pasta dinner and talk.  People  had traveled from over 20 countries, and all 50 states just for this race.  There were even 6 people there that had NEVER, I repeat, NEVER done a triathlon of any distance… talk about crazy!

Saturday was the day, we dropped off our bike and transition bags.  This was a huge weight off my shoulder.  Now I had nothing to do but go back to the hotel and panic.

Like any big race, I don’t think I slept a wink.  4am, shower, coffee, food.  Jason and I met Eric down in the lobby at 5am and we walked a few short block and dropped off our 2 special needs bags and then headed to transition to prep our bikes.

We had a lot of time that morning, or so it seamed.  I waited in line twice for the bathroom.  Then I suited up and we headed down the helix to the swim start.  At this point I really thought I was going to throw up.  I had never been this nervous before in my life.  We shuffled our way into the water with 2550 people (150 or so would not finish).

I positioned myself in the middle just between the buoys and the ski ramp.  The clock ticked down, three…two…one…. the canon went off.

It took a few seconds before I really started to move.  I was swimming, if you could call it that in a vertical position, with my head above the water.  Arms and feet everywhere!  I eventually was able to get my head in, and start to stroke.  It took a good 500 yards before I felt somewhat comfortable in the water.  With each turn of the rectangular course people converge on the inside buoy, and chaos was had.  I complete the first lap in 36 minutes, that sounded pretty good and keeping that up would put me at a good exit time.  The second lap went well, but there was still a few hundred yards back to shore.  I exited in 1:14:46

I was glad to be back on land.  I had my wetsuit stripped, and headed up the helix to transition.  My T1 was a little long, not sure where the time went but it took me 9:45.

Finally the bike.  This was what I was all about. But I donated first 90 minutes to JRA, just riding along.  Doing this was tough, but enjoyable.  I was hovering at 18mph or so, never really getting into my drops.  I sat up and watched everyone pass me.  It was like they were in a hurry.  Was this a race or something.   After 90 minutes, I got in my drops and put my Powertap to work.  175-200 watts was the plan for the day.  With all the hills, I knew that would equate going under 20mph.  But that was ok with me, I checked my cyclist ego bake at T1.

The course was a lolly pop.  16 miles out, 2 x 40 mile loop, then 16 miles back in.  I kept the total time up on my computer.  I wanted to consume the right amount of calories per hour, and stay hydrated, but error on the side of taking in less.  At the halfway point I stopped for my special needs bag.  A Red Bull and a Snickers bar.  I figured I trained with it I might as well race with it.  The second loop went pretty smooth, but the miles were not ticking away as quick as the first.  The last 16 mile we had a slight tail wind, and it was more than welcomed at that point.  My legs started to twitch here and there, and I am sure that it was due to the hills.  Once I spotted the Monona Terrace I really felt the race start.  I did it, I made it through the first 2 legs.  My time was 6:07:25 an 18.3mph average.  Not spectacular, that’s for sure, but I would have the next 26.2 miles to make up for my slow bike split.

Sitting down in transition, putting my shoes on, my hip flexors started to cramp.  This was not the point to start cramping.  Once I stood up and started moving my legs came back and I started feeling good.  I exited the transition with a big smile on my face, this is what the race was all about.  All those hours, for one solid marathon.

My run started off a little fast so I quickly pulled back and settled in at a 9 minute pace.  I promised myself I would keep it easy for the first 10k.  Mile after mile, I kept thinking to

myself, I feel way too good.  At some point the suffering is going to start, but until then I was going to enjoy the race.  I walked through every aid station at every mile  taking in a cup of Powerbar Perform, water, and cola.  Closing in on the first lap, I had not seen anyone I knew, but heading around the Capitol to the turn around, I spotted my wife Julie, sister Kim a Chad.  She yelled “you’re doing great!”  I was starting to feel real emotional at that point, but it was also a great pick me up.  But that only lasted so long as I left the Capitol for another 13.1 miles.

My legs were still moving quite good and I was just waiting for that unpleasant moment.  By mile 18 my legs were getting tired and I started getting some twitching again.  I just kept hitting the aid stations and taking in what my body could handle.  At this point, your start seeing a lot of people walking.  I even saw two guys talking about how fast they went on the bike, but were walking now.  I just smiled and laughed, the Endurance Nation guys were right.

My pace was still steady, but I was no longer smiling.  For the next 10k I would be suffering, fighting off the twitches, but never walking more than the water stops.  But with one last hill, I knew I had to walk it, to prevent my legs from cramping.  But once I made it to the top, I continued to run.  My pace was slowing, and all I could think about was trying to preserve a 4 hour marathon.  I came onto State St. one last time, people were yelling and cheering, I was on a high.  I started running around the Capitol and couldn’t believe I had made it.  Amazing!  I ran strong down the shoot with my arm up the whole way.  I could hear my name…. Dan Billingsley from Springfield, IL, a first time finisher… You are an Ironman!!!!!!!!

I completed the marathon in 4:11 flat.  That’s just 7 minutes off my first ever marathon time. I was so happy with that, and even more happy with my total time of 11:48:39.  504th place out of 2550.  That’s the top 20%

I had two volunteers grab me at the finish, they helped escort me out of the finish area, making sure I was alive.  I met my wife with a hug, and shuffled over to sit down.  My body temp started to drop and covered up with a solar blanket.  People were talking to me, but I couldn’t think.  My wife went to get my morning clothes bag, so I could get out of my wet clothes.  And I guess at this point I was starting to turn blue.  Travis and my wife helped me get out of my kit and into my clothes, and immediately started to warm back up.  They also went and got a volunteer and brought me to the Med Tent.  I entered and sat down.  The got me a cup of warm chicken broth.  I sipped it down slowly, it really hit the spot.  Next thing I know I hear my name, “Hey Dan”, I turned to my left, and Eric was sitting a chair away from me.  I think he said something like, “Never Again!”.  What the hell were we thinking…  At least now I didn’t feel so bad being in there, knowing Eric was there.

We both started feeling better, and we both exited the tent.  I made it about halfway across the street, and got light-headed.  Next think I knew I was throwing up on the curb.  There went the chicken broth and banana I just ate. So back to Med Tent, for a little while.  I just sat there, until my buddy Chad went to get our car.  He took both me and Eric and Julie back to the hotel.

It was like a terrible hangover, and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. But I managed to come around and make it into the shower. My wife went down to the bar to get a cheeseburger and fries for me.  I ate what I could and fell asleep.

My wife was awesome the whole weekend, she took care of me like a sick child.  She drove us all the way home from Madison and even got pizza and beer for dinner that night.  And I pledged never again! At least not for a couple of years

We topped off the recovery week with a little get together to celebrate that included beer and cake.  Be sure to check out all of HardyBreed’s Ironman Wisconsin photos on flickr.

This past 2 weeks have been pretty awkward for me.  Normally I’m focused on specific aspects of my training.  Trying to get the most out of every session.   Working on killing myself to make myself stronger.  But these past 2 weeks I’ve had to put on the brakes and slow down my training.  It’s called tapering but I’m not that good at it.  So I’ve sort of been lost physically and mentally.  Tapering seems to be mentally challenging as you feel like your losing fitness and getting fat.  Instead of not having downtime you suddenly have all this time on your hands with nothing to do but agonize.

Prior to 2 weeks I felt ready for Ironman Wisconsin.  Now the demons of self-doubt have begun to speak.  It’s been a long year leading up to Sunday.  surprisingly these past 2 weeks have been the worst.

However, no matter what happens on Sunday won’t replace the fabulous journey it took to get to this point.  As crazy as it sounds I wouldn’t trade all the highs and lows for anything.  I still vividly remember sitting on the computer at work in 2009 with the IMWI website pulled up and frantically typing my information into the system to get ready to register.  Knowing that registration could be full just minutes after open registration began.  Danoh and Lunch with Eric were on the phone with me and all 3 of us were nervous as hell.  I remember the 3 second pause before I clicked “accept” thinking this button will change my life.  Once getting accepted I got goosebumps, became flush, and felt light-headed.  It was a stressful 10 minutes.

I wouldn’t trade in the cold nightly runs in the winter.  The cold fall rides.  The endless alcohol-induced conversations with all the rabbits talking about what would, could, and should happen over the next 12 months.  The hot, humid 100 mile rides in the summer.  The 05:00 morning swims.  The blisters on my feet.  The missed happy hours and partys because I had to train.  Finishing and starting training in the dark.  The pain of walking up and down stairs.  Leaving the house once the kids were in bed.  Squeezing out training during family functions and vacations.  What I won’t miss is the sad look in my kids eyes when I didn’t have time to play with them because I was training.

Anyway, it is September 11, 2010 and the 2010 Ford Ironman Wisconsin is tomorrow.  It’s time to turn off the auto pause.  It’s just me and the demons………..

I invite you join HardyBreed on Sunday at IronmanLive.com.  Just plug in our names or bib numbers to find out how we are doing on the course.

• Dan Billingsley -  1057
• Jason Beeler – 978
• Eric Sommer – 1029
• Dan Dungan – 2043
• Steven Graves – 1043
• Travis Schroll – 808
• Joseph House – 812

I also want to thank everyone in advance, especially my family for supporting me in all my training this year.

Today, we’ve been asked to help pace Bean through one of his workouts in his Ironman prep for Kona.  He is running a workout called MCT1 which involves running LT for 2 minutes followed by tempo pace for 6 minutes then back to LT.  The workout continues without recovery for a certain amount of time (anywhere from 6-8 sets).  Dan and I did this workout a couple weeks ago (though obviously not quite as fast) and let me just say that it was incredibly tough.  So the thought is that perhaps we can integrate an interval workout out of his continuous run (i.e. just running the miles with a 2 min recovery).

It is amazing how quickly one year has passed since I registered for Ironman Wisconsin. Now the hours are trickling away and there is nothing else to do but wait for the gun to go off.

I am very nervous even though I know I am ready.  I have had a year of stellar training, and working with Eric Bean on a late season training plan has really reassured my readiness.

This week I will be preparing list of everything I might need, and packing into bags.  Reassuring myself with my equipment.  New chain, cleats, tires, deciding on shoes, clothes….  Ok I am freaking out…

The bottom line is to get to the race and execute my race plan of finishing.  It will be great to know that I have a ton of rabbits out there checking in on me and the rest of the HardyBreed Crew.

So I invite you join HardyBreed on Sunday at IronmanLive.com. Just plug in our name or bib number to find out how we are doing on the course.

• Dan Billingsley -  1057
• Jason Beeler – 978
• Eric Sommer – 1029
• Dan Dungan – 2043
• Steven Graves – 1043
• Travis Schroll – 808
• Joseph House – 812

I also want to thank everyone in advance, especially my family for supporting me in all my training this year.

My weekend was full of continuing education.  I took Saturday off so decided to go for a long run on Sunday.  It was hotter than I anticipated.  By mile 7 my socks were wet.  This was a recipe for disaster.  I knew as soon as I took off my socks it would not be pretty.  I just can’t get this humidity, sweating, and long run thing down.  Either my nipples are rubbed raw or my socks are bloody.  The worst part is when the opposite occurs; my nipples are bloody and my toes are rubbed raw.  Shirtless seems to be the way to go.

Anyway, I got in a 19 mile run that ended at a friend’s house who was having a pool party.  My sweaty entrance to the party didn’t really matter once I hit the ice cold water.  It felt so good.

The plan today is take this trend even further and run: 2 miles, 1 mile, 1 mile, & 1 mile.  The longest we’ve run on the track.  Ever.

I woke up at 04:45 to fuel up for today’s ride.  My plan was to leave the house by 05:15 but it was still pretty dark so I waited until 05:30.  It was still dusky until 05:45 or 06:00.  That was not my biggest concern though.  It had rained the night before and the roads were still wet.  This created puddles all over the roads  so I had swerve around puddles in the dark.  It was pretty sketchy for awhile.  The standing water and previous rain created another problem, high humidity.  It was very humid the entire ride.  By mile 50 my fingers were wrinkly from being so wet.  I tried to stay hydrated and took plenty of Endurolytes.

The worst part of the ride was the rocks on the road.  It was ridiculous.  Pretty much from Salisbury to Petersburg were small, little rocks.  Some big, some small, some just a light dusting, and some caked the roads.  Trying to avoid going down or getting a flat kept me pissed off for the first 2 hours of the ride.  It was so bad that I had to almost come to a complete stop at the base of the “Oh My God Hill”.  Fortunately I didn’t have to walk up it.

Leaving Petersburg on Newmansville Rd was a pleasant change.  Although I had a headwind the smooth, straight road was a pleasant reprieve.  Instead of refueling in Chandlerville I opted to take it in the jimmy and ride the hills to Virginia before stopping.  The “Fast Stop” was a welcome relief.  I livened up with a Redbull and Powerbar.

I was a little sketchy on directions from Virginia so I took 78 toward Jacksonville.  Just as I was lulling myself to sleep from the monotony of the super smooth road I ran into homeboys Travis and Clarence.  They were headed into Virginia from the opposite direction.  Travis gave me directions to Springfield.  Chatting with the rabbits invigorated my ride and I felt refreshed with a tailwind heading toward Prentice.  Unfortunately, construction on the Prentice blacktop and not knowing the roads forced me to have to walk in the mud for about a 1/8 mile.  I had no choice.  Using a smashed Natural Light can I found on the side of the road allowed me to scrape the mud from my cleats and mount the bike again.  This ride was turning epic. 

Once heading south from Prentice was uneventful.  However, just when I thougth I would be able to rocket home with a tailwind on Old Jack I was greeted with more bleepin’ rocks.  This lasted for about 5 miles until Berlin.  From Berlin I rode tempo home.  Getting off the bike with 102 miles never felt so good.  With the rocks and crummy asphalt my choce wouldn’t feel the same for hours.

After about a 20 minute transition I headed out for a run.  At first I thought I would do about 4 miles but by mile 2 I was still feeling pretty good.  So I ran a 7 mile loop.  I must have rehydrated well after the bike because I felt really good on the run.  I probably could have run farther but I wanted to save my legs for a long run on Sunday.

I felt crappy on Sunday so I waited until the evening to go on a long run.  Fortunately by the evening the temperature had dropped and the breeze felt cool.  I did my usual loop with a Washington Park loop thrown in to total 18 miles.  I went though 2 water bottles and 2 potty breaks.  The last 30 minutes were pretty draining and I am still paying for the weekend on Tuesday.

A pretty good workout for the weekend.  Hopefully it will pay off in September.  I am still quite nervous.

Today’s workout is still yet to be determined.  I know several guys raced over the weekend and a couple others did a superbrick which finished with a 17 mile tempo run (could you hear us crying?).  Some guys are definitely out for today’s workout, so we’ll figure out a game plan based on who shows up.

Nice job to those that raced Abe’s.

John, Dan and I jumped the fence and the three of us walked all the way back to my house.  Brutal.

I am on a recovery day today (and home with children), so I will not be there today.  Two years ago on this day, we ran paced miles in preparation for Abe’s Amble.  I would suggest something similar at a little faster than your 10K race pace.

Today is going to be a little different.  Bill is heading to the boulevard in Washington Park to run 400 meter intervals in the grass.  We usually do this workout at least once during the Summer months.  He’ll be there at 12:05 MacArthur Boulevard.

I am staying at the track to run something a little longer (and slower).  I will most likely do a mile, 2miles, mile with an 800 meter recovery between each.  It will all be at tempo pace (6-6:10).  It’s a little longer, but as we get closer to marathon season (and Ironman) it needs to be.  See you out there, and bring some water if you can.

The weekend started off early Friday morning meeting up a Starbucks.  Jason, Eric, John, Patty, Travis and I caravan-ed up to the race.  Packet pick up opened at noon and somewhere on the way, we realized that the race took place in the Eastern Time Zone and would not be early.  Lines had already formed by the time we made it there, so we had to stand and wait…  Immediately after we drove down to the race site to check our bikes in.

Holy Cow!  The transition area was huge.  It must have been over a 1/4 mile long.  My spot was probably a 1/3 of the way in.  I racked my bike and we headed out for dinner and good nights sleep.

4 am  came way too early.  We left the hotel by 5 so we could make it to transition to get set up.  A couple of steps into the parking lot and I felt some rain drops.  Immediately I checked the radar on my phone.  The green was coming, but we still had 3 and half hours til race time.  By the time we made it to the race parking lot and loaded the shuttle, it was pouring out.  I was thankful that I brought an umbrella.

The transition was a mess.  I put my cycling shoes in a grocery bag and tied it shut.  Then I put my running stuff in another bag, praying it would all stay dry.  My hope was for the rain to stop by the bike.

Once transition was set up we stood around and waited in line at the porta potties several times.  The transition area closed at 6:45, so you could not get back in.  My swim time was 8:28, and the swim start was a good 30 minute walk down the beach.  With 45-50 minutes to go we started the walk to the swim start.  When we got there, we checked out swim bags and realized that our group was already stage.  Jason and ran up to the start.  This meant no swim warm up. And we both had to pee, but we couldn’t get in the water.  I stood calmly in my wet suit and waited for a stream to reach my ankle.  With a minute to spare I had a peace of mind.  (BTW, Eric claims there are two types of people…  Those that pee in their wet suit, and those that lie about it.)

The swim was a 1.2 miles down the beach, about 100 yards off shore.  This was one of the easiest swims I have done.  The group had plenty of room, so there was no kicking and clobbering.  The swim seem longed.  Buoy after buoy, I kept waiting for the end.   Eventually  I turned and headed towards the beach. I swam until my knuckles dragged on the bottom then popped up and tried to run up the beach to the transition. Eric was just ahead of me coming out of the water, but he started in the wave 7 minutes behind me.   I was pleased with my time of 33:29.

The rain had stopped and it looked like it would be a good bike.  Once again I ran out just behind Eric. It took a couple of miles but I caught back up with him and didn’t see him again until mile 40 or so.  It was a good pick me up to finish the course with him.   I entered the transition in 2:27:17 averaging 22.8mph, feeling pretty good about starting the run.

Again I exited the transition with a Red Bull in hand with Eric just behind me.  About mile 2 Eric came running by me (He had stopped behind a porta potty.)  I had the worse stomach cramp in the world.  The more I ran the worse it go.  I tried to take the pain as long as possible, but I had to stop.  I jumped in the brush and tried to pee, thinking that might help. I was reduced to a slow jog.  Eventually it went away and I was able to start running again.

I went through a water stop and took some Gatorade and some Endurolytes.   I think the liquid actually made my stomach worse. So I tried to avoid taking anything in.  This was tough, it was getting hot, and I was getting thirsty.  I knew I couldn’t make it though if I didn’t take anything in.  I battled back and forth, watching my dream of sub 5 going down the drain.  Mile 10 came and I had calculated in my head I could still make it.  11, 12, one mile to go and I was reduced to a walk again.  My stomach was killing me.  I had given up.

I made it all the way to the crowds and did my best to compose myself and run strong the last 1/4 mile.  At that point all I could think about was taking in some fluids at the finish.

I was disappointed in myself, and didn’t know what my time was.  (I had the “auto pause” on, on my garmin, it will get you every time!)

It wasn’t til some time later that Patty was on the phone with Bagot, he was checking out times online.  4:59:23!  My mood immediately changed!  It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but it was the best I could have done with the circumstances.   So with all the walking I did, I was able to keep an average of 8:36 miles.

I think everyone had a really good day, at least until the Travis Shroll incident. (still alive and well!)

The rest of the night was spent eating and drinking with friends and celebrating our little victories.

Search all the 2010 Steelhead 2010 results