I Have Had Iron(s). Now, I Have Silver, Too

Silverman is coming to town

I started writing the Silverman-Iron race 2008 report with the best intentions of finishing it. That was, until I read a report by one of my fellow competitors from Reno, Nevada, and thought to myself - this says it all. Therefore, after you scroll down this collage of pictures click on the link below and find out what Silverman 2008 was all about.

All I want to say in this report is that this year’s Silverman Iron race has been all they say it would be, could be, and more. I wanted to thank my biggest fan, Kasia, for cheering me on in Henderson and at every other race – good or bad, rain or shine, warm or cold. It seems as though, lately, it had been all rain and cold, and hail, all the time. Secondly, thanks to Jen Pizzy, my strength coach whose training regiment prepared me very well for climbing the thousands of feet of elevation (12,000 ft on the bike and 2,000 ft on the run), and thirdly, thanks to all who kept me in their thoughts on the race day. There was no TOM left behind!

Behind me Lake Mead. On the race day it was stormy

My inspirations. Kasia and Dave "The Man" Scott, six-time Ironman World Champion (a great guy)

These athletes behind me (1/2 Iron) would not be allowed in the water for an additional 1 hour because of stormy water conditions

A warm-up. 1-mile climb straight from T1

Shortly before my first flat tire

I really like this pick

The looks are deceiving. I really enjoyed the run. I think, it may be the second loop

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2086423;page=1;mh=-1;;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC

Check out this Silverman-Iron Trailer http://www.silvermannv.com/press_room/silverman-trailer.php

Lessons Learned:

1. Having one spare tire for two flats will not solve the problem

2. Good weather on a Saturday and Monday will not guarantee even a semi-descent weather on the race day Sunday

3. Having a great race despite all adversities - priceless

4. It took no time to decide to register for Silverman-Iron 2009 ;o)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

I hope the upcoming holidays will fill your life with joy and the 2009 racing season will be full of success stories.

VERMONT HALF JOURNEY 70.3 - GOING LONG

Vermont Half Journey 2008. There couldn’t have been a better day for a triathlon than this day. The weather was nice even prior to race time. I set up my stuff at transition in a relaxed fashion since I was there early. (A benefit of camping at the state park where the triathlon was located.) I looked around once in a while for TOMahawk since he said he was going to make a showing but no sight of him nearing the start of the swim. I took a short warm up swim before the race mostly to get used to the water. It wasn’t bad but a bit shallow. While I was getting out of the water they started making announcements so I hurried to the area. While there I got a greeting from TOMahawk. We talked a bit during the announcements and then headed to the swim start area. I got to the start area pretty relaxed and ready for a long day of exercising.

When my wave got started I entered and started swimming and it felt a bit crowded even though it wasn’t. I remember feeling a bit anxious after going a hundred or two hundred yards. I started thinking I better relax and slow down a bit so I’d be calmer. I slowed down a bit and relaxed and after that I was pretty relaxed and was able to keep a pretty good pace. The only problem after that was about a quarter of the way through the first loop of the swim I felt water coming into the right eye of my goggle like at the Stoked Xterrea race. There wasn’t a lot of water in the goggle but enough that I thought I probably lost a contact again and was wondering if I should try and bike the course with one contact or take the one out and bike with glasses. The one contact was winning the debate while swimming. A 39:29 swim which wasn’t terrible if you compare it to times I had for other swims this year but not bad, but not great, compared to the other competitors.

So, in transition and while coming out of the water I’m looking in my goggle to see if it still might be around. No luck at all, except I roll around my eye all over the place and to my luck it is still in. I strip out of the wet suit, put on socks and bike shoes, getting food for the bike while trying to eat a banana. Not really pushing it with this being my first ½. A bit of a long transition but I’m off. The bike was pretty nice overall.

The course is on Route 7 for 90% of the race and the road has break down lanes so you don’t have to worry about traffic. It also has some nice views of farms and mountains and such. I do remember there being a pretty good head wind going south on 7. This was a benefit on the way north though but was still trying when facing it. My bike wasn’t bad although I stopped twice to use the woods and once to refill on water at the aid stations. I’m guessing this slowed me down a bit and will need some work next year. Final time on bike 3:13:27.

This event was my worst event which is typically the case when I do triathlons. In transition two I had a Cliffbar and water along with 2 Endurolytes. (I’m not sure if this is a great combination but that is what I had.) Got my running shoes on and as I was thinking on part of the bike. It is going to be just a run. I’ll take it easy and do it. I’ve done plenty of long runs before. So, I started running and at a steady pace with some guy ahead of me doing a better pace which was disheartening. I kept running my pace and caught up to some people. Again the course had some great views. This time of the lake and area around it. After a while I started getting tired a bit but kept thinking to myself that I wanted to run the whole course and to just keep that slow steady pace for the whole run. Nearing the end I picked up the pace a bit just so I could stay ahead of anyone behind me. In the process I almost caught up with the guy in front of me. I actually slowed back to my normal pace near the finish since he was going to go through with his (or someone’s) kids. Run time was 2:07:52 which placed me 66th of the 149 finishers in the run. 95th place overall.

Lessons learned:

1st, and probably most important. You can never put on to much sunscreen before a race. Not wearing tank tops during the summer except at races I got a pretty good sunburn because I didn’t apply enough. With a father who has battled skin cancer I don’t want to go through the same process.

2nd, I need to train more and look at ways to reduce my bike times.

3rd It is great to be on a team like IRONTOM where you have teammates for support (along with family and friends of course.)

TIMBERMAN 70.3 REPORT WITH A LATIN FLAVOR

Vēnī, vīdī, frigus
(I came, I saw, I froze!)

Training...
In 2006, some may remember, blustery cold, wet conditions. I registered as a Clydesdale (which of course is demoralizing unto itself in a way...) and was promptly at the transition area at 4:30am. My wave began, after delays, at close to 9:15am. I sat shivering most of the morning using up most of the energy I would desperately need later in the day to stay warm. After 3:40 on the bike, I was asked on the turn to the run by a medic how I was feeling (I could only imagine how bad I looked), and I answered: “cold.” He said, “wrong answer chap” and pulled me from the race into the medic tent.

Lessons learned…
1. Clydesdales swim in the back – lose some weight!
2. Get off the bike in less than 3:40!

Vēnī, vīdī, ieiunium
(I came, I saw, I was fast!... well, sort of, read on…)

Fast forward to 2008. Having recently moved back from Colorado, where despite popular belief, it is usually sunny and warmish year round, I wasn’t sure that my training was where it needed to be. I relied on spinning and the elliptical (and Tom & Cheryl for motivation) for most of my winter training. Come spring I was able to get outside much more – which I think helped my bike speed.

Swim: As noted in previous race report, there were two parachuters that landed on the beach at the start of the race. I hardly noticed as I was focused on the fact the buoyies were clearly mis-measured and that we would be doing a 10k swim that day. I tried to focus on breathing knowing that they must have gotten it right, all the while knowing that they didn’t and I was about the swim the English channel. Like others, this is the part where I start making deals with the almighty… “just let me get through the swim & out of the water in one piece and I promise to never miss a masters swim or not show up for one of those open water Mascoma swims for the rest of my life.” Before I knew it we were off and the swim went as good as one who doesn’t swim nearly as much as he should could expect. I was out of the water in about 45 minutes.

There is someone behind me

Bike: Here’s the brass tax… I’d ridden the course several times this summer. I know 106 like the back of my hand (and if I am going to attain my double secret goal of under 5:30, it’s going to happen here on the bike). I got off on the bike well after nearly a decade in the transition, something I can improve on greatly. It was a beautiful day and I remember to thank the heavens for a safe swim. I was feeling fast and strong and was at the turn before I knew it. Off the bike in 2:45, fastest I had done all summer.

Riding strong

Run: Here’s where the title of this little section is a bit misleading. When I say that I was fast, I mean to say that I was fast for me and only on the bike. I ran (for all you purist… walked quickly, shuffled, begged, pleaded, moaned, groaned, and completed almost broke down) the run in a slow… slow… manner. 2:28! Wow, that hurts even to write!!!

That is the running part

There was, however, and unforgettable moment during the long stroll that I took. At around mile 4 I heard a shout from someone coming in the other direction, “GO TEAM HOYT.” I picked my head up long enough to see them go right past me. I was literally moved to tears at the sight of such dedication and love. I get goose bumps now as I think about seeing, what in my mind, is one of the greatest hero’s of our generation. I won’t belabor the point, but I will say that even though the run was tragically slow, it was one of my most cherished triathlon moments, albeit fleeting, to be running on the same course as team Hoyt.

Vēnī, vīdī, incite
(I came, I saw, I am inspired…)

The post race mood was light and although the body was mucho sore, we imbibed by the fire into the wee hours. Having circled up the campers and eaten far too many hot wings it was clear to me that I must focus more on my running – but more clear to me that there is no other sport that allows me to embrace my natural self more so than triathlon… I look forward to many more races, miles, and smiles in the future (and of course, to going under 1:45 on the run next year at Timberman!).

Incite, indeed

TOMBERMAN 70.3 AND SO MANY NEW LESSONS LEARNED

First I would like to Thank Leslie for joining and supporting me once again at Timberman .

Swim - We had to leave transition at 6:30am for a “special surprise” before the race start. Aaron and I watched as a skydiver floated down towards the beach. For a second we thought it was Tomasz coming in to spectate but it turned out to be a local skydiver.

I was not very happy with the Swim. At the gun I started to stroke and my arms felt like lead. I was also having trouble breathing. I should have done a warmup like usual but was stuck in the port a john line for a ½ hr before my wave started.

After the 1st turn I started to feel normal but still was way off from the buoys. I know I swam extra yardage in this race.

I got out in 41:55

Bike- The bike was the best part of my day. I managed to stay in the aero position for 90% of the race. I saw Aaron had a flat and I asked if he was allset and he said he was. What is up with Team Irontom and flats? Probably just jinked myself. I finished the bike split in 2:58 avg 18.8 mph so I was happy with that result.

Run - the run is the run. I liked the guys throwing snow balls to the racers and the cheering crowds. There was a lot of race support this year. I enjoyed the salt and vinegar Pringles, coke and wet sponges the most. My run split was 2:04.

I finished the race in 5:50 which was 7 minutes faster than my 2006 Timberman. I was happy with the result.

Happy, and could go for another 13 miles

Notes and observations this year:

My 2007 knee injury has healed in 2008 with no lose of training time. Thank you Dr. Karlson.

Not enough port a johns.

Although the food was excellent post race I waited way too long in line.

Aaron is fast.

What a professionally looking athlete

The debate rages on in my head which course is harder - Moosman or Timberman. I am leaning toward Mooseman.

Congratulations to Carla for completing her first 70.3!!!

We need to get Joe a GPS.

Deep concentration

I need to do more Brick workouts to help me on the Run.

I will probably do some road races this fall.

It was great seeing the Team at Timberman this year. It makes it a lot more fun racing with teammates.

Ahhhhh - of course, it does

Still looking at an Ironman attempt in 2009, not sure which one.

SORT 2008 XTERRA - OR SHOULD I SAY, COLD, MUD, AND SUN?

Stoaked Off Road Triathlon (SORT) 2008 - I got to the venue real early and had plenty of time to set my stuff up but man was it cold for this time of year.

My idea of just wearing a sweatshirt over my tri suit was probably not the best. It was foggy and continued to be foggy up until start time. I’m glad I brought my wetsuit because I needed it. For some reason the swim seemed crowded this year even though there weren’t that many more people compared to past years. I had a pretty good swim, at least how I placed compared to last year. While on the swim I managed to lose a contact. I was hoping it may have rolled back above the eye lid and work its way back down but no such luck. I came out of the water in just over 21 minutes which placed me around 57th of 110 to start. (Other than overall placing I’m not positive if I counted down the list correctly which is how I figured my places.)

Transition went fairly smoothly and the bike was a blast considering I had one contact, the course was muddy as can be with plenty of walking/running especially on the single track. The open areas where very rideible but also very muddy. It was a double loop bike course and just to through in some fun my bike’s chain decided to cease up while cracking hard on uphills which I’m pretty good at. So I ended up having to walk my bike for a decent amount more than I needed slowing me down a bit. I ended up 85th of the 102 to finish. By the run the sun was finally fully out and it was really nice. I like the course. It has some pretty steep hills going on some trails, one of which going through a big field. Two loops which helped me make up some of my slow showing on the bike. On the run I placed 63rd giving me a 77th place finish. I keep improving each year in how I place compared to the competition. Overall I was happy with my results considering the conditions.

WILL TAKE ANYTHING WITH 11 HOURS IN IT

First of all I have to thank my wife Alex for all of the support she gave me during my 7 long months of training, and being there during the all day rain with my two 17 year-old daughters Lauren & Morgan, and our 6 year old son James.

Race Morning:

3:20 am

1 large cup of very strong French roast coffee (I drank decaf all week, what a waste)

1 800+ cal. Carbs/Protein shake:

16 oz Orange/Pineapple/Banana juice
1 cup French Vanilla yogurt
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 scoops of Whey protein powder

I woke up ten minutes before my alarm was set to go off, I felt really good so off to the coffee maker I went. Then I made my shake which I thought I would never get down, but after about 25 minutes it was all gone. I finished packing my special needs bags, and some other things I needed to add to my swim to bike and run to bike bags. At 4:30 am I woke up Alex so she could drop me off near the oval, the she went back to wake up the rest of the Kelly family by 6:00 am.

I walked right up to a volunteer for my body marking, waited outside the oval for about 10 minutes until they let us into the transition area. I walked right up to the port-o-john for my morning constitution, dropped off a few things in my bike/run bags, pumped up my wheels to 120 psi, and then walked to the other side of the lake to drop off my special needs bags.

Unlike my two previous Ironman races, this was my first were I thought I was going to puke from about the time I woke up due to wanting to finish this race with a time that had anything with 11 hours in it. My training had gone very well, but I wasn't happy with the program that I had been following. But I figured it was too late to switch to another program, so I had to stick it out.

My previous best time was at the Great Floridian in 2003 with a time of 12:06:55, Wisconsin in 2005 with a time of 12:28:50, but those courses were not even close to what I had in front of me in Lake Placid. But I finally able to sit down at the lake and just relax and do a little yoga to get some blood moving with about 40 minutes until the canon sounded.

My other concern was the weather/rain, the clouds were hanging low. I knew it was going to rain, I just didn't know when. As I was putting on my wetsuit it started to do the sprinkle thing. I love riding in the rain, just not the down hills.

It was about 6:50 am and I still didn't see anyone from the Kelly Klan. I just kept looking and what did I see.James on top of my wife's shoulders with his fresh new Mohawk and sign that he had made for me that said "gogogogogogogogogogogogo dad". So I ran over to give everyone a BIG hug and kiss. Of course as it always happens I start to get that frog thing in my throat. Then I look up and see my two daughters all red faced and crying. Now I'm really trying not to cry. So I give out all my hugs and back to the water I go. The water felt great and helped calm me down. I looked for a nice place to put myself and play the waiting game. I found a nice little place that seemed to be less crowded then other places, as the countdown continued the less crowded place was no more. I set my watch with only a minute to go.

Swim:

Started off with a great swim

7:00 am and BOOOOOMMM the canon sounds and off we go, surprisingly it only took about 5 minutes to find a line that I could follow without getting kicked or hit in one way or another. At one point it got too crowded and I stopped to look around and what do I see out my left eye? A hand with a nice big ring on it clocking me right on the forehead. I didn't really notice it until after Alex brought it to my attention at the finish that I had a nice big egg on my head. Anyway, I finished the first lap right on time, 31 minutes. I started the second lap with a nice clean line and that's when the clouds opened up with a nice (not so light) rain. At the end of the 2nd loop with a time of 1:04 (not bad for my longest swim workout being 3200 yards) and some change, then I was off to the strippers. I found a nice place to drop down on my back and before I knew it the wet suit was gone. I gave the volunteers a great big thank you and off I went into the line of athletes headed for the changing tent.

Goal time: 1:10 Official swim time: 1:04:52

Hi. It's Alex, Terry's wife. At this point the kids and I are standing in the POURING down rain waiting for our Ironman. Lauren had to run to our belongings to get them out of the rain and under a truck at the oval. Despite her record-breaking sprint, it was too late and our things (books, magazines, towels, food.) were soaked.

Now we see the athletes coming and who do we finally spot but Terry's girlfriend, professional triathlete, Desiree Ficker. I aim the camera and get a nice out of memory message when I hit the button. Great.

Finally we see Terry and the first thing I notice is a huge, red goose egg on his head. Not a good sign. The four of us are yelling, whooping and hollering and what does Terry do? He runs right by us without a glance.

The four of us set second land record as we sprint back to the oval to watch him transition. The four of us are waiting (Again. It happens a lot) and we see him running to his bike. We once again start yelling like fools and what does he do? Run past us without a glance (again). We yelled his number so loudly that the volunteer heard us and ran to get Terry's bike.

Terry leaves on the bike and we leave to the hotel. We changed and hung out until he completed the first loop. I love the Internet. But first we had to stop at the laundry mat and dry out our cloths and then off to the store to buy umbrellas and ponchos.

T1 - 8:04

Bike:

It rained all day

After leaving the tent into a nice down pour, I grabbed my bike from one of the many great volunteers. As you now know because my family has a large mouth that everyone can hear but me. After saying thank you I was off to the bike mounting area. After about a minute I knew something was wrong, a front flat....GREAT.... It was also at this time that I started to get cold with the sporadic shivering. It was all I could do to replace the tube. After a few minutes and a little help from a spectator w/ a pump (shhh, don't tell anyone) I was off and riding.

With the exception of being in my teens and early twenties (after the first time I put down my bike down in the rain) I have never been a huge fan of riding downhill in the rain. I think I would have welcomed a nice little rain; instead I was in a complete downpour. While others were flying down even the smallest hill I was playing it very safe by using my bakes way more that I am accustomed to in normal conditions. I welcome the chance to get up to 40 or 50 MPH. But not that day. I was the one on the right side going maybe 22-24 MPH. I figured better safe than sorry. As more carefree riders going 40+ mph went by I thought for sure one of them was going to bite it. But no one ever did (that I saw). It was then that things really started to get bad with it being so cold, I could hardly squeeze the brakes without the bike shaking back and forth. I was really worried a few times that even with me being so careful on the 7 mile decent into Keene that I was going to be that guy that laid it down or have to call it a day because of hypothermia. But after awhile, I would go from cold to comfortable. After going back and forth my body finally started to warm up, and more often than not I felt comfortable.

During my two other Ironman races I had always tried to pee while on the bike, with no avail. I think it was more of a problem for me that I was pissing on myself and what would it smell like 10 miles up the road with the temperature being 85+. But this time with the heavy rains I couldn't use that excuse anymore. So, I lifted my butt up off the seat and started working those muscles to let it all go.. Finally after about a minute I let it go.. I have to say it felt a bit nasty when it was running down my legs and finally settling in my shoes. But after a few seconds the rain just washed it all away. Because over the course of the 6+ hours on the bike I went number 1 at least 15 times, so I saved myself an additional 20 minutes getting off and on my bike.

The first lap went very well, 3:13 and I felt too good. All I could think about was being that guy that went out too hard on the first lap, and totally blew it on the 2nd. But as it turned out I started to get more comfortable on the down hills (not too much, but a bit) I felt strong, so I figured when I feel good go with it, when I feel bad hold back a bit. That seemed to work well, with about 4 miles or so to go my legs really started to feel tight/heavy. So when I got to Big/Little Cherries I was worried, but I was still passing other riders with little problem. Nice and steady. Mamma Bear, nice and steady. Baby Bear, nice and steady. Shit. Papa Bear, still passing but the legs were heavy. I thought for sure my run was not going to be the 4 hours I was hoping for. Once I got on Lake Placid Club Drive I started to stand and stretch it out. Then, I did the unexpected. 2nd lap, 3:10. I know it was only 3 minutes faster, but still.. I dismounted my bike and handed it to a very motivated volunteer and made my way through the mud and puddles to T2.

Goal time: 5:50 Official time: 6:23:52

Alex's turn: The kids and I return to the final hill next to the Olympic skating rink heading into the oval to wait for Terry. The Kelly kids are standing under their umbrellas as I hoof it into town to find an Internet café to check Terry's progress. Good, we hadn't missed him. I leave the café only to realize its lunch time. I went across the street and ordered a lot of pizza slices and bottled water. I ordered what was ready so I didn't have to wait.

I leave the pizza shop and only walked a few feet when I see our friend, Traci pushing her bike and wrapped in a thermal blanket. Not a good thing. I go to her and find out that she dropped out due to hypothermia. We talked a bit and I headed back to the kids. Now I'm worried because I know Terry has had issues with it in the past.

The kids and I are hanging out under the Olympic building overhang eating pizza and enjoying not being wet. But it's time to head out into the rain (even with umbrellas we were wet) to wait at the barriers. We end up beside an obnoxious guy that yelled go, go, go, hurry up to EVERY athlete. But it was worth it because we had a great spot to see and cheer for Terry. As Terry rounds the corner we start yelling and he zooms by us without yet another glance. We were so close we could have knocked him off the *&% bike!

We leave the race (again) to return to the hotel for another change of clothes, hot chocolate, and to watch TV. While watching TV the kids fall asleep. I want a nap so badly since I've been up since 4:30 but I'm afraid I won't wake up in time to head back to the oval. So I watched a Mindfreak marathon and kept checking Terry's status. Once he had about another hour left in the run I woke the gang up and back to the oval we headed. Again.

Run:

Team racing suits - perfect for running in the rain

Once I got into the changing tent and sat down I knew in my head that I was screwed!!! My legs felt so fried that I didn't even change into my new pair of sweet running Sugio Turbo Fit shorts. But it was finally nice to feel warm again. A volunteer was helping me get my stuff out of my gear bag. I think he was a bit excited because his hands were shaking more that my legs. I took off my bike shoes and put on my racing flats, my hat and Fuel Belt. I thanked the volunteer and I was on my way.

T2 time: 3:56 (Nice)

After leaving the tent I went out at an easy pace, because I was prepared to be reduced to walking in the not so distant future. The rain actually felt really good during the whole run, it was really refreshing. I wasn't hot or cold; I was pretty close to perfect. At the 1 mile make I realized I was feeling good, almost too good, I was still worried about the legs not holding out. I had a goal of running a 4 hour marathon; of course my personal in just a marathon was 3:59 in 2001. So, I kept a positive attitude. After the bike my stomach was so blotted from the Cliff bars I used on the bike that all I could really get down was water. So at every aid station I took a cup of water, walked until I finished it and off I went. At mile 5 I was feeling great, legs were great. Mile 10 things were still great, legs, feet and stride. My stomach finally started to feel good, so I started mixing the IM cocktail I had on my Fuel Belt with water. I would alternate water at one aid station an IM cocktail at the next. This worked great, at the special needs bags I only went with the gummy bears that I had packed. They tasted so good because of all the rain and lack of sun they were perfect, a real pick me up. (1st lap time 1:58) The whole time the spectators were great, really pushing me along, but it was nice to get out onto River Road with just the other athletes and just focus on my run. At the turn around heading back into town things were still going very well. Unlike the bike where I could let all go without stopping (peeing), I had lost count at 15 pee breaks, but they were a nice break. I made it back into town and had to speed walk that final hill on Main Street, and I was still going faster than guys who were running. Looking at my watch I knew I was going to be able to make it in before 12 hours. So, after that last hill I picked up my stride going onto Lake Placid Club Drive. I felt great the cheering of the spectators was really motivating; I kept looking down at every guys calves hoping to see the # 40 to 44. Every time I passed one I was on the hunt for the next, I passed my last 42 year old entering the oval and I was off to the races. I crossed the line (2nd lap time 2:12) with my name being announced and no one else in the picture with me. I am now a 3x Ironman..

Goal time: 4:00 Official run time: 4:11:02

Alex's point of view:

We arrive back at the oval and it is still raining. We finally get the middle of the oval and find a nice spot at the top of the bleachers. We have a perfect view of the athlete's final stretch and we're beside the finish line. The rain made the bleachers slippery and people kept falling down them, including our James. Luckily, I have the reflexes of a cat and caught him before he hit bottom. What does every kid have to do when the time/location isn't right? Go to the bathroom. Morgan took James to the bathroom and Lauren and I waited for Terry. We're hanging out and checking out the runners and basically just enjoying ourselves. Is that him? No, too short. Is that Terry? When what do we hear..the announcer saying Red Lion. What!? Lauren and I whip around just in time to see Terry crossing the finish line. I guess one of the guys we thought wasn't Terry actually was him. If you could only have seen the looks on our faces! I told Lauren to stay and wait for Morgan and James while I went to find Terry and give him the bag of warm clothes I brought from our last trip to the hotel.

I found Terry relatively quickly which was amazing considering how many people were there.

The Kelly's were reunited and drove back to the hotel for the last time!

Goal time overall: anything with 11 hours in it. Official time: 11:51:46

It has 11 hours in it

This is a great event, due mainly to the course. So, I will be back to do Lake Placid in 2010, goal time anything under 11:30:00. Next race will be the OBX Marathon on November 9, 2008. My wife Alex and I will be running it together, Alex's goal, under 5:00 hours. Hope to see you there.

DOING WHAT I LIKE

Turn on that whirlpool

First, my many thanks go to Kasia and Linda, the TOMTOMs, Ted, and the Bircher Family who endured the torrential rain conditions and cheered me up at Ironman Lake Placid last Sunday. The thanks also go to all my family members and friends who virtually followed the race and wished me well. Second, my congratulations go to my IRONTOM teammates, who finished strong and earned the right to the title of an Ironman. And, of course, my special congrats go to TOMalitta and TOMomma for finishing their first (of more to come) Ironman races.

My race was a combination of highs and lows. An average swim, a very strong bike, and the longest marathon I have ever ran – I think.

Heading for the water

Despite the less than perfect weather conditions (14 continuous hours of torrential rain and cold), which caused everyone to ride more cautiously, I felt very strong throughout the entire 112 miles on the bike. In fact, I felt so good, I rode in the big front ring throughout the race at an average speed of 18.7 mph ;o) – almost as strong as in 2005. Well nutritioned and hydrated I was having a very good day.

The joy ride

After a messy transition (mud and water holes everywhere) I left T2 feeling fresh and light on my feet ready to go. My face did not display this overwhelming joy on these pictures because I just could not see very well and had to squint my eyes to shield them from the rain ;o). At this time I was aiming at running my regular marathon time, and if accomplished, a sub 11hr. finishing time - I felt I was "flying" - things looked good.

Breathing is good

The first 3 miles of the run went great as I was cruising at a pace of about 7:30 min/mile. Shortly thereafter things changed as I developed a massive cramp in my left Vastus Medialis muscle (the “big boys” name). The encouraging words from TOM-a-Lot and TOMb, as they passed me, were very appreciated – thank you guys. Needless to say, I had to walk it off for a while.

Once the cramp was under “control” I developed a shortness of breath while running and later while walking (a pretty scary situation). As it turned out, following a medical examination after the race, I experienced a severe bronchial spasm during the last 23 miles which made my marathon time almost 2 hours longer that it should have, would, have, or could have been. Well, but as the saying goes, “it is was water under the bridge,” and I am already looking into my next Iron race – a Silverman in Henderson, Nevada on November 9th.

Finished, at last

Getting an early start - resting before the next race

IRONMAN FRANCE (JUNE 22, 2008) - TOUGH & BEAUTIFUL

"For most of us, health will depend not on who we are, but on how we live. The body you have at 20 depends on your genes, but the body you have at 40, 60 or 80 is the body you deserve, the body that reflects your behavior."

-- Dr. Harvey Simon

Ou la la! Where do I start...

One could start describing the outstanding beauty of the Alps Maritimes with its impressive cliffs, peaks & charming villages, the lapis lazuli color of the Mediterranean Sea or the enchanted Ville de Nice together with the Côte d’Azur, but I would defined it all with a categorical: tout c’ est magnifie!

Ironman France, with the course where Mark Allen once dominated, is a place with a great tradition of triathlon racing and a distinctly European competition. The fact that it has a bike course that is regarded as one of the most spectacular & difficult in the world make it a race for the determined only.

The pulsating nightlife in Nice. Here with Cory

Just a few bikes

The last minutes of the dark dawn said goodbye to all party animals and a shiny morning received all competitors gathered in the transition zone.

The Start at 6:30 am would be from the rocky beach of Nice and consisted of two loops, swam in different directions, one of 2.4km and the second of 1.4km with a beach run between both. The ocean was calm and pristine and the azure blue water was cool but not cold.

The whirlpool

In a sec I was behind the feet of a hefty swimmer who was wearing a blue wetsuit, which facilitated the catch, and who open me the way among the 2500 swimmers who with unprecedented euphoria invaded the blue waters of the Mare Nostrum.

The second loop would be more abrupt because when exiting the water I lost my blue guide and as a result the collisions and stroke-orientation become more and more frequent.

The swim would end with a PB swim in an Ironman but that would not be a great cushion with what would come later.

T1 consisted of a 400m run to the bags and a 400m run to the bike, and in my case, it was fast and irrelevant and very soon I was en route to one of the most beautiful and scenic cycling routes in the world, but also one of the most dreaded, due to more than 5000 feet of climbing and stunning & technical descents.

We would pass across fourteen quaint French villages with narrow cobbled streets, each with its own particular style which ranged from mountainous villes to medieval towns and fortified castles.

Stunning views and virtually no guard rails

The route, a magnificent emerald gemstone with gold had a number of splendors which make, for brief moments, our effort less severe with initial relentless gradients ranging between 10 & 12%. The first climb was hectic at 10%. More than one opted for walking their bikes; others less fortunate broke their chains and many, just like me, ride with all our strength sending our heart rates on top of those infamously rough climbs without even pushing the pace.

At the 50km mark it began a long ascend of twenty one kilometers famous for being a mountainous stage of the Tour de France and which truly tested muscles & tenacity in an endless clamber-like march towards the mountain ranges of the Alps. Fortunately the scenery took my mind off the hard work.

To tell the truth we all knew that this steep stretch would arrive sooner than later but once we were there, it showed us its sharp teeth which ranged from thin fangs to cutting incisors. I tried to speed the pace all I could, but the g-force attracted us like magnetic-iron-men.

At last one could see the crest and unbelievable we were just at the 71km mark, with 109km remaining, long Kms that included short high plateaus with incredible panoramic views of dense green mountains, projecting cliffs and durable fortresses; more & more cruel and inescapable climbs and finally one of the most technical and reckless descents of any cyclist route in the whole world, with tight hairpin bends, crazy speeds, a few U-turns in the middle of the descent at speeds of 70km /hr and mad cyclists everywhere, fiiiiiuuuuuuhhh!

During this time I saw more than one cyclist loosing control of the bike and falling down and one or two ambulances helping fallen athletes. According to later reports, unfortunately in this part one athlete passed away.

The entrance to the Ville de Nice announced the end of one of the most beautiful and equally challenging bike courses on Planet Earth, and with a strong and warm wave-like hug “she” received us.

Mi condition could be described as stable and I only feared of the possible consequences of that crushing heat that I was sensing, since my training had not include enough running in the heat, nonetheless we are Iron-men and NOTHING, yes you read correctly n o t h i n g, could ever affect us… Well, in reality, all things affected us at the time, but it was nice to think otherwise.

T2 was just as long as the first transition and I was sweating profusely even before I was out of transition. Even so, it evolved smooth and swift.

I started the marathon approximately at 2:00 pm after a stunning bike course and considering the difficulty of such ride, I dare to say, to some extend, it was a solid bike. The temperature was hovering around at 38-40ºC /104ºF. There was absolutely no wind and the run was going to be a real tester. Gossip was that the afternoon Mediterranean sun has been known to melt the ice creams while they are still in the freezer!

Still smiling

The run splits tell the full story. First lap was good (maybe too good) and I thought I would crack sub-4. The second lap was where all the chickens come home to roost, and I felt sleepy and though that maybe I was running in zigzags and could fall down anytime soon, I eventually conceded that I had to take a break. The shade of a palm tree called my name and it was inviting, I declined at first but then I had to stop, I lie down and set my alarm to ring 5 minutes from that moment. I really was afraid to sleep and wake up hours later… no way! Soon after that session, I realized that I was no longer in control and that the finish was going to be a struggle.

In the zone

By now the run course was very crowded and the tables had queues of athletes trying to cool themselves down and drink what ever they could find. I started cramping in the top of my thighs and calves on the last stretch along the beachfront and didn’t quite understand why, as I ate many bananas and swallow many salt pills & electrolytes, and all in all I was feeling good. But definitely it affected me later.

Light on my feet

The last two laps were spent dodging walkers, slow runners and cheering them. Eventually I pulled myself over the line, slapping thousands of hands in that vibrant blue carpet. It was a disappointing run on my standards but the overall experience was phenomenal. That day in Nice I gave my best in an extremely difficult course but equally magnificent race.

This time was more than a mental game…much more. But I can proudly say, I am a 7x Ironman Finisher.

7x Ironman

“Swim 2.4 mile, ride 112 mile, run 26.2 mile. Then brag for the rest of your life.”

-- Commander John Collins, US Navy and the father of the Ironman.

I've Done It

First, let me say that there’s a reason that athletes are “offered” the opportunity to sign up for next year’s Ironman THE DAY BEFORE the actual race.

Second, Ironman is CRAZY possibly THE HARDEST thing that I have ever done.

But WHOA.

Ironman was an awesome experience. And yes, I’m crazy. I’ll be back here again next year, competing with a bunch of other crazy people on July 26. That’s right, next year we’ll have an extra week to train.

As for the actual event, the days leading up were pretty relaxing with some nice easy bike rides to check out the run course and an easy swim to see just how far that turnaround buoy was .

I was amazed to see how many people were hammering both the run and the ride in the two days leading up to the race. Not nice easy paces past our hotel, a mile from town, and on both the ride and the run routes. We were on a flat section between town and the turn for the out and back on the run and there was a steady stream of runners and riders for 3 days prior to the race. I even saw a group doing hill repeats. Raise your hand if you even did hill repeats during your training! Talk about making you feel lazy for sitting in the sun by the pool. I got over that pretty quickly.

4 am race day dawned with clear skies and a nearly full moon. I stood on the balcony and listened to other races wake and talk about their preparation. I’d prepped most of my stuff the day before, so I quietly dressed, sun screened, lubricated the important parts and ate. 5:15 a.m. was ride time and we gathered to be driven as closely to town as possible by Tom’s dad. Spirits were light, nerves were likely high, but it didn’t really show. Getting into town really made it all real. The place was ALIVE. Just incredible the amount of energy sizzling from athletes, fans and volunteers. Incredible!

Mike, Tom and I headed for the racks to hang our transition bags and then on to our bikes to make last minute additions. It was good to have busy work to do since it was about 5:20 when we got to the race site and the race started at 7. We had a plan to meet back up and head to the water to put on our wet suits and get warmed up for the swim. On the way to the beach we bumped into the Hensel’s who were on their way into transition. Britta looked far too relaxed. I felt relaxed, but my heart rate monitor was telling me something else.

Now we’re standing at the beach with hundreds and thousands of athletes and volunteers. The music is blaring. The helicopter is soaring overhead. Spirits are high. Tension and energy are palpable.

Blip Blip Blip

Those are sprinkles….that I thought nothing of. The forecast was for partly sunny/cloudy and a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon . And I’m thinking to myself .. fine, as long as my bike isn’t soaked when I get out of the water since I’d taken great pains and sacrificed several trash bags to keep it dry over night. Pinky was now sitting in transition, uncovered, and waiting for me. Dry.

Sprinkles that turned into rain.

The cannon went off and we dove into the water. Okay. So if you’ve never seen an Ironman start. You’ve gotta. It’s truly spectacular. And you’ll think…there is NO way that I’m ever throwing myself into THAT. But you do, and it’s awesome!

And … at some point during the swim, the rain became a steady heavy rain, which fortunately, I had very little awareness of.

Upon exiting the water, I was stunned to discover that what had been a sprinkle had turned into a steady heavy rain. Water ran over the road, down the gutters and filled the changing tents and transition area. My then dry bike was now drenched. Fortunately I had had the forethought to tie my transition bags tightly and the contents remained dry.

In the changing tent, the volunteers were amazing. I felt like I had a single volunteer assigned to me who made sure that I’d removed all my necessaries from my transition bag replaced by all of my swim gear. Couldn’t have been easier and, still a little dazed from the swim, more helpful.

Volunteers handed me my bike and I was off into that steady heavy rain. I kept thinking, it can’t rain like this all day. I uneventfully ascended the first climb and just as the rather scary wet descent began … PSShhhhhh … FLAT. Now here is where things could have gotten interesting. I don’t have a lot of experience with flats, had never changed a tired on my new bike, and I was not at all sure how this would go. Since I was up against the guardrails, I was able to lay all of my tire changing gear out very carefully , get the tire off of the wheel , and when I’d finally figured out the CO2 inflator I found a bike tech who could pump some pressure back into my tire. I’m just lucky I didn’t flat again. And not again for the rest of the race. Which is more than I can say for Tom, who flatted TWICE on the first loop!

Bike finished in 7:24 with I’m not sure how much time lost to the flat. Feeling good. Feeling strong. Feeling ready to be on the run! Thankful that I’d made it!!!

Indeed, it may have been raining

A small pause in the race details to say that the volunteers for this event are truly amazing. Spectacular. Incredible. They too spent the entire day in the rain and cold, soaking wet and never faltered.

And our cheering squad … our friends and families … were incredible even unbelievable. Out for the entire day, right there beside the road cheering us on every time we came by. It was truly spirit lifting. I think I ran faster every time I passed.

The run. Whoever thought that I’d have enough energy to run 26.2 miles in a driving rain after riding a bike 112 miles in that same driving rain? But the first half of the marathon was faster than the half marathon of my first half ironman! I love that. I slowed on the second half, but let me explain. I had a plan. There are hills leading back into town that are lined with spectators. I was determined to run those hills to the finish. I thought that if I didn’t adopt a run walk plan for the second half of the run, as I was getting pretty tired and my quads were feeling shot, I wouldn’t make the hills. I ran the hills! Oh the glory! Ted and Eli were there, on the final hill, running with me and cheering me on. It was glorious. And it was great to see all of my Team Irontom teammates along the run course, many times. We high fived, shouted each other encouragement and hopefully helped each other to feel just a little bit stronger.

Athlete #2255 you look happy

There is nothing that I can say that can convey what it is like to finish an ironman, your first ironman. The race finish is absolutely lined with cheering spectators. Wall to wall. Everyone is screaming and calling you a hero and and Ironman and then as I rounded the corner and could finally see the finish, there was Eli, hands up, waiting for me. We locked hands and ran through puddles over our shoes through the finishing ribbon. I’m so proud of Eli for braving the crowds and the rain and the wet feet to finish with me, to wear the medal, to have my picture taken with him, both of us tired and wet and smiling. It was and still is an incredible feeling.

13 hours 54 minutes

Finishing the race with the next generation of Ironman

Tom Bircher had an incredible day, setting a PR by 21 minutes despite 2 flat tires on the first loop.

Tomasz had an excellent bike time and a strong finish.

Mikey and I finished very near one another and we spent the moments following the race celebrating in the food tent over chicken broth, pizza and potato chips.

Britta and Joe finished strongly, together, under the lights. Mikey and I cheered them on through town as they headed in.

And our new Team IRONTOM member, Terry Tom, was seen by all team members, high fived and encouraged, sporting the fashionable Team Irontom attire.

A great success at Ironman Lake Placid. We were wet, tired, hungry and sore. But above all, we were safe. And DONE!

What I learned from my Ironman experience:

I am NOT waterproof

My bike is NOT waterproof.

ALWAYS put your arm warmers in your T1 bag … doesn’t matter if you think you won’t need them. What if you did?

Practice changing flat tires BEFORE the race.

And lastly, during a rainy race, keep your mouth open, it helps you stay hydrated.

Thank you to all of my family and my friends who were pulling for me all day long…tracking me on the internet and emailing me messages of encouragement. It was a long long day and I felt every bit of your support 100% of the time.

13:54

Did I mention that it rained ALL day!?

Lowell Mill City Triathlon

Last year I did this race expecting it to be a sewer swim and I was pleasantly surprised with the clarity of the water. So, I signed up for it again expecting the same. Unfortunately it wasn’t. The water was very low this year and with the thunder storms we’ve had it a bit muddy.

While getting my gear ready I ran into a married couple on the UV Rays and chatted with them a bit. I took my new tri bike out for a spin, which I finally got it back from the bike shop Thursday. After this I got my wet suit and headed to the river, took a short swim and waited for the start of the race.

Last year, when the water was higher, there was more room to spread out. This year I was trying to site a lot better and tried drafting when I could. I’m not sure how successful I was with the drafting but I met one of my two goals for the swim this year, either one I would have been happy to have met. One was to break thirty minutes in the swim since I did it in thirty one last year. The other was to finish in the top half of the swimmers since it was my best event last year but I didn’t place in the top half. I was able to place in the top half of swimmers this year but my time was actually slower in the swim at just over 33 minutes which makes me wonder if the distances were the same this year compared to last.

Anyways, getting out of the water and into transition went pretty smoothly other than trying to get my wetsuit over my timing chip. Next up, the bike. It was 26 miles total with two 13 mile loops. It seemed to go pretty smoothly, passing some and being passed by others. I felt like I was trying to push myself a bit more this year and did feel faster. I didn’t wear a watch and didn’t see a official time clock anywhere on the course except the finish even going past the transition area on the second loop so had no idea how I did until the end. My time did end up at 1:23 which is well over ten minutes faster than last year.

When I got into transition from bike to run I remembered to get myself something to eat since I didn’t remember in the first transition. I ate about 2/3 of a banana and got my running shoes on. Off to the run. Same as the bike in that I passed some people and got passed by others. It was a flat out and back run with no major glitches. I grabbed water at each water stop since it was humid and I didn’t want to get dehydrated. I felt like I was keeping a good pace but didn’t feel like I was necessarily faster than last year. According to my final results I was about four minutes faster at just under fifty four minutes.

My final time was 2 hours 50 minutes 40 seconds. I took almost fifteen minutes off my time from last year. I guess, having a family reunion the day of a race was a good motivator. I didn’t stick around for anything after the race except a bagel and water.

Of the 70 finishers, I placed 27th on the swim, 41st on the bike and 36th on the run.

More Well Wishes For Team IRONTOM

Dear friend TOMasz, I send you and all Team Members all the luck in the world in Lake Placid, I hope you all have a great race and hopefully a breakthrough performances! Have fun and cheers, your friend, Ricardo. I'll be following your race on Sunday! Good luck Mates.

Over the Hump at Ironman Providence 70.3

Well, this was the big one, the big step up. Having spent the last three seasons racing sprint and Olympic distance triathlons I tackled my first half-ironman this past Sunday, Bastille Day Eve, at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island. A point-to-point race that began on the beaches of Narragansett and ended at the state house in Providence, the course offered a nice tour of the Ocean State as well as a few significant challenges.

The race weekend began Friday afternoon as I met up with TOMasz to begin our drive down to race headquarters, casa de Jankowski, in Warwick. We arrived in the late afternoon and then headed over to downtown Providence for a welcome pasta dinner. Let the carbo-loading begin! I packed my gut to the breaking point with zitis in tomato sauce, meatballs, and salad. After dinner we took a walk over to the state capital building to look at the bike-in transition and had a pleasant chat with the head referee.

Just finished the carbo-load dinner with the beautiful downtown Providence in the backdrop

Now, at this point I realized I had made the right choice traveling with our fearless team captain because I was just clueless when it came to all of the logistics and coordination that needed to be put in place for this race. Usually I just show up, flash my USAT membership, get my race bag, and hit the beach. But apparently when there are over 1,600 athletes racing across 60 miles of Rhode Island, things get a bit more complicated. But, while I may have been as clueless as Colonel Mustard, TOMasz had done my homework for me and a very busy, and tiring day was laid out before us.

Saturday was registration and bike racking day. Normally this is a one-stop affair, but with the point-to-point setup we had to do a bit (okay, many, many bits) of running around Rhode Island to get all of the gear in place. After more carbo-loading on pancakes, the recipe for which had been perfected after many post-run breakfasts, we headed to the convention center in Providence for packet pick-up and a bit of expo touring. This was a pretty painless procedure, though I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the skimpiness of the race bag--oh well. But, a magical thing did happen. Somehow Ironman pulled a few strings, made superman fly a few laps around the sun, or something, because I was 29 again. Yippee!Medical check-in, however, gave me a bit of pause, particularly when I was asked if was allergic to bee or jellyfish stings. Now, this was going to be my first race swim in the ocean, and being a little nervous about it already, I did not need to hear the bit about the jellyfish. It wasn't the stinging that worried me, it was the thought of reaching my arm forward to stroke and grabbing a fist-full slimy jellyfish. Eww.
From here, things got a bit more complicated. First I needed to go and drop off my bike a the race start in Narragansett, then I needed to pack a back with my run gear and bring it back to T2 in Providence. But, we made a day of it--unfortunately a large portion of that day was spent sitting in beach traffic. But, the bike got racked, and I even got to enjoy of a bit of the nice weather relaxing on the beach while TOMasz relaxed with a nice, long run. We returned to Providence to drop off the run gear, and I was pleased to see that I had a great spot in the transition rack--the last spot on the rack closest to the fence. This would make it easy to remember my spot and help keep the kicking of my gear down to a minimum. With the goods in place, we headed back to Warwick for--you got it--more pasta. With the race slated to begin at 6 a.m., it was early to bed.

Ah race day. You know it because it's still dark when you wake up. I was still feeling well fueled (maybe a little too well fueled) from the feasting of the last couple of days, but still had a bit of granola before heading over to Narragansett. I got to my bike, wiped the accumulated moisture off the seat and handlebars (here, and experienced racer would have put plastic over these pieces the day before) and put my fuel and fluids together. Then I noticed I was missing a critical component--sunglasses! I had brought two pairs, both of which were doing lots of good for me back at the house. Fortunately, the big T came through and let me borrow his.

Almost awaken - 6AM

Around 5:50 I headed off to the beach, though being in the last wave I was in no real rush. The water was looking pretty rough, with high swells and big breakers crashing on the shore. The swim course was a long, skinny rectangle that was more or less an out-and-back. The pros hit the water at 6:00 and came out 24 minutes later. The first age groupers began at 6:15. Around 6:30 I went over to another section of beach and warmed up a bit in the water. Around 7:00 I entered the holding pen with the rest of the 18-29 year old men in very stylish purple swim caps. The last few races I've tried to get out in front to avoid the massive mob, but I just couldn't do it this time. When the cannon went off, I entered the water. Things were pretty messy but I was feeling good that, unlike other swim starts, I wasn't feeling over anxious, working too hard, and struggling to maintain my breath. Despite the waves and the mob I managed to stay calm and try to find an open patch of water. That was pretty hard to come by. I also found, that, given the way the waves were moving, I needed to turn to breath away from the market line, which made it a bit harder to sight. As usual, I took a more...meandering track around the swim course before hitting the first turn. Then it was just a short stretch swimming parallel to shore, and then another left back to the beach. The bodies remained thick, not just from my wave, but from the swimmers from the two previous waves that I had started to catch. Despite that, however, I escaped with only minor contact--one kick to the nose, and one dislodged goggle.

Fully awaken at 7:05AM and 7:37AM

Out of the water after a strong swim

At 31:17 I exited the water and grabbed my bike. After a fairly long jog out to the bike mount, I was in the saddle and ready to tackle 56 miles of RI roadway. The bike was my biggest concern coming into this race. I had had a disappointing ride at Mooseman, mostly because I felt like I couldn't maintain my focus, and I worried that this would happen again over the longer distance. Yet, despite my concerns, I had what was definitely the best bike of any race I had done. I had thought, coming into this race, that it would all be a very flat course--I was way off. The first 10-15 miles was fairly flat and fast, but then for the next 15 miles it was fairly steady climbing, though nothing too steep. I was feeling good and was being pretty aggressive on the hills. Early on, however, I had to change my nutrition strategy. I had five gels and two cliff bars, and my thinking was to get in the cliff bars early, then finish off with the gels. So, once I got settled in, after say the first 15 minutes, I pulled out a cliff bar but could jot not eat it. I got in a tiny bite and then just put it back in my pocket. I was a bit worried that I would crash only having the gels but ultimately I think all the pre-race fueling paid off because it didn't become an issue. I did learn, however, that for my next race I need to adjust my hydration strategy. I had four bottles--two powerade, one nuun, and one plain water. I felt like I was drinking enough, but around mile 35 was just feeling drained. I had passed up the first two fuel stations, but took advantage of the third one. I grabbed a bottle of water--and it never tasted so good. So, next time, I need to keep more plain water in rotation. Lesson learned. Car traffic was a bit of an issue, in some cases the line of cars narrowing the bikeable roadway quite a bit, making it difficult to pass. Overall, however, the course was very well managed the volunteers and PD.

I think, I look good in those glasses

Despite my original concerns, I really enjoyed this ride. I managed to keep my focus throughout and kept up a good pace. After finishing the last few miles biking through the city of Providence, I arrived at T2 in just shy of 2:39, averaging 21.2 for the course--the fastest I had ever biked. After a long jog to my rack, I made the transition into the run. Here I took my time getting my shoes on, drinking a bit of my few remaining fluids, and setting off on the two-loop run course. From the start I made decision to start conservatively. The run is usually my strong suit, but I had only raced one half-marathon before (as its own event), so wanted to take the time to get my legs under me. So, I set off at a comfortable pace. I came into the first water stop around mile one, slowed to a walk, and took in some fluids. Already I could tell this was going to be an issue, and here I think is where my poor hydration planning on the bike manifested itself. I was feeling thirsty, a bit depleted, but if I drank too much I felt full and sloshy. Soon after the first water stop I was confronted with "Angel Hill." For those of you who are used to running in the Lebanon area, the steepness was equivalent to Eastman Hill--just not quite as long. Most people walked it, but I managed to keep up a slow jog. For the first three miles I followed the strategy of slowing into the water stops, hydrating, cooling off, and then setting off. After the first turn I started to pick it up a bit more. Like the bike course, the run course was a lot hillier than I would have thought. Even after Angel Hill, the rest of the run had some kind of pitch to it. My legs felt okay, and my breathing seemed good, it was really just my stomach that was giving me trouble, and some growing tightness in my back. I made the turn after the first loop and headed out to do the run all over again. Up Angel Hill one more time. I was moving at a swifter pace, but around mile 9 I was starting to struggle again. I hit the water stop around mile 10, and decided to ease up and take in some fluids. The brief break seemed to help. I ran strong the rest of the course, and picked it up for a last push as I came into the brick walkway to the finish. I finished the run in about 1:38, giving me a finish time of 4:52.

Almost there. The finish line is only 15 yards away

I was greeted by TOMasz, Kasia and some friends at the finish, and then made my way over to the food tent for some much needed liquid refreshment. Food was out of the question at that point, but ice cold coke did the trick. I grabbed a couple of cups and then headed over to get in line for a post-race massage.

Team picture with Kasia and TOMasz. Two hats are definitely better than one

So, overall, a race that I was very happy with, and a real confidence booster for Timberman.

Best of Luck .........

.......... to all the Team IRONTOM members racing this weekend at Lake Placid. My advice for the bike is to-Keep your mouth closed on the descent into Keene..... I will be rooting for you all!

MajorTOM Does Ironman Rhode Island 70.3

On Sunday, the 13th, MajorTOM will be toeing the starting line of IM RI 70.3. You can follow his progress on www.ironman.com. It may be a hot day down there.

The Numbers Are Out

The Ironman Lake Placid bibs are out. So, here we go:

TerryTOM (83)
TOMb (902)
TOM-A-Lot (1130)
T2 (1884)
TOMasz (1544)
TOMalita (2154)
TOMomma (2255)

Fresh Body of Water - Ahhhh

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Rick and I went for a long swim in the Mascoma Lake for one of the last swim training days before Ironman Lake Placid. The air temperature was 80F, the water 70F, and plenty of motor boats to create the wake.

In full attire

Rick displaying his diving skills

Stroke number 5,321

A 7-Miler in Woodstock

TOMahawk and I have joined the ranks of the Vermont maple syrup prize winners by getting podium finishes (both finished 3rd in our respective age groups) in the Woodstock 7-mile road race on July the 4th in Woodstock, VT. By having done so we can now be mentioned in the same sentence as the likes of MajorTOM.

It was a picture-perfect day on which about 130 runners challenged themselves on an “attention getting” hilly course, and dressed in the team uniforms TOMahawk and I proudly displayed the true Team IRONTOM colors.

By the time we arrived in Woodstock, TOMahawk was already there looking happy and ready to go. After a quick registration and a short warm up run around the Green the horn went off to mark the start of the race.

The 7-miler was definitely a good warm-up event for me before the upcoming Ironman USA in Lake Placid, in a couple of weeks. Its initial 3 miles were relatively flat and fast, giving an opportunity to get into a solid tempo. At mile 3, my Polar monitor read 19:30, which made me realize that I may be going a little to fast. Fortunately, I did not have to wait too long for the slow down. The few demoralizing, and seemingly, never-ending run-ups took care of that. Not having scouted this course before I had no idea how long they were. And they were long, indeed.

Well, what goes up must eventually come down - that is, at least, what they say, and in this case they were right, again. The descends were as challenging as the ascends making the quads and the lungs celebrate the 4th of July, together. At times, I was questioning the wisdom of my training day on Thursday, which included tempo runs and uphill bike intervals. But, after all, it was to be an another training day.

About ½ mile before the finish line I started accelerating in an attempt to break the 51-minute mark, but it was not meant to be that day (perhaps, next time on July 4th 2009). My finish time was 51:02, 25th in the general classification and 3rd in the 44-49 age group.

TOMahawk was close behind. With a taped-up left knee he clocked-in a finishing time of 51:52 and a 3rd podium finish in the 40-44 age group.

In the afternoon, we had a great barbeque time with the TOMahawks, and were dazzled by a single firework, or something that resembled that.

Ironman France 2008 (Nice)

I thought you may enjoy watching 15 minutes of this year's Ironman France. Having raced it in 2006, it is has been my favourite race to-date.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MODfGL9omQQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfAQFX8Uw3M

2008 Mooseman 70.3

TOMahawk is definitely ready

PRERACE: Race morning could not have been much better. Not to warm not to cold but you could tell it was going to get Hot later in the day. Leslie and I left home earlier this year to get to the race in plenty of time. We ended up parking about 1 mile from the transition area. I put my helmet on and rode my bike. Leslie walked it in. I had a good setup spot right on the end and it was the last row before the fence. I saw TOMb, TOMmomma and the TOM-A-Lots, before the race. I made sure I put on some sunscreen after last years tanning misadventures. I saw Leslie and Becky on the beach. I think Becky was asking Leslie what kind of cake I would like for our next Team party. I saw Britta and Joe and Leslie took this picture of us.

Happiness

SWIM: The swim was good. I was in the last wave of 7. After years of being anxious before the swim starts I was very relaxed this year. I think Ironman will do that for you. I positioned myself in the middle and when we got the go ahead I started to swim at an even pace with no contact from any of my wave mates. I finished in 35 minutes which is a good time for me. I can’t complain.

Where in the T1 is TOMahawk?

BIKE: The bike was uneventful. The road conditions were not the best but there was still plenty of a good road. I saw the Devil lady on the hill and I made sure I stayed hydrated and took my endurolytes. I put my front wheel on backwards so my bike computer never worked. Nothing I could do about that at the time. I still had my heart rate monitor. I could tell the second loop was a lot slower than the first and could feel the heat working on me. I finished in 3:07 and avg 17.9 mph.

RUN: For me the run was what I like to call a “character builder” It started off hot and just got hotter. I thought I was doing OK on the first loop, time wise, but the heat really took its toll on me on the second loop. It was really weird my body felt OK, my legs were strong but my heart and mind said take it slow. So I listened. I didn’t want Leslie to have to bring me home in a body bag. It just wouldn’t be fair to her because she was so supportive on that day. I did see and hear Carla cheering as I was heading out on the run.
I thank the guy with the hose and the kids with the squirt guns for helping to keep me cool as possible. I spent at least 5 minutes of the run getting hosed down. I finished the run in 2:11

POST RACE: Overall I finished in 6:00 53 seconds (I knew I shouldn’t have made that pit stop and I would have been under 6 hours. Oh well)

My time was 29 minutes over last year’s effort which was raced under more favorable weather conditions. But in the end I made it to the Finish line which is really what was important to me on that day. I saw the TOMTOMs (Chuck had another great race) and my other Teammates and supporters and we discussed upcoming events planned for the summer. After we left the race site Leslie and I made the long walk back to the car. It felt like a kick in the pants after racing on that hot day!!! PS> I practically ate a whole pizza later on when I got home.

Timberman 70.3 is next up in August 08 and I am thinking of an Ironman for 2009. I would like to take a crack at Ironman France someday but so far Leslie is not being supportive. I am going to continue to try and convince her that it would be like a vacation for her. Wish me luck