Moving forward. One high-elbow at the time.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Reaching a Milestone in Bolton, England
Behind us, the Rivington Reservoir.
We all showed up with good appetites
Some are more focused than others.
In front of the Reebok Footbal Stadium
I have my own name for this hill.
It is probably mile 14.
About 800 meters to go.
After a full day of work, and then some.
A special gift for TOMahawk
Now, we can relax together.
The men's pro winner, Phil Graves.
Kasia and Erica dancing their night away while waiting for the last athlete to cross the finish line.And he did!
And that's all folks!Now, the reading part..................................
On August 2nd after having finished Ironman United Kingdom in 12h12min and placing 29th/194 in the M45-49 age group, I celebrated my 10th Ironman race.
First of all, a huge thank you goes to Erica and Phil (BritTOM) for their generosity in hosting Kasia and I during our trip to England. We had a wonderful time staying with them at their house in a very charming town of Kendal. My initial intension was to provide a day-by-day account of our trip, but the race preparations and a busy daily schedule had limited my attempts. I hope you enjoyed reading about the first three days.
Ironman UK, will for a long time, register with me as a very memorable race. The organizers tried their best, but perhaps, underestimated the likelihood of capricious summer weather conditions (read: rain). And indeed, a lot of rain we had that week. The daily rainfalls have significantly compromised the logistics of and the access to the Ironman Village/Expo. In other words, the rain had turned the village and the transition area into a mudslide field.
Saturday, August 1 – Picking up Kasia at the Manchester Airport, racking our bikes in the transition area, attending the athlete’s briefing and the past party. Indeed, for the first time in my racing experience the carbo-load was scheduled (at the Reebok Football Stadium) a few hours before the race. Next, a speedy return to our hotel for a few hours of sleep.
Sunday, August 2 – It was great to arrive at the transition area at about 4:30AM and have enough time to double-check the bike, see no "portaloo" lines, and have ample time to relax before the race. In fact, there were so many "loos" there that it seemed as though everyone had his/her own. It was in a sharp contrast to all the other Ironman race venues I am familiar with. For some reason, there never seem to be enough of them, when needed.
The 2.4 mile swim was held in the chilly and clean waters of the Revington Reservoir. A deep-water, two-loop swim started at 6:10AM. I felt very comfortable during the entire swim and had no trouble sighting. Needless to say, upon exiting the water, I was concerned (read: disappointed) with my swim time (1h24m.) However, as it turned out, the course turned out to be longer by about 400m.
The transition was the real “bear.” As the saying goes, there is always the first time for everything, this time, it took me about 14 minutes to get through T1. In part, it was caused by a few-hundred meter uphill run from the water’s edge and the atrocious conditions on the ground. The other reason was that on that day I was just slower, period. Nevertheless, after having carried my bike from the transition area, I was on the first of three loops through little towns and the sprawling countryside. The bike course comprised of steep climbs, false flats, and quick downhills, which in most cases terminated at sharp curves. The technical nature of the bike course and the difficulty in utilizing the downhill speed assured that, except for one athlete (the winner, Phil Graves), no other professional was able to break the five-hour mark. Neither could I ;o). My bike time was 6h24m. I suppose, it didn’t help me to lose the entire supply (1,800 calories) of Perpetuem somewhere within the first 3-4 miles on the bike course. When I reached for it behind the saddle it was no longer there. Since it was a three-loop course I was hoping to find it somewhere on the second loop, to no avail. Therefore, I was relegated to survive on about 2,000 calories from Powerbars obtained at the feed stations, and needless to say, I still can’t look at a Powerbar.
T2 went much better and faster. After a quick stop at the “loo” I was on my way to tackle the marathon. My legs felt great – snappy and fresh. I know, I had a big smile on my face. I soon realized that there were no mile/km markers on the run, just as there were none on the bike. This made keeping a consistent pace very challenging. The run course was composed of many uphills and downhills, which were especially noticeable towards the end of the marathon.
The first reliable distance coordinates came at about mile 19 from a race volunteer. At this point I was running approximately 3h40m marathon pace. Unfortunately, this also coincided with Powerbar-induced stomach cramps and a couple of unscheduled stops. In the end, my marathon time was 4h3m. At the finish line I met a few new friends, among them Bella Bayliss. She did a great job there wining her third Ironman race this year. On Saturday, together with Stephen, they will compete in Embrunman Iron-distance race in France, which is considered one of the toughest trifecta races in the world, together with Norseman and Silverman.
I liked the progress I made since last year. I am not quite where I want to be again, but I think, I am on my way. Racing Ironman UK will be remembered for a long time. Certainly for the organizational shortcomings, but more importantly, for the fabulous atmosphere of the event. Particularly, for the cheering crowds of spectators on the bike and the run, and our families who were there (and who are always there) to cheer us on, and who endured the ultimate test of Ironman – being our support for as long as they have to – THANK YOU, AGAIN. Thank you to Phil and Erica for being such great friends and to Phil’s parents who came out to watch us give it all. Also, a big thank you to those who kept us in their thoughts and who followed us during the race.
Our last days in England were spent in London. What a great city! But that is a story for another occasion.
First of all, a huge thank you goes to Erica and Phil (BritTOM) for their generosity in hosting Kasia and I during our trip to England. We had a wonderful time staying with them at their house in a very charming town of Kendal. My initial intension was to provide a day-by-day account of our trip, but the race preparations and a busy daily schedule had limited my attempts. I hope you enjoyed reading about the first three days.
Ironman UK, will for a long time, register with me as a very memorable race. The organizers tried their best, but perhaps, underestimated the likelihood of capricious summer weather conditions (read: rain). And indeed, a lot of rain we had that week. The daily rainfalls have significantly compromised the logistics of and the access to the Ironman Village/Expo. In other words, the rain had turned the village and the transition area into a mudslide field.
Saturday, August 1 – Picking up Kasia at the Manchester Airport, racking our bikes in the transition area, attending the athlete’s briefing and the past party. Indeed, for the first time in my racing experience the carbo-load was scheduled (at the Reebok Football Stadium) a few hours before the race. Next, a speedy return to our hotel for a few hours of sleep.
Sunday, August 2 – It was great to arrive at the transition area at about 4:30AM and have enough time to double-check the bike, see no "portaloo" lines, and have ample time to relax before the race. In fact, there were so many "loos" there that it seemed as though everyone had his/her own. It was in a sharp contrast to all the other Ironman race venues I am familiar with. For some reason, there never seem to be enough of them, when needed.
The 2.4 mile swim was held in the chilly and clean waters of the Revington Reservoir. A deep-water, two-loop swim started at 6:10AM. I felt very comfortable during the entire swim and had no trouble sighting. Needless to say, upon exiting the water, I was concerned (read: disappointed) with my swim time (1h24m.) However, as it turned out, the course turned out to be longer by about 400m.
The transition was the real “bear.” As the saying goes, there is always the first time for everything, this time, it took me about 14 minutes to get through T1. In part, it was caused by a few-hundred meter uphill run from the water’s edge and the atrocious conditions on the ground. The other reason was that on that day I was just slower, period. Nevertheless, after having carried my bike from the transition area, I was on the first of three loops through little towns and the sprawling countryside. The bike course comprised of steep climbs, false flats, and quick downhills, which in most cases terminated at sharp curves. The technical nature of the bike course and the difficulty in utilizing the downhill speed assured that, except for one athlete (the winner, Phil Graves), no other professional was able to break the five-hour mark. Neither could I ;o). My bike time was 6h24m. I suppose, it didn’t help me to lose the entire supply (1,800 calories) of Perpetuem somewhere within the first 3-4 miles on the bike course. When I reached for it behind the saddle it was no longer there. Since it was a three-loop course I was hoping to find it somewhere on the second loop, to no avail. Therefore, I was relegated to survive on about 2,000 calories from Powerbars obtained at the feed stations, and needless to say, I still can’t look at a Powerbar.
T2 went much better and faster. After a quick stop at the “loo” I was on my way to tackle the marathon. My legs felt great – snappy and fresh. I know, I had a big smile on my face. I soon realized that there were no mile/km markers on the run, just as there were none on the bike. This made keeping a consistent pace very challenging. The run course was composed of many uphills and downhills, which were especially noticeable towards the end of the marathon.
The first reliable distance coordinates came at about mile 19 from a race volunteer. At this point I was running approximately 3h40m marathon pace. Unfortunately, this also coincided with Powerbar-induced stomach cramps and a couple of unscheduled stops. In the end, my marathon time was 4h3m. At the finish line I met a few new friends, among them Bella Bayliss. She did a great job there wining her third Ironman race this year. On Saturday, together with Stephen, they will compete in Embrunman Iron-distance race in France, which is considered one of the toughest trifecta races in the world, together with Norseman and Silverman.
I liked the progress I made since last year. I am not quite where I want to be again, but I think, I am on my way. Racing Ironman UK will be remembered for a long time. Certainly for the organizational shortcomings, but more importantly, for the fabulous atmosphere of the event. Particularly, for the cheering crowds of spectators on the bike and the run, and our families who were there (and who are always there) to cheer us on, and who endured the ultimate test of Ironman – being our support for as long as they have to – THANK YOU, AGAIN. Thank you to Phil and Erica for being such great friends and to Phil’s parents who came out to watch us give it all. Also, a big thank you to those who kept us in their thoughts and who followed us during the race.
Our last days in England were spent in London. What a great city! But that is a story for another occasion.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
A Great and Challenging Day at Ironman UK
Last surveying of the swim course. Trust me, its there.
Bringing our appetites and smiles to the pasta dinner on Saturday (yes, Saturday).
Swim start at about 4:30AM.
We had a great system. This is how I spoted our support team in the crowd, including the swim.
Who knows what mile it was. Both, the bike and run courses did not have mile/km markers posted.
I really don't know. What I know is, that it was my first trip to the park that day.
This must me mile 26.2. Its was good to be "home."
There were many hugs and kisses. This one is from my dad.
This one from Erica.
And my mom.
With Erica, again.
A post-race debriefing.
Waiting for the last finisher.Phil here (BritTOM)! Well, it's nearly a week since IMUK and my legs are getting their standing/walking functions back again! First of all I have to say that this was one of the most challenging IM events I have taken part in - not because of the race (they're always challenging enough) but because of the conditions surrounding it! Lots of rain, lots of mud, and possibly a poor event site selection by the organisers meant that registering, checking in the bike, getting to and from the swim from transition, and generally getting around the site became a pretty energy sapping process in themselves. It was as if someone had decided to add a fourth discipline.
What about the race day? The biggest difference I noticed to other IM events was the support. There were so many people on the bike and run course who were cheering on every single athlete that passed them. Just great! The swim was good for me this time, possibly a bit overlong or maybe I was going slower that I thought, but plenty of clear water and for the first time ever in a race I spotted my supporters on the shore while I was racing. I had a great bike, I'm probably at my fittest in any IM event I've taken part in, with plenty of miles in my legs this summer. But then a run that will go down in my IM history under survival rather than speed. The story starts three weeks ago when my right calf tweaked on a training run. Lots of care and attention got it back to reasonable working order but basically I started the run with a leg hat needed 4-5 weeks rest, not 4-5 hours of running. Needless to say it hurt, my run was slow (so slow that I didn't know I could run for that many hours!) and my focus was completely on completing the race and not at all on the time. Actually, it was quite refreshing to have the same single focus that I had in my first IM - just finishing was the aim!
Tomasz was at the finish line next to the medal, t-shirt and photographer, which was great. And we soon found Erica and Kasia and my family. In fact it has been a real treat to have Tomasz and Kasia with us for this past week - what a wonderful time we've had with them. We've all had a pretty busy time around the race so I think we'll be sending them home to you pretty tired! I can highly recommend racing in the UK from our home as a base, so if any IronTOMs fancy IMUK while it's based near to us for the next couple of years you're more than welcome to come and stay! So, a hard race, great support, very challenging course (aren't they all) and very difficult conditions, but great company.
Now, finally, let me leave you with a a few British words used on IM events that we noticed that need translating:
Rain=showers, drizzle, downpour, pouring, cats and dogs
Mud=mud, sludge, gloop, dirt, mire, gunk, goo
Galoshes=wellingtons
Sunshine=there are no British words for this (it has never been seen
on an IM race day)
Post-race recovery drink=a nice cup of tea
Portapotty=portaloo
Awsome=brilliant
Thanks=cheers mate
Great going guys=jolly well done (only kidding - no one says that anymore!)
All the best
Phil (BritTOM) - currently in retirement (until the next one)
Going the Distance at Lake Placid - The Pictorial
Who needs a fancy bike stand. My favorite bike mechanic making those final adjustmnets to my precious bike.
Heading over to rack the bike.
The usual "day-before" chaos at the Oval.
Swim start: "just stay behind me, Baby!"
We are way over on the right, "calmly" awaiting the start gun.
I was this close to catching this hot chick in front of me! If I didn't have to make this pit-stop, I could be drafting off her now ......
It was hot, even with the cold-water sponge shoulder pads.
Post-race sharing of tales at Shoulte's.
Ah, basking in the glory of a post-race day, some sunshine and Lake Placid Ale.
Support crews deserve a ton of applause too!
Going the Distance at Lake Placid
It is great to be an official member of the Ironman Club! Putting all three distances together in the same day was certainly an experience to remember. It was an added bonus to be surrounded by our IronTom teammates and support crew during our entire stay in LP and to catch sight of one another throughout the race. Thanks and congrats to Cheryl, Mike, Tom and of course, my favorite racer – Chuck!
Executive Summary - Sunday evening after the race it seemed like the half-iron distance would be long enough for all future races. By the next day, I was making a list of lessons learned and where to shave time for my next Ironman.
Stats - I was happy to finish, as that was my #1 goal. I had hoped to be closer to 13 hours, but I was happy to finish in 14H16M, all things considered. S=1H35M, T1=9:17, B=7H1M, T2=5:07, R=5H25M
I have to take a moment to brag for Chuck, as he refrains from comment. He did fantastic, pulling off an 11:42! His focus on more time and technique work in swimming really paid off, as he improved his swim by over 12 minutes (now if only that can rub off on me). S=1H8M, T1=7:09, B=6H3M, T2=5:29, R=4H17M
Overall Lessons Learned (LL):
1. As is the case with marathoning or any other endurance event, it’s important to have #1 goals, mid-range goals and stretch goals, as many factors necessitate adjustment in execution of the “master plan.”
2. If I treat race day like a long training day, then I can stay calm.
Weather - The weather was good overall compared to the cold and torrential rain last year. A brief but steady rain at the swim start did not bother us competitors at all, but made for a wet start to the day for the spectators. We would have paid money for rain during the run.
Swim - I met my #1 goal for the swim in that I was comfortable the whole time. I thought I would break 1:30, but that didn't happen and I quickly let that go as I moved onto the bike. I managed the crowd just fine in the swim, as I started off to the right shore and waited 1-2 minutes after the gun went off to start. Lots and lots of people around me, but no serious whacks given or received. On the second loop I managed to get on the inside line of the cable, which meant I rarely had to sight. Believe it or not, even at my pace (read, “slow”), I fought off lots of less-than-practiced drafters who had the annoying habit of grabbing my feet. Some furious kicking usually shed that baggage. Lessons Learned (LL):
1. I can avoid breathing problems on the swim if I skip races with water less than 65-degrees.
2. When I get back inside for Masters swimming, return to focus on technique to improve speed.
Bike - I had hoped to be faster, but had to be happy with my results, as I gave it all I had on that day. It was hot and humid, but not as bad as it was on the run. There was a fierce headwind on the hardest uphill climb from Wilmington back into LP. My feet were screaming with pain at various points from mile 60 on, telling me I still have some work to do on positioning and form.
Lessons Learned (LL):
1. If I continue to amp up my time and intensity on the bike, I will achieve my biking goals.
2. Force more food, beverage and salt on the bike, especially in the heat (when I feel like it the least).
3. Get a tri shirt with deeper pockets in case I must have my “security blanket items” (jacket, arm warmers and gloves).
4. Address my foot discomfort – adjust pedals, positioning or form.
5. I can’t make myself pee on my bike unless it’s raining.
6. Because of the above lesson, I need to figure out some pee stops in advance to avoid long stops at busy aid stations.
Run - I was so elated to be off the bike that I blasted into the run feeling great. I ran the first three miles at an 8:20 pace, though it felt like I was shuffling. By mile seven, I had settled into 9min/mile – still too fast for the heat and for me to sustain for the long haul at the end of an I-man.
Around mile eight, my “smoking gun event” began to fizzle. It was very hot and the sun exposure on River Road took its toll. I realized I hadn't taken in enough salt on the bike to account for the humidity and, due to the heat, my stomach was rejecting my nutrition plan for the run. I spent much of the middle eight miles walking more than running and experimenting with options at the aid stations to find something that my stomach would tolerate to bring back my energy. Finally Coke, ice and water worked! I was able to jog (slowly) the last eight miles. Not the run I had planned…
Those middle miles of the marathon were a death march; there were times during that period that I thought I might be walking the entire rest of the marathon. I saw my time goals slip away and - as I did my fuzzy math - I knew it was going to be a long night. When I was able to start jogging again around mile 18, I was quite happy. How things can turn during this epic event!
Lessons Learned (LL):
1. Be prepared to alter nutrition/hydration plan on the run based on the weather.
2. Skip the fuel belt on the run, or dump it in the early miles if I’m not using it (don’t wait ‘til mile 23 to ditch the extra weight).
Upon reflection, it was all fun. Thanks to all for your support! (Pictures are forthcoming).
Executive Summary - Sunday evening after the race it seemed like the half-iron distance would be long enough for all future races. By the next day, I was making a list of lessons learned and where to shave time for my next Ironman.
Stats - I was happy to finish, as that was my #1 goal. I had hoped to be closer to 13 hours, but I was happy to finish in 14H16M, all things considered. S=1H35M, T1=9:17, B=7H1M, T2=5:07, R=5H25M
I have to take a moment to brag for Chuck, as he refrains from comment. He did fantastic, pulling off an 11:42! His focus on more time and technique work in swimming really paid off, as he improved his swim by over 12 minutes (now if only that can rub off on me). S=1H8M, T1=7:09, B=6H3M, T2=5:29, R=4H17M
Overall Lessons Learned (LL):
1. As is the case with marathoning or any other endurance event, it’s important to have #1 goals, mid-range goals and stretch goals, as many factors necessitate adjustment in execution of the “master plan.”
2. If I treat race day like a long training day, then I can stay calm.
Weather - The weather was good overall compared to the cold and torrential rain last year. A brief but steady rain at the swim start did not bother us competitors at all, but made for a wet start to the day for the spectators. We would have paid money for rain during the run.
Swim - I met my #1 goal for the swim in that I was comfortable the whole time. I thought I would break 1:30, but that didn't happen and I quickly let that go as I moved onto the bike. I managed the crowd just fine in the swim, as I started off to the right shore and waited 1-2 minutes after the gun went off to start. Lots and lots of people around me, but no serious whacks given or received. On the second loop I managed to get on the inside line of the cable, which meant I rarely had to sight. Believe it or not, even at my pace (read, “slow”), I fought off lots of less-than-practiced drafters who had the annoying habit of grabbing my feet. Some furious kicking usually shed that baggage. Lessons Learned (LL):
1. I can avoid breathing problems on the swim if I skip races with water less than 65-degrees.
2. When I get back inside for Masters swimming, return to focus on technique to improve speed.
Bike - I had hoped to be faster, but had to be happy with my results, as I gave it all I had on that day. It was hot and humid, but not as bad as it was on the run. There was a fierce headwind on the hardest uphill climb from Wilmington back into LP. My feet were screaming with pain at various points from mile 60 on, telling me I still have some work to do on positioning and form.
Lessons Learned (LL):
1. If I continue to amp up my time and intensity on the bike, I will achieve my biking goals.
2. Force more food, beverage and salt on the bike, especially in the heat (when I feel like it the least).
3. Get a tri shirt with deeper pockets in case I must have my “security blanket items” (jacket, arm warmers and gloves).
4. Address my foot discomfort – adjust pedals, positioning or form.
5. I can’t make myself pee on my bike unless it’s raining.
6. Because of the above lesson, I need to figure out some pee stops in advance to avoid long stops at busy aid stations.
Run - I was so elated to be off the bike that I blasted into the run feeling great. I ran the first three miles at an 8:20 pace, though it felt like I was shuffling. By mile seven, I had settled into 9min/mile – still too fast for the heat and for me to sustain for the long haul at the end of an I-man.
Around mile eight, my “smoking gun event” began to fizzle. It was very hot and the sun exposure on River Road took its toll. I realized I hadn't taken in enough salt on the bike to account for the humidity and, due to the heat, my stomach was rejecting my nutrition plan for the run. I spent much of the middle eight miles walking more than running and experimenting with options at the aid stations to find something that my stomach would tolerate to bring back my energy. Finally Coke, ice and water worked! I was able to jog (slowly) the last eight miles. Not the run I had planned…
Those middle miles of the marathon were a death march; there were times during that period that I thought I might be walking the entire rest of the marathon. I saw my time goals slip away and - as I did my fuzzy math - I knew it was going to be a long night. When I was able to start jogging again around mile 18, I was quite happy. How things can turn during this epic event!
Lessons Learned (LL):
1. Be prepared to alter nutrition/hydration plan on the run based on the weather.
2. Skip the fuel belt on the run, or dump it in the early miles if I’m not using it (don’t wait ‘til mile 23 to ditch the extra weight).
Upon reflection, it was all fun. Thanks to all for your support! (Pictures are forthcoming).
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